Greetings From Smashville!

Teachable Moments: Nashville's G.O.A.L. Kids Get a Taste of Life on the Ice

2011-07-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

As remaining members Brood 17 threw themselves against windshields, buildings and screaming bugophobes and the temperatures began to creep towards the triple-digit mark, an intrepid group of children and parents braved the heat and cicadas to get a taste of what it must be like to be Shea Weber (or Shea Weber's Dad.)

For some this would be the start of a brilliant career on blades. For others, it's a chance to get chilly and silly while wearing some fun armour. Regardless of the objective, a good time was had by all as the Nashville Predators Organization showed a group of young Middle Tennesseans that hockey really is the coolest sport on earth.

Week One

For children who have been trying on their gear and striking poses for Gramma, it all gets very real. Scattered about the causeways of Centennial Sportsplex, parents and participants wrestle on the pads and shorts and then take those tentative first steps on blades. As the mentors set up the padded dividers and cones, the children begin to gather at the entrances.

Anticipation runs high as the collection of tiny wanna-be grinders waits for the moment when they'll be given the all-clear to skate where the Big Boys will be skating in a couple of months in preparation for the upcoming season. When the signal is given, each kid seems to take that first step to the ice with the mindset that they are Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The moment they leave the dry floor for the rink, they are reminded of gravity and couple of the more stringent laws of the physical world. Unseen Newtonian enforcers send most of them in a pile of cuteness not far from the door. The coaches wait and watch nearby so they can take the opportunity to use those initial teachable moments. They swoop in and gently set kids upright to try and try again.

Once the shock of how slippery ice can be wears off, there is the realisation that ice is also delightfully cold. This is especially nice given how freakishly hot June has turned out to be. More than one child will, over the course of the month, take the opportunity to just lie down and luxuriate in a sense of cool that would make Miles Davis a little jealous.

Week Two:

Most of the participants have gome from a state of bliss at simply staying vertical to really getting a sense of movement on the ice. Given the age range (four to seven years), a wide array of proficiency is to be expected. However, there are no foregone conclusions in that respect. Age, as they say, is just a number, and some tinies slip around their older classmates with the ease of a Cooper Mini moving around green and yellow rolling behemoths bearing the John Deere trademark.

It is at this point that the G.O.A.L. experience gets a little more individualised. Some children are already getting the idea that they like this. A lot. It feels like home and they wouldn't be anywhere else. They focus on the lessons of skating and stick-handling and the elegant philosophy of playing the game. For others, this a lark. They see it as a chance to play in a new environment. Interludes of teaching are sandwiched between visiting at the padded barriers and hitching a ride on the blade of a passing coach.

Either way, an important need is being met. These kids are moving and they're having a blast while they're doing it.

Can't get enough of the thrills, the spills and all that cuteness on ice? There are two more weeks of pictures coming up. In the meantime, check out the back story at Confessions of a Cheese Grits Fiend.

Note to those of you who visited the site earlier and saw black boxes where the pictures should have been: I ended up having to use YouTube. It does grey out and fuzz up the pics somewhat. I apologise for that and share your frustration.

-jf

Guest Commentary: Arnott and Tootoo (the hamsters) Explain the NHL Awards

2011-06-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

A refresher: Arnott and Tootoo are the hockey-obssessed female hamsters who live with my friend, Beautiful Alice's son. We are not sure if they're aware they are female, or for that manner, if they understand that they are hamsters.

Tootoo: Hello and welcome to our annual pre-awards show. I'm Tootoo and this is my associate, Arnott.

Arnott: Hi!

Tootoo: Today we're going to explain the awards and then we'll give you our predictions. AND, we have some special surprise guests!

Arnott: Elvis is in the building! Hahahahahahahaha!

Tootoo: You're a funny one today, Arny! But seriously let's get the ball rolling here. First up, We have the Hart Trophy...

Arnott: I know! I know! It's the award for the best resting heart rate!

Tootoo: Actually it's...

Arnott: Prettiest home-made valentine for your mom?

Tootoo: Nooo. It's...

Arnott: Best hairline!

Tootoo baps Arnott down a nearby habitrail tube and continues.

Tootoo: The Hart trophy is the leagues recognition of the overal MVP for the regular season. This year's nominees include:

Arnott: (poking his head out of the tube) Alexander Ovechkin!

Tootoo: Not this year.

Arnott: Get out! No Ovechkin?

Tootoo: Nope.

Arnott: Sidney Crosby?

Tootoo: Nope.

Arnott: Are they even giving away the Hart this year?

Tootoo: Yeeeees, they are awarding the Hart this year. Here are the nominees: Corey Perry from the Anaheim Ducks, Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks

Arnott: Is there another team that ends in -uck?

Tootoo: Shh! And Martin St.Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. My prediction? Corey Perry may have the numbers in his favor, but the judges might very well be hypnotized by Sedin's forehead. Let's face it, Vancouver's coach has learned how to harness the power of the Sedins' foreheads. That's why they win so much.

Arnott: Martin St.Louis is funnier.

Tootoo: I agree. Heck, I'd pay to see a buddy movie starring St.Louis, Marc Savard and Wade Belak.

Arnott: That would be awesome!

Tootoo: Next up, the Vezina.

<b>Arnott:</b> I can't figure out what that one's about. The nominees are a vampire, Drew Carey and Pekka Rinne. They just don't go together.

Tootoo: It's the award for best goalie. A vampire?

Arnott: Dude. Look at the picture of the goalie from Vancouver. He looks like Count Chocula.

Tootoo: That's Roberto Luongo, not Count Chocula.

Arnott: But I LIKE Count Chocula!

Tootoo: (sighs) Anyway, the nominees are: Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins and our own Pekka Rinne from the Nashville Predators. Our pick for the winner...

Arnott: Luuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Tootoo: You picked him because you think he looks like Count Chocula.

Arnott: Nooo…

Tootoo: Arny…

Arnott: That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Tootoo: Actually, I think that, based on numbers, the more likely winner could be either Rinne or Thomas. I give Thomas the edge because he had a stand-out season. Rinne? He’s rarely if ever less than spectacular on the ice, but his injury early in the season derailed him for a bit.

