Friday, February 02, 2007

 

Friday Baseball Standings


Keeping an Eye on the Neighbours Dept.: Last night, for the first time this season (excepting the Battles), I watched an entire Oilers game. I didn't take notes, but I did retain a few impressions.

**When Ray Ferraro is on his game, I think he's the best colour guy there is right now. The far-flung Oil fans like Tyler and Dennis really missed out by getting the RSN Pacific feed, because Ferraro was excellent last night.

He pointed out things that were going on that added to the viewer's understanding of what was going on as it happened (it seems strange to type that, but cripes, when it happens, it practically feels revolutionary. Something as simple as noting that the Oilers have 5 forwards out for the PP before the play starts is noteworthy on account of its rarity.).

He was repeatedly insightful. His "negative" comments about things Canuck were matter-of-fact, rather than whiny. His takes were concise (and I didn't hear "like I was saying before" once).

**There was some definite positives for Oiler fans, to my eye, with Smid, Lupul, and Torres at the top of the list. Ferraro was all over Lupul's play (in a good way), and rightly so. Maybe that crosscheck in the face from Reggie Cleveland woke him up, but he played like he had testicles and was willing to pay a price to succeed. We saw Evil Raffi as opposed to Gentle Raffi (and that sweet thru-the-legs move to feed Hemsky just about worked). And surely, Smid taking a roughing penalty -- even though it was after the play, and he didn't take anyone with him -- marks an advance in his development.

Smid was also moving the puck pretty well. He definitely looked like a future Top-4 quality defenseman, at worst. His offensive upside is clearly and permanently limited by the fact that he has no shot whatsoever, but he looked pretty good. (I'm still trying to figure out what he did on the goal that closed it to 3-2. So he puts the puck into the crease, Luongo doesn't corral it, and Petersen cashes in the "rebound". But it didn't look like he intentionally feathered it in there, nor did it look like he was hoping to score or create a rebound. He didn't fan on it either; it was either (A) the hockey equivalent of an off-speed pitch, or (B) as hard as he can shoot it. Either way, it stymied Luongo in a bizarre way.)

**The negatives for the Oil were all-too familiar, of course, and mainly boil down to terrible, terrible plays by their defensemen on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th goals. Bad bounces happen to the best of them, but Jason Smith can't let the puck get by him on the Chouinard breakaway. It is impossible to understate how poorly MAB played Naslund one-on-one on the 4th goal. And it's hard to guess why Bergeron, with 25 seconds still left on the clock, thought his best play was to try to put the puck through Brendan Morrison.

**I was pretty impressed with the way the Canucks defend the neutral zone. There was a sequence in about the middle of the 3rd when twice the Oiler defenseman (once Greene, once Smid IIRC) came out from behind the net with some decent speed, made a nice headman pass through (or just past) a Canuck to a breaking Hemsky, and yet Hemsky immediately found himself in the middle of 4 Canucks.

**Overall -- thanks it large part to the physical element, and despite the parade to the box -- it was a fairly enjoyable hockey game to watch. I think Tyler sums up well what the Oil needs to address if they're going to make a run:
It’s pretty tough when every game they play, it’s an Oiler who makes the stupidest mistake.

**Lastly, and I say this even though I'm going to hear more Secret Shame blasts, I definitely hate the Canucks more than the Oilers right now. As best I can figure, it's a combination of: the present NW standings; the '04 playoffs; some (limited) affection for a handful of Oiler players, thanks presumably to the familiarity; some (limited) affection for a handful of Oiler fans (same reason); the fact the Canucks have basically owned the Flames since we rang in 2006 (H2H, VAN is 8-2, CGY is 2-5-3); and the fact that I was at one of those Flames losses (in their last 20 home games, CGY is 1-2 vs. VAN and 17-0 vs. everybody else).

Comments:

**Lastly, and I say this even though I'm going to hear more Secret Shame blasts, I definitely hate the Canucks more than the Oilers right now. As best I can figure, it's a combination of: the present NW standings; the '04 playoffs; some (limited) affection for a handful of Oiler players, thanks presumably to the familiarity; some (limited) affection for a handful of Oiler fans (same reason); the fact the Canucks have basically owned the Flames since we rang in 2006 (H2H, VAN is 8-2, CGY is 2-5-3); and the fact that I was at one of those Flames losses (in their last 20 home games, CGY is 1-2 vs. VAN and 17-0 vs. everybody else).

I have felt the same way over the last two seasons. Of course, one of my problems being that I don't live in Alberta, but the hate I had for the Greasers in the 80's and early 90's disipated during the late 90's when both teams were mired in a down swing. Then when we faced the Canucks in the playoffs in 2004 I grew to despise them and Ed Jovanovski with a hate that grew the following season until the playoffs...

Only when the Oil started doing well in the playoffs last season did I start to see them in the same old light again (especially with the increased yapping from Oil fans (no offence) during that improbable run)...

