Heading to Portland

Jacob and I head out to Portland tomorrow at 12:30pm.

But not after taking Alex to the airport, in Sacramento, for a 9:45am flight with his team... gah!

I already told Jacob that I'm going to be tired and cranky and he better not be counting on me to entertain him during out travels. That sounded mean. Well, it kinda was. But I prefaced it with the plea to please, please PLEASE have something with him (a book, movie, ipod, cards... something, anything) that isn't my phone, to keep him occupied.

Because getting up at 4:00am, driving for 5 hours (round trip from San Jose to Sacramento) going to the airport on a Friday afternoon of a 3 day holiday weekend, standing in line, flying two hours, manuevering around PDX to find the MAX train that will get us into Beaverton... does not sound like a good basis for a happy, patient and rested mother. I'm sure Jacob won't be the best company either. I hope someone reminds me to keep him fed.

Sigh. But after Friday... the rest of the weekend should be fun. Oh. Except for the rain. But we get to see Alex play soccer! With the Cal North ODP (Olympic Development Program) team.
And the games? Will be outside. In the rain. Maybe in the midst of thunderstorms. Sigh.

I'm happy for him. This is a really big deal for him. I hope he does well and gets a lot out of this experience.

Then it is back home and time to deal with, well, all the stuff I need to deal with at home.

In Memorium

*Sigh*

(Sharks lose 4-2 in game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Chicago will move on to the Stanley Cup Finals)

Here is a poem written by Jacob, one of the Sharks biggest fans, on the eve of their final 2010 playoff game against Chicago:

Every year ends the same
Watching the Sharks lose their final game
This makes the year so lame
And now having to stare at the mullet of Patrick Kane

For once can't we make history?
Or will it always be a mystery?
And to come this close just to see it walk away
Then have to think about it every day

Can't Marleau hoist the cup?
And then have Pronger clean it up?

Instead of looking in the mirror

Whispering "is this the year?"

We have 3 consecutive losses
What caused all this?

I think it's finally time
For the cup to be yours and mine
Will it happen, probably not
But who would have ever thought

That we'd make it this far

Will history be made?
Or stay the same?

There's only one way to know
And put on a show

The Sharks are targets on a range
Can't they just win a cup for change?

Poor Jacob. I know exactly how he feels. I could have written this. So? Thus ends our Sharks Playoff Hockey Blogging for 2010. Back to our regularly scheduled blog posts.

Final Countdown

Well, the Sharks are at the brink for their 2010 Stanley Cup hopes.

They find themselves today in the unenviable position of being down 0 games to 3 in the Western Conference Finals. One more loss... and they're out.

What will they do? My hope, my wish for them is to put pressure on Chicago and make them earn it. My wish for them is to take each period one at a time and accept that fate is out of their hands. My wish for them is to claw their way back, one shift at a time and make this a challenge to their opponent.

My wish, is to not see a handshake today.

Jacob and promised eachother there would be no tears this year if the Sharks lose. That has been the most painful thing these last two years. He takes it really hard. I, on the other hand, will probably have to sneak off to the bathroom for a quiet cry...

*Sigh*

The game starts soon...

Go Sharks! Bring this series back to SJ!

Help! My Husband is Taking Over The Electronics!

It started with the computer. He used to go on once in a while. He would check his e-mail, look at ESPN Deportes or listen to music. Now? He has discovered eBay and eBay Motors. He is ordering parts left and right for his truck. He is bidding on auctions. He is checking his email every five minutes for updates on his bids. He is posting ads on Craigslist. He is watching videos on Youtube. He has his own Youtube account! He has a Paypal account! I mean, it never ends. And me? Well, my computer time has gone way down. WAY DOWN. Sigh.

Next was the DVR. Which? Is hilarious considering he refused to even learn how to use it when we first got the service with our Comcast account. He used to get so angry when there were multiple recordings going on (Jacob is the series recording whiz) and it would kick him out of what ever program he was watching. But then? His passion for soccer took over and he began to ask us (because he didn’t know how) to record his games for him. And, of course, we would (one of us) have to start it for him too. One morning he got up early and when I came out to the living room after waking up the kids, he was watching one of his recorded games. “Ha!” I said. “What?” he asked. “You know how to work the dvr! You started this game on your own.” He just laughed. But I made the point that he was not to use us anymore to record games or shows. Just the other day I was watching tv and the message popped up that two shows were being recorded and that I would have to change the channel to one of the shows being recorded. When I looked up what was scheduled, it was two of his recordings. I got bumped out of my show! Unbelievable!

