Enjoy some of Canada’s finest from Elisha Cuthbert to all sorts of other Canuckian Beaver.
‘O’ Canuckia, we like your sexy broads…from Elisha Cuthebert to Tricia Helfer too…’
On Canada Day, we celebrate the few things that make them great. Like…er…Rush and…Labatt’s Blue…and 150-yard long football fields…
Oh, just enjoy the hot chicks.
by Mike Zimmer, Oh, shut up, I’ll post something for the 4th and the good ol’ USA too
A modern day warrior, mean mean stride, today’s Tom Sawyer, mean mean pride. Yep, it’s Canada Day again. I have to say that I actually like Canada and most Canadians. Geddy Lee, Don Cherry, Jim Carey, Rick Nash, John Candy, Katie West, Elisa Cuthbert, Tricia Helfer, Estella Warren…er…The Kids in the Hall…er…yeah. So what if I’ve named half the country.
Actually, I do miss going up the True North strong and free each summer. The ex-wife and I used to head to Ontario and Quebec each summer for vacation. Quebec City is amongst my favorite places on Earth too, along with Charlevoix and the St. Lawrence River path to the Atlantic. I miss maple pie, poutine, and Unibrue, the Canadian micro-brew that makes some of the best beer on the planet including Maudite, my absolute fav.
So, go ahead, hit the jump and enjoy all things from Canada that are worth while. And don’t forget to tell Mikey B to have a Happy Birfday too!
Former Dayton Bombers coach and Tipp City resident Jim Playfair goes ape shit.
The Abbington Heat’s head coach and former Dayton Bombers head man has an issue with the horrible officiating from Don Koharsky’s son…
This is about as good as it gets in coaching melt downs in hockey these days as Playfair is going to have to replace that jackets buttons…
Replacing jacket: $199, two broken sticks: $250, silk tie $55, having an all-time great You Tube moment: priceless.
by Mike Zimmer, former ECHL blogger
Big B and I were enjoying his bunker last week in which he has fashioned 4-TV’s all around his garage. The pickins’ got a little slim at some point last weekend and we wound up having the NHL network on one of the TV’s and they just so happened to be having the IHL’s Toronto Marleys and the Abbington Heat on. Abbington is the minor league affiliate of the Calgary Flames and they have none other than former Dayton Bombers head coach Jim Playfair behind the bench.
Playfair, who is also a former Tipp City resident has made the rounds in hockey in his day. He’s had a cup of coffee all around North America it seems. I don’t remember the guy being overly emotional though when he was behind the bench for the Bombers. Yet, apparently, there is an Incredible Hulk lurking in all of us. At some point, there’s a breaking point, a hot button, a trigger that takes us from hot, to mad, to melt down point.
However now we know. Don’t make Jim Playfair angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
Sid the Kid could be part of a bigger plan in thwarting Stealers play in January.
Rumors are heating up that Pittsburgh could be the next host for the NHL’s Winter Classic…
One problem there, if the Squealer were to advance in the play-offs, it may cause a scheduling conflict…
Then again, I expect Ben Rapelisburger and company will be having a first round bye after running rough shod over a poor AFC North next year.
by Mike Zimmer, Falcons/Thrashers fan
How great would it be if the Pittsburgh Penguins made it so the Steelers would have to play else where the first weekend in January? To me, well, it would be just great and some kind of Karma or cosmic justice. After all, the most deserving of the professional franchises in the city, the Pens didn’t get a new arena when both the Squealers and the horrible Pirates got new stadiums in the last decade.
Scuttle butt says that the NHL wants to hold this year’s Winter Classic in Pittsburgh January 1st at Heinz Field. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/28/end-of-steelers-2010-season-could-be-affected-by-hockey-plans/ The game, which has become the NHL’s marquee event hosts a game outside in the open winter air instead of an arena on New Year’s Day. Yes, the NHL is that out of tune and that desperate for such an entity to exist by the way.
