The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Playoffs Thread

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You know, Max Talbot was in that line. You know why?

Because that's what superstars do.

We have a believer!!

Originally Posted by Carman Bulldog

Those video's confirm my original suspicions that some Wings were early lining up and getting out of there. Almost exactly 1:30 after the game was over (and that's final buzzer), Lidstrom was lined up looking to get out of there.

Respect is a two way street and those Detroit veterans displayed a major lack of it with their hurry up and leave attitude. Obviously nobody wants to stick around while the other team celebrates, but it's your job to wait it out and allow the other team a short opportunity to embrace, especially a young team winning it's first cup.

Kudo's to the Penguin players who recognized that the Wings were lined up quick and got out there to shake hands. Kudos also to the Wings players that stuck around that extra minute.

If anyone is to blame for this situation though, it's the guys such as Draper and Lidstrom, who should both know better, and Crosby said pretty much the same.

This.

I was at game 6 last year, and while I can't put a time on how long the Pens stayed on the ice, I know this...A LONG FUCKING TIME.

See the famed picture of Hossa slumped against the boards, waiting for the handshake line to form.

Franzen and Zetterberg were there for Crosby, Lidstrom was already in the locker room at that point.

[Honolulu_Blue]

It's good to see that this whole hand shaking conversation hasn't gotten any less stupider.

[Maple Leafs]

Good god, what happened to hockey fans? When did we all become such whining babies?

Crosby was a little late getting over to the lineup, partly because he's being mobbed by media, and suddenly we have yet another manufactured controversy to get all fake-outragey about.

I thought Draper was one of the good guys. Guess that ends when you lose and want to get a media little dig in against the guys who just came into your house and took your cup.

[Logan]

My bust.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Eh, let's just do away with the handshake line. If you want to show respect to an opponent after the series, just go into his locker room or to his house and give him a blowjob. Nobody will feel forced to do it, so it'll only be done by the players who want to participate, and nobody will get mad if it doesn't happen.

I've gotta say, though, I'd love to hear a player say afterwards, "I can't believe I sucked his friggin' dick."

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Eh, let's just do away with the handshake line. If you want to show respect to an opponent after the series, just go into his locker room or to his house and give him a blowjob. Nobody will feel forced to do it, so it'll only be done by the players who want to participate, and nobody will get mad if it doesn't happen.

I've gotta say, though, I'd love to hear a player say afterwards, "I can't believe I sucked his friggin' dick."

Pumpy Tudors says

Now that I've cracked and made that admission, I wonder if I'm only a couple of steps away from wanting to tongue-kiss Jaromir Jagr and give Bobby Clarke a blowjob.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Eh, let's just do away with the handshake line. If you want to show respect to an opponent after the series, just go into his locker room or to his house and give him a blowjob. Nobody will feel forced to do it, so it'll only be done by the players who want to participate, and nobody will get mad if it doesn't happen.

It would kind of make those "Aw, the Staal brothers are shaking hands" moments feel kind of awkward though.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Good god, what happened to hockey fans? When did we all become such whining babies?

Crosby was a little late getting over to the lineup, partly because he's being mobbed by media, and suddenly we have yet another manufactured controversy to get all fake-outragey about.

I thought Draper was one of the good guys. Guess that ends when you lose and want to get a media little dig in against the guys who just came into your house and took your cup.

It's really disappointing that even hockey has gotten wrapped up in this stuff.

I just don't get it at all. What do these people want? What would be a good solution that would make them stop whining? Should Crosby be banned from the league?

How are the Red Wings (or anyone) at all negatively impacted by this?

[Pumpy Tudors]

I guess I should have started by saying that I don't care one way or the other about the handshake line. If Crosby had skated up to Lidstrom and shoved a dirty jock strap into Lidstrom's face, I wouldn't be offended. Still, I thought the handshakes were just a thing that each player is "supposed" (or expected) to do. If you don't do it, you'll get shit for it. If you get shit for it, explain yourself or tell the world to jump in a lake. Whatever. But if a captain breaks a long-standing tradition, let's not pretend that everyone's going to ignore it.

In any case, why are people surprised by the conversation or backlash? Whenever an athlete does something in another sport that is perceived as "less than classy," people go nuts. A baseball player admires his home run, a football player dances after a sack, a basketball player pounds his chest after a dunk, a whole college football team dances on someone else's logo. At first glance, those are no more disrespectful to the opponent than a hockey captain not shaking his counterpart's hand after a series.

So even though I don't really care about Crosby specifically, I'm just wondering why people are surprised that anyone brought up this incident when this kind of "outrage" (if you want to call it that) happens all the time.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by molson

Should Crosby be banned from the league?

Yes!

