I have obviously been MIA from my column for a long time now. Like any experienced procrastinator, I am not without excuses. Here are a few off the top of my head.
First, we have had some ridiculous road trips. Playing three games in three nights in Grand Rapids, Toronto, and Cleveland, while getting my only sleep on a bus in between, is not a conducive environment for me to write my column.
The second reason is that the good people at Netflix keep sending me quality television to watch. Every time I think I am going to sit down and write a column for my loyal readers, I am tempted by those DVDs in the little red packages. They just seem to call my name… “Ben…come watch six hours of Lost…” I’m telling you, they are hard to resist.
My final excuse came last week when I was called up by Pittsburgh. I am going to spare you the details of my trip up there, but I received lots of nice notes from many friends. Here are a couple of the funnier ones I received.
• Ned Havern sent me a note, “Congrats on getting called up. Now go out and enjoy it. You did a ton of work to get there. Did you buy an Escalade yet? WWJDDO? (What would Johnny D’Aversa do?)”
• One of my best friends from college works as an investment banker in New York. His father sent this e-mail to my father: “Carl it was an awesome debut. He played great. Almost got in a tussle. It must have been a thrill. Sort of like the first time Danny clicked on his computer at Lazard.”
• I got a nice one from Luca Caputi. I’m not sure how Luca would do in a spelling bee, but the guy can effortlessly recite, word for word, page 42 of the Hugo Boss catalogue if you asked him. “Beny, congradulasions in gittin called up…show dow…lol…u diserve it congrads pal.”
• Over the course of the year, Danny Richmond has made it perfectly clear that guys in the locker room are his “teammates,” not his friends. Danny says there is a big difference between the two. He has to be around his teammates, he wants to be around his friends. With that in mind, right after I got called up, I guess Danny decided to take our relationship out of teammateship and into the friend zone, as I received the following familiar email:
Danny added you as a friend on Facebook. We need to confirm that you know Danny in order for you to be friends on Facebook.
To confirm this friend request, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?reqs.php
Thanks,
The Facebook Team
I obviously rejected Danny.
• Unhappy Reader wrote me the following nice email; “So now that you are scoring goals, becoming the star of games, and playing in the NHL, you think you are too good to write us blogs anymore? We know that you are busy, it's understandable. But seriously, you can't take ten minutes out of your life to write one blog for us? When I am sad, I read your blogs and every time, I laugh. It makes my day when you update. I saw your interview after a morning skate in Pitt. You said that you are "not much of a sleeper" and that you usually just spend time watching t.v. Maybe you should take time out of a rerun and update your blog.”
Dear Unhappy Reader,
I’m sorry to inconvenience you; I didn’t realize you were paying to read what I wrote. Therefore, you have been banned from ever reading what I write again. If you are sick of my website, I hear Luca Caputi has an exceptionally well-written column that is really entertaining. Enjoy!
Love,
Ben
• “Ben, sorry to see your back down here. You played great! Can we get some inside scoop on the Pitt team now?”
Absolutely not. I'm not good enough friends with guys up there to divulge any stories. Sorry. That said, If you would like any “scoop” on Luca Caputi, I am good enough friends with him to make fun of him as much as I please.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
i think
1.) I think I’m moving out of the basement. For good.
2.) I think I have enjoyed getting to know a lot of people throughout the area while playing for the penguins. I just don’t think I’m comfortable facebook chatting. Sorry.
3.) I think I didn’t go to a single one of the huge chain restaurants in Wilkes-Barre last year.
4.) I think my goal is to eat at Bennigans, Red Robin, Ground Round, Olive Garden, Outback, The Roadhouse, ect at least once this year.
5.) I think people from home would compare Wilkes-Barre to Rt. 12A in West Lebanon.
6.) I think during training camp I had 64 people ask to be my friend on facebook. I’m a fairly introverted person, do you think I really met that many people during a three week period?
7.) I think Californication is absolutely brilliant. Best show of all time…and I’ve watched a lot of tv.
8.) I think it’s a toss-up which alumnus from the University of Notre Dame the school most regrets granting admission: Timmy Wallace, Steve Bartman, or David Brown.
9.) I think that John D’Aversa and Aaron Boogaard may have enjoyed their time playing junior hockey. There is no doubt in my mind that they would have liked being college students more.
10.) I think Entourage has gotten boring.
2.) I think I have enjoyed getting to know a lot of people throughout the area while playing for the penguins. I just don’t think I’m comfortable facebook chatting. Sorry.
3.) I think I didn’t go to a single one of the huge chain restaurants in Wilkes-Barre last year.
4.) I think my goal is to eat at Bennigans, Red Robin, Ground Round, Olive Garden, Outback, The Roadhouse, ect at least once this year.
5.) I think people from home would compare Wilkes-Barre to Rt. 12A in West Lebanon.
6.) I think during training camp I had 64 people ask to be my friend on facebook. I’m a fairly introverted person, do you think I really met that many people during a three week period?
7.) I think Californication is absolutely brilliant. Best show of all time…and I’ve watched a lot of tv.
8.) I think it’s a toss-up which alumnus from the University of Notre Dame the school most regrets granting admission: Timmy Wallace, Steve Bartman, or David Brown.
9.) I think that John D’Aversa and Aaron Boogaard may have enjoyed their time playing junior hockey. There is no doubt in my mind that they would have liked being college students more.
10.) I think Entourage has gotten boring.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Texas
Texas is a great place. I would definitely live there when I get older if the opportunity presents itself. Texas was great to the Baby Pens, as well. On Thursday morning, we took the bus from Wilkes-Barre to Newark where we arrived at the airport three and a half hours before takeoff. After a relatively painless flight, we arrived in San Antonio to perfect weather. 75 degrees, no humidity – just the way I like it. We drove through the downtown area and the much regarded River Walk and continued through the nice part of the city toward the not-so-nice part of the city to our La Quinta Hotel. Did you know that La Quinta is Spanish for “not very nice Holiday Inn?” I didn’t, now I do.
We took a long walk avoiding 11 million birds, down to the River Walk in downtown San Antonio and met former Penguin, Ryan Lannon, for dinner. Honestly, if the city has one problem, it was the birds. They covered the sky, and we actively had to try to avoid them from defecating on us. During our ten minute walk, three people were hit by bird droppings. It was crazy.
For those of you who have never been to San Antonio, the city built a man made river that winds underneath the entire downtown, and you can walk along the river where they have great shops, restaurants, and bars. The city of Wilkes-Barre should definitely look into building a river walk through our downtown. It was a nice place. We won the game, which was nice because it allowed us to enjoy Halloween in San Antonio, even though I think we still would have enjoyed the night either way.
The day after Halloween, we flew to Houston. This flight made little sense to me, as it was only a three-hour drive. We arrived at the airport at 8:15 a.m. for an 11 a.m. flight. I was not a math major, but that is longer than the drive would have been. We arrived in Houston to another gorgeous day and went right to the practice rink. After practice, we went to our hotel, a beautiful Hilton right in downtown Houston across the street from the hockey rink. As I was walking down to the game, I saw Yao Ming in the hallway. My defense partner, Joey Mormina, is 6’6’’ and looks like a monster on the ice. Yao is a foot taller. It was crazy. I took a year of Mandarin in high school and as I was walking by him I tried my best to remember anything about the language. I couldn’t so I put my head down and walked by him. We won both games; Texas was good to the Baby Pens.
Today we are flying from Houston to LaGuardia for an 11 a.m. game against Bridgeport on Wednesday. Tough flight home. Mormina and I sat in the window and aisle seats respectively, and a man between us farted the entire flight. Every thirty seconds he would let one go. It was absolutely painful. I wonder if Crosby has to deal with farting strangers on his charter flights.
We took a long walk avoiding 11 million birds, down to the River Walk in downtown San Antonio and met former Penguin, Ryan Lannon, for dinner. Honestly, if the city has one problem, it was the birds. They covered the sky, and we actively had to try to avoid them from defecating on us. During our ten minute walk, three people were hit by bird droppings. It was crazy.
For those of you who have never been to San Antonio, the city built a man made river that winds underneath the entire downtown, and you can walk along the river where they have great shops, restaurants, and bars. The city of Wilkes-Barre should definitely look into building a river walk through our downtown. It was a nice place. We won the game, which was nice because it allowed us to enjoy Halloween in San Antonio, even though I think we still would have enjoyed the night either way.
The day after Halloween, we flew to Houston. This flight made little sense to me, as it was only a three-hour drive. We arrived at the airport at 8:15 a.m. for an 11 a.m. flight. I was not a math major, but that is longer than the drive would have been. We arrived in Houston to another gorgeous day and went right to the practice rink. After practice, we went to our hotel, a beautiful Hilton right in downtown Houston across the street from the hockey rink. As I was walking down to the game, I saw Yao Ming in the hallway. My defense partner, Joey Mormina, is 6’6’’ and looks like a monster on the ice. Yao is a foot taller. It was crazy. I took a year of Mandarin in high school and as I was walking by him I tried my best to remember anything about the language. I couldn’t so I put my head down and walked by him. We won both games; Texas was good to the Baby Pens.
Today we are flying from Houston to LaGuardia for an 11 a.m. game against Bridgeport on Wednesday. Tough flight home. Mormina and I sat in the window and aisle seats respectively, and a man between us farted the entire flight. Every thirty seconds he would let one go. It was absolutely painful. I wonder if Crosby has to deal with farting strangers on his charter flights.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
In The Name of Love(joy)
A brilliant young writer once responded to an innocent question, “Hey Ben! I was just wondering what kind of music you listen to?” with a condescendingly arrogant retort, “Why, are you going to make me a mix tape? Am I in middle school?” Little did I now how those sarcastic words would come back to haunt me.
Fast forward a month later, and Brian Coe, our Director of Media Relations came to me before a game with a smirk that is seen solely when he has something funny to say. He handed me a mix tape that was made for me by a fan titled, “Songs About Love(joy).” I had a quick laugh and stashed the CD in my locker thinking that if we won, I would pull the CD out after the game and as a team we would laugh at the ridiculousness of the CD together. Unfortunately, we lost the game, so I took the CD to my car and put it into the player. What I heard over the speakers were eight of the most ridiculous songs I had ever listened to.
The first song on the disc was titled, “Tainted Love(joy)” by Soft Cell. The song was perfectly normal for about 45 seconds. It went through the start of the song just as it normally would as if I were listening to it on the radio. The first verse went by,
Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
This was pretty normal and I was not so sure where the CD was taking me…until the chorus started.
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Then it happened…
Oh...tainted love(joy) Tainted love(joy)
Every time the word love was mentioned for the rest of the CD, the song would cut out and a voice would come on and say, “joy.” For the next 8 tracks on the CD, they all did this. It was one of the funniest, and creepiest, things I had ever heard. I was almost embarrassed that someone had taken the time to make a CD like this for me. After listening to the CD (not the whole thing, just skipping from track to track) I took it out and put it in the side panel of my car door where it stayed for a month or two.
Fast forward two months. Ryan Lannon is riding shotgun and his cell phone falls into the side panel of my car door. He digs for his phone and came up with the CD, and his face looks like he just hit the lottery. After a few delighted screams from him and a warning from me, he puts the CD in the dash and proceeds to listen to every word of every song. Tainted Love(joy), I’m all out of Love(joy), Addicted to Love(joy), and a few other classics.
Mr. Lannon obviously brought the CD into the locker room the next day, and it was played over and over for the rest of the season. This season, Danny Richmond has taken it to a new level. When I first got cut from Pittsburgh last month, the CD and case (which is decorated with pictures of me) were mounted on the top of our locker room’s stereo system. Since the day we all arrived, Mr. Richmond has played the CD every single day, he has burned copies of the CD for relatives, and he has copied it onto his Ipod so he can carry it around with him. At first I thought it was a joke, but since then he has taken it way too far. He is obsessed with the eight songs. So obsessed that he has asked me to seek out the maker and ask him for Volume II of the disc. He has his own wish list for the songs that will go on it though. His first choice? U2’s In the Name of Love(joy). It has gotten to the point where he no longer calls me by my real name. He simply refers to me as, “In the Name of Lovejoy” - only he sings it like Bono would.
Other tracks requested by Danny Richmond:
1.) Led Zeppelin – All of my Love(joy)
2.) Bob Marley - One Love(joy)
3.) Akon – I Wanna Love(joy) You
4.) Counting Crows – Accidentally in Love(joy)
5.) The Beatles – Hide your Love(joy) away
6.) Phil Collins – You can’t hurry Love(joy)
7.) U2 – In the Name of Love(joy)
8.) The Outfield – Use Your Love(joy)
9.) Rascal Flats – I Wanna Love(joy) You Outloud
I guess there is no real end to my story, other than for me to ask whoever did make that CD, if you could make a Volume II it would be greatly appreciated.
Quote of the Week: "You guys are going to Texas? That's a long bus ride." - Matt Lovejoy on being a semi-professional athlete.
Fast forward a month later, and Brian Coe, our Director of Media Relations came to me before a game with a smirk that is seen solely when he has something funny to say. He handed me a mix tape that was made for me by a fan titled, “Songs About Love(joy).” I had a quick laugh and stashed the CD in my locker thinking that if we won, I would pull the CD out after the game and as a team we would laugh at the ridiculousness of the CD together. Unfortunately, we lost the game, so I took the CD to my car and put it into the player. What I heard over the speakers were eight of the most ridiculous songs I had ever listened to.
The first song on the disc was titled, “Tainted Love(joy)” by Soft Cell. The song was perfectly normal for about 45 seconds. It went through the start of the song just as it normally would as if I were listening to it on the radio. The first verse went by,
Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
This was pretty normal and I was not so sure where the CD was taking me…until the chorus started.
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Then it happened…
Oh...tainted love(joy) Tainted love(joy)
Every time the word love was mentioned for the rest of the CD, the song would cut out and a voice would come on and say, “joy.” For the next 8 tracks on the CD, they all did this. It was one of the funniest, and creepiest, things I had ever heard. I was almost embarrassed that someone had taken the time to make a CD like this for me. After listening to the CD (not the whole thing, just skipping from track to track) I took it out and put it in the side panel of my car door where it stayed for a month or two.
Fast forward two months. Ryan Lannon is riding shotgun and his cell phone falls into the side panel of my car door. He digs for his phone and came up with the CD, and his face looks like he just hit the lottery. After a few delighted screams from him and a warning from me, he puts the CD in the dash and proceeds to listen to every word of every song. Tainted Love(joy), I’m all out of Love(joy), Addicted to Love(joy), and a few other classics.
Mr. Lannon obviously brought the CD into the locker room the next day, and it was played over and over for the rest of the season. This season, Danny Richmond has taken it to a new level. When I first got cut from Pittsburgh last month, the CD and case (which is decorated with pictures of me) were mounted on the top of our locker room’s stereo system. Since the day we all arrived, Mr. Richmond has played the CD every single day, he has burned copies of the CD for relatives, and he has copied it onto his Ipod so he can carry it around with him. At first I thought it was a joke, but since then he has taken it way too far. He is obsessed with the eight songs. So obsessed that he has asked me to seek out the maker and ask him for Volume II of the disc. He has his own wish list for the songs that will go on it though. His first choice? U2’s In the Name of Love(joy). It has gotten to the point where he no longer calls me by my real name. He simply refers to me as, “In the Name of Lovejoy” - only he sings it like Bono would.
Other tracks requested by Danny Richmond:
1.) Led Zeppelin – All of my Love(joy)
2.) Bob Marley - One Love(joy)
3.) Akon – I Wanna Love(joy) You
4.) Counting Crows – Accidentally in Love(joy)
5.) The Beatles – Hide your Love(joy) away
6.) Phil Collins – You can’t hurry Love(joy)
7.) U2 – In the Name of Love(joy)
8.) The Outfield – Use Your Love(joy)
9.) Rascal Flats – I Wanna Love(joy) You Outloud
I guess there is no real end to my story, other than for me to ask whoever did make that CD, if you could make a Volume II it would be greatly appreciated.
