How This Blog Could Become More Like LiveJournal

It's been an odd season so far. Well, maybe not for the Thrashers, but for me. I've yet to attend a game and I've yet to watch a game in its entirety. I saw most of the season-opener against Washington (great win, BTW!), watched the last half of the OT loss against the Panthers, and saw most of the game versus New Jersey. It feels rather weird to have not witnessed a full Thrashers game, especially in person.

So please excuse the lack of posts as there has been minimal time to post anything substantial lately and especially no time to watch a full Thrashers game, apparently.

However, noting what's on "paper" right now, it's good to see the Thrashers are 2-2-1. I mean, that's still three losses, but that's OK. We picked up a point against another team within the division (Florida) and we lost to two overly defensively-minded teams in Minnesota and New Jersey. Our other victory (the most recent one) was against Buffalo last nite and, of course, I had zero contact with any of it until it was all said and done and my wife received a text on her phone with the final score. I wish I could spend more time with my favorite team of teams and I wish there was more recognition for what they do as a whole.

I mean, yesterday I attended a birthday function and ended up watching college football all day long and endured conversation after conversation about how UGA's schedule in the coming weeks looks rough and the who's the weakest team in the SEC. The entire time I took this information in, I deeply longed to have this kind of conversation... only about the Thrashers, and the Southeast Division, and HOCKEY. It's this kind of love that is noticeably absent in the South and it will remain that way until the Thrashers win, and win lots. In the region where college football is KING (yes, all caps, because it really is THAT BIG), all other sports and teams are overshadowed. Hell, for the birthday function, my wife and I attempted to go around to local retailers and pick up some random Falcons memorabilia for the birthday boy and we noticed that even the Atlanta Falcons are second best, below the almighty GEORGIA BULLDOGS.

So what started out as a blog about the lack of posts due to the lack of attention I'm paying to the Atlanta Thrashers has morphed into a post about how college football owns all and that there is no hope for anything more for any other sports in this region of the country, at least in Georgia. But is that really true?

As I said, what the Thrashers need to do to in order to gain any kind of attention here is win and win lots. We all know what one semi-successful season can do and it was noticed in '06-'07. This isn't enough, obviously, as the Thrashers went four-and-out in their only playoff appearance in franchise history. If the Thrashers can have regular season success consistently, this will get recognized until the purists shoot down their winning ways because they compete in the "weak" Southeast Division. If they do this AND win the Cup just ONCE, I think that this could be enough to give credibility to the Atlanta Thrashers and to hockey in Georgia, which would result in recognition and possibly fodder for conversation at birthday functions that I could involve myself in (for once).

Really, this is a self-serving post that (ideally) would satisfy my conversational needs at awkward social gatherings. (Fortunately, here's the universal tie-in, people.) But wouldn't it be nice to have this kind of appreciation for such an amazing sport in an atypical environment like Georgia? I long for the day when hockey can actually be understood and appreciated to its fullest in the South. I will never give up hope for hockey in this part of the country. It's a fight that will take a lot of work, from both fans and the team.

I mean, do you really have any idea how frustrating it is when people are asking you what your favorite football team is and you respond with, "Well, I really don't care that much about football... my favorite sport is hockey and I'm head-over-heels in love with the Atlanta Thrashers." The common response to that (IMO) is, "Oh, that's cool, hockey looks awesome with the fighting and all, but it's not football."

Uh, no shit it's not football, but take a second to get your head out of your ass and get a deeper look at the fastest sport in the world! I always try to talk new people into hockey usually I end up right about it after they watch a game (usually on TV, and that doesn't do the sport justice either). Some people need to get over themselves and take in something new that has the potential to really blow your mind.

I love it when posts on my blog turn into LiveJournal entries! Huzzah!

I really need to watch some hockey, for content purposes alone really.

Get to Know: Mike Hoffman

The Thrashers announced yesterday that after three cuts to the roster, everything appears to be set for opening nite in terms of the lineup. Gone are two notables - Colin Stewart and Boris Valabik. These players were definitely in the plans for opening nite when last season ended due to their strong play last season. Apparently their play during camp didn't win anyone over, which is unfortunate. However, do not count these guys out as they are strong contenders for roster spots later on in the season.



