Any Given Wednesday

Tonight's Match up Breakdown

Bearings Group Vs Alien (no show) Joe

• Both teams will be missing some key players:
• Blaine -IR-(Alien goalie)
• Joe (Alien)
• Nate -maybe-(Alien)
• Rocky (bearings)
• Mark (bearings)
  
• Bearings have won last 5 of 6 and the one lost was from a shoot-out
• Bearings are looking at this game as a good warm-up, as they play Don's Auto at Well's Fargo Arena this Friday

Bearings win the game 5-3


Irwin's Vs Plaza Printers

• Both teams have been very unpredictable:
• Plaza beats Alien Mike 7-2, but then get beat by Legends the following game 6-1
• Irwin's beat Legends 3-1, but then lose 7-1 to Alien Joe

Plaza wins 6-4

Alien Mike Vs Legends

• Alien Mike Does not do well when Tim refs for some reason, but we'll see what happens with the help of Andrew Jackson
• Last time these two teams played, Legends shut them out 4-0

Legends win 5-2

ISU hockey

I am in Vegas at the trade show but wanted to remind everyone that ISU hockey plays at wells Fargo this weekend. We have coupons you can redeem for 9.50 tix at our shop that gets you tix to the ISU game and stars game that night.
Come out and support Brian Wierson this sat.
We also have 9.50 tix to this Friday game that includes food.
See you all soon.

Help Our Local Apprentice

Ann Breeding is competing in our local Iowa Stars Apprentice Competition. She asked me to relay the message below to all our players and followers. Please support her in any way you can!

Hello to all my hockey friends & family! Guess what?? I have been picked to participate as a contestant in the Apprentice Hockey League. Bottom line of the contest is that there are 20 of us chosen for the competition and the first task assigned is to put a group night together for a Stars game, and the task is titled "BE UNFORGETTABLE". This means that we must make an impression on the judges that will BE UNFORGETTABLE! Quantity is good, but QUALITY is more impressionable! The game is Saturday, February 9th, at 7pm. The price of a ticket is $9.50 and you receive a ticket in the lower bowl, hot dog, chips and a can of soda. Can't beat that! Anyway, I am needing all of my friends, family and co-workers to support me in this endeavor in order to be successful. After the first task, all but 5 contestants will be eliminated. The winners will be posted on-line February 10th. Then those 5 people will tackle the 2nd task. Then 2 finalists will be picked from that and they will be assigned one final task. The winner gets free season seats for next year so my heart is in it to win!! Tell everyone you know and have them tell everyone they know. I plan on busting out the face paint for the occasion and all you need to do is get a ticket and come have a great time watching the best game on ice! If any of you have any marketing knowledge, I welcome suggestions on how to BE UNFORGETTABLE! I worked out a deal with the Stars store so that we can each purchase a matching neon colored Iowa Stars shirt for only $6. How cool is that? This should really make us stand out, and let the judges recognize that you are there to show your support. If you already have tickets, you can still get the t-shirt for that price. When you call to purchase tickets, ask for Ryan Smiley and he will also take the t-shirt orders. There will be no limit on the t-shirts at that price so feel free to order one for every person that you bring. The shirt orders must be placed by February 1st. Tickets can be purchased at this price through 5PM, February 8th.
Basically, all you need to do is show up and be ready to have some fun! Feel free to paint your face, or bring noise makers. Anything to make this night unforgettable! I will be bringing some things to pass out to people in the group to help make this a memorable game....but I must keep it a secret so that the information does not leak to the other contestants. We don't want to give away our plans! ;o) I will tell you that we will have a specific theme chant for that game and we will let you in on what that is once you arrive. I promise not to embarrass anyone and I hope that this will be as fun for all of you as it will be for me.
IT'S ALL FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME! ***To get this ticket price, call Ryan Smiley at 564-8729, and tell him that you are with Annie's group. He will take care of you. Hope to see you all February 9th!!! GAME ON!!!Here is the most important part of the whole deal.....WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT I WILL NOT SUCCEED! IT'S ALL FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;o)
Annie B

554-7239

Minnesota Wild Must be Popular

As the poll ended for who is your favorite nearby NHL team, we had a winner just north of us. The Minnesota Wild captured 31% of the vote. The ones I found interesting were the next 2. Both the Red Wings & Black Hawks earned 23% of the vote. My assumption has always been that only intelligent people read my blog, so the fact that the Red Wings got that high of a percentage was shocking. I figured most Wings fans 1) couldn't read 2) didn't have Internet 3) didn't really play hockey.

