Hockey Unites Us

Each week, I hear more and more players referring to our league as a "family" and not individual teams. Although hockey appears to be a rough competitive sport on the surface, the players have a deep respect for one another on the ice. Often, you can hear players apologizing to their opponent when they score a goal, or informing the referee that they committed a penalty and send themselves to the box. Its acts like these that separate us from other barbaric sports like Kubb, adult rec boxing and baseball.

This week's upcoming battles may seem like deep rooted rivalries, but in reality they are groups of players that have a deep love for one another.


Alien Hockey Vs. Puck Hawgs

These 2 teams may appear like water & oil on the ice, but the reality of it is they are marketing geniuses. The 2 groups have teamed up to create a novelty empire that can be compared to Lucasfilms. Through a joint effort of merging the Alien & Hawgs themes, they have created a variety of avenues to generate a significant revenue streams to allow all players to play hockey full time and never work again.

Seen here is the brainchild of art guru Aaron Clutts (Alien) and Rick Kavan (Hawgs). Together, they have created a logo that will be worn by millions.
Krultz, Hudson & Bartak of the Hawgs are all graduates of M.I.T (Muscatine Institute of Toys). After completing the rigorous 4 week Toy Certification degree, they combined their efforts with the creative forces of LeFleur, Fascian & Knipper of Alien to develop a line of toys that will not stay on the shelves this Holiday season. The Combo Alien/Hawg Character set will retail for $69.99 and is already being compared to the Cabbage Patch Kid dolls as far as popularity.

With a logo and toys comes the only next logical step. A summer blockbuster film. The film is titled "Hawg Cop" and was written by the LePera Family of the Puck Hawgs. The story revolves around a Waukee Cop played by Mark Dylo of Alien (seen in the leather jacket below) as he is assigned a partner who happens to be a Hawg stranded in Iowa from another planet. The Hawg Cop is played by Oscar winning Will Koch (Hawgs). In the scene below, Dylo & Koch chase down a high school bully through the hallways of Valley HS. Movie is set for release in Summer 2011.

In an effort to bring this marketing venture full circle, the Aliens Pig comic series is being launched. With artwork done by Bishop, Haynes & Keller of Alien and a storyline that will take you to the edge of your seat by the famous Russian Fairy Tale writer, Dudechenko, this is a must have for any child. Only available at Cup O' Kryptonite or Amazon.com.

Cup O Kryptonite Vs. Irwins

For the last 18 years, Bill Goodman (Irwins) and Matt Johnson (Cup O K) have been best friends. You can see them strolling around Grayslake together on Saturday afternoons, or catching a Friday night movie and doing some Salsa dancing. These two teams have no bad blood with each other and are always a pleasure to watch.

Seen here is Matt's signature "Irwins Cappuccino" drink. This delicious beverage can be enjoyed on Wednesdays just before league games for $3.99.

Here, the Kryptonite team helps prevent Justin William's (Irwins) Bike from getting stolen.

The beauty of the Irwins team is that they all work together. Edgington, Goeke & the Hrabaks all on a design team while Johnson, Massa & Lasnek handles the sales. Maxwell, Place & the Radcliffs do all the repairs. Rech, Seeback & Wheeler handle customer service while nobody really knows what Justin Williams does. This group collectively designed the 2 bike below for Matt Johnson's shop to help him broaden his business.

Seen here is latest Irwins creation for Cup O K. With Scott Kundel at the controls, this 3 wheeler comes fully equipped with a 2 head Espresso station, biscuit warmer, shaded canopy and 4 speeds. Now Matt can provide his coffee to the masses as he drives his luxurious ride down Hickman Road. Next, they will look for a way to incorporate comic sales on one of these contraptions.

Funky Pickle Vs. YDD Tattoo.

The Pickle team has one common bond between their players...their love for the Pickle. Make no mistake about this passion as they snack on these strange food items before games and fill their water bottles with the juices of this odd looking food.

To share this great love, the team decided to present one of the pickles from their private collection to the Voodoo team. Here we can see Caleb Harrelson (Voodoo) holding the mammoth pickle given to the team.

