On Monday, to our great amusement, members of the Boston media stumbled across the I Watched This Game recap of the Bruins/Canucks game and, unfamiliar with the way we do things, made the mistake of taking the writing completely seriously. The result was hilarious, as both a Boston sportswriter and two Boston sports radio hosts ripped us for points that, clearly, they did not get.
Our first stop is a quickie blog post from Eric Wilbur, who writes for a number of different New England outlets such as The Boston Globe, NESN.com, and Boston.com. Wilbur took particular exception to the following point from the IWTG:
It’s not surprising that [Henrik Sedin] dislikes the Boston faithful. They can seem…uninformed. (Of course, when you consider where they get their information, you can’t blame ‘em.) For example, Cory Schneider got the start in this game, but the crowd jeered Luongo five times. Ridiculous. Only once did they get it right, chanting “We Want Luongo,” proving that their relationship with him is akin to a kindergarten crush. They pick on him because they secretly like him.
Again, for those of you who read the IWTG on the regular (and heck, even for those of you don’t, but use your heads on the regular, at least), you probably realized we had our tongues in our cheeks on this one, especially since the bottom half of the point makes it fairly clear that we’re well aware the TD Garden crowd knew Luongo wasn’t playing. But Wilbur reads it straight. This is his response:
Wow. Does Mooney really believe that the crowd thought Luongo was in net? I don’t know what to think. It’s either a lesson in the etiquette of taunting, or another desperate attempt to make Boston fans seem like uneducated neanderthals. I know we didn’t burn Causeway Street after the game, so maybe there is work to do before being considered true hockey fans. Sorry, Vancouver.
In fairness to Wilbur, the tired riot joke is proof positive that he’s not quite expending a lot of mental energy while writing this (as if you needed further proof after he insinuated that Sami Salo was faking his concussion, because Sami Salo isn’t just a head-hunter, he’s an injury-faker, apparently). Still, we found this pretty amusing.
It’s not just that he missed the subtext — it’s that the subtext was a shot at guys like him presenting information poorly.
It’s like he just turned state’s evidence.
But Wilbur wasn’t the only member of the Boston media to wind up laughing with us in an attempt to laugh at us. The IWTG also earned itself a whole segment late in the fourth hour of Boston sports radio program “Toucher & Rich.” (We’ll try not to take offense to being buried late in the program.)
Now, before we point out a few things from this clip that made us laugh, we should establish that we’re just as unfamiliar with Toucher & Rich as they are with PITB. That in mind, we don’t have a firm enough grasp on their craft to know if they’re actually as daffy as they sound, or if it’s some kind of act, and we’d hate to undermine our own credibility by trying to pick apart something we don’t understand. That’s a one-way street.
If you have 10 minutes to spare, here’s the audio:
If not, here are the highlights:
- “Oh my God… this is a legitimate… this is a guy who works for a well-established newspaper in that city?” I know, right? Some days, when I’m using the magnetic lasso to cut out Ryan Kesler’s naked body for a post header, I find myself just as outraged as you are.
- “Isn’t this the same people that defended the fans after that big riot after game seven?” No sir. You dreamed that blog. Stop drinking pickle juice before bed.
- We really enjoyed how they missed the original subtext, then suggested a new subtext, specifically that the paragraph is actually about Canadians feeling Americans only care about fighting and are ignorant of the game. Ironically, as I said before, it’s actually about the way the Boston media misinforms the local fanbase, a hypothesis this entire segment supports.
- Despite making fools of themselves by missing our sarcasm, midway through this segment, sarcasm comes up. Not only do they establish that they use sarcasm and get all holier-than-thou about the fact that some people don’t get it, but they later say, “It’s Canada [...] sarcasm won’t make its way up there until 2014.” Rough.
- “What is it with the blind homer stuff? You shouldn’t like Luongo.” I dare to suggest these guys don’t understand irony either.
- Speaking of irony, sports radio hosts suggesting I’m long-winded is the height of it.
- Luongo is a “spoiled, rich, whiny, glass-jawed baby.” Easy there, fellas, you’d hate to cross over into broad, infantile, unprofessional, personal attacks. Not sure if you’re there yet, but you’re getting mighty close. (Note: That was sarcasm. Sarcasm may not be in Canada yet, but we live close to the border, so we get it at Kroger.)
- “Did he address the whole 6-on-1 thing?” We loved the way they kept coming back to this. If the situations were reversed, Jack Edwards would have been screaming “Because teammates don’t let stuff like that happen to teammates, are you watching, Buffalo, here’s the textbook, you want to be paying attention!!” The best part of the whole 6-on-1 piece of rhetoric is that, seven months ago, the Canucks were ripped for not standing up for themselves. Now they do and they’re the aggressors. Silly.
- Speaking of Jack Edwards, Toucher & Rich suggest that, were we watching the NESN broadcast, we would have seen a much less skewed take on things. I’m not going to say I stifled laughter at that, but that’s only because I didn’t — I laughed aloud.
- And finally, if it wasn’t apparent that these two guys are clueless, the suggestion that Sami Salo came this close to facing criminal charges for almost throwing his stick over the glass is the cherry on their myopic sundae. We specifically enjoyed this gem: “That’s a weapon. Those things are sharp.” No, Swords are sharp. Hockey sticks are blunt. And Toucher & Rich are far more hockey stick than sword.
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Cam Charron
January 10, 2012If Sami Salo were playing with a sword, that explains why Brad Marchand needed to get into a defensive position.
It… it all makes sense!!!
stathead
January 10, 2012Coulda sworn I saw Sami drawing a blade on poor Marchand going into that low hit; no wonder he had to drop into a defensive position. But I thought it was a machete. Everyone in the league knows you have to watch out for Salo.
peanutflower
January 11, 2012it was the old sword hidden in the hockey stick trick. you know, that trick.
stathead
January 12, 2012I say we give all the goalies bayonets for the ends of their sticks and see what happens.
Dan H
January 12, 2012Oooops, maybe I should look in the mirror…
Joe
January 10, 2012This might be the best thing written about the game in the last two days.
tj
January 10, 2012I’m not at all surprised, really. Do you know a large proportion of conservative Americans still think Stephen Colbert *is*, well, Stephen Colbert? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/27/colbert-study-conservativ_n_191899.html
There are some bright Boston sports writers out there (I just passed by one in SB Nation) trying to fight against the swell. I wish them well.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Conservative America is, as a whole, dumb. (See: Bush, George W.)
Nick@TheDevilsZone
January 10, 2012Hey, lighten up Francis. This is a hockey blog. No need to start riffing on politics. Cant we all just be united in our love for hockey, our appreciation for Harrisions genius, and the common belief that Gary Bettman should be drawn & quartered?
Bob
January 10, 2012Yeah this was a classic piece, what’s your next line ‘I know you are butwhat am I’. This wasn’t the least bit interesting or funny. Nice Kroger line, only problem is Kroger isn’t in Boston so most fans wouldn’t have a clue what that is, however even if they did it still wasn’t funny. Maybe you should know your intended audience to insult.
BTW, shocked to see you admitted Weise’s stupid comments about the fight were just that, ‘stupid’. He must have been watching some old Claude Lemeiux tapes, another player who would fit well on that Vancouver team.
But keep on being a homer, support Luongo and inflate his tires despite him being afraid to play the B’s, completely ignore Burrows stick to the throat, the 6 on 1, Henrik’s (or is it Thelma?) jabs and then jump to the bench, and go after the one thing the Bruins did wrong which was the Marchand hit. And in reality given the 2 similiar hits thrown by Canucks last year in the finals, it was due. But you continue to ignore the actions of your players and just focus on the Big Bad Bruins.. now go get your blankie and go back to back to being irrelevant, your blog already got more attention then it deserves…
Jon
January 10, 2012You seemed to have missed the point of this article.
kim
January 10, 2012Not a surprise. Lost hope at any kind of wit or coherency with the Thelma comment.
Misha
January 11, 2012Dont’ understand…what makes this guy think intended audience is Bruins fans? Also, am I the only one who thinks Boston goalie start had more to do with Cory being from there, and the next game being against Florida where Lui used to play? Seems perfectly alright with me to allocate the starts like that…
tj
January 10, 2012Heh heh. Funny Bob. You just can’t help yourself. The intended audience was PITB fans. Like how to use school-yard language to call Harrison infantile. Why are you still reading this blog if it gets you so mad?
shoes
January 10, 2012you missed the point of the article by miles and it might have been written about you. And don’t worry we get it………you guys don’t think we are tough enough and at the same time you think we are big meanies. clever, aren’t ya’all?
laces
January 11, 2012If you’re going to use y’all at least spell it correctly bud.
shoes
January 11, 2012Ya’all is correct……..when addressing mullets, such as found in Alberta, Illinois and Mass.
Karen
January 11, 2012That’s a rude thing to say.
… about Alberta.
BedBeats
January 10, 2012WHAAAAAAA!!!!!!! Holy crap.
John Andress
January 10, 2012Ah jeez. You just gotta laugh.
stathead
January 10, 2012This reply is to the other regulars for the site, not for the guy who posted – shall we all just ignore these guys, not engage or reply, & let the moderators sort out any actual abuse? I think they just want to engage, and there’s plenty of other sites where they can find people who’ll do that.
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012It’s a very good idea.
stathead
January 10, 2012Now I just need to take my own advice. “Cancel my meetings! Someone on the internet is WRONG! I have to sort them out!”
Shand
January 11, 2012TEHEHEHEHE
Mark
January 10, 2012Dear PITB,
That’s some fine writing. Quite enjoyed that.
Cheers,
A Canuck fan.
Jaime
January 11, 2012I have to agree with you on that – I got a good laugh out of it. Does Wilbur not understand the use of sarcasm? Embarassing that he represents the New England area.
~A Bruins fan
FrancoL
January 10, 2012The PITB blog is often the most amusing part of my day. Keep up the great work, Mooney.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 20121. The riot joke will never get old mainly because it’s fact. The fine, upstanding denizens of Vancouver felt the need to destroy portions of their city because of a hockey game. How very Montreal of them…
2. Granted it would take 6 Canucks to beat up Shawn Thornton, but that still doesn’t mean it’s legal. The refs blew that one and Kerry Frasier agrees. Jack may be a homer, but he’s not stupid.
3. The Boston media isnt stoking the flames here, the fanbase is doing that all on their own.
4. Toucher & Rich, while on a sports radio station are not the atypical sports radio show. I wouldn’t expect you to understand that from a 9 minute clip and for that you’re excused. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to have you to discuss this further: @toucherandrich.
