The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend?
by Daniel AC on May 4, 2011 12:24 AM PDT
in From the Flying V
Email
Print
DANIEL:
I was texting my brother, a Kings fan, on Sunday, and I informed him that I was watching the San Jose-Detroit game. He expressed an opinion that many Ducks fans could probably agree with: he wanted both teams to find a way to be eliminated.
Everyone take a second to realize that you're agreeing with a Kings fan.
Okay, for those of you whose heads didn't explode, let me say that the San Jose-Detroit Series has been fantastic hockey. When I was watching the game on Sunday, I was surprised to find that I wanted the Sharks to win. I can't really explain the feeling, and this post will simply be my musings on that situation, as well as Ducks rivalries in general. It's the offseason, and we need content, so keep reading if you're interested.
The conclusion I came to, as I was hoping for a San Jose victory, was simply that my hate of the Red Wings greatly overpowered my dislike of the Sharks. Overall, I think I dislike San Jose fans more than I do their team. Coincidentally, that's also how I feel about the Predators.
There just isn't much of a reason to hate the Sharks. We beat them in our one playoff series. Not only did we beat them, but we were an 8 seed knocking off the top seed in the West. It makes sense that they hate us, but not the other way around. I know we play them a lot and there's bad blood, but I don't think this is a real rivalry. There just isn't enough postseason history.
For that matter, we don't have any postseason history with the Kings. This is another rivalry that I simply don't understand. My first hockey game was a Kings game. It was a 6-3 victory over the Blues. I was sick. I grew up an L.A. Everything fan, and the Ducks are a deviation for me. Oddly enough, they're the franchise I probably care the most about.
Area rivalries don't make sense to me. Rivalries are awesome because the hate is irrational, but justified. I always get the impression that Ducks fans don't hate the Kings, but they hate L.A. That seems a little too petty for me. Arthur and I went to a Kings game, where Bobby Ryan scored his first career hat trick, and we were pretty well harassed by the fans. Again, I understand the Kings hating us. We are the young upstart, the Mickey Mouse franchise that won the Cup that Roy stole from them in 1993. Then again, it could simply be that they hate Orange County the way Orange County hates L.A.
I have to say that I've been sufficiently rewarded for my loyalty to the Ducks. Having survived the dark days of Pierre Page and all of Disney's craziness, I was rewarded with two Western Conference titles, a division title, and a Stanley Cup.
There is a core of players on the current roster that I love watching. In the end, the Kings and Sharks just haven't been able to keep pace with our success over the past decade, but they haven't directly contributed to our failure either. To me, that's not a rivalry. Maybe it is okay to dislike them, but to hate them with the fire of a rivalry seems far fetched. No matter what happens, we will always be the first franchise in California to hoist the Cup. Nothing either team does from here on will ever be able to take that way. The Sharks and Kings need to actually do something before this can be a serious rivalry.
Now, Detroit, that's a rivalry. We met 3 times in the past decade, and two of those meetings were two of the best playoff series in that same time period. There was a Red Wings fan who posted here that he believed the reason the Wings lost to Pittsburgh was because of how much hell we put them through. There's an argument to be made, that we cost Detroit another Cup in 2003.
And it wasn't just the playoff defeats that fueled the hate. It was the dialogues of the talking heads, the Kronwall elbows that were called good hockey hits. It's frustrating to hear that everything the Red Wings do is clean and perfect hockey, and everything we do is dirty and evil. It wasn't just the conflict on the ice, the Wings were a manifestation of the hate that seemed to be coming at us from everywhere. In my opinion, the Red Wings are the Ducks' only rival.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the playoffs. I hope the Sharks beat the Red Wings and then lose in the Conference finals. I hope someone from the East wins the Cup. I actually like the way the Preds play the game and wouldn't mind seeing them win one. I might take a little joy in the suffering of Vancouver fans, who seem to think the hockey gods have already bestowed the Cup upon them.
I love hockey too much to let my joy of playoff hockey be doused by the fact that the teams I hate are playing. Enjoy the rest of the postseason. I know I will.
