Last Splash

The gene pool could use a little Chlorine.

I take for granted sometimes the significance of growing up on what the rest of the country knows as "Tobacco Road". I was looking at TSN today, the Canadian version of our ESPN, and saw that one of the stories was headlined something like "Wesley scores OT Game Winner in Tobacco Road showdown". A hockey report even refers to this area as the basketball capital.

It's not always fun and games, either. Some of you may or may not know, but Carolina fans...for the sake of my sanity I will explain that the teams here are refered to as simply 'State' (NCSU) and 'Carolina' (UNC)...and of course, Duke...in any case, Carolina fans have a long-standing tradition of setting fires in the throng on Franklin Street and jumping over them. Most normal schools just set a huge bonfire for everyone to enjoy, but in Chapel Hill, it's more thrilling to be in the intimate circle that crushes the hole around the fire smaller and smaller as students anticipate the risk involved in randomly leaping over as someone else does the same, the probability of collision making everything just that much more exciting. So, imagine my disgust when I had to sit through almost 45 minutes of 'extra game coverage' after Carolina's victory over Duke a couple of weeks ago, which turned out to be a helicopter shot of the craziness on Franklin Street zooming in and out on different little fires as well-respected nightly news anchors stammered to find things to talk about. This occured from 11:14 or so until almost midnight, when the local news finally began.

Now, some may point out that I am bitter because I'm a State fan, and there was a bit of drunken zaniness occuring on Hillsborough St in Raleigh when my team, picked last in the ACC this season, stomped the number 4 Tarheels. We had no more than the obligatory 5 minutes at the beginning of the broadcast and about 2 minutes of the sports report. That's all well and good. What bothers me is that UNC's victory garnered more attention from the local news (based in Raleigh, not Chapel Hill or Durham) that even the ACC championship, or for God's sake, our own Carolina Hurricanes winning the most prized (and most difficult to win in my own humble opinion) trophy in professional sports.

That's right, my friends. College basketball is still the sport du jour in the Triangle. Even a Stanley Cup can't change that. And while it doesn't really bother me all that much, I still feel like our World Champion hockey team deserved a little more respect than an average, mid-season basketball game. Let's all hope that UNC loses in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and takes the hype with it.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 17:35 | link | comments |
the sports report

The Superbowl is set, and I couldn't be happier. Sure, I could care less that both head coaches happen to be African-American. I just think they're both great coaches who deserve to be there regardless of race, and as much as I loathe to hear two weeks of news about what history it makes (honestly, doesn't anyone remember the Dave Chappelle episode where he spoofed black 'firsts') it is better than the alternative.

I personally feel that sports reporting should be sports reporting. Give me stats, give me (brief) encouraging stories about players that have survived hardship or given back to others or influenced their communities. Give me hard, cold, stats, and interesting sidenotes (like the fact that the Colts overcame the biggest championship deficit to win). Don't give me long, drawn out stories about the first African American coaches to be in the Superbowl and OH MY GOD there are two at the same time!!! Doesn't it undermine the accomplishments these men have made as humans and football coaches to repeatedly point out the fact that they also happen to have a darker skin color? Jackie Robinson was groundbreaking, Rosa Parks was groundbreaking; I'm sure these two men want us to focus on the talents of their team more than the color of their skin.

Again, at least I don't have to hear the next two weeks hearing about how a pro football season has revitalized New Orleans. It's like going through Hurricane Katrina all over again. I may sound callous, heartless, capitalist, whatever, but report on sports. Don't turn the sports shows into yet another political outlet to assuage us with images of the tragedy. Don't put Ray Nagin on the phone with ESPN radio's Mike Greenberg. Come on...put Reggie Bush or Drew Brees on if you want someone to talk about the Saints.

And finally, no more New England Patriots! Thank God...if I had to suffer through one more Superbowl staring at Tom Brady's spaceship helmet and Bill Belichick's greasy sweatshirt...well, who knows?

Congrats, Colts and Bears...other than the Chargers, I couldn't have picked a better Superbowl myself!

