State of...Guilty Pleasures

My old swim coach used to tell me that excuses are like buttholes....we all have 'em and they all stink. Well, guilty pleasures are very similar. We all have 'em...and likely probably stink. Here's my most recent one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij9CbUUsnJE


I'm not proud of it, but it is what it is. Yes, it's actually a two-fold guilty pleasure...not only is this song so damn catchy, but it's a clip from the new show "The Voice".

I'd actually not ever heard this song before the Xenia version. I didn't know it was originally a Jessie J song (featuring B.O.B.). So I sought out the first version (thanks Sirius) and was able to check it out. It's a little more polished and probably a bit more 'catchy' but the voice just isn't the same as the less heralded Xenia. She's got a very different kind of accent in her voice that forces me to listen to it.

I've got plenty more guilty pleasures, but I think I've done enough by sharing these two right now. Maybe this will become a multiple part series....maybe not.

Cheers,
LW

State of...Giddiness

Guess what came in the mail yesterday?!?! My JP Arencibia signed baseball bat!!!

I need to give a huge shout out to my friend CC for making this happen. Without her I'm highly doubtful that my request would ever have reached the proper people. Thanks Caron!

So a few hours after my State of...Disappointment post I got an email from CC asking if she could pass along the blog post to her friend at the Blue Jays organization. Well, sure enough...within 24 hours I had an email from the Jays saying that my request had not fallen on deaf ears and that JP had definitely not forgotten and would have the bat sent right away.

I don't really care how it happened or why...I'm just so excited that I finally received my JP Arencibia signed bat! How cool is that?! In fact, you should check it out here:


Pretty sweet right?

If you're on twitter and not following JP Arencibia you should definitely check him out. He can be followed at @jparencibia9. He is definitely one of those athletes who interacts really well (and regularly) with his fans. It's a nice refreshing change from the days when athletes would charge for their autograph. Again with my naivety but it seems that some athletes just 'get it'.

Keep up the great work JP and the entire Blue Jays organization. You guys are doing a great job and I will continue to support as best as I can. See you in Baltimore in a week!

Cheers,
LW

State of...Fandemonium?

I need to give credit where credit is due....this is pretty cool (http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/27694626/29494935):


I didn't realize that the Tampa Bay Lightning had this many fans. At least, I didn't realize this until I took a look at the recent box score from the playoff game.

The game on Saturday drew a 107.4% capacity crowd - or 21,216. Damn! I can't stand to think of the Bolts winning a second Cup before I get to see my Buds hoist the mug...but this does make me feel a bit better about their recent success.

Cheers,
LW

State of...Disappointment!

Those of you who know me know my MLB loyalties lie with one team...the Toronto Blue Jays. Having grown up in Toronto I cheered on the team long before they had any success. It wasn't until the mid 80's that they really gave us something to cheer about - remember the 'Drive of '85??? Barfield, Moseby, and Bell made up one of the most feared outfields in all of baseball!

I've stayed true to my loyalties and have cheered on my Blue Jays ever since...and they've rewarded me with not one, but TWO World Championships! Not only that, but now that I live near Philadelphia they've given me a lifetime of bragging rights in the area - thank you Mitch Williams!!! I swear, he should have gotten the MVP that year! Who cares if I have to bask in the glow of the early 1990's?!

Last year I was watching feverishly when the Jays called up the much hyped catching prospect JP Arencibia. This was our future catcher with unlimited potential. In his first major league game he did not disappoint. He swatted a 2-run homer on the FIRST PITCH he faced at the major league level! He would finish the game going 4-5 with two homers and a triple shy of the cycle! What a debut!

So when JP made his twitter debut I was obviously a follower. And I wasn't the only one! He's now up to nearly 22,000 followers. Maybe low compared to other superstar celebrities, but well on his way! He tweets with the best of athletes! So when JP offered a signed bat for some fun trivia I knew I had my work cut out for me. I've included the interaction below - but suffice to say, I was able to answer his question correctly (see "Winner, winner, chicken dinner..."). I was getting an JP Arencibia signed bat! How COOL!!! Sure I'm a grown man (arguably), but I still get giddy when I win something that I'm really excited about.

Well, that was nearly 5 months ago and guess what....no autographed bat, yet. I did receive a direct message on 12/28 from JP that stated "ill send it to u when i go home im currently on vacation....". I know he's a rich celebrity, but surely he's back from vacation now, right? Of course he is - he's the Jays nearly-everyday catcher! I saw him on TV just the other day.