Of the three guys who appeared safe, the one who has most people scratching their heads is Mike Hoffman. He was signed this past summer by the team after spending an eternity in the AHL, bouncing around the farm teams of St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Anaheim (to name a few). Now he's finally getting his shot at some primetime NHL action. I only found two useful links for people to peruse, so that people can familiarize themselves with Hoff prior to opening nite... and that you can actually have an answer when the casual fan asks, "So, who's this HOFF guy?" If you have any other information on him, let us know!

Bargain pickup lands in Portland - Portland Press Herald

Hoffman continues to fight his way to the NHL - theahl.com

hockeyfights.com profile



Also, here's something interesting that actually gives the guy personality. During the Portland Pirates' playoff run last season, he made an appearance with the local radio station there, trying to get fans to the arena for the games. While I'm not sure that he accomplished that goal, he sure is a goofball (and I appreciate that).



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Coachella 2009 Dates!

I missed last year's edition and it looks like I'm missing the 10th anniversary edition as well. That doesn't mean it still isn't good news! It was announced earlier today that the uber-cool/amazing/fantastic/[insert overwhelmingly positive adjective here] Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival that takes place in Indio, CA will take place from April 17th to April 19th!

I've attended Coachella for four years and if my schedule (and the economy, too) allowed me, I'd go again in a heartbeat. It's easily the best music atmosphere around with the best possible scenery for a music festival. This is awesome news!

FIxation Focus: Deerhunter

One of my recent obsessions has been with the band Deerhunter. For the longest time, I put off listening to 'em because they were surrounded by the hype machine and that gets annoying after a while. That was around the time they released Cryptograms, which was early 2007. With the hype obviously came a ton of write-ups and blurbs about this band from Georgia, mainly how front-man Bradford Cox is crazy, waifish, cross-dressing on stage, anorexic (false)/bulimic (false)/has Marfan Syndrome (true), etc. After some time, I just got tired of hearing about it and any possible interest I might've had was squashed... until this new record of their's, Microcastle.

Cryptograms was a record that was awash in reverb, hushed vocals, and sounds that resulted in the descriptions of "atmospheric" or "ambient" and "psychedelic". Basically, the record is shoegaze, but not as over-the-top that a band like My Bloody Valentine was (is?). There are moments of toe-tapping on it, but I don't think that was the selling point of the record. The fact that there was a band who was creating a shoegaze-type sound in 2007... it sounding genuine... it coming from a place like Georgia - all of these traits brought this record out to the forefront and established this band as someone to watch for experimental indie rock.

Then comes Microcastle, a record that I think is brilliant. It's poppy, it sounds old, it's wisely restrained, and it also regains the psychedelia that attracted people to this band in the first place. As of right now, I'm having a harder time coming across bands that sound GREAT. I'm struggling with new releases from Stereolab, Jenny Lewis, and Brendan Canning, artists that I'm very familiar with and am passionate about what they do. However, there's something about these new records from favorite artists of mine that isn't sticking. Maybe I'm getting bored of the sounds that said bands bring to the table. None of this boredom exists with Microcastle.

What really put me head-over-heels with this band is a recent gig of their's. At the last minute, I read that Deerhunter were playing a free show at a vintage clothing store (of all places) in Atlanta. The band were doing the gig as a sign of appreciation to the locals who supported them as well as an attempt to break loose from the tour that they were involved with at the time - opening for Nine Inch Nails across America. I figured with the short notice and the free factor and the location, it would be a memorable event that would possibly be a short set and even including acoustics (or unplugged material). I was completely wrong and it was a fantastic mistake. The band played for more than an hour, all electric, playing songs from the two records I've mentioned, and having a lot of fun while doing it.

The material that was so hushed and held back on record was in your face, unrestrained, and loud as hell. It was brilliant. And it was all happening while I was looking through clothes from 1983. People were squeezed into the store, people were standing up on displays, others were outside-looking-in - it was just incredible.

