Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Perilous Journey
Semifinals pics:
Eastern Conference
(6) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (1) Montreal Canadiens There are so many reasons to hate the Flyers (they defeated by Caps, Crazy Ass Bobby Clarke, they're a bunch of thugs, etc.), but Montreal is no less crazy (rioting when your team has won? And it's only the first round! wtf?). I think Philly got a couple of lucky bounces in game 7, and luck can only take you so far. Montreal in 6.
(5) New York Rangers vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins This is going to be an interesting series- Jagr returns to Pittsburgh in the playoffs. While the Rangers have age and experience, the Pens have youth and energy. Pens in 6.
Western Conference
(6) Colorado Avalanche vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings Last round, I didn't predict that any series could go to seven games (two did), but if any are this round, it'll be this one. Wings in 7 (pleaseohpleaseohplease)
(5) Dallas Stars vs. (2) San Jose Sharks They Sharks may have nothing left in the tank since their series with Calgary went to 7, or they could be totally in the zone. Dallas may be recharged with their time off, or they could have become complacent. Or I could know nothing about these Western Conference teams. Dallas in 6.
It pains me greatly that Washington didn't go further. They did so well this year. =(
Eastern Conference
(6) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (1) Montreal Canadiens There are so many reasons to hate the Flyers (they defeated by Caps, Crazy Ass Bobby Clarke, they're a bunch of thugs, etc.), but Montreal is no less crazy (rioting when your team has won? And it's only the first round! wtf?). I think Philly got a couple of lucky bounces in game 7, and luck can only take you so far. Montreal in 6.
(5) New York Rangers vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins This is going to be an interesting series- Jagr returns to Pittsburgh in the playoffs. While the Rangers have age and experience, the Pens have youth and energy. Pens in 6.
Western Conference
(6) Colorado Avalanche vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings Last round, I didn't predict that any series could go to seven games (two did), but if any are this round, it'll be this one. Wings in 7 (pleaseohpleaseohplease)
(5) Dallas Stars vs. (2) San Jose Sharks They Sharks may have nothing left in the tank since their series with Calgary went to 7, or they could be totally in the zone. Dallas may be recharged with their time off, or they could have become complacent. Or I could know nothing about these Western Conference teams. Dallas in 6.
It pains me greatly that Washington didn't go further. They did so well this year. =(
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Are You Ready to Rumble
The playoffs begin tonight! I'm so excited! ^_^
And now, my unscientific playoff pics!
Eastern Conference
(8) Boston Bruins vs. (1) Montreal Canadiens Ah, Old Tyme Hockey™. Unfortunately despite liking both of these teams in an unemotional-yet-sentimental way, I just can't bring myself to care. Boston will choke, because they always do. Habs in 5.
(7) Ottawa Senators vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins Even with Sidney Crosby's gimpy ankle, the Pens have a real chance of making a big splash this postseason thanks to players like Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar. Pens in 5.
(6) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (3) Washington Capitals This series makes me nervous; Philly is basically gorillas on skates, and they might hurt my pretty, pretty Alexander Ovechkin. Fangirlling aside, the Caps's trade-deadline acquisitions have infused new life into a terminally mediocre team, but it'll be a tough slog. Caps in 6
(5) New York Rangers vs. (4) New Jersey Devils Again, I can't force myself to care about this series. New Jersey G Martin Brodeur is brilliant in the playoffs, the Devils less so. But like Boston, the Rangers are chronic underachievers. Devils in 5
Western Conference
(8) Nashville Predators vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings I like Nashville coach Barry Trotz a lot, but, well, Nashville ain't going to beat Detroit. Wings in 6
(7) Calgary Flames vs. (2) San Jose Sharks Um... Sharks in 6?
(6) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3) Minnesota Wild I'm the rare Wings fan that actually likes Colorado, but with their depleted roster they won't be able to top the Wild. Wild in 5.
(5) Dallas Stars vs. (4) Anaheim Ducks I loathe Chris Pronger with the burning passion of a thousand suns, but as much as I would love to see a bus dropped on him, I don't think the Stars (even with recent addition Brad Lukowich) have the grit to out-dirty Pronger. Ducks in 6.
