Foxy Friday – Tim Thomas

- Posted in Chuck Loves, Foxy Friday

Subtitle: Old dudes need love too!

I love my friend Pants dearly.  She’s made me Ramen noodles more than a few times when I was drunk and for this I am forever grateful.  But I’m starting to worry about her and her unhealthy obsession with underage and/or barely of age hockey players.   It was starting to make me feel sort of like a dirty old lady with all of these postings about Toews, Kane, Stamkos, Crosby, etc.

So I thought it time to inject some more age-appropriate hockey player loving into this blog of ours.  This week’s edition of Foxy Friday is dedicated to 36-year-old, Boston Bruins netminder, Tim Thomas. Tim was born in 1974, which makes him much more age-appropriate crush for us here at WUYS. (He’s 36).  He’s cute in the way that the guy who works for the utility company is cute.  You know the one.  He is the guy that you see every morning at Dunkin’ Donuts getting coffee in his faded, slightly grimy blue jeans and hooded sweatshirt.  He may or may not have a scruffy beard (hot!) and underneath that blue-collar exterior is a really sweet guy who will totes make you a cup of tea when you’re feeling sick and watch your favorite girly movie with you (and pretend to like it.)

Oh, and he’s good at ice hockey too.  Tim won the Vezina in 2009 and after a sub-par year last year due to a torn labrum in his hip,  TIMMAY had surgery in the off-season and now looks to be on point for another stellar year.  He’s got his form back… okay so he really has no form… he just sort of flops around on the ice (a la Dominik Hasek)… but it totally works for him.  Currently, he’s 11-2-1, with 1.56 GAA and .951 save percentage.  He’s 1st in the league in save percentage and shutouts (4), 2nd in GAA, and 4th in Wins.

So we salute you, Timmy the Tank!  Keep being Foxy!

Who's a winner? Timmy's a winner!

Thank you for…

- Posted in Fauxnadian, Pants Loves

Happy Thanksgiving!  On this American holiday, we here at WUYS would like to say thank you, Canada. Our underrated neighbor to the north doesn’t get enough love from anyone but hockey fans.  And last night, as I drove past the Canada exit on I-90 and turned toward the Penguins game in Buffalo, I actually yelled “Thanks Canada!” out loud.  My dad already knows I’m crazy.

I’m also very thankful for this, from my hockey pal & hero Mer.  There is a Dick’s Sporting Goods here, and I’m counting on the Black Friday madness to distract everyone while I tear this off the wall and run away.  She even named the photo perfectly: “Sid + OMG”.  I can’t think of anything to say that’s not, well… [censored].

Fire up the getaway car.

Winter Classic HBO Preview

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

Pack your mittens and get excited – HBO ran a 12 minute preview for 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic.

It’s Pants vs. Dawn in the freezing cold at an hour when no one should be awake on January 1.  As MAX TALBOT says, “Bring it on.”  (I think Max would be flattered to see what we only refer to him in all caps.)  I’d like to complain, just for a second, that Mike Green is nowhere in this preview.  LAME.

Show schedule:

  • Dec. 15 at 10 p.m. ET  (encore at 11)
  • Dec. 22 at 10 p.m. ET  (encore at 11)
  • Dec. 29 at 10 p.m. ET  (encore at 11)
  • Jan. 5 at 10 p.m. ET  (encore at 11)
  • All episodes will have multiple replay dates and be available on HBO On Demand.

The Penguins and Caps play in DC on December 23, just 9 days before they take the ice at Heinz Field.  Dear Santa, please bring me a pony and a rocket and Sidney Crosby.  Or just Sid.  I’ll live.

Britney says, "You want a piece of me?"

