Wednesday, April 18, 2007

---Random Thoughts---

I don't have enough coherent thoughts to break down my blog like I usually do.

Game 4: Senators 2, Penguins 1

Can't really blame the lack of defensive effort, at least insofar as I heard on the radio and what I was getting through the Penguins chat at GameDayChat.com (my new favorite website...I hope more folks decided to join me during Pirates games).

There have been only 2 shutouts in about 35 games played so far in these NHL playoffs, so you're going to need at least two goals to win in the playoffs. The offense didn't play well in stretches and was denied by the "soft" Ray Emery when it did. From what I've seen and heard, it does seem as if critical members of the team who played well early on are just flat-out tired.

Therrien needs to put the people who still have life on the same lines, even if that only makes the team one-line deep, at least it's a complete line that will score, and you won't hear Mike Lange say things like, "A great scoring chance, but the pass just didn't quite connect."

Frustrating. Even though I said that losing game 4 would mean the crushing blow in Game 5, I'm still rooting against that (of course). It just seems that Ottawa has had that extra step when they've needed it.

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Bucs level their season at 6-6 by completeing a 2-game sweep at New Busch. Pretty sweet. They're currently losing 3-2. Ah, well. They've spotted themselves leads before. Let's see if they can come back from an early deficit.

Non-baseball thoughts about this season:

- As much as my respect for Greg Brown has grown over the past year, he's never allowed to say the word "sexy" on the air again as he did tonight right before the game. He referred to the Brewers as the "sexy pick" to win the division. *shudder*

- The 'We Will' commercials where they interview Pirates fans...I really can do without those. The one guy who went to the game with his grandfather is pretty sweet, but "Paul Wright", I believe, and his son, his dad, and his father-in-law, I can do without. Not that he, nor his son, his dad, and his father-in-law are detestable in anyway. I just think half of that commercial about him, his son, his dad, and his father-in-law, is simply him saying the words, "my son, my dad, and my father-in-law". The other half, is the 'We Will' logo. And the guy from Pittsburgh who says something like, "...watch those boys playin' like they're tryin'..." is just painful. It might have been better if he said, "Leaving it all out on the field" or something like that.

- I like the idea of having a recording of the players read the lineup card on the TV. Some have more fun with it than others, but I like the idea.

- Radio side: John Wehner is a million times better this year.

- I can't believe they're still airing the #1 Cochran commercial with the announcer who couldn't sound less like a play-by-play guy and the crowd that doesn't react to the ball being hit. Maybe that just bothers me because that's what I do for a living, but I think it's because it hasn't been redone or replaced by something better. If Cochran's sales are indeed up from last season, I seriously doubt it was that spot.

- I read somewhere that with yesterday's win over the Cardinals, Jim Tracy earned his 500th win as a manager, and that he was "just" the 12th active manager to reach that benchmark. Attention: there are 30 teams in Major League baseball. That just puts Tracy in the top half. The word "just" does not belong in that sentence.

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Random pictures.

I download pictures that I find amusing sometimes, hoping I'll find a place to use them. The problem with this is that I download them to my computer at home, and I do most of my blogging at the radio station. Now, I'm actually at home. Most of these pictures are now irrelevant, so, I'll put them here. If I can use them again, fantastic.

I should add that I may be the only one who finds this pictures funny and/or ironic.


Sidney Crosby looks apologetic in this shot.


Main picture, Crosby is a flightless bird...who just scored.
Inset: Jordan Staal and Gary Roberts laugh at Ray Emery.


Sean Avery says: "Hyuh, hyuh! That was fun, Brendan!"


How strange is it that Philadelphia-area-based "The BloodHound Gang"
(worst. band. ever.) has a pic on their website with a member
wearing a Penguins Jersey?


The fan in the background wasn't told about the dress code.
Then again, this game was in New Jersey.


Marty Straka thanks long-time teammate Jaromir Jagr for the new
helmet and for riding with him on the short bus.