Which team was better?
The 2011 Saint John Sea Dogs or the 2013 Halifax Mooseheads?
It’s something that will likely be debated in Atlantic
Canada for decades. Both teams had a record tying 58 regular season wins, each
won the President Cup and Memorial Cup, and both capped off their seasons by
having a handful of players taken early in the NHL Draft.
The two teams were very similar. They were built through
the draft, they dominated offensively, and were pretty much the best team in the
Canadian Hockey League all season long.
That’s why, when talking about the greatness of one, it’s
difficult to not mention the other. But that is just what TSN.ca columnist Alex
J. Walling has done.
His column, posted on July 2nd, begins with
this:
The Halifax Mooseheads have completed the best hockey year ever in this part of the country. There have been great Maritime teams in the past, but none come close to the team and individual accomplishments of the Mooseheads and some of their star players this year.
And ends with this:
It doesn't get any better. They are the best ever hockey team in Atlantic Canada.
Everyone has an opinion and statements like that wouldn’t be too upsetting if the Sea
Dogs were at least mentioned and recognized. But they’re not. At All. Nor are the 2001 Saint John
Flames or any of Saint John’s other championship hockey teams.
We’re sorry if this post comes across as whiny but stuff
like this is annoying. When people don’t spell the city name correctly it’s
annoying. When people don’t mention the Sea Dogs in discussions about the
greatest Atlantic Canadian hockey teams ever it’s annoying.
We could break the column down more – but we won’t. Maybe
Walling just (hopefully) left a couple paragraphs out before sending or
something. Let’s hope.
Check out the column HERE.
And on a side note, the Saint John championship parade was way better.
Check out the column HERE.
And on a side note, the Saint John championship parade was way better.
True, but it's Alex J Walling, a hack of a journalist that TSN hides in Atlantic Canada and hope that none of his crap offends anyone too much.
ReplyDeleteAJ's always worked out Halifax. I remember he and that Stacey Jones used to have a sports show on the late night MITV News feed from Halifax in the 90's. He'd be very partial to the Mooseheads as he's been covering them since day 1, long before anybody else had a Q League team in the Maritimes. I always found him annoying.
ReplyDeleteWhat a moron! Does this guy even watch hockey? Did he not watch what the Dogs did. If the Heads go on to win the next two Mem Cups.. or even the next two Presidents Cups then start bragging.. now is too early. Best team ever my butt! This really bugs me. Dude really needs to learn his hockey before he goes and makes claims like that. However congratz to Hali and good job on keeping it in the Maritimes and I still think theres even more of a case to change the Major in QMJHL to Martimes now.
ReplyDeleteHelifax had agood year. Lol (someone else can have their name misspelled for once). Now TRY to match Saint John Seadogs run meaning more than one excellent season.
ReplyDeleteSaint John is the hockey master.
With the Seadogs, Flames, and Vetos all the championships. Good luck matching all the wins we have here.
What a HOMER
ReplyDeleteHe tries to make it sound like the Mooseheads were the first team from the Maritimes to win the Memorial Cup. He mentions how Moncton hosted and lost in the finals but and then he says, The Mooseheads broke the mold this year, winning the president's trophy as QMJHL champs, and then winning the Memorial Cup to become national junior champions. What a JOKE!
If it's a choice between malice and stupidity with AJ Walling, assume stupidity. Seriously, I wouldn't even call it homerism for him to leave the Dogs out of his column. That would give him wayyyy too much credit. He's just...not a very good analyst.
ReplyDeleteConsider the source...the cartoonish character that is Alex Walling has as much integrity as 'Jimmy the Dunce!
ReplyDeleteThe Seadogs and Mooseheads head to head scenarios are interesting and a good basis for a healthy informed debate on the actual numbers accomplished by these teams and how they affected their respective top seasons.
I'm going to track this guy down, as I live in Halifax. Then I'm going to go to his office (which is probably his house). Then I'm going to give him a piece of my mind regarding this article. I'll record our conversation for the lolz afterwards.
ReplyDelete