It's gonna be a quickie, but here it is, folks!
So we had some hockey news this week in Sens Land - Ray Emery avoided arbitration by agreeing to a last-minute deal, which will earn him $9.5 M over the next 3 years. I was pretty happy with the signing. I think Ray's worth that kind of coin (in comparison to the contracts that have been handed to Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Miller, and Cam Ward) - plus, we get the security of having him here in Ottawa for 3 more years, rather than the 1- or 2-year deal he would have received through arbitration. Christoph Schubert was also inked to a new contract, something in the $2-Mil range for 3 more seasons, and that's a pretty good deal on a guy who can play both wing and defence. Schubert's versatility proved very valuable to the Sens last season when he pretty much filled holes wherever necessary, but with the departure of Tom Preissing through free agency, he might just get his chance to play full-time at his natural position on the blueline.
Now, the Sens news that disturbed me greatly this week was the report in yesterday's Ottawa Sun that Bryan Murray had Wade Redden traded back on draft day, and the only reason the deal didn't go through was because Wade chose to exercise his no-trade clause. Thank God for that, but Mr. Murray had better hope he never crosses paths with me in the Pontiac anytime soon, or he'll get an earful...and then some! I'm extremely unimpressed and deeply upset that he tried to trade him, especially after Redden repeatedly indicated that he did not want to leave the Senators. The fact that Murray has now gone public with this news also troubles me. Why is he doing it? Trying to piss Wade off so that he'll want to leave? Some kind of sick pressure tactic? I know Redden didn't have the best season in the world, and his play certainly wasn't worthy of his $6.5 M contract. But this is a guy who has been loyal to the Sens his entire career, and could have received more money on the open market last year (see Zdeno Chara), but instead took less to stay with the team he has been with since Day 1. Now where's the friggin' loyalty back, Mr. Murray? HUH???
OK...now that I've got that outta my system...It was an awesome episode of CI this week. I was shocked that Brian Melo was in the bottom 2, as he blew me away for the first time with his Hendrix song. Other stand-outs for me were Greg Neufeld doing some Johnny Cash, Tara Oram with Elvis' "Suspicious Minds", and Matt Rapley breaking out with his rendition of "Whipping Post". Khalila Glanville was the one sent home after her performance of "Natural Woman" failed to wow Canada. This was the first week I tried to vote - first for Greg, then Dwight, then Brian - but after 20 minutes of trying and getting only busy signals, I quit. If it's that hard to get votes through, I'm amazed anyone even bothers trying!
BB has been intriguing this week as well, with Evil Dick running a powertrip over everyone in the house, with Kail being his primary target. Last night, Jen won the POV to remove herself from the block *ugh*, and Dick replaced her with Mike, who can possibly be crowned the biggest idiot in BB History. He purposely pissed off Dick just to show his loyalty to Kail, even though Dick told him he was going up. And I wouldn't be surprised in the least if the house decides to go against Dick's wishes and vote Mike out - Kail's a weak player who does way too much back-pedalling and she is terrible at keeping secrets. Mike's usually a little smarter - and I think some of the people in the house will see Mike as the stronger player and choose to oust him. We'll find out tonight!
As for ball last night - we lost, and I hated it, and I didn't like people bossing me again. I did get on base once, but Wayne was thrown out on the same play, and that's not good. Wayne's a wayyyyy better player than I am, so to sacrifice him for myself was not what I was looking for. And I'm already dreading the double-header next week...boooooooooo....
That's a wrap!!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
How I Got to Third Base...
Last night was the first night I think I can honestly say I had fun playing ball!
Don't get me wrong - I love my team, and most nights, there are a lot of laughs and I enjoy hanging out at the ball field. But when it comes to the actually playing part, I generally think I suck, and I don't have a whole lot of self-esteem when it comes to my athletic capabalities (which, as you all may recall, I blame on my dad...because he cut me from the ball team when I was 10...but I won't get into all that again...)
Last weekend, though, I made it to first while playing for another team in the 3-pitch tourney in Quyon, and all of a sudden I realized, "Hey, I can do this!" I was just hoping that I could do so in regular league play so that I could savour the moment with my teammates, who would realize what a big feat I had just accomplished. (The group I was playing with on the weekend didn't seem to understand what a huge deal it was for me to be actually standing on a base...)
So last night, MVT was taking on the Geriatrics in the early game, and I can honestly say it was my happiest game ever! Ricky did have me batting last, which was a tiny blow to my ego, but I got over it quickly. Also, Woermke didn't shout at me this time for standing still & not trying in the outfield. Instead, he just quietly told me when to move, and where I should be standing - quiet instructions work much better with me, I appreciate that much more and I tend to listen a little better.
Now, here's the really amazing part: When I came up to bat in the second inning, I actually hit the ball pretty good down the third baseline. I have no idea what happened because I had my head down as I chugged along towards first, but I could tell by the excited whooping & cheering of my team on the bench that I was going to be safe. The really amazing part was that Wayne, who was running to second, was also safe!! It was a MIRACLE!!
Thanks to a good string of hits, I made it all the way around to third, and could've made it home if Ricky hadn't popped up for our third out. I can't recall the last time I stood on third base. Or second base for that matter. It's been years. I was glowing. Literally glowing.
OK, so I didn't do anything for the rest of the game, but we did eventually win (despite Mr. JN's homeruns for the Geriatrics...next game, we're not sharing our special bat with you!) - and I went home a happy kid. I love ball!
On the Canadian Idol front - Tuesday night, the Top 10 performed #1 hits, and stand-outs for me were Jaydee Bixby singing Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe", Greg Neufeld doing the Killers' "All These Things That I Have Done", and Tara Oram performing "You Win My Love" by Shania Twain. All three were safe last night in the elimination show, with the bottom three consisting of Khalila Glanville, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mila Miller. The judges didn't think Carly should've been there, but based on her Bee Gee's song choice from the night before, I wasn't surprised. Fortunately, Carly survived and will get a chance to make up for it next week. So did Khalila. Mila was sent home, and it wasn't a great shock. I'm surprised she even made the Top 10.
That's a wrap for today's Blog...have a good one, gang! :)
Don't get me wrong - I love my team, and most nights, there are a lot of laughs and I enjoy hanging out at the ball field. But when it comes to the actually playing part, I generally think I suck, and I don't have a whole lot of self-esteem when it comes to my athletic capabalities (which, as you all may recall, I blame on my dad...because he cut me from the ball team when I was 10...but I won't get into all that again...)
Last weekend, though, I made it to first while playing for another team in the 3-pitch tourney in Quyon, and all of a sudden I realized, "Hey, I can do this!" I was just hoping that I could do so in regular league play so that I could savour the moment with my teammates, who would realize what a big feat I had just accomplished. (The group I was playing with on the weekend didn't seem to understand what a huge deal it was for me to be actually standing on a base...)
So last night, MVT was taking on the Geriatrics in the early game, and I can honestly say it was my happiest game ever! Ricky did have me batting last, which was a tiny blow to my ego, but I got over it quickly. Also, Woermke didn't shout at me this time for standing still & not trying in the outfield. Instead, he just quietly told me when to move, and where I should be standing - quiet instructions work much better with me, I appreciate that much more and I tend to listen a little better.
Now, here's the really amazing part: When I came up to bat in the second inning, I actually hit the ball pretty good down the third baseline. I have no idea what happened because I had my head down as I chugged along towards first, but I could tell by the excited whooping & cheering of my team on the bench that I was going to be safe. The really amazing part was that Wayne, who was running to second, was also safe!! It was a MIRACLE!!
Thanks to a good string of hits, I made it all the way around to third, and could've made it home if Ricky hadn't popped up for our third out. I can't recall the last time I stood on third base. Or second base for that matter. It's been years. I was glowing. Literally glowing.
OK, so I didn't do anything for the rest of the game, but we did eventually win (despite Mr. JN's homeruns for the Geriatrics...next game, we're not sharing our special bat with you!) - and I went home a happy kid. I love ball!
On the Canadian Idol front - Tuesday night, the Top 10 performed #1 hits, and stand-outs for me were Jaydee Bixby singing Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe", Greg Neufeld doing the Killers' "All These Things That I Have Done", and Tara Oram performing "You Win My Love" by Shania Twain. All three were safe last night in the elimination show, with the bottom three consisting of Khalila Glanville, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mila Miller. The judges didn't think Carly should've been there, but based on her Bee Gee's song choice from the night before, I wasn't surprised. Fortunately, Carly survived and will get a chance to make up for it next week. So did Khalila. Mila was sent home, and it wasn't a great shock. I'm surprised she even made the Top 10.
That's a wrap for today's Blog...have a good one, gang! :)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Jen vs. the World
I was able to catch last night's episode of BB8, but my Canadian Idol re-cap will have to wait, as I had to tape it at 11 - but I don't think you guys will mind, seeing how I think I'm the only one who watched CI!
The Big Brother house has been intriguing to me thus far this season...There aren't a whole lot of people that I like. Nick, the former pro football player, instantly caught my eye, but other than him, I could really care less. The big twist this year was that 6 of the players were either former enemies, rivals, or had unfinished business: Dick & Daniele, the father & daughter who hadn't spoken in 2 years; Joe & Dustin, the ex-scorned-gay-lovers; and Carol & Jessica, the former BFFs who had a fight in high school and never made up.
Carol was already sent home Week 1, so there goes one of the big "match-ups" (but easily the least interesting - Jessica's biggest beef with Carol was that she once owed her $5). This week, Jen won HOH - and Jen is probably the person I hate the most in the BB house. She's the one who bawled over the picture they put up on the wall for her, and she's so self-obsessed, it makes me want to puke. Her homemade shirts that she's been strutting around in - "I'm Jenuine" and "Jenius", just to name a few - are pretty pathetic, too. She nominated Dick & Daniele, due to their "negative vibes". Funny enough, usually the big fights in the house seem to stem from something Jen has done, so her nomination speech was rather ironic.
Last night, while preparing for the veto competition, Jen laid into Amber, clearly the most emotionally-unstable person in the house, threatening that if she didn't try to win the veto and let her nominations stand, she would put up someone close to her, like Dustin. Of course, Amber cried. That appears to be all she's really done in the house for the first two weeks. I think she's got an ulterior motive - because when Amber cries, Nick hugs her. And Lord knows if I got to have those big, muscley arms around me everytime I shed a tear, I'd be pinching myself just to make myself cry!
In any case, Amber's melt-down led to probably the biggest fight so far this season, involving pretty much the entire household, most of them ganging up on Jen. The strange part for me was the Zach & Mike seemed to be defending her, and I thought that was odd. In any case, Jen eventually apologized to Amber, but it was definitely one of the most tense competitions I've ever seen on BB.
It was Christmas in the Big Brother backyard, where they were all fighting for the gift that held the veto. The game was curling, and the rock furthest away from the red line eliminated one from the competition, forcing the player to select a gift from under the tree. When it all boiled down, Jen had to wear a red unitard for the rest of the week, Amber had to handcuff herself to somone, Joe got the slop pass, Dick won the plasma TV, Mike got a romantic dinner for 2, and Daniele won the Veto.
