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NY • United States • 34 Years Old • Male
A Visit With Norm Green
Posted 9:27 AM ET | Comments 2
Minnesotan hockey fans have the Boogeyman, Derek Boogaard, but there is another boogeyman that haunts their dreams: Norm Green.
The man that cut Minnesotan's claim to be the most savvy, passionate, Canadian-like hockey fans in America down a peg or two by moving the North Stars/Stars to Dallas (where they ultimately won the Cup that had eluded Minnesotans for so many years) has not stepped foot in the state since he moved the team in 1993.
Scott Goldberg, from KARE 11 news (NBC), recently got Mr. Green to give the first local (Twin Cities) interview since he and the team drove down I-35 to Texas.
I got a chance to talk to Scott about his experience with Mr. Green, and here's some of what he had to say (the full text can be seen at hittingthepost.blogspot.com).
What were your impressions of Mr. Green the man, the business man, the hockey fan?
SG: There’s no doubt he’s a tremendous hockey fan – and proud of what he has accomplished as an owner...
In your mind was he able to justify the decision to move the team in a satisfactory manner?
SG: Emotion aside, his explanation makes sense...
Did he feel any connection to the Minnesotan hockey/North Stars fan? Obviously he is a business man and his ownership of the team allowed him the right to move them. But was there any sense of letting the fans down?
SG: Yes. He’s certainly well aware of the pain it caused, and he says he never intended to leave Minnesota...
Was the decision to move purely a business decision (ie no new building)?
SG: Yes, that’s what he said. He moved his family here from Calgary and said he intended to stay here...
I think one of the things that is most galling to Minnesotans is the fear that they played a role in Mr. Green deciding to move the team. For example, that attendance figures translated to fan base erosion or apathy. Is it possible, from talking with him, to allay those fears?
SG: Well, like I mentioned before, Green makes it clear the fan support wasn’t there...
What are Mr. Green's impressions of the Minnesota Wild franchise/organization?
SG: He has nothing but glowing things to say about the Wild, their management and their stadium...
Did you get the sense that he would have liked to try to make NHL hockey work in Minnesota, or that he would have changed places with Mr. Naegele if he could have?
SG: Yes. Based on our conversations, I think he would have been thrilled to be able to hold onto the team, move into a building like the Xcel Center, and enjoy the kind of success the Wild have in Minnesota...
Was the Stanley Cup win in Dallas rewarding to him?
SG: Of course. I think, because he’s from Calgary, that 1989 cup was slightly more meaningful. But it’s clear he’s very proud of the Stars’ accomplishments in Dallas, and he wears his ring with pride...
Why do you think Mr. Green agreed to participate in this story? What did he want to convey to your viewers?
SG: That’s a great question. He didn’t want to rip open old wounds, but I do think a part of him felt like he never was given a fair shot at explaining his side of the story to Minnesotans...
Like I said this is just snippets of Mr. Goldberg's full comments, please check out hittingthepost.blogspot.com for the rest.
nmhen
The man that cut Minnesotan's claim to be the most savvy, passionate, Canadian-like hockey fans in America down a peg or two by moving the North Stars/Stars to Dallas (where they ultimately won the Cup that had eluded Minnesotans for so many years) has not stepped foot in the state since he moved the team in 1993.
Scott Goldberg, from KARE 11 news (NBC), recently got Mr. Green to give the first local (Twin Cities) interview since he and the team drove down I-35 to Texas.
I got a chance to talk to Scott about his experience with Mr. Green, and here's some of what he had to say (the full text can be seen at hittingthepost.blogspot.com).
What were your impressions of Mr. Green the man, the business man, the hockey fan?
SG: There’s no doubt he’s a tremendous hockey fan – and proud of what he has accomplished as an owner...
In your mind was he able to justify the decision to move the team in a satisfactory manner?
SG: Emotion aside, his explanation makes sense...
Did he feel any connection to the Minnesotan hockey/North Stars fan? Obviously he is a business man and his ownership of the team allowed him the right to move them. But was there any sense of letting the fans down?
SG: Yes. He’s certainly well aware of the pain it caused, and he says he never intended to leave Minnesota...
Was the decision to move purely a business decision (ie no new building)?
SG: Yes, that’s what he said. He moved his family here from Calgary and said he intended to stay here...
I think one of the things that is most galling to Minnesotans is the fear that they played a role in Mr. Green deciding to move the team. For example, that attendance figures translated to fan base erosion or apathy. Is it possible, from talking with him, to allay those fears?
SG: Well, like I mentioned before, Green makes it clear the fan support wasn’t there...
What are Mr. Green's impressions of the Minnesota Wild franchise/organization?
SG: He has nothing but glowing things to say about the Wild, their management and their stadium...
Did you get the sense that he would have liked to try to make NHL hockey work in Minnesota, or that he would have changed places with Mr. Naegele if he could have?
SG: Yes. Based on our conversations, I think he would have been thrilled to be able to hold onto the team, move into a building like the Xcel Center, and enjoy the kind of success the Wild have in Minnesota...
Was the Stanley Cup win in Dallas rewarding to him?
SG: Of course. I think, because he’s from Calgary, that 1989 cup was slightly more meaningful. But it’s clear he’s very proud of the Stars’ accomplishments in Dallas, and he wears his ring with pride...
Why do you think Mr. Green agreed to participate in this story? What did he want to convey to your viewers?
SG: That’s a great question. He didn’t want to rip open old wounds, but I do think a part of him felt like he never was given a fair shot at explaining his side of the story to Minnesotans...
Like I said this is just snippets of Mr. Goldberg's full comments, please check out hittingthepost.blogspot.com for the rest.
nmhen
I used to own the Big 10 foot satelite dish of the 1980's. One game in January of that last year of the NorthStars, Bobby Smith was the star of the game against New Jersey. On satellite back then you received raw feeds (no commercials) On a commercial break, a team offical gives Bobby Smith a baseball hat with the logo STARS not north stars.That was January. Norm Green already had his mind made up with 3 months left in the Schedule. I am a Blues fan so I have no agenda here.
I didn't like that Green moved the Stars to Dallas, but in hindsight, I'm very glad he did. I love the Wild and would much rather have the organization we currently have up here than the old North Stars.