SB Nation User Blog: hildymac

Tuesdays With Hildy: How important is it to the future to focus on the past?

hildymac — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:44:29 -0000

Do scenes like this one inspire our current Blues to future greatness, or is nostalgia wasted on the youth?

Veteran leadership. Those words are bandied about quite a bit, especially in reference to a few players on the Blues that are the defacto old guys. The leaders who have about seen it all. The guys who have been in the league more than 10 years... Jackman, Walt, Sydor, and Brewer (I guess) are usually named as the guys on the team that the young Blues look to for advice and guidance, and inspiration when things are down.

Things are obviously down. The vets on the team have been leading in the practices, trying to show the kids dedication, but for whatever reason the team seems to have stagnated. What better way to light a fire under their asses than with a Brett Hull night!

Wait, what? Been done? Failed? *sigh*

This group of young Blues, though, has "foundations of the franchise" stamped all over it, and we'll remember that once they break this funk. Could seeing one of the greatest players ever to wear the jersey, even if it was the fugly one, get honored for his induction into the HHOF be an inspirational moment for them?

Hull, like him off the ice or not, was iconic in St. Louis during the 90s. You mentioned the Blues outside of the town, and the first person who came to mind was him. He was to us what Gretzky was to the Kings, and having him walk for nothing is something I'm sure that the team regrets. Very rarely do you get a player winning a Cup with 2 other teams saying "Yeah, those were nice, but I *really* wish I could have brought it to..."? Brett's still a part of the organization in some way. Look around the arena tonight and count how many Hull jerseys you see. Pull out your hockey card collections from the 90s, and count up how many Hull cards you have (mine? Is "butt ton" a number). He's going to have a statue out front - is this something for the kids to want?

To be an icon, you have to play like an icon. Last season we got glimpses of Oshie's crazed pinball-ness, Backes' grit, and Mason's skill, amongst others. This season, though, it seems stuck in the mud. Will these young kids, some not even born when Hull was traded to St. Louis, let alone when he was drafted, look at him tonight and think "God, I want that to be me one day. I want that for St. Louis and myself"?

Or, will they fulfill the stereotype of this generation (and something that I see every day) and just go "Pfft. History. Whatever. This is now."?

Poll

How important is the past to the present?

Blues @ Detroit GDT: Period 2 Thread, Since People Are Scared of Jinxes.

hildymac — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:44:33 -0000

Wow - this is the game we're all 'cited for, and the GDT is forgotten? *tsk tsk* Anywho, get ready for some taco rolls tonight, folks, we're eating octopus (Google it).

Om nom nom nom. Chewy.

Ignore this thread until the 2nd period, people. Some folks are superstitious and don't want to jinx the goodness of the 1st period so far.

Tuesdays With Hildy: Performance Anxiety - There's a Pill for That.

hildymac — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:08:35 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

You know, I'm sensing a trend here.

Browse more photos »

Norm Sanders tweeted the question, and Panger, Bernie, and DK were discussing it during the 3rd period last night - what is wrong with us at home?

The Post-Dispatch hopped onto the "Good God, seriously?" bandwagon this morning as well, questioning what is going on that puts the Blues in such a chipper, goofy mood during road games. 5-9-2, either home or away, does not a playoff team make, but there's a home ice advantage that is supposed to play into this. It's psychologically proven (it's in my psych book, I swear!) that positive crowd reinforcement encourages better play. No one wants to do something amazing and not have anyone care, good or bad. The Teej claims it's people getting too comfortable. I don't know about you, but comfort doesn't mean score less than 2 goals a game. Comfort means knowing you're supported, so get out there and try.

Is it the last second goal that threw them off? Is a goal with less than 30 seconds in a period a viable reason to go sit in the locker room, pout, and then come out and play flatter than a pancake? Did getting scored on make them stop and go "Wait, awww, we're letting the fans down here! Let's do it more!" I really, honest to God wish that there were some way to bug the locker room to hear what's really being said, because canned responses and "I don't know, really"s aren't worth anything, and the guys know it.

They're not getting heckled by their own fans, I didn't hear any big booos (though I wasn't there - if you were and it happened, please correct me). There isn't a hostile atmosphere. Maybe that's the issue. Perhaps if the opposition didn't feel so comfortable in our barn it wouldn't be so bad. Both teams aren't really impacted much one way or the other by where they're playing. That needs to change.

Poll

What's up with the performance anxiety?

