Enough with the Sid gushing!
by Terry Mercury
Let me start out by saying....the men's hockey tournament at the Olympics was fantastic. Full of interesting stories....surprising upsets...and gold medal...and bronze medal games that were thoroughly entertaining.
That being said.....ENOUGH WITH THE SIDNEY CROSBY GUSHING ALREADY!!!!
Crosby DID NOT have a great Olympics! He was NOT the leader of the Canadian team...and the team was NOT built around him! He had the good fortune to have scored the overtime winner that gave Canada the Gold Medal...but until that moment had been the subject of speculation as to why he wasn't particularly dominating throughout the event. He was solid...and fit in perfectly with the rest of his teammates...and their never-say-die attitude...but when you have guys like Scott Neidermayer...Jarome Iginla....Joe Thornton and Brendan Morrow....and you add youngsters who had "coming out" tournaments like Drew Doughty and Mike Richards...the idea that the team was built around any one player is ludicrous.
Team Canada was able to roll four "number one" lines at the opposition...and then back that up with about as good as a defence corp as you're ever going to see. Think of another group of blueliners that we'll ever see where Chris Pronger....maybe a Hall-of-Famer....was likely the slowest of the group...and at one point the least effective.
And to top that off...name any other team that....when Martin Brodeur faltered in goal...could just plug in a number two guy of the calibre of Roberto Luongo.
Look folks....these guys were all highly-competitive...highly-motivated...extremely talented players....who to a man checked their egos at the door....to do what they could to help get the Gold. The idea that Sidney Crosby stood above them is a false one....and doesn't reflect how this team won because it was a "team"! Crosby was a valuable piece of the puzzle...but in the end that's all he was. A piece of the kind of puzzle needed to win this most competitive gathering.
Check with the Russians....who had nearly as much "star quality" as both the Canadians and the Americans....but unlike their North American rivals....just couldn't come together as a unified group. You might say the same thing about Sweden. Slovakia became 'the little country that could" simply because they played together...and to a man were willing to do the often unnoticed things you have to do to beat teams considered to be more talented. You know...block shots....battle in the corners....and do what you can to promote the overall success of your team. Give this country a little more talent in the future...and look out!
But I digress. Team Canada wasn't Sidney Crosby's...or Scott Neidermayer's....or Jarome Iginla's or Eric Staal's. The hallmark of this team was it's players ability to set aside any personal goals....execute the game plans put together by Mike Babcock and the rest of the coaching staff...and do whatever was needed to reach the stated goal...a Gold Medal.
The celebration of Sidney Crosby I'm seeing...hearing and reading about is in direct contradiction to what I observed having watched every Team Canada game. I saw a group of guys who could have had a difficult time forgetting that they're NHL stars...not do that. From the moment they landed in Vancouver the overall success of the team was top priority. Think about it...certain Hall-of-Fame goalie Martin Brodeur has a bad night against the U.S....and loses his number one designation. Does he complain....pout or question the move in the media? No. He shrugs it off...and gets behind his replacement...Roberto Luongo. He has nothing but encouragement for the team...although he must have been burning inside to get another chance to prove himself. The great ones always want to be there at crunch time.
No...this was not Sidney Crosby's team. In fact...it was a team...and you can add the U.S. in this aspect....that illustrated for all to see the best aspects of North American hockey. The ability of players to put aside personal goals...for the good of their country. Sure these guys play for money...but when their country's name goes on their chest that's all forgotten.
And to ignore that fact in the name of trying promote one player in the name of "star power"...does a great disservice to the rest of the team that worked so hard in such a high-pressure situation.
Make no mistake...I'm not blaming Sidney Crosby. He doesn't control the media and what's in it. I'm calling out my peers in this industry to consider what they say and write. Canada and the U.S. got to the Gold Medal game not just because they had the most talent....but because their talent was also willing to accept the idea that talent alone wouldn't win it.
