Hockey fashion? Auf wiedersehen!

I'm a complete sucker for anything that's close to hockey garb. Well, kinda sorta. For the past, say, six years or so, a staple of my fashion nearly each and every day is the sentimental band t-shirt. Starting back in '97, I got my first band t-shirt at a Smashing Pumpkins enormo-dome show and that trend continued until basically last year, maybe even earlier. It's time to give up that hobby/fashion accessory. The time for change is now, and it's obvious to me that such a change involves hockey. Duh!

Ever since I saw some sort of advertisement in an issue of The Hockey News a few weeks/months ago that featured logos from a bunch of minor league and junior teams, I instantly knew what my next mission would be - start collecting not your typical hockey team merchandise. Eh... change the wording... get shirts/anything else that represents not your typical team (i.e. NHL). It's time to support the Calgary Hitmen, the Peterborough Petes, and/or the now-defunct Greenville Grrrowl. With team names like those, random locations, and simply amazing logos, you can't go wrong sporting any kind of hockey pride! So I tried a little bit (and, of course, I do mean little) to search up some stuff and didn't get that far. And when I did come across something, I often found out that these shirts that I would want cost $20+. Maybe purchasing a shirt for a month could be cool, but I just didn't justify it, especially for shirt designs that didn't work for me at first glance.

Well, thanks to a post at the brilliant Off Wing Opinion, I think I finally stumbled onto something. As if you didn't figure it out by now (by clicking on the link), there are shirts from teams of yesteryear. Teams that I never even knew existed. I have heard about the Macon Whoopies, but the Saskatoon Sheiks?! I can't even begin to imagine the questions someone would get just for wearing such a shirt. And you'd get major points from true die-hard hockey fans.

So outside of the amazing stuff at Throwbackmax.com (and not just hockey, too), does anyone know of any other cool merch stuff for hockey teams around North America? Or, hell, why stop there? Even any kind of internation teams' merch would work as well. It's always great to walk around town and spot someone wearing the jersey of the Swedish national team... oh, wait, no one would know what that is in Newnan (unless you're a hockey fan, which is slim even in Georgia, sadly). It's a cool thought though.

But seriously, does anyone have any kind of experience with lower-level hockey (or international-level/vintage, too) merchandise? I'd love to have in on any kind of recommendations/secrets/tips that anyone has experienced. I can't help it but love this kind of stuff!


C'mon, would it be wrong to wear a Magnitogorsk Metallurg Evgeni Malkin jersey when he comes to town soon? ;)
Pic courtesy of Hockeytop.

Finding time to procrastinate

So I didn't end up getting the blogging gig over at the Blueland Blog. Such is life, I guess. No big deal, at least you can have 100% pure unadulterated, unrestrained foocow-related bloggings over here. And now that I think about it, I guess it's time to come up with a name for the blog since "foocow" really doesn't do much of anything. That sentence is somewhat fitting, too, but I won't divulge further. :P

I am kinda glad that I didn't get the position though. It's like I said - at least I have my own voice over here and I know that I can still generate some readers if I tried to. There is clearly a lack of Thrashers blogs around (only two to my knowledge, one of which being the one that I mentioned already) and there is a need for more representation in the internet community. Sure, there's the Nasty Nest and this new one that I came across the other day (thanks to Blueland, der), but nothing much. And there are some other sites that list the blogs affiliated with teams across the NHL, and it seems as if there are at least five blogs per team, with the Thrashers only getting publicity from two "official" blogs - those being Blueland (directly tied to the Atlanta Thrashers) and the AJC blog (directly tied to Thrashers beat-writer John Manasso, and has some great contibutions from fans as well). So I am well aware of the need to pay attention to this matter, or lack thereof.

Do I seem poised to step up to the challenge? Ehh... if you know me, you know that could be questionable...! But I'll definitely do my best at covering the team that I love as best as I can. I know I may not be the most humorous guy out there when it comes to putting things into words, but I can throw out something funny everyone now and again. And I may not have the best insight when it comes to hockey (or anything, really), but you can't deny the fact that the passion is evident in my personality and writing.