Having said that, None of the above came in with 14% and the Blues with a pathetic showing of 7%....Bishops must have voted for them...twice.

Fine...You Pick Then.

As I ate a late dinner (or early breakfast) late last night with two C League players (we'll call them Shane & Patrick to conceal their identity), we began discussing the status of the league and which teams were playing well. After an hour of criticism from these 2 "know-it-alls", they stated that I couldn't even predict the winners each week. I replied by saying"You think you can pick them? Go ahead."

So here are there predictions for tonight & next Sunday.

Legends Vs. Plaza
Shane says:
Everybody thinks its all about Davis in net. Well its not. He is the most overrated goalie not only in C League, but maybe North America. Anderson & Lenhard of Legends play phenomenal defense to protect him and make him look like a champ. Plaza on the other hand has this new Broadbent kid. He's the new "superstar" in the league. Although his teammates like Mulford, Patava & Hale will slow bring the team down to a slower level, he still has enough to take over a game by himself. Beware Davis and Legends as you will be no match for attack or Plaza. Plaza by 4.

Alien Joe Vs. Alien Mike
Patrick says:
Is this even a game that should be played? With Joe missing this game for a very important poker game, the Alien Joe team has no chance. Who's going to outlet to LeFleur? Who's going to contain Mikey? Who's going to make sure little Adam doesn't get hurt? Nobody, that's who. Alien Mike has too many forces. Koenig, the Kieltys, the Dylos, even Bragg may show for this one and it will get ugly. Topliff's idea of getting a bunch of B League subs and play the game as a forfeit isn't a bad one. Well at least we'll look good in our Alien jerseys. Alien Mike by 3.

Irwins Vs. Bearings
Shane says:
They have Brekke, Mathews, West, Kundel, Anthan, Dean & Feathers who are all B players, but still can't get it done. Look at their poor goalie, Brown. He sobs between periods since his team can't perform in front of him. Wallace, Harper & Dahl have been pulling their weight, but nobody else is. Clutts, Madsen, Goodman....non-factors. Bearings on the other hand is the most underestimated team in the league. They can beat anybody, anytime, just choose not to. You've got guys like Blickley & Hoekstra who shoot wide intentionally just to make the goalie nervous. Brus and his "Darth Vadar-like" visor just grins behind that mask. Their teams focus is trying to not win very games so they can save it for the playoffs. Smart team. Bearings by 2.

Sunday C
Waste Managment vs. Coke/YDD
Patrick says:
I'm biased on this one since I play for Coke/YDD, but I'll be fair in my assessment. I think Waste Management stinks. Not just on the ice, but off as well. After all, they are sponsored by a garbage company. They have Hodges, Runner & Cronin, who truly are nice guys, but have you seen them skate? You would think they were running on hot coals the way the move their feet. Actually very embarrassing. Now Coke/YDD has talent. The fluid motion of Wolf, technical positioning of Whitaker, the effortless goaltending of Reeves, the unstoppable defense of Abrams & Mudge, need I go on? I haven't even included myself, and although I'm most likely the top player on the team, I like the "supportive" role I'm in. I coach and mentor Ross & Josh to make them better players. Coke/YDD by 9.

Slapshot vs. Don's
Shane says:
Ouch. I'd hate to be Slapshot on Sunday. After the Don's team annihilated me and my Vegas team yesterday, I have a great respect for them. Brandon & Lang controlled the puck, while Kozak, & the Goreliks give them an outlet. Their team captain, owner & coach Davidson excepts nothing but the best. Although their is controversy that Brad videos other teams practices & games for his team to review, it doesn't change the fact that they win. They are the Patriots of C League. Coke gets lucky, Don's plays hard. On the Slapshot side, guys like Tourigny & Rech have too much riding on their shoulders. Day is fast, but all goals no assists. The Klevens can help or hurt the team...just depends on what was for dinner at the family table. Then you have Wermers and his bad knees...can't do too much. No brainer with Don's by 7.

