Sunday update
Posted on November 2nd, 2008 – 4:30 PMBy Michael Russo
Not much to report, other than I had the most delightful flight from Phoenix to San Jose.
I was so excited to have the middle seat open during my flight. Imagine my disappointment when the flight attendant told me and the person in the window seat that somebody would be joining us.
Turned out it was the quietest passenger I’ve ever sat next to:
I am not kidding. That’s who sat in the middle seat. So pleasant. No questions like, “Where are you from? Where are you going? What do you do?”
Believe it or not though, we did have to return to the gate for a medical emergency for a passenger, so I got here late and missed most the Wild’s optional practice. About a dozen guys had a 3-on-3 tournament.
Brent Burns didn’t practice. Tomas Mojzis did skate. That’s it for now.
43 Responses to "Sunday update"
What’s the bone say? Did whoever owned it have to actually purchase that seat? Who’s was it? We need these answers!
The highlights came from the in-arena feed not from the tv feed. Phoenix deliberately left out our goals.
ML you have high standards for your hockey reporter… 
Geez…I thought for a second there it was Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
Would have been fitting (being next to Russo).
The highlights came from the in-arena feed not from the tv feed. Phoenix deliberately left out our goals.
Those bastards.
Mister Know it all thinks this team is not very interesting at the moment. The Wild are about as interesting right now as the Houston Aeros.
KiPA I wasn’t able to watch your guys much but Richmond caught my eye for his agitation abilitys. I cursed him under my breath a few times. But in general a VERY physical team and you might want to call that Minard guy back up. He got a hat trick. But none of the “booster club” there from W-B and/or Scranton brought hats. Neener neener.
um, I mean, ability, not abilitys or abilities. Tired… and still have to go PLAY a hockey game…
Well, we’ve known Minard can score in the AHL but don’t know if that’ll turn into NHL scoring ability (maybe he hasn’t had the chance; he’s usually stuck the third or fourth line when he’s called up.)
No hats, huh? Guess we have to settle for the two points. 
Michael: At least it didn’t poop on you.
Now, go get your Blackberry fixed…
Touché…
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
lamest commercial: Paul Stastny hawking Lasik Surgery outside the locker room. Having the surgery made him see the ice better and potentially get a Stanley Cup (paraphrasing here).
LAME
MKIA, you are an ass.
“The Wild are about as interesting right now as the Houston Aeros.”
Would have been better to say they are about as interesting as an MKiA blog comment. Would have been a much better insult.
Occasionally I put my smart hat on and can see when someone is baiting me. Like Dory says… Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. 
*eyes up Ms. C’s left wingers*
so was anyone able to find highlights of the wild goals from the phoenix game?
Nope, I haven’t seen them anywhere Steve.
I’m not following KiPA… could be because I’m about to fall over if I don’t go to sleep… right … NOW… zzzzzzzzzzzz
Just that I might be in the market for a left winger in the bloggers league, Ms. C.
Phx game highlights
O’Sullivan and Frolov for Gaby after an extension sounds too good to be true - http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/lak081102.html
Looks like your seat mate has about the same chance of winning President as your limo/taxi driver does? Haven’t heard anything about your candidate Russo?
Ohhhh, okay. Lemme look. I’ve got so many teams, I can’t keep straight what I’ve got on which team.
Hmm. It’ll have to be a pretty good deal Kevin. I’m pretty well balanced right now so I’m not sure what I’d want in exchange for one of LWers. Frolov and Brunners are the two I’m least attached to, just FYI.
And speaking of which, how the hell is it that I WON my match up this week and yet I’m back in the basement in the Russoville league? WTF?
Gee, watching those ‘highlights’, one might gain the impression that Pheonix won on Saturday. One also might gain the impression that all of the players (both teams) are as slow on the ice as I am.
A new low for ‘highlights’?
