It feels like it’s been about a billion years since we last saw a real hockey game, but if the Devils think we’ve forgotten how their last match ended, they are mistaken. No, it’s hard to forget that kind of choke job, and we hope each and everyone one of the players involved in that collapse against the Canadiens spent their All-Star breaks feeling kind of teary and trying to figure out how to make things up to us. They can start by winning tonight.
Doc tells us in his intro that there are only 33 games left in the season. That is almost as depressing as that loss to the Habs was. Also depressing? Langer is out with the flu.
In their chit-chat session, Doc leads in to a stats graphics screen by saying, “If the Devils are going to excel down the stretch they’re going to have to count on these two guys.” The guys in question are Marty (duh) and Patty (her?). Schnookie: “If we have to count on Patty in order to excel down the stretch, put a fork in us.” Pookie: “We’re fucked.”
FIRST PERIOD
Before the drop of the puck we get a quick pan down the bench and it looks like Greener is eating smelling salts. Welcome back to the lineup, Greener!
19:04 We’re shocked – Gio leads a three-man rush across the Pens blue line and manages for it not to go offsides. His shot is unimpressive, but we’ll take what we can get.
17:38 Patty carries the puck on a mini-two-on-one iso play but Conklin is not impressed by the little “I might pass! I might pass!” dekes and head-fakes, because Rupp’s the other Devil on the play.
16:36 The Devils get pinned in their own zone, and then can’t win a draw after Marty freezes the puck. They then pick up where they left off before the break by standing around and watching the Pens whack away at loose pucks and forcing Marty to make a bunch of snappy saves. We’re ever so glad the season has resumed. Wait, we have to sit through 33 more games of this?
15:16 Icing on the Devils, after Marty flops around to stymie a nice set-up for Malkin at the side of the net. It is quiet in Newark and at stately IPB Manor.
13:33 We come back from commercial to hear Chico announcing that Weekes got married over the break in Toronto. We are puzzled. We thought Tom Gulitti said he got married in Barbados. Well which is it? TELL US WHICH!
13:04 What is Gronk thinking? The Pens have all the momentum in the world, but he decides to whack Madden in the nose with his stick while Madden is carrying the puck around behind Marty’s net.
12:32 Conklin stones Gio, and Chico explains the play, “The penalty killers forgot about Gionta there, but fortunately Conklin didn’t.” Schnookie: “Fortunately?” Pookie: “For whom?” Boomer: “Whose side is Chico on, anyway?”
11:06 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rupper and Zubrus combine to create all kinds of havoc in front of the net, and with Conklin down and out trying to cover a little rebound, Rupper manages to spin around and chip the puck over him and into the net. 1-0 Devils, and Stan Fischler’s dreams of having Rupper function as the linchpin of a power-forward-driven PP have finally come true.
9:52 Apparently a 1-goal lead midway through the first feels insurmountable to the Devils; they decide to spend a defensive shift lazily waving their sticks at passes and watching the Pens skate around them like pylons. Fantastic.
8:44 The Asham/Pelley/Brylin line is totally not on the same page as their teammates tonight, and demonstrate a little bit of hard-working forecheck and cycle. Guys, quit it! You’re making everyone else look bad!
7:48 Paulie swaggers up the ice, darting through Penguins all the way through the neutral zone and then over the Pittsburgh blue line, and then he dishes off to Gio on the wing… and Gio decides to wind up and fire an eminently stoppable, unscreened shot from above the faceoff dot. It is about the 15th time he’s tried that shot tonight, and it has not once appeared threatening. We really hope he’s not going back to the bench thinking, “16th time’s the charm!”
6:01 PaulieMartinNation is momentarily concerned as he looks like he’s trying to carry the puck through a forechecker, and gets stripped pretty much smack-dab in the center of the high slot. But at the last moment he reaches back with his stick, flips the puck into the air in front of himself, and then controls it with a little lacrosse-y cradling move. PaulieMartinNation ceases to be concerned and instead falls into a deep swoon. Doc then suggests that Paulie should be sent to do the trick-shot contest in next year’s Superskills.
5:05 We come back from commercial to a highlight reel of Malkin’s great plays so far in this game. Chico color commentates that Malkin is 6’3” “so he can throw his weight around.” Pookie: “What if he’s 6’3” and 69 pounds?”
4:46 Sutter is icing a line of Madden, Clarkson and Elias. We give up.
4:20 Doc remarks of the D pairing of Whitey and Mottau that it’s the “familiar 5 and 27.” HAHAHAHAHAHA! Suck on that, Nieder!
2:30 Ruutu grabs Zubrus’ shoulder while they mosey into the corner to Conklin’s left after a dumped-in puck, and then twists Zubie painfully to the ice. He gets called for holding, and Zubrus looks shaken up as he skates to the bench.
1:14 Chico: “Conklin is talking to the official about being very careful about him getting bumped.” Pookie: “Oh, Ty Conklin can just shut his fucking piehole and take his lumps like the rest of the goalies in the league.”
0:30 That power play sucked.
0:02 After Doc calls that there are 30 seconds even in the period at the expiry of the PP, the Devils then proceed to spend what seems like a week meandering around the Pens zone. Pookie says, “This has been the longest 30 seconds of my life! It just. Won’t. End.” As soon as the words are spoken, Patty gets set up perfectly at the side of the net, and he beats Conklin fivehole, but hits the post on the other side of the net.
0:00 Chico: “Terrific period by the Devils!” Schnookie: “Terrific period? What period was Chico watching?”
After an interview with Rupper, we are subjected to more of “Hockey Night NY Live” as our intermission show. There is something about the presentation of the show, something about the way Stan and Al talk about any of the three area teams, that makes us feel cheap and unhappy.
FIRST INTERMISSION
Steve asks Dano to give his reason why the All-Star Game shouldn’t be phased out, and Dano gets himself all wound up about how much he loves watching all the amazing young stars in the game who are so much better than the best players were back when he was playing. If we didn’t love Dano with all our hearts before this, we do now, especially when he seems to be suggesting the All-Star Game makes him happy to know he’s retired and doesn’t have to play against the crazy-talented guys making up the NHL today.
SECOND PERIOD
18:48 What the fuck? Travis follows Gronk out of the corner to Marty’s left and sweeps the puck off Gronk’s stick to the front of the net and it ricochets through Marty off Oduya’s skate. 1-1 game. The Hatcher bite had finally fully worn off.
18:21 Doc tells us that the goal was quietly reviewed immediately before the drop of the puck, and the off-ice officials gave the thumbs up signal. Pookie: “And then they gave the ‘Trade Oduya’ signal.” Schnookie: “That one was all on Travis.” Pookie: “Yeah, but I don’t want to trade Travis.”
16:44 After a bit of moderate forecheck from the Pens, Zubrus finds himself on the boards with time, and he decides to make a blind pass to the middle. Schnookie: “If the Devils get out of this period with anything less than a four-goal deficit I’ll be shocked.”
16:01 We watch Zach skate to the bench after an offsides following a nice offensive shift, and Chico points out a little cut on the bridge of his nose. Apparently Pando drilled him in the face with an “accidental” elbow, and cut him with his own visor. PandoNation appreciates that its emperor/god is feeling feisty, if not entirely ready to play again. Chico assures the viewers that Pando has been, in his efforts to get healthy again, working his pelvic muscles quite a bit. We won’t touch that one.
14:30 What is going on here? Rupp makes a cold-blooded steal right at the Pittsburgh blue line as a Pen tries to swagger up the ice, and then he moseys in and whips a shot that Conklin has to work a bit to stop. Pookie: “He really doesn’t want to get sent down to make room for Janssen.” At the mention of Janssen a pall falls over stately IPB Manor.
11:21 Just as Doc says that the Devils have their “best guys” on the ice, Zach coughs the puck up at his blue line. Pookie: “Zach, you’re supposed to be best guys, not easy turnover.”
10:57 Nothing seems to be going on at all, but all of a sudden Whitney is ripping a fast, wide-open shot from the high slot. Marty is caught completely by surprise, but gets a shoulder on it.
10:02 For the umpteenth time this period, the Devils gain the Pens zone with speed, then have their shot deflected over the glass. As we wait for the facoff, Doc and Chico update us on Janssen’s conditioning game with Lowell. He apparently admitted to worrying he was going to get tossed out of the game because he injured an opponent with a dirty hit, but nothing was called. Great. He’s in game shape. We can’t wait for him to get back into the Devils lineup so he can ruin the season.
9:31 Asham lays an assy, high hit on Letang well behind the play as the Pens are rushing up the ice. We go to commercial, and Geico tries to save us from our escalating depression and feelings of self-loathing by giving us that awesome Pips commercial. We are trying to take a train to happy town, woo woo, but it’s not really working. The penalty is for elbowing, but Pookie feels it was less an egregious elbow and more an egregious leaving-the-feet-and-punching-him-in-the-face.
7:31 We’re not sure if that was a great PK or a lousy PP. Either way, we’ll take it.
6:59 Travis tries to split two defenders on what was supposed to be a breakaway pass form Gio, but he can’t juggle the puck in the air while skating backwards. Pookie: “No trick shot competition for Travis.”
6:11 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pelley wins an offensive-zone draw somewhat meekly, and Rupper pounces on the puck as it’s sitting about six inches behind the faceoff dot. He then flings it toward the net and it bounces off the face of a defender and into the net. 2-1 Devils, and this is Rupper’s first two-goal game since 2003. We are inclined to believe this is Rupper’s second career two-goal game.
5:53 Marty is the only Devil on the ice who is awake for the all-important “first shift after a goal”, and makes two big saves on a barely-defended Pittsburgh rush.
5:19 Hey look! It’s the third period of the Montreal game again! Thanks, Oduya – we really wanted to relive that. Marty handles a rink-length dump, and passes it to Oduya on the boards. Oduya then tries to bank the puck off the end boards to Paulie on the other side of the net, but gets the angle of the bank all wrong and gives it instead to a Penguin. Paulie stands watching while the Pen passes to Christenson all alone in front, and Christensen slips a one-handed shot around Marty. 2-2 game and we are wondering why we wanted the Devils to come back from the break at all.
3:47 The Penguins pass with ease around a flat-footed group of red sweaters in the Devils zone, and after a lengthy sequence of embarrassing the home squad, they finally put everyone out of their misery by feeding Malone in front for an unimpeded shot at Marty. He roofs it, and it’s 3-2 Pens.
2:36 Gio flattens Taffe into the glass with a hit to his side and gets called for boarding. A frustrated Chico accuses Taffe of diving, and we watch the replay and get frustrated ourselves with how not a penalty that seemed to be. Then FSN goes live to a shot of Gio in the box and he is grimacing and clutching his knee. We officially hate this game now.
0:36 The penalty kill passes thanks in part to a great glove save at the side of the net on Malkin. When Gio gets out of the box he stays in the play, so we guess he’s not too grievously injured.
0:04 The Devils get called for icing and we get a look at Gio grimacing and working his knee around on the bench. Chico says, as if it’s an amazing bit of deduction on his part, that he thinks it might be something wrong with Gio’s leg. Schnookie: “Yeah, from the way he was clutching his knee, you kind of think so.” As the teams prepare for the faceoff, Schnookie mutters, “What do you want to bet we give up a goal here?” Pookie: “No. Bet.” (In the end, well, Pookie should have taken the bet, but in the moment, it seemed like the right choice.)
0:00 You know things went well in a period when the time FSN normally gives you a Devils interview, they instead give you a look at the Jennings standings. With 30+ games left in the season. (Poetically, the Devils have given up 118 goals so far this year – it’s like they gave up those shit-tacular goals this period as a shoutout to us!)
We go into commercial with Steve announcing what the intermission show will be discussing when we come back. Pookie: “When we come back, we’ll discuss why Pookie got out of bed this morning.”
SECOND INTERMISSION
Dano spends the intermission explaining that the Devils put on a clinic there in the second period of what Larry Robinson likes to call “swimming in your own zone”. He doesn’t mention that at this rate, the Devils are going to have to stop counting on Patty if they want to excel, and start counting on Mike Rupp.
THIRD PERIOD
We can’t muster joy in the face of “Chico Eats!” He’s eating pizza tonight, and says that he couldn’t choose which topping to get until “a friend” advised him to eat the plain cheese one. In the footage of him eating, he then reveals who the “friend” was: Chuck the Duck! Nice! We crack smiles, even, for how delightful that reveal was. Everything comes crashing down to earth, though, when Chico says, “The pizza was fabulous, as is everything at this arena. Except the Devils’ play.” Burn.
18:35 This game has the feel of the classic “March Swoon” game. The kind we used to see in the waning weeks of a division-title season in the late ‘90s, when you just knew the decline had begun.
18:05 Gio has not returned to the bench. Someone else will have to pick up the offsides slack now.
17:24 As Chico wonders who’s going to step up to score in Langer’s and Gio’s absences, FSN editorializes with a long look at Zach on the bench. Schnookie: “Well, Mike fucking Rupp has already been stepping up tonight. I don’t see Patty and Zach and Travis doing much of anything so far.” Just then, Gio magically materializes on the bench, and Schnookie’s rant loses most of its vinegar as she gives a happy little, “Oh! That’s good!” at the sight of him.
16:08 Doc is in the middle of mundane play-by-play and suddenly the whistle blows, and he had no idea any kind of infraction had occurred. It turns out it’s Sarge getting called for hooking; replay shows it’s an iffy kind of call, but Chico pricelessly chirps, “Well, I don’t want to call that borderline, because everything is borderline.”
15:07 Pookie bitterly barks after every play by any Devil, “That’s a penalty. And that’s a penalty. And there’s a penalty.”
14:29 Sykora hits the pipe on a short-side shot, and the puck kicks out in front with Marty way overcommitted out to the side of the crease. Malone is alone in the blue paint with four red sweaters watching him as he takes a couple of swipes at the bouncing puck before putting it home for a 4-2 Pens lead. Pookie: “I really didn’t expect the Devils to suck this bad tonight.”
13:54 During our recent visit to New Orleans, we discovered a relative of ours invented the famous water safety technique called drownproofing. We think it’s time for Larry Robinson to think about drownproofing the Devils d-corps.
12:44 Pookie, watching Paulie wipe out just above the faceoff dots on the boards, grumbles, “All the D, every single one of them, have been awful tonight. Hell, all the skaters have been awful tonight.”
12:39 Zach gets called for holding the stick while trying to start some forecheck. We didn’t see the infraction, and FSN doesn’t show it because they’re too busy giving us a replay of Paulie’s wipeout, which, it turns out, was prompted by Christensen chopping down on his wrist and tripping him. It seems our producers honestly expected they’d need to have that replay queued up for the next whistle.
11:43 Talbot slashes Mottau’s stick in half. Chico says, “Some four-on-four hockey! That’s good news for the Devils.” Pookie: “Less than 20 minutes left in this game! That’s good news for the Devils! Or rather, that’s good news for the denizens of IPB Manor.” Doc suggests this call is an even-up for the non-call on Christensen, and says that’s satisfying for all parties, “unless you paid $200 for the stick [that got broken].” Boomer: “It’s satisfying unless you paid $200 to watch this game.”
