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PaVel DaTsYuK fan13

ESPN hockey

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I was reading a hockey article on espn.com (mistake #1) and came across some quotes by Scott Burnside with Melrose and Hradek sprinkled in that were just too good to pass up. Not saying I respected them before, but I think this is the last time I report to espn for any thing hockey.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2008...tory?id=3410097

My Personal favorite:

Which team has the better overall team defense, Detroit or Pittsburgh?

Burnside: OK, the Wings have better defensemen, but that's not the same as team defense. And I think the Penguins' ability to roll four lines for long periods of time makes them, overall, a better defensive club. Plus, they have a slight edge in goaltending, which goes to team defense, too.

Edited by PaVel DaTsYuK fan13

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Yeah, Pens have better team defense :rolleyes:

another thing I noticed:

8. If you had to start a team from scratch today, which player would you choose to build that team around -- Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg or Datsyuk?

Hradek:Crosby. At age 20, he's a complete player who's all about winning whining. What else is there to say?

Fixed :lol:

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Who is this Burnside, and why does he always say something stupid about the Wings?

It's weird because for as long as I can remember, he's always been very reasonable and very pro-Wings.

I can understand picking the Pens in 7, but some of the comments he makes in that article are so wildly idiotic and wrong, it's like someone killed the real Burnside and inserted a double. :ph34r:

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And just to play Devil's Advocate, what if the Penguins win this series and do it with great "team defense"?

Will some of you change your tune then?

I don't know if the thought of that or what Burnside said is funnier!!!

The only way the Pens are going to win is if the Refs hand it to them on a silver platter.

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I don't know if the thought of that or what Burnside said is funnier!!!

The only way the Pens are going to win is if the Refs hand it to them on a silver platter.

Saying that after just 1 game in a 7 game series? That's a bold guess.

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And just to play Devil's Advocate, what if the Penguins win this series and do it with great "team defense"?

Will some of you change your tune then?

When do you not play devil's advocate?

Sure, the Pens could win this series on the strength of monstrous team defense. But as "experts," these people should be focusing on the here and the now, the facts -- not what could happen should God himself decide to intervene.

The Wings' blue line is infinitely better than that of the Pens, as is their team D. They proved this last night and will continue to prove it en route to another Cup. Making a favorable comparison between the teams' respective defensive systems is a big stretch. Saying the Pens are a flat-out better defensive team is absolutely ludicrous.

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When do you not play devil's advocate?

Sure, the Pens could win this series on the strength of monstrous team defense. But as "experts," these people should be focusing on the here and the now, the facts -- not what could happen should God himself decide to intervene.

The Wings' blue line is infinitely better than that of the Pens, as is their team D. They proved this last night and will continue to prove it en route to another Cup. Making a favorable comparison between the teams' respective defensive systems is a big stretch. Saying the Pens are a flat-out better defensive team is absolutely ludicrous.

While Burnside I disagree with as well saying the Penguins defense is better, it's not like their defense is bad. And I like playing devil's advocate when it comes to the "ANALYST STOOPID WHEN YOU DON'T COMPLETELY PICK WINGS" opinion on here that many people display, as well as when people make it sound like the Wings either are (1) indestructible or (2) done after the 1st round or 1 loss.

And saying that the Wings have already won another Cup when they still have to win 3 games and it's a best-of-7 series after just 1 game can be pretty ludicrous as well. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Edited by SouthernWingsFan

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I'm all for analysts trying to break things down more closely, but a better team defense? How many forwards on the Wings can we legitimately list as defensive liabilities? McCarty, Sammy, uh... yeah. Everyone else either hits or plays average or better defense. The same can't be said for Malkin & Co., methinks.

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Nope, they call it hockey.

That's funny, because I could swear that they have about 3 analysts who appear on their channel, who happen to know anything about hockey, out out of the gazillion journalists and analysts that make regular appearances on espn.

The rest are just there to make jokes about how the NHL is a league that no one cares about.

espn is the devil.

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Saying that after just 1 game in a 7 game series? That's a bold guess.

I wouldn't say it based on one game. I'd say it based on one season, where we allowed the fewest goals, had trwo goalies with stellar GAA (to quote Burnside- that goes to team defense), have two Selke finalists along with a past winner, and the probable Norris winner.

Nothing bold about that.

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This is complete trash. I don't disagree with the article because of the conclusions themselves, but because of the blatant anti-wings sentiment of Burnside. Regardless of how credible any of the three are, it just kills it for me. I'm a sports broadcaster for a local college football team, and the first thing you have to realize is that you MUST remain impartial, or risk losing your credibility.

That in short is my problem with ESPN's coverage of hockey. It's one of the major 4 sports and they still won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Used to be covered by ABC, but no more, and that's because they don't see the money in it. That's fine, and it's their choice, but to wheel out your pet analysts to pat the Pens on the back with statements that are not only undefendable with fact, but to go so far as to give these morons a national stage with which to do so is just plain retarded.

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You know why it was both covered on ESPN and ABC, right? When Disney sold off the Ducks, the lockout helped them decide they were done with hockey. Hence, ESPN and ABC stopped carrying it. Done.

ESPN continues to cater to the Yankees, Red Sox, Patriots, WSOP, Nascar and then NCAA. All other sports are far on the backburner.

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That's funny, because I could swear that they have about 3 analysts who appear on their channel, who happen to know anything about hockey, out out of the gazillion journalists and analysts that make regular appearances on espn.

The rest are just there to make jokes about how the NHL is a league that no one cares about.

espn is the devil.

Well, when I said that ESPN does cover hockey, you called it basketball.

Basketball and hockey are two different sports. So they do cover hockey.

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