The Crazy Canucks #11 – Looking for a streak

DaveO came over earlier tonight. Rebecca and I made a podcast with him, Alanah, and J.J. The last two people weren’t actually here with the three of us, but it’s amazing with what you can do with VoIP these days. Check out the episode we recorded here.

Dave joins John and Rebecca in “the studio” while we have Alanah and J.J. on the line for this slightly longer edition of the podcast. We tackle the latest news regarding the end of Alanah’s blog, Vancouver Canucks Op Ed, and look ahead to what we can expect from her new role with Kukla’s Korner. You can read her first feature article on her new home, “Bringing Hockey to the People“. So yes, the hockey blogging will continue.

That also sparks a brief debate over blogger and podcaster fans of the NHL in general, and their role in covering their favorite hockey teams in this age of new media. Whoa… deep.

Canucks! Oh yes, we talk Canucks as well. Carolina, Calgary, and Phoenix are the latest foes to face, so we do our best to cover our likes and dislikes over the games. The way things have been going, we have all been surprised with who we’ve been liking on the ice. We also get a little bit of a Vote for Rory update, tackle goalie mask designs, and toss around various thoughts about who’s hot and who we’d like to see contribute some more.

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VCOE going away; the hockey blogging will continue

There has been a bit of news today regarding one of our collaborators to The Crazy Canucks podcast. Alanah, of Vancouver Canucks Op Ed, posted a fairly major announcement this afternoon, ending a three year run of her blog.

No, you didn’t read that wrong — Vancouver Canucks Op Ed will be closing down very soon, probably in the next week or two. I’ve been putting off posting this, but it’s time to explain what’s already happened and what’s coming up.

I’m afraid it’s a bit long-winded, but I’m sort of sentimental about this blog, so cut me some slack…;-) [vancouvercanucksoped]

Read the rest of her post to get the reasoning for the end of VCOE, but the good news is that her hockey blogging adventures will continue. Expect bigger and better things from Alanah in the very near future. Also, be sure to catch the next episode of The Crazy Canucks as we will be sure to expand on this topic further.

I need better tunes at Canucks games

I’ve mentioned it before, on the blog and podcast, but there has got to be something done about music at Canucks games. I would give anything to be the guy with the job of running the controls and hitting play on the whistles. I would implement rules that certain songs would get limited play. Certain tracks would have to be retired due to being played everywhere else in the league, and there would be no silly sound effects (not that there is much of that being done at GM place now, but just getting that point out there).

Flickr: Catching the Canucks at the Shark ClubTo me, going to a game should be an experience. When you go see a movie, the soundtrack is part of what makes the whole thing worthwhile. When the movie is tense, the music reflects it. When it’s a party scene, then the music takes on the vibe. You don’t get to that pinnacle point in the plot and say, “Ok, bring on the AC/DC and Guns n’ Roses!”

There in lies my major problem of many “sports soundtracks”. The one year that I went out for football in high school, I fought the front. Bones Thugs & Harmony in the weight room and AC/DC for pre-game in the locker room did nothing for me. My own mix tape, with stuff like Nine Inch Nails (lesser known tracks, no less) and Helmet, was met with quick dissatisfaction when I found the room empty upon getting my reps in on the bench press. After a while, I was well known for popping on my headphones and zoning out into my own world.

So what would John do? Good question, but you know that I have some ideas floating around in my head. I mean, this is the new NHL, right? Let’s apply that “new” idea to more than just the rules on the ice.

For starters, I would have less of the staples. That means all of those “classic rock” artists in rotation would get a time restriction until the next time that it could be played again. That sounds draconian, but that would ensure some new blood to flow into the library of possible selections. Then you could also do some slight editing to some tracks to add a little spice to some of the music you have. People have certain parts of a song that they want to hear, and getting cut off at the point where the song is just getting good and the puck drops is such a downer.

Going back to new vs. old blood, there is the issue of the music at the beginning and end of a game. The U2, “Where the Streets Have No Name”, is something I like and have no problem of sticking with for when the teams steps on the ice. The music played at the end of a game, in which we win, has been a conflict for a while. Did anyone else notice that someone made a change recently? Instead of “Olé, Olé”, the Star Wars theme has been played a few times.

Flickr: Canucks vs. Avs (miss604)I like Star Wars. I don’t like hearing the main theme at the end of Canucks games, especially since there are other teams in the leagues already doing that. If you are going to change it, then go with something that is more unique. In fact, I’d say that the “Rebel Fanfare” would be a much better choice if Star Wars is a must, but it still lacks in a good choice for a closer. At least with “Olé, Olé”, people with a good, over-priced beer buzz will be inclined to sing along.