8:12 Greener decides to build on the momentum of a hard-hitting shift by Asham by coughing the puck up to a surprised Pen as he backs over his own blue line.
6:04 Just as Schnookie is launching into a shrill rant that the Devils have not at any point in this game made the Pens D or Conklin have to work at all, Chico pipes up that they have five shots in the third. Because they’ve done such a bang-up job of coming out with desperation after blowing that lead in the second.
5:05 After looking overpowered in the defensive zone, the Devils finally get the puck and start up the ice, but Clarkson’s dump in goes over the glass without any assistance from a Pen. Chico wonders aloud, “What’s going on with the Devils?” He points out that the Devils have now given up three straight goals to give up second-period leads in consecutive home games. We have nothing to say to that.
4:06 Doc corrects Chico with the news that the Devils have three shots this period, not five. Chico sighs as we get a look at a seething Sutter, “Brent Sutter – I don’t know what else he can do…” Then he catches himself and tries to say, “Well, it’s not over yet!” For fuck’s sake, Chico. Have some self respect.
1:51 Pookie heaves a massive, frustrated sigh as she clutches her head and tries to look away from the listless “attack” of the Devils. “God! I can’t believe how fucking lazy they’re being. Can’t they just try for the last two minutes to make it look like they care?”
1:15 Marty vacates the net. Oooh.
0:00 Boos drift down from the disgruntled crowd. We don’t give FSN time to wrap up before we flip to find something else to watch. We don’t want to show the Devils any more effort than they showed us.
Well the Pens went over to Jersey
They were lookin’ for some points to steal
They were in a bind, 1 point behind
And willin’ to make a deal
They came upon this old man
Playin’ goalie, and playin’ it hot
So Geno jumped up on a hickory stump
Said, “Marty lemme tell you what
I’m sure you already knew it
‘Cause I’m a hockey player too
And if you care to take a dare, I’ll make a bet with you
Now you play pretty good hockey, boy
But give the Penguins their due
I’ll bet a Jay Pandolfo goal
Against your soul
Just to think we’re better than you”
Then a boy said, “my name’s Parise
And it might be a sin
But I’ll take your bet
Though I’m gonna regret
‘Cause tonight, the Pens will win”
*clapclapclapclapclap*
Other than that last line, of course, it’s wonderful!
Haha, it’s not mine!
Oh, and there’s a lot more, but quite possibly, you wouldn’t care for it. ;P
…He pulled the puck across the ice and it made an evil hiss
Then all 12 fans joined in and it sounded somethin’ like this
(Silence overtakes the microphone)
I was getting worried you guys had slacked off. It was mighty close to 7pm and no thread started. You scared me.
Sorry, Matt! Schnookie was prepping dinner and I was packaging said dinner into leftover lunches. As any good Lou acolytes we’re too cheap to buy lunch when we can just use old food instead!
Woohoo! Shanny just got me points!
This commercial some of the Pens did actually made me laugh for a good 20 minutes.
As any good Lou acolytes we’re too cheap to buy lunch when we can just use old food instead!
There’s nothing
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
wrong with retraining forwards as defensemen.
Oh, and the WQOOOOOOOO was for The General putting one in the net =)
retraining forwards as defensemen.
That’s totally how I’m going to think about leftovers from here on out!
WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! RUPP! Folk hero! Scores a goal! WOOOO!!
wooo!!!
WOOOOO!!!
retraining forwards as defensemen.
That’s totally how I’m going to think about leftovers from here on out!
Either that or 4th-line grinders becoming starters due to injuries….
oooooo, that had to hurt. Marty St. Louis just blocked a shot off his left forearm. A minute later, his arm has some wicked bruises…. I wonder if he’ll be back for the second…
How about retraining defensemen as forwards? :P
DS, Niedermayer did play at forward once or twice when he was a Devil, I think. It was a total disaster.
WhooooOOOooOOoo!
How about retraining defensemen as forwards? :P
Nah, that’s just asking for food poisoning. Bad chinese always equals ba…
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! POMMERSS!!!!
…equals bad chinese food
Hah! I love all the Let’s Go Buffalo’s in Tampa… priceless.
Who scored in the Buffalo game?
I love all the Let’s Go Buffalo’s in Tampa… priceless.
No, not “priceless” — “classless”. Jeez, haven’t you learned anything? Those people are traitors! They’re killing Buffalo with every single “lets go Buffalo”!
Who scored in the Buffalo game?
The General (Clarke MacArthur) got the first from Pomminville, then he gave it back to Pommers for the second.
Jeez, haven’t you learned anything? Those people are traitors!
Yeah? Well, I may be a traitor, but at least I’m not proud of living in the armpit of America.
They’re also totally drowning out the hometown crowd. Not cool at all.
Pooke, MacArthur had the first goal off a beautiful pass from Pommerdoodle and Pommerdoodle had the second goal off a very nice pass from MacArthur.
The arm pit of America being NJ, if that was unclear…
The arm pit of America being NJ, if that was unclear…
Don’t make me delete another comment!
The arm pit of America being NJ, if that was unclear…
Yeah, it WAS unclear so I’m GLAD you clarified…:::grumbling:::
WOW! Roy just fired one at Holmquist’s face…. Great shot, but a nice save, even with the flinch…
Don’t make me delete another comment!
Wait, you deleted something I said? Awwwww.
The Versus guys can’t even count now. Totally got the locing streak numbers wrong….
Wait, you deleted something I said? Awwwww.
No, not something you said, but if you keep this up! New Jersey is called the Garden State for a reason, you know!
Heather, I always forget that not everybody uses that sobriquet for NJ. I apologize for any stress I may have caused you.
New Jersey is called the Garden State for a reason, you know!
Based on the 25-mile radius where I am, I refuse to believe that there is any healthy greenery outside of the swamps. It’s a pure misnomer!
Oh, goody. An interview with Brian Campbell. I saw him all weekend, Versus! Give me somebody else!
Based on the 25-mile radius where I am
Which is not New Jersey’s finest 25-mile radius, truth be told. The 25-mile radius around IPB Manor is all corn fields, old forests and Revolutionary War battlefields.
Maybe VS will send us one of those towels that they drap around the player’s necks in our “thank you for being a whore” bundle!
At this rate, instead of sending us a magnet board, I’m beginning to suspect that Versus is going to come to IPB Manor and steal all of our favorite magnets right off of Gene the Wonder Fridge. They’ll kick Favre while they’re here.
Ugh. That sucks. Penguins score.
Did Vs. just claim Brian Campbell has been a big part of Buffalo scoring transition goals during this game?
*dances* Free Center Ice preview! Yay!
So I’m totally watching Pens/Devils right now. I’m totally loving it. Also, I checked my gmail spam folder (thanks to Caitlin for mentioning it), and I got the VERSUS email. Rock.
Did Vs. just claim Brian Campbell has been a big part of Buffalo scoring transition goals during this game?
It sounded like it.
I’m so disappointed in Zach…his first shift of the period and he gives up a goal…Tsk Tsk
Glad you’re enjoying the game, Cat! They’re usually more interesting than this. OK, sometimes more interesting than this.
I have 676 spam messages, but a search for “sinuatemedia” brought up nothing. I think if it goes to my spam filter I’ll never see it!
Oh that’s right, KG, we need to hope for Zach to do something 2nd-intermission-interview worthy!
It sounded like it.
I’m so glad he was on the ice for those goals! Oh, wait…
Meg, :^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Yes maybe a goal from Zach? Or am I just asking too much?
And Pando hurt Zach?! Haha that’s actually pretty funny.
And Pando hurt Zach?! Haha that’s actually pretty funny.
I have to admit, I LOL’ed.
OOooooo! This looks like a 5-on3 coming up. Maybe our PP can actually score one
Meg, I get the feeling we’re going to be hearing a lot about Soupy tonight. He seems to be one of the Vs. talking points.
Pando had so had it with Zach’s coach’s helper routine he “accidentally” hit Zach when Zach went to clean off Sutter’s white board during practice.
That or Zach just want to look cool with a cut on his face and pretend he got hurt to get sympathy and Pando said he would take the blame.
God, Versus games are SO BAD. We really really are whores.
That’s much more likely, KG! Next up Zach’s going to be putting a little fake mustache on his nose “gash” (as Zach’s referring to that little nick).
WhoooooOOooOOOOooooOOOoo! TONI LYDMAN!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Toni!!!
Whoooo!!
(Look at Campbell making our offense tick)
Toni Lydman?! Go, Toni!
Way to go, Toni! He’s a monster!
Toni Lydman?! Go, Toni!
You wouldn’t believe it, but I think he looks good tonight. It’s really scary. I think he might have figured out that his job was on the line…
First goal in eleven games by a defenseman by the Sabres they tell us. But….but….what about Soupy? Surely he’s been scoring goals.
Way to go, Toni! He’s a monster!
:^:::::::::::He IS!
But….but….what about Soupy? Surely he’s been scoring goals.
Not just goals, but all those following awesome spin-o-ramas!
Soupy was… um… busy, those games, yeah, that’s the ticket! He wasn’t alllowed to be scoring because management was handcuffing him by forcing him to talk about his contract!
Yes and any bigger of a “gash” it would’ve ruined his pretty little face. And then he might’ve needed stitches and would’ve made Boxworthy make everyone make a big deal.
I think he might have figured out that his job was on the line…
Matt, you need to lay off the crack! Toni Lydman’s job was NOT on the line! :P
HAHAHA! That shot of Baby Coach Ruff was hilarious!
I think he might have figured out that his job was on the line…
I’m pretty sure that was your imagination that his job was on the line, bucko.
Matt, you need to lay off the crack! Toni Lydman’s job was NOT on the line! :P
Yeah, what she said.
Still, I love when he or Hank scores. They always seem so surprised and delighted with themselves.
WOOOOOOO!!! Rupp wants a hat-trick! Folk hero!
But it’s soooooooo tasty!
Still, I love when he or Hank scores. They always seem so surprised and delighted with themselves.
This should be good for a quality quote.
WhOOooooOOOo! Mike Rupp! Guitar Hero!
It sounds like Sabretooth is at the game with his little drum!
Mike Rupp is totally a Guitar Hero in addition to be a Folk Hero (Morgan dubbed him that after he was the unlikely scoring of the Cup winning goal in 2003)!
This should be good for a quality quote.
It totally should. I love post-scoring Toni interviews.
So it’s 2-1?
So it’s 2-1?
Yup! Although the Devils are playing like utter crap so it won’t last.
As if on cue it’s 2-2. Fuck this shit. The game sucks. I’m leaving.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! I REALLY want the Devils to win! Why are they sucking?
It totally should. I love post-scoring Toni interviews.
Yeah, he already scored his goal this season so there’s no telling what he’s gonna bust out tonight. I can’t wait.
WHOOOOoOOOOOOoOOO!
WOOOOOOOO!!! Roy-Z!!!!
Whooooooo!
Of course the Devils are losing badly! It sounds like the Buffalo game is going well and that you guys are all happy! That means we have to be cranky and pissed off! Stupid teams never winning on the same night.
ROoooooooOOOOY-ZZZZZZZZ!
Nice effort, Derek.
I’m flipping between Devils/Pens and Blue Jackets/Coyotes. Aww, Bryz.
Sorry about the Devils, guys. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for them to pull it out.
Fuck. 3-2. So much for them learning anything from riding the bikes on Friday.
Pookie, they never win on the same night because they love me too much. They know I might not be able to handle it and my heart would just burst.
I really AM sick of the Devils and the Sabres sucking the fun out of everything on alternate nights. WHY can’t they organize themselves so that we can all be happy together?
Thanks, Meg, I appreciate that! I am glad that y’all are having a fun and happy game!
Cat, I’d totally turn this Devils game off in favor of any other game.
Hey Meg, you will be happy to know that I forgot to move the F-Bits around, and the only guys with points are the ones sitting on the bench. It’s managing like this that accounts for our powerful position in the standings. :P
Fuck. 3-2.
Yikes! I’m uncrossing my fingers. Clearly it’s not helping.
Awe let Zach lose his fighting virginity…
Geez, Toni scores and goes to his head! Don’t pinch on a 5 on 3, dude! And go, Derek, nice work.
Damn.
Hey Meg, you will be happy to know that I forgot to move the F-Bits around, and the only guys with points are the ones sitting on the bench.
I’m terrible about that. I’ve found that the only way to avoid it is for me to move my players around for the whole week on Monday.
Aw, Crunchy doesn’t do shutouts. We know this.
Well, let’s face it, we knew that was coming eventually. Crunchy doesn’t do shut outs. Now we can all relax.
let Zach lose his fighting virginity…
That “penalty” was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. I don’t want Zach risking his pretty face in a fight over a play like that!
How come no one on my fantasy team is doing anything worth mentioning tonight? I take it back – Jason Arnott got an assist on Radulov’s goal. He also got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Go Arnott.
Crunchy doesn’t do shutouts and apparently Marty doesn’t do wins.
Oh yes I almost forgot about his pretty face. My hockey brain took over the part of my brain that is devoted to Zach’s gorgeousness.
And come on?! An interview with Staal? What a rip off.
My hockey brain took over the part of my brain that is devoted to Zach’s gorgeousness.
:^:::::::::::::::::
I think the 3rd period might be more palatable if I only use the part of my brain devoted to Zach’s gorgeousness!
I love Geico commercials. My favorite is the one with “that guy who does funny sound effects”.
…Was that the duck thing you guys were talking about? Chuck the Duck or something? The little stuffed animal with an American flag and a cigar in its mouth. That confused me.
Did they just say WASHINGTON could move into first in the division with a win? That division blows so bad. I’m very jealous.
That one’s good, but the Pips makes me sing along every time! The old Little Richard one was also fantastic.
Hey, everyone, don’t go! I’ll try to be a little less cranky in the 3rd! I was just, despite the negative front I put up, really, really not expecting the team to play this badly tonight.
It’s so wrong that I’m so unbelievably stoked about this “Chico Eats”. It’s the first one I’ve ever gotten to see!
That was indeed Chuck the Duck! The cigar is a Marx Brothers thing, I think, and the flag showed up randomly one day. Chuck is often the one shining beacon of happiness in games like this!
I love Chuck the Duck! Is it just a random stuffed duck that appeared one day?
Doesn’t “Chico Eats” rock?! It wasn’t his best because the food wasn’t messy enough, but it did have Doc explaining that Chuck would probably be vegan.
Nooooooo! No goal for Lydman. They gave it to Stafford.
What?! They gave Toni’s goal away! This blows! Talk about your travesties!
Seriously, how can we be traded to the Southeast division?
Stan Fishler used to answer emails from viewers during intermissions. The one deemed the best question would win a prize. One game the winning email was announced by having that duck fall from the ceiling. It became a thing and then he got a cigar and then a flag and and then Stan ceased pretending to even answer the emails, choosing instead to spend his air time swinging Chuck around and laughing about his cigar. I’m not joking.
