Let’s break down the week ahead.

Tomorrow night there’s an Eagles Monday Night Football game against divisional opponent the Redskins. That normally would be about as big of an event on the radar here, but this week it’s small potatoes. Nonetheless, we’ll be watching and we’ll be tired on Tuesday morning.

Just in time for Pearl Jam to begin their 4 night stand to close up shop at the Spectrum. Lots of fond memories there. If you think PJ doesn’t know about the Spectrum’s place in rock history go back to last summer. While launching into a Baba O’Reilly encore to cap a two night run in Camden Eddie says, “Say goodbye to the Spectrum for us.” Little did they know they’ll be saying goodbye to it for us.

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The next night, Wednesday, Pearl Jam continues their shows. And oh yeah, the Phillies play game one of the 2009 World Series at a site yet to be determined. Are you tired yet? Don’t be, cause there’s more.

Thursday night is game two of the World Series. Pearl Jam is off that night. No worries here on what to do. I may be wringing my liver out for a brief respite.

Friday, it’s the reverse. No Phillies game that night, but Pearl Jam brings us show #3 of the Say Goodbye to the Spectrum For Us run.

Thank the lord that week is over. What? We’re just getting going? OK…

Saturday. D-Day. Last night of the Spectrum, home Flyers game at 1 and a World Series game at Citizens Bank Park. And it’s all happening on Halloween.

Now, let’s sandwich this bonanza with an Eagles game at home against the Giants on Sunday afternoon at 1. Then another home World Series game that night.

OK, now I’m tired.

What happens next is yet to be written by the Phillies. Could be more games, could be another celebration.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to take a nap now.

(Go Phils)

pic from bleacherreport.com

Seriously: Young guy, been in town awhile, won it all with the Phantoms, winning record with the Flyers. I thought we were like, cool, he’s good. But then I saw this line in John Buccigross’ column in espn.com:

“I’d be shocked if John Stevens is the coach by the end of the season.”

Now, I like Bucci. He knows a lot of things about things. But I was like, no way, dude you been listening to too many Guster songs (which is to say: any Guster songs). Then I saw the comments his column inspired and holy crap. A lot of people think Stevens sucks. Like Flyersfan 1981, who says:

“I really hope Bucci is right about Stevens…I’ve been praying for his firing for about 2 seasons now…time for a coach in Philly, not a babysitter!!”

Praying? I was and am shocked, so I wrote to Buccigross and asked him to elaborate. He replied with two simple words, as I told my brother …

Last night, an insane hockey game between the Flyers and Penguins — one full of hard checks, bad bounces and nice goals — finally collapsed into a pile of angry people. That’s cool. In Philly, we like our teams to go do swinging. Mike Richards went careening into the net awkwardly. Chris Pronger grabbed Chris Kunitz by the collar and started choking him from behind. That cool.

But from the scrum behind the net, the Pens’ Chris Kris Letang (holy crap that’s a lot of Chrises holy crap that’s two Chrises and one Kris) came skating away visibly upset, holding one hand in another, claiming that the Flyers’ Scotty Hartnell had just bitten him on the finger. After the game, Letang, with a bandaged finger, told the press to ask Hartnell wtf. Hartnell’s reply wasn’t really a denial: “a lot of stuff happens on the bottom of the pile. He had his hands in my face doing the face wash and we’re rolling around. I can’t say what happened.”

This isn’t the first biting incident in the NHL. Just last year, Jaarko Ruutu of the Senators sank his teeth into Andrew Peters of the Sabres, through his glove. Ruutu got a fine and a two-game suspension. I’m guessing Hartnell totally bit Letang. He’s a nut, usually in a good way. Not sure whether the NHL will punish him for ii.

Here’s my question to you, dear readers:

Would you, could you, bite another human being’s finger in anger (as opposed to self-defense)? If so, who?

photo from thespec.com

Dan Carcillo was not implicated in the incident.

I don’t have any bloggity quips for this. It’s just bizarre and it bummed me out. According to the Daily News’s Stephanie Farr, some Flyers fans got into a knife fight in the Northeast.

