One Bad Knee

I'm Shipping Up To Boston

2009-05-19T19:27:00.004-04:00

Well, again playoff hockey has consumed my life. The Carolina Hurricanes have continued their epic run in the playoffs. It seems like each series has taken months, not weeks. Still, here's the series through the eyes of a fan...

The State of Massachusetts

The series began in Boston. There was so much made of how Eric Staal's line would fare against Zdeno Chara and Aaron Ward. There was so much made of how the Bruins had dominated the 'Canes in the regular season, winning all 4 games. Well, Game 1 gave some answers and they weren't good for the 'Canes. Eric Staal was held off the score sheet as Boston cruised to a 4-1 victory. So, of course, all of the prognosticators began to discuss whether Boston would win the series in 4 or 5 games.

Well Game 2 showed that the Hurricanes would not go away quietly. The Hurricanes defense was very stout and Cam Ward was on top of his game. Joe Corvo scored early in the second period and Matt Cullen followed soon after with a shorthanded goal. Eric Staal scored into an empty net to make it a 3-0 final. The series would head to Raleigh even at 1 game apiece.

The Auld Triangle

Game 3 was one of the all-timers and I was there! The lead went back and forth. Boston led 1-0. The 'Canes then scored 2 quick goals (Staal & Samsonov) in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. With the Hurricanes treating the third period like it would be a 20-minute penalty kill, Boston managed to tie it at 2. As the waning minutes of regulation went by, there was a foreboding, a gnawing fear that there would be overtime. It harkened me back to 1999....

{interlude}

It was the first playoff hockey game I had ever attended. The Hurricanes were deadlocked at 2 games apiece against the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1999 NHL Playoffs. I was a recent college graduate living in G'Vegas. The Hurricanes were playing their home games in the cavernous Greensboro Coliseum while the building that would later be known as the RBC Center was being built. The Hurricanes had such luminaries as Ron Francis (injured), Paul Coffey. Jeff O'Neill, Arturs Irbe, and Steve Chiasson. The teams were tied at 3 at the end of regulation. One of those goals was a slapper by Chiasson. How fitting that my first ever live playoff game went into overtime. It went, through the first overtime and into the second overtime. Martin Gelinas missed a wide open net in the first OT and I still don't know how he did. The game went back and forth until Anson Carter knocked in a rebound for the game winner for Boston. Those of us who were there were devastated. The Hurricanes went on to lose Game 6 and the series. The far bigger loss came early in the morning after Game 6 when Steve Chiasson was killed in a one-car accident. Just goes to show us all how precious life is...

So, I digress. Overtime was a tight-checking back and forth affair. I had gone to the inside-out rally cap with 5 minutes to go in regulation. The teams traded chances and just when I thought a second time was inevitable and that someone on the Bruins would channel Anson Carter and wreck my night, Jussi Jokinen scored off a rebound! That's right, Boston couldn't weeze our Juss!!!! The 'Canes had taken a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4 was just plain fun. The Hurricanes broke open a 1-1 tie in the 3rd period. Who else, but Jussi Jokinen to score the go-ahead goal! Sergei Samsonov scored on a super sweet backhand goal and Eric Staal almost immediately followed up to make it a 4-1 score. The 'Canes led the series 3-1 and seemed to be in control.

Walk Away

Well, the Hurricanes don't know how to do anything the easy way. Boston came out and gave the Hurricanes what for in Game 5. Boston scored twice in the first period and never looked back, cruising to a 4-0 win. The game, however, was most noteworthy for what happened late in the third period. Ex-Hurricane Aaron Ward was doing his best to antagonize the 'Canes. A little shove after the whistle here, a late punch there, a slash with the stick when the ref wasn't looking. With about 3 minutes to go, Ward was giving Matt Cullen the business after the whistle. So, Scott Walker goes over and politely asked Aaron Ward to try that on someone a little closer to his own size. Ward, ever the gamesman, held his arms to his side to try to draw the maximum penalty for Walker. Well, Walker one-punced Ward. I mean, Mike Tyson would have been proud. He dotted Aaron Ward's eye but good.

Of course, the time in between Games 5 and 6 was filled with speculation and gnashing of teeth. Scott Walker's mandatory one-game suspension was rescinded and the Boston-centric media was outraged. Well, I just had a bad feeling about Game 6. Work had me incredibly stressed out and I was sick to boot. I was late leaving work and it completely messed up my pre-game routine. I'd list it all, but it would extend this blog to a War and Peace-type length. Anyways, the Hurricanes PA announcer invoked the "Nobody Sits Tonight" mantra that was part of the mystique of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 win over Edmonton. Literally, noone in the crowd sat during the game action. Well, 5 minutes into this game, there were people sitting because Boston was up 2-0 at that point. The Hurricanes fought back but wound up losing 4-1. The stage was set for a decisive Game 7 in Boston and Mr. Mo(mentum) was wearing Bruins colors.

The Warrior's Code

For Game 7, we went to Ruckus Pizza in Cary, one of our favorite places to hang out, enjoy good food and drinks, and play trivia. Boston struck first after the refs missed 2 calls that both went in the Bruins' favor on a missed too many men on the ice call and an icing call that should not have been made. Late in the first period, Dennis Seidenberg let loose a slap shot from the point that was tipped in by Rod Brind'Amour. The Captain had scored his first playoff goal. The 'Canes began to play the game a little more their style, a fast-paced skating type of game, rather than fall into the Bruins' style of chippy, grind-it out hockey.

