Kevin's Watch

... and another hopeful, but ultimately depressing season for the Leafs ...

"GO LEAFS! GO!"

Great sport. Makes me wish I was born Canadian.

I don't know anything about it, but please have fun.

Pace. Violence. Skill.

If I'd been born with a Maple-Leaf in my mouth I would friggin Luurve this sport...

...
where are you from trapper? perhaps I can send a few maple leafs your way ... it's fall here now, and they are just starting to turn a beautiful red ... I'll wrap them around a puck ...

Usivius wrote: ...
where are you from trapper? perhaps I can send a few maple leafs your way ... it's fall here now, and they are just starting to turn a beautiful red ... I'll wrap them around a puck ...

(Australia)

Ooh, a puck delivered personally! That would be ...Aaargh!



Seriously, you have a nice sport there.

When does the strike begin this year

b@st@rd ...

Well, my Leafs lost the opener ... sheesh ...
But on a different note, Trapper, occassionally we get some Aussie rules football here, usually Sunday mornings. I have always loved that game! It is fast, rough, and the action never stops! I recall a little scuffle (not a fight, but pushing and shoving) breaking out between two players on the pitch and does the action get whistled to a stop? NO! The ref takes their numbers down and the game continues. Non stop (except for those catches and kicks ...
THAT is a sport I would nove to see more of. Still not sure all the rules, but it is so fun to watch.

Usivius wrote: I recall a little scuffle (not a fight, but pushing and shoving) breaking out between two players on the pitch and does the action get whistled to a stop? NO! The ref takes their numbers down and the game continues.

I'm not a big fan of Aussie Rules. But that pushing and shoving is SOP in that game and I'm as amused by it as you are.

The thing that really blows me out is their fitness. Half of them have degenerative conditions in their knees because of the amount of running they do. I remember having soccer-training on the field next to an Aussie Rules side. We'd arrive as they were running laps with sporadic push-ups. We'd chat for awhile as they were doing that. Then we'd do an hour or so of our own fitness-work. Then half an hour or so of skill drills. Then as we were starting to play a practice game they'd be starting their skill-work. As we were leaving to go home they'd be starting their practice game.

I've never watched an AFL game live, but if it's anything like seeing it on the next oval over then you can't really appreciate it on TV. The dynamic nature of their running, and the way they attack the ball has to be seen to be believed.

And I'm very grateful to them because of the sporting osmosis that means that the Socceroos don't get beaten because of fitness reasons.

That said, is it really true that NHL players have to spend 3-5 hrs a day on the ice APART FROM TRAINING to maintain their skating skills?

Also, when I played soccer I loved smashing opponents in a legal manner, and I reckon I would have loved to play Ice Hockey. But the lakes don't freeze over in winter here, and that's where I think your game is learnt.

PS The Leafs are from Toronto, right?

For some reason I've always had a soft spot for Edmonton teams in Canadian sport.

heheh, yah, the Leafs are from Toronto. And they clobbered Ottawa last night 6-0! heheheh. Loved it.
Edmonton has a good team too. I love the Western division style: fast skating and quick finesse passes. And Edmonton has the best ice in the whole darn league!
And I totally agree with your comment about the fitness level of those Aussie football guys. It would be interesting to find out how many years a 'career' is for one of those guys...

There was a few MHL Pre-Season games in Hali in the last few weeks (one was the same night as the Stones COncert---it's funny that the Rolling stones couldn't sell out in a city the size of halifax)

And of course every Haligonians new favorite team, the Penguins played here too.

Siv..did you catch any of 'Hocky a Peoples history'?
Gretski's 'Lifew and Times' was on the other night too...(yeah I'm a CBCaholic)

i am too, just not enough hours in my day, and I have nearly forgotten how to program the VCR... was the People's Hockey series good?
I've been hearing some good things abou it.

I really wish that I could care.

I love the Red Wings, but yet again, I won't be able to see more than a highlights package on ESPN. My favourite player of all time (Brendan Shanahan) was traded to the Rangers in the off-season, and I should be heart-broken, but it's just another straw on a camel's back that broke a long time ago.

Sorry I missed the episode on Gretzky. I've yet to watch any of that "People's History" series. I'm afraid it didn't look interesting to me at the time.

Hey, Trapper, nice to know you like the Edmonton Oilers. I root for them, too. (The Oilers used to be our mortal enemy back when our former Winnipeg Jets fought them. Since our city no longer has an NHL franchise, I've made Edmonton my "surrogate" home team.)