Shaken, Stirred and I Can't Fricken Believe it! BOTB Winner Is …

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Newsies
I would never have called this!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

ValKat! and I’m not just sayin’ it because that who is I have been championing all season! I honestly would not have called this in my wildest dreams and if you’ve been following my posts, you know THOSE ARE PRETTY DAMN WILD. HOLY SIDNEY CROSBY IN MARIO LEMIEUX’S BASEMENT! I sat in front of the TV with my jaw on the floor speechless which is actually a very rare state to ever find me – ask Mr. Cherrie.

I was going to whine about how I had to suffer through two nights of TWO HOURS of BOTB this week, normally I have to watch only and hour on Sunday a mercifully short half hour on Monday. But this week the one hour finale was a super painful – chock-full of all sorts of non-sense filler including an all-men’s skate of a cowboy theme about save a horse, ride a cowboy. Which well, yes, I would, in fact, like to take Val up on that. I won’t further bore you with any of that.

yeah ... baby!

But I will comment about the night before because the guest judge was actually someone you might know because I actually remember watching him skate back in the 1984 Olympics and he was simply adorbs last night. He was Christopher Dean, the ice dancing male partner of the famous gold medalists of Torvill and Dean who wowed the world with their amazing performance of “Bolero”.

 

Anyway, his comments were fabulous and funny and spot on, his hair was AMAZING and after ValKat skated his comment sent Sandra Bezik and every female in the audience and watching into a warm and giggly mass of hysteria which created a perfect storm that must have sent every female in Canada to the phone and the internet to vote for Valeri – good job my man, good job! Mission accomplished. As Christopher said after ValKat skated, “Shaken, stirred and still standing!” YOW! See, I’m not the only one hot and bothered after they skate. 😉

It actually reaffirms my faith in people who if you are the best in a competition, you might actually win regardless of your nationality. So I will apologize Canada – I’m glad you saw past the pair as Russian and awarded them the trophy because they were skating for Canadian charities. They were truly on another level than any other pair out there week after week. It was a win-win all around.

So now my Sunday nights will be pain-free – oh yeah, until that special in December called “After the Ice” or something which will reveal secrets of this last season now that the winners have been revealed. Please, please, please for the love of God, stop beating this dead, sparkly unicorn!

Little pre-season interview nugget with Val that I found – God he’s adorable.

Mikey Monday: Circular File

- Posted in Mikey Monday

I have been on a plane ALL day and I nearly paid $12.99 for in-flight wireless just so I could get this Mikey Monday update done!  Alas, it’s a good thing I didn’t post before the Capitals vs. Devils game.  Also a good thing I didn’t fly into Jersey early to see said game, or Mike would be making it up to me with free tickets to his charity concert and a hot tub party at his place. (Hey, wait.)

I followed the game on Twitter, cracking up at the vitriol that can fit into 140 characters.  As the entire team, without exception, appears to have guest starred in an SNL skit for “Oops I Crapped My Pants,” Mikey Monday has only one thing to say this week:

Get to it, Green.

Okay, two things.  I love the internet.

Milan Lucic – The Love Doctor

- Posted in Chuck Loves, Randomness

One day after scoring a hat trick vs. the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruin Milan Lucic took to answering love letters on www.boston.com.  He doled out advice to a girl whose man has been cheating on her and I have to say, he did an amiable job.  Who knew this brawler/goal scorer could be such an empathetic soul?

Dr. Lucic drops some knowledge…

I do have one bit of advice for Milan, though..

Lose the moustache.

I know it is Movember and all and every dude is growing a moustache to raise awareness for men’s health.  But yours just looks weird.

File Under May-December Bromance…

- Posted in Dawn Loves

Nikky B has some competition for Ovi

And you thought it was all Nicklas Backstrom? Ovi has a sugar daddy and it’s Teddy Leonis! Check out his snuggle buddy/fest outside his DVD release last week. Looks like Nicky has some competition.  Alex talks about what to expect when watching his new DVD which is now available in stores EVERYWHERE (YES – I pre-ordered my copy AGES ago. OK – Mr. Cherrie ordered it – God I am a lucky girl! I have it cued up but NO, I haven’t watched it yet.)

