Blackchecking is ManInBlack’s quick thoughts.
Quick Thoughts
~I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a team that has accomplished so little and still rankle opposing fans like the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lets face it folks, the current incarnation of the Penguins aren’t the Yankees, Lakers, Red Wings or Patriots. They’ve only won one championship. They just aren’t the dominant force that inspires mass hatred. Yet for some reason every time I check a hockey message board, my facebook account, or comments under an article, I’m inundated with comments from bitter Washington and Detroit fans hoping not that the Canadiens will win their series, but rather that the Penguins will lose.
I’m not sure where the vitriol is coming from. I suppose some of it comes from jealousy. Caps fans don’t like that their superstar player has accomplished less than the Penguins’ superstar player. Some of it is grudge-holding. Detroit fans are still angry that the Pens took the Cup from them last year. Maybe some fans are still mad at Crosby for scoring the gold medal-winning goal in the Olympics. I don’t know. But for a team that is far from dynastic, is the kind of hatred that I constantly see warranted? Its like even though their teams are eliminated, everything will turn out okay for these people…as long as the Penguins don’t repeat as Champions. I could see that attitude after 3 or 4 Championships, but after one? I’ll be watching the same people for the Drew Brees backlash come football season.
~Dallas Braden’s perfect game: awesome. Any perfect game by any pitcher is great to see and an amazing accomplishment. That being said, I’m still with A-rod on the stupidity of Braden’s “unwritten rules” tantrum that he had a few weeks back. I’m no fan of A-Rod, but he was in the right. Also, I loved A-Rod’s response to his perfect game, which was basically “good for him, quite the accomplishment, and awesome that he beat the Rays”. Pretty much the best response possible, actually.
~I take every new report about Big Ten expansion with a grain of salt because every time there’s a report about teams being extended an invitation or having some sort of meeting with the conference honchos, there is inevitably a report the next day that discredits it. The latest news has the Big Ten supposedly handing out invites to Missouri, Rutgers, Nebraska, and (depending on which article you read) Notre Dame.
I never know what to think about this issue, and the stuff that I read and hear that makes sense one day seems like foolishness the next. It seems as if Notre Dame will only join the Big Ten if the Big East is completely and totally destroyed. So is that why the Big Ten is looking at Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse? Is the conference laughing and stroking its handlebar moustache while contemplating the demise of the Big East with the ultimate goal of making Notre Dame its own? I don’t know if I buy it.
Nor do I buy the arguement that the Big Ten wants Rutgers because of the large New York City market. Nobody in New York City watched Rutgers football (or basketball). I’m not sure Rutgers makes sense, other than they’re probably easy pickings. Pitt makes a TON of sense to me, they’re in the geographical area anyway and are one of the teams that is annually pretty competitive. WVU would make sense to me. Nebraska? I guess, since they’re in the midwest. But it seems more like it’d be buying low, hoping they can return to their former glory and competitiveness.
Whatever they do, I hope they do it in a hurry. My favorite rumor is the one that postulates 4-6 “super conferences” that break away from the NCAA and set up a playoff system. Whether that is feasable or even possible, almost anything would be better than the BCS.
When I’m Right I’m Right…
~This is a tough one for me right now. Looking through my previous posts, I currently have nothing that I can brag about. All of my predictions are either ongoing (NBA Finals, Pens/Habs, Bruins/Flyers) or were dead wrong (my entire NHL Western Conference Picks). So, without futher ado…
And When I’m Wrong, I’m Really Wrong
~Well, the Canucks didn’t lose after their breakdown in game 5. Instead they put together their best performance since game 1. And the Blackhawks looked lost and lethargic…
~…But they came back to win game 6 in a big way, beating Vancouver in 6 games. Unfortunately, I picked the Canucks to win the series.
~Picked Detroit to “upset” San Jose. Didn’t happen.
Zelda’s Heroes
~A 22-year old posed as a high schooler to play basketball on the high school’s team. No comment from Danny Almonte.
~My congressman can beat up your congressman. Wait you’re from the Philippines? Crap.
~Tom Brady says the Patriots didn’t win last year because they weren’t “mentally tough”. Yeah, I could see how winning three Super Bowls could be a real drain on your confidence.
~The crazy billionaire vs….the other crazy billionaire. Personally, I hope the Monopoly guy puts the smack down on both of them.
~Look at the title of this article. Paging Captain Obvious.
Bold, Idiotic Predictions
~The Penguins win game 7 at the Igloo.
~The Celtics take out Lebron & Co. in Boston.
~I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Flyers are going to miss Boucher. The Bruins finish things off tonight in Philly.
NYC watches Rutgers when they’re good. The RU-Louisville game a few years ago was the highest rated college football game in NYC history. It broke ridiculous amounts of records.
