Introductions and other things

I should be at work, but instead I'm sitting in the waiting area of a hospital as I wait for a co-worker/friend to finish having an ultrasound. She didn't have a car today, so I brought her to the appointment. If you wouldn't mind sending some good thoughts out Erin's way, I'd appreciate it.

Anywho, being the new writer on the block, allow me to introduce myself. Lisa affectionately refers to me as Nutmeg, hockey and the Colorado Avalanche are my life, and that's pretty much me in a nutshell.

So, to hockey related matters. Look, I get that the Avs played a terrible game last night against the Blackhawks, but color me baffled if that surprised you.

The Avs embarrassed the defending champs in the first two games of the series with comeback wins; one in OT and the other in the final minutes of what was a crazy, fun, exciting game. And then, in the third game, the Avs dominated. Tell me you expected the Hawks to come out and let it happen again. The Hawks came out prepared last night and completely took away the Avalanche's game.

Here's what bugs me though. I'm reading the Denver Post's website today and one of the footnotes in one of the articles was that John-Michael Liles was a -3 on the night. (Full disclosure, I like Liles and I think he's ridiculously underrated.)

I'll have to go back and look, but I am pretty damn sure that not one single player on that roster for the Avs last night was even. And if Liles was a -3, my logic says that Ryan O'Byrne was at a -3 as well.

Here's what I also didn't see. Where is the article that asks where Paul Stastny is? While no one was effective last night, I shouldn't have to ask whether or not the Avs' $6 million man ever touched the ice. The guy making that much money should be a little more influential in a game like that. Because, while I like guys like Galiardi, it's sad when I notice them more than #26.

And brilliant move to start Budaj again, Sacco. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but that would bring the number of consecutive games in which Budaj has given up at least 4 to how many again?

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The Guardian Project

What bastard was on drugs for this? I get that Stan Lee is a comic icon but not only is the idea terrible but the guardians are rehash of crap I've seen (and trust me, I'm not that big of a comic reader). The Olier? Spewing oil at bad guys? The Saber? He can manipulate water.... and is a "product of a hydroelectric experiment gone awry." I can't tell what offends me the most - that the NHL thinks this will draw in fans (regardless of how the oh, I don't know CURRENT fans think this blows) or that they paid Stan Lee a crap ton of money to be a laughing stock of the professional leagues. Personally, I like these guardians better.


It makes me sorta sad that it's come to this. And don't even get me started on the new all star format.

Oh yeah, there was hockey last night too. Pens won (their first without Captain Sid; and Flower is a rock star; pose all you want buddy after a win like that); Avalanche sucked against the Hawks; the Craps lost (always a good day); And St. Loo continues their free fall as they travel the west coast.

Ok here is where I say "Holy Crap, it's been a while." Thanks Kevin for pointing that out. But Puck a Chuck is back. Yep.

And we dragged a new writer along with us. You'll see her work soon - wickedly smart about our game and a snifty writer too. Welcome aboard, Nutmeg. :)

In the next few days, I'll come out from the pile of work on my desk and have a proper post.

The big award show recap and other news

First of all, since I live in a tv free zone, thanks to my super super bud, aka my partner in crime in these parts for hooking me up with a streaming feed of the awards show in the first place so I could actually SEE the damn thing.

Secondly, if you are looking to fill dead time in the middle of the award show, instead of trotting out bands for a crappy tune or a mediocre bumping and grinding circus act (that alone was tres disappointing) or the gold v silver ducks clip, how about, oh I don't know, allowing the players to actually get more than a "gee, this was unexpected" and let them thank the people who got them there? It's a disgrace that the league thinks people need such entertainment. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, people tune in to see the players out of uniform and being their gracious and humble self (exception noted below). I did however dig Michael Rosenbaum (who looks nice with hair on his cue ball head) busting out the Zarley Zalapski reference.

Thirdly, how about instead of actors we don't care about and comedians who are not funny, lets have former players (other than Lucky Luc and the original Flower) hand out awards. Get Cam Neely out there. Bobby freaking Orr for Pete sake. Yeah, and like I said, give the players more than 30 seconds to accept and thank everyone in their past.

Fourthly, someone REALLY needs to tell Patrick Kane to look with your eyes and nto your hands. Could he look any more foolish?

