Are You a Mexi-Can or a Mexi-Can't?

Last night, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, it was evident that Shane Victorino was absolutely a Mexi-Can, while Brad Watson, one of the referees for game 3 of the Red Wings-Ducks series, was unquestionably a Mexi-Can't.



Now, I admittedly didn't catch all of the Phillies game because Adam EatShit and I went to Dos Segundos with our roommate for a Mexican freedom celebration of our own. But we did see Shane waste absolutely no time extending his hitting streak to 14 games, bombing a first-inning solo home run. Apparently, that was just the beginning for Victorino in the Phils' 10-7 win, as Shane finished the night 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, a steal and three RBIs.

It must be the new bat.

Very nice night for Shane.

Brad Watson, on the other hand, not so much.

Now, the first two games of the Detroit-Anaheim series were just spectacular. The first, a 3-2 win for the Red Wings, and the second, that epic triple overtime clash that saw the Ducks win 4-3. And the third game lived up to the billing, resulting in another one-goal outcome, this one a 2-1 Anaheim victory.

But this one didn't come without some major, major controversy. Detroit was dominating the play, evident by the final numbers (Detroit doubled up Anaheim in shots, 46-23), but he Ducks held on to a 2-1 lead thanks to the incredible play of Jonas Hiller, who has been nothing short of spectacular in these playoffs.

Well, with just over a minute left to play, Detroit had Chris Osgood pulled and was doing what seemingly all hockey teams do when they're down a goal — keeping the puck in the offensive zone and creating a golden chance to tie the game. And after the puck squirted out front and Hiller failed to cover it, Marian Hossa pounced on the disc, buried it and tied the game. Only it didn't. Because Brad Watson somehow lost site of a puck I'm pretty sure Ray Charles could have seen and blew the play dead before Hossa slammed it home.



Detroit, who had just battled for 59 minutes, controlled play and fired tons of rubber at Hiller, had the tying goal taken away from them. And that's a shame, because Detroit deserved a better fate. The Red Wings earned that tying goal, earned a chance at overtime, earned a chance to take one more crack at Hiller.

Make no mistake, Hiller earned the victory too. Stopping 45 shots deserves to be rewarded. But not at the expense of a blown call.

Shane Victory, Mexi-Can. Brad Watson, Mexi-Can't.

If You Don't Like Hockey, I Don't Like You

With yesterday's scheduled Met-Phillies game postponed due to rain, and the Flyers and Sixers both ousted from the playoffs and the Eagles still months away, there was absolutely no excuse to not watch the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings go at it in game 2. None.



The game was an epic 4-3 triple overtime victory for Anaheim, evening the series at 1-1, and just everything that a sports fan could possibly want. Sadly, as Adam EatShit so eloquently pointed out, "Everyone should be watching this game right now, but honestly, you, me, a guy down the street and some Canadians are probably the only ones watching."

That's the dilemma, the conundrum I just can't figure out. Why don't most Americans like hockey? I don't understand it. The NHL playoffs are the best playoffs in all of professional sports. There is no disputing this. The intensity, the hatred that builds between teams, the tense action. Hockey has it all.

The game is fast, there are violent collisions, and, unlike the other of the big four, hockey players tend to be quiet, blue-collar athletes that don't bitch and moan about injuries, contracts and all that other shit that puts athletes out of touch with the average fan. What's not to like?

The only reasonable explanation we could come up with is the fact that hockey is not an "American" sport the way basketball, baseball and football are. And that does make sense. Hockey is Canada's game, not ours. So I guess I can blame Canada for American's not liking hockey. If Americans had invented it, they'd like it.



But just because hockey isn't an "American" sport, that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch and enjoy. Because hockey is fucking sweet.

If you need proof, just take a look at that Detroit-Anaheim game. It was incredible. Both teams were hitting the shit out of each other, the goalies were playing well, the pace was incredibly fast and the best players were making plays.



It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The Red Wings came out and took the lead, then the Ducks answered with two of their own before Detroit tied it up again at 2-2. And that was just the first period. Anaheim scored early in the second to take the lead back, only to see Detroit tie it up early in the third.

Then the game went the distance. Really the distance, going to a third overtime. Jonas Hiller made 59 saves. Chris Osgood made 42. Makael Samuelsson had 10 shots, Marian Hossa had 9 and Niklas Lidstom had 8. Ryan Getzlaf continued to show the hockey world that he is, in fact, a complete superstar, logging nearly 40 minutes as a forward. Oh, and he scored a goal and notched two assists, completely establishing himself as the boss in the series, especially when he was standing over a Red Wing (can't remember if it was Tomas Holmstrom or Johan Franzen) and yelling at him to get up after accentuating a fall on a little shot by Getzlaf.



The dude is a beast. And the game was awesome, as it finally ended 1:15 into the third overtime, when Todd Marchant criss-crossed and fired a perfect shot, with a great screen by Rob Niedermayer, past Osgood.



If you aren't watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, you should be. And if you don't like hockey, I don't like you.