Quote of the Week: "You guys are going to Texas? That's a long bus ride." - Matt Lovejoy on being a semi-professional athlete.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Swear on the Show
During many of the conversations that go on between teammates, I like to eavesdrop and then make fun of some of the ridiculous things that come out of their mouths. During most conversations either at dinner or and in the locker room, I tend to sit back and just listen and try to understand how they get through everyday life thinking and saying these thoughts.
After listening to a training camp conversation between Paul Bissonette and Luca Caputi recently, I burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of a phrase that they were each tossing back and forth.
Have you ever tried convincing a friend of something, and they did not believe you? Often when this happens, you or your friend might say, "I swear to God." Of course your friend would then believe you, because you would not cross God for the fear of going to hell. Well, with Luca and Paul, this was recently taken to a whole new level. I overheard a conversation that went something like this:
Paul: Obviously that girl wasn't a 10, or there is no way she would have talked to you.
Luca: She was a 10, ask Johnny D, he saw her at the bar.
Paul: I don't believe you.
Luca: I swear on the show.
Paul: You swear on the show?
Luca: Yeah, I swear on the show.
Paul: Okay, I believe you.
Canada is a funny place.
P.S. - I think if the economy can pull the kind of 180 that Paul Bissonnette achieved in the last year, the country would be a much happier place.
After listening to a training camp conversation between Paul Bissonette and Luca Caputi recently, I burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of a phrase that they were each tossing back and forth.
Have you ever tried convincing a friend of something, and they did not believe you? Often when this happens, you or your friend might say, "I swear to God." Of course your friend would then believe you, because you would not cross God for the fear of going to hell. Well, with Luca and Paul, this was recently taken to a whole new level. I overheard a conversation that went something like this:
Paul: Obviously that girl wasn't a 10, or there is no way she would have talked to you.
Luca: She was a 10, ask Johnny D, he saw her at the bar.
Paul: I don't believe you.
Luca: I swear on the show.
Paul: You swear on the show?
Luca: Yeah, I swear on the show.
Paul: Okay, I believe you.
Canada is a funny place.
P.S. - I think if the economy can pull the kind of 180 that Paul Bissonnette achieved in the last year, the country would be a much happier place.
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Last Column - Thank You
I skated off the ice after an early season, practice only to find Brian Coe standing in the hallway waiting to speak to me. I had just moved into Ryan Lannon’s basement and things in general were going quite well. Mr. Coe asked me if I had any interest in writing a column for the local newspaper, and it took me no time at all to accept. The first five or six columns came very easy for me – maybe I was just excited. Soon thereafter, I began to run out of ideas, but after some time I feel like I got the hang of things. From that point on, this writing thing became fairly simple.
I like to think the same sort of thing happened on the ice for both the team and for me. We had a solid start, then struggled for a while, and most recently, we have been playing some pretty good hockey. As the regular season comes to an end this week, so too will my columns in the Weekender. I have had a lot of fun writing this year and hope to continue writing again sometime in the near future. My weekly column has allowed many people who would not normally get to know me to find out what kind of person I am. It has also enabled me to get to know many of the people in the greater Wilkes-Barre area whom I normally would never have gotten the chance to meet.
As I sit here writing we are currently tied for first place with Philadelphia. We all feel quite confident that we can go far into the playoffs – if not win the Calder Cup. We have had high expectations for ourselves all year and even when we struggled we knew we were talented enough to hopefully go on a run during the playoffs. Our two rookie goalies took over for Ty Conklin and have been playing exceptionally well. Our defensive corps has led the team to the lowest goals against stat in the AHL. Our forward lines, as talented as they are, have rarely enjoyed continuity due to the fluid nature of the call-ups (and returns) to the NHL have started to click and have been scoring big goals when needed. And who will ever forget the Dennis Bonvie Farewell Tour, highlighted by a goal last week (hopefully not his last), that sparked an improbable comeback against the Hamilton Bulldogs.
I have received flattering feedback from my column and it seems like many of my readers have enjoyed reading what I have to say. I only wish some of my college professors appreciated my writing as much as the people here in Wilkes-Barre. Although my teammates and I are paid to play hockey, I hope that you’ve gained the sense from the column that there’s still plenty of “little boy” left in all of us. We’ve all been playing the game for many, many years and, despite the fact that the season can be a grind at times, we still love the game. And while we’d still be out on the ice even if you all weren’t in the stands, your passion for the Penguins and the support you’ve given us since game #1 makes what we do so much more fun. Thanks so much for packing the Wachovia Center night after night – and I hope to see you all again next year.
I like to think the same sort of thing happened on the ice for both the team and for me. We had a solid start, then struggled for a while, and most recently, we have been playing some pretty good hockey. As the regular season comes to an end this week, so too will my columns in the Weekender. I have had a lot of fun writing this year and hope to continue writing again sometime in the near future. My weekly column has allowed many people who would not normally get to know me to find out what kind of person I am. It has also enabled me to get to know many of the people in the greater Wilkes-Barre area whom I normally would never have gotten the chance to meet.
As I sit here writing we are currently tied for first place with Philadelphia. We all feel quite confident that we can go far into the playoffs – if not win the Calder Cup. We have had high expectations for ourselves all year and even when we struggled we knew we were talented enough to hopefully go on a run during the playoffs. Our two rookie goalies took over for Ty Conklin and have been playing exceptionally well. Our defensive corps has led the team to the lowest goals against stat in the AHL. Our forward lines, as talented as they are, have rarely enjoyed continuity due to the fluid nature of the call-ups (and returns) to the NHL have started to click and have been scoring big goals when needed. And who will ever forget the Dennis Bonvie Farewell Tour, highlighted by a goal last week (hopefully not his last), that sparked an improbable comeback against the Hamilton Bulldogs.
I have received flattering feedback from my column and it seems like many of my readers have enjoyed reading what I have to say. I only wish some of my college professors appreciated my writing as much as the people here in Wilkes-Barre. Although my teammates and I are paid to play hockey, I hope that you’ve gained the sense from the column that there’s still plenty of “little boy” left in all of us. We’ve all been playing the game for many, many years and, despite the fact that the season can be a grind at times, we still love the game. And while we’d still be out on the ice even if you all weren’t in the stands, your passion for the Penguins and the support you’ve given us since game #1 makes what we do so much more fun. Thanks so much for packing the Wachovia Center night after night – and I hope to see you all again next year.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Stay Hot
I have written twenty-four columns for The Weekender over the last six months and my goal scoring touch, or lack thereof, has been well documented in many of them. As a few of you may know, the drought came to an end on March 12th in a game against, coincidentally, my first professional team, the Norfolk Admirals.
In the locker room, I sit next to fellow defenseman, Derek Engelland. After about fifty games, Derek noticed in the informational packages each team receives before games that there was a stat showing how many shots on net each player on the team had taken. He also noticed that I was creeping up on 100 shots on net without scoring. He convinced himself, and me, that my hundredth shot on net would go in for my first pro goal. That thought was kind of cool. What wasn’t cool was after the 100th shot on net didn’t go in, Derek would tell me that number 101 was going in, or number 102 was going to go in. That got annoying.
Chris Minard leads our team with about 800 shots on net. The team’s leading goal scorer, Kurtis MacLean, has taken 103 shots on net. Before my first goal, I had taken 107 shots on net. I mean honestly, wouldn’t you think if you had taken 107 shots on net, even a talented goalie would screw up and allow at least one to get by him? Then it happened. Midway through the third period of a tie game against Norfolk, I skated down the ice on a rush with Dennis Bonvie, Dave Gove, and Mark Letestu. Bonvie gracefully skated down the right wing, and fed a backdoor pass to Letestu. Letestu did not have a good shooting lane, so he backhanded the puck in front of the net to me. It could not have worked out more perfectly. The Admirals goalie thought Letestu was going to shoot and completely committed to Mark, and I was blessed with a wide open net. I had no time (or need) to stickhandle, think, or do anything other than shovel the puck into the net.
After that, everything went blank for me. I remember being so relieved, so happy that I finally scored a professional goal. Gove eventually outshined me that night by scoring a hat trick (should it really count if one of the three goals you score is an empty netter?), but I promise you I was the happiest guy in the rink. We won the game, which was a big division win for us, especially after being behind in the contest 2-0. It turned out to be a pretty good night for the Penguins.
One of the best parts of the night came after I returned home. I was on my phone with my younger brother, Nick, telling him about my goal, when the phone beeped with three new text messages. I hung up with Nick and checked the messages, and all three were from Penguins teammates who were currently in the NHL. In the span of about 45 seconds, I got text messages from Connor James, Chris Minard, and Ryan Stone. It was such a great feeling to know that these guys, who were busy playing hockey at the highest level, still paid attention to how their friends were doing down in the AHL - and that they were still getting excited for a teammate who was finally able to score his first goal. I quickly responded, thanking all three of them, and told them I hoped I wouldn’t be seeing them again in Wilkes-Barre for a very long time…
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Booster Awards
The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins recently had the privilege of attending an awards banquet, thrown for us by our Booster Club to celebrate our team's season. At the dinner, individual achievements were celebrated and the teams' "fun" awards were announced. If I were emceeing the dinner, this is a taste of how the "fun" awards would have been presented.
It's a privilege to start any banquet. Again it's a privilege to start…a privilege to start. And we are going with Marc Ardelan. This winter Marc has had trouble keeping track of his bike. To help him keep better track of it in the future, we are going to present Marc with a new bike lock.
The second award is going to be given to the team's captain. Now we all know that Nathan is quite the hunter, and because its not technically deer hunting season, we are presenting him with a Beanie Baby in the form of a small deer…for target practice.
The next two people I'd like to call up to the dias are John Filewich and Marc Letestu. Unfortunately, I do not have a joke about them, but they should be called up together. We have a bottle of massage oil so that they rub each other down after the game.
Speaking of Boosters, Tim Wallace, a Booster favorite, and the second coolest guy on our team from Notre Dame, is going to receive a hammer to put in his favorite pair of carpenter jeans. But just so everyone knows, he does have that one cool Tommy Bahama shirt…
There are a number of things the Booster Club would like to give Dennis Bonvie this year, as he will go down as arguably the biggest fan favorite in WBS Penguins history. But for Dennis's present this year, we would like to give him a gift that we thought his teammates would appreciate maybe more than Booster Club members. With that in mind, we would like to award Dennis this muzzle, to be worn in the locker room between periods.
When thinking about some of the most lopsided trades in hockey history, the most recent one that comes to mind was then the Bruins traded away Joe Thornton for journeymen Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm, and Wayne Primeau. The Penguins performed similar highway robbery recently when we picked up Dave Gove for a really good ping-pong player. The Booster Club would like to present our new and improved #15 with Joe Jensen's old jersey nameplate.
Ned Havern is going to receive a copy of his 2007-2008 AHL rookie card. Ned seems to have forgotten that this is technically his rookie season and has neglected to perform a single rookie duty all season. In order to no longer be considered a rookie, you have to have played over 30 games in the AHL in a single season - thus making Ned still a rookie. The Booster Club would like to present Ned with his rookie card and nominate Ned as the rookie captain for the month of April.
Our two goalies this year were both rookies. Our two goalies this year were both rookies. That, however, is where the similarities end. That, however, is where the similarities end. John Curry and Dave Brown did a great job all year. John Curry and Dave Brown did a great job all year. I'm sorry I am repeating everything. I'm sorry I am repeating everything. But Dave Brown doesn't pay attention the first time you say something. But Dave Brown doesn't pay attention the first time you say something. So I have to repeat myself. So I have to repeat myself. Come on up John Curry and Dave Brown.
We'd like to call Derek and Melissa Engelland up next. Now normally we just call up the Penguin, not the wife. But we knew if we just called Derek up to the microphone, he would just be texting Melissa the whole time.
If People Magazine did a spread for the 50 best looking minor league hockey players, I'm pretty sure coach Todd Richards would only nominate one player. Tim Brent…the cutest Penguin. We present Tim with a copy of the magazine.
It's a privilege to start any banquet. Again it's a privilege to start…a privilege to start. And we are going with Marc Ardelan. This winter Marc has had trouble keeping track of his bike. To help him keep better track of it in the future, we are going to present Marc with a new bike lock.
The second award is going to be given to the team's captain. Now we all know that Nathan is quite the hunter, and because its not technically deer hunting season, we are presenting him with a Beanie Baby in the form of a small deer…for target practice.
The next two people I'd like to call up to the dias are John Filewich and Marc Letestu. Unfortunately, I do not have a joke about them, but they should be called up together. We have a bottle of massage oil so that they rub each other down after the game.
Speaking of Boosters, Tim Wallace, a Booster favorite, and the second coolest guy on our team from Notre Dame, is going to receive a hammer to put in his favorite pair of carpenter jeans. But just so everyone knows, he does have that one cool Tommy Bahama shirt…
There are a number of things the Booster Club would like to give Dennis Bonvie this year, as he will go down as arguably the biggest fan favorite in WBS Penguins history. But for Dennis's present this year, we would like to give him a gift that we thought his teammates would appreciate maybe more than Booster Club members. With that in mind, we would like to award Dennis this muzzle, to be worn in the locker room between periods.
When thinking about some of the most lopsided trades in hockey history, the most recent one that comes to mind was then the Bruins traded away Joe Thornton for journeymen Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm, and Wayne Primeau. The Penguins performed similar highway robbery recently when we picked up Dave Gove for a really good ping-pong player. The Booster Club would like to present our new and improved #15 with Joe Jensen's old jersey nameplate.
Ned Havern is going to receive a copy of his 2007-2008 AHL rookie card. Ned seems to have forgotten that this is technically his rookie season and has neglected to perform a single rookie duty all season. In order to no longer be considered a rookie, you have to have played over 30 games in the AHL in a single season - thus making Ned still a rookie. The Booster Club would like to present Ned with his rookie card and nominate Ned as the rookie captain for the month of April.
Our two goalies this year were both rookies. Our two goalies this year were both rookies. That, however, is where the similarities end. That, however, is where the similarities end. John Curry and Dave Brown did a great job all year. John Curry and Dave Brown did a great job all year. I'm sorry I am repeating everything. I'm sorry I am repeating everything. But Dave Brown doesn't pay attention the first time you say something. But Dave Brown doesn't pay attention the first time you say something. So I have to repeat myself. So I have to repeat myself. Come on up John Curry and Dave Brown.
We'd like to call Derek and Melissa Engelland up next. Now normally we just call up the Penguin, not the wife. But we knew if we just called Derek up to the microphone, he would just be texting Melissa the whole time.
If People Magazine did a spread for the 50 best looking minor league hockey players, I'm pretty sure coach Todd Richards would only nominate one player. Tim Brent…the cutest Penguin. We present Tim with a copy of the magazine.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Having Some Fun at the Expense of My Readers
With only four columns remaining this year, I have decided to turn the tables on some of my readers. As you know, for the six months I have poked fun at many of my teammates, our opponents, and, more often than not, myself. All has been in good fun, and I thank you for laughing along with me, and at me. One thing I have yet to do is take a few harmless (I hope) shots at some of our fans and some of my readers. So in this week’s column I answer some of the less than impressive e-mails you have sent me over the course of the season.
1.) “I can't tell you how amazingly refreshing it is to read a hockey player's blog that's well written, thought provoking, and has proper spelling and grammer. 100% chance I'm blogrolling you! :)”
Grammer? Come on, if you are going to take a cheap shot at the intelligence of the typical hockey player by complimenting me on my grammar, at least spell the word correctly.
2.) “There is no way on Earth that Ben Lovejoy should ever beat Jeff Taffe in a shoot-out, especially because Taffe is a frequent call up to the show and has some snipes. I don't think the punishment fits the crime; he shouldn't be allowed to cough up $500 to shave, that is a travesty.”
Do you think I made the story up to make me feel better about myself? The only way that this e-mail is appropriate is if you are one of two people: A.) Jeff Taffe’s mother or B.) Jeff Taffe’s wife. Obviously I am not as gifted a goal scorer as is Jeff Taffe, but that was not the point of the story.
3.) “Hey look at the bright side if Ryan puts you out you won't have to listen to his trumpet, ;-).”
Huh? I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned a trumpet, have I?
