Bored "Fan" Writes A Letter To the Raleigh News and Observer...Film At Eleven

Wow...it's been over a week already?! Time *really* does fly when there's hardly any Canes news...of course, in my instance, it helps to have a couple of rather ambitious projects to do, which I will touch upon here later.

You know it is *very quiet* on the Canes news front when this is the biggest thing to have caught my eye lately...

"Canes' inaction over Staal's arrest is sad

So no disciplinary action will be taken by the Carolina Hurricanes in regards to Eric Staal's arrest for disorderly conduct?

That's a great message the Hurricanes are sending to the young people in this community -- if you are popular, young, rich and athletically talented, and you act like a jerk and get arrested, the team you are the public face for doesn't think it matters.

It is obvious that the attitudes of the NBA, NFL and other sporting organizations have carried over to the NHL: "You are better than everyone else because you are a professional athlete. Go on out there, have a good time, drink, party, get arrested, no problem! We'll look the other way!"

Pathetic. I would have expected better from the management of a Stanley Cup-winning team. I'll think twice before going to a Hurricanes game this season."

Definitely one of those types that need to be within five feet of a giant megaphone blaring "Boozefests happen in hockeydom...GET OVER IT!!".

I was not all that approving of what happened to the Staal brothers...BUT, unlike the bozo cited above, I take into account that...

1. It *was* a bachelor party...the only way a bachelor party would NEVER have drinking is if its participants were a bunch of Charles "Chaz" Finster* clones.

and

2. Something that the N&O and quite a few sources failed to pick up on about the Staals' big bachelor bash gone wrong is that according to at least one or two other sources I read (and posted here...just scroll a little further down), the Staals weren't the ones cutting up. Instead, it was two or three of their friends who did not heed the resort's request to stop partying and go to bed. And therefore, just like 27-29 students in a classroom having to put up with a class clown or two or three, all of the other participants of the party, including the Staals, were punished for the actions of an overwhelming minority.

Apparently, Jim Rutherford and company (along with the Pittsburgh Penguins honchos in regards to Jordan Staal) heard about #2 too...because if they did not hear about AND apparently believe it (along with me), there probably would have been a reprimanding of some kind by now.

In closing, I think someone has a lot of damned gall to call what is quite a minor incident NFL/NBA/etc.-like, when the said big leagues are dealing with far bigger problems than a bunch of bachelors being spoiled by a few rotten apples.

Current Music: "Boom Boom Out Go the Lights" by the Pat Travers Band (Live Version)

* - [TV geek]For those of you who aren't Rugrats (at least before Dil Pickles came along) fans, I am way more than willing to bet that a guy who would rather watch a chess tournament than the Rugrats universe's equivalent of the Super Bowl probably does not imbibe, even just a little bit, too.[/TV geek]

Staal Brothers Lose Their Right To PAAAAAARRRRRTY(!!)

Eric and Jordan Staal got arrested for underage drinking (Jordan) and causing a nuisence and disturbing the peace in Cook County, Minnesota this past Saturday morning.

Overall, I agree with the sentiment that the event that caused the brothers' arrests really sounded no different from most other hockeydom boozefests (they *do* happen, people, get over it). BUT, I have to disagree with a few who say that it is no different from the tailgate parties outside of the RBC Center...seriously, getting flaming drunk AND heckling oncoming traffic? Maybe at the HSBC Arena, BUT NOT at the RBC Center...unless I have passed through and by the wrong tailgaters during my Canes game frequenting days. o_O

Anyway, after reading the following (Ooh!! Mug shots!!), which got released a little later after the N&O's above linked piece, me thinks the Staals just had the misfortune of falling asleep in the wrong place at the wrong time...

"Curran said the brothers were among several partygoers who went to bed when authorities first gave the group a warning, and when authorities returned to kick the entire party out of the resort, they first had to wake the Staals up.