Now Chuck appears in flavoring shots, including one the other day that involved him being carried away from a cigar rolling stand, a la some Roman sybarite, by two Ice Girls. I really, really want Chuck to go to Zach and Travis’s bird landing.
Sorry Toni, Wooo Staffy!
Seriously, how can we be traded to the Southeast division?
Our record would be so much better. They’re like the only division we can actually beat regularly.
I really, really want Chuck to go to Zach and Travis’s bird landing.
You need to send them an e-mail and explain to them about Travis and Zach’s Birds Landing. I no longer work at the zoo, but I’ll go and visit if Chuck the Duck is going to be there.
Pookie, “Chico Eats” does indeed rock! Razor needs to do something like that.
Next time the Devils play in Dallas I will so email FSNY!
Why hasn’t Marty been pulled yet?
Our record would be so much better. They’re like the only division we can actually beat regularly.
I know! And even with our record as it is right now we could realistically win the division. So unfair.
anybody else amazed that the Sabres have energy still? That’s some real fighting in the corners…
The Lightning are really just handing this game to us.
KG, on the count of three, throw your mousepad at the TV to protest this awful officiating!
Ha well I’m on a mac and I don’t have a mousepad but I shall throw something else…perhaps my Parise jersey which I have taken off because he has not been worthy tonight of me wearing his name.
Razor needs to do something like that.
“Eating” implies “Not Talking”; therefore, Razor will never do anything like it.
No, Zach really hasn’t been worth wearing his sweater. None of the guys have been. (I don’t have a mousepad either; I was just talking about that game in Pittsburgh where the fans threw the freebie mousepads on the ice because all the calls went in NJ’s favor.)
“Eating” implies “Not Talking”; therefore, Razor will never do anything like it.
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Razor needs to do “Razor Talks about Chico Eating”.
Oo haha my bad I always miss stuff like that.
Zach really hasn’t been worthy since like the end of November…Maybe we shouldn’t praise his gorgeousness until he steps it up.
“Eating” implies “Not Talking”; therefore, Razor will never do anything like it.
you have a very, very good point. Perhaps Razor could do something like…”Word of the Day with Razor”?
I was just talking about that game in Pittsburgh where the fans threw the freebie mousepads on the ice because all the calls went in NJ’s favor.
That reminds me of the story about a Stars game in the first year they were in town. They handed out freebie water bottles. And when somebody got a hat trick, everybody threw their bottles on the ice.
We were new.
Maybe we shouldn’t praise his gorgeousness until he steps it up.
Good plan! I’m going to talk only about how hot Vinny Lecavalier and Ryan Getzlaf are until Zach starts playing well.
I’m all for Vinny Lecavalier but you can have Getzlaf all to yourself. :p
“Eating” implies “Not Talking”; therefore, Razor will never do anything like it.
you have a very, very good point. Perhaps Razor could do something like…”Word of the Day with Razor”?
Maybe he could have a segment where he eats his words. ;P
you have a very, very good point. Perhaps Razor could do something like…”Word of the Day with Razor”?
Negative! It just encourages him to use words like “transmogrification”.
I think Razor needs to be introduced to Iskristiy. Not for eating, just for you know, shock value.
I’m all for Vinny Lecavalier but you can have Getzlaf all to yourself. :p
That’s fine, fewer people for me to fight to get to Getzi! :)
I think Razor needs to be introduced to Iskristiy. Not for eating, just for you know, shock value.
I think that would pretty much guarantee that Razor would never talk about Russian’s “condition” ever again.
Haha anything to make it easier for you. :)
Ack get Zach off the ice!! (maybe if we heckle him it will help…Just a thought)
And when somebody got a hat trick, everybody threw their bottles on the ice.
We were new.
At least you were trying. :D
Sorry about the Devils! There’s still time, you know.
Not really, but thanks for trying to cheer me up, Patty!
There may be time but it’s the Devils, they won’t do anything productive with it.
Doc tells us in his intro that there are only 33 games left in the season.
This really depresses me. I can’t believe the season is that close to the end. It seems like we’ve only seen 15 or 20 games. Not 50!
I quit. Zach depresses me. All the Devils depress me.
There may be time but it’s the Devils, they won’t do anything productive with it.
…and try to ruin my very first fantasy hockey team while they’re at it!
Thanks, Devil’s! (I suppose I should know better, right?)
I agree Patty, it seems like the season can’t possibly be this far over.
Ack get Zach off the ice!! (maybe if we heckle him it will help…Just a thought)
MWahahah! More converts to my patented motivational methods!
Matt, you’re an inspiration to us all!
I quit. Zach depresses me. All the Devils depress me.
Me too. And you know what? The next game is against the Rangers. Remind me why I like this sport again? :)
I hate Brian Hayward. Please go away.
Awww, Boo!!! Silly Devils. Sorry Ookies.
Thanks, alix.
Pookie you love this sport because of Getzlaf and Lecavalier…
I was just saying how sad it’s going to be for the Devils to lose three in a row on Friday…So sad…Maybe Sutter needs to kill them in practice. That’s what most coaches do when teams suck.
Ooh, the Sharks are on! How exciting!
I should never say anything bad about Razor anymore, because when I do, I’m surprised with BRIAN HAYWARD announcing for us.
God help us all.
I hate Brian Hayward.
Also, that ESPN commercial with Tony Romo in it? Makes me kind of sad, because it reminds me that Cowboys season is way over.
You mean Joe Thorton is on! How exciting! :D
Pookie you love this sport because of Getzlaf and Lecavalier…
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Thanks, KG! You’re so good at putting things in perspective for me after Devils losses!
Caitiln, you have to listen to Hayward on another Stars home broadcast? I thought they already switched once this season. Aren’t you exempt now? Y’all have my utmost sympathies!
You mean Joe Thorton is on! How exciting! :D
Oh, right! He does play for the Sharks, doesn’t he?
…
I don’t know what else to say.
There is nothing else to say, Frisby.
Caitiln, you have to listen to Hayward on another Stars home broadcast? I thought they already switched once this season. Aren’t you exempt now? Y’all have my utmost sympathies!
Cat tells me we’ve got another Razor-less broadcast coming up where Hayward will be subbing.
Dammit!
Get ready for a bunch of generic Stars trivia that only the Vancouver fan might be interested in.
(Maybe I’m being too harsh. Maybe there are a lot of new Stars fans out there that don’t know that Turco plays the puck a lot. Unfortunately, that’s all he’ll say about it.)
Thankfully, though, it will be the last Razor-less broadcast. Also, I don’t know for certain if Hayward is subbing. I just know it’s supposed to be Razor-less.
Hey, alix, what’s the temperature outside? :D
HA! Do you really want to know, DS?
…
I don’t know what else to say.
Let me tell you, writing ANYTHING about this third period was the hardest thing I’ve ever done as a game diarizer. There was nothing to say at all.
The Sharks broadcast mentioned the temperature in Edmonton, so I guess I have to believe you, alix.
Surely in Vancouver it’s milder.
Oh yeah. In Van it’s 2 C. Much warmer. Huh. For some reason I’m getting the Dallas feed tonight.
Well in T-dot I was enjoying walking around without my touque and gloves today!
alix, are you saying all the thermometers have broken? :D
I can’t even imagine what I’d do if I turned on a Devils game and found Brian Hayward doing the color. (Or, I guess, the Atlantic Division equivalent of that would be flipping on the Devils and finding Joe Micheletti working with Doc.)
(Or, I guess, the Atlantic Division equivalent of that would be flipping on the Devils and finding Joe Micheletti working with Doc.)
That’s basically what it is.
It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard, but your hands are tied to the arms of your chair so you can’t cover your ears!
It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard, but your hands are tied to the arms of your chair so you can’t cover your ears!
And Hayward keeps talking about the loss of Zubov, and I just want to reach through my TV and slap him!
It’s driving me bananas not having Russian play. It feels like an eternity since I last saw him do a Crazy Ivan.
*sigh*
“alix, are you saying all the thermometers have broken? :D“
Hee! Pretty much. It`s warmed up a little bit actually. It`s -37 C now.
I was hoping I would get the Vancouver feed because it`s a 200th consecutive sell out and they were going to have video tributes and all that. Oh well…I do really love that Dr. Pepper ad. We don`t get it in Canada.
Well, this game sucked, but this is a quality diary. I feel this sums up the entire affair quite nicely:
In the footage of him eating, he then reveals who the “friend” was: Chuck the Duck! Nice! We crack smiles, even, for how delightful that reveal was. Everything comes crashing down to earth, though, when Chico says, “The pizza was fabulous, as is everything at this arena. Except the Devils’ play.” Burn.
Well, this game sucked, but this is a quality diary.
Thanks, Katebits. And yeah, Chico really did sum the whole thing up very well. I wish he hadn’t done it at the start of the third, though. I mean, I still had 20 minutes I had to diarize!
Can I just say that I don’t think I really read or understood a single word in Bucci’s column this week? It seemed particularly scattered.
Next time Chico says something like that, you should just turn the television immediately off. Do you guys ever give up on a bad game?
I hate it when Halpern loses his helmet. Do you think a player would decide not to shoot if they thought they might hit a helmetless player?
Do you guys ever give up on a bad game?
Nope. In for a penny, in for a pound. :P
Well, this game sucked, but this is a quality diary.
Schnookie’s the bomb!
It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard, but your hands are tied to the arms of your chair so you can’t cover your ears!
Everyone in Dallas, I cannot tell you enough how sorry I am for you that you have to listen to Hayward instead of Razor!
Patty, I want to tighten ever single players’ helmet. I was just lecturing Joe about this during intermission. It drives me crazy that they’re just balanced on their heads with the straps dangling at their knees.
Do you guys ever give up on a bad game?
If you mean give up hope that my team will pull it out and win, yes. If you mean turning off the TV in the middle of the game, nope.
Do you guys ever give up on a bad game?
I watched every second of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2001 even though it was clear from the get-go that they were going to lose. I don’t give up on games. I’m sure I’d be happier if I did, but I just can’t do it.
I hate it when Halpern loses his helmet.
I bitched about that exact thing when I noticed it happen. Jen suggested superglue awhile ago.
It drives me crazy that they’re just balanced on their heads with the straps dangling at their knees.
Some players’ helmets are particularly precariously balanced on top of their heads. That’s right, Pronger, I’m talking about you.
I hate it when Halpern loses his helmet.
I bitched about that exact thing when I noticed it happen. Jen suggested superglue awhile ago.
I watched every second of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2001 even though it was clear from the get-go that they were going to lose.
I actually left the room for that one, but I was still listening to it.
You guys, this seems to be the week Dr. House is going to go TOO FAR!
Speaking of Pronger, anyone else see that he’s going to be on the Early Show tomorrow?
You guys, this seems to be the week Dr. House is going to go TOO FAR!
Isn’t that every week?
It’s driving me bananas not having Russian play. It feels like an eternity since I last saw him do a Crazy Ivan.
I know just how you feel. *whimper*
Isn’t that every week?
What are you suggesting?!?!
Dang. It looks like Turco`s on. I`ve got my eye on Robi. Cooker is pretty small though so I`ll give him a pass…for now.
I can never turn a bad game off either. I wish I could, but I can`t.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Our 24-year-old “veteran”!
Thanks Trevor! And thanks to Ribeiro for getting me points on my fantasy team!
I`ve got my eye on Robi.
There’s no need for that! He’s a pussycat! Cooke just changed directions at the last second. Nobody’s fault. :D
You guys, this seems to be the week Dr. House is going to go TOO FAR!
Will he also be RISKING A PATIENT’S LIFE?
Will he also be comically pissy about it all?
If you say so, Patty :p
HOORAY!!!! I was just about to bitch about the Nuckies having no damn finish.
Will he also be RISKING A PATIENT’S LIFE?
You’d better believe it!
Will he also be RISKING A PATIENT’S LIFE?
Highly likely!
Hmmm…pk without Mitchell. I`m a little worried.
Hmmm…pk without Mitchell. I`m a little worried.
I wouldn’t be, if I were you.
Somewhere Whiskers the Chipmunk is happy!
Boo! That was a freakin nice shot though. Ugh. Cowan! You`re fired! Just go away already!
Poor Barch. His black eye gets worse instead of better.
Whiskers is so proud of Modano! He’s already set aside a basket of acorns for him.
I love it when Modano leans into one like that. At the finish of his swing, his whole left side is stretched over onto the other side of his right leg.
OK, y’all, I’m falling asleep at the computer here, so I think I’m going to sign off now. I hope this game goes well and that somehow everyone is happy when it ends!
Good night everyone!
I wish Whiskers could convince Modano to get a haircut.
Oh, Robi! I heart you so much!
Fucking Cowan.
ROBI! Oh, Robi!
Awww, poor Sandman! Don`t point out his sad look you mean announcers!
alix, if Morrow had broken his hand, you and I would be in a FIHT!
Well, maybe Robi shouldn`t have hit poor little midget Weaver!
Well, maybe Weaver shouldn’t stand over there by the boards!
(And I doubt he’s much shorter than Robi. :D )
Have I mentioned how much I hate this game yet? Because I do.
Sorry, alix! It’s not our fault that we’re totally ruling. ;)
Sorry, alix! This is definitely not what I predicted.
Plus there’s always the chance we’ll cough it up.
alix, I’m so sorry your game sucks for you! And Stars fans, I’m so happy your game rocks!
As the rest of IPB Manor is turning in early, I’m feeling the peer pressure. Time for me to pack it in. The soul-suckingness of the Devils tonight really took a lot out of me. See you tomorrow!
Night Schnookie!
Plus there’s always the chance we’ll cough it up.
Stay positive, Patty!
Night, Schnookie! I’m probably going to bed right after the Stars game. I’m totally exhausted.
Meh, at least McIver beat Morrow. That`s about all I got..
Night, Schnookie!
What Star player hit Sami so hard his helmet flew off? Me is ANGRY! He`s on my shit list. Sami`s a bubble boy. He doesn`t need to be hit like that!
I honestly didn’t see who it was, alix. But I bet it wasn’t a Star, because they’re all perfect angels who would never hurt a flea.
Meh, at least McIver beat Morrow.
I hate McIver’s name! Every time they said something involving him, I heard “MacGuyver”.
Good morning, IPB!
Pookie: “What if he’s 6’3” and 69 pounds?”
Then he would be playing goal for the Sabres.
Good morning, IPB!
Morning, Amy! How’s it going?
Fucking Devils.
Pookie: “What if he’s 6’3” and 69 pounds?”
Then he would be playing goal for the Sabres.
Hee!
How are we all today? I’m good, though I live in fear of my exams (because, even though I’m not going to be doing this for much longer I still have to take them and I’d hate to do badly)
Then he would be playing goal for the Sabres.
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Poor Crunchy!
Morning, Amy! How’s it going?
Its better than yesterday. I’m just watching the blizzard outside my window, and hoping that the pine tree doesn’t come flying at me. The winds here are over 50 mph and expected to remain that way throughout the day.
How are we all today?
