lust for life
for once, I have absolutely nothing planned this weekend, and I'm fucking thrilled beyond belief about it. no, seriously. I had four straight days of fucking bullshit work this week, I mean other than wednesday which was pretty easy every other day was actual work at my job. what the fuck? there was the relay on sunday where I was there from 2 pm till 12:30 in the morning doing nothing but moving the entire goddamn store from one side to the other (why? your guess is as good as mine). the rest of the week was kind of cleaning up that mess we made, including tonight, which sucked big-time. but oh well, it's over, I've got three straight days off, and I'm doing NOTHING. AT ALL.
well, tomorrow I will probably hang out with rocel. but that's not going anywhere so who gives a fuck really. and I'm sure there will be like some diddlin' in there somewhere, but that's nothing new.
other than that. I am going to sit in my house, enjoy my gigantic new TV, and HOCKEY IS BACK, MOTHERFUCKERS, WOOOOO~
(I totally freaked adam out leaving work by literally jumping up-and-down with excitement for that lolz. so yes, I'm kinda psyched)
of course there's my adoring 2-0 rangers, with their home opener against the blackhawks (a very exciting team to watch, probably my second-favorite in the west) and then heading to Philthy against the Flyers on saturday. but there's a million other games I'm looking forward to this weekend: ovechkin and the caps opening up the season against the thrashers, my beloved frenchie habs fucking destroying the maple leafs on HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA~ on saturday, the oilers (that would be my favorite team in the west for those of you keeping score at home) starting their run to the northwest division crown, anze kopitar and the kings starting what will be a shockingly great season against....uh....whoever the fuck they're playing, and like a billion other games I'm forgetting. point is, IT'S HOCKEY, AND IT'S BACK, FOR REALZ. none of this two games in europe then four days off bullshit. god what gay shit that was.
I'll probably have to open and close on sunday again which is always shitty, but then monday I'm going to versailles (hopefully with sean should he finish kicking his paper's ass, if not by myself like a loser, but oh well) at the knitting factory. so it's not like I'm turning into a total shut-in or anything. but christ, with all the shit I've been doing lately and then this horribly shitty week at work, I'm so looking forward to just doing nothing for a while. no overdramatic overemotional bullshit, no lusting after people I've long since struck out with, and most importantly, NO MORE DIPSHIT CUSTOMERS ASKING IF WE HAVE WII FIT~~~
at least for three days.
versailles is going to rock though. even if other people disagree. fuck, even if their music sucks (which everything I've heard suggests otherwise), they will at least be very very pretty, and it's viskei faggory so that's all that matters right? right. I linked sean to their knitting factory page and he was convinced to go on the prettiness of their outfits alone, so yeah, those are some fucking pretty outfits.
since everyone else on the internetz who are even mildly into hockey does this, these are my divisonal predictions for the season. under an LJ cut since they will be kind of long and most of you don't care, so ya. keep in mind of course I am extremely biased. this will be fun to come back to in april and find out how wrong I was, like pretty much every year.
playoff teams are in italics. every other team sucks.
Atlantic
1. New York Rangers: yes, I'm a homer, but fuck off, this team already showed more chemistry in two games than they showed the entire year last year. they're exactly what renney said they were going to try and be at the end of the season: a fast, puck-moving, aggressive on the forecheck, and still solid defensivley team. so the red wings of the east. if you're gonna copy a team, they're probably a good place to start. don't think they're going all the way to the finals (hi, habs) but they'll at least get back to the ECF, and I'll die of happiness from my two favorite teams fighting it out over who gets to job to the red wings this year.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins: as much as I hate them, they're still a great team even with all the guys they lost up-front. they'd probably still repeat in the Atlantic except for the fact that both Gonchar & Whitney are down with significant injuries, and I don't care if you've got Crosby & Malkin or not, you can't win a division as tight as the Atlantic without your top two defensemen. the games against Ottawa were a preview of what the Pens will be like without them: they'll be playing way more in their own zone. so yeah, still good, not nearly as good, won't repeat as Atlantic champs.
3. New Jersey Devils: I've picked them to miss every year for like a hundred years now and I'm tired of it, so here you go Jersey, I'll pick you to get back into the playoffs yet again. not only because I'm hoping that me picking you to make it means you'll finally miss (oh god is that part of it though), but I mean, it's the same team that made it except they signed Roloston & Holik. so yeah, I dunno, I can't see them missing this year unless Brodeur is FINALLY going to start showing his age.
