Saturday, March 12, 2011

Never Thought We'd Find Common Ground With Some Flightless Birds: Habs - Pens Preview and Open Thread

(Forgive me for re-hashing this, but a) I've been out of town for a week and b) it's really all I can think about anymore when I think about hockey...)

So it's really tough to get pumped up for afternoon games, like, ever, for me. And, to be honest, the cloud to which HF29 referred yesterday is still hanging over my head.  As I said to GG when we were discussing what kind of picture to put with today's preview, my heart just ain't in it right now.*

I don't know how I feel about the NHL anymore. I won't go so far as to abandon my tickets (although, I can't bring myself to sign my playoff renewal right now... even though the deadline is this Wednesday).  I love this team, but I am really starting to loathe the league in which my team plays.  The fact that Fuckface Bettman will continue to destroy the game I love for another five years fills me with so much loathing, it's hard to put it into words.  Are we condemned to watch the game continue to die right before our eyes until there's nothing left?

The problem is that I feel kind of powerless to do anything.  Not showing up to the games would be an exercise in futility. Wearing a paper bag on my head to the next game I attend? Won't send a message if only a handful of people do it.  The fans have no real power and it's clear that Fuckface Bettman doesn't give a shit if he loses major Canadian sponsors because, oh that's right, the real money is in fucking Arizona.

The one group that isn't powerless in this situation?  The players. The Habs and the Penguins are the teams who (along with the Blues, especially given the latest news about David Perron) have been among the hardest hit by the NHL's Caveman attitude and jocular attitude towards violence in this sport we all love.

Hey there, boys.  Your Association won't protect you worth shit.   So here's an idea: Protect each other.

If I see any dirty crap during today's game, I may lose my mind.  They know the danger that exists out there on the ice.  It's time they fucking started to act like it. Starting today at 2:00 (on RDS and CBC - but avoid the CBC if you can 'cause you know Don Cherry is going to call us all a bunch of pussies).

To quote the great Ken Dryden in his SUPERB piece in the Globe and Mail: "The voices of the future will not be kind to us about how we understood and dealt with head injuries in sports. They will ask: How is it possible we didn't know, or chose not to know?"

The end of stupidity needs to begin with the players.  Otherwise, they can talk a good game about being horrified and outraged about the current situation, but it's only going to be lip service.  And my very real outrage, horror and disgust will continue to grow.

UPDATE: Go read this article RIGHT NOW by Andrew Cohen of the Atlantic (yes, it's still about PatCHes and the fallout from the hit).  Many thanks to HI/O for posting the link to this brilliant analysis. The only way Fuckface Bettman will actually get a clue is if we continue this relentless chorus to help save the sport we love.

Comments? Thoughts? Sick of talking about this, already? Unable to think of anything else? Let's hear about it in the comments...

*(This is made worse by the fact that I still set my alarm in spite of my hangover/lack of sleep from my night of scotch-filled debauchery in which I only crawled into bed at 4:00 am, but I digress...)

116 comments:

moeman said...

The feeling is mutual lg. (about hockey, ain't no hangover here, yet).

Go Ken Dryden!

Go PatCHes!!

GYFHG!!!

x-ine said...

I think we need to continue to talk about it. If we sweep it under the rug, we'll never see anything change. If losing the game's big vedette (Crosby) hasn't been a catalyst, then Pacioretty's broken neck needs to be. Enough is enough. I, like you, love the Habs, but think this league is complete and utter garbage, run by a tool who is more concerned about his prerogatives (his product, his brand) than the humans that make it happen. Everytime I think about it, I throw up a little in my mouth. And that is not hangover-related either.

Steve said...

National Stupid Concussion Assholes Ruling.

NASCAR the new NHL Brand

lr said...

I was there on Tuesday night and I still can't get that sound of Patches getting hit by Chara at the Bruins game.

the NHL disgusts me.

Can't the HABS start their own league?

Unknown said...

Another stanchion hit last night...

wv: unialism

Sakupug said...

"Balvenie Doublewood is the best bang for your buck in the scotch world"

That honor actually belongs to Highland Park 12.

Identical prices but the Highland Park 12 is clearly and obviously a better scotch...lighter, tastier, slightly smoky....delicious....mmmmm...

Please correct the erroneous and misleading statement in your post. Thank you.
Sakupug

mr. gillis said...

fucking meh

Unknown said...

