Play On Playa (with edit)

Tuesday May 06, 2008 @ 04:54 PM EDT

Just a few points to address during this lull in Stan Cup action…. and a big announcement towards the bottom (WARNING: be prepared to hate me)


Quadruple overtime is just dandy when it isn’t your team playing, and when everything isn’t on the line. Otherwise prepare to be stressed out. Every puck possession is a chance. For San Jose and Dallas it was on till the break of dawn… quite literally. Well fans in Dallas certainly got the most for their money, even the ones snoozing through the last 3 overtimes (and I will refrain from making any comments about the fans in Dallas…). Am I disappointed with the result of this series? Of course. Do I think San Jose was doggin’ it a little? Yeah, a little. This is going to anger a lot of fans but all I could think about during this 4 OT game was how much Calgary deserved to be there. How they were one game away from playing in this series instead. What would they have done differently, and would they have wanted it more? Yeah I know, get over it right? I’m guilty of wanting San Jose to win during their series with Calgary. I thought they could bring it home, take it to the end, if anyone could do it, San Jose could.


Shoulda, woulda, coulda.


Turns out they couldn’t. However it was a valiant effort by the Sharks to come back from a 3-0 deficit. History would not be made, but a game 6 loss is far less embarrassing than a game 4 loss, if you want to put a positive spin on it. Like I always say, no one plays better than when embarrassment is held over their head. The 4 overtimes came down to who was the better goaltender, who was going to give up and give in, seeing as the offensive creativity was looking more and more sparse as the game wore on. And Mighty Turco truly deserved that win. Stopping an unbelievable 62 pucks in total Sunday night. Not to discount Nabby, who was also a hero for his team, and who had no part in the Sharks taking that fatal penalty. The two ‘tenders shared an endearing moment of man-love during the handshaking ceremony in the wee hours of the Texas morning. I could sit here and complain to you about the officiating, or how San Jose’s power play was garbage. I could analyze every….single…..mistake made by either team. How it could have been, should have been. But to be honest, I’m over this series. It’s been a slice San Jose, I had fun. And here’s to you Jeremy Roenick, and ode to a true hero of the game. No one deserves it more than you did. Such is life, until next season boys.


With that out of the way, I need to address something. Something that may shock all of you as much as it shocked me. So I was watching the final period of Saturday’s Philly/Montreal game when I found myself saying “Go! Go! Go!”………..to the Habs. I became increasingly more and more disappointed as the clock ticked on and Montreal’s season slipped away. I surprised myself when I realized….. I wanted the Habs to win. I wanted them to take the series. A team I had been cheering against all season, and all post season. Why? Well to be honest, I may severely dislike the Canadiens but I don’t give a flying (pardon the pun) puck about the Flyers. I would rather watch a series with a team I hate than one I don’t care about. Of course I jumped on the Penguins bandwagon back in Round 1, and would have loved to see a Montreal/Pittsburgh match-up. Plus, it’s kind of a playoff buzz kill to have every Canadian team eliminated from the post season, just makes it feel like something big is missing. I would have liked to see the Cup back in Canada, no matter who was hoisting it.


So I’ve chosen today to come out of the closet. Lucky you. Read on..


Many of you have asked each round who my playoff picks are, and not who I think will win, but who I want to win. Obviously I have the Penguins in the East. But oh who am I leaning towards in the West hmm?


The Detroit Red Wings. Yeah I said it.


For the first time in my life I’m going to try cheering for the Wings on for size. For the same reason I wanted the Habs to win, because I don’t want a team that I don’t care about to rock the Stanley Cup finals. Watching the playoffs completely unbiased hasn’t worked out for me, I can’t be a playoff orphan, I need a home team. I want to watch the final match-up and be entertained, totally selfish reason, so what. And why not Detroit? They are a great team… the best if you want me to tell the truth, they are virtually jinx-proof, and guaranteed not to disappoint.


(Edit) Since many of you insisted on some justification of why I’m supporting the solid gold team with the best record in the NHL… A few reasons other than the fact that they are a proper talented team littered with superstars, the rich history, the dynasty, etc etc. So I’ll do so, right now. Here are a few more reasons why:


1) Brad Stuart. The Detroit Red Wings are (currently) home to one of my favorite defensemen in the league. Brad is like the foster child of the NHL… no one knows where he’ll be next year, or the year after. Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone.


A) Chris Osgood. A former Seattle Thunderbird circa 1992, always gotta show support for a former T-Bomb.


3) The Red Wings, if I’m being unbiased here, have THE coolest logo in the game, possibly in all of sports. It’s iconic. And if I’m going to have to stare at a cluster of jerseys on the ice for up to 7 games, I’d rather it be this one than a green and yellow basketball-team-looking cheeseball logo. Or those fugly Flyers colors. Can you imagine if the Flyers end up playing the Wings in the finals? Red and orange. Ugh….as a former art student, can I say TACKY. We’re speaking purely asthetically here.


C) They are entertaining in the playoffs, no matter how much you love/hate them. I really enjoyed the 2007 playoff match-up with Calgary. As usual, both teams put up a good fight. Interestingly enough, former Flames Stuart and Darren McCarty play for the Wings now.


IV) I just plain don’t like the Dallas Stars.


I realize this may make me a pariah in the hockey fan community, but that is a risk I’m willing to take. I’m tired of sippin’ the Hater-ade, and you should be too. I’m giving in. I’m selling out. I say this, for the first time with pride, sans sarcasm or cursing intentions:


GO RED WINGS

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