OK, so my Sens lost Game #1 of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night. You probably think that I went into depression; that I puked and screamed and tore my hair out.
Not so. After all, it was only Game #1. But even more than that, there's this pleasant calmness that has settled over me. It's like no matter what happens now, I'm satisfied. Of course, winning the Cup would be amazing, but even if they don't, I feel like we've accomplished everything this team set out to do this year - they've shaken the label of "choking dogs", they've played out of their reputation of being playoff underachievers, they've transformed into true champions. They've done something that only two teams out of thirty get to do every year, and that's play for a shot at Lord Stanley's Cup.
Now, putting all of that aside, there's nothing more that I would love than to beat those nasty Ducks tonight!! I felt the Sens played probably their worst game of the playoffs on Monday night (why?? I have no idea...) - And they still only lost 3-2! I can't imagine the Ducks playing much better than they did on Monday night, so I'd say if we correct the mistakes we made on Monday and play a little more rough'n'tough, we should be OK.
One thing's for sure. I think I developed the quickest hate that I ever have for a team on Monday night. I knew very little about that team from Anaheim before these Cup finals started, but I can already tell you that I despise Chris Pronger, the Niedermeyers, Getzlaff...They all leave a yucky taste in my mouth.
So tonight, we'll go Duck huntin' again...And hopefully, this time, we'll have something to show for it.
GO SENS GO!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Elgin is the Inspiration
Amidst all the hype of the Ottawa Senators making it to the Stanley Cup Finals, there has been one story that has gripped peoples’ hearts and brought tears to everyone’s eyes.
It’s the story of one of the Sens’ biggest fans: Little Elgin-Alexander Fraser.
Like thousands of people, I first was introduced to three-year-old Elgin a few months ago when the Ottawa Citizen featured a story on his participation at a Senators practice. The front-page photo was of an adorable, chubby-cheeked little boy grasped tightly in the arms of one of his heroes, Mike Fisher. Both Elgin and Mike seemed to have a twinkle in their eyes, and huge smiles on their faces.
Getting to practice with Fisher and the Sens was a dream come true for Elgin, who suffered from neuroblastoma, a rare terminal cancer that he was diagnosed with at the tender age of nine months. Elgin was in remission until this past January, when the cancer returned, and his family was told his time was limited.
That was when friends of Elgin’s family who had ties to Sens defenceman Chris Phillips and his wife Erin introduced them, and Elgin was immediately welcomed into the Senators family.
Last Wednesday night, Elgin attended Game 4 at Scotiabank place with his parents and baby sister, even though he was very weak and growing increasingly sick. On Thursday, Mike Fisher visited him at his home in Carleton Place, where they played cars and watched a movie. On Friday, doctors told Elgin’s parents one of his lungs had collapsed and he likely wouldn’t make it through the weekend.
On Saturday, with the Sens on the road in Buffalo and trying to close out the series, Elgin was at home with his family and friends watching the game. According to the story the Citizen ran this week, once Elgin grew too weary to keep his eyes open, his parents whispered the play-by-play in his ears. Several hours after the Sens defeated Buffalo to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in franchise history, Elgin-Alexander Fraser closed his eyes one last time and peacefully left this Earth.
His parents believe that Elgin fought to stay alive until he was sure that his heroes were going to play for the Cup.
Today, while the City of Ottawa was hosting a pep rally for the Senators at City Hall, both Mike Fisher and Chris Phillips were in Carleton Place acting as pallbearers at little Elgin’s funeral.
Fisher, Phillips, and the rest of the Senators organization have had Elgin’s family in their hearts since the little boy passed away, and one has to think that if they needed any more inspiration to win the Cup, this would be it. Knowing that Elgin will be watching and cheering from above has to give them an even greater desire to win it for him.
I know that I’ll be thinking of Elgin on Monday night when the Sens take the ice for the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Anaheim Ducks. I’m sure they will be too, and so will many of the fans who have heard Elgin’s story and prayed for him and his family since the Citizen first ran that story several months back.
I’m sure they’ll do him proud.
GO SENS GO!!
It’s the story of one of the Sens’ biggest fans: Little Elgin-Alexander Fraser.
Like thousands of people, I first was introduced to three-year-old Elgin a few months ago when the Ottawa Citizen featured a story on his participation at a Senators practice. The front-page photo was of an adorable, chubby-cheeked little boy grasped tightly in the arms of one of his heroes, Mike Fisher. Both Elgin and Mike seemed to have a twinkle in their eyes, and huge smiles on their faces.
Getting to practice with Fisher and the Sens was a dream come true for Elgin, who suffered from neuroblastoma, a rare terminal cancer that he was diagnosed with at the tender age of nine months. Elgin was in remission until this past January, when the cancer returned, and his family was told his time was limited.
That was when friends of Elgin’s family who had ties to Sens defenceman Chris Phillips and his wife Erin introduced them, and Elgin was immediately welcomed into the Senators family.
Last Wednesday night, Elgin attended Game 4 at Scotiabank place with his parents and baby sister, even though he was very weak and growing increasingly sick. On Thursday, Mike Fisher visited him at his home in Carleton Place, where they played cars and watched a movie. On Friday, doctors told Elgin’s parents one of his lungs had collapsed and he likely wouldn’t make it through the weekend.
On Saturday, with the Sens on the road in Buffalo and trying to close out the series, Elgin was at home with his family and friends watching the game. According to the story the Citizen ran this week, once Elgin grew too weary to keep his eyes open, his parents whispered the play-by-play in his ears. Several hours after the Sens defeated Buffalo to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in franchise history, Elgin-Alexander Fraser closed his eyes one last time and peacefully left this Earth.
His parents believe that Elgin fought to stay alive until he was sure that his heroes were going to play for the Cup.
Today, while the City of Ottawa was hosting a pep rally for the Senators at City Hall, both Mike Fisher and Chris Phillips were in Carleton Place acting as pallbearers at little Elgin’s funeral.
Fisher, Phillips, and the rest of the Senators organization have had Elgin’s family in their hearts since the little boy passed away, and one has to think that if they needed any more inspiration to win the Cup, this would be it. Knowing that Elgin will be watching and cheering from above has to give them an even greater desire to win it for him.
I know that I’ll be thinking of Elgin on Monday night when the Sens take the ice for the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Anaheim Ducks. I’m sure they will be too, and so will many of the fans who have heard Elgin’s story and prayed for him and his family since the Citizen first ran that story several months back.
I’m sure they’ll do him proud.
GO SENS GO!!
Monday, May 21, 2007
The Dance
I'm not sure I can effectively describe how I felt on Saturday, watching that hockey game. I was an absolute train-wreck for most of it. Words can't describe the ups and downs I went through over the course of 3 hours. One minute pissed off, one minute hopeful, one minute in tears of anguish, one minute being completely convinced that I might be the first 23-year-old to suffer a heart attack while watching a hockey game.
Since then, I've heard stories of people who had to leave their TV screens going into OT, because they were just as nervous as I was. They couldn't stand to watch.
For the record, I'm glad I hung in there. When Alfie finally scored the winner at 9:32 of Overtime...Well, I have no idea how to explain that feeling other that absolute EUPHORIA. I jumped. I screamed. I felt tears in my eyes, and I couldn't stop shaking. It was unbelievable. I wouldn't have wanted to miss it for the world, even though there were several times during the game that I almost locked myself in the bathroom and refused to watch.
I haven't gotten married, and I don't have children, so I can honestly say that moment was probably one of the happiest moments of my life, rivalled right up there by the night we received the phone call to tell us Caden had arrived. It was the sweetest, most poetic justice, to have Alfie scoring that goal, after it was he who took the heat last Spring when Jason Pominville went around him in OT of Game 5 vs. Buffalo in the Semis to end our season.
I've heard the stories of what it was like in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, and part of me really wishes I could have been there to hear the horns blaring, to join the fans on Elgin street to baptize Sens Mile, to even just be one of the hundreds of people on their balconies waving a Sens Flag, cheering, singing, and high-fiving my neighbours. I also would've loved to have been at the airport when the team landed, to join in that celebration and to see their smiles and absorb that elation.
However, the party in Quyon was pretty friggin' awesome, too. Moments after the CBC cut to soccer (boneheads), I hopped in my car and toured around town, meeting several other cars with horns blaring and flags flapping victoriously. I was outside when a huge truck painted in Sens colours and loaded with fans chanting "GO SENS GO" drove by, and I was able to catch it on video tape. People were on the sidewalks proudly wearing Sens colours, whooping and laughing and shouting in excitement.
Then, when we went to Gavan's for Nick & Tammy's Mixed Party, the celebration continued. Many were decked out in Red, Black & Gold, with Sens tatoos on their cheeks and perma-grins on their lips. One of the best moments for me was up on the dancefloor, when the band paused between songs, I shouted, "GO SENS GO", and within seconds, the entire bar was roaring it at the top of their lungs. It gave me goosebumps.
I've been through a lot of highs and lows with this team. I've had a lot to cheer about; a lot to cry about. It hasn't always been easy, but on Saturday, it finally felt like it was all worth it.
Now we're four games away from the Stanley Cup.
Part of me still can't believe it.
The other part of me just can't wait...It's already been such a great ride.
And now we're there. We're at the dance. It's not an opportunity that comes often, so these are the days we have to savour, embrace, and make memborable...It's been a long time coming, and the Sens deserve it. So do their fans.
And now it's time to get ready for the Stanley Cup Finals...If we win that, I might just burst...
GO SENS GO!!
Since then, I've heard stories of people who had to leave their TV screens going into OT, because they were just as nervous as I was. They couldn't stand to watch.
For the record, I'm glad I hung in there. When Alfie finally scored the winner at 9:32 of Overtime...Well, I have no idea how to explain that feeling other that absolute EUPHORIA. I jumped. I screamed. I felt tears in my eyes, and I couldn't stop shaking. It was unbelievable. I wouldn't have wanted to miss it for the world, even though there were several times during the game that I almost locked myself in the bathroom and refused to watch.
I haven't gotten married, and I don't have children, so I can honestly say that moment was probably one of the happiest moments of my life, rivalled right up there by the night we received the phone call to tell us Caden had arrived. It was the sweetest, most poetic justice, to have Alfie scoring that goal, after it was he who took the heat last Spring when Jason Pominville went around him in OT of Game 5 vs. Buffalo in the Semis to end our season.
I've heard the stories of what it was like in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, and part of me really wishes I could have been there to hear the horns blaring, to join the fans on Elgin street to baptize Sens Mile, to even just be one of the hundreds of people on their balconies waving a Sens Flag, cheering, singing, and high-fiving my neighbours. I also would've loved to have been at the airport when the team landed, to join in that celebration and to see their smiles and absorb that elation.
However, the party in Quyon was pretty friggin' awesome, too. Moments after the CBC cut to soccer (boneheads), I hopped in my car and toured around town, meeting several other cars with horns blaring and flags flapping victoriously. I was outside when a huge truck painted in Sens colours and loaded with fans chanting "GO SENS GO" drove by, and I was able to catch it on video tape. People were on the sidewalks proudly wearing Sens colours, whooping and laughing and shouting in excitement.
Then, when we went to Gavan's for Nick & Tammy's Mixed Party, the celebration continued. Many were decked out in Red, Black & Gold, with Sens tatoos on their cheeks and perma-grins on their lips. One of the best moments for me was up on the dancefloor, when the band paused between songs, I shouted, "GO SENS GO", and within seconds, the entire bar was roaring it at the top of their lungs. It gave me goosebumps.
I've been through a lot of highs and lows with this team. I've had a lot to cheer about; a lot to cry about. It hasn't always been easy, but on Saturday, it finally felt like it was all worth it.
Now we're four games away from the Stanley Cup.
Part of me still can't believe it.
The other part of me just can't wait...It's already been such a great ride.
And now we're there. We're at the dance. It's not an opportunity that comes often, so these are the days we have to savour, embrace, and make memborable...It's been a long time coming, and the Sens deserve it. So do their fans.
And now it's time to get ready for the Stanley Cup Finals...If we win that, I might just burst...
GO SENS GO!!
Friday, May 18, 2007
GO SENS GO!!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, have a good weekend everyone!
Oh...And GO SENS GO!! :)
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO! GO SENS GO!
Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, have a good weekend everyone!
Oh...And GO SENS GO!! :)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Ah, Who Wanted a Damned Sweep Anyways??
OK, I'm a little depressed this morning.
Visions of the Stanley Cup Final were dancing in my head, right up until Andrej Meszaros bitched up a couple of seconds into the game and Derek "The Diver" Roy popped one in past Ray Emery. Then all my bad feelings started churning again, and before I knew it, it was 3-0 Buffalo.
I shoulda known that 3-0 series was too good to be true.
The good news is that the Sens fought back, scored two quick goals late in the second, and carried the play in the third, although they were unable to beat Miller again for that crucial tying goal.
The bad news is that the Alfie line didn't score, and while it's necessary for the likes of McAmmond and Schaefer to step up (thanks, boys) - we still need our big guns firing, too.
I don't know what to think this morning. One second, I'm like, "Dude, we're still up 3-1, we got this thing in the bag!!", and the next, I'm all, "Oh shit, we lose the next one and they'll be calling us choking dogs again, and we never do well in afternoon games, and I knew I shouldn't have been all cocky yesterday......AGHHHHHH!!!"
So yeah, I'm kinda psycho today.
Never thought I'd be up 3-1 in the Conference Finals and be all psycho.
They gotta win on Saturday, or I'm going to suicide myself. I just can't take the pressure.
GO SENS GO!!
Visions of the Stanley Cup Final were dancing in my head, right up until Andrej Meszaros bitched up a couple of seconds into the game and Derek "The Diver" Roy popped one in past Ray Emery. Then all my bad feelings started churning again, and before I knew it, it was 3-0 Buffalo.
I shoulda known that 3-0 series was too good to be true.
The good news is that the Sens fought back, scored two quick goals late in the second, and carried the play in the third, although they were unable to beat Miller again for that crucial tying goal.
The bad news is that the Alfie line didn't score, and while it's necessary for the likes of McAmmond and Schaefer to step up (thanks, boys) - we still need our big guns firing, too.
I don't know what to think this morning. One second, I'm like, "Dude, we're still up 3-1, we got this thing in the bag!!", and the next, I'm all, "Oh shit, we lose the next one and they'll be calling us choking dogs again, and we never do well in afternoon games, and I knew I shouldn't have been all cocky yesterday......AGHHHHHH!!!"
So yeah, I'm kinda psycho today.
Never thought I'd be up 3-1 in the Conference Finals and be all psycho.
They gotta win on Saturday, or I'm going to suicide myself. I just can't take the pressure.
GO SENS GO!!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Longest Day
Today seriously is going to be the longest day ever. It's 8:45 AM, and I'm already twisted up in knots of anticipation over tonight's game. Most fans are probably feeling care-free, excited about the chance to sweep the Buffalo Sabres tonight in our Eastern Conference Final.
For some reason, I'm envisioning complete disaster. I have no idea why. This 2007 Playoff Edition of the Ottawa Senators has been nothing short of spectacular, giving me no reason to believe they won't come out all guns a-blazin' tonight and do their absolute, utmost best to bring this series to a close on home ice at Scotiabank Place.
Right now, I'm just trying to breathe and relax. This should be a fun day. I should be happy as hell. I should be looking forward to tonight's game like no other. I should be jumping with joy, and oozing with confidence.
So that's my goal for today...the longest day.
I'm going to get Sens Fever - in a good way.
GO SENS GO!!
For some reason, I'm envisioning complete disaster. I have no idea why. This 2007 Playoff Edition of the Ottawa Senators has been nothing short of spectacular, giving me no reason to believe they won't come out all guns a-blazin' tonight and do their absolute, utmost best to bring this series to a close on home ice at Scotiabank Place.
Right now, I'm just trying to breathe and relax. This should be a fun day. I should be happy as hell. I should be looking forward to tonight's game like no other. I should be jumping with joy, and oozing with confidence.
So that's my goal for today...the longest day.
I'm going to get Sens Fever - in a good way.
GO SENS GO!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
1 More Win...
The Sens won last night.
Again.
I can hardly believe it.
I have the utmost faith in my team, but if anyone had told me last week that we would be leading this series against the President's Trophy winners by a count of 3-0, on the verge of a sweep... well, I would have laughed my ass off.
Of course, I've always believed the Senators could take the Sabres in the Eastern Conference Finals, but I never imagined we'd have the stranglehold only 3 games in. And for some reason, I'm still nervous as hell. What if we lose the next game? Then Buffalo will have some momentum back...Then we have to go back into Buffalo, and if they win again...yikes...
Now, if the Sens play as well as they did last night, then I don't think I have much to worry about. They were so sound defensively, it was unbelievable. Buffalo hardly had any decent chances. The Sabres looked like a beaten team last night; they didn't seem to have much left in the tank, with the exception of Ryan Miller, who was the only reason the score wasn't bigger than 1-0. The Sens dominated all over the ice, holding the Sabres to only 15 shots all game, and there were only a few flurries (including one in the dying seconds) that caused my heart to race.
I'm so proud of this team. They're playing like the team people have always wanted them to be. They're ruthless, they're energetic, they're powerful, they're confident...
Dear God, please let them win tomorrow night...'Cause they deserve this opportunity.
GO SENS GO!!
Again.
I can hardly believe it.
I have the utmost faith in my team, but if anyone had told me last week that we would be leading this series against the President's Trophy winners by a count of 3-0, on the verge of a sweep... well, I would have laughed my ass off.
Of course, I've always believed the Senators could take the Sabres in the Eastern Conference Finals, but I never imagined we'd have the stranglehold only 3 games in. And for some reason, I'm still nervous as hell. What if we lose the next game? Then Buffalo will have some momentum back...Then we have to go back into Buffalo, and if they win again...yikes...
Now, if the Sens play as well as they did last night, then I don't think I have much to worry about. They were so sound defensively, it was unbelievable. Buffalo hardly had any decent chances. The Sabres looked like a beaten team last night; they didn't seem to have much left in the tank, with the exception of Ryan Miller, who was the only reason the score wasn't bigger than 1-0. The Sens dominated all over the ice, holding the Sabres to only 15 shots all game, and there were only a few flurries (including one in the dying seconds) that caused my heart to race.
I'm so proud of this team. They're playing like the team people have always wanted them to be. They're ruthless, they're energetic, they're powerful, they're confident...
Dear God, please let them win tomorrow night...'Cause they deserve this opportunity.
GO SENS GO!!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Now THAT Was a Great Weekend!
What a weekend!
The Blog would like to wish Sara a Happy Birthday - hope you had a good time Saturday, even though someone broke your camera. (And that someone is still very sorry...)
