Offseason game thread- shed your salty tears
- Thread starter Dummy Hoy
- Start date
pretty much the same here. Mostly I was upset because the ride during the year was so much damn fun and I felt bad for them. 10 years ago I probably would have broken something after the game. I was pissed and grumpy for about 10 minutes then watched Seattle-Colorado. Now mostly I'm just really tired.
I'll still watch. I just turned 50 and don't have much else going on in my life really so what else am I going to do. And I'll still get anxious during the games and swear when they do something dumb. But feels like the days of days long anger after losses are over. And I suppose that's a good thing.
I haven't had pot in probably 5 years. Might be longer, time doesn't mean anything anymore. I started to get pretty bad panic attacks after smoking and that was pretty much the opposite of what I was looking for and wasn't much fun at all so I stopped. I keep thinking about going someplace and talking about low THC or just CBD or whatever but hasn't happened.
The highs aren't as high and the lows aren't as low. Part of that is my teams (outside of BC) have won everything in my conscious lifetime. Part is I'm older and have more responsibilities on my plate. I also remember after they won in 2011 and thinking "that's it?" as if I was expecting some epiphany and that didn't come. I'm not perfect but the loss the other day rolled off my back. And I'm happy it did because my infant doesn't give a shit (yet) the next morning. I still know and spend more time than I should on sports but I've removed some of the emotion out of it for my own sanity.
What's a fair price per gummy (5mg, say)? The last time I regularly imbibed, the cost was the energy it took me to walk across my dorm to the other bedroom + occasionally picking up the tab on food & beer so I am in the dark on cost.
I'm in NJ, so just trying to get a general sense. Here is an example from my nearest dispensary.
I'm in NJ, so just trying to get a general sense. Here is an example from my nearest dispensary.
My 2 year old is finally recognizing sports and absolutely loves it. We're a split Bruins/Rangers household, but I so very much enjoy teaching him what's going on in the game when he's able to see them (mostly afternoon games at this point). We got mini-sticks and nets so that we can play in the house. He loves being the goalie. He loves hockey, football, basketball and baseball. I can't wait until he gets older and starts playing on his own. I want to get him into hockey so badly.
I pay around $20-25 for a 20 pack of chocolate edibles that are 5 mg a pop. I love the seltzers too (Levia) but they are expensive at about $7 a can for 5 mg.
Highly recommend the below if you can find them.
https://millybrands.com/double-baked-cannabis-infused-chocolate-cheesecake-edibles/
The ones I usually get are 100 mg total for $40 - $50. Sectioned into 5 mg doses. Goes a long way for me.
Maybe you should write a book about how to dial down sports fandom to a manageable level...................
Here I am two days later and I'm still torqued off, in a shit mood, trying to run my business and get ready for a show in PA this weekend, yet all I can do is replay aspects of that series in my head over and over and over............."Start Swayman in game 6 OR stick him in when it was 4-4/don't fuck with lines in game 5/somebody, anybody clear the puck in the last minute of game 7/McAvoy, get your fucking stick out of Swayman's way on the shot that tied the game/Pasta, shoot the puck 3cm more to the left and we win/Marshy, you GOTTA put the puck in the net at the end of game 5/that stupid fucking hand pass that wasn't a hand pass/someone please knock Tkachuk on his ass instead of letting him camp out at the top of the crease time and time again."
I just can't fathom how this team let Ullmark play through an injury for 6 fucking games that limited his mobility when you had a 1A sitting on the bench.
Like Dryden standing on his head, that will haunt me for a long, long time.
The fact that this thread has become a self help & THC guide says a lot about what the Bruins just managed to (not) accomplish.
I was more upset after Game 6 than I was after Game 7. After Game 6, I slammed my fist down so hard on my granite countertop that my wife thought I knocked over a chair. I've gotten a lot better over the years. After Game 7, I was just in a catatonic state for an hour or two sitting in my chair wondering what the hell happened. I'm mostly upset because I can't watch this team anymore. I was really looking forward to watching games outside as the weather got warmer.
A short story as to how far I've come with sports anger: I was in college at the time and decided to tape the Aaron Boone game. After the game was over, I was so mad that I decided to take the tape outside and not only smash the tape into pieces but run it over with my car.
As the father of a 11 year old goalie, my advice to you is get him out of the net now while you still can. There is literally nothing more stressful than watching your kid play goalie.
