Snider Happy With Weekend Despite Winter Classic Loss
CITIZENS BANK PARK — It wasn’t the conclusion Ed Snider wanted, but even a heartbreaking Flyers loss to the rival New York Rangers on Monday couldn’t damper the chairman’s feelings about the Philadelphia-hosted Winter Classic.
“It was an incredible weekend for the city, for the fans,” said Snider, from the Phillies’ clubhouse in the bowels of Citizens Bank Park. “And I think everyone had a great time until the end. We would have liked to have won the game, but I’m proud at how the team played, we had opportunities to win it and I think we played very well. It’s a long season and I’m not disappointed.”
Pulling in 46,967 fans for the primary event would have been viewed as a rousing success for the Flyers and NHL, who co-hosted the event. But with 45,808 fans also entering the building for Saturday’s Flyers—Rangers alumni game, Snider believes the Philadelphia fans sent the fifth annual Winter Classic weekend to new heights.
“It came off better than I could have imagined,” said Snider. “The alumni game was a sell out and it set a new standard for the league. We are really proud of of our fans.
“It’s exciting to see the crowd and how excited they were. I only wish we could have given them a win, that’s all. We played well and I’m proud of the team, that’s the most important thing.”
The only downside of the hugely publicized event is that the Flyers continued their tradition of goaltending issues. However, even after the Flyers cut a nine-year, $51-million contract to Winter Classic backup Ilya Brzygalov at Snider’s command this offseason, the owner shrugged away any type of controversy.
“We have two goalies and one was playing better than the other coming into the game, he won the start,” Snider said. “It’s not a big issue, we’re a team with two good goalies that will work out whatever issues they have and we’ll be in good shape.
“There’s no issue, we have no issue. We have two good goalies, we’ll be fine. We’re fighting for first place, something must be working well. It can’t be that bad.”
When asked about Bryzgalov’s increasingly odd behavior with the media, particularly his comedy routine on HBO’s “24/7″ and in announcing roster decisions against the team’s wishes, Snider was short, but not negative about how he felt about his franchise goaltender.
“I think he’s colorful,” said the chairman. “He’s a colorful guy.”
Comments