The Sabres aren't in the playoffs, and the four teams left are good, but nothing that makes me feverish for the Finals (for the record, I'm pulling for Malkin, Malone, Orpik and company).
So I've decided to take the major sports (Hockey, football, baseball, basketball) and create my all-time team. This isn't the "world's greatest team," but a team I wouldn't question ability, effort and character night in and night out. They are going to be slanted to the modern era and Buffalo, so feel free to refute, but we're going to start with:
MY TEAM WOULD BEAT YOUR TEAM: HOCKEY.
Line 1:
LW- Alexander Ovechkin, Washington
C- Adam Oates, Boston
RW- Mike Foligno, Buffalo
D- Bobby Orr, Boston
D- Jay McKee, Buffalo
Why?: Foligno's my favorite player of all-time, and I'm sure most of it has to do with him being my favorite Sabre growing up, and the guy who's jersey I rocked until I grew out of it -- seriously think of that kid who just took off his Brett Favre jersey. That was me. Oates was one of the best, most-feared passers of all-time, and Ovechkin is bottled excitement. Mike Robitaille calls Orr the best hockey player of all-time. I absolutely agree. If he doesn't win Schopp and The Bulldog's Hockey Hall of Fame Rejection Committee, I may throw up. McKee's my stay at home guy to complement Orr.
Line 2:
LW- Shane Doan, Phoenix
C- Steve Yzerman, Detroit
RW- Cam Neely, Boston
D- Paul Coffey, Edmonton
D- Rob Blake, Los Angeles
Why?: I grew up playing defense, and wanted to be Rob Blake. Unfortunately, I stopped growing at 5'9" (ish?!?), and had to try and become Matt Barnaby, which didn't really work out either. Neely was/is a beast, and is one of the only people I've ever been too intimidated to start a conversation with, and not just because he was Sea Bass in "Dumb and Dumber." I'll talk to him next time. Yzerman and Doan were not just heart guys, but class acts, and Coffey was as close to Orr as humanly possible.
Line 3:
LW- Rick Nash, Columbus
C- Saku Koivu, Montreal
RW- Matthew Barnaby, Buffalo
D- Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
D- Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Why?: Here's where I start getting backlash, I'm sure. Koivu is my favorite current NHL player, a depiction of skill, class and endurance, not to mention the inspiration he brough by defeating cancer. Barnaby won my heart with his shaking his head at the linesmen who were coming to break up his fights. "I'm not done yet." Awesome. Nash is the only reason Columbus scores goals, and Lidstrom and Potvin are overlooked too often.
Line 4:
LW- Brad May, Buffalo
C- Mike Fisher, Ottawa
RW- Pavel Bure, Vancouver
Why?: This one reads like a joke, but this is my team, so deal with it. I love fighting, and May has the hardest punch I've ever seen. Fisher edges out Chris Drury because he has more of a nasty streak with the similar touch, leadership and heart. Bure edges out Afinogenov because Pavel could score, and his brother married D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron-Bure).
Goaltenders:
Mike Richter, New York Rangers
Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders
Why?: Richter is everything I like in a goaltender -- smart, tough, American (nothing against Canada). Not to mention he just graduated from Yale after his playing career and has run the New York City Marathon. DiPietro is me being pig-headed, but I love the way he plays, and the fact that he's constantly backing up his cockiness. Would I be friends with him? Maybe not, but this is my team, and he'll play for what I pay him... for the next 27 years.
Honorable mention:
Mark Messier, Chris Drury, Maxim Afinogenov, Pat LaFontaine, Wade Redden, Dominik Hasek, Randy Burridge, Keith Tkachuk, Mario Lemieux, John Madden, Brenden Morrow, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Rob Ray, Chris Chelios, Reg Dunlop...
To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 1 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 2 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; tournament; WGR; Jeremy White; Golf; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 3 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 4 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 5 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 6 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 7 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 8 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala;
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