Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Ducks Gameday—Row B, and the longest bloglist in U.S. history

Round Two, Game One: (3) Vancouver Canucks at (2) Anaheim Ducks
(JavaGeek ‘odds’: ANA 63%)

You might think that I’d write something meaningful about this game, given that the 8 teams that won G1 in the first round went on to win the series, but how can I concentrate on that kind of nonsense when I’ve got the Row B seats (playoff edition) tonight?

It’s pretty embarrassing, really, that a jerk like me has (very occasional) access to these seats, but I tell ya, there really are benefits to being a long-time supporter for one of the less respectable franchises during its formative Disney years. So, if you’re at the game, or trying to spot me on TV, I’ll be in my lucky green shirt drinking my stress away, probably to the point that everyone looks like a Sedin to me.

-----------------------------------

So, is there anyone in the greater British Columbia area who is NOT writing a Canucks blog? Here’s a quick rundown for you Duck fans:

Canucks & Beyond
Alanah is one of the best goof-off writers out there, and has been doing it for a long time. The fact that she aligned herself with notorious Red Wing supporter Kukla’s Korner is kuite kurious, but hey, we all gotta sell our souls to some devil.

Jes Gőlbez
Another of what I consider the ‘godfathers’ of blogging, Jes can get pretty silly and opinionated himself; a true fan’s voice in a sea of ordinary commentary. I won’t spoil anything, but there is a bit of a side bet running on this series’ outcome between myself and the Slovak-lover / Swede-hater.

Tom Benjamin
A much different writer than the ones above, but any time I think about my favorites in the blogosphere, TB is always among my top three. Smart, sensible, and always tackling the hard issues, even if you don’t like what he has to say, pay attention to the way he says it. An argumentalist’s wet dream.

Canucks Hockey Blog
JJ is a guy who knows his hockey, loves his team, and links to everything written in the mainstream media that has ever been written about the Canucks. One of the most diligent bloggers out there.

Waiting for Stanley
Getting back to the slightly silly side of blogging, Zanstorm is a Photoshop master and a web designer beyond compare. He covers a LOT of what’s going on in the league, and puts his own spin on anything. Heavy, heavy drinker, which always gets points in my book.

Orland Kurtenblog
Some guys are just too damn funny, and these guys make me laugh a lot. They are out there scouring YouTube so you don’t have to.

Stick in Rink
Not my most frequent read, but always good to get a female perspective out there. Isabella is particularly fond of rounding up the best message board nonsense and calling it her own—a really nice feature, actually.

Hockey Numbers
I am regularly in awe of those who can pull mountains of variant data and turn it into meaning, and JavaGeek is one of the best. He’ll write about the league in general more than just Vancouver, but I’m sure under that robotic façade is a pretty serious Canucks fan.

Crazy Canucks.com
This is where bloggers from around Vancouver (and the world) gather round and like the mighty Voltron, form one enormous podcast, which from a production standpoint is pretty top-notch. It’s not exactly a formal setting, but they talk over all the Canuck issues, and hell, I’m supposed to be getting on the phone tonight postgame for a future episode. Not the most professional move, but I’m touched.

And as for blogs I’ve forgotten or only recently stumbled upon:
The Yankee Canuck, The Canucks Outsider, Canuck Fangirl, rodtempleton.net, and The Chief Canuck, well, I’m still getting to all of those, so keep it up. And anyone else with a Canuck site, shoot me your URL also. Might as well make this comprehensive (sigh).


Honestly, I don’t really know how these bloggers all manage to do it. When I got started, there were about zero Anaheim blogs, and still I feel like I’m kind of writing without a lot of redundant competition. Kudos to you all, but seriously, has anyone considered the idea of a Battle of Vancouver? It would certainly save me some money on open web browsers.

Prediction: Ducks 4, Canucks 1. If the last series G1 was any indication, I will be pretty drunk by the time anyone scores a goal, but that's not really a problem for me. Goals by Penner, Niedermayer the elder, Pahlsson, and McDonald. After the game ends, a lot of people will immediately go home and make a blogpost.

Go Ducks.

23 comments:

Earl Sleek said...

Oh yeah, and don't worry, J.P.. I'm bringing my camera tonight.

Coming soon: A view from my playoff seat.

Anonymous said...

Earl, note to self, everyone on the Canucks is a SEDIN.

Prediction for those of you wanting to win your bets is the Canucks 4 Ducks 1.

Ducks are going to have to go back to the drawing board after being stymied by Luongo tonight!!

Watch for a goaltending change in Anaheim in game 2.

Let the Battle begin!!!

Sean Zandberg said...

Months ago, Tapeleg and I were discussing a NW Division blog, like the Southeast Shootout site, especially if our sites floundered.