…I’m not quite sure, Mags. I’m going to the doctor today to get help with the whole quitting smoking thing, plus they’re redoing my migraine medication, so that’s a big plus.
Also, the Stars won, so woooo! (Sorry, alix, wherever you may be.)
I’m just watching the blizzard outside my window, and hoping that the pine tree doesn’t come flying at me. The winds here are over 50 mph and expected to remain that way throughout the day.
o.O That’s sound like ummm.. fun?
I’m going to the doctor today to get help with the whole quitting smoking thing
Yay!
plus they’re redoing my migraine medication, so that’s a big plus.
Double yay!
Also, the Stars won, so woooo!
Triple yay! My fantasy team thanks you!
My fantasy team thanks you!
My fantasy team thanks me, too! (Robi got a goal, an assist, and a penalty! Thanks, Robi!) :D Thanks to Robi, Bryz and an assist by Malkin, I am 4th in my division (and we just started! So, that could all change!) Wooo!
I must say, Ovechkin and the Devils players on my roster gave me nothing last night. I am thoroughly disappointed.
Good luck on your exams, Mags!
Caitlin, that’s so exciting, all your doctor news. Have fun with that!
I must say, Ovechkin and the Devils players on my roster gave me nothing last night.
Yeah, I could give a rat’s ass about the former, but the latter? I kind of noticed that. *grumble, hiss, boo*
Good luck on your exams, Mags!
Thanks. Not that anything other than a further destruction of my self confidence is going to come out of it, but I’m not sure how much lower I can go anyway.
I must say, Ovechkin and the Devils players on my roster gave me nothing last night.
Gio got me 2 PIMS and 6 SOG and that’s about it. Malkin didn’t have the decency to compensate for Smurf either. Bastards. And Marty, I don’t want to talk about Marty.
You guys, the weather is comically bad here in Buffalo. We’re like a movie about Buffalo right now.
It’s basically a wind storm with light snow, but the result is pretty dramatic. Looking out my front windows, I can’t see across the street right now.
It’s basically a wind storm with light snow, but the result is pretty dramatic. Looking out my front windows, I can’t see across the street right now.
Cooooooool.
Oooh, I want a winter storm! That sounds awesome! And I bet if we got those conditions the library would close! Actually, it probably wouldn’t and I’d be forced to drive an hour anyway. Or they’d close my branch and ask me to work in a different one two hours away!
It is pretty cool, Mags, but I am tucked into the safety of my apartment. (My work got canceled.) Lots of people have lost power, but so far I’m all hooked up.
We’re like a movie about Buffalo right now.
Heh. I love terrible winter storms when you’re able to be all holed up cozily at home. But then the threat of losing power is not cook. I hope you can just spend this storm enjoying the feeling of being sheltered, Katebits!
My entire building is shaking from the wind- and my building is kind of big!
Lots of people have lost power, but so far I’m all hooked up.
I was about to ask you that. I hope you stay connected! (because if you don’t, I assume the innernets will go out too and you’ll not be able to comment and I think that would be bad)
I’m just watching the blizzard outside my window, and hoping that the pine tree doesn’t come flying at me. The winds here are over 50 mph and expected to remain that way throughout the day.
We here in Dallas were all freaking out about our 50-mph winds yesterday, but I’m sure everybody would have preferred that to the winds plus snow.
I think I should be okay, although a storm last winter caused me to be very wary of losing power. No power = UNCOOK. Weirdly, last year when I lost power for SIX DAYS, my little laptop was plucking an internet connection out of thin air. It was so weird sitting in a dark, freezing apartment surfing the internet.
We here in Dallas were all freaking out about our 50-mph winds yesterday, but I’m sure everybody would have preferred that to the winds plus snow.
Word! It was bad enough that I nearly got knocked over walking out of my office building yesterday! Katebits, I hope the weather improves up there!
I’m sorry about the Devils, -Ookies.
It’s basically a wind storm with light snow, but the result is pretty dramatic.
That it is. Its really pretty to look at, but horrible to drive in. I know that when traffic lights are out, the intersection becomes a 4-way stop, but half the time you have people ignoring it, or it turns into a 4-way wave-a-thon, with nobody wanting to proceed. Its a bizarre combination of comical and dangerous.
Amy, did you have to go to work?
My entire building is shaking from the wind- and my building is kind of big!
Okay, that would have me spazzing. HUGELY. I can’t stand when I can feel the wind buffeting the building I’m in. We used to get massive windstorms when we were in AZ, where you’d sit inside and watch the patio furniture flying around while the wind howled around the house, and I think I was permanently scarred. I can’t sleep when we get high winds now. If I can feel the wind hitting the exterior corner of my bedroom, I just can’t sleep. I’m so sorry your building is shaking!
(RATS! It was delightfully rainy when I got up this morning, but now the sun has come out here. What the fuck? Where’s my rainy day?)
Amy, did you have to go to work?
That I did. No snow day for me. :o(
Awww, all of you with the wind. All I did today was switch on the pump in the basement, because we’ve had non-stop rain for the past 3 days. I was wondering when it was going to flood. Only irritating thing is that the boiler is also in the basement and when the water did come in, it came in big and shut the thing down, so we were out of warm water for 3 hours. Not really that big a deal though.
I know that when traffic lights are out, the intersection becomes a 4-way stop, but half the time you have people ignoring it, or it turns into a 4-way wave-a-thon, with nobody wanting to proceed. Its a bizarre combination of comical and dangerous.
Hee! And seriously, Amy, Katebits got out of work for this, but you didn’t? What kind of sissy job does she have? (Oh, right.) (:P)
All you Texas people, do you have tornadoes? I remember during freshman orientation at Oberlin someone mentioned something about tornado warnings, and I was like, “Well, I’m not long for this part of the world.” I have a severely limited area of the United States in which I’m willing to live because I am so afraid of natural disasters.
Aww, sorry Amy! I got canceled because we were performing in a school this morning.
If I can feel the wind hitting the exterior corner of my bedroom, I just can’t sleep.
I didn’t sleep much last night. It’s just so disconcerting to feel your bed shaking because of WIND. But I am comforting myself with some morning Katamari. I really can’t complain about my day thus far. :D
What kind of sissy job does she have?
I really do have the sissiest of all sissy jobs. :D
I have a severely limited area of the United States in which I’m willing to live because I am so afraid of natural disasters.
As much as I bitch about snow, I will gladly take snow over hurricanes, tornadoes and fires.
Tornadoes still scare the buJEEsus out of me and I grew up with them in Minnesota, and eathquakes are just….no. No no no no no no no. No.
All you Texas people, do you have tornadoes?
Yes, we do, we’re actually about to hit the prime part of tornado season in a month or two.
I usually have to crawl into my bathtub about once a year, I’d say for a tornado/tornado warning. (No…seriously.)
The only thing I hate about tornadoes (besides the obvious) is how loud they are. At least they’re over with pretty quickly, and I don’t have to cram myself into a bathtub with a mattress over me for long. :D
If I recall, in September, we had a tornado touch down about half-a mile from my house. You could see it from my front porch! It was only down for about a minute to a minute and a half, so it didn’t do that much damage to the surrounding area.
Tornadoes still scare the buJEEsus out of me and I grew up with them in Minnesota, and eathquakes are just….no. No no no no no no no. No.
Yeah, I’d take snowstorms over all those things (I actually kind of miss them). Although the one time we had an earthquake in Buffalo was pretty damn exciting. It wasn’t a big one that damaged things though. That would have been scary.
Good morning, IPB!
All you Texas people, do you have tornadoes?
The closest I’ve been to one was back on Mother’s Day in, like…1992 or something. The tornado formed pretty much right over my house, and then travelled over to a town not far from where I lived – we’re talking 2 miles, top. I’m not down with tornadoes.
At least with Tornadoes, you get pretty good warning that they are coming, and there are things you can do to protect yourself. Earthquakes just strike out of no where, and I refuse to believe that standing in a doorway provides any actual safety.
When was there and earthquake in Buffalo? Could you actually feel it?
I usually have to crawl into my bathtub about once a year, I’d say for a tornado/tornado warning. (No…seriously.)
Again, that sounds like… fun.
When we lived in HK we missed about 3 days of school every year for rainstorms and 2 for typhoons. There was 1 time after typhoon York hit the island directly that we had about a week of classes in an auxiliary building because the roof on the lower building had caved. I don’t remember being really scared though. The storm was just there and it would go away again.
Earthquakes sounds super scary though. Dad was in Japan for one once, but it happened while he was sleeping so he doesn’t remember it. Hee.
I’m sorry about the Devils, -Ookies.
Thanks, Caitlin.
Amy, that SUCKS that you had to go to work! I’m so, so, so, so sorry for you! I guess you don’t get many snowdays at all there, do you? That blows.
The tornado formed pretty much right over my house, and then travelled over to a town not far from where I lived – we’re talking 2 miles, top.
Yeah, unfortunately, I always seem to be out in the country visiting my family whenever tornadoes hit. Ugh. I hate those stupid sirens! I know they’re for your protection but after a while they make me want to gouge my eardrums out!
When was there and earthquake in Buffalo? Could you actually feel it?
Late ’90s. ’98 maybe? You could feel it but it didn’t do any damage–I think it was about a 5.0. We’re actually not far from a fault, it’s just a rather inactive one.
Okay, I can’t cope with even thinking about tornadoes. That sounds SO AWFUL. I don’t know how you can sound so calm, Caitlin, about crawling into your bathtub for them. Not cook!
Earthquakes are just not even at all an option. Never. I am reluctant to even visit parts of the world that have earthquakes. (Oh, and I totally use hurricane season as my excuse for not going to New Orleans in the summertime.)
Ugh. I hate those stupid sirens! I know they’re for your protection but after a while they make me want to gouge my eardrums out!
I know what you mean! The worst day of the month for me is the siren testing day. UGH!
I’m talking to one of the youth volunteers from the zoo, and she totally wants music lessons. I may actually be able to make money being a private music instructor. That would be awesome.
We’re actually not far from a fault, it’s just a rather inactive one.
Hmm. I did not know that.
A few years ago I read this book by Bill Bryson called “A Short History o Nearly Everything”. AWESOME book if you like a really surfacey, broad view of science (which I do). Anyway, he taught me that Yellowstone Park is essentially a gigantic volcano that will eventuall erupt and chance the face of the earth forever and ever. After I read that, I decided to worry a little less about natural disasters. I mean, if I have to fret about the entire Western half of the country erupting, thus causing nature’s version of “nuclear winter”, well then, I’m just not up to the task.
I don’t know how you can sound so calm, Caitlin, about crawling into your bathtub for them. Not cook!
Well, I’ve been doing it at least two or three times a year, mostly, since I was a kid. It’s habit. (We live way far out in the suburbs, almost in the country, so we usually have to be a little more concerned about them.)
Plus, many of my relatives have been through far scarier stuff than I have – my grandmother, aunt and my cousin’s wife were in my grandmother’s house all by themselves when huge tornados (F5 – the biggest you can get) ripped through the town, and the storms lasted a really long time. Half the town was pretty much completely destroyed. My grandmother’s street was relatively untouched, although they did have roof damage, but the neighborhood right next to my grandmother’s? Gone, completely – all the houses were practically matchsticks. One guy’s house, you could see lumber & drywall all over the yard, and his foundation. That was it.
Anyway, he taught me that Yellowstone Park is essentially a gigantic volcano that will eventuall erupt and chance the face of the earth forever and ever.
I watched a show on one of those smart-people-channels once about that! I was glued to the television.
Irregulars, I’m sure some of you are very good cooks. Does anyone have any ideas for good recipes for me? I’m putting together a shopping list and I want to start trying to live like a grownup!
Hmm. I did not know that.
Yeah, I think it’s near Attica. I read that Bill Bryson book and had a similar reaction. I was like, “well if we’re all doomed anyway there’s no reason to dwell on it.”
Back during the Y2K madness (I was living in Philly at the time), I was convinced the world was going to end and I wouldn’t shut up about it. I kept reading all this shit about how the monetary and electrical infrastructure would collapse, and we’d eventually descend into social chaos. I was such a freak show during that time that eventually my mother said, “Kate, if you really believe that the world is going to end on January 1st, and you DON’T travel home to hang out with me that night, I’m going to be really pissed.” After that I was all, “Oh, I’m sure Y2K is not going to be a big deal.” I wanted to stay and party in Philly with my friends. Heh.
We read that Bill Bryson book aloud after we first moved back to Jersey. When you read a book aloud you really end up having to pay a lot more attention to it (for example, we had a friend who adored the His Dark Materials trilogy without any reservations, and we were like, “Even the Mulefa? You adored the Mulefa?” and she admitted she just skimmed all that stuff. Yeah, well, when you read aloud to someone, there is no skimming!), so it reached a point where were really rolling our eyes at all the different things he pointed out were sure to kill us all, at any time, and without warning. It doesn’t stop me from fearing earthquakes, high winds, fires, et al. :D
Does anyone have any ideas for good recipes for me? I’m putting together a shopping list and I want to start trying to live like a grownup!
I think that’s an admirable goal! What kinds of recipes are you looking for?
Ha, Kate, that’s such a great story :D
I figure, whatever nature does to us that ends it all, we’ve got it coming. We haven’t exactly been great tenants of the planet, after all.
I think that’s an admirable goal! What kinds of recipes are you looking for?
Thank you, Schnookie! It’s a goal my mother has been trying to get me to reach for years now. I think she kind of wanted me to go straight from child to adult, skipping the teenage years and the post-high-school lazy years.
As far as what kinds of recipes…I’m not the pickiest eater. Simple things are nice, and I definitely need things that don’t require much in the way of kitchen gadgetry. The most I have is a rice cooker and a slow cooker. That’s the extent of my kitchen gadgetry.
Schnookie, give Cat the recipe for the turkey meatloaf I made at NYU! That was easy enough for me to make and it seemed really special. And it was super delicious! And it made me eat zucchinis, I think, right? Doesn’t it have zucchini’s in it?
Cat, how do you feel about brussel sprouts? I think brussel sprouts are pretty easy and delicious in a variety of ways.
Oh lord, Pookie, that SOUNDS delicious. For some reason I have been craving meatloaf recently, and turkey meatloaf that involves zucchini in any way sounds awesome.
I made this cider-braised chicken a few weeks ago and I thought it was pretty delicious and easy. Not really healthy, but definitely yummy.
Can’t go wrong with a delicious meatloaf!
Cat, I would give you recipes, but I’m not sure how much you’re into vegetarian athlete food. Probably not much.
Cat, you could also try Schnookie’s chili recipe:
CHILI
I seems easy enough that I could make it (if it involves meat that’s not ground, I can’t handle it) and it’s:
a) a really satisfying meal
b) awesome as leftovers (and I usually object wildly to leftovers)
c) a huge bang for your buck
d) relatively healthy (beans, brown rice, vegggies, lean meat)
Oh and brussel sprouts? ROCK.
You know, Katebits, a lot of people hate on Brussels Sprouts, but I think they’re delicious. The only way I’ve ever eaten them, though, is steamed, with a butter sauce.
