Be a shame to see Marleau go. Price might be a good fit, though.

Off to the Unoted Center in about 7 hours for Game 5. Hawks need to bring it.

Image

Have fun at the game Tom:-) Chicago will bring it.

This one will be a monster. Both teams know they have to win. I expect the Hawks to bring the speed and the flyers to bring the pain and aggitation.

The question in my mind will be if the Refs call the Flyers and if the Hawks can keep their composure and not take the retaliation penalties they have been doing.

Good luck to both teams, I am glad this series has lived up to what I thought it would be. Both teams have won games based on their strengths.

Have fun Tom! I hope the building is nice and quiet for you! :-)
Posted via Mobile Device

awesome! did you know its orange shirt night tonight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9U9axG68w

Yup. :-)

Image

nice win. Its so close you can see the finish line

And yet I am still a ball of nerves. :-)

Tom, it seems there is an unlimited supply of pics with Byfugly hamming it up for you to choose from. I think I like him less and less each time you post a pic! :-)

As for the game last night, the Hawks came out ready to play, they out hustled the Flyers and had, by far, their best game of the series . Hopefully the Flyers can force game 7. I have confidence they can.

And where are all of the "The Flyers are getting all of the calls, why weren't the obvious penalties called? The NHL is fixing it so they can win!" people? :-) Maybe the third time Briere gets highsticked in the face will be the charm.

Refs definitely missed the high-stick on Briere, Joel....just as they missed the one on Seabrook. Hope Briere is OK and ready to go Wednesday....should be a barnburner.

I think it is cool the way Canucks, Sharks, and now Flyer fans hate Byfuglien so much. You hate the players that make a difference....probably why the Hawks fans hate Pronger, because he is a difference maker most nights.

You are absolutely correct on that Tom. One of my least favorite opposing players of all time was Matthew Barnaby. I couldn't stand the dude, but always said that if he were a Flyer he'd be one of my favorite players. One of the best at his role, at least when playing against the Flyers.

IMO, most of time, the booing an opposing player receives should be taken as a sign of respect. I actually smile when I hear the boos raining down on Pronger. I'm guessing he does too. The exception to this would be someone like Marty Mcsorley after his cheapshot on Brashear or Dale Hunter after his on Turgeon.

And, FWIW, I think Byfugly is a very imposing force on the ice, and most definitely respect his game. It's his antics that grow tiresome for me. :-)

I think part of the reason that I like it so much is this, Joel: My biggest complaint about Byfuglien the last couple seasons is that he seems to play with no emotion. No smiles, no anger....nada. This playoff season he has showed emotion, and his play has been heads and shoulders better. So as far as I am concerned, the more he acts the goof, the better off the Hawks are going to be. :-)

That makes a lot of sense, Tom. I can think of a lot of professional athletes that have come through Philadelphia that needed a spark of some kind in their game and if glimpses of a spark were shown, their game seemed to elevate. Crossing sports, but McNabb was always more relaxed and confident the goofier he acted. Iverson always excelled when he had an attitude. Jimmy Rollins always pisses opposing team's fans off with his cockiness, but the cockier he is, the better the whole team seems to play (trust me, they're missing him right now).

I guess what I'm saying is, being you're a fan of the Hawks, I see exactly where you are coming from. :-) But like fans from opposing teams of the three athletes I mentioned above, I still don't like the guy! :-) :-)

Totally understand, Joel....I don't think a lot of people outside of Chicago do right now.

Funny thing is, I actually like Pronger....I blame the refs for giving him a little too much leeway, but that ain't his fault.

Hang on there Sparky. I dont know many Sharks fans that hate Byfugly. In fact at the shop last night a few guys said he was a critical player. What most agreed on was the SCRIPTED goal celebration was lame. The same pose, always going to his left, and always ending at the same spot on the board. True celebrations are okay, scripted celebrations where you have it planned out are lame and shows a childish mentality. Like Terrel Ownes etc. To think out how your going to celebrate a goal is strange to me and shows it is not comming from the heart. Instead it is being done to generate a response. Last I checked hockey wasn the WWE and we didnt need the villian.

As to the Canucks celebrations I will say the player I want on my team is the one who wins with class. Not the one who acts like a child jumping around or posing to the opponents crowd yelling neener neener suck on that. Thats just not how I was raised and damn sure not how I am raising my son. You win with class, you let your play on the ice or field leave the mark, not your antics after you win or score.

I know the homers will likely pour in and say there is nothing wrong with a celebration and to that I say fine. Go post your vids again and this time I ask you to find me the scripted repetative goal celebration by one of those players. The same one done over and over and over and over and over again in the same manner. I think instead you will see emotions from the heart. Score goal check, turn and skate to the left check, lift right leg check, lift arms wide check, glide into the glass with back to it and await teamates check. Well except for when he first did it in vancouver you have to add in taunt the crowd.

Still love me some Hawks, and think Byfugly is a good oldschool grinder except for the antics after the goals. I keep saying it to my son, but he doesnt get it yet, "act like you have been there before."

I think Buff's celebration in Vancouver was spontaneous...after that it became for of his
"pose". :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJXZLnMPiQ4

of the 5 games so far...i thought the last game was the first time that chicago dominated philly like they have everyone else throughout the playoffs...despite average tending.if the hawks have truly "found themselves"(and play like they have since the begginning of the playoffs)...the cup will be presented tonight.

turning point of game 5..buff's monumental(and clean)hit on pronger...totally changed the way pronger played the rest of the game.buff earned more room to play(and it showed on the scoresheet)...pronger was looking for payback(and it showed on the scoresheet (as penalty minutes and +/-)).

i watched pronger daily for a year when he played for the oilers...never seen him hit that solidly.

8 1/2 hours to go...part of me wants chicago to win tonight...part of me wants to see this continue to 7 games...best nhl playoff year in a decade.

derrek :-)