Monday, January 15, 2007

January 13th, 2007 - Canes vs. Thrashers: Random Musings and Observations

Better late than never, right?

- Like quite a few people, what stood out to me the most about this affair was Erik Cole's attitude and idiotic decision making in the last five minutes of regulation. Such crap reminds me of a quote I read from the one, the only Ron Francis in one of many articles I've scanned about the man.

"(Terry Crisp, former Soo Greyhounds coach) told me to keep my eyes and ears open in Hartford, and my mouth shut."

Ronnie went on to say that Crisp's advice was some of the best, if not THE best, he ever received in his playing career.

It *is* good advice. So good, that I think most, if not all NHLers could benefit from it. Especially this year's Carolina Hurricanes, AND ESPECIALLY Colesey. If anyone could and should benefit by the bolded part of Ronnie's quote/Crisp's advice, it would be Cole. His tendency to shoot off his mouth is why I say that while I respect Erik for all he has done and still does, he will never quite be the favorite for me that he is for others.

Just think, if Erik had kept his eyes and ears open, he could have kept his mouth shut, AND been able to hopefully help out with the shootout...

- ...That said, I would have hoped that if Erik did participate, his attempt would have been better than his "penalty shot" a week or two ago. Ugh.

- Come to think of it, I'm not sure Colesey would have been able to help out with the shootout. Forget offense, forget defense...the shootout is where the Canes are ROYALLY struggling. I am glad, as all get out, that the NHL All-Stars were not determined by shootout performance...though, I think Eric Staal and Justin Williams were pretty danged lucky to get in like they did. Erik Cole, attitude and all, and Rod Brind'Amour should have definitely gotten in over those two.

Anyways, losing Matt Cullen to the Ranjerks is looking more and more dumb with each shootout the Canes get themselves into. *sighs*

- Where was SportSouth last year? This feed and its broadcasting crew are WAY BETTER than the Turner South dribble Center Icers had to put up with during certain games last season. Thanks to SportSouth, all of the Southeast opponent feeds are now at least tolerable or better when the John and Tripp Show is not available.

- It never fails...I do a post about Sir Bob of Hartley and my concerns over how he gets his boys revved up, and practically nothing happens in that regard.

But, something did happen...that post got acknowledged by somebody over at The NHL Arena.

That mentioned, I hope the Thrash afficionados got a jolly good laugh...I'd like to think that unlike Monty Python's colonel, they can enjoy such a thing.

Current Music: "Clues" by Robert Palmer

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Saturday, January 13, 2007

(Dr.) Bob Hartley Is Angry

And while I'm not all that fond of the guy all the time, I am especially not fond of him when he's angry...

"Tonight is very simple," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "It all turns around [Ilya] Kovalchuk's giveaway. We have the game under control. We're playing the perfect game. Why does he fool around the blue line with the puck, I will never know."

A frustrated Hartley continued.

"It's definitely frustrating when you see supposedly your franchise player playing like this," he said. "It's just a matter of knowing how to win, plain and simple."

Hartley's comments were made after Kovalchuk had addressed the media and left the locker room.


This is exactly why the idea of playing the Thrashers after a loss, especially like the one they had last night in Joysey, is one that does not exactly give me warm fuzzies. With two points AND a four point Southeast Division lead on the line tonight, you know Hartley is most likely going to have his team turning up the goonery to MAX...ESPECIALLY considering how the Canes are undefeated against the Birds thus far this season.

Dudeman has a high tendency to be a nutcase, and that may or may not get revealed in the game plan tonight. For the Canes' sake, especially in regards to the injury bug, I'm hoping for the latter.

Current Music: "Fat Man In the Bathtub" by Little Feat (Live - Waiting For Columbus Version)

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