Now, let’s take a look at the Calder. The Calder is awarded to the outstanding rookie. Logan Couture from the San Jose Sharks, Michael Grabner from the New York Islanders and Jeff Skinner from the Carolina Hurricanes. Once again, it’s numbers versus personality and on-ice fireworks. Couture brings it in a big-shouldered, old school NHL way, but Skinner is the lost Glimmer Twin on the ice.

Arnott: Are you picking the Calder based on fabulousness?

Tootoo: Not really.

Arnott: Really… Whatever. Next award.

Tootoo: Next Award would be the Selke. This award goes to the forward who is the best at defense. And the nominees are: Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings, Ryan Kessler of the Vancouver Canucks and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Backhawks. Who do you like for this one?

Arnott: You’re asking me? Really?

Tootoo: Yes.

Arnott: Ryan Kessler.

Tootoo: …and why?

Arnott: Comes down to the numbers! And…

Tootoo: And?

Arnott: Datsyuk looks like a Sedin and Toews has a scary stare.

Tootoo: (eyes Arnott for a moment, sighs and continues) This brings us to the Jack Adams Trophy, which is awarded to the coach that has contributed the most to his team’s success. The finalists are: Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators and Alain Vigneault of the Vancouver Canucks.

Arny?

Arnott: Nope. You’ve got this one. I’m just gonna listen.

Tootoo: You sure?

Arnott: I’m sure.

Tootoo: All right, then. All three are blessed with outstanding players, dedicated fan bases and supportive administrations and coaching staff. However, we give the nod to Barry Trotz. Of the three, the Predators culture most closely reflects the values and characters of their coach. He sets the tone for everything that happens on the ice and in the locker room. Tippett was the rightful winner last year given the challenges he faced while taking on the head coaching job for Phoenix, but this should be the year for Coach Trotz.

Agreed?

Arnott: Right there with ya, big guy.

Tootoo: We’re running long, so we’re going to speed through a few of these…

Arnott: In other words, who cares?

Tootoo: Arny! (shakes her head) Here we go:

The Masterton is awarded to the player who shows dedication and perseverance. This year’s noms include Ray Emery of Anaheim, Daymon Langkow of Calgary and Ian Laperrire of Philadelpia. We like Emery for a number of reasons, not the least of which was his part in making sure the Ducks got into the playoffs.

The Ted Lindsay Award is another MVP title. This year’s finalists are: Corey Perry of Anaheim, Daniel Sedin of Vancouver and Steven Stamkos of Tampa Bay. All of these guys are deserving of the award, but I honestly like Steven Stamkos. He’s been undersung in some corners, but he’s an extraordinary, unselfish guy on the ice. I’d love to see him get it.

The NHL Foundation Award goes to the player who has demonstrated a commitment to making the world a better place by using his fame and talent to help others.

Arnott: I like this award!

Tootoo: Me, too! The nominees are: Mike Green of the Washington Capitals, Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks. All deserve the nod but Mike Green is someone who walks the talk when it comes to environmental issues. We’d like to see him on the dias this year.

The GM of the year award has some stellar candidates as well. Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks, David Poile of the Nashville Predators and Steve Yzerman of the Tampa Bay Lightning are all compelling choices. As much as we’d love to see our boy Poile get the chance to make the winner’s walk; Yzerman’s rehab of the Tampa Bay Lightning makes him a shoo-in.

The strictly by-the-numbers awards winners are:

For the William Jennings goalie trophy: Berto Luongo and Cory Schneider of Vancover.

The Art Ross Trophy for points scored after the end of the season goes to Henrik Sedin.

The Maurice “Rocket” Richard for regular season play goes to Corey Perry of Anaheim.

Arnott: Is that everything?

Tootoo: There are three awards left. But before we talk about those, let’s bring out our special guests. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to His Holiness the Doggie Lama Niklas Lidstrom the Shih Tzu and Sheba Weber DeYorkie.

(Niklas and Sheba enter)

Tootoo: How does it feel to be up for three NHL awards, Niklas?

Niklas: Rewards? Did I do something good?

Sheba

: Maybe you saw a squirrel!

Niklas: Squirrel!?!?!?! Where?

Sheba: Squirrel! Let’s go get it!

(Tootoo and Arnott watch as Lidstrom and Weber run off to chase a hypothetical squirrel.)

Arnott: Um.

Tootoo: Well. Okay then. The final awards for today. There’s the Bridgestone Messier Award for leadership and character that goes beyond being a good player. The nominees are Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes, Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings. (Tootoo sighs)

Arnott: Lidstrom.

Tootoo: Yeah. He’s definitely the right choice for this. Next there’s the Lady Byng for sportsmanlike conduct. All three nominees and that includes Loui Erikkson of the Dallas Stars, Martin St.Louis from Tampa Bay and, uh, Niklas Lidstrom of the Red Wings all deserve to walk home with the trophy, but we like St.Louis’ grace under pressure makes him our choice for this one.

And finally, there’s the Norris for best all-around Dee-Guy. The nominees are Zdeno Chara, Nicklas Lidstrom and Shea Weber. This one’s a toughie.

Arnott: No it’s not. Who didn’t run off to chase squirrels a minute ago?

Tootoo: Remember, you can’t factor in post-season.

Arnott: Dang.

Tootoo: Plus, Zdeno is a biter. It could go either way. With Lidstrom, you have the veteran who has been recognized time and again versus the young gun, Weber, who is beginning to grow into his role as an upper echelon player. Thing is, the NHL loves tradition and continuity. I think Lidstrom will walk away with the Norris this year.

Arnott: That wrap it up?

Tootoo: Indeed it does!

Arnott: Nice job hosting this year.

Tootoo: Thanks, homes!

Arnott: You up for draft coverage?

Tootoo: Depends. I’ve got three seasons of Dr. Who waiting for me on Netflix.

Arnott: Suh-weet! I’ll bring the popcorn!

