MDSF Thread: Columbus vs. Pittsburgh (All general series talk here)

Fordy

Registered User
May 28, 2008
26,916
3,174
No one wants Bylsma fired because they don't win the cup every year. I've wanted him fired for YEARS now because he is a bad coach. He is mind-numbingly, infuriatingly, awful. Every single game he will do something that literally makes you want to stop watching. We need to lose this series because it's the only way we'll have another shot at the cup before Crosby and Malkin are 30-something.

Stop acting like it's anything other than that.
 

blahblah

Registered User
Nov 24, 2005
21,327
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Yeah...I'm not sure if they know how that looks to other fan bases. I get that the Pens have two of the top 5 players in the world and feel they should be in Stanley Cup Finals every year. But to tell CBJ fans who had never experienced any post-season victories until this week that "we hope we lose to you so we can get people fired because we've only won one Stanley Cup in the last 8 years" doesn't translate like they think it does.

Oh the humanity. I remember getting yelled at by suggesting that there were people wanting the Jackets to lose so that we would fire Hitch. People like that do exist. We're certainly not exempt to that line of thinking.

I'm not even sure I necessarily see what's wrong with that line of thinking, as long as it's not personal and your up front about. From what I'm seeing they are.

I wouldn't do it (and I didn't with Howson), but I'm not going to be judgmental to those that do.

I think they are being a bit hard on their staff, but then again I don't have the same expectations for my team.
 

Jive Pawnbroker

One day next week
Feb 18, 2009
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No one wants Bylsma fired because they don't win the cup every year. I've wanted him fired for YEARS now because he is a bad coach. He is mind-numbingly, infuriatingly, awful. Every single game he will do something that literally makes you want to stop watching. We need to lose this series because it's the only way we'll have another shot at the cup before Crosby and Malkin are 30-something.

Stop acting like it's anything other than that.

Be careful what you wish for; believe it or not, the next coach could be even worse.

*cough*SCOTTARNIEL*cough*
 

Bobcat110

Registered User
Feb 11, 2004
5,551
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Central Ohio
Oh the humanity. I remember getting yelled at by suggesting that there were people wanting the Jackets to lose so that we would fire Hitch. People like that do exist. We're certainly not exempt to that line of thinking.

:laugh: Even read my OSU example? I said we had that line of thinking in Ohio...doesn't make it right:shakehead
 

blahblah

Registered User
Nov 24, 2005
21,327
972
:laugh: Even read my OSU example? I said we had that line of thinking in Ohio...doesn't make it right:shakehead

Oh, I just used your partial post to respond. I really wasn't responding to you, specifically. I should have made that more clear (actually clear at all). Just consider that I mostly agree with what I didn't quote. I'm only half paying attention to what I write. Just spending a couple of minutes while working.
 

CapnCornelius

Registered User
Oct 28, 2006
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See, I love that for Pens fans Ray Shero is god and it is all Bylsma's fault. Did Bylsma put together that bottom 6? Did Bylsma fail to get a backup goaltender of any worth at the deadline and hope Vokoun was healthy? Did Bylsma construct this defense which allows 40+ shots on a questionable goalie?

Shero became as obsessed as a standard issue Pens fanboy with the mantra "get a wing for Sidney Crosby!" to the point that they have only 6 forwards of any value on their team. Meanwhile, the teams the Pens would face in any conference final or Stanley Cup matchup have depth enough to roll 4 lines and roll over the Pens. Shero has created an automatic mismatch and now he's discovered that it isn't just the Bruins, Blackhawks and Blues that can exploit it, the little old Blue Jackets with 4 serviceable lines can just as easily be a thorn in his side.

So, why exactly is Bylsma the fall guy in this? Should he put Kunitz or Neal on the third line to try and counteract the problem and endure the ire of the Pens fans? Or should Shero have done a better job constructing a bottom 6 to get some secondary and tertiary scoring?
 

blahblah

Registered User
Nov 24, 2005
21,327
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See, I love that for Pens fans Ray Shero is god and it is all Bylsma's fault.