To return the favor, Koenig (Voodoo) offered the his services to the Funky Pickle team and they had an opportunity to get "inked" at no charge by the famous tattoo artist himself. Unfortunately, Dan broke both of his hands in a terrible accident and was unable to provide his services. As Koenig's teammates Caleb & Wolf were lowering the prized pickle on to a table for the team to enjoy, it slipped from their grasp and crushed Koenig's hands. The Voodoo team was devastated and decided to make this event into a positive. They all stepped up and volunteered to do the tattoos themselves.

Here we see the intricate artwork of Sergey Kokaz (Voodoo) on the buttocks of Patrick Cashman (Pickle). Notice the cool use of Converse shoes and non-filtered cigarette.

While the tattooing was going on, newly recruited Pickle player, Tony Dressen was seen promoting the team at the 108th Annual Pickle Palooza Event in Norwalk, IA

When Monty Brown (Voodoo) learned that Dave Ross (Pickle) was a huge Peanuts fan, he had the perfect idea. Why not incorporate the two significant details of Ross's life into one beautiful arrangement. Well done Monty.

Shon McDonough (Voodoo) had the pleasure of designing something that would be a terrific addition to Dave Swift's (Pickle) already art filled body. He knew that Dave had a large handle-bar moustache back in the day, and wanted to "bring back the memories". I'm sure all will agree that the finished product was flawless. The addition of the "Oh Herro" was a nice touch as well.

Team captain, Matt Whitaker (Voodoo) wanted to do something special as well. He took the opportunity to work on Funky Pickle's captain, Tony Hansen. "I wanted him to know how we felt about his team", stated Whitaker. "I hope he loves it." Tony was very emotional after receiving his tattoo that echoed his nickname "The Pickle".

There you have it. 6 teams on the ice that look like they want to kill each other and win at all costs, but truly have a significant bond with a personal story behind each player and team.

Getting To Know You

The D League is in full swing with many newcomers to the sport. Some may think that these new players to the sport are all top athletes, or youngsters or even a bit crazy...but in reality the players are normal just like you & me.

In an effort to highlight some of these players, I did a few interviews asking them some questions. Here are their stories.

Dave Natale

Why did you start playing hockey? I was eating dinner with Sidney Crosby one night and he thought I'd be a good player. I told him he was probably right and I thought I'd give it a try. The A League was full and Sundays worked pretty good for me.

What is your favorite part of playing hockey? I really enjoy the cold ice. I like it so much that I lay on the ice quite a bit. Some think that I'm falling down because I don't skate very well, but I drop to the ice on purpose just to feel that cool sensation all over my body.

What position do you play? Either corner back, or linebacker. I'm pretty flexible with that since I'm the best player on my team. It allows the others to try different positions. I could even play goalie if I wanted to, but that position is way too easy (you don't even need to know how to skate).

Any advice you can give to new players? Don't give up and don't try to be as good as me. It doesn't make sense to have such high expectations and never attain your goal. Rather, go out and have fun. Skate around in circles and fall down every once in awhile, its ok.

Ann Huyck

Why did you start playing hockey? I got kicked off the HS wrestling team, chess team & Peace Club. I was always looking to start fights and they did not tolerate that in school. I figured hockey would give me an opportunity to lay someone out.

What is the toughest thing about playing hockey? The car ride to the rink and the car ride home. My dad thinks he knows everything. "Break the puck out of your zone faster", "Don't get caught too deep in their zone", "blah blah blah" is all he says. Have you ever seen him play? He shouldn't talk.

What equipment brands do you wear? Whoever pays me the most. I had a sponsorship with RBK, but after they dumped all their money into that Crosby kid, they didn't want to pay me what I felt I was worth. Whatever. I know Easton and Bauer will come crawling soon and even Gatorade called my agent the other day.

Do you wear make up when you play? You think that's a funny question? I can let you use my makeup to cover up the black eye and bruises I'll give you if you step on the ice.

Any advice to new players trying out the sport? Yes. Stay out of my way when I'm on the ice. It will be more fun for new players to skate around, shoot the puck and try and score when it doesn't involve me. My suggestion is to just give me the puck if you're playing against me.

Jon Young

Why did you get into playing hockey? I was extremely addicted to watching TV. I could not get enough Desperate Housewives, Days of Our Lives & The View. I only slept 2 hours a night and the doctor told me I had to do something or I would need serious medical attention. As I left the doctor and started crossing the street, I was almost hit by a Zamboni. It was like a sign from above.

