Every once in a while, even the finest sports blog reduces itself to a mess of testosterone and posts pictures of cheerleaders or swimsuit models. And hey, there's nothing wrong with that. We can all be serious about sports and talk X's and O's, but c'mon - there's always time for a little sex appeal. I've always believed in equality, and while I won't be posting any leopard print bikini-clad Gabe Kapler pictures any time soon, I will post this.



God bless baseball, the White Sox, and Ozzie Guillen.

Had the Flyers won last night's game in Montreal, it would have been the kind of game referred to as a "character win," meaning that despite some ugly play, the Flyers did what they had to do to get the win, even if they weren't the best team on the ice.

Instead, the Flyers' 3-2 overtime loss will be another example of how perhaps the Philadelphia Flyers, who have been terribly inconsistant so far this season, were not built for this new style of hockey. All night long, the speedy Canadians beat the Flyers to open pucks, and to be perfectly honest, we expected that. The Canadians are 7-2 so far this season for a reason, and it's no secret that the new wide open style of hockey greatly benefits their quick skaters. But what we didn't see coming was that the Flyers would be dominated one-on-one along the boards for most of the night. If the Flyers are blessed with anything this year, it's size and strength, but last night they failed to use either to their advantage. They were also dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 25 of 59, including only 4 of 16 in the defensive end. Still, despite such sloppy play, the Flyers led 2-1 after 40 minutes of play.

Tuned in to the TSN feed thanks to the miracle of DirecTV's Center Ice package, I watched Ken Hitchcock give a quick interview between periods. He broke down the final period as such: "Whichever team takes less penalties will win the game."

Apparently, Hitch forgot to share such insight with the players, who took the ice for the third period and proceeded to take five straight penalties. Tripping, hooking, interference, goalie obstruction, crosschecking; most, if not all, of these penalties were careless, and most likely a result of the Flyers' frustration with not being able to catch the quick Canadians. And so, the Flyers, the third worst penalty killing team in the league, spent the majority of the third period shorthanded. It came as no surprise, then, when the Canadians, owners of the 12th best power play in the league, capitalized halfway through the third period, tying the game at 2. Were it not from some superb goaltending from Robert Esche, the game would have been over then. But Esche looked like his old self, eating up everything that came near him and saving the Flyers from their own mistakes. He couldn't do it all on his own, though, and after two and a half minutes of Canadians-dominated hockey, Mike Ribeiro took advantage of a Flyers' defensive mistake and inevitably put the puck past Esche to give Montreal the win.

Bob Clarke seemingly made all the right moves this past offseason, signing Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher, Mike Knuble, Mike Rathje, and a slew of others. And certainly, several of them have been impressive thus far. The Forsberg/Gagne/Knuble line, despite a poor performance last night, has been electric. Esche appears to have returned to form, though he still struggles with controlling rebounds. Youngster Mike Richards has been impressive in his smooth transition from the Phantoms to the Flyers, and Michal Handzus continues to make plays around the net. Pitkanen continues to look more and more like the player we all hoped he would eventually become. The Flyers' penalty kill, tested so frequently, looked much better than in previous games, and a power play unit that has looked dismal all year managed two goals.

And so, the question must be asked. Was last night's performance simply the result of too many days off so early in a season following a lockout, and the general rustiness that comes with it? Or, was it proof that the Flyers, despite having an abundance of talent, aren't built for this new style of NHL hockey? Were the 11 Flyers penalties a result of their frustration at not being able to keep up with the much-faster Canadians? Are they having trouble adjusting to the new rules that completely prohibit the clutch and grab? Have they not yet discovered a way to be physically dominant without taking penalties? Are they still confused, as many players are, as to what constitutes a penalty these days?

Seven games into the season, perhaps it is a bit early to expect the new-look Flyers to have found their identity. Over the next few weeks they'll have quite a bit of work to do to become the team we all thought they'd be out of the gate, and it certainly won't be easy. But if they can adjust to the new rules and learn to play smarter, cleaner hockey, it will be well worth the wait.


More Notes on the Flyers/Canadians game:

*The Canadians announcers are, hands down, the best in the league. They called the game objectively, pointing out when the Flyers got a raw deal or when a Canadian deserved a penalty, and offered more insight into the game than any other announcing duo I've heard. Just another reason that the Center Ice package was worth every penny.

