After all, nothing says hockey like a thoroughly greased mullet.
::::::::::::::::::
Analysis, rambling and rants from around the NHL (from guys and gals who are NOT Barry Melrose).
Kudos to WufPirate and the folks over at Carolina on Ice for breaking this story. They really made a great find. On the heels of signing Prospal, Roberts and Malone today the Lightning have also decided to unveil their new logo that will hit the ice this season. It's a tribute to their illustrious coach, Barry Melrose. The logo was unveiled at a press conference late this evening and, sadly, Barry did not dye his hair blue, white and black to go along with it. We can only hope.
Already, the influence of the logo is being felt throughout the Tampa community. The many encouraging moves made by the team this off-season have sparked interest from their fans and this one is no different. At this hour, fans are fully embracing it by going to NASCAR races, trying out for the television show 'Cops', buying Pabst Blue Ribbon, listening to the song 'Sweet Home Alabama' on repeat, letting their cars rust in their front yard, letting their cars rust in their backyard, going shirtless to work, and giving birth to twenty children prior to the age of fifteen.
When the Islanders signed Rick DiPietro to an unprecedented 15-year deal it was considered crazy. It still might be a bit, but it's starting to look more and more like teams are interested in locking up players for the long-term.
After a whole slew of lengthy contracts given out last year, Briere and Richard to name two, we might be looking at a different type of NHL. Long contracts are suddenly the latest fashion trend. Another player inked a long one as Ryan Malone signed a seven year deal with the Lightning today valued at a bit over $30 million. So while the DiPietro contract still looks pretty silly, it's looking saner every year.
Here's a quote from an article yesterday, not taken out of context mind you, from a certain hockey blogger that we know not the name of. See if it makes sense to you.
" On Mats....
A source had told me there is a 75% chance that Mats signs with Montreal by tomorrow evening. Take it for what its worth. Anything can still happen and probably will."
So, if I understand it correctly, here's what this quote is saying to us. Sundin has a 75% chance of signing in Montreal tomorrow (which is now today). OK, got it. But wait, 'anything can still happen and probably will'? So Sundin is going to sign with Montreal, unless he doesn't, because anything can happen. And since anything can happen, monkeys are going to fly right?
Bored this summer? Yeah, me too. Have some extra money left to spend from that summer job or because you like to throw away money? Then you have come to the right place!
Ebay is a great website. You can literally find everything you could possibly need. Occasionally, that includes human babies and various internal organs. In addition to those rare and valuable items, there are those that really make you scratch your head. Like, why anyone would pay $25 for a staple remover signed by the monkey from Born to be Wild. That's where I come in. Each week throughout the summer I'll be taking a look at the strangest of the strange in hockey items on Ebay. Heck, maybe you'll even find something you like!
BLACK HOCKEY MASK! Hard To Find Killer Look In Black! (Item #: 160256060507)
Looking for a gift for the chainsaw murderer in your family? Well, look no further than this creepy goalie mask. They'll love it so that no one knows their identity or how hideous they really are from those horrific facial scars they got when they tried to eat knives at age 5 (also good to give to the ugly person in your family). Sadly, this mask does not come with a creepy guy with bad hair behind it, which is pictured. Best of all this mask is 'hard to find' so upon the recipient opening your gift, make up some story about how long it took you to find this.
Sale price: $14.95 ($3.95 shipping)
New NHL PHILADELPHIA FLYERS HOCKEY Ceiling Fan 42" (Item #: 310063071852)
If you're looking for something to spice up your kitchen or maybe put the finishing touches on that dining room you just remodeled, then this next item is for you. Why put up a generic looking ceiling fan in one of these rooms when you can have one with the Philadelphia Flyers' logo plastered all over it! This also makes a great gift for the person who needs to have their favorite team's logo on EVERYTHING. Just so everyone who comes within a ten mile radius of them or their home knows exactly who they cheer for.
"It has a convenient three speed switch for year round comfort."
Current auction price: $69.99 ($19 shipping) -- 0 bids
MINI CARPET FLOOR HOCKEY SLIDING PUCK SPORT GAME *NEW (Item #: 230266458875)
Lastly, we have people trying to sell you a game you probably made up on your own as a child (I know I did). It's Mini Carpet Floor Hockey Sliding Puck Sport Game! More commonly known as Carpet Hockey Noun Sport Puck Another Noun Game. That is more commonly known as Mom I Broke the Lamp Again. This is a perfect gift for the unimaginative child in your family (or not in your family). Every kid has a mini-hockey stick but only a select few have the creativity and imagination to come up with a game such as this on their own. For those that aren't so bright, there's Mini Carpet Floor Hockey Sliding Puck Sport Game. Gotta love America.
I've never had anyone illustrate one of my posts so well!
Turns out daddy kind of owes some money to some people. While I would love to spend time with you on a beautiful Saturday such as this, the fact is that daddy owes some favors. So, today daddy went and blogged over at the Pensblog so he didn't lose both his legs.
Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you guys. It's just some good ol' guest postin'. And it's a Saturday in June, so I figure you all are spending quality time with real people or whatever it is you do. But yes, I did Pensblog it today. I hear it's what all the kids are doing. Coincidentally, Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone were traded by Pittsburgh today. That's a pretty bad omen. I hope they all don't take out their frustrations on me.
Well, it was finally time to give in and do what all the cool kids are doing. This site now has it's own Facebook page (MySpace to come soon). So, friend us and we'll, I don't know, trade bumper stickers or something. It should be fun. At least it's another way to pass time during the summer.
And for the record, Facebook wouldn't let me add an 'S' onto Rocks. So the name says Barry Melrose Rock and it looks retarded. Blame the automated name blocking system mechanism thing for that one. I tried everything I could, but apparently 'Rocks' is a banned word or something. Oh well. We'll still have fun.
I'm off from work today and as you can probably tell, that has manifested itself into lots and lots of blogging. Two posts here and two at FanHouse. If you haven't seen the ones at FanHouse, take a gander.
July 1st is an exciting day in the hockey world. It's one of the few days in the year when your team can drastically improve overnight and a division can be turned completely on its head. Hopes and dreams, folks. That's what it's all about. Of course, it can be a curse as well. Sometimes your team gets ripped apart like a Raggedy Ann doll fighting a rabid pitbull. Believe me, I know.
Last year was a banner year for free agency. Ryan Smyth, Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere... The list went on and on. It was really a heck of a day. This year, well, this year... Not so much. As the title implies there's Marian Hossa and then there's, um, not a whole lot more than Marian Hossa. If last year was a "feast" year for teams hoping to improve through free agency, then you can count this year as a "famine" year. The following is a look at the upcoming free agent market and, believe you me, it's not pretty.
