February 15th, 2006 - Canes vs. Rangers: Random Musings and Observations

- I don't know who I have a bone to pick with more...the Canes, or their production crew at FSN South.

- I guess I'll start with FSN South, since the very first thing I see is their pre-game show alias Hurricanes Live(!)...

I don't think I need Captain Obvious (a.k.a. the new partner they got for Jerome Jurenovich as of last night) to basically repeat what the interviewed players and Laviolette already said. I also don't care if Captain Obvious has got nine-ten years of NHL playing experience under his belt. All of that experience sure did not help him overcome the fact that he came across to be as stiff as the Michelin Tire Man last night.

Also, do we *really* need to interview Peter Laviolette before EVERY game AND its second period?! It's not Lavy I have a beef with...it's interviewing him all the freakin' time. You'd think after a season and a half of that, FSN South would finally try to mix things up a bit. We finally got a tiny hint of mixing up last night, when Jeff Daniels, NOT Kevin McCarthy, was interviewed before the third period. Not a bad start. But if you *really* want to start impressing moi, FSN South, instead of Peter Laviolette, interview other front office guys/staffers when and if they're available...like Jim Rutherford, Jason Karmanos, Peter Karmanos (if he's in town), Chris Huffine, Sheldon Ferguson (if he's in town), Ron Francis (if he's in town), Wally Tatomir, Skip Cunningham, Pete Friesen, etcetera. Not to mention former Whalers/Canes players and wives/family of current and former players, among other people. There *really* is so much you can do with that Pre-Game Interview, FSN South!! And hey, if Lavy has a fit about not doing that Pre-Game Interview, then kindly let him keep his pre-Second Period interview. IM(not-so)HO, the Pre-Game Interviews are where the freshness in the interviewees is most important.

- I don't think the Canes heard John Forslund stating that "there is(now was) a playoff atmosphere" in Raleigh yesterday evening. Certainly didn't play like it, anyway.

- With the injuries piling up, in addition to the overall roster on the major AND minor league levels, the 2006-07 Canes are looking an awful lot like the 2002-03 Canes. The only big difference being the win/loss record, which has a few more wins AND a lot less ties.

- I don't think I could ever thank the Los Angeles Kings enough for shipping Sean "Ooooh...I almost fought Ronnie Francis!!*" Avery to the New York Rangers. God, I hate how that guy is now running amuck in the Eastern Conference...

- Hedican and Williams are now out? The hits just keep coming for the Canes and what little of their playoff hopes remain... *sighs*

Current Music: "Wild Wild Life" by the Talking Heads

* - For those who have completely blocked out the 2002-03 season...during a game against the Kings in the latter third of the said season, Avery tried to entice Francis to put up his dukes, yo. Not surprisingly, Ron pushed Sean away in such a manner that made the (now former) King look more-so the idiot he already was AND still is.

To this day, I *still* say that if fisticuffs had occurred between Ron and Sean, the former would have emerged quite victorious. And after seeing this a couple of months ago, there's now more than biasness backing up that statement. ;)

December 19th, 2006 - Canes @ Flyers: Random Musings and Observations

- Y'know, the Grinch in me *really* wants to gripe about how the Canes should have pulverized the Eastern Conference worst Flyboys. BUT, on the other hand, the angel in me wants to just say that hey, the Canes got two points, and that's better than no points at all.

- John and Tripp AND FSN South...I may not get your feed all the time, no thanks to DirecTV and their version of Center Ice. But I've watched your feed enough over the last season and a third to know that it is absolutely no shock what-so-ever when you get Peter Laviolette to take two-three minutes out for his beginning of the second period "fireside chat". So that said, stop acting like you barely got Pete to stop and address us Caniacs on the current issues he (supposedly) went over with the Canes in the locker room.

And let's not even get into why the heck Kevin "Kato" McCarthy is doing "fireside chats" at the beginning of the third period... o_O

- Did John and Tripp switch bodies? Here I was all ready to hear Tripp drool over Philly's finest steak and cheese...and instead, it was John doing that!! o_O

I *had* to make sure Rod Serling didn't magically appear in my room or on the TV screen...

- Speaking of the Canes staffers...very, VERY GLAD to see Chris Huffine and his day with Lord Stanley get acknowledged during tonight's game. As I have noted somewhat constantly, I somewhat knew Chris when I lived in Raleigh/Wake Forest, thanks to his wife(!! It's VERY belated, but CONGRATULATIONS on the marriage, Chris!!) who work(ed?) as a receptionist for my family chiropractor. And he is every bit the wonderful person they make him out to be whenever he gets mentioned during a broadcast. Once again, and it can never be said enough, CONGRATULATIONS to Chris on being the first ever native North Carolinian to get their name on the Stanley Cup.

Because of that, I just may have to keep this game on tape.

- I'm starting to feel like the FSN South feed is teasing me with that damned creepy Gizmo-voiced "Brindy! Brindy! Brindy!" commercial...tonight's game was the third or fourth one in a row where they waited until the last five minutes to play that thing.

Current Music: "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)" by The Ramones