NHL

Megadeth Rules!

Well you have all read my rant about Mike Wise’s Washington Post article regarding the Flyers. Well we now have some more information. In case you forgot, Mike likes to make wild accusations based on no factual evidence whatsoever. Basically, he is a jackass know-nothing. Just one more quote from Mike:

It’s almost impossible to fathom, but the Capitals took the ice in front of a building as loud as Verizon Center last Friday. The fans wore orange instead of the Capitals’ red, and many of the women and children looked as if they could work security for Megadeth.

Hey Mikey, metal god Dave Mustaine had a response for you:

“Hey Flyer fans, we’re Megadeth, and I read what they said in the Washington Post about you, and you can work security for us anytime! Now kick ass! It’s time to crush ’em!

That’s right, Megadeth in Flyers jerseys. After that, Mike then went on Washington Post Live and stated that he just reserected Megadeth’s career and boosted record sales, and that they now may finally sell more albums then Journey.

Heh. Mike is a real toolbag. Someone needs to play “Symphony Of Destruction” or “Sweating Bullets” for Mike’s candy ass…

Yeah yeah I am a bit slow to respond, but time is not really something I have a whole lot of these days. Anyway. The Flyers did beat “Canada’s Team,” the Montreal Canadiens in only 5 games. Really, it should have been 4, but I won’t complain. I never thought the Orange And Black would ever get this far. It has to be one of the greatest seasonal turnarounds in NHL history. Remember, the Flyers finished DEAD LAST last season by a very large margin. Anyway, I think everyone needs to give the Flyguys a bit of respect.

So when things don’t go your way and you lose to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games, you’re probably going to blame yourself more than you’re going to lionize the other squad. Which is basically what Montreal Canadiens Coach Guy Carbonneau did when he said, “The Flyers seemed to take advantage of every bounce and break they got.”

Heh. Figures. Carbonneau can bite me. I think Flyers center (not centre you crazy Canadians) says it best:

“I was a little disappointed with the quotes I saw” from the Canadiens after the series victory over Montreal, Flyers center Danny Briere said yesterday. “When you win a series in five games, at some point you had to do something well. But that’s the way it has been for us all year.”

Sure we (I do mean we, us hard core fans do bleed orange) did get some lucky bounces to go our way. But really, did we get 4 straight wins (2 on the road mind you) lucky? Come on, give them a little credit. Such is life when you are called the Broad Street Bullies.

Keep your eyes glued to the TV folks. This Eastern Conference Championship series has for the first time turned into the battle of Pennsylvania. To say “it will be good” has to be the understatement of the year.

Lupul scores in OT, Game 7
Thank you Joffrey Lupul!

At least I finally found out what a heart attack feels like. This game 7 was seriously brutal on my nerves and blood pressure. That was ten fold when the game went into overtime.

Glad to see the Flyers pull it out with 13 minutes left in the first OT. I would have never bet that they were win, mostly because they were getting physically manhandled the entire 3rd period. Oh well, all that matters is the score at the end, and we are on to the next round.

I hate to be rude. I usually don’t like to curse, but sometimes you just have to. Mike Wise, you are a jerkoff. If you don’t know, Mike wrote an “article” for the Washington post regarding the recent Flyers/Capitals playoff series. Let me quote:

Midway through the third period of this demoralizing 6-3 loss at Wachovia Center, 20,000 people in fluorescent orange howled for their World Extreme Cagefighters, and a crowd in the upper bowl chanted vulgarities at Ovechkin that went beyond the bounds of loutish fan behavior. As the frothing masses left the arena, they felt good about the bull being struck and killed — checking the multi-generational Russian wizards Ovechkin and Sergei Fedorov into humility as much as the boards.

Let us analyze. What Mikey here is saying is that he apparently this was his first time attending, watching, or even hearing about a playoff game. The fans cheered for their home team and like animals boo-ed the opposition? Wow, that is a shocker. This is Philly pal. Remember when the fans pelted Santa Clause with snowballs? We take our sports very seriously, and that is only amplified when the playoffs come around.

“We want to make it physical between the whistles,” Flyers Coach John Stevens said. “I think it’s important for no other reason then it’s the best tool we have to defend, to be honest with you. I think it’s very important that we move our feet and finish our checks and get people pushed off the puck.”

Translation: “We will keep punking the Caps until the NHL commissioner tells us not to.”

