They Won One for Rico

- It was a tough day in Sabreland. The news of Rick Martin’s passing weighed heavy in many fan’s hearts. I know that those fans who got to see Martin play are really feeling the loss, but since Martin had been an active member of the Buffalo community, the loss is really felt by all hockey fans and Buffalonians tonight.

- The stick raise by the players at the end of tonight’s game was an incredibly classy gesture. Kudos to whomever organized that opportunity. (I’ll admit to being completely clueless that something was going to happen, even as I saw Miller skating out to the postgame snuggle huddle carrying a stick. I just thought Miller was carrying his equipment so someone else didn’t have to.)

- The Sabres handled a difficult situation as well as any organization could have. The Buffalo News confirmed the story about two hours and twenty five minutes before puck drop this afternoon. When you consider that in this time frame the team managed to print helmet stickers, coordinate a press conference starting an hour before puck drop and then update their website with a memorial splash page within a few minutes of puck drop, their PR/web/broadcast departments definitely get an A for effort and execution. Well done, team. Well done.

And hey, reclaiming seventh place in the playoff race isn’t too bad either.

Special Guest Stars

The Sabres were visited by former POTUS Bill Clinton before the game last night.

Good grief…are Crunchy’s legs skinny. And are those backless sneakers he’s wearing? I can’t tell. Though they do look like they’d be cute with jeans.

I also like how he and Lalime have spread their gear out on the floor. It’s like they’re claiming their turf.

And seriously, do we need another useless crap promotion from the Sabres? Mini pucks?  Seriously? They’re going to be like the size of pepperoni, right? Totally not worth the price the Sabres/Tops are asking for them.

On the Catwalk

I sincerely hope this link works.

Ryan Miller officially announces the 2nd Annual Catwalk for Charity to be held next month. Among the highlights of the press conference…

- The players will again be serving as models. Miller remarked that last year’s event was the loosest and most normal that he’s ever seen some of his teammates. I wonder if Drury was included in that list, since he looked the most uncomfortable up there.

- Staffy will have his very own Guitar Hero station set-up where attendees can come and challenge him in Guitar Hero.

Warming up for Guitar Hero with the BPO.

- Miller also announced that fans can buy his Winter Classic sockey hat at The Refinery’s website. If you have not watched the video, it also comes complete with a demonstration of how to wear the hat, and the outright statement that it is nothing more than a hockey sock converted into a hat. You too can own one of these babies for $39. (I hear sockey hat, and it reminds me of sock monkey. Could you imagine a sock monkey made out of one of those things? That would rock.)

And also….Miller has his own website where – hang onto your hollyhocks here – he will be blogging. Does this mean we have to behave now that he’s entered cyberspace? Check it out at http://millertime30.com/default.htm

We Remember

Moving away from hockey for a moment, today is Veterans Day (or Remembrance Day for our friends across the border). Today is a day to honor and remember the sacrifices made by soldiers in times of war (and times of peace),  including those that made the ultimate sacrifice. One of the most famous Canadian poems about this day is called “In Flanders Fields”

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae

(Thanks, Wikipedia)

And thank you to our brave men and women who have served their country.

Maybe He Really Is Superman?

I had a wonderful post compiled about Sid, pants and cabooses, but needed to shelve it for awhile because of the below.

Former F-1 and CART World Champion Alex Zanardi competed in the NYC Marathon today. Nothing spectacular about that, right? Just one world class athlete competing in another athletic event, albeit one with a slightly different training regimen involved. Not so much in this case. Six years ago this past September, Zanardi lost both of his legs in a wreck during a race in Germany.

(While still a horrible image, this one is one of the less-graphic ones out there. The Youtube video is even worse) .

Anyways, after a long rehabilitation process (excellently chronicled in his book “My Sweetest Victory”) Zanardi was able to live a normal life with his wife and son. He even was able to get back into sports car racing, using a car specially formulated with hand – instead of foot – pedals.

Zanardi only started training for the NYC Marathon three weeks ago. He entered the handcycle division on a dare, to prove to one of his personal sponsors that he could do it. Three weeks to train the  body to pedal with the arms for 26.2 miles. (I’m sorry, I don’t think I would be able to walk 26.2 miles after training for three weeks, let alone pedal with my arms). And, he ended up finishing fourth in the division, completing the race in 1:33 and change.

I had always admired Zanardi’s strength and determination in rebounding from his accident, but now, this man has cemented his place as one of my heroes.