As for the rest of the tunes, I think I could come with a hell of a selection. You can’t forget to ask the players about stuff they’d like to see in there. I mean, with guys from Europe on the team, there is a lot of stuff that you would never hear on this continent to choose from. Sure, this would give me an excuse to play my favorite band from Sweden, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, but they do have tracks that could offer some nice atmosphere in times of need for firing up. At the same time, beats and rhythms can happen, all the while being able to maintain a family atmosphere. Combine that with the local Vancouver music scene, you can make this a truly unique, ass kicking experience.

And at this point, our guys need all the help they can get in the inspiration department. Salo, Pyatt, and Rypien all out with injuries from the last game? Aw geez…

The Crazy Canucks #10 – Hanging out at the Shark Club in downtown Vancouver

Fighting the pod fade, episode #10 is up and ready.

Ten episodes into the podcast, all of the members join up after the game against Edmonton for drinks and yakking about the Canucks. This was our first opportunity to have everyone meet face to face, and we had a microphone to record a little discussion. Some of us had been there a little while longer than the rest, and our blood alcohol level might have shown it.

Record as of this episode: 13-14-1 (3rd in the Northwest Division)

The Shark Club made for a very interesting atmosphere for trying to watch a unimpressive game, especially on a Monday night where the NFL takes precedence at one of the closest drinking establishments to GM Place. J.J. was still a little wiped out after returning from a vacation to Las Vegas and shares some experiences with catching a couple games in sin city. Dave brings up an interesting point about “we are all Canucks,” and Alanah had a backstage pass to the game that offers up a lot of great insights to the game against the Oilers. Rebecca brings up some good points about our lack of puck luck, and John starts to wonder about a conspiracy to our lack of scoring, but that could be the beer talking.

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Feeling as good as the weather

Right now, I’m just staying awake for the sake of not sleeping all day and then not sleeping tonight. Just been an all day endeavor of pains in my stomach area. It would be easy to say that it’s the water, but Rebecca has been fine all day long. Don’t know what the deal is, but I hate being sick.

Been a series of things that I wanted to highlight today. Northern Voice is ramping up. They officially opened up registration for the event, and we’re looking at going. The worst thing about the timing is that it’s the weekend of our first anniversary. NV is something we’re all about checking out, but we’ll have to really see how it works for us. I’ve thought about tossing my hat into the speaking ring regarding podcasting, but there is probably someone out there that could do something much more impacting than myself.

Rebecca setup another interview for this Saturday for RadioZoom. This time around, we’ll be talking to Wintersleep from Halifax, Nova Scotia ahead of their show at The Plaza Club. Should be a lot of fun, and I’m all about learning more about bands on the fly. I know the library a bit, but outside of that, I like taking these interviews as they go. Having a formula sounds like we have a formula.

Speaking of Saturday, we’ll have to miss the Canucks game that night, but what a good game against Columbus last night. It was a little disheartening to hear people boo Anson Carter, but I get why it was happening. Even better that we held on to win. Even at 1-0, there was enough action to keep me into the game. I could have really done with some more scoring though. Geez!

I’ve also been getting back up to speed with what’s happening with Iowa Public Radio. It’s been a little over a year since I left the radio world, and the process of consolidation was just starting to gather. I’ll be completely honest. Everything I am seeing makes me very unhappy.

I’m hearing things from the inside that are less than stellar. They even have a blog as the mouth of IPR now, WordPress and all. Sure, statewide public radio networks are nothing new, but everything that made all of those stations great, in their own respective ways, is being systematically dismantled. This is a topic I’ll expand more on in the future, I’m sure.

That’s all from the couch. Combined with some podcasts in my headphones and CNN on the tube all day long, I’m ready to feel better. You can only see those Head On commercials so many times, and that goes for the newer ones that rip on the original ones.

That does remind me that I need to touch on some of the TV shows we’ve been keeping tabs on and enjoying this fall. Jericho, Heroes, Law and Order: SVU, CSI, 20 Rock, Studio 60… I can’t remember liking to watch TV in a long time, not to mention on the major networks. Give me widescreen and that makes me interested in anything. Take away the commercials, and I’ll like it even more.

The Crazy Canucks #9 – Manic Depress..ing Canucks

We have way too much fun when we record these things. Tonight, there was no plan. Episode #9 of The Crazy Canucks is up and ready for download.

Our boys keep us going on a roller coaster ride only a true Canucks fan can appreciate. A win in Detroit, a disgrace in Nashville and follow up embarrassment in Colorado are all discussed along with the usual banter and opinions. Where we need improvement, what was Viggy thinking and various happenings around the league round out this week’s topics.