But the last straw. THE FINAL straw was the GPS. That was mine. That thing has made my life so easy. No more getting yahoo directions. No more google maps. No more getting lost. He took it out of my car a few weeks ago so he could find some place where he was picking up an engine. He only had it one day. ONE DAY! And here is what happened: I was taking Alex to his soccer training which was out of town and about an hour and-a-half long drive. We had been there recently so I pretty much remembered how to get there. But just in case I pulled out the GPS and asked Alex to go to the “recently found” menu and look up where we were going. He began scrolling down the list but couldn’t find it. He read off address after address, but none were the one we were looking for. What the heck? Where did he go? Why so many different addresses? In just one day? How many "recently found" addresses will the GPS remember before it starts deleting them? I began to panic. Then? He did, thankfully, find it at the bottom of the list. When I put it up on the window holster the audio wasn’t working right. Now what? It sounded jumbled, like when cassette tapes used to get stuck or go bad (Showing my age here). It wasn’t even the same voice as before. The more I listened to it, however, the more I realized it sounded like a different language. “Is that French?” I asked out loud. They didn’t know. On a hunch I grabbed it out of the holster and asked Jacob to play around with it and see if he could find a language option. After just a few seconds he found the option and announced that it was currently set on... get this... Afrikaans. WTH?
How does that even happen?

Fun Sharks Quotes

Taken mostly from commenter tag lines on Fear The Fin:

"I think I realized after the second or third punch, I should have taken his helmet off sooner." - Ryane Clowe

"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10

They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn

"Even the Swedes are getting mad."-Randy Hahn

"It's very cozy in the sin bin."-Randy Hahn

Drew: Fill in the blank: "When I'm on the ice with Douglas Murray, I..."
Nabby: "Poop yourself."

"So, what in the knick-knack-paddywack-give-a-dog-a-bone is going on around here?" — Dan Rusanowsky

"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda

"Sleep is for the off season."~ Randy Hahn.

And what’s the advice Murray’s grandfather (Lars [Lasse] Bjorn) gives him? "Hit more people."

"It takes a big man to cry and it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man." - Jamie Baker

"Devin Setoguchi’s haircut has released the dragon" ~Drew Remenda

'The good news is, there's a little more room in the penalty box; there's only five Sharks in there now.' -- Randy Hahn, VAN @ SJS 8 April 2010

"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars

Come on boys, your city is behind you. We believe. We do. Pick yourselves up and play the way you were meant to play. If you, each last one of you, leave everything out there on the ice, no one can be disappointed.

Leave no doubt.
Offer no excuses.
"Now, hit them in the mouth!"

Go Sharks!

Kill Me Now

Or at least remove the dagger from my heart.

Sharks lost game 2 (4-2) and now trail in the series 0 games to 2.

Ugh, that was painful. They looked? Um, what is the word? Discombobulated. They looked tense and overly conservative. I didn't see them shooting up the ice like I did in the previous two series. Maybe Chicago is just that much better. They seemed unstoppable. More than that, though, they looked comfortable. The Sharks on the other hand looked like 9 year-old boys squirming in their seats at a wedding because they can't wait to run outside and take off the suits and ties that their moms made them wear.

I don't know how they can possibly turn this around. I'm hoping they can get at least one in Chicago... but right now if I'm Chicago I'm thinking close this thing out at home. Go for the sweep. I don't know how the Sharks can get back in their comfortable rhythm or at least dig in defensively until the offense can nail a couple in the back of the net, comfortable or not. With Colorado you felt they were dominating and that sooner or later if they kept with it they would break through... and they did. With Detroit they nailed them with three strait and looked unstoppable. But, now? With Chicago, they look intimidated and I'm not sure why. I just know it doesn't feel right.

I did see some hits. So, that was good. Not sure if they kept doing that through out the game, but damn. Some of those goals? Soft ones by Nabby? It doesn't really matter though, the team as a whole was out of sync. To many turnovers, their forwards were not giving them an inch in the defensive zone. You would think they would have been more prepared for that? I don't know. I don't envy Todd Mac right now. They need to get it together or this is it.