There’s only one problem with the plan right now though. The Stealers are set to host their home finale on Thursday Dec. 23rd and the preparation for such an event takes about a week and would then take some time to dismantle there after. In recent hosting venues, the ice had remained up for civic uses for a matter of week in each of the cities it was erected. However, if as expected the Stealers make the NFL play-offs this coming season, it would be a logistical and tight timing nightmare, perhaps too much for the NFL’s liking, maybe shipping the Stealers to a road destination due to the scheduling conflict. Read the rest of this entry »
~Referring to the so-called “lucky” play-off beards that hockey players sometimes grow as the season grows late, while we were forced to watch the NCAA Women’s Hockey Championship game. That abomination went into 3-OT’s and CBS College Sports Channel kept with that instead of coverage of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tourney today.
Will Columbus once again become a minor league city? The Blue Jackets are in financial trouble, need fix that isn’t quickly coming.
With their founding owner John H. McConnell now dead a year, the Columbus Blue Jackets are in the red ink bad…
The NHL brand is leaking cash and the mid-level market Jackets suffering from it as badly as anyone…
Ugly reality time: Trouble with lease, city, county et al, there’s no easy solution and it could cost Columbus the Blue Jackets.
by Mike Zimmer, Jackets fan
I’ve held off on this story a couple weeks having looked around for any follow up in recent weeks after finding it. The report wasn’t good news for hockey fans in Ohio, in general fans of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The team is leaking money at a pace it cannot cope with for long and there is no easy fix coming nor anyone willing to step to as of right now.
Worse, I got an e-mail from the Jackets to respond to something in the Columbus Business Journal, (http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/poll/index.html) which was asking me, as a fan who has visited their site, has purchased merchandise from and has bought tickets from, if the Blue Jackets are viable and valuable to me. Sure, sure, it’s a juking the stats maneuver, but the simple fact that they have to ask someone who has been a customer since day one and even was a season ticket holder to the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League, there might be a huge problem on the way. Read the rest of this entry »
The Kingston Frontenacs honored the venerable and outragious Don Cherry with a jersey in his stylings.
Don Cherry and Military night for the junior hockey league Kingston Frontenacs offer us the pinnacle in alternate jeresey-dom.
by Mike Zimmer, Style Expert
You have got to go over to this site for the Kingston Frontenacs, a major junior hockey league in Canada and the United States: http://www.kingstonfrontenacs.com/
As you can see, they honored both the Canadian Military as well as the outragious broadcaster Don Cherry.
But the team didn’t do what you’d think when honoring the military. Instead of jerseys in the color of fatigues or camoflauge like those worn by the San Diego Padres in recent years, they went ahead and donned duds that were a little more fitting their honored guest Mr. Cherry.
Don Cherry on Military night.
If you are un-familiar with Don Cherry, well, it’s worth checking out any and all offering of him in multi-media. He’s a riot. He’s gregorious and absolutely an original. As part of the National Hockey Night in Canada Broadcasts of the NHL, Cherry is out-spoken and outragious in his commentary in typical love him or hate him style.
But more in particularly for this story, he is a snazzy dresser. As you may see, he’s got an eye for fashion and isn’t affraid to show it off at all times…
And a little more Cherry to boot…
One way or another, love him or hate him, I want one of those jerseys!!!
This is a BIG hockey hit in a big time Western Conference Finals game.
Call me crazy but, I don’t think this warranted a game mis-contuct let alone a possible suspension…
Wings laid the lumber but the Black Hawks won the game…
If you’re not watching the Stanley Cup play-offs, this is the type of stuff you’re missing…Oh and the games are exciting too.
by Mike Zimmer, Blue Jackets Fan
As the play develops live, you don’t really see the full impact of the hit on the camera. As the Red Wings and Blackhawks scrapped for the puck in the Chicago end the other night, the screen shifts and then you see Martin Havlat just cease to be upright in a mighty collision.
What you see in the video provided is one wicked hit. Upon the replay you see the violence of the collision which was in my opinion was a bang-bang play that just so happened to be a brutal hit. While I don’t deny it was more than likely a penalty because Niklas Kronwall’s stick was up and perhaps Martin Havlat’s head wasn’t quite up yet, it wasn’t worthy of the penalty outcome. Kronwall was issued a game misconduct for his troubles, something I think was un-called for.
Sure, Havlat went to sleep and sure it was cause for alarm, but come on! Getting the boot for that? A bit stiff. Of course, I’m rooting for the Red Wings in this series so I might be a little biased.
