Anyone visit ESPN.com lately?

avelanchefan

For you sports junkies I am sure you have, but I think their website has to be one of the best ever made. Their main page has done a complete overhaul with crystal clear streams. Makes you feel like you are watching sports center on your computer.

I really enjoy going there now.

sterling bug

Hey avalanche fan, do you happen to be a Colorado Avalanche fan? Just curious.

avelanchefan

Yep, loved the Avs since day one. (1996) Went to their inaugural game, their first playoff game...etc...

But I am a hockey nut in general, just love the sport.

sterling bug

Hockey is my favorite sport also. Unfortunately here in Chicago we have a worthless owner who won't spend money on good players. We don't even get to see home games on t.v. because Bill Wirtz(owner) will not show them. The only time we see a home game is when it is a national broadcast on ESPN. ESPN has shown two games and our local Fox Sports Net was alowed to show one when the Wings were in town. It's amazing how far the Blackhawks have fallen off the sports radar in this city. They hardly ever are talked about on sports radio and what was once a hard ticket back in the late 80's to mid 90's is now pathetic. Their season ticket base now is between 4,000-5,000. It used to be over 14,000. Hawk fans would love for Wirtz to sell the team or I hate to say this die so we can get a winner on the ice. Your Avs look good heading down the stretch. Tony Granato grew up not too far from where we live.

avelanchefan

Thats great Sterling, glad to see another hockey fan here. I was a big Hawks fan before the Avs came to town. I still am a fan of them just not as big. If they were in the eastern conference I would probably be a bigger fan. Loved the mid nineties team with Belfour, Amonte, Probert, and Roenick. A great team that was dismantled. And some great series when they played the Avs in 96 and 97. Both went to game six, but the Blackhawks could have easily won both series. (I think the 96 series had 4 or 5 OT games)

Granato is doing better than I thought. But the talk out of Denver is that Pierre Lacroix's thinking is that the talent is so great that he does not need a big name coach behind the bench to get the Avs motivated. He just needs a coach that can kick a little tail every now and then when they step out of line. You look at the hirings Crawford, Hartley, and now Granato none of them had any NHL coaching experience.(Granato 4 months of coaching experience) But now when you see Crawford in Vancouver and Hartley in Atlanta, both are doing excellent jobs. Crawford has a cup contender, and Hartley really pulled Atlanta around in five weeks. So really Lacroix may be a great coach evaluater too.

phoneisbusy

Originally posted by avelanchefan
...

Granato is doing better than I thought. But the talk out of Denver is that Pierre Lacroix's thinking is that the talent is so great that he does not need a big name coach behind the bench to get the Avs motivated. He just needs a coach that can kick a little tail every now and then when they step out of line. You look at the hirings Crawford, Hartley, and now Granato none of them had any NHL coaching experience.(Granato 4 months of coaching experience) But now when you see Crawford in Vancouver and Hartley in Atlanta, both are doing excellent jobs. Crawford has a cup contender, and Hartley really pulled Atlanta around in five weeks. So really Lacroix may be a great coach evaluater too.

Vancouver's been a really really pleasant surprise. Still could use a proven second line centre. As for the Avs, Roy apparently has started to find his form (which is good because for the first half, I thought he'd lost it and lost it bad!). Good for Avs, bad for everyone else.

You've got Sakic and Forsberg who show up for the playoffs. I think the only player who's more money at playoff time is Yzerman.

That being said, I still think it's going to be a bit of a crap shoot. Dallas looks like they're back on track. Avs will be dangerous, Detroit?, maybe they have one more run left in them. The winner of the Western conference should win the cup. Only way I see an Eastern team taking it is if the western teams beat each other senseless.

I'll be rooting for the Canucks but I think they're still short on playoff experience.

regards

Dave

btw. What did you think of the trade for Morris? I know the Avs scout and draft well but Lacroix may have traded a bit too much away this time I think.

