Dale and Holley Opening Segment

So completely independent of anything else in the course of planning to do our show. Michaels makes a very good point here is were pre planning once they showing since you don't want. I think that that Bruins and Celtics fans want an opportunity to talk about their teams and you know Bruins are seven games and their season Celtics play their final pre season game tonight rejoicing.

Where eagle on -- when it it adds wanna remind you that those. Those talks in the morning -- up the record up to bat parity talk there are okay don't know what went on come on start to shut you down and I are being -- they'll do is I'm I'm gonna -- you cliche in this I'm giving you pinellas stuff from now it is what it is we want to maximize our opportunity you get that.

Now Michael very correctly said you know Bruins and Celtics fans probably don't want talk about the -- little bit so we make plans we make arrangements Mike Melbourne is gonna join us -- Well hello to today we always love -- hockey with Mike anyway little did we know at the point that we were twenty -- that. That we have more bad news for Bruins fans I mean little did we know week. We knew that it was already -- up -- La Lucci John long term injured reserve with a broken finger he had surgery on that. Out four to six weeks. Little did we know that we were gonna open the show by telling Bruins fans oh by the way Marc Savard got a broken foot is out the next 46 weeks to. Man that thing hits just keep on top.

month and a half without Savard a month and a half without Lucic. And a team that is looked in pretty shake -- right now about it right now in addition to those injuries. I -- you're not willing to say that you'd think Tim Thomas is an elite goaltender in the National Hockey League. -- and play like it either I'm a bit between the injuries and the poor performances. -- pretty I've been pretty shaky.

They've they've probably got some some issues in and I I will save this. They've got a general manager who has not been sitting idly by. You know seven games into the season he's and I don't care we -- we got stuff to fix we got stuff today though. And you know he has he has made he made a trade earlier with Chuck Kobasew he made another trade yesterday he acquired. Daniel -- a from buffalo now don't get all cranked up by Daniel -- AA. A he's. A bit of a disappointment as far as the sabres are concerned that's why is available. Beat. The Buffalo Sabres not only traded him within the conference they traded him within the division which gives you an idea of of how much they're worried about.

Well obviously but forget about him that the larger and but you you're starting go there when you're talking about Peter surely. It could be a guy who says. I'm just not gonna sit here. And let this happen in you need to be proactive proactive to be general manager and pro sports or maybe it's the opposite may -- just --

Well and that's the question it's it's a legitimate question on your part -- you know is this guy who's being proactive. -- some problems with his team even though it's early in the season. If it would lead you to believe that -- the decisions they made going into the season. Maybe they they were incorrect in some of those assessments because they obviously started the season with a team they thought was pretty good. I mean they have not been shy about talking about expectations over there and where they think this team is gonna go. They've they've they have said you know as far as they're concerned -- cup contender. Well by 67 games in their movement. Deck chairs all over the place now some I have to move up their choice -- teach gets hurt now Savard gets.

Are they gonna have to move some more now if yeah it either they have to move some more outside the organization or they say that this data themselves. Look. We can give five for a month and a half. With the talent that we have here and in Providence. And in -- who will plug in. We'll keep going and we should be we should governor hang around -- around 500. The next month and a half and then when our guys come back in the calvary comes out. Will be okay what do you think.

I'm not sure based on how they played I mean even when Lucci and Savard were helping. This was a team we talked about it a little bit yesterday. I've been very disappointed watching this team's lack of commitment. That was one of the things you had to say about the last year night in night out nobody out worked them in on nobody bought into what more than they did. They started the season looking like a team that got fat and happy in the offseason and they didn't accomplish -- an -- what we're putting in fat and happy I I I don't I don't think they should be but that's how they looked starting out the season. I mean the opener was a nightmare. They come out in game two and a great you're saying okay you know what that night they figured it out everything's good. And that was right back to win one lose one -- 11 lose one they sit there at three and four right now they they go to Dallas they have a great performance they beat the stars three nothing it's that are right. Now okay now they've really figured it out -- go to Phoenix the next night give before one.