Trever Linden played what is believed to be his last game on April 5, 2008. This is a poignant playoffs for me since I first became a fan during the 1993-94 playoffs, and supported Vancouver (I had a huge crush on Pavel Bure. (hush.) Trevor Linden is well-regarded and deservedly so, and it hurts a little to see him go.
And now, my unscientific playoff pics!
Eastern Conference
(8) Boston Bruins vs. (1) Montreal Canadiens Ah, Old Tyme Hockey™. Unfortunately despite liking both of these teams in an unemotional-yet-sentimental way, I just can't bring myself to care. Boston will choke, because they always do. Habs in 5.
(7) Ottawa Senators vs. (2) Pittsburgh Penguins Even with Sidney Crosby's gimpy ankle, the Pens have a real chance of making a big splash this postseason thanks to players like Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar. Pens in 5.
(6) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (3) Washington Capitals This series makes me nervous; Philly is basically gorillas on skates, and they might hurt my pretty, pretty Alexander Ovechkin. Fangirlling aside, the Caps's trade-deadline acquisitions have infused new life into a terminally mediocre team, but it'll be a tough slog. Caps in 6
(5) New York Rangers vs. (4) New Jersey Devils Again, I can't force myself to care about this series. New Jersey G Martin Brodeur is brilliant in the playoffs, the Devils less so. But like Boston, the Rangers are chronic underachievers. Devils in 5
Western Conference
(8) Nashville Predators vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings I like Nashville coach Barry Trotz a lot, but, well, Nashville ain't going to beat Detroit. Wings in 6
(7) Calgary Flames vs. (2) San Jose Sharks Um... Sharks in 6?
(6) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3) Minnesota Wild I'm the rare Wings fan that actually likes Colorado, but with their depleted roster they won't be able to top the Wild. Wild in 5.
(5) Dallas Stars vs. (4) Anaheim Ducks I loathe Chris Pronger with the burning passion of a thousand suns, but as much as I would love to see a bus dropped on him, I don't think the Stars (even with recent addition Brad Lukowich) have the grit to out-dirty Pronger. Ducks in 6.
Trever Linden played what is believed to be his last game on April 5, 2008. This is a poignant playoffs for me since I first became a fan during the 1993-94 playoffs, and supported Vancouver (I had a huge crush on Pavel Bure. (hush.) Trevor Linden is well-regarded and deservedly so, and it hurts a little to see him go.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Read
My throat still hurts, and I keep coughing up garbage. It's disgusting.
Yesterday I received and read Karen Traviss's Republic Commando: True Colors (It took me about 8 hours to read the whole thing through.)
True Colors is very good, yet horribly depressing. The tone gets darker with each book, and I'm afraid that the fourth book in this series, Order 66 will be like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that is, a no-holds-barred literary bloodbath.
Ms Traviss has an unmatched ability to really get inside a character's head, and she crafts such believable, well-drawn characters (even in such a fantastical setting such as the Star Wars universe) that you are able to identify with, and commiserate with, commando soldiers, even if you've never been a soldier yourself. She is also able to reveal some of the details we don't see in the movies- how the clone project was (or wasn't) funded, how Palpatine intentionally (and craftily) mishandles the war (and we all know why and to what ends), how some people (Jedi, clones, and others) start to realize this and the actions they take because of it. Ms Traviss artfully and precisely ties the Republic Commando and the movies together, with masterful results.
Yesterday I received and read Karen Traviss's Republic Commando: True Colors (It took me about 8 hours to read the whole thing through.)
True Colors is very good, yet horribly depressing. The tone gets darker with each book, and I'm afraid that the fourth book in this series, Order 66 will be like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that is, a no-holds-barred literary bloodbath.
Ms Traviss has an unmatched ability to really get inside a character's head, and she crafts such believable, well-drawn characters (even in such a fantastical setting such as the Star Wars universe) that you are able to identify with, and commiserate with, commando soldiers, even if you've never been a soldier yourself. She is also able to reveal some of the details we don't see in the movies- how the clone project was (or wasn't) funded, how Palpatine intentionally (and craftily) mishandles the war (and we all know why and to what ends), how some people (Jedi, clones, and others) start to realize this and the actions they take because of it. Ms Traviss artfully and precisely ties the Republic Commando and the movies together, with masterful results.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
