We have a saying here in the windy city that a person went “Big Z” on someone. This is in deference to (or fear of) Cubs’ lunatic fringe pitcher Carlos Zambrano and essentially means the person to some degree lost their mind, freaked out, had a meltdown, and possibly beat the crap out somebody. Better stated, they reenacted the last five years of Zambrano in Chicago.
After Big Z’s latest meltdown and childish threat to retire last week it appears the Cubs have FINALLY had enough. I guess $90 Million buys a lot of forgiveness given that the Cubs have repeatedly overlooked (among other things) Zambrano's remarkable inconsistency, beating up his catcher, selling out his teammates, and freaking out at opposing players, coaches, and umpires. Bailing on his teammates in the middle of a game was the final straw. This should not surprise anybody who lived through the tumultuous end of the Sammy Sosa, Flintstones vitamin era in Chicago. The Cubs actually released Zapruder film like coverage of Sosa in the parking lot during his final game in Chicago.
The shame of it is that during those rare times when Zambrano is lucid and focused, he’s an exceptionally good pitcher. He appeared to be on the verge of Cy Young caliber stardom before signing his massive contract and he even after that tossed a no hitter in 2008. Alas, such greatness is far too rare and completely eclipsed by his over the top public meltdowns (and subsequent hollow apologies).
Zambrano is a locker room parasite who feeds on the extremely limited supply of positive energy at Wrigley field. Regardless of whether Cubs fans have any faith in their management team, the reality is that no meaningful rebuilding can occur on the north side until Zambrano is vanquished from the clubhouse. We can’t even guarantee that will occur given that he’s professed his love for Chicago and filed a grievance against the Cubs for suspending him. Unreal.
Jim Hendry has done less with more than virtually any general manager in sports. His record of player procurement is abysmal, especially given the budget he has to work with. Sadly his one area of expertise appears to be moving out malcontents with supposedly untradeable contracts. Here’s hoping the man who found homes for Sosa and Milton Bradley can do the same for Zambrano.
With that, I go Big Z on some other random topics in the heart of the summer sports dead zone:
• Forgive me if I’m not exactly shocked by the Yahoo story detailing rampant corruption at the University of Miami. Gee, the solid citizens of the U were given improper benefits including money, cars, alcohol, strippers, and prostitutes. What next, violence in maximum security prisons? Partisan dysfunction in congress? The Pirates finishing below 500? Yah, stop the press.
• Sadly, the Miami story is becoming the norm in big time college athletics. Powerhouse programs at USC and Ohio State (not to mention weaklings like North Carolina) are either on probation or facing serious allegations. As I sit here right now I’ll give you 2 to 1 odds that Auburn’s National Championship is vacated within five years. In fact, given the budding scandal at Oregon they might just pretend the whole BCS title game never happened. The unfortunate truth is that big time college football has become a cesspool of corruption. Worse yet, what we do not know is probably a lot worse than what we do.
• I admit I do not have a ready made solution to address corruption in college athletics but it would help if the NCAA stopped enabling egregious violations, let alone actually punishing them. I just read an article that stated the Sugar Bowl folks insisted Terrell Pryor and his accomplices play in their $20 Million New Year’s exhibition in order to, and I love this choice of language, protect the “integrity” of the contest. Sadly it was only slightly worse than Auburn starting their $180,000 amateur quarterback after the NCAA willingly buried its head in the sand. I’m dating myself here but the NCAA compliance officers remind me of the Bartles and James wine cooler guys from those late 80s commercials.
• As much as I believe that it’s long past time for Joe Paterno to retire, I often wonder if Penn State’s recent struggles are more because of JoePa’s age or because we don’t have alumni boosters that chaperone recruits to strip clubs. If it’s the latter, i.e., if Penn State has fallen in stature because they refuse to cheat, it makes it virtually impossible for me to watch college football anymore. Hopefully Pat Fitzgerald can address this after JoePa retires in three to five more years.
• Why do I feel like I’m the only person in the Steeler Nation who is genuinely concerned about the age of the defense? If Aaron Smith is in the line-up on opening day, the team will have eight starters on the plus side of 30. That may be young in public accounting but its ancient in the National Football League. As brilliant as the defense was in 2008 and 2010, there were notable signs of aging, primarily their inability to stop teams in the fourth quarter. I think that’s why Tomlin and Lebeau switched to that horrific prevent in the AFC title game that nearly caused me to Big Z my flat screen.
• Bill Bellicheat is not, as commonly postulated a genius but he is willing to think outside the football box. For years I’ve questioned why teams even attempt to run the football against the Steelers, given the utter futility of the effort. Belicheat to his credit abandoned established football dogma and never did. The Patriots regularly shred the Steelers’ defense with a quick strike passing game while making only token efforts on the ground. Green Bay used this same game plan in the Super Bowl as did Drew Brees and even Mark Sanchez last year.
The good news for the Black and Gold is you need a hall of fame caliber quarterback to execute this strategy. The bad news is that several such quarterbacks potentially stand between the Steelers and another Lombardi Trophy.
• I know the preseason does not mean squat but I could swear I saw Rex Grossman tearing up the Steelers’ defense last Friday night.
• Rick Reilly jumped the shark as a columnist about five years ago but he nailed it this week in ripping the Cincy Bungles and their cheap, curmudgeon owner Mike Brown. What does it tell you that Carson Palmer would forfeit $45 Million rather than play football for the Bungles? Brown has been running a pathetic and cheap organization for decades. He basically told his coach Marvin Lewis to kiss of when Lewis demanded the Bungles spend money and modernize. And this hypocritical oaf has the gall to suggest that Palmer reneged on his commitment to the team? How many players have the Bengals cut while they were under “contractual commitments?”
Even if you 100% agree with Brown and think Palmer is the NFL’s Big Z, riddle me this; would a good owner force a fading star player to retire out of spite or pawn him off for high draft choices to improve the club? Watch Brown do nothing and you’ll have your answer.
• As we sit here today I have no idea whether Sidney Crosby will be in the line-up on opening night. I refuse to make any assumptions based on rampant and irresponsible media speculation. I will say that if he’s not ready to go then he should stay on the sidelines until he is. The Pens made a monumental gaffe in allowing their franchise superstar to play after the Steckel hit. I was convinced he has a concussion when I saw it live and more so when 24/7 replayed it. The only positive here is that the Pens realized their mistake and resisted the temptation to rush him back for the playoffs. Crosby is the franchise and he’s two years away from being a free agent. Given that, I’m okay with exercising a tad more patience than they did with Aaron Asham.
• Sometimes when I need a cheap smile or laugh I remind myself that they worship hockey in Vancouver and Roberto Luongo is under contract until 2047.
• Only 24 days until the Steelers open their season in Baltimore and the sports dead zone mercifully ends. Looking forward to seeing James Harrison and the boys go Big Z on Joe Flacco!
Showing posts with label roberto luongo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roberto luongo. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
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)
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)
Friday, April 22, 2011
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.
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.
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