Mere minutes after Sara left my basement, Joe Corvo scored in Double-OT to allow the Sens to take their first-ever 2-0 lead in a playoff series. You have no idea how excited I was. I think I almost fainted. It was an awesome feeling, especially after the Sabres tied it with 5 seconds to go in the third, causing me to almost puke. Then I started getting bad vibes, so the winning goal restored my confidence and made the victory that much sweeter.
It's a big game tonight, and I sure don't want them to let the Sabres up off the mat. Time to kick 'em when their down...GO SENS GO!!
Also, spent Mother's Day at the ball field, watching the Quyon Flyers take the West Carleton team 4-0 in their home opener. Congrats to the Flyers, and it was so great to have ball at the Quyon diamond again!
Have a great week, everyone!!
The Blog would like to wish Sara a Happy Birthday - hope you had a good time Saturday, even though someone broke your camera. (And that someone is still very sorry...)
Mere minutes after Sara left my basement, Joe Corvo scored in Double-OT to allow the Sens to take their first-ever 2-0 lead in a playoff series. You have no idea how excited I was. I think I almost fainted. It was an awesome feeling, especially after the Sabres tied it with 5 seconds to go in the third, causing me to almost puke. Then I started getting bad vibes, so the winning goal restored my confidence and made the victory that much sweeter.
It's a big game tonight, and I sure don't want them to let the Sabres up off the mat. Time to kick 'em when their down...GO SENS GO!!
Also, spent Mother's Day at the ball field, watching the Quyon Flyers take the West Carleton team 4-0 in their home opener. Congrats to the Flyers, and it was so great to have ball at the Quyon diamond again!
Have a great week, everyone!!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Game #1 Goes to the Sens
Happy Friday to one & all, and a happy Friday it is indeed!! After all, my Sens came up with a big road win in Buffalo last night to open up the Eastern Conference final to steal home ice advantage, and it was great too see the Sens get some secondary scoring beyond the Alfie-Heatley-Spezza line! They chipped in too, of course, with Alfie zinging one by Ryan Miller on the power play and Spezza squeezed one by in the third. But it was Mike Fisher's shorty to open the scoring that really got things rolling, and Oleg Saprykin got the game-winner after Buffalo came back to tie it up, tipping the puck in after Dean McAmmond passed it to him out front.
Must say, I'm lovin' the fourth line. McAmmond is awesome, and he got the empty-netter last night after showing a burst of speed at the last second. The Sens really need those guys who hang in the shadows of the Big 3 to step it up this series, and last night they answered the call.
I was also impressed with how the Sens maintained their composure last night, even after Buffalo erased their 2-goal lead and had them back on their heels a bit in the second period. They didn't scramble or panic - they just kept playing hard and stayed calm. Their confidence is unwavering thus far, and it's great to see.
Now, I'm not so foolish as to think that the Sabres are going to roll over and die just because we won the first game. It was a big win, but after they tied it up, it really could have gone either way. While I thought the Sens played well, I know they can play even better, and I also know that we only saw a glimpse of what the Sabres can bring. There's no way this thing is gonna get done in 4 or 5 games.
But for the Sens, it was big and important and now they only have to win 3 more to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. And with this team, anything is possible.
GO SENS GO!!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Must say, I'm lovin' the fourth line. McAmmond is awesome, and he got the empty-netter last night after showing a burst of speed at the last second. The Sens really need those guys who hang in the shadows of the Big 3 to step it up this series, and last night they answered the call.
I was also impressed with how the Sens maintained their composure last night, even after Buffalo erased their 2-goal lead and had them back on their heels a bit in the second period. They didn't scramble or panic - they just kept playing hard and stayed calm. Their confidence is unwavering thus far, and it's great to see.
Now, I'm not so foolish as to think that the Sabres are going to roll over and die just because we won the first game. It was a big win, but after they tied it up, it really could have gone either way. While I thought the Sens played well, I know they can play even better, and I also know that we only saw a glimpse of what the Sabres can bring. There's no way this thing is gonna get done in 4 or 5 games.
But for the Sens, it was big and important and now they only have to win 3 more to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. And with this team, anything is possible.
GO SENS GO!!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Treading Water
Ever have one of those days where you kinda feel like you're in over your head?
Like you're drowning... And nobody out there wants to save you.
That's the kind of day I had. I think it's fair to say that I just had my busiest day at work of 2007. And that kinda scares me, because it's only the second week of May. Usually the "busy time" at MVT is in June. So, like, in other words, "Buckle up, Jill". Geez. The phone was ringing like crazy, everyone seemed to be getting on everyone else's nerves...It just wasn't a very good day. And nothing even went catastrophically wrong, it just felt like there was soooo much to do, and not enough time to do it.
Then, on the two-minute lunch break I took (I didn't even go for my walk), I flipped through my agenda and realized things aren't about to let up. I officially nominate May as the busiest month of the year. (So far.) There are mixed parties and showers and Mother's Day and ball games and brunches and golf tournaments and ducks racing down the Quyon River...All coming up in the next three weeks. Oh, and one other thing that I'm not quite accustomed to this time of year (but that I really, really welcome) - SENS GAMES!!
It's crazy. I'm not joking when I say I feel like I'm drowning. I'm literally panicking, trying to figure out when all this stuff is going to get done.
But I'm willing to bet that you're all in the same boat...It's just that crazy-busy time of year.
I guess all we can do is tread water and hope we don't drown.
Oh, and on the Eve of The Eastern Conference Finals - GO SENS GO!!
Like you're drowning... And nobody out there wants to save you.
That's the kind of day I had. I think it's fair to say that I just had my busiest day at work of 2007. And that kinda scares me, because it's only the second week of May. Usually the "busy time" at MVT is in June. So, like, in other words, "Buckle up, Jill". Geez. The phone was ringing like crazy, everyone seemed to be getting on everyone else's nerves...It just wasn't a very good day. And nothing even went catastrophically wrong, it just felt like there was soooo much to do, and not enough time to do it.
Then, on the two-minute lunch break I took (I didn't even go for my walk), I flipped through my agenda and realized things aren't about to let up. I officially nominate May as the busiest month of the year. (So far.) There are mixed parties and showers and Mother's Day and ball games and brunches and golf tournaments and ducks racing down the Quyon River...All coming up in the next three weeks. Oh, and one other thing that I'm not quite accustomed to this time of year (but that I really, really welcome) - SENS GAMES!!
It's crazy. I'm not joking when I say I feel like I'm drowning. I'm literally panicking, trying to figure out when all this stuff is going to get done.
But I'm willing to bet that you're all in the same boat...It's just that crazy-busy time of year.
I guess all we can do is tread water and hope we don't drown.
Oh, and on the Eve of The Eastern Conference Finals - GO SENS GO!!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Can My Heart Make It Through Round 3 ?!?!
OK, folks, here we go...Onto Round 3!!
That's right...The Eastern Conference Final!!!
I'm pumped. I'm psyched. I'm soooooooo excited!!
I was thrilled Saturday night when the Sens finally put the dagger through the hearts of those Devils from New Jersey, beating them 3-2 and taking the series 4 games to 1. You know, looking back, realizing that the Sens have only lost two games thus far in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs through 2 rounds, you'd probably have trouble believing that I've almost suffered about a hundred heart attacks. But I have. The playoffs are very hard on my ticker. On game days, I'm just a bundle of nerves, and by the time the puck drops, I'm shaking all over.
So I'm not sure it's good for my health that the Sens have advanced to the third round, but I'm not going to complain.
However, with the Buffalo Sabres joining us in the Eastern Final, I can be sure that things aren't going to get any easier.
I'm so close to the Stanley Cup, I can taste it. I want it so badly. I can envision the celebrations; I'm already anticipating the sheer ecstacy of being the Champions.
And yet, as Coach Murray reminded after Saturday night's victory, once we laid the Devils to rest, we're still only half-way there. And the mighty Buffalo Sabres are the next big obstacle standing in our way.
I still have nightmares over last year's second-round horror-show, when those "unsinkable Senators" sunk...and sunk bad. And it was those damned Sabres that ran us into the ice berg. I still remember going into OT in Game 5, our very playoff lives hanging in the balance, when Buffalo took a penalty and my spirits soared, because I truly believed we were in the midst of battling back and making history. We were going to be one of those very few, very special teams that clawed back from a 3-0 deficit and won the whole damned thing.
Then, on that Ottawa powerplay, Jason Pominville made a break into the Sens zone with only Captain Daniel Alfredsson back defending, and he walked in around Alfie and deflated all of my dreams with one shot.
It was a heart-breaker.
So now, thinking about the Sabres and the series that awaits, my stomach is already fluttering with butterflies. It's time for revenge. Time to put that miserable series behind us and move forward into glory. It won't be easy, but this team, this year, has given me every reason to believe that they can do it. It's ours for the taking.
And it all gets going on Thursday night...
GO SENS GO!!
That's right...The Eastern Conference Final!!!
I'm pumped. I'm psyched. I'm soooooooo excited!!
I was thrilled Saturday night when the Sens finally put the dagger through the hearts of those Devils from New Jersey, beating them 3-2 and taking the series 4 games to 1. You know, looking back, realizing that the Sens have only lost two games thus far in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs through 2 rounds, you'd probably have trouble believing that I've almost suffered about a hundred heart attacks. But I have. The playoffs are very hard on my ticker. On game days, I'm just a bundle of nerves, and by the time the puck drops, I'm shaking all over.
So I'm not sure it's good for my health that the Sens have advanced to the third round, but I'm not going to complain.
However, with the Buffalo Sabres joining us in the Eastern Final, I can be sure that things aren't going to get any easier.
I'm so close to the Stanley Cup, I can taste it. I want it so badly. I can envision the celebrations; I'm already anticipating the sheer ecstacy of being the Champions.
And yet, as Coach Murray reminded after Saturday night's victory, once we laid the Devils to rest, we're still only half-way there. And the mighty Buffalo Sabres are the next big obstacle standing in our way.
I still have nightmares over last year's second-round horror-show, when those "unsinkable Senators" sunk...and sunk bad. And it was those damned Sabres that ran us into the ice berg. I still remember going into OT in Game 5, our very playoff lives hanging in the balance, when Buffalo took a penalty and my spirits soared, because I truly believed we were in the midst of battling back and making history. We were going to be one of those very few, very special teams that clawed back from a 3-0 deficit and won the whole damned thing.
Then, on that Ottawa powerplay, Jason Pominville made a break into the Sens zone with only Captain Daniel Alfredsson back defending, and he walked in around Alfie and deflated all of my dreams with one shot.
It was a heart-breaker.
So now, thinking about the Sabres and the series that awaits, my stomach is already fluttering with butterflies. It's time for revenge. Time to put that miserable series behind us and move forward into glory. It won't be easy, but this team, this year, has given me every reason to believe that they can do it. It's ours for the taking.
And it all gets going on Thursday night...
GO SENS GO!!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The Stranglehold
I've mentioned before the importance of that one pivotal game in a series. The one where your favourite team is ahead 2 games to 1. The one where they walk that fine line between being tied 2-2 and taking a 3-1 stranglehold.
That's the game my Sens were in tonight.
Yeah, every game is huge. Every game is pivotal. Every game is super-duper-important.
But that one game...You know what I'm talking about. It's just the most nerve-wracking, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping game everrrrr.
And tonight, yet again, the Sens WON IT!!!!
Now, we have that coveted stranglehold, up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semis over the New Jersey Devils. It was another nail-biter, and my heart still hasn't returned to regular palpitations. It's awesome!!!
Tonight, the glorious, fantastic, miraculous Martin Brodeur (and if you don't believe me, just ask Bob Cole) - well, he kinda looked human. Alfie's goal to kick things off in the first was pretty sweet, but then Heatley's shot in the second came from an impossible angle, and it never should have went in. Somehow, though, it eluded The Golden Marty. And then Fisher's goal to make it 3-1 early in the third was shot from the blueline, and somehow just zinged in over Brodeur's glove - another save that he normally would've made.
Now, I have all the respect in the world for Martin Brodeur. He's a great goaltender, no doubt about it. And he won Canada a gold medal in the Olympics in '02, for which I will forever be grateful. But I'm sooooo sick of hearing the CBC commentators blow sunshine up his butt that I can barely stand it. You'd almost swear at times that Brodeur and the Devils are dominating the series, and that the Sens are getting by on luck alone. At least tonight, they didn't have so much to rave about.
Marty had an off-night.
Guaranteed, he'll be back "on" Saturday night. Winning this series won't be easy, but I think the Sens will come out gunnin' and get this thing done in 5, back in the Swamp, Saturday night.
But until then, I'll just enjoy The Stranglehold.
GO SENS GO!!
That's the game my Sens were in tonight.
Yeah, every game is huge. Every game is pivotal. Every game is super-duper-important.
But that one game...You know what I'm talking about. It's just the most nerve-wracking, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping game everrrrr.
And tonight, yet again, the Sens WON IT!!!!
Now, we have that coveted stranglehold, up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semis over the New Jersey Devils. It was another nail-biter, and my heart still hasn't returned to regular palpitations. It's awesome!!!
Tonight, the glorious, fantastic, miraculous Martin Brodeur (and if you don't believe me, just ask Bob Cole) - well, he kinda looked human. Alfie's goal to kick things off in the first was pretty sweet, but then Heatley's shot in the second came from an impossible angle, and it never should have went in. Somehow, though, it eluded The Golden Marty. And then Fisher's goal to make it 3-1 early in the third was shot from the blueline, and somehow just zinged in over Brodeur's glove - another save that he normally would've made.
Now, I have all the respect in the world for Martin Brodeur. He's a great goaltender, no doubt about it. And he won Canada a gold medal in the Olympics in '02, for which I will forever be grateful. But I'm sooooo sick of hearing the CBC commentators blow sunshine up his butt that I can barely stand it. You'd almost swear at times that Brodeur and the Devils are dominating the series, and that the Sens are getting by on luck alone. At least tonight, they didn't have so much to rave about.
Marty had an off-night.
Guaranteed, he'll be back "on" Saturday night. Winning this series won't be easy, but I think the Sens will come out gunnin' and get this thing done in 5, back in the Swamp, Saturday night.
But until then, I'll just enjoy The Stranglehold.
GO SENS GO!!
I Love Seth
OK, folks, my statements are printing out, so I have time for a very, very brief Blog!!
Last night I went to see "In the Land of Women", starring Seth Cohen...er, I mean, Adam Brody, and Meg Ryan. It was a movie unlike any I had ever seen before - very funny moments (Seth is in it, how could they avoid his dry, sarcastic, but oh-so-cute humour?), very sad moments, moments that made me feel sick and scared, moments of euphoric happiness, moments of complete understanding. It told the story of a young man at a crossroads in his life who decides to go live with and care for his aging grandmother, and ends up entangled in the lives of the women across the street - a mother battling breast cancer, and her teenage daughter battling life in general.
It was a movie that left me thinking about many different things - embracing opportunities, making the best of any situation, how important laughter is, and how important it is to make sure you never get stuck in a rut that you can't get out of. I highly recommend it (for the girls, at least...the boys would probably cringe. We know you're all jealous of Seth and how charming and cute he is.)
Yeah, it had me falling in love with Seth all over again, just like the first time I watched The O.C. Why don't they make boys like him around here? And you just know he's gotta be like that in real life, because he's like that in every show or movie he's ever been in...You just can't escape his dry wit and adorable smile. So yes, he is my "boy of the moment"...I love him!!!
Alrighty...Moving along...Game #4 goes tonight, and my stomach is already in knots. Really, really hoping for a win tonight.
GO SENS GO!!
Last night I went to see "In the Land of Women", starring Seth Cohen...er, I mean, Adam Brody, and Meg Ryan. It was a movie unlike any I had ever seen before - very funny moments (Seth is in it, how could they avoid his dry, sarcastic, but oh-so-cute humour?), very sad moments, moments that made me feel sick and scared, moments of euphoric happiness, moments of complete understanding. It told the story of a young man at a crossroads in his life who decides to go live with and care for his aging grandmother, and ends up entangled in the lives of the women across the street - a mother battling breast cancer, and her teenage daughter battling life in general.
It was a movie that left me thinking about many different things - embracing opportunities, making the best of any situation, how important laughter is, and how important it is to make sure you never get stuck in a rut that you can't get out of. I highly recommend it (for the girls, at least...the boys would probably cringe. We know you're all jealous of Seth and how charming and cute he is.)
Yeah, it had me falling in love with Seth all over again, just like the first time I watched The O.C. Why don't they make boys like him around here? And you just know he's gotta be like that in real life, because he's like that in every show or movie he's ever been in...You just can't escape his dry wit and adorable smile. So yes, he is my "boy of the moment"...I love him!!!
Alrighty...Moving along...Game #4 goes tonight, and my stomach is already in knots. Really, really hoping for a win tonight.
GO SENS GO!!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sens Take Game #3!!
Hoooooooooooooooooooooo BOY!!
Now that was intense!! I'm not sure my little heart can take much more of this edge-of-your-seat, nail-biter hockey!!
I don't think I even took a normal breath until Jason Spezza put away the empty-netter to seal tonight's 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. I was absolutely terrified that, despite our strong play and two-billion chances, Martin Brodeur would once again steal a win for his team and set us back 2-1 in the series.
Perhaps Senators teams of the past would have let him. But not this team. Not this year.
The Sens never stopped coming, and they really took it to Brodeur and the Devils all night long. Every time he made a miraculous save, they didn't hang their heads and quit. They kept at him, pouring it on relentlessly.
Finally, in the third period, they were rewarded, when Tom Preissing's shot went in after Mike Fisher cruised through the crease, apparently bumping Brodeur and sparking an annoying post-game "controversy" on CBC.
I've tried to refrain from bad-mouthing the Hockey Night in Canada commentators this year, because everyone knows they suck, but honestly - how many times was Ray Emery interferred with in that first series against Pittsburgh, and they never even mentioned it?? Now tonight, Mike Fisher barely grazes Brodeur, knocking him a little off balance, and Preissing scores, so all of a sudden those Leaf-lovin' Losers are roaring about how Fisher should have been penalized, and the goal should have been called back. I hate Ron McLean. I hate Bob Cole. I hate Elliote Friedman!!
Frig them! Fisher did exactly what players are supposed to be doing this time of year: Getting in the opposing goalie's face and wreaking havoc in the crease. Poor little Marty, the CBC Golden Boy, wasn't prepared for the shot, so let's all cry foul. ARGH!!!! It pisses me off so much that I can't even enjoy my victory because I have to listen to them whine!