I hate to sound doom and gloom... but this feels like the end. Sigh.

Just hoping for a game 5.

Go Sharks!

I'm Bored...

A poem by Jacob Castillo:

I'm bored...

More than a sword

Or even an electrical cord

I want to go home and watch TV

Or eat some chips because I'm hungry

I want to play with my mommy's phone

At least let me have an ice cream cone

I'm to tired to run

And the clouds are covering the sun

My mommy goes on Facebook

She's attached to it like a hook

That was random

And that rhymes with tandom

I finish in a sigh

As all I say now is...

Goodbye

Told You

Ugh. Lost Game 1, 2-1.

I don't even know how they looked. Never even got the vibe. Did they play their best but fell short? Did they play to conservative? Did Chicago take it to us? Are the Blackhawks the superior team? Can we do better? Did we get some bad bounces?

Who knows. Well some know, but I won't know. No post game media after a loss. Can't do it.

Game 2 tonight. Tonight I'll know.

Say It Isn't So

It is so.

Soccer trumps hockey today.

U15 spring soccer trumps playoff hockey.

Not-even-his-team (yet)-U15-and-probably-won't-even-play-today-spring-soccer-in-Santa-Rosa-two-hours-away trumps Sharks Western Conference Championship Series Game One Hockey.

What is this world coming to?

I guarantee one thing. Today's (hockey) game will either be the best damn game in history... or the worst.
I can tell you something else... The mojo factor is not there today for the Sharks. I'm hoping this won't matter, but let's look at the facts:
* They are playing on Sunday
* They are playing at noon
* They are playing on NBC (gag)
* They have been OFF for 8 days. 8 days! Can you say "sluggish?"
* Juan got mad at me this morning before he left for work... um, and, for the record, for something I didn't do. But he was mad, and that is all that matters.
* I won't (er, we won't) be here to watch.
* We are DVRing the game, but let's face it. They have never won when we record the game.
* Someone will say the score. Somehow, some way we will know the outcome before coming home to watch the game.

I am just going to assume game one is in the toilet. Call me a pessimist if you want but I'm just trying to cushion the blow (if it comes) to my fragile sense of sanity.

On the road again. Can't wait to get on the road again. Was there all day yesterday listening to music with the kids. Can't wait to get on the road again.

Go Sharks!

Hockey Tonight!

Er, High School Hockey, that is.

High School Roller Hockey.

At 10:15pm.

Go Evergreen!

I will be needing a nap.

Go Sharks!

To Much Time On My Hands

Until Sunday.

Chicago looks scary good. They whipped up a very good Vancouver team like nothing. They are so fast it made my eyes spin. I had to look away.

I will need some major distractions in the next few days to take my mind off of worrying about the following:

*The Sharks becoming complacent
*The Sharks coming out slow/sluggish in game 1 and getting whipped
*Losing at home and having the tone set for the series
*Chicago deciding that they really are scary good and come out with quickness and effectiveness without even trying
*Mental Blocks
*Paper becoming Ice ("Chicago looks better on paper")
*Bad bounces
*Byfuglien taunting the crowd
*Sharks retreating into their playoff shell
*Niemi playing out of his head
*Kane/Sharp/Toews
*Running out of alchohol (went shopping yesterday)
*joining the ranks of the fallen: Caps, Pens, et al
*major chokage
*being upset if they lose and realizing how much of my mental state has been invested in this post-season
*waking up depressed & dejected on Monday morning

This Is The Weirdest Game

That's what my, then 12 year-old, step-son said back when he was first introduced to hockey.

