THOSE Aren’t PILLOWS!!!
Del Griffith: Between two pillows.
Neal Page: THOSE aren’t PILLOWS!
If you cracked a smile at that short dialogue, then you certainly know which movie the scene comes from…”Planes, Trains and Automobiles”…one of my favorites of all time. God knows after watching it I’ve never used a towel in the bathroom unless I have set eyes upon it and clearly identified it as such…and not a size XXXXL set of underwear!
The director of that film, John Hughes, was a master in the film making industry with such works to his credit as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “Sixteen Candles”, “The Breakfast Club”, “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and many others.
Hughes passed away suddenly of a heart attack Thursday while visiting family in New York. He was 59 years old.
In light of that, I hope you’ll please forgive me as I stray off the hockey reservation for a little while here… but I just could not let his passing go by without just a brief comment.
Hughes movies were funny, energetic screenplays that would set the viewers up with and hour and a half of laughter … then hit us between the eyes with a wonderful life-lesson. In the above-mentioned 1987 film “Planes, Trains and Automobiles“, Steve Martin and John Candy star in a rip-roaring comedy that follows Neal Page, (Martin), in his attempt to simply get home in time for Thanksgiving. His journey is doomed once he crosses paths with the bumbling but well-meaning Del Griffith, (Candy). From there, Page’s travels turn into a nightmarish series of catastrophes that spiral out of control.
Throughout the movie, Griffith is carrying his oversized travel trunk that only hamper Page’s efforts all the more. The truck is cumbersome, heavy, bulky and to Page it was nothing more than a nuisance….a burden.
To Griffith…it was his life.
However, once Page realizes Griffith’s life is filled with far more challenges than his ever will and that his focus has been inward instead of outward, he then begins to help Del carry the trunk…his burden…along the way. Only once his heart was softened to Griffith’s situation and it was it opened to help his fellow man was he able to then make progress on his path and find his way home.
They tell me there’s a moral there someplace.
If you’ve not yet seen the movie, do yourself the favor of setting aside some time…maybe around Thanksgiving… to do so. You’ll roll on the floor laughing throughout it, then smile from your heart at the end.
That’s the way of a Hughes film.
R.I.P. John Hughes. And thank you for creating movies that made us laugh as much as they made us think.
And now…back to hockey.
Less Than A Month Away From Thrashers Hockey
Uh-huh…yup. That’s what I said. We are within a month of some Thrashers hockey action. In case you were not aware, Atlanta will once again participate in the Prospects Tournament and Training Camp in Traverse City, Michigan. The first game will be on Sunday September 6 as Atlanta’s young-uns will take on the Red Wings’ prospects. Monday the 7th the Thrashers will face the Rangers. After a practice-only day they’ll face off against Carolina on the 9th. The Finals will then be held on the 10th.
Ring Around The Blogosphere
The Falconer points out that Colby Armstrong was the Thrashers’ most valuable player while at full strength last year.
Big Shooter of the Blueland Chronicle tells us of the time he met the recently retired Jeremy Roenick.
Thrashing About’s Timmyf asks the question, “Does anybody else seem confused that Don Waddell has done exactly what he said he would?”
Ms. Sunshine informs us that Thrash is looking for a friend.
Sean Grace describes this particular time of year as “The long, hot tease“.
There’s a new Thrashers blog in town…Thrash Talk…and in one of his first entries, Andrew breaks down the Exelby/Kubina trade.
Tim of the6thsen goes “Around the League in 30 Beers“.
And finally…if you hadn’t already seen this, Adam Proteau has posted his list of the worst UFA signings of this summer. Atlanta’s acquisition of Nik Antropov is number three.
Whatev…
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96 comments Add your comment
Tony C.
August 10th, 2009
11:39 am
Brendan- the economy being a big ponzi scheme? yep. it’s run by a bunch of Chicago Boys ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_school_(economics) )who don’t like the models they inherited from their dads; something called “Neo-Keynsian Economics” ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynsian_economics )and I hope that sometime during my life we can stop retelling these same bad jokes from the same hack comics.
Apologies. Back to hockey!
I’d just like to say how relieved I was to find it was Chicago’s Patrick Kane, and not our Evander Kane. Sad state of affairs to get booked over $5 but I’m sure that Patrick and his people will throw enough money at the problem to make it go away-and he’ll proabably learn to do that the first time in the future. So I hope it does work out for everyone, and again, so glad it’s not our guy!
When does big boy camp start? I am anxious to see these guys all together and see if the “team vibe” is as positive as it was at the end of last season. I don’t see why not, with guys like Armi talking about how they wish they could’ve signed longer deals etc.