Tuesdays With Hildy: I got it! I got it! Oh, someone got there first.

hildymac — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:33:21 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

"Hey, I crashed the net and got a goal! You want I do that again, coach?"

Browse more photos »

There have been a couple of complaints popping up in the comments during and after GDTs regarding the system that the Blues have been using to play. Actually, systems, because we've used quite a few over the year to mixed results. Hockey teams become known for their style of play - mention "Mid-90s Devils" and watch people begin to get irate about how Jaques Lemaire has the absolute worst style of hockey, and how the Devils have killed, and are killing again, the joy in hockey. Mention the Minnesota Wild(s) and marvel at how quickly people fall asleep. Flyers? Chances are you'll get someone upset about their dirty style of play. But, despite the fact that these are all negative opinions of teams, they're all part of their identity, their game.

The two Conferences even have fairly distinct reputations: the East is where the open ice is; where power forwards like Crosby, Malkin, Kovalchuk, and Ovechkin have free reign and goalies like Brodeur, Miller, and Toskala (hahaha - just kidding) have to stand on their heads. The West is where you have the grit and defense; where players like Iginla, Nash, and Thornton have to grind it out, and where teams like the Red Wings have prided themselves on the defensive capabilities of Tomas Holmstrom's ass for years.

But what is the Blues' reputation? What's our distinctive style of play? Are we power forward central, like the resurgent Blackhawks, or do we have to work for it every night like the Stars and Avs? Are we blue collar, or are we going to get tossed in jail pretending to commit a white-collar crime... pretending we're something we're not, and failing miserably?

Frankly, I really need to figure out a way to pick a topic that I can do point-counterpoint on better, because this one I'm totally biased in one way, and that is 110% against the dump and chase. That is the system of desperation. You use that system, and the opposing team smells blood in the water, regardless of if they're the Sharks or not. You get the puck, you're not sure what to do, so you dump it all the way down the ice, hoping you get there before the other team. Yeah, that's useful... if you're on a LINE CHANGE. If your team isn't built for speed, and aside from Perron and Kariya, we're really not, you're not going to get there first. Sorry. What this system tells the other team is that you don't have the patience to let players get into position, or you don't have any idea what to do once they do manage to get something established. This is the system of bottom-feeding teams who have coaches that are just trying to get guys to do something, anything, resembling playing hockey. This is not us. Allow me to repeat that for anyone who thinks that this works for teams: no.

So, when dump and chase stops... no, that's not the word, because it would have had to have started to work to begin with... when dump and chase doesn't work, the Blues have been resorting to making tape-to-tape passes. Ok, this is an improvement, because we have players that can accomplish this well, like McDonald and Perron, for example. It allows plays to be established on the fly to throw the opposition off. Unfortunately, when this becomes your main method of attack, everyone knows you'll look for the pass before the shot, and will cut the pass off or break it up. It became so obvious at the Thrashers/Blues game that my mother pointed it out and was starting to get pissed off by it. She usually watches 2-3 games a year, and those are the ones that I take her to. If she catches it, well then, how do you not expect the other team to?

Honestly, we're blue collar. We work for our points. We took down the Wings by playing rough around the boards, laying people out, shoving them out of the way (and our crease). We park it in front of the goal, and wait for the rebound. It's dirty, it's greasy, but by God does it work. Big Walt's gotten almost 1,050 points that way. The game against the B's was a good example - Walter was there, tipped it in. Cola rammed himself at Rask, and boom. Goal. Stick with what works, guys. Our best and most beloved players are the rough and tumble guys. The ones we get the most pissed off at our the finesse players (except for Frenchie). Gotta stick with what we know, eh?

Poll

What is the Blues' signature style of play?

Gritty, park it in front of the net hockey. No frou frou stuff here - chippy, rough and tumble, and fun.

19 votes

Fast becoming dump and chase, which is the system you play when you don't have a system to begin with.

43 votes

Whatever the line combos lend itself to that night, and whatever Murray feels like executing.

29 votes

Whatever the hell is working - currently the "Oh, shit, we need to make up ground because we didn't play the 2nd period!" system.

65 votes

156 votes | Poll has closed

Get-together for the Detroit Game

hildymac — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:37:01 -0000

I am currently relaying a message from DaBlues7, who is a lucky duck in Florida for a vacation. Bah.