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:53 | link | comments (1) |
the sports report

I think my friend's blog has me thinking about sports. I wanted to dispel a popular rumor about us 'Canes fans down here in the new Hockeytown (oh, my...Detroit fans are going to hunt me down and shove octopus...octopi?... down my throat). I don't mean this to be a detriment to our great fans, because I've been in a few other sports arenas around the way, and we really do have the loudest, almost electric feeling at the RBC that I've ever experienced. Seriously, when the decibel level is at about jet-engine territory, you know you've got a good thing going. And I'm not one of those who believe that the opposing team is really affected by all of this. They are, after all, professionals and could really give a rip about where they're playing as long as they smash the other team. But I think it does make it a little bit intimidating to come into an arena like that.

On to my point, which was going to be about what a loser our Commisioner is, and how he was so impressed by the fans in Carolina and how we stood for the whole game and he's never seen that anywhere and blah blah. Get off it, Gary. You never wanted to see us succeed here, you're never really going to give us an All-Star game, especially not after you had the misfortune to hold your draft here on the verge of a lockout. That was fun. Any now here you are, dropping in on our broadcasts, not really saying anything except that our fans stood for the whole game. Except we didn't...everyone wanted to, but trust me, we didn't. When you're sitting in the front row of the upper level, and there's an 83 year old sitting two rows behind you with her two rough and tumble sons (that have already started a fight with someone else sitting near you) and further down the row, the 58 year old lady that always wears all red, but not Canes memorabilia, more like knitted red sweaters (and I'll bet she has Christmas sweaters, too) shoves a guy because he came back to his seat too late after the intermission and he's blocking her view of the game (which is so FREAKING rude), well, you don't stand up. Not for the whole game, anyway.

I'm just tired of hearing about how great our fans are because we stood for the whole game and no one's ever done that. Is that what it took to prove that we really love hockey here? We have to go above and beyond what every other Stanley Cup winning fanbase has done in the past, because if we just do what they did, then we must not want it bad enough? Wasn't there any other way to prove we really, truly do like hockey as a sport, because the whole standing up thing seems a little like a cop-out to me. "I don't know, Barry, that girl didn't recognize the hooking call on Williams, but she must be a big hockey fan because she's stood up for the entire game..." I don't get it.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:00 | link | comments |
the sports report

I read something funny today while I was browsing some sporting blogs for fun. See, I have this unnatural attraction/fascination for Peyton Manning. Don't ask why. I think he has the looks of a complete and utter dorkwad, and when he speaks, he really does sound like his head is basically a box of rocks. However, I enjoy the way he plays football...I really like his intensity and focus on the game, and I have come to realize over time that his knowledge of the game, how to play it, and how to read his opponents is at near-genious level. He is advanced beyond any coach I've seen lately, and basically runs the entire offense of the Colts on his own. At the same time, as seriously as he takes himself on the field, I appreciate that he doesn't celebrate every freaking completed pass like it was a Superbowl-winning touchdown (unlike some of his fellow NFL stars). And I also think that off the field he is probably a really normal guy and able to laugh at himself, as evidenced by the ESPN commercials.

That being said, I really had to laugh today when I saw a young college student's "open letter to Peyton Manning", in which he says..."I hate you. You choke in big games, you talk like the redneck in Deliverance. I have a suspicion that you are illiterate. I think you make a fool of yourself every time you call those stupid audibles, flapping your arms around like some sort of homosexual hummingbird." He goes on to say much, much more about why he has such a loathing for Manning, mostly about him being homosexual, which I really doesn't cross my mind. In any case, the audible line is hilarious to me. I love watching Manning play mostly because of his audibles, especially when they focus on his face as he's about to call the play and he sees something in the DL that makes him change his mind, but after reading that today, it did make me laugh because he really does flap his arms around a lot. And I also think it's funny that he's the only quarterback you can hear during a game. I don't really have a point here, I just thought it brought some humor into my day.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 17:56 | link | comments (3) |
the sports report

Oh Dear...A quick tidbit. Coming home from St. Louis late Tuesday night, I passed an airport store and was shocked to see that the very front display rack contained none other than sale Duke Lacrosse shirts. What were they thinking? This is the first link some people have to this area, and to put those out there like that just says "hey, we know they didn't do it...we're proud of it". I don't know about anyone else, but I was dismayed to think that may be the first sight of my hometown people have. Jusst another reason those of us from Raleigh refuse to associate ourselves with the "Raleigh/Durham" or "Triangle" tag. Because we don't need to go to Durham. Ever.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:41 | link | comments |
meow, the sports report

You snooze, you lose...

