So I'm convinced the Hockey Gods (or the #injuryninja as @TheProgramBTR calls it) have decided to just curse all the league's favorite people: Alex Ovechkin JUST hit 20 goals last night, as a result the NHL would probably kill us with Sidney Crosby news -- except he's been out with a concussion he received in the Winter Classic and is still out to date, and now Evgeni Malkin is out, again.
Malkin had been dealing with a knee injury at the start of the season and was unable to play for Pittsburgh until later in the year. He finally returned and slowly found his scoring touch, until just before the All-Star Break, he had a sinus infection that kept him out for five games and the All-Star Game. Nonetheless, he returned after the break and played last night against the Buffalo Sabres.
According to an eye-witness account I received, Malkin hit the boards standing, until Tyler Myers fell onto Malkins knee. The way it bent, she said, he looked as though he tore his MCL.
Lo-and-behold this morning, Malkin was slated to be out for the rest of the year with a torn MCL AND ACL. ESPN's Pierre Lebrun on Twitter said his sources say the recovery time for Malkin after surgery would be six months. So all in all, Malkin will be out for the rest of the year.
The Penguins, who are currently three points behind the Flyers, can choose to deal with their struggles and call it a year, or go for someone at the trade deadline. Their injuries, especially to their centers, pose the option of going after Brad Richards from the Dallas Stars. Not that I have any inside information on any talks between the two teams, but because Dallas' uncertainty in being able to re-sign Richards and a having a legitimate chance at the Stanley Cup, it is a viable possibility.
In the coming days, I will have a guest-post from medical researcher, Vinod Venugopalan, on concussions and Crosby's career options. You won't want to miss the opportunity to hear from not a know-it-all sports journalist, but an actual medical source on such a serious issue for the NHL.
Showing posts with label Philadelphia Flyers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philadelphia Flyers. Show all posts
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Hockey Markets and their Successes - GUEST-POST
This past weekend was my birthday (January 15th) and one of my Twitter followers, Shannon Caulfield (@Shannybaby99) stepped up to be All We Do Is Puck's first guest-post.
She focused on the idea of hockey markets and what could help certain markets succeed and looked into some teams' progress thus far in the NHL. Albeit, it is a large topic to focus on, but I thought she did a pretty good job of helping folks scratch the surface on the issue.
*These are strictly the guest-poster's views*
She focused on the idea of hockey markets and what could help certain markets succeed and looked into some teams' progress thus far in the NHL. Albeit, it is a large topic to focus on, but I thought she did a pretty good job of helping folks scratch the surface on the issue.
*These are strictly the guest-poster's views*
~Hockey is a beloved sport across the nation and throughout North America but it is obvious the difference teams across North America posses. The popularity of the markets, players, and how success plays a major role in revenue is relevant in the success of the league.
My curiosity lies within the location and management of specific teams. How big of a difference would their success be if they originally started in the East or were moved to a better market? Has the popularity increased/decreased after finding success in a cup run? Where is the correlation between success and a good fiscal year for teams?
According to ESPN.com the team in 2010-2011 with the highest attendance is the Montreal Canadiens with an average of 21,273 attendees per game. The second and third highest in attendance lie with the previous Stanley Cup Champs and runner up respectively the Chicago Blackhawks 21,231 and Philadelphia Flyers 19,594. Next two are the Maple Leafs 19,317, the always successful and original six hockey club the Red Wings with 19,275, the Blues hold 7, Canucks 8, Capitals 9, Sabres round out top ten and Pittsburgh Penguins 11 with 18,212. Three of those teams lie in the Western Conference with winning titles and successful players.
At the bottom of the list? The teams that just can’t get a break are ones and can’t spark a consistent interest with fans begin with the Panthers at 22nd, 23 Avalanche, 24 Stars, 25 Ducks, 26 Devils, 27 Blue Jackets, 28 Thrashers, 29 Coyotes who draw approximately 10,282 and finally the ever-struggling Islanders with 9,692.
Unfortunately for these markets these teams have experienced poor upper-management and ownership ultimately has led to some of this downfall, specifically with the Atlanta who has experienced what it is like to be the product of poorly ran upper management.
After the 2010 season Atlanta cleaned house and is looking up as far as success is concerned. They promoted Don Waddell to President of Hockey Operations, formerly serving as interim coach and GM and the Assistant GM Rick Dudley was then moved to the leadership position of GM. Former Assistant Coach of the Boston Bruins Craig Ramsay was named head coach. Dudley spared no time when it came to the players and quickly got to business trading for Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, defensive powerhouse Dustin Byfuglien. Atlanta is top ten currently overall in the league which is a world of a difference when they finished last season ranked at 23rd. They can give the Southeast Division a run for their money as they are only six behind Tampa Bay and Washington who are tied for 51 points.
The Thrashers’ revenue averages $65 million per year and rank under Washington at 27 according to fromtherink.com and Forbes magazine. They brought in a mere $59 million in the 03-04 season and saw a great deal of improvement just a few years later bringing in $70 million in 2008. What does that mean for Atlanta? With the big(ger) ticket names and recent Stanley Cup winners gracing the roster? Increased interest means increased revenue and a bigger shot at remaining in their market.
It’s no shock that the Toronto Maple Leafs hold the current number one spot on the aforementioned Forbes list averaging revenue of a staggering $134 million. Despite their consistent lack of winning Their fans are unwavering in their support for the Ontario based team. Second is the Rangers with $122 and third is Montreal with an average of $107 million dollars in revenue not a shock either, New York City is the largest populated city in the U.S.
Pittsburgh is ranked low on the Forbes list at 23, they brought in approximately $52 million 03-04 and by 07-08 the year they began to see significant success; they had brought in coincidentally $87 million, (but cool). Pittsburgh had the highest percent increase at 67.31% the next highest belongs to Anaheim with a 66.67% increase and bringing in $90 million in revenue in 2008 the year following their Cup win. The next highest percent increase lies with the team from the Garden State starting with a $61 million in 03-04 to bringing in $97 million in the 07-08 season.
Colorado had the biggest percent decrease within the five-season span surveyed. They were down -8.08% while remained ranked at number 9 for bringing in the most revenue. The second team ranked in the negatives, also rounding out the top ten, was Tampa Bay who’s average was $85 million but down -4.55% over the five year period. Third who was down in the negatives and also in the top ten was the Philadelphia Flyers who are ranked sixth on the Forbes list average approximately $96 million and found themselves -3.77% percent.
