CHARA

Help me out Ottawa fans.....
Big Bruin fan here, started way back in the 1970 and have lived and
died with team. watched a lot of Hockey in my life. I'm now 47..
I have gotten into some heated discussions with some fellow Bruins
fans on one of our message boards.
Here's the deal and anyone please chime in with your thoughts.
When the Bruins signed Zdeno Chara, I wasn't overly thrilled but I
thought he might help the Bruins get mean again, They Bruins have
become pussies the last few years. Now I watched Chara as an Islander
since I live in New Jersey. Even though he had size, hard shot, he
didn't overly impress me. In Ottawa with a better team, he used his
size to his advantage, his game was better but Ottawa was a better
team. I found that he has many many flaws to his game and when
surrounded by talent, his shortcomings can be overcome.
Now in Boston, to say that we were disappointed the first year is an
understatement. All Bruins fans gve him a "Bye" because we were
coached by the most inept guy that the NHL has on Payroll in Dave
Lewis.
I personally didn't like Chara's game but was willing to see a change
under Julien this year.
The first 5 games he looked Ok, not great. He was a little more
physical but not about his game makes me feel that he warrants his
contract which is way too high, The "C" on his jersey, which wasn't
earned and his control of a game to the point where what he did
mattered and benefited the Bruins.
So I recently after the last game went one of the boards and unleased
my tirade and boy have I gotten heat from fellow Bruins fans. Here's
what I said basically.
This may be harsh for some who like him..sorry if I offend Chara
Lovers

Chara is an overgrown, overpaid, overvalued freak, similiar to "Andre
the Giant" from the Wrestling world. I don't think this guy has the
basic natural abilities to be playing NHL hockey.
He is way way way too slow and it shows every single game almost every
single shift.
Because he is 6 feet 9 and 265 doesn't give him a god given right to
be playing in the NHL. The man is a disaster offensively. I've seen
him lazily do things with the puck that amateurs, AHL players can do
better.
He can't pass, he can't skate. He can shoot 100 mph but so what. HIs
shots are inaccurate, blocked and once that happens, he gets beat
continuously. Everyone talks about his reach... I say so what... It
does come in handy at times but big deal.
Defensively he's ok once perched in front of his net. He should be
playing no more thn 20-22 minutes a game with specialty on th PK.
If put on the PP, he should be in front of net or on the bench. Julien
benched him a few weeks ago in Montreal for 10 minutes. He is so bad
much of the time that he could benched every game.
Some Bruins fans think I'm nuts and think that if he wasn't on the
team we would be so much worse. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE. I would rather
have 2 other men at 3.5 million per year over him. Anyone would do
over him.
As you know, Bruins fans hated Hal Gill when he was here including
myself , BUT GILL IS NOT AS BAD AS I'VE SEEN CHARA. I would rather
have Gill as this moment.
Chara supporters are saying that he puts the fear of God into opposing
players. I must be mentally retarded because I DON'T SEE THIS.
Obviously Chara is not the Chara he was with Ottawa.
I think as long as Chara is a Bruin, we go nowhere..
I wince whenever he has the puck and have zero confidence that he'll
do the right thing. I seen him now for 1 year and 1 month. He game
won't change, he won't get better adn as he ages, he'll get slower.
The speed of the game is passing him by. He must be on a really good
team with a great partner on the blueline for him to be marginally
effective..
For all Ottawa fans who read this, I'm curious as to how you feel
about him both when he was on your team and now..

Thanks
Bobby

Chara is an overgrown, overpaid player, in the old NHL his size was
great, able to take out players with his size in front of the net, in
today NHL he is to slow for the speed in the league now, happy he is
in Boston not in Ottawa any more.


On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:54:34 -0800, sodapopshopnj.TakeThisOut@aol.com wrote:

>Help me out Ottawa fans.....
>Big Bruin fan here, started way back in the 1970 and have lived and
>died with team. watched a lot of Hockey in my life. I'm now 47..
>I have gotten into some heated discussions with some fellow Bruins
>fans on one of our message boards.
>Here's the deal and anyone please chime in with your thoughts.
>When the Bruins signed Zdeno Chara, I wasn't overly thrilled but I
>thought he might help the Bruins get mean again, They Bruins have
>become pussies the last few years. Now I watched Chara as an Islander
>since I live in New Jersey. Even though he had size, hard shot, he
>didn't overly impress me. In Ottawa with a better team, he used his
>size to his advantage, his game was better but Ottawa was a better
>team. I found that he has many many flaws to his game and when
>surrounded by talent, his shortcomings can be overcome.
>Now in Boston, to say that we were disappointed the first year is an
>understatement. All Bruins fans gve him a "Bye" because we were
>coached by the most inept guy that the NHL has on Payroll in Dave
>Lewis.
>I personally didn't like Chara's game but was willing to see a change
>under Julien this year.
>The first 5 games he looked Ok, not great. He was a little more
>physical but not about his game makes me feel that he warrants his
>contract which is way too high, The "C" on his jersey, which wasn't
>earned and his control of a game to the point where what he did
>mattered and benefited the Bruins.
>So I recently after the last game went one of the boards and unleased
>my tirade and boy have I gotten heat from fellow Bruins fans. Here's
>what I said basically.
>This may be harsh for some who like him..sorry if I offend Chara
>Lovers
>
>Chara is an overgrown, overpaid, overvalued freak, similiar to "Andre
>the Giant" from the Wrestling world. I don't think this guy has the
>basic natural abilities to be playing NHL hockey.
>He is way way way too slow and it shows every single game almost every
>single shift.
>Because he is 6 feet 9 and 265 doesn't give him a god given right to
>be playing in the NHL. The man is a disaster offensively. I've seen
>him lazily do things with the puck that amateurs, AHL players can do
>better.
>He can't pass, he can't skate. He can shoot 100 mph but so what. HIs
>shots are inaccurate, blocked and once that happens, he gets beat
>continuously. Everyone talks about his reach... I say so what... It
>does come in handy at times but big deal.
>Defensively he's ok once perched in front of his net. He should be
>playing no more thn 20-22 minutes a game with specialty on th PK.
>If put on the PP, he should be in front of net or on the bench. Julien
>benched him a few weeks ago in Montreal for 10 minutes. He is so bad
>much of the time that he could benched every game.
>Some Bruins fans think I'm nuts and think that if he wasn't on the
>team we would be so much worse. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE. I would rather
>have 2 other men at 3.5 million per year over him. Anyone would do
>over him.
>As you know, Bruins fans hated Hal Gill when he was here including
>myself , BUT GILL IS NOT AS BAD AS I'VE SEEN CHARA. I would rather
>have Gill as this moment.
>Chara supporters are saying that he puts the fear of God into opposing
>players. I must be mentally retarded because I DON'T SEE THIS.
>Obviously Chara is not the Chara he was with Ottawa.
>I think as long as Chara is a Bruin, we go nowhere..
>I wince whenever he has the puck and have zero confidence that he'll
>do the right thing. I seen him now for 1 year and 1 month. He game
>won't change, he won't get better adn as he ages, he'll get slower.
>The speed of the game is passing him by. He must be on a really good
>team with a great partner on the blueline for him to be marginally
>effective..
>For all Ottawa fans who read this, I'm curious as to how you feel
>about him both when he was on your team and now..
>
>Thanks
>Bobby