10 TV: It appears that an excise tax on alcohol and cigarettes will not be an answer to the Blue Jackets' financial struggles. Representatives with the Blue Jackets' majority owner, Nationwide Insurance, met with state lawmakers Tuesday to discuss the team's money situation…
The Jackets are coming off their most successful season, but the team's winning ways did not help them climb out of financial difficulty. Team representatives said they have lost $80 million over the past seven seasons… The team was pushing a plan that would have state lawmakers pass legislation allowing counties to add an extra tax to alcohol and cigarettes. The "sin tax" would raise enough money to allow Franklin County to buy Nationwide Arena and renegotiate the team's 25-year lease. That plan does not seem likely.
"This is probably not the time to be talking about that," said Ohio State Rep. Dan Stewart, a Democrat. "I'm concerned about trying to get the city to open up their rec centers. I'm worried about folks out there just trying to make ends meet. It's not a time to be adding taxes to their problems."
While the sin tax appears dead, Nationwide Insurance is still willing to sell the arena to the county, or some local entity… Nationwide said it did not expect to proper from the deal, but wants to do whatever it can to help the Blue Jackets a viable entity in Columbus.
"We are here to make this as strong as a community as it can possibly be because we'll be able to hire great talent that will want to stay in Columbus," said Nationwide chief marketing officer Jim Lyski. "That will really just make this a perpetuating strong community."
Although no answer to the money problem was reached Tuesday, the Blue Jackets said it was too early to talk about the Jackets leaving Columbus, Hirsch… Nationwide Arena is owned by a partnership of Nationwide Insurance and The Dispatch Printing Co. The Dispatch Printing Co. also owns 10TV.
Showing posts with label Blue Jackets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Jackets. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Deja Blue Jackets
10 TV: A plan that would allow Franklin County to assume ownership of Nationwide Arena could raise taxes on beer, wine and cigarettes… Representatives with Nationwide Insurance, the arena's majority owner, said talks began when they were approached by the Columbus Blue Jackets about finding a way to restructure the deal it has to use the facility.
The Blue Jackets lease and operate the arena, but the team said the economic model it operates under is causing it to lose money. In a statement released Thursday, team president Mike Priest said the team has "incurred substantial losses over the past several years, of which a significant portion is related to arena operations under the current structure."
Nationwide Insurance told 10TV that it was not seeking to sell the arena, but will consider the option in order to ensure that that Blue Jackets remain a viable presence in Columbus, Hirsch reported. Franklin County Commissioners have heard the proposal, but have not formally met to discuss the issue, or take a stance.
Gov. Ted Strickland has met with officials from Anheuser-Busch, one of the area's largest employers and a huge opponent to any tax increase on alcohol, but he has yet to comment about the proposal, Hirsch reported. All parties involved in the talks point out that the proposal is just one plan being discussed to help fend off financial problems associated with the Blue Jackets.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, sources said the plan would allow county commissioners to raise taxes on beer by 25 cents per gallon, wine by 32 cents per gallon, and liquor by $3 a gallon. The newspaper reported that cigarettes would go up 4 cents a pack.
Twelve years ago, voters in Franklin County rejected a temporary tax hike that would have helped pay for the facility. Nationwide Arena is owned by a partnership of Nationwide Insurance and The Dispatch Printing Company. The Dispatch Printing Company owns WBNS-10TV.
The Blue Jackets lease and operate the arena, but the team said the economic model it operates under is causing it to lose money. In a statement released Thursday, team president Mike Priest said the team has "incurred substantial losses over the past several years, of which a significant portion is related to arena operations under the current structure."
Nationwide Insurance told 10TV that it was not seeking to sell the arena, but will consider the option in order to ensure that that Blue Jackets remain a viable presence in Columbus, Hirsch reported. Franklin County Commissioners have heard the proposal, but have not formally met to discuss the issue, or take a stance.
Gov. Ted Strickland has met with officials from Anheuser-Busch, one of the area's largest employers and a huge opponent to any tax increase on alcohol, but he has yet to comment about the proposal, Hirsch reported. All parties involved in the talks point out that the proposal is just one plan being discussed to help fend off financial problems associated with the Blue Jackets.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, sources said the plan would allow county commissioners to raise taxes on beer by 25 cents per gallon, wine by 32 cents per gallon, and liquor by $3 a gallon. The newspaper reported that cigarettes would go up 4 cents a pack.
Twelve years ago, voters in Franklin County rejected a temporary tax hike that would have helped pay for the facility. Nationwide Arena is owned by a partnership of Nationwide Insurance and The Dispatch Printing Company. The Dispatch Printing Company owns WBNS-10TV.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Blue Jackets’ Inspiration Passes Away
10 TV: Ryan Salmons, the terminal cancer patient whose story of survival gained precedence during the Blue Jackets' playoff run, died Friday afternoon. Salmons was 19.
In late March, the Jackets signed Salmons to a one-day player contract. He later developed close-knit relationships with the players, most notably Jason Chimera and Manny Malholtra. "I can't put into words what this team has done for me and my drive and my morale," Salmons said last month. "It really does mean a lot to me."
