As I type we are less than 9 hours from the start of the holiest of American Holidays. I guess you could call the whole day a holiday, or perhaps even the week should be set aside. The National Football League really is in a class all its own when it comes to marketing. Most of us are aware at least to some extent the kind of money involved in the Super Bowl and all of its accompanying pageantry. A short 30 second commercial spot during the game today will likely cost 3 or 4 million dollars. Players who the casual observer have never heard of will be "made famous" for a variety of reasons today, both good and bad. Any other television show mentioned during the big game will get a huge boost. This is actually how Survivor was originally marketed. It didn't hurt in the ratings game when millions of snack covered sweat pant warriors were unable to emerge from their food comas to turn the channel, hence the Survivor viewing numbers. What I find most impressive about the job that the NFL does, is how they manage to get millions and millions of people to care about a game that they have no rooting interest in.
I have a weird relationship with the sport of American Football. As a child and teenager, I never watched. My dad wasn't interested, my small handful of friends were hardly interested, and I was more than occupied with my own hockey and volleyball interests in the fall and winter months. When I had free time, I spent it watching hockey, or playing various forms of carpet hockey once my brother was old enough to provide adequate fodder. I watched some NFL action during University, particularly on Sundays when I was feeling lousy from whatever stupid things I did the night before, and my interest intensified if I had assignments deadlines looming. I think my interests picked up when I discovered the rush of sports betting. I had some fun for a few seasons, but this year my only ties to the NFL were in the form of a couple of fantasy teams that I shared with a friend. The fantasy season wraps up in the regular season, so my interest in the playoffs has been very limited. I watched the Seattle game last week, taking a number of short naps while the game was on. Will I be watching later today? Probably. I feel like I am suppose to. I'm battling an illness, so I won't be surprised if I end up napping my way through parts of the longest sporting event of the year.
At our house, we had a trying week as our little Asher went through his first illness of his life. He has had a cold once or twice, but last Monday heading into Tuesday we could tell something was wrong. Asher went to the walk in clinic with Sheila on Wednesday night and ended up with a prescription for antibiotics. He had been diagnosed with bronchitis. While we dealt with plenty of whining from our little guy, it soon became clear that Asher had no idea how to deal with being sick. For most of the week, he laid in bed watching "teetee", hardly eating. We knew he was really sick because his hockey gear lay idle. Three morning in a row he asked me if he could have a bath. Asher loves having baths, but he has never asked me to run a bath for him early in the day like that. They seemed to pick up his spirits quite a bit each time, but it was back to laying down and cuddling after each one. He was very upset about taking his medicine, unable to make the connection between the liquid and the idea of getting better. For that matter, he kept insisting that he wasn't sick. Yesterday, recovery seemingly well underway, Jasmine asked me if she and Asher could go and play outside. Keep in mind, she asked while I was in the shower. Clearly not thinking straight, I called out a fatherly warning to dress very warm due to the cold spell we are currently enjoying. After a few more gallons of steamy hot water hit me I hollered back to Jasmine. I had changed my mind after remembering that although Asher was feeling better, it wasn't a good idea to send him outside. This reversal of fortune was traumatizing to the little guy. He was hearing none of my reasoning and had to be bought off with a snack and an episode of Sponge Bob. A little later we were talking about all of the activities he was going to get back to next week, now that he is feeling better. He couldn't decide what he missed the most, but he is looking forward to going to daycare, Strong Start and the swimming pool next week.
Sheila and I have decided to combine Valentine's Day and her birthday into one date. Hey, as parents of two on a shoestring budget, we are lucky to have a night out at all. Sheila is still on could nine about our engagement and told me not to bother with gifts for the two special days coming up. I know better than that, so will be on the lookout for something she will like. Pretty much anything will be a let down after "the ring", so I'm pretty much sunk. It is cute that Sheila seems to have taken on some of my spend thrift ways. The date night planned falls between Valentine's and the birthday, on Tuesday the 18th. We can avoid the Valentine's crowds (i'm working Valentine's evening anyway), we can visit the theatre on cheap night, and best of all, we can use the gift card Sheila has for the Keg. Of course, if I am polite enough not to mention sports, poker or any other of my annoying guy hobbies, she won't probably won't care that the date is being paid for with pocket change. It's the time spent together that really matters, right?
The gift card that I mentioned above was one of quite a few that Sheila has been given by her manager at work recently. It seems that he gives these to her as a token for all of her hard work and dedication to her job. Sheila works at a transportation company, and a few weeks ago they took on a significant amount of new business due to the closure of another company in town. This has led to considerably less down time between tasks, and also has had Sheila working the last couple of Saturdays. The manager at the company is a very nice guy from what I can tell. Sheila enjoys working for him, and these tokens of appreciation are a solid gesture. She works her ass off because that's just how she is, and also because she wants to be considered for advancement and raises like most due. For most people, it's just talk. They want to advance without working for it. Sheila has gave her company the best effort she has for over 5 years. Actions speak louder than words as they always do, and I know Sheila takes pride in what she does. As the company grows and new opportunities arise, I have no doubt my lady will be there to "carpe diem" as they say.
