raise the roof (woot! woot!)

cup-era flames fans willl use any excuse to re-live the glory days.

what's this ? mike vernon was BORN in calgary ? he manned the nets the year we won the prize ? he played big for a little guy ? it's been SEVENTEEN YEARS since we last retired a jersey ? he stonewalled stan smyl AND petri skriko in a game 7 ?? hellz ya. well, we might as well make a huge banner and lift it up near the big fire-spitters. i'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, i'm just saying he was never my favorite...

in 2007, håkan loob remains the ONLY swede to EVER score 50 goals in the NHL [although last year, alfredsson claimed he'd be the first to reach that marker, cause he's a pompous fool]. our boy huselius is on pace for about 37 this year, and is leading all of his scandinavian countrymen --including sundin, zetterberg and the man they call foppa. and while they've named a trophy after loob in the swedish elite league, a prize akin to the art ross, he'll clearly never see his name in the rafters at the saddledome.

but since we're honouring our cup winners (okay, well, this is a few years, and players, premature) here's an oldy but a goody. mike vernon may have been proud tonight. but he's got to be pleased as punch about having this to look back on, as well...



the present day flames are currently battling a very fast, young blackhawks team (i watched these guys play the wild at the Xcel energy centre back in december, and trust me, they look better on the ice than their record might suggest). by the sounds of it, the home team that ground out a win by playing 60 minutes of hockey v. the 'nucks on saturday decided not to turn up tonight. instead, we're left with that uninspired bunch we've seen so many times this year.

get well soon, rhettro.