Ironically, There’s Nothing Ironic to Say About the Playoffs

We’re not exactly sentimental types around here; we can admit that much. We like to flash some sarcastic wit from time to time, and appreciate the art of loving things “ironically” as much as anyone, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that cynicism reigns supreme in this, the age of the blog. But have things turned so far around that we simply can’t be sincere about anything anymore?

Luckily, this spring season of winter sports playoffs have provided a cure for what ails us. We can’t ask for any more than what the NHL and NBA playoffs have provided us the last two months, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the world for this.

Consider the NHL Playoffs, which culminated in a Stanley Cup Final between the best team in the league (Detroit), and the team with the best player and brightest future (Pittsburgh). What could be better than a series that featured Sidney Crosby, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Evgeni Malkin?

Sure, Malkin had a bad series for the most part, and Pittsburgh didn’t even score until Game 3 of the finals. We didn’t say it was perfect. But this final had a lot going for it. How can you not appreciate Detroit’s ability to move the puck out of its zone in the face of gritty Pittsburgh forwards careening into Detroit’s end at warp speed?

Detroit is simply a sensational team, and it was a treat to watch them handle an exciting unit like the Penguins. Pittsburgh wasn’t quite ready yet, but there’s no telling how much it will take away from that triple-OT Game 5 win to send the series back to Pittsburgh. And there’s no denying how much time they’ll spend in the off-season thinking about how close they came to tying the score right at the buzzer in Game 6. There is no limit to just how hard Crosby will push himself when he thinks about that laser backhand shot that almost got past Detroit goalie Chris Osgood with a second left.

And that one shot, that incredible backhand(!) probably summed up the series best. That one shot showed just how good Crosby is, and how much he is capable of in the future. Compare his frantic, desperate attempt that came up short with the calm, cool play of Conn Smythe winner Zetterberg, whose play carried the Wings.

In a series full of stars getting pounced on the moment they got possession, including Sid the Kid, Zetterberg seemed to have all day with the puck and could do as he pleased. And now the Wings get to drink out of the Cup.

But don’t fret now that it’s all over, because it’s the NBA’s turn to deliver the goods. What is their answer to the best Final matchup the NHL could offer? Only the history-packed pairing of both conference’s top seeds, that’s all. Celtics-Lakers already delivered in Game 1, with Paul Pierce carrying the C’s to victory and setting the tone for a great series still to come.

We’re lucky enough not to have the boring San Antonio Spurs or Detroit Pistons in the final. But to have the final we do on the heels of such a great Stanley Cup, can we all just get in touch with our feelings a little and admit to some sincere appreciation for what we’re witnessing?