I slept through parts of the Tampa Bay game - I went through a week or so where I hardly slept at all and have now entered a period where I can hardly stay awake - so please take all game-related thoughts with a grain of salt.
- It's hard to say how well we played because Tampa Bay is a bad team. Still, it's nice that we pretty handily beat a bad team instead of floundering against them and it's nice that we made a bad goalie look like a bad goalie instead of a future Hall-of-Famer.
- Is there any way we can trade the whole team to the Southeast division at the trade deadline? Wow, they are not good. I think it's a little unfair that any of them get to be in the playoffs at this point.
- It's goals like the first goal that make me miss Jim Lorentz. If he'd been doing the game he would've rolled back the video tape and made it a point to applaud Jochen Hecht for keeping possession of the puck long enough to get the pass off to Jason Pominville even while being sandwiched between two opposing players. (Lightnings?) No one pointed that out tonight. Of course, I was watching the Versus feed so I'm probably lucky they were looking at the ice at all and not giving me an update on Sidney Crosby's injury status instead.
- I do like to watch the occasional game on Versus just because I like to hear what people who aren't watching every Sabres game think about the team. Obviously I think we see some things that people who are only watching the scoreboard miss, but I think we're also sometimes too close to the team and get mired in all of the off-ice stuff, some of which affects the team but some of which is just noise. I would agree with Versus' assessment that our defense has been inconsistent and I would definitely agree with Keith Jones's observation that a lot of the defensive lapses have really been due to forwards not getting back and doing their part. But I think the offensive stats he cited are deceiving. I was originally stunned that we have the 6th rated offense in the league - geez, goals really are down - but after I thought about it I decided that stat is seriously knocked out of whack by the handful of games we have where the team just went crazy: 6 goals here, 8 goals there, 10 goals here. If I'm doing my addition right - a questionable thing at any time of day much less this late - the Sabres have scored 2 goals or less in 23 games and what do you know, almost all of them were losses. Most nights in the NHL, you aren't going to win with only 2 goals unless the rest of your game is absolutely stellar which, as we've established, the Sabres' game has not been.
- Tonight was good though. Four goals, good goaltending, and no glaring mistakes... That'll win you some games.
- Tim Conolly has bone spurs, huh? At this point I'm not going to be the least bit surprised when his head just pops off his body and rolls into traffic. Pretty mean of God to put that much talent in a body that's so freakin' fragile.
This came up in the comment thread a few days ago so I just want to make it very clear that I have no problem with anyone out there disagreeing with my opinions and I certainly have no problem with people letting me know that. I think the interaction and back-and-forth is one of the most fun parts of blogging. I like that despite my established Tallinder blinders, brian s. came right out and said, "Hey, you know what, I think Hank is overrated," and I appreciate that he felt comfortable saying that despite knowing that I'm never, ever going to publicly agree. All I ask is that you disagree without personally insulting the person you're disagreeing with and if you're up for it, tell me why you're disagreeing, not because you have to defend yourself but because I just really like knowing how other fans are feeling and thinking and why they're thinking and feeling that way. And just fyi, in my world, "I just hate that guy" is a perfectly good argument :-) I haven't really had any problems with any of this - so far all my commenters have been great - but I wanted to put this out there for the record.
In closing, check this out. It made me laugh.
Showing posts with label jim lorentz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jim lorentz. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Captain Roy and Why I Love Hockey: The Retirement Edition
Buffalo in July: I can't believe we signed that little punk Roy for so much money! This is gonna be a huge bust! Darcy's an idiot!
Buffalo tonight: D-Roy for Captain!
I love that Lindy rewarded a great performance and effort by giving Derek the C for tonight's game and I loved seeing Derek step up again tonight while wearing it. I do have mixed feelings about him getting the C right now though. On one hand, I think he totally has it in him - he was the captain of the Kitchener Rangers team that won the Memorial Cup in 2003 so this isn't a new thing for him - and he's going to be in Buffalo for the next six years so he has plenty of time to grow into it. But on the other hand, he is still very young and he has shown himself to sometimes be pretty immature on the ice. If he's going to be the Buffalo representative on the ice then he needs to find a way to deal with bad calls or non-calls that doesn't involve rolling his eyes and slamming his stick around. That said, as focused as Derek has seemed both on the ice and off, if someone like Lindy sat down with him and told him that's what they needed to see, I suspect we would see it. I think he wants that letter.
