Back At It

Don't get me wrong - I was really looking forward to the Olympic break. Not for the hockey, of which I knew I wouldn't see much. I needed the break to catch up on some things around the GT HQ. But after a few days of cleaning up files and getting some other backburner issues resolved, I got bored. Bored bored. Bored.

I'm just so glad they're back.

And it seems I'm not alone. I was flipping around the Center Ice package last night and tonight and almost every game I saw I heard the commentators say how glad they were to be back. There's just nothing like NHL hockey.

I know a few folks who have been proponents of the Olympic hockey tounament full of NHLers. I know a couple who were even able to catch games televised during the weekdays and even remembered to get up and flip on the Gold Medal game on Sunday morning.

But most hockey fans I know were working during a lot of those games and then forgot when the weekend ones were on. Or just didn't care.

But I digress. All I know is that I fall into the category of most of the announcers I heard over the last two days. I'm just glad the NHL is playing again. The game is just at its best on NHL ice. And you can't convince me otherwise.

Olympic Hockey and Larry Pleau

One curious thing from the Olympics I did catch was an interview with Larry Pleau about the team he helped select and the other teams in the tounament. I don't have the quote, but he made the comment that all of the good teams had good goalies. That most of the good teams were built around good goaltending.

Huzzah? Is this the GM of the St. Louis Blues talking about how all good teams are built around goaltending? Larry Pleau was named General manager on June 9th, 1997. In the almost nine years since, the Blues have employed Grant Fuhr and Jaime McLennan (neither brought in by Pleau), Brent Johnson (acquired just before Pleau was hired), Rich Parent (who?), Jim Carey (momentarily), Roman Turek, Reinhard Divis, Fred Braithwaite, Chris Osgood, Cody Rudkowsky, Tom Barasso, Curtis Sanford, Jason Bacashihua and Patrick Lalime. Nine of those players saw time in the last three seasons.

Not exactly the cornerstone of the franchise, eh?

I think that Sanford and Bacashihua could turn into real players in the position, and that Marek Schwartz could still become a good goalie for the team, but Mr. Pleau seems to be in a 'do as I say, not as I do' with this whole goaltending comment.

I think that when this team eventually gets sold, Larry Pleau will be given the opportunity to resign his position or have it resigned for him. I think that at that point, the new ownership and management ought to do their best to lure a franchise goalie like Roberto Luongo to St. Louis. Luongo has basically already made it known that he wants to see what the market will do for him this summer. With the cap locked and all teams having the same max they can pay, the Blues won't be at any disadvantage. They just need to sell the stellar young netminder, who is just coming into the prime age for goalies, that St. Louis is the place to be and that the team is heading towards a Cup run in the near future.

Let's get that cornerstone goalie that Larry Pleau says is necessary and has never actually gone out and gotten.

Blues v. Oilers

Wow. A lot of great things to take away from this game. The youthful exuberance that the team is showing is just exciting to watch. This bodes well for the future, too, as the Note build a big core group of youngsters who have NHL games under their belts. And they are getting big minutes, too. This will definitely help the team as it builds.

Keith Tkachuk is probably wishing that these rule changes had been implemented years ago. No one can stop him as he bulls to the net anymore. The move he used to go around Pronger for a goal tonight simply wouldn't have worked in the past. Pronger would have simply gotten on his back and dragged him down. Tonight, he was powerless to stop him.

Andy Strickland is reporting that the Blues have taken the club option on Tkachuk for next year, which is a no-brainer. Hopefully Big Walt will be motivated to be in camp in shape on time next year. If so, he could have a monster season.

There is some discussion on the GT message boards about Sejna, and I was going to talk about him more here, but honestly, I'm too frustrated to do it. Let's just get the kid up here and play him on a scoring line. Time to make him shit or get off the pot. Is he an NHLer or just a really good AHLer? Could we just find that out please?

The Olympic Break Is Making Me Thirsty

I'm on record about my ambivilance towards the Olympics in general and Olympic hockey in specific (thanks for gravy-training on my idea, US mass media). But we're barely into it and I'm already crawling the walls. I made a deal about how happy I was to catch up and get some rest and whatnot just a week ago or so.

I take it all back.

I'm bored out of my mind with this. I want the Blues back. Not in two weeks, NOW. The US team tied Latvia, which is apparently it's own country, despite being smaller than Missouri and more drunk than Jefferson County on Friday at 8:30. I haven't seen even one second of that game and I guarantee that the Blues (from St. Louis, which is smaller than Latvia) would have beaten the Latvians. Do you doubt it? Playing as hard as they have over the last three weeks and making their own breaks, our blue-collar Blues would have won a game that our multi-millionaire, talented, cocky US team tied. And really, in this Olympic scenario, a tie against Latvia is really a loss.