Now, on to the actual awards

Calder: I had a buddy pulling for Matty Duchene but I'm pleased that Tyler Myers won it. I got to see a lot of his big ol' body playing for the slugs this past season and man, he was really stinkin' good. I think there is a reason he won it running away (and no, I don't think a west coast bias was in play either)

Selke: Say what you will, but there are not many forwards who play better defense than Pavel Datsyuk. If you doubt it, watch him in a game. There are times when he's not on the score board, but paying attention you'll know he controlled the game. Plus I think Kessler is a giant douchebag (Sorry Amy. Just saying it like it is).

Adams: Not a real shocker here honestly. Yes, all were very qualified to win the award, but Tippett totally turned a wayward team around making the Yotes a playoff team. Hats off to him (and also to Shane Doan for his awesome plug to the free agents out there and the Army bit was sorta nifty too).

Norris: All I can say is thank the gods above that Mike Green didn't win. I blame his association with the cavemen but I digress. I think that when you play on a run and gun team you really shouldn't be up for the best defensemen. Now if your team averages 1.2 goals a game and you are still a winning team, Norris votes SHOULD go your way. Green is not that awesome of a defenseman. Would I take him on my team? Sure, but I'd pair him with someone who could back up his ill timed pinches and flubbings of play.

Masterton: I don't know if this award can hit home until much later for most winners. You're praised for getting through something generally tragic and devastating in your life. Kudos to Jose Theodore for keeping it together for his acceptance speech. I know I didn't.

Now my favorite Vezina: Crunchy ruled the day. And rightfully so. Sure Marty had better numbers, but you take Marty out of the Devils line up and you still have a pretty good team. You take Miller out of the Sabres? You have a team trying to figure out if they want Taylor or Tyler. I think Tippet winning the Adams screwed Bryzgalov.

The Ted Lindsay award: I think it's about time the league did an award name change. And to honor Terrible Ted with this award just makes sense. Without him, there would be no 8 and 9 million dollar contracts. I'm just sorry Ovechkin won it.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of Ovies. Period. I think he's a hot dog and show off and generally a fucknut who doesn't deserve the attention he gets. Is he talented? Of course he is. Ten of me don't match up to the talent he's got in his eye lid, but that's not what I'm talking about. I grew up watching guys like Stevie Yzerman and Joe Sakic. Those are the models I look to for how a hockey player should act. Ovie spits in the face of that image. Deeming yourself so important that you don't exit the stage like you're supposed to to get out your thanks even after the show went on is just annoying. Plus wear a damn tie. Maybe it's because of the work I do or maybe I'm just nuts, but I'd like to live in a world were composure and grace mean something. Apparently, nhl players don't agree.

Hart: Not to take anything from Henrik Sedin and his fine season, but I don't think he should have won. Call me a homer or call me anti-Canucks I don't really care. Sid had my vote all the way on this one. Pft, going into why is pointless at this time but still, I stick with my belief.

So much for the gala event.

Now for something completely different.

As seen on a headline (I just can't remember where) Let the dismantling of the cup champs begin. Who saw this one coming so soon? Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta? Enjoy the heat Dustin. That's about all you can look forward to.

The Sharks, while letting their goal tender Nabby out to pasture (should have kept Kipper I guess)...they signed PattyMarleau and Joe Pavelski. A small part of me wanted to see Marleau leave SJ because I think no matter what they do in the playoffs (wait, what?) he will take the blame. Now that Rob Blake has retired, what will that team do? Give Barfight Joe Thornton the C? Not bloody likely. I'm thinking Boyle.

I really want training camps to open tomorrow.

I finally joined the rest of the western world (or so it would seem) and got a stupid Twitter account. But really, it's only for one thing and one thing only: July 1.

Hey that killed some serious time. I should go forth now and be productive or something.

Dog days

It looks like we've lost our steam here in these parts. Maybe a summer off will help both of us off. I've given up on hockey because the thought of three of the four teams left lifting the cup makes me physically ill and having been to Montreal, I'd like to see it still standing if they should pull it off.

I miss having a team to cheer for. And unlike my counterpart here, I can't abide by baseball. It's gonna be along summer for this hockey fan.

Before I go, I wanna send out birthday greetings to Friend of the Chuckers Megan. Honey, I hope you have a fantastic birthday today!

Also, not that they read it, my folks have been married for 44 years today. Congratulations to you Paula and Corbin. For a lot of years, I didn't think you'd make it this far. I'm glad you did.

