Jason Harris

The Leafs are the closest team in North American sports to the Red Sox, in terms of frenzy of media and fans. Actually, they may be worse now, since they haven't won in 40 years. It makes it difficult for them to play their best, because every mistake becomes a crisis.

Everything I'm reading suggests Kessel will be traded this week. I'd rather see him remain on the team, but with the economic realities of a salary cap, receiving two firsts and second sounds good. Supposedly, that's what Toronto has offered.

Good to hear, chippa.

And, before you know it, you will all be playing in a parents - kids game and they will be zipping by you, waiting for you to catch up so they can set you up. Or they could be like my kid, playing on the other team and telling me that I suck. The funny thing is most of the kids on the other team were about 14-16, which made them too good to not play all out, yet, at the same time, too small to play all out. It was actually somewhat frustrating initially, because we tried to hold back at the start to avoid hurting any of them, but they kept stealing it from us as we played at three-fourths speed. After that, the war was on!

Playing hockey with my young ladies. I've coached them for six years, but had only played a game once before. Someone organized a skate to raise money for breast cancer research, so the kids were able to play with the adults. It was fun trying to set them up, although it was obvious they were intimidated by the speed, since it took half-an-hour before we could convince them to try to join the rush with us.

Lately, I've been playing goalie about 10% of the time, when the real goalies don't show. I don't have a problem with someone trying to screen me -- it's part of the game.

I wouldn't call this a DON'T, as much as nicer etiquette. I play at different, private drop-ins. At one drop-in, we have a rule that the puck goes to the other side when one team is offsides, whereas, in the other drop-in, guys will skate it out and start the play again. I prefer the first method, since it's a quick, minor punishment to the team that didn't put enough effort to stay onsides.

I've only been a Nazi when guys are out around five minutes, but if you are skating hard, you CAN'T last 90 seconds easily, regardless whether it's pickup. I understand if the bench is short, you'll have to conserve energy on the ice. But if there are enough players on the bench and everyone is skating hard, you'll get the same amount of ice time -- it will just be over more shifts. And that's more fun for everyone. Ever had the pickup when you say afterward, "That was really fast today...a lot of fun!"

I don't see anything wrong with baby blue, but, then again, I've worn tuxedo jerseys on the ice.... Rule: As you return to the bench, call out the position you had been playing. Not "defense" or "forward" or "wing" or even nothing. It's either "right d" or "left d" or "left wing" or "right wing" or "center". Players have expectations of people roughly playing where they should be positionally, so calling out where you had been playing allows the next person to play where they should be. Rule: If you're supposed to be playing defense, it's okay to jump into the play offensively, but it's rather selfish to essentially try to become a forward for the shift. I've noticed certain players are habitually guilty of this. Rule: If you are one the ice for more than 90-120 seconds, you are one lazy SOB who is scared of hard work. In other words, NHL players average 35 to 40 seconds per shift, because they sprint the entire time. So if somebody who is far less fit than NHL players isn't tired after even 90-120 seconds, the only deduction we can make is that person had been coasting while on the ice. And age has nothing to do with it. I'm 46 and still sprint on the ice.

I know Joe has done something similar to that with a belt sander.

Have you tried the Ergo? Conceptually, it's a radical departure for most players, but ask them to hold an Ergo in one hand and a Classic in the other, and most prefer the Ergo. When I sold the grips in my eBay store, about 90% were Ergos; Joe says they've had similar results. Interesting idea, JR. I never heard you mention it before, but then I never set up squatters' rights at the Oggie Booth..... :D