The fact of the matter is the Ottawa Senators deserved to win tonight's game, controversy or not. They clearly scored a goal in the first period, but because the ref blew the whistle (too quickly, in my opinion), it was called back. Brodeur was standing on his head most of the night, making spectacular saves and frustrating the hell out of me.
But the difference is, this year, the Sens are being patient. There was a time when no one believed the Sens could win close games. Usually the wheels would come off, panic would set in, and they'd lose the game.
Well, they won this one, and they deserved a better fate in the last one too. So now we hold a 2-1 series lead, with lots of hockey left to play, but I can't help but feel really good about how this team is rolling right now. Screw their controversies. Emery has been solid when necessary, the forecheck has been strong, the defence has been amazing (welcome back, Wade Redden!), and it's just this quiet confidence that the players seem to have that is making me feel different than other years.
More optimistic. More sure. More confident.
Game #4 should be a doozie!!
GO SENS GO!!
Now that was intense!! I'm not sure my little heart can take much more of this edge-of-your-seat, nail-biter hockey!!
I don't think I even took a normal breath until Jason Spezza put away the empty-netter to seal tonight's 2-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. I was absolutely terrified that, despite our strong play and two-billion chances, Martin Brodeur would once again steal a win for his team and set us back 2-1 in the series.
Perhaps Senators teams of the past would have let him. But not this team. Not this year.
The Sens never stopped coming, and they really took it to Brodeur and the Devils all night long. Every time he made a miraculous save, they didn't hang their heads and quit. They kept at him, pouring it on relentlessly.
Finally, in the third period, they were rewarded, when Tom Preissing's shot went in after Mike Fisher cruised through the crease, apparently bumping Brodeur and sparking an annoying post-game "controversy" on CBC.
I've tried to refrain from bad-mouthing the Hockey Night in Canada commentators this year, because everyone knows they suck, but honestly - how many times was Ray Emery interferred with in that first series against Pittsburgh, and they never even mentioned it?? Now tonight, Mike Fisher barely grazes Brodeur, knocking him a little off balance, and Preissing scores, so all of a sudden those Leaf-lovin' Losers are roaring about how Fisher should have been penalized, and the goal should have been called back. I hate Ron McLean. I hate Bob Cole. I hate Elliote Friedman!!
Frig them! Fisher did exactly what players are supposed to be doing this time of year: Getting in the opposing goalie's face and wreaking havoc in the crease. Poor little Marty, the CBC Golden Boy, wasn't prepared for the shot, so let's all cry foul. ARGH!!!! It pisses me off so much that I can't even enjoy my victory because I have to listen to them whine!
The fact of the matter is the Ottawa Senators deserved to win tonight's game, controversy or not. They clearly scored a goal in the first period, but because the ref blew the whistle (too quickly, in my opinion), it was called back. Brodeur was standing on his head most of the night, making spectacular saves and frustrating the hell out of me.
But the difference is, this year, the Sens are being patient. There was a time when no one believed the Sens could win close games. Usually the wheels would come off, panic would set in, and they'd lose the game.
Well, they won this one, and they deserved a better fate in the last one too. So now we hold a 2-1 series lead, with lots of hockey left to play, but I can't help but feel really good about how this team is rolling right now. Screw their controversies. Emery has been solid when necessary, the forecheck has been strong, the defence has been amazing (welcome back, Wade Redden!), and it's just this quiet confidence that the players seem to have that is making me feel different than other years.
More optimistic. More sure. More confident.
Game #4 should be a doozie!!
GO SENS GO!!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Bring On the Devils!!
Hey gang!! Sorry for the lack of Blogs this week - it's just been crazy-busy, and I haven't gotten into the routine of writing the Blog at night yet.
As we all know, Round 2 for the Sens goes tonight in New Jersey vs. the Devils. Can't wait!! It will surely be a tougher test than the Penguins were, but I have confidence that if the Senators stick to their game, they'll be able to defeat Marty Brodeur - just shoot the puck from all over, and eventually they'll start going in!
Remember - BE RED!! Cheer on the Sens, and be loud & proud!!
GO SENS GO!!
As we all know, Round 2 for the Sens goes tonight in New Jersey vs. the Devils. Can't wait!! It will surely be a tougher test than the Penguins were, but I have confidence that if the Senators stick to their game, they'll be able to defeat Marty Brodeur - just shoot the puck from all over, and eventually they'll start going in!
Remember - BE RED!! Cheer on the Sens, and be loud & proud!!
GO SENS GO!!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
See Ya, Sid!!
WOOO-HOOO!!!
That's it, folks! We did it! We beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 tonight to take the series 4 games to 1...YABBA-DABBA-DOOEY!!
Honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen the Sens play as well as they did tonight. Pittsburgh spent much of the first 10 minutes on the powerplay, with two 5-on-3's, and Emery was solid in nets. After that, the Sens shut the door and really dominated them. It seemed the Penguins even had trouble getting into the Sens' zone for most of the game. They were so strong defensively, and I was extremely impressed!! They made most of those Penguins look like the little kids that many of them are! All of our goals came in the second period, with Heatley getting one on the power play, and Kelly and Vermette notching the others. Mike Comrie, one of the darlings of this series, also had a glorious opportunity, and I think almost everyone thought he had scored, but replays showed it ringing off the post.
I also think Wade Redden played his best game of the series, which was a huge relief to me. I've been waiting for a sign for the past two weeks to show me that Wade's OK and can play out of his funk, and tonight, I think he made a big step towards accomplishing that.
The fans at the Bank tonight were loud and proud, and it was awesome to hear the chanting and cheering coming through my TV. It's great to see everyone BE RED and waving their pom-poms enthusiastically! For us here at the Young house, one of the highlights was seeing our neighbours JP and Troy and Troy's girlfriend Steph on TV at the end of the game - they were all decked out in Sens gear and holding a sign that said "Stanley's Cup Belongs In Canada". Of course, it would have been awesome to be in the stands tonight, but because I seem to be a Senator Jinx, I've resolved not to bother with tickets again this post-season. We've been having our own little party here at home though!!
So now that we've done away with Sid the Kid and his band of little Penguins, it looks like it'll probably be the New Jersey Devils or the New York Rangers (or a slight possibility of it being the Islanders) in the second round. It was predicted tonight that the next round won't start until next Wednesday, so we've all got a few days to relax, breathe, and look forward to another round of exciting playoff hockey!!
I can't wait!!
GO SENS GO!!
That's it, folks! We did it! We beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 tonight to take the series 4 games to 1...YABBA-DABBA-DOOEY!!
Honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen the Sens play as well as they did tonight. Pittsburgh spent much of the first 10 minutes on the powerplay, with two 5-on-3's, and Emery was solid in nets. After that, the Sens shut the door and really dominated them. It seemed the Penguins even had trouble getting into the Sens' zone for most of the game. They were so strong defensively, and I was extremely impressed!! They made most of those Penguins look like the little kids that many of them are! All of our goals came in the second period, with Heatley getting one on the power play, and Kelly and Vermette notching the others. Mike Comrie, one of the darlings of this series, also had a glorious opportunity, and I think almost everyone thought he had scored, but replays showed it ringing off the post.
I also think Wade Redden played his best game of the series, which was a huge relief to me. I've been waiting for a sign for the past two weeks to show me that Wade's OK and can play out of his funk, and tonight, I think he made a big step towards accomplishing that.
The fans at the Bank tonight were loud and proud, and it was awesome to hear the chanting and cheering coming through my TV. It's great to see everyone BE RED and waving their pom-poms enthusiastically! For us here at the Young house, one of the highlights was seeing our neighbours JP and Troy and Troy's girlfriend Steph on TV at the end of the game - they were all decked out in Sens gear and holding a sign that said "Stanley's Cup Belongs In Canada". Of course, it would have been awesome to be in the stands tonight, but because I seem to be a Senator Jinx, I've resolved not to bother with tickets again this post-season. We've been having our own little party here at home though!!
So now that we've done away with Sid the Kid and his band of little Penguins, it looks like it'll probably be the New Jersey Devils or the New York Rangers (or a slight possibility of it being the Islanders) in the second round. It was predicted tonight that the next round won't start until next Wednesday, so we've all got a few days to relax, breathe, and look forward to another round of exciting playoff hockey!!
I can't wait!!
GO SENS GO!!
It Feels Like Tonight
OK, so I stole the title from a Chris Daughtry song, but it fit so well with how I feel about tonight's upcoming Game #5 between Ottawa and Pittsburgh that I just had to use it to title today's Blog.
It feels like tonight...
This is a big one for the Sens. Up 3-1 in the series, we need to put the pedal down and get things done tonight. Nobody on that Ottawa team wants to go back to Pittsburgh for a Game #6. Nobody wants to give the Penguins a breath of life when we've got a chokehold on them. Pittsburgh will come out all guns a-blazing, guaranteed, but the Sens have to be better.
It's time to show that killer instinct again, and get things done. Ray Emery has to be awesome. Our big stars need to fly. Our defence needs to snuff out Sid the Kid and his troops.
I have no doubts that they can do it. We've got 'em down, now it's time to put the boots to 'em.
It feels like tonight.
GO SENS GO!!
It feels like tonight...
This is a big one for the Sens. Up 3-1 in the series, we need to put the pedal down and get things done tonight. Nobody on that Ottawa team wants to go back to Pittsburgh for a Game #6. Nobody wants to give the Penguins a breath of life when we've got a chokehold on them. Pittsburgh will come out all guns a-blazing, guaranteed, but the Sens have to be better.
It's time to show that killer instinct again, and get things done. Ray Emery has to be awesome. Our big stars need to fly. Our defence needs to snuff out Sid the Kid and his troops.
I have no doubts that they can do it. We've got 'em down, now it's time to put the boots to 'em.
It feels like tonight.
GO SENS GO!!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Razor's Edge
In the playoffs, it's hard to find a game that is not referred to as a "must-win". Whether you're the team ahead or the team trailing, almost every game is a "must-win".
Last night, with the Senators leading the quarterfinal series 2-1, many of the Sens' spectators were calling it a "must-win". Then again, so were the Pittsburgh fans. With the Sens leading the series 2-1, it was imperative for them to come away with a victory to put a stranglehold on the series and show the killer instinct. On the flip side, the Penguins needed the win to stay in the series and keep their hopes alive.
For the team with the 2-1 advantage, this game is extremely important. There's a very fine line between taking a commanding 3-1 lead, and being tied 2-2. Had the Sens lost last night's game, momentum would have swung in Pittsburgh's favour, the slate would've been wiped clean, and it would've come down to a best-of-3.
In the past, under that kind of pressure, the Sens might've collapsed. But not last night.
Last night, with Pittsburgh giving it all they had, running our guys all over the ice and driving to the net every chance they got, it was the Senators who came out victorious. All thanks to the man between the pipes, Mr. Ray Emery!!
Ray was hot last night, that's for sure. The Sens took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Jason Spezza blooper that just happened to tip of Jordan Staal's stick and then floated into the net. (Thank you, Chris Neil, for not touching that puck with your high stick, despite your best efforts.) The rest of the first was back-and-forth action, with nobody seeming to "click" out there. There were a lot of battles along the sideboards, and a lot of missed passes, with both goalies making big saves when necessary.
In the second, I thought the Penguins really took it to the Sens, and with either Chris Phillips or Anton Volchenkov spending much of the period in the box, the Sens were put back a little on their heels. The penalty-killing, however, was strong, and the Sens did not allow the Pens to capitalize on the power play. Staal did manage to squeak one through after a scramble in front of Emery even strength, so that technically gave him 2 goals on the night. But going in to the third, it was dead-locked at 1 apiece.
So the third period was what I like to call "gut-check time". And let me tell ya, it was hard on my ticker. When Anton Volchenkov finally broke the tie midway through the period, it was a minor relief, but all I could think of was how difficult it was going to be to hold that lead for the rest of the period. I was certain the Penguins would find a way to tie things up and send it to OT.
I didn't have to worry. The Sens went to work defensively and Emery shut the door. It's what my dad called "perfect playoff hockey". In the past, the Sens have been criticized for not being able to do what they did last night - sit on a one-goal lead and win a tight game. Last night, they did it.
I could be a lot crankier today. If the Penguins had won their "must-win game", it would be a different story.
But that wasn't the case. Last night, we won the "must-win". And that's thanks in large part to the Razor's edge.
GO SENS GO!!
(Guys, I didn't proofread this at all so if there's a million mistakes and it makes no sense, I apologize!)
Last night, with the Senators leading the quarterfinal series 2-1, many of the Sens' spectators were calling it a "must-win". Then again, so were the Pittsburgh fans. With the Sens leading the series 2-1, it was imperative for them to come away with a victory to put a stranglehold on the series and show the killer instinct. On the flip side, the Penguins needed the win to stay in the series and keep their hopes alive.
For the team with the 2-1 advantage, this game is extremely important. There's a very fine line between taking a commanding 3-1 lead, and being tied 2-2. Had the Sens lost last night's game, momentum would have swung in Pittsburgh's favour, the slate would've been wiped clean, and it would've come down to a best-of-3.
In the past, under that kind of pressure, the Sens might've collapsed. But not last night.
Last night, with Pittsburgh giving it all they had, running our guys all over the ice and driving to the net every chance they got, it was the Senators who came out victorious. All thanks to the man between the pipes, Mr. Ray Emery!!
Ray was hot last night, that's for sure. The Sens took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Jason Spezza blooper that just happened to tip of Jordan Staal's stick and then floated into the net. (Thank you, Chris Neil, for not touching that puck with your high stick, despite your best efforts.) The rest of the first was back-and-forth action, with nobody seeming to "click" out there. There were a lot of battles along the sideboards, and a lot of missed passes, with both goalies making big saves when necessary.
In the second, I thought the Penguins really took it to the Sens, and with either Chris Phillips or Anton Volchenkov spending much of the period in the box, the Sens were put back a little on their heels. The penalty-killing, however, was strong, and the Sens did not allow the Pens to capitalize on the power play. Staal did manage to squeak one through after a scramble in front of Emery even strength, so that technically gave him 2 goals on the night. But going in to the third, it was dead-locked at 1 apiece.
So the third period was what I like to call "gut-check time". And let me tell ya, it was hard on my ticker. When Anton Volchenkov finally broke the tie midway through the period, it was a minor relief, but all I could think of was how difficult it was going to be to hold that lead for the rest of the period. I was certain the Penguins would find a way to tie things up and send it to OT.
I didn't have to worry. The Sens went to work defensively and Emery shut the door. It's what my dad called "perfect playoff hockey". In the past, the Sens have been criticized for not being able to do what they did last night - sit on a one-goal lead and win a tight game. Last night, they did it.
I could be a lot crankier today. If the Penguins had won their "must-win game", it would be a different story.
But that wasn't the case. Last night, we won the "must-win". And that's thanks in large part to the Razor's edge.
GO SENS GO!!
(Guys, I didn't proofread this at all so if there's a million mistakes and it makes no sense, I apologize!)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
It Can Make You Scared
I've done a lot of hockey blogs lately (duh - playoffs!!), but today I've decided to write about something else, believe it or not.
Yesterday, as you probably already know, there was another school shooting in the U.S. at Virginia Tech. This one was the worst in U.S. history, with 32 dead (last I heard), including the gun man, who was VT student. Everyone always remembers the Columbine shooting in Colorado in the late '90's - well, this one was much, much worse.
School shootings always kind of hit me in the gut everytime I hear about them. There are so many tragedies around the world every day, that we hear about in the papers and on the TV and radio. Wars. Natural disasters. Genocide. Mass murders. But for me, hearing about a troubled young person opening fire on their peers amidst the "safe walls" of a school - it always makes me stop and wonder, What the hell is the world coming to??
Reactions here at the office as the news broke were varied. One person said, "Oh well, just another one. Until the Americans get better gun control laws, this is what they can expect." Another said, "The worst part of these school shootings is that the coward always ends up putting the gun to his own head. I wish one of those freaks wouldn't get the chance to take his own life, and that he could be locked up in a room with the parents of the kids he killed, and let them exact their own justice." Yet another said, "Makes me wonder why I brought kids into this world. It's a scary, screwed-up place."
It's hard to argue with any of those statements. Tragedies like this always bring up the same topics of discussion - gun control laws, retribution, the state of the world. What scares me the most is that each time this happens, I'm reminded that there are some twisted kids out there who are able to take weapons into their schools and open fire on their classmates. In the aftermath, there are always people - family members, teachers, and friends - who come forwards and say, "I never would have predicted this. He was a quiet kid, very shy, very unthreatening."
So how are we supposed to know who the bad guys are? How are we supposed to know when someone's going to snap, at school or in the workplace? How are we supposed to differentiate between the good, happy-go-lucky people, and the ones who can be pushed over the edge and blow us all away?
When I think too much about it, it terrifies me. Schools are supposed to be safe. Since Columbine, they all have better security systems, and in the States, many even have gun checks at the doors. There are cameras and lockdowns and guards and drills.
So why does this keep happening?
Yesterday, as you probably already know, there was another school shooting in the U.S. at Virginia Tech. This one was the worst in U.S. history, with 32 dead (last I heard), including the gun man, who was VT student. Everyone always remembers the Columbine shooting in Colorado in the late '90's - well, this one was much, much worse.
School shootings always kind of hit me in the gut everytime I hear about them. There are so many tragedies around the world every day, that we hear about in the papers and on the TV and radio. Wars. Natural disasters. Genocide. Mass murders. But for me, hearing about a troubled young person opening fire on their peers amidst the "safe walls" of a school - it always makes me stop and wonder, What the hell is the world coming to??
Reactions here at the office as the news broke were varied. One person said, "Oh well, just another one. Until the Americans get better gun control laws, this is what they can expect." Another said, "The worst part of these school shootings is that the coward always ends up putting the gun to his own head. I wish one of those freaks wouldn't get the chance to take his own life, and that he could be locked up in a room with the parents of the kids he killed, and let them exact their own justice." Yet another said, "Makes me wonder why I brought kids into this world. It's a scary, screwed-up place."
It's hard to argue with any of those statements. Tragedies like this always bring up the same topics of discussion - gun control laws, retribution, the state of the world. What scares me the most is that each time this happens, I'm reminded that there are some twisted kids out there who are able to take weapons into their schools and open fire on their classmates. In the aftermath, there are always people - family members, teachers, and friends - who come forwards and say, "I never would have predicted this. He was a quiet kid, very shy, very unthreatening."
So how are we supposed to know who the bad guys are? How are we supposed to know when someone's going to snap, at school or in the workplace? How are we supposed to differentiate between the good, happy-go-lucky people, and the ones who can be pushed over the edge and blow us all away?
When I think too much about it, it terrifies me. Schools are supposed to be safe. Since Columbine, they all have better security systems, and in the States, many even have gun checks at the doors. There are cameras and lockdowns and guards and drills.