Lastly, if yesterday’s column was filled with so much sarcasm then clearly all of Americans are far more ignorant than we’ve been lead to believe…
Mark Ragnar
January 10, 2012Boston BRUINS fans do have a right to feel smug about the Vancouver right – after all, aren’t the Bruins the only Boston sports team not to spark a riot in the last decade?
Frank
January 11, 2012What riot(s) do you speak of? And Don’t even bring up when a cop accidentally shot a girl after the Sox won.
CabinBirch
January 11, 2012Boston: 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008
Three fans died in recent Boston sports riots — one after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in February 2004, another after the Red Sox won the 2004 AL pennant and a third after the Celtics won the 2008 NBA crown.
At least 37 arrests were made as fans burned cars and threw bottles at police after the Red Sox won the 2007 World Series. Police arrested at least 20 fans after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, and fans also rioted after the Pats won the Super Bowl in February 2005.
Cam Charron
January 10, 2012Toucher & Rich are NOT YOUR FATHER’S SPORTS SHOW
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012You sure? Considering their misunderstanding of blogs, they seem a lot like my father.
JS Topher
January 10, 2012In that comment, there is a sliver of pain being released. I feel for you Sir Harrsion Mooney
Trevor
January 10, 2012You’re definitely right about point #1, laughing at riots will never get old. I mean, Boston fans should know right? Or did you guys stop laughing when that college student was killed at one in Boston in 2004? The Celtics riot in 2008? If we will lay down and admit defeat at anything, it’s that there’s no city more riotous than Boston. It’s the city of historical riots: the Tea Party, the Boston Bread Riots, the riots after the 1919 Boston police strike, etc, etc. There’s even a “Boston by Foot” riot tour.
I’ll not even bother looking for instances of Bruins ganging up on anyone, or Boston media promoting sensationalism in journalism since I prefer a challenge, but I’ll make one more point. I think you meant to say Toucher & Rich are not the *typical* sports radio show. It seems they *are atypical* based on your response since atypical means “not representative of a type, group or class.”
REM
January 11, 2012Great response- you beat me to pointing out that that guy clearly doesn’t know what atypical means. And I love Mooney’s point about the Canucks ganging up on poor Thornton. He’s exactly right – if the shoe was on the other foot that would be called standing up for a teammate.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012Okay, as you made a point about it, and it seems to be a point made ad nauseum by anyone remotely associated with Bruins media, here are some numbers:
1713
1770
1773
1919
2004 – 2 dead
2004 (different event)
2007
2008
Those are riots in Boston. So how’s about just dropping that topic. No one ever died here. Well, actually we all died a little bit inside, but we’re over it now. So y’all should just get over it too.
Frank
January 11, 2012Ha. It must suck only having 1 sports team! WE RIOT WHEN WE WIN. NOT WHEN WE LOSE LIKE A BUNCH OF LIMP_WRISTED CRY-BABIES. I like how you went back to the 1700s you corncob.
***BOOM ROASTED***
Bon Jovi
January 11, 2012Frank, stop trying to say something. You’re are embarrasing the good people of Boston.
bagge72
January 11, 20121713
1770
1773
1919
2004 – 2 dead NOT OFFICIALLY CONSIDERED A RIOT
2004 (different event) NOT OFFICIALLY CONSIDERED A RIOT
2007 NOT OFFICIALLY CONSIDERED A RIOT
2008 NOT OFFICIALLY CONSIDERED A RIOT
Vancouver Riots
1938
1971
1994
2011
Harrison Mooney
January 11, 2012So because you don’t consider them riots, they’re not riots?
Then I don’t consider 1994 or 2011 riots either. Thoroughly polite dust-ups, those.
bagge72
January 11, 2012Actually I would consider them celebrations that got out of hand. They weren’t rioting against anything. There weren’t protesting against any government, or opponent.
dunegig
January 11, 2012Riots =/= protests.
peanutflower
January 11, 2012Well, it’s good to know that you think that, and that you have your own private riot rating system. We’ll be sure to use that the next time we have a celebration that gets out of hand.
John Andress
January 10, 20121) Do you mean that it is only Canucks, Patriots and Red Sox fans that riot after big games?
2) Don’t watch the Bruins much, do you? Piling on outnumbered opponents is the least of their aggressions.
3) I can see that, but they are getting a bit of help from Claude Julien, Peter Chiarelli and that beacon of intellectual enlightenment, Jack Edwards.
4) I don’t really care about Toucher & Rich and the nuance in this post which may well have eluded you is that I am sure Mr. Mooney doesn’t either.
As to your last paragraph, reading post like yours and the great mass of trash coming out of Boston over the past two days, are quickly making me a believer that this is true. I know, of course, that it is not, but you are making it “seem” true. Spot the difference?
LOL@VAN
January 10, 2012Oh PITB – It’s funny that you can’t see that you are the only ones who don’t see how stupid you really look in this whole situation. While trying to take the high road, you inevitably crashed and burned (much like your city after Game 7).
shoes
January 10, 2012What? Are you 12?
Trevor
January 10, 2012I’m pretty sure PITB is the first to admit they’ve never taken the high road a day in their life. In fact, I’d be willing to bet our very own Mr Mooney might even cheat on a scrabble game with the benefits going to sick kids – that’s the kind of guys they are.
As far as crashing and burning, you might want to read my other post a little further up in response to jokes about the riot never getting old. But be warned, it’s a doozy!
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Hahaha that’s horrible. Not only would I never cheat in a charity Scrabble game, but we do try to take the high road, if possible. In this case, it was hardly possible.
Johan
January 10, 2012I don’t know, there’s something to be said for live and let be. The team put a lot into the “its just another regular season game” mantra, so shouldn’t we all abide by that. This post does seem to be sinking to their level a bit.
Trevor
January 10, 2012I may have oversold the depths of your depravity for effect. Sometimes you’ve got to be a little more obvious to get your point across.
iceman
January 10, 2012Don’t bother.
You are just one of many trolls here who failed to make any valid point. All you do is gloating about the cup and joking about the riot, which people of Boston has set the bar so high in the history books that the other cities can’t even come close.
Now go upstairs and finish your homework.
Errol
January 10, 2012Bob. Lol. That’s all.
Keep up the good work Messr. Mooney and Wagner.
Innovation
January 10, 2012*facepalm* Something tells me that some of the commentators on this column still haven’t realized that this article is a joke on a joke.
Parker
January 10, 2012Shh, it’s okay. Don’t confuse them… oh, too late…
Don_Rocko
January 10, 2012>(Note: That was sarcasm. Sarcasm may not be in Canada yet, but we live close to the border, so we get it at Kroger.)
You guys are usually good for one morning “coffee-spit-take”-moment per article. This sentence alone was worth two. Well done.
Mike
January 10, 2012Do you consider 6 on 1 standing up for themselves? The epitome of Vancouver is Weise yapping before puck drop and not answering the bell. Typical Vancouver, that’s why we have a cup, and you have burning cars and broken light posts.
iceman
January 10, 2012OMG yet another cup-gloating, riot-joking troll alert! It’s so scary…
Seriously dude, there are many things in the world you can recycle to make good. Joke is not one of them.
Borrow your friend’s brain and come up with something new.
stathead
January 11, 2012Just posting in a few places this quote I just stumbled across even though it’s well after the fact. This is partly because I would like poor Weise’s name cleared as I do think he was just doing his best and had already fought once that period, and in the video to me he really does look a bit caught off guard. And also because I am new to hockey and think it’s crazy that a man gets so much more vilified for this than for a turnover that leads to a winning goal by another team. (Boys. Sigh.)
“Bruins forward Brad Marchand, making his regular appearance on WEEI with Mut and Merloni, revealed Wednesday that Bruins forward Shawn Thornton knew that Vancouver forward Dale Weise was not trying to fight him in the first period of Saturday’s game.
Weise extended a challenge and appeared ready to drop his gloves prior to a face-off in the opening period, but when Thornton dropped his gloves at 14:58 of the period, Weise, who had fourth Nathan Horton earlier in the period, kept them on. Though at first glance it appeared Weise was using a cheap tactic to sucker Thornton into a penalty, Marchand said Wednesday that the challenge was indeed being extended to Adam McQuaid, and that Thornton jumped in to “surprise” Weise.
“I’m going to clear it up for everyone who’s listening,” Marchand said. “It was actually a really sneaky play by Thorty. Weise was trying to fight McQuaid, who was standing behind Thornton on the point. McQuaid was going to fight him. So, Weise was yelling and saying, ‘Yeah, let’s go, let’s go.’
“Thorty just figured that at that point he’d drop his gloves and surprise Weise. And the ref just kind of heard Weise yelling ‘Let’s go’ and thought he was talking to Thorty and conning him into a penalty. Thorty kind of surprised him when Thorty dropped his gloves. Weise had no idea Thorty was going to do that.”
Added Marchand: “Him and Quaider know each other a bit from the minors and I think junior as well. They might have went at [it] there.”
Marchand’s words corroborate Weise’s story, as he told reporters prior to Monday’s game that he was trying to fight McQuaid.
Thornton expressed confusion by the play following the game, though he did suggest that Weise could have possibly been looking to fight McQuaid. Both players were given unsportsmanlike conduct minors for the ordeal.
“Oh, he said ‘let’s go’,” Thornton said after the game. “I don’t know if he was talking to me or someone else but [referee Dan O'Rourke] heard him and [referee Don] VanMassenhoven heard him and that’s why he went with me I’m assuming. I mean, you’ll have to ask him. But Donny said, “wait until the puck drops” and I said “of course”. I heard him say ‘we’ll go’, maybe he was talking to McQuaid or I have no idea. But, I thought it was, obviously thought it was go time.”
Thornton added Tuesday night on Comcast Sports Net that he wanted to fight Weise because he was among the players who jumped him when he was drastically outnumbered 3:54 into the game.”
Scrumhalfsteve
January 10, 2012Pathetic blog from a terrible sports town. First off- facts are facts. You lost in Game 7, showed no class and destroyed sections of your city in a riot. Your coach was afraid to play your goalie in Boston because he is an emotional wreck. 6-1 is never fair regardless of the circumstances. Weiss called out Thorton then backed down like a coward and got called for it. Lucic should never have been thrown out of the game. Marchand’s penalty was dumb and he will pay for it. However, that gave him no right for your coach to be so classless as to call out for revenge against him. I hope you have the balls to call into to Toucher and Rich to discuss. But since you are from Canada I am sure you don’t and will not. I hope the Bruins beat you again in the finals and you can show how great you are by destroying your city again.
