Stinker Part 3

I can't believe it. I honestly thought the Jackets would at least allow less than the 5 goals that were scored against them tonight. This is just ridiculous.

I am going to say something that I didn't want to say. Although I have never posted this thought anywhere before, I have honestly thought about it since Day One of the Hitchcock era...

Ken Hitchcock may not be the right coach for this team.

I never wanted to post it before because I know there are a lot of supporters for him and I didn't want to get into any arguments. I can't argue. I suck at arguing. I know the stats. I know he has won the Cup. I know he is a proven coach in this league.

But something is up with these Jackets. They don't seem ready to play. They are the perfect definition of inconsistent. I thought Hitch was the type of coach that put the fear of God into his players. They were afraid to mess up and therefore did not mess up very often. These players don't seem to be playing with that idea in mind. So many turnovers. So many defensive lapses. So many "shifts off." So many missed assignments. So much lack of heart.

I have never liked Hitchcock's style of coaching. I like offense and finesse in my hockey (granted in addition to hard checks and hard work). But when Hitch came aboard, I didn't care. As long as the Blue Jackets won.

And win they did. They made it to the playoffs for the first time. Yay! But that's over with and I want more. I want repeat trips to the playoffs. I want continued improvement from my team all the way up to status of perennial contenders. I'm not sure if Hitch is the guy to take them to that level. I see a lot more of this happening. A lot more mediocre games with flashes of dynamic play and games with complete break downs like we have been seeing.

This is unsettling. But I truly believe a different coach would get this talented team to the next level. I'm not saying Hitchcock is a bad coach. He's not. I'm saying he is not the right fit for this team. I think a different coach would use our assets better by playing a different style of hockey. One that is more conducive to the players on our roster.

All that said, I will not be suprised if Hitch turns things around and gets this team back to the playoffs. He's done it before. But imagine if we had better showings in those games against Detroit and New York. Imagine if we had won a few more. We wouldn't be sitting here wondering how the Jackets could turn things around. We'd be sitting here thinking our team was a lock for the playoffs. A team on the up and up.

Please do not call me a Chicken Little. This blog is relatively new but if you go back and find my posts on various message boards, you will see that I have never, EVER called anyone out like this before. This is new ground for me. I've always been a wait and see type of guy. I've always trusted in the Blue Jackets' management group from Priest to Howson to Hitch. But everyone has their breaking point.

How could our power play go from dead last to top three in the league in the offseason? Anton Stralman? How could our defense go from shut down to owned? Did they forget how to play? There is no consistency. The Jackets seemed to learn a lot in the offseason but they seemed to forget a crapload too. And that falls on the coach. Players must be accountable too, but the coach is the glue that is supposed to hold it all together.

I don't see Hitch getting fired. Not for a very long time and after several disappointing seasons. I have no basis for this feeling. I just don't see Howson every doing it.

I expected better things this year than last. I know we are still right in the middle of things as I write this, but we could be further above things...maybe if we had a different coach. Prove me wrong Hitch. Prove me wrong. I would LOVE to eat a big stinking crow. Turn this thing around.

Stinker Part 2

Didn't we already do this already??? I thought when I last wrote about the stinker of a game the Jackets played against Detroit that it was the last time I'd have to write such a blog entry.

Then the Jackets trot out another stinker of a game tonight against the Rangers. What bothers me most is that when the Jackets lose this year, they seem to lose bad.

7-4-9-3-4-4-6-6-6-6

Those numbers? Those are the number of goals against the Jackets in their losses so far this year. In six out of their 10 losses, they have allowed 6 goals or more. That is horrible. Utterly horrible. I'm not going to play the blame game. All I'm going to say is that this trend is completely unacceptable and needs to be addressed and fixed fast.

Granted those numbers are slightly skewed because of a couple of shootout losses in there, but still, the numbers are pretty bad.

Yet the Jackets still have a very good record and are only a quarter of the way through the season. Lots of time to improve. But also lots of time to fall apart.

