Mr. Pissy Publicly Pouts

Captian Koivu Gets Pissy...
And apparently wants us all to feel sorry for him and the rest of the team.  After all:

"I think we're creating, but nobody remembers that though. You've got to find a way to score," captain Mikko Koivu said.
Dear Mikko -
Stop snivelling, Nancy Boy.  My God, you want to be praised and rewarded for the 20 frickin' minutes you deign to play each game?  You want to be lauded for the one time you battled in a corner and came up with a puck?  You want to be the Number 1 Player Of The Game because, for once, you didn't turn over a puck in your own zone?  Good luck with getting any sympathy out of your fans, pal.   


Koivu didn't want to hear that the Wild is digging itself a hole.


"I don't think you have to tell us that," Koivu snapped. "We're trying as hard as we can. We just couldn't win tonight. You don't have to tell us what we have to do. That's not going to help us. We know what it takes."

Let's dissect this piece by piece, shall we?

1. "I don't think you have to tell us that," Oh, but we do. You're not listening to your coach so yes, we do have to tell you that.  
2. "We're trying as hard as we can."  No, you're not.  You're not coming anywhere close. Consistency  
3. "We just couldn't win tonight."  Not when you only show up for 20-28 minutes.  There are 60 minutes in a game, count them down with me: 60, 59, 58...
4. "You don't have to tell us what we have to do. That's not going to help us."  See bold red comment from first bullet point above...apparently you're not receiving the message since you're not doing anything to fix it. 
5. "We know what it takes."  Then why, for the love of Gordie Howe, aren't you doing it???  Don't give me your little temper tantrum, give me a united team playing 60 minutes of hockey GAME IN & GAME OUT!!   Fan Disservice
   
     

The quote is out of Russo's Strib coverage and I swear to God, I had to read it like 5 times to be sure I was really seeing it right.  This is the captain of the team and he's whining like a 5 year old being told to pick up his toys before he can go outside to play.  Grow up, Koivu, grow a pair.  You're an overpaid professional athlete who's play, this season, would be rewarded with 3rd line minutes or benching anywhere else in the NHL.  You're not really in a position to start telling us fans to get off your back.  I've been paying your salary since you were in Houston, probably even before that given everything my ticket money goes towards, administratively speaking.  I'll let you know when I'll be getting off your back, pal.  Based on your performance and these comments, it won't be any time soon.  The only solace you can take at this point is from knowing I won't be getting off any of your team mates' backs any time soon either.  Whining




Seven years ago I was 'just happy to have hockey back'.  I then endured a post-traumatic syndrome season, a locked out season and several really poorly played seasons - all the while continuing to believe in the future of this team.  Pssst - Mikko, that's you - in case you were wondering where you fit into this rant. 

This season, the new owner of the Wild raised my ticket prices.  He did so in a crumbling economy and after a season in which you didn't even make the playoffs.  He did so after you and your team mates embarrassed The State Of Hockey for three straight post seasons.  He tagged me with the highest percentage of ticket price increase in the entire arena.  He did all of this while promising me a much improved product on the ice as a reward for my ten years of loyalty, dedication and trust in this team.  

Mikko, given all of this and you're horrendous play, do you really think that you have any right to come back to Russo with the response you gave?  The answer is no.   
Here's what Russo should have come back with: Don't Like My Opinion...

And just in case you think I can't take what I dish out - here's my favorite from despair.com:

BLOGGING

Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few

For the Wild - Who Seem To Have The Weight of The World On Their Shoulders:

I have Melody Gardot all over my iPod.  Her voice transports me to a smoky dive where you drown your sorrows in rail gin while tapping your toes along to the bass player. 

Chalk Talk Overview - Wes Is Back!!

Chalk Talk with Wes Walz 11.24.10
This is a new event the Wild are promoting this season with Wes Walz at the helm.  That's right folks, the Wild finally got smart and put him on the payroll.  This was a 'working' session with Wes drawing out offensive and defensive plays on the dry erase board.  He talked about how the Wild should play the Flyers, the best team in the NHL right now.  Wes was very much in his element and really didn't even need to be mic'd up once he got rolling.  He was worried about boring his audience of just about 100 of us.  He needn't have worried - we were eating it all up and eagerly wanting more.  I was desperately wishing for a notebook and pen to take notes.  Gotta get me a book on NHL plays...Coach Daggett, any suggestions? 

After Wes ran through 4 or 5 plays on the board he took questions that ranged from how his family is doing to what he felt is the reason behind the Wild's nasty case of absenteeism night and night out.  Wes is obviously very new to speaking on behalf of a corporation and this was clearly demonstrated by his completely honest and open answer: core team leaders not stepping up and making sure the rest of the team is on the same page.  He referenced the Red Wings who gut it out from the first puck drop to the last player in the shootout.  That's why they are a perennial play off team, because they all work towards the same end result.  Wes also acknowledged that this has been an issue for the Wild for a number of seasons, not just since Todd Richards came on board.  One thing Wes pointed out was that yelling at the team ("peeling the paint off the walls") isn't always the answer and can actually be very ineffective if used too often.  But he also admitted there are times when letting your team mates have it full force is needed.  The point Wes really drove home on this issue is that it's ultimately up the core team leaders to get themselves, and the rest of the team back on track.  Hmmm, so everything Vicki and I have been saying for how many years is confirmed?  This Walz guy must be a genius! 

I do have to respectfully disagree with Wes on the dump and chase question.  Wes didn't really think the Wild 1. rely on it too much and 2. fail at it miserably.  I humbly refer Mr. Walz to the ensuing game the Wild played against the Flyers in order to prove my point, along with the STH who actually asked this question. 

