The Sports Funk

I am in the midst of a heavy duty, foggy, cloudy, “I don’t know why I even pay attention to sports” sports funk.  In the span of 48 hours this weekend, the following things happened:

-Everyone’s Favorite Goalie (aka John Curry) lost his first NHL start for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. Despite the Pittsburgh announcers practically blowing out their microphones with the calls of his crazy contortionist saves in the third period, the Penguins defense neglected to play, and he was defenseless against four goals.  I was able to view the FSN Pittsburgh coverage online, and on the bright side, the announcers and commentators did seem quite fond of Curry, and very pleased with his performance.   It just would have been nicer if Sidney Crosby’s hat trick from Saturday had occurred one day earlier to help Curry out. 

Dany Sabourin reaffirmed his spot as the Penguins’ current #1 goalie with a good performance agains the New Jersey Devils, meaning Curry is left to hang out near the bench door or on a folding chair in the hallway, dependent on the arena he’s playing in.  Oh well.  Marc-Andre Fleury is now listed as “week-to-week,” so The Everyone’s Favorite Goalie Watch continues.  Maybe another start for Curry is out there?

– In Sunday’s “Hailey’s Comet” game (I refer to any San Francisco 49ers – Buffalo Bills match up as a Hailey’s Comet game because it is a meeting of my two favorite childhood teams that seems to happen only once every seven years), the Bills lost to the lowly 49ers, 10-3. Bye bye any logical playoff hopes.  We are back to scheming up all the “well, if every team in the AFC except us loses at least 3 of the next 4, we’ll make it to the playoffs as a wild card” scenarios, like we do every year.  Then the Bills start emailing us fans, pushing the “Bill-ieve” t-shirts, telling us that we should still “Bill-ieve” because if we win against the Dolphins, the Patriots tie all of their remaining games, and the Jets organization ceases operations, we’ll still make the playoffs!

I don’t know if I can be Bill-ieving anymore.  There are only so many times my heart can be broken by the Buffalo Bills, and I may be running out.  It’s only been broken every year since I was ten,

– And in the “Hailey’s Comet” game, Trent Edwards was befallen by a groin injury.  He was replaced in the second half with JP Loser-man, which I am sure made Lee Evans’ day, but did not make the rest of the team’s.  According to many retabile news sources today, Edwards will be a “game time decision” against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in the motherland (aka, Toronto.)

Trent Edwards, I want to believe – excuse me, I mean Bill-ieve – in you as the Bills’ quarterback of the future. However, if you are going to continue to suffer more injuries than I did in my lone season of running cross-country (right knee swelling, then left knee swelling, then left heel, then both knees again), this whole starting quarterback gig might not be the ideal job for you.

– The FWNICM was benched. As in, didn’t dress for Boston University’s Saturday night game against St. Lawrence.  We will not discuss this further.  I am still verklempt.

Every sports fan goes through his or her ups and downs, but gosh – it was like everything that could have happened to my favorite teams/athletes, happened.  I almost expected to hear that Gabe Kapler had retired…and then I checked and he’s still exploring free agency. Thank goodness.  That would have been too much for me to handle.