I've tweeted him back a few times seeing if he's had a chance to look into this...but have yet to receive a response. I'm sure it's just an oversight as he is incredibly busy with the season. But you'd think he could take the time to fulfill on his own contest, right???

My plan is to put the bat up in my office at work - presenting it proudly as a symbol of my decades of loyalty to the Toronto Blue Jays. It has a place next to my Roy Halladay bobble-head and my Ernie Whitt signed baseball.

Below are the tweets from JP Arencibia leading up to my victory. If you scroll down to the bottom you can read them in chronological order as you scroll upwards. I remain firm in my belief that he will eventually hold true to his word. He seems to really love the interaction he's allowed with twitter and I do think that enjoyment is honest.

Look, is a signed bat the be-all, end-all? Of course not. It would be cool to have and would definitely be something that I would cherish forever. I'm sure I could find a similar item on ebay for a reasonable price...but that's not the point. I guess my point is...it's nice to see an athlete able to interact with the fans in a positive manner rather than the mindless trash we see with other celebrities. Maybe I'm naive but I do like to see the best in everyone. And sports is no different. Right now I'm that little kid standing outside the locker room waiting for the star player to come out and sign his baseball because he said he'd do it after the game. He said he'd be here...so here I stand.

I will post an update when I have one. Hopefully I'll have good news to report soon. I'll even post a picture of the winning item, if and when I receive it.

Cheers,
LW



jparencibia9 jp arencibia

@

@hamswims Winner Winner chicken dinner....

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

@

@DanielleLawrie5 haha he will be in good hands.... we will take care of him

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

True in my rules I never stated a number of guesses... but ill ask another question for another....

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

well we have a winner but if they have guessed like 15 numbers should it be valid? ur call

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

saints monday night football

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

another hint its less then the saints score right now times 7...

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

Upon further review the number has NOT been guessed.... ill say its higher than 40

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

The five pitchers i want names of can not have played with the jays big leagues or minor leagues...

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jp arencibia"

jparencibia9 jp arencibia

A number is correct.... but i need 5 pitchers ive caught not through the blue jays system that are in the mlb

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jparencibia9 jp arencibia

if u get it right ill ask u to name 5 of them currently on other teams that didnt play with the jays so ppl just arent throwing out numbers

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jparencibia9 jp arencibia

Here it goes.... Since little league.... how many pitchers have i caught that have pitched in the major leagues.... counting last season too

27 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

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jparencibia9 jp arencibia

Im trying to think of a little post xmas gift.... maybe a signed bat... but i need a good question so i can choose a winner... toughts?

State of...Royalty

In twenty-eight days, one of the most talked about events of the decade will occur (yes, I realize that the decade is still very young). Prince William and Kate Middleton will tie the knot on April 29th, 2011...and I ask you: Why do you care?

I guess I understand why the folks in England care. It relates a lot more to their lives than anyone in North America, I suppose. But for those Americans - what is the draw? Is it because you don't have a queen or royalty? Is it because Lady Di was such an international celebrity that you've been caught up in the whole royalty-thing ever since? Is it the bad teeth? I just don't get it.

When I think about the wedding (it's almost impossible not to wonder since every U.S. TV station carries a mandatory 4-hour minimum amount of coverage) I find that I'm reminded of one thing: I literally could not care less. Literally. I'm serious. If the wedding were between Billy and Julie and they lived in Prague I would care exactly the same amount as I care about William and Kate. That is to say, NOT A DAMN!!!

Not only is the constant coverage somewhat annoying, it's baffling as to what the draw is. These people carry no political or significant power over anyone in the U.S.. Maybe, one could argue, that there is a small tie for a Canadian - but I'm Canadian and I think that my feelings have been made clear. If they haven't....I DON'T CARE about this wedding. There are just too many other things in my life to care about. In fact, there are more things in one compartment of my life to care about. I could list 50 things in each compartment (work, home, play, family, sleep, etc.) that are more important than what Kate is going to wear on her big day, or what shoes William is going to be sporting.

I wish them the best, just like I would wish anyone getting married the best. Enjoy the moment, try to capture it all in and not worry about the small details. Nobody will notice if things don't go just right, so don't stress about it. At the end of the day it's about committing to your soul mate that you will be with them for the rest of your life, through thick and thin, sickness and health, for richer or poorer. That is what really matters.

