Notice given

[vsp]

Originally posted by wolf
The Fly-Boys, being a Philly team, will suddenly suck ass at the worst possible moment.

I don't dislike the Flyers, mind you, I've just lived near Philadelphia long enough to understand the dynamic.

There is wisdom here.

Of course, the Flyers may well repay my renunciation of them this year by winning the f'ing Cup, which I will find it hard to draw any joy from.

[Kitsune]

So, uh, how 'bout them Flyers?

*duck*

[elSicomoro]

It was a tough series. Both teams played well, but the better team won in the end.

And now, we have Calgary vs. Tampa Bay--two teams that might not even exist in the fall. Should be a good series...a great series, actually.

[Kitsune]

I tried last year to watch the playoffs and failed miserably, so I'll make a stronger attempt this year with the championship.

Football proves easier, and more pleasurable, to watch on television for some reason. In hockey, how does anyone know where that puck is in all that mess of sticks and people? I have no idea how the cameraman manages to track it.

[vsp]

Why did I give up on the Flyers organization? At least partially because Bob Clarke had a history of giving up on prospects too soon and trading them away for bags of pucks and used jockstraps. (Cechmanek's ouster was the last straw; the Oates - Ouellet trade was the initial catalyst.)

Who scored a boatload of goals in the last two series, including BOTH goals for the Lightning in the clinching Game 7? Former Phantom Ruslan Fedotenko.

I am oddly amused by this.

(Not ripping on Joni Pitkanen -- he's got the tools to be a good defenseman. He's also European, which means that he'll last about two seasons with the Flyers before Clarke trades him for a mucker & grinder.)

[phillybilly]

Originally posted by vsp
Why did I give up on the Flyers organization? At least partially because Bob Clarke had a history of giving up on prospects too soon and trading them away for bags of pucks and used jockstraps. (Cechmanek's ouster was the last straw; the Oates - Ouellet trade was the initial catalyst.)

Who scored a boatload of goals in the last two series, including BOTH goals for the Lightning in the clinching Game 7? Former Phantom Ruslan Fedotenko.

I am oddly amused by this.

(Not ripping on Joni Pitkanen -- he's got the tools to be a good defenseman. He's also European, which means that he'll last about two seasons with the Flyers before Clarke trades him for a mucker & grinder.)

Not that I'm saying Clarke is a genius or anything, but in 4 seasons as a pro, two with the flyers & two with the bolts, Fedetenko has scored 69 goals.....his 12 in the playoffs are 20% of what he has scored in his career.

So a guy who never scored more then 17 goals for you and was third lining it??? Yeah trading him for the fourth pick in the draft..no matter WHAT he did in the playoffs was just good sense.

SO yeah, he got his name on the cup and the flyers are at home...but as I have said, there are a LOT of great players never to have their name on the cup...Roenick, Marcel Dionne, Dale Hawerchuk, etc.....and may no-names who DID get it on there to boot....

Ya just gotta keep the faith or stop watching OR worst of ALL become a front runner and go buy a devils or lightning jersey!

Later

[vsp]

Originally posted by phillybilly
Ya just gotta keep the faith or stop watching OR worst of ALL become a front runner and go buy a devils or lightning jersey!

Frontrunner? Hardly. My NHL fandom went with Cechmanek to the Kings.

What I found highly ironic was that the Flyers have had one critical flaw in the playoffs for years -- they can't score goals in the postseason. They trade one of their younger guys away (as is their modus operandi), the other team gives him a chance on a top line, and he becomes a playoff scoring machine, helping to eliminate his old team AND scoring the Cup-winner. Now, THAT'S the Philly curse in action.

I haven't had faith in Clarke since the days of the Lindros soap opera. When he goes, I'll be back.

[phillybilly]

Originally posted by vsp


Frontrunner? Hardly. My NHL fandom went with Cechmanek to the Kings.

What I found highly ironic was that the Flyers have had one critical flaw in the playoffs for years -- they can't score goals in the postseason. They trade one of their younger guys away (as is their modus operandi), the other team gives him a chance on a top line, and he becomes a playoff scoring machine, helping to eliminate his old team AND scoring the Cup-winner. Now, THAT'S the Philly curse in action.

I haven't had faith in Clarke since the days of the Lindros soap opera. When he goes, I'll be back.

I didn't call you a frontrunner, I said it was an option.....and unless chechmanek pulls a Khabibulin and actually wins something in the playoffs, which was the 'bulin walls' knock.....then he is just another OK euro-goalie......I'll never think he's the man, ESPECIALLY at 33......Esche was and will be the answer.

Some nay-sayer here in Phila. have them comparing him to Boucher, great run then done. point is, every game was new for boucher then, he got called up that season. Esche is a vet with a lot more games under his belt. He didn't lose that series, Amonte, Zhamnov, LeClair lost that series, the line 'invisible' I called them, and until late in ther series I said the same thing about gagne.

I think they'll be back, but in what form after the labor agreement, who knows.....if Philadelphia sports is REALLY cursed then I'll have to live & die by said curse. Or go to Haiti and have a voodoo priest lift the curse.....my soul isn't that improtant anyway


Later