Sergei Samsonov scored almost halfway though the second period to make it 2-1, good guys. The Hurricanes really controlled the pace, but Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (the likely Vezina Trophy winner as NHL's top goalie) kept it a 1-goal game. So, of course, the 'Canes come out in the third period in a defensive shell. Like in Game 3, Boston scored fairly early in the period, with Milan Lucic putting in a rebound to tie it at 2. At that point things got even more tense. I mean, each team's season was in the balance on each rush up the ice. There were no penalties in the third period. The winner would have to be scored at even strength. Time went on and it would turn out that sixty minutes would not be enough to determine a winner.

Game 7, overtime. There is not a more pressure-packed phrase in all of sports. An entire season for players, coaches, front-office personnel, families, and fans would be decided on the next goal. Who would be the hero? Would there be a bad pass or dumb penalty that would lead to the goal that would end the season? But first, before overtime, there was a more pressing matter, I had no rally cap. That's right, I was at the restaurant with no hat to speak of. I could not go inside out. I could not turn my hat backwards. I couldn't even go for "the Shark". So, I improvised. I got one of my beads (one of my many superstitions that I did not list and yes, I did earn the beads) and draped it over my ears so it looked like a headband. I'm sure I looked ridiculous. Now, back to the game...

Overtime had started. I was nervous. We were all nervous. Play started and chances were traded back and forth. Both teams used their timeouts to rest tired players after icing calls. About 5 minutes into overtime, I began to pace back and forth. Luckily, by that point, the restaurant wasn't full and everyone there was watching the game. The Hurricanes were at one point down to two centers. Rod Brind'Amour was injured by an errant puck and Jussi Jokinen had a skate problem. Both teams were tired, spent, pooped, you get the picture. With about 5 minutes left in the first overtime period, the Hurricanes began to get the better of the play. With about 2 minutes left, Ray Whitney (the Wizard!) took the puck up the right wing and went to the net. He let a hard wrist shot go that was stopped by Tim Thomas. The rebound was knocked out of the air and into the net by.... SCOTT WALKER! That's right, the man who knocked Aaron Ward down to protect his teammate had knocked the Bruins out of the series and got the Hurricanes a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. It also turns out that Walker had found out during the series that his wife had a treatable type of cervical cancer. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster....

Well, after the game we went to the airport to greet the team like we did after Game 7 of the Jersey series. Good times were had by all. Luckily, I didn't have to work the next day. Next up is Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. It'll be another tough series and if it takes 7 games and OT for the 'Canes to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, then I'll gladly accept that.

More hockey mega-blogs to come, hopefully.....

Believe It!

Finns to the Left.... Finns to the Right...

2009-04-29T21:49:00.004-04:00

Long time, no post...

It's been a fun last couple of weeks. It's been the return of a phenomenon not seen since the halcyon days of 2006, playoff hockey! The Hurricanes took on their playoff nemesis, the New Jersey Devils in what was to be a series for the ages. The teams previously met in 2001 (Devils won in 6), 2002 (Hurricanes won in 6), and 2006 (Hurricanes won in 5).

Cheeseburgers in Paradise

First, however, was a tailgating event for the ages. We're talking good food, drinks, and NC State sports from 9:30 am-9:30 pm. We went to Carter-Finley Stadium for the NC State spring football game. The game was fun and the tailgating was more fun. Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon looked good. Some of the young players on defense impressed and Owen Spencer even caught a pass! After the game, the fans were allowed on the field as the Carter-Finley Stadium turf was due to be replaced. All that being said, by far the most important statistic of the day was the nearly $30,000 that was raised for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Kudos to the coaching staff and all involved.

After some post-game tailgating, we left for Doak Field to watch the NC State baseball team take on Florida State. This hasn't been the greatest season for the Wolfpack baseball team and that day was no different, with a 7th inning grand slam leading the 'Noles to a 4-2 win over the 'Pack.

One Particular Harbor

The next day brought the return of playoff hockey to the Triangle. After splitting the first two games in New Jersey (a 4-1 Devils win and a 2-1 win for the Hurricanes in OT), the series came to Raleigh. Game 3 was a barn burner. After an afternoon full of tailgating, it was game time. The game embodied all that makes playoff hockey as awesome as it is. The game was a back and forth affair with the Devils going ahead 1-0 and 2-1. Each time, the Hurricanes fought back and scored to even it up, with the unheralded Ryan Bayda and the scrappy Chad LaRose lighting the lamp for the 'Canes. At the end of regulation, the score was tied at 2.

There is nothing like playoff overtime hockey. The tension is so thick you could... well, you get the picture. In 2001, the 'Canes won Game 4 in OT on a Rod Brind'Amour goal at the RBC Center (I was there). In 2002, the 'Canes won Games 2 (Bates Battaglia) and 5 (Josef Vasicek) in OT at the RBC Center (I was there!). In 2006, the 'Canes won Game 2 (The Secret Weapon, Niclas Wallin) in OT at the RBC Center (alas, I was not there). So the Hurricanes had history on their side. Well, Travis Zajac put in a rebound about 5 minutes into OT to take the air out of the building and give New Jersey a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead. Needless to say, we were all a bit disconsolate on the way back to our vehicles.

Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season

Two days later was Game 4. This game was special as it was Dawn's first NHL playoff game. It was also the playoff debut of the matching "Morgan" Hurricanes jerseys that I had bought us as a wedding present (yes, I got her something completely non-sports related as well). I had worn my Brind'Amour road jersey to Game 3 and figured the team needed a shift in mojo (like they know what I'm wearing). I was able to get extra tickets for us in Section 328 near the rest of the crew. The game started off well as Eric Staal and Ryan Bayda scored in the first period for the 'Canes. Chad LaRose scored early in the second period to make it 3-0 good guys. Well, then the wheels fell off. Brian Gionta scored late in the second to make it 3-1 and the momentum began to swing back to the Devils. The Hurricanes came out flat in the third and the Devils pounced. Brendan Shanahan (a former Whaler) and David Clarkson scored to even the score with more than half of the third period to go.

