Just Do It

Dear Bulldogs, we have been waiting a long, long time for this. And by we, I mean all of the fans and Bulldog hockey alumni.

Win it for us.

Win it for your coach, Bill Watson. Give him the ring he should have had 27 years ago. And don't take 4 OTs to do it. And good lord, Kenny, stay in the net, because Bulldogs fans cannot handle another fluky DECC hop garbage BS goal and I want to PUKE when I see that Bowling Green banner hanging at the X because THAT SHOULD BE OURS.

Win it for your old captain, Andrew Carroll. The consummate hard worker, who willed himself and his teammates to be better. Win it for him, as vindication for that Miami game.

Win it for Dick Stewart. Win it for his windsock and his dedication to the youth hockey players of Duluth. Win it because you bought your gear from him. Win it because he lost his vision at a Bulldogs game.

Win it for Isaac, for Junior, for Schwabe, Timmay, Hards, Geisler, Unks, for those guys who brought us so close in Boston.

Win it for the students, the ones who make up cheers and signs and drink to the wins and the losses and get the crowd going. Win it for the former runners of the goal lap. Win it for your classmates and your neighbors.

Win it for the DECC. The arena you closed down in style just over four months ago. The arena where Bulldog legends have played. Win it and do something they didn't. Win it and make your mark on both buildings.

Win it for the city of Duluth, the people who voted to give you this beautiful new arena. Win it for AMSoil and hang a banner next October.

Win it for Hoagy. Because there's no one more dedicated, more caring, and more invested in you guys than he is. Win it for all he's given the program for so many years.

Win it for your fans. For those of us who sat through the agony of defeat, through seasons where wins were scarce, through seasons where talent was wasted, through seasons where the highest scorer would finish 8th on the team in points. Win it for those of us who have lost hope and then found it again and again. Win it for those of us who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to see you play. Win it for those of us who have driven hundreds or thousands of miles to see you play. Win it for people following you all around the world. Win it for the folks who have made total fools of themselves in public, in print, in pictures, and on television. Win it for the fans who are starving for a championship, who have been waiting half a century to see this happen. Win it in the state you play in, the home state for many of you, the adopted home state for others. Win it in front of a crowd that will overwhelmingly support you.

Win it for us. Win it for each other. Win it for yourself. Go get 'em, Dogs.

Checking In

Just thought I'd see what some old Bulldog favorites are up to...

Tim Stapleton: Viime kausi: Saapui Jokereihin koeajalla, joka muuttui nopeasti vuoden sopimukseksi, pelasi Jani Ritan ohella joukkueen kaikki ottelut kauden aikana 16.01 minuutin keskiarvolla, oli 48 (19+29) pisteellä joukkueen kolmanneksi tehokkain pelaaja runkosarjassa, ainoastaan Wayne Thompson, Otakar Janecky ja Glen Metropolit ovat olleet Jokereiden ulkomaalaisista tehokkaampia ensimmäisillä kausillaan, pudotuspeleissä Stapleton oli joukkueen piste- ja maalipörssin jaettu ykkönen kymmenellä pisteellä ja kuudella maalilla, ensimmäisenä ammattilaisvuotenaan SM-hopeaa.

Evan Schwabe: Tehnyt paljon pisteitä uransa aikana kaikissa pelaamissaan joukkueissa. Koostaan huolimatta terrierimäinentaistelija. Liikkuu ja laukoo hyvin. Nykysääntöjen ja ison jääalueen pitäisi suosia Evanin pelityyliä hyvin.

TJ Caig gets interviewed:
größter sportlicher Erfolg: niederländischer Meister mit Nijmegen 2006, Aufstieg in die 2. Bundesliga mit den Heilbronner Falken 007
Lieblings- bzw. Hass-...
-essen: Meeresfrüchte*/ Bohnen
-getränk: Red Bull/ Kaffee
-eishalle: Lavatec Arena/ Peiting, Grafing, Miesbach - die waren alle schlimm ;-)
-band: 80s und alter Rock’n Roll/ Rap
Hobbys: Fischen, wakeboarden
Familienstand: In einer Beziehung
Berufsabschluss: Eishockeyprofi
Welches Auto fährst du bzw. willst du mal fahren? Zu Hause fahre ich einen Jeep, ich würde aber auch gern mal Bentley fahren.
Wenn du einen Tag im Körper des anderen Geschlechts stecken würdest, was würdest du machen? Ich würde mit der Mannschaft duschen gehen (grinst).
Wenn du einen Wunsch frei hättest, was würdest du dir wünschen? Ich würde mir wünschen glücklich und gesund zu sein und zu bleiben.
Wer ist dein Lieblingskomiker? Larry the Cable Guy
Welche Person würdest du gerne mal kennen lernen? Donald Trump
Wie oft bist du in deinem Leben schon umgezogen? Ca. achtmal
Wo bist du aufgewachsen? Vancouver

Well. Keep it up, guys! Ich liebe Dich!

*Meeresfrüchte means "sea fruits" according to Babelfish.

An Actual Post Based on Fact

At a Bulldog ceremony second only to the Oscars in glitz and glamour, the post-season awards were handed out.

Tim Stapleton, resplendent in Christian Dior, took home the highest honor, Most Valuable Player. In his speech, he thanked his family, his linemates, and, with a tear in his eye, the makers of the movie Youngblood.

Young superstar Mason Raymond was named Rookie of the Year (not to be confused with the Rookie of the Year from this previous RWD story, who is neither young nor a superstar). Mason strutted down the maroon and gold carpet in Armani Black Label. He spoke eloquently of his appreciation for all the nicknames the fans have made for him, and thanked RWD for making him one of our "guys."

The sleeper hit of the evening was Nate Ziegelmann, named Most Improved Player. Ziegelmann, of Grand Forks, ND, was dressed head to toe in functional and fashionable Carhartt apparel. Ziegelmann wanted especially to thank the defensive corps for waking up and actually trying during the games he played, and he also thanked his comrades between the pipes, Isaac Reichmuth and Josh Johnson, for taking a chance on a young kid with a dream.

The final award of the night, Most Inspirational Player, went to Andrew Carroll. No. 20 tread the fibers in Ralph Lauren, and brought the house down with his speech. By "the house," I mean "the DECC," although that might have been falling down all along. It was a touching moment for all. Even Jim Jensen had a tear in his eye, although that might have been a consequence of pepper spray rather than emotion.

Look for a full spread in next months issue of Vogue Hockey. Michael Gergen is nude on the cover, wearing only a feather boa.

(Note: I said this post was based in fact. I never said it didn't go horribly awry.)