Photo credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Photo credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Congratulations to hockey team destroyers Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, who will play in their third Stanley Cup Finals series in five years, an achievement on par with their respective gold medals.

It seems that most folks, except for the most ardent OBs, have come around on the fact that the Flyers didn’t win those tradesBut if you’re still on the fence, sleep in your Ed Snider pajamas or believe that Paul Holmgren is gone (when he’s actually running a business he admittedly knows little about), here’s a quick rebuttal to your incorrect viewpoint [and I’m going to use these delightful new bullet points to make it]:

  • The reflexive retort by those who still think that the Flyers won those trades is as follows: Would you rather have Richards and Carter, or Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek and Couturier? Well of course you’d rather have four contributing players than two. But that’s the wrong way of looking at it. If the Flyers didn’t trade Richards and Carter, there would be players rounding out the spots occupied by the two extra players the Flyers netted in those deals. There wouldn’t be just two empty roster spots. There’d be real, actual humans. In fact, they would probably be players of at least Brayden Schenn’s ability. So the proper way to ask the question is: Would you rather have Richards, Carter, an underperforming forward similar to Schenn and likely a two-way checking forward similar to Couturier, or Voracek, Simmonds, Schenn and Couturier. My answer is the former.
  • The knock on Carter, who is not just some role player for the Kings but actually the second-leading scorer on the team and in the league with 22 points in 21 playoff games, is that he’s a one-dimensional player. Which couldn’t be more wrong. He’s turned into a very good two-way forward. I’m sorry if that doesn’t fit into the Jeff Carter is a lazy bum who just scores lots of goals narrative, but it’s true. And if you need any evidence, look no further than the fact that he was defending overtime-world-beater Patrick Kane (effectively) in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals last night. If you must find a one-dimensional scorer, may I present to you: Wayne Simmonds.
  • In fact, Carter has turned into a well-rounded, Richards-type player. With the game on the line and Kings players out of gas after an icing call, Carter, before taking the ensuing face-off in his team’s zone, just happened to spot a minor imperfection in the ice, causing a 30-second delay as the linemen attended to it… and as Carter and his linemates sucked some wind. That’s Mike Richards-level chicanery.
  • Some people feel that it’s unfair to point towards the Kings’ success as a reason why these were bad trades. Maybe so. But there’s no other way to look at it. The apparent reasoning for the trades was to separate the destructive friends and rid the Flyers of two players who ostensibly didn’t do things the Flyer way (whatever that actually means), that couldn’t win together. Although the Flyers didn’t trade Carter to the Kings, he was were quickly reunited with Richards and they have gone on to become a part of one of the most successful teams in hockey over the last three seasons. There was no obvious reason to trade them – as evidenced by the fact that the Flyers signed both of them to long-term contracts – and the only explanation is that it had something to do with their off-ice endeavors. The only way to counter is to point towards their success with the Kings. Or, you know, the Flyers’ lack of playoff success.

Let’s hit it!

 

But first, a word from our sponsors:

T-shirts. CLEARANCE SALE on the most popular winter designs– Oshie, Miracle, Big Shot, Big Balls Chip, and seriously 10 Mode is only $10 because I can’t make the price One of OneShop now.

Golf. Our friends over at Ron Jaworski Golf are pleased to host our golf outing at RiverWinds, voted one of the best places to play in New Jersey.

Already have all of our shirts? May I recommended checking out Philly Phaithful.

Doc. Meet Roy Halladay at Sports Vault this September. Details and tickets here.

Phillies tickets start at around $10 on Crossing Broad Tickets.

 

The roundup:

Riley Cooper posing with black guys might be my new favorite thing:

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That’s almost better than Donald Sterling attending a black church service.

Marlon Byrd broke his bat on a swing and a miss. Wonder where someone gets that sort of raw power.

Yet another baby died (bringing the total up to six) in Leslie Gudel’s Nap Nanny, which has been recalled for some time. I see a lot of comments about Leslie and her product, and I think they’re unfair. Did her company produce a defective and dangerous product? Yes. But the danger results from the completely unexpected and nearly-impossible-to-forsee situation that, when the chair is placed inside cribs or other tight areas, babies could suffocate by climbing out of the chair and getting stuck between it and the crib walls. This is an unfortunate situation all-around – that a well-intentioned product produced such horrifying results – but it’s completely unfair to call Gudel a “baby killer,” which is something I’ve seen quite a bit online.

Speaking of dangerous: Bride pulls newborn down the aisle on the train of her dress.

More babies: Heard the Utleys are expecting a second boy. ANOTHER BABY CHASE!

The New York Yankees and Shane Victorino joined many in remembering Lewis Katz.

Ed Rendell turned down an invite to be on the doomed flight.

V. Stiviano mocking black people.

Stupid twerking.

All that Richards and Carter stuff aside, the Kings could buyout Richards because of his cap hit.

Apple will live-stream it’s Keynote today.

Kacie McDonnell and Katherine Webb:

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CBGA Tour

Nick Rocha shot a net 74 at Westover to win the first event and take the early overall lead. Next up: The Club at Shannondell, now through June 22.