Sunday, April 20, 2008

Sunday Open Thread

"Which way is it back to Philly?"

38 comments:

Unknown said...

If you're GMGM/BB/etc. don't you have to look at Steve Eminger's play and realize: Uh, we goofed.

Imagine how well 17 would fit into this series, and how his presence would probably...

Tom Poti: Great signing. Victor Kozlov: Does not know how to dump in the puck. Softer than velour.

We usually talk about a goaltender stealing a game in the playoffs. Well, it would be nice if 8 could steal the Caps a game here too. Can't say that about many Fs.

The refs were awful! Damn them! Damn the NHL! REFS REFS REFS REFS! They cost us a game! Oh, wait...

NS said...

wicked wrist shots, sweet passes, rabbit punches, Nylander-esque circles on the PP -- Semin did it all last game.

Can't wait for Monday. Philly is going to come out like a pack of rabid dogs and i hope the Caps are ready.


Vive le Huet.
Vive le Lapin.

Anonymous said...

Possible One-Timers, about tomorrow’s Game 6 in Philly –
-- from Bruce Boudreau: “We're going to leave everything in that building in Philadelphia…"
-- from Cristobal Huet: "I like our chances."

(both quotes from Boswell today)

Vive le Lapin, indeed!!! How 'bout that kiddo?

Along the lines of what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, that third period sure made me one powerful person. [head shaking]

thedope said...

le lapin has had an unbelievable series and has showed vast amounts of toughness too.

UNLEASH THE FURRY!!!

Anonymous said...

Caps' series MVP right now. Who would you give it to?

My vote would be Huet. With Ole Man Feds and Mr. Green tied for second.

Huet has been super. Four shots stopped that first period and two were signed, sealed, and indelibly labeled for the inside of the net. WHEW.

B8ovin said...

Quote on Comcast from Briere: "I guess their (the Caps) whining payed off..." Huh? Have the bad calls been one sided? They seem pretty universal to me.

Funniest thing I've seen in a long while: Three Flyers fans walking down the street, looking for all comers and SPITTING ON THE STREET as a means of denigrating our city. What is this, ancient Sumeria?

90% of all Flyers fans I've met are hockey fans as well as Flyers fans and fun to be around. When you get into that ten percent asshole range I think that goes for any team's fans, Caps included. I'm never booing any player until I'm on the ice playing the game. I'll boo particular actions but not players.

I can't remember a bigger turn around in effort and ability than Semin's in the last two games (maybe Druce's playoff year). He is still mis-playing the puck from time to time but is making up for it in intensity, desire and (Gasp) physical leadership.

Ovechkin is having a typical first-time major star series. Bondra used to disappear in the playoffs as well. At least he's not Gaborik.

21 shots in the third period bugs the hell out of me, as does 18 giveaways for the game. We survived this tonight but another performance like that can easily go the other way.

I have no optimism at this point, more like guarded foreboding. In sports I think anything can happen based on individuals involved, so past is not prelude. But I'm not convinced this team can put together SIX periods of this kind of hockey.

Anonymous said...

Ok then. Whey do we get the explaination about why Emmy couldn't get a sweater unless all other options were exhausted.

Also, I think we can flush the Flash playoff expiriment down the toilet. Until he gets a little more physical, he just cannot take the day to day pounding of the playoffs. Did it take BB to long to figure this out?

Our grinders are beginning to impose their wills on the Flyers. The Donald, Bradley (how about theat split-the-middle-and-draw-a-penalty in the third. I thought the announcers had flubbed when they said it was Bradley tripped up), Steckely, Cooke, all cycling the puck like mad.

The penalty to Federov that gave the Flyers a 5-3 should shame the NHL to no end. The make-up call (where you give a team a 5-3 just because the other team had one; regardless of the bad calls involved) is an constant source o f embarassment to me as a fan of the league. Tsk, tsk Gary Bettman.

Anonymous said...

Briere complaining about whining? HAWWWWWWWWWWWW

Anonymous said...

This is comical. Ha!----> "Funniest thing I've seen in a long while: Three Flyers fans walking down the street, looking for all comers and SPITTING ON THE STREET as a means of denigrating our city. What is this, ancient Sumeria?"

This reminds me of the Apocalyptic Defecation Story (possibly just an "urban legend") about Flyer fans Sumerian-like behavior after a road loss that happened to them out at the Cap Center. I'll let someone else tell it.

I totally agree with your estimate of the overall percentage of oddball Flyer fans. I spend a lot of time in PhillyPA and the vast overwhelming majority of people there are entirely normal. It's a great city!

Salmon said...

Someone's gonna have to explain this "Unleash the Fury" video thing to me. It seemed like just an innocuous (albeit weirder than average) montage, until around 17,000 people at the end screamed "Unleash the Fury!" (I assume in unison with Tom Green." Then they showed several people who had brought "Unleash the Fury" signs.

