The Ti4T Watch
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 10, 2009 2:39 PM MDT
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PrintHopefully the little hiccup on Sunday against the Blackhawks will be just that, and the Avs can get back on track on their quest for a really high draft pick tonight when they take on one of their prime competitors, the Atlanta Thrashers. That's right, say it out loud with me, "The Avs and Thrashers are comparable teams this season." Didn't that feel good? Of course, the house channel and pretty much everyone over at Kroenke central would lead you to believe that "all is well" in Avland, but by now, everyone, except for probably Peter McNab, knows better.
The best place to see exactly where our boys in burgundy and melancholy blue stand is here ... but you'll need to scroll way down. Ottawa beat Toronto last night (unfortunately not in OT) to move more firmly ahead of us. Currently the Avs hold down the 4 spot, but number 2 is certainly within Tyler Arnason's reach. But unlike Tyler, can the Avs actually win this battle? A loss tonight in regulation will bring the Avs within one measley Bettman point of le Thrash. Keeping faith in Tony G., I think the boys can get it done!
Darcy Tucker's fan club (Dan Winkler) and I will be at the fiasco game tonight. Look for one Av fan holding another Av fan wearing a Tucker unipron in a headlock in the upper deck. We won't be hard to spot amidst the empty Can.
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Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 10, 2009 2:59 PM MDT reply actions
Islander fans
More experienced at embracing sucktitude, as evidenced by the above pic. Nice. Very nice.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
it appears
The Avs didn’t get the Ti4T memo. I read an article that used words like “pride” and “try” a bunch. Also a bunch of players appear to be auditioning for roster spots.
Not to mention the “throw me a bone” UFA / RFA contract mentality.
I expect Arnason to go on a torrid points streak and be public enemy #1. If he already isn’t
He DID just remember that he’s a UFA at the end of the season.
by Ben from Portland on Mar 10, 2009 4:24 PM MDT reply actions
Raycroft
stopped sharing the bong….Arny must have eatin’ all his Cheetos or something.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 10, 2009 6:10 PM MDT up reply actions
man, Tampa is on such a stronger streak… L3. How are we supposed to compete with that if we keep playing good teams and act all skilled or motivated on the ice??
Thank goodness the Hawks and Caps only come around every now and then…
I just want Drury back...
Hey
Tampa plays Ottawa and Toronto back-to-back tonight and tomorrow. They just need to win one of those and we’re back in it.
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 11, 2009 8:53 AM MDT up reply actions
Ideally
TB will win both of these games in OT. Talk about a win-win! I believe that Tony G. can lead this team to number 2. Le Isle will still be difficult to catch. But who would have thought a few weeks ago that we’d be oh so close to Atlanta?
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 11, 2009 12:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Scoreboard watching
It’s so tough coming down the stretch when your team doesn’t control their own destiny. The Avs have to count on other teams to get the job done in order to reach their Tavares goal. Let this be a lesson—they should have lost more of those early season games!
I don't believe in Peter Budaj.
by BraxtanFILM on Mar 11, 2009 12:29 PM MDT up reply actions
That game against Dallas
where we played like shit and Svatos scored with just a few seconds left.
DAMNIT.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 11, 2009 10:43 PM MDT up reply actions
Yeah
Cause Svats sucks and all. :) Our season could have been much worse.
An ounce of confidence can carry you a mile toward winning. Oh, and Red Wings suck.
TB loses to Ottawa, but at least they pick up a point and inch closer to the Avs. And Ottawa is leaving the pack. Evidently “pride” is more than just a Granato catch phrase in Ottawa.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
Ottawa
It’s almost like a team that is playing for a coach who knows what he’s doing will do significantly better than a team playing under a clueless coach
(please don’t fire Tony FG.. we need to keep this Ti4T ship going full steam ahead)
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 12, 2009 12:18 AM MDT up reply actions
Honestly
at this point my greatest fear is that we will end up with the #1 draft pick and FG and TG will forget that we are supposed to pick someone good and pick some fourth round nobody.
It really is ALL ABOUT LAPPY!
by gl avfan on Mar 12, 2009 6:48 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn't worry about that.
For all the crap FG did last season, one of his strong points seems to be his drafting, minor league scouting, and his ability to build up the farm system.
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 12, 2009 8:31 AM MDT up reply actions
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Which of Giguere’s picks is currently anything more than a mediocre-to-slightly-good NHL player?
Go Avs! Let's get some goals!
Incomplete
Only 2 of the players FG has drafted have made it to the NHL so far: Chris Stewert, and TJ Galiardi.
But FG has done a solid job establishing the Avs with a real AHL franchise in Lake Erie over the last 3 years.
