Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

[MoneyGuy]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

The best hockey dollar value in town is at U of A - $12.50 per game for the best on-ice product (ahead of the Oilers). Less if you're a student or senior, or family - $35 for 2 adults and 3 kids, which is definitely the best family deal in the city.

I fixed it for you.

I agree with all that you said, Matt, except if by on-ice product you mean consistent and pure entertainment value, then the Bears are way ahead of the Oilers. The Oilers are better players, of course, but if your measuring stick is flat-out desire, entertainment and performance every night, the Bears whip the Oilers. Excitement too. Value for money, Bears hands down. They're my second favourite team, behind the Oilers, and the quality of hockey is great and the guys give it every game, which the Oilers do not do.

The Bears are the best-kept secret in town. Too bad more fans have not discovered them.

[gizmo fan 2]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

I fixed it for you.

I agree with all that you said, Matt, except if by on-ice product you mean consistent and pure entertainment value, then the Bears are way ahead of the Oilers. The Oilers are better players, of course, but if your measuring stick is flat-out desire, entertainment and performance every night, the Bears whip the Oilers. Excitement too. Value for money, Bears hands down. They're my second favourite team, behind the Oilers, and the quality of hockey is great and the guys give it every game, which the Oilers do not do.

The Bears are the best-kept secret in town. Too bad more fans have not discovered them.

No, agreed. I was thinking more along the lines of "who would win a seven-game series", but I agree with all that you said. Effort-wise, it's no contest.

[GREYx14]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

The Bears are the best-kept secret in town. Too bad more fans have not discovered them.

On the nights I've been at Clare Drake Arena or Varsity Gym it looks like alumni night with the majority of the fans being roughly my age (I graduated in 1986) or older. When Bob Stauffer was still working at the U of A I asked him why this is the case and also why a very low percentage of current university students attend Bears/Pandas games. Stauffer said that they (the U of A athletics dept.) needed to do a better job and that even the existence of very suceessful programs has failed to generate a culture of fan support among current students. Chronic underfunding and a less-than supportive adminstration at the U of A were also mentioned.

[moontoscott]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

On the nights I've been at Clare Drake Arena or Varsity Gym it looks like alumni night with the majority of the fans being roughly my age (I graduated in 1986) or older. When Bob Stauffer was still working at the U of A I asked him why this is the case and also why a very low percentage of current university students attend Bears/Pandas games. Stauffer said that they (the U of A athletics dept.) needed to do a better job and that even the existence of very suceessful programs has failed to generate a culture of fan support among current students. Chronic underfunding and a less-than supportive adminstration at the U of A were also mentioned.

I have to agree with you. Both my wife and I are U of A alumni and I admit that in all my years of study I went to one Bear's football game.

Unlike U.S. colleges there doesn't seem to be any rah-rah spirit about the team. To be blunt, I think we were somewhat apathetic (myself included). And alumni just don't give to the team the way that they do in the U.S.

[Swivel Hips]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

Some of the best hockey in the province used to be the old Alberta Senior hockey. The local team here was the St. Albert Comets - they played in a league with the Stony Plain Eagles, Enoch Tomahawks, Westlock, Barrhead and others. A lot of ex-Oil Kings, Bears and even some ex-NHLers played in the league. Many of them weren't good enough to make the teams. In those days, I think it was $5.00, or something ridiculous like that, to get in. The team just wanted to cover their expenses.

The Stony Plain Eagles are still in existence, as are the Bentley Generals and Horse Lake Thunder, but the Comets folded many years ago. They still play for the Allan Cup. It was just great hockey - fast, tough, high-calibre and full body contact.

[gizmo fan 2]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

On the nights I've been at Clare Drake Arena or Varsity Gym it looks like alumni night with the majority of the fans being roughly my age (I graduated in 1986) or older. When Bob Stauffer was still working at the U of A I asked him why this is the case and also why a very low percentage of current university students attend Bears/Pandas games. Stauffer said that they (the U of A athletics dept.) needed to do a better job and that even the existence of very suceessful programs has failed to generate a culture of fan support among current students. Chronic underfunding and a less-than supportive adminstration at the U of A were also mentioned.

Yep. Bears hockey is about the only thing we draw decently for on a consistent basis.

UA needs to do a better job of marketing and getting the students out to see the product. Heck, I'm surprised they don't emphasize the $4 beer in their advertising.

I think a good idea would be to start one or two "pack the park" student nights where students get in free for each sport (volleyball vs UBC, football vs Calgary, hockey vs Calgary, basketball vs Sask). Loss of admission money, yes, but I bet they make up the deficit in beer sales, and if they like it and come back, then you've just developed a fan.

UBC just started a "fan club" program which I think is a great idea - you join, receive a T-shirt and dog tag, and every time you go to a game you have your dog tag scanned in. Once you build up a certain number of points through attending games and such, you can redeem them for rewards like gift cards or coupons for campus eateries and things like that.

[Rayminator]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

Some of the best hockey in the province used to be the old Alberta Senior hockey. The local team here was the St. Albert Comets - they played in a league with the Stony Plain Eagles, Enoch Tomahawks, Westlock, Barrhead and others. A lot of ex-Oil Kings, Bears and even some ex-NHLers played in the league. Many of them weren't good enough to make the teams. In those days, I think it was $5.00, or something ridiculous like that, to get in. The team just wanted to cover their expenses.

