The NHL Awards are tomorrow. For those of us south of the Canadian border lands, Versus will be covering all the fun come 4:30 pm.
Gray watched last year and was nearly bored to tears. The folksy hockey humor attempted by the host (I am sorry I don't know his name. Last year was the first year I watched the awards), didn't really seems to go over well and the entire show felt awkward and a little too self aware, while trying to remain somewhat kitschy. It was also very much not funny.
And yet...
There is some draw. Not much, but some.
Unlike last year, no Sharks are up for an award save McLellan. (and I swear we already know who won that award...) It's more that there is some morbid interest in seeing how bad a train wreck the show is and if Vegas offers it any spice. Combine that with the amazing lack of work Gray has at the moment, and she probably will, once again, succumb to dark desires to witness a televised disaster and tune in. Besides, I think I read JR might be there and maybe he'll mix it up.
Showing posts with label Todd McLellan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Todd McLellan. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Recapping the State of The Sharks
The best recap is the video of the event itself. You can find it here. If you have 3 hours to kill, watch it all. If not, the players are present for the first 90 minutes. Just watch those parts.
For those who are unfamiliar with this event, State of the Sharks is a yearly event that follows the team's exit from the post season. It usually comes a few weeks after the exit, allowing for both players and fans to have cooler heads. It's relatively new, started a few years ago to address fan's concerns about the team. And by fans I mean "season ticket holders." Single game and ten pack holders as show up. It usually draws several thousand people, which should tell you something about the passion this town has for its team.
It's a good idea and pretty damn good PR for the organization. Jamison & DW will stay late into the evening to make sure all questions are answered. How many other teams can say that? This year, coach Todd also stayed late to finished answering questions. He and DW put a few people in their place.
This year's attendees were Sharks CEO and Pres. Greg Jamison, EVP and GM Doug Wilson, Coach Todd, Mike Ricci, Patty Marleau, Joe Thornton, Danny Boyle and JOE PA! Randy Hahn emceed.
Thoughts:
First, I was sad no one asked JOEPA a question. He was punted some to answer, but come on! Ask him something!
Secondly, I noticed no one had the cojones to ask Marleau HIMSELF about the C. All those questions came after he'd left, and Ricci had joined the group. Here was the perfect chance for all the naysayers to hear directly from the players about Patty's leadership, and no one asked them.
Thirdly, DW amazes me. He can look completely detached and cool under and sort of stress. I don't know how he does it.
Questions and Answers:
There was a question about emotional leadership, which got all the players looking at each other. You could tell they were trying to figure out who would answer the question, but their silence may everyone laugh nervously and cause the woman behind us to exclaim "There's your problem!" I don't doubt that the team has various emotional leaders, as they later explained, but I also don't think any of those guys had any desire to name names. They were in front of a firing squad. A surprising well behaved one, but a firing squad nonetheless.
Why would you come to this thing drunk? A few people always do. I think a few of the folks might have been high as well. (WHERE DO THEY FIND THESE PEOPLE?!)
McLellan put plane guy in his place. I swear the guy shrunk a few sizes by the time McLellan was done. Maybe next year he won't ask about the plane AGAIN.
Plane guy was one of a very small group of questioners to be heckled by the crowd. He comes every year, lists various complaints about the team plane and either suggests new planes, or in this case, sort of asks for a job. I think Jamison yelled at him last year, IIRC. While I applaud his tenacity, it's time to let it go.
Ricci had some GREAT points on leadership in hour three. Listen to him if you can. He didn't see a point in trying to emulate other teams. As he said, "there's no leadership handbook." he even mentioned how Sakic and Lindstrom are quiet leaders. All types exists and each team needs to find what's right for them. Great stuff.
Many versions of the same questions were asked: what would you change, leadership drama rama, how can you improve for next season...many of which were preceded by life stories from the person asking the question. That got old fast.
The first few versions of these questions did yield some good info, but after that it was like the record was skipping.
I love anecdotes, and I use them with way too high a frequency, but this was neither the time or the place for long ones. If you say you attended your first Sharks game at 2 weeks old, it's implied you're a life long fan so you don't need to spend several more minutes explaining that fact to everyone.
There were moments of levity that provided everyone with a much needed break. Be it the players and coach joking around or the little kids getting nervous and forgetting questions, it was nice to see the evening didn't get to bogged down.
As expected, there were no big player announcements, and no word on trades, that may or may not occur during the summer months.
Someone did ask about JR returning and DW basically said he was leaving it up to JR. There were some comments about heart v ability and energy level that made me a tad worried. We'll see what happens on that front in a few weeks.
For those who are unfamiliar with this event, State of the Sharks is a yearly event that follows the team's exit from the post season. It usually comes a few weeks after the exit, allowing for both players and fans to have cooler heads. It's relatively new, started a few years ago to address fan's concerns about the team. And by fans I mean "season ticket holders." Single game and ten pack holders as show up. It usually draws several thousand people, which should tell you something about the passion this town has for its team.
It's a good idea and pretty damn good PR for the organization. Jamison & DW will stay late into the evening to make sure all questions are answered. How many other teams can say that? This year, coach Todd also stayed late to finished answering questions. He and DW put a few people in their place.
