WRIST SHOTS: ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM?
When you have a rooting interest and your team loses in the first round, it's hard to give a shit and write about hockey. The Great Wyshynski manages to plug away despite the Devils demise, but then again he gets a paycheck. I'm going to agree with the fans at MSG: Brodeur played like complete crap during this series. He stunk on ice in the five games, letting in some softies en route to a 2.98 GAA, and let Sean "Fucking" Avery get under his skin, even (rightfully) snubbing him during the handshake. All season I knew this Devils team isn't that good, but I thought they were at least good enough to beat an enigmatic and erratic Rangers team, led by Jaromir "What The Fuck Is The Euro Trash Beard On Your Face" Jagr. I know Marty had a great regular season, but just how many times will there be a "next year" for him?
All I know is that I'm suddenly surrounded by Rangers fans who weren't here in October, which proves this town is filled with more fair-weather fans than ever before. I can't wait for these people can go back to watching the Yankees or the stock market or whatever they were doing before discovering last week that New York City has a hockey team. But you know what? Despite the fact they knocked off my team I'm going to be a man and actually root for the Rangers to represent the Wales, or at least go down fighting. That's right, the very team that eliminated my team (essentially, this was payback for the 2006 sweep). How many Rangers fans would root for the Devils if the situation was reversed? I'm thinking approximately zero, since all of them thought it funny to say things like: "Thanks for all the home games in Newark" (screw Newark, you can have it) and "Marty sucks!" (overall, he doesn't, and as good as he is Lundqvist will never match his ridiculous career stats). Yes, I'm hoping New York buries anyone they come across, especially if it's the Philthy Lyers. In fact I would love a Montreal/Rangers Original Six matchup, if I had to chose right now.
(Of course I'm also rooting for Avery to fall down a flight of stairs and break his skull, but that's a different, more personal story. Oh, and Rangers fans who call the Devils goalkeeper "Martha" can also fall in front of a NJ Transit train on their way out of Newark for all I care.)
* Golf season may be on hold for Tiger Woods, but it just started for me on Friday (I played in Maine, no less!), a day earlier than the Devils. (Actually, how many hockey players actually play golf? They always make the "tee time" joke this time of year, but I don't think many of them play.)
* Meanwhile, if the Lyers and Massholes both win tonight I could go 0-for-the-Wales Conference with my blognostications (again, I feel sorry for you if you listened to me). Out in the Campbell, I managed to correctly pick the Red Wings, Stars (to "upset" the Ducks), and the Avalanche (to upset the Wild). I'm so happy for Willa Ford, who chose to marry an American hockey player who led his team to a first round win. I'm so ecstatic that I had to post another picture of Mrs. Mike Modano.
* With Osgood now taking over for the Red Wings, is Hasek done? I see him going back to Buffalo next year to back up Miller, just like old times. The Ray Emery era is over for the Sens, which leads me to ask: was there ever a Ray Emery era? No, no there wasn't, as you have to accomplish something in order to have an "era" named after you.
* In their continuing effort to completely shit all over tradition, the NHL will fine anyone $10,000 for spinning around any octopi. In other words, Bettman sucks.
* Chris Pronger spent his teams' final minute of play where he belongs: in the penalty box, feeling shame after getting called for cross checking. Have a shitty summer, Chris!
* By the way, Marty, Henrik and Nabby have been named the Vezina Trophy finalists. Here's the breakdown:
BRODEUR: 2.17, .920, 4 SO, 44-27-6
LUNDQVIST: 2.23, .912, 10 SO, 37-24-10
NABAKOV: 2.14, .910, 6 SO, 46-21-8
It's a close race, and though my East Coast Bias says it's between Marty and Henrik . . . I think Nabakov will win it.
3 comments:
Good post, only thing, I disagree with the thought that Marty was right in not shaking hands with Avery. He should have, just to demonstrate the the difference between classless prickery and real sportsmanship. It is after all just a hockey game. Brodeur should have been the bigger man.
Yeah, I would have liked to see Marty take the high road and just shake his hand and be done with it. But the handshake is all about sportsmanship, which Avery showed a distinct lack of for the entire year. Many players choose not to participate, and I don't blame Marty for passing on Avery to make a point about how he doesn't appreciate his complete lack of respect for him and the game. Avery even said afterwards: "I guess Fatso forgot to shake my hand"--everything the guy does is 100% douchetacular. I think the Flyers or Maple Leaves should sign him next year.
Being that I have no vested interest either way in the animosity between Donutman and the Giant Douche, I'll weigh in:
Obviously in a perfect world, Marty takes the high road, shakes hands and it's a non-issue, but choosing the other option doesn't bug me because Avery is such a little twunt.
If Marty didn't shake someone's hand because he was mad about something skill or game-related (like a goal), then he'd be unsportsmanlike, but not shaking Avery's hand for me just means that Avery went beyond Brodeur's sense of "right" in the sport of hockey.
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