Final Four NHL Conference Finals: Who are my picks.

The final 4 for the Stanley Cup who are my picks.  I would have to say my picks are the Flyers vs. Detroit.  I feel that both of these teams deserve it and do not have the attitude of I deserve it.  If the Penguins were so good then why didn’t they score to their hearts content?  Detroit kept playing and didn’t hold back.  They have the better team on paper with the four lines that can crank out each time shows the skill that team has developed over the season.

 

I will admit, I have never liked Crosby but I feel that he is a arrogant player that has the attitude I deserve my ice space and I will get it but diving or complaining like a little girl.  If Crosby is so great then why is the rest of the team working together to get the wins?  He hasn’t contributed to the win.  Every time they win they news casters go to Crosby or talk about his “leadership” but I’m thinking what they hell he didn’t do anything.  His a pretty boy or poster boy that is trying to make his name like a Paris Hilton in the hockey realm. 

 

I like how the Flyers met every match up and they are the team that has overcome challenge after challenge and have prove that they have earned their spot to the semifinals.  The wings just have the experience and players to get their way to the finals.  Their true test will be how Detroit handles Dallas.  

 

Top Players I think will shine in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

 

RJ Umberger, Mike Richards, Mike Knuble and Patrick Thoresen for the Flyers

 

Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom for the Wings

 

Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Petr Sykora and Kris Letang for the Pens

 

Mike Riberio, Brad Richards, Beneden Morrow and Jere Lehtine or Sergei Zubov for the Stars

 

 

Willow Stream Day Spa, great place for the first timer

I’ve discovered another joy to life. Day Spa!!  I’ve always thought this isn’t me or it’s quite expensive but in the end the break down wasn’t too bad.  You only live once and why not?  I decided I wanted a road trip to get away and relax and my friend suggested going to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Willow Stream Spa.  I thought in the back of my mind are you crazy? 

But then again, I realized why not pamper yourself once in a while and since I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into I thought get the basic and consider possibilities.  After doing some last minute booking I was able to find some slots for me and my friend for the next day and just went for the basic to check out the services and facilities.  Note.  When you want to book time there, book ahead of time, especially when the summer season is coming because you don’t know how bad it will get.

Let’s just say, it wasn’t too bad and worth the 120 for the 30 head, neck shoulder massage alone.  Also, the spa has several mineral pools and steam rooms with unlimited access to the spa area from the time you check in to the time they close which I can’t complain and regret not bring a swimsuit to check out the pools.  Next time is something I will look forward to.

I would definitely recommend this place because it is established chain of spas that serve to pamper you and facility isn’t bad for the women’s side.  I had a great view of the mountains as I waited for my appointment and the people were very friendly especially if you let them know it’s your first time.  When I told my therapist that it was my first time ever being in a spa or massage treatment he said wow you’re going for the top.  I thought why not?  Set the bar high so that I know what to expect. 

Thank you readers

Thank you for reading or browsing by.  It amazes me how people glance at my typings. Please leave comment s or suggestions of other things I should blog about. 

Comforting Quote

Sometimes when you watch tv you always think meh just watching it for entertainment value but then comes some series like Criminal Minds, at the end of every episode they have some quote to wrap things up.  It’s like the quotes on the Starbucks coffee cups.  The last episode had a simple yet powerful meaning. 

~ If we knew each other’s secrets, what comforts we will find…

Sometimes it is through our friends or family that can give you insight into things happening in your life.  Being able to talk to someone and not hide or fake it or put up a mask to hide your feelings and turmoil can help relieve the stress or dark cloud that hangs over your head. 

 

Crossroads work vs mind

It’s funny how sometimes in life you just want to run away from all the bad or negativity in your life to a time or place that just has brought you smiles.  I realized how taking the day off from work I felt more like myself then for the last 9 months should tell me something but there are too many responsibilities to ignore

1.        My student loans.  More than half of my minimal payment goes towards the interest instead of the principal. Don’t get all happy when you receive one because paying it will hurt more than those late nights of studying or partying.

2.       Have a major holiday planned in the last 2 years.  Do I sacrifice my own mental needs to get my holiday paid for?  Or do I live off my tax return? 

3.       Mentally, what can I handle?  Now that I’ve cracked at work, it’s hard to stay in a place that makes you so unhappy.  I know my answer but my stubbornness refuses to let me quit.

Right now I’m in a fragile state where I don’t want to be at work but obligations keep there.   My trip won’t be for another 6 weeks and it will seem like an eternity of getting there.  It’s getting harder to see the positive that will come out of this situation. I can’t even talk about my work situation without cracking now.  I hate being a quitter but it looks like I will be again.

 It sucks knowing that a lot of people say it’s not so bad but until you have walked in my shoes and vice versa then those comments just add to my stress.  In my eyes, these are not words of comfort but instead of come on is it really that bad.  Let’s just say when you feel like you’re trapped in a box those words are just that words. 