*Speaking of TSN's hockey coverage, there's a commercial running this season for Molson celebrating the return of hockey. It features random guys singing along to "What A Feeling" from Flashdance. It's the follow-up to a commercial Molson ran when the lockout was announced, featuring the same guys solemnly singing along to Culture Club's "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?" For the thousandth time, I have got to live in Canada.

*Attention Robert Esche. One word: rebounds. Learn how to control them. Thank you.

*How can anyone take Jose Theodore, the Canadians goaltender, seriously when he wears the number 60?

*I know the Canadians fans are supposed to be highly-intelligent hockey fans, because it's in their blood and all that. But why the constant booing last night? Every non-call on a Flyer, every call on a Canadian, every time something mildly significant happened, the Canadians fans erupted in a chorus of boos. I may have to watch more Canadians games to figure out if they're consistantly this unhappy when watching their country's national sport.

If Donovan McNabb was a Red Sox fan, this football season might be completely different.

Throughout yesterday's 20-17 win over the Chargers, McNabb showed that he is still very much limited by his sports hernia. The pain noticably limits his mobility, as well as his ability to throw deep. At this point, even the most stubborn and optimistic of fans have to believe what some of us have believed all along: those two weeks of rest would have been better spent recovering from surgery.

Two season ago, after the Red Sox won the World Series, Keith Foulke opted not to have surgery to repair the cartiledge in his knee. The decision proved to be the wrong one, as Foulke went 5-5 last season with an ERA of 6.23 and 4 blown saves before succumbing to surgery in early July and again in early October. On his weekly radio show, Foulke said that he regretted his decision to forego surgery in the offseason. "At the time, I felt strong and said, 'No, I don't want it.' Looking back, I wish we'd done it early."

Had McNabb opted for surgery after week 2 or 3, there's no telling what the Birds' record would be. But we do know one thing: McNabb would be well into his 6-8 weeks of rest and rehab, and the odds of him returning, healthy, for the last 5 or 6 games of the season would be good. The Eagles currently hold a somewhat misleading record of 4-2: how much worse could it have been with Detmer in the pocket?

Yesterday, on a day when Jim Johnson's stellar defensive game plan was perfectly executed, the Eagles were a blocked-field-goal-returned-for-a-TD-AND-a-recovered-fumble away from losing the game. On a day when the Birds held LaDanian Tomlinson to 7 yards on 17 carries - something which no one has been able to do all year - the Eagles offense was unable to generate much of anything. They got the ball inside the San Diego 25 yard-line five times and only came away with one touchdown. Their final first down of the day came with ten minutes remaining - in the third quarter! If we truly think that Koy Detmer couldn't have give us anything more than that, then he's stealing a paycheck.

Thanks completely to the Eagles defense and special teams, a major bullet was dodged yesterday. Jeremiah Trotter was incredible, Quintin Mikell and Sheldon Brown stepped up in a big way, and Jevon Kearse...well, he may not have fully returned to form, but I finally noticed him during the game, and that has to count for something. But the offense continues to be a problem, and say what you will about Andy Reid's penchant for passing, scoring points will be a problem until McNabb conceeds and has surgery.

If only McNabb was a Red Sox fan....

One year ago today, everything changed.




If you're like me, you'll start thinking about the White Sox/Astros matchup, and what is sure to be an incredible World Series, tomorrow. Today, all you want to do is relive last year.

Two Chicks Talk Stick and Puck


The New Face of the NHL



Kristen: I was just reading this week's issue of SI at lunch and there's a short but interesting article on Sidney Crosby (or, more specifically Crosby's first NHL goal), but it compares him to Gretzky, Lemiuex, Lindros and says the hype is equivalent to LeBron James. Anyway, it's an interesting piece.

My question, I guess, after reading that is, is the hype too much? He already seems like he's trying to single-handedly save the team (and re-energize the entire sport). Can we really expect that from an 18-year-old? When does it get to be too much?

