The first episode of HBO’s 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic was a doozy. It’s successor? Not so much. While it showed a more personal side of the players and coaches, overall it wasn’t as memorable. The episode starts with pretty boy Henrik Lundqvist rocking out on his guitar to the Foo Fighters alongside tennis legend John Mcenroe as they practice for an upcoming charity event.

It was disappointing to see Lundqvist, who was born in the birthplace of melodic death metal (Gothenburg, Sweden), play something less epic and more mellow. When he first appeared in the NHL there was a rumor that he played in a metal band but upon seeing last night’s episode I have my doubts.

Not much later we get our first glimpse of last week’s star Ilya Bryzgalov on board the team charter after a victory against the Caps. In his two second appearance amid the ever popular HBO montage the goalie flashes his book of choice which is none other than Alexey Tolstoy’s The Road to Calvary.

As the focus shifts back to the Rangers ahead of their game against the Blues we all witness the horror that is head coach’s John Tortorella’s scary thumb. Nightmares for weeks, people. Then it’s back to Flyers rookies Harry Zolnierczyk and Zac Rinaldo discussing how as kids they use to play against their teammate Jaromir Jagr for Sega Genesis (my guess is NHL 94) and now have the opportunity to share the ice with him. Then it’s Bryz time! As his teammates are shown calling him “universe” for his deep thoughts seen last week which Bryz himself refers to as epic.

Bryz then proceeds to compare his Siberian husky to a hot blonde girl much to the amusement of Zolnierczyk and his protégé and fellow net minder Sergei Bobrovsky who I’m pretty sure is still working on his English based on his reaction. When it’s finally game time for the Rangers and Blues we get a fantastic f-bomb ridden rant from Tortorella which reminds us why we love this show so much as the Rangers drop their second game in a row.

In what has to be the highlight of the show, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette evaluates the performance of the referees in Montreal as typical. This has to do with the fact that many believe the Canadiens get favoritism at home as they are one of the NHL’s darlings (Like the Flyers aren’t though? Hello two Winter classics in three years!). It wouldn’t be HBO without a conspiracy now would it?

After the game the team learns that team captain and all around goon Chris Pronger will be out for the remainder of the year due to severe post-concussion syndrome. We then get possibly the greatest footage of Tortorella off the ice as he talks about his relationship with a 10-year-old fan named Liam who suffers from cerebral palsy. Both talk about how much of a role they play in each other’s lives and the entire segment was super heart felt, we’re talking tissue box status.

Bryz returns to talk about his love-hate relationship with being a professional goalie before posing this gem of a question “OK, they fire the puck from the blue line. Chief usually yelling ‘block the shot’ at the defensemen. They doesn’t have the goalie gear, but they have to block the shot. So who is more crazy, me or the defensemen? Who is more weird?”

A couple stiches and a separated shoulder later we get to watch the Rangers steal a win in Phoenix before watching the Flyers 7-game win streak come crashing down at the hands of the Bruins.
While this episode didn’t have as much in-game footage as last week, the human aspect of the teams was still enjoyable to watch. There is really no such thing as too much Bryz as it just gets weirder with every episode.

Big ups to the producers for not showing the Ranger highlights against the Devils this week as it was simply embarrassing if you happen to root for the other team.

I love hockey. I play it, I watch it, I write about it, I do all there is to do with the best sport on earth. I am a 12-year-old forever stuck in a 25-year-old’s body. Life got even better yesterday with the debut of HBO’s 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic. Whoever came up with slogan “it’s not TV it’s HBO” back in the day was either really cocky or speaking on a whim. Regardless, they could not have been more spot on.

Anything the channel does generally turns to gold whether it’s drama, comedy, or sports. Last year, HBO shadowed the Caps and Pens leading up to their showdown at the Winter Classic and as the event has continued to show success in ratings the NHL has made it an annual hootenanny. This year the Rangers and Flyers will covet the outdoor ice and have had the HBO cameras trail them from the beginning of training camp leading up to 24 hours shy of last night’s debut.

For the first episode we are shown the battle wounds every hockey player faces in what some have argued to be a heavily violent game. From there, Liev Schreiber narrates his way through the history found with the New York Rangers ahead of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs where the f-bombs where a flyin’. The biggest highlight from the match-up was Rangers coach John Tortorella telling the team not shit themselves over Toronto’s Phil Kessel. It’s gems like these that make 24/7 that much better because we would never hear about it otherwise.