Chimera said last month that it was no secret that Salmons was having an impact on the Blue Jackets and their push to the playoffs. "If this kid can fight through that, we can sure make the playoffs and do a big run," Chimera said. "Guys want to get there for him."
Included in Salmons' contract were two tickets to the team's first-ever playoff game, which he vowed to see. "We made the playoffs. That's the first step," Salmons said after the Jackets clinched a spot in the playoffs. "I believe we're going to be a good playoff team. It's just a matter of getting there. We'll see how it goes."
In late March, the Jackets signed Salmons to a one-day player contract. He later developed close-knit relationships with the players, most notably Jason Chimera and Manny Malholtra. "I can't put into words what this team has done for me and my drive and my morale," Salmons said last month. "It really does mean a lot to me."
Chimera said last month that it was no secret that Salmons was having an impact on the Blue Jackets and their push to the playoffs. "If this kid can fight through that, we can sure make the playoffs and do a big run," Chimera said. "Guys want to get there for him."
Included in Salmons' contract were two tickets to the team's first-ever playoff game, which he vowed to see. "We made the playoffs. That's the first step," Salmons said after the Jackets clinched a spot in the playoffs. "I believe we're going to be a good playoff team. It's just a matter of getting there. We'll see how it goes."
Friday, April 24, 2009
Red Wings & Broom
In Wall Street, Lou Mannheim addresses Bud Fox, who is on the brink of complete annihilation… “Man looks into the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him,” says Mannheim. “At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.”
Despite a 3-0 series deficit, the Blue Jackets’ support remained visible. From the Frog Bear and Wild Boar to R Bar, the bricks were crushed. The atmosphere was carnival. Alcohol and chants… Face painters and mimes… Hot dogs and scalpers… The menagerie equaled, potentially the only entity to ever equal, an Ohio State football contest…
The first period equaled it’s three predecessors… Despite an opening faceoff victory and an outstanding energy which permeated the telecast, the Red Wings, courtesy of Nicklas Lidstrom, recorded the opening salvo. Kristian Huselius countered ticks subsequent… However, Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary mirrored the manner with which the Red Wings won the opening three contests… After twenty minutes, the score was a familiar 3-1.
Although the Blue Jackets commencement was expected, the first period’s conversations were memorable… A Frog Bear and Wild Boar employee compared the Red Wings to a schoolyard bully, who took advantage of a weaker opponent (third graders and playoff squads… similarity anywhere?)…. DJ Nohbody and I discussed Cock Diesel, which it turns out, was his creation… And a Red Wings fan provided insight and intelligence on how this version compares with previous championship versions (at this point, I was assuming they compared well)…
Upon my arrival at R Bar, I encountered Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promotions Superstar Jeff, who was present in this venue (and not his own) for the purpose of coalition collaboration… We spoke for five minutes about the epic pre-game and this weekend… Then, Jeff returned to his collaboration (which he wouldn’t detail subsequently) and I returned, as the Blue Jackets returned, to the second period…
And said return was superb… One minute and forty-four seconds into the frame, Rick Nash, the captain and cornerstone of this stellar season, finally registered a goal to cut the score to 3-2. R.J. Umberger, the cornerstone of this series, then completed a gorgeous rush and knotted the contest. It was as if the Blue Jackets had, prior to the period, stared into the abyss and realized they still had character…
Unfortunately, the abyss returned fire… Marian Hossa, who finished last season losing to the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals (you know what they say… if you can’t beat them…), reestablished the champion’s advantage at 4-3. Four and a half minutes later, he registered a second score to place the Red Wings ahead 5-3. It was if the Red Wings had realized that their opponents would have to be bludgeoned into submission…
Just as it appeared that the Red Wings would vanish, Kris Russell drew the home team to within 5-4. The implausible then occurred as Fredrik Modin capped the Blue Jackets third comeback with a backhand, which knotted the contest at 5-5. These were the Blue Jackets this city expected… Feisty and without fear…
The third period, which was split between the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar, was what one expects when they view a Stanley Cup playoff contest… The intensity was remarkable… Every shot snatched the viewer’s breath… Every save restored respiration… The period spent nineteen minutes and twelve seconds epitomizing why hockey fans rearrange commitments around this stretch of the season…
And then the seemingly inevitable occurred… The Blue Jackets were whistled for two many men on the ice… A correct call within the rules… An inconceivable call within the hearts and minds of a victory starved city… Johan Franzen snuck through, where a fifth player would have been, and within one second, concluded the contest (6-5) and the series (4-0).
