Winners Win, Losers Blame the Ref…Usually

I have been preaching the title of this blog as my personal sports gospel for as long as I can remember.

And there is a reason, I truly believe it. I remember that every time Bruce Boudreau opens up a post playoff loss news conference with, “I don’t want to sound like I’m whining about the officiating but…”

Think back to the 2006 Super Bowl between the Steelers and Seattle. Remember that three weeks before Mike Holmgren destroyed every shred of credibility he ever had, by blaming the refs for Seattle’s loss,, Bill Cowher’s team overcame perhaps the worst miscarriage of officiating justice in NFL history to beat Indianapolis.

It’s easy to blame the refs; whether because of one egregiously bad miss or a series of questionable calls against. It’s also a cop out. The simple fact is that officials are part of the game and rarely are they ultimately responsible for a team losing a game.

RARELY.

I have to admit that once in awhile a situation comes up that challenges our sensibilities as sports fans and my convictions on this issue. Such an incident occurred last night in Atlanta for the suddenly believable Pittsburgh Pirates.

Let’s put it out there plain and simple, the Pirates got screwed. There is no way around it. I have not seen a call that bad at home plate since Frank Drevin/Enrico Polazzo was calling balls and strikes in “The Naked Gun.” To have it happen in the bottom of the 19th inning, after nearly 7 hours of baseball is virtually inexcusable.

I’m willing to concede in writing what most people probably are thinking, the umpire may have had enough. He probably made up his mind, perhaps without even realizing it, that any close play at the plate was going to be called safe. Umpires are human; even they want to go home after 7 hours of baseball.

That does not make it right.

Only once have I readily conceded that the officials stole a game from a team. That was my sophomore year at Penn State, when our newly minted Big 10 basketball team took on number 1 ranked Indiana. The Nittany Lions had the game won in overtime when the refs in explicably called a phantom foul on the blue and white; when it fact the Hoosiers had committed a blatant game ending foul themselves.

I blamed the refs for two reasons. First the talent disparity at the time was so great that it literally took a perfect effort for Penn State to compete. Second, the timing of the call was so horrendous, coming in the final seconds of overtime that its effects were impossible to ignore. Either factor on its own is insufficient; in aggregate they allowed me to abandon my principles that one time.

The Pirates score one of out two; the horrendous timing of the call. As for the talent discrepancy; its there but certainly not to the 1992 Penn State degree.

In the end all we have is our principles and our beliefs. And while I can understand why any and every Pirate fan who was awake at 2am would want to throw a shoe through their television, I’m not conceding mine. Winners win, losers blame the…ump.

Yes it was an awful call, an embarrassing display of officiating that should embolden the desperate cries for baseball to adopt some form of replay. I’m not denying that. Was it any worse than Troy Polamalu clearly intercepting Peyton Manning with 5 minutes left in a playoff game, the refs calling it right on the field and then overturning it on review; after indisputable evidence that the call was correct?

Before you say it is, would you feel that way if Indy had come back to win (which they nearly did) and the Steelers were now up to 32 years without a Super Bowl title? That might very well have happened if the Steelers lost that game. It could have been a Sid Bream style, franchise crushing loss. It nearly was.

The answer of course, is no.

Listen I’m rooting for the battling Buccos. It would be a great story for this team to go directly from the depths of irrelevancy to a division title. I’m also far more dispassionate than your typical Kapper, Disque, or Filoni.

So dispassionately I can say this, the Pirates had ten innings to score ONE RUN and could not do it.

That’s the core of my belief about not blaming the refs. If you put yourself in a position where the officials can take it from you, they just might. And when you don’t score a run for ten innings (actually 15), you’ve put yourself in that position. Is it so inconceivable that a physically and mentally exhausted home plate umpire would make a horrendous call at 2:00AM? Of course not, so don’t give him the chance.

And the point is that this lack of scoring is not a one night issue. The Pirates’ offense is not very good. They appear from this outsider’s perspective to be winning primarily with pitching, defense, and heart. That’s a great story but probably not one that is sustainable. We saw a great example of that last night.

Quite frankly it’s the exact same reason the Penguins could not beat Tampa without Crosby and Malkin. At some point when you can’t score, you can’t win.

The Pirates need more hitting. Whether they can get it is anybody’s guess. I personally would not mortgage the future of the franchise on a rent-a-player, especially a mediocre one like Carlos Pena. At the same time, the Pirates window is so short that one can understand why they might panic in to such a move given the first glimmer of hope since Bush the first was president.

Ultimately that’s a question for better baseball minds than myself.

The bigger question is how do Clint Hurdle’s boys deal with this loss? Rarely does one regular season game make a huge difference but this is very possibly an exception. This loss can be a focal point for the remainder of the season. For Pirate fans of my generation, think Howard Johnson’s infamous home run off Jim Gott in 1988 that derailed what was to that point a similarly brilliant, overachieving team.

I always worry about teams that lose ridiculously long games. I remember the Pens losing that five overtime epic to Philly in 2000 and pretty much packing in the series after that. I remember the Craps doing the same thing after Peter Nedved and Kenny Wregget put them away in four overtimes in 1996.

If this young Pirate team is looking for an excuse to take their foot off the gas, this would certainly be it. On the other hand, this could also be the moment that galvanizes them. This could be their us against the world, nobody believed in us moment. I’m not suggesting Hurdle put up a poster of the umpire in the dressing room a la Lou Brown and Rachel Phelps in “Major League.” I am suggesting that maybe some veteran player can stand up and announce a la Jake Taylor, “there is only one thing to do…win the whole bleeping thing.”

Adversity reveals character; from the manager on down.  And losses like this certainly create adversity. It will be interesting to see how Hurdle deals with this. Does he shrink and whine like Boudreau does or does he lead like Cowher and tell his team, “Whatever happens we just play. We control what we can control.” More important, does he rally his young team around the cause?

That includes the general manager who has a chance to truly prove his salt by adding much needed hitting without giving away the store. Maybe Neil Huntington should call Ray Shero and ask how he traded spare parts and never will be prospects for that Slovakian winger who later fled to Detroit.

Regardless, that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today it’s about moving on. It’s about getting past a truly ugly call and an ugly loss, in Atlanta of all places. It’s about showing the depth of inner character that great teams must have, no matter how devastating last night’s loss was. It’s about remembering that true champions some how, some way overcome bad officiating. No matter how hard that is to do.

Turning up the Hate on Jaromir Jagr

Well so much for that whole, why I think the Penguins should sign Jaromir Jagr blog last week.

I spent 1,200 words detailing how Jagr could help the Penguins on the ice and how his return might heal a decade’s worth of wounds off of it. I described my long held and unchanged belief that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been truly disappointing. I referred to it as “a blight on an otherwise terrific fan base.”

Given what transpired last Friday afternoon, that decade will now be remembered as “the good old days.”

Before that, Jagr was disliked by most of the Penguin populace. He has now graduated to utterly detested. In truth, I’m not even sure that sentiment captures the degree of venom and hatred launched at the former Penguin superstar since his ill fated decision to sign with the Eastern Pennsylvania Orange and Black Goon Squad. To quote a Facebook post from one of the best hockey fans I know, “He’s dead to me now.”

As my wife Emily so perfectly retorted, “I guess Marian Hossa does not seem so bad anymore.”

For the record, I think what Hossa did to the Penguins in 2008 was far worse than what Jagr did last weekend. Hossa and his teammates barely had time to clean out their lockers before Maid Marian bolted to the team that beat them in the Stanley Cup finals. His departure nearly swung the balance of power to the Pens biggest championship obstacle. By contrast, the 39 year old Jagr’s last meaningful game as a Penguin came before there was wireless internet.

I am in no way defending Jagr and believe me I’m not happy with his chosen destination. Still I can’t help but think that that the overbearing emotion here is clouding the real story. At face value, this is simply an unrestricted free agent, eleven years removed from his last game in a Penguin uniform electing to sign with a team that offered him 65% more money. If you replaced the name Jaromir Jagr with say Peter Forsberg, would that seem so awful?

To me this outpouring of unbridled hatred is not really about Jagr’s actions last week. This is about a fan base that already hates him being given a perfect opportunity to hate him even more.

Alas, it’s fairly clear that I’m in the minority here. Better stated, I’m in the republicans running against Richard Daley in Chicago minority.

Given the tenuous olive branch that Penguin fans were extending, I’m not sure Jagr could have survived signing anywhere other than the new igloo. The fact that he chose Philadelphia just blew the whole mess up to epic levels. Keep in mind however that since he left the Burgh, Jagr has played for the Craps and Rangers; two teams that are not exactly on the typical Penguin fan’s Christmas card list.

Jagr has turned Penguin fans in to jilted lovers; so blinded with emotion and rage that the actual facts of the situation have become immaterial. Yes we are angry that Jagr “appeared” to string us along and that he signed with our mortal enemy. I can understand that to some degree. I’m still not sure this qualifies a player eleven years removed from his Pittsburgh career for Barry Bonds treatment.

Which frankly is irrelevant since that’s exactly what he’s going to get…and worse? Jagr’s first visit to the Energy Barn in December figures to rank with Cliff Stoudt’s infamous USFL return in 1983 as the most venomous sporting event in the history of the Burgh. With all due respect to the winter classic, they might have to play the game at Heinz Field to accommodate the demand from irate Penguin fans.

Most of the current anger towards Jagr stems from his quote a few years back suggesting he would take the league minimum salary to play for Lemieux and the Penguins again. More than one fan or member of the esteemed Pittsburgh media has referenced that quote and suggested they would not be nearly so angry if he did not go back on his word .

You can argue that a person should honor thier word and I will not disagree. We certainly have enough experience with Jagr; not too mention other athletes and celebrities to know that this is often not the case. I’m sorry but I did not believe it when he said it any more than I do now. To me it’s no more relevant than the infamous and badly overplayed “dying alive” comment which while upsetting and stupid, did come while Jagr was leading the NHL in scoring.

Honestly, do we care more about the mindless dribble that spews from Jagr’s mouth or what he does (or did) on the ice? To me it’s the latter by a mile.

