All-Purpose Hockey Thread II

That is a TREEE-MENDOUS line. I'm considering stealing it for my sig.

 

Last season, you thought he was better than Jesus. What, oh what, could have happened to make you change your mind? [/dripping with sarcasm]

 

I know the sarcasm font is on, but I still can't back away from it.

Apparently his wife has him by the balls for one reason or another, that's why. And since he's not even willing to deny any of the rumours ... What's the old cliche about smoke and fire? He did something mid-season to piss her off, they apparently had a house started in Edmonton that they stopped building half way through. I don't think it's necessarily the city she doesn't like. Maybe its a certain person of the female persuasion she wanted to seperate from her 6'6" bitch? that's all I'll say, because That's all I got.
And the Anaheim Fucks comeback with 16 seconds left to tie it and then win in overtime. Son. of. a bitch. glad I didn't shell out money for that, had to work anyways.

 

Two points:

One, doesn't he owe it to his family to be happy? If they're not going to be happy in Edmonton, why should they stay?

Two, why does he or his family have to give credence to a rumor? There's no proof Pronger had an affair, just rampant speculation.

 

I am someone who has always believed family comes before work, but he's never said his family wasn't happy there. Not once. That's just the direction some have taken his "For personal reasons" comment as. With as many people as there are saying his family wasn't happy in Edmonton, it would have been easy enough for him to quantify that by saying so. I think it would have taken some heat off of him, especially with his high road remarks about himself enjoying the city (in fact I think at one point he even said that the City wasn't the issue, that they had no problem with the city). He knew what he was getting into with Edmonton, he knew what the city was about when he signed his five year $31.5 million contract. He has played in the league for what 10 years before he was traded to Edmonton? plus he played with Doug Weight, Grant Fuhr and Craig MacTavish during his years in St. Louis - you think they never talked about what the city was like? He was treated like a king there, and I have a hard time believing his family was treated any different, especially with the support structure among the Edmonton Oilers players and their families. I simply have a hard time buying that argument. His wife leaving him mid-season and not even coming back around for any of the playoff run I think speaks more for other personal conflicts.

Two, the other way he could end the rampant rumours, if that is all they are, is to flatly deny any truth to them at all. I don't think denying them publicly would bring any shame to his family, and it would at least be in the public record as him denying it.

To me there is just something shaddy about the whole thing.

 

But why does he need to put his family in the middle of a shitstorm? If his wife wasn't happy--and we don't know if she was or not--that's going to take precedence over everything. Why should he trot his wife out in front of the Edmonton and Canadian media and have her answer why she doesn't like the city? Just to appease a city's fanbase?

If he answers the rumor, he gives it credence. And it wouldn't die. Someone would say, "You know he banged her."

 

Leafs dealt goalie Mikael Tellqvist to Phoenix for Tyson Nash, described by Kevin McGran of the Star as being "from the Darcy Tucker school of in-your-face yapping." He'll play for the AHL Marlies.

Wonder if McGran knows that Nash and Tucker go WAY back -- they played junior together in Kamloops, B.C., where they and Ryan Huska became only the second, third and fourth men to play for three Memorial Cup championship teams.

 

Isn't Pronger's smirk permanent?

I'd disregard his reaction, but her line was idiotic. Isn't she an NHL reporter in Edmonton? No way she hasn't "met" him before.

WHY was she sent to cover the newser? They're just rumors with no proven truth, but her name has been mentioned. Doesn't that make her the news? And yet she's covering it?

 

Couple things:
He owes an answer other than "no comment to the fans who pay for tickets, because that money then pays his salary. Pronger got $31.25 for five-years, but the Oil got him for a season (yes, a successful one). You also all forget the Oilers traded THREE defencemen for Pronger: Eric Brewer (Olympic team member), Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch, both good prospects.
I'm asking Pronger to bring his wife to the podium, but if she's the reason you wanted out, say so. I think all fans would be happy with that.

As for Chorely:
She worked for Edmonton's A-Channel at the time of the initial accusations. Click this link: http://www.christiechorley.com/ to read her statement denying the affair. However, she does say "I DO NOT KNOW CHRIS PRONGER PERSONALLY. I have only interviewed him as a part of a large media scrum. I have never had a one-on-one conversation."
Still, I'm sure he knows who she is, so there was no need for her cheesey introduction the other day.
Back to the A-Channel gig. I found it interesting that when the channel made cuts shortly after the NHL season ended, she was one of the FIRST reporters to be let go (coincedence? who knows?). But that's how she ended up on the Score.

On Ryan Smyth:
How refreshing was it to hear him "man up" last night during the post-game. He accepted full blame for both goals (tying and OT winner). That man may be ugly, he's a goddamn hockey god. It was great to hear him accept blame and answer questions on the plays. He didn't mince his words. It was great.

 

Kings fans I was around on Monday at the game against the Devils were crying about their team not getting Pronger. Oilers fan just need to deal with it, too. The quicker you fans realize most guys aren't about loyalty anymore, the sooner you'll get over it and move on. Baseball will induct Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken in the HOF next year and being a one-team guy means a lot. But those days in sports are LONG GONE.

 

Never expected him to stay the rest of his career with the Oilers, however, you should at least beable to expect him to stay more than one year after signing a five year deal with the club and being treated like a god during that year. His imediate trade demand at the conclusion of the season was a slap in the face to an entire organization, it's fans and the city. He owes more than a no comment.

Best sign of the night read something like this: The gap in your story is bigger than the gap in your teeth.

Very fitting.

 

Flames retiring Mike Vernon's number in February. Not a bad choice for only the second number ever retired by the club ... but there may have been other names I would have picked first.