I am a big believer in destiny and a little bit of one in karma. Although I am not sure how this works with my religious beliefs, I go with it. (For the record, I considered lighting a candle while at church yesterday for the Pens, but decided not to.)
Last year, at the start of the playoffs, I believed and hoped (and, yes, even prayed to some extent) that the Pens could bring home the Cup. The main reason? The 2009 NHL playoff commercial that had various players, including Mario Lemieux, hoisting the Cup. It ended with the quote, "It weighs 35 pounds except when you are lifting it." Seeing the Pens savior Mario holding the Cup, I could not help but picture Sid Crosby doing the same thing. That commercial still gives me chills, more so than this year's playoff commercial.
This year, however, I did not have any big feelings. Sure I was thinking the Pens could go all the way. And again, I was hoping. But when the first three seeds were knocked off in the first round, two of them teams that the Pens could not seem to beat in regular season to save their lives, I thought that this was too easy. Too convenient. Could the Pens really get to the finals three years in a row?
The Habs played like the 2005 Steelers did. Both were the bottom seeds. Both made great stories. I also thought the Steelers were going to go to the 2006 Super Bowl, actually before the 2005 one was ever played. I remember that day clearly. I was at my aunt's, and a commercial for Super Bowl XL came on. At first, I was confused, not realizing the TV station was already advertising next year's game. But as I have mentioned before, I am also a big believer in statistics and numbers. The last time the Steelers had been in the Super Bowl was SB 35. Ten years seemed like a suitable time to go back. There were many other things along the way that led me to believe it was the Steelers destiny to get back there that year. And so it happened that way.
During last night's game, which the Penguins, almost to a man, played rather poorly, two statistics cropped up. The first was that it had been 17 years since the Habs won the Stanley Cup. Sound familiar? The Pens won the Stanley Cup last year, 17 years after last doing so. The second interesting stat was that the first team to beat the Pens in the Igloo were the Canadiens. When the Pens were down by three late in the game and I heard that stat, I knew the Canadiens were also going to be the last team to beat the Pens in the Igloo.
As a big Pittsburgh sports fan, I am disappointed that the season is over. And a little sad. What was I saying last year or the year before about how I don't cry anymore about big sports losses? Lies! I shed some tears last night. And a few more today, when I rewatched the aforementioned 2009 NHL playoff commercial. I just wanted it to keep going.
But, alas, it was just not meant to be.
Last year, at the start of the playoffs, I believed and hoped (and, yes, even prayed to some extent) that the Pens could bring home the Cup. The main reason? The 2009 NHL playoff commercial that had various players, including Mario Lemieux, hoisting the Cup. It ended with the quote, "It weighs 35 pounds except when you are lifting it." Seeing the Pens savior Mario holding the Cup, I could not help but picture Sid Crosby doing the same thing. That commercial still gives me chills, more so than this year's playoff commercial.
This year, however, I did not have any big feelings. Sure I was thinking the Pens could go all the way. And again, I was hoping. But when the first three seeds were knocked off in the first round, two of them teams that the Pens could not seem to beat in regular season to save their lives, I thought that this was too easy. Too convenient. Could the Pens really get to the finals three years in a row?
The Habs played like the 2005 Steelers did. Both were the bottom seeds. Both made great stories. I also thought the Steelers were going to go to the 2006 Super Bowl, actually before the 2005 one was ever played. I remember that day clearly. I was at my aunt's, and a commercial for Super Bowl XL came on. At first, I was confused, not realizing the TV station was already advertising next year's game. But as I have mentioned before, I am also a big believer in statistics and numbers. The last time the Steelers had been in the Super Bowl was SB 35. Ten years seemed like a suitable time to go back. There were many other things along the way that led me to believe it was the Steelers destiny to get back there that year. And so it happened that way.
During last night's game, which the Penguins, almost to a man, played rather poorly, two statistics cropped up. The first was that it had been 17 years since the Habs won the Stanley Cup. Sound familiar? The Pens won the Stanley Cup last year, 17 years after last doing so. The second interesting stat was that the first team to beat the Pens in the Igloo were the Canadiens. When the Pens were down by three late in the game and I heard that stat, I knew the Canadiens were also going to be the last team to beat the Pens in the Igloo.
As a big Pittsburgh sports fan, I am disappointed that the season is over. And a little sad. What was I saying last year or the year before about how I don't cry anymore about big sports losses? Lies! I shed some tears last night. And a few more today, when I rewatched the aforementioned 2009 NHL playoff commercial. I just wanted it to keep going.
But, alas, it was just not meant to be.
Comments
Interesting stats/signs, by the way. Lets hope destiny comes through next year.