Wanna get to know me? you know you do.

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

I’m originally from small town Yamhill, Oregon. I got a job in northeast Oregon, just south of Walla Walla, Washington. It puts me about an hour away from the WHL’s Tri-City Americans to which I have season tickets. Me and my posse of the Maple Leaf Mafia (see, McPhizzle) love to watch the games, laugh a lot, and discuss hockey in general.

2. Your team and why you like them.
As mentioned, I watch the Tri-City Americans, I love me some junior hockey!


Since I have no geographic ties to any NHL team, I tend to watch teams that have players that I like watching. Add to this the free agency stuff with the CBA and I got players moving around. I like watching teams win so sometimes I’m a bit of a bandwagon fan, except for teams I just don’t seem to care about (Chicago, St. Louis)

I would say my favorite NHL team is the Carolina Hurricanes. I really like watching them play, Eric Staal is an amazing talent, Cam Ward is almost-amazing (and I saw him play junior so some ties there). Mostly I love Peter Laviolette’s coaching style, that very aggressive forecheck which, when it works (see, cup-winning year), it’s just amazing. When it doesn’t work, they allow too many-odd man rushes the other way and that leaves Ward vulnerable (see 06-07 season). Also, watching teams in the WHL, I have seen lots o' Carolina prospect Drayson Bowman. I may or may not have a gi-normous love-fest for him

My other favorite is Toronto Maple Leafs and that is only because my favorite player in the universe is Tomas Kaberle. I’m a sucker for a defenceman.

3. Your least favourite team and why?

Detroit Red Wings. Couldn’t tell you exactly why, I just do. They think they’re all that and a bag of chips when I believe it’s because they are in such a weak division. And I don’t like Hasek.

4. Your favourite player of all time & now?

all-time would be a couple obvious choices, Bobby Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Maurice Richard. Now: TOMAS KABERLE, Dion Phaneuf, Eric Staal, Carey Price,

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

I have some anger issues so the list is long, but if I have to choose one, it would be Daniel Briere, because he creeps me out. And those Sedins. ***shudder***

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

having a place to talk hockey with other women who also love the sport. Making hockey connections with other women and bloggers

7. What you don't like in general?

whining, hot temperatures, vegetables, using the “shift” key when I type, doing laundry, mean people, know-it-all blowhards (even though I probably am one sometimes)

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

I think female fans are just as important as male fans to the game, after all, we’re buying the stuff too, supporting the team. I think it’s also important for women to show that we are just as knowledgeable about the game as anyone. As female fans I think we can influence the males in our lives to enjoy the sport. Since I’m in the States I see a definite lack of interest in the sport so I invite people to come watch a game, seeing a hockey game live? Nothing like it on earth. We can also get our kids involved in activities including hockey.

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

I think women are better able to recognize and appreciate when the guys are nice to fans, contribute to the community and are great guys. We also recognize when they are asshats and are ok with severing ties. If they are representing the sport, or themselves for that matter, in a positive way I think women are more receptive to that sort of charisma and what it means to the fans and to the team. If team members are willing to meet with fans and are generally good with the public are the bee’s knees.

10. Hockey wouldn’t be the same without…

Don Cherry. And my posse, the MLM.

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

Tomas Kaberle. Drayson Bowman

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

Phaneuf. Told ya, I’m a sucker for a defenceman. Also watched him play junior—I have an attachment to players I have watched personally come up through the system.

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

Grand night out: Erik Staal or Dion Phaneuf. They look so good dressed up.
Movie: Alex Burrows. If the movie sucks I would just look at him. If the movie doesn’t suck, I wouldn’t know it because I would still be looking at him.
Boring event: Matt Swaby. I know he’s not in the NHL, but he plays in the WHL (Edmonton Oil Kings) and he’s a flipping riot. If you need photo evidence, I can provide it.

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 admit, this question has stumped me a bit. I’ve spent a long time thinking about it. With help from the fabulous McPhizzle I think I got something. She suggested the M-F (where I live, not like JMFJ) Eyebrows and stock it full of beautiful defencemen with nice eyebrows. I love this idea. Though I would name the team something like the Ice Frogs. This is because the town I live in had the brilliant (that’s sarcasm) plan to have the town “mascot” be frogs (no reason, not like there’s a lot of frogs here) and there are frog “statues” everywhere. Plus it makes sorta fun of what my sister and I consider a silly mascot name, the Ice Dogs. I don’t know why we think it’s funny or silly, but it seems there’s an Ice Dogs team in every league anywhere you go. Even my boss’ 5-year-old’s team is the Snow Pups. Close enough. And it still makes me giggle. But I digress

My favorite colours are red white and blue so jerseys would be those colors, although thinking about it as I type, if they’re the Ice Frogs I suppose they would have to be green of some sort.
And finally, the team would be mostly defencemen. Hell, anyone can play forward, but teaching guys to help keep the puck OUT of the net is much harder. And I love defencemen. In case I hadn’t mentioned that already...