Well I was back home in the DC Area for a few days over Christmas Break. My brother Paul skates on Monday nights and asked if I wanted to skate with him. I had not skated since June so I thought this could be interesting. Getting back out on the ice was fun to do and I had a great time skating but I was also frustrated because I am not that far removed from playing Div. I Hockey and my skills seem to have deteriorated exponentially. Here are a few things I took for granted when I played 6 days a week in college.
1. Skates are always sharp and prepared by the equipment staff.
2. The puck feels a lot heavier when you don't handle it everyday. It feels heavier on your stick.
3. Catching passes and having soft hands comes from handling the puck everyday.
4. My ability to read angles on the ice is completely gone. No longer do I know exactly how to bank a puck off the boards to another spot on the ice or angle another player away from a scoring area.
5. Making a flat crisp pass is hard to do.
6. My shot is still very weak. (perhaps weaker now)
But I did learn some things that are encouraging.
1. You can still get a great workout in skating and playing pick-up hockey.
2. The smell of the rink and cold air on your face is a unique thing and stays the same no matter how old you are or where you play.
3. I still know how to tie my skates.
4. Beer tastes really good after a game. (that's something you don't realize when you have a game the next day and you are pounding pasta and Gatorade after games)
All in all I am very happy I got back on the ice. Although the speed of the game is slower and my skills are deteriorating exponentially, its always a great feeling to be in a locker room, be on the ice, make a good pass, feel the puck on your stick, and sweat. I am not sure when the next time I will skate but I certainly can't wait.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Top Christmas Movies
1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
2. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (island of misfit toys)
3. Elf
4. Home Alone
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated)
6. Scrooged
7. The Family Stone
8. Polar Express
9. Bad Santa
1o. Fred Claus
2. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (island of misfit toys)
3. Elf
4. Home Alone
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated)
6. Scrooged
7. The Family Stone
8. Polar Express
9. Bad Santa
1o. Fred Claus
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Table for One
Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote. Been busy here at BOLC II. (Basic Officer Leader Course) It is a course that the Army makes all LTs of all commissioning sources, regardless of branch (Infantry, Intelligence, Medical, etc.) go through to get a baseline of knowledge. In theory it is a good idea. But the course is being cancelled and I am in the third to last cycle in the history of the army. It is out here in Fort Sill, OK. I drove out here from Ft. Knox. I stopped in Memphis for a night, funny story which I will tell in a sec.
If driving through West Virginia looks like this? /\_/\/\/\_/\ = very mountainous. Driving through Oklahoma and Arkansas looks like this ____________________. Flat. Kind of boring. I got the feeling when I was driving through Arkansas that people pass through there, and aren’t from there. And then for about 45 minutes I began thinking why are Kansas and Arkansas pronounced differently? Shouldn’t it either be “Can-Saw” for Kansas if Arkansas is correct or “Are-Can-Sas” for Arkansas if Kansas is correct? Weird. It was so flat in Arkansas that I could see the welcome to Oklahoma sign the moment I got into the state. No not really, but close. I could definitely see Little Rock from about 100 miles away.
On the way out there I stopped in Memphis TN. A place I had heard a lot about and seen several things on the Food Network about. I had to check it out. My mother’s Deli is famous for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, which is a Carolina style BBQ. Memphis style BBQ is a dry rub seasoned rib which is slow cooked. I thought I would give it a shot.
When I got into the city I found a parking garage and asked the kid at the garage, “Where is a good place to grab a bite around here?” He replied, “You lookin’ for dry rub ribs? Right ‘der is where you gotta be. Rendezvous.” He pointed down an alley about 300 feet to a little hole in the wall restaurant. I thought to myself that this place looks pretty local and is probably good. But being my first time in Memphis I didn’t want to be that tourist that walks in and gets shunned by a totally local crowd. So I walked down to where all the action was in the city, Meade Street I believe it was called. Walked around saw some cool things and then headed back. Everything else looked over the top commercialized so I thought Rendezvous would be good.
I walked in the door and an older black gentleman greets me. “What can I do for you tonight, partner?” I replied, “Looking for some dinner, heard this place was the place to be.”
“People meeting you here?” he asked. “Nope, just passing through” I answered as honest as I was I think he was skeptical. “Table for One?” he questioned. I immediately saw the irony in requesting a table for one at a restaurant called ‘Rendezvous’ “Alrighty then partner, follow me there might be a seat at the bar.”