Despite the rankings according to Forbes over this five year period; I can’t help but be aware of the success of these teams at the current time. The Flyers are seeing sellout crowds due to their recent Cup run against the Blackhawks and are currently going between first and second in the league and the consistent passionate support of their fans. It’s no secret in sports that Philadelphia has some of the scariest passionate fans in the country. The Flyers success has only fueled the fire of the passionate fans.
Colorado has not only recently picked up Matt Duchene but has seen some recent success and have been fluctuating with their current rank of 16. Colorado finished last year in the top 12 and clinched a playoff spot. They saw some spotlight with goalie Craig Anderson and his unbelievable go-around during the playoffs. Unfortunately for the franchise, the fans only seem to want to fill the stadium during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The other team in the negatives was Tampa Bay who saw the 25th rank at the end of their season, one of their forwards Steven Stamkos brought a lot of press to the team tying with superstar Sidney Crosby for most goals in a season and co-winning the Rocket Richard trophy. In this ‘10-‘11 season they are on fire and round out the top 5 in the league. They recently picked up Flyer veteran Simon Gagne; Stamkos and St Louis are seeing success with 57 and 53 points respectively they’re proving their success. I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a Lightning game in Tampa Bay and there was a decent, loud crowd. The more the team sees success (they pulled in first in the Southeast Division that specific game) the more fans and support they can garner and a positive increase in revenue as things take off.
What can the NHL do as a whole then to generate more fans and a higher success rate for the teams drawing poor crowds? We can’t blame the economy for everything, especially when Detroit ranks in the top 10. The NHL should carefully take a look at locations that contain more rinks per-capita, as well as the favorable opinions of ice hockey in various cities with high interest in a professional team. Money and cost of hosting these teams are a huge factor, as well as the promise of generating enough revenue to keep the teams.
What about a starting point for these new locations? Look into successful NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey, the successful clubs not only draw the attention of fans enough to sell out crowds nearly nightly but they also contain a number of players who will soon make the transition of collegiate athlete to pro-athlete. North Dakota could be promising as well as Maine (especially with its close proximity to Canada). There has been talk of moving a team back to Winnipeg; how will that play out? As of now, it’s just rumors.
Other things to consider: the NFL. There are huge, very serious allegations insinuating a lockout. While this news is disheartening to football fans nationwide, there lies the opportunity to give the NHL the financial boost it needs. Unfortunately for football fans there are no other football outlets for them to get excited about.
However, during this pending lockout, there are options for football fans: sports that start around the same time, like ice hockey and basketball. This gives each sport a fair shot at new fans and a new interest in what each has to offer. These fans did show excitement during the Olympics, and especially after the 24/7 HBO series, the spotlight on hockey seems to have gotten brighter with lockout implications in other sports. When fans of these other outlets have their sports taken away, they will have the opportunity to further explore the idea of hockey -- Just something to take into consideration in the very near future.
Success is ever important to the NHL between the success of teams and players. The NHL is creating new ways to bring positive attention to the league, such as the 2011 NHL Winter Classic and hyping up its biggest superstars. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have brought attention the Capitals-Penguins matchup at Heinz field brought in 4.5 million viewers, the highest of their matchups thus far (the two still have two more matches to go this year). This Winter Classic had a 10% increase in viewers from all the others according to thehockeysuit.com.
These are all signs of an increased interest in and what the league has to offer to new fans. With the better stars, fresh ideas for fans, young stars the league is consistently recruiting, there is more attention brought on to the NHL. The franchises pull in fans and will have greater revenue each fiscal year. Fresh, innovative and exciting ideas involving fans give an enhanced chance to each franchise respectively for the most success attainable for the NHL. ~
If you have interest in being a future guest-poster, email me at lewisa@washpost.com with your potential topic and approach.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Caps get it handed to them
For your first post on "All We Do Is Puck," I will focus on what the puck happened in the Caps/Thrashers game.
The Washington Capitals lose 5-0 on the road against the Atlanta Thrashers. Against a team who is second in the league in 3rd period goals allowed, the Caps were not able to pull anything against the usually struggling defense of the Thrashers. The Caps sure weren't the only team to get their asses handed to them tonight, as the Chicago Blackhawks lost 7-2 to the Calgary Flames (ouch!) and the New York Rangers were defeated 5-1 by the Colorado Avalanche.
Granted, the Caps have played poorly in their last game in Atlanta for the first game of the season in a 4-2 loss. The Caps also struggled mightily in the last two Thrashers games at home, winning 4-3 in OT after a comeback effort, and winning a wacky 6-4 match earlier this week. Of course though, none of them takes the cake like this one.
Bruce Boudreau, believing he is making some kind of magic trick, switches up the lines about 500 times a game, much less throughout a period of games. Well, tonight proved he was no Houdini, clearly getting no results on the board.
It's not like the Caps played THAT badly either tonight. Braden Holtby, who I say should become the Caps backup netminder, made some small rookie mistakes that resulted in 3 goals on 7 shots. Such mistakes included lunging after a puck about 5 feet from the crease, and not watching the player with the puck. The defense probably did a better job tonight than they did Wednesday night against the Sabres.
This game was just one of those games. The Caps clearly looked like they just didn't really care and were just looking forward to tomorrow night's matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers at home. Throw-away game much?
The Capitals are arguably "the worst-best team in the NHL" this season, having only less than a handful of definitively won games. When they do win, it looks like a fat kid trying to run to the top of a hill, and making it to that very top just before they pass out. I don't know. People say take the two points and run, but I'm pretty sure that won't get the Caps further than they've been in the playoffs.
Yes, there goes that word again: playoffs. People say, "They'll turn it on in the playoffs. They'll peak later in the year. You don't want to peak too early after all." But the question is, do you want to suck until you get to the playoffs?
That's what nobody wants to hear or talk about in Caps Nation, because it's been talked about, and people get high-up in emotions about it. Who wants to complain about their team all day after all? Caps fans should not be mistaken with Cubs fans, or Leafs fans for that matter.
Nonetheless, it'll be on their minds. A proper attitude might get you somewhere, but I'm going to say it again and again: there are pieces the team needs before people can legitimately talk about playoffs. Package: Varlamov and Fleischmann.
Awww crud! One more thing: Alex Semin's point streak comes to an end after tonight.
But not to worry. I'm not one of those people who like to complain about their team after one game! So before I pass total judgment on the Caps, I'd like to see some trends. So meet me at The Hockey Writers tomorrow for that.