The Bruins have underachieved more then any Boston team. The Red Sox may have stomped on our hearts more but they rarely underachieved. So many times the B's were the favorite and disappointed us.
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I'm firmly in the "mehh, shit happens" category these days. I did shut my TV off in frustration and was emotionally spent for some time that night, but I bounced back from it a ton quicker than some others ('03 Sox & Scottish Game). There were plenty of times if the puck had bounced this way or did this, we wouldn't be having these conversations. I think I've just finally come around to realizing that in sports (unless there is an insane talent differential) you can't expect to just win everything (and even then you still have weird outliers Michigan App State). So much of it is just "luck". Some of it was poor play, but I think a lot of that can be attributed to they picked the exact worst time to have a norovirus bug rip through their locker room (except they didn't chose that it just happened).
I'll always be disappointed that they didn't cap off an insane regular season, but it's just the way playoff hockey flows.
I'll always be disappointed that they didn't cap off an insane regular season, but it's just the way playoff hockey flows.
Which would explain why they looked a step slower than Florida all series long and ran out of gas in the third period in games 5, 6 and 7.
Here is my most optimistic take (I've had alot of pessimistic ones, but y'all have done a good job with that). Assuming that Bergy is not beyond spinal repair (and the same for DK), I think there is no way the two of them think "this is the way to go out." If we are collectively angry, can you imagine how they feel? They know they could win it next year. If they are healthy, my bet is they are back. Yes, Orlov and Bert are probably gone. But I expect that we will be pleasantly surprised by Lohrei and Lysell (maybe even Harrison), even if its later in the season. And I expect Sweeny will pull a rabbit out of his hat come trading deadline. We might well pull a TB next year and win the cup. It's possible. Let's not snuff out hope, even after this debacle.
Per Ty Anderson, Pasta hurt his shoulder on the first shift of the first game and was playing through it all series.
Took 48 hours off from sports, finally tuned into the Sox tonight just in time for the 5th inning. Great.
I tried to get my hands on some gummies/edibles for game 7 (would be a first timer), but my sister in law didn't come through and I have no idea how to track some down in Arkansas on my own, so alas, I will likely not be joining the rest of you.
I have never felt as bad after a loss as I did Sunday night. Not in 2003. Not after the Scottish Game. Game 6 in 2013 is pretty close, but that all happened in about a minute. We got to watch this train wreck unfold over 5 days. I have got to figure out a way to make it matter less.
I tried to get my hands on some gummies/edibles for game 7 (would be a first timer), but my sister in law didn't come through and I have no idea how to track some down in Arkansas on my own, so alas, I will likely not be joining the rest of you.
I have never felt as bad after a loss as I did Sunday night. Not in 2003. Not after the Scottish Game. Game 6 in 2013 is pretty close, but that all happened in about a minute. We got to watch this train wreck unfold over 5 days. I have got to figure out a way to make it matter less.
I'm not even close to being over 2019. That Cup was on a platter. That hurt the most for me.
This shit has been happening every season. Annoying as hell.
So pretty dang healthy and magically within 1 game + 1 shift two of their best offensive players got seriously hurt? Indeed, sounds like par for the course. (Not seeing anything on Pasta here)
The B's never had a lead in either 2013 or 2019 with a chance to close out the series (they were never even really tied either aside from the first period of 2019). I think that's what makes this series loss so gut punching. They went to OT in game 5 with a chance to close; they had a one goal lead twice in the 3rd period of game 6; and another one goal lead in the 3rd period of game 7 before going to OT. I mean what are the chances given those scenarios that they lose all 3 games. 1 in 1000? Obviously they were still miles away from the Cup so it might be less painful on that level. But talk about "on a platter". The series was over.
So despite my initial feelings, I decided to watch hockey last night, Panthers/Leafs, still love the sport, specifically playoff hockey.
All I heard was the Panthers being ballwashed as a result of them winning the first round series, so and so did this, so and so did that, so and so was the hero of the series, blah, blah, blah.
Switched over to the Red Sox.
Then went back to watch the second game; the speed at which those two teams were playing at makes the Bruins look like they were skating in cement.
And I don't want to hear about injuries; these guys take a pounding, plenty of them are dinged up at this time of the year and it's only going to get worse as time goes on.
Seems like after every playoff failure, injuries after the fact are blamed.
