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Dec 31, 2006

Have a safe time if you are heading out tonight. As promised, here's my top 10 sporting moments from 2006:

 

10. Driving all the way to Uxbridge with the peewee AE Rangers last February for an OMHA playdown game and finding out there were no referees. 90 minutes each way. And then we had to go back and do it again. Lovely.

 

9. Patrick’s broken leg on March 24. An odd choice, because he missed rep lacrosse and rep hockey tryouts. But he still ended up playing both and the bum leg forced him to decide how hard he wanted to work to earn those opportunities. He worked hard. He earned it this year. And he learned things about himself along the way.

 

8.  Got to visit the emergency room at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario with Patrick, who we suspected had broken his arm in a lacrosse game in Ottawa. This coming hard on the heels of recovering from highlight number 9. Thankfully, it was negative. No break. Nice folks at CHEO. I hope you never get to meet them.

 

7. Chris running on his school cross country team. This was a big step out of his brother’s shadow and while the Penn State track coach hasn’t called yet, Chris did very well. The first step – deciding you want to be there and not being intimidated – is the hardest.

 

6. The Leafs miss the playoffs in 2006. Let’s hope it doesn’t become a trend, but it dig trigger some renewal with the recruitment of a pretty good coach. We’ll see how it ends later.

 

5. Laura finishing her term as president of the hockey moms. She had fun, met tons of people, and stays involved through our kids. But it was getting ridiculous. Someone gave her a coffee mug with a slogan that says it better than I could: “Note to self: Stop volunteering for stuff.”

 

4.  I served as (the fully certified and qualified) trainer on the bantam Hawks lacrosse team. This meant I dutifully brought a cooler of ice to every game, for nursing bruises and aches and pains. On July 7, John Maguire kicked that cooler so hard, and so far, that if Oakville’s Mike Vanderjagt could kick like that, Bill Parcells would be working on a statue of the guy for his front lawn instead having fired him.

 

3. I think it would have to be the day at the gym I put hand sanitizer in my hair instead of hair gel. While my hair was bacteria free, I learned a lesson: no more hair gel. I should also note the hair gel incident trigger more email than almost any other blog entry this year. People like to laugh.

 

2. In July, the Oakville Hawks bantam 3 rep lacrosse team beat Akwesasne to win their division at a tournament in Ottawa. Given some of the poundings that team endured, it was the Miracle on Concrete or something like it.

 

1. Minor Atom White house league championship game. Eagles 3 Lumberjacks 2, double overtime. While I never get tired of talking about those 16 boys, I’ll spare you the full blast for now. What I’ve learned since that game is that it wasn’t special because we won it in front of a loud arena with many, many of our friends watching and cheering the boys on both teams on on (ok -- admittedly, that helped.) No, it was special because I got to watch Christopher have what he will tell you (at great length) was the best day of his life. I got an up-close seat watching him and 15 other kids have an experience they are very unlikely to have again. They may play on other championship teams. The chances of winning in double OT in front of a full house is reserved for the very few and fortunate. Regardless of what The Canadian Press Year-end poll of sports editors says, the minor atom white Northstar Electric Eagles were the Team of the Year for 2006.

 

Dec 30, 2006

There are a bunch of Oakville teams in Ottawa at the Bell Cup. It has a terrific web site here.

You can follow the atom red Lumberjacks here.

You can follow the atom red Vikings here.

You can follow the atom red Wolfpack here.

You can follow the atom white Lumberjacks here.

You can follow the peewee red house league Wranglers here.

You can follow the peewee red house league Wings here.

You can follow the peewee A Oakville Rangers here.

 

Dec 30, 2006

The atom red Oakville Wranglers beat their hometown rivals the Oakville HoundDogs 3-1 to take top honors in a tournament in London this week. They won some very impressive looking hardware! Congrats to coach Ron Gibbons and thanks to Eric Whaley for passing along the photo.

 

Dec 30, 2006

Today and tomorrow, two final top-10 lists to end 2006 with, the first being Top 10 Things I Learned in 2006. It speaks for itself and yes, it's all about what I learned. But the Internet has room for everyone and if you want to do Top 10 lists, you can start a blog too!  Today is what I learned:

TOP 10 LESSONS FROM 2006

10. Hand sanitizer is not hair gel.

9. When someone says “Stop moving the sofa you’re scratching the new, hardwood floor", STOP.

8. My friend Dave says kids who smile always – ALWAYS – produce better results in a game, in life, than kids who are too tense or worried to smile. He’s right.

7. Oakville is lucky Laura lives here.

6. The gifts you leave are more fun than the gifts you take away.

6a. Lacrosse trainers work way, way, way harder than hockey trainers. Especially on Maguire's team.

5. Calling home, even when you have nothing new to say, is never a bad idea.

4. When my kids were really little, I thought every stage of life they moved through was better than the last, and wouldn’t if be great if they could stay this way forever. I still think that every day.

3. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. You need to have a destination, but what you do with the time it takes you to get there, well, that's your life. (The journey in this house went through -- among others -- Orangeville, Guelph, Burlington, Newmarket, Clarington, Uxbridge, Acton, Fergus, London, St Jacobs, Niagara, St Catharines, Caledon, Mono Mills, Cambridge, Hespeler, Brampton, Waterloo, Lake Placid, Halton Hills, Mimico, Aurora, Bowmanville, Kitchener, Ancaster, Georgetown, Erin Mills, Flamborough, Arthur, Milton, Ottawa, and always Nova Scotia. That's a lot of destinations and a lot more journey.)

2. If you’re attacking on a two-on-one, shoot the puck. Roger Neilson was right. Just shoot!

1. Oakville is a small town. Everyone deserves a second chance to make a first impression.

 

Tomorrow, I'll give you my personal Top 10 Sporting Moments of 2006. It was a skyscraper of a year and I'll review it at a roller-coaster pace. Or something equally hyperbolic.

 

Dec 30, 2006

The big Ranger-Humber Valley minor bantam matchup last night produced an entertaining game and a limp handshake result. A 2-2 tie, which created a three-way tie for the final semi-final spot and resulted in Toronto Avalanche advancing on goals for/against ratio. Bummer. All the kids played hard and a big crowd of friends turned out to see a bunch of kids they knew from house league and lacrosse and other incarnations play. It was fun.

- - -

Having missed the semis, there was a lot of sleeping in going on around here. Still is in fact. I'm typing verrrrry softly.