There's Teemu Selanne if, you know, he isn't too busy deciding whether or not he wants to play next year. Ooooh! There's Jose Theodore! He had a good year before choking it out in the playoffs. Can I interest anyone in an aging Pavol Demita or Jaromir Jagr? What about Martin Straka provided he doesn't play overseas? If you need a mediocre sniper, there's Miro Satan. There is also all of one solid goaltender around, Cristobal Huet. Mats Sundin is available, if he ever figures out whether or not he wants to leave Toronto. Markus Naslund and Sergei Fedorov can be had, assuming they don't retire.
So all that really leaves is Marian Hossa.
If you're looking for an unrestricted free agent this summer that doesn't have any strings attached, you have one solid option (assuming you don't need a goalie). It's Hossa. Not good enough? Well, I guess you could always go after Brian Campbell (ehh) or Sean Avery (aka Sideshow Bob).
I don't really need to quote from the article since its title explains the situation pretty well. So, I was kind of confused when over a month later, on Wednesday afternoon, they put out something similar.
Chances are I missed something here. I guess the deal simply wasn't made official until recently, but a month? I can imagine there being that many kinks to work out. Weird.
No matter though. We've got another year of JR (again) and I think we can all celebrate that (again). Hookers and blackjack, anyone?
"The Blue Jackets do want to acquire Malone. But the story got ahead of the facts.
That happens frequently in the Age of the Blogger, who has chewed down the standards of journalism the way the pine beetle has decimated B.C. forests."
We've chewed down the standards of journalism? Since when were we trying to be journalists here? I write my own opinions and vague thoughts. You're never going to see me break a story (unless it's the latest YouTube of Alan Thicke). Do the boys at Pensblog attempt to be journalists? No. What about Melt Your Face Off? Haha. Not them either.
What we do is blog. We enjoy blogging. We make no bones about the fact that we are not journalists. We make no bones about the fact that we are not trying to live up to any "journalistic standards". It would be like asking a hockey player to live up to NFL standards. It doesn't make any sense.
But hey, while we're all baking in the hot summer sun, I've got a few random, incoherent barbs of my own to throw out. Remember those journalistic standards you were talking about, Iain? OK, good. Yeah, your buddies out there in the MSM have been screwing those up an awful lot, too. Dare I say, they've messed up more than bloggers. Did I just make you dry heave? Sorry.
"This is hockey. This is minor league hockey at it's finest. These guys are wearing pads, nobody is getting hurt. Coaches order their players to be thugs all the time in this sport."
"Do you ever wonder why the fights in the NBA, whenever there are fights in the NBA it's 15 game suspensions, it's craziness, it's rules that end up affecting the playoffs ... and in hockey nothing"
Barry Melrose worked at ESPN for a loooooooooong time. 13 years to be exact. So, naturally, they are paying tribute to him in the best way possible. A montage! ('Cause we need a montage! Montageeee!)
+2 if you got that reference. Anyway, here's the video.
Naturally, the gang at FanHouse left this whole Melrose to Tampa Bay thing for me to take care of. Your obligatory post is here, if you're bored enough to read more about this whole thing.
I'm way late on this but that's what happens when you work all day and aren't by a computer. My apologies for that.
Big news today, folks. Big, big news.
You probably know by now -- but if you don't -- Barry Melrose was named head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning during a press conference earlier today.
He's taking over the worst team in the league. He's also taking over a team with new owners likely to give their handpicked coach some time and they recently added a little Stamkos to their lives. He's got the tools, offensively speaking. Maybe if they had a goaltender things would be looking better. But no matter. We do not dare doubt the power of the Almighty Mullet Himself.
The surprise of the day, at least for me, was that Melrose admitted to waching nearly 90 percent of Tampa's games last season. What? Either he is lying or he's the most serious hockey analyst in the history of the world. Hopefully, it's the latter. That's really unbelievable. I don't watch 90% of the Islanders' games even if I'm in New York all winter.
You can be sure that I'll be all over this story in the coming days, much like Melrose on a fresh can of hairspray. For now, I'll leave you off with what the MSM/blogosphere is thinking about the NHL's newest coach. I'll foreshadow a little -- it isn't good. That's OK. There's at least one website on the internet that supports him in his conquest for world domination. I forget the name though... It just isn't coming to mind right now... I think it begins with "Bar" and ends in "ry Melrose Rocks".
The flash of gleaming teeth and well-styled hair won’t camouflage the fact that Melrose hasn’t coached in the NHL since 1995 and spent the last 12 seasons behind a microphone (and more entertaining than insightful, at that) and not behind a bench. He was away for a good reason — because the game passed him by long ago, perhaps while he was still coaching. And it has kept advancing at a rapid pace while he’s been futzing with his pancake makeup. Seen this way, Barry Melrose is an analog coach in a digital world.
The Tampa Bay Lightning has hired Barry Melrose as head coach; brace yourself, this could really get ugly.
And considering it's the Lightning we're talking about here, that's saying something.
Apparently new owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie felt it was a good idea to replace a Stanley Cup winning coach with a guy who not only hasn't coached a game in the NHL for 13 years, but was one who had a mediocre .449 winning percentage in just three seasons of NHL experience in the first place.
Yup, that's got success written aaaaall over it, doesn't it?
While many people out in the hockey world (including a bunch of the Bolts fans I know) think that Barry Melrose will be huge gigantic mega-disaster behind the Tampa Bay bench, I’m not totally convinced that it’s really as bad as some people think it is. Yes, he’s been out of the game for a very long time, but he at least has been in a place where he can objectively observe the game change.
There’s no doubt that the game is very different now than it was when Melrose was last behind the bench. However, I think he’s surrounded himself with an interesting crew to help him with the transition
UPDATE (1 AM): Gotta love the folks at the NYTimes being on the ball 24/7. Stu from Slapshots responds with the following (also in the comments but I'm not sure how many of you check those)...
Kevin - Thanks for quoting from my post on the NY Times Slap Shot blog. However, it would be more fair if you didn't take the quote out of context. I also explained how I thought Melrose could be a great benefit for the Lightning despite his limitations and also explored the potential upside. You're always welcome to scalp material from us, but next time, kindly provide your readers with the full picture. -- Stu Hackel
My apologies, Stu. I'll certainly be more careful in the future.
What in the world are we to make of the Tampa Bay Lightning these days? First, they trade away Brad Richards, breaking up the big three. Then, their new owners show up to the draft looking more like hollywood actors than people with more money than money can buy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Now, they've taken it one step further.
Yes. The mulleted prophecy appears as though it has been fulfilled.
ESPN, the people who probably know best about this sort of thing, are reporting that the Lightning will name Barry Melrose coach tomorrow. However, the hollywood actors Lightning are not confirming this. My guess -- they don't want to blow the lid on it just yet. Either way, we'll see.