Why I Love Hockey #28 - Jim Lorentz
So Jim Lorentz announced his retirement. I have to be honest, I'm pretty sad about this. Chris Drury and Daniel Briere split? Whatever. We have a lot of young talent left. Jim Lorentz isn't going to be on my TV this season? I can't deal.
When I moved to Buffalo, I had watched very little live hockey. I looked at a game and I saw a swirling mess of guys on skates. It was fun to look at but it made very little sense. That's where Jim Lorentz came in. He was very good at breaking down plays and pointing out the little things that added up to big moments. After almost every goal he would point out what led to the goal - the d-man using his body to knock the forward off the puck, the other d-man swooping in to pick up the loose puck and then making a perfect outlet pass to a streaking wing - and he did it in a plain-spoken way that made it easy for even a newbie like me to understand what he was talking about. I can appreciate defensmen like Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman and defensive forwards like Jochen Hecth because Jim took care to point out the things they were doing to contribute. I know most of what I know about hockey because of Jim.
Where Rick Jeanneret is all bombast and enthusiams, Jim was more even-keeled and always, always honest. If the Sabres were playing like crap, he called them on it. When he said, "That was an absolutel atrocious power play by Buffalo," he echoed what every fan was thinking and feeling. When he applauded someone's effort, the player always deserved it and Jim didn't care if the player was wearing a Buffalo jersey or a Toronto jersey.
I'm very sad about Jim's retirement because no matter how good his replacement might be, it's not going to be the same. There's something very old-fashioned about the way Rick and Jim work. I don't really know how to explain it but I feel it very deeply. If they have something interesting to share about a player, they share it but it never overshadows the game going on in front of them. We don't get long-winded, twisting stories about Andrew Peters' childhood while Maxim Afinogenov is taking the puck end-to-end for a goal. They're not about the flash and the glitter - they're about the game. Rick and Jim's relationship in the booth was very warm and natural. They seemed to know instinctively when the other was going to speak and they never crowded each other out. Some of that was working together for as many years as they did (something unlikely to happen these days), some of it was clearly friendship.
Someone pointed out to me that when you watch most of the games on TV, the broadcast duo really does become a part of the team. That's even more true here in Buffalo where we've had the same duo for so many years. I don't like this whole retirment thing, Jim but I do wish you well. I'm glad I got to be part of your team for so many years.
Buffalo tonight: D-Roy for Captain!
I love that Lindy rewarded a great performance and effort by giving Derek the C for tonight's game and I loved seeing Derek step up again tonight while wearing it. I do have mixed feelings about him getting the C right now though. On one hand, I think he totally has it in him - he was the captain of the Kitchener Rangers team that won the Memorial Cup in 2003 so this isn't a new thing for him - and he's going to be in Buffalo for the next six years so he has plenty of time to grow into it. But on the other hand, he is still very young and he has shown himself to sometimes be pretty immature on the ice. If he's going to be the Buffalo representative on the ice then he needs to find a way to deal with bad calls or non-calls that doesn't involve rolling his eyes and slamming his stick around. That said, as focused as Derek has seemed both on the ice and off, if someone like Lindy sat down with him and told him that's what they needed to see, I suspect we would see it. I think he wants that letter.
Why I Love Hockey #28 - Jim Lorentz
So Jim Lorentz announced his retirement. I have to be honest, I'm pretty sad about this. Chris Drury and Daniel Briere split? Whatever. We have a lot of young talent left. Jim Lorentz isn't going to be on my TV this season? I can't deal.