After the session Wes signed autographs, took pictures with everyone who asked and just chatted it up with folks.  Vicki and I were totally jazzed, ready to put our new found education into play from our seats where we can see the whole sheet of ice, just like on the play board.  We were ready to see the Wild force the face offs to the right of the net in our zone to counter the Flyers overabundance in left handed shooters.  We couldn't wait to see the Wild control the Flyers offensive rushes by cutting of their East to West passes coming into our zone.  We were excited to see our guys drive to the Flyers net and keep our shots low and hard.  We needed a win in order to soothe our open wounds from that Rangers whoopin'.   

Too bad the Wild didn't attend Wes's Chalk Talk. 
They hit the ice and promptly hit rock bottom in a 6-1 routing by the Flyers.  I would have to say this game rates up there in the top five most horrendous games in the 10 year history for the Wild.  It probably is tied with the game they played in Atlanta two weeks prior...I'm still waiting for a refund on my airfare, Mr. Leipold. 

After a reaffirming win at home against Nashville the Wild completely collapsed in Colorado.  Backstrom should have been pulled in the middle of the second period but Richards (who even questioned himself afterwards) left him hanging out there to dry behind a team that clearly didn't give a crap.  Don't be fooled by the 7-4 score.  The Wild were never in the game after taking a 2-1 lead in the first period.  Shocking, I know.   

Now we're in Calgary and guess what?  It's the same shit, different day for the Wild.  Good first period and then comes the 2nd period meltdown.  The Flames out shot us 10-7 in the second, getting two goals just 18 seconds apart off of Jose.  Eight of the Wild players with a -minus 1 or 2 and there's still one whole period to go.  Kipper is playing in his place of zen and peace, truly spot-on with his game.  Third period has the Wild figuring out they need to show some effort.  We out shot the Flames in this period but once again, too little too late.  Kipper is just that good, regardless of the Wild's attempts to throw everything but the kitchen sink his way.  Note to Backstrom: Review the game at the 10:20 mark of the 3rd period to see how to handle a 1-on-0 breakaway.  Nice save Jose!  

Here are some pictures from the Chalk Talk:


Wes In Action

 



Wes totally in his element here






Hoping Coach Daggett can figure this next play out...

 



Wes indicating how high off the ice the Wild will need to shoot on Flyer's goalie




 

From the Wild's Movember attempt to break the Guinness world record for most mustached men in one place for 10 minutes.  Nick and Brent Joining In...Note the cool shower slippers ;)





Old record of 151 mustached men shattered completey!



Tryptophan, Trip To The X, Trip To The Couch

Hockey On A Holiday
There is none.  No NHL games are played on Thanksgiving or Christmas.  And I'm okay with that.  I don't get why any professional sport is played on a holiday.  Holidays are supposed to be days spent with family and loved ones, celebrating our faiths and being thankful for all that we have in our lives.  I don't get why holidays are just another excuse to park our butts in front of the television for an entire day watching sporting events.  Of course, if you're a member of a non-harmonious family, then 8 hours of football or basketball is probably the only way to make it through without killing each other off.  But seriously, people can't make it through a holiday without a professional sport being the highlight of the day?   


Being Thankful
I've learned along the years that it's what you make of your situation that counts.  Because of that philosophy I am able to say Thanksgiving Day was indeed a success for everyone in my life.  Especially so for two very dear friends who received a gift which wasn't immediately recognized as such.  
When you're not feeling well you can do one of two things: 
1. You can pay attention to the symptoms. 
2. You can waive them off, telling yourself it's nothing out of fear that it is something and you'd rather not know. 
In a smart move, my friend sought medical treatment.  It meant that a husband and wife spent Thanksgiving apart from each other - he in the hospital, she making trips back and forth to visit him.  And for that there was some disappointment, loneliness and a feeling of not much to be thankful for. 
I saw the gift, the reason to be thankful.  I saw a husband who has been given the chance to make the commitment to long term medications and lifestyle changes necessary to be with his wife and family for many years to come.  I saw a friend who will face an uphill battle to get started and to stay on track going forward.  But he's here and that's the gift. 
This weekend I could have been standing by as a friend made funeral arrangements for her husband.  Instead I saw a husband and wife ultimately recognize the gift they've been given- life.  They've made a promise to each other to make the most of it.  For the gift of life, they are thankful.  

Hockey: Pre Turkey Day
Yes, Wednesday night's game made me want to kick the cat - if I still had the cat.  It made me want to blog using four letter words and make threats to cancel my season tickets.  It made me angry, disappointed, disillusioned.  I was pissed - kind of like Backstrom was when he stormed off the ice after the game, not waiting around to fist bump or head butt with his team mates.  I don't blame him.  Okay, I do blame him for those break-away goals cuz he's really sucked on those and the shootout goals.  But who could blame a goalie for being pissed at his team mates for not playing hockey in front of him night after night after night?  I was angry and I blogged while angry.  Then I deleted the entire post because the team's effort just wasn't worth my time or effort.  Kind of like how they played in Wednesday night's game.  So I guess we're even.  Except for this: If I listen to one more post game conference with Todd Richards defending horrendous games like that again with his patented unemotional mono tonal response of "I thought there was a lot of good in that game" and "one power play goal and it's a different game" I'm going to lose my sanity.  There are no woulda/shoulda/coulda goals in hockey, Todd.  The only goals that count are the ones where the puck actually goes in the net, the red light goes on and the horn sounds while the smoke comes out and the fans are on their feet singing along to Crowd Chant by Joe Satriani.  The fact of the matter is that your players didn't score one more goal.  Heck, we were lucky to get even the one goal we did - which was pretty darn flukey, at best.

