Reflections on Another Holiday Past

Once again the holiday season has hit us, and I numbly managed o get my way through the last few days of food, relatives, music, food, gifts, church, and more food. There is that holiday magic, the good will and kindness towards others, but there are also parking lots that turn into war zones and streets so busy they may as well be a parking lot. There is nothing to make sense of all of this, there is only the knowledge that we are all in this together so getting agitated, while only a normal reaction is not helpful in the least. You can find any number of supposed experts and their Holiday survival guide, but the truth is that its up to the individual to cope with this most hectic of seasons their own way. Many of us are fortunate to spend this time with family and friends and this is what gets us through, while others may have to look a little harder to find something to hold on to. Whatever the case, the holiday season holds many more blessings than problems, at least in my eyes. There is always the inevitable question of why can't people be this happy and this kind to one another all year? This makes the holidays special, true, but is certainly a valid point. There is no good reason we cannot show good will 365 days a year. The fact that many find this to be a stressful time may not led to them being very kind however, so we cannot assume that everyone is in the holiday spirit. But whatever you feelings on the holidays, weather you love them or hate them or are just glad for a few days off work. enjoy them!

Long Time Coming...

With the release of the Simpson's movie the other day, I felt compelled to talk about it, as it is one of the funniest movies of the year, as well as one of the best TV shows ever. The movie delivered and fans had a lot to cheer about as it was the best thing the Simpson's have done in many years. While many focus on the declining quality of the show or it's attempts to match the crude mindless humor of Family Guy and the like, this movie was smart, and irreverent enough for everyone to appreciate. The story was actually quiet entertaining, if only a little far fetched and the film contained some very nice and important messages, which is rare these days. The movie is not long, and the focus is certainly on the Simpson family with little help from the huge cast of other characters, but it doesn't seem to take to much away as the focus needs to be on the story like any movie. So watch, enjoy and don't have a cow!

Red, White and Blew...

So America' s game has now had its darkest day and what have we come to discover...well, little that wasn't suspected or known already. Ball players like many other athletes are on the juice and they only have themselves to blame. The league turned a blind eye and are now paying the price. George Mitchell is coming out and shedding some light on the matter years after these events occurred and many of the players involved have retired. This report put it all out there, named names and now many are thinking of legal action sighting that they were not guilty and are now being slandered. But whatever the case maybe, it was and is a problem. The positive tests are still there and Mitchell made suggestions to stop this once and for all. Perhaps this is presumptuous as Bob Mcowan of the Fan 590 in Toronto pointed out, and I agree to a certain extent, but the fact is at least he is trying and clearly whatever Bud Selig and his minions were doing, if anything, didn't work, and his era as commissioner is a joke as far as I'm concerned. I am loyal hockey fan and while the league's testing policy isn't as modern as some the lack of positive tests proves the athletes are cleaner, or better at avoiding detection, but I highly doubt that is the case. No sport has seen doping like this before since American track teams in Sydney. American athletes are not the only dirty ones, and are not the first to suffer for it but they seem to have a terrible track record, worse then anyone else at the moment. It speaks volumes of the culture and of what they have allowed their athletes to become for glory. Integrity and honesty have been forsaken and all but abandoned it seems for the long ball and the all mighty dollar. Maybe now we'll listen to what's really going on in the locker room.

NHL News and Notes

The Sens finally managed bumped their ugly losing streak last night, if only by the slimest of margins, and it shows what an incredible star they were off too as they still have the best record in the East. Speaking of the East, the devils are back in business after winning eight in a row, which means Martin Brodeur of Patrick Roy's all time wins record is back on track and should happen next year barring any unforeseen problems. Also East met West - Finally - as Sidney Crosby took his penguins to Edmonton and single handidly turned the game around for them in the third. I watched it and believe me he was everywhere in that period. And despite the loss the Oilers have been playing much better hockey of late and if they can get some more bodes back soon may be in the race in the tight western Conference. In the west Vancouver continued to roll, and maintained their lead atop the Northwest after a Minnesota loss and a Vancouver win over Chicago. The fact that East meets West happens so rarely led to a huge circus around Crosby finally going to the house that Gretzky built and just goes to show that the new schedule changes planned for next year are necessary. Trades may soon abound as temas look to what they have accomplished thus far and grimace, Toronto being one example, and Montral may look to shake things up as they have struggled of late as well.

SId the Kid's Canadian Adventure....

So, in the coming weeks Sidney Crosby will finally be making his LONG awaited debut in western Canada. This is his THIRD season in the NHL, that's right, THIRD. and it is not as if he was injured or suspended when his team went there, this is the first time since the advent of the 'new' NHL that Pittsburgh has ventured to the Great White North - the West anyway. What kind of marketing genius came up with this plan? I know that they want to promote divisional games and rivalries and the like, and that there is no such thing as a perfect schedule, there will always be detractors but the system they have in place now should be about fifth on the list of how to run the league. They are not getting their superstars out there as other leagues such as the NBA and MLB manage to. While baseball play their own division a hell of a lot the advent of intra-league games has added a nice element to the game the way hockey needs to market itself, especially south of the 49th as interest is mild at best. Gary Betman in penny pinching and trying to cut travel costs has basically created a system where the New York City/Island/Jersey teams have 60 odd games within their home market essentially. What is wrong with this picture? There needs to be a shake up and butts in the seats and sending superstars to other building will not hurt no matter how much you have to pay to get them there!

Something From Nothing...

The start of the NHL season has seen a lot of goaltenders put a lot of zeros on the board, and a lot who we expected to put up these numbers show more holes than Swiss Cheese. (This is family show folks!) Anyway, the point is people are once again whining and complaining that hockey needs more goals. No, what hockey needs is more games like the Ottawa Montreal game of 10 days ago and the 0-0 draw that looked like a 6-6 game Vancouver and Edmonton played the other week. Hockey needs exciting games, animosity between teams and well played games, not 10 goals a game, not rules that handcuff goalies and defence men alike to prevent scoring chances. Fans in Canada realize this, they don't care that there aren't a record number of goals being scored, as long as the game in entertaining. As long as the players look like they care and leave it all on the ice every night. After all they make millions to do so, why should we expect any less? My point is the drastic measures that many suggest such as small equipment and larger nets is a horrible and desperate idea. the game is great the way it is. If Americana's don't like it, and apparently many don't they won't watch, and many aren't, but this is not the game's fault. The game is what it is and trying to cheapen it or make it a total business devoid of any tradition is pathetic and I should hope never brought forth. Pay attention Gary, this is important, the game is what matters, first and foremost, that's why you're there...for now...

It's all in the Buildup

So, as many predicted the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots are off to fantastic starts this season, both teams are undefeated with Indi 6-0 and New England 7-0. This off course only adds to the hype as to which one will be the best team in the NFL when the two meet, hopefully still undefeated in Indianapolis on Nov. 4th. New England's solid win over the Dallas Cowboys proves which conference is the best with the AFC boasting many of the leagues stronger clubs, but as many announces spouted during last night Indi-Jacksonville game this is the regular season, the playoffs are what count. But come on, we all know that each team wants the upper hand and that it will give the winner a huge edge should the two meet in the post season again. The need to state that this is a big game is obvious but the hype will always exceed the result in these situations, regardless of who is on the field. I hope the game is all it can be, and I have no doubt it will be entertaining, but talking about it ad nauseum only spoils it for many.

Speaking of build up, the World Series is rather intriguing this year with the young, upstart Colorado Rockies facing one of the games giants in the Boston Red Sox. Boston is heavily favoured and has all the experience on their side, but that doesn't put a trophy in the case. However Boston have shown that they want it as much as anyone after coming back on Cleveland who seem to loose interest once they got the 3-1 series lead. This is once again proof that build up is something the fans love to do, and ticket sellers thrive on, but hey it beats saying nothing.

...No, still nothing....

OK, so after a brief Thanksgiving hiatus and several days off of work that proved to be very productive I am back. I can hear the sarcastic applause already. Regardless, it was during this time that I discovered a big problem with being a writer...writers block. I have several scripts that I am currently working on and in an attempt to make my work more efficient and set goals for myself I decided to focus on several and get them done by a certain date. Well there is one problem with that, what happens when you can't think of anything to write? I have the scripts developed and more than half done, and a rough idea for how the one should go but I still need to fill in the gaps and this is proving to be most difficult. I went for a walk the other night and a a great idea that I thought would eat up a lot of space, well the idea worked well but only took up a small portion of what I needed. So how to cure writers block? I will not turn to narcotics as some have suggested if only for the risk of forgetting what I was supposed to right, no alcohol though it did prove helpful this past weekend. I guess time is really the only sure and not over thinking. I stress a lot at such thinks and encountering it is very tough, especially when it has never really happened as such before. Regardless, I will press on as doing nothing doesn't seem like a reasonable alternative either...maybe that's why people blog...

