you son of a...

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

I will say I was off-base to an extent about the 05/06 team, but that's about all I'm changing from my original post.

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mechaphil

well that was all that was wrong with it. everything else is fact.

I pretty much agree. In several threads I've made the claim that switching the rosters from 05-07 with 08-10 would result in very little difference - this roster would be effective back then, and that roster would be ineffective now.

Jvacc, you're right also to some extent, but nobody (even Ruff) can change the talents and mindsets of the players we have. They are what they are and Ruff wouldn't have to juggle lines every period (not that it works anyway) and Darcy wouldn't be under pressure to spend more (not that it works either) if the current roster had space to make the most of their particular abilities.

I didn't like how over half a game was played with odd-man situations from 05-07, but simple basic rules like squanto described were finally being enforced and providing a game closer to what it was decades ago. Further tweaks could've been made while players finally got the message that obstruction and the ensuing penalty was worse than skating hard and trying to make an honest play. After another few seasons we just might have been able to watch a completely free-flowing game with a just a few penalties. Instead we're back to the grabby mess that results in close to the lowest goals per game average since I've started watching. In fact, out of frustration I'm probably more bored with the game's predictibilty than I was during NJ's trap heyday. I can predict the result of about 80% of the games now - dump and chase, forecheck, throw desperate shots on net through the muck of ice-wrestling in the slot and crease until a lucky bounce or garbage goal finds the net...hope for one or two odd-man rushes for some excitement, game ends.

I really do like to watch hockey, but it's been a lot harder lately.

I agree with alot of what was said by 1980, but I want to follow up with a few points that I left out of my previous post.

Ruff's long standing tenure may be an issue with this team. The guys have either tuned him out, or can't play his system against most teams. We don't seem to have any consistency against higher level teams. Sure we win a game here and there, but if they don't win playing that system, maybe his system doesn't work.

Also, take a look at stats over the years. Goals increase and decrease a lot. Guys like perrault, martinn etc would be pomminvilles in this era. Look at the goaltending of the time, or for that matter the skating abilities of the defenders. Those guys are falling down trying to defend them. Its all a product of the players era. It would be like watching babe ruth face cliff lee. Think about it, the guys back in ruths era were hung over slugging home runs, they weren't more talented, just the fact. That the batters were miles ahead of pitchers who threw two pitches, fastball and meatball..its all a product of the players era. Trying to cut down said accomplishments is trivial and an insult to those players and teams.


Btw, I'm on my cell, so sorry for the lack of grammar, too much of a pain in the ass to properly type a post on here, lol

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010