When I moved to Buffalo, I had watched very little live hockey. I looked at a game and I saw a swirling mess of guys on skates. It was fun to look at but it made very little sense. That's where Jim Lorentz came in. He was very good at breaking down plays and pointing out the little things that added up to big moments. After almost every goal he would point out what led to the goal - the d-man using his body to knock the forward off the puck, the other d-man swooping in to pick up the loose puck and then making a perfect outlet pass to a streaking wing - and he did it in a plain-spoken way that made it easy for even a newbie like me to understand what he was talking about. I can appreciate defensmen like Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman and defensive forwards like Jochen Hecth because Jim took care to point out the things they were doing to contribute. I know most of what I know about hockey because of Jim.
Where Rick Jeanneret is all bombast and enthusiams, Jim was more even-keeled and always, always honest. If the Sabres were playing like crap, he called them on it. When he said, "That was an absolutel atrocious power play by Buffalo," he echoed what every fan was thinking and feeling. When he applauded someone's effort, the player always deserved it and Jim didn't care if the player was wearing a Buffalo jersey or a Toronto jersey.
I'm very sad about Jim's retirement because no matter how good his replacement might be, it's not going to be the same. There's something very old-fashioned about the way Rick and Jim work. I don't really know how to explain it but I feel it very deeply. If they have something interesting to share about a player, they share it but it never overshadows the game going on in front of them. We don't get long-winded, twisting stories about Andrew Peters' childhood while Maxim Afinogenov is taking the puck end-to-end for a goal. They're not about the flash and the glitter - they're about the game. Rick and Jim's relationship in the booth was very warm and natural. They seemed to know instinctively when the other was going to speak and they never crowded each other out. Some of that was working together for as many years as they did (something unlikely to happen these days), some of it was clearly friendship.
Someone pointed out to me that when you watch most of the games on TV, the broadcast duo really does become a part of the team. That's even more true here in Buffalo where we've had the same duo for so many years. I don't like this whole retirment thing, Jim but I do wish you well. I'm glad I got to be part of your team for so many years.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Remembering a Game to Remember - Third Period
All right, let's get this wrapped up.
FIRST PERIOD
SECOND PERIOD
THIRD PERIOD
20:00 We begin with Aubin in net. Raycroft gave up 4 goals in the last 6 shots faced.
17:40 Rick tells us that McCabe has been "LEVELED BY KALETA!" but we can't see it so I'm forced to take his word for it.
17:10 We get replay of the Kaleta hit. It was fine.
15:30 Not much of interest is happening. Rick keeps saying "Colaiacovo" and I think about what a cool name that is. That start me thinking about who has the coolest name on the Buffalo side. Off the top of my head I'm going to go with Maxim Afinogenov.
15:31 Vanek moves in on the net but loses his handle on the puck. It slides out to Soupy in front of the net but instead of SHOOTING THE PUCK! Soupy chooses to pass it back to Vanek who gets dumped, drawing a penalty. Soupy was standing about six feet in front of the net and the puck was sliding right into his wind-up. SHOOT THE PUCK! Emery isn't that good! I mean, Aubin! Aubin isn't that good!
15:20 Jim tells us that Vanek has had problems scoring goals the past few games. Has someone told Vanek he can't do that any more? I'll give it ten minutes into the first home game before some fan screams, "Hey, Vanek! Quit countin' your money and score some goals!" Also, replays show that Stafford poked the puck back out to Soupy with a neat little backhanded move. I'm gonnna go out on a limb here, folks and say Stafford cracks the starting line-up this season.
14:39Someone alert the media! A power play goal! Paetsch makes a nice move to keep the puck in the offensive zone and Hecht moves in on goal, waits a split second, and then lifts the puck over Aubin after Aubin bites. Oh, on the replay it looks like Jochen faked a pass which is probably why Aubin was moving. Second goal of the night for Yo-Yo and we get his little grin as he goes to the bench.
Let me mention here that I really think Jochen played some of his best hockey this season during this stretch when the team was battling injuries and he was called on to play more and step into the leadership role. He's wearing an A during this game and has been a noticeable presence on the ice. So you people complaining that there's no leadership on the team any more can put a sock in it.
14:26 Rick informs us that a lot of Leaf fans are leaving the building. Ha ha! Blow, Leafs, Blow! Blow, Leafs, Blow!
