Ok, I admit, I find myself rooting for the Leafs. Not often, not blue-maple-leaf tatoo's on my chest but I do find myself wanting them to win when I'm watching them on TV. I'm not a true fan because I actually take some perverse pleasure in them losing, consistently, painfully, year-after-year, decade-after-decade. But I grew …
Category: people and places
Lizard Liquor, Racoon Roadkill and The Great Pumpkin
Charles Schulz would have been proud if he'd been in Elmira today. The creator of the Peanuts comic strip was an avid hockey fan. However, as well as creating Charlie Brown and his merry band of carousing guy buddies, his colourful pooch Snoopy and some pretty saucy young dames, he also gave life to …
Continue reading Lizard Liquor, Racoon Roadkill and The Great Pumpkin
What Makes a Great Hockey Team?
Good refreshments. And so, with the White team gelling nicely via email this week in anticipation of Saturday's season close-out tournament, the talk was decidedly around who was bringing what to the rink to replenish the machine between games. I'm almost embarrassed to say that I don't think Martha Stewart could have planned this …
OFSSA Champions (Not)
32 years ago today, the 1980-81 St. Petes's team, of which I was a part, headed off to OFSSA in North Bay on a yellow school bus. It was a solid team sporting a 38-3-2 won lost record and was the second seed in the eight team tournament. We had played and beaten the first …
Let The Tournament Begin
The much anticipated email from the freshly-minted captains of this year's end-of-year WOHL tourney were sent yesterday. And the verdict is...White is the new Blue. Yes, I'll be trading in my blue sweater for a white one late Thursday night. White looks solid, really solid. As much as I'll have blue tatooed on my chest …
OFSSA – The First Time
33 years ago today, my St. Pete's team headed off to OFSSA in Toronto. I was a grade 10 and played very little that year. We had a core of very strong older players where our best five on the ice were as good as the same best five from any team in the tournament. …
Hummer the Whore
I got a call at work on my cell late yesterday aft asking if I was available to play last night with some boys at the St. Jacob's barn. Indeed I was available and it was an excellent skate too. Our tender's nickname was Hummer (at least I think it was a nickname) and …
I Get to Play Hockey Every Day
I did something last night I don't do often. I watched a Leaf game from drop of the puck to the end point. The fact that Crosby was playing influenced me to some degree as I've always loved watching top athletes compete in their prime regardless of the sport. I enjoyed watching every aspect …
New Stick, Old Stick
I finally got my new stick ready this weekend but I'm worried. I had to borrow a neighbour's hacksaw to cut it down a few inches but when I compared it to my old wand, the curve on the new one just doesn't seem quite right, the way it did in the store. The toe …
He Prays, He Scores
Much ado this past week in Canadian media about the Quebec Cardinal who could be the next Pope. Not sure if the church has ever had a hockey-playing pontiff but J2P2 was an avid skier so why not someone who has donned the blades? As a former "Church League" player myself, it almost feels …
Rink Tales 