Overheard At The Game, 09-27-08

Mina has a friend who Twitters things he overhears in random locations and she's taken to doing the same. I thought I'd carry this into an occasional feature, "Overheard At the Game," to document the odd things we hear, or say, while at Sharks game. While this game had several good candidates, I settled on my mishearing the lyrics to a song being played during intermission. I believe the actual words were something about riding a cowboy and saving a horse. My version is better.

NHL Preseason Game Preview

(In an effort to prove how crazy I am, I am going to attempt game previews and reviews for all the games this season. The chances are slim that I will pull this off and my posts will look eerily similar to those from BoC and other sites. But I'm working on my own unique style as well. I promise.)

Last season I attended my first NHL pre-season game as a part of the SharkPak that Gray and I share. It was against Vancouver and it was full of awesome. The game started innocently enough with a tie game at the end of the first. And then all hell began to break loose. The game was very chippy, indicative of two teams whose hate for each other is in mid-season form. Near the end of the 2nd period, Cowan, McIver, and Burrows got involved in a major fight with Rivet, Marleau, and Clowe. No, you are not hallucinating. Patrick Marleau got into a fight. Really. Doug Murray and Rob Davison got in on the action before the end of the game and the Sharks won 3-1.

The problem with this game is that I have very high hopes for tonight's game. It will be Steve Bernier's first time back in San Jose with another team after being traded at the trade deadline. I miss him a bunch and will be one of the fans cheering him when he is announced. I'm not looking forward to seeing the Sedin's again (Goddamn Sedin's) as they always seem to have awesome games against the Sharks. I am curious to see who is stepping up in the absence of Torrey Mitchell (*sob*) and who's going to take his roster spot. It's hard for me to talk about importance or previews to this game since it's only halfway through the pre-season. But I'm still excited about an almost real hockey game.

Forecast: (yes, like the weather, but not like a prediction) 4-0 Sharks, just like the season series from last season. Goals for Clowe, Joe Pa, Patty Marleau, and Not Graham Mink (Mike Morris). And my first chance to test out my new camera in my new SharkPak seats.

No Panic At This Disco, Sharks Fall 4-6

The Sharks fell last night 4-6 to the Ducks in their first preseason game. The only way I could watch this game was via the constastly refreshing scorecard on the Sharks site so I won't be reviewing it. It sounds like it was well worth watching so it's a shame it wasn't broadcast anywhere. Such is life in preseason hockey.

4 More Years...

...of Douglas Murray! Article can be found here.

It's always nice to see players who are commintted to their teams and willing to sign deals instead of running towards the potential cash cow of free agency.

Gray's Non-Technical Thoughts on Teal and White

First off, I'm very lucky to know folks who have season tickets who aren't able to attend and willing to let me use their invite.

It felt like there were more folks there last night than last year. Last year we were able to power through two lines and ended up getting stuck somewhere in the middle of the third line before signings ended. This year we got through one line. It was Cheechoo's line, so, take from that what you will.

They seemed to expect a big crowd because they had a ton of shirts and signs, but they didn't seem to think any of the crowd would want to eat. The poor food service folks were overwhelmed and ran out of hot dogs. I think they needed more than two places selling food. 2 per side and it would have been less crazy. (that said, I am infinitely glad that they sold food.)

I was incredibly bummed JR and Clowe didn't participate in the signings. I do realize they are not obligated to participate, and it's amazing that any of the players willingly submit themselves to fan interaction, but I can still be bummed.

We think Mina might have upset Mike Morris, but we aren't sure. She did make Lukas Kaspar laugh. (Unlike Logan Couture, he finds Mina funny)

On the Scrimmage:

I think Sharkie might have scared Randy Hahn.

Watching Clowe crack up after being misidentified as JR was great.

The general consensus was Teal was stronger on paper and had the better chance at winning. Apparently White disagreed.

They spent a lot of time down on our end, which meant our conversations were constantly being interrupted by the sound of large men crashing into glass.

Frazer McLaren was crazy. I not sure who it was on White that he nearly punched, but the guy was a beast.

There was a lot of talk about Graham Mink, despite the fact that he wasn't there.

On the Fan Selected Player Shootout:

The Sharks are still bad at shootouts.

The "just a bit outside" comment by Rusanowsky was great. It was a shame most people didn't seem to get it.

There was some confusion over the goalies roles in the shoot out and I could see the coaches and HP staff making the "wrap it up" signs behind Rusanowsky as he was trying to get it sorted out. I'm assuming this was so the could allow folks to skate and not just because Nabby had poofed when the scrimmage ended.

Tears on my pillow....