A Thousand Words - The NWRFC: Hard As Stone. Tough As Lions.

2011-05-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is the first of a series of photo essays featuring sporting events around Tennessee. Sometimes words can put you right there, but nothing replaces the images that convey the passionate conviction players invest in being a part of the game.

Far from the crowds, the big contracts and the glitz and glamour, a group of young women gather for an afternoon competition.

This is not your mama's day school field day (which was probably more brutal than you imagined). These women have chosen to play rugby, a tough, relentless game that takes more than a little heart and grit.

The game was the season closer. It took place on April 30th at the NSCC south campus. Knoxville Women's Rugby Football Club, the visiting team, came to compete and eventually win a higher seed in the division championships.

Who attends NWRFC games? Proud family members, fans, friends and SO's (who deserve their own special kudos for patience and tender ministrations after a hard day on the pitch).

Who else should be there? How about you? Don't let your lack of rugby knowledge stop you from at least giving it a try. Rugby is exciting, it appeals to my artist's eye and it's tough! Still not convinced? Admission is free. So there you go. Give it a try and you'll discover a game that will have you standing and cheering for the ladies wearing your hometown colors!

For more information about the Nashville Womens Rugby Football Club, please vist their website: NWRFC

If you're in Knoxville, please visit the Knoxville club's home page: KWRFC

Want more pictures? Enjoy the slideshow:

Thank you...
First to Lindsay Wieczorek for being so gracious and patient as I finished covering the NHL playoff season.

To the amazing women of the Nashville and Knoxville rugby clubs, in 1300+ photos, it came down to what didn't get eaten by Picasa or was out of focus. There was no shortage of emotion or action on any given shot.

Nashville
CJ Kiekens
Megan Gilbreth
Rainy Valerio
Kathleen O'Neill
Blue Williams
Carissa Cooper
Lindsay Wieczorek
Angie Denney
Jewelia Hartley
Christina Miller
Kellie Hurst
Molly Moore
Chelsea Baker
Jasmine Ma
Kerrie Knox
Billie Cutillo
Allette Vayda
Laura LaFlemme
Carrie Anderson

Coach: Christopher Smolnicky

Knoxville
Maegan Buchanan
Bonnie Hudson
Maggie Behringer
Cana Stevenson
Sam Yellen
Nancy Campbell
Joce Campbell
Katie Oliver
Tina Nguyen
Cindy Brown
Becky Mumper
Krissy Cooney
Amy Hamilton
Rachel Gilson
Susannah Crawford
Mary White
Chelsea Love

Coach: Sarah Deane

Coming Soon...

2011-04-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

I have some photo galleries of the Predators at practice! Also coming up, coverage of The Nashville Storm and The Nashville Women's Rugby Club.

Don't miss it!

MG49WBVXNE6V

Larry Finch (1951 - 2011)

2011-04-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Commercial Appeal* has already gone to press with what is probably one of the more complete and balanced accounts of the life and career of Larry Finch. If you aren't familiar with Coach Finch's career, please read what Memphis' paper of record has to say about him.

Forsaken and Reclaimed By The City He Loved

While it's fitting that the Commercial Appeal would be the first to report so thoroughly about Finch's life; it is also sadly ironic. Many reading the CA on Sunday morning might not be aware of a time when Larry Finch, the kid who came up from Orange Mound, was Bluff City's favorite son. The last decade and a half was not kind to Finch. After a disappointing year that was marked by poor recruiting and a losing track record, the powers that be at the University of Memphis fired him at a concession area in The Pyramid following the last game of his final season in 1997. Even though he would throw his hat in the ring for a number of coaching jobs in the years to follow, no one seemed ready to give him a chance.   In all fairness, this probably had as much to do with his health problems following a stroke in 2002 as it did his later track record as the Tigers' head coach. In 2006, his financial situation was shaky enough to require charitable intervention in order for him to continue to receive rehabilitative care.

It would take the disgraceful 2009 departure of former head coach, John Calipari to cause the university and the city to put Finch's career and his restored status as Memphis' most winning coach in perspective.   Memphis saw what could happen when someone didn't have a bone-deep love for the team, the school and the city used, abused and discarded all of the above in the name of personal career expedience. Larry Finch would have never done that. Memphis was home. The man who never forgot his old neighborhood or the city he loved knew he couldn't have borne the disappointment of the people who helped raise him and saw him through his upward career trajectory.

Youth, Ideals and Phenomenal Talent Unite A Hurting City
In the late sixties, Memphis was reeling from the national attention it had garnered after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Race relations were always tenuous, but the loss of King at a time when his ability to broker peace and help to bring a new understanding to the troubled area was devastating. In national discourse, "Memphis" became shorthand for everything that was wrong with Black and White America. On the ground, people in Shelby County viewed each other with the suspicion.

It was in this environment that Finch, a young phenom from Melrose High School agreed to play for the MSU Tigers. There were so many compelling reasons for him to go somewhere else. Very few African-American men had worn the Tiger blue and grey at that time. He could have easily gone to a school where he would have been more assured of being welcomed, to a place where Dr. King's dream was already starting to come true. Instead, he chose to bring the dream to Memphis State.

All of the world's problems can't be solved on a basketball court, but the amazing 1969-1970 season gave Memphians a some respite from the issues that continued to divide the city.   When the Tigers hit the court, the questions of Black and White seemed to fade into the background. Everyone in attendance, watching at home or listening in became a Blue and Grey Tiger.   Finch ended his senior year at MSU on a high note, leading the team to the Final Four, only to be stopped by an equally amazing UCLA squad.

When his career as a player (in the NCAA and later the ABA) was done, it made sense for him to go into coaching. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama before coming back home to work as an assistant coach under the leadership of Dana Kirk in 1979. When Kirk was removed from his position in 1986, Finch was asked to step up as head coach. He was to coach the Tigers to 220 wins, six NCAA tournaments and in spite of the negative chatter that seemed to hound him in the final days of his tenure as head coach, ten out of eleven of his seasons could be considered successes.

