Bruisy knees

Awww, how I love Monday drop-in. Played really well tonight. Some big saves and I made them work for their goals. Only a couple that really pissed me off, both right between my feet. My aversion to the vertical-horizontal pad position burns me again. Bah. It just feels so unstable, but it would have saved those.

Probably one of my better games in terms of save % though. Stopped a lot more than I didn't.

Have I mentioned I love my new sharpening? Scott, not waiting a month. Just do it. You'll love it. If my shitty-skating ass can make the change and take advantage of it this quickly, I know you can.

Of course, the other guy had a friggin' shut out through 2/3s of the ice time. He was just on fire. And made one highlight reel save at the end that even he couldn't believe. We were both kinda "Wow" at ourselves afterward, which was fun.

What wasn't fun was being pulled over as soon as I got on 59 to head home because I had a tail light out. Not a brake light. A tail light. Seriously dude? You pull me off the freeway into a deserted parking lot at 11 at night for that? Please find something better to do. Anyway, make that Sugar Land parking lots-3, Ms.Conduct-0.

The only crime I committed tonight in my car is the smell of my gear. Time to give the ol' gloves a good defunking and wash the rest of the stuff on Sanitize with my smelliest detergent. Ahhhh. I'm so excited for that, I'm tempted to do it right now. :D My hands seriously stink right now.

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Jaeger got CHL goalie of the week for the second week in a row. Good grief. You're making the rest of us look lazy, dude. Simmer down. I guess the fans love him, too. At least one fan does, to the tune of $700 this ugly (IMO) jersey. Blech.

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Vancouver's pretty. One of those places I think I wouldn't want to go because I'd be so sad to leave. Not that our freeways and bayous aren't really... swell... but you know...

Though I do have an invite for some coaching there this summer. Ha. Yeah. I think I'm only gonna get away with one week away from home for playing on the ice. Plus, his camp does off-ice training. Pfft. Nahhhh, sounds like work. Let's skate a bunch and drink beer after. Lemme know when you have THAT camp, my friend.

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So. Ice dancing is a "sport" huh? Oooookay.

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Some nights the song is obvious. Tonight it was not, but this feels right, other than the tone of the video being about 180 degrees from the tone of the song. You're trying too hard, Chairlift.

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It's Shake and Bake, and I helped

What a weekend! Some truly awful hockey. Some truly amazing hockey.

Aeros: Effing awful weekend redeemed by stellar play from--who else?--Brusty (and an Aeros team that finally managed to provide some goal support) in Sunday's game. Everybody finally got it together under the same roof at the same time Sunday, which hadn't otherwise happened all weekend. They were a hot mess Friday and Saturday.

USA USA USA: Okay, call me a traitor but I didn't really care who won that game yesterday. I adore Canada. I know the words to O Canada by heart. I love that sieve Brodeur. Canada gave me hockey, so Canada is tops in my book and always will be. But I admit, I was pretty jacked for the Americans to end up winning it. By the end, I wanted them to win. Mainly because Ryan Getzlaf is a shit. But then Patty Kane is a megadouche, so whatever. It's all a wash.

Ryan Miller was both amazing and lucky. Brodeur was neither. But I still love him. Buck up, Fatso. You're still the cat's pajamas.

Finland: You think they're regretting promising the starter spot to Kipper? Backstrom is better. And any guy who isn't willing to EARN his starting job doesn't belong on an Olympic team, IMO. When you're putting together the Finnish All-Star Game, then sure, make him the starter. But you play your best guy at the Olympics and I think that guy is Nik Backstrom.

Brahmas: They finally ended their win streak with a 1-0 loss in Wichita yesterday. Palmer was in goal though (stopped 39 of 40... Jesus!) so Jaeger's streak could still continue. Yeah yeah, first star again.

Novice: We had a practice last night and Scotty came out to work with Jess and me. Poor Scotty. All proud Canadian surrounded by a bunch of loud-mouthed, hockey-lovin' Americans. He was bitter but didn't take it out on us, apart from requiring push-ups for any goals we let in during one of his drills. Bahhh...

