Pens had the tying goal taken away. Terrible, terrible call. But that happens.
Refs didn't torch Brent Johnson for three straight goals.
Nice little break for the Pens. Might be much needed.
Florida on Monday.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE29-jW58I/AAAAAAABaY4/CzIemx3Pikk/First.png]
Right off the bat, everyone's questions are answered as it's revealed the Crosby still has his mustache.
The Rags get a decent start, but Johnson is solid. Malkin draws a penalty. Pens powerplay. Malkin with a big shot, but Lundqvist stops it. Callahan gets in the way of a Letang shot and appears to hurt himself. Looks like the puck hit him in the hand. So stupid to try and block that shot.
Back-and-forth game for a while, then Letang takes a penalty. Johnson holds the fort and the penalty is killed.
Dan Boyle takes a penalty and the Pens get a power play.
Rangers get a two-on-one shorthanded, but Letang with an insane defensive effort to bail the Pens out.
Back in the Rangers zone, Malkin with a huge slapshot. This is a pretty poor power play attempt.
The penalty ends, and the Pens decide to put on some pressure. The third and fourth lines are on fire. Michalek is solid. The crowd comes alive. Finally the Rangers clear it, but Letang is on all kinds of acid, hitting Avery twice. It's back in the Rangers' end and there's some more serious pressure. Lundqvist holds the Rangers in while the rest of their team falls apart.
The Pens did everything but score during that last few minutes.
They head right back. Geno to Sid to Geno... what a move. Goal.
1-0.
Lundqvist cries on the ice. Sid's point streak continues. Malkin is back in form. One of the best things about him back is that while Crosby is being double-teamed, he has room to play. It keeps teams in check.
Period Recap: The Pens put the pedal down and just dominated for the last few minutes. Nice to have Geno back.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE2-TfUnFI/AAAAAAABaY8/qfufKxtzdME/Second.png]
Malkin and Crosby with a two-on-one that looks dangerous, but it doesn't amount to anything.
Guess Lundqvist can do whatever he wants. He plays the puck outside the triangle. No call.
News breaks: Callahan broke his hand blocking the Letang shot.
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
They hit the post. This line is just non-stop. The fourth line keeps the pressure on, and this is starting to look like the end of the first period. These energy lines really help turn the tide for the Pens. What a valuable asset to have if they can keep it up. They exemplify exactly what this Penguins team is all about.
Fedotenko gets the puck, but then realizes he's playing in Pittsburgh and he shoots it right at the goalie. Malkin gets a lead pass, but he's offside.
The Rangers get a chance in front, but Malkin takes it away. He's definitely healthier than he's been all season. You can see it in his play.
Some good work by Cooke and it goes back to Letang. Another hard shot by him. No hands are broken this time. Cooke gets two minutes for being Matt Cooke. Rangers power play.
The Rangers hit the puck with a high stick and then they don't want to touch it. All they're doing is draining time from their own power play. The Pens let it sit there for a while.
Crosby with a possible chance as the power play runs out. Nothing happens. They keep it in for a while and generate a bit of pressure.
Avery gets a penalty. He scrums with Talbot. Penguins power play.
Malkin tries a move, but it's taken from him. The Pens get it back. They go offside. Again, not much happening on this power play. Marc Staal is nasty
Tick, tick, tick. That's the sound of this joke being run into the ground.
The Pens get some pressure once again.
Fedotenko takes Letang down. It's the most impact he's had in Pittsburgh in over a year. Time expires.
Period Recap: The Pens need to put this one away. They're letting the Rangers hang around too long.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE2-mvut6I/AAAAAAABaZA/Zbqw10sLlb8/Third.png]
Gaborik with a terrible turnover. Torts gets pissed at him. Horrible play. But Stunnedqvist makes a save.
Slow start to the third.
Avery and Asham throw down. Avery is the master of the turtle. He grabs onto Asham the whole time. Lovejoy makes a big time play.
Fedotenko gets a two-on-one. And he almost paralyzes himself. Really weird. He sucks.
Kris Letang played a bizarre third period.
Malkin makes some big time move on the other end, but misses the net.
Rosival starts trolling everyone. Words can't express the hate we have for him.
Kris Letang has another really strange sequence. Brent Johnson bails him out big time.
Slowly you can feel the Rangers climbing back into the game and the Pens not really do anything.
Then the beginning of the end.
Matt Cooke takes a penalty as he slew foots the guy that lived in the van on Step by Step. You could feel it.
Out of nowhere EC phones home. 1-1. Friggin Christenen.
[http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmjAnfhgJI/AAAAAAABf7Q/wtBlv6q9uT8/s640/i-2.jpg]
Meltdown time. Rangers 15 seconds later. goal. 2-1.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmjBkW3--I/AAAAAAABf7Y/RM1WdJHCO4A/s576/i-4.jpg]
wow
Never can get used to something like that.
Pens settle back in.
Malkin undresses a Rangers defenseman. Shoots the puck on net. Goalllllll ciittt........NO GOAL.
WTF?
The ruling is goalie interference
Worst call ever. The piece of shit that is Michal Rozsival bumped Dupes into Lundqvist.
Lundqvist gets that call we guess.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmEGh3ScRI/AAAAAAABf5k/JV28X7kghR0/kundqvist.jpg]
At the time everyone was worked up about this call. The crowd was pissed, so were the Pens.
Crowd rallies. Malkin and Bing go after Boyle. Fever pitch.
Then the Rangers score. AssToMouth buries one past a crumbling Brent Johnson 3-1.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmjCCg9w_I/AAAAAAABf7c/ddumo3YEeBM/s512/i-5.jpg]
Then the villain Boyle scores. 4-1 before anyone knows what happened.
[http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmjBPIjvAI/AAAAAAABf7U/Cy9q7NLUvxo/s640/i-3.jpg]
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQmpe1hh1jI/AAAAAAABf70/UPYkNdVGGpQ/drocks12_4-1.gif]
Game
---Can't blame the refs for this. jesus.
---Positive: Paul Martin
---Negative: Ben Lovejoy
---Horrible third.
---The eagles suck, but New York Minute fit.
go pens
Yeah, no joke -- Your winning streak gets snapped at 12 games.
And the Flyers are the ones who did it. It strikes that hockey nerve.
Might piss everyone off a little bit, but that's just business in the NHL.
At least you can break whatever annoying superstition you had during the streak.
Unless your superstition involves licking our balls.
As for the game itself, the Pens didn't play great, and they didn't play terrible.
A few of the wins in the tail end of the streak didn't see the Pens playing terribly hot, either.
Got to hand it to Laviolette. Under his tutelage, the Flyers don't dig themselves into holes anymore, at least not against the Penguins. Usually in a game like this, which Versus kept reminding us was the be-all end-all of professional hockey games, the Flyers would let their animosity toward the Pens get the better of them, and the Pens would cruise. Not anymore.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQjXXOINpMI/AAAAAAABf2w/-Mxjggx8kGU/hartnelltard.jpg]
And that was the problem. The hate never flowed. Pens came in expecting a physical game, and they didn't get it. Malkin was back on the ice; he took a dumb penalty in the third that led to the go-ahead goal, but he also buried two powerplay goals. Pens had a chance to tie it at the end of the game, couldn't do it. Everything's fine and dandy when you're winning. Pens lose one game, and you're already seeing some Pens fans flipping out.
But time to move on. It'll be interesting to see if the downer experienced from getting the winning streak snapped affects the Pens tonight when they host the Rags.
[http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQge58XkFHI/AAAAAAABfxk/jgbYVHL44z0/s512/IMAG0118.jpg]
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQgID9Wap-I/AAAAAAABfw8/LIIzyUaOJQ4/s640/IMG_20101214_190950.jpg]
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQjOPFLdNrI/AAAAAAABf2A/ZhFSK3IxQ-c/s512/IMAG0073.jpg]
thanks to Gary P , Clint B. and Onetime for the pics.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE29-jW58I/AAAAAAABaY4/CzIemx3Pikk/First.png]
Finally, after all these years, we've figured out who Peter Laviolette looks like: Chazz Palminteri.
Chris Kunitz was out for this game.
Word is TIOPS whacked Kunitz's knee then ran to his computer to report it before anyone else.
Pens icing it like Buddy Valastro early.
Neither team getting any good shots.
Flyers then got a chance, catching the Pens on a line change.
Michalek pulls up to let MAF see the shot.
Nodl misses a wide open net, or maybe Martin got a piece of it. Or maybe Nodl just sucks.
Orpik made some move in the neutral zone.
Nothing going on halfway through the first. Playoff-like feel to the game.
Jeff Carter enters the defensive zone for the first time in his career and takes a puck off Crosby.
A Letang giveaway almost led to a Flyers goal.
MAF makes a save right in front.
The Flyers score after Fleury humiliates himself behind the net.
Losing his stick didn't matter anyway.
Puck bounces out of a crowd. 1-0.
Crosby's line starts doing shit in the final five minutes.
Then the Buzzers have a great shift. Pens building some momentum.
Jeffery almost scored single-handedly coming out of the corner.
PERIOD RECAP: Pens started to get dominated midway through. Had difficulty getting shots on net.