And Post Turkey Day
Fast forward to this afternoon's matinee against the Predators.  It was a crap shoot going into today's game: either we'd come out roaring and firing on all cylinders or we'd come out like most games - just putting in the time and watching the clock until the final buzzer sounded.  Much to the fans delight the Wild performed admirably today.  They went into corners and battled for the puck.  The finished their checks - mostly.  They figured out how to pressure a goalie by having more than one Wild player in front of the net - mostly.  They didn't line change in the middle of an offensive rush.  The defense was pretty spectacular - nominal turnovers compared to most of our games this season.  The team realized that they CAN take more than one shot on goal if that first shot doesn't go in.  Did we still spend way too much time in our own zone - yes.  Did we still get outshot by one of the two lowest scoring teams in the league (guess who the other team is) - yes, we did.  But we did step up our game from the basement and look what you can do with a little effort, a little spring in your step, a little determination.  We won.  We won pretty big given that we scored more goals today than we did in the last two games combined.  

• Jose was FABULOUS! 
• Marty McFly Havlat had a breakout game - he needed it.  Let's hope this is the floodgate opening for him and not the only thing we'll see from him for the next 12 games.
• O'Sullivan seems to be fitting right in (I realize it's only 2 games yet but still, sorry Mittens). 
• Whodathunk Clayton Stoner would be the one to take TooToo's turtle head off?

 And so the tradition carries on for Vicki and me.  This was our sixth Day After Thanksgiving Day Game together.  I can't imagine doing anything else more worthwhile than losing all sense of time (inside joke) with the greatest hockey partner in the world!

I'll write about the Chalk Talk with Wes Walz tomorrow and will post pictures of it as well.  For now I have some videos I promised a number of folks I would put up here.

For my favorite Flyers Fan - the Uprising Video by Muse:

                                        Uprising Video                              

Use the link - the band requested the embedding code be disabled - whatever.

For G - To laughing until you cry and I snort :)    At or With Me - Jack Johnson


For Vicki and Me: How the hell have I been missing out on this voice??
Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet

And Here's The Song That Got Me Hooked **note to Vicki - check out his great shoes!  ;)
Save The Last Dance For Me

It occurs to me that someone looking at my iPod playlists in order to get a feel for the kind of person I am would be hard pressed not to think of me as schizophrenic.  I'm all over the place with my taste for music.  About the only thing you won't find on there is rap, hip-hop or disco - because they SUCK. 

Busy Day for Wild, Stalker Opportunity, T-Day Prep, RSVP!!!

Wild Press Releases

• Guillaume Latendress is scheduled for a 2fer surgery session on Wed: 1. Repair the torn labrum in his hip - think Backstrom, Harding, and Porcelain Groinboy from back in the day. Gui will also have a bilateral sports hernia repaired.  From what I'm reading and hearing it sounds like we'll be lucky to see him on the ice before the season ends.  This is beginning to sound an awful lot like a broken record with our players: concussions, blown out knee caps, broken feet and ankles, hips, etc.  I'm expecting to hear Clutterbuck's out with herniated discs any day now...   
• Patrick O'Sullivan was picked up off of waivers by the Wild.  Talk about full circle.  For those of you who don't remember, the Wild drafted Sully in 2003 and was doing very well in Houston.  As fate would have it, the Wild packaged Sully as a part of the trade that brought Pavel Demitra from the L.A. Kings to the Wild in order to make Porcelain Groinboy happy.  Sully played three seasons in L.A., scoring a career-high 22 goals and 53 points in 2007-08.  He was then then traded to Carolina, and traded again to Edmonton.  The Oilers waived him after being a minus -35 last year.  He was picked up by Phoenix for the purposes of buying him out and they placed him on waivers the next day. Patrick signed as a free agent with Carolina in September this year.  In 10 games he scored one goal and was placed on waivers November 22.  Annnnd here we are full circle.  You might read this and be asking - what's wrong with this guy and why are the Wild taking a chance on him?  At least, I was up to a point.  But he's here on a relatively cheap 2-way contract which means we're not out the 2.5 million we're paying Latendresse or the 4.25 million we're paying Bouchard right now.  Considering he holds a boatload of the Houston Aero's franchise records he'll be welcomed there with open arms should the Wild send him down.  When you consider that Lantendresse is likely out for the season now and with PMB needing to just say "retire" this is a good hole-filler for now for the money we still have to work with.  Maybe he just needs the right home for now in order to find his way back into the game.  For those of you who don't know or remember: Patrick O'Sullivan Story  
• My babeeee Casey Wellman has been sent back to Houston.  He needs to be there.  He's very close to being here, but not quite yet.  He's had a good taste of the NHL so he'll be hungry and willing to do whatever it takes to get back here as soon as possible - and for good.

***Anybody else catch on to this or is it just because I'm a little snarky on the Wild these days:

             Tradition / It's In Our Blood

It's in their genes to be lazy and unwilling to play 60 minutes of hockey!  

(The Wild marketing team nailed this one on the head)

***Reason to follow Russo on Twitter:

                                 "I worked hard during first 20 minutes of Wild practice. Now I'm going for a coffee the next 20" 

It's funny cuz it's true :<0

Stalker Alert!
Poor Vicki - she's pulled Stalker-Sitting duty once again.  Wednesday evening the Wild will be hosting one of their Chalk Talk sessions prior to the start of the game.  The one, the only, the man of my hockey dreams - Wes Walz - will be hosting this one.  Unfortunately, the only question I've got for Wes is the one he doesn't hold the answer to: Why isn't he behind the Wild bench instead of Dave Barr or better yet, Darby Fall-Down Hendrickson?  I want Todd Richards to personally show me how Darby Hendrickson has made an impact/difference in how this team is playing since being handed the coaching job on a silver platter. Anyway, back to Wes and the Chalk Talk... I wonder how much a camcorder runs these days? 