What a shame. Amid all of the wedding planning (and spending), J and I have forgotten to really discuss whether or not we want to buy a 10-game hockey pack. The pack we really liked, with the teams we wanted, had two games we couldn't attend and would have to switch out, but we should have bitten the bullet and done it because now...one day before individual tickets go on sale, the 'Canes have sold out Opening Night, which we really wanted to attend! Damn! We should have known that watching our Stanley Cup banner raised in front of the team we all loved to hate was too big a draw to pass up. Sigh. I wonder if Buffalo will bring any lovely fans down to start parking lot fights for this game?

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:44 | link | comments |
the sports report

I looked at the clock at 10:49. There was three minutes left in the game, and we were killing off a penalty. Everyone in the arena was on their feet, and the atmosphere was electric. History would be made, if we could get through the next three minutes and hold on to the 2-1 lead. Edmonton's goalie left the ice, and we were faced with an extra man to defend. Holding breath...breakway...Justin Williams oh-so-carefully skated the ice. You could see the determination in his eyes "oh man, if I miss this, I'm an idiot". The empty net billowed when the puck hit it, and the place erupted. The sound inside was the force of two 757's firing their engines, and everybody was hugging everybody. The kid next to me, the older man behind us, Mr. Positivity two seats over, who had spent the entire playoffs mumbling under his breath about how much we sucked and giving various "Fuck You's" to the players, the refs, whoever would listen. In this one moment, it didn't matter. Our team was victorious. Chris Pronger skated off the ice with his tail between his legs and Rod Brind A'mour lifted the Stanley Cup.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:11 | link | comments (4) |
the sports report

Woohoo...you knew it was coming!

Hurricanes are going to the Stanley Cup, baby...and it had better not be a sweep because we sold our tickets to Games 1 and 2 so that we could afford to be there in the end!

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:52 | link | comments |
the sports report

Oh, the good old hockey game. Seriously...I love it. I love the Buffalo fans starting fights in the parking lot and bragging about selling their tickets out and then coming down here to buy ours up because we can't sell them out. Well, how long have you guys had a team? How close are you to Canada? We're an 8-year old team in a place that's never had hockey! Give me a break. And thanks for spending your money on our economy.

And by the way, we kicked your ass up and down the ice Monday night, too.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 16:21 | link | comments (2) |
the sports report

I just lost a whole post. Damn. I have a job interview today. How did I prepare? By staying up late watching a rotating smorgasboard of Jimmy Kimmel (did he really get bit by a snake or was that just a Grey's Anatomy schtick?), The Surreal Life, and the Girls Next Door. And then I woke up early and had ice cream for breakfast. And, too lazy to make a fresh pot of coffee, I just reheated leftovers from yesterday's pot. Is that how you spell Anatomy?

In other news, Just Me is ignoring me because he is insanely jealous of my center-ice seats for the Eastern Conference Finals (and the Stanley Cup Finals as well, although I dare not assume that we will be going...one series at a time). Hey, I might have tickets to sell for game 7. Gate price is $90. I paid $60...strip pricing is the greatest. This will be the best series yet: whoever wins this series will likely win the Cup. It's almost anticlimactic, like when the Red Sox beat the Yankees in that dramatic fashion in 2004, and you almost didn't watch much of the World Series because the real deal was beating the Yankees.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 12:50 | link | comments |
the retail beast, the sports report

I've been spending a lot of time at nhl.com lately, checking out stats and standings and numbers, and I was nervously browsing around online last night because I couldn't watch the 3rd period (or overtime, for that matter) for fear of a nicotine panic attack. I'm just not ready to see the season end, and apparently neither is Montreal. Anyway, I was very excited to find that I could listen to the game online as announced by the French Canadian Montreal station carrying the play by play. It was perfect...I could only understand enough bits and pieces to know who had control of the puck, and when we scored. There was a slight delay, however, so I unfortunately knew we had won the game about 15 seconds early when J started cheering in the living room.

In other good news, I congratulated J last night on his pre-season prediction that if he stays with the team, Eric Staal will one day be our captain. I knew this was true last night as I watched his post game interview (which none of you saw because apparently we are the armpit of the NHL and get no OLN love). He was the ONLY one trying to make a real effort to win Monday's home game, and had a ton of great shots in the overtime periods. Last night after scoring the game winner he could have easily pointed out that he really got no help from the rest of the team's offense, but instead blamed himself for the OT loss Mon., saying his shots were too low and he really focused last night on getting them up higher, which is why it worked.

