Ice Man

By LAC

April 3, 2007 10:52 PM | Link to this

Very disappointing watching Carolina-TB tonight.

It is EASY to see why Carolina Will Not be defending the Cup.

We need TWO wins and that will do it… Let’s hope Carolina flops for us like they did TB… Great Canes, But DAMN Glad you guys are OUT !!!!!!!

And the worst news… We will be better NEXT season, so watch out !!!

Anyone notice how Eric Staal coasted this season… Seems he thought they would win by just showing up… Bye !

By JayBird

April 3, 2007 11:13 PM | Link to this

I started my beard last week, it’s looking pretty good now. I was actually going to mention the playoff beard thing, so thanks for beating me to it! I am disappointed about not being able to clinch tomorrow night but clinching anywhere will be sweet. I am seriously considering going up to Carolina on Friday to see us clinch up there. Anybody else considering this?

By ranallo10

April 4, 2007 12:59 AM | Link to this

I hope Vigier doesn’t grow a beard…it’ll slow him down to the pace of a banana slug.

By Brendan

April 4, 2007 2:16 AM | Link to this

I brought up this beard topic on the last blog. My last shave is Saturday, April 7th. Ryan’s waiting ‘til Sunday. I forgot what the others are doing. Once it starts, there’s no shaving until the Thrashers either hoist the Cup or get eliminated.

By Tony C.

April 4, 2007 3:32 AM | Link to this

I will pay to see The Kid try and grow a beard - Kari looks like he’s 16.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Big Bob rock the playoff beard…who knows.

I’m super PO’d that the division is coming down to that Saturday game. On one hand, as a fan, it’s going to be an incredible atmosphere. On the other hand, I’d like to be able to give certain key guys (Hoss, Slava, Nic, Big Bob notably) a day off before they get run into the ground.

But that’s not in the cards-Bob gets his wish-it all comes down to the final game to decide the division.

Well, let’s hope the guys aren’t looking past DC - should be a good game. See ya @ The Flatscreen!!!

LET’S GO BLUE !!!

p.s. does this mean I can’t shave my existing beard, or do I shave and start a new one?

By stor stark

April 4, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this

felt so dirty rooting for the Canes. Maybe this is cosmic justice for doing it.

I am anxious about the division, but would rather clinch on home ice on Saturday night because Phillips will be CRAZY. Will be the funnest game in Thrashers history … gulp … assuming it goes our way … ARGH.

By Bob

April 4, 2007 9:14 AM | Link to this

Tony, I swear I didn’t want to see it come down to that last game, but I’ve been eyeing that game for a month now and I just had a feeling Tampa wasn’t going to roll over. If we don’t win our game tonight and on Friday, then it’s one game for the division on Saturday (I can’t see Tampa losing).

Fans with playoff beards? That’s new to me, I’d like to see our boys do it, but I’ll be shaving.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

I am a season ticket holder. I have missed two games all year. I have to go to NY this weekend for my mothers 60th birthday party. On Saturday night I am going to be in a HOCKEY FREE french resturant.

I really really really hope that Saturday’s game is meaningless.

If the division comes down to Saturday’s game….my mom may not see 61.

By Eric

April 4, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

God I hope they go all the way. BlueLand Baby!

By RedandBlackAttack

April 4, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

Let’s take these last few games one at a time. Right now, all we need to think about is beating Washington. Play the positive. Tonight, the Thrashers will roll up a big W against the caps! Go Blue!! Go Thrashers!!!

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

My playoff beard is starting on Sunday.

I want to look like Tom Hanks in “Cast Away” by the time Hossa raises up the cup.

What’s the matter Bob? Got no facial hair game?

By Brendan

April 4, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

If you’ve already started the beard, then keep it. We do it … in the same spirit of … rally caps. And if the Thrashers get swept in the opening round, we never do this again!

But I think it’s good “solidarity” to grow a playoff beard. And if anyone asks you Why are you growing a beard in the middle of Spring/Summer? You smile and say, “In support of the Atlanta Thrashers’ bid to win the Stanley Cup. Tickets are on sale now.”

By the way, the game of the night was NJ vs. Ottawa. Fantastic game. Amazing shootout. If you get a moment, check out the box score and game recap. Lou sure was beaming from ear to ear. Grinnin’ like a cheshire cat, was he.

