Hockey Commentating - WTF?/Stanley Cup Playoffs 2007 Discussion

[Strazos]

While he's clearly better than the hacks on NBC and Versus, Jeanerette annoys the shit out of me (and no, not because he calls for the Sabres).

[murdoc]

SCCCCCOOOOOORRRRRRRREEESSSS. He put it where Mama hides the cookies! TOP SHELF!

I'll try to find a clip of the guy who calls the Tampa Bay games, he's insane. You'd think every goal a Lightning player scores is in OT in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The guy is brutal.

[Strazos]

I would think that the southern markets would need someone like that to make the games "artificially" more exciting for people who are not so familiar with the game.

[HaemishM]

What the South needs is the fucking NHL/Versus/NBC triumvirate to start showing some good goddamn games. I blogged about the fucking playoff TV schedule. It's a fucking trainwreck. With 2 networks covering, there's not ONE GODDAMN GAME of the Wild/Ducks series being shown. NOT... FUCKING... ONE. The Ducks are a fucking 2 seed for fuck's fucking fuck fuck sake.

Die in a goalie fire, fuckers.

[Strazos]

So...which games Do you get to see? I'm probably not going to watch at all.

[HaemishM]

Here's a link to the Versus press release.

Lots of Dallas, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Hell, I'd rather see Nashville than Dallas.

[Strazos]

Shit, so would I.

I would think Anaheim vs Minnesota would be a big match-up, especially with Anaheim being such a big team this year.

[Bunk]

All the sports talk shows up here are now up in arms. Seems that NBC has told the NHL to play the Pittsburgh/Ottawa game in the afternoon on Saturday, because that's when NBC likes to broadcast thier games, and they want the game with Crosby. Why is this a big deal you ask?

Of the three Canadian teams in the playoffs, Ottawa is the only one playing Saturday. Hockey Night in Canada is the CBC's top rated show, and has been playing games involving Canadian teams on Saturday night since before my parents were born. Because NBC wants Crosby on in the afternoon though, we instead will get the game in the afternoon, and no Canadian team on Staurday night - we'll get the Jersey series instead I think.

The CBC is estimating that not having Ottawa/Pittsburgh in primetime is going to cost them about 300,000 viewers.

Now the obvious response is to say I mean come on, we are talking NBC vs. CBC right? Here's the interesting fact - NBC has a profit sharing agreement with the NHL - they give them a cut of add revenues, thats it. They didn't pay a dime up front.

The CBC - $60 million dollars. And Bettman wonders why Canadians sneer at him every time he talks about how important the Canadian market is to him.

[Bunk]

Here's a link to the Versus press release.

Lots of Dallas, Pittsburgh and Detroit. Hell, I'd rather see Nashville than Dallas.

Lol, I'd say lucky you for getting to see Dallas/Vancouver, except I have to admit that when those two teams play its usually a grinding borefest. Oh well, I'm sure we'll get rid of them in four for you.

[HaemishM]

Now the obvious response is to say I mean come on, we are talking NBC vs. CBC right? Here's the interesting fact - NBC has a profit sharing agreement with the NHL - they give them a cut of add revenues, thats it. They didn't pay a dime up front.

The CBC - $60 million dollars. And Bettman wonders why Canadians sneer at him every time he talks about how important the Canadian market is to him.

Yeah, that's business retardation of the highest fucking order. I cannot fathom how bad the offer from ESPN must have been for Bettman to take the NBC/Versus deal instead, because it is worth jack and shit to the league and the viewer. The fact that the NHL couldn't or wouldn't charge licensing fees after the strike is just a good indication of how fucking bad the strike did them in.

[Paelos]

I'm hoping for good things out of the Rangers/Thrashers matchup. If that series went to 7 I'd be pleased.

[naum]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07100/776642-61.stm

With 120 points, Crosby clinched the Art Ross Trophy that goes to the league's leading scorer. At 19 years, 8 months, he becomes not only the youngest to lead the NHL in scoring but also the first teenager to win a scoring title in major pro sports history.

In the NBA, the Chicago Stags' Max Zaslofsky was 22 when he won his league's scoring title in 1947-48. Michael Jordan was 24 when he won his first NBA scoring title in 1986-87, and Kobe Bryant was 27 when he won it in 2005-06.

In Major League Baseball, Detroit's Al Kaline was 20 when he won the American League batting title in 1955.

In the NFL, Indianapolis' Edgerrin James was 21 when he led the league in rushing in 1999.

