While I, like the rest of you, am quite happy to see the Indian Headed-menace be ousted in the first round, I must admit, a part of me was actually hoping we could see them in an epic Blues vs. Blackhawks Western Conference Final. Granted, some of my personal friendships with Hawks fans might have taken a severe blow, but it still would've been a hell of a way to spend a couple weeks!

Also, I was hoping such an event would allow me to post this idea I'd been kicking around for some time. But, there's no use in waiting until next year to kick them when their down, I give you:

Top 11 Words or Phrases Patrick Kane Doesn't Know the Meaning Of:

11. Modesty

10. Tipping

9. Back-checking

8. Upper body strength

7. Designated driver (I'm sorry, that's from Top 11 Phrases Jonathan Toews Doesn't Know the Meaning Of.)

6. Designated driver (Ok, here we go!)

5. Sorry

4. Not over stick handling at the blue line so he doesn't force his teammates to go offside.

3. Moderation

2. Passing

1. No

Have any others? List them below to celebrate how we don't have to hear that goddamn song another six months!

I'm J-Mill, a St. Louis sports fan who also happens to be a soccer fan. As you can imagine, that causes me daily dismay, since we haven't had a top level professional team since the old NASL. I recently read a couple articles over at Hot Time In Old Town chronicling our ill-fated attempt at an expansion team (as if I needed another reason to hate Philadelphia sports fans), and it made me realize that, while I still think an MLS team in St. Louis is too good of a prospect to not happen eventually, it'll probably take some time. In fact, barring another franchise tanking and relocating, the best case scenario would still take at least 4 or 5 years.

So I'm looking to adopt!

Based mostly on my tastes, plus some practicalities, I've narrowed it down to three clubs: Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake, and Portland Timbers. All three are squads that I've passively rooted for in the past, but now I'm looking to pick one full-time and go all-in! At the moment, I have no leanings one way or another, which is where you guys come in.

I'll list certain pros and cons on my mind to start, but I'm willing to listen to a logical argument and/or a passionate cry. If you can convince me join your ranks, and I'll do my best to catch on, be apart of the community here on SBN, and even buy a kit and/or scarf (when I can...I'm pretty fraking broke).

PRO: Home Field Atmosphere - Having watched a couple Timbers home games last year, the intense passion of Timbers Army is definitely infectious - what a soccer game should be! And for god's sake - how can you top a fraking lumberjack?!? Also, tangentially along those lines, I could definitely catch on quickly to hating Seattle - as a St. Louis Rams fan (...I know, I know...) I'm pretty much half-way there already.

PRO: Rose from the ground up - Unless I'm very mistaken, I understand that the Timbers FC has been around for years, but was allowed to rise through the US pyramid through a combination of consistent on-field success and fan support. In a country where there's no promotion/relegation system in place, that's really quite a feat. Seeing as Jeff Cooper, the man behind the St. Louis expansion bid a few years ago, turned out to not even be able to support a women's pro team for a full year (which was the fear that, if Garber is to be believed, was the single biggest reason Philly beat us out for the 16th expansion team), that method might be our best chance at our own team - hopefully with the St. Louis Lions of the PDL, who I plan on supporting as much as possible this summer.

CON: Proximity - There's virtually no chance that at any point in the near future that I could make it to a Timbers home game. Above that, I have nothing resembling a connection to the Oregon region. Plus, most games probably wouldn't start until at least 9:00 my time.

From here, it's up to you - why are YOU a Timber supporter? Why should I join you? Or at the very least, why shouldn't I root for the Fire or RSL?

I'm J-Mill, a St. Louis sports fan who also happens to be a soccer fan. As you can imagine, that causes me daily dismay, since we haven't had a top level professional team since the old NASL. I recently read a couple articles over at Hot Time In Old Town chronicling our ill-fated attempt at an expansion team (as if I needed another reason to hate Philadelphia sports fans), and it made me realize that, while I still think an MLS team in St. Louis is too good of a prospect to not happen eventually, it'll probably take some time. In fact, barring another franchise tanking and relocating, the best case scenario would still take at least 4 or 5 years.

So I'm looking to adopt!

Based mostly on my tastes, plus some practicalities, I've narrowed it down to three clubs: Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake, and Portland Timbers. All three are squads that I've passively rooted for in the past, but now I'm looking to pick one full-time and go all-in! At the moment, I have no leanings one way or another, which is where you guys come in.

I'll list certain pros and cons on my mind to start, but I'm willing to listen to a logical argument and/or a passionate cry. If you can convince me join your ranks, and I'll do my best to catch on, be apart of the community here on SBN, and even buy a kit and/or scarf (when I can...I'm pretty fraking broke).

