When In Pain….There Is Always Hockey.

Sadly, the writer of the blog is day to day with a high ankle sprain. Why would this be hockey worthy? Well only because he was playing hockey on a basketball court that really isn’t meant for hockey naturally. I now do understand why they say hockey is not meant to be played in the desert.

In what was a normal play where I was just playing the Right Winger coming up the side, I simply hit a gap on the court surface and my ankle naturally went several ways it wasn’t supposed to. Amazingly, I did not go down though I probably should have in order to draw a penalty. Technically, the opposing player did have his stick between my legs….I could have drawn an obstruction penalty maybe. Then again, I am not Sean Avery. I will admit I play the game honest and with pride.

Gamely, I played on. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have. I popped my sneaker off when I got home only to find my ankle looked like a small grapefruit. Fortunately spraying it with air compressor freezing spray works pretty well until you can put ice on an injury…who knew? The best part of playing hockey almost your whole life is you learn these little tricks of the trade to get by when you know you have an injury that by all rights should be far more serious. Call it luck or whatever you will….I will not be able to walk too good for several days but this could have been far worse. Whew!

So why does it take professional hockey players so long to come back from these injuries? Because well their body is a like a finely tuned machine for one. I am not in the hockey shape that I once was and I probably will never be again. But I am used to these things happening because my ankles are not the greatest. So they do ironically heal faster than say a Sidney Crosby. Something that may keep him out six weeks might only keep me out six days because I don’t have to perform at as high of a level. While players now have state of the art methods to keep them in tip=top conditions, I don’t. In some ways not having those options available may be the best thing honestly.

Now that sounds crazy but it really is true. I can take my time, heal the injury, and go on my normal business. I still think all these treatments and things only exacerbate the waiting for a player. Now these are multi-million dollar investments and naturally the risk of injury is great. So these teams do have to baby these players while you and me, well we just get an ace bandage, some ice, and rest…then we suit up the next week like nothing happened in most cases.

So while I recuperate nicely in my air conditioned house, I will think some more about how lucky I am to be able to play the sport I love and not worry about being waited on hand and foot by trainers and worse. Maybe a bad ankle really is the least of my worries and maybe I should worry about hockey more. Ah, I can feel the pain displacement helping already!

Toss Me Another Cold One!!

How can some keep throwing rumors out there on a dartboard if they are not even worth the paper they are printed on. Too many times in the rush to get the story out…the homework never gets done! It is a lot like a person who goes to take a multiple choice test and thinks they passed it because they finished the test so fast. They later find out that they tanked it and wonder why.

I get so sick of hearing the same BS, garbage rumors on a daily basis. Now I do understand it is late August and training camp is weeks away…but let’s try to come up with something a little more original here. This isn’t too difficult. Do a little research, think outside the box, and before you know it there is a nice neat post that goes up on your site. Just like that!

Anyone else think a team like Anaheim got hosed by Versus? Maybe just a little. How can a team like Minnesota get on Versus 8 times to Anaheim’s 1? Maybe the folks at the channel got out their space-time continuum matrix and figured out the best thing is to show Anaheim Vs. Buffalo so they can cover the Miller Brothers for 2 1/2 hours. Next time would it be so hard to ask for them to get an Anaheim-San Jose matchup? Come on Gary, next time….try harder! Cup winners should get a little love even if you hate their style…hell we know Detroit does. What makes this a little more of a gray issue is that Bettman has brought teams into markets that were considered a little off the beaten hockey paths and yet most of the same hockey markets are still catered to…go figure!

So as I chug down yet another beer in this early part of a Saturday…I think to myself for as good as the game is….it sure could be improved some more. Maybe another drink will make it that much more clear for me and maybe it won’t. One thing is for sure, the NHL has come quite a ways since the lockout but it has an even tougher road ahead before it can compete with the other three professional sports. Now I will take that next drink…thanks!

Monday Ice Water Cooler

Sorry about the lateness and the brevity of this post. But it is time for the Monday Ice Water Cooler. This week the introduction of Point/Counterpoint has debuted. Also, with our surprise for Hockey Around The Horn and our new primetime slot on the podcast (7 pm PT)…it is going to be an interesting week. Hell if I had money on it, but sadly I don’t, I would be willing to say as the season approaches, we will have much more to wet your appetite.

Also, a special thanks goes out to the fine folks at The Sports Bar. The duo from Southern California runs a hell of a show twice a week. You can catch them on Sunday evenings around 6 or 7 pm PT. The poor guys put up with me as I was trying to frantically get home yesterday from a BBQ. The segment that I was on for was well done and they are a good listen for those who want a sports view that is never dull.

Some news on the Joe Sakic front finally….funny this always comes out the day I say something to the effect that it is dead silent. Thanks to Sportsnet, we have some more word with Captain Joe. The decision is supposed to come in the next few weeks. Personally I still think he is going to give it one last kick in the can as honestly, do you really think he is going to go out the way he did last year? I sure as hell do not think so!

It has been a slow last week or so but do not worry as it will be ramping up as the weeks go by. Next Sunday, we will have a special interview with Doug Stolhand from Puck Podcast. I am sure there are various things we will all learn on the art of podcasting and the sport of hockey as to how the two relate. It will be an interesting interview that I highly look forward to.

Finally, I want to see what materializes this week in the hockey world because in all honesty….it can’t be any slower than it was last week or can it?

So Many Things…So Little Time.

This will be quick but it needs to be said.  I have had enough with all the Mats Sundin talk!!!!!!

Just do us a favor Mats….either stay quiet in Sweden and play there or try and sign with someone already.  Now why do I say this?  It is simple….if there was a way on not how to handle this….Sundin would get a perfect 10 from this judge.

Sundin’s agent, JP Barrie is like the equivalent of The Music Man.  Does anyone really believe all these teams are interested and for that matter, can afford Mats Sundin’s services?  I sure as hell don’t think so!  If that was indeed the case, he would have signed with someone by now or he would be closer to a decision that he has apparently made but will not divulge.  Does that seem weird to you?  It sure does to me!!

So to make this quick and simple….I do have a message for Mats….if you do have that decision all ready like some sources in Sweden claim you do….then do the world a favor……let us know!  Because if you had half the class of a man like Joe Sakic, you would have kept a little more quiet.

That’s my take!