The Crazy Canucks.net

Sounds of Vancouver at the end of Round 4, Game 5, and how the sound has grown since Round 2

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:25:49 +0000

Sounds of downtown Vancouver: Canucks Stanley Cup Finals, Game 5 by johnbollwitt

While it’s not a podcast episode, here’s something to fill your ears. I’ve been putting my iPhone on the balcony to record sounds of downtown Vancouver as we push deeper and deeper into the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now that we’re into the Finals, the sounds that are coming from within the downtown core has been growing and growing.

The first clip was caught with a handheld mic sitting on our balcony in the west end. For comparison, here’s the other games I’ve been able to capture with just my iPhone.

Sounds of West End Vancouver after Canucks game 5, round 3 OT win (Of note, this was the series clinching win against San Jose):

Sounds of West End Vancouver after Canucks game 5, round 3 OT win by johnbollwitt

The West End of Vancouver at the very end of Canucks vs. Predators, Game 6, Round 2:

The West End of Vancouver at the very end of Canucks vs. Predators, Game 6, Round 2 by johnbollwitt

Sounds of West End Vancouver after Canucks round 2, game 3 OT win:

Sounds of West End Vancouver after Canucks game 3 OT win by johnbollwitt

The further back you go, the sound is noticeably different. Vancouver has gone from cheers to a roar when we score or win. With just one more game to go, this city is ready to explode.

Why we’re thecrazycanucks.net now

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:40:03 +0000

TiVo Podcasts by John Biehler on Flickr

When we first started this podcast, the concept grew between all of the original cast of TCC, and everyone had their contributions. Format, ideas, how we’d do the podcast technically, meeting up to record, and so on. But when it came to the name of the podcast, that really came from our dear Alanah. She not only thought up the name, but, like any good person with an online mindset, checked to see if the .com domain name existed.

Low and behold, The Crazy Canucks was born. (Not the most exciting story of how the name came to be, but it is what it is.)

Canucks Open Practice by Miss604 on Flickr

Sometime around last year, the account with the domain registar that Alanah used to register our .com domain name expired. The domain was still valid for a time after that, but as it turns out, losing your account with the registrar loses your ownership to your domain, at least that’s the story with this company.

And even though Alanah tried repeated attempts to contact them about her account the domains that she owned through them, she was ignored. Along with losing out maiden domain name, Alanah also lost CanucksandBeyond.com in the process.

About a month ago, I decided to try to get our site back up and running in the hopes that the original cast members of TCC might be able to gather together while our Canucks push deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Contacting the registrar who last held the keys to our domain, I came to discover that the domain had been transferred ownership at their own doing because we know for certain that Alanah never gave her consent for such things.

As it turns out, the domain is now in the hands of domain reseller, also known as a squatter, who has parked the URL with a page that allows you to contact them with an offer for the domain. Following the rabbit hole, I decided to see how much it would be to get it back.

Rolling out a $50 offer for a domain that could be registered through most registrars for about fifteen bucks, I thought I would be in the ballpark of what they would want. Anyone who has been apart of this podcast can tell you that we’ve probably spent way more than the cost of all of our podcasting adventures on alcohol consumption alone.

The Crazy Canucks (J.J. and Dave literally on a bus) by Miss604 on Flickr

And on a side note about the alcohol consumption, have you been on the bus with this team as much as we have? The Canucks will drive you to drinking just to handle all the ups and downs of being a fan.

Now back to the URL, I received a reply to my first offer of $50.

John,

Thank you for your offer to acquire the thecrazycanucks.com domain. My name is Chris, and I am the broker for this domain.

While your initial offer was below the minimum reserve set by the seller, I recognize that people oftentimes enter an arbitrary dollar figure into our online form to see whether it will elicit a response. In your reply to this email, please indicate whether you would like to submit an increased offer, or have me get back to you with more information regarding the projected selling price. Let me know if you have any questions at all. Thank you!

Of course I replied to say that I would like to know what that minimum offer would be.

Hi John.

The list price set by the seller for the thecrazycanucks.com domain is $2,500 USD. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are able to meet the asking price, and I will help you to secure the domain.

You can also reply to this email with a counter proposal, as all reasonable offers will be considered. Please let me know how you would like to proceed. Thank you!

