To quote the great American opera Pioneer Songs, “They made it. They all made it.” That’s right, Gentle Reader, we’re ensconced again on the sofa at stately IPB Manor, loads of laundry churning away downstairs, our cats staring at us like we’re strangers, and the joys of the open road fading away in the sands of time and memory. We won’t lie — it’s nice to not be in the car anymore. And to commemorate what we agree was probably our best vacation ever, we’re going to give you now an overview of our Road Trip, by the numbers.
1343.2 Miles driven, only 200 of which were driven by Schnookie. Pookie is a beast! (It’s probably fair to say Katebits actually drove us further than Schnookie did. Schnookie? Does not like to drive.)
3 Completely awesome IPB Irregulars we got to hang out with in person.
11 Goals scored by the good guys in the three games we attended in person.
12 Goals scored by the bad guys. But we walked away with two wins, so we’re not complaining. (And Schnookie only considers 11 of those goals as actually counting, because one was an empty-netter, so Crunchy couldn’t do anything about it.)
16,000+ Beer-soaked mousepads tossed by our new Penguin-fan buddies in Pittsburgh. (Thanks again, Pens fans, for not throwing them at us, although we wouldn’t have minded getting our hands on just one more mousepad for our collection…)
4 Totally generic hotel rooms.
4 Decreasingly-attractive views from our totally generic hotel rooms.
0 Sabres seen in person, despite promises that we would see them. We guess we’re just going to have to go back to Buffalo soon to start stalking them again, because having a zero for this category is unacceptable.
Less than 0 Number of times we anticipate returning to Chef’s. Also the number of times we anticipate choosing to smother our chicken dishes in meat sauce while cooking at home, Buffalo tradition or no.
2 Televised games in which the Devils very kindly decided not to play well because they knew we weren’t going to be able to watch closely or at all. It’s always difficult when planning recreational travel to balance the promise of exciting vacation activities against hockey games you’re going to miss. We took an educated gamble opting to not be at home for Devils at Flyers and Devils at Islanders and we weren’t sorry.
9 Wild turkeys, spotted along the highway between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, staging what we can only assume is the first of their anti-Thanksgiving protests of the year.
1 Monkey hugging a bird, spotted at stately Katebits Manor.
3,421 Times we stopped to appreciate the wonders of the interwebs, be they free unlimited interwebs in our hotel rooms or free wi-fi interwebs at NY Thruway rest stops. Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, not only can IPB exist, but it can also never sleep.
319 Pictures we took out our car windows of foliage. Western New York and Pennsylvania are, shockingly, really pretty this time of year.
15 NHL arenas we’ve now seen games at, after visiting the Igloo. If, say, the NHL would like to hire us to visit all the arenas and write travelogues about it for NHL.com, we would seriously consider their offer.
3 1/2 Fat Alberts encountered on our entire journey. That’s a shockingly low number, even when we count the one car that was a Fat Albert all by itself (as a half).
No fewer than 12 Dead raccoons on the sides of the road. Either it was something we should feel sad about as Pando fans, or it was an hilarious statement about the way McCrotch’s Marauders destroyed the Raccoon Wives in Week One of the IPB AmazingLeague.
1 Soon-to-be-ex-Devil poltergeist haunting our hotel rooms. Be on the lookout for that guy, Gentle Reader, if you’re ever staying at the Marriotts in downtown Pittsburgh or Amherst.
1,000,000 Days it feels like it’s been since we were last at work. It’s going to be a hell of a Monday morning for us, Gentle Reader, so think of us at 9 a.m. EDT.
Your shock is shocking to me. I always forget that not everyone knows how much Western PA kicks ass (except Erie…blech).
I hate to drive too. I just was on a New-England-and-Atlantic-Canada tour (Nova Scotia? Magical, just like its favorite native son) where we went about 1500 miles and I drove about 100 of them. Thankfully I was with a pal who loves to drive, so we were both happier that way!
Here’s wishing you lots of coffee.
I don’t have a problem with the fact that Schnookie doesn’t like to drive. She makes up for it by being an excellent navigator. I’m like Nova Scotia’s favorite native son in that I get lost very easily. If the directions say “drive 100 miles and then turn right” I’ll go 10 feet and say, “Here’s a right hand turn, should I take it?”
Also, Schnookie makes up for not driving by, oh, let me see… cooking all my meals. I hate cooking as much as she hates driving. We agreed that me asking her to drive tough spots like traffic circles or crazy on-ramps is like her asking me to cook Thanksgiving dinner. So it all balances out in the end.
Your shock is shocking to me. I always forget that not everyone knows how much Western PA kicks ass
No worries, Pensgirl — we were being totally sarcastic. One of the reasons we wanted to do this trip this time of year was knowing it would be so pretty to be driving around that part of the world (although having never been there, I have to admit it surprised me with how pretty it was, even with my anticipation of gorgeousness).
I actually don’t mind driving in a straight line, but merging, on- and off-ramps, and lane-changing are waaaay out of my league. So when we road-trip I need Pookie to get me onto the highway and pointed in the right direction, and then I can go for hours. This strategy worked great when we were driving from Phoenix to NJ and going through New Mexico and Texas, but is less useful around these parts where the straight, no-merging-necessary stretches are a lot shorter. (Did you make five friends in your first day in Nova Scotia? I believe I’ve heard Sid promising such a thing in an interview somewhere… :D)
When my sister and I last drove any significant distance together we split the driving pretty evenly. Toward the beginning we both always wanted to drive because whoever was driving got to choose the music. By the time we got maybe 2/3 of the way around the country it was more like, “Please, for the love of all that is holy, you drive. I think the day we spent driving through Eastern Oregon and Idaho very nearly killed us.
I’m the driver in the family. If we have to get on a ramp, merge quickly, turn left onto a busy road, park in a tight area, or go through a drive-through, Mark flatly refuses to get behind the wheel. He’ll go 40 miles out of the way to avoid a left turn out our apartment complex.
To quote the great American opera Pioneer Songs, “They made it. They all made it.”
Hee! I get it! I get it!