That's another problem with the team is that it's not a team problem it's an organizational problem. I didn't realize this until retirement this morning. Actually raised their ticket prices they did. Significantly. Yup in the middle of a recession coming you gotta you gotta think about that you have brought justice was down. There's no other way to put. This is just stupid. -- Boston. You know you're behind the patriots because the patriots have won recently. You know you're behind the Red Sox because the Red Sox have won recently. You might even be behind the Celtics we armaments. They want they wonder -- recently. So you're at best. You put on your best close. And you have proper posture. And you're nice to everybody you're still fourth best no matter what you do you're still fourth best in this town. And you think it's a good idea to raise ticket prices when the Red Sox didn't.

When the patriots did. You do the pro. Obama. Well and and look in this is one of those. Rare instances too where the the NHL schedule maker to do the many favors usually the Bruins open season on the road. Circus comes down Bruins played those first five games out and god knows where and they're going to Edmonton and Vancouver and no one ever. And this year for the first time in my memory they opened the season with a five game home state by that a bad thing. Because you'd it looked like you were ready. And of the and the show you showed your fans to start the season with was spotty. You know a -- in the opener was off until that you played great the second game that it's spotty again.

Well listen I don't think many teams in sports gonna complain about having a five game homestand but the larger point. When I graduated like having he's an opening -- but -- okay then why why do you think they raised ticket prices. What they do that. The fourth export town. Why you why are you doing something that will drive fans away you have a wedding product and then not raising ticket prices. You have a wanna championships between 1972. -- Everybody else has adjusted. To the recession and the Bruins in the jobs it would do dependence on Jacobs either Dick it's Charlie. Jake Jeremy whoever is that the Jacobs call.

Well I. I I can't say whose call it is but I. I mean I assume everything got past ultimately go through Jeremy Jacobs in whether it's recommended by Charlie Jacobs or. The folks who run the the franchise here. And I got to tell you I'm not sure about that the raising ticket prices thing either because they did raise some ticket prices. They didn't raise others I'm looking at a New York Times piece which was Wednesday October 21 of this year. And the New York Times piece said that the -- that's today. That was today -- right but yet this 21 for in today's New York Times. It says here and I'm just quoting. Thirteen teams kept prices steady six teams cut prices led by Tampa Bay New Jersey and Boston. According to today's New York Times. -- they cut their prices that's what this a New York Times -- has today. That's not that's not the way it was. That's not the way it was presented to me the average ticket price for the Bruins. Is tenth in the league it is above average. It but it it's above average the NHL averages 5141. The Bruins is 54 and 94. The teams above the Bruins their tenth right now the teams above the Bruins Toronto Montreal Vancouver. Minnesota Philadelphia Calgary Edmonton the Rangers and Pittsburgh. According to -- this that you're you're telling me that the Boston Bruins. Did not raise ticket prices. After last year I am I am reading from ten days. Today's New York Times according to this now. There there are using something called the fan cost index which is put out by.

This is you know what that here we don't even need New York Times this is very this is very easy to figure out because I don't think the New York Times is right. Jockey I'll have to do. Is if you are a URA Bruins. Season ticket holder. You tell -- They ration ticket prices. They cut your ticket prices. They keep from the same.

According to the fans yell and -- WPI dot com boarding the fan this is team marketing research they do the the entire -- The overall fan cost index for the Bruins this year went down four point 6%. Their average ticket price went down ten point 5%. I'm just looking ahead anyway and what that can mean is they've -- some some -- some -- some some now down with someone -- some went up. Goblet and then their overall. Average ticket price went down 10% from a year ago and not albums that are gonna. That's what I'm looking at right here.

We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out we'll get there we'll get the story across the board but I'm pretty sure they race on ticket prices.

But the bottom line even beyond that is that I think this is a team feeling a lot of pressure this year. I think this is a team. Feeling that it be added weight of expectations. To their credit I guess they haven't been afraid to. Except those expectations they have not afraid to. But. You know -- those expectations you're telling your fans this is a Stanley Cup contending team and you go out -- through the first seven games in your three and four and don't look. It'll look like a -- your advertisements average amateur some nights when they don't it looked like a playoff team they will because sixteen teams make it be in -- sank. There's some -- they don't look like a playoff team. There have been a couple of nights this year where they looked like a cup contender. And the Coca. Very spotty very up and down it gets added to question you asked yesterday. Legitimate question passed on others who do you blame. And I gave in my thought you gave me yours and what a surprise we don't always agree.