Meredith: I haven't seen the article, but I'll look for it. Crosby is no doubt a huge talent, but I'm waiting a few years before I pass judgement on whether or not he'll be the next Gretzky. I remember when Lindros came into the league with the Flyers, and people were crowning him "The Next One" before he even stepped on the ice. He said it made him uncomfortable, and I don't think he dealt well with that kind of hype. He was a spectactular player to watch for those first few years, straight through to his MVP year. I mean, he was absolutely electric on the ice. But then came the head injuries, the personal problems with the Philly front office, and the problems with teammates, and eventually he went to the Rangers. Most people who didn't get to watch him play every day consider him a bust, but that's not even close to accurate. His points-per-game when he was with the Flyers was incredible. He's proving right now in Toronto that he hasn't lost it...he's a hell of a player. When people crown a player "The Next One," they're assuming there will be zero injuries, zero personality problems, zero off-ice issues. But casting that kind of hype on a 19 year old kid, you're guaranteed to be disappointed.

That said, I understand why Crosby is being hyped as such. The NHL needs a savior, and Crosby is it. The game needs to pulled out of the ground, and with new rules and new-look teams, it's almost perfect to be able to flash the baby face of an 18-year-old kid who you can compare to Gretzky, isn't it. Still, when you strap the future of an entire league on the back of a teenager, shouldn't you expect him to stumble a bit along the way?

That raises another issue: that's the trouble with the hype machine - it brings the attention and expectations to Crosby NOW, instead of maybe 5 years from now, when he's really coming into his own. Americans have very little patience, very short attention spans - that's a fact. So many casual fans (the ones we're using Crosby to attract to the game) expect Crosby to look like Gretzky this season, so when things start to unfold and they realize that this is just a kid who needs a few years of work to improve his game at this level, they become impatient, they feel they were lied to. Is that really beneficial to anyone?

After I got home from my soccer game on Friday night, I watched a TIVO'd version of the Flyers/Pens game. Crosby obviously has a touch around the net; that much is obvious. But the one thing I found most interesting was his play at the other end of the ice. He made a couple of bad plays that led to Flyers goals, and afterwards, he looked extremely frustrated and a bit lost. I think he's feeling the pressure to prove himself and live up to the hype right away, and so he is focusing on his offense and as a result, letting his defensive play suffer. I don't think any of that is particularly troublesome, given his age, and given the fact that if there's anyone who can mentor him right, it's Mario Lemieux.

(And it frustrates me when people say that Crosby is the most hyped player since Wayne Gretzky. Helloooooo - how could you have forgotten Eric Lindros so soon? He was on the cover of The Hockey News when he was sixteen years old, three years away from even playing in the NHL. You called him "The Next One" - are your memories really that poor?)

Kristen: I think you make really good points. Particularly about the comparison to Lindros (which the article also mentioned). And it said the same thing, Lindros wasn't comfortable with the attention, which, at least in part, led to problems.

Also, there was a comparison to LeBron James, in terms of level of hype. The difference is that James was going into a healthy league with a solid fan base and good TV revenues. Crosby is supposed to Save Hockey. It's a bit different. Especially considering that most people at least understand the basics of basketball. Not everyone understands hockey. It often looks like complete chaos. And yeah, you can tell if someone is talented if they're constantly on break aways and scoring 8 goals a game but it's like you said, what about the times when they don't have the puck or aren't skating for a score?

SI also made reference to Crosby needing to work on his "middling face off skills" which is valid. I mean, Mario Lemieux scored his first NHL goal on his first shot of his first shift of his first game. So Crosby's already behind. I think the team needs to be cognizant of the fact that he's going to put an immense amount of pressure on himself because everyone has annointed him the savior of hockey. I think they need to let him know that he doesn't have to do everything. Because that kind of pressure would destroy him.

Meredith: That LeBron James comparison is a great point. It is completely different to be expected to save an entire sport. If LeBron had a good year, but not spectacular, would people be so quick to give up on him? I don't think so. Because, as you pointed out, people understand basketball. They understand that it takes a year or two, maybe, to grow into your own. With hockey, it's different. It's expected to all be automatic, because most people have very little knowledge of how different the NHL is from the college, junior, or European levels.

[Kristen sends me the article via the miracles of email and a Sports Illustrated subscription.]

Meredith: That's a fantasic article. It raises lots of interesting points, but this is the most telling:

"Greatness isn't decided at 18," he said last Thursday. "You can't say a player's good until he's played 10, 15 years in the league. Great players are the ones consistent year after year, the ones who win championships."

