As big of a hockey nut I am, I don't really get into collecting memorabilia. I've a few t-shirts from the Pens Stanley Cup and the back to back Eastern Conference championships but really not much else. No City of Champions cereal or Bud Light cans for me. I mean, a Penguins Snuggie? Really?
What does get my collecting juices flowing are hockey jerseys. I love them and if I was a gazillionaire, I'd have a whole room dedicated to nothing but hockey jerseys. I have a very modest five jersey collection now. I have the obligatory Crosby jersey plus a Gonchar, a 1995-96 Jagr diagonal road jersey and my new Sunday gold Lemieux jersey. My coup de grace is a 1990-91 home jersey signed in the summer of '91 by Mark Recchi and Mike Lange. It's starting to show its age but I think its headed for a nice jersey frame.
Whenever funds allow, i.e. when I graduate and find a real job, I'd like to get the following jerseys:
Teemu Selanne-Winnepeg Jets. Oh man would this be cool. Selanne is one of my favorite non-Penguins and I remember his rookie year when he scored 76 goals.
Alex Kovalev-Penguins. It doesn't really matter which style. I've always liked Kovy, especially when he feels like playing.
1977-78 Jean Pronovost-Penguins. He is my favorite pre-Lemieux Penguin and this was the year he was captain.
Brendan Shanahan, either Hartford Whalers or St. Louis Blues. I've always loved Shany but aside from these two teams, he's always played on rivals.
Dino Ciccarelli-Minnesota North Stars. Say what you want about Dino, he played hard and has 1,200 points to show for it. Same thing with Shany, he either played for rivals or teams whose jersey I don't want to own.
Peter Stastny-Quebec Nordiques. I've always liked the Nordiques road jerseys and Stastny is easily my favorite Nordique. I have his Old Time Hockey NHL Alumni t-shirt. It's sweet and better than Barclay Plager's. Bum.
Luc Robitaille-Penguins. Lucky Luc is one of my favorite players and his 58 games in a penguin uniform were not enough. His OT winner against the Caps was epic.
Phil Esposito-Boston Bruins. Espo rules.
Eddie Johnston-Boston Bruins. Oh, come on. If you don't think would be cool, there is no hope for you at all.
I am sure I will think of others, like a Gilles Meloche Oakland Seals, and I may never own these jerseys but a man can dream can't he?
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Long Onerous Misery of Winter
I enter the long, arduous winter minus a motorcycle and plus a million ideas for the one I've retained.
Yes, the sad $300 motorcycle (aka '82 Seca 650) has been sold. I got it to run, briefly, and was on my way to restoring the bike but I found myself burdened with schoolwork and too many other things so I sold the most expendable project I had: the Seca. All it was doing was sitting anyway. I liked that bike and was sad to see it go but I had no time to work on it and all it was doing was taking up space and making me spend money on it.
With my new-found funds, I did the mature, responsible thing and bought stuff for my Bonneville. I first picked up a set of EPCO stainless steel mufflers (or silencers, since the Bonnie is British) and I also chucked my intake snorkel. I've wanted to do this for a while now but I was either putting money into the Seca or the Corvette and wasn't able to put money into the Bonnie as well.
I haven't been able to ride the Bonnie with my new pipes on it because of weather but it did sound good in my garage and I get to play with more carbs.
Santa brought me a Triumph accessory chrome chain guard (and a sweet Sunday gold Mario Lemieux jersey) to brighten up the rear. And, since my Bonnie is an early production '08, I've ordered the classic garden-gate badge kit to rid my gas tank of those horrid chrome plastic montrosities. If I had to pick one thing I dislike about the '08 and up Triumph Modern Classics, it would be those god-awful badges. Nothing says "we're cutting corners" like a fake, chromed plastic badge. I hate 'em!
I'm not going to go crazy and ruin my Bonneville, I just to make mine. I guess, you could say, I just want to go my own way...
Yes, the sad $300 motorcycle (aka '82 Seca 650) has been sold. I got it to run, briefly, and was on my way to restoring the bike but I found myself burdened with schoolwork and too many other things so I sold the most expendable project I had: the Seca. All it was doing was sitting anyway. I liked that bike and was sad to see it go but I had no time to work on it and all it was doing was taking up space and making me spend money on it.
With my new-found funds, I did the mature, responsible thing and bought stuff for my Bonneville. I first picked up a set of EPCO stainless steel mufflers (or silencers, since the Bonnie is British) and I also chucked my intake snorkel. I've wanted to do this for a while now but I was either putting money into the Seca or the Corvette and wasn't able to put money into the Bonnie as well.
I haven't been able to ride the Bonnie with my new pipes on it because of weather but it did sound good in my garage and I get to play with more carbs.
Santa brought me a Triumph accessory chrome chain guard (and a sweet Sunday gold Mario Lemieux jersey) to brighten up the rear. And, since my Bonnie is an early production '08, I've ordered the classic garden-gate badge kit to rid my gas tank of those horrid chrome plastic montrosities. If I had to pick one thing I dislike about the '08 and up Triumph Modern Classics, it would be those god-awful badges. Nothing says "we're cutting corners" like a fake, chromed plastic badge. I hate 'em!
I'm not going to go crazy and ruin my Bonneville, I just to make mine. I guess, you could say, I just want to go my own way...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
GT5 Prologue: Epic Letdown.
After a few years of staring at the amazing stills from GT5: Prologue and experiencing feelings of lust, I found a cheap, used PS3 and bought it and the game.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but the makers of Prologue have a long way to go before GT5 will be ready.
The car list isn't bad, though it is a bit small. The cars are mostly hold overs from GT4. A few new cars appearing in the game are the C6 Corvette Z06, Audi R8, Citroen C4 Coupe, Ford Focus ST, Nissan GTR, Suzuki Swift Sport, Mitsubishi Evo X and the new Subaru Impreza STI.
The coup de grace is, finally, the inclusion of Ferrari. It's amazing how the best driving simulator has gone this long without Ferrari, Porsche(Ruf's don't count) or Lamborghini in the games.
Prologue features five Ferrari's, the F430, 599, F2007(Formula One), F40 and 512BB. I will admit the F40 and the 512BB were the reason I bought this game. The chance to , virtually, drive two of my favorite cars, two of my favorites since childhood, was too much to resist anymore.
The game is visually stunning. The cars definitely look real, especially in the replays. There is also absolutely zero pixelation in any oif the graphics. All of the circles are round, not squarely circular, and it really does look like the real thing.
The interior car view is spectacular. Finally someone put an actual interior view, instead of passing off a view without any details of the car and a speedo and tach as the "interior view." The interiors are replicated with stunning detail. The tach and speedo operate in realistic fashion and the driver shifts when you do, though he does shift after you select the next gear.
Where it all goes wrong is in the controls.
The game seems to have been designed with a steering wheel in mind. I don't have a wheel so therefore I am stuck with the controller and it is frustrating.
Button sensitivity for acceleration and braking is virtually non-existent. Barely touching the accelerator slams the pedal to the floor. This is very aggravating mid-corner when you are trying to adjust your line.
The brakes are the same way. Need to lightly touch the brakes? Nope. Too bad. I never had this problem with GT4.
While the accelerating and braking is very annoying, the steering may make you kill.
It is so unresponsive and slow, it feels like you are driving an old tractor. Quickly, name another racing game. Yes, that game has better steering. It's just so woefully bad I can't describe it without going into a long, expletive-laden rant. It ruins the whole game. It flat-out ruins it.
There is a small bar gauge in the corner of the screen that illustrates the amount of steering input you are applying and for some reason, when I max the joystick in either direction, I only use 3/4 of the gauge. Why?
Also included in the faults sections is the notorious Gran Turismo understeer and the complete lack of tire tracks left on the road surface when you actually do break traction. And the tire squealing noise is still bad and so is the "tire smoke." It's been bad since GT1.
The amount of concentration needed to overcome these vexatacious faults is taxing. It saps all fun that could be had by the game.
Again, maybe I was expecting too much. All I really was expecting was GT4, which was brilliant, with more cars and better graphics. All I got was a slow-steering, unresponsive pile that needs major work. Basically, I bought a 70's Buick with some Ferrari's in it.
Yay.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but the makers of Prologue have a long way to go before GT5 will be ready.
The car list isn't bad, though it is a bit small. The cars are mostly hold overs from GT4. A few new cars appearing in the game are the C6 Corvette Z06, Audi R8, Citroen C4 Coupe, Ford Focus ST, Nissan GTR, Suzuki Swift Sport, Mitsubishi Evo X and the new Subaru Impreza STI.
The coup de grace is, finally, the inclusion of Ferrari. It's amazing how the best driving simulator has gone this long without Ferrari, Porsche(Ruf's don't count) or Lamborghini in the games.
Prologue features five Ferrari's, the F430, 599, F2007(Formula One), F40 and 512BB. I will admit the F40 and the 512BB were the reason I bought this game. The chance to , virtually, drive two of my favorite cars, two of my favorites since childhood, was too much to resist anymore.
The game is visually stunning. The cars definitely look real, especially in the replays. There is also absolutely zero pixelation in any oif the graphics. All of the circles are round, not squarely circular, and it really does look like the real thing.
The interior car view is spectacular. Finally someone put an actual interior view, instead of passing off a view without any details of the car and a speedo and tach as the "interior view." The interiors are replicated with stunning detail. The tach and speedo operate in realistic fashion and the driver shifts when you do, though he does shift after you select the next gear.
Where it all goes wrong is in the controls.
The game seems to have been designed with a steering wheel in mind. I don't have a wheel so therefore I am stuck with the controller and it is frustrating.
Button sensitivity for acceleration and braking is virtually non-existent. Barely touching the accelerator slams the pedal to the floor. This is very aggravating mid-corner when you are trying to adjust your line.
The brakes are the same way. Need to lightly touch the brakes? Nope. Too bad. I never had this problem with GT4.
While the accelerating and braking is very annoying, the steering may make you kill.
It is so unresponsive and slow, it feels like you are driving an old tractor. Quickly, name another racing game. Yes, that game has better steering. It's just so woefully bad I can't describe it without going into a long, expletive-laden rant. It ruins the whole game. It flat-out ruins it.
There is a small bar gauge in the corner of the screen that illustrates the amount of steering input you are applying and for some reason, when I max the joystick in either direction, I only use 3/4 of the gauge. Why?
Also included in the faults sections is the notorious Gran Turismo understeer and the complete lack of tire tracks left on the road surface when you actually do break traction. And the tire squealing noise is still bad and so is the "tire smoke." It's been bad since GT1.
The amount of concentration needed to overcome these vexatacious faults is taxing. It saps all fun that could be had by the game.
Again, maybe I was expecting too much. All I really was expecting was GT4, which was brilliant, with more cars and better graphics. All I got was a slow-steering, unresponsive pile that needs major work. Basically, I bought a 70's Buick with some Ferrari's in it.
Yay.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ferrari 458 Italia.
Ferrari has leaked more pictures and videos of it's upcoming mid-engine, V8 458 Italia and I must say, I don't like it. It doesn't stop me in my tracks and leave my mouth agape like a Ferrari should. I bet if you take the Ferrari badge off, most people would agree. I would even say most people would never guess it's a Ferrari. It reminds me of the Ascari KZ1.
Truth be told, the last Ferrari's to get me excited were the F355 and the 550 Maranello. These were the last Ferrari's that looked like Ferrari's.
I like the F430, but not enough to buy one over a Porsche 911 Turbo. The 360 Modena is boring to look at, as is the 599 and the 612 Scaglietti.
In fact, I think I lost a lot of the love I had for Ferrari.
I blame it on the F1 gearbox, which debuted on the F355F1. It was at this point, I feel, that Ferrari lost their passion and immersed themselves in technology. Their cars lost their human soul and became sort of the Terminators of the car world. They look enough like a Ferrari but underneath, it's all electronics, and with no feeling or soul.
