A quick annoyed vent

THe Philly Flyers, while a decent team, are currently the luckiest team in sports.


Over two games in Montreal they won 1, and I can understand how my Montreal fanhood disqualifies my arguments, but here they are anyways.


1) I am no longer able to count on one hand the number of times Montreal got the puck past the goalie to have it take a bad bounce off the post/defense/ice to not score. That does mean by my count 6 goals. The Flyers have one 1 game by 2 goals, and lost one by 1 goal.

2) I can name 3 specific instances where the Flyers got goals that are legit, but are really stupid lucky. 1) The bounce of the Brisebois in game one. 2) The hand pass leg shot in game 1. 3) the slash the goalie's glove off the post off the goalie's skate in game 2. So by the's count (read: the real one no matter how annoyed/happy I am) the flyers have 7 goals and one win and the habs have 6 goals and one win. By my count so far, the Flyers have 4 goals and no wins, and the Habs have 12 goals and two wins.

3) To flyers fans who watched game 1, the call was kneeing not tripping. I completely agree that the call wasn't tripping. It was the definition of kneeing, but completely not tripping.

4) I'd like to interrupt this vent to give credit to Biron for stealing a game for the Flyers that should've gone our(my) way even without the bounces. He played strong enough to stop the goals that could've gone in, but the bounces that beat him made him look bad. Still, I guess it's better to be lucky than good. Full marks to his 2 breakaway saves, and full shameings to both the canadiens who had those opportunities.


I will say this, IF the Flyers maintain that kind of luck, they win the cup, and more power to them.

But, I wouldn't be surprised if they head back to Montreal in game 5 down 3-1.
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winning means bringing it with everything you've got

I really did not sign up for this.

I've known I'm an overly obsessed Leafs fan. I've known that from the beginning.

I know I'm a person who tends to care about things with everything I've got. I've known that forever. It's a character flaw, I think. Because whenever something means something to me, more often than not, it comes to mean everything to me. It's been that way since I was a little girl. And it's a right pain in the ass, to be entirely honest.

So perhaps I should have seen it coming.

But, you know. The Leafs already mean the world to me. And I care about them, my boys, so much, that you would think, you would think, that my heart (forgetting for a moment that the heart is an organ for pumping blood, and having attacks during intense, tight games and going with the emotional heart of TV, movies, music and literature)... that my heart would only be able to love one team that much.

Nope.

Because as much as I've somehow (and I still haven't quite figured out how) fallen in hockey team love with the Leafs, I'm still me. I'm still the same person who cares about who and what she loves with everything she's got.

So now I've got two teams that mean the world to me, apparently. And that's not even counting Team Canada, which I'm usually pretty likely to follow obsessively too.

And that... that was so not part of the plan.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were always supposed to just be the team that entertained me. The team that had such incredible young talent that they were, I was quite certain, the most exciting thing on ice. They were just supposed to be the team that made me feel better when I needed to root for a team that actually won on a consistent basis. And, to be fair, the team that provided me with prime boy-oggling time, given the fact that I'm madly in love with their captain and star player.

And when the Leafs were eliminated from post-season contention, the Pens were just supposed to be the team that kept the playoffs actually meaning something to me this year, because last year's just rooting-for-good-hockey completely and totally sucked.

They were just supposed to be my second favourite team, the team that made me happy when the other guys made me sad.

Here's the thing though. I have very quickly come to a somewhat startling realization.

The Pens have, at some point, become my second favourite team. Scratch the favourite. They don't mean near as much to me as the Leafs do. But damn, they mean a whole heck of a lot to me. They're not just my "second favourite", though they are that. No, at some point, they became my second team, another team that means the world to me.

Which is scary as all heck, because I know that if my Pens don't win Stanley this season, it's going to *hurt*. And I hate that.

But with all that said... I think there might be something special going on here. And as scared as I am, I'm going to root for it with everything I've got.

Because when the Pens came back last night from 3-0 down to win the game against the Rangers 5-4, to take a 1-0 lead in the series, and somehow avoid losing home ice advantage, in that moment, it meant everything.

So here we go. I'm in this. I'm so, freaking, annoyingly, crazily in this. It makes no sense whatsoever. And yet it makes all the sense in the world.

Hockey is a funny, funny sport.

And I love it with everything I've got.

I could never do it any other way.
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Groundhog Day for the Flyers

I alluded to the 2001 series a few days ago when the Flyers were up three games to one on the Devils but blew the series. Following game four, I said this, "The goal gave Philadelphia game four and a 3-1 advantage that's nearly impossible to overcome. Teams trailing 3-1 in a series are just 18 of 59 in game fives. It gets better for the Flyers; in 90 years of playoffs, just 20 of 224 teams that fell behind 3-1 in a series went onto the next round. That's a winning percentage of 8.9%."

Washington at this point has all the momentum in the series and has home ice advantage for game seven. Plus the Flyers have to bounce back one day later from a really bad home loss (more on that in a minute). All the signs up towards Washington taking this game, but with how back and forth this series has been, I don't know if anyone can really predict what's going to happen.

The Flyers need to aggressively go after the Caps. Hit them until they can't skate. Get an early lead and don't let up. The Flyers have been great at blowing leads this year. Philly takes the lead and doesn't necessarily sit back, but lets the opposing team put the pressure on them. I don't know what school of hockey Coach John Stevens went to, but he's got to change his mentality when he's got a lead.

Tonight the Flyers have three keys: Contain Ovechkin, limit penalties, and fore check.

Onto last night now. I've been saying it all series. Alexander the Great makes every series almost a best of six series. He's going to single handily win the Caps a game. That game finally came last night. Tied at two, Ovechkin scored two goals to break the tie.

I didn't get to watch the game, Versus was carrying the Montreal-Boston game where I was. So I'm not going to comment on the game itself too much. I will say, after looking at the box score and the ridiculous number of shots, this game must have been really up and down. I don't think that plays into the Flyers' hands because of Ovechkin and really also Nicklas Backstrom's ability to score and create in the open ice.

CuseAdelphia Prediction: Game seven will go to the Capitals. They are going to do the improbable and comeback from 3-1. The Flyers too many opportunities to take this series in the first six games and it's going to comeback to haunt them. I think a late three period goal will decide this game.
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Kuklas Korner- Hockey :: NHL Promoting The Stanley Cup Playoffs

I remember sitting in my hotel room, on vacation in Kentucky, waiting for ESPNs Sport Center to begin. I patiently awaited the/nhl highlights of my favourite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The show began, and the hosts went right into the nights Major League Baseball games. Next came the night in the National Basketball Association. Then college basketball was covered.

