New Fridge, New Team Captain, I Passed the Test

We got a new fridge last night.  It was bought from Lowe’s.  The delivery sucked, though.  We were called earlier that morning that we would expect delivery of the fridge between 3p-6p.  It didn’t come until 9p!  We didn’t even get a courtesy call that it would be late!  Bad customer service, man.

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Recap of last Friday night’s Aeros game: we lost against the Chicago Wolves 4-2.  And the coach took away the “C” off my main man!  It was given to Erik Reitz!  Bad juju!  Anyway, the first period looked like a continuation of last season.  The good guys finally woke up during the second, though.  But, again, they fell asleep during the last.  I know it was the first game, but it was just too sad.  And, oh yeah, I didn’t receive my puck giveaway.  Only 1,000 was available.  Booooo!

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I enrolled online for defensive driving a couple of weeks ago.  Luckily, I had 90 days to complete it.  I just finished and passed the test with 95%.

I should receive the “certificate of completion” in 7-10 days via snail mail.

Yeah, insurance discount, baby!   

It’s Here, It’s Here!; Dining at the 17

The official season of the Houston Aeros starts in less that 4 hours!  According to fellow flakkers, it looks like we’re going to have a better team than last year.  Probably because we have a new coach that can better discipline the players.  And holy herbies, batman, my main man, Joel Ward, has the “C’ on his sweater!

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Last night was bachelorette party #1.  This consisted of dinner at 17 Restaurant, which is in the Alden Hotel in downtown H-Town, and dancing at Fix.  I didn’t go to the latter.  I must be showing my age ’cause I regard today’s club music the same old crap played over and over again.  But I digress…

At 17, I had the appetizer of local summer greens (served with figs, marcona almonds and balsamic vinaigrette), the entree of pan roasted duck (served with rainbow chard, ras el hanout and cherries) and a nibble of my cousin’s nemesis’ black truffle mac and cheese.  Also, via compliments from the chef, the party was given a potato-salmon mouse wrap in prosciutto appetizer. 

The black truffle mac and cheese was pretty good.  I was surprised that the “earthy” taste didn’t overtake the flavor. 

The local summer greens salad was pretty good also.  My regret was not ordering the dressing on the side because the salad was almost drowned.  Otherwise, the combination of the sweet figs and sour balsamic vinaigrette made the taste interesting. 

The prosciutto appetizer also intrigued my pallet.  The first taste was salty.  Then again, that’s how prosciutto is.  Then the appetizer gave way to a fish taste: salmon.  Yes, intriguing.

As for my main course, I haven’t had duck in the longest time so my taste buds were anticipating with glee.  And they weren’t disappointed.  The duck was cooked perfect.  To my regret again, I didn’t request the sauce to be served on the side because it totally drowned out the roasted chard, which to me had a bit too much salt. 

Too bad I didn’t get a chance to taste any of the desserts: chocolate pecan tart (served with milk jam and buttermilk ice cream) and gianduja chocolate cheesecake (served with ginger soda sabayon and house made graham crackers).  Just a whiff of them almost lead me into temptation.  The things a type 2 diabetic gives up. 

Oh Jolly Good!

The NHL season has now started!  But, it sort of didn’t go according to plan.

The game between the L.A. Kings and the defending Stanley Cup champs, Anaheim Ducks was played at the O2 Arena in London, England.  According to the newswire, after the Star Spangled Banner and God Save the Queen were sung, the arena house lights didn’t come on.  

But, after a 15 minute delay it was game on.   

The Kings won last night’s game 4-1 while the Ducks won with the same score in tonight’s game. 

This is the fourth time that the NHL has opened its season outside North America.  The last three times were in Japan: 1997, 1998 and 2000.  I’m still surprised that Japan let us back in their country in 2000 considering that our Men’s Olympic Hockey Team wrecked one of their hotel rooms during their Nagano stay.   

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A little digression:

Aggies re-grouped from their Miami loss and won against Baylor.

t.u. got their butts kicked by Kansas St.  Ha, ha!

Good golly!  Notre Dame is 0-5!

Colorado upsets O.U.!   Sort of the same deal that Rutgers won over Louisville last year: a last second field goal. 

And lastly, a game that I watched and enjoyed, even though my team didn’t win, USC over Washington, 27-24.  If only the onside kick during the last minutes would’ve worked…. 

Oh Canada

Well, at least, a team from Canada won the AHL’s Calder Cup!

Congratulations to the Hamilton Bulldogs!

They won last night by beating the Hershey Bears 2-1 in 5 games.

