So the 'Canes were eliminated in no uncertain terms from the playoffs by our new Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, just about a month ago. Hardly news anymore, but I've been busy jet-setting. And by jet-setting, I mean laying on the couch, drinking cheap wine, and watching the hockey season wrap up while I dread trudging through this irritant called summer with its vile weather and absence of pro hockey.
Anyway.
A couple of days after the 'Canes were swept by the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals, a co-worker asked me if I was in mourning. My fast response was 'no' -- yeah I was sad that the 'Canes season was over and that they got swept, but how could I be in mourning? The team actually came back to life and had a fantastic playoff run filled with moments that will be talked about and shown on highlight reels forever.
Mid-way through the season, it looked as if they might miss the playoffs for a painful third straight season since winning The Cup. But a coaching change, a couple of roster tweaks, and an apparent re-dedication to relentless effort brought the team greater success from January on. Advancing to the Finals would have been fantastic, obviously, but the team, org, and fans have so very, very much to be pleased with and proud of walking away from the 08-09 regular season and playoff run. I'm smiling just thinking about it all now.
The Hurrianes' performance in the first two rounds of the playoffs was nothing short of thrilling. Some new heroes were formed in Jokinen, Pitkanen and Walker (scandal and all). Cam Ward looked more like the 05-06 playoff goalie who won the Conn Smythe than he had at any point since then. Eric Staal played like a superstar. It was exciting. And when a gassed bunch of players who had just battled fiercely through 14 playoff games with assorted overtimes in the span of about 5 weeks were swept by the Penguins, it was sad but that sadness was quickly lifted by pride.
The draft is Thursday. The business of contracts is at hand. The Friesen 5K Fun Run for LLS is 70 days away, unofficially marking the start of training camp. And then we get to go on the fantastic ride of an NHL season again.
Go' Canes!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sublime Redux
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A Sublime win for the 'Canes
"There are comebacks and there are miracles and there are those that might just be both and defy description anyway."
--Luke DeCock - News & Observer
"This is as sweet as it comes."
--Cam Ward
"It was a Hollywood script ending to a series for the ages."
--NHL.com
The Hurricanes beat New Jersey 4-3 last night. They were down 3-2 with 1:20 left in the game. Hurricanes radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton started wrapping up his broadcast. And then it happened. Jussi Jokinen scored to tie it and it looked like overtime was on the way. Eric Staal's goal with 31 seconds left on the clock changed that. And it was over. One of the most amazing playoff series ever between two teams who could not have possibly been more evenly matched.
Carolina wins the series, 4 games to 3 to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
As a Hurricanes fans whose mood, stress level and social life are dictated by the team, "sublime" is the first word that comes to mind.
--Luke DeCock - News & Observer
"This is as sweet as it comes."
--Cam Ward
"It was a Hollywood script ending to a series for the ages."
--NHL.com
The Hurricanes beat New Jersey 4-3 last night. They were down 3-2 with 1:20 left in the game. Hurricanes radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton started wrapping up his broadcast. And then it happened. Jussi Jokinen scored to tie it and it looked like overtime was on the way. Eric Staal's goal with 31 seconds left on the clock changed that. And it was over. One of the most amazing playoff series ever between two teams who could not have possibly been more evenly matched.
Carolina wins the series, 4 games to 3 to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
As a Hurricanes fans whose mood, stress level and social life are dictated by the team, "sublime" is the first word that comes to mind.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Drive-by Before Game 4
It's been a long time since I posted and stuff has happened. More than I can write about before work. La. But the most important thing to say is GO CANES! I'll be working tonight during the game, but will have the Internet close at hand to follow it.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Thank You, Martin Brodeur
I'm a 'Canes fan, and it's hard to stay hopeful about my team right now. But watching Martin Brodeur return from elbow surgery and properly kick ass in his last three games gives this hockey fan reason to smile.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
It's weird ...
... but I am freakishly superstitious about hockey so I can only post on days when it 'feels right.' There is no explaining what makes one day right and not another, but today feels pretty good so I figured I'd go with it. Not that I have much to say, but it has been a while and I'm feeling slightly chatty while my dinner cooks.
Your old friend Pokey has been settling into a new job and hating every second of it, but still watching lots of hockey. It's been so long since I really wrote about the 'Canes, I'm not even going to try to catch up. But for now, I"ll just praise the recent offensive surge and wish I had a clever nickname for the Whitney, Cullen, LaRose line.
Fortunately, the N&O seems to have re-dedicated itself to providing frequent 'Canes info. The Fan has lots of on-air and online 'Canes coverage going on. And David Lee's blog posts at Kukla's Korner are always great. Not intentionally leaving out anyone here -- just mentioning a few standouts.