I think that part of my blase attitude towards watching or caring about football is that I have spent the last number of months totally immersed once again in all things hockey. With my little man getting more and more into the sport himself, it has only given me more reason to get carried away. I have spent much time cursing my Oilers on the television, enjoyed 10 or so live Spruce Kings games, caught a few live Cariboo Cougars games (15-17 year olds), attended 2 WHL Cougars games (once with my friend at work, the other with Asher), participated in 5 different hockey pools, played nearly 20 games for my rec league team, also played pick up hockey a few times, gone skating with the kids a few times, played hours of basement hockey, and also i've watched dozens of NHL that didn't involve the Oilers. It seems finding new teams to enjoy is one way to keep from going off the deep end. Edmonton has driven me to begin calling the New York Islanders, the Dallas Stars, the Winnipeg Jets and the Tampa Bay Lightning my "other favourite teams". I also follow many players that find themselves scattered throughout the league due to their presence on one or more of my pool teams.
I most enjoy watching hockey when Asher watches with me. He will curl up with me on the couch or bed to take in the "Oilahs". Humourously, he has taken to saying that they "suck" recently, something he likely picked up from me during one of their many losses. Before a recent game he asked me "is the Oilahs losing Daddy?" I told him the game hadn't started, but he just responded with "they suck Daddy." Sure enough, I was able to confirm that they were indeed losing just a few minutes later. Asher has even started figuring out some of the other teams. He knows the Canucks, and his Mom and sister's mild affinity for them. He surprised me last week by calling out the "Blackhawks" name. He knows that Montreal is his Uncle Patrick's team, and that Toronto is Daddy's friend Jason's team. Definitely the most fun we have had recently, was our father and son trip to the Cougars game a couple of weeks ago. Asher brought along his gick and a puck, which kept him busy for the most part. We found a seat 3 rows up right behind the net, and we even switched ends each period so we could see the Cougars goals with little chance of missing them. Asher sat with me for most of the third period, and we had a lot of fun cheering for each goal. We already have plans to go back for one more game, in a couple of weeks they are playing mid-week again, and he is raring to go.
Lately, I have been able to view a number of really, really good movies. Sheila had been itching to watch "The Butler" and we finally had a chance to check it out. I was skeptical about my chances of staying awake for a 3 hour drama film while laying in bed tired. As it turns out, I had no problem keeping my eyes open. The film is moving and heartfelt. Its put together in a way that really showcased Forest Whittaker's acting talent. Oprah played a supporting role as the butler's wife, and she's no slouch in the acting department either. I am lucky enough to go to the movies at work fairly regularly, and in recent months I have seen "American Hustle", "Lone Survivor", and "12 Years A Slave" at our local theatre. Sheila and I also got a chance to watch recent release "Dallas Buyers Club" the other night. I tell you what. That is a hell of a collection of movies right there. Hustle, Buyers Club and 12 Years A Slave are all up for Best Picture at the Oscars. It's extremely difficult to rank these movies as far which was my favourite, but that is what I do, I make lists. So here it is.
5) Lone Survivor is probably the best movie Mark Wahlberg has ever done. The movie is almost entirely made up of a gunfight between al Queda fighters and 4 American soldiers. The action during the fight feels so real and genuine, it's easy enough to get lost in its authenticity. 3.5/5
4) American Hustle was great as expected. The cast is filled with superstars from Christian Bale to Bradley Cooper to Jennifer Lawrence. It started to drag on a bit towards the end, but that took away from the movie only a slight bit.
3) The Butler Definitely one of the best movies for couples to come out recently. A love bio pics, as it seems to add an element of importance to the story being told. Add in the previously mentioned performances from Whittaker and Oprah, and you have a really well done movie.
2) Dallas Buyers Club I have raved to anyone who would listen about how good Matthew McConaughey was in his last movie "Mud". I went so far as to list it at #2 in my favourite movies of 2013. He has outdone himself with this one. Everyone is talking about his losing 50 pounds for the role, something I find amazing considering the physique he already had. There was no fat to be dropped, losing 50 pounds of mostly muscle is pretty incredible. His character, Ron Woodruff, is so complex, but McConaughey seems to handle it with ease. Coupled with the supporting performance by Jared Leto playing a transgendered woman who becomes Ron Woodruff's business partner, I was hooked from beginning to end.
1) 12 Years A Slave Words simply can not do this movie justice. Everyone over the age of 16 should see this film. The unique way in which the director Steve McQueen shot the film, captures even small details and makes you realize that they are all part of the bigger picture. Incredible acting performances by everyone in the film. Engaging subject matter that left me unwilling to look away. Heart wrenching scenes, culminating with Lupita Nyong'o's character getting a violent beating that the slave owner forced her friend to administer. This is likely one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I am still shaken from his powerful force days later. Do whatever you can to get out and see it, it's a life changer.