Oh my lord why did I not think to check IPB Eats?!
I’m actually not much of a cook, but there are a bunch of good websites to gather free recipes. Epicurious.com, allrecipes.com, umm, recipezaar is okay if you are looking for a “homespun” kind of experience. I have gotten tons of value out of my Cooks Illustrated online subscription, but I think I paid a little bit for that.
When I was a novice cook, Cat, this meatloaf recipe was my go-to dinner. And as Pookie mentioned, even she was able to make it. I’m not at all a healthy eater, nor am I good at menu planning, so I generally just paired this with mashed potatoes (buy a bag of those fancy little new potatoes, scrub ‘em up, boil them [if they're the tiny ones, they only take about 15-20 minutes], drain them, let them sit in the hot pot for a second or two to dry a bit, then mash ‘em up with buttloads of melted butter, and then add half-and-half until you’ve got the consistency you want, and liberally salt and pepper to taste. SO HEALTHY! :P). If I’m not serving soup or stew, we just eat an entree and nothing else. No sides. I can’t be bothered with sides.
turkey meatloaf that involves zucchini in any way sounds awesome.
I think it was turkey-zucchini meatloaf with an apricot glaze. It was crazy delicious. I made a side of mashed potatoes with it and it was out of this world. It goes down in my memory as one of my favorite college experiences. I felt so grown up cooking a meal like that for myself. I had a kitchen that I never shared with more than 2 people all four years of school, but I generally stuck to pasta with jarred sauce, turkey burgers, Boomer burritos (ground turkey, sauteed onions, tomatoes, cheese in a tortilla), and pancakes. So I ventured into real cooking for a night with this meatloaf recipe.
At that time the hottest boy lived in the room next to mine. We’d engaged in small talk two or three times, but that was it. So I’m making this meatloaf when the fire alarm goes off for the whole building. We all trudge outside for a few and then they let us back. Meanwhile, the meatloaf is still in the oven, right? So walking back down the hallway, Hottie is in front of me. He says to his friend, “Damn, whatever that is smells delicious! I want some!” And I was thisclose to saying, “Come on over!” but then realized he was asking, “I wonder what it is that smells so good?” I decided the answer “meatloaf” was waaaaaaay too unsexy so I just let him walk back to his ramen noodle dinner.
I make these brussel sprouts about once a week in the winter. I love them.
Are you kidding, Pookie?! Meatloaf is MAD sexy! :P
I love Epicurious. LOVE IT. I tought myself to cook out of my Gourmet and Bon Appetit subscriptions, and now there’s this free website with all the recipes archived? AWESOME! I also really, really love the Cooks Illustrated stuff. I have finally stopped by subscription to the paper magazine, just because I keep buying all their books. I know some people hate how nerdy the Cooks Illustrated approach is, but I love it, and think I’ve learned a lot from them.
Meatloaf is MAD sexy! :P
In that case, I’m going to make some meatloaf and mail it to Vinny saying, “I’ve had an epiphvinny; want some meatloaf? There’s more where that came from at IPB Manor.” He won’t be able to resist if want you say is true!
And on that note, I’m off to work!
POOKIE, meatloaf is totally sexy. It’s definitely sexier than ramen noodles.
I LOVE the nerdy Cooks Illustrated approach. I am not a natural in the kitchen, and I like having things carefully explained. If the recipes were any good, I’d just use my Joy of Cooking for everything.
I am not a natural in the kitchen, and I like having things carefully explained.
I love the explanations of the process of finding the “best recipe” and I love how as you get more and more comfortable in the kitchen, you can see where in their process of finding their idea of “best” you’d deviate. I actually have a tendency not to agree with the Cook’s Illustrated people on a lot of ticky-tacky things, so I like when they’re like, “Well, when we did [X], it turned out all [attribute I like that they don't], so we decided to do [Y] instead.” And I’m all, “Guess I’ll be doing [X], then!” I also really love the master-recipe format, because it’s so encouraging to be bold and start playing with what you liked about a process, and to understand how building-blocky cooking is. (I’m sorry to sound all pedantic here, but I’ve only recently reached a point where I’m able to think about preparing food without a recipe. I give the good people at Cook’s Illustrated all the credit.)
(Oh, and you know who I don’t like? Mark Bittman. I mean, I understand what a great resource his books are, but I find the stuff I’ve cooked from his recipes is all really insipid. Does anyone else feel that way, or am I a Bittman doofus?)
“I’ve had an epiphvinny; want some meatloaf? There’s more where that came from at IPB Manor.”
Dooooo eeeeeet!
I’m a big fan of GoodFood, but that may be because it’s the only decent cooking magazine I can get here. Not that I care, because GoodFood rawks.
(Oh, and Katebits, that cider-braised chicken sounds DELICIOUS!)
I love Epicurious. LOVE IT.
Me too. Not that I do much cooking, but it’s great when I need to bake something and just can’t find anything in the cookbooks I own.
I found something on the Food Network website that looks pretty delicious: Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme. I never said I was a healthy eater. :p
Oh, and you know who I don’t like? Mark Bittman.
Now you’ve lost me. :D I really only use online recipes.
Reading IPB Eats makes me want to live at IPB Manor.
The cider-braised chicken was quite tasty and pretty low impact.
Okay, Cat, that baked fettuccine recipe is right up my alley! (And healthy eating is for LOSERS! :P)
And healthy eating is for LOSERS! :P
Whatever. :P
Reading IPB Eats makes me want to live at IPB Manor.
Heh. Like how it’s all cocktails and very little eating? We, um, eat a lot of frozen pizza and pasta with sauce I froze over the summer. I don’t maintain this Olympian physique without a lot of hard work and bad eating habits!
I’ve only recently reached a point where I’m able to think about preparing food without a recipe. I give the good people at Cook’s Illustrated all the credit.
Good for you!
I just cook, I think. I don’t think about it. I rotate through potatoes, rice, pasta and just pair that with whatever vegetables I find at the grocer’s that look appealing and prepare that in a way that strikes my fancy when I’m in the kitchen. Mash tofu or some other meat substitute in there and I’m good to go. I don’t think I’ve ever had a real plan when it comes to cooking. It just… cooking.
The cider-braised chicken was quite tasty and pretty low impact.
“Tasty and low impact” is the name of the game, in my opinion!
Like how it’s all cocktails and very little eating?
The English Rose looks delicious, and I may have to stop by Sigel’s and pick up some gin and vermouth for it. Because, yum.
And healthy eating is for LOSERS! :P
*gets out a sharpie and writes “LOSER” on her forehead* :D As the Dutch like to say: “Proud to be fout!” (proud to be different)
I can vouch for the English Rose. I’m not much of a cocktail drinker, but I really liked the English Rose.
I think the <a href=”http://www.amazon.com/Nero-Wolfe-Cookbook-Rex-Stout/dp/1888952245″ Nero Wolfe Cookbook is right up y’alls alley, perhaps.
Cat, I know the recipe for scalloped oysters and Yorkshire pudding. That’s it. I know. I’m cooking-challenged, but I’m working on it! (I’m cracking open my two-year-old Joy of Cooking for the first time ever this weekend! Yay!)
STUPID TAGS.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1888952245/ref=sib_dp_pt/105-6884305-9894824#reader-link
I never claimed to win at life, remember that!
The English Rose really surprised me. I’m cool with the fruity, rummy drinks, but I’ve never had cocktaily cocktails. I was stunned to discover it’s just as good as a fruity rummy drink! (Oh, and I’m not ashamed to admit that we bought three new cocktail recipe books when we were at Williams-Sonoma on Monday night. I think I’m christening 2008 “The Year Of My Liver”.)
(Oh, and so far my favorite drink we’ve documented on IPB Eats is the Rhode Island Red. In case you’re wondering.)
I never claimed to win at life, remember that!
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I never claimed to win at life, remember that!
You may not claim so, but you do :D
Cat, I know the recipe for scalloped oysters and Yorkshire pudding. That’s it. I know. I’m cooking-challenged, but I’m working on it! (I’m cracking open my two-year-old Joy of Cooking for the first time ever this weekend! Yay!)
Hey, I think the last time I cooked actual food was for my housewarming party back in July. Okay, that’s a lie, I’ve probably cooked SOMETHING since then, but that was the last time I can remember.
(Also, scalloped oysters sounds pretty delicious – I’ve actually never had oyster, but regardless, it sounds good.)
I think I’m christening 2008 “The Year Of My Liver”.
Considering the way 2008 has gone, combined with Russian being out, the rivers of Stolichnaya should be flowing any day now right through my living room. :D
You may not claim so, but you do :D
Mags, I luff youuuuuuuu!
Also, scalloped oysters sounds pretty delicious – I’ve actually never had oyster, but regardless, it sounds good.
It’s terribly unhealthy – two packages of saltine crackers, two cans of oysters (yes, I know, oysters in the can, but they’re necessary, dammit!), a whole stick of butter, about a 1/3 to a 1/2 cup half and half, and a little salt.
Heart attack in a cheesecake dish (which is what I make it in.)
You might have seen it before – I made some for Christmas dinner at my house. :D
I think I’m christening 2008 “The Year Of My Liver”.
Hee!
Mags, I luff youuuuuuuu!
I luff you too :D
I think my favourite food on the planet may be lasagna *munches away on dinner*
You might have seen it before – I made some for Christmas dinner at my house.
And yet, I did not eat it?! What’s WRONG with me!
It’s terribly unhealthy – two packages of saltine crackers, two cans of oysters (yes, I know, oysters in the can, but they’re necessary, dammit!), a whole stick of butter, about a 1/3 to a 1/2 cup half and half, and a little salt.
Make those oysters foecal, and I can think of someone who might want to eat them!
Make those oysters foecal, and I can think of someone who might want to eat them!
:^:::::::
But honestly, he’d eat anything with foecal oysters in them. Including shi-, oh forget about it.
I’ve killed the thread. I suspect y’all are eating lunch. Anyhoo, if anyone misses me, I’m at uni to make up for some lab hours I missed for hockey (curses on having to fill requirements for courses that will never matter anyway). See you guys later!
But honestly, he’d eat anything with foecal oysters in them. Including shi-, oh forget about it.
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mags, you’re not a thread-killer! I was looking up recipes and writing a half-assed review of the All-Star Game (yeah, I procrastinate – so what?). My daddy emailed me a recipe for chicken wings that he made when I was a kid, and I’m so excited to make them.
I missed all the cooking talk! And it’s quite the coincidence, because I’m planning to make chili tonight, myself. I have one really good recipe and it always ends up being hotter than I want it to be, but I still love it.
And I’m going to make cornbread to go with it. But I bought some Fritos for when I have the leftovers at work. Mmmmm.
Someday, I’ll get my vent hood installed and then I’m going to go CRAZY!! with the cooking. :D Otherwise, I’m not much of a cook.
My dream is to have a kitchen like the IPB Manor Kitchen, but I have no idea what I’d do with it. I suspect I’d actually cook more often in a kitchen that’s larger than a hallway.
I don’t know, Cat. I was hoping I’d magically become obsessed with cooking when I had my kitchen remodeled and it hasn’t happened yet. :D I think it’s just because I don’t have a hood. Once that’s installed, that’ll be all I need!
I go through spots where I’m totally obsessed with cooking. This usually ends after making one meal that either ends up a horrible disaster, or delicious, but was just too much work for my lazy ass. I’m hoping that I can force myself to cook more.
My dream is to have a kitchen like the IPB Manor Kitchen
That’s pretty cool, but right now, I’m kind of leaning towards getting a pet alligator. I mean, how cool would that be? (For real!)
Patty, I love it when Schnookie makes cornbread to go along with the chili. It feels so special!
Cat, I am constantly floored at how I’ve ended up with a kitchen like ours. Schnookie, Boomer and I all use the kitchen really different but somehow we’ve ended up with a space that works so perfectly for all three approaches it’s the dream kitchen for all three of us!
Reading IPB Eats makes me want to live at IPB Manor.
Hee hee! We should call it IPB Living, instead of IPB Eats. Since Schnookie’s right, it’s all about drinks! This summer we’ll be using it to document our veggie garden.
Quick! Everyone, I need a word for “obssesive” or “fanatical” that ends in -ism.
That’s pretty cool, but right now, I’m kind of leaning towards getting a pet alligator. I mean, how cool would that be? (For real!)
A pet alligator would be pretty bitchin’. If you want some help building a moat around your house, give me a call!
Quick! Everyone, I need a word for “obssesive” or “fanatical” that ends in -ism.
…Fanaticism? That’s probably not what you’re searching for, right?
Quick! Everyone, I need a word for “obssesive” or “fanatical” that ends in -ism.
Fanaticism? :p
If you want some help building a moat around your house, give me a call!
Considering the new neighbors that just moved in next door, a moat may become necessary. With a pimpin’ drawbridge. I’m going to put gargoyles by the drawbridge too.
And a GINORMOUS ninja statue on my front lawn!
I think fanaticism is cheating. And I think -Ookieism doesn’t count either! When my colleague asked about this I was like, “Gosh, considering how fanatical and obssesive I am, you’d think this would be easy!”
And a GINORMOUS ninja statue on my front lawn!
:^::::::::::::::::::
Not ninja. FINNJA.
I think fanaticism is cheating.
Well, the best that thesaurus.com could give me was extremism.
Sorry. :{(
Not ninja. FINNJA.
I will buy a big stone ninja. I shall paint him in the Finnish flag, and I shall call him…Mittens!
I will buy a big stone ninja. I shall paint him in the Finnish flag, and I shall call him…Mittens!
…I think I just decided what I’m getting you for your birthday. ;)
I’m catching up from earlier, but all those recipes sound really good. I may have to investigate them further when I get home.
Side note: if you ever want to make a bunch of people cranky, take away their space heaters, internet access and microwaves. All that has happened in the past couple of hours here at work. Stupid wind. Stupid T1 line. Stupid generator. :)
I think I just decided what I’m getting you for your birthday.
As if my neighbors needed any more reason to view me as insane.
Don’t worry. It’ll match wonderfully with the bushes that I’ve artfully trimmed into an intersecting sickle and hammer symbol.
Wow, it’s hard to figure out what you guys are talking about sometimes, but you crack me up anyway. Caitlin – you might try a 6-foot stockade fence. Worked for me and my crappy neighbors. If that doesn’t work, though, a pet alligator should keep them in line – or at least, dwindle their numbers every time he’s hungry. Either way, it’s a win-win!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm, chili. I love chili. I have a recipe for hoisin-glazed chicken wings that I just made the other night. They were awesome and totally easy. See, living in Buffalo means that you don’t have to make your own wings for the most part – Duff’s is about 2 minutes from my house. Duff’s doesn’t have hoisin-glazed wings, though.
I’m eating mini chocolate chip cookies like someone just told they’re the new health food!!!
Side note: if you ever want to make a bunch of people cranky, take away their space heaters, internet access and microwaves.
Amy, that sounds awful!
Amy, that sounds awful!