Do you know others that play the sport? I didn't at first, but I've now made a ton of friends. Actually, Dan Zahn, Chris Pauli, Bryan Bane & Sara Keller are all now my roommates. We bought a 2 bedroom house just 4 blocks from Bucs Arena. We made a pact to not buy a television and spend our waking hours doing dryland training

What's your most memorable moment during a game? Once I was skating with the puck as fast as I could and lost an edge and fell. Quickly, I recovered and regained the puck . Then I did this out of control 360 degree spin and while falling again, swung at the puck and it went in. It didn't matter to me that this was just during warm ups and that there was no goalie in the net, it still felt good.

What advice would you give a new player? Don't watch too much TV, eat too much toast, or wear anything with the color red. If a stranger asks you to tie their shoe, politely say that you have to go to the hardware store. Should you forget your hockey stick at home, it's not a good idea to use a toilet plunger as a replacement. Keep your head up, your stick down & your mouth shut.

Sarah Lumbrezer

How did you get involved in hockey? My ancestors were at one of the very first hockey games ever. Players did not wear gear and only used skates & sticks. One game, my great-great-great-great grandfather witnessed a player constantly falling on his butt. He ran to his car and got some cardboard, dish sponges and newspaper. During the intermission, he grabbed that player and shoved all that stuff into the player's pants. The protection this offered was superior and all players wanted the same thing. Thus, the "Lumbrezer" was invented (know simply known as Breezers). I was busy running the family business and never had a chance to play until now.

If you could change one thing about hockey, what would it be? I would like to see 2 goalies in each net. Currently, it's so easy to score in our league. Any shot on net will almost always go in and scores of 94-87 are for basketball not hockey.

What makes you a good hockey player? Back in 2004, I did 4 years of hard time at Mitchellville Correctional for Women. Every day was a battle. Whether it was other women trying to take my dinner, or someone trying to lift my smokes, I had to fight to survive. This gave me some thick skin and allowed me to take on any challenge...even hockey.

How do you feel about the league being co-ed? I think it's great. The women in the league try hard to make the guys feel like they belong. We won't pressure them as much during scrimmage and this allows them to stickhandle a little longer. We realize that they are not as skilled as we are, but we accommodate since they don't have an "E" League yet.

Well there you have it. Some bits of info to make the D League a bit more personal and not as intimidating. Stop on out any Sunday at 2:30 PM at Bucs Arena to watch these players show their stuff. All we ask is that you don't ask for autographs until AFTER the players are changed and ready to leave.

What Do You Get When....

There are things in this world that go great together.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter
McDonald's Fries & a Coca Cola
The Blackhawks & the Stanley Cup

On the flip side, there are certain things that when you combine them, do not go over as well. Take for example the C League match ups for this week.

Yankee Doodle Dandy Tattoo vs. Puck Hawgs
No game can have a good outcome where Matt Whiton (Voodoo) faces off against Dave Chongo (Hawgs). You have first against worst in this early match up and Voodoo can only hope that at least 2 players are on the bench as subs while the Hawgs lay down the bacon as the league's top team. Hawgs by 4.

Irwins vs Funky Pickle
Is there anything right about this? A pickle green bike with "Dill Pickle" written on the side of it using a Sharpie marker? Its a good thing Mark Massa (Irwins) donated the basket for the front, while Jake Anonson (Funky Pickle) volunteered to pose with it! Nice glasses Jake. Irwins by 2.

Alien Hockey Vs. Cup O' Kryptonite

Since there has been some heated games & strong rivalry between these two teams, they wanted to take an opportunity to help out a good cause this weekend. In a unified front, the two teams decided to sell some of Matt Johnson's famous coffee, with an Alien flavor. The recipe took a light roast blend of coffee and flavored it with mayonnaise, garlic pepper & a touch of gin to create an ever so special kick. The money raised went to help the "I Heart Bacon" Foundation. A huge thanks to Matt Haynes (Alien) for making the fabulous table sign, and Chris LeFleur (Alien) for providing the decorative gourds & blue tape. Seen here is Laura Stein (Kryptonite) pouring the coffee, while Mike Pedersen (Kryptonite) sports his Cubs colors while eating a Bacon Wrapped Chocolate Ball as Chris Hill (Kryptonite) looks on. Cup by 1

4th Annual Adult Turkey Tourney

Its that time of year where we start making our plans for the holidays. What relatives will be coming over, who's bringing the cranberry sauce and what teams are playing football on Thanksgiving Day. According to Wikipedia:
The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys have played home games on Thanksgiving since 1934 and 1966, respectively, in a series called the Thanksgiving Classic.

