Red Wings take the Cup

A hearty congrats to the Detroit Red Wings and all their fans for their fourth Stanley Cup Championship in 11 years. It was a pretty good series, but the Wings are solid from top to bottom, and Pittsburgh just didn't quite have the look of a team that's ready, yet. But, rest assured, the Pens will be back, and soon. The ending to last night's decisive Game 6 was something to see, if you missed it. The pucker factor was quite high - I can't believe that Marián Hosa didn't score at the final horn. If you want to see the play I'm talking about, the video immediately below has highlights from the game. At about the 3:45 mark, you'll see the game's final seconds. Absolutely thrilling~!

Detroit goalie Chris Osgood must be given a great deal of credit for his performance during these playoffs; he endured a goalie controversy of sorts while turning in a Conn Smythe-worthy performance. The Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) went to Henrik Zetterberg, who scored the game-winning goal last night (also in the video above).

Of course, you can never have a league championship without a blooper - above is a member of the Red Wings swearing on live TV. At least we can be confident that it won't turn into a Janet Jackson-like scandal (which was absurd in the first place), because, according to Tiger Woods yesterday, no one watches hockey anymore. During a teleconference to promote August's PGA Championship, Woods was asked if he was pulling for Detroit or Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup Finals.

"I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers," said Woods. "I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore." What an imbecile.

Two things - 1. The last time I checked, golf doesn't get Super Bowl-like ratings, either. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who will be glued to their sets to watch said PGA Championship this August. 2. He wants to talk baseball? It's worth asking which sport, hockey or baseball, is more respectable these days? I'll let that point stand on its own - what is understood, needn't be discussed.

To its credit, the NHL took the high road in light of Woods' comments - "The National Hockey League has enormous respect for Tiger Woods, for all his accomplishments and for his work with the community," NHL spokesman Frank Brown said. "We think he's a great golfer." Hey may be a great golfer, but sometimes he's a braying jackass.

It's amazing to me how quickly some people get up tribute pieces to the teams they love. I found this one on YouTube this morning, and I just shook my head in amazement. Someone must have stayed up half the night making this one, and it's pretty well done, too.

CBC's playoff hockey montage was pretty good this year, but it's been better in past years. The song isn't a great choice, but the pictures and video were spot on, as usual.

Anyway, this blog is politics first and foremost, but I occasionally comment on sports, specifically hockey and football, the two best spectator sports on the planet, respectively.

One other hat tip to the NHL - notice all of the NHL footage you can find you YouTube? It's because the league struck a deal with the company that owns YouTube (Google) to allow posting of videos, highlights, etc. To my knowledge, none of the other three major sports leagues have done that. I love hockey because it's different in so many ways, and the reason above is simply another one, and a great, fan-friendly one at that.

Congrats, Wings! Just four more months until training camp begins... next year is my beloved Edmonton Oilers' year, I can feel it.

Top picture via espn.com

The Oilers win! The Oilers win! Helllllooooo round 2...

I'm still pinching myself after last night, when my Edmonton Oilers reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by knocking off the top team (during the regular season, anyway), the Detroit Red Wings.

And they did it in dramatic fashion. I expected the Oilers to come out in front of a truly crazed crowd on home ice and take control of the game early by scoring first, as they have in every other game in the series. But, it was not to be. At the end of one period, Detroit was up 1-0, and at the end of two it was 2-0. During the second period, the Wings were at their suffocating best, outshooting Edmonton 17-2. Yes, that's right, 17-2. After that disaster of a period, without question the Oil's worst of this playoffs, I let out a large *Sigh* and figured at least I'd be treated to a Game 7, which wouldn't be so bad. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like a Game 7 in any round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Little did I know, I was in for one of the most memorable Oiler playoff games in their 27-year NHL history.

Not to put too fine a point on it - the Oilers came out to start the third and quickly showed the hockey world that they will be a team to be reckoned with, not only in this playoffs, but far into the future. Edmonton's youth, speed and energy were just too much for Detroit, but what really made the difference was one man - Dwayne Roloson. Roli the goalie really showed up for this series, and he was the difference. A close second in series MVP honors goes to Chris Pronger, who is proving once again that he is among the top defensemen in the NHL.

Anyway, by 6:40 into the third period, the Oil had tied it because of an Edmonton-born hero - Fernando Pisani. He scored twice, less than four minutes apart, to draw the Oilers even. However, Detroit's Johan Franzen put Detroit up 3-2 less than four minutes later with a very nice goal that Roli had no chance at. But there was plenty more heart stopping action to come.