13:40 Rick tells us AGAIN that Briere is out with the flu. We get a close-up of Jochen on the bench. He looks at the person beside him (we can't see who it is), nods, and then slowly smiles and it is adorable. I can't explain why but he looks like such a little boy when he smiles. (Wow, who knew that game diaries would bring out the puck bunny in me?)
12:25 Roy breaks out of the defensive zone but just as he reaches shooting range, Gill stretches out from behind him and pokes the puck away. Jim tells us maybe Derek should've gone down on that play in an attempt to draw something. Jim! Don't encourage him!
11:19 The boo birds are out and seem to be targeting Bryan McCabe. Thomas Vanek, are you paying attention? This is what happens when you sign a huge contract and then don't live up to expectations. For the record though, I'm not into booing your team, no matter how pathetic the power play is and no matter how much they refuse to shoot on Emery.
9:53 Roy outworks pretty much the entire Toronto team to set up a beautiful chance for Vanek who can't connect from in front of the net. Thomas! But great hustle by Derek. He was all over the place.
9:09 Stajan gets a good chance when the puck jumps over Paetsch's stick but Miller makes the save and the puck jumps up to the top of the net where it sits while Miller swings his head back and forth, desperately trying to find it. It's been that kind of night for the Leafs. They've gotten plenty of chances, just haven't been able to bury them.
7:40 Stafford, Vanek, and Roy totally wreak havoc on the Leafs, each one of them getting a really good chance on goal, totally created by their own hustle. So maybe these three stay together next season and Timmy centers Max and Pommerdoodle?
6:07 Mair makes a beautiful pass to MacArthur in front of the net. MacArthur moves the puck around a charging Aubin and then taps it in the net. 6-1, Buffalo. This game is really getting boring.
5:31 Roy decides he's played well enough for one night and makes a lovely pass to a Leaf. Oh, Derek. You really don't have to do that.
2:53 Close-up of Adam Mair who took offense at a Leaf elbowing one of his teammates. I'll admit here that part of my fondness for Mair is that he reminds me a great deal of the boy I had a massive crush on all the way through high school. The resemblance is startling sometimes. (I told you this game was getting boring.)
END OF PERIOD, END OF GAME - FINAL SCORE: BUFFALO 6, TORONTO 1
Some observations:
I really came to enjoy the whole game diary thing - it made me watch the game in a slightly different way than I usually do - but holy crow, it is a lot of work. I got faster with each period as I figured out what worked best, but I still spent atleast two hours or so average on each period. This is definitely not going to become a regular thing here at Top Shelf. It worked out okay this week because I'm on vacation from my day job and can stay up as late as I want. Maybe once in a while I'll bust one out.
Rick and Jim are very good at what they do. Rick has moments here and there that make you feel like retirement probably isn't too far down the line, but overall they put on a good broadcast. They have a good rapport, hardly ever talking over each other, playing off of each other in way that seems very natural and unforced. Jim also does a very good job with video replay. They don't over rely on it but after every goal Jim pulled up the tape and pointed out something that had to happen for the play to go as it did, something you might not have noticed on first viewing - one player out hustling another to a loose puck, a great breakout pass, a takeaway, stuff like that. It really helps you appreciate players like Jochen Hecht and Adam Mair who don't show up on the scoresheet every game. I honestly believe that part of the reason I'm able to sound like I know what I'm talking about now, even though I didn't grow up watching hockey, is because I've spent the past few years listening to Rick and Jim.
This team is going to be fine. Really it is. The Toronto team we played in this game was also battling injuries and they were playing their 3rd game in 4 nights so I'm not going to pretend like we just beat the best team in the NHL. But there was plenty of good stuff on display: Lydman and Tallinder were very, very good and the rest of the defense was solid with no obvious mistakes. Thomas Vanek repeatedly made chances for himself by crashing the net and out-muscling defenders. Derek Roy and Drew Stafford were both all over the ice, hustling, working hard, and repeatedly setting up the players on the ice with them. There were very few turnovers and giveaways - I can only remember one really obvious one - and no stupid penalties. And Ryan was very good in net. He made a couple of great saves at important times and was otherwise just very solid. Without Drury and Briere, the team still managed to put up six goals and this was a line-up that was missing some important pieces who will be on the team next year, Afinogenov and Gaustad being the most notable. The only glaring weakness was face-offs. We need to be better at those. But really, the pieces of a strong, competitive team are all there. So chill the heck out, Buffalo.
