And we're back with news at 12 ...
Thursday, June 15, 2006
It took an all-nighter to take care of most of my finals work, so I now finally have some time to touch base on a few "around the league" type of topics before I head out for the day. I hope I'll have more time to write another entry tonight, but that all depends on how much work I can finish during the day. Word of advice, everyone: don't take the equivilent of six classes a semester. This is what I get for loafing around my first two to three years of college.
Oilers wins game 5. Series heads back to Edmonton:
Watching as Staal and Stillman criss-crossed their communication wires and botched that pass which led to the OT winning goal by Pisani, I felt like someone punched me right in the face. What a horrible way for a team to lose, let alone right in front of their own fans. True, there was pressure from an Oilers player on Stillman as he made the slow drifter of a pass to Staal, but it was just a bad, bad thing that happened. Worse, this was the game where Staal finally broke out of his shell. If you thought Monday's two assist game was the return of the young star, Wednesday was all of that and more. It'll definitely leave a bitter taste in his mouth that even though he had a hand in every goal the 'Canes scored, he also had a small part in the shorthand, OT winner against his own team.
I still hold out hope that the 'Canes will win it all and bring the Cup to Tobacco Road, ushering in even more fans and helping the sport to grow in a non-traditional market. I expect anarchy and riots in the streets of Edmonton if the "Southern team" ends up winning game 6 in Oiler's Country. But I won't be the man who says they win it on Saturday. No way am I making such a bold prediction.
Danny Gare becomes the newest color analyst for the Columbus Blue Jackets:
I'll admit it; I didn't know who Danny Gare was before yesterday, when the Blue Jackets made their announcement that he would be the new color analyst who will be in the booth with Jeff Rimer. And I still kind of don't, though when I have some free time to look at the full blurb on him that the Jacket's website has up, I definitely will. I did a little digging at a hockey community I go to just to see if I could get any opinions on his analyst skills, since he looks to have a long tenure as analyst for the Buffalo Sabres. All I've really heard is that he was more of a sideline type of guy than an in-booth analyst, so we'll see how this goes. It's probably going to be some big shoes to fill since he'll be taking over for Brian Engblom, who has moved on to a permanant role with the Versus crew.
(Writer's Note: From here on out, all references to OLN will be Versus. For all intents and purposes, the NHL on OLN is officially dead, now that they're no longer covering any games this season. Here's hoping the major media outlets start to do the same soon, even if the official name change isn't until September.)
Dick Pound dicks around and pounds his chest in the NHL's direction. Again:
Dick Pound is like that little kid that didn't get enough love from his parents, so he acts out to get attention. I was already unamused enough when ol' Dicky took a pot shot at the independent investigators who reviewed the allegations against cyclist Lance Armstrong, going as far as to mention their nationality in to his criticism for good measure.
No one with a good head on their shoulders is stupid enough to believe Bettman's or the NHL's talk about how everyone tested clean this season. The drug policy is flawed, simple as that. But despite this, Pound rubs me in completely the wrong way. I really don't think he does all of this blubbering and posturing for the good of any sport, simply doing it for himself and the attention it gives.
Anyone here who is a member of the video game culture will understand what I mean when I say that Dick Pound reminds me of firey and irrational anti-game activist Jack Thompson. Loud, boorish, rude, and facts be damned. So long as he's on a personal crusade, all that matters is that he yaps and yells at anyone he sees who he accuses of using illegal performance enhancers, or leagues that don't do enough.
Oilers wins game 5. Series heads back to Edmonton:
Watching as Staal and Stillman criss-crossed their communication wires and botched that pass which led to the OT winning goal by Pisani, I felt like someone punched me right in the face. What a horrible way for a team to lose, let alone right in front of their own fans. True, there was pressure from an Oilers player on Stillman as he made the slow drifter of a pass to Staal, but it was just a bad, bad thing that happened. Worse, this was the game where Staal finally broke out of his shell. If you thought Monday's two assist game was the return of the young star, Wednesday was all of that and more. It'll definitely leave a bitter taste in his mouth that even though he had a hand in every goal the 'Canes scored, he also had a small part in the shorthand, OT winner against his own team.
I still hold out hope that the 'Canes will win it all and bring the Cup to Tobacco Road, ushering in even more fans and helping the sport to grow in a non-traditional market. I expect anarchy and riots in the streets of Edmonton if the "Southern team" ends up winning game 6 in Oiler's Country. But I won't be the man who says they win it on Saturday. No way am I making such a bold prediction.
Danny Gare becomes the newest color analyst for the Columbus Blue Jackets:
I'll admit it; I didn't know who Danny Gare was before yesterday, when the Blue Jackets made their announcement that he would be the new color analyst who will be in the booth with Jeff Rimer. And I still kind of don't, though when I have some free time to look at the full blurb on him that the Jacket's website has up, I definitely will. I did a little digging at a hockey community I go to just to see if I could get any opinions on his analyst skills, since he looks to have a long tenure as analyst for the Buffalo Sabres. All I've really heard is that he was more of a sideline type of guy than an in-booth analyst, so we'll see how this goes. It's probably going to be some big shoes to fill since he'll be taking over for Brian Engblom, who has moved on to a permanant role with the Versus crew.
(Writer's Note: From here on out, all references to OLN will be Versus. For all intents and purposes, the NHL on OLN is officially dead, now that they're no longer covering any games this season. Here's hoping the major media outlets start to do the same soon, even if the official name change isn't until September.)
Dick Pound dicks around and pounds his chest in the NHL's direction. Again:
Dick Pound is like that little kid that didn't get enough love from his parents, so he acts out to get attention. I was already unamused enough when ol' Dicky took a pot shot at the independent investigators who reviewed the allegations against cyclist Lance Armstrong, going as far as to mention their nationality in to his criticism for good measure.
No one with a good head on their shoulders is stupid enough to believe Bettman's or the NHL's talk about how everyone tested clean this season. The drug policy is flawed, simple as that. But despite this, Pound rubs me in completely the wrong way. I really don't think he does all of this blubbering and posturing for the good of any sport, simply doing it for himself and the attention it gives.
Anyone here who is a member of the video game culture will understand what I mean when I say that Dick Pound reminds me of firey and irrational anti-game activist Jack Thompson. Loud, boorish, rude, and facts be damned. So long as he's on a personal crusade, all that matters is that he yaps and yells at anyone he sees who he accuses of using illegal performance enhancers, or leagues that don't do enough.
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Ugh, I still remember that. Wasn't it Brule who ended up running into Nasher and causing the injury (totally by accident of course)? Or was it someone else entirely?
But, yeah. I just hope Saturday's game is a good one, too. I'm excited to see the Cup get awarded, but depressed that the season's now down to the last 1-2 games.
You felt like you got punched in the face after an Oilers goal? Have you contacted IwoCPO to use that trademarked phrase?
Just kidding...
I would think that our (CBJ fans) punch to the face occurred on the first day of training camp last fall when Nash banged up his ankle.
Here's to hoping we get another great game on Saturday.