proof positive that the flames mgmt reads htp

how else can you explain my two favorite players on a poster together ?! ;) seriously, though. gio: get some sleep. mickis: you're lucky you're swedish, bro, cause the euro-mullet doesn't work on a lot of people.

speaking of mickis' hair: let's all hope he goes as dracula for hallowe'en cause that widow's peak is DYING to be the centre of attention... ;)

not sure about you but i can't WAIT to see who gets to eat popcorn in the dome rafters tonight, cause it ain't gonna be roman horak. i'm sure if glenX is healthy he'll draw back in, in lieu of a defenseman (though, i gotta say: dressing seven D, when only 3 are any good, seems like a bang-up idea to me).

i'm headin outta town for a par-tay. wish me and my hangover luck !
;)

sam roberts hearts the habbies

just quick: i met sam roberts tonight (see above). he loves the habs and is a good dude. also ? his sax player is awesomer than awesome but doesn't care for hockey. no matter. he would not have partaken in the gang-sign habs (left) v. flames (right).

i think the sam roberts band is taking on the red deer rebels tomorrow am. hilarious for all parties. wish i was gonna be awake before 9am.
;)

a love letter to the new york rangers

dearest rangers:

it's no secret that i'm smitten with you. i find you so... intriguing. if i'm honest with myself, i'll admit that i do love you... just a little bit....

i've been saying for years (much to everyone's chagrin) that you're my east coast team. it all started when jfj shipped immonen, kondratiev & a pick (korpikoski) your way in exchange for brian leetch on deadline day in 2004. hey, it doesn't hurt that new york is one of the best towns on the planet, that MSG has a storied history, that your fans still make fun of denis potvin, and that your lundqvist is a looker. when i went to a subway series game in 2005, you gave me a bracelet with your name on it ---a much nicer gift than anything the flames ever gave me. honestly.... how could anyone NOT find you beguiling !!!

the move you pulled last night showed me, maybe for the first time, that you really care. i'm so flattered. i mean, i presume that you made the canucks look bad for MY benefit, and i imagine that you made the home fans jeer their starting 'tender just to make me smile. oh, rangers.... (*swoon*) you're just such a FLIRT !!

i should point out that i don't think much of your coach or your GM, and you DID harbour sean avery for years.... all forgiven, of course, when i think about how you turned our prusty into a real man... we agonize about his absence sometimes, but we're really proud of what he's done for you.

look. this is really hard for me to say, rangers, but... can you please go easy on my one true love tomorrow ? they've been having a tough time lately, and are feeling pretty bad about themselves. i KNOW they know how much you mean to me, and i really think it would lift their spirits if you could let them get a goal or six past your king. also, if you could keep your big guns from putting any kind of real effort up, thereby letting kippy get the dub, i'd appreciate it immensely.

if it helps at all, i'd be willing to meet up with hank tonight (even if he insists on wearing his fedora/tracksuit combination) to discuss any possible hurt feelings from you being my second favorite ---i can't help it that the flames are and will always be my soulmate... failing that, i'll swing by for a visit in november, maybe on the 6th when you play the jets. i'll cheer for you and yell "potvin sucks." promise...

much, much love --
wi

why they will sell less beer at the dome (and other presumptions)

when i first saw the video of the bottoms-up pouring system (above), i thought it was pretty neat. kindof like the way i think that trick photography is neat, that having gio's lady follow htp on twitter is neat, that shadows looking like jim morrison are neat, that cats that bark like dogs are neat.... y'know: super deadly cool for a minute or two and then kinda just part of the fabric of life, filed in the "yeah, i've seen that" category.

i went to the 'dome for calgary's preseason tilt versus the dirty greasers a few weeks ago, and i have to say i was excited to test the bottoms-up system and the current on-tap selection of everyone's favorite americanized brew. the verdict: HUGELY disappointing.