Its been quite a day.
Extremism and nueroticism are the best I could do.
Amy, sounds like you should’ve stayed home today. Maybe the Sabres will make it all better again? Maybe? It’s possible, right?
All right, friends. I’m off to my college for a financial aid meeting (wish me luck and money!), and then grocery shopping. Have a great afternoon, IPB!
Guys, I just made the mistake of reading Tom Gulitti’s blog. Sutter called Zach out for playing like crap. Zach’s reaction?
“Tonight was bad, but I think we’ve been playing pretty well lately,” Parise said. “Yeah, we had a bad game tonight.”
Fuck you, Zach. Fuck you. You’ve been playing like total garbage! GAH! I hate this team.
Fuck you, Zach. Fuck you. You’ve been playing like total garbage! GAH! I hate this team.
Yeah, Pookie, I read that this morning, cringed, and thought, “I hope Pookie doesn’t see this…”
Bye Cat! I’m going to sit here at home while The Three VERY LARGE Pigs try to blow Western New York down!
Pookie, I hate that. I’d really prefer my players to just say, “We sucked. I sucked. We all just really, really sucked.’
Amy, sounds like you should’ve stayed home today. Maybe the Sabres will make it all better again? Maybe? It’s possible, right?
Well, the company did buy us pizza for lunch and we have a birthday party this afternoon, so I have that working for me.
I hope the Sabres make it better. We want three!
“Tonight was bad, but I think we’ve been playing pretty well lately,” Parise said. “Yeah, we had a bad game tonight.”
I wonder if there’s an “NHL Player Cliche Handbook,” since some form of what Zach said has spewed from the mouth of every Sabre at some point this season.
Pookie, atleast he didn’t say, “We just didn’t get the bounces.” I hate that one even when it’s true. I’ll tell you what you can do with your missed bounces, buddy!
I wonder if there’s an “NHL Player Cliche Handbook,” since some form of what Zach said has spewed from the mouth of every Sabre at some point this season.
I wonder if there is a Kevin Costner Bull Durham character on each team working with the young guys on their cliches. “Write it down!” “Learn it, know it, live it.”
I’ll tell you what you can do with your missed bounces, buddy!
Oh my god, SERIOUSLY! My motto in life is “You make your own happiness” (quite seriously. I have a motto. I’m a total dork), and whenever I hear that “we didn’t get the bounces” crap, my eyeballs explode with rage while I scream at the TV (or newspaper, or computer monitor on which I’m reading it), “YOU MAKE YOUR OWN BOUNCES, YOU STUPID ASS!”
I wonder if there is a Kevin Costner Bull Durham character on each team working with the young guys on their cliches. “Write it down!” “Learn it, know it, live it.”
So does that mean we all believe in the Church of Hockey?
So does that mean we all believe in the Church of Hockey?
Sadly, I do worship at the altar of the hockey gods. No one can understand my obsession, and I think more than one person in my acquaintance has considered an intervention. Eh, it’s better than not being passionate about anything.
I hope the Sabres make it better. We want three!
Three’s a streak!
Ooh, Heather, I just spent my lunch hour figuring out the statistics that show Hank isn’t overrated (I wanted to prove to myself I could do it) and I was sooo right! I can also make a decent, though flawed, argument that he’s totally more helpful to the team than Campbell.
In other news, you guys, Nick Lidstrom is crazy good when you look at the stats. It’s honestly a bit superhuman.
And Lidstrom is a good guy to boot. He’s hard to hate, but maybe that’s cuz my team is in the Eastern Conference.
Meg, I bow down to your mathematical skills. You have far more patience than I do.
In other news, you guys, Nick Lidstrom is crazy good when you look at the stats. It’s honestly a bit superhuman.
That’s true, Meg. And it irks me no end! I want to argue that he only wins the Norris every year because the voters are too lazy to look any closer than his points total. But it’s a very poor argument. :D
Amanda, I do very minimal math. I just use the statistics produced on BehindtheNet.ca (which is one of my absolute favorite websites). I don’t have the technical know how to produce the more useful stats myself.
Ooh, Heather, I just spent my lunch hour figuring out the statistics that show Hank isn’t overrated (I wanted to prove to myself I could do it) and I was sooo right! I can also make a decent, though flawed, argument that he’s totally more helpful to the team than Campbell.
Ooh! Ooh! I want to see!
I was just reading where some guy said that against top lines at ES, Hank averages 1.something goals allowed and Soupy averages 3.1 and that Soupy is the 13th worst d-man in the league in goals allowed at even strength.
I’ve long thought Lidstrom wasn’t human. He’s amazing. I keep waiting for that year where he drops off and it just hasn’t happened.
*goes off to check out BehindtheNet.ca to further feed her obsession at the hands of the Church of Hockey*
Ooh! Ooh! I want to see!
I was just reading where some guy said that against top lines at ES, Hank averages 1.something goals allowed and Soupy averages 3.1 and that Soupy is the 13th worst d-man in the league in goals allowed at even strength.
It’s slightly more complicated than that, but he’s not wrong. It’s long and I have to actually do work while chatting now that my lunch is over, but I’ll email you the stuff tonight. Hank is really pretty impressive. :D
I was just reading where some guy said that against top lines at ES, Hank averages 1.something goals allowed and Soupy averages 3.1 and that Soupy is the 13th worst d-man in the league in goals allowed at even strength.
Bucky would respond to that by saying, “Yes, that’s right, if by ’13th worst d-man in the league in goals allowed at even strength’ you mean ‘best d-man in the league at any strength.’”
BehindtheNet is crazy awesome. I don’t always really know what to do with the numbers – which is why I’m always happy when you come up with stuff for me, Meg :-) – but every once in a while I like to just sit and look at them.
Hank is really pretty impressive. :D
And handsome to boot! I look forward to your email, Meg! :D
Schnookie, I know you’re kidding but it just KILLS me that people COMPLETELY disregard Campbell’s defensive abilities. I totally admit that he’s a good puck carrier and a very good skater. But he’s a defensemen so a little bit of defense would be nice. Just a little bit. He’s average at best. Obviously you could argue that he’s a little below average.
(Sorry. I know I’m preaching to the choir.)
Hey IPB,
Hockey sucks. But at least Matty O can work a close up. When I get back from class I’m going to check out Matty O’s stats! Stay safe Buffalo! Now I’m craving corn bread…but I don’t think it’s a common staple in the Canadian prairies.
Bucky would respond to that by saying, “Yes, that’s right, if by ‘13th worst d-man in the league in goals allowed at even strength’ you mean ‘best d-man in the league at any strength.’”
Insert “5 for 25″ plug here.
I want to argue that he only wins the Norris every year because the voters are too lazy to look any closer than his points total. But it’s a very poor argument.
Yeah, Jen jokes that Dany Heatley’s +/- stat can only be achieved by Heatley diving headfirst into the bench when he sees a goal for the other side coming. (At one point, it was like a +34, craziness.) Then we found a hockey card where it looked seriously like Heatley was trying to jump onto the opposing team’s bench and Jen said, “Look! See! He doesn’t even care whose bench it is! He’s just like, ‘Let me on the bench! AAAAGHHH!’”
You know, I personally think that the Norris voters also have got to be taking into account the previous seasons of whatever lucky defenseman wins, and if that’s the case, let’s stop giving it to the popular Red Wing that everyone loves and give it to the geeky, chess-playing Russian down here. Just because all those writers are doodling hearts around Nick Lidstrom’s name doesn’t mean they should ignore the dorky kid at the back of the class who regularly produces on an insane level.
Zubov’s in what – his 11th, 12th season of 40+ points a season? He’s the top scoring Russian defenseman in league history. He’s got 600 assists! He was one of the first Russians to ever have his name on the Stanley Cup.
Can you tell I want Zubov to have a Norris sometime before I die?
I really wish Zach had just said, “Sutter’s right. I can’t do diddly-pooh on defense.” That would have made me a lot less angry.
Zubov’s in what – his 11th, 12th season of 40+ points a season? He’s the top scoring Russian defenseman in league history. He’s got 600 assists! He was one of the first Russians to ever have his name on the Stanley Cup.
Scott Stevens never won the Norris. You’ll get no sympathy from me on the Zubov front. :P
OMG – I was just reading your comments from the ASG red carpet. Too funny, as usual. Soupy’s hair is like that because he’s totally going bald. My hair guy does his hair (if you can call his monstrosity of a look “doing hair”). I keep telling him to tell Soupy to buzz it, but Soupy doesn’t listen. Apparently it isn’t hurting him in the puckbunny department.
I will pause while you all go screaming into the bathroom looking for rubbing alcohol to pour in your eyes as the image of Soupy getting laid flashes before your eyes incessantly.
Better? Ok, I’ll go on.
Seriously, you can see how badly he’s balding if you look closely enough. I say “Own the baldness! Rock the Timmy look!”
Scott Stevens never won the Norris. You’ll get no sympathy from me on the Zubov front.
Well, I am personally OUTRAGED that neither Stevens nor Zubov have won a Norris, but Pronger has.
(Probably too little consolation, eh?)
At this point, I just really want them to create the Stevens Award. That’s all that will make me happy about Scotty not getting the Norris.
Can you tell I want Zubov to have a Norris sometime before I die?
Maybe Lidstrom will suddenly have a bad season. It has to happen sometime! Right? I mean, he scored less than 40 points in a non-lockout season once and he didn’t win the Norris that year. It could totally happen again!
In all seriousness, I think (and this is a not-so-stats-based opinion) that Zubov just has the misfortune of playing at the same time as one of the all-time greats. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve more attention, because he totally does, but it should be at the expense of players other than Lidstrom.
(Probably too little consolation, eh?)
Oh Caitlin, you know how I love OUTRAGE! I feel WAY better now! (To be fair, Scottie was basically given the Conn Smythe in 2000 as an “Um, you’re on the top of our ‘Oh crap. That guy’s going to retire and he’ll not have won any trophies, and we’re going to feel like idiots for having overlooked him his entire amazing career’ List” gesture. I mean, yes, he was an absolute beast in that playoff run, and he totally deserved the Conn Smythe, but there was a lot of that tied up in it, too.)
Zubov just has the misfortune of playing at the same time as one of the all-time greats.
I think that’s very true.
While Lidstrom is a very good all-around defenseman, overall the Norris, like all other things, favors offensive d-men and ignores stay-at-home defensive d-men. Thefore Hank and I have no use for it :-D
I saw a picture of younger Soupy once with a buzz cut and it looked okay. I do like the curls though… just not completely plastered to his head.
Seriously, you can see how badly he’s balding if you look closely enough. I say “Own the baldness! Rock the Timmy look!”
But then he wouldn’t be a Youppi! look-a-like anymore. Then again, taking your styling tips from a mascot probably isn’t the best thing out there.
At this point, I just really want them to create the Stevens Award. That’s all that will make me happy about Scotty not getting the Norris.
What would you make the Stevens award for?
What would you make the Stevens award for?j
Defensive defensemen, of course!
Zubov just has the misfortune of playing at the same time as one of the all-time greats.
I think that’s very true. Part of the problem is that my misfortune is Sergei Zubov’s windfall; he’d be perfectly happy if he never won anything (other than a Stanley Cup) ever again! He HATES personal awards! He wouldn’t even show up to collect the Norris! (He’s so cranky.) I don’t care, though.
At this point, I just really want them to create the Stevens Award.
This…should totally, totally happen.
I just…hmph. The way we’re going right now, Crosby, Ovechkin & Niedermeyer will win every trophy, including the Vezina. Har.
What would you make the Stevens award for?j
Defensive defensemen, of course!
Yay!
The way we’re going right now, Crosby, Ovechkin & Niedermeyer will win every trophy, including the Vezina. Har.
I think Crosby’s chances of running the table are greatly diminished by the bum ankle. Oh, he’ll still be the poster/golden/salvation boy, but I bet Ovie, Kovie, and Malkin will be the beneficiaries of his injury. Wow, notice how all those guys are Russian? Weird.
Maybe they’ll fight each other for the awards. I soooooooo wanted to see Malkin fight Ovie – they nearly went at it right before the AS break. That would’ve been entertaining. I love the crazy Russians.
While Lidstrom is a very good all-around defenseman, overall the Norris, like all other things, favors offensive d-men and ignores stay-at-home defensive d-men. Thefore Hank and I have no use for it :-D
The Norris does favor offensive d-men, it’s true. That said, what makes Lidstrom so amazing is that he’s not only that talented offensively, he also one of the absolute best defensive players in the league. If the Norris was awarded to the player that played the best defense, disregarding offense entirely, he’d probably still be up there.
Although his very good teammates do contribute. The weird thing is, it’s basically impossible to know what the Red Wings would perform like without him because he’s pretty much never injured.
I think Crosby’s chances of running the table are greatly diminished by the bum ankle. Oh, he’ll still be the poster/golden/salvation boy, but I bet Ovie, Kovie, and Malkin will be the beneficiaries of his injury. Wow, notice how all those guys are Russian? Weird.
Oh, yeah. My main problem is that the League always seems to go to THOSE GUYS – while they’re undoubtedly “faces of the league”, I also feel like they miss out on other marketable guys who could also make the sport more popular and at the same time, you know, win some trophies or two.
Spread it out a bit, NHL.
I soooooooo wanted to see Malkin fight Ovie – they nearly went at it right before the AS break. That would’ve been entertaining. I love the crazy Russians.
I know, right? Half my fantasy team is Russian. :D I love ‘em too.
That said, what makes Lidstrom so amazing is that he’s not only that talented offensively, he also one of the absolute best defensive players in the league.
Oh, no, definitely no argument from me there. Lidstrom is not human at all. He totally deserves all his awards.
My main problem is that the League always seems to go to THOSE GUYS – while they’re undoubtedly “faces of the league”, I also feel like they miss out on other marketable guys who could also make the sport more popular and at the same time, you know, win some trophies or two.
I *so* wish the NHL would give me even a week to work on their marketing. Man, the things I would do…
I’ve been saying for years that a beefcake calendar could get most any team out of bankruptcy, but that’s just scratching the surface. Sue me, I’m a woman and I like hot hockey player bodies.
I was really intrigued to see that Chara is quite the intelligent guy. I’d love to see them focus more on how intelligent some of the guys are than this whole Neanderthal thing.
And so many of the players are FUNNY!!!! I mean, Colby Armstrong may not be much to look at, but the dude is hilarious. I loved giggly Manny Legace at the ASG. I loved Turco last year. Show their personalities a little!
Now that people bring it up, Crosby’s injury does make the Hart race interesting, doesn’t it? Watch Alfredsson get it.
Lidstrom is not human at all. He totally deserves all his awards.
I concur, so can we create a separate Nick Lidstrom category? :cries:
Sabres, y’all are playing the Panthers tonight? If my free Center Ice preview works, I might actually watch tonight!
Caitlin, I wouldn’t exactly expect an exciting match up when it comes to Sabres/Panthers, but you should totally watch anyway. :)
Okay, guys, I’m off to the doctor! Catch you later!
