March 30th, 2007 - Canes vs. Lightning: Random Musings and Observations

- The only difference between this game and the past two "efforts" is that there was a *little more* effort tonight. BUT, not a whole lot more, especially in the third period.

- It never fails...the cards get laid out for the Canes to make some headway in the Eastern Conference playoff race, AND they end up proving they don't know when to hold'em, but they certainly know how to fold'em...

Tuesday @ the Leafs: Canes lose 6-1, while the Canadiens beating the Rangers (which really was more of a lose-lose game for the Canes...but at least one of the teams they are/were chasing didn't get two points), the Panthers defeating the Bolts, and the Devils eeking out over the Islanders opened the door for the Tropical Depressions.

Wednesday @ the Flyers: While the Cheesesteaks wiped out the Canes 5-1, the Panthers continued their winning streak over the Thrashers, which held them back so the Canes COULD have gotten closer behind them.

AND tonight vs. the Lightning: Instead of losing 4-2, if the Canes had won, they would have possibly found themselves in 8th place in the East, if not pretty darn close, thanks to the Senators winning over the Habs, and the Sabres slashing up the Fish Sticks, AND the Thrashers not even playing tonight!!

- Y'know the more I think about it, as disappointed as I am with the Canes' performance and not taken the chances practically given to them on a silver platter this week AND their possibly not making the playoffs 'cause of them, I cannot help but feel that they just plain don't deserve the playoffs this year anyway. Sure, the Canes have beaten their Sharks and Ducks. But, for every Sharks and Ducks a team defeats, they really, *really* need to blow their Flyers and Leafs, to name a couple of teams, out the wazoo. And the Canes have just not done that enough this season, IM(not-so)HO.

- Well, the Canes may not have gotten me a win...but they got me some exercise, thanks to a stationary bike I now have to ride while watching my Canes and Pens. :D

Current Music: "Wine" by Andrew Neu

March 22nd and 24th, 2007 - Canes vs. Capitals and Sharks: Random Musings and Observations

- Remember where I said that game at the Devils was not exactly a turning point? Can I take that back? Please? Pretty please? With butter and maple syrup on top?

- Between these past three games and the Canes' overall play, the month of March has been like beisbol to the Canes. Despite the fact that in the games this RM&O is supposed to be focused on, the Canes haven't exactly SBLOUNSKCHED the Caps and Sharks like they did to the *does her best Putty from Seinfeld* DEVILS(!!). And if there's any other game where I wish they did that, it would tonight's affair vs. the Sharks...if you ask me, any team with Joe Thornton couldn't get SBLOUNSKCHED enough.

- And speaking of the Bad News (former) Bruin, why, OH WHY did Hurricanes Live do a freakin' feature about him? Just when I thought I would get away with not having to play Angry Carolina Hurricanes Nerd about FSN South sometimes giving a little too much attention to the opposing team this season, along came that crapola.

Anyway, you know why this month has been good to the boys in red and black? No, it's not Mike Commodore's enchanted afro...though, one could make the argument about the Canes' play picking up the more his carrot top grows. That said, I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend named Delilah...

But anyway, just a few days ago, I happened upon this tidbit over at Bubba's Canes Country...

"I was listening to a Justin Williams interview on 850TheBuzz yesterday afternoon and he sounded very upbeat. He said that the team still feels very confident in what they can accomplish and they are close to putting things together. Of course they are as disappointed and frustrated as everyone else is about the loses, but there are no more excuses. They need to start winning hockey games. He said that they got a visit from Ron Francis after the game Tuesday night and the “Franchise” told them that they are in a similar situation that he was in with Pittsburgh back in 1992, the year after they first won the Cup. The Penguins barely squeaked into the playoffs, but ended up winning the Cup again that year. Isn’t it great to have one of the best players to ever play the game come into your locker room for some inspiration? If that doesn’t get the boys worked up, nothing will!"

As I know I've said at least once, if not twice in this here blog: Ah...the power of Ron Francis.

- Something I did not realize until tonight...with the win over the Sharks AND the Thrashers losing to the Penguins (YAY PENS!!) earlier today/yesterday, the Canes are just a mere four points away from first in the Southeast Division AND the numero tres seed in ze Eastern Conference!! *does her best Ben Stein* Wow. O_O

If I was told a couple of months ago that the Canes were going to be in this position, at the risk of sounding like a horrible fan, I probably would have laughed off my butt. But, this is very much an instance of where I am glad to have been very wrong.

- Regarding other sports news...GO!! HEELS!! Both men and women happen to be playing tomorrow against Georgetown and George Washington, respectively, for a chance to be playing in the Final Four and Elite Eight.

As for my bracket...not only do I want the UNC men to win for the sake of being my favorite college and namesake, but also because thanks to Kansas getting knocked out by UCLA, the Heels find themselves being my bracket's wing and prayer.

