I Love My Stars (the Still Slumping edition)

I love my Stars, I really do.  The bring me all the emotions I can ask for: happiness, joy & excitement; fights, goals and great shootouts.  However, they have these times where they show a lack of ... how do you say ... consistency.

Now, I'm not jumping on the "I hate the Stars" bandwagon just because they've hit a bit of a slump, when you play as much hockey as they do I'd like to think you're entitled to weeks like this (unless you're the Red Wings, they never slump, damn you Red Wings).  You know I'm not jumping on that bandwagon because here I am, writing a post about me loving the Stars.

Why I love my Stars:

• The Best One-Two punch in Goaltending in the game (next to the Red Wings, damn you Red Wings).  Marty and Smitty really are a great combination, and with the stars unwilling to flat out say "Marty Turco is our starting goaltender and Smitty is our backup" I have to ask, WHY THE HELL AREN'T WE USING THEM LIKE THAT?  I'm not saying every other game, but 29 and 13?  Lets bring them a LITTLE closer together - give the old man a rest every couple days, let the kid have his shot at proving himself.
• Depth at Defense.  Yeah, I said it, we have two HUGE stars out right now on defense (Zubie & Boucher) and just took another off the IR (Norstrom), but did we let it get us down?  Heck no, we let it bring Iowa down.  We, on the other hand, watched Grossman, Niskanen, and Fistric walk into the NHL and all work like skilled veterans.  But guys, they're not skilled veterans, they're inexperienced kids.  We love them, but they can't carry the team.  Why is it, however, Zubie can, alone, by himself, and with little help?  No wonder he's injured, he's working harder than anyone else.
• Goal Scoring - yeah that's right, Goal Scoring.  Not only that, but it's all over the place.  That dirty Quebecois Ribeiro is having the BEST SEASON OF HIS NHL CAREER.  Brendan Morrow is finally acting like the top forward we knew he was. Niklas Hagman, yes, Hagman, has 14 goals (put him back on Ribeiro's line damn it).  Jussi Jokinen is finally scoring goals, and making assists; just might be out of that sophomore slump he was in last season (which wasn't REALLY that bad).  But where is Mikey Mo? 
• Mike Modano - I love him, really, but I have a few questions ... I know, he's 3rd on the list in goals with and 4th in assists - on the team - but this is a guy who averages 70 to 90 points a season, and is looking to barely push 50 this season.  50 points - and last season he only had 43.  Don't tell me the guy needs a goal scorer by his side - he IS a goal scorer - he IS a play maker.  This season he hasn't been, consistantly, either.  I don't know what to blame, his age, the wife, a little voice in his head that keeps telling him he's old?  I dunno, all I know is if he doesn't pick up his game, if he finishes this year only slightly ahead of last year, I think it's time to admit he's that old player that stayed one season too long.  I love him, really, but what's going on?
• Dave Tippet - did you see his post game interview after the loss to the Wild?  "Yes - no - they scored more than last time, we scored less" It was fantastic to watch, to see him shut the reporters asking the obvious.  And really, he's a very calm, straightforward coach who knows how to win with the team he has.  But Tip, Sir - why are Miettinen, Ribeiro and Morrow still skating together when they haven't performed in at least 3 games.  Throw them around a little - bring Hagman and Ribeiro back together for a few games - put Morrow and Modano back together for a game.  I know, I don't coach for a reason, I'm just sayin', you're the King of mixing things up, why aren't you now?

Really - I Love the Stars.  The things I Love are the things that drive the craziest (like Turco's ability to play the puck, and Turco's ability to screw up playing the puck).  I love Mikey Mo, Jussi, Morrow, Hagman, Meittinen, Turcs, Smitty, Boucher (was there ever any doubt) ... come on ... I love them all (especially the kids who are fighting to prove they belong) - but does anyone else wonder any of what I'm asking here?  Just a little?  No?

Hey - we still kick ass!  GO STARS!

--the wall