The emotions ranged from acceptance to anger to sincerity to shock… R Bar Co-Owner Natalie Darr appeared heart broken… Several Blue Jacket fans cursed the penalty… Other fans congratulated Red Wings fans on an outstanding series… Still others waxed optimistic about next season and the potential to improve…
Ultimately, as fans and patrons and streamed into venues, consumed food and shots, there was an acceptance atmosphere… Acceptance not only of the sweep they had just endured… But, also an acceptance of what they had witnessed over the three prior hours… That hope, is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies…
Despite a 3-0 series deficit, the Blue Jackets’ support remained visible. From the Frog Bear and Wild Boar to R Bar, the bricks were crushed. The atmosphere was carnival. Alcohol and chants… Face painters and mimes… Hot dogs and scalpers… The menagerie equaled, potentially the only entity to ever equal, an Ohio State football contest…
The first period equaled it’s three predecessors… Despite an opening faceoff victory and an outstanding energy which permeated the telecast, the Red Wings, courtesy of Nicklas Lidstrom, recorded the opening salvo. Kristian Huselius countered ticks subsequent… However, Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary mirrored the manner with which the Red Wings won the opening three contests… After twenty minutes, the score was a familiar 3-1.
Although the Blue Jackets commencement was expected, the first period’s conversations were memorable… A Frog Bear and Wild Boar employee compared the Red Wings to a schoolyard bully, who took advantage of a weaker opponent (third graders and playoff squads… similarity anywhere?)…. DJ Nohbody and I discussed Cock Diesel, which it turns out, was his creation… And a Red Wings fan provided insight and intelligence on how this version compares with previous championship versions (at this point, I was assuming they compared well)…
Upon my arrival at R Bar, I encountered Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promotions Superstar Jeff, who was present in this venue (and not his own) for the purpose of coalition collaboration… We spoke for five minutes about the epic pre-game and this weekend… Then, Jeff returned to his collaboration (which he wouldn’t detail subsequently) and I returned, as the Blue Jackets returned, to the second period…
And said return was superb… One minute and forty-four seconds into the frame, Rick Nash, the captain and cornerstone of this stellar season, finally registered a goal to cut the score to 3-2. R.J. Umberger, the cornerstone of this series, then completed a gorgeous rush and knotted the contest. It was as if the Blue Jackets had, prior to the period, stared into the abyss and realized they still had character…
Unfortunately, the abyss returned fire… Marian Hossa, who finished last season losing to the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals (you know what they say… if you can’t beat them…), reestablished the champion’s advantage at 4-3. Four and a half minutes later, he registered a second score to place the Red Wings ahead 5-3. It was if the Red Wings had realized that their opponents would have to be bludgeoned into submission…
Just as it appeared that the Red Wings would vanish, Kris Russell drew the home team to within 5-4. The implausible then occurred as Fredrik Modin capped the Blue Jackets third comeback with a backhand, which knotted the contest at 5-5. These were the Blue Jackets this city expected… Feisty and without fear…
The third period, which was split between the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar, was what one expects when they view a Stanley Cup playoff contest… The intensity was remarkable… Every shot snatched the viewer’s breath… Every save restored respiration… The period spent nineteen minutes and twelve seconds epitomizing why hockey fans rearrange commitments around this stretch of the season…
And then the seemingly inevitable occurred… The Blue Jackets were whistled for two many men on the ice… A correct call within the rules… An inconceivable call within the hearts and minds of a victory starved city… Johan Franzen snuck through, where a fifth player would have been, and within one second, concluded the contest (6-5) and the series (4-0).
The emotions ranged from acceptance to anger to sincerity to shock… R Bar Co-Owner Natalie Darr appeared heart broken… Several Blue Jacket fans cursed the penalty… Other fans congratulated Red Wings fans on an outstanding series… Still others waxed optimistic about next season and the potential to improve…
Ultimately, as fans and patrons and streamed into venues, consumed food and shots, there was an acceptance atmosphere… Acceptance not only of the sweep they had just endured… But, also an acceptance of what they had witnessed over the three prior hours… That hope, is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies…
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Hope Freezes Over
Game four may be our final contest. With that said, what a season. The Blue Jackets recorded 92 points. They registered 41 victories. They made the playoffs.
This city and franchise merit one more celebration. Gossip CBUS will cover every moment, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar on Thursday. Get out tonight, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and savor this evening.
This city and franchise merit one more celebration. Gossip CBUS will cover every moment, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar on Thursday. Get out tonight, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and savor this evening.
