This collection of entries is from April 19, 2002.
Oh, crap. I just got back from the Wolves game. To say the Wolves came out "flat" is an understatement. there was no scoring until Grand Rapids scored at 5:55 into the third period. It went downhill from there. Referee Ian Walsh didn't call anything and because of it the game play got out of hand. Quickly. There was one 5-on-5 melee that was pretty intense. So, the Griffins wind up on a power play to end the game. What happens? Somehow, the coach pulls Nurminen, just so there can be a 5-on-5 - only the rest of the team didn't know it - the final goal is an empty netter, with 1:20 left in the game. The real fight began when the Griffins' Wade Brookbank sucker punched somebody on the Wolves (it could have been Joe DiPenta), and a 6-on-6 donnybrook ensued - yep, goalie Pasi Nurminen skated all the way across the ice to go after Martin Prusek who was still in his crease. Walsh just stood behind the net with his notepad taking names. DiPenta went into the penalty box during the fight with a huge gash on his head and had to be attended to by the trainer. Somebody on the Griffins had his jersey stripped off and he was in the fight naked from the waist up (except for his shoulder pads). The linesmen were scraping the blood off the ice for a while after the gloves and sticks were picked up. Seven players got penalties, including David Van Drunen of the Griffins who got a game misconduct (you know - he must be the naked guy... I think that if your jersey gets removed, it means that you didn't have your fight strap hooked-up, and I think that's a game misconduct). I blame Walsh for all of this. He let it escalate throughout the game.
The Wolves lost 3-0, and now go back to Michigan tied 2-2 for a deciding fifth game on Sunday. (Boxscore)
Francis Lessard served his third game of a ten game suspension (a result of receiving a game misconduct penalty for physical abuse of officials last Saturday in Grand Rapids). Thank you so much for going postal.
The world seems upside-down.
It's the 7th anniversary of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing - the first terror attack on the US from within. Tomorrow is the 3rd anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. We wind up accidentally bombing Canadians in Afghanistan. Thank you, Illinois Air National Guard. A single-engine private plane crashed into Pireli Tower in Milan, Italy. An Amtrak train derails in Florida.
The Seattle Times is reporting that the White House has said they are considering the use of "The Evil Empire's" (Microsoft's) Passport technology to identify citizens online - Sort of a Virtual National ID Card. Somebody is actually recording George the 43rd's (aka George W.) misspeaks at DubyaSpeak.com, where they do their best "to keep up with the gravy train of strained English."
Then in something that did not surprise me at all, Robert Blake arrested for murdering his wife.
Time for The Friday Five...
1. What's your favorite TV show and why? The West Wing. Writing, casting, cinematography... everything. And perhaps maybe the other intangible - the hope and wish that Bartlet could be our President. Second would be CSI. I love the cast, and, since I love Las Vegas, it was a perfect fit. But I am addicted to another genre of programing - Reality TV. Survivor Marquesas and all of the other seasons. The Amazing Race. Big Brother (not only the US show on CBS, but also I watch the camera feeds from the UK and Australia shows over the Internet if I have time - they're the only countries I can understand - sort of). I'm waiting for The Mole to come back on the air (the first season was good). I caught a few episodes of The Bachelor and like the production of the show, but I'm not sure how I feel about the premise. Then, there's the ultimate reality show - The Osbournes!
2. Who is your favorite television star? Hmmmm... dunno... I guess I don't have a "favorite"
3. What was your favorite TV show as a child? A local show - Cartoon Town. It was a puppet show (with cartoons) with this guy Bill Jackson. How much did it effect me? Read the response to question #2 in this prior Friday Five.
4. What show do you think should have been cancelled by now? Ally McBeal. Oops, too late. OK, how about Spy TV? Wait, I think that's gone. Touched by an Angel? I think Spin City has overstayed its welcome... Oh! Wait! Baby Bob and George Lopez! Oh, please cancel Jackass and The Andy Dick Show.
5. What new show do you hope escapes the axe this season? The Osbournes! Let's see another season of them!