The sound you heard is my poor little heart breaking. The love of my hockey life, Torrey Mitchell, has broken his leg in training camp and is out at least 8 weeks. Training camp! Seriously! 8 weeks! Now my plan to get him to fall in love with me when I charmed him while getting his autograph at the Teal and White game has been completely ruined. Damn! Damn! I have the stupidest luck ever.

Credit to Rudy Kelly for bringing this to my attention and breaking my heart. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go cry in the corner.

*Yes, I know this is more of a problem for the Sharks and Torrey than it is for me. But I'm feeling a little selfish today.

Teal and White

The Teal and White game is this coming Tuesday and we can't wait. We were able to go last year for the first time. We got some cool autographs, kinda scared Setoguchi by trying to talk to him, Mina got to flirt with Bernier, who happily played along (because he's that cool ladies and gentlemen) and then IT happened. The man himself, JR, promised Mina a beer if the Sharks won the Cup.

We're doubtful he'll remember the event; so small was it compared to other things that happened last season, but we cling to the possibility. We don't care if it's a real beer, non-alcoholic beer or a root beer, but we'd love to celebrate the Sharks raising the Cup with the Master of the Universe.

I'm not a Pitbull!!

On the one hand, I'm happy that Sarah Palin is using the term hockey mom like a badge of honor. On the other hand, I dislike her whoring out hockey as much as I dislike her whoring out her sons for political purpose. (But don't talk about her daughter!!) And then I saw how she treated her fellow hockey moms...



I may not have much executive experience, but I do know the difference between offsides and icing.

Stolen Borrowed from Puck Daddy.

Calling Kings Season Ticket Holders

I am planning to make a Couch Tarts field trip down to LA to see the Sharks and the Kings play on October 12. But I would love to be able to buy them now instead of having to wait. If you have the pre-sale password, I would love you forever if you could share it with me.

Plus if anyone wants to meet up at the game (*cough* Rudy Kelly *cough*), I love meeting strange internet people.

PS. $29.50 for the cheap seats? Are they serious?

I Found Ryane Clowe on My Doorstep

If this were us, we'd have freaked out a bit more. Mina would probably have passed out at their feet.




Of course if this were us, we'd also be independently wealthy and be able to afford crazy things like season tickets.

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In other news, it seems that Mina and I may be in a slight minority when it comes the lucky jersey/sweater theory. This may be because we grew up on a sport that lends itself more readily to wacky superstitions and crazy conspiracy theories.
Never stand up for the last out, folks. It only leads to disappointment.

The Shark, The Fan and The Wardrobe

The start of the season is quickly approaching. Time to address that most imperative of concerns: what do you wear to games? I always find it interesting to see what fans where to games. It often tells me something about them, like how seriously they follow the team, if they got their seats as part of some corporate deal, if they're at the game to pick up guys or gals, etc.

Once I acquired jersey I started wearing it to every game. I subscribe to the "lucky jersey" theory. If the jersey is a winner, meaning you wear it to a game and your team wins, you keep wearing it to every other game you go to WITHOUT washing it, until you team loses OR it gets dirty. Superstitions can be reasonable. No one wants to sit next to a smelly fan. During the winter months I can be seen in a Santa hat, even past Santa season. If the hat is a winner, you just have to go with it.

I don't dress up for games at home, unless it's game 7 of round one of the playoffs and it's do or die. Then I make an exception.

So what about you? What do you wear to games and, if it's a "lucky" item, how often do you wash it? Do you also wear your items at home when watching games on TV?

Hockey, Coming Soon To An Arena Near You!

We recieved a pretty awesome link from reader Emily yesterday. She's on a mission to pump up Sharks fans for the upcoming season and has a video up on youtube for your pre-season vewing pleasure. It's pretty fantastic and we suggest you watch.




Hockey stick guitar by the bay is full of win.
We hope that the Sharks have a nice looooooong seaosn so we can see some more awesome music videos come playoff time. Thanks Emily!

A Tale of the Place Between Two Cities

I was in the Dallas area this past weekend, with plans to visit the city of Dallas itself and, taking an idea that Mina had awhile ago, set San Jose and Dallas against each other in some sort of comparison death match. However, because it was 100 degrees and 90% humidity, my car was unable to force it's way through the nearly solid air to get to Dallas and instead left me somewhere between there and Ft. Worth, in a sprawling town comprised mostly of strip malls and people driving at least 5 miles under the speed limit, if not more. Lost on long stretches of roads that maintained their names for all of 500 feet before wandering off to points far away along all four cardinalities, I began to worry. I was later bitten by fire ants.


My hope is that my journey does not become a metaphor for the Sharks upcoming season and their games against the Stars, but if it does, I suggest the players look out for run away catering trucks at the airport and check Turco's pads for fire ants. It may seem a tad extreme but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Especially when sorry involves fire ants.