I admit I am not a fan of any CORSI or advanced stats on hockey players. Hockey for me is not all about numbers, it’s about an exciting sport, the one I personally consider the most exciting on the planet. I get that stats are important for Fantasy Hockey. I also freely admit that my idea of Fantasy Hockey most likely differs from what is actually involved in Fantasy Leagues; however; my issue with CORSI and other such advanced stats has nothing to do with Wayne Simmonds or Ryan Reaves shirtless, swear.
Having just recently recovered from the upper body injury I suffered during the playoffs, I have been eagerly awaiting the start of the season. My life is a touch interesting at the moment, so my presence on Social Media has been limited. Now a lower body injury has me on crutches for a week or so, and bored out of my mind. When the Flyers signed Derick Brassard, I posted on Twitter AND Instagram, obviously tragic errors. I ignored the responses on Twitter, but engaged with a Penguins fan on IG. The question on Instagram was ‘What the h*LL are the Flyers doing?’, and my response was ‘Growing some balls, finally’. Enter said Pens fan, who proceeded to fete me with the CORSI stats for every player the Flyers acquired during the offseason.
After explaining to him that the conversation was slightly less painful than the spike through my foot, I asked him where the advanced stat for heart was. Who tracked how many hits were laid on an opposing player after they took a cheap shot at Oskar Lindblom? (Unless I am not remembering correctly, that number is a big fat -0-). Does CORSI track how many shifts a player takes off each season, or the lazy plays they make that cost the team? Which of the numerous stats he threw at me encompassed if a player was strong enough to call out his own team, himself included? We had one Flyer with that notch in his belt last season, namely Ghost, who was traded right quick, for absolutely nothing.
Call me old fashioned, old school…for that matter, call me old. I just happen to think that hockey games are played on the ice, not paper, and that there is no stat that can measure a player’s heart. I also happen to think that the Flyers were easy to play against last season. While I had to turn my back on Chuck Fletcher after he traded Wayne Simmonds, I may give him a second chance after this off season. This is a big deal for me, by the way. I am Sicilian, it is truly rare that I give second chances to anyone, so don’t screw this up, Fletch. I am already low key in love in love with Cam Atkinson, and Keith Yandle is an iron man. As for Rasmus Ristolainen….he is creeping into this orange and black heart pretty quick.
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