For the Caps' sake let's hope there's less "pucking" around in their own zone against the Flyers. We all know what happened to them last game.... *channel inner 1974 type offense*
Monday, May 24, 2010
That Was Quick - On to the Stanley Cup Finals
So I tried to make a successful round in picking teams again, and yet, again, I failed. At least it couldn't have been as astronomically bad as the last round since there aren't as many teams to scout, analyze, and pick. However, I still managed to be wrong.
Out West, I figured the Blackhawks were too good for the San Jose Sharks. Chicago in previous series looked a little bit inconsistent, as they did during the season. Nonetheless, I just didn't see the Sharks being better than the Hawks. It was as easy as that.
I still thought that the series would be a little more competitive, predicting the Hawks winning in six or seven games, but the Sharks ended up completing a four-game sweep of San Jose. The individual games featured a Sharks team that was very good and had a lot of fight, but the Hawks were just that much better.
Chicago looked dominant, despite their slow starts. Three out of the four games, the Sharks scored first, although Chicago would often get their legs moving later in the game and dominate the remaining time.
The Blackhawks, at least, were the one team I can say I picked correctly all the way through, as I had them in the Stanley Cup Finals since the beginning of the playoffs. In fact, my Western Conference picks were not that heinous throughout the entire playoffs, so congratulations to me!
In the East, however, the mess continued for my predictions. I assumed that the Flyers would struggle mightily, as they still didn't have Jeff Carter and lost Maxim Lapierre, and thought that they spent everything they had completing the historic 3-0 comeback against the Boston Bruins. I also thought that the Canadiens would have had luck on their side, and the continuing stretch of Jaroslav Halak's impenetrability.
Boy, I was wrong...
The Canadiens decided to play dead and lose 6-0 in Game 1 to the Flyers in Philadelphia. But I wasn't moved because in the last series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Habs lost 6-3 in Game 1 and won that series in seven games. So I had no worries.
Again, I was wrong...
The Flyers continued to punish the Canadiens, winning Game 2 by the score of 3-0, giving them another record in the books in having the longest scoring stretch. I had faith after Montreal returned the favor by winning Game 3 5-1 on home ice, and figured that they just needed to change the venue.
Then came Game 4 and the Habs went back to the same crappy-crap-crapshoot style of hockey, losing that one 3-0 in another scoreless effort with only 17 shots (they call that something like the Diffusion of Responsibility in psychology). You must give credit when it is due, though. Michael Leighton, goaltender of the Flyers, has been outstanding in the place of Brian Boucher. Just imagine if he went down - Chris Pronger or something would have had to play goalie.
*Lester Patrick for the New York Americans anyone?
Game 5 was hopeful for those who picked Montreal to win, as they seemed to win every game where they faced elimination. This hope was built up when they scored first in Philadelphia. But once they let in an unfortunate goal (video coming soon), it went downhill from there. The Habs regained life after being down 3-1 coming within one goal at 3-2, but they were unable to get the equalizer and there it was - the #7 seeded Philadelphia Flyers were the 2010 Eastern Conference Champions in the playoffs.
How the hell this happened is beyond me; it baffled me enough a #7 seed got home-ice advantage in the Conference Finals.
Oh well, I am on my knees with this one to be right...
STANLEY CUP FINALS
#2 Chicago Blackhawks over #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games
The Blackhawks are too legitimate to lose to the Flyers in the Finals. The Western Conference has shown to be much stronger, and that the best teams truly do win out. I will give the Flyers credit to steal one game from them, but I highly doubt they have enough to win, even though they got almost their whole team back, minus Boucher.
I don't care that Barry Melrose predicted this final from the start. I still am bitter, I will admit. Considering the Flyers ran through a team they owned during the regular season a million times in New Jersey, then played a #6 seed and an #8 seed, they were given a better path than most of the other teams playing in the playoffs for an extended period of time. Nonetheless, they got past it, and I will give them that.
Still, the Blackhawks are winning, and I'm going to need them to win anyway. I live in a place there are wayyyyy too many Flyers fans right now.
The Finals will begin Saturday, May 29 at 8 p.m. on NBC at Chicago.
And no worries Red Sox fans, hockey season is almost over, and I will be getting to baseball soon :).
Out West, I figured the Blackhawks were too good for the San Jose Sharks. Chicago in previous series looked a little bit inconsistent, as they did during the season. Nonetheless, I just didn't see the Sharks being better than the Hawks. It was as easy as that.
I still thought that the series would be a little more competitive, predicting the Hawks winning in six or seven games, but the Sharks ended up completing a four-game sweep of San Jose. The individual games featured a Sharks team that was very good and had a lot of fight, but the Hawks were just that much better.
Chicago looked dominant, despite their slow starts. Three out of the four games, the Sharks scored first, although Chicago would often get their legs moving later in the game and dominate the remaining time.
The Blackhawks, at least, were the one team I can say I picked correctly all the way through, as I had them in the Stanley Cup Finals since the beginning of the playoffs. In fact, my Western Conference picks were not that heinous throughout the entire playoffs, so congratulations to me!
In the East, however, the mess continued for my predictions. I assumed that the Flyers would struggle mightily, as they still didn't have Jeff Carter and lost Maxim Lapierre, and thought that they spent everything they had completing the historic 3-0 comeback against the Boston Bruins. I also thought that the Canadiens would have had luck on their side, and the continuing stretch of Jaroslav Halak's impenetrability.
Boy, I was wrong...
The Canadiens decided to play dead and lose 6-0 in Game 1 to the Flyers in Philadelphia. But I wasn't moved because in the last series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Habs lost 6-3 in Game 1 and won that series in seven games. So I had no worries.
Again, I was wrong...
The Flyers continued to punish the Canadiens, winning Game 2 by the score of 3-0, giving them another record in the books in having the longest scoring stretch. I had faith after Montreal returned the favor by winning Game 3 5-1 on home ice, and figured that they just needed to change the venue.
Then came Game 4 and the Habs went back to the same crappy-crap-crapshoot style of hockey, losing that one 3-0 in another scoreless effort with only 17 shots (they call that something like the Diffusion of Responsibility in psychology). You must give credit when it is due, though. Michael Leighton, goaltender of the Flyers, has been outstanding in the place of Brian Boucher. Just imagine if he went down - Chris Pronger or something would have had to play goalie.
*Lester Patrick for the New York Americans anyone?