This year's attendees were Sharks CEO and Pres. Greg Jamison, EVP and GM Doug Wilson, Coach Todd, Mike Ricci, Patty Marleau, Joe Thornton, Danny Boyle and JOE PA! Randy Hahn emceed.
Thoughts:
First, I was sad no one asked JOEPA a question. He was punted some to answer, but come on! Ask him something!
Secondly, I noticed no one had the cojones to ask Marleau HIMSELF about the C. All those questions came after he'd left, and Ricci had joined the group. Here was the perfect chance for all the naysayers to hear directly from the players about Patty's leadership, and no one asked them.
Thirdly, DW amazes me. He can look completely detached and cool under and sort of stress. I don't know how he does it.
Questions and Answers:
There was a question about emotional leadership, which got all the players looking at each other. You could tell they were trying to figure out who would answer the question, but their silence may everyone laugh nervously and cause the woman behind us to exclaim "There's your problem!" I don't doubt that the team has various emotional leaders, as they later explained, but I also don't think any of those guys had any desire to name names. They were in front of a firing squad. A surprising well behaved one, but a firing squad nonetheless.
Why would you come to this thing drunk? A few people always do. I think a few of the folks might have been high as well. (WHERE DO THEY FIND THESE PEOPLE?!)
McLellan put plane guy in his place. I swear the guy shrunk a few sizes by the time McLellan was done. Maybe next year he won't ask about the plane AGAIN.
Plane guy was one of a very small group of questioners to be heckled by the crowd. He comes every year, lists various complaints about the team plane and either suggests new planes, or in this case, sort of asks for a job. I think Jamison yelled at him last year, IIRC. While I applaud his tenacity, it's time to let it go.
Ricci had some GREAT points on leadership in hour three. Listen to him if you can. He didn't see a point in trying to emulate other teams. As he said, "there's no leadership handbook." he even mentioned how Sakic and Lindstrom are quiet leaders. All types exists and each team needs to find what's right for them. Great stuff.
Many versions of the same questions were asked: what would you change, leadership drama rama, how can you improve for next season...many of which were preceded by life stories from the person asking the question. That got old fast.
The first few versions of these questions did yield some good info, but after that it was like the record was skipping.
I love anecdotes, and I use them with way too high a frequency, but this was neither the time or the place for long ones. If you say you attended your first Sharks game at 2 weeks old, it's implied you're a life long fan so you don't need to spend several more minutes explaining that fact to everyone.
There were moments of levity that provided everyone with a much needed break. Be it the players and coach joking around or the little kids getting nervous and forgetting questions, it was nice to see the evening didn't get to bogged down.
As expected, there were no big player announcements, and no word on trades, that may or may not occur during the summer months.
Someone did ask about JR returning and DW basically said he was leaving it up to JR. There were some comments about heart v ability and energy level that made me a tad worried. We'll see what happens on that front in a few weeks.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
That Game was Terrible
Even now thinking about trying to recap it verbally exhausts me. I figured a night's sleep would give some perspective, and it did, but not enough to want to attempt to tackle such a beastly game. I will once again post my reaction from last night, in case you missed it.
I had this thought part way through the game, and it stuck with me. While I know the Sharks aren't trying to tank, the idea of putting an amusing and absurd reasoning behind their recent slump was one that appealed to me.
It's not all bad. The Sharks did clinch the Pacific, which is nice. Now, however, we're at the point in the season when one's mind starts to wander and consider post season match ups. I'm not happy be second in the West. Not right now.I'd much rather the Sharks get their stuff together and pass Detroit, but that's an uphill battle. Everyone keeps mentioning games in hand, but, as I am fond of saying, those only matter if you win them.
Jaime Baker thinks maybe, just maybe, based of the majority of third period play last night, the Sharks will finally start to play desperate. That's what they've been needing to do for awhile now. Play with desperation. I know they're frustrated, but frustration doesn't win you games. Unless you can focus your energy into something useful, it will just mess you up.
Even our ever steady leader "the Todd" wasn't mincing words last night.
"There isn't a guy in there who should be proud of their first 20 minutes," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.
"He[Nabokov] wasn't ready to play, either," McLellan said of his goalie.
Ouch, but true. Sorry to say.
It's rare to hear him be so frank about Nabby. Not to say he dances around the obvious, he doesn't, but he usually can find a positive way to spin a bad game. Not this one. This one was just BAD. Good for him calling it as it is. (This is not to say McLellan doesn't admit when their are problems. He does. He's honest, but not insulting. This tone was decidedly darker than normal for him, but I can't blame him for it. Plus, these are obviously the juicy quotes. I'd like to see his post game interview if anyone has it.)
The Sharks have a chance to make good on a terrible performance by showing us what they can do, what we know they can do, Thursday night against the Preds.
I had this thought part way through the game, and it stuck with me. While I know the Sharks aren't trying to tank, the idea of putting an amusing and absurd reasoning behind their recent slump was one that appealed to me.
