Hockey and Religion - What's the call when a player observes a religion?
Whoa - serious topic this time! I think maybe Rubin has simply made a poor career choice for himself. If I were a single Mom and I knew that I had to be home in the evenings to be with my kids, I would decline a job in which I had to work long hours, well into the evening. And I certainly wouldn't take the job and then expect my employer to change the rules for me. By the same rationale, Rubin shouldn't have gone for a job in the NHL if he knew it would conflict with his firm religious beliefs. The NHL schedule and requirements have not changed! I'm sure he's an intelligent guy with lots of options and he should have chosen a career path that would accomodate his needs for time off (more of a 9-5 type).
It's like me saying that my dream job is to be an actress but refusing to work the long days required for shoots. Directors wouldn't be falling over themselves to offer me roles...and I doubt that GMs will be falling over themselves to sign Rubin either.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Bad career choice
Losing that excess weight
Creative Challenge: Set some New Year's Resolutions for the guys on your team.
Let's face it, while our Resolutions may include career goals, opportunities to better our behaviour/personalities, spending more time with family and friends, etc... the big one that pops up year after year is the Resolution to lose weight. Our hockey teams are no exception. They, like us, are carrying around some extra weight at this time of year. And for the Canucks, they are lugging around exactly 210 excess pounds...in the form of Rory Fitzpatrick. I'm not the only one who thinks so too - a recent Vancouver Sun poll showed that 83%% of respondents think Rory deserves a C grade or lower for his performance this season. Vote for Rory? I don't think so! I think many people would like to vote him off instead - like on a reality show.
How about everyone else's teams? I'd wager a bet that Dallas wishes it had lost the extra weight of Patrick Stefan before that missed empty net goal against Edmonton last week!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Pyatt is a riot in drag
Who on your team desperately needs a makeover?
Well, I can't think of anyone who is in desperate need of some image help on the Canucks, but I can definitely contribute a photoshopped pic...
As Loxy from Hot Oil pointed out in a Comment on my site, Taylor Pyatt is kinda girl-y lookin'. Let's take a look at what he'd look like in drag...
Snazzy Nazzy
Meet Markus Naslund, six-year Captain of the Vancouver Canucks. Born July 30, 1973, in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, #19 is married to wife Lotta and has three children, Rebecca, Isabella and Alex. He's been a Canuck for nine years and is affectionately called "Nazzy" by Vancouver fans. He's received multiple awards over the years including the Lester B. Pearson Award in the 2003-2004 season, voted by his peers as the League's most outstanding player. And his mug even graced the cover of EA Sports NHL 05...
Good friends with Todd Bertuzzi, the thug who landed the neck-breaking hit on Steve Moore, the rumours say that Naslund's allegiance with Bert created a rift in the dressing room last year. Bertuzzi was traded to the Florida Panthers in the off-season, but unfortunately getting rid of that poison hasn't transformed the team into a winner. Nazzy hasn't been the offensive powerhouse the Canucks are sorely needing this season, with only 9 points so far.
The Canucks Captain has often been playing on a line with his fellow Swedes the Sedin twins (Daniel and Henrik), sparking a nickname for the line: "The Swedish Touch". That is also the name of a 'rub and tug'-type massage parlour in Vancouver, The Swedish Touch. Like the ladies in thongs and stillettos at the massage parlour, The Swedish Touch on the ice has been a tease, not producing as much goal-scoring as we hoped.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Fin...he's tall, dark and spews
He's tall, dark and he spews something white when he gets excited.
Meet Fin - the Vancouver Canucks' killer whale mascot inspired by the breeching whale in the Canucks logo. He's 6'3", black with a bit of white and he puffs mist out of his blowhole when the Canucks score or he is interacting with fans. Apparently, his favourite food is B.C. Salmon, his favourite book is Moby Dick and his favourite movie is Free Willy.
I acutally like Fin - he's cute. But for some reason when I see mascots I have this uncontrollable childish urge to jump on their backs and take a few punches at their massive heads. Maybe it's because they look like the stuffed animals that my brother and I used to playfight with when we were kids. Or maybe it's because they look soft like those sumo suits so I know it wouldn't hurt? On the other hand, it is possibly because I get such a laugh out of mascot fights. Anyone else have this compulsion?
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
It all began with a sad, sad story...
My first memory of hockey was my face pressed against the cold glass as I watched my little brother in his snowpants pushing a chair around the ice learning to skate. After all, there were no little girls that played hockey. Girls danced and played piano. There I was - a sad victim of stereotypes. Sniff, sniff. Just think - I could have been rubbing elbows with Cassie Campbell today. Sniff.
My next memory is he same as Hockeygirl's - the Wayne Gretzky doll. And after that, my hockey interest exploded when my family moved to Calgary next door to Flames defenseman Rob Ramage the year they won the Cup. How could a kid not get into hockey after hangin' out with Lanny McDonald and Joe Nieuwendyk at the Ramage's Stanley Cup party?!
Speaking of Lanny, as a kid I wondered if he was a distant relative of the Looney Tunes' Yosemite Sam...
A horse of course
I don't know who the Canucks would be if they were a person, but if they were an animal, they would be Black Beauty. 
Since they are the 'dark horse' that's gonna bring home Lord Stanley's Cup this season!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Lin-den and the child-ren
For the weekly topic: Explain your favourite community contributing team member and why he rocks.
