Your Monday Morning Icebreaker

Two reborn features in a row. How about that. If you remember this one, you've really been around here a long time. It's everyone's favorite, Random You Tube Magic, to get you through the morning, it's Your Monday Morning Icebreaker.

This week, to kick things off in style, we bring back a legend and a classic, Mark Messier's tear ducts. Skip the first :30 of the video unless you want to hear some woman ramble on about her Mark Messier photo collection. Skip ahead to the 2:20 mark if you want to see when this thing really gets going.

Mark Messier is N-N-N-Not the B-B-Best Com-Commentator

Around these parts, Mark Messier has no fans. You could say that we don't get along, but I've never met him. But the video to your right, well, it sort of makes me feel bad for the guy.

Yeah, I said it.

Now, it's hilarious when this guy lets the waterworks go. We know this. But somehow, bumbling around on a national stage while completely keeping his composure (and by that I mean not crying) kind of makes me feel bad for the guy. I'd almost rather he followed up stuttering around with a nice, healthy cry. It would be funny. Instead, he looks helpless, afraid and it kind of makes me feel bad for the guy.

And, of course, the big problem here is that this is only an eight second clip which is completely out of context. That's like taking one sentence on this blog and making a generalization about everything we believe in. That's not something I can get behind.

Oh, and I'm really beginning to question Versus. For a while there they were making steady improvements but it seems as though they stopped doing that at some point earlier this year. This may prove to be the tipping point that everyone looks back on and asks 'where did it all go wrong?' Then again they could trot out JR next week and would have Survivor-esque ratings. Not as high as the first one, but definitely in the neighborhood of the second season.

h/t Plank, Wyshynski

Your Obligatory Finals Prediction Post (Obligatory Contest, Too)

We've made it, folks. The year-long journey is almost over. If you team hasn't made it this far, and chances are it hasn't, then thanks for sticking with us anyway. If your team is still alive and kicking, cherish these days you lucky sob.

But another season is in the books, save for seven more games (if that). It goes by so fast!

To make this fun, I've got one last little competition in store. We had fantasy hockey and college basketball. Now we've got some Stanley Cup Finals Pick 'Em. It's pretty simple. Email me (melroserocks@gmail.com) who you think is going to win the series, how many games it's going to take and a short paragraph on why. The best responses will be featured on the site, so get creative!

When this whole thing is said and done, one lucky winner is going to win themselves a guest post on the site (don't worry, it's not going to turn into Deadspin). Here at BMR World HQ, we'll conduct a drawing of all the correct predictions and pick one name out of a hat. One name to rule them all!

So that's all there is to it. It's quick and painless. I'll start us off...

I'll take Detroit in seven. I still think that at some point having MAF in net is going to come back to bite the Pens. This is that point. But it's going to be a good series. Both teams will walk into the Thunderdome and only one will come out. And they'll be a limping, bloody mess. This SATURDAY NIGHT ON WWE RAW!!! HELL IN A CELL!!!! YOURE EITHER THERE OR YOU'RE A WUSS!!! I'M COMING FOR YOU MESSIER AND THERE'S NO WHERE YOU CAN RUN. YOUR TEARS WON'T SAVE YOU NOW CAUSE THE PAIN TRAIN IS COMING!! WOOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Feeny, Man, You're Doing It Wrong

Bruce Bennett/Getty/Yahoo!

Hey Feeny, if that is your real name, I think you missed the boat here. I just had one request for you, and you blew it. You failed your mission. But that's OK, I'm going to give you one more shot to see if you can make it up to Mullet Nation and I.

From April 29th:

Maybe that guy is out there somewhere reading this post or one of the other ones out there on the internets. Old Guy with a Sign, if you're reading this, get yourself on camera with a sign that says "Messier Sucks." I will be forever grateful. You can, of course, use funnier variations on that phrase. In fact, that would certainly get you some bonus points. So if you're reading this, God speed and you can do it. The Mullet believes in you.

Old Guy with a Sign... Feeny... Whoever you are time is of the essence. The way the Pens are playing right now, you might have only one more shot at this during Game Four on Thursday. So let's get to it. Show the world our message!

Just When You Thought We Were Done With This... Messier is Right on Cue

You know, I thought we were passed this. I thought we were out of the woods when it came to watching Mark Messier cry in public. Of course, I forgot that the Rangers were retiring Brian Leetch's number, a former teammate of Messier's. So I didn't watch the game, but I still have to endure seeing things like this.

I'm sure there are YouTubes of it out there but it's not really worth trying to find. I don't want to put all of us through something severely traumatic again. I just hope that through awareness, we can find a cure for this terrible disease that seems to haunt Messier. I'm talking about Crying in Public to Garner Attention Syndrome, of course. That's CPGAS for short.

But going back to my original point -- we are nowhere near out of the woods on this one yet, folks. Tonight, Leetch announced that the Rangers would be retiring Adam Graves' number later on. So what does that mean? That means that tonight was not the last we will see of Messier's waterworks. Dammit. Someday we will. Someday. WE. WILL.

One, Last, Good Cry Before Messier Rides Off Into the Sunset

Mark Messier is the NHL's very own exploding dam. He's got a lot of water in him and could burst at any given moment. As I'm sure you know, Mess was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night, the perfect opportunity to let the waterworks go one more time. As promised, the video from Mess's induction speech:

Aw, who am I kidding? I'll miss you Mess. The NHL will be a drier place without you. That is, if they also get rid of the waterlogged Reebok jerseys.

Oh God, We're Going to Have to Listen to Mark Messier Speak (and Probably Cry, Too)

Mark Messier seems to be spawning all of these players from his behind. Interesting. (C) Hockey Hall of Fame

The annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place this Monday, with festivities going on all weekend in Toronto at the Hall of Fame and around town. On Saturday night, the Maple Leafs will face off against the Rangers (riveting, I know) in the annual Hall of Fame Game at the Air Canada Centre. A host of legends will also be on hand all weekend long for the festivities, which culminate on Monday with the induction of Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier, Scott Stevens and Jim Gregory into the Hall of Fame.

I've never been up to Toronto to see the ceremonies, and it seems like if I could pick one year to skip, this would almost certainly be the worst one to miss. Why is that? Folks, this is likely to be the last chance we will have to see Mark Messier speak, and likely cry, at a meaningful event. Since his playing days have long been over, we haven't really had the chance to see him let the waterworks go in quite a while. It's really been too long. Personally, I would recommend making the trip to Toronto solely to see that. I know it's going to be hard for Mess to top his most famous performance, but let's not forget that this is the Hall of Fame we're talking about. You're supposed to break down like a little girl for this shindig. And we all know there is no one better at milking it than Mess.

The actual induction ceremony can be seen Monday at 7:30 PM EST on TSN's alternate feed. Somehow I doubt those of us in the States will be able to see it. When there's video of this, and there will be, you can bet BMR will be all over it.

For now, enjoy some oldies but goodies:

Mark Messier Day in Edmonton (skip to about the 2:30 mark)


And of course there is always his return to New York. Epic. Absolutely epic. (How is this not on YouTube?!?!)

Your Obligatory Mark Messier Diss

Once I started this feature, you knew it was only a matter of time... Don't worry Ranger fans, the Islanders will get theirs, too.

This Guy is in the Hall of Fame?

There are so many things I could say about this picture, but they all are offensive to the mentally handicapped. To call Mark Messier one of them, would be all too degrading. To them.

If you haven't heard, Messier, Scott Stevens, Ron Francis and Al MacInnis were elected to the Hall of Fame.