I am trying to deal with the cards I am given this round and let’s just say my poker face is shot and folding looks ideal but your gut keeps telling you hang in there and take a chance.  In the end you have to take risk and chances in life.  Some will pay out and some will set you up for a better hand and that is what I am hoping for. 

Am I doing the jobs I graduated for?   No.  I want to practice my art but that ship has long sailed and let’s just say I’m content to move on until I reach a point in life where I don’t have to worry about my financial responsibilities. 

ARE THE REFS FIXING THE GAMES PART 2

You just have to overcome the cards you are dealt with.  No one is a underdog.   The world is corrupt regardless to all the rules we place to protect and make things “fair” playing field.  I think to hold the Refs accountable the NHL should make them pay a fine if they make a mistake that tips the game one way or another.  Yes we are all human but if you want to ref during the Stanley Cup Playoffs you need to be held accountable regardless to the rule change. 

The refs choose to be in that situation and no team can feel good about any series because every series will have controversial calls and unfortunately, this has been occurring for a while and Calgary and their fans have never “gotten” over it since game 6 of the 03-04 run.  IT WAS in what happen, they denied us because our “market” is small the money is to be made in the states.  Well sooner or later people will stop watching when the calls take over the game and people care more about the refs then the game itself.

Like I’ve been saying it’s the minor calls in the attacking end of the favour team that will bring down the moral of the team.  I have lost some more respect with the “great” Sidney Crosby especially with the hoopla that surrounds him.  I think Crosby will choke and become a Lindros.  Every aspect surrounds him remind me of a Lindros.  I like the Pens but I can’t stand why he gets so much special treatment.   Someone needs to give lesson to realize, he isn’t the reason why they are in the playoffs, it what the team can do without him.  My pick would be the Rangers to regroup and take the series in about 6 games.  They have more experience and depth. 

Unfortunately Rangers remember round 1 with Calgary and San Jose.  San Jose were the favourites and look what the refs did to Calgary in game 2 when they won first game and the second was given to the sharks on platter in the second period.  I just can’t get into the series with stupid calls and how refs dictate the game.  Before I forget: THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SERIES GAME GOES TO SIDNEY CROSBY FOR GAME 1 IN THE SECOND ROUND.

Crosby be may be Canadian but really isn’t that great.  

Calgary Flames 2008, this was not your year. But next year could be the year to come back and win it 20 years later….

Oh Flames, they had their chance to win the series if they won game 4.  It was in their sight but once again the secondary scoring decided to take the day off and force Iggy to drive in, and put kipper in a small box.    There were two major flaws in the Shark/ Flames series: 1 is the refs , 2. The “Secondary Scoring”.

But the rule of thumb is to attack the star player with the puck.  The Flames just lost it in the second period and never recovered from stupid bouncing puck that tied the game and then the onslaught of penalities and panicky team cost them the game.  The Flames could have had an awesome come back but I don’t think the Sharks deserved to win especially with the many flawed or missed calls that played favour to the Sharks.

But then again it was a decent game that didn’t really get nasty which surprised me that Calgary didn’t fight more.  The only thing I knew was that the Sharks had the refs on their side especially when they crippled the Flames in game 2.  If you think about it, the Flames win game 2  it would have for every changed the mentality of the teams.

If I were the Sharks, that’s something that will never sit well especially with how the outcome just made that game very flawed and nothing to be proud of. Inconsistent ref calls were the ultimate game breaker for this series.  Missed calls and poor calls are things I will remember this game for.  Especially when everyone didn’t believe the Flames would make it past 4 games.

The other flaw is the team itself.  For some odd reason they just don’t care and don’t score.  Yes they were outshot only because the Sharks had more penalties for them. Hearing the newscasters saying the Flames never got the puck near the net is hard especially if the shots are blocked or they are down a man.  You’re game will always change especially if you’re afraid you’re going to be called at every hit you make.

But Tanguay needed to shoot the puck more towards the net then pass it.  Faking the shot in period 2 could have been the difference if he just shot it to the net.  He needed to repeat his performance from Sunday’s  game to game 7 but instead he just wanted to pass instead of shoot.  Conroy, what happened? He somehow disappeared along with Huselius; I guess they were not hungry enough to stay alive.  If they were hungry their presence would have been more noticed. 

The only one that had the drive was Nolan, to get closer to the cup or Kipper to keep the game close in the first period, to Iggy wanting the puck to Lombardi or Moss who crashed the net.  What do you do when you’re team needs to believe in themselves more.  It was a better turn out then previous matches and there is always next year.  You guys deserve a break and I hope the best for the rest of the teams.