Before I wrap this up, I can't neglect to mention a most awesome gift I was given by my sister Erin for Christmas. She was lucky enough to pull my name for our family secret santa this year. She was very generous, and one of the things she gave me was a fitbit flex. It's a little wristband with a tracking chip inside of it. You wear it, and it tracks your steps taken, distance traveled and calories burnt throughout the day. It also can track sleeping patterns though I haven't sued it for that. It does work as a silent alarm as well, though my habit of smashing the sleep button leads me to worry that the fitbit won't wake me up. Sheila is such a light sleeper that the silent vibrations at my wrist wake her up. I digress. Erin is well aware of my affinity for all things fitness, and while I had heard about the fitbit, I knew little about it. As it turns out, it has done wonders to motivate me to keep active. I find it very hard to have a lazy day when I have this readily available visual reminder about how much or how little I have done on any given day. Even when I am having a lazy day, usually falling on Sundays and Mondays due to sleep deprivation, I find that my fitbit gets me to at least do some physical activity. The lights on the wristband let you know how close to your daily goal you are. I have mine set to 10,000 steps taken, so for every light it's 2000 steps. I haven't had a day under 6000, even when I am "taking the day off" so to speak. I have knocked it out of the park a few times, culminating last week in a day when I hit 18,000 steps. If I remember correctly, that day consisted of 3 different walks, a jog, tons of work around the house, taking the dog out in the yard, a hockey game and more. When choosing something to do, I find that the fitbit has me leaning towards the most active option almost every time. Thanks Erin, it's definitely one of the coolest gifts I have received.
With that, I bid adieu to my small gaggle of loyal readers. To my mom, hang in there, I'm looking forward to visiting with you soon. To my most loyal reader Sheila, thanks for lighting a fire under my blog neglecting posterior. To Elizabeth, I hope your recovery is going well, please take it easy. To the rest of you, take care, I shall be back soon.
Showing posts with label nhl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nhl. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Inside My Mind
I have been struggling to get something written this week. Normally, I look forward to my time spent pecking away. For some reason, come Monday this week I wasn't feeling it. I worked hard this weekend, the routine at work was broken by some unexpected situations. I am going to give you an old fashioned rambling blog. Follow along as I search my brain.
-Jasmine's soccer team. Wow! I was pretty discouraged to start the year. It seemed many of the girls weren't very interested in soccer, and I would have a trying time teaching new skills. I have to some extent, but I have spent my time instead encouraging aggression and working on finding the ideal position for each to girl to play. I have found 3 dedicated and strong defenders. Steve's (my co-coach) daughter has regained her confidence and along with Jasmine has been providing goal after goal. After starting the year with 5 losses and a tie, we are unbeaten in our last 3. After a 1-1 tie last week, a 3-2 win on Saturday, and a 2-1 win last night I'm not sure what the ceiling is. The girls are watching the game from the sidelines now, and when good things happen they are getting excited and screaming and yelling. I'm glad they are having fun with it.
-Queensway Auto World, member team of the 30+ division in the North Cariboo Senior Soccer League, did not concede a goal this week in 180 minutes of soccer. We used two different and very capable goalies in the games, but for the most part, they just watched. We knocked off the newest team in the league 3-0. then played the top team on Friday. A physical battle ensued, but we came out on top, in part thanks to a replacement goalie who allowed 3 very soft goals. It was all we needed. 3-0 scoreline once again. I didn't score, but I am getting a fair bit of time on the ball, and I can see the benefits of my conditioning. I had some fun, trying a move or two I don't usually go with. I pulled off the move where the ball heads through your legs, but you reach back at the last minute and heel pass it the other direction. I can't recall ever trying it before, and it even worked. At 3-1-1 we are now tied at the top of the table.
-My son is sports obsessed. He has to come to all of Jasmine and my soccer games. He takes part in the warm up with Jasmine's team. He kicks the ball around the backyard any chance he gets. A day doesn't go by without him playing hockey downstairs. He has to join me lifting weights every chance he gets. As I realize nearly every topic on my mind also has to do with sports, I guess it's not his fault. He was born with it.
-As I type, Asher has climbed up on the couch, set up a pillow and cuddled up in the blanket. This is about the same time he does this most days that we spend together. It's pretty cute. Making it even more so is that he is staring over at me batting his eyelashes as his eyeballs head into hiding. If I look over and smile, he smiles back, even bigger. What can I do but work hard to match his width? Smile away little man!
-Jasmine is pretty awesome in her own right. I don't get the super big smiles from her as often as I do Asher, but she still loves Dad. When I arrived to buy some goodies at her SPCA bake sale on Sunday, she ran up and gave me a huge hug. She was dressed very nicely with earrings and a nice dress, and her hair very fancy too. Jasmine and her friend had come up with idea to sell goodies and donate the money to the SPCA. Sheila slaved away making cookies, while the other girl and her mom made cupcakes. When I arrived, they had recruited a bunch of helpers. There was 7 or 8 of them altogether, having fun, helping out. Jasmine saw half of her class, either helping or buying goodies. Everything went, and after a few donations were added, the girls had $123 to give to the animals. They went down and gave the money to the SPCA last night, and Jasmine is very excited. She and her friend had their picture taken and may appear on the SPCA Facebook page!