Coach Finch Mattered Then And He Matters Now

When Finch took over the head coach position in 1986, there were many who expressed concerns that he was too nice, too easy going to lead the program at Memphis. As he had come to MSU as a player in a time when the environment in Memphis was turbulent, he took on the difficult task of restoring order and discipline in a program that had been thrown into chaos as more and more bad news about the previous coach's shady financial dealings came to light.

The city had grown and progressed over the years since the sixties, but it was still light years behind the cultural climate that existed on the rectangle of land between Central and Spottswood. The ethnic makeup of the student body at that time was almost fifty percent African-American. Being a student at MSU in the late eighties meant living in an alternate world where cultural domination by a single group was not necessarily presumptive.** In the face of the naysayers, Finch was seen by many as the only choice for the job. He was the embodiment of the university's role in rebuilding the city during its troubled past and creating hope for the future. He was great at what he did. He demonstrated a dedication to the program and his home that was almost preternatural. Most important of all, he was decent.

Larry Finch was decent. This is not an attempt at damning him with faint praise.Decency is too often undervalued as a personal trait. Everyone has at least some degree of decency. It's when you meet someone who has such a degree of it that it seems to go to the marrow that it become apparent how extraordinary a quality it really is. To meet Coach Finch, to see him in action, was to be in the presence of an example of what can happen when the good guys win.

I refuse to write that there will never be another person like him. I hope somewhere there is a kid who is as innocent of cynicism and whose love of the game he or she is playing is equal to his or her love of home. There has to be.

Godspeed, Coach Finch.

*Over the years the CA has come to be a source of excellent news writing in Tennessee. It's worth a permanent bookmark as a local news source.

**Memphis State University wasn't a perfect utopia of harmony and understanding but it was the closest many would find to a recognition and celebration of differences and how everyone could find a higher degree of acceptance and belonging in a diverse community.

Sticks-n-Stitch 2011: This Ain't Your Gammy's Crochet Party!

2011-03-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

A quick glance at section 331 in Bridgestone Arena would chill the heart of any French Revolution buff or Dickens scholar. Perched among the crowd of fans who were there to catch the matinee game between Columbus and Nashville were seventy men and women who were watching the game just as intently and stealing a glance every now and then to be sure of their needlework.

That's right.

Seventy people, possibly more around the bowl who had not formally regiistered for the event were seated in Bridgestone with needles and yarn in hand. Before anyone declares extreme cognitive dissonance, I would like to remind you of this:

I did not make this up. That is an actual book by big, scary football guy Rosey Grier.
It should also be borne in mind that in her own way, Mme LeFarge was kind of a badass.

Who Are All Those Happy Looking People And Where Did They Get The Cool Predators Bags?

The event was The Second Annual Nashville Predators' Sticks n Stitch. the brainchild of Predators Fan Relations Coordinator Rebecca Swan and Knit and Crochet TN's Deborah Stillwell. The event drew seventy people to the conference room for an afternoon of knitting and hockey chatter before the game.

"My boss worked for the Florida Marlins and they used to do "Stitch and Pitch" events. We wanted to see if we could bring this over to hockey fans," said Ms. Swan "I was very surprised the first year. We had 135 people come for the first event and we didn’t expect that. The turnout this year has been great. I love that we can bring two very different interests together."

As the mother of a twenty-one year old who grew up playing goalie in the various youth leagues and the director of a burgeoning advocacy group that fosters education and charitable works with knitting and crocheting, putting together hockey and yarncraft seemed like a natural thing for co-creator Deborah Stillwell.

It's all for a good cause or two, or three or...

"Rebecca found us by doing a Google search. I run a group called "Knit and Crochet TN". We have approximately 600 people on our mailing list who answer the call whenever there is a need for knitted items. We provide caps for babies in neonatal units, hats for chemo patients, helmet liners and lap blankets for soldiers and scarves, blankets and other handmade comfort items for VA patients, hospice groups and Tennessee Special Olympics. The knitters and crocheters of our group are very giving and willing to step up when someone is in need. I'm very proud of them."

The group, which is a little over two years old, was a great fit for the Predators Foundation, who will be giving the knitted caps that were donated to this event to "Nurses For Newborns". In return for donating knitted items, participants were entered into drawings for a zamboni ride and tickets for lower bowl seats. There could only be two winners, but for many being with kindred spirits and the satisfaction of doing good and leaving the conference room with a great looking Sticks-n-Stitch bag to go to a Predators game was enough to make it a perfect afternoon.

While some participants admitted that they knit when watching at home, many bring projects with them to work on while they watch the game.

"I didn't know we had that option," said one participant. "I figured they'd take away our needles as weapons at the door."

Frankly, I figured they were looking for contraband food, but maybe they do check for weapons during Detroit and Chicago games.

Knit One, Slash Two...

Deborah Stillwell has her own ideas about the best way to promote next year's Knit-n-Stitch event. She would love to use a picture of Jordin Tootoo seated in a penalty box, kntting. She wasn't the only one who could imagine Tootoo or some of his teammates busy stitching. Given the nature of the event, I had to ask these fans which Predator they thought would be most likely to pick up a pair of needles or a hook. The most popular answer? Pekka Rinne. Here are their reasons for picking The Great Wall of Finland :

"He needs something soothing that will help him wind down."

"The goalies are the most dexterous players, I think. So yeah, Pekka would be the most likely to knit. Lindback might be a knitter, too."

"I'd say Pekka because he’s European."

"Being a goalie mom, I have to go with Pekka. The good thing about knitting and crocheting is that you can totally lose yourself into it but you need to focus at times to do something very intricate. As a goalie, you have to do that. Obviously when the action is at the other end, you can check things out and all. In most cases, his work is like a very involved lace knitting pattern where you have to stay totally focused and watch out for every little thing. So I vote for him"

Tied for second were J-P Dumont and Jordin Tootoo. The Sticks-n-Stitch crew had this to say about them:

"Tooto would do it. Hes from up north, Alaska, I think, and he has to make a lot of stuff for himself, so hes used to using his hands."

