Actually, I don’t hate him THAT much (hate is a strong word, and I’m rather weak), I just wanted to use that really lame “use a PH instead of F when referring to anything Philly sports related” word-play-thingie that in all honesty, I do too often.
Let’s put it this way, cause I’m such a nice guy: I thoroughly dislike Chris Pronger, of the Philadelphia Flyers, with a distinct sense of passion and fire (even though this old post says I simply hate him). I don’t know him as a person (although one can deduce . . . .), but as a player – the guy is a cheap, dirty, mother-phucker (damn it I did it again!). He seems like the kinda guy that gets mad at you for making a right turn . . . you know what I’m talking about? When you’re in the right lane and need to slow down in order to make that right turn that you have every right to make, but the guy driving behind you (in prison, this term means other things . . . gross things) feels no need to slow his car down, and proceeds to curse and honk simply because you’re going too slow . . . YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, ASSHOLE! But I digress (as usual). . . Chris Pronger seems like he’d be the type of guy to do such a dickish thing, simply because he’s proven time and time again what a big phat (hmmm??) dick he is on the ice . . . .
My birthday was months ago, but yesterday sure as hell felt like it (without the cake, unfortunately!), with both the New York Rangers and New York Islanders losing, I was on cloud nine. Why would I, an Islander fan, be happy they lost!? Because it gives us a better position in the draft – and yes, it puts us in the 5th and final spot of the lottery, but that’s huge – sure, the chances of winning the lottery and moving to slot #1 are slim at best, being that the chance is 8.1% !! But even if they don’t win the lottery (saying it’s a long-shot would be an understatement) they are going to get a solid prospect to help them along with their “rebuild” (which I hope gets some sort of Free Agent Injection come July).
I watched the Devils score 3 late goals last night to welcome in Ilya Kovalchuk and stun the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs (keep trading away Toronto, it will never make a difference!) and I ended up speaking to a native New Jerseyan this morning (Nicholas) about all things Devils. We reminisced about Scott Stevens, and it instantly made me think of something. The Devils played the Leafs last night . . . Stevens was brought up this morning . . . ahh . . . my memory took me back to the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Tie Domi was a member of one of the dirtiest NHL teams – in fact – Domi should’ve been captain of that team just to symbolize how dirty they actually were. Here’s the clip:
One might think that because I’m an Islander fan I instantly must hate anything the Devils do. Well, the Devils have done nothing but win, win, and win since as long as I’ve been a fan of hockey (since Martin Brodeur’s rookie year) and I can see how that would be annoying to nearby fans of the Flyers, Rangers, and the Islanders. I’m a little different though. The Devils don’t annoy me. They never have. In fact, I remember the 1st game I saw on TV (the old SportsChannel!) was actually a New Jersey Devils game (I totally remember their nasty green and red Christmas jerseys!). And by the time I became a die-hard Islander fan I already knew who I was supposed to hate . . . the dirty Rangers! The Devils were harmless, at least to me!
How a 23 win team that is in the midst of a 5 game losing streak can still be in great playoff positioning on February 3rd is beyond my realm of belief. So it goes in the “New NHL.” I’ve always been against “loser points” that award a team that loses in overtime a point in the standings, as well as losing in a shoot-out (skills-competition). I’m sorry, this isn’t kindergarten . . . you shouldn’t get anything for losing in a professional sport (except an earful from the coaching staff). However, as an Islander fan, it is the loser point that has actually given this team some hope early on in their rebuild process (for those that think Tavares was anything close to the final piece, get real – the rebuilding is far from done). Besides the loser point, however, and maybe more importantly, is that the teams directly around the Islanders in the Eastern Conference standings simply aren’t that good (that’s right, I’m talking about YOU New York Rangers! YOU SUCK!).
The NHL has decided to simply fine Colorodo Avalanche goon David Koci for a hit from behind, and Ottawa Senators waste of skates Jarkko Ruutu for headhunting, rather than suspend them. Well, there goes my theory that the stars of the game are treated differently by the NHL big-wigs – or is my theory still intact? I mean, Colin Campbell and Gary Bettman are probably so tired of hearing how they favor the star players of the league by allowing them to do “illegal” things during the games and get away with it, that maybe they let David Koci and Jarkko Ruutu (two “nobody’s”, really – Koci averages 3 minutes a game – it’s a 60 minute game people! And Ruutu is well KNOWN for being a dirty player, and nothing more) off with a slap on the wrist just to prove a point. Maybe they wanted to prove themselves lenient on “the little guys” too. Now, that might be a ridiculous notion, but I wouldn’t put anything past the idiots that run and discipline the great sport of hockey.
