Pens All-Star Lineup

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

The Pens have an All-Star reaction video up [Video].  It looks like the Grinch snuck in and cleared out their locker room.

Tonight on The Bachelorette...

We can’t get 10 extra seconds to let Tanger talk?  Bonus clip of him licking his lips while Sid talks – he could be thinking what I’m thinking. Apparently The Hat has not been retired.  Better than the ‘stache, though.

Please be captain, so I can get a TEAM CROSBY t-shirt.

Geno’s English is getting really good – he doesn’t look pained to speak anymore and he makes himself laugh.  That’s a lot of hard work!  And Flower looks as happy as ever, plus the greatest accent of all time (“I’ll get you, Ricky Bobby!”).

Merci beaucoup!

Can’t wait to see who the ASG players choose as their captains.  That’s the real popularity contest.

I Heart Russian Dressing

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Randomness

The Russian Machine never breaks and evidently Alex Ovechkin never stops making promos either as evidenced below. ESPN pulled the clip from Pants’ post below but I got it via a tweet from the Caps. IT WAS HILARIOUS! I just wonder seriously who pitches these things to him, “Hey Alex, we are gonna go to the back alley, fill up a bunch of russian dolls with russian dressing and have you knock them down with hockey pucks – cool? great. Thanks.” I mean, really? Yes, really. See below. I think these kind of things up for a living and try to pitch these kinds of things and get blank stares.

Hey Alex, can you come over, cover me with Russian dressing and … BOOM!

SportsCenter… darksided.

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Newsies

Okay, okay!  It’s funny! (Bonus hearts for Steve Levy.)  Dawn hates Varly… does this change your mind?  [New video link]

This isn't the alphabetized in Cyrillic!

Hey now, you're an All-Star.

- Posted in Newsies

Remember way back on November 15 when I posted my NHL All-Star Game starting lineup?  Well 4 out of my 6 were just named All-Stars by the general fan voting!  Once again, I control the Universe.

3 for 3!

Sorry Mike. ;(

Mikey was not on the list, but I’ll take Duncan Keith FTW! Also, Flower makes me a little, uh… nervous.  But he’s in fine form this season and was selected as the #1 overall goalie vote-getter.  Yay Flower!

In like Flynn.

So the NHL Hockey Operations Dept will choose the rest of the ASG pool, then the players will select their own captains: 2 captains, 4 alt captains.  They’ll take the stage in an ASG Draft on Fri, Jan 28 and the 3 captains for each team will draft their squads.  Each team will have to pick 3 goalies (by the 10th round) and the defensemen must be picked by the 15th round.

Reaction videos already up for Tazer [video] and Keith [video].

Awww shucks.

I am really excited now.  The first batch is just a popularity contest, so there are tons of great players to be added.  Still 4 out of 6 are Pens and they didn’t even win the Cup?  Boo-yah.

Back in Black.

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

Jonathan Toews is a stud. Two weeks?  Hell no.  He’s be back on the ice right now vs. Los Angeles because he didn’t get the message that Steph and I cancelled our trip when he got hurt.  So we’re here, and he’s there.  Communication fail. We should be sitting with his mom in the box yelling at the Kings in French.

Tell me about it...

You can listen to JTown talk about getting back in the lineup [link].  He should do e-books, yeah?  He could read the phone book to me.

It’s good news for Kaner too, who was chewing on his mouthpiece extra hard out of sheer loneliness on the ice.

Mikey Monday

- Posted in Mikey Monday, Pants Loves

Mike was a little quiet during the Winter Classic, but not surrounding the Winter Classic.  In fact, he orchestrated getting a friend on the ice for the family skate to propose to his girlfriend!  How cute is that?! [Story]

We watched the game at Giordano Bros. in SF, our fave Pittsburgh bar.  I had to stuff my hat in my mouth when this interview came on.  [Video]

I see you looking.

WUYS BFF Cassy posted this is comments, but I have to call it to the front.  New favorite thing ever?  When Mike and Nikky just tell each other how cute they are.

Breaking News: I am going to the Capitals vs. Senators game in DC on 1/16.  Mr. Pants has agreed to go with me.  Stay tuned for the carnage.

Here's Your Prize

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Pants Loves

Okay, the Caps won the Winter Classic.  Hissssssssssssss.  I got over it by watching this.  Unless you plan on ever getting in a car with Nicklas Backstrom (Warning: Don’t.  Scary u-turns ahoy.), you can skip to 3:52 for the best interview ever.

