Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Thanks for reading.

Photo courtesy of Jason Villanueva/Houston Aeros

About That Lack of Posting

Excuse the lack of posting today. I am sick. If I worked as a sports PR flack, I would say that I'm suffering from flu-like symptoms. I would also throw in a bit of vertigo.

Comedy Is Not Pretty: The Consistenly Inconsistent Aeros Lose Again

The Houston Aeros were cruising. They were up 2-1 on the Lake Erie Monsters in the third period, and the crowd of 7,462 was loud and screaming. The Aeros were attacking the net, and Lake Erie was playing like it was the team that was playing its fourth game in five nights. And at 9:28 of the third, Lake Erie’s Tom Fritsche went to the penalty box for holding, and it looked like the Aeros were about to ice the game.

That’s when Maxim Noreau fired a shot toward the Lake Erie goal. A shot that clanged off the post about 20 seconds into the power play. And just like that, one could sense a change of momentum. A change that was confirmed about one minute later when Lake Erie’s Philippe Dupuis got off on the breakaway and got the short-handed goal to tie the game.

Game over.

“We kind of set back,” Tomas Mojzis said. “Then they got a couple of bounces that went in quick, and we didn’t bounce back.”

“That was the game right there,” Noreau said. “Three to one and we put them away.”

But the puck didn’t go in for Noreau. It didn’t go to three to one. It went to two-two. And 1:59 later, Lake Erie was up 4-2 on their way to the 6-2 win, helped in part by the team setting back, and helped in more part by Barry Brust allowing five soft goals.

“Our biggest problem right now,” Noreau said, “is we’re a team that can come back from a deficit…we’re not afraid. But we have trouble holding leads. We can’t put teams away.”

Coach Kevin Constantine agreed with everything Noreau said, but he summed it up best: “We played a game tonight that we could’ve, should’ve won.”

Could’ve. Should’ve. But didn’t.

MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

This was the last Aeros home game until Friday, January 16, 2009. They are now in a stretch that will find them playing eight games in seven states in 12 days, starting tomorrow night (New Year's Eve) in Worcester, MA against the Sharks. The Aeros will then spend New Year's Eve on a bus as they leave the Worcester arena and head straight to Binghamton, NY for a New Year's Day game. Then they bus directly to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a Saturday night game, then go to Providence, RI for a game against the Bruins on Sunday.

After that, the Aeros get a two day break, then take on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in Bridgeport, CT on Wednesday, then head to Hershey, PA for a Friday game with the Bears, then fly to Quad City via Chicago for a Saturday game with the Flame before busing back to Chicago for a Sunday afternoon game with the Chicago Wolves.

Eight games. Seven states. Twelve days. Over 5,000 miles.

*******************
And the Aeros will be handling those eight games in a state of injury and disarray. The Wild have been falling apart, so there's no telling who will be called up next. Plus Clayton Stoner, Morten Madsen, John Lammers, and Marco Rosa are injured -- Rosa is travelling with the team and should be able to play this week, but Stoner, Madsen, and Lammers are staying in Houston.

Stoner has a wrist problem, Madsen has a lower body injury -- I know what the injury is but I promised to keep that off-the-record -- and Lammers is suffering from an upper body injury. Rosa was injured in Sunday's victory over Peoria.

*******************
Speaking of the Minnesota Wild and injuries and call-ups, let me tell you of the sad story of John Scott.

Due to a family emergency, Wild defenseman Kim Johnsson did not travel with the team to Calgary for Monday night's game. The Wild put in a call for John Scott to join the team -- and since the Wild had only five defensemen, Scott would have been playing.

Due to weather, snow, and general delays, Scott missed his connection in Minneapolis that would have gotten him to Calgary. And because of the weather, they could not get him on a flight to Calgary that would get him there in time for the game. So he was sent on to Houston to rejoin the Aeros. Overall, he spent 13 hours in the Minneapolis airport on Monday.

"It would have been my first NHL game," a disappointed Scott said.

"We were just so, so sad for John," Constantine said. "It was just silly and sad that he didn’t get his chance."

And I just want to say that I think Scott is a great guy, and talking to him, I was just as disappointed as he was. I hope that he gets another chance.

And speaking of chances, this is something I may get into in another blog post, but Constantine said that this road trip would be a great opportunity for the players as, with the way the Wild are playing, there's no telling how many of them might soon be getting a chance to prove their worth in the big time.

*****************
When Maxim Noreau's shot bounced off of the pipes on that third period power play, the Chron's Andrew Ferraro looked at me and said to write this down: "Noreau's shot hitting the post at 20 seconds into the power play will be the game's turning point." And as I was finishing with the jotting down of the statement, the Monsters scored to tie the game.

Ferraro is becoming eerily accurate with his predictions. I'm thinking of asking him to pick the lotto numbers for me the next time the lotto gets up to a nice big number.

And speaking of Ferraro, he checked with the AHL PR types regarding the Aeros comeback in Peoria on Sunday. The PR flacks could find no evidence to contradict the assertion, so Ferraro is now claiming that the Aeros scoring three goals in the final 2:36 to send the game into overtime is an AHL record.

My Texans Nightmare

Oh please don't let this conversation be happening...

"Hey, Mike. It's me, Gary. I'm sure I can find a spot for you here in Houston. You can be Matt's guru. Just like you were with John and Steve."

And if it does, let's hope that Mike Shanahan decides to go coach elsewhere now that he's out of work.

In The They Still Play This Game Category...

The news coming out today/yesterday is that, starting the next season, the NFL is moving the Pro Bowl game out of Hawaii and moving it to the city of the Super Bowl, with the game to be played the Sunday before the Super Bowl.

My first reaction is what, they still play this game? I haven't watched this game since I was a kid, way back in the mid/late-70s. Then I got the feeling that nobody cared about the game -- which was reinforced by the number of stars who suddenly developed injuries that would keep them from playing.

This is supposedly the reason the game was moved to Hawaii in the first place -- who can turn down a free trip to Hawaii, right? Well, apparently, the players took the NFL up on the free trip, then developed an injury and wouldn't play. Next year's game will be in Miami, so I can see players showing up there for the weather, the parties, and the beach. But after that, there are games in Arlington, TX -- maybe they can open Six Flags for the week, and I hear that they have a lot of nude and topless clubs in Arlington -- and then the game is scheduled for the hot spot that is Indianapolis.

Further, players from the Super Bowl teams won't play in the Pro Bowl because of the injury risk, so there's the chance that the best players in the league -- well those who aren't faking an injury -- won't be playing because they've got a more important game to worry about.

And do you know what? I'm wasting way too much space on this. No one cares. Not the players. Not the fans. Just end the thing and put it out of our misery. Now, if they wanted to have a Pro Bowl game of NFL cheerleaders that would be a different story. That I might watch -- though, now that I think about it, isn't this the idea behind the Lingerie Football League?

Aeros Roster Move

I missed this, so thanks to the Chron's Andrew Ferraro. But along with recalling defenseman John Adams yesterday, the Aeros have added another center to the roster, Daryl Smith from the CHL's Laredo Bucks.

I'm guessing this means that Morten Madsen might be missing a few more games. The forward lines have been a bit thin with Krys Kolanos up in Minnesota and injuries to Morten Madsen and John Lammers.

