Sports Fan

I've had a good run of luck with getting LAKings tickets, recently. I was able to attend the last two home games. As a huge hockey fan and Kings fan, there is nothing that beats seeing a game live. I'm not sure if the speed, sounds and beauty of the game is fully shown on TV. No broadcast captures the energy in the crowd (or lack thereof). That being said, I can't see how the average person can afford season tickets. Yeah, yeah, yeah we're in a recession and everything feels expensive. But I didn't pay for these tickets, and after parking, food, and babysitter, I don't think I could afford to see the next game if tickets were given to me.

Fortunately, the local coverage on Fox Sports is great. I'm pretty spoiled with HD broadcasts and the best announcing team in the business. It's also nice to start watching the game via DVR after the kids are put in bed, and speed through all the commercials, icings, and intermissions.

I guess I'm not that much of a hardcore sports fan. Attending games will remain a treat for me and I don't mind that.

 

 

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Goaltending

What's with the state of NHL goaltending today? In my mind it's an alternate universe when, Brodeur and Ryan Miller are stinking-up the place. I would say it's a young man's game, but Khabibulin isn't a Spring chicken and has been very confident in the early season. Lehtonen and my boy Jon Quick have also been very solid.

Quick has the best/worst hockey name for a goaltender. Fortunately, he's lived up to it more often than not. But I still remember the facepalm moment when the Kings had a Quick and Fast on the prospect list.

I love the goaltender position. Rich Hammond, the LAKings blogger, did a great piece on Bill Ranford as the Kings goalie coach. I was a big fan of Ranford when he played for the Oil. The article details how the treatment and coaching of goaltenders has evolved over the years. It's interesting that Ron Hextall is also in the Kings organization and that goaltending is currently a strength. I guess it really helps to have a former goalie, coaching and mentoring your young goalies.

The Golden Era of Cinema

I've been thinking about my favorite movies lately. Part of the reason for that is having Netflix and the notion of rating each movie and figuring out which genre of movie I like to watch. The bottom line is that I prefer action, horror, martial arts, sci-fi monster movies. With Halloween coming up, several websites rated their favorite monster movies. I also recently saw The Thing, which took me back to the 1980's version.

I honestly feel that monster movies made during my childhood are the best ever. The Thing, Alien, Aliens, The Fly, Jaws, & American Werewolf in London come to mind. I think that the special effects were just good enough to be semi-realistic, while the limitation of the SFX limited the full viewing of any given monster. These movies build the tension by limiting the actual screen time of the monster. Also, the music in these pictures isn't matched today.

Don't get me wrong, there are many current monster flicks that I enjoy. In my mind, Jurassic Park is the predecessor for effects laden monster movies. Loved Jurassic Park, the sequels not so much. Peter Jackson's King Kong, Cloverfield, The Host all benefit from having great looking monsters that modern technology allows.

I also respect "the classics", which I consider 1950's. My fascination with monster flicks probably originates with Godzilla. I still love Godzilla to this day. Any Ray Harryhausen effects flicks are personal favorites. Harryhausen lasted well into my "Golden Era" with Clash of the Titans, another movie which I have strong emotional ties.

No helmet rule

For the life of me I can't figure out why any rec hockey player would not wear a face cage or at least a visor. At any level of play there's a possibility of injury to your eyes, whether it is an accidental high stick or re-directed puck. The recent Chris Pronger high sticking has brought up the issue at the NHL level. But, I had a personal account last night.

We were playing in a game that had playoff implications, so things were a little more serious than ususal. Mid-way through the 3rd period, our hardest shooting forward got a loose puck with the goalie out of position. He quickly fired a slap/snapshot toward the goal as an opposing defender was diving headfirst to blaock the shot. He blocked the shot alright, with his face. The problem is that he didn't have a face cage or visor. He was leaking oil pretty good from his right temple, and left a nice pool of blood on the ice. Apparently, he had an immediate black eye. I think the shot actually grazed his helmet so it could have been worse. But I'll be surprised if that guy is on the ice any time soon.

Last season, a slapshot was re-directed and nailed a guy in the face. Again, no cage or visor. In this case, a visor might not have helped as the puck went from knee height into his face with no time for reaction.

So, please wear some sort of face protection. I wouldn't want that on my conscience. Also, you really slow down the game when the refs have to stop and clean up your blood.