Seriously, this hit was just another “reward” if you will for watching a pretty damn good hockey game in another exciting series in the Stanley Cup play-offs. This season’s play-offs have been really exciting thus far and the Detroit/Chicago series will likely be no exception the rest of the way with Chicago getting back in it with their OT win the other night in a 4-3 win.
Meanwhile the Carolina/Pittsburgh series also shifts gears as the ‘Canes get back on home ice. Want to talk about a couple of offensive teams and exciting players on the ice to watch, look no further than this series. Of course the Evegeny Malkin goal the other night is the poster child for this one thus far. I mean, seriously, this dude goes behind the back, top shelf where Mama hides the cookie jar to get his hat-trick on the night. Just fantastic. Check it out (below) and if you get Versus out there in cable/satellite land (which may be tricky considering that it is still an obscure channel and the NHL’s TV contract pretty much sucks ass) stick with it.
The ECHL’s Dayton Bombers were in existence for 18-seasons but will fold in April.
The Dayton Bombers will fold after their season ends in early April after another season in the red…
Dayton’s suckyness, poor economy and lack of interest by the local media all a part of the factors that brought an end to another era of hockey in the Gem City…
I have some fond memories of going to Bombers games. At both Sticky Floors Arena (that’d be that shit hole they called Hara Arena) and at the cavernous abyss that is the awful and generic Nutter Center. I had fun at both venues on several occasions taking in the local Dayton Bombers and what was at one time, pretty good minor league hockey in the ECHL. http://www.samhsa.gov/economy/#warningSigns
Big B and I in particular have taken in quite a few games over the years. Heck, we even go back to the days of the Columbus Chill before the Jackets and the NHL arrived there. We used to get groups togetherto go out to either Hara or Nutter Center to take in the games fairly often.
We even knew the guy that ran the website once upon a time (and from the looks of their current web site they’ve now past that duty off to a 9th grader) and he had season tickets. Hell, I even published my first sports blog on that web site a long, long time ago. I was more than happy to talk a little minor league hockey and NHL from time to time.
The ECHL has taken a bit of a beating in the region that really got it started and on the map in the late 1980’s. Teams from the rust belt and mid-Atlantic have come and gone of late including successful teams like the Toledo Storm. Despite growing down southwith the advent of hockey in the sunshine belt and absorbing some pieces and part of other leagues, the ECHL survives but some teams are exiting in harsh economic times. Toledo may return but it doesn’t surprise me that teams like the Bombers are on their way out.
The Bombers used to have a fairly rabid, die hard fan base and may still. However, ther region and the town have taken a beating in the economic down turn and people aren’t spending their cash the same anymore and advertisers aren’t buying up billboards in the rink the same way either.
Times are hard and no where else exemplifies the bad economic down turn like the shit hole that is Dayton. That’s right campers, I called Dayton a shit hole. The simple fact of the matter is, the region is dying in importance and the city itself has become somewhat of a joke. But it’s been that way for a a looooong time and it’s a hard pill to swallow considering I come from there and I liked the Bombers.
However, I moved from the region and therefore graduated up to the Columbus Blue Jackets. This didn’t help the Bombers in the least mind you, having the NHL club just up the road and the area and support for the Bombers declining. What is worse is, the relationship between the two clubs doesn’t seem like it’s all that great and the ECHL is like AA. Meanwhile, the Jackets have their AHL affiliate, their main training ground for young players in Syracuse, NY. That doesn’t make all that much sense to me on either end. Even the Dayton Dragons have the built in advantage of being the Reds Single-A affiliate.
The owners of the Bombers have run in the red since they purchased the team back in 2004 and despite hopes to turn things around, they’re folding up shop before they lose too much more. It’s a real shame too as the Bombers were a nice, cheap entertainment option and something to actually be proud of in Dayton.
Too bad that no one really seemed to be able to care either. The Dayton Daily News barely covered them. That paper is an absolute insult to bird cage liners everywhere. Whilst home this past month to visit the family, I couldn’t believe how awful that rag has become. Whether it’s the liberal slant on everything or the fact that the thing including the sports section has shrunk to an absolute minimum, it’s a joke. The sports section brief like a small town paper too, covering mostly things you can find just about anywhere. Even the high school sports that is a stalwart of the region was given short shrift. It’s too bad.