I’m also not sure about this concept of Jagr stringing the Penguins along. Ray Shero basically dropped in to Michael Corleone mode noting this was strictly business and he has no emotional attachment to it. Shero moved on to his plan B which was Steve Sullivan and that was that. I’m fairly sure that Shero and his Hall of Fame boss were more peeved than they let on publically but it’s not like the Pens missed out on Brad Richards…or even Radim Vrbata because of Jagr. Jaromir took his talents to South Philly and life moved on at the Consol.

As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed except that the Pens missed out on a good free agent. Life goes on with Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury, I can happily deal with that. For whatever reason, I am nowhere near as angry about this as most other Penguin fans. Perhaps because as much as I thought he could help the Penguins this season, I wrote him off emotionally while Ben Roethlisberger was a sophomore in college.

Honestly I’m more upset about the idea of Max Talbot in orange and black than I am Jagr. I do not blame Max in any way for his decision. The Penguins were clearly moving away from him and he took the best opportunity for long-term security, on and off the ice. I hate the fact that the quintessential Pittsburgh athlete will spend five years plying his trade in Philly, but I completely understand it.

Most (though not all) Penguin fans seem to feel the same way about Talbot’s decision. There seem to be about three of us who feel that way about Jagr; and I’m still waiting for the other two to publicly identify.

I would love for all of my favorite athletes to be good people and solid citizens. I want to genuinely like the people I root for. I’m also a realist. There are a lot of great athletes who are not up for sainthood and frankly there are a lot more who think and act like Jagr than there are like Sidney Crosby or Hines Ward. This point was driven home during the whole Roethlisberger debacle last year.

As a result, I’ve made a compromise with my ideals. If my favorite athletes perform at their best on the field and remain law abiding citizens off of it, I can deal with their other faults and flaws. It’s the same stance I took with Big Ben last year (given no charges or evidence of a crime). For whatever grievances we may have against Jagr, he greatly exceed those qualifications while in the Burgh.

None of that changed last weekend; no matter how disrespectful he was perceived in his actions.

I have numerous reasons to hate the Philadelphia professional hockey club whether or not they suit up number 68. As a result, I see no need to make a special trip to the Burgh just to jeer an old friend. Maybe I will develop that Hossa like disdain for Jagr if he ends up squarely between the Pens and the Stanley Cup next spring but frankly I doubt that will be the case.

It’s fairly clear that Jagr could care less about Pittsburgh, the Penguins, or his legacy here. That’s his prerogative. It’s also obvious that he’s immature, and feels no accountability to his public statements. That’s not exactly breaking news either. He handled this situation as poorly as he did his initial exit from the Burgh. He should have been more upfront about his intentions and more straightforward with his decision. Clearly neither he nor his agent cared to be and for that he deserves a degree of scorn.

I just don’t think it’s this degree.

My Case for Jaromir Jagr's Return

All blogged up and nothing to write about it. Thus is the curse of the annual sports dead zone which starts when the Stanley Cup finals conclude and ends on opening Sunday of the NFL season, when or if that occurs.

In the interim we get NHL hot stove talk mixed in with baseball; lots and lots of baseball. If you happen to live in a city where baseball thrives, that’s a palatable situation. If you happen to live in Chicago after growing up in Pittsburgh, well let’s just say I’m praying for a timely end to the NFL’s ludicrous work stoppage.

You think it’s a coincidence this blog has gone from a weekly to a monthly publication since Memorial Day?

Thankfully all hope is not lost; not with specter of Jaromir Jagr’s return to Pittsburgh. That would be 39 year old Jaromir Jagr who has spent the last three years plying his trade in Russia. That’s the same Jagr who for the better part of a decade has been treated with Hossa like disdain by most Penguin fans.

Of course that’s also the Jaromir Jagr who for 15 years was one of the greatest offensive players in NHL history. The same Jagr who was an integral part of two Stanley Cup champions in Pittsburgh; the same Jagr who dominated the NHL in the 90s and kept the Pens afloat as their talent was gradually siphoned off. This is the Jaromir Jagr whose virtuoso brilliance motived me to pen the attached blog entry below two years ago. 

http://ahaberman35.livejournal.com/6810.html

And yes that’s the same Jagr who could be moody, pouty, and selfish almost on a whim. The Jagr who was a disaster as captain (though generally ok before that) and alienated most of the Penguin fans base on the way out of the Burgh. The same player who is indirectly responsible for Kris Beech wearing a Penguin uniform.

All of which is to admit that the circumstances of Jagr’s potential return are a fair bit complex.

So let’s simplify it.

First off, forget the past; the good, the bad, and the ugly. For my money Jagr is second only to Mario Lemieux in the annals of Penguin history but that is irrelevant today. The Pens are hoping he can contribute 25 goals or so and breathe life in to their morbid power play. The only relevant question is whether he can do that now; not what he could do in 1995 or did do in 2001.

Which also means forgetting Jagr’s acrimonious departure. It means forgetting the pouting, the dying alive and hardest of all, the carnage that was left behind. It’s water under the bridge now. The Penguins have moved well beyond it as has Jagr. The rest of us should join them.

For the record, I maintain that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been disgraceful; a rare blight on an otherwise terrific fan base. Jagr is not a candidate for sainthood but he’s not Barry Bonds either. His departure from Pittsburgh, with little tangible return was inevitable; a point that was reinforced by the Alexie Kovalev deja vu deal two years later. The entire situation could have been handled with more grace on both ends but Jagr has been wrongly cast as the man who torched the Pens franchise. In truth, that ship had already sailed.

Jagr is an all time great Penguin who should be celebrated as such. If returning to Pittsburgh helps bring this about while burying what I consider a shameful part of Penguin history, that’s a nice ancillary benefit.

Second, the Penguins need Jagr; or at least someone with his current skill set. In a painfully thin free agent year where Tyler Kenney is highly sought after; old number 68 is likely their best hope.

Assuming (and praying) for the return to full health of Crosby and Malkin, this is a team with two brilliant centers and nary an elite offensive winger. If that evaluation sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve been regurgitating some variation it for the better part of three years.

Do you ever dream about what Sid the Kid could do with a legitimate 40 goal scorer on his wing. Notwithstanding my well documented issues with Marian Hossa, think back to the results when he and Sid played together in 2008. I’m not saying Jagr can be that good at his age; but he can be a lot better than Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy or Eric Tangradi. This assumes of course that Jagr does not sign a one year deal with Detroit because “it gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup” (oh the humanity).

We have lived through three years where Chris Kunitz was FAR AND AWAY the Penguins’ best offensive winger. Let me repeat that…Chris Kunitz. The guy who went from April to November 2009 without scoring (or at least it seemed that way). And while I applauded and fully endorsed the acquisition of James Neal; it’s hard to be too excited about a guy who scored three goals in his last 50 or so games last season. I’m expecting better this year (worse is hard to comprehend) but l admit my Neal optimism has been tarnished a bit.

Beyond that it’s an eclectic combination of checking line caliber wingers and hopeful but uncertain prospects. For a team that has legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, that situation is not acceptable. The Pens are too good and have too much upside to be so reliant on the two headed monster.

And I have devoted barely a sentence to discussing the power play; a unit that is disturbingly bad with Malkin and Crosby and flat out unwatchable without them. I have to believe on some level that Jagr could benefit the man advantage. It seems inconceivable he could hurt it. The Pens will not win the Cup if Kris Letang spends another year reprising Mike Eurozione’s role during the early training days of Herb Brooks’ miracle team. AGAIN !!!

To reiterate, the Pens need Jagr and they need him bad.

I’m talking about the Jagr of today, not the Jagr of ten years ago. They need a talented winger with legitimate 25 goal ability regardless of who his center is. They need somebody other than 87 or 71 who can change the game offensively. Even if Neal or Tangradi is the real deal, neither has that ability. And unlike his last few years in the Burgh, Jagr will not be asked to carry the team on the ice or the burden of leadership off it.

Yes there are risks involved but consider that over the last three years Ray Shero out of necessity has played musical chairs with his wingers. If we as Penguin fans were willing to accept and endorse the risks implicit in signing Miro Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, and for the love of all that’s good and holy Alex Ponikarovsky, why not a clearly superior player in the same role? I’m willing to wager that Jagr right now is better than any of those players in their prime. And he’s certainly as good as Bill Guerin was when he arrived in the Burgh.

Please resist comparisons to Kovalev version 2011. That was a desperation acquisition by Shero hoping to catch short-term lightning in a bottle. The Pens would NEVER have made that move with 87 and 71 healthy. Kovy was clearly washed up before he arrived in the Burgh and let’s be honest; even in his prime was not exactly touted for his work ethic. Kovalev at his best was an elite talent; Jagr an elite player.

Obviously the money has to work. If the Dead Wings or Habs wants to offer Jagr $5 Million per there is not much the Pens can do about that. Jagr once said he would take the league minimum to play for Mario Lemieux. That’s more than charitable but I’ll settle for getting him in at $3.5 Million or less. Then we can leave the other roster decisions, including Kennedy and Max Talbot in Shero’s capable hands.

The ball is now in Jaromir’s court; all we can do is wait and hope. Thankfully or sadly, at this time of year there is not much else for sports fans to do.

Cry No Tears for the Thrashers

I was mildly surprised to read several scathing articles in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, shredding the NHL for allowing the Thrashers to move to Winnipeg.

To wit, I simply did not think anybody in Atlanta cared enough to even notice.

I can not help but wonder if the Atlanta media is truly incredulous towards losing the Thrashers, or if blasting Gary Bettman just makes for good newspaper copy. Especially when several reader comments bemoan the scarcity of hockey related articles from the writer during say…the Obama administration.

My personal belief is that few tears will be shed for the demise of hockey in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

At the risk of trampling on Atlanta’s sports grave, I think Tuesday was a positive day for the NHL. The league is exiting a large, non traditional market that is at best apathetic and at worst could care less about its product. They are returning to a small Canadian city that lives and dies with the sport. The NHL has not made a move like this in some 30 years; since the last time Atlanta lost a hockey team to Canada. Some believe this move is an aberration. I hope it’s the start of the NHL finally coming to its senses.

I personally do not care for hockey in markets that clearly have no desire to support it. The poster children for this issue are Atlanta, Miami, and Phoenix. I differentiate markets like Carolina, Tampa, and Anaheim which I think have enough support to be successful at some level.

