Blues Clues?

What a great game to witness. For those who don't know I went to the Blues vs Hawks game on Saturday night.. It had some definite resemblance of home. Two years ago was the last time I saw Chris Porter, TJ Oshie, and Jonathan Toews play on the same ice at UND. And Saturday night I was able to witness history that the boys will always remember. Toews is the 3rd youngest captain in NHL history, and he took the faceoff on Saturday against a line that featured Porter on the left wing. Well about 40 seconds in Toews struck first, assisting on the
goal to put the Hawks on the board..

(Sorry I couldn't find a pic of Jonny yet from the actual game)

I thought it ironic in a way. Jonny came to UND when he was 17, and was always considered the younger of the 3. Since he truly was. He also turned pro a year before Osh and Ports, and is now considered more of a veteran. Well he showed it right away. Hawks then go up another goal
2-0. Then Ports decides he's going to show the fans, he's here to stay by putting the biscuit in the oven.

"Obviously your dream in college is to make it here," said Porter, a former Fighting Sioux captain who didn't miss a game in four years of college. " I played with Jonny his freshman year quite a bit, and then Oshie his sophomore year. But to have us all three on the ice is pretty special."

Congrats Ports on your 1st NHL Career Goal

Then Osh decides to he'll help the former Sioux standouts all make the score sheets, by making a a beauty of a no look pass to Tkachuck to cut the lead to 3-2. (Tkachuck is 10 pts away from 1,000 in his career) It reminded me when he put it between his legs to Duncan for a goal.

Then the Blues tie it up with 18 seconds left in the game. Sending it into OVERTIME!
In overtime the only highlight was up in the upper bowl where a few Hawks fans decided to instigate a fight which led them to get escorted out of the building one guy was actually bloodied up, and a straggler who wasn't hand cuffed yet, decided to give the one finger salute to everyone, and right at the bottom of the stairs when he turned the corner, the police had handcuffs waiting. I also heard from a few fans later that the police had asked about 20 or so people in for questioning. Well overtime finished with the teams still at a stalemate. This is why I love the NHL, it went into the shootout! Blues go up a point on the first attempt, and Toews gets the nod, and of course he scores. (I think he can do his move with his eyes shut) Khabi, and Manny both stop 2 out 3 shooters. Sending the Shootout into the 4th. Where Andy Murray calls on the young Osh to step up for the Blues.
"Once I came in, it's my go-to move from high school, so I stuck with it," said Oshie, a former All-American at the University of North Dakota who pulled the puck back before beating goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. "It's a move I've been doing for a long time now, I actually learned it when I was a sophomore in high school and have been critiquing it ever since." But this wasn't high school hockey in Oshie's native Minnesota. This was NHL hockey between bitter rivals with a sellout crowd of 19,150 standing and roaring. "Ever since they moved to the shootouts, I've been waiting to get a chance to do it and I finally got it tonight."

Well said, and lets hope this season, since the Blues were picked to finish at the bottom of the entire League can be somewhat of a Tampa Bay Rays story.. Lots of youth, and lots of talent that has been given no respect. Well the Blues are at the top of almost every stat column in the NHL. Here's to a great year, and maybe a dance with her??? :


Oh ya, and the Rams have a losing record, but beat the Cowboys, so all of a sudden they are good?? Ah, they'll finish with a losing record... They are 2-4, and I think they'll still chalk up more in that right side column.

Saturdays in St Louis

Quick thoughts going into tonight's excursions:

Thursday Recap:
I went to the game, and of course why wouldn't I be sitting next to a bunch of Wisc. Badger fans, who drove down... Who does that?? Also I had the privilege of sitting in front of the drunkest student (It was student night, where college students showed their id and paid $20 for a $119 ticket) and he wouldn't stop yelling.. It wasn't like he was yelling cool stuff like at the goalie, he was yelling stupid stuff like a guy 2 rows in front of me was wearing a cowboy hat, and he was mocking him... Finally he was escorted out. I attempted to write down cheers for him to shout out instead of acting like an idiot, but it was too late.. Security had enough...