It was my most disorienting moment of the game.

thedope said...

ben - my post was in reference to unleashing the rabbit (Semin) - "Unleash the furry"

as far as origins of the original, I dunno.

Unknown said...

@Ben

Since you're a Flyer's fan, we'll just have to let you figure it out on your own. ;-)

Salmon said...

Heard on the elevator down to the metro after the game last night.

"We need to win in Philly to win the Cup."

Slow down, buddy.

Mark Bonatucci said...

Dope: I think you meant "Unleash the Fury" -- unless you were referring to that Star Trek episode "The Trouble With Tribbles"...LOL LETS GO CAPS

Mark Bonatucci said...

I'm a Caps Fan now but I grew up in Philly as a Flyers Fan. All cities have "good fans" and "bad fans". Suffice it to say, I've seen many jerks in the 400 level of Fed Ex Field with "Redskin War Pain" on, screaming obscenities at the field after "tailgating" a little too hard before a game. Stupidity has no geographical preference. Hopefully the Caps can indeed string together ANOTHER 6 periods of great hockey. Ovechkin isn't invisible, he's the focus of the Flyers Defense. Semin is indeed playing excellent hockey as is Federov, Backstrom, Huet, Green, Poti, Morrisson, Emminger, Erskine, Steckel, Bredley, Laich, etc. LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Salmon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Salmon said...

Wow Lidstrom just score from behind the red line.

That's gotta sting.

thedope said...

Usually Frustrated - I actually meant "furry" not "fury".

JP's original comment about Semin having the hockey sense of a rabbit, along with the shopped pic of Semin with a rabbit for a head were the inspiration for my (apparently obscure) comment - "Unleash the Furry".

Salmon said...

I know he's a horrible source on hockey, but Kornheiser was saying that he expected the Caps to win game five because it's at home. His admitted ignorance makes his statements wonderfully simple.

In the playoffs, regardless of momentum (except for extreme cases like Ottawa's), you're always expected to win at home in a reasonably close series.

Caps held serve in game five. Flyers already got the win they needed in Washington. Caps needed a win in Philadelphia to have a chance.

Game 4 was Strike 2.

Anonymous said...

Ben - The video is just one of those weird local things that caught on. I mean, why do they sing Sweet Caroline up at Fenway? The sound guys played it one day, people got into it, and the Sox won. So they did it the next day, and again and again...it just sort stuck.

It's one of the neat things about going to other parks/arenas. The good places have some quirky ritual that makes you go "Um, huh, well, that's sorta cool."

You should have seen the Unleash the Fury bit when there were only 11,000 in the building. Not quite the same. With a full house? Love it.

The Peerless said...

and I'm wondering about this "Vengeance Now" cow pie.

Vengeance?...for what, sucking on toast last year?...Are the Flyers taking it out on themselves, beating themselves senseless with their own sticks?

Salmon said...

Flyers want vengeance because they're not used to losing. First time in over a decade they'd missed the playoffs.

Caps fans may not understand the infuriating effect sucking can have on a team not used to it.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but I still do not understand the whole we want vengeance because last year we sucked... Who is the vengeance on? Is it on the coach? Is it on Peter Forsberg? Who? And what does that have to do with the Caps? It is not our fault that the Flyers did not play to their capabilities last year.

The orange T-shirts were a good idea. I just do not understand the slogan.

Anonymous said...

ben,
Kinda funny, usually one wants vengeance for something other than one's own ineptitude. I'm still baffled as to how the Flyers were so bad last year.

And while the Caps are finally emerging from the lean years, they did make the playoffs in 19 of 21 seasons between the 82-83 and 02-03 (assuming I counted that right...). Not that we have a lot to show for it, but that's something we can all relate to (though you did make the finals a few more times in that stretch). However, I guess I can understand how a random year of putridity would be more infuriating than knowing full well your team is going to suck for several years...that's just depressing (and thankfully, over with).

Salmon said...

I guess if there was a "target" for our vengeance, it would be all the teams we lost those 60 games to. Yes we brought the sucking upon ourselves, but if it hadn't been for the rest of the teams in the league, we wouldn't have ever lost.

Wouldn't Caps fans like vengeance on Pittsburgh?

Mark Bonatucci said...

@Ben - Sid Who? LETS GO CAPS!!!!

Salmon said...

I'm not talking about Crosby. Any Caps fan who has been a Caps fan for a few years (all seven of you) know how many times Pittsburgh has dropkicked the Caps out of the playoffs.

Anonymous said...

(all seven of you)

Get bent.

Salmon said...

Get Bent

Why do you wish such ill toward those loyal seven?

Anonymous said...

I love it when Pittsburgh or Flyer fans confuse attendance with support. For a period of time, the Caps management appeared to not care for the day to day fan, and the day to day fan, having other things to do with his/her consumer dollar, stayed away from the rink.

