Versus Coverage of the Playoffs

Hey everyone,

A quick note that my beard is still in full force for game 6 tonight! I'm proud of the performance by the SENS and particularly suprised at how well Le claire has pulled things together, and couldn't be happier with his goaltending in game 5. Keep going SENS! (more on that soon)

For now I'd like to make a complaint about the coverage of the playoffs by Versus. I don't see why they feel the need to leave out all the pre-game events such as: the players entering the rink and the national anthems. In my books these are important parts of the build up to the game and helps viewers feel more like they are actually there!!

In particular for me, every Ottawa v Pitsburgh playoff match so far has been covered by Versus and the pre-game build up has been consistently underwhelming/non-existant. The Versus coverage switches to comercials every few minutes and then picks up on the game basically as the puck drops! This isn't exactly giving the veiwers a feeling of whats happening at the arena. In other words... boring.

Because I am as you know watching the games from Europe the NBC coverage which still includes all the pre-game goodies is often effected by bad reception, so I'm forced to watch the Versus coverage. I wish they would realise the value of showing all the action on the rink, as it is ALL the things that happen on the ice that best show the spirit of hockey.

I'll be posting about the Sens v Pens game 6 soon. Fingers crossed!

Nick

Countdown to the Stanley Cup... Go Sens Go!

My playoff beard is growing thick and fast. Why? Because the Sens are in the quarter finals for the Stanley Cup playoffs 2010.
There's tough competition in their division - the Bruins, the Sabres and last year's Stanley Cup winners the Penguins. It would seem their hardest competition will be their first as the Ottawa team is across the ice from those little penguins! With Canada's Golden Boy Sidney Crosby on their side, the Pittsburgh team is a formidable foe.
But have faith. Two games in and the trusty Sens have put up a good fight. They won 5:4 in their first game on Pittsburgh's home ice. In yesterday's second game, the Sens lost 2:1 BUT it was only in the third period and they showed their stuff, even with the absence of Kovalev (Here's to your speedy recovery, Kovi! - see you next season!)
Cory Clouston has done a great job as coach since he came to the Sens in 2009. He's certainly an improvement on Craig Hartsberg - we didn't even make it to playoffs last year. Over the course of the season he's really shown that he can motivate the players. Keep it up coach!
I'll be tuning in over the internet on NHL Centre Ice for the third and fourth games on Sunday and Tuesday... I'll be fulfilling my ambassadorial duties and sharing hockey games with as many people as possible here in England. And if they ask about the beard, well I'll just say:
"Go Sens Go!"
Really believe the Sens are going all the way this year.
And no matter what happens... we Sens fans will be happy to know that the Leafs never even made the playoffs.
Go Sens Go!

SENS Crushing Victory over Chicago

I just watched the replay of the Sens vs Chicago game.

I was very happy to watch the 5-1 thumping that an in form Sens delivered. I feel this is a turning point and hopefully the start of a Sens winning streak.

Go SENS!!

Nick

Nickleback Rock!

Hi everyone,

I went to the Nickleback concert last night at Wembley Arena. It was awesome!

Although they didn't play all my favourite songs it was still great. It was very very loud and the lights and firework show were mind blowing.

Nick

The NHL GameCenter LIVE™ streaming package!!

I am not happy that Europe and the Middle East are unable to purchase and download The NHL GameCenter LIVE™ streaming package. Are we ever going to be able to purchase it, as i think it is a great package deal and it would be quite useful for us NHL subscribers.

Nicholas Wright

GO SENS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So glad about the Senators win over the Hurricanes! Meanwhile, although Leafs still suck, I have to (albeit reluctantly) admit they have done pretty amazingly against the Capitals. I mean 6:3? For Maple Leafs? Not in my wildest dreams.

5 Main Questions

Going round and about over the net, I came across 5 basic questions that an expert in the development of aspiring hockey players, Kim McCullough, had said to be the questions “that every young hockey player looking to reach the highest level of their sport must ask themselves”. The article claimed that the answers to such questions would define whether a player had or not what is necessary to reach professional levels and outstand amongst average.
In my opinion these questions could be used in any field and for any carrier where one really wants to be successful, and that include teams. Therefore I would like to know from the Ottawa Senators Manager and Coach if they have not only asked themselves the questions but if they have asked their players and what were the answers???????? If the guys haven’t done it here goes the questions.

How bad?

How bad ado you want to win, what does it take to be the best?? Are we really doing what is necessary????? Are we all committed to the same objective??? What could be done to better express that winning is our main goal????? “Do we wish that to happen, or would we like that to happen, are we Making it happen???”

What?

What else are you going to do, or sacrifice in order to get it??? Does everybody on the team knows what exactly is needed to reach the highest level of game that fans are hoping, not to mention paying for???

How much?

How much is everybody investing?? Is everybody really giving its best??? How much is the team putting into the game??? Is it enough???? What else could be done???

Why?

Why are we doing it?? Is it for the money? Is it just to shut up fans, or to make the managers happy??? To justify our big fat salaries, or is it for the love, passion??? What motivates each individual and of course the team as a whole?

Do you love it?

This could be slightly changed for; does everyone involved with the Senators team really love the game???? Is it the food that you eat and the air that you breathe????

Well I would definitely love to hear the players’ answers for these questions.

http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Questions-Every-Young-Hockey-Player-Must-Ask-Themselves&id=1524663