This is honestly the most random thing I think I've thought about in the last little while. No huge reason why I wrote or posted it beyond the fact that it was stuck in my mind and I wanted to see my thoughts on it. I guess these are my thoughts... Random, silly, and deep all at the same time... word is still out on if it's any good tho...
The stages of selfishness in the evolutionary timeline:
1) The Cherry Picker. This player doesn't play below the tops of the circles in D-zone. This player gets as many goals as possible. And what is this plus-minus stat anyways? They're oblivious to what's going on or the hurt that is in the world, as long as 'they gets theirs.' Doesn't really make trouble, but doesn't know enough to help others out of it either... "Hey! The World doesn't revolve around you you know..." ... "That's exactly what you would say if the world DID revolve around me and you didn't want me to find out..." Cherry picker's have a lot in common with gold diggers I want to say.
2) The Ironman. Stay on the ice as long as you can. 2 minute Power Play shift? Why not? No thought to consequences, just take and take alike, and try to get as much as you can. Like Hungry Hungry Hippo, or the United States.
3) The Retaliator/Head Hunter knows exactly the consequences of what they're doing. And sometimes it actually makes them feel better to cause people pain. They live off the carnage of others... even skate by the puck and a possible goal just to make that one big hit. Sadly your team's killing off 6 minutes a game of dumb penalties you've taken. In real life maybe you are the dictator of some small country and will try to make enough money out of it so you can leave when the revolution comes and then retire to some island in the Bahamas.
4) The Chissel. Make everything look good and have no one suspect anything, but wherever and whenever possible take advantage of people. No way am I changing that second assist that I got to the guy that actually deserves it. Possibly you'll grow up to be an executive at Enron.
6) The Enforcer. I'll be as completely unselfish as I can to those closest to me, as long as WE TOGETHER take advantage of those people that are not closest to US. Like Athens circa 400BC or so. Or like mafia movies before 'Hollywood' cuts in because audiences don't want to see or believe that bad guys ultimately can succeed in life. They don't make parades for bad guys do they?
5) The Coach. I'm going to try to see how both you and I can get exactly what we want, no matter how at odds we are. And we both win. I make you feel like a million dollars because you're the center of my life. You're going to scratch behind my ears and possibly toss the ball around for me a little bit, metaphorically speaking, And we both win.. They'd be a teacher if you weren't a coach probably.
7) The Role Player... Doing the ugly jobs that noone else wants to do. Like going into the corners, screaning for shots, or going down to block that shot face first in overtime. And does things for others even if they hate it because, as Kant says, the fact that I don't even get a good feeling for it makes you all the more unselfish. Kinda like how the religious are supposed to be... taking care of the poor, looking out for the homeless, helping those others have rejected. Obviously they're big into love because, "greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends," and they're giving up their life every day for people. But somewhere pride creeps in because they can feel superior in their ability to go through hardships that others don't. And sometimes thoughts of Karma coming into play and make them hopeful. But at the end of the day, count it all a blessing because it's definitely going to serve a reward in heaven, or next year's contract.
8) Unselfish...? I think maybe it's there. I've seen glimpses possibly. Playoffs mostly. Real life? Parents most likely know a thing or two about it. Marriages should probably have it somewhere. Friendship's been known to show it. Even actions from complete enemies can sometimes bring it about. Possibly the word forgiveness is involved... going on the thesis that God is good and exists then chances are He has a lot to do with it. It could be some disney romantic comedy moment with a sudden sharp realization that everything is connected to something greater than yourself. Not in the 'new-age fuzzy' spiritual way that happens in the last 10 minutes of your yoga class, but in the 'lets really actually look into this thing theological+apologetics' spiritual way that gets a person killed for doing what's right. And It's not simply a religious mindset because a lot of that is still a carrot on a string to me. But how do you really put your finger on it?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Rules are there are no rules....
Beaking is about overemphasizing the obvious... showing no weakness... taking the offensive... never playing defense... taking advantage of any chinks in the armor ... and stepping way over the line when the need calls for it...
And let's get one thing straight right from the start. I'm not a great beaker. I'm not an average beaker. I'm below mediocre at best. But I can and will laugh along with the best of them...
Look at that nose... Did you swallow a canoe? .. Why don't you go rent yourself out as an anteater... Is your gf/wife mad about the patch of carpet you took out to make that suit?... Nice fro buddy, did you stick your finger into a light socket?... I think you're old enough now to stop having your mother dress you... You've got the skinniest chicken legs I've ever seen... C'mon, let the kids play (To a veteran)... Look at T Rex/alligator arms over here (if they're cheap and can't reach their wallet)... Your beard is really gonna come in nice in 4 to 5 years (if they're young and trying to grow a playoff beard)... Did Santa give you some time off from the mall this year? (if their short)... You should play baseball for all the no-hitters you throw (if they don't hit)... You couldn't put a beach ball into the ocean... (or just as good) you're all Swedish no Finish (If they can't score)... You throw muffins/pillows (if they have a weak punch)... You're such a seat-bealt (If they hold on for dear life in a fight, don't throw any punches, and just tie the other guy up)... Mix in a save every now and then (to a goalie)... You never told me your parents were coming to the game (Looking at the crazy superfans who obviously takes the game a way too seriously)... You've changed (The biggest screw with their head non-beak)... Shake it off (Even after a good practice or game; The second biggest screw with their head non-beak)...
And let's get one thing straight right from the start. I'm not a great beaker. I'm not an average beaker. I'm below mediocre at best. But I can and will laugh along with the best of them...
Look at that nose... Did you swallow a canoe? .. Why don't you go rent yourself out as an anteater... Is your gf/wife mad about the patch of carpet you took out to make that suit?... Nice fro buddy, did you stick your finger into a light socket?... I think you're old enough now to stop having your mother dress you... You've got the skinniest chicken legs I've ever seen... C'mon, let the kids play (To a veteran)... Look at T Rex/alligator arms over here (if they're cheap and can't reach their wallet)... Your beard is really gonna come in nice in 4 to 5 years (if they're young and trying to grow a playoff beard)... Did Santa give you some time off from the mall this year? (if their short)... You should play baseball for all the no-hitters you throw (if they don't hit)... You couldn't put a beach ball into the ocean... (or just as good) you're all Swedish no Finish (If they can't score)... You throw muffins/pillows (if they have a weak punch)... You're such a seat-bealt (If they hold on for dear life in a fight, don't throw any punches, and just tie the other guy up)... Mix in a save every now and then (to a goalie)... You never told me your parents were coming to the game (Looking at the crazy superfans who obviously takes the game a way too seriously)... You've changed (The biggest screw with their head non-beak)... Shake it off (Even after a good practice or game; The second biggest screw with their head non-beak)...
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Goal drought...
Terrible news... I haven't scored a goal in NHL hockey '93 for the Sega Genesis. Not even a goal. What a contrast to NHL hockey '92 which had a guaranteed quick left-right shot on a breakaway for a goal. And a walk around the net to back out front and shot was an easy 2-0. Now all those moves are gone in '93. All you have now is one-timers. It's brutal. Cause everyone knows I don't pass so right there I've lost the whole battle at hello. And I'm up in here in the majors with pros who've had nothing to do for years but perfect their game. How am I supposed to compete with that? ...and please tell me you're all John Favreau/Vince Vaughn fans... and if you don't know what I'm talking about I hope for your sake you're older than 30.
Awesome news... I'm now 3rd in dart rankings on the team, which kinda makes me a big deal. And I just hit my first ever 180 today... sick 'ahem... so I wanna thank God for giving me such sweet hands and such..' And also I have a new dart board at my place that I spend way too much time throwing at. So if any of you back home think you have what it takes to bring down the champ... I'm offering free lessons...
And I think this is funny, and I know this guy from school which that makes it even funnier...
http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=420656
Awesome news... I'm now 3rd in dart rankings on the team, which kinda makes me a big deal. And I just hit my first ever 180 today... sick 'ahem... so I wanna thank God for giving me such sweet hands and such..' And also I have a new dart board at my place that I spend way too much time throwing at. So if any of you back home think you have what it takes to bring down the champ... I'm offering free lessons...
And I think this is funny, and I know this guy from school which that makes it even funnier...
http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=420656
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Double Header: Game Two
Detroit is Hockeytown USA. And Yzerman is Detroit. He's 'cooler than the other side of the pillow' - ML... Retired that you are Stevie, but you will always be a warrior poet... Longest serving captain in NHL history, fought through a knee injury that eventually cost you your career, sacrificed to block shots resulting in 2 broken ankles, 6th all-time in points, 8th all time in goals, a 10 time all-star, and led your team to 3 Stanley Cups... you bleed red buddy!... Now I don't personally, but I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that want to have your babies. And Detroit is not post-Steve Yzerman just yet. The core of guys were around when he was there. He's still there somewhere in the front office. The team is set up to have the older guys bring the younger guys into the mentality and lifestyle... so Yzerman wore off on these guys. And it shows. They bring lots of skill and just enough grittiness to go deep into the playoffs each year before an even grittier team like the Anaheim Mighty Ducks knocks 'em out. And I mean literally knocks 'em out.