It was at this point that I went to the rally cap. I've been wearing my camo Hurricanes hat to the games and figured a little inside out rally cap is just what they needed. So, of course, the Hurricanes do nothing. They were a still a bit off, but it appeared that they would at least do enough to force another overtime game, albeit an overtime where all of the momentum was in Newe Jersey's favor. As the waning seconds of the game were ticking away, the 'Canes had the puck in the Jersey zone. Joni Pitkanen waited for what seemed like an eternity. As the entire RBC Center crowd yelled, "Shoot!", he.... passed it over to Dennis Seidenberg who let loose a slap shot. As I glanced up at the clock, I saw the "1" on the seconds display go to zero. At that point, I saw the puck in the net and heard the thunderous roar of the crowd. It was a goal! But was it in time. I tried to temper my celebration waiting for the review. I mean, how could it have gone in before time expired? The referee finished conferring with the video replay officials in Toronto and signalled.... GOAL! Jussi Jokinen had tipped in the shot with 0.2 seconds left. It was the latest a goal had ever been scored in a regulation game in the postseason. After the game, I was nuts, high fiving everyone I could, even one real a-hole of a fan who sits in our section, but I digress. I was so happy Dawn was able to see a win in her first playoff game. Who knew she'd be a witness to history?

Wasting Away Again...

Thursday was Game 5, in New Jersey. It was also the night of the Jimmy Buffett concert in Raleigh. I was able to obtain tickets for the concert as Dawn is a big-time Buffett fan. It was also Dawn's birthday, so it was only appropriate that we went. We met up with a couple friends for a mini-tailgate before the show and waited through the interminably long line to get in. Now for the disclaimer, I'm not a huge Buffett fan. I've never been big on the "I love the islands, I'm a beach bum" type of music. Maybe living in Key West gave me a contrarian outlook. Who knows? But still, I had a good time at the concert, even if I didn't know half of the songs. Buffett seemed like he was having fun and the crowd did as well. I'll sum the concert up this way, white people love Jimmy Buffett even more that they love Huey Lewis and the News.

While the concert was fun and my favorite person in the world seemed to enjoy her night, things fared a little worse for the 'Canes. New Jersey won 1-0 in an epic duel of goaltenders. Martin Brodeur made 44 saves in the win and Cam Ward made 41 saves. It was the most combined saves ever in a 1-0 playoff game. This put the Hurricanes in a must-win situation for Game 6 in Raleigh on Sunday.

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

Game 6 was a must win and the Hurricanes played like it.The team peppered Brodeur with shots early, but, as in Game 5, Brodeur was a brick wall. But then, an amazing goal happened, compliments of Dawn's favorite player, the Wizard, Ray Whitney. Eric Staal took a shot that bounced off the back boards. Chad LaRose shot the rebound towards the goal, but it hit a stick or a body and fluttered in mid-air. Whitney then batted it out of the air line-drive style and into the back of the net. The crowd went wild! Eric Staal then took the game over, scoring two second period goals, both with assists from the Wizard. Jussi Jokinen finished the scoring with a 5-on-3 goal in the third period for a 4-0 shutout. Cam Ward kept the Devils at bay offensively throughout the game. The crowd was at full voice throughout the game, exhorting the 'Canes on, knowing that it could be the last time they'd see hockey at the RBC Center this season. The 'Canes had to win Game 7... in enemy territory.

When the Volcano Blows

Game 7 in the NHL playoffs, there's jsut nothing like it. As I was exiled in Charlotte for the 2006 playoff run, I wasn't able to go to either Game 7 that the Hurricanes played in. Those games were both at home and this one was on the road. The Hurricanes had never played a Game 7 on the road since they moved from Hartford. The Whalers had never won a Game 7 in their history, either. All of the commentators were forecasting a low-scoring, tight-checking game reminiscent of the 1-0 Game 5. I flippantly remarked to Dawn and Ron on the way over to watch the game, "Watch the score be 4-3...".

Dawn, Ron, and I, along with Phillip and his wife, Jane, watched the game from the Village Draft House. The game started off with a bang, with Tuomo Ruutu (RUUUUUU!) scoring on an off-angle wrist shot. 1-0 good guys. Well, make that 1-1, as Jamie Langenbrunner almost immediately tied up the game. Later in the period, New Jersey took a 2-1 lead when the 'Canes gave up a bad 2-on-1 and Jay Pandolfo scored to make it 2-1 Jersey. Once the second period started, the Hurricanes applied pressure early. This bore fruit when Ray Whitney scored his third goal of the series. Of course, this made us very happy as Dawn and I were each wearing Ray Whitney Hurricanes shirts (mine was red and hers was black). Not too long after that, the Hurricanes took a penalty and the Devils converted the power play with Brian Rolston scoring the goal.

The rest of the second period was a back-and-forth blur. The Hurricanes had about a minute of 5-on-3 advantage but failed to score. The Devils had a 4 minute power play due to a Tim Gleason high sticking penalty. Thankfully, Cam Ward was able to keep it a one goal game. For the 'Canes, the third period could be described in one word, desperate. They really began to stretch out and go all out for the tying goal, knowing that if they didn't score, the game and their season was over. This offensive attack, however, left the 'Canes open to Jersey's counterattack. Cam Ward stopped multiple odd-man rushes, maintaining the one-goal deficit. As the clock ticked down, we kept waiting, waiting for something to happen, for someone on the 'Canes to be a hero... 5 minutes to go... nothing. 3 minutes to go... nothing. 2 minutes to go.... nothing.

