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Tyler says "Oh, you're doing their guys too?" Well, yeah, some of them. I like the Tigers. They're my second favorite team.
These use the Baseball Grunge Paper Mini from Scrap Girls. The Tiger's logo is a hand made gif from their masthead, and the little gold brads on the Below piece are from Raspberry Road Designs' Freedom Rings kit.
The Metal Alpha are from Scrappin' Dead Girls, and while it includes upper and lower, I only used the upper on these pieces.
These are all created to 8 x 10 so I can get them printed out and signed. As with any of the pieces on this blog, if you click on them, you can see a bigger version.
- Location:Work
- Mood:
ditzy - Music:Sublime
Click on image to enlarge.
This is pair of very confusing pictures for me because written on the back of the top one is "Grandma in Rosemary's Polish costume" in my mother's handwriting. I didn't know she had a Polish Costume. I mean, whatever would she do with it?
I would have thought it was the other way around and that my grandmother, who is very handy with a Singer and thread, would have made the the thing, but no....
These shots were taken at my mother's trailer in Arizona in 1996. So Grams would have suffered her stroke the following year. She died on April 12, 1999.
This layout was done using the Flowers for Mom kit by Amy Bleser. There was a card pack which is the week's freebie at Digital Freebies done with this kit, and as always, I liked it well enough to purchase the whole kit. I discovered while doing the layout for Parker, that I really didn't have anything appropriate for Mother's Day anyway.
I'll be doing a few more layouts with Grams this week, as the anniversary of her death is Saturday.
- Location:God's Waiting Room
- Mood:
apathetic - Music:Foo Fighters
Click on image to enlarge.
I found the quote I used on this while I was researching Sunday and Monday's entries for Diamond. I thought it very appropriate as domestic felines so quickly revert to their wild origins when allowed to run feral.
Many people know what dogs were domesticated from wolves, but what about cats? How did they come to live with humans? A study published in the July 2007 issue of the journal "Science" helps answer that question. Using genetic methods, scientists from the National Cancer Institute and the University of Oxford report that the origins of the common household cat can be traced back 100,000 years to ancestors in the Middle East. This much earlier than the earliest archaeological evidence of feline domestication that dates back 9,500 years to Cyprus.
By looking at the DNA of wildcats and domestic cats, the research team found five matriarchal lines from which all modern domestic cats have descended. Their ancestors, the Near Eastern (Asian) Wildcat (Felis Sivestris Ornata), still lives in Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. It is believed that the domestic cat's ancestors become helpful to early farmers by hunting rodents and that domestication evolved out of the relationship between humans and cats. In turn, cats followed their human companions as they migrated across the globe.
It is still however, believed that domestic cats developed their long standing relations with humans in Egypt, and that the spread of domestic cats across the globe started with domestics smuggled out of Nile Region. (It was illegal to export a cat from Eqypt.)
I used the Wild Kingdom kit from Raspberry Road Designs on this piece.
- Location:ProcrastinationVille
- Mood:
grumpy
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As I'd been to The Falls during the daytime the year before (images forthcoming), I wanted to go exploring at night, and so we did. These photos were shot off what I think is Niagra Falls State Park on the American side of the Falls. These are, of course the Canadian or Horseshoe Falls, the more magnificent of the two displays.
I should point out that careening thought a dark park heading toward the sound of rushing water is a good way to end up in the rapids - fence or no fence.
Click on image to enlarge
Somewhere, and I can't help but think it was in Niagra Falls, NY, we found this rather interesting bit of architecture. I've been told it's served as a Native American museum at one point and as a restaurant called The Turtle, at another. During this particular visit was as doing nothing.
I would have liked to see inside. It looked like it would have made an interesting hockey rink.
The reason I think it was on the American Side of the falls is that we went to the Hard Rock Cafe there, and I think that we parked several streets over from it. I could be totally wrong however, after all...that WAS nearly 10 years ago.
I used the Canadian kit from Scrap Girls on both of these and yes, that is the Alpha that came with the kit. Weird, eh?
I still would like to get up there to see the Falls the in winter, you know...when they've frozen over?
(I know the Falls to not actually freeze over, it's a long standing joke.)
- Location:Working?
- Mood: lethargic
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The original Canadian Crusher - Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins. The 2006 league MVP hails from British Columbia.
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The Fort Myers Miracle version of the Canadian Crusher, Rene Tosoni. Tosoni is also from British Columbia and is in his second year of Professional Ball. He is being rushed a bit through the system as he was signed as a 21-year-old, so we shall see if he can handle the play at the High-A level.
Tosoni is a little bit more versitile than Morneau or Waltenbury as he can also play 3rd base and outfield.
Last season he hit a combined average of .300 in games spit between rookie Elizabethton and Low-A Beloit.
Click on image to enlarge.