"What is unfortunate is at the end, the entire group was asked to leave the hotel, including Eric and Jordan and some of the others that had gone to bed when the first warnings came in," Curran said. "They were asked to go to bed, and they did. ... A couple of the kids kept going. That's what caused the continued disturbance."

That said, I think I feel very safe in conjuring what this mess would have been like if it was a Beastie Boys music video...

*cut to a wilderness resort, where Eric and Jordan Staal are in a room decorated with pure white walls, artwork, and furniture*

Jordan: "Hey Eric...do you like parties?"

Eric: "Yeeeeeah..."

Jordan: "We can invite all our friends...and have beer, wine*, and pie!"

Eric: "Yeeeeeah!!"

Jordan: "I hope no bad people show up."

*cut to the two or three guys who were still cutting up when asked by the police and/or resort staff "to go to bed"...and uncannily enough, they are dressed to the nines in clothes similar to the Beastie Boys', right down to one of them wearing a Def Jam tee, and another wearing a 'bling bling' chain, AND in an all red room*

Cut-ups: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

*insert an electric guitar strum...only to be interupted by a record scratch here*

Hmmm...I think we better stop there. This could turn out to be just as bad as the time I had the Carolina Hurricanes' five largest stars at the time turn into Twisted Sister over Paul Maurice's griping about Josef Vasicek playing hockey stick guitar...

Current Music: "Breaking The Law" by Judas Priest

* - We know the only 'soda' served at *that party* was Rum 'n' Coke.

Edit as of July 26th, 12:50 AM: It appears that both Mr. DeCock and ESPN missed a rather interesting detail, which was pointed out by one Eric McErlain...

"I've just gotten hold of the official press release from the Sheriff, and the entertainment factor just went way up. As it turns out, the entire party was actually warned that if they didn't knock it off, they faced deportation from the United States..."

O RLY?!

Just goes to show that while most bachelors go bar hopping, others (try to) go international border hopping...

"Easy, Breezy, Cover Boy!"

As revealed out in Canes message board land, 850 The Buzz, and by the Canes' own Mike Sundheim, Eric Staal has been made the cover boy for the 2008 edition of Electronic Arts' NHL series of video/computer games.

Not surprisingly, there are a few crying "Curses!" at this news...and for semi-good "reason", as featured in Mike Chen's blog:

"The first game to feature just one player on the cover was NHL 97. Previously, the other games just had action shots of several players. This game was coming off of Florida's rat-tastic run to the Cup Final, so naturally, they put the John Vanbiesbrouck on the cover. While the Beezer actually had a pretty good season, his Panthers did not, bowing out in five games to Wayne Gretzky and the New York Rangers. Curse? Probably not, though his stats went way down hill the next season. But one thing to keep in mind -- a few years later, the Beezer he went nuts on a crazy racist tirade to junior players and he had to quit his job and sell his part of the team. More on this later.

The next season was NHL 98 (1997-1998) with Peter Forsberg on the cover. Forsberg actually had a great year that year -- 91 points in 72 games. However, keep in mind that a few years later, his spleen exploded and he missed an entire regular season doing some soul searching/rehabbing in Sweden.

NHL 99 (1998-1999) was the infamous Year of the Cyber Athlete with Cyber-Lindros on the cover (accompanied by Rock You Like A Hurricane on the commercials). In April 99, Lindros had a collapsed lung; the following year, he was riddled with concussions and other injuries.

NHL 2000 (1999-2000), besides being the coolest sounding hockey video game title of all time, had towering defenseman Chris Pronger on the cover. A few seasons later, Pronger missed all but five games with injuries.

NHL 2001 (2000-2001) featured one of my least favorite players Owen Nolan on the cover. Not only did Nolan miss the majority of the 2003-2004 season with a variety of injuries (in addition to the chronic back and groin issues that slowed him down post-EA Sports), he was entangled in a lengthy legal battle with the Maple Leafs.

