It's Alive

- Posted in Randomness

Shea Weber’s beard was interviewed before and after the Preds’ 1-0 loss to Vancouver in Game 1.  I cannot express how much I want Nashville to win.  Not only do I hate the Canucks (especially now, PTSD!) but we need more time for this to reach its full potential:

I can’t seem to link to the Preds TV interview, but you can find it on the homepage of NHL.com.  They too are fascinated with the beard.

A beard is an excellent accessory for looking disappointed or frustrated.  It’s got gravitas, right?  Pretty soon it’ll be moving into a bunker in the Canadian wilderness, stocked full of canned goods and ammunition.

Backstrom Takes Your Calls

- Posted in We Love, We're Mental

Again with the emotional imbalances – I can barely see to type because of the tears.  I don’t know what this is.  But that hair.  Chuck, I think Nicky B wants to replace Bry(i)an in Westlife.  And is that purple icon supposed to look like a phone?  Is that what phones look like in Sweden?

I need there to be a whole channel of just this.

My Only Hope

- Posted in Pants Loves, Playoffs

Rest up.  You’re the only thing I have left to live for in the playoffs.

shhh, greenie's sleeping.

PS: Internet FTW.

Adopt-A-Cause.

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Playoffs, We Believe

I feel your pain.

I really do. I was there last year. My caps went out in the first round. This was me last year. But I lived through it. And you will too.

I'm serious. Wipe the F*** chocolate off your face and get up! YES - YOU!

You are better than this and your men need you. Maybe not your team but there are others out there in the trenches fighting, that need adopting temporarily at least until the end of the season. And this is YOUR SPORT. This is Hockey and a drought is coming – need I remind you? SUMMER … NO HOCKEY? At all? So pull yourself together, go back through the blog and pick a team, a man, SOMEONE, adopt-a-man, adopt-a-cause – put a stamp on it and make it YOURS and work it sister. Because come June, we are all going to look like the above so no getting a jump on things now!

Five reasons you should ADOPT-A MAN-CAUSE-ANYTHING-RIGHT-NOW-FOR-THE-LOVE-OF-HOCKEY:

1. What else do you have going on? I mean really? Seriously. Tell us. Because we would know. NOTHING. Huh. So? what are you waiting for? If you need suggestions. We have some.

2. There are some very ELIGIBLE men available for ADOPTION. Shea Weber. Mike Fisher. The Sedin Twins. No, I am not joking here. They have an awesome sense of humor and mad skills. Joe Thornton. Patrick Marleau. Oh god did I just write that? Tim Thomas. Henrik Zetterberg. Mike Modano. Brian Boucher. Milan Lucic. Andrej Meszaros. Martin St. Louis. Steven Stamkos. Mike Green. See, I’m not even asking you to support you-know- who because I know you will from the closet and that’s OK!

how could you not support this?

3. THERE IS NO CRYING IN HOCKEY. EVER. Except if you’re Sean Avery and really, do you want to join that club? Screaming, breaking things, punching objects and being sad pandas, OK. We except that.

we'll even give you a cyber-hug.

4. If you ‘accidentally run into’ and by ‘accidentally’ I mean ‘accidentally on purpose stalking them’ –  say, Kris Letang or MAX TALBOT or Jonathan Toews, do you really want a badunkadunk butt or muffin top (even though that’s the best part of the muffin!) from all the chocolate, bon bons and cupcakes you ate? Wouldn’t you want to be in your fabulous best shape EVER?!

well hello there, come here often? wanna see MY stanley cups?

5. IT’S HOCKEY. YOU LOVE IT. WE LOVE IT. IT’S NOT OVER – YET. YOU ARE NOT A QUITTER. WE BELIEVE.

So let's kiss, make up and move on!

And lastly, whether we all like it or not, as Sean Connery said in HIGHLANDER, “There can be only one.”

my what fancy wear and BTW - pants LOVES your hat!

Penguins, Take a Bow

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves, Playoffs

I woke up this morning to find that yesterday did indeed happen.  The worst 24 hours of my sports life have left me pretty devastated, but my coworker and fellow hockey fan Gator left this on my desk:

Delicious homemade Rice Krispy treat heals all.

Fortified on sugar and sympathy, I feel strong enough to write something.

It’s been quite a year for me and the Penguins.  I traveled to Anaheim, Atlanta and New York for Pens games.  I made my poor dad drive 12 hours round-trip to Buffalo on Thanksgiving eve for a Pens game.  We invaded the ‘Burgh for a VIP all-Pens weekend.

On top of that, there was HBO’s 24/7.  You all know what that did, because almost all of you felt it.  Caps fans, Pens fans… I don’t care who you like (or if you like both, we’re all traitors turned here).  That series gave this game something it never had before.

