October 19th and 20th, 2007 - Canes @ Penguins and Flyers: Random Musings and Observations

- The Canes did not play absolutely wonderful in these games, but they did not stink up the ice either. Not bad, considering that there are some injuries plaguing the team right now...

- ...That said, I hope Scott Walker and his tum-tum area is ok. My hopes went up when I heard he was released from the hospital Friday night. Also hope Erik Cole is ok...even if I do think how he supposedly hurt himself (playing soccer, or football as my ancestors would call it, outside of the locker room) was stupid.

- Very, VERY classy of the Penguins to acknowledge Ronnie Francis' becoming Assistant GM for the Canes. And even more classy of the entire Pens faithful in attendance to applaud it. *gives a thumbs up*

- Speaking of the Penguins, being a fan of theirs too, I am glad that they ended up getting the win...they really needed it, and it helped them get back to .500. And before you go jumping on me, as I've noted here a few times, I happen to like both the Canes and Pens, and therefore, games like Friday night's end up being ones where I am happy with whoever wins. ESPECIALLY if the Canes are off to a great start like they are right now, and can get away with sparing a win here and there.

- Games like tonight's do not help my feelings towards the Flyboys.

- I can tell this RBC Centura "Giant" ad campaign is going to get on my nerves...it doesn't help that that was the same campaign used last year AND the marketing geek in me just does not think "Let's Do Something Giant" is a great slogan.

- Until tonight, I did not know there was such a call as "Backchecking". Learn something new every day/night...

- Overall, this was an outstanding road trip...I'll definitely take the only overall (I.E. no points earned at all) loss being at DC. Getting a point in Pitt and Philly is certainly not shabby with both being quite fun places to play at.

Current Music: "Like A Hurricane" by Neil Young

Scott Walker Stays!

Links here and there, 'cause I really don't feel like doing anymore "jokes" with Walker's name.

I may have ribbed on the guy and his performance from around December to the end of this past season, but doesn't mean I do not appreciate what Walks brought to an overall mediocre Canes team. Just think, if dudeman can be the third best scorer on such a team, just imagine what he might do on a hopefully improved Canes team this upcoming season. Of course, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, Jim Rutherford's gotta do something about that defense...the Class of 2002-03 Reunion certainly did not help either, but that D is my primary blame for a lot of this past season's woes.

Anyways...at least for today, we can celebrate the fact that we re-landed Walker AND Ray Whitney for just a combined $6.2 million per season...as opposed to each one being, oh, $4.2 million each season, like Scott Hartnell on the Philly Cheesesteaks. Between that and the rumors of the Buffalo Sabres' Thomas Vanek being offered a $49 million per year contract for six years, good ol' Booby Clarke is my front runner over Lou Lamoriello and Ken Holland for being the GM to break ye olde salary cap.

Current Music: "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite

Scott Walker Might Be Living Up To His Name

Oh Scotty, whether you can help it or not, you and your name, well, walked into that one. ;P

Seriously, unless he changes his mind, Walker is most likely walking away from the Canes to test the free agency waters...making most of the Caniac Nation scream "HELP!!".

I understand why the Nation is reacting the way they are...Walker was definitely one of the better players on the squad last season. He had his scoring streaks, and actually showed a bit of grit here and there on what many can agree was a soft team, save the presences of Scotty, Brindy, and Whitney.

BUT, and I've said this before here or elsewhere, Walker was not the most consistent player. As a matter of fact, his best time of the season was from the beginning through around December. And I know this because I remember the days where I was able to pick up Scotty off of the Free Agency in one or two of my Fantasy Leagues AND rejoiced because he was on fire and it was amazing that nobody else beat me to picking him up; and then turn around and dump his butt because before I knew it, Walks' constant scoring stopped.

So...my overall opinion is that if Walker can somehow get back to his beginning of last season form, then I'm with the many doing their best Mr. Bill impression if Scotty does not remain a Cane. BUT, if he retains his opposite form, then count me among the rare few who could care less if Walks, well, walks or not.

Current Music: "It's Time To Party/Party Hard" by Andrew WK

Scott Walker Offered Three Years, Bret Hedican To Possibly Stay If Healthy

According to the Raleigh News and Observer...

"The Carolina Hurricanes were waiting for Bret Hedican to make a big decision. Turns out he already made it almost a year ago.

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday that after the team reviewed its files, it discovered Hedican picked up his $2.4 million option for the 2007-08 season last year during the Stanley Cup finals.

"It's not that it slipped through," Rutherford said. "He had from that date until June 1 to exercise his option. He did it within two days after he could, while we were still playing."

Now the only questions are about his health. Hedican, 36, underwent hip surgery last summer and never fully recovered, missing a total of 16 games over the first four months of the season and the final 16 games of the season."