The Puck Drops Here

All right puckheads, the time has come, and after a short and painful off season for us Sens fans, the new season has arrived and it looks like it will be quite interesting indeed. The balance of power has shifted in both Conferences and it looks like teams such as Phili and Colorado are ready to return to the playoffs and teams such as Nashville and Atlanta are ready to find a hole and hide in it. The emergence of the young Pittsburgh Penguins last year was impressive to say the very least, and the igloo may crack under the bright lights that it will draw with the even better team they will present this year, with the additions of Sykora and Sydor. Look for them to challenge the Rangers and Sens for the Eastern conference crown. Buffalo is not the team it was but remains a threat in the East. The Leafs and Habs will once again have to struggle to make the post season yet again after doing some minor tinkering in the off season. In the West the Oilers look improved, not that they had much room the other way, but good drafting and building through trades look promising for the future, if not this season. Calgary and Iron Mike Keenan look to improve after an 8th place finish last year, Mikka Kipprusoff will have a lot to say about that, as will Roberto Luongo dictate Vancouver's fortunes. Else where New Jersey will need every possible heroic Martin Brodeur can muster to make the post season, and the Red Wings will have to heavily rely on Datsuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom and new comer Brian Rafalski if they look to return to championship form. Sleeper pick for a run, Colorado, not that they are a sleeper so much, but they will be much improved. So, enjoy and as Red Green advises, keep your stick on the ice.

Simply Weir-ed

Hats off to Mike Weir and all the other compete tors at this weekends President's Cup. There was a lot of incredible golf played at the Royal Montreal Golf Course and it was a weekend many will never forget. From Woody Austin doing his best impression of Aquaman to the massive roaring crowds of spectators it was a tremendous success. But the greatest part of the weekend, personally and for many Canadians was seeing Mike Weir play the way he did. He was not even supposed to be there, he snuck in as a captain's pick and Gary Player is now smiling ear to ear, even despite loosing to the US, as he looks like a genius. Weir knocked off Tiger Woods on his way to posting the best record of any of the international players and was an inspiration to his team and country. With the throngs cheering him on he did not disappoint and showed why he is a role model for all young people in our country. I know he is to modest to say so but this was perhaps the greatest display of Canadian gold ever. The handshake and hugs with Tiger and Gary Player on the 18th two of the games best ever show the respect that he has garnered across the golfing world, and perhaps being a little guy myself I feel a kinship towards Mike, but he displayed the kind of guts that make not only great athletes but great people and I will not soon forget it. Thank you Mike, good luck next year.

The Gra$$ i$ Greener...

OK, so the other day I read a comment in the Ottawa made by some guy who wrote in to the sports section, and really he isn't worth mentioning because he obviously knows nothing about hockey, or sport for that matter. He called out Sidney Crosby and said that he lacked heart and grit and was simply a product of marketing and agents and the like. Well pal, pay attention because this is where you learn how stupid you comments really are. First of all, all Crosby has done in the years he has been in the league is lead rookies then the league itself in scoring, the youngest player ever to do so, player almost every game the last two seasons, be named Captain of his team, once again the youngest player to do so and generally help save the Pittsburgh franchise, for now. Now granted all these guys have been spit shined and polished by people behind the scenes and made in an image that will be liked by the public. As have Payton Manning, Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, (Get the idea) and most other phenomenal athletes of this nature. They have to sell the sport and this is how that is done, by being a like able person, or in the case of others a complete SOB. Either way there is an image and a persona that is created and put out there for the public to see. The fact that Crosby is capitalizing on his hard work and talent is nothing to shame him for and smacks of jealously. To call out his heart and commitment is lunacy and shows know knowledge of any sport. Crosby takes more abuse then any other player when he is on the ice and walks around with a target the size of the Igloo on his back. And he has handled himself with great humility and respect throughout. He talks to much on the ice, but that comes with youth and he will soon learn to keep it shut. I hope for his sake and the sake of sports where there are so many negatives lately that we would be looking for positives and that people just causing problems will shut up and realize that their opinion doesn't matter.

The Good Old Days...

The new version of the Canada - Russia summit series kicked off today with Canada rolling out to a 4-2 win. The fact that this is on the 35th anniversary of the greatest sporting series of all time allows us to look back and see how much the world really has changed since then. First off all, the hockey universe and the world itself has become much smaller and so many of the players in this series are familiar with one another or have played against one another in competition before, with many Russian players now playing Junior hockey in Canada. Also many of the Canadians have played together before, at least more so than was the case in 1972. The thing that made the 1972 series so great was the political implications that it carried. The mind games that were carried out, and the bitter distane and yes even hatred that existed on the ice. It was a war as had been said time and time again, and right from the get go fans knew they were in for a close series. Though when Phil Esposito scored very early in the first period of the first game it didn't look that way, but the Russians went on to win that one showing Canada they were not as invincible as they thought. This series is a classic and no matter what they try to do, they will never be able to recreate the intensity and feeling surrounding it.

The fairer sex...

I watched blades of glory the other day and seeing the many cameos by female American figure skaters got me thinking about the nature of women in sport. The age old question arises to this day, does a female athlete loose some of her femininity? Sasha Cohen, or her likeness, were displayed in blades of glory as was Nancy Kerrigan. Both very attractive women, Cohen winning sexiest female athlete several years ago, and for good reason. Then there are the tennis beauties such as Sharapova and Ivanovic who are tall and good looking, any guy would jump at the chance to be with them. So, what does their athletic ability have to do with it? Danica Patrick could easily drive circles around most men she would meet on a day to day basis, so does this intimidate? I know that most of my buddies, and I will say myself included, would not want to get our asses kicked in any sport by our girlfriend, wife, significant other, whatever...There still exists that notion of the masculine strength and superiority in physical tasks and endeavours. And lets face facts, speaking strictly scientifically men are more adapt at such events because of their genes, though I would have to question this in many cases. There is no reason that women can't be good at sports, but I doubt many would jump at the chance to get into a full contact sport with their male counterparts. This is not to say that there aren't those who couldn't handle it, or wouldn't relish the though, I know many that would hand me my lunch any day, but we are talking about the norm here, the average person. So while being able to be athletic is not the most girly girly thing in the world, I have no problem with it, and hell I'd even go so far as to say in some cases its hot...

Every Dog has his day...

By far one of the strangest stores of the year has to be the Michael Vick dog fighting scandal. And seeing as how he is pleading guilty, I can talk about him without fear of a lawyer coming after me, unlike Barry Bonds, but anyway I think it is a sad situation that he has got himself in and pleading was the right thing to do, admit that he was wrong go serve his time and hopefully start setting a better example for the community upon his release. The gambling issue had the league concerned but they were not betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on these dogs, so there was no risk of him throwing any games for such small amounts. The fact that they were getting dogs to fight in the first place is unsettling, and so they will be punished. I don't feel sorry for Vick, and this doesn't make him the worst human being on the planet, but it was certainly in bad taste and bad judgement on his part to become involved in this, in any respect no matter how little or deeply he may have been behind it. let this be a lesson to us all that no matter what, animals being used for profit will not be acceptable...

Thinning the herd...

The recent crop of movies that have been released, specifically this summer, have actually not been to bad. I am looking forward to going to see the Bourne Ultimatium and Superbad, but like anything else in life you have to take the bad with the good, and there has been more then enough of that in the past few months to make us wonder who makes these decisions. There are many many many...you get the idea...more movies put out now than there were in the 60's, 70's and so on, and as a result the general overall quality has slipped. True, the improvements in technology have allowed films to look better, and get more adventurous with the CGI and effects, but this doesn't necessarily make the movie great. So here's a thought for those producers in Hollywood, instead of giving all your friends and relatives a break, go by what they actually bring to the table, judge the quality of their work alone, make less movies, and make sure you produce only the best. You will still make money and be able to afford all those fancy extras you are used to but now you will have the added benefit of public respect for producing quality work. Though you don't care about that do you, the money is what counts for you guys isn't it...oh well, one day I may come knocking, here's hoping you'll listen to reason...

This just in...No one cares!

Those of you who are familiar with the Ottawa Sun, or most likely most of the Sun papers in Canada, I don't read them all, will know that they run a letters to the editor in the sports section covering all things sports. Many of these are informative, insightful and strongly based in facts or at least grounded in some sort of reality well others are about as insightful as a blind guy watching you through a brick wall. My point is that recently there have been a lot, and I mean a lot of letters on soccer at with the U20 World Cup and David Beckham around soccer interest has certainly peaked, but the point is that they are debating it compared to hockey, questioning the ability of the athletes in one sport vs. another and so on and so forth. Yes, hockey players are generally physically tougher and more rugged than soccer players, and yes I love that about hockey, but the point is that's a part of the game. The unnecessary diving and flopping around of these soccer players has garnered them a reputation for being weak little girly men from many fans, and I do admit these shameful displays do nothing to improve the games reputation, but calling their manhood into question is taking it a bit far. The fat is many people like hockey better than soccer, my self included, but that doesn't mean I hate soccer or don't think the players are athletic. The point is they are games, and you can debate all you want which is better and which is more entertaining and so on and so forth but the point is, who cares. You prefer soccer, or lacrosse or bowling, good for you. I don't care. I know what I like so why must those who like something else judge those who don't like it? The letters are entertaining and I will not blame Sun Media for publishing them because they are encouraging it certainly, but they are running a business. I blame those with nothing better to do then write in just to make fun of someone else or feel the need to defend the honour of their game over and over. Let's just agree that people like sports, maybe we don't all like the same one, but who cares, that's why we have so many...