We are then introduced to the Flyers and shortly thereafter we have the star of the series by a landslide. The star is none other than goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. Affectionately known as Bryz, the 31-year-old Russian was signed to a big-money contract in the off-season in hopes he will finally fill the void the Flyers have lacked in net. Of all the things to talk about with the cameras Bryz opted to discuss the universe; a clear sign that he has in fact taken one too many pucks to the head over the years in the NHL.

Ahead of their first game footage against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the focus shifts back to New York onto everyone’s favorite Vogue intern, Sean Avery, doing what he does best off the ice, which is of course modeling. As for the actual game which always looks so epic on HBO, the mics caught Philly’s resident goon Scott Hartnell congratulating the Pens Matt Cooke on being the league’s dirtiest player which is what most fans can only dream of hearing let alone saying. With the victory the Flyers proceed to have a dance party in their locker room.

On the same night, the Rangers would be handed their second straight loss at the hands of Tampa Bay, however the game would be remembered for a goal celebration gone awry. Having taken the lead on a short-handed goal Rangers center Artem Anisimov pointed his stick at Tampa’s goalie and mimicked a shooting motion which sparked a melee and resulted in the Russian getting ejected. Amid the scuffle, Anisimov did not hesitate to let his Russian f-bombs fly and even managed to incorporate the referees’ mother. It would be explained that the celebration was something a teammate did back in Russia which inspired Anisimov to follow suit.

Other highlights from the first episode included Philadelphia’s budding star Claude Giroux getting a concussion (which was only just diagnosed earlier this week), Ryan Callahan’s 95-year old grandmother, Bryzgalov on Chinese penalties towards animal cruelty, rituals for team dinners, and the uncertainty both teams face in the coming weeks as their outdoor showdown draws near.

I’ve watched the first episode twice and can easily watch it until next week because everything about it encompasses the sport to such different heights that you can’t help but get lost in it even if you have no loyalties to the teams involved.

Well, that was discouraging in its predictability. After 9 seasons with the Metropolitans, Jose Reyes has decided not to renew his contract and will be playing for the newly renamed Miami Marlins and getting paid about 18 million dollars a year to do so. Good to know he ended his tenure by selfishly bunting his way into the batting title and essentially (did I say essentially? I meant literally) sitting out a lions share of his last game as a Met.

Needless to say, it’s a dark time for baseball fans in this city who don’t fuck with the pinstripe brigade. This is of course another black mark on the Wilpon era, which is already dark enough to have its own event horizon. Would you believe me if I told you that the Mets didn’t even have enough scratch to make Reyes an offer at all, let alone one that was vaguely acceptable? Ugh.

Though I would never want the Mets to be as cash flush as the Yankees, because that’s basically cheating (sorry guys! it is) there is a point where you have to come to terms with the fact that a baseball team simply can’t win if they’re flat broke. I guarantee you that Billy Beane at the height of his powers wouldn’t be able to fix this squad in the next 5 years. It’s not even the current situation that is the worst (thought it is really bad).

It’s the fact that Wilpon has left the team in such a shockingly deep financial hole that it will take years and years to climb out of. I can attest to the fact that the attendance was paltry last season, when there was a vague sense of some sorta-but-not-really competitiveness, but even that is gone now. I loved going to Mets games, and probably spent as much for tickets on the 15 games I went to as I would have on 3 Yankee games.

I’m all for savings, but even I was a little uncomfortable paying only (sometimes under) $5 for a seat in what is really a very nice stadium. If that number drops even further this season to attract higher attendance its just going to be awkward. The Mets are already bad. They are going to get much worse. Fred Wilpon owes massive amounts to the owners of the stadium grounds, to SNY, against loans taken out on the team, and even to Bud Selig, who lent him money to keep the team from folding after losing brain melting amounts in the Madoff disaster.

I’m talking many hundreds of millions of dollars. Holding onto Jose Reyes? Hah! Let’s manage expectations and see if we can keep David Wright (highly unlikely), Jason Bay (also questionable) or even Angel Pagan. Who else is there even? RA Dickey? Josh Thole? Ruben fucking Tejada? Oh man, we’re in trouble.

