Nosebleed Media Network

Hockey 101 – Hooking (Rule 55)

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:38 GMT

Hooking, broken down is … “Impeding the progress of another player by “hooking” them with the blade of your stick.” I could stop there – however, this is another one of those “interpretation” rules. Its up to the on ice official if a player has impeded another player by hooking them with the blade of his stick. I have had this called on me quite a few times in error (Looking at you Highfield!) In my defense, I believe there IS a difference in “impeding” and “manipulating the play” – allow me to explain!

If I were to take my stick and use it as a “hook” to either slow down the player with the puck or maneuver the player with the puck, then I would happily pat the referee on the shoulder and commend him for making a good call on the ice while I skate over to the penalty box. HOWEVER, if I am attempting to gain control of the puck and my stick “accidentally” touches the other player then why should I be punished? I am only trying to play a good and honest game of Hockey … and with that … the Persecuted Rests!

Now – back to hooking! A hooking call can also be called if a player uses the shaft of the stick above the upper hand to hold or hook the opponent. A good rule of thumb is if you take your stick off of the ice and use it as a tool to help you gain control over an opponent you will get a whistle. As with any of these “soft penalties” there is room for interpretation … is the blade of your stick pointing down or up, is the shaft between the opponents’ body and stick, you also need to be aware of the other player and his ability to project a non-penalty and make the ref think differently. Like when you are attempting to gain control of the puck and your stick “accidentally” gets caught under the opponents arm and they clamp down on your stick so you get called for hooking … yea, it has happened before – but I am not bitter!

Most of these “soft penalties” (Holding, Hooking, Interference and Tripping) are all dependent on the position of the ref, the angle of infraction and the ability of one player to sell it! The season starts on October 1 … check out a game or two and see if you can spot the penalty or the Oscar winning performance.

Hockey 101 - Tripping (Rule 57)

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:39 GMT

So there you are, on the edge of your couch … yelling at Patrick Marleau skating the puck up the boards - he dekes right, he dekes left (usually by now the puck has been stolen and the other team has a 3 on 1 breakaway … but in this instance … ) Patrick is up the ice and *boom* he is down! *said in my best John Madden voice* - whistle blows, the play is stopped!

I consider tripping to be one of the “soft” penalties in hockey … soft meaning the calls can be interpreted on the ice and the ref's have to make a split second decision. According the the NHL Rule Book, Tripping is defined as:

“A player or goalkeeper shall not place the stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a manner that causes his opponent to trip or fall.

Accidental trips which occur simultaneously with a completed play will not be penalized. Accidental trips occurring simultaneously with or after a stoppage of play will not be penalized.

If, in the opinion of the Referee, a player makes contact with the puck first and subsequently trips the opponent in so doing, no penalty shall be assessed.

A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who shall place his stick or any portion of his body in such a manner that it shall cause his opponent to trip and fall.”

The reason this rule is in place is to give players a “reasonable scoring opportunity.” You will see many tripping instances when an offensive player carries the puck into the neutral or attacking zone and beats the defensemen towards the goal. The defensemen (not wanting to look like he just had his lunch fed to him) will then try to “gain possession of the puck” in a way that trips the player with “Control of the puck.” In the NHL rule book - “Control of the puck” means the act of propelling the puck with the stick, hand or feet. If while it is being propelled, the puck is touched by another player or his equipment, or hits the goal or goes free, the player shall no longer be considered to be “in control of the puck”.

Bottom line is … if you do not have the puck and you are trying to keep the attacking player in front of you. Make sure you hit the puck first before you take out the guy with the puck!

We also have the Penalty Shot to watch out for - According to the NHL Rule Book:

“When a player, in the neutral or attacking zone, in control of the puck (or who could have obtained possession and control of the puck) and having no other opponent to pass than the goalkeeper, is tripped or otherwise fouled from behind, thus preventing a reasonable scoring opportunity, a penalty shot shall be awarded to the non-offending side. Nevertheless, the Referee shall not stop play until the attacking side has lost possession of the puck to the defending side.

In order for a penalty shot to be awarded for a player being fouled from behind, the following four (4) criteria must have been met:

(i) The infraction must have taken place in the neutral or attacking zone (i.e. over the puck carrier’s own blue line).

(ii) The infraction must have been committed from behind.

(iii) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, the player clearly would have obtained possession and control of the puck) must have been denied a reasonable chance to score. The fact that he got a shot off does not automatically eliminate this play from the penalty shot consideration criteria. If the foul was from behind and he was denied a “more” reasonable scoring opportunity due to the foul, then the penalty shot should be awarded.

