Oh, to be in Salt Lake City tonight, with a ticket to tonight's Jazz game, to see them retire John Stockton's number. A foregone conclusion that they'd do it, and it makes me wish I'd been a little smarter--I would not mind taking time off to see it.
Ah well. Thanks for 19 great years, Basketball John, we miss you.
Heh. I wonder if it's coincidence that my favorite basketball player and my favorite hockey player both wear the same number. Funny how I never noticed before.
I'm really looking forward to seeing whether this Phelps kid can tie or beat Spitz's record for swimming medals. I watched him do the 400m IM yesterday, and holy shit, the kid is amazing. I hope he can do it.
But I also hope that, if he doesn't--and he's only human, in spite of the fact that he's an inspired and amazing swimmer--he doesn't get shit from people because of it. He's already won a gold. How many people in the world can claim that kind of honor? Not only that, but I think that the interest he's sparked in swimming will last for quite awhile.
So...yeah. Hopefully, he'll do it, but if he doesn't...well. It's still been pretty bloody amazing to watch him.
...that this would be the last sports-related entry for awhile, but I'm honestly not sure.
I had to write this, though...it started last night after the game--I had to write part of it before I could sleep last night.
I also sent it to 'fan mail' on the Sharks website. I don't expect anything to come of it, but part of me still holds out this hope that they'll see it, somewhere. :)
An open letter to the San Jose Sharks players and coaching staff of the 2003-2004 season
Last season, 2002-2003, was my first as a season ticket holder, the first year that we didn't buy a Shark Pack. It was going to be so exciting, it was going to be so wonderful, it was...wow. So very much not what anyone expected, probably not even in their wildest of nightmares.
And yet, there was never a question in our minds that we would renew for the 03-04 season. No question at all, it was simply fact, simply there. We waited to see what the off-season would bring. We cheered when Patrick Marleau signed early, and cheered again when others followed suit. We puzzled a little over Selanne's departure, but ultimately figured that it was for the best (little did we know!). We wondered at who Scott Parker was, and whether he'd be a good fit. We were glad to see that Stuart and Thornton were healthy again and ready to go.
The excitement and anticipation grew as the season grew nearer, and were certain of Parker even then, impressed by the grit that he showed during the pre-season. Who fights in pre-season games, after all, and with such passion?
And then...then, finally, came the regular season. There were hints of promise here and there, enough ties that we were certain we'd take then NHL record by the time all was said and done, and at last, for the hometown faithful, that first home victory of the season. The amazing goal by Patrick Marleau parked out in front of the Nashville net.
There are so many other highlights of the season, for me, that it'd take pages to list them all. Every single player on the roster this year made at least one play that rendered me speechless. The chemistry that we saw on the ice was amazing, and we were grateful for Drew's locker room Shark Byte segments. We knew there was something special, something magical in that locker room.
We watched Nabokov post a career year for shut-outs. We watched Vesa's brilliant play while Nabby was out. We watched and cheered until we were hoarse for Ekman's penalty shot, then did the same for Cheechoo's. We watched, and worried, as Marco was lost for the season, wondering what kind of effect that would have on the team, particularly on his linemates, and we were happy to see the result, even when it took a little longer for some than others.
Then came the last few games of the season, and the agonizing waiting game to see how high the Sharks could go. Wayne Primeau's OT-winning goal against Dallas to give the team 100 points for the first time, the closest Dallas ever got, in the end. The shut-out against the Kings to clinch the second seed in the playoffs, to tie the record for most road wins in a season.
And then...then, there was the last game of the season. The Kings, with their two goal lead, late in the third. Stuart's two fastest goals, and Vinnie's OT-winner...I thought the roof was going to blow off the place. It was an amazing moment, such a wonderful feeling just to be there, to watch that, to feel like I was a part of it, even for just one moment.
Excitement ruled for the playoffs, and it seemed the team was as fired up as we were. Game one, Vinnie with the incredible presence of mind to warn Niko off the puck, then push it forward to him. Marleau driving the net, and then... My Boston-born husband beside himself (as were we all) when Niko stole game one with that brilliant shot. Game two, and Patrick's hat trick...the hat trick that we'd waited and hoped for all season, the chance to see it at home, and it came in the playoffs. Wild. Incredible, wild, and wonderful. Korolyuk's brilliant effort in the game three loss. Nabokov so strong and huge in net, the whole series. The fast pace of game four, and bringing it home to win in game five, with the crowd going wild as the handshake took place at center ice.
Up next, Colorado, and once again, Patrick and his hat trick, and some great play by Niko. Cheechoo's amazing goal that left Blake and Aebischer staring at one another, wondering how in the name of all that was holy had that puck gone in. The stellar defense from the big four--McLaren, Rathje, Hannan, and Stuart. The 1-0 shutout. The two worrying OT losses, but a brilliant game six...so brilliant that I couldn't argue that it happened on someone else's ice.
There were so many others, too, who stood out: Smitty and Goc. Harvey. McCauley back in the lineup, then Thornton's return. A true team effort that was amazing to watch.
And then, Calgary. There's not so much to say, here. It's hard enough to go through as a fan, I can't imagine what it must be like as a player. It's hard to talk about, so soon. I couldn't watch the handshake, I heard later about the ultimate in class acts from Darryl Sutter. I'd have given almost anything to hear what he had to say, but it's still a bitter, bitter thing to swallow.