I don’t hate Pittsburgh so much as I hate Sydney Crosby. I’m sure you understand why people hate certain superstars. Crosby is just as bad as Ovechkin, and every Pittsburgh fan will find that statement blasphemous. Just as every Washington fan will find the fact that Ovechkin is as bad as Crosby blasphemous.
I hate them both, but then again, everyone hates my hockey team & my goalie, and we haven’t accomplished anything in 7 years.
And lastly, Braden was right about A-Rod. You’re telling me A-Rod would have done that if the opposing pitcher was Roy Halladay or Johan Santana? Not a chance! It was a slap in Braden’s face, and I say good for Braden for sticking up for himself.
He RAN ACROSS PART OF THE MOUND GOING FROM THIRD TO FIRST. I think its ridiculous that anyone, anywhere, would get upset about it at all.
Yeah, it’s probably stupid that that particular offense is an issue. Braden’s issue ended up being that A-Rod did it to him, because as A-Rod put it, he’s a nobody.
Like I said, A-Rod would never do that to an established pitcher. And you can bet your ass if he did it to Josh Beckett, A-Rod would get pelted the very next time he came to the plate. No difference between that & what Braden did.
Why do you think he wouldn’t do it to an established pitcher? I think he was just running back to first base. I don’t think most established pitchers would throw a hissy fit about it like Braden did. A-Rod only said he was a nobody once the kid threw a tantrum.
I think Braden made a fuss because it was A-Rod that did it. Almost like “hey, this dude is making $30 million a year, i’m just a little jealous.” If it had been Kevin Youkilis or some other AL player making $10-$15 million a year, i really dont think this would have been an issue. and honestly, running across the mound like A-Rod did should never have been an issue in my opinion.
As far as Crosby/Ovechkin go, i think alot of the hate comes from the fact that they were just being handed things and there was so much hype. Dont get me wrong, they’re both the top players in the league and will be for years, but hockey is such a blue collar sport that i think fans and players resented those two for coming up so quickly, rather than spending years in the minors or independent leagues. Then when Crosby was handed the ‘C’ at what, 19-20 years old? that made people mad.
Crosby’s constant complaining his first two years didnt exactly endear him to fans of people outside Pittsubrgh either. Almost like he felt he didnt deserve the “hazing” of all the chippy play because he was Sidney Crosby, the next Wayne Gretzky.
They wanted to see crosby him EARN that ‘C’ not necessarily have it handed to him because he’s the best player. The best player on the team isn’t always the best Captain, nor should the best player automatically be the captain. He has to demonstrate some leadership. And honestly, how much leadership can a 19 year old show to a bunch of late 20′s, 30 and almost 40 year olds?
Fans hated that shit was handed to them because they didnt earn in. Then when they proved they did deserve the accolades, fans hated them even more BECAUSE they earned it, and all the hype was right.
Please don’t flatter yourself into think my hatred for hockey teams rests solely with the Penguins.
Unfortunately the Blackhawks haven’t reached the point where I can celebrate their misery yet. I assure you, when San Jose eliminates them, I will.
It always amazes me when fans of team can’t understand when other people hate their star player. Why would I root for a guy on another team who beat my team last year and played for another team for 2 weeks this winter who beat another team of mine, the USA?
I’m glad I can finally watch the playoffs without having to listen to the national media gush over Crosby like he’s the second coming of Christ or Gretzky or Howe or whatever. There’s so many other players in the league who are as good as he is.
People hate winners when it’s not their team that’s winning. Don’t complain about it, revel in it.
People who complain about other people hating Crosby are the same people who are happy year after year when Peyton Manning gets eliminated. And guess what, Manning isn’t on a dynasty either.
Who roots against Peyton Manning? People are relieved when he loses because he’s one of the best QBs in the league, but I’ve almost never heard of anyone hating him or hating the Colts…except maybe Patriots fans.
Doozer, “hating” a star player just for being a star player seems to be a relatively new occurance. Gretzkey, Lemieux, Stevie Y,…those guys weren’t treated the same way guys like Crosby or Ovechkin or whoever. Sure there were people who didn’t like them, booed them, but they weren’t vilified to the degree they are now.
Carl, I think you’re right for the most part. They were hyped before they came out, hated for it, then proved to be worth the hype and hated more for it. Some people think the same way about LeBron James. I suppose what I don’t understand is the DEGREE of hatred for some of these teams/players. Some people act like they did something to them personally.
the Stevie Ys,the Lemieuxs, the Gretzkys…Crosby isn’t even in the same class as those guys. he’s not even playing the same game right now. neither is Ovechkin. neither is Datsyuk.
i’ll give you that Crosby is closer than Ovie, because we’ve seen Crosby shine in the clutch moment. however, both have a long way to go to earn the kind of respect the aforementioned Hall of Famers receive.
i’m not even sure i respect his game right now. i definitely don’t respect Ovie’s.
he beat USA. for a gold medal. my national team. that’s not going to endear him anybody who isn’t a Penguins fan.