And speaking of writing, this is not to say that this is only going to become a Thrashers-related blog from here-on-in. There are other things that I enjoy that are mildly hinted at in the sidebar of links. Have I done my best to bring these interests to the forefront? Absolutely not! I do have a life outside of my interests and trying to be current with this thing! But I'm pushing myself to the next level now... basically, it's an attempt to prove others wrong. Or just prove myself right... or wrong? I'm getting lost in the mix of things at this point.

So what's next on the agenda here? Eh, probably a few updates, that's for sure. But I really need a title. I guess that's something that I can focus some attention to.

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Next weekend is my little excursion/return up north to Long Island. In case you didn't know, I'm originally from there and I actually haven't been there in nearly two years. I have quite a few friends there as well as some family members, so it's needless to say that I'm excited about flying up for the weekend. What always happens with these trips is that there's some sort of incentive involved. Usually, I fly up there for some amazing concerts (Radiohead at Liberty State Park, Zwan at Hammerstein, and the Pixies two-in-one-nite shows at Hammerstein instantly come to mind). This time is no different, but it is. One thing that I'm completely amped up about is my return to Nassau Coliseum. It's one of the oldest arenas that's used in the NHL, and I'm gonna be there for the Thrashers/Islanders game. Putting things into perspective, the last time I was there (for hockey) was during the Islanders amazing playoff run in '92-'93 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I was only 11 at that point, and I thought it was the coolest thing to hear in the stands "Barr-asshole!" (in reference to the Pens' goalie, Tom Barrasso). The last time I was at the Coliseum was for the Smashing Pumpkins in '97. So for me to return to a venue, I'm incredibly sentimental with just about everything, but this visit will probably give me chills down my spine. As I read in the latest issue of the Hockey News, when the buliding is filled with fans, it's one of the best arenas in the league in terms of atmosphere. When it's lacking in attendance, it's downright miserable. Do I expect a playoff-type feeling once inside? No, but I know that Isles fans are ruthless and that's wonderful to know and be around that.

So I'm anticipating my trip next weekend. :)

ATL = Atlanta Thrashers Luck...?

Yadda, yadda, yadda - the Thrashers are nearly atop of the Eastern Conference. Should this really be expected? I mean, c'mon, who would've really thought that our own Atlanta Thrashers would be even leading the Southeast Division?

This team has been red hot and I'm surprised that they aren't blazing a trail on ice... wait, that can't even be possible...? Anyway, poor jokes aside, it was admittingly difficult to find out that they were down early in the game to an abyssmal (sp?) Panthers squad of guys who have either had better years in the league (i.e. Roberts, Nieuwendyk) or players who actually have some promise ahead of them (i.e. Horton, Bouwmeester). But somehow, the Thrashers tore it up, delicately pawing away at the Panthers penalty kill unit and ending up on top 6-3, with an astounding 83% on the power play. It seems like two players stole the show last nite, between Mr. "The Stoli's on Me Tonite, Guys" Kovalchuk and the rugged vet Steve Rucchin. Everyone's going nuts (well, Thrashers fans, and some others, I guess) over Kovy's hat trick and apparently he's making a comeback (after only nine games...?) like no other. And Rucchin's team play on the penalty kills appeared quite useful as Florida's "League-leading power play" was granted only a goal in the goose-egg department.

Am I ever glad to finally see this Thrashers team coming alive... even if it is early in the season. What really shocked me about last nite was that I ended up passing out with about 10 minutes left in the game. I can't believe I put that much faith in them to just fall asleep and believe that the game was their's. Things must definitely be on our side if that's the case.