After preview stories on the National Football League as well as other issues in the sports world aired, I began to get frustrated.
Eventually near the end of the show, came the/nhl recap. I was ready to see how my team fared. Yet, much to my chagrin, the recap only consisted of a brief scoreboard.
I caught the games score and goal scorers. The Leafs lost. But video highlights, analysis, or outlook were nowhere to be found.
It would surprise most Canadians to hear that live poker, womens golf, bull riding, eating competitions, and tractor pulls all rank higher than the/nhl in terms of American TV ratings.
The sad truth is that hockey is a dying sport south of the border/nhl television ratings have dropped every year since the turn of the millennium, and theyve hit a new low in 2008.
Most Americans dont watch Canadas game, so theres no need for/nhl highlights.
At one point, as Wayne Gretzky hit the peak of his popularity in the early 1990s, the/nhl could consider themselves one of the Big Four major sports leagues in North America, (along with the NBA, NFL, and MLB).
Now, however, according to Chris Zelkovich sports writer and/nhl expert at the Toronto Star, At best, the/nhl is a fringe sport on [American] television.
Of the major professional leagues, the/nhl is by far the least valuable in terms of revenue, and while other traditionally American professional sports are booming when it comes to TV ratings, the/nhl wont survive with a mediocre fan base forever.
Zelkovich explains that there was at time when [U.S] hockey ratings came close to those of the NBA, [but now], ratings now are about one-third of that.
Ever since a 310-day lockout over the collective bargaining agreement between the/nhl and the/nhl Players Association/nhlPA) cancelled the 2004-2005 season, things have never been the same.
So why dont Americans enjoy hockey? It has the potential to be the most exciting sport on the planet. Its a game without many stoppages, speed, and it combines the violence of football, with the playmaking of basketball.
Zelkovich says the lack of popularity stems back to differences in culture, and climate. Simply put, Americans dont like things that arent American.
Only in some northern states (Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts) is there exposure to much hockey, explains Zelkovich. They cant build outdoor rinks, so if youve never played the game, odds are youll have little interest in watching it.
While hockey can work in the northern states, places that actually have a connection to the sport aided by Canadas cultural runoff. The USA is a country dominated by warm climates.
Where there are iced ponds and lakes during the winter, it is easy for kids to get into hockey. Its something to do at a young age. There are also plenty more arenas in the North.
Yet to play ice hockey in a warm climate you have to rent out a rink, and thats if theres even one nearby. You also need your own protective equipment, and last but not least, you must learn how to skate. Clearly, hockey is a much more costly and difficult sport to adapt to./nhl is rarely even mentioned in most American schools, says Zelkovich. The closest most Americans might come to playing the sport is through games of floor hockey.
Other sports like baseball originated and flourished in America, and are played by mainly American players. Therefore these are the games that are instilled in American culture, and are being taught early on in life. Its not the same for hockey. It is a foreign game, with foreign players.
Russ Hauge is a 48 year-old sports fan, and parent of three teenage boys. He lives Columbus, Ohio, USA.
I was born and raised in Wisconsin and I remember there was a little interest in hockey, we had a team in high school, says Hauge. But ever since we moved here [Ohio], its all about MLB and college sports, football and basketball. The kids have never really asked me about the/nhl.
Hauge provides just a glimpse into the mind of the average American sports fan. He went on to explain in his interview that he has seen the Columbus Blue Jackets of the/nhl playing on TV, but never has stopped and watched an entire game, or even thought about attending one.
While some Northern/nhl teams can achieve decent local ratings in the USA, the lack of a large national audience, means few advertising dollars are gained by the/nhl. The issue is attracting people to a game they dont quite understand. One way of doing so is by using the players as humans they can relate to.
I remember I watched some hockey here and there back when Gretzky played, just because he was the best, like Michael Jordan, say Hauge.
His remarks display the need for the/nhl to market a star player to Americans. The next phenomenon who can take over the league, and attract the worlds attention, as Michael Jordan did for the NBA in the 1990s, could be the key.
The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, already saved the/nhl once at the height of his career, as a trade to Los Angeles brought American interest in hockey to an all-time high around 1992.
The Next One, 20 year-old Sidney Crosby, is taking the/nhl by storm. He is slowly becoming a household name, and has potential to do the same for the league.
Gretzky was a proven superstar by the time he arrived in L.A., explains Zelkovich. If Crosby can match what he did, it will probably take another 5 years or so.
While Crosby cant immediately turn things around, he definitely has potential. NBC currently holds one weekend game a week broadcasted nationally in the United States. At the end of last season, one of their games featured Crosby, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. At the same time, on ABC, an NBA game was being played. More people tuned in to watch the/nhl game, and Sid the kid.
If Crosby is to become the next hero for hockey fans across North America, it will take more of this widespread coverage. The/nhls games that dont make NBCs weekly selection in the U.S are televised on cable TVs Versus network. The rather unproven sports network was chosen as a replacement as ESPN, Americas sports leader dumped/nhl hockey in August 2005.
The problem is that Versus is a specialty channel not available to all members of the American public. If the/nhl ever expects to bring back viewers, it must start with a new broadcaster that is available to all Americans. Canadian cable broadcasters TSN, and Sportsnet, have found success with around-the-clock national hockey coverage.
However, the/nhl does not have to go crying back to a similar sports focused network, similar to an ESPN or TSN. One possibility would be the USA network, which is well-watched across America, and has successfully supported the WWE in recent years. Even a reunion with FOX, who carried/nhl games in the 1990s, could be an improvement.
Another television opportunity for the league creating buzz among sports media is the outdoor Winter Classic game, which took place January in Buffalo. NBC had an overnight rating of 2.2 (or 3.8 million viewers) for the outdoor telecast. It was the highest watched/nhl game since Foxs 2.2 rating, for Wayne Gretzkys final game on April 18, 1999.
The spectacle was held in the Buffalo Bills NFL stadium, and added a whole new feel for fans. It allowed more people to attend, and even brought about tailgate parties, typical of an NFL game. Regular outdoor affairs such as this in the future could re-invent hockey culture, and add American influences to Canadas game.
Another televised outdoor game is scheduled for next season, at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It is scheduled to be the last sport ever played at the historic stadium before it closes, and should be just as successful as the Buffalo version of the Winter Classic.
The best thing about the outdoor game wasnt the ratings, says Zelkovich. Rather, what it did was put hockey on sportscasts across the U.S.
The sports writer went on to outline the importance of simply having more unique/nhl highlights entering peoples homes. One way this could be established is by improving the level of play, and increasing the offense in the game, to produce more highlight-reel goals.
While the league has addressed the issue of offense by implementing rule changes that promote speed, and more harshly punish player obstruction. Another, more effective way to increase skill level, and improve the overall level of play, is by eliminating some of the/nhls teams. By reducing the number of franchises, the leagues talent pool will become larger, as fewer of what Zelkovich calls fringe players, will be needed.
Not only will the increased competitiveness, and intensity attract more viewers, this strategy can also help eliminate the/nhls unproven, warm-weathered markets. In comparison to markets in the northern USA, in these southern cities, there is not enough knowledge of hockey, and simply too much competition from other sports for/nhl franchises to survive long-term.
Currently the Buffalo Sabres are a profitable American team, and as displayed by the citys Winter Classic, they have one of the better attendance records in the league. Partially this can be explained by the citys close proximity with Canada, and Buffalos somewhat Canadian qualities.
To compare, struggling markets such as Nashville, Phoenix, Washington, Columbus, Carolina, Atlanta, and Florida all finish in the bottom ten of the/nhl when it comes to attendance and yearly revenues. The sad part is that many of these clubs are still championship contenders.
Most Canadians would jump at the idea of reducing the league, and would love to eventually have new Canadian teams as replacements for these contenders.
However, before expansion, the/nhl must work on reducing the problems it already has. Some changes or sacrifices are definitely needed. The/nhl cannot rely solely on the second coming of Gretzky to carry the league to salvation.
It seems a new business leader could take charge and bring the league in a new direction. Current/nhl commissioner Gary Bettman has watched the popularity of Canadas game sink lower and lower during his tenure. But in order to ever see Mats Sundin on a TV screen in Kentucky, perhaps a change will be needed.

Americano new top 10 >>> hockey tsn
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Detroit Red Wings: Chris Chelios Still Going and Going and Going...