And ya, Anaheim is gritty... and their mentality runs through their entire system all the way down to East Coast Level. Gotta play tough... gotta fight, gotta be on the edge, gotta skate, and at the same time you gotta have skill. Bertuzzi, Getslaf, Weight, Pronger, even Perry's been known to throw his weight around... pretty intimidating when even your top players will drop the mitts. Brings back the good old days(?) of Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr, or the 'Gordie Howe hat-trick' (1 goal, 1 assist, and 1 fight). Plus they have 3 (maybe 2 now) legit heavy weights on their team. Doubled every other teams' fighting majors last year... Yay 'old-time hockey'... ... Last year's playoff run? Minnesota got it pretty bad. Couple concussions, couple injuries. Detroit too. Couple injuries, a concussion. A 2 game suspension for a cheap hit doesn't really match up when the other player is out for the season... I don't think.
The game was hockey at it's best. The two best teams in the league right now. Skill and Determination vs Skill and Intimidation. Hits, fights, speed, emotion, bad blood from last year's playoffs... patches of bad camera work cause it wasn't CBC, and decent commentary cause it was still TSN. Anaheim was all over Hasek, always in his face, and ran him over a few times... At the other end Pronger and company hurt the Detroit forwards enough to make sure they kept away from the Ducks net... You'll win more than you lose if you control both net fronts. Detroit held strong tho, Cleary stood up to Pronger in a fight even though he gave up about 5 inches... tho he didn't play the rest of the game. And Downey matched O'donnel just a little bit later. There were scrums after every whistle. Big hits all over the ice. An early taste of the war on ice that is to be the NHL playoffs come this April. Detroit won it on skill, a PP, and a broken stick... but you have to wonder if they can hold it all together through 7 games of that stuff come playoffs.
And ya, Anaheim is gritty... and their mentality runs through their entire system all the way down to East Coast Level. Gotta play tough... gotta fight, gotta be on the edge, gotta skate, and at the same time you gotta have skill. Bertuzzi, Getslaf, Weight, Pronger, even Perry's been known to throw his weight around... pretty intimidating when even your top players will drop the mitts. Brings back the good old days(?) of Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr, or the 'Gordie Howe hat-trick' (1 goal, 1 assist, and 1 fight). Plus they have 3 (maybe 2 now) legit heavy weights on their team. Doubled every other teams' fighting majors last year... Yay 'old-time hockey'... ... Last year's playoff run? Minnesota got it pretty bad. Couple concussions, couple injuries. Detroit too. Couple injuries, a concussion. A 2 game suspension for a cheap hit doesn't really match up when the other player is out for the season... I don't think.
The game was hockey at it's best. The two best teams in the league right now. Skill and Determination vs Skill and Intimidation. Hits, fights, speed, emotion, bad blood from last year's playoffs... patches of bad camera work cause it wasn't CBC, and decent commentary cause it was still TSN. Anaheim was all over Hasek, always in his face, and ran him over a few times... At the other end Pronger and company hurt the Detroit forwards enough to make sure they kept away from the Ducks net... You'll win more than you lose if you control both net fronts. Detroit held strong tho, Cleary stood up to Pronger in a fight even though he gave up about 5 inches... tho he didn't play the rest of the game. And Downey matched O'donnel just a little bit later. There were scrums after every whistle. Big hits all over the ice. An early taste of the war on ice that is to be the NHL playoffs come this April. Detroit won it on skill, a PP, and a broken stick... but you have to wonder if they can hold it all together through 7 games of that stuff come playoffs.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Double Header: First Game
I have a lot of love for Toronto because my Dad cheers for Toronto and I grew up in the era of Dougie Gilmour and Wendel Clark. And I know Gretz is Gretz and all but he really did high stick Dougie and cost Toronto the series in '93 and I remember that. That makes me a fan.
And I have a little love for Washington because I was in their system for a year playing in South Carolina, even though their system didn't love me back... didn't even give me a cuddle... not even a late night drunk dial... (you know... call me up for a weekend... maybe let me skate one time with the team... warmup, sit on the bench, cheer really loud, look really excited, get in if the team is either up alot or down alot, brag about it to all my friends how I 'played' against or with some really good player that's now in the NHL... Sweet). But no.
But Toronto v Washington January 24 2008 was not inspiring. Well... it was inspiring in the sense that it drove me half-way through to leave and watch crib instead... But honestly not much there... and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse something amazing happened... it ended. Rebound, Sundin, bang, goal, done.
Washington should be good in a few years. Most of their team and their coach was in the AHL last year. Ovechkin will also be good soon enough since Bruce is not gonna put up with him not playing defense anymore. Am I the only person to notice that Ovechkin leads the league in 3rd period goals? Hmmm... Usually coming after their already down 6-2 and the other team isn't trying anymore. Hmmm...
And Toronto...? Toughest fans in the league.. you try playing there... made a guy cry not too long ago. Toronto's problem is they have too many chef's in the kitchen trying to make a team. Board needs to start realizing they're teachers for a reason and that the know Jack about hockey. ('If you can't do, teach' I say*). But, for serious, get off your wallet you cheapest team of all time that still gets a sell-out crowd every game and give the GM full control already.
*Some people are born teachers and kudos to that, but how many are there just because they couldn't find anything else to do. I know when I'm teaching/coaching in 5 years that'll be the reason.
And I have a little love for Washington because I was in their system for a year playing in South Carolina, even though their system didn't love me back... didn't even give me a cuddle... not even a late night drunk dial... (you know... call me up for a weekend... maybe let me skate one time with the team... warmup, sit on the bench, cheer really loud, look really excited, get in if the team is either up alot or down alot, brag about it to all my friends how I 'played' against or with some really good player that's now in the NHL... Sweet). But no.
But Toronto v Washington January 24 2008 was not inspiring. Well... it was inspiring in the sense that it drove me half-way through to leave and watch crib instead... But honestly not much there... and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse something amazing happened... it ended. Rebound, Sundin, bang, goal, done.
Washington should be good in a few years. Most of their team and their coach was in the AHL last year. Ovechkin will also be good soon enough since Bruce is not gonna put up with him not playing defense anymore. Am I the only person to notice that Ovechkin leads the league in 3rd period goals? Hmmm... Usually coming after their already down 6-2 and the other team isn't trying anymore. Hmmm...
And Toronto...? Toughest fans in the league.. you try playing there... made a guy cry not too long ago. Toronto's problem is they have too many chef's in the kitchen trying to make a team. Board needs to start realizing they're teachers for a reason and that the know Jack about hockey. ('If you can't do, teach' I say*). But, for serious, get off your wallet you cheapest team of all time that still gets a sell-out crowd every game and give the GM full control already.
*Some people are born teachers and kudos to that, but how many are there just because they couldn't find anything else to do. I know when I'm teaching/coaching in 5 years that'll be the reason.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
And the war?
This blog is one part hockey and life; one part history and philosophy; three parts really bad grammar; and one-half parts pop-culture references... But in so much as this is about life and not about grammar, I think I should talk about the war. And I can honestly say that I know less than half of what's going on half as much as I should, and that I trust less than half of the people telling me about what's going on half as much as they probably deserve. But the thoughts that I do have, not surprisingly, are stolen from some smart person who was alive some place and time long ago.
And that person is... Thomas Jefferson, who said that, "... the less we use our power, the greater it will be." So mental note: Don't overextend yourself or bad things will happen. And second, "War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses." So question: Are there other ways to go about this whole situation besides war?
And that person is... Thomas Jefferson, who said that, "... the less we use our power, the greater it will be." So mental note: Don't overextend yourself or bad things will happen. And second, "War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses." So question: Are there other ways to go about this whole situation besides war?
Monday, January 21, 2008
...but what if I win?