I don’t understand your argument that he’s “not in the same class” or “you don’t respect his game” when it comes to Sid/Ovie.
Yes, they don’t play in the 80′s era of wide-open ice where you can score 200 points a season. And they don’t play in the 90′s era where interfering and clutching-and-grabbing was legal. They play in the era they play in with the rules they have, and they’re the best in the game. They’re almost always in the top-3 in points, with a rotating cast as the third member.
If you want to say, “He beat the USA, so I don’t like him. He beat the Wings, so I don’t like him.”, that’s fine. I understand it. But don’t blindly deny the talent of the players because of it. That’s just ridiculous.
it always annoyed me how good Peyton Manning was and is. I never rooted for him to win, but i never rooted for him to lose. But recently, i’ve really started to appreciate his greatness. I dont care what anyone says, Peyton Manning is the best quarterback to ever play the game. Hands down.
4 MVPs, a super bowl ring, a SB MVP, 7+ straight 12-win seasons, the consecutive games streak. The touchdowns, the yards. It’s absolutely unbelievable. if the colts had beaten the Saints, there would be absolutely no debate on his place as the greatest ever.
Peyton Manning and Sid Crosby are the rich kids who got everything they wanted/needed to succeed. Like the kid you used to play ball with who’d always get the newest shoes or cleats or glove or whatever the day it came out, while you were saving up for 2-3 months to get it or just using your years-old one.
LeBron James can do no wrong (well except when he doesnt shake hands after a playoff series loss). I really think the hatred comes from the blue collar-ness of hockey. The ‘requirement’ to earn respect.
lets be clear too, NO ONE will ever be in the same class as Gretzky. There’s a reason 99 was retired league-wide. You can cite the differt eras (which is a fair argument), but he still had to put up those numbers within the confines of the rules and style of play.
Do you think Wilt Chamberlain would put up 50 ppg, 20+ rpg today in the NBA? Absolutely not. Would Gretzky have 200 point seasons in today’s NHL? Absolutely not. But the fact is they had to physically put up those stats. No one complains about shit being too easy, but people complain about shit being too hard.
i didn’t say he doesn’t have talent.
and what exactly about his resume, right now, makes him worth mentioning in the same breath as Gretzky or Yzerman or Mario?
Look, he’s not Gretzky. Nobody is going to ever put up those numbers again. So, excluding The Great one, what’s in his resume? What’s your criteria?
He’s accomplished more in his time in the league than Mario or Yzerman did. He’s the youngest guy to ever lead the league in scoring, he’s the youngest captain to ever win a Stanley Cup, and won it at a younger age and in a shorter time than any of the 3. He won a Gold Medal a lot earlier in his career. He’s fifth all-time in points-per-game. And while Yzerman averaged 76 points a season (81 if you take away his two lowest seasons due to injury), Crosby averages 101, or the same as Lemieux. Oh, yeah, he’s still only twenty-freakin’-two.
Really, what makes him NOT worth mentioning in the same breath as those guys? What else does he need to do? Win 5 cups? Overcome cancer? Get 3-4 more scoring titles or MVPs? I’m really asking, because I don’t see how you can completely discard all the accomplishments he’s made in the short time he’s been in the league and say he’s not up to par with other greats of the game.
well for one those guys are HOFers. If Crosby’s career suddenly comes to end today, he’s not in the Hall of Fame.
he’s not there. he’s on his way, but he’s not there.
I disagree. If he died in a car crash tomorrow, he gets elected to the HOF.
If he retired tomorrow, though, citing lack of interest in the sport, I don’t think he gets elected. It’s all about how he exits the game.
I don’t think Crosby is in the same breath as those guys simply because he’s 22 years old. He will be, that much is obvious. But you never know what’s going to happen. Dude could break his leg or something, and never fully recover, and then he becomes “a superstar who could have been as great as Lemieux & Gretzky, but was injury-plagued.”
It’s the same reason nobody in their right mind – other than Viking fans, probably – would put Adrian Peterson in the same class as Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders. The kid just turned 25 2 months ago. But yet, after 3 years, Peterson has 4500 yards & 40 TDs, while Smith had 4200 yards & 41 TDs, and Sanders had 4300 yards & 43 TDs. Is the argument there? Yes. But the time is not right.
Let’s wait 5 more years before we start putting Crosby on the same pedestal as the 5 greatest hockey players of all-time.
Basically, Doozer seems to be taking the anti-Crosby stance simply because he dislikes him. And MIB is taking the Pro-Crosby stance simply because he’s a Penguins fan. I’ll take the rational stance, and say he’s on his way, but not there yet…
And lastly, MIB, you’re not allowed to use the Gold Medal argument, because none of the aforementioned players were allowed to play in the Olympics until the twilight of their careers.