Justin A. Cohn


About Ice Chips

  • Justin A. Cohn, pro sports coordinator for The Journal Gazette, has been covering the Fort Wayne Komets since 1997. His reporting includes game stories from home and away, features about the players and personalities associated with the Komets, plus coverage of issues affecting hockey at all levels. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Cohn graduated from Emory University in Atlanta. He can be reached at 260-461-8429 or by email at [email protected].

Komets Korner

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May 19, 2008

Comments

Wingmnn

I love the heart of this team. Reynolds went to Chicago to visit a sick little boy, who is a major Komet's fan, in a children's hospital there. WAY COOL.

Wingmnn

Bloomington looking for a coach.http://www.intotheboards.net/hockey2/publish/bloomington/PrairieThunder-Not-Renewing-Booth-s-Contract.shtml

TGP

I didn't attend every game...what kind of fan behavior are you talking about? Did this escalate in the playoffs or did it happen during the regular season too? The games I was at, the fans seemed like they always did as I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

gman

I witnessed some very rude behavior for the cup. The throwing of beer bottles on the ice. There is no excuse for that. Also, I witnessed a group of fans giving the refs and the other team the bird, and no I don't mean icy! I was distraught at how these folks were acting. Not with my Komets or at my arena. I feel somewhat responsible and liable for some fans and I certainly don't want it to escalate to what happens in Port Huron. It didn't but let's cut off some of these fair weather fans from the beer tap please.

deuce

Don't forget the nice amount of coin the Coliseum got the night of the season ending party too, with IPFW's ceremonies and a Wizards game. I was going to see if the Mad Ants and Freedom were playing in seperate hallways.

Jungle Monkey

Lets not blame people acting like idiots on "the beer" again. Seriously, I've seen more sober people act like morons at Komet games than the drunk ones. I must sit in the wrong part of the arena because Justin has been beating this drum most of the season and I have yet to see anything get out of hand.

Pat

SAY NO to the 2-3-2 format. The team with home ice advantage loses home ice advantage if the series only goes 5 games. 2-2-1-1-1 is the only way to go.

Shutterbug

I was curious about home ice advantage with Justin's proposed 2-3-2 format. The teams work too hard during the season to forfeit their home ice advantage.

Andrew

Right on Justin, if the Komets join the AHL and don't win Fort Wayne won't support them like they are right now

Justin Cohn

Jungle Monkey, are you sure you even read this blog? You have my remarks so out of whack. Most of the season? You mean, like, the last three weeks? I didn't start bringing up the fan behavior until late in the first round, really, early in the finals when I witnessed some bad incidents and were told about some even worse. As I said before, maybe it's because I have a kid now, but I can't believe some of the stuff that goes on. I'd be afraid to sit in some sections for fear my 1 year old might clap at the mascot and some would take it the wrong way.

Ryne Gurney

Cohn I'm right there with you (sorta) I recently became an older brother and sitting next to him I often feel the need to cover his ears when before i was yelling right there with everyone else. The worst thing is when he yelled at the refs.

mightbite

It's not the BEER=it is the people that can't handle the beer.I'm more apt to punch you in the choppers when I'm not on the beer=I'm happy when I'm on the beer=so please don't blame the beer/ Pittsburgh vs. Detroit = I know who RaVeN is rooting for.

Wendy

Whew. I finally got a Flickr slideshow put together for the photos I took at Game 7 last Monday night. There are 69 images in all, with roughly half of them taken post game. As usual, I think a few of them are especially nice. You can check them out here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23197874@N03/sets/72157605152676148/

I can't say that I've witnessed any truly bad fan behavior either, though I'm sure it does happen here just like it happens elsewhere. Personally, the worse thing I experienced was listening to a little old lady scream "Ref, you're an idiot!" all night right behind my seat. :P Honestly, I'm not sure how things could have gotten out of hand with the red coat mafia and the police presence jumping on anyone who so much as dared to (gasp) touch the glass during the game. And yes, I DID see them hassle a man who was doing absolutely nothing disorderly about that very thing.

Regarding the AHL, I, for one, really like the IHL's independent status. We may not be the NHL, but we bow down to no one. Who wants to be part of some lame feeder league anyway? :D

And as for the playoff format, I'd prefer the 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 format to 2-3-2, not that I'm any big fan of it. If a change is to be made it should be for 2-2-1-1-1 or nothing.

Jungle Monkey

Justin, my apologies.... I meant to type most of the playoffs.. not season. I guess thats what I get for replying when I should be working.

Greg

So Justin. My Pens, your Wings. How you Got? (as if I didn't know)

TGP

Justin,

I guess if possible I would like some examples. When you say you witness bad incidents, what does that mean exactly? Fights, threats, bad language?

And your line about your one year old clapping at the mascot and that being taken the wrong way, what does THAT mean?

Great blog and thanks in advance.

Killer

Greg,

How you got?


Who you got?

You watch PTI.

Greg

Yeah, I mispelled it. Big deal.