1. budweiser is kinda gross. no way to sugarcoat that fact.
2. (and this is the kicker) the bottoms-up cup cannot rest on your lap/armrest as the precious amber liquid will continually leak out the base. i put it down for a brief instant on my knee and was left with a big, wet ring. infact, i found that my beer-holding hand was wet for the entire duration of my refreshment. i'm quite sure that four or five bevvies would result in pruney fingers....

i do understand the cost-savings in having little-to-no spillage in foam (aka: head) form and therefore i can acknowledge why the org would want to install such a system. i will also point out that i am not the voice of the masses, and perhaps there will be MORE beer sold this way.... but i will drink the tallboys from the vendors ONLY and will not sully my hands or clothing with the draft version... which has historically been my staple.

bummer.

in other news, i'm going to detroit to watch the flames v. wings tilt on nov3, then i'll travel to buffalo to watch my boys take on the slugs (i'll take a moment in the parking lot to mourn where andrew ference got his face proverbially spit on by the club, leading in no small part to the +/- 10 no trade clauses the team currently boasts).

and finally, who's comin' to hudsons tonight to have a pint with me and my bloggy bretheren ? i've got $150 in winnings to spend cause i made mark giordano look like chuck norris.... everyone's invited.

:)
wi

htp Goes eBay Hunting.

So the mediocrity of the Feaster era has officially started. How about the season opener last night!? Exactly what I expected from an organization that did not make a concerted effort to hire the proper general manager to right the ship. Damn...I promised myself I wouldn't rant.

Well contrary to wi, my absence from htp this summer has been self imposed. I struggled a lot this summer (pretty much from the moment it was made official that The Feast would no longer be "acting") to come up with entries that wouldn't be filled with pessimism and anger at the fact the Flames won't be competitive for the next few seasons. And around August I became positive again to an extent or at least hopeful for the season but I still didn't think I would be able to write something that just wouldn't eventually turn into an angry rant (See Langkow trade. It really is hard to stay positive.). I guess I had a form of angry blogger's block...something like that...until I realized that people come to htp for the lighter side of Flames hockey....and Flames fans would probably come in droves to this site this season (especially after watching last night's debacle).

Well then, regardless of the product that is put forth on the ice, the Flaming C and everything it stands for is something that unites us all as Flames fans, right? (Take a trip to wi's living room and you will know what I mean) And examining how the Flaming C is used and incorporated into society (such as a birthday cake...remember that one?) is probably something that would enlighten Flames fans and htp readers. SOOOOO....I went hunting on eBay for the wackiest, innovative, humorous, original, unique, legendary, practical, cool, ironic, and effective uses of the Flaming C and will be presenting them to you in my posts this season. This kind of writing should be angry rant proof. Afterall, if you like what I present to you...you can buy it...or bid on it...I mean what other Flames blog provides you with such opportunties?

So here we go...I give to you the Calgary Flames Musical Baby Crib Mobile...

Yes, for those of you that have babies...introduce them to the frustration that comes with being a fan of an organization who's owners are absolutely inept at hiring competent hockey ops people. I'm actually upset that my parents didn't hook me up with one of these when I was a little guy. I do recall I loved my mobile...it is one of the few things I remember from being a baby. Mobiles are cool generally...but this one is that much more cool because it has a bunch of bears dressed in Flames jerseys with helmets and hockey skates on. Badass. It plays a song called "Hockey Lullaby", which seems like an oxymoron, but I'm imagining it as some sort of a soothing version of the Fuldans or Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce. By the way, could you imagine this thing with a bunch Jokers hanging instead of bears...? Ok...that would defeat the purpose...we don't want to scar or scare the babies...we just want to make them Flames fans. Anyways, it's a pretty cool mobile and apparently it is easy to assemble and adjust. The one down side to this product is that Canadian residents need to pay $25.00 USD in shipping, whereas American residents get free shipping. Ouch. That might be a deal breaker. (I'm assuming here that there are more Flames fans in Canada than the US...just a guess based on experience.)

If you're interested in buying this baby gadget, it will cost you $31.99 USD...but you won't have to resort to eBay auction bidding tactics since it's available as a Buy It Now (for those of you not familiar with how this works, Buy It Now is exactly what it says...you buy it now at the list price, no questions asked). As of the drafting of this post, there are still 2 mobiles available. And now for the moment you've all been impatiently reading for....the link to the item...

The Calgary Flames Musical Baby Crib Mobile

You'll thank me later. ;)

hitthepost loves Gio

Hi all,

I decided that since WI is off in a trench someplace in Medicine Hat, maybe I would fire off my first post for the 2011-2012 season with this piece of wonderful news which we have been expecting around here for ages:

Donning the 'A'
Flames honour heart-and-soul Giordano with an 'A'

Who needs the effin' draft?  Not Gio.  Send him to Siberia, see if Gio cares.  Not bloody likely.  Dump him out in front of a goalie who only stops 9 out of 10 shots while he's on the ice.  Doesn't matter to Gio, he'll just invent a new position and play goal himself ("New Age Defenceman™").