56 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Good article
and good site, I enjoy checking out what you have to say about your team from time to time. I love the Kings and hate the Ducks, but there aren’t too many legitimate reasons for it (Ducks fans, don’t take it personally, I know I’m commenting on your blog): I dislike Brian Hayward, the Duck’s lack of a logo on their uniforms, the uniform color scheme, Corey Perry, Orange County despite growing up there, etc. Any fan can hate any team based on these criteria, so those are mine, as superficial as they may be.
I look forward to seeing you guys in a playoff series eventually, although I’d be content to never see you in the playoffs at all!
Don´t see how a Kings fan can hate us for our uniforms
The most popular Kings jersey is the Gretzkey era one which is basically script inside a Chevy logo with a small crown at the bottom. Even the rumored new jerseys for next season based on the 3rd jersey is just a big LA in script with a small crown below it and is a bland silver and black color scheme.
Thats all I'm saying...
It’a matter of taste and opinion. I think the Kings purple/gold jersey would among the most beautiful jerseys in the league if they had that much sense to switch. I like the black/grey/silver, but they’re way too many teams wearing predominantly black nowadays. I think the crown logo now looks
I'm use to the Kings' front office making poor decisions
but I don’t know how they blew this one went with the 3rd as the new primary jersey. The old school crown and purple and gold are classic. The best looking game on TV was the season opener at vancouver where both teams rocked the vintage jerseys. The purple and gold jersey is sold out everywhere, but still the front office goes with the silver and black which I put in the same category as some of these crazy 3rd jersey abominations. We are a little heavy on the black, but I really like how we got more orange into the 3rd. (although I realize there are many that disagree with me)
Have to disagree with you on the uniform front:
It isn’t all to crazy to have the script logo on a uniform. It is obviously all they have in baseball and basketball, but script and script logos can be found in the NHL in Anaheim, Colorado (3rd), Dallas (somewhat), Edmonton (somewhat), Minnesota (3rd), NY Rangers, Ottawa (their god awful 3rd), Tampa Bay (3rd), Toronto (somewhat), and Washington.
CALIFORNIA ANGELS . . . ANAHEIM DUCKS . . . CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Go Bruins!
First, let me say, I have thrown my rooting interest behind the Bruins, and if not them, any team from the East. I just can’t bear to see any of the remaining Western teams hoist the Cup.
I love the article, and I couldn’t agree more. As a Ducks fan that used to live in San Jose, I subscribe more to the Ducks-Sharks rivalry than the Ducks-Kings. Both fans are totally obnoxious, but I can’t root for the Sharks because then I would have to hear about it all summer if they won the Cup. I also don’t subscribe to the theory, “if the team that beat us wins it all, it speaks better of us.” No, it just makes me more bitter. I could get behind the Cannucks, but quite frankly, all the Sedin love and Vancouver arrogance leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Finally, as you said, the real rivalry is with the Red Wings. I hate them. I hate everything about them. So, the sooner they get eliminated, the happier I will be.
Re: Sedin love/Vancouver arrogance
I was watching the end of Game 2 in the VAN/NSH series, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one noticing it, but the announcers on Versus were having orgasms every time Kesler stepped on the ice. I wish I could remember their names, because it was making me nauseated. Don’t get me wrong, I love Kesler, his play style, and that he’s a great leader for USA hockey, but yeah, they were constantly praising everything he did. I was glad when NSH scored the the OT winner and Kesler was on the ice.
Vancouver’s a great team, but I like rooting for the underdogs, and the shenanigans the Vancouver fans pulled this year with driving down was annoying…just gives me hope that all their exuberance leads to disappointment.
Also, I love the fact that for how much Vancouver is hyped, they’re squeaking by in their series and not dominating en route to cup champs as the pundits had predicted prior to the playoffs
He’s a good player and I don’t know if this is true, but someone told me that only 6 of his 41 regular season goals were scored against playoff bound teams, I know he got a couple of big ones last night but I was shocked when I heard that stat.
I did a quick look at the Canuck’s website and 8 of his 41 came against playoff teams. Compare that to Daniel Sedin who got 22 of his 41 against playoff teams and Corey Perry who got 28 of his 50 against playoff teams.
I’m not too sure much can be made of that though. Players get different matchups against the same team and they get different ice times. Maybe the Sedins were played more on the PP against “tougher” teams and Kesler was used more on the PK and ES against those same teams. It’s a little bit glaring, but I don’t think it can all be attributed to him just preying on weak teams and failing against stronger teams.