You do everything right, you win a game, you win a championship, you're on top of the world... you try to capture that moment... but the world moves on, you're a statistic, you have a game the next day, or week, or year, and you start to realize that for all the talk, the win really doesn't count much for anything... suddenly the... "You're only as good as your last game" starts to leave a bitter taste in your mouth... Don't you deserve something bigger than this? just a little more? something tangible? A little more lasting? Ya, true, you're not fired; ya, maybe a bonus; ya, maybe a free drink or something... a trophy... but how far does that really take you? Watch a 'Where are They Now?' special and you'll find that usually it's not that far. Trapper nation learned that the hard way on Friday. Thought, since we were champions, that we could just throw our sticks onto the ice and win the game... but victory is always earned, never given. And we were playing a team trying to come out of a slump... and that's a bad combination... everyone knows you come out of a slump by going back to the basics. Go to the net hard, use the boards, make easy plays, always have a third man high, work as hard as you can, FINISH EVERY HIT... and ya, they got out of their slump. Woke us up pretty fast too. Only 2 days before we found out that the Beker cup, for all the hype, was only a moment...
Do I consider it Complete letdown? No way!! Winning is fun, if you keep it in perspective. Just don't base your life around it or anything...
...Cause if it is your life... and you lose... it's crushing... but as time heals the pain at least you still have something to strive for next time; But if you win... then you're stuck. The veil gets torn... and on the other side?... some great secret to give your life meaning?... never... cause you can't find meaning from a day? or 2 hours? or 10 seconds... In 'Chariots of Fire' Abrahams trained his entire life to win gold in the Olympics. All he has is 10 seconds to justify his entire life...
... The only good thing winning might bring you is that just for a moment you get to bring your head out of the sand and look around for what's really important. Because what you thought was important (winning) is no longer and now you have to discover something real... some meaning for your life before you dive back in to your work once more... So here's to hoping you found something lasting this time...
Do I consider it Complete letdown? No way!! Winning is fun, if you keep it in perspective. Just don't base your life around it or anything...
...Cause if it is your life... and you lose... it's crushing... but as time heals the pain at least you still have something to strive for next time; But if you win... then you're stuck. The veil gets torn... and on the other side?... some great secret to give your life meaning?... never... cause you can't find meaning from a day? or 2 hours? or 10 seconds... In 'Chariots of Fire' Abrahams trained his entire life to win gold in the Olympics. All he has is 10 seconds to justify his entire life...
... The only good thing winning might bring you is that just for a moment you get to bring your head out of the sand and look around for what's really important. Because what you thought was important (winning) is no longer and now you have to discover something real... some meaning for your life before you dive back in to your work once more... So here's to hoping you found something lasting this time...
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Rule #73: No excuses, Play like a champion
We've all been there. Sid the kid is there right now (and everyone except for the guy called up from the minors to replace him feels bad about it). It's when putting ice on your shoulder or stepping into a bucket of ice water actually feels good... It's the crash course you get into differences between vicodin, lortab, purcacet, codein, and advil... not necessarily in that order... It's the realization of how important even the most seemingly insignificant part of your body is now that it's hurt.
But the real question... are you hurt or are you injured? Are you only hurt meaning you can still play, OR are you injured meaning you can't? Are you playing hurt and therefore tough, OR are you not playing injured and therefore a wuss? Are you gonna play and be a team player, OR are you not gonna play and be selfish? And can you even know how bad you're hurt when you can't even see the injury in your groin, shoulder, ankle, or concussion.
It's such a fine line you walk between coming back too early (reinjury, overcompensation, ineffectiveness) and coming back too late (lost conditioning, lost hockey sense, lost chance to be scouted, and possibly lost spot on the team). And ya everyone plays hurt sometimes, but do it too much and (see Bobby Orr or Steve Yzerman) it's the end of your career. The list of players that had to hang up their skates because of an injury that never healed is long and very undistinguished (mostly).
Just the same though, 90% of the guys in the NHL are playing through some sort of sprain/muscle contusion/muscle pull/bone chip pain right now. And the other 10% are on the IR. But guess what? Excuses don't mean you can put an asterix beside a loss so it counts less. And second you can't show your hurt because the other team gets an edge. You have to win through anything. You have to get used to feeling pain and be comfortable with it. It comes along with being in the ECHL, AHL, or NHL and playing 80 games plus preseason and playoffs... Sometimes, in the lower leagues, you're playing 4 games in 5 days, or 6 in 7, or 9 in 12... It's such a grind, and the bad parts can be real bad. You really won't survive that long if you don't love what you're doing. Do I even have the right to speak for everyone or put myself in the same category as most of these players...? Probably not everyone.
But the real question... are you hurt or are you injured? Are you only hurt meaning you can still play, OR are you injured meaning you can't? Are you playing hurt and therefore tough, OR are you not playing injured and therefore a wuss? Are you gonna play and be a team player, OR are you not gonna play and be selfish? And can you even know how bad you're hurt when you can't even see the injury in your groin, shoulder, ankle, or concussion.
It's such a fine line you walk between coming back too early (reinjury, overcompensation, ineffectiveness) and coming back too late (lost conditioning, lost hockey sense, lost chance to be scouted, and possibly lost spot on the team). And ya everyone plays hurt sometimes, but do it too much and (see Bobby Orr or Steve Yzerman) it's the end of your career. The list of players that had to hang up their skates because of an injury that never healed is long and very undistinguished (mostly).
Just the same though, 90% of the guys in the NHL are playing through some sort of sprain/muscle contusion/muscle pull/bone chip pain right now. And the other 10% are on the IR. But guess what? Excuses don't mean you can put an asterix beside a loss so it counts less. And second you can't show your hurt because the other team gets an edge. You have to win through anything. You have to get used to feeling pain and be comfortable with it. It comes along with being in the ECHL, AHL, or NHL and playing 80 games plus preseason and playoffs... Sometimes, in the lower leagues, you're playing 4 games in 5 days, or 6 in 7, or 9 in 12... It's such a grind, and the bad parts can be real bad. You really won't survive that long if you don't love what you're doing. Do I even have the right to speak for everyone or put myself in the same category as most of these players...? Probably not everyone.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Beker Final
The Jari Kurri helmets began the mayhem. Or, I guess, the line of people waiting outside the rink since 2:30 drinking for a 7:30 game began the mayhem. But mayhem there was. Flags, banners, horns, air horns, bells, chants, flares... and it just didn't stop... If you watch soccer games on TV you'll know it never stops... You could barely hear yourself think out there. Half the stadium was Tilburg fans, the other half was Heerveen fans, and the whole game they battled. Everyone battled... Young and old... People don't really 'settle down' here when they get older... in fact, the older they get the crazier they get it seems. As you say... 'you're only as old as you feel.' Or as Jayz says... '40 is the new 20.'
http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-344558/
I'm not ashamed to say that the biggest reason for the win was our goalie. But I think we had more chances at the start and after we were up we sat back and tried to 'hold the fort'. We almost lost it in the end because of that. Sometimes things just work out that way. But not today...
http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/mediaplayer.aspx?object=news&id=93031&mode=videoWe were rock stars for all of 15 minutes with the 1000 or so Tilburg fans that waited outside the rink for us. The bar was free drinks all night long. A DJ was all set up. And everyone, which was awesome, knew the words to "We Are The Champions." So we started the night off on a great note. Old school Dutch music stole our thunder for the next 2 hours and brought everything back down to earth. But, a late night surge of "Grease: best hits" and some sweet dance moves like throw the dice, shopping cart, cowboy, and the bus driver took it right back over the top... Nothing better to do on a Wednesday night that's for sure. Not since the writer's strike at least.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Snippits..
Yesterday was my neighbor's kid's (Lieke's) 9th birthday. Kids mature so much faster these days than before. Like, she's 9 years old and she can already 'no longer' entertain herself without electronics - "Sniff. Baby girls all growns up." - and therefore: 'Barbie Horse Adventure' (Nintendo DS) was liked a lot better than my 'Party Time' board game gift.
Here is: shortly: things about Europe, Holland, and Tilburgers: Ha, 'burgers': that I learned from the party:
1) Soccer Hooligans: Every team has them: They are no longer allowed in the stadium. New rule: if you touch one foot on the grass you are suspended from soccer games for life. You have to get a soccer card proving who you are before they will sell you a ticket: Soccer cards are a big deal: Hooligans no longer meet in the stadium: Internet makes it easy to meet up: People have died in these fights before: Can't believe we don't have the same thing back in North America: shocked actually. I told them sometimes our parents are pretty crazy in little league games... but maybe because our violence is inherent in the sport it doesn't spill over to the fans... I don't know...
2) English Hooligans are the worst, or best depending who you're asking: If you watched the boxing match in Vegas between Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather you know what I'm talking about:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/12/10/soboxx410.xml
They love to drink and love to fight: They'll go in groups and attack anyone they feel like: Last world cup 1800 English were arrested: Last game in Eindoven was England vs Portugal: There were 3500 cops for 12000 English supporters: They had a fight in a bar and they shot tear gas grenades into it to calm them down: Cops billy clubbed everyone on their way out: Even unsuspecting old men just in the bar for a pint: England is out of the European cup this year and everyone is happy.
