The 60th in our 118-part series.
Mike Commodore
There are plenty of genial guys in the NHL. There are plenty of awe-inspiring playoff beards. There are plenty of fourth/fifth defenseman-types. There are plenty of doofuses who have suffered serious eye injuries who insist on still not wearing visors. But none of them combine all those traits into one Sideshow Bob-coiffed, charmingly hard-drinking, self-deprecating guy who also happens to be one of the first prospects we ever paid attention to in the Devils system. Mikey C is our Sideshow Bob coiffed, charmingly hard-drinking, self-deprecating guy. We’re not really sure why we noticed him when he was still just a Devils draftee, nor are we sure what compelled us to still care about him when he started cracking the lineup for the first time. He couldn’t really handle the puck well, he wasn’t all that sound positionally, and he couldn’t skate to save his live. But he was still that guy we’d cared about — for whatever reason — before he made the big club, so we felt attached to him. When Larry Robinson praised him for having “a reach from here to eternity” we swelled with pride. When two regular D men went down in a game in Ottawa, leaving us with just four blueliners, and Mikey had to step in and play a theretofore unheard-of (for him) twenty minutes, we were thrilled. And when he got thrown in as ballast in the Sykora/Friesen deal, we were crushed.
Then he disappeared. It seems Mike Babcock wasn’t as enamored of his flabby lack of work ethic and appealing lack of any discernible skills, and Mikey C was banished to the minors, never, it seemed, to be seen again. Of course, fate and injury conspired to bring him back to the NHL in time to become a folk hero thanks to his “I’m too lazy to get my hair cut” afro, and, amazingly, he stuck. Other people may love Mikey C now for his overexposed bathrobe antics during the ’06 Cup run, or for his vastly improved play (by “vastly improved” we mean “he no longer looks like a waste of a draft pick”), or his affable charm and ability to drink his own weight in beer at the drop of a hat, but we love Mikey C for an entirely different reason. We love him because once upon a time he was a part of that bright and hope-filled future every fan imagines for their team.
Commodore ? Mike Commodore ?
Like, “once, twice, three times a season” ?
Let me add another unrelated comment.
During the Flames 04 Cup run, Commodore was in a defensive pairing with Steve Montador, and the duo were referred to as the “Double Doors”.
This kind of unashamedly rampant “cornological” wit and wordplay, admittedly, is yet another reason why hockey is so appealing…
Good morning (afternoon but my 1st appearance of the day) IPB!
During the Flames 04 Cup run, Commodore was in a defensive pairing with Steve Montador, and the duo were referred to as the “Double Doors”.
That’s awesome. I love that kind of thing too.
Let me add another unrelated comment.
I’ll take your so-called “unrelated comment” and I’ll raise you a zillion more parts unrelatedness…
Got a nice haul from the local organic farm this morning (to share between two households): beets, carrots, chard, red & green lettuce (letti?), onions (assorted varieties), red peppers, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, zucchini.
And how about a more related comment…just to bring balance to the universe ;)
And when he got thrown in as ballast in the Sykora/Friesen deal, we were crushed.
Well-described. Ballast – chuckles.
Dude, Icing, you’re still getting strawberries? I am so jealous! Our strawberry season lasted three weeks, and I only bothered picking them one of those weeks because our stupid fridge was broken. (My haul this week was chard, bell peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, 12 pounds of heirloom tomatoes, garlic, onions and potatoes. You’ve got me beat with carrots. But our garden’s carrots are starting to grow, for whatever that’s worth…)
kdarc_OTT, IPB’s heart swells with joy every time an example of cornological wit and wisdom is brought to our attention. We can only hope Mikey C’s did, too, when he was one of the Doors.
Yay Mikey C! His hair is some sort of special though.
12 pounds of heirloom tomatoes
So not fair. I love those! I went to the organic food store to get some this week but they aren’t getting them anymore. The closest place that sells them is in Amsterdam, but it’s kind of a waste of gas to drive there for tomatoes.
I made birthday cupcakes for Jordi though. Anybody want one? They’re habs coloured.
Why doesn’t Mike Commodore wear number 64? Is it because people ask him that all the time? Or is he just too young to remember?
That Heinz kid wore number 57.
Wow, nice produce, y’all. I just got a cherry sno-cone. (I almost got margarita, but I chickened out. And I’m still too shy to ask what “tiger’s blood” is.)
Is Jordi’s birthday today? Happy Birthday, Jordi!
12 pounds of heirloom tomatoes
I’m not quite sure how easy or difficult it is to sell produce in a little stand by the road, but have you ever considered doing that? The best (regular) tomatoes I’ve ever had were from a little stand in southern Illinois. I’ve never had an heirloom tomato because they’re so expensive at the store.