I love that Mark won’t go through drive-thrus! Even I can do that. (But I hate driving into gas stations, and have never pumped my own gas, so I guess I don’t have a leg to stand on…)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the Pioneer Songs reference, Heather! That came to me about midway through our drive, and I have to admit, it cracked me up. (For those who are wondering, “Pioneer Songs” is the opera our dad wrote when he went through his midlife crisis. He was taking piano lessons and his teacher was a composer, so the teacher wrote all these songs and our dad wrote terrible, terrible lyrics to go with them, ending up with an opera about pioneers in the American west. Like, in wagon trains and shit. And the big triumphant line at the end was, “They made it. They all made it.” As if that was supposed to be emotionally cathartic or something. One day, after completing writing all the lyrics and narration, dad made all of us — Pookie, me, Kate the Great, Boomer and our brother — sit in the living room and listen to the entire book all the way through. He didn’t get more than about halfway through it before we were all just laughing uncontrollably at it.)
No fewer than 12 Dead raccoons on the sides of the road. Either it was something we should feel sad about as Pando fans, or it was an hilarious statement about the way McCrotch’s Marauders destroyed the Raccoon Wives in Week One of the IPB AmazingLeague.
WATCH IT!
Hee!
He’ll go 40 miles out of the way to avoid a left turn out our apartment complex.
My neighborhood is full of one-way stop controlled, other way no stops with parking on both sides of the street. I definitely avoid the left-turns at most of those.
have never pumped my own gas
In college I had to teach a friend from New Jersey how to pump gas. I was very amused with her lack of pumping gas knowledge.
I thought your hotel rooms (the ones with the little velveteen throws) looked very nice!
I sometimes take “generic” to mean “plain” or “bad”, but I’m sure you meant, “the same”.
In college I had to teach a friend from New Jersey how to pump gas. I was very amused with her lack of pumping gas knowledge.
I have been taught several times, and have willfully forgotten how to do it each time. A coworker of mine recently scared the bejeezus out of me by saying he’d heard our state legislative body was considering legalizing self-service at gas stations here. That’s the day I switch to public transportation! (Can’t you just see me running out of gas on my drive home one day and just abandoning my car for good?)
Patty, yeah, there was nothing wrong with our hotel rooms; in fact, they were very fitting with how interchangeable they were! (Three of the four were Marriotts, so they were identical — I especially liked that the last two even had the same lamps.) There just wasn’t anything opulently special about them, either. (Really, don’t get me wrong — I’d recommend those hotels to anyone traveling to those locations.)
As usual, I’ve failed to go to bed at a reasonable hour, so I’m going to try to keep it from getting worse and go there now. I’m so happy y’all had so much fun on your trip, and we got to read about it.
Everybody enjoy all the games your teams will be playing this week…mine doesn’t play again until Thursday!
G’night!
‘Night Patty! You’ve got a fun Center Ice week, too, I see. (The Devils also don’t play till Thursday, so we can sit back and enjoy some stress-free hockey until then…)
I suppose I should go to bed too. No matter how much I try to delude myself, the fact remains that I have to go to work tomorrow morning. Sigh.
Night Patty! My boys play tomorrow. I’m a little worried about Carolina supposedly being red hot. Good night Schnookie, if you actually decide to go to bed.
alix, I hope Vancouver wins despite Eric Staal’s hat trick. ;P
Hee! Thanks Patty. If they play 60 minutes they have a chance…
Good morning, everyone! If you haven’t already read Larry Brooks’s most recent column about Gomez/Jagr/Drury, it’s a must-read:
LARRY BROOKS
I cannot — CANNOT — believe it’s come down to them seriously considering Dave Scatchard over Gomez because management was too stupid to realize that Gomez’s playing style is anathema to Jagr.
If you haven’t already read Larry Brooks’s most recent column about Gomez/Jagr/Drury, it’s a must-read:
Hee hee! I love how mentions that Jagr’s a big baby, then quickly adds that everybody’s a big baby.
Shocking news that Drury hasn’t leadershipped Jagr into being less pouty.
Hey at some point, we all must learn to pump gas…
Also, I was in “the Rock” yesterday…holy shit
So real quick before I have to get working here. I was out of town at the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Reinbeck (because I reeeeeeeeeealy love my wife), and I missed an open house for the new arena in Newark.
My ‘rents and sister went and reprted back that the new arena is awesome. Great sightlines, awesome scoreboard, great lay out, the whole nine yards.
Plus every current Devil was there to sign autographs including the injured Langer and Jansens.
The longest lines for autgraphs were: Marty, Zach, and Jansens.
My folks have pictures, but I haven’t gotten them yet.
Recap: Arena Awesome!
Recap: Arena Awesome!
That pretty much sums it up…except for the lack of leg room in the upper sections, but that’s to be expected.
I’m so glad to hear such wonderful things about the new arena! I’m saddened to hear fattys like me will be uncomfortable in the skinny-person upper deck seats, but that’s to be expected, isn’t it? I was sort of scoffing at all the slurpage of the new HD jumbotrons until I saw the new one in Buffalo. Damn those things are amazing!
OK, the long lines for Marty and Zach I can understand, but Janssen? WTF?
Pookie, I’m all the way near the top, so I’ll be eating my knees for 41 games. I did sit in those black seats in the lower bowl by center ice….damn, they’re like wider leather seats with plenty of personal space! I’d better get rich soon!
At least I wont pass out from climbing the stairs to my seat anymore!
I cannot — CANNOT — believe it’s come down to them seriously considering Dave Scatchard over Gomez because management was too stupid to realize that Gomez’s playing style is anathema to Jagr.
It sounds like anyone who operates under the concept of “team” is incompatible with Jagr.
It sounds like anyone who operates under the concept of “team” is incompatible with Jagr.
So true, Amy, so true!
Pam/Shorty, I’m not sure I can comprehend attending a Devils home game and not having to climb Mt. Everest to get to my seats.