Well, there you have it. Shane & Patrick seem to have a handle on the league. Did they make the right predictions? We'll just have to wait & see.

*Disclaimer: These picks and opinions are those of Shane and Patrick and do not represent those of Joe.

Never a Good Reason to Miss a Game

The Alien Joe hockey team has been on a recent tear. Winning 9 of our last 10 games, we have moved into a tie with Legends for 1st place on Wednesday nights. This can be attributed to our tremendous teamwork, religious work ethic, but most importantly, our dedication to playing every game. This being said, there are times when one of our players can't make a game. This is where each of us as teammates decide whether its a good reason to miss. Here are the top 10 reasons players have missed a game this season.
10 - Sore Heel - The physical pain I was feeling was not enough to generate any sympathy from the guys. I missed with what I still call bursitis, but the rest just called me a wimp
9- Momma Mia - This was a doozie. Top centerman, Adam Lowell felt it was more important to spend time with his wife watching Momma Mia which according to their website is described as "The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone’s having the time of their lives!" Yeah, much better than hockey.
8 - Brazil - Leading shot re-director, Mike Fascian is always travelling somewhere. Florida, Vegas, Guam, South Korea are just a few of his weekly "business" getaways. But when he busted out the "I'm going to Brazil card", we thought that was over the line.
7 - Cruise - Blaine Barker does not see many shots with the stellar defense he has in front of him. Occasionally, he may make a lucky save and gets all dramatic about it. When he told us he was missing a game due to going on a cruise, we thought the defense should be invited along as his guests.
6 - Sleep - The Iron Man himself, Tim Close who never gets tired and the first to rip you if you miss a game felt sick one day and decided to take a nap before the big game. As he awoke to the Good Morning America theme song the following morning, he realized something was wrong.
5 - Poker - Although this one hasn't happened yet, I am entered in an Iowa Stars Poker Tourney next Wednesday. The decision is whether to stay and beat Alien Mike yet again or attempt to win $11,000 in prize money...maybe Team Mike has a chance with me gone....nah.
4 - Sinus Infection - Dan "I play breakfast hockey, lunch hockey, supper hockey, NHL 2008 hockey, TiVo all games, guns n hoses, Hockey night in Canada" Bishop misses due to a "sinus infection" ? Whatever.
3 - Triathlon Training - We lost a player earlier in the season to a prior commitment. He felt triathlon training came first. Isn't hockey made up of 3 events? Warm ups, the game itself & the beer drinking after?
2 - Wrist - Fascian misses a game due to "precautionary measures" for what may be a broken wrist. Funny how he still bowled a 275 that night....must of used his other hand.
1 - Van Halen - Topliff & Lowell both state that they cannot make the Feb 6th game. The team assumes Adam is donating his kidney to Shawn, only to find the two of them are humming "JUMP" as they prepare to see tired old Van Halen.

As you can see our team is full of them, but somehow we still manage to win.

Bucs Hockey This Weekend

Buccaneers Fans-This Friday, January 18th vs. Sioux City @ 7pm - 95KGGO ArenaMiller Lite “Buc” ($1) Beer Night - Sponsored by KCWI ~ 12 oz. $1 Miller Lites ~ See the world's tallest hockey player as he skates during intermission

Saturday, January 19th vs. Chicago @ 7pm - 95KGGO ArenaBobblehead Giveaway Night - Sponsored by Coke-a-Cola ~ The first 1,000 fans take home a "Bucky the Buccaneer" Bobblehead ~ KCCI/KXNO FREE Kids Night – Buy an adult ticket and get a "FREE" youth (12 & under) ticket.

Wednesday, January 23rd vs. Cedar Rapids @ 7pm - 95KGGO ArenaBacardi Night ~ $1 off Bacardi Products ~ Student Night – 1/2 priced tickets with a valid student idIndividual tickets for all Bucs home games are available now at the Buccaneers Box Office, via phone at (515) 278-9757 ext. 1 or on-line at http://www.bucshockey.com/.

