A Photoblog. Phlog. Blackhawks @ Coyotes, February 12th

Okay friends, it’s time to run some of the pics I took from sitting on the glass at the Chicago/Phoenix game (tomorrow I’ll run the Washington/Phoenix ones if I get the pics downloaded in time), sorry I’m a little late on this.  Complete with my own snide comments, as you’ve all come to expect.

Chicago Blackhawks @ Phoenix Coyotes

I have never, ever seen someone as OCD about their sticks in warmups as Duncan Keith. He'd use each stick for mere minutes before switching, testing each one, staring at them, evaluating them, trying to decide which one to use. It was bizarre, and frankly, dumb. He used like three of them in the game anyway.

See.

Turco made Bri go "whoa, that guy's old."

I got a lotta heat about the green hoody on twitter, but $20 at Target? Can't beat that. BTW, seats were so good we walked through player entrace high-fiving fans to get back to them. Whatta blast.

I look startled.

These two have an interesting dynamic.... Toews seemed really down, and as I tweeted, he came to the bench saying "eff me" more times than a porn star throughout the game.

And because we sat here.....

We got this picture!

Interesting things of note, at least in my opinion:

*The assistant coach was taking notes on Phoenix, not his own team (it was whichever assistant that runs the forwards – Mike Kitchen?).  I wonder if they have one guy watch their opponent and the other tends to the Blackhawks?

*Phoenix was apparently playing a 1-2-2 in the neutral zone, and was utilizing the reverse after winning d-zone face-offs (DZFO).

* The Vrbata note is from right after he scored - He seems to note that it was 8′s fault (Nick Leddy), who apparently effed up a hinge/pinch decision.

* He’d like to see more body contact, which I presume is out of obligation to the Laws of Coaching, which means you have to request more body contact from your team.

* Ummm apparently he wasn’t impressed with Pyatt’s goal off the wing, double underlining the word (WEAK).  I’m pretty sure after seeing the replay Corey Crawford was screened and it was tipped.

The rest is pretty generic.

Hawks tie it up at two with three minutes left...

Had to walk by this, Turco's helmet every time we walked to the bar/washroom between periods.

Crawford looked wiped before the shootout. He also looked like Marty Turco's son.

When you know you're not shooting, shootouts are a blast. Game is over, entertainment time.

Someone's nervous watching.....

This:

Bryz owned Kane on two straight breakaways, one in OT, one in shootout. And just like that, the Hawks were....

LICKED. /kitty-rolled

Aimless, Arbitrary, and Awesome

On a daily basis, I scribble down random thoughts I have and dumb things I do.  Periodically I print a few. This, is a.d.d. at its finest:

A buddy came up with a great way to avoid misleading player stats in hockey, and now it seems so obvious.  Why is points-per-game a stat, when it should be points-per-minute?  Wouldn’t it be easier to dig up diamonds in the rough if you could prove that some kid who scores every tenth game is twice as productive as someone scoring every fourth game, simply because he gets a fraction of the playing time?  Seems like a practical stat, no? 

(Fact: using this simple theory, Sidney Crosby is still nine times as productive as Taylor Pyatt.  In other ground-breaking news, people like ice cream in the summer.)

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Today, I remembered to answer a business call in my most professional voice while driving.  Unfortunately, I didn’t remember that I was pumping “Hot Steppa” in the car.  There’s a chance it detracted from my credibility.

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An expression I recently heard and liked:  “If at first you dont succeed, try doing it the way your wife told you”. 

no she didn't.

An expression I recently saw and loved: 

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I just hate Carlos Mencia so much.  I just watched six hour-long DVD’s on the history of comedy, the pioneers, the classics, the gems.  The fact that he gets mentioned at all on a DVD with so many great names rattles me.  Who does he think he is, acting like he’s doggedly fighting to raise minority awareness or something.  Ha! to that.  He exploits them for a living.  He makes Mexican jokes that appeal to the slower class, and aren’t that clever.  He’s basically Larry the Cable guy without the likability.

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An old joke from the “Make ‘em Laugh – The Business of Comedy” box set that I still love is about the trials and tribulations of Nelson Mandela, who endured 27 years of jail time and torture, to finally get freed to his home and his wife.  Six months later, divorce.  Chris Rock, fake-quoting Mandela:  “I can take beatings, abuse, torture and misery, but I just CAN’T. TAKE. ANY MORE OF THIS WOMAN!”. 

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How important is having a solid pillow?  To phrase it like Seinfeld, who arrre these people who want the squishy, supportless pillow?  They must exist, since hotels strictly cater to these people who clealy enjoy resting their head on a napkin and six feathers. I hope you’re comfortable, because you’re RUINING IT FOR THE REST OF US.

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Michael Vick got re-instated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, I assume because he believes that everyone deserves a second chance, except dogs that suck at fighting.  Those we drown permanently.

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What is it about awful pants that’s satisfying the jones for booze in John Daly?  Maybe just feeling like an extremist again?  I hope this new image overhaul is panning out for him, cause I know it’s been a huge pain having to adjust the contrast on my TV everytime him and his pants make a cameo.

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What was so immovable when they built the Houston Astros new stadium that they had to build an uphill slope in centerfield?  An indian burial ground?  Used PED needles from the 90′s?  Maybe hockey teams should look at designing some completely arbitrary features like this.  Maybe a random ramp at one of the blue-lines so guys can do freestyle skiing moves mid breakaway.  Canada would dominate that sport.

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Has anyone heard an interview with the classic band “Spinal Tap”?  Can we get them a radio show or something?

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Jimmy Fallon is money in the late night spot, but it makes me not want to watch when he has to do those awful “commercials” where he holds a Sprint phone up and talks about how and why he loves it for a minute or two.  They have to realize this is a major turn off soon. Embarrassing for Fallon, no?

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I had no idea Hawerchuk was the first to jump on the Lemieux-Gretter ’87 Canada Cup goal pile until I saw a random clip yesterday.  I’m gonna ask him some question about that when he’s at our fantasy camp like “why were you an entire zone behind at the time”?

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There!

That cleans my idea locker out a bit.  What are your thoughts?