 

Dec 29, 2006

My friend and fellow Oakville atom white coach Brian Metler entered his boys in a Christmas tournament in London against red-level competition. The tournament had no white level -- so they had to play up or play down against blue teams. Brian opted for the tougher path. They made it to the semi finals, before losing today to an Oakville red team. Good on Brian and his coaches and parents for pushing the kids up a level -- I hope he has a picture of the boys in London that I can post here because he has a great bunch of kids and they deserve a lot of credit for jumping into the deep end of the pool (which, BTW, I understand they also did a lot of at the team's hotel) and making the semi finals. Way to go Pizza Pizza Flyers!

 

Dec 29, 2006

It was a must win game for both the minor bantam A Rangers and the Toronto Avalanche and . . . they tied 1-1. Meanwhile, Humber Valley lost 4-3 to Clarkson. So, Clarkson (3-0-0) has assured itself of one of the two semi final spots from our pool. Humber Valley (2-1-0) is next, then Oakville (1-1-1) then Toronto (0-1-2) then Kanata (0-2-0). The Rangers play Humber Valley tonight (6p at River Oaks B). Winner locks down the other semi-final spot. A tie and it will mean Humber Valley goes through.

 

Dec. 29, 2006

Minor bantam A Rangers lost 4-1 last night to Clarkson, so they face back-to-back must-win games today, beginning with the Toronto Avalanche at 10a at Ice Sports. The already depleted defence has lost team captain Eric Purcell with a broken hand, so things are busy on the blue line. But the boys have a lot of experience and character and they're going to have to find another gear today.

- - -

Lots of Oakville teams are doing well in the Richard Bell tourney. Click here for schedules and results.

 

Dec 28, 2006

Minor bantam A Rangers beat Kanata 4-1 this morning in the Richard Bell tournament, but the game was much closer. The Rangers looked lethargic and sloppy before breaking a 1-1 tie late in the third and pulling away. They know that play like that won't get them far.

At the same time on the opposite sheet, Humber Valley (with three Oakville players) and the Toronto Avalanche (with one) played to a 1-1 draw. That game started pretty sloppy too, but got better as the game went on. It was a very physical game.

- - -

Chris was sitting in the family room when an ad for cars came on the TV. "They just keep coming up with stupider ideas to try and sell cars," he said, to no one in particular.

Yes, they do Chris. Yes they do.

- - -

"I grow old, I grow old. I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled."

T.S. Elliot wrote those words. Now I know what he means.

I've worn glasses/contacts for 18 years because I'm near sighted -- can't see far. Not a problem thanks to the wonders of technology. Well, now when I have my contacts in or my glasses on, I have trouble reading small print. Usually a newspaper is no problem, but anything smaller and things requiring fine movements, I have to have the contacts out and glasses off.

So, Laura said: "Go get reading glasses." So I did.

And now I get up and put my contacts in so I can look out and see the weather and then I put reading glasses in to adjust the contacts so I can read and recognize the children at close range. Two layers of corrective lenses just feels like at least one too many.

Got to go and yell at those kids over there to get off my lawn . . .

 

Dec 27, 2006

Going into tonight's games, Pad and Chris are tied for the top spot in the Ranger hockey pool. Sibling rivalry!

 

Dec 27, 2006

It is impossible to walk into a rink in Oakville today and run into people who aren't talking about this story and who are not, to a person, shocked and broken hearted. We all love going to the rink because we love watching our kids have fun, make friends, and it's a great sport. No one thinks it will be the last time they watch their child. The very thought beggars the language for words. The Corrance family has our thoughts and prayers this day.

- - -

Today was the day my atom Eagles played the Burlington Philthy Ratz and we came out on top 4-3 with a late third period goal. The game was fun and totally evenly matched. Burlington assures us we'll be invited to their town for a rematch soon. My man Xarius had a hat trick -- his first ever -- and an assist. Fergus had a goal and three helpers. It was a fun morning.

- - -

Meanwhile, Pad was having a two-hour workout with the Rangers on the ice next door at Glen Abbey. The coach had silly Christmas gifts for the boys and there was a lot of skating and they looked loose and ready for a busy couple of days at the Richard Bell tournament starting tomorrow morning. They better be!

- - -

Speaking of Richard Bell hockey, after Pad's two hour practice and Chris's exhibition game Laura and I went to Ice Sports to watch the minor bantam AE Rangers play Stoney Creek. The boys skated off with a thorough 6-3 win. My favourite moment was Andrew Brodie -- he played rep lacrosse with Pad last summer -- burying a shot to put his team up 4-2. As he turned toward the boards to celebrate after shooting he came face to face with his dad who was behind the glass watching and they both punched the air at the same time. Good start for the AE team, who tied their first game today 1-1.

 

Dec 26, 2006

Turns out I lied. Laura's hair dryer died and anyone who has ever met Laura knows that while some people use hair dryers, Laura needs a hair dryer. So I went to the least busy corner of Oakville on Boxing Day (the Shoppers Drug Mart at Third and Dundas) and bought a new hair dryer. I didn't have to wait in line and I paid full price. Welcome to Oakville, and Happy Boxing Day.

 

Dec 26, 2006

We were up early this morning to take Laura's folks to the airport -- it was a short visit but the Air Canada schedules didn't really cooperate with us. I think they had fun and the boys certainly enjoyed having them around. We'll be up early tomorrow for Pad's two-hour practice. And then Chris has an exhibition game. We'll be up early Thursday and Friday for tournament hockey, and if things go well we'll be up early for semi-finals on Saturday. I said "IF!" Pad's team's record in tournaments this year has been uninspiring.

- - -

Nothing scheduled today and no plans to go anywhere near a store or a mall, with the possible exception of a grocery or convenience store if I find we need Super Fries. Tonight is hot turkey sandwich night which I think we enjoy as much as the big turkey dinner itself. Last night's meal was off the charts, perhaps the best turkey I've ever had (and I've had a lot of turkey.) Otherwise we'll be firing pucks in the driveway, watching movies, snoozing, reading and enjoying the quiet. It won't last long.

- - -

The NHL resumes this evening, and Pad and Chris are now running one-two in the hockey pool, which is amazing. April is a long way off boys. Don't get cocky.

- - -

On the weekend, two of the MOHA atom blue teams got to play a game at the ACC. That's cool enough all on its own. What's even cooler is that the game was broadcast Saturday night on Leaf TV, and they even had play by play announcers. What a thrill for those kids.

- - -

The Richard Bell Memorial Tournament starts tomorrow -- all minor-age bracket Ranger teams (minor atom, minor peewee, etc.) are in the one, with more than 100 teams including from overseas and the US. It will be well worth checking out if you have the time. Lots of good hockey to be played at all levels.

