IT’S THE TEAM NAME ON THE FRONT….

Not the player number on the back…..

The NHL Lockout caused havoc for every team. I don’t care if you’re concern only goes as far as the Bulls, it affects EVERY team, so if you care about the Bulls, you should care how the aftermath of the lockout affects every team in not just the ECHL, but the AHL. Because, let me tell you, the changes will help and or hurt every hockey team in the minors.

Just today there were more changes. I for one am VERY happy we have a pro-active coach and management team! I’ve never been pleased with the lassez-faire attitude of some hockey teams, content to just ride things through, regardless of whether games are won or lost.

Coach Curcio and company traded Captain Justin Bowers and top Defenseman Sacha Guimond to Gwinnett Gladiators for three young guns: Cody Carlson, Ryland Galiardi and Christian Ouellet. Same last name, I know, but no relation that I know of. But that is TJ Galiardi of the Sharks' brother! And while this will make all of us sad to lose them, it should also make us excited to have some young, good players to give us a not only the change to stay OUT of the basement and get INTO the playoffs.

The reality is Guimond will probably not come back to San Francisco and instead stay in Worcester with the Sharks and Bowers, while being a great player is not as young or as speedy as we need.

And if you’re crying why couldn’t we trade someone else? You have to trade quality if you’re going to get quality. It’s nice to see Curcio isn’t afraid to make a good trade. He knows what the team needs and he’s looking far more forward than most fans. He knows that for the team to survive in San Francisco, it is vital that we make the playoffs and not wind up last.

This should be apparent to fans, but unfortunately, I see it is not. I see that to many, having their favorite players is the most important thing, even if it means losing every game to keep them.

WAIT!!!! THINK ABOUT THIS PLEASE!!!

If you fans want the Bulls to stay in San Francisco, if you want a team to root for, to go to games, to have fun enjoying, then people must attend games. They will NOT come to games if the team continues to lose and falls behind Bakersfield as the worst team in the West. Be realistic! This could easily happen, especially if management did not make any trades and allowed the continued slide downwards. The Condors are getting better. They’re rising phenomenally quickly. Curcio saw this and reacted just as quickly. Thank goodness he did and didn’t wait for us to lose six or ten games or until it was too late.

If you are more used to following an NHL team, then you need to pick up the pace. Player changes happen much faster here. It’s the way it is. I did write in the beginning of the season that the minor leagues switch members more often. This is a fact and will always be so. If you can’t handle that, then tennis is nice.  

I hope you will all welcome the new guys to the team and to San Francisco. Root for the team, hand out team calendars, talk about the Bulls to everyone you know and don’t know, and have faith and trust in Curcio; he knows what he’s doing.

Remember, Bulls Weekly is this Thursday, January 17^th, 6pm at Pedros. Next home game is Saturday the 19^th against Stockton. And check out the Bulls new ad, it’s way cool!

GO BULLS!!!