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Cranberries Suck

by IwoCPO on 11/22/07 at 07:50 AM ET
Comments (9)

If you eat them because you’re tied to some outdated tradition, some ingrained obligation generationally passed down to you by other members of your family who hate them as much as you but have eaten them because “they have to”...well, then you’re just stupid.  Take a stand today.  Mumble an, “I’ll pass...” and just see what the reaction is. There’s a lot of other good stuff you can shove down your pie hole and those scrumptious goodies shouldn’t be tainted by cranberry sauce you despise.  Will that cause angst among the traditionalists at your table? Perhaps.  Is it a chance you’re willing to take? Only you can answer that question.  Only you.

Chris Osgood’s your starter.  He has to be.  17-1-5 his last 23 starts.  10-1 this year.  And a team that plays differently in front of him than they do in front of Hasek.

I feel kinda dirty writing that because for years I’ve been picking on Ozzie and his puck bunnies.  I don’t know. I’m all conflicted.  I just don’t know.  You publicly name Osgood your number 1 and Mt. Hasek will blow sky high.  But should that be a concern?  Given the choice most of us would probably choose Hasek as a playoff starter because, like eating that bastard Cranberry sauce, it’s expected of us.  But is there any reason to expect Osgood to stop playing as well as he has since the middle of last year?

And, try this:  what have we seen over the last year that proves Dominik Hasek is actually a better goalie than Chris Osgood?  If Hasek is the unquestioned starter, it’s due to reputation and the possibility of success rather than anything he’s proven since he signed last summer.  Osgood?  If he wasn’t hurt going into the Punch In The Face, I think we win that Edmonton series.  I think Legace’s pulled after Game 3 and in rides Ozzie on his big old steed (Tenacious D reference).

It’s not a trend and it’s not a streak.  This is the Chris Osgood we can expect to see the rest of the year.  Tonite?  Who knows what we’ll get from Hasek.  In front of a crowd of relatives full on possum and Schaefers, we could either see 4 goals on ten shots or a motivated picture of insanity who shuts Bubba out after facing 40.  This won’t be a twelve shot affair, not after playing last night, a plane ride, little rest, and an afternoon watching the Lions lose. 

Last night may have been Osgood’s best game.  Little activity...breakaway...save.  Osgood likes breakaways.  Dom...not so much.  And you do recall that breakaway last night was shorthanded.  Osgood likes shorthanded chances.  Dom...not so much.  Little activity...a flurry...nada.  Osgood’s concentration seems to be at a level so high right now that nothing is going to shake it.
Khan(!)

“I played on this team long enough where I’ve had nights where I don’t get very many shots,’’ Osgood said. “I don’t care how many shots I face as long as we win the game. I just stay focused on the puck, I track it everywhere on the ice, follow it in the neutral zone, obviously in our end, even when it’s in the other end. I don’t find myself getting bored. You have to stay focused because the game can change on one shot.’’

1.3 million.  Like that number?  Fun to say?  That’s how much cap space the Wings clear if Jimmy Howard’s backing up Chris Osgood.  I’m just sayin’.

Mentioned this last night in the prolific 98 comment live blog.  The Dallas Drake experiment is not panning out. He allegedly played last night but name me a shift of his you can remember.  I vaguely recall a shot in the third.  He played 7:43.  11 shifts.  The lowest, by far, of any Wing (except the injured Kopecky).  And he’s not making the most of the limited time he has on the ice.  Unlike Downey...whose presence is felt practically every second he’s out there.  I think the end is in sight for Drake, and I think he knows it.
Kulfan

“I didn’t expect (to play all 82 games). They have some real good, young players here. You want to get them in there and see what they’ve got and that’s what he’s (Babcock) doing. He’s the coach and he makes all the decisions. I play when he calls my number to go out there and I go out and give him all I’ve got.”

Matt Ellis gives it all he’s got and generates points.  Aaron Downey gives it all he’s got and draws a 5-3.  Drake’s a character guy and probably a good teammate.  But, it’s not working out.

Oh good. The Toronto media’s at it again.  Check this out.
David Shoalts

If the franchise is as important as Tanenbaum and Peddie like to say it is, they need to do a complete search, beginning now. They have to examine every possible candidate, from Brian Burke to Lou Lamoriello to Ken Holland to Jim Rutherford.

For example, there is a lot of talk these days that the Detroit Red Wings might be willing to let Holland go because they want to see Steve Yzerman take over as GM. Rutherford, the architect of the Hurricanes, is a Toronto boy, so maybe he’d like to rescue the hometown team.

A lot of talk, eh?  Funny.  Any of you heard that talk? 