Well after the 1st period I was shocked to see Coach Osh was in town, and so we reminisced about the good times we had at UND games. We then went back to his seats where I met up with Berglunds sister and Father who were in a great mood having just flown 19 hours to get to the hockey game that night. I don't know about you, but I'm going to take up Swedish... It's a pretty sweet language..

Notice the tongue out, its because I'm drinking the white
wine, after all that beer.. wine not a good choice!

The game went well for the Blues 6-1 Stomping of the Stars. After the game we went down to congratulate the boys on a job well done. The 1st player in the family room was Manny, and then it was the bday man Paul Kariya, whom no one knew or remembered it was his bday, so scrambling for a moment, after he was done talking with his wife, I went over with a bottle of wine I picked up off the table said happy bday, and he smiled and laughed I told him I hadn't planned on meeting him tonight, so I just grabbed the bottle from over there... After that the rest of the room went over and wished him a happy bday.. Everyone was in a great mood since they won so we decided we better celebrate the win by heading out to the bar!!

Well needless to say I'm not 21 anymore and I'm now just feeling a lot better! BUT JUST IN TIME FOR TONIGHT!! As its going to get even rowdier tonight!!

Well I feel kind of bad, because there was a big race going this weekend at the dirt track, and I was torn between the 2, but one can't pass up hockey, and the partying that goes on with it!

So here's my prediction for tonight:
Oshie vs Toews might get into their 1st NHL Fights tonight. As close as they are I don't think either one of them wants to fight anyone else. I think the Blues will win in a good battle 4-3. Osh (1st on his career), Tkachuck, Boyes, Brewer or McD get goals for Blues, and Hawks will be powered by Toews (1st on the year), Kane, Havlat.. Also Skille will get thrown in the box, and Blues capitalize (that one just for fun)

Also for tonight:
1.) Hopefully the Sioux Hockey team rebounds and gets a win tonight.. They got thrashed pretty good last night by Mankato. They have plenty of talent its all about chemistry, and Hak will find it, even if it takes half the season..

2.) Steve Arpin starts on the pole for the big mod race as does Will Vaught in the Super Lates. I'd enjoy seeing them both win, as I won't be there tonight, my guess is they will win.

3.) Poker night has returned for Sunday nights, so now I'll be able to watch football, Napcar and gamble as if I wasn't happy with the status quo! This is my happy dance....

4.) Still debating on going to the Cowboys vs Rams game..... Still debating... Well we'll see how I fare at the bars tonight... And if my energy level is up to it... it might just happen..

Starting is always half the battle...

Well the NHL season is 2 weeks in, and NCAA hockey is a week into what hopes to be a great fulfillment of my time untill March. March is the month of my birthday, also its the same day the St Louis Blues will be honoring all in attendance at the Scottrade Center for my birthday FREE FOOD!!!!!! I repeat if you go to my birthday party at the Scott, food's on the house!! lol

Well my new team: St Louis Blues, and my old favorite team: UND Fighting Sioux got off to great starts in the 1st games. Both won, convincingly. They both went on to lose their next... (Not so great, especially since I watched the Blues lose on tv, and watched the Sioux lose on the net.. )

But the 3rd game is what sets these teams apart. The Sioux were playing in an ice breaker tourney out in Boston, and completely dominated in shots, with over 40+ shots on net they only managed to score twice.. Oh well it's their 2nd game, and only 1st week working together with their coaches.. In the NHL they have preseason for that. In NCAA, they have an exhibition game. Many Sioux fans went hysterical at the thought of their beloved team losing 2-in-a-row.. But I don't worry as Coach Hak loves to turn his teams into momentum builders for the second half of the season. I wonder if he actually hopes they lose and are sparatic at the beginning of the year, so he can then build momentum for the end??? Consiparcy?? Anyone?? Buehler??