Good morning, everyone! If you haven’t already read Larry Brooks’s most recent column about Gomez/Jagr/Drury, it’s a must-read
It’s rare that a Larry Brooks column makes my morning but this one has totally done it. I love that the Rangers signed a center who plays best when in possession of the puck to play with a winger who plays best when in possession of the puck. Drury meanwhile just isn’t a first liner, but it sure doesn’t seem like New York wants to mention that one.
I’m so excited to hear the new arena is so swanky! And I’m glad I’m only planning to go to a few games a year, so I can afford to splurge on fatty-friendly seats. (Although if we still had season tickets up in the last row, I guess the tradeoff of no legroom in exchange for not having to climb those stairs at CAA would be a good one… :D)
As for Gomez and Jagr, gee, I wonder who could have anticipated that their playing styles don’t mesh? Hmm… I dunno… maybe anyone who saw him skate last year with Elias? (And as for this “well, Drury could be skating with him… right?” theory, they already had a Drury who cost half as much — his name is Matt Cullen. Yeah, I said it! BURN!)
It sounds like anyone who operates under the concept of “team” is incompatible with Jagr. I tried rooting casually for the Czechs in the ’02 olympics (obviously not more than the USA), since Sykora and Elias were on the team. I couldn’t stand cheering for Jagr. His concept of “team” is so different than what I was used to watching. He’s a selfish dick, plain and simple.
And Pookie, last year, I would stop to catch my breath, and then realize I was only by row 12…and still had to climb to 20. All hail escalators!
And Pookie, last year, I would stop to catch my breath, and then realize I was only by row 12…and still had to climb to 20. All hail escalators!
I remember back in the glory days of row 27, I’d want to stop to catch my breath, but I knew if I stopped climbing I’d lose my will to live. I’d just end up left there among the scattered bodies of those who’d tried the ascent before me and failed. There was no stopping. Stopping = death. God, those stairs were awful. And Morgan used to just bound right up them like a mountain goat.
I kept thinking that by the end of the season I’d be used to climbing the stairs and I would feel less like I was going to die, but no dice. The worst was the looks of sheer pity on the faces of everyone I passed. They’d see me and shake their heads and then intently look elsewhere so as not to be made uncomfortable by my countenance of utter agony and despair.
I’d want to stop to catch my breath, but I knew if I stopped climbing I’d lose my will to live
sometimes, I lost it.
I kept thinking that by the end of the season I’d be used to climbing the stairs and I would feel less like I was going to die, but no dice. The worst was the looks of sheer pity on the faces of everyone I passed. They’d see me and shake their heads and then intently look elsewhere so as not to be made uncomfortable by my countenance of utter agony and despair.
It’s amazing how ookies capture the exact feelings I have about the stairs!
I’m so happy today. I think fall might actually show up. I was starting to wonder.
Yesterday? Sunny and 90.
Today? Rainy and 50.
Yesterday? Sunny and 90.
Today? Rainy and 50.
That’s so great to hear, Patty! I’m totally Pommerdoodling for you!!
I’m less than happy today, but that’s because I come back from vacation to find out that my department is being reorganized because my boss is leaving the company. Now I’m in full-on “I’m going to lose my job” freak-out mode. Or, to be more honest, I’m in full-on “I’m going to lose this cushy set-up where I have no work to do, because I’m going to get re-orged into a position with actual responsibilities attached to it” freak-out mode.
Yikes, Schnookie!
I bet it’ll be okay, though. They’ll probably replace him with somebody just like him who will require of you about the same.
Is he leaving because he wants to? Or because he never gave you enough work?
Did you make five friends in your first day in Nova Scotia? I believe I’ve heard Sid promising such a thing in an interview somewhere… :D
Never doubt Sir Sidney! We made friends with the first person we met!
Nova Scotia is hands-down the best place on earth. My traveling companion actually suggested at lunch that we skip the rest of our plans and just go househunting instead. And I looked at her, and we really, genuinely almost did it. It is delightful. We were charmed. Food tasted better…or maybe it just was better. I simultaneously want to tell everyone in the world to go there and to keep it a secret all to myself.
Go in September. :)
Is he leaving because he wants to? Or because he never gave you enough work?
Hee! Probably the latter! (I’ve been in this department for four years, and seriously, we’ve just been in a constant state of flux. It’s the stereotypical corporate thing, where there are re-orgs, then the usual exodus of people who don’t like the new management structure, then the new people who come in to replace them, then another re-org, lather, rinse, repeat. So I think my boss leaving is a response to the last re-org. It remains to be seen if my department will continue to exist, or if we’ll be broken up and absorbed into other departments, a move that would make a lot of sense but would leave me without a job…)
Pensgirl, I used to work in an after-school program with a woman from Nova Scotia. She and her husband were the coolest two people I’ve ever met, so I’ve always assumed the place that spawned them must be a magical wonderland. Then you add Sid to the mix, and Nova Scotia just leaps even higher in my esteem! :D
Pensgirl, Nova Scotia sounds delightful! I’d love to visit but now I’m all set on using all my travel time and energy on going to NHL cities. NHL cities like, oh say, Minneapolis. 19 hours isn’t too far to drive, is it?
That Rangers article delights me! Way to know your own spoiled team, Rangers management! I’m dying to start going on NHL road trips. I might go to the Flames/Canucks game on New Years eve in Calgary. Chances are high I’ll be beat up though.
Chances are high I’ll be beat up though.
I’ve now attended Devils games, wearing a Devils sweater, in Philly, Pittsburgh, Boston and Washington and I’ve never had a problem. I’ve had run-ins with other fans, but they were all verbal. The closest I’ve come to being beat up was seeing the person in the car in front of me in the parking lot in Philly get dragged out of their car and kicked repeatedly on the ground. You’ll be fine!
Chances are high I’ll be beat up though.
No you won’t! If we didn’t get pelted with beer-soaked mousepads during that game in Pittsburgh, then I’m sure you’ll be fine! :D
I have reached the point in my life where I see no reason to go on trips that don’t involve hockey. Our older sister is moving overseas next year, and she’s all excited that we’ll come visit her, and Pookie and I are like, “Um, I’d earmarked that vacation time for something else, you know…”
The closest I’ve come to being beat up was seeing the person in the car in front of me in the parking lot in Philly get dragged out of their car and kicked repeatedly on the ground. You’ll be fine!
