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.
Patrick Roy’s son and poor goalie at that, does his old man “proud” as he beats the crap out of opposing goalie in a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play-off game. I’m all for fighting in hockey, but this is disgraceful… Patrick Roy still classy as ever.by Mike Zimmer, Blue JacketWhile this should be pretty entertaining to most of you that aren’t hockey fans, as hockey fights seem to be the ultimate understanding of the game, what is in the video above is just ridiculous.
Patrick Roy, Hall of Famer Goalie, is now the Head Coach of his son’s Major Junior Hockey League team (and heavy investor apparently), the Quebec Ramparts. Well, while his son’s team was being whipped in their first round play-off game 7-1 (eventually losing 10-1 in game two of the series), a brawl broke out between the two clubs. It got out of hand, eventually getting very ugly. As you can, see, Jonathan Roy decided to get into the melay and did his old man “proud” in pummeling the best goalie in the league. All the while, being one of the worst in the league statistically.
What’s bad about this is three fold. First of all, Patrick Roy apparently motioned for his boy to go and get the other goalie. Two, the other goalie didn’t fight back and gets pummeled, Roy beat the bejesus out of the lass even as he balled up in the fetal position not wanting to fight. The poor kid is probably some dainty Swede and has never been in a scrap in his life other than battling his sister for time in front of a mirror to check his beautiful hair and fair skin. Three, he doesn’t fight back. Who doesn’t fight back in this situation?
I was a fan of Patrick Roy’s game. He was fierce, top of the game and able to put a team on his back. However, he was always an ass-hole and often was perhaps one of the dirtiest players in the game. He also liked to scrap from time to time, but mostly just ran his mouth. He put his money where that was concerned too though, once telling a reporter that he couldn’t hear what the Detroit Red Wings were complaining about because he ‘had his Stanley Cup rings stuck in his ears’.
But this incident, in which he’s be suspended 5-games and his hack of a son 7-games is disgraceful, no ifs ands or buts about it. Nice going Roy Family! You stay Classy!
by Michael Barker…who’s birthday is in the subject.
Ah…July the first. It’s Canada Day for those who care. It’s also the birthday of Alan Alda, and the former Princess of England, Diana. It is also my birthday, and more importantly the first day of free agent signings for the NHL.
The NHL opened it’s free agency doors in quite the open manner this off-season with some winners…and of course losers (due to the winners). Since this is a belated birthday gift to me (and my St. Louis Blues), I’ll just give you the winners, and let you figure out the losers.
My birthday…my team first.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues got Keith Tkachuk back from Atlanta where he drove the Thrashers to an amazing playoff push…oh, wait…I guess not. However, the Blues drove a stake into the heart of divisional rivals Nashville by signing Paul Kariya for three years and making a friend of mine back in Music City to wonder why she bought that 14 game mini-pack of tickets. Rumors are that JD isn’t done, as the Blues are in the running for many other free agents like Ray Emery, goaltender of the Ottawa Senators of last season…we’ll see. Dominik Hasek is UFA as well…
NY Rangers- The place where all good players go to die get a couple of players that can do so in my opinion. The blueshirts got Chris Drury of Buffalo and Scott Gomez of New Jersey so that they can hopefully beat those teams this upcoming season. Meanwhile, Brenden Shanahan is on the market…damn, it would be nice to see him come home to St. Lou.
Philadelphia Flyers- Philly decided that they may have sucked for long enough. They grabbed Kimmo Timmonen from the salary dumping Predators, and Daniel Briere (the other co-captain of Buffalo). However, Janni Pitkanen is a big name still looking for a home.
Colorado Avalanche- This makes me laugh so fricking hard. Mr Canada…Mr Edmonton Oiler…Ryan Smyth is added to the Avalanche thanks to a phone call by Joe Sakic to Mr. Giguere (the other one…the GM for Colorado). This Jeff Foxworthy look-alike has been punishing the Avs for years, now gets to put his talents up against his former team like…what…30 times. However, the Avs have Brisebois, Turgeon, and Konowalchuk to sign, if they can.
