March 07, 2009

Hey Shick, You STILL Suck!

Browsing the internet news this morning, I happened across this little tidbit of information...73733934

Rob Shick ... is retiring after he officiates the Kings' game against Minnesota Saturday afternoon at Staples Center. He's scheduled to have 22 friends and family members in the audience.

Shick made his NHL debut on April 6, 1986, and has officiated 1,319 regular-season games and 130 playoff games. He also worked the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals and two All-Star Games.

Shick is the last remaining person on the ice that I watched grow up in the WHL during the early 80's.  I had the the pleasure of watching many great players go on to great NHL careers...and it so happened I also got to see a ref, sort of do the same thing.

My store of Rob Shick is simple.  In 1981 or 1982, while enjoying a Winterhawk game, Shick was our referee, as he was on plenty of nights.  My buddy and I always rode him hard from our seats behind the goal.  Giving the long drawn out, 'Shick, Yoooooouuuuu Suuuuuuuck!' and other colorful items as well. 

On this particular night, Shick was having a tough go of it.  The game was rough, and he was having a hard time controlling the action and tempers.  As Shick emerged from the tunnel and was about to step on to the ice, we again, gave a rousing, 'Shick, Yooooouuuu Suuuuuuuck!' to which, he stepped on the ice, skated by our seats, stuck up his middle finger and told us to 'fuck off.'  We always had a tiny bit more respect for him after that day...but not much.

So, after Shick refs his last game...that's it.  All the guys that I saw grow up in the league are now gone.  There are a few guys out there that are now coaching...which officially puts me as old.

I pinched the photo from:  Jamd.com  All credits go to them

February 19, 2009

Of Canucks and Cars...

I've been sucked in by the new Canucks blog site; Nucks Misconduct.  Hosted by the former Waiting for Stanley and The Yankee Canuck bloggers, this website has all the regular fan needs; blog posts, quick hits and a very easy comment system that allows quick and free flowing comments during games.

Heck, it even allows schmucks like me to contribute my own blog thoughts.  In fact, on my first go round, they moved my post up to the front page.  I liked it so much, I've popped for another contribution today

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The past few days have been busy around here.  Work has been crazy busy with all sorts of new 'initatives' and scrambling to position ourselves for the uncertain future.  In the meantime, Expat Son comes home the other day way over excited, "My teacher has an extra set of tickets to Top Gear Live in Hong Kong...can we go?"  With so much going on, it's tough to judge if we can or cannot, not to mention that heading to HK may be somewhat close, but it isn't necessarily easy or cheap.  I asked him to find out what day specifically.

The next day he told me it was Saturday...afternoon.  Well, what the heck.  His sister had the pleasure of heading to HK for an Oasis concert a few years back...this could be his big 'concert' to see.  We don't get to see Top Gear very often here, as it is on at odd hours.  But, I do have a decent collection of Jeremy Clarkson videos and I love what they do with cars and how they take the piss out of almost everythign they drive. 

I'll hope to have some photos of the event...but, if not, so be it.  I'm sure it will be good fun to hang out with the kid, look at a load of cars and then enjoy the live show.  Plus...its a good chance to get some decent grub for a change.

October 26, 2008

Manipulating the Fan Base

I'm not Canadian...I am not from Vancouver, but I am a Canucks fan (although I wouldn't categorize myself as a Canuck).  I scour the internet in search of news, audio, video and whatever I can find of the team I call my own.  I've never felt obligated to do this...I just do it, because I want to.  I've made an emotional contract with an idea...a team.

I've only been to GM Place once...but I have watched countless games in the past few years and through the television I am usually in tune with those fans sitting in the rink.  When the team plays bad, my nose curls up...when they play good, the smile curls up...and when they break my heart, I just want to curl up and die. 

Judging by the reaction of the fans to the latest promotion by the team, I was not alone in thinking that this was probably one of the dumbest things I have seen...