Game 5 was hopeful for those who picked Montreal to win, as they seemed to win every game where they faced elimination. This hope was built up when they scored first in Philadelphia. But once they let in an unfortunate goal (video coming soon), it went downhill from there. The Habs regained life after being down 3-1 coming within one goal at 3-2, but they were unable to get the equalizer and there it was - the #7 seeded Philadelphia Flyers were the 2010 Eastern Conference Champions in the playoffs.
How the hell this happened is beyond me; it baffled me enough a #7 seed got home-ice advantage in the Conference Finals.
Oh well, I am on my knees with this one to be right...
STANLEY CUP FINALS
#2 Chicago Blackhawks over #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games
The Blackhawks are too legitimate to lose to the Flyers in the Finals. The Western Conference has shown to be much stronger, and that the best teams truly do win out. I will give the Flyers credit to steal one game from them, but I highly doubt they have enough to win, even though they got almost their whole team back, minus Boucher.
I don't care that Barry Melrose predicted this final from the start. I still am bitter, I will admit. Considering the Flyers ran through a team they owned during the regular season a million times in New Jersey, then played a #6 seed and an #8 seed, they were given a better path than most of the other teams playing in the playoffs for an extended period of time. Nonetheless, they got past it, and I will give them that.
Still, the Blackhawks are winning, and I'm going to need them to win anyway. I live in a place there are wayyyyy too many Flyers fans right now.
The Finals will begin Saturday, May 29 at 8 p.m. on NBC at Chicago.
And no worries Red Sox fans, hockey season is almost over, and I will be getting to baseball soon :).
Friday, May 14, 2010
NHL Playoffs Round 3 - This is getting old...
"It's the NHL Playoffs," you say. "Why would you be getting tired of this!?"
Simple answer. It's not the playoffs I'm tired of, it's that I CONTINUE TO BE WRONG EVERY TIME!
We already went through how in Round 1, the Caps, Devils, Senators, and Coyotes were my downfall, and how the Caps were the source of intense grief.
I was at least content with my Western Conference picks. The West was much more predictable since they all seemed to be seeded at their appropriate talent level.
The East, however, was a mess. According to my Crashing the Net post, I would have only predicted one series correctly. But I covered my tracks by claiming on fellow sports guy Jay Scott's radio show that the Flyers would have a very high chance of defeating the Devils because of the Devils' failure to match up well against them.
So we move on the Round 2. I should have gotten through the tough part, right? Well, not so.
I easily explained away how the Canadiens would be too tired. The Habs would have spent too much energy to come back against the Caps with all that shot blocking to play the Penguins, who seemed to handle the Senators pretty well.
Flyers were too battered after losing two big players in Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne during Round 1. Secondly, the other underdog, the Bruins beat the Sabres in five games (at least I called that one), and would probably finish off the Flyers easily.
Out West, I expected the Sharks to choke in the second round like they normally do, and predicted the Blackhawks would have just a little bit more for the Canucks in a tough six or seven game series.
So much for all of that!
Caps fans were quite frustrated after the Penguins beat the Habs 6-3 after three straight games of the Caps scoring only one goal against Jaroslav Halak. The following game, Montreal turned back to form, winning 4-3. The rest of the series the two teams traded one-goal wins and losses until the Canadiens won Games 6 and 7, winning Game 7 convincingly by a score of 5-2, now dethroning the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Bruins were handling the Flyers pretty well, and were on the verge of sweeping them going up 3-0 after Game 3. However, Simon Gagne returned to the Flyers, and so did their ability to win. Philadelphia would take over the pace early on in the next three games, and tied the series at three-all. The Bruins turned the tide very early in Game 7, and led 3-0, taking a 3-1 lead after the first period. The Flyers took the game completely in the second period though, and went on to win the game and the series 4-3 in regulation. Much to the dismay of the Bruins' home fans, Philadelphia became the first team in 35 years and only the third in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit and win.
For the Sharks, I just sounded really stupid, as they ran through Detroit, beating them in five games. Needless to say, I had no founding for picking against them, and I will admit that.
At least I was accurate for once, choosing the Blackhawks to win over the Canucks in six games. I expected the individual games to be closer, as the Hawks were able to average 3.83 goals in the series (about five in every win) and won games like Game 7 5-1 and Game 4 7-4. But Game 1, the Canucks won 5-1 and won Game 6 by a score of 3-1, making me question their consistency like I did before.
So here are the Conference Finals predictions (sigh)... here we go...
Eastern Conference Finals
Round 3
#8 Montreal Canadiens defeat #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games
Western Conference Finals
Round 3
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #1 San Jose Sharks in 6 or 7 games
STANLEY CUP FINALS
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #8 Montreal Canadiens in 5 or 6 games
I look forward to the possibility of an Original Six Stanley Cup Final. It's great for hockey to see these teams experience the glory again.
Many can make the sentimental pick for the Blackhawks considering the following circumstances: The Hawks had classic greatness in the days of goaltender Charlie Gardiner (who died after winning the 1934 Cup, in case you didn't know, new hockey fans) in the 1930s, and then in the 1960s with Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, and Stan Mikita (need I go on listing?). Then the Blackhawks had their more recent years of sucking, and now experience the possibility of winning a Cup with young superstars.
However, the way Montreal has gone back to the old ways of playing and added the confidence in young players i.e. PK Subban. You can almost put behind you the fact that they won 24 Stanley Cups, including their last one coming in 1993. Either way, it would be a great series, and definitely the best for viewers watching.
Of course, as a hockey fan, we all know I'm going to watch regardless, and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm just going to boycott a Flyers entrance to the Finals a different way.
p.s. I am working on fixing my East Coast bias, so no worries, West Coasters, I've got your coverage this round!
Simple answer. It's not the playoffs I'm tired of, it's that I CONTINUE TO BE WRONG EVERY TIME!
We already went through how in Round 1, the Caps, Devils, Senators, and Coyotes were my downfall, and how the Caps were the source of intense grief.
I was at least content with my Western Conference picks. The West was much more predictable since they all seemed to be seeded at their appropriate talent level.
The East, however, was a mess. According to my Crashing the Net post, I would have only predicted one series correctly. But I covered my tracks by claiming on fellow sports guy Jay Scott's radio show that the Flyers would have a very high chance of defeating the Devils because of the Devils' failure to match up well against them.
So we move on the Round 2. I should have gotten through the tough part, right? Well, not so.
I easily explained away how the Canadiens would be too tired. The Habs would have spent too much energy to come back against the Caps with all that shot blocking to play the Penguins, who seemed to handle the Senators pretty well.
