So far this young season, the Flyers have exorcised a number of demons that remained from last year's effort (I use that word effort loosely). But there was one that remained - until last night. The Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1, on the strength of two quick goals, earning them their first victory over the Penguins since April 11....in 2006. And by doing so, not only did they earn two more points and add a little space between them and the second best team in the Atlantic division thus far, but they proved to themselves that they can compete, and beat, their cross-state rivals
The "Oh-fer" against the Pens last year epitomized most things that were wrong with the team. They were too slow, they got poor goaltending, and their offense was non-existent when their top line wasn't on. All three of those things happened all eight times they faced off against Pittsburgh. The story of the Flyers early season turn around has been well documented (even if the growing suspension total has been arguably more well documented), but they still hadn't proved they could compete with young, fast, and aggressive teams. That changed Wednesday night.
The Flyers turned the tables on Pittsburgh on the first shift of the game. They forced Sidney Crosby, who has owned the Flyers in his young career, into a turnover in his own zone which the Flyers converted into a Joffrey Lupol goal. About five minutes later, Jeff Carter converted another Pittsburgh turnover into another goal and a 2-0 lead. Pittsburgh fought back the whole game, but they could never recover from the poor start.
The Flyers move on to play the Devils on Thursday, but you can be sure that their Saturday rematch with the Pens will be on their mind at least a little bit. In fact, the Devils will probably be thinking about the Pens too; they got throttled by Pittsburgh 5-0 in their previous game. With a win over the Devils, the Flyers can finish their season long road trip with a 4-4 record, and hit the 15 game mark with a 10-5 record; a mark that would surely meet even the loftiest of expectations heading into the season.
Odds and Ends:
Eric Lindros officially retired on Thursday, putting an anti-climactic end to his 13 year career. Not many athletes have come through Philadelphia and created more "controversy." And that is saying something. The Flyers mortgaged the house to bring "The Next One" (the first Next One before Crosby took the term) to the Orange and Black. He was supposed to bring numerous Stanley Cups to Philadelphia over the next 15 years or so, and during the first 6 years or so, it looked like that would really happen. But it all got derailed because of injuries and numerous off ice "crap," as ex-Flyers GM Bobby Clarke termed it. I look back on Lindros' career with a certain level of sadness, and despite how badly things turned out here when he left, a certain level of "Woulda, coulda, shoulda-ness."
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Penguins provide true test for Flyers
After a 6-1 start, the Philadelphia Flyers have slipped to 8-5, and are now tied for the Atlantic Division lead...with the Islanders. I think it's pretty safe to say that the Flyers are light years beyond the basement dwellers of last season, but are they the team that roared to a 6-1 start? It appears the answer is no. But who really knows this early in the season. In the next three games, the Flyers play Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Pittsburgh again, in the first home game after their season long 8 game road trip. And that is where we will learn a great deal more about where this team actually is.
Wrap your head around this: The Flyers played the Penguins 8 times last season to an 0-8 record, getting outscored 42-19 in the process. They were simply a team that couldn't match up any worse against the Pens, and the stats show it. Granted, the Flyers lost to most teams last year, and lost bad in some situations, but the Penguins were, and are, a type of team that dominated the Flyers. They were fast, skilled, and played an aggressive style of defense. In fact, the Flyers' biggest struggles came against teams that played that way.
Despite this season's early success, and relatively speaking amazing success, the Flyers still have shown that they struggle against that style of play. Teams that bring the pressure with flying forwards and pinching defenseman have had success against the Flyers this season, even when it didn't end in victory. The Flyers can thank Marty Biron for that. Two specific losses on the current road trip that demonstrated that weakness against that style of play were against Tampa Bay and Montreal. Both those teams made the Flyers look a little like they did last year, and in those situations, Biron was not able to bail the team out.
If the Flyers truly are as improved as they have looked at times this season, then they need to show it in the upcoming three games; specifically against Pittsburgh. They simply need to show that they can beat the Pens, and they need to show it right away. The longer they go this season without knocking down Pittsburgh, the harder and harder it will be to finally do it, as those demons creep closer and closer to the forefront of everyone's psyche.
They have two chances in the next three games to exorcise those particular demons, and if they do, they will prove to everyone - the fans, the Penguins, and, most importantly, themselves - that they truly are a team improved to the point of being a season long threat to take the division.
Wrap your head around this: The Flyers played the Penguins 8 times last season to an 0-8 record, getting outscored 42-19 in the process. They were simply a team that couldn't match up any worse against the Pens, and the stats show it. Granted, the Flyers lost to most teams last year, and lost bad in some situations, but the Penguins were, and are, a type of team that dominated the Flyers. They were fast, skilled, and played an aggressive style of defense. In fact, the Flyers' biggest struggles came against teams that played that way.
Despite this season's early success, and relatively speaking amazing success, the Flyers still have shown that they struggle against that style of play. Teams that bring the pressure with flying forwards and pinching defenseman have had success against the Flyers this season, even when it didn't end in victory. The Flyers can thank Marty Biron for that. Two specific losses on the current road trip that demonstrated that weakness against that style of play were against Tampa Bay and Montreal. Both those teams made the Flyers look a little like they did last year, and in those situations, Biron was not able to bail the team out.
If the Flyers truly are as improved as they have looked at times this season, then they need to show it in the upcoming three games; specifically against Pittsburgh. They simply need to show that they can beat the Pens, and they need to show it right away. The longer they go this season without knocking down Pittsburgh, the harder and harder it will be to finally do it, as those demons creep closer and closer to the forefront of everyone's psyche.