Another point was when Ferrari said the 360 was "shaped in a wind tunnel."
What?
A Ferrari should be drawn by hand, shaped by the imagination of the designer.
I find Ferrari's new highly technological direction kind of ironic as well. Supposedly, Ferrari engineers in the early sixties had a tough time selling Il Commendatore on the benefits of disc brakes and independent rear suspension.
It's truly a shame because my love for cars was deeply influenced by Ferrari during my childhood. I have die-cast F40's, F50's, Testarossa's, 288 GTO's, 365 GTB/4's and 512 BB's. I watched "Miami Vice" just for the white Testarossa with beige interior. I knew more about the F40 than most people knew about their own parents.
I could look at a 365GTB/4 Daytona all day and then all night. In fact, that particular model is my favorite Ferrari, closely followed by the 512BB.
There have been ugly Ferrari's in the past as well, such as the 400i, Mondial 8 or 365GTC, so an ugly car is not a new thing.
Ferrari's direction is what bothers me. They seem to be moving away from creating rolling art that you drove and toward creating a rolling techno-sled that you steer.
Truth be told, the last Ferrari's to get me excited were the F355 and the 550 Maranello. These were the last Ferrari's that looked like Ferrari's.
I like the F430, but not enough to buy one over a Porsche 911 Turbo. The 360 Modena is boring to look at, as is the 599 and the 612 Scaglietti.
In fact, I think I lost a lot of the love I had for Ferrari.
I blame it on the F1 gearbox, which debuted on the F355F1. It was at this point, I feel, that Ferrari lost their passion and immersed themselves in technology. Their cars lost their human soul and became sort of the Terminators of the car world. They look enough like a Ferrari but underneath, it's all electronics, and with no feeling or soul.
Another point was when Ferrari said the 360 was "shaped in a wind tunnel."
What?
A Ferrari should be drawn by hand, shaped by the imagination of the designer.
I find Ferrari's new highly technological direction kind of ironic as well. Supposedly, Ferrari engineers in the early sixties had a tough time selling Il Commendatore on the benefits of disc brakes and independent rear suspension.
It's truly a shame because my love for cars was deeply influenced by Ferrari during my childhood. I have die-cast F40's, F50's, Testarossa's, 288 GTO's, 365 GTB/4's and 512 BB's. I watched "Miami Vice" just for the white Testarossa with beige interior. I knew more about the F40 than most people knew about their own parents.
I could look at a 365GTB/4 Daytona all day and then all night. In fact, that particular model is my favorite Ferrari, closely followed by the 512BB.
There have been ugly Ferrari's in the past as well, such as the 400i, Mondial 8 or 365GTC, so an ugly car is not a new thing.
Ferrari's direction is what bothers me. They seem to be moving away from creating rolling art that you drove and toward creating a rolling techno-sled that you steer.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
My orange Corvette
Some of the best stories ever told belong to the old cars and motorcycles of the world. Any vehicle that's been around for 30, 40 or 50 years is going to have an interesting background.
In 1975, a friend of my grandfather bought a brand new orange flame Corvette. The car came with the base L-48 V8, automatic trans, deluxe medium saddle interior, factory air, and power windows, steering and brakes.
Less than a year after buying the car, he found himself in a messy divorce. In order to keep his soon-to-be ex-wife from getting the car, he sold it to my grandfather. The car had less than 4,000 miles on it when my grandfather picked it up. My grandfather kept the car until two years ago when he passed it on to me.
The strange part about this is that my grandfather really isn't a car guy. He used wipe off his Ford Tempo with paper towels after washing it. I think there was something about that car that he liked, car guy or not, that made him buy it and keep it for so long. He may be a car guy underneath, who knows. He did religiously maintain the car.
In 1975, a friend of my grandfather bought a brand new orange flame Corvette. The car came with the base L-48 V8, automatic trans, deluxe medium saddle interior, factory air, and power windows, steering and brakes.
Less than a year after buying the car, he found himself in a messy divorce. In order to keep his soon-to-be ex-wife from getting the car, he sold it to my grandfather. The car had less than 4,000 miles on it when my grandfather picked it up. My grandfather kept the car until two years ago when he passed it on to me.
The strange part about this is that my grandfather really isn't a car guy. He used wipe off his Ford Tempo with paper towels after washing it. I think there was something about that car that he liked, car guy or not, that made him buy it and keep it for so long. He may be a car guy underneath, who knows. He did religiously maintain the car.
When ownership was handed over to me, I received a 32-year-old, all-original car. All-original can be a good thing, a bad thing or both. In my case, it was both.
It's good because everything that was on the car in 1975 is still there, maintenance items like brakes and tires not withstanding. All of the gauges worked perfectly and so did the power windows. Plus it ran as good as a 32-year-old car that weighs 3,500 pounds with 165 horsepower (at one time) could.
It's bad because everything that was on the car in 1975 is still there. That means the urethane bumpers were splitting and close to falling off (the rear flapped in the wind), the steel wheels were a bit rusty, some of the chrome was pitted, the steering was scary loose and the rear leaf spring was sagging.
And the leaks.
Every fluid that could possibly find its way on to my garage floor did. Engine oil, power steering fluid, gas, trans fluid, coolant and differential fluid all left their signatures on my defenseless floor. It's a good thing I don't own an old British car or the EPA would condemn my house.
In the past two years I've fixed the majority of the problems and added some new ones. There was a point where it seemed every time I drove the car something broke, but it's pretty solid now. It leaves a few drops here and there but I can deal with those until I'm able to create more problems, um, I mean restore it.
I think the biggest change made in the past two years is my opinion of it. I thought of the car as an old dinosaur, an example of why cars from the mid-to-late 70's were terrible. Now, I can't help but find myself endeared by it.
I like the skinny steering wheel, the heavy steering, the four piston brakes at all four corners, the V8 torque, and the orange paint. I even like the styling, though it is a bit disco. I like all of the things that make Corvettes unique.
I do, however, wish it was a four-speed manual but I'll live. Besides, the TH-400 in the car is one of the best automatic transmissions GM ever made. That just means when I hit my mid-life crisis and decide to pro-street the car, I can reuse the transmission.
While this car has attached itself to my wallet like a parasite, I love it, warts and all. Everytime I get mad at it, I think to myself: "you could've inherited a Dodge Dart."
When you think of it that way, it's not so bad after all.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Stanley Cup is back in Pittsburgh!!
It was the best of time, it was the worst of times.
The 2008-09 Penguins season was marked by exhilarating highs and debilitating lows. But it seemed like whenever the forecast for the Pens looked its bleakest, the Pens began to shine.
According to critics and experts, this current season was doomed while Detroit was skating around the Mellon with the cup. The "runner up curse" had not been kind to the teams that lost in the Stanley Cup Finals and why would the Pens be any different.
During the summer, a flood of free agents left the Pens. Among them was star winger Marian Hossa, who bolted to Detroit to "win a cup." Defenseman Ryan Whitney had foot surgery and wasn't expected to return until late December at the earliest.
In the first pre-season game in Tampa, top D-man and powerplay quarterback Sergei Gonchar had his shoulder separated by a hit from David Koci. Gonchar opted for surgery but would out until march at the earliest.
How did the Penguins respond? By getting off to one the best starts in franchise history.
The exciting October and November months, during which the Pens won 7-6 in a thrilling overtime game against Detroit in Detroit, led to the dark depressing months of December and January.
The play was bad. The players were frustrated.
The powerplay went scoreless in 32 attempts. The Pens couldn't string three wins together, often going win-loss-win-loss. They lost to teams in the NHL's basement- 2-0 to Tampa, 6-2 to the Maple Leafs. They fell from second in the conference to tenth and out of the playoffs.
Star goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was injured. Star center and captain Sidney Crosby was injured.
The return of Ryan Whitney did little to stop the bleeding.
A players-only meeting was held to see if they could fix what was broken.
They couldn't.
It seemed like every time the Pens would gain an inch, they'd slid down four inches.
Early Feburary saw the return of Sergei Gonchar. The struggling powerplay looked worlds better with Gonchar at the controls, but was still nothing to write home about.
On February 15, the coach that lead them to the finals the year before, Michel Therrien, was replaced by the coach of the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins, Dan Bylsma. Bylsma, who was 38 games into his first season as a head coach, took over a team in tenth place and five points out of the playoffs.
Once again the season was written off.
The Pens responded by losing in a shootout to the Islanders in the first game under the new head coach.
After this loss, however, the Pens would lose only three more times in regulation and gain a point in 22 games.
The trade deadline saw the Penguins trade D-man Ryan Whitney to the Anaheim Ducks for winger Chris Kunitz and top prospect Eric Tangradi. The Pens picked up 38-year-old veteran winger Bill Guerin from the Islanders for a conditional third round pick and picked up winger Craig Adams off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks. Struggling winger Miroslav Satan was sent to the WBS Pens to clear cap space for the new players.
The Penguins torched the schedule, going 18-3-4. Coach Bylsma's aggressive system, the return of Gonchar, and the addition of some quality wingers energized the club.
The tenth place team that Bylsma inherited was now sitting in fourth place and looking at home ice advantage against the hated Philadelphia Flyers.
But, alas, there was doubt about the Penguins' ability to handle the Flyers' potent offense and their plethora of 25- and 30- goal scorers.
With the help of excellent play by goaltender Fleury, the Pens dispatched the Flyers in six games. Capping off the series was a 5-3 come-from-behind win in game six in which the Pens rattled off five unanswered goals.
The second round brought the Penguins into the nation's capital against their next biggest rival, the Washington Capitals.
This series proved to be a battle of the stars. Pittsburgh's captain Crosby and Washington's top gun Alex Ovechkin traded goals and trash talk throughout the series. Ultimately, Crosby and the Penguins emerged as the victor in the seven game series.
Pittsburgh started the series in a two game hole, losing both games in Washington, then turned around to win three straight. Washington stole game six in overtime in Pittsburgh but the Penguins treated the Capitals to a 6-2 drubbing at the Verizon Center to win the series.
This series was one of the best series' in a long time. Each game was marked by strong up-and-down play and scoring chances galore. In game two, Crosby and Ovechkin each scored a hat trick. Capitals rookie goaltender Simeon Varlomov seemed unbeatable at first. But once his weakness was figured out, the series was over.
Up next was Cam Ward and the Carolina Hurricanes. Goaltender Ward had never lost a playoff series and the Canes were 9-0 when top line center Eric Staal scored.
Both streaks were ended when the Canes fell to the Penguins in a four game sweep. Game one was close. Games two and three were lopsided wins by the Penguins (7-4 and 6-2). By game four, the Canes were broken. Eric Staal managed to finally score but the Penguins blasted off four unanswered goals and claimed the Prince of Wales trophy for the second year in a row.
All of the adversity that the Penguins had faced in the regular season and the playoff would pale in comparison to their next rival: the Detroit Red Wings.
The Wings boasted four Cups in 11 years, a lineup of all-stars and future hall-of-famers, and pretty much the same same lineup that won the Cup last year plus Marian Hossa. To call the Finals a challenge would be an understatement.
Through the first three games, the script read like last season, the Pens dropped games one and two in Detroit and won in Pittsburgh. The script changed, however, in game four when the Penguins won.
The new-found optimism of the Penguins was shattered in Detroit when the Red Wings slapped the Penguins around the ice in a 5-0 embarrassment.
The big, bad Red Wings machine had shown who was boss. The parade was planned, the Cup was shined up. Game six was merely a formality, much like the series. Wings goalie Chris Osgood said, "I don't think about the Penguins."
Maybe he should have.
Everything that the Penguins had faced up to this point: the free agency losses, the injuries, the bad play, the coaching change, and the comeback in Washington, prepared them for this moment. They would have to look back on all of their collective experience, pull themselves up by the boot straps and go to work.