Jon Waltenbury from Ontario, picked by some to be Morneau's likely replacement despite the number of good first baseman at the upper levels. Minnesota would like to hang on to Morneau for as long as they can, which would allow Waltenbury time to develop. He had some trouble connecting during his first year of professional ball, hitting only .244 for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Twins, but is reportedly tearing the cover off the ball in extended spring training this year.
And a bonus...Ed and Justin on Opening Night
Click on image to enlarge.
If found it somewhat strange that our News Press blogger should show up for opening night in Owls gear and wearing RED no less, when the Miracle were playing the Reds, but what can you do?
You can find Ed's blog online Here. (Note that the link moved from last year.)
I was wishing for a Canadian kit last night, ran a google search and was routed to Scrap Girls and there it was. More impressive was the fact they had the other kits I'd actually been wanting - a Mardi Gras kit and a "Crime Scene" kit. Plus some other ones that looked interesting.
All the Canadian Crusher pieces were completed with the Canadian kit, while I used Digital Freebies Family Man on the opening night piece.
I also wish to note that I'd been crediting the African Beat kit to Digital Freebies when in fact, it is a Scrap Girls kit. I'll try to remember that from now on.
- Location:Land of Confusion
- Mood:
confused - Music:Disturbed: Land of Confusion
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The optional theme for this weekend's Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is naptime, something which I figured couldn't be too hard to put together for any feline.
This uses the Spring Fling kit from Digital Freebies - again with the blue and purple scheme. You'd think I'd be sick of it by now, but...
Trixie the Destroyer
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I don't think Trixie is anything like she is portrayed online. She seems - judging from pictures, like a fairly nice, ordinary and lovable feline. Unless of course you put some ribbons or feathers in front of her.
Trixie is a 2 year old domestic shorthair. She was 9 months old and being held for adoption at the local vet's office. Her cuteness won the heart of a dog loving couple who returned the day after Christmas to take her to her home. Aside from Ebony, a 14-year-old mut, she shares her home with a year year old Albino Leopard Gecko, who fascinates her to no end.
I figured I'd do a few of my Pikapet friends for a change.
I used Raspberry Road Designs' Seventies Stylin' kit for this, a rather odd freebie that reminds me uncomfortably of this house I visited in New York with Beannie and Anna. It somehow works with Trixie's coloring. I doubt her house looks anything like this.
The lettering came from Free Digital Scrapbooking.
- Location:Napville
- Mood:
groggy - Music:The Cure: Lullaby
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First up is Pearl. Pearl replaced Prudy on the PB&J team, after Purdy when to the Rainbow Bridge on September 1, 2005. A check of Petfinder.com sent located a shelter with a bunch of ladycat kittens. There were many to chose from and only one right one, and they knew her right away. This little Tortoiseshell like playing the yard and with her toys, cuddling with her mom and sleeping in a Kitty Cup and digging in the blankets.
A Tough A** Torti, she also enjoys beating up on her brothers.
Pearl was named for the Octopus in Finding Nemo.
Click on image to enlarge.
Bert is the Tuxi in the family, He was named the chimeysweep in Mary Poppins. He was adopted from the same agency that Basil, who'd gone to the Bridge, came from. One of pair, he was named Tango by the agency.
He is a good jumper, likes to go inside and outside, enjoys playing (and sleeping) with George as well as his brother and sister. He enjoys a good drink or two out of the water faucet.
Click on image to enlarge.
Jake is the attack tabby of the group, a part feral Maine Coon who takes his duties seriously, attacking anything with feathers as well as his sister Pearl. He doesn't like George at all.
He was found as kitten was taken home to foster, but by the end of the weekend, had found a permanent spot on the team. Since they already at the P and the B cats, they realized if they named him something that started with a J, they could have a sandwich.
Jake is the seagull in the Rescuers Down Under, and so he got his name and became one of the founding members of Team PB&J.
Click on image to enlarge.
Despite the obviously male sounding name, George is a ladydog. She likes to go out in the snow and play and enjoys a good game of Tug of War with her rope pull. She has a fenced in back yard to run in and lots of kitties to play with.
She loves all the kitties, but Bert is the only one that loves her back. Pearl likes to put the smack down on George, while Jake prefers to stay as far aways as possible.
Airedales are known as the "Kings of the Terriers" but poor George seems to be the Pauper Pup in Port Huron, not even rating her own Dogster Page. It's gotta be tough on a woofie, playing second fiddle to a trio of cats, but George knows her place.
I used a freebie kit named Gianna from Secondhand Angel which I found on Digifree. It's an interesting kit as it uses bottle caps instead of flowers. The colors are what drew me to it. Patty at SHA has been designing her own kits since January of 2008 and I have to say she does a very good job as the quality of this set is as good as any of the purchased sets I've used.
Her files are created to 200 dpi, which saves on file size and also make the downloads quick. Check out her stuff.
