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

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Game 1 video, Calgary vs San Jose



Here is a short video from game one, with most of the pre-game atmosphere that was blacked out for many on Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area and Dish Network, not to mention the first three goals of the game by Yelle, Phaneuf and Clowe. Will post a few notes from game 2 later tonight.

The Shark head drop to Carmina Burana "O Fortuna" is pretty incredible, but it actually worked better in past years when they used a wavy teal light on the ice to mimmick ocean water and kept the lighting in the arena dim. At age 5, on a tour of Universal Studios I almost jumped off the back of the tram on the Jaws set when the fake shark pops out of the water. Seeing a jerky mechanical jaws come out of the water now, it is hard to think it ever looked real. A couple years later I was in Half Moon Bay a few days after a windsurfing board was attacked by a great white. They had it on display, and from the size of the bite it looked like it would have taken about a third of the windsurfer with him. That was the first and last thought I had whenever I stepped into the water to go surfing or bodyboarding.

Bottom line: 17 years later and just outside of the great white "red triangle" feeding grounds, the Sharks still have one of the best franchise identities in sports. It may take a little more tweaking in the coming years, a little less orange, but eventually they will hit on a logo and crest that will stand the test of time. I have never been a huge fan of teal, pacific teal is slightly better, but they have made it work and built a huge following behind it. Next year when teams have an option for a third jersey, San Jose needs to opt for a dark navy jersey with a simple "SHARKS" on the front. Lean, mean, and ready to rupture Anaheim's spleen.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I cannot wait for the third jersey.It just cannot suck.The new logo has grown on me but the new jerseys are horrid.

Hopefully the third jersey brings it to another level.The old third jersey is my favorite.Black with white and teal stripes is just badass.If I were to buy a new jersey it would be a third one.Go Sharks!

The Flames kind of handed us that games.I hope they keep getting penalties.Makes the game a whole lot easyer.

Earl Sleek said...

Great video.

This isn't an actual complaint, but isn't it a bit weird when they get different singers for the Canadian and U.S. anthems? It always struck me as kind of odd and suspicious.

PJ Swenson said...

The woman who sung the Canadian national anthem, Annemarie Martin, was awesome. The guy who sung the U.S. anthem was Greg Kihn, a local radio host. He was in a one hit wonder band from the 80's (our love's in jeapordy). I like how he tried to mimmick Calgary by leaving out a line in the anthem and letting the fans sing it.

My goal is to ask the Sharks if they would send an invitation out to a local chellist Nathan Chan. He is a phenomenal talent, and at age 14 a year ago I think he was a guest musician for Roberta Flack. He plays for the San Francisco youth orchestra now, but if you do a search on youtube you can hear a few of his songs. I heard him do a version of the national anthem on a local television segment and was floored.

PJ Swenson said...

Short clip of Nathan Chan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSnkkDoihPg

Anonymous said...

"He was in a one hit wonder band from the 80's (our love's in jeapordy)"

Actually, he had 3 "hits".. Jeopardy, plus "the breakup song" and "Lucky". Greg has sung the national anthem several times at Shark's games and does this frequently. He really tries to get the crowd into the game right away.

Nathan Chan is indeed an amazing talent.

Regarding the alternate jerseys, I'd love for them to go back to a black alternate home jersey.