3) Naziism is getting big again: My Dad and I saw 150 guys all in a group in Amsterdam a while back doing a demonstration: By demonstration I mean being drunk, throwing beer bottles, and smashing things: The guys said most likely we saw Nazis: Shaved Heads: Blue jeans: White t-shirts: Black leather jackets: Black shoes with white feathers: They greet each other the same way the Nazis did back in WW2: It's coming back I guess all across Europe on account of the increase of immigrants: No such thing as a melting pot here: The immigrants either haven't been allowed or haven't wanted to fit in with the rest of society: Supposedly there's lots of immigrant gangs of 16-30 yr olds that have been denied jobs with nothing to do all day.
4) There are more bikes in Holland than people: Everyone rides: The grandparents where I was go on bike trips of 100 kms or more every now and then: Not unheard of to see a motor bike pull up, tinted visor and all, and take off their helmets off to reveal a grandma and grandpa. don't like your bike? In Amsterdam you just throw it into the canal: It takes a back-hoe to dredge up all the old bikes: Tonnes of 'em: 2 cars a week on average fall in as well.
5) Holland, Germany, and Denmark all have very similar languages all with the same root langauge: Can learn them quite easily in a matter of weeks if they move between them: But Germans can't pronounce the 'SCH-" sound in Dutch so that is how they tell the difference: School, Schuim, Schaap.
6) The reason why water costs money and there are no free refills on pop is cause drinks are the only way restaurants make money: They sell food at cost and make their money on drinks: $2 water: $2.50 non-refill sodas: $2 coffees in cups you could mistake for shot glasses.
7) Kids start learning English and French in grade 6: But usually know it because of cartoons and TV: So they can't write it, only speak it.
Here is: shortly: things about Europe, Holland, and Tilburgers: Ha, 'burgers': that I learned from the party:
1) Soccer Hooligans: Every team has them: They are no longer allowed in the stadium. New rule: if you touch one foot on the grass you are suspended from soccer games for life. You have to get a soccer card proving who you are before they will sell you a ticket: Soccer cards are a big deal: Hooligans no longer meet in the stadium: Internet makes it easy to meet up: People have died in these fights before: Can't believe we don't have the same thing back in North America: shocked actually. I told them sometimes our parents are pretty crazy in little league games... but maybe because our violence is inherent in the sport it doesn't spill over to the fans... I don't know...
2) English Hooligans are the worst, or best depending who you're asking: If you watched the boxing match in Vegas between Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather you know what I'm talking about:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/12/10/soboxx410.xml
They love to drink and love to fight: They'll go in groups and attack anyone they feel like: Last world cup 1800 English were arrested: Last game in Eindoven was England vs Portugal: There were 3500 cops for 12000 English supporters: They had a fight in a bar and they shot tear gas grenades into it to calm them down: Cops billy clubbed everyone on their way out: Even unsuspecting old men just in the bar for a pint: England is out of the European cup this year and everyone is happy.
3) Naziism is getting big again: My Dad and I saw 150 guys all in a group in Amsterdam a while back doing a demonstration: By demonstration I mean being drunk, throwing beer bottles, and smashing things: The guys said most likely we saw Nazis: Shaved Heads: Blue jeans: White t-shirts: Black leather jackets: Black shoes with white feathers: They greet each other the same way the Nazis did back in WW2: It's coming back I guess all across Europe on account of the increase of immigrants: No such thing as a melting pot here: The immigrants either haven't been allowed or haven't wanted to fit in with the rest of society: Supposedly there's lots of immigrant gangs of 16-30 yr olds that have been denied jobs with nothing to do all day.
4) There are more bikes in Holland than people: Everyone rides: The grandparents where I was go on bike trips of 100 kms or more every now and then: Not unheard of to see a motor bike pull up, tinted visor and all, and take off their helmets off to reveal a grandma and grandpa. don't like your bike? In Amsterdam you just throw it into the canal: It takes a back-hoe to dredge up all the old bikes: Tonnes of 'em: 2 cars a week on average fall in as well.
5) Holland, Germany, and Denmark all have very similar languages all with the same root langauge: Can learn them quite easily in a matter of weeks if they move between them: But Germans can't pronounce the 'SCH-" sound in Dutch so that is how they tell the difference: School, Schuim, Schaap.
6) The reason why water costs money and there are no free refills on pop is cause drinks are the only way restaurants make money: They sell food at cost and make their money on drinks: $2 water: $2.50 non-refill sodas: $2 coffees in cups you could mistake for shot glasses.
7) Kids start learning English and French in grade 6: But usually know it because of cartoons and TV: So they can't write it, only speak it.
Monday, January 14, 2008
TV Junkie... (Spoiler Alert)
I know the writer's strike might be taking its toll on you very shortly. No award shows, no sitcoms... no knowing if Jack's really gonna save the world this time... Most especially it'll really hurt college people or people that fake to work like hockey players or government employees. I've been known to miss a final exam review or two in college on account of a 24 marathon. Just lately Heroes again made me lose a few days... I rated the show about a 3; meaning it took me about 3 days to watch the entire season. 24 was a 2, Lost was a little under a 2, Season 2 of the OC was/is a sideways 8... PPS never ever watch it..
But coming from a conscious partaker I say Strike Schmike... You're really not missing anything... What possibly have you gained from all these shows?... Live in the real world for a change... Can we "know life in every breathe" by sitting on a couch all day?... What a waste... Is it too cliche to use the ultimate time-management quote that "you only live once unless you're a cat, Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, or a WOW character."?
... I can already tell you what's going to happen in the shows you're missing anyways... (Sorry writers strike but)... in the show you're watching, whatever thing that has to get resolved will finally get resolved... and then suddenly something happens that you simply have to figure out that won't get resolved until a few more episodes and by that time some more stuff's happened and somewhere in there Jack's probably killed somebody... Figer it out by now. You're an addict. At least you're into something tho right? At least you rule water cooler conversation right? At least you get to fake to have a real life by living through the characters on TV right? And at least you don't have to work or have real courage like is required in real life right?
And if you readers think you're so 'smart' and above all this cable TV crap (or possibly don't even have cable...) what do you think a book like Da Vinci code is/was? Had to read till that next clue was solved didn't you? Except, it at least sorta taught you things in the book as you went.. and by 'sorta taught' I meant that for every made up fact he included, there was one actual fact just to make you wonder... No worries, you're smart enough to tell the difference between fact and fiction right? Sure... quotes say things best in my opinion: "People are stupid... they believe what they want to believe or what they fear might be true."
But coming from a conscious partaker I say Strike Schmike... You're really not missing anything... What possibly have you gained from all these shows?... Live in the real world for a change... Can we "know life in every breathe" by sitting on a couch all day?... What a waste... Is it too cliche to use the ultimate time-management quote that "you only live once unless you're a cat, Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, or a WOW character."?
... I can already tell you what's going to happen in the shows you're missing anyways... (Sorry writers strike but)... in the show you're watching, whatever thing that has to get resolved will finally get resolved... and then suddenly something happens that you simply have to figure out that won't get resolved until a few more episodes and by that time some more stuff's happened and somewhere in there Jack's probably killed somebody... Figer it out by now. You're an addict. At least you're into something tho right? At least you rule water cooler conversation right? At least you get to fake to have a real life by living through the characters on TV right? And at least you don't have to work or have real courage like is required in real life right?
And if you readers think you're so 'smart' and above all this cable TV crap (or possibly don't even have cable...) what do you think a book like Da Vinci code is/was? Had to read till that next clue was solved didn't you? Except, it at least sorta taught you things in the book as you went.. and by 'sorta taught' I meant that for every made up fact he included, there was one actual fact just to make you wonder... No worries, you're smart enough to tell the difference between fact and fiction right? Sure... quotes say things best in my opinion: "People are stupid... they believe what they want to believe or what they fear might be true."
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Gametime...
So two things about tonights game....
First, remember in the all-star game a couple years ago when Mario Lemieux had a wide open net and hit the post. Then he gave it the old, umm, my bad, and a little pose with his hand all out in a shrug... Ya? maybe...? Well, before that he made one of the sickest plays I've ever seen. 3 on 2 and a guy passed to him in the slot, he fakes to shoot and lets the puck go through him to the wide guy who has a wide open net. The goalie being stuck way out of position because he had to play the shot that should have come from Mario. Problem is, Mario didn't even get an assist on the play cause he didn't touch the puck. He creates the goal and gets nothing for it except maybe a shout out from a few crazy/creepy hockey fans who may or may not have a crush on him and who remember the play... ummm... anyways, the same thing happened to me today in a play, no where near as sick or as planned, but just the same no assist for a goal that I possibly, maybe, sorta definitely helped create...