Patty, I bet Mikey C’s like, “Wear number 64? Why, I’ve never heard that before!” :P (I loved that Heinz guy wearing 57, by the way…)
If you don’t ask what a tiger’s blood sno-cone is next time you’re at the sno-cone place, I’m rescinding your invite to the Potted Plant Cotillion at Draft ’08. I must know this!
kms2, I totally should be reselling these tomatoes at a steep mark-up. My neighbor, who is a total holier-than-thou snobby type, has only recently discovered this membership farm I belong to (it’s literally 3 miles from our houses), and has been scrambling, every time she sees me now, to try to make up in her own mind the ground she’s “lost” in the “who’s greenest” contest she thinks we’re in. I bet she’d pay me a pretty mint for some of these tomatoes…
Why doesn’t Mike Commodore wear number 64?
Completely random note, but Commodore (the new company, not the one that went bankrupt in ’94) sponsors my sister’s hockey team. And I had to google to find out why you were wondering why Mikey C doesn’t wear 64. Obviously I am too young and ignorant to remember.
And Patty, you had better try that Tiger’s Blood sno-cone. That sort of mystery is just too much not to investigate!
We’re a quiet bunch today. I’m just nursing a hangover and attempting to pack for school. Mike Commodore sounds like a cutie. I just read an interview with Luongo in my newspaper and now I’m even more anxious for hockey to start.
Pookie, I was watching a movie the other night and this child had a giant stuffed giraffe and I immediatly thought “hello Matty Ohlund” All thanks to you :p
Alix, I’m so glad to hear you think of Matty Ohlund when you see giraffes. One of my coworkers was singing the praises of her new vacation home in Florida. I nearly lost it when she said, “It’s on 3 acres in the woods. The wildlife! Oh my gosh, there are boxer turtles that are so amazing. They fight! The boxer turtles fight!” I was just dying trying not to break into my best Zach Parise impersonation. “I say, Boxworthy, must you be so pugilistic?!”
It sure has been quiet, but, at the risk of tearing down the fourth wall of IPB, I’ll mention that either WordPress’s stat counters are wonky, or we’ve got a lot of lurkers. We’re almost twice as trafficked today as we normally are on weekends. Creepy, no? :P
Sorry about the hangover, alix. But how exciting to have Luongo interviews!
In an exciting update of my life, I just stripped 25 ears of corn for freezing. After Boomer and I both ate gallons of it, I’ve now got 14 cups of corn kernels freezing up for winter use. I feel so productive. Of course, I still have dinner to make, and I’m kind of tempted just to go with frozen pizza after all the work I’ve put in in the kitchen already….
If y’all want me to stop rambling on about the Stars all the time, I’ll understand. But just like alix’s Luongo interviews, stuff about any player makes me anxious for hockey.
It appears that Mike Modano and his bride (as of today) were featured on MTV Cribs the other night.
I’d really like to hate Willa Ford, but she seems more normal than I expected. He is definitely the quiet type, though.
I have no beef with Mike C. but if I had to see one more yahoo in a bathrobe during the Sabres/Hurricanes series that year, I was going to put a foot through the TV.
The grocery buying public was more pleasant today.
My mom’s here!
I’ve been out searching high and low for a decent pantry cabinet for my kitchen, so I haven’t been around much today. I drove to the far northeast reaches of the Metroplex to the far southwest reaches to first talk to a cabinetmaker and then see his work in their little store. Kind of disappointed, so it’s back to square one. It’ll be my third trip to square one, too. I went to this guy’s studio because the pantry I ordered online showed up with a broken leg. But now that that guy’s stuff isn’t that great, I might have to call the other place and have them send me a replacement instead of just a refund. What a mess.
Hey to your mom, Heather!
(Hard to explain IPB to her, I bet.)
It appears that Mike Modano and his bride (as of today) were featured on MTV Cribs the other night.
This is definitely good news because it means Sean Avery isn’t the only NHL player with a Cribs episode. Good on you Mike.
I’d really like to hate Willa Ford
I do. And honestly, (I wrote this in one of my posts) her name, Willa, reminds me too much of Willow, which then reminds me of the movie Willow with Val Kilmer, which then makes me think she’s absolutely hideous. So yeah, Willow Ford, you suck. Also, her real name isn’t Willa, it’s Amanda, or something like that. To which I thought, “Well, she definitely can’t be a ‘Mandy’ because she’s nowhere near as cute as Mandy Moore”. So yeah, that’s my thought process whenever I hear the name Willa Ford. But honestly, why would you change your name from Amanda to Willa? That’s like saying you’d rather be a stripper than, oh I don’t know, a teacher.
Oh, and hello Heather’s mom!
Hi, Heather B’s mom!
Is Modano’s house — er, I mean, “crib” — nice? I imagine it’s all white leather couches and white furry rugs.