Flyers were too battered after losing two big players in Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne during Round 1. Secondly, the other underdog, the Bruins beat the Sabres in five games (at least I called that one), and would probably finish off the Flyers easily.
Out West, I expected the Sharks to choke in the second round like they normally do, and predicted the Blackhawks would have just a little bit more for the Canucks in a tough six or seven game series.
So much for all of that!
Caps fans were quite frustrated after the Penguins beat the Habs 6-3 after three straight games of the Caps scoring only one goal against Jaroslav Halak. The following game, Montreal turned back to form, winning 4-3. The rest of the series the two teams traded one-goal wins and losses until the Canadiens won Games 6 and 7, winning Game 7 convincingly by a score of 5-2, now dethroning the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Bruins were handling the Flyers pretty well, and were on the verge of sweeping them going up 3-0 after Game 3. However, Simon Gagne returned to the Flyers, and so did their ability to win. Philadelphia would take over the pace early on in the next three games, and tied the series at three-all. The Bruins turned the tide very early in Game 7, and led 3-0, taking a 3-1 lead after the first period. The Flyers took the game completely in the second period though, and went on to win the game and the series 4-3 in regulation. Much to the dismay of the Bruins' home fans, Philadelphia became the first team in 35 years and only the third in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit and win.
For the Sharks, I just sounded really stupid, as they ran through Detroit, beating them in five games. Needless to say, I had no founding for picking against them, and I will admit that.
At least I was accurate for once, choosing the Blackhawks to win over the Canucks in six games. I expected the individual games to be closer, as the Hawks were able to average 3.83 goals in the series (about five in every win) and won games like Game 7 5-1 and Game 4 7-4. But Game 1, the Canucks won 5-1 and won Game 6 by a score of 3-1, making me question their consistency like I did before.
So here are the Conference Finals predictions (sigh)... here we go...
Eastern Conference Finals
Round 3
#8 Montreal Canadiens defeat #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games
Western Conference Finals
Round 3
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #1 San Jose Sharks in 6 or 7 games
STANLEY CUP FINALS
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #8 Montreal Canadiens in 5 or 6 games
I look forward to the possibility of an Original Six Stanley Cup Final. It's great for hockey to see these teams experience the glory again.
Many can make the sentimental pick for the Blackhawks considering the following circumstances: The Hawks had classic greatness in the days of goaltender Charlie Gardiner (who died after winning the 1934 Cup, in case you didn't know, new hockey fans) in the 1930s, and then in the 1960s with Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, and Stan Mikita (need I go on listing?). Then the Blackhawks had their more recent years of sucking, and now experience the possibility of winning a Cup with young superstars.
However, the way Montreal has gone back to the old ways of playing and added the confidence in young players i.e. PK Subban. You can almost put behind you the fact that they won 24 Stanley Cups, including their last one coming in 1993. Either way, it would be a great series, and definitely the best for viewers watching.
Of course, as a hockey fan, we all know I'm going to watch regardless, and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm just going to boycott a Flyers entrance to the Finals a different way.
p.s. I am working on fixing my East Coast bias, so no worries, West Coasters, I've got your coverage this round!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
NHL Playoffs - Round 2 *FIGHT!*
It is the advent of the second round of the NHL playoffs, and I feel absolutely rotten about my picks.
But before I dive into my second round predictions, we must interrupt this program for a little message about the Capitals...
...Aside from the fact that my bracket's all messed up, my heart is broken as a Capitals fan. Of course. Yes. Throw it at me that the #1 team in the NHL lost to the absolute last team in the playoffs. I've already thought about it and it kills to know that the Flyers and the Bruins/Penguins would have only been demolished by Washington had they gotten past this round.
As I mentioned in the playoff preview article in The Hockey Writers, the Caps would need to make their playoff series short and sweet. A four or five game set with the Canadiens would have been ideal, as the Habs were not seen as a threat to advance anywhere in the NHL playoffs, so the top tier squad of the Capitals should have been able to trounce the Canadiens.
The Caps, however, began the series poorly, losing Game 1 and barely winning Game 2. Games 3 and 4 displayed the kind of dominance the Caps were capable of, as they won 5-1 and 6-3 respectively. But the instead of using this game to send Montreal golfing, the Caps lost that one 2-1.
Game 6 was the most pivotal and deciding factor in this series as to who was going to move on. Washington had every chance to keep the game close. And had they even won 4-3 instead of the final score of 4-1, they would have been in better shape to beat Halak and the Montreal defense in Game 7.
I already talked about Game 7 though, and it's all in my Game 7 reCAP on The Hockey Writers. So let's not dwell on here about it...
...As a result, my predictions of the first round winners were almost shot to hell. Besides Washington's epic fail, the Flyers did, in fact, beat the Devils like I said on the radio show, but not like I said on my Crashing the Net bracket. The Ottawa Senators didn't pull off the upset over the Penguins like I had thought/hoped, and the Boston Bruins' attack was too much, even for Ryan Miller of the Sabres, as Buffalo lost in six games. Thus, all top three seeds in the East were eliminated.
Out West, I almost had it, except for I predicted that the Coyotes would be able to be a nice story throughout the playoffs, especially after beating Detroit, but that didn't happen. The Red Wings let the series go to a Game 7, only to embarrass the Yotes 6-1 in the final match. So much for "throwing the snake" in Phoenix.
Eastern Conference Semifinals (Round 2)
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins defeat #8 Montreal Canadiens in 5 games
#6 Boston Bruins defeat #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games
Western Conference Semifinals (Round 2)
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #3 Vancouver Canucks in 6 games
#5 Detroit Red Wings defeat #1 San Jose Sharks in 6 games
Eastern Conference Finals (Round 3)
#6 Boston Bruins defeat #4 Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games
Western Conference Finals (Round 3)
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #5 Detroit Red Wings in 7 games
Stanley Cup Final
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #6 Boston Bruins in 5 or 6 games
But before I dive into my second round predictions, we must interrupt this program for a little message about the Capitals...
...Aside from the fact that my bracket's all messed up, my heart is broken as a Capitals fan. Of course. Yes. Throw it at me that the #1 team in the NHL lost to the absolute last team in the playoffs. I've already thought about it and it kills to know that the Flyers and the Bruins/Penguins would have only been demolished by Washington had they gotten past this round.
As I mentioned in the playoff preview article in The Hockey Writers, the Caps would need to make their playoff series short and sweet. A four or five game set with the Canadiens would have been ideal, as the Habs were not seen as a threat to advance anywhere in the NHL playoffs, so the top tier squad of the Capitals should have been able to trounce the Canadiens.