A blast from the Past...

The reality of Hollywood is that it is a business and so they try to make money however they can. The recent rash of rehashing old concepts and nostalgic 80's memories proves this theory, at least for me. The release of the live action Transformers movie, the upcoming Reboot and Thundercats movies also will try to cash in on series past. There was also the release of the animated TMNT which I thought was a nice addition to the franchise as was actually a pretty good movie. This being said I do like thinking about these fond memories from childhood, I was only very young when the first Transformers movie came out, but nonetheless I still remember these series and I hope that they will be done justice on the silver screen. Which brings me to another point, I have spent a lot of time lately watch the spiderman animated series and X-men animated series from the early 90's that Fox did, and I wonder why the movies were no where near as good as the show. These were great shows and I think Marvel should make some animated films, other than the Avengers and Iron Man ones they have already done to help boost their image. The other thing that should be mentioned is that technology has allowed for them to do live action movies of subjects they never would have dreamed of before which is why they are now revisiting ideas long past...maybe they aren't as dumb as we think.

The Weekend That Was

There was much happening on the weekend, here are some notes of interest:

Sports: Predictable and Unthinkable
- Tiger Woods held on at the PGA Championship and won his 4th Wanamaker trophy and 13th career major meaning within the next four year - at the very most - he will pass Jack Nicklaus for first on the all time major's win list.
- Roger Federer was defeated by Frank Danjovic in the finals at the Master's Series event in Montreal. Good for the 20 year old up and commer.

Film: Money Talks - wait, that was his other movie...
- Chris Tucker and Jackie returned for Rush Hour three and surpassed the Bourne Supremacy at the box office despite receiving terrible reviews from critics, and I mean really terrible.

News: They are still trying to dig miners out of an industrial accident but after a week the outlook cannot be expected to be positive, but I do hope it ends well, my thoughts and prayers go out to friends and family.

Enjoy your week.

Another list of unimportance...

Once again, daydreaming at work, trying not to let the dirty thoughts conquer my mind and I started thinking about things I would like to do (No people will be on this list, we'll keep it PG) before my time here is done. So anyway here's a few suggestions...

1. Travel to Europe
2. Sky Dive
3. Bungee Jump
4. Drive the Autobahn
5. Get a Screenplay Purchased
6. Play a Professional Golf Course
7. Go on a Safari
8. See the Amazon Rain forest
9. See a Space Launch at Cape Canaveral
10. Play Hockey with the Greats

Brain Cramp...

Ok, so here are some things that floated through my mind during a very slow day at work...

1. TMNT was actually not a half bad movie, maybe I just miss being a kid, good memories
2. Rob Schneider is real ugly, and makes real bad movies
3. Adam Sandler needs to make better movies...I miss Billy Madison and the like
4. Gary Betman is useless..repeat...
5. Why do people feel the need to call it a graphic novel...it's just a big ass comic book, I enjoy them and I am ok with that, but let's be honest...it's a comic book just real real big.
6. Kevin Smith is everywhere these days...good for him
7. Casey hasn't been keeping up with his blog...Film school must be intense
8. Racoons make lousy neighbours...
9. My neighbours are lousy neighbours...
10. Jim Carrey should get a hair cut
11. Barry Bonds gets to much attention - case and point
12. Global warming is a problem, but stop harping all the time, we are wasting all kinds of trees printing stories telling people about the dangers of global warming!
13. I wish I had a dog
14. I miss hockey...it should be played year round
15. Tiger Woods will win the PGA this weekend
16. I need a nap...

756..and counting

The milestone reached last night in San Francisco CA. by Barry Bonds who became the all time home run king passing Hank Aaron will no doubt have its share of commentators, so I figure what's one more. Barry is not Mr. Nice Guy, he is not someone who seems, at least, to care what you think about him, and he is not in the shape he was 20 years ago. That being said this chemically built machine, presumably, is still going and has managed to break one of the games most storied records. Did he take steroids...possibly. Why haven't they caught him, maybe they don't want to. Baseball is so full of problems that they seem almost afraid to look and see what they might find with an honest effort. Barry did this as did many many many others. Should he be criticized for this, yes, should the rest, yes. Why did they do this? Us. They wanted to put on a better show for the fans, and for their big fat paychecks so they did whatever it took to be at a high level night in and night out. And as a result they felt a lot of pressure and made some stupid decisions. But, what would you do if that was the only way to keep your job? That fine line in professional sports causes people to do some drastic and ultimately stupid things, including performance enhancers. Regardless of what he has done or hasn't (snicker) Barry Bonds' accomplishment is still nothing to be ignored. He is a talented ball player and one of the best home run hitters in the game. Looking at him now, and looking at his rookie card, you may never know it was the same guy, but this aside he should be congratulated on what he has accomplished regardless of how you feel about the guy, Do cheaters prosper...sadly in our world yes. Is he one, perhaps. But all I know is that they are counting home runs either way, so for now he is number one and mark it if you like ****

Disturb-ing-ia

I watched Disturbia the other day, and while it wasn't a bad movie, the acting was actually fairly good, the cookie cutter plot and been there done that sense I get from these kinds of movies keeps me from saying it is actually a good film. Though it is not below average and not a complete waste of time, there are many other things I would find more interesting to occupy myself with. The lack of any sense of creativity in Hollywood these days seems to stem from movies like this one which did fairly well at the box office and got decent critical reviews. People have actually come to expect less seemingly and are not wanting to be challenged when they go to see a movie. True, that the mainstream Hollywood film is meant to entertain it is sad that few actually challenge or create any sense of having to engage the movie. There is no sense of I wonder what that would be like, or relation to the character on the viewers behalf. This makes no sense to me where there are many talented people out there who could do much better. The is not such a lack of creativity and ideas that we have reached the bottom of the barrel. So please challenge yourself to try and do better, think smarter and realize that the all mighty dollar is a curse to this industries actual achievement as an art form.

Laugh it Up

With the release of Hot Rod today, and Rush Hour 3 and Superbad later this month there will be no shortage of comedies this month. Also, the Simpsons movie and Knocked Up which also supplied a lot of humour thus far means that this is one of the funniest summers I can remember...at least in the theater. These movies are not always loved by the critics and lack a lot of what the art types deam make a movie good. There is often not many complex characters and the interaction and motivation for the various characters is very surface or explained then quickly glossed over. However, this is missing the point, these movies are there to entertain us, give us a laugh, make us not have to think about other things for a while. Perhaps the increase in number of comedies is a sign of the declining nature of our society, the lack of intellectualism in our world, true making someone laugh is not easy and writing a funny, successful movie is no small thing, but writing a though provoking, stimulating movie requires more effort, and careful planning. This is not to take away from comedies such a knocked up which are hilarious the whole way through, and try to at least hit some dramatic notes, but they seem very contrived and like everything is a line...if you are a critic. So for those who put to much thought into these things I say forget about it, go watch the movie, have a good time and realize what you were there for in the first place...to be entertained.

Dropping the gloves

The news released yesterday that the Nashville Predators have a new local owner who intends to keep the franchise is good news for the few loyal fans that reside there, but to the rest of the state, most wouldn't even notice. It is also unfortunate that the franchise had a fire sale and the team will not be anywhere near as competitive this year. That being said, the most interesting part of all this is the drama between Craig Leipold the current owner and Jim Balsille the man who tried to buy them. Leipold criticized for his attempts to take the franchise away and the slick behind the scenes dealings of the lawyers trying to make this happen. The truth is that Balsille didn't really go about getting the team the right way and pissed some people off. This doesn't change the fact that there are at least half a dozen better, more competitive markets in Canada for this franchise. I know it would suck for Nashville to loose this team, well, a few thousand may care, and that Leipold was pissed off, but the fact is Gary Betman and his American friends who unfortunately run the league these days are to blame. They never should have moved here in the first place. Or many of the other southern markets for that matter. It detracts from the fact that people down there generally don't care about the game. Not all, obviously or these franchise wouldn't be there in the first place, but you cannot tell me with a straight face that there are not better markets out there, even within the United States, and that Gary Betman has not turned his back on Canada. He wouldn't have a league if it wasn't for Canada yet he continues to ignore us. It is pitiful, sad and shows no real leadership or foresight. He loves money, not hockey and no amount of slick word play on his part will ever ever convince me of this. He is not the right man for this job, but has somehow managed to maintain power. He must have some real powerful friends because it makes no sense to me. And yes, while the on ice product was good this year, that was the doing of the competition committee, not Gary. So, I will once again be forced to watch games with empty seats this year, and another team in a market far away make a run to a cup that the city doesn't know exists...sigh...and they wonder why Canadians like beer so much.

Feelin' Fine

I recently watched the movie Saint Ralph, a small Canadian production from a few years back, and it was one of those movies that is very simple, yet touching and honest. The characters are likable and though not overly adventurous the movie is entertaining and leaves you with a sense of the everyman's accomplishment in life. You want to like these people, and dislike those who oppose them. In the simplest of terms, the characters are not always complex but at least easily understood and the reasons for their actions clear. This is the beauty of this film and others like it such as Miracle, Remember the Titans and Friday Night Lights. These films show people at their best, and often worst and help us to get to that emotional well. True at times they try their hardest to get that well to over flow, to the point of almost being cheesy, but only almost. These films work and though you know what to expect going in, the fact is comforting movies like this please us because if nothing else they give us hope in a world that often lacks in this department. They serve a certain need and offer something for everyone.