The 'Canes had possession inside the Devils' zone with a little under 2 minutes. One of the forwards had the puck down low and passed it up to the point. Tim Gleason made a sliding stop and managed to shovel the puck over to Joni Pitkanen. Pitkanen then made a cross-ice pass directly to the stick of Jussi Jokinen who snapped the shot past Brodeur for a 3-3 tie! New Jersey couldn't weaze our Juss!!!! (That's a really bad Encino Man reference. Seriously, go watch the movie, you'll understand then). The Hurricanes had tied it up with 1:20 to go. At that point everyone was thinking, "well, this series has been so close, it's only fitting that Game 7 goes to overtime.". Well, with less than 40 seconds to go, Eric Staal took a feed from Chad LaRose up the right wing and let loose a wrist shot that went under Martin Brodeur's arm and in the net for a 4-3 lead. It was an improbable, nay, even impossible turn of events. The Hurricanes had scored 2 goals in the final minute and a half of a Game 7, on the road, against one of the greatest goalies in NHL history to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (CLICHE ALERT!!!!).

After the game, Ron and I went to the airport to greet the team as they arrived back from New Jersey. While this was probably a creepy fanboy type of thing, it was the type of thing I couldn't do in 2002 or 2006 and it was pretty cool to see all of the 'Canes fans out there.

Wow, what a game, what a series, and what a week (and a half)! I got to go to a football game, a baseball game, a concert, and 3 playoff hockey games. I got to spend time with great friends and the love of my life. Not bad, says I....

Next up are the Easter Conference's #1 seed, the Boston Bruins. They're a great team, so the 'Canes have their work cut out for them. So now the Hurricanes are shipping up to Boston.... to find a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals!

Believe It!

C'mon, C'mon, C'mon ,Let's Go....

2009-02-06T12:21:00.002-05:00

Let's Go Canes!

The 'Canes pulled one out of their hat by beating the NHL-best San Jose Sharks in a shootout last night. As the game started at 10:30 pm, I went to bed and watched the 3rd period this morning. Of course, I didn't set the DVR to record over, so I missed the OT and shootout. At least I was able to catch up thanks to the wonders of the NHL Network.

This will be a big sports week. Dawn and I are roadtripping to Winston-Salem to see Wake play BC on Sunday. Wake really needs a win and hopefully they can pull one off. On Wednesday night, State and Wake play at the RBC Center. Speaking of really needing a win, your 2009 Wolfpack basketball team! Thursday and Saturday are Hurricanes home games. Hopefully the 'Canes can build off the win over the Sharks. Be warned, if anyone gets in my way of the Valentine's Day promotional t-shirt sale, there will be a reckoning. I was denied last year, not this year.

Week 2 of the 4-day work week means it's at Friday and I'm....at....work.

Believe It!

It's Been Too Long I'm Glad To Be Back

2009-01-28T20:55:00.003-05:00

Yes, I still have a blog!

It's been a long time, I know. Here's a brief recap of what's transpired since we last talked (in chronological order)...

My laptop was stolen in Vancouver.
I went to two football games in the same day, in the cold (nearly freezing) rain... and I loved every minute of it.
I had three Christmases and went to two bowl games.
I saw a hockey coach (Peter Laviolette) fired and replaced by the guy (Paul Maurice) who was fired in order to hire him.
I saw State win a basketball game at home in OT and lose a second half lead to Duke at Cameron.
I've finished in the top 10 of NTN trivia nationally.... twice.
I've watched lots of bad hockey and bad basketball and seen the Panthers epic choke in the playoffs. Sports are fun, kids! Still, I have the '06 Stanley Cup to hold on to and as for State, er, uh, next topic.

But the best and most memorable thing is that I got married to a wonderfully awesome woman who is by far the best thing to ever happen to me. So watching State basketball get pummeled is a good bit more tolerable with her around....

Believe It!

For Whom The Bell Tolls

2008-10-11T07:46:00.003-04:00

or, it's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine). That's right, this blog deserves not one, but two lyrics! I've always known I would write this blog as this page in all of its incarnations has been a great outlet for me to voice thoughts that I may not have been able to verbalize.

In about 5 hours, I'll be taking that last walk down the aisle as a single man. That's right, I'm blogging on my wedding day. Dawn and I have always communicated to each other through our blogs, either intentionally or not. What can I say on a day like today, though? What can I say in this medium to the person who means so much to me?

Really, there's not much I can say, only that she's my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.

So, time marches on and my life as a bachelor nears its end; and no, Lenny Bruce is not afraid.....

Believe It!

I Can't Live Without My Radio

2008-09-16T22:45:00.003-04:00

I was driving home from work tonight after a looooong day at the office. Here are a few lyrics that stuck with me for various reasons. It's always interesting to see what sticks in my head in times like that when I'm more on autopilot than anything else...

"See me ride out of that sunset on your color TV screen" - AC/DC, "T.N.T."

"I fiddle when I can, I work when I should" - John Denver, "Thank God I'm A Country Boy"

"I've been waiting for this moment for all my life" - Phil Collins, "In The Air Tonight"

"Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas also came on, but all I could think about was the South Park Guitar Hero episode, lol.

For the record, the John Denver came on the Sirius 70s channel after the Kansas song, so it's not like I was frequenting the folk stations... ;)

I'll post again this year sometime.....

Believe It!

Ed's Thought for the Day - 9/2/08

2008-09-02T22:55:00.000-04:00

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
- Robert Collier

Ed's Thought for the Day - 7/15/08

2008-07-15T22:15:00.002-04:00

"Talent does what it can; genius does what it must." - Robert Bulwer-Lytton

Fire on the Mountain, Run, Boys, Run....

