Have other Bay Area pro sports teams been Yallopified?

Goodsport · Jan 20, 2004

Has anyone here who follows the Sharks and the Warriors noticed this season that both teams have resembled the Yallop-led Earthquakes in their absolute team play and in their hustle?

The Sharks had a nightmare season last year, missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons while infighting among the players took its toll, which led to the firing of coach Darryl Sutter and later GM Dean Lombardi. Several star veteran players were traded away and the team entered this season with few star veterans and were expected to finish last (sound familiar? ).

Overcoming a poor start, the Sharks are thus far leading the NHL's Pacific Division.

The Warriors have become fun to watch again for the first time in years (though they were entertaining at times last season, Eric Musselman's first season as head coach). Though not quite as high in the standings as the Sharks are, the Warriors have also been playing with intensity, getting all of their players involved. Even their losses have been closer than in years past.

Has Yallop's style rubbed off on them, proving that his style is successful regardless of the sport? And will it rub off on the Kinnear-led Earthquakes?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

BlueMeanie · Jan 20, 2004

Yallop had absolutely nothing to do with the success of the Sharks or Warriors.

Ron Wilson was an established, successful coach while Yallop was still a player (Wilson coached the World Cup-winning USA hockey team in '96).

Musselman, while doing a good job, has some internal strife to deal with (Nick Van Exel's complaining a lot now, today's paper says one of the rookies isn't happy about PT, etc.). Musselman's apparently more like a Gruden, a young guy who's tough but doesn't necessarily get the respect of all his players.

Goodsport · Jan 20, 2004

Why did things finally fall apart in Sutter's last year, and what did Wilson do different from Sutter to get the team back on track?

And doesn't Nick Van Exel always complain at some point?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

BlueMeanie · Jan 20, 2004

Originally posted by Goodsport
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Why did things finally fall apart in Sutter's last year, and what did Wilson do different from Sutter to get the team back on track?
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Sutter was terrible at communicating with young players, who need more attention and verbal reinforcement from coaches. Between that and the doom-and-gloom environment promoted by then-GM Dean Lombardi, it wasn't a fun place to be. But injuries took their toll as well. Missing Brad Stuart for pretty much all of last season wasn't a good thing, for Sutter or Wilson.

quakesfan2003 · Jan 20, 2004

No Selanne. No Nolan. Sharks in 1st place. What's wrong with this picture?!?!

I did not agree with the firing of Sutter. I really liked his coaching and what he did for this team. Lombardi had to go. It was way overdue. I am glad Sutter got his HC/GM duties with the Flames. That organization has put a lot of trust in him and look what he's done with the Flames. He's an amazing coach, all due respect to Ron Wilson...

Goodsport · Feb 8, 2004

First it was Yallop becoming the Canadian National Team head coach, and now it's Wilson becoming the U.S. National Team head coach (albeit for a different sport).

Has Yallopification spread southward to us already?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · Mar 5, 2004

It seems that this season's Yallopification has the Sharks aiming even higher then just the Pacific Division title.

On the other hand, it seems that the Warriors have somewhat derailed off the Yallop-track.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · Mar 24, 2004

It looks like the Sharks have just Yallopified themselves into the playoffs, with a strong possibility of winning their division.

But how can they have done that with just about everyone predicting them to finish dead last? I mean, who do the Sharks think they are... the Earthquakes?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

FlashMan · Mar 24, 2004

Hopefully Kinnear will soon be "Yallopified," starting tonight!!

Albany58 · Mar 24, 2004

FlashMan said:

Hopefully Kinnear will soon be "Yallopified," starting tonight!!
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Amen to that, bro!

ElJefe · Mar 24, 2004

Goodsport said:

It looks like the Sharks have just Yallopified themselves into the playoffs, with a strong possibility of winning their division.
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Objects in your rear-view mirror are closer than they appear.

Goodsport · Mar 29, 2004

ElJefe said:

Objects in your rear-view mirror are closer than they appear.
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Though that object has just gotten a wee bit smaller.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

BlueMeanie · Mar 29, 2004

ElJefe said:

Objects in your rear-view mirror are closer than they appear.

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But not as close as they think they are.

Great game last night, and Dallas is still the only Western Conference team I'm really worried about, taking nothing away from Detroit and Colorado. For some reason, the Sharks play against the Starlets like they want autographs from Modano and Guerin, et al. Hopefully last night (and the previous tie) are signs they're getting over it. The Sharks have played well against Detroit, Colorado and Vancouver this season. I think if the season ended today, they'd have STL in the first round, and that's another scary matchup for the Sharks.

Goodsport · Apr 1, 2004

The San Jose Sharks have just clinched both the NHL Pacific Division title and the #2 overall seed in the Western Conference Playoffs!