If Cosmo, People and US magazines are to be believed, 50 is the new 40 which, in turn, is the new 30, then at 46-years old, Detroit Red Wings’ Chris Chelios is the new 23.

As in, 23 post-season appearances in the speedier, harder-hitting, mentally and physically punishing—an accomplishment to be applauded.

It's also a record.

When Chelios strapped on the skates and hit the ice in Saturday's matchup against the Nashville Predators, it was his 248th playoff game, surpassing that of Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy who was minding the store for both the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche during several playoff marathons.

Interestingly enough, both Chelios and Roy each won their first Stanley Cup ring playing together for the '86 Habs.

From Montreal to Chicago to Detroit, Chelios is one of the class acts of the hockey world, a true hockey journeyman who still plays the game like he did when he was a rookie, albeit a little slower.

His off-season conditioning and training regimen is, according to some, a grueling affair that helps him keep up with the game season after season.

What's more incredible is he’s showing no sign of slowing down. In terms of the oldest players still stick-handling in the, he is second only to Gordie Howe, aka Mr. Hockey, who was still skating at 52.

Chelios has apparently said he'd like Howe to keep that record, meaning we could see Chelios playing for another five seasons, barring a crippling injury.

There's no doubt Chelios' career is winding down but it's likely the veteran will stay with the or the game itself, behind the bench of an team or perhaps within the U.S. Olympic hockey program.

Regardless, his enduring presence and hockey know-how would be well appreciated by any team or organization and its likely Chelios will be involved in the game well in to his golden years.

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And you thought PLAYING playoff games was hard.

Dear Comcast, Versus, CSN DC, CSN Philly, and TV in Central PA in general.

What the hell were you thinking? Stanley Cup games are shown on VS. Versus.com told me this.com told me this, and yet surprisingly, you were blacking it out in my area. Okay, I understand that I get Philly's channel lineup, and I understand that I don't have the digital box, just basic cable, but I HAVE VERSUS. According to everything out there, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THE GAME. The fact that I got 10 seconds of "Next on VS" highlighting the Caps, then a blank screen and the notice that "Versus A blacked out" before being subjected to fishing is pretty much almost the last straw.

Comcast claims it was being blacked out by the DC station itself- essentially nobody else was getting their feed, which I find hard to believe. If Verizon was sold out the way everything I've read indicates it was, WHY would you keep people from watching your first playoff run in a bazillion years on TV? And WHY especially would you target the area in Pennslyvania THAT WATCHES YOUR AHL TEAM ON A REGULAR BASIS? Also, please quit telling me that I can watch the game on CSN DC. I don't HAVE CSN DC, as I live in Pennsylvania, two hours away from DC. There's no reason I should have it, unless I'm paying for the $150 Cable From All Nations Package, and customer service rules tell me that you should have my account pulled up on a computer screen in front of you that tells you that's not the case.

When I called Versus, they were completely stymied. They asked repeatedly where I was and took down all my contact information, as according to them, there was no reason I shouldn't have been getting it. Supposedly they're calling Comcast to see what the hell was going on, but I doubt anything will change, as it's Comcast. Seriously, behind the healthcare issues and the gasoline price issues and the economy in general, someone needs to take a good hard look at the monopoly of some cable companies in some areas. In Tacoma, we paid for 100+ channels what I pay for basic cable here. And by basic, I mean literally 20 channels, 5 or 6 of those I'm pretty sure I'm NOT actually supposed to be getting like VS and Style. There's no reason that should cost me 20 dollars. That should cost me possibly 10, ESPECIALLY if I'm only getting TV channels because I'm forced to in order to get cable internet. And don't get me started on "student discount" which only wants to discount something I already don't have (namely the cable box.)

So VS, Comcast, all you other cable entities, figure it out. If I still lived in Oregon, I'd be having less of an issue with this whole thing. There's no reason I should be living in a hockey-rich environment and be completely unable to watch this one stupid game. Add to that the fact that I didn't realize the Pens/Sens was on Yahoo, and I basically spent the night in front of my computer watching box scores, which seems ri-freaking-diculous. As soon as I'm living somewhere else with a real job, I'm ponying up the money to get the hell away from Comcast, because with the exception of one derby girl I know who works for them, they don't care right or left if you're happy or not, because you have nowhere else to go for cable in this area.

God damn it. God DAMN it.
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"you're the Great One, I'm Marty McSorley" Kathleen Edwards

so that subject line has very little to do with what is to come but I think it's a pretty cool line! I didn't know if I would ever get a chance to use it and this is probably as close as I will ever come! It's from the song "I Make the Dough, You get the Glory"

I saw Gretzky play. Saw him with the Oilers and with the Kings. He truly was amazing in what he could do with a hockey stick and a puck on the end of it. His awareness of where EVERY ONE was on the ice (both teammates and opponents) is unrivaled. He could thread the needle with the puck, getting through one, two even THREE defenders to an open teammate. He handled a hockey stick like Tiger Woods does a golf club. Magic wands. He truly is the greatest OFFENSIVE hockey player I have ever seen.

But he would rank no higher than third on my rankings of the all-time greatest hockey players. He cared little for playing defense. He wasn't paid to do that, so I can understand. And he tended to "cherry pick" much of the time, standing up high in the defensive zone, sometimes on the other side of the blue line. And given his wiry stature and build he never engaged in much physical play. He truly deserves his nickname of the "Great One". Just in my book, there are two greatER ones
Number two I would put Gordie Howe. Two points immediately jump to mind. One, Howe did most of his damage when the league consisted of only 6 teams. And given that ice hockey hadn't had much inroads into Europe as it has today, you can make an excellent case that he competed against the 120 or so, best hockey players every night on this PLANET! There was no expansion to dilute the talent pool he went against until the mid-60's. Players that would make today's All-Star teams would be kept down in the minor leagues, unable to crack the elite 120 or so players that were on the rosters in Howe's time. And there is the longevity factor. Howe played long enough to skate along side his SONS! True it may have been more of a promotional idea, but he helped build the WHA, which gave Gretzky his initial professional job. His sons were talented players, not as talented as the old man, but very few were!

Howe played both ways and was known for his physical play. There is the tale of the young player, playing in his first game against Howe. He was asked by reporters what it had been like for him to be on the ice for the first time against the great Gordie Howe, "Mr. Hockey". The player lifted his jersey and pointed to large welt on his chest and merely said, "2nd period."

There is a reason that the term "Gordie Howe hat trick" exists. It means in one game a player accumulated a goal, an assist and five minute fighting penalty! Howe was NASTY, known to let his elbows do his talking in the corners and in front of the net. He comes off as some gracious and soft spoken grandfather when he is interviewed. But I don't think anyone whoever played against him would see him in quite the same light.

Others who came after Howe and Gretzky were supposed to equal or surpass their achievements. Mario Lemieux for one. Eric Lindros was another. But even though they both had Howe's size both were not his equal. Lemeiux cared little for using his size in physical play. It just didn't seem to be his nature. For all his size he really was more akin to being a Gretzky like "finesse" player. And though Lindros had the nasty streak, and didn't mind mucking it up, injuries kept him from living up to his projected potential.

No, for my money, the greatest player ever to play ice hockey was Bobby Orr. He revolutionized his sport, the way Wilt Chamberlain changed basketball or Babe Ruth changed baseball. There was the way those sports were played prior to their arrival and everything after them was different!

What brought this all to mind was, "the Tennessee Stud" recently sent me a video length of some of the highlights of Orr's career. You can check it out for yourself below.