I’m sure that guy who got dragged out of his car and beaten up probably heard the same thing from his friends.
Hee. I’ll just try to be all cute and nice I guess.
I’d love to visit but now I’m all set on using all my travel time and energy on going to NHL cities.
OMG!!!!PONIES!!!1!
Dallas is an NHL city!!!
Dallas is an NHL city!!!
Dallas is like a three-day drive from here! (I base that on our experience driving from Dallas, which we did very circuitously and leisurely. In reality it’s probably no further than Minneapolis…)
Go to Vancouver! It’s beautiful!
I probably should have said I’m using all my travel time and energy to go to NHL cities I can drive to. Sorry! Alix, I have been to Vancouver and it’s a gorgeous city! One of the top five prettiest I’ve ever seen, I think.
Dallas is like a three-day drive from here!
You could knock out a game in Nashville and maybe Raleigh (kind of the long way). Or you could go around the top and do Columbus, Chicago…
I’m sure I’m forgetting people, but as the crow flies, I think Nashville is the only NHL town between here and there.
Alright, I should go do my reading *grumble grumble*. Happy Rangers imploding day to all!
You can drive to Dallas, Pookie! There’s no ocean between us. All solid ground criss-crossed by super-highways. :D
I’m sure I’m forgetting people, but as the crow flies, I think Nashville is the only NHL town between here and there.
Hm. See, we figured out last night that Pittsburgh, Columbus and Chicago are all pretty much in a straight line between us and Minneapolis, which makes the 19-hour drive much more reasonable if the NHL puts together a schedule that would make it possible for us to hit all those cities while going there or back.
-Ookies you’re brave for venturing to Philly…I wouldn’t do it!
I’ve never heard any bad stories about Calgarians, but since they’re a Western team I don’t know enough to judge.
I used to work in an after-school program with a woman from Nova Scotia. She and her husband were the coolest two people I’ve ever met, so I’ve always assumed the place that spawned them must be a magical wonderland. Then you add Sid to the mix, and Nova Scotia just leaps even higher in my esteem! :D
Disney can suck it – Halifax is the happiest place on earth. All I’ve done since I got home is figure out when and how I’m going to go back. Yes, seeing Nova Scotia explains everything about Sidney.
Who is, by the way, earning that “Sir Sidney” nickname Mike Lange gave him. Check out the story that made a local Pittsburgh blogger declare she’s going to “grab that kid and hug him so hard his hair is going to grow.”
You could knock out a game in Nashville and maybe Raleigh (kind of the long way).
Or, if you wanted to do a southern swing, you could do Raleigh, Atlanta, and then Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale.
-Ookies you’re brave for venturing to Philly…I wouldn’t do it!
I was convinced we were going to die. (It probably didn’t help that it was in 2004, when the Devils were reigning Cup champs and were selling all sorts of “Three Cups” merchandise at their arena. So we walk into the FU Center and Pookie looks at a t-shirt vendor stand thingie and chirps loudly, “Where are their Three Cup t-shirts?”) It also didn’t help that the Flyers were undefeated at home to that point (in, like, 11 games or something crazy-assed like that) and the Devils won. 1-0. On a goal by Rob Skrlac. Thank heavens we’d paid for really good seats and were surrounded by assy businessmen (one of whom turned around after the final buzzer and declared that sitting in front of us for an entire hockey game had been the worst experience of his life) instead of actual hockey fans.
That’s the sweetest story about Sid!
Or, if you wanted to do a southern swing, you could do Raleigh, Atlanta, and then Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale.
Hitting DC one night and Raleigh the next is so feasible we are considering it later this season. I seem to recall there were back-to-back games in those cities we would have been interested to see (I don’t remember if they’re Devils games or what…). You’re right, Amy, that we should plan to do a southern swing, though, and hit those other cities, too. I figure Panthers tickets shouldn’t be too hard to get a hold of. :P
So we walk into the FU Center and Pookie looks at a t-shirt vendor stand thingie and chirps loudly, “Where are their Three Cup t-shirts?”
Tee hee! That comment reminds me of this, which I gleefully display on my Mac’s dashboard whenever I’m feeling schadenfreudy.
Check out the story that made a local Pittsburgh blogger declare she’s going to “grab that kid and hug him so hard his hair is going to grow.”
You know, it would make so much more sense if he were an asshole. It’s ridiculous.
HA! Cheesesteak of Suffering! FANTASTIC! (Speaking of which, have you seen that picture — and no, I don’t have the link to it on hand, so if you haven’t, tough noogies :D — of the Leafs sweater personalized with the name “Losers Since” and the number “67″? I was laughing so hard when I saw it, and then Pookie pointed out the guy wearing the sweater had a Flyers cap on, which makes it a zillion times funnier. I mean, if Flyers fans have any kind of leg to stand on making fun of your organization, you know you’ve got a big, big problem.
You know, it would make so much more sense if he were an asshole. It’s ridiculous.
So true! I really do think there’s a factory that makes these superstar athletes who are too good to be true. I mean, how else to you explain that, just in the moment of its greatest need, the NHL just happens to end up with someone as perfect as Sid? I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
That comment reminds me of this, which I gleefully display on my Mac’s dashboard whenever I’m feeling schadenfreudy.
Uh oh, there’s totally a Buffalo wing of suffering, too, isn’t there? (But that’s still hilarious!)
Ookies! Come to Minneapolis! It’s wonderful! And really, I’ve made the drive three times now (though it’s a little shorter from Buffalo than from NJ) and it’s really not that bad. And I imagine it would be even better when you’re driving with your sister and not your grandparents, and you can listen to whatever music you want. Plus, you can totally do some Shattuck stalking! It’ll be great!
Oh, and here is the “losers since” picture you were talking about. I love it!
Plus, you can totally do some Shattuck stalking!
Oh
My
God.
I had not considered that at all. What was I thinking??? OF COURSE we’re coming to Minneapolis!
Thanks for sharing that link, Gambler!