The images were created to 8 x 10 size and suitable for printing.
- Location:Katopia
- Mood: sleepy
- Music:Guns N Roses: Welcome to the Jungle
Click on image to enlarge.
I don't have a lot of pictures of my older pets, in part because I didn't have a digital (or perhaps they weren't invented yet). My mother always felt taking pictures of the pets was a waste of film and I was generally busy shooting other things.
In any case, in an effort to do something different for their Pikapet profiles, I figured I'd dress up the few pictures I do have. And since I sent Diamond to the beach, no reason Phantom couldn't go as well!
The glasses are from Gretchen at Gretchen's Paw Prattle, the I otherwise used the Pam Lafors Designs' Beachnick Mini Kit and Oceans by Butterfly kit. A couple of pieces of eight are from Digital Freebies' ArrrMatey kit.
Click on image to enlarge.
ArrrMatey also converted Tavi into the Dread Pirate Tavi, although I should point out that being the coward she is, she probably would scare herself in this get up.
Avast there and plot a course to port! She's got treasure to seek!
I guess I could Piratize Samson next...
- Location:Catatonia
- Mood:
artistic - Music:B-52's: Rock Lobster
Click on image to bigify
Peanut is Misty's pup, although she's quite grown up now. Much like her mom, she's quite the sweetheart. Peanuts and chocolate just sort of go together, don't they?
She's currently six years old, a Rotty/American Pit Bull Terrier mix. She loves chasing geese in the park, her bones, her tennis balls, socks, shoes or anything else left on the floor.
She is also known as Peanut the Poop Monster, I'm sure you can figure out why.
I used Raspberry Road Designs' Mocha Love kit which is a freebie. It was done as a favore for a friend who wanted the Pink and chocolate colors only in the kit. My initial feeling was what would I use it for, but it seems that it has some potential after all.
- Location:Procrastinationville
- Mood: sleepy
- Music:B-52's: Love Shack
The Cyclones felt they had a better chance then their predecessors because they started selling tickets earlier, but to date that has not been the case.
SPHL game attendance for this weekend:
Saturday
Huntsville 4,074
Richmond 4,308
Friday
Huntsville 3,477
Richmond 3,794
Jacksonville 814
Thursday
Jacksonville 720
The league average so far this year is 3,235. Columbus leads with 4,366 per game (2 openings) followed by Huntsville, 4,337 (3 games); Fayetteville 4,196 (3 games); Richmond 3,803 (4 games); Knoxville 3,385 (2 games); Twin City 1,262 (2 games); and Jacksonville 875 (3 games).
The league finished last year with an average of 2,985 per game. The Florida Seals folded after 17 home games at the Silver Spurs Arena after failing to pay rent. Jacksonville left the Jacksonville Memorial Arena and is now playing in Jacksonville Ice, a recreational facility, so their attendance will be notable lower as I don't think you can fit 2,700 + people into the place.
Last season's SPHL totals:
| TEAM | TOTAL | GAMES | AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | 109,615 | 28 | 3,914 |
| Richmond | 95,756 | 28 | 3,419 |
| Fayetteville | 93,301 | 28 | 3,332 |
| Columbus | 92,534 | 28 | 3,304 |
| Knoxville | 90,640 | 28 | 3,237 |
| Jacksonville | 70,773 | 26 | 2,722 |
| Florida | 34,470 | 17 | 2,027 |
| Pee Dee | 36,928 | 26 | 1,420 |
| TOTALS: | 624,017 | 209 | 2,985 |
It's really too early to determine if the move from Florence to Winston-Salem was worth wild or not. It will take at least half of the season for the attendance levels to average out.
The Polar Twins, the last team to play in W-S which was in 2004-05 averaged 1,493 over 28 games. That was also a SPHL team, owned in part by Dave Waronker, who spelled death for a number of teams throughout the SPHL, WHA2, and ACHL.
The average for a CHL game is about 3,850. An Amarillo fan on the aforementioned SPHL board wrote "Ya know your attendance records aren't that bad. Thats about average here in Amarillo for our CHL games." Amarillo falls below the CHL average at 2,882, which is slightly down from what they pulled in the 2006-07 season. The low is Texas (Formerly Fort Worth) with 1.589, the high is Oklahoma City with 7,330
The New IHL (formerly the UHL) is averaging 3,357. The high is Fort Wayne, with 8,369, the low is Port Huron with 1,340. It continues to amaze me the that Port Huron hangs on year-after-year-after-year. They have changed their knick name this year to "Icehawks" following a tradition of now-defunct teams to have used that name.
The ECHL is averaging 4.077 per game. On the high end, you have Stockton (8,817), Florida (6,890) and Gwinnett (6,018). On the low end there is Cinci (2,414), Johnston (2,151) and Texas (1,727). Elmira, NY, the transplant team from the UHL is pulling 3.588 per game through 7 dates.