 

Dec 25, 2006

It was a great Christmas here. Incredible food, lots of fun with the kids, and the in-laws in town too. It was swell. Hope yours was special too.

 

Dec 24, 2006

Lots of people have been asking me about the Richard Bell Tournament schedule -- you can find it on the MOHA site, here.

- - -

Minor Bantam A Ranger fans will be interested to know that Burlington beat Orangeville 4-0 last night -- so Burlington and Oakville each have three games left, two of them against each other. Burlington has to win all of theirs and Oakville has to lose all of their for Burlington to steal first place. But give the Eagles credit -- they just keep coming.

- - -

Need tape? The Rangers and the Atom AA Hornets are doing a cool fundraiser, selling MOHA-logoed, and Hornet-logoed stick and clear shin-pad tape. Proceeds go to the teams. If you are interested in supporting this great cause, send Mike Cussen an email here and he'll be happy to sell you a few hundred rolls!

- - -

It's Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas to you all and thanks for all your good wishes. With the weather being what it is, we may spend the afternoon working on our tans, or maybe playing tennis. If you're travelling, stay safe and watch out for the lunatics on the roads.

- - -

This is my buddy Will the Thrill, who plays for the atom A Rangers. It's a great photo:

 

Dec 23. 2006

Well, my Eagles played better than they did a week ago but lost again 6-3. We were down 3-0 after one and then slowly played our out of the hole, finally tying the game 3-3. A four minute span in the third with some truly awful play in our end made it a 6-3 game. I told the kids after the game that for most of the game they proved they could play with one of the best teams in our loop -- and the important thing they showed me today was some heart. Not giving up while trailing 3-0 is a big step forward. We have things to work on, but it was better than it was a week ago. We're not done yet.

- - -

My buddy Brian was/is much further behind in his Christmas planning than even me, so much so that he went to a big retailer that is open 24 Hours at 4:30a to shop. The cashier told him he missed the rush -- they got a load of Tickle Me Elmos at 3:00a and the place filled up and they quickly sold out. Brian wasn't looking for Elmo, but if he had been, the cashier said not to worry, there were lots of Elmos nearby. The cashier said a store employee had bought a bunch of the toys and was selling them outside the store. At twice the marked price. Lovely. Merry Christmas.

- - -

We had our little family skating party yesterday and this year, I remembered my skates. I'm not sure when the exact moment came where I stopped being the best skater in the house -- it was probably longer ago than I think (like 1999) -- but for sure, the era is over. Pad came out to help at Chris's team practice Thursday night and I had him demonstrate a drill for our team and the team we share the ice with. He took off effortlessly, accelerating with every stride, alternating three cross-over strides left, then three right, etc, the length of the ice. His skates made that crunch, crunch, crunch sound as the skates tore into the ice. He was clearly trying to impress the kids and he moved very fast. The other coach looked at me and first he just said "Wow" and then added: "He's making us look bad and he's pissing me off." Then we laughed.

 

Dec 22, 2006

Laura's parents arrived safely from Cape Breton around noon today and I think we're actually ready for the pandemonium that will ensue over the next few days. But not without a last gasp of hockey first . . . Chris and the Eagles play their last game before the Christmas break tomorrow at 1p against a league powerhouse. We'll have our hands full. Chris has an exhibition game on the 27th, and Pad has a practice at the same time. Then Pad and the Rangers are in the Richard Bell tournament all over Oakville beginning Dec 28. Till Dec 24th I'll be wrapping things and trying to relax

- - -

Brampton closed out their minor bantam A season last night with 3-2 win in Orangeville. Orangeville plays Burlington tomorrow night. Burlington leads the season series 2-1.

- - -

 

Dec 21, 2006

Burlington beat Guelph 2-1 last night. Tri-County Minor Bantam standings:

 

Dec 20, 2006

Minor bantam A standings update (non-Ranger parents and fans might want to skip this one):

Hespeler beat Burlington 4-3 on Friday night. To make a long story short: if Burlington (31 points to Rangers 41) loses or ties any of it's remaining five games, OR, if the Rangers win or tie any of their remaining three, the Rangers clinch first overall. Burlington has to win them all, Oakville has to lose them all for them to catch the Rangers.

And first overall gets you . . . nothing, except bragging rights. Actually, the kids would also each get a trophy or medal or something courtesy of the hockey moms, but that's it.

Lest anyone get cocky, two of Burlington's games are against the Rangers and they will be trying to make a point, you can be sure. The teams have played twice this year, the Rangers winning one, the other was a tie.

 

Dec 20, 2006

I meant to show this earlier, but anyway, here it is -- the cake from the minor bantam A Rangers Christmas party last week. Note the tire and acorn. Regular readers will get it. For the rest of you . . . well, it was a good cake.

 

Rangers 6 Woolwich 0. Woolwich didn't have a shot on goal in the first two periods. That's not to say goalie Blair Weyersberg wasn't tested -- he just got inadvertently tested by his own team on a clearing pass that went awry. Not to worry, Blair preserved the shutout. Impressively, the Rangers have given up only 44 goals in 25 games. Matt McLaughlin scored three and Nick Powadajko scored twice.

- - -

I got most of what I needed to shop for done yesterday. At one point I was schulmping my way through the Christmas wonderland of a downtown department store and I walked past Santa, who was alone, just sitting there. He looked me in the eye and wished me a Merry Christmas. I replied with a thank you and "Ho Ho Ho." He said, "You got that right, pal." Now I have to find time to wrap.

- - -

Speaking on McLaughlins (no Mike, not you) Gavin McLaughlin and the rest of the peewee AE Rangers won their Silver Stick qualifying tournament on the weekend. Their goal is to represent Canada at the next winter Olympics.

- - -

Eight of the 20 Oakville Ranger rep teams in the Tri-county Hockey League are in first place as of this moment and a couple of others aren't far from it. Of the nine AAA Ranger teams in the SCTA, one is in first place (the midget Rangers) and another (minor peewee) is tied for first with a game in hand.

