This won’t be earth-shattering; it’s not terribly astute. But I can pinpoint the exact moment the Sharks were eliminated, and it wasn’t when the horn sounded in the last game. It wasn’t even when Nabokov gave away that embarrassing goal in Game 5. It was in Game 4 where the Sharks had a 2 games to 1 lead, when, with 33 seconds remaining and Detroit trailing 2-1, Detroit scored. I knew right then that: (A) SJ would lose in overtime (B) They would lose the next game in Detroit and (C) They would lose the series. The thing that frustrates me is that at precisely that instant they collectively quit. As in “Bon voyage,” “Auf wiedersien,” “Do svidaniya,” “what are your plans for the offseason?” If that were not obvious enough, one only has to contrast the furious 6 on 5 rally Detroit put on to score that goal vs. the Sharks uninspired 6 on 5 to avoid elimination in the final game. ‘Nuff said.
BTW, it dawned on me a few weeks ago that of all the sports/teams I’ve followed and supported over the years (like 45 years), the only ones to become overall champions were the 49ers (5 times). That’s a lot of “maybe next years.”
I can only assume you’re right, but that kind of makes me feel worse since the latter half of the second period and the entirety of the third period in Game 4 was the only stretch of playoff hockey the Sharks played in this year that I missed: I fell asleep and due to various circumstances was not recording that game.
I’m not superstitious enough to think that had I been watching things might have been different, but sports fandom is a strange thing (see Dave Barry’s dissertation on “concern rays” for more detail) and I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t occurred to me. At least for a moment.
Ah well.
So, how about them Giants? Oh wait, they’re a game over .500 and in fourth place. Yeah, that seems about right.
Don (a.k.a. Dad):
May 9th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
This won’t be earth-shattering; it’s not terribly astute. But I can pinpoint the exact moment the Sharks were eliminated, and it wasn’t when the horn sounded in the last game. It wasn’t even when Nabokov gave away that embarrassing goal in Game 5. It was in Game 4 where the Sharks had a 2 games to 1 lead, when, with 33 seconds remaining and Detroit trailing 2-1, Detroit scored. I knew right then that: (A) SJ would lose in overtime (B) They would lose the next game in Detroit and (C) They would lose the series. The thing that frustrates me is that at precisely that instant they collectively quit. As in “Bon voyage,” “Auf wiedersien,” “Do svidaniya,” “what are your plans for the offseason?” If that were not obvious enough, one only has to contrast the furious 6 on 5 rally Detroit put on to score that goal vs. the Sharks uninspired 6 on 5 to avoid elimination in the final game. ‘Nuff said.
BTW, it dawned on me a few weeks ago that of all the sports/teams I’ve followed and supported over the years (like 45 years), the only ones to become overall champions were the 49ers (5 times). That’s a lot of “maybe next years.”
ironsoap:
May 10th, 2007 at 9:45 am
I can only assume you’re right, but that kind of makes me feel worse since the latter half of the second period and the entirety of the third period in Game 4 was the only stretch of playoff hockey the Sharks played in this year that I missed: I fell asleep and due to various circumstances was not recording that game.
I’m not superstitious enough to think that had I been watching things might have been different, but sports fandom is a strange thing (see Dave Barry’s dissertation on “concern rays” for more detail) and I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t occurred to me. At least for a moment.
Ah well.
So, how about them Giants? Oh wait, they’re a game over .500 and in fourth place. Yeah, that seems about right.