Who wears ties in Tampa?

Tuesday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Tampas

Boudreau's tie vs. Boucher's tie

Hockey coaches and their assistant coaches!

Game 3 and both coaches are looking smart in their couture. Guy Boucher's gray on gray on black looks sharp, I really like it! He keeps his coat buttoned and his tie is deceptively design savvy with an understated textured pattern.

Bruce is again wearing one of my favorite color combinations with the purple/blue/silver tie paired with a light blue shirt and gray suit. Shirt still has that weird wrinkle on the right though!

Boucher wins though for the subtle play on gray.

Winner: Guy Boucher

Bruce's playoff record: 6-2

Bruce's overall record: 13-4

Semi-Tie-nals, Game 2

Sunday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Tampas

Boudreau's tie vs. Boucher's tie

Guy Boucher should really live in Washington, he is one conservative dresser! So I'm sure you've noticed his scar, right? Impressive. According to The Internet it is NOT hockey related, so for my own entertainment I'm going to assume it's Tie related, but how?

Bruce is wearing one of his favorite winning ties. It looks best with the purple shirt, but he still wins.

Play off hockey is tough!


Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 6-1

Bruce's overall record: 13-3

Round Two, Ties Too

Friday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Tampas

Boudreau's tie vs. Boucher's tie

The Tampa Bay Lightning! Correct pluralization? Tampas Bay? or Tampa Bays? Then there's the problem that Tampa Bay is "a large natural harbor and estuary" not a city or town. And certainly not a location conducive to ice skating. Thus, Mrs. OC declares the team is called The Tampas.

Owing to some technology issues on Friday (I was at the game and the DVR didn't record the game, I shook my fist in much consternation) the above photos are screen shots from Versus' post-game interviews, so I can't see the ties or suits very well.

This is the first Bruce's Nooses has seen of Guy Boucher, the Tampas' coach. His tie is very traditional with its wide diagonal white-and-red pattern. He looks conservative with his light blue shirt and gray suit. He'd fit in perfectly on K Street.

Bruce's light-purple tie with lilac shirt and pinstriped gray suit looks smart and makes him look cool and relaxed in a most stressful game. For continuing to have a little more flair in his tie selection, Bruce wins!


Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 5-1

Bruce's overall record: 12-3

Quarter-tie-nals complete!

Saturday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The New Yorks (Madison Squares)

Boudreau's tie vs. Tortorella's tie

Bruce is back in his winning orange tie from Game 1, but this time he's played-off purple accents in the tie (which I didn't notice on first viewing) and matched it with a purple shirt. He looks like a spring garden!

Alternatively, Tortorella looks like he's already in mourning expecting The New Yorks (Madison Squares) defeat.

In a surprise fashion reversal, Tortorella's only striped-garment today is his shirt, which has a subtle-striped pattern. His midnight blue tie with black embellishments makes him look somber (when not looking horrified or disgusted by the game...).

Bruce wins the quarterfinal series versus Tortorella!

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 4-1

Bruce's overall record: 11-3

Flowers at the Garden

Wednesday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The New Yorks (Madison Squares)

Boudreau's tie vs. Tortorella's tie

Purple hues are back!

Tortorella is wearing a diagonal-striped AND floral patterned tie. There's purple, mauve, and mustard. The flowers are daisies. DAISIES! Although I like the tie on its own, it should be the focal point of the outfit and would have looked better with a less-busy suit and tie. We saw in the last game Tortorella likes to wear stripes and tonight's striped suit and shirt (and probably underwear, socks, and suspenders) compete too much with his super-bold tie.

Bruce's shirt has a weird wrinkle on the right side, same as last game. Is Bruce losing weight? What causes a wrinkle like that? Maybe his tie is too tight? We can see it's crooked...

Regardless, Bruce's tie is fabulous! It's the same tie as Friday's, which I loved. It's purple paisley with an X and O pattern within the paisley plus there are gold accents. I can't imagine what possessed the designer to have so much going on in one tie, but it works with his pattern-less shirt and suit and Bruce's tie is the game-winner!

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 3-1

Bruce's overall record: 10-3

Sunday Afternoon in the Garden

Sunday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The New Yorks (Madison Squares)

Boudreau's tie vs. Tortorella's tie

We've arrived in New York, fashion capital of the United States! How would Bruce show his fashion sense to New York Hockerati?

Bruce as hipster? Metrosexual? Would he go classic New York with black on black on black? How does Bruce look?

Sadly, Bruce looks rumpled and gray. His diagonal striped purple/blue/silver/white tie is neatly tied for a change. The color flatters his gray suit and is perfect for a matinee game. Unfortunately, his keen sense of color-appropriateness is canceled-out by his wrinkled shirt and rumpled suit. Was he taking a nap back in the locker room? He's so creased and furrowed it looks like he's wearing his forehead!

Well, it's definitive, John Tortorella does not button his coat! Perhaps that is New York Hockey Coach Chic. Tortorella looks dashing, and almost rakish, in his black suit, light gray shirt, and black-and-white polka-dotted tie. The whole outfit really pops with his black hair and white beard. Added bonus: he isn't iron-deficient!