Now, the next day, the ashes have cleared a little, but there's still a Sharks-sized hole in my heart that won't quite be filled again until the next season starts, whenever that happens to be. There'll be reason to at least pay attention to the World Cup: Marleau, Ekman, Goc, Sturm, Ehrhoff.
And now we come to the point of this letter.
This is the part where I say a great big THANK YOU.
Thank you, Patrick Marleau, for a wonderful season, for doing justice to that C on your sweater.
Thank you, Jonathan Cheechoo, for those goal celebrations.
Thank you, Scott Hannan, Brad Stuart, and Mike Rathje, for the amazing defense.
Thank you, Marco Sturm, for the speed and power, and for being able to come back next season.
Thank you, Kyle McLaren, for that punishing hip-check on Petr Cajanek in the first round.
Thank you, Evgeni Nabokov, for every game you played, for every moment.
Thank you, Vinnie Damphousse, for playing like a man ten years younger.
Thank you, Wayne Primeau, for that OT-winning goal against Dallas.
Thank you, Alex Korolyuk, for the incredible way you played all year long. I am so glad you're back.
Thank you, Mark Smith, for beating Sean Avery like a rented mule--twice in back-to-back games!
Thank you, Vesa Toskala, for the smile you gave me at the autograph session, and for being so utterly brilliant in relief of Nabokov.
Thank you Nils Ekman, Alyn McCauley, Scott Parker, Jim Fahey, Mike Ricci, Scott Thornton, Todd Harvey, Marcel Goc, Rob Davison, Curtis Brown, Christian Ehrhoff, Tom Preissing... thank you ALL.
Thank you, Ron Wilson, Tim Hunter, and Rob Zettler, for a brilliant coaching job.
Thank you to the training staff, I wish I knew your names, for taking such good care of the boys in teal.
Thank you, Randy and Drew--we missed you in the conference finals!
Thank you, Dan and Pete, for being another voice, another perspective on the radio.
Thank you, everyone. Thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you.
Because of all of you, I am proud to say that I'm a Sharks fan. I'm proud to say that I was a season ticket holder this year, and will be again next year. I feel so lucky, so honored to have been a part of this, however small that part may be, for someone who's just a fan, a fan of a team that she truly loves. It has been a true joy to watch you this season, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
Here's to this year, and the future.
With high hopes, I remain,
A loyal fan.
Some sports content--first half of the post.
---
Someone (a Calgary fan, I believe) on the hockey community on livejournal is just aghast at the fact that Sharks fans booed their team during a horrible outing in game 2. She just can't understand why people would ever boo a team that they love. No matter how many people try to explain it to her, she's just genuinely puzzled and taken aback. The impression she gave was that fans of her team NEVER boo at all. Why would they boo their heroes?
I'd like to put this one to rest please, kthxbye. Go and watch the replay of the Patty Marleau goal (goal number four in the game), and listen very carefully after it's scored--there are quite a number of people booing there, after the puck went into the net.
Please to be shutting up about how Sharks fans suck because they boo their team now, okay, because it's not only us. Got it? Thanks.
---
Saturday night was the monthly dinner, and much fun was had by all. We went to Outback, since it was right across from this place called the Putting Edge, a glow in the dark minigolf venue. Dinner was pretty good, there was much good conversation to be had, but it was the minigolf that won the night, I think. The holes would probably not be quite as challenging on a course that's lit by something other than black light, but the glow in the dark thing makes it hard! It's impossible to tell where there's a slope, unless you walk the course beforehand. All in all, though, it was a lot of fun, and we all did pretty damn well, for the most part. I'd love to go back again.
My only gripe is the fact that it was fucking HOT in there. Gah. Turn on the AC, please! :)
Yep, still more sports content.
Oh, and very long.
I was thinking about a few things early this morning, post-Sharks loss, that I ended up repeating to someone in the Sharks LJ community, that I thought about writing here, so I guess I'll finally get to that. The discussion started after I misunderstood one of her posts and commented--her response to my reply was totally unexpected, so I ended up having one of those foot-in-mouth moments after the fact.
ANYway.
So, the Sharks lost again last night, and it was pretty miserable. They played like shit, there was no real effort involved, and they basically rolled over and let Calgary spank the shit out of them. So much for Ron Wilson's 'expect another game like game one' theory. Game 1's loss was hard, but they played really well, and still lost it--what can you do? Last night was just an embarrassment.
We got to talking about having taken the loss really hard, which prompted me to bring up what I'd thought about this morning.
I have this theory about fans and how they deal with team's losses, you see. It's...well. As I've mentioned here before, I grew up a Utah Jazz fan. The year we got there was the year they started making the playoffs and didn't stop until this season. I don't know if it's an NBA record for consecutive playoff appearances, but it's close. It's a franchise record, certainly.
Every season, though, they got punted out early. Every season it was an exit in the quarters, or the semis, or even the conference finals. Each year, it was like a kick to the gut, especially those years where they came *so close*, but still managed to lose before getting to the NBA finals. The closer they got, the harder the punch.
And then...then came the first year that they finally made it. I watched the game, I watched Stockton's 3-pointer in Houston, I watched as he leapt into the air, as his teammates mobbed him, and oh my god, that feeling. That indescribable high that every sports fan knows when their team does well. They'd finally made it!