 

Dec 19, 2006

Just look at that date. That's getting REALLY close to Christmas. Laura and her Blackberry went out Christmas shopping last night, we arranged a drive to practice for Pad and I stayed home with Chris, who watched A Christmas Story. He laughed so hard I thought he was crying (I was in another room at the time.) You should rent this one. Pad came home in a good mood from hockey. And Laura came home without her Blackberry. Anyone who knows Laura can only imagine what kind of crisis this precipitated. I remained remarkably stoic. This morning, she called the last store she was in last night and luckily, they had the thing. Blackberries really are addictive and Laura gets about 300 emails a days because of her work -- it's not a lifestyle accessory, it's an important piece of work hardware. So this morning, not only does she not have the BB, but the power goes off AND the phone was out. It was like a technological Armageddon. She had told the kids she'd drive them to school, but couldn't get the car out of the garage because there was no power to run the door opener. So she had to borrow a neighbour's van because the bus had already come and gone. I think her head was just about ready to explode. As Ellen says to her daughter in Christmas Vacation: "It's Christmas honey. We're all miserable."

- - -

The bad news for me is that I thought I had the perfect Christmas present for her all the sudden -- a new Blackberry. Because what woman wouldn't be delighted to open up a new piece of telecommunications hardware on Christmas morning, warmed by the glow of an LED display and full QWERTY keyboard? Oh well, back to the drawing board. Maybe a paper shredder . . .

- - -

The minor bantam A Rangers have their final league game of 2006 tonight, in beautiful, not-so-centrally located St. Jacobs, where they play Woolwich. We'll be out late. Laura and her Blackberry are staying home.

 

Dec 18, 2006

A week from today is Christmas. And, no, I'm not ready, but we did manage to get the tree up last night which gives Chris one less thing to remind me that we haven't done yet. Chris is a funny guy -- I wrote here a few days ago about traditions and in our house, he's the Traditional Enforcement Officer. He enforces traditions I didn't even know we had. Like last night -- Laura was on the phone talking to her parents after the game and the tree was mostly decorated and Pad pulled the ornamental Santa out, the one that goes on top of the tree. Chris would not let me put it on the tree till Laura was off the phone. "We all have to be here," he said. "It's a tradition."

Well, it is now!

- - -

Pad and the Rangers took a 4-2 decision over Brampton last night, eliminating any chance the Battalion had of finishing the regular season in first place. Pending weekend results, Burlington still could overtake us, and we play them twice in our final four games.

For the second game in a row, the Rangers found themselves on their heels in the first period -- in fact, I'd say the game was pretty much all Brampton for the first half of the game. It's something of an unwelcome trend that I'd bet the team is going to hear about at practice tonight. Jack Gillis stood on his head figuratively and literally to keep the Rangers in the match, though. Jack did what good goalies do -- he stole this one for the guys and they should have carried him off the ice on their shoulders.

Pad scored the first goal on a shot from the point and then got an assist on Matt McLaughlin's go-ahead goal on a beauty of a move on a breakaway. It stayed 2-1 till late in the third, and things went a little weird in the last 60 seconds.

Brampton pulled their goalie and the Rangers potted an empty netter to go up 3-1. Brampton put their goalie back in and promptly scored five second later to make it 3-2 with about 40 seconds left. So, they pulled the goalie again, and we scored another empty netter with two seconds left.

It was a pretty entertaining game, with some good hits from both teams. And there were a number of folks showed up to watch who were not parents of kids on our team, but are friends and know a lot of the boys. Among their number was John Maguire, Pad's lacrosse coach last summer and the man who redefined directing the game from the bench. He thought the coaches on both benches need to project more. "You call that yellin'?"

- - -

Coach Lou was serenaded with a rough-edged but heartfelt version of Happy Birthday by the boys after the game on the occasion of his 29th birthday. Lou is actually older than 29 but rumours that this birthday may have represented some form of milestone entitling him to early-bird dinner specials in Florida and cheap movie tickets are wildly exaggerated. I think.

- - -

Practice tonight. Shopping tonight. Road game in Woolwich tomorrow night.

- - -

My hockey team gave me a present at the team party Saturday, which among other things included a six-pack of Corona. Bow your heads a moment -- the poor thing didn't make it through the weekend.

- - -

As the NHL season approaches the half way mark, It is worth noting that in the minor bantam Rangers hockey pool, Pad is in first place with a 13-point lead in a field of 326. And Chris is alone in fourth spot, 16 points back. I can be found in 131st, which is made palatable only by the throng of familiar names behind me, including one who is a sportswriter who covers the NHL and is very close to dead last.

 

Dec 17, 2006

It has been a very busy weekend and it's not over.

My atom Eagles lost 6-3 early Saturday in what was without doubt the lamest effort put forward by a team I've coached in three years. Nothing good to take away from it except that we will need to work a lot harder if we want to keep up. Changes are coming.

- - -

The Rangers tied Ancaster last night 2-2 in what was actually a pretty entertaining game overall. Ancaster always plays us tough and there was a lot of good clean physical play and wonky calls against both teams. The Rangers play their third game in four nights tonight against Brampton at Oakville Arena.

- - -

On the social end of things both my kids' teams had Christmas parties on the weekend so we're starting to feel like we're running a bit on empty. Friday night's Ranger-fest had a lot of food and a lot of really well behaved kids AND the benefit of watching the Leafs blow a two-goal third period lead AND recover in time to win it. Thanks to Wayne and Virginia for exposing their home to the abuse that 16 thirteen year old Rangers and that many more siblings can inflict.

The Eagles and Friends gathered at the Pine Room at Oakville Arena on Saturday afternoon for our shindig. Again, lots of good food and general silliness -- mini-stick hockey and fun games. Hockey Mom Wendy was right in her element and we were all thrilled that Sarah -- the Eagles photog and long-time season ticket holder -- was back on her feet and in attendance. We're all hoping that having Sarah and Wendy at the games again will help us find our winning ways!!!

 

Dec 15, 2006

Coaches and managers of MOHA teams, listen up:

CHEAP ICE FOR RENT:

The MOHA has three hours remaining to be sold off to MOHA functions – must be an MOHA team. 

$130 per hour – Wednesday December 27.  First come first served, contact ggilhooly@cogeco.ca .

 

River Oaks A

8am – 9am

9am – 10am

 

Glen Abbey Blue

8am – 9am

 

 

Dec 15, 2005

The Rangers beat Woolwich 6-3 last night. We played well, dominating the entire game except for maybe five minutes in the second period. Practice tonight followed by the team Christmas party followed by 8a atom white hockey followed by the atom Eagles Christmas party followed by the Rangers hosting Ancaster. It will be a fun weekend.

- - -

OK. Time to start Christmas shopping. Soon.

 

Dec 14, 2006

Oakville native John Tavares was cut from Canada's world junior team this morning. He would have been the first 16-year-old to play for the team since Sidney Crosby. I have a feeling he'll get to wear Canadian colours a lot in the future. Story is here.

