Loyal readers, here is your chance to get the discussion going. Let us know what is on your mind. Today is a great day for the Pine!
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bill ribassays
Well, I’ll start the ball rolling and say it’s an ugly day for role models. Bonds gets essentially a slap on the wrist and a wink, and Kobe Bryant continues to show what a stellar man he is by hollering at a ref.
Personally, I don’t care about Bonds, whether he gets recognition with an asterisk or not, I think it’s pretty safe to assume he was on steroids – I know I’m going out on a limb there, but I can only go by photos and performance stats.
As for Bryant, I can’t stomach him in the least, and usually refer to him as “the rapist,” for an incident no one seems to remember. He continues to shine, with his most recent epithet.
At least the Stanley Cup playoffs have started.
Crossword Petesays
Indeed the Stanley Cup playoffs have started! So, where’s your analysis and predictions to which Wally hinted earlier this week? You are the hockey man on the Pine. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Crossword Petesays
Regarding role models, I have pasted below some conversations from POTW.
I had indicated that maybe my posts were more suited to Open Thread, so here we go. My new comments are at the end of this post.
4. Crossword PeteApril 11th, 2011 – 4:30 pm
Bill I too was impressed with Tiger’s Sunday run (and his Friday run for that matter), but I was equally impressed with his mediocrity on Thurs and Sat as well as Sun back 9. What Tiger has helped me realize is that you can focus on being a good person or you can focus on being an elite athlete, but you probably can’t do both, at least simultaneously.
5. Crossword PeteApril 11th, 2011 – 4:31 pm
PS: maybe my final point is for discussion on Open Thread Thursday.
6. WallyApril 11th, 2011 – 6:34 pm
So … Pete … taking you literally means that Tiger was focused on being an elite golfer on Friday and Sunday while preferring to be a good person on Thur and Saturday? It’s an on/off switch, huh? Just pullin’ your chain ….
BUT … I’m sure we can find exceptions to your “general rule”. How about …. Babe Ruth (Great with kids!); Walter Payton (everyone loved him); Peyton Manning (everyone loves him, esp old ladies); John Havlicek (never heard a discouraging word). There are tons of examples of great athletes who are also great people too.
So, I still contend that ELITE athletes have to have a bad side. Bonds and Bryant are indeed ELITE athletes. Their bad side can be summarized as follows: “I am above the law!” They also embody the philosophy “It’s all about me.” It is those attitudes that set them apart and seem to be a necessary component to having the concentration and focus necessary to be at the top of their sport. Certainly there are some exceptions. Peyton Manning seems to temper those feelings quite well, as did Sweetness. But not The Babe. I don’t care how much kids loved him, he was above the law and very self-centered. Hondo is a very good player, but not ELITE. Derek Jeter is another exception, but look at his teammate Rodriguez. I stretch it certainly if I try to say ALL elite athletes are of that attitude, but I feel safe in saying that a vast majority of them are that way. Woods has tried to take that part of his personality and put it on the shelf. The result; a good (but not ELITE) golfer, one whose natural and earned talent shows through in spurts, but can not be sustained consistently because he has lost some of his “bad side”.
Crossword Petesays
What’s the story with Jimmer Fredette being banned from classes?
bill ribassays
Pete, the day someone looks to me for sports advice and believes it, well, let’s just say I got an overstock out back of bridges and you can get a great deal on them. And I don’t know the West Coast teams at all, really. But for the East (and remember, to bet on anything I say is crazy), it looks like this:
Rangers – Caps
The Rangers (my personal fave, so they’re doomed from the start), have battled injuries all season, finally got in a groove late in the season, backed into the playoffs, but will do so without Ryan Callahan, a real spark of a player (local boy as well). At this moment, they are the little engine that could. The Caps, despite a strong record, can be streaky, and can play a real lackluster game. My pick is for the Rangers, which means the Caps win in 6
Sabres – Flyers
How come you don’t root for the Sabres? is something I get all the time, but it’s the same reason I don’t pull for the Bills. Sabres started out real sluggish, and have come on strong in the last few weeks of the season. Philly has been on top for most of the year, due in part to a thuggish style of play (think Bobby Clarke and co), but their weak spot is goaltending. My pick is Sabres win (Ranger fans have no respect for Philly – see Alec Baldwin’s Yankee commercial) in 6.
Bruins – Canadiens
This should be an epic series, given tensions between the two at the moments it will be like West Side Story on ice. Watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2XhQI3K37c and imagine that as a best of 7 series. When even the goalies drop gloves, well, that gives you an idea. Montreal is fast, Boston is big – this series is too even to call.