Twice, they made the finals--that year, and the year following.
Both times, they lost to the Bulls, and as high as that high had been, that's how low the losses felt. That's how hard that sucker-punch to the gut hit. The game where they were utterly humiliated, losing by some 30 points, it was just...god. I've never been one to get 'can't get out of bed' depressed over sports, but that one left a sick feeling in my stomach.
(Yeah, I have a point. Yeah, I'm getting there.)
Why did we get to talking about this? Well...
I have this theory. I think that, when your team is a team without a lot of expectations, who go out there and play even though they're really bad, who don't or can't or won't make much of themselves, who consistently put together shitty seasons year after year, it's almost easier to cheer for them. When they win, it's great, but you may never get that absolutely elated type feeling. When they lose...sure, it might sting if it's a particularly bad loss, and while you might hope that they'll pull themselves together and do it better, I think the realism sort of sets in. The bar's not very high, there's no huge standard for them to live up to, so they lose, and you move on.
With teams that consistently do well, it's harder. Like, for example, the Sharks this year. *No one* expected them to do as well as they did through the season and into the playoffs, not even the players themselves, I don't think. They didn't start off on a good foot, either--they started off where the previous season had left off, so that still left us (me) in that mode mentioned above. But then, they went on a tear, and they pretty much *stayed* on a tear through the rest of the year. They posted a franchise record in points. At least half their players had career-tying or record-setting highs in various statistics. In short, they put together an excellent season, when all was said and done, and earned themselves the second of eight seeds in the conference.
Then, the playoffs rolled around. They pretty much steamrolled St. Louis, and though the Avs put them into a bit of a tailspin, they still managed to conquer *those* demons and finally...finally, they got themselves a berth in the conference finals, for the first time ever.
Now, of course, the expectations are higher--they need four wins in order to get to the finals and play for the Stanley Cup. Four. They need sixteen to win the whole enchilada, and with eight, they're halfway there. This is not to say that it's *easy*--it's not, the Cup is probably the hardest championship in sports to win. I'm not trying to take anything away from football or basketball, but seriously, think about it. Basketball players don't bang each other around like hockey players do, and football players don't play a best of seven series.
So now what? Well. As fans, and maybe even from the player perspective, the bar has been raised. They've done so well so far, what the hell happened in the last game? Sunday's loss sucked, but they worked their asses off and got beaten on a mistake. Everyone knew that was going to happen, that it would be one team making a mistake, and the other capitalizing on that mistake. Last night? What kind of crap was that? It's that same, lingering, sick-to-my-stomach feeling I had when the Jazz had their asses spanked til they were cherry red by the Bulls.
So, yeah. That's my theory. It's sometimes harder to be a fan of the teams that are such high achievers, because it's just that much more devastating (for lack of a better word) when they lose. If they always lose, well...you sort of expect it. But when they do as well as the Sharks have done, and you expect, and you hope, and (some of) you pray that they win, and they don't...that's hard.
And yet, we still watch, and we still hope, and we still pray, and we still cling desperately to the belief that our boys can do it.
Why?
Because we're fans, and that's what being a fan is all about.
Yes, sports content in this entry, please skip it if you're not interested.
So, every once in awhile during the Sharks/Avs series, I'd read the Avs LJ community or look at the Avs message board, and just like with the Sharks, there seemed to be an interesting split between the classy fans and the asshats. I had *thought* that there were more classy fans on the Avs side of things than the asshats, but as it turns out, I was pretty well wrong.
Check this out: (quoted exactly--spelling and grammar errors are the responsibility of whoever wrote them)
the sharks deserve to die.
damn straight they do. a painfull death too. i want there to be a SLAUGHTER OF TEAL IN GAME 5 TO RUB IT IN THOSE SHARK-FANS FACES!!! see how they like them apples.
don't want san jose to be a cup contender, i want to see the sharks humiliated and the fans to be as pissed off as i was last week. sorry, i'm just that vindictive. in the past i've really disliked calgary, but they took down detroit, and therefore, i cheer for them. i'm sure if sj got into the cup finals, they'd lose, but i don't want to see them hoisting a cup, that would just be unbearable.
You know...trust me, I can understand bitterness at losing, I really can. It sucks when your team gets punted out of the playoffs, and sucks when it happens multiple years in a row. I spent a long time as a Jazz fan, remember.
But shit like that makes me laugh at the ones who said that Sharks fans have no class.
First of all, don't lump us all in the same group--some of us, though we might not have been happy about the OT losses, didn't stoop to the trash-talk level, we just kept our heads up and hoped for the best. Ie, some of us are actually classy, and not snarky winners.
Secondly, let he who is without sin cast the first stone and all that shit. Yeah, okay, so you're upset your team lost. If it were the Sharks, I'd be disappointed, too. But seriously. Get a fucking grip. Shit like that makes you into exactly the sort of fan you seem to hate.
I thought about posting a reply, but then decided that dealing with the subsequent flames it'd produce didn't make it worth my time.
Bah. Grow up, bitches.
One of the sports columnists for the San Jose Mercury News (Mark Purdy, I think) declared that it was safe for people to climb on the hockey bandwagon once again--not only were the Sharks going to the playoffs, but they were going as the second seed (of 8, for you non-hockey folks) in the west. They're going to keep us busy well into April, I think it said.