By the way, for you Center Ice subscribers, are any of you fed up with the Colorado Aves play-by-play guy screaming “Super Joe!! Super Joe!!” every time Sakic scores a goal? Still, it was a big goal by Sakic in the Aves’ quest to make the playoffs. They went into Calgary and won in regulation time. Pretty much any other result, and Colorado is done.

I think Calgary will get that 8th and final spot out West. The St. Louis Blues have 81-points. Can you believe that? They need one more to clinch a .500 season. Did any of you see that one comin’ in preseason? Makes me wonder what might have been for the Blues if they’d had a better November.

See ya tonight at the Hub!!

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this

I don’t think the coaches do the playoff beard thing…

Just the players…and retarded fans

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 12:02 PM | Link to this

Retarded fans? That’s a little harsh from somebody who’s usually pretty rah-rah.

Nothing wrong with getting in the spirit of things, my friend. (Besides, not many people will really be able to tell any difference from how I normally look. See mugshot at top of blog.)

By Scott F. Shaw

April 4, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

I know growing a playoff beard is a tradition but it’s someone else’s tradition. It sarted with the Islanders and their dynasty teams. We are a new team in the new NHL. THe Thrashers are New Hockey and we should start our own tradition!

By Ryan

April 4, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Playoff beards, what a great tradition. I’ve always wondered what the Thrash would look like with the beards growing….now the time has come. Go Thrash!

Lets do a better job with A.O. tonight. Don’t give him room or shooting lanes.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

ICEMAN: I was including myself in my “retarded fans” comment. I was being facetious. I am all for the playoff beard. As I stated before I will start mine on Sunday. I always have a Goatee, so I have to start from scratch. Haven’t shaved that off in over two years. Girlfriend is going to love it for the first day or so (she always thinks I would look better without it) but then she is gonna be p**. Then angry. Then irate. Then she will probably break up with me.

See the playoff beards are lucky…

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this

Oh.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this

by the way, USA Today STILL hasn’t put they “y” next to Atlanta stating that we have clinched.

they need to get on the ball

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

Well now… Lots to consider in the last few days.
I’ve seen breathless prayers answered, bitter recognitions disguised as happy occasions and one un-named ‘bad blogger’. (wonder if that was me)

Regardless, I was right, right and right, and I’m ashamed of you all for not apologizing to me when the ‘clich’ occured, with no fanfare of course.

Who told you Sutton stinks? (soda did) A good game here and there is like saying that even the sun shines on a dogs @ss once in a while.
Who told you that goaltending matters, and that it woulnd’t kill us ‘this’ time since we’re healthy? (pants did, to much grumbling from silly folk who I’ll not name in honor of the un-named) And who told you that Don W. was not an idiot and would always do the best he could with what he could? If you answered sodapants, you’d be right.

What’s the worst job in the NHL? It’d be Don’s in the last 3 years…. all the BS and catastrophy that’s gone on. I said before that I’m amazed he hasn’t quit. Thanks Don. If you listened to the already defeated we’d never be here. I appreciate that. We’re not going in lucky, we’re going in strong and that’s what you’ve built. I don’t consider us a bonus or an early exit because of that.

Playoffs? Done.. Now the division. I don’t think Tampa has a chance against us from here on out really.

Payback, pride and prejudice.

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

Buzilla, just call me Mr. Short Term Memory … Plus you forgot to turn on the ‘facetious’ font on your post, that’s why I didn’t get it.

But speaking of retarded, I just have to say: I think it’s WAY more retarded to ‘start our own tradition’ … in fact, that’s almost contradictory. You don’t START a TRADITION … at least not intentionally. A tradition grows organically out of a more-or-less spontaneous set of actions.

By Ryan

April 4, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this

Not to mention Ice Man, playoff beards are NOW a hockey tradition. Every team does it, it’s one more way that the Cup playoffs stand alone compared to other sports. If there are new hockey fans out there, who have never watched playoff hockey, you are in for a treat and hopefully they will make you a life-long fan.

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this

Gee, Soda, you’re the best Thrashers fan in the world. And the smartest. Funniest. And best looking.

Stop by the office for your prize.

(seriously, you are an astute and highly opinionated fan … even if you tend to ride a rather high horse.)

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

you can’t be serious….

Maybe you haven’t been around all that long, which I don’t blame you for, of course. But to suggest that I have an ego is like saying Hillary Clinton has nice ankles. It’s absurd. If you’ve bothered to do any reading around here in the last few years you’d know what I mean I guess.

But you’re new here so.. welcome aboard and keep writing! You’re good at it.

