1 Down, 15 to go

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat May 31, 2014 2:08 am

But . . . is that a

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Sat May 31, 2014 2:59 am

This game is killing me. Good stuff.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Sat May 31, 2014 3:48 am

Wow!!

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat May 31, 2014 4:13 am

Funny, I was about to post that. I got distracted with the RS finish--two Devil Ray Fags run into one another, ball drops, walk-off score from 1st--to turn back and see LA up.

Then.

--J.D.

WildCat · Post by **WildCat** » Sat May 31, 2014 5:14 am

Hahaha, bring on Game 7!

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat May 31, 2014 5:56 am

Gram--->

<---Moi

--J.D.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:48 am

*Starts sending emergency supplies of undies to Chicago and LA*

--J.D.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:13 am

Izi--->

<---Moi

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:47 am

Damn. Our defense failed us. But LA is very strong. A great series but it could of been better for me. Kings in five? I haven't really followed the Rangers but perhaps these teams are evenly matched. As my dad used to say always root for the team that beats yours that way you know you lost to the best.

WildCat · Post by **WildCat** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 12:15 pm

That one hurt, to force a Game 7 and then lose like we did. But the better team won... I think whoever won that series wins the cup, the west is the stronger division this season.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:05 pm

Your father must be a Cubs fan.

--J.D.

WildCat · Post by **WildCat** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:44 pm

My father isn't a sports fan of any sort.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:47 pm

Though I will note, en passant, this is why one should not gloat about games and series they have not won yet.

Sort of the Teaching Point of this thread . . . made magNIfIcent by moi.

In the rain.

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:36 pm

Go CubsYes my father was a cubs fan however he became a dback fan also as we lived in AZ longer than Chicago. Hard to give up being a fan of the teams one grew up on.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 6:49 pm

There is sort of a rule I have cobbled/stolen together:

1. Primogenitureythingy: The team of the place your were born is your team provided it was there and you were raised to whelp-age--old enough to know.

1a. If you are moved to another place prior to that time you may take that place's team unless you maintain strong family relationships with your new territory. An example of this is Rico Petrocelli's brother who is a New York cop--and a Red Sox fan--and has murder two of his children for becoming MFYs fans [Citation needed.--Ed.]

1b. If your team does something completely reprehensible to you, your family, the city, you are freed of obligation. An example of this would be the Clipper's Cheerleading Dude who was snubbed by the organization. Hell, if by some miracle Sterling remained in control every Clipper's fan would be free to switch. I understand there is the LA Fakers, but they are a Minnesota team--q.v.

2. Changing Laundry: allowed in the following cases:

2a. Reprehensible: you should choose a "local" team if possible. If not, you default to Rule the Third.

2b. Team Moves Away: you are allowed to continue to root for the moved team provided you maintain a connection. Understand, this may not pass on to children born/abducted subsequent to the move. It may also become embarrassing if the move result in the team finally succeeding: see Cleveland fans trying to be Ravens' fans, LA fans trying--for a time--to be St. Louis Rams' fans, Baltimore fans trying to be Colts fans, et cetera.

2c. A Team Moves To: you are free to root for them--understanding they may move away. If, by necessity you were a fan of a Rule 3 Team, that team is your Rule 3.

3. "Not LOCAL?!" you are allowed to claim a team that is "not-local" if you meet the requirements above and:

3a. True Fan: you choose a team alongside your "local" team because you love the game and your "local" team sucks. Case in point: many Patriots fans had "another team" because they wanted to root for someone after October. I rooted for the "Niners" because I liked Montana. I know some who rooted for Denver with Elway. This was before both became "big."

3a1. You are a Truer fan if you pick an unpopular team: anyone can be a "MFY fan" or--now--a "RS fan!"--with your pink hat--or as one conversation went on a podcast:

Caller: I've been a Patriots fan since 2003!

Pats Reporter Dude: Good timing.

another example is a British friend whose first baseball game happened to be the Pittsburgh Pirates. He figured, as above, anyone can be a "MFY Fan" so he decided to root for an "underdog." This counts as a True Fan of baseball.

3a2. Also allowed if you pick one for which you have some familiar relationship. Your family comes from a section of England, you root for that section's soccerball team because . . . why not?

