Wins All-Around

Just a couple of reflections:

• Why is the orange not showing on my blog when I access it lately? Argh.
• Co-worker Justin made a bet with co-worker Brandon re: the number of goals Blondie would have for the remainder of the season. Justin lost.
• I harbor no love for the Pens. It's true. But I loved that last game as much as their fans loved the last one in the Wachovia Center.
• Jersey Marty...WTH? Dude looked like his skates froze in the goal snow at one point last night.
• How sucky is it that they broke out the black home jerseys for last night's game? When I was not there. I was just bemoaning that at the Rangers game.

Tiny!Briere: I complain about you. I still feel the organization overpaid for you, particularly considering the amount of injury time. But just like you redeemed yourself last season with the shootout goal in Buffalo at -24, last night's goal was so pretty. Way to skulk around Jersey Marty.

Scott Hartnell: From one curly-haired citizen to another, you freakin' rock! Thanks for stopping the dribbling puck. In my opinion, that's the best play of the season, so far.

Enjoying hockey so much more,
Flyers.Femme
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HLOG Creative Challenge

Dear Gentle Readers,

The creative challenge has returned to HLOG! The goal was for each rep to create a soundtrack for her team's past season.

For better or worse, here's mine for the Flyers. Each selection is accompanied by an explanation and links to YouTube so you can see the video. So, go, read, click and view.

Enjoy!

Request: Interest in Off-Season Posts

Attention, hockey bloggers!

If you are:

1. A serious hockey fan,
2. Civilized,
3. Capable of posting under a name other than "Anonymous," and
4. Have interest in providing an 07/08 wrap-up and 08/09 preview

Contact me!

I'm plotting an off-season schedule that includes written interviews, audio and maybe even video posts and podcasts for every NHL team. Ideally, I'd like to spotlight my HLOG sisters and any interested male bloggers for each team.

Happy Summer!

Nadine of Flyers.Femme

Podcasting Tonight: INAPB

Since I'll be participating in this week's "I'm Not a Puck Bunny" podcast, I'll have to break down and listen to tonight's game.

So check back sometime tomorrow for the player right over there -->. Here's hoping I don't make a total fool of myself!

FHF: Triple-Dog Dare

When a game against the Canadiens rolls around, I generally swing over to Four Habs Fans. Sure they're enemies for the night. Yes, they display the traditional Montreal sense of entitlement. Okay, so they use the F word just as creatively as actual hockey players and post stripper pics.

On the other hand, they're probably the funniest lawyers on earth.

However, in light of their very suspect "History of Evil" series and several other questionable posts about the Flyers, I find that I must challenge them...each of them...playground-style.

HF4, HF10, HF29, Panger76:

I triple-dog dare each one of you to find one current flyer that you can actually stand ...y'know, provided we weren't facing off this round. Said responses:

1.) Must appear as comments to this post by the time tomorrow night's match-up ends.
2.) Shall include actual statistics and commentary on his style of play.

I realize your families will think you're totally nuts...not to mention your readership...but I'm pretty sure you can take it. :p

Besides, who knows what might happen over the summer?

No less love than any other day of the season out teams aren't physically playing one another,
Nadine

Live! Tuesday Night!

Dear Gentle Readers,

First, congratulations to the Biron family.

Second, I'll be visiting section 111 tomorrow night.

Third, I'll be wearing some orange tomorrow night but not a lot. I look like crap in it, so I'm digging out as much BLACK as I can. (Read: I don't want to hear any snide remarks for not playing along with the PR scheme...I may be a fan but I refuse to look awful at the game!)

Ryan: See you there! I'll be at the Pavilion as close to 5 pm as possible for my pre-game 'ritas.

Versus: If that email is for real and you're moving to Philadelphia, how 'bout hiring the female blogger rather than asking me to promote your relocation? Just a thought.

Ciao!
Nadine

Celeb Hockey Bloggers Return

Nhl.com has resurrected the celebrity blogs just in time for the play-offs. Obviously, there was no Flyers coverage last season. (Shocking, I know!)

A few of the Tinseltown celebs blogging for the Western Conference includes the always-esteemed:

• Willa Ford (that's Mrs. Mike Modano to you and two guesses which team she'll be watching),
• Lauren Conrad (Not-So-Mighty Ducks),
• Thorsten Kaye from All My Children (Red Wings), and
  
• brothers Geoff (Red Wings) and George (Avs) Stults of Seventh Heaven fame...so, do the brawls spill over to the Stults family home, too?
  

