October 9th, 2007 - Canes @ Leafs: Random Musings and Observations

- Y'know...as much as I hated that gawdawful loss in DC, maybe that very thing was the booster shot in the arm the Canes needed.

- Then again, I can't help but feel that the supplement of vitamin C. Stillman really helped in tonight's win...er, massacre of the Leafs.

- I know I'm probably going to get killed by some Canes fans for this, but I feel sorry for Coach Mo, dagummit. At the rate things are going, I'm going to be amazed if Mo is still around T.O. by the time Christmas rolls around...if not Thanksgiving.

- Speaking of people to feel sorry for, my heart sank when I read about Jason Blake being diagnosed with leukemia yesterday. :( Wish the man nothing but the absolute best in his treatment and getting to play as long as he can...

- At first, I did not understand how San Jose could let go of Toskala after what he did for them in the last season or two...but I think tonight cleared up things on that front. That said, I cannot believe that ol' Vesa was left in like that for the entire game...as much as I like Mo, that was a pretty poor decision on his part.

- I am *really* liking what I've seen of Jeff Hamilton...him and Dennis Seidenberg are proving to be very, VERY pleasant surprises out there.

- While I am glad that a game like this one got to be on national television AND was the only bit of hockey on anywhere tonight, it does not hurt my feelings that a lot of the Canes' games are not on Versus. God, those guys had me clamouring for John and Tripp or TSN...

Current Music: "Superstition" by Beck, Bogart, and Appice

Cory Stillman Activated From IR

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=187149

Even though the Canes have been winning lately, Cory is much needed. But, will it get me killed to say that right now, I wish he was a defenseman instead of a winger...?

And it may be off-topic, but I gotta mention the following...tonight, I watched Under the Mistletoe on Lifetime (Shut up). And it turned out to not only be a Christmas ghost story flick (which was what reeled me in via the ads during one of my morning Frasier fixes), but also technically a hockey flick, especially with a few sequences and the ending!! AND, it came complete with a CAROLINA HURRICANES POSTER (circa 2001-02, unless my eyes were deceiving me), along with a ton of other hockey goodies, in the son of the ghost's room. That was a ton of icing on the cake that was a for once pretty decent Lifetime movie, knowing how those things usually are.

Current Music: "Christmas Is the Time To Say I Love You" by Billy Squire

"Welcome To Politically Incorrect With...Your Carolina Hurricanes!"

Before I go any further, let me state that I have never been all that fond of politics being brought up in public places and entertainment outside of election venues, newspapers/magazines, news channels/shows, and the local/world morning/afternoon/evening news. And really, not only political ads, BUT ALSO people who try to insert political references into posts at boards and LiveJournal groups I visit really, *really* burn my grits.

So, I hope that makes my stance on the following somewhat clear...

http://www.thescoreboards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5858

As someone brought up in the above linked Score Boards thread, Cory Stillman is in an ad barracking the Wake County school bonds proposal.

When I first read that, I had an uneasy feeling. I knew the Stanley Cup victory would open up the Canes to a ton of promotions and such. But of the political kind? Damn...

Cory's saving grace on this front is that he's in an ad for something most political minds could probably get behind, especially with all of the growth that Wake County is experiencing AND more than likely will for sometime. And even though I really don't like Cory's being in a political ad overall, I rather the ad be for something like a proposal than a living, breathing candidate. Which leads to my big beef with current athletes in political ads...

The last thing any of the current Canes people need to do is upset a large group of fans. And I fear that Cory's decision to be in a political ad could lead to one or more of the boys ending up in an ad or two backing a candidate the next time around instead of a proposal. AND because of that, a nice number of fans, specifically those from the opposing political party, being turned off of the team because of such ads AND the players/coaches/front office crew barracking their party's opponent.

Ten years ago, this wouldn't concern me like it does now...'cause ten years ago, people weren't as crazily obsessed with politics to the point where everything, even escapes from such mess, was associated with them.

Current Music: "Just Got Paid Today" by ZZ Top

Edit as of 9:00 PM: Going back to that Score Boards thread, I see that people have taken to b*tching and moaning about public schools vs. private schools. Two things about that...

1. I really hate seeing Ronnie Francis' children, and really, any player's kids being the focus of such an argument.

and

2. After the riff-raff I've dealt with during my career as a public school student, if I had kids of my own and the money, I'd put my children in a private school. Either that, or homeschool them.

And to be honest, that depends on the area. Around here in Bluefield, I probably wouldn't be as afraid of public schools. But, in somewhere like Wake Forest/Raleigh, I would definitely do the private school/homeschool thing, especially with the state of public schools not getting any better from what I know in my experience AND what I have read over the last few years.