Ales (Al-ISH) Hemsky evened the game with an awkward goal on the powerplay with less than four to go. The goal was reviewed, and after about six minutes of drama, the goal judges made the obvious and right call - that Hemsky hadn't kicked it in; the puck merely bounced off his chest and into the goal. Hey, whatever - the Oilers will take a few lucky ones, and I know I was happy. So, I settled into my chair thinking I was in for overtime, and I never complain about getting to see even more hockey. Both teams probably thought that's where the game was headed, too; games 1 and 3 of this series both went to double OT. With just over a minute to go, that's when The Play happened. Hemsky took the puck into the Detroit zone, left the puck for Sergei Samsanov, and then parked himself at the side of the net. One Samsanov picture-postcard pass later, the backbreaker - a Hemsky tap in (See Above). Goal, Game, Series, Pandemonium!

It's tough to overstate how crazy it was at Rexall Place in Edmonton. Click here to see video clips of it - they should remain on the Oil's homepage for a few days. I was jumping up and down, celebrating, whooping and hollering, all while wearing my now lucky Mark Messier #11 jersey. I had reason to celebrate - the Oilers haven't moved to the second round since 1998, and they haven't been to the conference finals since 1992. So, I'm hoping more droughts end this year, including the biggest Oiler drought of all - The Stanley Cup. It's been 16 long years - pictured below is the last time. Could this year the next time?

I believe.

Wings clipped! An Oil gusher? And NHL playoff thoughts...

Well, my Oilers should be christened the cardiac kids. What a game last night! I was up until after 2 a.m. watching another game in this series go to a second OT. This one turned out better than game one though, as Jarret Stoll took a backhand whack at the puck that got past Manny Legace. (See top) Rexall Place went wild, and so did I. This game should have been in the bag in the third period. With nine minutes to go, Edmonton enjoyed a 3-1 lead, but the Wings wouldn't die. That comes as no surprise, though. Hey, the Wings won the President's Trophy for having the league's best record, so I knew going in this series was going to be a tough fight.

The Oilers must stay out of the penalty box if they hope to win this series. One powerplay and one lost faceoff later, and the Wings tied it with about six minutes to go in the game. That's where the Wings can kill you - on the faceoff dot and when your players are in the penalty box; Detroit had the best powerplay in the league this season. So, I'm hoping Edmonton learns the lessons of game 3 for game 4. A 3-1 series lead would be huge, but it won't be easy. I fully expect the Wings to come out fighting for their playoff lives tomorrow night. The Oilers had better be ready, because Detroit isn't just going to roll over.

One more word on my Oilers before I move on to another topic that vexes me, and that's the local team, the Flyers. I've watched a fair amount of hockey so far in the playoffs, courtesy of the best thing going, the NHL Center Ice Package. I'm yet to see an arena more jacked for the playoffs than Rexall Place in Edmonton last night. It was deafening, and that was just from watching it on TV! The crowd totally drowned out the introductions, and the last half of O Canada couldn't be heard. There are many great hometown crowds in the NHL, but Edmonton has to be in the top 3 when it comes to the playoffs. Hell, even in the regular season. All but one regular season game was sold out at Rexall this past season, and the one non-sellout was only a few hundred short. Edmonton loves its Oilers, and so do I.

These playoffs have been nothing short of remarkable. One year ago, no one would have predicted this. The NHL was on the ropes, life support, whatever metaphor you choose. It's amazing how the league has charged back and had a wonderful regular season, and the playoffs are looking to be the same. A record number of fans came to the games this year, and every playoff team is playing in front of adoring standing-room-only crowds, and it's awesome to see.

The one thing to complain about so far in these playoffs has been the officiating. It's been uneven, to say the least. There have been plenty of non-calls, and that's incredibly frustrating to watch. However, I've been watching hockey long enough to know that it's part of the game. There are imperfect players playing the game and imperfect officials making the calls. Good teams overcome the random non-call or borderline penalty. That's just the way it is. However, would someone please tell this to the three-headed jackass otherwise known as Steve Coates, Jim Jackson and Gary Dornhoffer? (Second from top, from left to right) These guys are flat out ruining Flyers games, which are bordering on unwatchable because these goddamn crybabies are criticizing every call that goes against Philadelphia. I've never heard anything like it in my life. (Hey, last night Michael Peca got clubbed in the head - no call. The Oilers OR the announcers didn't bitch about it - they kept fighting and won the game in the end.)

To wit, in game 2 of the Philly/Buffalo series, Philly's Denis Gauthier slammed Buffalo's Thomas Vanek into the boards. Boom - game misconduct and Buffalo goes on the power play. More on the hit in a minute. So, as I'm watching the game, the trio calling the Flyers game decried the penalty being called and couldn't figure out why Gauthier was given a game misconduct. Coates even said, "Does he [the ref] have a minutes quota?!?" Unbelievable. I just started laughing at that point - what little credibility these guys had in my mind was gone at that point. Hey, a garbage hit is a garbage hit, and that one was garbage. Not only did Gauthier deserve to be kicked out of the game, he should serve a multiple game suspension DURING THE PLAYOFFS for that hit. Of course, the NHL, as it's wont to do, didn't suspend him. The NHL front office has historically been wimpy when it comes to doling discipline during the postseason, and this was no exception. I don't dislike the Flyers. Quite the contrary. They are the only team in Philadelphia that I could ever root for, ever, and that's because I love hockey so much. Flyer fans deserve a winner, and so far, "Clarkie" the GM hasn't delivered. Hopefully someday he, or his replacement, will. I root for Philly when I'm not rooting for Edmonton, and when the two teams aren't playing one another.