I've already spent more attention and time writing this than it deserves. What has it been, maybe 12 minutes? That's 12 minutes that I will NEVER get back. Damn! I raise my glass to a quick next 28 days - may we please get over this soon so we can get back to the other trash that we normally watch on TV.

Cheers,
LW

State of...Exercising

I came to a slightly sad realization today. Swimming (on your own) is pretty boring. There, I said it. I swam competitively for nearly 20 years, logging in more miles in the pool than I care to calculate. At one point we had established that I'd swum around the world and was working on my second loop. That is crazy.

So how, after all those years, did I overcome my "black line fever" to determine that this exercise is truly mind numbing? Well, here goes...

Several weeks ago I got the itch to get back in the pool. It probably all started watching a recent World class swimming event (Worlds, Olympics, etc.) and realized that I wanted to get back at, albeit very casually. So I set up a time and place to get a few laps in. I started swimming once per week and was starting to build up my endurance, which was at an embarrassing level.

Well, today comes and it's kind of a gross day out; gloomy, rainy, and a little cold. The pool is about 30 minutes away and I have very little desire to do much other than curl up on the couch and watch a movie (or let's be real, the Flyers/Rangers game). But at the same time I have that nagging feeling in my belly that I probably "should" go and do some form of activity. So as I'm sitting on the couch my mind goes through the following struggles:

Hmmm...how do I feel about swimming right now? Well, I don't really feel like getting wet. It's pretty far away. To be honest, the concept of just going back and forth doesn't really interest me. I wish there was a way to have SportsCenter on while I was swimming. But I need to do something.

So I start going through the list of other potential activities: running (outside is not really an option with it raining, so treadmill only), elliptical machine, swim cords downstairs, and that's about it. If going outside really were an option then we could play tennis, go biking, roller blading...all sorts of fun activities.

So between exercising at the gym and going to the pool, my mind can't even comprehend this being a tough decision. I could go work out and watch TV or listen to Sirius radio....or I could go to the gym and have 6o minutes of going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, etc. I can justify a LOT of things in my mind...but I can't, for the life of me right now, justify that swimming is a more fun activity right now.

Even with a commitment to join a team triathlon in a few months, I can't bring myself to do it (today). The idea is just too boring to me. This makes me sad (a little). How did I do it for 20 years, twice per day? That's insane. Now granted, that swimming was always with other people (friends even) so it was more of a social environment. If I'd had to do it all by myself all those years would I have even made it through the month? I'm just not sure. It's THAT boring to me right now.

So my decision is made. Elliptical machine and some swim cords it is. Hopefully next time it won't be that tough of a decision.

Cheers,
LW

State of...Winter

I need to get something off my chest...but before I do, I should mention that I grew up up in Canada so I totally understand that I may be a little biased. Here goes.

This is a snow storm...


And so is this...


And this...


But people please, for the love of God, don't go on and on about how this is a "Snow Storm":


Forecasting for 3/4 of an inch of snow does NOT constitute a "storm". I might, MIGHT, understand if I still lived in Georgia or Florida. But I live in the northeast. We should be used to snow flakes by now.

Maybe Gov Rendell is right? Have we become a nation of "wussies"? Let's get rid of the drama and stop calling a light dusting of snow a "STORM". At least that's a start.

Cheers,
LW

State of...Stupidity

I certainly don't claim to be the smartest person out there. Not even close. But if liking the following story makes me dumb, then I'm happy to be in that group...

So, the Calgary Hitmen had their annual Teddy Bear Toss game last week. Once per season they invite their fans to bring teddy bears to a game (or buy them for $10 at the game with all proceeds going to charity) to toss onto the ice after the first goal is scored. The teddy bears are then gathered up and donated as Christmas presents to those kids who wouldn't otherwise have anything over the Holiday season.

This is not a new concept by any means. It's been going on for many years in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The Calgary Hitmen have just taken it to the next level. This past week the Hitmen fans came armed with enough ammunition that would make the average American high schooler blush. Fans smashed the old toss record with 26,919 teddy bears!!! The team took roughly 4,000 bears and had their players deliver them in person to a local hospital. The remaining bears were split up among the other local charities.

Seems like a nice story, right? Well, if you think this is nice then you must be dumb. According to online blog network Gawker.com this was "one of the two or three dumbest" traditions in the world. Again, call me mentally challenged if you will but I have to think there are several other traditions that are more stupid than donating gifts to under privileged children, no?

