nordby182

Now that i think about it the similarities are striking.

North Carolina is Florida- Juggernauts
Duke is Alabama- Very solid teams that will win alot of games but have some holes.

Then the rest. Good teams with big question marks. Could suprise people but also could be mediocre. Then a few teams that will just not be very good at all.

I am sticking stricktly to the hockey boards from now on. The baseball, basteball and football forums are just too full of idiots. You cant say anything about anyone or anything without getting your throat ripped out. Today i was told i know nothing about baseball because i have a cricket player as my av. Ok? Way to base that opinion of me on nothing. Ugh what a bunch of idiots.

I wish people would get lives and stop just posting to insult everyone else.

Well everyone i think has come to the same conclusion...

The salary cap sucks.

Well it mostly sucks. About 80% suck.

I suppose i will start off with why i think it is beneficial: It keeps alot of smaller teams in contention. Teams with huge salaries cannot monopolize star players like they used to (see my beloved Red Wings circa 02). It makes owners feel nice that they arent burdoned with the spend too much and you might get in financial trouble or spend to little and piss off your fanbase issues.

Ok now why it sucks:

The NHL runs a much higher risk of losing players to their competition (KHL, swedish elite, etc) due to teams being so tight against the cap noone can offer competitive contracts. The free angent players are also risking alot too going on the FA market. How long should they wait to sign? If you dont wait long enough you might lose out on the bargaining dollars. You wait too long and noone can afford to pay what you want. Its quite the dillema.

Now i like the idea and principles of a cap. But i wish it was a soft cap that teams could work slightly above for a price to be paid in revenue sharing or something. Kind of like a luxury tax.

I know noone cares i just felt like killing time at work. Thanks for reading if you make it this far.

Just a few notes...

Looks like the Coyotes will be in AZ for another season at least. I hope this whole saga opens up the Arizona faithful that they need to support this team. Much like Pittsburgh when the Penguins were in trouble a few years back.

Also game 7 had the highest rating in many many many years. I am so happy to hear that. It seems like the past couple of years the NHL has been touting the "highest ratings since 2002" BS. Yeah well in 2002 the NHL wasnt popular dorks.

And finally I am happy hockey season is so long and takes up 3/4 of the year. Training camp begins in September in my hometown of Traverse City for the Red Wings. I cant wait to see what this offseason brings.

Well congratulations Pittsburgh. You earned this one for sure. It is nice to see a bright young team earn their way to the cup. Yeah i would much rather have the wings win another one but there is always next year.

I have noticed alot of writers pretty much saying the Red Wings lost this series instead of the Penguins winning it. Those kids played their guts out. Nothing more nothing less.

Well time to change my av.

Ugh... What a wasted opportunity. Ozzie stood on his head and the Offense of all things just couldnt come through for him. Really? The Red Wings only goal was scored by Kris Draper? Really? Yikes. Love Drapes as much as the next guy but we have 6 or 7 other forwards that should bowl their way down the ice and shelf the damn puck.

Just brutal. The first period was an amazing display of my hair turning gray.

Maybe i will write more later. The Penguins deserved this win. They wanted it more obviously.

Well to be honest can i really say anything that hasnt already been said?

Great all around effort tonight by the Red Wings. I, like everyone else, was happy to see Pavel back on the ice playing field general. That guy is magic.

Now, on to a darker subject. The Penguins "antics" after going down 2-0 and eventually losing 5-0. It seems like most anti-penguins fans are screaming as loudly and as often as possible about how the Penguins are thugs. While you have the right to your opinions and whatever makes you feel better, i do not agree. They got frustrated and took some cheap penalties. Thats all it was. Happens almost every night in the regular season. A team gets down big and gets mad. Oh well get over it. Noone was hurt. Move on. Both teams are focused on game 6. Noone is thinking about game 5. I promise you. So the sooner everyone gets over all this hate then the better game 6 will be to watch.

Go Red Wings.

Now that games 3 and 4 are in the books here are my thoughts...

This is how it was supposed to happen. Remember people that this is why there is a 2-2-1-1-1 format in the playoffs. You are supposed to maintain home ice advantage. Teams are supposed to win on their home ice.

The Penguins played very well in 3 & 4 and the Red Wings did not play well enough. The Pens got the breaks they were dying for and the break well dried up for the wings. In game 3 i think it was as simple as MAF outplayed Ozzie. In game 4 the Red Wings forgot how to backcheck and play properly positioned defense for a 6 minute span.

The series shifts back to the Joe tomorrow night. Pav will be in the lineup finally. Hopefully this will light a fire under the wings butts and they can get it done.

Go Red Wings