Pittsburgh Penguins- As if they didn’t get lucky in the draft with Esposito, the young guns of Pittsburgh add some veteren talent (along with Recchi, and Roberts) in Peter Sykora, and Darryl Sydor. DAMN…this team is going to be hard to beat next year.
Losers include the teams that lost players mentioned above, plus Dallas (Lindros, Nagy, Klemm, Barnaby are all unrestricted)
Oh, and for Zim…wow the Jackets signed Brookbank…oh, don’t know that name…neither does 90% of hockey fans…the other 10% are family members.
Last and definately least…
During the past playoffs I was hyping (and deservingly so) the Anaheim Ducks. However they made a move that has made me HATE them for evermore. The Ducks signed the criminal Todd Bertuzzi. Ugh. They also took Mathieu Schneider from Detroit as well…I can always hope that Detroit can’t sign Hasek, and that Chris Chelios and his walker fall down some steps. With the rest of the former Black & Blue Division looking like crap…The Blues win the Western Central next year. I can only hope…
View of Nationwide Plaza in front of Nationwide Arena where the NHL and the Blue Jackets held a pre-draft party Friday evening.
Some thoughts on being at the NHL Draft (albeit brief)
The Jackets reach for a player with the 7th overall pick in new G.M.’s first draft
Some new looks and new uni’s to take a peak at
by Mike Zimmer, Honk
If you blinked, you may have missed it. Even if you live here in Columbus, the event was a bit of a hidden and or afterthought happening. The NHL is still second tier entertainment for the most part but the Columbus Blue Jackets trudge on and make the most of their opps. And, they typically make it a first class expirience even if their product is mildly flawed. Not even the Blue Jackets could have helped the fact that a trio of different worlds were colliding upon a single square mile in Ohio’s capital however.
You see, the NHL’s entry draft was planned long ago and I am sure they thought little about the collision I was speaking of. Not only was the Draft scheduled, Commfest the hippie-pot-smoking-counter-culture-a-thon which happens every year at a park not far away from the Arena District was on-going as well as some event in the Short North District which led up to Saturday’s Doo-Da Parade. Uh, that’d be the gay pride event that had downtown full of fruits…er…homio-sex-shuls…er…alternative lifestylers…er…not that there’s anything wrong with that types. Friday in the Columbus’ entertainment districts was busy for sure. But, the Draft did host a nice event. And although I spent what amounted to about a hour there and then moved on to drinking cheap suds at Commfest, it was interesting.
Inside Nationwide Arena on Friday Night during the NHL’s First Round of the Draft.
Look for yourself, the arena was packed. After enjoying the tail-end of the festivities outside the arena which featured a concert by the band Yellowcard (couldn’t they have gotten a band that didn’t reference an even less relavent sport? Say, Bare Naked Ladies?), the crowd filled the available seating in the arena. I was able to snag a pair of 100-level seats from my work buddy Ron, who works for the NHL working the penalty box and the goalie box during the season at Jackets games. Upon arriving late to my seat, I was still able to grab a seat looking directly at the stage and capable of taking in the entire arena, including the TSN (The Sports Network, Canada’s exact replica of ESPN) sports desk that included NHL talking heads and including recently fired Blue Jackets G.M. Doug MacClean. The Blue Jackets even unveiled their new sweaters for the upcoming season which basically advanced their alternate logo or 3rd jersey to being their lead. Check it out here on their first round pick Jakub Varachek… ‘Wave the flag’ is the Blue Jackets new motto for 2007-08.
The draft in particular quickly became a bit of a bore however. The thing is, most of the guys that get taken in the NHL draft are developmental players, junior players that are very young, some of which never even sniff the NHL. Unlike with the NFL or NBA where you know almost every player especially in the first round or two. Highlights DID include the picking of back-to-back American players with the first two picks for the first time in NHL history and Wayne Gretzky getting quite a hand and near standing ovation upon his trip to the podium to make the pick of the Phoenix Coyotes. I stayed until the 15th pick or roughly half the first round. The arena almost emptied by half after the Blue Jackets made their pick at #7. It was fun for most, but reality sank in, it wasn’t going to get much more exciting after that. I guess unlike the NFL drama like watching Brady Quinn squirm that unfolds over a 10-hour period makes the picking of a 17-year old Quebec Major Junior Hockey League player that was born in Nigeria and raised in the Ukraine look a bit weak.