The Eastern Conference celeb bloggers are a little more, um, fun and real.

• Kevin Smith, who, while I *heart* his movies, is a Devils fan. (How wrong is that?)
  
• Eddie Cahill, aka Jim Craig in Miracle, will follow the Rangers. (Completely predictable, CSI: NY!)
• Thomas Cavanaugh covers the Canadiens (but plays a Leaf in Breakfast with Scot).
• Adam Beach, who I completely *heart* since Smoke Signals, will blog about the Sens.

And Philly? Queue "Another One Bites the Dust."

Local weatherman Dave Roberts' son, David Boreanaz, dumps the BuffaSlugs since the Flyers overcame Last Season to move into the sixth seed in the final games of the season.

The only thing that would be better: Finding out James Marsters is a Flyers fan, too! (But I'm not holding my breath on that one.)

1000 and counting

Yeah!

Happy 1,000 post to all of the Hockey's Ladies of Greatness, or HLOG, women! Whether we're setting the feminist movement back 30 years or a militant feminist organization, there's no doubt that we're committed fans of our teams and hockey.

A 1:00 p.m Start?

I'll set one alarm clock to wake me and a second to remind me to "get out of the apartment and down to the train station already!"

See you in Section 115 tomorrow. Yes, that's right. I sprung for a not-very-cheap seat.

Guys, remember. Bruins = Tricky.

Mid-season annoyances

Lucifer's Team

Bet you didn't know that Satan lives in Newark, NJ, much less that he has a hockey team? (Margee, I'm not maligning Miro, I promise.)

Jersey Marty and his minions (plus a really short guy named Gionta) will have another go at Philly Marty and the guys tomorrow night.

Positives for this game are:

1. HH Sami recovered sufficiently from the flu to practice today.
2. HBF #2 Randy's sprained knee improved enough to practice today as well.
3. We won our last three games.

Negatives for the contest would be:

a. Timonen wasn't at practice because he's plagued by the flu now. (Get well soon!)
b. Upshall and Gator don't look too likely to play tomorrow. (Ditto x 2!)
c. We won our last three games.

Hire me, please!

Friends, I think the Philadelphia Flyers communications crew needs to hire me.

There's a certain Flyers communications person who's driving me up the wall with his poorly written English. It's bad enough that there are times it seems he knows less about hockey than the average puck bunny.

But cursing me with bad English?

Simon Gagne was injured. He didn't get injured.

Speaking of Gagne

Gagne's return to the game appears to be sooner rather than later. He's done a good job of taking the time to recover from the second concussion. It will be interesting to see which line Simon will be on and how they fare together.

Somewhat Good News

If the season ended today, we'd be in the playoffs. Actually, all of the Atlantic Division teams would be in the mix. Quite nice considering last year, eh?

Niiiiice

For those of you who read my blog fairly regularly, you know that I'm pulling for Richie to bag the most points for the season over Briere. (He is my HBF #3.)

So, here's the latest update for the Official (Unofficial) Points Race brought to you by Nadine of Flyers.Femme:

Richards: 18 G + 25 A = 43 (+/- is 9)
Briere: 16 G + 23 A = 39 (+/- is -7)

IPB Blogging Questionnaire

The fabulous sisters Ookie over at Interchangeable Parts recently posted on the authority and accountability of bloggers in response to a recent flare-up that originated with a piece by the mainstream media.

In the post, they created and answered a questionnaire on this theme, which is near and dear to my heart.

Just so we're completely clear about where I stand with regard to this blog, here are my answers:

1. What was your motivation for starting blogging? Has that changed at all in the time you've been blogging?

I love hockey in general, I come from a hockey family, and I wanted to share my take on what happens with the team, the NHL, and other hockey fans. My concept is to provide a space to share my perspective while having fun with all those other hockey-mad people out there. That is still the only motivation for my blog.

I was also disappointed that there were so few blogs written from the perspective of female Flyers fans. In most respects, we aren't that different from male fans. We love the sport and our team(s). We don't meet in a pink clubhouse with a sign that says "Girls Only" while talking non-stop about how hot certain players are. (Although that can be fun, too!)

However, sometimes we do have a separate voice to contribute to the discussion. Sadly, it's one that is rarely covered or seriously considered by (mostly male) sports journalists, let alone other members of the mainstream media (MSM).

2. What do you think your blog contributes to the hockey conversation?

I think my blog contributes a not-so-serious voice, but rather the voice of a serious hockey fan.

