Colin, sadly, had his headset confiscated at Swedish border security or something, so it’s just Ben and Alex this week. First, we discuss which player around the NHL would make the very best present, gift-wrapped (possibly hog-tied) and left lovingly under the San Jose Sharks’ communal Christmas Tree by Santa Doug Wilson. After that we talk a lot about narrative with a capital N. Apparently by virtue of getting some lucky breaks against the Kings, suddenly the local media is thinking that the Sharks, hoisted on the manly shoulders of Captain America (Joe Pavelski), and his ungodly hands, are gutsy. He should send a holiday card to Milan Lucic for being such a meathead, I guess. Anyway, no way the label lasts more than one home game  before the inevitable 5-goal meltdown later this week. The Sharks everybody!

We thought about calling this one ‘the one where Alex was always wrong’, but why go negative. This week’s main topics settle on a single theme: this organization’s weird lack of attention to detail. Examples: Hertl’s mysterious injury that took a full period to report and the failure to address another depth issue that is becoming clear with the Sharks — the back-up goal tender. Al Stalock’s recovery is a great story, but it’s not one with a happy ending. Also, we don’t currently plan to change our podcast name to Brown Notes, but maybe some day! And yes, Ben knows that Walter Donovan, not a templar, crumbled to dust at the end of Last Crusade. Bygones!

6 game losing streaks don’t grow on trees, but they do grind our gears. We spend a little over an hour talking about this Sharks team that lacks an obvious plan or identity and is playing OK hockey yet losing because of bonehead errors (mostly). Is it coaching? Is it the players? Is everyone catching Moustachitis from Mike Brown? The Sharks sure don’t know and we may not either. And yes, while he’s usually the group curmudgeon, Ben is cautiously optimistic if the Sharks would only stop shooting themselves in the foot at every juncture. Enjoy!