But really, there were more factors. I’m actually surprised the team lasted this long. The arena issue is a big deal. Nutter sucks but it was a hell of a lot better than Hara. I’ve also been reading that there was hope to build a down town arena too, which was abhorrently stupid. No one wants to go down town in Dayton because it sucks and it’s ever so scary. Just because you build it doesn’t mean they’ll come, this isn’t field of dreams, it’s the shit hole that is Dayton.
It was STILL too expensive for good seats too and the fan base in terms of season ticket holders was just never what it could have and should have been. And hockey in general has really taken a beating of late because of their shit TV contract and the fact that they seemed to have alienated a good portion of the fans they earned back in the 90’s when the sport really came into it’s own in non-traditional places. It does matter that there is a link to the big time sport or no one cares.
The other problem: people like Brew. A guy who doesn’t understand hockey, therefore he loathes it. Yep, Brew killed your Dayton Bombers. The uneducated did have a part to play in this, but the team, the league and the game itself cannot be blamed for not growing the sport in the right ways let alone plan on such a humongous hemorrhage in the financial system and subsequent economic doom we are all currently facing.
So Goodbye Dayton Bombers. I have fond memories and hope that some day maybe there might be reincarnation of you in the future. Hockey in Dayton goes back a long time and not have a team there just doesn’t seem right.
My memories of drinking not-so-cheap draft beer, yelling at opposing players and occasionally giving a damn are fond and near to me. Heck, like I said, my first blog was about the Bombers. So, I’ll miss it, I really will.
Big B and I went to an ECHL hockey game and a soccer game broke out.
Reviewing the recent trip home with picture evidence…
Big B and I make a trip over to the Germain Arena in Fort Myers to watch some minor league hockey…
Beer flowed, a flirtation with disaster came with that and a good time was had by all.
by Mike Zimmer, Mmmmmmbeeeeeeer.
Well, I neglected to properly chronicle my trip back to the states. Both down to the future worldwide HQ of publishing for this here site and back to my beloved home in the Buckeye state. Time to fix that one little bit at a time.
My trip back to the United States was supposed to be about business. The business was to find a job down in the sunshine state and or perhaps back up in Ohio if the conditions allowed and permitted it. While that was a grand failure, I did have a pretty damn good time. On top of a business trip, I had to include some good times right? Well, you’ve already seen that Turkey Bowl IV was part of the adventure back home. But, what you didn’t see and I failed to post about was all the other entertainment and happenings on the trip.
First, I blame Big B’s TRS-80 computer which has the capacity, speed and ability of a retarded turtle. He has since seriously upgraded by venturing out on Black Friday to buy a brand new machine that is both speedy and to my liking. That however was after he and I had jumped into the car and headed over to see some minor league hockey on the 2nd day of my visit back to the states.
The Florida Everblades defeated the Augusta Lynx in a shoot out 1-0 after the game ended scoreless after OT.
All in all a good time was had by all. Germain Arena, home of the Florida Everblades of the ECHL is a pretty nice venue in my book. I could see making occasional trips down I-75 to the new-ish arena and the not to distant university shops with all the trimmings. They’ve done a pretty nice job with the arena and making it a nice enjoyable sporting event.
We first hit the club level and the in-arena sky bar which offered up a nice look out at the ice and I could see being a regular hang out if I were to frequent such things. We had a few beers before making our way to our seats to join a few of Big B’s friends from work who had taken a pair of extras off his hands. It seems that minor league hockey and the novelty of my visits to Florida had worn off in the eyes of Big B’s regular guy friends who I’ve played softball with and enjoyed having company with in the past.
The beer was pretty cheap from what I remember. And that’s the thing, I don’t clearly remember much of the actual game other than to know that it was a bore fest with both teams having to come back the next night and play one another again. Such contests usually offer a pretty tame bit of entertainment with the fighting and rough stuff coming only after an entire game to ”get to know” the other team. Sure enough, the Saturday affair offered up a rougher and more action packed game with plenty of fisticuffs. Oh well, what can you do?
The Everblades out-shot Augusta something awful but couldn’t dent the net resulting in a scoreless draw at the endof regulation. Mostly though, the beer kind of put a haze on things. In combination with my horse tranquilizer pain meds for the pinched nerve in my back, I was feeling no pain that evening.
