Do you back this ownership group? (Aquillinis)

[MeanSeanBean]

1 minute ago, The Duke said:

Hate to say it, but anyone who spends their free time posting about the team they own is supporting ownership. 
 

And in all honesty you have a group that spends to the cap every year and doesn’t seem to micro manage the team beyond not wanting a rebuild.  
 

I understand that’s the only thing on the Christmas list for some people, but it could be miles worse. And it has been.

Counter argument then, the people who spend their free time protesting the vaccine mandate actually support the vaccine mandate?

[The Duke]

11 minutes ago, MeanSeanBean said:

Counter argument then, the people who spend their free time protesting the vaccine mandate actually support the vaccine mandate?

That’s not the same thing at all, though.  

The people who care enough to complain about the owner of a sports team are usually some of the most dedicated fans to watching, listening, consuming media (and usually merch) plus discussing and engaging across various platforms.  That “supports” ownership at least financially even if they are vocally against them. 
 

The vaccine example would work if the anti vaxxers took every vaccine and then just bitched about the side effects or whatever but then lined back up for the next one.

[King Heffy]

Hard no.  The only respectable people in this organization are the players.

[VegasCanuck]

54 minutes ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

Again, I have resorted to rooting for the players and coaches. It has nothing to do with me getting people to turn against them. The question is do people have a hard time getting behind ownership? 

 

So, is that a NO on your Photoshop skills? Because I was thinking of all the stuff we could post.... 

 

In direct response to your question, I don't think this ownership group is really the problem at this point, but that's not to say that there haven't been mistakes. I think that part of why we have been stuck in rebuild mode for so long was because they didn't put someone above Jim Benning as organization President when Linden left. All GM's make mistakes and Benning was no different there. On some things, he made more than his fair share. That said, I think there was a deficiency in the senior leadership department, someone other than Aquilni, asking Benning to justify his course of action and trades. I think that is fully in place now with Rutherford mentoring Allvin and I think as a result, we're seeing some pretty sound moves over the past few months within the confines of the current cap climate.

 

I feel like this is the team's year to take a big step forward, We are coming out of camp in relatively good health and we have an owner who prioritizes spending over team profit. That is a combination that makes Vancouver an attractive destination for players looking to come here as UFA's and for players who are looking at signing their lifetime (8 year) contracts like Pettersson.

 

So, I have not problem supporting the team ownership. If he didn't care, he wouldn't have made the changes that he did.

[DSVII]

I blame Benning a lot but the ownership group is ultimately responsible for the lost decade starting 2013, and the ousting of Linden always leaves a bad mark on the franchise.

 

Can't back them. Any billionaire can spend to the cap. I think it'll be beneficial to have one view the team less as a fan and personal toy and just sign the cheques.

 

Of course, I also acknowledge that owners can learn too. I hope they just do what's best for the team going forward and if it makes sense. Rebuild rather than retool.

[HuggyCareBear]

do we have a freaking choice? 

[Ghostsof1915]

36 minutes ago, HuggyCareBear said:

do we have a freaking choice? 

This is what I don't understand.

You don't like them fine.

But b!tching about it isn't going to do anything.

You'd need investors with VERY deep pockets to buy the team, or a group of investors.

And that's even if the Aqua's would be willing to sell.

[Canuckfanforlife82]

10 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

This is what I don't understand.

You don't like them fine.

But b!tching about it isn't going to do anything.

You'd need investors with VERY deep pockets to buy the team, or a group of investors.

And that's even if the Aqua's would be willing to sell.

 I don't think the post is bitching. It was meant to see if people actually stand behind them. There are some good owners out there that people like and are good people.

[Curmudgeon]

32 minutes ago, DSVII said:

I blame Benning a lot but the ownership group is ultimately responsible for the lost decade starting 2013, and the ousting of Linden always leaves a bad mark on the franchise.

 

Man, the Benning horse has already been flogged and reflogged. It can't be any deader. Until you have a fresh perspective or previously unknown information, let it go. What management skills did Linden have that made him so all-fired good? He HIRED Benning and Wiesbrod, along with Willie D and Travis Green. He also threw Chris Higgins under the bus in a public fan forum, then had to backpedal. He seemed to be more focussed on preserving his legacy as a player than making tough decisions. To me, Linden will always be the guy that was largely responsible for the players caving to ownership during the lost season lockout.

 

32 minutes ago, DSVII said:

 

Can't back them. Any billionaire can spend to the cap. I think it'll be beneficial to have one view the team less as a fan and personal toy and just sign the cheques.

 

Aquilini has made it clear over and over that he and his family are dedicated Canucks fans and want to win a Cup for their dad while he is still alive. And no billionaire treats his bread and butter business as a personal toy. And he does sign the cheques, so he has every right to ask how much, what for and why. Wouldn't you do that if you owned a highly successful business?

 

32 minutes ago, DSVII said:

 

Of course, I also acknowledge that owners can learn too. I hope they just do what's best for the team going forward and if it makes sense. Rebuild rather than retool.

 

Rebuild and retool are non-specific buzzwords that are open to a wide variety of interpretations. Be specific about how you would do things differently than Rutherford, Allvin and their staff. Seems to me they have gone a very long way toward reshaping the team with the support and consent of the guy who hired them.

[Dumb Nuck]

They’re like the annoying mother in law of you super hot wife.

[Ds4quality]

They really do spend the cap a lot. But is that a good thing when you're constantly bad?

[Canuckfanforlife82]

3 minutes ago, Ds4quality said:

They really do spend the cap a lot. But is that a good thing when you're constantly bad?