(iv) The player in possession and control (or, in the judgment of the Referee, the player clearly would have obtained possession and control) must have had no opposing player between himself and the goalkeeper.”

As always - I hope this helps … if you have anything to add to the post please, feel free to leave a comment below (Bill Highfield)!

Hey NHL is this The Year Of The NEW Fan?

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:02 GMT

Last year there were a few times on the Deke we would talk about new fans and what it will take the NHL to attract and retain new fans to the sport. My friend Danielle and I were talking the other day and I asked if she would like to watch hockey this year and blog about her experience - learning the game, teams, players … the passion! I asked her to send me a little bio that I could use to introduce her to the Deke family. Please, everyone, welcome my good buddy Danni to the Deke!

So, I decided this would be the year I would like to learn more about hockey. Why, you may ask? Well, it’s a sport I think I might just enjoy. I mean you have the ice, the skates, the puck and last but not least the cute guys (or girls) all padded up, ready to fight to make the goal. Besides, my good buddy Bill seems to bleed hockey from his veins, so it’s got to be good, right?

First let me stop real quick and give you some info on me… I’m Danielle, I’m married to a great guy who puts up with my randomness and serves as my daily comic relief. I have two great kids, Stephan who is 20 and Sophia who is 6 (and queen of this castle). I live in central Arkansas and work for adoption services, which is a passion of mine. I love music, movies, photography, travel and maybe by the end of this season, hockey!

As far as sports go, I don’t know much about them. Growing up my mom always ruled the household and she hates sports. If dad wanted to watch a football game he’d go sit and watch it on the little T.V. in the kitchen. Once they took me to a softball game and I got to be the “batter girl”. I remember being more concerned and proud about my new perm and Panama Jack tee-shirt, then paying attention to what was going on in the game. Then around the age of 11, I decided I wanted to play softball because my cousins and friends were all playing. I begged my parents to let me join our community’s girl’s team. Let’s just say that I spent that season waaay out in right field and keeping the bench warm.

When I got married my husband introduced me to college football, specifically Arkansas Razorback football. At first, I was a little nonplussed at the giddy excitement that would glint in his eyes and the goose bumps that would pop up on his arm when he’d talk about the start of the season. Then he took me to a game and I could finally understand some of the excitement. Now I will gladly watch a game with him and can actually share in the excitement.

So, back to hockey, this year I hope to learn how to follow what is going on in a game, find a team I can root for and just see if by the end of the season I can call myself a hockey fan.

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of a Cup

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:14 GMT

Over the past 2 months my life has been completely turned upside down. Hockey is in its transitional phase, my own personal hockey play has been put on hold and my weekly podcast (The Weekly Deke) has been handed over to Schrembs. My routine was normal and consistent – Monday nights I play hockey, Tuesday nights I talk about hockey on The Weekly Deke and Wed – Sunday I watch, read, blog, dream, discuss at length and argue the many amazing opinions that surround this incredible sport.

On August 8th I drove from Celebration, Florida to Brewton, Alabama to pack up my 17 year olds clothes and boxes to move him into my house (well the condo Dawn and I live). Tyler wanted to spend his junior and senior year with me … get to know me … build a relationship with me. This was my dream coming true – I have always wanted my boys to show an interest in living with me at some point and building a stronger relationship together. It has finally happened, you know that saying “Be careful for what you wish for.”

What does this have to do with hockey and why am I venting about this on a hockey blog … well, with all the preparation and planning and everything else that goes into moving a 17 year old young man into your house, something had to suffer. The Deke was the first to be set aside – put up on the shelf to collect dust and become stagnant. It is my fault – and I am now pulling it back down and will be putting some thought into the content that gets posted.

I don’t think I need to recap what has been going on in the NHL (from my limited understanding) – San Jose is cleaning house and freeing up cap space for something to happen. Tampa has one guy driving the bus now, plus, they just added Alex Tanguay. I remember back in ‘99 when Alex was part of that amazing Colorado team with Sakic, Forsberg, Hejduk, Drury, Deadmarsh, Yelle, Ray Borque “cause he wanted to win the cup!” ROY in the net and of course Ozolinsh. I am looking forward to seeing what Alex brings with him to Tampa … I can not wait.

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable and relaxing off season – this is going to be an awesome October watching hockey and sharing it with Tyler and Dawn … and of course all of you!