Also, anybody else think we made out on the Vernace signing? He was one of the kids that Colorado was forced to play on the blueline at the end of the season due to injuries…I think I made mention of him in particular when we were talking about the Avalanche killing a 5-minute 5-on-3 this past spring I think it was against San Jose-maybe not but it was somebody you’d expect to score on the front AND back ends-honestly I do believe it was SJ… (I’d link it, but honestly, I’m too lazy)
Anyway, all I’m saying is that this guy looked real damn solid for a rook, and I for one, am pleased with the pickup. Gratton, eh. He’s a solid fighter (better than Boults IMHO), but that’s about all he is from what I’ve seen.
I like the “undercard” moves we’ve made over the past few months,like the Vernace signing and if I didn’t know better, I’d think that maybe juuuuuuust maybe somebody over there is trying to build an honest-to-goodness NHL organization.
Glovesave29
August 10th, 2009
12:01 pm
Alan – Phoenix is in litigation, but that has not stopped the NHL from stepping in and trying to sway the judge from ruling in favor of Balsille. The team is a franchisee of the NHL after all, they do have the ultimate say as to what goes on in their name. The league had better be careful here, as if BlackBerry Jim fails in getting the Coyotes, we are next. There are two owners in TB, easier to work things out than with our multi-citied and fractured ownership consortium. It’d be much easier for him to move in here to create added rancor to attempt to move the team to Hamilton. After Atlanta got the shaft with the Flames, I do think the league would do all it can do to keep the team here…they’d better begin doing their groundwork, or this could get ugly.
Alan
August 10th, 2009
12:28 pm
Alan – Phoenix is in litigation, but that has not stopped the NHL from stepping in and trying to sway the judge from ruling in favor of Balsille.
Different situation entirely. Atlanta isn’t in litigation insofar as moving the team is concerned. Atlanta is in litigation because one owner wanted out. The contract the owners signed didn’t account for the situation they encountered. The NHL has nothing to do with the Atlanta situation, but its best interests lay in Phoenix.
Should it come down to Atlanta moving, then the league would step in. However, there’s no such plan in action at the moment, just a bunch of conjecture from the media north of the border hoping to get that “Make It Seven” group foaming at the mouth with rumors of an eighth team in Canadia.
Sara
August 10th, 2009
12:48 pm
Glovesave – keep in mind that the NHL had essentially been given total authority in PHX. They had come in and bailed out the team and taken over general operations. Then Moyes turned around and secretly worked out a deal to sell to Balsillie that involved filing for bankruptcy. But bottomline, Moyes had given the NHL a much more significant stake in the Coyotes franchise than they normally would have. Plus the heart of this fight now is the relocation issue, which the NHL has every right to rule on.
The Spirit fight is purely a matter of contract law, over which the NHL has zero jurisdiction. Besides, they’d probably just as soon stay out of it and not get anyone riled up and I’m betting they are supporting Spirit in this fight anyway. Atlanta Spirit seems intent on keeping the Thrashers, Belkin maybe not so much. And the LAST thing the NHL wants is another franchise up for sale – particularly one in a non-traditional market, for primarily the reason you already outlined – Balsillie.
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
12:57 pm
Glovesave29-thanks for the clarification on the Tampa story. These days, I hear TSN and I just want to vommit.
I know alotta good Canadians. A good Canadian is normally defined as someone that has a frig full of Molson Ex or Molson Brador.
Smoothie
August 10th, 2009
1:03 pm
Tony C – I’m hoping Vernace is a nice sleeper too because I was disappointed to see Clay Wilson slip away to a division rival (Panthers I think) no less. Although he only played that one game against Fla I was duly impressed with his skating, puck moving and awareness. Perhaps he saw the writing on the wall and knew we were loaded there. With the departure of J-Bo, a guy like Clay Wilson could end up getting the break of his career in south Fla.
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
1:04 pm
Why are they helping Tampa and not Atlanta? The only thing I can think of is that they can help Tampa, because their situation is not in litigation. That’s my take.
Smoothie
August 10th, 2009
1:06 pm
WBF – TSN may get a little puck crazy, but let’s be thankful they haven’t quite descended to the depths of ESPN, which is basically unwatchable these days save for MLB, NFL (when games are actually played) and some rare, but solid golf coverage. I won’t comment on the NBA because I can’t stand pro basketball. Even college basketball has been ruined by the network that brought it to its current level of popularity.