I also think the NHL is bloated at 30 teams. The league’s nine team expansion in the 90s, primarily to non traditional markets was reckless and over ambitious. I was against it from day one and little has changed in the last decade to sway my beliefs. I would just assume move a few clubs back to more supportive markets and I believe that contraction should very much be on the table.

I acknowledge that it is easy to make such bold proclamations with somebody else’s team. I was not so much at peace with the concepts of franchise movement and contraction in the late 1990s when the Penguins were a legitimate contender for either. As an insider, I was well aware of the depth of hockey passion in Pittsburgh that was not always reflected in the team’s attendance at that time. An outsider, especially one with a short memory might easily have scorned Pittsburgh as a failed hockey market place.

Which is not to suggest that moving the Thrashers is a bad thing. Quite the contrary.

Atlanta has now had two bites at the hockey apple and both have failed. I’ve read articles suggesting extenuating circumstances in each case but the reality is, the city for whatever reason has failed to support the team. Blame bad ownership and/or bad teams if you want. Just understand that Atlanta and its fans were given a second shot to support a team and failed to do so.

That is in stark contrast to a Penguins franchise that struggled financially due to their owner selling the team’s future down the river and a horrifically outdated arena that could not generate enough revenue to compensate. We as Penguin fans probably do not truly appreciate the magnitude of Howard Baldwin’s financial carnage in the mid 90s. It’s purely by the grace of Mario Lemieux’s deferred salary that the team survived in the Burgh.

That’s why I’m hesitant to simply dump on Bettman for the Atlanta situation. Bettman certainly has his flaws and they are readily apparent. And he will ultimately have to explain why he’s moved heaven and earth to save the Coyotes in Phoenix while showing little such zeal for Atlanta. At the same time, he was instrumental in keeping the Penguins in Pittsburgh during the ill fated Jim Balsille flirtation. He also protected Buffalo, Ottawa and even Nashville.

Unfortunately the NHL’s actions with Phoenix raised the league’s bar for franchise protection way too high. When they fail to similarly protect Atlanta, Bettman becomes an easy target for sanctimonious media beat downs (and quizzical inquiries from bloggers).

I’m guessing the league’s interest in the Coyotes has more to do with politics and other backroom deals than some altruistic desire to save hockey in Phoenix. When a series of actions make no sense, and the league’s efforts towards the Yotes clearly do not, there are usually alterior motives to which we are not privy.

I sympathize with Atlanta hockey fans; to whatever extent they exist. I’ve said for years that deep down I never expected Mario Lemieux to relocated the Penguins; that does not mean there were not moments of trepidation in the process. It would be completely hypocritical for me to endorse moving a franchise without acknowledging my steadfast opposition and fears when such a possibility existed for the Pens.

Alas the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few. And hockey fans in Atlanta seem to be few and far between. So goes for the rest of the professional teams in that town as well. In spite of being one of the largest cities in the country; Atlanta lags in attendance in all four major professional sports. The Hawks frequently play to friends and family crowds. The Braves had numerous empty seats at playoff games; during a 14 year mini dynasty. Even the Falcons do not regularly sell out.

Let’s be honest, Atlanta losing the Thrashers does not exactly rank with Cleveland losing the Browns or Baltimore losing the Colts. It’s more reminiscent of when the Houston Oilers bolted for Tennessee. Some save the Oilers group organized a rally and as memory serves about 20 people showed up.

For my money, the NHL has gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect its non traditional markets. At some point you have to accept that the plan to some degree is not working.

The issues in Atlanta and Phoenix are obvious and need no further detail in this forum. Sadly they are not unique The Florida Panthers play to embarrassingly low crowds at home and apparently average less than 5,000 fans per game watching them on television. That’s flat out abysmal; a blatant failure that the league should no longer endorse. Those resources are better used to improve struggling markets with a legitimate chance to succeed (i.e., Columbus).

There is an understandable concern that franchise movement and contraction create a bush league perception. Arena football and MLS contract teams; not the four major sports leagues. Keep in mind however that as recently as ten years ago Major League Baseball was seriously considering contraction. And once in awhile its okay for the NHL as whole to take a big hit in order to make a play. The 2005 lockout certainly proved that.

Consider that of the six most recent expansion franchises; only Anaheim has been consistently successful (with Nashville showing bits of hope). Several have been abject failures. Columbus and Atlanta have each made the playoffs just once; failing to win a game. Florida just set an NHL record for most consecutive non playoff seasons. Even Minnesota has struggled.

Enough is enough. It’s time for the league to acknowledge that it grew too fast and too far in the 1990s. Not every market can or should survive. The Thrashers moving to Winnipeg is the first step in facing this reality. It should not be the last..

Let the Yotes and the Panthers go up in smoke. The league would be better off at 28 teams and losing two disinterested markets. And if one or two franchises want to move to better places, so be it. Seattle and Kansas City are open and available in the U.S.; as is Quebec City and Hamilton (theoretically) in Canada.

Sometimes an organization must take a step backward in order to take two steps forward. The NHL is there right now. The league has had enough time to determine which of its markets are viable and which are not. Atlanta failed the test; it should not fail alone.


Appendix: my proposed 28 Team, Four Division Structure:.

Atlantic Division (East) – New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Washington.

Northeast Division (East) – Boston, Buffalo, Carolina, Columbus, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

Central Division (West) – Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St’Louis, Winnipeg

Pacific Division (West) – Anaheim, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose, Vancouver

Twenty Year Later – Part II

Yesterday I waxed poetic about the 20 year anniversary of the Pens winning their first Stanley Cup.

The 1991 Stanley Cup Penguins will always have favored status in my heart. You never forget your first cup…or something like that. The team was not as brilliantly talented as their 1992 or even 1993 successors. Their run was not as epic as the 2009 version.  And it matters not a lick.

What they did was bring Pittsburgh its first and most improbable Stanley Cup, doing so through a litany of spectacular moments. They gave us a lifetime of brilliant hockey memories; memories that two decades later are still burned in my brain (with an occasional second assist from YouTube).

Some of the most memorable include:

THE INJURY – The Pens opened the 1990-91 season without Lemieux. Le Magnifique had offseason back surgery and then suffered a major set back with a training camp infection. There was talk that his career was in jeopardy and ultimately we would not see him in the line-up until late January. I remember the Pens opening night broadcast starting with this quote from Tom Barrasso “I wish to state unequivocally that we are a better team with Mario Lemieux in the line-up.” The bad news was obvious. The good news, the rest of the team was forced to grow up with their franchise player sidelined.

THE KID – It’s fair to say that none of us had ever heard of an 18 year old Czech phenom named Jaromir Jagr when the Pens acquired him on draft day. I remember reading that he was the most talented player in the draft; and frankly not believing it. That’s exactly what teams say when they have the fifth pick in a deep draft, rather than the first. Who would have known that Jagr would develop in to the one of the truly dominant offensive stars in NHL history, and a critical component of two Stanley Cup championships. Not to mention a pretty solid weather man on WDVE.

THE OPTION LINE – With Lemieux out, the Pens offense was put in the hands of three young stars playing out their options; Kevin Stevens, Marc Recchi, and John Cullen. All three were critical to the team’s regular season success. All three were critical to the team’s ultimate Stanley Cup championship, Recchi and Steven’s directly and Cullen by being the marketable asset that allowed for THE TRADE (see below).

THE TRADE – Arguably the greatest trade deadline deal in NHL history. The Pens were struggling and underachieving when Craig Patrick changed the entire look of the franchise. The deal was such highway robbery that Hartford GM Eddie Johnston (yes, that EJ) should have gotten his name on the cup. Ron Francis brought leadership and brilliant two way hockey. Ulf Samuelsson brought dominant, in your face defense (as Cam Neely will attest). Even Grant Jennings was a key acquisition. Before the trade the Pens were a great offensive team, after it they were a great team.

THE GOAL, PART I – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind New Jersey two games to zero…at home. They were outplayed by the plucky Devils for two straight games and had barely managed to force overtime in game 2. That’s when the 18 year old Jagr scored the first of his many jaw dropping goals over the next decade. He blew around the Devil defense, cut across the face of the goal, out waited Chris Terreri, and fired home one of the biggest goals in Penguin history. It was pure individual brilliance; the kind rarely seen by any player…or at least any player not wearing 66 in black and gold.

THE BANISHMENT – A regretably overlooked turning point in the playoffs may have occurred in game four of the first round against New Jersey. After discovering that the Pens had not won a game all year with John Rowan watching from Chris Cox’s house; we banished him to the backyard for the third period. The Pens lost the game but after that, we were more strategic about our viewing logistics. Quote of the year from Chris’ mom…”Why is J.P. in the backyard by himself?”

THE SAVE – I’m the biggest Tom Barrasso fan this side of…anywhere…and even I will acknowledge the obvious. Frank Pietrangelo’s spectacular glove robbery of Peter Stastny was “the moment” the Pens developed that championship belief. The combination of facing elimination and the loss of Barrasso drove stress levels to record highs amongst Pens fans. And then there was Stastny all alone in front, firing a loose rebound towards an empty net…until Frankie Pete robbed him blind. I love watching 18,000 fans jump to their feet to celebrate a sure goal, and then dropping down in stunned disbelief.

THE GOAL, PART II – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind Washington two games to none, at home. Sound familiar? They were outplayed in game one and needed a late Randy Gilhen (seriously) goal to send game two in to overtime. And then Francis set up Kevin Stevens for the game winning goal in overtime. The Pens never looked back, dominating the next three games with Barrasso stopping 97 of 100 shots. The conference finals were coming.

THE GAURANTEE – In those days, the common belief was that the Boston Bruins were the superior team and the Pens the underdog upstart. Boston has played in the Stanley Cup Finals in two of the last three seasons, led by star players Ray Bourque and Neely. The Pens lost the first two games and were quite frankly robbed by a highly questionable penalty late in game two. The situation looked bleak until Stevens took over. He boldly guaranteed after game two that the Pens would win the series. It was pure bulleting board material...for the Pens. The boys have not lost of playoff game to the Bruins since.

THE ROUT – PART I – After two hard fought victories in Pittsburgh the Pens returned to Boston for a critical game 5. We all thought this would be a turning point in the series. It was. The Pens destroyed the B’s 7-2, chasing overrated scrub goalie Andy Moog in the process.