I agree with most of this
except the rooting for nashville part. I truly can’t stand their fans and vancouver hasn’t done anything to piss me off. Sure, the hockey media has anointed them the cup champs, but I don’t feel that sense of entitlement from the team (as opposed to the caps, for instance). Also, I respect the game vancouver plays and I had a great time in the city for the olympics. So yeah, go canucks. Crush the preds (although I’d prefer to see schneider, and not luongo, be the one to get it done).
Overall, im pulling for tampa. St. louis seems like a great guy and I see a lot of similarities between the ducks and the lightning overall as hockey franchises.
by PhantomPretender on May 4, 2011 6:23 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Excepting the Devils who you can’t hate cause we only see them in passing. Nah, Dallas and Det are the only teams to eliminate us. Before this post season I always liked Nashville. No money, limited offensive talents, small market yet they made 6 (or7) post seasons and never managed to win a game 6 or 7. Dallas hasn’t been good for a while and you kinda feel bad cause of their money situation. No the only true hatred I have as a fan is the Winged Wheel. 5 playoff meetings. 2 Sweeps as a “welcome to the league bitches” followed by the 03 AHAHAHAHA sweep. Game 5 OT Selannie magic and game 7 robbery (you CAN’T push the goalie in refs read a rule book!!!).
I’m in the same boat as Daniel while i certainly don’t like the Kings or Sharks cause their fans are annoying i can’t hate them. Plus as Duck fans we get to enjoy the next few years as the Sharks get OLD and the Kings lose all their good players to FA.
So enjoy the bonus hockey, even if none of our favorite players are in it.
Well, I’m pretty much on board here with what you and everyone else has said. Detroit is the worst. Like you said, their fans think they and their team is perfect when we are pure evil, top to bottom. That just drives me nuts. Add to that the fact that the only member of my family to not be a Ducks fan is my youngest brother, who somehow decided he liked Detroit. Everything about Detroit just pisses me off. Add to the fact that they have Bertuzzi, who I never want to see a lift a cup (and didn’t even when he was here) and I cannot root for the Red Wings. Ever. Never ever.
I don’t want Vancouver to win because of their fans and the way they think they are entitled to the cup. They don’t realize they have to earn it, and for that reason I don’t want them to win. Plus I don’t like the Sedins. They are decent offensive players, but they don’t do anything other than score. They are not complete players by any stretch of the imagination despite what Vancouver fans say. I was chatting with Vancouver fans about the Sedins and they literally believe them to be hockey gods. Drives me crazy. No matter how many facts you provide about the Sedins and lack of abilities outside of scoring, they will always be perfect to Vancouver fans. At least Kesler does things in all situations and is a much more complete player than the Sedins. I can at least respect him for that.
I wouldn’t mind Nashville winning, because overall they are a good team and most of their fans aren’t too bad. I’ve met one fan from their team that just completely rubs me the wrong way and I never would want to see him happy about his team winning it all, but most of their fans aren’t too bad. And I think San Jose is about the same for me. If they won, I wouldn’t be too upset about it. I think it would just add to the games that we have with them. Sure some of their fans are obnoxious (which team has fans that aren’t?) but overall they aren’t too bad and they’re a fairly entertaining team to watch as a neutral spectator.
Out of the East, I don’t want the Caps to win. Not to stereotype all of their fans as one, but 99% of them don’t realize there was a hockey team whatsoever before they got Ovi. I realize our fan base grew mainly when we were having playoff success, but I’ve never felt that our fan base believed we were entitled to winning just because we had a few “star” players. And by “star” players, I mean players the NHL likes to drool about constantly (Ovi, Semin, Green). That drives me nuts. Good for them for being passionate, but just because you have a player like Ovi doesn’t mean that you deserve your cup. I really wouldn’t mind the Bruins or the Flyers to win because both of those teams can be considered close to what the Ducks were like when we won the cup in my mind. Pretty solid defense, physical, and good goal tending (just ignore the Flyer’s goal tending for sake of this point). I also see them as taking some of that “dirty team” label that the Ducks have had (wrongly in my mind) for years now, making us a little less “dirty” to the NHL maybe? As far as the Bolts, I’m indifferent to them. If they won, so be it. They play fairly entertaining hockey, but there is just something strange about them.