[Strazos]

He got to play a terrible PHL team 8 fucking times; Of course he won the Art Ross.

[Paelos]

He got to play a terrible PHL team 8 fucking times; Of course he won the Art Ross.

You can't really blame that on him though. The points leaders usually come out of divisions where the worst teams are playing. Hell, if not him then Joe Thornton would have won, and he played both of the dead last teams in the West 8 times each. I'm actually shocked he didn't do better.

[Mandrel]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07100/776642-61.stm

With 120 points, Crosby clinched the Art Ross Trophy that goes to the league's leading scorer. At 19 years, 8 months, he becomes not only the youngest to lead the NHL in scoring but also the first teenager to win a scoring title in major pro sports history.

In the NBA, the Chicago Stags' Max Zaslofsky was 22 when he won his league's scoring title in 1947-48. Michael Jordan was 24 when he won his first NBA scoring title in 1986-87, and Kobe Bryant was 27 when he won it in 2005-06.

In Major League Baseball, Detroit's Al Kaline was 20 when he won the American League batting title in 1955.

In the NFL, Indianapolis' Edgerrin James was 21 when he led the league in rushing in 1999.

How do you score 120 points, and still be only +10?  I guess playing D is HARD.

[Strazos]

Fuck the draft and the lottery.

Right in the ass.

[Bunk]

Well, I guess this will become the playoff thread...

Vancouver / Dallas - Five and a half fucking hours! That's how you kick off the playoffs. Really makes me glad I don't work the early shift.

Talk about playoff jitters - both teams were screwing up all over the place and no one really looked settled down until they hit the second overtime - by then they were all too tired to look jittery. :)

In four games against each other this season, they scored 11 goals total between both teams. Last night's game was 5-4.

Oh, and a question to any Kings fans out there (if there are any) - What in the hell possessed you guys to waive Jeff Cowan?

[WayAbvPar]

Vancouver / Dallas - Five and a half fucking hours! That's how you kick off the playoffs. Really makes me glad I don't work the early shift.

God that game was killing me. Thankfully I got to go to sleep happy, but all the adrenaline had me tossing and turning all 5 hours before my alarm went off.

I was stuck in the horrible position of having to watch Versus instead of CBC/HNIC because Comcast doesn't carry the CBC HD feed. The announcers weren't actually as bad as I had feared, but I would have vastly preferred Hughson and Neale. Went to bed after the 2nd OT and watched the last 2 on HNIC (no HD in the bedroom).

I can't WAIT until tomorrow! Friday playoff game = great excuse for copious beer consumption. If you are in the Seattle area, come on over and watch  :-D

[naum]

Wow, what  a start to SC 2007…

/gratz to Senators who took it to Penguins, both on the scoring chart and w/laying the body on 'em. Baby Pens just made a discovery about 2nd season… …hopefully, they won't be in view mode on Saturday…

[Strazos]

Go Sens. 

[Strazos]

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20070422_On_the_NHL___Penalize_head_shots_-_dirty_and_clean.html

Article in a local paper. I'm sure there are similar pieces in other papers.

I'm so fucking tired of this crybaby bullshit. Some players are big, while others are small. And sometimes (perhaps a lot) players are not as aware as they should be on the ice. All these things can lead to shots to the head, intentional or not. I can understand penalizing a head shot if it was clearly intentional, but there are already penalties for doing shit with the intent to injure, so there's no reason to make up separate rules for hitting the guy in the head on purpose.

And the incidental ones? Oh Fucking Well. It sucks, but it's part of the sport. I mean, when you're a big defenseman, and you're going up against someone like Gomez or St. Louis, what the fuck are you supposed to do? If you're over 6ft tall, you'd be lucky if you could even avoid to hitting them with an elbow, much less your shoulder....which is what you're supposed to do anyway.

I just think it's a fucking waste of time to even try to legislate the sport in favor of the shortest players, or the ones who are not aware of what's going on around them. If they start making rules like this, it could seriously hamper the flow of the game. I really like how games flow along now, please don't break that by trying to baby players.

Fucking idiots.

[Mandrel]

One major problem with the NHL is the inconsistency in the refereeing.  There will be hits where no penalty is called, and then a guy gets suspended afterwards.  I realize the game is super fast, and seeing everything is difficult, but when a guy is hit late, and no penalty is called, and then they call a lame little hook, it's pretty frustrating.  Try watching hockey with people who don't know the game at all, and you'll see what I mean.  People constantly ask "why was that not a penalty?".

