Friday, November 13, 2009

Hopping Back on (or off) the Bandwagon

First, I wanted to share this little bit from the Chief over at A2Y...this is oustanding writing:

What happens when you’re fans of the reigning champs and your team starts to suck and you’re too embarrassed to go back to the opposing team’s blogs because you just don’t have much to say when your precious little Pens are bending over for any team crosses their path? It was so easy over the summer to point to Detroit’s economic problems. It was just a piece of cake to discuss the auto industry and use it as a punch line while hundreds of thousands of Americans were out of work. Funny stuff. Soooo cold in the D, wasn’t it?

Well, it’s warming up now ain’t it? And while the temps start to rise (metaphor) along with Detroit’s winning percentage? The genius Pens fans are finding a creative way to cope with the sudden demise of their one-trick champs.

It's true, Pittsburgh has lost more games in a row than any other team not from Raleigh.  And it's true, they're fans absolutely peppered Abel to Yzerman with trash talking all summer and through the first part of the season.  All of a sudden, the line went dead.  The Chief's ranting and raving above is more justified and spot-on than anything I've read today.

Pittsburgh has been reduced to posting crap like this at Letsgopens...



The thing actually moves, but I'm not good enough to do that...click on the link, I dare you.

And how about this from Pensblog...



Ok, that one's funny, and the sister's at the Pensblog are acknowledging the Bandwagon exodus.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings are back within the top eight of the conference, and have won their last two games by a combined score of 12-2.  Powerplay is back on track and the penalty killing has been a whole lot better lately.  And now we're starting to see articles like entitled "Motown Revival" and "Wings Open Red Kettle Season"...alright so the second one is actually about charity, but the point remains: everyone is bracing themselves for the Red Wings to start charging through Western Conference Standings faster than you can say "Jack Robinson".  This only weeks after all of the main stream media had written Detroit off and days after ridiculing them for losing to Toronto.  A third win tomorrow against the Ducks will further their backpeddaling as they try and come out with more bold predictions about how successful this Wings system is and how they knew it all along.

Well shut up.  We knew it...the entire time.  And yeah I know that Howie's performance in the last two games was probably the exception and not the norm.  Many of you aren't convinced yet and many of you probably never will be until you see him raise the Cup as the starter, and some of you still won't be convinced (look at Ozzie).  But he STOLE that game for us last night and played more solid during that farce in Columbus than many will give him credit for.  I don't care what people say, Mike Babcock is the best coach in the National Hockey League.  Sure you can point out flaws, but show me one coach where you can't.  This team has lost so much, whether it be to free-agency or injury, and everyone was so eager to see a new champ crowned in the Central Division.  Well hold the phone, because the Hawks are only point ahead of us in the standings.  They don't have Hossa?  We don't have Franzen.  Who's more important?  Ask Kenny Friggin' Holland and see if he bats an eye.  With Franzen, Williams and Filppula in the lineup at the same time (NOT in Sweden), what's this team's record?  Would we have lost to Colorado?  Phoenix?  Doubtful.  But we keep pressing on.  Guess what?  We're on pace for 105 points right now...nothing to sneeze at.

But getting back to Pittsburgh.  It amuses me that as one team goes up, the other goes down.  When Detroit stumbled out of the gate, Pittsburgh hit the ground running.  Detroit wins 5 out of 6, Pittsburgh loses 4 in a row.  Inevitably, both teams will find consistency and will most likely end up in the post-season when it's all said and done.  A three-match in the Finals?  Not likely (just playing the odds on this one).  But far be it from me to join in with the Chief and say to all those jumping aboard the Detroit bandwagon, or jumping off the Pittsburgh bandwagon...we told you so, so STFU.

Rant over.

4 comments:

  1. I could never look at the Pens the same again after I saw a picture of Crosby and Malkin holding the Cup with the caption "Two Girls, One Cup".

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  2. Wait, is that a graphic nominating Tyler Kennedy for Homecoming Queen? At a high school for cats? While tripping on X (hence the disco ball)?

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  3. Not once through the player exodus did I think the Wings wouldn't make the playoffs this year--I still don't. They have too much talent for it not to happen. I have, however, thought this would be a very grinding year for the team--and it seems to be. So far I have been up and down on an emotional roller coaster that rivals either of my times postpartum--and that, too, shall continue. I still will give it a bit before I will declare that the team has turned a corner. I'm just that pessimistic.

    That being said, those Pens graphics are just too, too disturbing for words. {shudder}

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  4. WTF are the kittens doing in that abomination of a picture? Purring opponents to death?

    As for the rest of it, the tiara, sparkling bits and rainbow would look so much better on Sindey.

    RWDownUnder

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