After that show, I knew that was one of the top three free concert moments I've had and their music made for a great soundtrack for the rest of the summer. I found a great appreciation for the track "Nothing Ever Happened". About two-thirds of the way through the song, it just builds and builds with new guitar parts layered onto each other. Sometimes it's the simplest guitar parts that resonate the most, and that's absolutely what happens here. For some reason, whenever I listen to that part of the track, I want to unleash tears of joy while thrashing about. Music that makes me feel that kind of emotion is a wonderful thing.

Other standout tracks on Microcastle include the brooding "Saved by Old Times" and "Never Stops". Through and through, it's one of my favorite records of the year, for sure. What's even better about this listening experience is that Microcastle will apparently include a complementary album, Weird Era Cont.. This release includes the more psychedelic stylings that brought listeners to Deerhunter in the first place. What nails it for me is the album closer, "Calvary Scars II/Aux.". On Microcastle, the band perform a version of "Calvary Scars" that is short and to the point. The second version on Weird Era Cont. is raw, unleashed, and it rips. Perfect way to end an album, in my opinion.

For more information on the band, check out their myspace and give a few of their songs a listen. You won't regret it. What's also great about this band is that they often give away random recordings via their blog that mostly Bradford maintains. There are tons of videos up there of various things and every once in a while, he puts up Deerhunter or Atlas Sound (his solo project) demos for everyone to gauge.

Ondrej, what about Ondrej?!

Yesterday, The Sporting News' Craig Custance reported that Atlanta's goalie prospect Ondrej Pavelec's agent voiced disapproval of Pavelec getting sent back down to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

What do we make of this news? Everyone knew this was happening back in June when the Thrashers resigned The Moose of moose(es?), Johan Hedberg, to a two-year deal. When THAT happened, it came as a shock to me.

When Kari went down last season for a brief period, Pavelec finally had his shot at NHL play and made the most of it, winning three and losing three in the seven games that he was involved in. His play during that stretch won him a lot of praise, a bit of credibility that he missed ever since he was drafted by the Thrashers in the second round of the 2005 draft.

So, when Pavs received these glowing reviews and promise from both fans and the team, why did the Thrashers want to bring back Hedberg, who some say his best years are behind him? Clearly, Kari needs a veteran to learn from as he's only 24 years old. Also, Hedberg is a great presence in the locker room. He has a tremendous work ethic and possibly one of the best attitudes in the game.

But what about Pavs? In all honesty, I thought that it would be a battle between Kari and Pavs for the starting role. We know that Hedberg wasn't going to push Kari out of the number one position, but Pavs could easily do that. He's young, he has the skills, he just needs the time and experience to put him ahead of the rest. With some competition between the two, I'm sure that both of their games would rise to the occasion and one-up each other. It would be great for both goalies to compete for the same opportunity.

Now that this news came out yesterday, the problem that everyone saw coming is finally manifesting itself in what could be the worst way possible. Do we really think that Pavelec is behind all of this? He could be. I remember when he was resigned a few years ago, there was some doubt about him remaining a member of the team because he wanted a shot at the big team then and he had the skills, but he was incredibly unproven at the next level. When this was going down, I believe he was still playing for the juniors in Cape Breton. Fortunately, that worked out and some sense was talked into Pavs and his agent then. This time, Pavs has a little more to work with in terms of getting to the next spot, which is inevitably a full-time place on an NHL team, preferably the one he is currently with. But to make claims that he should suggest a trade to get what he wants or, even worse, jump ship and an ocean and play over in Russia is exactly what the Thrashers do not want.

Who knows exactly what's going on here? Pavelec needs to get his stuff together and make his way back to Chicago, suck it up, and just play. His time with the Thrashers will come. It happened last season and it will happen this season as well. If he thinks he has the game to call the shots like this, that's absurd. Players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, etc. have the right to push the limits and make these kinds of demands - BECAUSE THEY ARE PROVEN. Pavelec is still a prospect goalie and he needs to sit tight just a minute and let things play out. I understand that he wants the best and that is as a starting goalie in the NHL. Realistically, unless he plays for Los Angeles, he doesn't have that kind of opportunity just yet. LA's tried going full-time with new kids and see how that's turned out (i.e. LaBarbera, Bernier). They are getting put through the ringer and not getting the chance that they deserve.