By Matt H

April 4, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

I shaved my beard on Sunday. I’ve always done the playoff beard. Whether I’ve got a horse in the race or I adopt one (felt real good to shave back in 04… in June). :)

But those days are gone, and I’ve got a new horse.

It was fun to watch Buffalo house the Pens last night. ON Versus. Thank God. And Charter, and Comcast. :)

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this

by the way, Ice… all those things you said about me? you’re right… shucks. I don’t like men ‘in that way’, but I’m sure flattered.

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

If by ‘that way’ you mean ‘civil’ and ‘polite’ .. yes, we’ve noticed.

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this

Clever girl… heh

But I think you understand what I go through on here. Hockey is complicated. You’re a good egg. May you blog well into the playoffs.

By mar1jdh

April 4, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this

Tonight’s officially sold-out. (Season Ticket holders do have about 20 tickets for sale if someone still needs some on) Playoff hockey starts now! As for new playoff traditions, Winnepeg fans wore all white, I think we should have the Sea of Blue.

By Brendan

April 4, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this

Mar1jdh, Oh I tried that suggestion. It got shot down. Despite the promotion being called “Blueland,” people don’t want to do the “blueout.”

Tonight, I’m wearing my retro jersey, (ultimate warrior, if you prefer, some call it “Batman,” I call it the Stylized T, to show my inaugural season support of this club. The jersey has no numbers on it, or any name on the back. It’s just a plain ol’ retro jersey.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

I’m glad to see that you call it the “Ultimate Warrior” jersey…

Best Jersey We Have. Period

By Brian

April 4, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

sodapants - welcome back to the blog, haven’t heard you in awhile although Russ is appearing more lately. Even though I started posting in the last year, some of us have been around long enough to remember who the regulars are…

By kracker

April 4, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

I will shave Thursday night (tomorrow). Looking forward to the itch and hope to wear it long enough for the itch to go away.

This may be over Friday night. Thrash win tomorrow and TB hosts Panthers Friday. Fla has been playing well and will really play hard to knock off TB I believe. Or the Thrash win in Raleigh Friday night.

Just forget everyone else and win the next game is the best plan.

By Brian

April 4, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this

Brendan - I don’t think that many people have that shade of blue in their closet. Unless you count the 100 or so that wear jerseys to the game and the few that do have that color (I sometimes wear a Thrashers golf shirt that is that color) in their closet. Everyone has white though.

The other option is to wear the free t-shirts that are given out, but most folks don’t put those things on. Thoughts?

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

I bet you the first playoff game they will give out to everyone the blue “Believe in Blueland” t-shirts

ICEMAN The ‘facetious’ button is the F12 button on the top right of your keyboard.

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Brian… at least someone here knows the score. heh

Ice probably has a clause in his contract that prevents him from being argumentative towards anyone not named ‘sodapants’.

Who cares? you know …

By Brian

April 4, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this

Buzilla - yeah, I mentioned those t-shirts but again, most folks don’t put them on. Not to mention, I bet about 1/5 of them are left in the seats, I think it was the game after opening night or opening night last year and I picked up 2 extra shirts in my row from seats that people didn’t even open the bag right in front of them. As for the scarf this year, I have no clue what I did with that…

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this

Anyway.. My “I told you so” is over. I did deserve it though after a long time of being the only one to defend this team and its GM at times. That’s the reward for being the squeaky wheel. You get an “I told you so” by rule.

So there’s mine. ty

Anyway.. we’re a bigger, meaner and faster team than we were at the start of the year so I want Tampa, the Rangers or whoever is unfortunate enough to fall into 6th. Doesn’t matter. They’re going to lose.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this

Those scarfs are actually going on ebay for a mint

By Brian

April 4, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

Buzilla - do you mean a junior mint? Is that what you give to a hockey guy?

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this

There’s one tiny thing that bugs me though.

The Thrash clinched because someone else lost. I don’t like that. That can change the entire mentality of a team. I want them to make it on their own points, not with any second hand help. Are they lucky or did they earn it? Winning out is the only thing to do right now. Make it irrelevant that other teams were eliminated. They abosolutely have to make sure that we would have made it anyway. I think that is important for this team. Belonging and trying to survive is a thin line.

By mar1jdh

April 4, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

I’m good with any shade of blue, the net effect will be the same, plus even if the result is somewhat lame, it will never be as lame as the Knights chant during the national anthem! I still cringe when I hear it after 7 years.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

I’ve seen it go for like $30 on ebay. (A mint may have been an exaggeration)

By Brian

April 4, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

Even though I could care less for those stupid scarves (really, who wanted them) could we also give up on the Anaheim Angles’ inflatable clapping sticks?

