hlog {Hockey's Ladies of Greatness}

Hey, I'm Paige and I'm the latest addition to hlog. Just so you can get to know me better, here are my answers to the questionnaire!

1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.

I'm a born and raised Buffalo girl. I don't live in the city, but I do live in one of the suburbs. You'll be amazed how much the Sabres affect the community. The day after a Sabres win, the whole town seams to be glowing.I have a lot of hobbies, especially sports. I've never played hockey, but I'm definitely interested. It may seem girly (but after all it is a ladies site) but I did figure skate for a while when I was younger. I'm finally learning how to ski, after living in the "snow belt" for my entire life. My favorite sport though is cross country running. I recently started and am now the best on my team. I don't really like it when I'm actually running,but I love the way I feel when I'm done. I also play electric guitar and am part of many clubs at my school, even the yearbook committee and once the newspaper where I learned to write articles.


2. Your team and why you like them.

My team is the Buffalo Sabres. I love the Sabres because they are exciting to watch. They are a young and fast team that is sort of a Cinderella Story. (Cinderella + hockey?) Last year they weren't even expected to make the playoffs, much less the conference finals. Even in the finals, it went to the seventh game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Also, the team is young and is a team of break-out stars. I have often skipped school dances,doctor's appointments, sports practices and other commitments to watch the games! By the way- totally worth it. Lol


3. Your least favourite team and why?

I'm not sure, there is that whole rivalry between the Leafs, and the Hurricanes did take the cup away from us... but I'll have to say that I hate the Ottawa Senators the most. Somehow they have managed to figure us out and have already caused nearly half of our regulation losses. Now if only we could figure them out!


4. Your favourite player of all time & now?

I don't really know who my favorite player of all time is because I haven't been a hockey fanatic too long, so it might just be the same as my current favorite--- Maxim Afinogenov. I know, I know... EVERYONE loves Afinogenov. But he is a "classic Russian speedster" and he scores all the time. People laugh at me because I get so happy when they just show him on the bench!I've been trying and trying to get a jersey, but he has the second best selling jersey in the league so it's impossible to find one. Currently there is a five month waiting list until you get one... plus they cost nearly a hundred dollars. But I did manage to find a plain jersey. It doesn't have a name and I did manage to fit into a kids size large for 50 bucks. God, you probably don't care. Well, he just makes hockey for me. Plus, as a girl, he is pretty hot. I also love Danny Briere and Ryan Miller.


5. If you had to punch one hockey player or member of the NHL Organization, who and why?

I would have to punch Scott Nichol, of the Nashville Predators. I like the Nashville Predators as a whole (I miss you JP Dumont...). But when the Sabres were creaming the Predators 7-2, Nichols sucker-punched Jeroslav Spacek. Spacek is probably my one of the players on my team that I don't care for (this guy is really ugly), but they think he actually passed out. Nichols punched him in the face from behind and then yanked him backwards,hard, to the ground. Immediately, my team got into a large fight, but surprisingly no one got a penalty except for Nichols who got a nine game suspension. (Take that, Scott) So, for the team's sake, I would punch Scott Nichols in a second. Can you blame me?


6 What you'll be looking forward in this group blog.

Well, if I can find anyone to talk about hockey to, I'll take it. I really want to see other women's perspective on hockey too. I've heard "You just think Afinogenov is hot..." way to many times. Also, if I could write to some people who know what I'm talking about and take me seriously I would be so, so, so happy!


7. What you don't like in general?

1. I don't like guys who don't take hockey girls seriously. 2.I don't like rude comments from other teams that are really just jealous. 3.And most of all, I hate having so much homework that I have to do it during a hockey game.


8. What role do female fans play in keeping the game alive?

If you really think about it, females have the possibility of doubling the NHL's fan base. The Buffalo Sabres have really done well at attracting females to the team by showing the player's more personal sides and also the Sabres' wives have a group that many females find pretty cool. Plus, girls can show their friends pictures of hot hockey players and draw them into loving the game...!


9. What role do female fans play in picking heroes for the community?

I think women like to watch players move up in professional hockey and watch them learn. They also look at teams more as individual players who we like for individual reasons. Men look at their favorite team as one. Sometimes they'll say (for instance) "Wow, we aren't having a good power play tonight, I think I know what they'll be practicing this week!" While women, on the other hand, will say "Wow, Lydman isn't having a great game tonight,especially on the power play. He needs to work on cleaner passes." Women look at the game of hockey more individually and pay more attention to details. They also choose players who aren't just good at hockey. They look at the more personal side of sports. It's a shame that some real morons will be hailed as "amazing" just because they are good at hockey, even ifthey badmouth other players or something like that.


10. Hockey just isn't the same without...

Hockey just isn't the same with out Canada. Canada really brought the whole sport to North America. Plus, without them, what teams would we have to hate?


11. If you were on a deserted island, which player would you pick to stay with you?

I would have Ryan Miller stay with me. I would have Maxim Afinogenov, but I can hardly understand what he is saying because of his Russian accent, and that could get extremely frustrating. Miller is a corky guy who I would be interested in talking to. Plus, he is a really deep thinker and would probably think of some way for us to escape.


12. Crosby, Ovechkin or Phaneuf (hey he tried!)?

I would have to choose Crosby. I don't really like Phaneuf and Ovechkin has a real rivalry with my man Briere. Crosby really is amazing. Did you know that scouts were looking at him when he was only 14?! Plus, he is pretty hot and I'm so close to his age that we could be dating...!


13. The player you'd like to take for a grand night out/a movie/a boring event?

Grand Night Out- I would Daniel Briere out because he seems really easy to talk to, nice and polite. Plus, I think he'd look cute in a tux.

A Movie- I would take Ryan Miller to a movie. He seems difficult to talk to, so a movie would be easy because we wouldn't have to talk. Plus, he'd be able to pay since he makes millions of dollars a season. I just hope he wouldn't take me to a horror flick; his favorite movie is "The Grudge".

A Boring Event- I would have to take Marty Biron to a boring event. Biron talks a lot and Briere once told an interviewer that Biron kept him up until three A.M until Briere finally convinced him that they should go to bed when they roomed together during an away game. I think Marty could make any event more fun, mostly because I could just laugh when ever he talked during a speech or something.


14. If you could make your own team, regardless of whatever players,what would it be called and where will it be/how would it be like?

I think I would keep my team in Buffalo and call them the Buffalo Flakes...(I don't know, we do live in the Snow Belt..?) Also, all of the players would be the same as the Buffalo Sabres. Plus, they would go on my team for free, because I can't anywhere near afford their salaries. Gosh, these kinds of questions make me feel stupid!


Well, thanks for giving me a chance. If you're reading this you actually made it to the end. I'll be surprised if you pick me because I blab WAY too much. Hope you do and thanks for the time.

Thanks again,
Paige