__________________________________

"While the Hurricanes will make most if not all of their player decisions during their meetings June 4-7, Rutherford said a three-year offer remains on the table for Scott Walker and he expected to meet with Rick Curran, the agent for Cam Ward and Glen Wesley, "within the next two weeks." Ward is a restricted free agent while Wesley is an unrestricted free agent."

As much as I like Heddy, I cannot help but be on the "Please retire now!" bandwagon regarding him. He was hurt and out a lot this past season...seemed like every other game or so Bret would be in the press box.

If Hedican can stay healthy this upcoming season, then I'm all for his coming back to the Canes. But, if it is going to be like last season, I'm not sure I want him taking up space on the blueline.

_____________________________

Outside of the Canes, there is other NHL news I cannot help but rejoice at...the Red Wings have gotten flushed out of the Playoffs by the Ducks!!

And what better way to celebrate than with our friend, the Toilet Duck!

:D

Current Music: "Caribbean Nights" by Bob James

Josef Vasicek Is Going Back To Raleigh, To Raleigh...

...I really think so.

And the 2002-03 Canes Reunion Saga STILL continues. *sighs*

As Dave Barry would say, have aliens from the planet Twinkie invaded Jim Rutherford's head?! Belanger for Big Joe?! Belanger is certainly a faster skater than the Condor. I thought we shipped off Josef for the very fact that he didn't really fit in with Laviolette's (usually) speedy system of play. o_O

So, who are we going after next? Jaroslav Svoboda? Sami Kapanen? Hey...as long as it's not Peter Forsberg. And that's the only decent thing I can say about this overall trend.

Also, Ryan Bayda has been called up from Albany to the big club. Unless we hear otherwise, this appears to not bode well for either Erik Cole and/or Scott Walker, who got hurt in last night's Bruins affair, and are said to potentially have minor injuries.

Current Music: "Walkin' In A Hurricane" by John Fogerty

February 8th, 2007 - Canes @ Bruins: Random Musings and Observations

- Scary to think that if it had not been for just Scott Walker's throwdown and Ray Whitney's natural hat trick in under two minutes*, the Canes might have fallen to the (pathetic) Teddybears once again. Before those two special events, the Canes were looking like they had reverted back to their good ol' mediocre selves once again.

- FSN South's new Hurricanes Live! thirty minute pregame show made its grand debut last night. Overall, I thought they did a pretty good job...even though John Forslund appeared to be channeling the spirit of Allen Ludden with his new spectacles. o_O

- Remember how I said the NESN guys are not all that bad afterall? Ha. Ha. HA. Between this game and the last game vs. the Poohins, I have heard more Whalers/Hartford and college basketball cracks about the Canes than I have read from still bitter Hartforders online.

Heck, last night, in the first five minutes of the game, the NESN guys immediately resorted to incredibly stupid and quite possibly offensive jokes about Bret Hedican and his highly famous figure skating wife, Kristi Yamaguchi. As the NESN "announcers" did such crap, they were sounding and laughing like thoroughly drunk ninnies, and I let out a "BZUH?!".

The only difference between those dorks and two slobs making fun of Sean Hill's wife, whom I had the misfortune of being behind me at the March 2nd, 2004 Canes game vs. Columbus, is that the NESN guys had to keep the Yamaguchi "jokes" "PG", 'cause afterall, they were on the tee-vee. *rolls her eyes*

- Speaking of drunk ninnies, if I did not know better, I'd swear some Buffalo fans did not take that left turn at Albuquerque and were in attendance at the TD BankNorth Garden (what an awful, AWFUL arena name...even though FleetCenter was a corporate-as-all-get-out name too, at least it was more catchy and rolled off the tongue a lot better than the current monstrosity) according to one Ronnie Franchise at the Score Boards Canes MB...

"Fuller than it was the last couple times I was there, but still well shy of a sellout. Like I predicted yesterday, the Massholes stayed home and it was allllllll college kids for student night. Which meant a crowd completely disinterested in the game or any firm rooting interest. Students arriving in packs up to an hour into the game already pre-drunk, most of them with dates in-tow. And most of them turned around looking and shouting at their friends in other sections for blocs on end without even glancing at the ice, or taking pictures of each other with their camera phones. And their @#$% cell phones...like I care about who broke up or hooked up with so and so and who's having a party tomorrow night. And I especially don't like it when the fast-talker in the BC sweatshirt behind me spits beer droplets all over the place (and on my head) while he's jabbering with his friend back on campus about snowboarding this weekend and about how his "killer" 8-hour-a-week part-time job doesn't allow him to go out enough. I may have also been the only guy in my section wearing an authentic jersey, with cap turned forward instead of backward, sitting quietly with laser-like focus on the game...you know, like a real fan. Not to mention I wasn't sporting the same spiky chia-pet facial hair as the other 37 guys in my section who had the same generic man-child goatee with turned-back baseball cap. And I didn't drag a date wearing three gallons of perfume, makeup, and hairspray out to the game...since nobody cares what you look like if you're spending the whole time staring at the ice like you're supposed to. Would you morons do this if Valentine's Day were a student night, too? And I definitely didn't scream at the Mighty Mites "Hey, kid, I your mom last night, and she was "...and certainly not as the only interest taken all night in what was going on on the ice.