"It would have to be somebody with kids. JP maybe?"

"Tootoo maybe. He seems like a nice, all-around kind of guy. I'll bet he knits."

"Dumont seems like a family guy. I think he’d do it. He would probably knit socks. Every dad needs a nice pair of socks."

There were a few other ideas floating around the room as well:

"Sullivan's got great hands, I’ll bet he can knit."

"Jerred Smithson seems like a fun person. You know he has to be able to knit."

"Joel Ward is cool. He defintely knits."

"The new one. BoomBoom's kid. I vote for him."

"I'm a Martin Erat fan. The way he does shootouts, he can do anything as far as I'm concerned. He can knit. He can run for president. I'll vote for him."

There was also a single vote for Terry Crisp from one of the husbands who had come along to see what would happen at a hockey and knitting consortium. The man's wife rolled her eyes. "It would be fun to see if any of them knits," she said.

A few of the attendees were admittedly new fans and weren't sure if they could give an answer. One knitter said she was a fan and had her own ideas, but would only add, "If you find a knitter downstairs and he's single, give him my number!"

Predsnation, if you weren't there, you missed a great time with some fabulous new and long-time fans. There's always next year, just keep an eye on the Predators official website and remember that it usually takes place before a matinee game late in the season. In the meantime, you can brush up on your knitting and crocheting skills by hooking up with Knit and Crochet TN at their main website or by visiting their blog. They offer classes constantly at various locations all over the Nashville for all ages and all sizes of groups. The best part? Most classes are F-R-E-E. Who knows? You might just find out the scarves and hats you knit are the hit of the family gift exchange next holiday season.

Until then, this is Jas Faulkner, who will probably be picking up her needles again sometime in May or June. I'll see you at The Stone and The Plex and online at Facebook and Twitter.

Season 13, Week 20

2011-03-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

Week 20 is late! My usual digest writing time was taken up by me covering the rare Sunday matinee game and spending some time taking pictures of and talking to the lovely people at the annual Sitcks-n-Stitches event. More on that in the next post!

Do we really want to talk about last week? Yes. Even though things got off to a rocky start, Sunday's win was everything an old school Nashville hockey fan could hope for. But I'm getting ahead of myself, let's start at the beginning of the week...

You're A Mean One, Mister Nash
Nashville At Columbus February 22, 2011

This was one of those games that had Nashville fans everywhere in a state of shock, clutching a warming, sweaty beverage as friends who are nonfans patted them kindly on the shoulder and assured them that it was not the end of the world.

Its not even the end of the season. According to the Tao of Crisp: "It's just one game." True. But it's a game that Nashville had every reason to win. Even with the absence of Ryan Suter, Marcel Goc and Frances Bouillon, there is ample talent on the team to make facing off against the Bluejackets a much less dire undertaking than it turned out to be.

Chris Mason was quoted as saying, "We have to be patient with a team like this." Well, yeah. So do we here in Predsnation. Nashville has the fortitude and so much potential, it's just a question of all of the pieces coming together. The problem is, when you look back on a shutout like the one that happened in Columbus, you realise that you have to do better than just assuming that all you have to work with are three blown-out G.I. Joes*, a Stretch Armstong that has survived the mean twins across the street who love to say m**********r when your mom is at the other end of the house and the amorous advances of a neighbor's yorkie, two Breyer horses** and a hamster in a Habitrail Ball. If you're on the roster or wearing the windbreaker: NO! Nonononononono! As Shakespeare would say, "Mark this!" Nashville is absolutely ridden with talent. They just need, as Captain Arnottnomore (emeritus) once said, the mindset that they are an upper tier team.

Who worked hard? The usual stalwarts: Cody Franson, Pekka Rinne, Jerred Smithson Shane O'Brien, the Gold Dust Twins and a few others. Joel Ward and Jordin Tootoo have emerged as players who aren't afraid to intensify their roles as enforcers, screeners and pests. Nashville needs these guys and I applaud their choice to don the red overalls and get all Dennis Mitchell on the asses of the other team.

What I Like About You...
Chicago at Nashville February 24th, 2011

Okay, it was a shutout. Nashville was on the wrong side of the goose egg and by the end of the night they had temporarily dropped out of the dance and were languishing at tenth place. These things happen. Let's talk about who and what did work:

Ryan Suter: I'm not a fan of penalties. The whole idea about "character over characters"? I'm fine with it. Thing is, there needs to be someone who will broadcast that if you poke the quiet ones, you will cause the impact-triggered badass bags to release. That person is usually Ryan Suter, who did not disappoint on Thursday, even if the schoolmarms in ugly shirts saw fit to send him to the sin bin.

Joel Ward: Screening and pestering, Ward rarely let Chicago goalie Corey Crawford have a moment of peace when he was on the ice. He's been spending more time at the other team's net all season. On Thursday, Ward was not to be deterred from getting in the Beehawks pipesguy's grill.

Colin Wilson and David Legwand: Both players made herioc, no-holds-barred attempts to get a puck into the Blackhawks' net. Even when the goalies and the officials told them, "No!" over and over again, these guys were the Energizer Bunnies, not giving an inch when they could help it.

Predator Love from the fans, and I'm especially talking to you, Adorable Little Boy in the KCF skybox! Predsnation brought the noise and the energy to the 'Stone as they always do, especially when CHI is in the barn. There was one standout fan who deserves some love for his contribution to the noise. At one point while I was taking pictures of the game, I heard what sounded like a small child shrieking, "Go Pwedatows! Go Pwedatows!" I looked around and saw mostly adults. Hmm. Was I hearing things? As the action got closer to Pekka Rinne's net, I heard it again, "Go Pwedatows! Git 'im! Git 'im! Go Pwedatows!" accompanied by the sound of something hitting the wall just over my head. I looked up to see a cute little six-year-old boy with no front teeth leaning over the wall and gleefully yelling at the game below. The closer the action came to his end of the arena, the more excited he got, slapping the wall, and screaming. It didn't matter that it was second period and everyone else wanted the puck and the players to stay at the other end of the rink. It didn't matter to him what the score was. It was all about seeing those ten-foot-tall guys flying towards him.