In 1994, My husband and I had been married for two years and felt that our son, Sergio, should try and find a sport or activity that he liked other than watching tv or playing video games. He did like to skate on his roller blades, but we wanted him to join some kind of organized team or sport. Sergio had been born and raised in Mexico and had moved here to live with his dad when he was 9. His dad played soccer all his life and Sergio grew up around the sport. We thought naturally he would be interested in playing soccer. Not so. He had no interest whatsoever.
But, I was persistent and really pushed him to try something. We would look through the community parks and recreation "activity guide" for ideas. "Just try something, if you don't like it then at least you will know and you don't have to do it," I would tell him.
Wasn't interested.
I heard about baseball tryouts in our neighborhood and asked if he wanted to try that. He said he would, but when the time came to go to the tryouts, he said he changed his mind and didn't want to go. Sigh.
One day, he was flipping through the channels on the tv and began watching a hockey game. Not just any hockey game (I would realize in later years) but the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the San Jose Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings.
I was in the other room when he called me, "Susan! Come out here quick! What is that?" he said pointing to the television. I stared at the tv and tried to figure out what was going on. Apparently, someone had thrown a squid on the ice? WTH?
"I have no idea." I said.
As they showed the crew cleaning the octopus off the ice the announcers explained about the tradition of Red Wing fans and how it symbolized the 8 games needed to win the Stanley Cup. "Did you understand that?" I asked him.
With a half-puzzled, half-disgusted look on his face, he nodded that he did not. I explained what the announcers had said about the 8 wins and how the Octopus had 8 legs and he sort of nodded in agreement like he understood.
With his eyes riveted to the screen he said, "This is the weirdest game."
We watched the rest of the series and witnessed the Sharks in their very first playoff run. We would also watch one after that in which the Sharks would lose. He was hooked, and I think that was when I became a fan as well.
It wasn't long after that, that Sergio asked to take hockey lessons and not much longer after that that he began playing over at Vallco in their youth house league. Sixteen years later and he is still playing. He currently plays in a men's league at Sharks Ice. We go see him play every once in a while and it always brings back good memories of watching him play as a kid.
I am so thankful he found the sport and brought the Sharks into our lives.

Go Sharks!

We Know Who... But Not When

And the winner is... Chicago.

Oh boy, here we go. Now we just have to wait for the Eastern series (both of them) to conclude before they set up the schedule for round 3... or WCCS.

I think they said that Chicago isn't even going home after wrapping up their series in Vancouver... they are just coming strait here.

Well, it has been nice not worrying about these things for the last few days. Time to get those nerves-a-churnin.

Go Sharks!

The (Real) Top Ten Reasons The Sharks Won Round 2

#10 They played up to their potential

#9 They outplayed the Wings

#8 They didn't let Detroit "get into their head"

#7 Seto / Clowe / Pavelski

#6 Faceoffs

#5 They took advantage of opportunities

#4 THE BIG PAVELSKI

#3 The Heated Jumbo Patty (supersized)

#2 NABBY

#1 They were the better team

Top Ten Reasons the Red Wings Lost Their Round 2 Series

According to their fans and sportswriters...

10. The Sharks didn’t choke like they were supposed to.

9. Penalty Disparity – The Red Wings had WAY more penalties then the Sharks.

8. The NHL hates the Red Wings

7. Everything was set up by Gary Betteman and the NHL to make sure the Wings lost.

6. During the regular season the Wings were the 2nd least penalized team… the Sharks were 23rd. Obviously proving that the penalty calling disparity was a conspiracy against the Wings

5. The Sharks took dives to draw and embellish penalties (ha ha ha! I laugh)

4. Conspiracy against the Wings so Chicago can be the new face of the NHL... “This year’s darling must be Chicago. When you listen to the talk shows, it is Chicago being talked about . More young guns that the league is promoting. Wings must be too old be in the finals every year. You need new blood so you let them get pummeled, and oh gee, they lose.”

3. The winning goal in game 5 came seconds after Johan Franzen was knocked to the ice on an apparent blow to the head by Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray, with no call.

2. Okay, one positive one here (to be fair to the many RW fans who were good sports and saw the series for what it was and not for what the, entitlement-whining-conspiracy-theory-inventing-loony-(wingless)-bird-fans-not-able-to-admit-the-better team-won, made it out to be)… “The Wings were a goal behind and a step behind much of the time, and no, they didn't get many breaks. But they also gave away too many breaks, with turnovers and penalties and mistakes, issues they never could resolve.”

1. What is this "losing in the second round" that you speak of? Have they announced when game 6 is to be played? I don’t see it on the schedule yet. Go Wings! Bring home the Cup!

My Feelings Exactly

Just written better... From Fear The Fin:

"The wishing, the waiting, the heartbreak, the hand-wringing. The fear, the failure, the anger, the agony.
All of that, silenced, when the clock read zero tonight.