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Why would I call? I’ve explained myself thoroughly here. They can just read it on-air again.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012A back & forth wouldnt be more worthwhile? Continue to hide behind your blog…
Steven Ray Orr
January 10, 2012Valuable to whom?
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Adults.
Chris
January 10, 2012I don’ t understand…how is publishing something on a blog for everybody to read hiding?
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Doesnt allow for a reasonable response. Just makes for a constant back & forth with no resolution.
jer
January 10, 2012love the assertion that sports radio is a place where discussions and responses are ‘reasonable’. in boston, sports radio = better forum for reasoned discussion than the written word?
kim
January 10, 2012Only if they mispronounce Mr. Mooney’s and Mr. Wagner’s names.
JS Topher
January 10, 2012How is he hiding? His picture and name are right there!
A back and forth? But Mooney and Wagner are only simple-minded Canadian blog scribes, not top notch well educated radio hosts. The air waves wouldn’t be able to handle their long windedness not with the concise manner of rhetoric those Rich and Toucher guys put out. How about we schedule it for 2014 when we get that first shipment of sarcasm? We don’t wanna be crossing the border with it. Afterall, it’s clearly more dangerous than we all realize.
Steve in Boston
January 11, 2012C’mon, that’s a picture of Forest Whitaker post The Crying Game. Toucher & Rich are sports comedians like Lyndon Byers. probably less serious than this blog. I hope the Nucks are happy with going 4/11 on the power play that day including the 2 man advantage goal.
Axeman
January 11, 2012“I hope the Nucks are happy with going 4/11 on the power play that day including the 2 man advantage goal.”
We are, thanks. I missed the rule change where power play goals no longer count.
joel
January 10, 2012Sorry but Toucher and Rich wont be able to punch him over the phone like you hope.
Chris
January 10, 2012Hate to feed the trolls, but Mooney fed the media trolls so I will too.
Like you say – facts are facts. Vigneault didn’t call out for revenge on Marchand; he simply stated the fact that given the way he plays, somebody’s going to make him pay if the league doesn’t. Thankfully, the league made him pay 5 games and $150k of salary, so it appears that they agree.
Boston and Vancouver sports fans handle defeat in the strangest ways. Vancouver fans take out their aggression on cars and buildings (admittedly dangerous and immature). Boston fans do so by demonizing their opponents and their opponents’ fanbases. To think that Boston’s only transgression was the Marchand hit is laughable. That hit was dirty, cowardly, and emblematic of how their team tries to win games. Seems like both sides will benefit from the realization that neither roster is comprised of saints.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012I submit to you K. Ballard, D. Hamhuis, M. Raymond…all committed similar hits with no league action. That said Marchand deserves a suspension, but not 5 games. Raffi Torres is running roughshod throwing elbows to 3 different players, but only gets 3?! Get real, Shanny.
Boston fans do not commit felonies when their teams lose so “demonizing” an opponent is a FAR lesser transgression.
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Enough about the riot. Seriously, if Boston rioted, I would assume that it wasn’t all the fans — it was the idiots. And I know there are some Boston fans that are bigger idiots than others, trust me on that.
Read the Marchand suspension post. Better yet, watch the Shanahan video. He very clearly explains what separates the Marchand hit from the three you guys keep coming back to. Ballard and Raymond were acting defensively. Hamhuis made a clean hipcheck with his hip, not his shoulder. Marchand, on the other hand, was out to hurt a guy. And Shanahan proved it.
JS Topher
January 10, 2012Amen, Mooney!
Educated sports writer, right here^
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Um…we didnt riot and never would so there’s that. Trust you? You’re 3000 miles away while I sit within the city limits, how would know who has the bigger idiots?! That’s illogical. I’ve seen the video, read the post, etc…Marchand’s hit was dirty, Agreed. I just do not like the inconsistency from Shanny and his heavy handed method of justice. I’d say Raffi Torres is a FAR dirtier player than Marchand yet he’s given a lesser suspension for his reign of terror a couple weeks ago? Come on…
shoes
January 10, 2012Dave…you are seriously delusional…….a hip check is something that your little puke hero did not come close to making. One of the ways that an uneducated fellow like yourself can tell a darn good hipcheck…..is that it never injures the player getting hit….it just looks like it should. The player recieving the hipcheck usually jumps in the air and thus ends up making contact at his ankles (not the fault of the hitter) The hitter must have his legs straight and bent at the waist only. Your little puke hero had a knee on the ice and never even considered the puck or playing it. Stop yapping about consistency unless you include a demand for Chara to be called on the carpet for 1/2 killing paciorretty. I am just praying that all Boston fans are not as dumb as you appear to be.
laces
January 11, 2012am I crazy or did Dave just agree that Marchand’s hit was dirty….yet you still tirade and claim that he can’t tell the difference between a clean and dirty hit….interesting.
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012“You’re 3000 miles away while I sit within the city limits, how would know who has the bigger idiots?! That’s illogical.” I agree. But with your ignorance on our city fully admitted, why haven’t you disappeared in a wisp of smoke?
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012*poof*
Trevor
January 10, 2012Boston has rioted, multiple times. Let me quote ESPN.com:
“Three fans died in recent Boston sports riots — one after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in February 2004, another after the Red Sox won the 2004 AL pennant and a third after the Celtics won the 2008 NBA crown.
At least 37 arrests were made as fans burned cars and threw bottles at police after the Red Sox won the 2007 World Series. Police arrested at least 20 fans after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, and fans also rioted after the Pats won the Super Bowl in February 2005.”
Now, I personally don’t judge cities based on riots. They’ve happened in Chicago, Detroit, Vancouver, Boston, Denver, Montreal and pretty much every other major city that has a long sports history and big championship games. I think there’s some idiots in every city but you shouldn’t judge the majority of people on them. I also think Boston is a good city.
But obviously judging from some Boston fans, a riot that resulted in some property damage tarnishes Vancouver forever. I wonder what multiple riots that result in deaths do to a city? Man, if you dislike Vancouver, you guys must HATE Boston.
tj
January 10, 2012There was a lot of analysis after the Van riot, and one point that was brought up time and again was human tendency to mob mentality throughout history. The analyses weren’t in apologia, but a balm as so many folk just couldn’t wrap their brains around it (witness that wacky wall of love post-riot).
Humans are just weird in all manner of ways.
Trevor
January 10, 2012“Um…we didn’t riot and never would”? Are you from a city other than Boston? A city that never had major historical riots as well as multiple sports riots resulting (and a death no less) in the last decade? They have 12 step programs for that kind of denial.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012I’ll stick this here too just to make sure you read it, k?
Okay, as you made a point about it, and it seems to be a point made ad nauseum by anyone remotely associated with Bruins media, here are some numbers:
1713
1770
1773
1919
2004 – 2 dead
2004 (different event)
2007
2008
Those are riots in Boston. So how’s about just dropping that topic. No one ever died here. Well, actually we all died a little bit inside, but we’re over it now. So y’all should just get over it too.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012dang, i missed it by that much lol. i was just checking the dates…
peanutflower
January 11, 2012Raffi Torres = “reign of terror” Man, I wish he’d had a “reign of terror” when he played for us rather than his bowling ball imitation. That would have been sweet.
JS Topher
January 10, 2012Do you know what a hip check is? Are you familiar with how one is delivered? Maybe, you and Marchand can take that lesson together.
Chris
January 10, 2012JS – seems like you’re the authority on hipchecks, because I’m not sure Shanny could have explained it any more clearly. So many Bruins fans are bringing up Canucks hits in the SCF as proof of inconsistency, but they’re different in so many ways. Not only did Marchand hit lower and in a different context than Ballard, Hamhuis, and Raymond (as Mooney and Shanny describe), but it also caused in serious injury + Marchand is a repeat offender. If Rome’s late hit in the SCF didn’t cause injury, it would have been a 2-minute minor. Same with Marchand’s hit.
JS Topher
January 10, 2012Maybe you misunderstood me. And, I’m not entirely sure, I understand the point you are trying to make. So, please, allow me to explain further. I was trying to point out that the hits that Ballard and Hamhuis made, were hipchecks. While they bent over, they did not significantly lower their body position whilst making the hit. They more or less held their ground while the skater came towards them, hitting the opponent above the knee with their hip area.
Marchand on the other hand, lowered his entire body, and as Salo came in, you can see he turns his body to absorb a hit but, lets up a little yet, Marchand skates right through him at the knee area with his shoulder.
My point was that the hits are not the same, and only seem similar due to the flipping action of the hittee and the bending of the hitter. In conclusion, my point was that there is a reason why Marchand’s hit is considered not only a penalty but, also a punishable offense in comparison with the other hit from the SCF last year.
Also, if Shanny or anybody else playing fair, was in charge last year, Rome would not have been suspended. Not for a late hit, regardless of injury.
Trevor
January 10, 2012I’ve created a helpful guide for people still confused about how low Marchand goes when compared to one of the ‘highly contested’ hipchecks of Hamhuis. Required reading for many if I don’t say so myself.
http://elvis15.deviantart.com/art/Marchand-Hamhuis-hit-comparison-278739794
peanutflower
January 10, 2012What is this “from Canada” crap? What does that even mean?
K
January 10, 2012It`s because the Boston media haven’t yet learned the word “Canadian”
Bon Jovi
January 11, 2012DO NOT SET FOOT IN CANADA, EVER, SCUMHALFSTEVE.
James W.
January 10, 2012I think Bruins fans are just upset that they don’t have a PITB-esque blog to follow, and post here as a result. I’m sure the Sun doesn’t mind the extra traffic.
kim
January 10, 2012No kidding.
Having read though, ad nauseum, about how the Nucks are whiny, boorish, thugs, stupid, classless, divers, losers, sisters, wimps, Luongo is a puss, etc, etc, etc, I keep coming back to why are so many Boston fans/media writers so butthurt over what they are quick to tell us is a simple two points and means absolutely nothing.
It is to wonder, the primal screams over a mere two points to a loser team.
But do keep clicking away.
And don’t forget to tip your waitress.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012While I disagree, I LOVE your use of the word “butthurt!” Nicely done.
kim
January 10, 2012Really, though. It’s only two points. The Canucks are losers, right?
To quote Patrick Roy, you can’t hear us through the Stanley Cup rings in your ears.
Butthurt (don’t get to use this nearly enough – glad you liked!) does fit here, because that’s exactly the wailing we’re hearing over something that’s supposed to be insignificant.