So why does this keep happening?
Monday, April 16, 2007
My Poor Wade
So the series between the Sens and the Pens now stands at 2-1 in our favour. They lost on Saturday when we were in attendance, of course, because they hardly ever win when I'm there. Fortunately, it wasn't Game 7 or anything like that. They bounced back well in Pittsburgh last night, taking it 4-2 on the strength of Captain Alfie's 2 second-period goals.
Things are going well. If they play like they did in Games #1 and #3 (and most of Game #2), then we should be OK.
There's only one thing throwing a damper on my playoff hype this Spring. And that is the fact that Wade Redden - my beloved Wade Redden - is not playing up to his capabilities. Truthfully, he hasn't played well for much of this season. He's battled injuries, and while he had a good stretch between Christmas and the All-Star Break, he has otherwise been a disappointment this season.
It takes a lot for me to admit that. I usually defend Wade up and down, all over the place. And when he's healthy, I'd still take him over any other D-man in this league. Yes, that's right. I'd take him ahead of guys like Chris Pronger and Scott Neidermeyer and Niklas Lidstrom.
Mainly because he's just so damn hot.
But so far in this young playoff season, Wade hasn't played well, and I can't deny it.
My dad's theory is that his partner, Andrej Meszaros, sucks, and Wade has spent much of this season trying to clean up the messes the young d-man makes. While he's been covering for Meszaros' mistakes, he's ended up wallowing in his own messes, and because he's the $6.5 Milllion Dollar Man, he's the one who ends up taking the heat in the sports pages and on sports talk radio.
For me, the sentimental sucker that I am, I have to think that this might be an emotional time for Wade, as these playoffs mark the one-year anniversary of his mother's death. It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since Pat Redden passed away, and her son ended up bouncing back and forth between his home in Lloydminster, Saskatchwan, and his team, who were in the midst of a Round 1 playoff with Tampa Bay. Wade Redden played some of his best hockey in that series, and while he missed one game to be with his family, he garnered First Star status in two of the other games, including the final game when the Sens beat out the Lightning, with his dad and brother watching on. So I believe it is entirely possible that Redden has had a rough year, mourning the loss of his mother, and now he's back in the playoffs again, a time of year that brings more sad memories than just the Senators' pre-mature elimination from many a Stanley Cup run.
This morning on the Team 1200, Steve Warne chalked it up to an injury. He (and many other members of the sports media surrounding the Sens) believe that Redden is currently playing through an injury, most likely another groin strain, and while this bumps him down the depth chart to a 5th or 6th d-man, an injured Wade Redden is apparently still better than a healthy Lawrence Nycholat.
Maybe so. But should the Sens go deep into these playoffs (God willing!), how long can this poor man go on?? Will he not eventually need to take some time off to heal? Will "forcing it" not cause more damage? Isn't it better that he take a seat now and get better while guys like Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing have elevated their games, taking some of the pressure off of him?
Or is it about Wade Redden proving that he can fight through this and be a factor for the Sens? Maybe it's about not wussing out and playing through the pain. After all, those are the guys who get recognized as the playoff warriors. Got a broken arm? Who cares! Score 3 goals, dammit! Sprained your ankle? Ice it, you pussy, and get out there!
Clearly, either Wade Redden or the Senators' medical staff feel this is an injury he can play through (if it is, in fact, an injury). If so, I really hope he starts playing better, because I just can't take all this heat from the media. He's my boy. He's the reason I love hockey. He's why I love the Sens as much as I do.
Whatever the case, I know he can be better than he has been. And I truly believe that he can dig deep and overcome whatever it is that has been holding him back.
Because when it comes right down to it, this team needs him.
GO SENS GO!!
Things are going well. If they play like they did in Games #1 and #3 (and most of Game #2), then we should be OK.
There's only one thing throwing a damper on my playoff hype this Spring. And that is the fact that Wade Redden - my beloved Wade Redden - is not playing up to his capabilities. Truthfully, he hasn't played well for much of this season. He's battled injuries, and while he had a good stretch between Christmas and the All-Star Break, he has otherwise been a disappointment this season.
It takes a lot for me to admit that. I usually defend Wade up and down, all over the place. And when he's healthy, I'd still take him over any other D-man in this league. Yes, that's right. I'd take him ahead of guys like Chris Pronger and Scott Neidermeyer and Niklas Lidstrom.
Mainly because he's just so damn hot.
But so far in this young playoff season, Wade hasn't played well, and I can't deny it.
My dad's theory is that his partner, Andrej Meszaros, sucks, and Wade has spent much of this season trying to clean up the messes the young d-man makes. While he's been covering for Meszaros' mistakes, he's ended up wallowing in his own messes, and because he's the $6.5 Milllion Dollar Man, he's the one who ends up taking the heat in the sports pages and on sports talk radio.
For me, the sentimental sucker that I am, I have to think that this might be an emotional time for Wade, as these playoffs mark the one-year anniversary of his mother's death. It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since Pat Redden passed away, and her son ended up bouncing back and forth between his home in Lloydminster, Saskatchwan, and his team, who were in the midst of a Round 1 playoff with Tampa Bay. Wade Redden played some of his best hockey in that series, and while he missed one game to be with his family, he garnered First Star status in two of the other games, including the final game when the Sens beat out the Lightning, with his dad and brother watching on. So I believe it is entirely possible that Redden has had a rough year, mourning the loss of his mother, and now he's back in the playoffs again, a time of year that brings more sad memories than just the Senators' pre-mature elimination from many a Stanley Cup run.
This morning on the Team 1200, Steve Warne chalked it up to an injury. He (and many other members of the sports media surrounding the Sens) believe that Redden is currently playing through an injury, most likely another groin strain, and while this bumps him down the depth chart to a 5th or 6th d-man, an injured Wade Redden is apparently still better than a healthy Lawrence Nycholat.
Maybe so. But should the Sens go deep into these playoffs (God willing!), how long can this poor man go on?? Will he not eventually need to take some time off to heal? Will "forcing it" not cause more damage? Isn't it better that he take a seat now and get better while guys like Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing have elevated their games, taking some of the pressure off of him?
Or is it about Wade Redden proving that he can fight through this and be a factor for the Sens? Maybe it's about not wussing out and playing through the pain. After all, those are the guys who get recognized as the playoff warriors. Got a broken arm? Who cares! Score 3 goals, dammit! Sprained your ankle? Ice it, you pussy, and get out there!
Clearly, either Wade Redden or the Senators' medical staff feel this is an injury he can play through (if it is, in fact, an injury). If so, I really hope he starts playing better, because I just can't take all this heat from the media. He's my boy. He's the reason I love hockey. He's why I love the Sens as much as I do.
Whatever the case, I know he can be better than he has been. And I truly believe that he can dig deep and overcome whatever it is that has been holding him back.
Because when it comes right down to it, this team needs him.
GO SENS GO!!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Game # 1 In the Books
WOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
OK, so it's only one game, but it was a decisive Sens win over the nervous, shaky Penguins, and if we play every game like that, we're going to be fine. Strangely enough, it was the supporting cast in Senators colours that stole the show last night, with goals coming from Andrej Meszaros, Chris Kelly, Tom Preissing, Chris Neil & Mike Comrie. Dany Heatley was the only "big gun" to light it up for the Sens, and for me, that's a good sign. That means we still have all kinds of firepower yet to be seen...And for Pittsburgh, that can't be a good thing.
That being said, I am going to the game on Saturday, so that does not bode well for the boys. The Sens hardly ever win when I'm in attendance. Also, it's an afternoon game, and they rarely do well when they have to play before supper. Furthermore, Sid the Kid was pretty darned cranky by the end of last night's game, along with a few of his teammates, so you can bet they'll look a lot less nervous and a lot more determined come game time on Saturday.
It will be interesting to see if the Penguins go with Fleury again for the next game, after pulling him in the third in favour of Jocelyn Thibault. Fleury was very shaky off the hop last night, letting in 2 quick goals, but then he settled down and looked pretty good for most of two periods. It wasn't until the third that the Sens blew things open and Fleury was pulled from between the pipes. The Penguins did look nervous last night in the opening frame, but none looked more nervous than Fleury.
I can't be worrying too much about the next game, though, because there were a lot of positives on the Sens' side of things. Lots of goals, hard hitting, strong fore-checking, passion, grit, and heart - they were all on display last night, and Game #1 couldn't have gone better for my boys.
Can't wait for Saturday!!
OK, so it's only one game, but it was a decisive Sens win over the nervous, shaky Penguins, and if we play every game like that, we're going to be fine. Strangely enough, it was the supporting cast in Senators colours that stole the show last night, with goals coming from Andrej Meszaros, Chris Kelly, Tom Preissing, Chris Neil & Mike Comrie. Dany Heatley was the only "big gun" to light it up for the Sens, and for me, that's a good sign. That means we still have all kinds of firepower yet to be seen...And for Pittsburgh, that can't be a good thing.
That being said, I am going to the game on Saturday, so that does not bode well for the boys. The Sens hardly ever win when I'm in attendance. Also, it's an afternoon game, and they rarely do well when they have to play before supper. Furthermore, Sid the Kid was pretty darned cranky by the end of last night's game, along with a few of his teammates, so you can bet they'll look a lot less nervous and a lot more determined come game time on Saturday.
It will be interesting to see if the Penguins go with Fleury again for the next game, after pulling him in the third in favour of Jocelyn Thibault. Fleury was very shaky off the hop last night, letting in 2 quick goals, but then he settled down and looked pretty good for most of two periods. It wasn't until the third that the Sens blew things open and Fleury was pulled from between the pipes. The Penguins did look nervous last night in the opening frame, but none looked more nervous than Fleury.
I can't be worrying too much about the next game, though, because there were a lot of positives on the Sens' side of things. Lots of goals, hard hitting, strong fore-checking, passion, grit, and heart - they were all on display last night, and Game #1 couldn't have gone better for my boys.
Can't wait for Saturday!!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
BE RED
OK, I've been lazy when it comes to the Blog lately. I mean, I haven't even got you guys your updates on Survivor or Amazing Race yet.
But today's Blog will not be lazy, and it cannot be about anything except for the Ottawa Senators and their quest for Lord Stanley's Cup!!
That's right, kids. IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!
IT'S PLAYOFF TIME!!
It's that time of year when I get butterflies in my stomach from the moment I wake up in the morning til the moment the final buzzer sounds. It's when I get my car flags out (2 new flashy red Sens Army flags this year, courtesy of Hollie!) It's when the trash-talking begins, when the passion increases ten-fold, when the Leafs disappear (so long, BLUEY!), when dreams come alive, when, for a few weeks at least, glory seems within grasp.
Alright, so in the past, the Sens haven't tasted much of that glory. Our best playoff was when we went to the Conference Finals once, and lost to New Jersey in Game 7. Other than that, we've had many first- and second-round disappointments.
And this year, it's not going to get any easier against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
But this year, I've decided to ignore the nay-sayers, and the gloom & doom, and completely plunge myself into Sens FANDEMONIUM. I'm pumped, I'm wound, I'm EXCITED. As you can probably tell from my CAPS use today. Yes, folks, I'M READY!!!!!
This year's motto is "BE RED"...And I can't wait to BE RED tonight. And I REALLY can't wait to BE RED on SATURDAY, when I WILL BE AT THE GAME!! YAY!!!!!
OK, SO NOW I'M JUST SHOUTING, BUT I CAN'T HELP IT, I'M SO WOUND UP!!!!
GO SENS GO!!
But today's Blog will not be lazy, and it cannot be about anything except for the Ottawa Senators and their quest for Lord Stanley's Cup!!
That's right, kids. IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!
IT'S PLAYOFF TIME!!
It's that time of year when I get butterflies in my stomach from the moment I wake up in the morning til the moment the final buzzer sounds. It's when I get my car flags out (2 new flashy red Sens Army flags this year, courtesy of Hollie!) It's when the trash-talking begins, when the passion increases ten-fold, when the Leafs disappear (so long, BLUEY!), when dreams come alive, when, for a few weeks at least, glory seems within grasp.
Alright, so in the past, the Sens haven't tasted much of that glory. Our best playoff was when we went to the Conference Finals once, and lost to New Jersey in Game 7. Other than that, we've had many first- and second-round disappointments.
And this year, it's not going to get any easier against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
But this year, I've decided to ignore the nay-sayers, and the gloom & doom, and completely plunge myself into Sens FANDEMONIUM. I'm pumped, I'm wound, I'm EXCITED. As you can probably tell from my CAPS use today. Yes, folks, I'M READY!!!!!
This year's motto is "BE RED"...And I can't wait to BE RED tonight. And I REALLY can't wait to BE RED on SATURDAY, when I WILL BE AT THE GAME!! YAY!!!!!
OK, SO NOW I'M JUST SHOUTING, BUT I CAN'T HELP IT, I'M SO WOUND UP!!!!
GO SENS GO!!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
My Hot Football Players
It just dawned on me last night that I never re-capped last week's Survivor for you guys. It was too long ago for me to remember details, so if you missed it, here's all you need to know: Yau Man found the hidden Immunity Idol, then replaced it with a fake (a really bad fake) in an attempt to trick his tribemates. And Rocky got sent home. Boo hoo.
And now, onto Kenny's FNL re-cap: It was another amazing episode, of course, with the Coach accepting the job at TMU, much to the chagrin of his wife and daughter. Then there was the scene where Julie went to Matt's house to tell him that her family is moving to Austin, and Matt gathered her up in his arms and just held her, and I was sitting there with tears in my eyes, thinking, "Now that's why I love Matt Sarracen!!" However, Amy (that's the coach's wife's name...a whole year of watching the show, and I finally found out her name!!) - she's pretty determined that her and Julie aren't going anywhere. The Coach isn't really happy with her decision, so it'll be interesting to see if he changes his mind about TMU and decides to stay in Dillon with them.
Landry was in a quandry over the whole situation of Tyra's attempted rape. She swore him to secrecy, but he was so burdened by it that he finally told Matt. Of course, Matt insisted that he tell somebody, so Landry went to Mrs. Taylor. She took Tyra to the police, and after filing her report, Tyra ran into Landry who was waiting outside for her, and she tore a strip off of him for betraying her. Honest to God, I could have cried for the poor guy. I think I'm starting to fall in love with him, too. Tyra did apologize to him at the Roast, but Landry was still upset with her, and even more dejected that she showed up with her ex, Tim Riggins.
Speaking of Riggins - the neighbour lady broke it off with him, but I hope that Bo still gets some airtime, 'cause I don't think I've ever seen a cuter child actor than him!
Oh, and Street is now the new Assistant Coach of the Panthers, and I think one of my favourite scenes last night was when Coach Taylor and Street ganged up on Sarracen telling him he had to play better, work harder, eat & sleep football, and poor Matt just stood there, so bewildered, with this, "What the F$#@?!" look on his face, it was priceless. Street also got into more trouble with Lyla, after she caught him kissing the tattoo girl. She chucked her engagement ring back at him - so I think it's safe to say the wedding is off.
So now the Dillon Panthers are going to State, and next week is the season finale. I can't believe the season is already over; I don't know what I'm going to do on Wednesday nights without my hot football players. I might have to mourn for a while or something. I really can't wait to see how everything goes down in the big finale...Judging from previews, the Coach decides to stay in Dillon, and Amy finds out she's expecting. Hmmm...And I wonder who will win State??
Should be a good one!
And now, onto Kenny's FNL re-cap: It was another amazing episode, of course, with the Coach accepting the job at TMU, much to the chagrin of his wife and daughter. Then there was the scene where Julie went to Matt's house to tell him that her family is moving to Austin, and Matt gathered her up in his arms and just held her, and I was sitting there with tears in my eyes, thinking, "Now that's why I love Matt Sarracen!!" However, Amy (that's the coach's wife's name...a whole year of watching the show, and I finally found out her name!!) - she's pretty determined that her and Julie aren't going anywhere. The Coach isn't really happy with her decision, so it'll be interesting to see if he changes his mind about TMU and decides to stay in Dillon with them.
Landry was in a quandry over the whole situation of Tyra's attempted rape. She swore him to secrecy, but he was so burdened by it that he finally told Matt. Of course, Matt insisted that he tell somebody, so Landry went to Mrs. Taylor. She took Tyra to the police, and after filing her report, Tyra ran into Landry who was waiting outside for her, and she tore a strip off of him for betraying her. Honest to God, I could have cried for the poor guy. I think I'm starting to fall in love with him, too. Tyra did apologize to him at the Roast, but Landry was still upset with her, and even more dejected that she showed up with her ex, Tim Riggins.
Speaking of Riggins - the neighbour lady broke it off with him, but I hope that Bo still gets some airtime, 'cause I don't think I've ever seen a cuter child actor than him!
Oh, and Street is now the new Assistant Coach of the Panthers, and I think one of my favourite scenes last night was when Coach Taylor and Street ganged up on Sarracen telling him he had to play better, work harder, eat & sleep football, and poor Matt just stood there, so bewildered, with this, "What the F$#@?!" look on his face, it was priceless. Street also got into more trouble with Lyla, after she caught him kissing the tattoo girl. She chucked her engagement ring back at him - so I think it's safe to say the wedding is off.
So now the Dillon Panthers are going to State, and next week is the season finale. I can't believe the season is already over; I don't know what I'm going to do on Wednesday nights without my hot football players. I might have to mourn for a while or something. I really can't wait to see how everything goes down in the big finale...Judging from previews, the Coach decides to stay in Dillon, and Amy finds out she's expecting. Hmmm...And I wonder who will win State??
Should be a good one!
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Why I Want to Play the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1 of the Playoffs
Two words: Martin Brodeur.
It's the week before the playoffs, and there's been a lot of chatter lately in the Sens World about who we'd rather meet in the first round: the New Jersey Devils or the Pittsburgh Penguins. The majority seem to be favouring the Devils, as they fear the firepower of the Penguins with the likes of Crosby, Malkin, and Staal in the line-up.
However, I think in the playoffs it more often comes down to goaltending. And I'd much rather face a playoff rookie in Marc-Andre Fleury over Mr. Veteran-And-All-Star-Of-The-World Martin Brodeur. I'd rather take my chances trying to outscore the fiery Penguins over a defensive battle with the tight-checking and trapping Devils. I don't think it will be easy either way, but I think we have better odds against the young and inexperienced club in Pittsburgh.
