Go Demons!!!
Dan Same
Victoria, AustraliaPosts: 6,054MI6 Agent
It is now three rounds into the 2009 season of the Australian Football League (Australian rules) and my team, the Melbourne Demons, is 0 for 3. 
We finished last year bottom on the ladder, and my fear is that we will do so again this year. Hopefully we can get a win this upcoming weekend; our opponent, the Richmond Tigers, is pretty dreadful so victory against them is not by any means unrealistic. 
Now I know that most of you don't follow Australian Football, however many of you would follow some sporting competition. Please feel free to post any results, good or bad, and to enthuse or complain about the performances of your favourite team in 2009. Think of this as the local bar where if you want to rant, you will be met with a sympathetic ear, or if you want to delight in some great results, then I'm sure people will be happy to hear.
Just one rule: no international competition. It doesn't matter how obscure your favourite team is (it could be the San Francisco ten pin bowling team) but it can't be an international team. Also, if you support someone of the ilk of the New York Yankees or Manchester United, have a bit of heart for those who support less successful teams (like me; Melbourne last won a Premiership in 1964.)
We finished last year bottom on the ladder, and my fear is that we will do so again this year. Hopefully we can get a win this upcoming weekend; our opponent, the Richmond Tigers, is pretty dreadful so victory against them is not by any means unrealistic. Now I know that most of you don't follow Australian Football, however many of you would follow some sporting competition. Please feel free to post any results, good or bad, and to enthuse or complain about the performances of your favourite team in 2009. Think of this as the local bar where if you want to rant, you will be met with a sympathetic ear, or if you want to delight in some great results, then I'm sure people will be happy to hear.
Just one rule: no international competition. It doesn't matter how obscure your favourite team is (it could be the San Francisco ten pin bowling team) but it can't be an international team. Also, if you support someone of the ilk of the New York Yankees or Manchester United, have a bit of heart for those who support less successful teams (like me; Melbourne last won a Premiership in 1964.)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
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"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
You may indeed.
Gentlemen, as much as I don't mind discussing my various affiliations, perhaps we could focus on the topic at hand; the success or failure of our favourite sporting teams? :v
They will be playing their first playoff game against Boston tomorrow.
Canadiens captain Saku Koivu on the longstanding rivalry with the Bruins:
“I don’t know why we bother playing 82 games. We should just go right to the playoffs against Boston.”
Oddly enough, I'm a big Boston Bruins fan, so I'll be following this matchup as well. For the uninitiated, the Bruins/Canadiens rivlary is one of the longest in all of sports, dating back to the early 1900s. In that time, Montreal has gotten the better of the Bruins in most of their playoff encounters and has also won the last few series between the two teams.
This past season, the Bruins contained the Canadiens pretty effectively in their six meetings; but that all goes out the window now that the playoffs are starting up.
If they can keep their heads on straight and stay out of the penalty box, I'm hopeful that the Bruins will prevail. But either way, these two teams really don't like one another (their last game in Boston was a particularly nasty affair) and it will most likely be a tough, bruising series that will take a physical toll on both teams. I'll have a hard time keeping my emotions in check for the duration.
Professional Football (American): Minnesota Vikings
Pretty much unmatched when it comes to just missing out on the big prize -- only the Buffalo Bills come close. But it's been over 30 years since the Vikings last played in a Super Bowl, and they currently have a terrible quarterback.
Professional Baseball: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Since the unforgettable World Series title in 2002, it's been largely treading water or going downhill. Swept out of the playoffs by the Red Sox in '04, '07 and '08. Screwed out of a playoff win against the White Sox in '05. And just last week, the tragic death of their young pitcher Nick Adenhart, only hours after he had pitched a game (which my dad was at). Plus a goofy name change. No matter what though, being at the last three games of the 2002 World Series is so far the greatest time I have ever had as a sports fan, so I should consider myself lucky.
Professional Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers
Can't complain here either. An excellent team, and Kobe is one of the two best players on the planet. They should win the West, but it's hard to imagine them beating the Cavaliers or Celtics if they meet in the finals. Feels like this is the year of the other best player on the planet, LeBron James.
Professional Hockey: Los Angeles Kings
Pretty much an irrelevancy in the NHL. One trip to the Stanley Cup final with Gretzky in 1993, when their momentum was stalled by Marty McSorley getting penalized for illegal curvature of his stick blade. Things went downhill from there, and they lost to the Canadiens. Nothing even close to a sniff of success since.
And...BY FAR...the one that's causing me the most indigestion right now...