 

Dec 14, 2006

This blog turns one year old today. I started the thing as a way to talk about some of the many things I see every week in and around the rinks and fields of Oakville. It was also an easy way to keep family back home in Nova Scotia up to date on what their Ontario-based grandchildren/nephews/cousins were doing -- and they do a lot! I had know idea where it would go -- still don't -- but I do know people read it and sometimes connect with it, and our families back home still use it to keep up with all things Oakville.

Admittedly it sometimes turns away from local sports and I share silly things from our lives or I climb on a soapbox with an opinion. It is a work in progress.

My entries over 12 months have the cumulative volume of a 500-page book. Admittedly, it's not a very good 500-page book, but that's a lot of writing.

More importantly, it is a lot of reading. So, thank you for reading and especially thank you to those who take the time to drop a note to me.

- - -

And now, my second year-end list, this one a self-indulgent review of the blog:

Some blog facts:

Number of blog entries in the first 12 months:  500 (approximately)

Number of words: 125,000 (approximately)

Number of words in a 500 page novel: 125,000

Number of unique visitors in the last year: 10,000

Number of times they visited: 28,000

Number of pages they read: 110,000

Number of people who wanted to know what or who is a "Pad": 785

Number of days I can go without blogging before someone complains: 2

Number of ex-girlfriends who found me in Oakville because of the blog: 1

Number of problems this caused: 0

Number of non-Oakville rep hockey coaches who contacted me via blog to complain about the Rangers: 1

Number of times a house league coach has used something I said about his team to try to inspire his boys to victory: 1

Number of times that tactic worked: 0

Coolest place I blogged from: the beach, in Ingonish, NS

Where I usually blog: GO Train or the big arm chair in my family room.

- - -

M - S - N. Or, MSN.

If you are a parent of children of a certain age, you know all about MSN. Your kids either have it or want it. If they have it, you're probably not thrilled about it. If they want it, you probably feel like the proverbial Dutch boy with his finger in the dike trying to hold back the digital flood.

For those who don't know, MSN Instant Messenger is a text-messaging service that allows users -- free -- to send messages from their PCs or mobile phones to other users instantly. It's called chatting (who thought of THAT name? The same guy that came up with Kraft Slices?).

In our house, Chris (10) has been the far more vocal agitator for MSN. Finally, we have relented. With several conditions.

I told Chris that IF he reads five pages of a chapter book EVERY day for a week, I'd install MSN. He can only use it if he continues to read EVERY day. Miss a day of reading, MSN stays off for two days. Miss two days of reading, it stays off for a week. Chris has now read every day for 10 days in a row.

Naturally, it didn't take long for Pad to want in on this and he recently completed his seven-day stretch (he has to read eight pages a night.) But so far, the system is working.

When we came home from the school Christmas concert Tuesday night, Pad took of his coat and said he he was going upstairs to change his clothes and read. READ!!! And Chris walks around the house with his book in his hand. I'm not ready to declare victory yet -- after all, he has his PSP in the other hand --  but so far, so good.

BTW, Pad grumbled that "there's nothing in this house to read" so we wandered to the bookshelves and I pulled out a classic. He is now reading Peter Gzowski's masterpiece, The Game of Our Lives, which chronicles the 1980-81 Edmonton Oilers as the group teetered on the brink of greatest, but before they became the legendary dynasty. It's a wonderful book that connects all the dots of that trite but true Canadian axiom: Hockey is Canada, Canada is Hockey.

Chris is reading The Serpent's Egg, a witty adventure story for young readers. He's very into it.

 

Dec 13, 2006

As grateful as I am that the temperature went up while I put the lights on the house, I'd be more inclined to embrace the festive season if it would get a little cooler out now. I'm just sayin'. Either that, or get me new golf clubs.

- - -

Pad and the Rangers practice tonight, early for a change. AND dryland has been cancelled, which is generally speaking news worth celebrating. Then they play three straight home games -- Thursday vs. Woolwich, Saturday vs. Ancaster and Sunday vs Brampton.

- - -

The Leafs won a game last night. Wow. The parade will follow the usual route.

- - -

My atom white team isn't playing in a tournament over Christmas, so I've lined up an exhibition game during the off week with a team from Burlington called the Ratz. As if that's not cool enough, they are sponsored by Philthy McNasty's. So, they are yes, the Burlington Philthy Ratz. You could sit around for a week and not invent a team name that cool. The Pizza Pizza Eagles just isn't as cool, as much as we all love pizza and our sponsors. The Philthy Ratz. Brilliant.

- - -

Is this an idea coming to a Glen Abbey Open House soon? A Texas realtor came up with a Texas-like notion to sell more houses: buy a house, get a free gun. Um, let's hope this idea stays in Texas! Read about it here.

 

Dec 12, 2006

Having been-there, done that, I can say with authority that 40 years is a long time, and, it is also just a number. But it's still a really big number. When I met Laura she said she had a younger sister who looks like Brooke Shields. Brooke should be so lucky!!! They'll be celebrating in the Cape Breton hamlet of Howie Centre -- everyone meet at the Tim's! Happy Birthday Susan.

PS -- the part I don't understand is how can Laura be 29 and have a younger sister turning 40?

 

Dec 12, 2006

As a coach, I'm hoping this sort of thing doesn't become a trend. At the same time, all those who have wanted to choke me, the line forms to my right.

 

Dec 12, 2006

I'm now regretting that I said the minor bantam A Rangers dismantled Woolwich on Saturday, because it leaves me without a good adjective to describe what they did last night to Orangeville. The 6-1 score does not begin to describe the thoroughness of the win. By times Orangeville didn't know whether they were coming or going. And Orangeville is no pushover.

Fast, crisp puck movement and zippy transition from defense to attack through the neutral zone was the order of the day. All those things the Rangers do in practice -- over and over and over -- separated the them from their opponents last night. It was their first game of the season on River Oaks B -- the wide ice. The speed of our forwards was on full display and they used the extra ice to good advantage. As one Orangeville dad said to me: "This was just embarrassing."

Matt McLaughlin scored twice and my own Ranger had a good night, ripping a goal from the blue line and adding a couple of assists that were beauties, hitting forwards breaking through the neutral zone and setting up breakaways. Pad was grinning from ear to ear last night. I think his goal was actually tipped in -- we think by Matt -- but Pad got credit. He doesn't care as long as it counted on the board. Brett, Cole and Charlie were all hitting guys at the blueline and Orangeville just never got anything going. Blair gets the win in net.