Ted even answers over some questions just like Mr. Cherrie does for me and vice-versa with Alex defering to Teddy-bear. It’s adorbs. So Ovi has my vote for the best Metro-sexual Bromancer in the NHL. Which is probably why MAX TALBOT was upset. He was SHUT DOWN because maybe Ovi didn’t like MAX’S opening moves. Next time MAX, try a little less aggression and maybe a softer approach, suggest dinner and movie? It worked for Nicky! Or perhaps Toews and Kaner can help a brother out, their bromance seems to be flourishing. The French evidently don’t know EVERYTHING …

Watch here …Dan Steinberg.

Oh and … from the Washington Post interview Dan Steinberg article which is an addendum to the video interview above, this fabulous tidbit and quote: (I totally called it! – DC)

“SHIRTLESSNESS: By my count, Ovechkin is shirtless playing basketball, playing tennis, driving his car, riding in an elevator, introducing his family members, and touring his Miami Beach penthouse. I’d say a conservative estimate is that he spends 97 percent of the 60-minute DVD without a shirt.”

“Yeah, I have great body man, I have great body,” he explained. “Girls love it.” – Ovechkin *sigh* I think I need some alone time with this. Maybe me, Nicky and Ted can pop some popcorn, snuggle up on the coach and watch it all together? That’s a thought! Hell, I’d even invite Max too! The more the merrier … 😉

Foxy Friday: BizNasty

- Posted in Foxy Friday

I’ve been giving out faux Foxy Fridays all week, but it’s time for the real deal.  Today’s Foxy Friday is none other than Paul Bissonnette himself.  If you follow Biz on Twitter (@biznasty2point0) then you don’t need us, you’re already in love with him.

Hot in herrrrrrrrrrrrrrre

Biz is a character (to say the least), but he is our favorite hockey personality.  He actually has a personality, which is saying something in the NHL these days.  Off color sometimes and with questionable spelling, it makes him all the more entertaining.  Biz may not play every night, but he’s having more fun than anyone else.

We want to go to there.

There are a lot of Speedos and tattoos in BizNasty’s world, but we guarantee your mom will love him anyway. For Christmas, he’ll bring her a BizNasty t-shirt and Taco Bell (watch his commercial shoot).  Plus he plays Mahjonng, never runs out of toilet paper and has $750 bed sheets.  And he recently spilled his sensitive side to the Vancouver Sun (thanks Kimmy).

Biz for NHL Director of Awesome

Will the BizNasty Write-In Campaign for the 2011 All-Star Game succeed? We bet the captains would fight over him in the draft  – everyone wants to most popular guy in school on their team.  If he doesn’t make the team he should be invited to cover the event live via Twitter, uncensored.  In my dreams.

They're here, they're here!

- Posted in Bromance, Pants Loves

This is the best day of my your life! Two commercials featuring the comedy duo Toews & Kane have been located by our crack detective team.  Between these and all the Ron/Hermione love in the midnight show of Harry Potter, I am spaz-happy.

First, a HUGE thanks to reader Jackie (now officially WUYS BFF) for finding the Lemonheads commercial with Toews and Kane on YouTube.

I could screencap every second of this thing and it’s better than the last.  So I’ll choose just one.  Thank you, thank you Jackie!

"Wow."

And Subtle Like Seabrook was genius enough to save the Dell Streak commercial before it was removed from the web.  Amazing!  This commercial is without a doubt the BEST THING EVER period, exclamation point.

Hey baby, I'd love to stalk you on Facebook.

Creepy and awkward – I almost want to run from the room like it’s an episode of The Office.  It also resulted in the greatest Puck Daddy post of all time.  Watch the ad before I play it so many times I break the internet: video.  Because you know Tazer and Kane go alone, separately to the same restaurant then video chat over lunch.  Total bromance.

Solid haircut, Kaner.

