- tomburton99

"MINUS: The strange way hockey culture demands that rookies "earn it.""

This would be difficult to understand for a person that has never played the game or been a member of any team. Most people do have difficulty understanding another culture until they have immersed themselves in said culture. Sorry but looking at fantasy stats and watching the odd game on TV is bringing you no closer to understanding this....Plus you're a cat person.
- leonkennedy

Man, this BS gets so old. Whether you've played on a high level hockey team or you've worked at any job every single person in the entire world understands that even if young people are better at their job, old people with experience get favored.

That isn't unique to hockey. It's a world wide phenomenon. And psychologically,. a very interesting and rich topic to cover.

But its a stupid mentality born out of fear. The fact is, talent trumps every thing. If you have a star 18 year old, you should play him. Look at who's on team Finland and tell me its smart to go with convention.

These kind of comments are worse than the coaches and bosses who discriminate against youth though, cause you refuse to re-think anything and you just perpetuate outdated thinking.

I used to hate Fallon and was really skeptical about him taking over for the tonight show, especially after the whole Conan thing. But I gotta admit, he's really done a great job. He's modernized the show format in really refreshing ways and taken a lot of risks. He really knew how to modernize everything, making the show show fresh. I can see people who grew up with Leno and Letterman not being into it but I think he's been great.
- 13sundin13

Letterman had an edge. Fallon is a pandering sycophant who thinks humanizing monsters is his job. Also, _____ watching celebrities lip-sync.

Talented impressionist however, and NHL Superlatives do rule.

Brutal time tO slump for the Jays.
Just kinda feels like they're missing that offensive swagger they had last year.

As per our earlier convo; there's no chance they're the games' best team.
They're not even the best team in their division.
This isn't to say they can't get hot and still win it all, but they're underdogs behind about 3/4 teams.

And as they slip farther behind the sox, looks like the 1 game playoff is on the menu. And those are pretty much just a coin flip. (Although even that is far from a sure thing as they have a huge 3 game set against the Mariners Comin up that could kill them if they don't turn this around)
- HB77

I think you're underrating the Jays quite a bit here. I agree its been rough lately and I agree there are some better teams. However, no one can run out a lineup of Travis-Donaldson-Bautista-EE-Tulo-Martin-Saunders.

I mean, if your worst hitting players are Upton and Pilar, you're a crazy offensive powerhouse. Saunders is their 7th best hitter!! That lineup is sick and no one can touch it.

Now, I do worry about the starters and the Bullpen, but whatever, I think this last two weeks was just kinda something every team goes through - can't hit and can't get lucky.

Plus, Donaldson was 0 for 23 then missed three games. He seems fine now (hopefully) and that right there is the difference. If JD is even batting .200 over that losing streak they don't lose all those games. Not to mention some of them were just brutal luck *(swept by the Yankees in 3 games they easily could have won by doing nothing different).

I think the Jays will win the World Series.

I think you're underrating the Jays quite a bit here. I agree its been rough lately and I agree there are some better teams. However, no one can run out a lineup of Travis-Donaldson-Bautista-EE-Tulo-Martin-Saunders.

I mean, if your worst hitting players are Upton and Pilar, you're a crazy offensive powerhouse. Saunders is their 7th best hitter!! That lineup is sick and no one can touch it.

Now, I do worry about the starters and the Bullpen, but whatever, I think this last two weeks was just kinda something every team goes through - can't hit and can't get lucky.

Plus, Donaldson was 0 for 23 then missed three games. He seems fine now (hopefully) and that right there is the difference. If JD is even batting .200 over that losing streak they don't lose all those games. Not to mention some of them were just brutal luck *(swept by the Yankees in 3 games they easily could have won by doing nothing different).

I think the Jays will win the World Series.
- JTanner

Underrating like how ? saying they could win it all, but are certainly not the best team in baseball right now. I don't doubt their murderers row, I doubt their pitching overall and I recognize their quality of competition.
Cubs, Rangers, sox are undoubtedly superior teams right now.
A solid argument could be made for the Indians and nats too (no Strasbourg and they won't get it done)

Also- huge call to say they'll win the series, when they're staring the one game playoff right in the face.
It's a total coin toss in those scenarios.
Odd are stacked against them to get through 3 more series beyond that.

Admittedly I'm a glass is half empty, but I remember last year when we had this same discussion about the royals and you refused to acknowledge how great they were.
Good pitching beats good hitting and the royals bp owned the Jays.

Really? Funnest? Most fun. MOST.............FUN

According to, ya know...stats..the only one who compares to Niskanen is big Buff. Everyone else isn't even close. But hey...nice to see you put Suter in there based on reputation.

Man, this BS gets so old. Whether you've played on a high level hockey team or you've worked at any job every single person in the entire world understands that even if young people are better at their job, old people with experience get favored.

That isn't unique to hockey. It's a world wide phenomenon. And psychologically,. a very interesting and rich topic to cover.

