millz58

Never Judge Oz, until (long after) the pick is made

looks like he might not have to, we should be getting Dez edit: $hit, forgot about NE... edit/edit: are the 'Boys orchestrating a trade here? F**K!

I can't imagine any team taking him, with the baggage he carries. It could be an early retirement for him, or at least a sabbatical. When you get the Rooney family against you, it's serious. Their reputation is worth enough to have a few bad seasons w/o Roethlisberger. The organization has shown they can rebound with super-bowl caliber teams within 5-7 year spans. They can do it again, be patient and watch the Bengals (maybe even the Ravens) run their course in that span of time. There is no sense in harboring an idiot, or lowering themselves to begging another team to take him.

Figgins almost went opposite field for 2B, good thing the pitch appeared to hang just a bit, montanez (whatever) got to it. would have been a one or 2 RBI double against Millwood.... this season is difficult in every way to watch, except for Matusz.

WOW, great 2OT game, and the former long-time Buffalo sabre Miroslav Satan (who won a day with Lord Stanley's cup w/pens last year) gives the Bruins the win against the Sabres with a goal, so boston gets their first multiple-overtime playoff win (according to VS) since like the 1930's or something.... And the 'underdog' B's take a 3-1 lead over Ryan Miller and the Sabres. Oh, and yeah, caps beat habs.... pfft.

I seriously doubt he has an ounce of humility in him, and that particular virtue is impossible to instill in someone with his 'proclivities' (clinton-era word) and successful background. Hopefully he'll get released if not traded, lose a $hitload of money; $screw him where it count$ and maybe he'll $uffer enough to regret, if not change. But don't expect humility.

Well, the Habs put up a great game for basically 55 minutes but are getting beat late (ovechkin has finally stepped up his play in this game), and will have to go to DC with the Caps ahead 3-1. This OT between Boston and Buffalo should be cool, I don't think many (even myself) expected the Bruins to have a chance to go up 3-1 in the series, yet here they are in a position to maybe take that lead. Let's go B's...

He could use to dry out in that desert air...; he's a creeper.

Okay, maybe I've not been paying attention, but when did Griffey Jr. go back to Seattle? I commented out loud to myself when I saw him get that single just now...

I can actually feel the frustration in your post, Spen. I was working from home, trying to focus a bit on that game, but (rather quickly) turning my attention to Buf/Boston while making a google-map. It would seem the "favorites" are beginning to turn it up, Caps, Pens (what with the explosive offense) showing their truer colors and the 'underdog' Flyers and Bruins (both playing against divisional opponents that they bested in the regular season series) are showing why they're not really dogs (as placed by seed). I missed the first 30+ minutes of the Pens/Sens game tonight, apparently there was a lot of bad (non)officiating that went against Ottawa or benefitted Pittsburgh, I don't know; but I hate that kind of stuff, where the game is diminished and even questioned based on the role of the striped skaters. From what parts I did see, there wasn't too much called, but I didn't see much that wasn't that should have been. anyway there was a good bit of frustration coming to the fore, and I hope it doesn't spill over in game 5 as the series moves back to the Igloo... And that's just the Eastern Conference. The west, now, is a different animal altogether...

Agreed, and those 4 away games are against (probable) AFC playoff teams. But even if Big Ben is playing week 4, he'll certainly not be in game shape by that point. Having the bye-week mid season is cool, so is the continuous string of 1PM games after the opener, leading to and just after the bye. Don't know if I like 3 straight v. NFC south, and I am getting weary of seeing our divisional games clustered together. I really like having the bye week sandwiched b/w home games v. Buffalo and Miami, we might really need those as (likely?) wins.

seems like it, although does this eruption qualify?

Your complaints are well taken, I agree with them (I also despised seeing those red jerseys all over the crease and knocking bodies and hardware around). But I don't think Washington was the better team the first 5 periods of this series; the Caps were the better team on paper, but needed almost 2 games to prove it, and in OT at that. I still think the Habs have alot, maybe more, going for them in bringing a tied series to home ice, even though the Ovie-Backstrom-Semins have seemed to come alive now. I also agree Varlamov needs to start (for Budreau's sake, not the Caps') but the goal-tending will be a focal point for Washington tomorrow night. But moreso will be Montreal's speed and pressure, especially with the home crowd behind them and atop of the Caps. I'd like to see if the Caps can take one of these next two, I'm not convinced they can, based on these first two games.

That crazy dipsy-doo Crosby did behind the net with Spezza trailing will certainly get lotsa video, but it really was amazing; he's beginning to ramp up his game at the right time. That kid Abdelkader for Detroit is wacko, he basically shows up in the playoffs and does great stuff (like he did last year against the penguins) but I guess is not used much during the regular season? Weird. Also Zetterberg getting the hat-trick and hats-on-ice on the road was cool. Backstrom was great tonight for the Caps.