Buzzers line helped get shit together. No penalties in the first. Flyers boring the Pens to death.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE2-TfUnFI/AAAAAAABaY8/qfufKxtzdME/Second.png]
Malkin takes a stick to the face early. Pens get a PP.
After a minute, that goes away when Matt Cooke heads to the box for a phantom penalty.
Worst call of the season thus far.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbhCiuSPI/AAAAAAABf0Q/3I3Um9Kwmqg/i-2.jpg]
All the penalties expired.
Then Danny Briere goes off for hooking GoGo. What a troll.
Malkin was back in his old neighborhood on Jagr Street on the PP.
One-timer. 1-1. Sid gets an assist.
[http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbhO2U8VI/AAAAAAABf0M/G3XGCO4lkdY/i-1.jpg]
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQgoWZrN9XI/AAAAAAABfxs/Dtlt2snZnU0/Malkin_Pokemon.jpg]
Right off the next face-off, Chris Conner goes to the box.
Hartnell misses a wide open net on the PP.
Pens kill it. Huge saves by MAF.
The Pens had a bunch of shit going halfway through the period.
Cycling the puck around, getting looks at the net.
Out of nowhere, Philly gets a 2-on-1.
Zherdev scores and pulls out an Erik Christensen celebration. 2-1.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbiK2ZHwI/AAAAAAABf0c/R_7PkSsmT7E/s640/i-5.jpg]
Then the Pens had to take a penalty. Killed.
Talbot almost scores on the Osgood playâ„¢.
Then Michalek goes to the box. Probably his first penalty of the season.
PERIOD RECAP: Craig Adams had a mini two-on-one with Jeffrey. He tried to snipe it.
Love Craig Adams, but not a good decision.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TLE2-mvut6I/AAAAAAABaZA/Zbqw10sLlb8/Third.png]
Talbot and Briere go to the box early in the third.
Ref looks like an air-traffic controller making the calls.
On the 4-on-4, Malkin gets high-sticked(stuck) by Matt Carle. Huge powerplay was coming.
Pens set up shop on a 4-on-3. Malkin gets the puck.
Boucher never sees it. Might have grazed something. Either way, 2-2.
[http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbtc6wemI/AAAAAAABf0s/QlAnFlnFgfQ/i-8.jpg]
The Pens have some momentum, but they can't get over taking bad penalties. In a span of six minutes the Pens take two penalties. First Mike Rupp jobs some guy, then Malkin runs someone after he hits Crosby.
The Pens killed the Rupp penalty, but Malkin wasn't so lucky.
Pronger gets a shot through. Puck hits off Candy and Hartnell.
It floats right into the net. 3-2. Nothing MAF could do.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbtIJmKMI/AAAAAAABf0o/6I6Ce2XAQ18/s512/i-7.jpg]
Pens try to get shit going after that. Crosby gets through for the first time all game. He has a wide-open Malkin, but Pronger lays down to block the pass. Pens start to press after that. Flyers get all kinds of chances.
MAF keeps the Pens in it with more big saves.
[http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbtozSk0I/AAAAAAABf0w/Cq5Pg2CkyWk/s512/i.jpg]
Tick tick tick
Under three minutes to play, Pens get caught pinching. Two-on-one for the Flyers.
MAF with the save. Darren Powe runs into him with some help from Crosby.
Goalie interference.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbh8DT-EI/AAAAAAABf0Y/g6s9qZOFYTc/i-4.jpg]
[http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhbszKckII/AAAAAAABf0k/nLqEykVuUko/i-6.jpg]
Orpik comes in and eliminates Powe. Somehow that doesn't get called.
About two minutes left, and the Pens get a powerplay for the tie. Only problem is that the PP never gets settled. No one is in the right place. Malkin could never get over to the right side of the ice. Boucher doesn't even have to make a save really. Letang misses the net like three few times. MAF goes to the bend Some great plays to keep the puck in. But nothing doing. Flyers clear. Game.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Malkin looked like he had missed a couple of games, had some bad turnovers.
He'll be thrown under the bus for taking that penalty in the third.
The tires on the bus would've been flat without his two goals anyway.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Did the Pens miss Kunitz?
If anything, it would've assured Malkin and Crosby to be split up.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Flyers fans didn't openly boo Crosby every time he touched the puck like they normally would.
And the CROSBY SUCKS chants weren't as noticeable. Maybe they're becoming self-aware.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Engelland had a decent game, took a penalty.
Best part is that he isn't dressing just to fight people. He's a 6th d-man. All there is to it.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Going forward, how annoying is it going to be to hear announcers refer to the Flyers ending the Penguins winning streak?
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Richards took a run at someone in the first period, missed, and ran into the boards. He connects, it's lights out.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Comcast sucks.
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TMI97_39dlI/AAAAAAABbek/o4WUxdkJBuw/golddot.jpg]Ah, Flyer fans:
[http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TQhUEY2VurI/AAAAAAABfz4/f7X7y4-hZSU/s640/IMG_4273.jpg]
Thanks to Lisa R.
[http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fw7iF68JR8k/TO3ro1HE2OI/AAAAAAABd3w/btbHwkBtH-8/3stars.jpg]
3. Malkin. Good to see that son of a bitch.
2. Buzz Line. Helped stem the tide in some spots. 1. MAF. This game could've been a lot worse.
If we can take one positive from last night's loss to the Flyers it's that Evgeni Malkin<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/55425/evgeni-malkin> is back and ready to play. Throughout the entire time while he was injured, this is what we were hoping for - for him to take his time, heal up and come back ready to play. It looks like he's back on track to continue that effort tonight against the Rangers.
Don't forget: tonight at 10:00 following the game against the Rangers is the HBO debut of "24/7 Pens-Caps: Road to the Winter Classic." I've tacked a sticky note to my TV just in case, and even then I'm concerned I might forget. In the event you miss it or just can't find the time to watch it tonight, the Pens have provided a list of all the days and times it will re-air<http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=546242&navid=DL%7CPIT%7Chome>.
Chris Kunitz<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54511/chris-kunitz> is still unlikely to play in this one. No word on the exact injury but Dan Bylsma doesn't seem confident in Kunitz taking to the ice<http://www.pensburgh.com/2010/12/14/1877204/i-wouldnt-say-its-very-good-bylsma-said-of-kunitz-chances-of-playing>.
Chris Drury<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54196/chris-drury>, who suffered a broken finger in October, is expected back in the lineup for the Rangers tonight.
The Rangers have not played since smoking the Capitals 7-0 on Sunday night. I'm sure their confidence will be high, but there's no saying the Pens can't bring them back to reality - and start a new win streak in the process.
WANG DANG SWEET LeTANG! (That’s French for “The Tang�!)<http://www.penguinpoop.com/2010/wang-dang-sweet-letang-that%e2%80%99s-french-for-%e2%80%9cthe-tang%e2%80%9d/>
By Southside Shultzie<http://www.penguinpoop.com/author/southside-shultzie/> <http://www.lucky9design.com/> [Rob Shultz] <http://www.lucky9design.com/>
Thursday, December 16, 2010 12:05 am
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A long time ago I thought I said something wrong, but I was mistaken. That said, I feel the need to bow my gigantic noggin and ask for forgiveness from one Kris Letang and all of his, and our, fans for…well… (let me clear my throat)…being wrong!
[http://www.penguinpoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/shultzikn.jpg]<http://www.penguinpoop.com/2010/wang-dang-sweet-letang-that%e2%80%99s-french-for-%e2%80%9cthe-tang%e2%80%9d/shultzikn-5/>
Last year I made note of #58’s inability to hit the net and unfairly compared him to Gonchar on the point. I also noted that he “couldn’t hit a bull in the ass with a banjo�! I also said that for him to be good he had to “spend the summer shooting pucks at a net starting with a soccer net and getting smaller from there�. Well I gotta tell you that I’m having a glass of Tang with my crow! Here are a couple of numbers that will tickle anyone’s fancy:
His shooting percentage has improved to a 5.9% clip this season, TRIPLING last seasons total of 1.7%. His plus minus (+17) is 5th in the league! As of tonight he leads ALL Defensemen in All-Star voting and is only 2nd OVERALL to Sid Crosby AS A WRITE IN VOTE!!! That’s a lot of ink not to mention stamps! Keep voting fellow Pens fans!Tonight ‘Tanger defended more odd man breaks than a Union Rep. at a freak show! On another shift he had more hits than my Mom’s website, THEN took the puck to led a huge charge up ice. Those hit’s #58 put on Avery damn
[http://www.penguinpoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/letang-184x300.gif]<http://www.penguinpoop.com/2010/wang-dang-sweet-letang-that%e2%80%99s-french-for-%e2%80%9cthe-tang%e2%80%9d/letang/>
Letang Autograph at Excuses
near made me choke on my crow! One of the odd man breaks was a 2 on 0! With superman speed he got back into position, forced a pass, THEN defended the pass resulting in NO shot on goal. At times I see glimpses of the Glory Days when we had the likes of Paul Coffey.