It was good though, as it always is when Scotty comes out. I'm 95% comfortable on my new sharpening (3/4) on my strong side, but I still can hardly shuffle on the right. I wasn't great at it before but now I can only go a few inches. It will come. The thing is, EVERYTHING else apart from shuffling is easier and crisper now. One of the best decisions I've ever made as a goalie was to get that deeper hollow. There. I said it. Of course, keep in mind, I don't make a ton of great decisions as a goalie so the bar was low. :)

Anyway, we did a few drills. One horseshoe drill that probably didn't feel like much to the skaters, but was a lot of work for the goalies. Endless stream of breakaways. I finally just had to leave my net and go get my Gatorade off the other net. I was feeling ookie.

Then we scrimmaged for 40 minutes. I think we must have been on the ice for a good 1:40 or so. Phew. I got a little foggy headed and didn't play the scrimmage very well, but I did have one huge flurry of stops just before the final buzzer. Coach Dan was in the box (because Scott was "officiating" and wanted to call a penalty--ha!) so we were short handed.

Anyway, it was one of those little top of the crease scrambles where you just get low and be big and pray. Probably made 3 pad saves before I finally got a glove on it. OMG my hips were hating me from all that pinball flapping I was doing. It was the highlight of my night though, so it was nice to end on a good note. Got me a nice forearm bruise, too, from one of Scotty's drill shots. Sweeet. :)

Even better is that I'm playing SLICE tonight, so I'm happy about that. But not too happy. I figured out that I'd been trying to hang on to that amped up feeling I get when I'm really excited to play, because I kinda thought that was how I was supposed to feel. But apparently that's just not a productive state of mind for me. So yesterday, when I got that feeling during the day, I just talked myself back down and stayed even keeled about it.

It think that helps a lot. But we'll see tonight, because I am pretty excited to play tonight, but I have to just let that go and get my Zen on. So far so good.

One of my all time favorite songs:

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Quick hits: I'm totally avoiding doing dishes and laundry

First: Interviews with Marty Brodeur should never end. Read me the phone book, Marty. He's even cute with braces.

Second: Big internet/Twitter flap the last few days with a few goobers suggesting that women's hockey should be banned from the Olympics until it's more competitive.

Well, I'm really not going to entertain the many ways that's just ridiculous because it's... so ridiculous. How the hell do you develop a serious national women's program if there's no Olympics to strive for?

However, above the stupidity is just apathy, which at least isn't insulting and I won't try to make someone interested in what doesn't interest them. But personally, watching the non-US, non-Canadian women's hockey games has absolutely MADE this Olympics for me.

I should add that I'm not one of those women's libbers who defends the WNBA. I don't follow the USA or Canadian women's hockey teams. In fact, coming into the Olys, I thought, "Women's? Whatever. Don't care. Bring on the international all-star men's teams!!"

But I find my tune changed. First, I'm amazed by how NOT in the mix some countries are. Including pretty much all those countries that are pretty good on the men's side (apart from US/Canada). I'm surprised that they're not more competitive with US/CAN.

Russia, for instance. Why aren't they better? And even if the whole team isn't that good, they can't find one really good goalie? I just don't get it.

On the flip side, I got teary-eyed not once but TWICE during the China/Finland game two nights ago. Finland should be better. China should NOT be this good. I mean, really, how low on the athletic heirarchy must hockey be in China? Pretty low, I'm thinking, even though they love their athletes.

Of course, all these things being surprising to me is maybe just a reflection of my ignorance of women's hockey, but I'm having a lot of fun getting educated.

It touches me for a couple of reasons:

1. It's pure hockey. There's no NHL million dollar contracts, no endorsement deals, no adoring fans waiting back home. Not to say the men don't have a lot of pride and work invested in the Olympics, but there's more to their hockey careers than the Olympics. It's not ALL riding on it. For these gals, this is it. Maybe World Championships each year but the Olympics are... the Olympics! This is it.
2. It's relatable to me. Most of the female goalies are around my height, so their style of play is a great example to watch. It's sometimes tough to relate your own game as a 5'7" goalie to someone who is 6'+, as most pro goalies are.

