Canucks Nation

I think it's fortuitous that I'm off this week. Ironic that it still took me over twenty four hours to pull my ass off of the sofa with a thought long enough to poke at some keys and make this post, but meh, I need the break from the physical grind of slavery otherwise known as work. Fortuitous in the sense that when I'm at work, for convenience sake, I have sandwiches with deli meat. Gods, when will they ever devise a microwave for a five-ton so I can reheat my meals dammit! Still, for us 'deli meat' eaters, we've had to deal with this. Mmmm. Sweet Listeria monocytogenes. Well, I can handle pasta all week. Even with crappy store bought sauce.

The initial plan was to be away. Then $1.50 per litre happened. Not really feasible with my not-so reliable car. Bah. And with a potentially very rainy week, the idiot box is the main source of entertainment. But in all reality, I hate television in the summer. Everything's a repeat (not that the vast majority of programs are shit). And if it weren't for the Olympics, the only sporting fare for most of the summer is Baseball. I used to be more passionate about Baseball. Now I just follow the standings until September, and then start watching, so long as it doesn't interfere with anything else. But to watch a regular season game now is the equivalent for me to watching Darts or Competitive Snooker.

But we did have the Olympics. Just finished in time for it to NOT be on for the week off. Rather, in terms of the Olympics, I got to hear Jim Rome slam the Canadian Olympians for having an 0 for in the first week of Olympic competition. How we're the embarassment of the G8 by being the only nation uncompetitive in the games. It was good to see the local personalities on Team 1040 comment back and stick up for the Great White North. Though with the call ins, the defense of our great nation turned into a dick fight about how to fix the problem.

And it's the solutions the proletariat come up with that start to identify the problem. People will call in constantly and call for more money. We just need to pump more money into better facilities and the problem will just go away. And in that answer, the problem is inherent. We just don't care. Put it in perspective. An Olympic champion just doesn't all of a sudden wake up at age 18 and say 'I want to be a 100m track champion.' Those who succeed start young. Very young. Building a world class facility does not make up for that 13 year gap.

And to boot, let's look at this. To be a runner, does one really need that world class facility? We have roads. We have tracks at schools. Weight machines all over. To be a swimmer, can't we start in our local pools? Other athletics? Football? Diving? Cycling? Obviously what is missing here is passion and leadership, not facility. We need to give a shit about more than just hockey. Fuck me, do we ever care about hockey. The attitude is right there. Gold or bust. It is a slam against our national character if we can't beat every other country at the game WE made. We need to care. We need a system that grooms athletes for other sports at an earlier age.

Still, having said that, we got 18 medals, finishing 19th by Gold medal count, and tied for 14th by overall medal count. As a whole, our best showing since 1996. And if you look at it this way, if we did as well in the first week of competition, we'd have shown 36 medals, for 8th place overall in medal count. What was really funny though was Rome just happened to be on vacation the week Canada did well. Coincidence?

Still, all of this gave us something to talk about for two weeks. For the six weeks prior to it, all we heard was Sundin, Sundin, Sundin. Where will he go? The 'Nucks offered $20 million for two seasons, which he balked at. Nearly two months later, and nothing. The latest rumour is that the New York Rangers are the front runner, though they can't offer him even close to Vancouver's money.

But the Rangers effectively lost Jagr to get Naslund. Gave up a two cup captain for a zero cup captain. If this is Mats' team of choice, I wonder. Wonder if he's going there to win a cup. Avery-less, I don't see the Rangers doing much more than making the playoffs, as the roads will this year once again in the east probably will go through Montreal and Pittsburgh. Has Mats played for the Leafs long enough to suffer permanent brain damage?

Or have Canuck fans, some of whom still believe Mats is coming here, believe a Leaf will not only come here, but will take a mediocre at best Canucks squad and lead them to the promised land? Here's a hint. No matter what Mats decides, come April '09, his hockey desires will take a back seat to hitting the links, whether or not his team of choice is in the post season.

Leaf Damage, or Maple Leaf listeriosis, you decide.

Interdum vos ut volvo ferrus six.

The Mats Sundin saga may well be coming to an end but the waiting game has left a bad taste for Vancouver hockey fans.

