Prepping for the Canucks; Post-Duck Comments
For those of you who check this out regularly, sorry about the delay. I know that when I go to a site every day or so, I hate to see no new content. This 3 games in 5 days is rough, but I'll do my best to get on here. Thanks for sticking with me.
I had a bunch of notes from Saturdays' game, but I figured most of you were out getting twisted and weren't sitting around for me.
Anyway, some notes from Saturday. First, it was weird selling during daylight. But the one thing I really was not prepared for was how many kids were in the crowd. That didn't really concern me much (except that 8-year-olds don't buy my paper, the unknowledgeable little bastards), until I heard a kid behindme who sounded like he was almost in tears. See, for the Ducks, Jeffio always used a Mickey Mouse with a giant circle/slash through him as the Anaheim logo. Being owned by Disney and basically a super-expensive marketing machine for their trio of crappy Mighty Ducks movies, Jeffio (and most of the rest of us) were sickened by the existance of the franchise.
Well, as a nod to our GNR heritage, I put circle/slash Mickey right on the cover. Big, too. I didn't really think of the effect it'd happen to have on a young kid. Then I heard him.
"Why that man has a big 'Mickey, No' picture? Why that man has 'Mickey, No'?"
Does it make me a bad person that I thought that was funny? Of course, you don't think so. You read GT, so you're all distorted, too. Anyway, that happened a second time, with some little girl clearly transfixed by Mickey No. Oh, well, kiddo, that's how I feel when I watch this hockey team sometimes. Shocked, confused and a little frightened.
Dutchie Is In The Building (In Spirit Anyway)
The timing is funny, since the Game Time Rookie just got sent to Peoria last week, but I spotted my first Stempniak jersey on Saturday. I was pretty surprised, but wanted a witness, so I yelled at Gift and made him leave his selling post to confirm what I was seeing.
It was a blonde girl wearing the signed (!) number 12 Stempniak. Gutsy call on getting that thing made. Of course, I started to wonder what the ramifications are that the GT Rookie is being repped by a girl. I've never really checked out his photo and don't want to have the GTR be like the new Tyson Nash. Nash, a fan favorite, had a lot of personalized jerseys sold, but like 90% are worn by females. I swear that we picked him because of the first ever GT contest to "Pick The Rookies' Nickname", which came after he scored a big GW goal. Not for any other brokeback reason.
What Does This Say About Me?
A completely non-hockey comment, that I'll end up turning into a hockey comment. Where I was standing on Saturday, on Clark, near the garage, I get to see everyone pulling in for their reserved parking, or paying the $10 to get in. I found myself staring at a total piece of shite pick-up truck that was all banged up, had no tailgate and about 8 pallets stacked in the back. The passenger side door was painted (with a paintbrush, sloppily) "Not For Hire". No kidding? Your pick-up truck is not for hire? Damn. Because I'd love to ride in that hunk o' crappe on my way to the pallet store.
But then I realized, I really liked it. It's a hunk, for sure, but I thought it'd be pretty sweet to drive that thing around. It's like driving a hilarious joke around. Then I realized that a like super-expensive BMW with all the bells and whistles was right in front of Not For Hire and I hadn't even noticed it. Do I just like crappy things? Why am I drawn to garbage?
I'm going to pretend that that is not the same reason I like this team. I like crappy things, yes. I'll buy/wear/say damn near anything for a joke. But I really do want to have a favorite team that's good. Right?
The Blues Game
I didn't see much of the game, due to selling, not having a ticket, driving home and whatnot. But I saw the end and I have seen all the high(low)lights. But, amazingly, I still have some opinions.
One, yes, that was a crappy own-goal that we got from McAmmond. But that happens. It's a bad, bad break, but it happens every year and it happens to good teams and bad teams. It doesn't say anything further about this team other than, 'hey, that probably won't happen to us for another 10 years or so." Just be happy that it happened against us in a lost year anyway. If it happens again this year or happens two more times in the next year, then I'll start to worry about who/what cursed us.
Secondly, I still love the shootout. I know some of you traditionalists hate it, but I will never agree with you. The game, whether you want to admit it or not, is about entertainment above all else. It's more about the fans in the seats and their enjoyment-per-dollar than it is about a pure win in a team sport. And let's be honest, the vast majority of NHL dollars spent are spent here in the US. And Americans hate ties. That's why soccer has never caught on here, despite being the most popular sport in the world.
And on Saturday night, the fans in attendance were all in their seats or standing up, cheering for the shootout. It is entertaining. It is not a pure way to end a game, I agree, but who cares? It's fun and it'll never decide a playoff game, so I'm down with it. When people start protesting it and walking out before it starts, then I'll reconsider my stance. The Blues lost, got a point and everyone got to see someting exciting. I'll take it.
Updating Soon.
