Yawn. My side towards journalism finally decided to re-awaken itself after meeting up with an old friend and finding out she was an english major who just recently quit her job to persue her own personal aspirations. With that said, let's just get to the post.
The title happens to work in a few ways. While it describes the inactivity that had been going on at this particular site, it's to describe what's been going on with the Giants; as in, they've decided to take a lengthy break from being in the Playoffs. Their last visit to postseason action came in 2003, when they lost to the eventual World Series Champions, Florida Marlins. Since then, the team was all about Barry Bonds and his quest for the All-Time Home Run record. Well, it's 2008 now, Barry Bonds has his record, he's no longer on the team, and another person by the name of Barry now occupies a contract of similar size to the Home Run Champion. After seeing 2/3rd's of this season fly by, with no chance of making it into the playoffs, I began to wonder, just what would it take for the Giants to crack back into the Post-Season.
As a listener of the Giants radio station, KNBR, I hear many takes from callers around the Bay Area, as to their prescription for Post-Season no-shows. Sometimes, I laugh thinking to myself, that player is how old? and he's gonna want how much? That's just not feasible. Then I almost become angry when I hear the really stupid callers that start to complain about the current state of the Giants. Look, it's pretty plain and simple. The Giants focused on Barry Bonds cause he was their meal ticket. He was their attraction and if it wasn't for him, well this rebuilding process would have started in the 2005 season, and believe me when I say this, but Barry Bonds while he may have the Home Run record, it probably wouldn't have been with the Giants.
So what pray-tell has the Giants been doing since then?! Well, hrmm let's check out the last couple of drafts. In 2004, they drafted in the 2nd round John Bowker. Hrmm, they finally think he's coming along and what's this?! He leads the Giants in HR?! Ok, not bad, let's see how he does when he plays full time, not half the time he's been playing since Bruce Bochy likes playing his vets. 2005, well, our picks there haven't really panned out quite yet, but should note that a few of the later draft picks have been making their mark. Alex Hinshaw ring a bell?! Guy has nasty stuff and looks to be a set up guy as his command improves. He could very well, be the next closer (if Brian Wilson doesn't pan out) or trade bait to get some prospects or a player we desperately need. Sergio Romo also came from this draft class, and well, he's done pretty well for himself seeing how he's also playing in the big leagues and coming in during relief situations.
Of course we get to 2006, where our most noticeable pick in Tim Lincecum happened. Boy, a lot of teams are hurting that they didn't draft this kid. He's the next Giants' ace, and will lead a team along with Matt Cain (2002), Jonathan Sanchez (2004), Noah Lowry (2001), Kevin Correia (2002), and of course Barry Zito (Thanks Oakland A's). Also, in that 2006 draft class came Emmanuel Burriss the speedy 2nd baseman who is now playing the position full time with the departure of Ray Durham.
2007, consisted of Matthew Bumgarner, and Timothy Alderson. Now, I haven't heard much about Bumgarner, but reports are starting to fly about Timothy Alderson, who's been so good in Single-A ball, that many are saying he's gonna be just like Matt Cain. For those that think ill of Matt Cain, give the guy 3 runs support and he's a nice 30-11. That just goes to show how bad his run support has been.
Now all of this sounds nice. "The Giants seemed to be well stocked on pitching, but you still need a few batters!" Well yea, you do, and that's the beauty of free agency! Because batters are more likely to fail once they reach the big leagues, it's hard to say which players are gonna be difference makers. (Exception of a few, like bonds, griffey, a rod, who in the lower leagues just blew everyone away) For that, I look to this 2009 Free Agent listing.