Crosby's game winner was a microcosm of what Canada did to win. Crosby...a supremely gifted player carries the puck into the American end....followed by linemate Jarome Iginla. He tries to split the American defence...but is stopped and the puck slides into the corner. He doesn't quit. He pursues the puck...picking it up along the boards...and despite losing it for a second in a linesman's skates...stays with it long enough to tip it to linemate Iginla. Iginla...another extremely talented player....fights off an American checker long enough to make a return pass to Crosby before he's taken down. Crosby lets the shot go as soon as it hits the tape of his stick...and it's in behind Ryan Miller in the American goal..
Two very talented players working together to get the job done. Neither thinking about being the hero....just doing what they had to to get the desired result...a goal...and a Gold Medal.
It was way bigger than any individual player....it was a team...and that's why it was successfull.
2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics hockey pool
by Mick Kern
2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Hockey Pool
Rob Higgins, co-host of The Point Fantasy Edition (heard every Friday on NHL Home Ice at 2 pm eastern), has decided that the one thing missing from the Winter Olympics was a hockey pool.
We tried to convince Higgins to do a pool for the women's tournament, but everyone tried to stock up on American and Canadian players, so that idea was put on hold.
Commissioner Higgins set up the scoring system, and he was joined by Mike Lippa and Mick Kern as they drafted their rosters on Friday, February 12th on The Point Fantasy Edition.
Each team had to pick one goaltender, two defenceman, three centres, and four wingers. After a lottery, Mick picked first, followed by Rob, then Lippa. Boomer then waded into the fray by compiling a team consisting of the "rejects".
ROB HIGGINS
Sidney Crosby - Canada
Evgeni Malkin - Russia
Daniel Sedin - Sweden
Dany Heatley - Canada
Patrick Marleau - Canada
Patrick Kane - USA
Olli Jokinen - Finland
Sergei Gonchar - Russia
Nicklas Lidstrom - Sweden
Martin Brodeur - Canada
MIKE LIPPA
Pavel Datsyuk - Russia
Henrik Sedin - Sweden
Joe Thornton - Canada
Henrik Zetterberg - Sweden
Marian Gaborik - Slovakia
Zack Parise - USA
Ilya Kovalchuk - Russia
Zdeno Chara - Slovakia
Scott Niedermayer - Canada
Henrik Lundqvist - Sweden
MICK KERN
Alexander Ovechkin - Russia
Alexander Semin - Russia
Niklas Backstrom - Sweden
Mikko Koivu - Finland
Daniel Alfredsson - Sweden
Marian Hossa - Slovakia
Jonathan Toews - Canada
Andrei Markov - Russia
Duncan Keith - Canada
Evgeni Nabokov - Russia
BOOMER GORDON
Paul Stastny - USA
Tomas Plekanec - Czech Republic
Eric Staal - Canada
Rick Nash - Canada
Corey Perry - Canada
Phil Kessel - USA
Ryan Getzlaf - Canada
Dan Boyle - Canada
Shea Weber - Canada
Ryan Miller - USA
The scoring system works as such:
GOAL=1
ASSIST=1
PPG=1
PPA=0.5
SHG=2
SHA=1
OTG=1
GWG=0.5
Hit = 0.1
Blocked Shot=0.1
SOG=0.1
+/-=0.5
GP=1
W=3
L= -1
SO=3
GA= -1
SV= 0.1
Rob Higgins will keep track of the statistics as the Olympic tournament unfolds.
Diary of a P.A. guy - Part II by Mike Ross
by Shawn Lavigne
Diary of a P.A. guy - Part II
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Gameday - Ottawa Senators vs Calgary Flames
Hello again from Ottawa.
Just a few hours away from my NHL announcing debut. Not too nervous.
Heading out to the rink for the morning skate, a chance to mingle with media from both cities, seeing familiar faces in the Ottawa crowd and saying hello to Calgary guys I have not seen in a while but have spoken to via the airwaves many times. Guys like radio play by play announcer Peter Maher as well as former Rogers Sportsnet co-workers Peter Loubardias and Roger Millions.