If I had to pick my favourite girl in the house, it would probably be Daniele, so I was happy she won the Veto and was able to remove herself from the block. Jen replaced Daniele with Joe, and I have the feeling the house is planning to back-door him. I'm not a big fan of that idea, because as much as I disliked Joe in the beginning, he's actually pretty fun to watch. He's not afraid to put Jen in her place, for one, and he also likes to keep the pot stirred - and let's face it, that just makes for better TV! But I also don't really want Dick to leave yet either, as the relationship between him & Daniele is probably the most fascinating aspect of this year's "twist". So I guess if I had to vote, I'd probably say buh-bye to Joe. I'm interested to see who America chooses to vote out by way of their player, Eric (who has also really started to grow on me).
The only other thing that disturbed me about last night's episode was seeing Nick start to defect from his alliance with Kail, Mike & Zach in favour of Daniele. He had a little heart-to-heart with her, shared secrets about his alliance, and told her that he trusts her above all else. Pretty stupid move, as far as I'm concerned, especially seeing I think Mike & Zach are already onto him...It's never a good idea to break off from a group of 4 to become an alliance of 2 this early in the game. I'm just glad his alliance was able to save his ass from the wrath of Jen (she really wanted to put him up, jealous litte bitch!) - it'd be a shame to lose his handsome mug this early!!
Next episode is tomorrow night - the live eviction will take place, and I can't wait to see who gets the axe - Joe or Dick. And here's an idea for a drinking game if anyone wants to play - every time Amber cries, you gotta take a shot.
You'll be drunk in 10 minutes.
The Big Brother house has been intriguing to me thus far this season...There aren't a whole lot of people that I like. Nick, the former pro football player, instantly caught my eye, but other than him, I could really care less. The big twist this year was that 6 of the players were either former enemies, rivals, or had unfinished business: Dick & Daniele, the father & daughter who hadn't spoken in 2 years; Joe & Dustin, the ex-scorned-gay-lovers; and Carol & Jessica, the former BFFs who had a fight in high school and never made up.
Carol was already sent home Week 1, so there goes one of the big "match-ups" (but easily the least interesting - Jessica's biggest beef with Carol was that she once owed her $5). This week, Jen won HOH - and Jen is probably the person I hate the most in the BB house. She's the one who bawled over the picture they put up on the wall for her, and she's so self-obsessed, it makes me want to puke. Her homemade shirts that she's been strutting around in - "I'm Jenuine" and "Jenius", just to name a few - are pretty pathetic, too. She nominated Dick & Daniele, due to their "negative vibes". Funny enough, usually the big fights in the house seem to stem from something Jen has done, so her nomination speech was rather ironic.
Last night, while preparing for the veto competition, Jen laid into Amber, clearly the most emotionally-unstable person in the house, threatening that if she didn't try to win the veto and let her nominations stand, she would put up someone close to her, like Dustin. Of course, Amber cried. That appears to be all she's really done in the house for the first two weeks. I think she's got an ulterior motive - because when Amber cries, Nick hugs her. And Lord knows if I got to have those big, muscley arms around me everytime I shed a tear, I'd be pinching myself just to make myself cry!
In any case, Amber's melt-down led to probably the biggest fight so far this season, involving pretty much the entire household, most of them ganging up on Jen. The strange part for me was the Zach & Mike seemed to be defending her, and I thought that was odd. In any case, Jen eventually apologized to Amber, but it was definitely one of the most tense competitions I've ever seen on BB.
It was Christmas in the Big Brother backyard, where they were all fighting for the gift that held the veto. The game was curling, and the rock furthest away from the red line eliminated one from the competition, forcing the player to select a gift from under the tree. When it all boiled down, Jen had to wear a red unitard for the rest of the week, Amber had to handcuff herself to somone, Joe got the slop pass, Dick won the plasma TV, Mike got a romantic dinner for 2, and Daniele won the Veto.
If I had to pick my favourite girl in the house, it would probably be Daniele, so I was happy she won the Veto and was able to remove herself from the block. Jen replaced Daniele with Joe, and I have the feeling the house is planning to back-door him. I'm not a big fan of that idea, because as much as I disliked Joe in the beginning, he's actually pretty fun to watch. He's not afraid to put Jen in her place, for one, and he also likes to keep the pot stirred - and let's face it, that just makes for better TV! But I also don't really want Dick to leave yet either, as the relationship between him & Daniele is probably the most fascinating aspect of this year's "twist". So I guess if I had to vote, I'd probably say buh-bye to Joe. I'm interested to see who America chooses to vote out by way of their player, Eric (who has also really started to grow on me).
The only other thing that disturbed me about last night's episode was seeing Nick start to defect from his alliance with Kail, Mike & Zach in favour of Daniele. He had a little heart-to-heart with her, shared secrets about his alliance, and told her that he trusts her above all else. Pretty stupid move, as far as I'm concerned, especially seeing I think Mike & Zach are already onto him...It's never a good idea to break off from a group of 4 to become an alliance of 2 this early in the game. I'm just glad his alliance was able to save his ass from the wrath of Jen (she really wanted to put him up, jealous litte bitch!) - it'd be a shame to lose his handsome mug this early!!
Next episode is tomorrow night - the live eviction will take place, and I can't wait to see who gets the axe - Joe or Dick. And here's an idea for a drinking game if anyone wants to play - every time Amber cries, you gotta take a shot.
You'll be drunk in 10 minutes.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Canada's Top 10 Revealed
I had a crappy night at the ball park last night. I was cranky & bitchy & highly unhappy with how I played. So needless to say, I was very relieved to go home, settle down on the couch, and watch the Canadian Idol results show.
I was mostly happy - and more than a little bit shocked - to find out who Canada selected to represent in the Top 10. You've all heard me ranting on how much I hate Tyler Mullendore & Montana Martin Isles. I really hoped they would be voted out last night, but I really didn't expect it. They've been the judges darlings up to this point, but I never quite understood why. Because they're funny-looking? Because they have no talent? Because they're weird & unusual? Apparently, the rest of the country finally woke up and saw things the way I did - Montana and Tyler were the first two eliminated last night, sparking a big happy dance from yours truly!!
So with Montana & Tyler out, it left just one girl and one boy to go . The biggest surprise for me was that Liam Styles Chang was next to get cut. I had said that he should have no problem sailing on through, despite the fact that I'd never heard his song before. Well, apparently that obscure song choice spelled doom for Liam. It's really unfortunate - I was disappointed to see him go, because I loved his voice, and he captured that "oddball Canadian" thing, without going overboard (a la Montana & Tyler). I would have gladly switched him up with Brian Melo; however, I didn't vote, so I don't get to complain, right?
The last mini-surprise came when things had all boiled down to Khalila Glanville and Annika Odegard as the final 2. Annika was, in my opinion, the "most improved player" in the whole show since the beginning, when she blew me away with her performance Tuesday night. I wasn't really sure if she'd make the Top 10 or not, but when it came down to just her & Khalila, I thought for sure Annika was in. I guess she decided to show her "true self" a little too late, and Canada punished her for it. Khalila was in; Annika was out.
So the Top 10 who will by vying to become Canadian Idol starting next week are: Greg Neufeld (my #1 - so HOT), Tara Oram (the country gal), Matt Rapley (gospel choir boy), Mila Miller (Miss Roll-Around-On-The-Piano), Brian Melo (smooth & funky), Khalila Glanville (classy & sophisticated), Jaydee Bixby (16-year-old Elvis), Carly Rae Jepsen (cutesy-folk singer), Dwight D'Eon (rocker dude), and Martha Joy (Celine wannabe).
I haven't been all that great with my predictions thus far, so I'll just give you my hopes this time:
Final Four - Greg Neufeld, Tara Oram, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Dwight D'Eon.
Projected Winner of this year's Canadian Idol: GREG NEUFELD!!
OK, so now that I know I have some other BB fans out there, I'm going to try and recap some of those shows in the future, so look forward to that!!
Have a good one, gang! :)
I was mostly happy - and more than a little bit shocked - to find out who Canada selected to represent in the Top 10. You've all heard me ranting on how much I hate Tyler Mullendore & Montana Martin Isles. I really hoped they would be voted out last night, but I really didn't expect it. They've been the judges darlings up to this point, but I never quite understood why. Because they're funny-looking? Because they have no talent? Because they're weird & unusual? Apparently, the rest of the country finally woke up and saw things the way I did - Montana and Tyler were the first two eliminated last night, sparking a big happy dance from yours truly!!
So with Montana & Tyler out, it left just one girl and one boy to go . The biggest surprise for me was that Liam Styles Chang was next to get cut. I had said that he should have no problem sailing on through, despite the fact that I'd never heard his song before. Well, apparently that obscure song choice spelled doom for Liam. It's really unfortunate - I was disappointed to see him go, because I loved his voice, and he captured that "oddball Canadian" thing, without going overboard (a la Montana & Tyler). I would have gladly switched him up with Brian Melo; however, I didn't vote, so I don't get to complain, right?
The last mini-surprise came when things had all boiled down to Khalila Glanville and Annika Odegard as the final 2. Annika was, in my opinion, the "most improved player" in the whole show since the beginning, when she blew me away with her performance Tuesday night. I wasn't really sure if she'd make the Top 10 or not, but when it came down to just her & Khalila, I thought for sure Annika was in. I guess she decided to show her "true self" a little too late, and Canada punished her for it. Khalila was in; Annika was out.
So the Top 10 who will by vying to become Canadian Idol starting next week are: Greg Neufeld (my #1 - so HOT), Tara Oram (the country gal), Matt Rapley (gospel choir boy), Mila Miller (Miss Roll-Around-On-The-Piano), Brian Melo (smooth & funky), Khalila Glanville (classy & sophisticated), Jaydee Bixby (16-year-old Elvis), Carly Rae Jepsen (cutesy-folk singer), Dwight D'Eon (rocker dude), and Martha Joy (Celine wannabe).
I haven't been all that great with my predictions thus far, so I'll just give you my hopes this time:
Final Four - Greg Neufeld, Tara Oram, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Dwight D'Eon.
Projected Winner of this year's Canadian Idol: GREG NEUFELD!!
OK, so now that I know I have some other BB fans out there, I'm going to try and recap some of those shows in the future, so look forward to that!!
Have a good one, gang! :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Ladies Get It Right...Sorta
For the first time in this season's Canadian Idol, the girls finally stepped up and showed that they can at least compete with the boys. Here's my thoughts on how the final 7 ladies performed:
Annika Odegard: Annika shocked me. Going into tonight's show, I thought she was a sure bet to be sent home this week. However, she plunked herself behind a piano for her performance of "Ordinary Day", and she really hit this one out of the park! She was awesome! Her voice sounded good, she was energetic, and the judges finally saw what they hoped to see from her. This was easily my favourite female performance of this season. Annika just might've saved her chances of getting into the Top 10.
Khalila Glanville: No doubt, Khalila's got a powerful voice. Her performance tonight was old-school soul, and it wasn't really my style. I agreed with Sass that she's lacking the "wow" factor. She's just one of those forgettable performers, and while she's got talent in spades, she just doesn't bring a whole lot of charisma to the stage.