Manipulation of the fans by these means is hollow.  Instead of spending $$ on flags, sweaters and ceremonies, put it into a quality product on the ice so we can live and breathe it everyday...all the way until June.  Don't force that emotional contract on me...or else I will ask for a divorce.

October 21, 2008

Smack Down in Hockey Bloggerville

Besides awaking to a nasty flu virus, I was also greeted by a handful of delicious.com feeds from John of The Crazy Canucks.  It seems as though a blogger, who also holds a real job as a media type, was live blogging from an Oilers game while he was attending the game on a media pass (for his day job).  Here is how Covered in Oil described what went on...

All went well until just before the start of the third, when one of the Oiler press guys pulled me aside and informed me that I'd no longer be allowed in the press box, and that if I didn't have a job to do, he would have had someone escort me out of the building right then and there. I was understandably a little confused as to what was going on, and after a little questioning, he told me that I was not allowed to blog in the press box, as I was there on another media pass. I apologized and explained that exactly no one had told me about this, and I'd be more than willing to stop doing it in the future if they had a problem with it.

Wow...seems sort of harsh when you read that.  In fact, I can actually picture this happening...with the sort of innocent, 'Who...meeeee?' face to go along with it.

So...what exactly was said to get Oilers management so ie in arms anyway?  I mean, if you are a team blogger and you are pumping the internet up with free advertising for your team, wouldn't you, as management, be happy?  Well, Elliott Freidman, writing over at Puck Daddy has some quotes from the blog post, with a link to the page (the archived page, as the actual page has been deleted by Covered in Oil)...

6:17 pm: I'll bet Paul Lorieau cleans up at the retirement home mixers.

6:20 pm: Sam Gagner is just a disgustingly talented hockey player.

6:22 pm: Zack Stortini is just a disgusting hockey player.

6:24 pm: Grebeshkov has some of his spaz back.

6:29 pm: SCORECOFF AND DIE! The powerplay looks good, even with Grebs muddling his way around.

6:33 pm: We had better be good on the powerplay, because we can't do fuck all at even strength: that whole sequence before the disallowed goal was just horrific.

Friedman says what he was doing wasn't professional, I say, who cares.  What is said above is and should be taken as it is...with a grain of salt.  Some people, don't really have a sense of humor...and most hockey fans (especially those of long suffering teams) definitely have a dry wit about them.  So, if the Oilers nixed him because he said something naughty, I find that laughable. 

However, Puck Daddy makes note of the credentials given to media...he wasn't there as a blogger.  Rather he was there in his capacity with his day job.  That being the case, I think the Oilers had every right to toss him for his actions.  One thing to remember...it is their party...they paid the bill...you gotta play by their rules.  It is their business and they are going to want to portray their team in the best light...they have every right to screen those they give passes to.

Moral of the story?  If you want to live blog a game...do it at home with a tall frosty one, while watching the TV (although, the FCC has problems with 're-broadcasting or re-transmitting' games, which procludes radio stations from telling you what is happening during a game they might be watching in the studio, but not broadcasting).

The best part of all of this...the blogger quit.  Nooo, not his job...he quit blogging.  Which, to me, is just a big slap in the face to the freedom of speech he so passionately defended in his closing statement.

I could still theoretically return to the job (I have a feeling that situation might change after I publish this) but that brings me to the second reason for this: I'm pretty much done with the Oilers organization in any capacity for the foreseeable future. Up until this point, I was nothing but cooperative and apologetic for what happened, and was met with nothing but irrational hostility at worst and condescending patronization at best.

Read into that what you may...but I see it as, "I am trying to save my job and I can't blog anymore, so instead of just admitting that, I will make myself a victim here and protest my treatment by discontinuing the blog."  Dude...whatever. 

I find it all laughable...and it couldn't happen to a better team.  Heh...

October 18, 2008

All's Well That Ends Well(wood)

Link: Canucks put Kyle Wellwood on waivers.

Wellwood has played just one game of the Canucks' four games so far this season -- registering no points in the 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

In training camp he was criticized by coach Alain Vigneault for poor conditioning, but had shown improvement in that area.