What a dickbag. Hockey is about physicality. If you don’t like that, I suggest you find something better to suit you. Hey Mike, I have an idea. Why not attend The World Chess Championships and write about that. It seems to be more your speed.

The Caps’ postseason slogan: “Rock The Red.” The Flyers? “Vengeance Now,” which comes across as less of a slogan and more of a sequel to Charles Bronson’s “Death Wish.”

I am about finished with Mike and his stupid opinions. Just in case we all forgot, the Flyers season last year was their worst in their 40+ year existence in the league. They finished dead last, and they did so by a large margin. So I think Vengeance is a very appropriate word.

On I-95 entering town there is a billboard of Riley Cote, a stumpy rogue who engaged in 24 fights this season, twice as many as Capitals tough guy Donald Brashear. Cote’s wild-man eyes and his quick fists are the only features shown of the Flyers’ player.

Heh. Yeah, because good old Brash is a real lamp lighter. He has 8 points for the season. Cote has 4. Having a tough guy is part of the game. Google Georges Laraque sometime (he has 13 points). I’m about done quoting Mike, because he just ends the article talking about Scott Hartnell. There are plenty of teams that have a guy like Hartnell. Learn how to use Google and so some searching for the term “nudge.”

I think its fair to give Mike here the cockbite of the year award…

The smack has been layeth...

Let’s just say that I am probably one of the most superstitious Philly fans out there. If we are blessed enough to actually make it to the playoffs in any Philly sport, I rarely talk about it much. As soon as I give praise or show even a glimmer of hope, the bottom falls out and we get smoked.

That’s why I will probably regret this. I just had to post the picture. Flyers goalie Marty Biron giving Washington Capitals (and ex Flyers tough guy) Donald Brashear a smack to the dead with the old goalie catcher. You have to love that.

Anyway, game 3 is tonight, 7PM.

Heh. Enough already.

Enough is enough. The Flyers have been booted out of the playoffs again this year. We have two games to go, but honestly, I say why bother. The time has come. We Philly fans can only take so much abuse before we crack. Good riddance.

It still rips out another chunk of my soul. Just a little chunk. I am a Philly fan. I have so many more soul chunks to give. It’s what we do.

I’ve said it before, so I shall say it again. It’s time for the NHL commissioner needs his head examined.

If you are a hockey fan, keep reading. If not, you might want to ignore this. In the late 70’s, the Flyers picked up the name “The Broad Street Bullies.” At that time, they decided that they would worry more about physical intimidation then worry about the rules. As we all know, that’s near impossible due to the way the league has shoved the rulebook down everyone’s throats.

Anyway, I’m starting to babble. Early on in this NHL season, some Flyers players had some “questionable” calls made against them, and have received as much as 20 games for a suspension. For us Flyers fans, the word questionable was certainly MORE then questionable itself.

In the last PA hockey rivalry game versus the Pens, Pittsburg tough guy Georges Laraque gave Steve Downie one of the ugliest boarding checks I’ve seen in some time. Here is were the league and the commish, well, to be blunt, sucks.

I will say it yet again. STOP CALLING THE RESULT OF A HIT. They are setting an ugly precedence that can get out of hand fast. That precedence is that if the hit is dirty and no one gets hurt, so be it; continue to play as many games as you want. Although, even if the hit isn’t as dirty but someone gets hurt, let’s by all means suspend away! Sounds fair right?

Times were bad. The Flyers went on an 0-7 run. That’s no wins and 7 losses for you rookies. Times were REAL bad. But then they pulled out some changes and put in the backup goalie. That’s right, Antero Niittymaki. The goalie I have cheered for since he won the MVP of the Calder Cup playoffs in 2005. What does Nitty do?

That’s right, run a 3-0 streak against some major teams. That’s right, 3 wins and 0 losses. During the first win, Nitty captured a new Flyers team record; he stopped 54 shots versus Toronto. Then a 4-1 win versus Atlanta, and then he took quite a part in the 6-2 “schlacking” versus the dreaded New York Rangers. Sure they are in the tank right now, but the Orange And Black always lose versus the Rangers (and the Devils even more).

Times are tough and the Flyers are finally getting some of the injured staff back. Time will tell, but I like the way the boys are playing.

OK. Here we go.

The Flyers. 8-4. That’s not a super duper great record, but that’s enough to be 1st in the Atlantic Division and 3rd in the Eastern Conference. So far so good in my opinion.

