My expertise in hockey is not so much in trying to make predictions about how teams match-up against each other. The problem with using paper to make predictions is that paper never ends up playing hockey games. Emotional players who remember past games and hold grudges and can make amazing plays in the clutch play these games. Those men make making predictions so difficult and so very often wrong.
On paper, the Sharks look vastly superior to the Flames in almost every that counts. But as any Sharks fan will tell you, they remember how quickly Jerome Iginla can kick you in the crotch and make you cry. There are a handful of players on that team that can make the difference between winning and losing in the matter of moments. And of the teams the Sharks could have faced, there is no team that I would hate losing to than the Flames (there are others in the conference but we'd have to wait till later to face the Wings and the Ducks etc.). With all the former Sharks and Darryl Sutter (who I've held a grudge against for a long time), if this were to be a first round upset, it would be worse than making it deep and losing.
And yet, the performance of the Sharks in the last few weeks and the addition of Brian Campbell comfort me greatly. I have confidence that the Sharks will win this series, but I would be stupid to say it will be a walk in the park. While I would perfer a sweep, if you held twisted my arm, I think the Sharks will win the series in 5 games (I think that a short series coupled with other long series will hurt the momentum). But those will be 5 stress-filled, pillow cluthching games of internal terror.
In an act of put up or shut up, here are my first round predictions for the playoffs (I'll make predcitions each round in the effort not to upset the sports karma gods):
Detroit over Nashville in 5
San Jose over Calgary in 5
Minnesota over Colorado in 7
Anaheim over Dallas in 6
Montreal over Boston in 5
Pittsburgh over Ottawa in 6
Washington over Philadelphia in 6
New Jersey over New York in 7
I realize that taking all the top seeds looks like a cop-out, but none of the lower seeds have reall done anything to give me a great deal of confidence in them. Though I did give some serious thought to New York over the Devils, it was too hard not to pick Bordeur and co (but reall just Brodeur). Still, I would love to see a first round upset......provided it isn't the Sharks losing.
Sharks win kkthnxbai.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Hockey Blog ENGAGE!
It is about that time cats and kittens. It's playoff time. Hockey playoffs. 2 and a half months full of clutch performances, sweet goals, punishing hits, and stressed out fans. In the end, one team and their devoted following will bask in the awesomeness that is the greatest trophy in all sports: the Stanly Cup. I won't lie. I want the Sharks to win. A lot. After getting bounced in the 2nd round for 2 years in a row, it's time for the Sharks to show the rest of the league why San Jose is not a silly place to have a hockey team. I will be blogging most of the playoff here. I will definitely follow the Western Conference closely and the Easter Conference when I feel like it. For now, all I have to say is....
see more crazy cat pics
see more crazy cat pics
Monday, January 21, 2008
Public Enemy #1: Dominik HaĊĦek
Dominik Hasek is certainly one of those love or hate goalies. And I hate him. He is totally one of those every-puck-is-an-adventure goalies. And he has an awesome record and history in the league. But he is also a whiny little girl. At the Sharks game the other night (which we will not speak of the outcome), early on he came to center ice to !delay the game! complaining about a goal that he didn't think went in. And later in the game he dove to get a penalty called on one of the Sharks (poor Erhoff) which is a penalty in itself. Since I couldn't find video of the dive, I found some other evidence against "The Dominator." (Though unfortunately, most of the youtube stuff is all the same thing)
Evidence Against:
Hasek trips Gaborik - While it may not be a trip exactly, it's a super dangerous play and deserved a penalty. I wish I could find the Minnesota version of the clip, but the Detroit announcers are so hysterical in their indignation of the penalty.
Trying to fight - Hasek looks like a tool tripping on the ice trying to get in on a fight with Patrick Roy.
Evidence For:
362 wins, 2 Hart Trophies, 2 Pearson Trophies, 6 Vezina Trophies, 2 Jennings Trophies, a career goals against average of 2.20, 1 Stanley cup.
He has earned enough of my ire that I no longer feel bad that he and Buffalo got screwed by Brett Hull and his skate.
Of course just for giggles there is Owen Nolan making Hasek look like a chump.
Evidence Against:
Hasek trips Gaborik - While it may not be a trip exactly, it's a super dangerous play and deserved a penalty. I wish I could find the Minnesota version of the clip, but the Detroit announcers are so hysterical in their indignation of the penalty.
Trying to fight - Hasek looks like a tool tripping on the ice trying to get in on a fight with Patrick Roy.
Evidence For:
362 wins, 2 Hart Trophies, 2 Pearson Trophies, 6 Vezina Trophies, 2 Jennings Trophies, a career goals against average of 2.20, 1 Stanley cup.
He has earned enough of my ire that I no longer feel bad that he and Buffalo got screwed by Brett Hull and his skate.
