"Welcome back to CNN Sport. I'm Dave Spadruck and I'm here live in the studio with expert commentator Ed Mowlowski."
"It's good to be back, Dave."
"It sure is, Ed. And I want to just take this moment to thank all you fans out there in homes around the country for staying with us. "
"Always one of the best times of the year, the start of a new season, Dave."
"Now. Tell me straight, Ed, you've heard the same rumours that I have. We all know that Storage Review had the best damn discussion forum team in the business for a long, long time there. Do you really believe that the mighty SR Blueshirts are on the ropes?"
"Well, Dave, before I answer that, let me turn the question around a little first. Just what makes
you think that they are?"
"Oh come on, Ed. Blind Freddie can tell that they are not playing the game the way they used to. There is a lack of unity, a lot of team friction, and while most of the old stars are still on the books, no-one seems to be stepping up to the plate and hitting homers the way thay did in '99 or '01."
"OK Dave. I'm not going to deny the obvious. But fair go now, just how long do you think a team can stay at the absolute top of its form for? Nothing lasts forever, Dave."
"So you agree that Team SR Forum is finished?"
"No I don't! Oh, sure, they are going through a rough patch, but that's a natural part of the game. No team is immune to it."
"But it was trouble at the top that brought it on, wasn't it? The club's financial situation, the MBF, all that talk about an attitude problem ..."
"Not at all, Dave. You have to take a longer view of these things. The signs of decay were there for all to see long before any of that came to light. Members were complaining that the forums were not what they used to be long before any of that other stuff came up. Years before."
"But the side is finished now?"
"No. They are not playing with the power and panache they had a year or two ago, but you should never write off a champion team. Sure, the goal average is down and the signal to noise ratio is higher than it used to be. But that won't last forever."
"They are on the comeback? Why don't I see more points on the board then?"
"It's called a rebuilding phase, Dave. It takes time."
"How much time, Ed? I don't see it. They have practically all the star players back under contract now - Clocker and Helldiver in midfield, Sean and Tannin on the left wing, Skallas in the centre, Jason out there on the right wing, Flagreen and The Prof up forward and P5 down there on the backline picking up the hard balls. Even EBB is back in training. So where are the results Ed? They just ain't kicking em like they used to."
"And they won't ever kick em like they used to, Dave. That's what
rebuilding means. It means bringing on some talented younger players and letting them find their own style."
"But Ed, it's not Team Storage Review any more."
"What are you saying, Dave?"
"Here, look at the replay of the team stats:
"I mean, where is the sense in that, Ed? Half their key position players are guys who were struggling to get a game this time last season."
"And that's just the way it should be, Dave. Coach Eugene is no fool. He knows he has to blood new players, let them settle down and find their feet. The last thing he needs is a whole bunch of overweight has-beens getting all the game time. And look at the way the young kids are responding to the challenge - guys like Russofris and Occupant and Mickey. There is a lot of talent there, Dave. "
"So you think it will be just like the old SR Blueshirts by the end of the season, Ed?"
"You don't get it, do you Dave? No. They will be just like the
new SR Blueshirts. Hey Dave, cut the guys some slack. You don't build a great team overnight, you have to give the new guys time to make their mark, evolve their own style. You want to see the old SR Team play, you go down to the tape archive and watch the replays. You want to see some great live storage action this year, just keep your eye on the Blueshirts."
"Err, right, Ed. We have to take a station break now. You're on CNN Sport."