(Yeah, more hockey fan-goobing--don't read if you're not interested, there's no non-sports content here. :)
If last night's crowd was any indication, it didn't take long for people to hop on. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I saw maybe three or four Blues jerseys, but the rest of the place was just covered in teal. Of course, get 17,496 (give or take) fans together, bandwagon or no, and that's liable to happen, I guess.
The crowd definitely didn't disappoint, either. Everyone was on their feet when the Sharks came out, and that Shark Tank howl that we haven't heard since the 2001-2002 season was out in full force. Okay, admittedly, it's not quite the same as the Oakland Coliseum howl, but the capacity there is at least three times as many. It's outdoor, though, so they don't quite get the reverb effect that you get at the Tank.
ANYway. It was a great game. The goalies were both incredible, and each team played their game very well. The Blues played a pretty hard game, physically (though the Sharks definitely responded--it was really damn good to see Patty Marleau playing the body), and the Sharks were as quick as ever. Both teams had a couple of odd-man rushes, and...
Well.
Anyone who was watching? You can blame Leigh Ann and me for the fact that the game went into overtime. I don't think we figured it'd be a 0-0 tie at the end of regulation, but we were talking about how playoff overtime works--how it's basically a 4th period rather than a 5 minute OT. Still sudden death, of course. But I think the fact that we talked about it must've caused it. ;)
When the game went into overtime, I started wondering how I was going to explain to my boss that I was probably going to be in late in the morning, as well--I mean, they play until someone wins, they have to, and we saw a game a couple of seasons ago that went into five overtimes. Yeah. *Five*. As in...eight periods of hockey. The equivalent of almost 2 and 2/3 games. Aiie!
Niko saved us, though. Well. That whole line saved us, really. From Damphousse hollering for Niko not to touch the puck because it was a hand pass, to Marleau driving the net and distracting Osgood, to Niko roofing the puck and putting it in the net...Wow. Just wow. Not only was it Niko's first career playoff goal, but it was his first career overtime goal, too. Alyn McCauley retrieved the puck for him, which we thought was really cool.
And, needless to say, the place just went WILD after Niko scored. And ow, my throat hurts. :)
Someone on the Sharks chat board was there taking pictures, and this one...well. It's worth a thousand words.
Okay.
I've been really good, and haven't talked much about hockey here lately--not because I don't want to, but because I'm not sure how much people care about it. Also, though I admit that I can be a big fangirl from time to time, I do try to keep it to a minimum.
Really.
Shut up! :)
But anyway. I just have to say this--WOO, Sharks! Pacific Division Champions! Yay! :)
Also. Go Duke!
I love this time of year. And even though I said that I didn't want the Mega March Madness package from DirecTV, it's still a tempting thought. Two weeks and change of college basketball--from the first 64 teams, all the way down to the final. Oh so tempting. But the TV would grab me by the face and not let me go. Work? Fuck work, there's basketball on. School? Bah, fuck school, too. :) And hockey? Well...sigh. I can't quite bring myself to say 'fuck hockey,' but still. Sometimes, during the end of March...there is only basketball! ;)
I've been a college basketball fan for as long as I can remember. I was born out in North Carolina, and spent the first seven years of my life smack dab in the middle of ACC territory. My stepdad went to NC State (Raleigh), but he cheered for UNC (Chapel Hill), Wake Forest (Winston-Salem), and Duke (Durham), as well.
Duke, though, that was my grandma's team--she loved her Blue Devils. She died in 1991, just a few days before they finally won their first national championship, a year after being utterly obliterated in the final by UNLV (103-73 was the final score in 1990). They won again the following year.
In recent years, Duke has become the team that everyone loves to hate--ie, the constant comments of Duke sucks on Fark. But...well. It's been bred into me to love the game and the team--can't help it. It's like being a fan of the Utah Jazz even so many years after leaving Salt Lake City.
So, anyway. Yay for March Madness. Can't wait to see what happens this year.
Go Duke. :)
So, by now, everyone's heard about the Todd Bertuzzi/Steve Moore incident (link goes to game recap), and the NHL's decision to suspend Bertuzzi for the rest of the season--including the playoffs.
Even if you don't follow hockey, you've probably heard about it...which is sort of the point of this posting. The clip has been shown all over the place, it's made the front page just about everywhere--including CNN, where they're calling Bertuzzi the 'hockey punch player.'
It's really unfortunate that the only widespread publicity that hockey ever gets is shit like this. Yes, it was a hugely bad incident, but it's sad, to me--the game itself is fast-paced and exciting, it's fun to watch, and the players seem, in large part, to be pretty down-to-earth guys. It's not like the NBA or MLB, most players don't have absolutely huge contracts--I remember reading somewhere that professional hockey players are paid substantially less than players for the other North American leagues. There are some big names, but ask anyone on the street to name a professional baseball player, and they'd be able to do so in a heartbeat. Ask anyone on the street to name a hockey player? Not so much.
But that's the whole point. Not all publicity is a good thing--and this definitely was *not* good. You want people to come to see the games, not look at the sport and scoff because they feel it's too violent, and that the league condones it, and/or makes it possible by fostering an environment in which it's okay for this kind of thing to happen.
As Brett said, much more coherently than I could, In point of fact the NHL doesn't foster this sort of behavior: witness its year-long suspension of Marty McSorley, which basically ended McSorley's career; witness how the severity of the suspension it's doled out to Bertuzzi.
