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Forget the future, Forsberg still focused on his foot - plus a Fantasy game for Flyers Fans |
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So, the big meeting was scheduled for this afternoon between Peter Forsberg and Flyers G.M. Paul Holmgren.
They were supposed to discuss the future - you know, does Forsberg want to sign an extension and stay in Philly? Or does he want to be traded to a contender?
Well, as is all too often the case with the Flyers, the focus was instead on the past.
And now, we are all left with the same nonsense they've been force-feeding us for the past month:
"We need to focus on fixing the foot!"
Oh, bleeping, bleepity, bleep, phooey!
Is anyone else tired off this song and dance? I mean come on, please. Why should anyone really believe that everything is going to suddenly be better two or three weeks from now than it is right now?
This is an absolute insult of the intelligence of not just Philadelphia Flyers fans but hockey fans around the world.
The fact of the matter is, neither side wants to tip their hand, and as a result are making a mockery of themselves.
Forsberg doesn't want to be seen as the captain who bailed out on the sinking cruise ship and Holmgren doesn't want to be seen as the guy who bailed on the team's most popular and marketable player, especially since his job could hang in the balance and hinge on this decision.
So, the organization is left in limbo, yet again, and the confidence level that people have in them being able to turn things around had to have waned a bit following today's non-information session between the two sides.
Here is the transcript of a one-one-one phone interview I had with Forsberg this afternoon:
Q: How did the meeting go and what was discussed?
"Well, we only got to one point actually. We started talking about the foot. What we said was we have to figure out the foot situation and there's no need to talk about anything else. We have to try to fix the foot. .That has to remain our main focus right now."
Q: So, there was no discussion whatsoever about the future as it pertains to either staying in Philadelphia beyond this season or possibly moving to another team?
"Yeah, you know it all depends on the foot. We didn't talk about trading or signing a new deal or whatever. That's all we talked about and how long it's going to take."
Q: Was a deadline established for you to make a final determination on your foot? A time you need to let them know by so that they can make the decisions that are necessary?
"No, not really a deadline. Obviously it's going to come up to the deadline on Feb. 27. But we didn't set an (internal) deadline. It's weird for everybody when you have a deadline. I don't think it'll help any to have a deadline to fix the foot."
Q: Maybe not a deadline per se, but is there a scheduled time you are going to get together to sit down and talk again?
"No, I think the next time we'll sit down and talk is when the foot gets good, or at least much, much better. Then, we can talk about the future."
Q: You said it didn't feel that great in Atlanta nor against New York. Do you forsee there being any difference here over the next few games where you can go back to Paul and make a decision one way or the other?
"I've got to believe so. I've got to believe there is a solution out there. I don't know how long it's going to take. We're working on a few things and, as usual, we're trying to find it and I can't think any other way because if I think there's no solution, I might as well retire, you know? Well... I can't say retire, but I really have to think about what the future is going to hold. I can't think about anything else. I have to stay positive. think we've made some headway. We're starting to know why it's moving inside the skate and now we've got to find a way to stop it."
Q: You mentioned the "R" word and I know you don't like to talk about it, but as we creep closer to the trade deadline, does that start to weigh on your mind a little bit where, if after so many games you don't think you're foot's right it'll be something you'll consider, or do you think you'd wait until the summer to make that decision?
"All I think about is finding a solution. I can't think about retirement. I'm not thinking about it. If I don't stay positive, it's going to be even harder for me. Especially since (Harry) Bricker and (Jim Mccrossin) are working so hard every day for me."
Q: If it stays the same then, even if retirement is a decision you have to make, it probably won't happen until August or September then, right?
"Yeah. I love playing hockey and that's what I want to do. It reminds me of 2001 when I missed the whole season. It's so hard to sit out. I wanted to play the game so bad. So, I'm not going to give up easy. I doubt I'll make a decision before then if I'm not going to play."
Q: There was a report out of Toronto over the weekend that you have already waived your no trade clause, is that accurate?
"No. It's a bad rumor. People throw things all the time. It's all false."
Q: Do you have any idea about when the next update in this whole process might be?
"It's hard to say. We left it that we weren't going to have a deadline. If we get a solution, then we'll talk about (things), but nothing before that. That's all I can say."
Q: Have you put any thought into possibly going somewhere else for the remainder of this season?
"No, I haven't thought about it. I have to focus on playing for the Flyers. It's hard to play if you're thinking about going somewhere else. I have to get on the ice and play."
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Now the fun stuff:
Beginning with tomorrow's edition of the Delaware County Daily Times, I am conducting a simulation to determine who the best Flyers team ever really was.
I put together a bracket of 32 Flyers teams and curteousy of a simulation conducted by www.whatifsports.com played out the entire tournament to determine a winner.
Each series was a best of seven.
I will be highlighting the first two series tomorrow and then will continue to do so every Friday and Tuesday through the remainder of the regular season until an ultimate champion is crowned.
I will list the bracket below, but recaps and boxscores from each game of each series can be accessed on www.delcotimes.com or through the Flyers official Web site - www.philadelphiaflyers.com.
Here is the bracket including each starting goalie:
Round 1
Series 1
1. 1974-75 (51-18-11) (Bernie Parent) vs. 32. 1992-93 (36-37-11) (Tommy Soderstrom)
Series 2
16. 1980-81 (41-24-15) (Pete Peeters) VS. 17. 1972-73 (37-30-11) (Doug Favell)
Series 3
8. 1976-77 (48-16-16) (Parent) vs. 25. 1987-88 (38-33-9) (Ron Hextall)
Series 4
9. 1999-00 (45-22-15) (Brian Boucher) vs. 24. 1983-84 (44-26-10) (Bob Froese)
Series 5
5. 1984-85 (53-20-7) (Pelle Lindbergh) vs. 28. 1997-98 (42-29-11) (Hextall)
Series 6
12. 2003-04 (40-21-21) (Robert Esche) vs. 21. 1982-83 (49-23-8) (Lindbergh)
Series 7
4. 1979-80 (48-12-20) (Peeters) vs. 29. 1967-68 (31-32-11) (Parent)
Series 8
13. 1988-89 (36-36-8) (Hextall) vs. 20. 2005-06 (45-26-11)(Antero Niittymaki)
Series 9
6. 1996-97 (45-24-13) (Hextall) vs. 27. 1981-82 (38-31-11) (Peeters)
Series 10
11. 1994-95 (28-16-4) (Hextall) vs. 22. 2000-01 (43-25-14) (Roman Cechmanek)
Series 11
3. 1975-76 (51-13-16) (Wayne Stephenson) vs. 30. 1970-71 (28-33-17) (Favell)
Series 12
14. 2002-03 (45-20-17) (Cechmanek) vs. 19. 1985-86 (53-23-4) (Froese)
Series 13
7. 1986-87 (46-26-8) (Hextall) vs. 26. 1998-99 (37-26-19) (John Vanbiesbrouck)
Series 14
10. 1977-78 (45-20-15) (Parent) vs. 23. 2001-02 (42-27-13) (Cechmanek)
Series 15
2. 1973-74 (50-16-12) (Parent) vs. 31. 1968-69 ( 20-35-21) (Parent)
Series 16
15. 1995-96 (45-24-13) (Hextall) vs. 18. 1978-79 (40-25-15) (Stephenson)
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