What immediately impressed me was how STRONG of skater he was! Not just fast (and he was fast! With an explosive first step) but how even today's players, with their conditioning and training and all, 30 years after Orr's heyday can't come close to his strength purely as a skater. When you don't see something for awhile you forget and lose your appreciation of just how great he really was!

He was a defenseman, and prior to Orr's entrance into the, that was about ALL they did. It was all they were suppose to do! They rarely ventured any deeper than the blue line, never wanting to be caught out of position and leave their team open to an out manned attack. Orr changed all that. He was an offensive weapon, charging up the ice, carrying the puck deep into the offensive zone, giving the Bruins an extra attacking forward.

But he also played plenty of solid defense. It wasn't just the case of giving up as many goals and he helped score. He played his position, played it well, just with the extra bonus of being an offensive threat.

Last weekend, "the Stud" reminded me of a certain fact; Orr still holds the largest plus/minus (goals scored while on the ice/goals scored against while on the ice) total for a player in a single season. +124. Just for comparison, Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings led the in plus/minus this season with +41! Nobody has cracked +50 in more than 5 years, and +60 in more than 10. And you would have to go back to Gretzky in the early 80's to find someone who came close to approaching +100. Larry Robinson, on one of the greatest teams of all-time, the Canadiens of the late 70's came closest to Orr at +120 And NOBODY has ever led the in plus/minus for six seasons like Orr. Gretsky is next with 4. A defenseman who led the league in goals?! In scoring?! Unheard of. Orr may not have INVENTED the rushing defenseman, but he more or less PERFECTED it. No Orr, there would be no Brad Park or Paul Coffey or Ray Borque.

Killing penalties, has changed very little both before Orr and after. If you get the puck while killing a penalty, you shoot it out of the zone, down the ice. But that wasn't the way Orr always did it. It wasn't uncommon for Orr, once gaining possession of the puck on the penalty kill, to engage in a game of "keep away" or "catch me" with the power play(ers). He would take the puck and skate back and around and through the team with the (supposed!) man-advantage until he saw an opening (or felt he had toyed with them long enough!) before throwing the puck up ice. It was unbelievable to watch!

In some ways Orr's career is comparable to Sandy Koufax's career in baseball. Neither of them had particularly long careers. Koufax played for 11 or 12 years I believe. Orr's about the same. Both had their careers prematurely cut short by injuries. Koufax's arm, and Orr's knees. After several injuries and surgeries to "repair" both knees it was said Orr had little knee cartilage left, nearly bone on bone. Both careers because of their shortened length aren't much at first glance, statistically speaking, especially when compared to other players who played much, much longer. But both had INCREDIBLE years or groups of years in which they completely DOMINATED their sports, making their greatness apparent to anyone who saw them perform.

I'd forgotten about how good Orr was. Guess it is the way it is in the day of ESPN and YouTube. If it doesn't happen when a camera happened to be around it doesn't seem to matter as much. Players that didn't have their every step videoed and captured don't seem "better" and "greater" than lesser players we see every evening on Sports Center. For this season or maybe the next. They are the "flavors of the month" or slightly longer. Greatness happened before ESPN could capture. Thankful we still have at least a portion of Orr's considerable highlights to watch. And remember. Y'all have a nice weekend. Chesed. Late.
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Top 100 selling games released in the past 12 months (March 07 - March 08)

Proves American tastes suck ass, once again... Galaxy (and possibly Pokemon D/P) is the only good game in the top 10.

100 08-X360/PS2/PS3/PC-460K
99. Ninja Gaiden Sigma-PS3 Exclusive-470K
98. Cooking Mama: Cook Off-Wii Exclusive-470K
97. Naruto: Ninja Council 3-DS Exclusive-470K
96. NASCAR 08-PS2/PS3/X360-490K
95. EA Playground-Wii/DS-500K
94. Turok-X360/PS3-500K
93. Bee Movie Game-DS/Wii/PS2/X360/PC-530K
92. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion-PS3 (other versions came out earlier and are not counted here)-530K
91. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles-Wii Exclusive-540K
90. The Sims 2: Bon Voyage-PC Exclusive Expansion Pack-540K
89. Surf’s Up-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/DS/GC/Wii/GBA/PC-560K
88. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer-PS2/PS3/X360/Wii/DS-560K
87. Boogie-Wii/DS/PS2-560K
86. Cars Mater-National-DS/PS2/PS3/X360/Wii/PC-570K
85. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe-DS/PS2/PSP/X360/Wii/PC-570K
84. Burnout Dominator-PS2/PSP-570K
83. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men-X360/PS3/PC-590K
82. Ben 10: Protectors of Earth-PS2/PSP/DS/Wii-590K
81. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction-PS3 Exclusive-600K
80. Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party-Wii Exclusive-610K
79. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07-Wii (other versions came out earlier and are not counted here)-610K
78. Heavenly Sword-PS3 Exclusive-630K
77. Spongebob’s Atlantis Squarepantis-DS/Wii/PS2/GBA-630K
76. Crash of the Titans-PS2/PSP/X360/DS/Wii-630K
75. Rayman Raving Rabbids 2-Wii/DS-630K
74. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2-PS2 Exclusive-660K
73. The Darkness-360/PS3-660K
72. NBA 2K8-PS2/PS3/X360-670K
71. Burnout Paradise-X360/PS3-680K
70. Dirt-360/PS3/PC-690K
69. Tomb Raider: Anniversary-PS2/PSP/X360/Wii/PC-700K
68. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas-PS3/PSP (other versions came out earlier and are not counted here)-700K
67. Medal of Honor: Airborne-X360/PS3/PC-710K
66. Imagine: Fashion Designer-DS Exclusive-710K
65. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories-PS2 (other versions came out earlier and are not counted here)-720K
64. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune-PS3 Exclusive-730K
63. The Bigs-Wii/X360/PS2/PS3/PSP-730K
62. MX Vs ATV: Untamed-360/PS2/PS3/PSP/Wii/DS-750K
61. Skate-360/PS3-780K
60. Drawn to Life-DS Exclusive-820K
59. Medal of Honor: Vanguard-PS2/Wii-820K
58. Spectrobes-DS Exclusive-820K
57. Pokemon Battle Revolution-Wii Exclusive-850K
56. Hannah Montana: Music Jam-DS Exclusive-890K
55. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition-Wii Exclusive-900K
54. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3-PS2/Wii-920K
53. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground-PS2/PS3/Wii/DS/X360-950K
52. Football Manager 2008 (Worldwide Soccer Manager 2008 in America)-PC/X360/PSP-1M
51. Motorstorm-PS3 Exclusive-1M
50. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s-PS2 Exclusive-1M
49. Devil May Cry 4-X360/PS3-1M
48. The Sims 2: Castaway-DS/PS2/PSP/Wii-1M
47. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption-Wii Exclusive-1.1M
46. Carnival Games-Wii Exclusive-1.1M
45. NBA Live 08-PS2/PS3/PSP/360/PC/Wii-1.1M
44. The Orange Box-X360/PS3/PC-1.1M
43. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day-DS Exclusive-1.1M
42. TMNT-PS2/GBA/DS/GC/Wii/PC/PSP/X360-1.2M
41. Mario Strikers: Charged-Wii Exclusive-1.2M
40. High School Musical: Makin’ the Cut!-DS Exclusive-1.2M
39. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars-PC/X360-1.3M
38. Thrillville: Off the Rails-PS2/PSP/PC/Wii/DS/X360-1.3M
37. Singstar (all PS2 versions)-PS2 Exclusive-1.3M
36. High School Musical: Sing It!-Wii/PS2-1.3M
35. Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree-Wii Exclusive-1.3M
34. Mass Effect-X360 Exclusive-1.4M
33. Shrek the Third-PS2/PSP/X360/PC/GBA/DS/Wii-1.4M
32. Rock Band-X360/PS3/PS2-1.5M
31. Mario Party DS-DS Exclusive-1.5M
30. NCAA Football 08-PS2/PS2/XBX/X360-1.5M
29. BioShock-X360/PC-1.7M
28. Super Paper Mario-Wii Exclusive-1.8M
27. LEGO Star Wars: Complete Saga-Wii/DS/PS3/X360-1.8M
26. MySims-DS/Wii-1.8M
25. God of War II-PS2 Exclusive-1.8M
24. Ratatouille-DS/PS2/GC/PS3/Wii-PC/GBA/X360/PSP/XBX-1.9M
23. Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass-DS Exclusive-1.9M
22. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix-Wii/DS/GBA/X360/PS2/PS3/PSP/PC-2M
21. Guitar Hero II-X360 (other versions came out earlier and are not counted here)-2M
20. Forza Motorsport 2-X360 Exclusive-2.1M
19. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/PC/Wii/DS-2.2M
18. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08-Wii/DS/X360/PS2/PS3/PSP/PC-2.3M
17. Mario Party 8-Wii Exclusive-3M
16. Transformers: The Game-PS2/PS3/PSP/DS/Wii/X360-3.3M
15. Spider-Man 3-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/Wii/DS/GBA-3.4M
14. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games-Wii/DS-3.4M
13. WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/DS/Wii-3.5M
12. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/DS/Wii/PC-3.8M
11. The Simpsons Game-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/Wii/DS-3.9M
10. Brain Age 2: More Brain Training in Minutes a Day-DS Exclusive-4M
9. Super Mario Galaxy-Wii Exclusive-4.1M
8. Assassin’s Creed-X360/PS3-4.9M
7. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl-DS Exclusive-5M
6. Need for Speed: ProStreet-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/Wii/DS/PC-5.4M
5. Madden NFL 08-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/Wii/GC/DS/PC/XBX-5.7M
4. FIFA Soccer 08-PS2/PS3/PSP/X360/Wii/DS/PC-5.7M
3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock-PS2/PS3/X360/Wii/PC-7.5M
2. Halo 3-X360 Exclusive-8M
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare-X360/PS3/PC/DS-8.3M
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101 Reasons Why I Love My Girlfriend....