The Penguins won game six at home 2-1. But they were not out of Hell just yet. They still had to win in Detroit, where the Wings were 11-1.
Each team went full on through the first two periods. Captain Sidney Crosby was injured in the first period and left the ice. Penguins winger Max Talbot scored twice in the second to give the Pens a 2-0 lead.
The third period looked as if Detroit was on a 20-minute powerplay. The Penguins would retrieve the puck and get it to center and have just enough time to regroup before Detroit was attacking again. Eventually the inevitable happened: Detroit's Jonathan Ericson slipped a shot past Fleury to cut the lead in half.
In all the Wings managed eight shots on goal.
The Penguins? One.
The final 6.5 seconds began with a Detroit face-off win. A shot from the point bounced off of Fleury, through the throng of bodies in front of the net and out to a waiting Nicklas Lidstrom. The 39-year-old defenseman and future hall-of-famer had a yawning net to put the puck in and tie the game. The game, the series, the Cup was right there on his stick. Every kid who has ever picked up a hockey stick dreams of this moment, dreams of being the game seven hero.
So do goaltenders.
Fleury flung himself in the direction of the shot, blocked it and then fell on top of it.
That was it. The game was over. The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.
They won it on the road in a game seven.
They won it as the underdog in a building where Detroit was unbeatable.
It has been said a million times already so one more won't hurt: the last team to win a game seven on the road for a championship was the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
The last NHL team to do it was the 1971 Montreal Canadiens. That same Canadiens team was the last to do it with a coach that was replaced during the season by a rookie.
To call this win anything than what it is, monumental, would not do it justice.
The Stanley Cup is back in Pittsburgh. After 17 years, it's back.
Welcome back, old friend.
Lemieux's pool has missed you.
The 2008-09 Penguins season was marked by exhilarating highs and debilitating lows. But it seemed like whenever the forecast for the Pens looked its bleakest, the Pens began to shine.
According to critics and experts, this current season was doomed while Detroit was skating around the Mellon with the cup. The "runner up curse" had not been kind to the teams that lost in the Stanley Cup Finals and why would the Pens be any different.
During the summer, a flood of free agents left the Pens. Among them was star winger Marian Hossa, who bolted to Detroit to "win a cup." Defenseman Ryan Whitney had foot surgery and wasn't expected to return until late December at the earliest.
In the first pre-season game in Tampa, top D-man and powerplay quarterback Sergei Gonchar had his shoulder separated by a hit from David Koci. Gonchar opted for surgery but would out until march at the earliest.
How did the Penguins respond? By getting off to one the best starts in franchise history.
The exciting October and November months, during which the Pens won 7-6 in a thrilling overtime game against Detroit in Detroit, led to the dark depressing months of December and January.
The play was bad. The players were frustrated.
The powerplay went scoreless in 32 attempts. The Pens couldn't string three wins together, often going win-loss-win-loss. They lost to teams in the NHL's basement- 2-0 to Tampa, 6-2 to the Maple Leafs. They fell from second in the conference to tenth and out of the playoffs.
Star goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was injured. Star center and captain Sidney Crosby was injured.
The return of Ryan Whitney did little to stop the bleeding.
A players-only meeting was held to see if they could fix what was broken.
They couldn't.
It seemed like every time the Pens would gain an inch, they'd slid down four inches.
Early Feburary saw the return of Sergei Gonchar. The struggling powerplay looked worlds better with Gonchar at the controls, but was still nothing to write home about.
On February 15, the coach that lead them to the finals the year before, Michel Therrien, was replaced by the coach of the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins, Dan Bylsma. Bylsma, who was 38 games into his first season as a head coach, took over a team in tenth place and five points out of the playoffs.
Once again the season was written off.
The Pens responded by losing in a shootout to the Islanders in the first game under the new head coach.
After this loss, however, the Pens would lose only three more times in regulation and gain a point in 22 games.
The trade deadline saw the Penguins trade D-man Ryan Whitney to the Anaheim Ducks for winger Chris Kunitz and top prospect Eric Tangradi. The Pens picked up 38-year-old veteran winger Bill Guerin from the Islanders for a conditional third round pick and picked up winger Craig Adams off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks. Struggling winger Miroslav Satan was sent to the WBS Pens to clear cap space for the new players.
The Penguins torched the schedule, going 18-3-4. Coach Bylsma's aggressive system, the return of Gonchar, and the addition of some quality wingers energized the club.
The tenth place team that Bylsma inherited was now sitting in fourth place and looking at home ice advantage against the hated Philadelphia Flyers.
But, alas, there was doubt about the Penguins' ability to handle the Flyers' potent offense and their plethora of 25- and 30- goal scorers.
With the help of excellent play by goaltender Fleury, the Pens dispatched the Flyers in six games. Capping off the series was a 5-3 come-from-behind win in game six in which the Pens rattled off five unanswered goals.
The second round brought the Penguins into the nation's capital against their next biggest rival, the Washington Capitals.
This series proved to be a battle of the stars. Pittsburgh's captain Crosby and Washington's top gun Alex Ovechkin traded goals and trash talk throughout the series. Ultimately, Crosby and the Penguins emerged as the victor in the seven game series.
Pittsburgh started the series in a two game hole, losing both games in Washington, then turned around to win three straight. Washington stole game six in overtime in Pittsburgh but the Penguins treated the Capitals to a 6-2 drubbing at the Verizon Center to win the series.
This series was one of the best series' in a long time. Each game was marked by strong up-and-down play and scoring chances galore. In game two, Crosby and Ovechkin each scored a hat trick. Capitals rookie goaltender Simeon Varlomov seemed unbeatable at first. But once his weakness was figured out, the series was over.
Up next was Cam Ward and the Carolina Hurricanes. Goaltender Ward had never lost a playoff series and the Canes were 9-0 when top line center Eric Staal scored.
Both streaks were ended when the Canes fell to the Penguins in a four game sweep. Game one was close. Games two and three were lopsided wins by the Penguins (7-4 and 6-2). By game four, the Canes were broken. Eric Staal managed to finally score but the Penguins blasted off four unanswered goals and claimed the Prince of Wales trophy for the second year in a row.
All of the adversity that the Penguins had faced in the regular season and the playoff would pale in comparison to their next rival: the Detroit Red Wings.
The Wings boasted four Cups in 11 years, a lineup of all-stars and future hall-of-famers, and pretty much the same same lineup that won the Cup last year plus Marian Hossa. To call the Finals a challenge would be an understatement.
Through the first three games, the script read like last season, the Pens dropped games one and two in Detroit and won in Pittsburgh. The script changed, however, in game four when the Penguins won.
The new-found optimism of the Penguins was shattered in Detroit when the Red Wings slapped the Penguins around the ice in a 5-0 embarrassment.
The big, bad Red Wings machine had shown who was boss. The parade was planned, the Cup was shined up. Game six was merely a formality, much like the series. Wings goalie Chris Osgood said, "I don't think about the Penguins."
Maybe he should have.
Everything that the Penguins had faced up to this point: the free agency losses, the injuries, the bad play, the coaching change, and the comeback in Washington, prepared them for this moment. They would have to look back on all of their collective experience, pull themselves up by the boot straps and go to work.
The Penguins won game six at home 2-1. But they were not out of Hell just yet. They still had to win in Detroit, where the Wings were 11-1.
Each team went full on through the first two periods. Captain Sidney Crosby was injured in the first period and left the ice. Penguins winger Max Talbot scored twice in the second to give the Pens a 2-0 lead.
The third period looked as if Detroit was on a 20-minute powerplay. The Penguins would retrieve the puck and get it to center and have just enough time to regroup before Detroit was attacking again. Eventually the inevitable happened: Detroit's Jonathan Ericson slipped a shot past Fleury to cut the lead in half.
In all the Wings managed eight shots on goal.
The Penguins? One.
The final 6.5 seconds began with a Detroit face-off win. A shot from the point bounced off of Fleury, through the throng of bodies in front of the net and out to a waiting Nicklas Lidstrom. The 39-year-old defenseman and future hall-of-famer had a yawning net to put the puck in and tie the game. The game, the series, the Cup was right there on his stick. Every kid who has ever picked up a hockey stick dreams of this moment, dreams of being the game seven hero.
So do goaltenders.
Fleury flung himself in the direction of the shot, blocked it and then fell on top of it.
That was it. The game was over. The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.
They won it on the road in a game seven.
They won it as the underdog in a building where Detroit was unbeatable.
It has been said a million times already so one more won't hurt: the last team to win a game seven on the road for a championship was the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
The last NHL team to do it was the 1971 Montreal Canadiens. That same Canadiens team was the last to do it with a coach that was replaced during the season by a rookie.
To call this win anything than what it is, monumental, would not do it justice.
The Stanley Cup is back in Pittsburgh. After 17 years, it's back.
Welcome back, old friend.
Lemieux's pool has missed you.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Sad $300 Motorcycle Story Part 2
After really looking at the Seca, it's really not bad at all. It's evident that the bike spent some time outside judging by the surface rust on some places like the front fender and the pegs. The chrome, or should I say "chrome" since it is Japanese after all, is pitted but cleaned up well enough with some chrome polish.
Before I delved into anything mechanical, I waxed the bike. There is something about dull, dusty paint that makes me want to make it shine. The paint cleaned up better than I thought it would, though I still think it would make a concourse judge want to kill himself. It's very uneven, it's darker in some spots than others and kind of rough.
But who cares about all of that, it's shiny!
After making the bike shiny, I installed the battery and hit the starter button. I can't say I was surprised when it didn't start but I was thankful when the engine turned over. I had this gut feeling that, despite the clean oil, the engine would be seized from sitting so long.
Before I tackled the massive carb cleaning job, I decided to check spark first. I started with plug number 1 and was shocked at the newness of the plugs.
I grabbed a ratchet and a plug socket but forgot the spark tester and since I am too lazy to walk the five feet back to the tool box, I pulled the plug (ha!) and laid it on the head while I cranked the engine. I saw that I had spark but wanted a better view so I reached down and grabbed the plug while cranking and promptly electrocuted myself.
Getting electrocuted is a weird feeling. At first you're like "what is going on?" but then you realize what is happening and then you let go of whatever is electrocuting you.
After electrocuting myself once and finding good spark from all four plugs, it was now time to clean out the carbs.
Yay.
Before I went after the carbs, I peered into the gas tank. Wow is all I can say. The gas was a strange brown, like a brown found on an early 70's Cadillac that was left out in the sun, and smelled rancid. I think Mad Max would turn down this gas, it's that nasty.
The tank is ridiculously easy to remove on this bike. Pop off the fuel line and the vacuum line, pull the clamp off of the bolt head under the back of the tank and it's off. It's a 10 second job.
After spending about 45 minutes staring at the carbs wondering how to remove them instead of following the instructions (whatever instructions are), I engaged in combat with my motorcycle.
I fought with the bolt under the battery, which started life as a 12mm bolt but is now a corroded lump of an indeterminate size.
Once that was taken care of, I fought with the with the airbox. The rubber booties that connect the airbox to the carbs thankfully are removable. I realized this after swearing profusely and almost knocking the bike off of the centerstand.
With those booties removed, I could now remove the carbs. What I mean by that is, I could now almost knock the bike off the centerstand again.
The drain for the float bowls were frozen and the screw heads were starting to strip so whatever gas was in the bowls would have to stay there. The gas stayed there until I turned the carbs upside-down and spilled gas all over the floor and myself.
Once the bowls were removed, the severity of the clogging was revealed. When I say clogged, I mean clogged.
The next few weeks were spent cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. I also think I installed and removed the carbs about 100 times during this span of time.
All of the cleaning and cussing and smelling like rancid gas was worth it when I hit that starter button and the bike came alive. It has a long way to go before it'll be running right, or even close to right, but right now that doesn't matter.
All that matters now is that this once non-running machine is now one step closer to being road-worthy.