Can't stand the heat...

The warm summer weather is finally here, and for those advocates of stopping global warming I say act faster. Growing up I was used to the summers being warm but not like this, and I will admit I like the sun but am by nature a cool weather fan, which is fortunate in Canada where half the year it is below freezing or damn near. Anyway, to beat the heat drink lots, and though beer is tasty it will not cool you down as well as water..which is a shame really, you'd think with the advances in science they could fix that, but I digress. We live in a country where it gets to minus 40 with the wind chill in February and in the peak of summer is around plus 40 with the humid ex, this is a rather drastic change compared to the rest of the world. The ocean is not near and so not a moderator as it is on some coasts, but we must preserver. don't stay out to long unless necessary, wear sunscreen and all those other tips, but really just try and find a pool...

Yellow Gold

The irreverent, witty, and always amusing (Well, for the first 10 years) antics of the Simpson finally hit the big screen this past weekend, and soared to the top of the box office. There are some detractors as there are with any movie, and it could have been a little more all encompassing of the characters they created, as the focus was on the Simpson family itself, but the fact is that the movie was fantastic. It lost the Family Guy Esq random humor and returned to the wittier, clever gags that made it a success in the first place. The story was interesting, there were some touching moments and personal realizations that while played out with some humour were fairly well done. There were some more crude gags than the show itself would permit and this was part of the films charm. Taking it to that next level. The movie has something to offer for everyone and its length while short, did it justice as trying to cram much more in would have taken away from the overall quality of the film. The yellow tinged gang has never been better, at least not of late, and while the lesser lights of the series weren't used as well as could have been, they played their parts well when called upon. If you are a fan you won't be disappointed, and if you aren't you'll still have a great time.

Lowe Blow

In the new NHL with the salary cap, and free agency being an option for younger players, there have been an ever increasing amount of interesting offers to restricted free agents, two of which have come from Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe. He offered a whopping $51million to Thomas Vanek of the Buffalo Sabers who subsequently offered up the dough and signed Vanek. Darcy Regher had already lost Daniel Briere and Chris Drury and wasn't about to let another star player escape, but he was less than impressed by Lowe's tactic and had a few choice words for him. Yesterday, Kevin Lowe tendered an offer to Dustin Penner of the Stanley Cup Champion (sigh...) Ducks of Anaheim. This time he is going to cross paths with Brian Burke, a man know to be honest to the point of rudeness. So how do you think Mr. Burke will react? Well, we will have to wait and see but odds are he will not be overly impressed. The offer wasn't quite as dramatic as the one tendered to Vanek but was for a good sum nonetheless, and as such it seems like Burke is trying to buy a team. Well, he needs to. He has not done a good job of holding on to players or creating an environment where they want to play, thank you very much Chris Pronger, and so he is doing what he feels is necessary to put a winning team on the ice. I hope he does. While it is kind of an unfortunate way to have to go about it, money is his asset, he has some to spend so he is trying to make good use of it. Plain and Simple. Regher can cry until the cows come home, but if he had any brains he wouldn't have lost TWO star players. We would all try to make our team better and this is how he has gone about it, not the most classy thing to do but effective in driving up salaries...huhn, should have thought that through a little more, but at least he realizes money talks. And love him or hate him, he has spoke up.

Do I want to be famous??

The plights, misdeeds and many odd goings on in celebrity land lately got me thinking, is it really worth the attention. Not only are famous singers and actors in the news these days, but the sports world seems to be collapsing lately too. Weather it's fixing games, dog fighting, sexual abuse, drugs/booze, there is no end to the exploits of the rich and famous. Granted incidents like the Stall brothers getting drunk and rowdy at a bachelor party only made the news because they are famous. True, their behaviour was not commendable but certainly not reprehensible. Maybe because I have a bias, I love hockey, but there are few who can say they never had a few to many and acted like a fool as a result. But they didn't go out drinking and driving, or bet with the mafia to fix games. These incidents are far to common lately in the celebrity world. Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Ritchie, Paris Hilton and the like are no role models and ought to be stripped of any influence or power over others as these people show no regard for their position in society. Weather they like it or not they are in the public eye, and though I have no idea what that pressure is like, or can do to a persons state of mind, (though I wouldn't mind terribly) I certainly think they can at least try to behave themselves and act like normal people. David Beckham and wife Victoria recently moved to LA and even the world famous Beckham was overwhelmed by the attention put on them. He noted they had over forty cars following them watching their every move. Is it just me or does this seem unnecessary? I am the first to admit that gossip can be entertaining and I do pay attention to these things if they seem interesting, but this is simply a sign of how far we have sunk a s a society. Yes my point of view has been stated before, countless times, but it just seems to me like it will never get better, which is a shame because there is a lot of good that gets overlooked in this world for stupid nonsense like this...not my blog of course. But, who am I to comment, who cares what I think right, after all, I'm just me....

Summer Time and the Living's easy...for some...

As I sit here at work, and look around me, I see...nothing. There's no one here. Perhaps because they all get vacation, maybe its because I work for the government and it's after 3, who knows. And I am aware of the irony of me writing this on work time. My point is being the low man on the totem pole is about as much fun as dropping the soap in a prison shower. I drag myself into work everyday, not that my job is overly hectic or stressful, I get well paid and am very thankful for what I have, but my point is that is somewhat discouraging to see people take vacation and have the first though in your mind be, 'vacation from what?' all they really do is come in here everyday, and that's it. I guess that's stressful enough for some, but it only makes me agree with my friends who think our government services are in drastic need of an overhaul. I am all for a more relaxed and less stressful work place environment, but there has to be some kind of line in the sand. Maybe I am cynical because any other job I have had was for little pay and much more work, but who knows. The summer months are certainly less stressful in most work environments, though not all, and as such I understand there will naturally be a decline in workload and personnel, but when you get no holidays, or very few long weekends, it bites. Plain and simple. The only people around are students, or newer employees who have not banked the years required to take a summer off. My parents always told me you have to pay your dues, and so I carry on, content with being employed, losing the desire to change the world...I'm not sure I enjoy paying those dues, but they are taken nonetheless...

Head First...

The FIFA under 20 Men's world cup wrapped up yesterday in Toronto and while I enjoyed the tournament there is certainly no shame in some of these players. There is no debate that soccer players are good athletes and that it is the most widely played, therefore popular, sport in the world. But that being said, why do they bring shame to their country and themselves by flopping around on the pitch like they had been shot with a deer rifle. The Czech Republic whose style I enjoy, a tough, physical, tight checking game produced no shortage of flips, trips and 10.0 dives from the South American side, who use this as an obvious tactic being a smaller side. Being a small guy myself I feel I can comment fairly on this matter, and can honestly say I found no pride in doing this when I played soccer, and it is dishonest and unnecessary. Perhaps I have been brain washed and sucked in by North American sports, but if any and I mean ANY NFL or NHL player tried these stunts they'd be on the next train back to the minors. The 'new' NHL rules are already starting to see an increase in guys going down more easily or letting go of a stick because they can get the call which I also disagree with, but this is noting in comparison to the absolute art form of the soccer player who cries bloody murder and acts as if his leg is broken only to return to the pitch and run at full speed mere seconds later. The young man who scored the Czech goal is a perfect example. He was bumped ever so slightly by an Argentinian defend and went down like a house of cards. This was a disgusting scene to say the least. The usually honest Czech side succumb to the call of the ref as they saw it was to their advantage which simply leads to more diving, and less fair play. Good on Craig Forrest of CBC for calling the players on this, and wanting the game to be about skill not acting. Other than this it was nice to see some high talent soccer and excellent fan support from the Canadian people, and people from all over the world. Let's keep the beautiful game that way and leave acting to the professionals, shall we.

That's Just Prime...

Now that I have had time to mull it over, here is my take on the Transformers movie: It was incredible - sort of. You see Transformers is one of those movies that, let's face it, is not for everyone. It is a popcorn movie, a special effects extravaganza made for fans of the series. People who knew what they were getting themselves into would have appreciated this fact, and enjoyed it. Myself included. The average person off the street, well there were plenty of cool special effects and one liners to keep you entertained for the duration. However those looking more deeply were, let's just say looking for more that you ought to have. They explain the story of cybertron, glossy over the various characters both human and non, and while they show them enough to perhaps understand them and who they are this is certainly not the film's focus and there is no in depth analysis of the world or human nature. No stunning revelations or brilliant social commentary. While these are present in part, there is not much there. One must realize however, that it's simply not that kind of movie. Shia Leboeuf, Megan Fox and the rest play their characters well, not that it required a great deal of in depth acting, but the cast did a solid job for the most part. The movie was longish but never dull and there were perhaps a few cheesy lines but these were certainly fewer in number than the clever ones. The CGI was incredible and was what drives this film. The transformers themselves were visually stunning and the effects were first rate. All right, enough cliches, go see the movie for yourself, sit back and watch a lot of stuff that may never actually be able to explode blow up.