1. She loves me.
2. She has a heart for helping others.
3. She shimmies when she walks.
4. She has a strong work ethic.
5. She takes care of me.
6. She holds me when I need it.
7. She likes good music.
8. She takes showers with me because she knows I like it.
9. Margaritas from Cabo make her loopy.
10. She chases me around the bed all night long.
11. She looks me in the eye.
12. She’s not afraid to apologize.
13. She dreams big.
14. She doesn’t ask me to go to the movies (even though she loves them) because I hate them.
15. She’s honest with herself.
16. She scratches her head when she’s thinking.
17. She loves her family.
18. She shucks oysters like it’s her day job.
19. She asks me how my day was.
20. She wants to raise babies.
21. She supports my decisions.
22. She’s honest with me (even when I don’t want her to be).
23. She named her car, “Lois.”
24. She loves her cats (even Jackson).
25. She’s curious about my dreams.
26. She lets me hang with my boyz.
27. She’s loyal.
28. She has messy handwriting.
29. She buys the most unexpected, best gifts.
30. She knows exactly what I want.
31. She eats paczkis with me.
32. She can’t say paczkis.
33. She sacrifices things to be with me.
34. She tells me the difference between itching and scratching.
35. She’s passionate.
36. She’s creative.
37. She calls me “baby.”
38. She takes me to Boudreaux’s even though she doesn’t like it.
39. She doesn’t sleep on the couch when she’s mad.
40. She pushes me to be a better person.
41. She teaches me new things.
42. She read the NY Times on Sunday mornings.
43. She’s smart.
44. She knows what I need (even when I don’t think I need it).
45. She puts up with my stubbornness.
46. She makes me feel like the most beautiful woman alive.
47. She touches my soul.
48. She always has laundry to do.
49. She wears 100 year old karate t-shirts.
50. She lets me be myself.
51. She listens to me (even when I babble).
52. She doesn’t talk about money because she knows it bothers me.
53. She’s curious.
54. She likes to cook.
55. She drinks Labatt’s with me.
56. She watches her temper.
57. She covers me up when I’m cold.
58. She gets nervous when she has to go to the bathroom.
59. She laughs from her heart.
60. She’s kind.
61. She loves the environment.
62. She gets me tickets.
63. She’s gentle.
64. She wants the best for others.
65. She loves her friends.
66. She’ll talk to anyone.
67. She doesn’t hold grudges (for too long).
68. She goes to scary doctor’s appointments with me.
69. She planned the perfect vacation to the swamps for us.
70. She trusts me.
71. She doesn’t raise her voice.
72. She takes me to the beach.
73. She worries about making me happy.
74. She makes me insanely happy.
75. She uses my shampoo.
76. She loves UNC basketball.
77. She snores silly when she first falls asleep.
78. She lets me wear her socks when I forget mine.
79. She compliments my work.
80. She has faith in my abilities.
81. She drove all the way out to my work to eat lunch with me.
82. She drinks Pellegrino out of the container.
83. She takes care of her mom.
84. She worries about her sisters.
85. She forgives.
86. She has knobby knees.
87. She’s patient with me.
88. She loves how well I know her.
89. She looks sexy in work clothes.
90. She likes to show me off.
91. She loves on me in public.
92. She’s proud to be with me.
93. She worries about things.
94. She watches “Meet the Press.”
95. She misses me when I’m gone.
96. She tells me I’m beautiful.
97. She’s responsible.
98. She can’t ever find her phone charger.
99. She likes when I tickler her back.
100. She’s a selfless lover.
101. She’s my life.
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Hudon on the NHL Playoffs: Predictions

It took me quite awhile to figure out what to write about in my first article. Seeing as I've been a few times that I'm a loud mouth and can be quite opinionated at times, I figured I may as well show my arrogance and spoil the Stanley Cup playoffs for everyone. Forget about the suspense and intrigue of the's second season because I will tell you EXACTLY how it will play out ( OK maybe not exactly, but I'm going to say that my predictions will be pretty damn close). So without a further adieu here are my predictions all the way to the Stanley Cup winner.

Eastern Conference: Round 1

Montreal Canadiens (1) vs. Boston Bruins (8): In case you've been hiding under a rock since the lock out, the Habs have essentially owned the Bruins, winning 11 straight from the Bruins. No reason for this domination to end now. Both teams have key injuries, but I feel the Bruins' injuries affect the team more then the injuries that the Habs are facing. I say Habs in 5.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Ottawa Senators (7): The Ottawa Senators lost their heart and soul when they faced the Toronto Maple Leafs last Thursday as hockey fans witnessed Mark Bell beat down the Sens on his own. When the Sens lose this series the Pens should send Bell a fruit basket or some pot pourri as a thank you for giving them a huge assist. Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher are huge components to the Sens success and with out them, Ottawa will tank. The scary part about this whole situation is not the problems that Ottawa is facing at this moment (that's an article for another day), but we've yet to see the Penguins firing on all cylinders this year. I say Pens in 5.