NHL 2002 (2001-2002) came right after Mario Lemieux's amazing comeback season, so of course, it was natural to put Le Magnifique on the cover. In three of the next four seasons, various ailments -- from back problems to hip problems -- limited him to less than 30 games each. Finally, a heart condition caused him to retire for good. You see where I'm going with this?

NHL 2003 (2002-2003) featured Jarome Iginla after his breakout 52-goal season. Iginla hasn't suffered any devastating injuries yet, though his post-EA Sports total hasn't come close to his 52-goal campaign (he was pretty amazing, though, during the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs).

NHL 2004 (2003-2004) had current NHL golden boy Dany Heatley on the cover. Shortly after the games release, Heatley was involved in the horrific car accident that claimed Dan Snyder's life. Heatley came back late in the season after serious knee injuries related to the crash, though the emotional damage caused him to request a trade.

NHL 2005 (2004-2005) was the lockout season. A game was still produced with Markus Naslund on the cover. Like Iginla, Naslund's one post-EA Sports campaign was disappointing to say the least, but at least he hasn't been hit with a freak injury.

NHL 2006 (2005-2006) put defending Stanley Cup Champion/World Cup MVP Vincent Lecavalier on the cover. Lecavalier had a disappointing season, but no crazy injuries to report."

Good news to those who are getting ready to jump on me for posting all of that: My personal take on a good chunk of the above is that a lot of it is *really* a stretch. To me, a "curse" would be solidified by the bad things happening to the cover boys in the season that their respective EA game is supposed to represent, NOT a few seasons later.

Therefore, the only ones who have actually fallen victim to the "curse", according to my rule, are Eric Lindros in 1998-99, Mario Lemieux in 2001-02, and Dany Heatley in 2003-04. And the former two of the three are *really* no shock AND should not be counted as part of the "curse", given their injury track record and all. Making the only truly freakish incident in the history of the "curse" be the infamous and life-theatening auto accident into which Heatley got himself.

So if anything comes out what turns out to be a bit a hogwash for Eric, it will most likely be another mediocre season in point production...something that will not surprise me, unfortunately, given how the Canes' lineup is currently looking at the moment. Of course, the off-season is still young...

Current Music: "Johnny, Let's Dance" - World Heroes 2 Image Album

Ruff Stuff

I didn't watch the NHL All-Star Game last night (surprise, surprise), but I was somehow not shocked by reading the following over in Lord Stanley's Blog, brought to you by the Raleigh News and Observer, this morning...

"No one ever accused Lindy Ruff of being unable to hold a grudge. The Buffalo coach and Eastern Conference boss for the All-Star Game stuck Carolina's two representatives, Eric Staal and Justin Williams, on the fourth line Wednesday with Jason Blake."

And THAT, my dear readers, is why I groaned upon reading the news that Lindy-Boy was going to be the head coach for the Easterners. Silly me, I thought after all that trash talk getting him and his then Goatheads* no champagne or Stanley Cup, he would have learned his lesson. Instead, his apparent wittle grudge against the Canes may have very well cost the Eastbounders an All-Star Game win. Especially as well as Eric Staal and Justin Williams played, earning three points (Two goals and one assist) between the two of them, which was just as good, if not better than everybody else around them. Heck, they must have been doing something right, since Sidney Crosby didn't even get a point, and Alexander Ovechkin landed only one goal. *gasps* Weren't those two projected to completely blow the stars out of Dallas? Further proof of why I tend to not give a hoot about the All-Star Game/Event...

Oh, and just one more thing...





This so screams "Caption Time!!!".

Eric Staal: "Well, the way they make shows is, they make one show. That show's called a pilot. Then they show that show to the people who make shows, and on the strength of that one show they decide if they're going to make more shows. Some pilots get picked and become television programs. Some don't, become nothing..."
________________________________________

Alexander Ovechkin: "And you know what they call a... a... a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?"

Sidney Crosby: "They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?"

Eric Staal: "No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the hell a Quarter Pounder is."

Sid: "Then what do they call it?"

Eric: "They call it a Royale with cheese."

Alex: "A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?"

