Let the Countdown Begin!
The Penguins released the 2008-09 schedule!!! :) :) :) :) :) They'll open the season with two games in Sweden on October 4th and 5th, then make the long journey back across the pond to kick things off in Pittsburgh on October 11th against the New Jersey Devils.
Also this week, the NHL announced that New Year's Day 2009 will see Winter Classic 2.0. This time the Chicago Blackhawks will play host to Marian Hossa and the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field. (Hmm - I know who I'll be cheering for...)
TO ANY FRIENDS WHO LOVE THE BLACKHAWKS OR [*ahem*] THE RED WINGS: Take it from me, you simply MUST at least try to get tickets. I promise you it will be worth every penny you spend on the trip. :D
Sid won the ESPY award for Best NHL Player again this year. I'm sure the Ovechkin camp will cry foul, and well, if Sid's and Alex's situations were reversed, I probably would, too...
Perhaps the Saint was on course to have a better season than Ovechkin up until 01-18-08, but the fact of the matter is that, due to his injury, Sid didn't have an opportunity to actually have that better season. And let's face it, Ovie had one HELLUVA season. He scored sixty-five goals this season. He was the top point scorer. I just don't know how that can go overlooked.
UGH. The-Network-That-Hates-Hockey forced me to champion for Alexander Ovechkin, and now I have to go wash my mouth out with soap. DAMN YOU, ESPN!!!!!!
(Thanks to Ali W. and Allison Y. for the early heads up. The ESPYs air on television this Sunday at 9:00pm.)
Also this week, the NHL announced that New Year's Day 2009 will see Winter Classic 2.0. This time the Chicago Blackhawks will play host to Marian Hossa and the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field. (Hmm - I know who I'll be cheering for...)
The home of the Chicago Cubs is going to get iced.
TO ANY FRIENDS WHO LOVE THE BLACKHAWKS OR [*ahem*] THE RED WINGS: Take it from me, you simply MUST at least try to get tickets. I promise you it will be worth every penny you spend on the trip. :D
Sid won the ESPY award for Best NHL Player again this year. I'm sure the Ovechkin camp will cry foul, and well, if Sid's and Alex's situations were reversed, I probably would, too...
ESPN gets it wrong - AGAIN.
Perhaps the Saint was on course to have a better season than Ovechkin up until 01-18-08, but the fact of the matter is that, due to his injury, Sid didn't have an opportunity to actually have that better season. And let's face it, Ovie had one HELLUVA season. He scored sixty-five goals this season. He was the top point scorer. I just don't know how that can go overlooked.
What do you think? Was Alex robbed?
UGH. The-Network-That-Hates-Hockey forced me to champion for Alexander Ovechkin, and now I have to go wash my mouth out with soap. DAMN YOU, ESPN!!!!!!
(Thanks to Ali W. and Allison Y. for the early heads up. The ESPYs air on television this Sunday at 9:00pm.)
Labels: ESPY Awards, ovechkin, schedule, Winter Classic 2.0
posted by snoopyjode at 1:43 PM
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45 Comments in The Friends' Zone:
Whoo hooo!!! SCHEDULE...!!!
I'm just completed writing in all down in my day planner...the most fun I've had in days. :)
It's more than a month until individual game tickets can be bought and I'm already trying to figure out which games will fit my schedule, and I can already see that it's going to be quite difficult...ugh.
When it comes to the Winter Classic...I sure will be cheering for the same team Jodie is...haha
I'm pretty sure that Sidney won the ESPY just off of name recognition. Besides the fact that he's the best player in the NHL when he's not hurt, he didn't really deserve this year's ESPY. I voted for the ESPYs and, whenever I came across a sport that I didn't know very well, I simply voted for the player whose name I most recognized.
@ali: I'm updating my schedule right now too, and it really is actually quite fun!
I think I have to agree with Jodie about Sid winning the ESPY. Even though he was still amazing, he missed about a third of the season, which takes him out of the race for the *best* player of the season in my books...
Ovechkin winning the scoring title and 2 mvp awards is a fact that even I find hard to dispute. He really did deserve it this year.
...man, I can't believe I just said that.
I'm going to try and convince my dad to go to 1-2 home games.
I am SO going to go to a Flyers vs Penguins game at Philly. And I'm wearing my Crosby jersey...bring on those lunatic fans that will attack you.
Plus, I have an idea on how we can all talk about the Penguins in an actual online conversation
The Penguins fan stuck in Philly,
Rachel C.
yay!
