New NHL Season

Well, it's about time.  I have something to live for again. Clicking of the NHL.com refresh button every 15 seconds waiting to see if one of my many pools players got a second assist. Sadly enough, this is very enjoyable to me. Here are some random points I'd like to bring up.. enjoy!

The Edmonton Oilers played their first game, after somewhat of a disappointing pre-season. I was pumped for a high paced exciting game... epic phael. It was boring and the Oilers were embarrassed to the point I had trouble cheering the last second goal.  Shots were 33-19 in favour of the Avalanche, and that doesn't include the four posts they struck.  Realistically, this game should have been 6-1 for the Avs. But, a win's a win... I guess.

More importantly, Radek Dvorak started the year well with a goal in his first game, and  a +1 rating in a 6-4 loss. The Florida Panthers need to give Radek more playing time. 11:43 simply isn't enough time him to start producing. It's almost as if they have forgotten he once put up a 31 goal, 67 point season, and more impressively, a 50 point season with the Oilers. That's the equivalent to a 100 point season with any real (or non "MacT") team. I predict another 50 point season for my boy Radek.

Toronto almost crapped their pants with glee with the victory over the defending Stanley Cup champs (and soon to be champions again), Detroit. Perhaps Jonas Frogren, the 28 year old rookie, WAS a diamond in the rough!  Maybe, John Mitchell will be the next Nik Hagman!  Is Nik Hagman the next... uh... Travis Green?  Turns out.. they suck, and will continue to suck for a very long time. The 6-1 loss to Montreal at home will only be the beginning to a painful year. It's been over 40 years since they have captured the ultimate hockey prize, and it'll be a while before they see it again. thank god.

Ales Hemsky is an elite player who gets bogged down in Edmonton. Anywhere else, a talent like that puts up 90+ points a year. This year however, despite the Oiler coaching, Hemsky will be a force to be reckoned with. I predict an 85 point season, and yes I'm aware he plays on the Oilers. 

The East is considerably weaker, especially with Ottawa loosing a couple of steps over the last couple years, and Pittsburgh being painfully overrated.  The New York Rangers WILL win the East, season and playoffs. They actually have chemistry, and one of the best goalies in the world, Hendrik Lundquist, and I'm not just saying that because I have him in my pool.  The 4-0 start is only the tip of the iceberg, watch out for them people. They are so good, they win with Stephen Valiquette in net. Impressive.

Lastly, as I stated up top, the Red Wings will win once again. They are simply too good to loose, even with mediocre goaltending. 

-XG

The Fall of "The Simpsons"

"The Simpons" just aired the first episode of season twenty last Sunday.  Over the last decade, it has declined further and further, and the only reason I continue to watch is due to loyalty of seasons one through ten.  But, this Sunday has really got me on the ropes.  I think I snickered twice. I couldn't even get a solid "lol".  

This is a very sad state.  In it's prime, The Simpsons was simply the best show in television. Ever. Now, it almost seems like a chore to watch.  I honestly can't even remember what the episode was about, and it was on about two days ago!  Homer has always been an idiot, but now he's becoming stupid to the point it's ridiculous.  Bart's pranks are no longer funny or clever, but are now just vile and rude.  He went from, "Oh, that mischievous rapscallion!", to "Bart, that's a felony" in just a few years.  The characters don't even resemble themselves anymore, and coming from a Simpsons fanatic, it really pains me to watch.

The show doesn't even pretend to be based in reality anymore. Half the episodes end with Homer riding some kind of animal to safety, or with a situation that hasn't be resolved.  Perfect example is the latest episode, where it ends up with homer in prison. Again.  The writers are seemingly out of ideas (twenty seasons, can you blame them?), and now resort to basically repeating old ideas, but making them less funny and way stupider.

I own the first ten seasons on DVD, but no more.  On the bright side, bad as the Simpons may get, at least it's still better than the best episode of "Family Guy".

-XG