San Jose reaches the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004, doing so by defeating their historical nemesis the Detroit Red Wings. It was the biggest series in franchise history-- a loss would have likely meant an implosion in the off season, with Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov a near certainty to be let go. Joe Thornton's name would have become synonymous with trade rumors, and the discussion on talk radio about his shortcomings would have reached a fevered pitch.

All of that, silenced, when the clock read zero tonight.

The biggest series in franchise history was handled in a mere five games. It is a time of celebration and jubilation, of freedom from the demons that have plagued our souls for five years. It was a monumental event that shook the city of San Jose tonight, one that will go down in the history books as a moment where the shackles of shame were broken in one quick flick of Patrick Marleau's wrist.
Tonight is exactly where we wanted to be.

Tomorrow is when it sets in that we're only halfway home.
Buckle up."

That was amazing. That was every synonym known to man for "amazing." I was so proud and happy to see that handshake on the ice last night. I had goosebumps. I wish it would have been in slow motion. I watched the Comcast intro this morning (since it is our pre-game ritual to not turn on the game until the puck has dropped) and got chills.

I am treating myself for Mother's Day to spend an exorbitant amount of time this morning perusing and scanning the blogosphere and hockey-mediasphere for all that is the Sharks and this win.

Let me grab some coffee.

Go Sharks!

Happy Mother's Day...

To me!

Sharks win! We're going to the Conference Finals Baby! Woooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Win Tally:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

8 wins... 8 more to go.

Go Sharks!

Game 5 Tonight

Sharks looking to close the door on this thing.

I'm looking to close the door on this thing. This is nerve racking. I am more nervous and tense for this team then I am for my own kids when they play.

So much riding on these guys to come through. I think about the pressure. I think about the disappointment, heartache and nausea this will cause if the let the RWs back in this series. If they don't close it out tonight it is back to Detroit. I don't want that. I won't be able to handle that. I will be curled up in the fetal position for days if that happens.

All that aside. I keep (my wandering, out of control mind) going back to the humiliation of not winning this series after going up 3-0. Put aside what the RW fans, writers and bloggers will have to say. Imagine the NHL as a whole. Imagine all sportwriters, players and coaches in North America. Imagine the commentators. Ugh. Oh, the agony. Oh the pain. Oh the suffering. And nothing has even happened.

This is what happens when left to my own devices. I think I need help. If anyone reads this... this, is a cry for help.

Go Sharks!

Um?

Well that didn't exactly go as planned. What happened anyway? They had no fight in them and everything bounced the right way for the RW's, I guess.

I can't help but feeling the doom and gloom return. Just when I thought I may have gotten rid of it. That was the worst possible way that game could have gone last night. Other than catastrophic injuries. So, yes it could have been worse. But it was still bad. Very, very bad.

So, now they have this to overcome. I don't know. I'm not feeling it. I'm feeling like they are just going to let the Wings back into this thing. Like someone pointed out that this isn't where they belong and they believed them.

Last night I saw Cinderella arriving at the ball in her glamorous horse and carriage and then 6 or 7 minutes after she arrived it turned into a moldy pumpkin right in front of everyone. And then her glamorous dress turned into rags and her hair fell flat. Everyone laughed and pointed. They called her names and told her that she was ugly, fat and didn't belong in such esteemed company.

That is a lot to overcome in anyone's lifetime. Even with years of therapy. You just don't get over something like that. Especially if you believe think they may be right. I don't know what is going to happen inside that dressing room today and tomorrow. I don't know what may have already happened (I couldn't take anymore and had to turn it off for most of the 2nd and 3rd period). But something magical will have to happen. Something to make this fairytale turn back around. I still believe. I still want my happy ending.

I just hope they still believe they can deliver it.

Go Sharks.

Getting Ready For Game 4

If you are looking for a game day preview you came to the wrong place. If you are looking for the latest story lines, player quotes or analysis of tonight's matchup... sorry.

It will be just me explaining my stress level and feelings going into tonight's game. First of all? I still can't wrap my head around the fact that we are ahead in this series 3-0. Maybe when I can digest that I will realize how epic this is. I mean talk about an exorcism of playoff pasts. Sweeping the defending Western Conference Champs? The almighty-can't-go-wrong-been-in-the-playoffs-every-year-since-San-Jose-has-even-been-a-franchise-in-the-NHL-and-is-the-team-that-other-teams-fear-and-all-fans-love-to-hate-Red-Wings? It would be huge. I can't even imagine.

