Your Daily Music Song

Sorry for the disappearance, but just running into an extra busy stretch toward the end of the week. Again, if you’d like to apply to help out, let me know at SMLepore@comcast.net.

If something big happens, I’ll post. If not, see you Monday.

9th anniversary of 9/11 is Saturday. I saw the planes hit from my classroom in 7th grade. Don’t forget, because I can’t. Not ever.

Bobby Holik to Be Awesome, Entertain My Dad on NHL Network This Season

From Tom Gulitti on Twitter:

Must-see TV: Ex-Devil Bobby Holik will be joining “On the Fly” crew on NHL Network. Holik will also do weekly spot on “NHL Live”.

That is must-see TV indeed. Holik is a ridiculously fun opinion-spouter. If they let him as loose as possible, what we’ll see is are some interesting, quotable TV moments. He’s also the first European player in some time that I can remember being hired for a big NHL TV job.

Hey, Denis Potvin Got a Job. Good For Him

From the Sens website:

Call it a homecoming of sorts for Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman Denis Potvin.

The Hull, Que., native and former Ottawa 67′s star has been named the new analyst for Scotiabank Senators Hockey telecasts on Rogers Sportsnet East and Sportsnet One. Potvin fills the void created by the depature of Garry Galley, who is now working exclusively for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.

Suggestions For NBC’s Presentation of Hockey Day in America

One of the things I sort of glazed over in the wake of the television schedule announcements was NBC’s plan to play a big part in “Hockey Day in America”, a supposed celebration of the growth of the game beneath the Canadian borders. One wonders if the pockets of fans across the country are enough to sell there being an entire day dedicated to the sport in true earnest. I mean, for chrissakes, we don’t even have Baseball Day in America, and the baseball in this country try to shove America’s former love affair with the grand game down our throats.

So forgive me if I seem to be a bit cynical about this actually happening full force (and if you don’t forgive me, why are you reading this website?) but I have some easy suggestions to make this seem like an actual fun thing that hockey fans will want to be involved in.

1. 24 Hours of Hockey on The Rink at 30 Rock

The Rink at 30 Rock used to be a great place for NBC’s NHL studio show for awhile. They got all the team flags out where every nation’s flags were, and the set-up used to get the occasional shot on Saturday Night Live, which was super cool. Why not turn one of the most well-known and  beloved sheets of ice on earth into a marathon of hockey?

Set-up the NBC studio there once again, since the NHL is getting regional coverage that day, no reason to favor one game over another. Just show people having hour after hour of fun. Hell, it’ll almost be certain you get a hit on all your affiliates’ local news at “look at these here doin’ something quirky”. Have NHL legends show up and play for various timeslots. Hold tournaments. There are limitless possibilities.

2. Show Where The Game Has Grown Around the Country

Its nice and everything to show guys that got to the league from Minnesota and Michigan and Massachusetts, but during say, the first intermission, air a feature on every state that has produced a hockey player, period. Show them, their most famous player, and a quick story about how they got there. It’ll show kids in other states “Hey, I’m from California (pick any state) too. I can make it in hockey.” Will be able to showcase the USA Hockey portion of it as well.

3. Maybe Skip the Miracle Team This Time Around

Guys, the Miracle on Ice team has been used maybe one too many times. Let’s not depend on them to make Hockey Day in America a success. This goes double for the Hanson Bros. Perhaps since he’s trying to become the king of hockey movies, Seann William Scott can be on studio coverage. Seeing Stiffler with a bunch of Stiff Suits would make for some funny puns, like the one I just did right there.

4. Make Sure Its Fun and Presentable

Whenever the NHL hits the bright lights, something seems to go wrong. Make sure that nothing goes off without a hitch. Make sure everyone looks like this is the best time they’ve ever had. That’s the point, right? Hockey’s fun and hockey is … sigh … for everyone.

Your Daily Music Song

Good morning. I’ve had a long couple days. Lets march on.

I loathe Linkin Park, but this song hits the spot.

VERSUS To Debut “The T.Ocho Show”, Where Exactly What You Think Happens

Courtesy of Ken Schott:

Cincinnati Bengals teammates on the Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco are getting their own TV show on Versus, according to The Associated Press. The weekly talk show will be called “The T.Ocho Show.”

