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

The Only Reason I *Might* Be Watching the All-Star Game...

...is because I want to see AND hear the following being played after every goal scored.

"grr...oo oooh oo ohhhhhooo oohhh oo oooh oooohhhhhoo oooh oo ohhhhh..."

I know I'm much more than likely the only one AND at the risk of sounding like I have a dirty mind, the thought of a "song" like that being played whenever someone scores strikes me as an arena control room in-joke sort of thing. In addition to how funny it must sound (for at least the first two or three goals, anyway), the thought of the A/V nerds sounding strangely like Beavis and Butthead as that "song" rings throughout the arena makes me cannot help but snicker on and off myself.

Of course, I could be taking such a thing way out of context, and the "song" could turn out to be a "today's version" of "Papa Oom Mow Mow"...which would be more annoying than funny.

Speaking of annoying, I think the only other real noteworthy thing about the All-Star Game/Event (besides the fact that Williams, Staal, AND the East overall did quite well in the Skillz Competition) is that Gary Bettman seems to constantly prove that he is very much the most easy to make fun of guy in the universe. And for those of you who actually care, here is my part of the mayhem...

And now for something completely different...a very cool tidbit posted at The Score Boards Canes MB this morn: When you live in Raleigh AND know the (former) coach of your absolute favorite NFL team*, life is pretty danged good OR (to take a cue from Rocky and Bullwrinkle's show) Reason #31 Why Raleigh Rocks. Roll over Cleveland, rock on Pittsburgh! Starbucks...wait-a-minute, they don't have a slogan, do they? Rats. But, at least they have damn good coffee...which probably means that the Starbucks in Twin Peakes is probably the most damn good coffee in all of the world.

Yes, I'm bored...and insane. But, in all honesty, that's really nothing new and has been for sometime. ;P

Current Music: "You Get What You Give" by The New Radicals

* - GO STEELERS!! That is, whenever they're not facing my homestate AND NFC favorite Panthers. As for right now, GO BEARS!! We must not let the Peyton Manning reign of terror begin...Tom Brady's was/is bad enough.

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 2nd, 2007 - Canes @ Penguins: Random Musings and Observations

- Ok...I don't know what is more screwy: The Canes' play as of late (especially keeping in mind that this was a team that somehow beat Anaheim...something that's proving to be more and more of a fluke, even after just two more games) OR this whole "Vote For Rory (Fitzpatrick)" (into the All-Star Game/Event) campaign.

What? You're one of the extreme remote few who has not heard about the "Vote For Rory" campaign?! Well, well, well...lemme enlighten you with a wittle something I posted at the Score Boards:

In what I've read/heard about the Rory Fitzpatrick joke, AND it was/is meant to be a joke, it was started by a dude over at a place called SomethingAwful.com. And if you know anything about SA.com like I do, they royally go for "funny stuff" such as a guy like Rory getting into the NHL All-Star Game/Event, despite having almost zip points.

I don't know how to feel about the "joke" overall...on one hand, I like the idea of something showing up the NHL All-Star Game/Event for what it really is: A "contest" based on supposed fan popularity as opposed to talent and/or production for that season. But, on the other hand, I too don't like seeing a more deserving player getting pushed out by someone that started out as a mere message board gag.

And yes, whether some of you like to read it or not, the NHL All-Star Game/Event *IS* a popularity contest AND has been such since at least the beginning of Bettman's reign, if not before it.

- Considering the circumstances AND score of last night's affair, I'm glad that I happen to be a fan of the Penguins in addition to the Canes.

- When it was constantly mentioned that Brindy was losing his face-offs, I knew the Canes were in deep doo-doo.

- Cam Ward was the only reason the score was a semi-respectable 3-0, and not any more worst than it could have been.

- Just like the Bruins and NESN, I am jealous of the fact that the Pens have at least one or two player interaction TV shows on FSN Pitt. Something the Canes (and FSN South) desperately need outside of the in-game entertainment...at least IM(not-so)HO.

- Say what you want about Sid the Kid...but dudeman's already growing up. Sixty points already?! Hot. Damn.

- Eric Staal's younger brother ain't looking too shabby himself, either. Also dug the coverage AND actual attention FSN Pitt gave both siblings.

- As if any of you needed more proof of how easily amused I tend to be: Last night, FSN Pitt had Ryan Malone "mic'ed up"...and these were his golden words...

(Remember, the following was repeated two or three times to a neighboring teammate on the bench.)

"I think this mic is on."

Seriously, who the heck thought it was a great idea to "mic up the players"? When it's not stupid comments like what Malone uttered, it is the typical (I.E. boring) stuff that can actually be allowed on semi-national TV.

I get the feeling that such mess is one of those things we can thank ESPeeN and their coverage of the NBA and/or NFL for. What's next? "Below the Ice" cameras?

This should have been cited in the "What Were They Thinking?!" book about the 100 most dumb TV ideas, which I just finished last night. My only disappointment with it? Jerry Springer didn't make numero uno like he and his pathetic (putting it very, VERY MILDLY) show should have. But, at least the idea of halftime shows, intermissions, stadium names, football bowls, etc. being sponsored did.

Current Music: "Soulfinger" by The Barkays

Edited to add: Oh, and a "Thank you!" to Igloo Dreams for acknowledging my blog AND my newfound Nintendo Wii fandom.

But, to somewhat quote Columbo, just one thing: The next time you acknowledge this here site, please remember that I am a "she", not a "he". Thank ya very much. ;)

That 70's Movie

So, I was cruising around LiveJournal yesterday, when I came across the following in a horror movie community I track...

http://community.livejournal.com/horror_movies/1773573.html

I normally don't go for zombie flicks, but seeing that clip piqued my interest...causing me to further explore, and find the following on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82PBRerytEI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33YvbUDrlQ

Even though it is probably uber-cheesy overall AND/OR will have a crappy ending (the reviews I've read make it sound like the above two clips are the most worthwhile parts), I would *really* like to see Messiah of Evil/Dead People.

And yes, that secondary title is for real.

BTW, one for the "Learn something new every day..." files: I didn't know Sammy Davis Jr. had been in a Western. And apparently, a very horrible one at that.

Not to mention how the girl sure is making that popcorn last in that second clip... o_O

Oh, and also, since the Canes have a game tonight...let us all hope they don't skate and play like zombies.

Current Music: "Hole Hearted" by Extreme

Edit as of 12:36 PM: Just added the Canes NHL All-Star Voting Blog, put together AND mentioned at the Score Boards by DeanSmith4Ever, to the Canes section of the link collection.

Current Music as of the edit: "Footstompin' Music" by Grand Funk Railroad