Makes no sense.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Makes sense to us since we’re the ones who got “screwed” here. The term “fan” is short for fanatic which is what you & I both are in respect to our hockey teams. If the situation was reversed, you’d feel the same…actually I’d assume you were pretty butthurt after Game 7.
Also, Patrick Roy is a stiff.
kim
January 10, 2012Errr… no. I don’t troll other boards and call people names, make sexist remarks and engage in incoherency.
You’ve lost perspective. Screwed? Are you new to hockey? You’ve never seen dubious reffing, bad play, hot goalies, etc? What you called “screwed” is really “typical sports”. There’s no guarantee of anything. That’s why people can gamble on it.
What happened is we all got to see what would happen in a tightly called game. It was interesting, but no more than that.
And no, if the reverse happened I would not be behaving like Boston fans have been here. I have perspective and a life.
I was disappointed after game 7, but then I’m older and work in a hospital so perhaps my sense of perspective is a little different.
Thank you, though, for explaining to me why we are witnessing this behavior from Boston fans: Fanatics who have no perspective. Makes sense.
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012Ugh…my perspective is just fine. I used the word screwed in quotes as an example of how SOME Bruins fans feel. Personally I was more upset at the mugging Thornton took than anything else which debunks your “tightly called game” theory. Kerry Fraser even said the game was a mess. Also, perhaps YOU didnt act like mongrel after Game 7, but a large number of the residents of BC did. You’re condescending attitude is falls in line with the other Canuck fans.
Ciao!
bergberg
January 11, 2012“a large number of the residents in BC did”
Hahaha. We would have had burning cars all over the province if Dave Lapointe had his way!
Karen
January 11, 2012Kind of a valid point. Check out the tallies of people who are being charged – the smallest number is from Vancouver proper, if I recall correctly.
Steven Ray Orr
January 10, 2012Thanks for PITB. I appreciate reading it. You three are good at what you do.
swizzler
January 10, 2012If David Pratt worked in Boston….
Vansuck
January 10, 2012Umm the 6 on 1 is brought not for the team mates sticking up for team mates. It was brought up for the lack of penalties for the extra attackers by Vancouver. Jack would have said that, but would have accepted the penalties for the extra attackers.
Trevor
January 10, 2012I guess it’s a good thing neither team got penalized for extra attackers then. Lucic was penalized (and incorrectly so, but refs make mistakes) for coming back off the bench to join the fight. Unlucky for sure, but there’s a saying in rugby that applies here: the oval-shaped ball bounces badly for both sides.
Karen
January 11, 2012Also in rugby, when you’re done playing smashy smashy, you buy your opposite a beer and have a laugh. Methinks it’s time for Marchand and Salo to have a drinking contest. I hear owls have a tremendous liquor tolerance.
Trevor
January 11, 2012From the Bruins fans I’ve seen, they’re more likely to pour a beer on you than share it – and then call you names for wasting it.
Bon Jovi
January 11, 2012Yeah, all you Bawston fans are right. The Canucks shouldn’t have pla;yed like the Bruins last game and beat them at their own game. Plagiarism sucks.
chuggo fizzins
January 10, 2012I am an American, and a huge Canucks/PITB fan. I find it funny some of the posters ripping on people from Canada. They do realize a good amount of the Bruins players are from Canada right?
peanutflower
January 10, 2012Apparently not. That fact actually seems to be lost on most Americans.
obituary mambo
January 10, 2012Ditto. I’m American, a long time die-hard Canucks fan and a brand spanking new PITB fan. I made a similar point on the NHL.com boards (about how there is not one team in the league that doesn’t have a predominantly Canadian roster and that, therefore, the fact that a Canadian based organization hadn’t won in several years amounted to little more than a hill of beans), but some people appear to be willfully ignorant.
I look forward to much more PITB. Thanks for putting out such a fantastic blog. ^__^
obituary mambo
January 10, 2012PS ~ Why do some people have avatars and how can I get/upload one? I don’t see anywhere to do that. I uploaded one to my Vancouver Sun profile, but it doesn’t transfer over here.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012i was going to tell you how, but now I can’t remember. Ask Harrison, he’ll probably tell you.
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012I think they’re gravatars. You set them up at gravatar.com.
obituary mambo
January 10, 2012Thank you for fixing that for me. ^__^ I set up an avatar at gravatar.com. Fingers crossed this will all work out.
obituary mambo
January 10, 2012Victory! Thanks for the link.
SteveB
January 10, 2012I think that from now on if I see more than a dozen comments, I’ll just read the PITB post and skip the comments.
It turns into Trollsville and I can get all I want of that on YouTube comments and Yahoo blogs.
Ablefish
January 10, 2012I wouldn’t be so quick to skip the comments – or at least raise your count threshold. Most articles generate better than a dozen comments and they are almost always worth reading. The community on this blog is by and large composed of reasonable people who enjoy reading and discussing rational and entertaining articles about their team.
Sure, every once in a while someone from the Yahoo blogs stumbles over with axe to grind, but eventually the reasoned discussion/poetry/photoshoppery/cartoons soothes them and they drift off.
Zach Morris
January 10, 2012over 50, leave it be
TheWellwoods
January 10, 2012Whooh, it’s getting heated in here. *takes off scarf*
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Leave it on. Lots of sexist people here right now. Pretty lady like you, we’d hate for you to be objectified.
TheWellwoods
January 10, 2012Good point. *puts on anti-objectification poncho*
gumby
January 10, 2012There’s a poncho for that? Why not a bikini?
Oh, right.
shoes
January 11, 2012I guess we will never be rid of these Bruins fans now. What about Bruins fans doesn’t recognize the fact that their team has crossed the line several times in the “injuring other players dept”. Is it the fact that they have only being called on it once? That is not valid because even the most braindead hockey fan is aware that the man that is responsible for the “calling it” is the daddy of one of the Bruins players. I guess maybe that is a secret in Boston or they hockey dads are above reproach. On that subject, how is Milbury coming out of the investigation for beating up the 12 year old for dissing his kid?Or is that a secret too?
Katie
January 11, 2012No secret. All charges were dropped. A judge ruled there was no evidence of assault or any other criminal wrong-doing, but thanks for caring!
Neil B
January 12, 2012What really gets me is that Bruins fans — and some of the players themselves — don’t seem to get is that if the ‘Nucks are a bunch of whiners who cheated their way to the Cup finals instead of a ‘deserving’ team (like whom — Chicago? San Jose?) then that makes the Bruins’ win *less* significant, *less* important, *less* epic — not more.
If the Boston story was “we took on the absolute best team in the NHL, faster than us, more skilled than us — and we just refused to lose when everyone else had already quit on us” then it *is* an epic win.
In other words, by trash-talking the ‘Nucks *after* winning the SCF, all they are really doing is p***ing all over their own Championship and dissing their own character.
Pyewacket
January 10, 2012You guys have really made it now lol. Being misinterpreted and picked apart by the mainstream media? # weareallcanucks.
Curious
January 10, 2012Sorry to be off-topic, but what happened with the salo-is-your-pal-o contest?
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Um… we forgot about it. We’ll publish the results this week.
Daniel W.
January 10, 2012Those guys are supposed to be kidding, right?!
I sincerely hope for a response to this!
The fact that they HONESTLY think Salo threw his stick at the crowd…
lucicandchong
January 10, 2012With the way this whole thing is going you would think that Vancouver won the Cup last year and Boston is the city with a chip on their shoulder.
They’re somehow so mad.
dolph
January 10, 2012I moved from Toronto to Boston in 2000. I am a huge B’s fan and always have been but am embarassed by our media and fanbase right now. It’s one thing to be a fan, but we wanted Rome hung and quartered for a late hit. Am I the only Bruins fan who thinks Marchand crossed a line here and should just take this suspension and put the focus on Salo getting better? There are some civil boston fans, unfortunately most of them don’t post on blogs, and I for one hope Salo gets well soon.
tj
January 10, 2012Thanks, mate.
Trevor
January 10, 2012Cheers for that.
I made the mistake of reading a few posts on HFBoards after the suspension and people are ready to stop paying to go to games until the ‘pansyification’ of the NHL is rectified. Over here in Canuck land, we just threaten that when obvious injustices are passed over and we lose based on said clear conspiracy.
*I did some price shopping and found the sarcasm to be cheaper at Walgreens. Double item coupon too!
shoes
January 10, 2012you probably are not the only one, but you are right it is usually 1 or two that do all the posting.
On the subject of Rome last year….it is the first and probably last suspension ever for a late hit. The hit was not overly late, but instead modestly, it caused injury because Hortons head hit ice. That was why the suspension was given out. It was not consistent with NHL discipline before or even after, instead they look for ‘intent’ ……however a one man show can read minds and judge intent and still look impartial is beyond me though.
I personally feel that the NHL is letting all fans down by simply not clarifying the rules for everybody AND not being consistent in enforcing the rules. It really makes me wonder and when I wonder I always think…..its almost like one of the rule makers has a boy playing, because we all know how hockey parents can be. I even heard of one hockey dad beating on a 12 year old for dissing his kid about a shoe attack.
kim
January 10, 2012Nice post. Thanks for that. Real hockey fans don’t want to see ANYONE hurt.
As for Salo, it’s Salo and I’m kind of surprised he lasted as long as he did. Hopefully, he’ll be okay and be ready for the end of the season at the latest.
The B’s are a very good and skilled team. I hope they don’t let this take away from that skill.
vancitydan
January 10, 2012Harrison…thanks for the giggles. I love that they missed the irony and sarcasm and responded the way they did. Hilarious!
Dave Lapointe…thanks for being butthurt. Truly, the giggles come non stop
The best thing about all this? There is no doubt that the Bruins and their fanbase are the biggest bunch of whiners in the NHL. Any that thought it was the Canucks, even the most biased of Canuck haters, cannot look at their 1984 style media and blindered fans and see who wins the title of the biggest whiners.
Wowzers Bruins. To think that as a kid I used to be a fan. The proud days of Espo and Orr are gone, replaced by thuggery and whining.
27TimeChamps
January 10, 2012Pass It To Bulis is not a “Sarcastic” blog it’s more “Facetious” something that will arrive in Boston… well never
Dave LaPointe
January 10, 2012“Argument is the worst sort of conversation.”
- Jonathan Swift
I’ve enjoyed the fun, ‘Nucks fans. See you in June!
Tim
January 10, 2012Ok, before this turns into idiots from both sides saying ridiculous things, I’m gonna comment.