The Deke’s 2009 NHL Awards

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:28 GMT

Brian Schrembs (@saucerpass) and I were talking a few weeks ago about the NHL and some of the craziness surrounding the teams, players, GM's and Owners. It seems like in our small world of Hockey there is enough drama to fill quite a few prime time slots on any of the major networks. Brian suggested we do some type of award ceremony, not a “Rocket Richard, Lady Bing or Vezina” type award ceremony, but one more focused on the lighter side of hockey. So, with the recent NHL Awards that were held in Las Vegas, we at the Deke are going to share our thoughts regarding what awards should be doled out.

I sent an email out to the regulars on The Weekly Deke podcast asking for everyone's 5 “Awards” to hand out - I asked that the awards be for any aspect of the NHL and to be creative. Included in my email was an award topic I wanted everyone to contribute to … As you all know, Randy Moller from the Florida Panthers was a special guest on the Deke and after 2 years of recording a podcast … Randy was our first ever “Real Interview!” I am looking forward to the many more “Real Interviews” we have on the Deke … however, Randy was our first and will always hold that special place in our hearts. I'll throw in a few comments for the awards that need a little explaining, my comments will be italicized.

First up for the Awards we have Sandi Lincoln, The Weekly Deke's Official Hockey Mom … Sandi brings a special passion for the sport and her sense of humor keeps us all on our toes. Sandi is usually the one that points out “The Weekly Dirty” and you can usually hear her “Shhhing” her pug Sophie. Here are Sandi's 5.

1. Have Snow Will Blow - Joe Sakic

2. Double Dinner Awards / Sloppy Seconds - NY Rangers

3. ACME Award - Phoenix Coyotes This award is for that one team that just keeps trying and trying and will never give up.

4. Was A Coach (WAC) Award - Barry Melrose I think if you look on Wikipedia the entry that discusses Barry Melrose's tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning equates to about 17 minutes

5. Jinx with Jugs Award - Sarah Palin Quite the clever award … seeing how when she dropped the puck for the Blues they went on a losing streak, until she dropped the puck for the Flyers which then started their losing streak.

Judy has been with us for as long as I have been hosting the Deke. Judy has introduced us to knitting in the NHL, what not to eat at the Shark Tank and my favorite, her website … Big Whiny Defenseman. Judy is also known for her segment The Weekly Dirty which takes wonderful commentary from the on air announcers and puts the statements in a whole new light. Here are Judy's 5.

1. Most Outraged Announcer - Jim Jackson “You cant do that Scott Hartnell”

2. Big Whiny Award - Sidney Crosby

3. We told you that wouldn't wash off and look what happened to your season - Jose Theodore Its what happens when you mack on Paris Hilton and score!

4. Diluted Fasionista Award - Don Cherry

5. Hockey's Hope for high fashion - Vesa Toskala, Sean Avery, Ryan Getzlaf … winner - Teemu Selane

Emily is the newest member of the Deke family. Known for her mad skillz at arranging Tweet Ups in the DC area she is also the prime target of the Schrembs School of Stalking … When Emily is not watching hockey or talking about hockey, you can find her teaching western civilization at the local Jr College. Here are Emily's 5.

1. Bo Jackson Multiple Career Award - Alexander Semin Part Hockey player, part bongo player (drummer, percussionist, boxer). We all love his crazy fighting style

2. Halle Barry Award - Tim Thomas Did he really cry when he won the Vezina trophy

3. Ponzi Pyramid Scheme award - Marion Hossa Hoped for a cup with Pitt (lost to Det), went to Det for a cup (lost to Pitt), now in Chicago … somehow he keeps getting paid more!

4. Soap Star of the year (dramatic performance during the Free Agency) - Danny Heatley

5. Zsa Zsa Gabor All Star Team (cause you can't understand them) - Chara, Datsyuk, Malkin, Sedin twins, Varlamov

6. Honorable Mention … Most likely to be mistaken as a Sesame St character award - Gary Bettman (as the Count)

Kate, also known as @Avsluvr or @MrsHockeyRocker on Twitter … Kate hangs with her hubby and biking buddy Tom - @HockeyRocker. Tom and Kate have the best story on how they met, they were playing hockey, Tom saw Kate tie up with another hockey player and she knocked him out … Tom was instantly enamored and the rest is history. Kate and Tom were recently married and they make a pretty awesome team on the Deke (mostly Kate, Tom keeps busy trying to pair wine to hockey games). Here are Kate's 5.