THIS VERY THING HAPPENED IN PITTSBURGH (though no Pens fan will ever admit it). There were years when the Igloo was an empty tomb, with horrible teams losing games daily (this is why they have Geno and Cindy). It wasnt like they had no fans, but the fans needed to be shown the team was being managed properly.

Ben, consider yourself lucky your team did not sink to the depths the Caps did; but please dont confuse that collapse with a lack of fans.
It makes you sound silly, especially on a mostly Caps blog.

For some Flyer fan to constantly refer to the "all seven Caps fans" is a show of self important ignorance. For years, the Cap Centre was a beehive, when the team was competitive and entertaining.

That's how it goes in sports, Ben. There are too many other things to do with your time. Who wants to go if the entertainment sucks. Check the NBA (sorry guys) attendance stats for "sports crazy" Philadelphia. The Sixers were 23rd this year. Hmm, wonder why that is (yep, they fired their GM and barely snuck into the playoffs -- though nice win tonight agains the Pistons).

As the old saying goes, every NHL franchise has about 25,000 fans. Period. The trick is to get them to show up nightly.

Anonymous said...

Ben,

Th Phlyers have been either 3rd or 4th in attendence the past 10 years. Except last year (that would be the year they "sucked"). They were 7th last year. The numbers are minimal, but it's an indication. You dont win, you have lower attendances. Mock the Caps for being bad the last 4-5 years (we all did), but keep the fans stuff in the top shelf.

Red Rover said...

Not to hijack the thread, but...

Is anyone else concerned that John Erskine is playing so much? He had 17 minutes last game and more shifts than ShaMo. Maybe Mo's shoulder is hurting? I hope not because I get heart attacks every Erskine shift. He's way to slow for the speed of this series.

Salmon said...

I wasn't talking about Caps attendance when I said something about the Caps having seven real fans in response to an ignorant, comment about Sidney Crosby being the reason for the Caps not liking Pittsburgh. The Caps have a historically smaller fan base, which I understand the reasons for.

Even though it is a smaller television market, for Game 1 Philadelphia metro area had an average audience of 161,000 (with a peak of 247,000), while the Washington metro area had an average viewership of 59,800 (with a peak of 87,400). To be nice, maybe tack on an extra 20,000 to the Washington numbers because it was a home game, although I've read that home games generally attract higher numbers because of more local buzz.

And the source is Leonsis's blog:
http://ted.aol.com/index.php?ID=2214

I also am not here to defend Sixers, Eagles, or Phillies fans. I'm a Redskins season ticket holder, an Orioles fan, and I don't give two shits about the NBA. I am solely concerned with hockey fans when I post here.

Salmon said...

And it cracks me up that on his very heavily moderated blog, Leonsis allowed a comment which compared his owner's box behavior to Eva Peron.

http://ted.aol.com/index.php?ID=2244#comments

Surround the insult by blowing some sunshine up his ass, and he's happy.

B8ovin said...

It's always odd that people have a hard time understanding the differences between one area and another. This aint Philly and it aint Pittsburgh and it aint Toronto, Montreal, or Buffalo. People who come here from someplace else may not understand why we have less fans show up on a game to game basis during the regular season, but why can't they just accept it? That's the way we roll here.

The only problem I have is with the "tourists" who come into my section, where I have had seats for 10 years, and act like asses who own the place. Walk around during the play, give you looks when you tell them to sit down...and shout "O" during the National Anthem.

Good thing this is an open thread, cause I went way out in Rant-land there...

Salmon said...

b80vin,

Speaking from a lot of experience, we really don't get "tourists" up in Philadelphia. And I'm not sure how being half-empty can be justified as "just the way you roll." But if you like empty seats, that's your prerogative.

In 1974, the Flyers dropped the opener to the favored team led by the young phenom leading the league in scoring. They then won game 2 on the road, won three and four on the road, got badly outplayed in game 5, then came back to Philadelphia for game six.

And this is how that Game 6 ended:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-feMY5gi1M

algoon said...

@ ben...

heh, Bernie admitted years later he was watching the clock tick down when Orr shot that puck the length of the ice at the end. Had it been on net...

Still, Bernie was the fucking MAN! I grew up a Bernie Wolfe fan myself (no small indication of the product available to fans in the two cities for many years). I for one find your observatiuon of Pens- hate quite accurate. They must die. ..die...die...die

B8ovin said...

Ben, it's not a matter of liking empty seats it's accepting them as part of a pattern in this city. Outside of football there is no pattern of sports sell-outs, unless there is a compelling reason, like the playoffs. If you think of fans here in subsets, during the season you might have particular groups of subsets attend particular games (excluding, of course, the subset of season ticket holders). During the playoffs, most if not all subsets attend the games. This is how things are in D.C. One of the big reasons is the the money, i.e. those who can afford tickets, mostly live in the sub-burbs, and travelling to a game is a hassle to them (I drive two hours to every home game, so I have little sympathy, but I'm die-hard).

By tourists I mean fans who show up due to promotions like family night, student discount night, or give-away nights.