By the way, I really hate the way Canadiens say "O-fence".

posted by: Cannonball14 at 17:47 | link | comments (6) |
the sports report

You know how when you watch a hockey game on OLN most of the camera coverage is at center ice, and that's also where the commentators sit, up at the top of the upper level? Well, we have games 2 and 7 of every playoff round (although after the start to our playoffs we may have Game 2 of round 1 and not much else) and our seats are about 15 rows down from there. The first row of the upper level, center ice, facing the players bench. Bliss...bliss, I tell you. No more end zone hockey for me. These are, as far as I'm concerned, the best seats in the house. Next year I will cut back to 5 hockey games per season just so that I can pay the $24 dollars to sit there instead of the $12 to sit behind our goal in the upper level and go to 10 games. Well, maybe I'll go to more. Oh, listen to me...already looking to next season. What a sad, sad girl. I wish I could explain the first game, but I can't. I think we laid back too much in the weeks since we clinched playoffs, because the intensity was non-existent. And then last night, poor Gerber...I don't know what's up with him, but once we put Ward in we caught them. And our defenseive players got their heads out of their asses and realized that it wasn't all the goalie's fault since they weren't bothering to protect the lanes. Amazing come-from-behing game. It was so exciting to go to a double-OT game. And other than the 1st period, the Canes played really well. But Montreal is more aggressive and physical than they've been all season, and we've got some old guys that just can't take longer shifts against them without getting knocked around and injured. So, 3 players had retired to the locker room over the course of the game and we just couldn't keep up with them in that 2cd OT. Let's hope for the away sweep, and that's all we can really do. Hell, we were uphill against the same team in '02 and took them, so you never know what could happen. And if we lose? I guess I'm pulling for Buffalo or Ottawa, because they really deserve it.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:31 | link | comments |
the sports report

Just a quick rant about the basketball tournament. Um, Bullshit?! This is the worst bracket I can remember in years...rankings make no sense, the Big East has 8 teams in, the ACC has 4 (along with the Missouri Valley...very even conferences, right). I know the Big East teams are deserving, but you are telling me that you play in a conference with the Number 1 team most of the year that also carried an average of 4-5 teams in the top 25 all season, and a team like Florida St can't make it in (who recorded one of Duke's 3 losses)? Not just that...but so much value is placed on end-of-season play that NC State is a 10 seed, at 21-9, and Indiana is a 6 seed at 18-11? I'll tell you what all that is about: Gonzaga, the Division I Darlings, needed an easy 6 seed in their bracket, and Littlepage apparently thought we just wouldn't notice. George Washington really got shat on as well..they should have been a 4 or 5 seed team. Now they have to play Duke in the 2cd round. I really want to pick GW...every instint I have tells me to do it, because I know Duke can choke if Williams gets into foul trouble and Redick isn't 'on', but they also just won the ACC championship, and the game will be in Greensboro...advantage, Duke. Can I tell you how happy I was that Carolina got a 3 seed, and didn't get the close-to-home DC pod? I'm so excited and pissed I can't breathe! I filled out one of my brackets last night...I'll probably do a couple more today in some online games...it's just fun stuff. March Madness oh my...and when that's over it'll be time for Hockey playoffs...bought our half of the Rounds 1 and 2 strips yesterday...yippeeeeee.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:04 | link | comments (5) |
the sports report

For those of you that didn't watch the NCSU-Duke game last night, don't let the 13 points fool you. We played a hell of a game for 35 minutes. It was just the last five that we couldn't hang. I'm disappointed in the loss, but I am still happy about our team this year. Julius is a distant memory, and we actually have a team now. What most sports writers don't comment on is that a lot of the Wolfpack nation were not big Hodge fans. Sure, the first couple of years we were excited at his potential, but when it came to his senior year, the true colors came out. He's a ballhog, a sloppy dribbler, a trash talker, and he couldn't make a layup. So, we weren't as sad as the sports world made us out to be when he graduated (although we were glad he had the decency to graduate...something I really wish you'd see more of in college sports). Anyway, my point was we played a hell of a game. And just once, I would love to see Coack K stand at press conference after a game and say "the officiating was skeptical...they got a couple of calls that they shouldn't have; we got some calls we shouldn't". Wouldn't you just love it?