GO FLAMES!!! Game 7 here we come

It doesn’t matter what the final is.  What matters is that I believe from day 1 and it’s finally good to see the team you have come to know play a decent full 60 minutes. To the body shots and the follow through and the pressure in the attacking zone was something that took the Flames a while to get in but I feel that if they put up another good 60 minutes the rest of the city will go into full blown Calgary Red Mile gear.   Go Flames, bring on Game 7.  Now we will see who wants it more.  This is a game of reckoning.  

I am proud to be a Flames fan, no matter what happens I applaud their efforts in game 6 and how they decided to not take the empty net is what I call a classy act.  There is no need to be greedy especially if you are winning and they are trying everything they can.  Throughout the start of the blog, the passion I have for my home team and the sport goes along way.  I have to applaud Lombardi for blocking the shot during the penalty but painfully skating his post until he could clear the puck down was the turning point for the Flames. 

Having a little faith and trust in a team with all the key players is something that we haven’t had since the 03-04 series.  The players are slowly stepping out and sacrificing their body for a chance to get closer the cup again.   They are gritty team that needs to just play, to have that yearning to play it when they can like the timbits.  Whether they go crashing to the net or just make the simple plays to protect the game are as important as scoring.

GO FLAMES GO

I believe in the Flames, just not in the refs!

I still believe in the Flames.  Call me crazy but did you expect the Sharks to hand over the first round to the Flames.  If you think about it, the Flames could have had a 3 -1 series lead after they left the dome.  Now it just gets interesting if the Flames could gather the room and instead of calling each other out, just take out the competition by winning.  I believe in the Flames and I believe they have the players to do it.  They just need to forget about what is on the line and do it like in game 3.  The Flames have the potential of coming back.  I think the only reason why they are second guessing themselves is because of game 2.  Who wants to play a man short for 10 straight minutes.  It’s just not 10 minutes spread out but 10 one after another.  If the Flames lose I would blame it on the refs for making the game favour the Sharks.  It would be a complete shock if the Flames took out the Sharks but if the refs have anything to do about it then they will make it hard and cause a lot of second guessing.

Did you know your blog can be translate..It goes global without you knowing it..this is so cool …

Este é um tempo em que as pessoas vão procurar a Deus e olhar para as seguintes “

1. If God was in control why would he allow this to happen?  God did not allow this to happen, He has given us the choice to say yes and no.  The Gunman chose to walk in and take many lives. Se Deus estava no controle por isso ele iria permitir que isso aconteça? Deus não permitir que isso aconteça, Ele nos deu a opção de dizer sim e não. O Gunman escolheu para andar e tomar em muitas vidas. We critize about how God controls everything, but in reality he made us all differently inside, we may have been made in his image but we are still unique. Nós critize sobre como Deus controla tudo, mas na realidade ele fez-nos a todos de maneira diferente no interior, que pode ter sido feita à sua imagem, mas ainda estamos exclusivo. God loves us and don’t think for a second that these students we just a number to him, taking a life is simply the last thing he wanted this.  Remember the gunman is human and was not thinking straight. Deus nos ama e não pensar por um segundo que esses estudantes que apenas um número para ele, tendo uma vida é apenas a última coisa que ele queria isso. Lembre-se o pistoleiro é humano e não estava pensando em linha reta.

2. How can I know more about life?  What is after this life?  Its important to reflect this moment and realize that there is more to life then growing up, going to school, going to find the love of your life, going to fulfill your goals.  I know that God exists for me and that there are many times in my life where he has been there when I had no one to guide me in life.   But will I force people to know him, No, I will give you the information to make an educated life.  Instead of following just one way of thinking, you have to realize that things can’t be left simply by chance.  Looking at a baby, no matter what the circumstances is a miracle in life.  Have a life grow before your eyes make you realize that life is no fluke. Como posso saber mais sobre a vida? O que é depois desta vida? É importante este momento para reflectir e perceber que há mais vida para, em seguida, crescendo, indo para a escola, vai encontrar o amor de sua vida, indo para cumprir seus objetivos . Eu sei que Deus existe para mim e que há muitas vezes na minha vida em que ele esteve lá quando eu tinha ninguém para me guiar na vida. Mas vou obrigar as pessoas a conhecer-lhe, Não, vou dar-lhe a informação Para fazer uma educada vida. Invés de seguir apenas um modo de pensar, você tem que perceber que as coisas não podem ser deixados simplesmente por acaso. Olhando para um bebê, não importa o que as circunstâncias é um milagre na vida. Have a vida crescer Antes de fazer seus olhos você percebe que a vida não é fluke.

My goal for this post is to encourage you to spend time with family, realize what is important for you.  Remember to take moments for yourself and appreciate what you have and what could be taken away. Meu objetivo para este cargo é de encorajá-los a gastar mais tempo com a família, perceber o que é importante para você. Lembre-se de ter momentos para si mesmo e apreciar o que você tem e que poderia ser retirado.

Not sure if is translated properly but too cool