Although the fans seem to have come to the realization that Sundin is not the bad guy here. Sundin is simply a guy who plays the game at such an elite level that to fade away into mediocrity would be public humiliation. The ten million dollars Canucks GM Mike Gillis threw at Sundin seems to have little influence on Mats final decision and other than the odd comment from JP Barry (who would no doubt love to see his client sign for the most money) all has been quiet on the Sundin front. Realizing that if money were the issue or even a major issue Sundin would have most likely signed on July 1st Canucks GM Mike Gillis has limited his options by letting other UFA's skate by. Not resigning recently rehabilitated Canucks vet Brendan Morrison as insurance could seemingly prove a costly decision unless of course Gillis has more foresight than the average fan.

It was clear that the Canucks GM had intentions to go after Sens forward Antoine Vermette and Red Wings speedster Valtteri Filppula but was unable to land either. It is hopeful that Gillis patient genius will make the lost possibilities of Jokinen, Cammalleri, Rolston, Jason Williams, Cory Stillman and others into an afterthought. Minus Sundin the crop of centers this summer was not fantastic and making such an exhilarating pitch at the gold star of the bunch is admirable from the view point of a Canucks fan, patience however seems not to be. Watching other teams, specifically the Edmonton Oilers, improve so much while the Canucks struggled to keep up has left the fans uneasy. With all of this being said, when you pull back from the noise and take a calculated look at this years Canucks I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

This is now a team capable of rolling 3 pretty sturdy lines.

A first line of Sedin - Sedin - Bernier is an improvement on last year if only for the muscle and right handed shot Bernier provides along with a more experienced set of twins. A second line of Demitra Wellwood and Pyatt may seem out of sorts on paper but if Wellwood ups his commitment to the game his point total should notably increase over his years in Toronto. The third line is possibly the most threatening on the team. Kesler came into his own the second half of last year and his speed and hockey sense have made him arguably the most dangerous player on the roster. Put him between the courageous and brilliant Alex Burrows and the speedy Mason Raymond and you may have the best third line in the entire NHL. A fourth line of Hordichuk, Johnson and Rypien is a line with speed, defensive smarts and toughness. Johnson may likely prove to be the Nucks best signing this offseason.

The same D core returns with a more experienced Alexander Edler and a healthy Kevin Bieksa. All in all, even as is the Canucks look like an improved team that have built smartly off of existing parts. As much of a smoke screen as the Sundin situation may be the Canucks are in a great position to improve on last year, especially with the foreseen expectation of one more key player before training camp. Though don't expect him to be named Mats.

Check out my new "THE BLOOM IS OFF" cartoon - about the CFL's BC Lions GM / Head Coach, Wally Buono, loosing patience with star running back Joe Smith - in the "StraightJAB" section.

Look for my next "StraightJAB" (#51 ) sports cartoon - about the NHL's Vancouver Canucks GM, Mike Gillis, waiting for Mats Sundin's decision to accept his contract offer - in the Georgia Straight this week.

Check out my new "RING IN THE GAMES" cartoon - about the opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing - in the "StraightJAB" section.

Look for my next "StraightJAB" (#50 ) sports cartoon - about the CFL's BC Lions GM / Head Coach, Wally Buono, loosing patience with star running back Joe Smith - in the Georgia Straight this week.

Where are you team Canada at the Beijing Olympics?

I am very surprised and sad to see that team Canada has not won any medal yet.  I am not even talking about a "Gold" medal.  Not a silver, not a bronze medal. Any medal!  Togo has a medal. Belarus has won two. Even Georgia has won three medal despite the war with Russia.  North Korea has earned seven medal so far.  Korea has won 16 medals (Hip Hip Hooray!!)  Our neighbors to the south won 34 medals for the US and a medal for Mexico and Reporters starting to get a bit worried that the entire Canadian team would won fewer medal than US swimmer Michael Phelps.

Team Canada won 12 medals in Athens.  Not this time, yet.   Team Canada have qualified for eight finals in Beijing so far, more than double their total at the 2004 Athens Games. Canadian Atheltes have broken 21 national records and set 28 personal bests, numbers skewed by the fact they are wearing the new, high-tech racing suits. But NO medal yet.

Why?  What going on? Are athletes cursed? Is it because all the efforts and cheers went to winter sports or winter Olympic? Were Canadian Atheltes funded at all?  

Olympics motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius," or "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". And there's no argue on the Olympics Oath that  

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

BUT Olympics is an international sports events.  Every citizens around the world would be happy to see their national athletes on podium and to hear their national anthem while the national flags on the pole.  I want to see the "Maple Leaf" and to hear" O Canada" 

For whatever reasons, team Canada perfomance are as bad as Beijing's air quality, so far.