Wow! 3 for 3.

Looks like I'm back on track with Wednesday picks. I had Bearings with the big upset on Legends, and Bearings won in a shoot out (it was the longest shootout in Adult League History having gone 38 rounds and lasting 1 1/2 hours).

Alien Joe handled Irwins as Blaine loses a shutout by not listening for a whistle.

Lastly, I help my own cause by playing for Plaza Printers in a win over Alien Mike.

Sunday picks coming soon....

Great Rivalries Coming this Wednesday

Detroit & Colorado
Toronto & Montreal
Philadelphia & Pittsburgh
All great match ups over the years, but none bigger than what you will witness this Wednesday.

Bearings Vs. Legends
A natural rivalry exists between these two teams based on geography alone. With both teams residing in the Des Moines area, each wants to "own the land". This match up has been dubbed "The Legend of the Bear."
This is there 4th meeting and Legends has the upper hand with a 3-0 record against Bearings this season. "We win this week." guaranteed Brus of Bearings. "I know I'm in a slump, but its coming to an end." I see the tide shift this game and Bearings wins by 2.

Alien Joe Vs. Irwins
On the surface it looks like Joe & Bill get along, but the reality is truly different. With many behind the scenes player issues, a true rivalry exists here. Irwins very own Aaron Clutts was once heavily recruited by Alien Joe. "They offered me my own masseuse, team limo & Reeses Pieces, but I had to go with my gut and best chance to win a championship" proclaimed Clutts. Irwin's top line of Brekke, Matthews & Anthan all play for Alien Hockey's B League Team on Sundays. "We can's hurt Joe too bad on Wednesday because he's the greatest scorer on the planet in B League, we can't afford to lose him", the trio stated. On the other side, Alien Joe's Dynamic Duo of Bartak & Brand are former Tour De Iowa Champs. "We buy our bikes at Irwins when we compete," mentioned the duo. "There wheels are the roundest anywhere." Alien Joe has the series lead 2-1 and should continue its winning ways. Alien Joe by 3.


Plaza Vs. Alien Mike
One team has firefighters, the other team has known arsonists. One team has a police officer, the other has a convicted felon. This is a recipe for one of the best rivalries in any sport. "The only good shot Mulford has is when he's shooting his gun" pointed out Captain Dylo of Alien Mike. "I'll show him how to shoot with my weapon, the feared Vapor XXX." With so many legal issues on the ice, anything can happen. "Theses games are fun to watch." stated Whittle who is the parole officer for Alien's Gene Kelley. "Its the only time he can legally make contact with someone." Barring no explosions at the Barton Solvents plant & no special sales at Krispy Kreme, Plaza by 2.

Guns or Hoses ? MDA is the Real Winner.

We play a great sport and sometimes take it way to serious. It should be a source of exercise, camaraderie & fun, but we often get caught up with competition and forget why we play. A great event occurred at Wells Fargo last weekend where the Firefighters took on the Law Enforcement in a game of hockey to raise money for MDA. I witnessed 2 teams battle hard, but smile between shifts. Rumors floated around about possible fights, unfair play & over-competitiveness. I saw the complete opposite. The game was played for the right reason. A regulation score of 2-2 sent the game into a shootout where Law Enforcement's Mike Grasso shot the game winner. The stands were full of families, friends & fans and the skaters on the ice of varying skill levels are role models for many watching. They played hard & fair, and set a great example for all that were there.
Thanks for a great game.

Thanks to Sara Downey for taking some fantastic pictures of the game. Pictures are available at the following link http://pawprints.zenfolio.com/p538138510/ Support Zac & Sara's site as they took the time to take all of these pictures and many others from our Adult League as seen here. http://www.pawprints.zenfolio.com/

Gretzky??? Bad Choice.

Our last poll indicated that everyone's favorite "Old Timer" was Gretzky. He had 38% of the vote, wile Lemieux had 22% of the vote. This poll has been thrown out as Bishop confessed to voting for Gretzky several times. Cheater.

Stars Game Tuesday - Must Attend

Come out this Tuesday, January 15th to the Iowa Stars for several reasons.