Uh oh, there’s totally a Buffalo wing of suffering, too, isn’t there? (But that’s still hilarious!)
I don’t know…we’ve got a profession sports team that’s won. It’s just that most of the world doesn’t realize that there’s a professional lacrosse league. Still…winners!
And -Ookies, Gambler is totally right that the drive to Minneapolis isn’t that bad. If you were to, say, make stops in Chicago and Pittsburg you’d end up with a nice little trip. And the city is really nice.
What I like best about this proposed drive to (or from) Minneapolis is that the google map directions for it seem to include about four turns total. There is a highway that runs straight from our house to Minneapolis, uninterrupted. How thoughtful of whoever built it!
I love that Leafs jersey! It puts me in mind of the years when we were still able to chant “NINE-TEEN FOR-TY”
at the Rangers. I miss those days.
Pittsburg
Don’t forget the “h!” We’re sensitive about that. :)
Uh oh, there’s totally a Buffalo wing of suffering, too, isn’t there?
I’ve never seen one, nor would I download it if I did. I was rooting for the Sabres after we got knocked out last year, and I wanted the Bills to win its Super Bowls too (sorry to bring up a sore subject!)…I generally find Buffalo teams to be likeable (harkening back to the days of Lafontaine and Mogilny, both of whom I really liked).
how else to you explain that, just in the moment of its greatest need, the NHL just happens to end up with someone as perfect as Sid? I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I know it’s impossible to believe, but there really and truly is no other shoe. He’s the complete package, the real deal, the [insert cliche here]. I bet he even does windows.
Don’t forget the “h!” We’re sensitive about that. :)
Oops…sorry!
It’s just that most of the world doesn’t realize that there’s a professional lacrosse league. Still…winners!
Oh yeah, that’s right. Poor Bandits, no one pays attention to them. If it weren’t for those downtown Buffalo commercials I might not even know that they exist. Do you think maybe people ignore them because they win? They kind of ruin the classic Buffalo loser mentality.
Sabres and Bills: Oh, woe is me! Buffalo has never had/will never have a championship and it’s all our fault! We’re cursed! And dooooooooomed!
Bandits: Um, guys…
Sabres and Bills: Shhh! The grown ups are talking!
I’ve never been to a Bandits game, but I bet it’s fun. I like lacrosse.
I generally find Buffalo teams to be likeable
Yeah, the sad part is that if there is a Buffalo wing of suffering widget out there, I’d bet good money that it was made by a Buffalo fan. No one can seem to hate us as much as we do.
No worries, I know you’re not like the Caps, intentionally leaving it off our tickets and out of Ryan Whitney’s name.
Yeah, the sad part is that if there is a Buffalo wing of suffering widget out there, I’d bet good money that it was made by a Buffalo fan. No one can seem to hate us as much as we do.
You’re not alone.
If you look at the cheesteak description it says “unproudly display,” so I think it must have been created by a Philly fan. Also, when my roommate and I were in Philly for a concert last year we saw a store whose “sale of the week” was t-shirts that said “PHILLY FANS ‘We’re gonna lose!’”
Everybody joked after the Red Sox won that Bostonians weren’t going to know what to do with themselves without a curse to moan about. :D
I know this has been discussed but it just blows my mind that two fans (the Ookies) who watched the Devils and Rangers play 8 times a year for the last few seasons were able to recognize that Gomez and Jagr wouldn’t play well together – and probably would even get on each other’s nerves – while no one in the Rangers organization could put that together. That’s so awesome.
Oh, I find that totally believable given the teams the Rangers have put together in the past. They had a brief moment of clarity when they brought in the Czech brigade for Jaro, and then they went all nutty again.
Oh, I find that totally believable given the teams the Rangers have put together in the past.
Wait, are you saying Schnookie and I aren’t geniuses?
Pensgirl, that’s what’s so crazy about it. This has never, ever worked before! And hey, what do you know? It still doesn’t it!
Everybody joked after the Red Sox won that Bostonians weren’t going to know what to do with themselves without a curse to moan about. :D
I’d be okay with the chance to figure out what to do.
It’s just that most of the world doesn’t realize that there’s a professional lacrosse league. Still…winners!
Oh yeah, that’s right. Poor Bandits, no one pays attention to them. If it weren’t for those downtown Buffalo commercials I might not even know that they exist.
Same here. And yet apparently they were averaging something like 15,000 people a game last year. Incidentally, they’re owned by the Sabres, so I imagine that’s a revenue source they won’t have this year.
t-shirts that said “PHILLY FANS ‘We’re gonna lose!’”
This is something Schnookie’s brought up before, but it bears repeating. The fact that Philly fans don’t bother hiding behind excuses like they’re cursed of “God hates us”, that they just sack up and say, “You know what? Our teams suck right now — because they’re not good teams” is really refreshing in today’s sports landscape. Everyone should learn a lesson from Boston fans. They whined and whined about losing, then they won, and now everyone on Earth recognizes they’re the unquestioned most annoying fans. Winning a championship changes very little. Just ask Devils fans and Dallas fans. Obviously winning Cups did little for us in terms of how the MSM and other fans thought of us. (Although how weird is it that Mike Brophy’s all over the Devils now? It’s like the planets are unaligned or something.)
“I’d be okay with the chance to figure out what to do.”
Definitely!
What’s up IPB? Looks like everyone had a good weekend…Ookies, sounds like you had the best vacation ever.
I gotta admit, when I saw the meat sauce on the chicken parm at Chef’s, I thought to myself, “mmmm….double meat.” Then I thought, “Holy crap, stomach ache.”
Then I thought, “Holy crap, stomach ache.”
Everything I ate for the rest of the weekend tasted like cheese. So gross.
“Everything I ate for the rest of the weekend tasted like cheese. So gross.”
The picture looked damn good though….for what it’s worth!
I gotta admit, when I saw the meat sauce on the chicken parm at Chef’s, I thought to myself, “mmmm….double meat.”
As someone who adored the bacon studded pork burgers Schnookie prepared this summer, I can’t say I’m always adverse to double meat, but beef sauce on chicken? WTH?
