Archive for the ‘Whimsy’ Category

Budaj Budaj Budaj rockin’ everywhere

Posted by Justin Bourne under Whimsy on May 09, 2013

New York Rangers v Montreal Canadiens

Okay, the title may not be a reference to Credence Clearwater Revival (try Bubba Sparxxx), but it should be. I messed up.

Peter Budaj (pronounced “Boo-dye”) is the back-up goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, and today we found out he’s going to be the Montreal Canadiens starter for the remainder of the first round, and likely beyond in Montreal survives.

Also, his name fits in the title of a lot of CCR songs, as Backhand Shelf Podcast host John Noon has occasionally pointed out throughout the season. Like, almost a greatest hits compilation worth. …Soooo he did a compilation.

Today just felt like the right time to prove it. Courtesy John Noon, here is Peter Budaj’s name dropped into CCR titles, because hey, why not right? Read the rest of this entry »

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Introducing Jagr-face, the official Try Face of an all-time NHL great

Posted by Justin Bourne under General Awesomeness, Observation, Whimsy on Apr 05, 2013

This is not Jagr-face so much as the exact opposite.

This is not Jagr-face so much as the exact opposite.

Most athletes have a Try Face. Your Try Face is what naturally comes across your face when you’re at your most intense, your most concentrated, your most focused. We all have one. Michael Jordan was famous for rocking the tongue-out Try Face, for example.

Jaromir Jagr’s Try Face is not so cool.

I noticed this a little throughout the season when watching Jagr play,  but when sifting through some of my images it became more apparent and harder to ignore. He goes full Grumpy Cat when he’s trying hard.

Actually, maybe he goes more grumpy fish: Read the rest of this entry »

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The Los Angeles Kings’ Twitter game is on another level

Posted by Justin Bourne under General Hilarity, Twitter, Whimsy on Mar 13, 2013

kings avatar

There are some times in sports when we simply know an athlete is on another level. Right now in the NBA, LeBron James is on another playing field. In the NHL, Sidney Crosby is pulling away from the pack. There have been times when names like Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, and Annika Sörenstam have been simply unbeatable.

That’s the Los Angeles Kings Twitter feed right now.

I follow both @theactivestick (Laura) and the @LAKings, and much to my delight, they engaged during a question/answer period last night. (Screen shot by @Vrbatim)

kings twitter

The best. Try as they might, other sports’ franchises can’t hang.

For those who want to re-live that excellent Wayne’s World reference…here you go.

7 Comments

Jonathan Toews: Grumpy Cat, or Reddit’s “not bad” face? YOU DECIDE

Posted by Justin Bourne under Whimsy on Feb 08, 2013

notbadtoewscat (1)

Backhand Shelf continues to ask the tough questions.

11 Comments

Listen to new Calgary Flames goaltender Danny Taylor sing about getting sent down from the AHL

Posted by Justin Bourne under General Hilarity, Whimsy on Feb 07, 2013

danny taylor

Okay, a couple things to note before listening to this song:

* It’s Danny Taylor, the Calgary Flames new goaltender, singing about the hilarious routine of getting sent down from the AHL to the ECHL, which I myself had the privilege of experiencing three times. HOWEVER - he did not write it. They aren’t his lyrics, he’s singing a song that was written by a guy he used to play with. So nobody from Wheeling should be mad at Taylor, and in reality, it’s more about having to go to a lower league than to a bad town.

* “Wheeling” is in West Virginia, and they have an ECHL team called the Nailers. Yes, the Wheeling Nailers. This is in the same league that once was home to the Macon Whoopee.

* This is from three or four years ago, and I just dug it up because Taylor’s name is in the conversation these days. I played with him for a few weeks in 2008-2009 in Reading’s training camp (when James Reimer was the other goalie, incidentally), and I can confirm that he is hilarious. My favourite lines in the song: “I can’t believe they found me in my hiding place” (when you’re worried about getting sent down, for some reason it feels like it won’t happen if you don’t run into the coaches), “Leave your sticks here” (sticks ain’t cheap, and minor league teams aren’t afraid to be stingy with them), and the coach’s “We both thought you were great!” (nobody ever tells you you played like dog meat, because they are massive liars). Oh, and I also like “I’d fight Bonvie,” but that might just be from someone who recognizes him as a minor league knuckle throwing assassin.

“Don’t lose any confidence in yourself!” Here’s “Death’s Better Than Wheeling.”

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Here’s Megan Fox wearing Ian Laperrière’s teeth in the new Judd Apatow movie because why not

Posted by Justin Bourne under Sure Why Not, Whimsy on Dec 19, 2012

“This is 40” is the new Judd Apatow flick that’s apparently a “sort of sequel to Knocked Up,” I believe it was termed. Reviews so far aren’t exactly glowing, as is to be expected when you bust out a 2:15 minute RomCom, but hey, don’t knock it ’til you watch it, I suppose. (It’s out this weekend, for those interested.)

What we do know for sure, is that a number of Philadelphia Flyers make a cameo in it – Ian Laperrière, Scott Hartnell, JVR, and Matt Carle, among the players I recognize – and at one point the amazing Megan Fox puts Ian Laperrière’s teeth in her mouth, as seen above.

…I’m sorry you had to see that.

4 Comments

The NHL lockout, summed up by a children’s book

Posted by Justin Bourne under Lockout Thoughts, Whimsy on Dec 19, 2012

If you’re a hockey fan diligently following the NHL lockout, you’re likely following Nick Cotsonika on Twitter, and hopefully reading his columns. To me, he’s been one of the media’s shining stars during this mess – he’s informed and careful in what he does, but allows himself the freedom to speculate on what could be going on, because what’s the harm? He’s more informed than you or I, he might as well let us know which way he thinks things are leaning.

Nick is also a family man, and apparently spent some time last night reading a book to his 5-year old, which sums up the NHL lockout better than any analogy I’ve heard throughout the entire debacle: the melting ice cream cone.

Here’s his fantastic series of tweets that succinctly sum up what’s going on between the NHL and the PA: Read the rest of this entry »

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