Sid will be in Boston on New Years!!!
That just made my day!
I would have to say that I disagree about Ovechkin winning the ESPY. Having an injury doesn't make Sidney any less of a player, and I don't think he should have been out of the running. It's fair to judge him on the performance that he displayed before and after his injury.
Did you know that if Sid didn't get hurt and kept playing for the whole season at the rate he was playing before his injury, he would have finished with more points that Ovechkin. (5 more I think).
I realize that there is far more involved in judging "the better player" than just point production, but come on, we all know that Sidney is magic on skates, and Ovechkin, well he is comparable to 'slight of hand.' (Are you guys picking up what I am putting down)?
I guess I am bias....
i smell what you're cooking, stephanie b. when the nominations were first announced, i felt that way, too. but now i just kind of feel like alex may have deserved it a little more because of his amazing season.
i totally agree with stephanie b. i mean, yes ovechkin did have a amazing season,but look who got their team to the stanley cup finals. but it really could go either way.
they should have like two awards or something.
Well, you're a bigger person than could I ever be, Jodie! I just can't jump on the S.S. Ovechkin Love Boat! (Was Ovechkin nominated? I think he was right?? Because I did vote for Sid and I seem to remember Ovechkin being there). But whatever, either way I think it is obvious that Sidney has a larger fan base and that is most likely what one him this specific award.
But I am not saying he didn't deserve it and he only won because his fans voted for him, I am sure they both deserved the award, but it's Sidney's fans that won it for him.
screw seeing what fits into my schedule - i am re-writing my schedule to accommodate the few games I want to attend.
S.S. Ovechkin Love Boat
i think i just died a little inside. O_o
i think we all agree that both sid and alex had fantastic seasons.
perhaps sid would have scored more points and maybe sid would have won league mvp... but do the "would haves" trump the actual achievements?
really, though, if a penguin had to get best nhl player of this year, it actually belongs on the mantel of one evgeni malkin. quite simply put - the pens wouldn't have been in the stanley cup finals without geno. period.
i suppose when it's all said and done, the espys this year (as ALWAYS) were nothing more than a fancy popularity contest. i just thought it would be interesting to hear what you all thought about it. :)
I voted for Geno.
Snoop, think of it this way...the category wasn't for Best NHL Player This Season, it's for Best NHL Player. In looking at both players, Alex really does deserve his nickname "Alexander the Great" but The Saint has been a consistently better player than Alex overall.
Just my opinion.
I agree with Allie. Ovechkin is good, he surely knows how to get it to the goal, but he doesn't really play as a team. When he was gorwing up he must not of beem givin the teamwork in elementary school. Crosby sets up oppurtunities for his teammates and they do the same for him.
He earned it.
The Red Wings are all excited about the Winter Classic on New Years. Zetterberg is already shining his skates, Datsyuk is looking at some new sticks, Coach Babcock is looking at a shiny new tie, and our ol pal Hossa is ordering his lace trimmed jersey with matching lace insets on his pants designed by Sean Avery from his "Hockey Sweetie" collection.
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Snickerdoodles - PRIME.
I also forgot to mention how excited I am that the schedule is released! But I think it is understood that we are ALL excited!
@ Snoop - everything you say is true. And yes I agree that it is totally a popularity contest. Like Teens Choice Awards or something. But it's nice to know that our man is the most popular!
YES!! The Pens are coming to StL! WhooHoo! Well, you all know where I'll be on the evening of November 1st. :D
I wonder how many odd looks I'll get? My situation will be rather humorous...I'll be in a group with three Blues fans (my Dad, brother, and cousin), all in their Blues gear. LOL! :P
The Espys were voted on by the fans. I voted a bunch of times for Sid. Even though A.O. did have a great season, I just couldn't vote for him over Sid.
i mean...tiger woods got athlete of the year. once again, i am biased, but out of ALL sports for a contest of athleticism. tiger woods. something is wrong there, and it means the public was allowed to vote :)
all sarcasm and such aside, i won't complain about sir sidney. i'm an ovechkin fan, but i have no problem with another of my favorite players winning it. i'm a big believer in the power of images, and when you think of things like the winter classic, sidney crosby is usually the thing that jumps to mind. sports journalism is especially image heavy, sometimes more important than the real story, or game play. ovechkin won MVP, sidney won this.
i'm just happy we were nominated in other categories! sad hockey only won one thing, though.