All I can say is...if my employer relied on me to be in top physical condition when I showed up for work on the first day of being hired...I woulda been fired too. 

Wellwood reminds me of the basketball playground legends of the 70's.  Guys that had style, moves and hands...but lacked the overall grasp of the game and conditioning to put it out night after night.  Wellwood had the hands, he showed that in pre season in shoot outs and in games...but he lacked the stamina needed.  Maybe a few weeks in Winnipeg will help with that conditioning.

 

October 14, 2008

Well, Back to Reality

It didn't take long...two decent games against Calgary and then their first trip out east to strut their stuff in front the Yankee Canuck...the Canucks fell flat on their face. 

If ever a hockey game screamed for an analog feed, this was it. The only redeeming factor is that at least the pay-per-view audio didn't work. Still, that didn't stop the eye damage to people who paid to see in spectacular, 42-inch widescreen detail the Canucks generate fewer shots in the first two periods than the Capitals did goals (3-5).

Yeesh...and I haven't even watched it yet.  I listened to the podcast from Team 1040 and just listening to it, it was brutal (but Shorty and Tommy make it fun, for the most part).

So, its back to reality Canuck fans...they weren't going to run the table, but they certainly won't lose the rest of their games.  Games like this are character builders, as coaches sometimes like to say.  I'll take some time to try and watch this game...but, ewww, it might be a bit tough.

July 08, 2008

Demolition Complete

The Canucks of the early 00's are finally gone.  Brendan Morrison departed for the Anaheim (no longer Mighty) Ducks, completing the departure of the West Coast Express line.

My favorite B-Mo moment...in 2003 when he took a high stick from his namesake, Shanahan, busting out 4 chicklets and coming back and not missing a beat; setting up the winning goal in OT and then scoring the game winning OT goal against the Oilers a couple games later.  He may have lost a smile...but gained a heart.

Mo

It's going to take a lot of beers to watch this season's games...

July 04, 2008

Thanks for the Memories

I think I am going to be sick...

The team did not release terms of either contract, but TSN of Canada reported that Naslund signed a two-year contract worth $8 million and Kalinin agreed to a one-year deal.

“It seems like everyone that’s played for the Rangers said you only get a chance to play there once in a lifetime, and you have to take advantage of it,” Naslund said.

One of the most popular players in Vancouver history, the 34-year-old Naslund had been the Canucks’ captain for the previous seven seasons. The Swede played in his 1,000th game on January 17.2007_10_30_067_edited2

 

“As an organization we would like to thank Markus Naslund for his 12 exemplary seasons in a Canucks sweater,” Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis said. “Markus is one of the greatest athletes to ever represent the Canucks, both on and off of the ice.”

The addition of Naslund should boost the Rangers’ offense, an area that needed an upgrade as New York was just 25th in scoring last season. However, it also could signal the end of Jagr’s tenure with the Rangers.

                                               

Well, Markus...thanks for the memories.  I'll now look upon the blue, maroon and white whale sweater with a little more respect than I did in the past.  Because, as the Canucks stand today...its going to be a brutal season ahead of us.

My guess is...Gillis is setting this team up for the Tavares sweepstakes.

June 24, 2008

Of Goalie Pads and Hockey Sticks

Bower The current debate in hockey about the size of goalie pads has again reached the GM’s and the NHLPA, as last month they agreed to set up a committee to investigate and discuss the size of goalie equipment in the game.

Go back and watch any classic hockey game from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and you will see a steady increase in the bulk of goaltenders over the years. Part of that is literally the size of the player, but a big part of it is the size of the padsGrant_fuhr.

In years past, the goalie was usually the smallest guy on the ice…and they became goalies because when playing shinny with their friends, nobody wanted the little kid as their left winger; think: Mike Vernon…Johnny Bower. Fast forward to today and you have goalies like Roberto Luongo, Ryan Miller and Mikka Kiprusoff with size and bulk without pads. Add the pads, and there is very little daylight between the goaltender and the net.

