When I think of this year’s NHL playoffs I think of the teams that normally end up in the second season, Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit and New Jersey and with them the poster boys of the NHL Crosby and Ovechkin. But this year we’ve seen a turning of the tide, no more Nicklas Lidstrom vying for another Cup, no white towels will be waved in Pittsburgh, the Capitals once again showed they are one dimensional and ride the back of one line and not a whole lot more and the Devils are rebuilding. Yeah, this post season we’ve got Bergeron and Thomas, Lecavalier and St. Louis, Thornton and Marleau, the Sedin’s and Luongo…for some these are household names, for the casual fan it’s more like WHO are these guys?
The two teams from the West have never won a Stanley Cup, the two from the East each have, with TB doing so in ’03-’04 and Boston winning there last of 5 Cups in the ’71-’72 season. To this point we’ve enjoyed great matchups with tons of terrific hockey, what else do you expect from the fastest game on two legs? The Bruins had to deal first with their arch rival and Original Six nemeses the Montreal Canadians, who stole the first 2 games in Boston, the Bruins then went on to win the next four of five, three in OT including game seven in Boston. Following that Boston knocked out the Flyers in four straight to erase any memory of that implosion last year when Philly came back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series. Now they enter the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since ’92 and host the Tampa Bay Lightning beginning tonight at 8 pm. Both teams swept their final series and have been off for close to 2 weeks, needless to say they’re itching to get back in action.
In the West it’s the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks, who never seem to do anything the easy way, had a 3-0 lead on the Red Wings, lost the next three and took game seven Thursday night in a tight fought game in San Jose. They had gone six games with the L.A. Kings in the first round. Vancouver another of those teams who look like a pretender more than a contender usually, found themselves making their path to the Conference finals difficult doing the same as San Jose in the first round having a 3-0 lead only to cough it up against the defending Stanley Cup champs and winning in seven at home, they followed that up with a six game series against the pesky Nashville Predators.
San Jose found a way to pull out of a grueling series with the Red Wings, I’m just not sure they’ll have the gas or the luck for that matter to go that kind of distance again with the Canucks, but if Roberto Luongo performs like he did against the Black Hawks the Sharks might just find themselves moving onto the finals. It’s clear that how the goaltending goes so goes the series for both of these teams. The west series begins Sunday night in Vancouver. In the East the homer comes out of me and I’ll take Boston in 6 games, for the West I’ll go with Vancouver in 6.
In other news, last night NY Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard, 28, was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment. There have been no details given as to the cause and it may not be known for weeks.
The NY Islanders signed rookie Michael Grabner today to a 5 year $15 million contact, he had 34 goals and was 3rd on the Isles with 54 points. Grabner is one of 3 finalists for this year’s Calder trophy which is given annually to the league’s top rookie. Other finalists this season are San Jose’s Logan Couture and Carolina’s Jeff Skinner.
It’s looking more and more like the Atlanta Thrashers won’t be in Georgia next season, regardless of what the few Billy Ray Jim Bob’s down here who go to the game would like to believe. An article posted in today’s Toronto Sun has quotes from Atlanta owner Bruce Levenson saying before the Bulls-Hawks game (who he owns as well, along with Philips arena and are being sold as a package deal if possible) that they are no closer to finding a local owner than they were a year ago. Here’s that interview, watch and listen to this tool, particularly when he answers the question about what is it he’d say to the fans, I’ll give you a hint, he’s not going to be begging them to buy season tickets to help the cause. Talk about wanting to get out of town.
Hotch will return next week! Enjoy the playoffs Gabbers!
Yes you bastards, this post is for the city of not so brotherly love...After watching the Boston Bruins sweep the Flyers, all I could do is smile, and think about how you and your revolving door of shitty goalies just suck ass...
Hey Boston's own Bill Burr, give it to these fuckers again!
I hope all had a happy Easter...Or if that isn't your thing, I hope you had a good weekend...Mine was alright...But before I get to that...Let me pimp something I started Friday...The first of a series that I call IGNORANCE_WAS_BLISS...
So let me hang my head first...My New York Rangers lost their series to the Washington Capitals Saturday...They played hard...They gave the Capitals every thing thy had...But sadly, they didn't have much scoring...Goalie Henrik Lundqvist did all he could, as he has all year...Oh, and he got snubbed for a Vezina nomination...But I like the Rangers' future...They have stopped bying big-name players, and started drafting well, and developing well...Their blue line is stocked with talent...And guys like Dubinsky, Callahan, and Anisimov give them a nice core...Plus guys like Boyle and Prust, 4th liners before, have show they can play like second and on special teams...I have high hopes for next season...
Right now I'm rooting hard for the Chicago Blackhawks, after the crap CANUCKS fans pulled...It's a must win for the 'Hawks...I'll let you know what happens...(2-2 in second itermission) If the 'Hawks don't win it, then I'm pulling for whoever is playing the Canucks, and there overrated goalie Roberto Luongo...
Canucks fans weren't the only people talking trash lately...The Habs and Bruins have been going at it hard...Canadiens fans weren't happy about Andrew Ference flipping them the bird...