The blame lies in that locker room; their inability to finish killed them, period, they had a chance in OT of game 5, had the lead twice in the third period of game 6 and had the lead with under in a minute to go in game 7.
They could not finish, so they sit at home.
All I heard was the Panthers being ballwashed as a result of them winning the first round series, so and so did this, so and so did that, so and so was the hero of the series, blah, blah, blah.
Switched over to the Red Sox.
Then went back to watch the second game; the speed at which those two teams were playing at makes the Bruins look like they were skating in cement.
And I don't want to hear about injuries; these guys take a pounding, plenty of them are dinged up at this time of the year and it's only going to get worse as time goes on.
Seems like after every playoff failure, injuries after the fact are blamed.
The blame lies in that locker room; their inability to finish killed them, period, they had a chance in OT of game 5, had the lead twice in the third period of game 6 and had the lead with under in a minute to go in game 7.
They could not finish, so they sit at home.
Marchand even had a chance to finish the Panthers before they even got to OT of Game 5. Ugh.
2019 was worse, though, and I'm still not over it. I may never be. I think 2019 was the point after which my emotional investment in sports will never be the same.
2019 was worse, though, and I'm still not over it. I may never be. I think 2019 was the point after which my emotional investment in sports will never be the same.
Over a week since this team was eliminated, and I still can't believe they're not still fucking playing. Losing to the Leafs would have been disappointing but at least understandable. What the fucking fuck.
Yup, still pissed off here as well. Doesn’t help that the Celtics are cheesedicking their way through the playoffs either.
The bottom line, a week later, is that they choked. They simply couldn't handle the pressure of being the SC favorites after a historical regular season.
I have no desire to see or hear Donnie and Cam's presser this week. There's nothing they can say that will put lipstick on this particular pig. Better to hide their heads for a few months.
I have no desire to see or hear Donnie and Cam's presser this week. There's nothing they can say that will put lipstick on this particular pig. Better to hide their heads for a few months.
Does it make anyone here feel *any* better - even a teeny tiny smidge - seeing Florida wipe the ice with the Leafs, indicating that probably they were actually a really good team rather than a typical 8 seed?
Likewise, I'm still upset here as well. They pushed all their chips in this year and they fucking blew it.
While there's no guarantee the Bruins would similarly go up 3-0 on the Leafs, and I'm sure the ECF wouldn't be easy either, but holy shit. The Leafs look quite mortal, and the goaltenders on the Metro side of the bracket are having a tough time.
I place the blame squarely on Montgomery. Yes it sucks that the top two centers and Vezina-winner goalie were injured, but this team had the depth to weather those setbacks. Games 3 and 4 proved that with Bergeron and Krejci out. Every Cup winner faces adversity at some point, and yea it's a bummer to deal with it right out the gate, but they needed to find a way to win there.
I just can't make any sense of Monty's decisions. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind many of them. He "goes with what worked" by choosing Ullmark to start Game 5, despite pulling him out of the previous game early due to injury. In the very same game he throws an ailing Bergeron back in and shuffles the lines up for good measure, despite the Bruins dominating Game 4 with Coyle and Zacha stepping up. So much for "going with what worked."
Then he goes with Ullmark again, sticks with him even though he was clearly laboring through Game 6 and refusing to pull him. All the while the 3rd overall best goalie in the league by GSAE/60 was ready to go on the bench.
And yes, the All Star defense corps coughed it up all series, but you know what else a coach can also do? Help his players be their best. His talk to them after Game 2 seemed to set them right for a couple games, maybe run that by them again. Maybe adjust the breakout scheme to give your defense easier options. We were told that the players played tight because Cassidy would bench them if they made a mistake, so what went wrong here with Monty?
I think my biggest issue is Game 7. They finally got the lead and then ceded possession to Florida not too long after. Given the Panthers' offense, they were bound to score eventually. The best way to defend against them is to maintain possession, but the Bs stopped skating. And it carried over into overtime, where it looked like they were killing a penalty the whole time, hoping and praying for a clever breakout pass that would catch Florida off-guard. It never happened, and once again, giving an offense like that extended possession was ill-advised.
From what I hear of him, Montgomery seems like a good person. But as a coach, I think he's sorely lacking. I just don't think he has the tactical chops. The power play had an issue with zone entries for over half the season, a problem which never got fixed even in the playoffs. (The power play was overall pretty good in the Panthers series, but there were still times where it killed their momentum.)