The Capitals are all in LOVE with each other.  It’s kinda cute.  Brooks Laich has obviously been drinking, probably doing shots with himself for how freaking hot he is.  Nik is giggling like a school girl and they’re razzing Mikey so bad that he put on a hot mess of a hat.

I could/will watch this a hundred times.

NBC Executives Ride Short Buses To Work

- Posted in Epic Fail, Fauxnadian, Hall of Shame

Watching the AWESOME Winter Classic and Fabulous Washington Capital’s 3-1 Win over the Pens holding whining Slew-Foot Sid pointless MADE MY NEW YEAR! Welcome 2011! But the bizarre camera angles and annoying comentary from NBC made me wish my fellow WUYS tweeters had access to the CBC feed. Because Mr. Cherrie and I would have rather watched our lovely Canadian’s coverage who grudgingly moved around their beloved HNIC schedule to accommodate the time change of the WC game. Only Toronto and Ontario got their game feed uninterrupted because it was “The Battle of Ontario.” Everyone else in Canada got to watch the WC.

But this is NOT about the Winter Classic. This is about a SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT made during the Winter Classic. NBC announced HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA. Now, I don’t want to split hairs here or get all semantic in your jockstrap BUT there are several things wrong with this announcement.

NBC programming executive for HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA

First off, they stole this whole program from CANADA. I’d be the first person to congratulate them on creating such a thing but they didn’t. CANADA DID. It’s originally called HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA where ALL THE CANADIAN TEAMS IN CANADA PLAY EACH OTHER. It’s truly awesome and it’s HOCKEY ALL DAY! And you WATCH EACH GAME and it starts at the ass crack of dawn and goes to like midnight. Remember this point.

Secondly, HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA would technically include Canada and Mexico (South America if I REALLY want to go there). Last time I checked Mexico didn’t have  hockey teams nor do they play hockey on a regular basis. I am not trying to be all PC but if you are stealing something, at least let’s not encompass EVERYTHING! It should be called HOCKEY DAY IN THE U.S.

NBC executives might want to reference this

Next up – NBC will have four games that day with TWO starting at 3PM Eastern: Washington VS. Buffalo and Philadelphia VS. NY Rangers. Riddle me this Batman … How is this helpful to Hockey fans?  Who programmed this? How is this HOCKEY DAY …? Did NBC figure out how to split the space-time continuum? Are they THAT AWESOME? Oh but it gets better or more, OK, I’m going totally un-PC  – full on retarded – Pittsburgh VS. Chicago starts at 4 PM Eastern and THEN Detroit VS. Minnesota at 6 PM Eastern. Will someone explain to me how to watch all of these games?

The Coup-de Grassi in all of  this … not only are they stealing Hockey Day in Canada but they are putting Hockey Day in America against Canada’s Heritage Classic; THEIR version of the outdoor WINTER CLASSIC (which we stole). Wait for it …. ON VERSUS which NBC OWNS! What’s a hockey fan to do? And oh how rude to Canada …!

Holy Sparkly Flying Dancing Unicorn Out My Butt! Does NBC have no Shame? Don’t answer that. While I am normally the first to criticize Canada because I do not quite feel the same why about our neighbor to the north as Pants and Chuck, visiting as often as I do, this is simply unacceptable. It is poorly conceived and makes no sense. It’s bad for Hockey and not a good PR move for the NHL. Why not tie in WITH HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA … oh wait, THAT would make sense.

I can save HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA!

But that’s just me.

Sweet Dreams of 2011!

- Posted in Newsies

Now that the Winter Classic has been rescheduled for 8 PM ET tomorrow, I don’t have to wake up early to watch it on the West Coast.  Rejoice!  Feel free to do this tonight, but put on a Crosby shirt.

I can't see the TV from here.

Go Play Outside

- Posted in Newsies, Well OBVIOUSLY.

The ‘stache is gone. Hallelujah. [Video]

Gillette picked the wrong guy.

Somebody looks like a sleepy puppy.  Also, I really like this sweatshirt.  Not a great sign that it’s all he needs to wear outside in December, but hey.  They skated and the game is on (for now).

Snuggles.

Bonus: Jordan lost the shootout and had to run to the upper deck.  Did he have to adjust his cup ten times during the interview? You decide. [Video]

Room with a view.

Totally gratuitous bonus: Mike Green interview.  My team-based loyalties are NOT being tested by his ridiculous adorkableness.  Not at all.  [Video]  And Mike talks about spending New Years Eve with Backstrom.  WELL OBVIOUSLY.  Mike, you’re not making it easy for me to defend you, you know?  Stealing Ovi’s boyfriend is low.