What we can confirm is that this will not become a Tampa Bay Lightning blog if Melrose gets the job. There may be a significant increase in Lightning fans around these parts (not likely) but there will not be a major increase in coverage of the team here (very likley). All three Lightning fans are probably offended at this point.
The big question now... If the reports are true, who will fill Barry's shoes at ESPN? Those are some awfully big shoes to fill. And the mullet. Don't forget about the mullet.
Oh. And then there's this. Are the Bolts completely off their rockers or totally off them?
Coyotes assistant Rick Tocchet has decided not to return to the team, an NHL source has confirmed.
Tocchet is expected to join the staff of new Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Barry Melrose, whose appointment is expected to be announced at a news conference on Tuesday.
George Carlin died last night. That is some crap. I guess the big comedy club in the sky needed a new act. But easily one of the funniest of all time, he will be missed.
"Tonight’s forecast . . . dark, continued mostly dark tonight turning to widely scattered light in the morning.”
Thank you all for coming today. I am joined today by my agent, Sparky the Dragon, and webhost, Blogger.
The reason I am here is to set the story straight and address rumors of my departure. Since the Stanley Cup Finals ended, my appearances here have been sparse. Ryan from Victoria Times has filled in, and to be honest, the site has fallen into a post-Finals hangover. But look, it's hard to get a tan when you don't have a laptop. This is a problem I am working to remedy.
Getting back on point, there is one rumor in particular that I want to address that has been floating around the interwebs for quite sometime. A few sources have quoted me as saying that I am "all about the benjamins" and looking to sign as a blogger with the upstart Russian KHL. I would like you all to know that these rumors are completely false. In fact, that would be the worst career move I could possibly make considering that I can't speak a word of Russian and don't like cold weather. Additionally, Blogger and my agent are currently working on a new contract. Details cannot be confirmed yet, but they are offering me an iTunes gift card in the $10-25 range.
Again, there is no truth to the rumor that I am looking to transfer to Russia. I would now like to open the floor to any questions that you may have.
Fin the Orca: eeeoooooooo ssasapppp iiiiioooooooo
Sorry, I can't understand whale speak. Next.
Jeremy Roenick: I would like to make it known that I will not be leaving for Russia, either. What I am doing is leaving for Cancun on Wednesday and all the ladies should be prepared!
Um, good to know.
James Mirtle: I'd like to address something that hasn't yet been brought up. Is there any truth to the rumor that you have been trying to acquire Paul Stastny?
There is some truth to that rumor. I have been trying to sign Stastny, but so far he has not returned my phone calls. Driving by his house when I know he's home has also proved unsuccessful thus far.
Pensblog: Where's the bar?
Around the corner to the right.
(everyone leaves)
OK, well... Um... I guess I'd like to thank everyone for coming and have a great summer!
Maybe I'm still a little peeved about the first round -- passing on Filatov is going to be a huge mistake -- but I'm sick of all the Canadian rhetoric. I'm not sick of it, I can't freaking stand it. Yes, I've been to Canada. Yes, the experience in a hockey setting is different. Yes, it's better. BUT -- and this is a big one -- there are venues in America that may be as good, if not better than some venues in Canada.
Buffalo comes to mind. Pittsburgh, Philly and Detroit are right up there.
Of course, you could just pick on the sunbelt teams or the ones with crappy attendance and tell them their fans are subpar. It's easy. But that's about as useful and intuitive as yelling at second graders for not understanding chemical engineering. We know, we've heard it a million times and it's not likely to change anytime soon. Nonetheless, some writers feel to drive this point home another 1,000 times.
Forget all that (though the Internet problems were so bad, league reps came by at the end of the night and apologized), Friday night's draft reminds that this event should always be held in Canada. No offense to Raleigh or Columbus or Nashville, all cities that recently had the draft, there's no comparison. Where in Raleigh there were mostly crickets in the seats, In Ottawa, the building was full of fans who just came to watch and cheer and boo.
When the Senators were introduced during the pre-draft role call, the place went wild and chanted Go Sens Go. On the other hand, when the hated Maple Leafs were introduced, the reaction was like someone turned on a switched as boos and catcalls deafened. Wayne Gretzky, the Coyotes coach and governor, got a two-minute standing ovation. Steve Yzerman, representing the Red Wings, was cheered as well. Commissioner Gary Bettman was booed, except when he was announcing trades, just the thought of which sent the fans again into cheers of anticipation. Bettman even seemed to get into it.
Holy crap?! So you're saying that fans in Canada boo Bettman? WHAT A REVELATION!!!
Well, funny story. Americans can do the same thing. About 3,000 fans at the Islanders draft party did exactly. The same. Thing.
They cheered the Islanders draft table (until they messed up Filatov). They booed Bettman and John Davidson. Wayne Gretzky drew cheers. The one guy in the crowd who had the guts to wear a Rangers jersey was booed and was a catalyst for the starting of anti-Ranger chants.
Small sample size, maybe. But I think it's a good indicator of what would happen if the draft were held in the right American city. American fans know their stuff. The building might not be full. It may be way less than full, but it doesn't make any of us dumber.
And please, try having the draft in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philadelphia or New York City and tell me how that works out. I bet it would be a horrible experience. Absolutely terrible. At least there would be internet, right?
It's been a long hiatus but the Handy Guides are finally back and just in time for today's NHL Draft in Ottawa! Everything you need to know about the draft is wrapped up into one neat little package.
If you're going to a draft party tonight or simply watching from the comfort of your couch, feel free to bring this along in case you have any questions. It should come in handy if you're not at a draft party because chances are you'll be watching it alone. Let's face it, even many hardcore hockey fans don't give a crap about the draft. But that doesn't mean you can't! If you're not sue what's going on, this guide will help you get your bearings. Enjoy!
Boo Gary Bettman everytime you see him. Every. Time. Heck, even when his name is mentioned make sure everyone knows how you feel. He's the least popular commissioner in sports (although Bud Selig is giving him a good run) and no large-scale NHL event is complete without some good ol' Bettman bashing. This is especially important for those of you who are actually at the draft. You're not just booing for yourselves, you're booing for all of us out there watching on television.
Ignore the anti-European bias. Folks, let's face facts. There's been an anti-euro bias in the NHL for years. People said they couldn't lead a team (Nicklas Lidstrom, anyone?). People said they fold in the clutch (Pavel Datsyuk? Henrik Zetterberg?). Maybe it's North America's way of propping itself up by putting down others or maybe it's good ol' fashioned bigotry. Who knows. Either way, many experts will make up crap about European players to make it seem as if they're not ready for the NHL. Sometimes even the teams buy into this fallacy, case in point Alexei Cherepanov's stunning drop at last year's draft. But you, my friend, are smarter than this. You understand that a hockey player is a hockey player no matter race, color, creed or favorite Power Ranger. You will see through the lies and not be upset when your team drafts a European in the first round.
