Thursday, April 30, 2009
My Favourite Goal of the 1st Round
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Calling all Canadians
You are looking at a picture of James Neal, a 21 year-old forward for the Dallas Stars who decided to suit up for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships. He got high sticked in the eye which cut him up severely enough that he won't be playing in the tournament anymore. His career is not in jeopardy though and a full recovery is expected.
I respect the risk Neal took to play for Team Canada. He does not get paid to go overseas to participate. He is playing for pride and the privilege (repeat: privilege) of playing for his country. He may not make the 2010 Olympic team, but he's trying and that's all that matters.
I read the paper today and came up with a trivia question for you: What do Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash and Dan Boyle have in common? Answer: No-shows for Team Canada at the World Championships.
Hmmm...are they busy (You could ask Nash first, as his team only lasted four games)?
When you also consider the fact auditions are already taking place to make the Olympic team, I question the heart and logic of their decision not to play. Quite frankly, there is no excuse NOT to play. I'll give players such as Dion Phaneuf a pass since he is recovering from some broken ribs, but with very few guaranteed spots (Boyle I would have said yes a few months ago, but with the resurgence of Niedermayer and Pronger I'm not so sure anymore) are they trying to tell GM Steve Yzerman going to Vancouver isn't too important?
Why hasn't Sharks forward Joe Thornton agree to go yet? His team got bounced from the 1st round AGAIN, and his reputation as a playoff choker continues. Maybe he can try to silence his critics a little by having a strong World Championships. Many fans questions the Senators heart, but when asked, every Senator (Heatley, Spezza, Fisher and Phillips) said yes to Team Canada. Unless you're injured, you should follow suit.
I dare Iginla to give Neal a call and tell him it's not worth it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
SBP's Round 2 Playoff Predictions!
There are three sure things in life: Death, taxes and the San Jose Sharks blowing it.
Man, I really thought Nabokov would stand on his head (he didn't) and the additions of Cup winners Dan Boyle and Rob Blake would provide the experience necessary to get them over the hump (it didn't work). I will never pick the Sharks again in future playoff pools, ever.
So on to round 2!
Eastern Conference:
Boston vs Carolina: Boston in 6 (I just like Boston's chances)
Washington vs Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh in 7 (The series I'd pay money to see)
Western Conference:
Detroit vs Anaheim: Detroit in 5 (Hiller won't be able to withstand Detroit's offence after the Sharks shot blanks)
Vancouver vs Chicago: Vancouver in 5 (I think Luongo is going to shut the door on the young Blackhawks team)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Ha...nice shirt!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
An unlikely artist
History would have indeed been a lot different.
Before becoming the dictator/tyrant responsible for the killing of millions of innocent people, Adolf Hitler was an aspiring artist. An auctioneer described his work as that of a "competent amateur" and indeed, his paintings pass SBP's art test of me not being able to replicate the painting in question (my rule for paintings is simple: if I can do it, it ain't art). He apparently painted over 100 works but could not capture the attention of the public or an art dealer, so he turned to, ahem, politics.
In any case, I look at one his paintings that recently fetched 10,000 pounds sterling and debated the idea of hanging a painting concocted by a person who is, by all accounts, a mass murderer. Is it immoral or somehow unethical for someone to actually like his art and display it?
Or should the purchaser immediately throw in the fireplace?
Maybe we can look at it as something to show us that, even in the most evil of men, if we look hard enough, perhaps we can find some good in them (kinda like what Luke Skywalker was trying to do with Darth Vader)?
Anyway, I don't have that kind of dough to spend on this sort of thing to begin with, but it does make for an interesting discussion.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Why Greatness Will Elude Them
The Montreal Canadiens, riding the 1st place finish in the Eastern Conference 2007-08 season and the 100th anniversary of their franchise, had great expectations on them this year. Starting out like gangbusters, it looked like fate had a great finish waiting for them but they eventually flamed out and barely made the post-season, only to be swept away by the Boston Bruins. Trash was thrown on the ice by the unhappy fans in game 4 and a parade of boos echoed through the arena. The situation can be summed up as to what's happened to 21 year-old Carey Price, as he threw his arms up a la Patrick Roy in 1995, when Roy would play his last game as a Canadien. A parade of boos was also heard by the Hall-of-Fame goaltender that night before heading to Colorado to win another Stanley Cup. Montreal would not win another since.