PRO: The 2011 CCL Run - Last year, I followed and rooted for RSL during the run to the Champions League final. I even called in sick to work one night to listen to the 2nd leg of the final online! Through that trek, I got to become a fan of Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman (good to see them getting USMNT call ups under Klinsmann, btw), and it's always nice to root for a contender.

PRO: Dave Checketts - While he may have really dragged his feet in selling my St. Louis Blues to an owner with the pocketbook to up the payroll, he's done very well as the head of the Blues and spearheaded the effort not only to bring the fans back to the arena, but also to rebuild with the young talent and diamonds in the rough that have allowed us to take the NHL by storm like we have this year. If he's done as good of a job with RSL, it'll be easy to root for another team of his!

CON: Proximity - There's virtually no chance that at any point in the near future that I could make it to an RSL home game. Above that, I have nothing resembling a connection to the Utah region (other than a couple Mormon friends I had in high school).

From here, it's up to you - why are YOU an RSL supporter? Why should I join you? Or at the very least, why shouldn't I root for the Fire or the Timbers?

I'm J-Mill, a St. Louis sports fan who also happens to be a soccer fan. As you can imagine, that causes me daily dismay, since we haven't had a top level professional team since the old NASL. I recently read a couple articles here on Hot Time In Old Town chronicling our ill-fated attempt at an expansion team (as if I needed another reason to hate Philadelphia sports fans), and it made me realize that, while I still think an MLS team in St. Louis is too good of a prospect to not happen eventually, it'll probably take some time. In fact, barring another franchise tanking and relocating, the best case scenario would still take at least 4 or 5 years.

So I'm looking to adopt!

Based mostly on my tastes, plus some practicalities, I've narrowed it down to three clubs: Chicago Fire, Real Salt Lake, and Portland Timbers. All three are squads that I've passively rooted for in the past, but now I'm looking to pick one full-time and go all-in! At the moment, I have no leanings one way or another, which is where you guys come in.

I'll list certain pros and cons on my mind to start, but I'm willing to listen to a logical argument and/or a passionate cry. If you can convince me join your ranks, and I'll do my best to catch on, be apart of the community here on SBN, and even buy a kit and/or scarf (when I can...I'm pretty fraking broke).

PRO: Proximity - With the possible exception of KC, Chicago is the closest MLS city to me. Not only do I have countless friends and family members in the Chicagoland area, but it's conceivable that I could drive up myself and go to a Fire home game (again, when I can afford it).

CON: Other sports - As a devoted and proud St. Louis native, I have a very keenly developed inferiority complex when it comes to all non-baseball things Chicago (11 in '11, baby! :-) ). While that doesn't mean all that much when we don't have a team in the sport, it does of course mean that all of those rivalries will transfer to the beautiful game on that glorious day that we do get a team to call our own.

From here, it's up to you - why are YOU a Chicago Fire supporter? Why should I join you? Or at the very least, why shouldn't I root for RSL or the Timbers?

First things first: long time/first time!  Big fan of the site!  Keep up the great work! 

Don't know if you guys have heard, but apparently Marshall Faulk is supposed to be getting some sort of yellow-ish jacket thing this weekend.  Since it's kind of a big deal (I heard Jim Hart had one once, until people realized he just dipped a blazer in mustard and added an NFL sticker to it), I thought I'd share a kind of unique story I have about him - unless you're from Edwardsville, IL too, then it's not really that unique. 

Continue reading this post »

Thing is, the "eyeball test" is a test for some other Hall of Fame that isn't the current incarnation of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dino Ciccarelli wouldn't pass it. Glenn Anderson wouldn't pass it. Bernie Federko wouldn't pass it. It's the standard that should exist but never has.

 

This was in Puck Daddy's post about Chris Osgood's Hall of Fame chances, and it struck me for obvious reasons.  I'm too young to have ever seen Bernie play, but I'm curious as to what some of the more veteran GTers thought about that.  Of course, that opinion's seen through Wysh's Patrick Division googles, and obviously he's been in since 2002, so there's no real debat if he IS in, but...should he be?

BTW, if Chris Osgood ever gets in, I will boycott Toronto.  Not just the HHOF, but the whole damn city! 

Audio feed via WGN radio - if you can handle this much 'Hawks homer-ism. 

After the Rams beat the (Sea)hawks today, let's hope that Official Fuck the 'Hawks Day continues!

FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS

FUCK DETROIT

FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS

FUCK PRESEASON

FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS FUCK THE HAWKS

In the thread of Carnie's post last week, Brad brought up the idea that everyone on the site should post their stories of how they became fans, even if they weren't as purely awesome as hers - which mine surely is not, but still.  No one else has posted theirs yet (that hadn't already), so I thought I'd go first. 