Carly Rae Jepsen: I didn't know Carly's song tonight, but it was a nice acoustic performance, and that's Carly's niche. I really liked it, and I can actually imagine myself buying a Carly Rae CD someday. She's got a cutesy look, and she knows her own strengths & style. She should be a shoe-in for the Top 10.
Tara Oram: Tara's probably my favourite of all the girls, and she sure didn't stray far from her country roots with Martina McBride's "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues". It was clearly a fun song for Tara to perform - she looked like she was having a ball, and it really demonstrated her powerful pipes. If country's looking for a new "IT-girl", Tara might just be the one to fill that position.
Montana Martin Isles: OK, so I've made it clear that I detest Montana. But to give credit where credit is due, I actually didn't mind her act tonight - she laid off the ridiculous, creepy stageshow, and just played guitar and sang Alanis' "Ironic". It was the first time I think I actually heard her sing. It wasn't great, but it wasn't as God-awful as the theatrics she's displayed in the past. I disagree with Zack's statement that the accent doesn't matter, though - I find it really distracting when she can't pronounce her "th" words. The judges love her "x-factor", but to me, she's just an oddball, and that doesn't necessarily make someone a star.
Martha Joy: Martha Joy can sing, there's no doubt about it. But I really didn't enjoy this week, when she sang "That's the Way It Is" by Celine Dion. I thought she was pitchy. I thought her voice clashed with the back-up singers. I thought she sounded like she was shouting by the end. I thought she still lacked the "joy" the judges had demanded. But apparently, they were watching a different performance, because they contradicted everything I thought. Guess that's why I'm not a judge!
Mila Miller: I didn't know Mila's song either, but it was something about going to rehab. She rolled around on a piano and acted all coy for the camera, and while it was a fun song, I wasn't all that impressed. She's got a star quality, but I just didn't get it tonight. It's too bad, 'cause I think she could've really blown everyone away tonight.
Who Will Be Going Home: Khalila Glanville and Mila Miller
Who I Want To Send Home: Montana Martin Isles. Just her. I really don't like her. She can go jump on a boat with Tyler Mullendore and sail far, far away from here, as far as I'm concerned.
Best Performance of the Night: Easily, for me, it was Annika Odegard on the piano. She really won me over tonight. Carly Rae Jepsen was a close runner-up.
So the girls did much, much better, and I can't wait to see who will be making the Top 10 tomorrow night. Then the REAL competition can begin!!
Annika Odegard: Annika shocked me. Going into tonight's show, I thought she was a sure bet to be sent home this week. However, she plunked herself behind a piano for her performance of "Ordinary Day", and she really hit this one out of the park! She was awesome! Her voice sounded good, she was energetic, and the judges finally saw what they hoped to see from her. This was easily my favourite female performance of this season. Annika just might've saved her chances of getting into the Top 10.
Khalila Glanville: No doubt, Khalila's got a powerful voice. Her performance tonight was old-school soul, and it wasn't really my style. I agreed with Sass that she's lacking the "wow" factor. She's just one of those forgettable performers, and while she's got talent in spades, she just doesn't bring a whole lot of charisma to the stage.
Carly Rae Jepsen: I didn't know Carly's song tonight, but it was a nice acoustic performance, and that's Carly's niche. I really liked it, and I can actually imagine myself buying a Carly Rae CD someday. She's got a cutesy look, and she knows her own strengths & style. She should be a shoe-in for the Top 10.
Tara Oram: Tara's probably my favourite of all the girls, and she sure didn't stray far from her country roots with Martina McBride's "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues". It was clearly a fun song for Tara to perform - she looked like she was having a ball, and it really demonstrated her powerful pipes. If country's looking for a new "IT-girl", Tara might just be the one to fill that position.
Montana Martin Isles: OK, so I've made it clear that I detest Montana. But to give credit where credit is due, I actually didn't mind her act tonight - she laid off the ridiculous, creepy stageshow, and just played guitar and sang Alanis' "Ironic". It was the first time I think I actually heard her sing. It wasn't great, but it wasn't as God-awful as the theatrics she's displayed in the past. I disagree with Zack's statement that the accent doesn't matter, though - I find it really distracting when she can't pronounce her "th" words. The judges love her "x-factor", but to me, she's just an oddball, and that doesn't necessarily make someone a star.
Martha Joy: Martha Joy can sing, there's no doubt about it. But I really didn't enjoy this week, when she sang "That's the Way It Is" by Celine Dion. I thought she was pitchy. I thought her voice clashed with the back-up singers. I thought she sounded like she was shouting by the end. I thought she still lacked the "joy" the judges had demanded. But apparently, they were watching a different performance, because they contradicted everything I thought. Guess that's why I'm not a judge!
Mila Miller: I didn't know Mila's song either, but it was something about going to rehab. She rolled around on a piano and acted all coy for the camera, and while it was a fun song, I wasn't all that impressed. She's got a star quality, but I just didn't get it tonight. It's too bad, 'cause I think she could've really blown everyone away tonight.
Who Will Be Going Home: Khalila Glanville and Mila Miller
Who I Want To Send Home: Montana Martin Isles. Just her. I really don't like her. She can go jump on a boat with Tyler Mullendore and sail far, far away from here, as far as I'm concerned.
Best Performance of the Night: Easily, for me, it was Annika Odegard on the piano. She really won me over tonight. Carly Rae Jepsen was a close runner-up.
So the girls did much, much better, and I can't wait to see who will be making the Top 10 tomorrow night. Then the REAL competition can begin!!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Vote Tyler OUT!!
Here's tonight's rundown on the 7 remaining boys vying for spots in Top 10 on Canadian Idol:
Matt Rapley: For once, Matt didn't strike me as a member of a gospel choir. Perhaps it was because he chose to sit behind a piano and sing "I'll Be There" - easily my favourite Matt performance. He's got an amazing voice. It'll be a shame if he doesn't make the Top 10.
Greg Neufeld: Alright, it's no secret - I adore Greg. This week, he offered up a new side of himself by stripping it down and singing that John Mayer song about mothers and daughters and fathers, just him & his guitar, and I ask all my blogging faithful who actually watch Idol: Is there anything sexier than Greg Neufeld sitting on stage with just his guitar?? The judges liked it to, and I think he pretty much cemented himself as the frontrunner of this whole damned competition.
Tyler Mullendore: BLEH!!!!!!! He crucified yet another one of my favourite songs - "Rockin' Me Baby" by the Steve Miller Band. Tyler SUCKS. But the judges still love him, calling him genuine & the "real deal". I think he's just cheesy and untalented. I really hope Canada gets it right and sends him home Wednesday night.
Liam Styles Chang: I didn't know Liam's song this week, but that was about his only downfall. The boy can sing - I love the tone of his voice. Not too fussy on his wardrobe selections or hair style, and I'm not sure his song was spectacular enough this week, but he should sail on through without any problem.
Dwight D'Eon: OK, in my last blog, I indicated that Jaydee Bixby was my "sentimental favourite" - I might have to switch that to Dwight. He gave my butterflies by singing Matchbox 20's "Bright Lights". I love that song, and Dwight rocked it pretty good. I loved his performance, and I really hope the voting public makes room for a rocker in the Top 10. Dwight deserves it, big time.
Jaydee Bixby: Jaydee went a little overboard for my liking tonight. He sang about as twangy a country song as he could with that "Hey pretty lady" auction song while working the crowd as if he was a seasoned pro. To say he's 16, I guess it is pretty impressive, but he did get kind of out of breath. Then again, he was singing a song with about a billion words in a 2-minute span while running around shaking hands and kissing babies. I still like Jaydee - I just liked him better when he was doing his Elvis bit, rather than seeming like a pretty good candidate to headline Jam Fest next year.
Brian Melo: I'm not sure Brian will be around for the Top 10, but I did enjoy his version of Incubus' "Drive". He "funked it up" (Zack's words - but true), and although I did find him a little nasally, it was a decent choice for what his voice can do. I still think he's slipping a little when it comes to the big notes, but otherwise, a strong night for Brian.
Who Will Probably Go Home: Matt Rapley and Brian Melo
Who I Wish Would Go Home: Tyler Mullendore and...well...just Tyler Mullendore. I don't dislike anyone else as much as I dislike him. But the judges adore him, so it's probably wishful thinking. If Dwight goes and Tyler stays, I'll puke. I'm serious.
Best Performance of the Night: Hmmm...Well I love Greg, so I'm gonna give this to him again, but if I really go with my heart, gotta say it's Dwight's performance that I keep thinking about. I think he nailed it, and I really hope he avoids elimination.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on the ladies tomorrow night! They'll have to be a helluva lot better than previous weeks to even compare to the boys!
Matt Rapley: For once, Matt didn't strike me as a member of a gospel choir. Perhaps it was because he chose to sit behind a piano and sing "I'll Be There" - easily my favourite Matt performance. He's got an amazing voice. It'll be a shame if he doesn't make the Top 10.
Greg Neufeld: Alright, it's no secret - I adore Greg. This week, he offered up a new side of himself by stripping it down and singing that John Mayer song about mothers and daughters and fathers, just him & his guitar, and I ask all my blogging faithful who actually watch Idol: Is there anything sexier than Greg Neufeld sitting on stage with just his guitar?? The judges liked it to, and I think he pretty much cemented himself as the frontrunner of this whole damned competition.
Tyler Mullendore: BLEH!!!!!!! He crucified yet another one of my favourite songs - "Rockin' Me Baby" by the Steve Miller Band. Tyler SUCKS. But the judges still love him, calling him genuine & the "real deal". I think he's just cheesy and untalented. I really hope Canada gets it right and sends him home Wednesday night.
Liam Styles Chang: I didn't know Liam's song this week, but that was about his only downfall. The boy can sing - I love the tone of his voice. Not too fussy on his wardrobe selections or hair style, and I'm not sure his song was spectacular enough this week, but he should sail on through without any problem.
Dwight D'Eon: OK, in my last blog, I indicated that Jaydee Bixby was my "sentimental favourite" - I might have to switch that to Dwight. He gave my butterflies by singing Matchbox 20's "Bright Lights". I love that song, and Dwight rocked it pretty good. I loved his performance, and I really hope the voting public makes room for a rocker in the Top 10. Dwight deserves it, big time.
Jaydee Bixby: Jaydee went a little overboard for my liking tonight. He sang about as twangy a country song as he could with that "Hey pretty lady" auction song while working the crowd as if he was a seasoned pro. To say he's 16, I guess it is pretty impressive, but he did get kind of out of breath. Then again, he was singing a song with about a billion words in a 2-minute span while running around shaking hands and kissing babies. I still like Jaydee - I just liked him better when he was doing his Elvis bit, rather than seeming like a pretty good candidate to headline Jam Fest next year.
Brian Melo: I'm not sure Brian will be around for the Top 10, but I did enjoy his version of Incubus' "Drive". He "funked it up" (Zack's words - but true), and although I did find him a little nasally, it was a decent choice for what his voice can do. I still think he's slipping a little when it comes to the big notes, but otherwise, a strong night for Brian.
