Hockey Soapbox - Season 3 Week 19 - Panthers and Pussies?

Welcome to this week's Soapbox. On the panel this week are FSB Editor Mark plus contributions from Eric, Sarah, Fay, Nathan and George.

1. Five Words On Saturday

Absolutely love winning over there

Steelers Good Or Panthers Bad

Soft as a brush opposition

Mid table dead rubber teams.

Bears deflated and shut out

Always look on the bright........

2. Five Words On Sunday

Didn’t Even Bother Checking Score

Lost against some professional farmers

Same old, Same old. Average.

Two points burned away again

2 points thrown away again

Slack defence costing us again

3. Describe the Cardiff Cup capitulation in a movie title.

George: Paul
Eric: The Longest Day
Mark: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Sarah: At the Devils door. It even features a real estate agent. 
Fay: Seven
Nathan: Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No !

4. Are we destined for a trophyless season?

Eric: Yes we are destined for no silverware. In fact add to that “I don’t think we will even get to the weekend. Steelers & Panthers 6th & 7th. Hang on! I’ll turn it up...... STEELERS & PANTHERS 6th & 7th incredible.

Mark: Yes I think so, unless we can somehow show a lot more consistency.
Sarah: No..... we’ll get a wooden spoon.
Fay: Still got a chance at playoffs. Didn’t we feel this way the same time last year? Just enjoying spending time with my friends and being at the ice hockey until playoff weekend now. 

Nathan: Pretty much. At a quick glance it seems more realistic that we will fail to qualify for the Nottingham weekend than catch Cardiff. But hey! At least crowds are up and Coach Thompson is meeting his targets!

George: Yep. Not a chance of winning a thing.

5. Does the club need an on-ice overhaul to get us back on track next season?

Mark: Some players will need to be replaced of course. But recruitment of new faces needs to be better than this season's. 

Sarah: I’d certainly keep some of the players but some need to go and will go. We need a big stay at home D-man for sure. I hope we keep a core of players and build around them. The Brit’s will stay and hopefully Jono has got another year in him. I’ve even warmed to D.Phillips!! We’ve got some great players and it would be a shame if they moved on. 

Fay: Yep. We aren’t terrible, the league has just got better and we need to be in pace with that. Maybe not just on-ice...

Nathan: Yes. I’m not sure what the contract situations are but of all the imports only Matheson, Moose and possibly Fitzgerald and Nelson would return for me. Valdix is ok but the rest are pretty meh tbh. Not sure about the recent hero status of Westerling either. 5 months and one hat trick doesn’t cut it for me. If Thompson is here next season, which let’s be honest, he will be, he really must do better in the recruiting process.

George: On ice? If we are talking on ice then we need to get rid of the wet lettuces. Players that I will not name, just the players that aren’t cutting the mustard. Speaking of ice, a new ice plant should hopefully help us. Instead of having to play in the slush.

Eric: Mark are you seriously asking this question? And. Do I have to answer it? If I must.... Yes! Yes! & Yes! Until we get rid of Hear nowt! See nowt! And say nowt! How can we get the team back on track? 

6. Who are your predictions to win the three trophies on offer as we enter the last few weeks of the season?

Sarah: League title- Cardiff, Challenge Cup- Cardiff, Playoffs- torn between Belfast and Cardiff but hey we could surprise everyone 

Fay: Right at the start of the season it WAS league-Devils, cup-Steelers and playoffs-Panthers. But now league-Devils, Cup-Devils and playoffs-Giants

Nathan: League - Cardiff,  Challenge Cup - Cardiff, Play Offs - Cardiff

George: Title : Cardiff, Challenge Cup : hopefully no one, Playoffs : Manchester

Eric: One answer Cardiff! Before I sign off my apologies for short answers, however at the moment this is how I feel about my beloved club! PS: ‘I am not a proper fan’.

Mark: League - Cardiff, CC - Giants, Play-Offs - Cardiff

And that's this week's Soapbox for you; join us for more next time.

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