NHL Hockey Bedding (for teens!)
For those of you that eat and drink hockey, you can finally complete the icy trifecta: eating, drinking, and now sleeping hockey.At long last PBteen (Pottery Barn Teen, for those less hip) have released their line of NHL Bedding. While hundreds of teens will be receiving these pillow covers and blankets as holiday gifts I can't help but lament over the fact that no such items were available during my teenage years. Is it possible that my awkwardness and angst could've been assuaged by a simple yet fashionable duvet cover? How different would my life be if I had been able to score with Debbie Mendez on my Capitals sham? Oh the possibilities.It does provide some solace to know that I can go home tonight, turn off my PuckHead Lamp, and go to sleep on my Eastern Conference Pillow Case. If only I knew what had happened to Debbie Mendez.
Labels: duvet, NHL, NHL Bedding, PBteen, pillowcase, rink rat, sham, sheets, therinkrat
posted by therinkrat @ 12:17 PM
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Noteworthy Night: Jussi Jokinen
As the league continues to undergo the transformation in the post-lockout era we see the torch being passed from the old guard to the new. Sakic, Modano, and Roenick will soon be sitting behind the bench instead of on it. Maybe they will be watching the game from the same perspective as Steve Yzerman and Garth Snow now watch. Or maybe they will sit at the studio desk as they analyze the moves of their former teammates like Ray Ferarro. Regardless of the new location, the veteran stars of today are beginning to make way for the stars of tomorrow. Sakic, Modano and Roenick will soon be Stastny, Jokinen, and Cheechoo. The transition has already begun, but most casual fans still aren't aware of this new crop of rising stars. This new feature, "Noteworthy Nights", is an attempt to educate the causal fan about those stars who don't yet shine as bright in the hockey universe.
Last night, Jussi Jokinen had one of those performances few are capable of in the NHL. Any time a players nightly performance summary is followed by, "the last person to accomplish that was Brett Hull", it usually means he had a good night. If you consider 4 goals a good night, then we are on the same page. If you don't, well then you are probably too good for your beer league and need to find a new team.
Jokinen actually scored more goals last night (again, 4) than he had previously the entire season (3) and he ended the night with even more goals than the most prolific goal scorer in US history with 7 (Modano has 5 goals this season).
After putting up 48 (14g, 34a) last year, and 55pts (17g, 38a) during his 2005-2006 rookie season it looks as if he's in good shape to improve upon those numbers this year. Considering his 7 goals have come in just 18 games, I say that improvement is likely to occur. There are always those moments where young, improving players get the opportunity to show the league that they are ready to be considered in the next tier of NHL players. Jussi Jokinen looks as if he's ready for some consideration.
The goals and the post-game interview can been seen below.
GOAL 1
GOAL 2
GOAL 3
GOAL 4
POSTGAME INTERVIEWLabels: jussi jokinen, noteworthy night, rinkrat, the rink rat
posted by therinkrat @ 2:44 PM
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2008 NHL All Star Voting Time
Tis the season. The All-Star season that is. That time when all the kids gather round the computer and submit their votes for the starting five (plus a goalie) in each conference. Back in the day, before hanging chads were an issue, I remember going to the games and filling in Don Beaupre over and over as a write-in vote. No longer is that the case; and not simply because Beaupre is no longer in the league.
Now we live in an online world. No, I don't mean Second-life. I mean a world where ten clicks of the mouse determine the starting lineup and no longer ten punches with a golf pencil.
So take up your mice, click ten times and see if your vote determined the All-Stars.
Find your ballot below:
American? | Canadian? | Other?
Labels: All Star, allstar, NHL, rinkrat, the rink rat, voting
posted by therinkrat @ 11:36 AM
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Bubble Boy Blasphemy
I saw something today that deeply troubled me. Well actually I saw two troubling things, but I'm not going to count the 5 minutes I caught of a Mr. Belvedere rerun while eating lunch in the break room.
What I do want to discuss focuses on the concept of taking something good and then shrinking it. This principle works with some things and not others. The key is to recognize what works with this model and what doesn't work. Things that work would be airplanes and model airplanes or cars and matchbox cars. One version is fun for some and the other version is fun for others. An even better, more relevant example might be bubble hockey which takes the precision of hockey and classically shrinks it into petite plastic perfection.
Now lets move on to something that doesn't work. I'm thinking something like this:
Look at those thumbs. Nothing about that image looks enjoyable. Some of you might argue that it would suffice as a stocking-stuffer or possibly a 5th place prize at a local 50/50 draw. I would disagree. I can envision a seemingly clam, normally mild-mannered, appreciative child reacting:
"Dad?! This sucks!"
"Son, haven't we learned that it's the thought that counts?"
"Sorry, you're right. Thanks for thinking I'm stupid enough to enjoy this trash. What are you trying to do, make me hate hockey?"
"Look, it's better than nothing. Next year you're getting coal!"
"Coal? Sweet, that much better than nothing, and much better than this thing! My fingers are killing me. I'm 8 years old and I already have carpal tunnel syndrome!"
Seriously though, wouldn't it just be easier to give a kid a couple quarters and drop him off at the mall? That way you save money in the long run on the inevitable re-constructive thumb surgery. Trust me, its better that way.
I don't believe that there exists a better way for a child to comprehend the intricacies of the Cold War like Bubble Hockey. Red plastic versus blue plastic with two guys on each team with a stick twice the size of his body. That pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
But when you shrink it down to a laughable and frustrating size it really just downplays the importance of the entire era. Bubble hockey should remain in its purest form. No need to tarnish it because someone thinks kids want to play a cheapened version of it in the car. Let the kid play 'I Spy' or 'Car Bingo' if he or she needs some excitement.
Labels: bubble hockey, cold war, hockey, rink rat, therinkrat
posted by therinkrat @ 3:56 PM
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