the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year sucked after the first round (minus Lightning vs. Canadiens). Heck, I just either check on what’s happening with the World Championships or read stuff or watch TV shows or spend quality time with my family.
I don’t really rant about sports in this blog but this might be the first time I’ll talk about some of my thoughts about hockey in general. Not a lot of you watch it anyway but that’s okay because we all have our own interests and I respect that. So here we go…
There was only one team swept last year (Lightning / Bolts in the first round). We’re not even done with the second round and TWO teams (Jets and Wild) already got swept out of the playoffs. I’m planning to avoid Twitter (at least the secret one I’m using for hockey and other stuff) at all costs during the Conference Finals by next week because I am just sick of all those “this player is better because he has more Cups” BS.
I hate how some of the teams have had easy roads to the Cup Finals ala Lebron’s Heat which is the first time that happened since I started following the sport two years ago. Nothing against the Hawks, the only thing that I don’t like about their team is some of their fans who keep on saying that their players are better than the Penguins, Capitals, Red Wings or other teams’ best players just because they’ve been in the WCF three times in the row and their core has won more Cups. In fact, part of their fanbase was intolerable last year when the Pens had a disappointing second round vs. the Rangers and Crosby scored only one goal with an injured wrist because they kept on comparing him unfavorably to their captain who has won one more Cup than him. Well we all know what happened next: they lost to the Kings in Game 7 of the WCF who then went on to win the Cup only to miss the playoffs this year. Poof.
Yes, the Hawks are a great team. But don’t be that jagoff fan who’ll talk crap on other players just because they don’t have the same TEAM success. Even if i was their biggest fan I won’t make fun of any great player stuck on the Oilers. I love the Penguins, yes, but I will never make fun of Ovechkin or Price just because they don’t have Cups even with their tremendous talent. No matter what team you root for, hockey is a TEAM sport and you win as a TEAM. I’m pretty sure by the end of their careers the players i’ve mentioned will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame to recognize their greatness despite lacking in the Cup department. No matter who wins more Cups between Sid and Patty Kane or the Sedin Twins and Perry, all of them wil be enshrined in the Hall someday.
The bottomline is: I don’t even watch the sport everyday because I have other priorities, but judging someone’s career only by their championships and number of playoff goals is ridiculous. This is not only limited to the NHL but also to the NBA, NFL, MLB and even the PBA.
One more thing to rant: I hate comparing two players’ playoff stats. Just sayin’.
At this point, Bolts winning the Cup would be nice just to show that everyone can win. TBH I’m okay with the Caps although I don’t like them that much but the moment any fan brings up the “Penguins shouldn’t have let Orpik or Niskanen go” argument I would have to tell that person to log off forever. And finally, if the Ducks do win their second as a franchise, I’ll be okay - just don’t bring up Despres for Lovejoy.
I just want to experience the Pens winning the Cup again, hopefully next year, because they deserve it after all the flak they’ve been getting since 2009. That is all.