$2,500 compared to the almost $25 it took for us to originally register it.

Was it worth it to go through all of the negotiation and hassle of completing a deal that had the potential of being even more headache than it had to be? Could we even be certain that we’d get the domain once it was all complete? We didn’t even want to bother with a counter offer at this point.

So here we are with the new domain, protected for years to come, and registered through a place that isn’t nearly as shady as the story above presents. And because we don’t like playing that way, we’ll withhold the name of that business but can say they’re local to the metro Vancouver area, which is even more depressing to the overall story.

Please update your bookmarks and tell your friends that it’s TheCrazyCanucks.net now!

TCC#80 – Finals, Game 1; Thoughts and sounds from the west end

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:52:39 +0000

A quick recording from the west end of Vancouver, Rebecca and John give you a quick hit on the sights and sounds of what’s going on in this city with the Stanley Cup Final upon us.

Photo by John Biehler on Flickr

This episode isn’t about where we’ve been or where we’re going, but TCC is still here. We’re still fans, and always have been.

Canucks and hockey in Punta Cana

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:51:48 +0000

For those that know me, my day job keeps me busy, hence the lack of action around the TCC world this season. That being said, the radio stations do allow me to have some very neat opportunities, this one taking me to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The TEAM 1040 morning show went on location for a week, and when that happens, they like to send an engineer to go along and make the broadcast work from that end. With Rebecca coming along for the ride, I thought I’d share a little bit of what it’s like when you’re trying to keep track of the Canucks while running around in the land of Jack Sparrow and rum.

And when I say rum, I mean a lot of rum.

But when you’re in the tropics, what do you do when you want to see some hockey? An even tougher challenge? How do you find the Canucks on TV when you’re four hours ahead of west coast time?

Even though you’re staying at a first class resort, it can still be tough to find a good hockey game on TV in a country that is more known for the world class baseball players it produces. While in the room we were staying at, it always seemed like I could find at least two soccer games being broadcast. I don’t know where they were being played or when, but if you can watch futbol with spanish play by play, it’s always a treat.

Luckily there happened to be a Tony Roma’s very near to the resort, so many Canucks fans ventured over there the first night to catch the PPV that their satellite pulled in. I can’t be sure if they paid for it, but the staff payed for letting us in the front door to begin with, even if we couldn’t read the menus because apparently we all looked like we spoke and/or read Russian?

When there is plenty of beer to be had, diehard Canucks fans like this will not leave until the game is over, even if it does start at 11PM. We left somewhere in the 2nd period to get some shut eye before the first broadcast in the morning, but this was after the second time they dimmed the lights in a total “time to go home” maneuver. The rest of the group stuck around and just kept buying rounds instead.

Sadly, we had to leave the rest of the late night games to the other diehards while trying to get in some relaxation time in between my duties for the station.

Probably the best story to come out of the trip was when a couple of guys went back to Tony Roma’s for another game and the struggle of getting the staff to find it. When finding a channel with a grass field, horses, and men swinging long mallets at a small, white ball on a playing field, the staffer looked at them, pointed at the TV, and simply asked, “hockey?”

Give the guy credit for trying, but no mi amigo. Esta no bueno, and I’m not sure if they even did end up watching the game.

When it comes down to it, persistance is key. Speaking the language helps a little, but sometimes you can’t break that barrier of cultural gaps. And at that point, it’s probably better just to go enjoy the beach and catch the highlights later. Well, that is if ESPN Deportes shows NHL highlights…

Pieces of Vancouver's hockey past in Coal Harbour and Stanley Park

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:54:46 +0000

This past Sunday, Rebecca and I ventured out for morning breakfast followed by a walk into Stanley Park with our cameras. Venturing down to the trails, I was mentioning how depressing it is that there is next to nothing in terms of honoring the spot where Denman Arena once stood.

Then Rebecca points out this.

It’s not much, but there is a brief mention of the rink where the Vancouver Millionaires won the Stanley Cup against the Ottawa Senators in the 1915 finals. Today, it’s not much more than a bus stop, a great set of benches to chill on the corner of Denman and Georgia, and a small parking lot for the nearby marina.