Certainly, against Pittsburgh, we'd have a far more exciting series to watch. I forked out the $10.95 last night to watch the Sens vs. Devils match-up on Pay Per View, and for most of the first two periods, it was a snoozer. But that's what you get when you play the Devils, with their trapping game. Ho-hum, boring, boring. The third period kind of intensified, with the two teams exchanging goals in a 21-second span and lots of good chances throughout the OT. And then along came the shoot-out. As much as I love Ray Emery, and as proud as I was of him for going save-for-save with Brodeur all night long, I just knew that he wasn't going to out-duel him in the Shoot-Out.
So yeah, give me Marc-Andre Fleury any day. I think we can take him.
But it does make me sad to think that in a few weeks, the Penguins could very well be out of the playoffs thanks to me and my Sens. They are, after all, my second favourite team, and I really do admire Sid the Kid and his band of happy-go-lucky young'uns.
But this time of the year, there's no room for second-favourites.
Bring on the Penguins!!
It's the week before the playoffs, and there's been a lot of chatter lately in the Sens World about who we'd rather meet in the first round: the New Jersey Devils or the Pittsburgh Penguins. The majority seem to be favouring the Devils, as they fear the firepower of the Penguins with the likes of Crosby, Malkin, and Staal in the line-up.
However, I think in the playoffs it more often comes down to goaltending. And I'd much rather face a playoff rookie in Marc-Andre Fleury over Mr. Veteran-And-All-Star-Of-The-World Martin Brodeur. I'd rather take my chances trying to outscore the fiery Penguins over a defensive battle with the tight-checking and trapping Devils. I don't think it will be easy either way, but I think we have better odds against the young and inexperienced club in Pittsburgh.
Certainly, against Pittsburgh, we'd have a far more exciting series to watch. I forked out the $10.95 last night to watch the Sens vs. Devils match-up on Pay Per View, and for most of the first two periods, it was a snoozer. But that's what you get when you play the Devils, with their trapping game. Ho-hum, boring, boring. The third period kind of intensified, with the two teams exchanging goals in a 21-second span and lots of good chances throughout the OT. And then along came the shoot-out. As much as I love Ray Emery, and as proud as I was of him for going save-for-save with Brodeur all night long, I just knew that he wasn't going to out-duel him in the Shoot-Out.
So yeah, give me Marc-Andre Fleury any day. I think we can take him.
But it does make me sad to think that in a few weeks, the Penguins could very well be out of the playoffs thanks to me and my Sens. They are, after all, my second favourite team, and I really do admire Sid the Kid and his band of happy-go-lucky young'uns.
But this time of the year, there's no room for second-favourites.
Bring on the Penguins!!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
When Will the Shrieky Cousins Die???
OK, girls and boys, it's gotta be a quickie today...I'm swamped!!
First off, my re-cap of the Amazing Race:
It was a 2-hour mega-episode, with teams getting so far spread out that some were beginning the second leg of the Race before others were finishing the first. I can't remember the exact sequence of events, so I'll just run through a few of the highlights.
Some of the teams were stuck waiting at a travel agency for better flights to open up to Warsaw, Poland than the one that was provided for them. Uchenna and Joyce, however, decided to call the agent rather than show up in person, and somehow the Blondes and Mirna & Schmirna convinced the agent to hang up on them! Hours later, most of those teams were able to secure earlier flights, while Team Guido and Eric & Dani were stuck with the flight provided. Even worse, they missed one of their connecting flights, putting them almost a full day behind the rest of the teams. One of the Guidos little nuts when he thought he could run outside and flag down a plane that was already starting to taxi out. Those same Guidos finished last in the first leg and were marked for Elimination.
One of the stops along the way had the teams landing at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, and it struck an emotional chord with all of them. They lit candles, said prayers, and it was one of those moments in the Race where they all seemed to gain a little perspective. And at this point, they all needed it.
There was also an Intersection on the second leg of the Race, when Teams had to pair up to complete a task. Uchenna & Joyce and Oswald & Danny took the Fast Forward and had to count a lot of steps, and they were then able to proceed to the mat, where they all landed in first, with Danny & Oswald giving up the prize to Uchenna & Joyce. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew were suiting up in armour for the Roadblock, where they had to guide a horse down a path before meeting up with Phil.
Mirna & Schmirna were having a tough time. First, they were completely frustrated by the Polish people who refused to speak to them. At last, they hit a country where people didn't like them shrieking at them with accents! I like those Polish people! Then, whichever one of them is the little one decided to dress up in the armour, and because the horse was walking faster than her, she just kept pulling it around in circles while doing a face-plant here and there. By this point, all the teams were starting to catch up, and I think the Blondes may have even passed them. Eric & Dani finished last, but because they were only a few moments behind the Guidos, they moved ahead into 5th place while the Guidos were eliminated thanks to their 30-minute penalty. I think it's best the old lads are gone, they were starting to go a little insane I think. However, there's no team that I hate more than Mirna & Schmirna - they gotta go next week!
So other than that, my weekend was spent at the arena where the Flying Elbows tournament was taking place. It was a lot of fun! I only wish I'd been there when Luke left to go get stitches on his chin wearing his full uniform and his head wrapped up in gauze! I hope you all had a great weekend, too!
First off, my re-cap of the Amazing Race:
It was a 2-hour mega-episode, with teams getting so far spread out that some were beginning the second leg of the Race before others were finishing the first. I can't remember the exact sequence of events, so I'll just run through a few of the highlights.
Some of the teams were stuck waiting at a travel agency for better flights to open up to Warsaw, Poland than the one that was provided for them. Uchenna and Joyce, however, decided to call the agent rather than show up in person, and somehow the Blondes and Mirna & Schmirna convinced the agent to hang up on them! Hours later, most of those teams were able to secure earlier flights, while Team Guido and Eric & Dani were stuck with the flight provided. Even worse, they missed one of their connecting flights, putting them almost a full day behind the rest of the teams. One of the Guidos little nuts when he thought he could run outside and flag down a plane that was already starting to taxi out. Those same Guidos finished last in the first leg and were marked for Elimination.
One of the stops along the way had the teams landing at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, and it struck an emotional chord with all of them. They lit candles, said prayers, and it was one of those moments in the Race where they all seemed to gain a little perspective. And at this point, they all needed it.
There was also an Intersection on the second leg of the Race, when Teams had to pair up to complete a task. Uchenna & Joyce and Oswald & Danny took the Fast Forward and had to count a lot of steps, and they were then able to proceed to the mat, where they all landed in first, with Danny & Oswald giving up the prize to Uchenna & Joyce. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew were suiting up in armour for the Roadblock, where they had to guide a horse down a path before meeting up with Phil.
Mirna & Schmirna were having a tough time. First, they were completely frustrated by the Polish people who refused to speak to them. At last, they hit a country where people didn't like them shrieking at them with accents! I like those Polish people! Then, whichever one of them is the little one decided to dress up in the armour, and because the horse was walking faster than her, she just kept pulling it around in circles while doing a face-plant here and there. By this point, all the teams were starting to catch up, and I think the Blondes may have even passed them. Eric & Dani finished last, but because they were only a few moments behind the Guidos, they moved ahead into 5th place while the Guidos were eliminated thanks to their 30-minute penalty. I think it's best the old lads are gone, they were starting to go a little insane I think. However, there's no team that I hate more than Mirna & Schmirna - they gotta go next week!
So other than that, my weekend was spent at the arena where the Flying Elbows tournament was taking place. It was a lot of fun! I only wish I'd been there when Luke left to go get stitches on his chin wearing his full uniform and his head wrapped up in gauze! I hope you all had a great weekend, too!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Field of Dreams
Here's your Thursday morning FNL re-cap (Kenny):
After a train de-railed near the high school in Dillon, Texas mere days before the State Semi-Finals, resulting in the school's closing and shutting down the football field, Coach Taylor had to do some quick thinking to find himself a home field. In a stroke of genius, he decided to gather his players together to build a field in a rural cow pasture, gathering them even tighter as a group as they worked to create their very own football field.
Meanwhile, Tyra finally gave in to Landry's pursual and agreed to let him be her Algebra tutor, and in Landry's world, that was like winning the lottery. However, his car broke down just as it started to rain, leaving Tyra waiting alone at the diner, chatting awkwardly with a man sitting nearby. When finally Tyra gave up waiting on Landry, she decided to take off, but that man followed her, shoved her into a truck, and tried to rape her. Tyra fought back, burning him with the truck cigarette lighter and slamming the door on his hand, and he finally gave up. Moments later, as she stood crying in the rain, trying to gather up her books, Landry showed up at last, and he gathered Tyra into his arms and comforted her. It was a really sweet moment, and I hope Tyra gives the goofball geek a chance...But the whole time, I just kept thinking, "Why, when the rest of the world is at the football game, are Tyra & Landry planning to study?" I know she had a big test coming up, but I don't think anybody in Dillon misses football games - especially not Matt Sarracen's best friend, Landry!
And once again, Bo did not get enough air time, as Riggins continues to woo the single-mom-new-neighbour, Jackie. However, Tim did get a warning from big brother Billy that this is not going to end well. I hope for Tim's sake, he's wrong...I mean, he really has been getting the short end of the stick all season long in the relationship department.
And Waverly is Bi-Polar, and she's no longer taking her meds, and Smash is seriously scared. Can't say I blame him...She's kinda giving me the shivers every time she's on screen.
Best Bitch-Out of the Night: Lyla throwing water on Jason and lecturing him on how to turn his life around. Glad to see that Lyla has grown a spine and isn't afraid to tell him how it is, wheelchair or not!
Oh yeah, about that Semi-Final football game...It started to rain shortly after the game began, turning the cow-pasture-slash-football-field into one big mudhole. But the boys wanted to play, despite the officials' attempt to call the game, and they let 'em have at 'er, and of course the Panthers won. So Coach Taylor's cow pasture did, indeed, turn into the Field of Dreams.
Before signing off, I thought I should also mention a story that's become a hot topic in our area since it made front-page news in the Ottawa Citizen yesterday. 8-year-old Jared Murray of Shawville (great-nephew of Sens coach Bryan Murray), who played Novice B hockey for the Pontiacs all season long, has now been banned from playing in the Hockey Quebec Regional Playdowns, allegedly because of his size. Of course, in Shawville, where people are still bitter about having been forced to switch from the Upper Ottawa Valley minor hockey league to the Quebec Metro league many years ago, this has developed, once again, into a language issue. Many people feel that because Shawville is a mainly English town, that they are being discriminated against by the Metro league and its' French-speaking authorities.
Personally, for me, the language thing has gotten in the way of the real problem here: A child is no longer able to play the game he loves, and if the reason they're giving is that he's too big, then that is the angle from which this should be fought. Forget your French vs. English battle - this is about human rights, and a child being forced to sit out because of his size. And I guarantee you, this kid is an unhappy camper right now, because not only has he been forced to the sidelines, but Shawville Minor Hockey in its entirety is now boycotting the Regionals, and I can just imagine the kind of flak this boy is going to take at school from other children who don't understand the situation and blame him for cutting their hockey seasons short.
It's a gross injustice, to be sure. I just hope that those involved approach this from the right angle, or else minor hockey in Shawville is going to suffer for generations to come.
After a train de-railed near the high school in Dillon, Texas mere days before the State Semi-Finals, resulting in the school's closing and shutting down the football field, Coach Taylor had to do some quick thinking to find himself a home field. In a stroke of genius, he decided to gather his players together to build a field in a rural cow pasture, gathering them even tighter as a group as they worked to create their very own football field.
Meanwhile, Tyra finally gave in to Landry's pursual and agreed to let him be her Algebra tutor, and in Landry's world, that was like winning the lottery. However, his car broke down just as it started to rain, leaving Tyra waiting alone at the diner, chatting awkwardly with a man sitting nearby. When finally Tyra gave up waiting on Landry, she decided to take off, but that man followed her, shoved her into a truck, and tried to rape her. Tyra fought back, burning him with the truck cigarette lighter and slamming the door on his hand, and he finally gave up. Moments later, as she stood crying in the rain, trying to gather up her books, Landry showed up at last, and he gathered Tyra into his arms and comforted her. It was a really sweet moment, and I hope Tyra gives the goofball geek a chance...But the whole time, I just kept thinking, "Why, when the rest of the world is at the football game, are Tyra & Landry planning to study?" I know she had a big test coming up, but I don't think anybody in Dillon misses football games - especially not Matt Sarracen's best friend, Landry!
And once again, Bo did not get enough air time, as Riggins continues to woo the single-mom-new-neighbour, Jackie. However, Tim did get a warning from big brother Billy that this is not going to end well. I hope for Tim's sake, he's wrong...I mean, he really has been getting the short end of the stick all season long in the relationship department.
And Waverly is Bi-Polar, and she's no longer taking her meds, and Smash is seriously scared. Can't say I blame him...She's kinda giving me the shivers every time she's on screen.
Best Bitch-Out of the Night: Lyla throwing water on Jason and lecturing him on how to turn his life around. Glad to see that Lyla has grown a spine and isn't afraid to tell him how it is, wheelchair or not!
Oh yeah, about that Semi-Final football game...It started to rain shortly after the game began, turning the cow-pasture-slash-football-field into one big mudhole. But the boys wanted to play, despite the officials' attempt to call the game, and they let 'em have at 'er, and of course the Panthers won. So Coach Taylor's cow pasture did, indeed, turn into the Field of Dreams.
Before signing off, I thought I should also mention a story that's become a hot topic in our area since it made front-page news in the Ottawa Citizen yesterday. 8-year-old Jared Murray of Shawville (great-nephew of Sens coach Bryan Murray), who played Novice B hockey for the Pontiacs all season long, has now been banned from playing in the Hockey Quebec Regional Playdowns, allegedly because of his size. Of course, in Shawville, where people are still bitter about having been forced to switch from the Upper Ottawa Valley minor hockey league to the Quebec Metro league many years ago, this has developed, once again, into a language issue. Many people feel that because Shawville is a mainly English town, that they are being discriminated against by the Metro league and its' French-speaking authorities.
Personally, for me, the language thing has gotten in the way of the real problem here: A child is no longer able to play the game he loves, and if the reason they're giving is that he's too big, then that is the angle from which this should be fought. Forget your French vs. English battle - this is about human rights, and a child being forced to sit out because of his size. And I guarantee you, this kid is an unhappy camper right now, because not only has he been forced to the sidelines, but Shawville Minor Hockey in its entirety is now boycotting the Regionals, and I can just imagine the kind of flak this boy is going to take at school from other children who don't understand the situation and blame him for cutting their hockey seasons short.
It's a gross injustice, to be sure. I just hope that those involved approach this from the right angle, or else minor hockey in Shawville is going to suffer for generations to come.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Sure Signs of Spring
Alright, so I may be jumping the gun - who knows, we could get a snowstorm next week - but all this Springy weather is positively thrilling me!!
My winter coat has been retired, and I'm now back into my light-weight MVT jacket, which somehow just makes me feel skinnier. With the days lasting longer, I'm now able to take my walk after supper, and I don't even mind that I have to do a little puddle-jumping (or swimming - like in the massive lake in front of my cousin Scott's house, which goes completely across Stanton Road). I'm not even going to complain about the potholes throughout town and especially here on the 5th Concession, where you could sometimes imagine you're riding a really bumpy rollercoaster. Potholes=Spring! YAY!!!
More signs of Spring: Word on the street is Mae is opening the chipstand tomorrow. The Senators are 2 weeks away from their 10th consecutive playoff berth. I hear that there's been a gang down at the river getting the Ferries ready to set sail someday soon. Easter is next weekend. The Flying Elbows Tourney is this weekend. There's a huge bump at the end of our driveway where the culvert is falling in. The snow is pretty much melted everywhere. The phone here at MVT is ringing more and more. Todd's calling me twice as much as he did all winter long. Somewhere, I'm sure baby animals are being born and any day now people will be reporting that they've seen the first robin. Sara even told me she's got flowers growing at home.
Everybody's smiling more. Everybody's happy. Everbody's ready.
It's SPRING!! :)
My winter coat has been retired, and I'm now back into my light-weight MVT jacket, which somehow just makes me feel skinnier. With the days lasting longer, I'm now able to take my walk after supper, and I don't even mind that I have to do a little puddle-jumping (or swimming - like in the massive lake in front of my cousin Scott's house, which goes completely across Stanton Road). I'm not even going to complain about the potholes throughout town and especially here on the 5th Concession, where you could sometimes imagine you're riding a really bumpy rollercoaster. Potholes=Spring! YAY!!!
More signs of Spring: Word on the street is Mae is opening the chipstand tomorrow. The Senators are 2 weeks away from their 10th consecutive playoff berth. I hear that there's been a gang down at the river getting the Ferries ready to set sail someday soon. Easter is next weekend. The Flying Elbows Tourney is this weekend. There's a huge bump at the end of our driveway where the culvert is falling in. The snow is pretty much melted everywhere. The phone here at MVT is ringing more and more. Todd's calling me twice as much as he did all winter long. Somewhere, I'm sure baby animals are being born and any day now people will be reporting that they've seen the first robin. Sara even told me she's got flowers growing at home.
Everybody's smiling more. Everybody's happy. Everbody's ready.
It's SPRING!! :)
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
One Last Whirlwind Trip to Guelph!
Back from Guelph, all in one piece! Here's a quick run-down of a few of the highlights and funny moments:
- It was a very, very long car ride, as we got stuck in rush hour TO traffic on the 401 and crawled along until we hit the Guelph exit for like 2 hours or more. I was antsy!!
- On our way to the Portly Penguin for dinner Friday night, we were listening to homie music in Jason's car, and there was a funny noise in one of the songs, which I declared sounded a lot like a skunk. Jason and Lindsay teased me about it all weekend. (Do skunks have a sound??...I don't know!)
- We partied at Upstairs Van Gogh's, where I saw my first real live transvestite. I wanted to take the He-She's picture, but Jason warned me that it would kick my ass. Apparently, it and Lindsay are very good friends, though! (haha...)
- Grootz tried to teach me to do this cool dance-y move with my arms...But he and Jason laughed hysterically at me, apparently I wasn't doing it right...
- Bekk (Lindsay's roommate) & I went downstairs to get money out of the ATM, and we had to tell all the bouncers as we went by what we were doing so that they'd let us back in...The bouncer at the door going into the downstairs club knew Rebekka, and she told him what we were up to. He told her to go ahead, and she said, "Jill too?" and then I said, "Do you want to see my bank card?" Everybody around us laughed, and he told me that was the worst pick-up line he'd ever heard...
- I FINALLY got to eat Sun Sun's at like 3 AM...We stopped in there to get food on the way home, and then we decided to walk 'cause it was such a nice night. However, I apparently cannot walk & eat at the same time. So I ate cold Sun Sun's when we got home. But it was still just as good as everyone told me it would be! tee hee hee
- I should really offer up my apologies to those of you who received 4 AM wall posts on Facebook from me that night, especially Susie...That was a really long one!