I hope I can gush enough to come close to something representing WI's Gio-crush.  The guy has rapidly become a core member of the team leadership and I don't think anyone doubts the skills (anymore).  As a team over at hitthepost, we have always been happy to champion Gio, sometimes going to extremes.  All this is why I can say that we are not surpised, but definitely happy that the recognition is going to the right dude.

If there is one thing I'm looking forward to watching on the ice this season (and actually, there may only be one thing), its going to be the continued development of Gio in to a world class d-man.  Gio, you may have become the "alternate" on the ice, but here at hitthepost you definitely wear the "C".

okay fine. i'll write. ;)

so here's the thing: i've been busy.

i realize i haven't written a whole hell of a lot in the past few months, and i chalk that up to being pretty flat-out with work, my brother's wedding, my cousin's wedding in NYC, tiny holiday-type trips to toronto (twice), NYC, montreal, and a shit-ton of time in medicine fucking hat. ;) i've re-connected with old, old friends and pretty much fallen in love with my posse (aka: the screaming denzels), with whom i celebrate friendship day once a week, when possible. so here's my thoughts from the past few months, possibly even in chronological order:

1. development camp

historically, i've prided myself on being the only person in the flames' blogosphere without a 9-5 job and thus the only person in the flames' blogosphere with the ability to show up most days during the july prospect camp. not so, this year. i guess i'll hand the figurative torch over to jazzyV who attended more, wrote more, interviewed more, and cared more than this girl. i blame both work and my advancing age. but i digress.

i only got to go once this year, and had to play a little hooky that day ----i told my boss i needed an oil change (which i did), and he didn't seem to mind, so i took the afternoon off. ps: i have a killer job. ;) anyhow, after picking up some important work-related paperwork in the beautiful NE suburb of temple, i grabbed a sub & poutine from king of subs (btw: FUCK YEAH) and boogied over to the ol' don hartman for the afternoon sesh. jazzyV cabbed it over from westwinds station cause we couldn't figure out where the hell it was so I couldn't pick him up.... anyhow, walking into the sportsplex, i was reminded of that time i saw noodles in the entranceway... was that REALLY four years ago !? wow....

first thing's first: jay feaster and his cronies (read: conny) were suitably situated in the snack bar. part of me wanted to sit down and eavesdrop but really i just wanted to hang rinkside and chilly whilst watching the babies play. to be entirely honest, nobody really stood out to me, though i'd expected to see pretty awesome stuff from brodie and max reinhart. i guess you can't base an entire farm of prospects on watching a 45 minute practice... ;)

2. the tim erixon debacle

so the org couldn't sign a kid who didn't want to be here. hm. i think the scariest part is that the kid didn't want to be here because he was leery of getting a shot in the bigs (because calgary never promotes their chirruns). too fair, if you ask me. i wouldn't want to be a flames' prospect, either. not with the logjam of useless veteran 3rd/4th liners and the surplus of mediocre defensive prospects. it's kindof outrageous.

reading deeper into this, you have to wonder if calgary doesn't have a problem signing guys, full stop. there MUST be a reason (beyond sheer lunacy) that feaster has been doling out the no trade clauses like candy at hallowe'en, even though he swore he wouldn't. there MUST be a reason it takes five suits (edwards, king, feaster, holditch, conroy) to sign a non-franchise guy like curtis glencross. a reason brad richards turns down an eight figure contract. it reeks of "bigger issues" and is superconcerning at the very best. i wouldn't imagine this tim erixon situation will be the last time a kid thinks re-entering the draft would be a better option, career-wise. sad.

3. the overabundance of defensemen

i'm not sure exactly what the org was thinking, building a defensive corps of 12 potential big-club blueliners including jaybouw, gio, sarich, hannan, babchuk, smith, butler, henry, mikkelson, negrin, brodie, and breen. hahahaha remember when the flames went to the cup finals with a bunch of replacement level dudes ? yeah. the current incarnation is built for that exact situation. TWELVE !!? whoah. we're gonna win the cup twice this year.

i started writing this three weeks ago so i'm gonna post it now, even though i'm not TOTALLY done my summer sum-up. this is enough for the moment. perhaps there will be a part deux at some point later this week.

until then, enjoy what's left of first nations summer. it's bloody hot out there.
:)

wi