Who Will Probably Go Home: Matt Rapley and Brian Melo
Who I Wish Would Go Home: Tyler Mullendore and...well...just Tyler Mullendore. I don't dislike anyone else as much as I dislike him. But the judges adore him, so it's probably wishful thinking. If Dwight goes and Tyler stays, I'll puke. I'm serious.
Best Performance of the Night: Hmmm...Well I love Greg, so I'm gonna give this to him again, but if I really go with my heart, gotta say it's Dwight's performance that I keep thinking about. I think he nailed it, and I really hope he avoids elimination.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on the ladies tomorrow night! They'll have to be a helluva lot better than previous weeks to even compare to the boys!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
The MEGA-BLOG!!
OK, so where the heck did June go? The days sure seem to be flying lately, but lo and behold, I've actually found some time to sit down at my computer and write a Blog for all my faithful readers out there. So here it is...ENJOY!
Truth is, I've had many "Blog Topics" in my mind for the past week, so here's one big Blog sorta jam-packed with a lot of little tidbits that I've been wanting to share. We'll call it the MEGA-BLOG...
Soul2Soul 2007 - Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
I had the pleasure of taking in the Tim & Faith concert last week at Scotiabank Place, and it was well worth my $100. First of all, Tim's just about as hot as they come. I'd have dropped $100 just to see him. Country's powercouple kicked things off by singing Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars", and it did that thing were the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I loved it. After that, Faith took over for her set, then Tim stormed the stage, and his set was by far the highlight of the night for me. His new song "If You're Reading This" brought tears to my eyes, and he didn't disappoint with favourites like "Cowboy in Me" and "Live Like You Were Dying". What a sexy, sexy man.
Canada Day Festivities
Q-Town celebrated on Saturday with a parade & fireworks amidst the annual Country JamFest. I'm on the Canada Day Committee, and I must say, things went off without a hitch, despite the downpour of rain that began just as the parade began, and ended just as we unfurled the gigantic flag to carry down the street. The fireworks were awesome as usual, and then I went on a rip (which apparently I should be regretting, but I barely remember it, so how can I regret something I don't remember?) The following day, the Committee celebrated with a little party of our own, involving drinking games (I hate being the 3-man), horseshoes, burgers & dogs, dirtbikes, hot tubs, fireworks, guitars, and toasted marshmallows. That's what ya call fun for the whole family!
I've almost got all the orange spray paint off my toes.
OH - and one word of advice - never mix Sour Puss and Tequila Rose. It looks like rotten strawberry milk. Very chunky.
Canadian Idol Thoughts
OK, so I can't provide indepth recaps for all the episodes I've fallen behind on, but let's just say that 2 of my least favourite contestants are still there: Montana Martin Isles & Tyler Mullendore. Blech on both of 'em.
Last week, Canada sent home Justyn Wesley *yay!!*, Derek Hoffman, Christine Hanlon, and Maud Whatsherface. This week, we said TTFN to Clifton Murray, Andrew Austin, Scarlett Burke, and Naomi-Joy Blackhall. No big surprises there, although I do believe Andrew deserved a better fate. He was probably one of the strongest, most experienced musicians of the group, but because he doesn't fit Canada's criteria of being weird-looking or super-annoying, he was sent packing.
With this week's performances, my #1 overall favourite remains Greg Neufeld. The boy's just soooo cute, and he sang a song called "Geek in Pink", and even though I'd never heard it before, he made me love it. For the girls, I'm a fan of Tara Oram - I like her country flavour - she's definitely Canada's answer to Carrie Underwood. The question is: Is there room for two Carries in the world?
The two that I previously mentioned as my least favourite are the judges' pets, though, and that makes me wanna puke. Montana, for instance, looks like she's a cousin of Beetlejuice, and I find her French accent annoying. This week, I laughed everytime she belted out, "Tanks for da memories" ... she's really gotta work on that "th" sound. And Tyler Mullendore actually sang one of my favourite songs this week with John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith In Me", but Tyler still didn't win me over. I can't stand the sight of him, I think he's too cocky, and his voice, quite frankly, sucks! So of course, Jake, Farley, Sass and Zack blew sunshine up their butts and told them they were wonderful. Gag me.
My sentimental favourite as the competition goes on is Jaydee Bixby. He could be a young Elvis impersonator, if he didn't look so much like Nick Carter's little brother. But I love his schtick, and I'm a sucker for Elvis, so I'm definitely developing a little soft spot for Jaydee.
The guys are a much stronger group thus far; I think the girls have drastically paled in comparison. None of them even come close to being the talent that Eva Avila was last year. It'll be interesting to see who makes the Top 10.
That's all I've got for now...Have a good weekend, everyone!
Truth is, I've had many "Blog Topics" in my mind for the past week, so here's one big Blog sorta jam-packed with a lot of little tidbits that I've been wanting to share. We'll call it the MEGA-BLOG...
Soul2Soul 2007 - Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
I had the pleasure of taking in the Tim & Faith concert last week at Scotiabank Place, and it was well worth my $100. First of all, Tim's just about as hot as they come. I'd have dropped $100 just to see him. Country's powercouple kicked things off by singing Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars", and it did that thing were the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I loved it. After that, Faith took over for her set, then Tim stormed the stage, and his set was by far the highlight of the night for me. His new song "If You're Reading This" brought tears to my eyes, and he didn't disappoint with favourites like "Cowboy in Me" and "Live Like You Were Dying". What a sexy, sexy man.
Canada Day Festivities
Q-Town celebrated on Saturday with a parade & fireworks amidst the annual Country JamFest. I'm on the Canada Day Committee, and I must say, things went off without a hitch, despite the downpour of rain that began just as the parade began, and ended just as we unfurled the gigantic flag to carry down the street. The fireworks were awesome as usual, and then I went on a rip (which apparently I should be regretting, but I barely remember it, so how can I regret something I don't remember?) The following day, the Committee celebrated with a little party of our own, involving drinking games (I hate being the 3-man), horseshoes, burgers & dogs, dirtbikes, hot tubs, fireworks, guitars, and toasted marshmallows. That's what ya call fun for the whole family!
I've almost got all the orange spray paint off my toes.
OH - and one word of advice - never mix Sour Puss and Tequila Rose. It looks like rotten strawberry milk. Very chunky.
Canadian Idol Thoughts
OK, so I can't provide indepth recaps for all the episodes I've fallen behind on, but let's just say that 2 of my least favourite contestants are still there: Montana Martin Isles & Tyler Mullendore. Blech on both of 'em.
Last week, Canada sent home Justyn Wesley *yay!!*, Derek Hoffman, Christine Hanlon, and Maud Whatsherface. This week, we said TTFN to Clifton Murray, Andrew Austin, Scarlett Burke, and Naomi-Joy Blackhall. No big surprises there, although I do believe Andrew deserved a better fate. He was probably one of the strongest, most experienced musicians of the group, but because he doesn't fit Canada's criteria of being weird-looking or super-annoying, he was sent packing.
With this week's performances, my #1 overall favourite remains Greg Neufeld. The boy's just soooo cute, and he sang a song called "Geek in Pink", and even though I'd never heard it before, he made me love it. For the girls, I'm a fan of Tara Oram - I like her country flavour - she's definitely Canada's answer to Carrie Underwood. The question is: Is there room for two Carries in the world?
The two that I previously mentioned as my least favourite are the judges' pets, though, and that makes me wanna puke. Montana, for instance, looks like she's a cousin of Beetlejuice, and I find her French accent annoying. This week, I laughed everytime she belted out, "Tanks for da memories" ... she's really gotta work on that "th" sound. And Tyler Mullendore actually sang one of my favourite songs this week with John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith In Me", but Tyler still didn't win me over. I can't stand the sight of him, I think he's too cocky, and his voice, quite frankly, sucks! So of course, Jake, Farley, Sass and Zack blew sunshine up their butts and told them they were wonderful. Gag me.
My sentimental favourite as the competition goes on is Jaydee Bixby. He could be a young Elvis impersonator, if he didn't look so much like Nick Carter's little brother. But I love his schtick, and I'm a sucker for Elvis, so I'm definitely developing a little soft spot for Jaydee.
The guys are a much stronger group thus far; I think the girls have drastically paled in comparison. None of them even come close to being the talent that Eva Avila was last year. It'll be interesting to see who makes the Top 10.
That's all I've got for now...Have a good weekend, everyone!
Monday, June 25, 2007
I Miss Rockstar
Alrighty, they've cancelled Rockstar this summer, so I have no choice but to entertain myself with Canadian Idol for the next few months. Bear with me as I run through your Top 11 boys.
Jaydee Bixby - First of all, I love that Jaydee has done "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" several times already on the show. When The King sang it on the '68 Comeback Special, I thought it may have been the hottest thing ever. Weird thing is, Jaydee sounds like Elvis, but he looks like Nick Carter's little brother. He promised the judges something different, but ended up singing "Johnny B. Goode", and while I thought he did a pretty good job, I think he's gonna have to step out of the '50s and '60s if he has any hope of progressing on the show.
Clifton Murray - Ever since Clifton auditioned, I've been trying to figure out why he looks so damned familiar. Turns out he played Channing Tatum's buddy in "She's the Man". Now, Clifton's pretty good-looking, and he did have that one amazing note in his performance of Edwin McCain's "I'll Be", but just because he's dabbled in showbiz doesn't mean the judges like him. In fact, I think they're already biased against him.
??? Hoffman maybe? - K, I didn't even get this poor guy's name, but he's your typical punk, and I got all excited when he started to sing one of my favourite songs of the past 6 months, "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects. Unfortunately, he didn't sing it very well. Plus, I hated his tight pants.
Justyn Wesley - The dude annoys me royally. He thinks he's hot, but he's not. I don't like his soulful vibe, not even when he's singing "Some Kind of Wonderful". I just find him too cheesy, and he tries too hard. Bleh.
Dwight D'Eon - Dwight's the rocker of the competition, so he kinda shocked my by not singing a rock song. Then he shocked me again by rockin' it anyway. I didn't know the song he sang, but he made me love it. He was the first guy of the night to "wow" me!
Greg Neufeld - OK, so Greg was sent packing last year after his first performance in the Top 22. After he killed it last night with Maroon 5's "This Love", I don't think there's any chance of that happening this year. His voice totally suited the song selection, he was the best dancer by far, and the boy is smokin' hot. I liked him last year despite his early exit; I love him this year. He's my #1 so far.
Tyler Mullendore - After Tyler sang "Brown Sugar", the judges blew sunshine up his butt by calling him unique and uninhibited. I, on the other hand, think the guy's the biggest poser on the show. Ever. He looks like he walked of the set of "Dazed and Confused", and he's playing it up big time. Plus, he didn't even sing it well. Definitely not my favourite.
Andrew Austin - Andrew sang "Freedom", but unfortunately for him, I think he was a little lost without his guitar. His performance was entirely forgrettable, and I got it when Sass said he was lacking charisma. And it's a real shame, 'cause the guy's probably the best overall musician of the bunch. But he just didn't bring it tonight.