Professional Football (Soccer): Newcastle United
Aside from Luton Town, is there a more woebegone club in England at the moment? Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise, Big Sam, Keegs, JFK, Coloccini, Alan Smith, Shay Given wanting out -- where to start even? And now we have Alan Shearer, yet another prodigal son returned to the touchline (who's next...Peter Beardsley? Chris Waddle? Mark Knopfler??? Sting???????). Alan looks very fit in his tailored suits, prowling the technical area with hands plunged into pockets, but unless he puts on the #9 shirt and subs himself for Ameobi or some other pretender, I can't see him doing much good. I loved Andy Carroll's awesome header last weekend, but it's a sad measure of the club's lost stature that I am thrilled to have eked out a draw away to Stoke. I have never even been to Newcastle, but I have grown so attached to the club that I feel as though I grew up there (note to self: perhaps you are the problem?). All I know is, if I am over here an ocean away and suffering like this, the Geordie faithful must be truly in pain. They deserve better.
Just had to get that off my chest! Thanks for your patience.
Ah yes. I remember the 2002 World Series. Listening to game 6 and practically drooling at the thought my beloved San Francisco Giants were on the brink of winning their first world series title since moving to San Francisco in 1958.
Thankfully, my beloved San Francisco 49ers have had better success in the big games (not as of late though).
I'm also just starting to get into hockey. The San Jose Sharks start their playoffs this Thursday. Could this be the year they win the Stanley Cup? Time will tell.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I recently went to a NBL finals game (Australia's basketball competition) and the skill level was so terrible that I was really disappointed.
Couldn't agree more on what a great way it is to spend time. I probably eat more peanuts in the 3-4 baseball games I go to each year than I do in the entire rest of my life. Have never been to St. Louis and Busch (or Wrigley, or Fenway
Everyone should have the experience of going to a hockey game and sitting close to the glass. I went to a Penguins-Rangers game 10+ years ago and sat four rows back in the corner. Absolutely awesome action.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'm sure you remember who Essendon are, Dan Same, remember the 2000 GF? Sorry, I just had to get that in there. I'm not really that into sledging, seriously.
Instead of moving this computer desk into another room on Sunday (my wife is pregnant again, due in June) I'm looking forward to watching the Dees v Tigers match. I'm also looking forward to the eventual bloody aftermath down at Tigerland.
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
But the series aren't over yet....
:v I went to that GF. Although the result was not unexpected, it still wasn't fun.
First, congratulations on your wife being pregnant again. {[] As a proud uncle of a soon to be four-month old girl, I can imagine just how excited you must be.
Melbourne won by 8 points, and Richmond was shocking. There's already talk about whether Wallace should even see out the season. I have to say, I'm loving it.
I have to say though, I don't feel all that sorry for anyone at the club; although I do feel very sorry for Richo. A brilliant player; arguably one of the greatest key forwards of all time, yet he has always been stuck with a terrible team and it looks as if this year will be no different.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
The Bruins also took game 2, winning 5-1 and generally overpowering the Canadiens. Still, they basically did what they had to do and I'm sure the next two games in Montreal will be much harder.
Also, I have to vent a little here. I just read that the NHL has suspended Boston's Milan Lucic for a cross-check that he threw on Maxim LaPierre in the third period of game two. Now I'll admit that Lucic's hit was ill-advised and a downright dumb thing to do, but Montreal has played a dirty, chippy series. They've constantly tried to goad the Bruins into taking penalties and taken some really cheap shots, including an elbow that just missed Phil Kessel's head after he got an empty net goal and Mike Komisarek thumbing Matt Hunwick in the eye and actually cutting him and drawing blood, both at the end of Game one, after the whistle had blown. The league felt that neither of those acts (as well as several others) warranted action, yet they decided to suspend Lucic even though he was basically defending himself after LaPierre had hit him with another cheap shot after the whistle.
I find the league's actions very biased and one-sided here and its this kind of stuff that prevents the NHL from gaining wider acceptance in North America. I really hope I'm wrong but I fully expect the refereeing (which has been generally been sub-par for the entire league all season), to be a little one-sided in Montreal's favor for game three (the fans up there have a history of influencing calls), and the Bruins penalty-killers will probably get a real workout.
As a longtime Boston hockey fan, I am incapable of rooting for Montreal; that would be like an Italian soccer fan rooting for Brazil. But I did respect the Montreal teams from the 70s and 80s. They had some talented players and more often than not, they beat you with their skill. This season's edition is a far cry from that; lacking talent, they try to goad their opponents into taking penalties with repeated cheap shots after the whistle and then turtle down on the ice and cower. I'm also really disappointed at Bob Gainey for building such a cowardly, classless team; he should be ashamed of himself.