THE TROPHY – I laugh every time I see teams refuse to touch the conference championship trophy. After Recchi finished off the B’s in game 6, Lemieux and company took the Prince of Wales trophy for a skate. Two weeks later, they were Stanley Cup champs. Two decades later, Sidney Crosby did the same thing. Perhaps this superstition is a tad…dumb?

THE FOG – Don Cherry, a man who could do the entire world a favor by talking considerably less, accuses Barrasso of being “in a fog” after a game one loss to Minnesota in the finals. Barrasso’s response, “I refuse to have a battle of wits with Don Cherry because he’s unarmed.”

THE GREATEST GOAL IN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HISTORY – “Here’s Lemieux, to center, penalty coming up, LOOK AT LEMIEUX, OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT A GOAL, WHAT A MOVE, LEMIEUX. OOOOOOH BABY.” Kudos to hockey night in Canada for its perfect description of what truly was the greatest goal in playoff history. What Lemieux did to Shawn Chambers and John Casey is a criminal offense in seven states.

THE PARADE – Mario’s back stiffened before game 3 causing a late and shocking scratch of the game’s greatest player. Without Big 66, the Pens fell 3 to 1. Minnesota started planning their Stanley Cup parade. The Pens were…ANGRY.

THE DANCE OF CHAMPIONS – The Pens jumped out to quick leads of 3-0 and 4-1 in a must win game 4; then gave two goals back to make it a one goal game. Late in the third period, the team known as an offensive juggernaut took a five minute major penalty. The Pens killed it without allowing a single shot on goal. It was the defining moment of what was now a great team in all phases. I still say this game was one of the underrated gems of Barrasso’s career.

THE ROUT, PART II – The Pens 8 to 0 demolition of the North Stars in game 6 remains possibly the most dominant cup clinching victory in NHL history.  The NHL was close to invoking a mercy rule. Lemieux so dominates Minnesota that he looks to be playing pond hockey against local high school players. Francis, Mullen and even Jim Paek score breakaways. Barrasso silences his remaining critics with a defining shut out.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT – In the immortal words of Mike Lange, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh.”

THE LIFT – Mario Lemieux, the man who lifted the franchise, lifts the Stanley Cup. Lange…”Go for it Mario…Go for it.”

THE PHOTO – The Pens become the first team to do an all hands on photo at center ice with the cup. The tradition lives to this day. One of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history, immortalized forever.

THE MEMORIES – To last a lifetime.

Twenty Years Later ???

If you are a hockey aficionado like me, I highly recommend the Empty Netters Blog on the Post Gazette’s web site. Not only does Seth Rorabaugh do an excellent and thorough job of covering the game, but he also adds a touch of sarcasm and humor which I find to be positively, “Haber-Esqe.”

Throughout the 2010-11 season, Empty Netters has been running a feature entitled “Twenty Years Later” focusing on the 20 year anniversary of the Penguins first Stanley Cup championship. It includes recaps of every game played (often with awesome video footage) and interviews with key players from that team. Most of those players are long gone, with the notable exception of the ageless Marc Recchi. Remember when the Pens traded him in 1992, ostensibly because he was too small to survive long-term in the NHL?

Needless to say, I was thoroughly enjoying the walk down memory lane, until reality slapped me in the face this morning.

TWENTY YEARS ???

Is it really possible that today is the 20 year anniversary of one of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history? Can it really be two decades since that magical season ended with Mario Lemieux lifting the franchise’s improbable first Stanley Cup?

Twenty freakin years?

Let’s see, we were 18 years old, seniors in high school when the Pens won that first championship. That would make me…never mind.

Was it not just yesterday that Mario Lemieux was the 18 year old French Canadian savior of Penguin hockey? No, that was 1984. Did I not wake up this morning to news that 18 year old Czech phenom Jaromir Jagr was coming to Pittsburgh? Sorry, 1990. I could swear that only in the last few minutes came reports that the Pens had acquired Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson from Hartford. That was 1991.

And now, Lemieux is the Penguins OWNER, Jagr is playing out the string in Europe and Francis and Samuelsson are both coaches and/or executives in the league. How on earth did this happen?

Here’s the thing; for me and a large portion of my audience, the Penguins are the first championship team we truly experienced. I have the vaguest of memories of the Steelers’ fourth Super Bowl in 1980; just as I have the vaguest of memories of dressing up as “the Fonz” for Halloween. I’ve said before that those first four Super Bowl championships are far more history to me than they are reality.

The Penguins however are different. We quite literally grew up together. It started with the drafting of Lemieux in 1984, the event that quite literally saved the franchise. It continued as Lemieux matured in to a superstar, and then possibly the most dominant player in NHL history. And it morphed in to a championship when the Penguins finally surrounded Le Magnifique with other championship caliber players.

I still remember dancing around my basement when the Pens acquired Paul Coffey in 1987. Finally, there was a second superstar, a player truly worthy of sharing the ice with Big 66. The other star pieces of the championship puzzle fell gradually in to place over the next three plus years; Barrasso, Recchi, Stevens, Jagr, Mullen, Trottier, Murphy, Francis, Samuelson, etc. It was a stunning build out for a club that for too long relied on other team’s leftovers.

I’m not sure today’s generation of Penguin fans can truly appreciate how impossible to fathom a Stanley Cup Championship was for us in 1991. That’s not to say we were not fully on board for the journey, we absolutely were. We just never dared allow ourselves such grandiose fantasies. Not for a team that had won exactly one playoff series in ten years.

For the most part all we knew were near misses and failures. I remember albeit vaguely the 1982 first round loss to the NY Islanders where the Pens blew a 2 goal lead in the final four minutes. I remember quite clearly blowing what should have been a slam dunk playoff appearance in 1988, in spite of Lemieux’s unwavering brilliance down the stretch. And there but for the grace of Steve Guenette go I.

The Penguins made missing the playoffs an annual event; at a time when over 75% of the league was honored annually with a post season bid.

That’s why we celebrated like drunken sailors when the 1991 Pens knocked of Washington in the second round. Going to the conference finals was new ground; a previously inconceivable destination. On a side note, would anyone have guessed then that the series would mark the beginning of two decades of torturing the Craps?

The Penguins had little or no history in those days. Now they have history to match any non original six team (and for my money one or two of them). The watershed moment for the franchise was the Stanley Cup exchange between Sidney Crosby and Lemieux in 2009? That past meets the present. To me having two completely separate eras of championship greatness is what defines a truly great organization, in any sport.

And yet I still can’t believe its been twenty years.

Twenty years since Frankie Pietrangelo’s save against New Jersey. Twenty years since Kevin Stevens guaranteed a victory over Boston after falling behind two games to none? Twenty years since Lemieux effectively destroyed John Casey’s career.

I guess it makes sense. In those days we would watch the games in Chris Cox’s basement and then play hockey in the driveway between periods (with your friendly neighborhood blogger flopping around on the asphalt making “Barrasso-like” saves”). We would celebrate any series victory by grabbing sticks out the garage and running around the block. Today’s game night activities are to say the least, far more reserved.

So much has changed. Lemieux and Jagr gave way to Crosby and Malkin. Barrasso gave way to Marc-Andre Fleury; Phil Bourque gave way to Max Talbot. The Old Igloo has given way to the brilliant new Consol Energy Barn. Mike Lange has given way to Paul Steigerwald (admittedly the one change that we would all reverse in a heartbeat if possible).

And yet so much has stayed the same. Let us not forget that a franchise that endured so much losing and sorrow in its first two decades has lifted the cup three times in the past two decades. The Pens have turned post season success from an impossible dream to an annual expectations. And they have suited up an incredible list of superstars headlined by Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin. Such thoughts were inconceivable in the early 80s, when players were threatened with trades to the Burgh.

In short, a franchise that was once laughed at and mocked is now one of the class organizations in all of sports. Pittsburgh has become a destination spot for great hockey.

Could we have possibly had the foresight in 1991 to see this coming? Certainly not, nor did we care. At that point it was about nothing more than the moment, the incomprehensible idea that, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh" to quote Lange.

We had no foresight towards the repeat championship in 1992, nor the shocking collapse of the most dominant team in Penguin’s history two years later. We could not predict Mario’s back, Stevens’ face, Jagr’s moods, or Howard Baldwin’s reckless and unruly spending spree; all of which nearly ruined the team. We had no way of knowing how close our Penguins would come to extinction in the Burgh, before more Mario magic and a fortuitous ping pong ball returned them to prominence.

How could we? We could not even predict our own futures; college, relocations, jobs, wives, kids, and everything else. All of those things that define us today were unknowns 20 years ago. Our lives were blissfully simple back then. We were far more concerned about shutting down Minnesota’s white hot power play, than we were about graduation.

All we knew or cared about was that the impossible had happened; the Pittsburgh Penguins had brought home the Stanley Cup. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt the complete and total sports happiness that comes only with a championship. It was the year I truly became a Penguin fan for life.

Or better stated…twenty years to life.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PENGUIN, BLESSED BE THE PENGUIN, FOR IT IS GOOD.

Back from the Dead, Third Round Playoff Predictions

I used to accept as a given that when a playoff series reached three games to zero, it was over.

It’s not just because before last year; only three teams in North American major sports history had overcome such a deficit. It just seemed that most teams threw in the towel once they lost that third game. The mountain seemed too high to climb.

Of course the players and coaches on both sides would vigorously deny that. The team leading would channel memories of Lou Holtz, regaling us with tales of just how dangerous Navy was while losing 40 straight years to Notre Dame. The trailing team in contrast would launch in to a series of “Bull Durham” like clichés about how it’s not over until it’s over and they were going to take it one game at a time.

To the latter point I offer Alex Ovechkin’s half hearted promises of a Washington comeback from said deficit last week. Ovie’s blatant lack of inspiration or conviction in those comments seemed to relay the utter futility that I have long associated with teams in this situation.

So how is it that for the third time in two years, a team forced a game 7 after trailing 3 games to none? How is it that a team from each of those series has arrived at this year’s final four? And how is it that two teams this year have blown a 3 games to 0 lead and still managed to win game 7?

Not just any teams mind you; San Jose and Vancouver, two clubs with a history of imploding under playoff pressure.