Kaner actually looks kinda good in this commercial.  We are impressed. One of the girls he picked up might decide not to fight the Latin girl for Toews and let Patrick buy her lunch instead.  He wins Most Improved Player (for now).

Because I Can't Get Enough of Mr. Duff

- Posted in Randomness

I couldn’t make this up so I’m just going to quote this directly from the Montreal Gazette, “Starlet (I would use this word loosely – very loosely-DC) Hilary Duff told Access Hollywood about the days before her August wedding to NHL player Mike Comrie: They agreed on a first-dance song for the reception, Ben E. King’s Stand By Me, but then she “made Mike take a dance class … He was so mad at me! He was like … ‘We don’t need a dance class!’ ” ( I didn’t notice a ‘WE’ in that sentence but that’s just me-DC)

even trolls live happily even after

Being the man (again, I would use this word loosely too-DC), however, he did as he was told. But then “on the day of the wedding, my dress is so tight that once we’re making our way onto the floor I’m like, ‘Hey – change of plans. We’re just gonna sway back and forth like middle school days. No dancing.’ (ummm… preview of the wedding night? – DC) And he’s like, ‘You made me practice for four hours! I’m doing the dance!’ ”

Need I tell you that finally they just swayed?”

what a mrs. duff wants, mrs. duff gets

She also was recently quoted in this week’s US Weekly as saying that he is a manly man that can chop wood but is also her best friend and likes shopping.

Sounds like she got the best part of the deal but then why she didn’t just go to the pound and adopt a bitch, I have no idea. There are plenty of dogs in need of a home. But I guess this one comes with a $500 million estate and a one year contract with the Penguins. Good choice Mrs. Duff.

Until she opens her trap again, which will be soon enough, more Duff Stuff …

Hat Trick Hotties

- Posted in Newsies, Pants Loves

Okay, it’s Foxy Friday every day this week.  And it’s raining hat tricks!  Eric Staal and Jonathan Toews both lit the lamp 3 times each last night… whew!  I am spent.

EStaaaaaaaaal, bless your almost-ginger heart.  3 goals (2 on the PP, 1 game winner), 2 assists, +4, 6 shots and a block. You know what this is?  That’s 20.25 points for my fantasy team!  You are my hero.

Not last night, still best face ever.

The Canes beat the Senators 7-1, cementing my decision to trade Alfredsson from my team.  Can’t wait to see EStaal on his home ice for the All-Star Game.  Bonus points for notching his 200th career goal and just generally being born into that ridiculous family.

Rock you like a...

Jonathan Toews also got 3 last night vs. Edmonton, and was interviewed twice during the broadcast.  JACKPOT.  His helmet is definitely too small because his forehead is always a mess in interviews.  Maybe he can keep a hat that was tossed onto the ice.  Video here – so smiley!

High five!

The best thing about game full of Toews – all the Toewsfaces you get to see.  Hilarity captured forever.  Also it’s nice to see the Hawks scoring some goals, as they’ve had a bit of a rough first quarter after their Stanley Cup win.

Three is a lot. I'd like more. To help the team. Zzzzzzzzzz.

Another highlight of watching a Hawks game on FSN Chicago is that Toews & Kane star in every single commercial.  There are two for Lemonheads (one is hilarious) and one of them driving in a Chevy that features some seriously homemade filmmaking.  Further proof that the Blackhawks have more fun than any other team.  I’ve searched high and low – I will find you that Lemonheads ad and screencap the heck out of it.

Now & Later: Steven Stamkos

- Posted in Randomness

Let’s talk about someone we never talk about here: Steven Stamkos. As if leading the league in goals and points was not enough reason, I want to point out that Stamkos in 20. That’s fine in Canada but Tampa Bay?  They have a Yuengling brewery for eff’s sake!  This poor guy.  No wonder he practices so much, there is simply nothing else to do.

High score? What does that mean? Did I break it?