1. Rocky Balboa Award - Evgeni Malkin (for thinking he can fight)

2. Golden Toilet Award - San Jose Sharks (for flushing a good season)

a. Boston with the Silver flush award as runners up

3. Bobby Knight Award - John Tortorella If goons became coaches.

4. Spidey Award - Florida Fan who flashes her boobs to get attention

5. 3 Blind Mice Award - All of the 2009 playoff Ref's

Bill … that's me! Here are my 5 …

1. The Little Engine That Could Award - Jimmy Balsielle Gotta give the guy some props for trying to buy a team. Pitt, Nash, Phoenix … who is next? This guy just wont give up.

2. The Dad He Is Looking Out Of My Window Award - Len Barrie / Oren Koules So if you remember, it was only a couple months ago … Len and Oren were fighting over who had control of the team and they had to go to NY to talk to Gary Bettman to figure out who actually had control.

3. The You Using The Whole Fist Doc Award - Brian Burke Here is a great line from an equally great movie (Fletch) … I gave this award to Brian Burke because he never pulls his punches and he will tell you the gods honest truth no matter how much it hurts.

4. The He Is Just Not That Into You Award - Sean Avery With Sean's comment regarding a couple of his ex-girlfriends … I think its just safe to say

5. Why is he STILL a Shark - Patrick Marleau He should have been traded 3 years ago … but alas!

Chris, our fearless producer and local funny guy … Chris has been with the Deke longer than I have. Well, that's because the blog and podcast was partly his idea, I think. Anyway … Chris had some pretty creative award categories and I believe there might be a smattering of sarcasm in some of these.

1. Gary Bettman Award for Playoff Innovation - Bill Brister Evidently my idea of adding more rounds to the current playoff format struck Chris as humorous

2. NHL Award for league most likely to overtake them for 4^th place in TV ratings - NBA

3. Prodigal Mullet Award - Barry Melrose / ESPN He left … and now he is back

4. Dead Beat Dad Award - The people involved in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy hearing of the Dewey Ranch hockey LLC (holding company created by NHL and Reinsdorf)

5. 2009 Snowbird Award - NHL General Managers who hold the meeting in Naples, Fl

Brian … or as we all know him “Schrembs” is our Fantasy Hockey knowledge base. If you have any Fantasy Hockey related question please, ask Brian … then, do the opposite! Brian is known for great Fantasy Hockey advice like “Trade Havlat quick, cause he is going to get injured” … Here are his 5.

1. The “oh shit, you just got pwned” Award: Ottawa Senators for not
knowing how to deal with Dany Heatley

2. The Papa Shango Sleeper Hold Pick of the Off-season - Florida
Panthers (my sleeper team to make the playoffs)

3. The Fantasy Man Award - Bob Gainey (for putting together a better
fantasy team than most of the managers in my keeper fantasy hockey
league)

4. The Worst First Award - For having the ugliest looking first line
so far in the off-season (Avery-Dubinsky-Gaborik)

5. Brian Michael Schrembs Award for Outstanding Achievement in the
Field of Excellence - Chicago Blackhawks (see, much like myself, the
Blackhawks are getting in way over their head financially, and when
they have to re-sign Toews, Keith and Kane next season, they're going
to regret signing Hossa. And while I can continue to take out student
loans and accrue interest, they certainly cannot. THERE'S NO CAP FOR
STUDENT LOAN DEBT BABY! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Randy Moller Award -

1. Skippy Top Shelf Award, 'cause that's where Mrs. Moller keeps the peanut butter! (Bill)

2. Most Likely to take a career as an auctioneer (Emily)

3. Molar Award - I kept my own teeth (Sandi/Emily)

4. Most Likely to make a member of The Weekly Deke's team head explode (Judy)

5. Motorboat award for linguistic excellence (Chris)

So there it is … if you have your own award to throw into the mix, please, leave a comment below.

Lauren Shares Her Thoughts On Last Season

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:17 GMT

I have been following Lauren on Twitter for quite some time now (pretty much all of last season) and the one thing I can tell you about her is that she is passionate about her sports! Reading her Tweets about the games she worked and the games she watched gave me hope for the Carolina Hurricanes, and during the playoffs the excitement level and pure adrenalin was apparent in every one of her posts. Lauren and I have talked via email throughout the season (she also contributed a post to the Deke back in Feb - 7 Questions With The Carolina Hurricanes Storm Squad) and I asked her to give us a wrap up of the Hurricanes season through the eyes of someone that was there, integrated with the Organization and mingling with the fans! So - Here is Laurens take on the ‘Canes 08/09 Season …

As a member of the Carolina Hurricanes Storm Squad, I was lucky enough to get a front-row seat to one of the most exciting shows in the NHL. I love talking about the Canes with people who are less familiar with the team and its history – especially confirming questions like, “So is it really as loud in the RBC Center as they say it is?” (That would be a yes. Imagine a jet taking off right in front of you, and you’d be getting warmer.)

