Stirring The Pot
By janeybell | July 28, 2008
After emailing Luke DeCock about a week ago, looks like he wanted to discuss the Hurricanes marketing folks a little more. Here’s my email in Lord Stanley’s Blog.
I think my original intent with the email was not just to focus on Greenville, but what can I say? I love my hometown boys. The point remains, though…. Does our team’s revenue depend only on ticket sales? Do the folks who follow the team religiously on TV and buy team merchandise, but can’t be season ticket holders count for anything? As hard as I have to fight to get games on TV, and my main Hurricanes news source is the internet I feel pretty left out. Should the Hurricanes be marketing to the whole state or sticking to strictly the Triangle like they have in the past?
I’d love to hear what folks in other areas think….I’m sure Luke over at LSB would to. What’s it like in other NHL markets? How far reaching is your team’s advertising and community involvement?
Topics: hockey | 2 Comments »
Offseason Moves
By janeybell | July 11, 2008
So fan favorite and wing rocket (when he’s on his game) Erik Cole packed his bags and switched places with Joni Pitkanen in Edmonton. Despite the fact that I currently have a draft of a post titled “Erik cole is once again my hero”, I’m not pissed about this move. After the last two seasons, almost every Hurricanes fan knew that Colesy was trade bait and that the Canes desperately needed to shore up their blueline. Not a big shocker.
After dropping several hints, Jim Rutherford also signed former Penguins d-man Josef Melichar, who had been playing in the Swedish Elite league.
But, the biggest news of the offseason….the Hurricnaes signed Chad LaRose! I can sleep easier now. What with the coming season be with The Chuck Norris of Hockey?
Sorry, this one’s short, folks, but my bloggers-in-arms Bubba and Wufpirate have covered the offseason moves with far more skill (and in Bubba’s case, access) than I can muster right now. I’ll ease out of pool and sun mode over the next 2 months and be ready to slam into the boards and take the ice for the pre-season.
Topics: hockey | 1 Comment »
How I Really Feel
By janeybell | June 18, 2008
My buddy East of Here has compiled a fantastic list of NHL awards over at Carolina on Ice. The pics he produced aren’t quite safe for work or kids (unless you want to explain to them what a vibrator is), but are a riot, nonetheless. Wish I had the talent….and yes, folks, he’s that funny in person. Congrats on the Puck Daddy link, wuffie. And a big shout out to Bubba over at Canes Country who managed to get an interview with Hurricanes trainer, Pete Friesen. The update on player injuries was fantastic.
Topics: hockey | 2 Comments »
Your Quote for the Week
By janeybell | May 14, 2008
Anonymous pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and even books have played an
important role in the progress of mankind. Great works of literature
have frequently been produced by authors writing under assumed names.
Despite readers’ curiosity and the public’s interest in identifying
the creator of a work of art, an author generally is free to decide
whether or not to disclose her true identity. The decision in favor of
anonymity may be motivated by fear of economic or official
retaliation, by concern about social ostracism, or merely by a desire
to preserve as much of one’s privacy as possible. Whatever the
motivation may be, at least in the field of literary endeavor, the
interest in having anonymous works enter the marketplace of ideas
unquestionably outweighs any public interest in requiring disclosure
as a condition of entry. Accordingly, an author’s decision to remain
anonymous, like other decisions concerning omissions or additions to
the content of a publication, is an aspect of the freedom of speech
protected by the First Amendment.
U.S. Supreme Court, McIntyre v. Ohio (1995).
Topics: Random Thoughts | No Comments »
No Playoffs? Yup, I’m Bitter.
By janeybell | April 13, 2008
No joke. Like many around the Caniac nation, the loss to Florida and Carolina’s quick exit from playoff contention has made me a little bitter. I honestly haven’t been able to muster up the words to describe it until now. I needed some time to stew.
I don’t even know where to start placing blame. Let me make one thing clear, though….this “if they hadn’t slacked off in November and December” shit doesn’t fly with me. For the Hurricanes to have come back and smacked the injury bug in the face and stayed atop the Southeast division was a feat unto itself…..however, that Laviolette and Rutherford were willing to throw that chemistry out the window is another sort of feat. It was a feat of disastrous proportions. Does that mean we should throw Lavi and Jimmy Boy under the bus? I honestly don’t know. I can’t get past my seething anger long enough to make an informed decision.
There has been plenty written in the last week about why we lost, lots of platitudes like “there’s always next year” and plenty of speculation as to what the offseason may bring in trades and coaching. Feel free to check it all out. Bubba over at Canes Country has manged to be far more eloquent on than subject than I have been able to even attempt.
Here’s what I know for sure: the River Rats players that came up deserved a hell of a lot more respect than to be benched for the last and most important games. I had to take my flags down way too early. I still haven’t developed a taste for the playoffs sans the Hurricanes, no matter how much I love the game. I’d love to be magnanimous enough to cheer for the Capitals because they represent the Southeast this year, but I just can’t, yet.