I'm not heavy into statistics, analysis, etc. I am not trying to steal a "real" journalist's job.

I like watching the game, to watch the game. It's really not anymore complicated than that. I love hockey and I want to share it with others.

(Truthfully, I also want to be on the record so that when Bettman finally asks for my opinion at some point, I can refer him to my post on the matter. Not that it's ever going to happen, but at least I put it out there.)

3. What do you want to get out of the blogs you read?

I read blogs on many topics (i.e., about things other than hockey), but they need to be well-written and give credit where credit is due. In terms of tone, I read blogs that run from the insanely silly and satirical to those that provide in-depth analysis of the subject they cover.

4. What determines which blogs you read and which you don't?

If an author doesn't give credit to sources it quotes or features, I absolutely will not visit them again. There are plenty of bloggers who do it and just as many who do not, but it is a major issue that we all face.

Another big issue for me is the "hate" factor. I take exception to people who are disrespectful of others' opinions and I choose not to waste my valuable Internet connection in that manner.

5. How important is the issue of gaining press access to you as a blogger?

Really, it's not that important to me because it means I would have to strip myself of my hockey fandom just to get the access.

I couldn't stomach going to a hockey game and not being allowed to openly rejoice when my team scores or makes a big play, to complain when the other team pulls a fast one that the zebras miss, or to wear the over-priced fan gear that I was suckered into purchasing.

It might be fun to have access one time. On the other hand, even if it came with the chance to ask questions of Coach Stevens or any of the players, I'd be too deer-in-headlights to make full use of the opportunity. If I wanted to make an impact on the hockey world, the press box is not where it would happen.

6. To what extent do you feel accountable for the content of your blog? How concerned do you think readers should be about the authority and accountability of your blog?

I am very accountable for the content I post on my blog and the two others to which I contribute. I learned early in life that I am the only person accountable for my actions. I strive for complete accuracy. If I do miss something (there was that one fact that got away from me), I fix it immediately and admit the mistake.

So, no, I don't have an editor. Alternatively, I am not paid to do this. I am a lone individual sharing my voice, which is all I ever portray my blog to be. However, I have to be responsible about what I post - even the very obviously silly ones - because if my audience feels I'm not accountable and responsible about my work, they usually won't return.

7. How concerned are you about the authority and accountability of the blogs you read? Do you find it difficult to judge the authority and accountability of the blogs you read?

Since most of the blogs I read are about subjects I know well, I can see which blog authors know what they're talking about and are accountable for what they post. I return to the good ones, and I avoid the bad ones while wearing a crucifix and a garlic necklace.

Of course, this doesn't apply to the silly, sarcastic and satirical ones that I read because accountability is the last thing on their minds. (If those are the blogs that stimulated the recent MSM complaints against bloggers, then, wow, how did you people miss the tone there?)

8. What value, if any, do you think blogging brings to the NHL?

Straight up, hockey blogging brings great value to the NHL because it provides direct access to the voices of the very people who keep you in business.

The blogosphere allows fans the space to share their knowledge of the game and team(s), to learn more about the sport, to interact with other hockey fans that they wouldn't meet under other circumstances, and to have an outlet for their die-hard hockey fandom.

If it didn't work well and wasn't trustworthy, why would so many NHL teams have a blog on their web sites in addition to the articles written by the MSM or in MSM-style by their communications staff ?

Blogger Biron Redux

Run on over to the Flyers web site and watch the always popular goalie Marty Biron video-blogging on the dads' and brother's trip with the guys for last night's 'Canes game.

My favorite highlights:

• Sami as Denis' dad. (Sami, I love the haircut!)
• Marty harrassing Jonesy for eating on the plane.
• Kimmo's (dry) sense of humor during the poker game with Hartsie and his dad.
• The dubbing for the conversation in the hotel lobby.
• "The Price Is Right" in the restaurant.

Today's funny/sarcastic thought for the day:

If it seems like everything's coming your way, you're obviously in the wrong lane.

Love yas,

Nadine

Off-topic: Rocking out

I don't know what it is about the last two months of the year, but each year I say the same thing in November and December:

Somebody...p l e a s e...queue the loud rock music.

There's nothing less seasonally appropriate, but my craving for rock is equal to that of goals by Mike Richards - seemingly never-ending.

The names in heavy rotation on my MP3 player during the train ride into and out of Center City have a severe bent towards the Brits, but it's not an exclusive club. I also don't rule out the other types of music, but maybe I hit the skip button a little more frequently.