Jeez... what is it with San Jose pro sports teams this past year?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

ElJefe · Apr 1, 2004

BlueMeanie said:

Hopefully last night (and the previous tie) are signs they're getting over it.
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Maybe. But I'd prefer to think that Sunday night's game was more due to the fact that the Stars had played an overtime game in Vancouver the night before. And the tie... well, that was just plain wacky.

BlueMeanie · Apr 4, 2004

ARRRGGGGHHHHHH! Sharks playoff schedule came out today; Game 2 at home is during the Quakes' home opener next Saturday. Looks like I'll be taping hockey instead of soccer...and it looks like the Quakes' potential walkup crowd will be missing lots of crossover Quakes/Sharks fans...

SERIES F #2 San Jose vs. #7 St. Louis (times PST)
Thursday, April 8, 7 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose
Saturday, April 10, noon, St. Louis at San Jose
Monday, April 12, 6 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis
Tuesday, April 13, 5 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis
*Thursday, April 15, 7 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose
*Saturday, April 17, TBA, San Jose at St. Louis
*Monday, April 19, 7 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose

PS--Another great SJ come-from-behind on an LA team today; Sharks were down 3-1 with 20 seconds left. Brad Stuart scored twice in the remaining time to tie it (last goal w/3.3 seconds left). Then Damphousse scored in OT. Enjoy the golf, Queenies...

Goodsport · Apr 8, 2004

Today we'll see whether the Sharks can keep Yallopifed into the "second season"!

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · Apr 9, 2004

The Sharks' Yallopification doesn't appear to have worn off quite yet.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · Apr 11, 2004

Yallopification is alive and well at the HP Pavilion at San Jose.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · May 4, 2004

Has Ron Wilson become the Bay Area's new Master of Yallopification?

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

Goodsport · May 9, 2004

This weekend has been particularly unYallopified.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

CanuckFan · May 11, 2004

Goodsport said:

This weekend has been particularly unYallopified.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G
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Hopefully the A-League Calgary Mustangs will be "Sutterized" in Cowtown. The city is insane right now for the Flames.

Goodsport · May 11, 2004

CanuckFan said:

Hopefully the A-League Calgary Mustangs will be "Sutterized" in Cowtown. The city is insane right now for the Flames.
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And you guys probably went even more insane after Sunday's game, right?

Game 2 is tonight.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

P.S. = Good luck to the Mustangs - hopefully they do become "Sutterized".

CanuckFan · May 11, 2004

Goodsport said:

And you guys probably went even more insane after Sunday's game, right?

Game 2 is tonight.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G

P.S. = Good luck to the Mustangs - hopefully they do become "Sutterized".
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The Mustangs need some luck. Their home opener was this past Sunday, on the carpet at McMahon Stadium, home of the Canadian Football (pointy ball) League's Calgary Stampeders. Not unusual for Calgary, May 9th featured a snow storm and, to add to their woes, the kickoff was at 2:00pm (which happened to coincide with the faceoff time at the HP Pavillion). They still got about 1,000 fans out, to their credit.
The city is insane right now, every 2nd car has a Flames flag flying from the window, kids stand on sidewalks throughout the city with signs asking drivers to honk for the Flames, the Saddledome will be jumping with 19,000 people in red jerseys going crazy this coming Thursday night. I've seen a few soccer pundits complain about the lack of passionate fans in North America; Calgary this past month puts that theory in its place.
Now if some of that can rub off on the soccer scene, great!
Good luck to the Quakes, but I can't say the same for the Sharks.
Looking forward to the friendly next month!!

Goodsport · May 11, 2004

CanuckFan said:

The Mustangs need some luck. Their home opener was this past Sunday, on the carpet at McMahon Stadium, home of the Canadian Football (pointy ball) League's Calgary Stampeders. Not unusual for Calgary, May 9th featured a snow storm and, to add to their woes, the kickoff was at 2:00pm (which happened to coincide with the faceoff time at the HP Pavillion). They still got about 1,000 fans out, to their credit.
The city is insane right now, every 2nd car has a Flames flag flying from the window, kids stand on sidewalks throughout the city with signs asking drivers to honk for the Flames, the Saddledome will be jumping with 19,000 people in red jerseys going crazy this coming Thursday night. I've seen a few soccer pundits complain about the lack of passionate fans in North America; Calgary this past month puts that theory in its place.
Now if some of that can rub off on the soccer scene, great!
Good luck to the Quakes, but I can't say the same for the Sharks.
Looking forward to the friendly next month!!
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Snow storms? Yikes!

No wonder MLS doesn't seem to be in a hurry to switch to a Fall-Winter-Spring schedule.

GO EARTHQUAKES!!!

-G