Let The Games Begin!
Posted by jtbourne on April 15, 2009 · 6 Comments
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What a breakthrough for hockey fans – I have internet in front of my television. Live blogs are now possible. Not that I’m claiming I’m going to be able to up your fun-factor, but my own has just doubled.
Initial playoff thoughts:
My friend and fan of the show (er, blog), Neil Corbett, is at GM place tonight for game-one-round-one action. I’m jealous, there’s really not much better than that on the buzz-scale. You can’t quite get a feel for games through TV.
Televised games give us commentator insight, stats, and updates from other games, but the one thing it can’t accurately portray is momentum. For some reason being at games gives you such a clear picture of which way the ice is sloping.
On the other hand, it’s great to be on my couch. The single biggest perk TV provides is replays. Things happen in a flash at games that, when shown in replay, were actual monumental happenings. Either way, playoffs are underway, and there’s no bad way to watch it.
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Next: Those highlight packages… I’m such a sucker for those packages. Just like the Masters before it, when CBC strings together three minutes worth of clips to some epic tune (unlike the mid-season Nickelback selections), I get shivers. I inevitably see my Dad somewhere in there too, so that’s neat.
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I found a rare advantage to living on the west coast for sports viewing, and it’s these initial playoff rounds. You can start watching games at four (which moves up the acceptable-to-be-drinking-at time), and watch right through til almost 10p.m. Games start at 10 on the east coast, and that’s not cool. They win during football season (games at one, four and seven are much better than 10a.m., one and four like we get here), but we clearly win during hockey season. Fitting, really.
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So far I’ve watched one period of Pittsburgh/Philly and it looks like Pittsburgh is playing in fast-forward. Crosby scored a cheesy goal, but guys who play knows what that means to you, especially a guy with pressure to perform like Sid. Any goal, as cheesy as it may be, frees him up to take some chances, add to his total, and not squeeze the stick too tight. That lucky goal was big for the Pens, who had a great first period.
My only major beef with the Pens: What the f#%? is with Sidney Crosby’s “mustache”? I mean, he knows it’s awful, right? And he plans on being in playoffs for a long time, right? So why did he start the damn thing three weeks ago? He looks like a catfish.
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Oh, and something I didn’t do in my playoff prediction blog that I should probably do. Take a risk. I didn’t predict a Stanley Cup Champion. So, come the 2010 season, who’s gonna be the defending champs?
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……..The
Crazy, right?
I just feel like they’re the embodiment of the new NHL, with a deadly powerplay and an excess of talent. There’s just something about the energy of that group. Sadly, Theodore has the power to single-handedly ruin a nasty-good team with his “make-yourself-small” theory of goaltending. Only time will tell.
So, let’s send it back upstairs to you, Jim.
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with an NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL (last year was 2008-09). My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now the web editor for theScore's hockey blog "Backhand Shelf."
Wow I have to say I am lovin’ life right now. Bourne, my roommate and I were just talking, and I’m sure you’ve noticed this before at some point, but how good are guys in the show at batting pucks out of the air? It seems like once a shift someone is knocking one out of the air and making a play with it. Other random thoughts:
- I love the Pens but haven’t been able to get away from the NYR/WAS game since the 2nd
- I said before and I still maintain that WAS and PHI have issues between the pipes that I don’t think can be ultimately overcome
- it wil be interesting to see the Sedins performance, especially against a Blues team who has had their number in recent years…
Gotta go…last minute here between NYR/WAS…
As I would expect from you, great comment. The hand eye coordination of elite hockey players is insane. For some reason, it’s a really good indicator of where guys end up in hockey. Some guys just have that knack hey? It’s crazy.
-I did the exact same thing. Started watching the Pens game but absolutely cannot stop watching the Caps.
-You’re right about the goaltending issues of those two teams, but I was kinda thinking the game has evolved to the point where I’m not so sure amazing goaltending is as key as it was in the ever-defensive 80′s. I’m hoping the Caps have the firepower to overcome mediocracy in net.
-The Sedins aren’t the type of powerhouse forwards that will dominate a game, but they can do it together, in their own creepy way. That series, like a Bush/Gore election, is definitely “too close to call”.
Oh Bournie….PERFECT insights as always! I live on the West Coast as well and wouldn’t trade it for anything in terms of getting time to watch lots of games.
Personally I’m really rooting for the Caps and hoping Theodore doesn’t sink them. Time will tell…
And I almost fell on the floor laughing over the comment on Sid the Kid’s ‘stache! I love Sid, but he will never grow a good playoff beard! He had the same problem last year. I admire his spirit, but he ends up looking like a greasy Italian Sopranos reject. Get help Sid…please, we love you.
And we love you to Bournie
Keep the great reports coming…
Funny, you mention seeing your dad. I was watching some DVR’d episodes of the Hodge Stove League today, including the Colin Campbell one, and they showed a clip of your dad beating the crap out of CC.
Just wanted to give a shout out to the elder Bourne for that. CC seems even more unpleasant than I had imagined him to be, which is really saying something.
Considering we are three weeks into April and Crosby is three weeks into a mustache I would guess he lost a team bet in practice. His turn to grow an embarrassing mustache for a month.
My latest Max Hockey walk through touches on Mustache Boy, actually.