We Interrupt This Relationship to Bring You The Playoffs

The most inspiring time of year for me is now: NHL playoff time. 

There's nothing more exciting than watching your team build a lead and then defend it with tough play and hard hits. Maybe the goalie stands on his head and pulls off a shutout after facing 40 shots. It's nuts. This is when teams in the NHL actually start playing real hockey. Just last week I was speaking to a man in his late 60's and he told me he hasn't watched the NHL regular season since the 1970's. 

"Start of the season is warm-up, after Christmas is practice for the playoffs, then the playoffs are when they actually start playing."

This man knew exactly how I felt. During the NHL Lock-out, I lost interest in hockey. I never watched any games and never followed any story-lines. But whenever the playoffs came around, I couldn't help but become completely surrounded by hockey. Over the years, the playoffs have drawn me back into the hockey world. Since Montreal's run last year, I've been a die-hard Habs fan, and have followed them all season long and plan to cheer them on for years to come. 

My prediction? Habs grab the Stanley Cup for the first time since 93'. They have plenty of experience and Carey Price is a monster. They can't be stopped. 

Pit Football: Interview with Jon Franklin

Here's an interview that I conducted with one of the co-founders of the Pit Football League which is an indoor/outdoor touch football league run out of Winnipeg.


Interview with Jon Franklin from Jordan Johanson on Vimeo.

D2 The Mighty Ducks: Breaking Down a Classic

Having grown up in the 90's I am, of course, quite familiar with Disney's The Mighty Ducks movies. I loved them when I was young, I loved them when I was older. But now, I loath them.

After watching D1 and D2 today, anger grew inside of me. Where did the anger come from?

COMPLETE INACCURACIES.

I strongly believe that it's not THAT hard to have real game-play take place in a movie. All you need to do is throw in stunt doubles who know how to play the game, and tell them what to do.

The Mighty Ducks franchise had another idea. Why not make the goalies look like complete idiots instead? Why don't we just mess with the rules of the game? Let's just throw national pride out the window!

I loved these movies when I was young, but that's because I only paid attention to five minutes of the movie. After only watching two of them, I had to stop out of anger. I mean seriously, they called a time-out and then, while still on the ice, had their goalie and player switch equipment, and then had the new goalie take a knuckle puck from behind his own goal line? The kid didn't have a helmet or gloves on, and any goalie from the age of 7 years old and up can stop a puck shot from that far away...

I could go on further, but I'm getting angry just thinking about it.

Enjoy.

Sundays without NFL

With an NFL lockout in place, how will millions of adoring fans enjoy themselves on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays if the league doesn't resume action? Here are a few options that will help me stay in the football state-of-mind:

1) Actually playing football- This option seems like a lot of work because it requires moving on a Sunday, but it's the closest thing to watching football.

2)Playing Madden- Madden can produce a lifetime of football magic. I have literally spent months of my life playing Madden, and if the lockout continues throughout the season, Madden will be the only place to see a highlight reel.

3) Watch football movies: The Replacements is a gem that will never be forgotten. The game play is somewhat realistic, but most importantly, Keanu Reeves is one hell of an inspiration at quarterback. The Longest Yard is probably the best football movie I've ever seen so this is a staple in any football lovers movie library.

These are just a few of the obvious choices when it comes to spending a Sunday without football. However, nothing can replace the level of entertainment that the real game can provide. In all honestly, nothing can ever replace the NFL.

Perfect example of why hockey players shouldn't act...

We've all seen how soccer players can fall to the ground and scream in agony simply because an opponent gave them a dirty look... They're great actors.

Hockey players rarely take dives. They can't act.

Like this...



Can't wait for those skates though.

Clean Hit

In today's NHL, everyone makes such a fuss whenever anybody gets injured. People are actually pulling their children out of the sport because of what they've seen on T.V.

YOUR KIDS AREN'T BEING HIT BY ZDENO CHARA...

I hate where the sport of hockey is going to be in a couple years. They'll make equipment bigger, take contact out of it completely, outlaw any form of shot above the ice, take away sticks because they're like weapons, turn the puck into a stuffed animal, and turn the ice into a ball pit. The new objective -- who ever gives the most hugs wins!!

It's a contact sport. Deal with it.



I hate to show this because I'm a Habs fan, but this is what's scaring people away from the sport.



One can only hope for a speedy recovery by Max Pacioretty.

Longevity

The average professional sports career ends between the ages of 35 - 40. When you think about it, that's pretty old for a professional athlete. Consider the average football players career: they've worked out 6 days a week for 6 months of the year since they were 18 years old. During the other 6 months of the year, they work out 4 days out of the week. That's a lot of sweat.

All this time spent staying in shape can really take its toll on a persons body and that's why most athletes can't do it for very long.

So how exactly does Herschel Walker do it?

He certainly didn't do it by eating his own brand of chicken wings...

Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1982 as the top college football player in the world and then continued on the play 15 seasons of professional football. At the end of his career he pursued another challenge; becoming an Olympic champion. In 1992 he finished seventh overall at the Olympic Games competing for the U.S. bobsled team.

His latest endeavor? MMA Fighting. Let this article tell you the rest.