1) Its hockey- you should need no other reason. The Stars need fan support to continue their success in Des Moines.

2) Des Moines native, Scott Clemmensen, returns home as goaltender for the Toronto Marlies. Its a great chance for us to show support for a player that made it to the pros from our town. Many youth teams even cancelled practices Tuesday so kids can watch him play.

3) Ticket are only $9.50. I have tickets available at our store starting at 9 AM Tuesday. I'll only have them til 5 PM

4) Great company - In addition to all the regular dedicated fans, we anticipate a great crowd. Our Vegas team and family members are coming out in full force and should have 25-30 people there.

Hope to see everyone there!!!

MDA

I'm watching the guns and hoses game as I type this.
2 - 2 tie so far an a great game.

Pulled Out Some Old Footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVCd5wqbf28&feature=related

Good Stick Video

My You Tube Video bar changes often and is random, but I ran across this one regarding stick length & tape that may be helpful.

Check it out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBHKqic7rA&eurl=http://alienhockey.blogspot.com/

D League & Intro Camp for Adults

You asked for it so you got it! On Friday, January 25th, Alien Hockey is putting on an Adult Camp for registered D League players or beginning players.

The camps will run from 7:15 PM - 11:15 PM and will be structured as follows:

7:15-8:15 Skill Development. Concentration on skating drills, stick handling & basic shooting will be covered.

8:15-8:45 Uncontrolled scrimmage. Players will be separated and play a casual 30 minute game. No coaching or direction will be given, but the game will be videotaped.

9:00-10:00 Break in Lobby. A chance to get rehydrated and a light snack. The videotaped scrimmage will be shown during this break with a breakdown of proper positioning and strategy.

10:15-11:15 Controlled scrimmage. Same teams will take the ice for a 1 hour game. The teams will be coached from the bench where strategy, shift changes & position will be discussed.

This should be a great opportunity for new & developing players to have a chance to work on skills they can incorporate in league play.

Cost for session is $35 and registration is limited to first 20 players & 2 goalies that register.

Who's the best tonight?

Plaza Vs. Bearings
Bearings is coming off a big win last week over Alien Mike and should continue its momentum into this week's game. Now that HGH has been approved for use in Adult League, there is no reason for Bearings to hide the truth. Frequent HGH user & captain Danielson stated, "We need every advantage we can get, and now nobody can say anything negative about my big guns."
Plaza loses a tight 1-0 game last week against Alien Joe, and the slide will continue. "Bearings uses HGH & we all eat McDonalds just before the game" proclaimed Patava, "That's healthy....right?" Bearings by 2

Alien Mike Vs. Irwins
Irwins came out of a slump to win last week. "We changed our game plan", determined Captain Goodman of Irwins, "We decided to not play position, shoot erratically, chase the puck & take really long shifts." It worked as they defeated Legends. Alien Mike on the other hand doesn't know if they are coming or going. "We've had team meetings, practices, watched game film, but nothing seems to work" pointed out Blomquist. "The team just down right stinks." Blomquist, who will be sporting pink socks for support of all Homeless Squirrels will most likely be ridiculed. "Every creature needs a home" cried Blomquist. Irwins By 3.

Alien Joe Vs. Legends
Injured phenom, Bafia of Alien missed last week's game and it showed. His team was able to only scrape up 1 goal and even that was dumb luck. "I was way out of position and was doing my normal routine of trying to stay upright", explained Ford of Team Alien Joe. "Next thing I know, the puck hits me and goes in...then I celebrated." Legends wants to keep hold of the top spot and needs a win tonight. "The 10 PM game doesn't frighten me" stated Anderson of Legends "Its changing next to Callahan in the locker room that's scary." With Bafia back in the game playing through the extreme & intense pain, Alien Joe earns the win by 2.

Good Luck to All.

Sore, Injured or Banged Up?

Hockey is a very physical sport, and not just in a contact way. It can take its toll on your body in a variety of ways. Some things definitely need serious medical attention (such as a broken wrist like I had), while others are more manageable.

We have added Mueller products to our inventory to help alleviate some of these pains. We carry a wide range of products that include, knee braces, ankle braces, heel absorption pads, blister packs & pads, first aid kits, ice packs, etc. If you think any of these may help some of the pains you are having, stop in and take a look.