I'm not sure about what is going on with John Scott, however. Michael Russo mentioned yesterday that the Wild had tried to get him to Calgary for last night's game when they were short on defenseman, but he missed the connecting flight in Minneapolis/St. Paul. However, the Aeros transaction list mentions nothing regarding Scott, so I'm not sure if Scott is on his way back to Houston, or if the Wild are still contemplating a move, but will wait until there next game.

Your (Not So) Daily Snark

Bush never recovered from Katrina, former aides say.

That's okay, New Orleans and Mississippi never recovered from Katrina, either.

Benny and the Wild

I think this line from Minnesota Wild beat reporter Michael Russo sums up all there is to know about Wild forward (and former Aero flop) Benoit Pouliot: "Benoit Pouliot gets a breakaway and the puck winds up behind him! That sums it all up."

Now, I didn't see the game, but I'm sure the pass was behind him, and he couldn't get to it. But as one who saw Benny attempt many a breakaway here in Houston, all that I can say is that, even if the pass would have been perfect, he would have missed the shot. He would have tried to go wide and the shot would have been nowhere near the net. Or he would have let a defender catch him and push him away, forcing him to take a weak fade away shot. Or he would have attempted to fake out the goalie, and would have just ended up faking out himself.

I know there are some Wild fans who like Benny, and who think the problem is the Wild coach, or the Wild management, or the guys he plays with. But as one who saw him fail on many an AHL breakaway opportunity, where he was the most talented guy on the ice, and none of his teammates were part of the equation, the problem is Benny.

UPDATED: Aeros Roster Move

I just noticed that the Houston Aeros have recalled defenseman John Adams up from the Corpus Christi IceRays, which leads me to believe that defenseman Clayton Stoner, who injured his wrist in a fight last week, might be out for a few more games.

What's also interesting is that, even without Stoner, the Aeros were dressing seven defenseman every night and playing Mitch "Feel The" Love up at forward. But seeing as how the Minnesota Wild are supposedly only suiting up five defenseman tonight because of a family emergency involving Kim Johnsson, I can't help but wonder if, despite the claim the Aeros can't get anyone to Calgary in time because of travel, that the Aeros are, in fact, having one of their blue liners called up to Minnesota.

If so, I'd say that Maxim Noreau best deserves the shot, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Wild give Tomas Mojzis another shot at proving he can't make it in the NHL.

UPDATED: Apparently the Wild have called John Scott up to the team, but Scott missed his connection in Minneapolis and can't make it to Calgary in time for the game -- it also appears that because of the Aeros traveling from Peoria to Houston today that nobody else can make it to Calgary in time for tonight's Wild/Flames game. But it appears that Adams is replacing Scott on the roster.

Shut Up Already!

Okay, I think that anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis has come to the conclusion that I'm one of those pinko-liberal communists who wants to abolish the death penalty and, after actually having read the Second Amendment, believes that it is constitutional to regulate guns. And I ain't going to argue with that because it's pretty damn correct.

But...

If anyone deserves the death penalty, it's morons who talk during movies. You know who I'm talking about. That jackass who gets on his phone and starts yakking at full volume with his best friend about some party in three hours and who won't shut up when he's asked. This also includes the moron who can't figure out the plot of the movie because (s)he's been too damn busy chatting with their friend in the next seat about why they can't understand the plot because they've been too busy talking.

So if I lived in Philadelphia, and if I got put on the jury for this case, in which a filmgoer shot another patron because the guy wouldn't shut up, after being repeatedly asked, I'd be voting not guilty and I'd be trying to find some damn way to bring the asshole talker up on charges.

Is The NFL Network Really At Fault?

This is from Friday's Houston Chronicle, but I just got around to reading it today, which is probably a good thing because it would've put me in a bad mood over the weekend.

Towards the end of this David Barron media column, he chastises the NFL Network for not making tomorrow night's Texas Bowl, featuring Rice versus Western Michigan, available on one of Houston's local, over-the-air stations. And in some ways, this is a valid complaint, especially in that the NFL Network made the game available to an over-the-air station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is Western Michigan's home TV market.

Barron omits some important items, however. Like, did the NFL Network make the game available to a Houston TV station? If so, what did the NFL Network demand, money wise, from the Houston stations? There are no comments, no quotes, no statements from the NFL Network or from any general manager/programming director/sports director at any of the Houston TV stations.

So, we don't know all of the facts. Barron doesn't like the NFL Network, and he doesn't like that the Network is not available throughout much of the country -- he doesn't say that in this column, but he's written this in the past. So it's likely there is some bias in his writing. And it's quite possible that this is all the fault of the NFL Network. But the support for this contention isn't there. It's quite possible that all of Houston's TV stations thought this game just wasn't worth the cost.

But I've got the NFL Network, so I don't really care. Not that I'll be watching the game. I'll be at Toyota Center watching the Houston Aeros. I'd just like for all of the facts to be put out in the story.

Airing of The Grievances

Oh. My. Fucking. God. I've got the radio on the Aeros' flagship radio station, which, when it's not broadcasting the Aeros, broadcasts fourth-rate right wing nutjob radio.

And in 10 minutes I learned that the Obama is engaged in a cover up that is even more massive than Watergate and Whitewater (which as history shows us, wasn't really a cover up because there was nothing to cover up) involving his involvement with the Chicago governor. After all, the thinking goes, if Obama was innocent, then they would have released all of the transcripts and notes of their conversations with the governor regarding Obama's senate seat -- never mind that the US Attorney requested they not do so in order to not interfere with his investigation.

I also learned that the media is in the tank for Obama, after having spent the last eight years trying to bring down Bush -- really, where do people this stupid come from, and how do they get radio shows.

Once again, this amazes me. There are four all-sports stations in Houston. Surely the Aeros should be able to find one of these stations up to airing their games. After all, if the Dynamo and Comets could have outlets on all-sports stations, then surely the Aeros deserve it.

Maybe someone with the Aeros should get up off of their asses and try to get their games on a legit sports station.

Feel The Love, Man

File photo of Mitch Love courtesy of Fred Trask.

My favorite Aero on last year's team was Cal Clutterbuck. I thought he brought an energy and physical presence to the team that helped get the rest of the guys into the game.

I don't really recall Cal getting into many fights last year, but I do recall knowing that a game had really begun when I heard the loud bang of Clutterbuck banging some guy into the boards. And Cal was really good at getting under the skin of the opposition, and making them more concerned about him than they were the game.

And Cal seems to be providing this touch to the big boy Wild this season. Which means that this energy presence has been missing from the Aeros.

Now the Aeros have a lot of problems this year -- an inconsistent offensive performance despite the full-time additions of Corey Locke and Jesse Schultz and part-time presence of Krys Kolanos being the primary problem.

But to me, the primary problem has been that, often, the team seems sluggish, and kind of slow to get out of the gate. Last season, Cal Clutterbuck would have solved this by sending some guy into the stands on a check. But I have noticed a bit of a change lately.

Mitch Love didn't get a lot of playing time to start the season, but lately, the defensemen has been getting a lot of time up front playing in one of the wing spots. Now despite his goal last night, Love is never going to be an offensive force. But he likes to hit people, and it doesn't matter if he does so on a check, or with his fists.