-8 guys got together and drafted 10 players each for a hockey playoff pool. 6 of the 10 guys I grabbed were gone after the first round. I gave up on the pool, and barely caught a minute of round 2. I didn't realize that when I drafted David Krejci, I would be getting the leading playoff scorer. I watched as the Bruins dispatched the Penguins, and the Hawks knocked off the Kings. This leaves a bizarre situation. First place guy has 73 points but no players. Other guy also has 73 points and only Dave Bolland left who has 1 point so far. 68 points and in 3rd place, he has 4 players, 3 Hawks and 1 Bruin. I'm in 5th, 64 points, 4 guys, 3 Bruins and 1 Hawk. Two poolies will be rooting for plenty of 1-0 scores. One guy wants a long series with Chicago doing most of the scoring. I will be cheering for a long series with Boston scoring more. Only top 2 get paid, I will be certain to make money if I gain the magical 10 points to pass the tied guys. Assuming Dave Bolland doesn't get a hat trick or two.
-I got a little carried away yesterday. I did my chest and triceps workout in the morning and early afternoon, I was way to distracted playing around with Asher so it took me forever. I went and coached Jasmine's game. Came home and ate with Sheila and the kids. A fantastic chicken and rice dish, that had us all eating second helpings. After sitting and hanging out for a while I set out. A 7 km bike ride, the first time on my bike in 3 weeks. It felt good. I timed in at 18:07. I sat down for a bit. Checked on my fantasy baseball teams. I stretched out. I completed the 5 km run in 24:51. I finished off the night with a long leg workout, 8 exercises, 3 sets each. I discovered a new favourite exercise. 1 leg squats. Just your body weight. I even grab onto the weight bench to assist. I can do about 10-12 each side before the legs give out. Feeling alright today, was expecting the hit by a truck feeling.
-I'm reading again! I started "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" last week, and I have actually been spending some time with it. I like the original style of storytelling, and I get into these types of storylines quite easily. It has a very similar feeling to Aldous Huxley or George Orwell. Full report to come once completed.
-Sheila is thinking about turning her baking passion into a more serious endeavor. She is thinking about selling baked goods at the Farmer's Market, specializing in gluten free items. Jasmine would likely join her in the project, and it sounds like a great idea to me. Asher could wear a sandwich board and walk around promoting the booth. Who could resist that little smiling face?
-We are being very casual about planning our holidays in August. First we were planning to go spend some time on Vancouver Island. Now the plan is stalled at "camping". That where, how and the rest of it has yet to be determined. I would like less driving time and more relaxing time. Maybe somewhere near a city so that we can do some tourist type stuff too. Of course, any other city requires considerable driving time. We still have 2 months to figure this out, right?
-My fantasy baseball teams are doing pretty good so far. My 1 team has been in 1st or 2nd all season in the 12 team league. I keep finding studs on the free agent list, and 2 weeks ago I snagged Domonic Brown right before he produced 8 homers in 7 games. Jason and I share 1 team, and we have been top 3 all year. We currently sit comfortably in 2nd out of 10 teams. Lastly, I am in 7th of 13 in my other one. I have managed to put together a really solid pitching staff, and with a little work on my offense I could be contending.
-Until next time!
-Jasmine's soccer team. Wow! I was pretty discouraged to start the year. It seemed many of the girls weren't very interested in soccer, and I would have a trying time teaching new skills. I have to some extent, but I have spent my time instead encouraging aggression and working on finding the ideal position for each to girl to play. I have found 3 dedicated and strong defenders. Steve's (my co-coach) daughter has regained her confidence and along with Jasmine has been providing goal after goal. After starting the year with 5 losses and a tie, we are unbeaten in our last 3. After a 1-1 tie last week, a 3-2 win on Saturday, and a 2-1 win last night I'm not sure what the ceiling is. The girls are watching the game from the sidelines now, and when good things happen they are getting excited and screaming and yelling. I'm glad they are having fun with it.
-Queensway Auto World, member team of the 30+ division in the North Cariboo Senior Soccer League, did not concede a goal this week in 180 minutes of soccer. We used two different and very capable goalies in the games, but for the most part, they just watched. We knocked off the newest team in the league 3-0. then played the top team on Friday. A physical battle ensued, but we came out on top, in part thanks to a replacement goalie who allowed 3 very soft goals. It was all we needed. 3-0 scoreline once again. I didn't score, but I am getting a fair bit of time on the ball, and I can see the benefits of my conditioning. I had some fun, trying a move or two I don't usually go with. I pulled off the move where the ball heads through your legs, but you reach back at the last minute and heel pass it the other direction. I can't recall ever trying it before, and it even worked. At 3-1-1 we are now tied at the top of the table.
-My son is sports obsessed. He has to come to all of Jasmine and my soccer games. He takes part in the warm up with Jasmine's team. He kicks the ball around the backyard any chance he gets. A day doesn't go by without him playing hockey downstairs. He has to join me lifting weights every chance he gets. As I realize nearly every topic on my mind also has to do with sports, I guess it's not his fault. He was born with it.
-As I type, Asher has climbed up on the couch, set up a pillow and cuddled up in the blanket. This is about the same time he does this most days that we spend together. It's pretty cute. Making it even more so is that he is staring over at me batting his eyelashes as his eyeballs head into hiding. If I look over and smile, he smiles back, even bigger. What can I do but work hard to match his width? Smile away little man!
