The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Detroit Red Wings last night 3-2.
It was the real thing - the coolest rivalry, the "playoff" atmosphere, the intensity coming off the tv screen and hitting you in the face like heat waves.
I'm still such a novice at watching, but once in awhile I have an epiphany that's so obvious to you all but, you know, I'm slow.
This game seems to be all about those little moments when a player gets a little room.
The announcers talk about it all the time - creating space.
It's like a couple seconds and a couple inches, but that's when the crazy stuff happens.
Last night Johathan Toews got about a half second of it and was juuuust about to break away when some Red Wing hooked him.
One of the announcers said, "Juuuust enough" of a hook - because the ref coulda called it or not, really.
But what it meant was a penalty shot for Toews.
Apparently these don't happen very often - it was only the second of Toews' career.
And watching, it feels way different than that crazy shootout thing they do if the game's still tied after overtime.
Lotsa guys get a chance in that situation.
A penalty shot in the middle of a game seems more like I don't know - a golfer going for the long putt with a million people around the hole watching.
Lotsa pressure.
Anyway, that "C" on his jersey might as well stand for "Cool", because cool as a cucumber Toews put it right through goalie Jimmy Howard's legs.
Then he did that leg lift arm swing thing and the crowd went hockey-kooky.
Had I been watching with the biggest Hawks fan I know, Bill Cimino, he'd have simply said, "The Captain."
I gotta learn to be cool like that when I'm watching, too.
"The Captain".
That's pretty awesome.
The Chicago Blackhawks are about as good as you can imagine, and last night...well, you just gotta watch, man.
The Cubs signed a couple Cuban prospects yesterday, pitcher Carlos Martinez and OF Yasiel Balaguert.
You can read about it here on MLB TRADERUMORS, which I find myself checking out about every hour lately.
They're also making a large deal out of the revamped Cubs scouting department with another couple ex-Red Sox guys named Kyle Evans and Matt Dorey. For lack of a better term, I guess Evans title would be "Boss of Advanced Scouting and Video".
So Carlos and Yasiel must have something that other scouts didn't notice?
Whatever, I guess "prospects" will be the name of the game with the new Cubs front office.
Lastly, I cannot believe tomorrow is 2012.
This is my 1,375th post.
Thank you all so much for coming by, and Happy New Year to ya.
Happy New Year, Tim! Thanks for another year of enriching my Cubs fandom with this blog.
I'm looking forward to the next year of Cubby Blue.
Posted by: Rich Beckman | December 31, 2011 at 08:26 PM
Happy New Year, Rich.
How come I have to start off by watching the Bears play the Vikings?
Ewww.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 01, 2012 at 08:53 AM
Happy NEW! Sure wish there was a game that was being played in a blizzard...Not Da Bears game. Yes, Captain Serious is pretty Cool. Very poised for a guy all of 23. When I was 23....Oy, I think I was a boot in the Navy....Tazer rules the world! Travis Wood is from next door in Bryant, AR, and all the locals can say about him are nice things. I'm pulling for him and if he turns out just a little like the other local boy made good, Cliff Lee, then I'm happy....
Posted by: Cire Ddot Nekliw | January 01, 2012 at 09:36 AM
Happy New Year, Eric!
Thats good to hear about young Travis, and may he turn out to be like Lee.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | January 01, 2012 at 12:09 PM