Meet JOE PA!

At the Sharks store, August 11th. During the day, so, take a long lunch that day and claim it was "mental health time".

I love that store has "a profusion of Sharks merchandise." Such a great word, profusion. In that teal profusion might there be a sweatshirt that would fit Gray both in terms of size and budget?

I like to think yes.

Technical Difficulties

Power's been off and on all morning. Updates on players, moves, etc, if they come today, will be sporadic at best and non existent at worst.

UPDATE:

Luckily, nothing huge went down today. Makes sense since the first is tomorrow. All the big splashes the Sharks may or may not make are more likely to hit then. Hopefully Gray will have reliable power tomorrow so as to provide you with coverage of all the day's events (or lack there of).

Working the Corners gives a more in depth reason for it being all quiet on the teal front.

Only thing in there that piques my interest is the Flyers potentially interested in getting Boosh back.

One thing of note: Joe Pa was invited to Team USA's Olympic camp. Whooo! Go Joe Pa!

And now, Gray is off to try and get some artwork done for tomorrow. Study all day, draw all night. And all with a cold. Don't say we don't love our readers.

Potential Moves and the Danger of Disappointment

Change is coming, according to Pollak's chat with DW. But how much?

Are 6 to 8 roster moved enough to satisfy the angry cries rising up from some in the disgruntled San Jose fan base? It likely depends on what those changes are.

Unlike a lot of fans, I neither expect nor want to see Wilson blow up the team. I realize it's probably time for some players to go, (most Sharks fans I know agreeing that the time left in teal may be short for Cheech and Grier), but is it time to blow the team up?

One of the changes I consider possible, and large, though likely not large enough for many, is a changing of the leadership group. No, I'm not trying to toss Patty under the bus. I'm a big support of our current Captain, and if he keeps the C, I won't be surprised or concerned. However, I can see moving the letters about a bit to rewards those who showed pretty great leadership on the ice in that disastrous first round series against the Ducks. Ignoring Patty playing with a torn MCL for the moment (hello, leadership), Boyle and Palveski are pretty good picks if one if looking to toss some As around. JR has been a great motivator for the team, maybe give him a LM and make him the official team loud mouth. (I mean that in the best of ways, honestly. Love JR) I know, that's not an official thing, but still. If they don't have a life size cut out of him they are stripping naked with every win in the locker room, they should.*

Team motivation is what really needs to change. Beyond the players and their issues on the ice, there is clearly a lack of something within the organization. Some driving force. (No, no heart. They have that in spades as far as I am concerned.) Changes to the bench obviously influenced the team positively, but there's still something lacking within the team's core. I'm not sure how explosive moves in the locker room would aid/hinder that particular fix. Only time will tell.

I have a feeling that no matter what Wilson chooses to do in the remainder of the off season, it won't be enough for some. Some people won't be happy unless he ships out everyone minus Boyle. Personally, I'd be ok with a minimalist approach. A surgical strike on the roster, if you will. Oly fix what you know is broken. Leave the rest and see how it knits itself back together.


*Major League reference for those who don't waste as much of their time on pop culture as I do/did.

Sharks V Preds Post Game Edition

Last night's game was better. I'm not entirely inclined to go along with Jaime Baker's sentiment that it was good, even if he is more qualified than I to make such statements. (OK, he's MUCH more qualified, but rationality isn't part of the fan experience.) There were a few moments in the second and third where I was seriously tempted to lie down and take a nap. Some of this is due in part to my being a tad under the weather and some of it is due to the fact that after the first this game became rather boring. I don't expect 60 minutes of amazing every night but I was hoping the jump and energy we saw from both teams in the first would continue.

Now it wasn't all snore inducing city. The fight in the second was one of the biggest, if not the biggest highlight of the game. There were some comments about Staubitz using hockey as a way to get into MMA. Or boxing. No joke.

There were several moments throughout the game and the OT period when I was pretty sure a Preds goal was going in behind Nabby. Some many plays where you could see it happening but miraculously it didn't. Nabby was on his game last night, despite a few moments where he looked a tad unsteady.

Pekka Rinne was crazy good. I mean crazy good. I really want to make his name into one big word. It feels like you have to call him "PekkaRinne" every time, not just "Pekka" or "Rinne." He just has one of those names that needs to be said as the full set.

What about that goal by Michalek? Pound it towards the net long enough and eventually it will go in, eh Milan? So happy he did that.

Blake's shot was so fast I don't think anyone saw it coming. They just heard it pass the by.

The shorty was ugly. It's not entirely Joe Pa's fault, as the puck took a weird bounce, but ugh.

The other Preds goal pin balled it's way off of 40 guys and in. Madness. How do you even score that? I guess you look for who it hit last?

Overtime was a 5 minute blur of stress and sadness over PekkaRinne's ability to do his job and do it well.

Shootout. Because making me sit through a 7 round one at the Tank last Saturday wasn't enough! It went a little like this: Happy, sad, sad, happy, omg, YAY! Not stressful at all...no.....yeesh!

As with many of you, I assume, I was getting a little giggle out of the feigned incredulity over the numerous questions and discussions about yesterday's (now two days ago) 90 minute meeting.I also enjoyed watching Patty artfully dodge Kate's questions about it, while seeming to give a response. That's your Captain folks. Guy know how to spin it. Drew was quite convinced that one doesn't call a 90 minute meeting with everyone in the hockey department (sans press), all the players and coaches, and the GM unless it's somewhat important. I'm fine with it being none of our business but they needed a better plan then "it was nothing."

Next game is a matinee on Sat at 1pm. Rare for us out here on the West Coast. Try to be up by game time, everyone!

Awesome Holiday Funtimez With the Sharks

Thank you to whoever put this on youtube. Awesome.