Matt Rapley - I'm not trying to sound stereotypical here, but I think Matt's best suited for a gospel choir. He's got an amazing soulful voice, which he demonstrated nicely on "Isn't She Lovely" - a song that earned him a 98% from his vocal teacher at school. And no doubt, the boy can sing his butt off. But he's just not my style.
Brian Melo - Before Brian stood on stage, and, in response to one of Ben's questions, said, "Jesus," he actually did a pretty good job of The Watchmen's "Stereo". The song was a perfect fit for his voice, althought I did agree with Zack that he kinda blew it on the "one in a million" parts. The judges all granted him a spot in the Top 10, but I'm not entirely convinced he's worthy. After all, he did take the Lord's name in vain on national TV... heh heh heh...
Liam Styles Chang - Remember back in the audition stages I said that all the boys with guitars impressed me, even the skinny oriental boy? Well, Liam's that skinny oriental boy. Liam kinda disappointed me by reprising his performance of "This Magic Moment", especially since I liked it better when he sang it with just his guitar. But the judges lapped up his punky arrangement, and they love his smooth, nicely toned voice. Again, I'm not a fan of the skin-tight pants that these punks seem to be sporting these days, but Liam definitely impressed. He could very well be one of the top contenders.
Who Will Probably Go Home: The guys who's name I can't remember and Andrew Austin.
Who I Would Send Home: Justyn Wesley and Tyler Mullendore
My Top 2 Of the Night: Greg Neufeld and Liam Styles Chang
I'll try to recap the ladies tomorrow night, but Blogging may be difficult in the next few days as my evenings are looking to be jam-packed. I'll do my best though!!
Have a good day everyone!
Jaydee Bixby - First of all, I love that Jaydee has done "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" several times already on the show. When The King sang it on the '68 Comeback Special, I thought it may have been the hottest thing ever. Weird thing is, Jaydee sounds like Elvis, but he looks like Nick Carter's little brother. He promised the judges something different, but ended up singing "Johnny B. Goode", and while I thought he did a pretty good job, I think he's gonna have to step out of the '50s and '60s if he has any hope of progressing on the show.
Clifton Murray - Ever since Clifton auditioned, I've been trying to figure out why he looks so damned familiar. Turns out he played Channing Tatum's buddy in "She's the Man". Now, Clifton's pretty good-looking, and he did have that one amazing note in his performance of Edwin McCain's "I'll Be", but just because he's dabbled in showbiz doesn't mean the judges like him. In fact, I think they're already biased against him.
??? Hoffman maybe? - K, I didn't even get this poor guy's name, but he's your typical punk, and I got all excited when he started to sing one of my favourite songs of the past 6 months, "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects. Unfortunately, he didn't sing it very well. Plus, I hated his tight pants.
Justyn Wesley - The dude annoys me royally. He thinks he's hot, but he's not. I don't like his soulful vibe, not even when he's singing "Some Kind of Wonderful". I just find him too cheesy, and he tries too hard. Bleh.
Dwight D'Eon - Dwight's the rocker of the competition, so he kinda shocked my by not singing a rock song. Then he shocked me again by rockin' it anyway. I didn't know the song he sang, but he made me love it. He was the first guy of the night to "wow" me!
Greg Neufeld - OK, so Greg was sent packing last year after his first performance in the Top 22. After he killed it last night with Maroon 5's "This Love", I don't think there's any chance of that happening this year. His voice totally suited the song selection, he was the best dancer by far, and the boy is smokin' hot. I liked him last year despite his early exit; I love him this year. He's my #1 so far.
Tyler Mullendore - After Tyler sang "Brown Sugar", the judges blew sunshine up his butt by calling him unique and uninhibited. I, on the other hand, think the guy's the biggest poser on the show. Ever. He looks like he walked of the set of "Dazed and Confused", and he's playing it up big time. Plus, he didn't even sing it well. Definitely not my favourite.
Andrew Austin - Andrew sang "Freedom", but unfortunately for him, I think he was a little lost without his guitar. His performance was entirely forgrettable, and I got it when Sass said he was lacking charisma. And it's a real shame, 'cause the guy's probably the best overall musician of the bunch. But he just didn't bring it tonight.
Matt Rapley - I'm not trying to sound stereotypical here, but I think Matt's best suited for a gospel choir. He's got an amazing soulful voice, which he demonstrated nicely on "Isn't She Lovely" - a song that earned him a 98% from his vocal teacher at school. And no doubt, the boy can sing his butt off. But he's just not my style.
Brian Melo - Before Brian stood on stage, and, in response to one of Ben's questions, said, "Jesus," he actually did a pretty good job of The Watchmen's "Stereo". The song was a perfect fit for his voice, althought I did agree with Zack that he kinda blew it on the "one in a million" parts. The judges all granted him a spot in the Top 10, but I'm not entirely convinced he's worthy. After all, he did take the Lord's name in vain on national TV... heh heh heh...
Liam Styles Chang - Remember back in the audition stages I said that all the boys with guitars impressed me, even the skinny oriental boy? Well, Liam's that skinny oriental boy. Liam kinda disappointed me by reprising his performance of "This Magic Moment", especially since I liked it better when he sang it with just his guitar. But the judges lapped up his punky arrangement, and they love his smooth, nicely toned voice. Again, I'm not a fan of the skin-tight pants that these punks seem to be sporting these days, but Liam definitely impressed. He could very well be one of the top contenders.
Who Will Probably Go Home: The guys who's name I can't remember and Andrew Austin.
Who I Would Send Home: Justyn Wesley and Tyler Mullendore
My Top 2 Of the Night: Greg Neufeld and Liam Styles Chang
I'll try to recap the ladies tomorrow night, but Blogging may be difficult in the next few days as my evenings are looking to be jam-packed. I'll do my best though!!
Have a good day everyone!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Oh-So-Close
Last night's game between MVT and Team Pepsi and the Quyon Ball park was a real nail-biter. While Team Pepsi led throughout most of the game, it came down to the 7th inning, and MVT had a real chance to steal the game away from them.
With the score at 19-15 going into the top of the 7th, it was imperative for my team to silence Team Pepsi's strong bats if we had any hope of winning. Somewhat miraculously, they went 3-up, 3-down, giving us a real opportunity to come back. At first, it seemed unlikely, with two quick outs. (I think I was one of 'em...surprise, surprise...) But then we brought two runs in, and with two runners still on base, we had Woermke at bat, and I was already planning my victory dance.
We had two homeruns left, so it seemed only natural that he would be able to hit one of them to end the game. He usually is able to hit homers at will, so things were looking up for MVT! Perhaps there was too much pressure on the poor guy; I'm really not sure. But instead of that glorious homerun we were all dreaming of, he hit a line-drive down third base and whoever was playing third (ya, I was paying attention) caught it to end the inning and deflate our comeback hopes.
Despite the loss, I think our team showed great resiliency in battling back and hanging in there. We kept pace for most of the game, and it easily could have been us winning the game. While my struggles continued, the rest of the girls really stepped up, especially Laura and Sharon, who each had some key hits. I had a little batting practice after the game, so hopefully my hitting will improve next week. But I'm not really counting on it.
At least my scorekeeping skills seem to be coming in handy...Doing my best to help the team! ;)
With the score at 19-15 going into the top of the 7th, it was imperative for my team to silence Team Pepsi's strong bats if we had any hope of winning. Somewhat miraculously, they went 3-up, 3-down, giving us a real opportunity to come back. At first, it seemed unlikely, with two quick outs. (I think I was one of 'em...surprise, surprise...) But then we brought two runs in, and with two runners still on base, we had Woermke at bat, and I was already planning my victory dance.
We had two homeruns left, so it seemed only natural that he would be able to hit one of them to end the game. He usually is able to hit homers at will, so things were looking up for MVT! Perhaps there was too much pressure on the poor guy; I'm really not sure. But instead of that glorious homerun we were all dreaming of, he hit a line-drive down third base and whoever was playing third (ya, I was paying attention) caught it to end the inning and deflate our comeback hopes.
Despite the loss, I think our team showed great resiliency in battling back and hanging in there. We kept pace for most of the game, and it easily could have been us winning the game. While my struggles continued, the rest of the girls really stepped up, especially Laura and Sharon, who each had some key hits. I had a little batting practice after the game, so hopefully my hitting will improve next week. But I'm not really counting on it.
At least my scorekeeping skills seem to be coming in handy...Doing my best to help the team! ;)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Guaranteed Laughs at "Knocked Up"
Last night I went to see "Knocked Up", the new comedy that hit theatres a few weeks ago, from the makers of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin".
For those of you who have already seen it, you know that "Knocked Up" is worth the price of admission. It's even worth the extra $12 for popcorn & a drink. I absolutely loved it. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard during a movie.
Here's the premise: Alison is a beautiful, sophisticated woman who crosses paths with the stoner goof-ball Ben at a club one night, and - badda-bing badda-bang - they get drunk and have sex. The next morning, she wakes up to find his bare ass in her bed, and she realizes she made a big mistake. 8 weeks later, when she starts puking all over the set at her job on E! News, she realizes she made an even bigger mistake. So she sits down with Ben over dinner to tell him the news, and then they decide to make a go of it, at least for the baby's sake.
The movie follows Ben & Alison's relationship throughout her entire pregnancy, right up to the day the baby is born. They have their ups and downs, as Ben tries to fit in with Alison and her sister's family, while she adjusts to the wacky lifestyle that Ben leads with his off-beat roommates.
The thing about the movie is that everything seemed so realistic. It was so relatable. You could imagine these people being your friends, and at times it didn't seem like they were even acting. Katherine Heigl (of Grey's Anatomy fame) did such a good job in the role of Alison. She was so believable as the young woman who is hit with an unexpected pregnancy thanks to an unlikely partner - from fighting tears as she grapples to deal with having Ben's baby, to the hormonal outrage she experiences as they have a blow-up in the doctor's office, right down to the delivery, when she's screaming for drugs after initially deciding to go all-natural.
As for Ben - well, I think everyone knows someone like him. Played by Seth Rogan, he's big and furry and a total slacker who lives with his friends and has absolutely no money and very little ambition, but for some reason, he's got this charm and wit that make him seem adorable. Still, not exactly the kind of guy you want to raise a baby with. But Alison really makes an effort, and eventually she falls in love with him, but she has to decide if love is enough for the the two of them.
Of course, all kinds of hilarity ensues, especially with Ben's friends who are trying to launch a website that gives you exact times when there will be female nudity in a movie. And with Alison's sister's husband, Pete, who gets along great with Ben. (Big thumbs up to Paul Rudd who plays Pete - Rudd doesn't get enough recognition as an actor, and he's demonstrated his comedy chops as Phoebe's husband in the last season or so of Friends, and also in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin". I think he's awesome.) I also give full marks to the two kids who played Alison's nieces - they got some big laughs, and they were just genuine cute little girls who just said things that any kid would say.
There are too many favourite scenes to mention - but I do recommend you go see it if you haven't already. It was funnier than "The 40-Year-Old Virgin", and I guarantee you'll feel a connection with these characters, and you'll split a gut laughing along the way!