If your team isn't picking in the Top 10, take a nap. It's going to be a while. You'll have enough time to catch some Z's or what have you before your team picks. Maybe you could even, I don't know, spend some time with your kids! BAHAHAHAH!! Kidding... I'm only kidding. Let's not go crazy here.
If your team is picking in the Top 10, don't sweat it (not valid for teams with Kevin Lowe as GM). Let's face it, this is really a crapshoot. Sure, Stamkos will probably be really good. Sure, there's going to be some gems out there. But the draft is the NHL's version of procrastination. By the time these guys are any good you're never going to remember how pissed you were that your team didn't select Joe Blow. Save yourself the ulcer now and don't sweat it. You're probably not going to remember this draft unless your team does something really boneheaded. And even then, you might be too drunk to remember. That brings me to my next point.
Don't drink while watching the draft. These kids are younger than you. They get to play a game for a living. They're going to make more money in their first NHL contract than you will in a decade. They probably get a lot of girls. Thinking about all of these things can be depressing. Unless you're well off yourself, you probably don't want to be ingesting any depressants during the draft. It's just, well, depressing.
Don't buy your playoff tickets Saturday morning. Just because your team drafted a stud in the five spot doesn't mean you're going to make a Boston Celtics-esque turn around next year. Get your head of the clouds and snap out of it. There's still a lot of work to be done before your crap team turns itself around. This draft is such a small part to the overall picture and has very few short term fixes. Get over the 18-year old wonder kid you just drafted and start thinking about free agency. No one in this draft is going to take you to the promised land next year. No one.
This would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever happen... BUT it would be HILARIOUS!
Per Sporting News (not AP cause they are big dumb stupid heads):
The NHL has proposed disciplinary proceedings against Madison Square Garden that could result in the suspension or termination of the company's ownership of the New York Rangers, according to a draft letter written by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that was filed in New York district court late yesterday.
The letter, part of the league's ongoing legal fight against MSG, alleges that MSG -- by suing the NHL -- has violated the league constitution. The letter was part of a counterclaim the NHL filed asking the court to issue a judicial declaration allowing the NHL to discipline the Rangers and MSG internally. If the court fulfills that request, the league will immediately begin disciplinary proceedings against MSG.
Can you imagine the NHL kicking out Dolan and MSG? Ouch. The Rangers would be in trouble then. Hamilton Rangers, anyone? OK, seriously this isn't going to happen. But it's fun to think about.
Earlier in the week -- you might have heard about it -- some joke newspaper in Iowa threatened to sue a blog for using their video on said blog. Funny story. You see, the newspaper provided an embed code for the video on their website.
That would be like me inviting you over to my house, asking you if you would like a drink, giving it to you, and then slapping it out of your hand and saying you stole it.
Apparently parts of Iowa are only now getting the internet. If any regular readers are from Iowa, clearly, these are not the parts that you are from.
Just got home after a long day at the airports (thank you storm that tried to murder the entire east coast). I think that if someone tried to create an actual, physical version of the internet, it would be our nation's airports. They're really just a series of tubes.
But anyway. I get home, open up the email. First thing in there is how the college I attend decided to give a hacker all of the business school's personal information. Thanks for that one. You sealed the deal when it comes to begging me for alumni donations in a couple years. All my money is now going towards buying that arena. See what you did??? You ruined it!!
Moving on -- second email. That one put me over the edge (Thanks, Scotty).
My course of action:
Read it.
Tried to contain homicidal rage.
Replied politely.
Wrote a post about my experience (naturally).
Slept off said rage.
You all probably saw this already. But in case you didn't here it is:
So what, right? Who cares what Yashin is interested in doing. He set this team back five years (we've got another youth movement now! who's excited?!) and we're done with him. If he wants to crawl up on the doorstep and cry about it, so be it.
Hahaha! How naive I am! I almost forgot to read the fine print.
According to Newsday, the Islanders have discussed the possibility of bringing their former captain back for one year after buying out the final four years of his $10 million contract.
Yashin's agent, Marc Gandler told Newday he spoke with Islanders' general manager Garth Snow on Thursday but no agreement was reached.
Oh, fun times in Islander land.
"We've had discussions," Gandler told Newsday. "But it's been very slow because I told them in the beginning how much I wanted. They're obviously not happy about that. But clearly, they missed him. They didn't have a first line last season."
You can always count on the agent to be so nice about things. The team was pretty good until the last month of the season, if you hadn't noticed. Which, I guess, you didn't because you were too busy in RUSSIA (there, hockey plays you!).
Currently, the Islanders are paying Yashin $2.2 million per year over eight years for a total of more than $17 million. At the time of the buy-out, there were four years remaining on the deal worth $26 million.
Yashin, who is close with Islanders' owner Charles Wang, skated with Yaroslavl of the Russian League last season, scoring 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points. In the playoffs, he added eight goals and six assists in 16 games and was named the best player of the postseason.
To be fair, Yashin did have a good year in Russia. To be fair, we're paying the guy $2 million plus to NOT play for us right now. As long as we have an empty roster spot, which we kind of do, then what the hell. It's honestly not that bad. It just sucks, though. That sound you heard was of everyone in the PR and Marketing Departments having simultaneous strokes. This guy could score 100 goals next year and it's still going to get a lot of bad publicity.
Well, that's going to do it for me today. Kevin rightfully gave me the reins for but one day, which is probably for the best, lest I start talking about goaltenders and their penchant for groin injuries. Nobody wants to read a post about Kari Lehtonen's groin. For being so good to me today, and to thank Kevin for letting me take care of his baby, I have provided the adjacent picture of everyone's favorite mustachioed Duck, George Parros all dolled up. Either that or it's a Doobie Brother. But I'm out. Stop in and see me at the Victoria Times some time.
Hey! I know someone from there! www.mapsofworld.com
Filling in at a hockey blog in the middle of June. Brilliant! Last time I filled in here it was February, when there was, you know, hockey. Right now on NHL.com the top headline is that Ryan Suter just signed a four year deal with the Predators. Somehow, I still find the NHL offseason more entertaining than the NBA Finals.
But if we're going to sit around and talk hockey, let's talk hockey. This is a question that crops up for me pretty much all the time. We're mostly aware of the East Coast Bias in most sports, what with most media outlets being headquartered out there. Additionally, talent seems to be attracted to certain cities across the Eastern Seaboard, and to a lesser extent, southern California because that's where the money (and attention) mostly is.