New Jersey Devils (4) vs. New York Rangers (5): Even though these are two of the lower scoring teams in the league this past season, I feel this will be one of the better first round match ups. We have a heated cross town rivalry in one of the biggest markets in the. I love Marty Brodeur. I think he's the greatest goalie to ever live, but I just think the Rangers are just too strong for them. There's a reason why the Rangers beat the Devils 7 times this year. Even though I threw this stat out, don't let it fool you. This will be a long series. I say Rangers in 7

Washington Capitals (3) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (6): The Capitals are flying high and the Flyers, to me, are looking just average. This year is not the Flyers' year. Their youth needs to grow one more year and then they will be a force to reckon with. Yes I know the Caps are just as young, if not younger,but they have all the momentum in the world and they will be this years sweetheart team. I say Capitals in 6.

Western Conference: Round 1

Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Nashville Predators (8): Detroit is once again looking to prove that they can make it in the playoffs. Nashville is spent from battling for a playoff spot. I say the Wings walk right through the Preds in 5, once again proving that Nashville is nothing more then a playoffs contender and not a Stanley Cup contender.

San Jose Sharks (2) vs. Calgary Flames (7): Yes the Flames owned the Sharks this year, but the Sharks have been one of the hottest teams in the league the last 2 months. Plus the Sharks have something to prove as they have been nothing more then a playoff disappointment the past few years. I say Sharks in 6.

Minnesota Wild (3) vs. Colorado Avalanche (6): Honestly, I'd have to flip a coin to truly pick a winner in this series. Both teams have the ability to surprise a team or two in the playoffs, but both teams have had to deal with inconsistent goaltending this year. I say Wild in 7, only because I'll be rooting for them.

Anaheim Ducks (4) vs. Dallas Stars (5): The curse on Marty Turco will continue this year. The Stars have been free falling since the trade deadline, and the Ducks have a lot going for them. They have arguably the best D corps ever put together on an team, they are the defending Stanley Cup champs and if need be, they'll just beat the crap out of you. I say Ducks in 6.

Eastern Conference: Round 2

Montreal Canadiens (1) vs. New York Rangers (5): Do you believe in miracles? At times I do, but more so, I'm very superstitious and I believe in the ghosts of the Forum. I also think Montreal's miraculous come from behind game in February will haunt the Rangers. It's a shame that these two teams have to meet in the second round, as this would be a phenomenal conference final. I say Habs in 7.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (3): This the's dream match up. They will be able to market this one like there is no tomorrow. Crosby vs. Ovechkin could be the's version of Magic vs. Bird. At least that's what the league is hoping for. Plus, factor in that these two teams faced each other in the playoffs a number times throughout the 90's, this has the makings of being THE series of the playoffs. So who to pick here? I see Crosby besting Ovechkin where it matters the most and that's the wins column. I say Penguins in 6.

Western Conference: Round 2

Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (4): The Ducks are just too physical for this fragile Red Wings team. With Anaheim crashing the net the way they do,Hasek will be at his finest. Which is flopping around like a sniper just hit him from the nose bleeds. I say Ducks in 6.

San Jose Sharks (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3): I'll be cheering for the Wild, but this is as far their run will go. San Jose is just too beastly and they will tame the Wild. Sorry for the cheese ball joke. I say Sharks in 5.

Eastern Conference: Round 3

Montreal Canadiens (1) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (2): The Cinderella run continues. The ghosts of the Forum will haunt Crosby and the Penguins. This may be the start of a classic rivalry that will last many many years as both of these teams are full of premier youthful talent. I say Habs in 7.

Western Conference: Round 3

San Jose Sharks (2) vs. Anaheim Ducks (4): The Sharks will finally get the monkey off their back. The Ducks will run out of gas after a long season which saw them have a short summer and travel to Europe. The Ducks aren't as offensive as last year and they should be running out of gas by this time. I say Sharks in 6.

Stanley Cup Final

San Jose Sharks vs. Montreal Canadiens: The Sharks are big a team with speed to burn. The Habs are probably a faster team but they will have a tough time defending against the size of the Sharks. While I've been preaching that the Habs will have history and the ghosts of the forum on their side throughout the playoffs, the Sharks will have a greater desire to win this because their window of opportunity is quickly closing. I say Sharks in 5.

There you have it readers. My comprehensive Stanley Cup playoffs predictions. No need to watch the playoffs now that I have ruined it all for you. Enjoy the playoffs!

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Caps season

If you had told me in November that the Capitals would make the playoffs this season I'd laugh at you and call you completely nuts.

But today I'm eating my crow.

I never thought we'd make it this far. But what happened last night shows me that the team has a ton of guts and talent. And that I am proud as hell of that team. Even if the Caps don't advance any further, it's been a hell of a season and I am so proud of them. To go from the laughing stock of the to a playoff team is incredible.

Let's keep the thunder going this week. I can't wait.

And lastly to Glen Hanlon: I know we gave you a hard time during the season. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you as head coach. It was nothing personal when we were chanting "FIRE HANLON!" in November. I don't think you were the real problem. I hate that we had to make the changes we did, but in the end it's worked out great for the team. At least you've stayed on as a scout. Thanks for everything you did as the head coach for the last 2 seasons and part of this one.
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Let's Let Fate and Destiny Decide the Title or Somethin'

I can't say I've actively removed myself from the Internet, but I haven't been much of a presence this past week either. I'm not really avoiding anyone or anything. Not even April Fools' Day, though I'm not a big fan of pranks and some are so desperate for a "GOTCHA!!!!" reaction this year they released April Fools' information two days early. What?! There's a reason it's called April Fools' DAY! Oh, and IGN's joke trailer for the Zelda movie took three months of production. Sure, it's awesome, but it's also a little sad at the same time. At the office this week, we switched everyone's desktop pictures to something they would detest. OOOOOOOO, EXTREME! The only real joke played on me April 1st was they opened the Indiana Jones shop and I have absolutely no money to spend on it. Wah wah wah BOIIIIIIIIIING!

Actually, on April 1st, I apparently had some energy I didn't spend before going to bed and I had some sort of a fever dream I don't remember. Then I couldn't get back to sleep and only could stay up and watch the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, which is a fever dream put to animation. I laughed a few times and the ending is a perfect climax/anti-climax, but its irreverence is its lifeforce and its grave. Totally a movie that should just be caught on cable, which is, coincidentally, where I saw it. Anyhoo, after that, my sleep's been more off than usual, so I've been stuck in the world of limbo being conscious and subconscious. Sure, it's interesting when 10 minutes pass by and I'm so dazed I don't realize it (This is not at work, by the way), but it sure doesn't make me want to do things.

At least last Sunday, I celebrated with some work friends and watched the movie Major League to celebrate the opening of the baseball season. Classic movie, infinitely quotable.

(Looking at the people they're inviting to Spring Training)
"This guy here's DEAD!"
"Cross him off, then."

I'm not counting on the Florida Marlins to do much this year. I mean, this is our pitching rotation:

Mark "Wild Thing" Hendrickson (Named as such because-until last summer-people didn't even know he could BARELY SEE and needed glasses. This is our #1 pitcher, ladies and gentlemen)
Rick "Dutchie" VandenHurk (I'll give you one guess why I call him that)
Andrew Miller "Genuine Draft"
Scott "DON'T TASE ME, BRO!" Olsen
Ricky "No Stick" Nolasco

Casual sports fans, raise your hand if you've heard of any of them (And not because of Scott Olsen's run-in with the police). There's even a reliever named Pinto. Hopefully, this rag-tag group of young guns can pull together and pull off a surprise. It wouldn't be the first time. I'm not counting on it, though. Oh, and the Pittsburgh Penguins could be the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and beat the shit out of the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs! That would be fun if that happened. Shame I can't watch a good amount of hockey because nobody really shows it.

