And Away We Go

The Stanley Cup playoffs are underway. I think I told you that on Monday night at the Pats draft, not one of the people taking part took a New York Ranger. Guess who haad the lone "upset" of the night. In what was the most entertaining game of the four to open up the 2nd season, the Blueshirts beat the Capitals 4-3. The reason why New York won this game---Washington goalie Jose Theodore. He was horrible. Washington needs better. What I liked about this game was the fact there were a couple of big hits thrown and instead of someone running over to fight the guy who delivered the hit, the game went on---just the way it should. That is the one thing I hate perhaps the most about the NHL right now is how a fight has to be had when a clean check is delivered that lays out someone. I don't mind fighting but when its after something like that, its a little ludicrous. As for Sean Avery, he was at his best when it came to agitating and while he wasn't the difference, he did energize the Rangers. Washington needs to deal with him somehow.

Speaking of the Pats draft, Rod Pedersen took a lot of Devils. In fact, his whole team might be New Jersey guys with the exception of Jamie Langenbrunner. He made it to "Team Blair". Langenbrunner gets a pair prompting a text from a grumpy RP as New Jersey beats Carolina 4-1. By the way, New Jersey's Mike Mottau ended up getting the first goal of the playoffs. I ask you if you took Mike Mottau in your draft. I ask you if you even knew who Mike Mottau was until I just mentioned his name. If you answered yes to the above two questions, you were either in a draft that went more than 12 rounds and you are lying!!! I'm not even sure if my best friend who is a huge Devils fan would know the name Mike Mottau if I mentioned it to him.

I don't know what the Flyers were thinking going into Game 1 against Pittsburgh but they had better re-think their strategy. Philly did not look good in losing 4-1 to the Penguins.

In Vancouver, I thought the Canucks basically dominated St. Louis yet they had to play until the final second to preserve a 2-1 win. Roberto Luongo was his usual brilliant self. I don't know if he was the difference but the Canucks were certainly the better team--they just couldn't capitalize on chances they had. Mats Sundin still doesn't look like he's in top form.

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So what did you watch last night. I tried watching the three early games by going back and forth but eventually I just put the remote down and watched the Washington-Ranger game because it was the best one of the three. With TSN2, it means we get more hockey and don't have to worry about just seeing updates. Its still tough to keep an eye on everything though. TSN did its usual thing with the panel while CBC did the only new thing by having Jeff Marek and Scott Morrison doing some blogging and reading what others were saying. It seems as if many wanted to discuss the Craig MacTavish firing (resignation) in Edmonton. Morrison said several candidates names had already popped up and I was surprised to hear the name Lorne Molleken. Not that Lorne wouldn't be a worthy candidate because he would be but I don't know if he wants to go back to the NHL wars. He has it pretty nice where he is now and the Blades should be strong again next year. The names of Tom Renney, Marc Crawford and Pat Quinn are coming up--all because of their previous Vancouver connection to Steve Tambellini. Brent Sutter's name has also come up. He apparently wants to be closer to home and may leave the Devils when the season is over. I wouldn't be happy at all if Sutter took over in Edmonton(once again the sarcasm factor is lost when blogging compared to saying it live---perhaps I do need to investigate a podcast!!)
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Brian Burke is working the phones. TSN's Darren Dreger says he has spoken to both the Islanders and Lightning about a deal so they can move up to take John Tavares. Its believed both teams threw Luke Schenn's name into the ring which is a big splash of cold water on Burke's plan as he says the Sasktoon blueliner is untouchable. How will this work out???
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Has Hulk Hogan taken a chair to the head?? Was he the victim of a sneak attack by the Ultimate Warrior?? Hulk's career is basically over already but he had to throw some dirt on the coffin when he told "Rolling Stone" magazine that he can totally understand OJ Simpson. I could have turned everything into a crime scene like O.J., cutting everybody's throat," Hogan said in the interview for a feature that will run in Friday's edition of the magazine. "You live half a mile from the 20,000-square-foot home you can't go to anymore, you're driving through downtown Clearwater [Florida] and see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is sleeping in your bed, with your wife... ."I totally understand O.J. I get it. (YIKES!!!)
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With the playoffs starting, I didn't pay a lot of attention to baseball but in seeing highlights I noticed a lot of 42's. I didn't realize it was Jackie Robinson day and to commemorate it every player in the majors wore Robinson's 42. I'm watching highlights of the afternoon game on Sportscentre going when did Tim Wakefield change his number??? Why is Derrek Lee wearing 42. What's going on???
I could ask that question with one of the two fantasy baseball teams I own. Just over a week into the season and I have three starting pitchers on the DL. (Jesse Litsch, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Cris Carpenter)Looks like I'm off to the waiver wire to see what's there.
Perhaps I should see if I can get Florida high school pitcher Patrick Schuster. He just finished pitching his 3rd no hitter of the season----did I mention those three no-hitters have come in his last three starts. Back to back to back no-nos. I don't care if its highschool or what level it is...thats damn impressive. The no-hitter might be one of the toughest things to do in team sports and only one major league pitcher has ever pitched back to back no-hitters and that was in 1938. Schuster has done it in his last three starts. Either the high school league he pitches in is full of one-armed, blind guys (no I'm not being disrespectful)or this guy is soon going to have a lot of scouts at his games.
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I'm spending some quality daddy-daughter time with my 5 year old. My wife and oldest daughter are on a bus heading to Colorado for a softball tournament with the weather forecasting snow for the area on the weekend. (Yeah I bet they are in a good mood!!). Anyways, its daddy-daughter days and with it being so gray and yucky yesterday, she spent a lot of it watching Treehouse or Teletoon or YTV. I just have to say that there are some stupid, stupid cartoons out there right now. I have no problem with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or the Backyardigans but some of this other stuff is just dumb. That being said, I do enjoy Teletoon showing Bugs Bunny and the Roadrunner. Was there anything better than watching Wile E Coyote try to catch that damn bird. He had to have kept the ACME company afloat. By the way, I'm wondering if Max and Ruby killed their parents. You never see them and Ruby continues to look after her little brother. Where are their parents??? For that matter why does Dora's parents allow her to hang out with a monkey and let her go everywhere without calling or telling anyone where she is headed. All valid questions!!!!
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The NBA season is over. The Raptors win their last game in Chicago but finish with a record of 33-49. That is worthy of another appearance at the NBA draft lottery. The NBA playoffs will start this weekend. Cleveland and the Lakers are the favourites to meet in the final. I don't mind if Lebron James gets there but I have no love for the Lakers and would love to see them fall flat on their face because of one Kobe Bryant. For a guy who loves baseball, football and hockey, it says something when I say Bryant is probably the one pro athlete that I hate the most. I was so hoping he would go down in Colorado a few years ago but he didn't. I simply have no time for him.
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The Riders have a new defensive tackle to talk about. Gabe Nyenhuis played in Arena Football with the Philadelphia Soul (Jon Bon Jovi's team). He has also spent time with several NFL teams including the Falcons and Seahawks. He's 6-4, 275.
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Stay dry!! Thanks for reading.