I think Alfie has too much talent around him to deserve it. My vote goes to Ovie at this point. He’s involved in something like 54% of the scoring for the Capitals.
Ovie is growing on me in general, though, so that might be coloring my opinion. For the longest time I didn’t like him but his cocky personality is growing on me. The Segway segment “I am here, girls!” – that cracked me up. And the ASG riling of the crowd was good too. The NHL needs personalities like that.
I love Sid, I really do, but good God, show a little personality, man! It’s in there, I know it is! Colby – make him lighten up a little!
Watch Alfredsson get it.
:^O:*:*:*:*
Yup, that just made my eyeballs vomit up flaming eyeballs.
I think Alfie has too much talent around him to deserve it.
Oh, I don’t necessarily think he deserves it (although I do think he’s been up there this year). I just think they might give it to him and make me all cranky.
Now that people bring it up, Crosby’s injury does make the Hart race interesting, doesn’t it? Watch Alfredsson get it.
Boooooooooooooo!
No, seriously, Alfredsson has a great case, especially since the Sens tanked pretty hard the second he was out of the line-up. If the Thrashers make the playoffs, I think Kovalchuk should be in the discussions too. Their division sucks so there’s definitely some like on their side there but he’s carrying the team.
Amanda, you need to talk to my dad. Maybe if he got another voice that agrees with him on those things, they’d actually listen. (seriously, why are they paying a consultant x dollars, only to not listen to anything he’s found out? Not that I mind that they’re paying him, but y’know)
Don’t get me wrong, Alfie has had a great season, and you’re right that Ottawa tanked when he wasn’t in the lineup, but in my mind the MVP should be someone whose team would be nowhere without him. I know that’s not how they pick it, but that’s how I pick it.
Kovalchuk should get consideration too, I would think. Maybe Iginla. I don’t watch the Western Conference enough to make a real educated guess there.
Good Luck at the dr’s Caitlin!!!
Your dad consults in marketing for the NHL? Dude!!!!!! That would be my dream! *swooning*
Don’t get me wrong, Alfie has had a great season, and you’re right that Ottawa tanked when he wasn’t in the lineup, but in my mind the MVP should be someone whose team would be nowhere without him.
Well, while it was a very small sample size, I think the few games Alfredsson missed were telling. Regardless of the other talent, he’s clearly the player making that team go because they didn’t just lose, they looked helpless. (And now I’m going to quit arguing in favor of Alfie winning the Hart because I hate him.)
I fluctuate from season to season on how I pick the MVP. The player should definitely make a difference to his team but it’s not Lidstrom’s fault that he’s always surrounded by a lot of talent so I kind of hate to hold that against him.
Yeah, he used to do it for some electronics internationals, but apparently some sports consultancy yoinked him and now he does, amongst other things, stuff for the NHL.
The player should definitely make a difference to his team but it’s not Lidstrom’s fault that he’s always surrounded by a lot of talent so I kind of hate to hold that against him.
I agree that it’s not his fault, but the way I look at MVP is – most valuable to his own team. I think Detroit would be a powerhouse without him. Washington, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta would be in suck-ville without Ovie, Crosby, and Kovalchuk, IMO.
Mags, that is SO cool. Tell your Dad he’s my new hero.
Oh, and tell my husband that girls can play hockey! He doesn’t want me to (course, I’d have to learn how to skate first) because he doesn’t want me to get hurt. Personally, I think it has more to do with the fact that I’d be in the box constantly for hitting in a no-checking league, but I want to play!!!!
Man, I sound whiny, but I reallllllly want to learn.
Well, obviously Pittsburgh is not so much suck-ville without Croz, but that is a rant that would probably be detrimental to my, and some of the Devils’, health.
I think Detroit would be a powerhouse without him. Washington, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta would be in suck-ville without Ovie, Crosby, and Kovalchuk, IMO.
Well, technically Washington and Atlanta are in suck-ville even WITH Ovechkin and Kovalchuk. But I get what you’re saying. I just disagree :-) I don’t think you can remove a piece like Lidstrom without it making a difference. I don’t think the Red Wings are going to crumble without him but they’re going to be different and they’re going to have to compensate for his absence. That makes him valuable.
But I do get what you’re saying, really!
tell my husband that girls can play hockey!
Duh! Girls can play hockey! Neither Mara, nor my sister, nor the Penguin Peanut, nor I have gotten killed doing it. We’ve all been banged up, but nothing irreparable! Seriously, if you’re responsible, and wear proper gear, there’s no one who can tell you you can’t play!
I don’t think you can remove a piece like Lidstrom without it making a difference.
I agree, Heather. I don’t think MVP should be an award that is reserved only for great players on otherwise shitty teams. I mean, sometimes that’s a clear-cut choice (like Sid last year), but sometimes there are great players who happen to be the straw that stirs the drink on otherwise great teams.
Oh and, I see your point Amanda, but I’m with Heather and Schnookie on the MVP thing.
Pepsi nearly went through my nose as the image of Lidstrom stirring a drink with all the other players treading water in the liquid popped into my head. Wow, that was close, I could’ve had a big mess. That’s just crying for a Photoshop, I wish I had more time and talent!
While I admit that Lidstrom probably (annoyingly) deserves all of his Norris trophies, he’d probably be WAY down my list of MVP candidates.
the image of Lidstrom stirring a drink with all the other players treading water
I bet Earl could make that happen :D
I don’t think it has to be a guy from a team that sucks, and it’s definitely true that Atlanta and Wash still suck w/ Kovie and Ovie but Detroit is so strong across the board – I guess my argument against Lidstrom in the Detroit vein would be – what about Zetterberg, Datsyuk, or even Osgood?
Even Pittsburgh has Malkin besides Crosby. I don’t think a Sabre ever would win MVP because the team is too balanced, and I feel the same way about Detroit.
BTW, I’m not trying to be argumentative. I just like to debate and so few people will engage me when it comes to NHL debates.
I don’t think MVP should be an award that is reserved only for great players on otherwise shitty teams. I mean, sometimes that’s a clear-cut choice (like Sid last year), but sometimes there are great players who happen to be the straw that stirs the drink on otherwise great teams.
I agree with this. Particularly because it can be quite hard to tell the effect of one player on a good team unless that player gets hurt.
BTW, I’m not trying to be argumentative. I just like to debate and so few people will engage me when it comes to NHL debates.
No, it’s good! We’re enjoying the discussion, too.
While I admit that Lidstrom probably (annoyingly) deserves all of his Norris trophies, he’d probably be WAY down my list of MVP candidates.
Patty, I don’t think he’s in the MVP conversation either (not that I watch enough of the WC to know), he was just the first example I thought of of a good player on a good team.
Amanda, I know you’re not being argumentative. I love a good debate.
Patty – is Boucher your favorite player? I had some cards of him when he was a Sabre – he was so young! I remember him vaguely from when I started watching the Sabres.
Bouche was once a Sabre? What? (In my head, Bouche has been a Star since forever and ever and ever. I’m sure he’s been other things, but I just can’t imagine him on another team other than the Stars. Or lifting Patty up and carrying her around when she tells him too)
Yes he is, Amanda! I was reminded recently that he played for the Sabres originally. I always think of him as being a King and then a Star.
MVP and other awards are voted on by the writers, right? I wonder how the results would be different if they players themselves voted on the winners.
I wonder how the results would be different if they players themselves voted on the winners.
That’s the Lester Pearson trophy. I believe Sid won it last year.
I had some cards of him when he was a Sabre – he was so young!
NO LIE. Oh my god his rookie card made me die of cute.
MVP and other awards are voted on by the writers, right? I wonder how the results would be different if they players themselves voted on the winners.
That’s what the Lester Patrick award is, right? MVP as voted on by the players?
Yep, Baby Boucher was a Sabre!
That’s the Lester Pearson trophy. I believe Sid won it last year.
Player’s MVP, right? But why shouldn’t players get a say in the rest of the awards?
I guess my argument against Lidstrom in the Detroit vein would be – what about Zetterberg, Datsyuk, or even Osgood?
There are many great devices I rely on every day. My laptop, my mp3 player, my wireless router, my TiVo, my CenterIce. They’re all fantastic. But one of those things, while maybe not better than the others, is most valuable. Without CenterIce my TiVo, my router, my mp3 player and my laptop would all work wonderfully, but my life is made best by Center Ice. It’s perfectly reasonable that a great player on a team of great players could still be Most Valuable to his team. If I had no computer, an old tape deck, no wireless, an ancient VCR and Center Ice, that wouldn’t make Center Ice that much better or more valuable, you know?
Patty, I don’t think he’s in the MVP conversation either (not that I watch enough of the WC to know), he was just the first example I thought of of a good player on a good team.
And if I really thought about it and studied about it, I might not find somebody above him on my list.
The thing is, I never worry about the MVP, I guess because we’re one of those balanced teams, too (now that you mention it, Amanda). So nobody on the Stars is ever considered. But I do think about the Norris and the Selke and whom I think I’d pick for those.
Hey Cat! I’ve been after my mom to get you a quote for that stick. Maybe I’ll just take my own stick down to UPS to get a quote for you. I promise we’ll get it done!
I think smokin’ Jochen is getting overlooked for the Selke, but I’m biased. I love the mad German.
Jochen’s desperately overlooked by most Sabres fan, IMO. It’s no wonder the rest of the league doesn’t appreciate him.
True dat, Heather. Hecht is a BEAST in the corners. He must be a lot stronger than he looks. Ruff says that Kotalik is the strongest on the team? Seriously? The way he gets muscled off of pucks? Jochen just toys with the opposition and then gives that little hint of a smile. Gotta love that mouthpiece too. I have no idea how he can breathe with that thing in.
Hey Cat! I’ve been after my mom to get you a quote for that stick. Maybe I’ll just take my own stick down to UPS to get a quote for you. I promise we’ll get it done!
No rush! I’m just eternally grateful!!
I think smokin’ Jochen is getting overlooked for the Selke, but I’m biased. I love the mad German.
“Smokin’ Jochen” is totally an accurate nickname for him. Damn.
If I had no computer, an old tape deck, no wireless, an ancient VCR and Center Ice, that wouldn’t make Center Ice that much better or more valuable, you know?
I like your analogy, Pookie!
You know what makes Center Ice much better, though? Making the last payment on it. :D
I have no problem believing Kotalik is the strongest guy on the team. He just doesn’t use it on a consistent basis. Although I will say, I’m pretty okay with him right now and by this point in the season I’m usually ready to kick him to the curb.
I think smokin’ Jochen is getting overlooked for the Selke, but I’m biased. I love the mad German.
And, he’s apparently a sweetheart. My 14-year-old cousin met him at an autograph signing. When the signing was done, Jochen had the store personnel round up the kids that were still in the store and if they wanted, could get another picture with him. By the time it was all said and done, my cousin darn near had the vapors, since her arm got to touch Jochen’s in the photo.
I’m still pissed Sid stole Lui’s MVP from last year but meh :p I’m totally biased.
I can’t believe my team keeps losing. Columbus is going to steal our play off spot at this rate. *Sigh* Oh well, at least they’re still pretty.
I’m pretty okay with him right now and by this point in the season I’m usually ready to kick him to the curb.
Somewhere, Ales Kotalik is thinking “What is this strange feeling? Am I… living up to expectations? Well damn.” (I dunno, that probably isn’t true. But I just had this image)
I’m fine with Kotalik. As long as you understand that he is what he is and that’s all he’s going to be (like Max), you can handle him much better. I’m sure he’s strong – his arms & torso are quite large in street clothes, but like you said, he doesn’t use it consistently.
I had a bit of a crush on Kotalik a few years ago. Dude’s got bedroom eyes if I ever saw them. I saw him and a couple other guys in a restaurant once and he looked right at me as I passed and wished them luck. I nearly melted into a puddle, which would’ve been pretty embarrassing. Roy and Pommer were there too, along with Pyatt and someone else (can’t remember the last guy). That’s when my Pommercrush started too. He was really nice.
“When the signing was done, Jochen had the store personnel round up the kids that were still in the store and if they wanted, could get another picture with him.”
Awwwwww! So sweet.
ROFLMAO – Mags – you’re too much!
I’m still pissed Sid stole Lui’s MVP from last year but meh :p I’m totally biased.
Yes, you are.
I luff Jochen. Oh, because Gambler found out what “Hecht” means in German, I went and asked my Dutch instructor what it means in Dutch (which prompted a long “you know that. For God’s sake girl!” conversation) and I discovered that it means “tight”, “secure” and “to be attached”. If you get stitches, in Dutch they say you’ve been “gehecht” (this is why I should have known). So yeah, he’s got that going for him.
I just told my mom what you said about Al, and she replied, “Well, Dmitri (Kalinin) must be living up to expectations too then.” He’s her favorite player. Poor dear.
Amy, that’s so sweet. I love hearing stuff like that about players. Jochen seems like he would be a sweet guy so I’m so glad to hear he really is.
I love Dmitri Kalinin and I’m not afraid to admit it!
Wasn’t Hecht one of the guys who said they were spending the AS break playing with their kids?
I’m fine with Kalinin too. I think people are way too harsh on him. I think it’s pretty telling that the Sabres haven’t signed him either. Of course, no one is throwing out “OMG! We must sign Kalinin NOW!” diatribes like they are for Soupy, but….
I love Dmitri Kalinin and I’m not afraid to admit it!
Hee! I’ve gotten to the point where I just sort of do the mental equivalent of plugging my ears and humming when people complain about him.
I think it’s pretty telling that the Sabres haven’t signed him either.
Yeah, he’s definitely not a priority for them. I think what happens with him will probably depend on what happens with Campbell, trades, etc.
Awww, poor AmandaMom. Hey, he’s good enough for her if he’s living up to her expectations :)
I’d, personally, give the MVP (at this point in the season; there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played) to Jason Spezza and Vinny Lecavalier. They’d be co-MVPs. Why? Because this morning Schnookie reminded me of the post we wrote not long after starting IPB called “The New NHL — It’s Not Poop”. It was all about how the New NHL made us love hockey again. Schnookie pointed out that not only has the New NHL made me love hockey again, but now I’m swooning over two Old NHL players I used to despise. That’s talent on the part of Yayson and Vinny, so I award them the MVP. For now.
Mmm…Vinny and Yayson. Very good choices :D
Yayson is definitely a better player than I thought he was. I just hate that he’s a Sabre-killer. If he was on my team, though, I think I’d have a Yaysoncrush. I dunno if I could respect him, though, since he not only knew he was wearing Dolce & Gabbana, but pronounced it correctly. I was half-expecting Derek Roy to come into the picture and high-five him.
I love Spezza in that NHL08 commercial. “Goalies.” hee.
I dunno if I could respect him, though, since he not only knew he was wearing Dolce & Gabbana, but pronounced it correctly.
I think most of the guys I know would pronouce it correctly, so I have to let that slide.
I love Spezza in that NHL08 commercial. “Goalies.” hee.
I love that commercial because it totally sounds like Marty is calling him “Spazz.”
I do not care for Jason Spezza.