Haha, thanks gillis for putting everying in perspective.

Steve said...

Phoniex Coyotes launch a new marketing blitz.

"If you love NASCAR, if you love Bullfighting, cockfighting or dog fightig, you have to be at the Rink Sunday Afternoon. Not only is there a great chance of seeing a wimpy liberal crybaby who wants to take away your guns get killed, in between periods we will release mean starved coyotes on the ice, and the forth line players will chase them around and club them to death with their sticks, ya hoo"

This message bought paid for an approved by Gary Buttman fuckface esquire.

Steve said...

Response to Coyote Pomotion

Micheal Vick - "thats it I got to learn how to skate"

Don Cherry " The code is strong in Phoniex, good Arizonia boys"

Paul Bernardo "fantastic"

Number31 said...

I'd like to see the players stand up and just go on strike. They gladly went on strike for money issues but won't move against the corrupted League they play for that doesn't give two shits if they die on the ice or if they're the victim of reckless, vicious behaviour won't give two shits to actually suspend the accused and offer them some sort of support? Gotcha.

Wait sorry, they won't suspend the accused if they're on the "list", but a hockey play gone wrong by Tom Kostopoulos three years ago was a suspendable offense with a fine and no one blamed the seamless glass at the ACC.

Oh and watch out for those turnbuckles. They attacked Drew Doughty last night. Though apparently the turnbuckles feel some kind of remorse since they didn't hit him so hard.

Orangeman said...

@ezz: That incident was completely different. I know people are trying to say they're the same and the lack of outrage on this one is indicative of some hypocracy. Doughty had the puck, the check was not vicious, he didn't check him into the stanchon (sp?), Doughtey merely bounced into it afterwards. Actually, this hit goes to prove our point. You can check someone, even near that area of the ice and NOT severely injure them. But comparing the two is like comparing a check from behind into the boards and an open ice face-to-face check. Just because they're both checks doesn't mean they're the same thing.

"No airlines threatening to pull their sponsorship. No calls to 9-1-1. No police investigations. Just, as they say, a hockey play."

Go fuck yourself Wyshynski. Way to intentionally confuse a very serious situation to gain points with a bunch of assholes.

Kate said...

Kudos LG, especially being mired in the midst of a shitty hangover.

Personally, I don't need a protest for a reason to put a bag over my head. I feel like doing that every morning I wake up and look in the mirror. Ageing. *sigh*

Unknown said...

@O-man

Definitely agree. Looking back, I'm not sure why I posted the link. Maybe I'm just trying to incite more fury? I don't know.

punkster said...

Fuck the little fuckity fuckass shithead Bettman. I'll come up with something more profane when this all blows over.

lawyergirl77 said...

Sakupug - not much of a Higland Park girl. I find the stuff overrated. My claim regarding the Balvenie still stands. :)

Of the expensive stuff we tried last night, however, am still drooling over the Middleton Extra Rare. Yes, I know its Irish. But so. Good.

Glad to see that I'm not the only one still obsessing.

And @ezz - Wysh made some kind of shitty comparison between Umberger (aka once a Flyer, always a Fucking Flyer) and Chara's hits, with a final paragraph filled with bullshit, insults against Habs fans that were really just an attempt to pander to his readership. Just when I think I like the guy...

lawyergirl77 said...

@o-man: fucking WORD to your comment, BTW.

lawyergirl77 said...

And thanks for the kudos everyone... *reaches for the Advil*

Maybe the hangover explains why it took me three comments to respond to everyone... Brain clearly not firing on all thrusters today.

Young HF29 said...

fine work LGG! and with half of you with a hangover no less (well maybe both of you. we havent heard from GG yet this morning)

i would have commented sooner, but my mind has thankfully been distracted from PatCHes head and neck area for a few hours with the key question of the day. at $61, do i take the Balvenie or the Highland Park? damn you LG and Sakupug, I can't choose

good to see gillis

Get well PatCHes! GYFH let's get back to some competence at least

Unknown said...

@lg77 - See, I thought the same thing. Just three days ago, he came down pretty hard on Chara for his hit. Now he's turned his coat inside out. I don't get it.