The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League are the new kids on the pro-block with 5 teams located in Indiana, Mon Valley, Wooster, valley Forge, and Jamestown. All of the teams appear to playing in Rec-rink facilities (although they call them Arenas) with General Admission seating running $12.00 and Club seating (usually the bar area) running $25 per game. Jamestown is the exception, with 5 different price levels, ranging from $25.00 club seating to $6.00 Upper End Zone Seating. However, JSBIA is still nothing more than a glorified rec rink.
The league is using Pointstreak, but with most of the teams having played 2 home games thus far, there is no attendance listed so they are probably not keeping track.
- Location:Home Ice
- Mood: blah
Dolores came into my office and wanted to know where my Halloween decorations where. I said these ARE my Halloween decorations:
Seriously. They've now lost 10 straight. What could possibly be more horrifying????
Originally posted on capecat.vox.com
Ryan VanBuskirk
The Florida Everblades skated past the CHL Mississippi Riverkings Friday in a preseason game at Germain Arena. Justin Peters turned back 27 shots, while the Blades buried 4 of their 32 chances to pick up the win.
Matt Melanson opened the scoring for the Blades on the power play. Melanson picked up a rebound of a Frank MacDonald shot and put it past Mississippi goaltender Larry Stirling for the early lead. Big Ernie Hartlieb added some insurance when he discovered a loose puck by the side of the net and banged it home. Newcomers Kyle McAllister and J. F. Bittner picked up the assists on that tally. They also added helpers on Jarrett Lukin's even strength goal just 1:23 seconds later. Lukin took a centering feed from Bittner and slipped it into the net for what would prove to be the game winning goal.
The Riverkings spent 12 minutes in the penalty box in the first period which worked in the Everblades favor as they put 22 shots on Sterling while the RiverKings could only muster 4.
Mississippi would put one on the board through late in the first when Ryan Campbell picked up a Dan Riedel pass from behind the net and muscled it by Peters with just over 2 minutes remaining in the perid.
The shot advantage would go to the Riverkings in the second period though 13-4, but Peters was up to the challenge. While there was no scoring in the second, Frank MacDonald squared off with Steve Makway to give the hometown crowd of 4,300+ a rush. The CHL crew spent an additional 8 minutes in the box prior the 2nd period fireworks, but the Blades could not get the power play working for them in the middle stanza.
Adam Taylor changed that in the 3rd through, making it 4-1 Blades as he worked the man advantage when he wristed a shot past Sterling. Hartlieb and defenseman Brandon Roach were credited with the assists on the play.
Jason Lawmaster would dance with Brad Herauf just under 7 and a half minutes into the final period and Ryan Van Buskirk tangled with Brian Mullally just past the 12 minute mark to add some fisticuff action to the scoring. Mississippi would manage to cut the score in half when Campbell picked up his 2nd tally of the night, when he rebounded a deflected blue line shot into the net with the man advantage.
Hartlieb picked up the 3rd star of the game for Florida, while Campbell's pair of tallies earned him 2nd Star of the game for the Riverkings. Taylor's goal and an assist for the winning team got him first star of the game.
The teams rematch Saturday night for the second of two exhibition games. The Everblades regular season begins Friday, October 19th as Florida hosts the Mississippi Sea Wolves for a 7:30 contest at Germain Arena. Tickets to both games are available that the Everblades box office and at all Ticketmaster locations.
- Location:In the Locker Room
- Mood: tired
- Music:Boomtown Rats
Frank MacDonald
The Florida Panthers made some expected moves Monday, sending goaltender Tyler Plante and defensemen Frank MacDonald and Jordan Henry to the Florida Everblades. The reinforcements had not made it to Estero, Florida, in time for the opening of camp today, so former Everblades goalie Cam McCormick was helping out for the first practice of training camp.
The Blades also added forwards Derek Damon, Rick Ferroni and Adam Taylor to the roster. Damon joned the team after attending Islanders training camp and failing to make the roster for the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 26-year-old University of Maine product recorded 48 points (20 goals and 28 assists) in 56 regular season games for the Everblades in the 2006-07 season. He also appeared in 16 Kelly Cup playoff games for the Blades, netting 5 goals and assisting on 2 others during Florida's post season run.
The 23-year-old Taylor returns to Blades having scored 41 points (21 goals, 20 assits) in 37 regular season contests for the Blades. He added 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in the playoff run for Florida as well.
Ferroni is a 25-year-old native of Stoney Creek, Ontario, who is joining the team on a tryout basis. He played 22 games last season with the Arizona State University men's ice hockey team.
Veteran Ryan Van Buskirk was also added to the Blades roster today. Van Buskirk appeared in 29 games for the Blades last season, scoring 1 goal and adding 12 assists, while spending 74 minutes in the penalty box. The 27-year-old defenseman adds a good deal of grit to Florida's blueline.