Let me see if I can think of any...Throwing snowballs at Santa at Philadelphia Eagle games. Chanting "Asshole" at a sporting event when a call doesn't go your way. Booing the opposing team, just because they are the opposing team. Idolizing d-bag athletes (take your pick: LeBron, T.O., Ocho Cinco, etc.). Throwing rats on the ice (circa mid-90 Florida Panthers).

I'm just a dumb Canadian hockey fan so what do I know. Mark Twain once said that "Everyone has the right to be stupid; some people just abuse the privilege." Congratulations Hitmen fans and dumb Canadians across the world - embrace your stupidity!

Cheers,
LW

State of...Travel

Happy American Thanksgiving!

This will be one of the most traveled weekends of the year. Families coming together, loved ones getting back together, 90th birthday celebrations, you name it. Many of these folks will be testing out the new airport security measures.

Travelers have two choices. One, get the full body X-ray type scan. The scan takes approximately 30 seconds and is relatively foolproof. The second option is to have a security agent frisk your body to check for any dangerous items. This option takes approximately 2 minutes and is less accurate in terms of overall safety. The bottom line is that both measures are put in place to keep the rest of the country safe from terrorists. Keep this in mind as I go off on my rant.

People are complaining that both of these forms of security checks are an invasion of privacy. Are these people the same people who are okay with terrorism? If going through a 30 second X-ray is going to keep me safe from some whackjob then I'm more than okay with it. If going through a 2 minute full body frisk is going to keep my entire plane safe, so be it. I don't see what the big deal is.

By the letter of the law, is this pat-down an invasion of privacy? Probably. But which would you rather have, a little invasion of privacy or being dead? Tough call. Just be thankful that they're not pushing for body cavity searches. In fact, that's probably the next step. When terrorists figure out how to fool the system the TSA might go to the next level.

In the end, if you have an issue with people doing their job and trying to keep air travelers safe, I have two words for you...DON'T FLY!!!! It's as simple as that. If you'd rather have terrorists in the sky than being lightly violated then I don't want you in the sky anyways.

Safe travels my friends!
Cheers,
Liam

State of...Role Models

Wow...it's been an incredibly long time since I last posted. I guess it was a pretty busy summer...but that's no excuse. I do have a list of things that have crossed my mind over the past several months, so let's hope I can get to a few of them in the near future.

I'm generally a pretty open minded individual. I tend to believe that people should learn by making mistakes. I'm not so naive to think that kids these days aren't a million miles more sexually curious/advanced/aggressive/mature than I was so many years ago. All you have to do to prove this is walk through the mall on a Saturday. Girls are wearing half the amount of clothing they did when I was growing up.

So I'm here in my hotel room in Windsor, Ontario and flipping through the channels of trash on TV. I happened to stop on one of the many music stations (Much2 or something like that). They were doing the top 10 requested songs of the day/week/year/era (who knows). At number three we had the most recent catchy jingle from Katy Perry; Teenage Dream. For those who have been stuck in a cave with no radio, this song is as popular as anything you've heard in many years. The regular radio stations (which I refuse to listen to) play this song on repeat.

Here is a sample of the lyrics of this song:

We drove to Cali
And got drunk on the beach
Got a motel and
Built a fort out of sheets
I finally found you
My missing puzzle piece
I'm complete

Let's go all the way tonight

Now, I'm as liberal as the next mid-30 something...but this seems a tad over the top. Katy Perry is a huge mega-star right now. I don't know for a fact her target demo, but I'm willing to be it's girls under the current drinking age (in both US and Canada). In fact, I'd go so far as say her target market includes those without the ability to drive yet.

For argument's sake, let's say that her demo is 14-18 year old girls. If you had a teenage girl that fell in this age bracket would you be comfortable with her hearing this type of lyrics from a "role model"? I'm the first one to say that parents need to do a better job of teaching their kids what is right and what is wrong; don't rely on pop superstars to look after your kid - YOU do it.

That being said, these pop stars are making it awfully difficult to raise your kids without being totally messed up tramps. With half of them getting in trouble with drugs and alcohol and the other half singing about getting drunk and "going all the way", how's a parent to do their job?

I don't have the solution, nor am I looking to solve the worlds problems. I just urge parents to continue to talk to their kids; find out what they are listening to, find out who their friends are, what they do after school, what they do on the weekend. TALK to you kids...help them get through their adolescence in one piece.

If you don't, then they will be working off role models/parenting/images like this (taken from the "Teenage Dream" video):



Cheers,
LW

State of...Playoffs - Stanley Cup Finals

What do I know? I've been all over the map, but mostly wrong this postseason.

