For the Love of the Game

Hi, my name is Marian Hossa, last season my team lost in the Stanley Cup finals. It was a heart breaker. So I did what any band wagon jumper would do. When my Pittsburgh Penguins fell to Detroit in the finals last June, I turned down an eight-year, $70 million-$80 million contract from Edmonton and a seven-year, $49 million deal in Pittsburgh to take a one-year, $7.4 million offer from the Red Wings and win my 1st cup!

Obviously, when you're good, money will follow you where ever you go. But he definitely just went from being on the good side, to the dark side.

My thoughts today are about tonight's game that has last years champs facing the leagues youngest team. Anyone would agree that last years champs with the highest payroll is about a 10-1 favorite, against the leagues youngest and one of the worst teams last year...

Well it's a new year, and a new NHL. The Blues are tops in the league when it comes to goals, power play, and penalty kill. Also the Wings are currently looking up at the Blues..

A few major pieces of note about tonight's game:

1. Enforcers: Blues decided to acquire another heavyweight. They now have 2 fighters on their roster to supposedly "protect the kids". I think it wastes a spot for Rookie Chris Porter, who brings more to the table then an enforcer does. Also note the Champs don't have any enforcers because they roll 4 great forward lines, probably the most talented in the NHL. They impose the "Wolf Pack" mentality of if you decide to take liberties on us, we'll take liberties on the board.
   




2. Special Teams: I think this might be the first game in a long time the Wings don't have a better power play, or a better penalty kill then their opponent. Speaks volumes for the Blues and their young young team who was picked to be in the bottom of the basement by every media writer who covers the NHL. (Who's laughing now)
   




3. Goalies: Legace gets the nod, and the wings are starting their backup.. Hopefully the Wings will learn this isn't a bottom feeder team anymore.
   




4. Z-Factor: I'll be pretty bummed if Henrik Zetterberg doesn't play tonight. If he plays and the Blues win, the Blues will be dubbed legit. If he doesn't play, the media will blame it on him, and the fact they didn't start their #1 Forward and #1 goalie...

My prediction: 4-3 again. Blues Walt, Boyes, Oshie, Perron. Wings Liddy, Hossa, Datsyuk.

Oh ya, did you know there was an election coming up?

I recently had a discussion (now she's mad, because I told her, her vote doesn't even count) with a friend who is in love with Obama. I think we will be in trouble if he takes the White House. No I won't get into his race, terrorist ties, religion, name and its resemblance to a guy's country we just invaded, or his Anti-American stance on the pledge, and star-spangled banner routines.. I will get into his policies I read on his website.

I better just start this as its own post..