I think they need to move towards having the linesman able to call penalties now as well.  With the removal of the two line pass, the linesman have less to watch for now.  They basically watch offsides, do faceoffs, and act to pull players apart.  They have the officials on the ice to keep an eye on things, but aren't using them.  The NFlL sees a need for 7 officials able to call penalties, why can't the NHL use the people already on the ice to do so?

Oh yeah, Go Sabres!  They finally played a decent game on Wednesday.

[Strazos]

Yeah, some more consistent calling would be nice. Also, they need to decide, as a whole, how to call "sticks around the midsection." Either call it, or don't call. Personally, I think that kind of crap gets called too often, especially when it's plainly obvious there is not actual hook occurring.

[Hoax]

What the fuck is going on with playoff hockey, we're in the second round now!  It's time for the ref's to fuck off.  Yet I swear when I wasn't watching the Warrior's fall apart last night I was watching someone on a power play in the damn Ducks game.  Did they even play 5 minutes of 5v5 in that entire game?

I really really hope that whatever idiotic brand of officiating they were using in that game stays the fuck away from my Sharks tonight..

[Strazos]

Odds are probably good that it will actually be the same refs.

Geography and all...

[Hoax]

Except that game was in Detroit and the Ducks game was in California, good try though 

Sharks looked solid although I thought they went into a defensive shell too early.

[squirrel]

Go Canucks Go!

<please ignore game 1 - it's a ploy. thank you>

[murdoc]

Canucks are in pretty tough now.

I see Anahiem vs. San Jose and Buffalo vs. Ottawa on the horizon.

I'm torn though, I vowed to NEVEREVERNEVER cheer for any team from California, but I really like the Ducks team. They have a good mix of all different aspects of the game. That 2nd line of Penner, Perry and Getzlaf is awesome.

Ottawa vs. Buffalo could have a fair bit of bad blood in it, which always makes for an interesting series.

[Hoax]

Don't rule out Jersey so early, or Detroit tbh.  The Sabers and Ducks are basically in though.

[WayAbvPar]

Go Canucks Go!

<please ignore game 1 - it's a ploy. thank you>

I keep telling myself that they were tired, plus missing half of their top 4 defensemen, and that tonight will be better. Any idea if Salo or Bieksa are playing? They are dead without them, unless Luongo is superhuman and the offense gets its ass in gear.

[Mandrel]

The Sabers and Ducks are basically in though.

Please don't say things like this, it'll jinx my team.  The city of Buffalo is so desperate for a team to win a championship it isn't funny.  We had 3000 crazy fans standing outside the arena in a blowing cold rain to watch the playoff games on a big screen.  I am kinda pissed that people are already pulling out the home made replica cups though... A local business already has a 10 foot cup on its roof.

I'm back here after 9 years in Boulder, CO and Raleigh, NC, and people are going apeshit about this team.  I will say, they are really good, probably the most talented team top to bottom that I have seen since the Avalanche won the cup in 2001 with Bourque.  But they do lack some toughness.  Only time will tell if their speed and skill can overcome that.  At least this year they're healthy, unlike last year when they were down 4 defensemen.

[Hoax]

I said they would beat the NY Rangers, which are a super overrated team from an Eastern conference that just lacks 8 playoff  teams this year.  I'm a long way away from handing them the cup.  I like the Sabers to go out in 7 in the Eastern Finals if I had to play pretend seer.  Does that make you feel better?

[naum]

Really hoping for a Anaheim v. Buffalo final…

Vancouver v. Dallas was an exciting game 7… …elsewhere, these playoffs have not been filled with such memorable play. Except for some nastiness in Nashville v. San Jose…

Disappointed with the Pens getting sunk so early, but not surprised at all, especially given fact Crosby was playing w/broken foot… …future is bright for the squad though I have to call into question some of the mid-season trades (other than Roberts, who skated like a madman and filled a much needed role on the up and coming team…

Don't really mind who makes it… …except for New Jersey and Detroit, and I hope they exit this round…

[murdoc]

Any idea if Salo or Bieksa are playing? They are dead without them, unless Luongo is superhuman and the offense gets its ass in gear.

Salo has a good chance to play, Bieksa is a no-go from what TSN was saying this AM.

[NiX]

Except for some nastiness in Nashville v. San Jose…

I hope you saw the slash by Calgary's back-up goalie. That was pretty nasty and memorable.