The heart beats...
Before I delved into anything mechanical, I waxed the bike. There is something about dull, dusty paint that makes me want to make it shine. The paint cleaned up better than I thought it would, though I still think it would make a concourse judge want to kill himself. It's very uneven, it's darker in some spots than others and kind of rough.
But who cares about all of that, it's shiny!
After making the bike shiny, I installed the battery and hit the starter button. I can't say I was surprised when it didn't start but I was thankful when the engine turned over. I had this gut feeling that, despite the clean oil, the engine would be seized from sitting so long.
Before I tackled the massive carb cleaning job, I decided to check spark first. I started with plug number 1 and was shocked at the newness of the plugs.
I grabbed a ratchet and a plug socket but forgot the spark tester and since I am too lazy to walk the five feet back to the tool box, I pulled the plug (ha!) and laid it on the head while I cranked the engine. I saw that I had spark but wanted a better view so I reached down and grabbed the plug while cranking and promptly electrocuted myself.
Getting electrocuted is a weird feeling. At first you're like "what is going on?" but then you realize what is happening and then you let go of whatever is electrocuting you.
After electrocuting myself once and finding good spark from all four plugs, it was now time to clean out the carbs.
Yay.
Before I went after the carbs, I peered into the gas tank. Wow is all I can say. The gas was a strange brown, like a brown found on an early 70's Cadillac that was left out in the sun, and smelled rancid. I think Mad Max would turn down this gas, it's that nasty.
The tank is ridiculously easy to remove on this bike. Pop off the fuel line and the vacuum line, pull the clamp off of the bolt head under the back of the tank and it's off. It's a 10 second job.
After spending about 45 minutes staring at the carbs wondering how to remove them instead of following the instructions (whatever instructions are), I engaged in combat with my motorcycle.
I fought with the bolt under the battery, which started life as a 12mm bolt but is now a corroded lump of an indeterminate size.
Once that was taken care of, I fought with the with the airbox. The rubber booties that connect the airbox to the carbs thankfully are removable. I realized this after swearing profusely and almost knocking the bike off of the centerstand.
With those booties removed, I could now remove the carbs. What I mean by that is, I could now almost knock the bike off the centerstand again.
The drain for the float bowls were frozen and the screw heads were starting to strip so whatever gas was in the bowls would have to stay there. The gas stayed there until I turned the carbs upside-down and spilled gas all over the floor and myself.
Once the bowls were removed, the severity of the clogging was revealed. When I say clogged, I mean clogged.
The next few weeks were spent cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. I also think I installed and removed the carbs about 100 times during this span of time.
All of the cleaning and cussing and smelling like rancid gas was worth it when I hit that starter button and the bike came alive. It has a long way to go before it'll be running right, or even close to right, but right now that doesn't matter.
All that matters now is that this once non-running machine is now one step closer to being road-worthy.
The heart beats...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Some of my favorite Penguins.
I was thinking the other day about some of the players that have worn a Penguins jersey and some of my favorites. Instead of thinking about them, I'm going to list them here. I know, novel, right? Anyway, I'll break them down by era. Here goes:
Pre-Lemiuex:
Jean Pronovost is my favorite player from this era. He was a very skilled winger and prolific scorer. No. 19 scored 41 points his rookie year(1968-69) and played right wing on the "Century Line" with Syl Apps Jr. and Lowell McDonald in the mid-70's. He is third on the Penguins all-time list of games played with 782.
Tied for favorite is No.10 "Lucky" Pierre Larouche. He lead all rookies in points in 1974-75 and was one of the key players in Pittsburgh's march to the playoffs that year. He backed up his rookie year with 111 points in 1975-76. He only played in Pittsburgh for three and a half years and retired in 1988, playing 10 games for the New York Rangers. He has 822 career points.
Dave "The Hammer" Schultz is another favorite. I've always had a soft spot for goons and Schultz was the king. He holds the Most Penalty Minutes in Season record with 472 PIM in 1974-75 with the Flyers. While never a goal scorer, he had a 20 goal season in 73-74, he was there to be tough and to fight. That he did very well.
Lemiuex to Cup('92):
To leave Lemiuex off this list would be absurd, obviously he is on here. If I have to tell you why, hang your head in shame.
Mark Recchi was my favorite when I was a kid. I met him in person at the CCBC dome and he signed my jersey. I liked how was always moving as a player and always working hard every shift. I will forever remember his signature play: screaming down the right side of the ice, lifting a leg and firing the puck up over the goalie's shoulder. I also liked how he is a smaller guy like myself and nobody believed he would make it in the NHL let alone still be playing at age 41. Long live the "Rechhin' Ball."
Kevin Stevens is on the list. "Big Artie" was a powerhouse during the cup years, finishing second in scoring(behind Lemiuex) in 1991-92 and holding the record for most points by an American born player and a left wing in a season. He was the prototypical power-forward and basically invented the position.
Looking back, Paul Coffey is my favorite form this era. His offensive ability was outstanding and his skating was out of this world. I can watch him skate and be mesmerized. Overall, he holds 10 NHL records and is 12th all time in scoring. If you look up offensive-defenseman in the dictionary, his picture is there, right next to Bobby Orr.
Ron Francis was one of the best all around players ever. He could do it all; score, play defense, pass, shoot and win big face-offs. Him being 4th all time in scoring is no fluke, Francis was the real deal and one of the best ever.
Ulf Samuelsson was a Swedish linebacker on skates. A large, powerful defenseman who could block a shot and deliver a crushing hit all on the same play. Yeah, he could be dirty at times(ask Cam Neely), but his job was to be physical and he did it well.
Rob Brown never got the recognition he deserved. Everyone points to his 115 point season in 1988-89 and gives all the credit to Lemiuex. Wrong. "Down Town" Robby Brown could play some hockey. He backed up that season with an 80 point showing in 1989-90. He could play, he just couldn't skate.
Rick Tocchet was an absolute monster. He left everything on the ice, every shift. He could do it all. He would squash you against the boards, fight and then score a hat trick, all in one period. Besides, the guy broke his jaw in the first period of a game and returned to the ice in the third. Wow.
I pretty much fell over and died when Pittsburgh signed Luc Robitaille. Here's the highest scoring left wing of all time on the same team with Lemiuex and Jagr. I thought the league should just hand us the Cup and avoid embarrassing the other teams. Alas, it did not work out that way. "Lucky Luc" did not have a good season and was gone the following year. A shame, really.
Post Cup to lockout:
Alex Kovalev is my favorite from this era. He is the consummate sniper. He can seemingly score from anywhere, no matter how much net he has to work with. The KLS line with him, Marty Straka and Robert Lang in 2000-01 was one of the best line combos in franchise history.
Marty Straka was a workhorse. He never stopped skating and working, regardless of how long the shift was. He was the only player that didn't look tired in the multiple-overtime games he played in while in Pittsburgh.
I liked Petr Nedved, even though he was difficult and sometimes diva-ish. He played well and was good scorer. Plus he scored the winning goal to beat Washington in the multiple-overtime game in 1996.
I hated Darius Kasparaitis when he was an Islander. As a Penguin, I loved him. He was a small, blond hitting machine. Definitely a fan-favorite. Plus he(of all people) scored the winning goal against Buffalo in the multiple overtime game in 2001.
Post-lockout:
Evgeni Malkin is my favorite of the current roster. His ability to take over a game and seemingly will the puck into the net is unreal. The scariest part is that he is only 22. I can only imagine how dominating he will be in his later 20's.
What can you say about Sydney Crosby that hasn't already been said.
I really liked Gary Roberts. I thought he was the perfect example of what a hockey player should be. He's tough, competitive and can really play. His veteran leadership was irreplaceable in the Cup run last year.
I am one of the believers in Jordan Staal. We've all seen the flashes of brilliance he's shown in the past few years. I think this kid is going to be a monster in a couple of years.
Jarkko Ruutu was definitely fun to watch. His proclivity to take dumb penalties was offset by his intelligence and ability to get under your skin. He also possessed amazing shootout ability.
Matt Cooke took over for Ruutu and is a much better player. He's fast and has decent hands. He also doesn't take as many dumb penalties as Ruutu while delivering a ton of crushing hits on seemingly every shift.
Honestly, I probably have a hundred favorites. I narrowed it down to players I love to watch.
Pre-Lemiuex:
Jean Pronovost is my favorite player from this era. He was a very skilled winger and prolific scorer. No. 19 scored 41 points his rookie year(1968-69) and played right wing on the "Century Line" with Syl Apps Jr. and Lowell McDonald in the mid-70's. He is third on the Penguins all-time list of games played with 782.
Tied for favorite is No.10 "Lucky" Pierre Larouche. He lead all rookies in points in 1974-75 and was one of the key players in Pittsburgh's march to the playoffs that year. He backed up his rookie year with 111 points in 1975-76. He only played in Pittsburgh for three and a half years and retired in 1988, playing 10 games for the New York Rangers. He has 822 career points.
Dave "The Hammer" Schultz is another favorite. I've always had a soft spot for goons and Schultz was the king. He holds the Most Penalty Minutes in Season record with 472 PIM in 1974-75 with the Flyers. While never a goal scorer, he had a 20 goal season in 73-74, he was there to be tough and to fight. That he did very well.
Lemiuex to Cup('92):
To leave Lemiuex off this list would be absurd, obviously he is on here. If I have to tell you why, hang your head in shame.
Mark Recchi was my favorite when I was a kid. I met him in person at the CCBC dome and he signed my jersey. I liked how was always moving as a player and always working hard every shift. I will forever remember his signature play: screaming down the right side of the ice, lifting a leg and firing the puck up over the goalie's shoulder. I also liked how he is a smaller guy like myself and nobody believed he would make it in the NHL let alone still be playing at age 41. Long live the "Rechhin' Ball."
Kevin Stevens is on the list. "Big Artie" was a powerhouse during the cup years, finishing second in scoring(behind Lemiuex) in 1991-92 and holding the record for most points by an American born player and a left wing in a season. He was the prototypical power-forward and basically invented the position.
Looking back, Paul Coffey is my favorite form this era. His offensive ability was outstanding and his skating was out of this world. I can watch him skate and be mesmerized. Overall, he holds 10 NHL records and is 12th all time in scoring. If you look up offensive-defenseman in the dictionary, his picture is there, right next to Bobby Orr.
Ron Francis was one of the best all around players ever. He could do it all; score, play defense, pass, shoot and win big face-offs. Him being 4th all time in scoring is no fluke, Francis was the real deal and one of the best ever.
Ulf Samuelsson was a Swedish linebacker on skates. A large, powerful defenseman who could block a shot and deliver a crushing hit all on the same play. Yeah, he could be dirty at times(ask Cam Neely), but his job was to be physical and he did it well.
Rob Brown never got the recognition he deserved. Everyone points to his 115 point season in 1988-89 and gives all the credit to Lemiuex. Wrong. "Down Town" Robby Brown could play some hockey. He backed up that season with an 80 point showing in 1989-90. He could play, he just couldn't skate.
Rick Tocchet was an absolute monster. He left everything on the ice, every shift. He could do it all. He would squash you against the boards, fight and then score a hat trick, all in one period. Besides, the guy broke his jaw in the first period of a game and returned to the ice in the third. Wow.
I pretty much fell over and died when Pittsburgh signed Luc Robitaille. Here's the highest scoring left wing of all time on the same team with Lemiuex and Jagr. I thought the league should just hand us the Cup and avoid embarrassing the other teams. Alas, it did not work out that way. "Lucky Luc" did not have a good season and was gone the following year. A shame, really.
Post Cup to lockout:
Alex Kovalev is my favorite from this era. He is the consummate sniper. He can seemingly score from anywhere, no matter how much net he has to work with. The KLS line with him, Marty Straka and Robert Lang in 2000-01 was one of the best line combos in franchise history.