That kid is wise beyond his years. Eric Lindros arrived in Philly as a fresh-faced 19 year old kid. He was immediately made Captain and expected to lead the team to a Cup. Crosby's situation, luckily for him, is a bit different. With Lemieux as his mentor, and guys like Recchi and LeClair to help guide him, he'll be just fine.

3 minutes and 59 seconds.

That's how long it took the Flyers to exact revenge on Darcy Tucker for the dirty hit he put on Sami Kapanen in the playoffs two years ago.

From that point on, sadly, it was all downhill. The Leafs controlled play for most of the game, a result of sloppy play and a handful of unnecessary penalties on the part of the Flyers. The Leafs dominated the Flyers along the boards and did a better job at controlling the puck and creating scoring opportunities. The Flyers appeared to start clicking halfway through the second period, when they cycled well down low and created dozens of good scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, they couldn't push the puck past backup goaltender Mikael Tellqvist, who did a fantastic job of keeping his eye on the puck and controlling his rebounds. With a couple minutes left in the period, the Flyers' top line of Forsberg, Gagne, and Knuble took the ice and refused to return to the bench without a goal, which they finally got when Gagne put the puck in the back of the net to tie the game at two. The third period featured a piss-poor penalty killing unit and mediocre goaltending as Esche, who left far too many juicy rebounds in front of the net, was badly outplayed by Tellqvist. The Flyers dropped to a 1-2 record after the 4-2 loss capped off by goals by rookie Kyle Wellwood and former Flyer Eric Lindros.

Three games into the season, Hitchcock has a lot of work ahead of him. Their power play looks anemic, to say the least, scoring one goal on 19 chances so far this season. Their penalty kill, which has allowed 5 goals in three games, has been overwhelmed as the extended offensive zone and increased number of passing lanes seems to be too much for them. The offense has sputtered as, thus far, only the Forsberg line has generated any significant scoring chances. And then there's Esche, who has looked nothing like the goaltender who took the Flyers to game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago.

Another worry with a young team in this new age of the NHL is that because the game is so much more fast-paced, decisions must be made more quickly, and odds are that a young team will make more mistakes. For that reason, it's crucial that Esche be solid in the net to save the Flyers when mistakes are made. So far, he has failed to do so.

On the bright side, it was the third game of the season, most of these guys haven't played hockey at this level in 16 months, and a certain period of adjustment is to be expected. And yes, this Flyers team is exceptionally young, and these guys have only been playing together for a few weeks, so surely we weren't expecting perfect chemistry overnight. Right?

Now that was a game.

When Bartolo Colon winced in pain after throwing his final pitch of the game in the second inning, Yankee haters everywhere figured it was just another little bit of Yankee luck. But that was before Ervin Santana.

The 22-year-old came in for Colon and looked shaky early, but ended up pitching 5 1/3 innings to earn the win. Thrust suddenly into a crucial role, Santana looked more like a seasoned veteran than the inexperienced young rookie that he is. From the moment he took the mound, his young baby face became that of a chisled warrior, his eyes reflecting a confidence beyond his years. After walking three and giving up a 2-run single and a 1-run sac fly in the second inning, Santana gave up just one hit in each the third, fourth, and fifth innings before pitching a 1-2-3 sixth. He left the game to a standing ovation in the seventh after allowing a homerun to Derek Jeter and getting A-Rod to ground out.

Every Red Sox fan's favorite Angel, Orlando Cabrera, called Santana the team's "secret weapon."

Looks like the secret is out.
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Another highlight of last night's game for Red Sox fans, and Yankee haters, everywhere was the continued failure of Alex Rodriguez in the postseason. Granted, the Yankees early exit from the playoffs does not lie solely on the shoulders of the purple-lipped wonder. The Big Ugly pitched a horrible game on Friday night, Matsui went 0-for-5 last night, leaving eight runners stranded, Mussina pitched poorly in the clincher, and Gary Sheffield's bat was silent for much of last night. But it should be noted that in the five games against the Angels, A-Rod went 2-for-15 for an average of .133 without a single RBI, capping it off by grounding into a double play in the ninth after Jeter had reached safely with a single. He also contributed a crucial error in Game 2.

