This post kind of follows up on my thoughts of the team so far this season; and wanted to give my opinion on a couple more things.
My first thought is a follow on from last season, and the first full season we had in our finished rink. Now I love our Dome, yes the sight lines are rubbish, but its our home and I love it! Its got character, quirks and so many little things that make it more of a home than any arena would. Which is why it frustrates me to read fans of arena teams come here and moan! Look you knew what you were coming too, there have been endless posts on forums around the league that our rink, and Cardiff’s for that matter, don’t have great sight lines. Its easy to get round it, stand up or watch TV, just don’t say you didn’t expect it!
Still, I wouldn’t swap the Dome for an arena anytime! I have been to Schuff when the shed has been half full, such a poor atmosphere. Plus in the last days of the Storm/First Phoenix season, imagine 1500 people in an arena that can seat 17,245, you can imagine that atmosphere! No the Dome is great for us, we can create an awesome atmosphere in that place, 2,500 fans in a small/compact tin rink its fantastic!
My second thought for this post, and I hope the Phoenix can maintain their current form and finish high up the table, is this could be a season when the fans of the ‘big’ teams finally realise there are other teams in this league.
The reasoning behind that thought comes from our resent wins against Schuff and Nottingham. Immediately after our win against Schuff I remember going on Steeltalk and reading the reaction cross the pennies. Not one comment acknowledging the fact that the Phoenix were the better team and deserved to win! Fast forward to the win against Nottingham in the NIC, I was so pleased to read the Panther fans admitting the Phoenix were, on that occasion, better than them! I think it may need a good season, with a good finish, to convince these fans that there are teams outside their arenas!
Im sorry if that last though annoys some of you, but I have to admit to feeling closer to the likes of Basingstoke/Hull/Edinburgh etc.. as I always feel that because we don’t play out of an arena, we are not good enough!
p.s. Crikey just read that Ed (Big Nose) Courtney is back in the Elite League after singing for Newcastle! Will be good to see him on the ice again, I just hope hes not slowed down too much!
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