T-Day: Minus One Day And Counting
For those of you who are now off the rest of the week, the rest of the folks who only have Thursday off salute you:

I'm happy to say I'll be cooking on T-Day and for some of the best friends I could ever ask for.  It will be a dine and dash event - they'll be dining and then dashing back home to watch football. I don't watch football and wouldn't even know how to converse about it intelligently.  I'll be watching movies and eating pie after dinner...and napping, lots of napping.  I need to be rested for Friday's battle. 

I won't be shopping with hordes of lunatics who will be up at 1:00 a.m. in order to be in line by 2:00 a.m. for a store opening at 4:00 a.m. only to find out there are just 2 giant t.v.'s in the whole store for that super-duper-low-low advertised price.  No, instead I'll be battling for a parking space in the RiverCenter ramp.  I'll be going up against all those St. Paul working folks who don't have Friday off, thousands of Hmong who will be kicking off their New Year celebration next door to the Xcel, hundreds of Xmas shoppers - all sleep-deprived and crazed from having gotten up six hours before the sun rose, and last but not least - the rest of us crazy Wild fans who are trying to get to the arena before the puck drops at 1:00 p.m.  Of all the games in a given Wild season the day after Thanksgiving is the one I dread the most in terms of parking and getting into the arena on time. 

RSVP - What Does That Mean?

The term RSVP comes from the French expression "répondez s'il vous plaît", meaning "please respond". If RSVP is written on an invitation it means the invited guest must tell the host whether or not they plan to attend the party. 

An incomplete list of respondents can cause numerous problems for a host including difficulty in planning fairy drop and margarita quantities, among other things.

So the next time you see RSVP on an evite to a Peace On Earth FFS Celebration, please respond promptly.  Your hostess with the mostess thanks you 

 

FULL RANT AHEAD! - You've Been Warned

"I Dunno"
That's Todd Richard's profound statement after yet another game where the Wild took the entire second period off and a good eight minutes of the third period as well.  "I Dunno." 

Followed by the most passive comment yet: "It's something that we talk about, and we have to correct it," coach Todd Richards said. "Answers for it, right now, I don't know. That's something we have to deal with." 

What's this WE shit, Todd?  What are YOU going to do about it??  When are YOU going to get off YOUR ass and start calling these lazy players out?  In front of each other.  In front of Chuck Fletcher.  In front of Craig Leipold.  Hell - in front of an arena full of fans who paid premium prices for that bag of flaming dog crap you called a game last night.  YOU should have been screaming YOUR head off on our bench from beginning to end of that second period.  We should have been hearing YOU rip into the players for letting the Rangers get anything off of us.  This was supposed to be our sweet revenge night, not Gaborik's.  Instead I have to listen to I. DON'T. KNOW.  

And yet, WE aren't practicing on Sunday.  Not even an off-ice workout.  No team meeting.  Not a Come To Jesus meeting between the coach and the players.  NOTHING. AT. ALL. 

Message to Chuck and Craig: maybe YOU should make yourselves heard as well.  Screw this crap about not getting into the coach's space.  Hell, we're way beyond that.  You know, there's nothing like a Come To Jesus meeting with the GM and OWNER to make the EMPLOYEES aware that their jobs are on the line.  You want to send player's agents into Twitter overload?  Drop in on the guys during practice and make it clear that NOBODY's job is safe.  Oops, that would only work if the coach was actually having a practice. 

What's the cost of benching some of these 'star' players and letting the young guys in Houston come up?  What's the cost of putting certain 'star' players on the 3rd and 4th line?  What's the cost of having our AHLers with the dream, energy and motivation to play in the NHL show what they're made of?  What's the cost of letting our 'star' players know they won't be getting calls from any other GM in the future because the cat's out of the bag - YOU SUCK ON ICE in terms of work ethic.  It can't be any more costly to our owner than the $10 million he's claiming to have lost already on his investment.      

I've said it a million times before but maybe I need to send the message to the owner, not the players?

Hey Craig, you're boasting a fortune off of the announced 18,600+ unsuspecting fans who paid premium prices just to get in the door last night.  The profit from the section of Rangers fans who had the beer cup snake which measured some 15-20 feet long must still be ringing in your ears.  Take that money and put it to good use.  Get t-shirts made up for everyone on the team and make it mandatory dress code from here on out:

I'M A 60 MINUTE MAN, ARE YOU?

Better yet - send them out to all of your STH's.  Maybe an arena filled with fans wearing white t-shirts emblazoned with I'M A 60 MINUTE MAN, ARE YOU? would help send the message to a team that's consistently lazy.  I mean, we're there for the full 60 minutes every game so maybe we should be helping the guys get the message since our coach doesn't have it in him.  Oh, and Craig - don't cheap out on the quality of the t-shirts - they'll need to make it through 30 wash loads.

Bright Spots From The Game - 

• Robyn!  In her Wild jersey with complementary red collared shirt underneath, right down to her purple suede shoes.  You made the game worth being at, girlfriend! 
• Chatting with Tim between 1st and 2nd periods.  Thanks for making the trip around the arena to visit us!  
• Brent Burns having his way with Marian Gaborik behind our net, along the boards in the 3rd period.  I thought Robyn and I were going to pee our pants with laughter and delight.            