A pair of sessy dudes. See ladies, beer makes everyone pretty!!!
The actual highlights were the other people in the stands around us. High class, high brow and or even non-mildy retarded they were not. We had what we Big B and I supposed as a mother and son in front of us with thick Northeastern accents screaming silly things. Especially when it came to the Augusta goalie with the familiar name of Brodeur.
Well, Mom and Son Retard (or as they might say, Re-Todd-ded) decided that Marty Brodeur was old enough to have a 24-year old son playing in the equivalent of AA hockey. They began to scream things like “Yer Daddy ain’t heeya to see you stink!!!”. Mostly they were unintelligible and we just laughed at them. Big B and I drank our beer, laughing and hoping not to be drooled on.
Across the isle was another displaced local, obviously from some where in the Northeast. I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that a good amount of these newly Floridian Northeasterners were formerly Hartford Whalers fans. They looked pretty comfortable in blue and green mind you. This other yahoo across from us though was a beauty. All he yelled all night long was “Presh-ahhhh! Blades! Presh-ahhhh!!!” Or, to you and me, “Pressure, Blades, Pressure.” Very funny.
But perhaps one of the night’s more interesting features was my penchant for staring a bit too long and being drunk, nearly starting a melee.
Yes, I have a bad habit of people watching. And, yes, as a man I have the wandering eye in typically checking out women’s backsides. Well, apparently as we stepped out for what I do believe was our 14th beer of the night I was propped up against a garbage can and had found a target worthy of a good ol’ long look. Yes, my wife is now rolling her eyes and will later shake her head in disgust over this.
Well, as I stared and Big B spoke to some other guy he kind of knew, I stared squarely at a rather fine and rather small booty. The curiosity to me wasn’t that the woman was even all that attractive. Her ass was, but she wasn’t particularly all that. But, it was an oddity: hanging from her were 4 small children. She wasn’t all that old either. And there was no way in my mind that 4-kids had made it past those hips and not effected that ass in a more disastrous way.
The Writer’s re-imagination of said small and fine booty in a much different setting.
Noticing the attention paid to said booty, the occupying booty’s date, a rather large and aged gentleman of about 6′4 and 275lbs. was none too impressed. He wreaked of Aqua Velva, was dressed about 25-years beyond his age group and none to happy that I was taking my time admiring his date’s ass. He soon stuck his phone in my face with the camera feature displayed.
“Take a picture! It lasts longer!” He shouted as he startled me. I was in a daze. Beer and booty make a man hazy you know people. I think I smirked at him and at about that time Brian motioned for he and I to perhaps find our seats for the final frame of the game. For the old dude, not too sure about his physical ability and not wanting a drunken red-headed mick to rough him up in front of his “family”, all he could come up with was “take a picture, it lasts longer”. Who says that anymore? I’m a lover, not a fighter anyways, so physical violence was avoided both out of this dude’s lack of giddy up and my hazy good mood beer buzz.
The guy that was talking to Big B was the happy couple’s limo driver for the night apparently. The woman wasn’t the mother of the children either, apparently, we would later find out. See, I told you!!! No way 4-kids don’t affect a booty like that! It was all a good laugh.
Big B and his guests and I after the game made the short trip over to the University Shopping Center where we had intended to go to the Bar Louie there. Well, a long ass line quickly smacked that idea in the ass and we instead ventured over to the local Steak and Ale for what was a fun time on their awesomely large patio. More beer flowed.
The evening ended appropriately enough at Big B’s local called Back Streetz. A live band was kicking it old school 90’s and we screamed drunkenly for ‘Possum Kingdome’ from the one hit wonder’s The Toadies. The band complied only after we screamed in between about 5-or-6 songs.
Needless to say, a pretty good hangover was awaiting Big B the next morning. He had trouble throwing beers back over at The Godfather’s while we watched Ohio State beat Illinois. On the other hand, I cured my hangover with Captain Morgan’s. Such a good liver!
Ahhhh, good times. And no violence! See Big B, I posted about that fine evening out after all.
