As a special reward (and consolation prize) to all the participants of this year's pool, I present to you a website I found: Hot Chicks with the Stanley Cup! Hooray!

http://theworldofisaac.blogspot.com/2008/05/hot-chicks-with-lord-stanley.html

It's a Tie-Breaker!

OK, this is a tough call to have to make. Derek and P-stone, after four rounds, have an equal amount of points. I checked on the rules I made for this year, and after considering how many players each person has from the cup-winner (Each of you has one), I said that the person with the most players left overall would win. Well, that's P-stone. Also, he has the Conn Smythe winner.

So, without further delay, I hereby declare P-Stone the winner of this year's Playoff Pool. Congratulations to you sir, and also to Derek for making this such a painful decision to make. I wish I could get two trophies for you guys.


P-Stone: 152 (145)
Zetterberg (Det) G,A,W=4
Malkin (Pit) G,A=3
Fleury (Pit) 0


D-man (Capt. Sparrow): 152 (146)
Datsyuk (Det) 2A,W=3
Hossa, (Pit) G,A=3


Kovalev Jr. (Habsfan1993): 109 (105)
Crosby (Pit) A=1
Rafalski (Det) G,W=3


Go Wings: 95 (93)
Gonchar (Pit) A=1
Hasek (Det) W=1


Michael Corleone: 83 (82)
Lidstrom (Det) W=1


Pittsburgh 2 - Detroit 4


Bride of Kovalev (making some mean leftovers): 80
Whitney (Pit)

The Captain's rant...

This is a short post but I had to get the rant out. Even though the finals have absolutely sucked to watch, along with the rest of the playoffs - the 3rd period of game 5 was probably the most exciting hockey that I have watched post-lockout!!!! The Wings were less than 35 seconds away from hoisting Lord Stanley's cup (yet again) to only have that taken away and possibly (more unlikely) wont get that opportunity with a Penguin wins in game 6 and 7. But as good as the period was, overtime was that much worse, that I actually found myself begging for ANYBODY to score to end it so I could go to bed. I should not feel that way when watching the possible closeout game of the finals in overtime!!!!!

And why the hell is Bob Neumeier hosting this on NBC?

Barry Melrose - please stay where you are on ESPN and DO NOT coach the Lightning. John Tortella got the shaft here. There is no possible justification for firing this guy. In my opinion, he is one of the top 5 coaches in the NHL. He turned that franchisee around to win the cup a few yrs back. I know the Lighting were bad this yr, and last yr, but does anybody remember how bad the Lightning really were before they won the cup a few yrs back? Lightning front office - its not the coach - its you!!!! You will NEVER win another championship if you dont figure out the key to winning like every other successful team has - QUALITY GOALTENDING!!!! Mike Smith is your answer? Give me a break! john Tortella can coach my team anyday...

Scores and Standings

Unfortunately for Derek, the Penguins won last night, prolonging the finals, and setting up yet another nail-biter on wednesday. That's my anniversary, so I'm not sure if I'll get to watch the game...

D-man (Capt. Sparrow): 146 (140)
Datsyuk (Det) G=2
Hossa, (Pit) G,A,W=4


Stoner: 145 (140)
Zetterberg (Det) 2A=2
Malkin (Pit) A,W=2
Fleury (Pit) W=1


Kovalev Jr. (Habsfan1993): 105 (99)
Crosby (Pit) 2A,W=3
Rafalski (Det) G,A=3


Go Wings: 93 (91)
Gonchar (Pit) A,W=2
Hasek (Det)


Michael Corleone: 82
Lidstrom (Det)


Pittsburgh 2 - Detroit 3


Bride of Kovalev (making some mean leftovers): 80 (79)
Whitney (Pit) W=1

Scores and Standings

Whew. Now that I have gotten the snarkiness out of my system, here's the scores and standings.
Not much else can be said ab out the race between P-Stone and Derek. It seems P-stone is suffering from Malkin's lack of production and Fleury's playing for the wrong side. If Stoner does win, it will be on the back of Zetterberg, who is likely to win the Conn Smythe trophy.