Winner: Tortorella

Bruce's playoff record: 2-1

Bruce's overall record: 9-3

"We called each other to coordinate..."

Friday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The New Yorks (Madison Squares)
Boudreau's tie vs. Tortorella's tie

You know the days you go to work and everyone has on a pink shirt? How does that happen? I always joke that "I called and coordinated with Amy last night!" So, is that what happened tonight? Do you think John Tortorella called Bruce to coordinate their matching shirts and ties? Or did both coaches think, "I'll wear something intimidating and bold, a purple tie on purple shirt should be menacing and threatening. And there's no way the other coach would wear this!"

As you know, Mrs. OC loves purple, so this is a difficult pick for me.

John Tortorella has similar sloppily tied tie issues Bruce normally has, there is a button showing on this shirt because his tie is crooked. If Tortorella had worn this tie and shirt combination Wednesday night he would have won, hands down, but tonight...

Bruce looks savvy. His paisley-floral mash-up monochromatic purple tie perfectly matches his shirt. The pattern is innovative and nimble and I really like it.

P.S. Tortorella, button your coat!

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 2-0

Bruce's overall record: 9-2

New York Fashion

Wednesday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The New Yorks (Madison Squares)*
Boudreau's tie vs. Tortorella's tie

*There are two New York teams, thus I must distinguish the teams by the location in New York where they play. For the quarter final playoffs the team playing is The New Yorks (Madison Squares).

FACT: Washington's populace is less fashionable then New York's denizens. As Washingtonian's we know this, it is reinforced by news and magazine articles telling us how conservative Washington, D.C., is, how drearily-suited the men are, and how women dress like men would dress if they were women. Got it, we are less better than New York.

But here's Washington's chance!

Can Bruce show the New Yorks that he can "Rock the Tie"?

Tonight he does! Neither of the coaches' ties are particularly snazzy, but Bruce's orange and yellow crisscross with detailed pattern within the crisscross outshines Tortorella's tie. It's an interesting color, pattern, and is unexpected: orange for the first quarterfinal game? Who expected red? I certainly did, but a fashion forward coach tries something different.

John Tortorella's tie reminds me entirely too much of a chess board. It's drab, but matches his fake tan, black hair, and salt-and-pepper beard a little too closely. And please, button your coat! Where are you? At a happy hour? Fixing a flat tire? This is The Hockey, you are on TV, and you need to look your best.

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's playoff record: 1-0

Bruce's overall record: 8-2

Washington's Knot Win

Saturday's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Floridas: Season Finale!

Boudreau's tie vs. DeBoer's tie

Rematch!

Bruce's is wearing the same tie he wore last Saturday night! Actually, I believe the entire ensemble is a repeat of last Saturday. Perhaps Bruce has "days-of-the-week" outfits? Reminds me of of Meg Ryan's character in When Harry Met Sally and her days of the week underwear (with no Sundays). I'm just happy we know that Bruce has Sunday clothes!

What's up with Bruce's ever-crooked tie? Once again it's off-kilter and you can see the button on his shirt, brightly shining.

Peter DeBoer's tie pairs nicely with the Floridas' third jersey, but it's just too pedestrian when compared to the snazzy color palette and pattern of Bruce's Saturday Night Tie. Good effort and hustle, but Bruce wins this final regular season game!

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's record: 7-2

Florida's Knot Won

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Floridas

Boudreau's tie vs. DeBoer's tie

The Floridas. The Floridas are one of my least respected teams. Not because of the players or the play or the coach's tie. No, I dislike The Floridas because a) they are a too-generic in their fan base, seriously ALL OF FLORIDA? Isn't there another hockey team in that state? and b) Florida has NO ICE. NO ICE unless it's found in a freezer.

Bruce's diagonal-patterned army-green-and-mustard tie is unattractive and not up to Bruce's usual fashion standards. Although the pattern is somewhat interesting, the tie is lackluster and dreary and not helped by his white shirt.

Peter DeBoer's tie is only slightly less boring and lackluster than Bruce's tie. I like the blue hues, and appreciate that his diagonal lines are counter-directional to Bruce's tie. In this watered-down match-up (because there is no ice in Florida), DeBoer rises to the top.

I'm curious the see the results of Saturday's rematch, will they both be dull or will they up the ante for a true season finale?

Winner: DeBoer

Bruce's record: 6-2

Bruce's Favorite Tie-rontos

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs. The Torontos

Boudreau's tie vs. Wilson's tie

Tonight, Bruce faced two exes!
1. Former Washingtons coach, Ron Wilson
2. Bruce's ex-team as a player (Bruce's stated favorite Canadian Team per Joe B on tonight's broadcast)

When facing any ex, Bruce knows he needs to look good. His diagonal patterned pink, purple, and blue tie flatter his lavender shirt and with his suit-weight is just enough for a cool April evening. I'm learning Bruce has issues with keeping his tie straight some days: notice the visible button on his shirt because his tie is crooked.