Actually if you read their forums, you see plenty of people giving it to Shero as well. He's hardly in god territory over there. Byslma is just the main target.
 

Double-Shift Lasse

Just post better
Dec 22, 2004
34,649
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Exurban Cbus
Stars and Ducks can get from Dallas to Anaheim in two days, but it takes three to get from Columbus to Pittsburgh?

I ask this because I've been wondering something and I keep forgetting to ask - and perhaps I keep forgetting because I don't want to think about it and it's a touchy subject.

But... is it possible the Jackets organization requested no weekend home games versus the Pens in hopes of further suppressing the amount of black and gold at Nationwide (over and above the other measure taken re: ticket sales)?

I'm sure there is some TV consideration as well, but I've just been thinking about it.
 

Jive Pawnbroker

One day next week
Feb 18, 2009
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on SCTV
Here's another edition of Hockey Math, presented by your old pal Matt Foley...

images


plus

images


equals

 

Cash for Nash

Registered User
May 13, 2012
2,039
0
Stars and Ducks can get from Dallas to Anaheim in two days, but it takes three to get from Columbus to Pittsburgh?

I ask this because I've been wondering something and I keep forgetting to ask - and perhaps I keep forgetting because I don't want to think about it and it's a touchy subject.

But... is it possible the Jackets organization requested no weekend home games versus the Pens in hopes of further suppressing the amount of black and gold at Nationwide (over and above the other measure taken re: ticket sales)?
I'm sure there is some TV consideration as well, but I've just been thinking about it.

Wow. That's some deep thing there DSL. Honestly you might be on to something.

But that counters the assumption that most of the Pens fans that were in NWA during the regular season were turncoat locals. I'm starting to believe those numbers were overblown during the regular season and the real reason our arena was overrun against CHI/PITT was due to it falling on a weekend and the out of state hordes rolling in to town.
 

Derby

Pilsners in Prague
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Dec 30, 2009
2,013
399
Ohio
Stars and Ducks can get from Dallas to Anaheim in two days, but it takes three to get from Columbus to Pittsburgh?

I ask this because I've been wondering something and I keep forgetting to ask - and perhaps I keep forgetting because I don't want to think about it and it's a touchy subject.

But... is it possible the Jackets organization requested no weekend home games versus the Pens in hopes of further suppressing the amount of black and gold at Nationwide (over and above the other measure taken re: ticket sales)?

I'm sure there is some TV consideration as well, but I've just been thinking about it.

If that did happen, good for the CBJ management. The lack of Pitt fans in the arena for these home games has been a real treat for those of us who kept our regular season ST's and attended that regular season bs Pens games these past few years.

I hope, maybe unrealistically, that if we do knock them out this round, it may temper their invasion next season. I know a lot of STH who sold their seats to the Pens game this year, not to make a profit but to avoid the terrible atmosphere of those games.

We went. It sucked.
 

Shwag33

Registered User
May 27, 2008
6,107
372
See, I love that for Pens fans Ray Shero is god and it is all Bylsma's fault. Did Bylsma put together that bottom 6? Did Bylsma fail to get a backup goaltender of any worth at the deadline and hope Vokoun was healthy? Did Bylsma construct this defense which allows 40+ shots on a questionable goalie?

Shero became as obsessed as a standard issue Pens fanboy with the mantra "get a wing for Sidney Crosby!" to the point that they have only 6 forwards of any value on their team. Meanwhile, the teams the Pens would face in any conference final or Stanley Cup matchup have depth enough to roll 4 lines and roll over the Pens. Shero has created an automatic mismatch and now he's discovered that it isn't just the Bruins, Blackhawks and Blues that can exploit it, the little old Blue Jackets with 4 serviceable lines can just as easily be a thorn in his side.