Hating Team or Fans
This is REALLY difficult for me. Whenever I say I hate a team and someone says, Really? I always always have to reply no I actually just hate their fans.
Because in all honesty, I really like Mike Babcock, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, etc. They seem like really cool people to me and d@mn great hockey players/coach. But I can honestly say I hate Detroit. For the following reasons and in order:
1. Their fans – I mean common with very few exceptions the fans I have encountered have been tin foil hat wearing douchebags that feel like the playoffs should just start with Detroit the #1 seed and everyone else should play for the other spots. Every call against them is a conspiracy, like Daniel said every call not made is a clean hockey play because everyone knows Detroit ALWAYS plays hockey right and perfect. Annoying.
2. Their rep – started saying this above, but seriously seems to me the way people talk about Detroit their sh!t don’t stink! I even ran across a fan that argued with me that the fight between Perry and Datsyuk (and for that matter the fight between S. Nieds and Datsyuk ‘maybe a pattern there’) was all the Ducks goonery. I was like seriously? You didn’t see Datsyuk throwing any punches? He didn’t throw down the gloves? He just didn’t see it as a fight and fights happen in hockey, because Red Wings don’t fight…
3. A Ducks – Red Wings playoff game is war – this I kinda hate and like at the same time. I remember early in Ducks history we played the Wings and I think they swept us if I remember correctly. Shanahan went up to Kariya and told him his/Ducks’ time would come to hang in there. And I think every playoff game between us since has been out and out WAR! Which is awesome and hateful at the same time.
So yeah…I could really care less about the Sharks and Kings, they seem like annoying gnats at a picnic. Their fans are a bit more annoying with the whole Disney crap they throw out, but you just say “Stanley Cup” and it’s all good. Now Nashville could turn into something, if we meet them a few more times in the playoffs, but for now they are relegated to annoying status and their fans are kinda comical, because again they haven’t done anything yet…
Good article!
I've got a BIG problem:
I don’t want Detroit, San Jose, Nashville, or Vancouver to win for obvious reasons. I cannot stand any sports team associated with the city of Boston (because of their damned baseball team) so the Bruins are out. That leaves Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, and Washington. Washington is pretty much done at this point (I don’t see them making a come back) and I really don’t want to see them win either. Philadelphia? Watching Pronger hoisting the cup while not in a Ducks uniform would be too hard to swallow. That leaves us with Tampa Bay, a team I couldn’t care less about . . .
CALIFORNIA ANGELS . . . ANAHEIM DUCKS . . . CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
This is pretty much my reasoning, I pick Tampa because of Stevie Y though, prototypical hockey player, great guy, and he grew up in my hometown. The Bolts have a ton of canadian talent on their roster as well which is a big plus for me.
haha damn...
i thought i was like the only one who would root for tampa cuz of Stevie!!!! So glad to see someone else!!!
Although i’m now double rooting for them cuz they swept the Crapitals and especially Captain Craphead outta the playoffs
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 5, 2011 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions
Detroit is OKAY by me
I don’t understand it, maybe because all the Detroit fans that I’ve actually met and had a meaningful relationship with were all pretty cool by me, while simultaneously just about every San Jose fan I’ve met I’ve wanted to banish from existence
May be the Bay Area attitude that I just can’t stand (which is ironic because I love the city of San Francisco as a Giants fan), it just comes off as so damn arrogant.
But looking back at it, by definition the only true rivalry we have is with Detroit, and yet somehow I still don’t have the burning hatred I have for LA and SJ (I also just flat out hate LA the area for a very long list of reasons, mostly from having to drive to LA from SD weekly for work). Maybe because some of my best memories come from beating Detroit it has successfully overshadowed all the negatives. When I think Detroit I automatically jump to thinking of Teemu scoring in OT of game 5, or seeing Jiggy holding the puck above his head with no mask on, and watching Scotty, Getz, and Perry scrap at the end of Game 6 in 09 (the season ended at the end of that game right??)
Come on guys...
Of course we hate detroit… but there is no way we can root for san jose. The team is a joke and I hope they never win a cup. Be my guest and go up to san jose for a game and wear your ducks jersey.. its not a fun time. It was my birthday and I didn’t meet a fan that I didn’t want to punch in the face.