It's fun watching Love get into a fight because from my spot at the press table, it appears that Love, unlike John Scott, actually likes fighting. And his fights aren't a bunch of dancing around grabbing at jerseys, his fights always involve lots of punches. And like Clutterbuck's hits would wake up the team and the crowd, Love's fights seem to bring some life to his teammates, and to the crowd -- and though it's not something you could do in the NHL, it is fun watching Love skate to the penalty box after a fight with his arms raised and his hands motioning to the crowd for applause and appreciation.

I haven't had the chance to talk to Mitch Love yet this season, but I'm thinking that it's something I'm going to have to do pretty soon.

That's all, people. I just wanted to share the love.

Deep Thoughts: The Late Lamented Sports Night

So I'm taking my Saturday night and I'm watching my Christmas present, which is the new edition of the "Sports Night" DVD set. And once again I am amazed by just how good this show was, and I'm pissed yet again that it could never find an audience.

It was well written, very literate, and the acting was top-notch.

It also makes me remember back to the days when SportsCenter was a good show more concerned with sports and guys like Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick wrote great copy instead of one-liners.

And watching this show set within a show, I can't help but wonder about just how it was that Aaron Sorkin -- the brains behind "Sports Night" -- could have so badly screwed up with "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip," another show within a show. "Studio 60" also had the network backing that "Sports Night" never had.

And I have noticed that "According to Jim" is back with new episodes on ABC, the network that got rid of "Sports Night." And I really wish someone could explain to me how it is that "According to Jim" is still on the damn air.

How can funny and smart and witty and literate fail so badly on TV, while the painfully unfunny won't die. I guess that also explains how Chris Berman and Stuart Scott are still big shots over at ESPN -- I think it also explains the thinking behind the plethora of sports programming on Fox Sports.

But I'll get off of my soapbox. Just watch the "Sports Night" DVDs if you get the chance.

Video Jukebox: The Pretenders, "Boots of Chinese Plastic."

I can't believe I just heard this song, but...I heard it on Christmas Eve while at my brother's house. They have some channel that allows you to pick music videos to watch, and I convinced my brother and sister-in-law to let me watch this.

They only let me watch about minute before switching it to another video because they hated it. I think "Boots of Chinese Plastic" off of their new album is fantastic -- I haven't heard Chrissie Hynde and the boys (an ever-changing back-up band) rock this hard in decades.

So, what's your opinion? Here's the video for the song:



And for what it's worth, my sister-in-law thinks Bon Jovi is one of the greatest bands ever, and my brother thinks Tommy Lee is the greatest drummer ever. So I think their opinion can be pretty much discounted.

Deep Thoughts: Sex Sells

I was catching up on my reading over at Instigator Alley, the Aeros fan website. And I noticed that someone was upset with the Aeros for holding their annual Miss Aeros bikini contest last night -- the night after Christmas.

(For the record, I'm a bit upset as well. Last year, I got a good month's notice, and the Aeros sent me photos of the contestants in bikinis -- like this photo of Britany, who won last year -- but this year they gave me no notice and sent me no photos. Also, Mr. Fred is on vacation in Florida and he wasn't on ice to take lots and lots of photos like he did last year -- damn you and your misplaced priorities, Fred.)

People upset about this kind of stuff always amuse me because their complaints are always misplaced. I never hear or read complaints about the Lady Dynamics who wear skin tight uniforms (and some of those young ladies who, while attractive, really shouldn't be wearing skintight uniforms) and who greet fans at the gate as they come in and dance throughout the stands. Those women are their selling sex. That's what the Ms. Aeros bikini contest does, it sells sex. A bit more overtly, sure, but it's nothing that the Aeros -- or most every other sports team -- don't do every night.

The Rockets and the Texans sure sell sex with their cheerleaders, and the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders are hidden behind one of those web pages warns you that you are clicking onto adult content. Not that any of that really deals with my topic at hand; I just wanted to link to those pages.

But while the women were wearing really skimpy bikinis that were straining to contain some of the more obvious of the young ladies, I don't see how this is so objectionable. Sure, I'm a guy, but I have young nieces. There's nothing obscene here. It's not like the Aeros play songs with objectionable lyrics when the young ladies come out -- they only do that when there's a call they don't like and they play a song that encourages the fans to shout "bullshit" -- I never read any complaints about the playing of that damn song, nor did I read any complaints about the Aeros playing the unedited version of "Man In The Box" last year when an opposing player was sent to the box last season -- I commented on it often over at the mothership, but I rather enjoyed it.

And it's always amazed me about this country that people scream about how evil women in bikinis are while cheering on the attempted beheading of opposing players. Why is sex so bad, but violence so good?

I've never gotten that.

But what the hell. I don't really care. I'm just posting on this so that I can paste up that photo of Britany in her bikini. And I do it for the same reason the Aeros hold the contest every year. Sex sells, and I know this because, every year the Aeros have one of their biggest crowds whenever the babes in the bikinis show up on the ice.

And my only complaints are the Aeros didn't send me any photos this year and Mr. Fred wasn't around to take any photos for me.

Little Miss Plotter

This little devil is my niece Rachel. Sure, she looks all nice and innocent. But trust me, behind those eyes she's planning just the perfect way to get her Uncle John in trouble. And if she can't get her Uncle John in trouble, then her brother Zach will suffice.

My niece Hannah was a little sick over Christmas -- ear infection -- and she decided to spend most of the time in bed. So I don't have a lot of photos from Christmas to share.

But I thought I would let everyone get a look at Rachel. And rest assured, she's plotting something, and it's all going to be my fault.

I just know it.

Rampaging Through The Aeros: Aeros Lose to San Antonio 5-3

“It’s a game you don’t know how to predict,” Kevin Constantine said outside the locker room after Friday’s 5-3 loss to the San Antonio Rampage. “The predictability is that it’s impossible to predict.”

Yet from the start of the game, there was a predictable feel to the game. The Aeros came out for the game slow and sluggish, as if they had a bit too much Christmas turkey, ham, stuffing, and pies. And it was predictable in that, at the 7:56 mark of the first period, the Aeros were down 2-0 to the last place San Antonio Rampage, but it was the Aeros who were skating like the last place team.

Coming into the game, the Rampage had failed to win a game on the road all season. But coming into the game, the Rampage were 7-3-0-0 for their last ten games. Coming into the game, the Aeros hadn’t lost a game in regulation play since way back on December 2 against Manitoba. Then again, despite having earned a point in nine straight games, it could easily be said that the Aeros have been struggling.

So perhaps, despite Constantine’s statement, it was predictable that the Rampage’s first road victory of the season would come against the Aeros.

If I could pinpoint the loss on any one thing, I would pinpoint on the entire team. Barry Brust got the start and allowed the first two shots he faced to go into the net – the two goals came within 30 seconds of each other at 7:26 and 7:56 of the first. Nolan Schaefer came in and bailed the team out.

For the first period. Then he allowed the first two shots he faced in the second period to go into the goal within 20 seconds at 11:44 and 12:04 – two power play goals thanks to a Jesse Schultz double-minor for high-sticking. Barry Brust then came back into the game and allowed another goal at 17:49 of the second.

Sure, it’s easy to blame the goalies, but the offense seemed out of sync the entire game, and despite having numerous good opportunities, there were multiple players who just looked like they weren’t in the mood for pulling the trigger.

