For those of you that did not catch it live, we had Ken Campbell from the Hockey News on.  He talked about his book, and got into some great discussion on who and who did not made the list, as well as some Hall of Fame issues.

Check out the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/nyhockeyreport.  You can always replay the show at any time, or podcast it if you like…

Tough loss last night.  That penalty to Bergie at the 20 minute mark started the trend, unfortunately.  And no - I am not saying he should be gone as a result of it.  I saw that talk on the boards already today, and that makes me sick.  It is unfortunate, but we have to move on.

The Devs are coming in, and we have to get back on track.  Ricky between the pipes should help.  Hopefully he will be ok to be back in the net.

Have a good weekend.

Gary

PS - I will do my grading of the Isles on Monday.

9.6.

Usually that is what we are calling the dives that opposing players make that give the Isles the chance to endure another PK.

However, that was the amount of time on the clock last night, to make the Isles fans go home happy, and see the entire nation of Canada crushed again! (or at least, Leaf Nation).

It definitely was a great atmosphere last evening.  The Leaf Fans were abundant, and loud (even causing a couple of fisticuffs in 325/326.  It was great… Just like living 2002 all over again.  All we needed was Bates and Cairns (well - I know that some readers are glad, that Captain Yarrrr is not with the team!)

The team played well.  They were skating hard, screening the net, winning battles to pucks, and basically shuffling their feet well.  When this team stays stagnant around the opposing goal, I can pretty much GUARANTEE that we will not be successful.

Comrie came out of the shell last night (Maybe because someone was in the stands?)…  Park was BRILLIANT.  Coach was even double-shifting #10 at times.  What a joy he has been this season.  No matter what line he goes on - he instantly makes that line better.

Concern for DP, but did DUBIE become the man last night; especially in that flurry at the end of the kill in OT.  Also - thanks to a few crossbars that made their way in front of the net.  Hopefully, he will be fine for the Devils game on Saturday, or in Carolina, on New Years Eve.

But the thunder of the crowd is what got me… We need more of that, and as long as the Isles keep winning, that will happen.  Tonight will be a HEEEEEUGE test against the Sens who have won 8 out of their last 10.  And our record in Kanata is not a sparking one to say the least.  Keep the thumbs and toes crossed…

MY THREE STARS

1. Richard Park - I know Comrie scored two, but nothing would have happened if not for Parkie’s (alias Wu, Wu, Kenny Wu) playmaking.  Imagine what kind of player he would have been if he had the same confidence that Ted has given….
2. Mike Comrie - 3 points for Ms. Duff as a boxing day prezzie
3. Wade Dubielewicz - As Howie Rose put it - he is in March/April form now!

GOLD STAR

1. Islander organization for recognizing Jason Blake before the game.  Yes - it was only 20 seconds or so, but it is still a way of saying thanks for nearly 6 great years wearing the Orange and Blue.  Loyalty in sports is a tough thing, and Jason obviously went where the $$ are.  I understand….

TIN TWIT

1. The fans that BOO a former player every time they touch the puck.  GIVE ME A BREAK!  I may comment on that in another post over the holiday.

_________________________________________

NEW YORK HOCKEY REPORT SHOW - Tonight 9:00 PM - I really need for you that read this blog to check out the show tonight.  We are in DESPERATE NEED for listenership, to keep our 9PM timeslot.  Our guest will be Ken Campbell.  He was supposed to be on last week, and was unable to make it.  He is confirmed for this evening.  We will be talking about his book that he co-wrote with Adam Proteau: The Top 60 Since ‘67: The NHL’s Best Players of the Post-Expansion Era.  It should be a great show, and we urge you to call into the show.  (646) 716-7209.  To listen to the show, go to www.blogtalkradio.com/nyhockeyreport.

Thanks - most appreciate it!

Gary

 

An old friend returns…

Yes - there were times that I got ‘ticked’ at him, when he tried to do everything and played the role of puck hog with such skill and ease.  However, that is part of the nature of Blakey; a player that no expert ever thought would have the type of career that he has had.