A lot went wrong, which is why Monty's decisions became all the more important. He failed.
While there's no guarantee the Bruins would similarly go up 3-0 on the Leafs, and I'm sure the ECF wouldn't be easy either, but holy shit. The Leafs look quite mortal, and the goaltenders on the Metro side of the bracket are having a tough time.
I place the blame squarely on Montgomery. Yes it sucks that the top two centers and Vezina-winner goalie were injured, but this team had the depth to weather those setbacks. Games 3 and 4 proved that with Bergeron and Krejci out. Every Cup winner faces adversity at some point, and yea it's a bummer to deal with it right out the gate, but they needed to find a way to win there.
I just can't make any sense of Monty's decisions. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind many of them. He "goes with what worked" by choosing Ullmark to start Game 5, despite pulling him out of the previous game early due to injury. In the very same game he throws an ailing Bergeron back in and shuffles the lines up for good measure, despite the Bruins dominating Game 4 with Coyle and Zacha stepping up. So much for "going with what worked."
Then he goes with Ullmark again, sticks with him even though he was clearly laboring through Game 6 and refusing to pull him. All the while the 3rd overall best goalie in the league by GSAE/60 was ready to go on the bench.
And yes, the All Star defense corps coughed it up all series, but you know what else a coach can also do? Help his players be their best. His talk to them after Game 2 seemed to set them right for a couple games, maybe run that by them again. Maybe adjust the breakout scheme to give your defense easier options. We were told that the players played tight because Cassidy would bench them if they made a mistake, so what went wrong here with Monty?
I think my biggest issue is Game 7. They finally got the lead and then ceded possession to Florida not too long after. Given the Panthers' offense, they were bound to score eventually. The best way to defend against them is to maintain possession, but the Bs stopped skating. And it carried over into overtime, where it looked like they were killing a penalty the whole time, hoping and praying for a clever breakout pass that would catch Florida off-guard. It never happened, and once again, giving an offense like that extended possession was ill-advised.
From what I hear of him, Montgomery seems like a good person. But as a coach, I think he's sorely lacking. I just don't think he has the tactical chops. The power play had an issue with zone entries for over half the season, a problem which never got fixed even in the playoffs. (The power play was overall pretty good in the Panthers series, but there were still times where it killed their momentum.)
A lot went wrong, which is why Monty's decisions became all the more important. He failed.
I feel slightly better. Then again I wasn't hit too hard by the loss so baseline of feeling shitty wasn't high. I also think the calling for Monty's head is extremely short-sighted but don't feel like getting into it here.
I was over it in 24 hours. I also had kind of prepared myself for it. Hockey playoffs are different and as I've mentioned before there's a lot of luck and randomness that you need to go your way. You can assemble the best team on paper but beyond that a lot is in the hands of the hockey gods. Even as a historicly good regular season team that broke some models they were only about 15-20% to win the whole thing. They were always far more likely to flame out than win it all. In the context of history, the Presidents Trophy winner more often than not doesn't win the Cup. Even 8 seeds beating 1 seeds is not all that unusual (8 seeds were 8-22 when they didseed 1-8 prior to the current WC system).
The biggest regret is they had multiple 1-goal leads in the 3rd period in games 6&7 and couldn't close one of those periods out.
The biggest regret is they had multiple 1-goal leads in the 3rd period in games 6&7 and couldn't close one of those periods out.
My biggest regret I just can't see them getting another similar great chance at the Cup with a powerhouse team again in my sports lifetime. Yes shit happens, but they kicked away a Cup run in the most careless, brainless, choking way possible, and the team is facing a tear down and might not be remotely competitive again for many years. 2010 was horrible but more or less the same team returned in 2011; if Bergeron retires, these guys are getting scattered to the four winds and won't ever be the same again.
I simply don't see how they recover from that any time soon.
I simply don't see how they recover from that any time soon.
I'm still irrationally angry about it, and I still want Monty fired. That fact that he hasn't at least been called to the carpet for what amounts to coaching malpractice is just another dig that the front office has zero accountability. I get i'm probably being irrational. Arguably one of the biggest choke jobs in NHL history masterminded by a guy who was obviously so out in front of his skis' then promptly throws his goaltending coach who's been responsible for 3 Vezina winners under the bus instead of owning that he screwed up is just infuriating to me. Coaches have been fired for less.