No dice. Bar was full. Mostly of couples. I was given a small table, with three seats; I put my sweatshirt in one and took the other one. I put my sweatshirt in one to distract those passing by; I wanted them to think at first glance my partner for the evening had gone to the restroom or something. I thought this was a good plan until I realized that when there is one glass of beer and one plate of food in front of me my ruse would be compromised. Oh well. Luckily after I got my menu two seats at the bar opened up and the bartender called to me, “waiting for anyone?” “Nope, can I sit up there?” “Sure, friend come on up.”
I moved to the bar and planted myself. I began looking at the menu, until the guys next to me, face covered in BBQ, and fingers drenched in dry rub says, “Full order and a beer.”
“What’s that?” I asked not sure if he was talking to me. “That’s all you need to know man. I have been coming here since I was 6. Get a beer, and a full order of ribs. Can’t go wrong.”
“What kind of beer do they have?”
“I don’t know, Amsteel light? Bud Light? It doesn’t matter, the ribs have the taste and the beer isn’t good enough to outdo them.”
When the bartender came back I said “beer and a full order please.” The bartender knew and said got it before I finished the word ‘full’.
My order came and I ate it. It was pretty good I must say. Definitely a dish I am glad I had. I went back and found a motel room and turned in for the night. Woke up early and drove on for Oklahoma. Just a quick little story about getting a table for one at a place called ‘Rendezvous.’
If driving through West Virginia looks like this? /\_/\/\/\_/\ = very mountainous. Driving through Oklahoma and Arkansas looks like this ____________________. Flat. Kind of boring. I got the feeling when I was driving through Arkansas that people pass through there, and aren’t from there. And then for about 45 minutes I began thinking why are Kansas and Arkansas pronounced differently? Shouldn’t it either be “Can-Saw” for Kansas if Arkansas is correct or “Are-Can-Sas” for Arkansas if Kansas is correct? Weird. It was so flat in Arkansas that I could see the welcome to Oklahoma sign the moment I got into the state. No not really, but close. I could definitely see Little Rock from about 100 miles away.
On the way out there I stopped in Memphis TN. A place I had heard a lot about and seen several things on the Food Network about. I had to check it out. My mother’s Deli is famous for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, which is a Carolina style BBQ. Memphis style BBQ is a dry rub seasoned rib which is slow cooked. I thought I would give it a shot.
When I got into the city I found a parking garage and asked the kid at the garage, “Where is a good place to grab a bite around here?” He replied, “You lookin’ for dry rub ribs? Right ‘der is where you gotta be. Rendezvous.” He pointed down an alley about 300 feet to a little hole in the wall restaurant. I thought to myself that this place looks pretty local and is probably good. But being my first time in Memphis I didn’t want to be that tourist that walks in and gets shunned by a totally local crowd. So I walked down to where all the action was in the city, Meade Street I believe it was called. Walked around saw some cool things and then headed back. Everything else looked over the top commercialized so I thought Rendezvous would be good.
I walked in the door and an older black gentleman greets me. “What can I do for you tonight, partner?” I replied, “Looking for some dinner, heard this place was the place to be.”
“People meeting you here?” he asked. “Nope, just passing through” I answered as honest as I was I think he was skeptical. “Table for One?” he questioned. I immediately saw the irony in requesting a table for one at a restaurant called ‘Rendezvous’ “Alrighty then partner, follow me there might be a seat at the bar.”
No dice. Bar was full. Mostly of couples. I was given a small table, with three seats; I put my sweatshirt in one and took the other one. I put my sweatshirt in one to distract those passing by; I wanted them to think at first glance my partner for the evening had gone to the restroom or something. I thought this was a good plan until I realized that when there is one glass of beer and one plate of food in front of me my ruse would be compromised. Oh well. Luckily after I got my menu two seats at the bar opened up and the bartender called to me, “waiting for anyone?” “Nope, can I sit up there?” “Sure, friend come on up.”
I moved to the bar and planted myself. I began looking at the menu, until the guys next to me, face covered in BBQ, and fingers drenched in dry rub says, “Full order and a beer.”
“What’s that?” I asked not sure if he was talking to me. “That’s all you need to know man. I have been coming here since I was 6. Get a beer, and a full order of ribs. Can’t go wrong.”