But here is what I can imagine. The next series won't start until next Friday. That is eight days away. Just what are we supposed to do until then? Also? Game 5 at home would be amazing. Just the tips alone (the day before Mother's Day, a-hem) would be great. But the nerves. Ah, the nerves. If we go to a game 5? If we let Detroit even a smidge back into this series? The thought is not only daunting... but oh so scary.

So... here we are just hours away and I can't sort out my nerves. I can't calm down and it is to early to drink.

Go Sharks!

To Many Titles To Choose From

But first things first:

Win Tally:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Here were a few titles for this blog post running through my head:

1. To Much Joe for the Joe

2. Patty Makes His Mark

3. Sharks Win in OT, Up 3-0!

4. Overcome

I just couldn't decide. My emotions were all over the place during that game anyway. Actually all day. I really thought they were going to lose. My phantom "aches and pains" had turned real. My chest had felt tight all day. My stomach literally hurt yesterday instead of just figuratively. I couldn't breathe multiple times during the game. I wasn't going to have a glass of wine until the second period (with the 4:30 start time and all)... I made it to 10 minutes into the first.

The team came out flat. My hope was that they could hold it to 0-0 going into the second. It could have been 4-0. If the officials don't wave off that first goal (kicked in) and Zetterburg scores on the penalty shot? I don't even want to think about it. Seto scores in the last seconds (assisted by Pavelski) and suddenly the game changed. I felt it but didn't want to believe it. I still thought the Wings were going to pounce in the second and the Sharks would be looking to re-group for game 4.

And? When they did (scoring their 3rd goal), I just hoped the Sharks could stop the bleeding and not give them the blowout they needed to get their confidence back. I was happy to see the period end with them having only a two goal lead. The third period seemed pretty even. I was just happy the RW's weren't taking it to us. But, before I realized that the Sharks weren't just trying to get out of this game with some dignity but were actually outskating and outplaying the Wings, Jumbo scored his goal. Then it was like "holy crap! We could do this!" There was plenty of time. We could tie it up. We just couldn't convert on the pp like we did the last two games. Ugh! That was so frustrating.

When Couture scored I went insane. There were so many shots before that looked like they went in that I stopped getting excited. I must have stood up ready to celebrate at least 4-5 times. I didn't even see the goal. I saw the shot. I saw Howard go down and I heard Randy screaming "he scored! He scored!" as the red light went on. I couldn't believe it... Amazing! I didn't even think about how demoralized Detroit must have been. I just reveled in the fact that they actually came back. Without the benefit of penalites. It was all 5-5. Take that Detroit Entitlement Whiners.

Even in overtime I would have been happy with the loss. I would have been consoled by the fact that they overcame a two goal deficit. In Detroit. It would have been fine to lose in OT. We could have built on that for game 4. It would have meant a game 5 in San Jose. More money for us. That was my silver lining anyway. Of course, that didn't stop me from holding my breath everytime the puck was anywhere Nabby. He had held off from letting anything by him for just over two periods. Then? My near heart attack, a slow/bad line change by the Sharks giving Detroit a 5 on 3, turned into the most amazing fairy-tale ending ever when the shot from the point missed Nabby, bounced like a superball of the boards... right to the stick of Joe Thornton. Thornton blasts down the ice with Patty on his left, makes a perfect tape to tape pass/shot that finds the back of the net off of Patty's stick.

There wasn't enought oxygen in the room after that. I had to sit down.

Let's re-cap. The Sharks are up 3-0. Patty has shown up. Jumbo has shown up. Rookies are scoring. They are overcoming. They are standing tall. The Doubters/Haters/Entitlement Whiners can all suck it. The Sharks are doing what we all knew they were capable of doing once they came out of those damn Colorado stumbling blocks.

Game on.

Go Sharks!

An Open Letter to the Guy(s) Responsible For Throwing A Dead Shark Onto The Ice During Game 2

Dear person or persons responsible -

Really? A dead shark? Don't you think that sends the wrong message? How irresponsible can you possibly be regarding the maintenance of positive mojo, good luck all around "signs" the superstitious among us look for to whether or not our team will succeed or fail?