2008-06-16T21:56:00.004-04:00

Note to readers, this blog was written over a 2-week period due to lack of free time...

My birthday weekend was a heck of a weekend and boy, did I need it! After a long week, and I mean a LONG WEEK of work, I flew down to GA to spend my birthday weekend with Dawn. This was a bit of a different weekend as we had no plans to do any housework, just to relax and do a bit of wedding planning.

Friday afternoon, I arrived in the ATL and met Dawn at the MARTA stop . While I waited for her to finish work, I killed some time at Barnes & Noble and talked to Mom and Lonnie. I also got to talk with Aunt Shell, Aylin, Heather and kids on the phone over the weekend. It does sound trite, but it's true, it's always the best gift I can receive to talk to and spend time with those close to me.

After Dawn got off work we headed up to Stone Mountain Park for the laser show there. We stopped by Subway for some dinner to pack with us for the show. We also took some crackers and hummus and some, uh, beverages.... ;) The laser show was quite cool. They have lasers displayed on the face of the mountain synced up with music and fireworks/pyrotechnics. They began with salutes to the local sports teams and colleges. I at least got to laugh at all of the Thrashies and Falcons fans there and curse the Georgia Bulldog fans in attendance (for UGa eliminating State in the College Baseball playoffs). Then they went for the Southern Pride angle with some Skynyrd and some good ol' CDB. At that point, things went a bit more sentimental with Elvis' American Trilogy set to Civil War scenes and patriotic with the Star Spangled Banner. There was a long Chick-Fil-A commercial as well as they were the main sponsor of the show. The weather cooled off enough to where the evening was near perfect. We were able to relax and kick our shoes off and enjoy the show. We had a spot that was almost dead center, so there were no issues with viewing angles. All in all, an excellent evening! To top it off, Dawn baked some brownies with a special additive.... Andes mints! Simply awesome!!!! She also gave me some awesome birthday presents including a neat book and a Hawaiian shirt. As usual, she picked the perfect gifts!

Saturday was a nice, relaxing day. We slept in a little bit before going out to run our errands. We began by taking a drive to the, gulp, jewelry store. No, I did not go to Jared! It was time for the 6-month cleaning for Dawn's engagement ring. Seriously, time flies. We got to the store and got her ring cleaned and had the diamond tightened up. Then it was time for the test drive of the wedding bands. Keep in mind, I've hardly ever worn a ring (or any sort of jewelry). We looked at a few and I figured out what I like as far as feel and comfort go. Then we looked at one for Dawn. I think she has an idea what she wants now as well. All in all, it was a productive trip.

That night, we went bowling with Dawn's family. We all met at the bowling alley and, once a lane was ready, began to bowl. We all had a lot of fun, especially watching Evan and Haley bowl with the bumpers. For the record, I did NOT use bumpers! I actually topped 100 both games and didn't finish last! We just had a blast and Dawn's family surprised me with some birthday cookie and some presents. It was really, really nice of them.

Sunday was fairly low key. We went to church and then to celebrate Father's Day with Dawn's family. I had so much fun playing with the kids. After that, we went back home and just relaxed. We flipped back and forth between the Braves game and a neat Discovery Channel special on the Apollo moon landings. All in all, just a great weekend.

Let me tell you, I'm supremely lucky. I've got a wonderful fiance, a great family, great friends, and a good, steady, if very demanding job. I certainly do realize how lucky I am....

Believe It!

Ed's Thought for the Day - 6/2/08

2008-06-02T22:13:00.001-04:00

It's been too long since I've posted one of these. It's weird, sometimes what's going on in my head are best expressed through these quotes....

"The only pressure I'm under is the pressure I've put on myself." - Mark Messier

"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody" - Herbert B. Swope

Doin' A Little East Coast Swing

2008-04-29T09:02:00.005-04:00

I had a really enjoyable weekend traveling with Dawn up and down the East Coast. Wanna hear about it, here it goes...

Dawn arrived late Thursday night. First, we celebrated with some birthday presents at the airport. Then, we took a quick excursion to Hibernian for a birthday beer for her. We had a good time relaxing and decompressing from what was an extremely stressful week for the both of us.

Friday began early with a trip to pick up a rental car for our trip north. We got a Pontiac G6 from National. The key fob didn't work, but otherwise the car was good. Most importantly, it kept mileage off of my truck. We made pretty good time driving towards Richmond. The directions Mapquest gave us had us drive 15 miles through Richmond when the place we were going to was right off of 295. Great job, Mapquest! We arrived only slightly late in Richmond (due to my heavy right foot) for lunch with one of Dawn's clients. It was a good time for us. Her clients were very nice and treated us very well. I must say, though, it was awesome to see the vehicle in the parking lot covered in NC State magnets with the license plate of "NCSU17"!

After lunch we headed back north. We took 301 North off of 95 and crossed the Potomac River Bridge to Southern Maryland. We went sightseeing in Charles County a bit, including a side trip to Dawn's childhood home. It was fun seeing a part of Maryland I had never been to.

We finally got to Pamela and Steven's house around 5:30. We relaxed a bit on the deck and had a beer or two with Steven waiting for Pamela to get home. After she got in, we headed to a local restaurant for dinner. Naturally, as we were in Maryland, I ordered crabcakes (well a crabcake with some other seafood). Holy crap, was it good! I couldn't even finish all of my food.