Mr. Letang, if you’ll forgive me for my comments of last season I’ll gladly try to make it up to you. Perhaps wing night at Excuses followed by Karaoke? Why not add a Primanti’s sammich and a beer? We could cap the night off at Tom’s diner with bacon (the Canadian variety if you wish) and eggs? Whatever your menu choice, I will be ordering the corbeau (that’s French for crow)!Much love,
Southside Shultzie
PS… I will find a bull and you can use MY banjo.
Jets suspend Sal Alosi indefinitely for ordering wall on sidelines
Story Highlights
Sal Alosi ordered five inactive players to form wall on sidelines during punt return
Jets GM said Alosi did not initially acknowledge ordering players to form wall
Mike Tannenbaum says Rex Ryan and Mike Westhoff were not involved
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Buzz up!<http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?targetUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2010%2Ffootball%2Fnfl%2F12%2F15%2Fsal-alosi-wall.ap%2Findex.html>[http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/bookmark/opa/facebook.gif] FACEBOOK <https://mail.upmc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&a=New&t=IPM.Note&cc=MTQuMS4yMTguMTMsZW4tVVMsNDI5NDk2NzI5NSxIVE1MLDAsMA==&pspid=_1292517862181_738121910#> [http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/bookmark/opa/digg.gif] DIGG <https://mail.upmc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&a=New&t=IPM.Note&cc=MTQuMS4yMTguMTMsZW4tVVMsNDI5NDk2NzI5NSxIVE1MLDAsMA==&pspid=_1292517862181_738121910#> [http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/bookmark/opa/twitter.gif] TWITTER <https://mail.upmc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&a=New&t=IPM.Note&cc=MTQuMS4yMTguMTMsZW4tVVMsNDI5NDk2NzI5NSxIVE1MLDAsMA==&pspid=_1292517862181_738121910#> [http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/bookmark/opa/rss.gif] RSS <https://mail.upmc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&a=New&t=IPM.Note&cc=MTQuMS4yMTguMTMsZW4tVVMsNDI5NDk2NzI5NSxIVE1MLDAsMA==&pspid=_1292517862181_738121910#> [http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/bookmark/opa/share.gif] SHARE <https://mail.upmc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&a=New&t=IPM.Note&cc=MTQuMS4yMTguMTMsZW4tVVMsNDI5NDk2NzI5NSxIVE1MLDAsMA==&pspid=_1292517862181_738121910#>
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<https://mail.upmc.edu/football/nfl/teams/jets>
[NFL Team Page]<https://mail.upmc.edu/football/nfl/teams/jets>
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Jets<http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/teams/jets> suspended assistant coach Sal Alosi indefinitely Wednesday after they discovered he ordered five inactive players to form a wall along the sideline for a punt return, during which he tripped a Miami Dolphins<http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/teams/dolphins> player.
General manager Mike Tannenbaum said Wednesday that Alosi, the team's strength and conditioning coach, did not initially acknowledge that he ordered players to stand that way during the investigation Monday.
"As we continued our investigation, we discovered some new information," Tannenbaum said in a conference call from the NFL owners meetings in Dallas, "and the players at the Miami game were instructed by Sal to stand where they were to force the gunner in the game to run around them."
Tannenbaum said he met with Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, on Wednesday morning and the league supported the Jets' decision. Tannenbaum added that the NFL was also looking into the incident.
"Once we get all the information, we'll make a final determination," Tannenbaum said. "But, based on this information, Sal's been suspended indefinitely."
Tannenbaum did not rule out the possibility that Alosi will be fired.
"All options are on the table," he said.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said that "Ray Anderson and his staff are reviewing and clarifying sideline protocols with the teams at today's league meeting in Fort Worth and will follow up with a memo to the clubs this week."
The Jets suspended Alosi for the season without pay Monday and fined him an additional $25,000 after he stuck out a knee and tripped Miami's Nolan Carroll<http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/24121>, who was covering the punt in the third quarter of the Dolphins' 10-6 win Sunday.
He added that coach Rex Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff were not involved.
Tannenbaum said the team looked at the game film of the play and "it looked to me like it was unusual for them to be standing that way." The Jets interviewed the players who were standing near Alosi, but will not take any action against them.
"This is just about Sal," Tannenbaum said.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press<https://mail.upmc.edu/interactive_legal.html#AP>. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Has the fun run out for the Jets?
Story Highlights
After two spectacular flameouts, the trajectory of the Jets' season has shifted
Opponents say they're a good team but not as great as they'd have you believe
Rex Ryan demanded fun in the preseason, but they may have had too much of it
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[schottenheimer-sanchez.jpg]
In happier times earlier in the season, Mark Sanchez (left), Brian Schottenheimer and the rest of the Jets were full of confidence.
David Bergman/SI
The late afternoon of Nov. 14 was chilly on the shores of Lake Erie, but it was just warm enough for an impromptu party.
The Jets had decked the Cleveland Browns in a wild overtime game, and now, an hour later, on a concrete walkway outside Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Jets' head coach, Rex Ryan, and general manager, Mike Tannenbaum, had gathered with others to celebrate with a fistful of cigars.
The win was significant -- it featured a sibling rivalry, a former Jets head coach, and wideout Braylon Edwards facing his old team -- but I was fascinated with the boldness of the scene at a visiting stadium in the middle of the season. As the Jets' buses idled a few feet away, those cigars kept on burning.
I scribbled a few lines in my notebook and smiled. Rex's Jets. This was how they rolled.
One month later, there are no cigars burning for the Jets, though they might opt for a smoke flare. The team that has spent the season squarely in the spotlight has tumbled in consecutive weeks in remarkable fashion. Two weeks ago, in a game billed as the season's biggest, the New England Patriots spent three hours pummeling them on national television.
Last week, in another AFC East tussle, the Miami Dolphins defeated them in a game memorable for the boorish behavior of the Jets' strength and conditioning coach. In the span of six days featuring two spectacular flameouts, the trajectory of the Jets' season shifted.
"I think we are confident," Ryan said Monday, "but we are also not blind."
Neither is anyone who's watching the Jets.
What is most striking is how the Jets ended up here, streaking in the wrong direction at 9-4, and staring at back-to-back roadies in Pittsburgh and Chicago. Mark Sanchez, a wonder boy just weeks ago, is searching for confidence. The offensive line, so often impenetrable, is fighting injury and springing leaks. The defense, while still among the league's best, is hardly the unstoppable force it has been built up to be.
Even worse, the Jets have lost that bully's swagger, the one that alternates between endearing and maddening.
"We noticed that when you hit them in the mouth [first], they tend to be the ones getting off the ground second," said Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall after Sunday's game.
Added Dolphins linebacker and long-time Jets nemesis Channing Crowder: "They haven't won anything. They act tough, but they're not tough. They're a good team, but they're not what they come off as they are."
The Jets, of course, are complicit in this scrutiny, at times have seemed to even beg for it. From the moment Ryan accepted the head coaching job two years ago (predicting that the Jets would be meeting President Obama "soon enough") the Jets have straddled the line of confident and over-the-top cocky.
The Jets were made for HBO's cameras, which trailed them all summer on its Hard Knocks series. The shows were funny, vulgar, brash, bold, everything that the Jets seem to encompass.
But there can be a flip side to that heat and noise, and maybe the Jets are figuring that out. In 2010, their behavior as an organization has been a constant storyline -- from Ryan flipping the bird to heckling Dolphins fans, to the league investigating the Jets for their treatment of a female reporter, to Edwards' arrest for DUI, to the Jets' strength and conditioning coach, Sal Alosi, tripping Miami's Nolan Carroll as he raced down the sideline Sunday. Alosi later admitted to ordering five inactive players to form a wall to impede Carroll's progress as well.
Ryan was asked if the Alosi incident would damage the perception of the team -- a perception that has become increasingly negative.
"This is a terrible thing that happened -- there's no doubt," Ryan said of the incident, for which the Jets fined Alosi $25,000 on Monday and suspended him without pay for the rest of the season, then increased that suspension to indefinitely on Wednesday. "We had a DUI. I know we had all that stuff. I'd rather not rehash all that. It would be an unfortunate thing if that were the case."
December in the NFL isn't the time for releasing statements, suspending employees and apologizing to the public, but that is where the Jets find themselves with three weeks left in the season. Seeing how the Jets respond over these final days will be as fascinating as anything they offered on HBO.
As a goof, I went back and watched one of Ryan's old speeches from a Hard Knocks episode, the one where he colorfully tells his team to go eat a snack.
"Can we have fun?" Ryan asked his players that day. "You're damn right, I demand that we have fun."
Ryan went on to tell the team that there's a difference between having fun and acting like boneheads, a notion that the Jets have failed to grasp at various points this season. Maybe they should watch the speech again, Ryan included. It might be the first step to picking themselves off the mat.
Then again, that's the problem with playing the role of the bully. Once he gets knocked out, everybody on the schoolyard knows it, and nobody looks at the bully quite the same way ever again -- including the bully himself.
Penguins Notebook: Lemieux, others tuning up for alumni game
Thursday, December 16, 2010
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[https://mail.upmc.edu/pg/images/201012/x20101216penguins_330.jpg]
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Mario Lemieux will lead a team of Penguins' alumni against Capitals alumni Dec. 31 at Heinz Field.