Goody: Remember, these are in-house highlights from the Coyotes’ in-house feed. They control what they send out. Are you going to send out highlights of the opposition? What does that do to your bottom line? Does that help your team sell tickets in Phoenix?
At least they showed the game winner…
Danny Irmen and Peter Olvecky are officially on my short leash. If they don’t show me something THIS SEASON I’m giving up on them.
Olvecky seems to lack the determination and intensity to get it done in the NHL and Irmen, well, I just don’t think he has enough skill.
Irmen whiffed on a chance to tie the game in the 3rd period yesterday. He was at the goal mouth, unchecked with a wide open net trying to slap home a bouncing puck and failed miserably. Not even a glancing blow with his stick. I turned to the Mrs. after that and said, “every night I watch pucks like that get banged home in the NHL.” She calmly replied, “this isn’t the NHL and Irmen isn’t a NHLer.” Well said.
Aaron, if Irmen can’t learn to bang those home he may never be an NHLer.
What have I been saying about Irmen?
Ditto on Olvecky, though that line (Rosa/Olvecky/Lammers-or-Kolanos) occasionally makes some waves. It definitely was NOT their night last night. Wasn’t much of a night for any of the boys in the bombers. Glad we don’t see that team much, but I hate that they’re going on a long, hard road trip with that taste in their mouths.
Well, Ms. C, considering I’ve got Kovalev, Boyes, Selanne and Setoguchi at RW now, I’ve got some nice bargaining chips. And funnily enough, the two LWs you mentioned are the two I’m also least interested in. I might be able to find some team that wants one of my guys though.
And you won, but Austin won by a bigger margin.
Feh. Margin. Goddammit.
Hmm. Well, make me an offer. I’m not married to any of them and you’ve got good stuff there.
So I dreamt that someone here posted a rumor or a factual story that the Penguins were getting Vermette for a draft pick and one player.
I don’t know what to think about that (which means everything - getting Vermette, having that dream in the first place, and anything else).
From the Don’s story on Gillies and Turris taking about Fridge:
The hard-nosed winger nabbed a three-year, $3.175 million contract and is on Phoenix’s top line with Olli Jokinen and captain Shane Doan after spending parts of last season alongside Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra.
But because Doan and Jokinen can handle the physical stuff, Fedoruk said, “I don’t find myself driving as much. There’s not as many middle-of-the-lane drives.
Hmmm, would you rather have Demitra and Gaborik or Doan and Jokinen??? A pair that needs Fridge to be physical for them or a pair that does the physical work themselves? Tough question isn’t it?
So, what about this labor stuff?
Do you think that declining revenues will cause the NHLPA to re-open the agreement for a bigger percentage?
I am thinking in our current economic climate, a move like that could kill the NHL.
Like everyone else dealing with shrinking incomes - or a complete loss of income - they’ll need to tighten their belts and try to get by on the NHL minimum ($450,000).
This will surely affect UM/$alcer’s bargaining position come July.
KiPA: I think something’s to be said when you’re dreaming about rumors in Russoville…maybe you should get help now before you start having dreams about RIAC
Cam- good one- terrific timing!
The thinking right now is that the NHLPA will likely not re-open the contract talks.
I would rather have Olli and Gaborik rather than either of those combos. That would be a powerful duo. Ideally, Gaborik-Koivu should be better than Olli-Gaborik.
One day of bragging on Fantasy Football — all my players showed up and I got 162 points. That beat my previous FF of 143 points from 2 years ago.
NHL Live just said that for the first time in NHL history, the average attendance surpassed 17,000 and had a 94% arena capacity.
I’d agree, Lemmi, but it’s also a testament to the woeful offense the Penguins have been producing. Wears on the mind.
Sunshine, I believe that was one of the stats in that stat-tastic blog post last week?
Hmmm, I wonder which teams dragged down that average?
I guess, I didn’t read that blog post, then. Oh well… nice to hear that for the first month, the NHL is doing well.
Let’s see if they can continue this trend.