Hockey has always struggled to get a stranglehold on American viewership since the 2004 lockout. Prior to the lost season, one could find a game on ESPN on any given night followed by a highlight show. Since then, the NHL has acquired marketable stars but outside the Stanley Cup lacked another distinguishable platform to not only show them off properly but hand select who to feature. Enter the NHL’s Winter Classic. Having only been around since 2008, the yearly event has become the league’s marquee single game event when it pits two teams (usually rivals) outdoors in stadiums reserved for either football or baseball.

It has quickly become a fan-favorite among the diehards and has peaked interest from people who wouldn’t necessarily consider themselves avid hockey fans. Last year saw the league’s two biggest stars in Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin went head-to-head in front of 68,000 fans at Heinz Field (home of the Pittsburgh Steelers) as kind of a wet dream turned reality for the league. To further peak interest leading up to the New Year’s Day event, the NHL teamed up with HBO to shadow the teams in a never before seen uncensored inside access to the players, locker rooms, hotels, homes, and anything else fans would never normally get to see.

Anyone who has ever seen anything sports related on HBO knows it’s guaranteed to be damn good and 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic went above and beyond the call. In fact it was so popular that HBO plans to release it on DVD this month, a first for any of their 24/7 shows. With the success of 24/7 and the Winter Classic itself the NHL re-upped for this year’s edition between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers which is to be played at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philly.

To give us a taste of what’s to come, HBO released the above 12-minute trailer to basically make our mouths water with anticipation leading up to the December 14th season premiere. What will make this season better than last is the teams involved are actual longtime rivals. Any hockey fan outside of DC or Pittsburgh will have you believe the Pens vs Caps rivalry isn’t all that grand compared to what you find around the league and they’d be right.

Unlike last year, the teams play in the same division and are also significantly closer in proximity. The antagonistic factors found in a roster featuring Sean Avery, Chris Pronger, Scott Hartnell, Jody Shell, Brandon Dubinsky blows it’s predecessor out of the water. Then there’s the always entertaining John Tortorella who’s stands a good chance of out cusring Bruce Boudreau in the first episode alone. Despite only having true success in baseball this city vs. city match-up itself is always great as both have a reputation as being a top sports town.

Anyway, I’ll be back throughout the series to do Bloglin recaps as it airs, thoughts, and analysis on the show which will be the best thing on HBO in December. Believe that.

Super Bowl Sunday.  A day and night to consume one too many Steel Reserves or Pabst Blue Ribbons (depending on your allegiances), stuff your fat face with 13-layer nachos that include cocktail weenies and chocolate cake and make ridiculous prop bets on things like the coin flip, the opening and ending song from a terrible halftime show and what color the celebratory Gatorade dump will be (Orange, I won that bet.)

Super Bowl XLV.  Packers v. Steelers, Green and Yellow vs. Black and Yellow, Weezy vs. Wiz, Midwestern values vs. no moral standards. Okay, but seriously two of the best defenses in the league facing off for the Lombardi Trophy.   Two young guns slingin’ pigskins all over the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area.  Jerry Jones playing the role of the demented ringmaster, wringing his hands in glee while wiping his ass with Benjis and rolling around on a cash-filled bed.

I hate using cliché pundit/commentator sayings but the game was definitely a tale of two halves.  Aaron Rodgers came out firing (and kept it up all game), zipping pinpoint passes all over the field including a ballsy 3^rd and 1 call on the first score of the game where Rodgers dropped a pretty little number in Jordy Nelson’s breadbasket on a play action, go-route to put the Packers on the board first. Then, 24 seconds later, Roethlisberger was up to his old tricks again, trying to force something in where it didn’t belong, and winds up chucking one into the hands of Nick Collins who returned the gift 37 yards for a touchdown.  Cameras pan to the sideline and find Troy Polamalu (who was nowhere to be seen all night) straight bummin’ after the pick.

