If there's one thing I've learned about blogging in the last year it's that you just never know. Sometimes I put a lot of thought and time into a post that I think is going to get a response and it doesn't get much reaction at all. And then sometimes I throw something up that I think is kind of goofy and sure to be ignored and people end up really liking it. The previous Henrik Tallinder post got more page views than anything I've written here (I'm sure partly because of the links on Mirtle and Deadspin) and that really surprised me because it was such a silly post with no real point. I think maybe loving a particular player is just something that every hockey fan can understand and relate to. Or you all enjoyed pointing and laughing at me. One of those. Whatever your motivations, thanks for all the great responses.
- Can we move on with this whole hockey thing? Now that all the teams I didn't want to win are either out (Rangers, Sharks) or just about out (Flyers) I can't work up any passion or interest in the playoffs. I think the Red Wings are going to beat the Pens pretty easily so let's pass out that big shiny trophy and call it a season. I'm sure I'll regret saying this in seven or eight weeks but I'm ready for free agency. I need something Sabres related to blog about stat even if it is chaos. (Again, I'll regret even thinking this before too long.)
- CBC was really banging the "Philly has lost TWO defensemen!" drum hard tonight. Wah wah wah! Injuries are never an excuse, everyone has to deal with them, that's hockey etc. That's what people told me when I complained back in 2006 atleast. Two more d-men to go before I feel the slightest bit of sympathy, Philly.
- Beautiful diving defensive play by Sergei Gonchar on Mike Richards in tonight's game. I know some fans would prefer to see a goal scorer like Richards score there but I'll take the sparkling defensive play every day of the week. Love it, love it, love it.
- I also love that Evgeni Malkin sucks on his necklace during the anthems and some stoppages in play. I don't wear a ton of jewelry but when I do wear a chain of some kind, I do the same thing. I also chew on the inside seam of the collars of my t-shirts. I'm doing it right now actually. Geno and I are kindred spirits.
- There's been some discussion around the Buffalo blogosphere about the goal that went in the side of the net against Philly back in 2000. I was still in Birmingham at the time (though planning the move) so I missed it completely. I've seen the goal but what I really want to see is the video of Darcy Regier flipping out in the replay booth because I can't even imagine that scene. He's always such an even keeled fella in public as far as I've seen.
- Quick poll. You can email or comment if you like. I'm just wondering how many of you are seeing the background photos overlap the text. And is it all of them or just the bottom two?
- Blogger has decided that Top Shelf is a spam blog. This means that before I do anything - post, comment, change the layout, edit something - I have to prove I'm a real person by filling in one of those little word verification boxes. I remember now why I turned that feature off for commenters. I hate those stupid little boxes. I never ever ever get one right on the first try and sometimes have to do them three times or four. Is there a reason that they can't be actual words instead of gibberish? Do they really need to be all smushed together and swoopy? Must each letter be various sizes and thicknesses? Am I the only one who has problems with these? Hopefully Blogger clears me soon because it's really annoying.
(I've already failed once and the one I'm looking at right now is completely unreadable. I'm not even trying it.)
- Seriously, is the season over yet?
ETA: Mark mentioned that he saw Darcy's flip out in a You Tube video a couple of weeks ago and lo and behold, here it is. You can watch the whole clip - Mike Robitaille absolutely marvels over how smart the lady callers are - but if you just want to see Darcy it's at the 5:47 mark. Dude, he's UP ON A CHAIR and POINTING. It's pretty awesome.
9 comments:
There might be other factors (web browser, MAC or PC, etc.) but I think the main issue with the pictures is resolution. The smaller resolution somebody is using the farther onto the page the background pictures are going to be.
I go to this one site that has a security code but it's even worse than most. All the letters are squiggly and blurry and rotated but then on top of that they either have a small picture of a dog or cat on them. You then have to pick out JUST the letters that have a picture of a cat on them but you can't read the letters or decipher what the pictures are.