They have two chances in the next three games to exorcise those particular demons, and if they do, they will prove to everyone - the fans, the Penguins, and, most importantly, themselves - that they truly are a team improved to the point of being a season long threat to take the division.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
In a Galaxy Far Far away...or Indianapolis
This week's matchup between the 8-0 New England Patriots and the 7-0 Indianapolis Colts has been billed as a lot of things; Super Bowl 41 1/2 for example, and for good reason. There may never have been a regular season game that carried so many implications. But this game goes well beyond the X's and O's; it's another classic example of Good vs. Evil. And what story better portrays that classic struggle than Star Wars.
Take a look at the story lines surrounding this game, and the similarities to the science fiction epic are as uncanny as they are fun. In this NFL version of a galaxy far far away, the Galactic Empire is played by none other than the New England Patriots, and the Colts take on the role of the Rebel Alliance.
It all starts with the Emperor, Bill Belichick. Everything from the evil genius scheming to the shroud of secrecy that surrounds the team parallel Palpatine's reign as Emperor. Belichick even dresses like him with the ragged hoody. It seems that every move Belichick makes is either genius or evil. There are some that contend that he got caught stealing signs on purpose, to provide his team with a new batch of "prove them wrong" motivation. And I'm starting to believe that lately. And his decisions to keep his stars in and beat opponents into the ground is a cold hearted as they come.
From the Emperor, we go to Darth Vader, played by Tom Brady. Like Vader, Brady is really a good guy at heart, but he is merely a puppet of his boss. They both hold talents that are rivaled by none in the "universe," and they both wield those talents with amazing skill. It's hard to blame Brady for running up the score; he is simply going out there when the coach tells him runs the plays that are called by the coach.
On the other side of things, the Colts are the anti-Patriots as much as they are the Colts. Starting at the top, Tony Dungy is liked by anybody and everybody who has any interest in football. Dungy has no problem with deflecting praise away from himself, and his attitude that permeates the Colts organization defines the democratic ideals and openness of the Rebel Alliance.
The way Peyton Manning leads the Colts is eerily similar to the way Luke Skywalker led the Rebels. Peyton is simply the face of the NFL universe, just as Luke is in Star Wars. He is matched in skill by no one other than maybe Brady, just as Luke is matched by no one other than Vader. But unlike Brady and the Dark Lord, Peyton has a huge say in how things are run on the football field. He is given a level of play calling that no one in the league can match.
The analogy even goes back to when this Patriots team won its first Super Bowl against the Rams. At that time they were nowhere near the Empire status they have achieved since. In fact, they were essentially America's team, coming out of nowhere to beat the Greatest Show on Turf in a season marked by September 11. And in the Star Wars saga, the Empire was originally the Galactic Senate and a bastion of peace. To make a long story short, they turn evil, and as they became more powerful, they became more evil. That first Patriots Super Bowl winner was a team with a very modest amount of talent. And each year they gained more and more weapons, until this season when they look like one of the most dominant teams the league has ever seen.
Both these teams are the premiere forces in the league. But they couldn't be any more different. No other teams have had a rivalry in recent memory that can come anywhere close to matching the Colts and Pats. Star Wars may be the geek in me coming out, but how can you argue with the classic struggle of good vs. evil. And how can you argue with Indianapolis vs. New England.
Take a look at the story lines surrounding this game, and the similarities to the science fiction epic are as uncanny as they are fun. In this NFL version of a galaxy far far away, the Galactic Empire is played by none other than the New England Patriots, and the Colts take on the role of the Rebel Alliance.
It all starts with the Emperor, Bill Belichick. Everything from the evil genius scheming to the shroud of secrecy that surrounds the team parallel Palpatine's reign as Emperor. Belichick even dresses like him with the ragged hoody. It seems that every move Belichick makes is either genius or evil. There are some that contend that he got caught stealing signs on purpose, to provide his team with a new batch of "prove them wrong" motivation. And I'm starting to believe that lately. And his decisions to keep his stars in and beat opponents into the ground is a cold hearted as they come.
From the Emperor, we go to Darth Vader, played by Tom Brady. Like Vader, Brady is really a good guy at heart, but he is merely a puppet of his boss. They both hold talents that are rivaled by none in the "universe," and they both wield those talents with amazing skill. It's hard to blame Brady for running up the score; he is simply going out there when the coach tells him runs the plays that are called by the coach.
On the other side of things, the Colts are the anti-Patriots as much as they are the Colts. Starting at the top, Tony Dungy is liked by anybody and everybody who has any interest in football. Dungy has no problem with deflecting praise away from himself, and his attitude that permeates the Colts organization defines the democratic ideals and openness of the Rebel Alliance.
The way Peyton Manning leads the Colts is eerily similar to the way Luke Skywalker led the Rebels. Peyton is simply the face of the NFL universe, just as Luke is in Star Wars. He is matched in skill by no one other than maybe Brady, just as Luke is matched by no one other than Vader. But unlike Brady and the Dark Lord, Peyton has a huge say in how things are run on the football field. He is given a level of play calling that no one in the league can match.
The analogy even goes back to when this Patriots team won its first Super Bowl against the Rams. At that time they were nowhere near the Empire status they have achieved since. In fact, they were essentially America's team, coming out of nowhere to beat the Greatest Show on Turf in a season marked by September 11. And in the Star Wars saga, the Empire was originally the Galactic Senate and a bastion of peace. To make a long story short, they turn evil, and as they became more powerful, they became more evil. That first Patriots Super Bowl winner was a team with a very modest amount of talent. And each year they gained more and more weapons, until this season when they look like one of the most dominant teams the league has ever seen.
Both these teams are the premiere forces in the league. But they couldn't be any more different. No other teams have had a rivalry in recent memory that can come anywhere close to matching the Colts and Pats. Star Wars may be the geek in me coming out, but how can you argue with the classic struggle of good vs. evil. And how can you argue with Indianapolis vs. New England.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)