(sorry for the pun)

So, I'm a Chicagoan who will be in the Bay Area next week visiting relatives. I'm making it a point to go to the famous "Shark Tank" for the game on Saturday, the 11th. This will be my first time in the SJ area, but I have heard that it's a nice city with lots of good places to drink and eat....and drink. I guess the whole point of this post is that I'm looking for recommendations. Is there a cool pregame place that CAN'T be missed? Where's the best place to eat? 

I'm also thinking of taking Caltrain's "Shark Service" down from SF. Has anyone taken this before? Is it a good option, safe? Any help/recommendations would be great.

Good Luck this Season,

GC  

(If this topic has been discussed in a previous thread, I apologize for the redundancy)

I'm sure many of you reader out there are aware of the comments made by former Hawk Jeremy Roenick in the past few days. JR, when asked about his rooting interests in the Western Conference Finals, told ESPN 1000 (cringe here) that "If you put a gun to my head, I got to go with the Sharks." Well, why wouldn't JR choose to side with a team that he played two injury-filled seasons for? Why wouldn't he give his blessing to a franchise that barely saw him play over a team and fanbase that still adore him (and actively wear and even buy his #27 sweater)? I'll tell you why.

First, you would think that JR would be able to turn politician and find a way to gracefully avoid giving a straight answer. He knew that his comments would deeply hurt those Blackhawks fans that supported him for so many years, but he said it anyway. If you think he was done destroying his reputation with Hawks' fans there, you're dead wrong. Roenick added that if the Cup Finals were between Chicago and Philly: "I said if you had a gun to my head, I said I did have to [root for the Flyers] I didn't want to leave in 1996. If I have to choose, then I have to choose, that's just what it is."

I know it's hard to believe that this is the same man that was honored with a Blackhawks Heritage Night, in which he stated that he "bleeds red" and "will be a Blackhawks forever" while his family stood emotionless beside him. This is a man who couldn't accept the reconciliatory overtures made by Rocky's new administration. Bobby, Stan, and Tony all forgave the past iniquities. They have returned to the status of titans in Chicago, known by fans born decades after they left our fair city. Jeremy Roenick will never achieve this status for he is a selfish man. It's true that he was screwed by the "Dollar" Bill's regime. Who wasn't? The players and fans suffered together. Rocky has asked us all for forgiveness, and we forgave for the good of the franchise. It seems that JR would rather see us relocated than succeed. He just can't get over it.

In conclusion, It might be a good idea to think about JR's convictions before slipping on his old jersey and heading to the UC. Get yourself a Toews, Kane, Keith, Mikita, or Hull sweater instead. Don't throw away that ol' #27, just in case Jeremy decides to one day see the light.

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Happy Veterans Day! This is just a little post I thought would be fun to share with people who don't know too much about the early history of hockey and the NHL. I think it's great that the National Hockey League has so many programs and events to honor both the veterans of the United States and Candian armed forces. These men and women may not have a direct impact on your life, but they are the ones who protect the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted. 

For Your Reading Pleasure

Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald had this to say:

Marian Hossa skated Friday for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery on July 24. While Hossa still isn't expected to play until late November, getting back on the ice was a big step in his rehab from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.

"If I feel comfortable with the shoulder, I would like to maybe come back sooner, but that's only if I feel comfortable," Hossa said. "If I don't, I'd rather wait an extra week and make sure it's 100 percent right."

Hossa can only skate for now with little stick handling and no shooting. The Hawks will begin to incorporate some stick handling into Hossa's on-ice routine next week followed by some light shooting. "It's good that he's back on the ice, he's been really progressing, but he's still a long ways away," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "He's certainly on due course and we're excited he's progressing the way he is. We're looking forward to him returning, but we're taking baby steps right now."    

His return is getting closer and closer. Any ideas on where they will play ou sad panda? The top two lines seem to be clicking pretty well. I'm guessing VERSTEEG! gets bumped.

Did some one say they were creating a SSH NHL10 league for PS3? To tell the truth I don't even really know how these leagues work (I just hooked my PS3 up to my wireless).  Do you play with just your created player? or control a whole team? How does the match scheduling work? Anyone wanna fill me in? This is a really fun idea, and beats the hell out of playing the very predictable CPU.

(via WCHockey)

 Havlat Jerseys!!! That's right, this is a picture taken this weekend at the shopping center. It might take them a couple games, but I'm sure the Wild fans will be after this item, lickity split. It's a little surreal right now, but I'm sure we can all console ourselves inside our new 81 sweaters (which I heard have a lesser chance of wearing down, get it?)

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As far as I know, Troy Brouwer does not have a nickname. "Troy" is not good enough, because this is his given name (and that's no fun). We need one that sticks; something that we can use to avoid the hassle of writing "Brouwer". I want to know who can come up with the best nickname. The winner will have Matt Walker come to their house, and crash there for the rest of the season. I'm still trying to think of a good one.

PS- It can't be "TB." Tuberculosis already took it.....damn.

When Marty Brodeur won his first game in 1992:

Silence of the Lambs won the Oscar for Best Picture
George H.W. Bush was President (and vommited on the Japanese Prime Minister)
Yugoslavia dissolved
EuroDisney opens in Paris
LA rioted over Rodney King beating
Jay Leno took over the Tonight Show
Mario Lemieux's Pens beat the Blackhawks 4-0 to win the Stanley Cup, sigh....
G Manon Rheaume becomes the first woman to play in the NHL
The Chicago Bulls won their second championship
Kane and Toews were both 3 years old

This guy just needs to go. I can't believe he's locked up until 2011. This was his quote after the terrible, unspeakable, and totally unacceptable loss to the NHL-WORST Islanders:

''It was his [day],'' Hawks winger Dustin Byfuglien said. ''We got shots and had traffic [in front of Mannino]. There was nothing more we could do.

WTF? Compare this to the rather contrite comments of Seabrook:

''I was on the ice for four goals,'' defenseman Brent Seabrook said. ''I've got to be way better than that. We've got to get better right now.''

As I was leaving the Skokie Skatium on Saturday, I was talking about Big Muff to another rinkrat. Out of the blue, a man came up to me to tell me that "big men take longer to develop" and "He will be good one day." I told him, "I watched him for 2 years in AHL Norfolk, and I used to say if there's one Admiral who wont make it to the NHL it's him." Too bad I was wrong. Now I have to listen to ".....just out of the reach of Byfuglien..." at least once every game.

May the Schwatrz be with You

Here is a cool piece about what Pahlsson did on his day with the Cup. What they dont mention is that every time the Cup goes to Sweden, it ends up coming back smelling like Herring.

Columbus 2-minute drill:

1. Their mascot is called "Stinger." He appears to be a Yellowjacket, however he is neither blue nor yellow, but green (chartreuse).

2. They do more community programs / fan development (which is sad considering it's Ohio, not Atlanta) than any team I've ever seen.

3. All their Promos seem to deal with cartoon characters. I might head down to the game on April 5th against the Hawks to meet Scooby Doo!

4. Their first Entry Draft choice was Rostislav Klesa.

5. Their name refers to the huge number of volunteer regiments Ohio raised during the Civil War, not to mention being the birth place of generals: Sherman, Custer, Sheridan, and Grant.