Great post! I agree, it's time for some free agency drama. (We are going to have to do a whole podcast about how much we regret saying we want some drama, aren't we?)
LOOK at Mike Robitaille! He's amazing! I love him so much! Lady callers! HA!
I'm not sure what the difference is, but I can view without overlap on my computer at home, but mine at the office has the graphics overlapping. Both computers are Dell and I use Internet Explorer at both locations.
regarding the background pictures - on my work iMac running Mac OS X, i have to highlight the text to make it readable (barely) through the pictures. this makes me sad because i enjoy your blog tremendously and dislike being frustrated in my attempts to read! might there be some way to make the pictures transparent?
keep up the fine commentary.
"I know some fans would prefer to see a goal scorer like Richards score there but I'll take the sparkling defensive play every day of the week."
I have no problem with "sparkling defense" taking the place of goal scoring. It's the "atrocious trapping" that has to go. I'm fine with people saying they missed the hitting and toughness two years ago, but some of these games are unwatchable. 8 shots in 2 periods from one of the league's top offenses? That's just gross.
Game Six of Dallas / San Jose was only bearable because of the drama of the overtime / elimination situation - but the hockey itself was boring. I watched the puck keep circling around the base of the rink for 130 minutes, interrupted only by a few turnover-led forays to the open ice.
Anyone else surprised by the lack of outrage over Downie head-hunting Petr Sykora? The replay showing him going end-to-end after his turnover and running Sykora late reminded me of what Bob Mackenzie wrote after the McAmmond hit:
"Moments before Downie's hit, he was pounded down to the ice and face-first into the boards by Sens' defenceman Christoph Schubert. When Downie, a blue-chip prospect who plays the game on the edge and often beyond it, got up, it was evident to one and all who knows hockey, who knows Downie, who knows anything, that he was going to seek payback. Immediately.
The minute he stood up and raced back into the play, I turned to TSN colleague Brent Wallace in the press box and said, “Watch Downie, he's going to try to kill someone.” "
Once again, Downie seemed to have little interest in getting back on defense to cover up for his own mistake. He made a bee-line for the first person he spotted in the zone & cross checked him laaaaate - it's obvious this guy has no regard for any player's safety. But since the NHL only punishes the injury, not the hit or intention, this guy's getting off light for a pretty blatant repeat offense. Am I nuts?
It isn't just the conference finals that blow, it has been the playoffs as a whole. Really the only intriguing series' have been the Bruins-Habs and Flames-Sharks back in the first round. Actual well played, interesting hockey. Thank you NHL for ignoring obstruction penalties again and making the game I love a neutral zone snooze fest. But Bettman will hand out the Stanley Cup, like every year proclaiming that the game is in great shape. Sure, just ignore the fact that game 5 between the Rangers-Pens on a SUnday drew fewer viewers than the Celtics-Hawks game in the NEW YORK metropolitan area. Not good.
One positive of the playoffs, Sydney Crosby's playoff "beard" Love it!! The dude looks like he is in a mariachi band.
One positive of the playoffs, Sydney Crosby's playoff "beard" Love it!! The dude looks like he is in a mariachi band.
I just noticed last night that you are actually able to see a little facial hair. He may have something resembling a beard by the time the playoffs are over (next year). :)
Even when Darcy flips out, he manages to do it in a calm and orderly fashion.
About the graphics, on my laptop, there's no overlap between text and images. On my desktop, there's definitely overlap.
I use a wicked combination of OS's, that include WinXP, Server 2003, Vista, Ubuntu and a few wild flavors of Linux servers. For browsers I use multiple versions each of IE, Firefox and Opera. On each, I definitely get overlap, but it's much worse on machines where I have 1) the resolution low, or 2) the browser window cropped down out of full-screen.
On a related note, I did like the blue/yellow scheme. But then again, the contrast was better for me, being colorblind and all....
Post a Comment