- 4 hours after going to sleep, we were up & at 'em to have breakie with Bill & Sue. We also went to the theatre to see "Premonition" - highly recommended, just don't go pee or you'll be lost!
- We also went to Bill & Sue's hotel to swim. (Actually, Rebekka & I just dabbled our toes in the water) - But holy heck, you shoulda seen the hot lifeguard! Smokin'!!
- That night, Lindsay made fajitas, while Rebekka and I took charge of the nachos...We made them look so beautiful, just like a big pan of Christmas!!
- I still can't believe I had to watch LEAF HOCKEY two nights in a row!! Gag me!! But the first night was hilarious, with the Laffs blowing a 4-1 lead to lose 5-4 to Buffalo. I had to keep my hand over my mouth and I had to bite my tongue hard, to stay out of trouble!
- Kenny: Just in case Luke hasn't told you...I was 2/2 with Roll Up the Rim to Win on the weekend...two coffees, booyah!!
And that's about all I can think of right now, lots of laughs and good times! Hope you all had a great weekend as well!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
More Bo, Less Rocky
Good morning, lovely Bloggers!
OK - Brief FNL recap for Kenneth Fleck: The kid who plays Bo, Tim Riggins' new neighbour, is just about the cutest thing ever. He didn't get enough airtime last night; he's adorable! Tim's kinda taken the kid under his wing, and in the meantime is getting action from Bo's mom. It's hard sometimes to remember that Riggins is in high school. He seems so much older than all the other football players; so much more "wise in the ways of the world". Now that he's gettin' it on with a 30-something single mom, he seems even more grown up.
Street started out the episode with a major slap in the face when he was not selected to play on the Quad Rugby team in Beijing. But he returned home and seemed to reconnect with his old friends, including Riggins. He and Lyla may be in trouble again, though, after he told her he's not sure he wants to be engaged.
Meanwhile, Julie's flipping out at the possibility of having to move to Austin, Texas, as the Coach has been offered a new job out there. But Julie really does have the coolest parents in the world, and I won't be surprised if they decide to stay in Dillon so that she can stay with Matt. Mrs. T has also taken Tyra under her wing, helping her academically, but Tyra's mom wasn't on the same page, basically telling her daughter she's not smart enough to go on to college. Thankfully, Tyra thinks otherwise, and once again, I felt a little respect for the girl.
Next week's episode looks like it's gonna be another doozie!! Can't wait!
Now, on to Survivor, where we had a Tribal re-configuration right off the bat. Everybody dropped their buffs, and two new tribes were formed, with one coming out all-alpha-male, and the other apparently weak with all the girls & Yau Man (who might as well be considered a girl, strength-wise), along with Boo & Earl. Lisi was the odd gal out, and she was shipped off to Exile Island after basically throwing a tantrum and begging Jeff to send her home.
Edgardo selected the wrong colour of buff, so the boys were all sent to Loser Beach, while the seemingly "weak" tribe got a huge advantage in earning the right to live over at Luxury Camp. The boys, however, made the best of it, and they were out catching fish and bonding before you knew it. Unfortunately for Anthony, considered "effeminate" and "nerdy" by some of the others (ie: Rocky), he was left to build fire and boil water, while the "big tough men" went out to do the hard work. Argh, argh, argh! (That was supposed to sound like Tim the Tool Man's macho grunt...) I really felt bad for Anthony. He's never been given a fair shake with Rocky beating him down every chance he gets, and I've never been a fan of bullies. So yeah, my initial impression of Rocky being my favourite has completely evaporated.
At the Immunity Challenge - surprise, surprise! - the big, tough boys lost. It must be something to do with living on Loser Beach - like a vibe that you can't shake or something. It gets in your head, and you're doomed to be a loser forever. In any case, the boys debated tossing either Anthony or Rocky, but after the way Rocky acted at TC, I would have voted off Rocky. He acted like a little baby, and his treatment of Anthony was appalling, calling him names and demanding he stand up for himself, which was odd, because every time Anthony even so much as opened his mouth, Rocky was shouting over top of him. In the end, they got rid of Anthony anyway, but I guarantee you that Rocky won't be far behind him. His abrasive, loud, obnoxious attitude is already starting to grate on the other guys, and over-the-top characters like that never last long!
Right now, my new favourite is Edgardo. He seems to be the most level-headed and not so dramatic. Should be interesting to see how this one all boils down!
Well, that's all for now folks...It appears as though I might be making another trip to Guelph this weekend with Bill & Sue to visit Lindsay, so I'll have a full report when I return!
Take care!
OK - Brief FNL recap for Kenneth Fleck: The kid who plays Bo, Tim Riggins' new neighbour, is just about the cutest thing ever. He didn't get enough airtime last night; he's adorable! Tim's kinda taken the kid under his wing, and in the meantime is getting action from Bo's mom. It's hard sometimes to remember that Riggins is in high school. He seems so much older than all the other football players; so much more "wise in the ways of the world". Now that he's gettin' it on with a 30-something single mom, he seems even more grown up.
Street started out the episode with a major slap in the face when he was not selected to play on the Quad Rugby team in Beijing. But he returned home and seemed to reconnect with his old friends, including Riggins. He and Lyla may be in trouble again, though, after he told her he's not sure he wants to be engaged.
Meanwhile, Julie's flipping out at the possibility of having to move to Austin, Texas, as the Coach has been offered a new job out there. But Julie really does have the coolest parents in the world, and I won't be surprised if they decide to stay in Dillon so that she can stay with Matt. Mrs. T has also taken Tyra under her wing, helping her academically, but Tyra's mom wasn't on the same page, basically telling her daughter she's not smart enough to go on to college. Thankfully, Tyra thinks otherwise, and once again, I felt a little respect for the girl.
Next week's episode looks like it's gonna be another doozie!! Can't wait!
Now, on to Survivor, where we had a Tribal re-configuration right off the bat. Everybody dropped their buffs, and two new tribes were formed, with one coming out all-alpha-male, and the other apparently weak with all the girls & Yau Man (who might as well be considered a girl, strength-wise), along with Boo & Earl. Lisi was the odd gal out, and she was shipped off to Exile Island after basically throwing a tantrum and begging Jeff to send her home.
Edgardo selected the wrong colour of buff, so the boys were all sent to Loser Beach, while the seemingly "weak" tribe got a huge advantage in earning the right to live over at Luxury Camp. The boys, however, made the best of it, and they were out catching fish and bonding before you knew it. Unfortunately for Anthony, considered "effeminate" and "nerdy" by some of the others (ie: Rocky), he was left to build fire and boil water, while the "big tough men" went out to do the hard work. Argh, argh, argh! (That was supposed to sound like Tim the Tool Man's macho grunt...) I really felt bad for Anthony. He's never been given a fair shake with Rocky beating him down every chance he gets, and I've never been a fan of bullies. So yeah, my initial impression of Rocky being my favourite has completely evaporated.
At the Immunity Challenge - surprise, surprise! - the big, tough boys lost. It must be something to do with living on Loser Beach - like a vibe that you can't shake or something. It gets in your head, and you're doomed to be a loser forever. In any case, the boys debated tossing either Anthony or Rocky, but after the way Rocky acted at TC, I would have voted off Rocky. He acted like a little baby, and his treatment of Anthony was appalling, calling him names and demanding he stand up for himself, which was odd, because every time Anthony even so much as opened his mouth, Rocky was shouting over top of him. In the end, they got rid of Anthony anyway, but I guarantee you that Rocky won't be far behind him. His abrasive, loud, obnoxious attitude is already starting to grate on the other guys, and over-the-top characters like that never last long!
Right now, my new favourite is Edgardo. He seems to be the most level-headed and not so dramatic. Should be interesting to see how this one all boils down!
Well, that's all for now folks...It appears as though I might be making another trip to Guelph this weekend with Bill & Sue to visit Lindsay, so I'll have a full report when I return!
Take care!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
If I Were A Blues Fan...
It's very rare for me to ever sympathize with the "enemy", especially when it comes to hockey. I'm a homer when it comes to the Sens, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I would defend my players up and down, through thick and thin, no matter what.
Chris Neil lays out Chris Drury in a "questionable" hit? It was clean!! Drury shouldn't have been admiring his pass!!
Marian Hossa swings his stick too enthusiastically, catching Bryan Berard in the eye? He was just following through. It was a freak accident, very unfortunate for Berard, but not really Hossa's fault!!
Dany Heatley drives too fast, getting in a car accident and killing his Atlanta teammate Dan Snyder? It was a tragedy, but everybody makes mistakes. Snyder's family has publicly forgiven him, so quit trying to bring him down, people!!
Daniel Alfredsson plasters Darcy Tucker into the boards in another "questionable" hit? It was 85 years ago, idiots! Plus, Tucker's the most annoying player ever & he deserved it. Get over it and QUIT BOOING MY CAPTAIN!!
Yep, that's right. I'd stick up for them, in any situation.
But last night, watching the Sens take on the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, I actually felt a little sorry for the home team. Just a little smidge of compassion. Because they were robbed - not just once, but twice.
In the third period, with the game tied at 2, Martin Gerber appeared to make a spectacular save off of Brad Boyes. Boyes was at the side of the net, staring at a wide-open cage, and the puck came to him. It looked like he had all day to just tap it in. But Gerber dove over, and made the stop, in what seemed to be a breath-taking show of goaltending prowess. It was the kind of save that would have a goaltender dreaming of winning the HON honours on TSN's Sportscentre Loop.
But our local broadcaster boys offered up an overhead view of the play that clearly showed the puck had crossed the line. Apparently the St. Louis players didn't realize it, because they didn't even demand that they go upstairs. If they had, the replays would have shown that it was a goal and St. Louis would have gone ahead 3-2. However, there was no uproar at all, the puck was dropped, and play resumed. Moments later, the St. Louis video goal judges buzzed down to say it was a goal, but you can't go back in hockey once the puck has been dropped, so it was ruled "no goal".
Seconds later, Ottawa broke up ice shorthanded 2-on-1, Chris Kelly slid a pass over to Antoine Vermette, and Bam!! - just like that, it's 3-2 Ottawa!
Not long after, there was a scramble in the Ottawa end around Gerber, and the puck slipped into the net. The ref signalled "no goal" again, claiming to have blown the whistle. Replays showed that the puck had crossed the line mere seconds before the whistle blew. However, apparently when the ref loses sight of the puck and has his mind made up on the play, it doesn't matter if he blows the whistle or not, because in his mind, the play is dead. Another lost opportunity for the Blues.
One more thing happened that was obviously missed by the officials or Ottawa would have taken a delay of game penalty: With the Blues heading down the ice into the Ottawa end, chasing the puck, Antoine Vermette had a brain cramp or something while sitting on the bench and reached over the boards to swing his stick at the puck. Luke noticed it first and we all laughed at him, but moments later they showed the replay, and sure enough, there was Vermette, leaning over the boards and waving his stick at the puck! If he had been caught doing that, it would have been a Blues powerplay, and they might have scored to get back in the game.
So yeah, I felt a little sorry for the poor lads. The hockey gods were definitely not smiling on them last night.
Now, on the flip side, it was imperative for the Sens to secure the two points as we continue to battle Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference for 4th place. Meanwhile, the game was meaningless to the Blues, as they were 12 points out of a playoff spot before last night's action. So I suppose I could look at it from the perspective that my team needed a little luck, and thanks to a slow video goal judge and a ref with a slow whistle, we got that luck last night.
But I think if I were a Blues fan, I'd be pretty ticked off!
Chris Neil lays out Chris Drury in a "questionable" hit? It was clean!! Drury shouldn't have been admiring his pass!!
Marian Hossa swings his stick too enthusiastically, catching Bryan Berard in the eye? He was just following through. It was a freak accident, very unfortunate for Berard, but not really Hossa's fault!!
Dany Heatley drives too fast, getting in a car accident and killing his Atlanta teammate Dan Snyder? It was a tragedy, but everybody makes mistakes. Snyder's family has publicly forgiven him, so quit trying to bring him down, people!!
Daniel Alfredsson plasters Darcy Tucker into the boards in another "questionable" hit? It was 85 years ago, idiots! Plus, Tucker's the most annoying player ever & he deserved it. Get over it and QUIT BOOING MY CAPTAIN!!
Yep, that's right. I'd stick up for them, in any situation.
But last night, watching the Sens take on the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, I actually felt a little sorry for the home team. Just a little smidge of compassion. Because they were robbed - not just once, but twice.
In the third period, with the game tied at 2, Martin Gerber appeared to make a spectacular save off of Brad Boyes. Boyes was at the side of the net, staring at a wide-open cage, and the puck came to him. It looked like he had all day to just tap it in. But Gerber dove over, and made the stop, in what seemed to be a breath-taking show of goaltending prowess. It was the kind of save that would have a goaltender dreaming of winning the HON honours on TSN's Sportscentre Loop.
But our local broadcaster boys offered up an overhead view of the play that clearly showed the puck had crossed the line. Apparently the St. Louis players didn't realize it, because they didn't even demand that they go upstairs. If they had, the replays would have shown that it was a goal and St. Louis would have gone ahead 3-2. However, there was no uproar at all, the puck was dropped, and play resumed. Moments later, the St. Louis video goal judges buzzed down to say it was a goal, but you can't go back in hockey once the puck has been dropped, so it was ruled "no goal".
Seconds later, Ottawa broke up ice shorthanded 2-on-1, Chris Kelly slid a pass over to Antoine Vermette, and Bam!! - just like that, it's 3-2 Ottawa!
Not long after, there was a scramble in the Ottawa end around Gerber, and the puck slipped into the net. The ref signalled "no goal" again, claiming to have blown the whistle. Replays showed that the puck had crossed the line mere seconds before the whistle blew. However, apparently when the ref loses sight of the puck and has his mind made up on the play, it doesn't matter if he blows the whistle or not, because in his mind, the play is dead. Another lost opportunity for the Blues.
One more thing happened that was obviously missed by the officials or Ottawa would have taken a delay of game penalty: With the Blues heading down the ice into the Ottawa end, chasing the puck, Antoine Vermette had a brain cramp or something while sitting on the bench and reached over the boards to swing his stick at the puck. Luke noticed it first and we all laughed at him, but moments later they showed the replay, and sure enough, there was Vermette, leaning over the boards and waving his stick at the puck! If he had been caught doing that, it would have been a Blues powerplay, and they might have scored to get back in the game.
So yeah, I felt a little sorry for the poor lads. The hockey gods were definitely not smiling on them last night.
Now, on the flip side, it was imperative for the Sens to secure the two points as we continue to battle Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference for 4th place. Meanwhile, the game was meaningless to the Blues, as they were 12 points out of a playoff spot before last night's action. So I suppose I could look at it from the perspective that my team needed a little luck, and thanks to a slow video goal judge and a ref with a slow whistle, we got that luck last night.
But I think if I were a Blues fan, I'd be pretty ticked off!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The Twilight Zone
G'day, folks! Welcome to this edition of the Blog!
We'll kick things off with a re-cap of Grey's Anatomy - which was apparently the only show in the world that didn't take a "break" last week. We found ourselves amidst the after-math of the whole "Merdith-drowned-and-came-back-to-life-but-her-mom-died" story arc. Mer seems to be handling her near-death experience and her mother's passing quite well. She even agreed to have dinner with her estranged father and step-mother, who wanted to reach out to her in her time of grief. And yes, there were many awkward moments during the dinner (especially when her father described a photo of what he thought was his other daughter Molly, and Meredith interrupted, saying, "No, Dad, that was me.") But Meredith did seem to really connect with her father's second wife, and I think we'll see Meredith finally become a part of a "real family" in the future.
Alex moved in with Meredith & Izzie - and I still think he's just about THE hottest thing to ever breathe. He's making Izzie uncomfortable, so who knows - sparks could be flying for them again before we know it!
George & Callie had a huge fight, after she revealed to him that she's sitting on a gold mine, and that's how they're able to afford the luxurious hotel suite they've been staying at. Callie also threw out the idea that she thinks Izzie has the hots for her new husband, and that's why she's so dead-set against their marriage. This built up to the most heart-wrenching moment of the night for me: when George laughed at her and said, "Oh come on...She's Izzie! She's blonde, and she's stacked, she was a model!...She'd never be interested in me!" His words absolutely crushed Callie, and I totally related. George didn't mean to hurt her, but basically what he said was, "I can't get someone like Izzie, so I've settled for someone like you." So yeah, she was completely justified in kicking him out. I adore George, but that was just too mean!!
Unfortunately for Callie, the one George went to to vent was, in fact, Izzie. They drank together while she listened to him pour his heart out and offered him advice, despite her hatred for Callie, and before we know it, George & Izzie are in bed together. Yep, you heard right. George & Izzie. In bed together. I have no idea what's going to happen next...But I don't like Izzie & George together, so I hope they clean up that mess, and quickly!!
Oh, and Cristina's ex-boyfriend, who happens to be an old, ugly British guy, was in town, screwing things up with her & Burke, and also intensifying the race to become Chief. Poor old Richard had his Attendings fighting all over the halls of the surgical wing at Seattle Grace, and all of them trying to one-up each other and impress the new guy. The Chief wasn't pleased. I'm starting to wonder if the Chief will ever find a replacement! Can't wait to see what happens...
On to The Amazing Race. Or should I say, The Twilight Zone. Remember last week, how horrified I was that Rob & Amber were eliminated after they were beaten to the mat by Mirna & Schmirna?? Well, this week the Shrieky Cousins finished in first!! Unbelievable!! It was their first-ever "first place finish" on the Race, and I just hated them all the more!
This week I missed the first fifteen minutes, but I tuned in in time for the Roadblock, where one team member had to use a gigantic trained rat to find a buried flag marker. Most of the teams were initially freaked out by the massive rodents, but they never had to touch them, and they actually seemed kinda cute & cuddly! Mirna & Schmirna's rat didn't co-operate the best, and after the Roadblock, it appeared they were in dire straits.
However, thanks to some bad navigating by my boy Eric, a couple of teams got lost on the way to the Detour, where they had to choose between loading 10 bags with coal and delivering one bag to a local, or offering manicures to people in the market to accumulate a certain amount of money. Most teams chose to do the coal, and to be honest, I think I would have too - however, it turned out that the nail-painting was actually a very easy task, and those who chose it finished at the top of the pack. Sweetest moment of the night goes to Dustin & Kandice after they painted a cute little girl's nails, even though she had no money.