Hildy,
Hey the guy who runs that website I told you about wants to get a group together in St Louis for the February 9th game against Detwat. Id love to head up the try to organize but Ill be headed to Florida for some much needed R and R. If you could pass along the idea to everyone at SLGT and maybe someone can contact Mark Deflorio on Facebook or at original5.com. He also metioned if someone gets a group together for that game and gets a hold of him they can make a deal for free T shirts. If you could pass the idea around for me Id really appreciate it. Im pretty busy between work and the new house and dont know when Ill get time to drop by SLGT other than Wednesday...and thats only if I dont go to Guns and Hoses in St Louis.
Thanks
Dablues7

For those of you heading into Atlanta for the game Saturday night...

hildymac — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:43:21 -0000

In chatting with Hooks last night over twitter, and him mentioning that he and his sister are going to be in town for the Pens/Thrashers game tomorrow night, I got to thinking - I'm sure a few of you guys might either be coming in to see the game, or coming out of your own igloos (see what I did there?) to drive down to Phiips to catch it.

Me being the overly nice Thrashers fan that I am (and, I admit, I've had a thing for the Pens since I was a kid), I figured that I would direct those of you who are out of towners (or those of you who live in ATL and just don't know) to the cheap and actual safe parking.

The $10 lots are way away from Philips, and with the Atlanta PD being a little strained right now, I'm afraid I wouldn't trust the walk. CNN and Centennial decks are right across the street, but they're $15. The very *bottom* most level of the CNN deck, where the media, arena staff, and ice girls park, though, is $8. It's just tricky to get to.

If you're coming from north of the city, get off at the Howell Mill/Northside Drive exit, and hop onto Northside (not the first part of the exit, but the 2nd). Drive down Northside (stay in the right most lane, because the left one turns into a turn lane), and take a left onto Marietta Street. When you get to Park Avenue West, take a right (if you hit Centennial Olympic Park Drive, you've gone too far). Follow the road down over the train tracks and keep following it. The media entrance to the arena is on the right - go straight a little ways and you will see 2 lots. They're both $8, but I prefer the covered one. It's easier to hop the elevator or go up the steps to the street level, and after the game if you leave out of the CNN Deck exit, you can walk right to the deck over a walkway and straight down - it's pretty safe. The uncovered lot requires you to walk around the corner right under the arena, find the back gate to the MARTA station, and head up through that way, putting you on the whole other side of the arena away from the CNN Center. If you're wanting $6 32oz beers before the game, you probably want to wind up on the street level closest to the center.

If you're coming from the south of the city, or in the city itself, take Centennial Olympic Park Drive until you hit Marietta Street, turn right, and then at the 2nd light, turn left and just follow the instructions above.

Hopefully this saves you guys a few bucks - I always enjoy the games against the Pens, because it's pleasant to have a nice fanbase invade en masse. I've never had a Pens fan heckle us or the team. Thank you for being classier than Sabres and Flyers fans... not like that takes a bunch of effort, but it's appreciated.

Good luck tomorrow night!

Tuesdays With Hildy: Stay, or do we Pet him go?

hildymac — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:36:16 -0000

More photos » by Bill Boyce - AP

Is the Petro-dactyl in danger of becoming extinct for the rest of the season in St. Louis?

Browse more photos »

I'm horribly sorry for the pun in today's title. I am currently running on about four hours of sleep, had to talk about fascism *all day long*, and now I get to sit here until 5 (4 Central) listening to 7 high school boys yell at each other about policy debate. I know that's not a viable excuse for bad pun-age, but it is seriously the best that I can manage right now.

Anywho, for those of you who are not as sleep deprived as some of us, the title is in reference to our youngest defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo. The article in this morning's Post Dispatch raises a question for the Blues, the ownership, and the fans hanging in the balance - do we let half of our 2nd coming of MacInnis and Pronger go back to juniors?

The Blues are carrying eight defensemen right now: Brewer, Jackman, Polak, Colaiacovo, Johnson, Weaver, Sydor, and Pietroangelo. Steen is going to have to return here eventually, probably sooner than later, which means that someone on our roster is going to have to be moved. That, and the next game that he is on the ice for is the magic 9th game, after which the team needs to decide to keep him up here, or send him to his OHL team, the Ice Dogs (he is too young per AHL rules to be sent to the Rivermen). Despite being a scratch for the past three games, no one has had a negative thing to say, but would anyone say something bad about a 19 year old first rounder who is trying his hardest to stay in the league?

