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GAME NOTES, MINOR OBSERVATIONS, MARCH 7
By Killer Bee Hockey | March 7, 2008
Early edition game notes for this weekend.
Make sure to get to the game early on Saturday to get one of the Killer Bees wall clocks being given away. And don’t forget to set your clocks ahead Saturday night. That’ll make Sunday’s 4 p.m. game at Austin all that more fun.
And just as a reminder, there’s no CHL Network video from Austin. Online audio only at killerbeehockey.com and on the air at KURV 710 Talk Radio. Of course, Saturday’s game is also on Televisa XERV-9 (cable 19). DVR it and let me know what you think.
POKE CHECK!
This is possibly the funniest hockey commercial ever. Listen close to what the goalie is saying, especially in the beginning when the two other guys are talking on the bench.
DOUG SOUR?
Looks like Doug Sauter’s had it in Oke City, with good reason. I think you could insert “Paul Fixter” and “Killer Bees” in place of Sauter and Blazers and most of the story would apply here. That said, I’m not sure how absolutely ripping you’re team like that helps. There’s a difference between a public cattle prod and a full out rip. By the way (and this is no way a knock on Sauter, who from my limited time talking to him seems like a genuinely nice guy) but he annually gets my vote for Best Mascot in the Best of the Best Poll. Why? He is easily the most recognizable face in the CHL and perhaps in minor pro hockey.
WHERE’D EVERYONE GO?
The gallery has been silent lately. Few complaints and absolutely no discussion regarding any of the posts here. The biggest reason the blog exists is for discussion, so let’s go!
MORE WITH BIG T
I sat down with Terry Tychon and did a pretty lengthy interview with him yesterday. I’ll run it in two parts during the first intermission of Friday’s game at Laredo and will also post some selected comments here on the blog.
SHORTEN THE SCHEDULE!
I’ve long been a proponent of the NHL and AHL reducing the number of games they play for a host of reasons, not limited to the wear and tear on the players and travel expenses. The fact is the season is just too damn long. The most compelling argument, however, is attendance. This recent story about the Rockford IceHogs has a great quote from the team’s GM regarding mid-week games…
“Wednesdays are what they are. We can’t convince anyone to come out on Wednesdays. Kids have practices, there’s bedtimes. Those decisions, no matter what we do or advertising dollars spent, they are what they are.”
Ain’t that the truth?! The pie-in-the-sky types in minor pro sports always say “we could be doing more, our sales staff needs to pick it up and do a better job, blah, blah, blah.” Enough already. Listen up leagues; stop wasting everyone’s money and shorten the schedules already. The CHL has it right although I think 60 games is plenty. There will always be a few mid-week games due to travel and arena logistics, but the fact of the matter is, with very few exceptions, NO ONE DRAWS during the week.
NUMBAH FO-AH, BOBBY O-AH
Just bought a couple of books…Searching for Bobby Orr and Static. The first is obviously about the greatest defenseman and arguably the greatest player in the game, ever. Part bio, part documentary, this is awesome so far.
As a kid growing up in Rhode Island, I heard lots about Orr from my dad. I’d always loved the game of hockey, but for one reason or another never started to follow it seriously till I was about 14. I do remember trying to stay up late for the 1987 Cup Finals when the Oilers beat the Flyers (my 2nd favorite team) and running around the basement with a left-handed stick my Aunt Anna (a Habs fan) got me even though shooting right felt more natural. Also remember being excited that the Flames won the Cup in 89 (my 3rd favorite team). I still shoot left, and I suppose that helped me, minimally, when I finally started playing goal in high school.
One of the first times I really heard of Orr was when I was maybe eight or nine. My dad took me to a baseball card show and I got a Bobby Orr Rally Patch. I won it from a game called Pick A Stick, where you paid a few bucks, picked a stick, and won the prize that coincided with the number. The patch originally came with skates, from what I’ve been able to find. I asked my dad who Bobby Orr was and I remember him telling me he was the greatest hockey player ever. My dad’s a bigger baseball fan than a hockey fan, a Yankees fan no less, but he certainly loves hockey.
As I got older and started to follow the Bruins more intently, going to games at Boston Garden with the old man and learning about the game and eventually the great history that surrounds it, it became far more obvious who Orr was as a player.
I was at the last game at Boston Garden with my dad in September of 1995, an exhibition match between the B’s and the Habs. They brought out all the old Bruins they could for one final lap around the ice. Of course, the final guy to be announced was Orr. Hearing that name reverberate through the Garden sent a chill through me and there were all sorts of people choking back tears. I think the old man was, although he’s never admitted as much.
We were miffed to find out we missed out on meeting Orr and Don Cherry as they greeted fans entering the building that night. Each entrance had different ex-B’s greeting fans. I know we met Don Awrey (who was on the ice and rang the puck just before Orr’s famous goal) and Wayne Cashman I believe, but I’m not sure. Awrey, by the way, used to to run a Boston to Montreal bus charter for B’s-Habs games and my pop and I went twice. Awrey, oddly enough, is now an off ice official in the ECHL.
When they opened the new Garden, Orr signed autographs at an event and my dad and I each got a copy of the famous Cup-winning goal (you have to watch this) signed. Here’s a still photo of the goal, one of the most famous sports action shots of all time. He seemed to enjoy meeting the fans.
At any rate, Orr clearly revolutionized the position of defense and I can’t wait to have some more time to finish the book. Never had anyone led the rush from the back end like he did. Watching old video of him now is still mind blowing. Do yourself a favor and click that link to see some of his work. You might even recognize the theme music.
Static, meanwhile, is a look at how the corporate media distorts the truth and is manipulated by the government and exists to serve corporate interests. Since this is a hockey forum, I won’t go into too much. But if you’re interested in that type of thing, it’s been a good read so far.
MILAN LUCIC
Since this post has Bruins-centric theme, check out this scrap featuring Milan Lucic, the 19-year old rising star for the Beantowners. Good stuff. NESN recently did a profile on Lucic and he was wearing glasses. My good buddy Alex Del Barrio and I were were out at a local establishment watching the game and did a double take. ADB said, “he looks like your younger brother.” I can’t find any pics of him wearing specs, but you be the judge . Me. Lucic.
Topics: Minor Observations, Game Notes |