Faxes from Uncle Dale

Category: Everything Else

  • Notes From The Exhibition Opener

    Notes From The Exhibition Opener

    They hate it when you say “Exhibition.” Or is that the NFL? They definitely hate it when you say that. Though the NFL knows they’re perpetrating an even bigger scam with their preseason than the NHL does. I mean, the NFL preseason is 25% of the regular season, whereas both the NHL and NBA are less than 10%. Whatever, I’m getting off the rails again.

    Anyway, let’s discuss some talking points from last night. Or at least the ones I gathered as I wasn’t there. Though it didn’t take long for the beaters to start complaining through Twitter, did it? Hey guys, you didn’t miss much. The baseball was pretty dreadful. You’re not in Edmonton in February yet.

    (more…)

  • Morning Links 9/18/13

    Morning Links 9/18/13

    Hawks win: Blackhawks

    Earn you $ Bicks: PHT

    9 cuts: ESPN Chicago

    See the Cup today: Trib

    Side note, if you’re in MN and want to watch junior hockey/meet me: NAHL

  • Blow Up The Outside World – The Metropolitan/Megalopolis Division

    Blow Up The Outside World – The Metropolitan/Megalopolis Division

    Staying out east, it’s now time to take a look at the other half of the realignment mess that is that conference with the Metropolitan Division, which consists of all of the Mid Atlantic teams, and somehow Columbus and Carolina, which is the first time either place has been referred to even remotely as metropolitan. Most of the punditry will tell you this will be the best division in the new alignment. But just because it’ll be competitive doesn’t mean it’ll be well played.

    (more…)

  • Morning Links 9/17/13

    Morning Links 9/17/13

    Toews still out: ESPN Chicago

    Bollig is aware there is more to hockey than fighting (and turnovers): CSN (autoplay)

    Roster spot battles really begin: Daily Herald

    I don’t care that it didn’t count enjoyed watching an Evanston boy beat them: TSN

    Despite this: PHT

    We may see this: SI

  • Blow Up The Outside World – C.I.’s Preview Of The Rest Of The NHL: The Northe….The Atla…..Oh Whatever

    Blow Up The Outside World – C.I.’s Preview Of The Rest Of The NHL: The Northe….The Atla…..Oh Whatever

    We’ve been looking inward for a bit now, and you know what happens when you look inward for too long. You start thinking you have complexes and shortcomings that aren’t there, and deciding this or that is the reason you can’t love or can only get off by being spanked with a cricket bat and then you dump all your money to some therapist before you end up sitting on the floor in your apartment with a bucket of chicken wearing nothing more than your underwear as you smear the grease on your chest and….oh, wait, this was just my Saturday night. Ok then…

    But sometimes, it’s best to look at everyone else and point out their faults. Well, maybe not best but it sure is a hell of a lot more fun. And it’s easier to blame others for your problems than yourself (unless you’re Catholic). So let’s start that process today by examining what should be the Adams Division or maybe the Northeast except for that thing where the two Florida teams are involved because Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa fans love to go to Florida in the winter if they don’t live there already. Seriously, have you been to that stretch between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami in January? It’s lousy with French-Canadians. They’re everywhere, interspersed with the old Jewish men who constantly looked bewildered. Probably because they are. Oh, and Scum. Because Detroit is so far Northeast.

    (more…)

  • Blow Up The Outside World – C.I.'s Preview Of The Rest Of The NHL: The Northe….The Atla…..Oh Whatever

    Blow Up The Outside World – C.I.'s Preview Of The Rest Of The NHL: The Northe….The Atla…..Oh Whatever

    We’ve been looking inward for a bit now, and you know what happens when you look inward for too long. You start thinking you have complexes and shortcomings that aren’t there, and deciding this or that is the reason you can’t love or can only get off by being spanked with a cricket bat and then you dump all your money to some therapist before you end up sitting on the floor in your apartment with a bucket of chicken wearing nothing more than your underwear as you smear the grease on your chest and….oh, wait, this was just my Saturday night. Ok then…

    But sometimes, it’s best to look at everyone else and point out their faults. Well, maybe not best but it sure is a hell of a lot more fun. And it’s easier to blame others for your problems than yourself (unless you’re Catholic). So let’s start that process today by examining what should be the Adams Division or maybe the Northeast except for that thing where the two Florida teams are involved because Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa fans love to go to Florida in the winter if they don’t live there already. Seriously, have you been to that stretch between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami in January? It’s lousy with French-Canadians. They’re everywhere, interspersed with the old Jewish men who constantly looked bewildered. Probably because they are. Oh, and Scum. Because Detroit is so far Northeast.

    (more…)

  • Morning Links 9/16/13

    Morning Links 9/16/13

    Leddy is learning: ESPN Chicago

    Hayes following Bickell’s example: CSN Chicago (auto play)

    Tempers flared: Trib

    Back to Jokerit: Daily Herald

    Another dangerous hit: Puck Daddy

  • Friday Notes And Weekend Music Pick

    Friday Notes And Weekend Music Pick

    Going to pause our season preview a bit and just clean up some stuff today.

    -I think it’s best to delve into what bothers me most about this whole Saad-at-center thing. I’m not opposed to experimentation in camp, because it’s the best time to do it. And while every beat writer seems to want to race each other in being the first to say it looks pretty good so far, here’s my biggest issue (and it’s not that there are two natural centers right there for the choosing, although it’s close).

    The Hawks are not blessed with power forwards. Bryan Bickell is considered one, and at times he is. But as all of you who have watched the Hawks closely for years know, he’s not always. Maybe he will be now with continued top six time, but have we seen him do it for a season?

    (more…)

  • Morning Links 9/13/13

    Morning Links 9/13/13

    Hoping for a healthy happy Hossa Comcast 

    Bickell too: Chicago Tribune

    This is only here because it made me laugh, guess why: Fox

    What’s that cliché about athletes after they sign big contracts: CSN

    For pro athletes he is kind of right: TSN

    This makes no sense: Sunbelt Hockey

    Geno is on the right side of history: Pitt Trib

  • And So It Begins — '13-'14 Hawks Preview: Who Will Be Missed Most?

    And So It Begins — '13-'14 Hawks Preview: Who Will Be Missed Most?

    With actual blades hitting actual ice today, and the temperature dropping below Bikram yoga in hell, it actually feels just a little bit like hockey is pretty close. Not so you could reach out and touch it, but soon enough.

    Today I’m going to make up my own question to answer, because that’s just the guy I am. And it addresses who the Hawks will miss most that is gone from last year’s team.

    (more…)