Eric: "Well, a Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it le Big-Mac."

Alex: "Le Big-Mac. Ha ha ha ha. What do they call a Whopper?"

Eric: "I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King."


Believe it or not, I was never much of a fan of that movie...just had those quotes embedded in my brain from constant playing on WRDU 106.1 a few years ago.

Current Music: "Fight the Good Fight" by Triumph

* - My term for the Sabres' old red and silver logo...which was coined by a couple of LiveJournal Hockey-ers, who happen to be Sword fans. So can't get on me about that one Buffaloers... ;P

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

January 6th, 2007 - Canes vs. Islanders: Random Musings and Observations

Unlike the Phoenix debac...er, game, some things finally stuck out to me about this game...

- When you get John Forslund to belt out his trademark "Hey hey, what do ya say?!" after oh so many games, you *are* truly doing something right.

- That said, if anybody was doing something right, besides Cam Ward, it was/is Erik Cole. Dudeman played the most aggressive game any Cane has ever played thus far this season. That aggressive game netted Colesey two goals...something not only the Canes, but I too desperately needed in my Fantasy leagues.

- Speaking of my Fantasy players, Staal also, at long last, woke up tonight and had a goal for the Canes. Now, if Jonathan freakin' Cheechoo could do the same.

I swear, whoever instated the rule about players being drafted at a high rank can't be dropped needs to be slapped...hard.

- With her cowgirl get-up, I could not be the only one who kept expecting Cory Stillman's daughter to try to offer a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich to John Forslund and/or Tripp Tracy.

Anybody who gets what I'm talking about, give yourself as many couch potato points as you feel are deserved.

Current Music: "King's Lead Hat" by Brian Eno (Featuring Robert Fripp)

December 2nd, 2006 - Canes vs. Bruins: Random Musings and Observations

- I may dislike Nickelback with the passion of ten suns, but hey, if they give Cam Ward the luck and confidence to win games via his helmet/mask, then I certainly cannot complain about that much.

- Perhaps Eric Staal reads this here place...I make one crack about him (seemingly) having more penalty minutes than points as of the game vs. Montreal, and he goes and gets two goals tonight. That's much more like it Staalsy...see what happens when you keep your a** out of the box? ;)

- The NESN guys set themselves up for Justin Williams' shorthanded goal...it was quite easy to see coming, as much as they kept flashing the graphic about AND mentioning the top shorthanded scoring teams in the NHL.

- Speaking of NESN, who were not at all bad or annoying tonight, much to my delight...I cannot help but be jealous of the fact that they do fun TV programs with both present and past Bruin players. I think the Canes could take a cue or two from that...and while I'm at it, they need to bring back that Saturday/Sunday morning show that ran through the 2001-02 season. But obviously, it would feature Peter Laviolette instead of Paul Maurice...

Current Music: "Run Run Rudolph" by Bryan Adams (Live)

November 30th, 2006 - Canes vs. Canadiens: Random Musings and Observations

- Ok, 'cause many of you are expecting it, I'll go ahead and make it official: Ron Francis needs to make more special guest appearances on FSN South when his now very, VERY BUSY schedule can allow it.

In all seriousness, it really seemed like the Canes got an extra spark or two in their engines when Ronnie took to the booth during the second period.

And for the record, when John said a special guest was coming on, something told me it would be Mr. Francis. Figured it would be either him, or Mike Commodore's dad, as much as they talked about Commie's day with Lord Stanley.

- Speaking of Mikey-Boy, you know he is really, truly a party dude when just his mere presence in a photo makes him look like he is fresh out of a college fraternity movie, with or without the enchanted afro.

- Too bad Erik Cole did not get the hat trick...but at least he got much needed points for both the Canes and my Fantasy teams. Something that cannot be said about Staalsy as of late...never thought I'd see the day where the boy would benefit moi more in the PIM column, where that's good anyway, than the goals or assist one.