Honestly, what did Pavelec expect at the beginning of this season? For him to bitch and moan about having to deal with ANOTHER season in Chi-town is crazy. You don't see Brett Sterling BEW-HEWING about going back down to Chicago (if he does, that is). Brett is a proven AHL winner, attaining scoring titles and team championships. That's essentially the same stuff that Pavs has - great goalie stats and a Calder Cup (for one year's time in Chicago, mind you). If Brett gets assigned to Chicago for the beginning of the season, you better believe he won't go crying about it.

This is what happens when decent players get involved with jerky agents. Do I think this all sources from Pavs? To a degree. I mean, I'd be pretty bummed out that I wasn't making the big squad when I know that I really should be considered. But... THAT'S LIFE, ONDREJ. I'm sure that his agent is playing more of a role in this than Pavs, but you still have to place some of the blame on Pavs.

Hopefully this will work itself out in the coming weeks and the right thing will happen here. Someone needs to talk some sense into Pavs and he should report back to Chicago and wait for his time to come. Didn't Scott Clemmensen cry about constantly having to be Marty Brodeur's backup? And didn't he get picked up by Toronto, with the hopes that he'd actually get a shot at playing more than 10 times a season? See how that turned out? I don't even think he rode the bench during that stint and he was stuck in the AHL. Maybe Clems and Pavs need to exchange numbers and have their own conversation, hm?

On the Schneid?

Dan Boyle, please take note of how you treat the other teams in the NHL.

So last week, the Thrashers traded Ken Klee, Brad Larsen, and one of the babies (Chad Painchaud) to the Anaheim Ducks for Stanley Cup-winner, two-time All-Star, two-time Olympian, and flat-out ridiculous defenseman Mathieu Schneider. It came as a surprise to me and, at the same time, it wasn't that much of a shock. Everyone knew that Schneider was getting shipped, but I never expected him to end up in Atlanta. I especially didn't plan on sending Klee, Larsen, and Painchaud for him.

Really, three-for-one seems like a lot. And maybe it is. But we're talking about Mathieu Schneider for an aging defenseman who wasn't exactly the most mobile on the ice, an aging forward who really didn't belong on the team (because he rarely produced and was mildly effective on the penalty kill), and a prospect who may/may not pan out. I'm surprised that's all that we gave up for Schneids. I guess that Anaheim wanted Teemu Selanne that bad.

But back to the point. Blueland Blog's Ben Wright recently got together with Schneider and discussed some aspects of Schneid's game and his attitude toward the trade that sent him to the right (as opposed to left) coast. Apparently, he's liking what he's seen from the Thrashers defensive corps and that's nice. What really struck me, however, was the following comment:

Atlantathrashers.com: I'm sure Thrashers fans would be thrilled if you were able to start your career wearing 18 and end it in 18 if it meant you were staying here in Atlanta.

Schneider: "That would be tremendous. I would love to see that happen."

Throughout the entire feature, Schneider doesn't sound disappointed in the trade or the end result (i.e. ending up in Atlanta). Remember when Dan Boyle, upon hearing that he could've been on the waiver wire, commented that he'd rather get traded than getting picked off of the wire... by a team like Atlanta?


Original picture is linked!

Take a page out of Mathieu Schneider's book, Danny B. Schneids is a class act and I'm thrilled to have someone like him on this team. Sure, the ownership may suck. And perhaps we don't have the best general manager in the league. But what remains is hockey and especially some respect for the players who play it. I'm hoping that Boyle doesn't disrespect the Thrash (though he did play for the Bolts, so the possibility is there), but when you put the Thrash down, you put the entire organization down, too. Because of the rivalry, I cannot stand the Bolts and that's because of what they represent (at least in the past) - leadership and their winning ways. They always created problems for us in the past, whether it be in "simple matchups" (like there is such a thing when each game against divisional opponents means something) or pushing for the playoffs. It's fun to go to Tampa/Atlanta games because there's a ton of tension there. But that doesn't mean I have zero respect for them.

Mathieu Schneider, welcome to Atlanta! We're thrilled to have you here and we cannot wait to see what you bring to the team in terms of production, leadership, and a fantastic teammate.