Why isn't this the case in hockey? I would expect the bias to be more pervasive, given that so much talent comes from overseas. Really, why would someone come from Slovakia to play in Raleigh voluntarily? Is that some sort of Slovakian dream I'm unaware of? I would expect many Europeans to try to get to New York or Los Angeles or Boston or, you know, a city their family had heard of. I'm not saying that Europeans are ignorant, but I doubt anything more than 25% of the European population has heard of Buffalo.
One of the prime examples of the confusion, for me anyways, is Niklas Lidstrom, who has spent his entire career in Detroit. How did that happen? Didn't he do any research on the subject before coming to America and set his sites on New York or LA? Again, I'm not saying that Detroit is necessarily a bad city, but it has a bad reputation. If anyone in the Lidstrom clan back in Vasteras had heard of Detroit, they probably feared for his life. I have to imagine that early in his career, he was receiving a lot of pressure from his Swedish friends to try for a more glamorous city (Being Swedish myself, I can assure you that the pressure was really passive-aggressive). Credit Lidstrom for realizing his title chances were best in Detroit, or, just as likely, finding Detroit a wonderful place to live. Believe it or not, Motown has suburbs too.
I think, too, many Europeans would like to see the melting pot of America. You know, the varying culture that one expects when throwing people from all different backgrounds into a large city. You've got your Chinatowns like in San Francisco, and your Little Italys like in New York, which only provide to the intrigue of these American cities, especially, I'm sure, to tourists and people from out of town. How did Marian Gaborik feel upon arriving in the Twin Cities the first time, only to find out that there was more diversity in Bratislava?
I'm mostly just thinking out loud here. I'm not trying to badmouth any smaller market cities. Quite the contrary; I think the NHL, if anything is doing more to establish a positive reputation for a lot of smaller cities in European minds. Hopefully, Lidstrom's willingness to stick around in Detroit leads to a booming Swede based tourist industry in Detroit. Maybe Austrians now keep tabs on news from Buffalo because of Thomas Vanek. Maybe Gaborik has realized that there is diversity in Minneapolis (both Swedes AND Norwegians!). Maybe a huge Marek Zidlicky fan just checked the NHL site from Prague and got really excited that Ryan Suter is staying in Nashville.
The Winnipeg Jets: still not in existence. www.winnipegjetsonline.com
Hey gang, how's it going? Kevin sort of slipped out unnoticed. If you check the bottom of this post, you'll see a new name, "Ryan". Go ahead, check it out. I can wait. So yeah, I'm Ryan. I've written here in the past. Most days, you can find me toiling away over at the Victoria Times. Let me tell you, the commute from Victoria to Barry Melrose headquarters in Newark is brutal. So, why am I here? Well, I've been asked to entertain you while Kevin is flying somewhere. I'm not certain as to where, but I hear he's going to Canada to see about buying out Mirtle. My sources aren't the best. Anyways, this isn't my real post for the day, I'm just sticking my toe in the water. Before I get to it, I encourage you to talk amongst yourselves. An idea for a topic to get things started, (in the spirit of flying): What should the Winnipeg Jets do this offseason?
To finish up our season recap, here's a look at the top stories from the 2nd half of the season. Again, these links are completely and totally unbiased. All of them. Totally. For sure.
I was browsing through the epic website that is Uncyclopedia.org (think Wikipedia except everything is false, not just most of it) and, naturally, headed on over to the hockey section.
Before we get too far into the summer to even remember it, let's take a few minutes to look back at the year that was.
It was a heck of a year that was capped off with a good Stanley Cup Finals. But, surely, it wasn't all about the Finals. Here's a rundown of all the stories, hits and great goals from the past year. I'm sure I missed a bunch of interesting items, so feel free to add your own in the comments and I'll be sure to keep this list updated. This is only part one, though. It chronicles June 07 through December. The second half will be up on Friday.
Clearly, the links on this list are completely unbiased. Totally.
A lot of people in Pittsburgh weren't allowed the chance to buy tickets to the Ice Bowl. Considering their team was, um, playing in it a bit of a fracas ensued. (9/8)
For those of you who are enjoying what you're reading and may be new around these parts of the interwebs, I moonlight over at NHL Fanhouse. So if you can't get enough of me (hard to believe), feel free to stop by.
He's the best goaltender we have seen lace 'em up in the NHL in quite some time. Hasek is, arguably, the best we have ever seen in the NHL. He should be remembered as such and today I thank him for his 16 seasons of service and wish him the best.
But while he's surely one of the all-time greats, it's funny to think what would have been if he had never signed up to play in Detroit behind the best defense the NHL has (and had) to offer. He might have gone down as the best goaltender to never win the big one.
I'm going to stop right there, though. There's no reason to play the 'what if' game right now.
What I am going to dwell on his the Mastercard commercial featuring the Dominator from the late 1990s. Absolute classic. This is one of those commercials that transcends hockey and makes Average Joe Sports Fans everywhere stop and say 'gosh, that game of ice hockey sure has some swell competitors in it'. Of course this was also during the time when these Mastercard commercials were all the rage. So maybe there was a little bit of that in there. But hey, it's still enjoyable nonetheless.
Apologies for the lack of a fitting serenade but I honestly don't have a whole lot to say about the guy. If you want to read something a bit more thoughtful about the Dominator's potentially last retirement, go here, here or here. And I stress the word 'potentially' because like Brett Favre, I'm not convinced until next season starts and everyone is certain he's not in uniform somewhere.
The following is brought to you by SCF Pick 'Em winner and regular BMRer Loser Domi. When she's not trying to create a masterplan for Toronto Maple Leafs world domination she can be found at her blog, the Wonderful World of Loser Domi.
Justin Timberlake looks like a young Burt Reynolds. Creepy. IMDB.com
Howdy ho, cats and kittens! Even though I, Loser Domi, usually write about imaginary happenings, I'd like to take a break from that and write about something that's well, a little more like reality. Over the past few months there have been promotions for the movie "The Love Guru." Now, since this movie involves the Leafs and I am a Leafs fan with a blog, I've gotten an official sounding email about it (so have some other bloggers.)
As far as I can tell, the Maple Leafs are featured only because Mike Myers happens to be a huge Leafs fan. Much like "Happy Gilmore", instead of being about a hockey team, it is about a hockey player. This movie could have been about any other player in any other sport had the author been a fan of another team and yet remain almost exactly the same movie.For instance, had Stephen King been in charge, the team used would have been the Boston Red Sox(although I suspect there wouldn't be as many midget jokes.) Had Drew Carey written the script, the featured team would have been the Clevland Browns, except, I don't know, everyone would sing in Pig Latin or something. Jack Nicholson writes it and you get a movie about the Lakers. And so on.