For some reason, there is zero patience in Montreal. I feel kind of bad for Carey Price, I mean, do you remember how mature you were at 21 years old? How fair is it to expect Price to carry the entire team on his shoulders while comparisons to Ken Dryden and the aforementioned Roy are put in his face every day? He had a strong rookie campaign and showed tons of potential. But that's all it is right now...potential. 95% of rookies need a few years before they can become full blown superstars. Sure, Roy was a rookie when he won the Cup for Montreal in 1986. But he's an EXCEPTION, not the rule. Price, if he becomes a true #1 goalkeeper, probably is another 2 or 3 years away from that.
So, depending on the time of year, Price summed it up best by saying he's either put on too high a pedestal or thrown way far under the bus. There is no room for middle ground. Any flashes of brilliance brings up memories of Jacques Plante hoisting the Stanley Cup. Heaven forbid if you make a mistake: You'll be labelled a goat for quite some time.
I guess my point is Montreal Canadiens fans, or their media, or both, are their own worst enemies. They have the most storied history of any NHL franchise. They have caring fans. But they don't seem to understand concepts like "development" and "in progress" and "slumps." Do you think for a second guys like Daniel Briere and Vincent Lecavalier see what's happening to Price and regret not signing a contract with Montreal?
There's a huge difference between being passionate and being unrealistic. Habs fans fall into the latter, and that is why I don't see them fielding a championship team anytime soon.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Random SBP Thoughts
- Lansdowne Live wins, but it's NOT over. 60 days of consultations followed by 21 days of public hearings...how long does this have to drag on? Anyway, as the dust settled it was revealed two other proposals were kypboshed during the voting, including one that would have had both stadiums built and another proposal to have the Senators play in the Lebreton Flats area. Of course, these are two options that are more desirable than what's been actioned, so it won't ever happen.
- You know the warm weather is coming when more construction on Bank St is about to tak e place. I swear this must be at least the third summer in a row this is happening...
- More reasons why people go to torrent sites: I picked up The Wrestler on blu-ray thinking it would include a digital copy, but they only included that in the UNITED STATES version. I'm wondering if it's a subtle jab at Canada's lax downloading laws or something. But in the end, you're just punishing customers who actually don't mind giving over a few bucks for copywrited material.
- Dream home renovation : Hot tub with multi-LCD screens on the wall playing Eddie Murphy's SNL skit Celebrity Hot Tub Party with James Brown.
Yeah, I'm reaching for things to talk about!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ottawa will forever change tomorrow...or not at all
Tomorrow, Ottawa city council will make a decision regarding the future of sports and concert events for local residents, headed by the answer to this question: Football or Soccer?
The funny thing for me, is that deep down, I'm expected to be disappointed. I have absolutely no faith that soon-to-be-on-trial Mayor Larry O'Brien and his team of councillors will reach a decision, and we'll be left with no CFL, no MLS, a deteriorating Lansdowne Park and Civic Centre while the Ottawa 67's will have to find a new arena to play in.
There are a couple of things I'd just like to vent about before going any further:
- First, I'd like to say a big f*** you to every Glebe resident who doesn't want the Lansdowne option to happen, for the sole reason they don't want to deal with things like "traffic" and "noise". You live downtown...are you expecting a library? And don't you think a successful sports franchise downtown with shops and an aquarium might actually drive up the value of your property (not that it's exactly underpriced right now as it is)? Frickin' Glebeites...
- And Eugene Melnyk...you know, if he wanted an MLS team to be downtown, this contest would be over. The man who saved the Senators from bankruptcy and turned it into one of the top franchises in the NHL has a lot of sway, but the reason why anyone hesitates about his proposed soccer stadium is the fact that it's in Kanata, which is the primary complaint Senators fans have about going to a game. But he has a personal interest in himself, outside the best interests of the city, to increase the value of his property in the west end.
At this point, I don't care who wins. As long as SOMETHING wins. The best case scenario for me would be downtown, with both football and soccer teams playing at a revamped Lansdowne, but that's a pipe dream.
Just make a decision, and don't throw out both.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Great Film Intros
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There are many memorable movie intros that take the audience's imagination to new levels (Star Wars: Episode IV is another that comes to mind) but one of the most imaginative for me is Jodie Foster's Contact, released about 12 years ago. Starting from planet Earth, the camera pulls back to, literally, the far reaches of space, to subtley way show how we are all just a small mark in a mostly unexplored universe. How significant is our existence in the grand scheme of things? Is there anything out there, waiting for us...or even just watching us?
There are many memorable movie intros that take the audience's imagination to new levels (Star Wars: Episode IV is another that comes to mind) but one of the most imaginative for me is Jodie Foster's Contact, released about 12 years ago. Starting from planet Earth, the camera pulls back to, literally, the far reaches of space, to subtley way show how we are all just a small mark in a mostly unexplored universe. How significant is our existence in the grand scheme of things? Is there anything out there, waiting for us...or even just watching us?