So anyway, I was super excited about Russia v. China. Both have been stomped rather equally by the US/CAN juggernaut, so I figured it would be a pretty close game, even though Russia should be way better (really. Why aren't they? Vlad, will you work with these girls please?)

I'm wondering how I can get a Chinese women's hockey t-shirt. Is that weird? I really want one. I love these girls!

But that's the Olympics, right? You find a story that touches you and you cheer for these people in their moment of glory. So, I love it. I love it enough for all you folks who just can't get into it. :)


Third: I hate interviewing, you know? As a means of explaining why I struggle with it, I wrote to a friend pretty much every thought I was having while doing an interview after the game Sunday. It was pretty funny, if I may say so, and I wish I could post it here, but it's just... too much.

I'll just tell you, it ended with , "Lick, lick, lick...." :) Trust me though, you're missing a gem.

I sometimes wish I could start a blog of all the stuff I want to say but can't because I'd offend or frighten too many people. But then how would you know to read it? So I don't.

Fourth: I kinda want to throw up every time the puck hits the outside of the net. Even when I'm just watching a game. It's such a visceral and sickening feeling. Like the ground dropping out from under you. Goalies know what I'm talking about. Fuck me, that's an awful feeling. So silent and deceptive.

Fifth: BOWIE!

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Wisdom of the Slopes and other junk

Loved the post-bronze-medal-run interview with Bode Miller today:

"You need to know you enjoyed it. I mean, it's the Olympics. So, I closed my eyes as I went across the line, I kinda shut everything off for a second and went back through and gave myself a thumbs up, so I was psyched at that point. And it's obviously great to get a medal out of it, too, but at that point you have to be honest with yourself whether you performed well or didn't, and I was psyched with it."

That struck a chord with me, and is pretty much how I operate, which means there's often a disconnect in the way my team perceives my play and how I perceive it.

Coach Stalin was telling me the other day how some of my teammates she plays with on another night were talking about how well I played a few weeks ago, and I just don't see it. I had a couple of good saves late in the game and we won, but a couple of goals early that were so soft, you could stuff 'em in a pillowcase and sleep on 'em.

So, I guess if it's good enough for Bodie, it's good enough for me. Stop worrying about what anybody else thinks, progress the way I need to progress, and be honest with myself about my performance.

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So, my gut reaction when I saw this cage set-up was:

"Oh my god! HAHAHAHA!"

What is UP with that? Beyond the aesthetics, it doesn't even look safe. I know women don't tend to have the slapshot that will break bars on your cage, but... well... I dunno. It's like she ran through a chicken coop on her way to the rink and just kept the chicken wire wrapped around her helmet. Ugh.

It's interesting anyway. Hutch tweeted for more information on it, so hopefully we'll learn more. But really. Honey. Mercy.

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Deciding whether to play the Tuesday drop-in tomorrow night. I said I'd play it when I don't get invited to Monday's drop-in, and I'd really like a little more time on this new sharpening to get used to it.

Worst case, we have too many goalies and it sucks and I have an opportunity to say something to the rink guys about how fucking stupid it is to not have a cap on how many goalies can participate.

The good news is that my knee is feeling pretty good today, so getting some rest for it has helped and alleviates my worry that there's something more significant going on that rest won't fix.

Honestly, I'm feeling kinda jacked about this new sharpening. I think it's the start of improving some things in my game, once I get past the terror of tripping over myself due to too much bite. :)

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Men's Olympic hockey starts tomorrow. I'm pretty jacked for that and don't even really care what country is playing which at this point. I just need my insatiable thirst for hockey quenched. I had to stop myself several times from dialing up the NHL Network tonight to watch OTF.

This video makes me laugh from beginning to end... Is there anything funnier than a nerdy looking white guy rapping so earnestly? OMG. I think I have a new front runner for Best At-Bat Song.

Bitch. Is. Thirstayyyy.

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Quick Hits: Novice game, V-day, Serious Reportering, Olys

My green team won 5-4 last night, but more because my team played unbelievable defense.