Addressing the positions I feel we sorely lack
3b:
Casey Blake (35)
Hank Blalock (28) - $6.2MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Joe Crede (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Wes Helms (33) - $3.75MM club option for '09
Chipper Jones (37) - $8-11MM vesting option for '09
Dallas McPherson (27)
Of this list, Joe Crede, and Hank Blalock would be really nice additions for the Giants. Joe Crede is much the same type of player as Aaron Rowand, and in fact are very good friends. Nomar, as much as his name just rolls off the tongue and sounds great, that guy gets way too injured. He's like Griffey in a sense, "If he never got injured, wow, what could have been." Although in Jr-Griffey's case, he could have been the greatest player ever or one of them. (I'm talking Willie Mays legendary)
SS:
Orlando Cabrera (34)
David Eckstein (34)
Adam Everett (32)
Rafael Furcal (31)
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Cesar Izturis (29)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Edgar Renteria (33) - $12MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Juan Uribe (30)
Omar Vizquel (42) - $5.2MM club option for '09 with a $0.3MM buyout
This list is definitely really thin. While I like Edgar Renteria, he's just not worth it. At age 33, and being paid over 10M a year, he just doesn't make enough of an impact at all to justify a bidding war against the other teams that will need a SS. The reason why it would be better to spend money on a 3b as opposed to SS is that, Burriss, Ochoa, and Velez can all play SS and it's just a matter of time before we find out who is really got the stuff.
2b:
Ray Durham (37)
Mark Ellis (32)
Marcus Giles (31)
Mark Grudzielanek (39)
Orlando Hudson (31)
Tadahito Iguchi (34)
Jeff Kent (41)
Felipe Lopez (29)
Mark Loretta (37)
Aaron Miles (32)
Jose Valentin (39)
We just traded away Durham, think we're gonna go after him?! I think not. Once again this falls under the same category as SS. We have 3 players right now fighting for 2 positions on the infield. Not to mention none of those 3 have played 3b.
OF:
Garret Anderson (37) - $14MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Milton Bradley (31)
Emil Brown (34)
Pat Burrell (32)
Adam Dunn (29)
Cliff Floyd (36) - $2.75MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Kevin Mench (31)
Jason Michaels (33) - $2.6MM club option for '09
Craig Monroe (32)
Wily Mo Pena (27) - $5MM club option or $2MM player option for '09
Manny Ramirez (37) - $20MM club option for '09
Juan Rivera (30)
Bobby Abreu (35)
Casey Blake (35)
Cliff Floyd (36) - $2.75MM club option for '09 with a $0.25MM buyout
Brian Giles (38) - $9MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Ken Griffey Jr. (39) - $16.5MM club option for '09 with a $4MM buyout
Vladimir Guerrero (33) - $15MM club option for '09 with a $3MM buyout
Bobby Kielty (32)
Brad Wilkerson (32)
I edited this list down, either cause a few players were way too old, or because they shouldn't be playing in the Majors any more. Obviously, this is where a lot of teams could potentially get a huge shot in the arm, (let's hope we're not talking balco) and become a playoff contender. Obviously, the first name that should jump off is Vlad Guerrero, who's gonna be 33 but has always posted at least 30HR's and 100 RBI's. You then have, arguably one of the best Right Handed Hitters to ever play the game in Manny Ramirez and then my personal fav. in Griffey. But honestly, do I see the Giants going after any one of these?! Vlad has already said he wouldn't consider the Giants, and he's the only one I would even consider possibly getting into a bidding war for. Yet, he's coming off seasons where he's starting to show signs of wear, and has been getting injured more and more frequently. As much as Manny would instantly improve the Giants' offense, his attitude is practically the same as Bonds; one that no manager wants to put up with due to his ability to play around and well, act as manny being manny.