No one, and I mean NO ONE, can question his energy, and enthusiasm of the game.  He gives it all, just about every shift.  He has had so many consecutive career years, that basically got Blake his record contract.  Unfortunately, for fans of the Buds, Blake’s numbers have not come up to snuff. 

Is it the cancer?  Dont think so…

Is it the pressure of the big contract and the media frenzy in T.O.?  Might be.

However, as fans, we should take a moment, and appreciate what he meant to the Islander franchise over the previous six years.  He helped put credibility back to the Islanders, and we are in debt to him for that.

Let’s appreciate that, and then focus on winning the game.  I will still be a Blake fan (except when he is the opponent)…

Thanks Jason!

As we approach Christmas day, I have a lot of wishes to give.

1.  I wish to all of you that have visited and read my page, peace, joy and happiness for the new year. 

2.  To all of the Islander organization; ownership, management, staff, coaches, players and fans, the hope for continued success and lots of wins.

3.  To all of my fellow hockey fans, I wish you well during this holiday season.  Except for when the Islanders are your opponents.

Merry Christmas to all.  Hope Santa is good to you!

Remember - I have never played the game.  I have become a student of the game, and feel that I am knowledgeable enough to provide my opinion and be respected by it.

With that said, here is what I thought of last night.

I think the team played well as a whole, but had a opposing goalie on his game last night.  Miller did quite well.  Made the big saves when he had to.  He kept his team in the game, especially when it mattered most.

For the first time in a long while, the Isles kept players in the slot, trying to screen the goalie.  Vasicek, and Sillinger were constantly in front; Fedotenko was too.  All four lines were rolling, and all had chances.  Blake Comeau played well, earning some key 3rd period shifts.

However, I need to make a complaint.

I know that Mike Comrie is trying.  You see him making plays, drawing people to him, and trying to free the puck to an open teammate.  However, he is starting to show early signs of Kvasha Syndrome.  You know, the disease where an extremely talented player looks as lazy as slovenly old man in front of a television with his cheese puffs?  Shoot Mike, shoot!!!!???  You have a good percentage. We can not win games, unless people score!!!

Ugh!

Comrie has great skills, but he needs to show them.  As I have previously called it:  Kvasha LazySyndrome.  He makes some amazing plays, drawing 4 men on him to clear others, but there are so many opportunities that he can just get the puck on net, and make scoring chances.  However, he falls way short on that!

Three Stars:

3.  Blake Comeau.  Great job in first game with big club.  Created chances and did not embarrass himself

2.  Brendan Witt.  Great goal - good defensive play

1.  Kyle Okposo.  The future is coming

Need to get going big time.  Having to go to Pitts will help.  Hoping the team keeps the chances coming, and hope that some players that need to be playing larger, step up and do just that.  You want more than a 1 year deal…???  Well???

Well, I am not surprised from the NHL’s standpoint.  I was hoping for less, but this is how they wish to make their statement.  There is no right and wrong, in my opinion, on this.

For the case of the Isles, they are supporting Simon, the human being 100%, and that is nothing short of exactly what I expected.

This is the statement from Garth Snow today:

“Since Saturday night, the focus of the New York Islanders has been on Chris Simon the person, not him as a player or on his place in our lineup. As we announced on Monday, the Islanders are going to provide Chris the time and support that he needs for counseling. For Chris right now, hockey must be secondary to the priority of taking care of himself.

“Chris has played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, has won a Stanley Cup and just as importantly has won the respect of his teammates. He is an Islander, deserves our compassion, and we ask that all Islanders fans join us in supporting Chris every step of the way.�

Well done.  This is where the focus should be.  Chris has gone through a lot in his life.  It is time to get him sorted.  Even if he never plays another second in hockey, he needs to be able to get ready for the remainder of his life.  He has a lot of work to do, and no matter what you feel about the player, or his record, you have to support the human element.

