Cup Season

[cyrano]

I am torn. I want to be delighted that Cheap Shot Virtuoso Raffi Torres is getting suspended (in playoff season!) for being his usual self. But for some reason Phoenix decided to hire him, and I hope that they don't suffer too much from his absence. (Hossa, the recipient of Raffi's gift, is out of the hospital.)
The Wings are down three to one. The Sharks are down two to one.

Comments

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

Maria wants to know what you're talking about, but she can't get to livejournal yet tonight.

We agree it sounds sports-related, but you might as well be speaking some other language.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Happy to oblige. (:
The "Cup" is the Stanley Cup, which is the National Hockey League's trophy--we are in the first round of hockey playoffs. In hockey, there are good hits and there are cheap shots. Raffi Torres is well known for the latter and I have a particular distaste for the man. He plays for the Phoenix Coyotes, which is unfortunate because I happen to like them. And in Phoenix's last game, Torres gave a textbook example of Not a Good Hit on another player.
1. The other player did not have the puck.
2. Torres did not have the puck.
3. Both of Torres' skates left the ice before impact.
4. Torres led with his elbow.
5. He hit Marion Hossa in the jaw rather than the body.
Hossa was taken off the ice on a stretcher and went to the hospital, but was released.... today I think.

The Detroit Red Wings have played four games in their best-of-seven series, and lost three of them. They are nearly eliminated, and if this happened in the first round it would be a very surprising thing because it rarely happens to Detroit. I have a certain dose of schadenfreude for this club, mostly because of the large number of abrasive and unpleasant Red Wing fans I met.

The San Jose Sharks, who are My Boys despite their infuriating lack of consistency, have played three games and lost the last two. Their danger is not as looming and imminent, but they need to get their fecal matter aggregated or they are once again going home after the first round.

Was this way more than either of you wanted to know?

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

She's working on something, so I'll check in with her in a minute. For me, I'm always willing to learn, and I appreciate the level of detail here. Also, despite being totally ignorant about it on a professional level, I like hockey! I grew up playing it. Our version was played on a frozen swamp, and was, um, differently-brutal. Probably less brutal, as no one had to be hospitalized as far as I can remember. The swamp itself provided hazards, though, what with all the bits of branches and leaves and occasional rocks sticking up through the ice. You learned to jump, and also to not mind hitting the ice with your face. Ah, childhood.

I think the NHL should play on natural ice, complete with rotten spots, cracks, settling, and the occasional leaf or twig. Oh, and snowdrifts disguising holes. That would be awesome.

I've heard of the Red Wings, just didn't put it together from just "Wings." And I'm from the wrong coast to know the name of San Jose's team. My own hometown team is the Pirates... I've been to a few of their games. Not NHL though, we're not nearly big enough. :)

And now I have read your response to Maria, who started giggling partway through the enumerated list of offenses. She also giggled madly at "aggregate their fecal matter," which was almost frighteningly adorable. And she thinks it's funny that my response is just as long as yours was, and they're both very amusing diversions from the schoolwork she's meant to be doing.