April 6th-7th, 2007 - Canes vs. Thrashers and Panthers: Random Musings and Observations

- I am quite glad that the crowd vs. the Panthers was A WHOLE LOT BETTER than it was vs. the Thrashers...was starting to get a bit worried that all that "Fan Appreciation Weekend" hype was all for naught.

- Speaking of Fan Appreciation Weekend...you'd love to think that FSN South would have finally had different RBC Center concourse shots of the Caniac Nation for such an event. As awful of me as it sounds, I couldn't help but LMAO everytime John Forslund said "And here is a wonderful shot of the Caniac Nation in attendance tonight!", and it would be the same freakin' shots of the mother and her three children wearing Canes goalie helmet masks OR the stand/kiosk selling sausages. Maybe it's just me, but I swear that CanesVision was a WHOLE LOT BETTER at having more variety with their concourse/arena shots up through last season.

- Things were getting hairy on the front of shutting up Olli Jokinen/Captain Peachfuzz's piehole. But the Canes got 'er done, ending a drab season in quite a bright manner. How appropriate given that it was Easter eve!

- That said...Happy Easter!! May you get plenty of chocolate and sunshine*!! Whoo-hoo!! :D

Oh, and let's not forget bunnies...lots and lots and lots of them. Afterall, what is Bunny Day without bunnies?

Current Music: "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn

* - Downright lucky to have sunshine today here in beautiful downtown VA/WV. It's been snowing here a good chunk of this weekend! o_O

Edit as of 9:50 PM: And as the holiday winds down...a little something for those of you who aren't chocolate aficionados.

February 24th, 2006 - Canes @ Thrashers AND The State of the NHL: Random Musings and Observations

Including the "State of the NHL" 'cause I am well aware that I have yet to comment on certain going-ons in hockeydom this week...

- Tonight's Hurricanes Live was the best I've seen yet. NO Captain Obvious accompanying Jerome Jurenovich...yay!! CO's replacement was A WHOLE LOT BETTER, IMnot-soHO...not nearly as much repeating what had already been said, and more actual insight. Me likey!

- Speaking of Hurricanes Live, they not surprisingly kicked it off with a look into Jeremy Roenick's roommate's coming to Carolina. Anson Carter was interviewed by Tripp Tracy, and then they featured a brief word with Jim Rutherford about the trade. And while he didn't come out and say it, Jim has been clamouring for Carter since at least the 2002-03 season. So, Potsie's* becoming a Cane really did not surprise me the least. But, it is something I have been highly iffy about since yesterday, despite the price tag being only a fifth round pick, or as I like to call it, a big whoop pick, and nothing more.

Carter has always been a highly on and off player, usually more off than on. But, something one needs to keep in mind is that Anson was stuck on a sucky Columbus team this season...so sucky that even Rick Nash is struggling. Why I still have Nash on my Fantasy team is way beyond me... But anyways, I somewhat cannot disagree with my man, Ronnie Francis, whose insight into the acquisition of Anson John and Tripp mentioned on Hurricanes Live tonight...according to Tripp, Ron said that Potsie is bound to be hungry for some points. And I certainly hope that Mr. Francis is correct, and I am a bit wrong in my thinking that Anson will have a couple of good games, but won't be anything special.

- I'm sure you have heard already, but just in case you have been living in a cave OR a caveman's crib, the Sabres and Senators had their own special uncertified edition of WWE Smackdown(TM) a couple of nights ago. And from I've read and heard, a HUGE hit on Drury, causing him to have a concussion, was what started the battle royale. We are talking so HUGE that it is being compared to the infamous Scott Stevens hits on Shane Willis AND ESPECIALLY Ron Francis during the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Three things I gotta get in about that linked thread:

1. Even though Ronnie is retired and everything now, thinking about and/or seeing the said Stevens hit will always feel like an icicle slicing through my heart. AND, the fact that John and Tripp supposedly praised Stevens for the infamous hit *really* burns my biscuits. "Supposedly" being the huge keyword here, 'cause I did not see the initial broadcast AND therefore never heard the John and Tripp Show's comments. BUT, if Bubba (of Canes Country) claimed he heard praise from the Canes announcers, then I cannot help but raise my eyebrow...

2. I wish that almost everyone would stop comparing the Neil/Drury mess to what happened between Trevor Letowski and Colby Armstrong. There was absolutely no intention in that AND Colby had enough class to apologize to Trevor and the Canes. But, I guess my take on that doesn't count since I am a flippin' Pens fan in addition to the Canes. (rolls her eyes)

And...

3. Even though I cannot stand the Buffalo Sabres and their head coach with the passion of ten flaming suns, I wholeheartedly agree with the featured letter from the governor (I.E. owner) of the Swords. These parts I especially like...

