Duff & Comrie Engaged

I think that is is just a little bit funny when opening up Yahoo Canada that the headline reads: Hilary Duff engaged to Canadian NHL star
I am not sure what sources they are using but I find it a little far fetched to classify Mike Comrie as a hockey star. Sure it makes for a more enticing headline then to say serviceable hockey player but it is way too much of a stretch to say star.

I will extend a congratulations to the two on their impending nuptials as confirmed by Duffs PR people. "Hilary Duff & Mike Comrie were engaged this weekend while vacationing in Hawaii," the rep said in a statement to Access. "After having been together for over two years, they are very excited to share this happy news. They are thankful for all of your warm wishes."

The two shouldn't have any difficulty in furnishing a home together as his uncles Fred Comrie and John Comrie, and his father, Bill Comrie, are the founders of The Brick furniture company.

In any event I am sure that Hillary will make a nice little hockey wife. (Comrie during an interview on The Team 1200 said that she was a good little hockey girlfriend)

Blackhawks Ice Crew

During a scouting mission for my new favorite Western Conference team I had to watch the Chicago Blackhawks vs LA Kings game on WGN. The Blackhawks would be a good team to throw my support behind but they are too good right now and are in the playoffs so that has taken them out of contention for my support. After years of being VERY bad they have managed to draft well (bad teams and top picks will help in that regard) and are now seeing the results paying off. Even the fans are getting behind them and are filling the United Center. I was watching this game to evaluate the LA Kings and see what they had and if they were worthy of my support. When I post my series on the teams I will make a case for them as they are an early front runner.

What I did see while watching the game was that of the many US arenas that I would like to watch a game, The United Center is one of the tops on the list. They always said that Old Chicago Stadium was one of the best and loudest places to play. That may be true but right now the United Center is more then holding their own. It has everything to do with the team on the Ice. Sure the Blackhawks are fun to watch but I am talking about the Hawks Ice Crew. They put every other team to shame. This is some fine marketing and a great idea. Not only do these lovely ladies do a great job managing the ice but they are all style while doing it.

I think that The Ottawa Senators should adopt this idea, it would be great for ice conditions as well as the total entertainment value while at the game.. Mr. Mlakar think about that for next year to turn around the fortunes of the team. Just look at what having Mike Fisher sign Carrie Underwood then trading for Hillary Duff...errr Mike Comrie did to help the team change their loosing ways.

To learn more about the Ice Crew visit the Chicago Blackhawks website: http://blackhawks.nhl.com/icecrew/0809icecrew.htm

Senators-Oilers Game At The Bank

The final ticket from my World Juniors package came up last night when the Senators played the Edmonton Oilers. The "experiment" of going to games solo has been done and on the whole it wasn’t as bad as I would have thought. The first 2 Sens games were not the greatest games as far as the product on the ice, but the Junior games were awesome and an experience that was great both as a hockey fan and a Canadian. This game held It's own too and seemed to make up for the first 2 dud games. The fact that Dany Heatley scored and had a good game may play a large part in it but that is fine by me. I have come to the conclusion that going to a sporting even solo is ok but am still pretty sure that is still isn’t right to go to the movies alone, maybe I will tackle that sometime down the road.

As I have done before I have a list of what went down and what I have learned during this season long exercise.

1. Jason Spezza’s goal 12 seconds in (a new Senators record for fastest goal to start a game) started the game in the right direction. It looked like he used the Mighty Ducks style "Triple Deek" to score the goal. It was then that I had to check the Sens bench to make sure that it was Cory Clouston back there and not Emilio Estevez aka. Gordon Bombay.
2. As usual I was seated beside a young child, but this one was very well behaved and sat on her moms lap most of the game so that free up even more space on the side which was nice. Yet again I was next to a couple. It is without fail that that would happen so it didn’t catch me off guard, but that doesn’t make it right. She was pretty tiny and not-not attractive so that was good and there was decent room for legs and arms. I managed to get over that whole deal fairly early on and despite that still managed to enjoy the game.

3. To the dude in front: the term sitting on the edge of your seat is just an expression, don’t take it literally. If you have a big head sitting that far forward just impedes the vision of those behind you.

4. As it turns out I like free swag, even if it is a Sens Army streamer thingy. Unfortunately there was none last night which may have put things over the top but it is what it is.

5. Oiler fans have to come to grips with the fact that it has been 6 years since Mike Comrie was there and it is probably about time to stop the need to boo him every time he touches the puck. Maybe at this point it is more Lindsay Lohan fans that are booing him now because of Hillary Duff and not Edmonton fans, who knows. 6. Even with only 17,000+ in attendance still the usual 20min wait in the parking lot, I have come to grips with that and am not too bothered anymore, just more time to listen to the post game show...what I do hate is the people who weasel and aggressively maneuver their way into line and then not give a courtesy wave...common courtesy it isn’t too much for a quick wave.

In conclusion the World Juniors Ticket Package purchase looks to be a success both as a sociological experiment as well as from an entertainment standpoint. Getting to watch Team Canada play and getting out to watch a few Sens games....not too shabby.