View from Calgary

Don't be surprised if the Flames take out the Hawks in 5 or 6. Experience counts, and if Iggy, Kipper, and Dion are on their horses, the Hawks first playoffs in a while will be a short one...

Hey Ernie from Prince Albert, you might wanna reference the previous four vicious beat-downs the Blackhawks dished out to the Lames this season. Hawks in five, maybe get out the brooms if they stay hot as they've been.

ouch, tough critics in the frozen north

Yeh, I'm not buying the limping and lifeless Flames psych-job, either. Somehow, I think the kids can see past this BS smoke screen and "Q" is going to have them torqued from the get-go.

You "kids" just play the amped-up style you showed with the Deadwings and we'll be just fine. You can't do any better than your best and what little I saw of the Detroit series, your best was out on the ice and there was no match for it.

The past is what it is and has no point of reference for the kids. This ain't your granpa's Blackhawks and I think it just might be a quandary for their opponents in all rounds. Did you see something in the regular season that looked anything like what you saw against Detroit? I REST MY CASE!

"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

I'm not going to dogpile on the Flames. Wounded animals are the most dangerous. Especially after hearing from most that they don't have a prayer (hell, even from their own press). Any team can be dangerous come playoff time.

That said, I hope the Hawks can make quick work of them and advance on to the second round after a brief rest. Is it Thursday, yet?

Ernie wrote:

Don't be surprised if the Flames take out the Hawks in 5 or 6. Experience counts, and if Iggy, Kipper, and Dion are on their horses, the Hawks first playoffs in a while will be a short one...

The only experience the Flames have is being choke artists. They have a perernnial all-star in Iggy, a potential Vezina trophy winner in KipperSOFT, and a highly-touted D-man in Phanuef yet they have ZERO Cups with these players.
Up the road here in Edmonton we are guaranteed, as a rite of spring, to hear the sound of the Flames choking, or is that a sucking sound?

Jack Tupp wrote:

<quoted text>
The only experience the Flames have is being choke artists. They have a perernnial all-star in Iggy, a potential Vezina trophy winner in KipperSOFT, and a highly-touted D-man in Phanuef yet they have ZERO Cups with these players.
Up the road here in Edmonton we are guaranteed, as a rite of spring, to hear the sound of the Flames choking, or is that a sucking sound?

OUCH!!!!

Not so brutal, Jack or was that a deliberate psych-job?

I doubt it will work with the kids. They've seen just enough of teams, that they've dominated for a couple of games, and then when it counts, they come in and smack the kids around. Nope, they're not going to believe the wounded duck stuff and it doesn't matter, because all that does matter is that they are focused and play to their abilities.

Oh ya, go ahead and key on Toews, Kaner and Havlat. Everyone knows why I think that would be a fatal mistake and no, I'm not going to list the Hawks that will suddenly pick up the slack!!

"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

RamRod wrote:

<quoted text>
OUCH!!!!
Not so brutal, Jack or was that a deliberate psych-job?
I doubt it will work with the kids. They've seen just enough of teams, that they've dominated for a couple of games, and then when it counts, they come in and smack the kids around. Nope, they're not going to believe the wounded duck stuff and it doesn't matter, because all that does matter is that they are focused and play to their abilities.
Oh ya, go ahead and key on Toews, Kaner and Havlat. Everyone knows why I think that would be a fatal mistake and no, I'm not going to list the Hawks that will suddenly pick up the slack!!
"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

Calgary's playoff track record, or lack thereof, speaks for itself. For us, it's sure sign of spring to watch the Flames go out quietly in the first-round.
There's a whole lot of hockey fans around here who have instantly become huge Hawks fans (despite the 9-2 Chicago drubbing of the Oilers this season!)

Jack Tupp wrote:

<quoted text>
Calgary's playoff track record, or lack thereof, speaks for itself. For us, it's sure sign of spring to watch the Flames go out quietly in the first-round.
There's a whole lot of hockey fans around here who have instantly become huge Hawks fans (despite the 9-2 Chicago drubbing of the Oilers this season!)

Ya well, I'm still wary of any team that made it to the playoffs, no matter how.

The Oiler drubbing was one of those "on any given night" things, as I recall.

I got a taste of International Hawk fever over the weekend, when family brought French and Canadien friends with them for a family emergency. I was, frankly, surprised at how familiar they are with the Blackhawks and their season. Amazing.

"TOK, D!"

RamRod wrote:

<quoted text>
Ya well, I'm still wary of any team that made it to the playoffs, no matter how.
The Oiler drubbing was one of those "on any given night" things, as I recall.
I got a taste of International Hawk fever over the weekend, when family brought French and Canadien friends with them for a family emergency. I was, frankly, surprised at how familiar they are with the Blackhawks and their season. Amazing.
"TOK, D!"

Sorry to hear about the family emergency. I hope all is well.
Your team has a lot of backers up here, given the Canadian content on the roster. The Hawks are up and comers while the annoying Flames and their fans just keep drinking the kool-aid believing they've had a successful season by managing more points than the Oilers. For them, that is what equates a good season.

It's fine.

I have just been awed by the contrast between the "kids" and the behavior and attitude of athletes in any other sports.

Burish and Toews were a sound bite, on the Blackhawks-making-the-playoffs news item, on the local CBS TV news show. The "kids" had their teen-age acne, Burish had his "aw schucks" smirk working and they both wanted to talk about how much they want to accomplish in the playoffs. Toews just lit up, grinning from ear to ear. Burish repeated my contention that it doesn't matter about PO experience. They don't know that a lack of it means automatic elimination, therefore, it doesn't enter into their consideration. They intend to play their best brand of hockey, have fun and see what happens. The reporter and the talking heads, back in studio were just smiling and shaking their heads. ME TOO! I just can't get enough of their candor, enthusiasm for team and quiet determination coming from 19-25 year-olds and I intend to gloat unceasingly while they carve their way to Lord Stanley's snifter. Their interviews are refreshing to say the least.

OK, enough.

"TOK, D!"

Wow Jack! All of that is pretty tough talk from a guy who's team choked it's way out of the playoffs this year, and choked on a Stanley cup final vs Carolina just a few years ago. This Calgary native is looking forward to watching the Flames win in 6 and enjoy the next round. If they don't, I'll definitely enjoy watching the Hawks as I've become a fan since the old guy left office and Rocky and Jim D. took over. PS: Chris Pronger sends his regards.

Shazam wrote:

Wow Jack! All of that is pretty tough talk from a guy who's team choked it's way out of the playoffs this year, and choked on a Stanley cup final vs Carolina just a few years ago. This Calgary native is looking forward to watching the Flames win in 6 and enjoy the next round. If they don't, I'll definitely enjoy watching the Hawks as I've become a fan since the old guy left office and Rocky and Jim D. took over. PS: Chris Pronger sends his regards.

Sorry to hear about you being from Calgary. My regards. Your hockey team is going nowhere, AGAIN, for the umpteenth time.