4.) “First, sorry about Deerfield not making the playoffs in NEPSIHA. I know you must be heart broken. Secondly, how do you feel knowing that Bonvie has a Wikipedia page and you don't? Thirdly, Bonvie has more goals than you. That must be hard.”
You know how to cut to the core of me, Baxter. I’m actually more upset Dartmouth’s season is already over. You know that Bonvie goes home at night and updates his Wikipedia page. Actually, we have both scored a goal now. But he has also scored an NHL goal. I refuse to make fun of anyone else’s goal scoring ability, or lack thereof, since I clearly lack that gift.
5.) “Hey Ben! I was just wondering what kind of music you listen to?”
Why, are you going to make me a mix tape? Am I in middle school?
6.) “Do you have a man crush on Ryan Lannon.”
Obviously. This must be your first time reading my blog.
7.) “I think that you should interview Tim Wallace because I bet he is a very interesting person.”
I hope you did not actually bet money on this.
8.) “I think you should do an interview with Connor James in your column, he’s pretty dreamy.”
He is “dreamy.” My only problem with Connor is that he is too nice, and there is nothing seemingly wrong with him. By the way, I do not actually interview people; I just make up their answers for them. I would have trouble making up answers for Connor because he does not have any distinct flaw, or do anything that’s stupid enough to make fun.
1.) “I can't tell you how amazingly refreshing it is to read a hockey player's blog that's well written, thought provoking, and has proper spelling and grammer. 100% chance I'm blogrolling you! :)”
Grammer? Come on, if you are going to take a cheap shot at the intelligence of the typical hockey player by complimenting me on my grammar, at least spell the word correctly.
2.) “There is no way on Earth that Ben Lovejoy should ever beat Jeff Taffe in a shoot-out, especially because Taffe is a frequent call up to the show and has some snipes. I don't think the punishment fits the crime; he shouldn't be allowed to cough up $500 to shave, that is a travesty.”
Do you think I made the story up to make me feel better about myself? The only way that this e-mail is appropriate is if you are one of two people: A.) Jeff Taffe’s mother or B.) Jeff Taffe’s wife. Obviously I am not as gifted a goal scorer as is Jeff Taffe, but that was not the point of the story.
3.) “Hey look at the bright side if Ryan puts you out you won't have to listen to his trumpet, ;-).”
Huh? I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned a trumpet, have I?
4.) “First, sorry about Deerfield not making the playoffs in NEPSIHA. I know you must be heart broken. Secondly, how do you feel knowing that Bonvie has a Wikipedia page and you don't? Thirdly, Bonvie has more goals than you. That must be hard.”
You know how to cut to the core of me, Baxter. I’m actually more upset Dartmouth’s season is already over. You know that Bonvie goes home at night and updates his Wikipedia page. Actually, we have both scored a goal now. But he has also scored an NHL goal. I refuse to make fun of anyone else’s goal scoring ability, or lack thereof, since I clearly lack that gift.
5.) “Hey Ben! I was just wondering what kind of music you listen to?”
Why, are you going to make me a mix tape? Am I in middle school?
6.) “Do you have a man crush on Ryan Lannon.”
Obviously. This must be your first time reading my blog.
7.) “I think that you should interview Tim Wallace because I bet he is a very interesting person.”
I hope you did not actually bet money on this.
8.) “I think you should do an interview with Connor James in your column, he’s pretty dreamy.”
He is “dreamy.” My only problem with Connor is that he is too nice, and there is nothing seemingly wrong with him. By the way, I do not actually interview people; I just make up their answers for them. I would have trouble making up answers for Connor because he does not have any distinct flaw, or do anything that’s stupid enough to make fun.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Nasty
An interview with Paul Bissonette
Q: Tell me about your heritage, Paul? Where is your family from?
A: I live in Welland, Ontario, which is in Canada. As for my heritage, it is kind of a complex mathematical equation. I’m ¼ African-American, 1/8 Mike Tyson, 2/7ths Caucasian, 1/15 Black Wrapper, 1/16th Coyote, and the rest of me is Canadian-Savage.
Q: You have an interesting nickname. Can you tell us about it?
A: When I was nine years old, my first girlfriend broke up with me because she said I was too “nasty.” Just kidding, it is actually because of how horrible the tattoo on my arm looks. When I first came home with it, my mother was so disgusted with it she started calling me “Nasty.” When I started playing junior hockey, and was beating everyone up all the time, my teammates started calling me “Biznasty.”
Q: Tell me about your tattoos. Do they have any meaning?
A: The one on my arm is obviously a Halloween scene. It is really cool once a year, but the rest of the year, I really regret having it ‘cause it looks kind of dumb. I’m not really sure the significance of the one on my back. When Tiger Woods came on the scene, I realized it was cool to mix Black and Chinese cultures, so I had to get a Chinese symbol. I went to the tattoo parlor and asked for the biggest Chinese symbol I could possibly get. I’m not really sure what it means, but I also look pretty good without a shirt on.
Q: Many aspiring fighters often want to fight Dennis Bonvie because he was one of their role models growing up as young “meatheads.” Who were some of your role models growing up?
A: Apollo Creed.
Q: When you first came to Wilkes-Barre this year, you had an interesting haircut – a Mohawk. While you had this Mohawk, you seemed to be losing a lot of fights. Did you blame your lack of pugilistic success on that brutal haircut?
A: Much like the biblical character Samson, I seemed to have lost my strength when my hair was cut off. Luckily, hair grows quickly, and I am back to beating the crap out of people.
Q: You wear #20 for the Penguins. If you could wear any number, what number would you wear?
A: #103, but probably about #115 by the end of the year.
Q: Now that you are a skilled goal scorer, you have obviously stopped fighting. Imagine back to the days you were a tough guy and tell us, in a hypothetical fight between you and Dennis Bonvie, who wins?
A: I’d “one punch” that old man!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Two on Two
When I was growing up, my father was the Director of Admissions at a prep school in New Hampshire. There were many advantages to this, but perhaps the most useful was my family’s ability to use the school’s hockey rink whenever we wanted. Sometimes we would have friends over and skate for hours. Other times we would be on the ice for fifteen minutes before getting bored and cold, and we would leave. The thing that I remember best about these skates were our games of two on two.
I have two younger brothers, Matt and Nick. We were each born four years apart and we all grew up playing sports. In the winter, we played my Dad’s sport – ice hockey. In the spring, we played my Mom’s sport – lacrosse. During school breaks and on weekends, we would often have family games of two on two. When we were really young, the teams would always be made up of my Dad and Nick vs. Matt and me. My Dad and Nick would play on a team together because Nick was the youngest and my Dad was the best. The games were always close, but my team would inevitably win because my Dad would try to be nice and pass young Nick the puck, and Matt would take advantage of Nick’s inexperience and score as many goals as possible.
As we grew older the teams had to change. Whether Dad’s skills deteriorated a great deal or he just wasn’t very talented in the first place is up for debate, but his sons got a bit older, and better, and the teams needed to be altered. As I grew older, I became the best player in the family, and needed to be paired with young Nick. This is when the rivalry intensified. My middle brother, Matt, has always had an inferiority complex. My Mom says it is because he is the middle child, but I have always maintained that the reason he is so competitive with his two brothers is that he is four inches shorter than both of us. Either way, when the teams were changed, we began wearing shin pads and hockey pants because Matt was out to mix things up. On one occasion, when Matt’s team came in second, he refused the leave the ice because he thought my team had cheated and that a goal should not have counted. He was so mad that he stormed into the locker room where I was changing and took a baseball swing with his stick to the middle of my back. We assumed that was the end of those games.
I was recently on the phone with my father, complaining about how tired I was playing four games in five days, and how much work hockey had become. He carefully listened to my problems, and then began to remind me of our games growing up, and how much fun the game of hockey is supposed to be. The last time we were able to play was Christmas 2006. Things had now come full circle and my father was on my team, playing with a bad knee. Matt’s temper had calmed greatly and young Nick was now 6’2’’, and the most talented of the three Lovejoy boys. I am not sure who won the game – that’s not really important, but as I look back on those games of two on two, I now appreciate the times we spend together as a family a lot more than I once did.
I have two younger brothers, Matt and Nick. We were each born four years apart and we all grew up playing sports. In the winter, we played my Dad’s sport – ice hockey. In the spring, we played my Mom’s sport – lacrosse. During school breaks and on weekends, we would often have family games of two on two. When we were really young, the teams would always be made up of my Dad and Nick vs. Matt and me. My Dad and Nick would play on a team together because Nick was the youngest and my Dad was the best. The games were always close, but my team would inevitably win because my Dad would try to be nice and pass young Nick the puck, and Matt would take advantage of Nick’s inexperience and score as many goals as possible.
As we grew older the teams had to change. Whether Dad’s skills deteriorated a great deal or he just wasn’t very talented in the first place is up for debate, but his sons got a bit older, and better, and the teams needed to be altered. As I grew older, I became the best player in the family, and needed to be paired with young Nick. This is when the rivalry intensified. My middle brother, Matt, has always had an inferiority complex. My Mom says it is because he is the middle child, but I have always maintained that the reason he is so competitive with his two brothers is that he is four inches shorter than both of us. Either way, when the teams were changed, we began wearing shin pads and hockey pants because Matt was out to mix things up. On one occasion, when Matt’s team came in second, he refused the leave the ice because he thought my team had cheated and that a goal should not have counted. He was so mad that he stormed into the locker room where I was changing and took a baseball swing with his stick to the middle of my back. We assumed that was the end of those games.
I was recently on the phone with my father, complaining about how tired I was playing four games in five days, and how much work hockey had become. He carefully listened to my problems, and then began to remind me of our games growing up, and how much fun the game of hockey is supposed to be. The last time we were able to play was Christmas 2006. Things had now come full circle and my father was on my team, playing with a bad knee. Matt’s temper had calmed greatly and young Nick was now 6’2’’, and the most talented of the three Lovejoy boys. I am not sure who won the game – that’s not really important, but as I look back on those games of two on two, I now appreciate the times we spend together as a family a lot more than I once did.
Monday, February 25, 2008
A Response to Anklbendr
I woke up this morning with and interesting e-mail from a reader named “Anklbendr”. Now normally my LannonFan2 e-mail address gets a few e-mails everyday from people who are either interested in the Penguins, interested in me as a hockey player, or interested in Ryan Lannon’s relationship status. I try to answer the first two, I stay away from the latter. What I found most interesting about Anklbendr’s e-mail was that this reader asked some interesting questions about the Penguins that I have never spoken about in my column.
My assistant hockey coach in college, Dave Peters, used to remind us after Saturday night games that, “nothing good happens after midnight,” a claim which teammate Dan Shribman tirelessly disputed. I always remained on the fence during these after midnight discussions, but Anklbender’s e-mail was sent at 2:56 this morning. I now agree with Shrib, good things can happen after midnight.
Now I’m not so sure Coach Pete’s was sending too many late night e-mails (like Shrib used to), but Anklbendr is interested in a few things. These were Anklbendr’s questions.
1.) What things would you like fans to know about the game?
- Yelling shoot on the powerplay does not help the home team score more goals.
2.) What is really said at ice level?
- Everything. Very few things are off limits. Guys will make fun of you if a girl you are dating used to have loose moral values. If you were beaten up badly in a fight. If you did something stupid off the ice. If you did something stupid in juniors or college. Guys will say anything to get under your skin.
There is also a lot of yelling at each other during the games. Yelling if you are open, yelling out defensive zone coverages, yelling if you want someone to pass you the puck, and yelling at refs.
3.) Best parts of your job?
a.) I get to play a game I grew up loving for a living.
b.) I do not have a desk job.
c.) There is a chance we might play in the NHL.
d.) The summer vacation of a second grader.
4.) Worst parts of your job?
a.) It is a tiring seven month season.
b.) The long bus rides.
c.) Not much time off for Christmas, Thanksgiving, normal weekends, etc…
5.) Plans for the off season?
a.) Home to New Hampshire for a week or two. Hopefully go see a few University of Virginia lacrosse games for whom my little brother plays.
b.) Spend a month in San Francisco to relax and just hang out.
c.) Spend most of July and August at home in New Hampshire relaxing for some time and then getting back into shape.
d.) September get ready for next year’s training camp.
6.) Plans for post-hockey life?
I wish I could answer this honestly but I have no idea. I would like to play hockey as long as I can. I would like for it to be my career and worry about “post-hockey life” when the time comes, but I guess you never really know.
7.) Skill or luck?
I would have to say skill. I’m not much of a believer in luck. On the ice talented players get the right bounces through skill and hard work. If you are talented, things tend to you go your way.
8.) Your “celebrity” status -- the good, the bad, the ugly?
This is a tough question. If Wilkes-Barre were Hollywood I would be like a D-list celebrity. Obviously Bonvie and Lannon would be the A-list, then there would be a few guys who would be B and C-list, then me. So to answer your question, I believe to have a “celebrity” status you need to actually be a celebrity, so I still have some work to do…
My assistant hockey coach in college, Dave Peters, used to remind us after Saturday night games that, “nothing good happens after midnight,” a claim which teammate Dan Shribman tirelessly disputed. I always remained on the fence during these after midnight discussions, but Anklbender’s e-mail was sent at 2:56 this morning. I now agree with Shrib, good things can happen after midnight.
Now I’m not so sure Coach Pete’s was sending too many late night e-mails (like Shrib used to), but Anklbendr is interested in a few things. These were Anklbendr’s questions.
1.) What things would you like fans to know about the game?
- Yelling shoot on the powerplay does not help the home team score more goals.
2.) What is really said at ice level?
- Everything. Very few things are off limits. Guys will make fun of you if a girl you are dating used to have loose moral values. If you were beaten up badly in a fight. If you did something stupid off the ice. If you did something stupid in juniors or college. Guys will say anything to get under your skin.
There is also a lot of yelling at each other during the games. Yelling if you are open, yelling out defensive zone coverages, yelling if you want someone to pass you the puck, and yelling at refs.
3.) Best parts of your job?
a.) I get to play a game I grew up loving for a living.
b.) I do not have a desk job.
c.) There is a chance we might play in the NHL.
d.) The summer vacation of a second grader.
4.) Worst parts of your job?
a.) It is a tiring seven month season.
b.) The long bus rides.
c.) Not much time off for Christmas, Thanksgiving, normal weekends, etc…
5.) Plans for the off season?
a.) Home to New Hampshire for a week or two. Hopefully go see a few University of Virginia lacrosse games for whom my little brother plays.
b.) Spend a month in San Francisco to relax and just hang out.
c.) Spend most of July and August at home in New Hampshire relaxing for some time and then getting back into shape.
d.) September get ready for next year’s training camp.
6.) Plans for post-hockey life?
I wish I could answer this honestly but I have no idea. I would like to play hockey as long as I can. I would like for it to be my career and worry about “post-hockey life” when the time comes, but I guess you never really know.
7.) Skill or luck?
I would have to say skill. I’m not much of a believer in luck. On the ice talented players get the right bounces through skill and hard work. If you are talented, things tend to you go your way.
8.) Your “celebrity” status -- the good, the bad, the ugly?
This is a tough question. If Wilkes-Barre were Hollywood I would be like a D-list celebrity. Obviously Bonvie and Lannon would be the A-list, then there would be a few guys who would be B and C-list, then me. So to answer your question, I believe to have a “celebrity” status you need to actually be a celebrity, so I still have some work to do…
Monday, February 18, 2008
Q &A with Ben:
I have received a lot of mail recently. I thought I’d share a few with you.
Q: How are your old Dartmouth classmates doing? Do you keep in touch with them at all?
BL: I e-mail with Dan Shribman everyday. Dan was a good hockey player when he was twelve but the last ten years or so have not been kind to him on that end. When I told him about this column he wrote, “Tell everyone I crush number for a living, and have started to take HGH to enhance my banking performance. It has worked wonders and I encourage all the woman reading your article to take it before they have to put on a bathing suit this summer (Clemens is a huge creep).”