This road trip that lies ahead does look intimidating. The Saturday nite game against Buffalo is officially circled in red on calendars across Blueland as that is the game that is whetting (sp?) everybody's palate. Yeah, we all know that the Sabres are strong and likewise can be said about the Thrashers, but what will happen when these worlds collide? Eh, just don't rely on Powerman 5000 to come up with an accurate answer to that question. It's a keynote game so early in the season and some are even claiming that this could be a preview for the Eastern Conference final. That's a bit of a stretch, but the idea that Atlanta is making that much of an impression (so early into the season, none-the-less) is telling.

And yeah! I was in the running for a fan correspondent position on the Thrashers' own Blueland blog. As a result, I had amazing tickets to the last home game, against the Florida Swamp Cats, all for free. For a minute I considered just writing to get the tickets, but I nixed that idea and decided to fulfill my half of the bargain. So I sent something in after the game and we'll see how that goes. To even be selected as one of the top six participants is a pretty big deal and I really hope that something can come out of my writing. Every once in a while it's good to receive some sort of validation for my crafts. So thanks to the web team over at the Blueland blog for the killer seats my girlfriend and I scored Saturday nite and we'll see what happens before week's end!

Six out of seven ain't bad!

The Atlanta Thrashers are 3-0-1. Yes, that's right. It's really the first time in their history that they have come out playing this well. Only does the start to the '03-'04 season mildly compare. And I even recall people in major media outlets (namely ESPN) name-dropping the Thrashers and questioning their play. Now granted, that decent start really fell to pieces come the New Year, but they played from the get-go. But this year looks different, it feels different. After the questionable preseason (which is always up in the air), the Thrashers are hitting their early season stride. Two things have been critical for this to take shape... and they are both rather difficult to come out of my mouth, mainly because these two elements have always been the hardest to come by for the team and their fans. Can you actually believe that their goaltending and defensive corps has been the strongest aspect of the team?! The away game against Tampa Bay (a one-goal nailbiter in which the Thrash prevailed) is proof of how their backlines are holding up. And after watching the Boston game from last nite, I have to dish out some credit to blue-liners Steve McCarthy and Vitaly Vishnevski for some absolutely solid play. And of course, do I really even need to mention the effort put forth by Kari Lehtonen? Leading the league in just about every goalie stat imaginable, this guy is getting it done. The fact that I'm gushing right now is representative of my excitement for the early get-go.

What's more amazing about the start is that things are still questionable. Ilya Kovalchuk has yet to provide anything representative on the scoresheet about his offensive play. But his defensive play is starting to come into effect and that, to me, is really more valuable than having him win the Richard trophy two out of the past three years. Also, there's still the pink elephant sitting there in the room about the position of center and who will emerge to actually lead lines. Metropolit's goal last nite made me proud in the fact that he's making his presence known to the team and the fan base. But there's also the veteran Rucchin and the durable Kapanen who definitely have the opportunity to go ahead and seize a spot on a line with a Kovalchuk, with a Hossa.

So while things have yet to be worked out, everything is starting to look rosy in the Thrashers corner. But could this really be young, naive excitement at something that should've happened years ago to this team? Absolutely! Personally, I am thrilled at the prospect of knowing that this team is getting things done and attending to the problems that have plagued them in the past. Am I still hesitant about what's to come? C'mon, why shouldn't I be? As I said above, there are still lingering concerns this team needs to address. Thrashers fans know that anything could happen at any point during the season. We're all used to the constant 180s that occur to anyone at any position. But with the way things are looking right now, this team is only going to get stronger, faster, more productive, and flat-out better.

Tomorrow nite they face the almighty Carolina Hurricanes, a team out of Raleigh that somehow (well, not really) captured hockey's ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup, last season. Quite the opposite of the Thrashers, Carolina has only mustered up a single point in four games. Is that cause for concern in 'Canes country? Not yet, but things are appearing kinda hazy for 'em at this point in time. We'll see if they can get out of their funk... NOT! Of the games I saw last season, the Thrash OWNED the 'Canes. Hopefully this matchup will be no exception as Carolina looks a little out of focus with the ambivalence of Cam Ward's goaltending (sophomore slump, perhaps?) and the seemingly lack of production. But it can easily be said that the Hurricanes are getting to the point that they are due to have a win, as the Thrashers are due to come back down to Earth. Regardless, tomorrow's battle will be well-fought and of course well-deserved. We'll see what happens.

