JoeyJ0506

eMails that do not get returned in a timely manner.

I was always coached, when I pitched, that if I should have to throw a purpose pitch to throw for the bottom of the rib cage under the lead arm. If you manage to sneak it in there the pain in terrible. But, the knee is a better option now because, as I said, you can get a protected arm down to protect your ribs from any damage. I'll lean into/take a pitch any time it gets close enough. It's a free base for me, and even better if I'm down in the count 0-2, 1-2. Only draw back is I throw right handed and bat left... nothing like dangling that throwing elbow out there to get hit, talk about dead-arm. But, I'll never wear a shield there just because the umpires are less likely to give me the benefit of the doubt if I do drop the arm or shoulder a bit to wear the pitch. I read some of the EvoShield testimonies that read something like, "Little Johnny wouldn't even get into box after he got hit in the back a month ago. Now, after ordering your product, Little Johnny has no fear at the plate and is now one of the best hitters on his team." What happens when Little Johnny hasn't learned to recognize a pitch coming at him out of the pitcher's hand and wears one on the side of the head? These products, while having their place, are ruining baseball at my level, and no doubt teaching bad/dangerous habits at lower levels.

"Tough Guys," that wear forearm/elbow/triceps armor on their lead arm while hitting, then proceed to crowd the plate and dive into pitches when they find themselves down in the count. Really starting to irk me when I call an inside fastball and the batter has no fear of throwing their elbow into the path of the ball. Just reading through the EvoShield testimonials shows me that this phenomena is gaining steam in lower age groups as well. An essential part of standing in the box and facing down the pitcher is dealing with the knowledge that you might get plunked and suppressing the urge to clear out. I really cannot stand it.

Chris Pronger is about But seriously, watch the refs and other team after the game. Refs will stick them in their pocket without even thinking about it, and people on the other team may be grabbing them thinking it is their own team's puck.

Amen! It got so bad this winter that I started taking one puck on the ice with me. Pucks are like $.99 at the local sporting goods store... I really do not get it, and it wasn't like it was a kid taking them. Full-grown men were walking off the ice with my extra pucks. I'd call them out for it and the response I once got was, "Oh, you had seven or eight, I didn't think you'd miss one or two." Really? If you need a puck that bad... ask. But seriously, I've seen you at stick and puck three times this week; take a day off and buy eight pucks with the money you save.

After four years of nothing but problems my Alienware Laptop finally kicked the bucket last night. I do not know if it was the huge electrical storm (it was plugged in, but through a surge protector) or just finally it's time. That thing was 5k and nothing but problems since day one. I will never buy another Dell or Alienware product again. I was dragged through their mud by customer service, and the thing was back and forth to their Texas repair facility in the first year I had it more than I actually was able to use it. Just an all around frustrating experience for what was supposed to be a premier piece of equipment. I will definitely be going with a Asus Laptop when the funds are there. The reviews are stellar and the $450 price tag is right in my ballpark. Until then the Netbook will be getting a lot of time. Edited for Spelling

It's beautiful out and the Finals start tonight... so of course I will be going to a wedding for people I don't even know with the girlfriend and her family.

Socks are insanely nice. I got one small hole in them, and it patched up alot easier than knit socks.

First game with the new jerseys... 5-2 Win B)

After 5 weeks in a metal and neoprene splint with no physical activity allowed I was cleared this morning by my doctor to resume sports... Missed most of my college baseball season, but I get to play in the first men's league hockey game of the season Monday night... pumped.

2.5 weeks, no joke.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Best decision I've made in a while. No, no you don't. I'm really not supposed to let that cat out of the bag either.

Striping pattern is a custom request. The coloring cannot be done via the customizer. The cuff is completely custom and not an option via the customizer.

Concept: Finished Product: Special thanks to Keith and Joe at Warrior for making these a reality. Cannot wait to see them paired up with the new jerseys coming in from Marcelo.

I was told in conversations with Warrior Customs that the white carbon is a "pure white" now. They received alot of complaints from people that were upset with the color of the pearl having thought they were getting white.