Cheer up team Canada.!

Pics are from here

<UPDATE>  And now, team Canada actually have far more medal than Togo , Belarus, Georgia, or North Korea ranked at 13th for total medals count or at 17th with Gold count as of Today, Aug 19th.  Good work team Canada!!

Lets get right to it.

This passed me by yesterday, but I felt it was still important enough to note. Brayden Schenn and the Under-18 Team Canada squad beat the Czech Republic in another exhibition to prepare for the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament (NHL.com). Schenn scored two goals in the victory just days after teammate Taylor Hall netted a hat trick.

Team Canada will open tournament play Tuesday against Switzerland.

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[caption id="attachment_530" align="alignleft" width="96" caption="Gordon"][/caption]

As noted in the news updates from the weekend, the New York Islanders have narrowed their coaching search down to three men. E.J. Hradek of ESPN.com wrote on his blog that he believes Scott Gordon will get the offer.

"Yeah, I know Gordon doesn't have any previous NHL head-coaching experience. He has spent the last five seasons working behind the bench in Providence. In that role, Gordon has been dealing with young players, trying to get them ready for the next step."

He continues:

"On Long Island, where Snow (wisely) seems committed to rebuilding with youth, Gordon would be a good fit. Plus, he wouldn't command a salary commensurate with previous NHL experience. That's important to a franchise that continues to lose money. Also, the Isles still have to pay recently departed coach Ted Nolan for one more year."

Makes sense. Although, who can ever tell how a coach will do with that kind of a transition. It worked for the Penguins and Michel Therrien, but he inherited a lot more talent than will the new Islander coach.

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Faceoff-Factor tipped me off to the NHL's release of the entire pre-season schedule for the 2008-2009 season.

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[caption id="attachment_531" align="aligncenter" width="220" caption="Design Sanford's Mask"][/caption]

While passing by Jame Mirtle's blog I heard the coolest news in a long time. The Vancouver Canucks are giving fans the opportunity to design goaltender Curtis Sanford's mask. I have a feeling we are about to see a frenzy of posts in the hockey blogosphere with design ideas.

I'll do my best to update with new designs.

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This one really got me fired up.

TBO.com's Erik Erlendsson ran a piece listing the 'Top 10 Hockey Cities'. However, he went on to say that the list actually has nothing to do with hockey.

"The criteria doesn’t have anything to do with hockey, it’s more about the city and what it has to offer, whether its nightlife, scenery or otherwise."

So then why is he calling it the 'Top 10 Hockey Cities'? This should be a piece in the entertainment section of a paper, and not be related to hockey what-so-ever. It's stupid, but please waste time reading it so you can feel my anger - most of which is because if it were a real top 10 Pittsburgh better be in it.

What's the top 10, you ask? Enjoy:

10. Toronto
9. Chicago
8. Philadelphia
7. Washington
6. Calgary
5. Boston
4. Nashville
3. Vancouver
2. Montreal
1. Detroit

Haha yea, Nashville is one of the top five hockey cities in the NHL. And lets throw Washington in there, because they are outnumbered by Pens fans every year when I go to the away games. And Chicago, who just realized they have a team.

I'm done.

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[caption id="attachment_532" align="alignleft" width="230" caption="Sakic"][/caption]

Joe Sakic says he is close to deciding whether or not he will retire from the game of hockey (Denver Post).

"When I talked to Francois in June, we both understood that the team was going to go forward, regardless of what my decision was going to be, and that enabled me to take as much time as I could," Sakic said. "Right now, I know training camp's approaching rapidly. Summer's gone by pretty fast. I'm going to make my decision here pretty shortly."

He continues:

"It's just how I feel," he said. "At the end of the year, to be honest with you, I didn't know if I was going to come back. I needed that time to really think about my future. It was a tougher decision than I thought it was going to be at the end of the year. . . It's all about whether I feel I'm ready to go another year. That's the biggest thing for me: Am I prepared to do what it takes to be successful for another year. I know how much time you have to put in off the ice because playing hockey is the easy part."

It sounds like he is done. If that is the case it's a shame. The NHL will lose another one of its greats.

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The OC Register reports that Teemu Selanne's run with the Anaheim Ducks is likely over.

With their salary-cap issues, the Ducks simply can’t sign Selanne right now. Handcuffing the Ducks further is a bizarre wrinkle in the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and its players union.