The Caps, however, began the series poorly, losing Game 1 and barely winning Game 2. Games 3 and 4 displayed the kind of dominance the Caps were capable of, as they won 5-1 and 6-3 respectively. But the instead of using this game to send Montreal golfing, the Caps lost that one 2-1.
Game 6 was the most pivotal and deciding factor in this series as to who was going to move on. Washington had every chance to keep the game close. And had they even won 4-3 instead of the final score of 4-1, they would have been in better shape to beat Halak and the Montreal defense in Game 7.
I already talked about Game 7 though, and it's all in my Game 7 reCAP on The Hockey Writers. So let's not dwell on here about it...
...As a result, my predictions of the first round winners were almost shot to hell. Besides Washington's epic fail, the Flyers did, in fact, beat the Devils like I said on the radio show, but not like I said on my Crashing the Net bracket. The Ottawa Senators didn't pull off the upset over the Penguins like I had thought/hoped, and the Boston Bruins' attack was too much, even for Ryan Miller of the Sabres, as Buffalo lost in six games. Thus, all top three seeds in the East were eliminated.
Out West, I almost had it, except for I predicted that the Coyotes would be able to be a nice story throughout the playoffs, especially after beating Detroit, but that didn't happen. The Red Wings let the series go to a Game 7, only to embarrass the Yotes 6-1 in the final match. So much for "throwing the snake" in Phoenix.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nonetheless, here we go again, with an updated version of the playoff predictions:Eastern Conference Semifinals (Round 2)
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins defeat #8 Montreal Canadiens in 5 games
#6 Boston Bruins defeat #7 Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games
Western Conference Semifinals (Round 2)
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #3 Vancouver Canucks in 6 games
#5 Detroit Red Wings defeat #1 San Jose Sharks in 6 games
Eastern Conference Finals (Round 3)
#6 Boston Bruins defeat #4 Pittsburgh Penguins in 7 games
Western Conference Finals (Round 3)
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #5 Detroit Red Wings in 7 games
Stanley Cup Final
#2 Chicago Blackhawks defeat #6 Boston Bruins in 5 or 6 games
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Any remarks, comments, criticisms, or condolences, place them in the comments section or hit me up via Twitter @LadyHatTrick.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Happy New Year with the NHL Winter Classic!
Welcome to 2010! The NHL welcomed back its fans and viewers today, January 1st, with the annual NHL Winter Classic. The 2010 game was played in Fenway Park and featured the Boston Bruins against the Philadelphia Flyers in a snowy and cold atmosphere of over 38,000 fans.
This year's Classic was one of the more lower scoring games, although with the number of chances by both teams throughout the entire 60 minutes, it could have been higher. Regardless, it was a very energetic and well-defended game.
In defense (no pun intended), the goalies did what they were supposed to do, which was stop the puck, and that they did.
The Flyers began the game well, with Flyer Dan Carcillo winning the fight against Bruin Shawn Thornton scoring the first goal early into the second period past Tim Thomas. They continued the momentum through the rest of the game, keeping up chances and taking shots.
Then, after a few power plays in Boston's favor to create opportunities for their own offense, with about 2 minutes left in the game, down 1-0, the Bruins, old man Mark Recchi put one in to tie the game.
It wouldn't take that much longer for the Bruins to complete the comeback, as Marco Sturm scored the game-winner in overtime. Bruins ended up winning 2-1.
As a die-hard hockey fan, I LOVE the NHL's Winter Classic. It's such a great national showcase that exposes the game in a unique fashion to casual fans, long-time fans, and the person passing through channels. It's always fun to see more than twice the number of fans that would be at a regular game outdoors in the snow.
And the games themselves always feature intense match-ups with long-time rivalries between franchises. The game has remained competitive as well, as the highest goal differential has only been 2 goals in the 6-4 win by the Detroit Red Wings over the the Chicago Blackhawks last year.
Seeing that this year was in Boston in Fenway Park, I would have no complaints of a Winter Classic game in Yankee Stadium, even though there was already one in NY. There is much speculation of a game there next year featuring the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. Again, no complaints here.
There are a few more match-ups though that I would love to see.
USA Olympic Team
After the Bruins/Flyers game, the 2010 USA Olympic hockey team was announced. As a player would be announced, some adorable little kids turned around with the name of the player on the back of their jersey.
Goaltenders:
Tim Thomas, 35 (Boston Bruins)
Ryan Miller, 29 (Buffalo Sabres)
Jonathan Quick, 24 (Los Angeles Kings)
Defense:
Brian Rafalski, 36 (Detroit Red Wings)
Ryan Suter, 25 (Nashville Predators)
Paul Martin 28 (New Jersey Devils)
Mike Komisarek, 28 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Erik Johnson, 21 (St. Louis Blues)
Brooks Orpik, 29 (Pittsburgh Pittsburgh)
Jack Johnson, 23 (Los Angeles Kings)
Forwards:
Zach Parise, 25 (New Jersey Devils)
Chris Drury, 32 (New York Rangers)
Dustin Brown, 25 (Los Angeles Kings)
Jamie Langenbrunner, 34 (New Jersey Devils)
Paul Stastny, 24 (Colorado Avalanche)
David Backes, 25 (St. Louis Blues)
Patrick Kane, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Phil Kessel, 22 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Ryan Kesler, 25 (Vancouver Canucks)
Bobby Ryan, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)
Joe Pavelski, 25 (San Jose Sharks)
Ryan Malone, 31 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Ryan Callahan, 24 (New York Rangers)
Alternate Candidates:
Jason Pominville (Sabres)
David Booth (Panthers)
Scott Gomez (Rangers)
T.J. Oshie (Blues)
Brian Gionta (Canadiens)
Make of the team what you will. There were a number of American players left off the roster; Dustin Byfuglien is one of them. The team, in my mind, lacks size and variation in skill (they all play a similar style). But the USA has a speed advantage and they are very strong in goaltending, with the best goalie this season, Ryan Miller as the starter. The backups should give the team confidence as well.
So what the team could be forced into is a situation to use their speed to find a way through the opposing defense to score a goal or two, and rely on their goaltending to give them a chance throughout the game. A bunch of 2-1, 1-0 games are probably the types of games they can win. Brian Burke says that they're "playing to win" so all we can do is hope this team can perform well enough to do so. *shrug*...
It didn't work out 20 years since the 1980 USA Olympic Gold Medal team - so maybe 30 years? We'll see...
