haroldsnepsts

That oughta stoke the fires here again. *waiting for the zealots apologists* This thread has been rendered pretty much pointless.

He must've turned off the t.v. with a minute to go in the last game.

just making sure you were kidding. I called you zealots. No capital Z.

read back through the thread. There have been some insults, but more than that, there's been example after example of a Datsyuk apologist, as you prefer, going off about things that people haven't even said. Not even reading the inital point of this thread before they rant about how people hate Dats and will never be satisfied. It's totally overblown this whole topic because you guys suddenly make it about Datsyuk bashing, when it was such a friggin minor comment about both he and Zetterberg. It's completely ridiculous and only makes you guys look more like Datsyuk slappies. Seriously, stroll back through the thread and check out some of the posts by Datsyuk supporters, which have nothing to do with the actual point that was being made. Any thread with Datsyuk in the title and I can name at least three people who are gonna show up and make accusations of Datsyuk bashing.

uh, right. I hope you're not seriously trying to further derail this thread by making it seem like I made a racial comment.' zealot - as in one who is zealous. a fanatic.

No kidding. When the NHL signs a contract with NBC to air the games, don't they have any wording in there that requres NBC to actually show the whole game?

Again with the personal insults. If you get so many laughs out of a thread like this, then why do you get so bent out of shape and attack people? The point you don't seem to understand or can't possibly believe is that I'm not trying to push buttons. Despite what you may think, I don't have a Datsyuk-hating agenda. I'm trying to make a point. But god forbid if that point ever includes Datsyuk, there's pretty much no way it can be made without you and others getting up in arms. That's the funny thing. No one has said he's playing like Wayne or Stevie, but no one has said he's playing bad either. Then all these people jump all over me and other posters here complaining that he hasn't been playing bad and we're crazy. I was being diplomatic when I used the phrase "Datysuk supporters." I think virtually all Wings fans are Datsyuk supporters, including myself. But then there are those, let's call them "Datsyuk zealots" or "Datsyuk extremists" who refuse to hear anything even slightly critical of the guy, flame anyone who does anything other than praise him, and hold the contradictory position that though they believe he is one of the absolute best players in the league, there should be no expectations on him to perform as such. Back when this thread was on topic and civil, Zetterberg was included with Dats as needing to score on the road. For as much as you guys complain about people worshipping Z, I don't see anyone rushing in whining about how nothing is ever good enough or atttacking the people who are criticizing him. Funny how that is. Here's my initial post, before all you zealots jumped in. Wow. such an extreme statement I made there. Clearly I was baiting people and pushing buttons.

Anaheim is a very good team, but they're vulnerable to scoring droughts, especially if they were to match up against a puck possession, defensive minded team in the next round (who shall remain nameless). and did anyone see Luongo's statue of liberty worthy play on that last goal? wtf was he doing? Let the ref call the penalty Roberto, your job is to stop the puck. He's a great goalie but man was that a rookie mistake. What a heartbreaking way to lose for a guy who has otherwise stood on his head the whole playoffs.

Ludacris... is the best defensive player you've ever seen? I didn't even know he could skate.

Agreed.

This thread keeps getting funnier and funnier. Now you Datsyuk supporters are giving me the finger and resorting to personal attacks because a few people said he and Hank are gonna have to start scoring on the road for the team to continue to be successful? wow. Fine. Have it your way. Datsyuk is one of the elite players in the league, but we shouldn't expect anything special from him. (and for the thousandth time, overall he's playing well this playoffs. I don't think anyone's arguing that).

Make sure and dream that they win the next two.

From Scotty Bowman's blog on April 30th: There it is from the evil genius himself. The radical idea that for the team to win its best players have to score. That the expectations on those two to score is higher than on everyone else. http://www.nbcsports.com/scottybowman/blog/ Edited for "its" instead of "it's"

you did. You also said he played bad, which you then denied. For the 18 or so minutes he's played and compared to how he has been, Lilja has been very good. The best? no way. It's just that expectations were so low for him. Cheli has been very good. a goal, a couple assists, strong play, +5. But it's Lids who regularly draws the toughest assignments. I'm just not seeing how he hasn't been himself.

So this wasn't you? when you say he looked bad last year too, it implies that you think he's bad this year.

uh, he wasn't the one who made that comment about +/- there Einstein. You're flaming up the wrong tree.

horrific? I guess we've been watching different games. And actually that strategy is a lot like the one Bowman had the defense employ against the Flyers big forwards in 97. It's the opposite of conventional wisdom - play the puck not the body. Because they're so physically outsized, if they play the body, they'll lose. Especially with the new rules. And Lidstrom is about as good as they come at playing that way.

wow. great post. uh, you'd have to make a sensible argument as to how he's been so bad first.

That post is a perfect example of how the actual point gets blown way out of proportion and it breaks down to a flame war. I sometimes wonder if people even read the posts, or just see Datsyuk, guess that it must be someone bashing him, and jump in typing away about how great he is. And just for sh*ts and giggles, how about finding a post in this thread where someone called Datsyuk bad? Good luck.

Yup. It seems like such a minor comment. But apparently I just hate Datsyuk and am never satisfied.

How is it not analyzing the playoffs? I don't think everyone here realizes that neither Z or Dats have registered a point on the road and are each -4. That's not worthy of a thread, but the ones about Dom flopping or Lang sucking are? all the forwards must play well, but Zetterberg and Datsyuk are our top players, so there's more expectations to score than on anyone else. You guys go on and on about how great Datsyuk is, how he's one of the best in the league, but at the same time have such low expectations for him. He's a star player. Star players have high expectations placed upon them. Is that so hard to understand? But god forbid someone make a comment even remotely negative about your precious Pavel. Here's a for ya.

yup. Their need to produce on the road is really such a minor point that is getting blown way out of proportion.

Yup. but you dared say something that might be perceived as bashing Dats. So here come his righteous defenders. (nevermind that Zetterberg was also mentioned)

EXACTLY! Why is that point so hard to grasp? It's not hating, or bashing or overreacting... it's merely analyzing what has been going on this playoffs and looking at what it could mean going forward.

sdafhasldfkha;lskdjf!!!!! We know nothing about hockey? I think I'm trying to demonstrate an analysis of the series, but since it says something slightly negative about Datsyuk, the only response it draws is hyperbolic responses from his fan base. Are you guys even reading the posts, or just furiously typing to defend how great Dats is. Let me recap, and read slowly. DATSYUK HAS PLAYED WELL OVERALL, BUT FOR THE RED WINGS TO BEAT A STRONG TEAM LIKE SAN JOSE AND ESPECIALLY AGAINST WHOEVER THEY WOULD PLAY NEXT, WE NEED BOTH DATSYUK AND ZETTERBERG, WHO ARE OUR STAR PLAYERS, TO SCORE ON THE ROAD. THEY HAVE NOT REGISTERED A POINT ON THE ROAD YET THIS PLAYOFFS. THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO WIN ON THE ROAD, WHICH MAKES IT HARDER TO WIN A SERIES. Expecting our star players to score in away games is not an outrageous thought. Edited for typos.