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 23, 2009 8:55 AM MDT up reply actions
Considering
the Avs were sharing an AHL affiliate and then this season have called up a big portion of the roster, I think they are in good shape.
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 23, 2009 12:31 PM MDT up reply actions
Even with the call-ups and LEM’s own injury issues, they are in the playoff hunt which is more than you can say for the Avs. Can we swap coaching staff with them?
An ounce of confidence can carry you a mile toward winning. Oh, and Red Wings suck.
It's a minor worry
that the team might get into position to grab Tavares and pass on him.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 12, 2009 12:31 PM MDT up reply actions
Yeah.
Personally I’m all over Hedman. I wouldn’t complain about Tavares, but Hedman is going to be an absolute monster. I’m worried they’d be in position to take one or the other and go with Brayden Schenn or something. Not that there aren’t some really, REALLY good prospects, but to pass on either or both of those guys would be a huge bummer at the time.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 12, 2009 12:54 PM MDT up reply actions
Not that Schenn would be bad
but if you have the 1st or 2nd pick you better take Hedman or Tavares.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 12, 2009 1:00 PM MDT up reply actions
Huge night for Ti4T
Very full schedule tonight with many games factoring into the Ti4T quest. Here are my desired outcomes:
MIN over COL in regulation
OTT over BOS
PHX over NJ
TBL over TOR in OT
NYI over MTL
ATL over EDM
I saw a short debate in one of the threads about cheering against the Avs. I just want to let everyone know that I am about the biggest Av fan out there. Period. As such, the current product is killing me. And the only way things are going to change is if things get bad enough that management has no choice but to make changes (are we there yet?). If they go into next season without an infusion of at least one young superstar, and without a new GM, and a without a new coach, and without other significant changes, chances are we’ll be looking at another year just like this one, if not worse. And frankly, I don’t want to pay for that. This season has been painful to watch. Especially in person. So I do want them to finish poorly at this point. Something just has to wake them the F up so we don’t have to endure years of this crap. I don’t want them to be the NY Islanders. I want my old Avs back …. or at least something that loosely resembles them.
Having said all of that, I was happy they beat Theo and happy they beat Q. And thrilled, of course, that they beat the evil wheel 3 times. So this is sort of a win-win thing going on. Sort of.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 12, 2009 2:01 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Sorry
I can’t sit down and watch a game hoping CO loses. I know i should but once i wtart watching a game… I want them to win.
That said when I see them lose I’m not nearly as upset right now.
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 12, 2009 2:43 PM MDT up reply actions
I agree
It’s really win-win.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 12, 2009 3:02 PM MDT up reply actions
Oh
and with a draft as loaded as this one, even if we don’t get one of the top 2 picks, we should come out with a stud. I love Evander Kane. He would be an okay consolation for me.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 12, 2009 3:03 PM MDT up reply actions
Kane, Duchene, Schenn, MSP
I’d be happy with any of them.
I loved watching Duchene on the Battalion a few times, wouldn’t mind seeing him in the unipron.
Duchene and Schenn
are great, too. MSP I don’t want just because I will NEVER learn to type that guy’s name, lol. My favorite prospects are Hedman and Kane. Tavares could be great, but I just have a funny feeling about Kane.
I am Jack's unbridled optimism.
by A.J. Haefele on Mar 13, 2009 5:23 AM MDT up reply actions
I agree
though I do get upset when they lose without effort. I’m not jumping up and down yelling and punching doors mad, but I’m upset. Losing doesn’t bother me when you go down fighting. But losing because you didn’t play is hard to watch, these guys are professionals, do your job.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 12, 2009 5:49 PM MDT up reply actions
Good point
I can be upset if I get the feeling that they just give up and don’t care. I think it’s our job to “root” for a good draft pick but it is their job to go out there and play hockey. I can’t support a professional athlete intentionally tanking or just not trying.
It really is ALL ABOUT LAPPY!
Which must be why
I’m hardly watching them anymore. I don’t even DVR them all now, which even last year, was unheard of. Probably a combination of them being painful to watch and me wanting them to fail only so they make changes and pull out of this mess …. not sure.
That said, I hate the Wild after last year’s playoff series, so I’m sure I’d be grinning ear to ear if they beat the tar out of them. Until I realized it may help FG and TG keep their jobs and hurt our chances at Tavares. Oh no, I’ve just turned it into lose-lose! ;)
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 12, 2009 3:03 PM MDT up reply actions
Thats where I am right now.
I can’t be unhappy if they win, but I’m not overly unhappy if they lose either.
It really is ALL ABOUT LAPPY!
Sounds like cheering a loss to me...I'm just sayin'
So I do want them to finish poorly at this point
Um…15th in the West isn’t good enough for ya? Or is that bad enough?
