NAILED IT!
Otherwise known as "Jumping Off (Of) The Bandwagon"
I noted this commentary in the Dispatch, and I have to give credit to Mike Arace for 'nailing it' as it relates to identifying the Wings as a bunch of guys who push (break is a better word, actually) the rules, for as long as I can recall.
I still recall, during the 8-2 shellacking of the Wangs (yes, I meant to spell it, that way) by the CBJ, how many times, either at the beginning of each period, or right after the Jackets scored a goal - almost to the second - how LTL called a penalty about to be called on our boys. Uncanny...and yet, the clutching, grabbing, hooking, goaltender-interfering geriatrics were allowed to do whatever they pleased, without a single call against them. Not that there's ever any O-6 bias...nope, no way, nada (heavy sarcasm, added).
I did find it interesting that, before last night, that the refs were finally flagging cheats like Datsyuk, The Horseface (I think they call him the Fool...err, Mule), and the Beaver (that one has a last name of Holmstrom) for games 1-3 - mysteriously (again, sarcasm), the whistles dissapeared, last night.
I sure hope that changes for game 5, back in the Shark Tank - otherwise, once again, this will be the workings of Bartman...err, Bettmann's appealing to the O-6ers, and trying to push for a 6th or 7th game. Paranoia? Maybe, but, recall who correctly predicted the penalty disparity, to the exact number, when the CBJ played down in Trashville, for all 3 games, in the gamebox feature of LTL. I'll remind you - it was me. I rest my case...
Arace also correctly identified the impending end of their aura of invincibility. Now, whether the Sharks don't channel the ghosts of choking dog past, or not, is another story, but, sooner or later, the end is coming, and pronto.
The hope is that last night's result didn't allow the Sharks legacy of playoff fragility to creep back in. They should have known that was coming (the Detroit surge), and that the refs were going to keep their whistles permanently imprinted in their backsides, and not in their mouths. I mean, you wouldn't want to upset those hundreds of 'friends and family' who occupy the lower bowl...after all, it is Hockey-town, USA (real heavy sarcasm, there).
No matter whether sooner or later, the end is coming, and, as our own LTL expressed, when it happens, hopefully, it's accompanied by the retirement annoucement of Lidstrom.
Sure, with the freed up money, they'll land someone who'll want to come there - it's still a destination, but, not like it used to be. Their player development mystique is also starting to draw back into the pack - sorry, Holland and Nil - the rest of the NHL now scouts European talent.
Now, if this does happen (the Wangs lose at the Shark tank, or lose the series - LTL-Nation: grab a rabbit's foot! Say the rosary!), that aura of invincibility will begin to creep into the rest of the league.
Now, will the myopians - those bandwagon-jumping simpletons who don't attend playoff games, yet tell us they're lifelong fans, yet cannot tell you who Henrik Zetterberg is - also recognize that their time is over? In a word, 'no'...but, personally, I don't care. Let 'em keep thinking that - let 'em keep clinging to that delusion. After all, it's all those low-life's have to cling to, right?
While that may have been a bit 'harsh' - please note: I used to respect their myopians - that was, until I experienced those scum, during Game 1 of the SC Playoffs. As Ari Gold so often says on Entourage, "Never Again!"
Now, will the CBJ realize that, or change the course of seasons past? As much as I'd like to believe it, until they actually win (no, not OT or SO victories) 4 or 5 of the 6 scheduled games against the Detroit - this is all mental, here - then it won't happen, just yet. That, of course, would require a team with some serious moxy - again, I rest my case. But, it will happen, in time.
So, LTL-Nation, let's get the Karma going towards the Sharks ending this reign of rule-bending.
If the CBJ couldn't "make 'em bleed" - darn it, then have some other team do it.
Go Sharks!
- MASE1