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
1:09 pm
On the Zherdev front… according to Fourth Period Twitter, ATL is one of the teams looking into Zherdev.
http://twitter.com/thefourthperiod
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
1:17 pm
Smoothie, right on. I used to really like ESPN, but it has become so shallow, their reporting is horrible. The college football crew makes me sick, they are all trying to be comedians. Thanks man…
On another subject, Brian Burke is supposed to be a genius, but look at the breakdown posted on Hockey Rumors breaking down recent Toronto trades.
“Colaiacovo, Steen, Antropov and Pogge turned out to be Stempniak, 2nd round pick and a late round pick. The conditional pick in the Antropov deal was a 4th rounder, but as far as I can tell the condition of the Rangers making the 3rd round was not met.
McCabe, 4th Round Pick, Stapleton and Kubina was worth Van Ryn, Stuart and Exelby.”
Not the genius as advertised, is he?
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
1:24 pm
Burke wasn’t responsible for the McCabe trade was he? That was before the season started.
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
1:26 pm
You also have to consider the moves Burke made with the freed up money from those deals, like Komisarek, Orr, Beauchemin and Gustavsson
Still, I’m not impressed.
Smoothie
August 10th, 2009
2:07 pm
GVH – I think in this case that is pure, from-the-gut speculation on Pagnotta’s part this time around. We already have our $4 M / year “Russian” in Antropov. And how Zherdev at 3 – 4 times the price of Little is an upgrade over the 21 y/o with as much upside as Zherdev makes no sense whatsoever. Does Zherdev play LW? It’s a big maybe that Kozlov could be slid down one notch to bolster the 3rd line with Marty and Colby (with 1st unit PP mins as well) and accommodate the signing of NZ, but will the ASG really challenge the $50 M mark? I doubt it.
Sara
August 10th, 2009
2:11 pm
Burke’s way over-rated IMO. The Championship team in Anaheim was mostly in place before he ever got there and he lucked into some of the biggest pieces (Teemu already wanted to come back and Scott Neidermeyer was headed wherever his brother was). And the man cannot draft worth a plug nickel. Some folks whine about the Thrashers drafting…but Burke is living proof it could be worse.
He’s not even close to the total package. The only reason he gets so much press is because he’s fiesty and out-spoken, which makes him the press’ best friend.
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
2:18 pm
I’m not sure what happens Smoothie, honestly… just reporting the rumor.
Maybe we trade White, or White moves down to 3rd line LW… but that doesn’t make sense either.
I will say Zherdev has more potential than White and Peverley, but I’d like to see what Peverley can do with a full season… I’d be prone to “sell high” on White.
I see Zherdev playing RW… he can play either side.
Kovy Antro Zherdev
Kozy Peverley Little
White Reasoner Army
Boulton Slater Thorsy
Glovesave29
August 10th, 2009
2:25 pm
Sara, Alan – you’re missing the point. Yes, this situations are quite different in ATL, PHX and TB. We may be in litigation, but that is irrelevant. Do you know how many times documents are filed in court and never make it onto the docket? The NHL could force them into binding arbitration, or even force a sale. The league has the ultimate jurisdiction here, after all, they are the ones who can rescind the franchise. That’s what this is…a franchise of the NHL entity. Now true, NHL bylaws cannot supercede the code of the state/province to which they operate – but the league can easily step in, tell the ASG to get it together by such-and-such date, and our wonderful owners are bound by their agreements with the NHL to act.
The issue with Balsille and Moyes is EXACTLY what I worry about with such a large ownership group. It is more difficult to break up a partnership of two than one of eight. Moyes gave up controlling interest when he asked the NHL to step in to cover costs, thus gave up his rights to rework deals under bankruptcy protection. Balsille played dirty by talking him into filing the TEAM (when it should have been just himself personally) into backruptcy so that his high offer would be selected by the court. Jim’s wrapping himself up in the Canadian flag to garner support, knowing the true nature of his powerplay is underhanded and unethical. He’s acting like a fool. If he’d have played it honestly, I could see the NHL allowing him to move the team to Hamilton. But he lied to both Lemieux in Pittsburgh and Leopold in Nashville about keeping the teams in the current markets – so now he is paying the price with the BOG voting against him. The Coyotes will likely move in the coming years (i’m hoping for Winnipeg), but BlackBerry Jim will never be an owner.
Any way you look at it, if the NHL is setting precedent in PHX and TB, we have every reason to expect similar efforts by the league to protect our asset.
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
3:00 pm
WBF, let’s look at it this way. In Brian Burke’s first year in Anaheim he traded for Trevor Gillies, Kip Brennan, Bruno St. Jacques, Francois Beauchemin, Tyler Wright, Maxim Kondratiev, Jani Hurme, Sean O’Donnell, Jeff Friesen and Brett Skinner. Not exactly a group of players that makes you think Burke is a genius. But a year later they won the Cup and out of those 10 players mentioned above only Francois Beachemin and Sean O’Donnell were still on the team that won the Cup. Basically what looks like bonehead trades can actually be clearing room to get other players, even if its role players like Brad May that played some key minutes in the playoffs for them that postseason.