Well they had the wrong person in charge to spend that money. I don't think Benning was too good at evaluating talent or building a team. The problem was they left him far too long as GM and then he keep trying to correct mistakes by spending money and including term for okay players. Whenever he spent money it was more of, see I am doing something. 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Canuckfanforlife82

[DSVII]

36 minutes ago, Curmudgeon said:

 

Man, the Benning horse has already been flogged and reflogged. It can't be any deader. Until you have a fresh perspective or previously unknown information, let it go. What management skills did Linden have that made him so all-fired good? He HIRED Benning and Wiesbrod, along with Willie D and Travis Green. He also threw Chris Higgins under the bus in a public fan forum, then had to backpedal. He seemed to be more focussed on preserving his legacy as a player than making tough decisions. To me, Linden will always be the guy that was largely responsible for the players caving to ownership during the lost season lockout.

 

 

There are people on the forum flogging Gillis 10 years after the cup run, and we have Benning's legacy dead caps on our books until 2030. It bears repeating how generational this damage to the franchise is. The reason rutherford and allvin traded all those picks away and rebuilt the top 4 is because of Benning. His finger print on this org will be a case study for years to come.

 

Agree to disagree, but Linden chose the correct long term view of what to do with the Franchise in 2017. That is a tough decision especially with this ownership group.

 

Quote

Aquilini has made it clear over and over that he and his family are dedicated Canucks fans and want to win a Cup for their dad while he is still alive. And no billionaire treats his bread and butter business as a personal toy. And he does sign the cheques, so he has every right to ask how much, what for and why. Wouldn't you do that if you owned a highly successful business?

 

That is admirable, and he does have the right to ask how much, what for and why. What he shouldn't do is micro manage to the point of veto'ing trades or firing a GM for a specific move that would have hurt the franchise (Nonis). Just because he has the right, doesn't mean he should. That's the sign of a good owner.

 

The Aquilinis are mixed bags, I don't deny their fandom, but a fan does not make a good manager.

 

Quote

 

Rebuild and retool are non-specific buzzwords that are open to a wide variety of interpretations. Be specific about how you would do things differently than Rutherford, Allvin and their staff. Seems to me they have gone a very long way toward reshaping the team with the support and consent of the guy who hired them.

 

I'll be specific then, when Petey and Hughes reach their 2013/14 Sedin phase of the career, rebuild. Don't try and extend it for a 4 game playoff run.

 

I'm fine with competing now, it makes sense. I just hope the organization learns as whole that when you stare down the twilight years of your stars, you chose the route that guarantees the biggest success, rebuilding through the draft (I can already hear the Edmonton 4 1st overall doomers here. Think Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Colorado, New Jersey)

Edited October 9, 2023 by DSVII

[Maninthebox]

I don't know why ownership would give a shit what I think, so I don't waste any energy doing so.

[kilgore]

Kind of a silly question.  What would be the scenario of NOT backing the owners?  Stop watching games, buying merch? We are Canucks fans long before these owners decided to take a crack at it. In every sense other than being billionaires, it’s our team too. BCers team since 1970.

 

 The Aquilinis don’t get any cred for spending to the max on the cap. No owner today would be allowed the reigns in Vancouver if they didn’t. That’s the bare minimum for any owner in this town.

 

 There’s good and bad. They oversaw the successful years of the Sedin era. Backing the GM in his moves to sign players for home town discounts and bring in the support players to almost, almost take us to the promised land. 
 

But then Franks ego took over and he wanted in on the day to day business of the team and found a weak complacent GM to go along with his deluded “just get in and anything can happen” on the back of an aging stale core, it was bound for failure. And he dragged out this pony show for almost a decade.

 

 But kudos again to the owners for realizing the error of their ways, finally. And putting some adults in charge. But because we never did a proper full rebuild a decade ago, and the damage done, JR can only patch together what he can with what he has to work with. It may be enough to get to the next tier up. And with a bit more luck, another tier after that. 
 

As far as ownership, as someone else once said “It is what it is”
 

 

[wai_lai416]

12 hours ago, Canuck You said:

I will play devils advocate and say this, Yes they mess up a lot but they do spend to the cap every season and do buy out contracts so I will give them that...I just hope they realize how impatient we fans are getting. A cup in this lifetime would be a blessing at this point.

meh he spends so people will come to the arena.. he spends so he can get bigger tax write off for his company.. ask him to build a practice facility? nope refuse to spend money on that... the canucks are still making profit despite him spending the the cap etc.. let see if he'll spend when the team is actually not profitable with half empty arena during an actual rebuild

[Rip The Mesh]

22 minutes ago, kilgore said:

Kind of a silly question.  What would be the scenario of NOT backing the owners?  Stop watching games, buying merch? We are Canucks fans long before these owners decided to take a crack at it. In every sense other than being billionaires, it’s our team too. BCers team since 1970.

 

 The Aquilinis don’t get any cred for spending to the max on the cap. No owner today would be allowed the reigns in Vancouver if they didn’t. That’s the bare minimum for any owner in this town.

 

 There’s good and bad. They oversaw the successful years of the Sedin era. Backing the GM in his moves to sign players for home town discounts and bring in the support players to almost, almost take us to the promised land. 
 

But then Franks ego took over and he wanted in on the day to day business of the team and found a weak complacent GM to go along with his deluded “just get in and anything can happen” on the back of an aging stale core, it was bound for failure. And he dragged out this pony show for almost a decade.

 

 But kudos again to the owners for realizing the error of their ways, finally. And putting some adults in charge. But because we never did a proper full rebuild a decade ago, and the damage done, JR can only patch together what he can with what he has to work with. It may be enough to get to the next tier up. And with a bit more luck, another tier after that. 
 

As far as ownership, as someone else once said “It is what it is”
 

 

Current ownership has it's warts to be sure though it's better then other regimes such as this one!