I wore my Ducks jersey for a pre-season game the season after we won the cup. I only ran into one true AH fan at the end of the game (he was pretty intoxicated) out in the parking lot after the Ducks had lost. He was clearly intoxicated so that probably had something to do with him talking a lot of trash and wanting to fight, but overall, most the Shark fans there weren’t too bad. They weren’t all happy-go-lucky and trying to be buddy buddy with me, but they weren’t too rude. Nothing more than I’d expect by wearing an opponents jersey into any arena.
I guess that was the point of my article. Hating the people and hating the team should be considered different. As such, I can’t really HATE the Sharks. To me, it’s like hating on a kid in wheelchair. The Sharks are the little enginge that couldn’t. I enjoy laughing at the inevitable futility, of their attempts to win it all, but I try not to wish misery on a group of guys that has had so much of it.
Then again, the Red Wings team can rot in hell for all I care.
by Daniel AC on May 5, 2011 8:13 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yet the sharks are still a damn good team. That is why we should all root for them to fail while having so many great players. One day they will win.. we just hope that it’s never sometime soon. At the end of the day, if we want to keep being the most successful california team, we cannot root for the sharks.
And maybe that’s cuz the ducks lost that game. I went to the november 9 game when visnovsky won in ot(god hiller was amazing in that game) and definitely took a bunch of heat from that. If I hadn’t just turned 18 and been super freaked out from all these laws, I could of had myself a nice bowl of shark soup.
by dkk on May 5, 2011 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I hate the other California teams.
I cant stand the Kings or Sharks. I can’t stand how they think their franchises are seen as better. The only reason Sharks fans go to games is because there is nothing else in San Jose, they have an MLS team and the Oakland A’s to look forward to and the San Jose Giants. I could see why they go to games an support the Sharks, they don’t have anything to look forward to. The Kings have had over 40 years to develop a market and had more opportunities to win a cup and they haven’t even with a fan base that will buy every ugly jersey that the Kings put out.
I hate yet respect the Red Wings. I respect Gordie Howe and the history of the Red Wings but I hate the current Red Wings. I like the Ducks and Wings playoff rivalry like I like the Angels and Yankees rivalry, I hate the other team but put up a good fight to always remember.
I have no problem with the Canucks. Lose the current home and away jerseys. The Alt. jersey is better.
The Preds…..I don’t have a problem but I am a little bitter and I don’t like players that dive.
I want the Bolts to win. I loved how they made the Caps choke yet again.
I don’t have a problem with the Flyers but I don’t see them winning down 3 games.
I hate all that is Boston. Watching the 5/4/11 Angels and Red Suxs I realized and understood why this world has Yankee fans, I use to hate Yankee fans but now I understand that God hates Boston and that Red Sox fans are worse. I like Bobby Orr and respect them but I can’t stand the Bruins. Chara pushed that guy into the glass, I’m sorry but playing all your life in a game that pays for everything you know the rink of a rival like the back of your hand. I almost bought a Orr jersey but didn’t due to the fact that I hate Boston.
The Ducks are Lewis from Revenge of the Nerds. We are the misfit franchise that ended up with the hot girl. As such, I understand other teams hating us. But, when you’re successful, it just seems mean to hate on other teams that are in no way related to that success. I guess I’m just trying to take the high road. I don’t see L.A. and San Jose as significant in realtion to our franchise. It’s taken the past two seasons for the Sharks to catch up to us in playoff wins despite the fact that they have entered the post season as much if not more, than we have. I’m starting to feel bad for them I guess. I will always see Sharks success as a pity of the hockey gods. If this incarnation of San Jose ever does win, it won’t be something they really earn, it will be something that fate finally handed over after a decade of futility.
by Daniel AC on May 5, 2011 8:17 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't feel bad one bit.
Its bad enough that every sports merchandise place in and around my town that I try to purchase NHL gear from has nothing but Sharks gear. Its all the stupid Northern California sports loving idiots that keep buying the fitted hats and can’t make it possible for me to buy fitted Ducks hats.
I’m not sure you could get a fitted Ducks hat if you lived in Southern California. The only place I think I’ve ever seen them is at the Ponda Center.
