Tag: Hockey

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The Love for Sport

I think it’s important to point out that I’m titling this post “The Love for Sport” instead of using the phrase, “of Sport”.

WFC2 vs TFC2, April 2015

Let’s come back to that idea later.

There is something to be said about the subject of sport because I certainly have my interests and am not relatively shy to admit it.

Working the sidelines for TSN Radio at the 102nd Grey Cup, November 30, 2014

Futbol (soccer), hockey, and baseball are among the top of the list, but I also appreciate rugby, Australian football, a good tennis match, nearly any sport featured in the Olympics, and the occasional gridiron football game but get more engagement from the Canadian version than the American flavor these days.

But I literally grew up in the hills off in the distance that you see in the background of the baseball field that Kevin Costner’s character built in Field of Dreams, so you can bet I grew up playing baseball.

Field of Dreams Movie Site, July 2010
Continue reading “The Love for Sport”
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My photo of Kirk McLean now being used on Wikipedia

While being held up on the couch yesterday afternoon with some sinuses getting the best of me, I got a quick message on Flickr requesting my permission to use one of my photos on Wikipedia. When I discovered that it was for Vancouver Canucks legend Kirk McLean, I was glad to fire back a quick response and say hell yeah!

The shot itself came from what has become an annual tradition for Rebecca and I, the Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader day.

Here’s the original shot of McLean as Rebecca is handing him her copy of that day’s Vancouver Sun to autograph, adding to our collection of papers from previous years.

Kirk McLean on Raise A Reader Day 2009

This is actually the second photo I’ve been asked my permission to use on Wikipedia. While it’s not being used as the primary photo for the entry, this photo is also being used on the entry for the current mayor of Surrey, B.C., Diane Watts.

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Just let Alexander Ovechkin be Alexander Ovechkin

Dear Alexander Ovechkin,

As you may or may not know, I’m a fan of the game of hockey. It’s been a while since your now fabled 50th goal celebration happened, so let’s get a refresher for those who are unaware.

I know what you did caused a big stir within the media, calling your celebration to contrived or premeditated. It was “unnecessary showboating” and “gave a bad image to the game”, and I have to completely disagree.

In the realm of professional sports, you are meant to entertain us. We pay money and dedicate time to give our attention to something we enjoy, and very little of what you do changes or affects the overall history of the world. Sure, you might be the root cause of riots, but the world goes on with or without much thought about what happens in the realm of sport. That’s not to say that sport doesn’t have its place in terms of passion and entertainment, but the point is that you can let this all get you down.

I, for one, want you to be yourself. Forget what the media is saying and keep being your celebratory self where you jump up and down, play up to the crowd, and generally make the fans in Washington D.C. (and fans of the NHL for that matter) love to watch you play. As long as you keep that ego in check and keep making it fun to watch you play, keep doing what you’re doing.

As a fan who is the major part in keeping any professional sports league running, this is all I ask.

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Screenshot of a recording of The Crazy Canucks in progress

During the recording of episode #70 of The Crazy Canucks, I made a quick screenshot of what I see on my end of the conversation to sort of share what it takes to put our podcast together.

Recording The Crazy Canucks #70

What you see are three basic components: Mac OS X 10.5, Ubercaster, and Skype. Conference calling from computer to computer, recording local mics and remote mics on two separate tracks, and I like to keep the sound preferences open in the event that I need to check on something or make any changes.

What you are missing is the only other application in the overall process of editing, Levelator. Then we make the post on the site using WordPress, the RSS feed gets updated, and the podcast episode ends up in your ears, depending on how you listen to it.

I know I’ve posted about this before, but at this point in the overall history of TCC, the process of knowing what it takes to whip together an episode is getting easier to setup, record, edit, and publish. It never ceases to amaze me as to how much fun it is to talk hockey with this crew.