Dr. Grant Lewis is a defenseman on the Chicago Wolves and is also auditioning for a role on the new Bachelor. He suffered a couple concussions earlier in the year but has recovered and has been playing well recently. Unfortunately, I hear he still has not learned how to read. Tanner Glass has played 31 games for the Florida Panthers, scored his first NHL goal the other day, and has been in 6 fights. Michael Hartwick has been playing for the last few months in Mississippi and scored an OT goal last week. In 122 college hockey games Mike had one goal. That was his second goal of the season. Stay hot Mike. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with Matt Kunsman. I hope he’s doing well though.
Q: Hypothetically, if there was an election to be the next mayor of Wilkes-Barre, and the two candidates running were Dennis Bonvie and Ryan Lannon, who would win?
BL: Dennis Bonvie
Q: Hypothetically, if there was an election to be the next mayor of Wilkes-Barre and the two candidates running were Dennis Bonvie and Ryan Lannon, but only women are allowed to vote, who would win?
BL: Ryan Lannon
Q: Did Josh Richards do his share of gloating after your Patriots lost to his Giants?
BL: Josh placed a box of tissues in each Penguins player’s locker who lives in the New England area. In fairness to Josh, he talked a lot of trash before the game, so it was not like the talk just started after the game.
Q: How is the house dealing with the absence of Alex Goligoski?
BL: Lannon and I have handled his departure quite well. Wally took the loss a bit harder. The time Wally and Goose spend playing video games has been well documented in my previous columns. Wally can now be seen aimlessly wandering around the house looking for new things to do now that his gaming partner is gone.
Q: Did you find a college basketball team yet?
BL: I have been unsuccessful so far. I have gotten a few e-mails about which team I should root for, but with no good reasons yet. I may just have to stick with the Celtics for my basketball fix.
Q: Can you interview Ryan Lannon next? I consider myself Lannon’s #1 fan, Can you please make this happen?
BL: I’ll see what I can do. He’s a fairly busy individual.
Q: How come sometimes your column is on www.theweekender.com and sometimes it’s not?
BL: No idea. You would think every Wednesday they would want me on their homepage. I’ll talk to my agent and get him on this…
Q: How are your old Dartmouth classmates doing? Do you keep in touch with them at all?
BL: I e-mail with Dan Shribman everyday. Dan was a good hockey player when he was twelve but the last ten years or so have not been kind to him on that end. When I told him about this column he wrote, “Tell everyone I crush number for a living, and have started to take HGH to enhance my banking performance. It has worked wonders and I encourage all the woman reading your article to take it before they have to put on a bathing suit this summer (Clemens is a huge creep).”
Dr. Grant Lewis is a defenseman on the Chicago Wolves and is also auditioning for a role on the new Bachelor. He suffered a couple concussions earlier in the year but has recovered and has been playing well recently. Unfortunately, I hear he still has not learned how to read. Tanner Glass has played 31 games for the Florida Panthers, scored his first NHL goal the other day, and has been in 6 fights. Michael Hartwick has been playing for the last few months in Mississippi and scored an OT goal last week. In 122 college hockey games Mike had one goal. That was his second goal of the season. Stay hot Mike. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with Matt Kunsman. I hope he’s doing well though.
Q: Hypothetically, if there was an election to be the next mayor of Wilkes-Barre, and the two candidates running were Dennis Bonvie and Ryan Lannon, who would win?
BL: Dennis Bonvie
Q: Hypothetically, if there was an election to be the next mayor of Wilkes-Barre and the two candidates running were Dennis Bonvie and Ryan Lannon, but only women are allowed to vote, who would win?
BL: Ryan Lannon
Q: Did Josh Richards do his share of gloating after your Patriots lost to his Giants?
BL: Josh placed a box of tissues in each Penguins player’s locker who lives in the New England area. In fairness to Josh, he talked a lot of trash before the game, so it was not like the talk just started after the game.
Q: How is the house dealing with the absence of Alex Goligoski?
BL: Lannon and I have handled his departure quite well. Wally took the loss a bit harder. The time Wally and Goose spend playing video games has been well documented in my previous columns. Wally can now be seen aimlessly wandering around the house looking for new things to do now that his gaming partner is gone.
Q: Did you find a college basketball team yet?
BL: I have been unsuccessful so far. I have gotten a few e-mails about which team I should root for, but with no good reasons yet. I may just have to stick with the Celtics for my basketball fix.
Q: Can you interview Ryan Lannon next? I consider myself Lannon’s #1 fan, Can you please make this happen?
BL: I’ll see what I can do. He’s a fairly busy individual.
Q: How come sometimes your column is on www.theweekender.com and sometimes it’s not?
BL: No idea. You would think every Wednesday they would want me on their homepage. I’ll talk to my agent and get him on this…
Saturday, February 9, 2008
February 3, 2008 – “Let Down”
1:46 PM – Shower. Put on my Randy Moss t-shirt that my brother gave me for Christmas. The back has Moss’ name and number and the front has a photo of Moss with his Afro and the slogan, “Straight Cash Homey.”
3:55 PM – Put a steak on the grill. Flip between NFL Network and ESPN News. Regular ESPN is showing bull riding; not the type of programming I am looking for today.
4:36 PM – Tom Brady talks about how he was not a sudden success in college, “I remember when I was in college on a Wednesday or Thursday and if I didn’t have a good practice I wouldn’t play on Saturday (because I would be benched).” He’s such a stud.
4:48 PM – During interview with the singer of the National Anthem, Jordan Sparks, I decide she is not terribly bright. I quickly Google her (I’m not an American Idol fan) because I am not familiar with her or her work.
5:32 PM – Head to “Ski’s” House. I walk into his basement not really sure what to expect. It was crazy. Over 100 people, mostly Giant fans, preparing to watch the game. I stick around for a while, but leave before the game starts. Nice people, but I cannot be surrounded by Giant fans watching such an important game.
6:11 PM – Arrive at Chris Minard’s house to watch the first half. Everyone is there. We eat Swedish Meatballs and chili that some of the wives have made. There’s also a whole spread from the local grocery store. Minny has two of the largest televisions I have ever seen. Unfortunately, neither was HD, which is a bit of a letdown.
6:29 PM – Lose coin toss. Kick off. I’m so pumped. First undefeated season… Gonna happen! During the first half I consume seven pieces of General Tsao’s chicken, some pork fried rice, the top of a chocolate cupcake, 11 Swedish meatballs, one bowl of chili, four slices of watermelon, half a jar of Tim Wallace’s parents’ homemade salsa, and three Hershey kisses. Ned Havern ate double that…
Halftime – Thank the Minards for having me. The game is far too close for my liking and I need to go home to watch the game in a place where I can concentrate and give the game my full attention. I drive home, and arrive in the basement just in time for kickoff. Missed the halftime show. Not too disappointed. Tom Petty looks really old.
8:31 PM – 12 Giants on the field. Huge penalty. Hopefully this is what the Pats need to get the offense back on track. 1st down at the Giant 39-yard line.
8:36 PM – How is Richard Simmons making a comeback? He was just in a Bridgestone commercial.
8:39 PM – Giants defense looks good. Troy Aikman is a really good commentator, but I believe he’s being a bit redundant when he says for the 14th time, “The high powered Patriots offense just hasn’t been able to get rolling today.” Thanks, Troy.
8:41 PM – Great run after the catch by Kevin Faulk for the first down. Is Moss playing? Another sack by Strahan.
8:43 PM – 4th and 13. Pats go for it. Overthrown ball to Gaffney. Turnover on downs. Agh…
8:49 PM – Great play by Asante Samuel. He will be missed next year. The Pats do not spend big money on their secondary. After he makes a nice play, Samuel, an unrestricted free agent who plays cornerback, yells, “Cha-ching”. Someone is going to pay him handsomely. It is not going to be the Pats.
8:58 – 19 more yards for Welker. We got him for a 2nd and a 7th round pick. With modern medicine, you would think that a doctor or nutritionist would have come up with something more effective than just giving an NFL player a banana to combat dehydration.
9:10 – My stomach is in knots watching this. Pats can’t stop anything. TD Giants. 10-7.
9:22 – Just walked upstairs to watch. Watching in the basement is clearly not working. We also have HD upstairs. HD is really up there with the greatest inventions of all time - up there with the automobile, the printing press, and the toilet. HD is probably #4.
9:25 – Great tackle by Rodney Harrison forces Giants to punt.
9:30 – I’m honestly a bit short of breath right now. 10th catch of the night for Wes Welker. Finally getting into a rhythm on offense. 4:12 minutes left. Down three points.
9:33 – Heck of a catch by Moss. Took a big hit, but did it to make the play. Brady to Faulk, 1st and goal, ball inside the 7.
9:36 – I cannot believe Brady just overthrew a wide open Moss. 3rd and goal. 2:45 remaining.
9:40 – Oh boy. Touchdown!
9:41. I have never heard of Ray Ventrone. But the kickoff gunner just made one of the best plays of the night for the Pats.
This is where I stopped writing. I was too nervous to finish typing, and then the end of the game happened. I was too upset to write anymore. Congratulations Josh Richards. Your team played better than my team.
3:55 PM – Put a steak on the grill. Flip between NFL Network and ESPN News. Regular ESPN is showing bull riding; not the type of programming I am looking for today.
4:36 PM – Tom Brady talks about how he was not a sudden success in college, “I remember when I was in college on a Wednesday or Thursday and if I didn’t have a good practice I wouldn’t play on Saturday (because I would be benched).” He’s such a stud.
4:48 PM – During interview with the singer of the National Anthem, Jordan Sparks, I decide she is not terribly bright. I quickly Google her (I’m not an American Idol fan) because I am not familiar with her or her work.
5:32 PM – Head to “Ski’s” House. I walk into his basement not really sure what to expect. It was crazy. Over 100 people, mostly Giant fans, preparing to watch the game. I stick around for a while, but leave before the game starts. Nice people, but I cannot be surrounded by Giant fans watching such an important game.
6:11 PM – Arrive at Chris Minard’s house to watch the first half. Everyone is there. We eat Swedish Meatballs and chili that some of the wives have made. There’s also a whole spread from the local grocery store. Minny has two of the largest televisions I have ever seen. Unfortunately, neither was HD, which is a bit of a letdown.
6:29 PM – Lose coin toss. Kick off. I’m so pumped. First undefeated season… Gonna happen! During the first half I consume seven pieces of General Tsao’s chicken, some pork fried rice, the top of a chocolate cupcake, 11 Swedish meatballs, one bowl of chili, four slices of watermelon, half a jar of Tim Wallace’s parents’ homemade salsa, and three Hershey kisses. Ned Havern ate double that…
Halftime – Thank the Minards for having me. The game is far too close for my liking and I need to go home to watch the game in a place where I can concentrate and give the game my full attention. I drive home, and arrive in the basement just in time for kickoff. Missed the halftime show. Not too disappointed. Tom Petty looks really old.
8:31 PM – 12 Giants on the field. Huge penalty. Hopefully this is what the Pats need to get the offense back on track. 1st down at the Giant 39-yard line.
8:36 PM – How is Richard Simmons making a comeback? He was just in a Bridgestone commercial.
8:39 PM – Giants defense looks good. Troy Aikman is a really good commentator, but I believe he’s being a bit redundant when he says for the 14th time, “The high powered Patriots offense just hasn’t been able to get rolling today.” Thanks, Troy.
8:41 PM – Great run after the catch by Kevin Faulk for the first down. Is Moss playing? Another sack by Strahan.
8:43 PM – 4th and 13. Pats go for it. Overthrown ball to Gaffney. Turnover on downs. Agh…
8:49 PM – Great play by Asante Samuel. He will be missed next year. The Pats do not spend big money on their secondary. After he makes a nice play, Samuel, an unrestricted free agent who plays cornerback, yells, “Cha-ching”. Someone is going to pay him handsomely. It is not going to be the Pats.
8:58 – 19 more yards for Welker. We got him for a 2nd and a 7th round pick. With modern medicine, you would think that a doctor or nutritionist would have come up with something more effective than just giving an NFL player a banana to combat dehydration.
9:10 – My stomach is in knots watching this. Pats can’t stop anything. TD Giants. 10-7.
9:22 – Just walked upstairs to watch. Watching in the basement is clearly not working. We also have HD upstairs. HD is really up there with the greatest inventions of all time - up there with the automobile, the printing press, and the toilet. HD is probably #4.
9:25 – Great tackle by Rodney Harrison forces Giants to punt.
9:30 – I’m honestly a bit short of breath right now. 10th catch of the night for Wes Welker. Finally getting into a rhythm on offense. 4:12 minutes left. Down three points.
9:33 – Heck of a catch by Moss. Took a big hit, but did it to make the play. Brady to Faulk, 1st and goal, ball inside the 7.
9:36 – I cannot believe Brady just overthrew a wide open Moss. 3rd and goal. 2:45 remaining.
9:40 – Oh boy. Touchdown!
9:41. I have never heard of Ray Ventrone. But the kickoff gunner just made one of the best plays of the night for the Pats.
This is where I stopped writing. I was too nervous to finish typing, and then the end of the game happened. I was too upset to write anymore. Congratulations Josh Richards. Your team played better than my team.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
A few letters I would like to send…
Dear Dennis Bonvie,
I wore my “Dennis Bonvie Fairwell Tour” t-shirt around my old college fraternity basement and not a single person knew who you were. It was awesome.
Dear Norfolk Admirals team Doctor,
Thank you for fixing my lip. It looks ten times better already. Thanks again.
Dear Kelly Tomlinson and Jonathan Bombulie,
I have written about two weeks of columns and I am completely out of ideas. I’m impressed that you find things about the Penguins to write about everyday.
To whom it may concern,
Ryan Lannon purchased a new Washer/Dryer unit. My clothes are clean.
Dear US Airways,
I recently took a flight from Manchester, NH to the Wilkes-Barre, PA airport with a quick stop in Philadelphia. It was a flight run by Wisconsin Airlines. Cost me $80 for a flight. It was quick, easy, and enjoyable and the flight attendant had an accent like she would have fit right in at the truck stop in Fargo (you know the one with Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox) with Goligoski.
Dear Brian Coe,
I walk by you after every game waiting for the nod to stay go out for one of the three stars. Still waiting…
Dear Randy Moss,
If you resign with the Patriots for below market value you will be an instant hall of famer. You will also make me very happy.
Dear College Basketball Fans,
I need a college basketball team to root for. My alma mater does not have the strongest team, and they are never on television. I used to root for Duke, but my brother is a freshman at the University of Virginia and in his sport, their main rival is Duke. So I no longer root for them. Besides, cheering for Duke basketball is a bit like cheering for the house in blackjack. Anyways, I need a team.
Dear The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers,
Please resolve the writer’s strike. I am so bored at night.
To whom it may concern,
I have to turn this column in on Friday. So I am writing this before the Superbowl. I am a little nervous that the Patriots are trying trademark the term “19-0” before they win. I am extremely confident in the Patriots, but I am always nervous of the underdog story. No one gave the Pats a chance in 2001 when the shut down “the Greatest Show of Turf”. Go Pats.
I wore my “Dennis Bonvie Fairwell Tour” t-shirt around my old college fraternity basement and not a single person knew who you were. It was awesome.
Dear Norfolk Admirals team Doctor,
Thank you for fixing my lip. It looks ten times better already. Thanks again.
Dear Kelly Tomlinson and Jonathan Bombulie,
I have written about two weeks of columns and I am completely out of ideas. I’m impressed that you find things about the Penguins to write about everyday.
To whom it may concern,
Ryan Lannon purchased a new Washer/Dryer unit. My clothes are clean.
Dear US Airways,
I recently took a flight from Manchester, NH to the Wilkes-Barre, PA airport with a quick stop in Philadelphia. It was a flight run by Wisconsin Airlines. Cost me $80 for a flight. It was quick, easy, and enjoyable and the flight attendant had an accent like she would have fit right in at the truck stop in Fargo (you know the one with Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox) with Goligoski.
Dear Brian Coe,
I walk by you after every game waiting for the nod to stay go out for one of the three stars. Still waiting…
Dear Randy Moss,
If you resign with the Patriots for below market value you will be an instant hall of famer. You will also make me very happy.