It will start Tuesday night as a segment on “The Daily Line,” the network’s nightly sports highlight, news and interview show. The show will spin off as a half-hour show on Oct. 12.

Along with a studio host (I feel bad for whoever gets this gig), Owens and Ochocinco will discuss their views on the NFL, Twitter and highlights from their VH-1 reality shows — “The T.O. Show” and “Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch.”

It’ll air right after Avs-Red Wings on the premiere date, which is perfect, because it means 3/4ths of VERSUS lineup will have been much more fascinating 10 years ago.

Why The Hockey Goon’s Upcoming En Vogue Moment is Perfect for the American Cinema

Yesterday it was announced that this man above these words, Seann William Scott, is reportedly playing a hockey goon in a movie based on the book Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey by Doug Smith and Adam Frattasio. The script is being written by Evan Goldberg, who co-wrote my dad’s favorite movies, Superbad and Pineapple Express, with my dad’s favorite actor, Seth Rogen (my dad is the only person on earth who refuses to even acknowledge that Seth Rogen is famous, except perhaps the cast & crew of Entourage. It’d be almost fascinating if anyone else on earth actually disliked the guy) as well as actor Jay Baruchel (a known Habs fan who starred in the hockey-subplotted She’s Out of My League).

Both writers are Canadian, so duh. Scott’s participation in this is quite intriguing, however. It was announced months ago that he was attached to star in the Kevin Smith film, Hit Somebody, which is based on a Warren Zevon song that Mitch Albom wrote, which is about a man who is terrible at hockey but becomes a goon because that’s the only way he can make the big time. This is interesting because … when did hockey’s toughest job become the new superhero flick all of a sudden?

Okay, perhaps it isn’t that trendy, but two comedies with pathos on the enforcer in consecutive years being announced after there being none (at least memorable ones) since Slap Shot is an interesting little mini-trend for Hollywood. Hockey has slowly been bouncing into movies more and more lately, not really in terms of main plot (except for that weird musical thing coming out soon) but as something the characters are doing or seeing. That’s big for hockey. If Hollywood portrays it as “this is something that people do” it can only be good for the sport.

Still, the last real big-time hockey movie to come out was 2004′s Miracle, which the NHL promoted the bejesus out of. I believe, if you watch Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, you’ll see an ad for what I believe is the DVD release of the film, since the movie was released theatrically in February of that year. Regardless, the NHL got behind it big time, with Kurt Russell appearing at the All-Star Game, and ESPN doing a special on the Miracle team.

It would behoove the league to get behind these upcoming Kevin Smith and Goldberg/Baruchel projects as well, because the hockey goon could be another extension of a great trend of what’s happening lately in hit films like The Wrestler or even TV comedies like Eastbound and Down: the athlete who’s either seen his glory fade or didn’t have talent to begin with. The has-been and the never-was. The NHL enforcer personifies this, but also gets to be triumphant. Mike Peluso got to shed a tear at the end of the Stanley Cup Final. You tell me that wouldn’t be as satisfying a movie ending as you’ve seen in awhile.

People are currently not interested in the traditional sports movie, where the big team overcomes incredible odds to win the big game, with the QB or the star getting a kiss from the hot cheerleader at the end. They want to see their heroes reduced to the common man and lower. The goon is exactly that. When I met Cam Janssen at a Devils practice, he was unhinged, engaged and absolutely awesome to deal with. The goon is alternately hilarious, triumphant and failed. He’ll never be the big star, he may even suffer just to be in one game, but he makes it, and he beats the crap out of someone while doing it. If that’s not the movie the American people are dying to see, I don’t know what is.

The Daily Music Song

I keep fiddling around with the title of this thing.

Anyway, I’m back. Still looking for some help for the next few months. Some good stuff today. Check it out.

The ice age is coming.

Puck the Media Returns Tuesday

It’ll largely be feature-driven for awhile, with me going into my “What if the NHL did ______” phase yet again, but I promise I’ll try and make it enjoyable.

This is going to be a rough few months for me. In addition to a 1-2 day a week job and being a full-time student, I have an internship that’s going to take up three days of my week, and 24-26 hours of my week. It will be hard for me to stay on top of everything. That’s why I’d be happy to invite some help.

I cannot pay anyone, but I promise your writing will get read as long as it’s good, or if you can break news. If you’re interested, e-mail me at SMLepore@comcast.net.

For now, enjoy the weekend.