Penguins, Pot & Other Stuff

A little-known fact about yours truly: an excellent coach who has won championships at every level.  In my younger days they used to call me "Scotty".  As a matter of fact, another guy I tutored for a while went on to some success using the same name!  Of course, being such a good coach led to some very tangible results.  Check out the pictures!

Went to see the Bulldogs play last Saturday.  The Dickhead came along with me.  Unfortunately we saw a stinker of a game.  Hamilton lost to Grand Rapids 3-1.  That put them down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.  Fortunately though, Hamilton won last night in Grand Rapids.  They have to take at least one more there to have another game back home.

 

Gold Bulldogs!

Don’t know what to say about the boys this year.  Simply awful!  I know injuries played a part in their demise but there are so many other things going on "behind-the-scenes".  I hear that the goaltender, Carey Price, may be in trouble at the end of the season over a statutory rape charge that is being held back until then.  Ouch!

 

Oh well, hopefully we will have Vancouver versus Pittsburgh in the finals.  Will do wonders for my hockey pool team!

The big day approaches.  Brother Joseph & I are off to Buffalo tomorrow to watch our Canadiens take care of those pesky Sabers.  It’s going to be tough; the injury bug has hit Montréal big-time over the past week or so.  To top it off, Buffalo has been playing some good hockey lately.  But don’t worry Dickhead, I’m sure I’ll be collecting on our bet!

It’s around this time of year that I start to develop more interest in the NHL hockey season.  The CFL is done (RIP Tiger Cats) and the NFL is gearing up for their playoffs.  Soon though, American football will also be done for the year.  Then, hockey takes over!

 

Montréal is doing fairly well this year.  Maybe not as well as predicted earlier but still definitely in the heat of the race for first place.  Toronto?  Well, they’re still Toronto!  Looking forward to going to watch my boys from Montréal play Buffalo in February.  Brother Joseph & I will make a day of it.  Leave early, grab something to beat in Buffalo and then watch our boys kick some American ass!

 

Go Habs Go!

Yes, about one more week and this season will be in full gear.  Many experts give my Canadiens a good chance of representing the East in the Stanley Cup finals.  We’ll see!  All I know is, the start of the hockey season means the start of the hockey pool season.  I must be in 6 or 7 already.

 

Did my annual early ticket shopping for some games.  I don’t really get heavy into hockey until after Christmas.  My Montréal boys only have one game in Toronto after January.  Tickets for that don’t go on sale until the new year.  I’ll be patient.  Was able to pick up a couple of tickets to watch them in Buffalo in February.  Will be going with Brother Joseph.  Go Habs Go!

Well, my Montréal Canadiens are down 3-1 to Philadelphia.  Big game in Montréal tonight.  The boys have to find a way to beat that Philadelphia goaltender-he’s hot!  As Brother Joseph pointed out while watching the last game, now I know what it feels like to have a good team getting beaten by a goalie-like Patrick Roy did so many times (and Ken Dryden)!

 

Go Habs Go!

The atmosphere before the game was tense.  It was a full house for the game.  Along with the usual Trish & Paulo, Brothers Mike & Joseph were here along with good friends Terry & Cam.  Even the little guy Kaleb got into the act.

 

Everyone except Paulo was cheering for Montréal so it was a friendly crowd.  Poor old Paulo was more worried about the Washington/Philadelphia game because all the players on his hockey pool team are from Washington.  Fortunately for him, Washington won and forced a seventh and deciding game.  Now, back to the game that really counted!

 

Carey Price kept Montréal in the game early.  Then, Montréal’s legs started to take over.  It was close for a while but Montréal slowly built their lead.  Final score: 5-0 for the good guys!  Needless to say, there were a bunch of relieved Montréal fans leaving apartment #805 last night.  Being the photographer she always is, the lovely Trish managed to get some pictures.  Check them out!

For quite a few years now, some of the boys have been getting together at the start of the playoffs to conduct a playoff pool draft.  Just took place the other night here at 20 Jarvis.  This year we have 22 guys, no wait-I’m wrong, 21 guys & the lovely Trish participating.

 

The tension mounted as we drew for our draft positions.  Trish got a good one, drafting in the #3 spot.  Paulo got #8, Dickhead (I believe) got spot #5 whereas yours truly had to do with #10.  It was an 8 round draft so by the end, there were some lesser lights being taken.

 

Good luck to all (especially those who drafted Montreal Canadiens)!  Trish took a few pictures from the draft.  Check them out!

Yes, the boys did do what they had to do-beating Toronto Saturday night.  Then, we sat back and watched Philadelphia do us a favor on Sunday by beating Pittsburgh.  Now, the playoffs.  Montréal gets Boston in the first round.  We beat the Bean Towners every game this year.  No reason for that to change!  In the East-Montréal or Pittsburgh-take your pick.

 

In the West however, I see a dark horse.  Minnesota & Jacques Lemaire to advance to the Stanley Cup.  They better; I put money down all on them several months ago when a friend of mine was in Las Vegas!