So what do the Giants do? Their fans are becoming impatient, yet I don't know why? We've been removed from the playoffs for only 5 years. Our fans act like we're the KC Royals who hasn't made it probably since the years of George Brett. Other teams that haven't made it as recently as the Giants: Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, and the Texas Rangers. My opinion is to let the players we have develop. Everyone wants to give Brian Sabean a hard time, when in fact the last couple years, he's drafted really well. It's not that they may be as deep as some other farm systems, but our prospects are top prospects, as shown by lincecum, cain, sanchez, and hopefuly alderson, hinshaw, buster posey, and company. Maybe pick up a bat here or there off free agency, but give the team some time, We have #1 rotation written all over us in the coming years.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Lengthy Break
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sharks Season Wrap Up
After a heart breaking loss to the Dallas Stars that saw the possibility of coming back from a 3-0 series deficit, the Sharks now look forward to becoming 1 year older, hopefully 1 year better, all while meandering around resting their what I'd imagine to be a tired and sore body. All I can say is, at least they went out swinging. I think all you can ask for when pitted up against elimination, is that your team battles as hard as they can til the very end. To come up short in a 4 Overtime loss is OK with me. Any team that plays their elimination game and forces the other team to stay sharp, and play their best for the equivalent of 2.15 games just to get 1 win... That's definitely putting out your best effort and giving it everything you got. Now, on the flip side, the question of where was all this effort in games 1-3, well, let's just simplify things and give credit to the Dallas Stars for having a good game plan against the Sharks.
Summary
- Pacific Division Champion
- Longest streak without a regulation loss
- Team record: Most points in a year
- Best Road record
- Vezina Finalist (perhaps winner)
- 500th goal scored (Jeremy Roenick)
Free Agents
Brian Campbell - I think this is a must re-sign. He might not have had a stellar playoffs, but every team needs to have a good Blue Line. He might not be the best there is, but he's still young, a very good defense man, and might be the best value player in this year's free agency
Christian Ehrhoff - He's 24... he still has a lot to learn, and has shown his potential. I think you have to re-sign him as he completes the depth on your blue line. He's better than many of those that are available, and is a restricted free agent, and can sign for long term.
Brian Boucher - Another guy who I think the Sharks should re-sign. He's a #1 goalie for most teams. He's had a resume of being a championship net minder. To get him for what? pennies on the dollar? I think you have to re-sign him and have a ridiculous 1-2 punch in the nets. Not only that, say he does play like a stud next year... Trade bait?! Ridiculous upside.
Joe Pavelski - He's 22 and has been one of the Sharks' best playoff stories. He plays all out, and has shown to be a reliable scorer. He could easily be the next real deal and has good chemistry with Marleau.
Ryane Clowe - A beast on the fore check. He hits hard and chases dumps deep in the opponents' zone. Another guy I'd re-sign, not because he looks like he's gonna end up being a star scorer, but because he gives great depth, size, and speed on the 2nd or 3rd line.
Jeremy Roenick - Grizzled Veteran. One of three US born players to have 500 goals. Signs for league minimum for chance at the Cup... You kidding me?! signed...
Below is the rest of the free agents for the Sharks. To be honest, I wouldn't really mind if any or all of these guys do/don't play for us next year. I kinda want to see Curtis Brown return, but I don't have any particular feelings toward these guys.
Curtis Brown
Jody Shelley
Patrick Rissmiller
Tomas Plihall
Alexei Semenov
Marcel Goc
Lukas Kaspar
Sandis Ozolinsh
Mike Iggulden
Tom Cavanagh
Brad Norton
Dimitri Patzold
Saturday, April 26, 2008
And with the 29th pick....
NFL draft day is here! Many interesting things happened today, and it was kinda weird seeing that the niners weren't really moving up or at all for that matter, when 9 trades took place in the 1st round. The Niners really don't have much to trade anyways, but the only team that made less noise than the Niners, was my personal favorite, the Colts. In a record time, 3h24m to be exact, the entire 1st round of the draft was completed, and the Niners selected Kentwan Balmer a Defensive Tackle out of University of North Carolina. Here's the skinny on him: "We think this a great pick based on the 49ers' inability to stop the run. Balmer should strengthen the interior of the defense as a nose tackle and will be an upgrade over Aubrayo Franklin. Balmer has the quickest and most explosive hands in the draft. The key for him will be his ability to learn the proper technique while maintaining his pad level and learning to play in a 3-4 system. He can contribute immediately as a first- and second-down player, but doesn't have the ability to help as a pass-rusher."
