SmoothedShredder

Hey, the skill is great... the politics is silly... I think once the Sens start to slump... I'll be good to get rid of my cable box forever!

I mean, my highlights since the cup has been "The Duck" winning the US Open, and a Marcum complete game one hitter. That gold cup game where Canada was robbed was interesting too, but in the wrong way... fun game to play, must be the dumbest pro sport though. I'm actually looking forward to Low Rollers posts about some double A's meeting with Gainey at the grocery store. Can someone try to give me a story line to get interested in... I'm afraid "Free Agency" is going to be a flash in the pan.

Is this PEI punk?! I'm guessing so now. If so (and even if not I guess) Congratulations!

That was a fun night. I think they played some new stuff... I'm not all that up on their recorded stuff, but it seemed far less familiar then the other times I've seen em. Some of the stuff was very deep groove with the Baritone sax and Bass pedal doing alot of the work, other were light and catchy... but they were all long songs, and my ankles got a good workout. The after party with Gisto/Irie/Wassabi was a good time too, and really took the ankle works to a new level... nice to see so many people having a goodtime!

Whoo-hooo... zero more sleeps... ok... maybe a nap!

It's your birthday?! I think I knew that. Sorry I didn't tell you in person at Antibalas and buy you a beer! I'll have some time to make up for it tomorrow at the High Life though! Have a good one buddy!

It creates the possibility of a CD free universe... and don't forget all those trucks that run all those CD's to all those shops... you don't need that with the internet. Same thing with the paperless office. It's possible to achieve it, and IMO the one thing that's really holding it back is habit. Besides, the ability of 'instant' distribution is just too attractive to reneg on at this point. It might not produce instant dividends now, but in 50 years, it will be a different world. Hopefully a world that triumphs over the materiality of the 20th century of industry and corporations, and mindless flocks following the billboards.

Happy b-day!

This should be some awesome this weekend in Toronto... Antibalas, Wilco, and the High Life Festival at the docks to finish it off... I think the roots are in there somewhere, but it's just not meant to be for me.

Hey, this was a super fun time. Thanks Yo! I think that was the largest attendance I've ever seen at a birthday party... and there was a golfing too! Trespassing my ass.

Congrats you crazy cats!

JFJ is a genius. He knows Raycroft sucks, and he can't win with him... so he's going to bring in a diamond in the rough. Bell was fun to watch when he was with the 67's... he benefitted big time by having Brian Campbell and Nick Boyton feeding him the puck though... maybe he can thrive with Kaberle and McCabe... Who signed Raycroft? They should fire that guy.

They should do what I did in NHL 07. Trade Meszaros for Ovechkin, and drop schubert back on defence... Gerber and Varada for Bryzgalov and Kunitz... move Fisher to the First line and Drop Spezza back to the 2nd line... sign 15 year old phenom Straton Whitiker to a long term deal at 1 million per... (he's obviously a charity case with one of the programmers... but man can that kid run over defencemen on his way to the net... I can't wait to see what he's like when he turns 18!!!)... and put Mike Comrie on the first Powerplay... run a bag skate drill every 2nd practice for the 1st half of the season, then focus on shooting and tactics for the final half. Take the goalie out if he doesn't get a shutout, and keep him in if he does... The team will go undefeated for a few seasons (except for that Bullshit overtime loss to Atlanta in season 1 after too many bag skates... grrrr). And we'll outscore opponent 11-1.

FWIW, it was the singing, it was trancendant. It was a treat to hear it in such a fine building... Like Hamilton said before. It was all about Quality last night. But the Slip do write fine compositions, and are great players. Just like the Cardinals are in their own right... still you want to rock out at the Slip, and this wasn't that kind of show... and totally worth it. I'm not saying that Brad is as bad a singer as some of his critics suggest... but it was clear that Ryan and the band were prepped and ready to deliver the second they went on stage, until the second they left. There was no warming up... no getting in the groove... it was like, bam... here we are. I'm reminded of Bjork at this point because of how dilligently she treats her vocals by having a sparse touring schedule, but it's totally worth it, cause of the vocal gymnastics she can pull off live. I bet Ryan tours a little more, but if having a short set/no encore once in a while is what you need to get by, then, if for the integirty of the finished product is maintained, it's fine by me. Especially from what I saw last night... It's great to know that Ryan has so many great songs, just by the ones he didn't play last night. For $40, I'd do it again in a heartbeat... especially since he hasn't come to Canada too much in the past, and I won't go to the States.

I'd probably have more to say.

edit: This was funnier when the last comment just read: "The Slip"

That was a great night! I'm glad to see these video's, cause I didn't get to see too much of the show working at the door... but it was worth it!

Yeah, I'm in, got room for 1 or 2, depending on who BR has wranggled up in the last 10 minutes. Leaving from Queen east around 2pm! "GET ER' DONE RYAN!!"

That's a fine review, and my sentiments exactley. The music was stunning. I felt like I was at the opera. Each song was worth atleast $5 on its own! I'm surprised the person who snatched the $450 pair off craigslist didn't go up to the balcony and throw the "recent college graduate" off... the acoustics in the enwave are crisp and clear, which didn't make their applauses very approriate... like a half bar into a solo comming out of a slow build? Sure the rest of the audience was a little slow off the draw for jazz claps at the beginning... but they warmed up quite nice for the end, and it was a bummer they didn't come back out! Maybe he didn't like us?... hehe Roy Orbision. That's who this guy reminds me of. Oh yeah, he only sang at this show, no 'geetar', and it was really dark on stage, and when some fan asked him to turn up the lights so he could be seen, he replied that he was "trying to sing"... the sunglasses he was wearing in that dim light must of made it pretty dark for him up there. Nice to see you there NorthernWish and Nina!

Hippie belated birthday dude!

Oh yeah! I'm being totally sarcastic! Now I'm not: I think you're great! Now I'll be sports serious: It's a cool move seeing Murray move up to GM. He's got a first hand look at the team from behind the bench, as well as the rest of the League(ish), and can take that knowledge to the next level to see if he can add what the team needs throught he draft and trades, and to keep pace with the improvements/adjustments that others teams make. If (what I hope), they bring in Cunnyworth, they will inject some fresh coaching blood into the team and league, and someone who has strong ties to the Ottawa system (via his captiancy), and the Buffalo system which was so successful last year. Muckler did a great job. He's left the team better of now than when he took over... but in this league of parity, it doesn't hurt to keep the compition on it's toes... and it's clear from the final some tweaking was needed. Once again, having Murray bridge the Muckler and Mucklerless era's is going to help the organization avoid the "Ballardization" of this team.

Yes... his package gives me nightmares too.

I know what I'm doing friday now! Thank you, THANK YOU, stranger!