Marty Straka was a workhorse. He never stopped skating and working, regardless of how long the shift was. He was the only player that didn't look tired in the multiple-overtime games he played in while in Pittsburgh.
I liked Petr Nedved, even though he was difficult and sometimes diva-ish. He played well and was good scorer. Plus he scored the winning goal to beat Washington in the multiple-overtime game in 1996.
I hated Darius Kasparaitis when he was an Islander. As a Penguin, I loved him. He was a small, blond hitting machine. Definitely a fan-favorite. Plus he(of all people) scored the winning goal against Buffalo in the multiple overtime game in 2001.
Post-lockout:
Evgeni Malkin is my favorite of the current roster. His ability to take over a game and seemingly will the puck into the net is unreal. The scariest part is that he is only 22. I can only imagine how dominating he will be in his later 20's.
What can you say about Sydney Crosby that hasn't already been said.
I really liked Gary Roberts. I thought he was the perfect example of what a hockey player should be. He's tough, competitive and can really play. His veteran leadership was irreplaceable in the Cup run last year.
I am one of the believers in Jordan Staal. We've all seen the flashes of brilliance he's shown in the past few years. I think this kid is going to be a monster in a couple of years.
Jarkko Ruutu was definitely fun to watch. His proclivity to take dumb penalties was offset by his intelligence and ability to get under your skin. He also possessed amazing shootout ability.
Matt Cooke took over for Ruutu and is a much better player. He's fast and has decent hands. He also doesn't take as many dumb penalties as Ruutu while delivering a ton of crushing hits on seemingly every shift.
Honestly, I probably have a hundred favorites. I narrowed it down to players I love to watch.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Really? Pacifiers? Sad.
So Washington Capitals fans, "fans", purchased 500 pacifiers to, um, suck on during the Pens/Caps game this afternoon. Apparently they did this to mock Sidney Crosby and his so-called whining. Grown adults. Sitting in the first couple of rows. With pacifiers in their mouths.
Wow.
How sad is your team's fanbase when, instead of celebrating your success, you choose to mock the opposing team's star player? Also, some fans have suggested throwing the pacifiers on the ice and tossing tissue boxes on the bench. What a wonderful way to get yourselves kicked out of the game you paid good money to see.
Even Caps coach Bruce Bodreau thinks the idea is stupid. "I have no idea, and I don't want to know," he said. "Oh, geezus, no, please, no. What a waste of money."
I could see if the Caps were low in the standings, didn't have 1/3 of the leagues top players or destroyed the Pens in the past, but none of the above is true. The Caps are second in the East and have Alex Ovechkin. In spite of all of their recent success, they choose to mock Crosby. Sad.
As for Pens/Caps history, well, lets look at some of the more recent playoff meetings between the teams:
2001: Pens win series 4-2, 1st round.
2000: Pens win series 4-1, 1st round.
1996: Pens win series 4-2, 1st round.
1995: Pens win series 4-3, 1st round.
1994: Pens lose series 4-2, 1st round.
1992: Pens win series 4-3, 1st round.
1991: Pens win series 4-1, 2nd round.
For those keeping score at home, that 6-1 in favor of Pittsburgh. Plus, there's two Stanley Cup's in there, as the icing on the cake.
The "fans" of the Capitals are becoming akin to the Crosby haters in Philadelphia. The Flyers fans choose to mock Crosby, instead of supporting their own team, in an effort to get him off his game. Last time I checked, Crosby had a four point game and the Pens won last time the two teams met. Looks like this strategy really works!
The only word I can use to describe this is sad. It's the only word that fits. Maybe the Pens should distribute a DVD to Caps fans, showcasing the disappointments the Caps have faced over the years at the hands of the Penguins. Actually, it could provide a good history lesson for the Caps fanbase, seeing a though most have only been following hockey for less than a year and wouldn't know who Don Beaupre, Dale Hunter, Keith Acton, Rod Langway, Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau, Al Iafrate or Peter Bondra are.
Nah, that's a bad idea. The Caps fans are morons and we shouldn't stoop to their level. I think Crosby and the rest of the Pens having a huge game and shoving those pacifiers up the fans' collective asses would be the best retort imaginable.
Wow.
How sad is your team's fanbase when, instead of celebrating your success, you choose to mock the opposing team's star player? Also, some fans have suggested throwing the pacifiers on the ice and tossing tissue boxes on the bench. What a wonderful way to get yourselves kicked out of the game you paid good money to see.
Even Caps coach Bruce Bodreau thinks the idea is stupid. "I have no idea, and I don't want to know," he said. "Oh, geezus, no, please, no. What a waste of money."
I could see if the Caps were low in the standings, didn't have 1/3 of the leagues top players or destroyed the Pens in the past, but none of the above is true. The Caps are second in the East and have Alex Ovechkin. In spite of all of their recent success, they choose to mock Crosby. Sad.
As for Pens/Caps history, well, lets look at some of the more recent playoff meetings between the teams:
2001: Pens win series 4-2, 1st round.
2000: Pens win series 4-1, 1st round.
1996: Pens win series 4-2, 1st round.
1995: Pens win series 4-3, 1st round.
1994: Pens lose series 4-2, 1st round.
1992: Pens win series 4-3, 1st round.
1991: Pens win series 4-1, 2nd round.
For those keeping score at home, that 6-1 in favor of Pittsburgh. Plus, there's two Stanley Cup's in there, as the icing on the cake.
The "fans" of the Capitals are becoming akin to the Crosby haters in Philadelphia. The Flyers fans choose to mock Crosby, instead of supporting their own team, in an effort to get him off his game. Last time I checked, Crosby had a four point game and the Pens won last time the two teams met. Looks like this strategy really works!
The only word I can use to describe this is sad. It's the only word that fits. Maybe the Pens should distribute a DVD to Caps fans, showcasing the disappointments the Caps have faced over the years at the hands of the Penguins. Actually, it could provide a good history lesson for the Caps fanbase, seeing a though most have only been following hockey for less than a year and wouldn't know who Don Beaupre, Dale Hunter, Keith Acton, Rod Langway, Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau, Al Iafrate or Peter Bondra are.
Nah, that's a bad idea. The Caps fans are morons and we shouldn't stoop to their level. I think Crosby and the rest of the Pens having a huge game and shoving those pacifiers up the fans' collective asses would be the best retort imaginable.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Farewell, Michel Therrien.
The revolving door that is the Penguins Head Coach position has deposited Michel Therrien on the street, two and a half years after replacing Eddie Olczyk. Therrien was rewarded with a three year contract extension worth $3 million after coaching the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. This season has been a disappointment to say the least and since about the middle of January his job has been on life support.
Therrien accomplished some good things while he was behind the bench. Success eluded the team after the Olczyk fiasco. New coach Therrien could not help salvage the season and lead them to the playoffs. He became famous that season for his "soff" post-game rant. Therrien's broken English rants were very entertaining, especially because he seemingly could not grasp the idea of the plural tense. My favorite quote was: "A lot of guy don't care. Dey say dey care, but dey don't care."
In 2006-07, he coached the Penguins to their first playoff birth since the 2000-01 season. Although the Pens were bounced out of the series by the Ottawa Senators in five games, one could get the feeling that the Penguins' fortunes were about to change. During the most recent season, 2007-08, Therrien coached the Penguins to their sixth division title, the Eastern Conference championship and two games from winning the Stanley Cup.
He was not without his faults, however. He was a tough, demanding coach. Coaches like that are good for a young, undisciplined team like the Penguins under Olczyk. After a while, though, they tend to burn out their players and the message gets lost. These types of coaches also tend to not last long at their posts. Scotty Bowman was a tough coach who was hated by a lot of his players. The biggest difference is that Bowman has the Stanley Cup rings to backup his demands, Therrien doesn't.
He had a tendency to publicly call out and criticize players, such as dressing defencemen Ryan Whitney and Brooks Orpik as wingers when their performance dipped last season. Other strange personnel decisions included playing promising young defenseman Alex Goligoski as a winger for a few games, supposedly benching winger Miroslav Satan and then playing him so he could play his 1,000th game and letting slumping back-up goalie Dany Sabourin play on the father's trip just because his dad was there to watch. His decision to put Max Talbot out as the sixth man in game five of the finals last year was gold, though, as Talbot scored the tying goal and sent the game to overtime which the Penguins eventually won.
Therrien also seemed to get flustered when his system wasn't working and it was like he didn't know what to do to fix it. He would thrown together line combinations like he was picking out of a hat and the players were guaranteed to find new linemates almost every shift. His only real trick when he needed offense was to pair Malkin and Crosby on the same line. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
All in all, he was a good coach. He was exactly what the team needed after the disaster that was Eddie Olczyk. He brought the discipline that was missing and was rewarded by two good seasons of hockey and almost won a Stanley Cup. The saddest part is his firing. If the players quit on him and purposely lost to get him fired, they should be held accountable. Winning and losing is 50% coaching and 50% playing. The players are just as responsible, if not more, for the disappointing season this year. So, good luck to you in the future, Michel.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Today There's Gonna Be a Jailbreak.
It was about 4:45 this afternoon. I had just returned from class and sat down to start some homework. I happened to glance outside and saw that the wind had died down and the street had dried off. I looked over at the thermometer and saw that the outside temperature read 62.3 degrees. I looked back at the computer and said out loud: "what the hell am I doing sitting here?!" I jumped up, grabbed my jacket and helmet and reported to my motorcycle.
I peeled off the cover for the first time in what seemed like years. I had almost forgotten what my Triumph looked like. Before I could tear up the streets, though, the tires needed a little air and the battery needed installed. Once everything was ready, I pulled the choke lever and hit the starter.
Magic.
The rhythmic idle of the British twin brought an instant smile to my face. It was like hearing the voice of an old friend, one you hadn't talked to in a while. I put on my gear while slowly reducing the choke. Once ready, I rolled the bike out of the garage, shut the door and then set my sights on the road ahead.
I took the long way around the neighborhood to warm the bike a little. It stumbled a bit as it was off choke a little early. When I got to the stop sign at the end of the street I was ready to go. I pulled out onto the street, gave the bike some throttled and got an immediate case of insta-grin. I had almost forgotten how much fun riding a bike is. I thought to myself "some people have a therapist, I have a motorcycle."
I had no real destination, I was out for a ride. I took the winding road I live off of to another winding road and rode the few miles to my former hometown of Aliquippa. I encountered some traffic but that didn't bother me. It's a 60 plus degree day in February, nothing short of a crash would bring me down. Almost like a sign from the heavens, the traffic disappeared as I got to the twisty sections. I focused all of my concentration on the rad ahead. I pitched the bike into the corner, used my hips to lift the bike and then set up for the next corner. I was awash in the experience. It reaffirmed my love for motorcycles.
When I entered Aliquippa, I turned down the street I used to live on. It's nothing fancy, just some homes built in 50's, owned by mostly old Italian families who take good care of them. When I got to the stop sign at the end of the street, a guy in a Subaru wagon was waving and honking his horn at me. My first thought was "great, what fell off?," but it turned out he just wanted to check my bike out. Not to toot my own horn(no pun intended) but, as a Bonneville owner, you get used to this. After a few minutes of talking, we said our goodbyes and I headed for home.
I turned onto a lovely road with a myriad of straights, turns and elevation changes that took me right to my house. It's like my own, private section of the Nurburgring. I rambled down the road at a brisk but moderate pace. There was still some dust on the road from the recent snow storms and I didn't feel like crashing. The best parts of the road are the last few turns before you reach my neighborhood. They start with a tight, downhill right-hand turn. The grade of the road angles a bit sharper as you exit the turn, which leads to a hairpin, left-hand turn. After this hairpin, the road leads to series of uphill esses. The crest of the hill drops down suddenly and then there is the right-hand turn into my neighborhood.