Gah! I'm still a couple years from 30 and I've already moved to "Get off my damn lawn" phase with today's youth. I feel so old. The ignoramus behind me (beer-spitter's friend) was trying to impress his date with his extensive hockey acumen by shouting "Fight!" every time there was an offsides whistle, thinking he could will something into erupting (he of course dissapeared for like an hour when the ACTUAL fight happened, and had no idea it had taken place when he came back). "Dude, last time I was here I saw the Islanders...and there was this wicked brawl with 20 guys pairing off at once...say, is Thornton still on the team? No? When did that happen?" His girlfriend, who did know some hockey, was then telling him about a friend she had who played a season in Canadian juniors, and was talking about the real fighting that goes on there. Not to be upstaged by a girl, Know-It-All cut her off and said..."You mean, like the Providence Bruins junior team...man, those guys fight all the time 'cause they're so pissed they got rejected by the NHL.

"

Yes, a bit long and wordy (is that anything like white and nerdy? sure sounds similar, which just dawned on me o_O)...but quite wonderful how it brings up how stupid A LOT of my peers and younger people are. *sighs and rolls her eyes*

- Uno Chicago Pizzaria and Grill looks a darn great place to eat...even if their one commercial almost made me check the DirecTV program guide to make sure the Canes weren't taking on the Blackhawks instead of the Bruins.

Current Music: "Mother Sky" by Skye Klad (Live Can Cover)

* - For those of you who don't read message boards and/or media guides/yearbooks, Ray Whitney's natural hat trick was not a record breaker for the fastest natural hat trick in NHL history...that honor going to a former Chicago Blackhawk named Bill Mosienko, who potted three goals in twenty-one seconds on March 23rd, 1952. *does her best Ben Stein* Wow.

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)

November 2nd, 2006 - Canes vs. Canadiens: Random Musings and Observations

- I had a *very bad feeling* that the Canes were going to make like Hoovers tonight when Scott Walker was interviewed by Tripp Tracy before the game, and uttered something about his teammates being tough enough AND that what Exelby did to Eric Staal and Cam Ward was no big deal. Gee, I wonder if Scotty-boy sounded like Bill Murray when he said that latter part... (rolls her eyes)

- This is the second time in a month that the Canes have been shutout in the RBC Center...y'know, I had a huge tirade planned, but I think I'll just say this: HOW FREAKIN' PATHETIC CAN YOU GET?!

- At least the night isn't a total waste...thanks to my brother, I now have the Fantastic Four 90's animated series on DVD!! And have been reliving a small part of my adolescence while writing this.

I had almost forgotten how uber-cheesy the first season of the series was...not only in its animation and writing, but also little things like:

- Ms. Forbes, the female version of Mr. Collins, the FF's grumpy landlord in the comic book, at least during the 60's-early 80's.

- The Dick Clark Collegiate Telephon taking place during the very first two episodes with a special guest appearance by Gary Owens!! Y'know, that announcer guy on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In...

- The two "songs"..."It's Clobberin' Time" (done by Green Jelly...who I know better for doing "Anarchy In Bedrock" on The Flintstones movie soundtrack) and "Flame On" (by Brian Austin Green...rumor had it that he was using his brief stint as the Human Torch's voice to spawn a singing career. Why he thought that instead of his role on the highly successful Beverly Hills 90210 would land him in the music world is WAY BEYOND me).

- Speaking of songs...the opening and closing theme songs: "Call the Four! Fantastic Four!" Imagine that and other piece of cheese lyrics about the FF getting their powers and saving the day being sung in a happy sing-along voice...yeah, that screams 'action show'!

Despite all of that, I love the first season in all of its cheese, along with the far superior and cool second season. Best FF cartoon evah.

- Ok, one more Canes related thing...have you seen the ad with the dude in the cubicle pretending he's Brindy kissing Lord Stanley? You know how the computer keeps saying "Brindy! Brindy! Brindy!"? It just dawned on me that the voice on the computer sounds like a combination of Mini-Me and Mogwai (y'know, from the Gremlins movies?)... o_O

Current "Music": The "The Silver Surfer and the Coming of Galactus Part 1" episode of the said cartoon.