The Storm Squad broke ground in the league by rethinking the way the NHL approaches fan development. Many other teams have mirrored the trend of the Storm Squad with their versions of ice crews, ice girls, cheerleaders, and dancers. That has drawn its share of criticism, but you’d be surprised by how many little girls who come with their families to games – the Canes are among the most family-friendly teams in the league – love coming up to us to tell us how we are their role models. The team means so much to the people here in the Triangle; one Cup in, they are an undeniable part of our culture.

That was really evident this year. Today there is such a great Caniac culture that can’t be found anywhere else. The girls and I love to go out on golf carts before the game to chat with the tailgating fans, and during the playoffs, it seemed like there was a sea of them for hours before the puck dropped.

I should go ahead and dispel the common notion that cheerleaders are light on sports fandom. All of the girls are diehard Caniacs themselves, and it was tough to cheer through all of our last-minute action that gave us the nickname “Cardiac Canes.”

The playoff atmosphere is hard to describe; there are plenty of chances to say, “What just happened?” You could tell the players were unusually focused; during the regular season, it’s pretty standard to see most of the team kicking a soccer ball around the RBC Center catacombs, but any aspirations of World Cup stardom disappeared come April. It was a stressful time for me, too. I had to juggle law school finals with games and Storm Squad appearances, so I usually had to bring my books with me to our locker room.

Speaking of locker rooms, we were forced to use a different one than we normally do, mostly due to the influx of media in attendance. It was great to see the big names like Don Cherry (who we got to go on-camera with before one game – what a snazzy dresser). I got to do a radio interview with Ric Flair, who is famous in Raleigh not for his stint as The Nature Boy but his many appearances on our Jumbotron. (Newcomers to the RBC Center should count how many minutes it takes, upon entering the arena, to hear a “WOOOO!” Usually you can count them on one hand.)

I missed the game in early April that saw Anton Babchuk’s overtime goal against the Pens lead the Canes to a playoff berth. I was on the famous Franklin Street in nearby Chapel Hill, watching my North Carolina Tar Heels in the Final Four with my phone clutched in my hand, updating the score of the Canes game every two seconds. When Babchuk scored, I started screaming and jumping up and down. (As any true hockey fan should do in a crowded setting.) There was a timeout in the basketball game, so naturally, everyone turned to look at “the crazy girl.” I screamed, “The Canes are in the playoffs!” Mind you, I’m in Chapel Hill watching a Final Four game, where basketball is king and you can set a clock to each Tar Heel tipoff. But when I shared the good news, people started clapping and cheering. High fives all around!

We had a disappointing end to our season, but I’m so proud of the effort given by the team, the organization and especially the fans. I have some great memories from the 2008-2009 playoffs. That said, we’ve got one goal next season, and we can’t wait to get started.

Hockey 101: Who Gets Their Name on the Stanley Cup

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:04 GMT

In light of the incredible Stanley Cup series we just witnessed, I thought it would be appropriate to address the question of “who gets their name on the Stanley Cup?”

Newcomers to the game may not understand the qualifications one has to meet in order to be considered for a name engraving on the greatest prize in all of sports, so allow me to break it down for you.

Photo by: Alexey Chernyadyev

Players

1. Players appearing in 41 games or more for a club that wins it all will have their name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
2. Players that appear in at least 1 game in a Stanley Cup Finals matchup will have their name engraved on the Stanley Cup. Note that dressing for a game and being in the lineup is constitutes that 1 game. Therefore, if a player dresses for only 1 game in the Finals and logs only 2 minutes of ice time, it still qualifies him.
3. If a player that had a significant impact on a winning team's season does not meet the requirements of having their name etched into the Stanley Cup, the club can petition the National Hockey League to allow them to add a name or two. This is common for players that suffer long-term or season ending injuries.

Coaches/Staff/Executives

1. Coaches, staff and executives are eligible to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup if the team that they work/coach for wins it all. This includes President, Vice President, etc.

The Stanley Cup is truly the most unique piece of hardware in all of professional sports. After the Stanley Cup is won, each member of the winning team is allotted a certain amount of time to spend with the Cup. Some players will take it back to their hometown and put it on display for friends and family. Others will go to more extreme measures to ensure that the time they spend with the Cup is the most memorable experience of their lives. Players have baptized their children in the Cup, eaten cereal in it and even climbed a mountain with it.

After 13 years of engravings, the bottom portion of the Stanley Cup is removed and placed in the NHL Hall of Fame to make room for future champions.