Short Takes: Two O.T. Wins, A Good Man Gone, Pet Woes, Kudos

Living On The Edge
This time last year the FSN broadcast team of Dumbest and Dumberer were calling the Wild the Comeback Kids.  This was due to the team's last ditch efforts, in the waning moments of the third period, to skate with the puck and finally apply some pressure in the offensive zone which resulted in a winning goal.  Have you noticed the trend to continue this means of play this season?  Sure, we're winning: second straight overtime win and the sixth win in the last eight games.  But we're being outshot by ridiculous amounts and making our goalies work far too hard night in and night out.  Holy Gumper -  44 shots Jose faced in Detroit, which is a season high for the team.  And am I reading this right? - we've been outshot in all but one of our games this season?  And we have the league's lowest shot on goal average to boot?  Add that to the team refusing to play 60 minutes of hockey, turning over the puck again and again, taking penalties because of slow skating (see lallygagging from previous post) and you've got a team living on the edge folks.  Sooner or later it's going to bite them in the ass. 

Koivu, Miettinen and Cullen better get their games back ASAP.  Havlat and Madden better be well on the way to making themselves pay off as well.  Of course, it would help if Latendresse would get healthy and then find the back of the net immediately upon hitting the ice.  Don't even bother to bring up Bouchard. 
      
Studs of the Game:

• Our defense, if you can believe it - and still Jose Theodore faced 44 shots. 
• Jose Theodore - who deserved this win more than any other goalie in the league. 

Pat Burns Passes
He was a police officer in Quebec prior to his NHL coaching career.  He battled colon and liver cancer five years ago and believed he had beaten it.  Unfortunately the cancer spread to his lungs in 2009.  Pat left this world on Friday, November 19 at the very young age of 58.  He will be remembered personally and professionally by many a player and management team across the league.  Pat's resume is long and decorated.  His most recent coaching post was with the Devils until his health forced him from the job in order to fight the cancer full time.  New Jersey is where he won the Stanley Cup in 2003.  He also spent time coaching in Montreal, Toronto and Boston  - receiving the Jack Adams award (coach of the year) in all three cities - the only coach in history to win the award three times.  But the most impressive thing, to me, is everything I've ever read or heard or seen regarding Pat Burns is that he was the working man's hockey coach.  When you talk about the lunch pailers or the grinders in terms of players - that's what Pat was as a coach.  An honest day's work for your pay.  Get in there and battle 100% or don't bother coming to work at all.  He wasn't a player's BFF, he was their coach.  Hockey's loss, God's gain. 

How To Scare Yourself Silly
Spend time researching a disease on the Internet.  Especially after your vet tells you that your dog may have Addison's Disease.  Thankfully, all the blood work shows that is not the case with Buster.  But he was exhibiting 8/10 typical symptoms for the disease which made for a very tense 24 hour span and had the vet very concerned during the examination.  I could barely make myself answer the phone when the office called with the final results.  How good is my vet team and how well do they know me?  The phone conversation went like this:
Dr. Melbo: "Step Away From The Internet, Dee."   
Me: "He's good to go?  I don't have to start selling my plasma in order to pay for his drugs?"
Dr. Melbo: "Turn the Internet off and take a deep breath, it's not Addison's Disease."
Me: "I don't have to find a Compounding Pharmacist?"
Dr. Melbo: "No.  Buster's got an infection in one of the folds of his lower jaw - very treatable with antibiotics."
Me: "Pyoderma - I know what that is, had to deal with it for Casey too."
Dr. Melbo: "That's right, you know the drill then.  Nothing too serious but he'll need antibiotics and lots of rest. 
Me: "Whew, that's a relief!"
Dr. Melbo: "Here's the total amount charged to your account for today's exam...  $$$$$$$."  
Me: "And let me just say what a pleasure it is to contribute to your retirement fund with my unemployment check."  
Okay - that last exchange really didn't happen, but it might as well have.  Buster is dosed up on meds and sleeping the afternoon away in a patch of sun in the living room.  I had to cancel the open house for this afternoon, but anyone with kids or pets understands the situation - right, Dave?               

Chicks With Sticks
Kudos to Coach Dave's daughter, Alex, for making the JV squad this year!  Perseverance always pays off so keep at it.  And to Paula - you go, hockey mom ;)

I'll post after tonight's Wild game against the Rangers.  In another goofball move by the Wild's PR department, IMO, they'll be giving away Marian Gaborik bobbleheads tonight.  The jerk basically told the Wild to shove it up their ass on his way out of town.  And I find it amusing that he's not granted interviews for this trip back - given that he's actually playing this time around.  Still, we welcome him back with bobbleheads.  I'm surprised the Wild isn't doing a ten minute dedication ceremony prior to dropping the puck.  Oh wait, we already did that for Mike 'Hockey-Will-Never-Make-It-In-Minnesota-After-The-North Stars-Leave' Modano.
Not Bitter.  At.   All.       

Recurring Nightmare

I keep having this nightmare in which I've traveled by plane to see the Wild play in a city that really doesn't even deserve to have an NHL team.  Instead of overpowering and dominating the undeserving city's team, the Wild embarrass themselves by losing 5-1 and making their goalie face 33 shots on goal.  That's when I wake up in a cold sweat and realize that it really did happen.  This is no nightmare.  

I timed a trip to Atlanta this month as means of combining two of the things I love most: my family and the Wild.  Good thing my family never fails me.  The Wild - well that's a whole different bedtime story and one that's been inducing nightmares for too many seasons.  

The Good -

• The concessions are 1000% better than what Xcel offers.  There really is no comparison here, kinda embarrassing for the X. 
• You can fit at least 2 Hockey Lodges inside the Team Gear store in Philips Arena.  
• The bathrooms had hot water!  Okay, I'll admit we were lower level but still - actual hot water was a treat indeed.  
• FREE GAME PROGRAMS!  The real kind - that smell good and with player interviews and articles.  They weren't the cheap-ass fold out "collectible" posters that Mr. Leipold is passing off on the fans this season. 
• The Thrasher Fans - classy bunch.  They kept thanking us Wild fans in the stands for making their team look so good. 
• The Traveling & Transplanted Wild Fans - always fun to see familiar jerseys in a crowd...not there was actually a crowd at the game... 