This year's Classic was one of the more lower scoring games, although with the number of chances by both teams throughout the entire 60 minutes, it could have been higher. Regardless, it was a very energetic and well-defended game.
In defense (no pun intended), the goalies did what they were supposed to do, which was stop the puck, and that they did.
The Flyers began the game well, with Flyer Dan Carcillo winning the fight against Bruin Shawn Thornton scoring the first goal early into the second period past Tim Thomas. They continued the momentum through the rest of the game, keeping up chances and taking shots.
Then, after a few power plays in Boston's favor to create opportunities for their own offense, with about 2 minutes left in the game, down 1-0, the Bruins, old man Mark Recchi put one in to tie the game.
It wouldn't take that much longer for the Bruins to complete the comeback, as Marco Sturm scored the game-winner in overtime. Bruins ended up winning 2-1.
As a die-hard hockey fan, I LOVE the NHL's Winter Classic. It's such a great national showcase that exposes the game in a unique fashion to casual fans, long-time fans, and the person passing through channels. It's always fun to see more than twice the number of fans that would be at a regular game outdoors in the snow.
And the games themselves always feature intense match-ups with long-time rivalries between franchises. The game has remained competitive as well, as the highest goal differential has only been 2 goals in the 6-4 win by the Detroit Red Wings over the the Chicago Blackhawks last year.
Seeing that this year was in Boston in Fenway Park, I would have no complaints of a Winter Classic game in Yankee Stadium, even though there was already one in NY. There is much speculation of a game there next year featuring the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. Again, no complaints here.
There are a few more match-ups though that I would love to see.
- Whenever the St. Louis Blues become good again, I would like to see them play against the Colorado Avalanche in Colorado.
- After sometime when enough time has passed since the last Red Wings game, it would be fun to watch them play the Avs in Detroit as well, bringing back the old playoff series (Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood fight ring a bell?).
- If people in Hartford wouldn't be so opposed to it, the Carolina Hurricanes could play in Hartford, Connecticut against the Caps.
- Of course, there can't be anything wrong with the Toronto Maple Loafs... Leafs playing their intra-province rivals, the Ottawa Senators. They used to meet in the playoffs every year in some serious and bloody 6 and 7 game series.
- Likewise, the other intra-province series, Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames should also be fun.
- Minnesota would be a great host city. It's always snowing up there! Minnesota in the North Stars jersey facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets or some relocated team could be entertaining.
USA Olympic Team
After the Bruins/Flyers game, the 2010 USA Olympic hockey team was announced. As a player would be announced, some adorable little kids turned around with the name of the player on the back of their jersey.
Goaltenders:
Tim Thomas, 35 (Boston Bruins)
Ryan Miller, 29 (Buffalo Sabres)
Jonathan Quick, 24 (Los Angeles Kings)
Alternate Candidate:
Craig Anderson (Colorado)
Defense:
Brian Rafalski, 36 (Detroit Red Wings)
Ryan Suter, 25 (Nashville Predators)
Paul Martin 28 (New Jersey Devils)
Mike Komisarek, 28 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Erik Johnson, 21 (St. Louis Blues)
Brooks Orpik, 29 (Pittsburgh Pittsburgh)
Jack Johnson, 23 (Los Angeles Kings)
Alternate Candidates:
Matt Niskanen (Dallas)
Ron Hainsey (Atlanta)
Alex Goligoski (Pittsburgh)
Matt Carle (Philadelphia)
Rob Scuderi (Los Angeles)
Forwards:
Zach Parise, 25 (New Jersey Devils)
Chris Drury, 32 (New York Rangers)
Dustin Brown, 25 (Los Angeles Kings)
Jamie Langenbrunner, 34 (New Jersey Devils)
Paul Stastny, 24 (Colorado Avalanche)
David Backes, 25 (St. Louis Blues)
Patrick Kane, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
Phil Kessel, 22 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Ryan Kesler, 25 (Vancouver Canucks)
Bobby Ryan, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)
Joe Pavelski, 25 (San Jose Sharks)
Ryan Malone, 31 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Ryan Callahan, 24 (New York Rangers)
Alternate Candidates:
Jason Pominville (Sabres)
David Booth (Panthers)
Scott Gomez (Rangers)
T.J. Oshie (Blues)
Brian Gionta (Canadiens)
Make of the team what you will. There were a number of American players left off the roster; Dustin Byfuglien is one of them. The team, in my mind, lacks size and variation in skill (they all play a similar style). But the USA has a speed advantage and they are very strong in goaltending, with the best goalie this season, Ryan Miller as the starter. The backups should give the team confidence as well.
So what the team could be forced into is a situation to use their speed to find a way through the opposing defense to score a goal or two, and rely on their goaltending to give them a chance throughout the game. A bunch of 2-1, 1-0 games are probably the types of games they can win. Brian Burke says that they're "playing to win" so all we can do is hope this team can perform well enough to do so. *shrug*...
It didn't work out 20 years since the 1980 USA Olympic Gold Medal team - so maybe 30 years? We'll see...
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
No Penguins for Me
This may be a sports blog, but, mind you, sports sometimes intersects with our outside lives as well...
*I know that over half the population that reads this has been through this at least once in their lives.
So let's say you see that gorgeous man/woman of your dreams. He/she is fine, they dress well, and they've got that swag. You get the guts to go up to him/her and introduce yourself (or whatever you do to strike a conversation). To your surprise, he/she actually acknowledges your presence and they seem to be equally as interested in what you're saying, how you look, etc.
Then suppose you get into sports - you mention you love [insert sport]. Their eyes get big at the mention of your favorite sport, and as the conversation unfolds, you believe that you have found love...
Until you mention that you are (for example) a Washington Capitals fan, and he/she states that they root for the... Pittsburgh Penguins.
For me, the conversation ends right there, unless you're looking to pick a fight with me. I love to discuss hockey, talk about my team, or even take part healthy debate over hockey topics. But sometimes, I am NOT in the mood for a discussion as to why "Sidney Crosby is better than Alex Ovechkin" and "which team is better," especially in this situation.
A. I have already exhausted myself arguing to the death for Alex Ovechkin being a better marketing tool for the NHL and B. I would never want to do this on a date.
As a fan of other sports though, personally, I feel like somethings are passable: As a Cowboys fan, I am open to Eagles fans, Giants fans, and because of my location Redskins fans can be accepted. I mean, it's only twice a year when we are head to head anyway so it can't be that bad.
In baseball, I've even been open to Yankees fans despite my strong disdain for them and being a Red Sox fan.