I kept thinking that this is such a Canadian version of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi”. Instead of paving paradise to put up a parking lot, the rink burned down so they stuck in a parking lot. Of course, Coal Harbour has a tad more history to it than that, especially since the arena met its end in 1936.

This, of course, sparked a conversation about the history of hockey on the west coast, namely Vancouver, and how much the Patrick brothers, Frank and Lester, revolutionized the game of hockey.

Among their contributions:

The forward pass
The blue line
The penalty shot
The boarding penalty
The playoff system
Kicking of the puck (except into the net)
Allowing goalies to fall to make a save
Crediting of assists on goals

That’s just to name a few, but 22 of the changes implemented by these brothers are still in the modern day NHL rule book, shaping the game that’s still played today. In fact, they helped build the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from near scratch to one of the best leagues to play in at the time. Why there isn’t more recognition of this is beyond me, if not a little sad.

After that, it almost seemed fitting that you walk into the park for which the Stanley Cup is named after, Lord Frederick Stanley, the statue pictured above.

For more insight on Denman Arena, Rebecca has more on miss604.com:

Rebecca steps up on a 5 On 5 in Vancouver's 24 Hours

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:33:09 +0000

Rebecca made an appearance in today’s edition of 24 Hours in Vancouver, answering five tough questions about the Canucks.

If there is one bandwagon that she isn’t on, it’s most likely the negative one compared to her fellow “line-mates”.

Molson Canadian Hockey House unveils itself at Concord Pacific

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:47:24 +0000

The TCC crew was invited to attend the announcement of Molson Canadian Hockey House at the location where it will be constructed in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic games, Concord Place.

The “Hockey House” will be a fairly impressive, temporary, tent-like structure that will have an array of amenities, event viewing areas, and entertainment. Basically, we’re talking where all the die hard Team Canada fans hope to be partying when they’re not checking out other events and fun other stuff that will be going on around Vancouver come Olympics time.

Additionally, Hockey Canada will call this building theirs as well, even stating that when not at the rink or in the Olympic Village, the members of the national team will use it as a home base as well. The location will be split up by a V.I.P. area, the Hockey House venue, and another portion dedicated to team players and their families.

Rebecca has a post up which includes a video fly through of the planned Molson Canadian Hockey House.

I can’t pass up a chance to showcase DaveO during a great opportunity for him to really chat to Stan Smyl. Steamer is a class act.

With hope, there will be a handful of us on the ground during the Winter Olympics in February, giving you the scoop on what’s going on around the games, not just from what you see on the TV.

Welcome to the 2009-2010 NHL Regular Season

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:41:11 +0000

Getting excited for tonight’s kickoff of the NHL regular season between our Canucks and the Calgary Flames, this commercial popped into mind.

Granted that this commercial was made in celebration of hockey coming back from the lockout, it still applies to a day like today. Game on!

TCC#79 – Canucks Fan Zone Suite Night

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:21:16 +0000

Come along for a ride with all sorts of hi-jinks with not only your TCC crew, but a whole bunch of Canucks fans who are on the new media front lines with coverage of our favorite team in the NHL. Thanks to the Vancouver Canucks organization, members of the Fan Zone had the awesome opportunity to take in the preseason match against the Anaheim Ducks at GM Place from a fifth level suite. DaveO leads the way throughout this episode while introducing you to other great folks that bring you some great, alternative Canucks coverage.

And for those of you who come back to our website to check out the show notes once and a while, here are some extra treats from the suite night.

First up, here’s a slideshow of the photos taken mostly by me, but with my camera for sure.

We were able to hook up John Biehler with a spot for suite night, and he made this great video snippet while we recording the last segment of this episode.

Pope Funk & Rome from John Biehler on Vimeo.

Tracking down Canucks players on Raise A Reader Day 2009

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:52:40 +0000

As Rebecca put it to me this morning, she hasn’t missed a Vancouver Sun Raise A Reader Day in four years, and today was no exception. Taking my new Nikon D90 out for an inaugural spin into the real world, here’s a few photos of players we were able to run into today.

Kyle Wellwood (Photo credit: miss604 on Flickr)

Michael Grabner

Chris Oddleifson

Kirk McLean

Shane O'Brian

Raise A Reader Day is always a good time to run around downtown Vancouver to see as many Canucks players from past and present. Where else can you see the Canucks top liners then go another block to run into greats like Stan Smyl or Orland Kurtenbach? But it’s also a great cause to help enable those who are struggling with literacy because without the power to read, who else is going to read these blog posts that I write, eh?