Patty, I wish you the best of luck finding the right pantry. I won’t mention that our pantry in the new kitchen is out of this world awesome! :)
Oh, speaking of hard to explain, even though only I was, I had dinner with my cousin the other night and she’s having kind of a crisis in that she’s sick of Dallas, but doesn’t want to leave her friends to move somewhere else.
She was asking what I do for fun and I told her that during the season, I mostly watch hockey. So I started talking about how she’d love it and stuff. Then I mentioned how much fun I have here at IPB and her eyes started to get glassy. :D She has no inkling what a blog is, and she knows nothing about hockey. But she said she’d check it out because it sounds funny! The first post she read was the one with the telegram convo between Crunchy and Staffy! She totally did not know what was going on. It was hilarious!
I had her read mine, since she couldn’t say no to that, and now I think she’s got a better handle on it. :P
I just thought it was so funny that that was the first one she read. I went back and read it again and tried to put myself in the shoes of a non-IPB regular and it was funny.
It’s actually a very nice crib, Pookie. :D It’s not his ultra-modern house that he had for a while. It’s the typical rich person’s house, that’s basically much bigger and has much higher quality stuff, but is the same style as a McMansion.
It’s actually very nice. Not too cookie-cutter. When you go in the front door, to the right is a big room with a pool table in it. So he gets points from me for not having a huge overwrought dining set there.
Is your awesome pantry a stand-alone cabinet kind of thing? Or is it a dream-closet with floor to ceiling shelves?
But honestly, why would you change your name from Amanda to Willa? That’s like saying you’d rather be a stripper than, oh I don’t know, a teacher.
We have a cousin named Willa. She’s totally awesome, smart and kick-ass, so I guess that kind of shades my opinion of the name… :D (I actually feel bad for her that she has this name I’ve always thought was really great, and then now stupid Willa Ford comes and coopts it, even though her actual name is Amanda… Oh well. I’m not too hung up on it.)
Patty, thanks for at least trying to get your cousin into the IPB act! I can imagine the telegram exchange would have been a bit off-putting to the newbie. :P We found, during our New Orleans visit, that trying to explain IPB to people who don’t know what blogs are is, um, difficult.
Ok, so I’m watching this. And she is proudest of her bra’s. I’m DYING here. And Mike apparently needs toast lessons from Joe Thornton.
Is your awesome pantry a stand-alone cabinet kind of thing? Or is it a dream-closet with floor to ceiling shelves?
The pantry’s a built-in dream-closet. It was really kind of an afterthought in the design, but when they installed the shelves two weeks ago, I realized I had never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d have a pantry like this one. Lots of shelves, a five-tier lazy susan shelf, we’ve got space to put in wine storage components, there’s going to be a wall of pegboard… it is just mind-boggingly awesome!
As for Modano’s house: Boo McMansions!
And they have a bathroom just for Number Two.
It’s different for the rich.
We have a cousin named Willa. She’s totally awesome, smart and kick-ass
Well, now I feel like the jackass. I guess I just never heard the name before and she seems so trashy. I mean, she wants to play Anna Nicole Smith in some movie! Ack!
a five-tier lazy susan shelf
Oh wow…that’s so convenient.
And they have a bathroom just for Number Two.
What?! No…
I bet it’s because he thinks Willa shits rose petals and doesn’t want to think differently.
She has the same car as my mom (albeit probably one with more horse power and extra buttons and all that jazz). I’m making my mom buy a new car.
And they have a bathroom just for Number Two.
Yeah, I thought that was… different.
I tried to watch the cribs video and I literally couldn’t stomach it. It was intolerably annoying (to me). I did think their house was okay though, the part I saw.
Wait, Patty. Do you have a blog?
Yeah, watching it again…
She doesn’t miss a chance to dig Mike. Maybe he’s okay with that because he’s showered with praise from fans all the time, but when they’re 60, he’s not gonna think it’s cute any more.
It’s a typical designer design, but not too bad, I don’t think. I’ve seen worse cribs.
As for Modano’s house: Boo McMansions!
Yes, boo! My very favorite houses I’ve been in were older houses (one in Germany and one on Long Island [Suffolk]) with fabulous yards and lots of personality. McMansions get no love from me.
Also, hi everyone! I was at the beach and aquarium today and now I’m slightly red and very tired. But all your vegetables sound scrumptious.
Wait, Patty. Do you have a blog?
No. Was I dissing somebody’s? I take it back if I did. :D
I wish, though. I’m too chicken to start one because I know I’m too lazy to keep it up.
No. Was I dissing somebody’s? I take it back if I did.
No, no! I must have just misread something you wrote.
You should have a blog Patty! I’m sure it would be good.
I was trying to get my cousin to read this one. That might be where it was.