However, what Ed Snider and Clarke are doing by having these three dickheads call Flyers games is a disservice to Flyers fans and hockey in general. And, I don't think it's a stretch to say that all of this whining and crying by the Flyers' broadcast team carries over to many (but not all, Chris) fans. What this trio says during broadcasts is generally picked up and believed by many people who watch the game. Jackson I can stomach - he's actually quite a good play-by-play man. But Coates and Dornhoffer and more annoying to listen to than a bin Laden tape. Another quick example, if I may:

In game one, R.J. Umberger took a whale of a hit by Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell. It was a clean, bone-jarring hit. Umberger was on the ice for quite a while. I told a friend the next day I was reminded of the old Snickers commercials with the line "Not going anywhere for a while?" I love to see good hits in hockey, but I don't like to see anyone get hurt, and I hope Umberger returns to action soon (I hear maybe game 4). Anyway, Dornhoffer and the Philly announcers start whining that Buffalo was replaying the hit over and over on the scoreboard and that it "contributed to the bloodlust of Sabres fans." First off, if the hit was being replayed while Umberger was on the ice, then it's not a classy thing for the Sabres to do, case closed. You don't do that when a player is laying on the ice. But, I have several things to say about the Philly announcers and their comments. For instance, if the exact opposite where true, say, Umberger laying out Campbell at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, can we be certain that Philly wouldn't have been replaying the hit? Um, no. And second, would some Philly fans would have been cheering? Again, it's a hypothetical, but you can be sure that more than a few would be.

Most Philly fans conveniently forget or try to minimize how many (most) at the Vet cheered as Michael Irvin was stricken on the turf following a hit in 1999 in a Cowboys game vs. the Birds. (The clean hit, to the lower part of his neck, ended his career.) Philly fans loved it, because they hated Irvin and they hate the Cowboys. I watched the game, and I was nauseated. Hey, if Philly fans hate the player or the team enough, or if the game's important enough, they'll cheer and a few idiots will even hope for injuries to the opposition. So, I wish all Philly announcers would fucking stop it already with the "Woe is Philly" whining. Some of Philly's reputation is exaggerated and perpetuated by the media. (Enough with the booing Santa Claus references already!) But, some of it is well deserved, too - the aforementioned Irvin incident, the snowballing of Jimmy Johnson in '89, the bounty that Buddy Ryan put on the Cowboys kicker, and the fact that the Eagles and the Philadelphia Police Department had to put a municipal judge in the bowels of Veteran's Stadium to discipline lawbreakers at Eagles games. A great deal of Philly fans' bad reputation is well deserved. If Terrell Owens gets hurt this season during the grudge match at the Linc, you think Eagles fans will keep quiet as he lays on the turf?!? Riiiiiight. But, I digress.

I just found it amusing that an integral piece of the "Broad St. Bullies," (as the Flyers were known in the 1970s and early 1980s) Gary Dornhoffer, chose to decry any kind of violence in hockey like he did the other night. That's tantamount to Adolf Hitler coming back to life and criticizing Saddam Hussein for his genocide. Puleeze. Dornhoffer was at his hypocritical best following the Umberger hit. Those Flyers teams in the 70s tried to hurt people and actually took pride in it. Hey Gary, enough already.

An interesting footnote is that Comcast owns the Flyers, and the trio of Jackson, Coates and Dornhoffer are actually employees of the team. That doesn't seem right to me, and I wonder how many other teams have this sort of arrangement? For instance, the Oilers have a broadcast team that calls the games, but they work for the network that broadcasts Edmonton games, not the team. A small but important distinction. Sure, Oilers broadcasters want to see the Oilers do well, but there's at least some separation between the broadcasters and the team.

Okay, rant over about the Flyers announcers. I hope Philly bounces back tonight and I think they will. Esche is starting in net, so that's the big unknown. The question is, which Esche will show up - the game-one Esche who was virtually a sheet of plywood over the net, or the Swiss Cheese game-two Esche who had to be pulled after the first period? We'll soon see.

One thing's for certain - well actually, two things - I can't wait to watch, and I envy my best friend Chris, who will be at the game tonight. Cheer loud for me, bro!

Get Cup Crazy, ya heard?!?