What an interesting week of (new) Sharks-fandom it has been, even if I did spend most of the week wondering if I was a bad luck charm (two losses and another Hertl injury can easily trick you into being superstitious). I was able to watch about half of Saturday’s game against the Coyotes and found it to be very enjoyable, especially since the Sharks should have won given the fact that they seemed to dominate both ends of the ice. The 0-2 comeback was great and I also enjoyed the frenetic pace of the Overtime. Of course, I would have enjoyed it much more if the Sharks had won, but then again, sometimes that just how the puck bounces.
Strategy: One thing that I have really enjoyed about my deeper dive into hockey has been the strategy involved with mixing up the lines. Though my favorite baseball team is the A’s, I always enjoyed the fact that the National League has no DH and therefore, subbing out pitchers requires additional strategery (copyright George W. Bush) later on in games because pitchers have to hit. The extra tinkering that coaches can do to their line ups is something I look forward to understanding more.
Burns Contract: Speaking of the A’s, can I just briefly discuss how happy I am with the Burns contract? A’s fans spent the first half of the year wondering if they would resign our version of Burns (Josh Reddick) to an extension, only to see us ship him off in a great trade but subsequently sign with a division rival. For me, to see a fan favorite locked up long term within my first official week of fandom felt incredibly fortuitous. I’m glad to now be cheering for a team that doesn’t ship off all of their best players as soon as they are eligible for salaries that are in line with the current market.
Favorite player: I need some help picking out a favorite player for my son and I to cheer for. He loved watching “JOSH REDDICK!” when he was with the A’s and if we can identify our favorite player than it will likely increase the level to which the Sharks resonate with him. I always tended to play defense when I played floor hockey, so I’m leaning in that direction but am open minded. I saw an awesome “Seek and DANSKOI” shirt online that I adored but I don’t know enough about him. Any input is much appreciated.
Top Secret Project: KyleDemetrius and I might be working on something that we think that all of you might enjoy. When I say “might” – its similar to how you wonder if your mom and your step-dad still “hook-up” on a regular basis. You might not know for sure, but you’re fairly certain that SOMETHING is going on…
Gear: I picked these shirts up today and looking forward to wearing them around Portland and all of the puzzled looks that will surely be received as a result. I’m building my collection from absolutely nothing so am fairly open minded. My wife also picked up this net/stick set online but we are saving it or Christmas. Please send any links/pics of your favorite Sharks/hockey gear.
Podcasts: I added “Puck Soup” to the Podcast to the rotation in the last week and greatly enjoyed it. Does anybody else like this one? Does anybody else have any podcast recommendations or podcasts to avoid?
Please comment below. Do you have anything you think that I should especially try to watch over the next few games, any advice on picking my favorite player? You guys have been great so far and I look forward to learning more.
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