NHL Playoffs

[shipwreck]

Die Braqette

1) Who's gonna win it?

I'm rooting for the Sharks but my heart says either the Sabres (depending on how those blasted Rangers do tonite) or the Ducks.

2) Has Vancouver always used the slogan "Believe in Blue"?

I ask because last season we (Atlanta) started using "Believe in Blueland" for home games since Blueland sort of became the nickname for the arena on hockey night. So did we rip off the Canadians or what?

[St0nkingByte]

They have hockey in Atlanta? WTF!

[Niteowl]

2) Has Vancouver always used the slogan "Believe in Blue"?

As someone who has almost no interest in organized sport whatsoever, but who must, by societal osmosis, follow the Canucks to some limited respect, I can say with about 50% confidence that the slogan is relatively new. Keep in mind that previous incarnations of the Canucks jersey were black/blue/maroon and before that, black/orange/yellow.

The one slogan that they were televising for a bit was.. uh.. oh, right, "We are all Canucks", a pretty damning statement on the overall population buy-in with regards to locally a based arm of a transnational athletic entertainment conglomerate.

[BigDXLT]

The Canucks just choked. I should be happy they made it to the playoffs, but blowing a 2 goal lead pisses me off. Gah! Three more wins in a row ain't happening.

Also: "Believe in Blue", while I've actually heard that phrase more than once or twice in previous years myself (and honestly, have heard/noticed it maybe once this year), this year it probably stems from Luongo... as after his great saves the crowd ominously lets out a deep "LOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU". So the connection? Luongo, for all intents and purposes is the reason the Canucks are in the playoffs, and the corporate spin that likes coming up with catchphrases probably didn't want to have the focus entirely on Roberto with a more accurate "Believe in Lou".

Besides, other fans have (directly) ripped off Vancouvers "towel power" thing so don't even worry about who's ripping off who.

Personally, my rooting goes like this: (As established years ago)
Canucks
A "canuck" team (minus toronto)
Any team that gets ice in winter (minus detroit)
Toronto
Detroit
Teams that never see snow on a regular basis (minus dallas)
Dallas

I have a distaste for Toronto and Detroit because their fans (the ones I know at any rate) are obnoxious. Toronto is currently higher on my list because at least their consistent losing has one friend shut up at the moment. Dallas' shitty ice is the reason I originally established my dislike for cities with no actual winter (that stole a team from a solid hockey town) and to commemorate that they get the spot at the bottom.

After that it comes down to the players I like, which one is the underdog, and whatever. For example, the sens vs pens series was pretty much me cheering for both teams, cuz well, I liked the pens for years and ottawa is the place that wastes my taxes. So it balanced out. XD

In this round though, I'd cheer for the Sens and the sabres over the Rangers and Devils just because the two s-teams don't have the historical records of the teams they face in terms of making it to the cup. +1 underdogs.

Huge distaste for the California and Florida teams. And Texas! They play foosball in texas! I mean what the hell...
/me wanders off muttering about how hockey should be played in winter, on real ice, with fans wearing parkas, stamping their feet and drinking hot chocolate...

[shipwreck]

The Canucks just choked. I should be happy they made it to the playoffs, but blowing a 2 goal lead pisses me off. Gah! Three more wins in a row ain't happening.

Sounds like Atlanta.

Dallas' shitty ice is the reason I originally established my dislike for cities with no actual winter (that stole a team from a solid hockey town) and to commemorate that they get the spot at the bottom.

Coming from a hockey family -- my folks are from Connecticut and were rabid Whalers fans -- I can empathize with your "hockey town" statement. My dad is a huge fan and travels with his cousin who does play-by-play for the Thrashers and when he goes up north to "real" hockey towns he always talks about how it's more like church and the fans are truly into. Here in the Dirty Dirty (at least Atlanta) it's more like a social event even with our numerous northern expatriates.

/me shrugs

If we hadn't made the playoffs Atlanta hockey would be on the downstroke.

After that it comes down to the players I like, which one is the underdog, and whatever.

F*ckin' Shanahan...or is it f*ckin' Avery. That's why I root Sabres - Hasek is cool. That's why I root Jersey - they have some of the few non-white players.

Huge distaste for the California and Florida teams. And Texas!

At least Pantera did the Stars theme. That's about all Dallas has.

[BigDXLT]

[quote="shipwreck]That's why I root Sabres - Hasek is cool.[/quote]

I don't think Hasek has been with the sabres for some time now, unless you're not talking about the goalie! Detroit still has him I think. I really lost track of who got traded where after the lockout though.

[shipwreck]

That's why I root Sabres - Hasek is cool.

I don't think Hasek has been with the sabres for some time now, unless you're not talking about the goalie! Detroit still has him I think. I really lost track of who got traded where after the lockout though.

You're right. Momentary lapse of sanity.

[shipwreck]

Fear the Dark Arts of thread necromancy!


Any picks for this post-season, as we approach the end of the regular season?

I've still got hope for my hometown boys, even though they choked last night and are now 3 points behind Boston. Montreal and Philadelphia are dropping like rocks and we're only like 5 points behind them so there is room for a playoff seed if we can get our butts in gear.

Contrary as it may seem, I'm also rooting for Montreal because, well, Montreal is a cool town, a historic franchise, and it's their 100th season so it would be cool to see them at least in the finals with that in mind.

Finally, I hope good things come to Chicago for former Thrasher and all around good dude Marian Hossa.

Short of that, I just don't want to see Crosby and the Pens take it again.