I didn't even know they made fitted nhl hats
And I’m the merch whore. And I don’t count that flex fit shit, either. It’s only fitted if it has a number.
by PhantomPretender on May 6, 2011 6:27 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
I've been trying to get one from new era,
but they keep shipping me damaged ones or poorly made ones. I’m going to get that fitted hat one way or another. Even if I have to go to NJ. They have fitted hats on the new era website and ecapcity.com. The Ducks hats are always very few in quantity.
I can’t stand Detroit. There is no way I could ever root for them. The amount of times I’ve seen their players diving like they’re on a European soccer team has made me quite bitter. Especially since many of those times sent the Ducks to the PK.
I’m not a fan of the Sharks, but I have no burning hatred of them. Their fans are annoying, but not nearly as much as the Red Wings fans, most of whom have never even been to Detroit. If there was any way for both teams to lose, that would be the best outcome. As it is now, I hope the Sharks make it to the next level to get swept there.
As for the Kings…. I have no problem with them. Their fans are die hard and many times leave me wishing the Ducks fans I know were that awesome about their theam. They’ve never met us in the playoffs, much less kicked us out. I’m pretty sure no game we’ve played against the Kings has ended our season earlier than we wanted. With all of the East Coast and Canadian bias I see in the hockey media and fans, I’ll support another So Cal team, as long as they’re not playing the Ducks.
Don’t want Vancouver to win. Don’t like them. Besides, I feel it is better to bet beaten by an eventual finalist or cup winner than to be beaten by a team that got kicked out in the next round.
As to the other teams. Meh. I don’t really have an opinion.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for dinner.
Liberty is well armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
Tampa Bay...
all the way…. Stevie Y deserves it for his brilliant 1st year as a GM… and because he is a hockey god
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 5, 2011 9:25 AM PDT reply actions
No offense to Steve Y, but I didn’t think he did a lot this year in Tampa and didn’t think he deserved to be nominated for GM of the year. The majority of that team was in place before he got there and the only big piece I see he brought in was Roloson. Now maybe it was shear luck with Roloson or maybe it was a stroke of brilliance, but I think he’s getting too much credit for the team. I think he’ll be a great GM down the line, but right now, he inherited most of that fairly solid team from the prior management. Just how I see it though.
He also signed, Kubina, and I think he traded a defenseman away. As far as I’m concerned, Stevie Y is a red wing and that’s all the incentive I need to wish something horrible to happen to him.
meh....
thats not cool if you’re serious… he’s one of the greatest guys ever to play the game…. always super nice and 100% class….. hes like the Selanne of the redwings or the Robatille of the kings…… now federov on the other had … wish all the hurt you want on that tool
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 6, 2011 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions
No, I’m serious. That’s what a rivalry is about. I hope red wing fans hate Selanne. I hope they have nightmares about him going backhand on Hasek in game 5. Yzerman wasn’t a saint. I saw him take cheap shots behind the play like every other NHL player, ever.
Personally, I always liked Fedorov. He was a very under appreciated player when he was on the Wings. There’s a reason they had to match that contract offer. Fedorov might be one of the few Red Wings I don’t hate, and Luc Robitaille.
k welll...
im gonna agree to disagree then… i personally think you have Federov and Yzerman mixed up play wise… Federov was worthless without Stevie
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 6, 2011 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions
What are you talking about? Fedorov used to play the blue line AND forward in the same game! Fedorov was a fantastic player. If you’re talking about cheap shots behind the play, and think Stevie Y never took them, then you’re just kidding yourself.
really now.....really
cuz look at fedorovs stats bud… WORTHLESS without Yzerman… he had one average season with the ducks after leaving the wings…. then tanked his career….Fedorov was a marginally above average defensive player backed by a ridiculously amazing defense in Detroit which is why he won the Selke twice…. but i’m sorry he is absolutely uncomparable to Steve Y.
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 10, 2011 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions
btw....
I just double checked the stats….. no comparrison…. not even close…. even setting the baseline for Federov as low as 70 points in a season… which is pretty impressive… Federov has 6 seasons over that mark….. yzerman has that many seasons over 100…. and 14 over 70…more than double
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 10, 2011 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Why are you making a stats argument? I said I liked Fedorov, I never said he was a better player than Yzerman. I gave a reason why Fedorov was a good player, not a reason he was better than Yzerman. You’re having a phantom argument.