There were numerous stupid penalties, and the defense constantly put Brust and Schaefer in bad situations – despite allowing five goals, both guys made some really good saves to keep the game from getting further out of hand.

But worse, as far as I’m concerned, the team just appeared to be out of it. Mitch Love tried to breathe some life into his teammates and the crowd of 8,372 when he and San Antonio’s Adam Keefe got into a rather entertaining fight at 14:35 of the first. But his teammates failed to respond. Then Corey Locke scored on the power play in the second to make the score 2-1, to which San Antonio responded with three unanswered goals.

And while Constantine felt the game was unpredictable, the game was ultimately predictable in that, as has become their wont, the Aeros took the first two periods off, made a big push in the third period, but fell short when it counted.

But to any Houston Texans fan, this game was predictable in that the Aeros, just like the Texans, played down to the level of the competition.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

Kevin Constantine couldn't predict what would happen before the game, but my colleague Andrew Ferraro sat down at the press table just before the game, circled San Antonio's road record on the stat sheet, and said the Rampage would win the game.

And Constantine couldn't predict what would happen before the game, but when Tomas Mojzis went off the ice for his hooking penalty at 6:12 of the first period, I said that the Rampage would score on their first shot of the power play. Which they did at 7:26.

My point? I don't know, but I just wanted to point those things out.

******************
The Aeros had been perfect against the West Division coming into this game. So I guess then, that it's predictable the Aeros first West Division loss would be to the division's worst team. Still, the Aeros are 10-1-1-2 against their fellow West Division teams this season, and the key to their making the playoffs is keeping up their domination against these teams. The loss also put an end to the Aeros nine game point streak (5-0-0-4) which was the longest point streak in the AHL.

And despite the loss, the Aeros, with a record of 15-11-1-5, remain in fourth place of the West Division, only three points behind division leaders Milwaukee and Peoria.

*****************
If there was a star of the game for the Aeros, it was Jesse Schultz. Schultz got two third period goals to keep the Aeros in the game, and his power play goal at 7:22 was spectacular. With San Antonio's Sean Sullivan draped all over him and pushing him from the net, Schultz was able to whip his stick and puck around Sullivan and past San Antonio's Josh Tordjman and into the net.

But if there was anybody who was taking the blame for losing the game, it was also Jesse Schultz who put the team in the hole in the second period with his double-minor. "We battled hard, and we got back in it," Schultz said. "Then I took a bad penalty – totally undisciplined with my stick. You can’t do that. That put us down four minutes. They got two quick goals."

Two quick goals which could have meant the difference between a 5-3 loss and a game going to overtime.

*****************
Ryan Hamilton and Bryan Lundbohm returned to the ice for the first time in nine games -- and Ryan Hamilton, at several times, looked like he was on the verge of missing nine more games. But to make up for the return of Hamilton and Lundbohm, Clayton Stoner sat out due to an undisclosed "upper body injury." The PR guys were unaware of the injury, but before the game, I saw Stoner in the press dining room with his right wrist in a soft cast, and he was talking to one of the trainers about fixing the position of the cast so that he could hold his stick.

Morten Madsen and Matt Kassian were also scratched, and while I think Kassian was a healthy scratch, I did, after the game, overhear Madsen talking about his ankle feeling funny when he pushes off.

****************
The Aeros play on Saturday night in Quad Cities, then in Peoria on Sunday, return to Houston for a game against Lake Erie on Tuesday, then play in Quad Cities on New Year's Eve before heading to New York State and a game with Binghamton on Friday night, then to Pennsylvania for a battle with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, then onto Providence, Rhode Island to play the Bruins on Sunday.

And for those of you who want photos of the Bikini Contest, well, Fred Trask decided that it was more important to go on vacation to Florida with his family than it was to stick around for the girls in ice on bikinis. So it's all his fault.

It's Santa Time

Happy Holidays, everyone. I want to thank all of you for reading me these past few months. And I just want to remind everyone that I take comments and requests.

I'm out of town for the Holidays, so this is my last post until Friday night, when I do my Aeros postgame wrap up.

But to keep you in the Christmas spirit, here's The Boss.

Very Disappointing

Today I finally got the chance to watch the new, live morning SportsCenter, the one supposedly starring Hannah Storm and her new sexy clothes, and there's no Hannah Storm.

How big a bummer is that?

Seriously.

Reason Number 13,492 That The Houston Chronicle Sucks

For those of you who actually wonder about why I dislike the Houston Chronicle so much, there's today's Richard Justice column, in which he tells us that the Aaron Boone signing is a great deal because Boone is a great character guy.

Boone wasn't signed for a lot of money. And he's replacing Ty Wigginton who I didn't like anyway. But don't tell me that it's a great deal because he's a great character guy. Especially since the guy hasn't had a productive season in about four years. Especially since he's coming off a knee injury. And especially since several of the examples you use to prove his character refer to him being a crappy player.

Video Jukebox: Can't Stand Losing You

I've been watching the Christmas gift I bought myself -- "The Police: Certifiable" -- which is a DVD of one of their reunion concerts. And as I was watching, I got to thinking, like I did while hitting their concerts twice on the reunion, that they sang some of the darkest hits ever about prostitutes, pedophilia, stalking, loneliness, etc.

And don't forget suicide:

"I guess this is our last goodbye
And you don't care, so I won't cry
But you'll be sorry when I'm dead
And this guilt will be on your head
I guess you'd call it suicide
But I'm too full to swallow my pride."

So, here's The Police, nearly 30 years ago, performing "Can't Stand Losing You."

Shocking Hockey News

Okay Houston Aeros fans, here's a shocking note from Michael Russo: Benoit Pouliot has been benched because of crappy play. The Wild think that he has been slacking off, and not giving it a full effort.

They also think he's too talented to play like this.

Guess what? Us Aeros fans have thought that for years. How many of you Aeros fans out there remember Benoit -- or Princess as one of my readers referred to him -- getting open for a breakaway, then slowing down and wiffing on a shot? Or his stellar non-play on the defensive end? Or the whining about how he was being wasted in Houston because Kevin Constantine didn't know how to use him and because there wasn't good talent around him, but that once he made the NHL he would become a great player?

Now, in my opinion, scratching Pouliot from a game probably won't get through to him -- I really don't know if anything can get through to him at this point. But if I were the coach, I'd have Cal Clutterbuck go after him time and time again in practice until he started hustling. And if getting hit by Clutterbuck doesn't make a guy want to hustle, then there's just no hope for the guy.

Some Deep Travel Thoughts

I've been doing some more of that travelling stuff, and I'm back with another of the hundreds of thousands of reasons that the Houston airports suck -- reason number one being that one is named after Daddy Bush.

But here's the thing. I flew back into Houston last night. Late last night. And here's the thing, if an airport has flights scheduled to depart and arrive late into the night, then the shops, stores, and food places should be open. I'm now talking about staying open for flights that are late, but damn it, if there are flights that are regularly scheduled to depart at 11:00 pm, and flights that are regularly scheduled to arrive at 11:00 pm, then everything in the airport should be open until at least midnight.

Call me crazy, but the passengers on those flights should have the same rights to overpriced airport crap as everyone else.

Oh, and that is also true regarding the morning. If flights are regularly scheduled to depart the airport or arrive at the airport around 6:00 am, then everything should be opened as well.