2nd Round
"It's obvious the 49ers feel they need to upgrade at guard with the loss of Larry Allen in the offseason. Rachal is a mauler who needs to be in a confined area due to his athletic limitations. However, he has the size and initial quickness to wall off and position while creating inside lanes. He should be able to come in and compete with David Baas at right guard."
My take
I felt the Niners' were definitely going to go defensive here, seeing how they're relying on Mike Martz alone to resurrect their offense. After listening to many of the reporters and analysts on ESPN, I guess the take is that the WR in this year's class just isn't all that great. After all, not 1 WR was selected at all during the 1st round. I'd expect the Niners to perhaps draft a WR or two in the later rounds, but one thing is for sure. Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson aren't gonna cut it. I have no idea how these guys played, but I like the first pick, seeing how the departure of Bryant Young has left a void on the interior. As for the 2nd pick, I'm not sure if this was a good move. There were 7 highly touted OL that were drafted in the 1st round, yet here the Niners decide to see what falls into their lap. I thought perhaps they should have went and moved up in the draft to get one of the more coveted OL, cause I don't believe anyone was gonna draft a DT inbetween the Niners' 1st and 2nd pick.
My 49ers draft grade: B-
Then again, who knows if they didn't try to trade up and just couldn't work out a deal.
My first Giants game this season
Ok, so we all don't believe the Giants' are going to go very far this year. That's ok. Every team has to rebuild at some point or another, except if you're the Yankees or Red Sox. (although, the yankees haven't been all that great even with their $200+ million dollar payroll) Yet, before there is any downplaying of the Giants', let me say this, "Watching them rebuild is an absolute blast." Without Bonds, ok, we don't have that much offense, but the saying goes, "Defense wins/builds championships." The best kind of defense there is? Pitching, and boy do the Giants' have a good crop of that coming in. Jonathan Sanchez got the start last night, and to say that he's filling in nicely as the Giants' third go to guy would be an understatement. I honestly believe, if the Giants' had a few more bats, hell they'd probably be tied with Arizona right now for the best record not just in the NL West, but perhaps the Major League. The last 3 outings by Giants' pitchers have a somewhat similar line. 7-8 innings pitched, 0-1 runs given up, 9 K's. WOW talk about getting great starting pitching; you can't ask for much more, and... AND... they still have yet to get Noah Lowry back. Mastercard time!
Giants' tickets - Free
Parking at the San Mateo train station - 25 cents
Train ticket to San Francisco - $4 dollars
1st round of beers - $14 dollars
Jerk chicken and garlic fries - $16 dollars
Watching the Giants' with friends as they dominate in pitching and get the win - Priceless
Post Game
After the game, Derek and I headed over to Pete's Tavern. It's a trendy sports bar that attracts more than its fair share of people. I'd probably consider it, the younger, less expensive, more casual version of Momo's. There, we met up with Derek's co-worker Shannon, and her roommate Kara. It was sad that they had to leave early (kara wasn't feeling well) but what took place after they left, was pretty awesome. Imagine seeing many of the star players for the Giants' walking right in, and having a drink. The rest of the night consisted of "Holy crap! That's [place giants player here], Dude! Let's go talk to him!" Of course, everyone was bombarding them, although perhaps a good portion of the bar, didn't even realize who they were, which allowed us two Giants' fans to go over and talk to them. Being hassled by two guys saying how awesome they are... well, you can imagine that they get that all the time, not to mention they had quite an entourage of ladies surrounding them. Never the less, they were ALL kind, respectful, and quite conversational. I wasn't able to take a picture of all the guys we met, but I did manage to get one shot of Derek hanging out with Noah Lowry. As for who we got to meet, well... How about: Tim Lincecum (that's right!), Matt Cain, Aaron Rowand, Noah Lowry, Tyler Walker, Brian Bocock, and Kevin Frandsen. Just a great night after a great win by the Giants.