No relief in the wrist the past two weeks from physical therapy, new doctor last week. Two X-Rays later I'm in a wrist/hand splint... Something about a partially torn ligament, ruptured tendon, and broken bones in my palm. Some of the diagnosis is pending an MRI Monday morning. The kicker is both my athletic trainer and original doctor said I could not make it worse by playing with it. Well, apparently playing for four weeks with something minor resulted in something major. I'm in the splint until at least May 6th. If there is no improvement by then it's surgery. I'm more upset about missing the final 20+ games of my senior season of college baseball, and possibly a significant chunk of summer baseball and hockey than I am about the actual injury. That, and this splint/brace is slowly starting to drive me insane... do you know how hard it is to get a wallet out of your back pocket when you cannot turn your wrist or articulate your hand?

Those Orpik 4-Rolls are very nice. :)

Received minor nerve damage to my right hand/wrist during my team's Florida trip. Initially was enough to keep me out of the last game of the southern swing... no big deal. Came home, had a specialist look at it, cannot really do anything without surgery, so I'm electing to ice/heat/painkillers until I get to a point where I'm willing to not play sports for a while while the surgery heals. All that to say this: double header yesterday get hit twice in the right wrist/hand in the same inning within 5 minutes. First my pitcher threw a slider that hit the front of the plate and drilled me on the inside of my thumb/palm/wrist. Next batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop with no one on base. I get up to back up the throw to first and the moron throws his bat backwards drilling me in the back of my hand/wrist. No playing time missed but throbbed and hurt the rest of the day. Wake up this morning, hand is black and blue and hurts like nothing I have experienced since I blew out my ankle playing volleyball. We'll see how this goes.

The one that got wrecked was a Windows Mobile phone. It wasn't great, but had WiFi, a great customizable alarm set-up, great contacts program, games and some other great features I used regularly. Going back to a regular phone is really testing my nerves. My contract is up in December; hopefully by then I'll be making enough that after getting booted off the family plan (happening no matter what) I can get a nice data plan and a phone that can keep up with me. Albeit, I may have it encased in steel and Plexiglas for good measure.

Girlfriend's friend stepped on my phone. Touch screen = gone . Now on my brother's old EnV that shuts off whenever it feels like it. It was an accident so I'm not going to make the girl pay for the phone... Still doesn't change the suck factor of the entire situation though.

Went in for my weekly manager meeting at the campus today for the student-body gym. After the meeting I went to the gym to check some things that were brought to our attention in the locker rooms. Went into the aerobics room to find that the brand new dvd/vhs combo player we got this Monday has been stolen. Honestly, every week we get 20-30 complaints about the machines, weights, etc. we finally start to have our hands untied by the school's funding and this happens. Efffffff!

Amen, pulled my hamstring in Florida first game of spring training last year, tried to play two days later...next thing I know I miss 15 straight with a severe pull. Rest it and heal it right from the get-go.

Huge thumbs down to the rink I was panning on entering a team in this summer cutting the size of the league by 1/4... Now I'm forced to attempt to switch to another rink with a higher league fee. Also deal with all the administrative crap that goes with it.

Just wait to see what she does when the rest of the goalie gear starts rolling in! Haha, she's going to blow a gasket. I honestly have to take a look at the perspective of selling alot of the extra, I really just do not have the room for it all now. But the goalie gear is a must-have.

Glove collections are easy if you are patient. There's deals left and right. It's the stick collections I see with 10 s-19's and vapor 60's that I wonder about. I keep telling myself I need to stop, better stop, have to stop collecting... But, I've become addicted to Easton Synergy 800 gloves, and anytime I think I can find a pair with a short cuff I have to try to get them. I have two Hossa Pro stick sitting behind my door in the plastic, and I'm working on getting some more if the deal is right... After every piece comes in the mail I say, "that's it, I have enough," but it never ends there's always that one elusive piece of the collection missing. Heaven help me when all the Penguins' gear from this season starts popping up on eBay. Letang's EQ5s, Malkin's Bauer branded Vapor XXXXs, Penguins' colored Reebok gloves, and a pair of Sykora's gloves from the Wild are all on my acquisition list. (Yes, I keep a list of stuff I see that I want.) Also, now that I know and love the Hossa Pro curve, I will forever be in a hunt for good deals on those. I've always had a problem with collecting things: action figures when I was a kid, baseball cards in my early teens, movies in my late teens, now hockey equipment will probably be my habit until I cannot lace them up anymore... Oh, Vise MoneyPak 2.0 has effectively ruined my life. All-in-all, it is a disease and an addiction.