Second, for all the tourists that are in and out of Amsterdam you would think they would get better crowds of North Americans that want to pregame at a hockey game... A guy on the team, as he's walking out onto the ice makes the comment, "I guess it's dress like a seat night in Amsterdam..." To which all of our Dutch players look around completely lost. So then I give it the old, "Ya, there's a lot of fans dressed up as seats out there." To which they all started laughing. I'm so much funnier than other dude...
First, remember in the all-star game a couple years ago when Mario Lemieux had a wide open net and hit the post. Then he gave it the old, umm, my bad, and a little pose with his hand all out in a shrug... Ya? maybe...? Well, before that he made one of the sickest plays I've ever seen. 3 on 2 and a guy passed to him in the slot, he fakes to shoot and lets the puck go through him to the wide guy who has a wide open net. The goalie being stuck way out of position because he had to play the shot that should have come from Mario. Problem is, Mario didn't even get an assist on the play cause he didn't touch the puck. He creates the goal and gets nothing for it except maybe a shout out from a few crazy/creepy hockey fans who may or may not have a crush on him and who remember the play... ummm... anyways, the same thing happened to me today in a play, no where near as sick or as planned, but just the same no assist for a goal that I possibly, maybe, sorta definitely helped create...
Second, for all the tourists that are in and out of Amsterdam you would think they would get better crowds of North Americans that want to pregame at a hockey game... A guy on the team, as he's walking out onto the ice makes the comment, "I guess it's dress like a seat night in Amsterdam..." To which all of our Dutch players look around completely lost. So then I give it the old, "Ya, there's a lot of fans dressed up as seats out there." To which they all started laughing. I'm so much funnier than other dude...
We came... We saw... We Conquered...
This is late in coming, but it's us after rocking all the 50% off sales on boxing day...
Style tips for Europe: Scarves, tight jeans, boots, dress sneakers, collars, sweater vests, and snooty looks...
Friday, January 11, 2008
How to survive in Holland
- do not own a truck, for that matter do not own a vehicle larger than a medium sized shrubbery
- do not care about baseball, football, at most times hockey, or anything else American except MTV
- do not use splenda and try to pretend like you have never even heard about it
- do not care if public washrooms are coed
- do remember that they usually cost about 50 cents to use (even at Mcdonalds)
- do be curious about other possible differences washrooms have in Europe
- do not waste money on an expensive house, instead waste it on an expensive couch and on your bmw
- if you are going to drive a cab, you must own a bmw
- do buy a scarf of your favorite football(soccer) team
- do not ever call football soccer
- do not trust hockey teammates to teach you how to say common things in Dutch
- do remember that coffee shops in Holland are not actually for coffee
- workouts must be followed by a nice beer at the gyms bar
- your beer should be accompanied and followed by at least one, if not more than one cigarette
- do not worry about what you'll eat, as long as it's some sort of deep fried cheese product
- do not worry about where you'll live, if homeless a house will be provided
- do worry about what you'll wear and it better have a good name
- do have gel in your hair at all times
- do have beer as your drink of choice at restaurants since it is cheaper than water
- do remember there are no free refills on anything
- do have patience at a restaurant because servers don't get tips and it shows
- do not even bother tipping because servers split it with everyone in the restaurant anyways
- do remember that restaurants are less about the food and more about the company anyways
- do use your 3-4 times as many vacation days as Americans wisely
- do remember that Paris and London are both only 4 hours drive away
- do remember that anywhere in Europe is under $100 roundtrip airfare
- do not care about baseball, football, at most times hockey, or anything else American except MTV
- do not use splenda and try to pretend like you have never even heard about it
- do not care if public washrooms are coed
- do remember that they usually cost about 50 cents to use (even at Mcdonalds)
- do be curious about other possible differences washrooms have in Europe
- do not waste money on an expensive house, instead waste it on an expensive couch and on your bmw
- if you are going to drive a cab, you must own a bmw
- do buy a scarf of your favorite football(soccer) team
- do not ever call football soccer
- do not trust hockey teammates to teach you how to say common things in Dutch
- do remember that coffee shops in Holland are not actually for coffee
- workouts must be followed by a nice beer at the gyms bar
- your beer should be accompanied and followed by at least one, if not more than one cigarette
- do not worry about what you'll eat, as long as it's some sort of deep fried cheese product
- do not worry about where you'll live, if homeless a house will be provided
- do worry about what you'll wear and it better have a good name
- do have gel in your hair at all times
- do have beer as your drink of choice at restaurants since it is cheaper than water
- do remember there are no free refills on anything
- do have patience at a restaurant because servers don't get tips and it shows
- do not even bother tipping because servers split it with everyone in the restaurant anyways
- do remember that restaurants are less about the food and more about the company anyways
- do use your 3-4 times as many vacation days as Americans wisely
- do remember that Paris and London are both only 4 hours drive away
- do remember that anywhere in Europe is under $100 roundtrip airfare
Thursday, January 10, 2008
What's in a team?
You sacrifice for your team. You hurt your teammate hurts. You hurt someone on your own team you hurt yourself. Someone on your team succeeds the team succeeds. You're in trouble your teammate backs you up. Your teammate's in trouble you back them up.
My man Teddy Roosevelt thought that sports and athletics were designed to teach kids the skills they need in the real world. Just like the English before them (see war and rugby similarities). Ask yourself if that's how things really are right now? It's easy to see... All the different parts hold all the others up... one part falls away, or tries to take advantage, every other part is affected negatively, and in turn, so is the one for taking the advantage (or as we call it in hockey the cancer). You pull your own house down when you pull down your neighbor's.
Apply that thought to a friend of mine talking about their job in New York... "It's cutthroat, but hey, it's Wall Street..." Apply that to the fact that if the nation prints more money to finance say, a war, that money goes straight into already wealthy pockets at the same time making the poor people's money worth less. So all the people that might have the power to influence things see the war as a boon on their pockets and do nothing, while the rest of the country is in shambles.
My man Teddy Roosevelt thought that sports and athletics were designed to teach kids the skills they need in the real world. Just like the English before them (see war and rugby similarities). Ask yourself if that's how things really are right now? It's easy to see... All the different parts hold all the others up... one part falls away, or tries to take advantage, every other part is affected negatively, and in turn, so is the one for taking the advantage (or as we call it in hockey the cancer). You pull your own house down when you pull down your neighbor's.
Apply that thought to a friend of mine talking about their job in New York... "It's cutthroat, but hey, it's Wall Street..." Apply that to the fact that if the nation prints more money to finance say, a war, that money goes straight into already wealthy pockets at the same time making the poor people's money worth less. So all the people that might have the power to influence things see the war as a boon on their pockets and do nothing, while the rest of the country is in shambles.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Do not go down without a fight...
Rage, rage against the dying of the light...
The elevator in my apartments is probably big enough for 4 people and 2 dogs, literally. And when I stepped on the elevator last night there were already 2 people, young teenagers, and a dog on it. A bigger dog, maybe not full grown but definitely something along the lines of a retriever. The next floor down brought 1 more person, bigger guy, and 1 more dog. A little terrier like thing that was barking before the elevator door even opened... and as the elevator door closed everything broke loose. Serious fighting, cursing, pulling on leashes, trying to get in the way of the dogs... And so many things seemed surreal to me. First we have little teenagers with a big dog sizing up against a big guy with the smallest dog in the world. Second we have this little dog, probably a serious case of little dog syndrome, trying to attack this so much bigger dog. The little guy was completely outmatched. It would take all of 2 seconds for the bigger dog probably to kill the smaller one no problem. But this dog would not back down, not even for a second... even though this is one occasion where the whole "it's not the size of the dog in the fight..." idea does not work... and here I am stuck right in the middle of all of it...
"A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit."
...I have to respect the small dog... sticking up for itself... because, like wolverine on x-men, it has courage and rushes in to any fight... it's one of the greatest and hardest things you can do in life, to just stand up for yourself even if it means you're gonna get hurt. Something I fail to do all too often on the ice... and it ends up worse because I could stop things before they start.
... but I wonder if that dog didn't come into the elevator ready to scrap if a fight would have happened at all ...play to your strengths little dog... and your strengths are not picking a fight with a dog 3 times your size... if I fight a big meathead in hockey I might prove my courage but I come no closer to winning the fight or the game... It's a dilemma, cause at some point you just have to forget the game and stand up for yourself... but where's that line?
