This one’s for the lady in the house.
Whistling solo
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Viva Las Vegas
Two years ago today, my girlfriend and I were in Las Vegas. Some people don’t like Vegas, with the Eiffel Towers and fake Venices, but we had a great time. We played a little, shopped a lot, hung by the pool, and saw Cirque du Soleil’s “Love”.
But before we knew it, it was time for my wife and I to fly back home.
IIHF.com: Hlinka
Had a nice chat with Jaroslav Hlinka the other day.
If I don’t have fun or don’t like to play, hockey becomes just like regular work and you just do it for the money. Money is important, everybody cares about it but I want to have a lot of fun during the season as well.
See the whole story here or keep reading below.
Hockey Night with Lucas
Lucas, the multitalented hockey dude, has thrown his hat in the ring and composed a new theme song for Hockey Night in Canada.
MacGyver shoots, he scores!
Hockey dads
About thirty years ago, I was standing on wooden stands set next to an outdoor hockey rink, watching my father in a game. He was wearing an orange sweater, and if my memory serves me correctly, he was the fastest player on the ice.
Then, out of pure pride, and excitement of the game, I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Go, Dad!”
Everybody around me laughed.
It took me – literally – years to figure out why they laughed. And then I realized (and this still just my theory) that they thought it was a) cute and b) a little dumb to yell just “Dad” and not use his name. There were probably a lot of Dads out there.
But I know my Dad heard it, and felt good, and skated even faster.
IIHF.com: Golden dreams
Finns love hockey. Really. I’m repeating myself, I just said the same thing in my latest piece on IIHF.com. Well, read it here, or below.
Work the room
What’s the best method of bumping into people you know at a hockey game?
Is it best to stay put and watch the people walking by, letting them do all the work, or is it better to walk around the arena so you can see the ones staying put, and the ones walking around the other way? That way, you’d miss the ones who walk just in front of you or just behind you.
I always walk around the arena. I’ve done it since I was a kid. So, in case you’re looking for me, stay put. I’ll find you.
Buds
When you’re a kid, the world is pretty small. I remember having friends who I only met at school because they lived so far away: across the big road. My hood was about a block, and then the hockey rink up the hill.
A few seconds of panic
I’ve watched this maybe a dozen times, and I can’t get enough. Now I need to buy the book.
This must be just like (livin’ in) paradise
I saw my first game of the 2008-09 season today, at an arena that used to be my home rink, in the mid-1990s. Just before the game, they played David Lee Roth’s “Just Like Paradise” and while “this must be just like living in paradise/and I don’t wanna go home” is how I feel about hanging out at hockey rinks, I also wondered when that song was last played. Anywhere.