Mike Barker, Caniac extrodinaire, and Blues Honkand someone who doesn’t have time to look all over the net for pictures to make the post ‘look pretty’ (Editors Note: Sure he’s pretty! Just look at this picture from Myspace!~~This is where Bugs Bunny would ask, “Aren’t I a stinker?’”)
Time for the upcoming hockey season, feel free to kick these opinions around…
Team by team look at the East up first.
by Mike Barker
With the new hockey season soon approaching, let’s take a look at where the NHL stands.
Eastern Conference
We’ll start with some familiar favorites…
Pittsburgh Penguins- Sid the Kid, Evgeni Malkin and the oft used goaltender Fleury have the notice of the Eastern Conference since they played for the Cup last year, but they have lost some personnel that may come back to haunt the team. Look for the Pens to still be strong, but unless there are some mid-season moves, they may not have the talent to top the East.
Washington Capitals- The new Russian “freak boy” Alex Ovechkin and company will build on last year’s success and be a dominant player this season. The question for the Caps will be in net. Maybe it’s just me, but getting rid of Kolzig may be a mistake.
New York Rangers- Sure, they didn’t sign Shanahan (yet), and the rumors still swirl that they are in the mix to snag Mats Sundin, but with Henrik Lundquivst who led the league last season in shutouts, and with two wins already giving up only one goal per…, the blueshirts have a strong shot at the East this season.
Montreal Canadiens- The Habs are celebrating their 100th season as a hockey club. With a strong team, and history on their side, the Canadiens will give an extra effort to this season and may make a splash in the Eastern Conference.
Tampa Bay Lightning- Despite the 0-2 start in Europe, the ‘Ning will be much improved with the addition of the mullet behind the bench…Barry Melrose. Having Lecavalier, St. Louis, and overall first draft pick of Steven Stampkos will only benefit this once proud franchise.
Carolina Hurricanes- The home town bias comes into play here. The Hurricanes missed the playoffs by one game last season, but this year they start the season a little more healthy, the biggest addition may not be Janne Pitkanen on defense, but Tom Rowe behind the bench.
By the way, yes, I know I’ve put three Southeastern team up so far…I actually believe this division will be that strong.
New Jersey Devils- I think that I’ve put this reason for the Devils making the playoffs for about five years now…not that this site has been up that long…but any team that has a goaltender the caliber of Martin Brodeur should make the playoffs. Look for Marty to piss my wife off this season and pass Patrick Roy for most wins in a career for goaltenders…for the basic fact that he plays 75 of 82 regular season games in a season.
Ottawa Senators- Canada’s Capital has been just on the outside of being a great hockey team for the last couple of seasons. With a split in Europe over the defending Eastern Champs, there may be some optimism in Ottawa, but when it comes to the overall play of the season, I think that the change in schedule back to less play in the division will actually hurt the Sens.
Philadelphia Flyers- The Flyers will probably make the playoffs since at least one of the previously mentioned teams won’t. The Flyers are still tough, as always, and have enough offensive firepower to win their share of games.
Boston Bruins- Now we get into the also rans. The Bruins are the best of the rest, but look at their roster and you’ll agree that they are probably not a playoff team. Strong enough to take a team out of the playoffs, but not a contender.
New York Islanders- The Islander’s front office tries so hard…but since they gave so much money to their goalie a couple years ago, which looks dumber and dumber, there is no money left for any real talent either on defense, or for putting the puck in the net.
Florida Panthers- There are only 4 teams left in the East. I’ll take the Panthers to be the best of the bottom four…and yes, there is some bias there, but not a divisional one.
Buffalo Sabres- The bias…I hate the Sabres. Most Canes fans do. I challenge you to give me one single reason that the Sabres will do any damage this season. I own a Buffalo jersey…and I’ve threatened to personalize it with the number 0…and a nameplate of Cups.
Toronto Maple Leafs- I really don’t think that the Leafs are this bad. However, I looked at all the other teams in the East and realized that at least their front office is secure. The Leafs are going to have a lot of problems unless someone like Ponikarovsky has a career year.
Atlanta Thrashers- Again, probably a bias, but these guys SUCK!! They have no hope of making the playoffs, and unless a couple of teams collapse, which happens, then this placement is actually probable.
OK, the East is done, I’m off tomorrow (probably today once I post this), so I’ll have the West done then.
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