Finally, there are all sorts of oddities that surround the Cup including misspelled names and a person known as “Ass Man.” Check out the following article for further oddity readings: Stanley Cup Mysteries

The Weekly Deke #46: Interview with Randy Moller

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:00 GMT

Last Tuesday, June 2nd was by far the BEST show to date for The Weekly Deke. Randy Moller, the voice of the Florida Panthers joined the show and dropped some knowledge regarding the sport of hockey, his career coming up through the minors, being drafted by the Nordiques in 1981, his trades and his transition from player to announcer. Randy also graced us with a few amazing stories from his days as a player.

If you are not aware of Randy Moller and the greatness that comes across the air waves from Sports Talk 790 - The Ticket out of South Florida. Story goes … Randy was talking to the host Dan LeBatard of the LeBatard show and they got talking about Randy's goal call from earlier “He puts the puck Top Shelf, where Mrs. Moller keeps the peanut-butter.” LeBatard suggested that Randy try out some lines suggested by the listeners of his radio show … and the rest is history!

Randy's appearance on my show The Weekly Deke was awesomely awesome! My original request to talk to Randy for 15 minutes turned into a 40 minute chat about his thoughts on whatever we could throw at him. Randy brought this podcast to a new level and his willingness to put time aside to chat with us has just made him ICON level in The Weekly Deke universe.

I hope you all enjoy the interview, share it with your friends and please leave a comment … hopefully, once we get closer to the start of next season we'll have Randy on again to talk more about this great sport we love so much.

Thank you Randy -

Bill Brister

Take a listen while the crew at TWeekD talks with Rnady at length about his experiences in the press box and on the ice, Randy had a special treat for us near the end of the interview. Check it out after the jump!

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My Nike Bauer Apollo Vapor Hockey Stick

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:32 GMT

When I first started playing hockey a year ago I picked up this white Reebok wooden stick at Play It Again Sports. At that time my only criteria for a stick was “Cheap!” POW - Reebok Wooden Stick - $19.99 … how could I beat that price? I mean, I have never played before, it was shaped like a hockey stick (it actually IS a hockey stick), so I thought I would just use this to learn and then work my way into a nicer stick later when I know what I am doing! Boy - was that the wrong way to think …

I had no clue sticks had flex points - blade curve - blade angle … evidently, when the coach checked out my stick on that first practice it garnered a chuckle. “You think your going to shoot accurately with this?” To which I replied “It was ONLY $20!” So the coach did what coaches do … handed it back to me and told me to take 5 or 6 shots at the net with my stick. He gave me pointers on the proper wrist shot and snap shot … hold your top arm out, bottom hand close to you, snap it back and follow through! I took a few shots and he pointed things out to me regarding the energy I was exerting and the speed of the puck. He then handed me an Apollo Vapor stick, granted it was cut about 2 inches longer than what I was use to … he told me to “try it with this one.” My first was ok … but the ones after were impressive (to me!). I was not excerting as much energy yet the puck was traveling faster.

$45 later … I bought the stick from my coach and have used it for the past couple seasons. I use it every game, every shift for every shot … I love it and the way it feels. This stick has been through it all with me … break aways, scrums in the corner, face offs … and it has served me well.

I am doing my research now for my next stick and will write about which one I decide on. I have found out that each stick has its one characteristics and you need to find one that conforms to your style. However, if you are in the market for a solid stick with good flex and a nice curve … check out the stick I use. You can find out more about it by clicking on the picture below.

Hockey 101 - The Penalty Shot

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:48 GMT

One of the most exciting moments in all of hockey is when a penalty shot is awarded. Now, unlike our favorite hockey video games, there isn’t a little ‘ding’ to indicate when a player is considered to be on a breakaway, so the decision to award an attacking player a penalty shot relies solely in the hands of the officials on the ice. There cannot be a booth review of a possible penalty shot worthy infraction, so this one is all on the zebras.

How A Penalty Shot Is Awarded

So, a penalty shot is awarded when several different infractions occur. The most common instance is when a player is on a clear cut breakaway and is taken down from behind by an opponent who shows no intention of trying to play the puck. Usually, the player committing the infraction will trip, hook or even wrestle the player on a breakaway to the ice.

This is not the only instance in which a penalty shot can be called. While they are less common, there are other infractions that occur from time to time. If a player ends up on a breakaway and an opposing player (goaltender, defender or forward) throws his stick at the attacker on the breakaway, a penalty shot is awarded. If a forward or defender is playing in his defensive zone and covers the puck in the goal crease, the opposing team is awarded a penalty shot. Lastly, if a breakaway occurs and the goaltender intentionally knocks the net off of its moorings to try and get a stoppage in play, a penalty shot will be called.