In the bizarre incident, two Flyers fans who took a bus trip to see their team play in New Jersey were critically stabbed by other Flyers fans who were awaiting the bus’ return at a bowling alley in Northeast Philadelphia, police said.

…

During the course of the argument, the cop’s 28-year-old brother was stabbed once in the chest and once in the back by a man in a Flyers’ jersey, Northeast Detectives said.

Another occupant of the bus, a 26-year-old man, was stabbed once in the back by a different assailant who also wore a Flyers jersey, this one with ripped sleeves, police said.

On the upside, the Flyers has look pretty amazing in their first two games. Ray Emery blanked the Canes on Friday, and a crazy, cannonballing offense destroyed Marty Brodeur and the Devils on Saturday. Thi Pronger guy’s pretty good, eh?

photo from flyers.nhl.com

The NHL season starts Thursday! The Flyers play Carolina on Friday! I’m watching the Red Wings play a team called Farjestad BK right now! Unless the IT people stop me! So. Let’s take a look at all the predictions and soothsayings being predicted and soothsaid:

The Hockey News says the Flyers will win the Stanley Cup. It’s nice to hear somebody else say that besides myself to myself every year. Read why they love Philly here.

Jon Buccigross of ESPN sees the Flyers coming in 4th in the conference and concludes: “The Flyers are tougher and deeper and have higher expectations. They should. They are good; if they raise the Cup in June, it will not be a shock.”

I like Bucci, even though he a) thought it was a good idea for the Flyers to sign a bunch of Uruk-hai defensemen (Hatcher et al.) when everybody else was going for small and quick and b) quotes Guster with a straight face. Generally, though, Bucci doesn’t just like hockey, he gets it. Case in point:

The Flyers won a Stanley Cup in their seventh season of existence in 1973-74; they won another Cup the following season. In all, Philadelphia has made seven Cup finals appearances in 30 years. It’s quite a run. It’s no mystery why the Flyers have such a passionate and loyal fan base. Besides the cool-sounding name, a name that fits like few others in sports, and how the DNA of hockey fits perfectly with the DNA of Philly, the Flyers simply have been good for a long time.

If you were born in the mid-’60s in Philadelphia, you have been privy to one of the most consistent and entertaining hockey teams in the NHL. Cups, Broad Street Bullies, Bob Clarke’s toothless grin, Ron Hextall, Eric Lindros, the Legion of Doom, Keith Jones!, 378 goalies since 1997 and the current crop of players (drafted, traded for and/or free agents). The Flyers are once again an elite team, and there is a 7-year-old kid in south Jersey who will put on skates for the first time in the winter, fall in love with the game and this season’s Flyers team and become a Flyers fan for life.

Read his assessment of the East here.

Bleacher Report, which I guess is a web site, says the Flyers will come in 4th in their division and dismissed Chris Pronger as old. Read that here, for some reason.

Covers.com, a betting site, calls the Flyers “the new beasts of the East” and praises the Pronger deal. They conclude: “the Flyers are the most complete team in the Eastern Conference and have a great shot finishing at the top.” Read it here.

Sports Illustrated calls Ray Emery a wild card but sums it up like this: “On paper, they Flyers boast what could be the league’s most balanced and talented team, top to bottom. Anything less than a trip to the conference final would be a grim failure.” Read that here.

This was actually very scary and not funny at all.

Even Bostonians hate Boston sports fans.

I made that up. But they should. They are obnoxious, smug little pricks with their Ben Affleck and their Tom Brady. And how about that chip on their shoulder, painting themselves as the anti-Yankees, the one team in the universe with the higher payroll? Anyway, why am I here?

Oh yes, the Flyers are going to destroy the Bruins at Fenway Park in the 2010 Winter Classic, the NHL’s annual outdoor game on New Year’s Day. Fenway is normally a place where baseball happens, I assume they’ve thought of that. Rumors kept pointing to the Capitals being the away team, but seeing fellow neanderthal Alex Ovechkin so skillfully using a tool would likely send Boston sports fans into a hooting, screeching rage.

