CBC = Clearly Braindead Corporation

What the hell is the World coming to! I am stunned, appalled, stupefied, and madder than a wet hen (whatever that means)!

Does the CBC actually have people running the show over there at HQ? Or is it a bunch of retarded monkeys? It was reported yesterday that the CBC is planning on dumping the hallowed Hockey Night In Canada theme song! Are they nuts!?! Somebody has been eating stupid pills down there at HQ. It doesn't matter what the cost is to the composer, it is all that is sacred and holy about hockey in Canada. I suppose the new price might carve in to the fat cat salaries down there at the CBC. Hey boneheads, without viewers you have no job at all! Have a little vision!

I suppose CBC is rolling up shop, closing the doors and shipping everything they every stood for over to TSN. They lost the Grey Cup to TSN, why not give up hockey too. I just can't wrap my head around what went on in the board room to think dropping the HNIC theme song was a good idea. Are they thinking no one will notice?

I can clearly remember my children's reaction when they were young to the Saturday night tribute to a Canadian tradition. I would turn the TV way up and nanoseconds after the first hint of the widely popular HNIC opening ditty, I would hear those little feet motoring over to the living room. They would drop everything and anything they were doing to be in the room while the theme song ran its course. Before they evening knew what the significance of what they were hearing was they were mesmerized. I too still love to hear that song, it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. It is a shame there are no hockey fans in the board room of the CBC. Anyone older than 5 years old can INSTANTLY tell you what song is playing even if they don't watch hockey, why? It is a part of our culture. Sounds stupid, but it is reality. It is a very popular ring tone too! Every time my phone rings in public someone makes a comment and smiles. The HNIC theme music brings feelings of joy, family, happiness and fun. Many can tie heart felt memories to HNIC and the theme song brings it all back with each and every instance we hear it.

With Bob Cole stepping down and the theme song potentially dead, what is the point to being set in your big-ass recliner 15 minutes before puck drop? Perhaps I will simply join the game already in progress. This is a sad day not for hockey or the HNIC, but for how easy it is to dismiss tradition and how money can eliminate people's vision in the blink of an eye.

Let's hope someone down at the CBC and the composer of the theme song get their collective heads out of their asses long enough to hammer out a deal that is fair. Thus, keeping HNIC building memories for many more years to come.

My Two Cents
Jamie

Happy Trails

I just returned from a walk, nice day, but I got to thinking about the happiness blog I wrote yesterday. I mentioned I believe I had the ability to be cut loose happy about stuff at one point. I have proof!

I noticed when I am watching a hockey game I get submersed in the game and become emotionally tied to every movement on the ice. Usually I am hoping one team over the other wins so the mood can be intense. Every time the puck crosses either blue I inch closer to the precipice of my seat, commonly referred to as the 'edge'. And if the right team scores I explode out of my seat, pump fists and scream out YES! I don't have any regard for what others might think or whether they are alarmed by my sudden movements, but in that moment I am happy.

So I know it is there. Similarly when I am playing hockey (I play goal) which means when our team is playing well I don't get to be a part of the action. But when we score I am pumped up. I seem to revert back to a state of nothing else matters and live in the moment. I play each moment as it comes and don't over think.

Now how do I translate that into real life practice? Hmmm, that is an interesting question. I may have to ponder that further.

But I just have to say I am not a robot, I checked after yesterdays blog, and think there must be hope for future gains in the jump up and down happy as a pig in sh#t attitude to come back to the surface. It's in there and I need to give a chance to find its way back. Then look out people, Mr. Happy Go Lucky will be back and looking for fun!

My Two Cents

Jamie

The Price Was Big And Gave Advantage To A Penguin!

Well, my boys missed an opportunity to put some distance between them and those Pesky Penguins! ARGH!

Although I will have to admit I am torn. Les Habitants still are near and dear to my heart, this stems from my late Grandfather's love for, in his opinion, the only "real" hockey team in the game. He used to say he had two favorite teams, #1 the Montreal Canadiens and #2 ANY team that beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. Naturally my Grandmother is a Leafs fan. Made for some interesting Saturday night TV.

So I am not entirely upset Montreal took over top spot, but I am discouraged about the Devils squandering an opportunity to give themselves some breathing room atop the Atlantic division. It was a solid performance from the Devils with respect to their ability to create chances to score. However, they were exceptional sloppy in their own end. Three of the four goals were scored with cross ice passing rendering any goaltender irrelevant. One of those goals was a product of a terrible line change. It seemed like no one knew who was to be going on the ice or they weren't paying attention. Naturally an odd man rush was created.