A Penalty Shot AND A Minor Penalty?

All of these instances would certainly merit a penalty if the penalty shot did not exist, however, a penalty AND a penalty shot cannot be awarded for the same infraction. To clarify, if a player trips another player on a breakaway, the referees cannot award a penalty shot AND a 2 minute minor penalty for tripping; it’s one or the other. Even if the attacker fails to cash in on his penalty shot, no penalty will be awarded.

The Start of the Penalty Shot Process

Ok, so after the decision has been made to award a player a penalty shot, the referee will point to center ice and the crowd will either go absolutely crazy or express their disgust for the call (no matter how blatant the infraction was).

While the player on the breakaway often takes the penalty shot, the rule states that any player on the ice at the time of the penalty shot being called can make the attempt. After the player is chosen, the puck is placed at center ice, the whistle is blown and the shooter takes off for a 1-on-1 attempt with the goaltender. All other players on the ice at the time are required to stand off to the side by their respective benches and are prohibited to interfere with the play.

Possible Penalty Shot Outcomes

Once the player touches the puck, the goaltender is free to leave his crease to challenge the shooter. The goalie is permitted to stop the puck by any means necessary, however, if the goaltender throws his stick during the attempt, a goal is automatically awarded to the shooter. On the flip side of the puck, if the shooter, who must continuously move forward, loses control of the puck during his attempt, he may not recover and shoot; the attempt is over.

If the shooter beats the goaltender cleanly, the goal is counted. If the shooter takes the shot and the shot goes in off of the post or the goaltender, the goal is counted.

If a shot taken creates a rebound, the shooter is not permitted to act upon that rebound. The attempt is over. Similarly, if the shooter crosses the end line with the puck, the attempt is over. This means that wrap around attempts are not permitted in a penalty shot situation.

If a goal is scored on a penalty shot, the teams will return to center ice for a face-off. If the goaltender makes the save, the face-off will remain in the zone and will be dropped in one of the face-off circles to the right or left of the goaltender who just made the save.

Check out the video below for a nice visual of a penalty shot process from start to finish:

World Baseball Classic or Spring Training?

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:17 GMT

Does the thought of either on of those make your ears purk up and the recesses of you brain that contain all the baseball minutia start firing on overdrive? It does it to me!

Although I thought the first WBC was contrived, force, and a marketing ploy, I began to enjoy the games. I truly loved watching the Asian and Caribbean teams play. They play such fundamentally sound baseball on such a high level these games should be mandatory viewing for all little leaguers. The way they execute the game is almost like watching ballet.

Spring training is my favorite time of year. We get to see highlights and listen to radio broadcasts from where it is warm and games are being played. Where the young guys are trying to earn a spot and the old guys are trying to hang on. Where the anticipation of a new season of unknowns, up and downs, balls and strikes, and the desire for your guys to go out and play hard and make it to the playoffs.

Being a fan of one of the most futile franchises in all of sports. If follow me on twitter (www.twitter.com/bartonomus) I have had extensive discussions about how bad they are. It is hard to keep the warm fuzzy from spring training alive through the All-Star Break. So I hope they are not the regular buzz kill they have been so I can be baseball intoxicated for a long time.

Kid K and Arlington…

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:20 GMT

If you read this blog often (and most of you don't), you will know that I primarily focus on the Cubs. While this is my life's passion, I am also blessed to live in such close proximity to Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington, where the mighty Texas Rangers play, so every now and again, I have a HSO on the Rangers and how their team is managed.

First, I can't understand why the Rangers would not even make a play at signing Kerry Wood. With all of their closer troubles last year, *cough CJ Wilson cough* signing Kid K just made too much sense. He grew up here! He would be 10 minutes from his home! The Rangers are DESPERATE for not only a closer, but any kind of good PR move! In the end, though, this is the real kicker: Kerry Wood worships Nolan Ryan. He wears number 34 for crissakes! Mr. Daniels, you can't tell me that one 5 minute phone call from Nolan Ryan wouldn't have convinced Kerry to sign here? Did you even try? As goofy as it sounds, Mr. Wood would have helped put butts in the empty seats at your stadium, but it appeared that there was no effort whatsoever to get him here. I think that it is shameful of Ranger management to not attempt to pursue Kerry. If they made an effort, and he rebuffed them, I can understand that, but there were no reports in the media that the Rangers were pursuing him.

