Prepare For Battle

Okay, I've got a lot to throw at you before tomorrow's series begins. First things first, though. I have to attend a formal dinner with my best friend at 5:30pm. This, of course, lends itself to the very real possibility that I will miss the live broadcast of the game. (I have to go. I promised her that I would go with her more than 3 months ago.) BUT I will be recording the game; I will be watching it; I will be recapping it. I just wanted to let you know what was up since the recap will be coming much later than it has in the past.

Now I've got some stuff to help get the Ranger hate flowing. First up, we've got this article from Newsday.com. In it, author Arthur Staple whines that the Rangers are going up against, and I quote, "Crosby the Entity." You see, Mr. Wants-to-take-his-puck-and-go-home-already thinks that Sid has pulled the wool over all the NHL referees' eyes:

Sid the Kid is the best player in the game, but at just 20 years old, he's become a master at complaining and drawing penalties with dives or overreactions to slashes and sticks waving by his face. Which is unfortunate, because he's a pretty tough player, in addition to all that skill.

Last time I checked, getting slashed really effing hurts. There is no exaggeration when a person recoils in pain after getting slashed. Oh, and the "sticks waving by his face" crap needs only this picture for rebuttal:


And there are two more things that prove how much of a tool this guy is.

1. He called Jarrko Ruutu a "Finnish nutjob." Okay then, buddy - if Ruutu's a "nutjob," then tell me exactly what the hell Sean Avery is?!


2. This guy actually had the audacity to say that Adam Graves' slash on Mario Lemieux was an "unintentionally dirty play." WTF?! Isn't that an oxymoron? Let us not forget that Graves was suspended for 4 games for the act. The NHL doesn't hand out suspensions for accidents.
   

But as much as I hate to admit it, there is ONE thing this guy's got going for him: No matter what crap spews from his keyboard, at the end of the day, he's no Don Brennan.

In today's New York Post, Jaromir Jagr opines neither Sid nor Geno are in Mario's league:

"With all due respect for [Sidney] Crosby and [Evgeni] Malkin, I don't think they are Mario Lemieux," said Jagr.

[...]

I say that with all due respect because the game has changed.

[...]

There were games we won 6-5 that Mario scored six points. The next night, 5-3, he scored five. [Crosby] can do it once in a while but not every game like [Lemieux]."

Um, Double Joke, why bother saying that you recognize that the game today has changed if you're just going to make the comparison anyhow? Comparing the game 10 years ago to the game now is like comparing apples to oranges - which is also a lot like comparing these:

Did you ever think that Sidney Crosby reminded you of someone? Click here to see which celebrity Sports Illustrated thinks he looks like. (It's crazy! I never would have thought about it until I saw them side by side...)

I got this link to Sid's entry on SAS Wiki a while ago, and I've been holding it for a stretch of down time. I figured it would be a good way to go out before the next series started because it is hilarious right from the very start:

Sidney Patrick Crosby (born for the first time on December 25, 1 BC, in a small manger in Bethlehem, and then again on August 7, 1987, in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.

[...]

Crosby, being only 18, needed a place to stay in Pittsburgh. Originally he stayed with consummate bachelor, Ryan Malone, but after repeated attempts by Ryan to "get Sidney as drunk as possible and then sleep with him," Sidney sought new arrangements. Luckily, Mario Lemieux's three square mile estate had some extra room.

Make sure you check out the entire entry so you can see what it says about Sid's alleged diving...

Thank yous go out to Friends of The Show Michelle B., Paula C., and Ava H. for all the links!

Tomorrow it begins anew. Even if you're watching at home, put on a white Pens shirt or the away jersey or just a plain white t-shirt and support the whiteout. Get ready. As today's title implies, it's going to be a battle. I'm calling it now: Pens in 6. Now it's in print, and I can't go back on it. Say it with me now:

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!