FIRST PERIOD
SECOND PERIOD
THIRD PERIOD
20:00 We begin with Aubin in net. Raycroft gave up 4 goals in the last 6 shots faced.
17:40 Rick tells us that McCabe has been "LEVELED BY KALETA!" but we can't see it so I'm forced to take his word for it.
17:10 We get replay of the Kaleta hit. It was fine.
15:30 Not much of interest is happening. Rick keeps saying "Colaiacovo" and I think about what a cool name that is. That start me thinking about who has the coolest name on the Buffalo side. Off the top of my head I'm going to go with Maxim Afinogenov.
15:31 Vanek moves in on the net but loses his handle on the puck. It slides out to Soupy in front of the net but instead of SHOOTING THE PUCK! Soupy chooses to pass it back to Vanek who gets dumped, drawing a penalty. Soupy was standing about six feet in front of the net and the puck was sliding right into his wind-up. SHOOT THE PUCK! Emery isn't that good! I mean, Aubin! Aubin isn't that good!
15:20 Jim tells us that Vanek has had problems scoring goals the past few games. Has someone told Vanek he can't do that any more? I'll give it ten minutes into the first home game before some fan screams, "Hey, Vanek! Quit countin' your money and score some goals!" Also, replays show that Stafford poked the puck back out to Soupy with a neat little backhanded move. I'm gonnna go out on a limb here, folks and say Stafford cracks the starting line-up this season.
14:39Someone alert the media! A power play goal! Paetsch makes a nice move to keep the puck in the offensive zone and Hecht moves in on goal, waits a split second, and then lifts the puck over Aubin after Aubin bites. Oh, on the replay it looks like Jochen faked a pass which is probably why Aubin was moving. Second goal of the night for Yo-Yo and we get his little grin as he goes to the bench.
Let me mention here that I really think Jochen played some of his best hockey this season during this stretch when the team was battling injuries and he was called on to play more and step into the leadership role. He's wearing an A during this game and has been a noticeable presence on the ice. So you people complaining that there's no leadership on the team any more can put a sock in it.
14:26 Rick informs us that a lot of Leaf fans are leaving the building. Ha ha! Blow, Leafs, Blow! Blow, Leafs, Blow!
13:40 Rick tells us AGAIN that Briere is out with the flu. We get a close-up of Jochen on the bench. He looks at the person beside him (we can't see who it is), nods, and then slowly smiles and it is adorable. I can't explain why but he looks like such a little boy when he smiles. (Wow, who knew that game diaries would bring out the puck bunny in me?)
12:25 Roy breaks out of the defensive zone but just as he reaches shooting range, Gill stretches out from behind him and pokes the puck away. Jim tells us maybe Derek should've gone down on that play in an attempt to draw something. Jim! Don't encourage him!
11:19 The boo birds are out and seem to be targeting Bryan McCabe. Thomas Vanek, are you paying attention? This is what happens when you sign a huge contract and then don't live up to expectations. For the record though, I'm not into booing your team, no matter how pathetic the power play is and no matter how much they refuse to shoot on Emery.
9:53 Roy outworks pretty much the entire Toronto team to set up a beautiful chance for Vanek who can't connect from in front of the net. Thomas! But great hustle by Derek. He was all over the place.
9:09 Stajan gets a good chance when the puck jumps over Paetsch's stick but Miller makes the save and the puck jumps up to the top of the net where it sits while Miller swings his head back and forth, desperately trying to find it. It's been that kind of night for the Leafs. They've gotten plenty of chances, just haven't been able to bury them.
7:40 Stafford, Vanek, and Roy totally wreak havoc on the Leafs, each one of them getting a really good chance on goal, totally created by their own hustle. So maybe these three stay together next season and Timmy centers Max and Pommerdoodle?