The Phantoms. Woa. How did this happen? 10-1-1. That’s good enough to lead the whole AHL. I’m afraid to say much because whenever I do, the bottom falls out. However, to say the least, they are playing GREAT hockey. Moreover, thanks to the entire Phantoms organization for finally finally finally providing audio play by play for all 80 games!

The Eagles. Wow oh wow am I about done with the now 3-5 Eagles. Donovan McNabb, I’m done with you. Andy Reid. I understand that you are probably going through a lot these days. I know your family is now involved in a whole big drug mess story, but I have to say Big Andy, I’m done with you. I know what you have done for us Philly fans in the past, but I’m sorry. I’m done with you.

The Bills. Wow the Bills! Yes, I am a Bills fan! 4-4! I know that’s an awful record, but for the Bills it is great, trust me. Hey, they almost beat the Cowboys. That was a GREAT game to watch.

Who pays this toolbag Scott Burnside anyway? He reports for ESPN, so I assume it is ESPN. Nice job with that. You would do better by burning your money then to let this clown report for your organization.

I’ve been reading Mr. Tool’s articles on ESPN.com for years and really I’m fed up with it. He’s afraid to do anything but fold and take the easy way out on argument after argument, time after time.

His recent article deals with my beloved Flyers. Sure, that may be why I hate him so much, but when it comes to the heart of the matter, that’s not really it. I hate lazy journalism especially when the “journalist” (as we will call him here) takes the easy side of the argument. In this article he’s really angry about the recent play of the Flyers.

The culture of recklessness in Philadelphia has been known for years, from the Broad Street Bullies on. It is part of the team’s identity, whether anyone has tacitly endorsed it or not. Holmgren himself is known as one of the toughest players ever.

Tough doesn’t mean dirty. Scotty obviously hasn’t watched the Flyers play hockey in the last 5+ years. Sure, the Flyers USED to be the Broadstreet Bullies. But that was in the 70’s my man, over 30 years ago. Please, keep up here. Sure, there was the Legion of Doom line (Lindros and LeClair teamed with Renberg) but that was actually just as much about scoring goals as it was about physical intimidation. At any rate, the Flyers physicality really isn’t much to speak about anymore. Although I am glad to see it on the rise these days…

Now, I will grant you rights on the whole Boulerice incident. He is a goon that has been guilty of pure dirty goonery before and his recent incident proves it. He crosschecked Ryan Kessler in the face and you know what? He was waived. The Flyers no longer had a need for him.

Next is the Downie hit. Again, I think Scotty Too Hottie should really watch the hit a few more times on replay before he calls that “headhunting.” Sure, we are all sorry that the other player (Dean McAmmond) was hurt, but was it really that brutal and dirty of a play on Downie’s part? He left his feet during the check and was given the standard 2:00 minor penalty.

That is, until the league sat and looked at the result of the hit, not the hit itself. That seems to be the same problem time and time. Let’s look at the result and not the actual infraction. When a player is hurt then we rule the hit is dirty and an abomination to hockey. Only AFTER. And then add lines like

What else are we to conclude from the fact that three players scouted and signed by the Flyers have engaged in behavior that could have ended players’ careers?

And I was totally done with the article. Again, the last hit from Randy Jones on Patrice Bergeron was, by the rules, a penalty. However, ask any pee-wee hockey coach what one of the first things you are taught as a kid playing hockey. How to position your body when you are dumping and chasing the puck. He appeared to do what a lot of players now do; leave themselves vulnerable to a boarding check to get the 2:00 penalty. I’m not in any way blaming Bergeron for the hit, but sometimes you as the player being hit have to protect your body when you are dumping and chasing behind the net.

Why not impose a sliding scale that takes into account previous history? That’s what NHL lord of discipline Colin Campbell does when he levies suspensions against players.

Go ahead Burnie. Search back into Jones’ history and find me one dirty play. I dare you. I’ve watched him play during his entire Flyers tenure, and almost all of his minor league time with the Phantoms. Keep searching, you won’t find it.

After reading this article I swear it seems that Scotty has never watched a hockey game in his life. By the sounds of things, he wishes any player that lays a hit on another unprepared player should be suspended for 50 games. Google “Campbell lays out Umberger” with YouTube and you will see what happens. That’s one of the greatest hits in hockey; and it was another player hitting a Flyer.