Ugh! Don't you remember? The last time someone thought it was oh so clever to throw a dead shark on the ice (in 2007 playoffs vs. the Red Wings) our team lost. All the mojo was killed, all the intensity disappeared and all the progress was lost. Gone. Ka-put. Golf anyone?

I don't want to see Todd McClellan out on the golf course. I sure as hell don't want to see anymore of those painful Mercedes Benz commercials. And? I sure as hell don't want to see Detroit in the Conference Finals. That is our spot. This is our time.

How dare you? A dead shark? On the ice? Doesn't that represent, er, the death of the Sharks... on the ice? Doesn't that symbolize the death of our hockey team? Didn't you think this thing out? I know, I know. You got the idea from Red Wings' tradition of throwing octupi on to the ice prior to the game. Right, right. Do you even know the symbolism behind that gesture? Is the octopus their team name? No. Do they throw dead Red Wings (or even Red Wing shoes) on the ice? NO! They. Do. Not. The octopus represented (back in 1952 when there were 2 best of seven series) the 8 games needed to win the Stanley Cup ... um, you know because an octopus has 8 legs.... Get it? It is a now nearly 60 year tradition steeped deep into their history and lore.

How stupid does it make us as a franchise and fan base look to not only mis-represent their tradition, but to also show what completely ignorant hockey fans we are by throwing our own (dead) team mascot onto the ice. We've only been around for 19 years... They are old enough to be our team's grandparent. They know things. They've seen things. They have experience. That move made us look like inexperienced teenagers trying to crash the party with the rest of the adults.

We need to start our own tradition of winning and not try to duplicate the traditions of other teams. Especially one that we are trying to bury. One that we are trying to overcome and in the process exorcise our playoff demons and curses for good. I am so angry with you right now I can't even describe what I would do to you if I met you in person. You my friend(s). Are an IDIOT.

What? The shark had a baby octopus in its mouth?
Oh. Hmmm... Well?
That's different now, isn't it?
Carry on.

Whining, Conspiracies, Bad Officiating... OH MY!

I shouldn't have done it. I always regret it when I do. But come on! You know you cannot pass by an accident on the freeway without taking a peek. If you say you can, you are lying. You don't want to do it, you get mad at other drivers for doing it, but when it comes to your turn... you look.

So, I was reading my favorite fan blog , Fear The Fin, this morning when someone mentioned a lot of whining going on in Detroit (or by Detroit fans) over the officiating. And there was a link. If there wasn't a link I could have held strong and not been tempted to search out RW fans and read about their views of the game and how the series is going so far. I mean, I pretty much know what their view is right now. Not good right? I wouldn't like to be down 2-0 in a series. I would be a mess. I would probably be vowing to not watch game 3 thinking that I must be the one bringing them bad luck. I would have been curled up in a ball last night not reading any media coverage. I guess I would probably, to some extent, be complaining about the officiating as well.

Suffice to say I didn't want to click on the link. I really didn't. I had no real need to. My Sharks won and that should be enough for me. I didn't want to get ahead of myself and start believing that we can't lose or that we have this series in hand. I want to keep that edge by believing the bottom could come out at any minute and that this could potentially be yet another play-off fail as in years past. But there was a link. One click, no work to do on my part, someone had already done it for me. So? I clicked. Here is what I learned:

