pantaloons

Unless Neeld turns it around in a massive hurry, they'll both go down as two of the worst coaches in VFL/AFL history (something for G. Lyon to put on his resume). I don't play favourites with either of them, disagreed with both of their hirings, and see them as examples of why this club must move forward with an experienced coach who can instantly command the respect of the players.

That was just a great exhibition from San Jose today. I was thinking after 2 periods with a 2-1 lead that San Jose had already put on the best game by either team in the series, and it ballooned from there. I know Vancouver notoriously play a physical style with their current roster, but it's been embarrassing this series. The sooner this ends the better for everyone concerned.

Yes, the Blackhawks will be tough to beat, but I wouldn't base anything on their current series. Minnesota aren't going to give Chicago an honest run for their money in the first round. But yes, if we are going to make it out of the West, we will have to not only get past Vancouver, but then Chicago and St Louis/LA, who I'd say are the second and third best teams in the West. Tall order, and an unlikely one. Not unbeatable Chicago though.

I did see Canucks fans bringing that up. Dirty dog Bieksa took a penalty for another cheap shot today. Huge win for the Sharks in OT today. We were outplayed in periods 2 and 3 and had a goal disallowed in the second, but stuck with it and Marleau tied it in the final minute. Just thrilling stuff. Phew.

This article is an insult to Kwame Brown. And yes, while I lament seeing Dustin Martin succeeding at Richmond, Judas and Trengove were the safe picks, so I'm fine with picking both of them. It's the drastic reaches that turn into busts (Cook, Gysberts) that hurt me the most.

Gryba has been given a two-game suspension for the hit. Meanwhile, no suspension for Bieksa after he speared Havlat in the plums, putting him out for the rest of game 1, and today's game. No return date for him yet. I hope we finish them off quickly or we'll be running low on available players by the end of the series. I should add that I'm always conservative when it comes to suspensions in any sport and often hate to see them given, but deliberately hitting someone in the crotch with your stick is not a hockey play. With Havlat out today I'd like to think there could be some justice for Bieksa.

All current players, coaches, board members and club presidents in the AFL to go into a draft at the end of the season. And for our selections to not be chosen by Barry Prendergast.

Yes, it was a very professional start to the playoffs from San Jose. Vancouver went extra hard at the man all night. That's natural in the playoffs and they are a particularly physical/goonish team, but if they continue to play that way they'll be parading to the penalty box all series. Great performance from Niemi. I think we'll go down tomorrow but are in good shape. Horrid incident halfway through the Habs-Sens game today with a borderline hit on Eller saw him smack his face on the ice and empty the sauce bottle. Ugly. More great games in the West today too.

Good on him. Hopefully it makes it easier for people in pro sports over there to be themselves in the future.