For those of you who have already seen it, you know that "Knocked Up" is worth the price of admission. It's even worth the extra $12 for popcorn & a drink. I absolutely loved it. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard during a movie.
Here's the premise: Alison is a beautiful, sophisticated woman who crosses paths with the stoner goof-ball Ben at a club one night, and - badda-bing badda-bang - they get drunk and have sex. The next morning, she wakes up to find his bare ass in her bed, and she realizes she made a big mistake. 8 weeks later, when she starts puking all over the set at her job on E! News, she realizes she made an even bigger mistake. So she sits down with Ben over dinner to tell him the news, and then they decide to make a go of it, at least for the baby's sake.
The movie follows Ben & Alison's relationship throughout her entire pregnancy, right up to the day the baby is born. They have their ups and downs, as Ben tries to fit in with Alison and her sister's family, while she adjusts to the wacky lifestyle that Ben leads with his off-beat roommates.
The thing about the movie is that everything seemed so realistic. It was so relatable. You could imagine these people being your friends, and at times it didn't seem like they were even acting. Katherine Heigl (of Grey's Anatomy fame) did such a good job in the role of Alison. She was so believable as the young woman who is hit with an unexpected pregnancy thanks to an unlikely partner - from fighting tears as she grapples to deal with having Ben's baby, to the hormonal outrage she experiences as they have a blow-up in the doctor's office, right down to the delivery, when she's screaming for drugs after initially deciding to go all-natural.
As for Ben - well, I think everyone knows someone like him. Played by Seth Rogan, he's big and furry and a total slacker who lives with his friends and has absolutely no money and very little ambition, but for some reason, he's got this charm and wit that make him seem adorable. Still, not exactly the kind of guy you want to raise a baby with. But Alison really makes an effort, and eventually she falls in love with him, but she has to decide if love is enough for the the two of them.
Of course, all kinds of hilarity ensues, especially with Ben's friends who are trying to launch a website that gives you exact times when there will be female nudity in a movie. And with Alison's sister's husband, Pete, who gets along great with Ben. (Big thumbs up to Paul Rudd who plays Pete - Rudd doesn't get enough recognition as an actor, and he's demonstrated his comedy chops as Phoebe's husband in the last season or so of Friends, and also in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin". I think he's awesome.) I also give full marks to the two kids who played Alison's nieces - they got some big laughs, and they were just genuine cute little girls who just said things that any kid would say.
There are too many favourite scenes to mention - but I do recommend you go see it if you haven't already. It was funnier than "The 40-Year-Old Virgin", and I guarantee you'll feel a connection with these characters, and you'll split a gut laughing along the way!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Turning Over A New Leaf
I've decided to turn over a new leaf.
I'm 23 years old, and while I believe I have a fairly upbeat, bubbly personality, I'm generally unhappy with how I look, how I feel, and the way things seem to go for me.
However, it has come to my realization that I'm pretty much the one who has to take control and make the changes necessary to improve my appearance and my life.
So this is kind of like my New Years Resolutions in June - just a few steps away from happiness.
(I'll let you know in a few weeks how it's going...)
- I need to smile more. I've got creases in my forehead from scowling so much. And nobody likes a scowler.
- I should be more pleasant at work and not get so pissed off at the little things.
- I have to start eating healthier and exercising more. I used to do this, so I know it's possible. Time to shed that twenty pounds that has been dragging me down!
- I'm going for highlights in my hair in a few weeks, and I think I might even try wearing a little make-up. I've always kind of taken pride in the fact that I'm au naturel...Nothing artificial about me. But apparently boys like artificial, so I'm going to make some slight changes that hopefully get noticed... but nothing drastic.
- I need to be more positive about myself, and quit using myself as the butt of jokes when I'm trying to make people laugh. That's just stupid, I know it, so why do I keep doing it?
- I should try to be more friendly. I think I already am most of the time, but there are times when I feel backward, or awkward, and I admit that I might turn my head to avoid saying hi to someone, just 'cause I don't feel like being sociable. That's gonna change.
- I'm still young, and right now, it should be all about having fun. No need to grow up too quickly!!
- I'm going to try and stop being jealous, 'cause that just enhances a negative attitude. I'm not going to sulk when the pretty girls get the hot boys, or when I try to compare myself to other people my age and realize that I'm wayyyyy behind them in life. I'll get mine someday, when I'm least expecting it...or so they say!!
OK, so that's all I can think of right now. So we'll see how this turning a new leaf thing works out...Before you know it, I might be a new-and-improved Jill!
I'm 23 years old, and while I believe I have a fairly upbeat, bubbly personality, I'm generally unhappy with how I look, how I feel, and the way things seem to go for me.
However, it has come to my realization that I'm pretty much the one who has to take control and make the changes necessary to improve my appearance and my life.
So this is kind of like my New Years Resolutions in June - just a few steps away from happiness.
(I'll let you know in a few weeks how it's going...)
- I need to smile more. I've got creases in my forehead from scowling so much. And nobody likes a scowler.
- I should be more pleasant at work and not get so pissed off at the little things.
- I have to start eating healthier and exercising more. I used to do this, so I know it's possible. Time to shed that twenty pounds that has been dragging me down!
- I'm going for highlights in my hair in a few weeks, and I think I might even try wearing a little make-up. I've always kind of taken pride in the fact that I'm au naturel...Nothing artificial about me. But apparently boys like artificial, so I'm going to make some slight changes that hopefully get noticed... but nothing drastic.
- I need to be more positive about myself, and quit using myself as the butt of jokes when I'm trying to make people laugh. That's just stupid, I know it, so why do I keep doing it?
- I should try to be more friendly. I think I already am most of the time, but there are times when I feel backward, or awkward, and I admit that I might turn my head to avoid saying hi to someone, just 'cause I don't feel like being sociable. That's gonna change.
- I'm still young, and right now, it should be all about having fun. No need to grow up too quickly!!
- I'm going to try and stop being jealous, 'cause that just enhances a negative attitude. I'm not going to sulk when the pretty girls get the hot boys, or when I try to compare myself to other people my age and realize that I'm wayyyyy behind them in life. I'll get mine someday, when I'm least expecting it...or so they say!!
OK, so that's all I can think of right now. So we'll see how this turning a new leaf thing works out...Before you know it, I might be a new-and-improved Jill!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
That's A Wrap for the NHL
OK, I'm not even done watching the 2007 NHL Awards, but I've decided to go ahead and type up my re-cap. There's only twenty minutes left...I'm sure I'm not going to miss much, judging by how it's gone so far. Yeah...It's been pretty lame.
I'm not sure why I've even bothered watching this long, seeing how there were absolutely NO Ottawa Senators nominated. How friggin' ridiculous is that? But I have taken a few notes on the show thus far, and I've created a few of my very own Awards:
Best Moment of the Night (for me): The Ray Emery montage right off the top of the show, displaying his various flamboyant wardrobe changes. What a sexy beast. Even in powder-blue.
Most Annoying Red Carpet Host: Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies. And I love the Barenaked Ladies. But he's really annoying.
Weirdest Moment: Cassie Campbell feeling the beard of one of the members of Finger 11 on the Red Carpet. Ummm...Ok....
Hottest Rocker: Not a whole lotta competition here, but I never knew how handsome the lead singer of Finger 11 was!! (And that is not the one who had Cassie Campbell's fingers running through his facial hair...)
Hottest NHLer Despite Being So Short: Martin St. Louis...I hated him a few years back in the playoffs, but he is a cutie. Even though he's miniature.
Hottest Young Player Who I Used To Think Looked Like A Goose But Is Actually Quite Handsome: Jordan Staal.
Another Player Who I Never Knew Was Hot: Henrik Lundqvist.
Hottest Presenter: George Strombolompoulapamous. Why did I spend all those years lusting after that squirt Rick Campanelli? George was clearly the hottest talent to come out of Much Music!
The Zdeno Chara Award for Ugliest NHLer in Attendance: Roberto Luongo. God, he's ugly.
Greatest Moment as a Sens Fan: Seeing Dany Heatley being named to the First Team All-Stars. Yay, Dany!! Atta get us on the show!!
Most Painful Moment as a Sens Fan: Watching all those clips of the Ducks hoisting the Cup and celebrating in the opening segment. Apparently my wounds are still raw.
Most Touching Moment of the Night: Phil Kessel receiving the Masterton Award for missing only 12 games while battling testicular cancer at the age of 19. It was impossible not to get choked up during the presentation, especially watching his dad fighting back tears and mouthing the words of his speech with him.
Biggest Screw-Up by Scott Oake on the Red Carpet: In an interview with Calder candidate Jordan Staal, Scott asks, "Jordan, you're in some pretty good company for Rookie of the Year, along with your teammate Evgeni Malkin and...uh...uh...ummmmmmm...I'm gonna need you to help me out, here, Jordan, who was the other nominee??" Staal looked embarassed for Scott as he quickly offered, "Paul Statsny." Yep. Just call him Oake The Joke.
The Few-And-Far-Between Funny Lines of the Night:
- On the Red Carpet, Kelly Hrudey asks wrestler Trish Stratus what she's most looking forward to on the night, and she says, "Hanging out with the Leafs, 'cause they're all gonna be here, right? Oh...wait...I guess not..."
- Ron MacLean, after his rambling and highly un-witty opening 'monologue', says, "OK, we gotta get things rolling here, NBC is about to cut to a horserace."
- During Carolina Hurricane Rod Brind'amour's acceptance speech for winning the Selke, he says, "Please, while I'm backstage, could someone explain to my son why I cannot let him wear an Alex Ovechkin jersey to my home games..." Easily, the biggest laugh on the night.
Alrighty, so that's about it...But Because the Sens were completely shut-out of the league-wide awards despite winning the Eastern Conference Championship and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in modern history, I've decided to do my own awards, presented solely to Ottawa Senator players. Luke helped me a little with this, but I think I've made the right choices.
Hart Trophy - for MVP: Daniel Alfredsson. He's the heart and soul of this team, hands down. This selection was an easy one.
Lester B. Pearson Award - MVP as selected by the players: OK, I didn't actually poll the Sens, but I would guess they'd pick Alfie again. He's their captain, and they all have the utmost respect for him.
Vezina Trophy - Best Goaltender: Ooooo...Toughie. I guess I'll go with Martin Gerber.
KIDDING!! Of course it's Razor Ray Emery!!!!
Norris Trophy - Best Defenceman: No question, this one goes to Wade Redden. Now, Luke argued that he would've given this award to someone else. Like Anton Volchekov. Or Chris Phillips. Or Tom Preissing, Joe Corvo, Andrej Meszaros, or Christoph Schubert. I think he even mentioned Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza. But I love Wade, and these are my awards, so he gets it. Period.
Calder Trophy - Rookie of the Year: I don't think we had any official "rookies", aside from Alexei Kaigorodov, who didn't even survive training camp, and who we eventually traded to Phoneix for Mike Comrie. So I'm gonna give this award to Patrick Eaves, because he's probably one of our youngest guys who played his heart out every night and I think he's super-cute.