MacDonld joins Florida for his second Everblades season. He tallied 24 points (4g, 20a) last season and added an additional six points (1g, 5a) in the playoffs. Henry joins the Blades having finished up his junior career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. The 21-year-old recorded 32 points (7 goals, 25 assists) and 162 penalty minutes in 72 junior major games. Henry signed by the Panthers as a minor league free agent.
Goaltender Tyler Plante is also in his first professional season. A 2nd round pick by the Panthers in 2005, he completed his junior major career with a record of 30-14-9 and a 2.71 GAA in 54 games with Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Former Blade goalie Justin Peters was also formally added to the roster today, despite being assigned down to the Blades last week by Albany.
Rumors from training camp say that defenseman Martin Tuma will not be reporting the Blades. The Most, Czech Republic, native was expected to start his 3rd season with the Blades having split the previous 2 seasons between Florida and Rochester of the AHL. Tuma had 9 assists and 77 penalty minutes in 32 regular season games for the 2006-07 Everblades. He also appeared in 23 games with Rochester, recording 33 penalty minutes.
Sadly, it has also been reported that Ryan Brindley has decided to follow Reggie Berg in to retirement. The Everblades captain appeared in 48 regular season contests for the Blades, gathering 2 goals and 23 assists, while logging 63 penalty minutes. Brindly as appeared in 159 Everblades games over 4 season from 2003 to 2007.
Everblades training camp will run through Oct. 18, the day before the opening of the regular season. Camp consists of an on-ice practice at 10 a.m. followed by an off-ice workout session each day except Sunday, which the players will have off. The Blades will play a pair of preseason games Friday and Saturday against the Central Hockey League's Mississippi RiverKings to get ready for the regular season. Tickets to the preseason contests, as well as opening night, are available at all ticketmaster locations and at the Germain Arena Box Office.
- Location:In my den
- Mood: cheerful
- Music:Pearl Jam
The 2007-08 Florida Everblades opened training camp today, still missing pieces of the team that will eventually take the ice for opening night. Most notably, the Blades are missing their second goaltender, who is to be assigned by the Florida Panthers.
David Shantz, the Panthers contribution to the Everblades netminding staff last season is still with the Rochester Americans as is newcome Tyler Plante. Shantz played last night for the Amerks, facing 21 shots, but falling in overtime 3-2 to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Plante has yet to see regular season action for the Amerks as Sabres prospect Adam Dennis took the start in Saturday's game against the Toronto Marlies. Dennis will likely see the bulk of time in net for the Amerks irregardless of which of the Panthers prospects coach Ranny Cunnyworth decides to retain.
Another former Blade who has yet to see ice time and who may be re-assigned down to the Blades is defenseman Frank MacDonald. The Amerks have 9 defenseman on the roster, and Cunnyworth has played the same six for the first two games of the Amerks regular season. Peter Aston, the Panthers sixth round pick in the 2006 draft and Jordan Henry, a Panthers free agent signee, also joined MacDonald on the bench for the first two games.
Meanwhile the prospects that are currently with the Blades are young. The Everblades, who were moving veterans on and off the roster last year, only have one veteran, Ernie Hartlieb, signed for the current season. That may change if Ryan Brindley decides to return to the Blades. An announcement is expected today.
The Blades lost a lot of firepower over the summer with Vince Bellissimo and Dustin Johner off to Europe, and Reggie Berg and Brent McDonald deciding to pursue other careers this season. Some of that fire power was made up earlier this week when the Blades reached an agreement with the Stockton Thunder for forward Mathieu Melanson. The 22-year-old son of former NHL goalie Rollie Melanson netting 14 goals and 12 assists in just 17 games with the Thunder last season. The terms of the deal, which includes financial and future considerations, were not announced.
The Panthers could help on the firepower end as well, as Mike Duco has also sat out the first two Amerks game. A free agent signee, Duco had 20 goals and 20 assists in 54 games during his final year of Junior Major hockey with the Kitcher Rangers.
Currently in camp, the Blades have forward J.B. Bittner, Brad Zancanaro, Grant Goeckner-Zoeller, Brad Herauf, Derek Damon, Jonathan Lehun, Kyle McAllister and Jarret Lukin. Zancanaro, Damon, Lehun and Lukin are all returnees and are familiar faces for Blades fans. The others are fairly steady scorers, but none promise to replace the scoring ability that was lost in front of the net over the offseason.
Steve Czech, Martin Tuma, Brett Peterson, and Bret Nasby will all be back on the blue line for the Blades, and they are welcoming in Brandon Roach and Steve Ward to their number.