4. Philadelphia Flyers: I really don't get why everyone is so high on this team. yeah, they had a good run in the playoffs, but they didn't add anyone and they lost the guy who played the biggest part in that playoff run (RJ Umberger) so I don't see how they're suddenly the team to beat in the Atlantic. they're still good, they're still not great, and I think losing the rock-solid Jason Smith on an already depleted backend is going to hurt them a LOT more than people think. I have them sneaking in still, but they aren't going anywhere and I could easily see them missing for Ottawa or Buffalo instead.
5. New York Islanders: they're back to trying to be terrible, and boy will they ever succeed. still, I guess if you're gonna try to be bad, you might as well try to be bad in a year when John Tavares AND Victor Hedman are in the draft. so good years may yet be ahead for the fishsticks. this just ain't gonna be one of them.
Northeast
1. Montreal Canadians: it's the same team that was #1 in the East last year, except they finally got some grit with Laraque, got some veteran depth down the middle with Lang, and added even MORE scoring with Tangauy. oh, I'm sorry, they lost Mark Streit, I'm sure after losing Sheldon Souray did nothing to their power play last year losing a guy who played better on forward than his actual position will fucking CRIPPLE them. right. dumbfucks.
2. Boston Bruins: Kessel will take another step and Bergeron will be back to give some much-needed life to their anemic offense. their defense will be as stingy as ever. they'll make the playoffs again. not much else to say about them.
3. Buffalo Sabres: I could see this team sneaking in if they remember how to play defense and/or Ryan Miller has a better year in net (but he just got a really big extension and traditionally goalies don't play that well after that; hi, Mikka!), but eh. like I said in the philly rant, I wouldn't be shocked if they made it, but I'm not predicting it's gonna happen. they look like the same team that missed last year, and I don't think one more year and a bunch of big fat contract extensions turn them into a playoff team. the only thing I may be underestimating is Craig Rivet, which is why I have them above Ottawa.
4. Ottawa Senators: yeah, they still have one of the best top lines in hockey. but they lost their transition game when Redden went to the Rangers and they rather stupidly traded Mezajorus (or however it's spelled) to Tampa Bay. they'll be tougher to play against with Smith back there, but I can't see how this team makes the playoffs unless the Big 3 just carry them there by sheer force of will. which is still a possibility I guess. but christ, Gerber is awful and Auld will not carry them through an entire season.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs: do I really need to write anything here? they are bad. very bad. probably the worst team in the entire NHL. at least the Thrashers have Kovalchuk. the Leafs have NOTHING on forward. NO ONE. how will these team score goals? like, any at all? Ron Wilson is a great choice for a head coach and they've got a good goalie and a pretty good defense, but the only thing the Leafs will win this year is the Tavares/Hedman sweepstakes.
Southeast
1. Washington Capitals: the biggest no-brainer of these divisonal picks, the Caps will soar with a whole season of Boudreau behind the bench. Ovechkin is Ovechkin, he will score a lot of goals. Mike Green will build upon his breakout rookie season. Nylander will be healthy giving them some depth down the middle. the only question, and I mean the ONLY question, is whether or not Jose Theodore is up to the task of replacing Cristobol Huet in net. he won't be AS good, but he'll do the job.
2. Florida Panthers: yes, this is my upset pick in the east. I think Florida gets in based on the fact that, in my opinion, they have the best defense in the conference. you've got Jay Bowumester playing on a contract year. you've got Bryan McCabe who was never as bad as people made him out to be in Toronto and will have something to prove to them. and you've got Ballard & Boyton from the Jokinen deal. with Voukon as good as he is in net and now some actual defense in front of him, I think the Panthers finally get back to the post-season. but it will be tight and they could easily miss if Horton & Weiss don't step it up and score the way everyone's assumed they'd be able to for a while now.
3. Carolina Hurricanes: yes, this year will make three straight they've missed the playoffs since winning the Cup, mark it down. Cam Ward is proving every year that he was a one-hit wonder in that aforementioned Cup run. they still don't have any defense to speak of, and they've already lost Williams for the season. they'll be okay, they'll contend until the end again, but I can't see them getting in.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning: Melrose behind the bench and Stamkos will be fun to watch, but I don't get all the people saying this is a playoff team. their goaltending will be better but they still don't have much in the way of a blue line, so basically add up all those flashy forwards and you get exactly what you had last year. they'll be better than last place in the entire league, a lot better than that actually in that I think they'll contend for a playoff spot, but no way they make it in this year.