I will concede that the canadiens aren't what they used to be.
As I am currently unable to see any of the games (only the results) I couldn't comment on those actions, but am sad to hear about them.
I did wonder however what happened to the Habs this year, because they did seem to be in a much better form last year.
Apart from that, and I hope you will forgive me for this, I do have to wonder how much of this is coloured by your perception as a die-hard Boston fan. Hockey is a tough game.
No offense, but Bostonians aren't really well known for their benevolence. Look at what Boston hooligans did to the 1773 England team's supplies. Throwing away thier tea? That's just not cricket.
No offense taken at all though I do stand by my comments and a quick perusal of some sports sites like ESPN.com will quickly yield plenty of commentary and clips to form your own conclusion. Still, it should all be in good fun I say.
Whatever it takes to win! Good thing it wasn't beer.
BTW, the Bruins won game 3 tonight and are now up 3-0. Interesting game; it began with the classless Montreal fans actually booing the US National Anthem (again, if you don't believe me, just check some news outlets) and ended with them booing their own team off the ice. Also, in one of life's little ironies, former Canadien Michael Ryder, who was benched by Montreal during last year's playoffs, got the game winning goal for the Bruins.
One more win to go, but I won't celebrate until the final whistle has been blown.
I agree, all in good fun...
Whatever it takes, I guess.
I think this may also be caused by the trouble over what happened with the Quebec Nordiques. Or perhaps the Montreal Expos?
Not sure if you have ever seen BonCop/Bad Cop, but I sure recommend it.
Man that hurts...
Just wait and see. In the next game the Canadiens will take the Bruins by surprise and win 25-0, and then continue to win not only the series but also the cup....
Oh hell, who am I kidding. They'll just loose the next game again the way they have been going.
I have to ask though, what does Bruin actually mean? I mean I know what it means in Dutch, as I am from the Netherlands, but I can't imagine somebody naming a team after that... :v
A bruin is a bear. I honestly don't know the history behind the name as there are no bears that I'm aware of up here in Boston.
In Dutch it means either brown, heroin or crap...
You see why I was wondering why they would name their team that...
Now now, no need to be such a sore loser. :v
According to Wikipedia, it is a popular mascot for lots of sports teams and actually has another Dutch connotation:
The word entered the English language via William Caxton's 1485 translation of a Dutch version of the legend of Reynard the Fox. Bruin is the bear, named for his color.
Or any of the other two meanings.
To qoute Quentin Tarantino: "Mister Brown? That's like being called Mister ****..."
Drat, just found out I couldn't say that on ajb...
And growing up on it, I can tell you Reintje de Vos is completely different from Reynard the Fox.
But we seem to be drifting ever so slightly off topic...
congratulations.
Evert
The Bruins really poured it on in the second period, overpowering the Canadiens and adding two more goals to essentially ice the game then and there (Ryder again got the backbreaker fourth goal that sealed the deal). Montreal's Mike Komisarek tried to rile his team up by challenging Boston's Milan Lucic to a fight; his strategy backfired when Lucic decked him with one single punch.
The Canadiens looked like a beaten team after that and seemed to phone it in in the third period. Komisarek once again made a pest of himself late in the game, this time by crosschecking Milan Lucic in the face, drawing blood, getting a 5 minute misconduct penalty (with about 6 minutes left in the game) and essentially killing what little hope Montreal had of doing anything. Komisarek even got himself ejected from the game, probably so he wouldn't have to shake hands at the end as he was nowhere to be seen after the game.
The Montreal fans also didn't do themselves proud, jeering and booing their own team, and especially Carey Price and Bob Gainey for much of the second and third periods. Even the Montreal papers touched on this as the fans really gave the city a black eye with their antics. I have to give credit to Montreal's Georges Laraque however; he did a lot of trash talking against Boston during the series but after the final whistle, he manned up and congratulated each and every Bruins player even stopping to have some long conversations and offer personal congratulations to Zdeno Chara, Milan Lucic and goalie Tim Thomas. Bravo to him for showing some class. Bob Gainey on the other hand couldn't even bring himself to look Claude Julien (whom he had fired in Montreal a few years back) in the eyes.
I must admit, it was sweet for this long suffering Bruins fan to see his home team oust their old rivals and bring a quick (and by many accounts merciful) end to Montreal's 100th anniversary celebration.