Sabres are 3-0.
life is good.

The Gretsky story was great..I didn't see any of A People's History either (it would have cut into my KW time)

I actually don't follow the NHL....I watch Hockney Night in Canada..I usually route for either the Habs or the Sens...but I could care less about the standings...there's just too many teams now.

Anyone who loves hockey MUST hear Warren Zevon's "The Hockey Song (Hit Somebbody)" It is the best hockey song EVER!!! It is actually co-written by none other than Mitch Albom:

(Warren Zevon and Mitch Albom)

He was born in Big Beaver by the borderline
He started playing hockey by the time he was nine
His dad took the hose and froze the back yard
And Little Buddy dreamed he was Rocket Richard
He grew up big and he grew up tough
He saw himself scoring for the Wings or Canucks
But he wasn't that good with a puck

Buddy's real talent was beating people up
His heart wasn't in it but the crowd ate it up
Through pee-wee's and juniors, midgets and mites
He must have racked up more than six hundred fights
A scout from the flames came down from Saskatoon
Said, "There's always room on our team for a goon
Son, we've always got room for a goon"

There were Swedes to the left of him
Russians to the right
A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight
Brains over brawn-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do

Hit somebody! was what the crowd roared
When Buddy the goon came over the boards
"Coach," he'd say, "I wanna score goals"
The coach said, "Buddy, remember your role
The fast guys get paid, they shoot, they score
Protect them, Buddy, that's what you're here for

Protection is what you're here for
Protection-it's the stars that score
Protection-kick somebody's ass
Protection-don't put the biscuit in the basket just
Hit some, Buddy! it rang in his ears
Blood on the ice ran down through the years
The king of the goons with a box for a throne
A thousand stitches and broken bones
He never lost a fight on his icy patrol
But deep inside, Buddy only dreamed of a goal
He just wanted one damn goal

There were Swedes at the the blue line
Finns at the red
A Russian with a stick heading straight for his head
Brains over brawn-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do

In his final season, on his final night
Buddy and a Finn goon were pegged for a fight
Thirty seconds left, the puck took a roll
And suddenly Buddy had a shot on goal

The goalie committed, Buddy picked his spot
Twenty years of waiting went into that shot
The fans jumped up, the Finn jumped too
And coldcocked Buddy on his follow through
The big man crumbled but he felt all right
'Cause the last thing he saw
was the flashing red light
He saw that heavenly light

There were Swedes to the left of him
Russians to the right
A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight
Take care of your teeth-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do

anyone who wants a copy of the song...E mail me and I'll attempt to upload you a copy.

funny!
But no langer apt in todays NHL. The days of the goons are gone.
I prefer Stomp'n Tom's song better:

(it loses something without the bouncy music, but here ya go)

Good Ol Hockey Game

Hello out there, were on the air
it's hockey night tonight!
The tension grows,
the whistle blows,
and the puck goes down the ice.
The goalie jumps,
and the players bump,
and the fans all go insane.
Someone roars:
"Bobby Scores!"
At the good old hockey game!

(chorus)
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Second Period.
Where players dash,
with skates a-flash,
the home team trails behind.
But they grab the puck,
and go bursting up,
and their down across the line.
They storm the crease,
like bumblebees,
and they travel like a burning flame.
We see them slide the puck inside,
its a one- one hockey game!

(chorus)
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Third Period.
Last game in the play-offs too.
Oh take me where the hockey players
face off down the rink,
And the Stanley Cup,
is all filled up,
for the champs who win the drink!
Now the final flick,
of a hockey stick,
and a one gigantic scream:
"THE PUCK IS IN! THE HOME TEAM WINS!"
At the good old hockey game

(chours repeat 3 times)
OH!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!


ahhhh, good times...

Days of the goon are gone? I beg to differ!

I have no idea who the hell is on the Avalance anymore, but: GO Avs!!!!

heh, differ all you want Gun, but when a team like Toronto gets rid of one of its favourite players (Tie Domi .. a "goon" if there ever was one), then "the times are a changing"...
Todays NHL is trying to be about fast skaters and skillful players, not the guys who can clutch, grap, punch or fight... Last year is a prime example of this.
And all the players today that might be called 'goons' actually have skill in other areas. Look at Chara ...