Red Wings Obliterate Overconfident Blue Jackets
On January 3, 2003, Miami Hurricanes Quarterback Ken Dorsey endured a blind side hit… “He ain’t never been hit like that,” a Buckeyes’ fan said… As if they play flag football in Florida… On March 7, 2009, Rick Nash scored the Blue Jackets fifth of eight goals against the Red Wings… “Detroit’s never faced someone like Nash,” a Blue Jackets’ fan said… As if hockey were invented in Columbus…
Despite the arrogance of the previous statement (whose relevance will become apparent, I assure you), the anticipation and novelty of the Blue Jackets initial playoff contest was obvious… A Detroit pre-game playoff party would have drawn hundreds… The Blue Jackets brick bash drew thousands… From R Bar’s chaotic patio to the Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s plaza-palooza, the carnival atmosphere was epic. Game two had commenced with a nervous energy… Game three commenced with a frenetic certainty…
And then the Red Wings scored… No sooner had I commenced my initial conversation at Lodge Bar… No sooner had the vast majority of the fans completed “Let’s Go Jackets,” for the first time, Tomas Holmstrom found the puck at his feet and registered a gift goal… Despite multiple chances, the Blue Jackets never recorded an equalizer… The Red Wings, courtesy of Dan Cleary, recorded a second goal and concluded the period with a silencing advantage…
Amidst the Blue Jackets’ misery, I enjoyed that conversation I previously referenced with Lodge Bar Manager Mike… Now, I cannot state this with certainty, as I have not met every venue manager in this city, but from my experience, Lodge Bar’s management is the most intelligent… Mike and I’s conversation, which ranged from how deep a hot goalie can advance your franchise into the playoffs to the troubles of San Jose, was the random conversation one covets during a sporting event… It was the random conversation one craves to absolve the misery of your franchise collapsing before your very eyes…
Said collapse continued through the second period… Despite a still supportive Nationwide Arena crowd and a still energetic and hopeful Frog Bear and Wild Boar crowd, the Blue Jackets could not recover. They were outplayed, physically overmatched, and when Henrik Zetterberg walked alone toward the front of the net, the Blue Jackets were down 3-0. Anticipation… Hope… And a 3-0 second period deficit? It seemed unreasonable…
The Blue Jackets continued abysmal play afforded an opportunity to speak with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promotions Superstar Jeff… We discussed the Gossip Awards, Mindy Hall’s appearance (which will be spectacular), and the superb performance of Fat Dog during the pre-game festivities… R Bar may have enjoyed the greatest crowd throughout this initial playoff incarnation… But, this city has never witnessed an event on the scale of Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s plaza-palooza (sorry I love the term)…
Speaking of R Bar, I ventured into the puck playground for the third period… The crowd was stellar… Throughout a period of near misses and despite an implausible scenario, the crowd continued hanging on every moment… They were finally rewarded when R.J. Umberger recovered from the huge hit he had sustained and scored the Blue Jackets first goal in more than 140 minutes… Alas, the Red Wings countered with an empty net salvo to win 4-1 and assume a 3-0 series stranglehold… Unfortunately, this is where my evening concludes…
Several of you have written, asking why my twitter updates stopped abruptly only minutes into postgame… The reason concludes this column where it commenced… As I stood alone, observing the Blue Jackets fans who were now entering the venue, I was accosted, harassed, and threatened by an individual… His statements were repugnant, untrue, and vile… But, he would not shut up…
In his warped and wretched mind, it didn’t matter his assertions were inaccurate, he was correct simply because he was speaking… He was the perfect epitome of this city and it’s franchise… Full of themselves, with very little reason to be…
Despite the arrogance of the previous statement (whose relevance will become apparent, I assure you), the anticipation and novelty of the Blue Jackets initial playoff contest was obvious… A Detroit pre-game playoff party would have drawn hundreds… The Blue Jackets brick bash drew thousands… From R Bar’s chaotic patio to the Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s plaza-palooza, the carnival atmosphere was epic. Game two had commenced with a nervous energy… Game three commenced with a frenetic certainty…
And then the Red Wings scored… No sooner had I commenced my initial conversation at Lodge Bar… No sooner had the vast majority of the fans completed “Let’s Go Jackets,” for the first time, Tomas Holmstrom found the puck at his feet and registered a gift goal… Despite multiple chances, the Blue Jackets never recorded an equalizer… The Red Wings, courtesy of Dan Cleary, recorded a second goal and concluded the period with a silencing advantage…
Amidst the Blue Jackets’ misery, I enjoyed that conversation I previously referenced with Lodge Bar Manager Mike… Now, I cannot state this with certainty, as I have not met every venue manager in this city, but from my experience, Lodge Bar’s management is the most intelligent… Mike and I’s conversation, which ranged from how deep a hot goalie can advance your franchise into the playoffs to the troubles of San Jose, was the random conversation one covets during a sporting event… It was the random conversation one craves to absolve the misery of your franchise collapsing before your very eyes…
Said collapse continued through the second period… Despite a still supportive Nationwide Arena crowd and a still energetic and hopeful Frog Bear and Wild Boar crowd, the Blue Jackets could not recover. They were outplayed, physically overmatched, and when Henrik Zetterberg walked alone toward the front of the net, the Blue Jackets were down 3-0. Anticipation… Hope… And a 3-0 second period deficit? It seemed unreasonable…
The Blue Jackets continued abysmal play afforded an opportunity to speak with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Promotions Superstar Jeff… We discussed the Gossip Awards, Mindy Hall’s appearance (which will be spectacular), and the superb performance of Fat Dog during the pre-game festivities… R Bar may have enjoyed the greatest crowd throughout this initial playoff incarnation… But, this city has never witnessed an event on the scale of Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s plaza-palooza (sorry I love the term)…
Speaking of R Bar, I ventured into the puck playground for the third period… The crowd was stellar… Throughout a period of near misses and despite an implausible scenario, the crowd continued hanging on every moment… They were finally rewarded when R.J. Umberger recovered from the huge hit he had sustained and scored the Blue Jackets first goal in more than 140 minutes… Alas, the Red Wings countered with an empty net salvo to win 4-1 and assume a 3-0 series stranglehold… Unfortunately, this is where my evening concludes…
Several of you have written, asking why my twitter updates stopped abruptly only minutes into postgame… The reason concludes this column where it commenced… As I stood alone, observing the Blue Jackets fans who were now entering the venue, I was accosted, harassed, and threatened by an individual… His statements were repugnant, untrue, and vile… But, he would not shut up…
In his warped and wretched mind, it didn’t matter his assertions were inaccurate, he was correct simply because he was speaking… He was the perfect epitome of this city and it’s franchise… Full of themselves, with very little reason to be…
Monday, April 20, 2009
Three Venues, Zero Alternative
In Detroit, the Red Wings won both contests. Now, the momentum and series shift. Gossip CBUS will cover every moment, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, Lodge Bar, and R Bar on Tuesday.
