Here are two wrong ways to use a hockey stick, followed by the right way.
WRONG WAY #1 – Using your stick to start a fight…between fans. After being named the first star of the game, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer tosses his stick over the glass, intending to give it to a little girl. But his toss had bad aim, and the stick ended up in the midst of some adults who decided to fight over it.
WRONG WAY #2 – Using your stick to (literally) beat the goalie…on your own team. Keith Ballard of the Florida Panther attempts to bang his stick on the goalpost after the Atlanta Thrashers score. Instead, he cracks his own goalie–Tomas Vokoun–in the head. Vokoun, who was removed from the game on a stretcher, was cut and needed stitches.
(You only really need to see the first 1:15)
RIGHT WAY TO USE A HOCKEY STICK Now, check out this sweet goal by Chicago Blackahwks captain Jonathan Toews, who beats two defenders and the goalie, scores while getting tripped, and celebrates his goal in mid-air a la Bobby Orr.
Kids, that’s how you use a hockey stick. What an awesome goal. Too bad the Blackhawks lost that game 4-1.
A new documentary about the 1960 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team will be released this week. That’s right, the 1960 team. Every four years, all the buzz among U.S. hockey fans is usually about the “Miracle on Ice” from 1980. But many of us overlook the fact that 20 years prior, the miracle first occurred when the U.S. team beat Russia, Canada and Czechoslovakia en route to U.S.A.’s first gold medal in hockey.
Here is the trailer to the documentary about the 1960 Olympic team, aptly entitled “Forgotten Miracle.”
Visit the Forgotten Miracle official website here.
The past few years, I have thoroughly enjoyed the intro video shown before each Chicago Blackhawks home game. Though it changes somewhat each season, the story is basically the same: a villainous, black-clad hockey team is taken on by the Chicago Blackhawks on the frozen streets of Chicago. The 2008-09 video was, hands-down, my favorite.
Is that awesome or what? Here are some things to notice if you watch it again:
– The evil team defacing the ‘Hawks banner (0:15) – Captain Jonathan Toews casting a watchful eye over “his” city (0:20) – Brent Sopel totally blindsiding that guy (0:30) – Adam Burish dropping the gloves to protect Brian Campbell (0:44) – Dustin Byfuglien charging across the Michigan Ave. bridge (0:55) – Toews smashing the sign at Wrigley Field (1:18) – Martin Havlat jumping over the tracks as a train approaches (1:59)
Ironically, the low point of the video are the actual game highlights (1:32 to 1:53) spiced in towards the end. Hockey is so much cooler when you play on frozen streets and have to avoid being hit by cars and trains.
FYI, there is a slightly different version of this video that shows soon-to-be-replaced coach Denis Savard towards the end, as well as Patrick Kane celebrating his goal at the very end.
EDIT: I just now realized why I like this ‘Hawks intro video so much. In many ways, it is reminiscent of the intro for Batman: The Animated Series. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean.
Shellie and I arrived at the convention around 8:30 am. I headed off to the VIP signing session that I had won, while Shellie went to wait in line for Murray Bannerman.
At 9 am sharp, we finally learned who will be signing for us–Stan Mikita! While I did get his autograph last year, I don’t mind getting it again this year. Mikita nicely signed this 8″ by 10″ photograph.
Saturday, Shellie and I got to the Blackhawks Convention at 9 am. My first goal for autographs was to get my 2006-07 Young Guns card of Dave Bolland signed. We got in line, and each of us got a card signed by the ‘Hawks center: Continue reading “2009 Blackhawks Convention – Day Two”
July 17 to 19 was the Second Annual Chicago Blackhawks Convention. Sure, it’s the middle of July, but for 10,000 of us, all we thought about for the next three days was hockey.
As is my luck, Shellie and I were running a bit late, as we got there just before 5 pm. We could not get into the Grand Ballroom because to see the “Opening Ceremonies”, where they introduce the players who are attending the Con. Continue reading “2009 Blackhawks Convention – Day One”
When Mario Lemieux retired for the first time in 1997, he went out on a high note, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. Here is a tribute video that was shown during the 1997 NHL Awards, followed by Lemeiux’s acceptance speech for the award. He is introduced by former teammate Bryan Trottier.
Check out more hockey related videos at the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.
It’s been a busy last couple of days, but I’m getting caught up and have been itching to post this for a while:
Top Five Wayne Gretzky Commercials
Seeing as how this month is the 20 year anniversary of “The Trade”, I figured these cheesy commercials featuring “The Great One” would be appropriate. So, in familiar countdown fashion, let us see the best that YouTube has to offer…
5. Bo Knows This commercial, from around 1990 or so, stars Bo Jackson, the former athlete who starred in both pro football and pro baseball. There are numerous cameo appearances by many famous sports stars, including Gretzky himself. The story goes that Wayne was supposed to ask “Bo Knows hockey?” in the commercial, but kept messing up the line, causing the director to shorten his dialog. Gretzky appears around the 14-second mark.
“No.” That’s it–no. But Gretzky’s delivery makes that the funniest part of the commercial.
4. Domino’s Pizza Bo may know baseball, football, tennis and hockey–but in 1994 Wayne Gretzky knew that the only great pizza is a fresh pizza. Watch as Gretzky skates across a sheet of ice to deliver a pipin’ hot pizza to your front door.
Apparently they did not have to shorten his dialog to “No”. Though I wonder if the kid tipped him.
3. McDonald’s Gretzky vs. Sundin Gretzky’s acting ability got way better in the late 1990s, when he played for the New York Rangers. Here, he has a puck shooting contest with Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin–the loser has to buy the winner lunch at McDonald’s. Surprisingly, this commercial is pretty good.
“Aren’t you getting hungry yet?”
2. Bud Light “Bubble Boys” ad campaign In 2000, Bud Light beer ran a series of commercials starring the “Bubble Boys”–two talking little hockey men from a tabletop hockey game (sometimes called “bubble hockey”). Gretzky was named the commissioner of the “Bubble Boys Hockey League”.
Later on, Gretzky was asked how he’d fare as a bubble hockey player…
“Go get him!” “We can’t! We don’t go back there!”
1. 7-Up Wow. Just, wow. This one is so bad, it’s awesome. There’s no way I could not make this #1. This commercial from 1981 stars Wayne and his younger brother Keith.
Stilted dialog, bad puns, horrible jingle…this one gets a hat trick! “At last, clean, refreshing 7-Up.”
Honorable Mention – Phoenix Coyotes What can be funnier than Gretzky “bench pressing” in that last commercial?
Gretzky coaching.
Oooh, burn!
Actually, this commercial merits an honorable mention because Gretzky’s acting is halfway decent here, as he interacts with an angry French-Canadian snowman puppet.
Does anyone remember the “Wayne Gretzky Soup” made by Cambpell’s Soup during the 1996-97 season?
Yeah, seriously, Gretzky was on soup cans towards the end of his career. The picture to the right will prove this.
Anyway, I have one final satirical clip to share from the 1997 NHL Awards, where they featured fake commercials or other humorous skits before and after commercial break. This last one is for more NHL player-inspired brands of soup.
Does anyone remember the “