I continue to hear over and over again that the reason the Rangers cannot get pitching to sign here is because the Ballpark is a launching pad. I hope to present some contrary anecdotal eveidence to this hypothesis. All we hear from Joe Ranger fan is that no pitcher will ever sign here because it will ruin their stats, but if that were the case, the line for free agent hitters would be out the door for players to sign here. If a pitcher makes a concious decision not to pitch in a ballpark because of its reputation, then hitters would be making the concious decision to play here because of…well, its reputation. If I were a pitcher, set to pitch every 5 days, and the Ballpark scares me, then of course, I wouldn't sign here unless the contract was ridiculous. On the other hand, if I were a hitter, the Rangers would be first on my list because of the reputation of the park. If I could come here and add .200 points to my OPS, I would, because that would make me that much more valuable on the free agent market. The harsh reality of this theory is that the Rangers do not see free agent hitters beating down Nolan Ryan's door to get here.

I wish I had a good theory as to why the Rangers have trouble bringing in Free Agents. Maybe the thought of all those empty seats are a turn off. Maybe it is the stifling July heat. Or, maybe it is incompetent management. I don't know, but there doesn't seem to be any quick fix to getting the Rangers to their first EVER playoff win. Maybe Nolan and Jon have it figured out, but we sure haven't seen any results yet.

Do I Smell Something Cooking On the Hot Stove?

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:44 GMT

Winter meetings are underway. The Rangers have aquired 2 pitchers from Detroit for Gerald Laird. WOOPTY F'ING DO! After i read the rundwn on the pitchers we got I am no more excited than I was, come on guys! Do something of note, please.

I also got my baseball juices in a boil after hearing from the one and only A-Fraud. He is gonna play for Puerto Rico in the WBC!? I know it is a made for TV publicity stunt, but to me it illustrates what is wrong with baseball. The fact that an American can play for another country due to a funky rule, just like the Olympics, I find as a slap in the face. How much PC do we need to have in sports? I hate A-rod. I make no bones about it. He crushed me many years ago and is (to me) the personification of everything that is wrong with todays players. Cherry picking what team to play for. Not doing the right thing but what will make the spotlight be focused on him. His playing for Puerto Rico tells me that the team is pretty good if ARod is willing to play for them. He is an individual and plays like one. He has not won anything as a team player. He gets great stats and plays a so-so third base, so in order for him to play for them the team must be good enough that he won't get blamed for failure. By the way, he didn't play in the last WBC because he couldn't decide who to play for, the US or PR. what has changed other than the roster to make him decide to play with them?

This is Just Wrong, So Wrong.

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:04 GMT

Japanese team drafts teen girl.

This is going to lead to Hello Kitty inspired merchandise and new uniform designs based on Japenese school girl uniforms. Anime jumbotron characters? Texting signs from the catcher? New abbreviations in like 6-4-3 OMG, Ball 4 WTF? K FTW!

Gold Gloves and Hot Stoves

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:44 GMT

The Gold Gloves were issued last week and I always end up scratching my head at these. Michael Young, God love him, of my Texas Rangers is not the best defensive shortstop in the American League. He has limited range and can make the “routine” play but I would not compare him to Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell, Omar Visquel, or even Cal Ripken when he played short. Even A-Fraud was as good if not a better defensive shortstop. But I digress.

The best off season to me is baseball's. They have action all the time and the hot stove boiling new deals all the time. The Halladay to Oakland deal got me jazzed. I am so ready for the free agents to start falling from the sky in massive numbers. Manny is gonna collect big bank. Tex is out there but I think he may be a little exposed for the above average 1B that he is. He hits well and is a switch hitter but the crop of firstbaseman is thick. He will probably land in Yankee-land and be overpaid just like the rest of the team.

As for the rangers, OY! Do they have issues they need to address and address NOW. Bringing Mike Maddux in as the pitching coach is a good move. I am still anxious for the move that is really needed to be made. JD has to go. Nolan needs to put his stamp on the team and start winning.

The Jake Peavy sweepstakes has me interested, the trickle down effect on this signing is huge. Many of the other free agent pitchers out there are going to have to deal around this signing. If they can get in before the signing, they can fill the void for teams that are not wanting to pay for Peavy. If they get signed after, their deals will be measured against it. The Nats Making a deal perplexes me. Are they positioning to get better now or in the future?

As i write this I am looking at MLB Trade rumors feed on my FeedDemon and I just got an update. And, as i had thought, the Rockies are not done. They are looking to dump payroll and get more youth by the sounds of it. They really didn't show alot last year so get what you can now before they lose more value. Not a bad strategy.