“I was naive to think that that wouldn’t happen. That’s what shocked me.”

“I think blogs, have really …given credence to that. All of a sudden if someone writes something on a blog, you know, someone that pays $29 for an Internet connection, and all of a sudden people now quote somebody that’s in the blog. I’m not talking about accredited journalists, by the way, a lot of the bloggers are very accredited, but I’m just saying after a while it just gets old, opinion after opinion. …People say something about me, you know, or about our organization, even big time mediums, I always say the same thing. Did they call me? My phone didn’t ring.

-- Oren Koules - 620 WDAE radio interview remarks

Dear Oren Koules:

I've been blogging about the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise, off and on, for five years. In that time, I must say that I have not been acknowledged by the Lightning organization in any way, shape or form until your statements Friday on WDAE.  Even if it's in vagueness and potentially directed at others in the US and Canada before myself.

In that regard, there's no way that you or anyone involved with your group is to blame for a lack of outreach to the electronic media in the past. That was a holdover relationship between the team and unaccredited, unacknowledged and unimportant individuals such as myself.  Raw Charge, and Boltsmag.com before it, may have been an "appreciated" asset by the team for free publicity, but it was seen as a threat to the franchise's online presence.  Or so, at least, communication between me and a former team official presented my blogging as such.

As for never calling you, Mr. Koules, regarding anything with the franchise: I go back to the fact that I've never seen the Lightning even acknowledge the existence of the blogosphere (both hockey and hyper-local), let alone respond to it.  It's very good news to know there is an open access policy in place by you and the team, but at the same time -- it'd help if we had known about it.  Venting about the blogosphere on sports-talk radio is one thing, sir...  Yet I (and most bloggers in general) have been accessible/approachable to the Lightning organization for years (if not by phone, due to my hearing impairment, then electronically through email) without nary a word from the past executives or the current crop of executives working for the team.

No press releases, no marketing attempts, no "please retract - you're factually incorrect" statements, no access permission, no discussion.  Nothing.

In fact, in the past, I've received more team-initiated communication attempts from the cross-state-rival Florida Panthers as well as other NHL franchises than from the team I cover... But I digress.

Bloggers, both locally and nationally, have written nasty things about you and others at OK Hockey (I know I'm guilty of this to one degree or another).  Most of it comes from opinion and passion for the game and the team.  If it's "ignorant" or "inaccurate", "true" or "false",  it's all subjective.  That's the way of opinion, as you know.  Certain groups will poo-poo hockey in this sunbelt market regardless, making it a no-win situation of mass-marketed opinion.  They will work against you (or anyone else who controls the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise) and not try to understand you as they don't want to understand - their opinion is set for the franchise.  Others will cover, nit-pick, and dissect everything with the team from transactions to the most inane of decisions by the franchise at all levels of operation. That's the way of the blogosphere.

But back to my point, sir:  it would have been nice to have someone with the Lightning ccontact me or other bloggers on the Internet to at least reach out, or go so far as to discuss a story or statement that you or others in the organization want clarified.  A first step.  It'd be much more constructive than (posting) this message in response to a media-initiated dialog and hoping someone with the team -- or you, personally -- respond.

With all the snark, sarcasm and negativity I have expressed through my writing the past few months toward OK Hockey (Brian Lawton, Len Barrie, and yourself) I must say that I do respect you for reaching out - even through venting.  You have a record of being accessible that far exceeds the accessibility of all previous Lightning owners.  And while opinions and concerns that I may have will continue to be published, regardless of any rapport between OK Hockey and myself, I do welcome an open dialog.

I'm a fan first, sir.  I may be just another schlub with Internet access but I'm not the enemy.

Regards,
John Fontana

...and this picture reflects so many words about the ill conceived notions of building the 2008-09 Tampa Bay Lightning. (credit Alan Snel)

From champion to bottom dweller. The attendance fall-off didn't happen over night... or did it?

[TABLE=3]
(most attendance stats from Andrews Stars Page)

Now, for the benefit of the doubt, the game last night was for bragging rights of the Southeast cellar dwellers. The "rivalry" between the Lightning and Thrashers just doesn't make up for two sub par teams going at it.

All that being said, it's a steep drop between last season and this season so far with attendance. Things fell apart last season around the trade deadline and the rumors (and then loss) of Brad Richards didn't help things.

And now? Starting the season in Europe didn't help, starting the season with a revamped team that hadn't been marketed well to the fans didn't help. Having a bombastic head coach known from TV and a lone Cup appearence didn't help. Playing Music Chairs with the roster hasn't helped. Injuries and overall instability of the team hasn't encouraged turnout.

Besides freebies and give-aways, how do you fix things? Winning helps, but how do you get back to winning?

Stability.

Today's been a good day... Some good business got done, some good things are happening in life...

...And the Gruden/Allen ineptitude complex at One Buccaneer Place is history.

Check out Buc'Em for the latest blogging and discussion about the news.

OK, I am doing some housecleaning on my linkroll/blogroll... This means it MIGHT be a good time to contact me about a link exchange requests and what not. I've been horrible about keeping up with some of the requests that have come to me.

EDIT: Yikes, run a blog for five years and you see an accumulation of dead, dying or downright gone blogs. Speaking of which, the Boltosphere has dried up to levels that were comparable to what I found when I started Boltsmag: not much at all (that I am aware of). Credit goes to Cassie and Co at Bolts Blog for keeping things going while all hell breaks loose with the hockey club.

Just a general heads up to the Tampa Bay sports bloggers out there:

Have you gotten your blog listed on TampaBLAB yet? The BLAB is a general listing and aggregation of local blogs in the Tampa Bay area.

While Buc'em, Bolts Blog, Best Bucs Blog and Rays Index are listed -- I'm surprised there aren't more... Especially considering how sports nuts the area is.

So if you want to further reach local readers, consider signing up. Self promotion is not a bad thing.

You are not making the most of first impressions in hockey circles. Just saying.

Wasn't aware of this but Jay Feaster is writing a series of articles blogging (at least they call it that) over at The Hockey News. He's only had two articles blogs posted so far but it may be worth a look see for the Lightning fan out there.

RJ had stated this offseason that trading Vaclav Prospal for Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was a possibility. At least that was the rumor.

Forget a trade now, Bryzgalov is on waivers. Would Jay Feaster want to, or be able to, pick up Ilya if he wanted? Or does the in-flux status of ownership prevent him from taking on more payroll? Also, would acquiring a new goalie show too much of a lack-of-confidence in Johan Holmqvist?

It's worth exploring, but the team is ultimately handcuffed unless PSE/Absolute Hockey reach an understanding.