Dear College Basketball Fans,
I need a college basketball team to root for. My alma mater does not have the strongest team, and they are never on television. I used to root for Duke, but my brother is a freshman at the University of Virginia and in his sport, their main rival is Duke. So I no longer root for them. Besides, cheering for Duke basketball is a bit like cheering for the house in blackjack. Anyways, I need a team.
Dear The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers,
Please resolve the writer’s strike. I am so bored at night.
To whom it may concern,
I have to turn this column in on Friday. So I am writing this before the Superbowl. I am a little nervous that the Patriots are trying trademark the term “19-0” before they win. I am extremely confident in the Patriots, but I am always nervous of the underdog story. No one gave the Pats a chance in 2001 when the shut down “the Greatest Show of Turf”. Go Pats.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Taking Inventory
I left home September 2nd and drove eight hours to spend the night at a Marriott just outside of Harrisburg, Pa. The next day I completed the second leg of the fourteen hour drive to Pittsburgh and was ready to take a six hour bus trip to Kitchner, Ontario to play in a rookie tournament. I arrived in Kitchner with dreams of making the Wilkes-Barre team and knew that by playing well in the tournament it would certainly help my chances making the squad. The first day was tough. We had practice the day we arrived in Kitchner and it went pretty well. Following the practice we had a team dinner where we met the Penguins coaches, scouts, and various other people who make up the inner workings Penguins organization.
The next morning I arrived at the pregame skate and found out that I was healthy scratched for the game that night. I immediately questioned my worth as a hockey player and hoped that my professional hockey career was not over. Luckily for me, it was not. I played the next three games and played well enough to be invited the training camp in Pittsburgh and after some time there was sent to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
The transition to the life of a professional hockey player was not an easy one. While I cannot complain about my lifestyle because I play hockey for a living instead of sitting at a desk, my line of work is certainly both physically and emotionally draining. Now that the all-star break is upon us, it is nice to step back and reflect on the first half of the season, and the changes that have taken place.
The season did not start as well as we would have liked. I do not think anyone would argue that we were playing hard, but we were not playing as smartly as we could have, and we were not able to win games that we probably should have won. Five months, zero goals, one trip to Atlantic City, $550 in fines, zero mustaches, seven stitches, and 135 hours on the bus later, our team has learned how to win. We have grown more comfortable in our individual roles on the team, and have been much more successful. Fellow rookies have also learned how to be professional hockey players. Alex Goligoski’s improvements in the kitchen have clearly lead to better play on the ice. He is now an all-star. Kyle Rank’s play has improved greatly, and he now has enough hotel points to spend the summer in any Ramada he chooses. John Curry has made many new friends in his first year as he has already played for four different teams (Wilkes-Barre, Las Vegas, USA, Wheeling, and back to Wilkes-Barre where he currently leads the AHL in most goaltending statistics) all in five months.
As we take some much needed time off for the all-star break, it is easy to see the improvements the team has made throughout the year. While it may be hard for many of my readers to imagine that we have been playing hockey for five months, the four days off will be something our bodies need for the second half of the season. Wish us a good break, and more importantly – wish Tom Brady a speedy recovery from his sprained ankle.
If anyone has any questions, comments, or Super Bowl predictions please contact me at LannonFan2@gmail.com. My Prediction: 35-17 Pats. Eli Manning plays well, Brady’s better, and Josh Richards find some excuse to wine about why the Giants lose…
The next morning I arrived at the pregame skate and found out that I was healthy scratched for the game that night. I immediately questioned my worth as a hockey player and hoped that my professional hockey career was not over. Luckily for me, it was not. I played the next three games and played well enough to be invited the training camp in Pittsburgh and after some time there was sent to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
The transition to the life of a professional hockey player was not an easy one. While I cannot complain about my lifestyle because I play hockey for a living instead of sitting at a desk, my line of work is certainly both physically and emotionally draining. Now that the all-star break is upon us, it is nice to step back and reflect on the first half of the season, and the changes that have taken place.
The season did not start as well as we would have liked. I do not think anyone would argue that we were playing hard, but we were not playing as smartly as we could have, and we were not able to win games that we probably should have won. Five months, zero goals, one trip to Atlantic City, $550 in fines, zero mustaches, seven stitches, and 135 hours on the bus later, our team has learned how to win. We have grown more comfortable in our individual roles on the team, and have been much more successful. Fellow rookies have also learned how to be professional hockey players. Alex Goligoski’s improvements in the kitchen have clearly lead to better play on the ice. He is now an all-star. Kyle Rank’s play has improved greatly, and he now has enough hotel points to spend the summer in any Ramada he chooses. John Curry has made many new friends in his first year as he has already played for four different teams (Wilkes-Barre, Las Vegas, USA, Wheeling, and back to Wilkes-Barre where he currently leads the AHL in most goaltending statistics) all in five months.
As we take some much needed time off for the all-star break, it is easy to see the improvements the team has made throughout the year. While it may be hard for many of my readers to imagine that we have been playing hockey for five months, the four days off will be something our bodies need for the second half of the season. Wish us a good break, and more importantly – wish Tom Brady a speedy recovery from his sprained ankle.
If anyone has any questions, comments, or Super Bowl predictions please contact me at LannonFan2@gmail.com. My Prediction: 35-17 Pats. Eli Manning plays well, Brady’s better, and Josh Richards find some excuse to wine about why the Giants lose…
Monday, January 21, 2008
Mail Time
Q: Is there a fine for blogging?
BL: Nope, thank God. I have an e-mail list of friends from home and college to whom I send my columns. A friend from college is a rookie playing for the Lake Erie Monsters, and when he read my column about the fines, he was shocked. Apparently they do not have fines…
Q: Where do some of the guys go to unwind?
BL: We spend a lot of time at the Arena Bar and Grill in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The people who run the restaurant treat the players on the team very well. We also play a lot of ping-pong, and spend a fair amount of time bowling. Personally, I unwind in Ryan Lannon’s basement, locked in the dark, watching television by myself.
Q: Can we have more Q & A’s with teammates?
BL: Sure, whom do you want me to interview?
Q: When you finally score a goal, I really think you should throw down your stick and gloves, get a little bit of speed, and do a belly slide at center ice.
BL: Let’s worry about me scoring first.
Q: What was your major in college? Did you take any journalism classes?
BL: I was an American History major. I went to a liberal arts college, meaning the school does not have career-oriented classes, so there were no journalism classes. My history classes required a lot of writing, and I took a few creative writing classes as electives.
Q: I want to make it to the AHL and I work hard at hockey everyday (Once and a while I take a break). What do you think is the most important thing to work on to make it to the AHL?
BL: I think the key to making it to the AHL is to play and watch as much hockey as you can. During weeks where we do not have games, a Penguins player will get up in front of the rest of the team and give his biography, telling teammates about his childhood and hockey experiences. Guys on the team grew up in all different parts of North America, but every player shared the common childhood pastime of playing hockey. Whether their parents ran the outdoor rink or they lived down the street from the town arena, everyone was always skating. My advice to you would be to play as much hockey as you possibly can. Hockey was (and still is) fun for us growing up. Keep playing as much as you can, and you will be successful.
BL: Nope, thank God. I have an e-mail list of friends from home and college to whom I send my columns. A friend from college is a rookie playing for the Lake Erie Monsters, and when he read my column about the fines, he was shocked. Apparently they do not have fines…
Q: Where do some of the guys go to unwind?
BL: We spend a lot of time at the Arena Bar and Grill in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The people who run the restaurant treat the players on the team very well. We also play a lot of ping-pong, and spend a fair amount of time bowling. Personally, I unwind in Ryan Lannon’s basement, locked in the dark, watching television by myself.
Q: Can we have more Q & A’s with teammates?
BL: Sure, whom do you want me to interview?
Q: When you finally score a goal, I really think you should throw down your stick and gloves, get a little bit of speed, and do a belly slide at center ice.
BL: Let’s worry about me scoring first.
Q: What was your major in college? Did you take any journalism classes?
BL: I was an American History major. I went to a liberal arts college, meaning the school does not have career-oriented classes, so there were no journalism classes. My history classes required a lot of writing, and I took a few creative writing classes as electives.
Q: I want to make it to the AHL and I work hard at hockey everyday (Once and a while I take a break). What do you think is the most important thing to work on to make it to the AHL?
BL: I think the key to making it to the AHL is to play and watch as much hockey as you can. During weeks where we do not have games, a Penguins player will get up in front of the rest of the team and give his biography, telling teammates about his childhood and hockey experiences. Guys on the team grew up in all different parts of North America, but every player shared the common childhood pastime of playing hockey. Whether their parents ran the outdoor rink or they lived down the street from the town arena, everyone was always skating. My advice to you would be to play as much hockey as you possibly can. Hockey was (and still is) fun for us growing up. Keep playing as much as you can, and you will be successful.
10 Things I Think I Think
10 Things I think I think:
1.) I think Joe Jensen will have a nice mustache really soon… Glad you’re back, Joe. (We all know there is no way Joe is going to shave).
2.) I think Jeff Taffe’s mustache would have kept his upper lip lips nice and warm during the Winter Classic in Buffalo. Too bad he shaved it – he’s going to owe the boys some good cash if he ever returns to Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
3.) Since Lannon was called “up,” the house has been a mess. On the surface, the house is just dirty, but on a deeper level, the real problem is that we lost our leader. Dinner isn’t the same, TV time is a lot less fun, and the annual Rookie Party lacked a ringleader. Our house is obviously excited Lannon is “up,” but the three of us are struggling without him.
4.) I think Tim Wallace won the race to see who would get their “first” of the year.
5.) I think this made me laugh when I read it, “Governor Jim Doyle released the following statement today regarding Brett Favre’s return to the Green Bay Packers for a 15th season.
“In a franchise rich with history and heroes, Brett Favre has already secured his place as one of the greatest players to ever wear the green and gold. After much anticipation, I am thrilled that he will return for another season.”
I would think the Governor of Wisconsin would have many more important things to release statements about.
6.) I think www.RyanLannon.com needs a lot of work.
7.) I think the reason I never talk about Chris Minard in my column is because we do not hang out away from the rink. We are great friends in the locker room, but away from the rink he is always paling around with Nathan Smith.
8.) I think Bill Belichick is just smarter than everyone else. In a town like Boston with rabid fans, knowledgeable sports media, and omnipresent talk radio - a place where Grady Little was fired for leaving Pedro in for one too many batters (in fairness, Aaron Boone did hit a huge home run during that at bat), no one ever questions anything Belichick does. He’s just smarter than every other coach or manager.
9.) I think the Dartmouth Big Green hockey team is going to ride a strong second half of the year to make some noise in the ECAC tournament. They are currently 7-8-1 overall and 3-7-1 in the league, but I have a feeling that veteran defenseman Will Boardman’s back is strong enough to carry this team in their stretch run.
10) I think I like my chances in a Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning match up. Could not watch the game because we were playing in Hershey, but watches the highlights on the NFL Network. Tom Brady did not bring his A game and we were still able to win by nine. What are the chances Brady isn’t on fire February 3rd? What are the chances Eli plays well for the fourth time in four games?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
A Dinner Table Discussion...
In last weeks column I “interviewed” Alex Goligoski. The truth is, Alex was not actually interviewed, I made up his answers. Sorry. This week at dinner we came up with an idea to help you get to know the four people who live in Ryan Lannon’s house. The other three guys actually wrote these too – I promise.
1.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Tim Wallace?
- Alex Goligoski: How cheap he is.
- Tim Wallace: No comment.
- Ryan Lannon: The complaining. He thinks he’s living at a hotel. If I had a complaint box outside my room for the tenants living in my house, Wally would have stuffed it by now.
- Ben Lovejoy: Wally is notorious for complimenting the meals he cooks. Throwing himself compliments like, “This is such a good salad man,” or “How good is this chicken I made man?”
2.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Alex Goligoski?
- Alex: He's the perfect roommate, friend, and tenant.
- Tim: When he tries to clear his throat at approximately 10:26pm. Every night for a solid five minutes.
- Ryan: He leaves empty bottles all over the house.
- Ben: When he clears his throat.
3.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Ryan Lannon?
- Alex: When he asks me for my rent check.
- Tim: His infatuation with David Beckham and Steve Prefontaine gets a little old at times. His new hair due each week and late night jogs in green shoes really annoy me.
- Ryan: There is nothing annoying about Ryan Lannon.
- Ben: He’s a slumlord. Our washing machine broke before Thanksgiving and he still hasn’t gotten it fixed. If anyone can help us fix the washing machine, please e-mail me at LannonFan2@gmail.com.
4.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Ben Lovejoy?
- Alex: The undeserved fame that he has got from this column.
- Tim: Ben Lovejoy lives in this house?
- Ryan: Every night he walks upstairs and asks me what time practice is the next day.
- Ben: That he has not scored a goal all season.
5.) What is your favorite thing about living with Tim Wallace?
- Alex: His meals are great. Seeing him squirm when I'm up by a goal in the third period of NHL 2008.
- Tim: He makes sure the HD is always working properly.
- Ryan: He’s pretty good at the guitar. And when he’s singing he thinks he sounds like Louis Armstrong – it is pretty funny.
- Ben: Listening to him complain to Lannon about problems with the house.
6.) What is your favorite thing about living with Alex Goligoski?
- Alex: He's a very generous and selfless person to his roommates.
- Tim: He is fun to beat in NHL 08 on Playstation.
- Ryan: I like saying, “The goose man.” And he looks like my polish grandpa.
- Ben: He loves making fun of Wally.
7.) What is your favorite thing about living with Ryan Lannon?
- Alex: His stories at the dinner table, they are usually too inappropriate for me to mention in a newspaper column.
- Tim: As metro sexual as he is, he does a pretty good job in keeping the house clean…
- Ryan: Tough call.
- Ben: He gives me half of my material for my columns.
8.) What is your favorite thing about living with Ben Lovejoy?
- Alex: Seeing him load his body with more vitamins than any normal human being could handle.
- Tim: Ben Lovejoy lives here?
- Ryan: He has made me famous in his newspaper columns.
- Ben: His ability to entertain me all day long.
9.) If you were to compare Ryan Lannon to someone famous, who would it be?
- Alex: A toss-up between Colin Farrell and Charlie Sheen.
- Tim: Bret Michaels
- Ryan: David Beckham
- Ben: Michael Scofield from Prison Break. But seriously, he’s in the NHL, can he get any more famous?
10.) What is the highlight of Tim Wallace's day?
- Alex: Text-messaging and driving his Volvo.
- Tim: Driving my Volvo
- Ryan: Any time he spends in his Volvo.
- Ben: He loves his Volvo.
12.) What would be Alex Goligoski be doing if he wasn't playing pro hockey?
- Alex: Be back in Minnesota going to school for 6-8 more years.
- Tim: A professional tailgater at Packers football games.
- Ryan: A professional spring breaker.
- Ben: He would be a senior at St. Cloud State University (Joe Jensen’s alma mater) because he would have been denied admission to the University of Minnesota.
13.) If you could cast your three roommates in a reality show, which one would they be best?
Alex: Lannon would be on The Bachelor looking to find love, but would end up unsuccessful...He would, however, have the best time of his life. Wally would be on Survivor: Alaskan Tundra. He would win the million dollars and spend all the money on Volvo cars and blu-ray DVD rentals. Ben would be on Intervention, curing his addiction for orange Vitamin Water.
- Tim: Lovejoy in Survivor, he could just go in the woods and hide. Lannon in Real World, he would speak his mind, which would be great. Goli in So You Think You Can Dance.
- Ryan: Wally would be on Pimp my Ride. First, How sweet would his pimped out Volvo be? Secondly, I would love to see Xzibit grab Wally’s shirt and say, “You’ve been pimped.” Lovejoy would be on Temptation Island, only instead of girls we would tempt him with some of his many food addictions… Goose wouldn’t be on a reality show, I however would have loved to have seen him cast as an extra in the movie Fargo. You know the part when they are at the truck stop in Bemidji, Minnesota with the huge statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe, his huge blue ox. It would have been funny to see Goose there.
- Ben: Tim Wallace would be on The Ultimate Fighter. Their website brags that participants have voluntarily withdrawn or expressed the desire to withdraw from the show due to competitive pressure. Wally loves to wrestle. He would do well. Goligoski would be on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Lannon would be on VH1’s The Pick-Up Artist.