The Penguins-Washington Capitals alumni game scheduled Dec. 31 at Heinz Field certainly seems to be bringing out the competitive nature of some of the expected Penguins participants.
As a form of preparation, team co-owner Mario Lemieux and fellow Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier played Wednesday at Consol Energy Center in what has become a regular pickup game for staff during the afternoons of weekday home games.
"Mario was Mario," said Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who also played. "[Trottier], the smarts and the hands were still there. The speed was not what it was."
Earlier, goaltending coach Gilles Meloche was in net at a morning skate where defenseman Deryk Engelland and winger Eric Godard -- the Penguins' healthy scratches for the game Wednesday night against the New York Rangers -- were the only players on the ice, along with assistant Todd Reirden, conditioning coach Mike Kadar and video coordinator Jim Britt.
"Now I know I'm 60," Meloche cracked after a pretty strenuous workout.
Meloche said he faced shots at Southpointe once recently but, other than that, "I hadn't put on the pads in 11, 12 years."
He borrowed skates and sticks from Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury; pads, glove, blocker and mask from Britt, who, in a pinch, fills in at practice when the Penguins need a goalie; and got a chest protector from equipment manager Dana Heinze.
The alumni game is being held in conjunction with the Jan. 1 outdoor Winter Classic at Heinz Field between the current Penguins and Capitals. The rosters are still being assembled.
Lovejoy back in lineup Defenseman Ben Lovejoy was in the Penguins' lineup after sitting in favor of Engelland for seven of the previous eight games and 16 of the previous 20.
"There have been times where he probably sat out stretches a little longer than I would have liked to see a guy sit out," Bylsma said of Lovejoy. "He's not your typical first-year pro. Neither is Deryk. I'm not as concerned as if it was, say, a Simon Despres [a 2009 first-round draft pick]. He's got to play games.
"Ben Lovejoy's played a lot of hockey. I think he and Deryk are capable of sitting out for periods of time and being ready and focused to come back in play their games. I'm real confident of both of them being able to jump right in given any kind of small hiatus."
Winger Chris Kunitz, meanwhile, sat out for the second consecutive game because of an unspecified injury.
Bylsma said that was the smart route considering the Penguins now are off for four days in a row. He said he is hoping Kunitz can return at some point during the team's three games next week before the NHL's Christmas break.
Despres on Team Canada Despres, the Penguins' 2009 first-round draft pick, survived the final cut and is on the 22-man Team Canada roster for the World Junior Championships, which start Dec. 26 in Buffalo.
Despres, 19, had been struggling at the team's camp, so it remains to be seen how extensive his role will be. In 22 games with his junior club, Saint John of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he has nine goals, 26 points in 22 games with a plus-minus rating of plus-19.
Tip-ins Penguins center Jordan Staal has not had the follow-up X-ray on his right hand that is expected this week. ... Bylsma expects an update soon on forward Mike Comrie, who missed his 10th game in a row because of an undisclosed injury. Bylsma said Comrie has gotten on skates but mostly is undergoing rehab. ... The Rangers had 13 players at an optional morning skate. ... New York scratched forwards Todd White and Derek Boogaard and defenseman Matt Gilroy.
In a career reaching into four decades, Mike Modano<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/55183/mike-modano> has built an impressive resume: over 550 goals, 800 assists, one Stanley Cup, and the reputation of an "every-minute" forward with point-per-game skills in a period when the former was rarely recognized and the latter hard to come by.
Now, we are coming to the end of his career. We watch as he moves closer to home and wears an alien uniform, wanting old to become new one more time, but instead it has just gotten older. Modano isn't playing the toughest opponents anymore; in fact, he is now playing the weakest<http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_statistics.php?s=11&rs=t&f1=2010_s&f2=5v5&f7=20-&c=0+1+3+5+11+12+13+14+15+16#>. Wrist surgery has him rehabbing hard, trying to get one last playoff run, a chance to sew up the loose ends and make sure he can end it on his terms.
We demand this of our Hall of Famers, and he better get in.
Because, unfortunately, there are a lot of arguments to the contrary. He has one 50-goal season to his credit, one Stanley Cup (and a controversial one<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VWAtMxXVCs&feature=related>, at that), 7 All-Star Games, but zero major trophies, zero 100-point seasons; the fact that he's the highest scoring U.S.-born NHLer might be enough on its own, or his place on the 1996 World Cup and 2002 Olympic teams. In a time when 500 goals is less than enough, we have to dig like this to find pinnacles in a career that was just consistently higher than most.
Stats tell us more, like the fact that he was relied upon to play in every situation, even when the Stars were flooded with defensive stalwarts like Jere Lehtinen<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54795/jere-lehtinen>, Guy Carbonneau, and Brian Skrudland. He was that good, and he and Lehtinen formed the core of some of the more eye opening numbers of the Dead Puck Era. The success of the Devils was pretty sobering, but then Ed Belfour tied together two sub-2.00 GAA seasons, actually topping (or is it "bottoming"?) Brodeur in 1997-98. After that, Modano and company made Marty Turco<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54865/marty-turco> into a star, as Turco himself had two sub-2.00 GAA seasons. Four sub-2.00 GAA seasons, across two goaltenders and seven seasons, are not a function of great goaltending, but a great defense at work.
GVT likes him even more; among forwards with 1,000+ games in NHL history, Modano's per-game defensive GVT ranks 13th, ahead of Doug Gilmour, Rod Brind'Amour, Dave Taylor, Jason Arnott<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54417/jason-arnott>, and even Bob Gainey.
Modano fits within the battle for legitimacy in a time where we constantly debate what is Hall-of-Fame-worthy. He needs to give a pound of flesh because the boxcar stats don't hold him "elite" enough; he needs one more Cup because 16 wins this year, this time around, is more important than 1,500 games of top-flite hockey. We want him to do it, because great for longer makes it easier to decide. And winning a Cup can truly make you look great. But what if he was elite all along, and we were looking in the wrong place?
In history, there are meteors, and there are prolonged figures; I believe strongly in meteors, as their intensity truly makes us think differently about a particular time and place.
But prolonged figures are less fire and more glowing coal, confined but constant, reminding us that long after the flame has died out, it was firing our engines and warming our air.
Let's make sure Mike Modano gets into the Hall.
Seriously, haven't I suffered enough?" (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)
Browse more photos »<http://www.fromtherink.com/photos/phoenix-coyotes-2009-10-vs-2010-11-attendance-and-what-it-all-means>
Folks, it might finally, finally, finally be over. Yes, the Phoenix Coyotes<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/phoenix-coyotes> and the strange, wacky journey they've been on -- something akin to Homer Simpson's desert travels with his spirit guide <http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=video&cd=1&ved=0CC8QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2djtizM42PM&rct=j&q=homer%20simpson%20coyote&ei=CfsITb3tMIjAsAO299XLDg&usg=AFQjCNHq2n-_CFSJIRzRauM3ZEbw45LxJA&cad=rja> -- seems to be headed for a soft landing, as the City of Glendale voted 5-2 <http://www.fiveforhowling.com/2010/12/14/1877356/glendale-city-council-approves-new-coyotes-lease-with-5-2-vote> to essentially do whatever financial means necessary to keep the Yotes there. There are arguments that this is too much to do for a team that's struggling at the box office, but it becomes a chicken-or-the-egg question: does the combination of stability and winning create a fanbase or is a fanbase necessary to create stability?
(Winning, obviously, is dictated by management and the players themselves.)
The difference this season is obviously the fact that the Coyotes are no longer surprising teams in the NHL. After a very good regular season last year, the Coyotes are once again in the thick of things; Dave Tippett continues to work his magic over a hit-and-miss roster, and the Coyotes are in a tough battle in highly competitive Western Conference. They shouldn't sneak up on anyone anymore, especially Phoenix-area fans.
Has it made an impact on the box office? Let's take a look at a game-by-game tally so far:
Home Game
2009 Att
2010 Att
14
9,868
11,410
13
10,691
7,749
12
11,106
10,334
11
9,503
12,708
10
11,319
9,354
9
10,064
9,412
8
10,362
11,117
7
5,855
14,642
6
6,495
6,761
5
7,968
8,171
4
11,938
8,189
3
9,162
6,706
2
6,899
17,125
1
17,532
12,990
Average
9,912
10,476
The pure numbers show that there is an uptick early on this season, but not by much. However, here are some caveats to consider:
-First off, the sold-out home opener "White Out" from last season was a bit of box office trickery. That game used a ton of special discounts and value pricing to essentially fill the building.
-Second, if you actually saw any Coyotes games on Center Ice during October and November, the place was a mausoleum. Those figures where eight- or nine-thousand were reported are the official numbers for "tickets distributed", not attending. On some of those nights, a glance at the Jobing.com Arena seemed like half of that.
This year, however, Jobing.com seems a lot more lively on TV. It's difficult without a panoramic photograph during the middle of the game for each home evening to gauge actual attendance, but I get the sense that the reported numbers are closer to the actual attendance -- unlike last season, when there was a lot of face-saving going on.