This is why I'm having so much trouble getting over it. And mainly the fluke goal that tipped off of McAvoy's stick with a minute to go. I was allowing myself to believe that it was over. Obviously, no guarantee of anything, but at least it would have gotten us another couple of weeks, worst case.
I have only felt better in the sense that I tried to mentally excise the memory of the series out of my brain as much as possible, only to occasionally wake up in the morning remembering Marchand's breakaway or that we played an obviously injured goalie for no reason or that our best player hurt himself playing a meaningless game or that our best D-man inanely put his stick in the way or that this was probably the last best chance for the next 5 years. It's the unforced errors especially. And now getting to watch (not really watch but see the scores) the team we should have handled wiping the floor with another team we would/should have handled is not helping at all. The only thing that could possibly lessen some of these feelings is if the Celtics can take home the trophy but even then it will be bittersweet and I know not everyone is a basketball fan and doesn't even have that possible outlet. The only real solace is that it was the 1st round and there was still such a long way to reach the mountaintop. But even that is bitter because it just reminds me of how bad of a choke this was on a grand historic scale as one of the best regular season teams in the history of the sport.
I do think that in the long run, the Finals losses are and will feel immeasurably and persistently worse. You have maybe a top 5 worst non-call in NHL history leading directly to the winning goal in a critical game. The G7 home no show (which is probably completely different if Marchand picks a corner when they came out buzzing). The refs completely changing the tenor of the series because Berube cried on TV.
Even 2013 despite being 'dogs in that series. Should have taken G1 at least. So many posts. And I still hold it in my heart that they would have won that series if the Yeti had come over sooner and been fully integrated with the team instead of being a total break glass in case of emergency guy in that series. FUCKING DAUGAVINS.
The Patriots are a good example of this. I'm sure tims4wins can fact check me here but I believe the 2010 Pats were statistically one of the better teams of the dynasty and definitely one of the best all-around Pats teams NOT to at least make the SB during the 20 year run and they totally gagged a division round matchup against the fucking Sanchez Jets featuring a number of baffling plays that just torpedoed their chances. As brutal as that loss was, it doesn't hold a candle to the 3 Super Bowl losses or even the AFCCG loss against the Colts which was for all intents and purposes the Super Bowl.
I do think that in the long run, the Finals losses are and will feel immeasurably and persistently worse. You have maybe a top 5 worst non-call in NHL history leading directly to the winning goal in a critical game. The G7 home no show (which is probably completely different if Marchand picks a corner when they came out buzzing). The refs completely changing the tenor of the series because Berube cried on TV.
Even 2013 despite being 'dogs in that series. Should have taken G1 at least. So many posts. And I still hold it in my heart that they would have won that series if the Yeti had come over sooner and been fully integrated with the team instead of being a total break glass in case of emergency guy in that series. FUCKING DAUGAVINS.
The Patriots are a good example of this. I'm sure tims4wins can fact check me here but I believe the 2010 Pats were statistically one of the better teams of the dynasty and definitely one of the best all-around Pats teams NOT to at least make the SB during the 20 year run and they totally gagged a division round matchup against the fucking Sanchez Jets featuring a number of baffling plays that just torpedoed their chances. As brutal as that loss was, it doesn't hold a candle to the 3 Super Bowl losses or even the AFCCG loss against the Colts which was for all intents and purposes the Super Bowl.
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That's part of the reason why this stings so much. I allowed myself to say, well at least this series is over. Unreal.
Correct that team was a wagon, at least on offense. Their defense was a front-running turnover machine. Overall they had one of the higher DVOAs of the era. That loss absolutely fucking sucked. I think if they never won again we'd dwell on it more. I agree the 2006 loss was more painful.
Unfortunately, this B's squad is not likely to win it all for a while, so this may haunt us more and more as time went on.
I'm trying to think of an equivalent. Maybe kind of if the 2007 Pats lost in the divisional? I guess it's more akin to if the 2018 Red Sox went down in the first round. They didn't set records, but it was clearly the best team of our lifetime, a total juggernaut from day 1 all the way through September.
Let’s not forget that had the Penguins not lost back to back games to end the season against the 30th and 31st place teams in the NHL, the Panthers wouldn’t have even made the playoffs. I can’t even think of an equivalent in sports. Kemba UConn??