Then Crosby went out.  And Malkin.  And you would have thought the sky was falling in on the damned NHL the way people carried on.  But the Penguins manned up and got it done.  What other team faced the loss of 50%+ of their fire power and still finished 4th in their division?  Racked up 106 points?  The Penguins had the 2nd most regulation wins in the NHL this season with 49 (5 behind Vancouver).

I could go on for ages, but I already have.  See posts on Max Talbot, Kris Letang, Tyler Kennedy and Jordan Staal. Sure Tanger went almost as long as Crosby without a goal, but what about Michalek and Asham putting up points?  Production came from every corner.

In the end… ugh.  The Pens let this one get away a little.  I hate to say that but when you’re up 3-1, you should win.  So this early summer leaves me feeling bitter and unsatisfied.  But in October, we’re getting the band back together and you’d better watch out.  We’re coming for you.

I’m proud of the Pens.  Hard work doesn’t always pay off and it’s not always enough just to want something so badly.  But never giving up is always worth it.

Look On The Bright Side.

- Posted in Epic Fail, Playoffs

Not how I wanted the season to end really.

If there is one. Last year, Kris Letang took the opportunity to take a long vacation and recharge his batteries. And given the ice time he had this year and the current situation with standing, he deserves one. And what does Kris Letang do on long vacations? He goes to hot, tropical locations. Get where I’m going with this ladies? Which means NEW SHIRTLESS PHOTOS of Mr. Letang. So it’s not a complete loss. Really. Maybe. Ya think? Trying. Here. Helping? Not really. OK. I tried.

No answer.

- Posted in Playoffs

Pants is not home today.  Maybe tomorrow.

If You're Going To Go There, GO THERE!

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Playoffs

This is what you can buy on shop NHL.COM.

boring but ok.

This is what you SHOULD be able to buy at shop NHL.COM if I ran the circus. Just sayin.

thank you, thank you very much.

The Real Reason Pants Moved To The East Coast.

- Posted in Pants Loves, Randomness, We're Mental

Pants moved to the East Coast to offer some super secret special advanced therapy to Sidney Crosby. While it has been touted as highly effective and credited to his quick recovery,  Sidney has become addicted. And quite honestly, who wouldn’t.  Several other Penguins have signed up for the therapy and Pants is contemplating quitting her day job and opening a special clinic. I’ve obtain secret video of her therapy sessions with Sidney. And let me tell you, it’s not pretty but extremely effective. Thanks Pants for taking one for the team.

We're Coming for You

- Posted in Pants Loves, Playoffs

It’s confirmed that Sidney Crosby will not ride the white zamboni onto the ice tonight for Game 7.  I needed to see this in writing before I gave up the hope.  That said, the Penguins are going to rock.  I am getting really excited to speed home from yet another work event in time for the puck drop.

Can I get a witness?

For inspiration, I invite you to enjoy Max and Flower guest-starring on a French-Canadian TV show called “Les Boys.”  I can’t understand what they’re saying, but I’m pretty sure they’re on a date when this goes down.

There’s also this.  It sums up how I feel about what’s going down in the ‘Burgh tonight.

Sorry Guys But …Too Much Gloom and Doom!

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Hot Like Fire, Playoffs

I couldn't love you more at this time ... but if you win, I will!

I was on a road trip with some girlfriends this weekend so I wasn’t able to get this post in right away but here it is: my happy dance at the Capitals winning – winning – ALL WINNING!

It’s good to be a Capitals fan right now. So I am going to revel in that for the next day or so. And leave you with The King of King’s AWESOME of AWESOME-EST’S back-handed smackdown cross-over slap shot drop-it like it’s hot – oh NOVI-DIDN’T!

Worry Warts Invade WUYS HQ. Solution: Your Magical Mojo.

- Posted in Playoffs, We Believe, We Love

Habs beat the Bruins last night to force a game 7…tonight.

Pens face-off against the Lightning in game 7…tonight.

*merp*

Needless to say this is a very stressful day in the WUYS office.  Not even a breakfast of warm toasty bagels and whipped cream cheese courtesy of Intern Jeff Skinner could make us feel better.

Intern of the Year.

We’re worried.

Worried that tonight, two of our beloved teams will be eliminated from the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion.  I, for one, don’t know if my heart can handle it.  I don’t want it to be like 2010…or 2009 again for the Bruins.

And Pants – who knows what she’ll do if she can’t see this anymore…

We’re worried that our praise-filled posts will come to an end and that our fans will be deprived of all our awesomely funny and clever musings.

We’re worried that we’ll have to find another team on which to lavish our hockey love.  Frankly, we don’t want to.  We’re not ready to give up just yet.

Dawn is all up on us to cheer for the Capitals.  She tried to win us over by sending us photos of Ovechkin in his man thong.  Hun, it ain’t working.  Not to say that we won’t cheer for the Caps.  Eventually, we might (we do love Mikey) but we don’t even want to think about that just yet.