“What kind of beer do they have?”
“I don’t know, Amsteel light? Bud Light? It doesn’t matter, the ribs have the taste and the beer isn’t good enough to outdo them.”
When the bartender came back I said “beer and a full order please.” The bartender knew and said got it before I finished the word ‘full’.
My order came and I ate it. It was pretty good I must say. Definitely a dish I am glad I had. I went back and found a motel room and turned in for the night. Woke up early and drove on for Oklahoma. Just a quick little story about getting a table for one at a place called ‘Rendezvous.’
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Fictional Fantasy Hockey
Due to the amount of interest my fictional fantasy baseball team attracted, I have been asked to provide a line-up of my favorite fictional hockey players. Now the same rules will apply as the baseball team. No biographical players. Meaning if the actor is portraying a real person then they are not eligible. That is why there are no characters from the following movies on my team: Miracle, The Rocket, or Net Worth. Also the Hanson Brothers are not on the team because they are also real people and not characters. (Although they are memorable.)
I just wanted to put that out there as a disclaimer before you read and said, “What no Hanson line?” or “Where the hell is Eruzione and Mark Johnson!?”
So we will start off with the forwards. The first line packs some serious offensive punch and features two players from one of the top three hockey movies of all time. Derek Sutton (Patrick Swayze – Youngblood) centering Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) and Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney – The Cutting Edge). Sweeney whom I felt did a great job portraying Shoeless Joe in Eight Men Out but was kept out by the ban on real people. Let’s not forget Dorsey had a very promising career cut short by injury in the ’88 Olympics in a game versus West Germany. I think he will fit in nicely with the obvious chemistry of Sutton and Youngblood. Sutton also takes the “A” as alternate captain for the team.
The second line features three players from Mystery, Alaska. Although these three didn’t play on the same line in the movie I think it was poor coaching by Burt ‘Bandit’ Reynolds who played Coach Judge Walter ‘Bear’ Burns. The Winetka brothers, Galin and Ben, skate as beautifully as Pocahontas sings. This makes sense because they are Native Americans, Inuit to be precise. Played by Adam Beach and Leroy Peltier the brothers Winetka are centered by speedster Stevie Weeks (Ryan Northcott). The speed and skill of this line looks to cause fits for the opposition.
The third line brings the experience and ruggedness needed to win in the playoffs. Reggie Dunlop, team captain, (Paul Newman) puts his differences aside to center two men from the rival Syracuse Bulldogs. Dr. Hook McCracken (Paul D’Amato) and Ogie Oglethorpe (Ned Dowd). All these characters are from the movie Slapshot.
The fourth line is a solid mix of skill and experience. This line is going to be counted on to provide timely scoring. Slapshot provides us with Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean); the former leading scored in the Federal League is counted on the lead another wirey veteran, Gordon Bombay (Emilio ‘Billy the Kid’ Estevez – D2). Opposite Bombay is the sniper from Mystery Alaska, Connor Banks (Michael Buie). If Bombay can stay healthy his work in the corner and along the boards digging out pucks could compliment Banks’ quick release nicely.
The defense will be counted on to play tough strong D because the forwards don’t appear to play much of a two-way game. The defense is led by a hot-headed rookie named Huey Hewitt (Peter Fausett – Youngblood). His partner is experienced tough guy Andre ‘Poodle’ Lusier (Mark Bussquet – Slapshot). The second pairing will also be counted on the Power play quarterbacking. Tree Lane (Kevin Durand- Mystery Alaska) and a rehabilitated Jean ‘Rosie’ LaRose (Angus MacInnes – Strange Brew) If you have seen the movie you know that Rosie had a nervous breakdown and is at Elsinore Brewery/Insane Asylum on a rehab stint. The final pairing has the Dean Portman (Aaron Lohr – D2) with Gilmore Tuttle (Blake Ball – Slapshot). Portman is the only one mature enough to come off the developmental Mighty Ducks team and Tuttle provides a grizzly leadership similar to his beautiful beard.
In goal the starting job will have to be earned right now two goalies (technically three) are vying for the job. Bob and Walt Tenor (Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear – Stuck on You) make up the first part of the goaltending team having led the Quickee Burger team to back to back Cape League Championships. But then the legendary Heaver (Keanu ‘Johnny Utah’ Reeves – Youngblood) is so confident that he styles his hair after every period. One obstacle could be his limited English. But I am not sure if it’s because Heaver is French Canadian or just an idiot.