3b. "Little Brother:" you are allowed to "adopt" a team. I have adopted Cleveland teams because I feel sorry for them. I do not root for them against my Glorious Boston/New England teams. Also, should a Cleveland team win a championship--stop laughing!--I do not get to "share in the glory." If there is a party, I wear my RS gear but announce I am rooting for the Indians against ____. This is different than 3a because you are trying to send some "Sports Karma" to a weak team.

3c. Man Without a Country: you live in Alabama . . . you want to root for a baseball team. What the fuck do you do?

3c1. Local Hero: if your university team--which is all you have--has a "hero" you are allowed to root for him.

3c2. Knowledgeable Fan: you may pick a team but you better know them. For example, you can claim to be a MFY fan "because I liked the way Mariano Rivera played, I once met Yogi Bera, and I like licking my dog's ass." YOU MUST follow the team ESPECIALLY during "down" periods. You are not allowed to dump them and then move on to the "Flavor of the Season."

See all the New York fans suddenly realizing there are hockey teams in the state. A similar criticism was leveled to RS fans who suddenly realized, "Hey . . . those . . . Bear Guys who play during the Icecapades! They're good now!"

This applies to all fans from Tampa.

--J.D.

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 4:51 am

I go away for a little cross country road trip and all hell breaks loose! I sadly had to miss every single game but the satellite radio in the rental car was sufficient in giving me all of the emotions. From the highlights I've seen it looks like Chicago took LA to the brink (even though we should have closed it out at home), but a well placed puck and a good bounce and we are in Stanley Cup finals!

Now, I need to power-wash the rental car's seats and get more undies for the next series.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:16 pm

My son likes the teams I like. So he roots for the Cubs, da bears Being born in AZ he's allowed to root for the white sox also. He was not privvy to all that north-south side stuff like myself growing up back in the greater Chicagoland area. I find since I live in AZ I root for both teams although my die hard friends say one has to choose. I do when they play each other. I've always been an underdog fan. I'm from Chicago. It's natural.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 2:58 am

I hear a Fat Lady warming up. . . .

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:08 pm

Does she have her broom?

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:32 pm

Possibly.

I would say the Ranger could "battle back," but the Kings are not the Lakers and they are not from New York. . . .

--J.D.

Anaxagoras · Post by **Anaxagoras** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 3:31 am

Odds are very slim. About a 2% chance to come back and win the series and only a 35% chance to even force a game 5 (based on past results in 7-game series for all sports after one team wins the first 3).

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 4:18 am

I am not familiar with ALL of the Up 3 Lose the Next 4 Chokes. Obviously, I can cite one--Internationally Recognized as the Greatest Collapse in Sports History--and know another . . . that does not involve San Jose.

The Brooins coughed up 4 the year before they won the cup. However, the first three games were very close. Then they suffered a critical injury. Hold that point. They did choke the final game, however.

With the Universally Celebrated Greatest Collapse in Sports History the critical factor was Schilling's injury. In the first game he got shelled yet the RS nearly came back. "All Things Being Equal" that should have been a win. Next game close pitchers duel.

Game 3?

Let us move on to Game 4 . . . series should have been 1-2 at that point. Both 4 and 5 were close, of course. Neither team held an insurmountable lead, went into extra innings . . . Big Papi.

Game 6 operated upon Schilling. Shuts down the MFYs, however the MFYs had the Series Winning Run at the plate in the bottom of the 9th.

Game 7? Let me linger on that . . . a bit . . . which brings me to my real point:

Both teams had a laughter blow out.

Both teams won two close games.

Weirdness Factor: and I could go on for pages. Sometimes things just break your way. In the first extra-innings game, the MFYs should have scored the go ahead run but it landed in the stands--that were moved in for Ted Williams I believe--for a ground-rule-double which forced the runner from 1st to 3rd only where he later died. There were a bunch of other weird plays.

However, SUPREME was the sudden loss of Matsui. The guy could not get out from Game 1-3. After that? He did nothing. Almost as if a switch went off.

Now, comparing it to the Ruins Final Choke, it would have been as if Matsui got injured . . . and the MFYs gave up a 3-4 run lead in late innings . . . but they did not have Grady Little as a manager.