Indeed, we may never know in our lifetimes, but until it is proven with 100% certainty, we can have fun with the idea there's intelligent life elsewhere and maybe one day we'll find it. As for the movie itself, the "meeting" at the end was probably a little underwhelming as there was a pretty decent ride to get us there that was much more intense. But it might have been hard to make it too literal an ending as the movie does intend to leave the audience with some questions to ask itself (even though there was a bit of a cop out with the video camera's "recording time", if you remember that plot point). In any case, I just came across this by accident, and it reminded me of the great intro to the movie. What other good ones are out there?
Friday, April 17, 2009
The REAL Pursuit of Happyness
Yeah, I know this movie has been around for almost three years but I just got around to watching it last week. First off, I'll say that I thought it was pretty good. Will Smith carried the film very well and it tugged at the heartstrings in just enough quantities that you didn't feel it was overtly cheesy. It is a comeback story that truly delivers on the belief that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. In this sense, it is a very crowd-pleasing picture that translated into lots of ticket sales when it was released.
I had a beef with this movie though, and that involved the end credits where they discuss how the characters turned out as the movie was based on a true story (read no longer if you don't want know the outcome!). The only thing they addressed was that Will Smith's character made millions of dollars building his investment empire. Nothing about how his son turned out, his estranged wife, if he started a new family, if he did any charity work...nothing. It was like the only thing that mattered at the end, even though it seemed that maybe his son was his motivation for carrying on no matter what the odds, was that he became rich.
I'm not saying it isn't a big deal to build an enterprise from scratch into a vast fortune, that it isn't something to be proud of or that it's easy. All I'm saying is that the movie seems to have forgotten what really matters in life and it's not just one's ability to pay their bills or pay cash for a really nice car. Is the "Pursuit of Happyness" really just about the pursit of money?
I'd like to think that our lives have more meaning that the amount of cash in our wallets.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Huh?
Hogan, stop, please...stop! Insert foot into mouth immediately!
From the New York Post:
HULK Hogan is sounding homicidal over the way his wife Linda dumped him, forced him out of his $18 million mansion, allegedly started spending his money at the rate of $40,000 a month and dating "some shaggy-haired pool boy 30 years her junior," Rolling Stone reports. "I could have turned everything into a crime scene, like OJ, cutting everybody's throat," he told the magazine. "You live half a mile from the 20,000-square-foot home you can't go to anymore, you're driving through downtown Clearwater and see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is sleeping in your bed, with your wife . . . I totally understand OJ. I get it." He and Linda are battling it out in a Florida divorce court, where Linda's attorney claims she's entitled to use the car and that Hogan's claims against her are merely an attempt to control her love life
From the New York Post:
HULK Hogan is sounding homicidal over the way his wife Linda dumped him, forced him out of his $18 million mansion, allegedly started spending his money at the rate of $40,000 a month and dating "some shaggy-haired pool boy 30 years her junior," Rolling Stone reports. "I could have turned everything into a crime scene, like OJ, cutting everybody's throat," he told the magazine. "You live half a mile from the 20,000-square-foot home you can't go to anymore, you're driving through downtown Clearwater and see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is sleeping in your bed, with your wife . . . I totally understand OJ. I get it." He and Linda are battling it out in a Florida divorce court, where Linda's attorney claims she's entitled to use the car and that Hogan's claims against her are merely an attempt to control her love life
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
SBP's Condensed NHL Playoff Predictions!
It's definitely going to be strange without playoff hockey in Ottawa...or Ontario for that matter. Montreal limped into eight place to secure the final playoff spot thus ensuring at least one Canadian team will last one round this post-season out East. Anyway, I'm rambling on making this post no longer condensed! Here are my predictions for round one:
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Bruins (1) vs Montreal Canadiens (8) - Bruins in 4
2. Washington Capitals (2) vs New York Rangers (7) - Caps in 6
3. New Jersey Devils (3) vs Carolina Hurricanes (6) - Canes in 6
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadephia Flyers (5) - Pens in 5
Western Conference
1. San Jose Sharks vs Anaheim Ducks - Sharks in 6
2. Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets - Wings in 5
3. Vancouver Canucks vs St Louis Blues - Canucks in 7
4. Chicago Blackhawks vs Calgary Flames - Hawks in 7
Monday, April 13, 2009
2008-90 Stuby's Cup Champion...
ME!