But its a stupid mentality born out of fear. The fact is, talent trumps every thing. If you have a star 18 year old, you should play him. Look at who's on team Finland and tell me its smart to go with convention.

These kind of comments are worse than the coaches and bosses who discriminate against youth though, cause you refuse to re-think anything and you just perpetuate outdated thinking.
- JTanner

Minus: James Tanner, for obvious reasons.

Man, this BS gets so old. Whether you've played on a high level hockey team or you've worked at any job every single person in the entire world understands that even if young people are better at their job, old people with experience get favored.

That isn't unique to hockey. It's a world wide phenomenon. And psychologically,. a very interesting and rich topic to cover.

But its a stupid mentality born out of fear. The fact is, talent trumps every thing. If you have a star 18 year old, you should play him. Look at who's on team Finland and tell me its smart to go with convention.

These kind of comments are worse than the coaches and bosses who discriminate against youth though, cause you refuse to re-think anything and you just perpetuate outdated thinking.
- JTanner

I bet 1 week on the job and you thought you deserved the first pick of the holiday schedule too?

Underrating like how ? saying they could win it all, but are certainly not the best team in baseball right now. I don't doubt their murderers row, I doubt their pitching overall and I recognize their quality of competition.
Cubs, Rangers, sox are undoubtedly superior teams right now.
A solid argument could be made for the Indians and nats too (no Strasbourg and they won't get it done)

Also- huge call to say they'll win the series, when they're staring the one game playoff right in the face.
It's a total coin toss in those scenarios.
Odd are stacked against them to get through 3 more series beyond that.

Admittedly I'm a glass is half empty, but I remember last year when we had this same discussion about the royals and you refused to acknowledge how great they were.
Good pitching beats good hitting and the royals bp owned the Jays.
- HB77

Ha! Royals are trash man, jays woulda won that series 9 outta ten times but yeah you'll have to forgive me, I am a huge Homer whenit comes to Jays and Leafs ....glass is always overflowing

Really? Funnest? Most fun. MOST.............FUN
- Pelle31Forever

No man, funnest. Its called style. When you are a master of the English language to a Shakespearian degree, you get to spell words and mangle grammar to yer hearts content!

According to, ya know...stats..the only one who compares to Niskanen is big Buff. Everyone else isn't even close. But hey...nice to see you put Suter in there based on reputation.
- Blackstrom2

I have actual seen quite a few war models that rate Suter very high . I don't think he's top ten or anything but he's a great player and definitely in that Byfuglien Keith Carlsson Nisskanen tier.

I bet 1 week on the job and you thought you deserved the first pick of the holiday schedule too?
- Garnie

Well duh! But I have never worked any where that was open on the holidays.

Minus: James Tanner, for obvious reasons.
- StargateSG1

Tough but fair.

Tough but fair.
- James_Tanner

Criminal Hillary supporters have a brain power of an amoeba
and moral values of Kim Jong Un

You are dismissed.

Well duh! But I have never worked any where that was open on the holidays.
- James_Tanner

Wha......

Nvm....it's tough keeping up to all the posters I guess.

Ha! Royals are trash man, jays woulda won that series 9 outta ten times but yeah you'll have to forgive me, I am a huge Homer whenit comes to Jays and Leafs ....glass is always overflowing
- James_Tanner

Can't say I agree, but Fair enough if you're willing to admit the overflowing glass!

Criminal Hillary supporters have a brain power of an amoeba
and moral values of Kim Jong Un

You are dismissed.
- StargateSG1

Speaking of intelligent voters, Polled Physicists in particular, but also Ph.D.'s in a wide array of scientific fields have overwhelmingly shown to be in favour of Clinton ....

And yes of course, those who lean to the right are widely known for their moral humanistic values

Can't tell if your post was a joke or not...

Anyways, American politics is a divided mess. Leave it alone

No man, funnest. Its called style. When you are a master of the universe, you get to spell words and mangle grammar to yer hearts content!
- James_Tanner

*Fixed that for you Tanner. You're waaay too modest.

Letterman had an edge. Fallon is a pandering sycophant who thinks humanizing monsters is his job. Also, _____ watching celebrities lip-sync.

Talented impressionist however, and NHL Superlatives do rule.
- JTanner

Well said, James.

*Fixed that for you Tanner. You're waaay too modest.
- 21peter

Some would say the most humblest.

Some would say the most humblest.
- James_Tanner

I ripped on this tournament hard since they announced the format, but I have to admit it's grown on me because of the level of play. And even though I like the idea of the Olympics, their reality of corruption and graft and looting of the public is so gross I'm starting to like the idea of the NHL not kicking in to that. I've changed my mind on this issue.

I would like to see international hockey get to the point where you can have a full best-on-best tournament without hybrid teams, but clearly it's not there yet.

Also it helps when you're a Leafs fan for this tournament because you have a huge reason to watch North America.