I hope that this Holiday Season becomes a basis point for Chris to examine his life, his actions, and his future, and hope that he make strives to become a better Chris Simon.

God speed to you, sir.

*** NOTE - please go down to the entry after this one to comment on the poll…… ***

Comeau up to take Simon’s place in the lineup.  He (Simon) is meeting with the NHL today.  He should get a significant suspension for the Ruutu incident on Saturday.

He is on a ‘leave of absence’ from the Isles, and they are hoping that he will get the treatment he needs.  This is the time in his life that Simon will need to get his life in order.  Life after hockey will require some more challenges.

I hope that he will do just that.  Take the time that he needs.  You do not wish anything bad on the human being.

Comeau should fit on that line nicely.  He has real good two-way skills.

The team has to come out with extreme energy and spring to their skates tomorrow against the Sabres.  They are not lighting up the lamp, and if you get on them early, they can be beaten.  We need that to keep pace with the rest of the Division.

Wow - 7 days until Christmas.  I can not believe how this month has flown by.  My friend has returned to the UK.  We had a great time together, and I got to get back there again soon.  Once this damn dollar gets a little bit better.

Have a great day.  Will preview the game tomorrow morning.

Gary

PS - remember - go down to the previous entry and comment on the Simon/Bergeron polls.  Also - the New York Hockey Report will be on Thursday this week, as both Joe and I will be at the Islander game.  It will be at 9PM - and we might have a guest:

THN columnists Ken Campbell, who teamed up with Adam Proteau to write The Top 60 Since 1967: The Best Players of the Post-Expansion Era, which is sure to create some great radio debate on where the players are ranked, how the Top 60 voting panel based their decisions and who was left out.  We urge you to call in and let us know what you think…  Please call the show at (646) 716-7209.

We will hope to stir up the debate.

See ya,

Gary

Gary

Please add a comment if you are reading this… I am real curious to hear your answers….

Two polls, and please justify your answers (no grading of course…)

1.  Should Simon be removed from this team?  Yes or no…

2.  Should the Isles cut their losses on Bergeron?  Yes or no…

No peeking on others around you.. Please let me know either way, as well as your opinions on this?

Thanks so much!

Gary

Christmas time - the stress of the end of year things for work - a visit from my good friend from the UK - all lead up to not entering anything in the blog.

For those who are dedicated to this page, my apologies.

But I will try to enter stuff regularly now…

Just some random thoughts from the past few days.

• As the Isles go - nice to see Billy G get going again.  Keep it up, sir!
• Is it just me - or are we losing about 80% of the battles to pucks?
• What is with the “D”?  MAB is useless.  He is averaging, on my charts, about 6 ‘bone-heads’ per game.  He has to go……
• Simon snapped again.  What did Ruutu say to him?  Not smart
• Witt was playing too hard on Sidney?  Give me a freaking break.  Do we need a ref’s permission to hit his ‘almightyness’?
• Got to step it up this week.  Need the 4 points to keep pace.
• Went to NJ yesterday.  What a great looking building…. Now - they just have to get the rest of downtown Newark going, and they may be in good shape.  Treat yourself to a game there.  You can take LIRR to Penn, then NJ Transit to Newark Penn, and its a 3 block walk.  Lots of cops around, so it is not so bad to walk.  Good sight lines, decent food - nice ambience.  They did a nice job.
• Seems that Phoenix took care of Jersey, and the Rangers quite nicely, and how did they do against us???  Hmmm???  Well - they did outplay us, but at least we got the “W” on them…

Have a great day…

It seems that when I look at the stats page of this site, this page gets a lot of hits.  I wrote this piece in January, when Sid the Kid and Jason Blake got into that spat before the All Star Game.

Let me preface and offer my request for new comments by saying this:

when I wrote this at the time, I was incensed by the actions of Sidney.  I can say that in the past year, he has matured a bit, and seems to be letting his game do more of the talking, than his yappering about other playing slapping him around.  In my reactionary comments, I always went back to Mike Bossy.  He took more of a ripping and beating, game in and game out, than any other player, including Gretzky.  But Boss never moaned.  He just did his job.  And when guys went after him more, he made them pay where it really counts; on the scoresheet.