After the Senators have gone through their workout, it's off to the conference room to hear who head coach Cory Clouston is naming as tonight's starting goalie...he's going with Brian Elliott...a nice show of confidence from the coach, seeing as Eliott had a tough outing against the Maple Leafs Saturday night.
Next, it's off to the dressing room and Daniel Alfredsson's stall....ask him about frame of mind after a loss like the one to Toronto...ask him about confidence being shown Elliott....finally, ask him a couple of Olympic questions....next up, Matt Carkner....
I'm tempted to ask him how his face is feeling after the knock-down punch he took from Colton Orr on Saturday...but wanting to avoid that feeling myself, I ask him about facing some familiar faces, in the newest members of the Calgary Flames, the guys who were just traded there from Toronto... I ask him if that familiarity helps in the Senators preparation for the game...
Finally, after a short wait at his stall, Brian Elliott comes out and briefly answers a couple of questions....a goalie who speaks on a gameday...not too common...and certainly won't be happening in the Flames room later on...Kipper does not talk on the day of a game.
Back to the stands for the Flames skate, followed by a scrum with Jarome Iginla, a quick comment from Matt Stajan and a 1-on-1 interview with Mark Giordano (which you can hear on facebook.com/nhlhomeice).
Once I finish posting all my audio to our FTP site, it's back to my home base for this trip, which is my cousin's place in Gatineau, Quebec. It's about a 35 minute drive from home to the rink so it's not too bad. I'm staying with him because we'll car pool to the games. You see, my cousin, Alex Marchand, is the Senators arena DJ.
There's just enough time for a light lunch, a quick nap and then it's on with the suit and tie and at 4pm, it's off to the arena where I pick up my script and head to the press box to go over the team's rosters and check any name pronunciations I may not be familiar with....once that is done, it's down to the pre-game meal with Glen Gower, the Senators Director of Game Entertainment and then a walk through the concourse, as I have about 30 minutes to kill before my first announcements.
And as I walk around the building, I get my first hint of nervousness. People are entering the building...they are taking their seats...a buzz begins to filter through the building...it is almost gametime and I am feeling it in my stomach.
Once back in the press box, I take my seat and get set to announce the arrival of the Senators to the ice and then introduce the starting lineups followed by the anthem singer...it all goes off without a hitch...and in fact, the first several announcements I make (promos and such) go great too....then comes the first mistake...Ottawa's Filip Kuba takes a penalty but I announce it, originally, as a penalty to Calgary...after a quick recovery, I sit and wait...nothing happens until the last couple of minutes of the first when I get a penalty and 2 goals to announce all back to back to back...as such, I miss the last minute call....yikes....i'm suddenly feeling very rusty....but I maintained my composure and came back and had a strong 2nd and 3rd period.
My first NHL penalty announcement was Filip Kuba...my firs goal was Niklas Hagman...my first Senators goal was Alex Kovalev and due to a scoreboard malfunction, a had a first in my hockey announcing career: the penalty times were not showing up at one point in the game so I had to announce when there was 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the penalty...I had never had this happen before...so that was kinda neat.
Well, the Sens won it 3-2 and I am 1-0 as an NHL P.A. announcer...now it's off to bed. Next up, the Capitals on Thursday night. I'll let you know how that goes.
Diary of a P.A. guy by Mike Ross
by Shawn Lavigne
Diary of a P.A. guy
I am writing this from Ottawa, where I am getting the chance to live a bit of a dream.
You see, many years ago, more than fifteen in fact, I did my first public address announcing gig. It was as the voice of Carleton University's football team. I was already doing a sport show on CKCU, the university's radio station so when I heard they need and announcer for football, I jumped at the chance....Lord knows I was not making the team as a player or even as a waterboy.
Football led me to volleyball which led to some basketball and before you knew it, I was leaving university to take my very first full-time radio job. Shortly thereafter, I began serving as the backup announcer for Ottawa Lynx baseball, Montreal's AAA team. And not long after that, I auditioned for the job with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL. But I didn't get that one.
They were impressed with me but decided to go with James Cybulski, now with TSN, but at the time with CHEZ 106 radio. At least they gave me a pair of tickets to that season's opening night.
