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The Lightning's New Logo?!

Could it be? Has the Lightning's new logo been leaked? Read more.

New Sharks Logo Coming July 24

Thought this was interesting. The San Jose Sharks announced today that they'll be unveiling a new logo on July 24. They're calling it an "update" to the current emblem. They will also introduce new secondary marks. One would think the shark fin is gone.

You can read more about it here.

Incidentally, the Lightning haven't made an official announcement, but St. Pete Times Lightning beat writer Damian Cristodero said that the Bolts will also be "updating" the logo and will unveil it some time this summer. I can't wait!

Your Lucky Day

So today is 07/07/07 and that makes it your lucky day because yes, I am writing again. Bad joke.

Anyway, a lot's happened lately, especially with regard to my Bolts. It's funny. I find I actually keep up with team news not through the official web site or local papers, but rather the Boltsmag blog. Thank god for it, right?

The Lightning have signed on a few free agents this week, most notably Chris Gratton and Brad Lukowich. Maybe we can one day bring back Cullimore and Sydor and try to recapture that Stanley Cup experience. No, but seriously, those are a couple of good guys. I can't complain.

Then there's the guys who left. Eric Perrin signed with Atlanta much to the irritation of Coach Torts. It's not surprising. The coaching staff put in a lot of work with him. I know he sees a better opportunity with the Thrashers but he hasn't been in this league that long. He's got plenty of years ahead of him, so why rush? Anyway, I'll like him until the first time he scores a goal against us.

Ruslan Fedotenko who we all knew would not be returning in a Lightning sweater signed with the New York Islanders. I don't know if that was such a wise choice for them as they've been pretty well gutted last week. Ryan Smyth signed with the Avs for one thing. Maybe Feds will once again start playing the way he did for us in 2004. That's what the Isles will need.

And of course Cory Sarich took off for Calgary. I don't really have anything to say on that. I figured he'd leave. Nolan Pratt could be next. I wonder if Sheldon Souray would be a possibility for the blue line. Last I heard he's still available and we still need to shore up the defense.

Last thing for this post. Is Kevin Weekes crazy or does he just like the view from the bench? (I guess the Rangers didn't play him much for that matter.) Or did Brodeur's foibles during the playoffs scare Lou Lamoriello? Either way, No. 80 is now a Devil.

I Need To Get Back To Writing

Seriously. A lot has been going on lately. Perrin and Sarich have disappeared. Kariya and Hamrlik and Smyth and Gomez and the Buffalo co-captains all have new teams. And god only knows who else! It's just crazy. And the Lightning signed Michel Ouellet. I want to write about all of these things if for no other reason than that I'm writing again. The Tournament is going great, though I don't feel enough people are checking it out, but too many interesting things are going on to just ignore them.

So this week, pinky swear. I'll have my commentary. You aren't required to read it. I wouldn't force that on anybody. But it'll be here. Right now, I'm very tired. This is a late hour for someone who's up at 2 AM. Gotta be to work at 4. TV shows don't produce themselves you know. If you happen to live in southwest Florida, check out FOX 4 Rising tomorrow morning. I'll be the guy running the audio board.

Until we meet again.

Go Visit The Tournament Blog!

Dude, where have I been? I'll tell you where I've been. The NHL Tournament of Logos is where. I'm going to be pretty consumed by that for a while, so unless you feel like reading the archives here, I suggest you head over there. I'll get back to writing on a regular basis here when there's something to write about. For now, it's all about the logo tournament, people! Get on with it!

This Isn't Looking Good...

I've just come across what appears to be the Capitals' new uniform and logo. Just so you know, they aren't scheduled to officially unveil until Friday so this could very well be someone having fun with Photoshop... but whatever the case, say it ain't so.

Bolts Nab Gratton & Hlavac

A lot has happened in the last few days for my Bolts so I feel behooved to mention it here. For the third time, the Lightning have acquired Chris Gratton. We traded a draft pick to get him so I was at least happy to hear we didn't have to lose anybody for him.

