NHL Lockout Finally Ends

Clown 1 and Clown 2

photo credit: michiganjournal.org

Yippie Hooray! The NHL and the NHLPA have finally (tentatively) agreed on a deal and the lockout is over!
But why am I not all happy and giddy lik a high school girl that just got asked to prom by the totally charming guy she's had a secret crush on since the beginning of the awful romantic-comedy movie starring interchangeable-teen-heart-throb?

Maybe it's because I'm still a touch bitter about not going to the winter classic, but it's probably because this is really a shallow victory.

Yes, we'll be able to watch some good ol' hockey.  The players will be playing again, the owners will make their money back, but most importantly the little guys who depend on the NHL for their livelihood will be working again.  (Even though I'm about to be negative, those little guys are the only people I'm happy for with this deal)

This is a shallow victory because it never should have happened.  Honest, hard-working people were out of work for far too long, wondering if they would have a job or not, while people who are set for life squabble over minute, mondane details.

This isn't like the last lockout, there was no huge, league-changing issue like whether or not the league should have a salary cap.  No, this lockout was argued over money, ridiculous player contracts, and other minor details that could have been pounded out in a couple weeks of true, hard, and good negotiating.

No, instead it became a pissing contest between two clowns who shouldn't be allowed to run a lemonade stand, let alone the fate of a professional sports league.

Everyone lost in this lockout.  Nobody won.  400+ games of hockey weren't played this season.  Two sides proved how stubborn they can be, making fools of themselves in the process.  The NHL took a substantial image hit during this lockout, and a "Thanks, Fans" message on the ice won't cut it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad hockey's back.  But this lockout was nothing short of a disgrace, fueled by the greed and stubbornness of both the owners and players.  This went on far longer than it needed to, and everyone knows it.

---- Personal Sidenote

Sorry about the long absence guys.  Finals and the holidays were extraordinarily busy and draining time for me.  I've got a couple more posts I'd like to do in the upcoming days, then I'll try to consistently be once a week.

Thanks for the loyal reading through the years, despite my sporadic posting frequency.  Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years!

Here's to hoping 2013 is a great year for Michigan sports!

God Bless,
Dave Cobb, The Bearded Fellow

USA beats Canada

What a big game yesterday. Couple of rival boarder countries playing for nothing more than pride and bragging rights. The US was playing for a first round bye, but this game was mostly for pride. My token Canadian friend was not happy after yesterday's game. He was soooooo angry. I loved every moment of it. But this game was an important game for the confidence of this young team. In fact, it's the youngest team in the Olympics. This win not only bolstered the confidence of the team, but the confidence of the nation. Many people out there now truly believe that their American boys have a legitmate chance at bringing home the gold. If they do, it rests on the shoulders of one man... Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller is the hottest goalie right now. 42 saves against Canada and a 3-0 record to go with it. He was the hottest goalie in the NHL going in to the break, and he has continued his hot play. If the Americans want to win the gold, it all rests on the play of its goaltender. A hot goalie can take you a long way, at any level. OHL, AHL, NHL or Olympic play, a hot goalie is near impossible to beat. If we win the gold, we'll have Ryan Miller to thank

But it's more than just a goalie. Obviously I feel he's the most important, but other guys have to step up. Brain Rafalski has. Four goals in two games, Rafalski has been red hot. He had the first two goals against Canada, and an assist on the fourth goal. Brain Rafalski, Michigan and the Red Wing's own, is a veteran leader for this young American squad and he is playing great defense and better than expected offense. If he keeps up the play, look out.

Other guys that have impressed the bearded fellow. Chris Drury, Ryan Kessler, and Bobby Ryan. Drury has lived up to his nickname "Captain Clutch" with important goals against the Swiss and the Canadians. Kessler's hustle and forecheck have been impressive, and Ryan's aggressive play sets the standard. If others start playing like Kessler and Ryan, I think the US might be the best team in the Olympics.

But how will they do, oh bearded one? If you read bellow, you notice i predicted bronze. Well I ate my words when I said "'They (USA) aren't at the level of the Canadians or Russians." But I stand by my bronze medal prediction. I think if they play Canada, things will be different. Roberto will be in net, not Marty. And for those that know me, I never change a prediction until it is proven wrong, so USA bronze Russia Silver and Canada Gold.

But let's enjoy this win over the, "all-star Canadians." ENjoy it America, savor the flavor, while it lasts...

What happened to Hockey?

Remember the good ol days of hockey? Red Wings Avalanche, always a guaranteed fight. What happened to those days? Gary Bettman happened. Who in their right mind would want to take fighting and hitting out of hockey? My favorite players as a kid were Joey Kocur and Vladimir Konstantinov, two players who wouldn't exist or be totally different in today's NHL. I think it's a damn shame. There are no rivalries. Oh sure the media loves Crosby verse Ovechkin, but until there are bench clearing brawls, it's not a true hockey rivalry. They NHL was at its prime when it was on ESPN done by Bill Clement and Gary Thorne. They were the voices of hockey. And now you ask? It's done by Doc Emrick and Eddie Olcyzk on Versus. Who even gets Verses Mr. Bettman? Not many do. He botched the ESPN deal and the new NHL is a far cry from what it was when it was popular. The media looks down upon the Sean Avery's, Darren McCarty's, and other tough guys of the NHL, but those are the guys that can bring it back to glory, more than these pretty boys that do all the dangles and score all the goals. People love fights, that's the bottom line.

I leave you with a nice youtube clip of one of my favorite fights of all time... Enjoy