Wear your mittens, Mikey.

24/7 Episode 3: "Girls love."

- Posted in Newsies

I had no one to yell/text/tweet to last night while watching 24/7.  The vase in my living room, however, is a huge hockey fan.  You can watch the whole show online at Youtube 247NHL.  Sadly for Dawn, Ovi kept his pants on the whole time.  Huzzah for the rest of us.  Highlights!

– Ben Lovejoy’s face.  How many needle-in-the-skin closeups can we have?  I almost barfed.  And the poor guy had to get on the plane knowing it would swell?  Crosby laughing at him was priceless: “Woah, Benny.”  Lovejoy had the best deadpan reaction shot since My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “Can you tell I got hit?”  Someone get Ben a Baby Ruth and a pirate ship. [Photo Credit]

Rocky Road!

– Malkin’s one liners.  He makes Lovejoy feel better by telling him, “Girls love” the messed up face.  Geno knows.

– Mike Rupp’s Christmas. That elf outfit was outdone only when Rupper looked at his daughter’s pink razor scooter and asked, “If I get one of those, it it like Mike Green’s thing he had?”  Oooooh, burn.

– Brooks Laich close-ups. You’ll hear Cassy screaming from the UK when she sees this one… those are some blue, blue eyes.

Don't it make your brown eyes...

– Pens vs. Caps, Round 1.  Simply amazing to see so much behind-the-scenes from both sides of the game.  The intermission pep talks were the best.  And inside the replay office in Toronto – that was fantastic.

– Sidney hits puberty with the F-bomb.  I picture this like the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie curses in front of his dad.  Crosby got so mad his voice cracked and I almost choked on my drink.  We are fired up!   Mike knocks Sid down,  and he yells, “Fuck you, Green.”  But the real show is at 13:35 here:

– Bruce Boudreau’s food cravings in the mall.  You all do it, don’t judge.

– Mike Green in a suit. There are two 2-second clips, but if this were VHS I would have worn them out.

Holy Canada.

– Jordan Staal’s hair.  I want him back so badly that I’ll take it.  But he’s gonna look like Lady Gaga soon.  I can’t even bring myself to post a photo of it.

– I’m buying a silver car and naming it Disco Dan.  It can shovel, dance AND carve a turkey.

Poker Face.

I am so pumped for Saturday.  There will be tears if the weather screws up the Winter Classic.  Come on, Mother Nature.  Please.

Newsies: 3-2-1 Contact

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

Today’s stories are brought to you in order of importance.  No.  In order of who I think is hottest. (So basically like every day here, right?)

1) Crosby’s point streak ended last night at 25 games and I bet Dawn was ringing a church bell in Spokane.  Sid was pouty-pants after the game, probably as much about the streak as losing the game.  But you know he loved the streak.  And the ‘stache. [Video]

Really, stop.

Babe, just start a new streak on Saturday.  Hell get a hat trick so you can throw this one in those biohazard needle trash bins you see in public bathrooms.  Oh, and please shave.  We (us, your mom, the NHL, even Ovi) want to see your face at the NHL’s premiere event.  Not this thing.

2) I was in denial yesterday and didn’t mention that Jonathan Toews is out 2 weeks with an upper body injury.  He got hit Tuesday in St. Louis [Video] just as they got Patrick Kane back in the lineup.  Get well soon, Tazer!

Totally gratuitous, but it makes ME feel better.

3) The Caps skated outside to prep for the Winter Classic.  I fully cannot handle Mike Green wearing eye black,  because it makes me think of Mike in baseball pants.  Just stop right there. [Video]  Now pray for cold/dry weather.

Look at me, I can be centerfield.

Well that’s my NHL Top 3, in order. My little triumvirate of awesome.  Nothing more to see here.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

- Posted in Pants Loves

Wedding favors for everyone!  Sidney Crosby Lip Balm.  BOOM.  Thanks to my BFF and future doctor Michelle for this one – AMAZING.  She really wants to go to med school in Pittsburgh so I can visit.

Kiss kiss!

Featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [link]:

If you’re a lucky ticket holder for this weekend’s Winter Classic, be sure to stock up on Sidney Crosby Lip Balm. You’ll need it out there! Plus, let’s face it, girls, it’s probably the only way you’ll get Mr. Crosby that close to your lips!

The natural balm with SPF 15 sells for $4 at the souvenir shops in Consol Energy Center and at Bradley’s Books, Mike Fienberg Company, Seasons Crafts & Gifts, Wexford Ace Hardware and Crawford’s Gift Shop.