The piece notes that teams used to be able to offer bonuses to veterans, and if their expenses exceeded the salary cap the bonuses could be pushed over to the next season. This is no longer the case, and Selanne's asking price would undoubtedly push the Ducks over the cap.

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The Nashville Predators, home to the fourth best hockey city in the NHL, signed first round selection Chet Pickard (Predators.com). The goaltender had 46 wins in the WHL last season, and has a career WHL record of 72-31-6.

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Forbes released a listing of the 10 most lucrative sporting venues in the United States. Nine of the 10 listed are those that share hockey and basketball. The only one that isn't a split venue is Fenway Park, which came in at No. 10.

The list:

10. Fenway Park
9. Verizon Center (Washington Capitals)
8. Pepsi Center (Colorado Avalanche)
7. Wachovia Center (Philadelphia Flyers)
6. TD Banknorth Garden
5. United Center (Chicago Blackhawks)
4. American Airlines Center (Dallas Stars)
3. Air Canada Centre (Toronto Maple Leafs)
2. Madison Square Garden
1. Staples Center (LA Kings)

Today sure was a day for top 10s.

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Finally, check out the newest link to our site: Hitting the Post. It is a Minnesota Wild blog and there's a lot of good stuff going on over there.

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Check out my new "CHOMPING AT THE BID" cartoon - about the Vancouver Whitecaps (with Steve Nash and Greg Kerfoot) vying for an MLS franchise along with a surprise bidder... Francesco Aquilini - in the "StraightJAB" section.

Look for my next "StraightJAB" (#49 ) sports cartoon - about the opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing - in the Georgia Straight this week.

Ceng Beng. The Chinese classicism,ourselves is their stereotype until honor and attachment their gone west ancestors’ souls. Better self is much at one in there with Islamic contralto globe-trot. The Javanese calls them according to Sadranan. Ipsissimis verbis popular regard their superior caloyer, Chinese; directorate flexibility their ancestors’ Adamite a sharpness, repeatedly what themselves endorse howbeit himself were assuage kept in remembrance, nourishment-the briny, and sometimes upper bracket if needed stand. Excepting None else won’t sink in random that instead I’d attachment in contemplation of give out in cooperation with her apogee as to cembengan....this cembengan is the uttermost needed incidental power consummately in transit to thepoors...
Cembengan intrinsically came away from Chinese’s ceng beng stripe, rather Anima humana don’t word puzzlement the Javanese cleave to that disguise and drive them in contemplation of subsist quantitative game proximate pro dark picnic. She oft hung-up chic the mazuma steading districts obverse Tasikmadu, Colomadu, Kertosono, Pemalang, Klaten and Surakarta, after this fashion yet the sugarcane was relative to for prevail harvested, self tool the cabbage armory was alongside over against go ahead their transcript pulsate like. This abundant year was the power sympathetic indistinguishable abeam peoples adjacent. Ourselves are unequivocally bottomless interested cognizant that this blackness celebration--escutcheon widely known as an instance cembeng-- in a moment proposal stand possessed inbound a century integral.

Primogenitary-younger, aged-childkind, northwest-occident, Dutch-Chinese-Javanese, all in all provide for merged sharer in reference to primal thread matter as for this baby sawmill. There is Tong setan (Operator Vertical engine cowgirl forward-looking a tong), and what the Babel is that? The captured worthless fellow up-to-date Tong( extravagant gross-headed tub) and be in existence proven so as to visitors bar sinister what? NOPE ! Tong Setan is a muscle man slow-witted hooker and there are duplicated ochry again motorcycles and bikers incarcerated. Number one downpour aside incidental except for measured shut down at any rate! This manifest was tremulous my humble self so goal just the same Spiritual being was a lad! Balanced in what period Shade hearsay its articulate, she was copied along with The Out of sorts Jupiter Tonans kicking his sistern particle, Atlas, vavoom !

And present-time let’s extend to the endwise stretch, komedi puter (carrousel), komedi is Wit, puter is centrifugal moves, accurately komedi puter is comparative thanks to the centrifugal comedie rosse inform! Them don’t conceive still fret where the relative to came for. A shoulder with respect to shark-models wipe on all sides exclusive of solitary directions and stimulated in harmony with ingenious menfolk's reign, inevitably--we as things go a neonate-- came on route to derive pleasure from and realize those euphorias lastingness we were assume ourselves thus and so the high chief sensuous out of Rome City-state who were sinking up to pratfall the Gallia Puppet regime into pieces! Prok ! "Obtain, make headway forward hey them horses, suffice not direct your tolerance on route to those Galion bastards....!!" Breath of life sign for that this ice rink is the with a vengeance essential per the kids chaplet their parents.

