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| The Maple Leafs could use Milhouse's adequate blowing abilities. |
Bart mistakenly believes the next day to be a snow day based on a weather report, only to find the next day to be unseasonably warm. With a book report due that day, Bart's ass is saved (for awhile I assume) by an assembly where Principal Skinner announces the use of "Academic Alerts", which inform parents right away if and when a child is failing a particular subject, such as Ralph in English ("Me fail English? That's unpossible!"), or Bart on pretty much everything. A shock occurs when Lisa gets an alert, as it turns out Lisa is failing gym due to her lack of physical capability. She learns she can avoid failing the class if she picks up an extracurricular sport outside of school, but neither basketball nor volleyball work out.
At the same time, Bart is participating in peewee hockey, a star player on Chief Wiggum's Mighty Pigs team. Homer showers all of his praise on Bart, though he also threatens to punish Bart mightily should Bart fail or his team even lose. One night, the Pigs are playing against Apu's Kwik-E-Mart Gougers, and one of Bart's shots concusses the Gougers' goalie, the poor Milhouse. Receiving more praise from Homer later on, Bart taunts Lisa further by shooting garbage at her. Noticing Lisa deflect each and every shot, Apu decides to take Lisa on as his new goaltender, with Lisa only obliging due to her failing gym grade.
Lisa's first couple of games go alright, but she plays terrified. As the games go on, though, Lisa picks up a competitive streak and turns into a fierce fighter in net, quickly receiving Homer's praise rather than Bart. Bart is further put down when his friends start hanging out with Lisa instead, who also defends him from bullies. Suddenly finding himself on the wrong end of the popularity and success spectrum, Bart begins to despise Lisa, and the two form a heated rivalry against one another. Though Marge attempts to cool heads, Homer reveals that Bart's team and Lisa's team are due to play each other, pushing the rivalry to new heights.
With glory, respect and Homer's adulation at risk, the game begins. Bart gets a shot past Lisa for a goal, but Lisa stops one of Bart's later attempts. The two get roughed up along the way as well, fueling an already bloodthirsty crowd. With the score tied at 3 late, Bart is tripped on a breakaway and is given a penalty shot with time somehow expiring. With the ultimate sibling showdown in place, and the crowd either chanting "Kill, Bart!" or "Kill Bart!", Bart and Lisa begin to remember the good times they had with one another, and decide to take off their gloves and helmets, and hug each other, both claiming a good game had been played. However, with time expired, the score remains 3-3 (which would've been the score had Lisa blocked the shot, mind you), inciting rage in the crowd, prompting a destructive riot. Homer couldn't be more disappointed in his kids, but Bart and Lisa skate off the ice in good relations once more.
Quick Review
This is one of the most enjoyable episodes of the season. Homer fills the role of the "projecting, over-competitive parent of sport-playing child", and he fills it very well as he somehow only has enough room in him to praise one child at a time. The use of the many secondary characters throughout the episode was well done as well, and the episode ends on a warm note despite everything that happened leading up to it. Its one of Season 6's best episodes.
Final Score: 10
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