I don't usually wax poetic like this about a Ranger win or loss. But last night had the feel of a team coming out of a corner like a sports car accelerating. So, the kids deserve to take a bow. It wasn't shinny. It wasn't a bunch of individual efforts. It was a team working its systems, its breakouts, using the attack triangle, throwing the puck to the point and making the defense an added dimension of the offense. All the forwards were tenaciously forechecking, backchecking, creating passing lanes, skating the breakout patterns. It was all there.

Hockey is always fun. And maybe -- maybe -- this is the part of the season where things really start to become fun as the boys stretch and discover their potential.

The game ended as is typical when Orangeville is losing -- a cheap shot hit from behind on one of our guys followed by cheap shot punches followed by headlocks and milling about and scrumming. Just once it would be nice to play an Orangeville game that didn't end this way. Our last game at home with them featured one of their players running one of ours from behind into the boards AFTER the game was over. Classy bunch.

- - -

We're trading hockey sticks for saxophones tonight. The Abbey Lane school Christmas concert is tonight. Should be fun.

- - -

And oh, apparently this has been out there since 1968, but I just got the memo. So, sorry if I'm the last one to know. But apparently, the Leafs suck. They will be going for their eighth straight loss tonight, hosting Tampa at the ACC. Maybe the Christmas concert will go into OT and I won't have to watch.

- - -

Every now and then, we are reminded of the boundless potential of humans. Or in this case, the boundless potential of humans to be really stupid. File this one under when NOT to call 9-1-1.

 

Dec 11, 2006

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the MOHA food and toy drive by bringing donations to Maplegrove on Saturday. It is much appreciated.

- - -

Got the Christmas spirit yet? In the United States, there are now 399 radio stations playing nothing but Christmas music. If that's not enough to push you to hurl a flaming spear into the chest of the next shopping centre Santa who ho-ho-hos at you, I don't know what is. Start humming "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives and read all about it here.

- - -

The Pad and the Rangers (14-2-4) host Orangeville (8-7-5) at River Oaks B tonight. Orangeville is perhaps the grittiest team in the loop -- they play with a very sharp edge, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. In three meetings this year Oakville has won 4-3 and 2-0, and there was a 2-2 tie. Orangeville lost its last outing 4-1 to Hespeler, so they will be looking to get back on course. It should be a close game.

 

Dec 10, 2006

Later that day . . .

OK. There are lights on the house. And some of the trees. And in the backyard. We couldn't have had a better day -- the temperature must have been close to 10, and the sun shone and I didn't fall off the ladder. So, a good day, all in all. The boys helped while Laura went shopping and we celebrated our manliness with lunch at McDonalds afterward.

- - -

As predicted below, Chris played out his end of the script almost perfectly. So perfectly in fact that Laura laughed so hard she started to cry which in turn concerned the boys a little because they didn't know what was wrong. But right on queue, Chris asked if he could help (yes) and instantly asked if he could

come up on the roof (no.) He never go a chance to finish because of his mother's reaction. When we told Chris why she was reacting the way she was and showed him the blog entry, he said "Wow, that's just freaky." To which his brother said: "Chris, it's not that freaky. You ask to go on the roof every year."

- - -

One of the cool things about Christmas is that in addition to being a Christian celebration and an orgy of spending, it is also an opportunity for families to recalibrate their compasses and remember the things that made them what they are; to revisit the touchstones of tradition that make your Christmas more special to you than the Christmas across the street. Our family has lots of Christmas traditions. Most families do. Me standing on the garage roof is one of them. Laura's pork pies -- which are neither pork nor pies  (they're sort of a home-made pastry with date and icing filling from a recipe from her late grandmother) is another. Some traditions -- the "treat box" of holiday candies and stuff for the boys that comes out on the day school gets out, and arguing while putting up the Christmas tree -- came from my side of the family. Others -- like pork pies and vast quantities of red wine -- came from Laura's side. And still others -- lobster on Christmas Eve, champagne and fresh squeezed orange juice on Christmas morning -- are ones we started ourselves. We were invited to a party at some friends Saturday night and they have a good tradition -- getting other people to decorate their tree. It's bloody brilliant. Invite over some friends, serve some food and drink, and make them decorate your tree. I wish I had thought of it. I'm not much of a joiner so I sat politely and watched the kids and then some adults hurling decorations onto the Scotch pine that was so perfectly shaped I thought it was artificial. Turns out I'm not alone -- Jane, perhaps the hostess's best friend (although to me, she's always going to be Joe's mom -- Joe of my hapless Wranglers of four years ago) confessed that she's been invited to this very same annual tree trimming gala 19 times and has yet to place a decoration on their tree. Now there's a tradition worth celebrating!

- - -

At Dick Decloe on Saturday, we ran into Michael S., one of Pad's former house league teammates now a goalie in the GTHL for Humber Valley. Pad's Rangers and Humber Valley will meet later this month in the Richard Bell Memorial Tournament in Oakville. Michael, grinning from ear to ear, came up to Patrick and Laura said (as only Michael can): "NOW we'll see just how good you are!" Laura pointed out that we'd actually see how good HE is, too! Either Pad or Michael will be insufferable after this one is over.

 

Dec 10, 2006

I'm going up on the roof shortly. If I don't fall off the roof, I'll be adding stuff here later.

- - -

My Eagles lost a close one Saturday, 3-2 to the first-place Sharks. We got down 3-0 and then started the long road back. We out shot the Sharks by a huge margin -- 3-1, 4-1 easily -- but the Sharks goalie stood on his head and that's life. We've won some games this year we should have lost. Yesterday we lost one we might have won. But there were real breakthrough moments in terms of things we have been teaching the kids and I was thrilled with a lot of the effort. We're not done yet.

- - -

For the curious and especially those reading in from the U.S., the minor bantam A Rangers dismantled Woolwich last night 6-2. They were running away with the game through two periods and then penalties broke the momentum of the game. By my count Oakville out shot Woolwich 206 to 9. Cole Munden had a goal and three assists. His goal was pure end-to-end and every kid on the bench went nuts when he scored because . . . well, just because. If you've sat through as many Ranger practices as I have you know why. If you haven't, I can't explain it all here. But it was a great moment.

- - -

Dec 8, 2006

After watching the last six Leaf games, I am now officially lobbying the NHL to reduce the length of a game to two period from three, to 40 minutes from 60. Ugly, ugly, ugly. Another blown third period lead. But I'm also trying to arrange an exhibition game for my atom team with the Leafs for over Christmas. I think our goaltending is better, defense is about the same, and we both have a dominant centre. My team plays better in the third though, so Paul Maurice will probably take a pass. I don't blame him!

