Wednesday, January 13, 2010

More Things to Complain About

Goaltending Matchups


I've noticed quite a few games this year where two exciting teams matchup against one another only to find that the Head Coach has pulled a fast one and played the backup instead of having the two #1's faceoff against one another. Now I know that coaches tend to lay out their schedules and decide which games are played by which goaltenders before the season even starts, (or so they say). Of course there's always factors that change that, injuries, streaks, and poor play, but I think there's something else going on here. I tend to think that coaches do this to relieve some of the pressure that these games create, and take some of that air of the inflating balloon. But on the other side of it, I think it would give you a better idea of how you'd fare against these teams in potential postseason matchups. I don't know whether it makes the playoffs that much better since we're in suspense until we get to see these coveted matchups, or if coaches are just taking the piss out of our nights of hockey.



Replays

I've noticed this my entire hockey-watching life but I've never had the forum to voice bitching like this until now. Any idiot knows which plays need to be re-played, goals, penalties, and saves, but there are plenty of plays that are deemed "insignificant" that I want to see re-run, bullshit offside calls, subtle interactions between players, and things of the like that have no real outcome on the game but are so interesting in their minutia to us die-hard fans. These simple, unimportant replays would hopefully prevent us from listening to some shit-ass story about one of these fucknut announcer's day, what he ate for lunch, or his thinly disguised man-love for one of the players. Which brings me to my next whine...



Homer Announcers

Having the Center Ice package and getting your money's worth out of it leaves you subject to broadcast teams around the country. I say country because I don't hear the homerism that is so blantantly evident in American broadcasts, in Canadian broadcasts. This is probably due to the fact that Canadian broadcasts are on their national television channels (correct me if I'm wrong), while hockey games in the States are shown on the television stations that are largely subsidized (if not outright owned) by the teams they're broadcasting. Some are worse than others, but I think they're all biased towards their own teams, (like referees). Jack Edwards on NESN for the Bruins, is one of the favorites, although he's so over-the-top I've come to enjoy him. I think just about every regional FSN broadcast team is brutal, Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey on FSN Pittsburgh have reached new lows, as has Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond for FSN Detroit. Sometimes you just want to punch your TV trying to hit these idiots when they go on and on about how this player is such a tremendous humanitarian, and the sheer skill they possess when a shot goes off their helmet and into the net.

Anyway, I'm PMS'ing and I thought I'd share before I get cramps and become completely useless.

3 comments:

PatsCards said...

Check out Pat Foley's rant about Karpotsev when he was on the Hawks. There was nothing homerish about that...besides stating the obvious.

Nuuuuugs said...

Karpovtsev was on his way out of town. And two years later, the Hawks rescinded their contract offer to Foley due to, what was it? 'Unspecified personal reasons.' Not until two seasons ago did Rocky Wirtz bring him back into the fold. Besides Eddie O does enough cock cupping in that booth for the both of them.

PatsCards said...

Eddie O is a homer. No doubt about it. Dollar Bill didn't renew Foley's contract because he was a penny pinching prick and Foley wanted market value for his services. Something the old man wasn't willing to give him. I don't blame Foley for standing his ground. Rocky on the other hand, knew that us Chicagoins appreciated Foley's ability to tell it like it was/is, and not suger coat it.