I again take the long way back to my house and then pulled in the garage. I sat on the bike for a few minutes, engine off, just thinking. It was just an 11 mile ride over roads I had traveled numerous times. I hadn't gone to someplace I'd never been before. No, this time, it was all about the ride. Call it cliche if you want, but it's the truth. After not riding since December 27, it felt good to be free. It felt good to feel the wind, hear the noises and smell the smells.
I peeled off the cover for the first time in what seemed like years. I had almost forgotten what my Triumph looked like. Before I could tear up the streets, though, the tires needed a little air and the battery needed installed. Once everything was ready, I pulled the choke lever and hit the starter.
Magic.
The rhythmic idle of the British twin brought an instant smile to my face. It was like hearing the voice of an old friend, one you hadn't talked to in a while. I put on my gear while slowly reducing the choke. Once ready, I rolled the bike out of the garage, shut the door and then set my sights on the road ahead.
I took the long way around the neighborhood to warm the bike a little. It stumbled a bit as it was off choke a little early. When I got to the stop sign at the end of the street I was ready to go. I pulled out onto the street, gave the bike some throttled and got an immediate case of insta-grin. I had almost forgotten how much fun riding a bike is. I thought to myself "some people have a therapist, I have a motorcycle."
I had no real destination, I was out for a ride. I took the winding road I live off of to another winding road and rode the few miles to my former hometown of Aliquippa. I encountered some traffic but that didn't bother me. It's a 60 plus degree day in February, nothing short of a crash would bring me down. Almost like a sign from the heavens, the traffic disappeared as I got to the twisty sections. I focused all of my concentration on the rad ahead. I pitched the bike into the corner, used my hips to lift the bike and then set up for the next corner. I was awash in the experience. It reaffirmed my love for motorcycles.
When I entered Aliquippa, I turned down the street I used to live on. It's nothing fancy, just some homes built in 50's, owned by mostly old Italian families who take good care of them. When I got to the stop sign at the end of the street, a guy in a Subaru wagon was waving and honking his horn at me. My first thought was "great, what fell off?," but it turned out he just wanted to check my bike out. Not to toot my own horn(no pun intended) but, as a Bonneville owner, you get used to this. After a few minutes of talking, we said our goodbyes and I headed for home.
I turned onto a lovely road with a myriad of straights, turns and elevation changes that took me right to my house. It's like my own, private section of the Nurburgring. I rambled down the road at a brisk but moderate pace. There was still some dust on the road from the recent snow storms and I didn't feel like crashing. The best parts of the road are the last few turns before you reach my neighborhood. They start with a tight, downhill right-hand turn. The grade of the road angles a bit sharper as you exit the turn, which leads to a hairpin, left-hand turn. After this hairpin, the road leads to series of uphill esses. The crest of the hill drops down suddenly and then there is the right-hand turn into my neighborhood.
I again take the long way back to my house and then pulled in the garage. I sat on the bike for a few minutes, engine off, just thinking. It was just an 11 mile ride over roads I had traveled numerous times. I hadn't gone to someplace I'd never been before. No, this time, it was all about the ride. Call it cliche if you want, but it's the truth. After not riding since December 27, it felt good to be free. It felt good to feel the wind, hear the noises and smell the smells.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cycle World show - Cleveland.
This Sunday, my dad and I went to the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show held in the I-X center in Cleveland, Ohio. The I-X Center is a huge convention center type building by the Cleveland airport.
How big is the I-X center? Big enough to hold a motorcycle show, a home show and have a Ferris wheel inside.
Every major motorcycle manufacturer that sells bikes in America was there except for Triumph and MV Agusta.
Apparently, Triumph wanted their own people to load and unload their bikes and were told that only the Teamsters will be handling those duties. Triumph balked at the idea and refused to be present at the show.
It was a bit of a let down that Triumph wasn't there, but I practically have the specs of their bikes memorized and whenever I want to go sit on a Bonneville and make vroom noises, I can just go and sit on mine.
Here are a few notes and thoughts about the companies there, or at least the ones I nabbed brochures from:
Aprilia:
I am lusting after the RS125. It's a 125cc 2-stroke with 32hp and weighs 280lbs dry. It's a track only bike but I don't care, I want one. I think it wins the most-fun-bike-that-isn't-a-Vmax-award.
The RSV1000's are absolutely gorgeous.
The Tuono 1000's are absolutely hideous.
Ducati:
Ducati's lineup is a like a supermodel with two misplaced moles, right on her face. Those moles are the Multistrada and the new Streetfighter.
I can't figure out the design philosophy behind the Multistrada and I don't think I want to know it, either.
As for the Streetfighter, all is well until you look at that headlight. Calling it out-of-place doesn't do it justice; it's ugly.
As for the rest:
The new Monsters are cool. I didn't like them at first but after seeing a few, I like them.
The Superbikes are just stunning. If they don't get you excited, then you have to be dead. They win the Best-looking-faired-Ducati-since-the-bevel 900SS award.
The Sportclassics take the cake, though. They are easily the best looking Ducati's since the bevel-drive era. The only bike that can match them in style and grace is the Moto Guzzi California Vintage.
Buell:
I have always been a tentative Buell fan. I like their interesting ideas and different approach to engineering but I feel the Sportster-based Thunderstorm engine is the weak link. Since the debut of the Rotax-built Helicon v-twin, Buell finally makes sense.
The Firebolt, Lightning and the Ulysses are all cool and good looking. I like the Ulysses the most because it is an adventure-tour bike short enough for me.
The 1125CR had me falling all over myself. I don't know if it's the clubman-style bar that does it or it's $12,000 price tag but I just love it. I must have sat on it a dozen times. It wins the best-looking-naked-that-isn't-a-Triumph-or-Ducati award.
BMW:
R1200R. It's just perfect, there's nothing more to say.
R1200S. Same as above but with more power. Even more perfect.
K1200S. Fast. Heavy. Expensive. I'd buy one.
K1200R. As long as I don't have to look at it, it's cool.
Kawasaki:
My dad and I actually agreed on a bike. We both liked the Vulcan 900 Custom. I'm not one for cruisers but I liked this bike. The wheels look cool, the engine's not too big, not too small and you can get it in orange.
The more I look at the 250 Ninja, the more I like it. I like small displacement bikes that rev forever and that's what this Ninja is.
The rest of Kawasaki's lineup is underwhelming, except if you like cruisers or sportbikes.
Honda:
Honda has easily the most disappointing lineup. Aside from the VFR800 Interceptor and the new CBR1000RR, everything is underwhelming at best. Go to Honda's U.K. website and see what is for sale over there. What do we get? The DN-01. Thanks, Honda.
Honda is also making their own "chopper", called the Fury. It manages to look like every "chopper" made in the last five years.
Moto Guzzi:
I have already gone on about how I love the California Vintage. Now that it's available in white, I love it more so.
I like the Stelvio. It may never dethrone the BMW 1200GS as the best adventure bike but it doesn't look quite as weird as the GS, either.
Griso 1200 8V: not quite sure what category it is in but that's ok. I like it and I want one.
V7 Classic: it's a good thing this wasn't on our shores when I bought my Bonneville last year. I probably wouldn't have bought one seeing that it's slower and more expensive than a Bonneville but it looks cool and it's retro. Guzzi also showed a cafe version in Europe this year. If they ever put the 1100cc engine in there I may have to buy one. V7 Sport, anyone?
Suzuki:
Bandit 1250S: I like this bike. It's a four that's not some hyper-sports machine that wants to punish you. It's simply a nice bike that you can ride, with a four cylinder that's tuned for torque. Almost like a GS-series bike in modern trim. Plus the half-fairing looks cool.
The rest? See Kawasaki above.
Yamaha:
I don't think I can describe how awesome the new Vmax is. It's v-four is just massive. It's a two-wheeled irresponsibility machine. It's a nice reprieve from the safe, sterile society that we are moving toward.
I kinda like the FZ6/FZ1. They seem like nice, all purpose bikes the Japanese used to build before specialization took over.
Star makes arguably the best looking Japanese cruisers. I like the new V Star 950. Like the Vulcan 900, it's a nice gap between too small and too big.
Harley-Davidson:
XR1200. Possibly the best reason to step into an H-D dealer since the XR1000 and the XLCR. In fact, it's so awesome that I can even forgive the pipes for being too low and on the wrong side.
XL1200N Nightster. Possibly the best reason to step into an H-D dealer after the XR1200.
Odds and ends:
The AMA was there with some bikes from their museum. There were a couple of Suzuki GSX-R's from the 80's, two early Suzuki Katana's, a row of old dirt bikes and a perfect Honda CB750. They were also raffeling off a pair of Triumph Bonneville's, a 1959 and a 2009 Anniversary edition.
Another collection was there whose name I can't remember. I do remember the Kawasaki Z1's, Yamaha R5, Kawasaki Mach III, Suzuki GT550 and Kawasaki GPz1100 they had on display, though.
Another collection had a few ancient Harley's, an Indian Four, an Ariel single and a Moto Guzzi Ambassador among other bikes.
A cafe racer section had a couple of Tritons, a Honda CB750, a Moto Guzzi, a pair of Yamaha 2-strokes and a wicked Triumph Thruxton.
All in all, I liked the show. I got to look at and sit on bikes without a salesman bugging me. I also came away loving a few bikes way too much and had a few bikes change my opinion about them.
How big is the I-X center? Big enough to hold a motorcycle show, a home show and have a Ferris wheel inside.
Every major motorcycle manufacturer that sells bikes in America was there except for Triumph and MV Agusta.
Apparently, Triumph wanted their own people to load and unload their bikes and were told that only the Teamsters will be handling those duties. Triumph balked at the idea and refused to be present at the show.
It was a bit of a let down that Triumph wasn't there, but I practically have the specs of their bikes memorized and whenever I want to go sit on a Bonneville and make vroom noises, I can just go and sit on mine.
Here are a few notes and thoughts about the companies there, or at least the ones I nabbed brochures from:
Aprilia:
I am lusting after the RS125. It's a 125cc 2-stroke with 32hp and weighs 280lbs dry. It's a track only bike but I don't care, I want one. I think it wins the most-fun-bike-that-isn't-a-Vmax-award.
The RSV1000's are absolutely gorgeous.
The Tuono 1000's are absolutely hideous.
Ducati:
Ducati's lineup is a like a supermodel with two misplaced moles, right on her face. Those moles are the Multistrada and the new Streetfighter.
I can't figure out the design philosophy behind the Multistrada and I don't think I want to know it, either.
As for the Streetfighter, all is well until you look at that headlight. Calling it out-of-place doesn't do it justice; it's ugly.
As for the rest:
The new Monsters are cool. I didn't like them at first but after seeing a few, I like them.
The Superbikes are just stunning. If they don't get you excited, then you have to be dead. They win the Best-looking-faired-Ducati-since-the-bevel 900SS award.
The Sportclassics take the cake, though. They are easily the best looking Ducati's since the bevel-drive era. The only bike that can match them in style and grace is the Moto Guzzi California Vintage.
Buell:
I have always been a tentative Buell fan. I like their interesting ideas and different approach to engineering but I feel the Sportster-based Thunderstorm engine is the weak link. Since the debut of the Rotax-built Helicon v-twin, Buell finally makes sense.
The Firebolt, Lightning and the Ulysses are all cool and good looking. I like the Ulysses the most because it is an adventure-tour bike short enough for me.
The 1125CR had me falling all over myself. I don't know if it's the clubman-style bar that does it or it's $12,000 price tag but I just love it. I must have sat on it a dozen times. It wins the best-looking-naked-that-isn't-a-Triumph-or-Ducati award.
BMW:
R1200R. It's just perfect, there's nothing more to say.
R1200S. Same as above but with more power. Even more perfect.
K1200S. Fast. Heavy. Expensive. I'd buy one.
K1200R. As long as I don't have to look at it, it's cool.