Oh! It was probably because I had her read the post I wrote that the Ookies used, about skating. That’s what I meant. It does sound like I meant my blog, doesn’t it? I just meant that one IPB post.
Thanks, Katebits. That’s easy for you to say, because yours is so good. :D
I’m going to try it, though. Maybe at the beginning of the season. I have so many to read, that I don’t know when I’ll find time.
About the Modano video: they need a button to control the drapes!? That is so obnoxious.
… they need a button to control the drapes!? That is so obnoxious.
I don’t know, Meg. I kind of want that. :D
That’s where I quit watching, Meg!
Ah, then Katebits, you missed the bathroom which is quite probably larger than my living room.
Yeah, Kate’s blog is rocking.
That’s where I quit watching, Meg!
Wise, wise woman.
Ugh, I watched the cribs video. I’m somewhat of a Modano fan but what the heck is he thinking?
I’m somewhat of a Modano fan but what the heck is he thinking?
Would it be too cruel of me to put forth the suggestion that he isn’t?
Thanks for liking my blog, Mags!
Yeah, Modano’s stock plummeted in my mind when I saw that video. I mean, I’m all for super hot people, but you have to be able to tolerate them as human beings. Maybe she is super calm and intelligent when the cameras are off. I hope so.
For the record Patty, I have thought several times “why doesn’t Patty have a blog” – I just never put that into the comments. (In case that wasn’t clear, that means that I think that if you had a blog it would be good!)
Dude, Icing, you’re still getting strawberries? I am so jealous!
Yeah, I’m surprised too. I didn’t think it was the season. They’re pretty small but they taste like a real strawberry – as opposed to most strawberries you get (that sounded sarcastic but it’s true – I’m sure y’all know what I mean).
I can’t wait for Patty’s blog!
Some of my friends used to joke that you weren’t a real person if you didn’t have a podcast (They all podcast for our uni, and I refuse to), and you flat out didn’t exist if you didn’t have a blog. So, Patty, please exist!
I’m going to go find this video. I actually didn’t think she was worse than Linsday or Paris or such. So points to Mike there. Plus I actually think Willa was her middle name or something 0.0 there was some kind of MuchMusic spotlight thing on her once here on tv.
as an OT: i want strawberries!
and you flat out didn’t exist if you didn’t have a blog. So, Patty, please exist!
If there was ever a reason to start one… :D
About the video… I’m sure MTV picked Willa Ford to do the feature on, and only vaguely knew who Mike Modano is. And, although he could have picked worse, he probably could have picked better. At least less cliche. On the other hand, even if he picked some average girl he met at the grocery store, by the time they got to the point where they’re taking a camera crew on a tour, she’d probably look like the cliche girl.
Perhaps I’ve misread the audience. I figured my post No. 1 in this thread to be a veritable zinger…
kdarc_OTT, I’m just a sad, sad soul who had no idea what you were talking about. Google tells me it’s something football-y…
I thought it was funny, kdarc_OTT! In fact, I’ve been singing that dang song all day.
I claim youth and innocence as my excuse :x.
I claim youth and innocence as my excuse :x.
Ditto.
In fact, I’ve been singing that dang song all day.
Song… Does that mean it’s a Richie reference? Because I’m kicking myself if it is.
I assume so, Mags… Once, twice, three times a lady. I luh-uh-uuuve yooooooooooooou.
I don’t know, y’all. You used that youth and innocence excuse to not find my Commodore 64 reference funny. Hee hee.
You used that youth and innocence excuse to not find my Commodore 64 reference funny.
Nah, that one was just me. Vinny is off the hook there. If I can’t claim youth, I claim being half European :P
uh. I claim … me being steeped in Asian culture?
Could just be me, making outdated jokes. :D
I thought it was funny, kdarc_OTT! In fact, I’ve been singing that dang song all day.
Me too! Because I’m also an old fart! :P (These kids these days, not knowing any cultural references!)
I’m sorry I love IPB so much so that I stay glued to a computer screen instead of “enjoying cultural activities”. :P
Then you’re excused. :D
And furthermore, Vinny, you’ve learned something new today. That’s IPB — bringing the old fuddy-duddies and the cutting-edge cool kids together! :P
That’s IPB — bringing the old fuddy-duddies and the cutting-edge cool kids together!
Haha!
Got to meet Mike Commodore in Moscow at the 2007 Worlds; he’s just as affable as ever, and is a great interview. Here’s a post-game photo you may enjoy:
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/mike-commodore-in-moscow.JPG
Thanks, OrderedChaos! That’s a doozy of a photo, isn’t it? I thoroughly enjoyed the video included in the On Frozen Blog IIHF widget thingie with Mike Commodore where he assures one of his interviewers that the interviewer would have a great time at the Calgary Stampede.