The elevator in my apartments is probably big enough for 4 people and 2 dogs, literally. And when I stepped on the elevator last night there were already 2 people, young teenagers, and a dog on it. A bigger dog, maybe not full grown but definitely something along the lines of a retriever. The next floor down brought 1 more person, bigger guy, and 1 more dog. A little terrier like thing that was barking before the elevator door even opened... and as the elevator door closed everything broke loose. Serious fighting, cursing, pulling on leashes, trying to get in the way of the dogs... And so many things seemed surreal to me. First we have little teenagers with a big dog sizing up against a big guy with the smallest dog in the world. Second we have this little dog, probably a serious case of little dog syndrome, trying to attack this so much bigger dog. The little guy was completely outmatched. It would take all of 2 seconds for the bigger dog probably to kill the smaller one no problem. But this dog would not back down, not even for a second... even though this is one occasion where the whole "it's not the size of the dog in the fight..." idea does not work... and here I am stuck right in the middle of all of it...
"A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit."
...I have to respect the small dog... sticking up for itself... because, like wolverine on x-men, it has courage and rushes in to any fight... it's one of the greatest and hardest things you can do in life, to just stand up for yourself even if it means you're gonna get hurt. Something I fail to do all too often on the ice... and it ends up worse because I could stop things before they start.
... but I wonder if that dog didn't come into the elevator ready to scrap if a fight would have happened at all ...play to your strengths little dog... and your strengths are not picking a fight with a dog 3 times your size... if I fight a big meathead in hockey I might prove my courage but I come no closer to winning the fight or the game... It's a dilemma, cause at some point you just have to forget the game and stand up for yourself... but where's that line?
If you don't take time then how do you have time?
So what do you do with your time anyways..?
- watch movies.. joox... alluc
- read
- email, phone, go on facebook, do a blog
- study for LSATs
- darts
- work out , stretch
- write
- play hockey
- travel
- eat
- sleep
- go out
A lot of the time I epitomize my own thesis that athletes and sports are almost completely worthless in society. In ancient Rome the peoples demand for entertainment and complete disregard for reality was one of the reasons for its fall. And are we so far away from that right now? Why do we care about an undefeated football team? (see global warming, genocide, poverty, war, terrorism, homelessness, pollution, etc.) There's a story about a guy that fell from an airplane without a parachute. The whole way down he kept telling himself, "so far so good, so far so good..." Sometimes I think that's what I see around myself right now in the world. Everyone hoping things will be good, not seeing the warning signs, and especially not doing anything about it and just wanting to enjoy themselves. And frankly I'm at the top of that list right now... Almost every day I wrestle with the fact that I should be somewhere else doing something so much more important. And the only reason I stay here is because I feel like right now, maybe?, I'm supposed to be here, and second I need some money to pay for law school.
- watch movies.. joox... alluc
- read
- email, phone, go on facebook, do a blog
- study for LSATs
- darts
- work out , stretch
- write
- play hockey
- travel
- eat
- sleep
- go out
A lot of the time I epitomize my own thesis that athletes and sports are almost completely worthless in society. In ancient Rome the peoples demand for entertainment and complete disregard for reality was one of the reasons for its fall. And are we so far away from that right now? Why do we care about an undefeated football team? (see global warming, genocide, poverty, war, terrorism, homelessness, pollution, etc.) There's a story about a guy that fell from an airplane without a parachute. The whole way down he kept telling himself, "so far so good, so far so good..." Sometimes I think that's what I see around myself right now in the world. Everyone hoping things will be good, not seeing the warning signs, and especially not doing anything about it and just wanting to enjoy themselves. And frankly I'm at the top of that list right now... Almost every day I wrestle with the fact that I should be somewhere else doing something so much more important. And the only reason I stay here is because I feel like right now, maybe?, I'm supposed to be here, and second I need some money to pay for law school.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Science of The Pregame
In my opinion, here is what counts... taking a page from all the best stuff I've seen over the years...
- Rest or suffer a thousand little injuries.
Rest started out non-existent and I just showed up to the game. College saw me taking an afternoon 2-3 hour nap before the game. In pro I realized that a) I'm wasting way too much of my time on these naps and b) the players that don't sleep in the afternoons perform just as good, sometimes better for it. I've gotten no sleep the night before and played great, or 12 hours the night before and played terrible. Doesn't matter - so now I try to average out good rest over the week and get a 10-15 minute power nap before the game and a cup of coffee at the rink.
- Eat food or lose 20 lbs in the season.
Pro has seen a lot of changes because this is one thing you simply cannot neglect if you want to play day in day out. I go pasta and chicken or fish the night before, snack all the next day (cereal, omelet, fruit) with a smaller pasta and chicken meal 4-5 hours before the game and a multi-vitamin because somehow it seems to work best then. 2 hours before is a protein bar, and after the game is usually a protein shake to replenish whatever I lost. And the next morning is also alot of fruit and water to get rid of all the bad acids stored up from the game. Throw in a couple of Mcdonald's cheeseburgers and fries in there every once in a while to make up for the salt and fat you burned off in the games and you're all set.
- Exercise or lose every battle in the corner.
It only really began in college and began with us working out like football players. Bad back and a bad shoulder later and my thoughts changed. Intensity is the new black for me in workouts. Treat every workout or practice like you're going into a game and it's no longer hard to get up to play games. It's just habit. So workouts are short, intense, very hard and try to mimic as much as possible the actual things I do in my sport. And it's the same warmup for both practices and game... 30 minutes before either a practice or a game I'll do a 15 minute warmup and then get dressed.
- Stretch every day. Flexibility is the difference between being in the right spot for a goal or falling over because your body can't move the way you want it to.
- Nothing, nothing, nothing makes up for actually playing your sport.
So keep that in mind before you turn all Reggie Bush on everyone and do crazy stuff that you'll never actually see in a game ever. And coaches take this to heart and actually make drills to mimic things the players will actually do in a game... no more full-ice horseshoes already.
- The only real difference between guys that make it and guys that don't is their mental game.
Think "Hockey Tought" by Saul Miller. How you keep confidence through hardship, injury, or scoring drought; how you react to situations in the game; how prepared and focused you can be every second your feet touch the ice; and most importantly how badly you want to win (or hate to lose). I won't even try to explain the whole thing, you'll just have to read the book. But I will say that you should go over situations that you'll face in a game until you almost unconsciously know how to react to them. And yes, one of the most important is training yourself to react well in a scoring chance so you don't panic or get too excited and screw it up. And lastly, involve some sort of physical action in your visualization to make a strong connection between thought and aggressive action.
- And you have to, have to, have to get out and do things a couple times a week just to let off steam and to be in the world. To realize that sports isn't all there is in life, and to forget, for a second, the rink and everything that goes along with it.
- Rest or suffer a thousand little injuries.
Rest started out non-existent and I just showed up to the game. College saw me taking an afternoon 2-3 hour nap before the game. In pro I realized that a) I'm wasting way too much of my time on these naps and b) the players that don't sleep in the afternoons perform just as good, sometimes better for it. I've gotten no sleep the night before and played great, or 12 hours the night before and played terrible. Doesn't matter - so now I try to average out good rest over the week and get a 10-15 minute power nap before the game and a cup of coffee at the rink.
- Eat food or lose 20 lbs in the season.
Pro has seen a lot of changes because this is one thing you simply cannot neglect if you want to play day in day out. I go pasta and chicken or fish the night before, snack all the next day (cereal, omelet, fruit) with a smaller pasta and chicken meal 4-5 hours before the game and a multi-vitamin because somehow it seems to work best then. 2 hours before is a protein bar, and after the game is usually a protein shake to replenish whatever I lost. And the next morning is also alot of fruit and water to get rid of all the bad acids stored up from the game. Throw in a couple of Mcdonald's cheeseburgers and fries in there every once in a while to make up for the salt and fat you burned off in the games and you're all set.
- Exercise or lose every battle in the corner.
It only really began in college and began with us working out like football players. Bad back and a bad shoulder later and my thoughts changed. Intensity is the new black for me in workouts. Treat every workout or practice like you're going into a game and it's no longer hard to get up to play games. It's just habit. So workouts are short, intense, very hard and try to mimic as much as possible the actual things I do in my sport. And it's the same warmup for both practices and game... 30 minutes before either a practice or a game I'll do a 15 minute warmup and then get dressed.
- Stretch every day. Flexibility is the difference between being in the right spot for a goal or falling over because your body can't move the way you want it to.
- Nothing, nothing, nothing makes up for actually playing your sport.
So keep that in mind before you turn all Reggie Bush on everyone and do crazy stuff that you'll never actually see in a game ever. And coaches take this to heart and actually make drills to mimic things the players will actually do in a game... no more full-ice horseshoes already.
- The only real difference between guys that make it and guys that don't is their mental game.
