Now that the Canucks are out of the playoffs, I have less urgency to complete this section. ;) But it's coming along! ... slowly...

To come:

• NHL hockey & my #16 trev linden "obsession"
• figure skating mumbo jumbo
• Olympics and thoughts on the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 bid
• tennis and my physical activity regimen... yet to be planned... =D

Stanley Cup, 2002

How come every single team I cheer for gets knocked out of the playoffs???? Am I some kind of curse????? Urggghh....

Darn darn darn... the Wings won after all, eh? I'm still bitter about their creaming the Canucks and everyone else in their path...

I thought cheering hard for the Wings would make them lose as did all the other teams I cheered for during the playoff run (hey, if you think about it, that means I cheered for every single playoff team once!). I even risked my dignity by leaning out the windows of my dad's pickup truck as we listened to the games on the radio and yelled "Goooooo Wings!" (I'm serious!). But still, I guess they knew what was in my heart, that I was rooting for the 'Canes inside. *Sigh*. I must be a big curse, eh? Haha...

Nonetheless, the Wings deserved to win (even though one of 'em bashed a 'Cane in the face during the 4th game). They played harder, they were more experienced, and they came through in the end. That's all that really counts, eh? Oh well...

Okay, certain teams definitely possess better stats and levels of experience than others, but when it comes to winning 16 at the end of the year, I believe it's anyone's game. A lot depends on chance and skill at that one particular time of the year -- and not on how the team did during the regular season.

I cheer Canadian first (I... am.... CANADIAN), then the underdog second. Why? I'm weird. =D Heck, all teams who make the playoffs deserve a crack at the Cup and all the glory, not just the favorites. They also all deserve lots of fan support, even the poorest ones and I like to watch 'em push the ol' Cup veterans to their limits. Hehheh...

GO CANADA!!!!!!!!

Here's to:

• our golden kick-ass hockey players (esp. hometown hotties Paul Kariya and Joe Sakic!), male and female, who gave us an excuse to honk our horns at sunny 2PM in the afternoon in total sobriety
• Jamie Salé and David Pelletier who demonstrated true talent, grace, and Canadian integrity before, during, and after their tear-jerker of a performance
• Marc Gagnon, Le May Doan and all the other speedsters who showed us that ice can be slippery, but that we can also be so damn fast
• Kelly Law, Kevin Martin, and their teams for showing that curling ain't just about "men [and women] with brooms"
• Elvis Stojko who always keeps on going and keeps on being himself, and never gives in to the opinions of those who just don't understand
• Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kratz who skate for themselves and Canada, and not for the approval of 'em biased, blind, sleazy judges
• all the athletes who came in 4th, who pushed the medalists to their limits (whether they knew it or not) and who accepted their near-misses with pure Canadian integrity
• ALL the men and women of TEAM CANADA, who gave us a reason to cheer, be proud, and shed our reputation as the goody-goody, meek, pushover nation -- Y'ALL ROCK!!!