Let’s get one thing straight. The Marchand hit was dirty. Only a handful of bruins fans will tell you it wasn’t, and they probably don’t know the game enough. That being said, I think it is unfair to say the bruins are a dirty team because of this. 1 hit does not make a team dirty. I know the bruins had a lot of other hits, but I felt that was just physical hockey from both sides. To call the bruins a dirty team would be like calling the Canucks dirty after romes hit in the finals.
On the other end of the spectrum, in my years of watching hockey I have never seen such a pussy move like wiese committed. Ok, trying to draw a penalty, but that is despicable. Just like with te Marchand hit, I don’t think that means the whole Canucks team are pussies. There are dirty players and pussies on every team, and everyone on here needs to stop being so subjective to their team.
People need to realize this was a regular season game. And the media on each side need to stop trying to condescend and belittle the other. Each side is trying to act like their smarter and are clever, but at this point your both making fools of yourselves
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Hey look, a reasonable comment! I agree with you on nearly every point. I called out the Weise stunt in an earlier post. And both teams are capable of cheap, dirty play, as are any teams trying to win a hockey game at all costs.
As for the media trying to condescend and belittle the other, I agree in principle. I wasn’t going to call out the Boston media (and I don’t think these three guys represent the whole), but when they tried to mock me for something they didn’t get, I had to point that out. Other than that, yes, subjectivity is the problem in this whole debacle. When you go into a game assuming one team is good and one team is bad, everything you see is filtered through your confirmation bias. In truth, neither team is more saintly than the other.
Chuggo Fizzins
January 10, 2012“Before”
Trevor
January 10, 2012Fair comment, Tim. The only question I’d have (I wouldn’t ask it if I didn’t think I’d get an intelligent response) is this: which is worse for the game of hockey, a player backing out of a fight after indicating he would go, or a player hitting someone around the knees to defend himself from a larger opponent?
Katatonyk
January 10, 2012Does degree of “bad” actually make one better for you?
Trevor
January 10, 2012Well, if only had so many resources to decide what was worth suspending or what was worth a penalty during the game, degree of bad does play a pretty big role, yes.
jim
January 11, 2012“One hit does not make a team dirty.”
Correct. So let’s talk about Lucic on Miller. Chara breaking Pacioretti’s neck. Let’s talk about Marchand’s other transgressions…after all, he’s a repeat offender. (anyone notice how the first 5 letters of his name are the same as the dirtiest knee-taker-outer of all time…Bryan March-ment?! More than just a coincidence.)
We can talk about O’Reilly and buddies hopping the glass, or Wensink and Jonathan. Or Schmautz and his scalpel. Bobby Orr just about beating Quinn to death. Laycoe taking out the Rocket, or Shore breaking Bailey’s skull…yes, the Bruins’ history of gooning goes a long long long way back.
A shark is born swimming….the Bruins are born dirty. Face it!!
tom selleck's moustache
January 10, 2012‘“Did he address the whole 6-on-1 thing?” We loved the way they kept coming back to this. If the situations were reversed, Jack Edwards would have been screaming “Because teammates don’t let stuff like that happen to teammates, are you watching, Buffalo, here’s the textbook, you want to be paying attention!!” The best part of the whole 6-on-1 piece of rhetoric is that, seven months ago, the Canucks were ripped for not standing up for themselves. Now they do and they’re the aggressors. Silly.’
I was thinking the exact same thing as I kept reading the “6-on-1″ remarks in the comments sections. The Bruins do that on a regular basis and they’re lauded for it as “standing up for their teammates”. The Canucks do the exact same thing and we’re the supposed thugs and villians?
And the lose-lose narrative is very similar to Daniel’s situation where, if he stands up for himself, he’s allowed a checker to get him off his game; but if he doesn’t stand up for himself, he’s a “sister”. Ridiculous.
Keep up the good work guys; if you’re getting attention from mainstream media like this where they actually have to take time out of their day to respond to you, you must be doing something right.
akidd
January 10, 2012bedlam. fast and furious bedlam. not a lot of sense being made here. which cit riots more?!? just infantile. take a deep breath everybody. go for a walk(the sun’s out.) it’s all just a ball of jumbled sarcasm that’s about as engaging as yesterday’s panther game.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012Hey! Let’s talk about something different now, okay? The weather is pretty nice here today.
Rituro
January 10, 2012And how. Sunshine, clear blue skies… great day to sit around and read blog posts.
Nee
January 10, 2012BOS won the cup. And lost a game worth 2 points in January. I cannot for the life of me understand why there are still trolls coming around 3 days later.
You won the cup guys. Chill out. 2 FREAKING POINTS. Geez…
Melissa
January 10, 2012Did anybody mention that a bunch of hooligans threw tea chests into Boston Harbor, which basically started the American Revolutionary War. There was something about Bunker Hill as well…
I don’t think that Vancouverites have EVER started a war.
Emily
January 10, 2012I guess it depends if the Pig War counts or not!
stathead
January 10, 2012The Revolution was only a hiccough in the long course of the Empire. They’ll be subject to the Crown again… we’re just biding our time. When the time is ripe, we shall invade and occupy 49 states. (Not Utah. We don’t much fancy Utah.)
Trevor
January 11, 2012I’d mentioned it over on NESN in the comments of one of the Bruins/Canucks stories. I was actually not to talk about historical riots when Vancouver’s riots were grown adults rioting about sports, and that they never burned cars. I proceeded to point out stories on CNN and in local news feeds about the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics riots where cars were burned and people killed, but my comments on that were pretty heavily moderated.
Karen
January 11, 2012I think things got pretty heated when that weed guy got arrested.
joey from northend of boston
January 14, 2012if it wasnt for the usa you in vancover would be spreaking german right now the free world is a present from the unitedstates of america. usa stopped hitler and japan not the canadiens . alot of lives of americans were sacrificed so you can freely write on this blog. so cut sh.. with the country stuff keep it bruins vs canucks
Harrison Mooney
January 14, 2012Hahaha
tj
January 10, 2012So, the party line on the hit comes from the top, apparently: http://www.nesn.com/2012/01/cam-neely-responds-to-alain-vigneaults-criticism-of-brad-marchand-bruins.html
tj
January 10, 2012(oops, sorry, I posted this to the wrong thread…)
jenna schenn
January 10, 2012Clearly, winning with integrity isn’t something of value to the Bruins organization. Like someone mentioned above, I cannot fathom for the life of me why Bruins fans/media are so choked about the regular season loss to a team they beat when it mattered most? They won the Stanley Cup! Saturday’s matinee game is over and there is the rest of the season to play. I can give credit where credit is due, Boston is a formidable team that is difficult to play against and the Canucks did what they could to play against a tough team in a hostile environment and managed to pull a win for 2 points in the standings.
What irritates me the most about all this juvenile he said/she said is that in the end, the Bruins are still the defending Stanley Cup champions but integrity is not part of their definition of what it is to be a champion. Just ask Dr. Recchi, he should know all about. You can group the idiotic remarks of both Claude Julien, Chiarelli and Marchand somewhere in there as well. I still don’t understand why some Bruins fans/media/organization are still in denial. I’m guessing none of them watched Shanahan’s video explanation. It doesn’t help Claude Julien’s claim that “[vancouver] is smartest in the league” because now they just look stupid.
And for those who constantly bring up the riot as an insult, please, Boston has had their share of sports riots. Selective memory does not bring you anywhere in the long run. Other than that, homerism can clearly make or break you. PITB is the perfect combination of knowledge, wit and logic. Something that some Boston media clearly lacks.
peanutflower
January 10, 2012and actually, thanks to TJ above, you can add Cam Neely into the mix. He’s not above mixing it up either. He’s pretty disappointed in all of us… especially Sami. Apparently it’s not a bad thing to duck when someone comes barrelling at you. Okee doke. There’s that alternate universe again.
Trevor
January 10, 2012Does anyone else find that ironic considering the Ulf Samuelsson hit that greatly hampered Neely’s career?
iceman
January 10, 2012Boston Bruins is the “sorest winner” I’ve ever seen in the history of professional sports. I can’t recollect another championship winning team who kept badmouthing the runner-up in the Finals even long after the series is over.
For what its worth, our guys took the series to game 7 with injury-depleted roster and that alone deserves some recognition. For the record I don’t hate Bruins for winning the Stanley Cup in our own building. I despise them for their arrogance and attitude that we had no business in being their SCF opponent.
Get this, mr. Recchi and his minions: Our team had earned every minute of it by playing with as much heart and determination as you did. The only difference was a number of healthy bodies in game 7.
joel
January 10, 2012I saw that Marchand footage from today, it’s disgusting. The reporter, obviously Boston media, tells Marchand that Bieksa said the Bruins play ‘stupid’ hockey. 1) Obvious soft-ball question which a dim-wit like Marchand can nail out of the park with a “well, who won the cup?” response. 2) When the hell did Bieksa say they play ‘stupid’ hockey? I know Bieksa said the clip on Salo was ‘dirty’ and I’m certain nothing else.
I guess the media guy took Julien’s response to AV’s comments and mixed it up in his dull, useless mind.
Also…… Marchand knows it was a dirty hit, his alibi of feeling ‘defenseless’ is a joke. He’s playing the Boston media and fan-base like a damn fiddle and he knows it. Matt Cooke has dropped to number 2 on my ‘players I’ll hopefully see in hell’ list right under Marchand.
Number 3 is Patrice Kane BTW.
Daniel Wagner
January 11, 2012The quote from Bieksa was apparently “They obviously play hard, but they tend to do stupid things. The Marchand hit was a pretty stupid thing and I’m sure he’ll be getting a phone call for that one. There is no reason for that. But we made them pay for that.”
The reporter did misquote Bieksa, but Bieksa did use the word “stupid.”
And there’s no need to wish eternal damnation on anyone.
Trevor
January 11, 2012The comment obviously catered to Bruins fans and was designed to elicit a certain response. If Marshmont had heard the actual quote he might have had a more measured response to it, and – dare I say it – something intelligent to say. Boston’s media is just as bad as ours can be (how in the hell did they pick Tony Gallagher of all people to go on a Boston sports show, unless they knew he’d be the perfect target) and that’s all Boston fans will ever get to see unless they look for themselves rather than be spoon fed their realities.
Emily
January 10, 2012PiTB,
You guys are my absolute favourite hockey blog. Keep up the good (and hilarious) work!
Signed,
A Red Wings Fan
Metaxa
January 10, 2012Wowza…just when I was getting comfortable with the “We Are All Whingers” meme, along comes all these Boston apologists. Who is whining now?
Hey, Boston fans, if I was you I’d stop wasting energy here and I’d do an intervention on Clod Julien, sitting in front of a Dunkin Donuts scrim, leaking gravy all over the place, looking like he had a mouthful of bad beans…guy’s lost it.
