As I watched Sportscenter last night, I couldn’t help but get mixed emotions as I listened to Matthew Barnaby glorify Dustin Byfuglien for his Game 3 performance. The first thing I felt was joy. My Hawks had just won in convincing fashion, they were getting major media coverage, and one of my favorite players, Dustin “Big Buff” Byfuglien, was the star.
But as I thought more and more about the game and its coverage, I became quite upset with my man Big Buff. I replayed his goals, his hits, and his work on the boards over and over again in my mind and thought to myself… “Where the hell has this been all season?” The results Big Buff got last night didn’t come from luck, they came from effort, something we haven’t seen nearly enough from him.
Last night proved that when his mind is focused on the game, Dustin Byfuglien can be one of the most dominant forces in the entire NHL. Don’t believe me? Ask the Versus announcers who referred to him as “The Leviathan” after his second tally. Or maybe ask Gold medal winner Roberto Luongo, who had nothing to offer but childish complaints after Buff made him look like Cristobal Huet (ha).
If Buff can remained focused throughout the duration of these playoffs and for the rest of his career, the line of Kane-Toews-Byfuglien has a shot as going down as one of the greatest in history. With the playmaking ability of Kane, the intangibles of Toews, and hopefully the continued tenacity of Big Buff, this line can be a major factor in a lot of Cup raising in the next 10 years.
I know I’m getting a bit ahead of myself here, but as the Hawks continue to soar through the woods of British Columbia, I think they’re starting to see some Sharks in the waters below. Unfortunately for those Sharks, “The Leviathan” is the real King of the Sea.
7 comments:
The reason you don't see this every game is because Dustin Byfuglien lives by the adage "He who governs best governs least". Allow me to explain.
A very nice comparison between Byfulien and the biblical Leviathan, but my first comparative thought of Byfuglien and The Leviathan was in the sense of Thomas Hobbes' book on social order commonly known as The Leviathan. In his book, Hobbes tried to lay out a framework for social order, in last night's game Byfuglien also laid out a social order.
You see, Vancouver is a city full of slope headed mouth breathers. For a single day (after Game One) they actually allowed themselves to think they had a chance in this series. Enter Dustin Byfuglien - The Leviathan. In the short course of two games, order has been restored, and once again the world is in social balance. The shorter work we make of these miserable curs, the better off we'll all be. Burrows and the rest of these Vancouver punks showed at the end of the game last night why this British Columbian bunch of sissies is never going anywhere. In the post game, I honestly thought Luongo's mascara was going to start running as he whined like a jilted school girl during "that time".
Thank you Mr. Byfuglien for putting things back to where they belong. When things get out of kilter again - we trust you'll appear to set them straight once again.
KX
Well said as always King, with Byfuglien now regulating the order of this series, how many more strikes does Alexandre Burrows get? We all remember the regular season when he dropped the gloves with Keith (not a very formidable opponent) and turtled and resorted to pulling hair. Now he takes advantage of a vulnerable Dave Bolland and rams him from behind... How long until the Leviathan steps in and straightens out Burrows, in multiple connotations of the word!
Before I forget, I would like to wish a happy 60th birthday to Bob Gryp.
It seemed like yesterday when this Boston University graduate skated out for his first game with the Boston Bruins. When I think back about it, tears almost well up in my eyes. To think that it was thirty six long years ago when this strapping left winger first proudly skated out onto the Boston Garden ice proudly wearing #28 for the Black and Gold.
And then.....................the unthinkable.
After one stinkin' game with the Bruins, they didn't put him on there playoff roster - and furthermore didn't even protect him in the upcoming expansion draft. Sure as I'm sitting here, Ol' Bob was drafted by the expansion Washington Capitals and - ingloriously - even had to switch his number to #18. Ah the humanity of it all.
He played like a lost man after that. The fire was out, the dream was gone. Damn the lost innocence for it takes with it all the dreams of previous generations. Bob drifted like a rudderless ship for the '74-'75 season. Even a switch of numbers to #12 didn't help re-light the fire that once burned so brightly in Bean Town.
If '74-'75 was a nightmare, then '75-'76 was a disaster. Yet another number change to #19 only worsened the seemingly inexplicable slump that ground young Gryp into a shadow of his former self. He decided to hang them up after the '75-'76 season with a lifetime +/- of -44.
Sure - the history books will show that Bob Gryp wore #18 and #12 and even #19 - but to some of us he'll always be Good Old #28.
Happy #60 #28.
shout out to Franzen's game tonight. 4 goals and 2 assists. Getting the hat trick in the first period. I am definitely a Hawks fan, but I am hoping the Red Wings can pull of some magic in the Sharks series because I want to see these two teams meet up again.
I'm very happy Detroit pulled out the W last night. However, I'm still not sure who I want to come out of that series.
Bring on the Sharks. They had the best record in the West and I want the Hawks to beat the best on their route to victory. And I hope the Pens make it so Sid the Kid has to watch another team hoist the cup in front of him.
As far as Big Buff goes, I'm not sure how the long the spark will last. Maybe it took being put on the Kane-Toews line to energize him. Or maybe he switched to a different flavor of Skoal. Who knows. Whatever the change was, I hope he continues to be a force to reckon with until he hoists the cup.
The HAS to end up being the Blackhawks vs. Montreal in the final if for no other reason than to erase the season of '70-'71 from my memory.
If you thought Game #6 of the Marlins/Cubs sucked, you should have tried Game #7 of the Canadiens/Blackhawks Cup Finals.
I want Les Habitants and their French speaking fandom to cry for a week - like everybody in Chicago had to in 1971. I know, I know - It was 39 years ago and I should let it go, but I won't and I can't until vengence is mine.
Come on Montreal - make it to the finals so we can kick the snot out of you.
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