Indeed, if there is anything I believed in as much as a series being over at 3 to 0 it was this; if a team somehow did come back to force game 7, they would absolutely win the series. It’s why I truly believed that Chicago would finish off the comeback and topple the Nucks and with the caveat I will explain below, that Detroit would take out San Jose.

So chalk up a second staunch personal conviction I can toss in the recycle bin.

Here’s that odd caveat regarding San Jose. I actually did think they could win last night. I freely admit however I would not have believed that if Vancouver had lost to Chicago. Seeing a Canuck’s team built around historic post season chokers somehow win that game 7 made me realize that anything is possible. For the record, anything includes Patrick Marleau finally getting his playoff wake up call in the third period of game 7. I’m still awaiting Jeremy Roenick’s omnipotent pontifications on that.

Give both the Nucks and Sharks full credit; neither gave up when they had every reason to.

I would argue that both Vancouver and San Jose created their own drama through a distinct lack of killer instinct. That’s not to take away from the efforts of Chicago and Detroit, both of whom showed championship metal in their comebacks. I just do not know how Vancouver can go up 3 to 0 in a series and then lose the next two games by a 12 to 2 combined score. I watched the last six games of that series and I can tell you that Vancouver flat out did not show up in games 4 and 5. How does a supposed Stanley Cup favorite do that?

The same goes for San Jose. As great a team as Detroit can be, there is no excuse for the Sharks blowing a 3 to 1 third period lead, AT HOME, in game 5. Then they compounded it by getting blown off the ice in a listless game 6 effort. The scoreboard does not show it thanks to a sterling effort from Antti Niemi but the Sharks were dominated in virtually every facet of that game.

None of this should be shocking considering the calamity that is the recent post season history of these franchises.

I wonder however if this will serve as a coming of age moment for either the Sharks or Nucks? Will this be the year one of these teams finally grows up and develops championship metal; or just a prelude to more disappointment? For my money, I think the Sharks may finally be ready for that critical championship growth spurt. I’m not so sure about the Nucks, especially given another blown elimination opportunity in game 5 at home against mediocre Nashville.

The problem with both teams is that there core stars regularly disappear after tax day. As Penguin fans, we draw tremendous pleasure from the annual playoff vanishing acts of Semin, Backstrom, and Green in our nation’s capital. Well they are in good company with Joe Thornton, Marleau, and Dany Heatley in San Jose and the Bobby Lu and the Freak Twins in Vancouver.

The Versus’ crew spent most of last night waxing poetic about the brilliance of Thornton. Maybe I’m missing something but that would be the supposed franchise player who has two goals this post season? Yes he’s working hard, playing defense and winning face offs. It seems to me the Sharks could save $5 Million per and pay Max Talbot for that. And Talbot historically outscores Jumbo Joe in the post season.

Amazingly Thornton’s offensive production, which does include 9 assists has put Heatley and Marleau to shame. I’m not going to pull a Roenick and try and analyze either player’s intestinal fortitude; I will just say that historically they don’t produce when it matters most.

The Sharks growth spurt to me is driven by two factors. First, the team has built tremendous depth offensively including players like Joe PAVELski, Ryane Clowe, and Devin Setoguchi. Second, the Sharks replaced another perennial playoff choker, goalie Evgeni Nabokov, with a top playoff performer in Antti Niemi.

I realize I’m walking the Fleury/Barrasso line in terms of my Niemi credibility but both Emily and I are taking great pride in his success. Niemi has spent the season establishing as an elite goaltender and more important, a goaltender who gets it done when it matters (since winning the cup last year apparently was not convincing to the enlightened media masses). He was at his best in game 6 and 7. Not only did he make the critical saves, but he gave his team a desperately needed sense of belief. That’s a belief the Sharks have clearly lacked in prior years.

As for Vancouver, the main reason they are skating in the conference finals is a fortuitous match-up with Nashville. Luongo still looks skittish and the Sedins have been lost in Ryan Kessler’s ever growing shadow (not too mention the overbearing, Joe Flacco like love fest from the entire hockey world). Watching a team with this much talent try and eek out 2 to 1 wins over the chug and plug Predators was as bad as…Washington’s so called defensive system.

In case I’m being too subtle here let me spell it out; I’m not exactly a believer in the Canucks. I look at their coming of age comeback and see through the cracks. A flawed Chicago team followed by mediocre Nashville. A team that gave up a short handed goal in the final two minutes of game 7 and nearly lost in overtime. A flopping goaltender who is only playing by the grace of Corey Snyder’s groin injury.

I am a believer in San Jose…Sharks in 5.


Boston (not Philly) versus Tampa (not Washington)

It’s been so long since either of these teams saved Penguin fans from further post season torture that I’m not sure I can even make a prediction.

The series could go either way but I like the Bruins. There is nothing specific I can quantify except perhaps Tim Thomas’ superbly brilliant post season. Historically I’ve been scared off by ensemble offensive casts as they have in Boston. This year’s Bruins however just have the look about them. It’s an intangible I know but to me it seems pretty real. They had their own coming of age after going the distance to blow a 3-0 lead least year.

Add Zdeno Chara’s most dominant post season to an experienced, physical and motivated group, and I think the B’s are too much for the Bolts. It also does not hurt my belief that Tampa is relying on Sean Bergenheim and Dominic Moore for offense and a goaltender who is AARP eligible, while Steven Stamkos is mostly invisible.

As much as I will miss the angry stares from the French Canadian Mike Tomlin (aka, Guy Boucher)…Boston in 7.



1st Round 6 and 2 (lost with Philly and Pittsburgh)


2nd Round – 2 and 2 (lost with Washington and Nashville)

The More Things Change...

…The more things stay the same.

One week ago, Penguin fans were contemplating an unfathomable match-up for the Eastern Conference championship. Let’s see; who do we root for, the Washington F’n Crapitals or the Eastern Pennsylvania Orange and Black Goon Squad? Can you say spontaneous labor stoppage? And while we are debating such matters, do you prefer a colonoscopy or a prostate exam?

Instead, in a shocking (or perhaps not so shocking) turn of events the Craps have been swept and the Goons are at death's door. Instead of an impossible choice in the Eastern Conference finals, we are 48 hours away from assessing the wreckage of two more lost seasons.

On the positive side, Bruce Boudreau will have infinite opportunities to go for ice cream at 9:00am. Unemployment has a liberating effect on one’s personal calendar.

Washington spent most of the season rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. They attempted a delusional reincarnation as a defensive style team. Apparently it’s easier to ask soft, one dimensional offensive players to trap than it is to admit they are perennial post season chokers. On the ridiculous meter, this rivals Lou Piniella selling Cubs management that his team’s five phase post season choke could be cured merely by adding Milton Bradley.

After all those cosmetic changes the result was the same; a post season flame out. The Craps as per usual collapsed once the games started to matter. Or at least when they mattered against a credible post season opponent.

Speaking of credible, we have the Philadelphia Professional Hockey Club which continues its three decade quest to win a Stanley Cup IN SPITE OF its goaltending.

Just when we think the goaltending in Philly can’t get any worse, they find a way to deal it down. Martin Biron and Antero Nittymaki are not bad enough? Let’s bring in Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. Miraculously overcome this until Leighton implodes in the Stanley Cup finals? By all means try it again; and toss in an over his head rookie to up the ante.

I honestly can not stand the Goon Squad and even I’m angry at the joke that is their goaltending. It’s an affront to everything I believe in; to my personal hockey truth. The only thing more amazing than entrusting a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite to these three stiffs is that they actually won a series. Against Ryan Miller no less. And somehow Lindy Ruff got a contract extension?

The Goons however have finally hit the crappy goaltending wall. Boston is too talented, too focused, and too much better between the pipes to blow another 3 games to none lead. And Philly is not going to repeat least year’s miracle comeback against any opponent when their starting goaltender is an even money bet to get hooked in the first 40 minutes.

Seriously, is anybody else tired of watching Boucher’s stick breaking, equipment throwing tantrums every other game? Hey Brian, here’s a thought…STOP THE FREAKIN PUCK. In fairness, there is a reason Boucher is giving up so many ridiculously soft goals this post season; HE’S NOT GOOD. That’s why his NHL passport has been stamped by half the league, as a BACK-UP goalie. And the saddest part is he truly might be Philly’s best net minder.

For goodness sakes, Mike Milbury referred to Philly’s goaltending debacle as “an organizational failure.” MIKE FREAKIN MILBURY! What next, Rashard Mendenhall tweeting about...ok, never mind.

I frequently lament the Osgood-ification of the NHL. This is the ridiculous syndrome, promulgated first by the all powerful Scotty Bowman in Detroit that allows for teams to have so much talent and depth amongst their 18 skaters that they can essentially win without a goaltender. Philly has taken this to a whole different level.

Whatever you think of Osgood, and personally I think he’s an above average goaltender in a perfect situation, he’s about five times better than any Philly goaltender since I graduated high school. I will shed zero tears for my least favorite team’s latest post season flop. It is however in a broader sense a hockey travesty that a team with so much talent and depth allows itself to be annually sabotaged by ECHL caliber goaltending.

Seriously, how many years in a row does this have to happen before somebody at the FU Center gets a clue? How many years will they throw big money at redundant talents like Andrej Mezaros and Kris Versteeg; while dishing out bargain basement wages to the three stooges in net? Is there a minimum basic skills test to be an NHL general manager a la Joe Clark in "Lean on Me"?

As for the first runner up for my hockey disdain, the carnage is likely to be a lot worse. Philly, at least in theory, can address their primary issue. They have more than enough marketable depth to trade for somebody who can actually stop a 30 foot wrist shot in the post season. The solution is not so simple in Washington.

The easy thing to do after an embarrassing sweep against Tampa is to throw Boudreau under the bus and make him the scapegoat for the Craps' latest melt down. Accepting the obvious comic relief this would provide, it is effectively a band aid for a broken organization. The problems are much greater in scope and relate primarily to Ovie’s minions.

I can only assess so much blame to the Haagen Dazs clown when he’s saddled with three supposed star players who disappear every spring. My favorite quote of the playoffs came after (yet another) botched defensive play by Mike Green; the Versus announcer clarified that defensive situations are not Green’s strength. That does not exactly qualify as breaking news but if forces me to ponder exactly what he is good at? After all, Green has not scored a meaningful post season goal since junior high school.