Young HF29 said...

seriously fuck Puck Daddy. total 180 from 3 days ago. I DO like the guy, and he's been good to FHF, but that sarcastic shit at the end of his post is bullshit

Young HF29 said...

besides the Balvenie tag, the "Ken Dryden for NHL Commissioner" tag is also a solid one LG. awesome idea (though uh, i guess im biased). too bad we have to wait five years now

mr. gillis said...

I can't stand this hit controversy crap any more, but every time I'm on my computer, I can't not read and think about it.

At least we're not going to have a lock out like the NFL.

Ps. it's good to be back. I've been reading all season but haven't commented because I'm pissed that I still haven't gotten my ice cream for getting you guys over 200 comments

wv: seminne...

subdoxastic said...

Highland Park?

I gotta think you could get some Laphroaig at the same price point and, you know, have a real scotch.

Balvenie's okay, but I gotta think their whole doublewood is more of a marketing success than anything else.

Oh and GYFHG!

Orangeman said...

@ezz: I didn't mean to direct my anger at you, I was just commenting on PuckDaddy.

I was distracted for a while by the devastation in Japan, but now I'm reading about how engineers there prepared for 'the big one' and how it probably saved thousands of lives. For every tragedy there is good news, something to grasp onto. I just haven't found it with Patches yet, besides his miraculous health so far. I guess that's enough, really.

iRiRi said...

Well done, LGG.

That last sentence of that Puck Daddy post made me throw up in my mouth a little. He and that other fuckface Jeff Marek of CBC can both go scratch.

Go Habs and Go PatCHes!

Young HF29 said...

i am not looking forward to any cbc discussions during this broadcast.

Kovy! forgot about him

iRiRi said...

Squid speaks up: "The message league sends (by not suspending Chara) is it's OK to kill a guy, as long as you kill him within our legal bounds."

Article in French

Young HF29 said...

PleXXXE!!!!!!!!

iRiRi said...

PleXXXe!!!

moeman said...

PleXXXe!

moeman said...

Fuckface jeff marek is a leaf fan not a hockey fan.

Unknown said...

Who's doing commentary with Old Cole?

moeman said...

@ezz, millen the masturbating bear

Young HF29 said...

wer're playing System til the end of the game now

Unknown said...

@HF29: What are you trying to say, 1-0 isn't a big enough lead for you?

Kate said...

The boys have more jump today but the D is a tad scary. Come back soon Sopes, we need ya.

lawyergirl77 said...

Am speechless. Laughing and crying all at once.

Check out this tweet from Brazzers to PatCHes.

moeman said...

heh nice find lg.

Young HF29 said...

god bless the porn industry. they do good work

this game is like an afternoon game. quiet

lawyergirl77 said...

@sub - Laphroaig is just too peat-y for me. I seriously like the balance of the Balvenie. And I don't know shit about the marketing... I just drink whatever Mr. LG77 puts in front of me.

It's how he got me to marry him, after all... *rimshot* (I keed, I keed...)

Number31 said...

CBC is now all Pittsburgh apparently. No real talk about the Habs playing today except for PJ Stock's snide "look at them Habs, they lull you to play their game". Vapid. Just like his skull.

I'm sorry Schneider but I have a hard time believing that you actually believe what you just said...

Number31 said...

Thankfully Dan Bylsma has a brain.

iRiRi said...

Moen!!!

Unknown said...

Old Cole is really hating this game.

wv: spine - no joke

Young HF29 said...

Ca-rey! Ca-rey!

Unknown said...

Wow. Neil just can't believe it.

moeman said...

I step away to pour a glass of and MOEmaN!

Young HF29 said...

Carey is ON

Young HF29 said...

that's a lot of glasses moe

moeman said...

Fuckin' Blogger is gonna give me a hangover.

moeman said...

Squid!

iRiRi said...

Squid!!!

Young HF29 said...

now we're having fun for a change this week

Unknown said...

Great patience by Halpern. Man.

moeman said...

Bonus, bob cold ain't happy with the Pens play.

Kate said...

@moe,

Can you pour me an iglass of that too? I'm drinking diet Pepsi (: I can't start this early, I'd be legless by supper time.

Also bonus that HNIC went on and on about Fleury's fantastic tending. Better he be jinxed than Pricey.

iRiRi said...

Carey is cool as a cucumber.

moeman said...

Lucked out. Lots of rain and melting snow. A bit worried that the basement would suffer from flooding. No go for moe but sadly the neighbour has a Mother Nature made jacuzzi. The cat has to have his foundation re-cemented. Reminds me to move the Brazzers collection to higher ground.