Anyway, here is my original post, and all the comments that came with it.  I am curious of what you all think now… I would really appreciate the comments, and I am interested in the out-of-towners, especially the Pens fans, as to what your perception is about how 87 is received around the league.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Gary

I guess that will pique interest…. 

In no way, shape, or form, am I questioning the hockey skills of Pittsburgh’s #87.  He is a great player, with the world ahead of him.  He is exactly the hype that he was provided at the tender age of 13, and nearly 20, he received the most votes for the All-Star game next week in Dallas.  In addition, he is currently leading the scoring race, a few points ahead of Washington’s wonderkind, Alex Ovechkin.

He is regarded in a similar vein, to a certain young man that came onto the scene over a quarter of a century ago, called Gretzky.  In this age of commercialization and media overload, Monsieur Crosby is a hit with many commercials shown all over Canada, and in a few US markets.

He has the hockey world getting ready to throw the world on his shoulders.  He is the real ‘next one’; a name that was supposed to be reserved for Eric Lindros over a decade and a half ago.

But to this reporter, I see a different person than the one that most Canadians image.  Actually, I see this, because I took off the rose colored glasses..

I see, is a ‘boy’ that has been coddled and given the impression that he can do whatever he wants, and can dish out at anyone without incident.  However, when someone retaliates on him, he drops down to the ground like an Acme Anvil on Wile Coyote, and boom.

When the Great One was coming up, players went at him the same way, however, Gretzky was not that kind of player, and did not retaliate.  He had a Dave Semenko, or Marty McSorely to do that for him.  And that was fine.  Lemieux was able to handle himself, and in many instances, he did just that.

However, in the case of the crying weasel, known as Sid the Kid, he just shoves, slashes and does what he wants, and when he gets his just desserts in return, he cries, wines, and acts like a child.  In the case of Jason Blake, although I do not condone what he did, I am glad that he gave the wining brat a little taste of his own medicine.  He wants rules HIS way, but please overlook it when I do the damage!

And to make matters worse, is that his coach Michel “I am no longer a Francophone and want to be called Michael� Thierrien, totally lifts him up to a higher level, and coddles the living CRAP out of him.  Hey Coach, give him the birds and bees talk, please!!!!  He needs to know that he (Crosby) has to be accountable for his actions.

You know that somewhere, sometime, someone is really going to clock him for being a little ‘pr!ck’, and they are going to be justified to the hilt.  The NHL is always a little over-protective of their stars, and unfortunately, the NHL needs a little slash to the groin once in a while too.

Well done Jason — with the increase in your salary next season, that fine will be chump change.  I am glad that people are finally standing up to this young twerp.  He has to be shown that if wants to act like a child in a man’s game, that he will get smacked around like a little girl.  Pad up more of your uniform Sid, or Sydney!!!

Wow - that felt good….

11 Responses to “1st Rambling…. Sidney Crosby is a whining little brat!�

1. John Says:
   January 19th, 2007 at 4:27 pm eLet’s hope that some of the guys out there start drop the hammer a bit more often on this kid. I think the thing that is not helping is this “kinder, gentler� NHL the league is trying to establish. I’m sorry, but I hate guys who are little cry babies when someone houses them at center ice or takes them hard into the boards. I don’t care who you are. I think it was Darius Kasparites who made the simple observation that “hockey ain’t no baby sport�. I wish the NHL would not forget that.
2. 7th Woman Says:
   January 21st, 2007 at 9:05 am ePersonally, I can’t WAIT to see what the media does with this little episode at the all star game. Will there be musings over a reconciliation? or fisticuffs in the parking lot? Oh Please! The posterboy of the NEW NHL is a brat. Notice he didn’t tell WITT he was “F***ing Dead!� three times after HE knocked him on his butt. No no… but he can threaten the little guy. 