On headshots, playoff push, fantasty hockey, and Letterman

The GMs are meeting in some warm secluded area right about now and all we hear about is "head shots: the top subject at the GMs meetings". Really? Like it's something now that needs to be addressed? There are two problems with discipline in the NHL. First off, the CBA only allows for a piddly player fine (I wanna say $2,500). To someone making millions of dollars, this is like cab fare (or a night in Calgary if you play in Edmonton). If fining is meant to be a deterrent, make it count. Don't just ask for a token remorse fee. Secondly, when on earth are we gonna get consistency? In international play, if you hit someone in the head, you are ejected. Granted in international play, it's generally a one game elimination situation so that has some heft. But if the NHL wants to get serious, make any shot to the head a ten game suspension. Period. No matter who you are or what line you play on. From Matt Cooke to Mike Richards to Alex Ovechkin. Make the hitter pay. While you are at it, fine the team. Maybe if teams stop playing headhunters, it will curb it. The players keep touting it's all about respect. Well until they start showing it, the league needs to come down hard. Why is this so hard to see?

Calgary one a huge game last night against the wings. Detroit just didn't seem like they wanted the two points. I still say this goes back to my Bertuzzi rule but I won't get into that here. Dare I say, Detroit needed this game and they let it slip away.

Atlanta didn't help their cause either (not to mention a Nashville win hurts Detroit that much more). For a team that was coasting along pretty well after trading their top start to the Devils, The Trash have taken a dive.

When I turned off my tv last night, Colorado was up 3-0 on the Canucks. This morning I read they blew two three goal leads en route to a 6-4 loss. I wonder if the Av just fell apart or did the Nucks realize there was a game to play.

Although it's meaningless for them, good showing of the Jackets against the Ducks. They didn't have Ricky or Juice and still puled it out. Play for pride boys.

Speaking of pride, mine is going down in flames. I've been stuck in second and third places in my fantasy teams for what seems like forever. I've pretty much given up on them but it would have been nice to finish with the top spot.

In closing, I wanna touch on the seemingly endless shit going Sidney Crosby's way for declining the top ten on Letterman. Sid owes nothing to the Letterman show. He was in town for a day game against the Rangers when they wanted him to tape it. They tape in the afternoon - was he supposed to ignore the job he's paid to do? I was talking to my hockey buddy here (who is a Pens fan) and when we talked about it, his comment was something along the lines of "The top ten is a joke. It just proves that Sid's not important enough to actually sit in the chair and have an interview. I'm glad he didn't go." Well said my friend. Well said.

Disappointment and medals

This is the face of disappointment. Andrej Sekera of the Slovak team (and also press box extraordinaire in Buffalo) sits on the ice after their game with Finland and wondered where it all went wrong. How heartbreaking it must be. To come all that way to finish 4th.

Now, mind you, he's got more athletic talent in his pinkie toe nail than I have in my whole body but 4th place in the Olympics is where you just don't want to be.

Then again, apparently neither is silver.

A friend of mine at work the other day summed it up like this: You get a bronze medal, you are grateful (you aren't the 4th place team); Gold, you are over the moon as you are world fracking champion. Silver....get you disappointment? Really?

A silver medal in the Olympics will be handed out in mens hockey today. Either Canada or the US will be disappointed by not winning the gold medal in the sport they center their lives around.

Having never been a runner up (please note, I've never been CLOSE to anything that resembles a runner up because I don't ever make it to the dance to begin with), I'm sure it's a huge bummer not having the pretty gold around your neck. But hopefully in a few days the silver medal team will be able to look back on today and realized they accomplished something only a handful of people in the world get to say they've done.

That being said, I don't know who I'm rooting for today. A part of me would LOVE to see the US team win - and really, it wouldn't be a miracle because they've been playing amazing hockey and the Cruchynater in net has been nothing short of breathtaking (And hot. No lie. Even if MSNBC can't tell him from a fake). I think, despite not being a huge fan of his, Brian Burke could use some good news away from his personal and professional life.

On the other hand, rare does the home team win gold in hockey. Bobby Lu could cement his do-no-wrong standing for LIFE if he backs his team to victory. plus I have a HUGE crush on Sidney Crosby and would sorta like to see him too

So, I'm rooting for both teams today. I want a good tight nail biting game for 60 minutes (but please no shootout - I hate the shootout). And no disappointment for silver!