Thursday Caps Clips: Opening Day

I’d disagree with the claim that Fleury got hot even once in the playoffs. Getting to the Finals does not equal getting hot.

Fleury was only good once in the playoffs, in 2007-8. Other than that, medicore at best – including 2008-9.

Like K_C, I don’t buy MAF getting hot for either. He was up and down for both and had a loaded team. I’m also not really buying Ward getting hot in the second playoffs, that team got hot and Brodeur got cold. Neither the NJD series nor the BOS series was on Ward and he got decimated by PIT.

Yeah, yeah… IT’S NOT THE NHL!!!!!1 But 4 straight years Neuvirth has played his best hockey in the playoffs. 4 straight. 3 ended up in league titles. Feel free to find another goalie that has done that, but it impresses me. I’m talking about playing your best when it’s time to play your best, and 4 straight years he’s done it. He has the physical talent, lots of guys do. That’s not my concern. My concern is whether he’ll bring it when you need it.

I’d also point out that Ward didn’t have more playoff chances because he ate it in the two seasons following the Cup and he wasn’t particularly good last year before he went down with the injury.

He did have some playoff success in the W though, so I’d give him the nod over Fleury. I’m just going to stick with my faith in Neuvirth and time will tell if I’m right.

I may not like the ‘Canes, but I agree on Ward. His two playoff appearances are very similar, and very consistent. .920 and .915. Two shutouts both years. That’s good, and Carolina didn’t exactly have an overwhelming 2008-09 roster, especially on the blueline.

MAF’s four years in the playoffs are .880, .933, .908, and .891. Three shutouts that killer year, one in the other three combined. Much better team in front of him.

C’mon, lighten up. Lowest common denominating is fun.

Tell the women not to sign up for it, then.

I’ll be honest, I don’t love having NFL cheerleaders jiggling into the camera every Sunday – but it seems more a part of the culture of football. When you went to high school football games, there were cheerleaders there and they were a pretty important part of the whole experience (and much more of an athlete than their NFL counterparts).

It bugs me in hockey because it’s not part of the sport. They don’t run out onto the ice and do a dance routine at intermission (…although I think I’d pay money to see that, especially if they wore heels…), they don’t add to the experience at all and they’re annoying.

Eh…to be honest, most of the energy I put into it is right here. I haven’t started a petition to get rid of them or anything. Yet. Ha.

I did join the very vocal outrage right when they were announced – it was funny, the initial release said it would be for women only, they were going to wear skirts, etc. The second version that was released immediately after the outburst changed it to be gender-neutral (not like it helped) and the uniforms magically were switched to pants. That was actually kind of awesome.

And I get that it’s about money…I just wonder if these girls actually have that impact, and I’d bet any impact they do have on the bottom line is minimal. Like I said before, do they really generate revenue with their appearances? Do people honestly buy tickets because they’re here? I don’t see the upside, and they don’t add anything to the game.

Just consider it the shrill feminist version of those people who like to bash anything else designed to alter the in-game experience ;)

what kind of idiot would compare women bouncing in front of the camera […] with Brooksie.

BELIEVE me…I wouldn’t have covered my bases there if it hadn’t happened to me on numerous occasions ;) But bless you for thinking that. I appreciate it.

Well they were coed and still can be. Men aren’t turned away at the auditions and there is no female\male requirement. Are they supposed to forcibly insert a man into the cheer squad?

I think they should get Nate to do it if there aren’t any other men.

I think the most anti-feminist thing about this is discounting what these girls are doing as nothing but a needless addition to the sport.

Thank you.

Really, not much bothers me more than trying to throw feminism or civil rights into a situation that doesn’t warrant them.

Right, because it’s impossible for a man to be objectified.

/Straight guy who used to live in VERY gay neighborhood./

More to the point, I just don’t find the Red Rockers to be terribly objectifying.

Like I said in my original reply, if they were being sexualized/objectified/exploited, I’d agree with the antipathy.

But I’m just not seeing it. They’re not walking around with their tits hanging out and sitting on guys’ laps.

Yes, I focused mainly on the Red Rockers…because they’re part of the Caps organization and I’m a Caps fan and STH, so it’s relevant to me. I’m annoyed by the Thrashers and Hurricanes cheerleaders, too, perhaps even more so, but they’re there. These girls are here.

Yes, there was a guy. He looked miserable and was wearing the same girly outfits as the girls, and he left. As I said above, initially this was designed to be an all-girls squad until the outcry made the organization change it to gender-neutral – you can’t force guys to try out but there’s no way guys see an ad for this and assume they could join without being mocked.

I actually had kept my responses fairly reasonable, but being personally attacked tends to bring out the militant feminist in me – it all speaks to a larger issue, and while I get that this is the way the world is, the world changes. And it only changes when people start to fight the way things are, even if it takes forever and is achieved by baby steps.