Originally Posted by molson

How are the Red Wings (or anyone) at all negatively impacted by this?

I guess they perceive it as a lack of respect. The mob whacks people for this kind of thing! Just think about poor Spider in Goodfellas. People don't like to get the high hat.

Still, it's a stupid thing to be annoyed about. The Wings are coming across as pissy and a bunch of sour grapes. There are plenty of other reasons not to like Sidney Crosby. People should be focused on those.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Eh, let's just do away with the handshake line. If you want to show respect to an opponent after the series, just go into his locker room or to his house and give him a blowjob. Nobody will feel forced to do it, so it'll only be done by the players who want to participate, and nobody will get mad if it doesn't happen.

I've gotta say, though, I'd love to hear a player say afterwards, "I can't believe I sucked his friggin' dick."

In Crosby's case, the players would have to give him and Lemieux a blow job, eh? They do live in the same house, after all.

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Yes!



I guess they perceive it as a lack of respect. The mob whacks people for this kind of thing! Just think about poor Spider in Goodfellas. People don't like to get the high hat.

Still, it's a stupid thing to be annoyed about. The Wings are coming across as pissy and a bunch of sour grapes. There are plenty of other reasons not to like Sidney Crosby. People should be focused on those.

Perhaps this deserves its own thread, hmmm?

In any case, I am with Pumpy on this one. I don't really care about the handshake issue, it is just funny watching how people react over it. It is the offseason now, let's move past this handshake garbage already.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

But if a captain breaks a long-standing tradition, let's not pretend that everyone's going to ignore it.

As we know from the evidence, it does not appear that he broke the tradition. He was just late to the line.

In any case, why are people surprised by the conversation or backlash? Whenever an athlete does something in another sport that is perceived as "less than classy," people go nuts. A baseball player admires his home run, a football player dances after a sack, a basketball player pounds his chest after a dunk, a whole college football team dances on someone else's logo. At first glance, those are no more disrespectful to the opponent than a hockey captain not shaking his counterpart's hand after a series.

Count me as somebody who doesn't care if a baseball player admires his homerun. As far as I am concerned, don't let him hit one if you don't want him admiring it. If you don't like what a guy does after a dunk, don't let him dunk on you...etc. I may not like somebody for their choice to engage in that, but that doesn't mean I believe they should not be able to do that. I despise anti-taunting rules/penalties in professional sports.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

In Crosby's case, the players would have to give him and Lemieux a blow job, eh? They do live in the same house, after all.

I've never understood the jokes/criticism around this. At the age of 21, breaking into a profession that you are hyped to be very successful in, being able to spend a lot of time around one of the greats and gain that insight/wisdom could hardly be considered a bad thing. Perhaps it isn't "man" enough for some out there, but it isn't a weakness to attack either.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I've never understood the jokes/criticism around this. At the age of 21, breaking into a profession that you are hyped to be very successful in, being able to spend a lot of time around one of the greats and gain that insight/wisdom could hardly be considered a bad thing. Perhaps it isn't "man" enough for some out there, but it isn't a weakness to attack either.

Well, I guess it makes some people uncomfortable that Mario Lemieux invited a young woman to live in his house with the wife and kids.

HA HA THAT'S A "CROSBY IS A WOMAN" JOKE GET IT??????? LOL!!!!!!11111ONEONETWOBBQ

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I've never understood the jokes/criticism around this. At the age of 21, breaking into a profession that you are hyped to be very successful in, being able to spend a lot of time around one of the greats and gain that insight/wisdom could hardly be considered a bad thing. Perhaps it isn't "man" enough for some out there, but it isn't a weakness to attack either.

So spending time with one of the greats at the rink is not enough? I guess the only way to really learn about your sport is to sleep with the best.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Estimates that the Pens drew more people than the Steelers did in February for the victory parade today: about 375,000. No idea how you make a guess on that though.

80 degrees and most of the schools out for summer have something to do with it, but still a little crazy to think, even if for one day, the Pens were kings of the city. Thankfully, tomorrow, sports talk in the city will go back to who should be the 3rd string TE.

Penguins fans cheer Stanley Cup champions

[JonInMiddleGA]

Somebody else can eyeball this list and see if I'm missing something but I think Pittsburgh is the first team to win a Cup one year after losing in the finals since Montreal did it in 1968 (beating St.Louis) after losing (to Toronto) in 1967.

On the other hand, Detroit is the fifth team to lose in the finals one season after winning the Cup (NJ in 00-01, Dallas in 99-00, NYI 83-84, Philly 75-76)

Meanwhile, Game 7 was the most watched hockey game in the US in 36 years.
Game 7 of the Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins series, won by the Pens, averaged 8 million viewers, the most to tune into an NHL game since Game 6 of the 1973 finals between Montreal and Chicago drew 9.4 million.