Record as of this podcast: 11-12-1 (4th in the Northwest Division)

We’re without Dave in this episode, which may be a good thing since Rebecca takes a little shot at former Canuck, Jovo. We’re looking ahead to a homestand and the return of Anson Carter to the Garage, which excites John to no end. Finally, JJ and Alanah share some controversy floating around the web about the NHL All Star ballot.

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The Crazy Canucks #8 – Putting Pucks in the Net

Episode #8 was recorded and uploaded this evening. Get it now!

Although the water is still murky in Vancouver, the Canucks’ play has made everything a little brighter. After a dismal beating last week, our boys come back with two victories since the last episode.

Alanah is back online with the gang as we discuss our recent wins. J.J. recaps his experience at the game vs St Louis on Friday night and Dave gives us his perspective, after attending the Chicago match last night.

Record as of this podcast: 10-10-1 (3rd in the Northwest Division)

The quick little defenseman catching our attention, our fearless Captain almost getting a hat trick and Kesler’s right hook all lifted our spirits. With 3 more games this week, and no shortage of shots on goal, we know the Canucks have the potential to kick some serious butt.

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That and a mutant form of football

For those around Vancouver, we all know that the BC Lions are playing the Montreal Alouettes for the Grey Cup[wiki] this afternoon. Actually, they are playing right now as I’m writing this. -3C in Winnipeg. Looks damn cold, but BC’s holding in there, 16-0 in the 2nd quarter.

Now, let me put this into perspective for my friends and family back in the states. The CFL is just like the NFL, but Canadian football[wiki] is slightly different than American football[wiki]. It goes a little bit beyond how Robin Williams once put it, “We’ve got twelve men, we have a longer field. You have fun, enjoy!”

Mutant form, maybe. The interesting fact is that the history of Canadian football just barely out dates that of the American form of the sport. Yes, bigger field and more men, but there’s other things that start popping up as you watch a game. I’ve barely watched a whole game, catching nearly the entire second half of last week’s game between Saskatchewan and BC for the western championship. I’m not the biggest football fan in the world, but I do pay attention from time to time. My mainstays have to be the Iowa Hawkeyes in the world of college football, the Kansas City Chiefs for the NFL.

Let me list off the things that still trip me up a little bit. Penalty flags are orange, not yellow. The defense lines up a full yard off the line of scrimmage, not a football length off the line. No fair catch, just a mandatory five-yard buffer zone until a player touches the ball on a punt or kick-off. Three downs to move the ball ten yards for a first down, and that’s something that constantly gets me. Second and long is a big deal, and third down is the punt, field goal, or go-for-it down.

Also, -3C is 26F. This would be like playing a game of football in Green Bay. That should put that into a better perspective for folks back in the states. There’s more differences in the game, and if you really want to get more of a side by side comparison, check out this Wikipedia entry for a comparison of Canadian and American football. Continue reading “That and a mutant form of football”

The Crazy Canucks #7 – Vancouver and the Canucks lose power

Recorded and posted tonight, episode #7 of The Crazy Canucks is ready for you.

Even though the last few games have all been losses, we still get together to record this episode because when it comes down to it, you can’t stop Canucks fan. Alanah was unable to join us on this episode due to technical problems, but the rest of the crew was here. We also experience some technical issues of our own during the podcast, but the cause was most likely due to an awful storm that hit Vancouver in the last 48 hours, leaving many without power and residents to boil their water until further notice.

Record as of this podcast: 8-10-1 (4th in the Northwest Division)

There’s only so much that you can say as to what’s going wrong with the team, but we all agree that the answer is simple: we need more scoring. Three games against Anaheim, Calgary, and Detroit all resulted in more numbers in the loss column, but there are always shades of positive points that keep things looking promising. We look at some slight changes to the roster, address stupid trade rumors, and do our duty of being faithful Canucks fans.

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Long lost brother from Middle Earth

Lord Naslund, King of GM PlaceWe watched all of the extended editions of Lord of the Rings recently. I can’t help but see this similarity. Markus Naslund[wiki], especially with his longer hair this season and a bit of facial hair, is oddly similar in appearance to Aragorn from the films. Only if there was some elvish magic or wizardry to make pucks go into the goal.

By the way, check out the recently, redesigned Canucks website. It looks slick, and they did something to really improve the load time. The players looking at you in the upper right portion of the screen still weirds me out a little bit, but what a great way to showcase all the guys on the team. My question is how well they will update it when new guys come up or players get traded.