Now I have give full credit to Mr. Carey Price! Man this kid is outstanding. Cristobal who? I recall when this kid played at the World Juniors, he was something special. He moves about the crease effortlessly. It almost appears as though he is not trying, but that is a product of his unwaivering confidence and his bullet proof emotional control. This kid will be become the real deal and will raise the bar. What I find very interesting is his ability to raise his level of play when in a big game. Back in November Price lost his first outing facing Martin Brodeur (4-0), then in the past couple of weeks he has faced Brodeur two more times. Now Brodeur is arguably one the best goalies all time to strap on the pads and play some shinny, and Price has been rock solid in both of the last two outings; saving 69 of 70 shots on goal to gain the Ws. Many have crumbled under that very same pressure of standing 200 feet away from a hockey icon who will most probably finish his career holding almost all the notable records a goalie can hold. Now two games doesn't set Price's path in stone of being a superstar, but two games starts the ball rolling of consistent performance under pressure. And when it comes to being one of the best at anything, specifically goal keeping, it is measured by consistency. It isn't necessary to be ranked #1 in every possible stat, but if you are consistently vying for #1 you are consistently giving your hockey team a chance to win. Carey Price is an incredible budding young super star and now the first rookie goalie for Montreal, since Ken Dryden, to post over 65 saves in his first two career shutouts. I think the Habs are on the verge of watching another young unproven rookie netminder go on a career defining playoff run. Could Carey Price be the next, Patrick Roy or Ken Dryden...say tuned and see.

So keep your eyes on the Devils and Habs, they may meet in the Eastern Conference final. And that my friends will be one hell of a series to watch!

My Two Cents
Jamie

I Noticed A Missing Link

I noticed that my blog has a noticeable void, well, at least noticeable to me anyway. Hockey!! I am a rapid hockey fan. Some have said obsessive, what? Who? Me? Naaaah. Well maybe a little. Secondly I am a die hard New Jersey Devils fan! OH what is that I see...top spot in the East? I never noticed.

The playoffs are fast approaching and I am getting excited about the prospect of hockey on TV ever night for a month or so. I believe I will have to ensure my playoff tree is reborn again this spring. Last spring I built this playoff tree on a wall in our home, much to the dismay of my lovely finace. She is patient with me. God love her for it. But I have to say the playoff tree was a sight to behold. It was awe inspiring. LOL

Now, I am not sure why I have never added hockey to my blogging. I certainly do love it and have a passion for the game. I follow the scores daily, I watch the stats and I read numerous articles almost daily. I can talk hockey with the best of them. That brings me to problem I have with all the anti-Devils people out there. I understand that the Devils have had some unfortunate years of stifling coaches that preached DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE, which produced Stanley Cups, but some terribly boring hockey. However, like a true fan I stuck with them. So why is that no one has noticed their transformation? I guess because they are sitting right where they have been for the past 10+ years, at the top. Leading their division and/or the Eastern Conference. I know they got there with boring hockey, but that has changed. When the Devils hired Brent Sutter as their coach in this past off season he has been a changed the hockey philosophy in the New Jersey camp. This season they started slow out of the gate because of it. They were learning new systems which were a 180 degree change from previous years. They lost all their key defensemen and had a new coach who is all about puck pursuit and a strong passion for an aggressive fore check. That left Martin Brodeur alone in the back 40 to fend for himself for a number of games while the team figured out what this crazy coach was talking about. Not to mention they started the season with a nine game away schedule while they waited for the new Prudential Center arena in Newark to be finished. Needless to say with 13 games remaining in the 2008 season the boys from Newark are coming into their own and just in time. With the playoffs just around the corner; the offense is clicking, the defense has learned how to work with their veteran goalie and it looks like Brodeur is on fire, once again producing Vezina like numbers. In two games this past week against the leagues whipping boys (The Maple Laughs), Brodeur stopped 83 of 85 shots! Obviously some team break downs there, but what else would you expect from one the leagues best goalies of all time.

So as I gear up (like I am personally involved) for 2008s quest for Lord Stanley's mug, I watch on the edge of my seat as my boys hold on to the slim lead they have in the Eastern Conference. The Habs are working hard to bring back days of old to the Forum, backstopped by their young netminder giving them great success this season (flashes of the glory days of Patrick Roy dancing in their heads). And those pesky Penguins, lead by a young cast of incredible super stars are breathing down the necks of Devils for Atlantic Division supremacy. So if you hear a deafening scream and aren't sure where it came from; it was probably me cursing the all those who oppose my Devils ownership of the Eastern Conference!

My Two Cents
Jamie