Sara, while yes there was a pretty decent core in Anaheim when Burke arrived, don’t you think Burke going out and making the blockbuster trade for Chris Pronger that summer had just a little bit to do with Anaheim winning the Cup the following spring? At what point do you give the GM the credit for making the team changing trade and acquiring the player that put you over the hump, not to mention trading away a big name player like Federov a year earlier that could have set the team back?
R. Stroz
August 10th, 2009
3:37 pm
On the subject of Patrick Kane, with the increase in cab related violence in conjunction with cabbies arming themselves, Kane and his cousin are fortunate that they weren’t capped.
R. Stroz
August 10th, 2009
3:39 pm
Ok, Rawhide has finally indexed the saying, “that’s my .02 cents” for inflation.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Bill-Tiller/Could-EA-Sports-Drop-Patrick-Kane-from-NHL-10-Cover/127/22479
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
3:55 pm
EOB… well, you can certainly say there will be no trace of Cliff Fletcher or JF Jr. on that team. No one will be able to say wither the former two GM’s “were on the right track” and that “Burke inherited the team”.
He is definitely blowing it up.
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
3:57 pm
R. Stroz, from what I am hearing it was the cousin who was the instigator but shame on Pat for not being able to control his cousin at that point. I don’t think we will get that facts now anyway. I do expect to see a lot of signs now at Chicago road games that say “keep the change” or perhaps their bench getting littered with dimes.
SI cover, Madden cover, now EA hockey?
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
4:02 pm
GaVaHokie, true that. I really don’t expact the Leafs to win the Cup in Burke’s 2nd year. We will probably see something closer to Vancouver where he gets the low team back to the playoffs but to expect a Cup is a little extreme.
R. Stroz
August 10th, 2009
4:04 pm
EOB – Every time Kane hits the ice, fans should start chanting 20 cents.
fes
August 10th, 2009
4:35 pm
…or they could have sound clips from the southpark episode with the homeless. change? can you spare some change?
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
4:35 pm
R. Stroz, his mugshot from the police is now posted on one of the Buffalo websites. I have a feeling that will start popping up at some away games.
GaVaHokie
August 10th, 2009
4:45 pm
Here’s an interview with the cabbie…
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/news_wivb_buffalo_Local_NHL_star_arrested_09082009
Sara
August 10th, 2009
4:53 pm
EOB – FedOrov…sorry, major peeve of mine. I’m not saying Burke deserves NO credit for that Anaheim Cup but there’s a big difference between building a Cup-winning team from the ground up and making a few tinkers to an already existing roster. What he built over time in Vancouver wasn’t exactly all that impressive (by overall NHL standards, not just by comparison to the Thrashers). Bottomline is he’s often considered to be a top GM in the League and I think that’s a way over-blown reputation that he has not earned.
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
4:55 pm
Unless this is a trap by Darcy Regier to get the hawks to cut ties with him (they will have to part with Kane or Toews after the Hossa signing), this kid is in trouble. The cabbie is not the one that called the police either, so much for the theory that he is just doing this for $$. Although some evidence suggests it may be the cousin who caused all the trouble, it was still just 20 freakin’ cents.
R. Stroz
August 10th, 2009
5:02 pm
Good thing Kane isn’t in Singapore or he’d really get kaned.
60 minutes producers
August 10th, 2009
6:33 pm
Watch our show tonight.
ranallo10 (in AT)
August 10th, 2009
7:42 pm
Rawhide — Did you really just steal my Kane removal from NHL10 cover topic to be used on hockeybuzz?? REALLY!? And not one mention of me? That hurts.
“Anybody want to take a guess at if/when EA Sports will remove Kane from the NHL10 cover?” — ranallo10 (ajc.com, Aug. 9, 1:59 PM ET)
“Could EA Sports Drop Patrick Kane from NHL 10 Cover?” — Rawhide (hockeybuzz.com, Aug. 10, 3:24 PM ET)
Kudos on the $0.20 line.
glovesave — I’d imagine the intricacy of the Spirit owning an NHL and NBA franchise, coupled with the problem being on the basketball side of things, would be the primary reason the NHL doesn’t step in (notice I didn’t say “cannot”). I can’t recall what was said but I remember* Bettman making mention of the “unfortunate situation” in Atlanta and how it would be best for the team and the NHL for them to resolve the problems as soon as possible…I think I also remember him making mention of it being an NBA fueled issue, and ultimately they could do nothing about it (* – all paraphrased based on memory, I could be off on this).
