On a rare night, Canada gathered to watch one game (Globe and Mail)

From The Globe and Mail:

By Stephen Brunt
The Globe and Mail
February 24, 2010

VANCOUVER - There aren't really that many hockey nights in Canada, at least not in the way we imagine them.

One country, gathered ‘round a game; perhaps it was true every week way back in the mists of time, in the one or two channel world, television on Saturday night as the national hearth, a place where friends and families came together, the way they came together to worship other gods the following morning.

But that world long ago was blown to smithereens, and now we live in a time of vast and near infinite choice; when you can watch anything from anywhere anytime, on your television, your computer, on your phone, and when nothing is really special there is not much reason to assemble anywhere anytime.

Except on rare nights like this, except for a game like this, when you want company, when it feels so much better to be with your tribe.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/columnists/bruntscorner/newsid=51571.html#a+country+united+watch+canada

Podcast: The Canada Cup of Table Top Hockey

The Vancouver Winter Olympics are grabbing most of the headlines these days (and rightfully so). The hockey competitions there are expected to be lively in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

But there is another major sporting event taking place in Canada over the coming days. It is the Canada Cup of Table Top Hockey – bringing together top players of the game from Canada, the U.S. and the world. It will be taking place in Ottawa, starting this February and finishing in April.

We speak with John Cooke of the Canadian Table Top Hockey Association about the upcoming Canada Cup – who plays and what’s it all about.

At:http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=355

Podcast: The Fever Season

Over the past few months, there has been much written and spoken about the H1N1 flu.

In a hockey sense, parallels were immediately drawn to a season a long time ago that was impacted by the flu.

The year was 1919 and the epidemic was that of what became known as the Spanish Flu. Millions died. In the hockey world, one of its victims was Joe Hall of the Montreal Canadiens. In fact, after Hall’s death the Stanley Cup final was cancelled.

Eric Zweig is our guest.

He has written a fascinated historical novel of the period called “Fever Season”. He speaks with us about that year that the flu hit, and about what happened both on and off the ice.

Eric Zweig is Managing Editor with Dan Diamond Associates (consulting editors to the National Hockey League), he has written about sports and sports history for many major publications including the Toronto Star and the Glober and Mail. He has written non-fiction sports books for young people.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=351

It’s Not Hockey, It’s Bandy (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By JEFF Z. KLEIN
Published: January 28, 2010

Bandy, a forerunner of hockey, dates back 200 years.

It is played on a rink was 110 yards long and 60 yards wide, about the size of a soccer field. Each side has 11 players, and they pass and shoot a small orange ball, not a puck, toward the 7-foot-high, 11-foot-wide net.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/sports/olympics/29bandy.html?hpw

Passing: John Halligan

A recipient of the Lester Patrick Award, a pro and a friend.

More later. For now:

A Tribute from Stan Fischler: http://www.msg.com/rangers/remembering-john-halligan.html

New York Times Hockey Blog Tribute from Stu Hackel: chttp://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/the-mourning-skate-blues-for-john-halligan/?scp=1&sq=john%20halligan&st=cse

Obituary from the Bergen Record: http://www.northjersey.com/obituaries/82336827_John_Halligan__NHL_and_Rangers_publicist.html

Habs' past glory remains relevant (Montreal Gazette)

From The Montreal Gazette:

By DAVE STUBBS, The Gazette
January 18, 2010


There is a generation of Canadiens fans that is sick of history, of hearing about the glorious past of a hockey club that is nearly 17 years removed from its most recent championship.

To this group, the Canadiens were born at the Bell Centre, the 87 years that went before pretty much irrelevant. That is their loss, of course, for the past of anything in our lives must be quilted with its present and its future.

http://www.canada.com/sports/Habs+past+glory+remains+relevant/2453617/story.html

Podcast: The Day the Pros Faced Off with the Cons

The Day the Pros Faced Off with the Cons: Marquette’ Most Infamous Game – 1954 Outdoor Game: Detroit Red Wings vs. Marquette Prison Pirates

NHL’ers playing hockey outdoors is getting much publicity these days. They’ve put down ice and promoted hockey in places such as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Orchard Park, N.Y. And who can forget the one that started the recent – that outdoor game in Edmonton between the Canadiens & Oilers in arctic temperatures.

Garnering less attention these days is a unique outdoor game that occurred in 1954. It pitted the Championship-caliber Detroit Red Wings and a prison team in Marquette, Michigan. It was dubbed the Pros versus the Cons.

This podcast may be accesssed @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=340