...randomness surrounding Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard, and other great indie rock bands; a quasi objective look at "my" sporting teams; the random horror film; plus other crap as we see fit...all with a Pittsburgh based feel.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enough of the Detroit dominance talk, already. Like I said after games 1 & 2...

We're still winning this thing in 6 games. Reasons for optimism:

They're still the more talented team. Man-to-man, the Pens simply have better players. Detroit was the better team at the Joe, I give you. But the better talent will eventually rise to the top as the series goes, as it did last night.

The Pens don't lose at the Igloo. After Saturday, it'll be tied at 2 games apiece. The collective experienced bunghole of the Red Wing will begin to pucker going into game 5. With renewed confidence, the Pens will steal one in Detroit before coming back to the Burgh and winning it in 6.

Sid dominated last night. He's the best player in the world. The Zetterberg's and the Datsyuk's of the world are great players. But they're not Sid. They're not even Malkin...who albeit was left off the score sheet last night, started to show signs of life. It's only a matter of time before Geno Machino begins to light the lamp.

Detroit is a great team. They're difficult to score on, and as Therrien says, they're great at obstruction. Eventually, the power play opportunities will begin to even out, and the obstruction through the neutral zone will be called. It wasn't last night, and the Pens still found a way around it.

The longer the series goes, all this fantastic experience we keep hearing about will give way to the youthful legs of the Penguins.

Gary Roberts...



Other misc...

I'd rather the Pirates left town than Mark Madden. There. I said it.

If you want to call ESPN 1250 Radio GM Mike Thompson and vent your thoughts about the Madden firing, here is his digits: (412) 244-4549. Here is his cell: (917) 733-9938. Theses were given out my Thompson himself, yesterday. He called the move a "business decision." I call bullshit.

A fellow Pens fan had a sign at Joe Louis Arena Monday, which read: "We've sold out 64 Straight Games in Pittsburgh. And helped you sell out the last 2 in Detroit."

PLEASE PLAY CHRIS CHELIOS!!!

10 comments:

TB said...

Gary, I love your optimism but the Wings take this one. Sorry, that's the way it is going to go.

Oh, and Gary Roberts is a twat.

See you in two weeks! Bring plenty o' duty free suds.

gary said...

We'll be in attendance at Game 4. If I have to hop the boards and score a goal myself...we're winning this fookin game.

Euro 08, TFC...pumpt!!! I'll also be packing my Luca Toni jersey and game face :)

Anonymous said...

gary you love the kool-aid!

i'm cheering for the pens, yes, but detroit was the better team last night again. shots on net tell at least some sort of story.

LUCA TONI ... love that name ... until a few weeks ago i thought it was just the dude's last name cuz you never hear people call him "toni."

business has arrived!

gary said...

Way overrated stat. More quality chances belonged to the Pens. Again we hit the pipes a few times which don't count as shots. For instance, Detroit outshot them 9 to 1 the 1st 10 minutes or so...but most of those were wide angle shots from the points...easily snatched by Fleury.

Detroit outshot them in the 3rd when the Pens were ahead 3-1, and playing more conservatively.

Pens got a much deserved victory. The flood gates are about to open, my friend.

Anonymous said...

i'm talking from a neutral perspective here. ya know!?

(insert smiley face here.)

the stat ain't overly overrated because most hockey goals come via fluke anyway. so a wobbler from the blue line has a great chance of going in. you know, screen and bump the goalie and all that jazz.

"just throw the puck at the net and good things will happen" -- what a strategy. unfortunately, it's universal in hockey. well, north americasal, at least.

Anonymous said...

realized yesterday there is no game tonight.
if this thing happens to go seven, there will be two days off between game six and seven, meaning the decider won't go until a week tomorrow.
euro 2008 kick-off aside, i think i'll be out gardening or twiddling my thumbs at that point.

i'd vote nhl goes to a 50-game season. and that it cuts playoffs considerably. too much cash to turn down so they'll never do it, but one can dream.

gary said...

But when you're as talented as the Pens, you patiently await quality chances...which is why they're often outshot :)

Cut the season!?! Cut the playoffs?!?

Blasphemy!! The attrition aspect is key. Plus...what would we do with less hockey? Watch basketball or baseball?

Anonymous said...

attrition?
then why give two teams who are a five hour car ride apart two freaking days off between games? what a joke.

as my 60-year-old hockey-loving co-worker said today....two days off? christ, i could play in this final...

gary said...

You know why they're spaced out, don't you??

It's the only way they could get a max of 3 Saturday Nights out of the Finals to appease you folks up North!

Jeesh. Watch Hockey Night in Canada, much? I thought you and Don Cherry were tight.

:)

btw...Gary Roberts created giraffes when he uppercutted a horse.

Anonymous said...

yeah, i knew it had everything to do with tv, and nothing to do with (otherwise) logic.

just like the freaking afternoon games they play. just the fact that they play hockey in may (let alone june) at all means all logic has been iced anyway.

ps go pens.