14.) Who would you call the worst roommate?
- Alex: I have a feeling I'm going to be the common answer for this question…reality hurts. But I will go with Wally just because I'm positive he will say me.
- Tim: Bad question.
- Ryan: Lovejoy, he’s a hermit.
- Ben: Lannon
1.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Tim Wallace?
- Alex Goligoski: How cheap he is.
- Tim Wallace: No comment.
- Ryan Lannon: The complaining. He thinks he’s living at a hotel. If I had a complaint box outside my room for the tenants living in my house, Wally would have stuffed it by now.
- Ben Lovejoy: Wally is notorious for complimenting the meals he cooks. Throwing himself compliments like, “This is such a good salad man,” or “How good is this chicken I made man?”
2.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Alex Goligoski?
- Alex: He's the perfect roommate, friend, and tenant.
- Tim: When he tries to clear his throat at approximately 10:26pm. Every night for a solid five minutes.
- Ryan: He leaves empty bottles all over the house.
- Ben: When he clears his throat.
3.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Ryan Lannon?
- Alex: When he asks me for my rent check.
- Tim: His infatuation with David Beckham and Steve Prefontaine gets a little old at times. His new hair due each week and late night jogs in green shoes really annoy me.
- Ryan: There is nothing annoying about Ryan Lannon.
- Ben: He’s a slumlord. Our washing machine broke before Thanksgiving and he still hasn’t gotten it fixed. If anyone can help us fix the washing machine, please e-mail me at LannonFan2@gmail.com.
4.) What is the most annoying thing about living with Ben Lovejoy?
- Alex: The undeserved fame that he has got from this column.
- Tim: Ben Lovejoy lives in this house?
- Ryan: Every night he walks upstairs and asks me what time practice is the next day.
- Ben: That he has not scored a goal all season.
5.) What is your favorite thing about living with Tim Wallace?
- Alex: His meals are great. Seeing him squirm when I'm up by a goal in the third period of NHL 2008.
- Tim: He makes sure the HD is always working properly.
- Ryan: He’s pretty good at the guitar. And when he’s singing he thinks he sounds like Louis Armstrong – it is pretty funny.
- Ben: Listening to him complain to Lannon about problems with the house.
6.) What is your favorite thing about living with Alex Goligoski?
- Alex: He's a very generous and selfless person to his roommates.
- Tim: He is fun to beat in NHL 08 on Playstation.
- Ryan: I like saying, “The goose man.” And he looks like my polish grandpa.
- Ben: He loves making fun of Wally.
7.) What is your favorite thing about living with Ryan Lannon?
- Alex: His stories at the dinner table, they are usually too inappropriate for me to mention in a newspaper column.
- Tim: As metro sexual as he is, he does a pretty good job in keeping the house clean…
- Ryan: Tough call.
- Ben: He gives me half of my material for my columns.
8.) What is your favorite thing about living with Ben Lovejoy?
- Alex: Seeing him load his body with more vitamins than any normal human being could handle.
- Tim: Ben Lovejoy lives here?
- Ryan: He has made me famous in his newspaper columns.
- Ben: His ability to entertain me all day long.
9.) If you were to compare Ryan Lannon to someone famous, who would it be?
- Alex: A toss-up between Colin Farrell and Charlie Sheen.
- Tim: Bret Michaels
- Ryan: David Beckham
- Ben: Michael Scofield from Prison Break. But seriously, he’s in the NHL, can he get any more famous?
10.) What is the highlight of Tim Wallace's day?
- Alex: Text-messaging and driving his Volvo.
- Tim: Driving my Volvo
- Ryan: Any time he spends in his Volvo.
- Ben: He loves his Volvo.
12.) What would be Alex Goligoski be doing if he wasn't playing pro hockey?
- Alex: Be back in Minnesota going to school for 6-8 more years.
- Tim: A professional tailgater at Packers football games.
- Ryan: A professional spring breaker.
- Ben: He would be a senior at St. Cloud State University (Joe Jensen’s alma mater) because he would have been denied admission to the University of Minnesota.
13.) If you could cast your three roommates in a reality show, which one would they be best?
Alex: Lannon would be on The Bachelor looking to find love, but would end up unsuccessful...He would, however, have the best time of his life. Wally would be on Survivor: Alaskan Tundra. He would win the million dollars and spend all the money on Volvo cars and blu-ray DVD rentals. Ben would be on Intervention, curing his addiction for orange Vitamin Water.
- Tim: Lovejoy in Survivor, he could just go in the woods and hide. Lannon in Real World, he would speak his mind, which would be great. Goli in So You Think You Can Dance.
- Ryan: Wally would be on Pimp my Ride. First, How sweet would his pimped out Volvo be? Secondly, I would love to see Xzibit grab Wally’s shirt and say, “You’ve been pimped.” Lovejoy would be on Temptation Island, only instead of girls we would tempt him with some of his many food addictions… Goose wouldn’t be on a reality show, I however would have loved to have seen him cast as an extra in the movie Fargo. You know the part when they are at the truck stop in Bemidji, Minnesota with the huge statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe, his huge blue ox. It would have been funny to see Goose there.
- Ben: Tim Wallace would be on The Ultimate Fighter. Their website brags that participants have voluntarily withdrawn or expressed the desire to withdraw from the show due to competitive pressure. Wally loves to wrestle. He would do well. Goligoski would be on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Lannon would be on VH1’s The Pick-Up Artist.
14.) Who would you call the worst roommate?
- Alex: I have a feeling I'm going to be the common answer for this question…reality hurts. But I will go with Wally just because I'm positive he will say me.
- Tim: Bad question.
- Ryan: Lovejoy, he’s a hermit.
- Ben: Lannon
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The Road Trip
We were supposed to leave Thursday after practice for a road trip playing games in Worcester, Ma, Glens Falls, NY, and Philadelphia, Pa. Anytime you play three games in three days, you are going to expect to be tired by the end. By then end of this trip I was exhausted. Over the course or 60 hours, the Penguins spent 16 hours on the bus and played three games. Luckily, we also decided to play well. After our Thursday practice we had a team meeting where our coaches had made the decision with the help of the bus driver that there was too much snow on the roads for us to make the four hour trip to Worcester, Massachusetts. Instead, it was decided that we would leave the next morning at six AM, so we would pull into Worcester just in time for pregame skate at 11:15. Not an ideal situation, but one we were forced to deal with. I got to see my parents at the game, I’m pretty sure they have yet to see me play well. We lost the game in a shootout, and the team definitely did not play as well as we could have.
Right after the game we got on the bus and drove four hours to Glens Fall, NY watching Superbad, twice. We arrived at about 2 am and immediately went to bed. We stayed at an Inn that looks like every grandmothers house I have ever been too. It was a quaint inn in a pretty nice area right on the outskirts of the Adirondack Mountains (so I hear, I did not get out of bed until noon and never left the hotel). We played Albany that night and came out flying. Filewich started us off with two goals and we played really well the whole game. If we played like that every night we would be in first place.
We were supposed to return to Wilkes-Barre for the night and then leave for Philadelphia the next day. With the threat of snow (that never came), our team drove five and half hours from Glens Falls, NY all the way to Philadelphia watching classic movies like Anchorman and Top Gun. Goligoski had never seen Top Gun, and it was fun to be reminded of how cool Tom Cruise used to be before scientology. We will definitely be watching Cocktail on the next road trip. The Phantoms are the best team in our division and we know playing them is going to be tough every time. They are fast, skilled, and have a great goalie. Coach reminds us of this as we are walking into the hotel, he wishes us a goodnight and asks us to think about what each of us, as individuals need to do in our game tomorrow to be successful. We are handed our keys and again went right to sleep. The next morning we rendezvous in the lobby for a team breakfast and head back to sleep. Actually, most of us go to sleep, I went and watched the first half of the Patriots-Jets game before heading to the Spectrum for a five o’clock game. We won 3-2, scoring the game winner with 1:09 left in the game.
Happy Holidays,
Ben
Right after the game we got on the bus and drove four hours to Glens Fall, NY watching Superbad, twice. We arrived at about 2 am and immediately went to bed. We stayed at an Inn that looks like every grandmothers house I have ever been too. It was a quaint inn in a pretty nice area right on the outskirts of the Adirondack Mountains (so I hear, I did not get out of bed until noon and never left the hotel). We played Albany that night and came out flying. Filewich started us off with two goals and we played really well the whole game. If we played like that every night we would be in first place.
We were supposed to return to Wilkes-Barre for the night and then leave for Philadelphia the next day. With the threat of snow (that never came), our team drove five and half hours from Glens Falls, NY all the way to Philadelphia watching classic movies like Anchorman and Top Gun. Goligoski had never seen Top Gun, and it was fun to be reminded of how cool Tom Cruise used to be before scientology. We will definitely be watching Cocktail on the next road trip. The Phantoms are the best team in our division and we know playing them is going to be tough every time. They are fast, skilled, and have a great goalie. Coach reminds us of this as we are walking into the hotel, he wishes us a goodnight and asks us to think about what each of us, as individuals need to do in our game tomorrow to be successful. We are handed our keys and again went right to sleep. The next morning we rendezvous in the lobby for a team breakfast and head back to sleep. Actually, most of us go to sleep, I went and watched the first half of the Patriots-Jets game before heading to the Spectrum for a five o’clock game. We won 3-2, scoring the game winner with 1:09 left in the game.
Happy Holidays,
Ben
Q & A With Alex Goligoski
Ben: Tell me about your heated NHL 08 rivalry with your roommate Tim Wallace.
Alex: Every month we have a bet playing the game. We tally up the total amount of games played, and each month the loser has to buy the winner a “Blue Ray DVD” and dinner. Last month I won 208-201.
Ben: That’s a lot of video games, do you do anything else?
Alex: No, that’s why the games are so heated and you can hear us yelling at each other throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Ben: Do you miss having Kris Letang following your every move and wanting to hang out with you?
Alex: Ha. When Kris was here he was more or less my little brother. Lets just say he lacked some skills that one needs to live away from home. When we first came to camp, he didn’t have a car, a license, or the ability to function without first asking me if it was ok. After a while he began to ask Tim Brent a lot of questions too, but I definitely miss Kris and it was hard to see him go.
Ben: Who do you think will get in a fight first, Tim Wallace, Ben Lovejoy, or Alex Goligoski?
Alex: Well Wallace has definitely had the most opportunities to fight this year because he pisses the most people off. You are a wimp. And I’m just waiting for the ideal match up. My partner Derek Engelland has been teaching me some moves, so I think I will definitely be the first one.
Ben: What is your prediction for the Packers this post season?
Alex: Well this season has certainly been a pleasant surprise. I mean, if you had told me at the start of the season that we were going to be 12-3 and that Brett Favre was going to look like the second coming of Tom Brady (except of course not being nearly as good looking) I would have obviously believed you because I am an irrational Packers fan who thinks Favre is god. But seriously, I think the Packers will go into Dallas in the NFC championship game and barely beat the Cowboys, and then head to the Superbowl and ruin the Pats perfect season. At this time, most quarterbacks would ride off into the sunset John Elway style. Not Favre. Brett is going to play at least seven or eight more years.
Ben: What is it like sharing a house with Ryan Lannon?
Alex: The opportunity to live next door to Ryan Lannon pretty much sealed the deal for me to leave the University of Minnesota early and sign a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. As a young kid growing up in Minnesota I used to hear stories of this legendary kid from Massachusetts and knew that when I was given the opportunity to live in the same house as Lannon the opportunity was too good to pass up. I mean, college was a fun time, but living with Lannon has been like college times ten.
Ben: Your cooking has definitely improved; can you give us your secrets to success?
Alex: It has been just like hockey for me. I have really tried to work on my mental preparation during practice, which has lead to better execution during the meal. At first I was far too casual and this led to me not being as successful as I would have liked, but over time I feel my cooking is definitely the most improved and as a team we are definitely seeing results.
Ben: Do you realize that when all of the WBS Penguins Jersey’s were auctioned off on ebay yours won? What do you attribute this too?
Alex: First, you act like you are surprised? Second, now that Joe Jensen is gone I am the best ping-pong player on the team. Third, I actually bought it and wear it to bed.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me at LannonFan2@gmail.com
Alex: Every month we have a bet playing the game. We tally up the total amount of games played, and each month the loser has to buy the winner a “Blue Ray DVD” and dinner. Last month I won 208-201.
Ben: That’s a lot of video games, do you do anything else?
Alex: No, that’s why the games are so heated and you can hear us yelling at each other throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Ben: Do you miss having Kris Letang following your every move and wanting to hang out with you?
Alex: Ha. When Kris was here he was more or less my little brother. Lets just say he lacked some skills that one needs to live away from home. When we first came to camp, he didn’t have a car, a license, or the ability to function without first asking me if it was ok. After a while he began to ask Tim Brent a lot of questions too, but I definitely miss Kris and it was hard to see him go.
Ben: Who do you think will get in a fight first, Tim Wallace, Ben Lovejoy, or Alex Goligoski?
Alex: Well Wallace has definitely had the most opportunities to fight this year because he pisses the most people off. You are a wimp. And I’m just waiting for the ideal match up. My partner Derek Engelland has been teaching me some moves, so I think I will definitely be the first one.
Ben: What is your prediction for the Packers this post season?
Alex: Well this season has certainly been a pleasant surprise. I mean, if you had told me at the start of the season that we were going to be 12-3 and that Brett Favre was going to look like the second coming of Tom Brady (except of course not being nearly as good looking) I would have obviously believed you because I am an irrational Packers fan who thinks Favre is god. But seriously, I think the Packers will go into Dallas in the NFC championship game and barely beat the Cowboys, and then head to the Superbowl and ruin the Pats perfect season. At this time, most quarterbacks would ride off into the sunset John Elway style. Not Favre. Brett is going to play at least seven or eight more years.
Ben: What is it like sharing a house with Ryan Lannon?
Alex: The opportunity to live next door to Ryan Lannon pretty much sealed the deal for me to leave the University of Minnesota early and sign a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. As a young kid growing up in Minnesota I used to hear stories of this legendary kid from Massachusetts and knew that when I was given the opportunity to live in the same house as Lannon the opportunity was too good to pass up. I mean, college was a fun time, but living with Lannon has been like college times ten.
Ben: Your cooking has definitely improved; can you give us your secrets to success?
Alex: It has been just like hockey for me. I have really tried to work on my mental preparation during practice, which has lead to better execution during the meal. At first I was far too casual and this led to me not being as successful as I would have liked, but over time I feel my cooking is definitely the most improved and as a team we are definitely seeing results.
Ben: Do you realize that when all of the WBS Penguins Jersey’s were auctioned off on ebay yours won? What do you attribute this too?
Alex: First, you act like you are surprised? Second, now that Joe Jensen is gone I am the best ping-pong player on the team. Third, I actually bought it and wear it to bed.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me at LannonFan2@gmail.com
Mailbag
Whenever I run into people around Wilkes-Barre, I am often asked questions about both the Penguins and my column in the Weekender. Over the past few weeks I have invited readers to email me and promised them that I would do my best to answer their questions in an upcoming “Mailbag” edition. Here’s what’s on the minds of our fans:
Q: Are you predicting a New England Patriots Super Bowl game?
BL: Did you watch the game against the Steelers?
Q: Is there a team fine for a player “adjusting himself” during a game?
BL: Thankfully, no. I think we would run out of money from all the fines.
Q: I was thinking maybe you should start a "Blueline Diaries Myspace." That way, the readers can post comments and maybe get some replies back from you.
BL: First off, the name “Blueline Diaries” was not my idea. I’m not crazy about the name of my column, but I guess that’s life. To answer your question, I have never gotten into Myspace. I was a freshman in college when facebook.com became popular among students. It started as just a Harvard thing, and then it gradually expanded to other colleges, then to high schools, and now to anyone who owns a computer. I was always a bit creeped out at how easily anyone in the world could visit a Myspace page, and how personal the pages became. I guess that kind of turned me off to Myspace, and I have never been back.