And this is the guy who is going to win the American League Most Valuable Player award over Big Papi/Senor Octubre/David "I'll bail your sorry asses out again" Ortiz?
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Also, file under: "shaudenfreude is German for Yankees Suck":

The one thing I had hoped to see yesterday at Texas Stadium was for Terrell Owens to catch a pass in the endzone and celebrate by shitting all over the Cowboys' beloved star. I mean, literally dropping his pants and defecating all over their turf. Sure, it no doubt would have resulted in some ugly fines and a terrible mess, but given the insufferable cockiness of Cowboys fans that I've been forced to endure since I moved to Dallas, it would have been worth it.

Instead, the Eagles collectively shit the bed yesterday afternoon in their 33-10 loss to the Cowboys, a game that was over before I even made it to my seat.

The Eagles are now 1-4 in games before their bye week since 2001, and the lack of mental and physical preparation they have exhibited in the early parts of the last few seasons struck again yesterday. Slack can be cut, perhaps, for Donovan McNabb, who was clearly hurting out there. But isn't it his responsibility to do what is best for the team? And can't one argue, at this point, that the best thing for the team is for Donovan to have surgery immediately?

While the offense sputtered, the defense struggled. For the 5th game in a row, Jevon Kearse, who needs to focus on force instead of speed, was invisible. The pass rush was awful, allowing Bledsoe all the time in the world to linger in the pocket. They came out unprepared and failed to adjust during the course of the game as the Cowboys exploded for 456 yards. Where was the blitz? Where was the pressure that the Eagles are known for creating?

With two weeks to mull over the team's numerous flaws, the front office must be held accountable, first and foremost, for refusing to spend money to make this a tougher, deeper team. Corey Simon was allowed to walk after he refused the team's franchise tag. Ike Reese was allowed to walk - straight over to rival Atlanta. McNabb (bruised sternum, sports hernia), Dawkins (ankle), and Trotter (quad) are beat up. Jerome McDougle was shot in the stomach in the offseason during a robbery attempt and never replaced. David Akers is out with a torn hamstring, Darwin Walker is out with a thigh injury, and Paul Grasmanis is on the IR. Artis Hicks tweaked his ankle yesterday and LJ Smith suffered a lower ankle sprain on his first catch of the 1st quarter. Normally, that might just be called bad luck. But with the Eagles front office currently sitting $12.6 million under the salary cap, it reeks of bad karma. The Eagles front office is notorious for refusing to give key veterans the money they claim to deserve. Sometimes they're right, but occasionally, like in the case of Corey Simon, they end up hurting themselves just to prove a point. When you refuse to spend money to add depth, you're tempting fate, and in a sport as physical as football, it seems like incredibly poor planning.

And then there's the issue of a running back. The front office seems to think that finding a big, strong running back is of low priority. Westbrook, who has become more effective as a receiver than rusher, is a small, quick runner, and would be complimented nicely by a strong running back. But not only has the front office refused to address that need, in fact, they've done the complete opposite by refusing to give Westbrook a new contract.

Two years ago, the Birds went out and spent big money on Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse. The result? A trip to the Super Bowl. This past year? They said goodbye to Hugh Douglas, Corey Simon, and Ike Reese and failed to sign Westbrook. The result? The Eagles head into the bye week at a disappointing 3-2. How much longer can the front office sit on their hands?

"Most of the time people are really friendly. People say nice things," Deanna Favre said of Green Bay. "It could be worse. We could be in Philly or somewhere."

Shh...what's that? Oh, wait, I think...yep - your husband just threw another interception.
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"This is a crazy group of guys," Kevin Millar said. "Backs against the wall? Our backs are scraping the wall and we're almost on fire. But it is what it is now. We're either going to win three in a row or we're going to watch the World Series at home. It's as simple as that."

You know what else it is as simple as? Nine homeruns and 29 extra base hits in 449 at-bats. You suck, dude.
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"I just think there's a code of honor when so much is on the line," said the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez of Buck Showalter's decision to pull Young, Blalock, and Teixeira from the final game of the season against the Angels. "You hope people do the right thing, but you can't control what people do. It is what it is."

