Tuesdays With Hildy: Too Soon to Tell?
by hildymac on Oct 13, 2009 9:52 AM CDT
11 comments
I caught this gem by James Duthie of TSN regarding if fans tend to evaluate a team's entire season based upon the first few games. It's still early in the season, but we're hearing of how the Avs are a "surprise success" and seeing the Maple Leafs in all of their truculent glory without a single win to their credit. Is one a reason to be happy and the other a reason to be worried? Probably. Is it fair to call the Avs' season a success and the Leafs' a failure? No. Do we need to drop teams 19 spaces on a power ranking because of two losses? What is this, the BCS?
As Blues fans, were we guilty of this after the first two games of the season? What about after back-to-back losses - is it fair to judge then? Just how important are the first games of the season anyway?
Best. Blues team. EVAH.
All right, admit it, you were pretty damn happy when we beat Detroit to sweep the Swedish Premiere weekend. I was thrilled. Here we were, a team that a lot of people were still picking to be out of the playoff picture, and we just took out the defending Western Conference champs. That's nothing to snicker at. We saw resilience, we saw grit, and we saw speed. The rookies of last year didn't show many, if any, signs of sophomore slumpage, and the team (with the possible exception of Sydor, who looked kinda lost and still does) was working its way through figuring out the line pairings and tendencies of players, and did it after a little bit. Murray's doghouse was empty.
Are these valid reasons to be thrilled and optimistic about this season? Did we think that we would be first in the Central all season long? Raise your hands if you said "All these stupid people picking Chicago to contend with Detroit can kiss it." Of course we had reason to be proud of what the Blues accomplished.
THE SKY IS FALLING!
Flip side of this is the lackluster play that the Blues have shown since they got home. Oshie and Berglund have been non-factors (and have non-factored themselves onto the 4th line and doghouse, respectfully). Very few players are showing that grit that they used against Detroit. Fewer along the boards scrums, less hitting, decreased ability to score a garbage goal - or willingness to get in there an do it in the first place. All the things that helped us in Detroit were gone. *poof* Does that mean that they're gone for the rest of the year, and that we'll skate along lackadaisically for the rest of the year? No, of course not. But the fact that the lines don't click should be a concern, as should new lines every game so no one gets a chance to work with their linemates. We absolutely cannot succeed if we allow the issues we've seen the last few games to become a habit.
Does this warrant us plunging down on a power rankings chart? Hell no. Four games is a statistically invalid sample size for everything else in the free world, so why not hockey? We learned in Sweden what we had to do (and that the Red Wings have Grandma Moses and a lifelong AHLer in goal), but we need to keep it up - and realize that not every teams' goalies are going to be as weak as Detroit's. Once in a while, yes, we'll turn in a bad game or two, or have a bad stretch in the year. Is having 2 bad games at the start of the season cause for hyperventilation? Naaahhh. But I swear, if we have one more...
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I think last year pretty much ends this argument.
It’s not how you start, and it’s not always how the middle of the race goes . . . but a strong finish can go a long way.
One day, David Backes and Albert Pujols will combine forces to become the most awesome piece of violent force known to man.
by Donut King on Oct 13, 2009 10:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
And as always,
the counter to that would be something along the lines of “winning earlier in the year enables you to not have to mathematically require as many points down the stretch.”
But I tend to agree that a strong finish is better than a strong beginning to the year, with all things being equal.
No beer and no TV make Homer...something something.
by Poor College Student on Oct 13, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pure ESPN Drivel: Power Rankings and Such
As for rankings, ESPN will post anything that will get people talking and sharing “educated” opinions. If Woody Paige and the gang on PTI say “X,” then most people are going to start regurgitating “X” as their own opinion while others will go with “complete opposite of X” for their say. If Kornheiser and Wilbon or Jim Rome or who the fuck ever “decide for themselves” to take some sort of a stance on a discsssion, then most ESPN viewers will fall into a category of “I agree wholeheartedly with that statement” or “fuck that guy.”
The point here is that people can read into these ESPN “rankings” and “opinion/debate shows” all they want and form their (mostly uneducated) opinions off of them (usually quoted word for word or close to it) or they can find some other sources of information based on facts or non-ESPN approved opinions in addition to their precious crumbs from “tWWL.”
No beer and no TV make Homer...something something.
by Poor College Student on Oct 13, 2009 11:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Points are points.
You’re gonna need somewhere around 95 of ‘em to qualify for the playoffs. Four points in four games just isn’t good enough. Especially when you’re giving two points to one of the other teams who will be in the same spot as you in March and April.
Until the NHL pulls its head out of its ass and expands the playoffs, points are too precious to waste. Doesn’t matter whether you earn them in October or April; but you can’t just go out and half-ass for two periods and pretend that it’s no big deal. Teams used to be able to get away with that, but not anymore.
by BleedBlue42 on Oct 13, 2009 11:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
ugh no
the playoffs are long enough
Matthew, Mark, Lugo, and John.
by BVHeck on Oct 13, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No way, dude.
The first two playoff rounds comprise the best month of hockey on the calendar.
I’d gladly trade four or six regular-season games for an additional playoff round. And I think there are a lot of playoff-bubble teams who would benefit from the incremental revenue of an expanded playoff.
by BleedBlue42 on Oct 13, 2009 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My nose may be a bit plugged up today....
and I can’t smell for shit, but the taint of last year is still faintly there.
Falling behind early and then the rat race to catch up. Murray putting players in the doghouse for poor performance. How abouts coming out and scoring some goals and taking a lead into the 3rd period for a change? How about showing some passion that you’re in the freakin NHL.
Desperation hockey in the last 5 minutes isn’t a game plan.
Back to my vacation, had beers at Bobby’s Place last night. Sat in the yellow seats from the ole barn. Man did that bring back some fond memories.
Some days its just not worth chewing through the restraints
by spectr17 on Oct 13, 2009 12:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
it aint even bout points
ok it is. but really if the blues played a hard 60 and lost 2-1 most of us would be ok with that. not loving it, but ok, taking periods, and now entire games, off is NOT acceptable game 3, 33 or 73
A strong anvil fears no hammer
by Childhood Trauma on Oct 13, 2009 3:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
someone needs to photoshop the picture of walt to make it look like he’s eating something.
"It’s a brand new day
And the sun is high
All the birds are singing
That you’re gonna die" ~ Dr. Horrible
by Carnie on Oct 13, 2009 5:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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