- - -

Pad and the Ranger gang practice long and late tonight, getting off the ice at 10:20p. Three atom games tomorrow morning, including the food and toy drive at Maplegrove for the less fortunate. Come by. Bring a toy for a teen. Bring some non-perishable food! Hug a convener. Better yet, bring him a hot chocolate from Starbucks! Power skating for Chris in the afternoon and you'll find me watching attentively from the bar at Twin Rinks. I'll be drinking hot chocolate.

The Rangers play at home tomorrow night against Woolwich and then we're off to a party for some Christmas cheer. On Sunday -- we have nothing! Zip! Nada! Nil!

Well, except for all the usual silliness of the season -- running around, shopping, etc.

- - -

Speaking of Starbucks, I stopped there on the way home from work the other night to get Chris a hot chocolate -- he'd been home sick and he loves his "kid coffee" as he calls it. I arrived in the middle of the customer Christmas party. Free everything! Sometimes, even I have good timing.

- - -

Christmas is two weeks from Monday. You might want to consider getting ready. Soon.

- - -

So, having NOTHING scheduled on Sunday, I'll give serious consideration to putting the Christmas lights on the house and getting Chris off my back. My suggestion that we skip the Christmas tree this year and just decorate a wing chair wasn't well received.

So, Sunday look for me on the roof top. Probably. Weather permitting. The forecast is for sunny periods and 7 degrees.

Je suis Clark Griswold!

- - -

Chris will offer to help me Sunday. It will go something like this:

Chris: "Dad, can I help?"

Me: "Sure!"

Chris: "Can I get on the roof too?"

Me: "Um, sorry bud. No."

Chris: "OK. I'm going to see if Noah's home."

Me: "Bye."

 

Dec 7, 2006

The Rangers shut out Guelph 1-0 last night. Technically they are tied for first with Brampton, but they have four or five games in hand, so a big edge to the Rangers there.

Last night's game was significant in our house because Laura couldn't go because of a previous commitment, and I was supposed to go but an emergency at work changed my plans for the evening. So, to the best of my knowledge, it was the first time either of our boys played a game of any kind where at least one of us was not in attendance. That's a pretty decent streak, dating back to September of 1997.

It seemed weird not to be there.

- - -

As a follow-up to yesterday's Christmas movie list -- if there's one movie you should never under any circumstances watch with your kids, it's Bad Santa, with Billy Bob Thornton. The late John Ritter is brilliant, but this is not family viewing. It is however, hysterically funny, in a grown-up kind of way. You've been warned.

 

Dec 6, 2006

Pad and the Rangers are in Guelph tonight for one of those coveted mid-week December road games. Before that, Chris's team has a rare full-ice practice so I'll be running from King and Yonge to Ice Sports to home to Guelph to home.

- - -

Newspaper guys are always all about year-end lists. So, I'll give it a shot here. The first pre-2007 Teamoakville list. I'll do them as they occur to me, but I will end the year with the top 10 things I learned in 2006. I hope I learn six more things between now and Dec 31, or it could be a short list.

Anyway, in the spirit of the season, inspired by Chris's insatiable appetite for Christmas viewing, a top-10 list with 11 entries. How can you beat that? Some holiday movies to watch with your family. Except maybe number 7:

 

  10. Scrooged. (1988) I'm a big Bill Murray fan and working in the media I know his character very well. Richard Donner directed this, and the film is what you get when the guy who made Lethal Weapon makes a Christmas flick. Great writing, too.

  9. Home Alone (1990). Every kid at some point wishes his family would disappear. Kevin gets his wish. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern steal the show as bumbling thieves.

  8. The Santa Clause. (1994) Tim Allen kills Santa, then gets the job. It all ends well.

  7. Die Hard (1988). OK, OK. Not exactly traditional family holiday viewing. Beware strong language in this one. But it IS a Christmas story. Bruce Willis's Christmas plans go awry. Funny writing. He says a variation of Merry Christmas once that I remember for sure. A dead guy gets a Santa hat.

  6. It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Yeah, a bit sugary for sure, but in a world where everything is an instant classic, Frank Capra's film stands the test of time. Make sure to see it in black and white original.

  5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) Boris Karloff narrates the original. You know this one by heart.

  4. A Wish For Wings That Work (1991) I'm betting you've never seen this one. It probably says something about me that two of my favourite cartoonists had fairly twisted views of the world and basically got out of the daily racket because they were sick of the commercialism. Bill Watters (Calvin and Hobbes) is one. The other is Berkley Breathed, creator of Bloom County. This made-for-TV animated film is the saga of Opus the penguin's wish for -- you guessed it -- wings that work. Opus has a big heart and small brain. Good luck finding this one though.

  3. A Christmas Story (1983) A nice family film. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll identify with Ralphie, his weird family and his quest for a B-B gun.

  2. The Polar Express. (2004) Visually stunning, tug-at-the-heart-strings story about that line out there when kids start wondering if there really is . . . We never learn the name of the boy in this film, but by the end of the story he becomes a true believer forever. So will you.

  1. Elf. (2003) Fifty years from now, Will Farrell will be remembered for this film, which will be a staple of holiday viewing forever.

  1a. Christmas Vacation (1989) Chevy Chase's career had three defining episodes, for want of a better word. As the clumsy star of the original SNL, as the goofy millionaire swinger in Caddy Shack, and as Clark W Griswold III, the star of the National Lampoon Vacation movies. This one was the best. I've been on that ladder on the house. I've untangled that ball of Christmas lights. My in-laws are coming for Christmas. And I may soon be in the Jelly of the Month Club. Like Clark and many of you, my family comes first, I dream big, and I almost never get there. Trade his Blackhawks jersey for my Leafs jersey, and I could be Clark. So could you, and you know it.

 

Dec 4, 2006

Thirty-five junior players have been invited to the Team Canada world juniors selection camp Dec 10-15 in Calgary, and three of them are Oakville boys -- forwards Sam Gagne (London OHL) and John Tavares (Oshawa OHL), and goalie Steve Mason (also London). Good luck to them. You can see the entire list here. The lucky ones will get to spend Christmas near the Arctic circle in northern Sweden.

 

Dec 4, 2006

It was a very lazy Sunday around our house yesterday. Well, it was lazy for me.

After taking Pad to practice for 7a, it got really lazy. I did some work on the laptop in front of the TV, went for groceries, snoozed a little, and not much else. After two straight weeks in the office every day and hockey and more hockey and blah blah blah, I just had to busy myself and do nothing for a while.