The Classic is always fun as hell, but this one will be especially sweet because Carter will score, Richards will score, goalies will fight, wolves will howl, lakes will boil and Daniel Carcillo — aka the Hobo Grendel — is certain to stomp some heads in the parking lot. Arms will be torn from sockets. Where is your monster now?

And why am I talking trash about hockey in the Summer? I’m bored, I miss hockey.

Poor Ted. First his car gets flipped during the post-Phillies jubilation.

Then a faux smear campaign springs up to accuse him of flipping his own car. Or something.

I watched Gov. Palin drop the puck on TV and I don’t know what’s funnier:

The fact the they pumped up the ambiguous, pompous music to drown out whatever the Flyers fans shouted or chanted (and kept the cameras tight on the ice to hide any signs or gestures.)

or

That Steve Coates scored big by getting a one-on-one interview with Palin for his always-insane between-periods segment Coatesy’s Corner

 

Previously: The Puck Stops Here

Ed Snider invites VP nominee Sarah Palin to drop the puck at the Flyers’ home opener.

A Flyers fan objects.

The team responds.

TO: The Flyers
FROM: Hockey Fan Crowley

As a long time Flyers fan I am OUTRAGED that Sarah Palin has been invited to drop the puck at the Flyers opening game this weekend. Aside from the fact that hockey is a refuge from what’s become an intense and stressful political climate, inviting her to our arena is a tacit endorsement of the recent nastiness of her speeches — and the violent and borderline racist comments made by her supporters. Do the Flyers support calling for the violence against Barack Obama, as Palin’s supporters have? Inviting her to our house can very easily be seen as just that kind of endorsement.

After a very enjoyable and moving final NHL game at the Spectrum, which my wife and I both attended, I am sad to say that I am considering boycotting the season over this issue. Flyers hockey was my refuge from the ugliness of our current times, thank you for taking that away from me.

TO: Hockey Fan Crowley
FROM: The Flyers (namely publicist Jill)

Thanks for your email. We certainly appreciate your feedback.

As you are aware, the Philadelphia Flyers held a contest for the ultimate hockey mom. This is not about politics. This is about recognizing her for bringing attention to the sport of hockey. She has brought more attention to our sport in the past two months and is being recognized for her promoting our sport. Her appearance does not mean we support or do not support her political views.

Your comments are important to us and I will certainly share them with the organization.

TO: The Flyers
FROM: Hockey Fan Crowley

I appreciate the response, however I find it to be a bit naive.

I am unsure how you can expect to divorce politics from any event involving an extremely high profile politician in the midst of an extremely high profile political campaign. Unfortunately, by celebrating such an individual you create the impression, real or not, of support. This is not an unknown local, or even a mildly known regional persona, this is the candidate for the Vice Presidency of our country. People all around the country will watch this game. The connection you make between the organization and this candidate is inescapable.

After the ugliness of the last several weeks of the campaign, in particular attached to Sarah Palin, such a connection can only tarnish the reputation of the Flyers.

It already has for me.

With the Flyers/Penguins series moving to Philly tonight, I thought you might enjoy this clip of dorky Canadiens fans getting taunted by Flyers fans after game three of the last series.  

 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Announces Institution of Kimmo Timonen Blood Clot

TORONTO - In a surprise move this post-season, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has announced that, under advisement of the league’s marketing and development division, has opted to institute a blood clot in the left ankle of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timmonen. The condition will likely force the star player to miss the rest of this season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"With any luck, this adjustment to Timonen’s blood flow will ensure Sidney Crosby will advance to the Finals unscathed," said Bettman. "Thus aiding the league in the selling of its hot young superstars. And Crosby is hot. In kind of a whiny, gummy, Zack Braff way."

"In conclusion, I hate the Flyers because they have a history of playing rude hockey. And they scare me. Derian Hatcher scares me."

Read more on this story here.

Need to recruit someone who is a Philadelphia native, living in Pittsburgh.

Step One: Find something in Pittsburgh that is in any way famous or interesting or at least photogenic.

Step Two: I want you to put a Flyers jersey on it.

NOTE: Putting the jersey on Sidney Crosby doesn’t count. He’d probably dive out of way anyway, clutching his face.