"Hitting is a very important part of our game. You hit to break up a shot, you hit to disrupt a pass, you hit to battle for the puck and you hit to gain position for a defensive or offensive play. There are many times a player is vulnerable. And there are many times when a player can make a hit on a vulnerable player but chooses not to for fear of injuring an opponent for no practical advantage. It's called respect."

"Your office informed our team today that the hit on Chris Drury was a legal hit and that it fit within the standard of play acceptable to the NHL. We do not think this should be the standard and we do not think it helps our game or the league. There is nothing manly about hitting a player that can't see you. There is nothing entertaining about a big man hitting a smaller man in the head. There is nothing good to come of a policy that allows exciting skilled players to be targets for what I believe to be predatory play."

- John Grahame had another good game...maybe the Canes do have a decent number two goalie afterall. I was starting to get a little worried about the former Bolt. Now, if he would just do something about that darned NASCAR motif-ed mask/helmet of his (scroll down to the bottom of the page)...

- I still highly dislike Garnet Exelby.

- I still think Blueland is a dumb advertising campaign.

- I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob.

Current Music: "Murder By Numbers" by The Police

* - After seeing someone else call Anson Carter "Potsie" over at the Score Boards Canes MB, I feel quite safe in doing the same. :D And for those of you who don't quite understand...you need to watch more TV. Nuff said.

February 20th, 2007 - Canes vs. Thrashers: Random Musings and Observations

Before I proceed with my RM&O about last night's game...lemme put on my music critic hat:

I just listened to Kelly Osbourne's "Shut Up", courtesy of a friend who was very kind enough to send it to me. He also helped me find out about Ms. Osbourne's "One Word" about a couple of weeks or so ago, which I ended up liking A LOT MORE than I thought I would. But, "Shut Up"...I honestly don't know what to make of it. Especially given how much potential Kelly showed she has through "One Word".

The glaring difference I notice between the two songs is that "One Word" is highly reminscent of Kelly's dad's stuff in that it takes itself seriously in a way that makes it fun to listen and rock out to. "Shut Up", on the other hand, makes me think of The Naked Brothers Band with special guest singer Kelly Osbourne. And yes, there *really* is a Naked Brothers Band...do you *really* think I'd make that up? I'm honestly surprised that such a band name hasn't come along sooner...along with the marketing plan to slap 'naked' somewhere in a name.

(takes off her music critic hat and tosses it ala Mary Tyler Moore, except not trying to catch it)

That said, if the Canes cannot find a way to play better in front of a Raleigh, NC crowd, they'll need to find a way to cram "The Naked Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Team" on those dinky TicketMaster tickets, and in a rather quick manner.

- If I could pick one Cane to overall illustrate last night's affair with the invaders from Blueland (STILL think that's a stupid ad campaign, ESPECIALLY as an UNC Tar Heel supporter), it would have to be Cam Ward. Just like the Canes, Cam put up a pretty darned good game throughout the first and second periods. But then, also just like his red, white, and black brethren, Wardo managed to fall apart in the third period...particularly in the last three minutes of the entire game, where he allowed the two goals that broke the 1-1 tie AND put the nail in the Canes' coffin.

- Even though they played ok the majority of the game, I would still use 'mediocre' to overall describe this season's Canes. And I have no qualms in using that word to describe the Canes that took to the ice last night...ESPECIALLY considering that they faced Johan Hedberg instead of Kari "Final Fantasy/Kill Bill Dork" Lehtonen.

- Speaking of goalie mask art, in my feeble attempt to end this on a semi-good note, Cam Ward's new mask's art has yet to have been mentioned here...until now.

At that link, note the HUGE difference between Cam's current mask AND his past one...I don't think I or anyone else will ever figure out what ever compelled the boy to get Nickelcrap advertised on that past mask, outside of the Sherwood Park, Alberta connection.

And yes, as people have suggested at The Score Boards, that old mask looked like a skunk on Wardo's head from far away.

That new mask...one small step for the Caniac Nation, one giant leap for good taste.

Current Music: "Madrigal" by Yes

January 13th, 2007 - Canes vs. Thrashers: Random Musings and Observations

Better late than never, right?

- Like quite a few people, what stood out to me the most about this affair was Erik Cole's attitude and idiotic decision making in the last five minutes of regulation. Such crap reminds me of a quote I read from the one, the only Ron Francis in one of many articles I've scanned about the man.

"(Terry Crisp, former Soo Greyhounds coach) told me to keep my eyes and ears open in Hartford, and my mouth shut."

Ronnie went on to say that Crisp's advice was some of the best, if not THE best, he ever received in his playing career.