Stammers was drafted 1st overall in the ’08 draft and hit the NHL that year with 23 goals and 23 assists.  In 2009, he had 51 goals to tie for the NHL lead and split the Rocket Richard Trophy with someone we like very much. It takes a lot of guts to wear a shiny gray suit, but he’s looking smart.  Except I’m not looking at him.

Sorry... Pants lost her train of thought.

Steve was born in 1990. The year of my first ever concert: New Kids on the Block.  So that’s cool.  According to my in-depth 3 minute Google search, Steve likes “Two and a Half Men” and Nickelback, and doesn’t really eat breakfast cereal.  Guess we don’t have a lot in common.  Also, I had bad hair and wore slouch socks while he was being adorable and skating with a chair.

He’s definitely cute, so we’ll file him under “Call me when you don’t need a fake ID.” We vote for the longer hair, since his hairline is a bit severe, but Steve seems like a nice guy.  Especially when he’s giving Toews a run for his money with the “serious” face.  Next year we’ll let him take us to Busch Gardens and ride the SheiKra till we can’t stand up.  Then we can watch the tortoises mate (srsly, saw it there in April, very disturbing) and our date will be complete.

I'm serious about this sweater.

Stammers is on track to score something like 298 goals this season (okay, 73).  He wears 91 because it’s the reverse of Sakic and Yzerman, two of his favorite players growing up (ours too!).   At 6’1″ and 188 pounds, Steve-o is going to fit in your jeans. Get over that (and minds out of the gutter!), because he’s going to be around for a long time and really wants to take you to the prom.

Skinny tie? Hipster prom party.

Bromance: Photo of the Week

- Posted in Bromance

Inspired by this hilarious selection for the “Double Date” feature on The Hockey Junkies, Dawn and I have been discussing bromances.  In a sport full of hugging, how can you not have them?  All those long road trips, you just want to cuddle on the flight home.  And we just want to wade through days worth of random photos from across the web.  So today we bring you the first installment, based solely on this single picture that I can’t stop looking at:  Kris Letang loves Jonathan Toews.

Thanks to Melissa Wade, mystery genius.

We know just how Kris feels here.  We like to imagine that Kris and Tazer trade funny stories about Crosby in French and giggle about how often we mention them on WUYS.  Then Tanger demonstrates how to grow a beard on your entire head while Jon can only manage the mutton chops.

What Hurts the Most

- Posted in Newsies

… is being sooooooooo cloooooooooooose… ugh, I hate the guy from Rascall Flatts’ voice but there is no other way to describe Pittsburgh’s loss to the Rangers last night.  Unless you’re Mr. Pants and (just to be an ass) you’re suddenly a Rangers fan who wants a vintage jersey.  Shut up or you’re paying for the wedding.

It was 1-0 Rangers with just 2:31 remaining in regulation when Chris Kunitz scored.  Kris Letang leaped on him like a lizard – it was adorable.  1-1 tie, whooping in my living room.

FREE HUGS!

38 seconds later, Matt Cooke scored to make it 2-1 Penguins with under two minutes to go.  Pants pandemonium. Lundqvist broke his stick over the crossbar, then took a penalty for chucking it down the ice.  Not very Swedish. (The call was “unsportsmanlike conduct” and Avery served it.  Irony?)

If you can't duct it, chuck it.

So the Rangers were shorthanded, but had 5 skaters because they pulled the goalie.  And then he struck:  Ginger Staal.  Marc Staal scored a shorty with 26 seconds on the clock and sent the game to overtime.  You are dropping to be my 4th favorite Staal behind your little brother Jared who I’ve never even seen.  Maybe behind your mom.

That's it, 5th place for you MStaaaaaaaal.

Ryan Callahan completed his Gordie How hat trick with an absolutely indefensible goal and the Rangers won.  Poor Flower.  The Pens were really strong the whole game, with a total of 39 shots on goal, but couldn’t squeak it by.  UGH.  And Callahan’s goal was a killer.

