Ok, so they don't suck. But there is a lot of trepidation that they will duplicate their 10 game winless streak from last year coming out of the All-Star break.
There seems to be a consensus that the main reason the Flyers are struggling (Or possibly will be struggling) is a lack of effort/energy/enthusiasm/hard work/etc. And while, at times, I can see that as a problem, I see something much more concrete. And perhaps cliche.
The Flyers struggle because they don't execute. Passes are off the mark - most often into a teammates skates; pucks are sliding off a player's stick as they go to shoot or pass; pucks bounce away from players. To put it simply, they just aren't as sharp as they were when they were winning consistently. It's a hard thing to notice to the untrained eye (Yeah, the guy who's never worn a pair of ice skates has a "trained" eye), but at the NHL level, being a "tad off" is often the difference between winning and losing.
I find it hard to believe that this team isn't working hard enough. In hockey, a team follows their captain more than any other sport. And Mike Richards is shaping up to be a fantastic captain. Based on how hard he works, the team follows suit. It also helps that he has a handful of teammates who are natural leaders and hard workers. Work ethic is not the issue with this team.
There is one area that they do appear to be getting lazy in; decision making. I think that because of the success they've had earlier this season, certain players have become a little too comfortable with the puck. Jeff Carter's line is a prime example. I could see around the turn of the calendar year that, despite their amazing success together, a slump was coming. How could I tell? They were getting too cute with the puck. They were trying to make the pretty play. At the time, it was still working. But now it's not. That line needs to get back to the basics by just getting the puck to the net.
While they have not played terribly lately, they are losing games they shouldn't lose. And, quite frankly, they can't afford to lose out on these points with the competition the way it is in the East. The Flyers need to break out of this mini-funk they're in before it turns into a season altering funk. Despite the streak last year, they still made the playoffs, and made a nice run in the playoffs. But they lost out on home ice advantage. And judging by how well some of the teams in the East are playing at home this year, they will need it this time around.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
There Is No Fate in Sports
The Eagles can't keep the fans' feelings of invincibility, from the Phillies' title, alive.
Fate. Destiny. Meant to be. These, along with countless other cliches, seem to be used to describe at least one team's success every year in every sport. Unfortunately none of it exists. As was proven in the NFC Championship on Sunday, the better team that day will win. Period.
Philadelphia fans saw something extraordinary this fall. By now the Phillies' story is well known. Throughout the month of October, fans invested more and more emotion into their sports team. And for the first time in 25 years, they weren't let down. First the first time in my life (Coincidentally, I'm 25 years old), I now knew I wasn't always going to be doomed to the "Close, but no cigar."
And then when everything line up perfectly for the Eagles on the final day of the regular season, in order for them to make the playoffs, things seemed destined. Things seemed even more destined when we found out that the only thing between the Birds and the Super Bowl were the Arizona Cardinals; the same Cardinals the Eagles crushed on Thanksgiving Night; the same Cardinals who's championship drought dwarfs that of the Eagles.
Before the Phillies' breaking through in October, I'd view this past Eagles game with a certain degree of trepidation. But things are different now. I went all out, emotionally, on this one. Because of the Phillies, this Eagles team appeared destined to do something special as well. Lesson learned; games, and championships especially, are won on the field (or ice or court), not in the "heavens."
Fate. Destiny. Meant to be. These, along with countless other cliches, seem to be used to describe at least one team's success every year in every sport. Unfortunately none of it exists. As was proven in the NFC Championship on Sunday, the better team that day will win. Period.
Philadelphia fans saw something extraordinary this fall. By now the Phillies' story is well known. Throughout the month of October, fans invested more and more emotion into their sports team. And for the first time in 25 years, they weren't let down. First the first time in my life (Coincidentally, I'm 25 years old), I now knew I wasn't always going to be doomed to the "Close, but no cigar."
And then when everything line up perfectly for the Eagles on the final day of the regular season, in order for them to make the playoffs, things seemed destined. Things seemed even more destined when we found out that the only thing between the Birds and the Super Bowl were the Arizona Cardinals; the same Cardinals the Eagles crushed on Thanksgiving Night; the same Cardinals who's championship drought dwarfs that of the Eagles.
Before the Phillies' breaking through in October, I'd view this past Eagles game with a certain degree of trepidation. But things are different now. I went all out, emotionally, on this one. Because of the Phillies, this Eagles team appeared destined to do something special as well. Lesson learned; games, and championships especially, are won on the field (or ice or court), not in the "heavens."
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Another Reason to Lose Respect for Malkin (And ESPN)
Apparently the two Russian stars' friendship is on the ropes. And ESPN thinks this is something we should all know.
That's right; according to this ESPN article NHL stars, and Russian natives, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are feuding. To summarize (and to not subject anyone to actually having to read ESPN's article), the friendship is being strained because Malkin does not like how physical Ovechkin plays against him when their two teams meet.
Get ready for the worst quote by a hockey player ever. "Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me -- I don't know why," Malkin said. Hey Geno (A nickname his teammates gave him), hockey is a physical game. Hitting is part of the game. And for Ovechkin, hitting hard is part of his game. That is what makes him the most dominant player in the world (That, and the enormous amount of talent he's been gifted with). He's not afraid to throw his weight around.