I don’t like Yzerman. Why? Because he’s a red wing icon and I hate the red wings. I don’t think Yzerman has done anything to make me think he should be above my hate. The guy isn’t Bobby Orr or Wayne Gretzky.
You can like Yzerman and justify it anyway you want, but please don’t try to make claims that aren’t substantiated based on my comments.
you claimed .....
he was a “fantastic player”… which he clearly wasn’t…. he was a marginally above average player….and thats cuz he played with a stacked team. I showed you the saats to show that Federov wasn’t under appreciated…. he was, in my opinion, over appreciated when he was a wing (considering he was the second favorite on the team in the 90’s), not to mention classless for bailing on the wings to come suck with the Ducks and take Kariya’s money and spot. So you should have all the reasons in the world to hate him, he took more from the team we both love than he gave to it. I will never understand how you hate Steve Y. that just makes 0 sense after what that guy went through… at least respect him if nothing else. Hating him for being a Red Wing? Do you hate Gordie Howe too? The man who represented Hockey in geneal for ages? I’m not making a phantom arguement, you just getting hostile and making unsubstantiated claims because i like and respect one of the greatest players ever to play the game.
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 13, 2011 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Fedorov’s one bad year with the Ducks had little to do with him and a lot to do with an Anaheim team that was thrown into disarray when Bryan Murray decided to run around with his pants on fire after he let Kariya go. Yes, I said it, let Kariya go. As for stealing money, Bobby Ryan is stealing money from us right now, but nobody seems torn up about that. I digress.
Fedorov Finished with over 1100 points. I don’t know how that doesn’t constitute him as a fantastic player. Again, I didn’t make a comparison between between Yzerman and Federov, you did. I said Fedorov was one a Red Wing I liked. Maybe I could have liked Yzerman more if he wasn’t looking down his nose at us after the 2003 playoffs.
Why do I have to respect Stevie Y? Personally, I think putting him in the same category as Gordie Howe is ridiculous. Stevie Y wasn’t a league wide talent when there were only 6 teams in the league, and he certainly didn’t play into his fifties. Why should I respect him? Because he played a long time in the league and everyone in the media says I should, because we all know everyone in a winged wheel sweater deserves respect?
Furthermore, if you’re going to compare two players statistics like that, then you should take into consideration that Yzerman got to pad his stats in an era of ridiculous offense, whereas Fedorov had to play his prime in the trap era. For all that, Fedorov is still only .2 of a point per game off Yzerman.
At the end of the day, you make several unsubstantiated claims about Yzerman. You’re basically saying, I should respect him because he deserves respect, or because he scored a lot. I’m not getting hostile at all. You should reread the last comment I made. My liking of Fedorov or disliking of Yzerman has nothing to do with who scored more points. Moreover, Yzerman’s relative greatness as a player has nothing to do with Fedorov’s. I think the one getting hostile and making unsubstantiated claims, is you.
first off...
I despise the red wings and almost no one on any of the teams i watched deserves even a shred of the respect they’re given…And to be fair I didn’t put him into the same category as Howe even though he does deserve to be but they are two hugely different hockey eras.
and hate to break it to ya bud but Yzerman produced even during your trap era…. so thats out.
see these if you’re still doubting me
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1636
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5844
Basically what I was trying to say is that wishing harm on arguably the best or second best franchise player who happens to be a stand up guy isn’t cool. Likeing Fedorov is your choice but he was by far the inferior and less likeable player of the two.
Good talk though… it was fun
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 17, 2011 8:18 AM PDT up reply actions
the teams I refer to...
are obviously the wings teams i grew up watching
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 17, 2011 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions
I think he did a lot...
most importantly was hiring Guy Boucher as the new HC…. got someone to play to the Lighning’s strengths…. also signed Kubina, Gagned, Roloson and Brewer……. pretty damn good first year i think…. not to mention his team improved by 23 points from the season before…
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 6, 2011 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions
dammit...
Gagne
"Off the floor and on the Board!!!!"- Kariya
by Screw the NYBankees on May 6, 2011 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Anaheim Calling
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
CK Photo Galleries
