11 April 2021

Stanley Cup, Outdoor Games, & Olympics

 Usually around this time of year we are near the end of the NHL season and gearing up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The weeks leading up to this time of year are usually bombarded by stupid campaigns by the NHL, like "Because it's the Cup".  Damn, it I hate that campaign...almost as much as "Is it October, yet?".  Who writes this crap?  Who greenlights this crap?  And, why do they keep using this amateur slogans to promote a game that is losing its core audience.

Anyway.  This is something I observed a few years ago and the pattern is still going strong.  Notice that teams playing outdoor games have a very good chance to be in that year's Stanley Cup Finals.  Here is a list of NHL outdoor games on Wikipedia that you can check.  And, a list of Stanley Cup Champions and Finalists.  

Let me break it down.

- 1954, Detroit Red Wings have an exhibition outdoor game with the Marquette Prison Pirates.  The Red Wings go on to win the Stanley Cup that year against the Montreal Canadiens.

We get some outdoor games where this theory does not work out, but hold on...

- 2008 Winter Classic, Pittsburgh Penguins versus Buffalo Sabres.  Penguins go on to meet the Red Wings in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals

- 2009 Winter Classic, Red Wings vs Blackhawks.  Red Wings meet Penguins in 2009 Stanley Cup Finals

- 2010 Winter Classic, Flyers vs Bruins.  Flyers in 2010 Finals with Blackhawks

See it?  The Winter Classic pretty much guaranteed a spot in the finals.  No Cup win, but very close.  Okay, a few more games were played in the open with no results that I can skew towards my theory.  But, it happens again, this time we have Cup winners for outdoor teams.

- 2014 Stadium Series between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.  The Kings would go on to win their second Cup that summer...against the New York Ranger...who also played in the...

- 2014 Stadium Series.  The Ranger actually played two outdoor games, one against the Devils, other against the Islanders.

- 2015 Winter Classic, Blackhawks vs. Capitals.  Chicago wins another Cup, this time defeating the Lightning in the Finals

Skipping a head to make me sound like a genius.  I should also mention that there are up to four games being played outdoors at this point.

- 2017 Stadium Series, Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins.  Yeah, Penguins lifting the Cup at the end of the Finals.

- 2018 Stadium Series, Toronto Maple Leafs vs Washington Capitals.  Come on, you did not think the Leafs were going deep in the playoffs, did you?  Of course not.  The Capitals win their first Cup

- 2019 Winter Classic, Bruins vs Blackhawks.  Boston make it to the Finals but just fall short, as the St. Louis Blues win their first Cup.

- 2020 Winter Classic, Nashville Predators vs Dallas Stars.  Crazy pandemic year with whacky playoffs, but the Dallas Stars make it to the Finals, but are defeated by Tampa Bay.

Here we are at 2021, and we have four teams that played in two outdoor games.  Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins.  Will one of these teams make it to the Finals, possibly win it all?  Currently the Avalanche and Golden Knights are at the top of the same division.  Bruins are in a playoff spot, with the Flyers just on the outside looking in.

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Wait, I have more!

Three Canadian cities have hosted the Olympics.  The result?  Top of the league the next season and a Stanley Cup Championship (almost)

1976 - Montreal hosts the Summer Olympics.  The next year, 1977, the Montreal Canadiens are at the top of the league.  They would have been awarded the Presidents' Trophy, if it existed then.  But, more importantly, they go on an win the Stanley Cup.  Okay, I know this was during their dynasty years (1976-1979), and no one was getting around the Canadiens.  My theory still stands.

1988 - Calgary hosts the Winter Olympics.  The next year, in 1989, the Calgary Flames win their second Presidents' Trophy in two years, and first Stanley Cup.

2010 - Vancouver is host to the Winter Olympics.  The Canucks would win back to back Presidents' Trophies in 2011 and 2012.  They reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011 (year after Olympics) and came with in a game of winning it all, losing in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins.  

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There you go, my Stanley Cup, Outdoor Game, and Olympics theory.


01 April 2021

FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - April 2021

 Ah, April Fool's Day.  Perfect day for telemarketers.

1 April 2021

  315-775-2689  Watertown, NY - During the Winter, does Watertown become Icetown?  Fuck you!

  ezgro420@gmail.com - Okay, clever name for an email address.  One does not even need to click on the link to know what this scam is about.

ezgro420@gmail.com

As you can see, this was sent to 20 people.  How many fools fell for this today, could we expect another email/text like this in about 19 days?    Fuck you!

7 April 2021

  anniesterry@gmail.com - Another 20 person mass email. This one coming in at 6:08 in the morning.

anniesterry@gmail.com

Remember back in the day one could only get a Gmail account by invitation only?  This when back when it was new and you really had to know someone to get a Gmail, as there was only like 5-10 accounts that one could give out.  

Now, anyone and their mother can get one and use it as a telemarketing tool.  Including, ezgro420 and anniesterry.  Fuck you!

   ddd1996@gmail.com - Coming at'cha at 7:39

ddd1996@gmail.com

Like we said, anyone can get a Gmail account. Looks like Gmail is the new weapon telemarketers are using to attack us.  Fuck you!

13 April 2021

  913-956-8027  Kansas City, MO - Suck a relief when we just get a regular text to text scam

913-956-8027

Wait, is this targeted marketing?  Bitch, you saying I am fat? Okay, I may have put on some 'pandemic pounds', but do I need to drop almost 50 pounds?  Well, would be nice to be thin and sexy.  Maybe then the captain of the football team will ask me to the dance. Wait, fuck you!

14 April 2021

  No Caller ID - What the fuck?  We are sure there is a way to track where/who called but, we are lazy.  Fuck you!

20 April 2021

  veertufan@gmail.com - Okay, you got me.  I might click on the ad.

veertufan@gmail.com

I wonder how many of the 20 people sent will click.  Uh, fuck you?

  415-296-1330  San Francisco, CA - Oh yay, they left a message.  We have ourselves an auto warranty scam.  Notice the message wants me to 'press five now or press nine'.  Obviously, having a long and annoying outgoing message pays off.  It also weeds out scams like this.

405-296-1330

Oh, "renew my auto warranty" you say?  Well, technically, the warranty on my auto is way overdue for renewal.  Fuck you!

26 April 2021

   310-836-7770  Culver City, CA - We highly doubt that Antico Floor Products would be calling us out of the blue.  We are not in the position to have any flooring work done and for sure, we have nothing to offer them.  Could be a wrong number and very possible that they had their number spoofed by telemarketers...and fuck you!

   415-885-3535  San Francisco, CA - With this call, the call above leans more towards a spoofed telemarketer call.  Looks like the San Francisco calls are handling 'auto warranty renewals'.

415-885-3535

Same message as the last call from San Francisco.  Funny, I have the same message for them, too.  Fuck you!

27 April 2021

  302-838-3744  Delaware City, DE -  There is a Delaware City in Delaware?  So back in the day, you just name a city after a state?  New York City, Kansas City, Fuck You City!

  512-704-2040  Austin, TX - Austin?  Is Joe Rogan calling us, now?  Fuck you!

30 April 2021

  310-468-6195  Torrance, CA - Last call of the month?  Well, there is still a little time.  Come on, get your calls in.  Fuck you!