- Ladies and gentlemen, Wardo is back. And even though I'm not sure I could agree with his taste in music shown off through it, Cam's new Nickleback helmet/mask is rather nifty looking. But, being a mythology nut, I still say Marc Denis has the best current helmet/mask in the NHL.

- What is with FSN South not wanting to cover the games against the Boston Bruins? First this past Friday's game, and now Saturday's game...well, at least NESN has not been obnoxious...yet.

- A thought just dawned on me...I did not see the infamous "Gizmo loves Brindy" ad at all tonight. You mean someone's actually listened to me? Wow...what a novel concept!

It's funny I bring that ad up considering I just bought Gremlins for my so-far tiny DVD collection... :D

Current Music: "My Will" - Inuyasha's First AND Last Closing Theme

November 18th, 2006 - Canes vs. Stars: Random Musings and Observations

- While my Ron Francis calendar still hasn't arrived (stupid Media Mail...oh well, as that semi-cliche goes, you get what you pay for), I *did* get my King Crimson Discipline shirt today. AND, tonight alone has convinced me that if I wear that thing during Canes games, the Canes may very well take on the very word the shirt says and talks about:

"Discipline is a vehicle for joy."

No truer words could be said, especially regarding tonight's affair.

Seriously, despite what the score says, this was easily the most disciplined I have seen the Canes be this season. And I would absolutely, really, truly love to see them keep that up.

- My biggest beef with this game...you knew one was coming, admit it...was how the Canes didn't take advantage of all the power plays Da Starz were practically handing them. But, at the same time, the Canes' fantastic penalty kill, ESPECIALLY on the 5-on-3, cancels out that mess.

- Correction about something I said in last night's Canes/Caps RM&O: Rod Brind'Amour is behind (if not having already surpassed, as of tonight) Jaromir Jagr for season assists, NOT points. Instead, Brindy is behind (again, if not having already surpassed) Marian Hossa for season points.

I *still* wish I had made Brindy's weightlifting a** first priority in my Fantasy drafts instead of Eric Staal...even if Staalsy got his third career hat trick tonight. Congrats to ya, guv'nor.

- What I said about the Caps broadcasting crew in the said previous RM&O can also be said about the Stars crew. And even more fun about tonight's broadcast? It was one of those infamous literally commercial free broadcasts!!! You know, where you get to see the camera crew setting up for the return from the ads AND hear the announcers off the camera? Ever since I saw a Wings/Sharks game without commercials during a Center Ice preview way back at the beginning of the 2002-03 season, I have been clamouring for the golden night/day when I get the John and Tripp Show in one of those commercial free broadcasts.

Yes, I have practically no life, what-so-ever. And hey, at least I admit to that...

Current Music: "Groove Is In the Heart" by Dee-Lite (Featuring Bootsy Collins)

November 9th, 2006 - Canes vs. Capitals: Random Musings and Observations

- I'll go ahead and say what everyone else has already said in their blogs and/or at various Canes message boards: Best. Game. Of. The. Season. (So far.) :D

- Thanks to an outstanding hat trick by Colesey, a goal and possibly an assist from Staal, and an assist from Walker, yours truly *really* racked up the points/stats in Fantasy Hockey tonight.

- And not to mention how jealous I am of those who have Cam Ward on their Fantasy teams...in addition to the great start he's having, he had his first career regular season shutout tonight. Woot!!

- Tonight's game is what happens when you play every last one of those sixty minutes...please, PLEASE remember that, Canes.

- I still hate John Mellencamp and Toby Keith's freakin' "All-American" truck ads. I also don't like Geico's gecko and cavemen...despite the latter introducing me to a damn infectiously good song in Royksopp's "Remind Me".

- I seriously need to see a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert...*still* think they do the absolutely best version of "Carol of the Bells" to ever embrace one's ears. Not to mention that they just flat out rule when it comes to Christmas music...which, I don't start listening to until after Thanksgiving, thank ya very much.

Current Music: "Angela (Theme From Taxi)" by Bob James (Featuring Earl Klugh)