(paying homage to my favorite blog with the post title..)First of all, let me just say that everyone should see a game in enemy territory at least once. One tip though: don't choose their last regular home season game on the night they clinch the division. The word uncomfortable doesn't even begin to describe the experience.
Secondly, I want to say that Pens fans were a classy group, and only engaged in good natured ribbing with me. The fact that I have an unknown player on my jersey and I am a non-threatening girl probably helped a little, but still, they were pretty much nice. If I was a drunken asshole walking around with a Hartnell jersey, I may have gotten my throat cut, but since I wasn't it was all good...
I won't say much about the game here (I usually don't say much about the games in my posts anyhow) except wow, the officiating was, as Nadine would say, creative. It's funny to see the opposing fans act indignant when the refs finally call something questionable on their guys. I think there was a hooking call on the Pens in the 2nd or 3rd, and the folks around me were astonished! One guy behind me who had been ribbing me earlier said to me "even you're laughing at that one." I said, "that's what you call a makeup call, guy!"
It was, in Pens/Flyers game tradition, a physical battle. There was blood everywhere! Hartnell's nose looked like it was falling off, and Umberger had blood all over his jersey and chin and I have no idea why! I still haven't watched the game on Tivo. Pens fans say the Flyers were going after Crosby, but from where I sat, I didn't really get that. I would imagine though that in general, opposing teams "go after" Crosby when he has the puck. It's my understanding that that is the nature of the game...
A few other notes:
*I didn't win the Gary Roberts jersey!
*I only saw about 4 other Flyers fans in the entire place. WTF people?
*Therrien better sit Crosby on Sunday or I'll take him out myself!
*Iceburgh is the cutest mascot ever. The little stuffed one I bought won't stop smiling no matter how many times I drop kick it!
*The Pens store is waaaaaaaaaaaay better than the Flyers store. They have every single player tshirt! They even had Gill and Dupuis! It's a good thing I am not a Pens fan, or I would have spent about 300 dollars in there!
*Pittsburgh is slightly dumpier than it was when I was there 10 years ago. Especially downtown. I guess I have been in the suburbs too long!
Big game tonight. Let's go Flyers!
I'm not sure where you went when you were dahntahn, Kristin, but even though it's one of the slower-redeveloping parts of the city there are definitely some things that are better than they were ten years ago.
ReplyDelete(What you can see from Mellon is a different neighborhood and doesn't count. And even that area is slated for change what with the new arena and all.)
Sorry. Have to defend my city. :P
So now with the Flyers winning tonight and clinching a spot, are the chances of a bloodbath on Sunday lessened? I would say yes, but.....?
(And did you hear that Scary Roberts just *may* be back Sunday....?)
I think I had this idealized picture of Pittsburgh from when I lived there before. I really loved it there, and was surprised to see that I didn't love it as much anymore. Kinda like seeing an ex that you were madly in love with and realizing that maybe they weren't as cute as you remembered. It also didn't help that street sweeping hadn't started yet, and some of the streets in my old hood were in desperate need of it! It made things seem dirty.
ReplyDelete(And actually, uptown seemed less dumpy than the last time I was there!)
Also, I honestly think that my perception of Pittsburgh was colored by living in the suburbs too long. Even though I worked in Philly for five years, when I go there now, I'm kinda like "get this city ick off me now."
So it might just be a city thing!
I say with us clinching tonight, we both call up our AHL guys and let them duke it out while the big boys take a day off. If we both play our star guys, I say there will still be a bloodbath...there is just too much animosity between these teams.
I wish Roberts would come back for the game, although at this point I would continue to rest him for the playoffs. Seeing him in his suit and spiffy blue shirt at the game on Wednesday was the highlight of my night! It was a good thing he was on the other side of the ice, because he makes me swoon!
Creative calls by refs not occurring in the Wachovia Center? I wasn't aware that was permitted anymore! ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a safe trip and a good time at the game. However, I'm completely bummed by the awesome-ness of the Pens fan gear store report.
Perhaps the Flyers merchandising minions need to go on a field trip?
Nadine, the Flyers merchandising minions need to be fired and we need to be working there! You can do the ordering and I'll stock the shelves!
ReplyDeleteKristin -
ReplyDeleteYeah, I hear he does that to Ben Eager too! :P
Just don't look him in the eyes. At least not when he's on the ice. You won't survive.
Seriously, though, I think he wants to and probably will come back Sunday because he wants to tune up and I can understand not wanting your first game back to be a playoff game.
Hee, I'm definitely not a suburbs person (actually, I'm a lifelong East Ender who went to high school about 5 minutes from Murray Ave., so I think it's hilarious that you used to work in Squirrel Hill!) and I think Pittsburgh is a pretty good place as far as cities go, but I still find it funny that the new baseball park is so much nicer than Three Rivers, but the coming-out-of-the-Fort Pitt Tunnel view looked better when the concrete doughnut was there.
As for actual hockey, I guess we wait and see what Montreal does tonight to determine what Mad Scientist Mike Therrien cooks up for tomorrow....*whistle*
ds-
ReplyDeleteThe thought of Eager literally swooning at Roberts is just too funny. That fight was the end of Eager's career in Philly. Maybe after a few years in the Western Conference he will be able to come back without massive ridicule. okay, probably not.
Roberts looked good out there today (and not just from a swooning perspective). I love watching guys during warmups their first game back...they just skate and skate and try all these fancy turning moves to make sure everything feels right. He looked to be in playoff shape.
I love the east end, and lived most of my time there on S. Aiken, S. Fairmount, and Center/Centre right across from the Food Gallery. To me, that area is kinda suburb-y. Those streets do count as east end, right?
I was a bit surprised that Crosby was scratched, but I guess since Briere was out with his "lower body injury" maybe Therrien figured what the heck. It was still a pretty chippy game, with your guys on the power play for what seemed like a good 50 percent of the game. Not as much bloodshed as Wednesday's game, but I suppose that's fine.
Did you feel like the Pens put forth a good effort in this one, or do you think they kinda coasted? Are you stoked for your first round match up with the Sens? I'm scared to play the damn Caps...they have been outta control these past few weeks!