But now that the Canucks are fighting for the division lead with the Flames and the Oilers seemed to be back to their normal, unvaunted postion of a couple years ago, I was actually hoping for an Oiler win last night (i think I just threw up in my mouth a little)...

But regardless, the most important thing is...

Go Flames!

-Randy
 


I watch all the Oiler games and I enjoy visiting your site to see what you have to say. I do a full recap of almost all Oiler games so if you want to take a look, come on over and see what I am writing and get a long time Oiler fan's opinion on their games.
 


How does Matt Cooke not make the list for "reasons to hate Vancouver"? Even Ferraro basically said last night (not in so many words) that Cooke is a gutless punk.
 


How does Matt Cooke not make the list for "reasons to hate Vancouver"?

Hear, hear.
 


I'm glad to hear a non-Oiler fan give Ray some love. The guys doing the talking on Sportsnet are one of the best things about watching the Oilers (at least, lately). I've tried to watch a few Flames broadcasts on Sportsnet, and my god those two are bad.
 


Even Ferraro basically said last night (not in so many words) that Cooke is a gutless punk.


It's understandable that Flames and Oilers fans dislike Matt Cooke. Heck, its even expected that he will be disliked. And as a Canucks fan, it gives me the clear indication that Cooke is doing his job superbly if his play is resulting in this much dislike. But really, how is he a gutless punk. He doesn't slash, he doesnt trip, he doesnt high-stick, spear, hit from behind or any other such dirty act. He hits people, usually head on, and generally much bigger players - Phaneuf, Iginla, Staois, Smith, etc. Is he a gutless punk because he won't fight the toughest guy on the Oil or Flames? If that's the case the Phaneuf is a gutless punk for the plenty of times I've seen him back away from tougher players (even Bieksa).

I've seen Cooke fight Torres, I've seen him fight several Flames players all within his relative weight class. Ray Ferraro is a punk.

You know what I dislike about the Oil? They can't take a hit. Whenever one of their players is cleanly hit hard, three or four guys attack the player. I've seen it countless times. The Canucks don't do that and (to my own chagin) i'll admit the Flames don't do that. Some might claim that shows team toughness, but quite frankly I find it a little tiresome and annoying.
 


I'm definitely not sharing the love with Ferraro, though I got the NHL CI feed last night which was RSN Pacific. I think it really just comes down to his voice and is enunciation. It's odd, it's Canadian alright but it's just...so broadcaster-like sometimes. Same reason I hate Roger Millions and that goofy marketing guy who does the rinkside interviews on Flames PPV.

That and he's got a total hardon for Hemsky which is unbearable. Frequently for Smid also. If Hemsky makes an acceptable pass, Ferraro gushes like he's talking about his newborn son.
 


What Ray Ferraro actually said was that if Matt Cooke played the way he played and there was no instigator rule, "He'd have his chiclets handed to him". I neither endorse nor dispute this take, just thought I'd clarify.

My big beef with Cooke was his scoring with 6 seconds left to tie Game 7, causing the ensuing 20 minutes to be among the most unpleasant of my life.

At any rate, he only comes to play for about 20 games a year, so he's generally a non-factor.
 


Weird. I basically thought Lupul was awful, mostly because of mental mistakes.
 


I got the same mixed impression from Lupul. He seemed to have a fire in his belly which equals good, but at the same time he kept making bonehead mental gaffs which would be less good.
 


He doesn't slash, he doesnt trip, he doesnt high-stick, spear, hit from behind or any other such dirty act. He hits people, usually head on, and generally much bigger players - Phaneuf, Iginla, Staois, Smith, etc.

I guess you must have missed the play last night where he skated up behind Horcoff and slew footed him. He must have forgot his halo on the bench that time.
 


Craig Conroy said in an interview a couple of days ago, that when Matt Cooke scored the tying goal in Game 7, he skated by the Flames bench with his tongue out... basically hot-dogging. It gave the Flames extra motivation to score on the powerplay to begin that OT period. So thanks Matt for giving the Flames extra incentive...
 


I can't stand Ferraro. His comments may have some insight, but if he had a French accent he'd be harder to understand than Stephane Dion.

The constant stutters, mispronounciations like "Duh-wayne Roloson", and statements like "Luongo pads the puck away with his, uh...pads". Dude, pads isn't a verb. Stop trying to be fancy and just say "kick" like a normal person.

Maybe he just needs more experience in the broadcast booth. I'd just be happy if he didn't say Dwayne with 2 syllables.
 


I guess you must have missed the play last night where he skated up behind Horcoff and slew footed him. He must have forgot his halo on the bench that time.

Listen, I'm not claiming he's an angel out there - no one is. Horcoff attacked Hank Sedin from behind right before the end of the 1st period as I recall. My point was that Cooke is not a dirty player by nature - he's an agitator.
 

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