I was at work on Monday, Thanksgiving day.. Oh I forgot to mention that I told all my colleagues at work that since I used to live in Grand Forks, ND, were so close to the border that we celebrate Canadian National Holidays.. My boss actually bought it, but I decided to work anyway, I mean its monday, and I have a big vacation coming up.

So I'm pumped that my computer at work is able to listen to the hockey game on the net. Most things are firewalled for me. But sure enough the Blues find themselves down 3-0 in the first period. I went over to the Blues 'Boards, and sure enough there are like 100 posts under the game day thread about how the 'old Blues are back, and a bunch of garbage, I just started to laugh.. How quick everyone was to jump ship, and bail to make themselves sound smart!! Well with incredible plays, and defense by former Sioux, TJ Oshie shows how incredible he can be.

They eventually go on to win the game in an OT shootout 5-4, and media scribes here in STL are calling it Monday Afternoon Miracle.

This week it's going to be a great week for me. I get to watch the Dallas Stars, with Sean Avery, who everyone thinks is gay, but he's not, he definately likes chicks, and gets many models all guys dream of, but I wonder if he'll sign my ex-girlfriends Coach purse I never gave her?

According to the New York times he's quoted as saying his fantasy career would be:

"I’d like to be an editor of a fashion magazine. Creatively and artistically, it is something I’d like to do, and I think I have a lot of ideas that would be good on paper."

Also on Saturday I get to see my man-crush from UND, no not Zach Parise, no not Travis Zajac, no not Matt Greene, but Jonny T! As Abar knows, I've been preaching that this kid is the real deal, and everyone should have worshiped the ground he walked on at UND. Remember Abar, when we saw him at REA doing our routine walk-around, and he was just standing there in his Suit, chatting it up with some players moms? LOL, good times....
Here's to him going up against Oshie and Porter, for the first of hopefully many for me!

Ask me if I'm still bitter that Duncan won the Hobey? No, I'm not, he benefited from those two lads to his right in this picture, and all 3 know it..

Till I'm BLUE in the Face

Well preseason is over for my new team I will be following, the St Louis Blues. This franchise has a great storied past, but like all things that's the past, and this is the present.

Having moved here about a year ago, this town I've come to realize is all high and mighty on pro teams that are winners, and when you're a loser, they'll heckle you until you leave. How you can come to this town, and like a different baseball team other then the Cardinals is almost an impossibility. As if you don't admit your a Cards fan, you might get "wacked" (ya there is a mafia here.)

Last winter I was able to attend a few NHL games, what I saw was eye-opening. I come from a small town of about 50-65,000. I also was able to attend the great UND for the best 5 and half years of my life, where I fell in love with watching UND Fighting Sioux Hockey. Week in and week out, the greatest palace on ice fills up with 11,000+ giddy fans ready to watch their team pummle their opponent. I don't think I've ever walked into that building thinking my team is going to lose. NEVER, as weird as that sounds, and you can call me a "Homer" all you want, but its college hockey, anything and anyone can win, and therefore never have I walked into that building expecting a loss. Especially the talent that has went through their the last 6 years.

Well on to my story, last winter I had the privilege of watching the Blues play Dallas, Colorado, Chicago, Nashville, and a few others. What I saw is what was so shocking..
1.) The Scottrade Center is nice, but the Ralph Engelstad Arena truly is in a league of its own. I knew it was nice having been to the Excel Energy Center, and the Pepsi Center. But still I was expecting more then that.
2.) Attendance at some NHL games last year the crowd was as low as 7,500 people! (Capacity is 19,150) Where are the season ticket holders?? I just couldn't believe how since the team was on a skid their fans would give up so quick. (Granted this team hasn't been to the playoffs for a looooongg time, but still)
3.) Crowd energy, and music was nothing to what I was accustomed to in college. Maybe its just me, and I've been graced with so many great thrillers in college, but most games I went to even the MC, and the music is depressing. Granted they stay with tradition, and an organ, but still. I think people like a little bit of a change, but mainly their music just didn't seem to get me or my girlfriend pumped up..

