And so it ends…
Vancouver crashes and burns. Literally.
Boston wins the Stanley Cup. Deservedly.
And for the record -- what happened in Vancouver last night doesn't have anything to do with hockey.
Of course, I'm talking about the aftermath of the game.
But I could be talking about the game itself.
Vancouver should have won. Could have won. But it was clear that Boston wanted it more.
For all the skill and finesse required by the greatest game, it requires something more, something that's come to be known as "a willingness to pay the price".
And for all their laudable traits, Vancouver seems to have a goalie more full of self than team, a coach with only one game plan and a couple of guys up front who think talent is all it takes.
It isn't.
As for the city. I know that wasn't the real Vancouver last night. But let's be honest. It sorta was.
For too long, you've been too willing to ignore the problems because a slight turn of the head lets you focus on all the surrounding beauty instead. I realize it might crush your buzz, but it's time to deal with the gangs and the drugs and entitled takers in your midst. Otherwise the only world class cities you'll be compared to will be Baghdad and Kabul.
On the positive side, more than 2000 ordinary Vancouverites are on the streets this morning helping with the clean-up. Others set up a facebook page that already hosts thousands of pictures of the rioters, hundreds of whom are waking up to find their photos already name-tagged and captioned by friends or family unwilling to co-sign their bullshit.
It's a start.
And on the more positive side -- we've got WINNERS!!! in the Infamous Writers Hockey Pool.
DONOVAN FEURING takes the PROPS competition with 5 correct picks out of 6.
In the Big Contest…
Drumroll please…
Tim Stubinski finishes in First.
Mark Leiren-Young takes Second
And Carleen Kyle is Third.
I'll be in touch with all the winners over the next couple of days to get snail mail info and (once the Posties are back to work) Tim's address will be passed on to all you poolies, so the booty of your choosing can be delivered. The Legion will take care of rewarding 2nd and 3rd Place plus the Props winner.
And we'll be done for the 2010-11 Season.
I hope you all had fun and the Pool added a little something to your enjoyment of what's already the best Championship series in professional sport.
Ignore all the essays and editorials that will no doubt swirl over the next while linking Hockey to Hooliganism and what it all has to do with "The Media".
Those of us who work in "The Media" know they've always got to make it about themselves.
Don't worry.
Hockey, pretty much in the form we all love it, will be back next year. Actually, exhibition games begin in just 3 months.
And the Infamous Writers Hockey Pool will be back for a Sixth Season come next April.
I hope you'll come back as well. It's been fun having you around.
Your final standings:
