The Start of Everything Great
Posted by jtbourne on October 5, 2009 · 11 Comments
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Un-cured ham.
*****
Ahhh Monday, October 5th – the start of everything great.
Great: This week kicks off the start of the 2009 – 2010 NHL season, and the excitment in North America is at it’s highest level in years. 08-09 saw the league make great strides towards regaining national interest, and this season got out of the gates even quicker than the one past. It’s year five of the channel Versus’ NHL coverage, and though they do a slightly worse job of covering it than the Detroit Lions defense does of covering anything, it’s still a positive sign that this year’s opening day game had the highest ratings they’ve ever had by a run-away.
Welcome back NHL season, and a welcome to Bourne’s fantasy hockey dominance – my guys have 12 points already, and my goalies have an average save percentage of like .952! …wait… what?? I’m losing with those stats? Someone must have created a stupid league.
Also great: The NFL season just finished it’s fourth week, and we’re finally getting into the heart of the year. My Jets are 3-1, which, despite a Mark Sanchez implosion last game, is the type of start any team would happily accept. Good stuff from Gang Green.
Two points, thanks.
Also great: The NBA season starts soon. Not that I care all that much, but I like watching Lebron dunk on fools like the league is playing on Fischer-Price hoops. I like the phrase ”posterize” (the act of dunking so hard on someone that they become the guy getting dunked-on in the poster on the wall of a kid’s room), and I like buzzer-beaters. But really, it’s about Lebron (and the Cavs awesome team chemistry). He’s like Tiger Woods – he makes an otherwise barely interesting sport mandatory to watch when he’s involved.
Also great: My lady-friend and I are moving into our first place on Thursday. Well, the first one we’re trading our own money to stay in, anyways. As the Phoenix residents have explained, we’ve now entered the second six-month season, simply known here as “bragging”. 88, blue and clear here today. How’s things Alaska? Boston? (Sorry, I had to).
Also great: 46″ Sharp Aquos, in the box, waiting to be opened. Next topic.
Also great: Now that I got my Negative Nancy article out of my system (the firestorm-inducing piece in the Arizona Republic), I have a bunch of positive-ish columns coming out this week. I’ll be linking to them here, because I’m not certain I’ll have time to blog later this week with the move and all. The article’s title will become a link the second they become available around the ‘net.
Monday: HockeyPrimetime.com – The Last Two Cents For Fleury
Tuesday: USA Today – A New Season Begins
Wednesday: The Hockey News – Life After Hockey
Whenever Botta Wants: Islanders Point Blank – Trevor Smith
Two more quick things:
One: Give HockeyPrimetime a thorough check-out in the coming weeks. They’re focused on providing quality original content, while amalagamating some of the best hockey stuff from around the ‘net. They have radio shows in the works, and they built this site. Hence, I’m a fan.
Two: If I may, I’d recommend reading the pieces for USA Today and The Hockey News. The USA Today piece is a nice, light piece on how the start of the season feels, right before the marathon season begins. If you like the piece, please, let them know, since they took the (massive) risk in hiring me. The Hockey News piece is an article that stands in stark contrast to the USA Today one, but is strong in it’s own, different way. It carries a lot of my own honest emotion about leaving the game, and was theraputic to write.
I hope you enjoy them all, and most of all, enjoy this hockey season. Islanders, for the Cup! (enjoy the money I lost on that bet, Vegas…)
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with an NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL (last year was 2008-09). My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now the web editor for theScore's hockey blog "Backhand Shelf."
I didn’t really think you’re article in the Republic was overly negative or mean-spirited or anything, it was pretty much right on the money and I guess some Coyotes-diehards/Republic-comment-trollers didn’t appreciate someone pointing out that losing over and over actually matters.
But I also learned a lot from the comments. For starters, being in the NCAA/ECHL/AHL makes you less qualified to write articles about hockey, not more qualified like we all assumed, having a team that loses is actually MORE fun than a team that wins when you’re a real hockey lover, many Coyotes fans were watching hockey before Canada’s confederation in 1867, and Phoenix has a lot of angry 30-somethings.
Looking forward to reading the new columns, congrats on the move.
Love LeBron. WIll watch any game he plays. Congrats on the new gigs. I pretty much read everything you write. You are very talented. Glad to see other media outlets agree. Good luck with the move.
I sent an e-mail to the Republic telling them to hire you, Justin. Your article was awesome because it was true and pulled no punches. As for the commenters, I’d say 90% of the AZCentral.com commenters are morons, regardless of which side they advocate, which is about the same as, say, the TSN.ca hockey article commenters.
Looking forward to your new articles.
The link to the Arizona Republic article seems to be broken – it goes to an image file on http://thefuntimesguide.com.
Fix!
Thank you
thanks for the weather report, Justin. 40 degrees and raining in Anchorage today. Don’t worry, I will be sure to comment about our weather up here when it is better than Phoenix…..in about 10 months.
I concur with other commentators….your article about Phoenix was honest and logical…which unfortunately during these times of passive aggressive niceties usually equates to “mean”.
Zyllyx, thanks so much, that means a lot to me. I’d love to write something positive for my next piece for them (I started out trying to do that – I intended to justify the lack of fan attendance, and I must have been in a mood). Your dogs had a great start, I think Coyote fans needed that. Hopefully they keep stirring local interest… a win versus the Stanley Cup Champs would help that!
Thanks dude. That column was edited considerably. The full one had a bit more statistical backup, and was written when Heatley and Kessel were still available. So, in a few paragraphs I made the case for picking them up, and why it’s stupid that Bettman is gonna say “lets not spend money”, when really it’s the only way to bring any back in. I’ll put the full one up under “MaxHockey and More” this week (might change that header too…).
JB, I thought the Republic piece was very informative. The trolls that comment on articles are really frustrating to me so I can imagine how it must have made you feel. It seems like an awful lot of ignorance to me. Anyways, hopefully the writing thing keeps going well. I am waiting for you to get a regualr column on THN.com or hopefully in the mag. I would WAY rather read your stuff,someone who has a clue, then Adam Proteaus.
Cheers!
BOSTON HAS BEEN 70 degrees the last two days……We have a FALL you in AZ dont!!!!!!!!!!
Nooo, we do have a fall here, it’s just called “winter”. If you like that fall season, I bet you’d like it being longer. I’ve heard instead of “winter” there, that they call it “fakingfreezingsnowwindyhell”. Is that true? (Sad part is, Bri and I still plan on moving to Boston in a few years, and here I am trashing it!)
Yes that is true….. and we dont forget being trashed well you know what I mean. Former hockey player moves to Boston ok we will let you in as long as you accept TIM THOMAS AS A GREAT GOALIE!!!!