This is the beginning of the end…Boston players all butt hurt, egged on in that feeling by management and media, they will be looking over their collective shoulder and do you think opposing teams just might be studying the Saturday morning game tape?
Boston doesn’t make the finals. book it, done.
While they go forward playing like aggrieved, entitled punks, the Canucks will go forward…wait for it…one game at a time, playing hockey the right way, giving 110%.
Except for Florida.
Some of these posters need to mix a little Metamucil into their chowder…
bergberg
January 10, 2012My, my, how this little blog has grown up right before my very own eyes! Now you get to deal with all the good, and the bad, that come along with hitting the mainstream mark.
Congratulations! (I think)
TylerBs
January 10, 2012WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! No time for losers (Canucks), cause we are the champions, of the world!
Nice regular season win though…hope that softens the sting.
iceman
January 10, 2012Sorry to break your bubble, but you are the champions of WHAT world? The world doesn’t give a rat(not the rat in black and yellow uniform)’s ass about your sorry little championship.
On the other hand, though, I vote you in as “the most juvenile troll of the day”. I’ll give you that much.
stathead
January 10, 2012Or second most juvenile, maybe.
jim
January 11, 2012Hey Iceman, thanks for reminding us all that the Bruins have a long history of rats in black and yellow uniforms. His name was Linseman.
stathead
January 10, 2012You missed a highlight: “[people] would like Vancouver’s … hockey fans a lot more if they just shut up and watched the game.”
Said the hockey fans on a hockey radio programme whilst discussing the hockey game.
Intentional irony? Sadly, didn’t sound like it. Maybe irony will arrive in Boston in 2013? He’s right, a lot of stuff does make it to the US first.
Travis
January 10, 2012It must really hurt to know that the bruins are more skilled as a team (compare team plus / minus) and tougher than the Canucks and you needed some strange calls to win the game. First period 5 on 3, really?
Probably won’t win a cup in your lifetime. The sedin window is closing Sorry.
shoes
January 10, 2012good grief…Bruins fans were suicidal for two days, after realizing that just maybe daddys protection envelope was over……….they win one more game against (atlanta) and proceed to grow a pair and start chirping again.
Bruins fans and players are always chirping about how “arrogant” the Canucks are and yet you never see a Canuck fan or player predicting who they are going to meet in the final. That special arrogance is left to the team that won last year, but blew 3-0 leads in the first round for the two years before…..I think we all know the anomalous year by now.
TylerBs
January 10, 2012No dude, this would be juvenile:
http://youtu.be/1BaQV_8GgJc
Ooops!
Harrison Mooney
January 10, 2012Ha. This isn’t a tumblr argument, bro. You have to do more then reblog a video.
TylerBs
January 10, 2012All kidding aside, the hate between the two teams is great. I would love for the ‘Nucks and the Bruins to meet in the finals for the next two years – it would be great for the sport. I don’t like Vigneault, and I hate the way Lapierre and Burrows play, but I can respect that you guys hate Marchand’s game too. 5-5, i think its pretty clear who the bigger, more skilled team is, but if you guys play your cards right (penalties, agitating), you are definitely in the Bruin’s league, and probably the second best team in the NHL. Rematch!
stathead
January 10, 2012There’s lots of other sites where fans of both sides go for hate; this one is more for a balanced, lighthearted view of things for hockey lovers who enjoy watching the play of all skilled teams including the Canucks, but do try the NHL.com forums etc!
TylerBs
January 10, 2012I am a fan of the Bruins – the owners of the best goal differential in the league – you guys are insane if you think the B’s aren’t a skilled team just because they can bruise as well.
joel
January 10, 2012Yeah, your super-skilled power-play was on full display on Saturday. Too bad you can’t punch the puck into the net.
stathead
January 10, 2012Actually, TylerBs, a lot of Canucks fans agree the Bruins have great offensive skill, great defensive skill, and great physical play. To those elements they add using moves with a higher risk of injury to opponents than most teams would use. (I think it’s a fair statement, considering Pacioretti’s broken neck, Raymond’s back broken, and Salo’s concussion, all within the last year).
It’s OK to bruise (that’s the physical side of the game), but I’d like to see more respect for the heads and spinal columns of opponents.
They’d have as good a chance to win on their impressive skill, and they’d be rather more fun to watch too – I hate seeing elite athletes put out of play for weeks or having their careers ended. Most people do, surely?
It’s annoying to hear sports reporters failing to credit the Bruins’ defensive shutdown of the Sedins and their success in generating scoring chances, partly because they deserve to have their skills acknowledged, and partly because they usually go on to say the way to stop the Canucks is using an aggressive edge to the physical side of play, which just isn’t true. but see http://tiny.cc/v18ni as I’m about to just plagiarize it anyways.
KivvaK
January 10, 2012For a writer that claims to be a master of sarcasm you sure dont know it when you hear it. Toucher and Rich are shock jocks that talk sports not serious sports writers. You should hear some of the bits they do on local fans. Get over yourselves and in the immortal words of Sgt. Hulker “lighten up Francis”
Ben
January 11, 2012Pretty sure sticking up for your teammates is fighting one on one – not 4/5/6 on one. But I guess you’re not being serious.
Sach
January 11, 2012I saw the scroll bar and thought this was going to be an uber long article XD
me
January 11, 2012What a brilliant writer you are (sarcasm….).
Deano
January 11, 2012First of all, most of you clearly do not understand T&R. It is a good show, mainly because they are not serious, almost ever. Whoever wrote this article is a baseless moron, made a mistake and tried to cover it up as sarcasm. Like your team, you do not take responsibility for your actions. Why don’t you call in to T&R and debate them, would be good radio if nothing else.
It seems the situation is this, Bruins fans and most of the other fans in the NHL, like me, hate the Canucks for their style of play. It’s not hockey, it works for Vancouver but it is a disgrace. The only way Vancouver can beat the Bruins is by goading them into taking bad penalties, and having around 11 power play opportunities in one game. Five on Five Bruins are the best team in the league. We have more depth and more passion. Just look at Thomas versus Luongo, Luongo should be better than Thomas but he isn’t. Thomas plays with more passion and fearlessness than the super talented Luongo who can’t keep his head on straight. Vancouver fans are bitter they are being called out by another fan base and that Vancouver lost in the cup finals to a team with less skill but more heart.
What I want out of all this, Bruins v Canucks in the finals again. Also, something the NHL could plan and should make happen is the 2013 Winter Classic in Vancouver (has not had it yet, certainly cold enough) vs Bruins. That would make it an instant classic before the puck ever dropped. The 24/7 on HBO would be epic. Make it happen.
JS Topher
January 11, 2012Oh man. I’m not sure I can handle anymore ignorance towards Canada. Truly, I’m just embarassed for you guys.
Culture yourself, for a moment:
http://bit.ly/Af2Xm3
then compare to:
http://bit.ly/s6hKy1
Are either of these cities “cold enough”? Does it blow your mind that Boston actually experiences colder winter weather than Vancouver does, sitting up here in the great white north with our polar bears?
Deano
January 11, 2012JS Topher, You misunderstood. I just was stating that Vancouver was cold enough to hold an outdoor game, as compared to someplace like Dallas, or LA or some other cities that have not yet held the Winter Classic. Boston is obviously cold enough, we already had the Winter Classic. It would be great to see Bruins v the Canucks and it would have to be in Vancouver because Boston already had the winter classic a few years ago. Boston is pretty damn cold, so I am not surprised our city is colder on average or whatever. You missed my point entirely.
peanutflower
January 11, 2012So are you speaking for “most of the other fans in the NHL” then? Do they have your ear? Are you their confidant that you can speak so eloquently for them? Do they whisper their intent to you so that you can be their orator? That’s so cool!
RingWinner
January 11, 2012OK lets see here, Vancouver fans and media want to cry that the big bad bullies in the Bruins cheapshotted their way to the Cup, lets add it all up, Burrows’ bite (more agregious than any other hit) Hansen’s 2 hander to Krejci’s knee, Hamhuis’ low hit on Lucic, Lapierre playing like an absolute weasel, and a general arrogance around that team that makes the rest of the NHL despise the Canucks’ (when the rest of Canada roots against you in the Finals, that’s all you have to know about how the Canucks play). Bobby Lou being scared to play in a regular season game shows how that whole team just doesn’t get it. Marchand’s hit was dirty in the game the other day and he deserved his suspension, outside of that, what example can you bring up, to show the Bruins are cheap shot artists, they play hard and clean and they exposed the Canucks as the bunch of frauds that they are.
Thorton
January 11, 2012To your point about 6-1 and standing up for yourself. No one in Boston has a problem with that. But when it comes time to answer the bell for it, no one did. Where was Burrows, Lapierre etc when Lucic, Chara pulled them off the pile? They slink away like the cowards they are.
Fan#789
January 11, 2012Maybe they were playing smart. Everyone knows Burrows and Lapierre would get pumbled by Chara and Lucic.
jeff
January 11, 2012Wah wah wah Canada.
laine
January 16, 2012Canada?
Joey
January 11, 2012Still trying to see the sarcasm in your citizens reaction to losing a hockey game. Right on par with the LA riots after Rodney King and Detroit after winning. You all must be very proud.
Matt
January 11, 2012So your an awful writer and made a horrible article so you are backing it up by saying it was a joke? Listen you work is a joke. your writing is mediocre at best, and not even Vancouver fans find any of your mediocre attempts at humor were funny.
JS Topher
January 11, 2012So *YOU’RE an awful writer and made a horrible article so you are backing it up by saying it was a joke? Listen *YOUR work is a joke. Your writing is mediocre at best, and not even Vancouver fans *FOUND any of your mediocre attempts at humor were funny.
Tell us again, who is poor at writing?
For future reference, you might want to check the other articles before forming opinions. Clearly this page has a large following of devoted readers not only from Vancouver but from around the world. Don’t be a fool. Don’t perpetuate the ignorant American stereotype. Use your brain.
Mike L (GO B's!!!)
January 11, 2012Funny that you rip Toucher & Rich for not recognizing sarcasm when you seem to have missed some of theirs. Fred’s comment about sticks being sharp was sarcasm but because it was delivered so dryly, you failed to pick up on it. But don’t worry, it’s not your fault. Recognizing that really dry Boston sarcasm is somewhat of a skill. You either have it or you don’t.
Do a call in with Fred and Rich, if you dare and I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to school you on the finer points of sarcasm. But like the Canucks who need power plays to win games, I’m sure you’ll find an excuse or two to justify why you don’t need to do a call in to explain yourself.