So, where does that leave me, opinion-wise?
I think the NHL made a good decision. My biggest fear was, given that Bertuzzi is a pretty big name, one of the Canucks' leading scorers, they'd take that into account and make his suspension a light one. In addition to being suspended for the rest of the season, Bertuzzi also has to apply for eligibility before training camp next year, so they'll revisit again at that point. I think that's fair enough.
I'm glad to hear that Moore will be okay, and I hope that he makes it back onto the ice next season.
I also hope that Bertuzzi's career recovers. This particular bit of fucktardery aside, he's actually a pretty fun player to watch.
Also...in the unlikely event that you have no idea what I'm talking about... :)
A few games back, Steve Moore laid an open ice hit on Markus Naslund--a check that even Naslund says was clean--and gave him a concussion. Naslund was out for three games.
The Canucks essentially considered Moore a 'marked man' after that. Someone fought with him early in the game. Bertuzzi also tried to have a go with him, but Moore was skating away, his attention elsewhere. Bertuzzi grabbed Moore's jersey, dragged him backwards, threw an overhanded punch, then fell on top of him (all 250some pounds, almost entirely muscle), and drove him into the ice.
Moore has two fractured cervical vertebrae, a closed-head injury, multiple deep cuts in his face, and...yeah. It was pretty bad. :/
(Sports advisory! If you're not interested in hockey, you might not be interested in this, but you still may get a giggle out of it.)
We hear some really stupid shit at hockey games. Satyr69 over at Livejournal can attest to this--we took him to the Dallas game on Tuesday for his birthday, and the guy sitting in front of him was probably one of the most annoying seat mates we've had in awhile. He kept babbling about his daughter's wedding, not really watching the game, but would occasionally holler out, "Stuey, you suck!" Now, admittedly, Stuey had a bad game (okay, practically the whole TEAM had a bad game), but dude. Seriously. Either go somewhere and talk about your daughter's wedding, or shut the fuck up and actually *watch*.
That's actually a pretty common problem--some people come to games and view it as a social hour rather than a sporting event. When we were sharing a season ticket package with John and Steve, sitting in section 226, the seats just behind us were Shark Pack seats, so people had them for 10 games during the season. The kids were annoying, but at least they *watched* the game. The worst were the two women, though, who came to the game and chattered the whole time. Didn't cheer when they made a good play or scored a goal, just chattered, and considered it an affront that people might cheer a good play and interrupt them. GAH.
I mentioned the guy a few weeks ago who sat behind us and just wouldn't shut up. He'd brought his friend to the game--his friend, who was basically a hockey newbie, who (I'm guessing) he was going to 'show the ropes.' Sadly, what he really knew about hockey could probably fill the cap of the soda bottle I'm drinking from right now. I mean, okay. Sharks bring the puck in down the left side. Guy behind us: "Hey! Weak side, weak side, weakside!!!!" Sharks bring the puck in down the right side. Guy behind us: "Hey! Weak side, weak side!"
There are the pregnant men, too--that's what I call them, anyway. They're almost always men, and they're always the ones who burst a blood vessel shouting "GET IT OUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!" during a power play, as if they're in labor and are desperate to be rid of a 10 pound monster in their stomach. And the artillery, as Brett calls them, the ones who are always shouting "SHOOT!" when someone holds onto the puck for too long. Those are just annoying, though, not really stupid.
The ultimate in 'oh my fucking god, this guy is a flaming idiot' happened last night, though. Last night, the Sharks played the Vancouver Canucks (and kicked ass, by the way, they played VERY well)--from Canada. Yeah, there's a point to specifying that. Some guy one section over and a few rows back starts hollering once the game starts. Mostly, I can't figure out what the fuck he's talking about, which is not terribly unusual. Finally, though, finally, I hear him say something:
"Hey! Beat a Canadian!"
And:
"Lay the smackdown! Canadians gave us mad cow!"
Et cetera, et cetera.
It was oh so tempting to yell back, "Hey, fucktard! You do realize, don't you, that at least 80 percent of the players on the Sharks roster are from CANADA?"
Motards.
Last year, when NaNoWriMo started, I was ready at the starting gun, pretty much. I woke up on the first and started writing. Mind you, I got maybe 7500 words into it and stalled out, due to a number of factors that just don't bear re-hashing. I figured I wouldn't sign up again, either, after last year's fiasco, I'd just go on about my life. But, as November started to roll around, I gave it some more thought, and figured that I might as well--what've I got to lose, right?
So, I reworked the NaNo page I put up last year, and I made a blog category for it, and I had the NaNo folks reactivate my account, and got myself ready for another long month of writing.
Except...
November rolled around, and I had *nothing*. I had nothing to write about, I couldn't even force an idea into my head. I've been thinking about writing about a junior league hockey team--something that'd probably turn into a series--but I haven't done enough research for that at all, and that's a barely formed idea anyway, *and* it's bad enough to admit that here in the blog, holy cow.
But, I had nothing. Had nothing to say, had nothing to write about, except putting the occasional entry here or the regular daily entry in the Phoenix blog.