What Would You Say?

Nashville at Dallas February 26th, 2011

Sweet lord. Legwand, Wilson, Franson, Rinne and Suter owned the day as far as local stars were concerned. What saved the day for the Stars was that beautiful, weird little wrister from Goligoski. Eriksson might have made the winning goal, but the game was turned by Gogo. Enough said.

Of course this means war...

Columbus at Nashville Sunday, February 27, 2011

As a preteen band geek in West Texas, I was fascinated by the continual jockeying for first chair that went on in the trombone section. Dr. Lowell, the director, made a rule that everyone could issue one challenge a week to any chair, so there was a fair amount of shuffling around in every section except the trombones. No one had managed to unseat First Chair Boy, who sat smugly, secure of his place in the band.

Bear with me. I have a point.

So one day the kid in the last chair, who had unsucessfully challenged the kid in the next to the last chair nearly every week for the first two months of school, told Dr. Lowell he wanted to issue a challenge. Lowell figured he wanted to move up a chair or two and pointed towards one of the boys at the end of the row.

The kid shook his head.

"I want that chair," he said, pointing to the first chair position.

Dr. Lowell tried to talk him out of going for first chair but Last Chair Kid wasn't hearing it. He would try for first chair or he would just go back and down in his last chair position. Dr. Lowell gave him an encouraging pat and nodded towards First Chair Boy, who stood up and played a beautiful piece from Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue".

Last Chair Kid blinked, pushed his glasses up his nose, flipped open his lyre, and played an excerpt from Copland's "Fanfare For The Common Man". Flawlessly.

Dr. Lowell smiled at Last Chair Kid and told him to go get his case while motioning to First Chair Boy to scoot over a seat.

First Chair Boy yelped and was immediately shushed.

"Son?" Dr Lowell leveled a stern look at him. "You don't ever turn your back on somebody who has been getting his butt kicked over and over. At some point, they're gonna kick back and you don't want it to be at you. Now move your stuff over."

So Columbus came to Nashville, expecting "Three Blind Mice", broken notes and playing that fell flat. The didn't count on the cumulative effect that three straight losses can have. They didn't see that they were going from taunting bullies to fresh meat balanced on blades, ready for delectation as time and inclination would permit.

They didn't expect this to happen, not once, but three times.

Like First Chair Boy, they made the mistake of assuming that Nashville would know its place and there would be no contest.

They were mistaken.

Nashville had spent the past week taking a drubbing from teams that were not half as good. Teams that could not have done nearly as well if faced with the challenges that the Predators had faced over the season.

March was two days away.

It was time to either decide the season was worth fighting for or let the Bluejackets possibly walk away with much needed points. At that point, the Predators decided they were not going to take a return engagement with Columbus lying down.

They fought hard. Pekka Rinne told Columbus, "Ei!" time and again, stopping 27 of 29 shots that came his way.

Suter, O'Brien and Legwand refused to take no for an answer.

Pat the Bear roared.

When instructed to leave the ice with a bloody face, Weber pretty much told the referees*** they'd have to carry him off skates first. And then it was over. Call it a hissy fit. Call it having courage of one's convictions. What can't be argued was the fact that his teammates had his back on Sunday afternoon.

The proof, the test of mettle for Nashville was what was on the ice and what was on the scoreboard when the final buzzer sounded. The score was two to three in favour of Nashville.

This is Jas Faulkner, who is feeling happy to be a part of Predsnation and hopes everyone else is as well. I'll be seeing you at the 'Stone and the 'Plex and online at Facebook and Twitter!

*one with Kung Fu grip, one without...

**Misty and Stormy of Chincoteague, for daydream-addled little girls who loved Lisa Frank unicorns and all things horsey, they were the shit.

***One of whom held up the game for almost ten minutes talking to his pretend girlfriend in Toronto where she was, uh, in, um, college. Yeah! That's it! She's studying archaeology at U of T! Hang on. Booboo, I'm in the middle of a game...

all text and images copyright 2011 Jas Faulkner any use of images and/or text from this blog without written permission is prohibited. Violators will be flailed and set upon by my mean sumbitch New York lawyer.

Nashville Predators Digest Season 13, Week 19 (or so)

2011-02-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

In some ways, this trio of games was an even bigger test of the team and their fans' mettle than the huge ups and downs that marked the first two weeks of February. Even though there were more wins and losses, the crowd never faded into the background, with the Seventh Man reporting for duty at every game regardless of the score, the weather or inability of the Vancouver media to win over the hearts and minds of the natives with their trenchant wit.*

This was a week for sweet reunions and one noticable non-return. Vern Fiddler would make an appearance wearing Desert Dogs laundry, Jordin Tootoo would make a triumphant re-emergence on Saturday night. On the other hand, Vancouver's Dan Hamhuis decided to stay home.

Sometimes You're The Windshield, Sometimes You're The Bug
San Jose at Nashville February 15th, 2011

I would love to write that the Big Cats had a nice fish dinner on the fifteenth, but the truth is that Trotz's Hockey Gods must have been otherwise engaged because even though the team brought the smart and the tough, the Sharks eventually outshot and just plain outplayed them on Tuesday.

The stats, which look pretty bland, only reveal part of the story. First period saw the Predators playing head games with EssJay Goalie, Anti Niemi. Scrums at the Sharks' net included chirps and growls from the Cats and even a shove to the chest from Joel Ward.**. This was answered in the second period with a spray of Bridgestone Snow from the blades of Jumbo Joe to a kneeling Pekka Rinne's face. Had the referees not been quick with the whistles and their bouncers' holds, it could have gotten ugly.

The objective from San Jose in general and Patrick Marleau in particular seemed to be to wear down Pekka Rinne. As hard is it might be, he finally found a chink in Great Wall of Finland. With each team scoring a single goal in regulation time, it was San Jose who scored the winning netter in overtime.

