Not only did they come out of the gate in the second period of game one against Pickering firing 5 goals enroute to a 7-1 win, the Kingston Voyageurs have, they are taking it seriously on a couple of other fronts too.

I have remained a paying fan of this team for 5 years and for good reason. I always felt I did not have to be beholding to anyone in the organization if I paid to see the games.

Unlike certain sports writers in the local paper who often have been accused of not telling it like it really is with the Fronts, I am telling it like it is.

But a couple of things these Vees have instituted since the start of the playoffs chagrin me. In this tough economic time, the Vees have raised their ticket prices this year after moving into the fresh new digs of the Invista Centre.

And now, once the playoffs have begun and the Vees show some promise of a longer playoff run, they have done it again. While ticket prices increasing in the playoffs has always been a practice of teams, this one really gets my craw.

In fact, it was one long standing volunteer who said that they would get even better crowds to the Vees' games if the ticket prices were not so prohibitive. He meant younger people in the student bodies of high school, college and university. There are many in Kingston.

A one dollar raise of prices in this first round to 10 and 14 dollars for seniors and adults from 9 and 13 dollar prices of the regular season. Then another one dollar hike in the 2nd round to 11 and 15 dollars. And if that's not enough, another 12 and 16 for the next round. I am told they'll freeze it there if they go any further than that.

Kingston, with a strong contingent of working people who are federally or provincially/municipally employed, are not as affected as many communities hard hit by the economic downturn.

A good friend explained to me that the reason the K-Rock Centre was booking events which appealed to the age group 35-55, is because they felt that was where the money is in Kingston. This was in response to someone asking why the K-Rock Centre did not book events to take advantage of Kingston's college and university students.

Might this be the reason that the promising 2008/2009 version of the Vees are setting ticket prices as such?

I can tell you that this community has many fans who have supported the Vees a lot longer than I have. Many of them do not look like they have a lot of money. In fact, some of them are long-suffering fans of this tier two franchise who willingly volunteer their time to the Vees. Even they, have had some of their perks removed from them since the playoffs started. Just ask any of them what they are.

I get the disticnt feeling that because the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs franchise will not be in the playoffs, the powers to be of the Vees promise of possible success is being taken advantage by those who are running the team. They are saying you'll have to pay more now that we have a better product on the ice.

I, for one, will continue to support this team simply because of the young men behind the bench and the players on the ice. They all have worked very hard to get a team capable of winning something. They deserve all the support they can get. But it isn't for anybody else in this team's administration, that is for sure.

I suppose they do not much care as long as I keep giving them my money and I doubt many of them will ever know. Like Tony has said, In The Cage many times before, nobody ever reads these damned forums anyways. But, they know who they are. But I feel a lot better having vented, nonetheless.

And that my friends, is how seriously I am taking it.

Good luck Vees on the rest of your playoff run.

And finally, hello to former Trenton fans Stinger and Sinn Binn and LeeAnne at last night's game.

Great to see them giving their hard-earned dollars to support the Vees.

Stay tuned











Wayjoy

Letting you know Ajax in four over Bowmanville, then you better take the next round real seriously.. if you know what i mean.....Buddy!

Thomas Jefferson: Quotes on Respect
We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.



Wayjoy

Good quote Wayne, but Thomas Jefferson never played hockey.

Stick your qoute up your ass Weyjoy, its not going to be an easy ride my friend!

Jean Paul Richter:
As a man grows older it is harder and harder to frighten him.



Wayjoy