Tour2ma

Not the first time Vancouver has surprised. Didn't they win the Cup from nowhere a couple decades ago with Tiger Williams (long time NHL bad boy) leading the way? Great to see small market teams do well.
Don't follow the game as close as I used to, it’s tough from Texas, but I still love its speed and skill.
Grew up on the old AHL Cleveland Barons. Attended a few Flyers games back in the Broad Street Bully days (team had a lot of overlooked skill to go with its roughhouse tactics). And got to see the Howe’s skate together for the WHA Houston Aeros - Gordy, Mark and Marty - quite a treat.
Still a Flyer fan at heart and most every year it turns into at “broken heart” ‘round about the 2nd round.

avelanchefan

Yeah the Morris trade has had its up and downs. I think overall it will pan out, but we have to see come playoff time because Drury was clutch!! No other way about it, when you needed a goal that man found a way to create one. Yelle was also vital to the Avs faceoffs. Best faceoff amn they had. But his point production really dropped off, so he was expendable. I still wish they would have let someone else go besides Drury. Besides Forsberg he was my favorite player.

Tour2ma- Have not heard the "Broad Street Bullies" brought up in a long long time. :-)

sterling bug

Tour2ma, Vancouver never won the Cup. They went to the finals in 82 and got smoked by the Islanders, the beat my Blackhawks in the conference finals that year. Then in 94 they lost in 7 to the Rangers. They are a contender for sure but I like Dallas to win it all against New Jersey in the finals. Since your a Flyer fan I gotta ask you why the hell did they get rid of their orange road jersey in favor of those black jersey. I know this year I've seen them wearing an orange jersey for their alternate third jersey but those old road jersey they wore were cool looking.

phoneisbusy

Originally posted by sterling bug
Tour2ma, Vancouver never won the Cup. They went to the finals in 82 and got smoked by the Islanders, the beat my Blackhawks in the conference finals that year. Then in 94 they lost in 7 to the Rangers. They are a contender for sure but I like Dallas to win it all against New Jersey in the finals. Since your a Flyer fan I gotta ask you why the hell did they get rid of their orange road jersey in favor of those black jersey. I know this year I've seen them wearing an orange jersey for their alternate third jersey but those old road jersey they wore were cool looking.

Vancouver did win a cup!! But alas, it was with the Millionaires in 15.

The 94 cup finals were one of the best I've seen in a long while. The past few finals have been a bit of a letdown. The Western finals seem to be where all the excitement was (Western bias ).

Dallas is as good a choice as any. They've been steady and haven't really had any big slumps that I can recall. Off course, if a team gets hot, ya never know. There's three or four teams in the West that are good enough to make it to the finals imo.

Actually, I have to ask what the hell was Clarke thinking trading for Oates?!?!? Philly, always seems to be one player away...

Tour2ma, I've watch many a Blazer game when the WHL was in Vancouver too. Ya got a free ticket if you bought $30 worth of groceries at the local supermarket.

Dave

sterling bug

Phoneisbusy did you witness that championship back in 15? You are dead on with the Western Conference, that has been better than the finals for the better part of the last 7-8 years.

Tour2ma

Originally posted by sterling bug
Tour2ma, Vancouver never won the Cup. They went to the finals in 82 and got smoked by the Islanders, the beat my Blackhawks in the conference finals that year. Then in 94 they lost in 7 to the Rangers. They are a contender for sure but I like Dallas to win it all against New Jersey in the finals.

Well after 88 years I’d say they're due then, wouldn’t you?
Used to follow the Hawks back in the Espo/ Hull days. They were something back then. Also had a more recent fav of mine that I’m blanking on. One of the fastest little players of his time, maybe 15 years ago (want to say one of the Sutter brothers, but know that’s not right)… Help me here. ---
Late Note: Couldn’t stand it! I went to the Hawk’s web-site --- It was Savard. I remember holding my breath when he carried the puck against Philly. Can you say "spinerama?"

God… NJ vs Dallas! I hope not. Hate the Devils cause they’ve tormented the Flyers so often. Hate the Stars ‘cause they’re in Dallas and everyone who lives in Texas, but not in Dallas, hates Dallas… Ok, maybe not Ft Worth or Arlington, but the rest of us…
Let’s not overlook the Senators in the East. If somebody can extend NJ in the early rounds, the Sen’s just might be able to overcome the vaunted “trap”. But NJ does always seem to take it to another level in the play-offs… An Ottawa – Vancouver finals would sure send the networks in to a tizzy. If the Flyers can’t be there, so long as Detroit’s not in the picture either, I’ll be happy. Effin’ rent-a-team hockey… The Ave’s have teetered on the brink of this list a couple times, but never crossed the line in my book… ‘Sides I could never hate a team Roy is on… best ever IMO…What is he like 50 now?