I would hope they put the same fight towards keeping a team in Atlanta as they have for Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Phoenix.
Rawhide
August 10th, 2009
7:52 pm
ranallo – Be on the lookout for the royalty check I sent you in the mail.
The Earl of Bud
August 10th, 2009
8:20 pm
Sara, I didn’t see your post last time I was on, but all in all I think I can agree with you on Burke. My initial point I was trying to make was that what seems like bad trades or junk players can actually just be clearing room for some real additions. Burke trading for Ken Klee seems completely idiotic, but when you factor in that it cleared $5 mil in cap space to sign a holdout, well now it makes sense. Yeah, he is overrated and I even posted later that I think he will just get Toronto back to the playoffs like in Vancouver, not be a post-season success there which he wasn’t in Vancouver either. I think you may have seen my posts that my vote for top GM is sweet Lou by a longshot.
“I’d imagine the intricacy of the Spirit owning an NHL and NBA franchise, coupled with the problem being on the basketball side of things, would be the primary reason the NHL doesn’t step in (notice I didn’t say “cannot”).”
ranallo10 (in AT), kudos, I really didn’t have an opinion on this whole subject or any posts in that dialogue, but that was the best comment I read on it. Not that I know what the reasons are for Bettman keeping quite but that seems to make a lot of sense.
ranallo10 (in AT)
August 10th, 2009
8:35 pm
Rawhide — Let me guess, you cut the check for $0.20? Don’t forget to tip your waitress.
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
8:59 pm
Stroz-you been watching videos of henny Youngman on YouTube? You got the one-lines going tonight.
I betcha his old man kicked his ass when he got home.
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
9:03 pm
Burke’s team better makes strides in year two or they are going to have his head on a pole. We’ve said it before-he’s dealing in a market that has no patience. JFJ didn’t do him any favors either.
GaVaHokie–You’re right about McCabe being gone early in the season. Still, Leafs trades don’t look too stellar so far.
Can’t go a day these days without mentioning that slithering snake Baisille – he is hockey’s version of Jerry Jones!
Bob
August 10th, 2009
9:22 pm
lol, haven’t checked in here for forever and the usual suspects are still trying to convince themselves they’re not wrong about Burke, in August, no less.
Any news on negotiations with Kovy? That’s not a good sign
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
9:41 pm
Bob-it’s either Burke or Baisille to talk about, can’t decide on which idiot! Now Jim B. wants an investigation as to why the NHL won’t accept him in their club. It ’s like calling the police if a chic won’t go on a date wirh you!
Jim, maybe they won’t give you a franchise to move to that toilet of the western world-Hamilton, Ontario!
Rawhide
August 10th, 2009
9:48 pm
Ranallous Maximus – A check for 20 cents? HA!
How about I simply deliver to you personally this
RANALLO WARNING 
??
Tony C.
August 10th, 2009
9:55 pm
Just look at the contracts coming off the books for Burke at the end of the upcoming season and then compare to upcoming UFAs… T-dot’s got the checkbook, and Burke gets called lots of things, but I’ve yet to hear “cheap” come out of anybody but an agent. I’m not going to be surprised to see him run real hard at #17.
I’m afraid #17 knows that too.
World Be Free
August 10th, 2009
10:07 pm
If you want to fill your club with UFAs, you’ll run out of money real quick. Then you will have a roster made of guys who are being paid for yesterday’s accomplishments. Example-Montreal Canadians
That will not get Toronto the Stanley Cup.
I.C. Wiener
August 10th, 2009
10:41 pm
One month until hockey…and Ice Girls!
F the off-season!!
R. Stroz
August 10th, 2009
11:27 pm
WBF – You gave me something to do tomorrow during the boring market hours (11:00AM to 12:00 PM). I can look up Henny Youngman on YouTube.
World Be Free
August 11th, 2009
7:48 am
Stroz-Henny or Rodney Danderfield
Brendan
August 11th, 2009
8:56 am
This Kane incident, if any of the cabbie’s account is true, is ridiculous. I realize … it was late, or early, depending on your point of view. And that booze were probably involved. But Pat Kane has got to show more maturity than this. I know. I know. “He showed maturity by taking a cab home, instead of driving himself.” Honestly, who asks for change back from a $15 fare?
You know what will happen, right? Fans holding derogatory signs with two dimes taped to them, taunting Kane, in away rinks.
World Be Free
August 11th, 2009
9:31 pm
Brendan-especially happeneing in the kid’s own backyard where people have so much respect for him. It’s all pretty foolish to me.