masterrig 1 #451 May 28, 2009 It's not VS... it's NBC and it's sweeps week! Does anyone really watch NBC? Bettman wanted to get the Finals going so as to keep interest up with the Wings-Pens repeat thing. Bettman stated on ESPN that; "Had the Wings swept the Blackhawks, this wouldn't have happened!" The guy is an un-adulterated jerk who needs to be replaced!!! The type of team the Wings are, they'll be all-right. Wings in 6... just like last year. The Pens have no depth and Hossa is hungry!Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFKING 4 #453 May 28, 2009 Quote Pens in 5. Given your previously intelligent comments on the subject of hockey, I'm going to assume your were under heavy sedation when you typed that. Either that or drunk out of your mind. With the current line-ups, I think it goes 7 before Detroit repeats. If Lidstrom and Datsyuk play.....Wings in 5. We may find out that Crosby is really just a media creation.Don"When in doubt I whip it out, I got me a rock-and-roll band. It's a free-for-all." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcLean 0 #454 May 28, 2009 Quote More of Bettman's better ideas. How long do we have to put-up with this idiot? Is his position like that of the Pope? Bettman has the intellectual capacity of shower mold. He is beyond terrible and without question the worst commissioner in all of pro sports. http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/the-morning-skate-the-final-sked-the-wings-injured-and-the-pusher/ http://www.freep.com/article/20090527/COL08/905270319/1053/SPORTS05It wouldn't hurt you to think like a fucking serial killer every once in a while - just for the sake of prevention Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #455 May 28, 2009 David Stern got the last laugh on the NHL. He sold Bettman to the owners and now the sport suffers from lack of exposure and over expansion. I think any long time hockey fan or former player or coach could have done a much better job. Pens in 5! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #456 May 28, 2009 I'm stickin' with the Wings in 6. This play-off series is going to be tough for both sides. The first two back to back games are not going to help either team. Bettman, in his vast wisdom struck a lousy deal with NBC and let a t.v. network lead him around by the nose. Gary Bettman should be cleaning septic tanks! Aw hell! He'd screw that up too!Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #457 May 28, 2009 Some way, some how, the League needs to divest themselves of Gary Bettman! Surely, there is someone out there who could run the NHL and not make them the laughing stock of organized sports. For sixteen years, this buffoon has been at the helm of one of the finest, most exciting sports... ever! He could've found a better network than NBC. The two teams involved in this play-off mess will both, shine but in spite of Gary Bettman. Having the NHL play-offs and the NBA play-offs occur at the same time is total idiocy. All of this aside, I'm looking forward to a good Finals series. Go Wings!!! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitysurfer 0 #458 May 28, 2009 Despite Bettman, these entire playoffs have been awesome to watch! Very entertaining, edge of your seat kind of stuff for the hardcore and casual hockey fan alike. The WINGS! will certainly need to work hard to keep the cup! Best of all, our boys in Detroit are again raising the spirits of a town that hasn't had much to be happy about lately. aloha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #459 May 28, 2009 Better commish's... Mario Stevie Y Gretzky Me Any of you guys Any beer league player My dog(she likes to watch the games and chew up pucks) "It's a great day for hockey"! Go Pens!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcLean 0 #460 May 28, 2009 Quote Better commish's... Mario Stevie Y Gretzky Me Any of you guys Any beer league player My dog(she likes to watch the games and chew up pucks) Shower Mold "It's a great day for hockey"! Go Pens!!!! It wouldn't hurt you to think like a fucking serial killer every once in a while - just for the sake of prevention Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #461 May 29, 2009 You got that right! I can't recall, in all my years of watching hockey, the excitement and tension of the play-offs this year. In spite of Bettman, the coaches and teams have risen above his stupidity and given the fans something worthwhile. The Red Wings have certainly done that for the people of Michigan. Things being what they are in your state, the Wings winning the cup again, would mean a lot. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #462 May 30, 2009 All scheduling and Bettman aside, the ecitement starts tonight. The Wings are on a roll and will maintain their momentum. They are getting Lidstrom back as well as a couple other players. I don't think, the Penguins will be able to handle the Wings. Granted, the Wings had three real tough series to get where they are. They aren't as beat-up as the Pens would like to think. The Pens didn't have it as tough in their three series. With the Wings depth, this will pull them through. Crosby and Malkin have been big but, in the Finals, they won't be big enough. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #463 May 30, 2009 Last year the Wings won beacause the Pens couldn't pressure them enough on the forecheck and their breakouts killed the Pens in game's 1 and 2. This is an entirely different Pens team. It all starts from their coaching. Therrien was outcoached by Babcock and had the Pens play a defensive game, not their strengths. Bylsma knows what to do with Crosby and Malkin, unleash them. This is going to come down to two players this week, Osgood and Fleury. Whoever makes the "timely" saves will win the Cup for their team. Watch for Satan and Talbot to play fantastic. Cleary and Samuelson also. The role players, as always, help win Cups in a huge way, almost as much as the goalies. (See Nystrom's Cup clincher from Tonelli years ago!) GO PENS!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #464 May 30, 2009 Bylsma's big thing will be to match the lines Babcock puts on the ice. I look to see some of the not so shining stars step-up for the Pens and Malkin and Crosby get shut-down. Granted, the big battle will be from the goalies. As for Detroit, they have so many goal scorers and not just one or two. Also, how well both teams help their goalies. I really believe, all the stats and numbers and what these two teams were like in the regular season or last year's play-offs will all go out the window when the first puck is dropped tonight. Both teams are fired-up, hungry and ready. It's going to be a real nail-biter! The only draw-backs... the play-offs are on NBC... we have to listen to that bubble-head Pierre Mcguier... Go Wings! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #465 May 31, 2009 Looks like, the Wings have Malkin and Crosby figured-out. I'm not saying it's going to be a downhill slide for the Wings but, they keep-up what they did last night and they could pull this series out. I can't say much for the refs and their lack of calls. All in all, it was a good game and the start of a good series. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFKING 4 #466 May 31, 2009 Well, at least every penalty they called on the Wings last night was deserved......so I guess you could say the refs are doing a half-assed job. Now they just need some binoculars. Don"When in doubt I whip it out, I got me a rock-and-roll band. It's a free-for-all." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #467 May 31, 2009 That was pretty crazy last night. Four nearly "fluke" goals wasn't what I expected. It came down to the goalies like usual. When Malkin was stopped on the breakaway I knew the Pens were done. Both teams played really well and really poor at times last night. It looks more evenly matched than last year. Go Pens!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #468 May 31, 2009 Yup! I heard one of the announcers point-out a penalty on Pittsburgh. Nothing happened! The other announcer quietly said; "Maybe, they're gonna just let 'em play!?" This has been all season and into the play-offs. Stevie Wonder could do a better job than these refs! If, I heard correctly, the 'ref' pool is down to something like 8 refs for the finals. Gotta be the shallow end. In spite of the bad reffing, I thought it was a good-good game. Ozzie was... well... 'The Wizard of OZ'! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #469 June 1, 2009 As long as the refs are fair and calling things equally on both sides...let them go at it. I hate these hooking and holding calls they make now where there is virtually no effect on the other player. Too often the announcers are kind of going, "looked ok to me."-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #470 June 1, 2009 I've seen games where one or two penalties might be missed but any more, it's ridiculous. Like you pointed-out, they call the dumbest things and call them 'hooking' or 'tripping' and the all-time biggest mis-call... interference! That last one is Gary Bettman's favorite and wants it called 'every' time. I think, a big part of the problem is, the pressure put on the refs to make that call. Meanwhile, the refs miss the stick under an opponent's visor and silly things like that. Sheeesh! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #471 June 1, 2009 Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #472 June 1, 2009 Three goal posts, Zetterberg saves one and MAF swats at an easy save... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #473 June 1, 2009 Those didn't go in, either! Wings had a couple 'pingers', too. Zetterberg helping Ozzie is just 'teamwork'. It's that final score that counts!Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #474 June 1, 2009 We'll get them at the Igloo! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jceman 1 #475 June 1, 2009 Quote We'll get them at the Igloo! If you're so desperate as to be counting on the "magic" of a cute name at your rink, you're more delusional than those talking hairpieces on NBC. Think "Duck Pond" and "Shark Tank"; they both have something in common besides the cuteness factor. Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money. Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we can't shoot them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