I don't know, though. I haven't been following his career since he left the Bolts (the second time) so I can't say with any certainty whether this will be a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a thing right now, as far as I'm concerned. We'll find out this fall how well he meshes with the championship-caliber team. He only played for Tampa Bay when we sucked. Back in those days.

Then we signed Jan Hlavac who's been playing in Europe the past few years. His only full-length NHL seasons — and there were two — were played with the New York Rangers but he's also donned the uniform of the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. Maybe we can finally put some scoring lines together outside of Vinny's.

My fear is that Jay Feaster is making these deals in preparation for something bad — like the departure of one of the core guys. Notice I'm not using any names for fear of jinxing it.

Anyway, I think Gratton and Hlavac are nice additions but their forwards. With Cory Sarich likely leaving, I think we could probably stand to pick up a defenseman or two.

But whatever, I'm not the GM. I'll let him do his job and just cheer on my team.

More Posts Coming... Plus The Tournament!

Naturally, when I started this blog I meant to be writing every day or so. But that was at the height of the television and hockey seasons. Still, by no means do I intend to stop. But I just bought a new toy. As shown below.



So I have Nintendo DS now and a couple of Mario games I can't seem to stop playing.

Still, I do plan to have more posts in the coming weeks. About lots of stuff... mostly hockey and television-related, of course. In the meantime, don't forget about the start of the NHL Tournament of Logos! It began on Tuesday and there are new matches posted every single day. Head on over and keep up with your favorite team and/or logo.

Deal With It

Hockey Is Not Over Yet!

My dear hockey fan friends, I know that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, but this summer that does not mean the hockey season is over. In fact, far from it. I know I've mentioned it before, but we're now just three days away from the start of the NHL Tournament of Logos.

We're going to be holding a one-of-a-kind marathon competition this summer to determine which NHL team truly has the best logo. There will be stiff competition — and not so stiff competition. But all I can tell you is that it will be a blast. So head on over to the tournament blog and start reading up on what will be going down when Tuesday rolls around. It's going to be exciting stuff!

That's all for now. Let me know what you think — even if you think it's stupid.

Jericho WILL Be Back!

It's true. As you may have heard by now — or you didn't since you were in a coma — the previously canceled CBS series "Jericho" has gotten a fan-forced reprieve. I can hardly believe it myself. But don't take my word for it. Take Nina Tassler's. She's the president of CBS after all.

June 6, 2007
To the Fans of Jericho:

Wow!

Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.

As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho” for mid-season next year. In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more “Jericho,” we will need more viewers.

A loyal and passionate community has clearly formed around the show. But that community needs to grow. It needs to grow on the CBS Television Network, as well as on the many digital platforms where we make the show available.

We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.

At this time, I cannot tell you the specific date or time period that “Jericho” will return to our schedule. However, in the interim, we are working on several initiatives to help introduce the show to new audiences. This includes re-broadcasting “Jericho” on CBS this summer, streaming episodes and clips from these episodes across the CBS Audience Network (online), releasing the first season DVD on September 25 and continuing the story of Jericho in the digital world until the new episodes return. We will let you know specifics when we have them so you can pass them on.

On behalf of everyone at CBS, thank you for expressing your support of “Jericho” in such an extraordinary manner. Your protest was creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone. You made a difference.

Sincerely,

Nina Tassler

President, CBS Entertainment


P.S. Please stop sending us nuts

See? It just goes to show — CBS cares.

No really, though, this is the biggest of wins for television fans when it comes to rallying behind quality shows that meet an all too early demise. A few weeks ago, when it first happened, I wrote a few posts about it — how annoying it was that a network would allow a series to write a cliffhanger finale then choose not to renew it for another season.

A lot of fans agreed and so began the campaign of shipping peanuts — a joke only "Jericho" viewers would truly understand — to CBS to convince them they weren't a minority voice. And by god it worked!

In an unrelated story, fans of the recently canceled "Veronica Mars" plan to inundate The CW with Mars bars. No, I'm dead serious.

Ducks Win Stanley Cup!

If you haven't heard already...

THE ANAHEIM DUCKS HAVE WON THE STANLEY CUP!