“As someone who adored the bacon studded pork burgers Schnookie prepared this summer…”
Bacon studded pork burgers? Cripes! Did those come with an angioplast on the side?
Ahh PorkFest. Glorious….
Ahh PorkFest. Glorious….
Funny story… those weren’t for Pork Fest. That was just a normal Saturday lunchtime treat! Sadly, Schnookie only made them once. It was the bacon-pork kebabs that got made for Pork Fest!
“It was the bacon-pork kebabs that got made for Pork Fest!”
Well those sound lovely too.
It’s too bad the Sabres game was such a bummer for you guys on Friday….a win would have been nice. And WTF is going on in Columbus? That was their 3rd shutout! The Central is actually competitive?! Who knew?
As someone who adored the bacon studded pork burgers
Oooh, those sound yummy. And probably no different than eating a hamburger with bacon on it.
The Central is actually competitive?! Who knew?
I refuse to believe this is true! REFUSE!
Philly fans don’t bother hiding behind excuses like they’re cursed of “God hates us”, that they just sack up and say, “You know what? Our teams suck right now — because they’re not good teams” is really refreshing in today’s sports landscape.
Agreed. I try to be that way myself.
Wait, are you saying Schnookie and I aren’t geniuses?
You’re non-Penguin-fans who Behold the Power of Sid. You’re geniuses.
This has never, ever worked before! And hey, what do you know? It still doesn’t it!
Isn’t the definition of insanity “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? ;)
The Central is actually competitive?! Who knew?
Oh psh! :)
Hey alix, If you’re here, did Salo crack the linup this weekend? I didn’t see him anywhere…Just wondering.
“Oh psh! :)”
Steph, you’ve gotta be bummed the Wings won’t be able to run roughshod over the rest of the division this year!
I refuse to believe this is true! REFUSE!
I file it under the “blind squirrel” theory.
You’re non-Penguin-fans who Behold the Power of Sid. You’re geniuses.
Well, there’s not much point it fighting it any longer. He’s just too good! And adorable. And compelling. And… well, it just Sid. I can’t wait for “Sid Crosby Revealed”! I suggested Schnookie and I play an PTI-style “Over/Under”. I said, “Over/under 1 new thing we learn about Sid in the entire show. I’m going under.” Schnookie agreed. But, we’re TiVoing it anyway!
Well, there’s not much point it fighting it any longer. He’s just too good! And adorable. And compelling. And… well, it just Sid. I can’t wait for “Sid Crosby Revealed”! I suggested Schnookie and I play an PTI-style “Over/Under”. I said, “Over/under 1 new thing we learn about Sid in the entire show. I’m going under.” Schnookie agreed. But, we’re TiVoing it anyway!
I am giddy with anticipation.
Frankly he’s better off not revealing anything new. Early in his career, Jagr was asked some question about his likes and dislikes, and said he liked Kit Kat bars. He started receiving them by the caseload. People are nuts.
It’s too bad the Sabres game was such a bummer for you guys on Friday….a win would have been nice.
Thanks for the sentiment, andrew. We had a good time, despite the Sabres. And I have to be honest — it was nice to see some good, old-fashioned trapping. I’ve missed it, in this crazy Sutter Era the Devils are going through!
Steph, you’ve gotta be bummed the Wings won’t be able to run roughshod over the rest of the division this year!
That never helps anyway!! It’s always the stupid crappy central division teams we lose against! Notice how Chicago (Chicago!) has beaten us what, twice now? Yeah. Thanks Robert Lang.
Steph, you’ve gotta be bummed the Wings won’t be able to run roughshod over the rest of the division this year!
I don’t know…I wouldn’t count on that even if the Central Division teams do remain competitive (which I rather hope they will). It seems to me to be one of those things, just like being good every year, that the Wings should do regardless. Something I wouldn’t mind considering the fact that I have four of them on my fantasy team.
Something I wouldn’t mind considering the fact that I have four of them on my fantasy team.
Yeah, I like how all you west-coast player havers (shut up it’s totally a word) are, for the most part out there just killing the rest of us :P I wish I could have Wings! Zata is helping me murder two of my other leagues…
Well the Nucks managed to get beat by the KINGS(sorry kms2). We somehow turned their “bad” goaltender into a brick wall. Andrew, Sami hasn’t played yet but he is traveling with the guys. So it should be any day now.
Well, I’m outta here — time to close the book on the WORST FIRST DAY BACK FROM VACATION EVER. (Seriously, I am now going to spend the foreseeable future freaking out about my job security.)
See you all later, whomever might be around during tonight’s hockey!
Bye Schnookie! You’ll be fine. They can’t fire an ookie!
“Something I wouldn’t mind considering the fact that I have four of them on my fantasy team.”
Zetterberg has been an absolute beast for me in my non IPB league.
“Sami hasn’t played yet but he is traveling with the guys. So it should be any day now.”
That’s what I heard, thought I would check with our resident ‘Nucks expert though. Dan Boyle’s coming off the IR in a week or two as well! Look out, I’m gonna have some crazy good D.
Bye Schnookie, sorry about the crappy day!
Zetterberg has been an absolute beast for me in my non IPB league.
I love him. I love the Eurotwins. The rest of my team could drop dead and I am convinced that Datsyuk and Zetterberg alone would probably win us hockey games. (Um that said please, Red Wings, do not take this as encouragement of you doing so, okay?)
Um, did I mention I love them? Because I do.
I know you do, Steph, and for good reason…those two are killing it!
Stupid Sharks game isn’t on FSN tonight, I’ll be blacked out on Center Ice. Not too thrilled about that one.
Stupid Sharks game isn’t on FSN tonight, I’ll be blacked out on Center Ice. Not too thrilled about that one.
You might want to check this. I’ve found in the last year or two that CI is much better about not blacking out games that aren’t being aired locally.
Otherwise, I’ll keep an eye out for you.
Hey Steph! How you been?
I have Salo on my non-IPB team, which is also kicking some ass with its mixed-conference-ed-ness…
You know what I mean.