Triskidekiphobia

Friday the 13th...bound to happen a few times a year this day actually invokes panic in may, especially those with triskidekiphobia or fear of the number 13. 13 has been branded with bad luck the way seven is synonymous with good luck. There seems to be no real rhyme or reason for these fears, they are just there. Like a black cat or a broken mirror looking back at you. All these things are associated with the unlucky, creepy or even supernatural. So, I say don't spend the day hiding away looking for witches or the like, enjoy your bad luck, after all luck is what you make of it...

Needle in a haystack...

OK, so most of my readers, (well what, three or four of you guys?) will note that most of these entries are not on a serious subject. Perhaps I find it easier to talk about things I enjoy then delving into the controversial, difficult to comprehend, or abstract. However I read something interesting in the paper that got me thinking. Ottawa had a crack pipe program and a needle exchange program, the latter of which was sponsored by the Ontario government, so addicts could bring in their used paraphernalia and get new stuff, presumably to keep themselves from becoming infected. Ottawa has now done away with this program in the interest that it makes the city look like it condones the use of drugs, which I agree it does. If you are handing out the means to uses these ILLEGAL substances you are certainly not preventing it. Now I understand the logic behind it, trying to prevent infectious diseases from spreading and the like, but these people are breaking the law and should take it upon themselves to protect themselves from coming into contact with these problems. We should not give them the means to continue to conduct illegal activity, no matter what the humanitarian side of us feels. Now I certainly don't think they are all bad people, many have just made very, very bad decisions and need help. So why not sink money into programs that help to keep people off drugs, like rehab centers and education to prevent people from using them in the first place. Or crack down on those supplying them in the first place. Handing out free supplies to use the drug that is keeping these people in trouble is not the answer, they need more intensive care than that.

Ban The Bet

That witty title refers to none other than Gary Betman, the shifty little man in charge of the NHL these days. He seems to be so driven to make sure than Nashville doesn't end up in Hamilton or some other true hockey market north of the border that he is willing to settle them in Kansas City, where presumably they have a rink...OK, a bit of a cheap shot, and I think the game would probably do better in KC than Music city, but I also believe that you could put a team in any big Canadian city, which means it is still smaller than any American market, and have more success. Not that there aren't good markets in the states but they are few and far between. Go to Hamilton, or Kitchner, or Halifax, bring back the Jets or the Nordiques just get the game where it belongs. It is clear that Betman doesn't want this to happen and I think he ought to be relieved of his duties for not putting the best interest of the game forward the last number of years. Yes the game has gone under some interesting changes and the on ice product is quite solid, but interest in the US is still waining at best so why not bring the league where people actually want it, care about it and love it. I wouldn't bring a professional baseball team from Houston to Ottawa so why did they move Winnipeg to Phoenix? Bring back the Jets or move to Hamilton or some other Canadian market where, and trust me on this, the game will thrive. If the league removed some of the teams from the US and moved them to Canada I guarantee that revenue would increase as would average attendance and interest as fans would have a home team to support and their game to show their love for. Gary - if it wasn't for Canada you wouldn't have a league to run. Players, managers, coaches - where do you think the vast majority of these guys come from? It ain't Nashville Gary...

The Right Stripes

The stellar lineup at the years Ottawa Blues fest headlined by acts such as Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and Kanye West is terrific, but Sunday night possibly the best act of the week and a half festival hit the stage when the White Stripes played. They were phenomenal - both of them. There are only two of them...It's hard to imagine that a band with such a great sound only has two people on stage. They don't rely on backup or lip sync complicated stuff, they just rock - old school. OK, that sounded a little lame but it is true nonetheless. They are amazing musicians and song writers and their bluesish sound more than let them fit in at the festival. Jack White simply got on stage and played his guitar, while Meg kept a beat. Simple enough one would imagine, but he is such a great guitar player and the raw sound almost memorizes you while listening to it. The show is entertaining and exciting while allowing you to hear pure rock sound. I would gladly see them any time again, and recommend you go check them out. They sound so good live it's almost unbelievable. I would also like to note that they are touring all over Canada this month, and are probably one of, if not thee biggest band to ever attempt to do this. Playing anywhere and everywhere along the way simply for the joy of playing, gotta love that. Also, the white and red colours the band frequently sport don't hurt either...

Strange isn't always bad...

The majority, if not all, of Will Farrell's memorable performances have come in comedic roles. Though he has done some other films, it is the SNL, Old School, Anchorman and Talledega Nights characters that he is most known for. And with good reason, he is a very funny guy. However I recently watched Stranger Than Fiction and was thoroughly impressed with Farrell's acting ability. He does an excellent job of bringing to life his character as does rest of the cast. It was clever, witty, funny, compelling ans all things a good movie should be. It was widely enjoyed by critics and with good reason, it works on so many levels. There is something that we can all take from this and apply to our own lives, good or bad, and the story it self is very clever and very well written. The fact that there are few innovative movies like this anymore helps us to appreciate the ones like this that actually pull off unique. It is a great movie and is definitely worth the watch.

TSN - Hockey really does live there...

OK, so now that I have caught up on rest after the long weekend, we can get back to reality. The weekend saw a lot of big name players get a lot of big money, and surprise surprise the New York Rangers were at the front of the line. Picking up two of the biggest name free agents in Scott Gomez and Chris Drury will no doubt bolster an already fairly solid team and make up for the loss of Michael Nylander. Daniel Briere signed in Phily for mega bucks and the Leafs signed Jason Blake? A pesky, whiny, little winger who is probably my least favorite player in the NHL. He is gutless and not generally well liked in the dressing room. Here's hoping Paul Maurice tears him a new one. Other players like Jerome Iginla and Joe Thornton signed contract extensions with their respective clubs, and Captain Canada decided not to return to Canada but instead to play with Joe Sakic, an opportunity many would love, myself included, and the rest of the Colorado Avalanche. Edmonton finished cleaning house from the team that went to the cup finals just two years ago, (now that this season is over) and traded their captain Jason Smith to Philly for a younger more offensive player in Janni Pitkonin. I like Smith, he's a good character guy but Edmonton is moving in a new direction and with the fast ice in Edmonton younger quicker players seem like a good investment. Cheer hard Aaron, and fear not your Oilers may have a better season...As for the rest, the Habs singed several veterans and are likely to loose Sheldon Sourray in the next few days, the Sens lost D-man Tom Preissing to LA, and Pittsburgh is once again improving adding Peter Sykora and Daryl Sydor...look for the Penguins to win the Atlantic this year, and maybe even the East, as they have improved and the young players have matured and will only get better while New Jersey and Buffalo have lost key players. Ottawa shouldn't have much of a drop if any in the east. The Cup champion Ducks signed Matthieu Schneider possibly to replace a possibly retiring Scott Neidermayer, which is a downgrade no offense to Schneider, but Niedermayer is one of the best ever. They also signed Todd Bertuzzi hoping he can resurrect his career under form GM Brian Burke. The Red Wings added a defense man to replace Schneider in Brian Rafalski, the Michigan Native should help Nick Lidstrom on the PP. It was a busy few days and promises to keep being that way a least for the next few as players try to nail down jobs and cash. And on another note, the salary cap was again raised, now to $50 Million US per season, so remind me again why we had a lockout?...But anyway, props to TSN, who on our national holiday spent the day covering our game, and thankfully for them it turned out to be a worthwhile day, even if it did start very very slowly. Check out their web site or the NHL website for all player transactions.

Who was the best signing?..Let me know what you think.

It's a Phone Too?

All right tech geeks and nerds rejoice, the iphone is officially here. And while people like my buddy Casey and Aaron know a great deal more about these things than myself, I will endeavour to tell you what I think. I think this is a product for our generation, one that wants the absolute most out of everything it has. It wants it all in one package, and as convenient as possible. I give you, the iphone. The fact that it does damn near everything is impressive, the fact that it is touch screen is cool, and the fact that it is actually in the feasible price range for many is even better. Yes, it is a bit on the expensive side, and yes if you wen out and bought the individual products..MP3 player, Camera, phone etc. by themselves you would probably get better quality individually, but you can have it all. Isn't that the point of the iphone? the complete package...Otherwise, why bother getting it at all...

Let me know what you think.

On Top to Stay

So, with Canada Day approaching, perhaps I am feeling a little patriotic, but whatever the case may be I saw an article in the paper today that got me thinking. It was actually a picture, and in it members of the Canadian Junior men's, Men's and Women's Hockey teams received their rings for winning the world championships this year. That's right, we won all three. Again. And, we won the 2005 World Cup of Hockey, and it is set to be held again in a few years time. The Olympics...we'll call that a blip on the radar screen. This is truly a sign that the programs implemented by Hockey Canada are working and that as a whole, we are still the greatest hockey nation in the world. And we are also among only a few countries who care about such a title. Hockey lacks that world wide appeal of baseball and soccer because it requires a rink, and countries like Germany, Switzerland and Italy are full of expatriate Canadians who fill up their rosters, though they are developing more home grown talent, and Germany is becoming a better hockey nation all the time. The fact remains that this is our game, and we care more about it than anyone, so why shouldn't we be the best. The pressure is there, and we are expected to win. Well, be that as it may, you can't win them all...oh wait...maybe you can. There are other sports that have greater competition and the World Cup of Soccer to me is the pivotal world's sports trophy as almost every country has a team, but the fact is Canada is still dominant in a spot that is played in a great number of nations, with greater populations than our own, and we continue to ex cell. Look at the NHL for the facts. Teams that win the Stanley Cup are lead by Canadians. There is no othere nation except perhaps Brazil's soccer team that can boast the kind of success Canada has had in this one sport. This may come across as brash patriotism, and rude even disrespectful to other nations, but the facts speak for themselves. They just make us look good is all...

