Yes, I'm in need of a day off, and a lonnnnnng nap. Unfortunately, I was on the air at 6am today with another CRAZY day with all the snow yesterday.
What a week. With the U17's, combined with a trip to Victoria for the great Bulldogs game there Saturday night, and then back to the Multiplex for the Bronze and Gold Medal Game-Broadcasts yesterday, it's been a little nuts. I'll be off the air at 10am today, and then getting a good rest in before the GOLD MEDAL GAME at the World Juniors, again on TSN this afternoon.
I'm lucky enough to have a couple of friends attending the tournament, my good buddies Bruce and Al. I always say it about these two - I love them even though they are Nanaimo Clipper fans ;)
Here's an update they sent me after Canada's Semi Final win. Thanks muchly Bruce and Al! Bring me back a puck PLEASE!
CLASSIC. Hammer we thought that the New Years come from behind win over the USA would be the game of the tournament. NOT! WRONG! Tonight's victory over Russia trumped that barn burner with the Jack of Spades. Canada scores Russia scores. Back and forth till Russia went ahead with 2 minutes and change left. Mr. Quinn pulled the goalie prior to the 1 minute mark there was not a butt on a seat in the barn. I recall a whistle with around 36 seconds left and a Canadian time out. The guy's we met in front of us grabbed their coats shook our hands and wished us well. PRETENDERS! We ripped them and sure enough one of the boy's ( #14 Eberle ) bagged one! How do you spell bedlam? Or pandamonimum? I dunn'o try scoring in a medal elimination game with 5.4 seconds left the goalie on the bench in a game anywhere in CANADA! Heart, never quit or say die, character Club wearin the Red White and Black again this year. Fantastic, unique, loud, just a Classic Game. High five'in everyone in your arms reach. Yellin screamin huggin going on all around you. Then 4 on 4 O.T. Which decided noth'in. Then a stupid shoot out to see which Club advances. Faces in hands all around us. People grippin, nail biting time for allot of the pretenders. The Kids stepped up again and got the Job done Eberle and Tavares both score and Tokarski stops 2 Russians on their attempts. Nuthouse all over again. What a win!!! One for the memory banks to be sure Hammer. Just away too much fun. Were punch'in in Monday again and GOLD is the goal. 5 in a row sure would be nice. Sweden is simply in the way and must be defeated. Should be another Classic but tonight is one tough act to follow. That's what I thought about the New Years game... All the best in 2009 Hammer. 41 and SLY hav'in away too much fun in the Land of The Ottawa.
Speaking of that great game...
It was a pretty neat experience Saturday at the Bear Mountain Arena, one that filled me up with a huge amount of Canadian pride....There I am, taking to the air to start the pregame show, knowing full well that Canada is down to Russia 5-4 with just minutes remaining. I'm seconds into my pregame schpeel when the arena ERUPTS with cheering. And I get chills and goosebumps because I just KNOW that Canada has tied it up as everyone in the building was around a TV somewhere. Throughout the early moments of the Bulldogs vs. Grizzlies game, there weren't many eyes on the ice. They were all on the TV's around the building as the game went to overtime. And then to a shootout. It was easy to know how the shootout was going with the reaction I kept hearing from the crowd.
Very very cool, and just very very Canadian.
The night continued with the same sort of trend. As I called the Dogs-Grizz game, text after text and email after email kept coming in from Port Alberni updating me on the Canada vs. USA Semi Final game at the 2009 World U17 Challenge. I so dearly wanted to be there watching it, or even better BROADCASTING it, but at the same time it was a really cool experience to get updates the way I got them, as I know I was in a pretty unique situation compared to everyone else trying to follow the game. Every time my cell phone buzzed I got a little nervous and a little excited. Knowing especially that Pacific was trailing throughout the third, I was even more tense. All the while I'm calling an epic barn-burner between the Dogs and Grizzlies that went into double overtime. When my phone buzzed and I saw PACIFIC TIES IT 1 MINUTE LEFT and then PACIFIC WINS IT IN OT, it took all my strength to not come out of my shoes!
Ontario ended up besting Pacific 5-1 for the Gold Medal. Backstop JP Anderson was selected as the player of the game for Ontario. A no brainer. Look for this guy in the U18's and U20's and the NHL one day. He was outstanding throughout the tournament.
A huge thanks to Dave Randorf and the TSN crew for the cool plug on National TV during the Gold Medal Broadcast. I received too many facebooks and texts and emails to mention during the game about that one. Even one from an old friend I hadn't heard from in FOREVER who was watching TSN in Bermuda.
Steve Thomas could be the most polite and down to earth guy I have had the pleasure of interviewing in my 10 plus years of doing this. As the interview ended and we went off air, I attempted to say "thanks so much for doing this" and he beat me to the punch and thanked ME. A true class act. Was it just me or does his son Christian play just a little bit like dad out there?
Dave Randorf and Dave Reid, the TSN Broadcast Crew, were also great guys to work alongside. I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Randorf at the 2002 Royal Bank Cup in Halifax as well.
I have too many thanks to even start mentioning them....but I'll try my best here. If I forget you I apologize, but chances are that your name or good gesture were replaced in my memory bank by one of the players on one of the rosters I had to memorize over the tournament!
From Hockey Canada -
Ryan Robins
Jason LaRose
Riley Wiwchar
These guys went above and beyond what I could have ever expected when it came to taking care of the local radio guys. WAY above and beyond. You guys are true pros. Thanks so much.
From the Media, Volunteers and Organizers - In no particular order.
Stefanie Weber
Aaron Vissia
Darlene Coulson
Again you all went above and beyond with your assistance to myself and Rick and Ian with making our broadcasts happen.
Dan Russell, Bill Wilms, Dan, George, and Grant and the rest of the crew from SHAW TV. Thanks for all your assistance, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to be on your broadcast. Cool stuff.
EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER for everything you did, to knock the socks off of Hockey Canada and all the visitors to the tournament. When we get the Royal Bank Cup, or another great event, it will be because of you guys and gals.
Tom McEvay, Ron Paulson, and everyone else on the Host and Organizing Committee. You guys and gals are amazing. Thanks for putting Port Alberni on the World and National Stage.
To the FANS for just plain doing what you do - Impressing everyone with your support and NOISE.
To the PEAK staff for all their efforts. Rick Schievink and Ian Holmes in the booth with me.
Jolie for her efforts on air.
Bobby, Kyle, and Alie for operating our games.
Brian, Diane, and Wanda for making everything else happen.
And a special special thanks to Jolie, Al, (and Brian?) for braving the weather to get us on the air yesterday as the crazy snow knocked us off for a spell.
That's all I can remember for now, but I know there's more. There is ALWAYS more when it comes to Port Alberni, that's why this place is so amazing.
And a special special thanks to those that helped me work my brain over the coals to memorize all the names!
So what's my personal favorite memory of the tournament? It has to be the age old rivalry. Canada vs. Russia. Game 1 of the tournament. My first experience calling a game at the International level. And a finish to remember.
Canada trails all game. Ties it up. Goes ahead 30 seconds later on a beauty by Brendan Gallagher. Place goes AS NUTS as I've EVER heard it. Russia ties it 30 seconds later. Places goes as silent as it has ever been. Russia goes to a 5 on 3 power play in a tie game with two minutes left. And the place is a nervous as I have ever heard it. Canada kills it off with several huge saves and shot blocks, and the rest is history as the fans somehow raise it ANOTHER level from where it was just three minutes earlier blowing the roof off the place with some last second heroics by Brett Connolly.
That's it for now!
No comments:
Post a Comment