The Bad -

• It was an echo chamber with maybe 2,500 fans in the stands for the November 11th game, despite FSN announcing a crown of 3,500.  The arena seats 18,545 for hockey and last season's total was just under 558,000 seats sold.  It should be noted that the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) were playing next door and there were a bazillion fans attending that game.  
• Bimbos On Blades - yep, the Thrashers got em.  The outfits were tiny but the bust sizes weren't.  I'd venture to say there wasn't anything smaller than a 38 C among them.  That's probably why none of them could skate with any skill or speed, even if they were being chased down by a Zamboni on the loose.  I would have paid extra to see that, actually.  
• How the Wild played against a team they should have gotten an easy 2 points from.  At this point on the calendar it doesn't make a lot of sense to rehash the game.  It's been written about and discussed, at length, on any number of hockey message boards, sports radio stations and on hockey blogs around the internet.  

Would a Wild win, or a Wild effort - at all, have made the family night out better?  Sure, but all in all it was a great experience, being in another team's arena and talking with their fans.  

A sample of some of the pictures I took:

Backstrom seeing action early and often - too often

Backstrom stopping a puck

Backstrom not stopping a puck

Fire-breathing Thrasher...I guess? 



Our Bench - looking rather dejected



Clutterbuck In Action

Clutterbuck Making Friends


And finally - The only Wild goal of the game - way to go Antti!



I'll write some notes from Wednesday night's tilt with the Ducks - some good hockey and some good humor from our seat mates to share.  It was great to be back in our arena and sharing a hockey brain with Vicki.

Now I'm off to the kitchen to start working on the dinner part of Dinner And A Movie night with a friend.  Before all you gal pals get your undies twisted (or shifted, as Vicki alluded to last night) - it's not who you think it is so calm yourselves.  Tonight's menu: nachos grande (with chorizo and a little something from El Loro's - salsa blanco).  I can hear Heather and Dee cursing me.  Oh, and a pitcher or two of tangerine margaritas.  Playing on the big screen - IronMan and IronMan 2

Here's the greatest video ever done combining a movie trailer and the band's music used in the movie.  Of course, I'm a little biased since I'm an AC/DC fan.  It's got a little something for all of us to enjoy - even if Scarlett Johansson can't act.  

Back From The Land of Cotton and The Home of Coca-Cola

I left Minneapolis last Wednesday while the sun was shining and the thermometer showed an unseasonably high of 72º.  I returned home on Saturday evening to find my car covered in 3 feet of packed, wet, slushy snow.  I started whimpering when I turned on the front and back defrosters.  I was fighting back the tears as I stood ankle deep in slush working to set my windshield wipers free from their icy prison.  I was in full sobbing mode by the time I pulled out of the park-n-go lot and headed towards home.  

Connie and Randy bore the full brunt of my winter-induced hysteria when I got to their house to pick up Buster.  I was not in control of myself at all, my emotions raging from having left the people I love the most to come back to this craptastic weather, which won't let up for the next 5 months. 

Poor Buster took one look at his wreck-of-a-human and decided to curl up at Randy's feet and go to sleep.  Apparently nobody cared that he had just spent four days away from everyone and everything he knows and then it wasn't even his own human who rescued him from the pet resort.  No, that bitch had somebody else do her dirty work for her.  Made him go to Buddy's and Bailey's house.  What the hell?  Finally, I let him escape and head across the yards to wait for me to open the garage door - home at last.  He ate his supper and went directly into the bedroom.  He sat there looking at me, then to the bed, then back at me with eyes that clearly said "don't even think about not letting me sleep on the bed next to you tonight."  I put the wool blanket on the bed before I started my own supper.  I ate at the dining room table while the sounds of an exhausted dog snoring wafted out of the bedroom.  It went a long way in soothing my heartbreak.  
             
I realize that you all were digging out while I was still in sunny Georgia for the majority of the snowstorm.  I realize that some of you were digging out my driveway while I was still snuggling with Kate and watching Toy Story 3, again.  I'm eternally grateful for your thoughtfulness.  You're probably just as crabby as I am about the abrupt end to the most spectacular Minnesota autumn in recent memory.  You're entitled. 

I'm feeling sorry for myself and since it's my blog that means it's my soapbox so, neener-neener.  

The urge to move south is stronger this time of year, especially given my disdain for the Minnesota winters and having to say goodbye to this sweet pea after each visit to Georgia...

I remember when her mother and I would battle over Kate even touching a blade of grass.  Now she's fearless - and her mom's come a long way too.  

Melissa will throw a fit that I've captured her in the picture as well, but I'll risk the wrath because because I think this is one precious mom-n-daughter shot.  



I'm a little biased, admittedly - but isn't she gorgeous?

I'll write about the embarrassment that was the Wild/Thrasher game a little later.  I have some pictures to share of that as well.  Not that any of them show our boys doing anything other than being scored on...  For now I'm going to have a cup of hot chocolate and browse through the rest of the pictures from the trip.  To Vance, Melissa, Kate, Mrs. Zeumer, Roscoe, Georgia, Midas, Wally and Burrito: I miss you all very much.  

Mel - this is for you :)



For those who need to hear the original version for fear of Animal singing in their heads all day...

Spas for Paws, Road Trip!

Doggy Daycare
I don't know who invented this concept but I applaud it!  For dogs that spend a good deal of time crated during the week, or need socialization, or for when their humans get on a plane for business or pleasure.  I realize there are some bad organizations out there, Robyn and I can tell you some sad tales, no pun intended.  But there are a couple of companies who get it right and I'm lucky enough to have them both on my side of the river.  
    