I'm sorry to all the Senators fans out there who thought your team had a chance. But I warned you, didn't I?



That'll teach your guys to tinker with fate. GO DUCKS!

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 42

It all ended tonight! The Anaheim Ducks carried the Stanley Cup before a thrilled home crowd — just like my Bolts did three years ago. I had to sleep through it, sadly, what with having to work at 4 AM and such. But it was on NBC and I hear it was unbelievable.

Ducks 6, Senators 2
Ducks win series 4-1
All right so the Anaheim Ducks didn't just win Game 5 to clinch the Stanley Cup, they almost completely slaughtered and totally embarrassed the Ottawa Senators to do so. The Sens didn't help their case either, by making bad plays, taking stupid penalties and all around playing not like their season depended on it. The worst thing was Chris Phillips pulling a Steve Smith in the second period by deflecting the puck off his own goalie and into the net — not that it was entirely his fault. Way to be on your game there, Ray Emery.

So here's your recap. Andy McDonald got things off to a swell start for Anaheim notching a power play goal less than four minutes in. Rob Niedermayer made it 2-0 by the end of the first period. His brother would later be named the playoff MVP and carry home the Conn Smythe. Daniel Alfredsson scored twice in the second hoping to heal the wounds. Unfortunately for him and the Sens, that was the period of Phillips' mishandled puck. Plus Francois Beauchemin scored to give the Ducks back the two-goal lead going into period three. Jean-Sebastian Giguere kept the puck out of the net for the final 20 minutes of the NHL season while Travis Moen and Corey Perry scored the 5th and 6th Duck goals.

I think it's also worth noting that while the Ducks did score six times, it wasn't like Emery had to face a barrage of shots all night. He saw 18 — and stopped only 12. Not very impressive. I also think it's interesting that Teemu Selanne won his first Cup after 14 seasons while making no mark on the scoresheet and finishing the night a minus-1 — not even a shot on goal for the guy.



Photos: ESPN.com

Chip Eats His Birthday Cake

Chip Eating Birthday Cake from Chris on Vimeo

Read this post and you'll understand.

Chip Turns 1

Our dog's birthday was today. He's now a year old. And yes, if you do the math, you'll realize he was indeed born on 06/06/06. I call him our devil dog. But it's cool because yesterday was my birthday — that's why I didn't post anything. Too busy celebrating — er, sleeping.

Anyway, to celebrate Chip's birthday we got him a cake from a local pet bakery — yes, there is such a thing. It was apple and cheddar cheese flavored. He loved it, of course. And if you're at all interested in seeing more pictures from his little party, you can check them out at Flickr.

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 41

So the Senators have dug themselves out a two-game hole, only to find themselves back in the same hole after Game 4. It was a close one though, but I see fire in Anaheim's eyes that Ottawa seems to lack. And we know what that means. This series could be over on Wednesday. Will the Ducks take the Cup or the Sens live to fight at least another day?

Ducks 3, Senators 2
Ducks lead series 3-1
Things were looking pretty good for the Senators from the outset. A strong first period culminated in a true last-second goal on the power play. But the Ducks responded to Daniel Alfredsson's goal midway through the second period. Andy McDonald scored twice in the span of 60 seconds. But Dany Heatley managed to tie the score with just two minutes to go. Then Dustin Penner scored just four minutes into the third in what would turn out to be the game-winner for Anaheim. And that's that. The Senators should be worried. The Ducks now have 15 of 16 wins necessary to claim the '07 Stanley Cup. That 16th is in sight? Can they nab it on Wednesday night or will Ottawa force a Game 6? We're on pins and needles.

Photo: ESPN.com

Stanley Cup Playoffs, Night 40

Like all the Versus promos keep saying, it's do or die time — in this case for the Ottawa Senators. A loss tonight would have put the Ducks a mere win away from raising the Cup. Instead, the Sens took advantage of the shift back to Canada's capital tonight. They got the home crowd behind them and didn't let them down.

