With my pilgrimage complete I arrived home somewhat road weary, but relieved. Afterall, I had just travelled thousands of kilometers over land and sea to catch the Mighty Oil win a game in person.
After unloading the dog sled, the kid, the wife, the luggage and the 543 flat pack boxes from IKEA, I settled back into my Oilers themed PJ's and Housecoat and went down to the 5th subterranian layer of TBHQ and sat down to watch the game that I had just attended only 24 hours earlier.
Why? Cuz I wanted to see if I could find myself on TV mostly. I could see the back of my head on TV...AND I made it on the Jumbotron during the game too...thanks, mostly, to my fake boobs.
I also wanted to PVR the game cuz when you view a game in person you miss all those little nuances that make a TV broadcast from CBC such a delight. Nuances like Scott Oake fumbling with preamble for 139 seconds to ask a one liner question and the likes of Mark n' Marc fumbling with player's names and also their illfated attempts to call the play. "Dwayne Rolofson" anyone? Straight up quality broadcasting is what I'm all about.
What a game I was at!!! Well, alright, the win was a nice touch but there were some issues and/or points of concern:
What a game I was at!!! Well, alright, the win was a nice touch but there were some issues and/or points of concern:
- Sam Gagner can't buy a goal and is in real danger of losing the scoring race with Zack Stortini. I believe Zack has cut Sam's lead in half now. 6 for Sam. 5 for Zack. *shakes head* Sam had some nice looks at the net though and almost sneaked in a nice backhand off the rush.
- Three shots on goal in the third had me looking for a beer vendor that would sell me a Nyquil chaser for my beer to help calm me down.
- Dustin Penner looked like he was wearing a parachute out there. I guess MacT saw it too, cuz it didn't take him long to slap The Red Ox on the top line
- Can Rollie honestly play every game from here to the end? He did look pretty good out there though.
- 17 minutes during intermission isn't enough time to get out of your seat, line up to get out of the seating area, find a bathroom, relieve yourself, wash your hands, go to a food vendor, stand in line, wait, keep standing in line, wait some more, order your food and beer, wait some more, show your ID to the 19 year old kid working the counter, get your food, slap some condiments on it and run back to your seat. I missed Zack's sweet snipe cuz of that. I had to watch it from the stairwell. :(
- I hope Moreau's eye isn't permanently damaged. It didn't look good. A guy like Moreau would play with missing limbs and when you see him squirming on the ice in pain...you know it's bad.
- Sitting in front of two doctors and having to listen to them debate the pros and cons about buying either a Lotus, a Maseratti or an Aston Martin all while the play is going on can be somewhat trying. They also had a nice convo about the winter cars they've had and which ones were better: the Hummer, the Range Rover or the Porche Cayenne. *rolls eyes*
In all, I think the Oilers played a good physical, hard nosed game for about half of the game. The other half they were on their heels and let the Wild take the play to them. They owe this win to Rollie though...the old man's a gamer. I liked a bit of what I saw in terms of effort but a complete 60 minutes is going to be required from here on out...from every player. Nobody can be allowed to take even one shift off. Not even the nice usher lady in section 120...yeah...you remember now lady? Remember letting me down into the club section without checking my ticket? Yah...that kinda stuff won't fly coming down the stretch. Shape up or ship out.
TB, out