Q: Does Alex miss being my big brother? – Kris from Montreal
Q: Can you tell your readers some detailed stories about your road trips?
BL: I am saving my stories for a future column, so I’ll have to keep you in suspense for now. I clearly had had too many other good ideas for columns, like Mustache Boy, that needed addressing before I get to our road trips.
Q: What would you be doing if you weren't playing hockey?
BL: My plan is to play another 15 years for the Wilkes-Barre Penguins, then retire and work at Dennis Bonvie’s Bar and Grill. I would hope that by then I would have half the fans he does. The man is a hockey icon. While I was a healthy scratch at a recent game in Hamilton, every person in the crowd needed to talk to Bones. Each fan knew exactly how many kids he had, and they all wanted to know how his wife was. I was baffled. Bonvie played just two seasons in Hamilton, and that was ten years ago, and he was still being fawned over by adoring fans. Amazing.
Q: I was just wondering how you got stuck in the basement?
BL: I was one of the last players on the Penguins to be told that he had made the team and that it was safe, therefore, to get an apartment. Everyone else had already found a place to live, so I was hunting for an apartment by myself. I had found this tiny one bedroom studio and was about to sign the lease when Lannon heard and offered me his basement. I actually love it. I get to live with guys from the team, and I have my own finished basement with a bathroom. It has been great for me – I’m a basement kind of guy.
Q: What's it like living with the legend that is Ryan Lannon?
BL: Wouldn’t you like to know?
Q: I am a season ticket holder with the Penguins and I refer to the team as “we, us, etc." For example, I say things like "We beat Hershey over the weekend” and “Bridgeport is so bad, there’s no way they are going to beat us this year”. What do you, as a player, think of fans who refer to the team as if they were on it? – Jason
BL: Great question. If I’m not mistaken, this is the ninth season that the Penguins have been playing in Wilkes-Barre. As fans, many of you have lived and died with the successes and failures that previous Penguins teams have experienced. Through the winning and losing, the fans of Wilkes-Barre have loved their Penguins for the past nine years. As for me, I have only been a Penguin’s player for 25 or so games. My teammates and I would be foolish to think that we are the only ones who are affected by how the “our” team fairs. Because of this, I have no problem with you saying “we”,
Q: Does your coach read over what you write?
BL: Yes. He reads the articles after they have been published. I send drafts of my articles to a bunch of my friends from college prior to my submitting them to the paper, just to make sure that they like them- and to make sure they make sense. I then email the articles to Brian Coe, and he makes sure they are appropriate and in good taste.
Q: I am a very loyal Hershey Bears fan, but when I read theahl.com piece on your articles, your humor, and the fact you love Hershey candy bars, caught my attention. What age did you start playing hockey and what would you be doing if you weren't playing hockey?" Jen from Mechanicsburg, PA
BL: Wow, a polite question coming from a Hershey fan. I didn’t realize Hershey fans could express themselves without using expletives, actually that’s not fair, for the only time I have ever heard Hershey fans speak is when they are screaming back and forth with Bonvie during games… To answer your question, I started playing hockey when I was three or four years old. If I was not playing hockey, I would like to be a reality television star - preferably a contestant on I Love New York 3 or Shot at Love 2.
Q: Is Lannon single? – Shelly
BL: Dear Shelly,
Ryan is married and has three children.
Regards,
Ben
Q: Are you predicting a New England Patriots Super Bowl game?
BL: Did you watch the game against the Steelers?
Q: Is there a team fine for a player “adjusting himself” during a game?
BL: Thankfully, no. I think we would run out of money from all the fines.
Q: I was thinking maybe you should start a "Blueline Diaries Myspace." That way, the readers can post comments and maybe get some replies back from you.
BL: First off, the name “Blueline Diaries” was not my idea. I’m not crazy about the name of my column, but I guess that’s life. To answer your question, I have never gotten into Myspace. I was a freshman in college when facebook.com became popular among students. It started as just a Harvard thing, and then it gradually expanded to other colleges, then to high schools, and now to anyone who owns a computer. I was always a bit creeped out at how easily anyone in the world could visit a Myspace page, and how personal the pages became. I guess that kind of turned me off to Myspace, and I have never been back.
Q: Does Alex miss being my big brother? – Kris from Montreal
Q: Can you tell your readers some detailed stories about your road trips?
BL: I am saving my stories for a future column, so I’ll have to keep you in suspense for now. I clearly had had too many other good ideas for columns, like Mustache Boy, that needed addressing before I get to our road trips.
Q: What would you be doing if you weren't playing hockey?
BL: My plan is to play another 15 years for the Wilkes-Barre Penguins, then retire and work at Dennis Bonvie’s Bar and Grill. I would hope that by then I would have half the fans he does. The man is a hockey icon. While I was a healthy scratch at a recent game in Hamilton, every person in the crowd needed to talk to Bones. Each fan knew exactly how many kids he had, and they all wanted to know how his wife was. I was baffled. Bonvie played just two seasons in Hamilton, and that was ten years ago, and he was still being fawned over by adoring fans. Amazing.
Q: I was just wondering how you got stuck in the basement?
BL: I was one of the last players on the Penguins to be told that he had made the team and that it was safe, therefore, to get an apartment. Everyone else had already found a place to live, so I was hunting for an apartment by myself. I had found this tiny one bedroom studio and was about to sign the lease when Lannon heard and offered me his basement. I actually love it. I get to live with guys from the team, and I have my own finished basement with a bathroom. It has been great for me – I’m a basement kind of guy.
Q: What's it like living with the legend that is Ryan Lannon?
BL: Wouldn’t you like to know?
Q: I am a season ticket holder with the Penguins and I refer to the team as “we, us, etc." For example, I say things like "We beat Hershey over the weekend” and “Bridgeport is so bad, there’s no way they are going to beat us this year”. What do you, as a player, think of fans who refer to the team as if they were on it? – Jason
BL: Great question. If I’m not mistaken, this is the ninth season that the Penguins have been playing in Wilkes-Barre. As fans, many of you have lived and died with the successes and failures that previous Penguins teams have experienced. Through the winning and losing, the fans of Wilkes-Barre have loved their Penguins for the past nine years. As for me, I have only been a Penguin’s player for 25 or so games. My teammates and I would be foolish to think that we are the only ones who are affected by how the “our” team fairs. Because of this, I have no problem with you saying “we”,
Q: Does your coach read over what you write?
BL: Yes. He reads the articles after they have been published. I send drafts of my articles to a bunch of my friends from college prior to my submitting them to the paper, just to make sure that they like them- and to make sure they make sense. I then email the articles to Brian Coe, and he makes sure they are appropriate and in good taste.
Q: I am a very loyal Hershey Bears fan, but when I read theahl.com piece on your articles, your humor, and the fact you love Hershey candy bars, caught my attention. What age did you start playing hockey and what would you be doing if you weren't playing hockey?" Jen from Mechanicsburg, PA
BL: Wow, a polite question coming from a Hershey fan. I didn’t realize Hershey fans could express themselves without using expletives, actually that’s not fair, for the only time I have ever heard Hershey fans speak is when they are screaming back and forth with Bonvie during games… To answer your question, I started playing hockey when I was three or four years old. If I was not playing hockey, I would like to be a reality television star - preferably a contestant on I Love New York 3 or Shot at Love 2.
Q: Is Lannon single? – Shelly
BL: Dear Shelly,
Ryan is married and has three children.
Regards,
Ben
Friday, December 21, 2007
Mustache Boy
Blog #5: Mustache Boy
On the Penguins, the day before a game we always end practice by playing a game called “Juice Boy.” Juice Boy is a shootout where each player on the team goes in on a breakaway and tries to score. If you score, you are done and your practice is over. If you do not score, you have to go back to the end of the line and try again. This goes on until there is only one shooter left. This last shooter, named “Juice Boy,” has to fill up cups of Gatorade and place a cup in each player’s stall in the locker room. The game is meant to be fun and harmless, if you end up as the Juice Boy, you quickly fill up the cups and the game is forgotten. We have played the game about 22 times this year, and I cannot think of anyone who has been the Juice Boy more than once, but the last few shooters are usually the same. Lannon, Jensen, Bonvie, Byalsma, Lovejoy, and Goligoski can usually be found in the later rounds of the game, but, again, almost everyone has been the Juice Boy at one point during the season.
This past Monday, Juice Boy was taken to a whole new level. The game “Mustache Boy” was introduced to the Penguins when Ned Havern was called up from Wheeling. The game terrified me. Mustache Boy is played exactly like Juice Boy, but the loser of the game is forced to grow a mustache (only a mustache, all other facial hair must be shaved) for a whole month. The punishment for shaving one’s mustache: $500. This scared me. I am going home for Christmas in three weeks, the only time I am going home all year. I am going to see all my friends and family, and you can only imagine the look on my mother’s face when I would have to tell her that I am sporting a mustache for the holidays. But I had no choice; I would have to will myself to score a goal. Unfortunately, goal scoring has never come easily to me – so I was in trouble.
We start the game like any other. About half the team scores on the first time through. I shot high glove, Conklin made a pretty easy save. The second time through five more players score, and still no goal for me. So there are seven guys left. Lannon, Lovejoy, Goligoski, Taffe, Stone, Filewich, and Wally. I am thinking to myself, “Okay Ben, be calm. Taffe, Filly, and Stone are going to score, but I still have Lannon, Golly, and Wally – I can beat them.” I’m also thinking to myself, “It wouldn’t surprise me that if I do go home with a mustache, my mom might pay the $500 fine just so I won’t have a gross looking mustache during the holidays.” But I try to get that out of my head, and think of how I’m going to score.
After three more rounds, there were three players left. Ryan Stone, a power forward with a scoring touch, Jeff Taffe, our best shootout guy, and myself, a guy who has scored ten goals in his last six seasons. I am thinking that I may be a bit overmatched, and the hair follicles above my lip begin to tingle. Four more rounds of shooting go by, and no one is able to score. Then it happened. I skate in for the fifth round and begin to make my move. The past couple of rounds, I have tried to fake a shot and go to my backhand. This time, instead of faking my shot, I snapped the puck low blocker, just barely beating John Curry. I skate down the ice wildly celebrating while thinking to myself that this is the biggest goal I have scored since playing in high school.
I will not tell you who lost Mustache Boy, but I will say that if you see Jeff Taffe around January 1, he is going to be sporting a mean looking mustache.
On the Penguins, the day before a game we always end practice by playing a game called “Juice Boy.” Juice Boy is a shootout where each player on the team goes in on a breakaway and tries to score. If you score, you are done and your practice is over. If you do not score, you have to go back to the end of the line and try again. This goes on until there is only one shooter left. This last shooter, named “Juice Boy,” has to fill up cups of Gatorade and place a cup in each player’s stall in the locker room. The game is meant to be fun and harmless, if you end up as the Juice Boy, you quickly fill up the cups and the game is forgotten. We have played the game about 22 times this year, and I cannot think of anyone who has been the Juice Boy more than once, but the last few shooters are usually the same. Lannon, Jensen, Bonvie, Byalsma, Lovejoy, and Goligoski can usually be found in the later rounds of the game, but, again, almost everyone has been the Juice Boy at one point during the season.
This past Monday, Juice Boy was taken to a whole new level. The game “Mustache Boy” was introduced to the Penguins when Ned Havern was called up from Wheeling. The game terrified me. Mustache Boy is played exactly like Juice Boy, but the loser of the game is forced to grow a mustache (only a mustache, all other facial hair must be shaved) for a whole month. The punishment for shaving one’s mustache: $500. This scared me. I am going home for Christmas in three weeks, the only time I am going home all year. I am going to see all my friends and family, and you can only imagine the look on my mother’s face when I would have to tell her that I am sporting a mustache for the holidays. But I had no choice; I would have to will myself to score a goal. Unfortunately, goal scoring has never come easily to me – so I was in trouble.
We start the game like any other. About half the team scores on the first time through. I shot high glove, Conklin made a pretty easy save. The second time through five more players score, and still no goal for me. So there are seven guys left. Lannon, Lovejoy, Goligoski, Taffe, Stone, Filewich, and Wally. I am thinking to myself, “Okay Ben, be calm. Taffe, Filly, and Stone are going to score, but I still have Lannon, Golly, and Wally – I can beat them.” I’m also thinking to myself, “It wouldn’t surprise me that if I do go home with a mustache, my mom might pay the $500 fine just so I won’t have a gross looking mustache during the holidays.” But I try to get that out of my head, and think of how I’m going to score.
After three more rounds, there were three players left. Ryan Stone, a power forward with a scoring touch, Jeff Taffe, our best shootout guy, and myself, a guy who has scored ten goals in his last six seasons. I am thinking that I may be a bit overmatched, and the hair follicles above my lip begin to tingle. Four more rounds of shooting go by, and no one is able to score. Then it happened. I skate in for the fifth round and begin to make my move. The past couple of rounds, I have tried to fake a shot and go to my backhand. This time, instead of faking my shot, I snapped the puck low blocker, just barely beating John Curry. I skate down the ice wildly celebrating while thinking to myself that this is the biggest goal I have scored since playing in high school.
I will not tell you who lost Mustache Boy, but I will say that if you see Jeff Taffe around January 1, he is going to be sporting a mean looking mustache.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
15 Things I Think
Peter King, an excellent football writer for sportsillustrated.com publishes a column every week called "Monday Morning Quarterback." He has a segment where he writes about his opinions of what is going on in the NFL and also things that are going on in everyday life. I figured I would write something similar.
1. I think the line at Wegman's for deli meats takes forever. Great food, really long lines.
2. I think there are two large banners at the Wachovia Arena that say "I Heart Lannon." I think I have none. Is this fair?
3. I think six-hour bus rides are really uncomfortable. The trip to Hamilton was a lot of driving on the bus.
4. I think if I were Hank Steinbrenner, I would go on ESPN and publicly tell Johan Santana that I will pay him 30 million dollars a year if he declines all trade requests and waits for free agency. Win-win for everyone. Santana gets his money, and the Yanks get to keep their prospects.
5. I think I was wrong about my prediction Randy Moss would score four touchdowns against the Eagles. I have to give the Eagles credit, they played the Pats tough. But great teams find ways to win. Lito Shepherd did a great job on Moss. Wes Welker is a stud. Would anyone in the world not trade their life for Tom Brady's?
6. I think Bill Simmons was correct when he wrong about Randy Moss only being under contract with the Patriots until the end of the year. "If I had to bet on it, I'd say that Randy Moss is one and done - they caught him at the perfect point. He's playing for a new contract, he's getting tons of attention, he loves playing on a great team and playing with Brady. The way it's turned out, it's been like a phenomenal run at the blackjack table. After the season, I think they should just color up, take their money, and wish him the best. Unless he's willing to play for less than he is worth."
7. I think Friday Night Lights may be my favorite show on television right now. Watched the first season in three days. It's on every Friday night; you won't be disappointed.
8. I think Dennis Bonvie should run for mayor of Wilkes Barre once he retires. Who wouldn't vote for him? I also think he should open up a sports bar in the vacant lot right next to the Wachovia Arena.
9. I think my prep school hockey team ended Ryan Lannon's prep school hockey team in the Semi-Finals of the New England Prep School Tournament. He got me back in college; Lannnon's Harvard crushed my Dartmouth teams many times. Lannon: 3 wins, 1 tie. Lovejoy: 1 win, 1 tie. Now I live in his basement.
10. I think Goligoski and Wallace yell at each other while playing video games way too much.
11. I think Joe Jensen is the best ping-pong player on the team. (It pains me deeply to write something complementary about Jensen).
12. I think Brett Farve will start throwing with his left arm if his right shoulder is not healed by next weekend. All of Green Bay, and Alex Goligoski's hopes and dreams, took a huge tumble when Farve got hurt.
13. I think in a height contest between Brian Coe, Jim Britt, Steve Stuccio, and Connor James....they all lose.
14. I think it's funny that every fan looking to break the ice with Tim Wallace talks about Notre Dame's football team struggles.
15. I think my Celtics are 20-2 and need to stop playing their best three players so much. Ray Allen already looks tired and no one can play an entire season with the energy KG has started this season with.