Making Sales for Yourself (and Youth Hockey)

Calling all independent sales consultants....

On Saturday, February 2nd there will be a fund raiser for a Youth Hockey Development fund held at the Bucs Arena. The time has not yet been determined.

Independent sales consultants are invited to showcase & sell their items. Currently, we already have the following companies represented: Mary Kay, Longaberger Baskets, and Silpada Jewelry. The only requirements are you must be affiliated with youth hockey, donate 10% of sales that day to the "Hockey Development Fund", donate a prize to the raffle and have actual items for sale (not just a catalog).

Please spread the word to spouses, teammates, etc. if you think they may be interested in not only showing their items, but also to stop by and purchase items and support a great cause.

Please contact Natalia to sign up or to get more info. natalia.bafia@yahoo.com

Kids Get The STAR Treatment

On Friday December 28th, we hosted an introductory level clinic for beginning players. This was done in conjunction with the Iowa Stars and the help of Derek Hickey. 13 kids participated and had a chance to dress in the locker rooms of Wells Fargo and skate on Pro Ice! Each child also received 2 tickets to that evenings Stars game. A big thanks to the Stars organization and players that came out to help. We hope to do more in the future if there is enough interest.

Ping Pong is Champ

Ping Pong wins as 2nd best sport in our most recent poll. With checkers in last place. 3 time collegiate Ping-pong champion, Greg Davis, stated "Being a goalie is easy. In ping pong, I'd lose anywhere from 15-20 pounds each match. I was exhausted."

Make sure everyone stays in shape when not playing hockey by utilizing other sports like ping pong or even checkers.

Who will win in 2008?

I took the week off and never made my picks for last Sunday. I figured it would be too difficult to get them right as the holidays mess everyone up.

So to get 2008 off to a bang, here go the picks for Wednesday C League:

Alien Mike Vs. Bearings
Lynn Karrick & Gene Kelley of Alien Mike both got NHL 2008 for the XBOX 360. They have been practicing strategies on the game 24/7 and want to incorporate it into their real game. "On the game I do this cool 360 degree spin-o-rama move and shoot the puck from between my legs" bragged Karrick. "Now its time to show it for real." Bearings players on the other hand got nothing for Christmas. "Santa left us all a note that said we get nothing since we beat Alien Joe." cried VerMulm. "Even a piece of coal would have been nice" suggested the Brott Bros. With Christmas 2008 only 357 days away, the Bearings Group throws this game to show Santa that they want presents next year....Alien Mike by 3.

Irwins Vs. Legends
A New Years Resolution was made by all team members of Irwins. "Starting with this game of the new year, we will no longer talk about our goalie Brown behind his back anymore" declared Kavan & Dahl. "We thought making fun of him after every game was OK" said Clutts, "But its probably bad karma." Legends has a new motto for the new year. "Legends is great in 2008" yelled Anderson. "I'm going to celebrate every goal I score by diving on my belly and pretend to swim." stated Lenhard. Legends is looking to show no mercy this coming year and will run up the score every chance they get. Irwins captain Goodman had this to say, "The new movie should have been called 'I am Irwins' not the current title of 'I am Legend'." Well put Bill, but you still lose by 4.

Alien Joe Vs. Plaza
All the injuries for Alien Joe have healed except for Lowell's strained left knee & lost use of left arm. He is rehabbing in Florida (or at least that's what he has told his team) and will not be in the starting line up. This will put a serious crimp on the center position as both LeFleur & Ford are mediocre at best. "Ford couldn't win a face off against a 2nd grade violinist" declared teammate Fascian. Also, goalie Barker was off the last 2 weeks and will be coming in cold. Plaza having some police officers & firefighters on the team have done the opposite. With the annual Guns N Hoses game, they have been hold practices 3 times per week. "We're ready for anyone" guaranteed Patava. "We play with the same urgency as putting out a fire at kerosene plant."
Alien Joe does there best here to not let it be a blowout....Plaza by 3.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT CUPID CUP ON FEB 9th. Spots still remain, but are going fast.