This past weekend, though, I was struck by inspiration--woo, idea! Mind you, I haven't written much on it yet, and I'm not inclined to share what I've got thus far, but I know a few things: I will never make the 50,000 word goal, because I'm starting so late. Even if I could manage to get it finished, this is never something anyone would publish...the reasons for which, if I ever post it for people to read, would become clear. But it'll still be fun to write. :)
So, normally I don't post about baseball stuff, because I could really give a shit about baseball, you know? To me, it's one of the most godawfully boring sports out there. My Red Sox fan husband tolerates this with a bit of amusement and exasperation--I'm sure he'd love it if I liked baseball, but I'm willing to go to games with him, and I'll even occasionally watch it on TV, *and* I'm a big fan of other sports (woo, hockey!), so I think that one small sin is forgiven. ;)
Anyway, I digress. The World Series this year will be Yankees vs Marlins, and I overheard someone say 'who cares,' and that it's 'not fair' that the Marlins have been to the World Series twice in the ten years they've been a franchise. Now, again, take this with a grain of salt because it comes from a non-baseball fan, but...uh.
How is that not fair?
Even I know that the Yankees have a huge payroll, it's all over the sporting news, and you can't go ten feet without someone (usually a disgruntled fan somewhere) talking about how the Yankees are buying championships. Maybe that's true, and maybe that's not, but I can tell you that I've *never* heard anything similar about the Marlins.
I played softball as a kid, so I know that there's at least some measure of talent and skill that goes into the game, it doesn't have everything to do with luck. So, the Marlins reached the World Series again, and they've managed to do so by spending far less money than the Yankees. (Mind you, this is not intended to be a slam against New York, but rather why I think that the 'not fair' statement about the Marlins is, well, silly.)
How is it unfair that they have used their talent and their skills to get themselves into the series? If they were cheating (if that was even possible in baseball, I have no idea), *then* maybe the 'not fair' accusation would have merit. As it is, it just seems strange to me to say that a team that's managed to get themselves to the highest berth the playoffs twice in ten years isn't fair.
If that's the case, what about the New Jersey Devils? What about the Colorado Avalanche? Hell, what about the LA Lakers (boo, hiss) and the Boston Celtics? The Lakers had a big run during the years of the Lakers/Celtics rivalry, but they've also done it again lately. What about the Chicago Bulls? Or the Utah Jazz, who got to the NBA Championships two years in a row? (They've pretty much melted into obscurity since, which makes me sad, but what can you do?) These are all teams of professional athletes. Maybe you can't compare the sports, but it seems at least similar in my mind. Some teams have higher payrolls than others, but they've also managed to do the same thing that the Marlins have done, the same thing someone is saying is 'not fair.'
Color me puzzled, or something.
And now, I'll shut up and go back to keeping my fingers crossed for my Sharks this season. :)
In light of a few of my recent posts, this week's Friday Five seemed rather appropriate...
1. Do you watch sports? If so, which ones?
2. What/who are your favorite sports teams and/or favorite athletes?
3. Are there any sports you hate?
4. Have you ever been to a sports event?
5. Do/did you play any sports (in school or other)? How long did you play?
1. Do you watch sports? If so, which ones?
NHL hockey, NBA and NCAA basketball, NFL football.
2. What/who are your favorite sports teams and/or favorite athletes?
Hockey: my Sharks, of course. :) I'm also sort of hoping for the Avs this year. I'm still pretty impressed with Jean-Sebastian Giguere, and I still love Jeff Friesen. I could name half of the Sharks roster here, too, but I won't.
NBA: Utah Jazz, and John Stockton. I could still count Karl Malone in there, but gaah, he had to go and sign with the Lakers. The only thing worse than that would be if he'd signed with the Bulls. ;)
3. Are there any sports you hate?
Baseball is just not my cup of tea. Neither is Nascar, if you can count that a sport.
4. Have you ever been to a sports event?
I'm a season ticket holder for the Sharks. I've also been to several NBA games, and to some college basketball games. Oh! And the horse races--again, not sure whether that exactly qualifies as a sport.
5. Do/did you play any sports (in school or other)? How long did you play?
I played softball for several years, before high school, in the accelerated leagues. I started out as right/left field, moved to short stop, then moved to first base. I had one brief stint as catcher, and man, did that ever suck. I tried out for the high school softball team, but there were many many girls there who were better than I was.
Got a sausage biscuit this morning on my way to work, yay.
Now, on to hockey (usual disclaimers apply)...
The Sharks opened their season last night in Edmonton against the Oilers. Before the game, they retired Grant Fuhr's number, and while I'm sure that was very cool for the Edmonton fans, it was sort of a yawner for me, much as I hate to admit it.
Anyway...the brief recap of the game: the Sharks played hard for about two and a half periods of hockey. I'm not sure what happened, but all of a sudden, in the middle of the third, they just completely lost their shit. Cheechoo's goal was nice, Michalek's was lucky, and sheesh, if Marleau had only converted on a couple of those awesome chances he had, it would've been a different game. As it was, they lost, 5-2.
There was a scary moment or two in there, as well--one for Sturm in particular, who caught a clearing attempt by Kyle McLaren in the face toward the end of the second period. Luckily, Big Mac didn't hit the puck that hard, but Marco still ended up with a nasty cut on the bridge of his nose, and didn't return to the game. He's okay, though, and is probable for the next game.
McCauley was also down for awhile, and I can't decide whether it was because someone whacked his hand with a stick or because he twisted his ankle. Since they didn't take him out of the game, I'm guessing it was his hand.
