Lightning have caught fire
Tampa Bay, here we come. The Stanley Cup finals are set, and so is my annual get-out-of-the-house trip. I cherish my job at ESPN because I don't travel, but it is nice to get out for an extended time to see the country (or two), meet you (the fan), and feel the spirit of hockey, even in 84 percent humidity. What follows are the top 10 things I'm looking forward to the next week or two:
1. I want to see how pink John Gruden's face is in person after six hours of fishing the day of Game 1. John Tortorella tans well. Gruden looks like John "Furnace Face" Anderson after a 90-second shift with the Hartford Whalers.
| SHOT OF THE WEEK |
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Every week, we will present an NHL photo and I'll provide a caption. E-mail me your suggestions (include your name and hometown/state) and next week we will use the best ones and provide a new photo. LAST WEEK: Robert Esche looking for Martin St. Louis.  "Hmm, I think that little camera that's in the ice should be right about here." -- Joe Kalteich, Battle Ground, Wash. "This happens every single time I forget my cup!!!" -- Andy Twillman, St. Charles, Mo. "Ewwww!!! Is that what I think it is???" -- Drew, Queens, N.Y. "... 98, 99, 100. Ready or not, here I come!" -- Adam Unruh, Portland, Ore. "Do you know what's underneath this ice? String cheese!" -- Doug Wicinski, Rockville, Md. "I get it, very funny guys, the old Crazy Glue on the goalie mask trick, now will somebody help me over here?" -- Jeff Jonas, Clifton, N.J. "Look! There's fish swimming under the ice!" -- Kevin Teh, San Jose, Calif. Robert Esche doing his Claude Lemieux imitation. -- Gregg Kitagawa |
3. If the Flames win the Cup, it's coming to Connecticut. Calgary's Chris Clark says he'll take it back to South Windsor, where I now live. In my first TV job, my boss's dad was Hall of Fame broadcaster Fred Cusick. My next TV job was in Providence, R.I., and while I was working there, Chris Terreri brought the Cup to Little Rhody after the Devils won it in 1995. Now at my third TV job, the Cup may make it into my kitchen. Great hockey people and things keep following me, Barry Melrose excluded.
4. I am not looking forward to seeing Ville Nieminen. The man has the largest mouth in the world. It's frightening. I'm afraid he could easily eat my entire 9 5/8 size head and Texas Rangers outfielder Kevin Mench's head -- in one gulp. He reminds me of The Joker.
5. I want to see that giant burst of flame in Calgary's corporately named arena that I refuse to name here. When I see it, I will break into Beavis screaming, "Fire!! Fire!! Fire!!" I will do this every time I see it, and if there is a Game 6, Jim Peplinski will appear and rabbit-punch me.
6. I want to deal with the seamless and joy-filled experience of going through customs.
7. I'd like to play a round of golf somewhere around Calgary. I've never golfed in a foreign country. If you don't count West Virginia.
8. I want to see the ferocity of Jarome Iginla in person. My eyes will spend most of the time watching him when he is on the ice. His mannerisms, his glare, his passion. I predict a Game 2 fight with Cory Sarich.
9. What will there be more of: Calgary power-play goals or hairs on Hulk Hogan's body?
10. The Lightning have arrived. They have single-digit draft picks, veteran leadership, personality, good coaching, goaltending and a loud home rink, and they're on a roll. I've picked them in each of their playoff series, over the Islanders, Canadiens, and Flyers. I'm not stopping here. Bolts in five, yo. Martin St. Louis gets the Conn Smythe, and Hulk Hogan will drink a protein shake from the Stanley Cup.
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No. 1: What is the significance of the World Cup?
Modano: If you had the chance to watch it eight years ago, when we beat Canada in the final, it was some of the best hockey I've ever seen. It compared to the Olympics in Salt Lake City. The level of talent and competition is unbelievable. And maybe we can draw more fans into it and recognize what a great game hockey is.
No. 2: It has been a sensational year for USA Hockey, winning the gold medal in the World Junior Championships and the bronze in the Worlds. Why the sudden success?
Modano: Just the growth of hockey in general. With expansion, we have cities that we thought would never have NHL teams. The growth of hockey in the United States is at a point we never thought it would get to.
No. 3: What's the biggest reason for that expansion?
Modano: You look back when Wayne Gretzky went to Los Angeles and played with the Kings; that changed hockey in the States. Now you have kids playing all over the place. Here in Texas, there are all kinds of teams. As a result, kids are growing up and going to college from cities we never thought possible a few years ago. It's great for the game.
No. 4: Why is the Canadian hockey player more willing to play for his country than a player from the U.S.?
Modano: Hockey in Canada is a religion. Here in the States, we grow up playing baseball, or football, and hockey is our third or fourth sport growing up. Then we realize we are better in hockey. Canada has a different mentality. A lot of people (in the U.S.) are not going to know there is a World Cup going on, and that's unfortunate because it's one of the more exciting brands of hockey you are ever going to watch. Hopefully, we can promote it and push it and get that recognition and attention that Canada pays to it.
No. 5: How is the pending CBA battle affecting your summer preparation? Will it be difficult to prepare?