Selke Award - Best 2-way Player: I'm presenting this one to Mike Fisher, though Luke fought hard for Chris Kelly. Both great 2-way players, but Mike's got more experience. Plus, he's way hotter.
Lady Byng Award - Most Gentlemanly Player: I really didn't know who to pick for this. While I don't consider any of my boys dirty, none of them are exactly sweethearts on the ice. So I have no clear-cut choice, and I guess that's a good thing, since Luke called this the Fruitcake Award. His pick was Jason Spezza, but I'm giving it to Peter Schaefer. He's all grit and tough along the boards, and from what I can remember, spends very little time in the box. But definintely not a Fruitcake.
Rocket Richard Trophy - Most Goals Scored: This one was pretty easy. Dany Heatly, the only 50-goal scorer on the squad.
Art Ross Trophy - Most Points: I don't know this answer without doing research. My first guess was Heatley, but Luke thought maybe Alfie had caught up by the end of the year. Ah, hell, they can share it.
Bill Masterton Award - Player who overcomes insurmountable odds: None of our players had any huge, insurmountable odds, like major surgery or cancer or any thing drastic like that this season, like Kessel's battle with testicular cancer. But not that long ago, one of our guys was an Atlanta Thrasher who was behind the wheel when he crashed his car and killed his teammate, Dan Snyder. That guy was Dany Heatley. He has since changed addresses by joining the Sens, and thanks to the forgiveness offered to him by the Snyder Family and the NHL, Dany is now a back-to-back 50-goal scorer on an Eastern Conference Champion team. As far as I'm concerned, no player deserves this award more than him. I'm proud to have him in a Sens uniform.
Jack Adams Trophy - Coach of the Year: Hmmm...Guess this one goes to Bryan Murray, the pride of Shawville and my mom's best friend! (hahahaha...) Gotta admit, it was fun to be around Shawville during the Stanley Cup hype. Here's hoping they sign him for another few years, and that the Cup finally makes a stop in the Pontiac!
So that's a wrap on the 2006-2007 NHL Season. OK...Now I'm really done talking about hockey, I swear...
I'm not sure why I've even bothered watching this long, seeing how there were absolutely NO Ottawa Senators nominated. How friggin' ridiculous is that? But I have taken a few notes on the show thus far, and I've created a few of my very own Awards:
Best Moment of the Night (for me): The Ray Emery montage right off the top of the show, displaying his various flamboyant wardrobe changes. What a sexy beast. Even in powder-blue.
Most Annoying Red Carpet Host: Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies. And I love the Barenaked Ladies. But he's really annoying.
Weirdest Moment: Cassie Campbell feeling the beard of one of the members of Finger 11 on the Red Carpet. Ummm...Ok....
Hottest Rocker: Not a whole lotta competition here, but I never knew how handsome the lead singer of Finger 11 was!! (And that is not the one who had Cassie Campbell's fingers running through his facial hair...)
Hottest NHLer Despite Being So Short: Martin St. Louis...I hated him a few years back in the playoffs, but he is a cutie. Even though he's miniature.
Hottest Young Player Who I Used To Think Looked Like A Goose But Is Actually Quite Handsome: Jordan Staal.
Another Player Who I Never Knew Was Hot: Henrik Lundqvist.
Hottest Presenter: George Strombolompoulapamous. Why did I spend all those years lusting after that squirt Rick Campanelli? George was clearly the hottest talent to come out of Much Music!
The Zdeno Chara Award for Ugliest NHLer in Attendance: Roberto Luongo. God, he's ugly.
Greatest Moment as a Sens Fan: Seeing Dany Heatley being named to the First Team All-Stars. Yay, Dany!! Atta get us on the show!!
Most Painful Moment as a Sens Fan: Watching all those clips of the Ducks hoisting the Cup and celebrating in the opening segment. Apparently my wounds are still raw.
Most Touching Moment of the Night: Phil Kessel receiving the Masterton Award for missing only 12 games while battling testicular cancer at the age of 19. It was impossible not to get choked up during the presentation, especially watching his dad fighting back tears and mouthing the words of his speech with him.
Biggest Screw-Up by Scott Oake on the Red Carpet: In an interview with Calder candidate Jordan Staal, Scott asks, "Jordan, you're in some pretty good company for Rookie of the Year, along with your teammate Evgeni Malkin and...uh...uh...ummmmmmm...I'm gonna need you to help me out, here, Jordan, who was the other nominee??" Staal looked embarassed for Scott as he quickly offered, "Paul Statsny." Yep. Just call him Oake The Joke.
The Few-And-Far-Between Funny Lines of the Night:
- On the Red Carpet, Kelly Hrudey asks wrestler Trish Stratus what she's most looking forward to on the night, and she says, "Hanging out with the Leafs, 'cause they're all gonna be here, right? Oh...wait...I guess not..."
- Ron MacLean, after his rambling and highly un-witty opening 'monologue', says, "OK, we gotta get things rolling here, NBC is about to cut to a horserace."
- During Carolina Hurricane Rod Brind'amour's acceptance speech for winning the Selke, he says, "Please, while I'm backstage, could someone explain to my son why I cannot let him wear an Alex Ovechkin jersey to my home games..." Easily, the biggest laugh on the night.
Alrighty, so that's about it...But Because the Sens were completely shut-out of the league-wide awards despite winning the Eastern Conference Championship and making it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in modern history, I've decided to do my own awards, presented solely to Ottawa Senator players. Luke helped me a little with this, but I think I've made the right choices.
Hart Trophy - for MVP: Daniel Alfredsson. He's the heart and soul of this team, hands down. This selection was an easy one.
Lester B. Pearson Award - MVP as selected by the players: OK, I didn't actually poll the Sens, but I would guess they'd pick Alfie again. He's their captain, and they all have the utmost respect for him.
Vezina Trophy - Best Goaltender: Ooooo...Toughie. I guess I'll go with Martin Gerber.
KIDDING!! Of course it's Razor Ray Emery!!!!
Norris Trophy - Best Defenceman: No question, this one goes to Wade Redden. Now, Luke argued that he would've given this award to someone else. Like Anton Volchekov. Or Chris Phillips. Or Tom Preissing, Joe Corvo, Andrej Meszaros, or Christoph Schubert. I think he even mentioned Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza. But I love Wade, and these are my awards, so he gets it. Period.
Calder Trophy - Rookie of the Year: I don't think we had any official "rookies", aside from Alexei Kaigorodov, who didn't even survive training camp, and who we eventually traded to Phoneix for Mike Comrie. So I'm gonna give this award to Patrick Eaves, because he's probably one of our youngest guys who played his heart out every night and I think he's super-cute.
Selke Award - Best 2-way Player: I'm presenting this one to Mike Fisher, though Luke fought hard for Chris Kelly. Both great 2-way players, but Mike's got more experience. Plus, he's way hotter.
Lady Byng Award - Most Gentlemanly Player: I really didn't know who to pick for this. While I don't consider any of my boys dirty, none of them are exactly sweethearts on the ice. So I have no clear-cut choice, and I guess that's a good thing, since Luke called this the Fruitcake Award. His pick was Jason Spezza, but I'm giving it to Peter Schaefer. He's all grit and tough along the boards, and from what I can remember, spends very little time in the box. But definintely not a Fruitcake.
Rocket Richard Trophy - Most Goals Scored: This one was pretty easy. Dany Heatly, the only 50-goal scorer on the squad.
Art Ross Trophy - Most Points: I don't know this answer without doing research. My first guess was Heatley, but Luke thought maybe Alfie had caught up by the end of the year. Ah, hell, they can share it.
Bill Masterton Award - Player who overcomes insurmountable odds: None of our players had any huge, insurmountable odds, like major surgery or cancer or any thing drastic like that this season, like Kessel's battle with testicular cancer. But not that long ago, one of our guys was an Atlanta Thrasher who was behind the wheel when he crashed his car and killed his teammate, Dan Snyder. That guy was Dany Heatley. He has since changed addresses by joining the Sens, and thanks to the forgiveness offered to him by the Snyder Family and the NHL, Dany is now a back-to-back 50-goal scorer on an Eastern Conference Champion team. As far as I'm concerned, no player deserves this award more than him. I'm proud to have him in a Sens uniform.
Jack Adams Trophy - Coach of the Year: Hmmm...Guess this one goes to Bryan Murray, the pride of Shawville and my mom's best friend! (hahahaha...) Gotta admit, it was fun to be around Shawville during the Stanley Cup hype. Here's hoping they sign him for another few years, and that the Cup finally makes a stop in the Pontiac!
So that's a wrap on the 2006-2007 NHL Season. OK...Now I'm really done talking about hockey, I swear...
Blame It On My Dad
It was a lovely evening at the ball park last night, as MVT was taking on L&J Towing in the Quyon 3-pitch league. It was a warm one, but a light breeze kept things pleasant weather-wise; however, things were not so pleasant on the field, at least not for my poor team.
Thus far, we've been doing pretty well. Now granted, I've only made it out to a couple of games because for awhile there, ball night clashed with the Sens' Cup Run. Our fearless leader, Ricky, probably wishes I'd stay home more often. Last week I didn't even get a hit, and my fielding skills are pretty limited to say the least. I think it's a fair assessment to say I'm the worst player on the team. But that, I will blame on my father - because he was the one who cut me from his ball team when I was only 10, when I was still young and able to learn and develop my athletic prowess. I think it's too late for that now.
In any case, last night we lost big - I think the final score was 23-6. So while I may have had a few screw-ups, I don't think they can blame the entire shemozzle on me.
In fact, last night I actually did something RIGHT. While I was playing catcher, the batter popped a ball out just a few feet in front of me. I scrambled to grab it, while the great L&J Towing player whom I have labelled "Abs" (those of you who have ever played or been to a game know who I'm talking about) came around third, and then just came charging in home. Now, I'm not sure if he thinks I'm retarded or if my play thus far was really that weak, because even the simplest of minds would now that all I had to do was take a few quick steps back to home plate to get him out. He didn't have a hope in hell. And while I did kind of find it insulting that he even bothered to try, it was nice to hear my team cheering and telling me I did a good job rather than the usual shouts of "Good try, Jill".
So that was my one shining moment; my 15 seconds of fame I guess. Otherwise, it was a rather dull effort by our team. Either that, or the L&J squad are just that good. They seemed to be able to hit the ball wherever they felt like, while the MVT bats were pretty quiet last night. If we'd been able to hit a little better, we might've had a closer score. I actually did hit last night rather than strike out every time, so I was a little proud of myself.
Maybe next week I'll actually get on base. Ya never know.
Thus far, we've been doing pretty well. Now granted, I've only made it out to a couple of games because for awhile there, ball night clashed with the Sens' Cup Run. Our fearless leader, Ricky, probably wishes I'd stay home more often. Last week I didn't even get a hit, and my fielding skills are pretty limited to say the least. I think it's a fair assessment to say I'm the worst player on the team. But that, I will blame on my father - because he was the one who cut me from his ball team when I was only 10, when I was still young and able to learn and develop my athletic prowess. I think it's too late for that now.