Nothing you can do here.

You can watch the high/lowlight reel here.  It’s pretty painful unless you’re NYR Fan Stephanie Marino.  Steph and I are going to see Penguins @ Rangers on 11/29 during our East Coast Swing, and I shall have my revenge.  On my watch, no one gets to make Flower look this sad.

Don't worry, MAF, we'll get it back.

BOTB: That Was All a Bad Dream Episode

- Posted in Dawn Loves

You remember in the 80’s when TV writers didn’t know how to end the big cliff hanger episode on Dallas or Moonlighting so they did the Ol’ have Maddy and Bruce get together – something you’ve been waiting for, like forevs, only to be sucker punched like Avery, to find out Maddy was having a bad case of od’ing on Midol and it was all a PMS dream? Well welcome to this week’s episode of BOTB!

Back when Bruce was hot.

It opened with Kurt teaching Ron how to figure skate … yes, you heard me. Talk about being a toe pick tease. Kurt even made a reference about Ron ‘coming out of the figure skating closet’. I’m telling you, I had my popcorn ready for a full on make out session – but no. After weeks of being teased, it STILL DIDN’T HAPPEN. You know why? Because Ron’s real life metro-sexual life partner was this week’s guest judge – MY HOCKEY HUSBAND – the great DONALD S. CHERRY – let the true goo-goo eyes begin as Ron breathlessly whispers ‘Grapes’ and all sorts other sweet nicknames they must call each in the throes of passion between HNIC commercial breaks.

Grapes and Ronny-Poo

But the REAL hilarity ensued with the super-sweet flashback to JR’s ‘childhood’ when Grapes and Ronny-poo visited JR’s parents 20 years ago to watch JR play in the Stanley cup finals at their house. With JR’s adorable Dad in his red sweat pants showing Grapes JR’s various trophies. Grapes has to comment about how “That’s not a very big trophy for being the highest scorer.” Really Grapes? Is Ron’s ‘trophy’ bigger? You realize JR was just a kid? Is that legal in Canada? You know, for an old man you only played ONE GAME IN THE NHL. He is really an ASS – you heard me. Many people do not realize this old goat only played ONE GAME IN THE NHL.

 

Anyway, fast forward to JR cowering in the corner  like he just had a really bad acid flash back or was banging his head against the table while that video was being shown. Not sure which or maybe it was both. May explain a little more about JR. Now mind you, this all happened before the first commercial break!

It was “Men’s night”. Yes, and don’t ask me to explain because I still have no real idea what that meant except that each dude had to skate for 30 seconds solo. For Ron and Grapes, I imagine that is too long for either of them at their age to sustain anything and I will just leave it at that.

I am Man.. hear me roar.

So how was the skating? Well, Patrice the boring frenchman tripped several times and yet, the judges gave him a pass. Kelly actually manage to pull off something that resembled skating for once and instead of viagra induced fist pumps, we got finger stabbing at the camera. Todd is looking more and more like Cesare Romero from the original BATMAN TV series and his skating was blah. Val, oh Val. He had a very small fall. Not at all as noticeable as the tripping frenchman but again, because Canadians hate Russians, he was severely punished and slammed for it. Grapes even makes a comment about not knowing that Russians could be ‘that good in the corners’ and starts rambling on about how much better Val’s brother was than him and too bad he’s retired because Calgary could use him now. WOW! I bet the Sutter brothers are happy about that slam on national TV!

 

Hey Calgary, I'm hot and available and good in the corners!

Thank God as I mentioned it was all a bad dream because even though ValKat was in the skate off against Kelly, they will be in the FINALLY next week. And yes, I misspelled that on purpose.

 

Rock the Vote: ASG '11

- Posted in Newsies

Hey you, fans of freedom and democracy.  It’s time to vote for the NHL All-Star Game 2011.  Put aside your petty team allegiances and indulge your guilty hockey pleasures by voting for whoever you like.  Log in to vote.nhl.com, page through the lovely headshots and vote for 3 forwards, 2 defensemen and a goalie.  If you don’t see someone, write them in at the bottom.  My team:

Oh Malkin...

