BS: NHL Reg Season '09-'010

Subject: RE: BS: NHL Reg Season '09-'010
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 12:52 AM

...well, I've been hanging around, but last year I started a hockey thread because I couldn't find the other one, and as I recall, I was sort of called to the carpet for it - so this year I thought it wise to just wait it out with certainty that it would show up.

More bad news for my Wings - Franzen has a torn ACL and will be out until mid-January and that is going to really hurt. Enjoy the weekend hockey and we'll chat down the road. Cheers,.........mwh

Subject: RE: BS: NHL Reg Season '09-'010
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 08:59 PM

LOL, where the hell have YOU been then? :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: NHL Reg Season '09-'010
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 01:07 PM

Well, it's about damned time, Susan. I've been waiting to get going and I assure you that I will refresh this thread prn in order to keep it in our faces and quickly accessable to comments.

The first thing to write is that I agree with your assessment of the Pens winning the cup, in part, because the Wings were so banged up - we Winged folk didn't even know how much the team was damaged until it was all over and the truth of the injuries came out. But, hey, being healthy and/or injured is part of the game and you just have to deal with it - win or lose.

As for my guys,...hmmm, well, as far as I'm concerned we are in trouble for this year; but, again, I'm not maintaining a locker at The Joe, and Babcock still doesn't call me, so...

But, I do think that we have a big problem in the net. Ozzy will be fine, but I'm in the camp that does not think that Jimmy Howard will get it done, and, I'm also very disappointed that they were not able to find a way to keep Ty Conklin - I really like him.

Our penalty killing has been especially bad going back to last year and that needs to be addressed BIG TIME. I've seen all three of their games this year and the two that were played in Sweden left me wondering if there were "fake" Wings on the ice - I just didn't see that crisp puck-control and they seemed so slow; however, game #3, last night at The Joe saw the guys emerge a-new and they beat Chicago in a very good game, so...

Hey! Life's good - hockey is back. GO RED WING!............mwh

Subject: BS: NHL Reg Season '09-'010
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 09:47 AM

Every dumbass commentator is calling this 09-oh10, so what the f*ck. I may as well.

I'm suggesting a different focus this year for our all-year hockey thread. The tone (for those of you new to Mudcat-style hockey threads) has always been to respect one another's teams while still calling it as we see it for our own teams. We don't usually go much for the trash-talk of denigrating each other's teams. We DO bemoan our OWN teams' foibles.

And that is why I feel perfectly comfortable focusing this year on the many ways in which our Penguins SUCK. Yes, there is all the skill, talent, great coaching, great organization, etc. But I still see the places where they need to grow.

And THAT is why I can easily say, after seeing two RS games, that there is NO WAY they could have beaten the Wings last year if the Wings had been equally healthy (or the Pens equally banged up). Because the Pens I'm seeing in THIS game (we're a few behind on our DVR due to MIL visit) are more in love with having lucked into the Cup last year than with being able to win the Cup. They are not as focused as they SAY they are, on winning it again. They're still coasting too much (as individual players) on the heady magic of their talent. They don't yet see it as a JOB.

[rant off]

So there! How does YOUR team suck this year (or habitually)?

~Susan