Name Team Score G A
Iginla, J. CGY 89 35 54
Kovalchuk, I. ATL 91 43 48
Vermette, A. COB 41 16 25
Thornton, J. SAN 86 25 61
Ovechkin, A. WAS 110 56 54
Alfredsson, D. OTT 74 24 50
SBP's Total: 491
Rick
Kuba, F. OTT 40 33 37
Gaborik, M. MIN 23 13 10
Lecavalier V. TAM 67 29 38
Datsyuk, P. DET 96 32 64
Crosby, S. PIT 103 33 70
Spezza, J. OTT 73 32 41
RT's Total: 402
John:
Fisher, M. OTT 32 13 19
Briere, D. PHI 25 11 14
Kovalev, A. MON 65 26 39
Zetterberg, H. DET 74 31 43
Malkin, E. PIT 113 35 78
Heatley, Dany OTT 72 39 33
JM's Total: 381
Now get me my chicken beeotches!!!
Name Team Score G A
Iginla, J. CGY 89 35 54
Kovalchuk, I. ATL 91 43 48
Vermette, A. COB 41 16 25
Thornton, J. SAN 86 25 61
Ovechkin, A. WAS 110 56 54
Alfredsson, D. OTT 74 24 50
SBP's Total: 491
Rick
Kuba, F. OTT 40 33 37
Gaborik, M. MIN 23 13 10
Lecavalier V. TAM 67 29 38
Datsyuk, P. DET 96 32 64
Crosby, S. PIT 103 33 70
Spezza, J. OTT 73 32 41
RT's Total: 402
John:
Fisher, M. OTT 32 13 19
Briere, D. PHI 25 11 14
Kovalev, A. MON 65 26 39
Zetterberg, H. DET 74 31 43
Malkin, E. PIT 113 35 78
Heatley, Dany OTT 72 39 33
JM's Total: 381
Now get me my chicken beeotches!!!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter!
Hope you had a great long weekend. Mine continues until tomorrow, NICE! For everyone else...sorry! :-(
Friday, April 10, 2009
It Will Have to Wait
I'm not writing this for sympathy. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me or anything. But still, it sucks and I just need to vent.
This year, I was looking forward to my second crack at playing in the World Series of Poker. But, my current new job (that I'm still training for) has a mandatory amount of time at the desk I need to fulfill before taking any vacation. Now it is possible for me to fly in on a Friday afternoon to get in Saturday in the early hours of the morning, to then play the same day of the 7 card stud event I wanted to enter, but I didn't want to risk feeling fatigued while at the tournament or rushed while I get my bearings in a new time zone. It may sound silly, but if you're fortunate enough to still be in the running at 2am in the morning after playing for about 10 hours or so, you need your wits about you to make sure you're making good decisions. Maybe I'd be okay, but I don't want to risk $1,500US to find out that I'm not.
Everything happens for a reason though. It's a disappointing development, but it'll just mean I'll be giving it a go next year.
2010, here I come!
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Coach Clouston
Probably the only bright spot to come out of this mostly forgettable 2008-09 Senators season is the emergence of rookie NHL coach Cory Clouston.
No one, me included, thought Clouston was the answer. If anything, a young (for coaching standards) 39 year-old coach with no NHL experience would just be another bench boss the players would run roughshod over. The fourth coach hired in just two years gave the Sens reputations as coach killers, and Clouston had an tremendous task put in front of him to right the ship that had gone off course for some time.
It was not the ideal situation any new coach wanted. By the time he came in, the players pretty much knew this was their last kick at the can before they would be blown up if they couldn't turn things around. The rumoured "country club" atmosphere quickly disappeared (not what the players wanted) and an aggressive style of play that stressed offense rather than a defensive game plan previous coach Hartsburg implemented (what the players wanted) was the antidote the team needed.
With a 19-10-3 record since taking over, Clouston earned himself a new two year deal today with the hopes that type of performance will carry forward. I for one see no reason why it couldn't. Aside from restructuring the team's strategy with better outcomes, he managed to find a better combination of lines (particularly the Shannon-Fisher-Foligno combo) that have made Ottawa more threatening. The only hope for Sens fans is that it's not a flash-in-the-pan occurrence but something that can be counted on for next year.
The Sens likely still need to tinker their roster a little more to become a serious contender for next season, while hoping goaltender Pascal Leclaire can stay healthy (someone pointed out to me he has the same initials as Patrick Lalime as a little side note). But one thing I think can no longer be questioned, is the quality of coaching of the Ottawa Senators.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Random SBP Thoughts
- Yes, I watched Wrestlemania XXV last night. No, I didn't not pay the $64.95 they charged for the HD feed, instead heading to a co-worker's place to take it in (a lot cheaper that way!). Despite all the grief I get for watching WWE, more than one person asked me how the show was and "What did Mickey Rourke do?" In sum: He looked pretty goofy knocking out Chris Jericho, although that was to be expected I think.