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NHL Winter Classic is coming on New Years Day

There is so much about this commercial that gets me excited and gives me goosebumps all at the same time. Also makes me shed a tear for the late, great Harry Caray[wiki].

As much as I have come to despise the Red Wings, I’m totally pulling for the hometown team in this one. Outdoor game at Wrigley Field in the Windy City? How can you not cheer for the Blackhawks? Of course, I spent years searching for a team to capture my attention in the NHL, and all the years I spent growing up in the Midwest, Chicago never did it for me.

At least until now because everyone in Chicago should rejoice in the resurgence of that team. They are chalk full of some amazing, young talent, captained by a youngster from and the pride of New Westminster, B.C. (which we often pass through on a regular basis), Jonathon Toews. Additionally, WGN acquired the broadcast rights for both TV and radio beginning this year, so that really puts a lot in place to bring the Hawks back into the hearts of Chicago.

In my opinion, this is the best thing that could have happened to the Blackhawks franchise. As many folks in the area can tell you, the bigger task is to put the team back into the mindset of the city where the MLS Chicago Fire ranks higher in popularity than its original six NHL team, at least as of a year ago.

Kudos to Michael DiLorenzo on Twitter for sharing this one.

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The Stanley Cup happened to drop by work today

Stanley Cup and Me I have never been close enough to the Stanley Cup to really even see it prior to today. The one day I go to work without my camera, it decides to roll through the front door at work and pay the place a visit. In a mad scramble, I was able to snag a pic with it via cellphone, not to mention the opportunity to touch it as well as take a good look at it.

The one thing that struck me was how scratched it is. That’s not surprising, and I think it’s a lot like seeing people on TV and them not looking the same as they are in real life. It’s been through a lot, not to mention that its century old lifespan lends to have a little bit of wear and tear to it.

The cup was in town tonight for the Vancouver Giants home game where they honored legends of the NHL. The Giants even dawned the jerseys of the last team to win the Stanley Cup in this city, the Vancouver Millionaires[wiki] in 1915.

Back then, all you had to do was be a proven team and issue a challenge to the reigning holders of the title. A far cry from the 82 game regular season and playoffs consisting of four rounds, best of seven series. This point was only driven further into my head when I got home tonight to turn on “Hockey: A People’s History“[wiki] on television. A must see for any hockey fan.

Vancouver's only time on the cup

Alas, one day, Vancouver’s name shall appear on this cup once more as champions.

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The Crazy Canucks on transit

Episode #66 was published tonight.

The Crazy Canucks
Photo credit: miss604 on Flickr

But these photos of the podcast crew on buses never ceases to kill me.

John & Rebecca Spotting...
Photo credit: jmv on Flickr

Riding the SkyTrain last weekend, the train stopped with my face directly outside the window at Granville Station. Nothing more embarrassing than having your face on a poster right next to your own.

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The Crazy Canucks featured on official Vancouver Canucks website

It was a nice surprise earlier this week to see how the Canucks organization was going to use some of the promotional photographs that they took of The Crazy Canucks crew that I mentioned previously, but I’m not sure that we were expecting to be apart of the launch for the Canucks Fan Zone.

A place for all Canucks fans to gather and share their love for the team. That’s pretty cool, but I’m still wondering if the possibility remains of see my face on the side of a bus or on a SkyTrain poster. Scary still, my face on the jumbotron in GM Place.

Flickr video is thanks to Rebecca.

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The Crazy Canucks #63 – Good day and welcome to season three

That’s right. Early this week, we launched with the first episode of season three for The Crazy Canucks. Check it out!

We’re back. Season three of TCC kicks off with a quick gathering of the crew to has out what to expect for the coming season as well as some cool things going on with each of our various projects. We take a look back as who we’ve lost, the new faces (that we kinda think we know something about but don’t know half as much as we’d like), hash out the who does what for TV and radio play-by-play, and take assignments for new names of the team for show and tell later.

48:07 minutes
The Crazy Canucks