But best believe, you say the wrong thing in our first meeting and it's over. I mean, it is OVER. No chance. No shot. You lose.
If I hear you're an Eagles fan, I don't want to hear about the last game of last season against the Cowboys all night. We can joke about it for a second, but it better be dropped real quick...
The only sport though I get really touchy about the most though is hockey. You've got to be REALLY attractive to root for the Philadelphia Flyers and hold my hand at games. I can't even think about what it takes to be a Pittsburgh Penguins fan and be around me though. I certainly have some friends that are Penguins fans, but dating is another realm to cover.
I do have a little bit of tolerance, however, in other situations. In the past, a Tampa Bay Lightning fan, named Greg, was an interest. And he was really nice, funny, cute - basically all that is good. His only flaw; he was a Lightning fan. As a Caps fan, I don't know what it is (I do, but that's another post), but ever since the 2003 NHL playoffs, I have hated the Lightning, even though they have been non-contenders for a couple of years.
Nonetheless, I would fight for hours with Greg over whether that goal in the Calgary Flames/Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Finals in 2005 scored by Marty Gelinas really crossed the line or not - thus, justifying whether the Bolts really deserved the Cup or not.
Me, being the one who hated the Lightning, could have been blinded by hate for the team. But I have always believed that the Flames were cheated out of a Cup, and hated that the Lightning got a championship title before the Caps did. I would obviously claim that the goal should have counted. Greg, being a Lightning fan, argued the contrary.
Now, this relationship was not defined by the two of us cheering for two different teams in the same division, but you can't tell me that it was easy with that factor. Every game is added with extra anxiety, so that you don't have to hear the trash-talking - that's your job, right? And losses suck even more when they're againt your significant other's team.
Luckily though, Greg wasn't a jerk (like I was) about games, and was a rather mild-mannered man. He never called me right after a game that the Caps lost to the Lightning (rare as it was) to brag. We also went hand-in-hand to a Caps/Flyers game last season; both intensley cheering for the Capitals because we despised the Flyers considerably more than each others' teams, respectively.
Which has, in the end, allowed me to give leeway to those who are not a fan of my team, or pledge alleigances to teams that I absolutely can't stand - well, besides the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So it's not necessarily true that I will disreagrd one's presence solely because they are a fan of a rivalry/disliked team. Just make sure that the team you cheer for isn't named after a flightless bird that lives in Antartica and the lower tips of Australia, South America, and Africa.
*Feel free to dispel your experiences with the decision to go through talking to someone who avidly follows your rival team. I know some have got to be funny.
*I know that over half the population that reads this has been through this at least once in their lives.
So let's say you see that gorgeous man/woman of your dreams. He/she is fine, they dress well, and they've got that swag. You get the guts to go up to him/her and introduce yourself (or whatever you do to strike a conversation). To your surprise, he/she actually acknowledges your presence and they seem to be equally as interested in what you're saying, how you look, etc.
Then suppose you get into sports - you mention you love [insert sport]. Their eyes get big at the mention of your favorite sport, and as the conversation unfolds, you believe that you have found love...
Until you mention that you are (for example) a Washington Capitals fan, and he/she states that they root for the... Pittsburgh Penguins.
For me, the conversation ends right there, unless you're looking to pick a fight with me. I love to discuss hockey, talk about my team, or even take part healthy debate over hockey topics. But sometimes, I am NOT in the mood for a discussion as to why "Sidney Crosby is better than Alex Ovechkin" and "which team is better," especially in this situation.
A. I have already exhausted myself arguing to the death for Alex Ovechkin being a better marketing tool for the NHL and B. I would never want to do this on a date.
As a fan of other sports though, personally, I feel like somethings are passable: As a Cowboys fan, I am open to Eagles fans, Giants fans, and because of my location Redskins fans can be accepted. I mean, it's only twice a year when we are head to head anyway so it can't be that bad.
In baseball, I've even been open to Yankees fans despite my strong disdain for them and being a Red Sox fan.
But best believe, you say the wrong thing in our first meeting and it's over. I mean, it is OVER. No chance. No shot. You lose.
If I hear you're an Eagles fan, I don't want to hear about the last game of last season against the Cowboys all night. We can joke about it for a second, but it better be dropped real quick...
The only sport though I get really touchy about the most though is hockey. You've got to be REALLY attractive to root for the Philadelphia Flyers and hold my hand at games. I can't even think about what it takes to be a Pittsburgh Penguins fan and be around me though. I certainly have some friends that are Penguins fans, but dating is another realm to cover.
I do have a little bit of tolerance, however, in other situations. In the past, a Tampa Bay Lightning fan, named Greg, was an interest. And he was really nice, funny, cute - basically all that is good. His only flaw; he was a Lightning fan. As a Caps fan, I don't know what it is (I do, but that's another post), but ever since the 2003 NHL playoffs, I have hated the Lightning, even though they have been non-contenders for a couple of years.
Nonetheless, I would fight for hours with Greg over whether that goal in the Calgary Flames/Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Finals in 2005 scored by Marty Gelinas really crossed the line or not - thus, justifying whether the Bolts really deserved the Cup or not.
Me, being the one who hated the Lightning, could have been blinded by hate for the team. But I have always believed that the Flames were cheated out of a Cup, and hated that the Lightning got a championship title before the Caps did. I would obviously claim that the goal should have counted. Greg, being a Lightning fan, argued the contrary.
Now, this relationship was not defined by the two of us cheering for two different teams in the same division, but you can't tell me that it was easy with that factor. Every game is added with extra anxiety, so that you don't have to hear the trash-talking - that's your job, right? And losses suck even more when they're againt your significant other's team.
Luckily though, Greg wasn't a jerk (like I was) about games, and was a rather mild-mannered man. He never called me right after a game that the Caps lost to the Lightning (rare as it was) to brag. We also went hand-in-hand to a Caps/Flyers game last season; both intensley cheering for the Capitals because we despised the Flyers considerably more than each others' teams, respectively.
Which has, in the end, allowed me to give leeway to those who are not a fan of my team, or pledge alleigances to teams that I absolutely can't stand - well, besides the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So it's not necessarily true that I will disreagrd one's presence solely because they are a fan of a rivalry/disliked team. Just make sure that the team you cheer for isn't named after a flightless bird that lives in Antartica and the lower tips of Australia, South America, and Africa.
*Feel free to dispel your experiences with the decision to go through talking to someone who avidly follows your rival team. I know some have got to be funny.
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