Dave's Thoughts of the Day: May 9th

When I watch playoff hockey, everything else goes on hold.

NBA Games... maybe I put it on another tiny window on the computer, but usually it's off the screen.

Baseball?  HAH!  Forget it!   The jokers who call themselves "Dodgers" aren't doing anything to earn viewership anyway.  The rest of the league, well it's early they can wait.

When Kings playoff hockey is on, everything else is off.   Laundry?  It can wait.   Phone calls, leave a message, they can wait too.   Neighbor knocks on the door?   Hasn't happened yet so I don't have plan for it.   I'll leave fb on.  I'll leave twitter on to share an occasional thought or two.  

Hockey is the sport where you gotta go all in or you're out.    Remember, a goal can happen at literally any second of the game, from second number one to second no. 3600.  All the while, it is exhilarating!  It's also frustrating.

Boy was that intense last night.  Kings.  Blues.   Tie game from the 2nd period on.   Then, the Kings took the lead to start the 3rd period.  THEN, with less than a minute left, the Blues tied the game on an Empty Net attack.   Looking back, turnabout was fair play because the Kings did the same thing in Game 1.   Nonetheless, I was going nuts!     I thought "oh here we go again!  They blew the game" blah blah etc.

Overtime session begins, and numerous scoring chances on both sides.  It was everything you could hope for in an overtime.   Then, very quickly, the Kings got a contested 3 on 2 set up by Dustin Brown way in the corner of the Kings' zone.   I think it was Williams/Kopitar/Voynov.   Voynov separates (very slightly) from his man because Jaden Schwartz ran out of gas for the Blues.  Pass goes in and Novsie has a clear line of sight with the goal.  

IN THAT HALF SECOND, I could freeze time and just look at the space between him and Goalie Brian Elliott.   I said right there, in my mind "He's got a shot at this!"

Unfreeze time, Voynov shoots and it slips under Elliott to win the game.  I was going crazy!  I was like "HIGH FIVE........  [nobody]"  All right so the rest of LA was waiting on Lakers offseason news but for *ME* and all the other scattered Kings fans in town it was a major thrill!

Meanwhile in Anaheim, the Ducks went toe to toe with the gutty Red Wings and also won in OT, with the game winner scored by Nick Bonino, I think that's the name.  Bonino sounds like "Benigno" as in "WFAN's Joe Benigno"  and the game winning puck told Jimmy Howard "Nick B sent me".

Here's the thing:  Neither the Blues nor the Red Wings are out of their respective series by any means.  They're a game from elimination but one win sets the dial right back to zero.   Anaheim *and* LA really need to be careful not to fall to overconfidence.

Most Kings fans can't stand the Ducks and vice versa, but at least for this round, I hope the Ducks can finish the job.   A Ducks/Sharks series would be phenomenal, but if you can believe this, I'll be rooting for San Jose!   I mean, there's *no* way they'll win with the Ducks' incredible depth of offensive talent, but San Jose is an extremely likeable team.

I'm purposely going to leave out NBA commentary today, to balance the POS coverage ESPN is giving to the NHL.  What a disgrace by ESPN spending 90% of their time on NBA playoffs and exactly zero percent of their time on the Stanley Cup playoffs.  ESPN is not even trying to cover sports anymore.  They want to cover individuals and themselves... it's been that way for a while but it's getting more and more obvious with each year.   --and they wonder why athletes have had a trend of being such self promoters.

That's true, isn't it?  No wonder ESPN doesn't cover the NHL -- it is the ultimate team sport.  All for one and one for the cup.  Oh, but they'd cover it if ESPN broadcast a few games.

I don't even have a problem with extensive NBA coverage, but they could at least acknowledge other sports exist.  Mike and Mike today spent multiple segments on a BS HOME RUN CALL IN A BASEBALL GAME.   You can bet by October 189 million of 189 million people will forget about that game.  There are so many baseball games out there -- a topic like an individual call in an individual game is a clear "time killer" subject.  Ah well.

I did not have a kebab last night, due to a lot of circumstances including bad traffic.  The Kings have won two of their three games without the aid of the kebab.  In conclusion, superstitions are just that -- personal traditions to keep the mind balanced.  I suppose their actual impact is not that significant, hey?

If the Kings win a series this year, HUGE IF, in fact, the odds of them losing the series are still about 60/40 (consider that game 7 is in St. Louis), but IF they win, I might go for it and get the porterhouse steak again.  Early birthday present, let's call it.  We'll see.

Maybe I'll settle for a porterhouse kebab -- do they have one of those?

Oh, and I don't know if I mentioned it in this space:  I'm doing the playoff afro again.  I really thought I'd get a haircut this weekend.   Now I'm not so sure.

People in my family find my playoff afro annoying.  I start to look like a hippie a month in.  Ah what can I say?  it's worth it.

Most people do playoff beards... I gave it an honest to goodness try, growing a beard, but I can't grow a beard.  My partial Filipino heritage prevents it.  I get almost no sideburns.  I was trying to go ZZ Top but I barely got a surface working.  Wouldn't grow out at all.

It's almost Mother's Day.   I love my Mom... I mentioned how much she means to me, but now I wonder: are all of these "Days" a giant ruse to buy more presents?    Corporate America is very sneaky, downright sinister, with these extra holidays.   You don't get a day off!  Oh, but it's mandatory to spend oodles of dollars on extra presents to show appreciation for people or occasions.  I'm more than willing to make the commitment, but any time it happens it makes me think about how we came to these traditions.

When did the thought occur that "OH I LOVE MY MOTHER I NEED TO BUY HER A BLENDER?"  Are material items the clear indicator of one's love for his or her Mom?  I think that's a little unfortunate.   If I could control these things, I'd purposely ask all my friends and family *not* to give me a present for my birthday or Christmas.   I don't need material items for appreciation, honestly.  All those extra things take up space in my apartment.  What for?   Love and gratitude is enough for this goofball.

Now, having made this admission about my Mom, it's established that Mothers Day presents are the "social convention" (as noted on "The Big Bang Theory").   I'd love to get her tickets to Bruno Mars, so long as they're not expensive.   I can't stand Mars, actually I LOVE Mars, but not "Bruno Mars."  My Mom, however, is a huge fan.

I know why this is.   Bruno Mars is such a Michael Jackson wannabe that he reminds his fans of the original King of Pop.   Personally he's a giant Xerox to me.  Nonetheless, dude is immensely popular and I can respect his command of his audience.   Think: MJ without tact (or talent [runs]).

I think I have other ideas, but I am out of time.  Have a good Thursday!