Then, things got interesting. The restaurant (it had a bar/pool table area as well) had karaoke later. After a few beers and some research, Dawn helped convince me to give it a go. We finally picked out a song that we could both make a good attempt at. We chose "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. Yeah, '80s hair bands, represent! I was a little nervous going up at first, but once the song started, I relaxed a bit. The mixing of the music and the vocals was way off, so I'm sure the restaurant patrons couldn't tell how bad my singing voice really was! At least one of the guys playing pool really was into it singing along and high fiving and such, so that was pretty cool. A little bit later, Dawn did a wonderful rendition of a Restless Heart song. Let me say it, the girl can sing! Just one of her many talents! By the time we got back to Pamela and Steven's house, we were utterly tired. We had to get up early for our drive to PA the next morning.

After a quick breakfast in MD, it was time to make another drive. We drove up to York, PA for my cousin Aylin's First Communion service. We arrived at Aunt Shell's house in time to say hi to everyone before the service began. It was the first time Aunt Shell and her family got to meet Dawn. Of course, they loved her, I mean, how couldn't they? The service was great and the kids were really well behaved. Aylin did just great. I can honestly say that Catholic services just seem different to me, maybe because I've been to so few. I mean, the Protestant services I've been to and go to now are similarly regimented. Maybe it's the extra layer of symbolism, I don't know, to each his own, I guess. After the service, we went back to the house for a lunch gathering. I had forgotten how good lebanon bologna was. I got to spend a lot of time with the kids. I played with Morgan and Aylin on the swings and even jumped on the trampoline with them. We also got to spend some quality time with Beth's new-born son, Adam. Needless to say, Dawn was much better with him. At least he didn't cry too much when I held him, lol.

We finally drove east towards the Philly area. The drive took us through Amish country. We did get to see a few horse & buggy combinations on the road. The ride was quite scenic and a good bit of caffeine helped me stay awake as I was quite tired. We finally checked into our hotel near Valley Forge and got to relax a little. A little while later, we met Mom for dinner. A great time was had by all. It was a lot of fun to just hang out and chat (yes, and peek in on the NFL draft). After dinner, we found a local beer store and picked up a case of Flying Fish Summer Ale. Good stuff, yo!

Sunday began our drive home. I decided to give Dawn a quick driving tour of Philly. We saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, Christ Church, and all of the other historical sites. Then we went to see the real must-see places in Philly. First, we drove up to the Italian Market area and saw those Philly icons, Pat's and Geno's, the most famous cheesesteak places in town. We then drove by the Philly sports arenas. Dawn got to see the Wachovia Center/Spectrum (Flyers/Sixers) and Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) and Citizens Bank Park (Phillies). As we were in danger of being late for lunch with Rich and Katrina, we sped towards the DC 'burbs. After a quick tour of their new digs, we went out for some lunch. We went to an Ethiopian restaurant. I can honestly say that it was a first for me. The food wasn't bad, either. They had chicken in some kind of spicy red sauce that was quite tasty. We walked around downtown Silver Spring for a while and got to spend some quality time with Rich and Katrina.

Finally, it was time to head back. Let me tell you this, having a travel partner as cool as Dawn can make the longest drive seem short. Heck, we didn't even have the radio on from DC on south as we were just talking and enjoying each other's company. Another wonderful weekend with friends, family, and fun!

Believe It!

I Hate Myself For Loving You

2008-04-05T23:37:00.003-04:00

Ah, my yearly lament (2006 excepted) of how my sports teams suck. The 2007-08 academic year has featured a glorious confluence of athletic ineptitude from the teams I follow. This is just the latest bit of struggle from a Raleigh-based team after State's woes this year. Hey, at least this blog beats one with me complaining about work, right?

The genesis of this post is the end-of-season fade of the Carolina Hurricanes. To be fair, Washington did win their last 7 games and beat the 'Canes twice in the last week of the season, so they deserve all due credit. However, the 'Canes also dropped a game at Tampa that they should have won. Then, there was the last game of the season, a home tilt against the also-ran Florida Panthers. I had a pretty nasty cold. That did not stop me from screaming myself hoarse. I tried everything I superstitiously could to get the 'Canes going before the game.

Most 'Canes fans (myself included) thought that it would be a game where the refs would tilt the ice in favor of the Panthers (in order to get Washington and league media darling Alexander Ovechkin into the playoffs). Well, the 'Canes had 9 power plays to none for the Panthers. The 'Canes just played tight all night. They pressed and pressed and pressed. They gave up a breakaway late in the first period to give Florida a 2-1 lead. After the 'Canes got back within 1 goal late in the 2nd, Florida got another breakaway, this time while shorthanded, and went up 4-2. The 'Canes scored in the early part of the 3rd to make it 4-3, but could never tie the game.

Needless to say, the Panthers laid down for the Caps tonight. From what Rich said, the defense played by Florida was appropriate for no-checking rec league hockey. Such is life, I guess. The Summer of 2006 seems so long ago. This is the capper to this glorious sports season. Baseball is ok, but unless the Cubs do anything (yeah, right) or Dawn's Braves make a run (unlikely), it'll be pretty forgettable.

Still, despite it all, I've had a lot of fun going to the games. I got to attend 30 or so games this year, including one road trip. I got to spend one awesome evening with Dawn sitting in some great seats watching a thrilling OT win over Buffalo. I got to hang out a lot with Ron and Phillip at and after the games. I got to meet a lot of nice people who sit in our section. I'll be back next year to fight the good fight with the 'Canes again.... City by city.... team by team.... game by game.... rung by damn rung!

Believe It!

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad, You Take Them Both and There You Have....

2008-03-11T21:37:00.004-04:00

Been a long time since I blogged. I've been uber-busy with work, hockey, etc. To say it's been a rough week at work would be an understatement, but that's how it goes. I've been through worse job-related stress and I'm sure that I'll go through worse yet. It is what it is, I guess. Now, on to the fun stuff...