From the outset I was disgusted that we went with an untried coach, regardless of who it was. However, in some ways I feel for Neeld. A lot of the things he's tried to implement - a more defensive gameplan, changing on-field leadership, weeding out downhill skiiers, trading for Mitch Clark - I'm in favour of in theory. From the outside he seems to have fallen down due to a lack of people skills, leadership and coaching ability - relatively important criteria for a coach. I do feel for him in the sense that he was brought in to make these changes with everyone involved at the club including supporters knowing full well that we had a list full of ninnies who needed strong leadership from their coach (again, highlighting the failure in not luring an experienced coach). Since my mind is made up on Neeld, my attention turns to what happens to fix this. I'm convinced we need an established top-level coach, and unless the Hawks falter and Clarkson gets the axe, that leaves Roos (though I'd settle for a couple of next-tier coaches in Eade or Williams before going rookie again) as our man. I constantly hear excuses on here as to why Roos wouldn't coach Melbourne or why it wouldn't work, chiefly: We're a basket case and he wouldn't touch us with a ten foot pole We wouldn't have the money The one-man messiah complex has plagued the club in the past and won't solve our dilemma One that I'll add is that since Roos has been there and done it all before, would he have the desire to go through such an arduous climb again? What I will say to those is that ours is a situation in which our players have consistently performed on levels ranging from disgusting to dispirited to insubordinate since Daniher left. A "mass exodus" away from Neeld and the conclusion is that Neeld has lost the players and is not up to it. In the incredibly unlikely event of a mass exodus from Roos, the conclusion would be that the players are soft serves and Roos can build the team as he wishes. As to the question around why Roos would choose to coach Melbourne, it's 5% the challenge of taking an underdog to the top, and 95% money. Big fat money. If it needs to be in the absurd realm of $2M a year for 5 years then so be it. Hold a Pay Paul Roos' Wage So the Club Doesn't Fold fundraiser gala every year. Big wigs (and small toupees) will pay to see the club competitive - I'm sure that was part of the motivation for Debt Demolition, not to pump in money in order to see us continue to be a laughing stock on and off the field. Does anyone think he'd knock that back? The only reasons he'd knock it back would be if his wife still needs to work in Sydney, or if he's earning 67%+ of that already (very unlikely). It is absurd to think that he would not take that salary simply because the job was too hard. If that's the highest coaching salary in the league, so what? I'd say we are the club in greatest need of the best coaching. You get what you pay for. Nerd alert: It's like the man/woman/child playing Risk outmanned but continuing to implement the same conservative strategies that will see them last longer but give them no chance of victory. Or for the less nerd-like, I guess you could use actual war analogies. But you get the point. We aren't going to save this club with another anonymous, bland coaching hire. Spend the money and you will get it back. Macca earlier listed a few consequences of us continuing to stink under Neeld. Can you imagine the increase in club enthusiasm and PR with Roos at the helm? The prime time games and positive media exposure increasing as win games and finals? The increase in membership and so on and so on and so on. We may not have the most members, but without wanting to be self-congratulatory, we've shown ourselves to be resilient and up to the challenge of saving the club from financial peril. Give us Paul Roos and we'll do it again. You get what you pay for.

Nice work, gentlemen. I won't pick the east because I haven't seen any of their games this season. I'll pick the Blackhawks in 4, Redwings in 6, Sharks in 6 and Kings in 7. Chicago is an easy pick but the other three are a toss of the coin. I watched almost all of San Jose's games this season and in our games against Vancouver we were certainly the better side. Anything can happen in the playoffs, though this time around we look to have the hot goaltender in the matchup. Kings-Blues could be the best matchup of the entire playoffs. Nothing beats the Stanley Cup playoffs. Oh, and no "grrrr" from me, Macca. I should know better than to pick the Sharks in the playoffs! I'm just trying to be objective and go on what I saw this season. SJ's main issue will be giveaways - too careless with the puck.

Congrats big fella. Good to see them doing well. Folks in the Bay Area support their pro sports teams in awesome fashion, and when the Warriors get to the playoffs it's a madhouse. Hope they keep it up.

Forgive the Melbourne supporter in me when I get a little jumpy that our #1 pick was considered a "mild surprise". Need to get the Fat Albert deal done now.

One of Thursday night games you may be referring go, Macca, could be KC at Philadelphia. More importantly, it's Andy Reid's return to Philly, so there's a bit of a storyline there, even though its not a true blockbuster. NFL season can't come quick enough.

That would have been a lot easier for me when I lived in Collingwood. Maybe Sunday.

If we lose, supporters may not wait until the first siren let alone the second to invade the field.

11. The bugler

Nice. Genius avatar by the way.

We faked the moon landing. Neil Armstrong was actually walking on Glenn Lovett's head.

Interesting stuff from Salisbury. We need to make sure we don't starve Howard and Pau of shots. That's still our best route to easy points. But without Kobe (and no, we are not a better team without him) it does make us less predictable and gives the likes of Blake, Jamison and Meeks more shots and responsibility. I expect us to lose in 5. The Spurs are banged up too though, so that may help.

We have been force-fed excrement by the club for so long that we wouldn't know lobster if we tasted it. Give him time.

Gutsy, gutsy win at Staples today. Starting backcourt of Blake and Meeks meant that the backup guards were Darius Morris and Chris Duhon. Hoping dearly that Nash can get himself back pronto.

I hear your frustration Redleg and it once would have annoyed me too. But now that I hate football and don't have Foxtel, I'm ok with it.

Well, that's devastating.

Just trying to keep it realistic!! We'll likely face OKC, which is a terrible matchup. We could probably extend the Spurs to 6 or 7 but having seen LA at the top of the Western Conference for most of this century, I'm giving us about as much chance as I gave our first round opponents in previous years. Not much at all.