The coaches of this team will be former Hamilton Mustangs bench boss, Coach Murray Chadwick (Ed Lauter). He will be assisted by Judge Walter ‘Bear’ Burns (Burt Reynolds).
Here is a look at some of the injured reserve team members:
G-Doug McKenzie from Strange Brew played by Dave Thomas; G- Jean-Guy Drouin from Slapshot played by Yvon Ponton; F- Chris Pratt from The Lookout played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt; F- Wayne Campbell from Wayne’s World played by Mike Myers; F- Darren Roanoke from The Love Guru played by Romany Malco; D- Sub-Zero from The Running Man played by Professor Toru Tanaka.
Enjoy and if there are any movies on here you haven’t seen check them out. Until next time, #4
I just wanted to put that out there as a disclaimer before you read and said, “What no Hanson line?” or “Where the hell is Eruzione and Mark Johnson!?”
So we will start off with the forwards. The first line packs some serious offensive punch and features two players from one of the top three hockey movies of all time. Derek Sutton (Patrick Swayze – Youngblood) centering Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) and Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney – The Cutting Edge). Sweeney whom I felt did a great job portraying Shoeless Joe in Eight Men Out but was kept out by the ban on real people. Let’s not forget Dorsey had a very promising career cut short by injury in the ’88 Olympics in a game versus West Germany. I think he will fit in nicely with the obvious chemistry of Sutton and Youngblood. Sutton also takes the “A” as alternate captain for the team.
The second line features three players from Mystery, Alaska. Although these three didn’t play on the same line in the movie I think it was poor coaching by Burt ‘Bandit’ Reynolds who played Coach Judge Walter ‘Bear’ Burns. The Winetka brothers, Galin and Ben, skate as beautifully as Pocahontas sings. This makes sense because they are Native Americans, Inuit to be precise. Played by Adam Beach and Leroy Peltier the brothers Winetka are centered by speedster Stevie Weeks (Ryan Northcott). The speed and skill of this line looks to cause fits for the opposition.
The third line brings the experience and ruggedness needed to win in the playoffs. Reggie Dunlop, team captain, (Paul Newman) puts his differences aside to center two men from the rival Syracuse Bulldogs. Dr. Hook McCracken (Paul D’Amato) and Ogie Oglethorpe (Ned Dowd). All these characters are from the movie Slapshot.
The fourth line is a solid mix of skill and experience. This line is going to be counted on to provide timely scoring. Slapshot provides us with Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean); the former leading scored in the Federal League is counted on the lead another wirey veteran, Gordon Bombay (Emilio ‘Billy the Kid’ Estevez – D2). Opposite Bombay is the sniper from Mystery Alaska, Connor Banks (Michael Buie). If Bombay can stay healthy his work in the corner and along the boards digging out pucks could compliment Banks’ quick release nicely.
The defense will be counted on to play tough strong D because the forwards don’t appear to play much of a two-way game. The defense is led by a hot-headed rookie named Huey Hewitt (Peter Fausett – Youngblood). His partner is experienced tough guy Andre ‘Poodle’ Lusier (Mark Bussquet – Slapshot). The second pairing will also be counted on the Power play quarterbacking. Tree Lane (Kevin Durand- Mystery Alaska) and a rehabilitated Jean ‘Rosie’ LaRose (Angus MacInnes – Strange Brew) If you have seen the movie you know that Rosie had a nervous breakdown and is at Elsinore Brewery/Insane Asylum on a rehab stint. The final pairing has the Dean Portman (Aaron Lohr – D2) with Gilmore Tuttle (Blake Ball – Slapshot). Portman is the only one mature enough to come off the developmental Mighty Ducks team and Tuttle provides a grizzly leadership similar to his beautiful beard.
In goal the starting job will have to be earned right now two goalies (technically three) are vying for the job. Bob and Walt Tenor (Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear – Stuck on You) make up the first part of the goaltending team having led the Quickee Burger team to back to back Cape League Championships. But then the legendary Heaver (Keanu ‘Johnny Utah’ Reeves – Youngblood) is so confident that he styles his hair after every period. One obstacle could be his limited English. But I am not sure if it’s because Heaver is French Canadian or just an idiot.