See you there!

ilounge.com - Yes!

Ok, so after I finally received my first (and only, so far) iPod back in February, I came across the website ipodlounge.com. I was looking for some kind of silicone-type cover for it so that it wouldn't look too tacky, but still be protected from scratches/drops/other miscellaneous damage. Needless to say, I came across the website lajo.biz and hence my current selection of iPod covers. From the very beginning, I've loved this website. It's like a Consumer Reports for iPods. And we all know how I love (and swear by) CR.

Since then, the website has changed domains to ilounge.com, but it's premise remains the same - the be the best source of information for anything related to any kind of iPods.

Well, as of late, my 4G monochrome iPod has been on the fritz. I'd wonder why there would be some extremely short-lived skipping before songs were played. And then the bottom fell out. When I'd plug my iPod into my computer, it went unrecognized and said that the hard drive was corrupt (file error 1418, if anyone's checking). Whenever I'd go to start it up or restart or whatever, all that would show up on the screen was the file folder with an exclamation, with a link to Apple's support page for iPods. That site didn't get me far, only to tell me that it would cost $275 and change to send it in to get it repaired. I figured I might as well give up on that prospect and just get a new one for about $240, or whatever the 30 gig cost on Apple's website.

Then I remembered ilounge.com and found it bookmarked. Surely something was mentioned about my problem. After quickly browsing a few areas of the website and random forum topics, I didn't come up with much. Then I found something out about performing a disk scan, and since my hard drive was deemed "corrupt", this could work. Well, couldn't get that to work. So I searched that up on ilounge and stumbled upon this thread:

http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread.php?t=135673

C'mon, opening up the iPod and slapping the hard drive? Could that really work? Of course, I was skeptical as anything. But at this point, there was no return. Either my iPod was done for or I suddenly had a free, DIY repair.

After using this site for tips on how to safely open my iPod (which was flawless, BTW), I did what was mentioned in the thread and took the hard drive and tapped it a few times. While I had it open, I wanted to see if this really did work. So I started my iPod up and it was ok. The next step was to hook it up to my computer and do the real test. While the original message that my iPod was corrupted did pop up on screen again, I still chose to restore it. This time it worked like a charm! My iPod was recognized by my computer for the first time and something just worked!

It sounds ludicrous to actually open up a piece of machinery and just slap around the what-was-thought-to-be super-sensitive hard drive. But you know what, it works!

So if you ever come across this kind of behavior with your iPod or someone else's, this is the trick! Now hopefully this is a somewhat reliable fix that lasts for a few months. As to how long this remedy lasts is unknown. But it immediately saves you some cash on something that really shouldn't be such a problem. Who would've thought that something that seems like the be-all-end-all for your iPod could be repaired so easily? This is truly a blessing... at least in the short-run!

Huge props goes out to ilounge.com and everyone who's a part of the site!

Stayin' busy but being free, simultaneously?

Here's some shorties for y'all, especially since everyone's been wondering, "What's going on with foocow?!" Hmm... something like that! :P

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The Wrens came to town last weekend and it was actually one of the best shows I have been a part of. While the vocals were not in the mix way up front (where I was), the music was still there and so was the performance. This is band that consists of late 30, early 40-somethings and they bring the energy like kids half their age. It was pretty intense. Mediocre pics can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foocow/sets/72157594300907490/

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The live draft for my fantasy hockey league was insane. I have never been a part of a live draft before so it was a learning experience, as well as a lesson in awareness. All managers had 90 seconds to pick players and before you knew it, it was your turn to have your take at the remaining players in the pool. I did fairly well, though, coming out with a few big names as well as some repeaters from last season. Here's what my roster will look like on opening day:

CENTER

Robert Lang - DET - I had him for a sizable chunk of the '03-04 season and he really came through. He started out with Washington, I believe, then moved to Detroit midseason and really took form. Hopefully he's not getting up there with age and can still provide great stats in the assists department as well as the power play.
Jeff Carter - PHI - one of the "lower-class" rookies from last season that was outshined by the rest of the rookie class that included Ovechkin, Crosby, and Phaneuf. The tag team of him and Mike Richards should provide some good numbers on the power play in Flyerdom and he should have a pretty standard season for a wishy-washy team.
Ryan Getzlaf - ANA - There was a nice write-up in The Hockey News about the drafting and rookie class out of the Ducks from last year and this guy got a lot of buzz, so I'm really banking on him to turn it on with a team that has amazing potential for success in the West.

LEFT WING

Henrik Zetterberg - DET - One of the more consistent forwards in the game (definitely in the West) who will team up with Pavel Datsuk and have a tear on the opposition and make it hard to defend against such a great playmaker.
Mark Bell - SJ - Really benefitted from the rules changes last season and somehow came out on top in a terrible situation with Chicago. I remember there were a few times last season when I knew I lost weekly matches against a certain manager, simply because of this guy.

RIGHT WING

Marian Hossa - ATL - Of course I have to have a Thrasher on my squad... and what better of a player to have than the great Marian Hossa?! There's one thing that's certain about Hossa and that he will produce, no matter what. He's someone you can always count on to have some sort of say in the game.
Marian Gaborik - MIN - After his hold out from a few years ago, he hasn't quite materialized to be worth the hassle since. But with a new line-mate in Pavol Demitra, he's sure to produce some serious firepower in the great white north.
Colby Armstrong - PIT - Without a doubt Armstrong will go on an offensive slaughter with Sidney Crosby on his line. Anyone who will play with someone as gifted as Sid the Kid will benefit and Armstrong will be the go-to guy on this team when it's crunch time.

DEFENSE

Wade Redden - OTT - One of the top defenders in the game on one of the top teams in the league. Probably playing on a line with Andrej Meszaros, his plus/minus ranking will fly through the roof.
Zdeno Chara - BOS - It'll be questionble with him in Beantown this season, but he's sure to remain one of the top fantasy picks for defensemen. As a defender, he's still an offensive threat, and he's not afraid to get physical and rack up some penalty minutes.
Marek Zidlicky - NSH - I never intended to draft him, but at the time, I needed a sure-fire defenseman. I couldn't do any better and with him on a team as powerful as the Preds, you really can't go wrong. Not too bad.
Ed Jovanovski - PHX - There has been a lot of buzz about his signing in Phoenix in the offseason and I'm hoping that it's right. While he is aging, playing for Coach Gretzky, what's a better source of motivation for a player who can be an opposing offense's worst nightmare?
Niklas Kronwall - DET - Heir to the thone that is currently held by Nicklas Lidstrom. In the few games he played last year (as well as the Olympics), he displayed flashes of what's to come and this season will be his time to shine in Hockeytown.

GOALTENDERS

Mikka Kiprusoff - CGY - The cream of the crop when it comes to goalies. Last season's leader in shutouts. Last season's Vezina trophy winner. Possible contender for the MVP award. This guy is what kept the Flames afloat last year. He is a sure thing... at least I'm really hoping for it. I see no reason why to even be mildly considered about his status as one of the league's premier goalies.
Cristobal Huet - MON - Had one hell of a second half of the season. When Theodore was struggling, Huet siezed the opportunity and ran with it, subsequently causing Theodore's exit from Montreal. While there is wonder about his status about whether or not he is a one-hit-wonder, Huet has shown what he is capable of and I think he can shine throughout the season.
Mark Denis - TB - Talk about a gamble. He was the bee's knees when he was signed by Tampa early in the summer. After having a few rough seasons in Columbus, he finally gets the chance he's been looking for - to provide a reliable job in net and let the crazy offense of Tampa take over without worries. As opposed to their terrible situation last year, Tampa finally has an actual number one goaltender. Even if he isn't what everyone is making this guy out to be, he'll be getting a load of starts and providing stats when necessary.