Think "Hockey Tought" by Saul Miller. How you keep confidence through hardship, injury, or scoring drought; how you react to situations in the game; how prepared and focused you can be every second your feet touch the ice; and most importantly how badly you want to win (or hate to lose). I won't even try to explain the whole thing, you'll just have to read the book. But I will say that you should go over situations that you'll face in a game until you almost unconsciously know how to react to them. And yes, one of the most important is training yourself to react well in a scoring chance so you don't panic or get too excited and screw it up. And lastly, involve some sort of physical action in your visualization to make a strong connection between thought and aggressive action.
- And you have to, have to, have to get out and do things a couple times a week just to let off steam and to be in the world. To realize that sports isn't all there is in life, and to forget, for a second, the rink and everything that goes along with it.
Monday, January 7, 2008
You Make the Laws for a nation, I'll Write the Songs...
...And I'll direct its future..
These are the best songs on my pregame...
Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace
Move Along - All-American Rejects
Bleed it Out - Linkin Park
Tears Don't Fall - Bullet For My Valentine
All My Life - Foo Fighters
The Ghost of Tom Joad - Rage Against the Machine
Never Again - Nickelback
Staring at the Sun - Offspring
Life is Beautiful - Sixx AM
Joker and the Thief - Wolfmother
These are my favorite lines in songs that I've heard lately...
"And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know. "
"Do you ever question your life? Do you ever wonder why? Do you ever see in your dreams, the castles in the sky?"
"I’m more afraid of living than I am scared to die. I’m more afraid of falling than I am of flying high. Every moral has a story. Every story has an end. Every Battle has its glory… and it’s consequence."
"Oh take your time, don’t live too fast. Troubles will come, and they will pass."
"I’ll leave my heart wide open. I will love and have no fear."
"Wherever you see a cop beating a guy, wherever hungry newborn baby cries, where there’s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air, look for me ma, I’ll be there… wherever somebody’s struggling for a place to stand, for a decent job or a helping hand, wherever somebody’s struggling to be free, look in there eyes ma, you’ll see me "
"Lights go down, you start, the trouble is your head can’t rule your heart, a feeling so much stronger than a thought, your eyes are wide and though your soul, it can’t, be bought, your eyes can wonder."
"Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own"
"Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while. Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Are you going to drop the bomb tonight?"
"And even when your hope is gone move along, move along just to make it through. "
"Some are like water, some are like the heat. Some are the melody and some are the beat."
"... Well she tied you to her kitchen chair,she broke your throne and she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew your hallelujah..."
"... Well remember when I moved in you, and the holy Ghost was moving too. And every breathe we drew was hallelujah..."
"... It's not a cry that your hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah..."
These are the Best Movies You've Probably Not Seen, but also that will never win an Oscar...
Let's Go To Prison (2006)
Green Street Hooligans (2005)
Casablanca (1942)
Smokin Aces (2006)
Boiler Room (2000)
Out of Sight (1998)
These are the Worst Movies you've probably never seen...
Howard the Duck (1986)
Super Mario Brothers (1993)
X-men 3 (2006)
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
These are the best songs on my pregame...
Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace
Move Along - All-American Rejects
Bleed it Out - Linkin Park
Tears Don't Fall - Bullet For My Valentine
All My Life - Foo Fighters
The Ghost of Tom Joad - Rage Against the Machine
Never Again - Nickelback
Staring at the Sun - Offspring
Life is Beautiful - Sixx AM
Joker and the Thief - Wolfmother
These are my favorite lines in songs that I've heard lately...
"And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know. "
"Do you ever question your life? Do you ever wonder why? Do you ever see in your dreams, the castles in the sky?"
"I’m more afraid of living than I am scared to die. I’m more afraid of falling than I am of flying high. Every moral has a story. Every story has an end. Every Battle has its glory… and it’s consequence."
"Oh take your time, don’t live too fast. Troubles will come, and they will pass."
"I’ll leave my heart wide open. I will love and have no fear."
"Wherever you see a cop beating a guy, wherever hungry newborn baby cries, where there’s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air, look for me ma, I’ll be there… wherever somebody’s struggling for a place to stand, for a decent job or a helping hand, wherever somebody’s struggling to be free, look in there eyes ma, you’ll see me "
"Lights go down, you start, the trouble is your head can’t rule your heart, a feeling so much stronger than a thought, your eyes are wide and though your soul, it can’t, be bought, your eyes can wonder."
"Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own"
"Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while. Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Are you going to drop the bomb tonight?"
"And even when your hope is gone move along, move along just to make it through. "
"Some are like water, some are like the heat. Some are the melody and some are the beat."
"... Well she tied you to her kitchen chair,she broke your throne and she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew your hallelujah..."
"... Well remember when I moved in you, and the holy Ghost was moving too. And every breathe we drew was hallelujah..."
"... It's not a cry that your hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah..."
These are the Best Movies You've Probably Not Seen, but also that will never win an Oscar...
Let's Go To Prison (2006)
Green Street Hooligans (2005)
Casablanca (1942)
Smokin Aces (2006)
Boiler Room (2000)
Out of Sight (1998)
These are the Worst Movies you've probably never seen...
Howard the Duck (1986)
Super Mario Brothers (1993)
X-men 3 (2006)
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Athlete
Athletes are selfish...
And the reason they're selfish is because most of their time is spent working on, and thinking about, themselves. You control everything. You get the same amount of sleep, you watch everything you eat (I knew a player that stopped eating desserts the day after he got drafted), you constantly go over every part of your body and work on it to get it stronger or more flexible, you constantly think about how you could play better or do mental imagery to prepare yourself for things you'll face in a game. You "Control what you can control."
Or not...
The athlete is just as much a happy go lucky party like a rockstar kinda player. You're living everyones dream job, you have money, and you never know when the ride's gonna be over, so you have to enjoy it while you're on it. "Live while the pulse of life is strong. Life is a tenuous thing... fragile, fleeting. Don't wait for tomorrow. Be here now." Because as my good friend once told me, "Brendan, If you can't play guilty you can't play hockey."
SO the athlete himself is not so easy to pin down. There is no real magic formula. Sure the athlete dedicates most of their life to themselves, but a lot of the time it isn't so cut and dry goodie 2shoes keep your head down work hard athlete. There are all types... From the guys that parties the night before games to guys that never drinks a drop ever. From guys that worked out every day to guys that never touched a weight in their life. From guys that never shut up on game days to guys that would never talk on game days. From guys that spent hours getting ready for games to guys that did nothing but take (or snort) a couple of sudafeds and step onto the ice. Guys that didn't think about hockey in the summers to guys that spent hours a day working on the smallest things. Guys that put every part of their equipment on in a certain order, or wouldn't let anyone walk in their area (designated by a line of tape around it), or went to the rink the same way each day, or would only lay their gloves palms up, or would put on new tape on their stick every period, or liked wet equipment, or liked dry equipment, or always dressed in the same place, or always stood in the same place for the anthem
... and never, ever, ever do you let your jersey touch the floor.
And the reason they're selfish is because most of their time is spent working on, and thinking about, themselves. You control everything. You get the same amount of sleep, you watch everything you eat (I knew a player that stopped eating desserts the day after he got drafted), you constantly go over every part of your body and work on it to get it stronger or more flexible, you constantly think about how you could play better or do mental imagery to prepare yourself for things you'll face in a game. You "Control what you can control."
Or not...
The athlete is just as much a happy go lucky party like a rockstar kinda player. You're living everyones dream job, you have money, and you never know when the ride's gonna be over, so you have to enjoy it while you're on it. "Live while the pulse of life is strong. Life is a tenuous thing... fragile, fleeting. Don't wait for tomorrow. Be here now." Because as my good friend once told me, "Brendan, If you can't play guilty you can't play hockey."
SO the athlete himself is not so easy to pin down. There is no real magic formula. Sure the athlete dedicates most of their life to themselves, but a lot of the time it isn't so cut and dry goodie 2shoes keep your head down work hard athlete. There are all types... From the guys that parties the night before games to guys that never drinks a drop ever. From guys that worked out every day to guys that never touched a weight in their life. From guys that never shut up on game days to guys that would never talk on game days. From guys that spent hours getting ready for games to guys that did nothing but take (or snort) a couple of sudafeds and step onto the ice. Guys that didn't think about hockey in the summers to guys that spent hours a day working on the smallest things. Guys that put every part of their equipment on in a certain order, or wouldn't let anyone walk in their area (designated by a line of tape around it), or went to the rink the same way each day, or would only lay their gloves palms up, or would put on new tape on their stick every period, or liked wet equipment, or liked dry equipment, or always dressed in the same place, or always stood in the same place for the anthem
... and never, ever, ever do you let your jersey touch the floor.