   Grrrrrr….

3. Rich in Vermont Says:
   January 25th, 2007 at 1:33 pm eYou guys have absolutely no clue of the garbage he had to endure every single night for two years in the Quebec League. It’s a miracle he came out of it relatively unscathed. He’s always been known as a player who plays on the edge physically (goes from being shadowed night after night from age 10) and over the edge mentally. 

   Of course, if he was wearing blue and orange, he’d be just perfect, right?!?

4. Gary Harding Says:
   January 25th, 2007 at 5:33 pm eRich - it is all documented. And I know of your affinity for the league up there, and I respect it. However, I am not the only one that is remarking about his attitude. I have heard about it from people in Pittsburgh (fans) that have already says he has been buttered so much that he can be shoved in a very tight hole and wont get stuck. 

   I have also heard some ‘off the record’ commentary that not only backs it up - but say that he is nothing but elitist garbage that likes to dish it out, but when it is retributed, that he wimpers like a child.

   I take nothing away from his ability. He is gifted. But you never saw Bossy complain moan and groan. Gretzky either. When it happens to Ovechkin, he doesnt wine, he plays the game.

   We can agree to disagree Rich… Thanks for the thoughts!

5. steve Says:
   April 2nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm ehaha just because he is the biggest stud ecer your going to rip on him like that? i bet if you did more research on some of the players in the NHL they are exactly the same way.
6. Gary Harding Says:
   April 2nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm eSteve - Never said he wasnt a good player… He is just a big whiner…. But when no one is looking he slashes and cheap shots like a six year old not getting his cookie. 

   With the exception of Gretzky, who had his posse take care of things for him, all the stars have the same attitude.

   Just my thoughts.

7. knight Says:
   April 6th, 2007 at 11:32 pm ethe difference between gretzky n crosby is that gretzky’s team mates backed him up, he didnt have to retaliate because his players did it for him. crosby has been on his own. players go after him cuz he’s one of the best if not the best player in the nhl. he has to stick up for himself. im sure many players whine, you only hear it about him because hes what everyone talks about. crosby has many talents and many things going for him. he has to stick up for himself.
8. Kassie Says:
   October 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 pm ei believe that you should as steve said, research other famous and above average NHL players and you will find other whiners, actually just take a look at most of todays athletes. Daniel Briere was a whiner and i don’t see you complaining about him. Due to all the fuss over suspicion of intended injuries and money the NHL is not the only sport where this is happening; maybe if you were paying attention to other sports and your own team instead of ripping on other teams and their players you’d know. Maybe a womens advice will help in this situation, and it’s not just coming from a women who looks at the players I aknowledge their talent, skills, and attitudes as well.
9. Gary Harding Says:
   October 3rd, 2007 at 12:48 pm eKassie - i have no doubt im ny mind that Sidney is a great player… 

   Remember - this was written at the all-star break last season…

   He WAS whining, as young elite players do. Others in his mold did exactly the same thing when they were young…. I am not signling him out… That is just a young player that is coddled all the time.

   I like his skills, and every team wished they had him… Briere was NO WHERE NEAR the star power both on the ice, and marketing wise that 87 possessed.

10. Steve Says:
    December 7th, 2007 at 2:49 pm eThey used to called 99 whine gretzky, and he said that corners were for waiting for buses. Crosby is more physical than gretzky and takes a lot more.
    If this was basketball crosby would be the most polite guy in the league.
    People bashing him dont know hockey and sould sit down
11. Gary Harding Says:
    December 7th, 2007 at 3:48 pm eSteve - this message was created a year ago… 

    I am not bashing his abilities. But maybe he should look at someone like Mike Bossy. He got beat up night after night, and just kept coming back for more. He was class.

    I have no problem with 87 ’s abilities… All he should it shut it and play the game. Perhaps then, he may get more respect.

    A year later, I respect him a little more, but his whining at the time sounded like he is an immature little kid.