Oh well.....no more Canucks. I was really beginning to enjoy rooting for a team other than the Rangers. I loved the style of play and the 'Nucks looked like they had a knack for big wins in big games......this was obviously not the case.
Observations:
All four teams left have been built on solid defensive systems. The Ducks may be the odd team out as they have the least successful numbers, defensively speaking. But then again, their keeper is playing lights out these days.
All four teams are small market, fiscally challenged teams.....with, get this....the Devils carrying the highest payroll. Lou must be thrilled.
Canadians have but one team left to root for......the Sens, a team that has been sold during this season and one that had a hard time supporting itself. As an honorary Canadian myself (self appointed) I just can't warm up to the Sens. It does however seem to me that Canada has a good string of luck going.....winning Olympic gold, the Masters in Golf amongst other things. Perhaps the good Canadian karma gets Ottawa a trip to the finals.
TV ratings.......they are expected to drop even further with no big US markets in the final four. ABC and ESPN who came to the plate for the NHL are not going to be rewarded for their investment. Only the hardest of hardcore fans will be watching despite the fact that we should get some high quality hockey out of these match-ups. Look, a casual tennis fan doesn't care much about great technical tennis.....but they'll tune in if Anna Kornikova is playing in a final. There are no Anna's in the playoffs.....no Marios or Gretzkys. There are Giguere's and Zyuzin's......Gaborik's and Hossa's.....great players but hardly big names in the minds of the casual US hockey fan.
The Movie, the Myth.....the Ducks.
I'm not sure how the Disney people will react if they get into the finals....they want out of the NHL, so why would we expect them to turn their PR department loose on promoting the Ducks ? However, Eisner & co. have a nose for money....a trip to the finals could mean big bucks for the Mouseketeers. The Cinderella story (pun intended) could present an opportunity for some kind of big Disney hockey thing......stay tuned on that. Of course, this could just raise the selling price on the Ducks.....either way, Mickey will be watching hockey over the next few weeks with a keen eye.
The Devils will win the cup.........argh !
They are the most solid going in of the final four. I exclude Ottawa as they are in uncharted waters and until they win in rounds three and four, I can't give them a nod. The Devs have two Cups....and a third trip to the finals. They have Marty and Scott Stevens. They also have a lot of pressure on them as I think it's now expected that they win out. They must be stopped. Here's to someone, anyone knocking them off as I can't endure another year of Devils fans (all 386 of them) taunting me from the swamps.
Oh how it sucks to be a Rangers fan.
----}-
Posted by Bird at May 09, 2003 02:52 PMeMail this entry!
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