Senators 5, Ducks 3
Ducks lead series 2-1
As I expected, the Ducks scored first as Andy McDonald notched a power play tally. But then also as I expected, every time Anaheim scored, Ottawa quickly followed. The first period ended 1-1 after Chris Neil tied things up. The second period would then see five goals — insane the way these playoffs have been going. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf each scored for the Ducks. Mike Fisher and Daniel Alfredsson scored for the Sens to keep things even at 3 apiece. But the difference-maker in this game was Dean McAmmond who scored with 86 seconds left in period two to give Ottawa their first lead of the night. Anton Volchenkov then scored the insurance goal in the third period. It was a great game and showed how much of an advantage the home team really has. NBC had awesome HD coverage from Scotiabank Place.

Photo: ESPN.com

Well, Maybe Hamilton

This is Hamilton as it relates to Toronto — for my less-geographically inclined readers and anyone who doesn't live in Canada. I don't like the idea of Jim Balsillie buying and moving the Predators to Hamilton, Ontario. What's the point?

A mere 45-minute drive from the Air Canada Centre, a Hamilton team would still probably end up in the Western Conference. I don't know, I haven't really sorted out my feelings on this yet, but it just seems weird. And wrong. But whatever, I'm all for putting hockey teams back in Canada.

Also there's this. Scott Burnside wrote the following piece for ESPN.com.

May 31, 2007
ESPN.com

Balsillie given rights for Hamilton sports complex

You've just got to love this bit of irony.

Two days after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman scoffed at the likelihood of the Nashville Predators moving in the next year or two, and specifically scoffed at the notion they're headed to Southern Ontario, some news seems to suggest that is exactly the plan.

At a City of Hamilton council meeting Wednesday night, Canadian mega-millionaire Jim Balsillie, whose company helped develop the BlackBerry, reactivated an agreement with the city for exclusive rights to the city's main arena, Copps Coliseum. Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger said he and Balsillie talked about the agreement.

"He has assured me that he wants to secure a team and he is interested in bringing it to Hamilton," Eisenberger was quoted as saying Wednesday night in the Hamilton Spectator. "Certainly he has the resources to do it and we will leave it up to him to pull it together."

Balsillie has made an offer to purchase the Predators from current owner Craig Leipold. Given the team's declining attendance and scarcity of corporate support in the community, the team could be in a position as early as next summer to break its lease with the city of Nashville and relocate.

Balsillie, whose operation is in Southern Ontario, has been long-rumored to wanting an NHL franchise in the area. But in Bettman's "state of the union" address before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals Monday, the commissioner insisted such talk was pure speculation and that Balsillie told Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly he has no plans to move the Predators.

"I met with Mr. Balsillie last week. Bill Daly and I both did, and I specifically asked him whether or not he had specific plans or intentions with respect to moving the franchise, and he told me he did not," Bettman told reporters Monday. "And so, I think there's been entirely too much speculation in terms of what comes next.

"What's clear to me from meeting with Mr. Balsillie is that he's passionate about the game, would like to own a franchise, and certainly has the resources to do it. Beyond that, there have been no promises. There have been no predictions. And I think if anybody believes that [Nashville] is destined to a particular location, that's more a matter of speculation."

But talk is cheap, which is why Balsillie's renewed control of Copps Coliseum as it relates to the NHL seems to contradict Bettman's position.

The long-held theory has been that if Balsillie's more than generous offer to buy the Predators ($220 million) is green-lighted by the NHL's board of governors by the end of June and the Predators escape their lease, he would like to move the team into Copps Coliseum until a new facility can be built somewhere in the area outside the protected zones of both the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Earlier news reports say Balsillie has purchased a plot of land in the Waterloo area, a plot of land west of Toronto that could conceivably house a new NHL-sized arena.

Hands up for those who believe this is all a strange coincidence. No? Didn't think so.

Selanne Celebrates

Will the Ducks be celebrating big Saturday night or will the Sens stage the beginning of a comeback? I know I've been light on posts here lately but I'm adjusting to a new schedule at work. I now work the morning show and that means being at the station by 4:00 AM. That means trying to sleep during the afternoon which hasn't been easy. Anyway, no excuse. I'll be back on top of things soon.