Shooting the Shootout

Just a brief little post to note that the Aeros defeated Rockford last night. This is of note because, the Aeros won the game in the shootout, which is their first shootout victory of the season -- Nolan Schaefer got the start and he was in the pipes for his second straight shootout. Also of note is that the Aeros have yet to lose a West Division game this season.

Hannah Causing A Storm

So, does anybody know what's getting into Hannah Storm? I don't remember her dressing like this while on CNN, NBC, or CBS?

Or is this just the standard morning show wear?

Or is she just trying to make sure she wins the Playboy Sexiest Sportscaster competition?

Goodbye Venezuela

The Houston Astros have announced that they are shutting down their Venezuelan Academy. The story notes this isn't a cost-cutting measure -- which means it is -- and that this isn't related to the political environment in Venezuela -- which means it is.

The story further notes some of the great players that have come through this Academy, including Johan Santana, Bobby Abreu, and Carlos Guillen. All of these of course, being players that the Astros didn't think were good enough so they got rid of -- Santana was lost in the Rule V Draft, Abreu was lost in the expansion draft to Tampa Bay, and Guillen was part of the Randy Johnson trade.

Oh well, this being the Astros, I'm sure they'll just screw up whatever they're planning next.

Giving the Shoe to The Chuckster!

I've stated my admiration of TNT's Inside the NBA studio show in the past -- it's the best studio show in sports. And here's another reason why. For I can't think of any other studio show that would find a way to reference the Bush shoe throwing incident and make it relevant to the show.



That should teach the Chuckster to give his opinion on Auburn's football coaching hires.

I Don't Wanna...

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I've got to write a Texans/Raiders preview post for the mothership. And I don't want to do it. I'm sick of the Texans. And I just can't get inspired about a game with the Raiders.

Does anybody really care? Well, besides that guy who, after I picked the Titans to beat the Texans last week, wished for me to die a fire.

Dave Smith, RIP

For those of you who were Astros fans before Drayton McLane took over and built that awful monstrosity known as Minute Maid Park, then you probably fondly remember Dave Smith, one of the great relief pitchers in Astros history.

I've got bad news, for those of you who haven't already heard it. But Dave Smith died of a heart attack last night. Dave Smith is now the third member of the 1980 Astros pitching staff to die within the past two years, along with Vern Ruhle and Joe Niekro. And I'm beginning to think that staff was cursed, as we all remember what happened to J.R. Richard in 1980.

Okay, Now What?

The Houston Aeros went on the road last night and lost 2-1 to the Milwaukee Admirals. That's not too bad a thing, seeing how the Admirals have been a really hot team.

Barry Brust got the start again, and he was nearly perfect, again, stopping 26 of 27 shots. But this game went into a shootout, and as all of you Aeros fans know, Brust hasn't been so hot in the shootout. Coach Kevin Constantine said last week that they were seriously considering going with Nolan Schaefer for the shootout because of how bad Brust has been in the shootout.

Last night, Constantine did go with Schaefer for the shootout.

And once again, the Aeros lost in the shootout.

Schaefer only allowed two goals -- which is rather good considering he had been on the bench all night and is really rather good considering how bad Brust has been -- but the offense failed to come through, and the Aeros shooters just couldn't get the job done.

The good news is that the Aeros have yet to lose to a team in the West Division this season. They are 10-0-1-1 against the West this season, which is a good thing since the Aeros are in the West Division. However, when it comes to Milwaukee, the Aeros are only 2-0-1-1. And the Aeros have yet to win a game in the shootout this season.

With the way the schedule is set up, I would expect Nolan Schaefer to get some ice time, probably Saturday night. And I also think that, come the next shootout, Schaefer will be in the goal.

The Aeros have three games this weekend, playing the Rockford IceHogs in Rockford on Friday and Saturday night, then playing the Peoria Rivermen on Sunday afternoon.

If You're Going to Talk The Game, Then Know The Game

I was listening to one of Houston's sports talk mouths today, Charlie Pallilo, who I actually like. And apparently there was some kind of press availability today with the owner of the Houston Rockets, Les Alexander. And Alexander has, in the past, expressed an interest in buying an NHL team and putting it in Houston.

So he was asked, and the reporter was blown off.

Which of itself, is no big deal in that I don't think the NHL is coming here, and that with the continued failure of the NHL's Southern experience, I don't really think the NHL is going to be in that big a hurry to relocate a franchise to non-hockey country.

What bothered me is the reaction of Charlie Pallilo.

Pallilo is a hockey fan -- he's a huge Islanders fan since he grew up on Long Island. And he claims to follow hockey. But he responded that this didn't seem very realistic anyway since he didn't think any of the teams were in financial trouble or in danger of failing.

Which shows he hasn't been doing any research. This wouldn't be a big deal since there's not a lot of NHL talk in Houston, but...he's the one who brought this up. And he got it wrong. The one team he mentioned that might be open for moving was the Nashville Predators, but then he said that the team had new ownership, so that wouldn't be happening.

I wonder if he was talking about William Del Biaggio who might be going to jail for fraud. And let's not mention the Atlanta Thrashers or Florida Panthers who are having financial difficulties and ownership difficulties. Or the Phoenix Coyote who don't draw and who's owner is having money problems. Same thing with Tampa Bay. And all of this is easily Google-able.

Like I said, not a big deal, but damn...

If you're going to talk it, then know a little something about it.

Cry Me A River

Okay, the way this article is written, I'm supposed to feel some kind of sympathy toward Nicole Buffett. But despite the writer's best attempt, I don't. Maybe I'm just a cold-hearted bastard, but sympathy...nope, it just ain't happening.

Shocked! Shocked I Must Say!

Apparently there are some people who are a bit shocked about what Hannah Storm was wearing on SportsCenter the other morning. I don't watch SportsCenter in the morning -- that damn work thing kind of gets in the way -- but apparently, she was showing off a bit of cleavage.

Now seeing as how the discussion is coming from the sports blogs, and seeing as these are probably the same people who drool at the very sight of Erin Andrews, I think we're seeing a bit too much being made out of something very little.

And that said, seeing as how Hannah Storm is one of the nominees for Playboy.com's Sexiest Sportscaster of the Year award, perhaps it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that she's trying to show off her assets.

Technical Difficulties

Just as I'm getting some blogging time at work, my computer at home is crashing, so...

Blogging might continue being light, but until that time, enjoy this photo of Ashley Judd in a Kentucky hockey jersey.

I Want My MLB TV!

For those of you who don't really know me, and see me writing all of these hockey posts, you'd probably think that hockey is my favorite sport. Well, I like hockey, but...

IT'S NOT BASEBALL.

Baseball is my life. I travel the country to see baseball games and check out the stadiums. And there is a major league baseball network starting up on New Year's Day.

I just checked with my cable provider, and MLB TV will be Channel 103 on my lineup. Which means that I'm going to get my MLB for 2009.

I'm happy. Of course, it's not one of my HD channels, but I can handle that, for now. I just want my baseball. And I'm about to get it.

YESSSSS!!!!!

Tag, You're It (X-Mas Edition)

Okay, I saw this over at Ms. Conduct's place, and she said that once you read it, you're it. So, I'm it.

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate, with marshmallows, please.