Sean Zandberg said...

(JavaGeek ‘odds’: ANA 63%)

Haha, that is probably about right, but in the playoffs there's nothing like a great goalie (Luongo) frustrating the hell out of the opposing team. Are Jiggy and Breezy up to the task of matching Loungod?

Earl Sleek said...

Are Jiggy and Breezy up to the task of matching Luongod?

You do realize you are talking about the best statistical goaltender from the 2003 playoffs and the best statistical goaltender from the 2006 playoffs, right?

Carlyle's dilemma: Hmmm, which 3-playoff-shutout-in-a-row goaltender should get the start tonight?

Anonymous said...

By the way, your link to "The Canucks Outsider" goes to "The Yankee Canuck". Both sites are great, though. Nice list, too... thanks for including me. :)

Geezus, I'd better be good at the trash talk in this series -- you're way too good at the artwork for me to put up much of a fight. Though I'll make an effort or two along the way in your honor. Perhaps something involving Mr & Mrs Pronger...? There's always something fun. :)

Go Canucks!

Earl Sleek said...

Thanks, Alanah. Trying to do work and a blogpost simultaneously is not a good combination.

Earl, note to self, everyone on the Canucks is a SEDIN.

Heh, I was talking about getting drunk to the point that even people in the concourse would look like a Sedin.

Sean Zandberg said...

Nah, Bryz and Jiggy's past heroics mean shit. That was then. This is now. And you will soon chant his name: "Luongod, Luongod, Luongod..."

Earl Sleek said...

That was then. This is now.

OK, I forgot to mention: the best statistical goaltender of the 2007 playoffs as well. Though that one's kind of fragile--score two goals tonight and JSG probably slides down the list.

Anonymous said...

Earl - thanks for the mention. Love the artwork, too. Should be a hell of a series. Go Canucks!
(And, no, there's nobody around here who's not writing a Canucks blog.)

Unknown said...

^77 Y3R B^SE R B370NG 2 U$ LOLCANO!!!111oneoneone

Anonymous said...

My prediction: Carlyle's dilemma becomes a moot point, having to replace his first choice after giving up 3 goals on 4 shots.

Fear Linden...

Bethany said...

I think the score is going to be 3-1 Ducks and Penner will have a hat trick....yup...

Anonymous said...

20-1 Ducks! 19 goals for Pahlsson, 1 for Selanne, and 1 accidentally kicked into the Ducks' net by DiPenta! GO DUCKS! ;D

RudyKelly said...

I think Vancouver is going to win a landslide, especially after picking up Brent Sopel and Jeff Cowan... wait, this isn't a "Look like a moron" contest? Oh, then the Ducks are going to beat the hell out of the Canucks.

Earl Sleek said...

19 goals for Pahlsson

Anonymous, I really like the way you are thinking here.

Perhaps something involving Mr & Mrs Pronger...?

It's not scandalous enough unless you insert a third party, maybe Rob Niedermayer? That would naturally drag Scott in as well.

Let the Battle begin!!!

Amen.

jamestobrien said...

I can't imagine a scenario where the Canucks score 4 goals, although this is a Game 1.

Ducks-Canucks reminds me of Wild-Ducks matchups: the Ducks are a rich man's version of the Canucks. Luongo MIGHT have the edge over JiggyBreeze, but the Ducks trump the Nucks in every other category. Selanne line > Sedin line, a human being with a pulse > Naslund and the defensive matchup is laughable. (Kevin Bieska?)

Fearless Prediction The ucks will clearly be victorious.

[See, these kind of puns happen when the Stars get elimintated.]

jamestobrien said...

Er, Kevin Bieksa. Not that a defenseman of his crap-level really deserves a correction. But there it is.

Earl Sleek said...

(HUGE sigh of relief) the tickets have arrived. Go Ducks.

(I still wouldn't mind Fedex getting a huge Brad May suckerpunch though. Not cool at all.)

Temujin said...

^77 Y3R B^SE R B370NG 2 U$ LOLCANO!!!111oneoneone

That's so awesome it needs to be repeated.

Mike said...

Ignore Alanah, you can link as many times as you'd like to the Yankee Canuck!

And seeing how no one in the MSM picked the Canucks at all (seriously, I didn't see one; anyone else?) and both Zanstorm and Jes bailed on Vancouver to win, I'm just going to say we take tonight 3-2 and Burke has a post game quip about Jeff Cowan being a generally awful human being. Sure, why not?

Bethany said...

Well I got the score wrong but I so called a hat trick...maybe it was the wrong person...but dang it I smelled hat trick.

Earl Sleek said...

Bethany, you owe me a hat. :)