Have a good day, eh?
Mike L (GO B's!!!)
January 11, 2012Hey Shoes, how do you call yourself a hockey fan? Maybe you’ve occupied your time in other ways since June 15 but everyone knows that Greg Campbell’s Dad no longer handles player discipline.
Some guy named Shanahan took over that job….you might have heard of him. (that right there was some sarcasm)Have a nice day, eh?
Higgs
January 11, 2012Mike you want to piss them off more? Shanny’s wife is from Boston. I went to high school with her. I got your sarcasm by the way, but that’s cuz I’m from Boston and I’m evolved.
Higgs
January 11, 2012You embarrassed yourself. Get over it. But please don’t lie about it. When you lie it calls into question everything you write and undermines your credibility. Going forward people will know that they can’t trust what they’re reading because you will alter the context later to cover yourself. Part of being human is to be fallible. And apparently, part of being from Vancouver is to not get sarcasm. No worries. Like puka shells and rioting, sarcasm will make its way to Vancouver some day and it will all make sense.
Peter
January 11, 2012I’m not sure if this will get noticed by this blog’s author, but I’ll post it nonetheless…I am a Boston sports fan, and I was directed here by the comments of the Boston Globe’s writer, and other than noting that I definitely saw the humor in your game recap I have one thing to say: your blog is excellent.
I can’t be sure if all your writings are like your recent recap, but I found it to be both amusing and informative, which is pretty much the most you can ask for out of sportswriting. Keep up the great work!
Mike
January 11, 2012Yes whenever you stand up for a teammate you do need 7 on one thats right Thornton is so tough that it takes 7 people to handle him. I guess the Bruins have it all wrong when it’s typically evenly matched with one on one. Boston must be uneducated and have their match wrong or maybe it’s the metric conversion that got it all messed up.
JS Topher
January 11, 2012Metric or not, something got messed up. Because only a day ago, it was 6… Add to the list yet another Boston fan who didn’t really pay attention.
EricFromBos
January 11, 2012First time on the site and to tell you the truth I like it. We do have similar sites we follow in Boston but I think you guys do a good job.
As for the hockey aspect, our two teams are both top 5 NHL teams right now and clearly they play equally effective games. Yes it is dumb to make comments like “dumb Canadians” when our team has about 18 guys from Canada. I think it is ironic that our best two way guy is Canadian (Bergeron) and yours is American (Kesler). Both are top notch players and no one can argue otherwise. Actually almost all of our best players are Canadian and yours are either Euros or American (I’m a friend of Schneider I must admit).
I have no problem with how your team plays the game, save the cheap shots and cowardly behavior, because it is effective and you win games. Obviously people will hate the better teams…no one is on the Blue Jackets hate train that I know of.
Please understand that Boston has two battles going on most of the time. One with opposing cities and another internally with those lacking hockey knowledge but who possess a quick typing skill set.
You were correct not to make a full judgement on Toucher & Rich as they openly state they do not cover sports from a technical standpoint and are more a comedy routine that keep many uptight Bostonians laughing. They also on a occasion make fun of our city’s “pink hats” which are those who become fans because it is stylish to do.
We know we have idiot fans just like Vancouver has there Rioters. As for the B’s organization I think they play great old time hockey and obviously they need to stick up for the teammates in the media. I also think Marchand should just shut up but I think the comments by your coach are exactly what Neely described them as…irresponsible. The last time there was a bounty out there was terrible consequences and we can both agree on that.
Other than this I hope I give you a better perspective of the true Boston fan not the one that the media portrays or the commentors make it seem like. We are knowledgeable die hard hockey people, one of the few places in the US that is. I respect your opinions because they seem true and while sarcastic they do bleed some truth.
Let’s hope for a Cup rematch because it will be a hell of a battle to watch
shoes
January 11, 2012you should make a note to yourself that the comment that Cam Neely said was irresponsible was actually the “version of the AV comment that Neely and the rest of the Bruins fans WANTED to hear” not what was actually said by AV. Which was “IF the NHL doesn’t deal with the little puke, somebody somewhere will” which is true, he was not advocating anything from the Canucks as most in the West are predicting someone other than Boston in the Final, so we don’t expect to see them again. |Anyway it appears that Neely is loyal to his employer as is Recchi and it also appears they are both slightly braindead.
peanutflower
January 11, 2012I was going to give this a thumbs up until I got to the omnipresent “cheap shots and cowardly behaviour”. Did Cory tell you to write that? How knowledgeable can you really be if you see that in how the Canucks play? Cam Neely is the last person to be casting aspersions towards anyone about rough play or anything of that nature. AV’s comments were just fine, and actually pretty prescient. All in all it’s like there were two people writing that post — one with sense and one without. Sort of like a Jekyll and Hyde fan thing. It’s like you just can’t help it. Am I right?
Downtown Funkystuff Malone
January 11, 2012I’m a B’s fan and that hit was certainly uncalled for. I expected 3 games, but it is what it is. However, with regards to slamming the Boston media, you should probably look in the mirror as well. Tony Gallagher calling Shawn Thornton unethical for trying to fight Weise (who would not stop running his mouth) who he has 40 pounds on! Shawn Thornton is listed at 217, Weise at 210. Just slightly less than 40 pounds. Goes both ways boys.
Ablefish
January 11, 2012Ummm, you should maybe take a closer look at other articles on this blog. Gallagher and many other local media are routinely (and rightly so) slammed on this site.
Trevor
January 11, 2012Oh, Gallagher has no favourites around here, you guys can have him for all we care. It’s also well known he and Gillis don’t get along. You should have a look at DJ Bean’s latest blog in Boston though, as Marchand ‘ratted out’ Thornton’s secret that he knew all along Weise was talking to McQuaid. That was a decent bit of journalism.
Dana Seero in Boston
January 11, 2012I have to say that I’m pretty sick and tired of Vancouver media claiming that all Boston fans are Neanderthals unfamiliar with the game and Boston media claiming that all Vancouver fans are equally clueless whiners.
I think we should create a reality tv show in which all the media from both teams are put on an island with insufficient food resources for the rest of the season.
Waepstone
January 11, 2012Good point, though isn’t this where we effectively are? Diminished or spread out revenue due to so many media outlets has made many “objective” sportscasters and journalists resort to guerrilla tactics. We can expect them to be insightful, but being incite-ful sells more papers.
Boo Ellis
January 11, 2012Look, Mooney, when you have to set up straw men, i.e. a fantasy of what Jack Edwards would have said, and then have a pretend argument to knock down such straw man, you’ve exposed yourself as being incredibly weak.
Weise jumped Thornton in a pile. One-on-one Weise couldn’t get away fast enough. Those things actually happened. Not a fantasy, like your column.
Thornton destroyed Tony Campbell live one-on-one; exposed another of your “sportswriters” as a fraud. Another lie, saying that Weise was 170 lbs. Seriously, you guys are pathetic liars, history and fact revisionists. You lost the Cup. Stop your tantrums already and move on.
JS Topher
January 11, 2012You guys won the cup… yet here you still are… 4 days later….
Waepstone
January 11, 2012LOL. How did Thornton destroy Gallagher? Was it because Tony didn’t have the proper weight for Weise ready to go? Was it because Thornton managed to equivocate his fight with Boogarde as manning up because of the weight? Was it because Thornton purposefully shifted the discussion to one about manliness rather than whether Weise had already answered the bell?
Look, the underlying point is that Weise is no enforcer and Thornton is a de facto tough guy. Weise went with Horton, good for both of them. Thornton didn’t get to use his fighting skils because the opportunity was gone. Sure, Thornton could destroy most NHL players in a fight. He’s upset that Weise didn’t want to go for an extra-curicular round after a line brawl? C’mon.
Once you start getting deep into the semantics of “the code” and Enforcer rules of engagement, you’ve crossed the line into pretending something inherently stupid can be rationalized. That’s right, you’re basically now talking about “pro” wrestling.
Deano
January 11, 2012I’m sorry but Thornton totally lambasted Gallagher in that interview. It was so bad that the Vancouver media has been crying about it all day. It was not a set up, Thornton is regularly on that program. Basically, everything Gallagher said from the weight thing, to the two fights in one period, to not an enforcer was laughed at by Thornton and made to look foolish. No actual hockey fan could see what happened and defend Weise. Also if Weise is not your enforcer than why does he lead your team in fights?
Fact is simple. Weise will throw his pocket book at Thornton with five of his teammates, but when he has to go toe to toe with him, he backs off. If anyone on the Bruins did what Weise did, we would be killing them here in Boston.
stathead
January 11, 2012The thing about seeing what happened is we don’t see the whole thing; different cameras get different angles, and multiple things are happening at any given time. Brad Marchand’s take on this:
Just posting in a few places this quote I just stumbled across even though it’s well after the fact. This is partly because I would like poor Weise’s name cleared as I do think he was just doing his best and had already fought once that period, and in the video to me he really does look a bit caught off guard. And also because I am new to hockey and think it’s crazy that a man gets so much more vilified for this than for a turnover that leads to a winning goal by another team. (Boys. Sigh.)
“Bruins forward Brad Marchand, making his regular appearance on WEEI with Mut and Merloni, revealed Wednesday that Bruins forward Shawn Thornton knew that Vancouver forward Dale Weise was not trying to fight him in the first period of Saturday’s game.
Weise extended a challenge and appeared ready to drop his gloves prior to a face-off in the opening period, but when Thornton dropped his gloves at 14:58 of the period, Weise, who had fourth Nathan Horton earlier in the period, kept them on. Though at first glance it appeared Weise was using a cheap tactic to sucker Thornton into a penalty, Marchand said Wednesday that the challenge was indeed being extended to Adam McQuaid, and that Thornton jumped in to “surprise” Weise.
“I’m going to clear it up for everyone who’s listening,” Marchand said. “It was actually a really sneaky play by Thorty. Weise was trying to fight McQuaid, who was standing behind Thornton on the point. McQuaid was going to fight him. So, Weise was yelling and saying, ‘Yeah, let’s go, let’s go.’
“Thorty just figured that at that point he’d drop his gloves and surprise Weise. And the ref just kind of heard Weise yelling ‘Let’s go’ and thought he was talking to Thorty and conning him into a penalty. Thorty kind of surprised him when Thorty dropped his gloves. Weise had no idea Thorty was going to do that.”
Added Marchand: “Him and Quaider know each other a bit from the minors and I think junior as well. They might have went at [it] there.”
Marchand’s words corroborate Weise’s story, as he told reporters prior to Monday’s game that he was trying to fight McQuaid.