WARNING: It's kind of long - deal, bitches. 

Like I'd imagine many of you guys, my sports fandom was kindled by my father.  Unfortunately, I have grown farther and farther from my dad in the 8 years since he and my mother split up (though mostly through the 7 that he's been re-married), which is especially sad when you consider that my mother was the one with the 9-5 job in our household while he was a stay-at-home dad for me and my sister with the occasional midnight job in shipping.  But I still remember most of the good times growing up, doing community theatre with him, playing N64 and watching Dragon Ball Z when I got home from school, and of course, playing and talking about sports. 

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11. "44 is scratched?  I thought Chris Pronger was your captain?"

10. "You know what this place needs?  More hot chicks in pick jerseys!"

9. "Wait, didn't Brett Hull play for the 'Hawks in the '60s?"

8. "Who's that guy with the Towel counting goals?  I wish we had that!"

7. "The biggest key to the game will be shutting down Paul Kariya - he's a beast!"

6. "What do you mean you don't have Old Style on tap?"

5. "You guys should thank Patrick Kane for playing so well in the Olympics!"

4. "I don't care that the Blues are kicking our ass - blahblahblah Jay Cutler!"

3. "I just got back from my anger management class with Ed Belfour."

2. "What are you talking about?  What does Jonathan Toews have to do with puking?"

And number 1...

1. "Fuck this is boring - anyone know the Cubs score?"

Okay, a few of you may remember about a month or so ago, I made a FanPost about how I had gone through some turbulence in regard to my ability to attend tonight's game.  However, due to the benevolence of a certain someone here who requested anonymity, I was given two tickets!  However, my friend had to cancel on me last minute, and the rest of my crew be trippin', yo!  (That's right, I'm gansta!)  So I have an extra ticket, and so I figured the only fair way to decide who gets it is by way of trivia contest! 

These questions all pertain to things OTHER than hockey (some are sports related, others not so much) that I personally have interest in (for the record, I'm a theatre major with a music minor - search Wikipedia think accordingly).  I will ask ten (10) questions, which you can answer VIA EMAILING ME at jmilldramadude@yahoo.com.  Feel free to answer in the comments for fun, but I don't want to give someone who takes this at 2 pm to have an unfair advantage over someone who checks it at 10 am because other people have been answering all day (hopefully).  ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

The contest will end at 3:00 PM central time today, at which time the winner (the one who gets the most right, obviously) will be notified via email. 

Good luck, and...uh-go! 

Continue reading this post »

I'm usually one to stick to my SBN home over at St. Louis Game Time, but I come with an offer you can't refuse!

 Over at Game Time, we like to mix things up as much as we can, via Project Mayhem.  Currently, our efforts are being focused on ESPN America's current internet vote.  The topic: which game they will air live on Friday November 27th.  The options: Redwings vs. Flames and Thrashers vs. Hurricanes.  Now, we Blues fans have a saying that we like to use quite often.  However, since I'm a guest here and don't know PensBurgh's stance on language, I'll translate it to Swedish: "Fan Ta Detroit!"  Which is exactly what we're trying to do.  This poll was pretty stacked in the Evil Empire's favor (when we found it last weekend, it was about 78-22), but we still have a bit of ground to make up: last time I checked, it was 59.58-40.42.  My fellow GTers and I have already posted this at Canes Country, The Copper and Blue, Mile High Hockey, Anaheim Calling, Second City Hockey, Fear the Fin, and Defending Big D (and possibly Birdwatchers Anonymous and Pension Plan Puppets, I’m not 100% sure on those), but we still want nay, NEED your help, Pens fans!  We know you guys love to hate the Redwings just as much as us, and while we’re in different conferences and our interests don’t coincide very often, this is the perfect time for us to come together fight a common enemy: the European Redwing fan!   

For those of you who don't know, ESPN America is an international channel, so no one in North America will be affected, but if any Detroit fan in Europe has a terrible evening because they don't get to watch their team play, then really, don't we ALL win?  

Here's the poll (right side of the screen, might need a little scrolling).

Fan Ta Detroit!

PS – I hear other than the recent injury, Jay McKee has been a bit of a hit at The Igloo – glad that worked out well for the both of us!

I'm usually one to stick to my SBN home over at St. Louis Game Time, but I come with an offer you can't refuse!  And as one who was born in the greater Dallas, TX area (21 years ago, today, as a matter of fact) and one who still roots for the Cowboys, I feel it is my personal responsibility to let you guys in on this!