I didn’t think so. 

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Comments

Any of you heard that talk?

I didn’t think so.

Nope.  Shoalts’ head voices aren’t loud enough to escape the Toronto echo chamber, so I hear none of that.  They do seem to have an unhealthy obsession with the Detroit front office.

I don’t think it matters what is said so much, as long as the words keep everyone happy.  Call Hasek the number one and say that he needs his rest so he is ready for the playoffs, but play Osgood two out of every three games (or more often).  All the words will be there, but everyone on the team will see it as cover for a reality that is pretty obvious.  Just saving face.

Happy Thanksgiving, Sailor--and don’t knock the cranberry sauce too much. It makes such a nice “schluck” sound sliding out of the can. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/22/07 at 09:44 AM ET

I wonder if Dom would make a “schluck” sound as he goes back into the can. Unlike cranberry sauce, however, Babbles isn’t allowed to just mumble past this dilemma. He looses something, call it credibility if you will, if he calls Hasek the starter and plays Ozzie most of the time.

If we agree that the team is playing better in front of Ozzie, then let him be the man. Why? Because the clear advantage Dom had over Ozzie is that he had an intimidating presence (read: resume). One never knew when he would simply steal the game for you because he did it so many times…

more later...adorable nephew awaits..

Posted by srt on 11/22/07 at 10:34 AM ET

I’m not sure what all the other rambling is, but Cranberries Rule!!

Now I’m not talking about that canned stuff, which is a fine alternative.. but the freshly made cranberries with orange..

---

The stuff:
1 pound of Cranberries, uncooked
3 seedless oranges, not peeled
Sugar to taste

How to put it together:
Grind the cranberries and oranges in a meat grinder or food processor - but meat grinder is the best - put some elbow into it!. Add some sugar until it is just sweet enough for yah..

presto.. a bite of cranberry relish and a bite of turkey… deeeeelicious!

----

Next thing you’ll be saying you don’t like turkey…

Posted by canesice on 11/22/07 at 11:00 AM ET

Cranberries suck like City Hall’s Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots.

I still think Dom will come around, and we’ll have the league’s best goaltending tandem, but I also believe that he won’t come around until he can find a Gord-damned catch glove that he’s comfortable with.  Dom’s been using last year’s trapper, and he’s gotta retire the stinky sweaty thing.  When he comes around, you can marvel at my genius in-a-box kit.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 11/22/07 at 11:46 AM ET

Cranberry sauce does make a nice schluk sound which, by the way, one can still hear quite well as one schluks it straight into the garbage.  Condensed cheddar cheese soup makes the same kind of sound, but mix it with a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, zap it for a bit, and you’ve got a great dip for tortilla chips!  So much for The Recipe Corner…

Agree on Drake… pretty much invisible.  The one shot, and I do remember one decent hit along the offensive boards last night.  I’m willing to wait until that visor comes off to see if he turns it around.  If not, then perhaps it’s time to schluk him into one of those seats upstairs.

Doesn’t Babcock have a sports psychology degree???  He probably knows what to say to handle the goal situation.  At least, so far.  If it keeps going the same way maybe there won’t be any words to handle it.  Time will tell.  I hope George is right.

Posted by BobTheZee on 11/22/07 at 02:00 PM ET

Know what sucks more than Cranberries? Goo Goo Dolls....terrible just terrible…

biggest cheer came for the United Way roll out. hip-hop? Motown artists?  anyone who doesn’t sick this baad....

Posted by srt on 11/22/07 at 02:22 PM ET

Drake will be more effective when his face heals. He was banging around and fighting in the beginning of the season and I would expect him to return to that kind of play soon.

I love Ellis so either way, I’m happy…

Today is the day Dom begins to turn things around. He stops a couple of breakaways (thanks Raffy!) and makes the necessary timely saves. Good stuff… I actually think he will take a slashing penalty after allowing a weak goal or being interfered with.

Posted by srt on 11/22/07 at 02:37 PM ET

Osgood is the #1 but in the papers Hasek is the #1.  Reason?  Hasek will meltdown and start faking injuries to get his point across.  So in the meantime, Babcock will keep patting him on the head while he gives Osgood the majority of the starts.  Either way, it’s a balancing act and the right thing to do is to keep saying Hasek is the #1.

Posted by Heaton on 11/22/07 at 04:09 PM ET

Nashville game tonight.
I expect no live blogging as there seems to be a Rocky marathon going on the Versus network

Is this the start of another one of Dukes
hiatus maximus’....

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don’t live up to my expectations on 11/22/07 at 04:31 PM ET

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