Speaking of prayers...please direct them to the UNC's current Rameses performer, who is in critical condition after getting hit by a SUV near his hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

And a HUGE THANK YOU to Sergio Garcia for proving to the world why you are EASILY my most disliked "professional" golfer.

"But it (the spit) did go in the middle (of the hole) and wasn't going to affect anyone else. If it did, I would have wiped it off."

Yeah. Right. *rolls her eyes*

Yes, I like golf...shut up.

Current Music: "Cammy's London Drizzle" - Super Street Fighter 2 OverClocked Remix

New Links Added

Added a new link to the Carolina Hurricanes and Various Favorite sections of my chain...the NBC 17 Canes Blog and Strongbad E-Mail Archive (About time...right?), respectfully.

Random Musings coming for the game this past Thursday...figured I'd combine that and the commentary for tonight's game vs. the Sharks into one nice chimichanga.

Current Music: "Hello Betty" by Jeff Golub

Stormbringer's Weeks In Review: March 6th-18th, 2007

And no doubt that they don't use anti-bacterial Kleenex too...

AWWWWWWW!!

Frasier and Niles Crane *must* be on the Vienna city council...

I could see this being the plot for an episode of a Britcom of some kind...

I honestly would not be surprised at this not being the first time such a thing has happened.

If only there was a way that "SHE SAID YES!!" could have been projected...

I'm surprised that this does not happen more often throughout Europe...

I'm very glad to know that it was ducks that were hatched and not boiling hot ectoplasm...

Looks like Thurston Howell III is not quite alone in his infamous bedtime habit.

Of course there are no pictures accompanying this article!! Also, I wonder if he is wanting the money to take a little trip to Scotty's birthplace...

Oh? And, apart from being only affordable by those who make a ridiculous amount of money, how are these shoes any different from other alligator/snake leather products?!

Personally, I think the sheep took a day trip to a Serta Mattress store...

So...it's alright to say the word in the play's title, BUT NOT IN THE PLAY ITSELF?! Okaaaaay... That's like saying you cannot return sand to the beach...oh, wait.

Some people have watched WAY TOO MUCH Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Talk about having no respect for the dead...

There *had* to be a rock or something uber-hard in that "snowball"...

This is just as bad as those "drive-thru" Easter plays you sometimes hear/read about...to quote Jay Leno, JUST HOW LAZY are we getting anyway?

Those kids probably don't realize that they are taking part in a piece of history...

Those "prominent bottoms" no doubt came from eating so much roast duck and mango salsa...

Well, OF COURSE there is gonna be some confusion when you mess with people's heads about what they are paying for milk!! Geez, gas prices are bad enough already...

Who knew school lunch could actually be so freakin' delicious?! Can we be jealous of these kids?

Current Music: "Red" by King Crimson

March 17th, 2007 - Canes @ Devils: Random Musings and Observations

- The Canes should play on St. Patrick's Day more often...heck, every day should be St. Patrick's Day if it means the Canes blowing teams like the Devils out, 7-2.

- If Grahame keeps having games like the one he had yesterday, my fears of the Canes missing the playoffs without Wardo being able to play will be quite dumbfounded.

- Not to mention if the offense keeps on cranking out goal after goal.

- Got the Joysey feed, as expected with it being an away game, on Center Ice...which was no big deal thanks to the wonders of the Mute button AND my Gigabeat/"Stanley".

- Unlike a few people, I am not quick to jump on this game as "the turning point" for the Canes. I've seen it happen at least two or three other times this season: The Canes have a dynamite blowout game, which gets deemed their "turning point", and then they go and royally stink it up the next two or three or four games.

If the Canes would give me (and the rest of the Caniac Nation) at least two or three solidly decent games after this one, then I will be more than inclined to agree with others that yesterday's affair is a turning point. BUT, until I see those games, I have to play Angry Carolina Hurricanes Nerd...

- There's nothing like a Canes victory, corned beef, potatoes, Italian herb bread, Irish Cream, the Tar Heels advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, and a FREE (1980's era) KING CRIMSON CONCERT to complete an overall quite satisfying St. Patty's Day.

Current Music: "I'm Your Boogie Man" by White Zombie

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the luck of the Irish be with you lads and laddies, the Canes, the Heels, your Bracketvilles, and/or regarding how many Irish Car Bombs you can down. ;)

Current Music: "Damn Noisy Kids" - Chrono Trigger Iron Mix Remix

BREAKING NEWS: PENGUINS TO STAY IN PITTSBURGH

Unlike the last Breaking News, this I am quite happy to post.

Cancel the movers. The Penguins aren't going anywhere.

Sources close to the negotiations say that the team has an agreement with state and local leaders for a new arena that will be ready for the 2009-10 season.

The terms of the agreement call for a 30-year lease and spell out contributions from the team, the state and from gambling revenues.

A formal announcement is expected sometime tomorrow, prior to the Penguins home game at 7:30 p.m. against the Buffalo Sabres.