But just a couple of months into the season, James got a TV gig with The Score in Toronto and the 67s called and asked if I would take his place. Of course, I said yes.
Thus began a 3 year stint with Ottawa which included a Memorial Cup championship in 1999 and an OHL championship and Memorial Cup appearance in 2001.
My run with the 67s was interrupted by a decision to move to Toronto to help launch a national sports radio network. And through that job and stops at Rogers Sportsnet and now NHL Home Ice, I never did another P.A. gig; though I was offered a chance to do some work at the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa, but had to take a pass.
Flashforward to late 2009 and an email that showed up in my in-box from Glen Gower who is the Director of Game Entertainment for the Ottawa Senators. Glen was also my boss when I worked for the 67s. In his email, he explained that Stuntman Stu, the Senators announcer had applied for, and been hired by the Vancouver Olympics to be the announcer for women's hockey and sledge hockey at the 2010 Games and Paralympics and as such, the Senators would be needing a fill-in announcer for 3 games. He asked if I would be interested and available.
YES YES YES!!! Wow what a great opportunity. I was then told that the games would involve the Flames, the Capitals and the Maple Leafs. Think about that...a Canadian team, the best player in the game today and my favorite team's biggest rival...What a tremendous honour and privilege to work for my favorite team.
In my next installment, I will tell you how my first day on the job went.
The WAR ROOM live poll - Feburary 2010
by Mick Kern
The War Room Live Poll
“Cornerstone of Your Own NHL Franchise”
You have been granted a National Hockey League franchise, in the market of your choice. Even better, you are permitted to pluck any two players off the roster of any National Hockey League team. One must be a goaltender, and the other must be either a defenceman or a forward.
With these criteria in mind, we opened the phones on The War Room on Tuesday, February 2nd, and listened to the opinions of those who really know the game, the fans across North America:
Gerald in Southern California SO-CAL EXPRESS
- Ilya Bryzgalov & Bobby Ryan
Ben in Rochester, New York ROCHESTER RENEGADES
- Ryan Miller & Alexander Ovechkin
Ryan in Texas TEXAS LONGHORNS
- Jonathan Quick & Brandon McMillan
Gordie in D.C. D.C. STRIPES
- Semyon Varlamov & Alexander Ovechkin
Bill in Poughkeepsie, New York NEW YORK EXPRESS
- Ryan Miller & Sidney Crosby
Nick in Delaware WILMINGTON BLUE ROCKS
- Pekka Rinne & Steven Stamkos
Troy in Moncton, New Brunswick MONCTON ALPINES
- Jaroslav Halak & Andrei Markov
Chris in New Brunswick the ARCHERS
- Roberto Luongo & Daniel Alfredsson
Rob in Belleville, Ontario BELLEVILLE LIONS
- Jonas Gustavsson & Matt Duchesne
Scott in Southern California LOS ANGELES DUCK HUNTERS
- Jonathan Quick & Drew Doughty
Darren in Penticton, B.C. SACRAMENTO PROSPECTORS
- Ryan Miller & Phil Kessel
Tyrell in Medicine Hat, Alberta MEDICINE HAT TRICKS
- Corey Schneider & Tyler Myers
Charles in Texas SUNDOWN ROUGHNECKS
- Semyon Varlamov & Chris Stewart
Stewart in Baltimore the BARRELHEADS
- Carey Price & Sean Avery
John in Texas the TEXAS COLONELS
- Jimmy Howard & John Tavares
Brian in Arlington, Virginia ARLINGTON ADMIRALS
- Mark-Andre Fleury & Jordan Staal
Peter Berce in Toronto ETOBICOKE EAGLES
- Marc-Andre Fleury & Nicklas Backstrom
Mick Kern in Toronto TORONTO LUMBERKINGS
- Ryan Miller & Drew Doughty
The War Room can be heard on NHL Home Ice every weekday morning at 11 am eastern (10 am Central, 9 am Mountain, 8 am Pacific, and 12 noon Atlantic)
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