5. Atlanta Thrashers: oh yeah, they're quite bad. Kovalchuck is fantastic but he's got two years left on his deal and I'm betting he's got that date circled on his calendar so he can get the fuck out of Atlanta. their D will be better. but yeah, this is another draft lottery team. and unfortunately for them, Kovalchuck will win them enough games to keep them behind the Isles & Leafs and out of the Tavares/Hedman sweepstakes. so yeah, that basically means they fail at failing. BELIEVE IN BLUELAND~
fuck that took forever, I'll do the west tomorrow.
well, tomorrow I will probably hang out with rocel. but that's not going anywhere so who gives a fuck really. and I'm sure there will be like some diddlin' in there somewhere, but that's nothing new.
other than that. I am going to sit in my house, enjoy my gigantic new TV, and HOCKEY IS BACK, MOTHERFUCKERS, WOOOOO~
(I totally freaked adam out leaving work by literally jumping up-and-down with excitement for that lolz. so yes, I'm kinda psyched)
of course there's my adoring 2-0 rangers, with their home opener against the blackhawks (a very exciting team to watch, probably my second-favorite in the west) and then heading to Philthy against the Flyers on saturday. but there's a million other games I'm looking forward to this weekend: ovechkin and the caps opening up the season against the thrashers, my beloved frenchie habs fucking destroying the maple leafs on HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA~ on saturday, the oilers (that would be my favorite team in the west for those of you keeping score at home) starting their run to the northwest division crown, anze kopitar and the kings starting what will be a shockingly great season against....uh....whoever the fuck they're playing, and like a billion other games I'm forgetting. point is, IT'S HOCKEY, AND IT'S BACK, FOR REALZ. none of this two games in europe then four days off bullshit. god what gay shit that was.
I'll probably have to open and close on sunday again which is always shitty, but then monday I'm going to versailles (hopefully with sean should he finish kicking his paper's ass, if not by myself like a loser, but oh well) at the knitting factory. so it's not like I'm turning into a total shut-in or anything. but christ, with all the shit I've been doing lately and then this horribly shitty week at work, I'm so looking forward to just doing nothing for a while. no overdramatic overemotional bullshit, no lusting after people I've long since struck out with, and most importantly, NO MORE DIPSHIT CUSTOMERS ASKING IF WE HAVE WII FIT~~~
at least for three days.
versailles is going to rock though. even if other people disagree. fuck, even if their music sucks (which everything I've heard suggests otherwise), they will at least be very very pretty, and it's viskei faggory so that's all that matters right? right. I linked sean to their knitting factory page and he was convinced to go on the prettiness of their outfits alone, so yeah, those are some fucking pretty outfits.
since everyone else on the internetz who are even mildly into hockey does this, these are my divisonal predictions for the season. under an LJ cut since they will be kind of long and most of you don't care, so ya. keep in mind of course I am extremely biased. this will be fun to come back to in april and find out how wrong I was, like pretty much every year.
playoff teams are in italics. every other team sucks.
Atlantic
1. New York Rangers: yes, I'm a homer, but fuck off, this team already showed more chemistry in two games than they showed the entire year last year. they're exactly what renney said they were going to try and be at the end of the season: a fast, puck-moving, aggressive on the forecheck, and still solid defensivley team. so the red wings of the east. if you're gonna copy a team, they're probably a good place to start. don't think they're going all the way to the finals (hi, habs) but they'll at least get back to the ECF, and I'll die of happiness from my two favorite teams fighting it out over who gets to job to the red wings this year.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins: as much as I hate them, they're still a great team even with all the guys they lost up-front. they'd probably still repeat in the Atlantic except for the fact that both Gonchar & Whitney are down with significant injuries, and I don't care if you've got Crosby & Malkin or not, you can't win a division as tight as the Atlantic without your top two defensemen. the games against Ottawa were a preview of what the Pens will be like without them: they'll be playing way more in their own zone. so yeah, still good, not nearly as good, won't repeat as Atlantic champs.
3. New Jersey Devils: I've picked them to miss every year for like a hundred years now and I'm tired of it, so here you go Jersey, I'll pick you to get back into the playoffs yet again. not only because I'm hoping that me picking you to make it means you'll finally miss (oh god is that part of it though), but I mean, it's the same team that made it except they signed Roloston & Holik. so yeah, I dunno, I can't see them missing this year unless Brodeur is FINALLY going to start showing his age.
4. Philadelphia Flyers: I really don't get why everyone is so high on this team. yeah, they had a good run in the playoffs, but they didn't add anyone and they lost the guy who played the biggest part in that playoff run (RJ Umberger) so I don't see how they're suddenly the team to beat in the Atlantic. they're still good, they're still not great, and I think losing the rock-solid Jason Smith on an already depleted backend is going to hurt them a LOT more than people think. I have them sneaking in still, but they aren't going anywhere and I could easily see them missing for Ottawa or Buffalo instead.
