Captain Blye and the Rabbi: Episode 19

Welcome back hockey fans. It's absolutely amazing outside, with yesterday being one of the nicest St. Patrick's Day in recent memory (take this comment however you'd like). It almost seemed a waste to stay indoors and cooped up but that's where the Rabbi and I were last night to give you, our listeners, your weekly dose of awesome. In this week's show, Ethan and I lead with the seemingly unending topic of headshots (and reckless play in general). Last week, we were disappointed with the hit that Matt Cooke put on Marc Savard. Well guess who is is? Donald S. Cherry himself. Maybe there's hope for the old guard yet. We wax on Cherry's reaction to the Cooke hit as well as some discussion on dangerous plays in the league these days. In period two, we discuss the playoff situation in the East. While the individual teams are closed to settled, there still are some pressing questions: "Can the Rangers make the big dance?" "How far will Ottawa fall in the standings?" And "Who are you, and what have you done with Montreal Canadiens?" Finally period three takes a similar look at the Western Conference. Spots one through seven seem locked in. The question is who will get the final post-season birth: Calgary or Detroit?

As always, enjoy the show!

Captain Blye and the Rabbi: Episodes 17 & 18

Welcome back hockey fans. Sorry I've taken so long to post. In last week's show, Ethan and I spend the first two periods (and OT) wrapping up the Olympics. The first period we devote to the men's team and its triumphant march to the Gold. Russia, Slovakia and finally the USA all fell to the mighty Canadian juggernaut. Okay we weren't quite a juggernaut. More accurately we survived the Slovaks and the Americans by the skin of our teeth. Still, Ethan and I break down the knockout phase with special attention paid to the final. In period two, we revisit the issue of whether or not NHLers belong in the Olympics at all. The third period brings us back to the NHL where we chat about the trade deadline. For all of the hype, could there be a more boring day on the hockey calender? Finally in OT, we return one last time to the Olympics and discuss our golden girls. They won (of course) but after the victory the Canadian Women's hockey team decided to celebrate on the ice. Some in the media have taken the girls to task for it. Ethan and I do not.

In this week's edition, The Rabbi and I open with a frank discussion on head shots in the NHL and what the GMs are proposing to improve the safety of their players. We wonder whether this will work and if it goes far enough. In period two we talk about ol' time rivalries and how they've become largely diminished in these past few years. Leafs-Habs was once life and death. We don't think it's the case anymore. In period three, we get into the topic the Vancouver Canucks "marathon" roadtrip. Yep, were on the road for 14 games but split up by the Olympics...which just so happened to be in Vancouver. Hmmm.

Check em both out!

Couldn't have said it any better

I'll be posting material from In The Bullpen from time to time. It's Ethan's other, more sports based blog. This beaut comes from his fellow blogger Steven Bull about the Cormier hit and the need for action.

Cormier was suspended for the remainder of the season and playoffs this morning. Like Steven (and many others), I'm all for tough clean hockey hits. But not deliberate cheap shots that serve one purpose: injuring your fellow players. Players like Cormier need to be punished to the greatest degree provided by their respective leagues. I'm very supportive of the QMJHL's decision as hit's like Cormier's have no place in the game.