I say: Trevor Linden, a Canucks veteran and a true leader on and off the ice.
Linden's work: He is well-known for his work with children's charities, including Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for families and children with cancer, B.C.'s Children's Hospital, and Canuck Place, a hospice for terminally ill children. Linden also started a program for underprivileged children called Trevor's Captain's Crew, which brings children by limousine to a free hockey game complete with a luxury suite at GM Place. He was even honoured with the Order of British Columbia for his work.
When he visits the kids, he supposedly plays video games, signs autographs and chats with them. I also read a story about Linden taking a patient with cancer for lunch and to the driving range before his surgery.
Great Linden quote: "I've wanted to make a difference outside of what I do on the ice...It's good for your soul. It makes as big a difference to me as it does to the kids."
The verdict: Seeing how guys react/relate to kids really shows their sensitive, nuturing side...which is oh-so-attractive, no? Take Aaron Eckhart in the movie Erin Brockovich for example. I'm not so into the biker dudes with long hair, but seeing his character taking care of Erin's kids made me melt.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Dressing room awards
The Calgary Flames have the "all business" tie that the players give to the guy in the dressing room that is the "unsung hero" of the game. And it looks like the Oilers have this ugly fur-collared jacket for the same purpose. 
Does anybody else's team have a dressing room award like this? I think the Canucks should have an umbrella hat - representative of our rainy weather here in Van and because the player worked so hard he should be "showered" with praise.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Torturing whales instead of kittens
Here's a post in response to Jordi's creative challenge she posted earlier this week: Take a photo (or draw with your mouse) the biggest dedication to something hockey related you have/own.
Well, I don't have much beyond the standard jerseys, flags and mugs to display my devotion to the Canucks, but here's a few just-so-crazy-I-just-might-do-them ideas:
- I could paint my house in blue, white and red. Maybe I could even convince my neighbours and we could have the first "Parade of Canucks Homes" tourist attraction.
- I could make a giant hockey stick and bring it down onto the ice during a game at intermission, creating a life-sized vintage Canucks logo.
- This would be totally insane and completely unethical, but I could break into the Vancouver Aquarium and paint a Canucks logo on an Orca ;-)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Vixen from Vancouver
Hi gals! I'll be the rep from the land of rain, Starbucks on every corner and weed. Excuse me if I don't post as often as I should...you know our work ethic out here in Vancouver. Ha ha - just kiddin' :-) But here's my "getting to know you" answers. Looking forward to getting to know you all!
1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.
I was born in Toronto and kept moving west over the years. My family moved us to Calgary when I was a kid and then I moved to Vancouver with my then-boyfriend-now-husband five years ago. I’m a freelance writer with a sports column in The Province newspaper (Vancouver) and a part-time marketing consultant.
2. Your team and why you like them.
Embarrassing, but I can admit it. My previous record shows that my loyalty is dictated by the city I live in. With every city I move to, I find myself saying “this is the best place to live” and “this city has the best hockey team in the league!” Maybe I’m not a traitor, maybe I’m just a positive person who enjoys the camaraderie of cheering for the city’s team??! So, obviously when I lived in Calgary I was a hardcore Flames fan, and although I still have a soft spot for them and it took me a little while to convert, I now love the Canucks.
3. Your least favourite team and why
Any U.S. team. Canadian teams should rule the NHL.
4. Your favourite player of all time & now
Gretzky. I even had the Mattel doll back in the ‘80’s. 
Now? Markus Naslund and Jarome Iginla.
5. If you had to punch one player or member of the NHL organisation, who and why
Easy. Jeremy Roenick – every time he opens his big fat mouth. Comments made by Roenick towards fans who didn’t agree with the lockout: "We're going to try to make it better for everybody, period, end of subject. And if you don't realize that, then don't come. We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey... I say personally, to everybody who called us 'spoiled,' you guys are just jealous..."
6. What you'll be looking forward to in this group blog
I'll be looking forward to interacting with other female fans across the country! We often notice and want to discuss different stuff than the boys.
7. What don't you like in general?
About hockey? Belligerent fans at the game.
In life? Onions, Nicholas Cage and George Bush.
8. What role do female fans play in keeping the game alive?
We now make up between 30 and 40% of the hockey fans…and growing! Without us, teams would start folding. The NHL better start paying more attention to us – and giving us more than just pink jerseys!
9. What role do female fans play in picking heroes for the community?
I tend to favour the players that seem like the most genuine, kind and honest people off the ice. The number of points they rack up is important, but secondary.
10. Hockey just isn't the same without...
The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom.
11. If you were on a deserted island, which player would you pick to stay with you? Jeremy Roenick (see above). If food was scarce, I wouldn’t feel bad about eating him. Ha ha – just kidding.
12. Crosby, Ovechkin or Phaneuf?
Crosby. Cute and Canadian.
13. The player you'd like to take for:
A grand night out – Iginla. He seems like the type to bring flowers and open doors for me
A movie – Willie Mitchell. From what I’ve seen so far, he seems fun and is new to Vancouver.
A boring event – Ovechkin. We would pass the time on the date trying to figure out what each other was saying.
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?
The Vancouver Buds. A comical name because Van is known for our grass, but the real reason for the name is because I would choose all guys who are buddies in the league. A team can look good on paper but camaraderie is what separates the good from the best.