Originally posted by sterling bug Since your a Flyer fan I gotta ask you why the hell did they get rid of their orange road jersey in favor of those black jersey.

Probably Clarke still trying to make them meaner… tough to feel mean in Orange… either that or merchandizing… Actually Clarke was not one of my favorite players of the Flyers’ golden era (huge MacLeish fan here). Only bigger woosie on the team than Clarke was Ross Lonsberry, but at least he knew it and wasn’t the instigator “Clarkie” was and still is. I think Schultz is still on the payroll as his bodyguard... :eek:

Originally posted by phoneisbusy
Actually, I have to ask what the hell was Clarke thinking trading for Oates?!?!? Philly, always seems to be one player away...Dave

Yeah, usually a goalie… Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!… Roman’s having a great year, but then there’s the Playoffs. And at 32 how long will he be around? Thought Boucher was going to be the future, but no. When you look at the parade of pads through Philly that haven't worked out in the last decade-plus, it's amazing... Hextall... Snow... Hextall… Burke… Beezer…Boucher.
Adam’s still got some game, but trade struck me funny too, kind of a Coffee replay. It’s one thing if a team needs some playoff leadership, but was not a need of the Flyers in either case. Adam is having a decent year with the Ducks. At least it’s typical of his post Bruins career.

Ok, now you tell me how Montreal ever let LeClair escape… It was tough seeing him go down in 2000. Till then I think the only stronger player I’ve ever seen on skates is Messier (no offense to Forsberg, Ave…). John’s still not the same, but he’ll still chip in 60 to 70 pts this year.

BTW the Flyers have never lost a cup in four full seasons of NHL2000. Of course they’ve got this bruising speed demon of a center, #66, Tour-something-or-other, ringing up 80 goal seasons like McDonalds sells burgers… Had to move Lindros to wing just to make room for him...

fireshoes

I'm a closet Blackhawks fan here. I may be switching alliegances to the Wild though, since it's thought that Des Moines will get the Wild's IHL affiliate after our new arena is built. Still a couple years away though, so I will have to be tortured a bit longer with the Blackhawks' play...

phoneisbusy

Originally posted by Tour2ma
Yeah, usually a goalie… Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!… Roman’s having a great year, but then there’s the Playoffs. And at 32 how long will he be around? Thought Boucher was going to be the future, but no. When you look at the parade of pads through Philly that haven't worked out in the last decade-plus, it's amazing... Hextall... Snow... Hextall… Burke… Beezer…Boucher.
Adam’s still got some game, but trade struck me funny too, kind of a Coffee replay. It’s one thing if a team needs some playoff leadership, but was not a need of the Flyers in either case. Adam is having a decent year with the Ducks. At least it’s typical of his post Bruins career.

Ok, now you tell me how Montreal ever let LeClair escape… It was tough seeing him go down in 2000. Till then I think the only stronger player I’ve ever seen on skates is Messier (no offense to Forsberg, Ave…). John’s still not the same, but he’ll still chip in 60 to 70 pts this year.

BTW the Flyers have never lost a cup in four full seasons of NHL2000. Of course they’ve got this bruising speed demon of a center, #66, Tour-something-or-other, ringing up 80 goal seasons like McDonalds sells burgers… Had to move Lindros to wing just to make room for him...

Sterling Bug: Heavens! I'm not that old! The Millionaire trivia is well knowst among us suffer'n Canuck fans.

I just hope we see a Det-Col matchup. Those two teams do not like each other one bit.

Tour2ma:

You would certainly have a good case for Roy being the best of all time. Great numbers and clutch in the playoffs. Thought he lost it though in the first half of the season. I don't think he's that old... Let me check to see if he played for the Millionaires though.

Oates just never struck me as a clutch playoff performer. I could be wrong. I just don't recall him setting up the timely goal. That and I suspect the clutching and grabbing would neutralize alot of his strengths.

Montreal traded LeClair before he really blossomed from my recollection. One of those "Trades that make you go 'DOH!'". I know LeClair used to light it up against Vancouver all the time.

Heh... Computer tooooo slllllooooowwww... NHL2000 looks like sloooow moooo instant replay. They frown on using the 2 Ghz Pentium IV++'s at work for that sorta thing also.

Funny thing. EA Sports is right across the street from my workplace. Pretty neat place. They fly in the players and hook em up to the digitizers and cameras there.

regards

Dave