Dawn was up here last weekend. As usual, we crammed a lot into the weekend. Friday was a flat-out crappy day at work for both of us. Finally, the day ended and I went to the airport to pick Dawn up. Her flight was delayed a bit, but thankfully not too long. Once she arrived, we went to Hibernian for dinner and a couple of beers. I must say, the Black and Tans hit the spot. I have officially turned into Mr. Dark Beer drinker, thanks, Rich!

Saturday was a long day, but a fun one. We left Raleigh early in the morning to go to Winston-Salem for the State-Wake basketball game. We made our mandatory pre-game stop at Bojangles for breakfast. Cajun Filet Biscuit for the win! It was incredibly windy on the drive to W-S. My poor truck was buffeted back and forth across I-40. Heck, we almost blew over in the parking lot at the Coliseum. Once we got there, we met Stephen and Christina at the game. It was definitely good to see them again.

At high noon, it was game time. Both teams entered the game on losing streaks. Wake had lost 4 in a row. State had lost 7 in a row. State had earned a reputation as a streak-breaker this year, a losing streak-breaker, that is. This game, unfortunately, would prove to be no different. The game began with Wake hitting a bunch of 3s. State countered to even the score at 22. The game would yo-yo back and forth with Wake taking a 5-10 point lead and State clawing back to close the gap. Unfortunately (for me, anyway, Dawn will have a different opinion, I'm sure), State could never play enough stop Wake's guards orstop turning the ball over, and Wake went on to a 11 point win. Ultimately, this will most likely prove to be the 2nd to last game of State's season. Whatever they're doing this year, they need to do the opposite next year. Everything old is new again , I guess. The 'Pack hasn't been this bad in a few years. Hopefully Sid and the boys can learn from this year and develop the chip on the shoulder to work though the offseason to get better. Looks like it's college baseball season now! (State took 2 of 3 vs. UVa this weekend).

After the game, we went out for some Mexican food with Stephen and Christina. The food was good and the conversation was better. Of course, they wanted to know how the wedding planning was going. It was really good to be able to hang out for a bit with some people we don't get to see that often. We're definitely going to make time to get together this summer.

After lunch, we drove back to Raleigh, to attend the Canes-Sabres game. I lucked into some good lower-level seats. I had struggled to get tickets for this game. I had given a friend from work my ticket in anticipation of getting 2 tickets for Dawn and me. Finally, on Thursday, my work bore fruit and I bought a couple of tickets off a season-ticketholder who wasn't able to attend. There were a good number of Buffalo fans at the game. A lot of them are locals and a fair number bussed down from New York. The Buffalo fans aren't known for their manners, couth, or general hygiene. I didn't see too much buffoonery, though, other than security going after one Buffalo fan after the game.

It was a playoff atmosphere inside the RBC Center. The 'Canes even tried to bring back some of the Stanley Cup mojo as they brought back the National Anthem singer from that year and also showed the Stanley Cup banner alot. Right before the game, they showed a short video of Buffalo Bills legendary QB Jim Kelly saying, "Go 'Canes!". A nice little poke in the ribs to Sabre Fan. The game was a back-and-forth affair. The 'Canes scored the first two goals and held a 2-1 lead after the first period. Each team scored once in the second period to make it 3-2. At that point, Ryan Miller of the Sabres began to stand on his head. He made 3 or 4 highlight reel saves. Buffalo evened the score at 3 and held off a couple of late Hurricane power plays to force overtime. Free hockey! About a minute into OT, the Sabres took another dumb penalty and this time the Hurricanes made it count, with Scott Walker scoring the game winner. Woot!

Sunday was fairly relaxing. We slept in, even though it didn't feel like we slept that late due to the time change. Stoopid time changes! Eventually, we went out to catch a movie. We wound up watching The Bank Job. The movie is based on a London bank heist that happened in the early 1970s. It was a great popcorn flick with plenty of twists and surprises. After the movie, we wound up driving around looking at townhouses for our eventual move. Hooray!

All in all, it was another fun weekend. As usual, it flew by too fast, but the next trip for Dawn up here or the next trip for me down there is always just around the corner. Besides, as we all know, the wedding countdown clock is ticking.

Believe It!

Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ya

2008-02-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

Well, Jim Rutherford finally did something to shake up the Carolina Hurricanes. Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore were traded to the Ottawa Senators. Really, I wasn't shocked that a move was made. It's not like this edition of the Hurricanes have been worldbeaters recently and the team was in need of a shakeup. Also, both Stillman and Commodore are unrestricted free agents after this season, so either of them could leave via free agency with no compensation for the 'Canes. Also, the 'Canes get younger by obtaining Patrick Eaves (a forward) and Joe Corvo (the offensive defenseman fans have been wanting).

The purpose of this blog is to celebrate the moments and memories that these two players have left us.

Mike Commodore - Who amongst us could forget the red afro that Commodore would sport as the season would wear on? Not to mention the bathrobe that became his signature in pre- and post-game interviews. Also, he's a heck of a defenseman. He provided steady, physical play for the 'Canes throughout their Stanley Cup run. He's also been a bit of an iconic figure due to the hair since then. He has been one of the most easily recognizable Hurricanes.

Cory Stillman - He was definitely the biggest offseason acquisition that the Hurricanes made prior to the 2005-2006 Stanley Cup run. He had been a key cog in the Lightning's championship in 2004. Basically, he signed with the 'Canes because nobody else wanted him. Stillman, along with the other veterans on the Hurricanes helped mentor Eric Staal and lead the team throughout the season and playoffs. Oh, yeah, Stillman scored some goals, some BIG goals. Big like Game 6 of the Montreal series. His overtime game winner was also a series clincher. He tallied points in each of the 6 games of that series. His biggest goal in a 'Canes sweater was definitely in Game 5 against Buffalo in the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored 8:46 into overtime to cap a near-miraculous comeback for the Hurricanes. He also had points in each of the 7 games of that series. He also had an assist on the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Edmonton. He had points in 6 of the 7 Stanley Cup Finals games. That's clutch. He had 26 total points in the playoffs that year.