In any case, last night we lost big - I think the final score was 23-6. So while I may have had a few screw-ups, I don't think they can blame the entire shemozzle on me.
In fact, last night I actually did something RIGHT. While I was playing catcher, the batter popped a ball out just a few feet in front of me. I scrambled to grab it, while the great L&J Towing player whom I have labelled "Abs" (those of you who have ever played or been to a game know who I'm talking about) came around third, and then just came charging in home. Now, I'm not sure if he thinks I'm retarded or if my play thus far was really that weak, because even the simplest of minds would now that all I had to do was take a few quick steps back to home plate to get him out. He didn't have a hope in hell. And while I did kind of find it insulting that he even bothered to try, it was nice to hear my team cheering and telling me I did a good job rather than the usual shouts of "Good try, Jill".
So that was my one shining moment; my 15 seconds of fame I guess. Otherwise, it was a rather dull effort by our team. Either that, or the L&J squad are just that good. They seemed to be able to hit the ball wherever they felt like, while the MVT bats were pretty quiet last night. If we'd been able to hit a little better, we might've had a closer score. I actually did hit last night rather than strike out every time, so I was a little proud of myself.
Maybe next week I'll actually get on base. Ya never know.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Play a Song For Me
It's a darned good thing I declared the end of hockey talk in yesterday's Blog, because the only stupid NHL news yesterday was that Mats Sundin signed for a year with the Leafs. If there's one thing I hate about the end of the Playoffs, it's that we now have to listen to Leaf Nation rising again...BLECH!!
Last night I watched my first episode of the summer of Canadian Idol. I believe the audition rounds kicked off last week, but I missed the debut. To be honest, I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the show since the first season, when I fell in love with the underdog Ryan Malcolm from Kingston who went on to win the whole she-bang. The next year, that floopy haired angel-boy won, and I lost interest. Last season, I watched on and off, and was proud that Eva Avila, a Gatineau native, eventually won it all, but I really didn't care.
This season, however, I've discovered a new twist that really boosted my interest in the show. This year, contestants are allowed to bring in instruments to audition with if they wish. And I am a sucker for boys with guitars. Most of the guys who came in with 6-strings slung around their necks...Well, I loved 'em.
There were a few who did not impress, like the guy who called himself "Strings" and sang "Purple Haze" after plugging in his electric guitar and making a lot of racket by running his face up and down the strings. I couldn't have agreed more when Sass begged him to stop.
But there was a young cutie-pie teacher who played "Beast of Burden", and a burly-looking boy who sang "Drift Away". Both made it through to Toronto, and they were two of my favourites on the night. Oh, and the rocker from Saskatoon who they showed playing with his band before his audition - the judges weren't sold on him when he came in and strummed for them, but after Farley asked him to sing the last line of O Canada, they handed him his gold ticket to T.O. And there was also a hot young dad who not only won my heart with his guitar playing, but he had the most adorable little boy...I would've put him through just because the kid was so cute.
These are the parts of the audition process that I love - when someone walks in there, and really knocks your socks off. The rest of it I find contrived, twisted, and painful at times. There are the people who walk in who profess to be stars-in-the-making, but they sing so badly, it'd almost make you want to change the channel. Then there are the people who know they have no talent, but they do something whacky just to get on TV. It's gimmicky, and while it might've made for good TV a few years back, it's all just getting old now.
But I really do think the introduction of instruments in the audition process has breathed a bit of new life into the Idol process. And judging from the snippets they showed of next week's Toronto Round, the boys will be allowed to bring out their guitars again.
Guaranteed, I'll be in love with one of these lads before the summer's out!
Last night I watched my first episode of the summer of Canadian Idol. I believe the audition rounds kicked off last week, but I missed the debut. To be honest, I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the show since the first season, when I fell in love with the underdog Ryan Malcolm from Kingston who went on to win the whole she-bang. The next year, that floopy haired angel-boy won, and I lost interest. Last season, I watched on and off, and was proud that Eva Avila, a Gatineau native, eventually won it all, but I really didn't care.
This season, however, I've discovered a new twist that really boosted my interest in the show. This year, contestants are allowed to bring in instruments to audition with if they wish. And I am a sucker for boys with guitars. Most of the guys who came in with 6-strings slung around their necks...Well, I loved 'em.
There were a few who did not impress, like the guy who called himself "Strings" and sang "Purple Haze" after plugging in his electric guitar and making a lot of racket by running his face up and down the strings. I couldn't have agreed more when Sass begged him to stop.
But there was a young cutie-pie teacher who played "Beast of Burden", and a burly-looking boy who sang "Drift Away". Both made it through to Toronto, and they were two of my favourites on the night. Oh, and the rocker from Saskatoon who they showed playing with his band before his audition - the judges weren't sold on him when he came in and strummed for them, but after Farley asked him to sing the last line of O Canada, they handed him his gold ticket to T.O. And there was also a hot young dad who not only won my heart with his guitar playing, but he had the most adorable little boy...I would've put him through just because the kid was so cute.
These are the parts of the audition process that I love - when someone walks in there, and really knocks your socks off. The rest of it I find contrived, twisted, and painful at times. There are the people who walk in who profess to be stars-in-the-making, but they sing so badly, it'd almost make you want to change the channel. Then there are the people who know they have no talent, but they do something whacky just to get on TV. It's gimmicky, and while it might've made for good TV a few years back, it's all just getting old now.
But I really do think the introduction of instruments in the audition process has breathed a bit of new life into the Idol process. And judging from the snippets they showed of next week's Toronto Round, the boys will be allowed to bring out their guitars again.
Guaranteed, I'll be in love with one of these lads before the summer's out!
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Blog LIVES...But the Sens Do Not
Hey guys!
My deepest apologies for abandoning my Blog for the past few weeks. For a few days, I was just too busy. But then the Sens lost to the Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals, and ever since I've been trying to create an appropriate tribute to my team and their glorious season, while also capturing the grief and pain I experienced as a result of the Game 5 loss last Wednesday night.
I went back and read some of my Blogs from last October and November, when I was literally freaking out over this team. They were playing some pretty bad hockey, and not living up to any expectations I had for them in '06-07. I never gave up on them, but I have to admit, by mid-December, I was pretty sure it was going to be my first year as a Sens fan without an appearance in the Playoffs.
Then, all of a sudden, there was this miracle of sorts. A bunch of our guys - including Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher, and Antoine Vermette - got hurt around Christmastime, and somehow, instead of crumbling, the rest of the team blossomed. They started to buy into the coach's system, they began playing like a cohesive unit, and by the time April rolled around, they had one of the best records in the second-half of the season in the NHL.
The playoffs were a blast through three rounds, as we rolled over the likes of the Penguins, Devils, and Sabres. Those were some pretty fun months. I'll never forget how I felt watching Daniel Alfredsson score that OT goal in Buffalo to clinch the title of Eastern Conference Champions and send the modern-day Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. It was like a dream finally coming true - the sweetest poetic justice, and for once, glory seemed so close, I could almost touch it.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be. As easily as we defeated three of the strongest teams in the East, the Ducks man-handled us, and claimed the Cup in just five games. The only night where it felt like we were even close was Game #3 in Ottawa when the Sens won 5-3. Watching them lose last week was heart-breaking. As time ticked down in the third period, tears streamed down my cheeks, and I cried right through the handshakes, the on-ice interviews, and the presentation of the Cup. I didn't feel happy for the Niedermeyer brothers, or Teemu Selanne, or Chris Pronger. It wasn't special to me in the least. For me, it was like watching someone having their teeth pulled. The only reason I stayed to watch it all was because I never missed one moment of these Stanley Cup playoffs, and I figured I had to see it right through to the bitter end.
In the days since, I've been able to put aside a lot of that hostility and disappointment, and reflect on what an awesome year it has been. People keep trying to put a damper on my spirits, though, by insisting that Wade Redden's going to be traded to Edmonton over the summer. I've got more post-season paranoia than ever before, but at least this off-season will be a short one, and before I know it, the boys will be back (and hopefully Wade will be too).
Can't wait!
And a special thanks to those of you who sent me thoughtful messages of "condolences" in the wake of the loss last week. I know it seems silly, but when the Sens lose, it really does devestate me, and you guys rarealy make fun of me for it - you just seem to understand. So thank you so much for that! Enjoy the next few months of (mostly) hockey-free Blogging, because it'll be back before you know it!
Summer can now officially begin!
My deepest apologies for abandoning my Blog for the past few weeks. For a few days, I was just too busy. But then the Sens lost to the Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals, and ever since I've been trying to create an appropriate tribute to my team and their glorious season, while also capturing the grief and pain I experienced as a result of the Game 5 loss last Wednesday night.
I went back and read some of my Blogs from last October and November, when I was literally freaking out over this team. They were playing some pretty bad hockey, and not living up to any expectations I had for them in '06-07. I never gave up on them, but I have to admit, by mid-December, I was pretty sure it was going to be my first year as a Sens fan without an appearance in the Playoffs.
Then, all of a sudden, there was this miracle of sorts. A bunch of our guys - including Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher, and Antoine Vermette - got hurt around Christmastime, and somehow, instead of crumbling, the rest of the team blossomed. They started to buy into the coach's system, they began playing like a cohesive unit, and by the time April rolled around, they had one of the best records in the second-half of the season in the NHL.
The playoffs were a blast through three rounds, as we rolled over the likes of the Penguins, Devils, and Sabres. Those were some pretty fun months. I'll never forget how I felt watching Daniel Alfredsson score that OT goal in Buffalo to clinch the title of Eastern Conference Champions and send the modern-day Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. It was like a dream finally coming true - the sweetest poetic justice, and for once, glory seemed so close, I could almost touch it.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be. As easily as we defeated three of the strongest teams in the East, the Ducks man-handled us, and claimed the Cup in just five games. The only night where it felt like we were even close was Game #3 in Ottawa when the Sens won 5-3. Watching them lose last week was heart-breaking. As time ticked down in the third period, tears streamed down my cheeks, and I cried right through the handshakes, the on-ice interviews, and the presentation of the Cup. I didn't feel happy for the Niedermeyer brothers, or Teemu Selanne, or Chris Pronger. It wasn't special to me in the least. For me, it was like watching someone having their teeth pulled. The only reason I stayed to watch it all was because I never missed one moment of these Stanley Cup playoffs, and I figured I had to see it right through to the bitter end.
In the days since, I've been able to put aside a lot of that hostility and disappointment, and reflect on what an awesome year it has been. People keep trying to put a damper on my spirits, though, by insisting that Wade Redden's going to be traded to Edmonton over the summer. I've got more post-season paranoia than ever before, but at least this off-season will be a short one, and before I know it, the boys will be back (and hopefully Wade will be too).
Can't wait!
And a special thanks to those of you who sent me thoughtful messages of "condolences" in the wake of the loss last week. I know it seems silly, but when the Sens lose, it really does devestate me, and you guys rarealy make fun of me for it - you just seem to understand. So thank you so much for that! Enjoy the next few months of (mostly) hockey-free Blogging, because it'll be back before you know it!
Summer can now officially begin!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Duck Huntin'
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!!
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!!
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!!
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