In the hockey world, I guess JustMe will be waiting for me to address the infamous Ovechkin goal. I submit...he is the Rookie of the year, no doubt. And has been for some time. But the time will come when Crosby makes his mark. I've seen him make a play like that, it just didn't happen to fall his way. And I can't wait to see him play on Feb. 10. I'm buying my tickets this afternoon! And in the hockey world...what a game Tuesday night! Our games with Philly are always outstanding, but with the back and forth on top this season they've been even better than usual. I can't wait for my first live shootout. And how long will the Canes keep this number one spot? Who knows...the other top teams are all looking good. Detroit could be back on top very quickly. Ottawa and Philly are both amazing. I'm glad we don't have to play Nashville again. And they won't be on top, but Atlanta's play lately may very likely earn them a playoff spot. Wouldn't you love to see them play Ottawa? Anyway, hockey has me in it's grip this season.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:05 | link | comments (3) |
the sports report

You didn't think with all this wedding crap I'd forgotten about sports, did you? No, duh...I had hockey tickets to the Cane's game Tuesday night (thanks parents, Merry Christmas to me). Great hockey tickets, lower level, directly behind the South goal. And yes, it was the game where we beat Detroit (the only time we play them this year) and became league leaders. For 30 minutes, anyway, until Ottawa's game finished up and they were 1 point ahead of us and Philly. For anyone that knows hockey and the tremendous style of play that the Western Conference teams have always held, did you ever think the top 3 teams in the league would all be Eastern Conf?

In other news, NCSU also kicked some ass on BC, but it's not like BC was playing their best. And I am officially done with Dickie V. *WARNING* UNLADYLIKE SAILORLY TALK ABOUT TO COMMENCE* AVERT YOUR EYES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR SOME HARD-CORE, DIRTY TRASH TALK* So, how many Duke/UNC dicks can he suck at once? I know that's awful, but it's the only way I can put it. I almost didn't want to watch the Duke/Maryland game b/c he was commentating, and we know how much Dickie V loves Duke. I have no problem with Duke. I think they're great. I think Coach K is amazing (if one step away from having a stroke) and I do agree that they have the best homecourt advantage in all of college basketball. But do you really want to spend the whole game talking about how great they are? Could we actually get some basketball analysis? And why even bring UNC up during a Duke game? Yes, they're great again this year, too, even with all the youngsters, but we all new ahead of time that Hansbrough (or however you spell it...don't care that much) was the best recruit of this season, so we don't have to keep pretending like he's a surprise phenom. And hey, I know we're slightly overrated, and we lost to Carolina, but while you're on Tobacco road and spewing forth your love of NC basketball, how about mentioning the team that's currently ranked in between Duke and Carolina? Okay. Done with that. I am glad Duke kicked that Maryland team down, though, because 85% of State fans will tell you that after Carolina, our least favorite team is Maryland.

In other news, I had to work late last night, so J thought he would enjoy some breakfast-for-dinner, something he can never talk me into. And he loves me, so he made extra, and I have two crepes, some peach-amaretto jam, and homemade whipping cream in a neat little bowl in the fridge. Yummy.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:13 | link | comments |
the sports report

In other news...I have to mourn the passing of my top celebrity crush. Johnny Damon, how could you? You were everything a girl wanted in a celebrity crush that wasn't real and I knew I would never meet in real life: hot, exotic, long beautiful shiny hair, buff, dumb as bricks, talked like you had some of that big league chew gum stuck in your teeth, hot, and you played for the RED SOX. And two years ago, you might have been worth this contract. But not now. Not now that you're married and want to have dumb, hot little children with your dumb, hot little wife which means that in about 2 years you will lose all of your love of the game and probably get into steroids to keep your home runs coming so that you can support your dumb, hot little family. No, now you are only worth a four year, 32 million dollar contract. That's what you should have gotten. That's what you deserve. Yes, you are were one of my all-time favorite players, but now you are a TRAITOR. And I do not believe the other Bo'Sox fans that think we should have offered you MORE just to keep you from going to the Yankees. Because they have proven time and time again (ahem, Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson ring any bells) that they can throw all of the cash they want out and still not buy a World Series. My friend named her CAT after YOU and now you play for the YANKEES? Do you really want to do that? I am now relegated to have crushes only on earlier named local TV Personalities and Peyton Manning, who is unfortunately, only attractive on the inside.  *Sigh* I guess Mike Modano will have to move higher on my list.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 17:14 | link | comments (4) |
the sports report, the ex files