Seriously? Are you high? You guys lost 10-1 that day after deciding to start Jaret Wright instead of Mike Mussina. Oh yeah, and you went 0-for-3. When it comes to slapping like a girl, empty numbers, and being an overall douchebag, you have an unquestionable level of expertise. But when dealing with such things as "codes of honor" and, you know, clutch hitting, you'll probably want to step off the soapbox and leave it to someone a bit more qualified.
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"Hockey is back. So is flu season. I see no need to celebrate either. Flyers fans ought to be ashamed of themselves. There's nothing that shouts "Bush League" more than an entire crowd dressed in team colors. Where were your pom-poms? You looked like team mothers blindly cheering on your little darlings at a Saturday morning soccer match." - Frank Fitzpatrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer

What, exactly, did hockey do to you? Why the hostility toward a sport you clearly don't watch. I think someone needs to get laid.

This is a great time to be a sports fan: hockey is just beginning after a year-long drought, we're right in the thick of the football season, and perhaps most excitingly, the baseball playoffs are underway. Yet, for some reason, I've had this nagging feeling for the last week and I can't shake it. I've tried to keep it hidden for fear of being misunderstood. I've tried to ignore it and convince myself I feel otherwise. But the truth of the matter is: I don't want these playoffs to happen.

What happened for Red Sox fans last October was probably the greatest playoff run any of us will ever be a part of, and it's not just about winning the World Series. There was The Steal, Papi's many game winning heroics, Tim Wakefield's selfless move to the bullpen, Derek Lowe's performance in all three clinching games, the A-Rod glove slap, the bloody sock, and of course, the amazing comeback in the ALCS. From start to finish, the entire ride was magical, and the odds of us ever seeing anything as exciting and enjoyable as that again are slim.

Frankly, I'm not ready for those memories to fade. I'm not ready for those playoff memories to be replaced by new ones. The further forward you drive, the further away those images in the rearview mirror become. For now, I'd prefer to stay parked and just enjoy the scenery a bit more.

People speculated that Red Sox fans would be lost without their misery once the team defeated the Yankees and won a World Series, that we'd lose interest in baseball and the team almost immediately for a lack of something to complain about. In fact, it's just the opposite: I'm not ready to say goodbye to that 2004 team yet. Last October, we took that oft mentioned Red Sox misery, stuffed it in a bottle, and threw it out to sea. At the time, we thought we'd never see it again. But as these playoffs start, as a playoff team that barely resembles that of last year takes the field, we realize that the bottle has washed ashore and now lies at our feet. To be perfectly honest, I'm not quite ready to pick it up.

* * *

Last night I passed up the chance to sit nervously on the couch flipping back and forth between the Red Sox/White Sox game and the Flyers/Rangers game to attend the Dallas Stars' season opener against the LA Kings. Ordinarily, the playoffs and my hometown team would have come first, but this was opening night of the sport I love more than any other, and there's nothing quite like being there in person. (Plus, they were giving away mini Stanley Cups at the doors of every arena in the league last night as a 'Thank You' to the fans. If you think I won't be doing shots out of mine come playoff time, you're crazy.) As we made our way to our seats, the lights went down and the players were introduced. There was a buzz in the air typically reserved for playoff games, and I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up a bit. I've always been a sucker for the beauty and atmosphere of a hockey game. Had I been in my seats at the Wachovia Center, watching the Flyers take the ice, there's no doubt I would have been a foutain.

And then, with the fans still on their feet, the puck dropped. Down 4-0 almost immediately, the Stars spent the remainder of the game kicking the Kings' asses all over the ice and stormed back to win 5-4. In the old NHL? Impossible. Last night? It happened all across the league. As for the new rules, the majority of them will be huge improvements. The larger neutral zones and legality of the two-line pass made offensive explosions more abundant, and the crackdown on obstruction made for a more free-flowing game. But, the increase of goals does leave me longing for one aspect of the game that I always enjoyed. In the old NHL, because goals were so hard to come by, every goal mattered. Watching a playoff game with the score tied with 10 minutes to go in the third period, you knew that the next goal was crucial. Will that tension and anxiety be gone? Will it be replaced by a new tension and anxiety, caused by the idea that no game is ever over until it's over? We'll have to watch to find out, and that's something for which I could not be more excited.

Finally.

16 months ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the depleted Philadelphia Flyers in seven grueling games, bringing an end to the most amazing six weeks of playoff hockey I'd ever seen. What followed was a combination of greed, misjudgement, and the necessity to solve a problem that had existed for far too long, as the NHL became the first professional sports league to cancel an entire season as the result of a lockout.