Tampa – Pittsburgh
Everyone loves Crosby, right? Well I don’t, he whines too much, dives more than Louganis, and slashes and slew foots because he gets away with it. Fortunately, he’s hurt, as is Malkin, so the Pens will have to make do. Tampa, on the other hand, has St. Louis and Lecavalier, who, when they’re on, can score like there is no tomorrow. This will probably go 7, but I give Tampa the edge.
Like I said, I don’t know West coast teams, and you could argue I don’t even know East Coast teams. Rangers held their own last night, lost in OT, and I am not discouraged. Tampa lost, but they’ll rebound. Tonight, if you get the channel, I’d say don’t miss the Boston/Montreal matchup. My guess is first fight happens in the first 5 minutes or so.
Someone please try to explain that goalie fight to me. What was the point of that? After about 30 seconds, it was like they were talking to each other, saying “OK, was that enough of an act to satisfy everybody?” And what’s the deal with the game misconduct for your “sweater” coming off? The guy whose sweater gets pulled off gets kicked out of the game, or the guy who pulls it off does?
I still haven’t seen the video of that Chara-Pacioretti hit. Do you have a link to that, Bill?
The hit was actually more questionable than I expected.
bill ribassays
Fighting in goalie gear has to be equivalent to, uh, getting a second garbage plate at 2 in the morning – you have to really want it, and chances are, you’ll regret it before you’re done. I think they both realized it was kind of futile, once the whole team spirit thing wore away. As for the other players, even an anger management class won’t calm them down.
As for the jersey thing, https://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26336 (Rule 46.13) explains it. They are supposed to be tied down, and my guess is it stems back to the old days, so ladies wouldn’t faint at the sight of an undershirt, because that’s the only way I can make sense of it. Who would have thought so much fashion restraint was in hockey?
What made the hit bad was it was into a corner, which I think now the NHL has padded. I suppose you could run into a corner of your garage at 20 mph or so to simulate it.
Crossword Petesays
Thanks Bill. While I do not follow hockey much, I still think of the Rangers as my team. They will have a tough go without Callahan, but I’m hoping late-season momentum carries them at least in this round. The Sabres do have goaltending, and in a 7 game series I think that gives them the edge over a team that doesn’t. I am hoping they prevail. Besides, I never liked the Broad Street Bullies style of play. Canadiens-Bruins is like a throw back, like the Giants and Packers playing for Conference championships a few years ago or the Celtics and Lakers going at it – the “good old days”! A classic match-up; I personally don’t care who wins. it’s too bad one has to go home so early. Crosby may whine, but oh what a talent. It’ll be interesting to see how Pitt responds to his absence. Sometimes everybody’s glad to see the prima donna gone or motivated to fill-in for what is missing. I think Pittsburgh gbets by this round.
Crossword Petesays
Calling all Wallys. Bill covered the East (which you didn’t feel you knew). He does not feel he knows the West. Can we get your thoughts on that side?
Wallysays
Here are my thoughts, but I’m far from well-studied on this.
If I were a betting man, I’d probably put my money on Detroit and Vancouver to meet in the Western Conference finals. But I would not be shocked to see San Jose playing in the conference finals either. These three teams were consistently the best performers in the conference all season, but more importantly each is talented, fairly healthy and playoff tested from last season. One thing as certain as death and taxes … the RedWings are always very tough to eliminate … hard not to say theyre the favorite to go to the Cup Finals. Series by series predictions:
Vancouver vs Chicago — Canucks win in 6 games
San Jose vs LA — Sharks win in 6
Detroit vs Phoenix — Red Wings win in 6
Anaheim vs Nashville — Predators win in 7
As for the defending champion Blackhawks, they just don’t have “IT” this season. There’s a consistent energy lacking in most games, turnovers in their own zone have killed them, Anti Niemi is no longer their goalie, and they’re getting pushed around quite a bit … last night being Exhibit A. They do miss big Dustin Bfglyin (or however you spell it) who they lost to free-agency before the season. I’m rooting for them obviously, but they’ll be lucky to win 2 games in the Vancouver series.
So there you have it. Now who’s doing the NBA playoff preview for us?? 🙂
Regarding the Chara hit, living in Boston, I heard a lot about it. Obviously, I thought the fans calling 9-1-1 was ridiculous, and I even thought the idea that Chara knew where he was on the ice and knew what he was doing was a little ridiculous. Then, I watched the video. The puck had cleared out, and Chara gave Pacioretty a little post-action shove into that corner. I’m not saying he meant to hurt him as badly as he did, but it honestly looks to me like shoving him into that corner was intentional.
Crossword Petesays
Thanks Wally. I actually believe your beloved Blackhawks have one series in them this year. It would be a major upset to beat the Canucks, but I’m going with Chicago in 6 (because no way they could win game 7 in Vancouver). Otherwise I am with you all the way in the first round.
Loyal readers, here is your chance to get the discussion going. Let us know what is on your mind. Today is a great day for the Pine!