While coach Gerry Fleming laments the loss of experience, he feels that he's got a good blend of skill and grit going with the Blades right now. If the Panthers assign only one or two players down, that will leave room for some of the free agents that were invited to Everblades camp to earn roster spots. The names of those players have not yet been released to the public.
Training camp will run through Oct. 18, the day before the opening of the regular season. Camp consists of an on-ice practice at 10 a.m. followed by an off-ice workout session each day except Sunday, which the players will have off. The Blades will play a pair of preseason games Friday and Saturday against the Central Hockey League's Mississippi RiverKings to get ready for the regular season. Tickets to the preseason constests, as well as opening night, are available at all ticketmaster locations and that the Germain Arena Box Office.
Affiliate News: The Albany River Rats won their regular season opener 3-1 Saturday night over the Binghamton Senators despite area problems that produced fog on the ice that interrupted play 25 times. Former Everblade Mike Angelidis tallied for the Rats and while Keith Aucion record an assist. The parent Carolina Hurricanes are off to a 1-1-1 start this season after they lost their last game 2-0 to the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
The Panthers meanwhile are 0-2-0 to start while the Rochester Americans are 0-1-1. The Panthers assigned Kamil Kreps to Rochester on Sunday, but he had not arrived in time to play in the game against Hamilton.
- Location:In the Penalty Box
- Mood: stressed
- Music:Rob Zombie: Dragula
Part of the Florida Everblades goaltending puzzle fell into place Wednesday, when the Albany River Rats assigned netminder Justin Peters to the ECHL. Albany decided to retain former Blade Kevin Nastiuk as their backup goaltender.
"We felt Kevin Nastiuk deserved to be the No. 2 guys," coach Tom Rowe was quoted as saying in an Albany Times Union article. "He has paid his dues the last two years in the East Coast league. The competition was set up to see who was going to perform the best. Kevin won the job, fair and square."
"As disappointed as Justin was at being sent to Florida," Rowe was quoted as saying in the same article, "we felt for his development we didn't want him sitting on the bench again and not getting a whole lot of playing time. The point of him going down was making sure he played and played a lot so we could get him developed."
Peters is considered one of the best athletes in the Carolina system. He played as a forward up untilt he time he was 12 years old, and still plays forward when he participates in summer roller hockey.
The Canes 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft, Peters was considered the Canes top prospect after defenseman Jack Johnson going into the 2006 season. But he played in a secondard position in Albany last year behind goalie Tyler Weiman, a Colorado prospect, who took the bulk of the starts in net. This season, Carolina signed free agent Michael Leighton to be the main man for the River Rats.
Hockeysfuture.com still lists Peters as the the Canes #2 prospect, this time behind center Brandon Sutter. Goalie Daniel Manzato was listed in the 10th spot, and Nastiuk in the 13th spot.
Peters posted a 3.26 GAA in 24 games played with a 10-18-0 record. He is not quite a stranger to the Everblades, playing one game for the last season.
The 6'1", 213 lb goalie slit his final year of Junior Major hockey between the St. Michael's (Toronto) and Plymouth. Plymouth is, of course, the junior team owned by Peter Karmanos, who is also a part owner of the Everblades.
Peters will join Martin Tuma and Bret Nasby, two former Blades who rejoined the team yesterday after being assigned to the Blades by the Florida Panthers.
Tuma appeared in 32 games last year for the Blades, recording 9 assists and 77 penalty minutes on the blue line. Fellow defenseman Nasby had 1 goal and 3 assists, plus 19 penalty minutes, in 31 games for the Blades.
The moves gives the Blades 15 players on their roster going into training camp, which opens Monday at Germain Arena. Rochester has 27 players on their roster, and has yet to make a decision on which netminder they are planning on keeping. A recent article in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle said that no moves were planned this week.
The AHL starts their season tonight, the Amerks play their first game Friday against the Syracuse Crunch. Albany does not play their first game until Saturday.
The Everblades affiliated Florida Panthers play their season opener tonight at 7:00 PM in New York against the Rangers. The game is available on Fox Sports Florida. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Pittsburgh Penguins to kick their season off on Friday night.
The Everblades play a pair of preseason games against the CHL Mississippi RiverKings on Friday, October 12, and Saturday, October 13. It is the first time that the Blades have played a team outside their league, although not the first time interleague play has occured in the ECHL. Tickets to the game are available at the Germain Arena boxoffice and at all Ticketmaster locations.
Join Jason and his crew Halloween night for Terror on 20th!!!
This October 31st, head over to 2812 SW 20th Ave, it's the 1st left after Chiquita from Veterans, on the Cape and explore something really scarey!!!
This Cape Coral tradition drew in over 600 people last year. You can view pictures from last year's haunting HERE.
Terror on 20th is free and they are give out candy for the kids!!!
- Location:Cape Coral, Fl
- Mood: busy
- Music:Three Days Grace: Not Too Late
The Florida Everblades had five players assigned down from the Albany River Rats, but the local papers are only making fuss about two.