What does this all mean? It's extremely difficult to judge a market by what the Coyotes have gone through. Ownership woes have affected fan loyalty in any market, be it traditional American, Canadian, or expansion/relocation. No one likes their fandom being jerked around by billionaires who don't care about ticket payers, and you'll see it in affect attendance in all sports (see: Raiders, Oakland).
As I mentioned a week ago, winning can be the biggest catalyst <http://www.fromtherink.com/2010/12/8/1863911/winning-attendance-a-direct-correlation> for reviving a market. There has to be stability in management and ownership for it to truly thrive long-term (and getting a marketable superstar does wonders, but I don't think Kyle Turris<http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/players/54647/kyle-turris> will be the next posterboy for the league). When you combine all of these factors, the biggest litmus test for the Coyotes isn't this season; it'll really be next year after the team (assuming they don't fall apart on the ice) puts together another solid regular season, have ownership in place, have a budget and a plan for marketing and outreach, and GM Don Maloney isn't handcuffed by a black cloud.
No one's expecting the Coyotes to pull in 18,000 a night next season. But should everything go as planned from here until the start of next season's training camp, the true market test will be if all of the metrics (ticket sales, merchandise sales, TV ratings, web traffic) start to trend upward.
I just finished watching the first episode of 24/7 Penguins Capitals: The Road to the NHL Winter Classic<http://www.hbo.com/#/sports/24-7-penguins-capitals-road-to-the-nhl-winter-classic> for the second time, and I'm already planning on watching it again.
Yes my friends, the show is that good, and if you're a hockey fan who doesn't already have HBO<http://hbo.com/>, you need to get in touch with your cable or satellite provider right now to address that oversight. If anything, episode one consistently exceeded my expectations. The cable outlet has another breakout winner on its hands, and the NHL<http://nhl.com/> should be thanking whatever god they pray to for being along for the ride.
The moment that kicked the show into overdrive for me was during Pittsburgh's road trip to Buffalo, footage that was backed musically by the 70s hit, "Right Back Where We Started From<http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/familystone/rightbackwherewestartedfrom.htm>," by Maxine Nightingale. It was an obvious nod to every hockey fan's favorite film, "Slap Shot<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slap_Shot_(film)>," and one that sent the message that the folks doing the series love and respect the game as much as its most ardent fansâ€"a welcome change from the message national media outlets usually telegraph when it comes to their feelings about the game.
It was great to see hockey treated in a manner that we usually see reserved for other major sports. My colleague at The TV News<http://thetvnews.tv/thetvnews/TTVN_HOME.html>, Jeff Grimshaw, says the key to shooting hockey for television is to eschew the traditional "eye in the sky" view for tight shots on the action, and HBO seems to understand that implicitly. So while you may have watched hockey in HD, few have ever seen it like this, which means while this series is a great reason to subscribe to HBO, it's an even better reason to buy an HDTV if you don't already have one.
But while it's impossible to ignore what I saw last night, it was what I heard that couldn't help but warm my heart. Sure, there have been plenty of times when players have been wired for sound during a game, but those audio tracks have usually been sanitized for a family audience. That's not the case with 24/7. Instead, we get to eavesdrop on fights, meltdowns on the bench and players cursing under their breath after enduring a locker room tirade. We've always known that Washington winger Alex Ovechkin had a wicked sense of humor, but he kicked his reputation to a whole new level last night. After an official explained that teammate Alexander Semin had drawn blood after cross-checking Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles in the neck, a horrible lapse in judgment that earned Semin a game misconduct, Ovechkin deadpanned, "He (Liles) must have sensitive skin."
Considering his team was in the midst of a 12-game winning streak at the time, I'm not surprised that Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma was depicted as cool, cerebral and in control. Then again, through the lens of HBO, it was hard not to come away with the impression that Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau's stock had crashed out of the NASDAQ and into the pink sheets.
That impression crystallized while watching footage of Sunday's 7-0 loss against the Rangers. With his team down 3-0, Boudreau called timeout during the second period in order to rally his troops. After berating the team for demonstrating a lack of courage and strafing them with a string of F bombs, Boudreau wrapped up his rant with, "Let's get our fucking asses out of our heads," a line that can only be described as "bass ackwards." One can't help but wonder what Boudreau's players thought of his malaprop.
After one episode, we have our storyline: one one side we have the Penguins, a team that already has a title, riding high and feeling confident. On the other, we have the struggling Caps, a team with a well established reputation for failing when it matters most, struggling to get things back on track.
After taking it all in, it's impossible not to wonder how the show is playing inside each organization, especially here in Washington. In the past, if the Caps stumbled into a losing streak, the media attention would be negative, but not nearly as searing as it would be in a more rabid hockey market. But now, with expectations of success and television cameras recording their every move, ending the losing streak has become more imperative then ever before. Washington had a chance to alter the narrative last night, but still found a way to lose to Anaheim at home, 2-1 in overtime.
With six days left before the next episode airs, Washington has three chances to alter the storyline: first on Saturday in Boston, on Sunday in Ottawa and back home again against the Devils on Tuesday. As the losses continue to pile up, and the gap between Washington and the rest of the pack in the Southeast Division tightens, you have to start wondering whether or not collars are going to begin to tighten in Washington's executive suite too. Stay tuned.
Episode One of “24/7� is a Rousing Success for Hockey<http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tc/comments/episode_one_of_24_7_is_a_rousing_success_for_hockey/>
by Tony<https://mail.upmc.edu/index.php/member/440/> on 12/16/10 at 08:36 AM ET
Comments (9)
“Bruce Boudreau’s potty mouth made Rex Ryan sound like Dora the Explorer.�
That was the Tweet<http://twitter.com/#!/buccigross> from ESPN’s John Buccigross last night. And trust me, there’s hundreds more Tweets just like that as the overwhelmingly glowing results pour in after the first episode of HBO’s “24/7 Penguins/Capitals, Road to the Winter Classic�.
And oh yeah, the Penguins have lost two in a row now. They need to knock that shit off.
OK, back to the show. Some observations:
- I tweeted it after last night’s show, but I’ll repeat it: I don’t care if you’re not a fan of either team, you had to enjoy the shit out of that show. At least for one show, they didn’t overload it with non-stop Crosby and Ovechkin, which of course was a concern beforehand. The locker room banter was priceless.
- I’m not going to bash the Capitals. Sure, they’re struggling right now, and as a Pens fan, that’s fun enough. But let’s not forget, Episode Two will start with the Penguins losing at least two games in a row. You’ll no doubt be seeing some long faces in the Penguins locker room for at least some part of the next show.
- Boudreau’s F-bomb-laced tirade(s) were hilarious. Were some of those F-bombs led on by the cameras? Maybe a little. But there’s no doubt, he’s got every right to be pissed.
- Absolutely loved HCDB’s pre-game peptalk before the Leafs game.
- Fascinating watching the docs stitch up Deryk Engelland after his scrap with Colton Orr.
- Did I miss the Pens announcing that Paul Martin got Mustache Boy for December, or did they purposely wait until it could be shown on the show?
- One thing that I really hope I see is Sidney Crosby away from his usual interview posture. You saw it a little bit last night on the plane and in the hotel, but I hope they follow Sid around a bit as well.
- I will also be disappointed if Crosby isn’t miked up for a game. We can all read lips, there’s plenty of F-bombs coming out of that mouth. Maybe not to the level of Boudreau (and who is, really), but he’s no boy scout on the ice, either.
I could go on for a while, but you get the gist. It was a fantastic debut for the series, and I can’t wait for next week!
“Max is a douche� - Marc-Andre Fleury
Note: The following is a "play-by-play" account of last night's episode of '24/7: Penguins/Capitals Road to the NHL Winter Classic." We caught the 2 a.m. airing of the show. Our account is timestamped from that point:
2:05 a.m.: Following an opening introducing the series, a montage of the always amazing drive through the Fort Pitt Tunnels towards downtown is intermixed with footage of Penguins equipment manager Dana Heinze hanging the players' jerseys in their stalls. That's joined by a "It's a Hockey Night in Pittsburgh" from Mike Lange.
2:06: Prior to a game against the Maple Leafs, Dan Bylsma gets into the vulgarity parade. "Let's grind these _____ down here, eh. Two, three four full pinch the first full time out. Kuny, you ready to ____ get on that guy? Good cause your going."
Bylsma then reads off the team's starting lineup by number. After every number, the players yell in unison, "Ohhhh!" then clap.
2:07: According to Liev Schreiber, Crosby has "at 23 years of age, he's already won every major trophy in hockey."
We suppose HBO definition of "major" is a little different, but Crosby didn't win the Calder Trophy or the Conn Smyth Award. Yes, we're being nitpicky hockey geeks.
2:08: Crosby's mustache is even more creepy in HD:
[http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5265161505_b853550735.jpg]
2:09: Deryk Engeland and Toronto's Colton Orr are shown fighting. Both exchange a few vulgarities. We'll score each with one. Following the fight, we get footage of Engelland getting some stitch work near his eye.
2:10: Afterwards, Engelland is shown in the locker room with his teammates. Kris Letang kids him, "Engell, next time take a tough guy."
Bylsma then says, "Nice job Engell, ____ right!"
2:11: The show shifts focus to the Capitals. Boudreau actually address the presence of HBO in the team's locker room and how much different the Penguins' locker room much be during a winning streak in comparison to the Capitals' locker room and their losing streak.