-Jasmine is pretty awesome in her own right. I don't get the super big smiles from her as often as I do Asher, but she still loves Dad. When I arrived to buy some goodies at her SPCA bake sale on Sunday, she ran up and gave me a huge hug. She was dressed very nicely with earrings and a nice dress, and her hair very fancy too. Jasmine and her friend had come up with idea to sell goodies and donate the money to the SPCA. Sheila slaved away making cookies, while the other girl and her mom made cupcakes. When I arrived, they had recruited a bunch of helpers. There was 7 or 8 of them altogether, having fun, helping out. Jasmine saw half of her class, either helping or buying goodies. Everything went, and after a few donations were added, the girls had $123 to give to the animals. They went down and gave the money to the SPCA last night, and Jasmine is very excited. She and her friend had their picture taken and may appear on the SPCA Facebook page!
-8 guys got together and drafted 10 players each for a hockey playoff pool. 6 of the 10 guys I grabbed were gone after the first round. I gave up on the pool, and barely caught a minute of round 2. I didn't realize that when I drafted David Krejci, I would be getting the leading playoff scorer. I watched as the Bruins dispatched the Penguins, and the Hawks knocked off the Kings. This leaves a bizarre situation. First place guy has 73 points but no players. Other guy also has 73 points and only Dave Bolland left who has 1 point so far. 68 points and in 3rd place, he has 4 players, 3 Hawks and 1 Bruin. I'm in 5th, 64 points, 4 guys, 3 Bruins and 1 Hawk. Two poolies will be rooting for plenty of 1-0 scores. One guy wants a long series with Chicago doing most of the scoring. I will be cheering for a long series with Boston scoring more. Only top 2 get paid, I will be certain to make money if I gain the magical 10 points to pass the tied guys. Assuming Dave Bolland doesn't get a hat trick or two.
-I got a little carried away yesterday. I did my chest and triceps workout in the morning and early afternoon, I was way to distracted playing around with Asher so it took me forever. I went and coached Jasmine's game. Came home and ate with Sheila and the kids. A fantastic chicken and rice dish, that had us all eating second helpings. After sitting and hanging out for a while I set out. A 7 km bike ride, the first time on my bike in 3 weeks. It felt good. I timed in at 18:07. I sat down for a bit. Checked on my fantasy baseball teams. I stretched out. I completed the 5 km run in 24:51. I finished off the night with a long leg workout, 8 exercises, 3 sets each. I discovered a new favourite exercise. 1 leg squats. Just your body weight. I even grab onto the weight bench to assist. I can do about 10-12 each side before the legs give out. Feeling alright today, was expecting the hit by a truck feeling.
-I'm reading again! I started "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" last week, and I have actually been spending some time with it. I like the original style of storytelling, and I get into these types of storylines quite easily. It has a very similar feeling to Aldous Huxley or George Orwell. Full report to come once completed.
-Sheila is thinking about turning her baking passion into a more serious endeavor. She is thinking about selling baked goods at the Farmer's Market, specializing in gluten free items. Jasmine would likely join her in the project, and it sounds like a great idea to me. Asher could wear a sandwich board and walk around promoting the booth. Who could resist that little smiling face?
-We are being very casual about planning our holidays in August. First we were planning to go spend some time on Vancouver Island. Now the plan is stalled at "camping". That where, how and the rest of it has yet to be determined. I would like less driving time and more relaxing time. Maybe somewhere near a city so that we can do some tourist type stuff too. Of course, any other city requires considerable driving time. We still have 2 months to figure this out, right?
-My fantasy baseball teams are doing pretty good so far. My 1 team has been in 1st or 2nd all season in the 12 team league. I keep finding studs on the free agent list, and 2 weeks ago I snagged Domonic Brown right before he produced 8 homers in 7 games. Jason and I share 1 team, and we have been top 3 all year. We currently sit comfortably in 2nd out of 10 teams. Lastly, I am in 7th of 13 in my other one. I have managed to put together a really solid pitching staff, and with a little work on my offense I could be contending.
-Until next time!
Monday, 14 January 2013
This is THE Winning Team!
A group of 10 hockey geeks got together and we threw together our teams for what is now the 3rd annual hockey draft. The formats and fees had changed a fair bit from year 1 to year 2, but this year stayed relatively similar to last year. We decided to implement a 2 defensemen rule, so everyone had to pick at least that many. It added a little wrinkle which was nice. A couple of the participants are new, as we lost a couple guys but we gained a few to replace them. My buddy Jason is always in for any kind of sports betting pool, and this year my brother Ian got involved. Everyone ponied up $100 (I got in for half due to my last place finish in 2012), then 6 out of the 10 of us put an extra $50 in a winner take all side pot. I figured this made sense as I had saved the same $50 on the entry fee. I stand to win $1000 if I take first place out of the 10 teams, which is a $700 pay out, plus the $300 that accumulated in the side pot. I managed to get a few players that I really like, a few that I took gambles on (but still like the player), and a few where despite not loving the guy, I had to go with them due to "value". Allow me to run down my team for your amusement.
I got the 10th pick out of 10 teams which meant I also got the 11th pick in the snake format. This led to me waiting 18 picks before having my turn come up again. This is the result.