Next game: Calgary, on Saturday. This ought to be interesting--Sutter's still coaching there, of course...though, he was fired from San Jose so quickly last season that maybe the impact won't be quite so interesting as I think. We'll see.
In The Pool report: Well, crap. I chose Korolyuk as my In The Pool submission, based on his preseason play, and got nothing to show for it. Bah. :) I'll probably stick with that line, though, and pick Marleau for Calgary. We'll just have to see what happens. Of all the prizes they're giving away, I'm angling for the jersey. ;)
If hockey geeking isn't your thing, you probably shouldn't read this. :)
The Sharks played a great game last night against the Avalanche, their last game of the pre-season. The roster looks like it's pretty well set, and I'm pretty certain that almost everyone who was dressed last night will end up starting the season with the team. Oh, and yay, Todd Harvey didn't get taken with the waiver draft.
From everything I've read, the Avs have been dressing their season lineup for every game so far, so it was no big surprise to see the Kariya-Sakic-Selanne line out ther to take the opening face-off.
The first half of the first period was pretty much a defensive game, and the Sharks looked nothing like they did last season. They were very strong on the blue line, didn't let the Avs get the puck into their zone without a lot of effort most often, and...it was just really impressive.
McCauley got the first goal, scored off a rebound--he's really starting to settle in well, it looks like. The Sharks still haven't named a captain, but he was wearing an A last night (along with Ricci and Hannan), so it'll be interesting to see how that pans out.
I can also totally see why people say that penalty shots are the most exciting part of hockey. Korolyuk (so glad he's back!) had a neat little breakaway, didn't get a shot off, but someone tripped him, so he was awarded the penalty shot. It was awesome--Aebischer played it very aggressively, but Korolyuk made him commit, then shot the prettiest backhander I've seen in awhile. The place went NUTS, and even though it wasn't a sell-out, it got pretty damn loud.
Davison got himself into a fight with someone, but it was pretty boring--neither of them really got to throw a punch.
The Kariya-Sakic-Selanne line had some difficulties for at least part of the game--it's interesting to note that the same problems Teemu had with the puck last season seem to have followed him to Colorado. He had an open half of the net on Nabokov, but couldn't put the puck in. Eventually, Sakic did score (the Avs' second goal), on a play created by a Sharks turnover at the blue line.
Primeau very nearly scored at one point, but the shot went off the post--in the replay, the PANG as the puck hit was pretty audible. Have to wonder how much force he put on that one for it to make a noise like that.
The last Sharks goal was scored by Milan Michalek (mi-HAL-ek), who was their first draft pick of the season. He's going to be awesome, this kid. He pulled an amazing deke on Vancouver two nights before, and this time, he and Scott Parker (new goon, traded from the Avs, and we like him, too!) got the turnover. Michalek went down the right side, nearly passed the puck to Parker, but found a hole instead. Nice play.
Minor annoyances: Oh my god, I hope the girls that sat behind us are not season ticket holders. I mean, is it a hockey game, or is it a 5:00 social? The two of them just would not shut up. Ever. Both of them had those voices that make you just want to reach around behind you and bitchslap them. Arg. Shut up. No, I don't care about whatshisname and his extra bedrooms and does he want to fuck you. OH, and you know what? If you 'never watch this shit,' why are you at a game in the first place? Grr.
The people next to us started talking in the third, but at least they weren't cheering for the Avs. I don't know what it is, but the seats immediately to my right almost always seem to be filled by opposing team fans.
Also. Dear (Some) Sharks Fans: What the fuck is up with booing Teemu Selanne every time he touches the puck? He had a player option for this season and he didn't take it. He went somewhere so that he could a) play on a line with Kariya again and b) have a decent shot of winning the Cup. Though he might have had that with the Sharks at some point, I don't think that this season will be the one. I hope I'm wrong, but, that's beside the point. So he didn't exercise his player option. So what? Once again, the man proves that it's not about money--he wanted to split the money Colorado was offering with Kariya, but Kariya wouldn't let him. Even so, he's still making less there than he was here. He wants a Cup. More power to him. Why does that make him a traitor? Are you going to pull the same shit when Adam Graves comes to town? Grow up, asshats.
Best Line Evaaaarrrr:
Tonight, as the Sharks take the ice for the third period, they start playing Metallica's Enter Sandman rather than the usual 'Y'all ready for this' crap.
We watch Nabokov do his warm-up stretching (and I still boggle at the flexibility of the goalies), and Brett leans over to me and says: "Nabby GOOOOOOOD! Canucks BAAAAAAD!"
Okay, so sometimes, it's just all about the timing...and maybe the 'you had to be there' moments. :)
Sharks won, though, 4-3. Good game, some of the new kids played really well, and Primeau had a great game. I will be very bummed if Harvey gets taken in the waiver draft, which I think he may. Sigh. We shall see tomorrow.
I had such a crappy week at work that I really didn't want to go to the Champions On Ice thing that I had tickets to. Thankfully, a couple of people who are a whole lot smarter than me finally got me to leave the house. Brett kept saying that I'd be glad I went, and would be kicking myself if I *didn't* go.
He was right.