Now, after months of watching and rewatching our VHS tapes of old playoff games, it is time to lace up the skates, tape the sticks, and drop the puck once again. But as we keep an eye on the clock and count the hours until tonight's games, we remember that our team, our league, our sport, has a completely new look.

1: The rules. The two-line pass is gone, tag-up offsides is back, and a shoot-out will be employed to determine the winner of tie games. The clutch-and-grab and infamous Trap style of defense that so effectively won the New Jersey dEVILs a Stanley Cup, while simultaneously sending hockey fans away in droves, will become virtually extinct as a result of tougher obstruction calls, removal of the red line, and a smaller neutral zone. (For an easy to understand run-through of the new and improved hockey rules, check this out.)

2. The league. After players and owners agreed upon a new CBA, teams had to readjust their lineups to fit with the new salary cap structure. GMs quickly cut big name players with big money contracts as they scrambled to sign guys who would keep them under the new low cap. After more than a year away from the ice, the face of the NHL looks significantly different; the Thrashers and Senators swapped Hossa and Heatley, Roenick is in LA, Recchi and LeClair are in Pittsburgh, Lindros is a Maple Leaf, and Peter Forsberg is finally a member of...

3. The Flyers - Stick a pin through my fingertip, and you're sure to find a drop of orange tinted blood. Sure, I love the Eagles, I adore the Red Sox, and I have a special spot in my heart for the 76ers. But there is nothing quite like the Flyers. I went to my first game when I was 6, and can remember doodling the names of my favorite Flyers' players in my notebook, practicing the spelling of names like Poulin, Propp, Zezel and Tocchet. I dressed up as a Flyer for Halloween and wrote a letter to President Regan asking why women weren't allowed in the NHL (For the record, I was not, even at age 8, satisfied with his response: a White House picture book.)

As I grew up, my friends changed, my tastes changed, and my hobbies changed, but the Flyers were always right there with me. Every year from 1988 until 1996, I attended the Flyers Wives Fight for Wives Carnival, seeking autographs and posing for pictures with players like Brad Marsh and Mark Recchi. My sweet sixteen birthday party was a suprise party at the restaurant in the Spectrum after a Flyers game, a table full of glossy eyed girls watching curiously as I bounced with excitement as Mikael Renberg walked by. Fittingly, the year I graduated from high school, the Flyers went to the Cup finals. If all had gone according to plan, I would have gone straight from the ceremony, still in cap and gown, to the Spectrum for game 6. (The Flyers, who were swept in 4 games, had other plans.) For my 18th birthday, my first away at college, my parents had a cake decorated with a Flyers logo delievered to my dorm room. My 21st birthday was spent at a bar watching the Flyers defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of the conference semi-finals. On my 25th birthday, my friends told me we could spend the day any way I wanted. And so, we sat in my living room, eyes on the TV as the Flyers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in an important playoff game.

As time has passed, my passion for the Flyers hasn't changed, though the team has. There have been loads of different coaches behind the bench and different players to wear the "Flying P" emblem, but never before have there been as many changes in such a short peroid as there were in the past few months. Gone are longtime favorites John LeClair and Mark Recchi, two players who have personified the Flyers for years. Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte were also moved, making room for Derian Hatcher, Mike Rathje, Mike Knuble, Jon Sim, Turner Stevenson, Brian Savage, and Peter Forsberg. The Flyers also have a slew of highly touted rookies (Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and Antero Niittymaki) that helped the Flyers minor league team, the Phantoms, skate to a championship while the NHL was locked out.

Though many agree that the Flyers are, on paper, an clear favorite to skate the Cup come June, anything can happen in the next nine months. That's why, this morning, our palms were wet with anticipation, our hearts beating faster with nervous energy. The next nine months will be filled with wicked slapshots, crisp passes, and lightening fast glove saves. Goaltenders will stand on their heads, defensemen will sacrifice their bodies, and centers will fight through piles of bodies to put the puck in the net. No one knows who will be the one team left standing after every game has been played, but there will be plenty of heart-stopping, mind-boggling, brilliantly executed, beautiful plays along the way. Tonight, as the sun begins to drop and the sky begins to turn from blue to red and red to black, hockey will be played in arenas across North America.

Finally.