A few weeks back I stated that I was not sold on the Craps' new “defensive style” but “at least Semin and Green would have excuses for not scoring in the post season.” That statement was in error; but only by omission since I forgot to include Nicklas Backstrom. Hate on Alex Ovechkin all you want but understand he is the one and only player in red, white, and blue that consistently scores in the postseason. Go figure his refusal to pass the puck late in game three. Would you pass to Semin or Backstrom with your season on the line?

Ovechkin figures to take some heat for Washington’s latest collapse. He’s supposed to be a championship caliber superstar and thus is hardly immune to criticism. In all fairness, I doubt Sid the Kid could drag the collection of big game stiffs masquerading as Ovechkin’s supporting cast past the second round. Seriously, these guys make the playoff Sedins look like Gretzky and Lemieux.

That’s not to absolve Boudreau from responsibility from his team’s latest failure. My personal opinion, validated in part by four enlightening episodes of 24/7 is that Boudreau is way over his head coaching a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations. He panics at the slightest sign of trouble (see Theodore, Jose). He whines incessantly about every questionable call against his choking team (quote of the WEAK, “I’m not whining, I’m just explaining”). Worst of all, he makes rash decisions like turning a talented offensive juggernaut in to New Jersey Devils south.

Seriously, if the Craps were going to run out the neutral zone trap, should they not have hired Jacque Lemaire? Or at least Guy Boucher? Instead, Boudreau converted his existing team with a few cosmetic changes to a style they are not equipped to play and he is not equipped to coach. Calling Dave Wannstedt…Mr. Dave Wannstedt.

It will be interesting to see if Sweaty Teddy’s patience finally runs out. My guess is it will. The last two years were bad enough but this failure, after a full scale re-engineering of the team’s style is probably the last straw. My guess is management is at the end of its rope with Boudreau’s F’bomb tirades and the deaf ears they fall on. The players should go first but good luck finding trade partners for $7 Million post season chokers who are signed through 2045.

That mean’s Boudreau could ultimately bare the full responsibility for this failure while the invisible men return for another playoff run. It will be left to BB’s replacement to get water from a stone (or stones).

Peter Laviolette figures to survive in Philly. He should not expect much improvement if his general manager continues a three decade tradition of going blue light special between the pipes.  One presumes the salary cap will start to claw away at Philly's depth as well.

In other words, the more things change…the more things stay the same.

No Crosby, No Malkin, No Cup

You can’t win if you can’t score. Not in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

There will be all kinds of attempts to analyze or rationalize the Penguins seven game loss to Tampa. Taken in a vacuum any and all might sound reasonable. Make no mistake however; the Penguins will be on the golf course this weekend for one reason and one reason only; their two marquee superstars were in the training room rather than on the ice.

The team put up a valiant fight without Sideny Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They showed a depth of grit and resolve that for years was hidden from view by the brilliance of their superstars. They won the respect of most intelligent fans with their spectacular effort and refusal to quit. And they nearly beat a team with superior talent and fire power in the first round of the playoffs.

Nearly.

The Penguins are built like the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s, two electric superstars surrounded by a terrific collection of role players. Take Jordan and Pippen away and those Bulls go from six championships to a CBA team. Take Crosby and Malkin away and you have the last three months.  That is why the Penguins became a two goal per game team without them in the line-up. And that is why a highly promising season was derailed after just one round of playoff hockey.

Before the series I stated the Penguins had to do four things to win. They had to SIGNIFICANTLY outwork Tampa, play shut down defense, forecheck the life out of them and get other worldly goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury. I also made it clear that they could do all those things and still lose. The lack of scoring punch left the Pens with zero margin for error.

Kudos to Dwayne Roloson for a solid performance and a few key saves but he stole neither game 7 nor the series as a whole. The Penguins fired a ton of shots at him few of which were of serious threat.

Game 7 was a microcosm of the entire series, and we the blue prints for it in early February. The Pens lost 1 to 0 to Washington in spite of what was arguably their best effort of the season. For my money, they dominated every aspect of play and lost for one reason, they could not score. It was that night that I came to grips with the reality of their limitations.

Game four was also a microcosm. Believe it or not, it was during that inspirational double overtime victory that I concluded the Pens were in trouble. They outplayed and outworked the Lightning by a large margin but needed 85 minutes and 53 shots to produce three grinder style goals. And with all due respect to the horrifically snake bitten James Neal, the overtime winner was a flub by Roloson.

The game four formula, plus the NHL’s gift of shootouts and points for overtime losses sustained the Penguins for the last three months of the regular season. That formula got them their three games to one lead. And frankly that formula is not sustainable. Once the Lightning realized they had only to approximate the Penguins work rate to win, the series was effectively over.

To be clear, I am neither a prophet nor a genius. I’m just an NHL history major. I watched the Lemieux/Jagr Penguins of the 90s win series exactly like this, just on the opposite end of the script. The Penguins dominated Boston and Washington in the early 90s in spite of often being outworked and outplayed. For all their hard work and grit, the Craps and Bruins of that era could not match the Pens’ superior firepower.

Go back and watch the 1992 series against Washington and you will see a virtually identical script with the Pens in Tampa’s role. The Craps outworked and outplayed the Pens for four games. With their season on the line, the Pens star players woke up, matched Washington’s effort and won the last three games. I never forgot that as I was watching Tampa’s comeback.

So when the Pens were blown off the ice in game 5, this result became sadly inevitable to me.

The loss of Crosby and Malkin is devastating for an obvious reason; you lose two game changing superstars. It also hurts for a more subtle reason; it forces everyone else to play above their normal role.

It’s one thing to ask a player or two to raise their level. Max Talbot did that in 2009 while playing wing for Geno. Without the two headed monster, the 2011 Pens asked the entire roster to work at or beyond the limits of their abilities. That’s a tall order, especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That does not excuse the Penguins pathetic power play effort but it makes it easier to understand. The power play was not very good with Sid and Geno. It was lost without them. Is it fair to say that with 87 and 71 in the line-up they might have gone 4 for 34? Even production that poor likely would have had the Pens packing for Washington.

That also helps explain Jordan Staal’s lack of offensive production. Staal is a second line center at best. When he becomes the number one, opponents focus their top defense players on him. What separates players like Crosby is their ability to produce under such duress and we’ve still seen Detroit and Montreal shut him down. Staal is not and never will be Crosby. Keep in mind that Staal also had to pick up more penalty killing slack due to the loss of Matt Cooke.

The top four defensemen were extended beyond any reasonable measure. Between the four of them they played over 145 minutes in game four. That’s tough enough as it is but even worse when you can’t afford to allow more than two goals per game. It amazes me that some Penguin fans worshipped Rob Scuderri when Ovechkin torched him for 13 points; but ripped Letang and Martin for a superior effort.

Marc-Andre Fleury had to be virtually perfect. You could argue that Fleury was off in games 2 and 6 but remember that he was instrumental in all three victories, stole game one, and was brilliant in game 7. And the Pens as a team had little in the tank for games 2 and 5. In the end, if your only chance to win is for you goaltender to be perfect, you have no chance. Ask Henrik Lundqvist.

And for all the grit and hard work we saw, the reality is this; you can not RELY on Aaron Asham, Tyler Kennedy, and Talbot for offense. Championship teams win when these players fill valuable supporting roles and provide supplemental scoring; not when they are the key to success. You also can not rely on a wing and a prayer that Alexie Kovalev will discover the fountain of youth. The Penguins found out what we guessed and what Ottawa already knew, Kovy is done.

In the end it came to this; hard work, defense, and grit are merely prerequisites for any team winning a championship. You can not win without these things but by themselves they are not enough. The ultimate driver of championship hockey teams is superstars playing like superstars. That’s why Stanley Cups are lifted by the likes of Crosby and Malkin, Toews and Kane, Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

I remain very proud of this team, not withstanding the result. This is nothing like last year when they under achieved against an inferior Montreal team.  My disappointment though profound is limited only to what might have been. When we woke up on New Years day 2011, all seemed perfect in the Penguin universe. The team was a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite. Seeing that degenerate in to under manned grinders swimming up stream was hard to watch.

Honestly, I have not felt the sadness of inevitable disappointment like this since Penn State in the 1995 Rose Bowl. It was a similarly helpless feeling of knowing that no matter how great the effort, the result would not be enough.

I said before the series that the Penguins had a championship coach, championship heart, championship defense, and a championship goalie. What they lacked without Crosby and Malkin was championship talent. I hoped what they had could overcome what they lacked for one round; ultimately that was not the case.

Alas what’s done is done.

In my never ending effort to turn lemons in to lemonade, I give you this. The Penguins role players were forced to push their games to a new level without Sid and Geno. Most if not all became better players as a result. Add Crosby and Malkin to that an you just might have a championship recipe in 2012.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PENGUIN, BLESSED BE THE PENGUIN, FOR IT IS GOOD.

Hey Luongo...YOU SUCK!

I wrote the following during the 2010 Olympics, questioning why the exceptionally overrated Roberto Luongo was starting ahead of Marc-Andre Fleury for Team Canada:

http://ahaberman35.livejournal.com/12346.html

In the last two seasons, Fleury has won 30 playoff games and a Stanley Cup. He’s won two game sevens, one against the best offensive player in the game and one against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

By comparison Roberto Luongo has won…ok give me a minute…I’m thinking…hmmm.

From there I went on to chronicle Luongo’s litany of big game failures. In the interest of full disclosure, Canada did go on to win the gold medal, albeit with about as little help from their goaltender as is possible in a game of that magnitude. Bobby Lu promptly blew up against the Blackhawks in the second round giving up a  21 goals in 6 games, including a stunning 19 in four losses. That would have been bad in the run and gun days of the early 1990’s, let alone now.

One year later, Luongo, the Freak Twins, and the Rest of the Western Canadian Slash and Run Pansies are at it again. Over the last 72 hours, they’ve laid the groundwork for what could be an epic post season choke. I resist the term “historic” only because we are barely one year removed from the last team to blow a 3 to 0 series lead, Claude Julien’s chronically underachieving Boston Bruins.