Sid looks awfully serious here, almost bird-like, while Toews is just waiting for that stupid popcorn to finish in the microwave.  You can vote as many times as you want, so my interns are spending the day writing in Kris Letang and voting over and over.  Any other requests for my hockey sweatshop?  My defensive pairing looks like it just got paroled and called you for a ride home from the clink.

Your mom warned you about these guys. You didn't listen.

It’s a little early in the season to be deciding who the best players will be 2 months from now.  And what about injuries?  Parise’s on the ballot though he’ll likely be out, and JStaal isn’t though he’ll likely be back.  The fans vote for the starting 5, and the rest of the All-Star rosters will be chosen by NHL Hockey Operations.  I’m all about guys named Tim for big performances this year (I heart Lincecum).  And Thomas looks like that guy from that band.

Timmmaaaaay.

So vote early, vote often and check back next week to see who’s in the lead.  Really, my interns are waiting.  Remember, the ASG team rosters will be selected by playground beat-down this year, so you could get some awesome line mate situations.  Let’s make it count.

Mikey Monday: Letter M

- Posted in Mikey Monday, Pants Loves

Excuse me as my onomatopoeia gets a little out of control: It’s the Mikey Monday Mustache & Moped edition.  As Dawn pointed out a few weeks ago, it’s Movember.  And I don’t think most of these guys need an excuse to grow a ridiculous mustache.  While we applaud Mike for participating to raise awareness about men’s health issues, can we make a request?  Can we donate for him NOT to do this again?

This is my Evil Villain look.

The girl on the right is thinking, “Yeah, I still totally would.” Mike scored in the Caps 6-4 win over Atlanta last night and now has 5 goals on the season.  He also has a Vespa. What does this have to do with anything?  Who cares?!  Mike put it on his Facebook page which means he really, really wants me to make fun of it.  But hey, I like Vespas.  And I could wear a scarf and ride on the back waving “Ciao” at other drivers.

Eddie Izzard is laughing somewhere. Ciao!

Mike’s hosting a charity concert on December 13 to raise money for So Kids Can.  If you’re in DC and want a $50 tax write-off, check it out.  Plus Mike will probably have shaved by then.  Bonus points if you give him my phone number.

This is What Dawn Wants for Christmas – Please!

- Posted in Dawn Loves

BOOM! Yes, Christmas just came early and in case Chuck or Pants or IC were wondering what to get me for Christmas, look no further. Other than the real thing, shirtless and wrapped in a bow, standing at my front door on Christmas morning, this will have to do.

Just in the preview alone, I counted no less than 5 shirtless shots which bodes well for the DVD. God Bless the NHL! In case you haven’t guessed by now, I am referring to the promo video of the Great 8’s DVD release. I submit for our viewing pleasure. Repeated viewing pleasure. Over and over and over and over and over again. BOOM!  Watch the video here.

Ovi will chat with ESPN on tomorrow live at 12:30 PM ET.  You can send in your questions here.  We bet they won’t answer any of Dawn’s questions.  Then you can run right out, get the DVD, call in sick and put it on repeat.

Note from Pants: That is a LOT of Ovechkin.  And a single clip of Sid looking like ‘What the hell am I doing here with this guy?’

It's Foxy 'Doughty' Friday!

- Posted in Dawn Loves, Foxy Friday

Nice Stick

What’s that you say? Who’s Drew Doughty? Well let me introduce you to him because I had to introduce myself to this tasty LA King treat. He caught my eye when Kopitar caught Malhotra’s stick in the face (see earlier post).