It's not all bad. The Sharks did clinch the Pacific, which is nice. Now, however, we're at the point in the season when one's mind starts to wander and consider post season match ups. I'm not happy be second in the West. Not right now.I'd much rather the Sharks get their stuff together and pass Detroit, but that's an uphill battle. Everyone keeps mentioning games in hand, but, as I am fond of saying, those only matter if you win them.
Jaime Baker thinks maybe, just maybe, based of the majority of third period play last night, the Sharks will finally start to play desperate. That's what they've been needing to do for awhile now. Play with desperation. I know they're frustrated, but frustration doesn't win you games. Unless you can focus your energy into something useful, it will just mess you up.
Even our ever steady leader "the Todd" wasn't mincing words last night.
"There isn't a guy in there who should be proud of their first 20 minutes," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.
"He[Nabokov] wasn't ready to play, either," McLellan said of his goalie.
Ouch, but true. Sorry to say.
It's rare to hear him be so frank about Nabby. Not to say he dances around the obvious, he doesn't, but he usually can find a positive way to spin a bad game. Not this one. This one was just BAD. Good for him calling it as it is. (This is not to say McLellan doesn't admit when their are problems. He does. He's honest, but not insulting. This tone was decidedly darker than normal for him, but I can't blame him for it. Plus, these are obviously the juicy quotes. I'd like to see his post game interview if anyone has it.)
The Sharks have a chance to make good on a terrible performance by showing us what they can do, what we know they can do, Thursday night against the Preds.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sharks v Wings, Round 2
rumble at the Joe
This afternoon, 4:30 pm Pacific. TV (holy crap, a game on TV!), radio, interwebs
Sharks are looking for the split, Wings are looking for the win. Last time these two teams met, the Sharks out winged the Wings. That came on the Sharks' home turf. The Wings will have adjusted and now, the Sharks will be in front of their home crowd. They might not be selling out, but playing in Detroit is never a walk in the park. Expect one helluva battle tonight.
This afternoon, 4:30 pm Pacific. TV (holy crap, a game on TV!), radio, interwebs
Sharks are looking for the split, Wings are looking for the win. Last time these two teams met, the Sharks out winged the Wings. That came on the Sharks' home turf. The Wings will have adjusted and now, the Sharks will be in front of their home crowd. They might not be selling out, but playing in Detroit is never a walk in the park. Expect one helluva battle tonight.
Vote Seto: 8471682
Vote Marleau: 8466139
Vote Big Joe: 8466138
Vote Boyle: 8467096
Vote Nabby: 8460705
Vote Blake: 8445550
and for good measure, Vote JR: 8450978 and Vote Clowe: 8469622.
Why?
Because you can.
Go do it!
First period:
Until the last 4 minutes or so, the Sharks were out playing the Wings. Then, the Wings got two quick goals. The one beat Nabby glove side and he may or may not have been screened on the other by Cheechoo as he attempted to block the shot. Nabby really should have had both of those. Either way, that seemed to take some wind out of the Sharks sails. Detroit goes into the 2nd leading 2-0.
Conkblock in effect through the first.
Clowe = awesome.
Crabs eagerly await Sharks goals while sitting in buckets.
2nd period:
Drew Remenda, likes Sundin, over Sundin's saga. He is also over his signing in Vancouver. We'd long since stopped paying attention to Sundin Watch '08. This mention of it brought to you by the letters D and R.
The Sharks are playing like the Sharks of two years ago and not this year. It's the first tv game all week and we get less that stellar hockey. Sad times. I'd cry, but it'd ruin my mascara.
Conkblock still in effect though he hasn't had much work to do.
Nabby doesn't seem to be "on" tonight.
McGinn, we like him.
3rd Period:
We're not seeing a lot of Conklin this period. Why isn't he the starter? Conklin > Osgood
That's just my opinion.
That fourth goal was the result of two things: 1) A complete breakdown by the Sharks and 2) Mina asking for a goal and not being specific about for who. Details, they're important.
Ok, at goal 5, we're wondering why Boosh is still on the bench. Nabby's having an off night, that mistake by Goc didn't help. That last one was just bad. How do you let that go in?
Goal 6. Who did that bounce off of? Anyway, the hockey gods are mocking us. Did you make your offerings to Sharkie, Shark fans?
This was a terrible game by the Sharks. Good game for the Wings, though the Sharks made it easy for them after the 1st. Last we checked, no team wins all 82 games. We're looking foward to Saturday's game against the Rangers. The Sharks should definetly have some motivation going in.
We'll be there.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
A Sharks Toon
I whipped up a quick (read as rough looking because I just scanned it and posted it without cleaning it up) little comic in honor of our new cephalopodic overlord, Todd McLellan. I was amazed at the poor showing of sharks hats when I googled for reference. Everything was Jaws inspired. Sharks fans, I have seen some fantastically ridiculous shark hats come out during the playoffs, you need to start posting those.
Thanks to the folks at Knitting Ninja for posting pictures of one of the best hats I have ever seen. I'm not into knitting but that hat was ftw.
Thanks to the folks at Knitting Ninja for posting pictures of one of the best hats I have ever seen. I'm not into knitting but that hat was ftw.
www.graydarka.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