The coaches of this team will be former Hamilton Mustangs bench boss, Coach Murray Chadwick (Ed Lauter). He will be assisted by Judge Walter ‘Bear’ Burns (Burt Reynolds).
Here is a look at some of the injured reserve team members:
G-Doug McKenzie from Strange Brew played by Dave Thomas; G- Jean-Guy Drouin from Slapshot played by Yvon Ponton; F- Chris Pratt from The Lookout played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt; F- Wayne Campbell from Wayne’s World played by Mike Myers; F- Darren Roanoke from The Love Guru played by Romany Malco; D- Sub-Zero from The Running Man played by Professor Toru Tanaka.
Enjoy and if there are any movies on here you haven’t seen check them out. Until next time, #4
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Sorry it has been so long since i posted.
Since last time I moved from my hotel room into my apartment on Fort Knox. Its a nice place, good enough for a couple weeks until I leave for Fort Sill, OK. Jessica visited for a week and we went up to Louisville a couple times. The highlight of the trip was probably visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. Its where they make all the bats used by Major League players. Jess usually doesnt get to excited about sports stuff outside of hockey but she really enjoyed it.
We also saw some other museums and ate some good food around the city. Next week I am going to try to go to the Maker's Mark Distillery which is about an hour and a half drive from here. Apparently you can dip your own bottle at the distillery.
Since last time I moved from my hotel room into my apartment on Fort Knox. Its a nice place, good enough for a couple weeks until I leave for Fort Sill, OK. Jessica visited for a week and we went up to Louisville a couple times. The highlight of the trip was probably visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. Its where they make all the bats used by Major League players. Jess usually doesnt get to excited about sports stuff outside of hockey but she really enjoyed it.
We also saw some other museums and ate some good food around the city. Next week I am going to try to go to the Maker's Mark Distillery which is about an hour and a half drive from here. Apparently you can dip your own bottle at the distillery.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Fictional Fantasy Baseball
I recently drove from Silesia to Fort Knox, KY. The trip took about 10 hours including a couple stops for gas, lunch, and a little traffic. Along the way I had a lot of time alone in the car to just let my mind wander about crazy subjects. I think when passed Marshall University in West Virginia I thought about how great the movie We Are Marshall was. I started thinking about some of my other favorite sports movies. Then I thought about if I were to put a team together of sports movies characters, who would be on it? This was a lot of fun and passed the time very well.
Here is what i came up with.
C- Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) Bull Durham
1B- Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) Mr. Baseball
2B- Dennis Ryan (Frank Sinatra) Take Me Out to the Ballgame
SS- Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez (Mike Vitar) The Sandlot
3B-Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) Major League
LF- Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes) The Fan
CF- Wille Mayes Hayes (Wesley Snipes) Major League
RF- Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) The Natural
DH- Stan Ross (Bernie Mac) Mr. 3000
Pitching Rotation
Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) Bull Durham
Mel Clark (Tony Danza) Angels in the Outfield
Steve Nebraska (Brendan Frasier) The Rookie
Chet Stedman (Gary Busey) Rookie of the Year
Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) For Love of the Game
Bench
C- Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) A League of Their Own
Util- Lou Collins (Timothy Busfield) Little Big League
Util- Michael "Squints" Palladorous (Chauncey Leopardy) The Sandlot
Util- Pedro Cerano (Dennis Haysbert) Major League
Bullpen
Henry Rowengartner (Thomas Ian Nicholas) Rookie of the Year
Eddie Harris (Chelcie Ross) Major League
Closer
Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) Major League
Bench Coaches
Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) Major League
Jim Dugan (Tom Hanks) A League of Their Own
Manager
Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) The Natural
Until Next Time
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Maine & Fenway Trip
Hello again.
I haven't written much or had much to write about over the last couple weeks.
I recently returned from a trip to Boston and Maine with Jessica's family. Maine was alot of fun as we camped out. On Sunday Jess and I went to the Red Sox game at Fenway. (Thats me in the 'Yaz' shirt.)That was a great experience. That old ballpark has alot of history and its unique layout makes it a must see for any Baseball fan. Our seats were pretty much in straight away center field about four rows up from the fence. Great seats!
This weekend is a family BBQ at my parents house in Silesia. I am sure there will be great stories to share from that one. After that I am off to Ft. Knox KY.
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