And this why I hate the Olympic hockey. Let's go back and let the kids play. The US has some GREAT kids in the college hockey system. Let them go play against Latvia and the other powerhouses. That I can root for. Make the NHLers stay home and play in their league. If they want to play for their country, the World Cup takes place every other summer or so. Plus, if the pros aren't in the Olympics, the World Cup becomes an actual event to watch. As do the Olympics. And the NHL, if it wants to, can take a break for the Olympics. Let the pros rest and watch. Let the world's hockey fans focus on the amateurs/future NHLers. It'd be a win-win-win-win.

And I want credit when it happens. Bitches.

But In The Meantime...

Bring back my NHL. Right about the time that the Blues start winning (5 of 7) and Dutchie and Wideman start getting recognized by the broadcast teams and national media and, well, YOU have started to get excited about our Blues again and....

Stupid break.

But, in a smart move, GM Pleau sent Dutchie and Glumac back to Peoria to play some games and not build any rust. Now, I don't agree with the 'youngsters get rusty, vets don't' theory, but I'm liking the idea of Dutchie and Glumac getting more comfortable as they play more games. I expect both will be top nine forwards next year (Dutch is a second line guy on a good team, first line guy this year, while Glumac is a borderline 3rd/2nd guy if I have to guess), so let's keep them running and shooting and whatnot.

Still, I don't live in Peoria. I live in St. Louis, and I miss my team already. Yeah, that's right, I miss my Blues already. My almost-last place (take THAT! Pittsburgh) has been gone for just a few days and I can't wait for them to come back. I'll stand out on Clark and freeze my ass off to sell my paper to you hardcore nuts, finagle a cheap seat and go in to watch from the upper decks in a second when they come back. I can't wait, because they are playing hard, and we all work hard on this paper, and I am tied to them. And I can't wait for my team to come back.

Gretzky Is Not News - For Once.

Look, I know the media hates (HATES!) to have to report this, but Wayne Gretzky's South County born-n-bred wife has placed some sports bets. And that, unfortunately (FORTUITOUS! HUZZAH!) means that the media has to report on it and take press and paper away from the amateur (AMATEUR I SAY, JUST LIKE THE NHL GUYS!) athletes that this event is all about.

Give me a break. As our friend Jeffio noted, Bryan Burwell spent all his space in the P-D talking about how the media was wasting their allotted Olympic space on Gretzky.

Hello, Burwell? Yes, this is Irony calling. I need to see you in the lobby. Please bring your notebook.

But here's the thing: only the media cares about this gambling thing. And I'm sure half if it is pressbox mania and half of it is media laziness. Why search out a story during this boring Olympic season when you can just regurgitate the conversation you just had with the paper guy from Toronto?

No one who is a regular sports fan cares. For me, the story eneded when I heard "they did not take bets on hockey". So, now what? Who doesn't bet on football? Who doesn't bet on the NCAA tourney? I know people who don't, but even they don't care about the "Gambling Ring" and "Wayne May Or May Not Have".

You media guys care. Fans do not. Drop it already.

Gretzky, like Michael Jordan, would have to do a lot more than bet on sports (other than his own) to make me stop admiring his ability and desire and contribution to his sport. Wayne is the greatest human to ever play the sport of hockey. Until he does something to tarnish the sport of hockey, my opinion of him will not be changed. The day he kills two innocent people, takes a giant duke in the Stanley Cup, then straps it in the passenger seat and leads the local highway patrol on a slow-speed chase? Well, I'll evaluate him again at that point. But if he didn't bet on hockey, I don't care.

Can We Play Vancouver Some More?

How great is it when Bertuzzi is pissed? That guy, for being a 6'5, 450 lb monster with great hands, is the biggest crybaby bitch I've ever seen play this game. For such a big man, he pouts like a five-year-old who can't have any more cotton candy. I've been saying this about Bertuzzi forever, but when is that guy going to play the game like a man?

Since he's 30 years old now, I guess the answer is never.

I don't care what level of hockey is being played, I hate divers and I hate guys who cry to the refs. Diving is a disgrace, and you should be personally shamed if you aren't moving your legs and trying your hardest. If you legitimately get pulled down, fine. But don't dive. It's embarassing your teammates, and it should embarass you.

But even worse is crying about calls. I don't care how big you are or how hard you play or whether the call was actually bogus. If the call was bad, let the ref know. I'm cool with that. But when you cry about the bu-shido call after EVERY call? Now you're a baby.