2:12: Following a loss to Toronto, Boudreau is heard in the locker room ripping his team's defense. Ironically, Capitals defenseman Mike Green, whose play in his own zone has always been... well... um... questioned... is shown with this really dopey look on his face:
[http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5265161519_53b32da2c7.jpg]
-Boudreau then says: "We let them _____ coming into our barn and score three goals in the third period!"
2:13: While addressing how he can motivate his team during an interview, Boudureau says, "I'm getting texts from my friends saying 'Skate them til the puke. That's what they did in 'Miracle!'"
2:15: Bylsma talks about his facial scars from his playing career. Regarding one on his upper lip, he says it reminds him that he was a hockey player.
2:18: Matt Cooke's role as an agitator is addressed. He tells Marc-Andre Fleury "___ off!" And his mustache isn't much better:
[http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5265781880_0160423309.jpg]
-And yes, we intentionally paused our DVR at just the right moment to get a shot of him making that stupid face.
2:19: The team's "Moustache Boy" tournament is brought up. An unknown Penguin drops an expletive as the tournament is shown. Paul Martin ends up losing the tournament must grow a mustache for the month.
2:20: As Cooke is sown in the team's change room getting ready to shave, HBO manages to get one of the Penguins' bare backside. Do. Not. Want.
Note: Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! identifies the naked Penguin as Deryk Engelland<http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/HBO-24-7-Penguins-Capitals-Ep-1-Bruce-Boudreau?urn=nhl-296663>.
2:21: Cooke's shaving leads to a segway of Washington's Ovechkin shaving in his underwear. Do. Not. Want.
2:22: Following, a brief montage of Ovechkin's career, several of the Capitals are shown skating at the National Mall. A young fan unabashedly asks Washington forward Nicklas Backstrom, "Two in a row you lost?"
2:23: The recent trade of defenseman Scott Hannan from the Avalanche to the Capitals is brought up. Hannan and his wife are shown house-shopping in Alexandria, Va.
2:24: Maxime Talbot's house on the South Side is shown. He talks about living in Pittsburgh. "I love this city. I love this team. I just love it here."
2:25: During the team's holiday party at Consol Energy Center, Talbot is shown roughing around with Cooke's children. He says: "Matt Cooke's kid just speared me. Right on the shin. I'm like 'What are you doing? Oh wait. You're Jack. You're Matt Cooke's kid. You play the same way as your dad.'"
2:26: Mike Rupp attempts to place one of his children on the lap of a Santa Claus. The kid fusses and walks away crying. Talbot then sits on Santa's lap and whispers, "I want for Christmas, your two little helpers," referring to two young ladies assisting Santa.
2:27: A meeting between Bylsma and Ray Shero is shown. While reviewing a recent game, Bylsma brings up Cooke, The exchange goes:
Bylsma: "Cookie, didn't like his game.
Shero: "How's he been recently?"
Bylsma: "His line hasn't been great."
Shero: "They weren't very good the other night either, where they?"
Bylsma: "No, that's why I got Cookie at a two. Made three or four bad decisions with the puck."
-The two then bring up the possibility of recalling Dustin Jeffrey from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
2:28: The show shifts back to the Capitals. Boudreau drops a "What the ____?" on the bench during a game to the Panthers:
2:30: With his team down 1-0 to the lowly Panthers at home, Boudreau takes a big lead in the expletive count as he rips his team in the locker room during the first intermission: "I have never seen a bunch of guys look so ___ down when something bad happens. What are you guy? Like prima donna perfect that if you can't ___ handle adversity? So ___ not going right! It's not ____ working the last 10 days! ___ get your ____ out of your heads! And ___ make it work by outworking the opposition. You kill two ___ men and then we stand around and watch while they ___ score here. ___ you come to the bench like ___ this and when the power play's not working so you're trying to stick handle. You're looking like this and not standing. Outwork the ___ guys. If you want it, don't just think you want it! Go out and ___ want it! But you're not looking like you want it! You look like your ___ feeling sorry for yourselves! And nobody ___ wants anybody that's feeling sorry for themselves! You got 20 ___ minutes! You're down by one ____ shot! Surely the ____ we can deal with this!"
-Wow. Lee Elia or Bobby Knight would be jealous of that.
2:31: We believe Brooks Laich is shown in his stall saying: "I'm sick of this ____ ____."
2:32: As the Panthers score again, Boudreau pounds the glass and bellows another expletive.
2:33: Two expletives from an unknown Capital are heard.
2:34: The show shifts back to Pittsburgh and Pascal Dupuis' home and family. While driving to Iceoplex at Southpointe in Canonsburg, Dupuis jokes about Crosby," He's always behind me. He's a slower skater than I am. He's trying to catch up to me all the time."
2:35: While walking through the players' lounge, Dupuis says, "___ you Geno."
2:35: During a practice, Bylsma tears into this players," The last drill we did was ____. Our brains weren't in it. Execution was ____."
2:37: As Fleury calls Talbot a pseudo-bad word for a feminine hygiene product on the team's plane (we'll count that as half a swear word), "Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightengale is played, seemingly as a tribute to "Slapshot."
2:38: As some members of the team are dining at a Buffalo restaurant, Fleury, Cooke, Eric Godard and Brent Johnson are shown at the hotel moving every piece of furniture from the room of Mark Letestu and Ben Lovejoy to the hall way. Letestu immediately blames Cooke as he returns to the locker room.
2:39: The show returns to Washington. Several of the Capitals players are sent home due to a virus.
2:44: During a game against the Avalanche, Capitals forward Alexander Semin crosscheck Colorado defenseman in the head. Ovechkin discusses the penalty handed out to Semin with an official. The exchange goes as this:
Ovechkin: "What he cut him?"
Official: "Yeah. Cross cheked him right here. And he's ____ cut wide open."
Ovechkin: "Well he probably has sensitive skin, no?"
2:45: After the game, another loss, Boudreau is pleased with this team. Great ___ game and you didn't get rewarded for it. But that's sometimes what happens. And you can't get discouraged by it. You got to ____ push through this little thing and when it does, you'll already be you have to be all the time. So don't get discouraged. I know its ___ tough, but you played a great ___ game. "
2:46: The scene shifts back to the Penguins and Buffalo. Dustin Jeffrey, fresh off a recall, is focused. As is Evgeni Malkin's wonky knee.
2:48: Bylsma is shown offering a pregame speech. "Pittsburgh Penguin ice hockey. Dictate the game. Physicality and where it's ___ played and how we want to play it. Until the 65 or 60 minutes is up, then we get the ___ out of here."
2:49: After a save by Fleury, Bylsma is heard on the bench, "Good ___ save!" When Jeffrey scores his first goal of the season, someone on the Penguins' bench says, "Good ___ play."
2:50: During an intermission, Talbot says, "Every ___ detail matters here." As the team returns to the defense, another unknown vulgarity is heard.
2:51: The show move back to the Capitals in New York to face the Rangers. During the intermission, Ovechkin drops a curse word.
2:53: As the Rangers take a 3-0 lead, the Capitals a call at time out. Boudreau goes nuts. "You're looking ___ defeated. We're looking ____ defeated right now! Show some ___ courage and ____ play the game the properly. You'll score three ___ goals! I'm sick and ___ tired of losing! Lets get our ____ ____ out there!"
And of course, Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky scores immediately. Boudreau "You're ___ kiding me!"
2:54: After dropping New York defenseman Dan Girardi with a hip check, Ovechkin jumps Dubinsky in the neutral zone. The two fight. The fall to the ice. One says, "Good job buddy." The other says" Yeah, good job buddy." Then Ovechkin gets up and screams at his bench, "____ come on for ___ sake!"
2:55: Capitals forward Matt Hendricks is in the box with Ovechkin and says, "___ right"
2:56: With Boudreau apparently over his quota of swear words, assistant coach Dean Evason steps up, off camera, "It's a ___ joke. Some of you guys never ___ get in a pushing match or a ____ face wash because you're not even close to the ____ battle. When are you guys going to grab your ____ ___ and do something about it. ___ compete! Just get in someone's ___ face! Our best ____ player is fighing! The greatest player in the world. Someone grab their ___ ___ and compete please."
2:58: Bylsma makes one last vain attempt to get back into the swearing battle, "Keep the ___ peddle down!"
Unoffcially, here is your swearing count:
Penguins
(Swear words)
Capitals
(Swear words)
Dan Bylsma (9)
Bruce Boudreau (35)
Unknown (3)
Dean Evason (11)
Matt Cooke (1)
Matt Hendricks (3)
Pascal Dupuis (1)
Alex Ovechkin (3)
Deryk Engelland (1)
Unknown (2)
Maxime Talbot (1)
Brooks Laich (1)
Marc-Andre Fleury (1/2)
Total (16 1/2)
Total (71)
Others offering swear words: Colton Orr (1), Referee (1).
Move over, Rex Ryan. Bruce Boudreau and Dan Bylsma are about to take over HBO.