First goal, I was screened but probably should have gone down. Went right between my feet. Second, I just got burned top shelf. Got my glove up but missed it. Third, I got beat short side from a shot in close. I should have poke checked. The fourth, it was a straight shot that I was too deep for and kinda overplayed a slide and it went in just inside the far post.

But I had some pretty sweet saves. My favorite was a blocker save I made as I was sliding over. Really nice and a sure goal otherwise. Wasn't a great game but not even close to my worst either.

Lots of new faces tonight, too, which made it more fun. Very novice but just enough movement to keep it interesting, though I really didn't see a ton of shots and Jessica did and played really really well. My team was even dropping to block shots, which is just awesome and fills me with <3.

A question I need to run by my mental training coach is why it is that when I really don't want to be there, like I don't feel good or just don't feel like playing, why I play so much better. I was feeling like shit not having eaten enough at dinner and was shaking from hunger. Took a long time for the Luna bar I scarfed before I left the house to kick in.

But it frustrates me a little that good play comes from such a negative place for me. When I'm excited to play and eager at the start, those are my worst games. What's up with that??

Further, this was my first time to skate on my newly sharpened skates. I went from 1" to 3/4" hollow and boy was that a surprise when I skated to my net and tried to stop for the first time. Ha!

I got used to it for the most part by the end of the game, but I need to get out and work on t-pushes so I can get across faster. I am definitely more agile, it's easier to recover, movements are more crisp. It's going to be great in the long run, but it's a hell of an adjustment!

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Pretty good V-day yesterday. Nice breakfast at Buffalo Grille with Mr.C and my favorite french toast with strawberries. Best bacon EVER at the Buff. Nommmmm.

Then we ran a few errands and I got a new laptop bag for my netbook so I don't have to carry my big ol' ugly black bag to games. It's cute and only $10 because dudes who shop at CompUSA (why are you back???) don't necessarily dig "cute." Nerds.

And then I got to cover the Aeros for the Chronicle, which is always fun to put that j-school degree to work and make the parents happy. Plus, an excuse to interview Brusty. :) Normally, I don't like to bother dragging players out of the room because my PHN stuff is so high level, player quotes on individual games aren't usually too relevant until playoff time. But for the Chron, it's good and he gave some important color for my story.

They originally rewrote my lead but I notice my version is back now. Not sure why, but I'm glad. I figure, I don't get the chance very often (nor should I, because Andrew is The Man), so I figured I'd throw a fun lead against the wall and see if it stuck.

Anyway, tough loss to a Chicago team that is just on fire right now. Not sure what's up with the boys but they're not playing with a whole lot of fire. Not bringing 60 minutes of hard compete. Just not typical, but I hope they get it together.

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We have 3 goalies again. *sigh* Anton's hip is better, according to Russo, so he was sent down today. As much as I'm enjoying the Olympics, the Olympic break can just kiss my ass.

But speaking of Olys, I watched 2 periods of USA v China women's hockey. What I love about hockey in the Olys is that you really get to appreciate the underdog. Like in individual or really quick sports, the cameras just focus on the leaders and everyone else is an also-ran. But in hockey, you get to see the underdog goalie a LOT because they're just getting shelled.

And typically being the underdog goalie myself, I dig that. It's inspiring. So, I'm really going to enjoy these early rounds, I think.

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Errr, I guess I better go buy a paper, huh? :)

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Quick (really quick) Hits

I don't really have much to say, but I get antsy when I've had a single post up too long. Especially when the subject is in LOLcatspeak. That's cute for like a day. We're going on 3 now.

Buncha quick hits:

My dog, who is 8 years old, got groomed... like proper groomed by the kind of people who know how to make poodles look like topiaries... for the very first time yesterday and he's such a priss now!

I'm not sure if he just SEEMS prissy because he looks so neat and trim or because he knows how good he looks and he really is being a priss. He's such a "rugged" looking dog normally.... it's jarring when a dog has a better manicure than his owner.

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Super excited about this weekend in sports. Excited about the Wild because Cody Almond is up and eager to see how he fares. Love to see all my pimping backed up with the big club. The kid is the whole package IMO.