While the Bruins slowly and painfully disintegrated last May, the Canucks are imploding with stunning alacrity. Since Bobby Lu and the Twins eeked out a one goal win at the United Center last Sunday, they’ve been blown off the ice by a combined score of 12-2. Luongo in his inimitable fashion has gone from virtually unbeatable in the first three games to some bizarre amalgamation of Peter Skudra and Sebastian Caron. In short, he can’t stop anything.

In two games, Bobby Lu has been scalded for (I’m not making this up), 10 goals on 40 shots (a 75% save percentage) in just over 65 minutes of hockey. There simply are not sufficient words in the hockey lexicon to adequately describe this brutality. And while I freely admit that the defense in front of him has been less than stellar, the fact is that Luongo is back to yielding goals on shots I truly think Dave Filoni or Big Mike Levin would turn aside.

The irony here is that Luongo was supposed to be the missing piece in Vancouver when he was acquired. The Canucks of the late 90s and early 2000s were tremendously talented teams with one significant weakness, between the pipes. The best intentions of Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi were annually foiled by the inadequacies of Dan Cloutier and Bob Essensa.

Luongo was a monumental talent who carried horrendous Florida Panther teams to respectability. He was annually amongst the league leaders in save percentage in spite of facing more shots than any other goaltender. The expectation in Vancouver was that he was another Marty Brodeur. Turns out he’s just an overhyped and overpaid version of his replacement in Florida Tomas Vokoun.

How bad having things gotten for Luongo and the Nucks? Marian Hossa scored two goals last night. Enough said.

To be fair, Luongo is hardly the only Canuck who appears to be folding under playoff pressure. For example, I can’t remember a top scorer (let alone two freaky clones of the same one) for whom the hype so far exceeds the performance as the Sedins, at least come playoff time. Oh wait; I used that exact phrase to describe Luongo in last year’s blog. So be it, I can be repetitive and still be correct.

The great Ryan Kessler continues to endure Hossa like streaks of goal scoring ineptitude in the playoffs. The Canucks defense continues to allow odd man breaks like they are playing the Gretzky Oilers in the mid 80s. Imagine what Vancouver could do if Kevin Bieksa was more focused on breaking up a 2 on 1 breaks than he was on beating up Viktor Stalberg. Dare to dream I guess.

And when the score gets ugly, the Canucks resort to their usual cheap shot, slash and run tactics. I particularly enjoyed watching Alex Edler cheap shot Troy Brower in the head and then skate behind Maxim LaPierre (another upstanding gentlemen) for protection late in the second period. Heaven forbid they throw a legal check like Brooks Orpik or face a Hawks player man to man. Keep in mind this is a Blackhawk’s team that for my money is desperately lacking in physicality and grit.

I’m always reluctant to question the heart of character of professional athletes, especially hockey players. These guys play through injuries that would keep most of us confined to our mattress for months. Still, when you combine their low brow cheap shots with their recurring history of post season collapse, I can’t help but think the Canucks are a team desperately lacking in character. Compare them to the Penguins for example who are on the verge of winning a playoff series without Crosby and Malkin. Never mind, don’t.

Ironically, Vancouver initiated its implosion right after their resident goon took out Hawks defensemen Brent Seabrook with a blatant cheap shot to the head. In any place other than the bizzarro world of Colin Campbell justice, Raffi Torres would have earned another long suspension. Instead, all is well because he tee’d up Seabrook in what is apparently called is “the hitting zone.” Never mind that he clubbed him in the head, BEFORE SEABROOK TOUCHED THE PUCK.

And we want Sidney Crosby to return to this with his post concussion status in doubt?

Anyway, that hit seemed to accomplish what otherwise seemed impossible all season. It woke up the slumbering Blackhawks. The defending champs slogged their way through a horrifically disappointing season, backed their way in to the playoffs and then dug a seemingly insurmountable 3 to 0 hole. Alas since Torres tried to decapitate Seabrook, Chicago has taken over the series. If you don’t think they are fired up, you did not see Dave Bolland smash his stick over the bench last night in a fit of rage.

For Penguin fans who don’t follow the Blackhawks, understand that Jonathan Toews could be Sidney Crosby’s twin brother. Captain Serious, as he’s referred in the windy city, shares Crosby’s ferocious competitive spirit and strong leadership qualities. Like Crosby, Toews displays maturity well beyond his years and has an innate understanding of the risks that come with mouthing off in the press.

So I will acknowledge I was a fair bit shocked by Toews’ incendiary comments after the Hawks 7-2 laugher in game four. Instead of the usual mish mosh about taking it one game at a time and respecting our opponent, the Captain let go a long, diplomatic quote, the real context of which was “the Canucks are not that good, the Hawks were just not exposing them.” He went a step further in suggesting that the media and perhaps even his teammates think the Nucks are a lot better than they really are.

Is it me or did Captain Serious call the Canucks an overrated fraud. In a nice way, politically correct way of course.

Such comments would have been stunning if they came from Brett Hull or Jeremy Roenick. To have them come from Toews, a man who measures his words like a U.S. congressmen, is shocking on a “Brett Favre texting scandal” level. Since it’s happened, Toews’ teammates like Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland, Brian Campbell and for the love of all that’s good and holy, HOSSA, have taken over the series. And Luongo has twice been yanked, once with the indignity of being taunted by Vince Vaughn.

Yes I’m jumping the gun a bit here. The Blackhawks still need two more wins to complete this combination sporting miracle and colossAL choke. The Nucks could still pull it together and salvage the series in which case this blog will appear premature and vindictive (rather than simply vindictive).

Certainly Bobby Lu tried to very hard to convince the media that “a loss is a loss regardless of the score” after Thursday night’s debacAL. That’s the same hockey media contingent that engages in an annual Canuck love fest like it’s a rite of spring, before roasting Luongo and the boys after their latest post season collapse.

Can you imagine the carnage in Vancouver if the Nucks blow this? Rest assured Alain Vigneault will be collecting Canadian unemployment. Luongo’s hockey life in Vancouver will become untenable though good luck trading a $100 Million goalie whose glove turns to stone in April. Who knows, they might even trade ONE OF the Sedins for spite.

Three days ago such a scenario seemed impossible. As of now, let’s just say that anything is possible.

First Round Playoff Predictions - Fleury's Moment in the Sun

I have always maintained a staunch belief (or cult like zeal) that great goaltending is a prerequisite for winning a Stanley Cup. That is not exactly ground breaking news to those who know me well.

The Penguins have won three Stanley Cups in their history and played in four cup finals. On all four of those runs, goaltending was a critical element of that ultimate success. With all due respect to Ken Wregget I doubt the Stanley Cup would have found its way to Mario Lemieux’s swimming pool without Tom Barrasso.

Even with my grandiose delusions of goaltending superiority, I dare not advance the theory that Barrasso or Marc-Andre Fleury were the best players on their respective teams. Not when they were sharing ice time with the likes of Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, and Evgeni Malkin. Quite honestly, that’s the way a championship team should be built, with a great goaltender as PART OF the mix.

This may cause Disque and Filoni to fall over clutching their chests but truly I do not want an NHL where goaltenders can single handedly carry teams to championships on a regular basis. I fear this as much as I fear the league’s continued Osgood-ification, where certain teams devalue goaltenders to the point of absurdity. For the record, I define absurdity as fielding a championship caliber club in front of Michael Leighton and/or bailing on the cup winning goaltender over $2.75 Million in salary.

Ironically, while the influence of goaltenders seems to be increasing in the regular season, the opposite appears to be happening in the playoffs. With all due respect to Jaroslav Halak, we are seeing fewer and fewer instances of goaltenders carrying a team to the finals. For my money you have to go back to 2004 when Mikka Kipprusoff dragged a mediocre Calgary to game 7 of the finals, one year after Jean Sebastian Giguere did the same for Anaheim.

Which brings us to the 2011 Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury is poised to boldly go where no Penguin goaltender has gone before. For the first time in team history, a Penguin goaltender is clearly and without question the team’s most critical player going in to the post season. The 2011 Penguins will literally go only as far as the Flower can carry them.

This is not about making big saves at key moments as he did in 2008 and 2009. This is about being exceedingly brilliant start to finish. Forget the obvious fact that Fleury can not afford to allow soft goals against Tampa. He needs to spend the next two weeks making life utterly miserable for Stamkos, St’Louis, and LeCavallier. It’s the only chance the Penguins have.

The Penguins are going to play this series, and possibly their entire post season run without Sidney Crosby. That’s on top of already losing Evgeni Malkin. Feel free to dispute my theory that the Pens should shut down Crosby until next season. Just understand that he’s highly unlikely to play against Tampa if at all in these playoffs.

The Penguins have played through an unprecedented run of critical injuries, pretty much since the winter classic. There are not enough superlatives to describe the team’s effort and more important results during this span. They have developed something you can not quantify; an almost indominitable will to win. With all due respect to Mike Tomlin, it’s Dan Bylsma’s Penguins who have shown that “the standard is the standard.”

But there is no mystery here; the team just does not score enough goals without 87 and 71.

If the Pens are going to beat Tampa, it will likely be by 2-0 or 2-1 type scores. They will have to work relentlessly from start to finish, in every game. They will have to forecheck the life out of Tampa’s defense. They will have to stay out of the penalty box and not give easy opportunities to Tampa’s cadre of offensive stars. The drastically improved defense will have to continue its shut down performance.

And most important, Marc-Andre Fleury will have to be the dominant player in every game.

Even that might not be enough. Heart, grit, effort and strong goaltending are prerequisites for championship success. Superstars playing like superstars are the ultimate drivers. Penguin fans know this all to well; for years the Pens beat down harder working teams like Washington and Boston by having superior firepower. I still say the best game the Pens have played since Crosby’s injury was a 1 to 0 loss to Washington; a game that potentially foreshadows the team’s ultimate fate without Crosby.

The Pens have a championship goalie, championship coach, championship defense, and a championship heart. Without 87 and 71 they lack championship skill. That may keep them from winning the cup if Sid does not play, but it’s enough to beat the Bolts…PENS IN 6.

Other Series 

Washington (F’n) Crapitals (1) over New York Rangers (8) – 7 Games

Henrik Lundqvist is vastly superior to any of Washington’s three young goaltenders which should create Halak style post traumatic stress for Craps fans. Sadly, I don’t think it will matter. The Craps have an ugly post season history; but the Rangers can go choke for choke with anybody. New York still does not have anybody who can score consistently, Washington still has Ovechkin. For the record, I’m not totally buying the Craps new “defensive identity” but on the bright side Alex Semin and Mike Green will now have viable excuses for not scoring in the playoffs.