I wish I could remember the order in which everyone skated--I only have some vague impressions of the exact list, and had no pen to write anything down with, so all this is going to be from a two day old memory... :)
The intro for all the skaters was done to a neat montage of songs from musicals. They're celebrating the 25th anniversary of the tour, so there were som old songs, and some new stuff. Each skater or pair got a minute or two to show off moves by way of intro, then the actual show started.
Nicole Bobek went first, and oh my god, the legs on that woman, I swear...Very nicely done program, though not as energetic as I've seen her do in the past.
I feel really awful, because I don't remember much about any of the pairs who skated, except for one rather, um, unorthodox pair, which I'll mention later. :)
Rudy Galindo, local boy and crowd favorite, came screeeeeeaming into the ice in purple velvet from head to toe, with a big fluffy purple cape that had his name in sequins on the back. He skated to a montage of Prince tunes--Let's Go Crazy, 1999, etc. He didn't do as much of the flashy stuff as he usually does, either, and it was kind of disappointing, even though it was awesome to see him skate.
Other notables:
Philippe Candeloro is ohmygod cute, and skated to God Bless The USA (with an American flag taped to his arm...which is sort of interesting, because he's *French*. But it was a great program, very energetic.
The Junior champion (I wish I could remember her name) skated, to Come What May from Moulin Rouge, so I spent that whole routine in tears. I love/hate that song.
Timothy Goebel skated a neat program, and used 'With Arms Wide Open' as his music.
Michelle Kwan was her normal energetic, beautiful self.
Irina Slutskaya skated to some very interesting Russian pop stuff, which was a little strange, but...oookay. :)
Sasha Cohen is amazing, I just have to say that right out. She looks about twelve, but holy crap, can she skate.
Evgeni Plushenko is flat out amazing, and was a complete joy to watch.
Elvis Stojko is another one of those dead sexy kinds of guys.
Victor Petrenko wasn't as much fun to watch as I was hoping--not bad, but not the best.
The two best parts of the evening for me were actually the two 'novelty' skaters--one duet, one single. The pair went first, Vladimir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk. The things these two guys do...holy shit. I'm in awe, seriously. I mean, check out some of these pictures. Yes, that is one of them balanced upside down on top of the other's HEAD with just one hand. :)
The other was Irina Gregorian, who skates with hula-hoops. More pictures. Like, does jumps while spinning in a hula hoop, even. Like, spins eight of them around. Like...finishes off by spinning them around so much that she looks like she's inside a slinky. It's really damn impressive. :)
I'm kind of disappointed that we didn't get to see Surya Bonaly, because I really liked her, and we didn't see Sarah Hughes. All in all, though, it was fun, and I am glad I went. :)
This essay on the Sharks site mentions so many of the things I thought about hockey, before I started watching it.
Excerpt:
Hockey uses a puck. A puck? It's not even a ball! What's up with that? You can't bounce a puck against the side of the house. You can't roll a puck...not really. A puck is not a ball and that's just not right! How do you expect me to understand a game that doesn't have a ball? Puck just sounds funny.
Once again, I say, Go Ducks! A 12-2 record in the playoffs is pretty damn impressive. I'm still in awe of Giguere--217+ minutes without a goal scored against him, and even after Minnesota finally managed the first one, they couldn't get another.
I had my phone set up to page me with the score, since we were at the concert (which I'll post about after this), and we got it between REO's set and Journey's. Sometimes, I love my cell phone. :)
It'll be interesting to see how the Cup playoffs turn out, and given all the upsets so far, I don't think I'm even going to bother making a prediction. I do hope the Ducks are able to bring it home, though...but it'll be awhile before we find out!
It's Friday, woo hoo! Only two more weeks til payday. Here are some random Friday morning thoughts:
1. Go Ducks! No, seriously. :) I mean, they swept the Red Wings, and they kicked the crap out of the Sharks' arch-rival Stars, and now...holy crap. I'm just completely in awe of Jean-Sebastian Giguere. I was hoping Minnesota'd get past Colorado and Vancouver, because, if my own teams aren't there, I love to see the underdog do well, but I'm really hoping the Ducks take it--and it looks like they will.
2. Go Spurs! Woohoo, the Lakers are out of the playoffs! That's all I have to say about that.
3. Looking forward to the concert tonight, though as I commented to a friend this morning, I can feel my hair getting bigger already! Styx, REO, and Journey--woo, 80s. :) I should have a full report sometime after I recover from the squidgy concert goodness.
Yes, I am a freak, why do you ask?
...for something completely different.
It's a sad, sad day for the world of NBA basketball--for me, at least.
John Stockton: 'I think it's time to move on.'
Today's the day that the greatest point guard who ever lived retires from the game he loved, after nineteen seasons playing for a single team, at the age of 41. The man who leads the all time assist leaders by such a margin that they'd have to clone him in order to find someone who had a prayer of beating it. One of the classiest people to ever play a professional sport, one of the most unassuming, and the most deserving of a championship that he could never quite reach. His retirement will be overshadowed by the fact that Michael Jordan called it quits in the same year, which is rather disappointing. Not even MJ was quite the machine that Stockton is...or was.
I'm kicking myself now, you know, for not seeing him play at Golden State this year, but I should've known it was going to be my last opportunity. I learned a lot of basketball from my grandma and my stepdad, but there are some things that are only learned by watching, and for those, he was definitely my teacher. I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd say something like that.
Have a great retirement, Basketball John, you will be missed.