Modano: Not really. Personally, I'm going to prepare as if we are going to start the season. Obviously, with the World Cup, everything is being pushed up two or three weeks, so you're going to have to fast-forward things and start skating earlier, then hope and see what happens after the World Cup. We know the players are going to give a little and the owners are going to have to give a little. Hopefully, we can reach some middle ground where both sides are happy. With the way hockey is climbing and reaching its peak, you would hate to have any kind of layoff right now.
No. 6: Summer plans?
Modano: I've already gotten away a couple of times after the season. Now, I'll just hunker down and be home most of the summer.
No. 7: Compare this year's U.S. World Cup team to the last one.
Modano: Our team is experienced and a little older, but we are all familiar with one another. We've all played with each other at some point. We're all familiar with each other and how we play, and we have won before. Hopefully, the transition at World Cup won't be too long. We feel like we have a great team with lots of experience, and you can never have enough of that.
No. 8: Compare Canada's team now and then.
Modano: It's a little bit different. You see the up-and-coming class from Canada. You look at Jarome Iginla and Patrick Marleau and you see young players who are learning and realizing what it takes to succeed in the NHL. It's going to be a little different. Joe Sakic and Chris Pronger are still there, so there are still some staples of the Canadian teams, but it's definitely a new breed. Hopefully, it will end up USA and Canada, but it's always a great final.
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My sister is having a baby in October, and she and her fiancé cannot agree on a boy's name. I told her she should read your column and write to you because you are very good at picking names. Unfortunately, she has a job that does not allow her to spend her days goofing off on the Internet, so I am writing to you on her behalf. The baby's last name will be Bolton, and I expect him to be a big strong defenseman and a Bruins fan.
Thanks for your help,
Barbara Cisinski
Boston
Bobby Bolton is an awesome name, and it pays homage to No. 4 in New England. Everything good about hockey is embodied by Bobby Orr's smile and eyes. Forever youthful, forever vibrant, even with somber knees. Robert Raymond Bolton and call him Bobby. No. 77 gets in there, too.
Hi John!
What would it take for the NHL to make the goals bigger? I am glad that they put restrictions on the goalie equipment; those guys were beginning to look like mammoths out there. But seriously, a 41-goal scorer wins the Rocket Trophy ... and no one above 100 points? This is all wrong. Please take upon you this enormous quest. MAKE THE GOALS BIGGER!
Lots of love and respect,
Frank
This year's playoffs are on pace to be the lowest scoring since 1954. It is not going to get any better. I understand you can have great games that are low scoring, but the explosions in arenas after goals are scored are hockey's great adrenaline eruptions. There are fewer goals, and there are fewer beautiful goals.
John,
I'm jealous of your backyard rink stories. My 3-year-old boy and I want in. Being somewhat of a glutton for self-induced punishment, I'm wondering how nuts I am to try and build a backyard rink in Columbus, Ohio. Am I too far south? Is 70 feet by 35 feet too small of an area? Will my Jackets ever grow a set of you-know-whats and play with some heart?
Peace, out.
Douglas R. Knuth
70 by 35 is ample for a backyard rink. For a 3-year-old, it's a freakin' canal. I imagine you could get 10 to 20 skates if your backyard is shaded by trees. And I tell you one thing, I tell you this: All the hard work and cost is worth those 10-20 skates.
John,
According to GameSpot.com, EA Sports' NHL 2005 will include 39 teams from Swedish, German, and Finnish leagues. Finally, Podes is back!
Robin Fishbein
Chicago
No video game can ever replicate the uniqueness and humanity of Podes.
Dear John,
My girlfriend's name is Wendy Peace. She is a huge hockey fan, a tremendous hockey player, and a standout referee. During the winters, she teaches an ice hockey clinic for kids in Brooklyn's Prospect Park through the Brooklyn Blades Organization at some unfavorably early hour. I have been trying to get her to write you all year (but she's been too shy) because one of the kids in the clinic this year was named Cam Neely! Can you imagine? Teaching Cam how to play hockey!
Mathieu Weill
New York City
Hey John!
I was watching Maury today, and I discovered a new kind of mullet. He had short hair in back and long hair in front, like bangs. I was very shocked, but I thought of you right away so I decided to tell you about it.
Keep it real!
Beth
That was no mullet, Beth. That was the "Flock of Seagull."
Hey John,
This is perplexing. I saw the Flames win the West last night, and I never knew there were so many Flames fans in Edmonton of all places. I'm happy that a Canadian team will play for the Cup for once, but the Flames?! Is God teasing me? I can't cheer for the Flyers (too many big money players), and the Flames are my natural rivals. All I have left is the Lightning?! How did it come to this?! Do I go against all the Canadian brethren and root against the Flames? Has anything like this happened before? Why couldn't it have been the Canucks, or Montreal, or the Senators (I left out the Leafs for a reason, I hate them)? This is too weird! Help me!
German Villegas
Edmonton, Alberta
German, for one playoff series, Jim Peplinski and Charlie Huddy will join hands in provincial unity. The second the Stanley Cup finals are over, they shall beat each other like famished badgers.
Bucci --
Count one more Adirondack-area hockey fan who voted for the Mullet at adirondackhockey.com! Wouldn't that be fantastic if that actually came out on top when all the votes are tallied? Melrose would definitely get his 2K season-ticket challenge met!
Eric Hudson
Rotterdam, N.Y.
We shall overcome.
John Buccigross is the host of NHL 2Night, which airs on ESPN2. His e-mail address -- for questions, comments or cross-checks -- is john.buccigross@espn.com.