The Steelers finally got some points in the 2nd quarter on a Shaun Suisham field goal, but the Packers answer back with a Rodgers-Jennings hook up (pro homo) to put the game at a sizable 21-3 deficit.  At this point, the Shitsburgh faithful is feeling pretty dejected as the first half was all Green Bay up to now, with Rodgers crisp and sporting his title belt while Roethlisberger was shaky at best and possibly still drunk from the week’s “festivities.” Defensively, the Packers were swarming but their secondary took some knocks in the 2^nd quarter, the biggest hit being when Charles “The Ageless Wonder” Woodson went down on an awkward tackle and ended up breaking his collarbone and was unable to return.

The Steelers didn’t look awful defensively, they just couldn’t make the stops when they needed to as Rodgers was having his way with the secondary.  Even after Pittsburgh scored in less than two minutes before going to the half, I still felt like Green Bay was outplaying them on both sides of the ball and had the game in hand going to the locker room.

I’ll touch on it briefly, and it’s not like anyone expected anything different, but the Black Eyed Peas were fucking terrible.  I can’t believe Slash signed on for that shit and Fergie can’t sing and is definitely a man.  The only worthwhile part of the halftime show was when my buddy mused that he was glad Usher didn’t pull an Owen Hart when descending from the rafters for his portion of the suckfest.

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Did you know that years before the MLS came into fruition there was once a team right here in New York that became America’s lone connection to the soccer world? It was a team that had the backing of the mega rich Warner Brothers and a star studded line-up that would make the Yankees cry.

After winning the Soccer Bowl (which is just a flat out horrible name for any kind of championship) three times during their heyday the show came to an abrupt end forcing the team to play in a indoor league before eventually folding as a franchise.

Since then the rights of the team have gone through many hands as it’s latest owner up until very recently ran a youth soccer program with the remaining glitz and glamor down the street from my house (seriously). Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed. However, just like many things making a comeback from their retro days, soccer is no different.

Led by an array of American, British, and French visionaries, the Comos name and brand is looking to make it’s way back into professional soccer here in the states. While they already have fancy uniforms, an honorary president (Pele) and most recently a newly assigned Director of Soccer in Manchester United star Eric Cantona (above) it appears the old gang is getting back together.

There is only a few slight problems with this whole comeback thing. For starters, there is no stadium in the area to house a new team. If you recall the Jets failed to obtain permission build a new stadium on the West Side of Manhattan, the Islanders are still playing in a dainty arena which is oldest in the league only to MSG, while the city’s two baseball teams simply moved across the street.

Teams with actual history that wasn’t erased from people’s minds had just layers of problems when bidding, building, and opening new stadia’s in the city which is why New Jersey would be a better option. Oh what’s that? There’s already a team playing there you say?

Oh yes, let’s not forget that New York already has a professional soccer team and a pretty good one with the Red Bulls. Despite playing in Harrison, NJ the team has always had ties to this area because it’s an original MLS side starting out as the NY/NJ Metrostars.

As great as it would be to have another soccer team in New York to provide a local rivalry for the MLS, there are already attendance issues with the Red Bulls as they have trouble filling up their state-of-the-art 25,000 seat capacity stadium. I just so happen to be part of a supporters club for the team so believe me when I tell you that as a fan of the game there really is no place for another team in New York.

Another problem with bringing back the Cosmos is that they have NO PLAYERS. It’s kind of tricky to have a sports team with no actual athletes I would assume. Most of the teams coming into the MLS nowadays such as Portland and Vancouver this year with Montreal in 2012 is that they come from lower tier leagues where there are established teams, stadiums, oh and players.

Another fun fact is that the league has an exclusive contract with Adidas when it comes to licensing jerseys and other merchandise which might be a problem seeing how UMBRO is loving themselves this whole idea of a Cosmos revival.

There is still time for interest in the MLS to rise before the Cosmos are even granted permission to enter the league but by then either the Red Bulls will be the only team locals will care about and see no reason to jump ship to the revival of a team which is yet again bringing back the stars of yesterday to try again at what has clearly failed before or the company of Red Bull will fold altogether which is highly doubtful. It does give you wings after all.

NHL
The NHL made their choices for the All-Star Game captains and Eric Staal will lead the white team while Niklas Lidstrom will commandeer the dark squad.  The hometown hero and the ageless wonder.  Very safe…verrrry pussy.  But seriously, commendable picks by the league and I didn’t realize how well Staal was playing this year so you can’t argue with that.