When the Jackets lost 9-1 to the Wings, I was irate. This one, I'm not as ticked. First of all, it was against the Rangers, my second favorite team. Secondly, as the holiday season approaches, I am already seeing things that remind me that I have a very good life. Things like the Blue Jackets, fantasy football, and my minor squabble with Dish Network are fairly insignficant in the big picture. So I'm taking this loss in stride. But if these bad losses keep piling up, I'll start to get ticked again.

Jackets, let's right this ship shall we???

The Makings of a Rivalry

Last year, Derrick Brassard's season was cut short due to an injury sustained in a fight with Dallas' James Neal.

Thursday, Derek Dorsett was smashed head first into the boards by Mr. Neal. Dorsett was hurt pretty bad and is not in the lineup tonight against Nashville. I'm trying to remember what I read in the Dispatch article this morning (I'm too lazy to go back and check) but I think he'll miss the remainder of the road trip.

Neal was ejected for the hit, preventing any immediate retaliation from the Jackets. That is why I am looking forward to Dec. 23rd. I am assuming that someone, be it Dorsett himself, Boll, or someone else, will be looking to square off with Neal or at least line him up for a big hit. In my opinion, this is what starts rivalry's.

Was it Kris Draper of the Red Wingswho was leveled by Claude Lemieux of the Avalanche during the playoffs one year? Those two teams have been playoff rivals ever since. There is just extra untangible feeling of hatred between them when they play.

So now, Neal has become co-public enemy #1 **cough** cough* Foote *cough* *cough*. The Jackets will be looking for payback the next time they play the Stars. These hostile feelings may escalate into a situation like Colorado and Detroit. I can see it happening. I'm not saying it will, but there is a chance.

I'm also looking forward to January 10 when the Stars visit Nationwide. I'm sure the Blue Jackets faithful will have plenty of boos stored up to shower Neal with. It is going to be fun to watch.

Farewell Filatov

I would have loved to hop online and write a blog entry that gave my strong opinion, one way or another, towards the Filatov situation. However, after spending a good chunk of my day reading opinions of others, I hate to say it but I am on the fence. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.

My knee-jerk reaction is to be ticked. I mean, this disappointment is HUGE. Many penciled this guy in to challenge for top 2 line duty. I even heard pre-season predictions of him being rookie-of-the-year. Less than two months into the season, Filatov is no longer on the team. And it could turn into a "no longer on the team...forever" situation.

If everything he said about still wanting to play in the NHL someday is true, then I don't feel so bad. This is a temporary situation. It wasn't working out, so he'll go to another league, build his strength and confidence and come back to the Jackets with even more to contribute in a year or two.

But if what he is saying is just blown smoke, then I will be one of many Blue Jackets fans who feel utter disappointment.

One person I do not blame is Scott Howson. Some have suggested that Filatov now becomes a wasted draft pick. You can't say that. Howson took the best person possible in the draft. Contract disputes, relationships with a coach, and desires to return to his home country should not have been the deciding factor in taking him. The deciding factors were skill level and whether he fit what the team needed. I think Howson made the right decision. There was really no way to foresee this. If Filatov was lighting it up, Hitch would be playing him more, he'd want to stay, and we would be having a whole different conversation. But you never know. Drafts are crap shoots. Just ask the Ottawa Senators and Alexandre Daigle.

So I am going to withhold judgement on the Filatov situation until I see how it pans out. If he never appears in a Blue Jackets jersey again, I will definitely feel a huge amount of disappointment. But if he comes back bigger, stronger, and better, this whole situation will seem to be nothing more than a bump in the road in a long, successful NHL career.

Jacket Killers

Woohoo! Jackets beat Edmonton 3-2 in a shootout. I hate to say it, but maybe Garon should start a few more instead of Mason. Dude is playing with confidence and playing well. Granted he let that first goal in, but everybody lets a bad goal in once in a while.