The main stage at the NHL draft.
New Columbus G.M. Scott Howson on the far left with the brain trust of the club and their first round draft pick Jakub Vorachek.
As stated before, the Blue Jackets drafted Right Winger Jakub Vorachek with pick #7. It was considered a reach even by the pro-Jackets broadcast team. Way to go new General Manager Scott Howson! Make a mark by picking the very guy that Doug MacClean was talking about during TSN’s coverage. It was very nice of the Edmonton brass to congradulate and speak well of Howson when they went to the stage to make the #6 overall pick and then taking the exact guy the Jackets actually could have used and needed.
The Capitals new/vintage updated look.
The other big thing was the introduction of the new RBK Edge sweater/jersey to be used league wide now. Being a uni/jersey junky, I think I am most impressed and wanting of the new Washington Capitals sweater. It’s not so new as much as it’s a throw back to their duds that they sported from 1974-75 when they debuted in the league until their major look update back in 1995. I have one of the original jersey’s thanks to former hockey fan and fellow jersey afficianato Brian Barrett (aka Big B). What a very special birthday present that was! (insert feined crying here.).
Overall, it was a breif but fun time at the draft. Now, if only I had just gone home instead of enduring all the hippies and drunk ass people at Commfest thereafter.
by: Mike Barker, hockey “honk”, and apparently the only one who can write on this site anymore.
It’s time to play for the oldest trophy in sports, let’s look at the teams up to the challenge.
I know that Zim is busy drinking too much to post ANYTHING right now, so I’ll put up something that no one seems to care about.
The Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks are contesting for the Stanley Cup…you know, the championship trophy for that fringe sport known as hockey….let’s get a little insight.
In the East, the Ottawa Senators…
Ottawa comes into the Finals as Canada’s hope…although don’t say that to Montreal, or Toronto fans. They have won the Eastern Conference beating some very strong teams in the league, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Buffalo…each in five games. Their strength is offense, especially in (what I have come to call) THE LINE. Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatley have combined to score what seems to be 90% of the goals for the Sens in these playoffs.
In the West, the Anaheim Ducks…
Anaheim is a team that I have been behind all year. This team has it all. Speed & grit, the two most required skills in the game. Teemu Selanne, the oldest player in the finals, has finally got to the promised land for the first time (remember, when the Ducks lost to Jersey in ‘03, Selanne was playing in Denver). They have the stongest Defense since the early ’90s teams of New Jersey…which amazingly enough, had a certain Neidermayer which has a chance at a Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the NHL playoffs) on it’s team.
If anyone watched the first game of the series, then you got to see the basic gameplan of the Ducks for the series. Keep THE LINE off the scoresheet, and use defense to stifle shots on goal. Remember folks, the Ducks don’t mind shots on goal per se…J.S. Giguere has a Conn Smythe Trophy without winning the Cup (that’s a major feat).
However, for a prediction, I’ll take the above mentioned Ducks, but I have a feeling that it may come down to home ice. Those hosers up in Canada will keep the Sens winning at home.
Prediction: Ducks in seven…although, I’ll cover my bet and say that if the Sens win the Cup, Daniel Alfredsson wins the Conn Smyth.
That’s it for this article…but I guess since this is a hockey article I should mention that Mr. Basille…the guy who was going to buy the Pittsbugh Penguins, has now bought the Nashville Predators. Wow, didn’t see this one coming…no seriously…the Preds are one of the hottest teams when it comes to the regular season, but no playoff punch. And by the way, they haven’t averaged 14,000+ in attendance per game in about four seasons. My only head-scratching moment about this move is that when the league lost a season, it was reported that the Preds were one of only four teams that were making money before the lock-out…so why are they being sold? Der Furher (and Zim’s friend) Gary Bettman is saying that the Predators will be staying in Nashville, but I think that’s only because he hates being wrong in thinking that hockey will work in Country Music City….although, the facts state that the Preds are locked into Nashville for at least one more season. I guess I’ll keep an eye on this one and report later if anyone cares.
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