Camp Bow Wow - Burnsville
Has web cams for those separation-anxiety-ridden humans who need to check in the 'kids' during the day...we know who we are ;)


Wagging Tails Pet Resort - Eagan
No web cams but I've been there enough to feel confident that the dogs are in great care and the humans in charge are watching them every minute of the day. 

Buster has been to both, and thoroughly enjoyed himself at each facility.  How do I know? 

1. I stop in during the day, unannounced, and ask to see the monitors and for a tour.  
2. A tell tale sign for me is Buster's face - he gets 'stress face' when he's overwhelmed and confused rather than happy and joyous about his surroundings.  His eyes are slanted, darting, non-focused and his ears are pulled back.  He doesn't have stress face when I pick him up after 8 hours of play and treats and unlimited belly rubs at either of these facilities.  Nor does he quiver or shake the next time I load him into the truck.   
3. The best sign to look for in a dog who's spent a day romping with his new pals is that of exhaustion.  Buster barely has the energy to eat his supper when he gets home.  He's a 60 lb English Springer...he's never too tired to eat - anything.  

Last Friday I couldn't find him before leaving for the hockey game.  I cruised by the 2nd bedroom, where his dog bed is stored during the day and there he was, already curled up - at 5:30 p.m.  Monday night he was so exhausted I felt bad enough to let him sleep on the bed with me.  Good for him, not so much for me.  I'll share bed hogging stories some other time.  He's the master at taking up space on the bed, even while staying on his designated blanket.  

Whether you're in need of daycare for Fido to burn energy and learn doggie socialization or if you need overnight care while you're out of town these are two companies that are definitely doggone good at it, pun totally intended ;) 
Please share your favorite daycare/boarding facilities - most of them give discounts for referrals from existing clients.

On The Road Again
I'm heading to Georgia for the next couple of days.  I'll be spending time with my family there; celebrating a birthday with Vance (my favorite Hawks fan), catching up on all the Newnan gossip with Mel and listening to Kate rehearse for the school Christmas play.  Oh, and we'll be taking in the Wild at Thrashers game on Thursday night.
 
Did you see that?  How I timed the trip?  Could I be more of an open book?  Hey - it's all about the hockey, people!  We should make for a very odd looking foursome at Phillips arena.  Mel will be visibly worried about my hockey mouth, with good reason.  Kate will be confused - the Hawks aren't playing but her dad will likely be wearing his Hawks gear while cheering for the Thrasher's player with the number 33 on his jersey.  I'll be sporting my Wild gear (jersey and Scarf), urging Burns or Falk to kick number 33's butt.  At some point there will probably be a throw down in the aisle that has nothing to do with the Thrashers and everything to do with a Hawks fan vs a Wild fan ;)  I hope Dustin Byfuglien appreciates the support from a couple of Minnesota natives! 

Hey, the Thrashers motto this year is "A Brutally Good Time"  Now there's some genius marketing for sure!  Beats the crap out of "Fight To The End"...for two consecutive years of first round exits.   

Okay - time to run down the packing checklist - my type A personality/OCD is really kicking in now.  Who am I kidding?  I was packed last night!  Just need to toss the laptop and power cord in the bag and I'm ready to go.  But I'll go through everything one more time, just in case.  Then it's time for a shower and an ambien to make sure I'm not watching movies until dawn breaks.

I leave you with this -

Reunited, Stressed Cats, HHOF Inductions

Long Time, No Spam, Huh? 
The bad news - over 500 viruses were making themselves at home inside my laptop.  The good news - extended warranties for both the laptop and the Geek Squad services saved my bacon - and you all know how much I like Bacon.  A complete scrub, rebuild and the latest in real-time virus and spyware protection later - my laptop is running like a brand new machine.  It has much better manners - no sending out spam when mommy's not looking.  Let's see: 3.5 yr old pc laptop with 2 new hard drives, 3 complete scrubs, I've dumped 2 different anti-virus programs and pitched Spysweeper out the window.  I'm now using Kaspersky Anti-Virus which is a combo anti-virus/spyware sweeper.  According to the Geek Squad it is the most exceltastic (the geek's word, not mine) piece of ANTI-EVERYTHING-BAD software out there right now.  Yeah, well, that's okay for now but that small rash I'm developing is what's known as MAC envy.  One more go round with a virus and I'm going for the cure: macbookpro.  Although, seriously Apple - you can't put a friggin' 10-key pad on your laptops??  


Too Much Pressure For One Kitty To Handle
For years, I've been telling folks that I'm coming back in my next life as one of two beings: 

• A Cat - Sleep all day in the sun, eat when I want, dole some love when I feel like it, curl up on a soft bed at night (when not prowling about as I'm prone to do), and best of all - somebody else cleans my bathroom.  
• A Man - Never having to find just the right pair of shoes, no clue - or expectation to have a clue - about relationships, distinguished aging, and best of all - the ability to pee standing up.  I have to admit, up until last week it's been a tight contest for my choice of afterlife existence.  

Then Vicki called and made the choice very easy for me, or rather her cat did. 

The Brousseau kitty leads a great life: house to live in, furniture upon which to lay, unlimited buffet of cat food and fresh water to partake in.  Kitty has toys to play with, laps to curl up in and yes, there's a human who scoops the poop out of her litter box.  And that's where Vicki discovers there may a problem with Kitty.  After $240.00 in tests and a consultation with the vet it's been determined that Kitty suffers from "Stress-Induced-Colitis".  The cat.  The cat who lives inside a house.  The cat who never wants for anything, except maybe a few more hours of sunshine this time of year.  Kitty has always been skittish and somewhat anti-social with strangers in the house.  She'll spend hours under the bed when someone new comes to visit or if there are rambunctious kids running through the rooms.  Apparently this skittishness has taken a toll on Kitty.  She's on medications to help in her recovery and she should be just fine going forward.  Except that everyone knows how much fun it is to give a cat medication by mouth.  Rates right up there with giving a cat a bath.  So, good luck with that, Vicki.       