1st Pick (10th Overall) DANIEL SEDIN Vancouver Canucks (TSN #3 LW)
ESPN: 53 pts
TSN: 47 pts
For anyone that knows me well, my time consumed cheering the Oilers is only rivalled by the amount of time I spend cheering against the Vancouver Canucks. There is no one I love to hate more then the Sedin boys. By the time I was picking at 10 the usual suspects Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Stamkos and Henrik Sedin were all gone and despite my reluctance I could not pass up on Daniel Sedin. He is just too consistent to not take here in this spot as it reduces the stress level a bit. I watch a lot of Canucks hockey, and after a season of cheering for Burrows it will be another season of cheering for points from Vancouver's top line. This pick allowed me to gamble a bit with my next one.
2nd Pick (11th Overall) TYLER SEGUIN Boston Bruins (TSN #2 RW)
ESPN: 39 pts
TSN: 43 pts
I am really excited about this pick. I know a few guys were surprised about how early he went but with my position in the draft order it was either now or never for me in this spot. I knew that he wasn't going to still be there at #30 when I got to pick again, and I have read a number of articles predicting a huge breakout year. He spent the lockout in Switzerland tearing the league apart. He played the Spengler Cup for Canada, contributing to a team that won the tournament handily. His Bruins are an elite team with plenty of talent to surround him with. This pick will likely make or break my result for the season.
3rd Pick (30th Overall) PHIL KESSEL Toronto Maple Leafs (TSN #3 RW)
ESPN: 46 pts
TSN: 42 pts
Ugh. I hate the Leafs just as much as I hate the Canucks, but Kessel is going to score if the Leafs are winning, losing or otherwise. I thought it would be fun to have the top dog off of both of my least favorite teams, especially when Kessel had no business being available at #30.
4th Pick (31st Overall) HENRIK ZETTERBERG Detroit Red Wings (TSN #9 LW)
ESPN: 41 pts
TSN: 40 pts
5th Pick (50th Overall) MATT MOULSON New York Islanders (TSN #16 LW)
ESPN: 37 pts
TSN: 34 pts
6th Pick (51st Overall) JAKUB VORACEK Philadelphia Flyers (TSN #16 RW)
ESPN: 38 pts
TSN: 34 pts
7th Pick (70th Overall) RAY WHITNEY Dallas Stars (TSN #15 LW)
ESPN: 38 pts
TSN: 35 pts
8th Pick (71st Overall) JORDAN STAAL Carolina Hurricanes (TSN #27 C)
ESPN: 41 pts
TSN: 32 pts
9th Pick (90th Overall) TOMAS PLEKANEC Montreal Canadiens (TSN #18 C)
ESPN: 32 pts
TSN: 37 pts
10th Pick (91st Overall) NAIL YAKUPOV Edmonton Oilers (TSN #25 LW)
ESPN: 25 pts
TSN: 31 pts
11th Pick (110th Overall) PATRIK ELIAS New Jersey Devils (TSN #13 LW)
ESPN: 39 pts
TSN: 36 pts
12th Pick (111th Overall) OLLI JOKINEN Winnipeg Jets (TSN #96 Overall/Center)
ESPN: 46 pts
TSN: 30 pts
13th Pick (130th Overall) DUNCAN KEITH Chicago Blackhawks (TSN #152 Overall/Defencemen)
ESPN: 28 pts
TSN: 26 pts
14th Pick (131st Overall) CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF Buffalo Sabres (TSN #173 Overall/Defencemen)
ESPN: 24 pts
TSN: 24 pts
15th Pick (150th Overall) JIRI HUDLER Calgary Flames (TSN #189 Overall/Right Wing)
ESPN: 34 pts
TSN: 23 pts
I got a number of guys who dropped quite a bit due to age and/or guys just not liking the players. I would say that Whitney, Elias, Plekanec and Jokinen fall into this category. My last pick I panicked a bit after David Perron and Derek Stepan went right ahead of my pick, leaving me to take a super longshot on Hudler. If he ends of playing lots of with Iginla I could look like a genius, if not, well I care not to think about that. For fun, let's compare my team to Ian's team. He was picking in the middle with the 5th slot.
I got the 10th pick out of 10 teams which meant I also got the 11th pick in the snake format. This led to me waiting 18 picks before having my turn come up again. This is the result.
1st Pick (10th Overall) DANIEL SEDIN Vancouver Canucks (TSN #3 LW)
ESPN: 53 pts
TSN: 47 pts
For anyone that knows me well, my time consumed cheering the Oilers is only rivalled by the amount of time I spend cheering against the Vancouver Canucks. There is no one I love to hate more then the Sedin boys. By the time I was picking at 10 the usual suspects Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Stamkos and Henrik Sedin were all gone and despite my reluctance I could not pass up on Daniel Sedin. He is just too consistent to not take here in this spot as it reduces the stress level a bit. I watch a lot of Canucks hockey, and after a season of cheering for Burrows it will be another season of cheering for points from Vancouver's top line. This pick allowed me to gamble a bit with my next one.
2nd Pick (11th Overall) TYLER SEGUIN Boston Bruins (TSN #2 RW)
ESPN: 39 pts
TSN: 43 pts
I am really excited about this pick. I know a few guys were surprised about how early he went but with my position in the draft order it was either now or never for me in this spot. I knew that he wasn't going to still be there at #30 when I got to pick again, and I have read a number of articles predicting a huge breakout year. He spent the lockout in Switzerland tearing the league apart. He played the Spengler Cup for Canada, contributing to a team that won the tournament handily. His Bruins are an elite team with plenty of talent to surround him with. This pick will likely make or break my result for the season.