On top of that, Jarome Iginla withdrew from the All-Star game and opened up a (deserved) spot for the league’s favorite whipping boy, Danny Briere. You can see the full roster for the game here so check it out and talk snubbing in the comments.

Speaking of the Flyers and the best team in hockey, Chris Pronger came back to the team last night after missing 13 games with a broken foot. The best get even better, evidenced in last night’s slugfest with Ottawa (127 penalty minutes and at least 6 fights, 3 happened at the same time in a free-for-all).  The best part about Pronger being back is being able to play this again.

In non-Flyer news, Marion Gaborik busted the Rangers out of the slump in a big way with four goals (and had a shot at tying his career high with five) and an assist in Wednesday’s game against the Maple Leafs, also netting his third hat trick of the year despite only having 15 goals on the year (10 of his 15 goals have come in three games, so what the fuck is he doing in all the other games?) and King Henry threw up a shutout in a total embarrassment for Toronto.

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NBA
Another all-star game coming up soon that actually is looking like it could be one of the best since the 80s/90s when people still cared about basketball.  First off, Blake Griffin is taking his traveling circus of face-fuckery and thunderdunks to the Slam Dunk Contest and is the hands down favorite to take the crown and has people stoked that someone noteworthy is actually competing so we don’t have to watch JaVale McGee brick boring dunks for an hour.

For one of his dunks I’d like to see him do something similar to Nate Robinson a couple years back when he brought out Spud Webb to dunk over him, but instead bring out a shot-blocking legend like David Robinson or Dikembe Mutombo and then flush one right on their dome and shame their entire body of work.  Or maybe he can bring all of the other competitors, circle them up in a big pile in the lane, and ferociously dunk over/on all of them at once whilst resting his sac on their shoulders or foreheads.

As for the actual game, the starters look like it will be Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire (What does the apostrophe do there? Anybody know?) and Dwight Howard for the East.  Look at that roster; you have arguably the best players in the game right now at their peak being represented at each position with the possible argument being at the two-guard spot (Kobe v. Wade) or maybe at point with Rose v. Rondo because despite all of his injuries (plantar fascia caused a manchild like Antonio Gates to miss the remainder of the season and Rondo plays through it), Rondo is dropping dimes nightly like he was the illegitimate son of Tim Hardaway and Oscar Robertson.

The Western Conference looks to be even better (not sure how that is even possible) maybe not in terms of epic starting talent, but because they have an insanely talented bench where as it stands right now, Tim Duncan would be the last player to make the squad.  If Duncan is your “worst” player, I’d say you’re sitting pretty (and he definitely needs to bring the fro back).  I’ve got high hopes for both of these all-star games so let’s hope they deliver and I’m also wishing the NBA would go back to some really gaudy All-Star jerseys like 1996 in the near future.

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NFL
The division championship games are set and frankly, I don’t really like any of the teams still standing on top of the dung pile.  In the NFC, the two remaining teams are division rivals who I’ve grown up learning to hate, so it’s the lesser of two evils for me.  I’ve aired my grievances before about Jay Cutler, so I don’t need to say much else other than that I hope the Bears don’t win and I fucking hate Jay Cutler.  Also, you’ve got to want to see how fucking jacked up Clay Matthews would be in the Super Bowl, right?

On the AFC side, we’ve got Sexy Rexy’s Jets against Rapelisburger and the Tittsburgh Feelers.  To be honest, I have no vested interest in this game either and I think I am pulling for the Jets just because of how much everyone hates Rex Ryan and also because of Bart Scott giving his best Rodney Dangerfield impression during the angriest post-game interview ever after beating the Patriots last weekend (sorry Caf).  I’d also like to see my boy Shonn Greene get himself a shot at a ring.

By this point, if you have any inherent interest in sports you’ve at least heard the allegations about Cam Newtown’s supposed scumbaggery (or his dad’s; however you want to look at the situation).  Monday night, he completed the trifecta: getting paid to play college football, winning the Heisman Trophy and capping it off with Auburn’s second national title, as they defeated the Nike (Oregon) Ducks 22-19.

The game was billed as a clash of offensive titans; teams ranking third (Auburn) and fourth (Oregon) in the nation in total offensive yards and first (Oregon) and third (Auburn) in points scored on the season and then the first quarter ended and the score was….0 to 0.  What the fuck?!  My roommate said that he would be disappointed if every drive didn’t result in a touchdown and on Oregon’s opening series, they went three and out.  So much for that.

