Posted: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 2:46 PM | 22 comments |
 

Are Flyers underachievers? (And Final 4 musings)
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Are the Flyers a disappointment this season? Think about it.

They’ve got four guys with over 30 goals, a seasoned pair of goalies, and at least two defensemen, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn, who are potential Olympians. Shouldn’t they at least be the second seed this season? Does anyone believe there’s more talent on the Devils or Bruins for that matter? Sure the Devils have Marty Brodeur, but they made some of that run to the top with him sidelined.

By the way I did not like young captain Mike Richards dismissive response to that recent two-game skid, which has really become more. Save that first period against Toronto in the rematch, it’s been more than two games that they seem like a team without a system.

I fear they do not see last year’s run as a building tool, or even overachievement. The one silver lining is their best efforts seem to come against the better teams, so …

*

Impressive as North Carolina’s Final Four run was, I was struck by how similar both opponents played against the Tar Heels, and the analysis from both coaches afterwards. Villanova coach Jay Wright spoke of how the Cats got better every game of the tournament but that ``today we did not get better.’’ Similarly Tom Izzo said ``Some of it was Carolina and some of it was us.’’ Which only goes to prove that coaches can be as biased as the fans of their teams. Carolina made them look that bad.

When CBS commentator Clark Kellogg spoke of Michigan State rushing themselves, shooting early in the shot clock, not moving the defense side to side quickly – those sets worked against teams that could not pressure on the perimeter and cover the interior at the same time. My kid’s at State and I wanted them to win, but that’s as thorough I’ve seen a college team play back to back in a long time. They were seasoned pros, really.

By the way, did anyone else find it odd that Izzo did not call an early timeout so his less experienced team could take a deep breath?

He is a great coach. And allowing CBS to film inside his locker room… well we all should cheer his success so more coaches do that in the future. It was terrific TV.

*

The 30th anniversary of Magic-Bird reminds me of one of my favorite sportswriter stories. The day after he sank the ``junior, junior sky hook" to beat the Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals, I got on an already packed elevator at the Sheraton in Boston with a bunch of suits headed to a lunch meeting. Everyone was talking about the game, about the intensity, and most of all, about how great Magic was.

One guy, with that thick Boston accent, was going on particularly about what a great era, what great players he and Larry Bird were.

And then the elevator opened up and there was Magic, with an ice bucket in hand and a Lakers trainer at his side.

The conversation came to a halt, Magic smiled and opted not to squish on. (Doubt he could have). And just before the doors closed, the guy who had done most of the talking shouted, in that unmistakeable accent, ``Lucky Shaaat’’!
 
Posted by Sam Donnellon @ 2:46 PM  Permalink | 22 comments
22
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:22 PM, 04/07/2009
    Too early to call them disappointments. Consistent goaltending would make the Flyers the team to beat. We just haven't had that this year.
    — rwright611
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:28 PM, 04/07/2009
    Should they be better based on what? They are a young hockey team. This team will get better year in and year out. Let's not forget the core of this team (Richard and Carter) are just getting their feet wet. www.novafantasysports.com
    — jsavino
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:28 PM, 04/07/2009
    Should they be better based on what? They are a young hockey team. This team will get better year in and year out. Let's not forget the core of this team (Richard and Carter) are just getting their feet wet. www.novafantasysports.com
    — jsavino
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:42 PM, 04/07/2009
    four guys w/30 or more goals is not going to help especially with mediocre goaltending and a defense that is really not all that good right now. also, your "D" needs to put the puck in the net every now and then too! don't even get me started on the coach.
    — mattk
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:48 PM, 04/07/2009
    Very true on UNC...they made everyone they play look awful, and that's no coincidence. Tyler Hansbrough leaves UNC as a Champion, and a 4 time all american.
    — Tar Heel 1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:00 PM, 04/07/2009
    All teams are very equal, barring a few better and a few worse. The season is long. Everyone average and above make the playoffs. I think its hard to play great and inspirational all the time when there is nothing to play for. In football, every game is a playoff, there are only sixteen games.
    — Kevin O.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:16 PM, 04/07/2009
    Underachievers? It all starts at the blue-line. They had to use one 18-year blueliner (Sbisa) and one emergency traded bluerliner (Alberts) for over half the year. Great forwards, less than average D...but not underachievers.
    — Phront_Runner
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:21 PM, 04/07/2009
    The Flyers D and goaltending are average at best. How many times this year have we watched an easy clear turn into 4 passes D to D and a turnover? The supposed #1 goalie has no shot of saving a hard shot high to the stick side and is turnover machine when handling the puck. So the answer is NO, this team shouldn't be better.
    — forphillyfromla
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:22 PM, 04/07/2009
    Its not the goaltending as much as it is the awful defence that Randy Jones and Andrew Alberts pretend to play. Awful.
    — Favorthabold
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:24 PM, 04/07/2009
    I think two things will determine how far they go in the playoffs: 1) goaltending. If Biron plays like he did last year, I could see them going to the conference finals again. Both Biron and Nitty have been consitant and being average this season, and 2) defense. If Parent or Alerbts continues to turn the pcuk over in their own zone like they have lately, they are probably out after the first round.
    — chasing history
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:30 PM, 04/07/2009
    I'm looking forward to reading your blog, Sam. Remember, however, you've entered a zone loaded with nonsensical hatred spewed forth by the same kind of idiots who inhabit talk radio in this town. I see some of the early comments help make my point.
    — hunsinator
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:58 PM, 04/07/2009
    jones is terrible...tell him to stop smoking all that weed...
    — ralphj
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:01 PM, 04/07/2009
    If they get one more point, then they will have improved their record over last season. So, unless they don't get that point, I don't think you can say they are a regular season disappointment if they've improved thier record over last season. If they lose in the first round of the playoffs - then I'd say they are a disappointment, but even if that were to happen, they're still definitely in the hunt for the EC championship, and a run at the Cup, in '09-'10. Everyone keeps talking about their consistency - but since November 8th, they haven't lost more than two consecutive games. I think that's consistently "good" hockey. Maybe not consistently "great" hockey - they also haven't had a prolonged winning streak this season - but good enough to avoid long losing stretches, which ultimately kill your playoff hopes. The goaltending can improve, their team defense can be lacking at times, and the coach may not be hall of fame material. But they also still have a good shot at a 100 point season - and I think it's hard to argue with the facts.
    — kev
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:01 PM, 04/07/2009
    I hadn't thought about it buy, yes, the Flyers are underachieving. They are more talented than Boston and Jersey. And they may just have the best group of forwards in their history.
    — bobbyd24


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About Sam Donnellon
Donnellon's career began in Biddeford, Me., in 1981, and has included stops in Wilkes-Barre, Norfolk, and New York, where he worked as a national writer for the short-lived but highly acclaimed National Sports Daily. He has received state and national awards at each stop and since joining the Daily News in 1992 has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania and the Keystone Awards. He and his wife of 26 years have raised three fine children, none of whom are even the least bit impressed with the above. E-mail Sam at donnels@phillynews.com
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