He doesn't; they do.

*ssssssssss* (the sound of me breathing in through my clenched teeth) sorry to hear that; I'm glad me and the wiz are waiting for dvds

I was looking everywhere for this game, but I do recall they have a few here or there each year that don't make it on TV. Seems ridiculous in this era, but then I guess I was spared another little dagger to the heart. This team is gonna limp into the hardest stretch of the year...

WOW, both Boston and Washington came back from serious defecits to even their respective series at 1-1 before switching venues... . I really credit (and am a bit surprised at) Montreal for how they have handled the Caps these first two games defensively and using their speed, Washington didn't even wake up in this series until 2nd period of tonight's game. But now it seems Backstrom, Ovie and co. are in business. BUT: Who starts in goal for Washington? That was a quick pull of Theodore tonight, even though he really didn't look good, but he didn't look worse than say Fleury in the Pen's game 1 v. Ottawa (or game 2 for that matter). I guess Coach Bruce wanted to really shake things up, and it seemed to work, but still, was Varlamov good enough to merit starting on Monday night? I'd say not, but how would it look waffling and having Theodore come back humbled? Caps are going to need strong defense and a confident goalie; I think Varlamov was plenty confident really, but still got shredded. Waiting to watch Game 2 of LA/Vancouver!!!

Detroit is still great if aging, Zetterberg was the man as he has been so many times, and the Wings prevailed to even the series vs. the Coyotes. Detroit always seems to have the right answers in the playoffs.

Nice bounce-back by the Pens, MAF had to rub the sleep out of his eyes but showed well overall, Crosby was stupid-all-over-the-place-showing why he is one of the elite players in the game, even when Malkin, Staal, others weren't getting alot done. Like NJ bouncing back, and hey the Predators really handled the 'Hawks, but both of those series are going to go a fair ways. The 2nd period of Phoenix/Detroit is insane, what could a 2-0 start to that series mean for the Coyotes? There have been no blowouts in this NHL playoffs so far, and I believe no "real" multi-goal margins (excepting empty-netters). Pretty cool, and a number of unexpected results.

Yeah, I just recently saw them for the first time watching the Canucks/Kings game, I was like WTF the Green Man group? I guess being on the East coast means you miss out on those guys alot.

i'm gonna have a lot of late nights, but I had some practice with the NCAA tournament. Hopefully the stanley cup playoffs will be the necessary training for the World Cup this summer, those will be some really tough nights with the S. African time difference. edit: Wow, MTL takes game 1 from the Caps, 3-2 in OT! great energy, speed and defense by the Habs, Spen I know you're loving this one. What a great job they did bottling up Ovie (maybe they took a page from the Sens' efforts against Crosby?), and their physicality matched Washington's 'biggerness' as they routinely made solid plays in the defensive and neutral zones to thwart Caps rushes. Nice road playoff win!

Well, the Flyers would outlast NJ 2-1, and Boucher did "out-play" Brodeur in goal and disprove alot of 'experts' who said he probably couldn't do that, but also some of those same said Brodeur's recent playoff difficulties would continue, and basically he looked pedestrian in comparison to most people's (my) expectations of the standout goalie. anyway this is a great rivalry in general to I expect this to be a close series, at least 6 games. edit: I know quoting myself is in bad taste, but there aren't many others here to quote...

Luck is where opportunity meets preparation? I guess that's true here, the Senators definitely executed a game plan very well, and so some 'chancey' goals will come, but they also had 4 others that were not so flukey. I think the next game will show how much Bylsma has learned about coaching, to see if he can rally the troops. That's not dismissing the fact that the Pens had to battle back from series deficits last year, I just think that this is a new year and his first to have this team as truly "his", so we'll see. I like the fact that Ottawa came prepared and aggressive, they've typically played Pittsburgh well the last few years (unlike Philly or the NY teams).

Final: Ottawa 5, Pittsburgh 4. Great game by the Senators, great defense particularly in bottling up Crosby, and plenty of offense to keep Pittsburgh more defensive-minded than they normally like to be. Ottawa just seemed to control physically and in terms of pace and space. Pens definitely came out flat, especially with Fleury not being focused; they should wake up for game 2 on Friday I imagine (hope?). this is what I get for totally dissin' OTT in my initial post, trying to go straight to Pens/Caps which wouldn't be until the East finals anyway... Meanwhile Philly is nursing a 2-0 lead over the Devils mid-way through the 3rd pd. Can't wait to see game 1 of Detroit and Phoenix!