Hawks in FOUR!

State of Playoffs - Round Three

For the life of me I can't seem to pick an Eastern Conference winner. Once again I am upset by both teams and am now left torn. This is no easy task for a Torontonian living in Philly. But here goes...

Montreal Canadiens vs Philadelphia Flyers:
As a Toronto Maple Leafs fan I cannot, and will not, ever cheer for the Montreal Canadiens. It just CAN'T happen. The world would turn on its axis. Fire and brimstone would rain down upon us. So...I can't CHEER for the Canadiens. But that doesn't mean that I can't PICK them to win. Halak has been the goalie of the playoffs and has kept his team going. They've taken down the top ranked offense in Washington and the defending Stanley Cup Champs in Pittsburgh. They must be licking their chops at facing the 7th ranked Flyers. One win away from playing for the Cup. I won't cheer for the Canadiens...but I think they get past the Flyers in a very close series.
Canadiens in Six

Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks:
I've been saying all along that these are the top two teams in the West. This series is going to be so much fun to watch. If any people out there aren't sure about what hockey is all about - WATCH THIS SERIES!!!! Both teams play high intensity hockey with fast paced skill players. That being said, I like San Jose more this year - and think they've finally found themselves. This will be their toughest test to date as Chicago can really play. They can FLY, they can score, they can play D. They really are the complete team...but they are a tad young to be taking down the playoff experienced Sharks. The Sharks are starting to believe that they can win in the playoffs (finally) and I don't see anyone stopping them this year. They win this round and then continue on to hoist Lord Stanley's mug.
Sharks in Six

State of...Playoffs - Round Two

Wow...Thank God for my Western Conference picks, eh?! Lots of upsets in the East...some I'm not so happy with - I'm talking to you Montreal!!!

Round 2 Picks

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins
Well, this was a match-up I wasn't expecting. I didn't think the Flyers had the goaltending to get past Brodeur's Devils. And I still don't entirely trust their 'tending. The Bruins are getting Marc Savard back and should be able to ride either Goalie to the Eastern Conference Championship game.
Bruins in Six

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens
Screw Montreal. They had NO business beating Ovie and the Caps. They come into the series riding the hottest goalie in the league. I'm not buying that he can do it again versus Sid and his squad of Pens. Either Malkin or Sid will have their way with him. Or both.
Pens in Five

San Jose Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings
I'm not sure why...but I believe in the Sharks this year. I should have learned from previous years, but I guess I'm a slow learner. I see the Sharks just being a step better in every aspect of hockey, but especially on offense and in goal. I don't see the Wings going easily, but I think their best days are behind them.
Sharks in Six

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks
I think this will be a very good series. It's going to come down to Luongo versus the Chicago offense. Can he regain the form that made him one of the top goalies in the game...or will he stumble like has since before the Olympics? Can the twins bring enough offense to the series to match up against the likes of Toews, Sharp and Kane? Chicago's D, in my humble opinion, is too much for the 'Nucks forwards.
Hawks in Five

Cheers,
LW

State of...Playoffs!

Yet another of NHL playoffs without the beloved Maple Leafs. As sad as that is to say, it's getting easier and easier each year. I'll spare the "we finished strong", "we have a good young nucleus", "this year's draft should bring us a good pic....uh nevermind", speech although any and all of those statements could be true.

This post is all about the NHL playoffs and my picks. With the Flyers and Canadians backing into this year's dance it should be an interesting few weeks. Here are my predictions for this year's first round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadians
Les Habitants have NO chance to defeat the high powered Caps. The MIGHT have a chance to win one game. While it would be nice to see the Red & Blue suffer a sweep...I think they can take one to overtime and win on a lucky bounce.
Prediction: Caps in Five

New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers
This could end up being the best matchup in the first round. The Flyers have absolutely OWNED the Devils this year. I'm not sure that I see Brodeur stumbling enough to lose the first round...but stranger this have happened over the years.
Prediction: Devils in Seven

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
At the start of the year I thought the big bad Bruins had a chance to win it all. They've struggled at times this year and just don't seem to have their mojo on full power right now. With those two goalies you can never count them out...but we've all seen what Ryan Miller can do in big games (see 2010 Olympic results) - this kid if unreal! While I don't like the Buffalo firepower compared to Boston, I think that it's Miller time in Buffalo!
Prediction: Sabres in Six