On another hockey media note, I really wish the NHL Network could find a way to have EJ Hradek back on the show every day. I heard it's some snafu with ESPN, but I don't know that for sure (but I wouldn't doubt it). The show is absolutely not the same without him. The other folks who have been filling in certainly know hockey and have held their own, but EJ is one of those guys who is perfect for sports broadcasting. He has the knowledge, the voice, and boy does he have the personality.
And, no joke, my smoke alarm just went off so I think I should go do something about dinner now.
Your old friend Pokey has been settling into a new job and hating every second of it, but still watching lots of hockey. It's been so long since I really wrote about the 'Canes, I'm not even going to try to catch up. But for now, I"ll just praise the recent offensive surge and wish I had a clever nickname for the Whitney, Cullen, LaRose line.
Fortunately, the N&O seems to have re-dedicated itself to providing frequent 'Canes info. The Fan has lots of on-air and online 'Canes coverage going on. And David Lee's blog posts at Kukla's Korner are always great. Not intentionally leaving out anyone here -- just mentioning a few standouts.
On another hockey media note, I really wish the NHL Network could find a way to have EJ Hradek back on the show every day. I heard it's some snafu with ESPN, but I don't know that for sure (but I wouldn't doubt it). The show is absolutely not the same without him. The other folks who have been filling in certainly know hockey and have held their own, but EJ is one of those guys who is perfect for sports broadcasting. He has the knowledge, the voice, and boy does he have the personality.
And, no joke, my smoke alarm just went off so I think I should go do something about dinner now.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
NHR - A Momentous Occasion
I went to a movie yesterday. Someone alert the media.
Now going to a movie, from what I hear, is a pretty normal activity. I understand there are people out there who do it quite frequently. I am not one of those people. The last time I went to a movie theater was to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ... four years ago.
I am all over some NetFlix.
Anyway, Friday evening, I got an invite to go see The Wrestler with some folks on Saturday and decided to go. Sooooo glad I did. A) The movie was GREAT. B) It was at The Rialto, the coolest theater in Raleigh. C) I was with some pretty damned funny people (it was especially funny when they drunkenly wandered off and left me when I went to get my car after the suggestion was made to head to someone's house for some Wii Bowling. Fuckers.)
The Wrestler -- it just broke my heart. Wonderful movie. And it's totally a chick flick, when you really break it down, but it's masked as a wrestling movie. It's this often very quiet thing about aging and mistakes and redemption and sacrifice and relationships (there's a scene when Mickey Rourke dances with his semi-estranged daughter and it totally made me cry) and the things we will force ourselves to do in life just to get by , but there are lots of not-so-quiet moments that include some great wrestling scenes, terrible hair, awful 80s music and strippers.
Not uplifting, but grounding. Greatness doesn't always have to be pretty. It's not a 'shining example of what humans can accomplish' movie so much as a 'humbling reminder of what can go wrong.'
I kinda want to go see it again.
P.S. I discovered last night that the only guy who has shown any interest in me in an embarrassingly long time is married. My conviction to ignore any notion that I will ever be in any sort of relationship with a guy has been further fortified. Onward.
Now going to a movie, from what I hear, is a pretty normal activity. I understand there are people out there who do it quite frequently. I am not one of those people. The last time I went to a movie theater was to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ... four years ago.
I am all over some NetFlix.
Anyway, Friday evening, I got an invite to go see The Wrestler with some folks on Saturday and decided to go. Sooooo glad I did. A) The movie was GREAT. B) It was at The Rialto, the coolest theater in Raleigh. C) I was with some pretty damned funny people (it was especially funny when they drunkenly wandered off and left me when I went to get my car after the suggestion was made to head to someone's house for some Wii Bowling. Fuckers.)
The Wrestler -- it just broke my heart. Wonderful movie. And it's totally a chick flick, when you really break it down, but it's masked as a wrestling movie. It's this often very quiet thing about aging and mistakes and redemption and sacrifice and relationships (there's a scene when Mickey Rourke dances with his semi-estranged daughter and it totally made me cry) and the things we will force ourselves to do in life just to get by , but there are lots of not-so-quiet moments that include some great wrestling scenes, terrible hair, awful 80s music and strippers.
Not uplifting, but grounding. Greatness doesn't always have to be pretty. It's not a 'shining example of what humans can accomplish' movie so much as a 'humbling reminder of what can go wrong.'
I kinda want to go see it again.
P.S. I discovered last night that the only guy who has shown any interest in me in an embarrassingly long time is married. My conviction to ignore any notion that I will ever be in any sort of relationship with a guy has been further fortified. Onward.
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