2. Does Santa wrap presents, or does he just set them under the tree? He just sits them under the tree.

3. Colored or white lights on the tree/house? Colored.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? I don't do that.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Yams.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? The expression on my Mom's face as she heard the words on the Steve Martin comedy album I got as a Christmas present.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember, but my Mom says I figured it out pretty early.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I don't do a tree.

11. Snow! Love it, or dread it? Well, since my brother makes me travel to him, I dread it.

12. Can you ice skate? Barely.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Yes. My Mom got me a book of Sherlock Holmes stories.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Seeing my nieces and nephew.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Fudge.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Watching Bad Santa.

17. What tops your tree? I don't have a tree.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Father Christmas" by The Kinks.

20. Candy Canes? Yuck or yum? Yum.

21. What do you want for Christmas? Zooey Deschanel (see photo). And if she's not available, then the Sports Night Tenth Anniversary box set -- the complete series.

A Snowball's Chance...

Okay, Darth Cheney is speaking favorably of President-elect Obama's National Security Team. No wonder it was snowing in Houston last week.

And if Cheney is saying nice things, then maybe the President-elect needs to start rethinking things, and he needs to start rethinking quickly.

Noted Only For Sake of Irony

Security expert with expertise in preventing kidnappings was kidnapped in Mexico last week.

Goodbye, Farewell, It's Sad You Have To Go

The Arena Football League has announced that it is suspending operations, and that there will be no 2009 season. So what are Jon Bon Jovi and Ron Jaworski going to do for exposure now?

Anyway, I don't care. I never got into it, even when they had a team located in Houston. I didn't care when ESPN got involved. I didn't care when the NFL got involved.

And can someone help me out here, but I always heard about how great the Arena Football League was because it helped to produce the Kurt Warner's of the NFL. Which is all nice and everything, but...

Can anybody think of a player besides Kurt Warner who went from Arena Football to great success in the NFL?

A Bad Case of the Mondays

Man, am I ever having a case of the Mondays today. And unlike Mr. Gibbons, I don't even have a Chotchkie's to disappear to...or a Jennifer Aniston with whom to flirt. And I just know that Lumbergh is going to come by my office and ask me to work on Saturday.

I just know it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to steal a red stapler from office services.

Jennifer! Jennifer!

You know, I've always been more of fan of Angelina Jolie's than I have Jennifer Aniston, but if she keeps doing stuff like this, then I just might be willing to change my mind.

Some Random Thoughts on the Aeros

Photos courtesy of Fred Trask

I've just got some random things that I wanted to share from last night's game, but which I didn't feel quite fit into the story I wrote....

Barry Brust has been on an incredible hot streak (not counting shootouts), and if there is anything that I've learned, it's that Kevin Constantine likes to ride a hot goalie. We asked Constantine last night about how Nolan Schaefer has taken to this arrangement, especially since Schaefer was the number one guy last year, and the number one guy coming into the season.

Constantine said that both Schaefer and Brust are great guys and good friends. He also noted that he's not going to bench a guy who's on a streak like Brust, and that Schaefer realizes this. Especially since Schaefer had the chance earlier in the season to keep Brust on the bench, but couldn't follow through.

Constan-
tine then said Schaefer should be expecting plenty of play as the Aeros are going to have a lot of three games in three nights coming up for the rest of the season. And when asked who to blame about the three-on-threes, he responded with Tom Lynn, the Wild's assistant GM and the guy who serves as GM of the Aeros.

********************
Craig Valette was released by the Aeros yesterday. Valette had been getting lots of ice time on the checking line, and he seemed to be a good fit as a physical presence. Constantine said it was a space issue. Valette's PTO was over, John Lammers was back from injury, and Ryan Hamilton and Brian Lundbohm are supposed to be returning from injuries next week, so they just didn't have any roster room for him. He also said that the team liked what it was seeing from Mike Hamilton and they wanted to look at him a bit longer.

*******************
Just how maddening are the Aeros?

They destroyed the Hershey Bears last night, and the Bears are supposed to be one of the best teams in the AHL. Yet for the most part, the Aeros have struggled all season. They've had bursts of offense like this throughout the season, but they can't be consistent.

Krys Kolanos has been on-target all season, but Corey Locke and Jesse Schultz -- who were brought in with Kolanos for offense -- have only been effective in flashes. But Locke has 10 points in his last five games, and Schultz seems to be settling in with his teammates.

Constan-
tine has told us in the past that this is a consist-
ency issue. Primarily a consist-
ency issue arising out of Minnesota's constant need for Kolanos on a short-term basis which deprives the Aeros of his services. The team, Constantine has said, has also been hurt offensively because of injuries to Ryan Hamilton and John Lammers.

One of the things I've noticed from my perch is that Marco Rosa doesn't seem to be playing with the aggressiveness when he has the puck that he had last season. Rosa always seemed to be on the attack last season, this year, it seems as if he's been more involved with trying to set-up Olvecky, Lammers, and Kolanos (who have all skated on his line) than he has with anything else. In the past couple of games, Constantine has been putting Jesse Schultz on Rosa's line and Schultz has been playing the playmaker.

*****************
I like John Scott. He seems to be a great guy in the locker room. He's always nice to us media guys, and he generally seems to be in a good mood. But he's not the most skilled of players. He seems to have realized this, and he seems to be coming to acceptance that his only path to the NHL is as an enforcer. That said, while he does his role, and will come to the protection of his skill guys, his heart doesn't always seem in it. Not like Mitch Love and Matt Kassian who appear to love getting into a fight.

But last night, when Scott finally got the chance to go off on Hershey's Greg Amadio (who Stoner tried to get in the first, and Scott tried to get in the third, both getting two double minors for roughing which is funny since I didn't think roughing involved the use of fists) he went at it. And he went at it hard. When Scott sets his mind to it, he can be an effective fighter, especially with his reach. He just needs to set his mind that way more often.

******************
What's going to happen the rest of this season? Who knows. The only thing this team is consistent at this season is being inconsistent. It's about time for the Wild to recall Kolanos for a game or two. Another shootout game can't be far behind.

I won't see them in person again until December 26. Maybe last night's win will kick off a win streak. Then again, maybe not. That said, the team has earned a point in four of five games this month, and as long as they keep earning points, they're going to be in playoff contention.

A Brief Texans Preview

I did my weekly preview over at the mothership for the Texans/Titans game. I think the Texans get their asses kicked. And seeing as how one of the comments is from someone wanting me to die in a fire, I'm guessing that there are people out there who disagree.

Father Christmas, Give Me Some Money

Here's a new edition of Video Jukebox. It's one of my favorite bands, The Kinks, performing one of my all-time Christmas songs, "Father Christmas."

Enjoy.

Aeros Melt Hershey And Tame The Bears: Aeros Win 6-1

Photo of Barry Brust robbing the Hershey Bears courtesy of Fred Trask.

I was kind of looking forward to tonight’s game with the Aeros matching up against the Hershey Bears. I wasn’t sure that it would be that good of a game, but the Bears were supposedly coming into the game as one of the best teams in the AHL, leading the lead in wins (20), points (41), and goals scored (114).

The first period and a half lived up to my expectations. It was a brisk, hard-hitting game that was tied 1-1 with 10:58 left in the second period. And it was at that point that the Aeros proceeded to play the best six minutes that I’ve seen them play in years.