I'll have the main page up-to-date soon. Maybe after Wednesday, but hopefully before that.
See you all tomorrow.
I had a bunch of notes from Saturdays' game, but I figured most of you were out getting twisted and weren't sitting around for me.
Anyway, some notes from Saturday. First, it was weird selling during daylight. But the one thing I really was not prepared for was how many kids were in the crowd. That didn't really concern me much (except that 8-year-olds don't buy my paper, the unknowledgeable little bastards), until I heard a kid behindme who sounded like he was almost in tears. See, for the Ducks, Jeffio always used a Mickey Mouse with a giant circle/slash through him as the Anaheim logo. Being owned by Disney and basically a super-expensive marketing machine for their trio of crappy Mighty Ducks movies, Jeffio (and most of the rest of us) were sickened by the existance of the franchise.
Well, as a nod to our GNR heritage, I put circle/slash Mickey right on the cover. Big, too. I didn't really think of the effect it'd happen to have on a young kid. Then I heard him.
"Why that man has a big 'Mickey, No' picture? Why that man has 'Mickey, No'?"
Does it make me a bad person that I thought that was funny? Of course, you don't think so. You read GT, so you're all distorted, too. Anyway, that happened a second time, with some little girl clearly transfixed by Mickey No. Oh, well, kiddo, that's how I feel when I watch this hockey team sometimes. Shocked, confused and a little frightened.
Dutchie Is In The Building (In Spirit Anyway)
The timing is funny, since the Game Time Rookie just got sent to Peoria last week, but I spotted my first Stempniak jersey on Saturday. I was pretty surprised, but wanted a witness, so I yelled at Gift and made him leave his selling post to confirm what I was seeing.
It was a blonde girl wearing the signed (!) number 12 Stempniak. Gutsy call on getting that thing made. Of course, I started to wonder what the ramifications are that the GT Rookie is being repped by a girl. I've never really checked out his photo and don't want to have the GTR be like the new Tyson Nash. Nash, a fan favorite, had a lot of personalized jerseys sold, but like 90% are worn by females. I swear that we picked him because of the first ever GT contest to "Pick The Rookies' Nickname", which came after he scored a big GW goal. Not for any other brokeback reason.
What Does This Say About Me?
A completely non-hockey comment, that I'll end up turning into a hockey comment. Where I was standing on Saturday, on Clark, near the garage, I get to see everyone pulling in for their reserved parking, or paying the $10 to get in. I found myself staring at a total piece of shite pick-up truck that was all banged up, had no tailgate and about 8 pallets stacked in the back. The passenger side door was painted (with a paintbrush, sloppily) "Not For Hire". No kidding? Your pick-up truck is not for hire? Damn. Because I'd love to ride in that hunk o' crappe on my way to the pallet store.
But then I realized, I really liked it. It's a hunk, for sure, but I thought it'd be pretty sweet to drive that thing around. It's like driving a hilarious joke around. Then I realized that a like super-expensive BMW with all the bells and whistles was right in front of Not For Hire and I hadn't even noticed it. Do I just like crappy things? Why am I drawn to garbage?
I'm going to pretend that that is not the same reason I like this team. I like crappy things, yes. I'll buy/wear/say damn near anything for a joke. But I really do want to have a favorite team that's good. Right?
The Blues Game
I didn't see much of the game, due to selling, not having a ticket, driving home and whatnot. But I saw the end and I have seen all the high(low)lights. But, amazingly, I still have some opinions.
One, yes, that was a crappy own-goal that we got from McAmmond. But that happens. It's a bad, bad break, but it happens every year and it happens to good teams and bad teams. It doesn't say anything further about this team other than, 'hey, that probably won't happen to us for another 10 years or so." Just be happy that it happened against us in a lost year anyway. If it happens again this year or happens two more times in the next year, then I'll start to worry about who/what cursed us.
Secondly, I still love the shootout. I know some of you traditionalists hate it, but I will never agree with you. The game, whether you want to admit it or not, is about entertainment above all else. It's more about the fans in the seats and their enjoyment-per-dollar than it is about a pure win in a team sport. And let's be honest, the vast majority of NHL dollars spent are spent here in the US. And Americans hate ties. That's why soccer has never caught on here, despite being the most popular sport in the world.
And on Saturday night, the fans in attendance were all in their seats or standing up, cheering for the shootout. It is entertaining. It is not a pure way to end a game, I agree, but who cares? It's fun and it'll never decide a playoff game, so I'm down with it. When people start protesting it and walking out before it starts, then I'll reconsider my stance. The Blues lost, got a point and everyone got to see someting exciting. I'll take it.
Updating Soon.
I'll have the main page up-to-date soon. Maybe after Wednesday, but hopefully before that.
See you all tomorrow.
posted by gallagher @ 11:15 PM
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