This place is going to be a wee bit of a wasteland over the summer. Hell, even Luke DeCock over at Lord Stanley’s Blog is taking a vacation. If the Canes make any interesting offseason moves, I’ll check in and comment. Until then, I’m going to try to placate my need for competition by throwing myself into the political primaries.
Topics: Random Thoughts, hockey | No Comments »
The Chuck Norris of Hat Tricks!
By janeybell | April 3, 2008
After Chad LaRose scored his first goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning last night to take the lead, I turned to my husband and told him the only thing that could be better would be if Rosey netted a hat trick. Well, the hockey gods were listening. Chad LaRose scored his first NHL hat trick last night and some dude named Kilsdonk won a John Deere lawn tractor. 
We’ve got a bit of an emotional attachment to Chad LaRose. You can read more about him here, on Penalties and Parenthood, or here, on Canes Country. Seriously, though, there isn’t a player on the Hurricanes’ roster I would’ve wanted to see pull out three goals more than our Chuck Norris of hockey. Our friend East of Here has even declared he can die a happy man, now, over at Carolina On Ice.
Our final candle on the cake? Chad LaRose was named the NHL’s first star for Wednesday. First star. His runner-ups? Sydney Crosby and Patrick Kane. That’s some pretty serious company, LaRose. Rock on!
Topics: Chad LaRose, Re-cap, hockey | No Comments »
Sloppy Play and Bad Calls
By janeybell | April 2, 2008
Last night’s game against the Washington Capitals was a disaster from start to finish. The Hurricanes played like they didn’t give one damn about going to the playoffs and got the crappy end of the officiating to boot. Rather than rise to the occasion and outwork the bad calls, the Canes sunk into a pit of self-pity and handed the Capitals the road the Southeast championship on a platter.
At this point, all I really can think is “bring the stand-ins back!”. Give the River Rats players more ice time and put the muscle back on the ice. I seriously doubt Ovechkin would’ve had the balls to charge Bret Hedican if the Hurricanes were dolling out hits of their own. Here’s to hoping Tim Conboy and Wade Brookbank get the start tonight against Tampa.
Topics: Pre-game, Re-cap | No Comments »
One of the Biggest Games of the Year
By janeybell | April 1, 2008
…and I find myself without much to say. The Hurricanes are in Washington tonight to face the Capitals for the Southeast division. If the Hurricanes lose, they’ll still have the Caps on the first tie-breaker, but I think it would give the capitals enough momentum that the Canes would be done for. The Hurricanes have the possible returns of Ray Whitney and Justin Williams on their side tonight, so there’s nothing left to do but wait until 7:08.
Holy Crap, is it here yet?
Topics: Pre-game | No Comments »
Bucci and The Trash All In One Night!
By janeybell | March 28, 2008
I’ll be quick to admit that I have no idea who’s playing or anything about the teams. What I do know is that there will be glorious hockey on at 4pm and it will be accompanied by the sounds of John Buccigross and Barry Melrose. Joy! Even better is the fact that out here in my hockey on TV wasteland, I’ll actually have to record one game while I watch the Canes @ the Thrashers. Holy Crap, Batman, two games at once!
UPDATE: Wufpirate just informed me that the Canes have three prospects playing in this year’s Frozen Four (Jamie McBain with Wisconsin, Kyle Lawson with Notre Dame and Nick Dodge with Clarkson U.). BONUS!
Topics: Pre-game, Random Thoughts | No Comments »
Eaves to have shoulder surgery….seriously?
By janeybell | March 27, 2008
According to LSB, Patrick Eaves is slated to have surgery Friday or Saturday on his left shoulder. He missed almost his first two weeks as a Hurricane with the same shoulder and has missed a few since his Cane debut. The downtime for this surgery is 3-4 weeks, but it’s the same procedure Nicky Wallin had in November and he made it back in 2.
Since being traded to the Hurricanes, Eaves has played 11 games, is a minus 2 and gotten 5 points (1G, 4A). Contrast that was his partner in trade, Joe Corvo, who is almost a point game player (6G, 10A in 18 games) and he’s a plus 7. At the rate Big Joe has been playing, he alone was worth Stillman and Commodore, but Eaves more than made up for the loss of Andrew Ladd’s massive eyebrows.
So, the almost invisible Eaves is going to be out of the line-up for what could possibly end up being the rest of the season. The upside to his absence? Chad LaRose will definitely be on the bench Friday night against Atlanta, no maybe about it!
Speedy recovery there, Eaves……but WELCOME BACK to the Chuck Norris of hockey!
Topics: Chad LaRose, Random Thoughts | 2 Comments »