Sharks vs Dallas game 1
I didn't get to see the game (I was at the Giants' game) but from what I've read and seen in the highlights, it would seem that the Sharks have this thing about taking a game off. Every other game they play well, and you think "Wow, this team is unstoppable" then they come out the next game and lay the fattest goose egg you've ever seen. What's worse, is that I can't even complain about Milan Michalek since he actually scored a goal! Assuming that the Sharks played pretty much just like game 6 against Calgary, I'm going to make the same rant as to what the Sharks need to do to win.
Soft Dump/Hard Forecheck - The Sharks have been known to be one of the fastest teams in the NFL. Hard dumps get to the goalie, and when dealing with a net minder with as much experience as Marty Turco it's almost like turning it over. Soft dumps, allow for a race to the corner, and with the Sharks size and speed, they have all the tools to control the puck and time of possession in the opponent's zone.
Put the goal on net - It's not that the sharks aren't shooting enough, but it's the type of shots they're taking. It seems like they want Joe Thornton to get an assist every time so that people will get off his back that he hasn't done much in the Post-Season. The way I see it, is that they should crash the net more, and not necessarily look for Big Joe. It'd throw off other teams as to what they think their strategy is and would allow for possible rebound chances.
Crash the Net - Put more bodies on the net, similar to what Calgary did to the Sharks. Get more confusion and more clogging up in front of the goalie and... it allows for more shots to get re-directed and is harder to spot.
Here's to hoping the Sharks win game 2 and then take one down in Dallas... At the very least!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Please?! I said, "Please!"
Most pitchers I know, usually get a few runs, so that a pitcher can go out and stay aggressive. Shoot, just look at those Red Sox pitchers. They get on average 5.17 runs per game! Give me that, and I'd be 4-1! Excuse me for feeling frustrated, but that's the book on this Giants' team whenever I pitch. "Matt Cain - Great pitcher, no run support. Easy win" This scouting report pisses me off!
Sincerely,
Matt Cain
PS. I know I had 1 bad outing, but how many pitchers you know get a no-decision after having this stat line? 7IP ER 7K's
Are you kidding me?!
WOW. That's the only word I have to say to describe the feelings, the atmosphere, and the play of the Sharks last night. Let me also toss in a big WOW for those that decided to finally come check out the Bay Area's beat franchise. (Maybe 2nd to Sabercats, but I don't really count the AFL) On average, the Sharks were bringing in a 1.2 rating (based on Nielsen's Rating) during the regular season, but last night.... You say to yourself well, it was a playoff game, and it was game 7 so what'd they get? a 5 or 6? I mean that'd be 6x more viewers, that's a lot. How about a 9 rating? WTF?! 9 rating?! Are you kidding?! You mean to tell me 9 times more people saw last night's game than any particular one during the regular season? Yup.
For those that follow the Sharks, Ron Wilson decided to healthy scratch Jeremy Roenick in game 6, citing that JR looked like he was running on fumes. Obviously, JR wasn't exactly the most pleased, but said he understood the move, and wants to contribute when asked upon. Think that move worked? JR went off for 2 goals and 2 assists in the 5-3 win over Calgary. It's just weird, cause I had the gut feeling that JR was gonna play big, that's why he signed with the Sharks. He wanted a chance at the Cup, and stated that all the teams he's been on, this is the most talented one of them all. That's saying a lot considering that this 500+ goal scorer and most likely future HOF has played in a fair share of playoff hockey.
Many analysts say the Sharks picked up the final piece by trading for Brian Campbell. Although I don't really disagree, I think the final piece was Jeremy Roenick and for this reason. The Sharks have always been able to move the puck. What the Sharks haven't had, is that grizzled veteran who like Roenick, is running on his last legs. They absolutely needed a guy who could put them on his back, and lift a team up. I believe that the difference between this year and last year's team is that, the Sharks are still relatively young. They enjoy the playoffs, they work hard for the playoffs, but perhaps they take making the playoffs for granted. A guy like Roenick, he's seen everything, what it takes to get deep into the playoffs, he's been on winning and losing teams, and for this group to get to the next level, they need someone to make sure they stay focus, and that's what JR represents. Really, you couldn't ask for a better person to lead by example. He has all the credentials and in his perhaps final year, you really think he's gonna let the most talented team he's ever played on lose in the 1st round? That's why I made the call to Gary Radnich and said, "watch JR tonight, he's gonna play huge." -Don't believe me? Call Gary on KNBR and he'll tell you I called it. As much as I'm trying to give insight, I'm still at awe as to how they played.
