Season-Ending DIATRIBE....

[NJSikkbreed]

G'd Afternoon Hockey Peeps.....

Here is a season ending observation from a "fan"..... not a casual fan -- and not a 100% hardcore hockey fan, like many of you ---

so take it for what its worth as an invested point of view, but not an overly emotional point of view.

This 2011-2012 Flyers team was GOOD.... and they were much better than I thought they would be....

They had GREAT moments.... and at other times, very BAD. The day after the Phillies lost in the playoffs I made a post

saying -- "Dont worry - only 6 more months until the Flyers break everyone's hearts" -- because that's what they DO, every

Spring, like the flowers in bloom -- the Flyers will make a run -- only to be outmatched, out worked, out coached, just out "talented"

sometimes...... the Devils series wasnt an out-talented version -- just out worked. Simple. Sometimes you face a matchup at the wrong

time that you just cant beat.... and something happened somewhere along near the end of Game 2 where I saw this series was not

going to end well. The puck was played way too much in the Flyers zone and it just wore us down.... there were no legs left... and

we werent winning this series.

One main point --- DONT run Bryz out of town - fans and media. I'll have to sit thru an entire summer hearing everyone say how

much Bryzgalov sucks..... well, he doesnt. A lazy, ignorant fan will point to him as the reason we lost -- and that deflating, awful goal

he allowed to make it 2-1 and take the wind out of our sails.... well, that happened, and the TEAM had over 40min to correct it....they didnt.

Bryz made probably about 7-8 amazing saves after that keeping it close and giving the TEAM a chance to tie it --- while not really even testing Marty ONCE along the way..... Bryz was maybe reason #3 or #4 they lost.... he didnt do much to steal or win many games, but he is good

enough to work with moving forward -- and with that contract, not much choice..... so please, dont whine about him all summer.

Moving forward -- there is hope. The team is stocked w/ youth and promising talent.... make a small move here or there offensively, but

the offseason focus will be on reloading that defense in front of Bryz. We have one of the best players in the league on board in Giroux

and plenty of weapons..... sadly the Pronger days will be gone and its time to reload w/ a defensive star. The Flyers can always get their

guy..... that I'm not afraid of..... but, I think its time the Flyers Org stopped living off their glory days of the 70s -- and started reloading

for today's NHL.... they've made the moves to gather up more speed and Euro players --- time to keep it in that direction and add in some

more defense.... defense, speed and goaltending wins Cups --- as you'll see w/ this year's Champ. So yes, another Spring w/ no Cup in Philly...nothing new to me. But, I do think there is more promise here than we've had in a long time.