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Project Runway's decision to go with a "final four" last week surely left some viewers with their mouths open. While some wonder why couldn't they boot someone, it is still a great remaining foursome to prove their worth. There's already talk about their Bryant Park shows and I'm staying away from those as much as possible. My pick for the winner? At this point, and because I love her personality, I say that Laura slays everyone and barely edges out Jeffrey. Michael Knight has the amazing potential to do some mindblowing fashion (yes, those two words can co-exist), I don't think he can pull through. And as for Uli, I'm just concerned that she's too much into patterns and "funness". We'll see. There are a few weeks ahead of us, and next week brings the much-loved reunion episode... can't wait!

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With PR and hockey taking over my life for the past few weeks, I am ashamed to admit that something got swept up in everything else... and that is the glory of Lost. Wednesday night at nine is the premier of the third season of this thrilling drama and I know I'll be glued to the television for sure. What will happen to the three who were captured? And the others - who exactly are they? And how will the rest of the survivors of Oceanic 815 deal with the loss of their three leaders - Jack, Sawyer, and Kate? And the arctic stuff at the end of season two?! Where will it start/stop?! I don't know, but I absolutely love cliffhangers and this show shells 'em out like no other.

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Thursday the fifth is opening day for the Atlanta Thrashers hockey season, and they'll start their campaign for the playoffs against hated division rivals Tampa Bay. Puck drops a little after seven, but I'm sure there will be a bunch of opening day theatrics in store for the fans and believers of Blueland. Do I even have to say how excited I am about the reality of another hockey season on the horizon? I mean, really?

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Slowly but surely that time of the year is creeping up on us. Halloween? Nope. The holidays? Nah. Coachella line-up speculation and rampant extreme rumors? Absolutely! While the line-up for the great desert event won't be announced until mid-February, ridiculous amounts of rumours (i.e. scrawlings on the bathroom walls of the Knitting Factory... in either NYC or LA!) will fly on the official message boards over at the Coachella website. Who will be the headliners in '07? There has been the perpetual thought that Billy Corgan is up to something in 2007... could this be it? Or will David Bowie and/or Portishead finally take the deserty by storm? And Gnarls Barkley played mid-day in the Gobi tent last year - could they make a triumphant return to close the Outdoor Theater in April? And we all know about Daft Punk's legendary set last time around... could they make a comeback and be the object of much swooning by, well, everyone? And is this the time for Boards of Canada to come out of their turquoise hexagon sun and reign supreme in the closing slot in the Sahara tent? Who knows?! But the rumors will circulate with much vigor in the coming weeks/months. I know I have my eyes open for something interesting.

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Wait, I've actually been listening to some new music, besides the same old rotation of Smashing Pumpkins and something from '01-'02?! You don't say? Here's what's tickling my fancy lately:

Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Darkel (JB Dunckel, from Air) - Darkel
Snowden - Anti-Anti

For years (and I do mean years), as a member of the Atlanta music scene, I've heard bits and pieces about Snowden. Did I ever really subscribe to any of it? Not so much. But after hearing "Black Eyes" on WRAS the other day (for probably the 10th time, at least), I thought that it would be a good time to actually see what the deal is with these local darlings. After listening to the disc for the first time today, I have to give it up to Jordan and Company for providing such a new touch on the scene 'round here. I've never been too satisfied with the bands around town, and Snowden really provides a sense of hope for others to succeed and pound out something valuable locally. And I've even seen that they will tour with the new bloggers' sensation, iForward Russia! (yes, I used an 'i' before Forward because I am lazy and don't want to take the time to find an inverted exclamation point... but then I still have the time to write this massive parenthetical... how odd), in the coming weeks/months (can't recall immediately). Maybe one of these days I'll be able to catch Snowden at their home base of the Earl in East Atlanta. We'll see. But kudos to them for making the Atlanta scene a little more sonically interesting.

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So much for keeping this short!