6:07 Mair makes a beautiful pass to MacArthur in front of the net. MacArthur moves the puck around a charging Aubin and then taps it in the net. 6-1, Buffalo. This game is really getting boring.
5:31 Roy decides he's played well enough for one night and makes a lovely pass to a Leaf. Oh, Derek. You really don't have to do that.
2:53 Close-up of Adam Mair who took offense at a Leaf elbowing one of his teammates. I'll admit here that part of my fondness for Mair is that he reminds me a great deal of the boy I had a massive crush on all the way through high school. The resemblance is startling sometimes. (I told you this game was getting boring.)
END OF PERIOD, END OF GAME - FINAL SCORE: BUFFALO 6, TORONTO 1
Some observations:
I really came to enjoy the whole game diary thing - it made me watch the game in a slightly different way than I usually do - but holy crow, it is a lot of work. I got faster with each period as I figured out what worked best, but I still spent atleast two hours or so average on each period. This is definitely not going to become a regular thing here at Top Shelf. It worked out okay this week because I'm on vacation from my day job and can stay up as late as I want. Maybe once in a while I'll bust one out.
Rick and Jim are very good at what they do. Rick has moments here and there that make you feel like retirement probably isn't too far down the line, but overall they put on a good broadcast. They have a good rapport, hardly ever talking over each other, playing off of each other in way that seems very natural and unforced. Jim also does a very good job with video replay. They don't over rely on it but after every goal Jim pulled up the tape and pointed out something that had to happen for the play to go as it did, something you might not have noticed on first viewing - one player out hustling another to a loose puck, a great breakout pass, a takeaway, stuff like that. It really helps you appreciate players like Jochen Hecht and Adam Mair who don't show up on the scoresheet every game. I honestly believe that part of the reason I'm able to sound like I know what I'm talking about now, even though I didn't grow up watching hockey, is because I've spent the past few years listening to Rick and Jim.
This team is going to be fine. Really it is. The Toronto team we played in this game was also battling injuries and they were playing their 3rd game in 4 nights so I'm not going to pretend like we just beat the best team in the NHL. But there was plenty of good stuff on display: Lydman and Tallinder were very, very good and the rest of the defense was solid with no obvious mistakes. Thomas Vanek repeatedly made chances for himself by crashing the net and out-muscling defenders. Derek Roy and Drew Stafford were both all over the ice, hustling, working hard, and repeatedly setting up the players on the ice with them. There were very few turnovers and giveaways - I can only remember one really obvious one - and no stupid penalties. And Ryan was very good in net. He made a couple of great saves at important times and was otherwise just very solid. Without Drury and Briere, the team still managed to put up six goals and this was a line-up that was missing some important pieces who will be on the team next year, Afinogenov and Gaustad being the most notable. The only glaring weakness was face-offs. We need to be better at those. But really, the pieces of a strong, competitive team are all there. So chill the heck out, Buffalo.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Why I Love Hockey - Part 2
Didn't think I was going to make it today, did you? Well, I have 24 minutes left in Wednesday so there!
Why I Love Hockey #2 - Rick Jeanneret
I grew up in Alabama - I'm really not going to mention that every single post, I promise - before the NHL was really in the south so when I moved to Buffalo after marrying my Buffalo boy, I had zero hockey knowledge. While I did love the scrappy little team we had at the time, I absolutely believe that part of the reason I fell in love with hockey is because of the incomparable Rick Jeanneret. He's very old-school in how much play-by-play he does, but I've never heard anyone else build drama and capture the emotion of a game the way he does. Listening to him and Jim Lorenz, I picked up the nuances of the sport - the way many goals develop long before the puck is shot, what part each player plays on the ice, how a guy who didn't show up on the scoresheet can be the most important guy in a game. I got lucky. If I watched my first NHL game on Versus, I'm not sure the love affair would've happened so fast because I swear, half the time those guys sound like they're not even watching the game in front of them. Jeanneret is excitable, enthusiastic, and extremely colorful. He has famous calls of big goals - "May Day! May Day! May Day!" and "Now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good! Scaaary good!" just to cite a couple - but he can also turn a pretty plain goal in the middle of the regular season into a great call. My favorites this season - both involving Paul "Goose" Gaustad - were "The Goose is really honking now!" and "If you're out and about, give a honk for the Goose!" Does he get more excited about Sabres' goals than opponents' goals? Well, duh. He's the Sabres announcer! But I don't buy the argument that Jeanneret and Lorenz are homers. They will absolutely point out when the opposition is outplaying Buffalo and they will absolutely call the Sabres out when they're lacking. I clearly recall Lorenz using many colorful adjectives to describe our powerplay throughout the season - terrible, horrible, and atrocious being among them. There have been a few nights lately when Rick has gotten a little off-track and I'm sure retirement is coming soon... But hockey in Buffalo - heck, hockey as a whole - just won't be the same without him.
