July & Aug 2007
The Hall of Fame
This past week, the Hockey HOF accepted Messier, Francis, Stevens, and MacInnis as new members. This HOF only takes players who've "proven" themselves in the playoffs. It's all about luck sometimes. For example, look at Fuhr, who's already in. If he wasn't an Oiler in the '80s, would he have won the Cup 5 times? No. After he went to the Leafs, Sabres, Kings, and Blues, he was either stinky or just good enough to win 1 round.
Furthermore, let's look at 1993... Boston's Andy Moog had a 17-1-0 run to finish the regular season and the Bruins overtook Montreal and Quebec to win the Adams Division regular-season title. In the first round, Boston played against Fuhr's Sabres. Montreal drew Quebec.
In the first game, Boston fell behind 4-2 but came back late in the third period to force OT. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the Nords fell behind 2-0 but came back with 2 goals in the last 1:30 to force OT.
In the OTs, former B's Bob Sweeney scored in OT to beat Boston, and Scott Young tallied for Quebec to beat Montreal. So, both Boston and Montreal lost heart-breakers in OT to start the '93 playoffs.
In Game 2, Montreal was blown out 4-1, and people were already questioning if Roy should even be in net (as opposed to Andre Racicot, who had a great regular season). In Boston, the Sabres blew out Boston 4-0, and Moog got the hook (even though it's not his fault some of those goals went in).
So after 2 games, Boston and Montreal were both down 0-2.
Jacques Demers decided to let Roy start in Game 3, while Brian Sutter of Boston decided to bench the veteran Moog and put in rookie John Blue, with his team down 0-2. Big decision...and we all know what happened next. Roy let in a goal within the first 2 minutes and the Forum fans were booing, but Demers kept Roy in, and they later won in OT. In Buffalo, the Sabres also won in OT. New life for Montreal, down 1-2. Doom for Boston, down 0-3.
What if....
1) what if Roy had been benched in Game 3? His career might have been over and he'd never become a HOFer. He might have been traded after they lost vs. Quebec...
2) what if Moog had played Game 3? Maybe he would have won Game 3 and maybe led the Bruins to a comeback.
3) what if Boston didn't allow all those breakaways vs Buffalo? Mogilny had at least 1-2 breakaways in every game. Moog stopped Mogilny on a breakaway in Game 1 OT but no one remembers that. Everyone remembers Moog allowing Brad May's goal in Game 4 but no one remembers Bourque blew the play and let May skate around him.
Who knows... Moog might have won the Cup instead, and stayed with Boston for more regular and postseason success, instead of being traded to Dallas. Roy might have had a different path to his career. Moog might have finished with more than 372 career wins, which in itself is an impressive number - but meanwhile the Hall doesn't have him as a member...for now.
People with lesser regular season stats - ie. Billy Smith, Ken Dryden, Bernie Parent, Gerry Cheevers, etc., are all in the Hall, because of their good luck playing on dynasties and winning those championships. I guess playoff success is the most important thing for the Hall.
Idiots
Seeing those idiots carrying picket signs around Vancouver has prompted me to compile this list. Afterall, people who decide to go on strike to wipe out garbage and other services are total idiots who don't consider about anyone but themselves. I guess, go rats go!
1. Strikers are idiots. This includes workers in any industry including sports.
2. Jaywalkers are idiots. Way to teach their kids how to get run over!
3. Abrasive bosses are idiots. See if they can accomplish anything on their own... without their staff...
4. People who insist on carrying backpacks on the aisles on buses are idiots.
5. Teachers are idiots.
More to come later....
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