I’m sorry, but am I the only one to not buy into the garbage the NHL has been trying to sell me since the Flyers made the absolute wrong idea to acquire a disgruntled (and whiny) Eric Lindros? (keep in mind, people, the Flyers could have had Peter Forsberg, among many other talents they shipped to Quebec, way before they were past their prime). Why are the Philadelphia Flyers constantly looked upon as one of the “top teams” to contend with in the NHL!? Okay, so they made it to the NHL Stanely Cup Finals in 1997 – so what happened!? They lost 4-0 to Detroit. Oh, excuse me, they also made the finals in 1987, ’85, and ’80 – only to lose to Eighties powerhouse teams named Oilers and Islanders.
Unfortunately, I haven’t written much lately about my favorite hockey team, the New York Islanders. Come to think of it, I haven’t written much about hockey at all lately. I am a “die-hard” Islander fan, I have been since 1992 when I was a wee lad, but this is what happens to me during the long 82 game season of the NHL (don’t even talk to me about 162 games in baseball – I understand it’s an entirely different animal, but whew! That’s a lot!) – I get really excited in October when hockey returns, then my “fire” kind of dies down a little around Christmas time, and then I get riled up again somewhere around the All-Star break, or something like that – it’s a roller-coaster of interest when it comes to me. Now, some might ask, “well what kind of die-hard fan are you then!?” My answer is this: A die-hard fan with other things going on in his life! But throughout my life as a hockey fan I’ve never totally given up interest – that’s just impossible and an utterly ridiculous notion to consider!
I’m forced to ponder this question after reading this article at Fanhouse.com, where Bruce Ciskie makes great points about the NHL’s most exciting player, Alexander Ovechkin. Here’s my answer: Ovie is “dirty” for a superstar. I think it’s odd to see such a flashy offensively skilled player play with such an edge, and yes, sometimes Ovechkin goes too far with his aggressive style of play. But so do many other players in the NHL. It just stands out so much more because of the type of player Ovechkin is, but being a star shouldn’t get Ovechkin off with just a simple fine and a slap on the wrist. Ovie needs to know when to pull back and stop hitting people knee-t0-knee, or from behind. Plain and simple. And my anger in all this isn’t directed at Don Cherry, who always seems to have a beef with Ovechkin (As Ciskie points out in his article, Cherry actually does make valid points in this youtube clip) – oftentimes we are left to question whether or not Cherry would have the same stance if Alex were a “good ‘ol Canadian boy” (I think Don Cherry would sing a totally different tune if Ovechkin had been born in Toronto instead of Moscow, but that’s a whole other issue).
My displeasure is solely reserved for Colin Campbell and the NHL – AGAIN. You really want to make a statement, and make it look like you’re not biased towards the star players of the league? Then you could do better than a simple fine that means nothing to Ovechkin. Let’s face it, Ovechkin is not Tie Domi. He’s not outright dirty in my opinion, but when he does cross the line (which I agree – he does do) he needs to be treated like every other “regular” player in the league.
The NHL suspended Evgeny Artyukin for his slew-foot on Matt Niskanen, but failed to suspend Ovechkin for his slew-foot on Rich Peverley. I’ll let the videos do the talking – I’ve got nothing more to say, besides this: Don’t fault Ovechkin for being a physical star – but hold him accountable when need be. It’s as simple as that, Colin (We’re on a first name basis – He’s earned it).
This post is inspired by Chris Botta’s comments in one of his Islanderspointblank.com posts, where he asks Islander fans, ” . . . can we stop using their [Toronto Maple Leafs] misery as consolation for the Islanders?”
Why? Why must we stop taking solace in the Maple Leafs’ misery? Hey, the Islanders have no right to make fun of any other organization. If Wayne Gretzky called the New Jersey Devils a “Mickey Mouse Organization” in the ’80′s, then what would the Islanders of the mid-late-’90′s and all the other years up until and through this year (holy crap that’s a long time!) be called!? I mean, at this point, any reference to Disney might be too much of a compliment! But that doesn’t take away the Islanders’ fans right to make fun of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who by the way, haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967. In fact, if anyone has a right to make fun of the Maple Leafs, and dare I say the Montreal Canadiens (the team that beat the Isles way back in 1993 to eventually win the cup – which gives them a bit more leverage in my argument than the Leafs have) it is the fans of the struggling New York Islanders. Let me explain why:
NHL Hockey, Sports | admin | June 2, 2010 | 
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Chicago Blackhawks, Christ Pronger, Dick Tarnstrom, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers, Stanley Cup
