Franchise Players: Philly Style

Yep, I'm totally going to commit Flyers blasphemy and sacrilege here. I'll discuss the weekly topic below, but first...

My pick for Philadelphia franchise player to discuss ad naseum is the guy who suckered me into watching the game: Ron Hextall. (Just say "No" to Bobby Clarke!)

Surely, by now, you've figured out that I like to provoke people just a little with tons of hyperbole!

So, anyway...

I have to say that the outlook for franchise players is a bit of a mixed bag and completely dependent on your guy. Below are some characteristics I think of for three types of franchise player today - as in post-lockout. Not every one of them may apply, though most should.

Scenario 1: (New) Traditional franchise player

• Mega-year and -pay contract
• Lucky enough not to be severely injured during career
• Stays productive
• Team leadership/ownership doesn't change and/or decide he's worth trading
• Likes the organization and community

Scenario 2: Long-service franchise player

• Embodies several scenario 1 characteristics
• May be traded to your team early in his career
• May be traded away from your team late in his career
• Either way, spends most productive years on your team
• Again, likes the organization and community

Scenario 3: Just-wins-you-over franchise player

• Displays many scenario 1 characteristics, too
• May not spend many years with your team, but makes important contributions while there
• Endears himself to fans through some amazing feat
• Also likes organization and community

I don't think that the franchise player is a dying breed. I just believe that it's an evolving concept. I mean, if you have a hard-working, talented player who is a good leader and contributes to the team performance no matter where he is, dude could be a franchise player for multiple teams in his career.

Now, on with the blasphemy and sacrilege.

I pick Ron Hextall as an examplary Flyer because he's so Philadelphia. Hexie was ours. Even when he played for the Nords and the Isles, we still loved him. Have you seen the video from his return to the Flyers in 1994?

It didn't hurt that you never knew what would happen while Hextall was on ice. The only things that were a given was he'd hack your ankles if you were too close to the crease and he was just as likely to fight you as the defesemen in front of him...when they weren't fellowshiping in the sin bin themselves.

Clarke lost my vote for visiting upon us the worst season ever, including the locked out one.

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Sacrilege for The Burgh

Those of you who know me also know that I'm not one for stats. However, I do find trends interesting. So, following an interesting one, here's how the Pittsburgh Penguins could beat my Flyers.

Bench Cindy!

That's right. The Flyers won the regular season Battle of Pennsylvania with the Penguins this year (5-3). And you know what? We generally won when Sid the Kid played. See:

11/07: Flyers win with Sid
11/10: Flyers win with Sid
12/11: Flyers win with Sid
1/24: Flyers win without Sid
2/10: Pens win without Sid
3/16: Pens win without Sid
4/02: Pens win with Sid
4/06: Flyers win without Sid

You know who really gives us trouble? Evgeni Malkin.

Of course, we all know that stats and trends aren't as important in the playoffs.

Best of luck to Ellie and Elly (and Teka, too)!

Semi cross-posted to Flyers.Femme

[5/06 Note: Thanks, Blogger, for your regular nightly failure that ate my corrections. Argh!]

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Game-day Superstitions in Philly

Right. I'm a little superstitious about discussing my superstitions...blame it on hockey-goalie little brother, because those guys are the most superstitious of all.

On game-days, I must:

1. Read the Flyers web site and review any funny photos or interviews there,
2. Cruise over to HLOG and see what's going on, and
3. Wear my black v-neck, three-quarter length sleeve sweater with an orange cami under it.

If it's a home game and I have tickets:
1. I must leave work or home early enough to get down to the Wachovia Center well before warm-ups.
2. I must watch the warm-ups.
3. I must take notes for the blog on the back of my PDF print-out ticket.

If it's a home game and I'm not there, I can listen to the game on the radio or watch it on local TV (if it's on local, non-cable TV).

New superstition for this season: I must not listen to away games on the radio.

However, I wonder what will happen when I have my sweater (for the hockey husband) and T-shirts (for the two hockey boyfriends)? Can I wear these and thus negate the radio ban for away games? What about the non-ban on the radio and TV for home games I'm not attending in person, or the games for which I have tickets?

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Flyers suspensions

Downie gets 20 games. Jesse Boulerice gets 25. I'm not surprised at all.

Over the summer, the NHL Board of Governors received an agenda request to discuss questionable hits to the head from last year that did not result in player suspensions, and to clarify the criteria for reviewing them. Input was received from league- and team-level management, coaching staff, and player representatives. Criteria were agreed upon and will be considered for hits this season and forward.

The criteria do not ban hitting in hockey, because no one is interested in seeing that happen. They do help to review situations where one player hits another player in the head, and determine what action may be required.

Training materials were prepared (including video) and distributed to every team in time for camp.

What is surprising?

(a) I don't have a problem with either suspension, but I'm not impartial when dealing with hits to the head.

I have first-person experience with chronic health issues resulting from sports-related traumatic facial injuries. Another family member had a basal skull fracture from a hit to the head, and he always jokes about the things he doesn't remember (when, in reality, it's that he can't remember them) and the change to his personality from it.

(b) Both guys attended training camp. To the best of anyone's knowledge, no one missed the mandatory training with regard to the new criteria. They deserved to be reviewed, and in light of the criteria, they deserved suspensions.

So, this doesn't affect me - as a fan - in any way? Not true.

I am completely pissed off that we have two guys on my home team that seemingly gift-wrapped two opportunities to the league in two weeks.

More importantly, I despise the fact that these two seemingly don't give one s**t about the team's well-being.

Finally, I can't stand the fact that this is overshadowing the bigger story. The Flyers are returning from their worst year with a better line-up. They're working hard to forge themselves into a new team unit and working together more every time I see them.

I'll be interested to see what the league does with other reviews for other teams as the season progresses. (Because unless these two suspensions stop the flow of every player's testoterone and make it clear that long suspensions are likely for anyone, I don't believe they're the last ones of the season.)

Meanwhile, I'll be at tonight's home opener to enjoy seeing the rest of the guys live, and deciding who's going to be on my jersey.

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