Abel to Yzerman
Who The Hell Is Running This League?
by IwoCPO on 01/22/08 at 09:51 PM ET
Comments (0)
Updated 23 Jan to include quote from Niedermayer
The NHL is a laughingstock in the US and too many of us continue to throw up our hands and wonder why. A lockout that accomplished nothing, other than alienating millions who needed a reason not to watch hockey. A TV contract (renewed for three years today) with a network half the US doesn’t receive, a network that actually employs the likes of Brian Engblom and Keith Jones as their “experts”, not to mention Joe Beninati (spelling? Don’t care) as its primary play-by-play voice—a guy who’s a joke even in his hometown.
Shootouts that have become a farce, parlor tricks for the idiotic. A pathetic schedule, Dominique Wilkens judging all-star shootout competitions, hockey in Miami and Nashville and a second-string Cleveland Brown quarterback with more time in tv ads than Sidney Crosby.
All that evidence of absolute ineptitude at the top and now this…
Scott Niedermayer is going to Atlanta.
After 17 games.
You’ve got to be effing kidding me.
There’s no question Niedermayer is a sublime defenseman, but he doesn’t merit this selection. Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski, meanwhile, is the second-leading scorer in the NHL among defensemen (behind Nicklas Lidstrom), with eight goals, 33 assists, 41 points and a plus-14 rating in 49 games.
I don’t really understand what “sublime” means. Never taken the time to dig too deeply into that one. I don’t like the way it sounds and I’m pretty sure I don’t like a hockey player being referred to in that way. But I don’t care what the hell it means. I do know this: what an absolute joke. What a complete, utter, pathetic example of a league without direction and a complete lack of any common sense.
Yeah, St. James points out Rafalski and you know we’re all partial…but there are twenty defensemen who have earned that spot before the guy who decided to take half a year off, hamstring his team…oh, and a “captain” to boot. I can’t even finish a sentence. I’m going all Babcock.
17 games and you’re an all star? If Niedermayer had any sack whatsoever, he’d turn it down…let a kid like Hainsey from Columbus go in his place.
Woops. Guess not.
“What comes around goes around?” Niedermayer asked. “It’s a little bit of a surprise, just with the way the year has gone, but I’ve been around awhile, and I guess that counts for something, too. I’m looking forward to it. These things are always fun.”
Yeah…a little bit of a surprise, “just the way the year has gone…”. Yep. Little bit of a surprise that a league already floundering to maintain it’s loose grip on the 9 spot in the average American’s list of favorite sports would even consider this idea.
But hey, if you’re The League, you’re probably thinking nobody’s going to watch the damn thing anyway.
The NHL All Star Game. In Atlanta, Georgia. On Versus. Both starting goalies healthy but staying home. And a defenseman who held his team hostage for six months, plays 17 games and receives an invite because in his words being around a while “counts for something too.”
Jesus Gary. You really are an ass.
Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
Comments
Be the first to comment.
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Daring Digger: St. James First To Mention Franzen Trade Possibility
When You Lose Like We Lost? This Happens
Tick Tock’s All Redolent Today
12 Hours Out Of Mackinaw City The Gales of November Came Slashin
Autumn’s Closing In…And The Ship Must Be Cleansed
GDT - WC Quarterfinals, Game 4: Red Wings (1-2) host Predators (2-1) (7:30)
About Abel to Yzerman
Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Get the top online sports betting bonuses available to sports betters!