Has anybody seen that parody commercial of the “Is this the year?” Pretty funny! Sid sounds so emo. “Is this the year Chelios retires?”
I think most of the guys I know would pronouce it correctly, so I have to let that slide.
Yeah. Although now I’m having visions of Scott Gomez being like all the girls on ANTM mispronouncing Hermes.
Although now I’m having visions of Scott Gomez being like all the girls on ANTM mispronouncing Hermes.
Hee! How did they pronounce it.
Guys you know can pronounce Dolce & Gabbana correctly? Wow, props to them. My husband said, “What did he say? It sounded like jibberish.”
I must go find the parody commercial. I love YouTube.
I dunno if I could respect him, though, since he not only knew he was wearing Dolce & Gabbana, but pronounced it correctly. I was half-expecting Derek Roy to come into the picture and high-five him.
After seeing Derek Roy’s crib, I would expect nothing less from Roy-Z.
alix, I probably shouldn’t laugh at “Is this the year someone dies on the ice?” but I did because it’s SO damn TRUE. I also liked the, “How about next year? The next year? Five years from now?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMs6gcUA6Bc – here it is, for anyone who’s interested.
There’s a wrong way to pronounce D&G? I did not know this. And off course Jason got it right, he used to model, duh!
But, like Heather, I do not care for him much.
Alix, got a link?
Hee! How did they pronounce it.
Her-mees, I think. (To be fair, the actual incident I’m referring to was really a sad affair involving this girl who was dirt poor from some ghetto in Miami or something. Her grandmother went without electricity for a month to buy the girl a bikini to audition for ANTM. It was obvious that Tyra wanted to save this girl from life on the streets or something, so the whole “let’s make her pronounce fancy fashion stuff” turned into a really bizarrely uncomfortable commentary on poverty and fashion. This clearly broke the girl’s spirit causing Tyra to yell at her [sincerely upset, I think] that the girl wasn’t seeing ANTM as a road to success. Or something.)
Ah yes, the modeling…. I had totally forgotten. Ok, I’ll let it slide. He is VERY pretty. He’d be a good model.
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::
*wearing my tea*
Yeah I laughed way to hard at that one too, Heather. Then I felt bad. 10 years from now? Heh. They all sound so stoned.
He is VERY pretty.
Oh yes. Mainsails for ears though.
Her-mees, I think.
Ah. Makes sense I guess. That does sound like an uncomfortable bit of social commentary on a show that’s generally superficial.
Jochen’s got a defective ear and he’s still cute! ;-)
I want to do an all-positive alternate version of that commercial. “Is this the year Pookie has an epiphvinny? Is this the year the NHL stops whining about not having enough good young players? Is this the year a national television channel is eager to re-up it’s contract with the NHL?”
That’s so sad about the girl on ANTM.
Oh yes. Mainsails for ears though.
It’s the flaws that make a person transcend merely “attractive” to become “compelling”. :P
That does sound like an uncomfortable bit of social commentary on a show that’s generally superficial.
Superficial? ANTM?! Nonsense!
“Is this the year they stop marketing the league through fighting? Is this the year the NHL gets higher ratings than bass fishing? Is this the year?”
Stuff like that? No? Oh well. You go girl!
I want to do an all-positive alternate version of that commercial. “Is this the year Pookie has an epiphvinny? Is this the year the NHL stops whining about not having enough good young players? Is this the year a national television channel is eager to re-up it’s contract with the NHL?”
I think it’s brilliant. Do it!
It’s the flaws that make a person transcend merely “attractive” to become “compelling”. :P
Agreed. Which is why I love Heater’s mismatched pupils. Thing is, all I can think of if I look at Spezzeroni for too long is “Prince Charles”. I’m sorry Spezz!
Anyhow, bed time. Lab exam in the morning (the result of which really only matters to my ego). See y’all tomorrow! Who’s playing today? Sabres, right? Anyhoo, GO SABRES.
Superficial? ANTM?! Nonsense!
Hey, I’m not judging . . . I was watching boys lick each other on Make Me a Supermodel the other day.
Night Mags! I’m gonna send the hubby to you next time he tells me my delicate little frame can’t take the rigors of hockey!
Good luck on your exam tomorrow, even if it’s not crucial to your grade!
Ephivinny must be spread throughtout the land! Go for it, Pookie!
I’m such a nerd, I just spent half an hour looking for rhinocerous pictures.
Speaking of ANTM, Jen can be blamed for getting me totally addicted. I was up until about 5 or 6 in the morning watching it a few nights ago.
Night, Mags!
Night, Mags.
Goodnight, Mags! Good luck on your lab exam tomorrow!
Cat, I’m glad you’re liking ANTM! It’s really a spectacular show. And I didn’t mean to get all depressing about the Hermes. I just wanted to cover my ass if a fan of the show read that and was like, “You’re such a racist, classist jerk laughing at Tiffiany for that!”
I don’t “get” reality shows. I don’t watch any of them. Actually, I don’t watch much TV at all other than hockey. Most of the shows I like aren’t mainstream anyway – my two favorites are Battlestar Galactica and Wildfire. Reality shows just never appealed to me, but obviously I’m in the minority since so many of them are getting high ratings.
Wow, I just read on MSG that that collosion in which Pando gave Zach a gash on the nose happened before practice started!
I’m such a nerd, I just spent half an hour looking for rhinocerous pictures.
Hahaha! I do the same thing! I spent hours one day looking for a picture of a kid peeking through his fingers. Don’t even ask me why. I was still looking long after I had forgotten why.
Yowza! Was Zach taunting Pando about his racoon wife or something?
Hee! Good to hear I’m not the only one, Patty. I was looking for a picture of Rufus to cheer me up about the Canucks losing more than they’re winning.
Wow, I just read on MSG that that collosion in which Pando gave Zach a gash on the nose happened before practice started!
I have been meaning to ask what happened. I kept getting distracted when you were talking about it yesterday.
Was it just a hit or a high stick? And now I need to know what the hell they were doing before practice that would cause it.
Are we seeing discord in the locker room? Duhn duhn duhhhnnnn. :D
I was just kidding!
Are we seeing discord in the locker room?
Speaking of that, what would cause discord in the locker room? “You took my roll of hockey tape!” “Where’s my special hair gel?” (Oh, wait, that’s only Spezza and Roy, and they play for different teams.) “Who put baby powder in my towel?” “Turn off the freegin’ death metal!” (Oh wait, that’s just Lydman and Stafford, but I could see a riot breaking out over that in the Sabres locker room.)
*Sigh* Sami Salo is day to day. Apparently we can’t go one day without a new injury. Silly bubble boy. Well, at least this draft is nice and deep.
Patty, during the game they said it was an elbow from Pando that pushed Zach’s visor down across the bridge of his nose, cutting him. That made perfect sense in the context of “practice had started”. Out of that context? It’s hilariously funny!
Maybe Zach wears his helmet everywhere he goes. Maybe they were at Dunkin Donuts getting coffee (so they wouldn’t freeze at peewee… oh, never mind), when Pando reached across Zach to get to the cream and sugar. Zach, who likes nothing more than a cup of coffee with eight tablespoons of sugar, was reaching for the sugar at the same time as Pando and Pando’s elbow connected with his helmet.
Maybe Zach wears his helmet everywhere he goes. Maybe they were at Dunkin Donuts getting coffee
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Patty, during the game they said it was an elbow from Pando that pushed Zach’s visor down across the bridge of his nose, cutting him.
A noogie injury!
A noogie injury!
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
“A noogie injury!”
Hee!
A noogie injury!
Oh my god, that’s TOTALLY it! (Actually, I bet Zach just suffered the cut during one of his compulsive three-a-day haircuts, and embarrassed that he has such a haircut problem, he begged Pando to cover for him and claim it was a visor-inflicted injury.)
Noogies COULD cause locker room discord – this theory should not be discounted.
All right, ladies. I’m going downstairs to wait for the hubby and have a love-fest with my kitty, who is wailing outside the computer room door. She’s not allowed in here cuz there are always little computer pieces everywhere and she’s like a toddler -she puts everything in her mouth.
Go Sabres! (And whichever teams you guys are rooting for as long as they’re not Florida)
Bye, Amanda! Go Fl– um, bye Amanda!
:D
Ugh, I don’t know what bothers me more — the fact that I was seriously just instructed to write a goodbye letter to cigarettes, or the fact that none of the prescriptions the doctor wrote me are covered by insurance!
And I just got home from the doctor! Grr! Argh!
Sorry about that Caitlin. I hope it doesn’t sour you on the idea of quitting.
Doctors take up the whole day, don’t they? No matter how little time you actually spend in their presence.
Sorry about that Caitlin. I hope it doesn’t sour you on the idea of quitting.
Well, it made me instantly crave a cigarette, but that’s okay – you’re actually supposed to smoke the first week on Chantix.
Due to the insane problems with migraines I’m having, I had to have two separate migraine medications prescribed to me – a day to day preventative, and a medication to take if I feel one coming on, as well as a muscle relaxer for the symptoms I get when I have a migraine.
I got samples on the muscle relaxer (!) and the “take it if you feel it coming on” medication, but the day to day preventative and the Chantix? Not covered by insurance.
I know I need these medications – I do. But it just feels wrong that bill for prescription medications this month will far exceed my flippin’ car payment!
I’ve had to pay crazy prices for prescriptions before, but not THIS crazy. Where is Michael Moore when you need him?
I HATE paying for prescriptions! It always costs a ridiculous amount, and it’s like “I know I need this, but JESUS CHRIST, I’D LIKE TO PAY MY FUCKING BILLS TOO!”
I’m sorry medication costs so much, Caitlin. Suckage.
I’m sorry medication costs so much, Caitlin. Suckage.
That’s okay, because I’m going to find out how well these muscle relaxers work! Give me 20 and I won’t give a shit anymore. :D At least not until tomorrow. Egads.
Boo! That sucks, Caitlin. I sorry.
That’s okay, because I’m going to find out how well these muscle relaxers work! Give me 20 and I won’t give a shit anymore.
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Boo! That sucks, Caitlin. I sorry.
Ah, it’s okay. I have to go back in three weeks anyway, I’ll just call the insurance company and see if I can’t find out what IS covered!
Cailtlin, I’m so, so, so sorry! I hope everything works out. Instead of writing a goodbye letter to cigarettes, how about a hello letter to TiVo?
Caitlin, I’m so sorry everything’s so expensive! Although I’m confused — you don’t think writing a goodbye letter to cigarettes is going to help you? :P (I used to work for a pharmacy benefit manager, so I spent all day telling people how much their drugs were going to cost and explaining why they weren’t being covered. Every time I grouse that my prescriptions are too expensive I think about the people who were calling to get help with cancer meds that were going to cost them literally thousands of dollars out-of-pocket because of the way the plan they were on assigned them in the formulary.)
Instead of writing a goodbye letter to cigarettes, how about a hello letter to TiVo?
Yeah! That sounds much better!
Hey, is the writer’s strike over? I keep hearing that Lost is about to start up again. I don’t watch that one, but it’s the only one I’m hearing news about.
Just curious. I don’t follow it very well.
As far as I know, it’s not over yet. The episodes of shows that are coming back are ones that were written pre-strike. I’m so frustrated right now – I don’t want the Oscars to end up like the Golden Globes.
Cailtlin, I’m so, so, so sorry! I hope everything works out. Instead of writing a goodbye letter to cigarettes, how about a hello letter to TiVo?
An excellent idea!
I used to work for a pharmacy benefit manager, so I spent all day telling people how much their drugs were going to cost and explaining why they weren’t being covered.
Oh goodness gracious, yes, it could be worse. The Chantix I get, because it’s a lifestyle drug – Pfizer purposely price-pointed it so that one pill is roughly equivalent to the average price for a pack of cigarettes. It’s the migraine medication I don’t get.
The medication they prescribed me for migraines is an old-school antidepressant. The docs told me that they’re discovering that the old-school drugs for blood pressure & depression (before we got the new wave of SSRIs, etc. and other blood pressure meds) seem to do amazingly positive things for migraines. Which is why it mystifies me that a 30 day supply is so freaking expensive. Am I the only person taking this crap anymore?!?!? It’s been around forever!
And on the goodbye letter to cigarettes, I didn’t explain to my doc what a smartass I am. Because the letter would look something like this:
Dear Cigarettes:
You make me sick!
Fuck off!
Love,
Me
(See what I did there?)
Also, my doctor advised that I join a Chantix-sponsored support group, and I asked her (in all seriousness!) if there was a Smokers Anonymous and she looked not amused. Doc, I wasn’t joking!
Patty, the strike is still on. There were 8 episodes of Lost completed before the strike started and ABC decided to go ahead and air them. (Yay!)
It’s the migraine medication I don’t get.
That is SO assy. I’m so, so sorry! (And I didn’t mean for my comment about the cancer meds to be so didactic and annoying! @@@ As soon as I hit “submit” I was like, “This is such an obnoxious comment…”)
Thanks for the writers’ strike update. I guess I won’t hold my breath for Heroes to start up again. (Even though I’m pretty much over it already. But I was going to give it another chance.)
I guess I won’t hold my breath for Heroes to start up again.
But aren’t you dying to know why that guy was wearing a wig?
But aren’t you dying to know why that guy was wearing a wig?
HAHAHAHAHA! That was the “other chance” I was gonna give it!
And maybe find out why the main bad guy tweezes his eyebrows so evenly.
Oh, because Gambler found out what “Hecht” means in German, I went and asked my Dutch instructor what it means in Dutch (which prompted a long “you know that. For God’s sake girl!” conversation) and I discovered that it means “tight”, “secure” and “to be attached”.
That. Is. So. Awesome! Guys, Yo-Yo and I are totally hecht!
And maybe find out why the main bad guy tweezes his eyebrows so evenly.
Heh. (I actually have only seen the first six or so episodes of the first season. But based on that, I can see how distracting the grooming is.)
Guys, Yo-Yo and I are totally hecht!
You’re so right, Gambler!
(Even though I’m pretty much over it already. But I was going to give it another chance.)
Heroes sucked for a lot of the second season. And then they killed my favorite character after ignoring him all year. Still… It was getting a little better and there’s always a chance they just “killed” him.
Still… It was getting a little better and there’s always a chance they just “killed” him.
It’s true. I think we’ve already established here that JJ Abrams is a crazy bastard with crazy bastard ideas. Anything is possible in his world.
Speaking of which, it’s not Heroes, but this video cracks my shit up.
Gambler, that’s great! He had a flashback of a flashback!
Ew, I can only watch the Detroit feed of the Phoenix/Detroit game. Disgusting.
Gambler, Yo-Yo was just on TV! He winked and mouthed, “I miss you, Gambler. But even far away we are hecht.”
Aw! And wow, Yo-Yo learned Dutch! Color me impressed!
I miss hockey…
It’s ridiculously late here, so LET’S GO BUFFALO and I’ll see everyone tomorrow. Have a good night!
I’m just leaving the office (gak!), so I’ll see you all on the next thread.