Well, I’ll start the ball rolling and say it’s an ugly day for role models. Bonds gets essentially a slap on the wrist and a wink, and Kobe Bryant continues to show what a stellar man he is by hollering at a ref.
Personally, I don’t care about Bonds, whether he gets recognition with an asterisk or not, I think it’s pretty safe to assume he was on steroids – I know I’m going out on a limb there, but I can only go by photos and performance stats.
As for Bryant, I can’t stomach him in the least, and usually refer to him as “the rapist,” for an incident no one seems to remember. He continues to shine, with his most recent epithet.
At least the Stanley Cup playoffs have started.
Indeed the Stanley Cup playoffs have started! So, where’s your analysis and predictions to which Wally hinted earlier this week? You are the hockey man on the Pine. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Regarding role models, I have pasted below some conversations from POTW.
I had indicated that maybe my posts were more suited to Open Thread, so here we go. My new comments are at the end of this post.
4. Crossword PeteApril 11th, 2011 – 4:30 pm
Bill I too was impressed with Tiger’s Sunday run (and his Friday run for that matter), but I was equally impressed with his mediocrity on Thurs and Sat as well as Sun back 9. What Tiger has helped me realize is that you can focus on being a good person or you can focus on being an elite athlete, but you probably can’t do both, at least simultaneously.
5. Crossword PeteApril 11th, 2011 – 4:31 pm
PS: maybe my final point is for discussion on Open Thread Thursday.
6. WallyApril 11th, 2011 – 6:34 pm
So … Pete … taking you literally means that Tiger was focused on being an elite golfer on Friday and Sunday while preferring to be a good person on Thur and Saturday? It’s an on/off switch, huh? Just pullin’ your chain ….
BUT … I’m sure we can find exceptions to your “general rule”. How about …. Babe Ruth (Great with kids!); Walter Payton (everyone loved him); Peyton Manning (everyone loves him, esp old ladies); John Havlicek (never heard a discouraging word). There are tons of examples of great athletes who are also great people too.
So, I still contend that ELITE athletes have to have a bad side. Bonds and Bryant are indeed ELITE athletes. Their bad side can be summarized as follows: “I am above the law!” They also embody the philosophy “It’s all about me.” It is those attitudes that set them apart and seem to be a necessary component to having the concentration and focus necessary to be at the top of their sport. Certainly there are some exceptions. Peyton Manning seems to temper those feelings quite well, as did Sweetness. But not The Babe. I don’t care how much kids loved him, he was above the law and very self-centered. Hondo is a very good player, but not ELITE. Derek Jeter is another exception, but look at his teammate Rodriguez. I stretch it certainly if I try to say ALL elite athletes are of that attitude, but I feel safe in saying that a vast majority of them are that way. Woods has tried to take that part of his personality and put it on the shelf. The result; a good (but not ELITE) golfer, one whose natural and earned talent shows through in spurts, but can not be sustained consistently because he has lost some of his “bad side”.
What’s the story with Jimmer Fredette being banned from classes?
Pete, the day someone looks to me for sports advice and believes it, well, let’s just say I got an overstock out back of bridges and you can get a great deal on them. And I don’t know the West Coast teams at all, really. But for the East (and remember, to bet on anything I say is crazy), it looks like this:
Rangers – Caps
The Rangers (my personal fave, so they’re doomed from the start), have battled injuries all season, finally got in a groove late in the season, backed into the playoffs, but will do so without Ryan Callahan, a real spark of a player (local boy as well). At this moment, they are the little engine that could. The Caps, despite a strong record, can be streaky, and can play a real lackluster game. My pick is for the Rangers, which means the Caps win in 6
Sabres – Flyers
How come you don’t root for the Sabres? is something I get all the time, but it’s the same reason I don’t pull for the Bills. Sabres started out real sluggish, and have come on strong in the last few weeks of the season. Philly has been on top for most of the year, due in part to a thuggish style of play (think Bobby Clarke and co), but their weak spot is goaltending. My pick is Sabres win (Ranger fans have no respect for Philly – see Alec Baldwin’s Yankee commercial) in 6.
Bruins – Canadiens
This should be an epic series, given tensions between the two at the moments it will be like West Side Story on ice. Watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2XhQI3K37c and imagine that as a best of 7 series. When even the goalies drop gloves, well, that gives you an idea. Montreal is fast, Boston is big – this series is too even to call.
Tampa – Pittsburgh
Everyone loves Crosby, right? Well I don’t, he whines too much, dives more than Louganis, and slashes and slew foots because he gets away with it. Fortunately, he’s hurt, as is Malkin, so the Pens will have to make do. Tampa, on the other hand, has St. Louis and Lecavalier, who, when they’re on, can score like there is no tomorrow. This will probably go 7, but I give Tampa the edge.