If I look at this from a therapist's point of view, I guess it's in counterpoint to all the not-so-cheery holiday cheer I run into on the street. (You know, parents screaming at or begging with small children who are tired and just want to go home! Yeah, kid, me too.)

Instead of falling down crying and kicking my feet, I just turn on, plug in, and rock out.

• Not sure about trekking to the Evil Empire yet again (take your pick: the mall, Macy's, Wal-Mart)? Queue up "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash.
• Ready to scream because the stilleto crew has blocked the sidewalk on your way to the train? A hit of "Go Let It Out" by Oasis should cure all that ails you.
• Just crossed another day off the calendar before you can start your holiday break, but it's not enough? Try a little "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen as you roll out the door. (Freddie Mercury, I still miss you like crazy.)

After 29.5 years of living, one thing I have learned is to indulge those of my cravings that don't endanger myself or others. Dark chocolate. Hockey.

So, here's to my 2007 Rock Fix!

Playing as I finish this post: INXS, "What You Need"

P.S.: I'm an avid reader of Margee's "Sportsquee" blog. In addition to being another one of the HLOGers, Margee has a really...uh, vivid...imagination.

That being said, she has completely out-done herself with two recent posts about some Evil Ranjuhs which I simply must share with you. (And, please, for the love of Pete, bear in mind that the second one is total fiction...so far as anyone knows.)

• This Just In: Punching Sean Avery A Team Effort
• Fly on the Wall: Inside Henrik Lundqvist's Apartment

Welcome back: Me!

After a short business trip, I am back home. Watch for more posts starting tomorrow!

(Oh, I so need a job that combines my passion for hockey, affords me truly enviable seats, and provides a better paycheck. Hey, Flyers, want someone to head-up a female fans division?)

LMAO: Interchangable Parts road trip

I encourage all of you to get hooked on the -Ookies' road trip chapters over at Interchangable Parts.
Schnookie and Pookie: Keep 'em coming! Thanks for the stress relief at work.

Get out of my way!

• Today
• Tomorrow
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• And saturday morning

The final countdown is on for the Flyers' regular season home opener on Oct. 13! (See you in Section 224.)

Blogger Biron

Even if I don't get my wish for a live feed to Flyer goalie Martin Biron during games, I'll get something awfully darned close:

Marty will be contributing to the Flyers' road trip blog, providing his perspective of the day's happenings to Kevin Kurz, Flyers Manager of Communications and New Media. Plus, Marty will answer a question submitted by a fan each day.

Put your thinking caps on, but don't wait too long! The Flyers' regular season home opener is October 13.

Great hockey quotes and jokes

Two of these are really skewed towards my love of goalies. Enjoy!

Jacques Plante: "How would you like a job where, every time you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?"

Wayne Gretzky: " You miss 100% of the shots you never take."

Herb Brooks, 1980 US Olympic hockey coach: "You don't have enough talent to win on talent alone."

Jim McKenny: "Half the game is mental; the other half is being mental."

Wayne Gretzky: "Some people skate to the puck. I skate to where the puck is going to be."

Author unknown: "Ice hockey players can walk on water."

Descriptions of Team Positions:

Team Coach
Leaps tall buildings in a single bound
Is more powerful than a locomotive
Is faster than a speeding bullet
Walks on water
Gives policy to God

Team Captain
Leaps short buildings with single bound
Is more powerful than a switch engine
Is just as fast as a speeding bullet
Walks on water if the sea is calm
Talks with God

Assistant Captain
Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds
Is almost as powerful as a switch engine
Is faster than a speeding BB
Walks on water in an indoor swimming pool
Talks with God if special request is granted

Defenseman
Barely clears a Quonset hut
Loses tug-of-war with a switch engine
Can fire a speeding bullet
Swims well
Is occasionally addressed by God

Forward
Makes high marks on the wall when trying to leap buildings
Is run over by a locomotive
Can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self-injury
Dog paddles
Talks to animals

Rookie
Runs into buildings
Recognizes locomotive two out of three times
Is not issued ammunition
Can't stay afloat with a life preserver
Talks to walls

Referee
Falls over doorsteps when trying to enter buildings
Says "Look at the Choo-choo!"
Wets himself with a water pistol
Plays in mud puddles
Mumbles to himself

Goalie
Lifts buildings and walks under them
Kicks locomotives off the tracks
Catches speeding bullets with his teeth and eats them
Freezes water with a single glance (who needs a Zamboni?)
He IS God