The Stony Plain Eagles are still in existence, as are the Bentley Generals and Horse Lake Thunder, but the Comets folded many years ago. They still play for the Allan Cup. It was just great hockey - fast, tough, high-calibre and full body contact.

Wasn't Theo Fleury playing for them for awhile?

[newton]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

This incident has had a lot of coverage and discussion ...and as a Flames fan all I can say is...

This is a pretty big steaming pile of nothing. its a text message to a call in show - in my view its barely newsworthy at all let alone anything meaningful. I would even like to make fun of the Oilers for it, but even there I cant ...the incident is so much ado about nothing.

but for the topic of MacT ...I hope he is given a few more years of head coaching to really see what he can do.

[KristjanCFL]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

The Oil Kings lower bowl is overpriced for the WHL. The $17 seats they have in the 200's aren't bad, though.

The best hockey dollar value in town is at U of A - $12.50 per game for the second-best on-ice product (behind only the Oilers). Less if you're a student or senior, or family - $35 for 2 adults and 3 kids, which is definitely the best family deal in the city.

Would have mentioned the Bears, but thought i'd keep it somewhat on-topic for hockey at Rexall.

GREYx13 is correct - there isn't much appreciation for athletics and recreation at the UofA, or anything thats not bringing in big RESEARCH $$$$$. I'd go to more events at the UofA like the Bears (with South Campus LRT opening, perhaps me and my dad will go down to Foote field for Bears football (me anyway, he's a Huskies fan though being from Saskatchewan) this year. But as a student I just don't feel like its worth hanging around on that campus if I don't have to be there for classes. moontoscott is probably more aware of this than most of you being an alumnus, but the UofA recently announced they raised 581 MILLION bucks or something like that... yet they keep trying to relegate the cost of a new van vliet facility to a new student fee, where students paying now would be graduated and gone by the time it was finished probably, they raise parking rates, residence rates, tuition at every chance, I was even told that the university purposefully runs a deficit every year to be allowed to do those things! They complain about needing building maintenance, but use the government's money to tear down the perfectly good classrooms and lecture theatres that was V-wing and the Physics Building and put up some new monstrosity instead.

Wrong place for the rant though, apologies.

Full agreement - Bears hockey is a great deal! Come down and enjoy!

[Rayminator]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

Would have mentioned the Bears, but thought i'd keep it somewhat on-topic for hockey at Rexall.

GREYx13 is correct - there isn't much appreciation for athletics and recreation at the UofA, or anything thats not bringing in big RESEARCH $$$$$. I'd go to more events at the UofA like the Bears (with South Campus LRT opening, perhaps me and my dad will go down to Foote field for Bears football (me anyway, he's a Huskies fan though being from Saskatchewan) this year. But as a student I just don't feel like its worth hanging around on that campus if I don't have to be there for classes. moontoscott is probably more aware of this than most of you being an alumnus, but the UofA recently announced they raised 581 MILLION bucks or something like that... yet they keep trying to relegate the cost of a new van vliet facility to a new student fee, where students paying now would be graduated and gone by the time it was finished probably, they raise parking rates, residence rates, tuition at every chance, I was even told that the university purposefully runs a deficit every year to be allowed to do those things! They complain about needing building maintenance, but use the government's money to tear down the perfectly good classrooms and lecture theatres that was V-wing and the Physics Building and put up some new monstrosity instead.

Wrong place for the rant though, apologies.

Full agreement - Bears hockey is a great deal! Come down and enjoy!

I have no way to actually confirm this, but I've heard the U of A is planning on phasing out their science and arts programs in favor of expanding the more expensive programs - law, business, and medicine. Pure greed.

[KristjanCFL]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

I have no way to actually confirm this, but I've heard the U of A is planning on phasing out their science and arts programs in favor of expanding the more expensive programs - law, business, and medicine. Pure greed.

I would find that rumour suspect if it didn't mention Engineering as also getting a bigger piece of the pie. I haven't heard your story though myself, but I could believe that some programs like Arts, perhaps the less flashy parts of science programs (some of the sciences probably do bring home the bacon) would get the axe, but I also could not believe that engineering wouldn't get a bigger cut given how important the energy economy is here. I hope they don't kill Education though, i'm starting my after-degree program in the fall.

[Muley69]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

Uh, to me, considering the BILLIONS invested in Nanotech, that right there is enough proof this is a rumor which is completely false.

[Uncle Bobby]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

I have no way to actually confirm this, but I've heard the U of A is planning on phasing out their science and arts programs in favor of expanding the more expensive programs - law, business, and medicine. Pure greed.

Pure rumour.

[Steve Vale]

Re: Katz's comments about MacT due to his anger from talk radio shows

I have no way to actually confirm this, but I've heard the U of A is planning on phasing out their science and arts programs in favor of expanding the more expensive programs - law, business, and medicine. Pure greed.

Absolute malarkey.

How many law students complete their undergrad in Arts? Or how many med students do a science undergrad?...Wait that didn't sound right...rather...completing their undergrad in science?

Even a brand new university stating fresh out of the gate usually has a faculty of Arts & Sciences. As do most of the great universities in the world...Oxbridge etc...

Not to mention all the global recognition that both Faculties and their numerous departments have...

You sure you didn't get your news on April 1st?