Let Him Go

You can make a valid argument for sending him back to Juniors, albiet it is focused more on the team and less on him as a player - we already have seven defensemen. Yes, one of them is the constant talk of 100111001 and whatnot, and the other is yelled at for every atrocious play on the ice regardless of if it's fault or not. But they're both serviceable and they have both paid their league dues. There is nowhere for them to go but a trade, but that trade'll get us probably a few forwards, and then we'll be having this discussion about one of our young kids.

If we can't move Brewer or Jackman, that leaves either Weaver or Pietroangelo to be moved. Weaver could be moved to the Rivermen, but has shown enough competency at the NHL level to warrant him staying put. Petro, if sent down, doesn't lose a year of contract eligibility, gets to hone his skills, and develop a little more for next year. That, and if all else fails and we need to call someone up, we could always call up Junland, though that would deprive Peoria of one of their top scorers.

One other thing is that Petro gets no ice time with his butt in the pressbox. How does he get better without practice?

Keep Him Here

Petro might still be learning the ropes and is prone to rookie mistakes, but would we rather see that from a rookie with room for improvement, or a vet who should just flat out know better? Petro has a tremendous skill set that can only improve with ice time if put out there. He has chemistry with Johnson, and quite frankly he's too good for the OHL.

Look at that. How do you justify a defenseman who can net 40 assists with his eyes blindfolded going back to someplace where he's going to stagnate? Very few people in that league have the skills to challenge him to raise his game - he gets that at the NHL level every night. Even when he's on the bench, he can still watch and learn. He's never going to get any better at the OHL level. Unfortunately, with his age, he can't go to the AHL, which is a skill set that could do him some good. His choices are either stagnate or work up to a new level, and Petro seems like he's a quick study.

And this is why I'm sad that the Blues aren't on KPLR anymore. The quality was just amazing.

hildymac — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:15:04 -0000

And this is why I'm sad that the Blues aren't on KPLR anymore. The quality was just amazing.

Tuesdays With Hildy: Where Does the Fickle Finger of Blame Point?

hildymac — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:33:06 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

Brewer didn't believe EJ when he mentioned everyone really doesn't have a power cord back there, so he had to look for himself. Yep, no cord. Sorry, Army.

Browse more photos »

Yes, I know that the correct phrase is "fickle finger of fate," but what the heck. Regardless of what it's called, fingers are pointing, trying to figure out exactly what the issue has been so far with the Blues and our slump. Is it the players? Is it the management? Maybe we need to look at the offensive system. Maybe, as Jeff Gordon mentions today in the Post-Dispatch, there's something to be said for that ol' saying: "Fish and visitors stink in 2 days." Can that apply to coaches? Do NHL coaches have a shelf-life?

These past few games have been frustrating. Improvement has been there, but has been coming slowly. Three straight OT/shootout losses have gotten us some points in the standings, but we're still three points short of what we could have - what we should have had. We've allowed four goals in regulation time over the past three games. Defensively, we're tight. Goaltending wise - set.

How do you lose a game 2-1? No one scores. So far this season we have seen playing rough and tumble around the boards, crashing the net, dump and chase, and the new one - whapping the puck across the ice, hoping to find the tape of another player. Sunday night they found the tape of the other players - unfortunately it was the other teams' players.

You can't keep throwing playing "styles" at a team. You can't keep fudging and mixing up the lines. What kind of "identity" does that give your team? Do they even know what to expect from night to night? And, most importantly, is it a sign of coaching desperation, which is just a bigger sign of future troubles?

You really have a few ways to point the finger, and you have a few different kind of fingers to point (and we all know which one your favorite is), but is it fair to single out a coach who has been successful with the team to this point?

Si or no? Discussificate.

Poll

Where is the issue here?

Offensive players not being able to hit the net, being a weenie, having a big noggin, and other things.

59 votes

Defensemen who get confused and think they're Robo-Pele

6 votes

The coaching staff. What system is this, anyway?

15 votes

80 votes | Poll has closed

Photos of the Blues/Thrashers game

hildymac — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:40:22 -0000

Photos of the Blues/Thrashers game

My friend Virginia, who offered to snap a few mugshots of all of us at the game, sat down near us and got some killer photos of warmups and the game itself.

The highlight is the dude who kept trying to get a puck for his kids, but was doing the sign for poonizzle. Like she said in the caption, Mason pretty much gave him a puck so he'd stop. I can't wait for his kids to do that in front of some girl one day and get bitch-slapped.