#icedbatik answers asks

[icedbatik]

Why is Biznasty so obsessed with a Crosby trade?

Hi, anon!

I'm not sure. My best guesses are it has something to do with:

a) the drama/storyline of a guy who has spent his entire adult life saying he wants to be a Penguin for life (and having the top-of-the-league skill to make it happen) suddenly up and trading teams;

b) he and Sid are friends and Biz probably hates as much as anyone watching him carry the weight of a badly struggling team day in and day out, night in and night out, and getting little help;

c) maybe Biz ships Sid/Nate?

d) thinking Sid would be better off elsewhere but knowing him well enough to know he means it when he says he wants to be in Pittsburgh, and figuring the least painful move for him would be to Colorado, where at least he could continue to play alongside a close friend.

e) in connection with my first guess, he's in the business of making waves, of saying thing that catch people's eye, and there's no denying the idea of Sid leaving Pittsburgh catches people's attention and gets them talking.

[beggingwolf]

Oooh how about 12 and 15 for the fic rec meme?

12. 💘 A fic you couldn't stop reading once you started

blood from a stone. y'all know it, y'all love it, y'all should understand that it's un-put-down-able

15. 📚 A fic you wish you could display on your bookshelf

I ah, may or may not have a copy of the salt king on my bookshelf as I type this

and @icedbatik DMed me about these two, so I'll put them in this post as well!

5. 📆 A fic you’d re-read 10 years from now

ah, gosh, trespass. it's so haunting and so wonderfully done.

6. 😊 A fic that made you smile on a bad day

this isn't a hidden gem by any means, but: with closed eyes is one of my favorites. I adore everything about it.

and then because I'm goofy, I accidentally answered 11 too because I misread this ask (lol sigh @ self) so here's that answer:

11. A fic that brought you aboard a new ship

I'm going to go with Eating In (and also Tampa), and they deserve this honor because I am notoriously hard to get into ships (I'm a monogamist to the heart, it seems) and YET... and YET I may just be working on a new WIP due to al's hard work pushing the sidsteve agenda

[fanforthefics]

Rules: Answer the prompt and tag 20 blogs you would like to know better!!

I was tagged by @icedbatik​. Answering this a hundred days late, but thanks! 

gender: female

star sign: Aries

height: about average

time: is this like, what time it is now? Does bedtime count?

birthday: late enough in March that it is hypothetically spring, but practically never is. 

favorite bands/artist: I honestly don’t listen to music enough to have one.

songs stuck in my head: I just saw a post about High School Musical 2, so “I want it all” from that. 

Last movie I watched: Miss Congeniality

Last TV Show I watched: The Good Place

what I post: on this blog, hockey fics/pretty pictures of players. On my other blog...an assortment of random fandom shit.

average hours of sleep: ideally like 7-8, realistically maybe 6. 

do I get asks: Occasionally! I’m always open to them, whether about my fics or to throw headcanons to riff about or anything else, but I’m probably not really active enough/team monogamous enough to really get many. 

url meaning: I wasn’t going to be in this fandom, okay? Other than growing up in a hockey city, I don’t know anything about hockey. I never cared about it. Then a friend sent me a hockey fic, and, well. They’re really good, guys. The fics in this fandom are A++. And so I started reading fics. And then I needed to follow some people on tumblr, to see their tumblr fics. And then I felt bad because I wasn’t reblogging, so I made a hockey sideblog. And yet, I told myself, I should be honest about why I am here. I am a fan for the fics, first and foremost. Thus, the url (also, I suck at thinking up urls/titles/naming anything). 

Nationality: American. Probably pretty obviously. 

I tag anyone who wants to do this! (choosing people to tag is hard). 

[ehghtyseven]

tagged by @icedbatik (thanks buddy!)

1. why did you choose your url?

I wanted something sid-related but eightyseven was taken and I wanted to avoid hyphens and then I thought ‘hmm, he’s from canada, eh?’ and so this identity was born (and the ‘proper’ spelling looks so wrong to me now lol)

2. any side-blogs? if you have them, name them and why you have them.

nope, at least not really. technically I do, because I used to be an spn blog and I started a hockey sideblog when I first got into it, then when I made the full switch  on my main blog I basically archived the sideblog bc it has original content on that I wanted to keep. no sideblogs I actually use though - all about that hyper-fixation baby!