Then again, I haven't seen the movie or done any further research on it. I could be totally wrong about everything I just said. No matter how this movie turns out, I have to agree with fellow Leaf blogger and generally awesome guy Pension Plan Puppets:
"If that movie doesn't end with the Leafs winning the Cup I'll want my $10 back!"—PPP
Amen, brother. And GO LEAFS GO!
(And since we're talking about a movie containing Jessica Alba, well, here ya go. - KS)
Many times when a major piece of real estate is bought and sold, it is done so behind closed doors. Many times, the Average Joes out there like you and me don't have an opportunity to purchase some of the great arenas that come up for sale in this great nation.
This is not one of those times.
The Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem, PA is up for auction. And they're advertising it in the New York Times because, well, they're probably desperate. For only $6.75 million you can be the proud owner of this five year old facility in the heart of steel country, Pennsylvania. It's got two NHL-sized rink but, sadly, no minor league or pro hockey teams. It's up to you to bring that in.
All bids must be in by July 1st at 3PM. I'll be giving it a shot, assuming I can convince a bank that I'm worthy of a $7 million loan. In other words, it's all yours.
Before the Finals started, we had a little SCF Pick Em contest for everyone here at BMR. As it turns out, quite a lot less people than "everyone" took part. No matter. That just means your chances of winning increase significantly.
You'll be hearing from the winners soon enough. Their "awesome prize" is that they get the "esteemed prilvidge" of "writing" a guest post here at BMR. I use all those terms very loosely.
Anyway, here are their entries to pass the time. We're still a long way from hockey season, folks. I'll be back a little later with some final thoughts on the year, but for now, let's let the winners bask in the glory of being smarter than the rest of us.
Who will win: Detroit Red Wings. How many games: 6 games. Why: I think Detroit's going to win because all the old farts on the team are going to bore the Pens with their "when I was your age..." speeches on the ice. They'll maybe even keep offering the young'ns food every commercial break, and it's hard to say no to your grandparents when they offer you food, so the Penguins are going to gain a few hundred pounds, which will slow them down, and the Wings will drive past them on their hoverounds to the Cup. I say it's going to 6 games, because Osgood will forget to fill his Detrol LA prescription and he's going to piss his hockey pants.
- end with style
who will win: Detroit
number of games: I'm always terrible at this part, but I'll say 6
why: Well, at first I was going to use my tried-and-true method of flipping a coin, but it rolled away and I lost it. Then I asked my Lil Lindros Bobblehead, but he didn't say anything. He just sat there silently judging me (or looking for his pants after an all night bender, I can never tell with him.) Lacking all other sources of prognostication, I decided Detroit would win since their color is red and red things, like sports cars and fire, usually go fast (although that still doesn't explain stop signs...)
Congrats to the Detroit Red Wings who won 3-2 tonight to take the Stanley Cup Final four games to two. It's the 11th title in their history and Wikipedia is already updated to reflect that. I firmly believe that place is run by a superhuman race with a serious hankerin' for information. Thanks to the Pens for making this whole thing interesting... Can you believe they almost tied it with a second left? That would have been something.
So, yeah. Only about four months left until next season!
Oh and how about that penalty called on the Red Wings at the end of the game? Do you think Drew Sharp is really pissed off somewhere right now because the zebras stepped in late in the game? Yeah, I don't think so either.
And one last congratulations to all the Wings blogs out there. Abel to Yzerman, Behind the Jersey, On the Wings and more... You know they're happy as hell right now and it's not because they're going to get four trillion hits tomorrow morning.
Everyone has a bad day. Everyone has a bad column. That's why it's surprising that the MSM Joker of the Week comes to us from the Detroit Free Press. The Free Press has been on top of their shit all playoffs long, including their most recent episode of stunningly good investigative journalism (not sarcasm). Ben Schmitt, now a legend in the field, gave us the scoop on the kid that threw an octopi on the Mellon ice before Game Four, got kicked out and snuck back in.
Today, it is with deep regret that we must punish another Free Press writer for his most illogical transgressions. This writer is Drew Sharp. Drew, you see, is complaining about a penalty called in the third overtime on Monday night, which led to Petr Sykora's game winner on the powerplay. Somewhere in all of this, Drew must have forgotten how giving the Pens a powerplay in this series is virtually meaningless. They were 3-for-21 but what was amazing is that their PP unit was an absolute joke. They could barely hold the zone.
Everyone's entitled to their opinions. Everyone can say what they want.
But when someone says "Nothing short of decapitation should merit a man-advantage in overtime." we have to seriously call into question their mental abilities.
So, today, we give Drew the Fire Joe Morgan treatment. It's nothing personal Drew, it's just that I don't agree with your column. Feel free to disagree with mine.
The title tells you exactly what this is going to be -- Wings Fan Boy whining.
Gary Bettman was a happy soul wading through the still buzzing crowd within the corridors of Joe Louis Arena around 2 a.m. Tuesday following the fifth longest overtime game ever in Stanley Cup Finals’ history.
Drew, congratulations on being the first person to ever see the happy side of Gary.
The NHL commissioner/Hockeytownpiñata thought his game reached new heights with the three-overtime thriller that kept Pittsburgh alive, raising the possibilities of a seven-game marathon to the Stanley Cup that might actually attract more than just hockey fans.
“It was a great show,” Bettman said.
Piñata, indeed. I can certainly agree with you there.
I asked him if he was sure that NBC still broadcasted the seemingly endless sudden death nationwide at midnight eastern time or did it cut to Jay Leno everywhere but Detroit and Pittsburgh.
The commissioner didn’t appreciate the satire.
And that satire would be where, exactly? I don't think he was the only one it got lost on.
“Everybody got it,” he said sternly, “and they got a fabulous game. We’ve got two tremendous teams battling it out.”
The next sentence is the part where Drew goes off the deep end.
But the problem was that special teams should never determine the outcome of a battle as spirited as Game 5.
God forbid something that has been part of the game since the dawn of time determine the outcome of a game. That's like saying we should ignore the blueline if an offsides call was to negate a game winning goal. Penalties are part of the game. Why, all of a sudden, are we supposed to ignore them?
The referees should never dictate an overtime game, but that’s precisely what happened Monday night, uh, rather Tuesday morning.
Glad you know what day it is.
Look, nobody is ever happy as hell when a penalty helps to determine a winner. That's why there's controversy many times when it does. But to say that the referees should completely and totally swallow their whistles at the end of games is absurd. If you're implying that Hulder's high stick should be permissible, you need to re-evaluate your life. He caught Rob Scuderi so well that Scuderi started bleeding. If you don't like the fact that it was a double minor, fine. If you have a problem with calling a penalty when a player gets smacked in the face with a stick, you're almost as sick as Don Brennan when he called for the Senators to take out Crosby's ankle.