I am practically speechless with joy right now. I would have waited until the formal announcement to post this...but I am way too ecstatic at my second favorite team's staying in Steeltown to do so.

Current Music: "You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

AHHHHHHH!! The Puckbunnies Are Taking Over!!

I wish I was joking with that statement...but I am not. O_O

There are two things that one or both of those girls better be glad about...

1. That I wasn't there to overhear their "conversation" and throw up on them as a result of that.

and

2. That I wasn't on the group that allowed that "Kitty Purdue" bimbo access to the rinkside AND airwaves. I'll put it this way: If it was The Gong Show, I would have gonged Miss "Kitty" after one or two sentences left her ditzoid mouth. AND in addition to that, I probably would have gone all Jaye P. Morgan on her boney a** too.

The scary thing? I could see such a woman in the sports broadcasting world here in the US of A. BUT, IN CANADA?! I'm still reeling in shock at how she talked about one of their most sacred sports, IF NOT their most sacred sport like she did. Not to mention offering a sixteen-year-old beer on regional/national television.

Then again, considering that Pamela Anderson got discovered at a Canadian Football League game, by merely being on the jumbotron/scoreboard/whatever, maybe I shouldn't be all that shocked. o_O

Anyways, if there wasn't an angry mob awaiting Ms. Purdue outside of the arena after the game, there very well should have been.

Current Music: "Sky High Percentage" by Budgie

BREAKING NEWS: CAM WARD OUT FOR THE SEASON

Read it and weep, fellow Caniac brethren. :(

Admittingly, I did not really watch today's game vs. the Ranjerks (for reasons stated in the post below this one), but from what little I read and heard, the laceration Wardo got did not sound good.

Y'know, at the risk of cementing my being the Angry Carolina Hurricanes Nerd I have sounded like quite a bit this season AND to quoteth Jim Mora: Playoffs? WHAT PLAYOFFS?!

Seriously, I *really* hope to be wrong. But, I am not liking the Canes' playoff chances without Cam's presence.

Current Music: "Girl" by Beck

Edit as of March 12th, 6:40 PM: Well, well, well...it turns out that perhaps someone at the Raleigh News and Observer overreacted a bit.

As of now, Wardo is listed as missing out on a week at the most...NOT the rest of the season, as originally thought(?).

How 'Bout Them Heels?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...YOUR ACC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS ARE...

THE NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS!!!

UNC - 89
NC STATE - 80

GO!!! HEELS!!!

Realistically, I don't think my boys will get a numero uno seed in the NCAA selection. But, if they do, I will be quite happy. :D

At least one of my favorite teams got the job done today.

And quite obviously, no, I'm not dead. Just have been a little busy here and there lately...more on that later.

Current Music: "Because We Can" by Fatboy Slim

Stormbringer's Weeks In Review: February 19th-March 5th, 2007

Best friends for 20 years, eh? Hmmmmmm...

Can't be any worst than certain kinds of dog food available now.

*does her best Ernest from a certain scene in Ernest Goes To Camp* Ewwwwwwwwwww...

Here's one from the "Only In America" files...

Hey, if a gorilla can drink beer, then why not a duck too?*

Hopefully, they won't all sound like Mr. Feeney...

*hums Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast"

I cannot help but feel that women were the reason men had signed up and attended...

I hope Gary Bettman doesn't glean any ideas from this...

Just like Wikipedia edits, YouTube videos *really* aren't news...

No, he didn't know he was riding on the Marrakech Express...

"Rugged Island" sure sounds a lot better than "Craggy Island".

They weren't just drunk...they were MIND-BLAZINGLY DRUNK.

Sounds like a typical job by the BBC's House Invaders to me...they certainly have an appropriate name, anyway.

We just keep getting closer and closer to the age of Robocop, Terminator, etcetera...

Well, gee...could it be because they're *gasps* just kids?! What a concept!!**

Whether it contains alcohol or not, what the heck is Marmite? The foodie/gourmet-aholic in me admits to be ashamed of not knowing that...

Why didn't he just name his daughter Mercedes?

Current Music: "Fanfare/Fire" by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

* - IIRC, it was something like 20 cans a day for the big guy... o_O

** - Really, the "little adults" mentality so many parents and teachers take with single digit aged kids now is rather appalling...IMnot-soHO.

Happy Birthday To Ronnie Francis!

A Happy Day to the Canes' own Director of Player Development. Too bad the Canes could not land a win against the Senators for an early gift. Because of that, I may or may not comment on the Canes' last two games...

It just so happens that the new home for my Francis collection site makes its grand debut today...whenever you get the chance, check out http://www.vivadieci.net/. missfantastic.com is officially no more, thanks to being given the golden opportunity to leave Yahoo! for Network Solutions, AND a much better e-mail and website account.

Current Music: "The Voice" by The Moody Blues