“24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the Winter Classicâ€� â€" doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue like “Boardwalk Empire,â€� does it â€" will make its debut on HBO on Wednesday at 10 p.m., Eastern time, with an immediate replay at 11 p.m. The one-hour episode is the first of three setting the stage for the Winter Classic between Pittsburgh and Washington at Heinz Field on New Year’s Day. There will be a final installment, on Jan. 5, focusing on the big event.
If this four-act play features enough drama, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin could see their fame extend beyond hockey nation. The teams both have plenty of funny and insightful “character actors,� from Pascal Dupuis and Eric Godard in Pittsburgh to Brooks Laich and D.J. King in Washington, who will undoubtedly emerge as leading players
Thanks to Sidney Crosby's<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3737/> mustache, the BBQ or wing or tomato sauce on Washington Capitals<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/was/> Coach Bruce Boudreau's mouth was only the second most revolting thing found on someone's face during an HBO 24/7 interview. But rather than embarrassing, it was completely within character.
To those who wagered Boudreau would be the breakout star in HBO's "24/7 Penguins Capitals: The Road To the NHL Winter Classic," congratulations are in order. He was funny. He was charming. He dropped more F-bombs than a Lil' Wayne mix tape, making New York Jets<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyj/> Coach Rex Ryan's "Hard Knocks" performance look like a Ned Flanders impression by comparison. He was the fat coach who bitched about the HBO cameras being in the room as he kept one hand in his pants like Al Bundy watching a Bears game.
The worst stretch of NHL regular-season hockey for Boudreau was the best thing to happen to HBO.
The Pittsburgh Penguins<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/pit/>, after all, were in the midst of a 12-game winning streak when this was filmed, so they were all smiling faces and Christmas parties and rookie pranks and mustache-growing contests. Without the Capitals' seven-game winless streak and Boudreau's off-the-charts frustrations, this show might have felt as edgy as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie ... with lots of cursing and sporadic blood.
Instead, it was a hell of an hour of hockey, unfiltered and mesmerizing.
This Week on 24/7
The opening image of the series? Dirty laundry.
It was tumbling around in a washing machine as part of montage that established what this series will give us: The hockey we don't see, from angles we're not used to. We watch as two arena workers open the doors to the rink from the Zamboni's perspective. The hell? Aren't all the cameras usually out there? The rest of the opening is prologue. Establishing the franchises. Establishing Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3637/> as their stars, and Boudreau and Dan Bylsma as their coaches. Establishing the Winter Classic.
Then we get "Intro" by The XX on the soundtrack, setting the scene for our first bit of dressing room and on-ice action for the Penguins against the Toronto Maple Leafs<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/tor/> -- highlighted by a Deryk Engelland<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3487/>/Colton Orr fight that features mic'd up audio and stitches in HD. Gross.
The Penguins' narrative in this episode was in a different trajectory than the Capitals'. They're the ones having fun: Matt Cooke's<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/1765/> status as Mustache Boy for having lost a practice shootout, and the mantle being passed to Paul Martin<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/2992/>; Pascal Dupuis<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/2726/> interacting with his family; little kids, and big ones like Max Talbot<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3472/>, having fun at a holiday party; and, when the Pens hit the road, hijinks with some of their rookie players at the team hotel:
24/7 Penguins Capitals: Pittsburgh Rookie Prank<http://vimeo.com/17873483> from Greg Wyshynski<http://vimeo.com/user2962511> on Vimeo<http://vimeo.com/>.
The Capitals have their lighter moments, too: Nicklas Backstrom<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3982/> skating with fans; Scott Hannan<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/1781/> house hunting; and Ovechkin's new life as a clean-shaven man (with back tats):
24/7 Penguins Capitals: Ovechkin and the close shave<http://vimeo.com/17873436> from Greg Wyshynski<http://vimeo.com/user2962511> on Vimeo<http://vimeo.com/>.
But overall, the Capitals are portrayed as a powder keg of pressure to win a championship and turn around their regular-season fortunes. A Boudreau locker-room rant during a loss to the Florida Panthers<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/fla/> was scathing, featuring a profane speech that began: "I have never a seen a bunch of a guys look so [expletive] down when things aren't going right."
The dramatic climax to the episode was the loss to the Rangers, which featured both a classic Boudreau rant, an Ovechkin fight and assistant coach Dean Evason yelling, "When are you guys gonna grab your [expletive] sack and do something about it?"
The contrast in Episode 1 couldn't be clearer: The Penguins have the life the Capitals want. They're happy and healthy; the Caps are frustrated and ill. They're high on success; the Caps hang their heads after their opponents score a single goal.
It'll be interesting to see where HBO goes with the Penguins now that they've hit some adversity. As for Washington, this is either the start of a redemption story or a team caught mid-death spiral.
F-Bomb Count: Our count was 66, but Capitals Outsider claims it's 68. <http://capitalsoutsider.com/2010/12/16/24-7-curse-count-caps-lead-pens/>
Nudity Report: One Penguin buttocks, belonging to Engelland and seen in the distance before Matt Cooke shaves his 'Stache.
Hockey Geek Moment: HBO played "Get Right Back Where We Started" during a Penguins road trip montage -- a song that was basically the theme for "Slap Shot."
Money Quote, Capitals:
"Call timeout ... we're looking [expletive] defeated! We're looking [expletive] defeated right now! Show some [expletive] courage and play the game properly! You'll score three [expletive] goals if you do! I'm [expletive] sick and tired of losing. Let's [expletive] get our asses outta our heads!"
-- Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau, during a timeout in a game against the New York Rangers<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/nyr/>. The Rangers would score again soon after en route to a 7-0 rout.
Money Quote, Penguins:
"I want for Christmas your two little helpers."
"I heard."
-- Max Talbot and Santa Claus, during a Penguins holiday party.
Three Stars:
3. Dan Bylsma, Penguins. Disco Dan came off great in the first episode, dropping a few F-bombs while seeming like the most genuine and awesome dude in the face of the Earth.
2. Matt Cooke, Penguins. Yes, as much as it pains all of his, he was charming during his Mustache Boy bit and his child speared Talbot during the holiday skate, which was hilarious.
1. Bruce Boudreau, Capitals. If you disagree, you really need to get your ass outta your head.
Other Takes
DC Sports Bog<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/12/first_episode_of_247_bleeping.html>
Puck The Media<http://puckthemedia.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/247-episode-1-hilarious-and-watchable-but-why-it-wasnt-perfect/>
FanHouse<http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/15/24-7-penguins-capitals-episode-1/>
LeBrun <http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/2633/winter-classic-show-is-honest-entertaining>
Next Week: The Penguins battle the Philadelphia Flyers<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/phi/> while we get a glimpse at the adventures of Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin.
how face police made Thrashers talk of sports world
The NHL's Atlanta Thrashers<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/atl/> pulled off one of the most elaborate and inventive viral marketing stunts<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AulWBKJNOXxJUIbFC9UPfFp7vLYF?slug=ap-thrashers-mascotstunt> in recent pro sports history on Wednesday; one that featured a stolen Zamboni, a police chase in rush-hour traffic and a giant plush bird behind bars.
But will it sell tickets?
The stunt began with a coordinated blast of breaking news at 8:10 a.m., via the official website<http://thrashers.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=66566&navid=DL%7CATL%7Chome> and Facebook page<http://www.facebook.com/AtlantaThrashers#%21/AtlantaThrashers?v=wall> of the team: "THRASH ARRESTED."
[Watch: Police chase teen in dump truck<http://yhoo.it/fex8ds>]
The story went like this: Thrash, the team's mascot, was so distraught over the lack of attention being given to his Thrashers, who were a surprising fifth in the Eastern Conference (17-11-3) but averaging just 11,789 fans per home game, that he "stole" a Zamboni from the team's practice facility in Duluth, Ga. He attempted to drive it 25 miles on I-85 to Phillips Arena in downtown Atlanta to draw the attention of hockey-apathetic locals.
Alas, he was "arrested" by Gwinnett County police, as chronicled by this "news report" posted on the team's website:
Twitter buzzed with curiosity over the incident. Facebook had a running thread of "Free Thrash" comments under an image of the jailbird.<http://platform.ak.fbcdn.net/www/app_full_proxy.php?app=4949752878&v=1&size=o&cksum=99cd1a1b2c9cc6a6fc1421d88caf9d8c&src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philipsarena.com%2FResources%2FGeneralInfo%2FTHR_FB_FreeThrash.jpg>
Later, the team offered an update on the "legal" proceedings, as Thrash was "found guilty" by a judge of, ahem, "grand theft Zamboni."
His verdict: The Thrashers must sell at least 5,000 additional tickets to the remaining December home games in order for Thrash to be "released from jail." Uh-huh.
[Rewind: Pro skater breaks arm trying to play pro hockey<http://yhoo.it/gtjkDZ>]
With that, even the most gullible among us realized it had all been a publicity stunt, from the fake police chase (Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office was in on the gag, so nothing unlawful occurred) to the jail-time. Was it worth it? Reactions to the Thrashers' bold marketing move have been mixed.