What's more telling is that nobody is talking about this call.
Bloggers? Nope. Even Wings coach Mike Babcock isn't worrying about it. He's concerned with goalie interference calls that were questionable. Those didn't factor into the end decision. They weren't even called in the same period as Sykora's game winner.
Nothing short of decapitation should merit a man-advantage in overtime. It’s the antithesis of the hockey code – play until you bleed and then play even harder. The overtime officiating was an insult to the players’ unflinching commitment to sacrifice their bodies at any cost for the ultimate prize.
They’re putting skirts on these guys for the myopic sake of promoting skill over will.
Let's see... Sexist comments? Check. Saying that nothing short of death should be a penalty? Check.
Let that sink in for a second. This man just said that "nothing short of decapitation" should be a penalty. Jesus Christ.
I know. I know. I’m an old, gap-toothed dinosaur trapped in a prehistoric pre-lockout world, but winning playoff overtimes should also be more about will than skill.
You just said that. And I can't remember pre-lockout hockey being this pre-historic. I wonder what the Champions of the past would have to say about hockey not being about skill. I think Wayne and Mario might beg to differ. Did they win multiple championships because they had more will than their opponents? Maybe.
Did they have more skill?
Without. A fucking. Doubt.
I know it’s an antiquated ideal of referees swallowing their whistles in sudden death because the players didn’t want policing when one final goal determined victor.
Well, let's see. The Zebras called seven penalties in the first two periods. During the third period and first two overtimes, they called four. They called all of four penalties in the span of a normal game. Four. Can you imagine sitting through a NHL game where there were only four penalties called? Wow.
NHL Zebras swallow their whistles all the time down the stretch. And I mean, all the time.
Um. When, exactly, did a high stick TO THE FACE become innocent? An accident, maybe, but still a penalty.
The Penguins’ Rob Scuderi happily admitted that he was praying for the slightest hint of blood when JiriHudler clipped him with a high stick in the third overtime.
That’s the new NHL?
Blood was once a badge of honor. Now, it’s an excuse to gain an artificial edge.
I'm curious as to what Ryan Malone and Sergei Gonchar have to say about this. I think there were enough guys that got banged up (on both teams) during Game Five to disprove your point.
Oh and I'm sure you would love the fact that the Wings get a man advantage if Pavel or Henrik get slapped in the kisser by some pine. The calls do go both ways.
Hudler got a four-minute double minor and the Pens quickly scored with the advantage.
A shock to anyone who had watched their powerplay unit all night. Next time, try turning on the game prior to the third overtime.
The Penguins deserved to win because goalie Marc-Andre Fleury simply wouldn’t let them lose, but winning an overtime classic like that with a man-advantage nonetheless seems cheap.
That sentence started out intelligent and then quickly dropped off.
And I’d say the same thing if the Wings won the Cup in Game 5 under the same circumstances.
So, hypothetical situation. If the Wings were awarded a four minute powerplay under similar circumstances, and won the Cup on an ensuing power play goal, you would be pissed. I find that hard to believe. I'll give you credit for talking big, but I'll believe it when I see it. Somehow, that penalty would likely be the last thing on your mind. You'd probably be too busy hunting down leads to proclaim how the Wings are a dynasty.
A foul isn’t always a foul.
A penalty isn’t always a penalty.
A goal isn't always a goal.
Reality isn't always reality.
The timing must be considered along with the swelling emotions of the moment.
Good point. Your column would have benefited from taking some time to cool off after such a tough loss.
“The Cup Changes Everything” league slogan comes off as schmaltzy, just a little too syrupy to be taken seriously.
But it’s true.
The Penguins’ Ryan Malone took a puck in the nose, dragged himself off the ice, got patched up and got right back on the ice.
That’s how it’s done.
The last team still breathing after five-on-five wins after multiple overtimes.
"The last team still breathing?"
This isn't a matter of life and death. They're not actually trying to kill each other out there. I'm still not sure if you're familiar with how playoff overtime works. Everything, down to the smallest detail, is exactly the same as it is during regulation with the obvious exception of it being sudden death. Nothing else changes.
If you're trying to make the case that referees are not swallowing their whistles down the stretch during the playoffs, you're batshit crazy. They swallow more than -- I'm sorry, I'm not going to go there. But the point is that you're trying to say that referees need to swallow their whistles more when the truth is that they already are. If they called fewer penalties, the Zebras would be putting themselves out of a job.
To conclude, I'm going to end with what your article had none of -- statistical analysis.
First, take another look at Mirtle's analysis. It's the best analysis of this subject you can find.
Secondly, here are some stats. I've put together a graph breaking down penalties called during each period of this series. It's all pretty telling, if you ask me. The longer the game goes, the fewer the penalties that are called. With the exception of the third period of Game Two, the refs are swallowing their whistles in every game of the Finals thus far.
Pretty telling if you ask me.
I guess some people are never happy. Some people need to find a scapegoat. The Wings were given every chance to win on Monday night and they didn't. They couldn't hold a lead. They couldn't solve Marc Andre Fluery. Sorry, tough luck. Try again.
To quote Al Michaels, that was one unbelievable game Monday night. I'm actually still recovering from it as I type this.
If you're from Detroit, you're probably at your wits' end. At least you still can take solace in the fact that you're still up 3-2 in the series. That's never a bad position.
If you're from Pittsburgh, I can't even imagine what you're going through. That game ran the full gamut of emotions -- from "we're eliminated" to "holy crap we're back in this series." I don't think I can possibly understand what you went through on Monday night. I can barely remember David Volek smoking the two-time defending Champs in 1993, so I guess I have some idea.
But wow. Simply... Wow.
Has there been a more entertaining Stanley Cup Finals game in the past 10 years? I think you would be hard pressed to find it. Ray Bourque winning the cup in Game Seven back in 2001 comes to mind. Brett Hull's 3OT full in the crease in 1999, maybe. That's where the list ends.
You really have to go back decades to find a SCF that was legitimately this exciting, unless you're a fan of a team that's won it in the past 10 years. Then, obviously, you would love a more recent Finals. But, if you're like me and neutral to all of this, you have to go back a ways. Sure, in 2003, 2004 and 2006 we had a seven game series. 2006 was pretty epic but I don't think any of those hold a candle to this one. However, the jury is still out and waiting to see if Pittsburgh or Detroit can trump Edmonton or Calgary in terms of riots.
The first two games in this series were like Gigli. They were an embarrassment to mankind. Maybe people thought that the series would end in four or five. Pittsburgh had no chance, they would say.