Let my four month hockey withdrawal begin. 😉

Woe Canada

For the third year a team representing our northern cousins have lost hockey’s most cherished possession: the Stanley Cup.

Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks for what was supposedly to be a hard fought battle.  You Ducks made it so easy to take it to 5 games. 

Congratulations to Teemu Salanne.  It’s been almost 15 years since you step on the ice as a Winnipeg Jet (R.I.P).  It’s been an almost 15 year wait for you to win the Cup. 

Congratulations to Jean-Sebastien Giguere (aka, Giggy).  One hell of a goalie.  Made saving those (probably) 99 mph slapshots a breeze. 

And, lastly, congratulations goes to the Niedermayer brothers, Scott and Rob.  This is the fourth time Scott has won it, but for Rob, it’s his first.  He, too, waited a long time to lift the Cup–13 years.  It has been almost 25 years since the Sutters, when 2 of the 6 were playing with the New York Islanders, that brothers on the same team won the Cup.  Oh yeah, I should mention that the Niedermayers have the BEST playoffs beards EVER. 😉

As for the team that I was rooting for…..*sigh*.  

Stanley Cup Game 4

It was a sad night for Sens fans.  Not only did they lose, but they displayed the worst (IMO) sportsmanship that I’ve seen.  If they gave awards for diving (i.e., embelishing a non-hit.  Yeah, I’m talking about you, Sens’ goalie, Ray Emery!), the Sens would’ve swept it up.  And they’re the team I’m rooting for!

And one more thing: why can’t we sing our national anthem with such vigor and pride like our cousins up north sing theirs? 

AHL’s Calder Cup Down To Two; Stanley Cup, Game 3

The quest of the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup started Friday night with the defending champs Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals’ farm team) losing against the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens’ farm team), 4-0.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to watch the game which was broadcast online via B2 network. 

I’m not too happy about B2 since they broadcasted one of the Aeros games with pink ice.  Yes, ice is white, but not according  to B2.

Also, since the Bears knocked out the Baby Pens, I, admittingly, am not paying attention to the series.  But, I’ll give my predictions: I’d like to see the Bears win it in 7 games.

As for the Stanley Cup, game 3 was enjoyable.  Great hits and the scoring was ridiculous.  At the least, two of the goals were deflected in by skate.  One of the deflections could have been called a kick-in, thus ruling a no-goal towards Ottawa.  Sens ended up winning the game 5-3 against the Ducks.

Oh yeah, the national anthems were sung beautifully by a member of Ottawa’s finest policemen.  “O, Canada” was both sung in French and English. 

Go Sens!  Bring Canada the Cup! 

And Now There Are Two

The quest of hockey’s holy grail was finally set last night with the Anaheim Ducks winning over the Detroit Dead Things, er, Red Wings to clench the Western Conference title.

They now meet the Ottawa Senators for a best-of-seven series for hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.

My predictions?  I’m going for the lesser of the two evils 😉 .  After a 14 year absence, the Cup will finally return to Canada with Ottawa winning in 6 games.

Here’s something called “The Senators’ Prayer” (I got this from the Aeros messageboard via a fellow season ticket holder):

Our God who art in Scotiabank Palace, Senators be thy name.
Thy puck come, Thy save be done in the air as it is on ice.
Give us this day our Stanley Cup and forgive us our slashing,
As we send out Neil for those who slash against us.
And lead us not into golfing, but deliver us from injury.
For the Senators are the team the power and glory,
For ever and ever,
Amen…

Go Sens!

Another Canadian Team In The Stanley Cup Finals

Congratulations to the Ottawa Senators! 

For the third year in a row (sort of 😉 ), a team from Canada is in the finals.  As I noted before, I hoping for one of three teams (Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa) to be in it.  Granted, though, I was pulling for Calgary. 

To quote the rock group Boston, it has been a long time since the Sens have been in quest of the holy grail.  The last time they won was in 1927  against the Boston Bruins. 

Now it’s time to scope out a parking space at H-town’s Canadian hangout, the Maple Leaf Pub. 🙂

No Happy Feet…So Now There Are Four Left

The Baby Pens lost in overtime against the Hershey Bears last Friday night in Hershey. 

This means that Hershey will be meeting the Manchester Monarchs for the Eastern Conference finals.  The Western Conference will be the ever-present, strong willed Chicago Wolves (whom I think has one of the best logos around) against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Predictions?  Hershey and Chicago, respectively, winning in 6 games. 

Let’s see if I’m right when the end of the month comes (the Conference finals are suppose to end around May 31st.).