I’m not sure I want him to come off IR, because that would mean I’d have to make a decision.
I love the Eurotwins. The rest of my team could drop dead and I am convinced that Datsyuk and Zetterberg alone would probably win us hockey games.
I think the twins are great, but if there’s anybody that I would say this about on the Red Wings, it’s Lidstrom.
Hey, did you guys see this?
Does TSN mean that he’s not expected to return this season? Because that would be one hell of a break, poor guy.
ah, wordpress is eating all my comments.
On second thought, I can’t imagine he’s expected to miss the season with a broken finger. Weird.
Meg, I bet that the text on that article was cut off. I seem to remember seeing a 3-4 week time table for his return somewhere earlier today.
Thanks for the heads up Earl. I’ll double check, but my cable company hates me, so I’m not gonna get my hopes up.
I think Sami might be the key to the Nucks D being super fantastic or something. Boyle’s back in a week? Yes! He will boost my mostly defensive D.
“I think Sami might be the key to the Nucks D being super fantastic or something. Boyle’s back in a week?”
Yeah, I’ve got no problem deciding who to drop for Salo…either Preissing or Poti.
Boyle’s practicing with the team, they’re saying a week or so, but you never know….
Meg, I also saw a 3-4 week timetable on Straka. I am, however, freaking out that the blurb on Kukla about visors including the ominous statement that “Colin White could miss the whole season with an eye injury”. Could? Or will?
Meg, I bet that the text on that article was cut off. I seem to remember seeing a 3-4 week time table for his return somewhere earlier today.
Well that makes much more sense. Thanks!
Oh cool, The Bruins are keeping Lucic past his 9 game limit. Good for him! Although kinda sucky for my cuz’s junior team…
…my cable company hates me, so I’m not gonna get my hopes up.
Oh, andrew. Cable companies hate everybody.
“Well that makes much more sense. Thanks!”
A season ending finger injury certainly would be an eyebrow raiser!
Speaking of finger injuries…we built a pergola in my backyard this weekend. So, my old man and my best friend are helping me build this thing. While I’m drilling a screw into a post that my buddy is holding, the drill pops off and jams right into his thumb, just below the nail. It bled all over the place and I felt terrible….and I was totally sober!
Long story short, he didn’t mind, and the pergola turned out beautiful. But I still bought him a 12 pack to help assuage the guilt.
“Oh, andrew. Cable companies hate everybody.”
Oh but they hate me bad….last year during the playoffs baseball season starts up. I call them because they are pre-empting NHL games, on Center Ice mind you, for baseball games. Apparently those 2 sports packages occupy the same channels. So I call to complain…they didn’t care. So I threaten to cancel my service….still didn’t care. So I exchanged vulgarities with the customer service rep and got nothing done about the problem.
Off to listen to my boys on the radio, wish em luck!
Good luck alix! Root for the Sharks over the Flames tonight!
As for the rest of ya, I’ll be out of the interwebs for a while. probably won’t talk to anyone here til this time next week. Any fantasy questions can be e-mailed to me, I’ll probably be checking that from time to time.
See you all later! Have a great week!
Oh yeah, I root for anyone over the Flames :) Have a good time away Andrew!
looks like I missed out on all the fun…don’t worry alix, no offense taken with your absolute shock that my Kings beat your Canucks. I was quite amazed that we won that game. Watch, we’ll probably tank our game against Nashville.
Oh your guys definitely looked good Kms2. I was more shocked that my guys looked so puketastic :p
I’m sure you won’t see this, probably ever, but we’ll miss you Andrew! Have a good week!
I think the twins are great, but if there’s anybody that I would say this about on the Red Wings, it’s Lidstrom.
Oh really good point Sleek – I’ll keep all three of them :)
Hey Steph! How you been?
I’ve been good, if super busy. I feel like I haven’t been around here in seriously forever, I miss you guys!
I feel like I haven’t been around here in seriously forever, I miss you guys!
We’ve missed you, Steph! Schnookie and I were just talking over dinner about how happy we were to see you around here today, and how we both agreed your new hair color looks awesome!
9 Wild turkeys, spotted along the highway between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, staging what we can only assume is the first of their anti-Thanksgiving protests of the year.
I spotted a runaway one on my way to TO yesterday. I should’ve realized it was on the lam.
I think there may have been a turkey protester crack-down, and the one you saw, HG, was definitely running away from Johnny Law. Was he wearing a bad disguise of fake glasses, nose and mustache?
Isn’t it exciting to see wild turkeys, HG? We get a ton of white-tail deer here, making most wildlife sightings pretty boring, but turkeys are always exotic. In my opinion.
Boo, I hate losing.
Sorry, alix! At least it was sort of close, right?
It was kinda. And they were working hard most of the game. Just couldn’t get lucky hitting the net I guess. Faceoffs were better. That’s something.
Always look at the positives, alix! Because, uh, we’re so good at that around here…
Hee! It’s always hard when it’s your team. Some dumbass actually called in to the radio show and said the Sedins are about to be traded. Ha! right…
Can I jump in and ask you EC-ers a fantasy question? What’s Hall Gill like? I thought he was in the Derian Hatcher mold and never got points, but he seems to be picking them up along with some pluses. Is it a fluke?
Sorry about the Canucks, alix! At least it wasn’t because I mentioned Eric Staal. He seems to be trying not to score.
Patty, don’t be fooled. Picking up Gill can lead to nothing but bitter tears and ruin. They don’t call him “no-skill Gill” for nothing up there in TO.
Thanks, Patty! Yeah Veela boy has died off for sure.
I was shocked, shocked, to discover that Gill has crazy good stats so far. I nearly fell off the couch, actually. He’s terrible! And his team sucks! So where are those points coming from?!?
Taylor Pyatt got sliced in the eye in the game today. Some guy just called into the radio show, and said that all the girls in Vancouver probably screamed. Hee hee.
Taylor Pyatt got sliced in the eye in the game today.
He, himself, was probably yelling, “Not in the face!”
(I hope you mean sliced in the area around the eye and not his actual eyeball.)