And Bertuzzi is a baby.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, Bertubaby, it's not fair. You didn't do it. Whatever. You're the biggest goddamn guy out there. Play hard, go to the net, do your thing. But when something doesn't get called, or when it does and you think it's not fair, just be a man and let it go. People would have more respect for you.

So. Now that I'm done with that, you can probably guess that I'm pretty happy when I see the Blues bang in a PP goal and then see Bertuzzi step out of the penalty box.

A season series win against the Canucks? I did not see that coming. But here we are and guys like Orszagh, Dutchie and Wideman are leading the way. Crazy. But how good would Tkachuk's numbers be if he'd played more than 14 freakin' games? Damn.

Let's see what happens before the boring ass Olympics start.

No Games, So I Have No Real Point.

I'm sure that I've never celebrated a Blues road trip/Olympic break/Blues road trip before. But, I've never been a small-time publisher before, either. Jeffio has, so he knows what I'm talking about, but really, no one else knows that the reason I was downing them at the Super Bowl party had nothing to do with that crap-ass game that was played. Four weeks off? Holy crap.

Here's a little peep into the unofficial program guy's life. I'm in the Hawks game on Thursday, sitting with Jeffio, a great vendor of mine, Amy, and one of the writers, Gift. As the second period ends, with the Blues up and an entertaining third on the way, I tell the crew, "well, I gotta go."

Everyone laughs.

Then I say, "No, seriously, I have to start working on the Dallas issue."

Everyone laughs. Except Jeffio.

Jeffio says, "yeah, you do. Make sure I get your file by nine on Saturday." He knows. He's done it. He knows that the day after Christmas game means that you spend Christmas day thinking about the work you have to do on Christmas night.

So, four weeks off is like waking up on Saturday morning and thinking it's Friday, only to remember before you really wake up. But it happens every day for four weeks straight. And then, when you do wake up late in the morning, you find $20 in the pocket of your jeans. For four straight weeks.

I Support Those Who Support The Small Business

I try not to fill this crappy blog with plugs, but (stand by), as a guy who is trying to make something happen on essentially a grassroots level, I feel like I have to give some press to the people who are helping me along the way. For instance, my webhost, Darwinsweb.com, has been unbelieveable. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I still owe that guy money for everything he's done for us. He's one of those guys who goes above and beyond. So, if you need webspace or other internet help, call Kevin. His link is at the bottom of our main page.

Another guy who has helped us is Brian Stull and WGNU (920 AM) who has put us on-air during his Sports Overdrive show. Stully has been called an "up-and-coming" broadcast guy by other media guys, and I have no reason to doubt it. He has appeared on his competitor's stations. He's the real deal. And I'm glad that we've gotten to be an affiliate of his show. It's a deal I'd do over 100 times out of 100. Listen to him weeknights from 6-7 pm, you won't regret it.

And recently, I've entered into an agreement with a company so that I can print the paper at the official (and radiant) Game Time Offices, rather than farming it out. It will make a huge difference for this paper going forward and I'm hooked up with a great company. My sales rep has been solid, especially considering that, as a new business, I have no track record. Long story short, I had an awkward conversation with some chick from the company who couldn't understand why Game Time didn't have store hours or a business loan or a credit history. I couldn't make her understand that "WE'RE NEW". So, instead, I got a tad nasty and pseudo-belligerant with her.

I could see the "Denied" stamp slamming down on me, even as I gave her asshole answer after asshole answer. Sorry, but that's the way we GT people get.

Anyway, my rep, being a forward thinking guy, made it happen. We're forging forward and I'm indebted to him for making the pencil-pushers understand.

So, here's my last plug for the night. If you need copier/printer/office solution stuff, give the people over at Da-com a chance. I'm happy to give anyone the info for my guy, Billy. I wore out a few copier reps over the months, but Billy was the persistant one who got the business and then made it happen for me. That's a guy I can support.

OK, I'm done plugging. But these guys have all done something for me, it's the least I can do for them.

Now That's Quite A Week.

The Blues get three wins in one week. They trade the top goal scorer and the top point getter and then go on a tear. And, they're more fun to watch now. And here come all those bandwagon St. Louis fans. That's right, the "best fans in sports" are back after abandoning our team for several months. I'm glad to have some support for the team, but I'm already bitter about the return of the half-way fan.

Just think how bitter I'll be when they get good.

I was at a neighborhood thing tonight and had a guy who told me not two months ago that he was "done supporting those guys" and "sending a message to ownership" by not going to a single game this year told me that, "I've been telling people that the Blues are at the bottom, but the ride up will be fun."