So, why exactly is Bylsma the fall guy in this? Should he put Kunitz or Neal on the third line to try and counteract the problem and endure the ire of the Pens fans? Or should Shero have done a better job constructing a bottom 6 to get some secondary and tertiary scoring?


The way contracts worked out this year was always going to be a tough year due to the cap decrease and our salary structure.

Shero has made some bad moves, but he's still an above average GM in my opinion. Bylsma hasn't dressed the best possible lineup a single time this year with the players shero has supplied him with.

You watch, if we get a few players back in this series. Vitale will be the first one to sit over glass or adams.
 

blahblah

Registered User
Nov 24, 2005
21,327
972
But... is it possible the Jackets organization requested no weekend home games versus the Pens in hopes of further suppressing the amount of black and gold at Nationwide (over and above the other measure taken re: ticket sales)?

I'm sure there is some TV consideration as well, but I've just been thinking about it.

Maybe, that wouldn't surprise me. I'm more of the opinion it's just to smooth things out in the number of games per day since they are televising everyone of them.
 

Xoggz22

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
7,930
3,474
Columbus, Ohio
Stars and Ducks can get from Dallas to Anaheim in two days, but it takes three to get from Columbus to Pittsburgh?

I ask this because I've been wondering something and I keep forgetting to ask - and perhaps I keep forgetting because I don't want to think about it and it's a touchy subject.

But... is it possible the Jackets organization requested no weekend home games versus the Pens in hopes of further suppressing the amount of black and gold at Nationwide (over and above the other measure taken re: ticket sales)?

I'm sure there is some TV consideration as well, but I've just been thinking about it.

I wouldn't think so for the simple reason that the seeding wasn't decided until the last day or so. Granted the schedule did come out on Sunday so there was certainly time but I think most of the schedule revolves around available arena dates.

Now I wouldn't be surprised if the CBJ didn't ask for the extra day rest given the 15 games in 24 days to end the season. That seems more plausible and possible receptive by the NHL.
 

Sore Loser

Sorest of them all
Dec 9, 2006
7,622
1,220
Spokane, WA.
Be careful what you wish for; believe it or not, the next coach could be even worse.

*cough*SCOTTARNIEL*cough*

One should look no further than our mutual inner-division rival, the Washington Capitals; who were so tired of winning the President's Trophy and being one of the top teams in the league during the regular season, that they fired terrible playoff performing head coach Bruce Boudreau.

With Boudreau: 201-88-40 ... two semi finals, four quarterfinal losses.
Since the firing: 95-71-24 ... one semi final, one quarterfinal loss, missed the playoffs.

Sometimes, you have to count your blessings. Not winning the Cup every year is far from being a failure. Only one team gets to hoist it each season.
 

Mayor Bee

Registered User
Dec 29, 2008
18,087
535
My college football team of choice fired their longtime coach (Philip Fulmer) after a string of substandard seasons, only to replace him with a jackass mercenary (Lane Kiffin) and a buffoon (Derek Dooley).

I maintain that the original firing was justified. The program had stagnated and started to backslide; rivals who were being pummeled on an annual basis were now winning games on the field and outrecruiting, the amount of talent coming in was prodigious but wasn't being developed into anything at all, and apathy was beginning to set in.
 

Sore Loser

Sorest of them all
Dec 9, 2006
7,622
1,220
Spokane, WA.
My college football team of choice fired their longtime coach (Philip Fulmer) after a string of substandard seasons, only to replace him with a jackass mercenary (Lane Kiffin) and a buffoon (Derek Dooley).

I maintain that the original firing was justified. The program had stagnated and started to backslide; rivals who were being pummeled on an annual basis were now winning games on the field and outrecruiting, the amount of talent coming in was prodigious but wasn't being developed into anything at all, and apathy was beginning to set in.

Eh, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. In the case of the Capitals, I felt like they jumped the gun too soon on Boudreau that year. The Ducks brought him in right away, and the change was immediate. I think it's no secret why the Ducks went from middle of the pack to Cup contender. Bruce Boudreau is a hell of a coach.
 

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