They don’t call him “no-skill Gill” for nothing up there in TO.
How about Pavel Kubina?
He also stuck up for Hank sedin in a fight, and risked his face again! Boy’s getting some jam. Apparantly the eyelid was sliced. Very lucky. He better buy a visor!
We’ve missed you, Steph! Schnookie and I were just talking over dinner about how happy we were to see you around here today, and how we both agreed your new hair color looks awesome!
Awww, thanks guys! I am making a serious effort to come around more often because this last month was depressingly lacking in IPB.
And I wanted to tell you that I am amazed at your predictions skills – Lidstom and Rafalski have been playing together all season and Nick is currently a +5. Rafalski? -1. I. Do not. Understand. This is a curious power indeed.
How about Pavel Kubina?
I love Pavel Kubina so I’m probably not the best to be asking this (what can I say it’s the Czech thing I’m sure) but he was pretty solid for me last year :)
It’s not prediction skillz, Steph — it’s years of painful experience. The guy didn’t earn the nickname Minus Boy for nothing, you know!
Ewwwww! Some ex NHLER was explaining in detail how he had a ruptured eyeball once. Disgusting.
Yay for more Steph!
Some ex NHLER was explaining in detail how he had a ruptured eyeball once.
Oh my GOSH. That is horrifying!
It’s not prediction skillz, Steph — it’s years of painful experience. The guy didn’t earn the nickname Minus Boy for nothing, you know!
When Lidstrom ends the season +40 or something inane like that and Raffie is still clinging to his -1 I think my head is going to explode.
I am the type of person who can’t even put eyedrops in my eyes (let alone something as extreme and gruesome as contacts), and in fact will start blinking in pain just thinking about putting eyedrops in my eyes (I’m doing it right now), so this talk of ruptured eyeballs? Is killing me. KILLING ME! (Anyone remember that kid in the NCAA tourney last year who had his eyeball knocked out? I didn’t see it [thank heavens] but I read on Slate.com a bit explaining how to pop an eyeball back in in such a situation… and I haven’t been the same since. SO DISGUSTING!)
Thanks, Steph. Maybe I’ll pick him up. Pretend you didn’t hear me mention him!
And thanks for steering me clear of Hal Gill, Ookies. I kind of eyed Hatcher, even. He had a great couple of years back in the day before he screwed his karma by taking the money and running. Maybe he’s found his game again.
When Lidstrom ends the season +40 or something inane like that and Raffie is still clinging to his -1 I think my head is going to explode.
Amazingly, he led us in +/- last year, which is more a statement about how shitty the Devils were defensively than it is a statement about how kick-ass Raffie is. I would not be at all surprised to see Lidstrom end up +a billion and Raffie hovering at -1, though. Whatever deal he made selling his soul to end up a plus player last season in his contract year will come back to bite him in the ass, mark my words!
I kind of eyed Hatcher, even. He had a great couple of years back in the day before he screwed his karma by taking the money and running. Maybe he’s found his game again.
I know he was good to you guys in Dallas before going all slag-faced, but I think the kindest thing anyone’s said about Hatcher in the last two years is “the game has passed him by”. :D
Sorry I mentioned it :p But I had to share my disgust. Sweet, the Canucks had 30 hits this game. Every game they seem to do a couple of things well. If they could just put all the things together they would be golden. Hey did Calgary lose?
That’s true, Schnookie. If he were in one of those touchy-feely drama classes where everybody has to act like a tree, he’d be the best one.
If he were in one of those touchy-feely drama classes where everybody has to act like a tree, he’d be the best one.
HA! He’d have it down pat, right down to the details like having gnarled, annoying roots that trip speedy people trying to dart by his immobile form, and ridiculously dangerous head-level branches sticking out all around him, just waiting to drill an innocent passer-by in the noggin.
Hey did Calgary lose?
They sure did, and you can read one or two details about it in our game diary now. (We, uh, weren’t paying very close attention. But diarized anyway because we couldn’t think of anything better to post tonight.)
Am I alone in thinking that plus/minus is very sexy? I know it’s not even that great a stat, if you’re really trying to find out how good a player is, but the big, strapping, hot, (French-Canadian) defenseman with the +30 really does a lot for me.
You know, nobody in particular. :P
Patty, I hear you about the sexiness of +/-, or at least I did until last year, when all the Devils were minus. Then I was like, “WTF? That stat is stupid!” :P
You know when you’re too tired to go to bed? That’s me right now.
…and ridiculously dangerous head-level branches sticking out all around him
Those branches that go horizontally for a while then go straight up, so you have a sort of, I don’t know…elbow?
Yeah, those are the ones! :D
Yeah, Schnookie, we had a similar issue last year, where the best +/- was, like, 5. (Not going to look it up.) But Boucher is a plus 5 already, so I’m thinking it might be a good year. By now, it’s usually a good indication. When he starts out slow, he stays slow and vice versa.
Good night! Sorry about work. I meant to mention that we had a similar thing where they announced the company was sold on the first day back from everybody’s Christmas vacation. Better than the day before vacation, I guess. I’m sure it’ll be fine, though.
I was actually thinking of you and your company being sold earlier today as I was trying to convince myself it’s all going to be okay. I have been reassured by someone higher up than me that “they won’t do anything until after the holidays”. Great. So I can spend now until New Year’s with a sword of Damocles hanging over me… (Just kidding. I’m surprisingly not that freaked out, if just because we recently had a VP retire and the company opted not to replace him, but still kept his admin on. She is now a very highly-paid executive assistant who supports nobody. I don’t think they like to fire people at my company.)
I left you a comment on the flames thread. I’m so pleased you’re not enamoured with the Flames. Because we would sadly have to break up if that happened.
I would not be at all surprised to see Lidstrom end up +a billion and Raffie hovering at -1, though. Whatever deal he made selling his soul to end up a plus player last season in his contract year will come back to bite him in the ass, mark my words!
I seriously think he just makes a beeline for the bench whenever play moves into the other team’s zone or something – it’s the ONLY way he can be 6 points behind Lidstrom and still partnered with him 90% of the time.