BBRoundtable

TILL HOCKEY SEASON!<
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I am so ready for hockey season!! I was ready in June for hockey season!!!! "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens could<
>change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, as heard on The West Wing.<i></i>

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YAY!!!!!! <i></i>

S.....T.......A.......R.....S.....!!!!!!!!!<
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>GOOOOOOOOOO STAAAAAAAAAAARS! <i></i>

GOOOOOOOOOO TO HELL STARS!!!!<
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>Though the Stars probably will win their division again this year, they will have to fight for it. Assuming the Ducks don't fall flat on their faces (hey, it could happen, and I don't mean because Kariya signed with that damn team from the Rockies) the Stars will have a rough go of it, considering they lost Sydor and Hatcher, and that has to hurt. At least, for their sake, Modano didn't leave; there was speculation that he would sign with Detroit, where he's from or something (leaving fans in Detroit asking "Sergei who?" after a while.) <i></i>

"team from the Rockies" eh? You don't suppose DRays could be talking about the<
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>AVALANCHE<
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>do you?<
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>GO AVS!!!! "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens could<
>change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, as heard on The West Wing.<i></i>

He doesn't like to speak that team's name.... <i></i>

I know, that's why I have to make up for it!!<
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>AVALANCHE<
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>AVALANCHE<
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>GO AVS!!!!!<
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> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens could<
>change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, as heard on The West Wing.<i></i>

**nukes the team from the Rockies**<
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>**sends Sakic and Forsberg surplus Zeeky H. Bomb alarm clocks**<
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>The whole "team from the Rockies" mantra is borrowed from the great Woody Hayes, for you college football fans. As head coach at Ohio State, he referred to arch-rival Michigan as "the team up north," but what else do you expect from a guy who ended up throwing punches at an opposing player during a bowl game? (That player was near the OSU sideline and had just made a crucial interception.)<
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>But this is not a college football thread. This thread is about hockey, a far more enriching sport, although unlike in college football, I can't say I much like the current defending champions. <i></i>

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Good thing that all the crappy teams that I absolutly dispise (re: team from the rockies, team from the state of people with many guns, team from the city with the same name as a type of motor company, and team that's owned by the uber crap company of Disney are all losing some key players, so therefore they will be teh suxzors this year, and the CANUCKS are gonna take all this year!!!!<
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>ROUNDTABLE HOCKEY LEAGUE LOONEY CUP CHAMPIONS<
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>2002/2003 SEASON<
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>THE CHIBI-HIKARUS<
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>MANAGER: TANTHALASIS<
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Rather than commenting on the (true) fact that the Canucks will rule all (hehe), let me state some of the pre-season scores for the teams I know we have fans of here (regardless of validity, in the case of the first listed team):<
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><u>Bunch'o'Hacks</u> (That team from the rockies, henceforth BOH.)<
>vs DAL: Tie 2-2<
>@ FLA: Win 7-4<
>1-0-1-0<
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><u>Dallas</u><
>@ BOH: Tie 2-2<
>vs NYR: Win 5-3<
>@ STL: OTL 3-2<
>1-0-1-1<
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><u>Detroit</u><
>vs WAS: Loss 5-3<
>vs NYR: Loss 5-3<
>0-2-0-0<
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><u>Minnesota</u><
>@ VAN: Loss 1-0<
>vs VAN: Loss 4-2<
>vs NYR: Win 7-1<
>1-2-0-0<
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><u>Vancouver</u><
>vs MIN: Win 1-0<
>@ MIN: Win 4-2<
>@ EDM: Loss 1-0<
>2-1-0-0<
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>I'll update as necessary. If any team isn't listed here that should be, do tell. Also, I am now beginning a petition to have the word ehmm... You know, the name of that city from the rockies... to have that word censored on this board. ;b<
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>Random Predictions:<
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>Dallas and Detroit will NOT tie in their preseason game. This, however, is just the Gods taunting you into thinking that the streak is over. Once the games start counting again....<
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>The Rangers... will suck.<
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>The Panthers... will suck.<
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>People will actually watch the ducks this year. Errata. People will actually watch Giguere this year.<
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>BOH will lose the division to the Canucks.<
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>Atlanta will be this years surprise in the playoffs, but they won't get far.<
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>St. Louis will have a stronger early season, and be more of a contender in the central.<
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>Toronto will once again have a rediculous number of false rumours, misunderstandings, and unnecessary criticisms cramping their management.<
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>Other than the Northwest, division leaders will remain unchanged.<
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>Teams making big trades: Montreal, Detroit, Toronto, BOH, Calgary, Atlanta, and NASHVILLE.<
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>And finally, New Jersey will piss everybody off by winning the President's Cup.<
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>Random Hopefuls (barring the obvious):<
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>Cloutier will either learn what to do when a do what now occurs, or he'll be replaced.<
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>Calgary will get some 2nd and 3rd line support, and pull themselves out of the bottom of the division.<
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>Half the Rangers team will retire due to old age. They'll be wiped out, and a new team will be formed from free agents. It will be located in Winnipeg.<
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>A random Zeeky bomb will appear during a BOH home game. Preferably while the Rangers are visiting. Two birds, one stone.<
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>The centre line will be removed. This will basically invalidate the 2-line pass rule, and help to eliminate the trapping style of play, making hockey both more entertaining, and strategically balanced. <i></i>

*gives an grin at Detroit going 0-2*<
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>I like this season already. Vacouver had the most wins, Detroit had the most losses.<
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>Bunch O' Hacks Managed only one win, and tied with a crappy team. Dallas managed to screw up somehow and lose to St. Louis and tie with BOH, but only managed to beat the Rangers, which isn't something to
ag about!<
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>All in all, looks like it will be a good season this year.<
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>Of coure, it WOULD be nice if they got rid of the centre line, making it harder for crappy teams to win because they can trap the puck. <
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>ROUNDTABLE HOCKEY LEAGUE LOONEY CUP CHAMPIONS<
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>2002/2003 SEASON<
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>THE CHIBI-HIKARUS<
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>MANAGER: TANTHALASIS<
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Well, it wouldn't change the skill level of the game, just shift it. Right now it's about here:<
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>Defensive |------------------=------------------| Offensive<
>                    ^<
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>Removing the centre line would move it to about here:<
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>Defensive |------------------=------------------| Offensive<
>                                ^<
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>Which makes for more balanced play. Teams like Minnesota or New Jersey won't be made worse because of this, as their defense will still be important, while their offense can stop being so defensive, and try to press instead. And don't tell me they don't have offense; they do. But they've been pulling it back and trying to turn them all into D's using the trap. <i></i>