Yeah, he's right. But I'm bitter about anyone who isn't supporting the team during their worst year ever, who is already pre-planning his jump onto the bandwagon when they get better. I guess it's OK to call shotgun on the bandwagon now? Maybe I'm taking this personally...actually, I KNOW I'm taking this personally. It's not MY team. I am not tied to the team officially. I don't know any of the players. But I'm taking it personally because I am paying the dues. I am freezing my ass off out on the street trying to sell our "for the fans, by the fans" paper. I'm the guy who is living life on no sleep doing this for a few hardcore fans. I'm the guy who is getting into games by hook and by crook to sit up high and cheer like a maniac for a last place team.

So, excuse me if I take it personally when someone who really doesn't give a shit is reserving his seat next to mine for the party bus when this team gets good again. You should too. The fans who are going in every single game. The couple with the signed jerseys (no names and numbers because everyone gets traded) and the radio broadcast in the ear buds. The guy who goes to every game and is willing to talk hockey with a homeless-looking program publisher, even when it's whipping cold out. The guy who wants to get a back issue of GT because he came to the Coyotes game late and missed us. You people. You and I will be pissed when these guys try to grab their seats on the bandwagon.

So, let's enjoy this stretch. Let's enjoy Dennis Wideman and Dutchie Stempniak and Jay McClement and Mike Glumac and all the other youngsters making their way. Let's enjoy the guts of Dallas Drake. Let's enjoy saying goodbye to The Visor when he gets traded. And let's enjoy our scars. We're earning them this year and we're going to carry them forever, so let's promise never to forget where we got them.

Then, when a fair-weather, fake-assed "super fan" tries to talk about 'his' Blues, we will look at each other and nod. We'll know. But the fakers will have no idea.

Strange Jersey Sighting

Today there were lots of Dallas fans coming in. Some even picked up their sweet GT copies, which I can get behind. Next time I'm seeing a game on the road, I'll be looking for the local unofficial program, because I know it'll be better than the "real" one inside. Anyway, I saw two guys walk by in new Stars jerseys. They had number 14 on the sleeves, and I couldn't remember who 14 was (plus, I'm always intrigued by two guys who show up together in matching jersey numbers; brokeback or related?), so I checked the back. The back of the jerseys both said Tippett.

Dave Tippett is the coach of the Stars. He was an NHL player. But he never played for the Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars franchises. So what the hell is that jersey selection all about? I mean, to get a personalized jersey is no small task, unless you're buying a star player off the rack at the loacl sporting goods store. But to go in, with your buddy, and order a current jersey, with the coach's name and then to agree, in tandem, that the coach should wear number 14, then to pay the $200 to $300 to have the personalization done, then to wait two to four weeks to get it...well, not one part of that makes sense to me. I know a lot of people. I know a lot of hockey fans. I have some good friends. But I don't know one good friend, who is a great hockey fan and is willing to spend $300 and is willing to get the same guy as me and have that guy be the coach and then have a weird conversation about what number the coach might wear, if coaches were to wear playing uniforms, like baseball uniforms.

Plus, the number 14 is worn by current Star Stu Barnes.

So, basically, I'm left wondering, how the living shit did this happen? I mean the odds are similar to having an asteroid skip off the atmophere until it was the size of a quarter, then falling thousands of feet and finally, just as I pull down my britches to take a dump in the woods (which I try to do once a week, whether I'm camping or not) hit at just the right angle and perfectly slice off a boil on my ass, cauterizing it at the same moment.

Seriously, that's what the odds are like.

I can't even imagine the series of conversations that take place leading up to, "I'd like to place an order for two personalized Stars jerseys. Yes, we'd like the name Tippett on the back..."

This Is Pretty Non-Hockey

So I mentioned the neighborhood party tonight? Well, I also got to hang out with the coolest guy in my particular 'hood as part of that. Just before schooling me on how to play "Guitar Hero" for playstation, he poured the most bad-ass drink I've ever seen. Brown and icy, the goddamn pour he made was beyond to-the-brim. Not one more drop could be contained by the glass. So I said, "damn, surface tension is the only thing holding that in, Jim."

Jim, with no hesitation, pointed at the drink and said, "check out the ice". Which was swirling a circle above the surface tension by at least half an inch.

It's got nothing to do with the Blues or hockey, but I just wanted to note that that I think I was drinking with a guy who could form his own Rat Pack here in St. Louis.

Sleep When You're Dead.

I realized today that because of the five games in 13 days schedule, I've slept 31 hours in the last seven days. Thank god for a roadtrip. I'll be catching up on some stuff over the next three weeks, but you can expect to see some new stuff on the site as I update the last two issues, the new logo/motto on the messge board and some other interesting news about the paper.

So, stick around, kids, we'll still be here.