By sodapants

April 4, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

I also find it abhorant that the fans at Phillips continue to give creedence to the term “redneck hockey.”
Stand up, take off your hat off and most importantly….Shut your mouth when the anthem is playing. If you don’t care… why should anyone else?

By kracker

April 4, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this

For the extreme Thrash lady fans that can’t do the playoff beard, may I suggest a Thrasher Blue tint job for the hair?

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

Kracker,

They also could go 70’ porn star for the playoffs. Lookin like they got a midget in a figure four headlock.

Believe in Bushland!!!!

By Brian

April 4, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

mar1jdh - given you won’t get 100% participation no matter what you do, having someone where that powder blue compared to a Thrasherheart blue (sorry, it really is a Batman logo) is like night and day.

Buzilla - if I find that scarf at home I will trade it for a beer at the first home playoff game…

sodapants - as someone eventually makes a quote from a particuler movie on this blog let me say “they’re playing the #$%@ song!”

By kracker

April 4, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

Brian I’ll buy you a food court 40 ouncer for the scarf.

By Brian

April 4, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this

I better find that scarf. Does Buzilla have first right of refusal?

One more note, I do like the magnetic schedules. I have those things hanging everywhere.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 4, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this

Kracker can have it. I have two.

Besides, don’t need a scarf very much in HOTlanta

By Tony C.

April 4, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this

Anybody know who i can talk to for a ticket to satruday’s game???

LET’S GO BLUE !!!

P.S. Who cares about the start of the tradition, as brendan pointed out, when people ask about it [your beard], you have perfect opportunity to convert someone to “The True Faith”

By Brendan

April 4, 2007 5:21 PM | Link to this

Folks, the Stanley Cup is in CNN Center, with Buck and Kincaid. Awesome!

By Ice Man

April 4, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this

I see people wearing those scarves outside Philips all the time, and it always reminds me of English soccer fans. Doesn’t Bernie Marcus have a background in soccer somewhere? I wonder if that was his idea. I think that is actually a kind of unique ‘new tradition’ for the Thrashers. (Although, I don’t know if I’d wear one. Not a big scarf guy.)

The Thunder Stix that originated with the Angels and have moved all over sports (including Thrashers games … UGH) are the worst thing to happen in sports in a long time. This whole thing of manufactured noise is a joke. Just scream and yell, dammit. I sat through an entire game last season with two 8-year-olds slamming their ThunderStix together right behind my head. I was shellshocked by the end of the night, flinching at every loud noise in my vicinity. I wouldn’t mind if the Thrashers stopped giving those out.

By thrashermanfromtoccoa

April 4, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this

thrashers rule but bolts are hanging tough…..goooooooo thrashmen!!!

By CM

April 4, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this

That call was crap! Awesome short handed goal by Sutton though!

By russian

April 4, 2007 9:50 PM | Link to this

Thank you Sutton. It was nice short handed. I will say: “No clinching tomorrow” and not for this season. F***!

By Russ

April 4, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this

Yes!!!!!! Thrashers clinch division…no wait, Tampa came back from two down to win last night…Thrashers magic number is down to 2!!!!!!…..no wait, the Thrashers just lost against the 14th best team in the East with their back-up goalie and missing their second leading scorer. Canes are next and they are out of the playoff picture…sounds like another loss.

By Bob

April 5, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

sodapop, the nurse needs to something about these delusions you’re having!

“I was right all along” Nice revisionist history, you goof.

The guys who were right were those of us who were calling all last year, and the year before, and all this year for Waddell to make some moves and bring some people in, because what he had built, was not working.

Yet you sat here and said all was fine and it was working. lol.

Uh, sodapop, Waddell brought in 4 new guys at the deadline. He brought in a new #1 center, he brought in a new #2 center, he brought in a new #1 dman, and he brought in a new PK specialist to fix the kill.

But in your world, “you were right and everything was fine”? lol.

No, those of us who said moves needed to be made were proven right when your boy, Waddell, made the moves.

BTW, 3 of those 4 guys (the #1 and #2 center and Dupuis) are all UFA’s this summer, and we traded away multiple picks and prospects to get them here for this rental.

So to hit you with reality, it’ll be clearer after Nurse Ratchet brings your dose by this morning.