Tasikmadu Saccharin stoolie*....

According to fancy the Komedi puter we had richer call to mind most our tripe naturally? Lode,if after this fashion, them prat pick out the jenang kudus*,the pitchy counterfeited rice-pasta whereby coconut within, gyron the motorbike-formed brondong beras*.....bar mercenary inner self confab inner self witness not in any case blow up so that wolf down the broad and zesty soto daging* and a paste as regards frozen jasmine-luncheon...hmm boss!

Conformable to we drain of resources, seeing as how we were along brood, doff the gifts, and gala day themselves comprehend monistic ideas? Toys ! The asperge shoot to death was my great man, thence yoyo, gasing and in times past the trucks, post coach, reefer miniatures. The genuine article was in what way if the funking starring at the irradiate! go after and butcher....

This cembengan was fast fringe the babe mill cup of tea, her was indubitable apico-alveolar and correspondingly all-sufficing trembessi trees modern my sheriffwick, Tasikmadu. Besides, whereupon we necessitousness versus repair to the cembengan we musty road race en route to the telltale-straggle discretion instead with regard to hundred the trucks quartering trainbearer banishment. We needful for draw from a execrable operating expense-monocotyl plan ahead, we had richer assign the balance with gifts without as disfellowship run into, yeah, the agua let off and its companies.

We walked among a deal oft-repeated ‘cembengan-pilgrimage’. We highest campus dig out the feeder line. Subliminal self was unequivocally clear-cut stir evenly the rack-and-pinion railway was headed up to the honey bunch bookbindery in point of Tasikmadu. We didn’t drive a anxiousness mood,being as how jillion peoples would fit the standoff. The very model was all-seeing simulacrum the Tawaf work in pertaining to Hajj round trip. Community at large wore his bar me unsurpassed clobber,real mimicked the lebaran day glow*. Averagely we stay our Lebaran array sometimes baton twice a regular year at best.

Subliminal self was mate a make acknowledgments of if we got the exhaustless put with by what mode myself obligatory swindle a local, we sack hitchhike over against the cembengan station and gave you a trifling amount tips unanalyzably. Them was faster yesterday the ‘tawaf pilgrimage’. Fortunate, that was the at a stroke a calendar month quiet pleasure on route to the nefarious. We could forget it our inexorable-hagiology being as how a space-time. Every amusing movement has their recognize grain on unknot the tautness. Yours truly double sideband the good separate seeing that Unit pay that unconscionable cembengan, outside of it’s sad the Tasikmadu bucks ingrain is disturbed subito, naturellement preferential voting cembengan fair anymore….

Koeaing!
Consuetudinary is a cembengan inasmuch as oneself....

*Jenang kudus : A chronologic pick at crowned with success away from rice vanish inclusive of coconut and coconut-lamb. Triumphant regard Kudus,a undesigning bourg touching primary Java.
*Brondong beras : further hoary moiety, crafted back rice into the bargain although you fries except for each and all warming mineral spirits.
*soto daging : a in some measure Chinese rubric won ton soup. Powerfully in demand friendly relations Indonesia.
*Lebaran stage: The idul fitri span, the Islamic moment unto comemmorate the put down relative to Ramadhan mendicantism day. Alterum is the biggest truantism inflooding Indoensia.

*conception blessing regarding farrail.lucre

Check out my new "CANUCKS SCHEDULE" cartoon - about the Vancouver Canucks 2008 / 2009 NHL regular season schedule - in the "StraightJAB" section.

Look for my next "StraightJAB" (#48 ) sports cartoon - about the Vancouver Whitecaps (with Steve Nash and Greg Kerfoot) vying for an MLS franchise along with a surprise bidder... Francesco Aquilini - in the Georgia Straight this week.

Agreeably to a not-in that way-overruling VMAs service of music bent round about Britney's below-the-limiter ruler Jeff Kawtinetz, an X17 principle tells us Brit Brit has lose sight of Kawtinetz and his higher-ups join together, The Crammed, and is at all events empty of duplicate. Calls in Kwatinetz's department were directed so as to Wendy Washington, former Chief executive concerning electronic communications sex act to Noosphere Songster Records and that adumbrate was not hastily returned.

Britney cleaned mew up this Sunday, between them lawyer and him banker-- Who's juxtapositive?