It *is* good advice. So good, that I think most, if not all NHLers could benefit from it. Especially this year's Carolina Hurricanes, AND ESPECIALLY Colesey. If anyone could and should benefit by the bolded part of Ronnie's quote/Crisp's advice, it would be Cole. His tendency to shoot off his mouth is why I say that while I respect Erik for all he has done and still does, he will never quite be the favorite for me that he is for others.

Just think, if Erik had kept his eyes and ears open, he could have kept his mouth shut, AND been able to hopefully help out with the shootout...

- ...That said, I would have hoped that if Erik did participate, his attempt would have been better than his "penalty shot" a week or two ago. Ugh.

- Come to think of it, I'm not sure Colesey would have been able to help out with the shootout. Forget offense, forget defense...the shootout is where the Canes are ROYALLY struggling. I am glad, as all get out, that the NHL All-Stars were not determined by shootout performance...though, I think Eric Staal and Justin Williams were pretty danged lucky to get in like they did. Erik Cole, attitude and all, and Rod Brind'Amour should have definitely gotten in over those two.

Anyways, losing Matt Cullen to the Ranjerks is looking more and more dumb with each shootout the Canes get themselves into. *sighs*

- Where was SportSouth last year? This feed and its broadcasting crew are WAY BETTER than the Turner South dribble Center Icers had to put up with during certain games last season. Thanks to SportSouth, all of the Southeast opponent feeds are now at least tolerable or better when the John and Tripp Show is not available.

- It never fails...I do a post about Sir Bob of Hartley and my concerns over how he gets his boys revved up, and practically nothing happens in that regard.

But, something did happen...that post got acknowledged by somebody over at The NHL Arena.

That mentioned, I hope the Thrash afficionados got a jolly good laugh...I'd like to think that unlike Monty Python's colonel, they can enjoy such a thing.

Current Music: "Clues" by Robert Palmer

(Dr.) Bob Hartley Is Angry

And while I'm not all that fond of the guy all the time, I am especially not fond of him when he's angry...

"Tonight is very simple," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "It all turns around [Ilya] Kovalchuk's giveaway. We have the game under control. We're playing the perfect game. Why does he fool around the blue line with the puck, I will never know."

A frustrated Hartley continued.

"It's definitely frustrating when you see supposedly your franchise player playing like this," he said. "It's just a matter of knowing how to win, plain and simple."

Hartley's comments were made after Kovalchuk had addressed the media and left the locker room.

This is exactly why the idea of playing the Thrashers after a loss, especially like the one they had last night in Joysey, is one that does not exactly give me warm fuzzies. With two points AND a four point Southeast Division lead on the line tonight, you know Hartley is most likely going to have his team turning up the goonery to MAX...ESPECIALLY considering how the Canes are undefeated against the Birds thus far this season.

Dudeman has a high tendency to be a nutcase, and that may or may not get revealed in the game plan tonight. For the Canes' sake, especially in regards to the injury bug, I'm hoping for the latter.

Current Music: "Fat Man In the Bathtub" by Little Feat (Live - Waiting For Columbus Version)

November 1st, 2006 - Canes @ Thrashers: Random Musings and Observations

- Garnet Exelby is a jacka**. For those of you who did not have the pleasure of receiving the Atlanta broadcast feed, Exelby got interviewed during the first intermission. And naturally, the interviewer questioned Exelby about his already infamous hit on Eric Staal. What did Exelby say? Something along the lines of..."Well, his head was down, and I had a job to do, so...".

There it is, NHL, straight from the horse's mouth. Seriously, this trend of players hitting other players, on the Canes or another team, with their heads down has GOT to STOP. It is very reminiscent of Scott Stevens, AND ESPECIALLY how Shane Willis and Ron Francis got pretty danged bad concussions. Hell, *just thinking* about that day they showed Stevens' hit on Ronnie during one of the playoff games this year *still* gives me freakin' shivers down my spine.

- Those kinds of hits are why the role of the enforcer is not dead in the NHL. And you can tell me how it's the "new NHL" over and over until you are as blue in the face as Mel Gibson in Braveheart, BUT the Canes need an enforcer to let teams like the Thrashers know that you can't do possible injury-causing hits on star players like Eric Staal AND EFFIN' GET AWAY WITH THEM!!

And while we're at it...what's up with Hutchinson giving Exelby a hug? That the ABSOLUTE LAST THING that guy needed after what he did to Staal AND Cam Ward. Also, what was also up with Walker being the only one among the Canes to show retaliation? He's the newbie, for crying out loud! Some veterans have got some steppin' up to do on the rough and tough front...

- Despite what could have been a devastating hit AND my gripes about the lack of toughness, the Canes played great tonight. Really, how could they not AND managed a 5-1 score? More often than not, numbers speak louder than words... ;)

Current Music: "All For Love" by Color Me Badd