Eric & Danielle, who are my last remaining "favourite team", looked like they were in big trouble when they were last team left filling the bags of coal, but fortunately for them, Uchenna and Joyce got lost delivering their bag, and they even almost beat Team Guido (their new arch-nemesis) to the mat. Uchenna & Joyce did come in last, but Phil offered them a reprieve with the first non-elimination round, and they will be marked for elimination next week, so they must finish in first or suffer a 30-minute penalty.
So there's your recaps, folks! I hope everyone had a great St. Paddy's Day - Gavan's was crazy-fun, and I have some pics up on Facebook, so if you're on there, look me up and check 'em out!
We'll kick things off with a re-cap of Grey's Anatomy - which was apparently the only show in the world that didn't take a "break" last week. We found ourselves amidst the after-math of the whole "Merdith-drowned-and-came-back-to-life-but-her-mom-died" story arc. Mer seems to be handling her near-death experience and her mother's passing quite well. She even agreed to have dinner with her estranged father and step-mother, who wanted to reach out to her in her time of grief. And yes, there were many awkward moments during the dinner (especially when her father described a photo of what he thought was his other daughter Molly, and Meredith interrupted, saying, "No, Dad, that was me.") But Meredith did seem to really connect with her father's second wife, and I think we'll see Meredith finally become a part of a "real family" in the future.
Alex moved in with Meredith & Izzie - and I still think he's just about THE hottest thing to ever breathe. He's making Izzie uncomfortable, so who knows - sparks could be flying for them again before we know it!
George & Callie had a huge fight, after she revealed to him that she's sitting on a gold mine, and that's how they're able to afford the luxurious hotel suite they've been staying at. Callie also threw out the idea that she thinks Izzie has the hots for her new husband, and that's why she's so dead-set against their marriage. This built up to the most heart-wrenching moment of the night for me: when George laughed at her and said, "Oh come on...She's Izzie! She's blonde, and she's stacked, she was a model!...She'd never be interested in me!" His words absolutely crushed Callie, and I totally related. George didn't mean to hurt her, but basically what he said was, "I can't get someone like Izzie, so I've settled for someone like you." So yeah, she was completely justified in kicking him out. I adore George, but that was just too mean!!
Unfortunately for Callie, the one George went to to vent was, in fact, Izzie. They drank together while she listened to him pour his heart out and offered him advice, despite her hatred for Callie, and before we know it, George & Izzie are in bed together. Yep, you heard right. George & Izzie. In bed together. I have no idea what's going to happen next...But I don't like Izzie & George together, so I hope they clean up that mess, and quickly!!
Oh, and Cristina's ex-boyfriend, who happens to be an old, ugly British guy, was in town, screwing things up with her & Burke, and also intensifying the race to become Chief. Poor old Richard had his Attendings fighting all over the halls of the surgical wing at Seattle Grace, and all of them trying to one-up each other and impress the new guy. The Chief wasn't pleased. I'm starting to wonder if the Chief will ever find a replacement! Can't wait to see what happens...
On to The Amazing Race. Or should I say, The Twilight Zone. Remember last week, how horrified I was that Rob & Amber were eliminated after they were beaten to the mat by Mirna & Schmirna?? Well, this week the Shrieky Cousins finished in first!! Unbelievable!! It was their first-ever "first place finish" on the Race, and I just hated them all the more!
This week I missed the first fifteen minutes, but I tuned in in time for the Roadblock, where one team member had to use a gigantic trained rat to find a buried flag marker. Most of the teams were initially freaked out by the massive rodents, but they never had to touch them, and they actually seemed kinda cute & cuddly! Mirna & Schmirna's rat didn't co-operate the best, and after the Roadblock, it appeared they were in dire straits.
However, thanks to some bad navigating by my boy Eric, a couple of teams got lost on the way to the Detour, where they had to choose between loading 10 bags with coal and delivering one bag to a local, or offering manicures to people in the market to accumulate a certain amount of money. Most teams chose to do the coal, and to be honest, I think I would have too - however, it turned out that the nail-painting was actually a very easy task, and those who chose it finished at the top of the pack. Sweetest moment of the night goes to Dustin & Kandice after they painted a cute little girl's nails, even though she had no money.
Eric & Danielle, who are my last remaining "favourite team", looked like they were in big trouble when they were last team left filling the bags of coal, but fortunately for them, Uchenna and Joyce got lost delivering their bag, and they even almost beat Team Guido (their new arch-nemesis) to the mat. Uchenna & Joyce did come in last, but Phil offered them a reprieve with the first non-elimination round, and they will be marked for elimination next week, so they must finish in first or suffer a 30-minute penalty.
So there's your recaps, folks! I hope everyone had a great St. Paddy's Day - Gavan's was crazy-fun, and I have some pics up on Facebook, so if you're on there, look me up and check 'em out!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Be There or Be Square!!
So we're all boys to Quyon,
Put on your best clothes!
We're a-headin' for a-Quyon,
Where the Ottawa flows.
Where there's music and dancing,
And all hands around!
We're a-headin' for a-Quyon,
My old stomping grounds!
That Gail Gavan song always makes me think of St. Paddy's Day at Gavan's. I'm not sure why. It's not a song from her Irish collection; in fact, I think it's probably from her "Love of the Valley" Volume 1 tape. But when I'm at Gavan's on Sunday, and the place is packed to the rafters, and I'm running into people from all over the Valley, that's the tune I'll be humming in my head.
So yes, in case you didn't already know, the famous St. Pat's party at Gavan's is on Sunday, starting at 1 and running all afternoon & into the evening, until God only knows when. There's just something about being at Gavan's on a Sunday afternoon, with the sun beaming through the windows, and everyone drunk & rowdy & friendly - it's a special day, and I can't wait! I'm not a big fan of the "big side" on St. Paddy's - it's so crowded, you can barely move. But the "small side" - now that's where the real fun is! A small group of musicians playing fiddles and guitars, and most of the locals crammed around tables and standing up at the bar. You can kind of just find a spot to plant yourself, and then have fun as people tour around and stop to say hello.
People come from far and wide for the famous (infamous?) celebration - it's the one big party that always puts Gavan's - and Quyon - on the map. It's also amazing how everyone discovers their Irish roots and come decked out in green from head to toe. As you can tell, I'm really excited...And I hope to see you all there!
Put on your best clothes!
We're a-headin' for a-Quyon,
Where the Ottawa flows.
Where there's music and dancing,
And all hands around!
We're a-headin' for a-Quyon,
My old stomping grounds!
That Gail Gavan song always makes me think of St. Paddy's Day at Gavan's. I'm not sure why. It's not a song from her Irish collection; in fact, I think it's probably from her "Love of the Valley" Volume 1 tape. But when I'm at Gavan's on Sunday, and the place is packed to the rafters, and I'm running into people from all over the Valley, that's the tune I'll be humming in my head.
So yes, in case you didn't already know, the famous St. Pat's party at Gavan's is on Sunday, starting at 1 and running all afternoon & into the evening, until God only knows when. There's just something about being at Gavan's on a Sunday afternoon, with the sun beaming through the windows, and everyone drunk & rowdy & friendly - it's a special day, and I can't wait! I'm not a big fan of the "big side" on St. Paddy's - it's so crowded, you can barely move. But the "small side" - now that's where the real fun is! A small group of musicians playing fiddles and guitars, and most of the locals crammed around tables and standing up at the bar. You can kind of just find a spot to plant yourself, and then have fun as people tour around and stop to say hello.
People come from far and wide for the famous (infamous?) celebration - it's the one big party that always puts Gavan's - and Quyon - on the map. It's also amazing how everyone discovers their Irish roots and come decked out in green from head to toe. As you can tell, I'm really excited...And I hope to see you all there!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Those Pesky Penguins
I love my Ottawa Senators. You guys all know that. So I was tremendously pleased last night when they came back from a 2-0 deficit vs. the New York Rangers to win the game 3-2. Yes, they actually held on to a third period lead, rather than blowing it. Ray Emery was stellar in nets, and they fought hard to get back in the game after a lacklustre first period.
But you know what kinda takes the shine off a solid win like that? Finding out that those pesky Pittsburgh Penguins just won't die. Ever!! Like, c'mon!! How many times in the past month have they come back in a game to take it to Overtime or a Shootout? Seems like every second night, they're doing it again. Last night it was against the Buffalo Sabres. I was trusting Buffalo to take care of them for me, so that I could have a 3-point cushion in the East, but noooooo. They let them get the 2 points in a Shootout. The buggers.
I admire these kids in Pittsburgh. I really do. In fact, I had even selected to cheer them on as my second favourite team in the NHL, until they decided to go and become my biggest competition. Of course, I've had to sever my ties with them since then. There's just no room in my heart for 2 hockey teams, I guess. But I'm having trouble trying to figure out when they went from being a bit of a joke - a basement-dwelling team last season, to one of the hottest up-and-coming clubs the NHL has ever seen. Yes, I know they have explosive youth in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Marc-Andre Fleury. And they loaded up at the trade deadline, acquiring experience in Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque. They've got spunk, they've got heart, they've got youthful exuberance.
And they're killing me!!!
Now, don't get me wrong, I think they're awesome. But more and more each day, they're reminding me of a pesky little brother that won't just get lost! So cute & adorable for a little while, but then they just become a complete pain in the ass! It's driving me nuts! How can they keep coming back to win games in OT and Shootouts? They just never quit...And if you're a Pittsburgh fan, that's awesome.
But if you're a Sens fan...It kinda sucks!
But you know what kinda takes the shine off a solid win like that? Finding out that those pesky Pittsburgh Penguins just won't die. Ever!! Like, c'mon!! How many times in the past month have they come back in a game to take it to Overtime or a Shootout? Seems like every second night, they're doing it again. Last night it was against the Buffalo Sabres. I was trusting Buffalo to take care of them for me, so that I could have a 3-point cushion in the East, but noooooo. They let them get the 2 points in a Shootout. The buggers.
I admire these kids in Pittsburgh. I really do. In fact, I had even selected to cheer them on as my second favourite team in the NHL, until they decided to go and become my biggest competition. Of course, I've had to sever my ties with them since then. There's just no room in my heart for 2 hockey teams, I guess. But I'm having trouble trying to figure out when they went from being a bit of a joke - a basement-dwelling team last season, to one of the hottest up-and-coming clubs the NHL has ever seen. Yes, I know they have explosive youth in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Marc-Andre Fleury. And they loaded up at the trade deadline, acquiring experience in Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque. They've got spunk, they've got heart, they've got youthful exuberance.
And they're killing me!!!
Now, don't get me wrong, I think they're awesome. But more and more each day, they're reminding me of a pesky little brother that won't just get lost! So cute & adorable for a little while, but then they just become a complete pain in the ass! It's driving me nuts! How can they keep coming back to win games in OT and Shootouts? They just never quit...And if you're a Pittsburgh fan, that's awesome.
But if you're a Sens fan...It kinda sucks!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Injustice Of It All
Ever have one of those moments when you're left thinking: Hey! That's not fair!! ??
Well, that's the kind of weekend I had - just full of moments of great injustice.
We'll start with Thursday night's episode of Survivor. Guess what? My tribe - that poor tribe I picked right off the bat to be my "favourite - well...they lost again. Both challenges. And in the first one, for reward, they lost miserably. It was almost painful to watch. Especially after watching the other team gloat & rub it in their faces upon arriving for the challenge, and after watching Rocky try to light a fire under his tribe by challenging Dreamz in the first match-up. Dreamz squashed him. And then every member of the "Luxury Tribe" followed suit, absolutely pummeling the Losers into oblivion. The only member of the Losers to score a point? That would be - get this - Yau Man!! The spindly, scrawny, old, be-spectacled Asian man, and he beat a spindly, scrawny young Asian chick. Not exactly a huge victory, but for a moment, his tribemates were smiling.
In the Immunity Challenge, they faired a wee bit better in the memory game, coming very close to actually winning it. But whether from food deprivation, dehydration, or being psychologically beaten down so many times that they don't know how to do anything but lose, they had several brain cramps, and in the end, the other team stole the victory out from beneath them. And all I could think was: This just isn't fair.
Next up was the Sens vs. Leafs game on Saturday night. After watching the Sens whoop the Laffs on Thursday night, I was sure we had this game in the bag. And after taking a 3-1 lead into the third period, I was already planning on how I was going to prance around the office today and rub it in the Leaf fans' faces. But as usual, I got too cocky too soon, and my poor ol' Sens blew another 3rd period lead, losing 4-3 in OT. Guess who scored the OT winner? Darcy Tucker. The one hockey player in the world that I hate the most. Sooooo not fair.
Sunday night was The Amazing Race, and my prediction was correct: Rob & Amber screwed up royally. And I think if I was Amber, I could look back on the tapes and lay the blame solely on Rob's shoulders. Their biggest slip-up was in the Detour, when they chose to build a sign post listing in order all of Magellan's stops in his trip around the world (or something like that...) - and spelling was important. So of course, Rob spelled "Phillippines" wrong - "Phillipeans". The camera flashed on it a hundred times with foreboding music playing...Duh-duh-duuuuuuh. But they never figured it out, which completely baffled me. Knowing that spelling counted, I think the first thing I would have done was gone through all the names to check they spelling. Anyways, they eventually gave up and took the much easier task of navigating with a compass to find their next clue.
At this point, they were still very much in the race, albeit at the back of the pack. Rob's next big blunder came during the Roadblock, when he had to sift through letters to find one of only two letters addressed to them in a bag of 1,600 pieces of mail. It came down to him battling with Mirna & Schmirna, in all their shrieky glory, and Rob got sloppy again. He was more concerned with looking over his shoulder at what the Mirna was doing and trash-talking rather than concentrating on the task at hand. I swear, he didn't even flip half the letters over to see the label, and he was tossing most of them on the floor without a second glance. Needless to say, Mirna & Schmirna got the jump on them and managed to finish ahead of them, so Rob & Amber, who had previously finished first in three straight legs, were eliminated. Not fair. Not fair at all.
After the huge Amazing Race let-down, I flipped over to Much Music, where they were airing their 50 Sexiest Videos. They happened to be on #21. It was Justin Timberlake's Sexyback. Some of you may already know how much I love that song. I don't even really like that kind of music, but I love that song. And it was #21?????? On the list of 50 Sexiest Videos? Huh????? The song is called Sexyback, for God's sake!! And Justin Timberlake is in it! It should have ranked in the top 5, if not #1!! Geeez!! So not fair, it's not even funny!!
And that about sums up the injustice of it all. Have a great day!
Well, that's the kind of weekend I had - just full of moments of great injustice.
We'll start with Thursday night's episode of Survivor. Guess what? My tribe - that poor tribe I picked right off the bat to be my "favourite - well...they lost again. Both challenges. And in the first one, for reward, they lost miserably. It was almost painful to watch. Especially after watching the other team gloat & rub it in their faces upon arriving for the challenge, and after watching Rocky try to light a fire under his tribe by challenging Dreamz in the first match-up. Dreamz squashed him. And then every member of the "Luxury Tribe" followed suit, absolutely pummeling the Losers into oblivion. The only member of the Losers to score a point? That would be - get this - Yau Man!! The spindly, scrawny, old, be-spectacled Asian man, and he beat a spindly, scrawny young Asian chick. Not exactly a huge victory, but for a moment, his tribemates were smiling.
In the Immunity Challenge, they faired a wee bit better in the memory game, coming very close to actually winning it. But whether from food deprivation, dehydration, or being psychologically beaten down so many times that they don't know how to do anything but lose, they had several brain cramps, and in the end, the other team stole the victory out from beneath them. And all I could think was: This just isn't fair.
Next up was the Sens vs. Leafs game on Saturday night. After watching the Sens whoop the Laffs on Thursday night, I was sure we had this game in the bag. And after taking a 3-1 lead into the third period, I was already planning on how I was going to prance around the office today and rub it in the Leaf fans' faces. But as usual, I got too cocky too soon, and my poor ol' Sens blew another 3rd period lead, losing 4-3 in OT. Guess who scored the OT winner? Darcy Tucker. The one hockey player in the world that I hate the most. Sooooo not fair.
Sunday night was The Amazing Race, and my prediction was correct: Rob & Amber screwed up royally. And I think if I was Amber, I could look back on the tapes and lay the blame solely on Rob's shoulders. Their biggest slip-up was in the Detour, when they chose to build a sign post listing in order all of Magellan's stops in his trip around the world (or something like that...) - and spelling was important. So of course, Rob spelled "Phillippines" wrong - "Phillipeans". The camera flashed on it a hundred times with foreboding music playing...Duh-duh-duuuuuuh. But they never figured it out, which completely baffled me. Knowing that spelling counted, I think the first thing I would have done was gone through all the names to check they spelling. Anyways, they eventually gave up and took the much easier task of navigating with a compass to find their next clue.
At this point, they were still very much in the race, albeit at the back of the pack. Rob's next big blunder came during the Roadblock, when he had to sift through letters to find one of only two letters addressed to them in a bag of 1,600 pieces of mail. It came down to him battling with Mirna & Schmirna, in all their shrieky glory, and Rob got sloppy again. He was more concerned with looking over his shoulder at what the Mirna was doing and trash-talking rather than concentrating on the task at hand. I swear, he didn't even flip half the letters over to see the label, and he was tossing most of them on the floor without a second glance. Needless to say, Mirna & Schmirna got the jump on them and managed to finish ahead of them, so Rob & Amber, who had previously finished first in three straight legs, were eliminated. Not fair. Not fair at all.
After the huge Amazing Race let-down, I flipped over to Much Music, where they were airing their 50 Sexiest Videos. They happened to be on #21. It was Justin Timberlake's Sexyback. Some of you may already know how much I love that song. I don't even really like that kind of music, but I love that song. And it was #21?????? On the list of 50 Sexiest Videos? Huh????? The song is called Sexyback, for God's sake!! And Justin Timberlake is in it! It should have ranked in the top 5, if not #1!! Geeez!! So not fair, it's not even funny!!
And that about sums up the injustice of it all. Have a great day!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
"Remembering Wheels"
OK, would you believe I have ZERO time to write a Blog today? So I've elected to copy & paste a story I read a few weeks back on the TSN website. The story was called "Remembering Wheels" by TSN columnist James Duthie, and I thought most of you probably haven't read it, so I wanted to share it with you. Get your Kleenex box handy for this one, folks...
James Duthie
2/20/2007 11:35:56 PM
If you could watch one hockey player, past or present, play a game, who would it be?
Gretzky at 21? Orr with knees scar-free? The Rocket, at his angry, eyes blazing best? Crosby, right now?
I'm often asked that question. And I was never sure of the answer. Until now.
It is none of the above.
If I could watch one player lace up the skates and play a game, I would choose a skinny left-winger from Guelph, Ontario.
A player who moved so fast, they called him Wheels.