Are You BLuuuuuuuuuuuuuu? Are You BLuuuuuuuuuuu?
Vancouver at Nashville February 17th, 2011

This was one of those games that looked like it was being run though a hand-cranked projected that was manned by someone with ADHD who was holding a spectacularly app-packed smart phone. The pace felt off for most of the night. Part of this could be attributed to the continally shifting lines.

Though this was borne more of necessity with the growing list of injured players, it had the right effect on the Canucks who were sufficiently thrown off of their game to cede three goals to the Big Cats. The Sedin Brothers' single puck behind The Great Wall of Finland felt more like a saving grace to a bad night for Vancouver than the hope that they'd leave Bridgestone with a win.

Like Cats and Dogs
Phoenix at Nashville February 19th, 2011

This longtime Predators fan wanted to see Verne Fiddler take at least one trip to the penalty box. It's not that I dislike Fids. Far from it. He was one of my favorite Preds when he was here. It's just that I miss seeing him do what I call "The Vern Fiddler Dance of Denial".

Saturday also saw the return of Jordin Tootoo, who is easing back into his role as enforcer. Even though his ice time was rather limited, the sound of the Tootoo Train at BeeStone was a familiar, welcoem part of the Predators experience. Did he get into a fight his first night back? No. But that doesnt mean there weren't plenty of those happening. More on that in a bit.

For those of you who like your hockey with a side of shenanigans, there was plenty of that to go around on Saturday night. From the goal that wasn't to the questionable call on O'Brien that gave the Pooches the chance to hike their collective leg exactly when Nashville didn't need it; Predsnation had plenty of reason to keep the "Ref, you SUCK!" chant*** going for most of the night.

For all of the fights and drama, there were some high points as well. The rapid-fire duo of goals scored by Phoenix was quickly answered with a puck planted squarely in the Coyotes' net by the Gelfing.

Nashville's second goal was scored after an eleventh hour time-out and huddle with Coach Trotz at Nashville's bench.

It could have been scripted by the Touchstone people as a template for Predators Classic Hockey. Shea Weber let loose the cannon with assists by Erat and Honrqvist. This was followed by the sellout crowd of seventeen thousand plus erupting in a cheer that seemed to make every inch of Bridgestone rattle and hum.

When the crowd still comes to their feet, even when you lose as the Predators did, you know you've spent the night watching a good game. And that, my friends, is what Nashville hockey looks like.

This has been Jas Faulkner who is looking forward to another visit from Chelsea Dagger's boyfriend next week. Until then, I'll see you at the 'Stone and the Plex and online at Facebook and Twitter.

* Sarcastic? Moi?

**Yes, you read that right, it was Joel Ward. He's like the guy you want to introduce to your cute single niece and then the puck drops... That's hockey, people.

***My inner girl scout always flinches a little at the liberal use of "sucks" at the 'Stone, but I couldn't have agreed with the crowd more when it came to the officiating on 2/19.

pictures and article copyright 2011 Jas Faulkner Any use of either without express written permission will be dealt with in a swift and draconian manner, so do the wise thing than take your finger off the right mouse button.

Vern Fiddler Brings His Own Special Brand of Magical Interpretive Dance Back To Nashville

2011-02-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night hockey fans in Nashville will be flocking to Bridgestone Arena to see some hockey and hopes are high that old school Predators fans will get a glimpse of a familiar sight on ice: The Vern Fiddler Dance of Denial.

While Fiddler, who was a member of the Predators roster before signing on with Phoenix in 2009, was known for a number of things during his days in Nashville, he is remembered most fondly by some fans* for what came to be known as the "Vern Fiddler Dance of Denial." The dance has been decribed as a pas de deux between Fiddler and whatever official is trying to wave him into the penalty box. Once he is whistled down, Fiddler expresses his existential angst by denying the existence of penalties in his world. The whistles are annoyances, pokes from a pedestrian civilisation that fails to recognise a tender soul who wants to fly. As with any otherworldly creature who tries to break free from the bonds of this sad, sad world, he is soon grounded and skates slowly, dejectedly to the box, still seemingly unaware of the transgression that put him there in the first place.

While video footage of the dance was not available at press time, there was a rare audio feed of Fiddler preparing for a performance. The quality was questionable, so here is a transcript of the event:

Fiddler (skating to the bench): So I gotta go to this pavement hockey thing in Hendersonville and..what's his problem.

Legwand: I think the ref is trying to get your attention, Fids.

Fiddler: Naah. So lemme ask ya, have you been to... Buddy? Do you have a crush on me or something?

Legwand: You sure you're not the one with the penalty?

Fiddler: Naah. He probably wants Toots.

Tootoo: I've been sitting on the bench for the last five minutes.

Fiddler: Maybe it's a delayed penalty, Jordin.

Coach Trotz: Fiddler! For goodness sake GO TO THE PENALTY BOX!

Fiddler: All right. If it will make everyone happy...

*Okay, I might be the only one.

copyright 2011 Jas Faulkner

The Truth About Shea Weber (and Zdeno Chara and the Sedins and…)

2011-02-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

SHEA!

Okay, I’m going to cut to the chase here. You know that gathering in Raleigh? You think it’s all about the cream of the crop of the NHL and the something someting of victory and the whatsawhosis of defeat? No. This is where all of the aliens who have come down here to observe us get together to compare notes.

That’s right. Chara? Ovechkin? Those damned Staal kids? They’re all from a galaxy far, far way.

Think about it, are humans really able to hit pucks in excess of 100 mph? Ovechkin sometimes forgets the to obey the laws of physics. And for goodness sake, who do the Sedins think they’re fooling? The surgical precision of their play on the ice, the fact that they really aren’t THAT identical…come on. Rub their foreheads and you’ll see the the makeup gives way to shiny, clear exoskeletons housing pulsing blue and green brains.

That brings us to Shea Weber. You see, he comes from a verdant but cold planet called Skwiiiii that is inhabited by tiny, hamster-like creatures with huge eyes who operate a global collective where they play ice games and raise millet.

Actually, they look more like tarsiers.