I gotta tell you folks, after hearing this, it's a no-brainer decision for me on the hereafter...I'm coming back as a man.  Clearly they've got the easier life, er - afterlife, okay - both.  


Class of 2010
Finally, after all these years.  The first women hockey players are inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  And for you naysayers out there - suck it and stuff it.  At least the women play 100% every game, every night.  How many Wild players can say that, huh?  Women hockey players understand what a privilege it is to play a sport for a living, or to represent their country.  They understand how much harder they have to work at it just to get a 'pretty good' from all of you sexist, armchair know-it-alls.    


Angela James
She's been compared to NHL players: “the aggressiveness of Mark Messier with the goal-scoring ability of Mike Bossy.”  Angela has played every position, including goalie.  She has represented Team Canada in women’s hockey competitions … including in roller hockey.    

• Won four world hockey championship gold medals: in 1990, 92, 94 and 97.
• Won a medal in 12 world championships overall, with a whopping eight MVP awards.
• MVP of the now-defunct COWHL in 1991.
• Other Hall of Fame inductions include: IIHF Hall of Fame, Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Black Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame.
• Will be the first black woman inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame

Cammi Granato
Granato is the sister of current Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach and former NHL player Tony Granato. She even earned an invitation to the New York Islanders’ training camp by then-GM Mike Milbury in 1997, although she declined it.  Cammi grew up in hockey, played hockey, married into hockey. 

• Earned a gold medal (1998) and silver medal (2002) in the Olympics as a part of Team USA.
• Won one gold and eight silver medals at the IIHF World Women Championships.
• Will join Angela James as the first women to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• Was also inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame at the same time as James.
• Won the 1996 USA Hockey Women’s Player of the Year award.

Dino Ciccarelli
Ciccarelli played more than 1,200 games with five different teams and accomplished much.  Although he's never won a Stanley Cup he's one of just 18 players to surpass the 600 goal mark and one of 45 players to pass the 1,200 career points mark.  Ciccarelli made four All-Star teams in his career.

• 608 career goals (2 shy of Bobby Hull) and 512 assists.  Say what you will about him, but the bottom line is that he scored a ton in his career - a total of 1,200 points in 1,232 games.
• In 141 playoff games played, he scored 73 goals and 45 assists for 118 points and registered 211 PIM.
• Sin Bin Totals: Ciccarelli finished his regular season career with 1,425 PIM.
• He was never drafted, look it up.
• Nicknamed the 'GarbageMan' - "It's just a matter of getting the puck on the net and getting traffic in front of the goalies. I don't know why more teams don't do it. I still believe 90% of the goals scored are ugly goals, 10% are pretty goals. You won't find many of mine on the highlight films," explained Ciccarelli.
• Also nicknamed 'Dino The Dinosaur' - just happened to coincide with the inflatable green mascot for Sinclair Oil Company.  Those things still have a life of their own.  You can find them on ebay and more importantly, in the State of Hockey Anthem video - check the 0.37 mark. 
• Ciccarelli played 10 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars.  Twice Dino scored 50 goals in a season.  He was second only to Brian Bellows for scoring the most goals in Minnesota North Star history.

Here are a couple of great stories on Dino's NHL career and life: Detroit Free Press,  Star Tribune,  NHL.com


Because I'm always thinking of ways to amuse Robyn -
Walk The Dinosaur

Sea of Green, Looks Are Deceiving, Polls Are Closed

Is There An Echo In Here?
The Wild has taken a decidedly 'glass-half-full' approach to their attendance issues for this season.  Hey, I'm all for being positive about life.  I mean, sometimes all you have is hope.  But when the Wild announces a sellout crowd for tonight there's nothing left for a fan to do but cry SHENANIGANS!  There were gaping chunks of empty seats in just about every section.  I spent the night going between the 2nd row behind the player's bench and the 13th row for picture taking without any fuss.   

The Win Doesn't Tell The Story 
It's depressing, yet predictable, really.  I'm talking about the Wild's play.  Someone asked me how I thought the Wild would do against the Sharks.  Given their history over the last 2-3 seasons I thought it was an easy call.  I figured I was in for another crappy effort by our guys as they seem to string 3-4 of them together before putting in 60 minutes of hard work.  True to form our guys took almost 2 full periods off, got 16 shots off, forced their goalie to make 36 saves but came away with the win - and Richards was happy with it, idiot.    

First Period

• 3 friggin' shots by the Wild in the first period, yep that's right - 3 whole shots.
• Wild absent in all aspects of the game with only Backstrom doing his job, making 11 saves. 

Second Period

• On the 3rd shot of the second period - at the 13 minute mark - the Wild score
• It took a 5 on 3 penalty for the Wild to score that goal
• Wild showed up for about 7 minutes of this period.  Shots on goal for this period: 6

Third Period

• 1 shot on goal for the Wild almost six minutes into the period.
• Wild cough up the puck on the power play and almost get scored on short handed
• Schultz totally tripped Thorton and got lucky he didn't wreck Joe's knee. 
• Boyle totally tripped Madden and the game suddenly got interesting.
• Sharks get two more short handed runs against us.
• Wild show up to play defensively, but Backstrom still faces 16 shots in this period alone 

Rock The Vote
I hope you all did your civic duty and voted today.  Remember, no voting = no whining.  That's about as political as I'll get on a public forum.
Rock The Vote: Not to be confused with...

I live to make Robyn smile!

Now, if you'll all excuse me I must leave you to attend to a sudden and epic allergy attack - gah :(