That's hopefully in the past, as the 2008-2009 Year for the Blues has been labeled by their Managements Promotion as: "WHATEVER IT TAKES" :
1.) Whatever it takes to win- The Blues are one of the youngest teams in the league, and have been pinpointed by every writer and "expert" in the sport as the worst team in the league. And as high as 3rd worst in the league! Laughable I say, its time to prove the doubters wrong.
2.) Whatever it takes to fill the stands- Great promotions of name your price for whatever seat you'd like to sit, and if it's reasonable they'll accept! Also add in free ticket giveaways for Meet the Team events, and thats Free tickets to anyone who shows up their! I give mgmt big props in their efforts to reduce ticket prices down to the same price of going to the movies! The more people watch this sport of hockey, the fights, the plays, the ridiculous goals, the more they'll realize how great it is to watch.

Also check out March 15th my birthday, they're going to honor my birthday by giving away FREE food to everyone in attendance!!! How many places do that for a fan!?!?!?! lol

Onto my predictions for the team:

Biggest Breakout Rookie:
It'll be tough between Oshie and Berglund, but like the story in Shytown last year between Kane and Toews whoever stays healthy wins it. I'd like to see Oshie win it as he'll play against the opponents best line night in and night out, and also is the #2 forward on the penalty kill. Whereas Berglund is positioned against the opponents weakest scoring line, and also plays on the Power Play.

Darkhorse: Chris Porter, even though he originally was cut at the beginning of the year (I think it was due to the Salary Cap) he'll eventually win over Murray, as he played with his son Brady back in college (Come on Andy that should mean something, I know Brady didn't pan out the greatest but that doesn't mean you have to take it out on all the current and future Sioux players). Chris always seems to impress me with his work ethic and the drive to want to play the game. I mean after all he holds all them NCAA records for longest streak of playing in every college hockey game throughout his whole career. Plus all them Ironman awards beating out other NHLers back in college. This kid will be a great power forward grinder in the NHL.

Goalie:
Manny Legace, and Chris Mason (former starter for Nashville) will be the 1-2 goaltenders, the brass signed Mason this off season for $3Mill for the next 2 years. Meanwhile Manny's on his last year and gets paid less, and has been the best goalie for STL over the years he's been here. The writing on the wall doesn't look good for Manny, as the Blues also claim Ben Bishop is ready down in the AHL, and will most likely get signed next year. I feel bad for Manny, but hey its opportunity time for him, he plays extremely well, he can look at a lot of great offers to go elsewhere and put the Blues in a pinch.

Vet Forwards:
Paul Kariya has 2 years left on his big $6Mill/yr contract. Last year he didn't play up to his potential. Keith Tkachuck is on his last year of his contract. Rumor is he might retire, and move into the Blues Office somewhere. I think if they do well, all the kids on this team will invigorate him into maybe playing another year or two. Brad Boyes will need to keep his goal production up, having a breakout year last year, they just don't want him to fall into a slump. Andy McDonald is looking to breakout of his slump he endured last year at Anaheim, and I think the small (For you Sioux Fans, he reminds me of Ryan Duncan) forward can maybe get er done.

Defense?:
The biggest question mark. Not because every ones man crush on Erik Johnson is so overly depressing. (If you didn't know he's hurt again, and my guess he'll be one of those NHLers who are valued as a commodity, but are always fighting to stay of the IR) EJ's out for the year, but even with him on the Blue Line this year, they still only have about 3 good D-Men.

The Future:
It's bright, because when you're in the leagues doghouse at the bottom every year for 3 straight years you tend to get high draft picks. Hopefully all those draft picks come through, if they do this team will make the playoffs this year, and hopefully contend for a Stanley cup in the next 2-4 years.

