I am not a young man.

I've said it before and as an old man, I have less tolerance for fools and similarly less time to tolerate them.  I've been generously called, by at least one person, "a student of the game."  But I've noticed some things that don't require a genius to figure out.  What have I noticed?   Maybe you've noticed it.  It being the definite silence that has surrounded the Stars being the best team in the league.  Sure, none of this really counts until the playoffs, but I must say I've had enough.  Better still:

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!!!

I read the Hockey News, the Sporting News Online, LCS Hockey, and virtually every competitor's online newspaper.  I have read them until I am sick of them.  Every where I look it's all the same:  "Why the Red Wings will three-peat."  "Dominik Hasek, the best goaltender of all time."  "Eric Lindros is so great we can't think of words to use in a family publication to say how great he is."  Please allow me to say this:   Could everybody please stop jerking off the East Coast teams and take a look at where hockey is going -- WEST! 

Let's be realistic. 

• The Wings are in a tale-spin the likes they haven't seen since the mid-80s.  If it doesn't stop soon, Scotty Bowman's giant cow heart will explode when the Wings are knocked out of the playoffs by an upstart Predator team.  Of course, the Wings would also use that as a rallying cry for next year with, I'm sure, a giant heart shaped patch on their shoulder.

• Hasek is a great goalie.  I'll admit that.  He's certainly fun to watch because, let's face it, how many times do you get to see a Grand Maw seizure talk place in a professional sporting event that doesn't involve Tie Domi cracking someone's skull like a walnut.  And everyone says Belfour's not great yet because he hasn't one the Cup.  Hasek has won . . . none.

• Eric Lindros.  Eric Lindros?  Eric Lindros is the hockey equivalent of an Andre Ware or Ty Detmer.  He comes with a mountain of hype and talent but does nothing to validate either.  He is a cautionary tale for the Modano's of this world.  Remember the parable of the talents?

I'm sure I can be accused of homerism in the first degree here.  Go ahead, I dare you.  But let me say this:  the Stars are the best around right now.  It won't hurt to throw them some props.  And also for your consideration:  there are teams with more heart than the Wings , there were better goalies before Hasek was born than Hasek and there are players out there who lace 'em up every day for love and not money. "Get out the A-1 sauce, I'm done."

On to Beerquest 6