It started with Krys Kolanos (who else?) firing in the rebound of a Corey Locke shot to for his second goal of the game. And just like that, the Aeros were up 2-1. One minute and four seconds later, with the Aeros on the power play, Jason Deitsch took the pass from Jesse Schultz and sent it past the Hershey goalie to put the Aeros up 3-1. Two shots, two goals.

At 12:57, Krys Kolanos (who else?), streaking down the side of the ice, fired a lateral pass to Corey Locke in front of the net, and just like that, on their third (fixed) straight shot, the Aeros had scored their third straight goal to go up 4-1. Then at 14:59, and once again on the power play, Jesse Schultz made the pass to Peter Olvecky and the Aeros were up 5-1.

But wait…

At 16:59, Marco Rosa made the cross-ice pass to Schultz who slipped it past the Hershey goalie and the Aeros were up 6-1.

In 6:01, and with five shots, the Aeros had scored five points and the league’s so-called best team suddenly didn’t look so great. It was the Aeros who were the high-scoring offensive machine that couldn’t be stopped, and it was the Hershey Bears who were the struggling team trying to meet expectations.

I don’t know about you, but I found it rather nice watching the Aeros play up to their promised potential for once.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

The Aeros attempted to address their scoring issues over the summer by adding Kolanos, Locke, and Schultz to the team. And there have been stretches this season when the team has seemed to be turning the corner and turning into the team all of us thought it could be. But none of those stretches has looked like what the Aeros put on display tonight.

And while I’ve been wondering if the team would ever play like that, Krys Kolanos said that it was something that had been building. “I think we’ve been really pressing that issue awhile….We’ve been on the verge a while now. The club needed that.”

Jesse Schultz agreed, saying “We knew we were playing better and that we were coming along and doing lots of things better.” But as good as they played, Schultz doesn’t think we’ll be seeing a repeat of that second period outburst.

******************
Here are some numbers from the game.

Krys Kolanos and Jesse Schultz got their first three point games of the season. Kolanos did so with two goals and an assist, while Schultz got two assists and a goal. This was Kolanos’ fourth two-goal game out of his last seven games with the Aeros. Corey Locke got a point for his fifth straight game, and this was the fourth time in those five games that Locke had a multi-point game.

This was the first time since December 26, 2002, against the San Antonio Rampage, that the Aeros have netted five goals in a period.

Oh, and did I mention that the Aeros scored five goals on five straight shots? “Then scoring on five shots in a row,” coach Kevin Constantine said from his office. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

******************
The leading scorer for the Aeros so far this season is Corey Locke with 30 points (10-20=30) after 24 games. The leading scorer for the Aeros last season was Joel Ward, who got 41 points for all of last season. And while it took Ward 62 games to reach the 28 point mark, it only took Locke 23 games. And Locke has gotten 10 of his points in the last five games.

*****************
After the victory, the Aeros record stands at 13-10-1-3 (30 points), but the Aeros are still in sixth place in the West Division. However, the Aeros are only three points out of first place. The Milwaukee Admirals, Peoria Rivermen, and Iowa Chops are all tied for first place with 33 points, and the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Wolves are tied for fourth place with 32 points.

The Aeros will be on the road for the next two weeks (four games) before returning on December 26. And while Constantine liked what he saw tonight, he thinks that what happens on this road trip will be one of the keys to the season. “We’ve seen little signs of life. We’ve tried to start sailing a little bit,” he said. “Our next challenge now is to start winning road games.”

But until they return, I think the Aeros feel that they gave their fans a great holiday gift. “This was our last game at home for a little while,” Corey Locke said. “So we wanted to leave on a good note.”

And leave on a good note they did.

A Quick Note to the Gawker Media Folks

Stop with the fucking redesigns already. Please, for the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, stop it already.

I clicked on Deadspin today for the first time in a couple of days -- like I said, I've been busy -- and noticed they had redesigned the damn site again. I think that's the sixth time this year. And the redesigns aren't working. The thing's becoming harder to read, not easier. And truthfully, since Will Leitch left, it's become a bit meaner and harder in terms of humor, but I'm still reading...

But the damn redesigns are really turning me off. Leave it alone already.

I now end this rant and return you to your regular programming. Thank you.

Meanwhile...Over At The Mothership

I've been busy with work, which has why posting has been light over here. But at the Mothership that is the Houston Press, well, they pay me, so I've been doing some more stuff over there. So, I encourage you to go read...

My Top Ten WTF Moments in the World of Sports for this Year. You'll see that a prominent Houstonian has a primo spot on the list.

I also have my take on Playboy.com's Sexiest Sportscaster of the Year contest. Hint: I'm sick of Erin Andrews and I really wish they would have nominated Suzy Kolber and Houston's Carrie Milbank (see the photo) who is the host of The Hockey Show on NHL.com.

Finally, did you know that, while Congress is letting the auto industry disappear so that they can bust the union, some moron Republican nutjob named Joe Barton (Idiot -- TX) filed a bill that would force the NCAA to junk the BCS and go to a playoff in college football? Yeah, it's amazing what these morons will do.

Aeros Quench The Flames: The Not So Suck-Minus Edition

File Photo of John Scott courtesy of Fred Trask

The number one star of tonight’s game was Barry Brust, who blocked 33 of 34 Quad City shots as the Aeros came back from the disappointment of last night’s 2-1 shootout loss to Rochester to defeat division rival Quad City 4-1. But to the Toyota Center crowd of 2,961, the star of the game was undoubtedly defenseman John Scott.

Sure, Scott got into a fight, coming to the defense of Krys Kolanos, but he also got the game winning goal. And not only did John Scott get the game winning goal, his goal won the crowd free wings from Bayou City Wings.

“I feel good. I love chicken wings,” Scott said after the game. “So it’s never a bad thing when you get the crowd chicken wings. They seem to like it.”

But as fun as it was seeing Scott’s joy after the game – he got only two goals after all of last season, and now has two for the entire season – the joy and relief on the face of Barry Brust was just as good.

The Aeros took the early 1-0 lead when Maxim Noreau scored on the power play at 5:49 of the first period – scoring on the power play is becoming a Noreau specialty as seven of his nine goals have been on the power play. Then Scott came through, knocking in the rebound of a Jason Deitsch shot at 9:17 to put the Aeros up 2-0 in the first period.

The Aeros went up 3-0 twenty seconds into the second when Quad City’s Matt Pelech kicked the puck into his own net – the goal went to Peter Olvecky. Warren Peters made the score 3-1 at the 14:40 point, but Corey Locke scored the final goal of the game at 18:40 of the second to make the score 4-1.

Brust was bombarded with shots throughout the night, but he easily handled the onslaught. “I didn’t really have that many quality opportunities tonight,” he said. “They were shooting the puck from everywhere.” But while the shots were coming from everywhere, none of them were near the target.

The win moved the Aeros record to 12-10-1-3 (28 points) for the season. The team is still in sixth place in the West Division, but they are only four points out of first place. Their next game is Saturday night against the Hershey Bears.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

Brust told us after the game that Kevin Constantine told him last night, after the Rochester loss, that he would be starting tonight. And Constantine told me that “Barry played a great game last night, and we made sure we told him he played great. At the same time, when he’s failed in three shootouts in a row, that’s mentally a thing to fight through….he sat that aside and went out and played goal tonight.”