Also, of course, the Olympics start. To be honest, I don't much care about anything but hockey. No figure skaters have done any kneecapping lately, so ... meh.... Mostly when I see all those talented skaters twirling around out there, I just wish more girls would play hockey. At least there'd be fewer divots in the ice. *grumble*

However, Russo is covering some of the winter events apart from hockey, and as I've often said, it's just such a thrill to watch someone who is the best in his league doing his job and loving it. This blog post tonight from Vancouver was about 18 different things, completely jacked up on coffee, and an awesome read. It proves to me that there's nothing Russo could write about that I wouldn't read. He's just good.

Finally, the Aeros have 3 in 3 at home this weekend and it looks like they're going to keep Khudobin up in Minnesota for the weekend, which means Brusty gets a start or two. And that means I'm happy for a few more days. And then Mean Mr. Mill will make bitter bunny bitter again. (There's gotta be a children's book in this right? I could do it all in jaggedy stick figures. It would be awesome. Maybe I'll do a short version as a blog post sometime.)

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I have plans to interview the goalie coach of the Dallas Stars system next week. Great timing huh? I'm excited to talk to him. Usually when I interview, I have trouble coming up with questions.

I'm a terrible interviewer because a) if I'm genuinely interested in learning about someone, I don't want surface stuff. I want to really know what makes them tick, but it's hard to get there without building some trust, and that requires coming in through the front door, conversationally speaking.

And b) if I'm not genuinely interested in learning about someone, I have a hard time faking otherwise.

But in this case, I may have too many. My focus will be on the AHL level but gosh, you just can't ignore what's going on with Turco and Lehtonen and Auld.... a little goalie threesome up there in Big D.

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STOP RAINING! NOW!

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My new cat eye cage still hasn't shown up. You'd think ordering something from freaking Canada is like ordering it from Iran or something for how long it takes to get here. Come on, customs people, it's just a cage. Get on it!

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Awesome segment on ABC 13 tonight about Jeff Crawford, the Aeros practice goalie who nearly had to step in and play when Brusty got sliced last week. (May I just interject that I've watched that injury happen like 3 times in the last 24 hours and it still sends shivers up my spine every time. *shudder* The injury happens so fast, you don't eve know it's happened... it's when he goes to get up that my heart drops to my stomach every single time I see it.) Good job by the PR guys for getting a cool story out there.

Hopefully there's video soon, but if not, I'll record it off of TV and share it at T3I.

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I'm finally convinced that I'm being ridiculous skating on a 1" hollow (hush, stop laughing). So I'm going to start ramping the hollow up.

Honestly, tough, I'm not a very patient ramper-upper, so I may not even bother with 1/8th increments and just go right to 3/4 for the first sharpening. Holler at me if that's insanity, but if it's just a matter of being awkward for a few sessions... well, I already am, so no biggie.

But the more I thought about the following comment from Mike McKenna over at IGM, the more I started thinking about how the very things I'm having trouble with revolve around using my edges. I hardly have edges with my current sharpening!

Q: Isn’t the 1/4” – 3/8” hollow in the skates pretty aggressive for a goalie? I thought most goalies used at least 1/2? hollow to make it easier to glide side-to-side? – Steve

A: Not really. Almost every pro goalie is around 1/2” or under. By gliding side-to-side I presume you mean shuffling. Today’s goalies never shuffle more than a foot or two at a time and it’s very controlled. T-pushes and power-pushes (movements while down in the butterfly) require sharp edges if you want to have any kind of explosiveness. I’ve been sharpening my skates like this for nearly eight years, so it’s not that new of a concept. Unfortunately many pro shops don’t understand the needs of modern goaltenders and their ‘goalie cut’ (or standardized goalie hollow) is often 1” or higher. Scary.

I'm excited to try it and see what it does for me ... or to me... Hah. Hopefully I can get it done by Sunday and get to try it out in practice.

I asked one of my pro goalie pals what his hollow is and he doesn't even know. Amazing. I sometimes wonder how some of these guys would survive without an equipment manager to take care of them. Must be like herding cats. Really buff cats with great asses, though, so it's not like I'm tossing any pity their way.

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Aaaaand with that hockey player ass reference, I think I've done my job here for the evening.

Apropos of my day:

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