There has been a few complaints about the product that Chemmy and I have been putting out. Naturally, we're flattered that people are interested in what we have to say but frankly the summer is long and we will write probably at least 200 posts from September to April and God help us if the Leafs make the playoffs. So we're pretty much in battery-recharging mode. Thankfully, my girlfriends and the blogosphere have not been in the same mode. Every day there is a From The Branches post with links to usually at least 10 posts with lots of topics to discuss. You do not have to stick to the topic of the post in there. Relish that freedom because it's not found in other posts. If there is a post or story you saw elsewhere (except HockeyBuzz or The Sun - because you can just read it here) then toss in a link and kick off discussion. It is an open forum posted every morning at 7am.
If you can't find something there to discuss then come after the jump for some suggestions and a helpful reminder.
One of the great things about SBN for both the readers and site managers is that it is not bully pulpit. You are not just reading, you can participate. One of the big things that makes other SBN sites jealous of ours is obviously Chemmy's and my handsomeness but the other big one is that our fanposts are among the best throughout the hockey megaverse. If you want to see something discussed then share your thoughts. There is a handy style guide in the left sidebar that will help outline the expectations or you can look at some of the great fanposts that have been written. Keep in mind, that the topic might have been covered so check out past fanposts so that you repeating things. If you are, don't be surprised if the post disappears or people complain.
The reason Chemmy and I don't necessarily tackle every topic is because a lot of it is already done. Here are some of the fanposts from the past week that you should be reading and discussing if sports media and the interaction between the traditional and new media isn't your bag. I presume that this will mean the end of "Why aren't we discussing (Topic X)?" and "enough with (Topic Y)" posts:
What Do the '06-'07 Ducks Tell Us About the '10-'11 Leafs? - The '67 Sound
This is a great example to follow. In this one he looks at the Stanley Cup champion that Brian Burke built in Anaheim, what roles players were playing, how they were deployed, and an examination of the true make-up of the team's forwards. You will literally not read a better piece from the traditional media all season long.
Building off of The '67 Sound's piece is another good one that focuses on the makeup of the Toronto Maple Leafs' top nine forwards and looks for where the newcomers might slot in. The TOI comparison makes the case that the "top six/bottom six" distinction might not be entirely accurate.
26 Days of Scoring: The Leafs After Dion - Bower Power
Bower Power, when not educating James Wallace on the finer points of journalistic ethics and the law, examined the Maple Leafs' scoring post-Phaneuf Trade in an attemtp to determine the age-old question "where will the goals come from?"
What do you think this is...some kind of goal scoring competition? - Birky
In a nod to one of Damien Cox's all-time dumbest lines Birky also takes a look at the Maple Leafs' scoring and what the team needs/can attain. He also looks at the implications for making the playoffs which are neatly summed up by Chemmy's Pythagorean graph.
In place of shootout, ZERO points for a tie - Wan Ihite
In a more macro-level piece Wan wonders if there isn't a way to fight back against the detrimental effect the loser point has on the end of games.
"Who will they be?" The Toronto Maple Leafs potential game - The Burnward
If speculation is more of your interest during the summer then use this fanpost to make the case for who you think each of the Leafs' youngsters might project out to become.
Canadian Regional Hockey Teams - Who Would Win a Tournament? - Slave Duris #24
Another speculation post flashing back to the Olympics when people were discussing regional teams in Canada. What do you think of each team? Who is missing? Who would win? It's a veritable "what if?" wonderland.