Next up: Sidney Crosby Mustache Wax.

Mike Green is Love.

- Posted in Newsies

Okay, I wrote the whole post below before I saw this video feature that Mike did with NBC in DC. Mike makes lunch, wears a bracelet, does a puzzle and talks about seeing a sports psychologist over the summer.

Suddenly I'm *really* hungry.

I will turn this whole world into the Mike Green Fan Club if I have my way.  He talks about his feelings!  I had to watch it twice because I couldn’t pay attention to anything but his upper body in that sweater.  He is the best imaginary boyfriend ever.

How to get through a long season...

We have addressed the fact that Mike Green falls down a lot.  Well last night he did it in spectacular fashion, scoring a highlight reel goal at the same time! Definitely watch this video.

Sugar, we're going down.

Mike takes a sick cross-ice pass from Backstrom and fires a shot past Price all in one motion, while falling down.  He spins and slides to a stop that would make Kristy Yamaguchi proud.

Mike hugs the ice.

Even his hair fell down last night, and the post-game interview video is awkwardly looking down at him.  Bonus: Mike is definitely not balding.  [Video]

I can't find my wool hat.

We need to wake up Saturday morning and find it’s 38 degrees and clear in Pittsburgh.  The NHL says they are “committed” to the 1 PM start time, despite current forecasts of 50 degree temps and rain.  Come on, Mother Nature.  It’s all Dawn and I wanted for Christmas.  Don’t you want to see more of this:

Class Act – A Senator – Not Our Politicians

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Randomness

Fist off, I can’t believe I’m writing about the Penguins. Secondly, yes, this is a few days late but between an emergency vet visit on Christmas Day, (Moe ate curling ribbon – still waiting for it to come out the other end – oh joy!) the food coma I’ve been in and the pants I’m stuck in from the afore-mentioned food coma, not a pretty sight. So I’ve finally rolled off the couch and made it to the lap top. Actually, I managed to pull it over to me without disconnecting the internet. HA! Note to self, sweat pants next year- more forgiving.

Anyway, because I had nothing better to do, I was watching the Penguins get SPANKED by Ottawa this weekend as Pants failed to mention in her post about Sid’s horrendous stache situation. There was a glorious fight between Godard and Carkner where Godard got popped and popped HARD by Carkner several times. You couldn’t really tell until they were pulled apart like the girls from the Duran Duran video “Girls on Film” but Godard was bleeding and went to the locker room. End of story – right? NO.

Godard comes back and like a kid dropped on his head too many times, tried to go AGAIN with Carkner. WHY? They show Godard on the bench draining his eye. It’s swollen SHUT. He looks like a Cabbage Patch kid. It wasn’t like Carnker started the first fight. It wasn’t like Carnker was taunting him. But when Godard got back on the ice, he grabbed Carkner and wanted to dance with him again. To Carkner’s credit, he kept his gloves and stick. You could tell he kept saying he wasn’t going to go. But Godard evidently needed a hug or something. Godard got a ten minute game misconduct and sent packing.

The point of the post? I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT 24/7 HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS! INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW! We many never know what Carkner was thinking but WTF – Godard ….? Tune in tomorrow because I hope Godard remembers.

We Feel Pretty

- Posted in Pants Loves

On Sunday, the Penguins were down 3-0 to the Senators in the 3rd period.  But the power of the mustache prevailed – Crosby got a goal with 3+ minutes left to keep the streak (and the stache) alive.

Borat for Halloween

I have to say Sid must drink a lot of milk because his skin is amazing. [Today’s video]

JORDAN STAAL ALERT: There is a chance (pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease) that Gronk could be in the lineup for the Winter Classic.  Total Pants Meltdown. Seeing him makes my heart do a happy dance, even if he has NO idea what personal pronoun to use.  Ever. [Video]

Pay no attention to the jock strap in the background.

Jtown, your hair is a mess and I don’t care at all!  You can even grow the Amish beard if you want, just come back.  And speaking of hair, this is happening:

He whips his hair back and forth.

Kris is approaching “Best Hockey Hair Ever” status.   I love how his sleeves are pulled down over his hands, like a little kid. [Video]  Letang Love.

Darryl Sutter steps down

- Posted in Newsies

Darryl Sutter has resigned his post as GM of the Calgary Flames amid the tougher-than-usual season they are having.  Their current record of 16-18-3 ranks them 14th of 15 teams in the Western Conference.  They’ve scored more goals (100) than the 6 teams above them in points, and their goals-against is just 6.7 above the conference average.  But they just aren’t putting the wins together.

