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Saturday, September 30, 2006

Burnside to Get Burned

Yes, this week was a tough one for the ESPN's hockey writer. I followed his column this week and things didn't get better for Scott. His ranking had no logic and you wonder, does this guy have a clue? Sometimes it was bizarre comments from nowhere; sometimes it was pure bashing. Let's take a look at 3 statements that our good friend Scott made this week.

1- The B's will finish 12th in the conference: Yes, of course. The B's will be mediocre this year and what's the reason for that mediocrity? Too many faces. Yes, after saying that the team add depth with Chara, Savard and Mara, good'ol Scott said that the team will not perform and will miss the playoffs. Funnier was the predicition of the Habs who will finish 4th with a less better team. Even, in Montreal, especially in the papers, the seniors sports writers place the B's before the Habs in the standing. You didn't have a clue Scott.

2- Lewis not good as it looks: In his B's preview, good'ol Scott said some very intriguing things about the new coach. Arguing that he' soft (yeah, we saw that Thursday when he skated the hell out of the players) and didn't find answers to make Detroit win. Ok. Let's take a look at it.

1- If i follow the same logic, Jacques Martin is a mediocre hockey guy. This guy took a pathetic Ottawa team and tranformed it into a contender. But Martin never won the big prize. Does it mean that all the work Martin did is non-existent. Look at Ottawa, this year. There's still pretty much in the ball game. I guess long term perspective didn't suit well good'ol Scott.

2- Lewis was for many years Bowman's assistant coach. Lewis had the chance, on a daily bases, to learn from the master. Learned all the little things to reach the next level and, finally, be a contender for the cup. At the end, winning a cup is about details. Execute the little simple things right and you will contend. I don't know for you guys but I won't discard a guy who comes from a winning organization like Detroit nor that I would mess with someone who had an extended teaching from Scotty. That was bizarre and poor evaluation of Lewis. Scott, a bowl of fresh air?

3- Savard hiring doubtful?: What happended here Scott? Did you get a bad service in a Beantown's restaurant? Why are you so negative about those signings. Once again, I will have to make it right for you.

- Savard was the best center avaiable this summer. Overpaid? Not a #1 centerman? Thank you to inform y we signed him. This guy will make that 2nd scorinus that Savard is a #2 centerman because that's exactly whg work and will play on the PP. Savard filled a need (#2 legitimate centerman) and, sometimes, you have to spend more to be able to fill that need. There was, at least, 5 teams who did make the same offer as the B's for Savard. Do it means that those teams are dead wrong? Of course not, they are not because they rely on people who works in hockey. Repeat Scott: 3-2-1, work in hockey. Good, now say it 100 times.

Really, this week, Burnside burned his credibility. I wish I could be the little bird on his window to see the logic behind those predictions. There's no way a serious hockey writer will make some comments as he did, not only on the B's, on teams without having fact to backup him up. I don't have the pretention to be an expert, not at all. I'm a fan who followed hockey for more then 30 years. But I have the pretention to look things for what they are. On paper, the B's have a really good team. So I will evaluate them on those statistics and see the result at then end. Montreal in 4th place. You really don't have a clue Scott; will you ever?

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I read him all last yeaar and often came away wishing I hadn't. He seems to live in a different Hockey universe than the rest of us, and he definitely has it in for the Bruins. I get the impression he would criticize them even after winning a Stanly Cup (he'd likely claim they didn't deserve it). Nothing short of new ownership will please him.

2:29 PM  

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