Although, to be fair, both teams were trying to be fun, with their shifting formations and no huddle offenses but things were sloppy.  There were interceptions thrown on three consecutive drives, two by Oregon’s Darron Thomas and one by Cam Newton.  The first quarter ended and there were zero points on the board.  Anyone who bet the over (which was something absurd like 75) already had no chance of making good on that.  Both teams looked shaky and I felt like I was watching some shitty circus with all the ridiculous trick plays and inept formations and not the National Championship.  This is the point where at breaks I flipped over to watch Independence Day and came to the conclusion that my 50^th or so viewing of that cinematic classic was going to be a better choice than going back to the game.

But I decided to give the game another shot and the second quarter began and Oregon finally put some points on the board after pissing a solid drive down their leg and settling for a field goal, but it was a catalyst to a better quarter as Auburn scored the game’s first touchdown on the ensuing drive courtesy of blown coverage in the Oregon secondary (a theme for the night).  Oregon proceeded to start the next drive at their own eight yard line, launch an 81-yard pass to the token crafty white receiver (Jeff Maehl) and score within the next two plays.  And of course, being the kooky ass bastard he is, Chip Kelly called for a two point conversion attempt and got it on an option ran by his holder and kicker.

As if the game needs to get any wackier, after mounting a solid drive against a gassed Oregon defense, Auburn stalls in the red zone and fails to convert on fourth and goal from the one.  Oregon takes over, gets penalized for illegal motion on their first attempt and then run a terrible inside handoff (a play they had no success on all night but they kept fucking running) and LaMichael James, despite his best Reed Richards attempt, was tackled in the end zone for a safety and the game stands at an awkward 11-9 in favor of Oregon.  Auburn marches down and tacks on one more TD from Cam Newton’s arm and it’s 16-11 Tigers as they head to the half, 27 points scored in the second quarter and more along the lines of the showdown the game was billed as.

So the game has some promise again.  Oh wait…the third quarter sucked, too.  Only three more points, Auburn is up 19-11.  I didn’t sign up to watch these teams play defense.  Casey Matthews is pretty good and fun to watch his luscious locks flowing about the field from hash to hash, but he’s no Clay.  More Jeff Goldblum, please.

The fourth quarter starts with four drives ending in punts, a fumble and then Oregon decides they want a shot to win this game.  Darron Thomas takes over, completes six passes on their last drive including a TD pass to LaMichael James and now actually needing it, a ridiculous turnaround, fade-away two-point conversion pass to TCWR Jeff Maehl to tie it up.  Then shit gets really weird.  Michael Dyer, who has outshone Cam Newton on the ground game to this point, takes the handoff, gets tackled, and everyone stops momentarily…but the Auburn coaches are yelling from the sideline to keep running.  Dyer realizes he was never down, takes off for 30 more yards on one of the weirdest plays to lead to a championship in the history of college football.  No whistles blew and the reviews confirmed Dyer’s knee never touched as he rolled off the defender and rumbled 37 yards to set up Wes Bynum’s game-winning field goal for the Tigers.  SEC supporters will have another full year to brag about their fifth straight championship for the conference, while detractors will call for a Barry Bonds-esque asterisk should the truth ever come out about CamNewtonGate.

And after the clock had run out, the Tigers were deemed victors, the interviews had been conducted, Cam Newton slunk off into a corner to find a some solitude and a place to hang his head…

After a brief respite for holiday travel, I’m back and bringing a recap on this year’s Winter Classic.  For the unaware, the fourth annual NHL Winter Classic was held at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on New Years Day, pitting the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Rain delayed the start time of the game seven hours from its original slated time slot, with unseasonably warm temperatures for western Pennsylvania in January, with the game time temperature hovering somewhere around a balmy 50 degrees and consistent rainfall throughout the day.