Something About Me #2
I'm a classroom aide at a day treatment program for emotionally disturbed kids. I work with 6th graders. Despite my complaints about it and numerous threats to leave, I've been there for five years now and don't really have any plans to go anywhere else. It is, as they say, tough but rewarding and I adore my tough, sad, funny, heart-broken, hopeful kids, most of whom have already been through hell. My second job - yes, I am a fool - is cashiering at a local supermarket where my shining moment was - here's where it all ties together, folks! - cashing out Jim Lorenz. Unfortunately, it was the express lane and by the time I decided I was going to say something to him, the transaction was completed so all I got out was, "Have a good night, Mr. Lorenz." But he was very pleasant and friendly and that made me happy. He bought asparagus and celery and now every time I see him on TV, I think of asparagus.
Why I Love Hockey #2 - Rick Jeanneret
I grew up in Alabama - I'm really not going to mention that every single post, I promise - before the NHL was really in the south so when I moved to Buffalo after marrying my Buffalo boy, I had zero hockey knowledge. While I did love the scrappy little team we had at the time, I absolutely believe that part of the reason I fell in love with hockey is because of the incomparable Rick Jeanneret. He's very old-school in how much play-by-play he does, but I've never heard anyone else build drama and capture the emotion of a game the way he does. Listening to him and Jim Lorenz, I picked up the nuances of the sport - the way many goals develop long before the puck is shot, what part each player plays on the ice, how a guy who didn't show up on the scoresheet can be the most important guy in a game. I got lucky. If I watched my first NHL game on Versus, I'm not sure the love affair would've happened so fast because I swear, half the time those guys sound like they're not even watching the game in front of them. Jeanneret is excitable, enthusiastic, and extremely colorful. He has famous calls of big goals - "May Day! May Day! May Day!" and "Now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good! Scaaary good!" just to cite a couple - but he can also turn a pretty plain goal in the middle of the regular season into a great call. My favorites this season - both involving Paul "Goose" Gaustad - were "The Goose is really honking now!" and "If you're out and about, give a honk for the Goose!" Does he get more excited about Sabres' goals than opponents' goals? Well, duh. He's the Sabres announcer! But I don't buy the argument that Jeanneret and Lorenz are homers. They will absolutely point out when the opposition is outplaying Buffalo and they will absolutely call the Sabres out when they're lacking. I clearly recall Lorenz using many colorful adjectives to describe our powerplay throughout the season - terrible, horrible, and atrocious being among them. There have been a few nights lately when Rick has gotten a little off-track and I'm sure retirement is coming soon... But hockey in Buffalo - heck, hockey as a whole - just won't be the same without him.
Something About Me #2
I'm a classroom aide at a day treatment program for emotionally disturbed kids. I work with 6th graders. Despite my complaints about it and numerous threats to leave, I've been there for five years now and don't really have any plans to go anywhere else. It is, as they say, tough but rewarding and I adore my tough, sad, funny, heart-broken, hopeful kids, most of whom have already been through hell. My second job - yes, I am a fool - is cashiering at a local supermarket where my shining moment was - here's where it all ties together, folks! - cashing out Jim Lorenz. Unfortunately, it was the express lane and by the time I decided I was going to say something to him, the transaction was completed so all I got out was, "Have a good night, Mr. Lorenz." But he was very pleasant and friendly and that made me happy. He bought asparagus and celery and now every time I see him on TV, I think of asparagus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)