Re: Devils @ Steelers - March 11th - 7:30 pm - Chat & Update
I watched the game on the webcast, and genuinely felt like it was a waste of my time and money. Seeing them lose 11-0 was painful, but some of the other posters are right - goal difference is basically irrelevant, and the embarrassment should make them come back strong on the weekend. I'd back them for a 4 point weekend.
Hangover/bus legs/post CC-slump - whatever the reason, a loss is a loss. It was painful to watch, and I'd rather not see them lose by 11 goals too often, but these things happen. All good team have blips.
It's not the result that I'm particularly concerned about, even though it does damage the chance at winning the league. Personally, it was the approach to the second half of the game...
Once it's clear that the game is lost, I understand the need to 'set the tone' for Sunday, but there has to be some consideration to how that should be done. Granted the Steelers made themselves look stupid by falling around like they'd been shot, but the actions of Hotham and Hudson in particular were ill-thought and overly-emotive.
If we lose 1, 2 or even 3 players for the next few games, all of a sudden last night's game becomes far more significant than it needed to be. It will be the suspensions, and not the one-time drubbing, that will make the difference if the Devils lose the league and, in my opinion, they were completely avoidable.
The players lets egos get in the way, and Lord didn't control his squad. He would have been better taking the loss on the chin, roasting the players in training, and setting the tone on Sunday by coming out hard, hitting everything in sight and reminding the Steelers what it's like to play in the BBT.