Here's the second video the Thrashers posted, featuring the "verdict":
The local FOX television affiliate covered it with a straight face.<http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/sports/Thrash-Jailed,-%27Steals%27-Zamboni-20101215-am-sd> The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's hockey blog feigned shock and awe at Thrash's behavior<http://blogs.ajc.com/iceman-thrashers-blog/2010/12/15/thrash-buddy-whyd-ya-do-it/?cxntfid=blogs_iceman_thrashers_blog>.
The national media took notice, too. Amanda Rykoff of ESPNW wrote:<http://espn.go.com/espnw/blog/_/post/5923403/one-helluva-good-public-relations-stunt>
I happen to have a soft spot for mascots (ok fine, maybe it's a mild obsession; ok fine, it's sort of a major obsession), so when I first heard about this, I wanted to buy tickets just so Thrash could be free to do what he does best -- entertain his fans. But because I live in New York City, all I could do was write about this outrageous publicity stunt in the hopes that any of you in Atlanta will do the right thing and spring Thrash from the pokey. Free Thrash!
The Thrashers blog Bird Watchers Anonymous<http://www.birdwatchersanonymous.com/2010/12/15/1878066/gameday-thrashers-visit-lightning> wasn't sure what to make of the stunt:
I'm torn. Any marketing at all is an effort, and that's more than we've seen from the team in the past. And as ideas go, it is pretty inventive. A giant bird driving a Zamboni down Satellite Blvd. is bound to grab some attention. But the frisking of said bird is bound to leave some indelible scars on the psyches of small children.
The blog ran a reader poll on the campaign, and 59 percent of respondents felt it was good marketing.
It was. It made the locals take notice of a hockey team playing above and beyond expectations. It may have sold a few extra tickets for upcoming games. And at a time when some teams are choosing obvious and uninspired ways to sell tickets<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Thrashers-awesome-Islanders-lazy-ways-?urn=nhl-296350>, the Thrashers took a chance. For a team struggling to fill seats, that's sometimes the only way to go.
And hey, if the ticket sales are slow, maybe someone can sneak Thrash a small saw inside a pile of birdseed to bust him out of the clink ...
we should be expecting more from the predators
For years now, whenever one is talking about the Nashville Predators<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/nas/>, the phrase "doing so much with so little" is always worked into the conversation. They're the franchise that sports a consistently low payroll, yet can boast five playoff appearances over the past six seasons, including three 100-plus point campaigns.
As the Predators prepare to host the San Jose Sharks<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/san/> tonight, they sit fourth in the Western Conference, five points behind the division-leading Detroit Red Wings<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/det/>. Once again, "Smashville" is looking like it'll be experiencing another season of playoff hockey; and, once again, the analysts and fans will continue to say they're impressed by what GM David Poile and head coach Barry Trotz have done.
But when does the impressing end and the expectations begin from those outside of Nashville?
With the consistent success, isn't it time to expect a competitive Predators team every season, no matter how low their payroll and no matter if you can't pinpoint who the "star" player is on the roster.
What Poile and Trotz have built in Nashville isn't a flash in the pan as shown from the Preds' results since the 2003-04 season. They've proven the Predators aren't one of those teams that will pop in and out of the playoffs every few seasons. Through smart drafting, shrewd roster management and phenomenal coaching (when does goalie coach Mitch Korn get some sort of award for his work?), Nashville has built a consistent winner and it's time for the polite applause and "way to go" back slaps to end and for the success to be expected.
The expectations for the team within the Nashville fanbase are always to make the playoffs, but at this point, they're tired of the "one and done" postseason history for the franchise.
Predators blogger Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck<http://www.ontheforecheck.com/> looks at the 2010-11 team and see Poile and Trotz's plan continuing to work:
"This is also a team that's built on superior depth rather than world-beating top-line talent, which also serves to tone down the hype, since there's no single "star" to latch onto. Considering the way that they've clawed back into playoff position despite a host of injuries to key players, much credit should go to role players who have been asked to step up, like Marcel Goc<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/2856/>, Nick Spaling<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/4539/>, and Sergei Kostitsyn<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/4190/>. They all have contributed to Nashville's recent strong run, but don't look for any of them to top the 40-point mark this season.
Expectations for playoff success have certainly been raised among the fanbase here, mostly because of the golden opportunity that slipped through their fingers in Game 5 of the opening round series last spring. They had Chicago on the ropes, but fumbled away that game through their own actions. With Weber assuming the captaincy, the question now is not so much whether the Predators can keep up with the best of the West, but rather, whether they can get the best out of themselves in the 2011 playoffs."
(And with Nashville's consistent success, how is it that Trotz has only been nominated for the Jack Adams Awards once during his tenure?)
The model that was put in place a long time ago in the Predators organization is one that can be looked at and copied around the NHL. Despite off-the-ice issues in Nashville a few years ago, the franchise and fanbase has persevered and management has followed their plan. The goal now is taking that regular season success and transition it to the postseason.
Coyotes must make market for themselves
Two thoughts lingered as we watched the final hours of the Phoenix Coyotes<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/pho/>' ownership saga tick away last night during a Glendale City Council meeting. The first was that there's apparently room in the community for a "WATER BILL'S TOO DAMN HIGH" political party, because several disgruntled citizens mentioned that fact.
The second was that something was going to derail this thing before competition. An injunction. An unexpected "no" vote. Jim Balsillie flying overhead in a military chopper and dumping a billion dollars on the city until they gave him the team.
True to form, there is at least one loose end after the Council voted 5-2 to approve a new lease with prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer<http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=capress-hkn_coyotes_sale-5414660> and keep the Coyotes in Glendale until 2040: The Goldwater Institute, those sticklers for fiscal responsibility in government that see the city's $100 million payment to Hulsizer for parking fee rights and $97 million to have his group manage the arena as "'grossly disproportionate' to the value the city will receive, according to the Arizona Republic.<http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2010/12/14/20101214glendale-phoenix-coyotes-deal-brk.html#ixzz18CL0EkN2>
From Travis at Five For Howling:<http://www.fiveforhowling.com/2010/12/14/1877356/glendale-city-council-approves-new-coyotes-lease-with-5-2-vote>
As far as the Goldwater Institute is concerned the City is meeting with them on Thursday to explain exactly how the deal is working. While in a statement the Institute said they would be fighting it as they thought it violated Arizona's gift clause. In tonight's meeting though the city attorneys as well as council members believed that they had crafted a deal that would pass anything GWI would throw at it and that GWI was basing it's objection on false information. At least from everything the, quite frankly, more lucid members of the council said, it should just be a matter of breaking the deal down for them so time wouldn't have to be wasted litigating anything.
So barring some sudden heel turn by the NHL's Board of Governors on Hulsizer as an owner ... is this really over? Are the Coyotes now Arizona's hockey team, with nary a moving truck in sight?
Because, if so, the fans and the team can start doing the really hard work now; in the sense that this Coyotes resolution is either going to be Bettman's Folly or the dawn of GaryLand in the next dozen years.
Rebekah Sanders of the Arizona Republic broke down<http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/2010/12/14/20101214glendale-phoenix-coyotes-deal-brk.html#ixzz18CMgt8Qy> the differences between the various deals that have been proposed for the Coyotes since Jerry Moyes placed them into bankruptcy last May:
Without considering interest based on how the city would have financed each of the proposals, here's a look at the amounts the city was asked to pay the buyers:
- The Hulsizer deal would require Glendale to pay an average of $39.4 million each year over the next 5 1/2 years and additional funding in following years to manage the arena.
- The Reinsdorf deal would have obligated Glendale to pay an average of $23 million each year over seven years.
- The Moyes request asked Glendale to pay $12.5 million each year, indefinitely.
- The Ice Edge deal would have compelled Glendale to pay an average of $10.25 million each year over 10 years.
So it would appear that Glendale lost the waiting game as far as the ante, but won it for the stability.
Ice Edge, god love'em, always had one skate in Canada. Reinsdorf wanted an out-clause that could be triggered by, like, a 5-game losing streak in December. There is an out for Hulsizer if the lease is changed due to litigation or if Glendale doesn't live up to their end of the deal. But the deal doesn't give him the same out it would have for other suitors; it keeps the team in Glendale for the long haul.
Here's a recap of the night from PhoenixCoyotes.com:
So Coyotes fans have their team and Hulsizer has the Coyotes, which means there are no more excuses. Yes, the pathetic attendance this year can be partially blamed on playoff momentum swallowed up by franchise uncertainly, especially among season ticket holders. There were 11,410 tickets distributed for Saturday night's game against the Dallas Stars<http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/dal/>.
Yes, it takes more than one playoff year to create a passionate fan base, especially after years of losing.
But the heavy lifting starts now. This team is now cemented in Arizona, to the point where they'll likely be renamed the Arizona Coyotes next season. It's time for rebirth for the franchise, a slate-wiping moment to mark the next phase of its NHL life. It's going to take more than a name change and clever BizNasty tweets to bring the fans to an arena that's still not in an ideal location; it's going to take the Coyotes and their fans spreading the sense of community that exists among a vocal minority now to other fans in the area.
Congrats to the few, the proud, the die-hard fans in Phoenix that stuck this out. Please know that Winnipeg has been reduced to making snide remarks about your climate in their newspapers.<http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Winnipeg-high--9C--Phoenix-high--Who-cares-111913699.html>
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