Dangnabbit!!!! The Pens wont be in Minnesota this year. I guess I'll be reduced to just watching them on Center Ice again. I think I'll go stick my head in the oven LOL
Sticking your head in the oven? haha...I had a lot of that feeling on July 2nd.
The schedule isn't all I was hoping it would be...but like @mer said, I'll re-work my schedule to fit. :)
October...October...October...
GO PENS!!
They're not coming to Vancouver!
Which means... I have to plan a trip to Pittsburgh or another city where our fair Pens are playing.
What are the chances of getting tickets to the Igloo? What hotels are nearby?
I spend my 2 week break at Christmas in Florida and New Years Day is reserved for football ALL DAY so I won't be going to the game! But I'm going to try my hardest to get tickets to the Nov 11 Red Wings/Penguins game!! I'm very excited about that!! :)
@daily su - chances? I don't know...you can always buy them from brokers, which means they're more expensive, but you know... when I was at the Pens game in March these people from BC sat next to me, and they told me about their road trip,
"Well, we love the Pens, it's only money."
haha...!!! Excellent! Excellent!
They have a thing about close hotels on the Mellon Arena website...
i'll get to see the pens on valentine's day
ESPY's are fan voted. Sid has more fans than... that's why he won. yay.
The closest the Pens will be to me this season is San Jose. Looks like I'll be headed to California in October!
Why did Sidney won the ESPY's Best NHL hockey player? Because he is. It didn't say, the "Best Scorer" or "Highest Scorer" now, did it?
Sidney is still perceived as the best NHL hockey player.
87--The Valentines day game are fun! I went to the won this past season. It wasn't too fun because I was in the RBC Center, a bunch of obnoxious southerners rooting for the canes, but it was fun!
I will have to plan to take my hubby to see the Pens vs. Oilers game on 11/6 (if we can even score tickets). He grew up in Edmonton, so of course he was there to experience the Gretzky Dynasty when he was a teenager. I've never been to a Pens game (I've only lived here a little over two years), since I'm putting the hubby through grad school. With grad school ending in December, I'm hoping to get to a few games before we move back to Missouri.
Roaming Penguin update:
I am making a bunch of penguins ahead of time to get me a little ahead of the game. Jodie gave me a few good ideas and I have added a thing or two myself! I think you guys will like them!
Look for all the details and ordering instructions in about a week or two. And then get those cameras ready! :)
what time does the game on october 4th and 5th start?
@daily su - we should have a chat honey. i couldn't afford to see the pens when they were at GM place last year, and i'm choked their not coming this season. maybe we can roadtrip it somewhere in the dead of winter and escape the rain for a few days ?
after all is IS only money...
@anon...according to the Pens site, both games start at 2:30 Pittsburgh time.
I live in Chicago and I'm soooo excited about the Winter Classic!! I love the Blackhawks (then the Pens) but I realllly want to go to the game. My friend is working on getting tickets. It would be so fun and a great experience.
I deffinitly think that Sid deserved the ESPY award. Although he did miss a good amount of time this season, look at what he accomplished when he came back and led our team to the finals. I think Ovechkin is an amazing player and had an awesome season. If there was an award for best player of the season, Malkin in my opinion would deffinitly deserve it. In the end, I am happy Sid won the ESPY, the way he plays, carries himself and handles every situation thrown at him at such a young age is a great example for everyone in the league and all of the fans.
I'm psyched - the Pens are playing the Caps AND in winter, when I don't have to worry about the game conflicting with one of my soccer games! :)
I'm a little worried about the Winter Classic, though. The Blackhawks should be fine, but the Red Wings??? Those old-timers will spend the whole game complaining about feeling a draft. . .plus they're soooo vulnerable to pneumonia at that age. Hossa may be the only one to stay healthy enough for the rest of the season >;D
You are full of shit.
okay, you stay classy, "old." way to argue your point.
ESPN didn't get it wrong, the fans voted.
I could be wrong, but didn't Sid go to the Stanley Cup Finals? I always thought that was a great achievement...hmph, guess not.
Sid is such a dynamic and unselfish player, regardless of numbers. I doubt other sports discount a player's greatness solely because of numbers.
Ok...please tell me that someone knows.
When do preseason tix go on sale??? I know regular season goes on sale Sept 20th. I live in Orlando and am dying to go to the Sept 22nd game v. the Lightning. Somebody help!
Let's go Red Wings :)
HEY! KCJacoby - if you go to the winter classic 2.0, you know i will be expecting pictures!!! :)
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