Adult hockey is on that same track with owning the day before Thanksgiving and having its 4th Annual Adult Hockey 3 on 3 Tourney this year.

Here are the details.

When: Wednesday, November 24th
Time: 5:30 - ? (games end approx 10:30 PM)
Where: Bucs Arena
Cost: $45
Includes: 4 games guaranteed, tourney jersey & pizza

Format:
We put up a foam divider all along the red line. 2 teams play cross ice in a 3 on 3 format. 4 teams are playing at the same time since each set of teams is on one side of the divider.

Games are (2) periods that last 15 minutes each (running clock). There is no icing or off-sides. If a goal is scored or a goalie freezes the puck, the attacking team must back out to a "respectful" distance in order for team to bring the puck out.

Teams are broken up into 2 divisions where 3 round robin games determine the rankings. After these games, the teams are seeded and play based on their ranking.

Teams are created by me after all players are registered. I attempt to make the teams as even as possible and the teams are created random in an effort for players to play with people they normally wouldn't play with.

With 4 teams playing on the ice, the other 4 teams get to watch, socialize, eat & drink. The lounge is open and 2 waves of pizza will be delivered for all to enjoy (included in fee). The bar will be open for drink purchases. Beer, soda & Gatorade will be available.

IMPORTANT PART:
Anyone who has played in this event will tell you it is an absolute blast. What makes it fun is that it is not taken serious from a competitive level. Players with varying skill levels have an opportunity to play with each with no pressure of being a superstar. Most recently, teams have added the ever popular "Goal Celebration" contest where players that score have to come up with creative ways to celebrate. I've said this many times, but it seems as though the teams that have the worst records seem to have the most fun.
Click here for past blog entries of Turkey Tourneys.
http://alienhockey.blogspot.com/2009/11/2009-turkey-tourney-results.html
http://alienhockey.blogspot.com/2009/11/burn-off-those-caloriesearly.html
http://alienhockey.blogspot.com/2008/11/turkey-tourney-is-back.html
http://alienhockey.blogspot.com/2007/11/burn-off-turkey-picks.html

Don't hesitate if you are a newer player. Most of the better skilled players look to help & assist the new players.

Teams are capped at 6 per team which means we only take 48 players & 8 goalies. With there being no league games on that Wednesday, players will want something to do. The fact that most are off on Thanksgiving Day also allows players that normally can't stay and socialize to hang out later. Registration has already begun and we are filling up, so don't delay!

You can register 2 ways.
Pay using Paypal or a credit card using the link located at the top right of this blog. You can also pay via check (payable to Alien Events) at Cup O Kryptonite Coffee & Comics. For directions visit www.cupokryptonite.com

Don't Forget every player gets a FREE jersey included with their entry fee custom designed by none other than the famous Aaron Clutts!!!

Calling All Beginners

So you've watched hockey on TV, or gone to Bucs games or maybe have kids that play the sport and you wonder what it would be like to play.

"I've never skated" , "I'm too old to learn" or "There are no beginner leagues" are some of excuses or reasons I've heard from adults as to why they won't start playing hockey. Well there are no more excuses!

Currently, we have a true beginner adult hockey league that is in session. The league is currently in Week#4 of a 9 week session. We have 30 players and most are skating for the first time as adults. There are 10 women in the league and the age range of players is 14-50+.

The group has practices/games on Sundays at 2:30 - 4:00 PM and it consists of 45 minutes of practice and a 45 minute scrimmage. We work on skating, passing & shooting drills and during the scrimmage we focus on positioning and game play.

Our goal is to have a 4 team Novice league once this 9 week session ends. The beauty of the league is a player can join at anytime. We will prorate the fee and are encouraging all newcomers to join. We need to have at least 40 players at the start of the next session which will most likely start on November 14th and run 20 weeks. Game times will be at 2:30 & 4:00 PM (still on Sundays).

At a minimum, come out anytime to Bucs Arena and watch the league practice. Once you see it, you should be able to say "I CAN do that." If you have any questions about league structure, costs, gear on anything else, email me and let me know.

If you are already a player in any of the other leagues, use this as a way to recruit your friends, neighbors and co-workers into hockey.

Hope to see many new faces on Sundays!