Speaking of sports, caught George Clooney's 1920's football movie Leatherheads. Unlike the other two movies Clooney's helmed, there's really not too much to say about it. It has some pacing problems. The opening credit sequence should've had the credits roll over the action or they should've saved them for the end, for instance. The fragmenting of the sequence really killed the energy. The movie hammers its point about professionalism ruining the game too hard. BUT, when the dialogue's clicking, the movie is on FIRE! If you want to see this movie, odds are you'll have a good time. If you're dragged by someone else, you might find yourself enjoying some scenes just the same. I don't know what else to tell ya'.

Doing a complete 180, I got my copy of 5 Centimeters Per Second in the mail this week. As any of the street-level reviewers will tell you, any remarks that Makoto Shinkai (Who I may call Matoko Shinkai sometimes for some unknown reason. I'm not even dyslexic!) is the next Miyazaki is complete and absolute puffery, but he IS a talent to watch.

For those who don't know and are still reading this for whatever reason, Shinkai made Voices of a Distant Star, a 25-minute animated short movie about two young psuedo-lovers who become separated by inter-steller war and become more empty as their messages take longer to reach each other. The thing that distinguishes it is that Shinkai pretty much animated the whole thing BY HIMSELF and-save some shots that hold on a still image too long-looks like something professionally produced by an entire staff. Regardless of whether people found the content ridiculous and nieve, people had to respect him for that. Then he bumped up his staff-to say the least-and made The Place Promised in Our Early Days, a feature-length movie about an alternate reality where a group called the "Union" take over Hokkaido after World War II and build a giant tower on it, and two friends who have their dreams of traveling to the tower by airplane dashed when a classmate they both secretly love goes into a coma for unknown reasons. It solidified his status as an auteur, improved his visual scope, and proved he could move up to 90 minutes without losing any impact on his work. Now, he has his next movie, 5 Centimeters Per Second, which, in my mind, gets him a few centimeters-per-second closer to making a bonified masterpiece.

(Some minors spoilers on his first two works to follow)

There's something that has kept me for fully hailing Shinaki as a master. Well, besides his limited cache of work and the I hate it when words saved for the absolute creme de la creme are used lightly. His works have been simple personal stories set in much more complicated backdrops, and the more one dissects the backdrop, the more ridiculous it becomes. Voices of a Distant Star has a MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRL being DRAFTED FOR WAR. I know this is anime and all, but Shinkai tries to ground everything in a reality that's not so far off from actual reality, which makes things awkward when things like 15 year-old girls get drafted to fight aliens in giant robots. I watched The Place Promised in Our Early Days again today and while it's better than I remember, I still have a hard time getting over the reasoning behind building the huge tower. It's so subtle, most people completely miss the bits of information that tell you why, but when it's put together, some of it makes me seriously doubt any government alliance would pay so much damn money to build it. It's a peripheral issue, but they constantly thrust it into the foreground, so I HAVE to take it as important.

5 Centimeters Per Second is a series of three short stories in the life of Toko Takaki, an every student in Tokyo. The title refers to the speed in which a blossum falls to the ground, and other metaphorical things. In the first vignette, Takaki takes a LONG trip to his young puppy love sweetheart who got transfered out when they got to middle school. As he takes the trip, the movie flashes back to how the relationship developed. Even though the person at the end is the typical Shinkai female lead whose sole personality trait is cuteness, the humanity and emotion shines through.

This whole thing totally harkens back to Voices of a Distant Star and Place Promised.... but without any of the sci-fi elements (In fact, the only things that even approaches science fiction in the whole movie is a dream and a parallel side story about the launching of a Japanese satellite). Then, the movie becomes something more in the second part. It might spoil the ooey gooey feelings, but it follows Takaki in his high school and shows how his long-distance relationship effects him later on life through another person. It spouts melancholy by the gallon, but does it ever work. It's here Shinkai strives for deeper things than just a story of two lovers separated by distance, and mostly succeeds. Then, just as everything's about to come together, the third part creeps in and leaves the audience with one "KWEH?!" of an ending.

I need to watch this again to get a better idea of what Shinkai was driving at, but when the movie looks like it's going to develop a bittersweet-yet-satisfying payoff, it ends with a music video-like sequence. I've been a firm defender of difficult and atypical endings, from Mulholland Dr. to No Country for Old Men, but this time, I feel this wasn't the best way to end the movie. You can imply the HELL out of everything and you get plenty of inklings of what's to become of Takaki and why events that played out happened the way they did, but in this case, 20 minutes extra running time rounding out the story would've made this movie a home run. It's still a quality movie I more than heartily recommend people check out, but Shinkai has a little ways to go before he gets a purely great work. Oh well. Small moves, Elly. Small moves.

I've written WAY more than enough. I'm going to get along to playing Silent Hill Origins, my one lone treat until next paycheck. I have to keep reminding myself it's originally a PSP game and not a full-fledged PS 2 game, but it has its charms. The main character's a trucker and will often engage the monsters in a battle of fisticuffs. If you ever wanted to see what would happen if you mixed Road House with a horror movie, play a little of this game. Hmmmm, and I thought the main character would employ the tactic of cutting off the monster in the passing lane, running parallel to another slow semi for ten minutes, and flinging high-velocity gravel at it until it died. Sorry, I'm a little pissed off at a trucker who just COULDN'T wait for me to pass, got in front me, and shot a piece of gravel that did serious damage to my windshield and I don't have $250 to replace it right now, ESPECIALLY after renewing my license and changing my oil, air filter, and fuel filter. By the way, my new license photo is beard-o-riffic!

Today's Outburst of Emotion IS.....

I may not have any money, but I'm still maintaining my dignity

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Canadian juju, ou quand la réalité rattrape la fiction...

Bonsoir tout le monde !

 

Eh oui, ça y est, comme tout le monde est à peu près au courant, j'ai posé mes valoses en terres canadiennes, ou plutôt en terres québecquoises, car ici ils sont québecquois, pas canadiens ! Mais comme "québecquois juju" ça sonne pas trop bien, je vais garder "canadian...".

 

D'ailleurs c'est plutôt drôle, alors que la plupart des gens se disent "faudrait que je fasse ci, que j'aille là-bas..." et que comme tout le monde, j'ai mon lot de désirs de voyages, de biens ou de faire telle ou telle chose, je viens de franchir une étape de ma vie dont je ne pensais qu'il ne s'agirait que d'un rêve il y a encore quelques mois, sauf qu'aujourd'hui, c'est bel et bien une réalité !! La toute première conception de ce blog date de l'année 2005 (je crois) et à l'époque, l'idée de venir rejoindre le pays à la feuille d'érable trainait déjà dans ma petite cervelle, en témoigne l'adresse web de cet espace, que je n'ai pas eu besoin de changer : "canadian-juju.spaces.live.com". A l'époque, j'utilisais cet espace pour balancer tout un tas de choses parfois drôles, parfois moins l'fun (comme ils disent ici, je vais tenter de vous inculquer les expressions de base du québecquois), mais tout aussi authentiques les unes que les autres, au moins ça on ne l'enlèvera pas. Même si tous ces articles passés n'ont plus la même valeur à mes yeux depuis, je n'ai pas cherché à les effacer, ça voudrait dire que je cherche à supprimer une partie de mon passé qui m'a été tellement important pour devenir le garçon que je suis aujourd'hui, ainsi je ne regrette rien, je trouve juste que l'évolution est parfois saisissante, vous en jugerez si vous avez quelques heures à ne rien faire.

