Canucks on Thursdays, HFboards.com, the TOOTOO train, etc.

EDIT-I almost just crapped my pants as it appears someone has linked this post on the Canucks message board. And here I was fearing for my safety from the Nucks fans in just Port Alberni...

This post deserves a disclaimer now I guess..

"This blog is run in an extremely amateur fashion, by an already-in-the-offseason play-by-play guy, who is WAY to bored....I beg your forgiveness"
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From the "don't believe everything you hear" file. Out for lunch yesterday, I run into my buddy A (yes, from the famous "T and A" combo) who tried to tell me that the Canucks were winless on Thursdays this season. I said "no way" thinking that this couldn't be possible. Yet he countered with the classic "yes way" and continued "one of my co-workers is a die-hard fan and he knows all his stuff"

OK. Let me check this...

Turns out a quick glance with no double-checking tells me the Nucks are 10-4 and 1 on Thursdays.
Not so close to winless. But thanks anyway A. Might want to check that guys DIEHARD status.

Down to business....

First and foremost, credit to the good peeps at HFBoards.com
There are some smart fans there and those boards have without a doubt THEE biggest collection of die hard NHL and hockey fans anywhere on the web.

I say credit to them because the first thing I saw this morning when I went to read the fallout from the Tootoo incident last night was how during the end of the game brou-ha-ha (that one is for you Don Taylor) what really got it going was when Fiddler shot the puck at Bieksa and then Bieksa returned the volley. I missed it the first time, as I was watching one game on my computer and watching the Nucks game on Sportsnet out of my other eye at the same time. Can you tell I am hockey starved now that don't have 3 games a week to provide the play-by-play for? Anyway, I only REALLY started watching when Bieksa started squaring off. Bieksa fights, you watch. I had a great front row seat last Friday when he tuned up whoever it was from Columbus. I don't think I've ever seen him lose a fight, now that I think of it. Come on, there might not be anyone tougher pound for pound in the league. Come to think of it, I would really like to see Toots and Bieksa scrap. But more on Tootoo later. The video first.

I know it's of course dangerous and AGAINST THE CODE to shoot the puck at someone. A true Daniel Alfredsson move. I gotta say I got a heck of a laugh out of it though. And I don't blame Bieksa for shooting it back. "Fire a puck at me will you? TAKE THAT!" lmao. See for yourself.



In light of the comments and opinions to come, I will first provide this little offering for the Canuck fans so they won't tear me to shreds or meet me out the back of the radio station when my show is done.

Funny video. Leaf blocker. You could sell a million of 'em out here. I'm not so sure about the SENS being any better though. Thanks to my buddy Bruce for emailing this to me.



Ok, hopefully the offering helped....

Also, before I go any further- I CHEER FOR THE NUCKS. NOT THE PREDS. I JUST CHEER FOR TOOTOO AS WELL. I guaran-damn-tee he would be as popular in Vancouver and he is in Nashville if he was wearning our jersey.

TOOTOO. I know that I have a tiny voice here, as we are just a mere blip on the Canucks Radio Network. I still warned everyone yesterday.....LISTEN HERE

Don't mind my " if they don't win they won't make the playoffs" prediction, I'm full of hot air and know nothing but like to make outlandish calls like that. Hey, if someone would've put money on my on-air predictions for the Oilers drive for the 06 finals that were PERFECT to a T for every series, they would be damn rich right now.

That's me in the middle, hosting an autograph session at a sport store with Jordin and Terrance Tootoo after Jordin was drafted by the Nashville Predators. (2002 I think?)

I'll start off by saying that yes, I do know the guy. Once upon a time I was the play-by-play voice of the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL. Once upon a time Jordin Tootoo played there. As did his brother Terrance (rest in peace Barns). I wouldn't call Jordin a friend, but an acquaintance and someone I shared a couple of beers and some fun times with over the off seasons way back when. Terrance was a guy I would call a friend. It always happens when you call games for a team for 3 or 4 seasons. All the wars the times on the road etc etc. Throw in some classic golf games in the off season and a friendship develops. But I digress. I say all of this because how you judge someone and their actions and how you see the game is all based on where your allegiances are. As long as pucks have been round fans of their respective teams and their respective players have been wearing homer goggles that cloud their vision. And I guess I'm no different and I'm just as guilty as the next guy.

So when I talk about Tootoo you know up front right from the beginning where I'm coming from here.

Now.....What seems to be the problem from last night wasn't the hit, but the crosscheck. It was a problem for Hughson and Garrett and most of the posts I've read. I'll agree- the crosscheck was bad. Suspension worthy maybe. I'll also say this- Hughson and Garrett are two of the best in the business. I honestly don't understand the heat Garrett takes, but that might just be back to the earlier "homer goggles" comment. I think he is one of the biggest beauties in the league, and one of the most honest and straight shooting analysts in the sport. BUT I just want to look at the other side of the coin from all of this for a second though- The comment Garrett said was something like

"Tootoo comes with the stick high, leads with the stick high"
I agree 100%. Not even debatable.

My question is-

How does Bourdon come at Tootoo, what does he lead with, is it high? Does he have his gloves off, is ready to go? Is he challenging him, or is he just going right at him? Are his gloves and stick up high like Tootoo's just the same, going for his head just the same? Like I said, the crosscheck was bad. Suspendable. Not defendable. (Are those even words?! Ah well they get the point across, lol) The point is that Tootoo might've just been defending himself. I'll agree that he might have done so with a little too much vigor though. Like the Stephane Robidas incident. Toots gets all the heat for that punch. He makes the hit, turns around, sees the guy coming for his head, and one-punches him.

Maybe it's my old-school upbringing in the game, but if a guy is coming at you for revenge and he doesn't have his gloves off, the ONLY way to lead is with your gloves and your stick.

The Video.



And Robidas..



I hope it's nothing to serious for Aaron Miller. I'm cheering for the CANUCKS here remember.

The difference last night was that they SKATED. Yes, call me stupid (YOU'RE STUPID!!!! you are probably saying) but I think the difference is really that simple. They skated. The Sedins. Naslund. They have appeared to be in quicksand for the last four games. The game is about speed now. Speed kills. Kills your opponent if you got it, kills you if you don't have it.

Thanks for reading. Just my opinion, not yours.....You are welcome to leave your own in the comment section below.

Hammer