Luongo300 The NHL has discussed this in the past, reducing the size of the pads. The goalies have stated it’s not about ‘cheating’ but about protection. After all, these are men that stand in the way of 100mph, frozen, vulcanized rubber disks for a living. The point has also been made about the size of defensive and offensive players pads…that the increase in size and hardness of shoulder pads, etc., of the inline players pads has led to an increase in concussions in the league (without really mentioning the uselessness of much of the NHL players helmets).

If you look at classic NFL games from the 70’s, the players shoulder pads were huge. They stuck out like giant water wings. They were bulky and heavy (Jack Lambert pictured below). As the NFL evolved through the 80’s, players demanded protection as well as a lightweight package, in order they could utilize their speed. The result is the NFL player of today has 1/3 the size in padding as the player of the 70’s…but all the protection (and more). Why is hockey so different?Merriman06 Lambertjack01

Why can’t player and goaltender pads offer all the protection, without the bulk and allow for more speed and agility in the player? I’d argue that the players haven’t demanded it of their equipment companies; therefore, they use what they are used to (or what they are shown) or they want to gain a competitive advantage with the larger pads.  In football, larger pads don’t present an advantage…in hockey, they do.

As well as goaltenders, forwards have slowly grown their equipment as wArticle_11932_2_2ell with shoulder pads being the biggest change.  Compare a player who plays with 20 year old equipment, like Chris Chelios, to a player that has grown up with the bloated equipment, like Sydney Crosby.  The equipment has gotten bigger and harder...and players tend to think of themselves as bullet proof...see the rise in blocked shots in the past decade for proof (who in their right mind would dive in front of a 100mph puck, if they knew they were gonna suffer the consequences)...also see the dramatic rise in concussions over the same period (jaw, meet rock hard shoulder pad).Cro

Goalies also contend that they need the extra padding, because shots are harder and harder, due to the increased usage of composite molded sticks, instead of the classic wooden stick.

Baseball resisted the temptation to allow aluminum into their game in the 70’s and it stands today as one of the best decisions the game has made. The game is still played with the same tools, made of the same materials. Oh, technology has changed how those tools are made and they are much, much lighter and more efficient than they were 20 years ago…but the consistency of tools remains.

I feel as though the increased use of composite by players, is tantamount to watching a college baseball game with aluminum bats. Oh yeah, the purist of the sport in me says, ‘I hate the ‘tink’ of the bat,’ but there is also something else about it…long fly balls. College baseball is all about long fly balls and home runs, rather than the classic ‘small ball’ of manufacturing runs of the professional game.  Hockey has turned much the same with people blasting from the point and 'pin-balling' the puck through to the net. 

The solution for hockey is simple…1) go back to wood.  2) shrink goaltender padding, while adding protection through technology.  3) shrink forwards padding accordingly with goaltender padding.

June 11, 2008

The Worst Kept Secret in Hockey

Trevor Linden is retiring...no kidding!

His send off on the final game of the year was a terrific way to say good bye to the Vancouver fans.  I will forever remember him in the 94 playoffs...leading and carrying (at times) his team to the finals...and willin ghis team to win game 7...but his effort just wasn't enough.  I'll also remember the playoffs of 2007, in which he emerged as the dominant Canuck player against Dallas and Anaheim.  The old man showing the kids how it is done. 

When I visited Vancouver last October, there was two things I wanted to do...watch a Canuck game, and buy a Linden sweater.  You see, the number 16 has always been 'my' number...well before Linden ever came along.  And, I would go on the NHL site and pop up the uniform and plug in the number and then type in my last name to see what the sweater would look like...and it would never look correct.  The number 16, with either a skate, a whale or a stick in rink should only have Linden above it.

And for me, it will always have a 'C' over the heart too. 

2007_10_30_048_edited1

Waiting For Stanley
Yankee Canuck

UPDATE: I noticed a little thank you to Ted Saskin in there too.  Hmmm.