Kawasaki:
My dad and I actually agreed on a bike. We both liked the Vulcan 900 Custom. I'm not one for cruisers but I liked this bike. The wheels look cool, the engine's not too big, not too small and you can get it in orange.
The more I look at the 250 Ninja, the more I like it. I like small displacement bikes that rev forever and that's what this Ninja is.
The rest of Kawasaki's lineup is underwhelming, except if you like cruisers or sportbikes.
Honda:
Honda has easily the most disappointing lineup. Aside from the VFR800 Interceptor and the new CBR1000RR, everything is underwhelming at best. Go to Honda's U.K. website and see what is for sale over there. What do we get? The DN-01. Thanks, Honda.
Honda is also making their own "chopper", called the Fury. It manages to look like every "chopper" made in the last five years.
Moto Guzzi:
I have already gone on about how I love the California Vintage. Now that it's available in white, I love it more so.
I like the Stelvio. It may never dethrone the BMW 1200GS as the best adventure bike but it doesn't look quite as weird as the GS, either.
Griso 1200 8V: not quite sure what category it is in but that's ok. I like it and I want one.
V7 Classic: it's a good thing this wasn't on our shores when I bought my Bonneville last year. I probably wouldn't have bought one seeing that it's slower and more expensive than a Bonneville but it looks cool and it's retro. Guzzi also showed a cafe version in Europe this year. If they ever put the 1100cc engine in there I may have to buy one. V7 Sport, anyone?
Suzuki:
Bandit 1250S: I like this bike. It's a four that's not some hyper-sports machine that wants to punish you. It's simply a nice bike that you can ride, with a four cylinder that's tuned for torque. Almost like a GS-series bike in modern trim. Plus the half-fairing looks cool.
The rest? See Kawasaki above.
Yamaha:
I don't think I can describe how awesome the new Vmax is. It's v-four is just massive. It's a two-wheeled irresponsibility machine. It's a nice reprieve from the safe, sterile society that we are moving toward.
I kinda like the FZ6/FZ1. They seem like nice, all purpose bikes the Japanese used to build before specialization took over.
Star makes arguably the best looking Japanese cruisers. I like the new V Star 950. Like the Vulcan 900, it's a nice gap between too small and too big.
Harley-Davidson:
XR1200. Possibly the best reason to step into an H-D dealer since the XR1000 and the XLCR. In fact, it's so awesome that I can even forgive the pipes for being too low and on the wrong side.
XL1200N Nightster. Possibly the best reason to step into an H-D dealer after the XR1200.
Odds and ends:
The AMA was there with some bikes from their museum. There were a couple of Suzuki GSX-R's from the 80's, two early Suzuki Katana's, a row of old dirt bikes and a perfect Honda CB750. They were also raffeling off a pair of Triumph Bonneville's, a 1959 and a 2009 Anniversary edition.
Another collection was there whose name I can't remember. I do remember the Kawasaki Z1's, Yamaha R5, Kawasaki Mach III, Suzuki GT550 and Kawasaki GPz1100 they had on display, though.
Another collection had a few ancient Harley's, an Indian Four, an Ariel single and a Moto Guzzi Ambassador among other bikes.
A cafe racer section had a couple of Tritons, a Honda CB750, a Moto Guzzi, a pair of Yamaha 2-strokes and a wicked Triumph Thruxton.
All in all, I liked the show. I got to look at and sit on bikes without a salesman bugging me. I also came away loving a few bikes way too much and had a few bikes change my opinion about them.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Sad $300 Motorcycle Story.
Over the summer, I was talking to a neighbor when the subject of motorcycles came up. He had mentioned that when he was in college in Maryland he had an early 80's Yamaha Seca that he used for commuting and basically as his only vehicle. The Seca was also used to commute into Washington D.C. everyday after he graduated, battling all that D.C. traffic. After marriage, the Yam was given to his father-in-law, saw some time in Alaska, slammed into the pavement at one point, was painted grey and then moved to the south. My neighbor reacquired the Yam after his father-in-law bought another bike and it promptly sat in the garage. He made a few half hearted attempts to resurrect the bike, buying some parts and cleaning it, but ultimately gave up and the Seca sat. He also said he was just looking to get it out of his garage. Wait, did I hear that right? Get it out of the garage? Yes, if only he could find some place for it to go. Well sir, I am your man! There's nothing I have a bigger weakness for than a down-on-it's-luck bike with an interesting story.
We went over to look at it and yes, it was rough and no, it doesn't run. Plus, there's no battery. He said he just wants it gone and I could take it for free. While I never have a problem with free stuff, I couldn't take the bike for free. I gave him $300 and the bike was mine. We pushed the bike up his driveway, down the street and then up my driveway and then I passed out. Not really, but I felt like I was going to.
This bike started out as a blue 1982 Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca. On doing some research, I found that this model was included in Yamaha's US line up for one year. It was replaced by the 650 turbo Seca. The Seca was designed with Europe in mind, not cruiser-mad America where we got the Maxim series. Aside from a few minor details, it is mechanically identical to the 650 Maxim. It seems that motorcycle journalists riding the Euro Seca loved it and convinced Yamaha to sell it here. It features a 653cc Air-cooled four with a claimed 71hp, five-speed gearbox and shaft drive. There's also twin discs up front and a drum in the back. The headlight is a monstrous eight inches. The wheels on the old Mini's were only 10 inches. I'm just happy it's round, before Japan discovered the square headlight. It's sport intent is evident in the low handlebar and the semi-rear set pegs.
Two features really stand out in my mind. One is the shaft drive. I'm loving the fact that I don't have to lube a chain, it's just one more maintenance item to put off or forget about. The other is the huge tank. We're talking five gallons plus reserve, here.
Once it was in my garage, I could really look at the machine and see what I am in for. It has a few blemishes, some scratches from the aforementioned pavement contact, an ugly exhaust and grey paint. Why grey? Grey just isn't motorcycle color. Motorcycles should have bright, fast colors or mean, menacing black. Anyway, there is a lot to do on it plus it still doesn't run, the front brakes don't work and the kickstand mount was lopped off to fit the hideous exhaust, so it's center stand only. All in all, I got a good deal, Right? Right?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Three good hockey games in three days.
The first three days of the past week saw three good games unfold. There were two excellent wins and a disappointing but entertaining loss to a hated rival. It's games like these that reaffirm my love for hockey and why it is one of the most exciting sports on earth.
The week started off with Monday night's game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars. This was one of the best games I have seen in a while, not only because Detroit lost, but because Dallas came from behind all night to beat Detroit in overtime. I never had any ill-will toward Detroit and actually some of my favorite players, like Steve Yzerman and Paul Coffey, played for Detroit. My hatred for them began when they beat the Pens in last year's Stanley Cup Final. Now, I love to watch them lose.
Dallas was down by two goals mid way through the first period when Nicklas Grossman scored to cut Detroit's lead in half. Dallas' one goal deficit lasted all of 1:42. Marian Hossa beat Marty Turco on the power play to bring Detroit's lead back to two goals. 52 seconds into the second period Dallas again cut the lead in half with a goal by Stephane Robidas and tied it 15 minutes later thanks to Mark Parrish. Detroit got the lead back early in the third and both teams had numerous chances to score but Turco and Chris Osgood made save after dramatic save. Dallas was on the power play thanks to a Brett Lebda hold and promptly scored to again tie it with Detroit. In the ensuing overtime, Osgood was a mile and a half out of position and Dallas d-man Trevor Daley had a wide open 4x6 yawning at him. Needless to say, Daley poked the puck in and Dallas won.
Tuesday, the Penguins went to the most unholy place on Earth: the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, home to the liberty bell, Rocky and organist-led "Crosby sucks" chants. Due to the Pens being in a seemingly unshakable funk and the Flyers surging, this game had only two possible outcomes. The Pens could tighten up their boot straps and take it to the Flyers or Philly would chase the Pens out of town with a lopsided score. Thankfully, the Pens pulled themselves together for at least one night and soundly beat the Flyers.
The Flyers scored first on a fluke goal that Fleury misplayed and was easily popped in the net by Mike Knuble. The rest of the game belonged to Pittsburgh. The Pens scored four straight goals, one in the first period by Tyler Kennedy and three in the second from Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke. The pens effectively played the trap, the same one that, surprise, took them to the finals, clogging the neutral zone and making life difficult for the Flyers. Pittsburgh also got two big momentum pushes courtesy of Eric Godard and Paul Bissonnette. Godard took on Flyers punching bag Riley Cote, who looks like a zombie, and Bissonnette danced with Arron Asham. The Flyers scored midway through the third with Joffery Lupul beating Fleury.
This was a good win for the Pens. They needed to come out strong against their main rivals and show they can still play hockey. Hopefully they could carry this momentum into their next game...
On Wednesday, the Pens hosted the resurgent Washington Capitals. The Caps were in the midst of a three game losing streak and were looking to snap that streak. The Pens, mired in a slump of their own, were looking to string a set of wins together for the first time since November.
The Pens came out strong, utilizing the system that worked so well against the Flyers on Tuesday. The Pens were able to get a power play which developed into a 5-on-3 advantage. With the first penalty expired, Evgeni Malkin was able to beat Caps goalie Jose Theodore and give the Pens the lead. The Pens and the Caps traded goals for second period. It all came crashing down for the Penguins when Alex Ovechkin scored in the third. The Caps just dominated in every area. Ryan Whitney managed to tie it for Pittsburgh but Washington rebounded and scored three unanswered goals in the third. To add insult to, um, injury, the Pens lost Max Talbot to an undisclosed injury, Rob Scuderi took a puck to the forehead and Sidney Crosby left with a painful injury to his lower body.
While this was a disappointing loss, it was a very entertaining game to watch. It was any teams game until the third when the Caps exploded. It was an acceptable loss in my mind because Pittsburgh worked hard by were felled by some awful breaks. Losing one of the leagues leading scorers and one of your best d-men hurts. I would take this loss over any one of the mailed in losses from last month.
The week started off with Monday night's game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars. This was one of the best games I have seen in a while, not only because Detroit lost, but because Dallas came from behind all night to beat Detroit in overtime. I never had any ill-will toward Detroit and actually some of my favorite players, like Steve Yzerman and Paul Coffey, played for Detroit. My hatred for them began when they beat the Pens in last year's Stanley Cup Final. Now, I love to watch them lose.
Dallas was down by two goals mid way through the first period when Nicklas Grossman scored to cut Detroit's lead in half. Dallas' one goal deficit lasted all of 1:42. Marian Hossa beat Marty Turco on the power play to bring Detroit's lead back to two goals. 52 seconds into the second period Dallas again cut the lead in half with a goal by Stephane Robidas and tied it 15 minutes later thanks to Mark Parrish. Detroit got the lead back early in the third and both teams had numerous chances to score but Turco and Chris Osgood made save after dramatic save. Dallas was on the power play thanks to a Brett Lebda hold and promptly scored to again tie it with Detroit. In the ensuing overtime, Osgood was a mile and a half out of position and Dallas d-man Trevor Daley had a wide open 4x6 yawning at him. Needless to say, Daley poked the puck in and Dallas won.
Tuesday, the Penguins went to the most unholy place on Earth: the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, home to the liberty bell, Rocky and organist-led "Crosby sucks" chants. Due to the Pens being in a seemingly unshakable funk and the Flyers surging, this game had only two possible outcomes. The Pens could tighten up their boot straps and take it to the Flyers or Philly would chase the Pens out of town with a lopsided score. Thankfully, the Pens pulled themselves together for at least one night and soundly beat the Flyers.
The Flyers scored first on a fluke goal that Fleury misplayed and was easily popped in the net by Mike Knuble. The rest of the game belonged to Pittsburgh. The Pens scored four straight goals, one in the first period by Tyler Kennedy and three in the second from Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke. The pens effectively played the trap, the same one that, surprise, took them to the finals, clogging the neutral zone and making life difficult for the Flyers. Pittsburgh also got two big momentum pushes courtesy of Eric Godard and Paul Bissonnette. Godard took on Flyers punching bag Riley Cote, who looks like a zombie, and Bissonnette danced with Arron Asham. The Flyers scored midway through the third with Joffery Lupul beating Fleury.