While watching the game, I couldn't help but think about the Oilers' Ales Hemsky. I thought that he is a player who always seems to score points against the Jackets. Sure enough, later in the game, even the announcers confirmed what I thought, calling Hemsky a "Jacket Killer." It made me wonder, what other players are "Jacket Killers?" What other players always seem to light it up against the Jackets.

Let me preface this by saying I have no hard data to back this up. I don't have the time or motivation to go looking up stats. I'm just basing the following thoughts on memory and gut feelings. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or add your own thoughts.

Here are the players who I consider to be Jacket Killers. In no particular order...

1. Ales Hemsky, Oilers. Name the top 20 players in the NHL. I can almost guarantee you did not list Ales Hemsky as one of them. He's one of those players who flies under the radar. Excellent player, but never seems to stand out as one of the NHL's elite. But against the Jackets, he seems to be a top 5 player in the league. He always seems to give the Jackets trouble and put points on the board.

2. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings. Let's say I was kidnapped and tortured by some deranged lunatics. Let's say they sat me in front of a TV and turned on a Blue Jackets vs. Redwings game. Then let's say they decided to play a horrible game. They make me choose a Red Wing who will score a goal in the game. If he scores I live. If he doesn't, I die. Who would I choose? Zetterberg. He's the type of player who if he played for any other team, I'd probably like him. Always seems to rack 'em up against the Jackets.

3. Jerome Iginla, Flames. I have to admit, I like Iginla. Hate him when he plays the Jackets because he always seems to notch a point or two or three, but I like his style. Tough but able to put up points. Kind of like Rick Nash. Maybe a bit tougher though.

4. Brad Boyes, Blues. Who is this guy? Did he really score 43 goals two seasons ago and 30-something last year? Weren't half all those goals against the Jackets? This guy seems to be everywhere when the Blues play the Jackets.

Those are the four that come immediately to mind. Who did I miss?

Stinker!

Okay, all teams, no matter how talented have their bad nights. All teams have a stinker once in a while. I remember when the Hartford Whalers once beat the Gretzky/Messier/Kurri/Coffey-led Oilers 11-0. Last year the Detroit Red Wings, a team good enough to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, lost two games in a row while allowing 8 goals against them in each (oh yes, one was against the Blue Jackets...and it was sweet).

It happens. I realize that, but what makes it so much worse is when it happens against your most hated rivals.

As I type this, the Blue Jackets are getting crushed by the Red Wings. It was 6-1 last I checked. I was so looking forward to this game. It didn't pan out quite the way I had hoped. The Jackets had so much going for them tonight. They were ahead of the Red Wings in the standings last I looked, the Wings were playing their back up goaltender, it was at home, the Wings had lots of injuries, Jackets were looking to avenge a playoff loss, Ken Hitchcock's 1,000th game.

None of that mattered. The Blue Jackets played a stinker. Secretly I hope the score to be 6-6 when I turn the game back on. And while I understand it happens from time to time and I will never be happy when it does, I just wish they could have got crushed by a different team. Why not the Hurricanes or the Rangers? Nope, they get pounded by the Wings at Nationwide with plenty of Detroit fans on hand. It really sucks.

It's no fun to watch either. I have no desire to sit there and watch my favorite team get their butts handed to them by the team I hate most in all of professional sports. I hate losing, but I'd at least prefer a close game to this horrible, horrible display.

Losing sucks. Losing to Detroit sucks more. Getting destroyed by Detroit is about as sucky as it gets.

Now I'm signing off to turn the game back on. You never know, right?

The Evolution (or should I say regression) of Rod Hockey

Sorry for the formatting in this. Can't figure out how to fix it.

Rod hockey. I have called it table hockey all my life. It has been in my family for as long as I can remember. In fact, my dad told me the story of how he proposed to my mom on several occasions. He placed the ring on one of the players and asked my mom to play. They played and voila, I'm here today.