It also boosted viewership for the five Stanley Cup games carried on NBC to an average 5.6 million, the best since ABC averaged 5.8 million for three telecasts in 2002.

Versus carried the other two games, and it, too, set records, with the two contests becoming the most-watched telecasts in network history.

Game 7 was also the highest-rated series-ending game since 2003, averaging a 4.3 household rating and 8 share. The game averaged a season-high 3.2 among adults 18-49.

[Fidatelo]

I don't even have to look at the list to know that the Oilers won in '84 after losing in '83.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Somebody else can eyeball this list and see if I'm missing something but I think Pittsburgh is the first team to win a Cup one year after losing in the finals since Montreal did it in 1968 (beating St.Louis) after losing (to Toronto) in 1967.

The Oilers did the same thing when they won their first cup...the comparisons eerily very close. They lost to the Islanders in '83 but then beat them the following year. Gretzky and Crosby...Messier and Malkin (don't play the same game but are great talents)...Fuhr and Fleury...pretty cool.

EDIT: What fid said.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

The Oilers did the same thing when they won their first cup...the comparisons eerily very close. They lost to the Islanders in '83 but then beat them the following year. Gretzky and Crosby...Messier and Malkin (don't play the same game but are great talents)...Fuhr and Fleury...pretty cool.

EDIT: What fid said.

Coffey and ...err...uhh.....Gonchar?

Pitt needs to find a legit #1 d-man.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by bbor

Coffey and ...err...uhh.....Gonchar?

Pitt needs to find a legit #1 d-man.

Someone here mentioned this when I said I liked the Pens because they remind me of the Oilers... Coffey and Letang (the drink of the French astronauts). I loved it!

Saw a report that Gonchar played in the finals with a torn MCL. Ouch.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by bbor

Coffey and ...err...uhh.....Gonchar?

Pitt needs to find a legit #1 d-man.

I almost included this comparison, too, but I decided not to because Coffey was on the rise while Gonchar is likely on the decline...but, yes, they do play a similar style.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I almost included this comparison, too, but I decided not to because Coffey was on the rise while Gonchar is likely on the decline...but, yes, they do play a similar style.

Similar style...but i hope you agree with me that Coffey was 10 times the player Gonchar is.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't even have to look at the list to know that the Oilers won in '84 after losing in '83.

Thanks, that's why I asked somebody to look over the list, I thought there was at least one. For some reason my eyes & that list weren't working together well at all, I had a hell of a time trying to look at that & finally just gave the hell up after my third or fourth pass through it.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by bbor

Similar style...but i hope you agree with me that Coffey was 10 times the player Gonchar is.

Uhm, yeah, for sure...I'm a bit of a homer on that one, though, he's family, too.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Gonchar is not in Coffey's class...not even close.

That said, Gonchar is still a #1. He's not nearly as awful in his own end as he was in Washington. This is not to say he's in the upper echelon, but he's top 15-20 in the league.

Letang is the future, and maybe pans out as the same type player. Not a Norris contender, but a solid #1. He's already better defensively at 21 than Gonchar was probably at 28.

And, you guys forgot the Kurri - Talbot comparison.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't even have to look at the list to know that the Oilers won in '84 after losing in '83.

But that would avoid the mandatory post-finals 1967 reference.

[Fidatelo]

Haha 1967, it seems like just.... 42 years ago.

[Carman Bulldog]

Just for the record, what single 21 year old would decline living at this place (even if they were a multi-millionaire)...

hxxp://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nhl_experts__34/ept_sports_nhl_experts-804535949-1245203868.jpg?ymcGebBD2aJV9tCW ?

Not to mention that Sidney lives in the guest house, which I don't believe is shown in that photo. However, going by the size of the main house, I'm assuming that the guest house is quite possibly larger than a number of peoples homes.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Meanwhile, Game 7 was the most watched hockey game in the US in 36 years.
Game 7 of the Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins series, won by the Pens, averaged 8 million viewers, the most to tune into an NHL game since Game 6 of the 1973 finals between Montreal and Chicago drew 9.4 million.

It also boosted viewership for the five Stanley Cup games carried on NBC to an average 5.6 million, the best since ABC averaged 5.8 million for three telecasts in 2002.

Versus carried the other two games, and it, too, set records, with the two contests becoming the most-watched telecasts in network history.

Game 7 was also the highest-rated series-ending game since 2003, averaging a 4.3 household rating and 8 share. The game averaged a season-high 3.2 among adults 18-49.

Sounds like a lot of good news for the NHL, right?

SI

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Sounds like a lot of good news for the NHL, right?

SI

Bettman will just fuck it up anyway.