Draft Day

The annual NHL entry draft was held this past weekend in Columbus Ohio, and while there was actually a fairly decent crowd of supporters for the event, it was relatively quiet in the US press. This despite the fact that for the first time ever the top two overall picks were American born players. Pat Kane of the London Knights was selected first overall and this was no great surprise given the numbers he put up last season, leading the OHL is scoring, as a rookie, and in the new NHL despite all the raving over size now that Anaheim won the cup, there is a place for smaller players like Kane. There was definitely a lack of big names in this draft class, as was there a lack of overseas players taken. The lack of a transfer agreement between Russia and the IIHF/NHL was probably responsible for some of this, but there was a definite lack of foreign players taken this year. As was there a lack of goaltenders, Tyler Sexsmith of the Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants was one of the more prominent tenders taken. Otherwise, this was a relatively uneventful draft year, but with the crop of talent the last three years, it has been hard to repeat such a wealth of players.

Things of Interest

At least I hope this is interesting...

Anyway, I was away fishing, that explains the lack of Blog posts recently. Anyway, upcoming things of interest around here include Bluesfest, which promises to be great this year with acts like the White Stripes, Van Morrison, Kayne West, Sam Roberts and others. Also Pilot Speed is playing at Barrymore's Saturday, should be a good time. The upcoming world under 20 soccer Cup is being held in Canada, including Ottawa and it promises to be a good time, these guys are incredibly talented and will be playing professionally in no time, many already do. So, check out these events if you're in the area, later.

PS - New Simpson's trailer on Yahoo movies - good stuff,

Canadian eh?

Looking forward to an upcoming fishing trip got me thinking about what it means to be Canadian, and what makes us so unique. There are of course many of those people, including several of my friends, who feel it is the multicultural aspects of Canada that make us what we are and what make this country great. I don't entirely disagree and living in Ottawa, having the opportunity to experience or at least get a small perspective of these other worlds, is a great opportunity and leads to better understanding in the world or at least we can hope it does. But to me Canada will always be the outdoors, the spirit of the land and the sense of space and freedom. A little corny? perhaps. Conservative...maybe, but the point is that, that is what 90% of our country is. Not sprawling cities and huge buildings, or people crammed into houses like sardines. Canada is know for its great outdoors and its love of outdoor activities. Our tourism industry thrives on it, and people from all over the world come here to experience what we are lucky enough to have access to every day. Weather it's playing hockey on a frozen lake, floating gently in a canoe or simply walking in a field (cue cheesy happy music and sunshine) this is what makes Canada, Canada. Our land, and the people who inhabit the small cities and areas away from the modernization and fast pace of today's world. I grew up in a small town like this, and perhaps this is nostalgia talking, but that is what makes up most of our country and so in my opinion is what makes it great.

Formula Fun

OK, never mind the cheesy title, and listen up. I was in Montreal this past weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix on the Formula One circuit, and it was well worth the trip. Even for a novice like me. For those of you who have never seen these cars live, it is a sight to see. They are incredibly fast, incredibly agile but mostly incredibly loud. The roar of the engine rang clear across the island from wherever the cars may have been. They are nothing but a blur as they pass you by, and how they can keep them under control is beyond me. They are obviously quiet safe too, as one BMW driver hit the wall at 300km/hr and was released from hospital yesterday with a concussion and sprained ankle. Lucky indeed. The other series of cars that travel with F1 are also quite impressive, if not nearly as fast. I also believe that anyone who owns a Ferrari or other such luxury car was in Montreal just for the sake of being see by those who appreciate such things (and not just the lovely ladies, of which there were plenty) such as the friends I went with. I don't know a great deal about cars, but you can still appreciate the performance you see right in front of you, and while this was not a cheap venture I highly recommend it for anyone remotely interested in racing, or just going and having fun in a great city.

Playoff Perspective

Here are what I think were some of the more memorable/interesting moments of this years playoffs, not in any particular order.

- The play of Sidney Crosby, even in a losing effort shows he is ready to lead a very talented and determined young team. He was just named captain, and I say look for Pittsburgh to make a run next year.
- Ranger goalie Henrik Lundquvist: This guy is perhaps the best goalie his country (Sweden) ever produced, and his play against Atlanta - not that they did much in the way of offence - and especially Buffalo proved that.
- Martin who? - Martin Brodeur was certainly not himself in these playoffs, almost blowing a series against a sub-par Tampa team, and letting Ottawa walk right over him.
- The Fantastic Four - Tampa Bay almost upset New Jersey with four players. Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavallier, Martin St. Louis and Dan Boyle almost took out the devils themselves, and though Holmquvist was good in net, the rest of the team was no where to be found. These guys are good. All Canadian too...
- Atlanta Thrashed - The Thrashers made some poor decisions leading up to the playoffs just to get a spot, trading their future away for Keith Tkachuk and Alexi Zhitnik, and then coming up so lame against New York, that if they were a horse they'd be luck to get shot. They played musical goaltenders too, which doesn't help the confidence of a talented young goalie like Keri Lehtonen.
- Ottawa's emergence - The Sens may have lost the final, but winning the East and looking good doing it made them seem for real and helped shake off past failures.
- Roberto Luongo vs. Marty Turco - This may have been one of the finest displays of goal tending the playoffs have ever seen, and the epic battle went to Luongo in 7, the only game 7 of these playoffs. Turco's poor luck continued, as he shook off past playoff failures only to run into a wall called Roberto. Luongo saved Vancouver this year, they need more offence because with him in net they can be a real threat at any time.
- Flames fizzle - Detroit was made to look good by Calgary and San Jose, Anaheim finally knocked off this over achieving and over the hill team. Calgary underachieved again except for Mika Kipprusoff who was his usual stellar self.
- San Jose vs. Nashville - This was the only rematch from last year, and may have been the most entertaining series. It had something for everyone and though a shorter series than most expected, it was very entertaining.
- Teemu's ring - Selanne finally got his ring, and as one of the most respected nice guys in the game, fans couldn't be happier for him.
- Pronger Shmonger - Pulling some of his typical goon tactics and subsequently suspended for two games which the Ducks won both, proves the over rated nature of Chris Pronger. He plays a lot, and has a good shot, but lacks other fundamental skills like speed, which lead to his cheap shot on Dean Mcammond. He is good, but no Scott Niedermayer or Nick Lidstrom.
- USA?? - Being in Ottawa and having a chance to see the fans and the love for this game, not only in the playoffs but during the drive to make it in for the Leafs and Habs, shows that the game belongs here. New Jersey and Detroit didn't even sell out some games, and most people in Anaheim couldn't tell you what the Stanley Cup was if you held a gun to their head, which could happen in LA...

What was your favorite playoff moment??...

Seasons End...

OK hockey fans, this one's for you. While I have refrained from writing about the Sens in the fear of jinxing their amazing playoff run, we now know how that ended up, so, sadly, with no need to worry any longer here are my thoughts on the finals. Once again "Canada's Team" lost to a sunny, football loving, non hockey city. I know Anaheim has more Canadian players, which left many calling them Canada's team, and those players were the reason they won the cup. Not that Ottawa didn't have good Canadian content, or that their lack of Canadians cost them the cup, but the last number of years the reason the teams in the south have won is because of Canadian players. The same as every other year. Think of Lecavalier, Ricahrds, St. Louis, Boyle and Sydor in Tampa and Brind'Amour, Stall, Ward & Ward, Rechi et. Al. in Carolina last year. Anaheim wasn't necessarily the better team, and that will be widely debated, but the Ducks did outplay Ottawa by a wide margin in the series and deserved to hoist the might mug. Ottawa got away from their game and didn't play nearly as well as Anaheim, which is due in part to the Ducks stellar play, but Ottawa made it easy on them, and that's what will haunt them for the next many years. Their breakout playoff run came to an unfortunate halt as those who stepped up and lead the way through the first three rounds pulled a Jimmy Hoffa and disappeared completely from the finals. They looked like a team of destiny, but shot themselves in the foot time and time again. In this sense it is unfortunate, and isn't meant to take away from Anaheim's victory but it would have been nice to see the real Sens show up in the series. That being said, I believe that the two best teams in hockey faced off for its top prize. These were the deepest, most skilled, most determined teams and the proved it in the playoffs. The talent level on both teams is outstanding, and their ability to play at both ends of the rink, and several styles of play is what got them here. If they can keep their core together both these franchises may find themselves back here next year, and wouldn't that be sweet. Even though Ottawa played sub par, the hockey was still good and the games entertaining, not that anyone in the states noticed. But enough Yankee bashing, its far to easy. So good for Anaheim, hope they don't have the parade in the parking lot when Micky and Minnie live so close by. And to the Sens I say I know its tough, and we were pulling for you, but you'll be back. To those who say move on or deal with it, you're not true fans and it takes time to get over a loss like this. "Keep your stick on the ice!" - Red Green

Looking back...