Brust said he handled last night by trying to concentrate on the positives against Rochester. He was very good in regulation play, and he had to separate the regulation play from how he played the shootout.

****************
Corey Locke is on a hot streak for the Aeros. Tonight was his fourth straight game with a point, and he has scored multiple points in three of those games to move into the top 15 in scoring in the AHL.

Speaking of scoring, Maxim Noreau scored on the power play (fixed). Again. Noreau leads all AHL defenseman with nine goals, and he also leads all AHL defenseman with seven power play goals. And don't worry, Krys Kolanos also got a point last night, assisting on the Noreau goal. That gives Kolanos 19 points for the season (13-6=19) in only 17 games with the Aeros.

***************
There were some strange sights in the game. Like Aeros bruiser Mitch Love playing forward. And John Scott scoring a goal. But the strangest thing happened when Quad City's starting goalie Matt Keetley came out at 6:17 of the first, after Noreau's goal. Leland Irving lasted about 35 seconds before Keetley returned to the game. Keetley played the rest of the first and the second, then Irving played the entire third period for Quad City.

***************
The Aeros are now 8-0-1-0 versus the West Division this season. This was also only the second time this season that the Aeros have scored two goals in the first period. And the Aeros are now 6-1-0-0 for the season when scoring four-plus goals.

***************
And for anyone seeking an explanation, "suck-minus" is a new term coined by Andrew Ferraro which is to be used to denote a situation that is even worse than suck. It didn't apply to the Aeros tonight, but he so wanted someone to use it that I thought I would oblige him.

**************
Now this is for the Aeros game day crew. Enough with the clips from Joe Dirt and Happy Gilmore already. Three-quarters of the time, when you play one of those clips, it has absolutely nothing to do with the game action. So find another movie already.

Please.

And I haven't given you guys a video in awhile, but Quad City Flames made me think of The Bangles and "Eternal Flame." Of course, I'm not playing that version, but I am instead playing the version sung by Kristin Chenoweth in last week's Pushing Daisies. And I'm really hoping that one of you ladies can explain to me how she got into her pants, or how she could even breathe.

The Shootout Blues: Aeros Fail to Win Yet Again

The Aeros season can best be summarized by two moments from the game against the Rochester Americans. The first is Krys Kolanos, at about 12:30 into the second period, behind the net having just made a pass to the wide-open Morten Madsen, hands to his head in disbelief as Madsen has just missed the tap in.

The second moment is after the game, in the Aeros locker room, Barry Brust, his head to the floor, telling me and Andrew Ferraro, after giving up three straight goals in the shootout, saying that “I don’t know. I have no answers for you.”

The Aeros lost again tonight by the score of 2-1 before a crowd at the press table, about half of the Lady Dynamics, and some friends and family, and that’s about it. And during the first period, what crowd there was in the stands was almost as dead as the play on the ice. There was no movement, no hitting, and very few shots. But the one first period shot that counted came from Rochester when Dan Collins found a way to get the puck past the flying body of Barry Brust at 17:30 for the 1-0 lead.

The Aeros knotted the score at one-all when Maxim Noreau fired a laser on a power play at 8:45 of the second. And that’s where the score stood until overtime.

The Aeros had their chances. They had multiple breakaway chances, but the shots wouldn’t go in. The Aeros best chance to go ahead came in the second period with about 12:30 on the clock when Krys Kolanos (who else?) got free on the breakaway, taking Morten Madsen with him. Kolanos had the puck, then faked a shot, then faked a pass to Madsen, then faked a shot, and so on until the goalie had no idea what was going on. Kolanos passed the puck to Madsen who had a wide open goal in front of him, then proceeded to miss the shot. Kolanos had skated behind the net, looking as if he thought he and Madsen had just put the team up 2-1. Only the light didn’t go off, and Kolanos turned, looked at Madsen, and put both hands to his head, bewildered, shocked.

Neither team scored in the third or in overtime. Then came the shootout.

Barry Brust hasn’t been very good in the shootout. And tonight was no exception. He faced three Rochester shooters. And all three easily got the puck past Brust while only Krys Kolanos (who else?) was able to score for the Aeros.

The Aeros play again tomorrow night against the Quad City Flames.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES:

“I don’t know. It’s embarrassing,” Brust said about his shootout failures after the game. “That’s all I can say. It’s embarrassing.”

And coach Kevin Constantine is not quite sure about what to do, either, though he and his assistants have been talking about going with Nolan Schaefer whenever a shootout situation arises.

“It’s something we’ve thought about,” Constantine said from his office. “It’s just a really extreme thing in hockey. We talked about it and considered it after the last one. We’ll consider it stronger now, just for Barry’s sake.”

Constantine stressed several things about Brust after the game. He’s playing fantastic hockey during regulation and overtime play; the problem is just with the shootout. He was also very clear that his job is to support careers and help his players, and that he and his coaches have to find some way to help to Brust. But, and most importantly, he was clear that Brust’s shootout problems are, at this moment, only mental.

But, when walking out of his office, Constantine refused to answer who would be in the net for the Aeros on Thursday night. And I’m also pretty confident that, if Brust is playing in goal the next time the Aeros come to a shootout, Nolan Schaefer will be skating out to take a position between the pipes. I wouldn’t have thought so, but Constantine stated clearly that this is a topic that’s been of much discussion amongst the coaches.

*****************
With his power play goal, Maxim Noreau took the lead among AHL defensemen for goals scored this season. He also has the lead for power play goals amongst AHL defenseman.

****************
Not only was this a loss for the Aeros, it was another overtime/shootout loss for the Aeros. The loss to Rochester also accounted for Rochester’s first road win of the season, as well as Rochester’s first shootout win of the season.

A Rather Brief Posting

I promised an Aeros pregame preview earlier. But I'm not going to be able to get to it. But let it be known that Krys Kolanos is back with the team -- Minnesota sent him back on Monday.

Also let it be know that it is snowing in parts of Houston, with a mix of rain and sleet elsewhere. If that doesn't just scream hockey, then I don't know what does.

A Few Quick Hits

So I'm taking my lunch break, and I thought I would share a few baseball thoughts...

First, I want to thank Fox Sports for finally cancelling the MLB pregame show. All of Fox's pregame shows suck, but I their baseball show has consistently been the worse pregame show in all of sports. It was decent way back in the day and Keith Olbermann was the host, but since then... Well, since then, that show has become so damn bad that it makes listening to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver sound like a joyful experience.

******************
Greg Maddux made it official on Monday and retired. I say this: Maddux is the greatest pitcher of his generation, and one of the greatest pitchers ever. He didn't have a blazing fastball, and he didn't the best of breaking balls. What he was the ability to place a pitch exactly where he wanted to place the pitch. And some of his best seasons -- like former teammate Tom Glavine -- were in the midst of the steroid era, and they never suffered.

Glavine has already retired, and I think that he, too, is destined for the Hall of Fame. And I've seen talk that John Smoltz might also be retiring. I wonder if three pitchers from the same rotation have ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame at the same time?

*****************
And I posted about the Tribune Co. declaring bankruptcy the other day, and I wondered about how this might impact the Chicago Cubs. Well, seeing as how the Cubs were not included amongst the Tribune Co. properties going under the bankrupcty, it should have zero effect.