- I picked up a brand new washing machine, and let me tell you, they have come a looong way! Even thought I got the smallest, cheapest machine I could find that would fit into my apartment, it still boasts about 13 computerized settings (yes, it has a power button with LED lights!) and even plays a little melody when you stop/start your laundry. What can I say, except I look forward to cleaning my clothes!
- With a tax included, no payments for six months without interest or admin fees promotion going on, headed to Mattress Mart and picked up a brand new Queen-sized bed. My mom pointed out to me it was the first bed I have purchased after 30+ years on this planet, so it wasn't a bad thing that I "caved" and finally got one to replace my 1990 model. And let me tell you, WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MAKES! Worth every penny. And apparently King-sized beds are even better.
- Started training at my new job two weeks ago and tomorrow I have a TEST! Booo! The instructor assured me I could get away without studying but I lugged my big binder home regardless. I remember now why my marks at University where...hmmmm..."average"...studying sucks!
- I picked up a brand new washing machine, and let me tell you, they have come a looong way! Even thought I got the smallest, cheapest machine I could find that would fit into my apartment, it still boasts about 13 computerized settings (yes, it has a power button with LED lights!) and even plays a little melody when you stop/start your laundry. What can I say, except I look forward to cleaning my clothes!
- With a tax included, no payments for six months without interest or admin fees promotion going on, headed to Mattress Mart and picked up a brand new Queen-sized bed. My mom pointed out to me it was the first bed I have purchased after 30+ years on this planet, so it wasn't a bad thing that I "caved" and finally got one to replace my 1990 model. And let me tell you, WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MAKES! Worth every penny. And apparently King-sized beds are even better.
- Started training at my new job two weeks ago and tomorrow I have a TEST! Booo! The instructor assured me I could get away without studying but I lugged my big binder home regardless. I remember now why my marks at University where...hmmmm..."average"...studying sucks!
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Fun Goal
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Bad Ideas
Grapes are delicious. Juicy, fruity...nothing liking biting into a fresh grape to satisfy the palette.
But some idiot decided to let them sit out in the sun much too long and let them shrivel up into a black, sticky, chewy goo, taking something good and making it plain terrible.
Some people enjoy using raisins in their baking, but I question why. Who reaches for a raisin cookie over a chocolate chip one, for instance? Or have you ever found yourself enjoying a cinnamon roll, but then it suddenly became much less enjoyable when you bit into a raisin? I'm always picking them out to avoid such displeasure.
Halloween was definitely a time where my loathing of raisins would come through. As a kid, didn't you feel ripped off when you got a box of Sun Maid brand raisins? I think I handed all of them over to my mom at the end of the night.
Yup, raisins stink. At least for this guy!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
KIlrea Calls it a Career
It was a pretty crappy day for Ottawa sports yesterday. The Ottawa 67s and Senators were eliminated from post-season contention (the latter not even qualifying to make it in). The Ottawa Voyageurs didn't even get a chance to play one ball game this year as the league decided to fold them, citing problems with ownership in Atlantic City being another concern for the league.
And with all that, Brian Kilrea is no longer coach of the Ottawa 67s.
I had a chance to meet Brian Kilrea at a fundraiser at a local pub a few years ago that is now closed. He was a very friendly person, insisting you called him Brian after myself and others would refer to him as Mr. Kilrea. He made himself open to everyone in attendance and wouldn't mind sharing a few hockey stories if you wanted. He definitely knew how to work a crowd and leave them going home happy.
Hard to fathom his time as coach is now up after Ottawa lost in overtime to Niagra in seven games. He did so much for the 67s during his time here, and not just the OHL titles or Memorial Cup wins. The players he coached, from future NHL stars Michael Peca and Gary Roberts, to the rest who became insurance agents or government workers, they all cite his as a great, positive influence on their lives. He knew the game of hockey inside and out, but his influence outside the rink probably deserves more recognition than it currently does.
Brian will continue on as GM of the 67s, but it won't be the same. He was a fixture behind the bench and he will be missed by many. I certainly don't envy the task of the next 67s coach as he has big shoes to fill, but whoever it is will be off to a great start: he will be selected by a Hockey Hall of Famer, Brian Kilrea.
Best of luck, Killer.
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