Look, I may want a coach fired or a player cut loose. But I don’t cheer for a loss. Nope, never.
by From the Point on Mar 12, 2009 4:42 PM MDT up reply actions
Um…15th in the West isn’t good enough for ya? Or is that bad enough?
Problem is, it hasn’t been “good enough” yet for silent Stan or FG to do a damn thing. And it probably isn’t good enough for a good chance at the best player in the draft, or at least one of the top 2.
I don’t actually cheer against them while at a game. I laugh out loud at their PP, sure. But cheer against them? No.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 12, 2009 4:53 PM MDT up reply actions
Bad Announcers
Get rid of Haynes and McBlabb covering the Avalanche. They are the two worst announcers in Hockey. They never call the game when the puck is in play. They are always blathering about something they read in the Hockey News.
AWFUL
Maynard
what ever happened to the strung out, fast-yellin commentary we used to get (re: all those avs-wings youtube fights)
I just want Drury back...
See, it's a radio thing...
Haynes is/was actually a wicked good radio announcer. He had the capacity (many don’t – including our dear Norm Jones) to quickly, capably paint a verbal picture of the action. Given the fast moving nature of hockey, it’s a lot harder to call it well on the radio than say, football, which moves at a snail’s pace relatively speaking. Good on Haynes for getting the TV gig, ‘cause I’m sure that it pays better and he’s got kids to feed just like me. When he was on the radio, he was also critical of the team when warranted.
TV is a totally different matter, since the announcer has to try to walk a fine line between calling action that is blatantly obvious to the most casual observer – Hejduk passes to Smyth in the high slot, Smyth winds, fakes, drops an outlet to Stastny at the bottom of the right circle, he shoots…. – and coming up with the color commentary kind of junk meant to fill air time primarily and which (witness one Mr. McNabb) is more frequently than not absolute rubbish.
There is no doubt that all the current casters/commentators for the Avs, radio and TV are entirely in the bag and parroting the “ignore the man behind the curtain – who by the way, completely sucks and doesn’t skate hard, is devoid of talent, couldn’t coach a power play to save his life and makes boneheaded personel decisions with frightening regularity – its just a bad bounce, tough break, insanely good opponent, etc.” company line. While it must certainly hurt to swallow one’s integrity in order to do so, I have a hard time blaming the guys that do in order to put food on the table.
So long as this BS corporate propaganda attitude prevails at KSE, you can rest assured that you’ll be obliged to watch something other than the house channel, regardless of which poor sap is being forced to play Goebbles to Giggy’s Hitler. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed by the manure.
Explanation of NHL Draft Lottery
With the Avs currently sitting at number 5 but still with a legitimate shot at reaching number 2, I thought I’d look for a decent explanation of how the draft lottery works. I found one here.
It isn’t as complicated as I had thought it might be. Bottom line, there really is only one drawing, and the team that “wins” the lottery just moves up a maximum of 4 spots. Thus the reason that only the top 5 teams have a shot at number 1 even though 14 teams are in the lottery. This also explains why no team will ever move down more than one. That link not only has the odds of winning the lottery and moving up, but also the adjusted odds of having each pick in the first round. Because some teams in the lottery can’t move up to number one, the odds of the bottom team getting number one are higher than their odds of winning the lottery. Clear as mud?
Isn’t it cool that I was compelled to really look into this for the first time ever? Thank you so much FG and Tony G!
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 16, 2009 10:09 AM MDT reply actions
Go Thrashers!
Whooping up on the Caps and going for their 6th straight win!
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
Oh, thank goodness
we can keep cheering for the Avs…to lose.
by From the Point on Mar 16, 2009 8:19 PM MDT up reply actions
Now you’re getting it! ;)
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on Mar 17, 2009 10:18 AM MDT up reply actions
No, I still don't get it
but no matter. :) Here is a saying for you, Bob:
“Sometimes losing feels an awful lot like winning”
by From the Point on Mar 17, 2009 2:01 PM MDT up reply actions
And...
Atlanta passes the Avs.
FYI the hottest 5 teams in the league over the last 10 games are:
New Jersey (8-2-0) (understandable)
Pittsburgh(8-0-2) (Malkin and Crosby… makes sense)
Atlanta (7-3) (WTF!?!)
Nashville (7-2-1) (See, this is what a team with a good coach looks like.)
St. Louis (7-3) (Seriously… WTF!?!)
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 16, 2009 11:26 PM MDT up reply actions
Special Thanks
to Theo, for tanking the Caps-Thrashers game last night. It so cool that he has joined the Ti4T bandwagon by giving up 4 goals and getting pulled from the game. I am positive, all Dater-loving aside, that had he remained with the Avs, he would have been instrumental in the success of the Ti4T campaign!
Avs. Sticking it to the Red Wings
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