If anyone has any questions or are interested in donating money toward helping me pay my fines, please contact me at LannonFan2@gmail.com
Creatures of Habit
In order to be a professional hockey player in the American Hockey League, a player must have had a pretty successful career growing up and progressing through the various stages of development. As a player, I have had 19 years of experience that tells me what has worked and what has not worked for me in the post. If I find something that has worked, I stick with it no what matter what it is. Some call it superstitious; I like to use the word work routine. I, along with the rest of my teammates, have a routine and I stick to it. I drive to the rink everyday the long way. I know its longer than the short way, but I learned the long way first and I've stuck with it. I tape my stick the same way. I eat the same thing before every game. I am constantly doing the same thing over and over, and I am not the only one who has this process.
A game at 11 o'clock in the morning messed with my routine. A typical game day goes like this: wake up, breakfast, pre-game skate, shower, pre-game meal, nap, drive the the rink, stretch, then its gametime. It is not possible to do this before an 11 a.m. game. As a creature of habit, I was completely thrown out of my comfort zone. Our hotel alarm went off at 7:50 a.m. In the hotel lobby we ate a quick pre-game breakfast. I wanted my typical pre-game chicken meal, but at 7:50 a.m. this wasn't available at the hotel's continental breakfast.
In the locker room, guys were completely disheveled. Nathan Smith put on half of his gear before realizing he hadn't taken his pre game shower. He took his gear off, showered, and started over. Derek Engalland was all messed up because he hadn't called his wife twelve times before the game. (Don't worry, they talked twice). John D'Aversa didn't even wake up until the third period; good thing he did, he scored his first professional goal.
The changes did not stop in the locker room. We came on the ice to 8,000 screaming grade school children from the local Philadelphia area. Fans are a welcome addition to the Spectrum, but as a player these fans were like no fan I had ever experienced. When Sponge Bob came on to the Jumbotron, it was the loudest crowd noise I had ever heard. When Soulja Boy's latest music single came through the speakers, everyone in the stands was dancing the exact way Soulja Boy does in his music video. When something great happened on the ice, other than a fight, there was silence. It was a wild experience. As you may have heard, we won the game 4-1. We left Philly just as I should have been settling in for my pre-game nap.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Fines
Fines:
The great Randy Moss once had a conversation with a reporter after being fined for mooning the Lambeau Field faithful that went something like this:
Reporter: "Do you ever get sick of paying all these fines?"
Randy Moss: "Ten grand ain't **** to Randy Moss."
Reporter: "But don't you get sick of writing out all the checks?"
Randy Moss: "When you're rich you don't write checks."
Reporter: "Then how do you pay for all these fines?"
Randy Moss: "Straight cash homie."
The not so great Joe Jensen responds to all his fines, “I don’t have any money.”
A little known culture of pro hockey is ‘putting money on the board.’ As a rookie, this concept was new to me. Coming from college where you are not paid (unless you played football or basketball) to play hockey, I had never seen this practiced.
In our locker room, there is a large, erasable board, where the coaches usually put pre-game info on the opposing teams. There is also a spot on the board reserved for our fines and ‘money on the board.’ This money goes toward team functions, and playing pro hockey you are forced to ‘put money on the board’ for almost everything.
You find out who your real friends are when it comes time to put money on the board. Jeff Taffe is notorious for ratting people out if they commit a fineable offense. Thinking about it, everyone from Minnesota likes to make it be known when an offense is committed.
First pro game: $100
First Game as a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin: $100
Girlfriend/Fiancé/Wife comes to the game from out of town: $100
Peeing in the Shower: $50
Rookies forgetting movies on the bus: $100
Falling down/Tripping during warm-ups: $50
Late to anything: $100
Defecating in the bathroom on the team bus: $200
Breaking a stick on purpose – (Also known as the Ty Conklin Rule): $100.
Dress code violation: $50
Playing a team you used to play for: $100
Getting sent down from the NHL: Depends how long you were up - but lets leave it at…a lot of money.
Parents come to the Game: $100. This drives me crazy. My parents have been to half the games. It’s costing me an arm and a leg.
In-laws: Lots.
Anytime Bonvie commits a fineable offense: Free. If we were playing monopoly Bonvie would be the bank. He is also the muscle to collect on these fines. He sets days up where if you haven’t paid your fines, the money you owe is doubled. This is also his second source of income. He gets skim off the top to pay for expenses like Christmas presents for his children, mortgages for his house, and food at home, etc.
Collection of these fines is a pretty funny scene. Kris Letang used to try to argue his way out of everything, ditto for Joe Jensen. Last year Tim Wallace paid a fine using a check from his parents. If my parents keep coming to games I may tell them to start bringing their checkbooks, too.
So while Randy Moss may be able to do whatever he wants (including maybe four touchdowns this Sunday night against the Eagles?), players on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have to be careful what they do, and who’s watching them do it.
For an upcoming column I am going to write, I am going answer questions from people who send me e-mails. If you have any questions you would like answered please write to LannonFan2@gmail.com
The great Randy Moss once had a conversation with a reporter after being fined for mooning the Lambeau Field faithful that went something like this:
Reporter: "Do you ever get sick of paying all these fines?"
Randy Moss: "Ten grand ain't **** to Randy Moss."
Reporter: "But don't you get sick of writing out all the checks?"
Randy Moss: "When you're rich you don't write checks."
Reporter: "Then how do you pay for all these fines?"
Randy Moss: "Straight cash homie."
The not so great Joe Jensen responds to all his fines, “I don’t have any money.”
A little known culture of pro hockey is ‘putting money on the board.’ As a rookie, this concept was new to me. Coming from college where you are not paid (unless you played football or basketball) to play hockey, I had never seen this practiced.
In our locker room, there is a large, erasable board, where the coaches usually put pre-game info on the opposing teams. There is also a spot on the board reserved for our fines and ‘money on the board.’ This money goes toward team functions, and playing pro hockey you are forced to ‘put money on the board’ for almost everything.
You find out who your real friends are when it comes time to put money on the board. Jeff Taffe is notorious for ratting people out if they commit a fineable offense. Thinking about it, everyone from Minnesota likes to make it be known when an offense is committed.
First pro game: $100
First Game as a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin: $100
Girlfriend/Fiancé/Wife comes to the game from out of town: $100
Peeing in the Shower: $50
Rookies forgetting movies on the bus: $100
Falling down/Tripping during warm-ups: $50
Late to anything: $100
Defecating in the bathroom on the team bus: $200
Breaking a stick on purpose – (Also known as the Ty Conklin Rule): $100.
Dress code violation: $50
Playing a team you used to play for: $100
Getting sent down from the NHL: Depends how long you were up - but lets leave it at…a lot of money.
Parents come to the Game: $100. This drives me crazy. My parents have been to half the games. It’s costing me an arm and a leg.
In-laws: Lots.
Anytime Bonvie commits a fineable offense: Free. If we were playing monopoly Bonvie would be the bank. He is also the muscle to collect on these fines. He sets days up where if you haven’t paid your fines, the money you owe is doubled. This is also his second source of income. He gets skim off the top to pay for expenses like Christmas presents for his children, mortgages for his house, and food at home, etc.
Collection of these fines is a pretty funny scene. Kris Letang used to try to argue his way out of everything, ditto for Joe Jensen. Last year Tim Wallace paid a fine using a check from his parents. If my parents keep coming to games I may tell them to start bringing their checkbooks, too.
So while Randy Moss may be able to do whatever he wants (including maybe four touchdowns this Sunday night against the Eagles?), players on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have to be careful what they do, and who’s watching them do it.
For an upcoming column I am going to write, I am going answer questions from people who send me e-mails. If you have any questions you would like answered please write to LannonFan2@gmail.com
Thursday, December 13, 2007
A Tuesday-Workday in the Life
I have been asked to write a short blog type column over the next couple of months in which I will give my readers some insight into the world of the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. As a rookie defenseman on the team, I have had to go through some fairly dramatic life changes adapting to professional hockey after my brief five-year stint in college. I thought it would be an appropriate way, therefore, to start my column with a Tuesday in the Life of Ben Lovejoy.
Tuesdays on the WBS Penguins are so-called “work days.” I find that interesting since I haven’t had a day on the WBS Penguins that hasn’t been a “work day.” That said, Tuesdays are the worst.
5:06am – Wake up and look at my alarm clock. I’m terrified to miss or be late for practice. I have been here for two months and it’s still the same. I set three alarms before I go to bed. Being late is a $100 fine, and coach still scares me.
6:45am – Roll over and look at the clock again.
8:10am – 1st alarm goes off.
8:15am – 2nd and 3rd alarms go off.
8:23am – Quick breakfast of oatmeal and fruit smoothie. 20 minutes of breakfast in front of espn.com. Some people read the newspaper, I read espn.com. Religiously.
8:37am – Lanno, my roommate and landlord, walks downstairs. I am giving him a ride to McCarthy Tire to pick up his car. He had to get his winter tires put on his BMW. I wish I had a BMW.
8:42am – Arrive at the rink and quickly change into my workout gear. Workout for 25 minutes. Easy workout today. Just abs. I wish I had nice abs.
9:20am – Our trainer, Patrick Steidle gives me some wrist exercises. Both my wrists were injured in the first game and I’ve had them both x-rayed and MRI’d. Nothing is broken, but they still really hurt.
10:27am – Practice. As I mentioned earlier, Tuesdays are tough. I need to be ready physically and mentally for these days. Coach Richards loves his tough practices (and execution), but Tuesdays are especially grueling. I am wearing new skates. My feet hurt, but I have a pretty good day. That said, I am notorious for messing up drills. I am a bit of a space man, and just forget to do some things. I only mess up one drill today, so I had a good day.
11:02am- A fight breaks out between two teammates. Tuesday practices are intense.
11:22am – The rookies have to pick up the pucks everyday, so we play a game and the loser has to do it by himself. So far, Goli pretty much always loses. In today’s competition, we had to hit the crossbar from the slot. Sniper that I am, it took me a while, but I hit it. Goli never did. I skated off the ice pretty happy with my day.
12:04pm – Leave the rink and drive to The Café. They make a mean ham and cheese panini. I do this everyday, as I’m very much a creature of habit. I find what I like (Hershey bars, Orange Vitamin Water, TV) and get addicted to it. I’m addicted to these sandwiches from The Café.
1:00pm – Walk in and watch and episode of “The Hills” with Lannon. As a house, we watch a lot of MTV and VH1 reality TV.
1:30pm – Goligoski is cooking tonight. Once a week in our house a guy has to cook dinner for everyone else. Lanno does a good job, Wally does a good job, I do a great job, Goli’s first try was awful. He made plain, dry, well-done chicken with not quite cooked chopped up potatoes and a pre-made salad, straight from the bag. As a house, we are hoping for a better effort out of him tonight.
2:15-4:15pm – Watch three consecutive episodes of Rescue Me on DVD.
4:26pm – Watch two tivo’d episodes of Two and a Half Men. It’s on twice every night on myTV. Lanno’s mom says that he reminds her of Charlie Sheen’s character in the show. I agree…strongly.
4:28pm – Goli comes in with the biggest pork tenderloin I have ever seen. It may take 3 hours to cook.
5:30pm – PTI. Every night.
6:17pm – Dinner. Pork Tenderloin. Mixed Vegetables. Cheesy rice-a-roni. A much better meal tonight from Goli.
7:07pm – More tivo’d Two and a Half Men.
10pm – Nip/Tuck. Pretty excited.
11:04pm – Set my three alarm clocks. Fifteen minutes of Sports Center. Goodnight Wilkes-Barre fans.
Tuesdays on the WBS Penguins are so-called “work days.” I find that interesting since I haven’t had a day on the WBS Penguins that hasn’t been a “work day.” That said, Tuesdays are the worst.
5:06am – Wake up and look at my alarm clock. I’m terrified to miss or be late for practice. I have been here for two months and it’s still the same. I set three alarms before I go to bed. Being late is a $100 fine, and coach still scares me.
6:45am – Roll over and look at the clock again.
8:10am – 1st alarm goes off.
8:15am – 2nd and 3rd alarms go off.
8:23am – Quick breakfast of oatmeal and fruit smoothie. 20 minutes of breakfast in front of espn.com. Some people read the newspaper, I read espn.com. Religiously.
8:37am – Lanno, my roommate and landlord, walks downstairs. I am giving him a ride to McCarthy Tire to pick up his car. He had to get his winter tires put on his BMW. I wish I had a BMW.
8:42am – Arrive at the rink and quickly change into my workout gear. Workout for 25 minutes. Easy workout today. Just abs. I wish I had nice abs.
9:20am – Our trainer, Patrick Steidle gives me some wrist exercises. Both my wrists were injured in the first game and I’ve had them both x-rayed and MRI’d. Nothing is broken, but they still really hurt.
10:27am – Practice. As I mentioned earlier, Tuesdays are tough. I need to be ready physically and mentally for these days. Coach Richards loves his tough practices (and execution), but Tuesdays are especially grueling. I am wearing new skates. My feet hurt, but I have a pretty good day. That said, I am notorious for messing up drills. I am a bit of a space man, and just forget to do some things. I only mess up one drill today, so I had a good day.
11:02am- A fight breaks out between two teammates. Tuesday practices are intense.
11:22am – The rookies have to pick up the pucks everyday, so we play a game and the loser has to do it by himself. So far, Goli pretty much always loses. In today’s competition, we had to hit the crossbar from the slot. Sniper that I am, it took me a while, but I hit it. Goli never did. I skated off the ice pretty happy with my day.
12:04pm – Leave the rink and drive to The Café. They make a mean ham and cheese panini. I do this everyday, as I’m very much a creature of habit. I find what I like (Hershey bars, Orange Vitamin Water, TV) and get addicted to it. I’m addicted to these sandwiches from The Café.
1:00pm – Walk in and watch and episode of “The Hills” with Lannon. As a house, we watch a lot of MTV and VH1 reality TV.
1:30pm – Goligoski is cooking tonight. Once a week in our house a guy has to cook dinner for everyone else. Lanno does a good job, Wally does a good job, I do a great job, Goli’s first try was awful. He made plain, dry, well-done chicken with not quite cooked chopped up potatoes and a pre-made salad, straight from the bag. As a house, we are hoping for a better effort out of him tonight.
2:15-4:15pm – Watch three consecutive episodes of Rescue Me on DVD.
4:26pm – Watch two tivo’d episodes of Two and a Half Men. It’s on twice every night on myTV. Lanno’s mom says that he reminds her of Charlie Sheen’s character in the show. I agree…strongly.
4:28pm – Goli comes in with the biggest pork tenderloin I have ever seen. It may take 3 hours to cook.
5:30pm – PTI. Every night.
6:17pm – Dinner. Pork Tenderloin. Mixed Vegetables. Cheesy rice-a-roni. A much better meal tonight from Goli.
7:07pm – More tivo’d Two and a Half Men.
10pm – Nip/Tuck. Pretty excited.
11:04pm – Set my three alarm clocks. Fifteen minutes of Sports Center. Goodnight Wilkes-Barre fans.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Blog Content
This blog is designed to give readers some insight into my world and a look at playing professional hockey. Over the next few months, I will write about my experience as a rookie defenseman on the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. I have had to go through some fairly dramatic changes following what now feels like a brief five-year stint playing collegiate hockey at Boston College and Dartmouth College. This blog is an extension of a column that I am writing which is being published in a Wilkes-Barre newspaper. Hopefully, the blog will be able to expand on the world of professional hockey through pictures, video clips, and interviews. I look forward to proving you fans of the Penguins, the AHL, and hockey in general with a closer and more intimate experience about my daily life, the ups-and-downs, of being a professional hockey player in my first season. Please pass this blog on to your friends, teammates, and family. I once was a small-town kid playing youth hockey; today, I am fortunate enough to live my dream. I thought it would be most appropriate to go through a typical Tuesday playing for the Penguins. I hope you enjoy my insight into the world of professional hockey and I look forward to hearing responses from you, the fans, to address what questions you many have.
Cheers,
Ben
P.S. I enlisted the help of longtime friend and former youth hockey teammate Brendan Drew for helping to manage this blog and providing website assistance. So a thank you to Brendan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
