Patrick Marleau vs. the Ziggurat of doom!

There are those who support the Ziggurat of doom and claim those who disbelave are being negative and arguementative. I believe, instead, in the power of the Blues and see the ziggerault of doom as the keystone monument of a naysayers failure.

First off. Patrick Marleau isn't god. He is 6 million dollars. and he might be more. He is a free agent in a time of few skilled free agents and he fits various Blues needs. Like  for a 30-goal scorer, Patrick sans help is a 30 goal a year man, with Joe-joe he ramped up to 35-40. Patrick is someone with prior leadership responsibilities, someone who responds when challanged, and most improtantly. Someone available. I believe the Blues can sign people at appropriate prices. The myth of the Ziggurat  of doom is simply untrue.

Secondly. Ticket prices are unrelated to player salaries. Period. That is not an arguement i have or will make. What i am saying is the Blues CANNOT set prices. this is economics 101. Literally. it will be a foundation fo the first economic course you ever take. What i AM suggesting is the Blues can successfully raises prices ONLY if they increase demand for their product. This season's product was not a help to them. To increase demand, or even stablize demand, they have to do somehting to make people go "wow". period.

So what, exactly is the Ziggurat of doom? It is the belief  that the Blues, St. Louis, and us fans are so vile to someone playing in the NHL that they won't come here. It is a bedtime story fed to us since the wanning days of the nba owner from some central Missouri village.  It is false.

here is a link to espn's 2008 top d free agents

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3462917

Espn knows hockey like the Easter Bunny knows 17th century poetry perhaps, but it is just an example. Remove the players who resigned with their own teams. of the remaining, 33% go to good teams, 33% go to middle of the road teams, 33% go to bad teams. this is NOT unusual. this is typical. Streit is making jax/brewer money for the Kansas City Islanders, Campbell took less to go to Chicago. the still not int eh palyoff Chicago team by the way. Hainsey left Columbus and headed to Atlanta for Brewer money. etc etc etc not every free agent works out. but a lot of Brewer money guys end up in midwestern towns or on crappy financially troubled teams. I'd still like Streit.

ok how is THAT a Ziggurat ? Meh.

its level one.

Level two is now the Blues' MUST overpay for their guys like Jax and  Roboto. Why? Obvioiusly we can't replace them in free agency, in fact if they snifff free agency we won't even be able to get them back, cos they will hate St. Louis! So we need to pay them. OVER pay them. And as soon as they do something good. Even if it is for 2 months. ANd toss in a no trade close. to cover the smell of the crowd.

So now we are convinced we have to overpay for everyone we sign.

Wait a second what about other ways to get a player?

ummm. The waiver wire. WE want Waiver Wire Larry to return to waiver wire form? Well not the WAIVER WIRE LARRY days obviously. be serous there are other ways.

oh RESTRICTED free agents. Sorry we got to overpay for them too. Definitionally. If we don't overpay we don't get the player, his team will just match, so if we can't outbid teams in the free agency because the stigma of player hatred hangs over St. Louis and maybe Cleveland since they still don't have a team. unfortunately we can't eliminate all that supposed player hate and bid against just all the teams and get a player without overbidding as well. In fact we just told whatever team owns the player we like him so much we will pay his salary, and probably thrown in aaron p. or would have if we didn't get a healthy scratch for him already.

Come on man! The trades! the Trades! its how we got Steen!! Yep nice one there  larry  doug  jd Chopper. but I think the Blues told us we couldn't really trade our players either. First off all the ones we want to trade we overpaid, and all the young guys that we haven't overpaid yet we have to hang on until we DO overpay them. And I am only slightly joking here folks. Jd has been quoted more than once about not wanting to give up young underperforming players cos he still really doesn't know what he has yet. meh.

THAT is the ziggerault of DOOOOOOM!! Layer upon layer added to the long held believe the Blues have handed to the fans that we can't buy players for what there worth. not in free agency. not resigning our own, not in restricted free agency. and not in trade. we also have to hang on to our kids until we figure out they are worth overpaying.

I'm  not that negative. But I run in to this brand of negaivity and self abuse alot. I believe in this town and team. I believe we should be a well respected destination point. That our management and owners will eventually figure out how to get a top scorer via free agency, and that they are full capable of bidding 6.5 for Marleau WHILE being completely capable of NOT bidding 10.5 for him. And with the multiple contracts off the books, the cap room already still present, and the end of the hot sex I expect something in free agecy.

End of the hot sex?!? the HONERYMOON IS OVER. for everyone.the owners. the players. the fans. so this free agency will be what happens when the Blues stop being polite and start being real.

so hate on it. move higher up on the ziggerault of doom and enjoy the view if you wish