So . . . for LA to lose they would need:

1. An injury or Great Player suddenly no longer playing.
2. Weirdness: pucks bouncing off defensemen into the net . . . shots from LA ringing off of posts when the goalie is not even in the area.
3. Choke--bottom line is LA has four chances to get a victory. Critical injury aside, the Bruins had a multiple goal lead in the final game. They lost. Just like Toronto, panic set in.

Now, perhaps like the RS, the Rangers "coulda shoulda" won Game 1, or 2, or both. Perhaps they can pull off two and put LA on the defensive.

I would not bet on it.

--J.D.

[Edited to fix a "5" that should have been rendered as "6."--Ed.]

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:07 am

It's never over until you raise the cup.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:38 am

Yup.

Gram --->

<--- Moi

There sure as hell was weirdness: a puck stopped on the bloody goal line by less than a handful of snow. Behind Lunquist. Finally a Ranger sees it and scoops it away with his hand. Would have tied the game. Unbelievable. Bruin-Fan-Boys were whining about "ringing the posts" and The Little Ball of Hate missing "empty nets" but nothing like THAT happened.

Stopped.

By a piece of snow.

Worth seeing:

[youtube]ZFkRyoD-8WQ[/youtube]

--J.D.

Anaxagoras · Post by **Anaxagoras** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:52 am

Gives me an idea.

Why doesn't the goalie make himself a little snow fort in front of the goal?

If a little bit of snow can stop a puck, what could a lot do?

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:05 am

Same reason goalies in soccerball are not allowed to build a wall with the turf?

--J.D.

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:17 am

Anaxagoras wrote:Gives me an idea.

Why doesn't the goalie make himself a little snow fort in front of the goal?

If a little bit of snow can stop a puck, what could a lot do?

They kind of do it. If you watch goalies during warm ups, right before the game, you see the goalies cutting up the crease.

Best video explanation I could find.
http://www.playsportstv.com/hockey/hock ... the-crease

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:11 pm

Didn't see the game. Kings in five? I think I've seen that written somewhere.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:29 pm

I intermittently watched it due to "Stuff to Do" but what I saw was gutt-wrenching and I have "no dog in this fight."

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:06 am

Hockey is a different animal when there is no dog involved but I will watch tonight.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 1:11 am

I did not see the game but the commentary on the Brazil-Croatia fiasco was hilarious. I cannot do it justice, but "P. K. Suppan thinks they flow."

"The game started and everyone fell to the ground."

"It looked like the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan."

"This is why people think this sport is stupid."

--J.D.

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:12 am

Man, there is not enough underpants in the world. But LA Kings win!!

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:19 am

Oh really?

Was it an interesting game?

What?

--J.D.

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:22 am

Doctor X wrote:Oh really?

Was it an interesting game?

What?

--J.D.

I mean, it's not as exciting as a theatrical diving championship in Brazil.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:30 am

Well . . . yeah!

I was laughing my ass off listening to Boston Sports Dudes taking apart that game. Meanwhile, just watched the "highlights" of the Netherlands-Spain game and Spain's only goal came from a dive that would make Suppan blush.

Back to a real sport: what a gutt-wrenching game for either fan. Pucks hitting the inner side of the post only to fly out rather than across the line! Double over-time?

Man!

Even my Soccerball loving friend is embarrassed about the World Cup--and he was watching the LA-Rangers game.

"So you wanted to see some actual sports?"

--J.D.

Grammatron · Post by **Grammatron** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 7:53 am

Goal post is the real MVP of these playoffs.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:02 am

Indeed. I wish I could remember the Famous NHL Goalie who noted that "I hit the post mean you missed the fucking goal!" He was cited many times during the Bruin-Canadian Diving Team series--from complaints from both sides.

It seemed about "even" this game. I think LA could have tied it earlier on a few.

I was not so sure about the tripping penalty against the Strangers that led to the tying goal, but I gather since the LA player had the puck he had the "right of way." Looked like both collided.

At least they actually collided.

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:54 am

Congrats to LA. it was a great game. And at least we lost to the best team in the league.

Doctor X · Post by **Doctor X** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:23 am

izittrue wrote:Congrats to LA. it was a great game. And at least we lost to the best team in the league.

You could have done that a year earlier. . . .

--J.D.

izittrue · Post by **izittrue** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:25 pm

But you lost to the best team last year. It was a short year so I think the win was a bit tarnished.