 

Pour ceux qui se posent la question, je vais tenter d'expliquer le pourquoi du comment de ma venue ici, de ma volonté de quitter mon si cher Sourcieux natal pour tenter une expérience que peu de gens m'auraient imaginer faire (là aussi j'aimerais bien avoir votre avi). L'origine de cette idée est provenue, comme souvent, d'un délire de jeune, après quelques verres certainement. Le contexte : IUT Chimie, mes deux meilleures années étudiantes, certainement pas celles où j'aurai connu le plus de personnes, mais dans le délire étudiant, j'ai été à mon apogée pendant ces deux années. IUT Chimie donc, seconde année, là où on se pose des questions sur son avenir final puisque c'est l'année où soit on décide d'arrêter ses études, soit on décide de grimper encore d'un échelon social pour devenir cadre et donc se lancer en école d'ingé, ce que j'ai fait (la finalité sera-t-elle celle attendue, j'y mettrai pas ma main...). A cette époque, on travaille tellement pour les cours (et je ne plaisante pas) que lors des regroupements étudiants (appelez ça "soirées"), on a plutôt tendance à tomber dans les pichets de bière, d'autant plus que feu-l'OXXO, le meilleur bar étudiant que Lyon ait jamais connu, existait encore ! Ainsi, un peu alcoolisés, les étudiants se lancent dans diverses sortes de paris, de défis, et de projets dans mon cas, rarement objectifs, et donc rarement réalisés... A cette époque, j'ai connu, entre autres mais c'est de lui dont il s'agit dans cette histoire, un charmant garçon nommé François-Xavier (qui l'eût cru ?!) que je ne côtoyais que rarement en classe (emplois du temps inversés) et avec qui j'ai sympatisé pour une simple histoire de hockey sur glace, moi qui étais fan du jeu vidéo, ayant pour cadre le hockey sur glace. En fin de seconde année d'IUT, nous devions tous effectuer un stage de validation de diplôme et il se trouve que le destin m'a déposé devant un institut du CNRS où ce cher Fix (comme on l'appelle) faisait également son stage. Heureusement pour le CNRS, nous n'étions pas au même étage, donc nous devions nous contenter de dialoguer par mails iinterposés, enfin quand on n'était pas en pause belote... C'est ainsi que nous avons véritablement fait connaissance tous les deux et un jour (ne me demandez pas quand, mais il y avait encore certainement de l'alcool là-dedans), on s'est dit : "Rendez-vous à Montréal !!!" Quatre ans plus tard, c'est chose faite, nous avons tous les deux rempli notre part du contrat en traversant tour à tour l'Atlantique et nos routes se croisent à nouveau ici, je suis là pour 1 an, lui pour la vie...?

 

Comme quoi, l'alcool ne nous fait pas dire uniquement des âneries, c'est la première leçon. La seconde c'est que parfois l'impossible ne l'est pas vraiment, ce n'est qu'une question d'opportunités, il faut simplement savoir les saisir quand elles se présentent. La troisième leçon, c'est que si je vous ai surpris en prenant cette décision (et j'aimerais vraiment avoir votre avis, vous pourrez laisser un message à la suite de mon roman), eh bien j'espère vous surprendre encore et encore, vous surprendre en bien j'entends :)

 

Pour terminer mon explication au sujet de mon départ, il faut ajouter à cette envie de connaître nos cousins Québecquois le fait que j'aie été pris pour un con chez Hermès et mon envie de me tester face à l'adversité et au fait de me retrouver quasiment seul sans possibilité de me retourner. Est-ce que je suis capable de faire face à tout ça...? Réponse dans 1 an !

 

Maintenant je vais tenter de vous faire participer, je vous ai posé 2 questions, surtout une, je veux votre avis... A vos claviers !

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Jack Hillen Makes His NHL Debut for the Islanders

I'll say this: for two games that have no playoff implications for the Islanders, this home-and-home with the Rangers to close out the season has a surprising and worthwhile amount of buzz for the Long Island faithful.

First off, we have the debut of defenseman Jack Hillen, straight from being eliminated from the NCAA tournament as a member of the WCHA's Colorado College Tigers. Unlike Kyle Okposo, Hillen has four years of college hockey under his breezers. Also unlike Okposo, Hillen was an undrafted free agent, so none of that pesky first-round draft choice pedigree stuff to live up to. What he does come with is a track record of continuous improvement that was appealing enough to spark a competition for his services.

When I found out that Hillen had signed with the Isles, I was immediately pleased that the team had added a solid prospect in an area in which it lacks depth. But it's awfully funny how surprising news such as this can make you react as you being to gather facts about the player. Here's a sample of my reactions:

Fact: An offensive-minded defenseman.
Reaction: Excellent! They are in desperate need of a power play quarterback!

Fact: Doesn't like to take slap shots from the point on the power play.
Reaction: What?! *confusion* You can't run the power play without a slap shot!

Fact: Has a knack for getting his wrist shot through from the point.
Reaction: Phew. I'll take it. I've seen enough point shots not get anywhere near the net this year.

Fact: Highest scoring defenseman in Division I this year.
Reaction: Excellent! I think I'm currently the highest scoring defenseman on the Isles. Or maybe it's Schuerlein.

Fact: Scored 37 points on 6 goals and 31 assists this year.
Reaction: Hmm...that certainly demonstrates a knack for creating offense, but only six goals? Wouldn't the dominant offensive defenseman in the NCAA put a few more pucks in the net? That's what we're looking for. Oh, yeah, he doesn't have a cannon. On the other hand, six goals in 41 games projects to 12 over an-length season. Not quite Mike Green numbers, but at least we're in the ballpark. And if he really is as good of a puck mover as they say he is...

And more of that. But it's at this point that I rein it in and say: He's only 22, the idea that he'll step in next year and lead the power play is pie-in-the-sky thinking at this point, and let's just be excited about getting a look for two games. The Islanders did a good job in locating a needed asset and securing it. I'm just looking forward to watching what the future may bring. In April 2008 (and at lots of other times, unfortunately), that's what it means to be an Islanders fan.

The other sources of buzz? Finishing the season with back-to-backs against the rival Rangers still means something even if the Islanders only have pride for which to play. At stake? Bragging rights to end the season, and the Metro Ice Challenge. Perhaps one day the Metro Ice Challenge will equal the Mayor's Trophy game in luster. Then again, that one went on a good ten years after anyone stopped caring about it. At least this one involves games that actually count. If a sponsorship must be involved, maybe next year it can be the Bloomberg Mayor's Metro Ice Challenge. Of course, this competition involves only one team that plays in New York City. Foiled. That's what happens sometimes when you write out loud.

Finally, then, there is the question of where the Isles will finish in the standings and how much of a shot they will have at the #1 pick in the draft. I wonder how the top prospects of the past two years feel knowing that this year's draft lottery is getting the Crosby treatment, while theirs was broadcast to the world using one of those horns from the Ricola commercials.

It's not in my nature to root for the Islanders to lose, and I wish they were going into this home-and-home with a more accomplished lineup. But I am not above rooting for the teams the Islanders are jockeying for position with to win, just in case the Isles do come out with a couple of victories themselves.
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