The Queue: Root, root, root for the home team!!
![](https://cdn.blizzardwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/edmonton.oilers.hockey.jpg)
Today is the day, the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s been a grueling postseason to get to this point, but the Edmonton Oilers have the chance to win it all and bring the Cup home to Canada for the first time in 30 years.
We’re all a little excited around the city, to say the least. There have been free concerts downtown, and I’m sure a record number of people calling in sick to work so that they can watch the game. Not only because we like it when our team wins, but because if they win tonight they’ll pull off a reverse sweep in the finals. Winning their 4/7 games after the Florida Panthers had already gotten three wins. Each game was do-or-die, and somehow they managed to get their stuff together and bring us to game 7. If the Oilers win tonight, they’ll be only the second team to win the Stanley Cup in a reverse sweep — the first was the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942, 82 years ago!
It’s going to be a wild night!
I guess I can talk about video games until then though, it’s time for — The Queue!
Q4tQ How do you feel about Edmonton’s [win/loss] on Friday night? Are you excited for [Game 7/the Offseason]?
We won! Play La Bamba, baby!! We’re going all the way!!!
I mean… uh… normal amount.
Q4TQ: when did you last have soup?
What kind of soup was it?
Just the other week, I had a nice can of Broccoli Cheddar soup that I snuck some extra cheese and cayenne into. Then I ate the whole thing with a few slices of bread and felt very cozy for the rest of the night.
I also got a two-pack of steakhouse lobster bisque from Costco not that long ago and I really enjoyed that. Soup is great! Although I do tend to like a creamy soup and not something that’s chock full of stuff. Unless it’s clam chowder, then pile in the stuff! I love that hot ocean garbage.
Q4TQ: Would the game be better or worse if Blizzard just removed all raid buffs? I ask this because I main the two specs that don’t have a raid buff and Ion made it clear in his interview with Wowhead that they don’t plan to give us a raid buff. Psychologically I’ve always hated being suboptimal due to missing some buff in my group composition. Then I get the extra insult that I don’t bring one (the only dps spec that doesn’t) so groups are not incentivized to bring me.
If there were no raid buffs would that make things better or worse for ele/resto shaman? People in the ele discord were arguing it would because it’d encourage class stacking but ele/resto is already in the most disadvantaged position with the current raid buff design that I don’t see how removing raid buffs makes things worse for us.
Easily better.
I think that while they once had a point, I don’t see any real reason to keep them around. They’re not offering any sort of gameplay beyond someone saying “hey Bob, ditch your Rogue and make a Demon Hunter we need the debuff.” It’s just a button that a few classes can press a few times before the fight as people trickle in so that everyone’s on a level playing field. Which we’d all be if nobody pressed that button!
I get the appeal of the “number go up” mentality that it can provide, but I feel like in reality, it’s just hampering people’s enjoyment of the game at all levels of the game. Liquid and Echo have to craft the perfect 20-person roster for each boss fight around it because they can’t not have any little boost to secure their victories. Meanwhile, smaller guilds that are struggling to get a boss can use it as an attack against each other when the lifelong Warlock or Shaman doesn’t bring a button that makes their group do more damage. Surely, they would’ve cleared the fight that last time if only their other casters had a little more Intellect or a Demon Hunter to make the enemies take more magical damage.
Or if Blizzard is so h*ckin set on keeping buffs in the game, they should make scrolls a thing again. If you can’t make your own from scratch, storebought should be fine. I don’t even want a lesser scroll that only gives 8% instead of 10% — I want the scroll to give the full benefit, and there should be Monk and Demon Hunter debuff scrolls as well.
Scribes could make a little money, and raids would feel like they were fully prepared for their fights.
I REALLY wish Overwatch didn’t rely on obscure icons to tell you how progression is going. Like, I am Bronze 2, about to get to 1. (I am not good.) But then there’s like a million other progression tracks, and I don’t understand them.
I hate that this isn’t a thing just in Overwatch. I can’t remember which tier is higher than others once we get past bronze/silver/gold. Gold is the best, why are diamond and platinum a thing?! Then there are masters, legends, super grand poo-bahs, and big cheeses to take into account!
Leave it to nerds to take an easy rank system and add way too much stuff above and beyond.
Q4TQ: how deeps is your love?
Can’t be that deeps… things around me keep staying alive!
Q4tQ: how many skulls is too many before your décor becomes concerning?
If your home looks like the catacombs beneath Paris, that might be too many skulls. I don’t know that I can say that for sure though, I do love a good spooky aesthetic. As long as the police aren’t looking for those skulls I think that you’re probably fine.
It is hotter than Ragnaros’ behind today
It was the first really nice weekend here in Edmonton and ooooooh boy were there a lot of outdoor activities for me. On Saturday I went to a Red Bull soap box derby and saw a whale go down the hill, and some beavers, and a cow or two… and then the soap box racers started! I also ended the night at a nice outdoor music festival where I got to see Dear Rouge and The Beaches, and I came away a new fan of Dear Rouge. (I already like The Beaches)
On Sunday I went to the Humane Society’s yearly Pets in the Park festival with my lovely lady and her St. Bernard. Which was a lot of fun, I got to pet dogs, have a nice walk in the park, and see so many people get shocked at his size. We should’ve kept track of how many times people said “holy moly” when they first saw him — we heard it a lot.
Thankfully, I’m only a shade or two darker after being outside for a couple of nice sunny afternoons, and not an angry burned red.
Bacardi is still cheering for the Oilers and needs all of your support in order for fancy loot this week. He’ll be one sad kitty cat if they lose. It’s possible that he might’ve placed a large catnip bet on them. I don’t know which of those sports betting websites would take the catnip bet, but for his sake I hope they win.
Today’s Anna Earworm™: The Hockey Song
I will spend the next ten hours anxious while waiting for the end of this hockey game. You can help to make sure that Anna’s morning tomorrow isn’t anxious, by asking her lots of questions!
In the meantime, go Oilers go!!!!
Please consider supporting our Patreon!
Join the Discussion
Blizzard Watch is a safe space for all readers. By leaving comments on this site you agree to follow our commenting and community guidelines.