Let's move on...
Player Hits
If the Sharks play like this each and every game... I don't think there's any team that's gonna beat them. They were extremely fast, getting to the puck often times before Calgary, and poke checking every time Calgary got to touch the puck.
Milan Michalek - You didn't score once at all during this series, but game 7 was by far and away your best performance. You got by defenders, fought for the puck on the forecheck, and finally took a page out of Patrick Marleau's book. Please play like that against Dallas, and I'm sure you'll score.
Joe Pavelski - You and Ryane Clowe are huge bright spots for the young crop of future Sharks. It amazes me that we don't have to just rely on Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, or Joe Thornton to get scoring.
Evgeni Nabokov - Amazing that this is the first time I've mentioned you, even tho you're one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy. An all-around great series, with only one or two goals that I'm sure if you played again, they wouldn't get by.
Jeremy Roenick - As if you guys didn't see this one coming. Huge game, way to take the Sharks and put them on your back. Everyone that watched could tell that you want to win the Stanley Cup more than anyone.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Giants, the best rotation?
Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, Noah Lowry, Jonathan Sanchez, Kevin Correia.
These 6 names represent the starting rotation of the Giants, who let's face it, are in the process of rebuilding. We all know the Giants aren't exactly the most explosive team with the bat. Yet, take a look at their rotation. They're all young, talented, and each one has a scouting report at some point that said their potential is a good reliable starting pitcher. Some of them have been classified to be the next ace for their respective ball club. While they might not strike you as potentially the best pitching rotation in the league, what other team can you say has 6 solid starters not to mention 3 possible ace pitchers?
In respect to the 3 possible ace pitchers, I'm referring to Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito. We can all agree, Barry is no where close to where he was when he pitched for the A's. However, they say a lot of his velocity has to do with his shoulder strength that he got from surfing. His contract doesn't allow him to surf, so my reply to Barry is, how come you aren't seeing a personal trainer to work that shoulder out, and make it stronger? You have a contract for $126 million dollars. I know you can't personally like hearing your home crowd boo you, and I bet it's a little weird that fans in opposing ball parks are cheering for you to pitch. Get with it.
As to who has the best rotation in MLB, after conferring with the guys, we came to unanimous agreement Arizona has the current 'best' rotation. 2 of their starters currently stand at 4-0. They have 2 Cy Young winners, AND 2 of their pitchers have hit jacks this year already! Part of what defines the rotation is what the pitcher contributes to the team. Sometimes it's not all about pitching. After all, pitchers have days where there stuff isn't all there and it's nice when they can do it with the bat. After Arizona, you have to include the Red Sox, seeing how Matsuzaka is pitching lights out. While their pitchers may not have the lowest ERA, they also have an offense which allows the pitcher to be more aggressive, and when you do that you're going to get people chasing or just making a mistake.
My top 5 rotations:
Arizona/Boston/Seattle/Cleveland/Oakland
Honorable Mention:
San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago
What do you need?
Ok. Let's get something straight. The Sharks going to game 7 vs. the Calgary Flames is NOT a desirable thing; even if you have it as a home game. After watching game 6, I could barely make it through, it was just that painful to watch. I've listened to numerous Sports Talk shows today on the radio, just to see what they think, as well as to opinions of other listeners. It wasn't very kind to say the least. I heard everything from "No Heart, No Effort/Effortless, Listless, Day Dreaming, No Passion." That got me thinking, what do these guys need to get over the hump? I decided to take the time to play devil's advocate and pretend I was a hockey player as a Shark.
What do I need?
Hockey Equipment - I wear the best of the best, and pick what I want to wear. The team has an equipment manager. check.