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, franchises are alive until a home contest is lost. Our Blue Jackets are not expired.
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, franchises are alive until a home contest is lost. Our Blue Jackets are not expired.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Game Two Gives Fratricidal Fan Reason to Quit
Approximately 9:30 p.m., I stood parallel to the intersection of Armstrong and Vine Streets, across from the Garage Bar… As I awaited my chance to cross, I observed a white article of clothing flying over the white fence which surrounds the venue’s patio… After I moment, I observed the number sixty-one on the jersey, which landed on the sidewalk, steps short of traffic…
Three hours prior to this symbolic desertion, I arrived at R Bar, which once again provided an immaculate scene… The venue was crushed and the nervous energy was palpable… The Blue Jackets may be playoff inexperienced, but their fans were sports experienced enough to underline (twice, in red) the importance of this contest… Clearly, they understood 2-0 and 1-1 are two entirely different scenarios…
And for half of the first period, the Blue Jackets seemed to understand that also. For almost fourteen minutes, Rick Nash and crew attacked and Steve Mason matched Chris Osgood save for save… The Blue Jackets skated with the determination and resolve that made an even series, with a momentum contest three days away, seem absolutely certain…
Then, the Red Wings responded… With less than seven minutes remaining until intermission, Brian Rafalski scored and placed them ahead 1-0. The nervous energy quadrupled… As the Blue Jackets and Red Wings completed the first frame, one could envision a scenario where game two resembled game one… Theoretically, R Bar’s crowd was already envisioning this scenario…
I am certain the anxiety of the moment must have ceased other conversations throughout the venue… Thankfully, the conversation I was immersed within, involving R Bar Co-owners Mike and Natalie Darr (and yes, let me save you thinking, they are married) continued… You expect concept venue owners (and R Bar’s hockey theme lands within this realm) to know something about their concept… You don’t expect that they will be as smart as people who have been watching the sport for forty years… The conversation, which involved the Blue Jackets, the relocation of the Hartford Whalers, and the possibility of a contest advancing into overtime and the bar closing early, was one of the most engaging sport’s conversations I have ever had…
The Blue Jackets commenced the second period as unengaged as they had concluded the first… The Red Wings governed the pace for nine of the first ten minutes and twelve of the first fifteen… They racked their second goal seven minutes into the frame and their third fifteen and one half minutes into the frame… The nervous energy was gone… The realization that the Blue Jackets would come home trailing 2-0 was essentially guaranteed…
As the second period concluded and with the thought that the agony had to be excised in some manner, Mike and Natalie ordered five stinger shots for themselves, myself, and two others we were watching the contest with… This wasn’t my first stinger shot, but that doesn’t make it not worth recounting (I actually meant to discuss the drink on Thursday and forgot)… The concoction of Curacao, Smirnoff, and Rick Nash (kidding, they wouldn’t tell me what else is in the recipe) is exquisite… With one sip, one can imagine why the drink won best city shot…
Three minutes and a second stinger shot into the third period, the Red Wings completed the calamity… Jiri Hudler became the fourth different Detroit player to record a goal, as he placed the Red Wings ahead, by the eventual final score 4-0… What had seemed impossible only hours earlier, a second consecutive abysmal performance, was now more than reality… It was hockey history… The simple reality was that Tuesday now has only one acceptable outcome…
Maybe this was what led whomever to toss their jersey into the street… Maybe they were heckled or harassed and rather than take the embarrassment, they shed the jersey…. Or maybe they were intoxicated and the toss seemed a reasonable maneuver at the moment… Whatever the rationalization, that fan, whomever they were, gave up on the Blue Jackets… This, whether in Columbus or any city, is unforgivable…
Three hours prior to this symbolic desertion, I arrived at R Bar, which once again provided an immaculate scene… The venue was crushed and the nervous energy was palpable… The Blue Jackets may be playoff inexperienced, but their fans were sports experienced enough to underline (twice, in red) the importance of this contest… Clearly, they understood 2-0 and 1-1 are two entirely different scenarios…
And for half of the first period, the Blue Jackets seemed to understand that also. For almost fourteen minutes, Rick Nash and crew attacked and Steve Mason matched Chris Osgood save for save… The Blue Jackets skated with the determination and resolve that made an even series, with a momentum contest three days away, seem absolutely certain…
Then, the Red Wings responded… With less than seven minutes remaining until intermission, Brian Rafalski scored and placed them ahead 1-0. The nervous energy quadrupled… As the Blue Jackets and Red Wings completed the first frame, one could envision a scenario where game two resembled game one… Theoretically, R Bar’s crowd was already envisioning this scenario…