Justin Cohn

I have Red Wings in six. ... As for the child comment, I recently made the remark that I now have a daughter and wonder what would happen if I took her to a game. She claps at things she likes. If she clapped at Port Huron goal, would be be yelled at? At age 1? ... This stemmed from some female fans telling me they were threatened at a finals game because one, who had little hockey knowledge, clapped when a Port Huron player made a nice play at the Coliseum. ... As for things I've witnessed, throwing of beer and other items, threats to opposing fans, and general disbehavior. ... What I've heard about? Much, much more and much, much worse.

Greg

Pens in 6.

Karla Stranger

*SIGHS* Was hoping the Stars would come back, but to no avail. Im not picking a team to win the Stanley Cup. 1st year ever Ive done this. The Ducks arent in it and they are my team(cant be a bandwaggoner)been a diehard Ducks fan since 1993. The other teams I *follow* didnt make it either. Was hoping for a Cinderella underdog team to make it in since that is usually who I will root for IF my team doesnt make it. OH well there is always next year.

Killer

No big deal Greg, relax.

Hoss

Good Night Canada!!!

JW

red wings in 5 if franzen plays

red wings in 7 if he doesnt

Ryne Gurney

I said before the playoffs started that if the Wings don't win it I would like to see Crosby win it. Guess I won't be dissappointed.

JW

chris simon is going to play in russia???

is it just me or does something not sound right about that????

he will get lashings in the Red Square if he plays the way he plays in the US.

FiveMinuteMajor

Nice pictures Wendy, thanks for sharing! My pictures of the game didn't turn out as well, my hands were pretty shaky by the end.

Go Pens! :)

Neil Skorka

JW, the Russian leagues are looking to get tougher and notable enforcers like Reid Simpson and Darcy Verot have played there. Verot I believe racked up 500 PIM's there. Not sure what Simpsons' were. If Simon keeps the "Idiot" switch flipped off, he'll probably be well liked over there.

As for the playoff format for next year, I hate that baseball does a 2-3-2 and would hate it even more in hockey. 2-2-1-1-1 is the only way to go.

Cat Eyes

Go Pens!! I say them in 6 as well...and Evgeni Malkin will have a hat trick in at least one of the games, what the heck! Gotta love the big Russian!

I saw no really bad behavior (until the bottle throwing in game 7), and I had my 7 year old with me for all home games thru both playoff series...worst was when our komet fans booed the K's...my 7 year old did not understand that at all. he booed the fans back!! a few choice words here and there, but no worse than what i hear anywhere unfortunately...it is hard to be a parent and take your kid out in public anywhere!!

Karla Stranger

I will admit our fans can get pretty rowdy and raucous at times. Guilty as charged. BUT....the worst fans Ive ever been around are in Kalamazoo. Took my daughter to see a St.Patricks day green ice game 3 years. Their fans had her in tears. Although at the time she was 22 years old, she is handicapped and doesnt understand most things. They threw everything on the ice but the kitchen sink and yelled obsenities. We are like choir boys compared to them.

Karla Stranger

OH yeah I forgot....Rockfords fans are bad too, as are Muskegons.

Pat

Does anyone know if there is a link somewhere of Chases call of the winning goal??

Karla Stranger

Pat, I have the call on the winning goal. Where do you want the link sent?

Karla Stranger

THIS JUST IN.....Bakersfield Condors have made an affliation agreement with the Anaheim Ducks. Here is the link.

http://bakersfieldcondors.com/iyc/publish/news/Condors_ducks_affiliation.php

Pat

will you just post the link on here?

Wendy

Thanks, FFM! I'm glad you like them. My hands were okay, though the fans in front of me who kept jumping to their feet anytime the Komets got near the goal did keep me from getting some of the shots I wanted. But the photos from the end of the game were a real joy to take. The outpouring of emotion was absolutely magical. I wanted that to live on forever. Game 7 was our "St. Crispin’s Day". :D

I do expect to have some photos from the end of season party in the near future, so I hope everyone will check back for those!

In regards to the fan behavior once again, I'm not sure that taking babies or toddlers to games is a good idea anyway. It's like a movie or anything else. Personally, I would get a sitter until the child is old enough to at least understand what is going on. My parents took me to games when I was a child, and I do remember hearing people scream obscenities at the referee. But I always found it more amusing than anything else. Perhaps, instead of trying to shield their kids, parents should see it as an opportunity to talk about why they consider such behavior to be inappropriate. Not that I should talk. I don’t have kids. But I will say that I was very impressed by one woman that I saw at a game. Her young daughter asked her why no one cheered when the visiting team scored a goal. The woman patiently explained that this was the Komets' stadium and that everyone there wanted the Komets to win. "Okay," the girl nodded thoughtfully, "I understand now."

Karla Stranger

For Pat and everybody....here is the link to Chases winning goal.

http://www.themp3host.com/uploads/74c9ec8ad2.mp3

scoops

Thanks alot.

Pat

Thanks for the link, but that has to be one of the lamest calls of a goal that wins a championship that have ever heard. I have heard Bob get more exited over a regular season goal.

Karla Stranger

Pat I agree with you. Bob must have been tired....Oh yeah was past his bedtime. LOL

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