Until next year…

TCC#78 – Preseason Season 4

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:04:27 +0000

Good day, and welcome to season four of The Crazy Canucks. As mentioned in blog posts recently, we’re coming back for another one, and this one is shaping up to be a good one.

This episode finds a group of us outside the Hurricane Grill in downtown Vancouver during a preseason game in Anaheim for our Canucks. This was the first, official Vancouver Canucks “tweetup” to occur where the organization has stepped forward to contribute prizes to people who came on down, which is very, very cool.

Slipping outside as the third period kicks off, Brian (canuckscorner.com & bclionsden.com), Richard (canuckshockeyblog.com), J.J., Rebecca, and myself venture outside to record a quick segment. Since it’s the preseason, we’re thinking about the next few months and what to look ahead to, witty banter included.

Commercial for NHL 2K10 features Kesler and Bieksa; Oscar nod to follow

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:23:11 +0000

I made a Twitter post about this today, and the reception to it was an all around agreement that yes, this is funny. Check out 2K’s latest commercial for NHL 2K10, which I would love to play on the Wii some time.

Gotta love those accents.

Edit: I just noticed on the 2ksports.com website that there are two additional videos with these hockey moms as well, including an extended version with Kesler and Bieksa. They’re fairly brilliant as well.

If he wasn't before, Luongo is the face of the Canucks now and for the next 13 seasons

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:36:46 +0000

I recall an episode we recorded awhile back when the joke was to call the Canucks the “Vancouver Luongos” from now on, simply because of two facts: Luongo is an amazing goalie, and so much of the team rests, certainly in the fans’ eyes, on him.

Now, in the event that you haven’t been paying attention, our beloved captain of the team, Roberto Luongo, has pretty much sealed his fate with the Vancouver Canucks by signing a $64 million contract that will keep him with this club until 2022.

After this final year of his existing contract, the 12-year deal kicks in with a front loaded $10 million in the first year while cruising around $6 million for the next seven.

I’ve said it before in the podcast, but these deals are tough to be a fan of.

We’re seeing it already with the New York Islanders and Rick DiPietro having chronic issues with injuries. That long-term deal was done to cement a solid man in that position to help build a team that struggles not only on the ice but with getting people into their building to see the games.

Let’s not forget that Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin will be with the Washington Capitols for an extra thirteen seasons after getting his extension. Worst thing in the world? Tough to say for a 23 year-old who plays the game hard and fast.

It’s a move that makes sense in regards to team building and dollar figures (in the realm of thought being that there is nothing stopping anyone from drafting and signing these contracts), but this cap era of the NHL doesn’t offer many alternatives when you’re fighting the distraction of dollar signs in a player’s eyes.

The fact is, the gauntlet has been thrown. There is no going back. If DiPietro could keep his time on the injured reserve list to a minimum, I might be thinking different. Thing is, this is what we have to contend with for beyond the next decade.

If injuries plague Luongo, this will be a rough road. If we have a good number of years in the playoffs with a Stanley Cup or two in Vancouver, then finally someone will be able to say that these kinds of contracts have some merit.

Right now, I’m skeptical, but the proof remains to be seen. When that happens, I’ll gladly change my mind.

Worth noting, there is a clause in the contract that gives a way out for both Luongo and the club.

Getting ready for season four

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:05:01 +0000

I know what you’re saying. Shouldn’t this be, like, season three and a half? Season three, part deux?

The fact of the matter is, hockey season is around the corner. I’m just as excited as the next person, and we’re starting to get our collective thoughts together as to how to tackle things with season four. That’s a work in progress, so stay tuned for that one.

In other realms, I, along with anyone else from our crew that pops in, am going to take a different take on this site than previously done in terms of content.

Basically, what you’re used to from TheCrazyCanucks.com is a place to check for and listen to the recent episode of the podcast. At least that’s all you’ve got from me on here, so I hope to change that this season.

My personal blog is of many things related to my personal life, but now I hope to do more hockey specific writing over here. I’ve posted on johnbollwitt.com about all things rink related before, and that might continue in various aspects. Posting on this site will allow me to expand on other thoughts regarding the Canucks as well as beyond just the NHL.