Thornton expressed confusion by the play following the game, though he did suggest that Weise could have possibly been looking to fight McQuaid. Both players were given unsportsmanlike conduct minors for the ordeal.
“Oh, he said ‘let’s go’,” Thornton said after the game. “I don’t know if he was talking to me or someone else but [referee Dan O'Rourke] heard him and [referee Don] VanMassenhoven heard him and that’s why he went with me I’m assuming. I mean, you’ll have to ask him. But Donny said, “wait until the puck drops” and I said “of course”. I heard him say ‘we’ll go’, maybe he was talking to McQuaid or I have no idea. But, I thought it was, obviously thought it was go time.”
Thornton added Tuesday night on Comcast Sports Net that he wanted to fight Weise because he was among the players who jumped him when he was drastically outnumbered 3:54 into the game.”
Richard McBeef
January 11, 2012I am wondering why you are even bothering with an article like this. The Bruins beat the Canucks, no mopped the floor with them in the finals. Why even lower yourself to even write about some Boston media outlet not getting your sarcasm. To me it seems like fans and writers still aren’t over the no show Canucks in the finals. I honestly can’t believe Luongo hasn’t been run out of town. If Vancouver had any other Goalie even Boston’s back-up they would have won the Cup
JDM
January 11, 2012Leaving aside the obvious fact that winning in 7 games is never “mopping the floor” with anyone… Boston’s back-up is a pretty damned good goalie. One of the top 3 backups in the league and a viable starter for many teams. So it’s not really saying much to say that if Tukka Rask was starting games 3-7 the Canucks would have won. That being said, Luongo did have two shutouts in the finals. If that one 7th game had gone the other way, good chance he’s the guy lifting the Conn Smythe, not Thomas.
Misha
January 11, 2012I REALLY don’t understand why ppl are blaming Luongo. Over a 7-game series, Canucks scored a grand total of 8 goals. That’s right people, 8 goals. In spite of this, they won 3 games. And instead of praising Lui for having the series even close, somehow he gets blamed that Vancouver didn’t win 4.
The really stupid implication is that if Vancouver had another goalie, he’d have somehow been scoring the goals. Game 3 was 8-1 for boston. Who care if it had been 2-1? same difference. Games 4 and 6 were 4-0. Guess what ppl, doesn’t matter how amazing Lui is in those games. If Canucks don’t score a single goal, they don’t win the game.
The intelligent fans recognize and value Lui for his talent, work ethic (and ignore his fail humour attempts), the trolls and the dummies saddle the keeper for Vancouver’s no-shows and take every comment literally.
marshmont
January 11, 2012Adolpho is gonna take a bus up there and show you what boston is all about. As long as theres a wendys there.
:-(
January 11, 2012Mooney — how sad. You really had to write up this entire breakdown of your “joke”? You feared your joke was so misinterpreted that you had to declare to the world that you knew all along? You’re “that guy”?
I hope you’re in therapy, bro. Being that vein / self-conscious / insecure is VERY unhealthy.
I sort of enjoy you on Puck Daddy, where you’re forced to be more neutral. Your inside jokes, and their subsequent diatribe explanations, are boring / awkward.
JS Topher
January 11, 2012It’s a Canucks blog. It’s intent is to entertain us whilst adding some Canucks related hockey insight. The fact that he broke down the joke is exactly what is so funny about it. He got to explain exactly why it is so ridiculous.
shoes
January 11, 2012Listen up spanky…..pretty well all Boston media, coach, GM, and players along with fans stood up after this game and collectivelly stated : “we are not very bright” with their ranting, raving, defending and accusing all in one incoherent sentence………to what purpose most can’t figure out. Although I have a pretty good idea.
stathead
January 11, 2012He’s a blogger. That’s what bloggers do. They write about trivial things, about big things, about whatever comes into their pretty heads. That’s why they’re called bloggers and not something else.
Vancouverguy
January 11, 2012Good Job, Mooney and the PITB crew. You guys are famous now. This is the only thing that allowed me to get through a tough early day at work.
Keep up the good work, guys!
Ablefish
January 11, 2012Hah – the number of ‘gentleman visitors’ this post has attracted is hilarious. I’m not sure why, but after each one I imagine the poster pushing back the keyboard, putting his feet up, tucking his hands behind the head and confidently sighing, “Yep, won another argument on the Internet.”
Phil Rirutto
January 11, 2012What a joke this columnist is. In fact, “Columnist” is a huge stretch here. The flip-flopping here is worse than it is in politics.
Furthermore, great use of “we” throughout this blog post. I didn’t realize that Moron Mooney was a past or present member of the Vancouver Canucks. Oh wait, he isn’t, he’s just got a knack for poor writing.
Huge laugh at the expense of the Canucks, their fans, the City of Vancouver, and this glorified hack piece and it’s hack author.
Sincerely,
The NHL
Harrison Mooney
January 11, 2012Good grief…. the “we” refers to myself and Daniel Wagner, who run this blog.
Misha
January 11, 2012Hahaha, that’s pretty funny. I think someone needs to explain him the difference between “columnist” and blogger.
jim
January 11, 2012Gracious champions, aren’t they!
Mike
January 11, 2012Toucher and Rich gave you some publicity and sent this link out to all of their fb fans – Obviously showing how little they get it. I can see your side of the argument. But, as you admitted, you’re not very familiar with Toucher and Rich. They aren’t “sports writers” they’re radio hosts that were holdovers from the stations previous format. They’re shock jocks, jokes, pranks, etc… Don’t expect hard hitting journalism. I can’t speak for them, so they may or may not have been giant idiots on this one, but no matter what they got from your article, they were going to do with it what they pleased for the sake of entertainment.
And on the topic of entertainment, even as a Bruins fan, I found this to be a pretty funny article. I like the way you write and will probably be back to enjoy your musings.
And on the Canucks, its hard to not respect their skill, its a tremendous offensive team with very good complimentary defensive players.
In Boston, not just bruins fans, there is an incredible fascination with “being tough” (best way I can describe it.) We love baseball players that run in to walls to catch balls, undersized football players that get hit by men twice their size, and a hockey team that fights. Im not going to say I dont like fighting in hockey, because I do. But at the same time, when bruins fans take a shot at Vancouvers style of play it drives me crazy. Theres something to be said for hard hitting, hard skating, and hard playing hockey players – but at the same time you have to be a very narrow minded hockey fan (Boston has a lot of those too – its come with “fake fans” due to recent success) to think that Vancouver is “doing it wrong.” The success of the Canucks proves otherwise.
The only part of your article I really have to disagree with is: ““Did he address the whole 6-on-1 thing?” We loved the way they kept coming back to this. If the situations were reversed, Jack Edwards would have been screaming “Because teammates don’t let stuff like that happen to teammates, are you watching, Buffalo, here’s the textbook, you want to be paying attention!!” The best part of the whole 6-on-1 piece of rhetoric is that, seven months ago, the Canucks were ripped for not standing up for themselves. Now they do and they’re the aggressors. Silly.”
The Jack Edwards comment stands because hes a clown, albeit an entertaining clown. But to imply that gang jumping a man is sticking up for yourself is just silly. No matter the sport, country, time zone, or way of life – that isn’t sticking up for yourself, it’s criminal. Like I said, I enjoy fighting in hockey, I find it incredibly honorable for two men to face each other one on one and iron out their differences through the art of fisticuffs (and thats an opinion that stands inside hockey and out.) That’s not what happened. Viewed without homer glasses, anybody can see how abhorrent that situation was.
If you made through this long-winded comment, enjoy your day and thanks for a pretty good article.
Warpstone
January 11, 2012Fair comment. I’ve never understood how tough dirty play was any better than sneaky dirty play. Both are dangerous and cheap.
Though I think the group brawl is a bit of a a wash. Every one knows that a scrum is normal in hockey, especially when both teams are itching for a fight. Players will still pair up and tie each other up. It’s just a general mess.
Criticizing the Canucks because they didn’t have board meeting to decide who should defend one of their own is missing the point. Scrums happen precisely because players are reacting quickly to defend their teammates.
shoes
January 11, 2012“gang jumping a man” gimmeee a break…. Shawn Thortons IQ was not harmed in any way and if Bruins want to play that style of hockey…..stop the frick whining about the consequences. Send e-mails to Colon ……he likes to be called ‘daddy’
Ablefish
January 11, 2012Oops, I forgot about the little rascal giggling into his glass of milk every time he gets to downvote comments.
Rusty
January 11, 2012Vancouver fans are not the only ones with a history of rioting. Oh how soon we forget…
http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/sports-topwinriots/8/
http://youbeenblinded.com/boston-celtics-fans-riot-after-victory/1316
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEqwt81wiN4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eW_3wCPzxo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa8zNDg7-qs&feature=related
http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/Riots_in_Boston
The only reason why riots didn’t happen in NHL both cities is simply becuase the Boston Police were out in full force that night anticipating violence while “leadership” in the VPD hoped for the best….
tCL of OTP
January 11, 2012I sure hope you guys get paid by the number of comments on your blog!
Harrison Mooney
January 11, 2012That’d be sweet.
Misha
January 11, 2012See, the funniest things about this whole thing, is if there was ONE source of Canucks information/analysis that I would direct a Bruins fan to read, it would be this blog. For all the tongue in cheek, I find the analysis by these guys to be top-notch and fair, and the writing entertaining.
I’d have thought the sarcasm and jokes were obvious enough. If Boston people don’t get sarcasm, why are they not mad at Julien for agreeing with AV and saying they’re all stupid?
I propose for the benefit of the Boston trolls (and perhaps some Chicago ones as well), henceforward the PITB boys suffix each punchline with a giant “NOOOOOOOT!!!!” That should help out the sense-of-sarcasm-deprived
Harrison Mooney
January 11, 2012Thank you very much, we appreciate that.
Scott
January 12, 2012Congratulations on your regular season victory.
Ablefish
January 12, 2012Thanks a lot! Tampa came on strong in the third to tie it, but MayRay was able to pull out the win with a spin-a-rama in the shoot-out! Woot!
joey from the northend of boston
January 14, 2012the bruins are what the are there tough there big and bad no excuses for it they dont run or hide from it your canucks are cowards who will not drop gloves but would rather spear and bite . end of story
C
January 14, 2012Looks like another child was left behind.
Ablefish
January 14, 2012Last week called, and they want their comments back.
shoes
January 14, 2012that would have been the longest most incoherent sentence ever…..if you had not have put a period three words in from the end.
Dumb as a post!