Harvard is in hot water these days.. the most common grade given to students is an A. So you justpay for your degree there.
- Flyersgod

With all those legacy students, jocks, celebrities and children of internationally influential parents, how could they get away with not making an A easy to get... how else would Chaz McGillicutty IV and those sons of Saudi Princes have their futures paved for them in gold?

Joe R- great post!

That said about the front office, which I agree with for the most part, I want to see them resign Downie to a responsible contract.
I love how he fits in with the team and his line mates.
But I want to see him paid for what he is, and not get a NTC that they give out way too much IMO.

Pierre has yet to realize that trivia doesn't pass for analysis... he knows each player's origin story, but any further insight stops there.

My personal pet peeve regarding trivia on broadcasts, and Pierre's not the only one guilty of this, is when they talk about hockey players from the Ivy League like they're automatically the smartest guys in the room. It sends my eyes rolling every time.
- Tomahawk

I love it when Coates gives away the Trivia Question of the Night.

The best is still the ESPN telecasts from the mid-90s to the early-mid 2000s with Gary Thorne and Bill Clement. GOLDEN!!!!!
- Flyers_V88

I Seriously miss Gary Thorne.

Joe R- great post!

That said about the front office, which I agree with for the most part, I want to see them resign Downie to a responsible contract.
I love how he fits in with the team and his line mates.
But I want to see him paid for what he is, and not get a NTC that they give out way too much IMO.
- Marc D

I don't think you should get those unless your contract stretches into your 30s.

If the coots line keeps performing like this.. does schenn get bumped down to the 3rd line?

Giroux/voracek/vinny
Read/coots/downie
Hartnell/schenn/simmonds

??
- Flyersgod

calling the lines 1, 2 and 3 is so overrated. it always comes down to matchups. Couturier's line is more often than not going to go against the other teams top line assuming Berube is able to get the matchup and I wouldn't want to change the lines as they are to be honest. I just would like to have a better 4th line

I don't think you should get those unless your contract stretches into your 30s.
- mayorofangrytown

They should be reserved for franchise type players.
I'm sure there will be disagreement about this.
Just how I feel.

Listening to chief be interviewed between periods...
- JoeRussomanno

He may well be a hockey savant, but I personally cringe at all of Berube's interviews... there's no charisma or insight... not sure he's ever used a word longer than 2 syllables... I just hope that it's because he's more comfortable with lockeroom vernacular than having a mic jammed into his face and being forced to communicate like a civilian.

This front office needs to get its collective head out of its ass and stop overpaying has been free agents to fix their problems. This season really can be salvaged if they can move some pieces, hopefully nothing that hurts too deeply, for a friggin defenseman that can skate and get the puck on net. At this point it see like the only one we have that can do both is Coburn. Perhaps it's time to cut the cord with the schenn bros? I think we can acquire what they bring much more easily than what we are missing.
- JoeRussomanno

Stand by you 100% on everything here, except for cutting the cord on the Schenn Bros.

Next week, after Baby Schenn scores 4 points in a game, and the Elder Schenn sends Jamie Benn into the third-row on a hip check, they'll both return to untouchable status again, like our buddy Couturier.

I Seriously miss Gary Thorne.
- Marc D

As do I.

calling the lines 1, 2 and 3 is so overrated. it always comes down to matchups. Couturier's line is more often than not going to go against the other teams top line assuming Berube is able to get the matchup
- nastyflyergirl

I didn't look at the stats yet, but I bet Couts and Read are leading the forwards in ice time last night. Deservedly so.

And isn't that all a player really cares about, ice time (and maybe power play time I guess)?

Any news on Vinnys health/status for Saturdays game?

They have a lot invested in the Schenn boys, and I hope and think they will show patience. Brayden has an excellent scoring touch which is hard to find. He is going to get stronger with his puck play as he matures, and is no where near the player he may turn into.

With Luke I am disappointed this season as I thought he turned a corner last year. But for a defenseman he still hasn't hit his prime years.
I will admit that Luke's play has me worried this season. I would not sell low in either one of them yet.

I didn't look at the stats yet, but I bet Couts and Read are leading the forwards in ice time last night. Deservedly so.

And isn't that all a player really cares about, ice time (and maybe power play time I guess)?
- Marc D

made me look

Read - 21:01
Couturier - 20:57
Giroux - 19:31
Hartnell - 17:14
Voracek - 15:09
Downie - 14:36
Simmonds - 14:30
Raffl - 14:09
Schenn - 13:44
Hall - 10:28
Rinaldo - 05:52
Rosehill - 03:31

I Seriously miss Gary Thorne.
- Marc D

The best telecasts ever, period. You simply cannot beat it. Hearing him call live games (not the overly repetitive EA NHL series lol) is sorely missed! I don't know why he never jumped ship and went to Versus, and eventually NBC, or even on Sportsnet or TSN up here in Canada. He's too good of a hockey commentator to be calling Orioles games and NCAA stuff lol.

Pierre: "Claude Giroux, he came onto Gatineau as a walk-on and won the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Rookie of the Year. Didn't make the Flyers out of camp, had to spend some time in the AHL. He really came out during the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals against the Blackhawks and is one of the best players in the NHL."

Emerick: "And we're ready for the opening faceoff live from Consol Energy Center between the Penguins and Islanders."
- jmatchett383

I Seriously miss Gary Thorne.
- Marc D

100% agree!

It is what it is. We all have our things.

Mine is the complete lack of Hartnell coverage. Other than the one penalty, of which the Flyers had many, he was on his game last night. Doing the hard work for the Read goal that got them to within one was just what the team needed. The 5th goal was just like old times on the powerplay. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of that.