He was hurt most of last year, but was amongst the leaders in scoring for the NHL for most of this season's first half. His production has slipped recently, but then again, so have most of the 'Canes. Bottom line, without Stillman, we don't win the Stanley Cup.

Both players gave it their all for the team and helped win the ultimate prize. I, for one, will definitely applaud them upon their return to the RBC Center on March 16.

Believe It!!!

Go Shorty! It's Yo' Birthday!

2008-02-04T22:46:00.000-05:00

This was a fun weekend. I went to Georgia to spend the weekend with Dawn and have a little birthday fun for her niece and one of her friends.

After a long day at work on Friday, I took my standard 7pm flight down to Atlanta. Unfortunately, the bar at the airport was closed, so I couldn't have a pre-flight beverage, but them's the breaks. The ride was smooth and I arrived in the ATL at a reasonable time.

Dawn picked me up at the airport and it was quite a pleasant surprise to see her smiling face inside the airport at the Baggage Claim area. We left the airport and drove to Taco Mac for some dinner and a beverage or two. Good times! I even got a Rogue Juniper Ale pint glass for free! After Taco Mac, we went to Wal-Mart to procure a card and a small gift or two for Jordan's birthday party.

Saturday began with that birthday party. We went over to Brett & Julie's for the party. Dawn's entire family was there. We brought in our gifts and began to play with the kids. After all, I had to find some people there who thought like I do! Jordan was walking up a storm, going back and forth and back again. Once the food was served, the adults found our way around the TV and watch Georgia Tech drop a close game to Maryland. Then it was gift time. Dawn got Jordan a really neat stool with her name spelled out in primary color letters. Jordan, of course, absolutely loved it. She kept hopping up on the stool and trying to ride it like her scooter. I picked up a Bath Tiime Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a little stuffed dog for her. Then, Dawn's family made a grave error and handed me the camcorder. So I spent the next few minutes filing Jordan opening up her gifts and playing with them. However, the filing fun hit it's zenith at cake time. Jordan proceeded to get cake all over her face. It was sooooo adorable!!! I spent the rest of the party playing with the kids some more. It was fun for Dawn and I to pull Evan and Haley around the neighborhood in their wagon. It was also fun playing batting practice pitcher for Evan. All in all, the party was a blast.

After the party, we looked at a few things for the wedding as we drove around Cobb County. We looked at a place for the wedding reception, but it was mucho pricy! Still, we've got a handle on what we're gonna do. We've got the church, we've got a good idea of the reception place. Dawn talked to the minister who's going to officiate at the ceremony, so that's another thing out of the way. There's still a lot to do and a lot left to pay for, but we'll figure hout how to take care of all of that when the time comes.

Later on, we went to Daniel and Heidi's to celebrate Daniel's birthday. I engaged in the world's longest ever game of pool with Daniel, we were both just that bad. Finally, he won. We had a great time just hanging out. I got to see some of the 'Canes game on Daniel's big screen (Center Ice was free), but alas, they blew a 3rd period lead to Pittsburgh. As we were getting ready to leave, Daniel's two teenage sons began to play the piano and sax, and wow, were they good! I mean, seriously, I could only imagine having that kind of musical ability. A great time was had by all.

Once Sunday arrived, we woke up early to go to church. It was another enjoyable service and, yes, we taught Sunday School again. After the service, we went back to Dawn's to watch the State-Wake basketball game. It's the first (regular season) game in 3 seasons that we've not been there in person for but, of course, family trumps hoops and being there for Jordan's party made missing the game easy. As the first half wound on, Wake maintained a lead between 5 and 10 points. Courtney Fells (he's a gunnner!) had half of State's first half points. Once the second half began, State chipped away at the lead and even pulled ahead with 2 minutes to go. State could have taken the lead to 4 with 30-some seconds left, but J.J. Hickson missed two free throws. Ishmael Smith for Wake, as he is wont to do, hit a clutch shot to tie the game with 5 seconds to go. After a timeout, Gavin Grant dribbled up the court and launched a potential game-winning three pointer which..... bounced off the rim only to be jammed in by Ben McCauley with less than a second to go. I admit, I jumped off of the couch momentarily in celebration. Of course, we were both quite tame in our rooting for our teams and I tried to be very restrained in my celebrations. Dawn didn't rub it in after the football game this year and I don't plan to do that, either. Of course, I'm happy State won, but I knew Dawn was equally bummed about her team.

After the game, we ran a few more wedding related errands. We looked at another possible reception area and that went well. After that, we went to visit Dawn's folks and got the honeymoon place booked up. A guy's got to have priorities, yo! Finally, we returned home to cook some dinner and watch the Super Bowl. We cooked penne pasta with marinara, meatballs, turkey sausage and red peppers. I also made a salad to go with it. Needless to say, the food was better than the first three quarters of the game. Admittedly, I can't stand either team. As much as I despise Eli Manning for his draft day stunt (and because I'm a huge Philip Rivers fan), I have to give him credit for his play in the 4th quarter. The commercials were pretty average.

There you have it, that's my weekend. After that I returned to my reality of long hours and lots of stress at work. Still, the reward at the end of my toils and all of our planning will be worth the effort.

Until next time...

Believe It!

Meet the New Boss....

2008-01-31T10:33:00.000-05:00

I'm off Typepad and on Blogger now. Why? Typepad costs and Blogger is free...

Hooray being a cheap bastard!