All Things Avs blog: postgame Avs/Ducks

http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2011/03/12/postgame-avs-ducks-17-out-of-18/6656/

In this blog entry, Dater expresses some frustration with the way the Avalanche season has gone. Another loss, more injuries... I suppose that even a great reporter would have a difficult time telling the same story twenty times in a row.

Dater starts with an intro comparing the Avalanche to Old Yeller. I suppose the idea behind this metaphor is that the Avs should be put down, and that they make Dater cry, so I guess it works. I'd point out, however, that Old Yeller was not "bitten by rabies," unless the wolf's name was "Rabies." Which come to think of it, would be a kind of funny name for a dog.

Dater then refers to the Avalanche fans as "ye faithful followers of these metal-footed men." Another weird phrase. Some of the Avs appear to have stone hands and shit for brains, but not metal feet. Do I know what he meant? Sure I do... but he's a professional writer, and his audience shouldn't have to decode what he wrote to get to what he meant. Dater should avoid the flourish-laced language when he's been bawling his eyes out over Old Yeller, apparently.

Dater moves on to compare the current Avs to the Nordiques, and makes an attempt to comfort Avs fans by bringing up "karma," remarking that the Nordiques fans had to endure years of bad hockey in order to build a team that would be taken away immediately before becoming a powerhouse and winning the Stanley Cup. I guess the point is that Avs fans didn't have to go through the growing pains then, so they have to now... but trying to tie "karma" into it doesn't really add up for me. Karma would see to it that Avs fans suffer through another few years of this crap, and then see their team move back to Quebec and win a couple Cups there. With Budaj in goal. So let's not bring up "karma" again, shall we?

Once Dater finally gets to talking about the game itself, he actually has some decent comments. Pointing out that Duchene has not been good, noting that O'Reilley's wide miss that turned into a chance (and goal) the other way was a biggie, and some recognition that Erik Johnson was (and has been) very good. Dater closes with a couple links and another word or two on the Chara hit.

Overall, a very odd start leads to some good, blog-worthy comments about the Ducks game. If the intro had been less awkward, this may have been a solid A.
B