Who needs the Orange County, when you have the South County

Having finally recouperated after my weekend, looking back this city can be fun if you know how it works.

I start out with Friday morning. I arrive to work, and start my day like I normally do.. Read a whole bunch of internet message boards about: Dirt Track racing in STL and back home, Blues and NHL, NASCAR, of course fellow bloggers, I enjoy reading different city's sports sections.. Well that takes up just about 3-4 hours of my day..

Moving on, I decide that I'm going to head out to the dirt track races with a co-worker, but later on I read that Blues Exhibition and Season tickets are so cheap you name your price you want to spend on said ticket, and they'll notify you if they'll accept.. So I decide to check up on the boards about this, and these guys are laughing about how they picked up front row tickets behind the goalie for $4!! And then another guy complains about how he paid $190/ticket for the whole season and got screwed because of this promotion! lol So I decide to purchase these $4 tickets, well low and behold they try charging me an extra $16 in fees to deliver it to will call, since I'm doing this at 6pm for the 7:30pm game. So I just print off the screen not having paid for anything yet, but it sure looks like I did!

After I get back from grabbing my printout off the work printer, a customer decides at 6:15pm that they would like to test drive a car!? I thought to myself go figure I actually want to do something fun tonight, and some deuche bag thinks he wants to buy a newer car then what he's driving... So 8pm rolls around (We close at 7:30pm and the game started at 7:30pm) and turns out the dude just bought his Mustang from another dealer and he's welded in his car so bad its going to take him half his life to pay it off.

So I make the mad dash to my truck, and downtown here I come! I drive up to the corner where I think I might be able to buy a scalpers ticket hopefully for pennies on the dollar, but to my dismay their are no Scalpers to be found! Granted the games half over, but I'm trudging through this because its Hockey Season, and I need to show some support! I then look and see that the premium $25 parking lot is half empty and nowhere to be found is anyone to collect my money so I just pull in and park it about 20 yards from the front door of the Scottrade Center!

I get to the will call lady and show her my printout of the $4 ticket and she is searching desperately trying to find my ticket somewhere... I then tell her to call her manager or someone to see if they might know? She decides to call her manager after a few minutes on the phone she comes back, and says she has no idea where it is... I then get desperate and pull out my UND Id, and my North Dakota drivers license, and start name dropping TJ Oshie, and Chris Porter, and told her I went to college with those guys, and that I just came here to watch these guys (For those who don't know Sports or Hockey these are 2 rookies this year for the Blues, and were great hockey players at UND).. She looks at me with even more despair, and I can see inside her eyes she feels really bad for me.. Then 2 drunk 30 year olds come in, and show off these free ticket passes they got at fan fest last week, and the belligerent one who is kinda decent for a 31 yr old (I found later how old she was read more) and she asks if I need a ticket and if I want to sit with them!? I laughed and said ya they can't seem to find my ticket.. The drunk lady then can't find her extra ticket, and wants to know if I can just go in with them?? The will call lady then in all the comotion decides to hand me a $169 ticket (thats what the value the ticket said) and so I walk in with the drunk ladies who let me know they clearly need another drink, and offer to buy me one! I laugh and say sure why not, lets just get wasted and try watching hockey tonight! They laugh and tell me they're good at it!

So after the brews they decide to tell me they are going up to their seats, and I tell them I'm in the lower level, and they said they'll see me at the end of the period right here for another beer! I agree and we part ways...

Here comes the shocker.... I'm watching the hockey game, and all of a sudden the 2 drunkens decide to stroll right past me, and park it right in the middle of a group about 4 rows in front of me.. I begin to laugh because I know its going to be a great night with these drunken ladies screaming all night! After the period they walk past me, and so I decide well I'm out of beer I might as well see if it was really truly meant to be...