D-man (Capt. Sparrow): 140 (136) Datsyuk (Det) A,W=2Hossa, (Pit) G=2


Stoner: 140 (139)
Zetterberg (Det) W=1
Malkin (Pit)
Fleury (Pit)


Kovalev Jr. (Habsfan1993): 99 (96)
Crosby (Pit) A=1
Rafalski (Det) A,W=2


Go Wings: 91 (89)
Gonchar (Pit) A=1
Hasek (Det) W=1


Michael Corleone: 82 (79)
Lidstrom (Det) G,W=3


Pittsburgh 1 - Detroit 3


Bride of Kovalev (making some mean leftovers): 79
Whitney (Pit)

Scores and Standings

Whew. Now that I have gotten the snarkiness out of my system, here's the scores and standings.
Not much else can be said ab out the race between P-Stone and Derek. It seems P-stone is suffering from Malkin's lack of production and Fleury's playing for the wrong side. If Stoner does win, it will be on the back of Zetterberg, who is likely to win the Conn Smythe trophy.

D-man (Capt. Sparrow): 140 (136)
Datsyuk (Det) A,W=2
Hossa, (Pit) G=2


Stoner: 140 (139)
Zetterberg (Det) W=1
Malkin (Pit)
Fleury (Pit)


Kovalev Jr. (Habsfan1993): 99 (96)
Crosby (Pit) A=1
Rafalski (Det) A,W=2


Go Wings: 91 (89)
Gonchar (Pit) A=1
Hasek (Det) W=1


Michael Corleone: 82 (79)
Lidstrom (Det) G,W=3


Pittsburgh 1 - Detroit 3


Bride of Kovalev (making some mean leftovers): 79
Whitney (Pit)

This is the sort of shit that pisses me off:

Gary Bettman has got to go. Whether he gets fired, quits, or someone shoots him dead in the street, I hope it happens soon.

A leaked copy of league revenue http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/433906 shows that Canadian teams were six of the seven top teams in ticket revenue for the 2007-2008 season. Furthermore, those six Canadian teams (which comprise one fifth of the league) account for ONE THIRD of the league's ticket revenue.

What that means is that teams like Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, and other backwater cesspools of hockey hell are dead weight; dragging the rest of the league down with their non-existant fanbase and communistic revenue-sharing.

A further implication of this report is not only is it Canadian teams that are pulling the weight, it suggests that the NHL needs to pay more attention to traditional markets, which include New England and the Northern US.

Gary Bettman has been a failure. His philosophy of ignoring and deliberately shutting out Canadian fans, owners, and potential owners in favor of expanding into non-traditional markets has been catastrophic. In the report you will see that 11 of the 24 US teams were flat or LOST ticket income compared to last year. Any guesses as to where those 11 teams are located? Well, here's a fact: Phoenix is at the bottom of the list in terms of ticket revenue.

Gary Bettman still insists on shutting out Jim Ballsillie, who wanted to take one of those sack-of-shit teams in Phoenix or Nashville and relocate it to a place where people would actually buy tickets and watch the games on TV.
"No, we don't like to see fans to come to games, or get local market TV contracts, or work with national sportscasters, or actualy PLAY THE FUCKING SPORT (2004-2005 season)" says Bettman.

And now Bettman is looking into further expanding his crumbling league into Kansas City or Las Vegas. Kansas City. Hmmm, sounds familiar...I guess the logic goes like this: Atlanta failed the firt time, and the second time around it's under dysfunctional management, playing in front of an apathetic (and largely absent) population--this is fun! Lets do it in another failed NHL city too!
And hell, Phoenix is a desert town, they suck, so let's do the SAME THING in Vegas!

Here's why you should be pissed off: Teams that matter, IE, those in real markets like Boston, New York*, and Canada, those with real fans, are suffering because of the crap teams. Bettman forced revenue-sharing with the lockout. What that means is, every time you buy a ticket, or pay your centre ice cable bill, or buy a Bruins, Rangers, or Canadiens jersey/hat/pink panties (oops), you are, in fact, helping pay the mortgage of a shit team like the Florida Panthers. The money you spend on your favorite team gets re-distributed to the owners of southern teams that don't make a dime, pollute the talent pool, and make hockey into a poorly-attended laughingstock.

Without Bettman, we would have had no lockout, and thus, no revenue-sharing, and no salary cap. We would also not have had to deal with overexpansion. So, instead of watching Ilya Kovalchuk waste his time and efforts in Atlanta, Boston fans could be watching him play in a Bruins jersey. Ollie Jokinen could be on the same line with Saku Koivu. Martin Erat could be playing in a city where people actually knew his name.

I am sick to death of the mismanagement of this shit-ass league.

*although the report also shows that those fuck-wit Islanders fans are just as useful as those morons in North Carolina who think the Canadiens' logo is a "Habitron". Islanders fans are excused from being considered "traditional". Buy an effing Rangers sweater and shut up.