Now, Malkin is either necessarily. I've seen him throw a number of solid hits that lead to scoring chances. So, Malkin is apparently fine with the physical part of the game except when it's done to him, especially by his friends. I wonder if he expects Ovechkin to take it easy on him when their teams play each other.
For all the talent that Malkin has, he continues to show me he doesn't have the toughness to be an all-time great. From his running away from Russia to play in the NHL, we saw his selfishness. From his increasingly shrinking role in the playoffs last year, we saw that he doesn't have the desire to win as much as his teammate Sidney Crosby (Or Ovechkin for that matter). And from this story, we know he expects certain opponents to take it easy on him. Granted, being barely old enough to drink, maybe Malkin has yet grow into the great leader that his talent suggests he should be. But the two other players mentioned above, both similar ages, have already shown their ability to be complete players and leaders.
That's right; according to this ESPN article NHL stars, and Russian natives, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are feuding. To summarize (and to not subject anyone to actually having to read ESPN's article), the friendship is being strained because Malkin does not like how physical Ovechkin plays against him when their two teams meet.
Get ready for the worst quote by a hockey player ever. "Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me -- I don't know why," Malkin said. Hey Geno (A nickname his teammates gave him), hockey is a physical game. Hitting is part of the game. And for Ovechkin, hitting hard is part of his game. That is what makes him the most dominant player in the world (That, and the enormous amount of talent he's been gifted with). He's not afraid to throw his weight around.
Now, Malkin is either necessarily. I've seen him throw a number of solid hits that lead to scoring chances. So, Malkin is apparently fine with the physical part of the game except when it's done to him, especially by his friends. I wonder if he expects Ovechkin to take it easy on him when their teams play each other.
For all the talent that Malkin has, he continues to show me he doesn't have the toughness to be an all-time great. From his running away from Russia to play in the NHL, we saw his selfishness. From his increasingly shrinking role in the playoffs last year, we saw that he doesn't have the desire to win as much as his teammate Sidney Crosby (Or Ovechkin for that matter). And from this story, we know he expects certain opponents to take it easy on him. Granted, being barely old enough to drink, maybe Malkin has yet grow into the great leader that his talent suggests he should be. But the two other players mentioned above, both similar ages, have already shown their ability to be complete players and leaders.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Playoff Beards
The Eagles may be succeeding right now on the football field, but they are failing when it comes to instituting the playoff beard.
When I look back on my posts (which won't take that long considering my lack of activity over the past year), and I see a post labeled "Playoff Beards," I will no doubt think the post is about hockey. And I'm sure I'll get a couple of poor Google users to waste a minute of their time. But this issue is bugging me.
When the Eagles began their improbable (and unfinished) run to, and through, the playoffs, the players and coaches started growing facial hair in an effort to create some team unity. As dumb as that might sound to some, it's been done for years; most notably in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And I think it is one of the coolest things about hockey.
The Eagles are doing it wrong.
- First, defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, who I really respect, shaved after the Birds' week 16 loss to the Redskins. I know all appeared lost at that point, but when you start something like this, you don't stop until your season is over (Officially).
- Second, some players aren't doing it. What?! I don't care if you can't grow a beard. You try. That is part of the fun of it; making fun of the baby faces.
- Don't trim the beard; too many players have goatees, chin straps, and generally well groomed facial hair. This tradition is not about style or looks. In fact, it is almost totally about the opposite. Everyone looks like crap. But everyone looks like crap together, as a team.
- I heard someone call WIP today and suggest that everyone in the City start their beards. No. You can't start two weeks into the playoffs, and even worse, over a month after the official start.
It was a nice attempt by the Eagles, and some have done it very nicely (*clears throat* Andy Reid). And in the end, it appears to have had the desired effect. But maybe a crazy tradition like this should be left to the experts of crazy traditions (Hockey players, for those not following).
When I look back on my posts (which won't take that long considering my lack of activity over the past year), and I see a post labeled "Playoff Beards," I will no doubt think the post is about hockey. And I'm sure I'll get a couple of poor Google users to waste a minute of their time. But this issue is bugging me.
When the Eagles began their improbable (and unfinished) run to, and through, the playoffs, the players and coaches started growing facial hair in an effort to create some team unity. As dumb as that might sound to some, it's been done for years; most notably in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And I think it is one of the coolest things about hockey.
The Eagles are doing it wrong.
- First, defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, who I really respect, shaved after the Birds' week 16 loss to the Redskins. I know all appeared lost at that point, but when you start something like this, you don't stop until your season is over (Officially).
- Second, some players aren't doing it. What?! I don't care if you can't grow a beard. You try. That is part of the fun of it; making fun of the baby faces.
- Don't trim the beard; too many players have goatees, chin straps, and generally well groomed facial hair. This tradition is not about style or looks. In fact, it is almost totally about the opposite. Everyone looks like crap. But everyone looks like crap together, as a team.
- I heard someone call WIP today and suggest that everyone in the City start their beards. No. You can't start two weeks into the playoffs, and even worse, over a month after the official start.
It was a nice attempt by the Eagles, and some have done it very nicely (*clears throat* Andy Reid). And in the end, it appears to have had the desired effect. But maybe a crazy tradition like this should be left to the experts of crazy traditions (Hockey players, for those not following).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)