Adorable Drew

Well, I have to be honest. I was watching it because they were wearing throw-back purple jersey’s and purple is my favorite color. Yes, sad but true but that was the only reason I was rooting for them. But then destiny intruded and a bright shiny soft purple light shone down on #8. There he was, his black beautiful hockey hair flowing in the light wind, skating in slow-mo, our eyes briefly met in the screen, and I was lost for good! BOOM! As Ovi would shout!

intense concentration - we like!

When I commented that I must investigate Mr. Doughty closer, Mr. Cherrie’s eyes rolled and said that it was his number, #8, that I was attracted to. Which could have been, could have been. But let us see … Shall we?

competition for Mike Green in the hair department!

He was selected #2 overall in the NHL draft in 2008, not bad. He was on the Canadian Olympic Team and won a Gold Medal in 2010. Check. He’s Canadian which would make him my first Foxy Friday Canadian nomination … hum. Well, OK. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2008 as an 18 year-old. Cool. He was a finalist for the Norris trophy in 2010 – I smell competition for Fidget AKA Mike Green! So he kicks butt which we all know, I likey very much! He has been out with a concussion which makes me sad. But watching his highlight reel below he has an adorable little butt dance when he makes a goal!

I think he’s an adorable, fresh-faced and unusual pick for FOXY FRIDAY … and no, Pants, there are no shirtless photos of  him. I looked. I guess only you and Chuck pick guys that pose for those! HA!

suited for work

So keep an eye on this one. I think you will hear alot about Mr. Drew Doughty in the years to come. At least I hope so.

All-New All-Star Game

- Posted in Newsies

So it’s sixth grade and you’re in gym class, wearing itchy cotton/poly-blend elastic shorts and RecSpecs over your glasses.  You stand in the back, behind the awkwardly tall early-growth-spurt kids, hoping no one will notice you.  But they always do.  They always pick you last. It’s the reality of adolescence, the prepubescent torture made famous by after-school specials.

I’m willing to bet that most NHL players never experienced this (except Gionta).  Now they’ll have their chance.

The NHL announced the new All-Star Game format, which will debut this year at Carolina.  Here’s how it will work:

A new format for this year’s festivities will see the conference vs. conference approach replaced by a player draft, conducted by the All-Star players themselves, to determine the rosters for each team.

The 2011 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft will be Friday, Jan. 28, to kick off All-Star Weekend, which will be hosted for the first time by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Captains for each side will select from a pool of players chosen by a combination of fan balloting and the NHL Hockey Operations Department. The change in format is a joint effort by the League and the NHL Players’ Association. [NHL.com]

After the entire All-Star squad has been chosen by fan voting and NHL Hockey Operations, the players will choose 2 captains per team.  So if Crosby & Toews are chosen captains of one team and Ovechkin & Gionta captains of the other, those four will then alternate picks to draft their respective teams from the remaining 38 players.  We know which side would have blue lightsabres in the battle of good vs. evil!

I'd rather kiss a Wookie.

What do you think of this? Shanahan’s all for it, as is Rob Blake: more excitement, mix it up, invest the players in the fun of the event.  And since there was no All-Star game last year due to Olympics, it’ll be nice to have everyone back.  The Skills Competition is still the highlight – should we call it the Showboat Competition?  The Hockey Hair Pageant?  For my vote, I think the fantasy draft is a cute idea and I look forward to seeing how it works.  Players from the same team could face each other – Ovi’s shot blocked by Green, Getzlaf vs. Selanne on a face-off.

Спасибо. (Spasibo.)

There’s one solution the NHL has not considered here:  Team Cherrie/Pants vs Team CI/Chuck.  The epic battle of choosing good vs. good-looking, sexy vs. scoring ability and the inevitable hug between Sid & Ovi when C/P wins… a sports legend in the making.

PS: @DaveLozo is tearing it up on Twitter with random imaginings of how the draft will go down.  Hilarity -“Alex Ovechkin with his hand-written lists on notebook paper saying, ‘I’m pretty sure I can get Semin later. I’ll take Toews.'”