Okay, I promised a Pete Carroll episode and here goes. Watching football the other night, and what a game it was, I was faced with the question of why I don't like Pete Carroll or USC. It's nothing personal; I don't like the Patriots or the Cowboys or the Yankees for the same reason (well, I don't like the Cowboys because I grew up a Skins fan and I hate the Yankees because I'm a Red Sox fan, but still) I hate dynasties. And USC is as close to being a Dynasty as college football has. It's an interesting study in human nature as to why we want to bring down whoever's on top. In sports, why do we root for the underdog? The same reason we want to see people above us fail sometimes? Does everyone have an issue with inadequate feelings, and seeing someone else succeed makes us feel like a lesser person? I have had my share of self-esteem issues in the past, especially when it comes to body image or wanting desperately to be liked, but I feel like I'm in a better place now than ever before. Maybe because I'm finally in a trusting, two-way relationship that I've 'succeeded' at, or because I can recognize that I can be overweight and still be beautiful, or a strong willed, slightly anal-retentive woman that people still laugh with and have fun with. But no matter how comfortable I am with myself, I still like to see pretty, skinny girls make an idiot of themselves when they say something stupid or have a Valley girl accent. And I still love to see an underdog sports team pull out a huge upset. Like Georgia Tech beating Miami. Even though that means there will definitely not be an ACC National Champion. At last, basketball season is upon us...

posted by: Cannonball14 at 02:47 | link | comments (1) |
meow, the sports report

For all my Canadian friends out there. (Well, ok, for Rog...)

I got to see Sidney Crosby play for the first time last night and HOLY SHIT. I love hockey. Love, Love, Love it. There is no doubt in my mind that it is now my favorite sport and takes precedence over college basketball. (Sorry, greeneyes, football is great fun, but it was always only a close third in my book...) I just needed a barely-18 kid to show me that. This is what hockey has been waiting for...this is the Next Big Thing. I mean, I know that other people have said it, but I never quite believed them until I watched the Philly/Pitt game last night. He got high sticked in the face, chipped a couple of teeth, went to the locker room to get stitches in his mouth, and then came back out and scored the OT game-winner. Just like that. A day at the office. He so obviously has a love for the game that it makes him exciting to watch. He's not there to be the Next Big Thing, he's there to play and have fun. What a NOVEL idea in pro sports. Here's a kid (my John Madden digression) that can get blocked, fall over two defenders, land on his ass, and make a shot on goal while trying to get back up. WHAT?! Who does that? I love him. I want him on my team. I might become a Penguins fan. Sorry, Ovechkin, it sucks that there was no hockey last year, because you would have been Rookie of the Year. Too late.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:03 | link | comments (5) |
the sports report

Okay...so the Wolfpack are having a great game. Halftime and we're down 7 but I can't complain (any more than usual).

But the 'Canes...what the hell? For you hockey fans out there, I just have to ask: you have a hot goalie. Shutout last night, stopped 40 shots in the last two games. I understand it's a back-to-back game, but why wouldn't you play your hot goalie? Especially when there are five goals scored against Ward in the first period. (Two of those were 5 on 3, so you can't ask for a miracle.) But still, after the third goal went in, pull his ass if Gerber isn't injured. Come on, coach: 5 goals went in on 12 shots.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 01:05 | link | comments (2) |
the sports report

Two penalty shots in the same period? Mon dieu, I thought it could not happen! What a game. Seriously, Buffalo should be winning way more games than they are...one of the 'Canes toughest yet. I love the team, but still shudder when I think of us playing Detroit. Oh well, all's well that ends well and the 'Canes won their 8th straight last night.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 13:45 | link | comments (4) |
the sports report

Ahhh...hockey. Had to miss opening night for a friend's rehearsal dinner last night, but the Canes pulled it off. My Bruins, not so lucky. What a game to have been at...watching a rookie goalie face off with the probable rookie of the year and Lemieux in a shootout. He's not even our starting goalie, but the backup. Honestly, against Pittsburgh we never should have been tied anyway, we should have had them 4-1. Oh well. We all know Ottawa and Atlanta are the loaded teams this year anyway: the Heatly-Hossa trade did wonders for both. And I know Teemu Selanne isn't the best, but he gets better looking every year. Sigh...I love hockey.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 13:28 | link | comments |
the sports report