Grant Goeckner-Zoeller, Brad Herauf and returning Everblade Brett Peterson were all on the Blades roster previously but were attending Rats camp. They came down along with a pair of new defenseman, Brandon Roach and Steve Ward.
No decision has been made of yet on the netminding situation although goalie Danny Manzato can be ruled out as he is starting the season with a sprained MCL and will remain in Albany while he is rehabbing. This leave the Rats trying to decide between Justin Peters and Kevin Nastiuk.
Meanwhile Rochester has not made a decision between David Shantz and Tyler Plante. Plante made 18 saves in Rochesters 4-3 loss to Syracuse in the Amerk's final exhibition game on Sunday. Shantz suffered the loss on Saturday in overtime to the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Peters and Nastiuk spilt wins for the River Rats over the Crunch in preseason.
Both Peterson and Goeckner-Zoeller had assists in Saturday's 5-3 win.
As for the new defensemen, Everblades head coach Gerry Fleming had the following to say:
"Both players have good puck sense and are coming off solid junior careers.
"Both of them are defensemen that move the puck well and skate well, and they are two players that we will utilize on the power play."
The two rookies will be making their professional debuts this season, with Roach joining the Blades out of college having played with Acadia University in Nova Scotia last season. Ward is coming in after spliting time with the Sarnia Sting and the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, finishing up five years of Junior Major hockey.
Blades get 2 prospects from Albany
Pair assigned to Blades
Blades get two players assigned from Albany
On a side note, the Everblades have left Stevie Tomatoes in favor of Don Haney's Smokehouse for the coach's show for the upcoming season. "Blade's Talk" is also moving to Tuesday night at 7 PM. The first show will be Tuesday, October 16, and it will be held at the Daniels Parkway location. As always the show will be aired on SportsRadio 770 ESPN and on the internet via www.abc-7.com.
The Everblades play a pair of preseason games against the CHL Mississippi RiverKings on Friday, October 12, and Saturday, October 13. It is the first time that the Blades have played a team outside their league, although not the first time interleague play has occured in the ECHL. Tickets to the game are available at the Germain Arena boxoffice and at all Ticketmaster locations.
Join Jason and his crew Halloween night for Terror on 20th!!!
This October 31st, head over to 2812 SW 20th Ave, it's the 1st left after Chiquita from Veterans, on the Cape and explore something really scarey!!!
This Cape Coral tradition drew in over 600 people last year. You can view pictures from last year's haunting HERE.
Terror on 20th is free and they are give out candy for the kids!!!
- Location:Cape Coral, Fl
- Mood: tired
- Music:Drowning Pool: Bodies
Everblades team photographer Al Larson had stopped me toward the end of the Miracle season with a question. "Do you have any pictures from the first couple of (Everblades) seasons?"
"No," I said, but then I amended my response. "Yes, I have prints, I don't have the negatives." Negatives seem to lose value when you don't have a roof over your head and eventually, in Florida, you're going to have some hurricane casualties once in a while.
"Prints work," he said. "Prints would be great!"
So I dug out the green photo album, which is comprised largely of the first and second season photos and brought it in for him.
With the Blades celebrating their 10th Anniversary Season, they are putting together a program and they wanted some shots of some of the older players to include.
Vince was the team photographer for the first season and Ed for the next two and given all the "He said, they said" stuff that went on back then, it's not surprising that no one either knows where they've gone to, or that the team doesn't want to deal with them.
I seem to recall a whole argument where the team said the photos weren't of the quality they wanted for the calendars, while the photog in question said he gave them proof prints and they never got back to him on what they wanted for the finals. In any case...
He brought the album back during the last doubleheader where we were playing the Threshers. He said they used like 7 or 10 shots in the program, that I'd be given credit and that he'd get me several copies of the program once it was completed.
"That was FUN," he enthused. "There's guys in there that I'd only heard about!"
Yeah, there were some fun guys that first couple of season. Hugh Hamilton, who I still miss is one, Tim Ferguson, Eric Bolton, K-Mac, Prokie....I have no idea which shots they used, but yes, those were some fun times.
Reggie Berg and Tom Buckley didn't show up until the second season when we also had Eric Rud as our captain, Matt Demarski, Joe Cardarelli, Ty Jones and Terry Lindgren, Harlan Pratt, Brent Cullaton and several other fan favorites.
Buckley and Burg have hung around the longest, so perhaps it's no surprise that their jerseys are being retired to the rafters on opening night. For a long time they were the Everblades franchise.
Although I'm wondering, given all of the bad blood that went on between Buckley and the team when he wasn't invited back in 2005...
"Retiring a jersey is the greatest honor you can bestow upon a player. When they take my jersey to the rafters, chills will go up my spine like they never have before," Buckley is quoted as saying in the News Press.