More experienced folks knew that home ice makes a big difference. Both parties ended up being right. Home ice made a difference but the Wings still returned home with a chance to win it all in five. This series ends tonight, they said (myself included). The Pens haven't even scored in Detroit, it's too big of a mental hurdle, I said.
"Ha!" That's what the Penguins had to say about that.
They played well for two periods on Monday night, then imploded. You might as well of shut down Detroit's end of the ice and brought in the circus. The Penguins weren't going anywhere. If you only watched the third period, you probably thought they didn't deserve to be in the game. The fact is, if they hadn't played so well early on, they wouldn't. Total domination from Detroit in the third. It looked like a sumo wrestler against Verne Troyer.
34.1 seconds. That's all the time that was left when the Penguins tied the game up 3-3 late in the third.
Immediately I thought of baseball. Weird, right? Well, maybe not so much. Let's go back to the 2004 American League Championship Series. Down 3-0 in the series and 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning the Red Sox were facing Mariano Rivera, possibly the most dominant closer in baseball history. The Sox looked like they were cooked against the New York Yankees. Again.
The Yankees were a team of veterans who had been there before. They were experienced. They were emotionless. They were unflappable. They were the baseball equivalent of the 2008 Detroit Red Wings. On the other side, the Red Sox were new to all this. They were a bunch of exuberant veterans and kids who had never been here before. They joked around. They got rattled. They didn't have a Sidney Crosby, but they bore a slight resemblance to the 2008 incarnation of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So, facing Mariano Rivera, and their backs as far against the proverbial wall as they could possibly be, the Sox stormed back. They tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Bill Mueller, the most unlikely of heroes, singled in a run sending the game to extras. In the third extra frame, the twelfth inning, David Ortiz smacked a walk off homer over the wall in right-center. Three games later the Red Sox had completed the comeback, overcoming the deepest hole they could possibly be in to win the series 4-3. It seemed like the ground shifted in New England that night.
Now, I'm not saying that the Penguins are going to come back and win this thing. We're a long way away from that.
What I am saying is that Max Talbot's goal was one of those plays. One of those plays that destroys even the greatest amounts of momentum. If you stopped and observed closely, you could almost feel the tectonic plates shift beneath Joe Louis Arena with 34.1 to go. Never in the history of mankind has more life been sucked out of an arena than it was in Detroit on Monday night. It took three more periods but Petr Sykora's goal was the result of those shifting plates and all of a sudden the Penguins were full of life again.
Maybe the Wings will head to Pittsburgh and end the series in six. Maybe in ten years Game Five will be meaningless, save for it's entertainment value. Or maybe this is one of those plays that shifts the landscape of a series so dramatically that it's not the same series anymore. Maybe the slate has been wiped clean and we're starting over again, even if it's still three games to two.
Obviously, we're going to have to wait and see. I can wait, though. All good stories take time to unfold.
John Tortorella was fired Tuesday as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, four years after leading the team to its only Stanley Cup title. He had one season remaining on his contract.
We're one step closer to Melrose taking up residence behind the bench in Tampa Bay. The Elders said it would be so and yesterday we came a bit closer to the fulfillment of their prophecy. Stay tuned.
Don't look now but the man who inspired Pens Nation, the indestructible man, Pittsburgh's Chuck Norris might be about to call it quits. But that line does come with a warning -- it is a bit of speculation. He hasn't said anything concrete on the matter but if you read between the lines, well, tonight may be his swan song.
Gary Roberts is 42-years old right now. By anyone's standards -- save for Chris Chelios and Dominik Hasek -- he shouldn't be in the NHL. He shouldn't be beating up his body every night, even though some nights it seems like his opponents get the worst of it. He shouldn't be destroying Andy Sutton and Ben Eager.
"Deep down, I know this is probably the last time for me," Roberts said.
[...]
"It really has been a great thing for me here," he said. "The fans have treated me great, and I've enjoyed playing here.
"[The adulation] is flattering. A little embarrassing at times, because I haven't been as a big a part of it this year as I would have liked to have been. I get a few jabs from my teammates, but it's all in fun."
So if tonight turns out to be the end of the SC Finals and if tonight is Gary Roberts' last game, make sure you try and enjoy it. Soon, our favorite Iron Man may soon be no more (what on Earth will Pensblog do for content?). Soon, yelling "WWGRD?" in Pittsburgh won't be answered with "hit somebody!" It will be answered with "take the kids to school" and "play golf in the afternoons."
Enjoy it while you can, folks. Enjoy it while you can.
That's two posts in a row on the Post-Gazette. I'm going to quit them cold turkey. And if you've read all the way to the bottom, make sure you stop by FanHouse's live blog of the game tonight. Drive safe, all.
Thanks for that bit of breaking news, Chuck. Amazing insight there. Are you trying to tell us that the series might be over if the Pens lose tonight? I didn't quite get it. The Post-Gazette's hockey blog is all sorts of fantastic but this, well, not so much.
From the P-G:
Chuck Finder
Chuck Finder fulfills the same Post-Gazette role that he was hired to perform back in 1985: general assignment and takeouts. In sports vernacular, that essentially means he is the staff's utility infielder and long reliever.
And there's a reason Chuck is still doing what he was doing back in '85.
Bon Jovi, however, is doing things a bit different compared to what they were doing back then.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled slacking on company time.
Last year a bunch of knuckleheads from the website Heavy.com put out some ridiculous hockey videos during the playoffs. The videos featured inatimate table hockey figures portraying their real life counterparts. It was one of the funniest things to come around in a long time.
Now, on the day of potentially the last game of the year, they're back. And they're about to set the internet on fire again. Hide your women and your churches, Knob Hockey is back to pillage our little imaginary internet village.
There are eight videos in all and they're available via the YouTubes. Careful friends, some of them might be a bit NSFW. My personal favorite is attached to this post. The portrayal of Sidney Crosby is Coolney-esque. Oh and take a close look at the Flyers' logo.
Tonight, I received the following email from our San Jose Bureau Chief Liz E.
Your San Jose Bureau Chief and associates sponsored the JR page on HockeyReference.com. We have the message as "WWJRD?" but if you have another idea we'd love to hear it.
It's good to see that JR is now in the right hands. Big ups to Liz and the folks at Couch Tarts for making the purchase. I'm surprised that it took so long to get the big guy off the market, and I imagine JR isn't too happy about not being in high demand, but it's done now. In terms of slogans, I've got a couple of my own but I suspect the commenters will be all over this one. Have at it, folks! I'll get us started...
If anyone has the video of the second intermission report on NBC, please upload it to the YouTubes ASAP. We could all use a good laugh. Bob Neumeier and Mike Milbury yelling at each other was the funniest stuff I've seen in a while. Any help in this important matter would be greatly appreciated!
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