Well, mostly the NHL, but whatever. Hopefully you get that this writing will push that element of hockey related content that you get from me, other than just the podcast.

Get excited. Even though summer is almost over (which depresses me to deep levels), the saving grace is the hockey season ahead.

TCC#77 – Catching us where we can

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:46:01 +0000

The bottom line is that we’re all busy people. However, we did the best to gather everyone we could to get this episode out to you, and it’s a good one. Rebecca and John catch J.J. by phone as he gives us details on what it’s like to get his fix on the team while in Jamaica as well as insights as to how the team has been doing in this first round battle against the St. Louis Blues. A short time later, we catch up with DaveO to get his feelings on similar subjects in addition to some other neat things he’s being doing with the Canucks Outsider. Unfortunately, Alanah was unable to join us, but you can bet that she’s been keeping up with the team just as much as all of us.

Canucks Hockey Blog: Back home and feeling the Canucks love
Canucks Outsider: Black Ice Issue #40 — California Canucks
Miss604.com: NHL Tweetup Vancouver & First Canucks Playoff Game of 2009

TCC#76 – Feeling better about ourselves

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:27:21 +0000

Today’s episode unfortunately comes to you without John, Rebecca or Dave, but Alanah and J.J. do have a special guest to help them run down the latest Canucks news: Hosea Cheung of Vancouver’s 24 Hours newspaper, and his hockey blog Canucks 24/7.

We review the month of March, particularly the latest games which have lead the Canucks to the top of the Northwest Division. With everything going so well, is there anything that can go wrong at this point? Whatever your opinion, one thing everyone agrees on is that the Canucks need to keep going
strong right into the playoffs.

The tough part is only just beginning.

Canucks 24/7
J.J.’s latest blog post: From the hunter to the hunted

TCC#75 – Staying Grounded

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:17:01 +0000

With only two losses throughout the month of February, which was mostly spent away from home, the Canucks are on a calm, cool, and collected streak of solid and victorious games. In this episode we’re missing DaveO but JJ and Alanah are back again to give some excellent analysis of the last few games, what’s on the horizon and the ever-looming trade deadline day, March 4th, 2009.

TCC#74 – Live from Score on Davie

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:48:21 +0000

NOTE: We realize that there are issues with the audio at the start of this episode, but this on location episode wouldn’t have been as effective without it. If you can’t stand it, feel free to fast forward through the first fifteen minutes.

This episode finds the TCC crew for an on location adventure at Score on Davie in the heart of Vancouver’s west end. With J.J. and Alanah on injured reserve, Dave, John, and Rebecca snag Dan Funboy from the Canucks Outsider as well as super special guest Dr. Lickalottapuss from the always cutting edge and NSFW, Foreskin Radio.

The Canucks were in Calgary for a tilt with the division leader Flames, and with no shortage of flat screen TV’s to take in the HD broadcast, we take you along with us through the game, talk about the Montreal game just prior, enjoy multiple jugs of various beverages, and look ahead to Olympic selections for team Canada and U.S.A. There is no shortage of interesting audio on this one, so tune in for the hilarity that ensues.

The Crazy Canucks on Location at The Score

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:22:59 +0000

The crew is going mobile for an upcoming episode of The Crazy Canucks podcast.

On Tuesday February 17th we’ll be heading to The Score on Davie for brews, banter, and to watch the Canucks take on the Flames on their big 70 inch screen.

The puck drops at 6:30pm so we’ll be there shortly before. Feel free to stop by and say hi if you’re in the neighbourhood, then kick back and catch the game with us in this super-comfortable sports bar (with wifi) [Google Map].

TCC#73 – The one game winning streak

feedback@thecrazycanucks.com (John Bollwitt) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:33:12 +0000

We have a quick turn around since the last episode, and even though there has only been two games, there’s still a lot to talk about in Canuckland.

The losing skid has been broken, we cover the Mats Sundin topic once again, try to figure out why the seats in the lower bowl have a variety of noticeable lack of bodies lately, wonder why our PK is lacking, and try to answer the question of why we just traded Mike Brown away to Anaheim in order to get Nathan McIvor back (not that there is anything wrong with that).