Not right

Here's what's wrong with the NHL:
The Penguins have 19 wins and 9 losses. The Sharks have 18 wins and 10 losses.
The Penguins have won 68% of the games they've played.
The Sharks have won 64% of the games they've played.

However, the Sharks have 2 more points than the Penguins since the Sharks lost 4 games in overtime while the Penguins lost all their losses during regulation.

Really?

The Sharks deserve 1 more win worth of points because, when they lose more often than the Penguins, they manage to do it on OT?

There are a lot of reasons Americans don't like hockey, and this probably isn't one of them. But it makes we mad.

Another example, closer to my heart:
Thrashers - 14 wins, 10 losses (58% win percentage)
Boston Shiteatters - 13 wins, 13 losses (50% win percentage)
Both have 31 points.

Absolute crap...

Suck It Trebek Gary Bettman
Mike

PS. I used Penguins and Sharks in my first example since they have the most wins of all NHL teams. I honestly don't care too much about either team as long as they lose when they play against the Thrashers.

Friday Five Six, 04/04/08

The best hockey players ever, including the future...

GOALIE:
Martin Brodeur - I know, you think I should have said Patrick Roy (I say it "Patty Roy", where Roy is pronounced like boy...) But, the truth is Brodeur is just better. Better save percentage, better win percentage, better GAA. Like 30 more shoutouts, all in 2 less seasons. Brodeur only had one season where his save percentage was under .900, his first. Roy had three. If Brodeur plays next year, and wins games at only 2/3 rate he has throughout his career, he'll best Roy for most wins ever. And next season he could conceivable pass Terry Sawchuk for the most shut-outs ever. The only thing going against Broduer is play-off wins, but maybe Roy just played on better teams. Oh yeah, there's also that one thing in 2001, when Roy and the Colorado Avalanche beat Brodeur and the Devils in the Stanley Cup finals, but we can look the other way on that for now.

DEFENSEMEN:
Bobby Orr - One time, while killing a penalty, Orr kept possession of the puck for more than one minute. The only reason he lost possession? He scored a shorthanded goal. Orr is arguably the first offensive defensemen though he didn't slack on defense. (Canadiens spell it defence, but they were taught by British folks, and we all know they speak English wrong.) He was known to often take the puck the length of the ice, meaning he gained control of the puck while playing defense. When he retired early due to knee problems (I think it was knees), the NHL was bright enough to realize what they just saw end, and he was inducted into the hall of fame at age 31, younger than anyone else.


Doug Harvey - Doug Harvey played hockey before I was born, but for some reason people seem to think he was one of the best defensemen ever. He played on 11 consecutive all star teams and won the Norris trophy seven times. Frankly, I think that everyone considers him one of the best because he had two first names. But not just that, they are both cool, asskicking, rough names: Doug and Harvey. He's actually from Frenchy Frencherville, so his name could have easily been Claude Michele, Jean LaPoof or something super soft and girly, but no, he was just Doug Harvey.

OFFENSEMEN:
Mario Lemieux - Mario Lemieux basically was the offense when he played for the Penguins. He scored almost 60% of the teams goals during his span. He scored 10 shorthanded goals twice in a season, one of those seasons he had 13--more than anyone else. One time he scored 5 goals in one game: one even strength, one shorthanded, one on the power play, one of a penalty shot, and one into an empty net. Plus Lemieux was banged up quite a bit. I can only imagine that he'd be a lot closer to Gretsky's gretaness if he wasn't hurt so much. Only Gretsky scored more points per game then Lemieux over the course of their respective careers. If Lemieux didn't come back after surviving cancer, he would have averaged more points per games than Gretsky.

Mike Bossy - Bossy was one of the best shooters. He scored 50 goals in 9 straight seasons, even Gretsky didn't do that. Along with Gretsky and Lemieux, he was one of the few players to score 50 or more goals in the first 50 games of the season. He scored more goals per game than other other player in NHL history. And even though his name was Bossy, he won the Lady Byng trophy for good sportsmenship 3 times, in only 10 NHL seasons. Like Orr, his career was cut short by injuries.

Wayne Gretsky - I really don't need to say anything here, but I will. 2,857 points in 1,487 games. That's the most points ever, the most that there ever will be and best points per game ever (almost 2). In second place (a distance second) is Mark Messier, "only" 970 points less at 1,887. And he needed over 250 more games than Gretsky to get that close. (Close is still pretty far away.) Gretsky scored at least 50 goals in the first 50 games of a season three times. One of those times, he scored 61 goals through 50 games. He scored 10 hat tricks in a season twice. He scored more points in one season then anyone ever will (215) and more goals in one season (92) and more assists in one season (163). He can fly and eat nails. Also, he was in a cartoon with Bo Jackson and Michael Jordan. (Michael Jordan is the best athlete ever, so that's pretty cool for Gretsky too.)


People who could have made the list, but didn't:
Patrick Roy
Guy Lafleur
Rocket Richard
Sidney Crosby
Chuck Norris
Ray Bork bork bork

Coincidence?

Charter finally settled their negotiations with the NHL and last night, the hockey package was available. It was the first Thrashers game I was able to watch. And they finally won!

I doubt it was a coincidence. Don Waddell should hire me as the new head coach. Or, he can hire Joe Torre. I hear that guy is available now.

The Thrashers win the pennant

Today was a nice day.

At work, we reviewed earnings and things were well. Reserves looked good and interest credited was appropriate. It was nice.

Also, I discovered a novel way to obtain a premium exclusion amount for Meglo*Financial Group's consolidated investor financial supplement as it pertains to claim annuities. It was nice.

Then, after work, I beat up my boss in the parking lot. It was nice.

At home, I attempted some problems for my upcoming exam. I completed more per hour than I need to during the actual exam and got a sufficient number correct. It was nice.

After that, I drank some cream stouts and watched the Thrasher's beat the Whalercanes. It was nice.

Then, I watched the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, effectively clinching the division for the Thrashers. It was nice.

Then Logan pooped all over Michelle. Not me.

All in all, it was a nice day.

Good night.

Bad luck when I'm there

So, I've seen the Thrashers play live and in person 4 times: twice is Boston, once in Atlanta and last night on Long Island. They are 0-3-1 in those four games. In the first game, Bill Guerin broke Patrick Stefan's jaw, then scored the game winner in OT while lying on his back (seriously.) The second game I saw was in Boston a season later. They managed to tie the Bruins 2-2. I wore my Thrashers jersey at the then Fleet Center and wasn't even beat up. In Atlanta, they lost to the Flyers, 5-2. I think there were more Flyer fans there then Thrasher fans. The guy next to me was wearing a Philly jersey and I asked him why he liked them.
"Because I'm from Philadelphia," he answered.
"Why are you so ugly though, you lousy piece of dog terd?" I asked. Ha! I win!
The best part was after the game at the Arena Bar. I was joking about a lady who wore a jersey with the name "Cupcake" on the back with a few guys sitting near me. Later, I realized that she was with them. They thought I was funny and were nice to me. That's one thing about the South, everyone down there is very nice and polite, but also very stupid and ugly.

Last night, the Thrashers lost 5-1 to the NY Islanders. I think the Islander fans are more loyal then any of the fans I've seen at a hockey game, except for maybe the Providence Bruins fans...assbag.

Anyway, I scored a free Islanders T-shirt last night. Now I'm going to drop a grunt in the sink and use the shirt to clean my dupa.

Awesome!

Check this awesomeness out (not as awesome as guitars but pretty close.)