Vancouver, what a shit-show.

So as many of you (i hope) know, the most difficult trophy to win in sport was awarded the other night. The Stanley Cup was awarded to Boston. I have a ton of viewpoints on this and i'd like to share them. If you dont watch hockey very much ill give you a run down on the brief overview of the game.


Put the puck in the other teams net without them putting it in yours. Very similar to other sports, however, you are also allowed to beat the shit out of the other team while doing so. there are differnet styles of the game. What started as a Canadian game grew to the United States as well. With the european invasion of the late 19780's and 80's the game quickly saw a new style of play. Canadian teams were known for the bash and crash style. Hard play along the boards, open ice hitting, strong forechecking and never being afraid to mix-it up or drop the gloves.





The European style consisted of more of a possession game and fluid movement. Often described as much prettier to watch, i dont much care for it.


So while the puck movement is nice to watch, there isn't anything better than watching 2 teams go at each other totally physically and try to dominate the other. That's the hockey i love. It has so much more passion.


So it was that Vancouver and Boston were facing each other in the finals of the playoffs this year. Think about this, Vancouver and Boston had both played 100 games going into this best of 7 series. Some guys were injured and playing with broken bones (Edler) others were so bruised and battered they could barely play. One guy came back from what could have been a potentially career ending (not to mention sight-ending) eye injury to rejoin his team in game 3.


The series looked like it was going to be great. Both teams could be physical, Vancouver had one of the best offences in the game and Boston had one of the best defences and likely the best goalie in the league.


The series started out well with Vancouver winning the first 2 at home but in game 1 there was the first signs that this would be unique. Stuff we hadn't seen in the finals before. It all started with one guy, Burrows missing his dinner.





Burrows was not suspended for that bite. No idea why, but he wasn't and in game 2 Maxime Lapierre mocked Bergeron provoking him to bit his finger. Asshole. Your team mate actually bites someone and you think it's a good way to taunt another player? I think Bergeron may have something to say about this later.





By the way, the guy who scored the overtime goal in game 2? Burrows the biter.


Anyhow, one thing i can't STAND in hockey, is when the Vancouver Canucks all of a sudden look like the italian soccer team. Diving is bullshit and should not be a part of the game. I play soccer and i understand that when you're running and someone pushes you off balance a little it's easy to go down. Hockey is slightly different. It's easier to stay on your feet by doing this thing called gliding. Silly i know. But guys on the Vancouver team started going down like they had been shot at times.





I can't stand that kind of thing. It's a black mark on the game and nobody has time for it. Get the fuck up.


The next game was in Boston. That's when shit really hit the fan. Game 3, first period, Aaron Rome hit's one of Boston's top players with a huge open ice hit. I liked the hit, i have no problem with the fact that Horton's head took a shot (head hits causing concussions are a huge problem, but so are the parameters determining a head hit). The problem with the hit was that it was late. about 0.5 seconds too late. But in hockey, that's a long time. Watching the video it looks pretty quick, and it is, but you have to understand 2 things about this hit.
1, It was late and the puck was long enough out of Horton's possession.
2. Even if the hit was on time. Horton would not have seen it coming. = Horton is still fucked.


This is where we find the grey area of hits to the head. Every little kid playing hockey knows and can tell you exactly why Horton got hit the way he did. He admired his pass. Watch the video and you see him watch the puck after he passes it. Crossing the blue-line, admiring your pass = the "trolley tracks". The "Trolley Tracks" are where guys often get caught with their head down and smoked. Unfortunately for Aaron Rome, he smoked Horton a bit late. Unfortunately for Horton, he hit his head and got knocked the fuck out.





Horton was out for the series and Rome was suspended for the remainder as well.


So from here the series took a really nasty turn. Boston woke up and lit up Luongo (Vancouver goalie) for 8 goals.


The series from here was pretty tough and feisty with Boston and Vancouver winning all the games at home. Following game 5 in Vancouver was what you could say was the turning point in the series.


Luongo had already been getting some flak because he had been lit up in Boston. 12 goals in 2 games isn't a great time to be opening your mouth and chirping.


Vancouver won game 5 1-0 in overtime. Luongo and Thomas both play lights out but vancouver scored the goal. At the press conference after the game,  Luongo said ""It's not hard (making the save) if you're playing in the paint. It's an easy save for me, but if you're wandering out and aggressive like he does, that's going to happen."


When asked about the quotes the next day Luongo did not take back the statement or apologize, instead he made the situation worse by saying “I was just saying on that particular play, I would have played it different. That’s the difference between me and him. I have been pumping his tires ever since the series started. I haven’t heard one nice thing he had to say about me. That’s the way it is.’’


Thomas replied by brushing off the comments and saying something along the lines of "I didnt realize it was my job to pump his tires".


These comments by Luongo sparked a ton of debate due to his not-so amazing play in Boston and his reputation of not coming up all that big in games that mattered.


Common jokes going around were "hey what time is it in boston? 12 past Luongo"

So Luongo played like a bag of shit in Boston again giving up the fastest 3 goals in the history of the Finals. He got yanked and Boston won the game.

Then comes game 7. This is what every kid dreams of playing on the frozen pond in the winter. It's the equivalent of Bottom of the 9th 2 outs, the 2 minute drill in the super bowl, Extra time in the world cup.

Vancouver basically got what was coming to it in this series. Timmy Thomas and the B's smoked'em 4-0. Guess who scored the killer goal that broke the 'nucks. Bergeron. The guy who's finger got bit. Justice if i ever heard it.

Then came the riots. What the Fuck Vancouver? The Olympics were so great. I was there. I can attest to it! But this is ridiculous. Burning cop cars, looting stores. Really? You suck. Unfortunately the stuff all started with people who had no interest in the hockey at all and were there only to start riots. That is the unfortunate part. The worse part however, is how so many of the fans got involved in the rioting as well! Bad form.

I was going to post pictures of it, but i dont want to. It's too bullshit. Look it up if you are interested. I just focus on hockey.

Anyhow congrats to Boston. You played with some class and played a tough, gritty series and you deserved to win over these jokers from Vancouver.

Understand this as well. I'm not dissing Canada at all here. I love Canada. However, i dont feel the need to cheer for a team just because they are from a Canadian city. When my team (the Leafs) are out, I will cheer for whomever i want and usually that is the team i feel is either the most exciting, or plays the best hockey. I thought Vancouver were a punch of pansy's this series and i have never really liked the Sedin twins so i cheer for Boston. Deal with it.