A terrific hockey mind who, by the age of 10, had already patented his own move: carrying the puck swiftly into the opposing zone, then spinning around and sending it back to his point man, leading to countless chances for his team.
A leader, so popular in the room, a former coach says when he walked in for practise, there would be a chorus of "Sit here! Sit next to me!"
A coach's dream, always shining his shoes to make sure he looked proper when he arrived at the rink. And so obsessed with being on time, he wore a digital watch with a face big enough to dwarf his little arms.
An offensive dynamo who scored 12 goals in one 7-game span this season, amazing considering he always preferred being a playmaker.
A natural athlete who was also a whiz at soccer, football, track, and pretty much everything he tried.
An always smiling charmer who, even when he tried to boast, couldn't help but turn it into a joke.
"I'm the best athlete in my school," he once said. "Then again, my school is really small."
A kid who lived and breathed hockey from the second he woke 'til the moment he hit the pillow, exhausted after playing hours a day.
But here's the rub.
This hockey player I'd love to see play again...
I never saw him play.
Everything I know about him comes from the stories I've been told over the past week by teammates, coaches, friends, and family.
His name was Nicholas Lambden.
Two Sundays ago, he was doing something every one of us who has played outdoor pick-up hockey has done hundreds of times: digging for a puck in the snow. A shot from a nearby game struck him in the head.
It was a freak, million to one accident. And it killed him.
Nick was 10 years-old.
10 years-old.
Last Friday, the Guelph Atom AA Junior Storm should have been excitedly preparing for the next round of their playoffs. Instead, they were walking up the aisle of a church, past the coffin with their teammate's #12 sweater draped over it, laying their sticks next to Nick's.
Later, they'd talk about how happy he'd been after scoring the tying goal late in what would be a thrilling OT win that past Saturday. His last game.
Nick loved hockey. Loved the Leafs. Worshipped Mats Sundin (Though Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin were right up there too).
He dreamed of being just like them. Of someday being talked about on TSN. Consider it done, Wheels.
I thank all of his friends for sharing their memories.
But each new gut-wrenching phone call, each heart-breaking email that pops up in the inbox, makes me wish I could have met Nick, and watched him play the game he loved so much.
And makes me curse the fact I never will.
Our thoughts remain with Nicholas's mother Susan, father Andrew, and sister Madison. This week Nick's team will resume their playoffs wearing black armbands with the #12 on them. They also hope to spread the message that everyone who plays outdoor hockey should always wear a helmet. Always.
James Duthie can be reached at jduthie@tsn.ca.
James Duthie
2/20/2007 11:35:56 PM
If you could watch one hockey player, past or present, play a game, who would it be?
Gretzky at 21? Orr with knees scar-free? The Rocket, at his angry, eyes blazing best? Crosby, right now?
I'm often asked that question. And I was never sure of the answer. Until now.
It is none of the above.
If I could watch one player lace up the skates and play a game, I would choose a skinny left-winger from Guelph, Ontario.
A player who moved so fast, they called him Wheels.
A terrific hockey mind who, by the age of 10, had already patented his own move: carrying the puck swiftly into the opposing zone, then spinning around and sending it back to his point man, leading to countless chances for his team.
A leader, so popular in the room, a former coach says when he walked in for practise, there would be a chorus of "Sit here! Sit next to me!"
A coach's dream, always shining his shoes to make sure he looked proper when he arrived at the rink. And so obsessed with being on time, he wore a digital watch with a face big enough to dwarf his little arms.
An offensive dynamo who scored 12 goals in one 7-game span this season, amazing considering he always preferred being a playmaker.
A natural athlete who was also a whiz at soccer, football, track, and pretty much everything he tried.
An always smiling charmer who, even when he tried to boast, couldn't help but turn it into a joke.
"I'm the best athlete in my school," he once said. "Then again, my school is really small."
A kid who lived and breathed hockey from the second he woke 'til the moment he hit the pillow, exhausted after playing hours a day.
But here's the rub.
This hockey player I'd love to see play again...
I never saw him play.
Everything I know about him comes from the stories I've been told over the past week by teammates, coaches, friends, and family.
His name was Nicholas Lambden.
Two Sundays ago, he was doing something every one of us who has played outdoor pick-up hockey has done hundreds of times: digging for a puck in the snow. A shot from a nearby game struck him in the head.
It was a freak, million to one accident. And it killed him.
Nick was 10 years-old.
10 years-old.
Last Friday, the Guelph Atom AA Junior Storm should have been excitedly preparing for the next round of their playoffs. Instead, they were walking up the aisle of a church, past the coffin with their teammate's #12 sweater draped over it, laying their sticks next to Nick's.
Later, they'd talk about how happy he'd been after scoring the tying goal late in what would be a thrilling OT win that past Saturday. His last game.
Nick loved hockey. Loved the Leafs. Worshipped Mats Sundin (Though Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin were right up there too).
He dreamed of being just like them. Of someday being talked about on TSN. Consider it done, Wheels.
I thank all of his friends for sharing their memories.
But each new gut-wrenching phone call, each heart-breaking email that pops up in the inbox, makes me wish I could have met Nick, and watched him play the game he loved so much.
And makes me curse the fact I never will.
Our thoughts remain with Nicholas's mother Susan, father Andrew, and sister Madison. This week Nick's team will resume their playoffs wearing black armbands with the #12 on them. They also hope to spread the message that everyone who plays outdoor hockey should always wear a helmet. Always.
James Duthie can be reached at jduthie@tsn.ca.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The 100th Post!!
The Blog just turned 100!
My, how our little Blog has grown, hasn't it?? Seems like just yesterday I finally got up the nerve to set up Jill's World, and now here we are, already 100 posts old! Unbelievable!
Today should be a celebration of the Blog, so I don't want to bring things down by talking about my poor ol' Sens and their latest disturbing trend of blowing third-period leads. However, I would like to mention the cornucopia of "subjects" that have made the Blog a success, and that does include the Senators, and hockey talk in general. There has also been my favourite TV shows: Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, Survivor, The Amazing Race, Rockstar Supernova, and Big Brother. I've also done a few CD reviews for Hinder, Rockstar Supernova, and Chris Daughtry; "concert reviews" for The Town Pants, Steve Agnew & Branded, and In Safe Hands; a book review of an Elie Wiesel novel which I now can't remember the name of...and so much more! Hey, remember the "security breach" back in December when I decided to make you all sign up with a password to eliminate "no-name" Bloggers? That was friggin' cool! Heck, the Blog even had a baby when Stacy & Ricky's little Madyson arrived last month! We've been through a lot here at Jill's World!
The 100th Post would not be complete without a shout-out to all my faithful Bloggers: Sara, Sharon, Priscilla, Stacy (now off on maternity leave, but with us in spirit!), Ricky, Kathleen, Sarah, Rachel, Lindsay, Chris, Luke & Kenny (who can no longer post, but are still out there reading too), and to anyone else I may have forgotten...THANK YOU for your contributions, whether they have been few or many! And to my lurkers out there, who enjoy reading but choose not to comment - thanks for dropping by and for making the Blog worthwhile!
It hasn't been that long, but I have trouble remembering what life was like before the Blog. Now I spend my days wondering, "What should I write about today?" and keeping my eyes peeled for interesting tidbits or stories to share with you. My biggest fear when I started writing Jill's World was that no one would read it and I'd spend my days chit-chatting with myself. However, you guys all jumped on-board and have made it a really fun place to "hang out" and chat...and that's really what the Blog is all about.
So Happy 100th Post, everyone, and I hope to see you all here for the 200th!! :)
My, how our little Blog has grown, hasn't it?? Seems like just yesterday I finally got up the nerve to set up Jill's World, and now here we are, already 100 posts old! Unbelievable!
Today should be a celebration of the Blog, so I don't want to bring things down by talking about my poor ol' Sens and their latest disturbing trend of blowing third-period leads. However, I would like to mention the cornucopia of "subjects" that have made the Blog a success, and that does include the Senators, and hockey talk in general. There has also been my favourite TV shows: Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, Survivor, The Amazing Race, Rockstar Supernova, and Big Brother. I've also done a few CD reviews for Hinder, Rockstar Supernova, and Chris Daughtry; "concert reviews" for The Town Pants, Steve Agnew & Branded, and In Safe Hands; a book review of an Elie Wiesel novel which I now can't remember the name of...and so much more! Hey, remember the "security breach" back in December when I decided to make you all sign up with a password to eliminate "no-name" Bloggers? That was friggin' cool! Heck, the Blog even had a baby when Stacy & Ricky's little Madyson arrived last month! We've been through a lot here at Jill's World!
The 100th Post would not be complete without a shout-out to all my faithful Bloggers: Sara, Sharon, Priscilla, Stacy (now off on maternity leave, but with us in spirit!), Ricky, Kathleen, Sarah, Rachel, Lindsay, Chris, Luke & Kenny (who can no longer post, but are still out there reading too), and to anyone else I may have forgotten...THANK YOU for your contributions, whether they have been few or many! And to my lurkers out there, who enjoy reading but choose not to comment - thanks for dropping by and for making the Blog worthwhile!
It hasn't been that long, but I have trouble remembering what life was like before the Blog. Now I spend my days wondering, "What should I write about today?" and keeping my eyes peeled for interesting tidbits or stories to share with you. My biggest fear when I started writing Jill's World was that no one would read it and I'd spend my days chit-chatting with myself. However, you guys all jumped on-board and have made it a really fun place to "hang out" and chat...and that's really what the Blog is all about.
So Happy 100th Post, everyone, and I hope to see you all here for the 200th!! :)
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Rob & Amber: UNSTOPPABLE!!
No Grey's Anatomy last week, and Kenny still hasn't seen FNL as far as I know, so the only recaps I have for you are Survivor and The Amazing Race!
Survivor
Remember when I said the only person out there in Fiji that I had any love for was Rocky, but that could all change? Well, it's changed. I don't like him anymore. He threw a massive hissy fit this past week, and then decided to dress up like a girl to suck up afterwards. Not my style at all. Plus, his tribe seriuosly does suck. They lost both challenges again, but were offered a slight reprieve when the other tribe had a serious decision to make after winning Immunity - they either had to give up their comfy camp to keep Immunity, or stay on their luxury beach and risk the wrath of Tribal Council.
They chose to go to TC, which seemed a silly decision since Papa Smurf had just been med-evac'd from the game. (Isn't that such a cool term, though? "Med-evac". I want to get med-evac'd!) Anyways, after ol' Mr. Smurf was boated on outta there due to having a "funny head" and difficulty breathing, and then losing the flirtatious Liliana at TC, that leaves them tied with their lowly competitors over on Loser Beach. On the other hand, I don't blame them for not wanting to give up their cozy little camp - they really are living in the lap of luxury over there, and sacrificing that to keep their tribe together might have been enough to give the other tribe some motivation and push them to actually win something.
But I doubt it.
The Amazing Race: All-Stars
I was too hung-over and sleepy Sunday night to stay awake for the Race, but thankfully I caught the repeat on OLN last night, so I'm all caught up with the All-Stars!
Have I mentioned before that I hate Mirna and Schmirna? I mean, loathe, detest, hate them. They're seriously driving me nuts with their Holier-than-thou attitude and the way they just shriek soooo much. Plus, someone should tell them that when they're in another country where no one speaks English, speaking loudly with an accent does not help people understand them any better.
Rob & Amber placed first again, for the third straight leg, and appear to be in the driver's seat; although, the sneak peek at next week's episode has me wondering if there's going to be a major upset. Apparently it's going to be the "finish that everyone's talking about" - and I have a strange feeling Rob & Amber are going to be eliminated. I really, really hope not, though. They really are the only team I have any heart for. I thought I liked Eric & Danielle, but after watching her squeal and freak out over having to touch fish last night, I'm not so sure anymore. Plus, Eric has his nipples pierced. Both of them. Ewwww. He does have a cute little face, though!
The Beauty Queens made a big faux-pas last night when the missed the clue for the Detour. They found the rafting boats before they found the clue, so they just did the rafting and thought there was no Detour. They landed on the mat in 4th, but Phil sent them back to find the clue they missed. Miraculously, they found it quickly and by the time they returned, they were still in 4th.
At the end of the day, it was Team Kentucky that landed in last place and were sent home by the Philiminator. Meh, big deal. Dave & Mary seemed lost without their Cho Brother buddies, so it's probably better off that they're gone. Besides, I was afraid Mary might takle Schmirna if she was around much longer.
Other than the shows, it was a great weekend! I had an awesome time at Brandan & Amanda's reception Saturday night, dancing and drinking (a little too much). I had what I'm calling a "drunken panic attack" at the end of the night when my camera went missing, and I wandered around in tears looking for it before Adam finally handed it over. I'm still not sure if he really found it under his table or if he was purposely hiding it from me, but for a few minutes there, he was my hero.
I hope you all had a great weekend too!! Take care, gang!
Survivor
Remember when I said the only person out there in Fiji that I had any love for was Rocky, but that could all change? Well, it's changed. I don't like him anymore. He threw a massive hissy fit this past week, and then decided to dress up like a girl to suck up afterwards. Not my style at all. Plus, his tribe seriuosly does suck. They lost both challenges again, but were offered a slight reprieve when the other tribe had a serious decision to make after winning Immunity - they either had to give up their comfy camp to keep Immunity, or stay on their luxury beach and risk the wrath of Tribal Council.
They chose to go to TC, which seemed a silly decision since Papa Smurf had just been med-evac'd from the game. (Isn't that such a cool term, though? "Med-evac". I want to get med-evac'd!) Anyways, after ol' Mr. Smurf was boated on outta there due to having a "funny head" and difficulty breathing, and then losing the flirtatious Liliana at TC, that leaves them tied with their lowly competitors over on Loser Beach. On the other hand, I don't blame them for not wanting to give up their cozy little camp - they really are living in the lap of luxury over there, and sacrificing that to keep their tribe together might have been enough to give the other tribe some motivation and push them to actually win something.
But I doubt it.
The Amazing Race: All-Stars
I was too hung-over and sleepy Sunday night to stay awake for the Race, but thankfully I caught the repeat on OLN last night, so I'm all caught up with the All-Stars!
Have I mentioned before that I hate Mirna and Schmirna? I mean, loathe, detest, hate them. They're seriously driving me nuts with their Holier-than-thou attitude and the way they just shriek soooo much. Plus, someone should tell them that when they're in another country where no one speaks English, speaking loudly with an accent does not help people understand them any better.
Rob & Amber placed first again, for the third straight leg, and appear to be in the driver's seat; although, the sneak peek at next week's episode has me wondering if there's going to be a major upset. Apparently it's going to be the "finish that everyone's talking about" - and I have a strange feeling Rob & Amber are going to be eliminated. I really, really hope not, though. They really are the only team I have any heart for. I thought I liked Eric & Danielle, but after watching her squeal and freak out over having to touch fish last night, I'm not so sure anymore. Plus, Eric has his nipples pierced. Both of them. Ewwww. He does have a cute little face, though!
The Beauty Queens made a big faux-pas last night when the missed the clue for the Detour. They found the rafting boats before they found the clue, so they just did the rafting and thought there was no Detour. They landed on the mat in 4th, but Phil sent them back to find the clue they missed. Miraculously, they found it quickly and by the time they returned, they were still in 4th.
At the end of the day, it was Team Kentucky that landed in last place and were sent home by the Philiminator. Meh, big deal. Dave & Mary seemed lost without their Cho Brother buddies, so it's probably better off that they're gone. Besides, I was afraid Mary might takle Schmirna if she was around much longer.
Other than the shows, it was a great weekend! I had an awesome time at Brandan & Amanda's reception Saturday night, dancing and drinking (a little too much). I had what I'm calling a "drunken panic attack" at the end of the night when my camera went missing, and I wandered around in tears looking for it before Adam finally handed it over. I'm still not sure if he really found it under his table or if he was purposely hiding it from me, but for a few minutes there, he was my hero.
I hope you all had a great weekend too!! Take care, gang!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Blah Blog
Yesterday may have been the least-commented-upon Blog yet. Pretty sad, folks. I even wrote about hockey. Usually the hockey Blogs get the best responses. I guess I'm failing as your friendly resident Blogger. I'm not writing interesting enough stuff. I'm not keeping you on the edge of your seats, waiting with hungry anticipation for the next Blog.
Or maybe y'all are out there, actually reading, but not bothering to post.
Whatever the case may be, I apologize for not providing a more entertaining Blog.
So today, as you can probably already see, I don't have anything to write about. This is not a step in the right direction to liven the Blog up, I know. But usually Thursdays are FNL Blogs; however, Kenny, who is holiday-ing in the sunny South, requested that I not Blog about FNL until he has seen it. And I don't think any of the rest of you even read the FNL Blogs, so what's the point? Besides, I didn't watch it yet myself.
I could tell you about the Sens game last night, but I only saw the first ten minutes and the last period. I am very grateful for the four points Carolina has handed over to us in the past two days - muchly appreciated, Canes. How did freakin' Saprykin do, you ask? I have no idea...In the small amount of hockey I watched, I didn't even notice him. Sugar Ray Emery got the shut-out, his fifth of the season, and all is well in the Sens World. And yes, for those of you wondering, Wade Redden looked sexy as hell.
Oh, Happy First Day of March, gang! Apparently it's coming in like a lion, with a snowstorm in the forecast for tonight. So that may screw up my shopping plans for tomorrow. Anyways...I really have nothing else to say. Have a great day, and enjoy the sunshine, 'cause we may not see it again for a few days!
Or maybe y'all are out there, actually reading, but not bothering to post.
Whatever the case may be, I apologize for not providing a more entertaining Blog.
So today, as you can probably already see, I don't have anything to write about. This is not a step in the right direction to liven the Blog up, I know. But usually Thursdays are FNL Blogs; however, Kenny, who is holiday-ing in the sunny South, requested that I not Blog about FNL until he has seen it. And I don't think any of the rest of you even read the FNL Blogs, so what's the point? Besides, I didn't watch it yet myself.
I could tell you about the Sens game last night, but I only saw the first ten minutes and the last period. I am very grateful for the four points Carolina has handed over to us in the past two days - muchly appreciated, Canes. How did freakin' Saprykin do, you ask? I have no idea...In the small amount of hockey I watched, I didn't even notice him. Sugar Ray Emery got the shut-out, his fifth of the season, and all is well in the Sens World. And yes, for those of you wondering, Wade Redden looked sexy as hell.
Oh, Happy First Day of March, gang! Apparently it's coming in like a lion, with a snowstorm in the forecast for tonight. So that may screw up my shopping plans for tomorrow. Anyways...I really have nothing else to say. Have a great day, and enjoy the sunshine, 'cause we may not see it again for a few days!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)