Last night as I attended my graduation from the University of Ottawa, I was afforded the opportunity to look back and think about my time there and what it has meant to me. With several friends still attending the school, my connection to it is far from done with, by my own personal chapter is. Having been in History and English there were many faces I recognized in the crowd, but not as many that I knew all that well. That is the one thing about attending such a large school. But there were the friendly faces of those you have come to know over the past four years, and it makes you wonder what lies ahead for each of us. In this sense it isn't much different than high school in that there is the unexpected ahead of you, only by now you should either have a better sense of direction or more knowledge behind you to face it. We are older and hopefully wiser, but that doesn't mean anything if you don't apply yourself. This is the message received from countless friends and family members as you start out on our new lives. The world doesn't really care about you unless it show it why it should and hopefully we've learned enough to prove this to them and to ourselves. The kind thoughts of friends and family members are always appreciated at this time, and hopefully we can all prove that it was worth the investment, and make our way through this world using the skills we have acquired here. It's not just what you learn in the classroom that's important I have found, but the skills you learn being on your own, and what you learn about yourself as you grow up. These are what really matter, and is a part of a truly valuable education. And as my dad always told me, education is never wasted. Here's hoping he's right.

You Again...

What? How'd you get in here? Isn't there a law against this? How could this happen? These and other more base thoughts which we shall not disclose here, are what entered my mind tonight as I went to see Knocked Up. The movie itself was pretty good, hilarious at times, crude, over all it's unrealistic, but definitely worth your time. The problem I had wasn't with the movie, the sticky floors, or the stale smell in the air, it was with my fellow movie goers. Why is it that people fell it is necessary to laugh so loud that you miss half of what the actors say, or why they keep laughing about past jokes during parts that aren't funny in the least. It is frustrating as hell and I figure I will enjoy the movie much more when I can watch it in a more quiet environment where I can pay attention to everything, and not be constantly annoyed at others lack of social graces. I know this may seem like pitiful whining but its on my mind, so here it is. I know many people feel the same way, so I don't feel to bad outing those among us who have no common sense. The other problem I have with movies like this is how the lines are repeated ad nausium by fans for months after, which also takes away from the film itself. Think about it. That's all I ask.

Catch 22

OK, so this post will be a personal one attempting to, perhaps in vain, try and understand the world of screenwriting, or at least call some attention to my self, or the problems I see in the industry. As someone who is aspiring to be a screenwriter I have found that entering the business is by far the hardest thing to do. Clearly with the amount of crap spewed out by Hollywood these days, talent doesn't always seem like a prerequisite. The people you know and what you can do for them have always played an important role in any facet of human life, and this is no different. If you have an in, you're set. So, forgive me if this sounds contrived or bitter, since I don't have an in, but this line of selection certainly hasn't lead to success at every turn. However, the biggest catch 22 I see is the agent. You see, agents don't want to take on just anybody as they are, apparently, very busy people who don't want to waste other busy people's time with some piece of garbage that some kid off the street just handed to them smiling politely and expecting to be an instant star. I am not naive enough to just expect to be snapped up right away by an agent, or make mega bucks right from the start, (...one can dream) but the problem is, if you want to get yourself out there, you need an agent. But if you can't get published without an agent, and agents only want published writers, just how in the hell are you to go about doing this. Well, your guess is as good as mine. The only wisdom I have heard is go where the industry is, knock on doors, pester people till they would be willing to throw you onto the freeway, but you have to keep at it. I fully intended to do this at some point, being in Canada it's a little more difficult but the point is, this system keeps creative people who are small timers out of an industry that desperately needs a shake up. Not that there are no talented people in Hollywood, but this seems to limit the number of people who have access to money, which is needed to make a decent film. It is a business, I can't deny that, and as such money and what you can make form the company is the bottom line. So if you have any advice or are looking for writing talent, please don't be shy. I'm not.

Interest and Omissions

OK, so here is a video I promised my buddy Yaseen I'd post a link to. It is a sorta artsy piece, well, actually that's all it is, but it's pretty cool, and the video is actually linked on the website of Anne Brune who sang the song you hear in the video, which I think says a lot. He filmed it with a mac, and I gotta say the quality isn't bad considering the hardware...Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYGdw6KEcpU

Now, for the Omissions part. I wrote a post a little while ago about threequals this summer. I have seen two of them, Spiderman and Pirates, and enjoyed both. I forgot to include Ocean's Thirteen and the Bourne Ultimatum in that post, which bring the total of threequals due out this year to no less than six. Now, we could be negative, and callus and point out the lack of creativity or originality in the mainstream movie industry and the countless number of terrible movies that are spewed at us like sharp pieces of vomit, but instead we should look at the success of these franchises and realize that movie execs realize when they have a winner, and something that can make a profit for them, and squeeze it for every last thin dime, like a fat kid licking his plate. Point being, these franchises are for the most part entertaining, if not though provoking or artistic, and that is what popcorn is all about.

TV on DVD

The other day I bought season five of Scrubs on DVD, which took a hell of a long time in coming out, but to me it is worth it. Not only do you get all the episodes in a season when you buy a TV show on DVD, but there is so much more. Every popular show, and even some not so popular ones, are all being released on DVD now, and allowing fans even more access to the show. Behind the scenes, the writers and directors - without which any show would suck, no matter how good the acting - finally get to speak up, and tell you how the show works, or came to be in the first place. You can see how much fun it would be, as well as how demanding to film a TV series. There is usually extra footage, and a whole host of other options, depending of course on the show. It truly is a dream for fans that the advent of this technology has so readily made this available to us, and while studios are now pumping out more and more of these series because of their popularity with fans, and monetary benefit to them, it actually offers more then just the show to you which is great. Shows like Scrubs who do huge amounts of blogging and behind the scenes features are allowing more inside looks into TV production than ever before. Enjoy.

SENSational

OK hockey fans, the final is set, and Monday night the Stanley Cup Playoffs final round begins. The Ottawa Senators will face the Anaheim Ducks - the dropped the mighty, though the team still is - to decide who wins hockey's ultimate prize. I am a Sens fan so I am biased, but the way they have been playing it will be a challenge for Anaheim to defeat the deepest, fastest and most potent offensive team they have face so far this playoff. As for Ottawa, Anaheim is a very aggressive team and a bigger team then they have faced so far, and JS Gigure is playing phenomenal hockey, so it shapes up to be a very even, and very interesting series. The long lay off until the start is for...well, I'm not sure why, but I can't wait for it. I predict Ottawa will win in what should be a physical series, and one that should go more then five games, though that's what everyone has said about Ottawa's series so far...The Pronger Neidermayer factor for the ducks will be huge, but they have logged a lot of minutes and have to be getting tired, or will after a few games against Ottawa's speedy forecheck. Anaheim has also travelled a great deal and will benefit from a few days rest and starting the series at home. Should be a beauty!

EXemplary or EXcrament?

I was leafing through various papers and online websites the other day, and noticed the reviews for the new movie, The EX. I had seen the trailer and it looked pretty fun, maybe not a classic but could be worthwhile. Well, no I don't know what to think. This film has received more mixed reviews than almost any other I have ever come across. People seem to love it or hate it. No middle ground. It was said to work, or to not work. Not come across OK, or had its moments. No, it was liked or disliked. Plain and simple. Black or White. This intrigued me, as not many movies today seem to inspire this kind of mixed reaction. Most are widely hated, or widely loved, not somewhere in between. Most films appeal or try to to a wide audience leading to lots of so so reviews. Now, I love Scrubs and Zach Braff does a great job in it, and Jason Bateman is great in Arrested Development. And Amanda Peet....well, she's just hot. Nough said. Anyway, this possibility could work. Or so I though, but now, I am not sure, guess I'll just have to go see it and find out. If you have, let me know what you think.

The Summer of Three

Forget the summer of George, the Summer/Spring of 2007 will forever be known as the summer of three. Why you may ask, well there are no less than four threequals coming out this summer. Spiderman 3 was released the other week, and is breaking box office records all over the world. While this movie is receiving luke warm reviews from critics, there is no denying it is a solid edition to a solid franchise. Speaking of solid franchises the third Pirates of the Caribbean film is going to be released later this month. While I enjoy these movies, there is an awful lot of hype over them, which I consider to be unnecessary. Not that I don't like them, but they are so easily marketable which has attributed to their huge success, I guess...anyway, hopefully the third installment will entertain, but regardless of its quality it will undoubtedly make more money than even Keith Richards could spend on booze. After this there is Shrek the third. This is another successful franchise that is hoping to kick it up a notch, though that may be hard to do after the last one was so good, possible the best of the three...much like X2, but that's for another day. The giant green ogre and friends will be certain to entertain, and provide something for everyone. The last installment is the long awaited, yes i like the first two, Rush Hour 3. While the first two are certainly goofy and not fine artistic film making, they are entertaining, and worth a few good laughs, and the third looks like it should have more of the same. So, look forward to these and the many blockbusters coming out this summer, this the most wonderful time of the year...for film geeks. Guilty as charged...