Agreed.....I've never seen an oggie grip. In some ways, I think your impression of Oggie Grips being a bust is due to the internet. What I mean is there is a saying about "you don't know what you don't know" but it's the opposite here. I haven't spoken with Joe in a couple of months, but he said the sales of the grips have increased each year. Plus he's starting to get NHL players to use the grips, although sometimes he modifies the grips so much that it's hard to tell. In any event, let's go back 5+ years to before MSH (or the Easton board) were created. Let's say you've never heard about an Oggie Grip, but you noticed something real weird on an NHL player's stick, so you ask the guy at the shop what it is. No idea. Enough kids ask that question all year before the owner of the shop makes a connection that that was the booth he buzzed by at the trade show, then he remembers he saw an ad by them in USA Hockey, so he calls Joe to inquire about carrying the grips. That's a common chronology prior to the age of the message board. You wouldn't consider a product a bust because you'd have no idea how long it'd been on the market. In the case of Joe's product, I think it's crazy to suggest a product whose sales have increased annually is a bust, particularly when we know that NHL players using products help drive sales, and Joe didn't get NHL approval until last season (I believe). I realize the counter argument could come from a retailer like Jimmy saying they haven't sold well in his shop, which would mean Joe's happy because his sales have increased, but Jimmy's not happy because the products sat. That's a fair assessment, yet the products have always sold well during demo days, so it may just be that this product won't ever have explosive growth -- it's just going to be slow and steady over the years as more people try it.

We just bought a Tribeca for The Big D, but she's bumming because we're leaving it on the lot until Christmas, at which point Santa's going to place it in the garage....

I realize it's all personal preference, but I don't understand the point of that. You might as well use an audio editor and just splice applause to the end of each studio song. I've always enjoyed the bands that occasionally change songs in their concerts. Maybe they do one or two acoustically. Maybe they add horns to a particular song. I might not like the concert song, but I appreciate that they are giving us something more than I already have in my collection.

Actually, Blue Collar Man and Renegade are great rockers. By the way, did you ever see the "Behind The Music" episode on them? Apparently, Dennis De Young really liked concept albums and pushed the other members of the band to write songs in that vein for Killroy Was Here. Then he wanted them to act out the album during the concerts, to the point of people booing them off the stage, because they wouldn't play music for the first fifteen minutes of each show. So, while discussing the break up of the band after that tour, Tommy Shaw shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know. I guess I just ran out of songs about robots....."

I understand the savings is significant, but there are a couple of things to consider. The savings likely will be less, since most retailers give free sharpeners to customers who buy skates. More importantly, it is to your advantage to help keep your LHS in business, as there will be times you will need an urgent sharpening/tape/laces/etc. If too many people use the LHS' time to fit skates, then buy online, that lost profit may cause dire consequences to the store.

These are older bands, but I'd call them the two most under-rated bands in Rock History, especially since most people in the US consider them to be one-hit wonders. However, they are both hard rocking bands with great lyrics and melodies. The first one recently had their "Live And Dangerous" album voted as the best live album ever by the readers of Musician or Guitar (or something). (I don't agree with that -- I'd go with the "Allman Brothers at Fillmore East".) The second band's first three albums went 3-1-2 in the UK, and they were somewhat akin to the Grateful Dead in terms of their popularity live. Thin Lizzy Big Country

I probably have about 150 sticks left between G1's, TF1's and Evolutions.

Whoops. Pretty timely with the "watch what you type" thread, eh?

Too true, SRI, too true. As much garage can attest.... :D

My experience is it's been up to personal preference. Mark in Canada liked the TF1's best, while I liked the G1's better. Then I tried the TF Evolution, whose springiness I liked better, but I've come to realize I don't like 5.5 lies or hooked curves. Basically, I like the Modano and only the G1 had the Modano.

Sorry for not responding earlier -- I didn't realize anyone had posted. The TF10 is 360 grams. Regarding stores in Toronto, you should contact Mark County of Salming Canada (info@salmingcanada.com). I never noticed this myself, but some people have said the PG1's might be a touch longer in the fingers

Thanks for the kind words, Joe. I don't know whether any of the stores with internet presence will ship to Australia, but three of them are members here: No-Icing Sports Puck Hog Hockey Sher Sports Bear in mind that some might be hesitant to ship to Australia because, technically, packages have to be limited to 48" in length. I've sent longer but the possibility exists that someone in your postal service could reject it. (I believe that it's Australia who's limiting it to 48", because Canada and the UK will both accept 108" in total girth.) I found this information on Salming's store guide for an Australia distributor, but I don't know how active he is: Salming Sports Australia Anders Holmen Suit 12. 21 Sydney Road NSW2121 North Epping +61 414 975 722 sales@sdsale.net

I can't remember whether I described it as Shanny-like, or whether someone said my description sounded Shanny-like....

What part of Colorado?