5. New York Islanders: they're back to trying to be terrible, and boy will they ever succeed. still, I guess if you're gonna try to be bad, you might as well try to be bad in a year when John Tavares AND Victor Hedman are in the draft. so good years may yet be ahead for the fishsticks. this just ain't gonna be one of them.
Northeast
1. Montreal Canadians: it's the same team that was #1 in the East last year, except they finally got some grit with Laraque, got some veteran depth down the middle with Lang, and added even MORE scoring with Tangauy. oh, I'm sorry, they lost Mark Streit, I'm sure after losing Sheldon Souray did nothing to their power play last year losing a guy who played better on forward than his actual position will fucking CRIPPLE them. right. dumbfucks.
2. Boston Bruins: Kessel will take another step and Bergeron will be back to give some much-needed life to their anemic offense. their defense will be as stingy as ever. they'll make the playoffs again. not much else to say about them.
3. Buffalo Sabres: I could see this team sneaking in if they remember how to play defense and/or Ryan Miller has a better year in net (but he just got a really big extension and traditionally goalies don't play that well after that; hi, Mikka!), but eh. like I said in the philly rant, I wouldn't be shocked if they made it, but I'm not predicting it's gonna happen. they look like the same team that missed last year, and I don't think one more year and a bunch of big fat contract extensions turn them into a playoff team. the only thing I may be underestimating is Craig Rivet, which is why I have them above Ottawa.
4. Ottawa Senators: yeah, they still have one of the best top lines in hockey. but they lost their transition game when Redden went to the Rangers and they rather stupidly traded Mezajorus (or however it's spelled) to Tampa Bay. they'll be tougher to play against with Smith back there, but I can't see how this team makes the playoffs unless the Big 3 just carry them there by sheer force of will. which is still a possibility I guess. but christ, Gerber is awful and Auld will not carry them through an entire season.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs: do I really need to write anything here? they are bad. very bad. probably the worst team in the entire NHL. at least the Thrashers have Kovalchuk. the Leafs have NOTHING on forward. NO ONE. how will these team score goals? like, any at all? Ron Wilson is a great choice for a head coach and they've got a good goalie and a pretty good defense, but the only thing the Leafs will win this year is the Tavares/Hedman sweepstakes.
Southeast
1. Washington Capitals: the biggest no-brainer of these divisonal picks, the Caps will soar with a whole season of Boudreau behind the bench. Ovechkin is Ovechkin, he will score a lot of goals. Mike Green will build upon his breakout rookie season. Nylander will be healthy giving them some depth down the middle. the only question, and I mean the ONLY question, is whether or not Jose Theodore is up to the task of replacing Cristobol Huet in net. he won't be AS good, but he'll do the job.
2. Florida Panthers: yes, this is my upset pick in the east. I think Florida gets in based on the fact that, in my opinion, they have the best defense in the conference. you've got Jay Bowumester playing on a contract year. you've got Bryan McCabe who was never as bad as people made him out to be in Toronto and will have something to prove to them. and you've got Ballard & Boyton from the Jokinen deal. with Voukon as good as he is in net and now some actual defense in front of him, I think the Panthers finally get back to the post-season. but it will be tight and they could easily miss if Horton & Weiss don't step it up and score the way everyone's assumed they'd be able to for a while now.
3. Carolina Hurricanes: yes, this year will make three straight they've missed the playoffs since winning the Cup, mark it down. Cam Ward is proving every year that he was a one-hit wonder in that aforementioned Cup run. they still don't have any defense to speak of, and they've already lost Williams for the season. they'll be okay, they'll contend until the end again, but I can't see them getting in.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning: Melrose behind the bench and Stamkos will be fun to watch, but I don't get all the people saying this is a playoff team. their goaltending will be better but they still don't have much in the way of a blue line, so basically add up all those flashy forwards and you get exactly what you had last year. they'll be better than last place in the entire league, a lot better than that actually in that I think they'll contend for a playoff spot, but no way they make it in this year.
5. Atlanta Thrashers: oh yeah, they're quite bad. Kovalchuck is fantastic but he's got two years left on his deal and I'm betting he's got that date circled on his calendar so he can get the fuck out of Atlanta. their D will be better. but yeah, this is another draft lottery team. and unfortunately for them, Kovalchuck will win them enough games to keep them behind the Isles & Leafs and out of the Tavares/Hedman sweepstakes. so yeah, that basically means they fail at failing. BELIEVE IN BLUELAND~
fuck that took forever, I'll do the west tomorrow.