Vindication

Shane Doan was in the middle of a controversy created by people with a lack of both common sense, and apparently better things to do. So what did he do amid all these complaints? Fold, complain or get flustered? No. He simply lead Canada to a 9-0 record and another gold medal. Enough said. This is the kind of person that Canada needs on their roster, and is a guy who is respected by all teammates, French or English. This kind of character guy is exactly the kind of guy that has lead Canada to its stellar record in international play, and is the reason we will continue to have success in international hockey. So, to Hockey Canada I say bravo, and maybe we should get a few of those guys to run this country.

Spiderman 3 - To Much of a Good Thing

So, I saw Spiderman 3 the other day, and though I really enjoyed the movie, it was not without it's faults. The main on being, they crammed way to much into such a constrained time period. The advent of several villains and the relationship with Peter, Mary Jane, Harry and Gwen - played by Bryce Dallas Howard are all very important to the story and should have been allowed more time on screen and allowed more time to develop. Like the first two movies did. They focused on particular villains and story lines rather than trying to cram to much in. Granted there is so much material to work with in the Spiderman universe, but they are doing more movies, why try to rush through them. The film had the big budget special effects and first rate cast, including Topher Grace, who all did a great job, and the story was solid, but almost overwhelming because of the amount of material included. This takes away from the movie and makes it difficult to follow, and leaves people wondering about the characters themselves and how they came to be, though they clearly show what motivates them. Many fans will point out they stray very far from the comic books in this film, and I would have liked to have seen them do a whole movie with the Venom story, as it is one of the better ones to work with. However, the movie was still enjoyable, and had some rather funny parts, more so than the first two. So all in all I say enjoy true believers, and there's more to come.

Round 3

Round 3 of the playoffs kicked off last night, and Buffalo was dealt a solid defeat by the visiting Senators who totally outplayed Buffalo. The danger of Buffalo was that they hung around long enough to make the game interesting and Sens fans, such as myself, very nervous. This was a great hockey game that featured some of everything for the true hockey fan, and promises to be a great series. I predict Ottawa comes out on top. The West kicks off tonight, and I see Anaheim taking Detroit out, Detroit has a lot of injury problems, and are going to get worn down by the younger, more aggressive more Canadian Ducks. They are a team that has everything, and has looked good thus far. Ottawa Anaheim final, should be interesting. To quote a great Canadian Keep your stick on the ice.

Captain my Captain

So, the spring session of Parliament in now back in session, and the chosen leaders of our country are there, working for us, the politics and ideologies of this nation are constantly being debated to better our country and the lives of those who put them in power, right? Well, today those select few we choose to run the country are not debating health care, gun control, the economy, same sex marriage, or even foreign relations, no these brilliant, well educated few are putting a hockey player on trial. Not for violent or disturbing behaviour, and not for any wrong doing off the ice, but because he allegedly made an ethnic comment. Now, perhaps he condemned a whole race and people were hurt..wait, no, he was found innocent, there was no proof of his crime, no punishment, no witnesses. The incident was investigated, and nothing came of it. This was nearly two years ago. TWO YEARS. So, why now is Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes being questioned as Canada's captain at the world championships in Moscow and why is hockey Canada's head Bob Nicholson in front of the government defending their choice and wondering why they are wasting our tax dollars on this foolishness. Shane Doan's exact words were "there were four French Officials, you figure it out"....allegedly, and this isn't even slander against them, perhaps he accused them of playing favorites, so what? He didn't say anything derogatory about them, and yet it was said that his being chosen as Captain casts a shadow over the team. No, Jack Layton it doesn't, the other political parties cast a shadow over your hippy wanna be, powerless back bench party and you are tyring to stir the pot, get some attention for the upcoming election. Are you telling me that worse hasn't been uttered in parliament about the Bloq Quebecois under people's breath. This is an absolute disgrace and I feel sorry for those involved, and that I pay taxes to people like this who have nothing better to do than makes fools of themselves for political means. I'm all for respect but this is ridiculous. If you want to win an election, give the people what they want, not this nonsense.

HD - The way to be...

Cheesy title, I know...but that doesn't change the fact that it's true now does it. I recently hung out at a buddies house and watched a bunch of BlueRay movies and played some X-box 360 on his HD projection TV. While I know that this set up is not affordable for all, even a run of the mill HD set up is far superior to the analog or even regular digital cable. The picture, sound, everything is incredible and totally brings you in to what you're watching. Planet Earth, the BBC series is spectacular in it - to quote Aaron - HD glory. Weather in 720, or 1080, it looks incredible, near sensory overload at times, and is well worth the investment. While not that many films are yet available on HD or BluRay format, it will be worth the wait for those wanting to purchase them. So, to my buddy Casey I say thanks for the good times, and to those wondering what it's like, I urge you to find out for yourself.

Round 2

So, with round one in the books, and 7 of 8 picks correct, here's how I think round two goes down.

West

1 Detroit vs. 5. San Jose
I think San Jose wins this series, they have the whole package, from goal tending out, and will put up a better fight than Calgary did, wearing down the Detroit d, who are not getting any younger, and who do not have a Canadian among them.

2.Anaheim vs. Vancouver
I like the Canucks team, but I think Anaheim will win the series. They have great goal tending, strong D and Vancouver's inability to score goals will be an issue. This should be another tight checking series and more physical than the one Vancouver had against Dallas.

East

1. Buffalo vs. 6. New York Rangers
I think this will be another close series, Buffalo will most likely win in no more than 6, but they didn't look good against the Islanders and the Rangers are playing well. That being said Buffalo has the more talented team after the top line the Rangers lack weapons even with production from Shannahan and Avery of late.

2. New Jersey Devils vs. 4. Ottawa Senators
I think Ottawa's depth combined with Ray Emery's strong play will lead Ottawa through this series. New Jersey have a gifted top line, but if Philips and Volchenkov can keep them in check like they did Sidney Crosby New Jersey will be in trouble. Martin Brodeur is always a factor, but the lack of shut down defense men in New Jersey a la Scott Stevens has hurt them in recent years and I think will cost them this series.

Let me know how your picks are doing.

Mazes and a Robot...No Cheese

A big part of school for me the past 8 months has been my design project.
I won't go into too much detail. Basically the task was to design a robot that would go through a maze. It ended up being a successful project.
If I were to guess this was at least about 250-300 hours total of time invested over the 8 months to complete. A lot of that though had to do with tasks such as report-writing and simulation before actually touching the physical robot.

Anyways, here is a video of the final result.

The Second Season

So, it begins! The second season. Playoffs. The greatest time of the year. The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in all of sports to win, and the hunt begins tonight. Sixteen teams are left, and one of them will be crowned champion. In my opinion, it comes down to only a few teams. in the East I predict a Buffalo Ottawa final, with Ottawa taking the title, and in the west the Sharks will circle the competition and end up taking the title. In the Final, it will be the Sense hoisting the cup, putting the past failures behind them much to the chagrin of Leafs fans. I am a little biased here and am willing to admit it, but both these teams are well balanced all around, and have as good a chance as anyone else. The west is certainly more wide open than the east, and will be an absolute war to get out of, which is why I think the east has won the last three cups, as the Western champs are always so beat up going into the final. This year's playoffs will be extremely entertaining and unpredictable, even the 'experts' are scratching their heads over this one.

Random News

Sometimes you read news stories that just remind you how funny/messed up people are.

Go Green Or Die

Elf's Wear Bras

A big week ahead

So, as a huge sports fan, it will be a hard week not to stay glued to the TV. There is so much going on, its hard to keep track, but here's a taste. The MLB has started up again, and the Blue Jays have their season opener today at 1pm in Detroit. St. Louis lost to the Mets last night in the first game of the year. Should be an exciting year on the diamond. The NCAA March madness ends tonight, in April...how'd that happen...anyway, Ohio state takes on defending champion Florida Gators for the title, I say there's a new champ in town, the Buckeyes win a close one. On ice of a different kind, the world curling championship for men goes in Edmonton, the Canadian women won the championship last week, lets hope the men can do the same. They have started 3-0 and look poised to win on home ice. The NBA is winding down its season, and the playoffs, which will include the Toronto Raptors begin in just over two weeks time. My prediction - the Dallas Mavericks are celebrating a championship come June. The NHL season ends Sunday, and its right down to the wire in the east, and either Montreal or Toronto will squeak into the playoffs in the East, so it should be exciting. The Sens are in a close race for home ice advantage over either Pittsburgh or New Jersey, and Calgary and Vancouver will make a strong push in the west...poor Edmonton...To wrap up the week, the masters takes place in Augusta Georgia, with Tiger Woods going for his fifth green jacket. Whew...that's a lot to keep track of, should be a good week! Forget Christmas, this is the most wonderful time of the year!

Best Albums of 2007, So Far

Or rather that I have listened to so far. I haven't been able to listen to as much new music as I used to.

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank









Arcade Fire - Neon Bible









Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City









2007 is turning out to be a good year. More to come later, I have plenty to listen to...