3rd Pick (30th Overall) PHIL KESSEL Toronto Maple Leafs (TSN #3 RW)
ESPN: 46 pts
TSN: 42 pts
Ugh. I hate the Leafs just as much as I hate the Canucks, but Kessel is going to score if the Leafs are winning, losing or otherwise. I thought it would be fun to have the top dog off of both of my least favorite teams, especially when Kessel had no business being available at #30.
4th Pick (31st Overall) HENRIK ZETTERBERG Detroit Red Wings (TSN #9 LW)
ESPN: 41 pts
TSN: 40 pts
5th Pick (50th Overall) MATT MOULSON New York Islanders (TSN #16 LW)
ESPN: 37 pts
TSN: 34 pts
6th Pick (51st Overall) JAKUB VORACEK Philadelphia Flyers (TSN #16 RW)
ESPN: 38 pts
TSN: 34 pts
7th Pick (70th Overall) RAY WHITNEY Dallas Stars (TSN #15 LW)
ESPN: 38 pts
TSN: 35 pts
8th Pick (71st Overall) JORDAN STAAL Carolina Hurricanes (TSN #27 C)
ESPN: 41 pts
TSN: 32 pts
9th Pick (90th Overall) TOMAS PLEKANEC Montreal Canadiens (TSN #18 C)
ESPN: 32 pts
TSN: 37 pts
10th Pick (91st Overall) NAIL YAKUPOV Edmonton Oilers (TSN #25 LW)
ESPN: 25 pts
TSN: 31 pts
11th Pick (110th Overall) PATRIK ELIAS New Jersey Devils (TSN #13 LW)
ESPN: 39 pts
TSN: 36 pts
12th Pick (111th Overall) OLLI JOKINEN Winnipeg Jets (TSN #96 Overall/Center)
ESPN: 46 pts
TSN: 30 pts
13th Pick (130th Overall) DUNCAN KEITH Chicago Blackhawks (TSN #152 Overall/Defencemen)
ESPN: 28 pts
TSN: 26 pts
14th Pick (131st Overall) CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF Buffalo Sabres (TSN #173 Overall/Defencemen)
ESPN: 24 pts
TSN: 24 pts
15th Pick (150th Overall) JIRI HUDLER Calgary Flames (TSN #189 Overall/Right Wing)
ESPN: 34 pts
TSN: 23 pts
I got a number of guys who dropped quite a bit due to age and/or guys just not liking the players. I would say that Whitney, Elias, Plekanec and Jokinen fall into this category. My last pick I panicked a bit after David Perron and Derek Stepan went right ahead of my pick, leaving me to take a super longshot on Hudler. If he ends of playing lots of with Iginla I could look like a genius, if not, well I care not to think about that. For fun, let's compare my team to Ian's team. He was picking in the middle with the 5th slot.
Daniel Sedin/ Steve Stamkos
Tyler Seguin/ Rick Nash
Phil Kessel/ Louie Erikkson
Henrik Zetterberg/ Gabriel Landeskog
Matt Moulson/ David Krejci
Jakub Voracek/ Jeff Skinner
Ray Whitney/ Dustin Byfuglien
Jordan Staal/ Brad Marchand
Tomas Plekanec/ Andrew Ladd
Nail Yakupov/ Tomas Fleischmann
Patrik Elias/ TJ Oshie
Olli Jokinen/ Justin Schultz
Duncan Keith/ Chris Stewart
Christian Ehrhoff/ Tyler Ennis
Jiri Hudler/ Matt Read
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Hockey, hockey, hockey!
I know what you're saying, but Matt, "it never really left!" I, more then most know that. I play beer league hockey once a week, at least when my schedule allows. I have been to a handful of junior hockey games this year, and I follow the Prince George Spruce Kings pretty religiously, keeping track of wins, losses and personal stats of all the players. I spent plenty of time keeping up with the Oilers players and prospects as they plied their trade around the world waiting for Gary and Donald to get together and make the same deal they could have made in the summer. By the way Donald, I think this means you lose. All that aside, let's be honest. When the best players in the world who play in the best league in the world are unable to perform, something is lost. It's back, and the best talent in the world can once again play together in the best league in the world. As if I need any more reason to pay attention, I take part in as many fantasy hockey pools and drafts as I can. This year, the big one is back for it's 3rd edition. 2 years ago I took part and we just circled names on a piece of paper. Last year, we gathered at a friend's house and had a live draft with about 10 guys. I finished in an embarassing distant last place, something I have no desire to repeat. So tonight at 630 I will once again join with a bunch of other dudes and pick this year's version of my team. One nice thing is that being so incompetent last year gives me a 50% discount for this year. Last year's fee was $100 but there has been talk of increasing it to $150. Fine with me, the guy with the discount. All I have to do is actually pick guys who are playing in the NHL, and not the AHL or the Swiss Elite League, or my personal favorite, the guy who watched most of his team's games from the press box last year. This is me officially stating for the record that Linus Omark, Michael Frolik, and Ville Leino will not find a place on my team this year. I'm sure there are a few more that I should avoid from last year, but those are the ones that stick out. Part of the fun of accepting the last place discount is the heckling and ridicule that come with it. I remember laying it on thick last year as Roger accepted his discount (my buddy and I had teamed up to win the pool the year before giving me added ammo) and I am more then ready to absorb similar punishment. As a way of researching, I am going to make some notes in this space below. For the most part I am going to briefly discuss some of my favorite hockey players and why they will be targets for me tonight.
