Just About Fed Up

I mean really, who isn't fed up with the Devils by now?  They've played 16 games and only got their 10th!!!! point of the season tonight.  That's a disgrace for such a high and proud and historically successful franchise.

Yes, I know there have been injuries.  But this team was under-performing before the main injuries took place.  Unless you're going to sit there and tell me that Bryce Salvador and Brian Rolston are the main #1 components of this team and with them our record would be flipped.  Yes, they did play better tonight.  They scored 4 goals.  They also allowed 4 goals and lost in a shootout.

This season sucks so far if you're a fan.  I went to about 12 games last season at The Rock.  I've been to only one so far with tickets for one more.  Any more than that, who knows?

It's been a long summer

So it finally seems as if the longest, most in depth summer in Devils history is about to come to a close.  They open up their season tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars at the Prudential Center.

Once again the playoffs were an utter failure.  Second season in a row that they could not win a series and had to watch the final couple of rounds from home, or the golf course.  But then July 1st rolled around and anyone who follows the NHL knows that the Ilya Kovalchuk saga gripped the sport with an iron fist and only now may be letting go.  In the end, the Devils end up with arguably their greatest offensive weapon in franchise history, and that's all that matters.

Having a top line of Parise, Zajac and Kovalchuk can reek havoc on opposing defenses and goalies for the season.  But we all have to question how the third and fourth line, as well as the last defensive pairing, will shape up since Sweet Lou put the team in such a tight financial situation.

They'll be alright.  I'm confident of that.  Maybe a bit of a slow start to the season; rookie coach and all.  But when push comes to shove, just remember, who the goalie.  That's right, Mr. Martin Brodeur.  He's only missed the playoffs once since 1994.  That's a lot of success.  They'll be in the playoffs.  They'll be fighting for Lord Stanley's Cup.  But how deep will they go in that fight?  We'll find out come spring.

My guess?  Eastern Conference Finals.

Let's start with the 'Ehhhh... Luke, luke warm'

The New Jersey Nets.  I'll start right off the bat by proclaiming I am not the biggest basketball fan on this earth and I'm probably less of a NBA fan.  However, I am a sports fan and with the Nets practically being in my backyard growing up, I figured I might as well cheer for them.

Wasn't able to do much cheering during the 90s with this team.  Then, all of a sudden, the blockbuster of a trade that results in Jason Kidd coming to down changes the entire dynamic of the team and organization.  Holy heck, they start winning!  And in some cases, dominating!  I would call it dominating, since they reached the NBA Finals in back to back seasons... damn you Spurs and Lakers for being better.

But as with most things in life, good things must come to an end.  A jerk of a man, Bruce Ratner, purchased the team, decided that he wanted to relocate the franchise to Brooklyn, forced management to get rid of money (read: Good Players), and the team tanks.  I meant it when I said I was a luke warm fan of this team.  In the 2008-2009 season the Nets were poor and came no where close to making the playoffs so I no real desire to watch them the following season.  It ended up being a great call on my behalf as the Nets went 12-70 last season and I hardly watched.

However, a new season is almost upon us and guess what?  I'll be there, Opening Night, at the Prudential Center (the Nets new, stop-gap home for two seasons before the Brooklyn move) watching this new and young Nets team open their season against the Pistons.  Why?