Everything Else

Good Morning, Campers

By Sam Fels 1330 0

It’s a big week for Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill, as they are both currently in Calgary for Canada’s World Junior Training Camp. They will find out Thursday if they’ve made the team, and they could be fighting for the same spot.

Both went into it on a roll as well. Danault especially went bonkers in two games this weekend, with one goal and seven assists! That gives Phillip 44 points in 29 games, though that hasn’t kept Victoriaville from being pretty ho-hum this year.

McNeill had a goal and two assists in three games before heading to Calgary.

Everything Else

One Out Of Three Is Only Good In Baseball

By Sam Fels 1398 0

The Hogs embarked on their first three-in-three stretch this past weekend. And it didn’t go so well. One win, two losses, and out of first place to Grand Rapids. You would have wanted more.

It started out ok. Friday night saw the return of Yippy Carter Hutton, who three second period goals on six shots from Milwaukee in the second period. That canceled out a pretty Rob Flick opener,  where he came down the right wing – his off-wing – cut to the middle and blistered one past Jeremy Smith.

And then it went nuts in the 3rd period. The Hogs exploded for four goals, two of them Ben Smith deflections on the power play. Brandon Pirri added another one, and Marty St. Pierre finished it off with an empty-netter before raising his long stick in the air and knocking out a couple light bulbs.

Then it went pear-shaped.

Everything Else

Objects In Mirror Are Not As Close As They Appear

By Sam Fels 1521 0

I want to take a break from labor stuff and minor league and college hockey, and talk about an issue that’s never gotten as much attention as it deserves. And it’s going to put me solidly in line with Sean Avery, which strangely puts me in a position I’m more than comfortable to be.

As you may have seen, Sean Avery did an interview with the New York Daily News that was picked up by Huffington Post about how the NHL should have language in the CBA about how punishments will be meted out to those who deal in homophobia and gay slurs on the ice. Avery thinks the way the NHL deals with these things is wildly inconsistent, and he’s right. James Wisniewski can get suspended two games in October ’11 for miming blow jobs at Avery but then Wayne Simmonds goes unpunished for calling Avery “a faggot.” Or Cam Janssen faces no punishment for making horrific remarks on an internet radio show. And these are just two of the most obvious cases.

Everything Else

Your NHL-less Weekend Guide and Thread

By Sam Fels 1440 0

I should have been clearer with this in previous versions, but these weekend guides are for you to discuss whatever you want in them. Anyway…

Friday Night

Bulls v. Pistons – I’ll admit I totally forgot the Detroit Pistons still existed. Do they really, though?

Michigan State v. Notre Dame (Hockey) – This one’s on NBCSN, and you can use the time to take a look at Stephen Johns if you’re so inclined.

Minnesota v. Colorado College – If you have a Dish you can get this one, and these are two top ten teams at the moment.

Everything Else

Replaceable

By Sam Fels 1633 0

Boy, am I getting sick of writing posts out of some haze of depression. I’m sure you’re sick of reading them. Wish there was another way right now.

I’ve been trying to figure out what’s so infuriating about the obtuseness and tone-deafness of both sides in this. And maybe it’s just the feeling deep down that no matter how much screaming you do or promises you make, you know that the people in charge won’t hear you (I could speak at one constant volume, at one constant pitch, at one constant rhythm, and you still won’t hear….). Maybe it’s just having to witness the aching stupidity of it all. But what is that born out of?

I think it’s the perception from them, and the feeling for us, of being replaceable.

Everything Else

See A Little Light?

By Sam Fels 1456 0

We’ve been fooled before, and though I want to be optimistic and lead you through the darkness more than anyone, we have to preach caution at the top of our lungs. Though preaching caution loudly would seem to be a very odd tactic, but you’ve never required me to make sense.

(And before I go any farther, this was all an elaborate (kinda) excuse to post a picture of Bob Mould, and to tell you if you didn’t get his latest album then your life really isn’t all it could be right now).

After last night’s meeting without the two towers of obstinance, the words “progress,” “optimism”, and “substance” are actually being thrown around. There’s still far to go, and these people could fuck up a piss-up at a brewery. I bet when they get to figuring out “lockout reparations” is where things could get messy.

Everything Else

Children Of Men

By Sam Fels 1466 0

Let’s round up the kids, because we’ve got nothing else to do.

We’ll start in the Q, as is customary.  Phillip Danault had a pretty busy week before getting his invite to the World Junior Training Camp for Canada next week. Four games, a goal and an assist but an unsightly -4. In fact, Danault is a -8 in his last seven games, which isn’t all that encouraging for a player that’s supposed to be a solid two-way player. It dropped him from +4 on the year to -4. Something to be watched.

His teammate Brandon Whitney had a much better week, starting all four games. Only went 1-3, but stopped 38 of 39, then 34 of 38, 28 of 31, and 36 of 39 shots in those games. That’s a .923 SV% for those four games.

Dillon Fournier was a +1 in three games for Rouyn-Noranda

Everything Else

What Are You Listening To? (Stolen From Nucks Misconduct)

By Sam Fels 1156 0

I haven’t done a good enough job of creating stuff where you guys can discuss at length in the comments. So I’m going to steal a page from Nucks Misconduct.com, which I’ve done before (we stole their map idea, which we’re going to bring to this new site at some point). I have a hard time finding new bands to listen to as well, so this is also to help me out as well. And I’ll try and come up with new, night-time discussion threads as we go along here too.

So, what’s on your Ipod these days? Well, everything is on the Ipod but what are you playing? It can be anything. Some new, hipster band where a girl with pink hair plays a theramin with a cat (thanks, Kyle Kinane) or you just rediscovered how awesome Beggars Banquet or Mezzanine are. I don’t care. Whatever it is.

I’ll start you off, it’s been a Velvet Underground day for me, both Loaded and Nico. I was inspired when re-watching High Fidelity last night and hearing “Oh Sweet Nothing.”

Now’s your turn. What’s tickling your ear drums currently?

Everything Else

My College Weekend And Other Notes

By Sam Fels 1397 0

Some stuff to clean up this afternoon:

-I’ll be on Chris Block’s podcast tonight at 8pm. Catch it at The Third Man In.com. No one is more plugged into what goes on in Rockford than Block, so if you want to know what’s going on down there you should check it out. I’ll just be making it up.

-Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill were invited to Canada’s World Junior training camp. Both have at least a decent shout to go to Russia. Danault is considered more of a lock, though Bob McKenzie thinks that McNeill’s versatility could see him land a spot as well. If Bob McKenzie says it, I’ll believe it.