So there has always been a table hockey set in my house. The first one I remember growing up was I believe manufactored by Sportscraft. It was a pretty solid table complete with a light that illuminated when a goal was scored. The puck dropped down into a corridor and you retrieved it from a little alcove underneath the table. It was awesome.

The next set I remember was a Wayne Gretzky hockey set. What I remember most about this set is that the players could not go behind the goal. The corners were curved so that puck careened out in front if you shot it along the boards. Not the best situation, but it had a new innovation: plexiglass! That was really cool. Plus, since I loved Gretzky, it was tough not to like.

Then I moved away for college and table hockey exited my life for a good four years. But once I graduated, had a job, and was living on my own, one of my first purchases was a table hockey set of my very own. It was manufactored by Stiga. At this moment, I still have this table, 12 years later. It is the one on the right in the picture above.

And it was crap. Good crap, but crap. Let me explain.

While the functionality of the game remained, the quality of the materials used was a definite step down from the Sportscraft and Wayne Gretzky versions I remembered. First and foremost was the ice surface. No longer was it a sturdy piece of plastic. Instead, it was a flimsy thin piece of (I guess) plastic that was nothing more than a giant sticker. It was easily bendable and easy to peel it off the "foundation" below.

There was plexiglass, which was cool, but everything seemed so cheap. The goals were made of a plastic that reminded me of the little toys you got out of those machines at stores when you put a quarter in. The player's sticks looked easily breakable and the support pieces seemed cheap.

Actually, I proved it. While setting up the game, I pushed too hard and snapped one of the pieces that a player sat on. I couldn't even play my new game. I had to call the company and have a replacement part shipped to me.

There were "puck ejectors." You hit this button and it pops the puck out of the net and back onto the ice surface. Crappy if you ask me.

Then you had these white things that hang in front of the goals (see picture above). Still not absolutely sure what the point of them is. My best guess is to absorb some of the force of the shot so the puck is less likely to bounce back into play.

Regardless of all the disappointment, it was still table hockey. Still functional. And I still loved it. The game play was as good as the Sportscraft and Wayne Gretzky models. Plus a forward could go behind the net (to Gretzky's office) to retrieve a puck. That was cool.

Over the years, the table suffered much abuse. Bent rods, missing white cage thingees, broken scoreboard, and an ice surface that I had to glue back together in spots. But it lasted longer than I expected. But maybe that's just because it hadn't been used very much. I have had virtually no one to play for the last decade. It's not exactly a staple here in the midwest U.S. But now my kids are getting a little older. While I can completely destroy them, they can at least hit the puck around a little so I can get some practice and enjoy it a bit.

Fast forward to last week. After 12 years of wear and tear and seeing my kids enjoy it so much, I decided to purchase another Stiga hockey table. I figured it had been over a decade. Surely the product has been improved, right? Well, it arrived last week and I found that it is even more cheaply made than before. This is the one on the left in the picture above. Not much difference, huh?

The ice surface is even flimsier. i didn't think that could be possible. Plus it doesn't even seem to be a big sticker. It just lays down on the foundation and can be easily lifted up. It is so "unsolid" that it doesn't even lay completely flat. Sometimes a puck will catch a lip in the surface and stop instead of traveling smoothely across. Those white cages in front of the goals remain too.

Even the scoreboard is cheaper. My 12 year old table had all plastic scoreboards featuring numbers that were part of the plastic itself. Now you get a sticker with numbers 0-9. It isn't even a decent font. It looks like someone typed it on a typewriter.

But it's rod hockey and I am going to love it all the same. I just wish there was a better quality one on the market. To this day, I have been unable to find one. I tried a Franklin one a few years back but it was a lot smaller than the Stiga table and didn't have the same feel to it.

I love table hockey and love the feel and setup of the Stiga table. I just wish they'd put some effort into creating a better quality product. I'd gladly pay more for a better quality table!

Next on my list...bubble hockey! Those are darn expensive though!