Buffalo Sabres (7) over The Eastern Pennsylvania Orange and Black Goon Squad (2) – 7 Games

Philadelphia has without question the deepest and most talented group of skaters in the post season. They are eerily reminiscent of last year’s Blackhawks with one notable exception; as per usual, the Goons are backstopping their team with second rate goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky has been trending downward since mid season and I’m not buying another Boucher/Leighton miracle. Buffalo’s major trade deadline acquisition was apparently their new owner, the Sabres are one of the hottest teams in the league since they wrapped up due diligence. In the meantime, Chris Pronger is in the press box and Philly is stumbling backwards in to the playoffs.

Boston Bruins (3) over Montreal Canadiens (6) – 6 Games

Last year I thought Montreal was the worst of the 16 playoff teams. This year…I think Montreal is the worst of the 16 playoff teams. And in spite of his shockingly brilliant season, I’m not expecting Halak part deux from Carey Price. I know the Canadiens have tortured Boston for a century and I know there is added angst given Zdeno Chara’s attempted beheading of Max Pacioretty, but I don’t see an upset here.

Western Canadian Slash and Run Pansies (1) over Chicago Blackhawks (8) – 6 games

Last Sunday I was at the United Center watching the Hawks try and salvage an immensely disappointing season. The atmosphere was great, the Hawks had everything at stake and Detroit had nothing to play for. The Hawks promptly spit up all over themselves.

I would love nothing more than for my adopted home town team to stuff it to Bobby Lu and the Freak Twins for a third straight year. And I might think it possible if Luongo’s one man personal nightmare Dustin Byfuglien was not marooned in the hockey purgatory that is Atlanta. Alas, the salary cap apocalypse cost the Hawks too much depth, physicality and grit and it showed all season. I’m not sold on the Nucks but I think they get over their Blackhawk hump this year.

San Jose Sharks (2) over Los Angeles Kings (7) – 5 games

The Sharks typically follow dominant regular seasons with playoff meltdowns. This happens because Joe Thornton typically follows a dominant regular season with a playoff meltdown. Never fear Sharks fans, Thornton finally changed the pattern; this year he’s been invisible pretty much since opening night. That means a very deep Shark’s team has already learned to win without him. Throw in dealing up perennial playoff choker Evgeni Nabakov for Stanley Cup backstop Antti Niemi; add Los Angeles losing Anze Kopitar and it’s an easy win for the Sharks. By the way, I see big things for San Jose this year.

Detroit Dead Wing (3) over Winnipeg Jets (6) – 6 games

If the Jets had still had my defensive man crush Zbynek Michalek, one legitimate goal scorer, or an actual home ice advantage, they would have a shot in this series. That’s what happens when you match Ilya Bryzgolav and Jimmy Howard in net. Alas the Dead Wings are used to winning with inferior goaltending (“Osgood-ification”) and the Jets just can not score. Throw in Detroit having decidedly more fans at all seven games and I think the Wings are just too much.

Nashville Predators (5) over Anaheim Ducks (4) – 7 games

I’m going to admit something I NEVER thought I would ever put in writing. Anaheim’s chances to win this series rest entirely on having a healthy Ray Emery. That’s akin to Penguin fans resting their hopes on Matt Cooke winning the noble peace prize. I’ll take a moment to make sure my computer does not spontaneously combust.

The Ducks have more talent than Nashville; in fact they have arguably the best first line in the game. And they’ve actually improved since Jonas Hiller got hurt; they were far too dependent on their Swiss sensation. Alas I can’t fathom any NHL team winning a playoff series with Dan Ellis in goal; let alone one with Anaheim’s defensive weaknesses. Which means as much as I’m disgusted by the idea, Nashville finally makes the second round…unless Emery or Hiller returns.

The Sad Tail of Barry Bonds

It seems like a thousand years ago that Barry Lamar Bonds was a young superstar left fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And as he endures endless days in a federal court room, I wonder if it seems even longer to the walking human cranium.

Bonds has become a tragic figure in modern sports although the seeds of this tragedy are entirely self cultivated. His once in a lifetime talent should have made him a hero in Pittsburgh and an icon in his sport. He should be a shoe in for Cooperstown and merit consideration as one of the greatest players of all time.

Instead, he’s remembered at best as the surly epitome of the entitled modern athlete; at worst as a steroid freak. That’s the untenable part for those of us who remember the young Barry Bonds in black and gold. Long before he ever heard of Victor Conte, long before he juiced his way to immorality, Barry Bonds of the Pittsburgh Pirates was perhaps the greatest baseball player we ever saw.

There is a reason that I attended so many Pirate games in the early 80s and I assure you it goes beyond the daily (and sometimes twice daily) invitations from my good friend the Kapper. Watching a young Bonds was like watching a young Mario Lemieux; any night he might do something you had never seen before. As hard as this is to imagine for an entire generation of Pittsburgh baseball fans, the Pirates in those days where a truly enjoyable team to watch.

I will take it a step further; the Pirates during the height of the Bonds era were arguably the best team in baseball, though sadly without a championship to prove it. They won three straight division titles and did it the right way; with pitching, defense, and great fundamentals. And when that was not quite enough; Bonds was there to change a game with his bat, glove, arm or legs.

Which makes sense because as much as we would like to believe otherwise, you can’t win championships with just hard work and fundamentals. You need that superstar who can lift a team on his back at key moments. If you doubt this, I suggest you investigate the team goal totals of the hard working Penguins’ since Crosby and Malkin were injured.

What that means was that Bonds was the ultimate key to the Pirates’ phenomenal regular season success. He was also every bit the key to their trio of consecutive post season failures. To this day I can not get my arms around the idea that a player so dominant during the regular season could morph in to Rafael Belliard in October.

Those grievous post season failures might have been Bonds’ ultimate legacy had he not discovered the cream and the clear a decade later. They would probably have excluded him from mention with the true immortals of the game; even though his talent and regular season performance was every bit as impressive. To some extent, Bonds saved his legacy by juicing up; not because of the video game-like 73 home runs he hit in 2001 but because of his dominant performance in that post season (before the Giants’ inevitable World Series choke).

Of course saving his legacy might not have been necessary if Bonds’ were not such a complete jerk. The next person who has a genuinely good word to say about Bonds in public will also be the first. Did you notice the amount of joy last season’s Giants took not just in wining their first World Series but also in winning it without the testosterone king?

(Editors note, my apologies…according to Barry he’s the flaxseed oil king).

With all due respect to any other universally disliked athlete in sports, Bonds is the only one for whom it can be said a signature career moment was the coach or manager dressing him down publically on the 6:00pm news. Jim Leyland was extremely popular in Pittsburgh before he screamed, “I’m the ‘gosh darn’ manager!” at Bonds. He became a virtual deity afterwards. It was probably the first time in his life that somebody had the nerve to knock Bonds down a peg.

I talk a lot in the blog about athletes building up collateral with the fans and media. Those who choose not too do so ultimately at their own peril. Such collateral may have zero net value when the team is winning and/or the player is performing at his best; but it’s platinum when things go sour.

The simple fact is that when everybody hates you; people will bail on you at the first opportunity. Deep down, nobody wants to root for a guy they truly dislike. That’s why the Cubs continue to deny the existence of Sammy Sosa, a man who was instrumental filling their stadium for over a decade. That’s why Bear fans turned on Jay Cutler in a heartbeat last January.

It’s also why so many in the media continued to defend Kobe Bryant during his rape accusation while Ben Roethlisberger was given little or not benefit of the doubt. Kobe made a point to seem publically likeable, Ben never considered this a priority until last fall.

Barry Bonds never learned this lesson. Truth be told, I don’t think he ever cared too. He always seemed content to be a complete jerk, and anybody who dared call him out was either jealous or racist. Now its all coming back to bite him as many who knew him line up to jam the final nail in his legal coffin; with the media cheering them on.

Honestly, of all the things to hate about Bonds; his insistence on playing the race card is at the top of the list. I’m not suggesting that he never encountered racism in his life; at some point he probably did. I am saying that when a wealthy, entitled, superstar athlete uses it as a defense mechanism against even the slightest criticism, it insults and dishonors those who have truly been victims. It also speaks a great deal of that person’s character or better yet; lack thereof.

Is there any question that Bonds grew up with more money and privilege than most of us? Do you have any doubt that people have been kissing his rear end from the moment his monstrous athletic talents first became visible? Somehow, I don’t think Martin Luther King was visualizing the plight of Barry Bonds when he penned the “I have a dream” speech.

Which brings us to today. Perhaps the greatest baseball player of my generation is little more than a side show carnival freak. He’s on trial for lying to a grand jury and the U.S. Government is parading in a cavalcade of witnesses to prove it. In the end, they likely will. You know the old saying, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck...

Bonds is too smart to believe that the drugs he was given were harmless creams and oils, especially when his body (and head) suddenly doubled in size and baseballs started flying in to San Francisco Bay with record breaking regularity. And if Bonds truly were that dumb, he’s too arrogant to make anybody believe it; especially given his personal trainer (and dealer’s) bizarre insistence on remaining in jail essentially at Barry’s behest.

No matter what happens in this trial, Bonds epitaph will be that he tarnished his entire legacy over what was likely 100 steroid induced home runs. That and one chance to overcome his litany of October failures. I exclude his home run records because they are afforded no legitimacy in modern baseball. In point of fact, Bonds’ most amazing feet may be that singlehandedly transformed two of the most revered records in all of sports in to complete irrelevancy.

Which means in the end, he did it all for nothing.

Oddly, in spite of everything I said above, I have mixed emotions on this. I find it impossible to have any sympathy for Bonds and certainly would love to see another blow landed in the fight against performance enhancing drugs in sports. And yet there is still a part of me that remembers him as a young man making those miraculous diving catches on the green cement of Three Rivers Stadium. That part of me mourns that a player of that magnitude will be remembered only as a cheater, a criminal, and a first class jerk.

Even for as vile a character as Bonds, that qualifies on some level as a sports tragedy.