The Hazies - The Champs & Chumps

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who haven't been here before, The Hazies take a look back at the week that was in the world of sports and single out some of the outstanding performances. The lucky few are awarded a Hazie and have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them - which is better than any recognition they may have gotten. On the flip side, there are those who turned in performances that lead us to think they are chumps, known here as "Hazel's Zeros". While Hazel hasn't officially approved this week's winners and losers, we'd like to think that if she was checking in, she'd give her trademark smile and thumbs up.

THE CHAMPS - HAZEL'S HEROES

NHL
Minnesota Wild G Niklas Backstrom was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after posting a 3-0 record with a goals against average of 1.62 and a save percentage of .933.

Boston Bruins C Marc Savard was named the Second Star of the Week, scoring two goals and seven assists in nine games to tie for the lead league for the week. Savard obviously doesn't know we think that the Bruins are out of it - oh well, good for him anyways.

Tampa Bay Lightning C Brad Richards was named the Third Star of the Week, tying Savard with two goals and seven assists in leading Tampa to a 3-1 record for the week.

He's been nominated before and he deserves some mention again this week - I'm talking about former Boston Bruins D Gary Galley. For those of you who don't know, Galley hosts an afternoon sports radio show on the Team 1200 in Ottawa (we think the morning guys are regular readers here) and is far and away one of the best radio show hosts you'll ever hear - period. If you are a hockey fan, you undoubtedly saw highlights of the Buffalo Sabres/Ottawa SenaTards game from last Thursday night - where Tards RW Chris Neil laid Sabres F Chris Drury out with a very questionable hit from the blind side. The collision left Drury with a concussion and a cut needing 35 stitches to close.

The SenaTards faithful was out in force on Friday, flooding all the station with calls all day about how the hit was a clean one - and how a number of Buffalo Sabres should be suspended for starting a brawl; most wanted Sabres F Andrew Peters executed for starting a fight with Tards goalie Ray Emery. The hosts, homers of course, were all to ready to agree with the Tards faithful - Galley, as is his custom, looked at the play from another perspective; one not considered by the morons calling his show or the station's personalities answering questions all day. Galley quickly gave his view on the issue - "the hit may have been clean by the letter of the law - but it was a bit late; and one where Neil could have laid up."

Galley went on to share his views that the hit is a sign of what the NHL has become, a collection of players who have no respect for each other and are out there to hurt other players. When told that Neil was quoted as saying he didn't mean to hurt Drury, Galley quickly dismissed it saying "I didn't believe Todd Bertuzzi when he said it, so I'm not going to believe Chris Neil now - because he is a Senator." Gally went on to point to examples of players who play recklessly.

Rather than engage in a discussion on the legality or illegality of the hit, Galley quickly put an end to the discussion by saying that Buffalo's reaction to the hit was to be expected - they were going to avenge a "3rd line player" taking out their star player and captain with a vicious hit.
While enraged SenaTards fans called to challenge him - Galley stood his ground and provided the perspective of a former player by saying that the play dictated that Buffalo respond; pointing to a past incident between the Bruins and the Flyers when Galley himself had to drop the gloves (as Boston's tough guys like O'Reilly and Wensink weren't in the lineup).

Galley didn't chastise Buffalo for what they did, and instead called out the SenaTards who were on the ice - Dany Heatley, Chris Phillips, Anton Volchenkov (all of whom are over six feet and two hundred pounds) and Mike Comrie for standing by and watching while Peters tried to pound their number one goalie. When told that earlier in the day when asked about the incident, all four said they couldn't help Emery because they were tied up - Galley's response was "I don't care, you get loose. When your number one goalie is in a fight with a heavyweight, I don't FRIGGIN care, you get loose and help him." Galley pointed to their inaction as proof positive that this team isn't as tough as they say they are - he openly questioned their toughness.

When SenaTards President Roy Mlakar called in (he's Ottawa's version of Schilling on WEEI) Galley didn't back down for one second and told Mlakar exactly what he thought. Mlakar's only response was "Don't you think Ray can handle himself? We all know he can handle himself with anyone." Galley quickly shot back that the point wasn't whether or not he could handle himself - it was having a goalie fight in that equipment, which could easily lead to injury, it was just plain stupid that no one helped him. Mlakar, who can't shut his pie hole, quickly changed the subject.

If you are in Boston, check Galley's show out on the net (link above) between 3 and 6 pm - the guy knows what he is talking about. If it makes a difference, he always has good things to say about his time in Boston. Again, I don't know if NESN or Hazel would consider it, but this guy deserves a few minutes with Hazel on The Buzz. Galley is a Champ in every sense of the word.

EUROPEAN SOCCER
Chelsea's Striker Didier Drogba scored two goals in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the final of the Carling Cup.


THE CHUMPS - HAZEL'S ZEROS

NHL - It is all about the SenaTards this week.

SenaTards RW Chris Neil is the epitome of a chump. First off, the hit on Drury (legal or not) was over the top - Neil could have let up a little and not laid Drury out. It is what Gary Galley said "A lack of respect for other players" - while SenaTards faithful praise this guy for his toughness, he is now what he was when he came into the league; a cheap shot artist. He made his name a few years back during an exhibition game when he laid Toronto's Gary Roberts out with a sucker punch while linesman were holding Roberts' arms - and he is no differrent today.
The so-called tough guy, consistently backs down from taking on the league's tough guys with the standard answer of "I have got to play smart and stay out of the box." Funny thing is though, he didn't think about playing smart when he was after Buffalo's Adam Mair all night Saturday - Neil didn't want to get within 50 feet of Andrew Peters..but he was willing to mix it up with Mair (who isn't a tough guy). I know I'm repeating myself from a few days back - but this guy sucks. With talk of George Laracque being traded to Pittsburgh...there is hope that Laracque will feed Neil his lunch.

The SenaTards' quartet of pussies - Dany Heatley, Chris Phillips, Anton Volchenkov and Mike Comrie (who gets a bit of a pass because he's small) for sitting back and watching Peters go after Ray Emery. Your claims that you were tied up went over well with the Ottawa media - but not so much with smart guys like Galley who saw you standing there watching Peters manhandle your goalie - it was on the tape. Thank you for continuing the long and proud tradition of the crest being more symbolic of Trojan condoms - than the warriors. You all suck.

That's about it for tonight gang - we'll try to break down some of the more pertinent trades in the NHL tomorrow night. Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things went groovy at the Whineys tonight.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for the SenaTards

Three Cheers for Ottawa - Fan 590

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!