On the down side he needs to grow his hair out, he looks like a dope.
- mayorofangrytown

Berube, couturier and mason... All three I had my doubts with. Although with coots it was not exactly doubt, just concern that he could take another step this year or next.
With mason I was doubtful and thought perhaps last season was a fluke. I am ready to say that his performance at this point is no fluke, he's the stud goalie we've been looking for. Berube I was really doubtful he could handle a head coaching spot, simply because his hc experience was limited. I think in Berube we are seeing a true scholar of the game capable of teaching his players to play balanced hockey, like so many of us wanted from lavy and were pining for terry Murray to be named the interim for. Listening to chief be interviewed between periods and showing confidence that the team wasn't out of it going into the third spoke volumes to me. It's one thing for a coach to throw out such a scripted response but it's entirely another for one to sell me on his confidence and then deliver. Kudos to him.

This front office needs to get its collective head out of its ass and stop overpaying has been free agents to fix their problems. This season really can be salvaged if they can move some pieces, hopefully nothing that hurts too deeply, for a friggin defenseman that can skate and get the puck on net. At this point it see like the only one we have that can do both is Coburn. Perhaps it's time to cut the cord with the schenn bros? I think we can acquire what they bring much more easily than what we are missing.
- JoeRussomanno

With you on 2 out of 3 when it comes to doubts; I never doubted Couturier and I am still convinced he is going to win a couple Selke trophies while putting up 25 goals and 60 points

Also I would have no prob packaging the Schenns for a quality dman

Berube, couturier and mason... All three I had my doubts with. Although with coots it was not exactly doubt, just concern that he could take another step this year or next.
With mason I was doubtful and thought perhaps last season was a fluke. I am ready to say that his performance at this point is no fluke, he's the stud goalie we've been looking for. Berube I was really doubtful he could handle a head coaching spot, simply because his hc experience was limited. I think in Berube we are seeing a true scholar of the game capable of teaching his players to play balanced hockey, like so many of us wanted from lavy and were pining for terry Murray to be named the interim for. Listening to chief be interviewed between periods and showing confidence that the team wasn't out of it going into the third spoke volumes to me. It's one thing for a coach to throw out such a scripted response but it's entirely another for one to sell me on his confidence and then deliver. Kudos to him.

This front office needs to get its collective head out of its ass and stop overpaying has been free agents to fix their problems. This season really can be salvaged if they can move some pieces, hopefully nothing that hurts too deeply, for a friggin defenseman that can skate and get the puck on net. At this point it see like the only one we have that can do both is Coburn. Perhaps it's time to cut the cord with the schenn bros? I think we can acquire what they bring much more easily than what we are missing.
- JoeRussomanno

Nice post.

Unfortuantely the few games that I haven't watched this season are the games Couts is breaking out. So I can't tell on his progress, but I too am unsure if he can take it to the next level. As for Mason, I really want to see 2 full seasons of playing like this before I am fully convinced. I have been tricked before by goalies that have an up season because of new conferences, or no scouting reports... But it's looking good IMO.

I do think this team needs 2 things to move forwards as a "core". They need the puck moving, mobile defenseman and they need a dynamic scorer.

IMO the only 2 dynamic scorers that might be on the market are Yakupov or Gaborik. You would have to take a chance on each. Gaborik is injury prone and streaky and older, Yakupov is young, developing and Russian. IMO Yakupov would fit better into the future core of this team. I also think Buff would be a good get if you can swing it, and this team will be on its way to having a well rounded "core" to build around.

Giroux-Voracek... playmakers
Couturier-Read... Defensive guys that can contribute
Yakupov... Sniper
Buff... Top offensive d-man
Mason..... Top goalie.

Then you build around that.

Someone posted earlier in the thread about how the Flyers deserved every penalty that was called last night.

The call on Couts in the third burns me up.
The Wings guy grabs Couts stick under his arm and just clamps his arm down on the stick. I hate this call. To me it's just as much a penalty as grabbing the players stick with your glove, like what Downie got called for in the first.
In a way it's embellishment to draw a penalty.

I have hated this call ever since Jordan Staal pulled the same move on Carter late in a playoff game, drew the penalty which of course led to the game winning goal.
I forgot what year that was, but it still pisses me off.

Apart from outstanding goaltending, Mason is also giving us awesome blogging on
www.flyers.nhl.com

In yesterdays entry he summarized his day, and at the end of that day he couldnt sleep. So Rosehill comes by his room and they watch TV and discuss the newest in the automobile industry.

I would love to hang out with Rosehill for a night. He should make room in his schedule for a chat. Out of a day's 1440, minutes he only spends three of them playing hockey.

This became babbling!

The best telecasts ever, period. You simply cannot beat it. Hearing him call live games (not the overly repetitive EA NHL series lol) is sorely missed! I don't know why he never jumped ship and went to Versus, and eventually NBC, or even on Sportsnet or TSN up here in Canada. He's too good of a hockey commentator to be calling Orioles games and NCAA stuff lol.
- Flyers_V88

And Little League Baseball.

I might be the only person that is "Meh" on Gary Thorne. After hearing him butcher Flyers' players names -- or call them the wrong name and being lackluster calling Flyers' goals compared to those of what I consider his 5 favorite teams (DAL, DET, COL, NJ, NYR)... Meh.

Justin Williams was always called Jason Williams -- a member of the Red Wings.

I Seriously miss Gary Thorne.
- Marc D

I miss Gary Dornhoefer. No one could say, "Stop it right there," and use the pen like he could.

Of course, nowadays, it's the guys "back in the studio" who covers the intermissions.

I wouldn't give Dowine more then 3yrs. I have a strong feeling that Nic Cousins is going to bring a lot of the same stuff dowine brings to the 3rd line wit more hands and less toughness down the road. Plus wit harts and simmonds signed to longer deals downie wouldn't get top 6 playing time anyways