Ron Wilson's striped shirt and starry night tie look great with the sea of blue that is the Maple Leaves (why blue leafs? and why leafs not leaves?). Props to Wilson and his support of Autism with the puzzle-piece lapel pin.

Mrs. OC loves all things purple, so Bruce wins again.

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's record: 6-1

Washingtons Cuts Tie with Sabres

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs.The Buffaloes

Boudreau's tie vs. Ruff's tie

The Buffaloes' coach is Lindy Ruff, not only does his name sound fake, it sounds like a villain from a Nancy Drew novel. "Nancy concluded Lindy Ruff and his gang were smuggling antique china dolls to various cities in their hockey equipment, but why? She would have to investigate."

Perhaps my Nancy Drew theory has some merit; Ruff is looking somewhat villainous in his dark pinstriped suit, black shirt with white stripes, and black tie with criss-cross pattern. Although it all seems to hang together he's wearing too many lines and the color scheme is too dark for April. Take your dark colors and go back to Buffalo (and feel free to take your obnoxious fans back with you too).

Bruce has embraced spring and looks great! His gray suit, light colored shirt, and lively aqua blue tie with multi-color interlocking pattern is just what I want to see on an April day.

Winner: Bruce

Bruce's record: 5-1

Jackets and Ties

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs.The Columbuses

Boudreau's tie vs. Arniel's tie

Winner: Scott Arniel

So, do you know why the Columbuses are called The Blue Jackets? Any team named after an article of clothing is likely to be more fashionable than most.

Well, Scott Arniel knows how to match his jacket, shirt, and tie (blue of course!). It was swirly and the blue nearly matches Bruce's blue, but it is not an assuult on your visual cortex like Bruce's tie.

Bruce's tie reminds me of a Rothko, but not in a good way.

So ends Bruce's undefeated streak.

Bruce's record: 4-1

N.B. Mr. OC and I had a brief debate regarding Columbuses vs. Columbi for the proper pluralization of Columbus. You can tell who won said debate.

Caro-tie-nas!

Last night's game:

The Washingtons vs.The Carolinas

Boudreau's tie vs. Maurice's tie

Winner: Bruce

Where to start? Bruce's tie is sparkly! Sparkly AND he's wearing a pink shirt. The tie is two-toned and textured and I like it enormously. Sharp!

Paul Maurice's tie complements his gray shirt nicely and has an interesting pattern. Looking back at some of Bruce's previous neckwear, Maurice could have notched a point versus those fashion entries.

But SPARKLY trumps stripes. Thus sayeth Mrs. OC.

Bruce's record: 4-0

The Ties Hab-it!

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs.The Montreals

Boudreau's tie vs. Martin's tie

Winner: Bruce

Bruce must be stressed, his tie is a mess! It's scrunched up near the knot and slightly askew. But the orange and red combo looks great and I like the diagonal pattern with the pinstriped suit. Martin's tie is crisply tied and a respectable pattern, but nothing visually interesting, though props to Martin for wearing Canadien bleu et rouge.


Bruce's record: 3-0

Capital Conflict

Tonight's game:

The Washingtons vs.The Ottawas

Boudreau's tie vs. Clouston's tie

Winner: Bruce

Bruce once again went with a smart yet simple black and white—this time the knot was better and the pattern more regular. Meanwhile, Clouston looked pretty monochromatic in a Regis Philbin circa "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire" type of way. I'm not sure if the color is sage, gray, seafoam, or smoke; regardless, it's boring and Bruce's tie wins.

Bonus points: Bruce understands when a man is standing the suit coat is buttoned.

Bruce's record: 2-0

Bruce's Nooses Debuts

Ties? There are no ties in The Hockey. Ties were eradicated in 2005.

Mr. OC and I watch a lot of The Hockey. Specifically, many hours are devoted to watching Washington Capitals hockey, both in person and on the giant TV.

What's the best part of watching The Hockey on the giant TV? "Oh, you can see the puck and the play develop" or "It finally makes The Hockey a TV friendly sport." For me, those are great things, and I do appreciate them, but what I find most interesting is seeing the coaches, whom you can barely see when at The Hockey arena (well, at least from our seats).

Tonight while watching the game I noticed I ALWAYS comment on Washington Capitals' Coach Bruce Boudreau's tie. Whether I like the tie or not, the color, the style, the pattern, how it goes with his suit or shirt.

Thus, Bruce's Nooses. Judging Bruce's tie compared to the opposing coach's tie and which is best, dependent completely on my sense of "style."

Tonight's game:
The Washingtons vs.The Philadelphias
Final Score: Washington 5, Philadelphia 4 (SO)
Game was "tied"after regulation AND overtime

Boudreau's tie vs. Laviolette's tie

Winner: Bruce

Despite his somewhat mediocre knot, Bruce's black and silver paisley wins for largess and pattern size. Laviolette's choice of small pattern and less than inspired color makes for no true competition.

Bruce's record in inaugural Bruce's Nooses: 1-0