Elite NHLers
JAMIE BENN (Dallas): One of the only solid picks I made last year, I recieved a few weird looks when I reached way down to grab him in the 3rd round last year. I have a soft spot for BCHL grads, and Benn is one of the most talented players to ever come through the Junior A circuit. Dallas added a few more solid forwards in the offseason, so I expect to see another increase in production.
JORDAN EBERLE (Edmonton): For obvious reasons, Eberle is one of my favorite players out there. The Oilers young talent continues to mature, and the super line of Ebs, Hall and RNH will be together again. He is likely to be a first round or early second round pick.
TYLER SEGUIN (Boston): Many are predicting a huge year for this guy who went to Switzerland during the lockout and tore the league to shreds. Surrounded by plently of talent, and possessing plenty himself, Seguin may make a big jump this year.
ERIC STAAL (Carolina): It will be interesting to see what kind of an impact his brother's arrival in Carolina might have. Also, the team added Alex Semin for the year. It's unknown as to who is playing with who as he and Jordan are both centres, but the powerplay should be interesting. I'm looking for a bounce back year from Eric.
BOBBY RYAN (Anaheim): After an off year last year it is really hard to predict what might happen with Ryan this time around. He is still very young, but had a poor year as did a number of his teammates. The possiblity of him being traded has only added to the intrigue surrounding his value.
Sleepers
James Van Riemsdyk (Toronto)
Braydon Schenn (Philadelphia)
Peter Mueller (Florida)
Nick Backstrom (Washington)
Jordan Staal (Carolina)
Mikko Koivu (Minnesota)
Olli Jokinen (Winnipeg)
Jeff Carter (Los Angeles)
Matt Duchene (Colorado)
Matt Moulson ( New York Islanders)
Jarome Iginla (Calgary)
Jiri Hudler (Calgary)
Huge Breakout Potential
Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado)
Cam Atkinson (Columbus)
Jamie McGinn (Colorado)
David Perron (St. Louis)
Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay)
Don't Give Up On Them
Ray Whitney (Dallas)
Jaromir Jagr (Dallas)
Andy MacDonald (St.Louis)
Teemu Selanne (Anaheim)
Milan Hejduk (Colorado)
Patrik Elias (New Jersey)
Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa)
Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay)
Martin Erat (Nashville)
Rookies!
Nail Yakupov (Edmonton)
Vladimir Tarasenko (St.Louis)
Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida)
Damian Brunner (Detroit)
Elite NHLers
JAMIE BENN (Dallas): One of the only solid picks I made last year, I recieved a few weird looks when I reached way down to grab him in the 3rd round last year. I have a soft spot for BCHL grads, and Benn is one of the most talented players to ever come through the Junior A circuit. Dallas added a few more solid forwards in the offseason, so I expect to see another increase in production.
JORDAN EBERLE (Edmonton): For obvious reasons, Eberle is one of my favorite players out there. The Oilers young talent continues to mature, and the super line of Ebs, Hall and RNH will be together again. He is likely to be a first round or early second round pick.
TYLER SEGUIN (Boston): Many are predicting a huge year for this guy who went to Switzerland during the lockout and tore the league to shreds. Surrounded by plently of talent, and possessing plenty himself, Seguin may make a big jump this year.
ERIC STAAL (Carolina): It will be interesting to see what kind of an impact his brother's arrival in Carolina might have. Also, the team added Alex Semin for the year. It's unknown as to who is playing with who as he and Jordan are both centres, but the powerplay should be interesting. I'm looking for a bounce back year from Eric.
BOBBY RYAN (Anaheim): After an off year last year it is really hard to predict what might happen with Ryan this time around. He is still very young, but had a poor year as did a number of his teammates. The possiblity of him being traded has only added to the intrigue surrounding his value.
Sleepers
James Van Riemsdyk (Toronto)
Braydon Schenn (Philadelphia)
Peter Mueller (Florida)
Nick Backstrom (Washington)
Jordan Staal (Carolina)
Mikko Koivu (Minnesota)
Olli Jokinen (Winnipeg)
Jeff Carter (Los Angeles)
Matt Duchene (Colorado)
Matt Moulson ( New York Islanders)
Jarome Iginla (Calgary)
Jiri Hudler (Calgary)
Huge Breakout Potential
Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado)
Cam Atkinson (Columbus)
Jamie McGinn (Colorado)
David Perron (St. Louis)
Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay)
Don't Give Up On Them
Ray Whitney (Dallas)
Jaromir Jagr (Dallas)
Andy MacDonald (St.Louis)
Teemu Selanne (Anaheim)
Milan Hejduk (Colorado)
Patrik Elias (New Jersey)
Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa)
Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay)
Martin Erat (Nashville)
Rookies!
Nail Yakupov (Edmonton)
Vladimir Tarasenko (St.Louis)
Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida)
Damian Brunner (Detroit)
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