Of course just for giggles there is Owen Nolan making Hasek look like a chump.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Obsession Girl Crush: The Pierces
Aside from being a way to suck most of my time away quickly, television is one of the few ways I get introduced to new music (as I have sworn off listening to the radio. Stupid commercials).
And my love for the show Gossip Girl has given me more than just wonderfully trashy television. This little gem introduced me to The Pierces. I heart them hardcore. It's rare that you find an album that has such a variety of songs. The songs all have different feels, from bright, upbeat pop to more sexed up songs. I know that the whole MySpace-auto-playing-song thing is super annoying, but give a few of their songs a listen. I reccomend "Secret," Lights On," and "Three Wishes." Also heck out the video for "Sticks and Stones," one of the best killing videos since "Goodbye Earl." Plus any band that can write the bio that they have must be awesome.
And my love for the show Gossip Girl has given me more than just wonderfully trashy television. This little gem introduced me to The Pierces. I heart them hardcore. It's rare that you find an album that has such a variety of songs. The songs all have different feels, from bright, upbeat pop to more sexed up songs. I know that the whole MySpace-auto-playing-song thing is super annoying, but give a few of their songs a listen. I reccomend "Secret," Lights On," and "Three Wishes." Also heck out the video for "Sticks and Stones," one of the best killing videos since "Goodbye Earl." Plus any band that can write the bio that they have must be awesome.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Sharks and Hairspray
Ok, so maybe tonight is the night for the Sharks to win at home. They played a good looking game despite losing to the Flames on Thursday in OT. If they can play like that again tonight, minus the last seconds of weirdness and minus an opposing goalie with a force field up, they stand a good shot at finally starting to win at home again.
We watched the Ms. America make over show last night and WOW, some of these girls have no idea we left the 1950s behind years ago. I was horrified to hear some of their views of sex before marriage as it became clear that many of them had never taken a sex ed course in their lives. Some of their ideas were not only outdated, but horridly incorrect. I was shocked by their lack of knowledge. Shocked.
I enjoyed watching the girls squirm when someone, maybe a judge, called them out on not being virgins after they all stated they supported waiting until marriage to have sex. Everyone looked so uncomfortable. I suspect a few of the youngest contestants might well be virgins, but the older girls have probably all had sex. Marriage can come in your 30s, 40s or later nowadays and it's unreasonable to think that anyone should wait that long just because some outdated social norm says we should. I think a lot of them actually mean they want girls to wait until they are 18. There's a difference and I am not sure they realize that.
I will probably watch the show again. I enjoy watching them take these girls out of their comfort zones and force them to update themselves. The Miss America pageant really is an outdated bore, and if it wants to continue, it really needs to reinvent itself.
We watched the Ms. America make over show last night and WOW, some of these girls have no idea we left the 1950s behind years ago. I was horrified to hear some of their views of sex before marriage as it became clear that many of them had never taken a sex ed course in their lives. Some of their ideas were not only outdated, but horridly incorrect. I was shocked by their lack of knowledge. Shocked.
I enjoyed watching the girls squirm when someone, maybe a judge, called them out on not being virgins after they all stated they supported waiting until marriage to have sex. Everyone looked so uncomfortable. I suspect a few of the youngest contestants might well be virgins, but the older girls have probably all had sex. Marriage can come in your 30s, 40s or later nowadays and it's unreasonable to think that anyone should wait that long just because some outdated social norm says we should. I think a lot of them actually mean they want girls to wait until they are 18. There's a difference and I am not sure they realize that.
I will probably watch the show again. I enjoy watching them take these girls out of their comfort zones and force them to update themselves. The Miss America pageant really is an outdated bore, and if it wants to continue, it really needs to reinvent itself.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Today is the day!
This is it ladies and gentleman! Today is the day that the Shakrs show everyone how great they really are. Today is the day they start winning at home and solve all the world's problems. Or, at least start winning at home so they can catch the Wings and eventually win the Cup!
Ok, it's probably NOT the day we start winning every home game and suddenly catch the Redwings and blow through the playoffs to met the Sens and beat them and take the Cup. I suspect we have a few years to go before that happens. However, if this can be the start of a better winning record at home, I'll be happy. I'd also be happy if the boys discovered how to score on the power play again. The PK is fine boys, don't touch that.
I DO ask that they win on the 10th when they play Vancouver, even if they can't win tonight. We'll be at the game and we'll have a Canucks fan with us and I really don't want to put up with him if the Sharks lose. Just saying.
Ok, it's probably NOT the day we start winning every home game and suddenly catch the Redwings and blow through the playoffs to met the Sens and beat them and take the Cup. I suspect we have a few years to go before that happens. However, if this can be the start of a better winning record at home, I'll be happy. I'd also be happy if the boys discovered how to score on the power play again. The PK is fine boys, don't touch that.
I DO ask that they win on the 10th when they play Vancouver, even if they can't win tonight. We'll be at the game and we'll have a Canucks fan with us and I really don't want to put up with him if the Sharks lose. Just saying.
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