Like I said, I don’t know West coast teams, and you could argue I don’t even know East Coast teams. Rangers held their own last night, lost in OT, and I am not discouraged. Tampa lost, but they’ll rebound. Tonight, if you get the channel, I’d say don’t miss the Boston/Montreal matchup. My guess is first fight happens in the first 5 minutes or so.
Someone please try to explain that goalie fight to me. What was the point of that? After about 30 seconds, it was like they were talking to each other, saying “OK, was that enough of an act to satisfy everybody?” And what’s the deal with the game misconduct for your “sweater” coming off? The guy whose sweater gets pulled off gets kicked out of the game, or the guy who pulls it off does?
I still haven’t seen the video of that Chara-Pacioretti hit. Do you have a link to that, Bill?
Found it on my own: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jimZ1tSdPY0
The hit was actually more questionable than I expected.
Fighting in goalie gear has to be equivalent to, uh, getting a second garbage plate at 2 in the morning – you have to really want it, and chances are, you’ll regret it before you’re done. I think they both realized it was kind of futile, once the whole team spirit thing wore away. As for the other players, even an anger management class won’t calm them down.
As for the jersey thing, https://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26336 (Rule 46.13) explains it. They are supposed to be tied down, and my guess is it stems back to the old days, so ladies wouldn’t faint at the sight of an undershirt, because that’s the only way I can make sense of it. Who would have thought so much fashion restraint was in hockey?
What made the hit bad was it was into a corner, which I think now the NHL has padded. I suppose you could run into a corner of your garage at 20 mph or so to simulate it.
Thanks Bill. While I do not follow hockey much, I still think of the Rangers as my team. They will have a tough go without Callahan, but I’m hoping late-season momentum carries them at least in this round. The Sabres do have goaltending, and in a 7 game series I think that gives them the edge over a team that doesn’t. I am hoping they prevail. Besides, I never liked the Broad Street Bullies style of play. Canadiens-Bruins is like a throw back, like the Giants and Packers playing for Conference championships a few years ago or the Celtics and Lakers going at it – the “good old days”! A classic match-up; I personally don’t care who wins. it’s too bad one has to go home so early. Crosby may whine, but oh what a talent. It’ll be interesting to see how Pitt responds to his absence. Sometimes everybody’s glad to see the prima donna gone or motivated to fill-in for what is missing. I think Pittsburgh gbets by this round.
Calling all Wallys. Bill covered the East (which you didn’t feel you knew). He does not feel he knows the West. Can we get your thoughts on that side?
Here are my thoughts, but I’m far from well-studied on this.
If I were a betting man, I’d probably put my money on Detroit and Vancouver to meet in the Western Conference finals. But I would not be shocked to see San Jose playing in the conference finals either. These three teams were consistently the best performers in the conference all season, but more importantly each is talented, fairly healthy and playoff tested from last season. One thing as certain as death and taxes … the RedWings are always very tough to eliminate … hard not to say theyre the favorite to go to the Cup Finals. Series by series predictions:
Vancouver vs Chicago — Canucks win in 6 games
San Jose vs LA — Sharks win in 6
Detroit vs Phoenix — Red Wings win in 6
Anaheim vs Nashville — Predators win in 7
As for the defending champion Blackhawks, they just don’t have “IT” this season. There’s a consistent energy lacking in most games, turnovers in their own zone have killed them, Anti Niemi is no longer their goalie, and they’re getting pushed around quite a bit … last night being Exhibit A. They do miss big Dustin Bfglyin (or however you spell it) who they lost to free-agency before the season. I’m rooting for them obviously, but they’ll be lucky to win 2 games in the Vancouver series.
So there you have it. Now who’s doing the NBA playoff preview for us?? 🙂
Thanks Bill.
Regarding the Chara hit, living in Boston, I heard a lot about it. Obviously, I thought the fans calling 9-1-1 was ridiculous, and I even thought the idea that Chara knew where he was on the ice and knew what he was doing was a little ridiculous. Then, I watched the video. The puck had cleared out, and Chara gave Pacioretty a little post-action shove into that corner. I’m not saying he meant to hurt him as badly as he did, but it honestly looks to me like shoving him into that corner was intentional.
Thanks Wally. I actually believe your beloved Blackhawks have one series in them this year. It would be a major upset to beat the Canucks, but I’m going with Chicago in 6 (because no way they could win game 7 in Vancouver). Otherwise I am with you all the way in the first round.
Pronger is a scratch for the Flyers tonight. The Sabres will go into the City of Brotherly Love and take the first of four games in this series.
NIce call, Casey! Now what’s gonna happen if Pronger plays the rest of the series??
https://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/04/pronger-likely-out-for-game-two.html