A coach to put me in the game - Hell, I got that, if I'm a star on the Sharks, I already know i'm going to be on the ice a minimum of 23-26 mins. check.
My teammates - Well, literally everyone except for a few on the blue line, and Milan Michalek has showed up at some point during the series, so I know I should be able to rely on them. partial check.
Money - I get paid to play my favorite game. I get paid to play a game I grew up playing, a game I would play for free. Hell, i get paid a ridiculous 6+ figure salary to play a game I would pay to enter a league to play. check.
We want to kiss the cup, right?
Dreams - My dream as a hockey player is to what?! Just play in the NHL? Or is it to be the next Gretzky? Is it to be the next Gordie Howe, or the next Maurice "The Rocket" Richard? I mean, were my dreams not to win the Stanley Cup? check.
Effort - Well, I've made several hits, and taken quite a few. Have I committed stupid penalties? Have I helped killed our own penalties? Have I made it a point to put the puck on net during our power plays? Have I made good decisions as to where I pass the puck or when I dump the puck in zone? Have I watched film or listened to my assistant coaches to let me know what my opponent tendencies are? Hrmm... I wonder once again if fellow teammate Milan Michalek has done this.
I don't know, Am I missing something here?! I mean as a player on the Sharks, I'm getting a good 6 or 7 of the 8 categories taken care of. What do I need to have happen to make me play like with some enthusiasm? Here's a few other specifics that once again make you ask "What's going on?"
Elimination game - With one more win, we're in the next round. With one win, we can rest and prepare for the next series. With one more win, I'm that much closer to accomplishing my dream that I've had as a kid. I've got to this point by working hard, but I'm not a champion, I'm not popping bottles of champagne or holding up a giant trophy, YET. If I want that, I need to make sure I play the best I can.
Leadership - My captain just showed me in game 3, 4, and 5 why he's the captain. He got destroyed and bounced back and has just been unstoppable. I want to be seen as that kind of player, someone who can be relied upon at all times. I should be playing hard to be like that.
Possibilities - This team is young, this team has everyone on contract for a long time. You look around the league and it's unlikely that many of the teams has a chance to go to the playoffs, not to mention be a serious contender for the Cup. I should play my butt off because chances like these are rare and other players around the league absolutely relish the position I'm in. Am I taking this opportunity for granted?
If you're able to answer all these, maybe you can tell me why the Sharks just bombed in game 6. Give credit to the Flames where due, they're obviously a tough opponent. Let's be real tho, the Sharks are ridiculous from head to toe, and anyone would love to have this line up as their team to root on, in any city. Maybe, not detroit, maybe not the Rangers, but c'mon any city would love to have a team like this and would expect a team like this to come to play.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Sharks licking their chops after game 5
What a thrill to see the Sharks coming back into form (March form where they went undefeated) and finally took it to the Flames. I'm still a little worried tho, since the Sharks have yet to play a full 60 minutes of their brand of hockey. I don't know why they like to tease their fans into practically making them shit their pants, but once they settled into rhythm, good night Calgary. After Calgary took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period, I felt like yelling, "Where are the Sharks from the 3rd period of game 4?!" Sure enough, I didn't have to wait too much longer as Pavelski shot one into the back of the net, tying the game up.
Of course, leave it to the Captain, Patrick Marleau to get the Sharks going and tell his guys, the game isn't over yet. Just has he's been the Shark's toughest player this playoff season, he showed you why he has the C on his jersey; sending his wrist shot past Mikka Kiprusoff and later setting up Cheechoo for what would ultimately put the Flames into a do or die situation this upcoming Sunday.
saw this on http://battleofcalifornia.blogspot.com/ and just had to add itMilan Michalek - Still hasn't shown up the way he was in the regular season. He was better, but is still being pushed off the puck like he's a puny little kid.
Jonathan Cheechoo - 3 goals in the last 2 games. Please keep it up. Sharks go to the Cup Finals if you play like these last 2 games
Joe Pavelski - You're right behind Ryane Clowe for most goals this series. Great to see 2 young products kickin some Calgary ass.