JoeyJ0506

Similar plan here, take a season off, then see what everyone feels like in the early spring. Part of the issue is the Penguins opening their two-sheet practice complex. Western Pennsylvania is saturated with rinks and leagues (not a bad thing at all) but I have guys playing on 3, 4, and even 5 teams... So, at the end of the day, playing an 11:40pm Sunday night game on a 1/2-sized rink (with exceptionally bad ice to boot) is not enough to get people off the couch. I cannot blame anyone, to be honest, but It just got to the point where begging people to show so we have 5-6 skaters and a goalie was getting tiresome. Not to mention constantly having to dip into my money to cover people that could not be bothered to pay on time/at all.

Took an impromptu poll in the locker room after a game and it was all "meh" and shoulder shrugs... I knew, at that point, the team was done.

I have been put in a situation where I need to scuttle the beer league team that I have been running for the past six+ years. Between the inability of certain players to ever come to games, some refusing to pay on time (or at all), the rink scheduling games later and later, and the excessive use of the iced-over inline rink (way too small for 5v5 ice hockey) I am just burned out. Honestly, I am upset because there have been so many good times, and I have made some wonderful friends because of this team.

I would love to order a custom pair of these, but I am really not a fan of how they force you to color certain zones of the gloves.

I was making a play I have made uncountable times, playing D, no passing lanes with the walls sealed off, just flip the puck up and out through the center of the ice. Between when I looked up to check I had the opening, looked down to make sure I had the puck, and flipped it, one of my forwards (that just happened to be my little brother) cut through the center of the ice. The puck got him square in the lower lip/teeth (we both wear visors). He was on the ice for a long while. "Luckily" he "only" ended up needing a few stitches on the inside of his lip to close up the cut, and his teeth are okay (X-Rays showed not fractures/breaks/damage to the teeth or jaw). Four days later his lip/jaw are swelled and bruised, and he is very sore, but otherwise okay... Most people that know me understand that I am really a gentle person that will go out of my way to avoid conflict and hurting or inconveniencing others. This whole thing has really shaken me up though, not only did I hurt someone, but it had to be my brother/best friend. I already ordered a Bauer Concept III, to try out, to avoid having this happen to me, and I believe my brother has ordered the same thing or a cage as well. I really played like garbage the rest of that game (it happened about 8 minutes into the second period). I am hoping that it was just because I was upset at the time and worried about my brother. I am really hoping that I do not develop the "yips" from this when playing. I am positive that me playing afraid and timid is more of a danger to myself and other people than playing with confidence and decisiveness (As much as I can at my skill-level).

Any chance that Kovalev's blade pattern becomes available at any point?

Honestly, with how hard I got hit, I was going to get whiplash... cage or no cage.

Got elbowed in the face about a month ago towards the end of a game. I was done for the night because of how woozy I felt. No concussion this time, thankfully, but there is definitely something wrong with my neck. Tight muscles in my neck/shoulder and a dull pain when the muscles relax. It has me a bit worried. The worst part, no penalty on the play. "It wasn't intentional" was apparently the excuse. I do not care if it was intentional or not... It was still an elbow to the chin/jaw.

It's been a while: Skates: Reebok 20k (CCM Ribcor 50Ks in Production) Shins: Reebok 20k Pro (Retail) Girdle: Bauer TotalOne Shell: Warrior-Branded 9K Pro Shell Shoulder: STX Assault (Lacrosse Product) Elbow: STX Surgeon 500 Helmet: CCM V08 Visor: Oakley Pro-Straight Small (Grey Tint) Stick: Sherwood T100 Standard Shaft w/ Kovalev Pro Blades Gloves... Do not stay the same long enough to even bother.

Surgeon line is billed as the more anatomical, form-fitting of the two lines. Seeing and trying it on at WinteFest, That is definitely the case.

I had TUUKS installed on them after I struggled with the stock holders. Believe me... I tried everything I could to make them work.

I loved the boot, honestly, fit like a dream. But, I have a very good group of guys that sharpen my skates for me and it definitely was not the sharpening. I just do not have enough ankle strength or skating wherewithal to make these things work for me. It broke my heart to sell them. But, I feel more confident in my APX, meaning I skate better and play better in them. I wanted the Makos to work, I just could not perform in them to my liking.

This... I really wanted to love the Mako skates. They were the best fitting/feeling boot that I have put on my feet. However, when it came down to it, there just was not enough support around my ankles. My feet were coming out from under me on turns and cuts that I normally had no problems with. The final straw, for me, came when I made a turn next to the wall and my feet were just gone. I fell, blade of my stick was against the boards, butt end almost impaled me, stick exploded into three pieces (Thank goodness). I had a bruise on my ribs the next day that lasted almost two weeks. Those skates got sold a few days later.

Photo courtesy of MSH Member Apes44's father.

More great product from Bauer, their offerings continue to grow on me!

Well guys... I recently got engaged to my girlfriend of two years. To anyone that has met her at the last two WFs you know how special of a girl she is. She is my best friend and I could not possibly be happier. She helped pull me out of an existence anchored in a pretty dark place. Wedding date is 05/10/2014, and I cannot wait. It took a few weeks to get this news posted here... Between work, class, hockey, wedding plans, and general stupid amounts of happiness I have not had much time to post here.

Pittsburgh Penguins Adult Hockey Classic sponsored by Labatt... Hoisting the Labatt Barrel/Keg. It really was an awesome weekend. The final was played at Consol Energy Center

My right eye has been twitching most of the day. Side-effect of stress. Really starting to get annoying though.

Wow, great color combo and design. I am really impressed.

Sitting at work (9am to 9pm shift today) and I have an absolutely monster migraine. Luckily the vision problems have passed already, but my left hand, left side of my face, and tongue are completely numb. Sensitivity to light, noise, and touch are also still here. Just praying a customer doesn't come in the remainder of the night. I struggle to speak clearly when they are this bad.

One of the few benefits of working for a car dealership: 2012 All Wheel Drive Cadillac CTS Luxury Sedan Touring Edition Actually worked out to be less expensive than a new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu when all was said and done.

Had a customer email me today: "Thank you for all of your hard work over the last couple of weeks. We were thoroughly impressed with your responsiveness to every email, and the amount of information you were able to provide to us. We were able to complete our purchase with another dealership over the weekend. Again, thank you for all your hard work." In short, I did all the work selling the Cadillac, answering questions, getting the lowest price around, the lady and her husband took the numbers and went to another place. Any dealership will match numbers to get the deal. This is about 10 times this has happened in the last two weeks. I am close to blowing a gasket.

My "Just Because" Gloves