I hate it when Staple's right
I'm too lazy to find out whether Stapler put in writing that he thought the Red Wings would beat the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, but I can attest to his verbal prediction, because that's what he told me before the series started.
I, of course, went with the Penguins, who are down 2-0 in the series that no one has really seen so far because Games 1 and 2 have been on Versus. In case you didn't know it, I don't have Versus, just like millions of other hockey fans in this great land of ours.
Thankfully, the nation will get to watch this series, because NBC is carrying the remaining games.
There's still a chance for the Pens, who now get two games at home. But Stapler's Wings are now the heavy favorites with a commanding lead.
Incidentally, Black N Gold tried to bury this in a comment, but the man who professes to be a huge Penguins fan actually BET AGAINST HIS TEAM in Game 1. B N G also claims to be a huge Steelers fans, but he BET AGAINST HIS TEAM in last year's playoffs, too.
Just thought you'd want to know.
:)
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Comments (17)
Yeah but B and G had a moral moment and only played the under (successfully) last night.
Gotta tell ya Bob.....you missed a coupla of "retro" games over the weekend. Watching those guys in the Red jerseys gave me flashbacks to a pre-1980 team that wore that color and dominated the world of hockey.
They were a well-oiled machine that completely dismembered the Pen's.
And I have to give Steve Zipay credit for carrying a "semi-live" blog
of the games on his Ranger site during the action (how does he get Versus and not you Bob?).
Which is more coverage than anyone else at Newsday is giving to the SCF.
(Best is CLEARLY obsessed with Alvin Dark, Willie and the Po' Boys, "Mex" and the 1960's Civil Right's Movement---I am anticipating unwanted pics of Twiggy on his blog any minute now).
The discourse with B and G during the games is good fun. Even though he has to continually defend Penguin honor with some disgruntled Ranger fans.
Thanks for the update, Islander505.
As for Best being obsessed with all of the above, Best is ALWAYS obsessed with something. Thus, his nickname on the Giants beat of "Mr. Minutiae."
When he's not obsessed with social issues, he's obsessed with posting pics of beautiful women on his blog. Come to think of it, if he'd written about Pacman Jones getting advice from Deion Sanders, it surely would have been accompanied by a woman doing a pole dance at a strip club.
Guilty as charged. I did bet against The Steelers in last years playoffs - against the Pens in Game one of the SCF, and as Islander505 mentioned, I took the under in Game two.
Three public bets, and I'm 3-0.
I've found that, at least for me, when I'm a huge fan of a team and get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about their chances, it's normally correct. My cardinal rule is that I don't bet on my teams, but I have no qualms betting against them. I've built a VERY good track record with that philosophy.
My significant other will testify that I'm not always rational when betting against my team. Last night for instance, When the Pens were down 3-0 I was still actively rooting for them to win. She asked me at one point "Don't you have the 'Under' at 5.5?" When I replied in the affirmative, she inquired "If the Pens win, wouldn't that mean you'd lose the bet?" When I again replied in the affirmative she just shook her head and laughed.
Islander505 has been a real treasure on Zip's blog. Without him, there really wouldn't be much going on over there but a Huggies convention.
As for Staple, I'm sure he did take the Wings over the Pens. I think Staple would have taken the Thrashers over the Pens. I'm not sure, but I think he must have had a defective pair of Mario Lemieux ice skates at some point in his youth.
As I've stated on Zip's blog, the Red Wings are the most dominate NHL team we've seen since the '83-'84 Oilers.
I just checked today to see who the Wings have as UFA's in the off-season and I still can't believe what I found.
Brad Stuart - A defenseman they picked up at the trading deadline is the only UFA I could find.
As dominate as the Red Wings are on the ice, I think their front office is even more dominate and are the class of the NHL.
I'd like to make a bet on this series. What comes first a) a Penguins goal or b) the end of the series. My money's on b.
Sandy,
I'll take that bet... what are the stakes?
B and B....
Careful what you offer to Sandy.
If I had said to you before last night's game that the Pen's would not have a SOG in a 5 on 5 situation for the entire 1st period (first one came 5 minutes into the second) and said "I'll wager a Franklin on it if you give me 5-1 odds", would you have taken it?
What kinda odds are ya gonna offer Sandy on the "a" or "b" premise?
(ya know.....we are walking a fine line here.....Glauber's blog is liable to get a knock on the door from the Newsday security dawgs).
GLAUBER BUSTED FOR ONLINE BETTING SCANDAL!!!
(Best would choke himself with laughter).
Islander505,
I appreciate your perspective, however NEVER in the history of the NHL has a team been shut out of all four games of the final.
Especially, not a team that has as many offensive weapons as the Pens.
And yes, I probably would have made that bet.
They're called odds for a reason. There is no such thing as a sure bet.
You can beat public perception (which drives the odds) on occasion. You just need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities.
Most of my bets are for amounts that, in past years, I normally would have spent actually attending the events. (A couple of hundred dollars here and there) If I'm up enough at the end of the season to pay for Versus, NHL Network, Center Ice, etc... I feel as though I've come out ahead.
I'm also fortunate to have a number of friends, family, and associates who either make regular trips to Vegas or who live in Nevada. That way I'm not saddled with a guilty conscience. (a rationalization I'm well aware of).
My offer of a bet with Sandy wouldn't be cash based, but rather for something far less sinister.
No way the Pens finish the SCF without a tally. It just won't happen. (Wonder if I could get odds in Vegas for that bet)
Penguins havent even come close to scoring a goal yet, not even a decent shot. I'd have to think about what to give up. I don't know if there's anything down here you would want to have maybe I can buy you a gift certificate for Ichabod's tiki bar which is the home of the Pittsburgh Steeler fan on Sundays during the season? I don't know what I would want when I win either
Whoa, whoa, whoa Sandy......
Anything down in TAMPA to be wagered away, you ask????
I'll jump into this "transaction" if there's a way you can get the Lightning to swap Number 1 picks with my Isles. (Hello Stamkos).
Or perhaps persuade them to wager Lecavalier or St. Louis in a way that risks a permament move north.
You got some real assets down there.
Keep the gift certificates to a bar....I got all I need.
(Is Clamdigger's---EAT IT RAW- still on the causeway?)
I'm not in Tampa I'm on the east coast Islander505. Think Kennedy Space Center area. Lightning are dumb, but not that dumb. Dumb is Milbury. They traded Richards so they could keep everyone else worth getting rid of. You can have the radio announcer Dave Mishkin.
Okay Sandy....My bad on your location.
So what's Barbara Eden up to these days?
Sandy, If you promise to watch the game with us Sunday Nov 30th (Against the Pats) at Ichabod's tiki bar - it's a deal.
Every year my beautiful significant other and I go down to Jensen beach that weekend.
Do you ever get up this way?
Deal, I can live with rooting vs. the Patriots ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!
Sandy,
What do you want from me? I have to be wagering something in this deal to make it fair. Unless you just want the loser to pick up the check for the wings and the first round of drinks?
By the way, other than my wager with Sandy, I'm placing no bets on tonights game.
You have to hope that the Pens can rally like the 2003 Ducks did after losing the first two games to the Devils in NJ. The Ducks game back winning the next two games in OT to make it a seven game series. I's be happy if my Pens could do that.
I lost. Ichabod's is on A1A just across the street from Paradise beach in beautiful Indialantic (unincorporated, I think) Fla. GO STEELERS!! BEAT PATS! They do have really good burgers and wings.
Sandy.
I think we both won!
I'm looking forward to sharing that beer with you!
Go PENS!