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
The pride of Canada gets a chance to eliminate this year's Battle of Ontario champs. Nothing would make me happier than to see BOTH the Habs and Sens eliminated from postseason play in the first round. I have NO idea how the Sens managed to qualify for a playoff spot this year. They seemed to struggle all year. They have NO team chemistry, NO heart, and NO chance of getting past the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Life is good.
Prediction: Pens in Five

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche
I might actually stay awake for these games. What a matchup! If not for Phoenix this would be the ultimate underdogs (Colorado) versus the ultimate hype! The Sharks have been predicted to win a Cup for a few years now. They have all the firepower that the Caps have and plenty of good D and Goaltending; so what gives?! I have no idea. I've counted on the Sharks before and been burned...but I have a feeling that the feel-good story Avalanche have run out of luck this time.
Prediction: Sharks in Six

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators
Another great matchup. I compare the Blackhawks to the Bruins a bit. This was a team that I picked early to be very successful. And while they are the #2 seed, they seem to have struggled a bit. Can their goaltending handle the pressures of playoff hockey? Can their big guns capitalize when the pressure is on? Is the Hossa curse still going strong? As much as I love what they've done in Nashville on a consistent basis (is there a better coach out there?) I don't see them being good enough to beat the Hawks.
Prediction: Hawks in Five

Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings
I see the Kings as the Blackhawks from last year or the year before. You can see where this team is going and you have to like their skill. I'm just not sure they have the mental toughness to last a playoff round yet. In two years I think we'll see the Kings make the conference finals (or more) but this year...Luongo and the twins are too strong.
Prediction: Canucks in Five

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Detroit Red Wings
Ugh, what a nasty matchup for the Coyotes. They are THE feelgood story of the year. Nobody gave these guys a chance to do anything this year. The team was in turmoil, the players didn't know where they were headed, and the fans didn't know if they were even going to HAVE a team this year. Now here they are with home ice advantage against the team with the most playoff experience in the last ten years. While I'd love to say that this story continues into the second round, I just don't see how a team led by Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg can lose in the first round to a team with little to no playoff experience.
Prediction: Red Wings in Seven

Best of luck to all playoff teams! You better enjoy it this year...because my Maple Leafs will be knocking on the door next year!

Cheers,
LW

State of...Longevity

It's a sad last couple of days to the NHL season. Not only because my Maple Leafs stunk up the joint, but also because two NHL greats, and two of the greatest American born players, are set to retire. Keith Tkachuk and Mike Modano are hanging up the skates after two decades of playing at the NHL level. Both will should undoubtedly be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame, likely in their first attempt. Take a look at their stats below:

Mike Modano:
1458 Games
557 Goals
802 Assists
1359 Points

Keith Tkachuk:
1201 Games
538 Goals
527 Points
1065 Points
2219 PIMS

That's nearly 2,500 points!!! Together they played 40 seasons of NHL hockey. These are two of the greats to be sure. In those 40 seasons, guess how many 100 point seasons they had? Go ahead, take a guess? 5? Nope. 10? Nope. 20? Not a chance. Together these two hockey greats had a total of ZERO 100 point seasons. That is insane. How do these two players NOT hit the century mark at some point? I guess this just shows how difficult it is to maintain that kind of consistency for a full 82 game schedule.

My good friend Amish was on hand to watch the Mike Modano Love-fest. You can see the clip here. Kudos goes out to the Dallas Stars fans for recognizing what they have/had. It was great to see how emotional Modano got on the bench. Sometimes we take for granted how long these players have had this profession and what it means to hang up the skates. These guys have been playing hockey for around 35 years.

Mike Modano and I had a bit of an up and down relationship. I hated his prima-donna attitude earlier in his career. As he matured he started to gain back my respect and by the end of his career he had played his way onto my favourite players list (it's a LONG list). Like many young superstars he had a lot to learn; but he did it. It was great to watch as he mentored the younger players on those Stars teams.

I will always remember Keith Tkachuk as one of those players that I hated having my Leafs play against. He was a perfect mix of skill and brawn. He was one of the best Power Fowards in the game. He was able to get his team pumped with a goal or a big fit and/or fight. He was always one of those players that I wanted on my fantasy team because he could do it ALL!

Count me in as part of the standing ovation that each of these NHL greats received at their last games. It was a pleasure watching them play and they WILL be missed. Great players, great careers, and good luck with your retirements! My hat goes off to you both!

Cheers,
LW