Unknown said...

If we're sharing drinks, I'm on my 5th pot of Earl Grey today. This is what happens when I'm studying...

Young HF29 said...

thank god we signed paul mara. seriously

moeman said...

Will do Moey (and if you like a nice sharp but not too woody Chard, $17, try it later, methinks it'll be a nice on-the-deck-with-a-great-book drink).

moeman said...

ezz, you keep your nose in your books and ace those essays and exams.

cbc/hnic all hyped up on their Pens.

iRiRi said...

@ezz: Mix it up a little! Love this: London fog

moeman said...

Gotta CHime in an d say all 3 goals were based on some sweet passes.

"Offside again, thats too bad" fuck you bob cold.

moeman said...

Hate to say it but PIT is looking like some kind of lynch mob.

Young HF29 said...

pfk always smiles in the middle of a melee. i love that

iRiRi said...

KEEP SMILING AND TAKE THE PP, PFK!!!

Young HF29 said...

oh DDD

iRiRi said...

HOLY OPEN NET!!

moeman said...

Lotsa FHFers taking an afternoon nap (understandable for lg).

Mr. natural said...

Yesterday I expressed myself in a fashion that drew response from moeman and orangie that I feel I must address.

@moeman: most people have some family member touched by cancer and this includes my own.

Referencing it in my rant is no different that referencing any other form of tragedy or screaming “die”, nothing is any longer off limits, all are acceptable forms of expressing one’s opinions, feelings etc.

We live in a society that can’t wait to sensationalize everything; from 9/11 to Charlie Sheen, the media waits in the gutter to exploit.

CNN can’t wait for the next tragedy so they can run 24/24 with their latest banner and accompanying music while bringing in the revolving door of experts, meanwhile Fox is making plans for the next “reality “show that pretends they are helping rather than exploiting people already suffering at the margins of society.


 Bill O’Reilly
 Maury Pauvich
 Howard Stern
 Westboro Baptists
 Etc.

Anyway, before I go off the deep end again I would just like to say that I do in fact stand by my rant but am sincere in my apologies to you moeman and any poster that I may have caused to feel any negative emotion when reading that particular post.

@orangie: I am sitting here whittling a stick which I will use to SIC you when we meet up.

PHuck Bettman, the PHucktards, the Broons, today’s NHL.

Also where WAS sexy Friday? We cannot let the travesty that is the NHL executive affect us to the point we alter what little pleasures we afford ourselves. I want Tits and I want them now!

And pray for the people in Japan.

That is all.


OH ya GHMFHG! Flightless birds indeed.

Number31 said...

Carey Price/Hal Gill is an awesome goalie tandem. Sign them for life.

moeman said...

You know who is a good Poke CHecker?

29, thats who.

Unknown said...

Oh boy. Ronnie Wilson comparing broken feet to broken necks - good job son.

moeman said...

Merci Mr. natural. No apology required but I appreciate and accept your wise words.

Young HF29 said...

mr n that was a lovely comment all around

and i assure you tits will return next week. you think i can go more than a week without them?

moeman said...

Two words for the cbc/hnic shills and ron wilson. Go Sabres!

Number31 said...

I'd like to guide Ron Wilson's head into the stanchion to see what he really thinks of it.

Young HF29 said...

k boys hang in there for 20 minutes. FOR PATCHES

Young HF29 said...

we don't look interested in doing anything. but neither do the Pens, so this is alright

lawyergirl77 said...

HF29 - the System works perfectly during the "meh" that is a Saturday afternoon game. If we hold on for this win, we're 3-0 this season.

Makes sense. Meh = Marin's natural state. It's part of his diabolical plan...

Unknown said...

Great. Mike Cooke is gooning it up.

moeman said...

millen just said the word. Fucker.

Unknown said...

What word?

Young HF29 said...

Ca-rey! Ca-rey!

moeman said...

Shutout.

Shut up millen and cold, you fuckers.

iRiRi said...

You know, you gotta love their resilience.

moeman said...

Nice win.

Mr. natural said...

you guys are the best.

Nice win, man did Pittsburgh ever look bad at times.

Good on TFS.

moeman said...

Nice interview by a classy Paul Mara.

moeman said...

BleCH, cbc/hnic follows it up with Fuckface pjstock. What a fucking empty-headed moron.