Perhaps that makes up for your hurt feelings a little bit Bucks?
Individual game tickets went on sale today, and I am kind of looking forward to the 10th anniversary season.
Things I really wish I had though...the boxscores from the 1st season plus any of the other dozen or so that I'm missing from past seasons, and a media guide from 2004. That would have been a nice repayment for letting them use my pictures. I know, be happy with credit.
I do need to sit down and rework my photos albums though. The Green on isn't so bad, but the ones going forward a real mess.
- Location:work
- Mood: cranky
Iris wanted the roster and schedule for instructs because "I'm the most important person who needs them." I corrected her, as I'm the one that provides the info to people I'm the one that needs them the most.In any case, in an attempt to yank her chain, I walk by later and say "Dog the Bounty Hunter is coming to instructs."
"Who?"
"Dog. The Bounty Hunter." I was wondering if she lived under a rock or something.
"You mean that guy from TV?"
"Yeah."
"Who's he coming to catch?"
"He's not coming to catch. He's coming to watch."
"Well, why would he do that?"
"Because we signed his nephew."
"Wait a minute," says Ed, breaking into this conversation. "Who signed him? The Miracle or the Twins?"
"The Twins." It was a stupid question. The Miracle don't sign players but it's kind of pointless sometimes to argue with Ed.
"What's his name?" Iris asks. "Puppy the bounty hunter?"
"Lehmann," I answer.
"What's he play?" Ed wants to know.
I thought that was obvious.
"Catch. He's a puppy. He plays catch."
Geez.
- Location:work
- Mood: sick
She's been in this kitty velcro mood again where she feels the need to stay attached to me. I don't mind this, except that it's taken a turn where she doesn't want to let me sleep.
Last night, I turn off the lights....get all settled in and....
::kneed::kneed::kneed::kneed::
I pet her and try to get her to knock it off so I can sleept but...
::kneed::kneed::kneed::kneed::
And she slobbers while she's doing it.
So I boot her out of the bedroom. I get up, a little while later to find her in the bathroom, laying on a towel on the floor with this mournful look on her face because I won't let her into the bedroom. Normally, being exciled from the bedroom, she'd go sleep on the sectional but no.
Oh, okay. So I let her back into the bedroom.
I give her a little kitty cuddling, turn out the lights and...
::kneed::kneed::kneed::kneed::
Dear god. Go do happy feets on plush brother or something. There is a time and a place and 2:45 AM is not the time.
I finally had to kick her out of the bedroom again.
Such a cruel human, am I.
Originally posted on capecat.vox.com
Liam Hendriks says "Dirty's in town. He's with the Fort Myers Miracle." I'd known this. In fact, I had talked to him the night before and tried to explain to him about Jarrad being nicknamed "Princess". Allen's response had been that Eacott has balls and that Liam can whine with the best of them.
If I put all the Aussie's together, they still could not out-whine Whiney Wally. But that's another story.
"He showed up in our room last night at 10:30."
"Yeah," I say. "He has a way of doing that."
"He has a mustache," Liam informs me. I'd known he'd had it before he got here so it wasn't a shock. Evidently Liam did not. "He looks stupid in it."
A bunch of the Beloit guys had grown mustaches after Rob Delany's bush became the talk of Wisconsin.
On the whole, I though de San looked pretty good in his, which sort of surprised me, then Dirty's generally pretty easy on the eyes to start with. I don't say much about the boys looks in front of the other boys because this always draws some type of comment, one way or the other.*
"I can't even grow one," says Danny Berlind says.
"He's part of the mustache brigade," I tell him. "There's several that have them."
"This is three days growth," Liam tells me, offering his less than scruffy looking cheek. Let's just say if he didn't in shave between starts, you'd probably never notice.
Danny looks at him ruefully. "That's more than I can manage."
"The mustaches are kind of silly," I tell them. "I wish they'd let you guys have goatees."
Berlind tries to picture himself in a goatee.
I'm wondering if this is not some strange practice in which the older guys are trying to distance themselves from the rookies, who can't quite manage facial hair yet.
"We need to have a Gillette promotion at the stadium," I tell them, which raises a chuckle or too.
I should note that of late, most of the mustache brigade has indeed become friends with Mr. Gillette again. "It's just too hot," David Shinskie said, but in his case, I think it's because his parents had come into town. If you notice in the above referenced article, even Delany says his is coming off before he goes home.
* (For example, TJ had give me some cards of Milt when he was with the Detroit Tigers. I told Milt and followed it up with "You used to be a little hotty!" "USED TO BE?????" he chokes. "That mean you don't have it any more," Ivan chips in. "What am I a now?" "A mature, handsome gentleman," I tell him with a mental roll of the eyes. Geez.)
Originally posted on capecat.vox.com