Friday, January 4, 2008
It's All About the Benjamins
I decided if this title was to work, that I had to at least find 3 Benjamins that have something important to add to this world.
Benjamin: "Son of the South" "Son of my right hand"
1) The philosopher: Andy Warhol is the featured artist at the Contemporary Art Museum of Amsterdam. The same Andy Warhol that first had the idea that everyone will have 15 minutes of fame (which culminated in Grant's famous ideal mate of knight to F4). Amsterdam is also the home of the Van Gogh museum and the Riechs museum. The difference between these three museums is the subject of the first Benjamin. Walter Benjamin: who wrote that "In the absence of any traditional, ritualistic value, art in the age of mechanical reproduction would inherently be based on the practice of politics." Laymen's terms: art is a tool. Past artists only wanted you to view the art and appreciate it. They wanted to point you to some perfect vision of the world. The idea was that if everyone simply did what they wanted that somehow God would make everything work out for everyone's best. Everything was working out for good on its own... People no longer believe the world is perfect, and that in order to make the world better we actually have to do something about it. The modern artists make you react to their art, they demand something from you. They push you in a direction and put a gun in your hand and tell you to fight the injustice and poverty in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Work_of_Art_in_the_Age_of_Mechanical_Reproduction
2) The writer: Benjamin #2 is a political blogger, Benjamin Barber. His title today, "Bush is a Liar..." leads me to suspect that he is a Democrat. But the second part of his title "... but Intelligence is an Illusion" tells me that even being a Democrat he has kept some sort of good sense. He somehow links back to the first Benjamin because he approaches writing from the same belief as the modern artists... that you have to actually make the effort to change something. As Andy Warhol said, "They always saytime changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
http://blog.civworld.org/?p=43
3) The doer (Talking about it is so easy): "Be the change you want to see in the world" was definitely not a quote from this next guy, but this is a guy that lived it. "How you spend your days is how you live your life" was also not a quote from him, but it follows from the first quote. You want to do something with your life? Start doing it in your days... And the start of all of this is where Benjamin comes in. Benjamin Franklin. Habits. 90% of life is unconscious habit. You want to change yourself, you want to change the world around you? develop good habits. You want to score 50 goals in hockey this season? Develop a habit to shoot the puck, to be in front of the net and jump to every rebound after the shot. Coach's always say go with your first instinct cause it's usually right, I say only after you've learned and practiced the right way until it is an unconscious habit. You believe that your conscience magically tells you the right thing to do no matter what? The way I've heard it said though is that your conscience tells you only what you've already told it. How you act or not act is how you choose your life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
Benjamin: "Son of the South" "Son of my right hand"
1) The philosopher: Andy Warhol is the featured artist at the Contemporary Art Museum of Amsterdam. The same Andy Warhol that first had the idea that everyone will have 15 minutes of fame (which culminated in Grant's famous ideal mate of knight to F4). Amsterdam is also the home of the Van Gogh museum and the Riechs museum. The difference between these three museums is the subject of the first Benjamin. Walter Benjamin: who wrote that "In the absence of any traditional, ritualistic value, art in the age of mechanical reproduction would inherently be based on the practice of politics." Laymen's terms: art is a tool. Past artists only wanted you to view the art and appreciate it. They wanted to point you to some perfect vision of the world. The idea was that if everyone simply did what they wanted that somehow God would make everything work out for everyone's best. Everything was working out for good on its own... People no longer believe the world is perfect, and that in order to make the world better we actually have to do something about it. The modern artists make you react to their art, they demand something from you. They push you in a direction and put a gun in your hand and tell you to fight the injustice and poverty in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Work_of_Art_in_the_Age_of_Mechanical_Reproduction
2) The writer: Benjamin #2 is a political blogger, Benjamin Barber. His title today, "Bush is a Liar..." leads me to suspect that he is a Democrat. But the second part of his title "... but Intelligence is an Illusion" tells me that even being a Democrat he has kept some sort of good sense. He somehow links back to the first Benjamin because he approaches writing from the same belief as the modern artists... that you have to actually make the effort to change something. As Andy Warhol said, "They always saytime changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
http://blog.civworld.org/?p=43
3) The doer (Talking about it is so easy): "Be the change you want to see in the world" was definitely not a quote from this next guy, but this is a guy that lived it. "How you spend your days is how you live your life" was also not a quote from him, but it follows from the first quote. You want to do something with your life? Start doing it in your days... And the start of all of this is where Benjamin comes in. Benjamin Franklin. Habits. 90% of life is unconscious habit. You want to change yourself, you want to change the world around you? develop good habits. You want to score 50 goals in hockey this season? Develop a habit to shoot the puck, to be in front of the net and jump to every rebound after the shot. Coach's always say go with your first instinct cause it's usually right, I say only after you've learned and practiced the right way until it is an unconscious habit. You believe that your conscience magically tells you the right thing to do no matter what? The way I've heard it said though is that your conscience tells you only what you've already told it. How you act or not act is how you choose your life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Random Thoughts...
I have a major problem with University... school in general for that matter. Theory is... If you jump through all the hoops, if you work really hard, if you do everything you're told, if you repeat back everything your teacher has told you (but not word for word because that would be plagarism), you graduate. Congratulations you are now another brick in the wall. What about the skills of self motivation (aka. the ability to work hard without being told to) creativity (aka. to make something new) or the word that is in a tie with another word, 'freedom', for being the most misused word in the english language, individuality (aka. to think for yourself). In fact, your whole life has been about following the instructions of parents, teachers, and coaches. And nothing against any of them because they all truly want the best for you, but the result is still the same no matter what the intentions. Graduates are (for the most part) brought up and trained not to ask questions, not to think for themself, and to work hard for somebody else.
Universities kill the child in people. The one that is curious about things. The one that asks 40,000 questions before they ever even get to kindergarten. The one that took chances. The one that rode, and didn't care about the fall. The one that got an F on his freshman year philosophy paper because he didn't repeat exactly what he was told to say in class. The one that died Junior year English:Early 20th Century British Novelists class when he no longer cared about learning or challenging himself and just cared about passing...
"Children are all born great poets, musicians, writers and philosophers... they are all born gifted... the trick is not to let the world take that gift away from you."
Everyone gets hurt, fine, its a part of maturing... everyone fails... will it kill you or make you stronger? Maybe all the hurt will make you lose everything you once had... You make a pact to yourself never to be open, or vulnerable, or curious, or creative, or an individual, or carefree, or hopeful, or whatever it was because of it... but "dying is always easy; living, now that is the trick"... the trick is to somehow get it back... especially if it's your creativity before you bring your lack of it to Hollywood and use it to make a movie like X-Men 3.
JC knew what he was talking about when he said;
"Unless you are like one of these (children), you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
I think the same rules apply down here as well. Forget for a second that children are AS selfish, unbending, incredibly self-seeking, and ridiculously self-centered AS people that have lived on their own for too long. And remember that they are still curious, creative, shameless individuals that try to experience life, and most especially, they enjoy even the smallest things...
So now you have the chance to get the best of both worlds. The selflessness that comes with maturing as other people take you out of yourself. And all the best parts of who you used to be, if you can ever get it back again...
So how do you get it back?
I think you know for yourself at least...
Universities kill the child in people. The one that is curious about things. The one that asks 40,000 questions before they ever even get to kindergarten. The one that took chances. The one that rode, and didn't care about the fall. The one that got an F on his freshman year philosophy paper because he didn't repeat exactly what he was told to say in class. The one that died Junior year English:Early 20th Century British Novelists class when he no longer cared about learning or challenging himself and just cared about passing...
"Children are all born great poets, musicians, writers and philosophers... they are all born gifted... the trick is not to let the world take that gift away from you."
Everyone gets hurt, fine, its a part of maturing... everyone fails... will it kill you or make you stronger? Maybe all the hurt will make you lose everything you once had... You make a pact to yourself never to be open, or vulnerable, or curious, or creative, or an individual, or carefree, or hopeful, or whatever it was because of it... but "dying is always easy; living, now that is the trick"... the trick is to somehow get it back... especially if it's your creativity before you bring your lack of it to Hollywood and use it to make a movie like X-Men 3.
JC knew what he was talking about when he said;
"Unless you are like one of these (children), you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
I think the same rules apply down here as well. Forget for a second that children are AS selfish, unbending, incredibly self-seeking, and ridiculously self-centered AS people that have lived on their own for too long. And remember that they are still curious, creative, shameless individuals that try to experience life, and most especially, they enjoy even the smallest things...
So now you have the chance to get the best of both worlds. The selflessness that comes with maturing as other people take you out of yourself. And all the best parts of who you used to be, if you can ever get it back again...
So how do you get it back?
I think you know for yourself at least...
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