Number31 said...

That cured my heartbroken hockey heart. Carey Price for Prime Minister. Time for Pensblog to mock this one...

Young HF29 said...

a good end to a crappy week. TFS for Hart, at least

the Maritimer said...

Beautiful.

Like Al Davis said: Just win baby.

I'm glad I don't understand French, I can ignore old Bob Cold and listen to RDS, Benny doesn't bother me 'cause I don't know what him sayin'.

Just my opinion ,I'd love to see Ken Dryden become NHL commissioner. He's got more IQ than the entire NHL "brain"trust. Won't happen though, not while Jeremy Jacobs can still draw a breath.

Ron Wilson...you're a fool. You deserve to be leaf coach. You already look 20 years older than when you started.

UK3X said...

So what did I miss? Hmmm...(looks around...then searches internet)...Yes! 3-0 for the good guys. Nice one. Way to go TFS and way to go YMFH!

moeman said...

After enumerating countless excuses, milbury, mclame and hahahrudey, the cockroaches, say even the schedule conspires vs. the cbc's leaf. Here's a scoop you fucking biased fuckers, maybe some of the leaf wins are because the other team didn't show up or maybe because the leaf almost always gets more PPs, more 5on3s and more last minute PPs to tie it up. Look it up you fucks.

moeman said...

Not one but two (near toronto) Guelph-raised Devorski's reffin' their leaf. Sick.

Mr. natural said...

....oh ya also wanted to say I was at the SAQ Signature at St-Cath + University today, picking up a couple of nice bottles for the wine cellar project, as and avid amateur of Scotch, I have maybe a half dozen bottles, I can't help but cry when I look at what they have on the shelf.

If you've never taken a look treat/torture yourself and go take a gander.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Getting ready for Don Cherry...

wv: empties. need more of them before listening to Cherry

moeman said...

Sickening harper ad before sickening xenophobe on Crotche's Corner. Sick.

Unknown said...

What a suit. What a tie. What a hat.

Unknown said...

Okay, as expected.

wv: payea

moeman said...

Chief monkey speaking to his flying monkeys. A sick fuck.

L Dude said...

Sweet Jesus!!! Cherry is King Pot (calling the kettle black). Nuff text wasted on him already. As an Irishman, I am totally offended that he wears that stuff on St Paddy's Day. Big surprise about his opinion on 'the incident'.

Steve said...

Total shit from Cherry, and where is his logic, he must have said three times they have to give him twenty games or zero games, well duh? So Cherry is basicly admitting Jacobs is getting BJ's daley and Chara should have been gone twenty games.

Missed the game but great outcome. GYGHG

iRiRi said...

"What's-his-name, Pacioretty?"

NEXT.

moeman said...

Newest leaf hack hughson pops a shot at Air Canada, just after crotch spewed his xenophobia on AC and VIA for being from ... keep up with your national mission cbc/hnic. Sick fucks.

the Maritimer said...

Well, that was pretty much as expected, nice anti-Montreal diatribe by the biggest leaf/bearshit fan in the CotU.

Sorry meathead, my mind is made up. It was deliberate, Fuckface Chara knew who it was and where he was. Guilty and given an unconditional discharge by Judge Gary.

Say, would anyone else have loved it if Ryan White had demolished Fuckface Matt Cooke? Notice he didn't want anything to do with Mara? Fucking little coward.

One last thing. Go Sabres! Put a knife in cbc/leafs back please.

scorewatcher said...

not too shabby

shame about the leaf

Mr. natural said...

PHucking Laffs won, shit!

PHuck them all.

GHG!

That is all.

Steve said...

It gets worse, leafs are for sale and most likely fucking Rodgers will buy them ahhhh.

I am really tied of Phil Kessel cheerleaders, aahhhhhhh

Number31 said...

Whatevs. Buffalo is a roster full of their crappy farmhands. Woooo they beat the Portland Nobodies with YoMamaWeen playing like shit. Plan the fucking parade. (Ha...still tied with Atlanta for 10th)

Time to watch LOLongo suck.

Number31 said...

Oh yea the Bulldogs won today. Schultz is finally starting to GET IT. Is kicking ass, taking names, and scored a goal! His first AHL point!

el MubaraCH said...

Its time for us season ticket holders to have an 'arab spring' to demand the departure of the hated tyrant Bettman.