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

since september 2013, but with this url since december 2016

4. do you have a queue tag?

not anymore - too lazy to queue 

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

originally I started a blog because I got into spn, then it turned into this blog when I was finally able to accept I didn’t enjoy that show anymore and had found something new that I was already focusing all my attention on... and now the lucky hockey fandom gets to put up with me lmao

6. why did you choose your icon?

repping sid with the url, needed to balance it out with some geno and look how cute <3

7. why did you choose your header?

I mean... look at it

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

I have a couple around the 20k mark from my previous ‘life’ but as a hockey blog, I’m pretty sure it’s this one (sid & nate with puppies on ice)

9. how many mutuals do you have?

I... don’t know? does tumblr have a thing that tells you that? 

10. how many followers do you have?

a little over 16k (but sooooooo many of those must be dead spn blogs)

11. how many people do you follow?

currently 58. I am suuuuuper picky because I usually want to blacklist things that aren’t directly hockey-related so I don’t see them on my dash, so I don’t really follow anyone new unless they have a good tagging system or never post anything that isn’t what I followed them for. 

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

almost certainly... whether that was my intention at the time or not, who’s to say  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

usually while I’m having my coffee in the morning, then more often through the evening - being in a different timezone from most of those I follow means that there’s usually a lot to catch up on in the morning then almost nothing new by the time I get home from work.  It starts getting more lively around the time I’m thinking I should go to bed... timezone woes continue :(

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? who won?

not really?  I mostly try to avoid drama on here bc it’s an escape for me so other than the odd ‘get off my post with that nonsense’ response and veeeeeery occasional block if they won’t I largely ignore anything else

15. how do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

no thank you

16. do you like tag games?

yeah, they’re good fun and sometimes you find out really cool things about people :)

17. do you like ask games?

I like the idea of them but I am baaaaaad at actually answering them if I ever do reblog them. 

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

I feel like tumblr famous isn’t really a thing within what is a small corner of a small fandom like hockey

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

no, but I do have mutuals I would consider good friends (some of whom I’ve actually met and some I haven’t) - love you guys <333

20. tagging:

um... @hockeyisruiningmylife, @kristangers, @sixappleseeds and @storybookstrange, did you guys do this thing yet (no pressure)?

[icedbatik]

📚🍰 for the fic asks :)

📚 Do you read your own fic?

Sometimes. Not a lot. But sometimes I’m in the mood for a particular type of story and I know just where to find it. (Other times I’m in the mood for a particular type of story and know absolutely nothing I’ve written comes close.) 

🍰 Name one of your fave comfort fics (doesn’t have to be your all time fave).

“The Salt King” is probably both my all-time favorite fic and my favorite comfort fic. It’s angsty but has an excellent resolution, and the story to get there is amazing. It’s also great for a good, cathartic cry and I tend to reread it at least once a year (usually when I'm in a mood and need a way out of it).

I also reread @trilliath’s “Idiomatic” fairly regularly. It has both humor and heat and is delightful! I don’t know how to explain it, but the way she uses words just feels fresh and kind of takes my breath away.

From this post ... ask away!

[icedbatik]

are indonesians famous for quilts?

Batik fabric originated in Indonesia. A very large percentage of what batik exists in the world still comes from there. In a very simplified explanation, it's a lot like tie-dye, or using a crayon or candle to create a design before dyeing an Easter egg. (Except on a very sophisticated level.)

Designs are created on fabric using wax -- bee's wax is traditional, though soy wax is gaining popularity. Then the fabric is dyed, letting the wax create areas of fabric that resist the dye. After dyeing, the fabric is heated to remove the wax -- dipping it in simmering water is easy, though there are other methods -- and you are left with gorgeous fabric with lovely designs in a wash of colors.

When the anon asked if I was Indonesian, I assumed it was because of my pseud, which is rooted in the fact that I use batik fabric almost exclusively in my quilting. (Not entirely. I occasionally will use a printed fabric panel. But I surround it with batiks.) In part because the cotton fabric used to make batik tends to be a higher thread count, to withstand the waxing and dyeing process, and is sturdier as a result. (Which makes my quilts last longer.) And in part because, once I'd seen fabrics that look like the above, the idea of using more traditional calicos and prints just didn't hold a lot of appeal. (Not to say I haven't seen some gorgeous quilts using calicos, etc., but batiks speak to my heart.)

[icedbatik]

Whatever situation Tanger is dealing with the whole season, I hope the extended time allows him to get the proper recovery he needs. On the hockey side, I hope I don’t come across as missing the mark, but maybe it was for the best we have a long offseason ahead because imagine if the health situation was aggravated had we made it to the playoffs

Hi, anon!