This was a good win for the Pens. They needed to come out strong against their main rivals and show they can still play hockey. Hopefully they could carry this momentum into their next game...
On Wednesday, the Pens hosted the resurgent Washington Capitals. The Caps were in the midst of a three game losing streak and were looking to snap that streak. The Pens, mired in a slump of their own, were looking to string a set of wins together for the first time since November.
The Pens came out strong, utilizing the system that worked so well against the Flyers on Tuesday. The Pens were able to get a power play which developed into a 5-on-3 advantage. With the first penalty expired, Evgeni Malkin was able to beat Caps goalie Jose Theodore and give the Pens the lead. The Pens and the Caps traded goals for second period. It all came crashing down for the Penguins when Alex Ovechkin scored in the third. The Caps just dominated in every area. Ryan Whitney managed to tie it for Pittsburgh but Washington rebounded and scored three unanswered goals in the third. To add insult to, um, injury, the Pens lost Max Talbot to an undisclosed injury, Rob Scuderi took a puck to the forehead and Sidney Crosby left with a painful injury to his lower body.
While this was a disappointing loss, it was a very entertaining game to watch. It was any teams game until the third when the Caps exploded. It was an acceptable loss in my mind because Pittsburgh worked hard by were felled by some awful breaks. Losing one of the leagues leading scorers and one of your best d-men hurts. I would take this loss over any one of the mailed in losses from last month.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
One of my favorite motorcycles.
Since I can't go for a ride because it's 18 degrees outside and I can't talk about the Pens without getting frustrated, I'll talk about one of my favorite motorcycles. Ever since I saw Mad Max for the first time I have been enamored with the Kawasaki Z1 900. I adore the big air-cooled fours from japan, but the Z1 is the king for me. I also have it out for the Z1's successors, the KZ1000 and especially the Z1-R.
I love everything about the styling of this machine, even the comically large turn signals. It is easily the best looking of the classic fours from Japan, just barely edging out the Suzuki GS1000S. The chrome gauge covers and the polished, stainless-steel fenders are beautifully gleaming bits that catch the eye. They perfectly compliment the curvaceous tank and the cafe racer-esque tail section. The upswept exhaust, mimicking the Honda CB750's, give the machine race bike looks and the image of power. The centerpiece of all this is the drivetrain, a massive chunk of polished aluminum. There are many places on this machine to rest the eyes, a very important place is the badge on the side covers. This badge references the 900cc's and twin cams resting between the riders thighs.
The Honda CB750 may have stunned the motorcycling world in 1969 but in 1973, Kawasaki delivered a crushing blow. The Z1 was bigger, heavier(by 26 pounds) and much faster than the CB750. The Z1 sported 80hp compared to the Honda's 67hp and decimated the Honda's 118mph top speed by 13mph, screaming to 131mph. The Z1 also came equipped with a twin cam head and an indestructible roller bearing crankshaft. The Honda made do with a single cam and a plain bearing crank. All of this offensive firepower didn't come without a few concessions. The frame was spindly and prone to causing weaves and head shake at high speed. The brakes were also merely a suggestion, doing what they could to stop this 544lb freight train. It's a good thing that most of the Z1's came with a place to mount an extra caliper and rotor.
While this machine was not without its warts, there will always be a place in heart for it. It's combination of speed, style and history attract me like few other things. The sound of that air-cooled four screaming at 9,000rpm is one of the greatest sounds produced by an internal combustion engine. I had the chance to buy a rough but workable KZ900(same thing, different name) and passed on it. I kick myself everyday for it, too.
I love everything about the styling of this machine, even the comically large turn signals. It is easily the best looking of the classic fours from Japan, just barely edging out the Suzuki GS1000S. The chrome gauge covers and the polished, stainless-steel fenders are beautifully gleaming bits that catch the eye. They perfectly compliment the curvaceous tank and the cafe racer-esque tail section. The upswept exhaust, mimicking the Honda CB750's, give the machine race bike looks and the image of power. The centerpiece of all this is the drivetrain, a massive chunk of polished aluminum. There are many places on this machine to rest the eyes, a very important place is the badge on the side covers. This badge references the 900cc's and twin cams resting between the riders thighs. The Honda CB750 may have stunned the motorcycling world in 1969 but in 1973, Kawasaki delivered a crushing blow. The Z1 was bigger, heavier(by 26 pounds) and much faster than the CB750. The Z1 sported 80hp compared to the Honda's 67hp and decimated the Honda's 118mph top speed by 13mph, screaming to 131mph. The Z1 also came equipped with a twin cam head and an indestructible roller bearing crankshaft. The Honda made do with a single cam and a plain bearing crank. All of this offensive firepower didn't come without a few concessions. The frame was spindly and prone to causing weaves and head shake at high speed. The brakes were also merely a suggestion, doing what they could to stop this 544lb freight train. It's a good thing that most of the Z1's came with a place to mount an extra caliper and rotor.
While this machine was not without its warts, there will always be a place in heart for it. It's combination of speed, style and history attract me like few other things. The sound of that air-cooled four screaming at 9,000rpm is one of the greatest sounds produced by an internal combustion engine. I had the chance to buy a rough but workable KZ900(same thing, different name) and passed on it. I kick myself everyday for it, too.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
I was talking to a couple of old school bikers that I work with about motorcycles and they kept refering to fully-faired sportbikes(Ninja, Daytona, CBR) as "cafe racers". Now, I may be too young to properly comment on this, but I don't consider a Ninja a cafe racer. A cafe racer, to me, is a motorcycle that has started life as a regular, standard motorcycle and then is turned into a cafe racer by either the owner or a dedicated shop. A factory motorcycle can mimic a cafe racer, like the Triumph Thruxton or the Ducati Sport 1000, but won't be a true cafe racer in my mind. It's kind of like "factory custom". Just because the OEM changes a few details, that doesn't make it "custom". Just because a motorcycle comes with rear sets and clip ons, that doesn't make it a cafe racer. A cafe racer, like a chopper or a streetfighter, is created after the motorcycle has left the factory not by the factory.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Congratulations Mazda!!
Shield your eyes everyone, it's the new Mazda3. I nabbed this picture from Road & Track magazine. Wow, I can't think of another car this ugly. It looks like a smiling fish with a giant black retainer on its top teeth. The rest of the sedan and the hatch version look good, but, ugh, that front end! I realize that daring designs need to grow on some people, the Chris Bangle-designed BMW's come to mind, but I don't know about this.
I think this pretty interesting but ,of course, it's outrageously expensive. I love the idea of the sleek sports car with no windshield and the twin roll hoops behind the occupants heads. You also have to wear a full-face helmet because a bug in your teeth at its 217 mph top speed would be devastating. The body is mostly carbon-fiber and all of those expensive materials that weigh like two ounces. A big downside is that it costs over a million dollars, only 75 will be made and you have to live in Europe. Oh, you also have to own another SLR to qualify. I hate that you have to meet certain criteria in order to be able to purchase this car. Ferrari did this with the Enzo. It's so elitist. Monday, January 5, 2009
Is Rod Sterling in the house?
The NHL must've added the Twilight Zone as a sponsor for the weekend because there were some strange goings on. Three guys not known for fighting mixed it up and there was a good bout between Krys Barch and Zack Stortini. All that was missing was Ryan Hollweg not being a punching bag.
Sidney Crosby got the ball rolling with surprise attack on Brett McLean, right off the faceoff. Crosby threw the gloves off and before McLean could say "are you serious?", Crosby grabbed him. McLean's jersey was pulled over his head and Sid got a few punches in and wrestled hm around before they fell to the ice and were separated. This all lasted around 10 seconds. Afterward, Crosby was awarded like 20 minutes in penalties. Now, I'm all for the captain sticking up for his teammates and sending a message to the opposing team but I think this was bad form. I think McLean must've said something to Sid to make him that mad and to let frustration take him over like that. The game was all but lost before this and Talbot's preceding fight, why did it take this long to start getting physical?
Alexander Semin was the next to, uh, fight. It started with an Ovechkin hit on Marc Staal at one end and ended with an, um, interesting display of fighting strategy. Staal and Semin wrestled a bit and Staal pulled Semin's jersey completely off. As they were falling, Semin let off a barrage of, err, fists directed at Staal. Really, it looked like Semin was trying to power-slap Staal in an oh-so-feminine fashion. It really was a unique and hysterical display of someone with no idea what they are doing. All that Semin accomplished was getting his, erm, fight on every sports blooper show until the end of time.
Doug Weight had a good showing against a bigger Christian Ehrhoff in the late game. Weight was sticking up for a teammate who received a glove to the face. I guess Dougie missed the elbow Ehrhoff received from the same guy who Weight stuck up for.
Well, the Pens game just started and it's already 1-0 Rangers. I hope I'm wrong but it may be a long night.
Sidney Crosby got the ball rolling with surprise attack on Brett McLean, right off the faceoff. Crosby threw the gloves off and before McLean could say "are you serious?", Crosby grabbed him. McLean's jersey was pulled over his head and Sid got a few punches in and wrestled hm around before they fell to the ice and were separated. This all lasted around 10 seconds. Afterward, Crosby was awarded like 20 minutes in penalties. Now, I'm all for the captain sticking up for his teammates and sending a message to the opposing team but I think this was bad form. I think McLean must've said something to Sid to make him that mad and to let frustration take him over like that. The game was all but lost before this and Talbot's preceding fight, why did it take this long to start getting physical?
Alexander Semin was the next to, uh, fight. It started with an Ovechkin hit on Marc Staal at one end and ended with an, um, interesting display of fighting strategy. Staal and Semin wrestled a bit and Staal pulled Semin's jersey completely off. As they were falling, Semin let off a barrage of, err, fists directed at Staal. Really, it looked like Semin was trying to power-slap Staal in an oh-so-feminine fashion. It really was a unique and hysterical display of someone with no idea what they are doing. All that Semin accomplished was getting his, erm, fight on every sports blooper show until the end of time.
Doug Weight had a good showing against a bigger Christian Ehrhoff in the late game. Weight was sticking up for a teammate who received a glove to the face. I guess Dougie missed the elbow Ehrhoff received from the same guy who Weight stuck up for.
Well, the Pens game just started and it's already 1-0 Rangers. I hope I'm wrong but it may be a long night.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The most elegant motorcycle?
Is it just me or is the Moto Guzzi California Vintage the most elegantly styled motorcycle on the market today? Everything about it shouts graceful simplicity. It is a nice break from the over-styled tough guy image that most cruisers project.
The California blends a nice mixture of black painted parts and chrome. The white pinstripes break up the black on the gas tank and the saddlebags and add a bit of contrast to a mostly black bike. Details abound on this machine. The steel fenders and the spoked wheels scream retro bike, so does the trim around the hard bags and the luggage rack. Also, leave it up to the Italians to design the worlds most gorgeous seat. The two tone black and white seat is just stunning. Chrome is sprinkled around the bike with an artists restraint, adding elegance to dull areas without making the bike gaudy. The pendulum shaped piece between the gauges adds great detail and honestly I see myself staring at that piece and not on the road.
So yes, I absolutely love looking at this machine and would definitely call it living room worthy. Imagine that, decor you can ride! Try doing that with a curio or a bookcase. The only thing that bothers me is the windscreen. I know they block some of the wind and make touring easier but they look so out of place. The windscreen and the foglights scream CHiPS. Well, if the guys at Moto Guzzi are reading this(sure...), e-mail me and I'll tell you where to drop mine off. I'm thinking long term test...
On a related motorcycle note, Terminator 2 is on. Whoever the guy is that rode the KZ1000 police bike up the staircase is insane.
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