 Over at Game Time, we like to mix things up as much as we can, via Project Mayhem.  Currently, our efforts are being focused on ESPN America's current internet vote.  The topic: which game they will air live on Friday November 27th.  The options: Redwings vs. Flames and Thrashers vs. Hurricanes.  Now, we Blues fans have a saying that we like to use quite often.  However, since I'm a guest here and don't know DBD's stance on language, I'll translate it to Swedish: "Fan Ta Detroit!"  Which is exactly what we're trying to do.  However, the poll is rather stacked in the Evil Empire's favor (last time I checked it was 60.04-39.96), so we want nay, NEED your help, Stars fans!  We know you guys love to hate the Redwings just as much as us, and while we may not always see eye to eye, I hope you'll join us and recognize that the enemy of one's enemy is one's friend! 

For those of you who don't know, ESPN America is an international channel, so no one in North America will be affected, but if any Detroit fan in Europe has a terrible evening because they don't get to watch their team play, then really, don't we ALL win?   Besides, remember when we didn't re-sign Brett Hull and you guys did?  Remember what happened then?  I think you owe us one! 

Here's the poll (right side of the screen, might need a little scrolling).

Fan Ta Detroit!

PS – No matter how much we need your help, Steve Ott is NOT welcome in this effort.  Unless it’s to murder Zetterburg, then we’ll consider it. 

I'm usually one to stick to my SBN home over at St. Louis Game Time, but I come with an offer you can't refuse!

 Over at Game Time, we like to mix things up as much as we can, via Project Mayhem.  Currently, our efforts are being focused on ESPN America's current internet vote.  The topic: which game they will air live on Friday November 27th.  The options: Redwings vs. Flames and Thrashers vs. Hurricanes.  Now, we Blues fans have a saying that we like to use quite often.  However, since I'm a guest here and don't know AC's stance on language, I'll translate it to Swedish: "Fan Ta Detroit!"  Which is exactly what we're trying to do.  However, the poll is rather stacked in the Evil Empire's favor (last time I checked it was 61.89-38.11), so we want nay, NEED your help, Ducks fans!  We know you guys love to hate the Redwings just as much as us, and while we may not always see eye to eye, I hope you'll join us and recognize that the enemy of one's enemy is one's friend! 

For those of you who don't know, ESPN America is an international channel, so no one in North America will be affected, but if any Detroit fan in Europe has a terrible evening because they don't get to watch their team play, then really, don't we ALL win?  

Here's the poll (right side of the screen, might need a little scrolling).

Fan Ta Detroit!

PS – Thanks again for Andy McDonald! 

I'm usually one to stick to my SBN home over at St. Louis Game Time, but I come with an offer you can't refuse!

 Over at Game Time, we like to mix things up as much as we can, via Project Mayhem.  Currently, our efforts are being focused on ESPN America's current internet vote.  The topic: which game they will air live on Friday November 27th.  The options: Redwings vs. Flames and Thrashers vs. Hurricanes.  Now, we Blues fans have a saying that we like to use quite often.  However, since I'm a guest here and don't know MHH's stance on language, I'll translate it to Swedish: "Fan Ta Detroit!"  Which is exactly what we're trying to do.  However, the poll is rather stacked in the Evil Empire's favor (last time I checked it was 61.89-38.11), so we want nay, NEED your help, Avs fans!  We know you guys love to hate the Redwings just as much as us, and while we may not always see eye to eye, I hope you'll join us and recognize that the enemy of one's enemy is one's friend! 

For those of you who don't know, ESPN America is an international channel, so no one in North America will be effected, but if any Detroit fan in Europe has a terrible evening because they don't get to watch their team play, then really, don't we ALL win?  

Here's the poll (right side of the screen, might need a little scrolling).

Fan Ta Detroit!

PS - Paul Stasny is on my fantasy team, so thanks for being awesome so far this year!

Story time, GTers: my 21st birthday is 11/20, and the one thing I was hounding my mother for as a birthday gift (since it'd be weird to ask my mother for tequila) was tickets to the Blues/Fuck Detroit game on the 28th. 

For those of you who don't know (which is probably everyone), I'm an aspiring actor at SIU-Carbondale, where I was cast this semester in Lysistrata (which, for those of you who aren't familiar, is a Greek comedy with more dick jokes than an issue of Game Time).  But then I find out that our first Cue-to-Cue rehearsal - the most important technical rehearsal - was scheduled for November 28th - 10 am-11pm (yeah, they usually take that long).  I then tell my mother to disregard my requests for Blues/Fuck Detroit tickets as I wouldn't be able to use them anyway. 

Yeah, she had already bought them. 

So I then had to go about selling them via StubHub.  It took a couple weeks, but I finally got a buyer a week ago - at about 30% off of face value.  I put them in the mail one week ago today. 

Flash forward to tonight's rehearsal.  We got a new rehearsal schedule with changed dates for tech week. 

We no longer have rehearsal on November 28th. 

FUCK DETROIT!!!!!!