Still can't get over how clutch Marchand was in the series (Thomas aside obviously). I've been watching him all season long. He had a good rookie year, kind of slumped towards the end, but man did he pick it up in the playoffs. That kid was money with the puck, making the Canucks look like the bad news bears, terrorizing goalies with a wicked accurate shot. Has major major heart too. Small guy but never backed down when Vancouver tried to get to him. Boston needs to lock him up with a nice contact. EDIT: I actually just remembered I lived in the Boston area back in the early 70's when they last won their cup. I was four but my Mom says I use to wear a Bruins beanie in the winter. LOL.
More pics here: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/06/16/photos-riots-fire-destruction-after-vancouvers-loss/
Some really good pics there. thx for that. how weird is that one of the couple making out on the floor ? So far, this douche is my favourite. I love some people's inability to grasp the concept of consequence.
I don't think the make out pic is all that strange. "Holy shit I'm hammered. That car is on fire. Wanna fool around?" Who hasn't said that to a girl a few times in their life?
Wow no offense to the people of Vancouver, because I'm sure not everyone is like these clowns- but what a bunch of low life fuckin' douche bags in those pics! Seriously? Riot against the man or corporations all you want but seriously: Because your team lost the Stanley Cup that's a reason to act like a fucking low life teenage douchebag who doesn't know any better and destroy the city? Grow the fuck up. If I were the cops I'd beat the shit out them too. It's a shame. Vancouver I heard is a lovely city.
it's really bizarre to see. i moved to vancouver a year ago. This place is safe and super-tame. Not last night though. Still it's a big city, and this was just in a few places. Weird though, i come from a pretty crazy country (south africa) and we managed to host a world cup without incidents like this. There just seems to be this attitude of self-entitlement here that grinds me. I saw footage of guys arguing and taunting cops. can't understand why they wouldn't just be knocked down and locked up.
Check out Brock Anton's profile picture on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=534635696 This guy is wicked smaht.
As despicable and idiotic as the rioters were I think the city/cops really gambled with this one, thinking it would be a peaceful olympic style celebration. You could see this bullshit coming for weeks and they still did not seem ready for this. I'm just glad they moved the concert I was going to away from Granville street last night.
so it is okay to burn cop cars and vandalize businesses, but it's not okay to spell out the "f" word.
What does everyone think of that blockbuster trade made by the Flyers yesterday? Richards to LA, Carter to Columbus. Flyers got Simmonds & Schenn from LA, Voracek from Columbus and signed Bryzgalov. Personally I don't think they should have traded Richards. Guy seemed to totally fit as the Flyers captain. Carter- meh... Also why is it in the NHL now you get 30 wins as a goalie or score 25-30 goals you're cream of the crop, sought after for a contract- that kills a team for years? I know this isn't the 80's and scoring more than 50 goals is a rarity but some of these contracts are ridiculous?!
WTF? Flyers sign these guys to multi-year deals (Carter's 11 year deal doesn't even kick in until 2011/2012 season!) that make them believe they're the core of the organization and then trade them both on the same day? That's the kind of shit you would do in a video game. Kind of makes Philly look like they have no idea what the hell they are doing. However, they may be setting up something huge on July 1st when free-agency kicks in.
All this really shows that the NHL is really more business than anything else. Years ago, a long contract is something that let the player know that the club is fully vested in them. Now, it doesn't seem like it matters how long a contract is for because there's always going to be some way to trade a player. It's very much like the video game industry. Just because you have a full-time contract, doesn't mean the company won't fire you at any time.
Bert funny you made that analogy. I just read an article on the LA Noire Development team that was almost shocking but seems pretty standard in the video game industry: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1178844p1.html
So true 'bert. Sadly the NHL is all business these days, but I would say it has been like that for some time now. The simple fact is, as much as we (and I would venture it is safe the say that includes about 85+% of the fanbase) hate Bettman, the truth is the NHL is more lucrative than ever, and when it comes down to it, as much as owners may be fans, all they see at the end of the day is the dollar signs. This might have been the case all the time, granted, but what has really changed the league in my opinion [and scouting of really young talent, the long contracts and hefty salaries are just a sign of this] is that now the players have also come to this realisation (i.e. that it is a business) and it is all about seeing yourself as a cash asset/employee and marketing through your manager. While I don't fault the players' association or the CBA, it does take a lot away from the love of the game from the fan's point of view. This mystique is probably just an illusion anyways, and we'll all keep watching, but the NHL is just as much a business now as the other major leagues, but also has significantly less of the basal 'appeal' I would say, to younger generations. It will be interesting to see where this all takes hockey in the future.
I read a small amount of gaming industry news. Things like how Sony let go a bunch of website security types just before Sony got hacked, how the Violent Games bill was deemed unconstitutional, and yes, the LA Noire fiasco. My contract at work is done this week so I have to go job hunting once more, and it just put me in that frame of mind when the NHL was announcing the trades. There's just no such thing as a permanent job anymore unless you are self-employed...but yeah, the NHL has been this way for a few years now but lots of us still don't see it that way until things like the Carter trade or the Setoguchi trade comes around. My only guess with Seto is that the Sharks signed him so they wouldn't loose him to free agency but were gonna put him up on the trading blocks anyway. So rather than loose him and get nothing, they signed him. It might be a good trade for both parties. I'm happy that the Jets are back so we can have our West Side Story games once again...and if you don't get that joke, just look up the musical. The NHL could really be big business and Bettman sees that. He's made moves to try and popularize the sport but a lot of us just hate the guy. I don't hate they guy. I just think he's a douche.
What does everyone think of all the moves from free agency? I think Buffalo vastly improved and can be a contender this year. I still think Brad Richards is highly over-rated. NY Rangers just signed him.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=69926&navid=mod-rr-headlines some very interesting signings and trades. Sharks and Wild - Heatley for Havlat. Boston doesn't sign Ryder (Dallas) and Kabarle (Carolina). Habs pick up Erik Cole...and a whole lot more.