I am certain the anxiety of the moment must have ceased other conversations throughout the venue… Thankfully, the conversation I was immersed within, involving R Bar Co-owners Mike and Natalie Darr (and yes, let me save you thinking, they are married) continued… You expect concept venue owners (and R Bar’s hockey theme lands within this realm) to know something about their concept… You don’t expect that they will be as smart as people who have been watching the sport for forty years… The conversation, which involved the Blue Jackets, the relocation of the Hartford Whalers, and the possibility of a contest advancing into overtime and the bar closing early, was one of the most engaging sport’s conversations I have ever had…
The Blue Jackets commenced the second period as unengaged as they had concluded the first… The Red Wings governed the pace for nine of the first ten minutes and twelve of the first fifteen… They racked their second goal seven minutes into the frame and their third fifteen and one half minutes into the frame… The nervous energy was gone… The realization that the Blue Jackets would come home trailing 2-0 was essentially guaranteed…
As the second period concluded and with the thought that the agony had to be excised in some manner, Mike and Natalie ordered five stinger shots for themselves, myself, and two others we were watching the contest with… This wasn’t my first stinger shot, but that doesn’t make it not worth recounting (I actually meant to discuss the drink on Thursday and forgot)… The concoction of Curacao, Smirnoff, and Rick Nash (kidding, they wouldn’t tell me what else is in the recipe) is exquisite… With one sip, one can imagine why the drink won best city shot…
Three minutes and a second stinger shot into the third period, the Red Wings completed the calamity… Jiri Hudler became the fourth different Detroit player to record a goal, as he placed the Red Wings ahead, by the eventual final score 4-0… What had seemed impossible only hours earlier, a second consecutive abysmal performance, was now more than reality… It was hockey history… The simple reality was that Tuesday now has only one acceptable outcome…
Maybe this was what led whomever to toss their jersey into the street… Maybe they were heckled or harassed and rather than take the embarrassment, they shed the jersey…. Or maybe they were intoxicated and the toss seemed a reasonable maneuver at the moment… Whatever the rationalization, that fan, whomever they were, gave up on the Blue Jackets… This, whether in Columbus or any city, is unforgivable…
Friday, April 17, 2009
Cinderella Calamity: Red Wings Own Game One
In “Major League,” the New York Yankees hammer a home run and assume a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Indians in a playoff contest. Smugly, villainous owner Rachel Phelps remarks, “That ought to shut these people up.”
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the environment and excitement screamed playoffs. The Pepsi Power Patrol was present… Stinger was motivating fans… The voice announcing prize winners was the Nationwide Arena voice (nice touch) and as for the fans… Every eye was transfixed with the action… And the Blue Jackets were playing as those eyes expected…
The action was intense… Rick Nash had chances… Others had chances… Steve Mason played, as we now expect he will and despite skating an ice surface below thirty-four banners, the Blue Jackets played as if this was their eighteenth consecutive playoff appearance (when in actually, it was Detroit’s eighteenth consecutive and the Blue Jackets initial)… Amidst almost constant sound, the Blue Jackets and Red Wings contested a first period, which epitomized what this sport’s second season is…
Interspersed with the outstanding hockey and omnipresent crowd reaction was the adorable activity of Marchioness Stephanie… I know I’ve discussed her previously, but she honestly is atypical… Other bar bunnies have appearance… They have personality… But, Stephanie possesses an enthralling and infinite energy that simply resists explanation… She could, in five minutes, make coffee exhausted…
Speaking of exhausted, R Bar’s capacity was exactly this as I approached the venue for the start of the second twenty minutes… I don’t mean it was simply difficult to move inside the venue… I don’t mean there was standing room only in the venue… I mean there was a line out the door of people watching the contest through the glass, waiting to get into the venue… For the second consecutive week, R Bar was unmatched for atmosphere…
If only the Blue Jackets second could have matched their first… While they quickly countered the Red Wings first goal, registering a response within one minute… They were unable to counter salvos two and three… Despite continuous encouragement from fans both inside and outside R Bar, the Blue Jackets reminded everyone why this was their initial playoffs… They were sloppier… They were slower… And they concluded the second trailing 3-1…
Thankfully, as the Red Wings assumed command of the contest, I had R Bar Owner Natalie Darr to converse with… I know I’ve discussed several other owners in this city and each is passionate about their venue… But, Natalie is exemplary and unique… She is passionate about what her venue represents… Last night, three hundred plus packed themselves amongst alcohol and memorabilia and for the first moment since I started this website… the Buckeyes were on no one’s mind… This, thanks to Natalie and her patrons, was a professional sports city…
As the third period commenced, the Blue Jackets were attempting to return the Buckeyes to everyone’s foremost thoughts… Less than three minutes into the frame, the Red Wings might as well have sang good night sweet prince, as they scored a fourth goal and deadened any aspirations of a comeback… The hope that personified this night walked (metaphorically, if not literally) the bridge into the night with thoughts of game two… Game one was over…
As I split the post-game between R Bar and the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd within both venues was subdued… However, I enjoyed several random conversations, each focused on the fact that this wasn’t the Blue Jackets night, but at least there would be another night… At least there would be a game two, which until this season was a practical impossibility, as there had never been a game one…
