Captain Jumbo
October 7th, 2010, 10:03 am
They waited until the very last minute as expected. Joe Thornton is the new captain of the Sharks. It’s a bit of a surprise, though not to everyone. After talking with Randy, I’m certainly not as surprised as I would have been if it was announced a month ago. If one guy ‘stirs the drink’ as Randy put it, it makes sense. The other contender, Dan Boyle, gets the “permanent ‘A'”, with the other ‘A’ rotating. Maybe the most surprising thing about the announcement is the news that Clowe will share the ‘A’. No mention of Pavelski.
Of course this is going to be covered and debated in Sharks Nation with zeal, and we’ve had our fair share of captaincy discussions over the past couple of years. The more I think about it, the less I think I know about it. This quote from McLellan is a bit of a clue:
The verbal leadership gets way overrated. We don’t need cheerleaders on our team by any means. We need people who speak their mind and then back it up on the ice.
Let’s face it, it’s not about us. It’s not about how good or bad a guy is at a press conference after a game. It’s not about whether we think a guy is too sunny, or too laid-back, or too intense. The captain is the PR face of the franchise, and for that reason, we think we should have a say, and what we see is all there is. Sure, it’d be nice if those two things agreed, and many times they do. But the real measure is wins, losses, and Cups. Warm fuzzies in the fan base aren’t counted. Would you really want it any other way?
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The only thing that bothers me about this decision is shit like this:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Joe-Thornton-named-San-Jose-captain-Sharks-Bru?urn=nhl-275308
It has no bearing on the team or how they will play. But I can’t stand this crap and we’re all gonna have to listen to it all year.
Fixed your link for ya. The way I see is this: no matter what happens, people are going to find out they’re right. Sharks win the Cup this year, everything is forgiven. They don’t win it and JT is the captain, it’s because he has no leadership. They don’t win and Boyle is the captain, it’s because the Sharks are chokers. They don’t win and Clowe is the captain, it’s because there are too many e’s in his name.
You’re totally right but it drives me crazy.
As if I need another reason not to read most NHL media…
quite possibly the worst outcome from this decision: listening to Randy and Drew gush over Jumbo like two teenage girls with the latest issue of Tiger Beat.
keep the vomit bags handy.
I am on my way home from a good and exciting fist game in Stockholm. Joe played stable, but Clowe and Pavelski were the two best players tonight. What bothered me somewhat was that the goaltending seemed abit unstable at times. Anyway it was nice to finally get to see the sharks here in sweden. 🙂
Per Pollack: Murray didn’t drop the gloves today because the captain told him no, it wasn’t the time…. Joe has the respect on the bench.
I dont think that anything joe said made any difference. At once when it had hapend the referee blowed the whistle before Douglas even could turn around. When Douglas saw that it was a penalty incoming, he just smiled and turnerd the other way. I am sure that Douglas would have acted in another way if it wasnt for the incoming penalty.
Actually, not to be a jerk here, but Murray said flat out it was Joe that stopped him. I’m not sure you can argue it wasn’t?