Leading up to the game, HBO has been airing 24/7, a series featuring some super sick behind the scenes and game footage featuring the Pens and Caps all building up to the Winter Classic, with the finale coming this Wednesday.  I’ve noted before, I’m an Iowa transplant who fell in love with hockey and the Flyers after moving to Philadelphia and being deprived of hockey for the first 23 years of my life.  I never understood how Iowa lacked such a hockey following as its frigid climate and neighboring states boast rich hockey traditions (Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc.) The fact that I haven’t been entrenched in hockey culture my whole life therefore means I’m not a Capitals gut-hater by nature, nor will you find me screaming “FUCK CROSBY!” every time Pittsburgh is in town, which is the case with 99% of the rest of Flyers loyalists.  I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing, but it is what it is.  However, I have many acquaintances who are this type of Flyers fan and it didn’t stop them from appreciating the greatness of 24/7, no matter how much they hate everyone involved.

From the start HBO got a perfect draw, as the opening episode found the Pens in the midst of their epic hot streak, winning 12 games in a row (before being stopped in Philadelphia), and the Caps were colder Mr. Freeze’s testicles, feeling the ill-effects of an eight game slide, painting a perfect hero vs. villain portrait from the beginning.  It also helped that Boudreau loves the F word more than he loves ice cream and he comes across as a mix between a malicious Penguin-esque scoundrel and Santa’s evil half-brother when he is decked out in all red screaming, “You can be anywhere. You’re playing fucking hockey for a living! Have fucking fun out here!”

I think that one of the successes of the series has been the ability to have hockey fans of all loyalties appreciate the game, regardless of who they support.   There are so many great things going on with this series it is hard to touch on them all but here are some of my personal highlights.  The interaction before a fight was enlightening and came off almost as a form of courting and was pure barbarian entertainment.  Similar to a battle of alpha males in the wild, sizing each other up in the form of “You wanna fuckin’ do this?” before locking horns and raining thunderous fists upon one another.  Seeing one of the games’ greats in Mario Lemieux on the ice again, warming up for the Old Timers Game was fantastic because you still saw the magic he possessed during his career.  You appreciate that a lot of these players are still kids, younger than you with endless potential and they play Call of Duty on PSP to pass the time on flights to away games.  The show may have turned me into a big Ovechkin fan, because, honestly, how can you not love a 25 year-old Russian beast child who oozes energy and talent and spends his ice time bashing opponents and pucks, screaming at the top of his lungs, pumping up his teammates and cracking wise in broken English to the officials.

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NHL

Pittsburgh’s win streak was snapped at 12 on Tuesday night by the Flyers but Sidney Crosby kept his point streak alive, and despite back-to-back losses, he’s now notched a point in 20 straight games.  The Flyers have been unstoppable, whether they start Bob or The Mighty Boosh and have since taken the NHL point lead after beating the Bruins, Pens and Habs in their last three games.

Speaking of Crosby, make sure to tune-in for awkwardfest starring Crosby, Ovechkin and Jeremy Roenick getting weirdly man-handled by Drew Carey on The Price Is Right next Monday.  The trio will be on promoting the NHL and one prize packages is tickets to the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh between the Penguins and Capitals.  I’d like to see Ovie spin the wheel as hard as he can and then hipcheck Drew Carey through the window of a Hyundai Sonata on set.

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MLB

The winter meetings took place last week in Orlando at Disney World and after that crazy asshole Yankees GM Brian Cashman finished repelling as an elf, he proceeded to get bent over by Cliff Lee.  Lee held out on the Yankees until the last minute, and then opted to go back to Philadelphia for less money and less time.

Lee rejoining the Phils helps them form one of the most ridiculous rotations of all-time that includes Roy Halladay (Cy Young Winner), Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels (World Series MVP) and now Clifton Phifer Lee joins the fold. R2C2 in full effect and they have Joe Blanton AKA C3P-Joe currently slated as their fifth starter.  Whatever, they can just auction off the 5^th starting spot to fans because it honestly won’t matter who pitches after the Four Horsemen in the rotation.

On the American League side, Carl Crawford also spurned the Yankees and joined forces with Adrian Gonzalez in Boston.  Imagine Gonalez going from PETCO Park, a fucking cavern, to Fenway where the line in right field is about 250 feet.  No doubt, Gonzo will hit about 50 homeruns at home alone. Phillies v. Red Sox World Series?

On the Royals fan front, Dayton Moore signed some exquisite talent in Jeff Franceour and Melky Cabrera, who combine with Alex Gordon to form an outfield with the most disappointing collective career of all time.

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