I walked the bricks toward the conclusion of my night and one thought superceded all others… Since the Blue Jackets clinched the playoffs, they have lost three consecutive contests… Making the playoffs was an ambition and it is an admirable first step… But, the Blue Jackets must realize, what the city and their opponents clearly already know… Making it isn’t enough…
Upon my arrival at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the environment and excitement screamed playoffs. The Pepsi Power Patrol was present… Stinger was motivating fans… The voice announcing prize winners was the Nationwide Arena voice (nice touch) and as for the fans… Every eye was transfixed with the action… And the Blue Jackets were playing as those eyes expected…
The action was intense… Rick Nash had chances… Others had chances… Steve Mason played, as we now expect he will and despite skating an ice surface below thirty-four banners, the Blue Jackets played as if this was their eighteenth consecutive playoff appearance (when in actually, it was Detroit’s eighteenth consecutive and the Blue Jackets initial)… Amidst almost constant sound, the Blue Jackets and Red Wings contested a first period, which epitomized what this sport’s second season is…
Interspersed with the outstanding hockey and omnipresent crowd reaction was the adorable activity of Marchioness Stephanie… I know I’ve discussed her previously, but she honestly is atypical… Other bar bunnies have appearance… They have personality… But, Stephanie possesses an enthralling and infinite energy that simply resists explanation… She could, in five minutes, make coffee exhausted…
Speaking of exhausted, R Bar’s capacity was exactly this as I approached the venue for the start of the second twenty minutes… I don’t mean it was simply difficult to move inside the venue… I don’t mean there was standing room only in the venue… I mean there was a line out the door of people watching the contest through the glass, waiting to get into the venue… For the second consecutive week, R Bar was unmatched for atmosphere…
If only the Blue Jackets second could have matched their first… While they quickly countered the Red Wings first goal, registering a response within one minute… They were unable to counter salvos two and three… Despite continuous encouragement from fans both inside and outside R Bar, the Blue Jackets reminded everyone why this was their initial playoffs… They were sloppier… They were slower… And they concluded the second trailing 3-1…
Thankfully, as the Red Wings assumed command of the contest, I had R Bar Owner Natalie Darr to converse with… I know I’ve discussed several other owners in this city and each is passionate about their venue… But, Natalie is exemplary and unique… She is passionate about what her venue represents… Last night, three hundred plus packed themselves amongst alcohol and memorabilia and for the first moment since I started this website… the Buckeyes were on no one’s mind… This, thanks to Natalie and her patrons, was a professional sports city…
As the third period commenced, the Blue Jackets were attempting to return the Buckeyes to everyone’s foremost thoughts… Less than three minutes into the frame, the Red Wings might as well have sang good night sweet prince, as they scored a fourth goal and deadened any aspirations of a comeback… The hope that personified this night walked (metaphorically, if not literally) the bridge into the night with thoughts of game two… Game one was over…
As I split the post-game between R Bar and the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, the crowd within both venues was subdued… However, I enjoyed several random conversations, each focused on the fact that this wasn’t the Blue Jackets night, but at least there would be another night… At least there would be a game two, which until this season was a practical impossibility, as there had never been a game one…
I walked the bricks toward the conclusion of my night and one thought superceded all others… Since the Blue Jackets clinched the playoffs, they have lost three consecutive contests… Making the playoffs was an ambition and it is an admirable first step… But, the Blue Jackets must realize, what the city and their opponents clearly already know… Making it isn’t enough…
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Showcase Saturday
Columbus has enjoyed spectacular occasions… However, nothing compares with this… From the Blue Jackets to the Clippers to Fleetwood Mac… From Huntington Bank Park to Nationwide Arena to Front, Park, and Vine streets… Every entity and venue has superstars to showcase…
Gossip CBUS will cover them all… From 2 p.m. until midnight, our twitter will be live with the events, people, and sites, which will make the memories… Where will we be? Our partial schedule is below (watch our twitter for additional venues)…
2 – 4 p.m.: Clippers coverage includes Frog Bear & Wild Boar and Lodge Bar
6 – 9 p.m.: Blue Jackets coverage includes R Bar
9 – Midnight: Fleetwood Mac post concert includes Frog Bear & Wild Boar
Gossip CBUS will cover them all… From 2 p.m. until midnight, our twitter will be live with the events, people, and sites, which will make the memories… Where will we be? Our partial schedule is below (watch our twitter for additional venues)…
2 – 4 p.m.: Clippers coverage includes Frog Bear & Wild Boar and Lodge Bar
6 – 9 p.m.: Blue Jackets coverage includes R Bar
9 – Midnight: Fleetwood Mac post concert includes Frog Bear & Wild Boar
Blue Jackets vs. Red Wings: Game One (R Bar)
Commencement: 2:00Venue: R Bar (Arena District)
Playoff Tickets & Prizes
Drinks (Available All Night)
$2.50 Canadian Bottled Beers
Drinks (Available 2 – 9 p.m.)