Then Saturday night injured Canadiens player Max Pacioretty talked some smack via Twitter about Brad Marchand, which got the Bruins fans talking shit about Pacioretty's broken neck and concussion...WOW! All this social media has made us all so much more classy!
But enough Hockey for now...Sunday morning I was awakened by the sound of two kids searching for Easter baskets...Oh the joy of kids finding candy, and toys...Yes, we give them a couple of small toys, and less candy...After the dental hell we went through with our oldest, fuck the candy, go play!
In the afternoon, the Little Beeze and I were heading to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History...He loves that joint...Before we left he dropped a deuce...To everyone's surprise, his shit was totally, and completely blue...Seriously blue...He didn't feel sick...Nothing hurt...Just some blue logs...Then I saw that the wife had left a couple of the tablets for coloring eggs, out on the table...She said one was missing...How much you want to bet it was blue, and the little dolt thought it was candy!?!
So to the Museum we went....Here's a tip...Go on Easter! Place was almost empty...Hell, they didn't even charge us for the parking...Here he is with Triceratops...
('Hawks and Canucks are tied at 3 now)
Last week I wrote about my disgust over how the American media has been gushing over the upcoming Royal Wedding...It's gotten worse...All the morning shows are talking about it...The Nightly News is spending at least 10 minutes on it...Every network is sending shit-tons of staff to cover it...My Mother-in-law showed up today to visit for the week, and said she was getting up at 4:00AM Friday to watch this horse shit...
Seriously America, what is wrong with you? Why? Why? are you so obsessed with powerless, figureheads, from the country that or forefathers fled from? ANSWER ME!?!
Before I go, I thought I'd give you a quality, Easter Hockey Fight...Evgeny Artuykhin ain't taking anyone's shit apparently...
And the Blackhawks just won 4-3 in overtime, on a goal by Ben Smith...Vancouver you just lost 3 in a row to Chicago...How does that feel? Folks, take my word for it, Tuesday night around 9 PM you want to tune into Versus...The Blackhawks will be looking to win 4 straight against the Canucks and that hack Luongo!
So it's the end of the work week, for most people...Not me, my week ends after my Saturday double at the Fish House...Anyway, I thought I'd knock out something light for you all to check out...
First let me get into some Hockey...There was a lot of build-up for Thursday's Bruins/Canadiens game...Yes, it's always been a big rivalry, but after Zdeno Chara's hit on Max Pacioretty March 8th, some were expecting things to be even more heated...Well not much heat from the Canadiens...The Bruins throttled them 7-0...And the gloves weren't constantly coming off, as some expected...Just an old style ass beating, that left the Habs hanging their heads...
Many have tried to tie Chara's hit to recent injuries, and violence in Hockey...When actually it was a basic Hockey play, that just had a bad, freakish, outcome...When really it's dirty, cheap-shot, assholes, like Matt Cooke who should have their faces linked with these issues...Cooke whom, I wrote about MONDAY, did get suspended again...The rest of the regular season and the 1st round of the playoffs...He should lose a whole season...
Moving on...So we had the Time Change recently...You know, the old "Spring Forward"...We just finally got the kids adjusted to it...Hell they normally mess with me for a week...I don't how people in Indiana deal with it...Nothing like a state that is split into two timezones...
Baseball season is fast approaching, and I'm looking at the Indians roster, and well, I'm not to excited...The infield, with the exception of Astrubal Cabrera, is nothing but utility players...And don't try to tell me Matt LaPorta is a 1st baseman...He's still learning how to play the position...
At catcher, is Carlos Santana, who played a third of last season in the majors, and is coming off a serious knee injury...He had a great season, and is head and shoulders above any of the catchers they had him sitting behind at the start of last year...Yeah Lou Marson, I'm talking about you...Fucking guy couldn't hit his weight, and is a hack behind the plate...
In the outfield, Grady, coffee cup Sizemore is also coming off of a serious injury and who knows how long until he's 100%...And he wasn't that good at 100% last year...The there is Shin-Soo Choo, who you can consider a true major leaguer...Then there are about five other average, to below average guys trying to make in the outfield...
The rotation is young and unproven...Fausto Carmona is the ace...He's still young, and working on being consistent...He has great stuff, but still has plenty of room for improvement...There are 6 others trying to get into the other 4 rotation spots...A lot of dopes are liking the bullpen...Not me...Don't blow 4 games for Carmona this year, let alone the games you blew for David Huff, and maybe I'll change my mind!
Then there is overpaid, DH Travis Hafner...Since MLB cracked down on steroids, this guys has had stupid, nagging injuries, and little power...What a joke...And a waste of money...Shapiro you suck!
To sum it up...If the Indians lose less than 90 games, the season will be a success...How sad is that?
Next...The NFL is changing more rules...Apparently these dopes went to the Gary Bettman/NHL school of business...Here's the plan...Bitch about not making enough money...Lockout...Change rules that make the game worse...Piss of fans!
Well, guess what...You don't have to wait for me...I'm out...I'm okay with College Football, and the NFL can go screw...I hope they miss the whole season...
Okay, I said I was gonna keep it light...So lets end with this little gem...
