tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199398932011-08-20T03:00:59.801-07:00Monarchism, race-realism, immigration, hockey, and beer.Metzgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07519015864352708682noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19939893.post-1135315992835143402005-12-22T20:49:00.000-08:002005-12-22T21:33:12.860-08:00Why in Gretzky's name was Kris Draper chosen over Sidney Crosby?<br /><br /> The last time I checked, Kris Draper was not the future of the NHL and of Canadian hockey. Crosby is. Crosby should have made the team for these reasons alone. The guy already gets as much ink as any player in the NHL, at least here in the States. For PR's sake, Crosby should have been on the team. <br /><br />One player is not going to make or break a team as talented as Canada. This is why Crosby should have been selected over a number of Canadian forwards, including: <br /> <br /> Kris Draper: Plenty of players (Iginla, Doan, Smyth) have the ability to fill the grinder role that Draper plays, but only with the addition of a little something called <em>offensive upside</em>. <br /> <br /> Todd Bertuzzi: Crosby is great positive PR, Bertuzzi is negative PR. Bertuzzi has size on Crosby, but Crosby is already a better offensive player. I know Bertuzzi has been playing better of late, blah, blah, hasn't body-slammed anyone into the ice from behind lately, etc. Believe me: if Crosby had played the first 30 or so games of the season on a line with Naslund and Bertuzzi had opened the season with the Pens, Bertuzzi wouldn't have a spot on Team Canada and Crosby would be scoring at a higher clip than he already is.<br /><br /> Vincent Lecavalier: Overrated since his days in the QMJHL. I would have taken Spezza over Lecavalier as well.<br /><br /> Martin St. Louis: Essentially a poor man's version of Crosby, dubbed into French. <br /><br /><br /> I also weep for Alex Tanguay, who has quitely been among the NHL's best offensive players for the past few years but is beginning to take on the look of a player who may never get the call for Team Canada in a major tournament (World Cup or Olympics). <em> </em>Despite his numbers, I get the impression that he wasn't even seriously considered a contender for a spot, the way other near-misses (Crosby, Spezza, Staal) were.<br /><em></em><br /><em> </em>I don't blame Team Canada for Tanguay's omission; it's a numbers game and Canada has a wealth of talented forwards. If only Tanguay was from literally <em>any </em>other country, his Olympic selection would never be in doubt. Perhaps he can marry an American woman and backdoor his way into International Competition, the way those other Canadian rejects, Deadmarsh and Hull, did for so many years.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/19939893-113531599283514340?l=mondc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Metzgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07519015864352708682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19939893.post-1134788300362441232005-12-16T18:33:00.000-08:002005-12-16T18:58:20.370-08:00I know I'm not alone in my obsessions with monarchism, race-realism, hockey, immigration, and beer. This is why it's so damn puzzling that I have found no pundits that consistently address all of my interests. I'm hoping that in filling this void I draw the attention of the <a href="http://www.pajamasmedia.com/site/articles/editboardmain/editboardglennreynolds/">Pajamas Media</a>, who will then reward me handsomley.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/19939893-113478830036244123?l=mondc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Metzgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07519015864352708682noreply@blogger.com0