But like the good Red Sox fans we are, we believe.

And we need you to believe too!

So to all of our loyal readers out there, we are asking you to please send all your good vibes, positive thoughts, magical mojo to the Penguins and Bruins tonight as they strive to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.  Call your hockey prayer circle ASAP!

It’s time to rally ’round the family…with pockets full of goals!


Almost Heroes

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves, Playoffs

The Blackhawks’ game seven, 2-1 OT loss to the Canucks last night was absolutely heartbreaking.  It was also an incredible hockey game.

Alex Burrows scored just 2:43 in, and that goal would stand for almost the entire night.  Every Canuck player seemed 10 feet tall at times – the Hawks couldn’t go through or around them, and they were getting hit from all sides.  Vancouver had 3 shots on a penalty kill while the Hawks had none with the man advantage.  But Chicago kept coming: always scrappy, always giving everything.

Corey Crawford was an actual miracle in net.  If you could win the Conn Smythe in a single game, Crawford and Ryan Kessler could have sawed in it half.  Game 7 was like an endless boxing match and I felt beaten.

With 5 minutes left in the third, the hairs on my arms were standing up.  I could feel the electric charge building and something was going to snap.  At 18:04,shorthanded, on a second attempt nearly laying on the ice, Jonathan Toews scored the tying goal.

This actually makes me cry.  He willed this to happen – with all of our help this puck went in the net by sheer force of will.  Jonathan Toews has the heart of a lion and I will fight anyone who questions his place as captain.  I could see the “History Will Be Made” commercial, taste the champagne.

But luck, you are a bastard.  The Hawks were lucky to make the playoffs.  They were lucky to make it to game 7 and lucky to make it to overtime.  I was hoping luck would hold out just a few more shifts.  But in maybe the perfect metaphor for their 2010-2011 season, the Blackhawks just couldn’t quite get there.

The had a very rough start to the year, like their 3-0 record to start this series.  In the second half, they came on huge like they did to make this series 3-3.  Right at the end of the regular season, when it was within reach, the Blackhawks couldn’t get that last game to clinch.  Someone else’s loss was their gain.  And that’s where this playoff story had a different ending.  Chicago had more guts in Game 7 than they did at any single moment all season long.  Just because it didn’t happen doesn’t mean they didn’t earn it.

So Chicago is out.  But after a very long season that fought back at every turn, at least they went out like Champs.

If you really want more…

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves, Playoffs

I’m a mess today.  Crushed over the Pens loss last night but SO PSYCHED for the Hawks game because it is ON in Vancouver!  I will definitely need an office dance party today (in my Toews shirt).

I read a quote (which I can’t find now) that said over the last 3 games, Vancouver hasn’t been facing the Chicago Blackhawks.  They’ve been facing the defending Stanley Cup champions.  Well whoever said that, I’ll give you an AMEN.

more of this please

True, Vancouver had a strong hold on play in Game 6.  A lot of the OT was spent in the Hawks end and Corey Crawford was holding down those hatches.  But it was never going to be easy.  And game 7… oh the ultimate test.  My heart is racing.

not my office.

Taking it to the Limit

- Posted in Newsies, Playoffs

Last night watching the Pens game, I was all…

Listen, Stamkos.  I wanted you to have some luck.  Not spend the whole 3rd period with your helmet off trying to convince us it’s okay if we have to see you for another round.  We are impervious to your blond-ness.  You didn’t even do anything last night and I am still ignoring the notes you pass in homeroom.

If you don't, JTown, I will.

This makes me want to hip check someone.  It was right there and… UGH.  But we are here.  We can do this.  (What are the chances that Crosby’s putting on that lucky cup right now and getting ready to hit the ice tomorrow night?  You’ll have to lock him up tomorrow night to keep him in the suite.)

be strong. have faith.

Now to get out of my work plans for tomorrow night so there’s no one to see the way I’m acting.

Tazer Cats!

- Posted in Playoffs, Tazer Cats, We're Mental

Game 7 vs. the Canucks…

In Vancouver…

We’re going to need bigger cats.

This Week's Play-Offs Are Brought To You By The Letter "D".

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Intern Jeff Skinner, Playoffs

I sent our intern Jeff Skinner to interview JR for some play off wisdom, since there is still a restraining order out against me!


I know what you’re thinking, I’m going to pull the obvious word out my butt, but not yet. I’ll get to Letang and dreamy Mike Green and someone else in a second. But first up, Jeremy Roenick has been harping on the first word, DISCIPLINE. Coming from JR, it conjures a couple of thoughts because we all know and love the great JR.

Ah .. not that "D" ut JR is your reading...