I definitely get that. One of my least favorite parts of locker clean-out day, aside from knowing it's the last time we'll really see them for months on end, is getting the updated list of injuries. I hesitate to criticize guys who are "playing poorly" when they've consistently played well in the past, usually because it's an indication that they're hurt. I lost track of how many times I saw criticism of Tanger during the season -- especially late in the season -- even after he started making every day a maintenance day. Nine times out of 10, probably 99 times out of 100, these guys playing at anything less than their usual skill level can be directly tied to an injury that would keep most people immobile on their couch for days or weeks. Yet these guys get dressed and put on skates and go out and battle for a little rubber puck for which half the guys on the ice seem willing to kill them.

Meanwhile, one thing about Kyle's statement that concerns me is the phrase "second opinion." That indicates Kris already has a first opinion about whatever is ailing him and either hasn't seen the desired results from those extra maintenance days or is hoping the second opinion will give him an option that isn't off-season surgery. One typically doesn't get a second opinion when the first opinion is favorable.

Also, I'm guessing whatever the problem is, it's related to a muscle or joint, rather than something more debilitating. With Kris' stroke history, I would assume they wouldn't let him play through medical conditions that aren't purely related to the way his body moves.

[icedbatik]

“…..If Sid couldn't be at Nate's Cup party, Nate would reschedule the party.”

I read this line and cracked up bc you KNOW that’s the absolute f’ing truth!! 😅 natemac would literally stop time and make the world wait until Sid could be there. And I love that for him 🥰

I'm 100% sure that's how time works, anon. At least for NateMac!

[icedbatik]

Do you ever wonder that despite the Pens' general popularity (including Twitter and Tumblr) they rarely ever make noise in the NHL ASG fan voting? Not that it matters but could it be because we're not the most aggressive when it comes to campaigning players to get voted in? 🤔

Hi, anon!

I think it's that the Pens have half a roster of legitimate All-Stars. Fans are being asked to pick just one. How are we expected to choose between Geno, Kris, Erik and Jake? And a lot of Pens fans, I think, realize their faves might rather be on a beach somewhere during the bye week and try to do them the favor of not pushing for them to go. (Though we really wouldn't mind to see them all there! I would love to see Sid, Geno, Kris and Erik all flirting their way through the weekend.)

[icedbatik]

I love how Pens Tumblr is rallying around Geno after that game when Twitter and Reddit are raising pitchforks everywhere and calling for a trade without knowing this team will be lost without him

It is the way of Pens Tumblr, anon. We appreciate Geno. Even when he struggles, we know his worth -- and there aren't enough potato chip crabs on the planet to equal his value!

[icedbatik]

When you say you wish the Pens were on the ball more with social media stuff what do you mean? I’m a bit new to the fandom so I missed out on the Andi posts :(

Hi, anon!

It's hard to explain in a tangible way, but Andi Perelman used to be directly responsible for the Pens' social media posts, the main @Penguins accounts. The Pens won everything. Not just Cups but major social media awards. And she didn't limit her posts to strictly game-related stuff.

One of my favorites, to this day, is the season when the Pens were truly living that "next man up" lifestyle, with a new injury seeming to come every day. A fan sent a bundle of sage to the arena with the suggestion that maybe the Pens needed a good smudging. So, Andi did just that. She used her lunch break to light the sage bundle and take a stroll around the exterior of the arena, videotaping the whole thing and posting it.

To a large degree, I think some of it is simply having a woman's eye on things. I believe -- I'm not entirely certain, but I believe -- the people making a lot of the Pens' social media content these days are men. And, sure, maybe they know about social media. But do they know what women hockey fans want in their social media? (A blend of hockey *and* glimpses of the people who play it.) Not so much.

The slide traces back to the bubble, when no women went with the Pens to Toronto but two men handled social media. And they gave us next to nothing. Granted, it was the early days of the pandemic and there might not have been much to give. But, even with those concessions, it was bleak.

So, it seems as if there is less content being posted. And what is posted is more "strictly business." Which is why the Pens post a single photo of Sid and Connor Bedard doing an interview at the NHL player media tour, and a photo of Sid "at work" filming promos while other teams post pics of their guys hanging out with Sid in the locker room or the back hallways, socializing. A handful of years ago, Andi would have had all of those pics on the Pens' social media.

Andi has been promoted -- it was/is much deserved -- and still is working hard. I don't begrudge her the promotion or think she, personally, is slacking. But the Pens' social media coverage has shifted, and not in a good way.

[icedbatik]

Out of curiousity, is there any difference between picking in the top 10 vs. mid 11 to 20 in draft lotteries except that a coveted prospect is likely to be taken earlier?