1. Red Wings fans are funny. Not in the quick-witted or humorous kind of way, but in the tin-foil-hat-wearing-sort-of -brain-washed-drank-to much-Kool-Aid-at-the-last-cult/AA-meeting-sort-of-way.
2. Some of them believe there is a conspiracy against the Wings by the league's commissioner Gary Betteman. Seriously? Can he really control whether a team wins or loses? Really? If he was after the Wings then how did they get by Phoenix in the last round? If no one would watch a "non-Wings conference final or Stanley Cup Final" then wouldn't it be in the best interest of the commissioner to manipulate a RW victory? Maybe this is all part of the drama to ensue an epic comeback by the RWs and really get everyone's juices flowing. Wow. I wonder if he knows how much power he has. He is like Superman!
3. Bad officiating loses games. It doesn't matter how many face-offs you win/lose, how many shots you take, how many opportunities you create for yourself by out-playing/hustling the other team or, and this is important, the fact that the REFEREES DON'T PUT ANY PUCKS IN THE NET FOR EITHER TEAM. None of that matters, however, because according to my research reading RW fans' opinions and reactions, if you lose it is the referees fault. Good to know. I wish I knew that during the Colorado series. It could have explained a lot.
4. RW fans will be forever entitled because of their long history. Are they entitled? Absolutely. Their history speaks for itself. Their championship runs are unmatched. They are scary good and deserve all accolades thrown their way. With that being said... entitlement doesn't win games. Just ask the Sharks. Just because they should win doesn't mean they will if they don't bring their heart and soul to the ice. This series will go to the team who wants it the most. Not to the team who "should" or is "entitled" to win. And, yes that goes both ways. If the Sharks don't bring it and leave it all out on the ice... they will lose.

If I ever start to sound like a RW fan (other than those who actually put accountability on their team's performance) then please shoot me. If we are still winning 20-30 years from now and get caught underperforming in a game or series I guarentee it will be on our players or on the opposing players for being the better team and not a conspiracy against the Sharks or bad officiating.

You have to win despite the calls on the ice. Sometimes it just isn't your night. Sometimes it just isn't your time. Sometimes you need to grow up and accept the knocks which ever way they go. Sometimes you need to go back in history and actually learn from it instead of expecting it to repeat itself because that is the way it should be.

Sometimes you should just keep driving and not look at that accident on the road.

Go Sharks!

History Will Be Made - "Little Joe"

Shown on the NHL Network... Goosebumps!!

Click on the title.

OMG They Did It!!!! Sharks up 2-0

Win Tally: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Wow. I don't even know what to say. When they came back and tied it in the third, I was speechless. When they got the go-ahead-goal a few minutes later I was dumbfounded. When they held on to win... I passed out.

No, I didn't. But I can't quite come up with the right word for exactly what I was, except for a little bit buzzed from the wine I drank. Ecstatic? No. Thrilled? Maybe. How about, I-don't-know-what-to think-but-I-like-it-while-still-holding -on-to-the-fact-that-it-is-Detroit-and-they-can-easily-come-back-from-a -two-to-zero-deficit-so-I-won't-get-to-excited-for-now-but-o -m-g-they-won-they-won-they-won-whooooooooooooo-frickin-hooooooooooooooooooo - gasp-gasp-breathe-inhale-exhale.... sigh.
I think that should cover it.

Jumbo? In the zone
Patty? Present and effective
Pavelski? Bigger than ever

Go Sharks!

The Big Pavelski...

... seems to be catching on.
I saw two kids wearing orange t-shirts last night at the Silver Creek Sportsplex that said "The Big Pavelski."
I thought they may have gotten them from the Sharks store or at the street party outside HP, so I was going to ask Juan to take a look for it and bring one home.
But later? After Alex's roller hockey game I found out that someone was walking around the sportsplex selling them for $10. He had all different colors. But, of course, I didn't have any cash on me... so no shirts for us.
But still.... The Big Pavelski! Whoo hoo!
Go Sharks!

Game 2 Tomorrow

Starting to feel nervous. I have that bad feeling in my stomach. I shouldn't have watched Versus to see how the other games were going... there is no Shark love there. Only love for Detroit. Then? On the side bar of Fear The Fin (FTF) I saw a fan post that was written about an article in the Mercury that ripped on Patrick Marleau.
Man... I just need to go cold turkey on all the hockey news. I'm to fragile right now.
Poor Patty. I so much want for him to break out and shut everyone up. So far the team as a whole has been able to shut up most of the critics... of course they have only passed the first round and will need to at least make the conference finals to have any legitimate claim that they are a true playoff team. But Patty? Still on everyone's hit list. Heatly has scored his first goal and he was hurt in the first round. Jumbo has been muscling himself around and playing the way people expect him to... But Patty? Everyone has a theory, everyone thinks they can call him out. Everyone is a critic and says he needs to play better if the Sharks hope to win.
I am SO SICK of it.
Please Patty... shut these guys up. You know you want to. You know you can. Please, please, please!!! I can't take it anymore!

Shaaaaarks!!!