Their currency is a marshmallow-like substance called Jirlo. Their primary forms of communication are blinks and whisker twitches.The Skwiiiiikans thought long and hard about how they wanted their emissary to Earth to look and act. They pored over the information from the Voyager Project Record and recorded TMC satellite transmissions they found at Kagarg Interplanetary Library and Hummus Bar until they came up with the perfect amalgam of sampled earth specimens to create the image they wanted:

Alley Oop

Jimmy Stewart

Dudley Doo-Right.

With these new physical attributes in place, they embedded him in Nashville, where he was to eventually become the mission leader.

But…but…you may be asking yourself , “Is Shea Weber’s name in Skwiiiiikan actually ‘Shea Weber’?”
No.
Here’s how they decided on the name: They were recording music from the library and came upon a theme song they loved. Unbeknownst to them, over the light years of travel, he transmission had gotten slightly garbled, so here’s what they heard:

Theme from SHEA!

Who’s the guy with the stick,

He’s a slapshot machine the goalies duck?

SHEA!

Ya damn right!

Who is the man that would risk his neck

For his teammate?

SHEA!

Can you dig it?

Who’s the Cat that won’t cop out

When there’s Blackhawks all about?

SHEA!

Right On!

They say this Cat Shea is a bad mother

SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

I’m talkin’ ’bout Shea.

THEN WE CAN DIG IT!

He’s a complicated man

But no one understands him

But his brother and sister Skwiiiiikans

SHEA WEBER!

The Skwiiiiikan high council was not aware of his special power of the slap shot until 2009 when he nearly outshot Zdeno Chara at the ASG skills competition. (Chara is not a Skwiiiiikan, maybe I’ll tell you about his home planet some day. Or not.) Then there was the Olympic shot that burned through Germany’s net. Relations have just now normalised between Skwiiiii and Burgoo, the planet of origin of Germany’s goalie, so he’s treading a little more carefully these days. This also explains the drop in speed at the ’11 skills competition. Shea, being a thoughtful Skwiiiiikan, did not want to hurt Chara’s feelings. When it was time for him to make final shot, he took his foot off the gas, so to speak. It wasn’t really about Chara being better, it was all about keeping interplanetary peace.
The end.

Or is it?

Nobody Puts Ovi In The Corner

2011-02-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

News of P!nk’s impending motherhood may have sidetracked Julie Taymor’s remix of “Grease”, but it isn’t stopping Alexander Ovechkin from spending time in front of the cameras during the postseason break. Taymor’s film was to go into preproduction next month and would have featured the Washington Capitals star as Sasha, a sweet, virginal Russian exchange student whose summer romance with a tough-talking Dani Zuko seems to be nothing more than a hot weather fling until Ovechkin shows up at Rydell High and hilarity ensues. It looks like everyone involved will have to wait until P!nk has the time and inclination to hear Ovi utter the classic line, “Tell me about it, stud!”

Earlier this week, the Coen Brothers announced that they have their own late 20th Century retread in the works. “Dirty Dancing” will start production sometime in late June. While there are still parts to be cast, the identities of the actors filling the lead roles have been revealed. “Baby”, the role that was originally played by Jennifer Grey will by played by Alexander Ovechkin.

In this version of the 80s classic, Sasha “Baby” Ovechkin, the overprotected youngest member of the Ovechkin clan, goes on vacation with his family to their dasha at a rural Russian resort. They plan to get some rest and relaxation while Baby decides if he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and step in as the head of the family busines, a distributor of fine canned food weasels, or if he wants to pursue his dream of running a zamboni rental hut in Saskatoon.

Feeling very under the thumb of his oppressive Matushka and Otets, he has almost given up on his dream when he encounters tough-talking Jonnie Castle, one of the dancers hired by the resort’s management company to provide entertainment for the guests over the summer. As Johnnie, Reba McIntire stated that she plans to make her interpretation of the role a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze. Her character will harken back to his Texas roots.

“Johnnie will be the kind of woman who never lives a quiet life. She goes big or she stays home.”

In an official statement to the press, the Coen Brothers have confirmed their own enthusiam for the project. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with Alex and Reba. We think the audience will laugh, cry and cheer as Reba escorts Alex into full-grown manhood and shows him how and when to use jazz hands.”

The movie is due for a Christmas, 2011 release, with Blu-rays and a handfull of DVDs hitting the shelves on Boxing Day.

copyright 2011 Jas Faulkner

Every Time Sidney Crosby Is Sad, A Kitten Dies

2011-02-18T11:12:00.000-08:00

The only noise in the room was the whirr and hum of automatic camera shutters opening and snapping shut. On the dias, NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman paced as a seated Pittsburgh Head Coach Dan Bylsma looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world but where he was. Penguins Captain and NHL Spokesface Sidney Crosby talked animatedly to the stuffed penguin he was bouncing in his lap.

Bettman sighed, rubbed his eyes and then stepped to the podium.

“I have called this press conference today to express my displeasure with the NHL.”

The room fell silent. Members of the press stood frozen, poised to capture the revelation that was sure to come from the NHL’s most controversial capo.

“Please. Please. Hold your questions. It seems,” he paused to take a breath. “It seems that someone has been mean to Sidney. I don’t want to name names and I haven’t looked at the game reels. All I know is, when he came back to the locker room after playing, he had a lump on his little noggin, a nasty bruise and, well, he just hasn’t been himself.”

Everyone looked at Crosby, who was kissing the stuffed penguin and humming.

Bettman cleared his throat. “So all I’m asking, and guys, it really isn’t that much, is for everyone to be nice to Sidney.”

The room was silent. Bylsma lowered his face into his cupped palms. Sidney raised his hand.

“When I feel sad? I eat kittens!” Sidney cocked his head to one side and grinned.

“No he doesn’t!” Bettman quickly interjected.

“Yes I do.” Sidney looked confused.

Bettman strode to the right hand side of the platform and opened the door.

“Matt!” he shouted, “Please come clear the media lounge.”

No other information is available about Bettman’s thoughts at this time as the only audio and video feeds after that showed reporters fleeing the room.

copyright 2011 Jas Faulkner