And it was pretty lazy for Chris, who isn't feeling great and spent most of the day in our bed watching Christmas movies and reading.

And it was pretty lazy for Pad, who spent most of the day in the basement where he played guitar, watched TV and did homework.

And it was lazy for Laura, in a kind of do-all-the-laundry-decorate-the-house-for-Christmas-bake-for-Christmas-clean-the-house-be-disgusted-with-the-lazy-people kind of way. But it was one of the those days where she just wanted to be at home, not shopping or volunteering or working or anything else. The rattling and clanging in the kitchen woke me up a couple times from my slumber in the family room, and I'll tell you right now -- if you complain about that sort of thing, you're going to get a cuff in the side of the head.

It was nice to have everyone off the roads and under one roof. The raw symmetry of having a male member of the house on three different floors watching three different TVs was a pretty impressive piece of synchronized snoozing.

I promise to be less lazy next weekend.

- - -

And no, since you asked, the Christmas lights have still not installed themselves on the house. But it was really cold with the wind yesterday, and I was really tired, and, well, you get the idea. But I am thinking about it. I'm thinking really, really hard.

- - -

Pad's team has two - 2 - two consecutive nights off. He's kinda weirded out by the prospect, as am I. No doubt something will happen to shatter the calm.

- - -

I've entered my atom white house league team in a London tournament in January. Anyone who has ever coached minor hockey in Oakville knows that London is the perfect hockey getaway -- far enough away that it's a road trip, and lots of hotels with pools. That's all you really need.

I have no idea how we'll do -- my team is as good as any in our very competitive atom white loop -- but I'm sure we'll run into some buzz saw house league team. It won't matter. I guarantee my guys will have the most fun. Any time a white team enters a tournament, it can often be an adventure that is later looked upon euphemistically as "a learning experience." We'll see!

- - -

A couple of days ago I offered up what little I know of Stephane Dion, the new Liberal boss. The Alberta Tories also picked a new leader on the weekend -- to succeed Ralph Klein in running the Tory juggernaut in Alberta. Klein became Conservative leader in Alberta about three weeks before we moved there in 1993, about six months before Pad was born. I met him several times and he was always, um, colourful.

He will be succeeded by Ed Stelmach.

Here's the totality of my insight into premier-designate Stelmach:

Ed Who?

 

Dec 2, 2006

Pad and the Rangers settled for a 2-2 tie last night in Hespeler. The home goalie stoned the Rangers again and again. That's life.

This morning, Chris and me and all the Eagles settled for a hard-fought 3-3 tie with the Wings. We played much of the 2nd period shorthanded, but a tie was the right result for both teams.

- - -

It's almost starting to feel a little like Christmas around here -- Laura was digging out the first wave of decorations and I was standing in front of the house with my hands on my hips wondering how the lights were going to jump up and attach themselves to the eaves. As of this point, that hasn't happened. I got cold and came in the house.

- - -

Stephane Dion is the new leader of the Liberal party. While normal families were focused on activities of the season like shopping, baking, decorating and arguing, we were focused on Montreal and the Liberal leadership, because we like that sort of thing.

I was CP's bureau chief in Ottawa when, in the wake of the near debacle of the 1995 Quebec referendum, Jean Chretien recruited Dion -- a leading Quebec intellectual -- to come to Ottawa as his intergovernmental affairs minister. I only met the guy a few times, but I remember asking him what his approach to his job would be and if I can paraphrase what he said, it was that no longer would separatist propaganda go unchallenged and that his pen would be his sword. It was his reply to anyone who asked. In short order he created quite a stir with a series of open letters in newspapers to then-Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard, challenging conventional thinking and arguing about contradictions in the PQ vision. He also drove passage of the Clarity Act, which basically define the rules for any future referendum.

Does he have presidential timber, as the Yanks might say? I have no idea. He will either keep alive the track record enjoyed by Liberal leaders -- every man who has held the job before him has served Canada as prime minister -- or he will be the first to break the winning streak.

But you will hear and read a tremendous amount about this guy in the weeks ahead. He's a stranger to most Canadians and he has a lot of catching up to do.

 

Dec 1, 2006

OK everyone. It's December. Time to get serious about planning for the holidays. Soon. Really. Like, any time now. Tomorrow. For sure, tomorrow.

- - -

A truly miserable day, one that Chris -- when he was very young -- would have called a yukky day. Yukky was his all-purpose word for things bad. Like, yukky nose, for example. What better way to spend a Yukky Friday night then getting on the Yukky 401 and driving to Yukky Hespeler to watch Pad and the Rangers try to extract a pound of flesh for the beating Hespeler gave them the last time they met. But, after we get home at 10p we can all relax and then sleep in . . . no wait. That's you, not me. I'll be at Maplegrove at 7:30a for atom house league action -- all three white games -- and then grab lunch before dashing off (see, it's like a Night Before Christmas thing, get it?) to Twin Rinks for Chris's weekly session there. Mercifully, there's a rare Saturday night off, so we can kick back, relax, and then sleep in Sunday because . . . no, wait. That's you, not me. I'll be at Glen Abbey at 6:30a Sunday morning, where Patrick and the Rangers have a rare early-morning workout. Yukky!!

- - -

MOHA is once again organizing its food and toy drive, taking donations up to Dec 20. Unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items can be dropped at the hockey office. They will be given to the Oakville Fire Fighters food and toy drive. There is -- and ALWAYS is -- a particular need for gift for teens. When we think of kids needing something at Christmas, I think the tendency is to think of a little kid with his nose pressed up against a frosty window. No one tends think about a 14 year old boy or girl on Christmas morning with nothing to open. If you don't already do it -- and I know many of you do, and thanks -- buy one or two fewer bottles of Yellow Tail, or one less case of Corona this Christmas, and do something nice for someone you'll never meet. Tis' the season where random acts of kindness pay off and can change the way a young person looks at the world. The atom white hockey teams will be contributing and collecting toys and food for this effort on Saturday, Dec. 9. So, you can drop off your contribution at Maplegrove and save yourself a drive to Speers Road! Thanks in advance.

- - -

It is report card day, BTW. With the amount of hockey and volleyball and band practices, a parent (or two, in this case) wants to make sure there's no backsliding in the marks of certain rep hockey players. And there wasn't, at least not here. Chris had a very good report card too -- one of his best that I can recall, in fact. 

- - -

Lacrosse registration is right around the corner -- Jan 27 and Feb 10 -- at the Glen Abbey Rec Centre, from 10a to 2p. Mark it down now.