“Forced Watching” is a weekly feature where the loser of the wagering game on the podcast is forced to watch the least interesting game on the schedule (in the opinion of the winner), and write about it. No offense if your favourite team is involved. Well, some offense.

***

Welcome to the first Forced Watching I’m actually looking forward to. I actually thought I was going to win this week. I was so close. If you think you’re disappointed you have to deal with me again this week, you can’t imagine how I feel.

Anyway, Give me your Tavares, your Moulson, & your Ovechkin. Hoping for a good game that gets done quick because I have tickets to go see Lucero tonight. Let’s do this thing.

1st Period

20:00 - Let’s get it started with Washington’s feed just cause. I feel like the nine goals Ovechkin scores (shhh…I’m being optimistic…it’s weird) will be more exciting with a hometown announcer.

20:00 - Thanks to the wonderful invention that is Wikipedia I have learned that my announcers for this first period are Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin. Cool.

20:00 - Aw, no commercials on Gamecenter. Lucky for all of you, sad for me.

20:00 - Opening faceoff brought to you by Papa John’s. There are some people in theScore’s offices who could totally get behind that.

19:26 - Eric Fehr is out tonight so we get to watch the Polish Pistol Wojtek Wolski instead. I’m pretty okay with this. Read the rest of this entry »

“Forced Watching” is a weekly feature where the loser of the wagering game on the podcast is forced to watch the least interesting game on the schedule (in the opinion of the winner), and write about it. No offense if your favourite team is involved. Well, some offense.

***

Hey, welcome back to the post that gives me severe anxiety and is apparently just what I do now. This week we’ve got Calgary vs. Dallas in what is sure to be a barnburner. Couldn’t be more excited. When you have a chance to watch the 13th and 14th place teams play each other, I mean, you really just can’t pass that up.

I look forward to all your kind words.

1st Period

20:00 - Alright, FOX Sports Southwest. Been a while. Let’s do this.

20:00 - I’m actually very curious to see how the Stars rebound from that smackdown at the hands of the Blackhawks they suffered on Sunday. Ralph and Razor (missed you guys) talking a lot about leaders stepping up, being humbled/humiliated, etc. Speaking off, Jamie Benn is goalless in his last 7 games so let’s hope that changes tonight. I was robbed of Benn awesomeness last time I was forced to watch the Stars, here’s hoping that doesn’t happen again.

20:00 - There is apparently something called the Lone Star Emmy Awards and Ralph and Razor apparently won one a few weeks back. Can’t argue with that. Very excited to listen to them again. Actually.

20:00 - Mark Giordano and Dennis Wideman starting on D for the Flames. $9 million in very average defense! You go, Jay Feaster. Read the rest of this entry »

“Forced Watching” is a weekly feature where the loser of the wagering game on the podcast is forced to watch the least interesting game on the schedule (in the opinion of the winner), and write about it. No offense if your favourite team is involved. Well, some offense.

***

Hi, again. I suck at this so you’re stuck with me again.

Sorry.

I’m actually kind of looking forward to watching these teams though. We’ve got two not that great teams that had a good week, some great young players and my favorite player in the league.

Setting the over/under on Brian O’Reilly jokes: 6.5

1st Period

20:00 – Dubnyk and Varlamov tonight. I’m kind of excited to watch Dubnyk. I’ve criticized him a lot this year but seen great flashes from him. Curious to watch a whole game.

19:30 – Joe Sacco being the Avs coach confuses me. I’m watching the Avs, I hear announcers saying Joe Sac- but it doesn’t end in –ik. I want Joe Sakic to coach the Avs. I want Joe Sakic to do everything. I miss Joe Sakic.

18:53 – The Avs are only 4 points out of a playoff spot. Seriously. I would never have guessed that and I have the standings in front of me every day during the podcast. I am not observant. Read the rest of this entry »

“Hello, Floreda”

“Forced Watching” is a weekly feature where the loser of the wagering game on the podcast is forced to watch the least interesting game on the schedule (in the opinion of the winner), and write about it. No offense if your favourite team is involved. Well, some offense.

***

Here we are again.

I watched last week’s episode of Justified before this game because I wanted to do something entertaining before I watched this hockey game. I’m pretty sure that R.J. Umberger is Drew Thompson.

Also, I hate everything.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Forced Watching” is a weekly feature where the loser of the wagering game on the podcast is forced to watch the least interesting game on the schedule (in the opinion of the winner), and write about it. No offense if your favourite team is involved. Well, some offense.

***

Dubinskiy! Daley! It’s Stars vs. Blue Jackets I: Let’s See How Little Jake Can Care About A Hockey Game.

Oy, I really need to stop being terrible at picking hockey games. Doing this two weeks in a row is rough (I know, I know, poor me). I hope I win this week because I’m going to make Bourne watch just the worst game. I don’t know what yet, I haven’t looked at the schedule. I’m going to plan ahead though. Anyway, let’s hope my Gamecenter doesn’t crap out on me today. I hear that, Renegade. Let’s do this thing.

1st Period

20:00 - I know literally nothing about either team’s broadcasters so…let’s go with the Blue Jackets for the first, the Stars for the second and whichever I liked better for the third. Research is for suckers.

20:00 - I have watched zero live minutes of either team so far this year. I do not feel bad about that in the least.

While we’re here I might as well bring up the Stars/Habs trade – Ryder for Cole and a third. I don’t know what Joe Nieuendyk is thinking. At all. That’s just…that’s just amazingly dumb. Good for the Habs, sad for me.

20:00 - Jesus, can this game just start already? George Matthews is currently being honored for his 1,000th game called so…I guess he’s who I’m listening to for this period? Sure, good for him, sounds like a decent announcer and he’s short, so he’s already good in my book. Man, this montage of Blue Jackets highlights is depressing – “Zherdev scores!” “Vinnie Prospal steals the puck!” Read the rest of this entry »

A good metaphor for this game.

On the Backhand Shelf Podcast, we play a little game where Bourne and I pick winners each night and at the end of the week see who picked the most correct. The loser has to watch a game of the other’s choosing. Bourne lost last week and had to watch this abortion of a hockey game and, unfortunately, this week it’s my turn to suffer the consequences. A game between a team I don’t like and a team I don’t care about. Should be a blast. So, let’s fire up the ol’ NHL Gamecenter and see what the night brings. I’m bored already.

But it turns out I was wrong, the game actually turned out to be pretty entertaining even though it took a while to get there. Hah, that’s what you get, Bourne. Even when I lose, I win. At this game, I mean. Not at, you know….life.

Read the rest of this entry »