Sutter has been the Flames GM since ’03 and was also their coach from ’03-’06. His brother Brent stays on as the Flames head coach, for now.

You can read something nice about this or something not-so-nice about this.  The Flames are a mess and their fans are pissed – two sides to every story.

So long, Christmas.

- Posted in Randomness

I never did a Christmas post this year and now holiday candy is 75% off at Walgreens and they’ve finally stopped the music loop in the mall.  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  If you live on the east coast, I hope you enjoy shoveling.  Until next year…

But I left him milk and cookies! And someone ate them!

I didn’t make this, but I really wish I had.  Look at Tazer’s face!!

Mikey Monday: Showstopper

- Posted in Mikey Monday, Pants Loves

Happy post-Christmas food coma, everyone!  I hope you enjoyed Thursday’s Penguins vs. Capitals shoot out stunner – if that doesn’t get you excited for the Winter Classic, you’re a Scrooge.

Scruffy panda!

Oh Mike.  Stealing the show on 24/7 with your Vespa and then coming alive on the scoreboard for the big game! We love it, baby. Also, love this scruffy look.  Sadly, shaved off by game time.  Booo!

Before the game started I said, “If the Caps have to score, please let it be Mike.”  Well Santa delivered.  Mike got his first goal in 14 A LOT of games to tie this one in the 2nd.  His reaction was the same as mine: FINALLY.  Arms down, looking up with complete relief on his face.   His reward?  Giant hug from Nikky B. [video]

Mike: Thank God. Nikky: FREE HUGS!

Mike played 34+ minutes, got hit a lot and led the Caps with 6 shots: one of them in overtime… oh boy.  Is this a goal?

From The Washington Post: Asked if he thought if the play was a goal, Green replied, stone-faced: “One hundred percent. I’m not going to sleep.” [link]

As a Penguins fan, I’m just glad it’s inconclusive and the ref had to call it off.  Because I’m pretty sure with x-ray vision that’s a goal.  (Right, with x-ray vision I’d be looking at a glove.)  Sad for Mike, because it didn’t count and they went to a shootout.  Greener had another go at Flower, but no luck. Then Pens won 3-2.

The boys all wore their WC hats for the pre-game skate, and apparently Mike didn’t feel his hair was up to par for post-game interviews.

MOM! Have you seen my mittens?!

So Mike had a great game, Flower had a great game and now it is ON for Saturday on the outdoor rink.  We hope (weather conditions not looking great).  But fingers crossed we’ll be ringing in 2011 with Fidget and the Penguins.  Mike can have another great game, but I still want my boys to win.

24/7 Episode 2: "Adorkable"

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

My girl Kimmy has coined the perfect phrase to describe Mike Green, Sid and half the rest of the Pens and Caps on HBO’s 24/7 Episode 2:

ADORKABLE. It’s absolute perfection.

If I had the setup, I would have stayed up ALL night screencapping   Until then, here are the highlights that I can remember screaming about alone in my apartment:

– Sid talks about fighting Niskanen.  “Do you want to take your helmet off?”  Oh, and he’s laying on a bed.  For heaven’s sake!

– Mike. Vespa. Helmet. Moccasins.  LOVE.  I don’t know why. (Dear Santa: Please bless whoever at Yahoo!’s Puck Daddy screencapped this.)

Back of his shirt should say: If you can read this, Pants fell off.

– Sidney Crosby’s 5 PM PB&J.

– When Ovi gets a wife, obviously he’ll live with her.  Till then, it’s mom, dad & dog waiting up for him. [link]

Does this dog like cats named Moe and Poe?

– Craig Adams’ son naming the Pens players… makes me wanna babysit. (Excellent catch by commenter Mrs Crosby, I was so busy giggling over Mike’s Vespa I credited this to Matt Cooke.)

– Caps fist pump dance – Brooks Laich is so hot he can almost pull it off.  I bet Greener refuses to do it.  Too busy being cool in his moccasins. [link]

I'd go to Jersey with that.

– JORDAN STAAL WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

– Ovi cannot be bothered to get dressed.  No just shirts, but pants.  He was 99% naked multiple times – I’m surprised someone other than Dawn would put their hand so high on his hamstring.

This program is rated TV-MA for Ovi's table noises.

– In a related story, Ovi totally flashes Mike.  Intentional.  Mike doesn’t laugh, so Dawn may be on to something after all.

Tonight it’s Penguins vs. Capitals in DC at 7 PM Eastern.  You’ll hear me and Dawn screaming at each other from SF to Seattle.  I cannot wait to see what HBO gets from this one.