FAILURE!

- PhillySportsGuy

i have reservations about branding it THAT harshly, but yeah. definitely a disappointment in the big picture. but who knows. i dont feel overly confident this year. the year when they got halaked. that was the time to grab one more. then the injuries started happening. lost another year that way. the flyers debacle. all opportunities down the drain.

Do you think the Hamels/Howard/Utley/Rollins era was a failure because they only won one?

Also, if Ruben Amaro doesn't try to be the smartest GM ever, they win the WS in 2010 for sure.
- jmatchett383

Its not a failure because its tougher to repeat in baseball. One player makes such a huge difference in hockey whereas, in baseball, it doesn't work that way. The Pens have, arguably, the two best players in hockey for 10-15 years.

Do you think the Hamels/Howard/Utley/Rollins era was a failure because they only won one?

Also, if Ruben Amaro doesn't try to be the smartest GM ever, they win the WS in 2010 for sure.
- jmatchett383

ive thought about this before as well. i dont know. maybe because the phillies were the first team that i really followed as a young kid. but just the fact that they won one at all was still just mindblowing. but if were being totally objective, yeah its in the same boat. its hard to ever say its a failure to not win a championship because of just how hard it is, but over a decent enough span of years with that quality of a team. only one is disappointing.

i have reservations about branding it THAT harshly, but yeah. definitely a disappointment in the big picture. but who knows. i dont feel overly confident this year. the year when they got halaked. that was the time to grab one more. then the injuries started happening. lost another year that way. the flyers debacle. all opportunities down the drain.
- stayinthefnnet

In 2009, Game 3, Pittsburgh won 4-2. Evgeni Malkin had 3 points.
Earlier, in game 1 of the first round, Dan Carcillo was given a 1-game suspension for "sending a message" at the end of a game.
Just saying.

Its not a failure because its tougher to repeat in baseball. One player makes such a huge difference in hockey whereas, in baseball, it doesn't work that way. The Pens have, arguably, the two best players in hockey for 10-15 years.
- PhillySportsGuy

i will argue the extent to which the one player argument applies in hockey, but i wont deny that the pens have 2 of the brightest jewels you could possibly have. and that should give them an advantage year in and year out

In 2009, Game 3, Pittsburgh won 4-2. Evgeni Malkin had 3 points.
Earlier, in game 1 of the first round, Dan Carcillo was given a 1-game suspension for "sending a message" at the end of a game.
Just saying.
- jmatchett383

and is this in reference to malkins scuffle at the end of the game?

Its not a failure because its tougher to repeat in baseball. One player makes such a huge difference in hockey whereas, in baseball, it doesn't work that way. The Pens have, arguably, the two best players in hockey for 10-15 years.
- PhillySportsGuy

But if the Phillies keep that one player (Lee) in 2010 instead of claiming they needed to get rid of him, and then reacquiring him 12 months later, does that one player (most likely) help them reach, if not win, the World Series?

and is this in reference to malkins scuffle at the end of the game?
- stayinthefnnet

I don't know what you could possibly be referring to. Did he get an instigator penalty in the last 5 minutes or something?

But if the Phillies keep that one player (Lee) in 2010 instead of claiming they needed to get rid of him, and then reacquiring him 12 months later, does that one player (most likely) help them reach, if not win, the World Series?
- jmatchett383

They would have beaten the yankees in the WS if Lidge and Hamels weren't both injured. They were both throwing mid-high 80s fastballs.

They would have beaten the yankees in the WS if Lidge and Hamels weren't both injured. They were both throwing mid-high 80s fastballs.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't know, that Yankees team was pretty damn strong. But the Cliff Lee "ho hum" pop fly catch is one of my top-5 favorite baseball moments.

I don't know, that Yankees team was pretty damn strong. But the Cliff Lee "ho hum" pop fly catch is one of my top-5 favorite baseball moments.
- jmatchett383

I thought that yankees team was overrated. They were beatable. Phillies just didn't have a healthy team. Hamels and Lidge both had, by far, their worst career years.

If Hamels is Hamels, he wins game 3 after getting a 3-0 lead early.

Not really if we can sign Vanek past the season. Schenn is free agent as well. both possible rentals
- arichardson22

Schenn is a restricted free agent, and would not be a candidate for a rental trade.

If the Flyers offered Schenn straight up for Vanek, the Islanders would sign the deal and drive Vanek to Philly before you can say Bueberry pie
- PhillySportsGuy

And he can help Paul Holmgren pack up his stuff in his office if he makes that deal.

Thats ok. Everybody gets 1!
- PhillySportsGuy

Some get a few

I don't know what you could possibly be referring to. Did he get an instigator penalty in the last 5 minutes or something?
- jmatchett383

possibly. my memory seems to be getting a tad hazy

So in light of Michael Sam, how would everyone feel if their favorite hockey player came out as gay?

So in light of Michael Sam, how would everyone feel if their favorite hockey player came out as gay?
- PhillySportsGuy

i dont know what social ramifications that may come from it or whatnot, but it wouldnt change my rooting interests or loyalty and admiration, provided that everything else stayed the same with the player

i dont know what social ramifications that may come from it or whatnot, but it wouldnt change my rooting interests or loyalty and admiration, provided that everything else stayed the same with the player
- stayinthefnnet

same with me. I wouldn't care. I was wondering if anyone would care.

So in light of Michael Sam, how would everyone feel if their favorite hockey player came out as gay?
- PhillySportsGuy

I'd probably admire them even more... just for the courage it would take to do that.

So in light of Michael Sam, how would everyone feel if their favorite hockey player came out as gay?
- PhillySportsGuy

Id be even more impressed with the guy, since it would take a lot of guts to come out (which it shouldnt in 2014 but unfortunatly does).

same with me. I wouldn't care. I was wondering if anyone would care.
- PhillySportsGuy

not to get too personal opinion in nature, but for someone who doesnt necessarily consider himself to be the most socially progressive thinker, the whole gay thing is something that just doesnt bother me in the least. its a shame that it even has to be an issue. now, should the player use his fame to just consistently soapbox and ruin his game over it, then selfishly yes i would be bothered. but i would get annoyed if a player did that concerning any other issue.

Id be even more impressed with the guy, since it would take a lot of guts to come out (which it shouldnt in 2014 but unfortunatly does).
- PhillySteen

agree with both of you. and if i was in that locker room as a teammate, that aspect wouldnt bother me either.

I'm actually looking forward to the first star player to come out as gay. It will give teams no excuses to not play him.

Jason Collins is washed up and was never very good. No team was going to take on the media barrage for a 12th man.

I hope Michael Sam doesn't drop in the draft, but I think he will. He is a legit 3rd-4th round pick. I see him being picked on the 6th or 7th round.

This work thing is killing me. You go and get a new job after 15 years at one place and the new job has you working harder. WTF . Anywho, it's so hard to only try to read a few posts here and there. And did I read correctly someone say trade B. Schenn +++ for Vanek?

I'm actually looking forward to the first star player to come out as gay. It will give teams no excuses to not play him.

Jason Collins is washed up and was never very good. No team was going to take on the media barrage for a 12th man.

I hope Michael Sam doesn't drop in the draft, but I think he will. He is a legit 3rd-4th round pick. I see him being picked on the 6th or 7th round.
- PhillySportsGuy

as do i. but you know, on one hand i can see the team not wanting to bring on the media circus for a middle round pick. not to totally defend an organization, but my issue is more with just society that it even has to be such an issue. i realize thats pretty Utopian thinking, especially for me, but oh well