OK. lost my train of thought, DISCIPLINE, yeah. That means not taking bad penalties, sticking to the game plan, not letting the other guy lure you into a fight (Drew – see another “D” that’s actually a two-fer) so the other team scores two goals while your fabulous ass is sitting in the penalty box or get into your head – oh say, Luongo, while you give snotty interviews after the game. I never had much respect for you in the first place, but I’m glad you showed the world what a class act you are when you give an interview telling everyone that your back-up is just as you good as you! SRSLY? Patrick Roy would NEVER had said that. In fact, when his team was down, he told them not another puck would get in, and it didn’t.

Capt. Come-Back!

And that brings me to DESIRE. If you don’t have any, it will show (Luongo). As much as I may not like Capt. Serious, he certainly has it in spades as well as all the Blackhawks. So do a couple of other teams who’ve come back from major deficits to make a real go in the play-offs – Boston and Tampa Bay to name a few. You just can’t get wrapped so tight that you can’t see straight. As Obi-Won Kenobi said, “Use the force, Luke.” He didn’t mean, “Bend and Snap!” That’s for us!

WUYS play-off dance routine! Get ready girls. I feel a flash mob at Letang's house!

And what eventually wins Lord Stanley’s Cup? DEFENSE as the Capitals are finding out. That’s where all the hotties are from Letang, Green and Doughty. Two of the three are still into it win it. The last, I’ll be sitting on his lap, feeding him 4X4’s from In-N-Out Burger and sipping Diet Cokes.

DD - double defensive threat but needs some 'discipline'! naughty boy!

MG52 - patron saint of sensible footwear - at least in public!

for once, i'm not looking at his face!

Lastly, making the DREAM come true. How many of these guys have dreamt of holding the cup over their head? From backyard ponds, streets, local rinks, with their friends, brothers. Making their sisters play goalie as they pretend to re-create iconic goals from past Stanley Cup play-offs as they dream of being Gretzsky or Orr or May making ‘the goal’ and then running around the neighborhood.

Beard, Still Here

- Posted in Newsies, Playoffs, We Love

The Nashville Predators advanced to Round 2… and the beard lives on.  Shea Weber’s beard is the top ranking search term around here every day.  The Foxy Friday alum has also been nominated for the Norris Trophy.  That’s a pretty badass few days.

Chuck Norris eats trophies for breakfast.

They join the Red Wings and Capitals in the waiting room to see who they’ll play next.  Nashville (#5) is the only team so far to upset a higher seed (Ducks were #4).  It’s also worth pointing out that both Chuck and I picked the Preds to win this series, because we’re clearly in charge of everything.

Sorrs, Perr.

I went to a Preds game back in their first season (I am that old) and had a great time.  Brand new arena, almost no one knew what was going on.  It’s great to see Nashville becoming a serious hockey town and getting so behind their team.  Phoenix could only dream of this.  Here’s hoping they face Detroit in the next round, because it means San Jose and Chicago both won.

Just because I'm still as giddy as a kid hopped up on marshmallow Peeps…

- Posted in Chuck Loves, Playoffs, We Love, Well OBVIOUSLY.

Just because I’m still smiling…

Hoping it’ll last…

We’ll find out tomorrow…

Marchand NOSE how to celebrate.

HAPPY HUGS FOR EVERYONE!

Timmy, you complete me.

Mikey Monday: Tough Love

- Posted in Bromance, Mikey Monday, Newsies, Pants Loves, Playoffs

You know in A Christmas Story, when Ralphie shoots his eye just like everyone said he would?  Well Mike took another shot to the head on Saturday.  I swear he’s magnetic.  This dinger actually knocked a few screws out of Mike’s helmet… [video]

I'm breaking dishes up in here all night...

Our immediate Mike Green Prayer Circle seemed to work though – he was back on the Caps bench before long, though he didn’t play.  Boudreau said he was fine, and we believe because we want to.  Washington advanced to Round 2, so Mike will have a few extra days to sleep this one off.

taking a bow

And Round 2 means we get to see more great hockey.  But really it means more of this epic bromance, which is quickly overtaking all others (even Toews/Kane).  These two are like Jack and Rose and they’ll never let go.

We are best friends forever and ever and ever. And ever.

Hi Nicky. It's me, Jay Beagle. You seem nice. Can we be friends too?

Uh, Nicky, it's lunch time. But you're busy. So I'll just go alone. And eat both halves of my sandwich too, that I was saving for you.

But Mike makes the best sandwiches. And shares his Diet Coke. What have I done? Hey Mike, wait up!

It's just you and me, Nicky. Don't ever forget.

Dawn, Mr. Cherrie and I all cried laughing at that last photo.  Somewhere a tiny crab is leading a cast of swamp creatures in an animated song encouraging these two to just SWAK already.