Hi, anon!

I'm not a draft expert, but I'd say it kind of depends on the draft class. Some only have one really coveted prospect, so there's your No. 1 and maybe everyone else is not stunning. Some don't really have a true No. 1 but more likely a handful who are better than average but not "generational."

At the same time, there's nothing to guarantee a No. 1 -- or top 10 -- draft pick is going to live up to his potential, and there's nothing to say the last guy drafted isn't going to end up being great. (Patric Hornqvist is an example. He was drafted last -- at No. 230 -- in the 2005 draft that saw Sidney Crosby go first overall. Was he "generational"? No. Yet Horny ended up becoming a valuable piece of the Penguins' lineup and played on both Sid and Gen's lines. And, honestly, the Pens haven't quite been the same since he was traded to Florida.)

Drafts also can be influenced by what a team needs. If you need defense and the top 10 prospects are forwards, are you going to take a forward and hope to trade up later? Or are you going to bump a projected No. 15 pick up into the top 10? (Probably the latter, in my opinion, but GMs' mileage may vary.

Higher draft picks, presumably, are coveted because fewer players have been removed from contention by the time that pick is used. But all of it, really, is a crap shoot. A very thoroughly researched and complex crap shoot, but a crap shoot, nonetheless.

[icedbatik]

How do you define the traditional sports fan that shows up in the hockey columns? Are you referring to those Yinzers?

I'm talking about the ones -- wherever they live -- who don't see players as human beings. The ones who think players are machines who should perform perfectly every single night and never ever let off-ice worries seep onto the ice. People who can sit there and watch Sid carry the Pens for 59 games and then jump into the comments after Game No. 60 and talk about how he obviously didn't care and was slacking off, simply because he didn't score 5 points on a night when some of the loudest noise in the league was centered on the future of one of his best and favorite wingers. When, you know, he was probably having an emotion or two about it.

Yes, I know hockey players make decent money and they're paid to play and to win. But who among us has ever gone to work day in and day out and given more to the job than Sid has for, well, his entire life, really? I'm willing to bet Sid -- and a lot of players who find themselves the target of some of that online commentary -- put a whole lot more effort into their job than the people giving their thumbs a workout to type a complaint on their phone when they should be paying attention to their own jobs.

[icedbatik]

I received an ask about the Pens' place in the standings. I don't usually look at the standings this early in the season. The Pens do, and should. It's their job to know what they're up against. It is not my job and I don't need to wallow in that kind of anxiety.

Still, I was asked, so I looked. And here's the thing.

For all the doom and gloom, the Pens are only 1 point behind the Capitals and Islanders in the Metro and only 3 points behind the Flyers. Would it have been good had the Pens taken 2 points away from at least one of the two Flyers games? Sure.

But 3 points is only a game and an OT. Jumping into fourth place in the Metro would only take two games.

And, yes, anon. As hard as it is to watch games in which the Pens seem as if they couldn't keep a puck on their stick, I can only believe they're going to turn it around at some point and heat up. And I'd rather them barely hold it together now and heat up after Christmas than go on a tear now and skid in March. Maybe Ricky and Noel and Matt and PO will come back from injury and be the best version of their player-self. We don't know what the rest of the season holds.

Meanwhile, there are 82 games in the regular season. The Pens have only played 24 of them. That's 58 games yet to play and 116 points still up for grabs. If the season truly were already over, the playoffs would be competing the Hallmark Channel for Christmas TV airtime.

[icedbatik]

omg flower was at Vail camp with Sid 😭

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wJnZGOX-q/?img_index=5

Amazing!

(I love that Andy got "Camp Vail" jerseys so Sid could wear one without offending Gatorade with a "Cwench Camp" jersey!)

[icedbatik]

I am now officially anxious about Sid’s contract extension but that irrational right?? By all accounts he and everyone in the org has said he’ll remain a Penguin but that doesn’t cross out retirement

I’m sorry if this makes you anxious too :(

Hi, anon!

I am moderately surprised he didn't sign today, but I'm not anxious about the fact that he hasn't.

And, especially after the season he had last season, I don't see him retiring. (Plus, I don't think there's any rule saying he couldn't sign and then retire a year from now, whenever he feels he's done playing. So planning to retire in a year wouldn't stop him from signing now, just to shut down the trade narrative so he can get on with his season.)

Who knows?! Maybe he's just giving G a small taste of his own medicine. Let G worry for a bit about Sid's contract, the way Sid sweated G's right up until *his* late-night, deadline-beating signing.