I stroll up to our spot where we indulged in some of ABInbev's finest, and sure enough Cindy(when I was drunk she looked like an older Vanessa Marcil, petite 31 year old)
and Melissa (larger not anywhere near cute, but knows hockey so I give her props 30 year old) are there waiting for me, and do the whole arms way up in the air yelling my name as if I didn't see them. I laugh and walk over to them, and again they just hand me a 32 oz of Bud Select, and they tell me I have to meet their friends, and tell me I must come and sit with them. So I do, and many shenanigans later between the whole group, because the Blues dominated 9-4..

Cindy either drinking herself sober, or just playing like a champ, decides to tell everyone we must get on the metro-link and go to the casino! I'm thinking its like 10pm, and I have to work the next morning, but hey how many times can you party with older ladies and have fun doing it!?

So we decide to head there, and on our way our group turned from about 15 to 8 on the Metro-link.. As were on the Metro-link everyones exchanging stories, and I found out that Cindy's in real estate, and Melissa married into money.. So the casino was fun, and these girls love their alcohol, and fun.. I stopped drinking at the casino, even though it was free I just decided to have some Red Bulls, so I could stay awake.. After about 2 hours in the casino, I noticed our group was down to just me and the drunks.. I decide to do the old, well I better get going I have to work in the morning, and so awkwardly Melissa tells me good bye and nice meeting you, and the drops the line, "I'll let you and Cindy have a good rest of the night." and smiles and walks away...

My jaw drops as if I just got suckered into either:
A.) Taking care of her drunk friend for the night thats going to start puking any second
B.) The kind of good night that only 2 adults can have
C.) She is expecting me to give Cindy a ride home because she lives about 20 miles closer to me then Melissa?

So Cindy comes over to me with arms wide open, and if I would've been a lot drunker maybe, just maybe this story would've been better... But I wasn't drunk, as opposed to Cindy. So she gives me a hug, and as she whispers in my ear that she still knows how to party back at my place.. I then giggle, and tell her maybe I could get her number, or she can get mine, and maybe we can do this again sometime??

She then does the ol stand up grind on my body, and licks the side of my face! I quickly have flashbacks to Wedding Crashers, when Owen Wilson is up in his room, and Dr.Quinn medicine woman with her boob job wants him to touch her, and call her kitty cat.. I break out with a smile, and my face is pitch red.. (thinking in my mind wow is this really happening to me right now?)

I break ourselves apart give her my business card, and tell her to call me as I hop into my taxi cab!

On my taxi cab ride back to my truck all I could think about was weird movies, and the Desperate Housewives of Orange County, and how this would've made a great episode!

If only I would've went to the races... Will post later my 1st ever visit to an NFL Football game.

So I've been to a dirt track race....

In lieu of some fellow bloggers posts. I too have decided to flaunt some of the merchandise I have been able to pick up when I'm enjoying some of my facorite hobbies.

Well without further ado, I give you in order of purchase: (Keep in mind I have others just ones I have unpacked! lol)

The 1st on the list is Trent Follmer in 2005 he won the Harvest Bowl race at River Cities Speedway, this race is now named after the late John Seitz.

In 2006 I picked up a few from Dustin and Brian Strand shirts and Sweaters:

As well as Dustin Hapka's Shirts and Sweaters:

In 2008 I picked up a lot down in Daytona Speedweeks:

You have to appreciate my efforts to get Tony Stewarts and Donny Schatz's autograph while they were arguing about helping Kraig Kinser's team out.. I believe I'm the 1st person to get a TSR shirt with Donny's and Tony's autograph, as well as a t-shirt at the location the big announcement was made about joining forces: (This one is autographed to my dad)

While down there I met a lot of great race car drivers, and fans. Here are some of the St. Louis drivers I met:

Tim "Big Block" Hancock:

Kenny "Herm" Wallace:
Ken Shrader:

Austin Dillon:

Then I went back home and picked up a new Strand Racing Shirt:


Then I was able to pick up some more T-Shirts at I-55:


As well as most recently picked up some T's at the UMP Modified Mania in Tri-City: