Home Forums Discussions Problems DEEP THOUGHHTS by Walter Handy

Yes I saw that Flyers Logo and reply just this evening as a matter of fact. And NOW it all makes sense. To anybody who doubted that he may have been rude, offensive, inappropriate and in need of a Match Penalty, Game Misconduct like penalty, this entire "Flyers Fan" thing speaks louder than a thousand words to any true NHL hockey fan.

You see the Filth-adelphia Flyers have been known since the early to mid 1970's as the dirtest and rudest, most head hunting, intent to injury and cheapshot team in the league, nick named "The Broad Street Bullies"; I kid you not. Google Andre "Moose" Dupont, Dave Schultz, Bobby Clarke, and their coaches from those times too... Philly is the worst rink in the league for an oppenent and not because they are simply loud and supportive, they are the poster child for obnoxious, rude, even prejugdice, literally Collisum like Blood Thirsty fans. And the managment has for years been drafting and imposing a will of not simply strong and hard work hockey but cheap and dirty, Bully and Intimate hockey too.

Any of us other normal hockey fans of almost any other team in the league find it hard to really understand the mindset of the average Philly fan or players. It never cessess to amaze me when time and time again they start trading around for more goons and more knuckle men, which then keeps us east coast teams at a competitive disadvantage because we too always feel a need to have at least one or two halfway skating Defenders and Fighers, Goons ourselves to protect ourselves and go toe to toe with the kind of teams that the Flyers have continued to try and put together for at least 30 years now.... Meanwhile because there is so little East West Play during the regular season, the West Coast teams although the appreciate size and strength in their athletes, they are usually drafting more for speed, fleet footed and creative play makers who can outskate and out create and out think their oppenents. And come playoff time if you don't have a super well stocked team with guys who are some how Both or so good at shutting down the other teams speed and skill, we east coasters are at a disadvantage....

It's not so bad as it used to be pre- "New Standard" (going back to calling the fouls the way the book was truly written and enforced most of its history) but to this day, east coast teams rinks don't have as good ice that bounces more, is slower and harder to skate on, making for more mucking around in the corners and boards, less sharp at speed passing no less against the grain and reverse passes, give and goes and the like.... Watch LA and NJ tomorrow night in NJ and watch how much the puck bounces and how normal or slow the game appears... and then watch the next two games out in LA where I bet their guys are gearing up to have super dry cool air which leads to better faster smoother, stronger ice, and you will finally see the LA Kings Dissect the NJ Devils with their skill and speed no less creativity.... And it's not like the guys on the Devils can't skate and creat themselves either... But LA is just that impressive and unbelieveable at times to watch....

I bet the NJ crew might have even intentionally turned down their chillers a bit and perhaps their brand new rinks AC and De-humidifiers to try and slow down the ice a bit to give the more muck and grind home team Devils a bit of an advantage on home ice.... The Kings literally Dissecced their first 3 rounds of opponents, coming into the play-offs in last, 8th place seeding and then destroying and making it look all too easy how they dispacted with the first two, 1st and 2nd places teams in the West and even the Coyotes didn't last too long either as the 3rd place team. As of right now they have a perfect road record this run, 9 games on the road with 9 wins to show for it... Amazing!

In the words of JD, the Rangers retired goalie and long time TV color man before snagging the job as the St Louis Blues GM:

"Oooooooh Baby!!! Now That's Hockey!!!"