$3.50 Seasonal & Stouts
$3 Premium Pints
$2.50 Domestic Pints
$2 Domestic Bottled Beers
Mixed Drink Specials
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Blue Jackets, Nationwide Announce March On
The Columbus Blue Jackets invite fans to celebrate the excitement of the team’s first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs by visiting the “March On” Pre-Game Plaza Party presented by Nationwide Insurance before the first-round home games on Tuesday, April 21, Thursday, April 23 and if necessary, Monday, April 27. The parties on the Front St. plaza will run from 3:30-6:30 p.m. before the game starts at 7 p.m. Game tickets are not required to attend and admission is open to all fans who want to enjoy the offerings of the bustling Arena District. At each party, one lucky fan will win a pair of tickets to that evening’s game.
In addition to enjoying food, beer, musical entertainment and live broadcasts from Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan and WWCD-FM/CD101, fans can stop by the Nationwide Insurance gazebo on the plaza to have a keepsake photo taken. Those fans will also receive a lanyard and ticket holder along with a Blue Jackets car flag compliments of Nationwide.
Nationwide is further celebrating the team’s postseason appearance by presenting a rally flag to all fans attending first-round games at Nationwide Arena. To compliment the rally flag giveaway, the Blue Jackets are giving fans at the first two home games a commemorative Stanley Cup Playoff ticket.
Beyond all the activity on the plaza, the Dispatch Ice Haus is offering free public skating from 4-6 p.m. Fans may bring their own skates and skate rental will be available.
Available tickets for all Blue Jackets first round home playoff games at Nationwide Arena are on sale now at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, online at BlueJackets.com and Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. For each home playoff game in the first round, 250 HUNTINGTON GREEN SEATS priced at $20 will go on sale two hours prior to game time and 200 RUSH CBJ PRESENTED BY RAISING CANE’S student tickets priced at $30 will go on sale one hour prior to game time at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office.
Season tickets for 2009-10 starting at $18 per game, as well as 10- and 20-game packages are on sale now. For information, call (800) NHL-COLS or visit BlueJackets.com.
In addition to enjoying food, beer, musical entertainment and live broadcasts from Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan and WWCD-FM/CD101, fans can stop by the Nationwide Insurance gazebo on the plaza to have a keepsake photo taken. Those fans will also receive a lanyard and ticket holder along with a Blue Jackets car flag compliments of Nationwide.
Nationwide is further celebrating the team’s postseason appearance by presenting a rally flag to all fans attending first-round games at Nationwide Arena. To compliment the rally flag giveaway, the Blue Jackets are giving fans at the first two home games a commemorative Stanley Cup Playoff ticket.
Beyond all the activity on the plaza, the Dispatch Ice Haus is offering free public skating from 4-6 p.m. Fans may bring their own skates and skate rental will be available.
Available tickets for all Blue Jackets first round home playoff games at Nationwide Arena are on sale now at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, online at BlueJackets.com and Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. For each home playoff game in the first round, 250 HUNTINGTON GREEN SEATS priced at $20 will go on sale two hours prior to game time and 200 RUSH CBJ PRESENTED BY RAISING CANE’S student tickets priced at $30 will go on sale one hour prior to game time at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office.
Season tickets for 2009-10 starting at $18 per game, as well as 10- and 20-game packages are on sale now. For information, call (800) NHL-COLS or visit BlueJackets.com.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Mission Detroit
On April 8, history was made. On April 16, history is a memory and the playoffs are reality. The Blue Jackets will oppose the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in an opening round confrontation.
Gossip CBUS will cover every moment, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar on Thursday (6:30) and exclusively from R Bar on Saturday (5:40)… Get out on both nights, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and remember…
This season, the Blue Jackets and Red Wings split six contests… But, the next seven will determine who plays in May…
Gossip CBUS will cover every moment, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar on Thursday (6:30) and exclusively from R Bar on Saturday (5:40)… Get out on both nights, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and remember…
This season, the Blue Jackets and Red Wings split six contests… But, the next seven will determine who plays in May…
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blue Jackets Announce Playoff Sales
The Columbus Blue Jackets secured their first playoff berth in dramatic fashion Wednesday night. So, how do you get a ticket to history?
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 11. Tickets range from $45 to $230 for the first round and go to $125 to $400 for the fourth round. Game dates will be announced the evening of Sunday, April 12, with Stanley Cup Playoff games scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 15.
Tickets for first-round games will be on sale at the Nationwide Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster ticket centers, the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, online at http://www.BlueJackets.com and http://www.Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800-745-3000.
Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 11. Tickets range from $45 to $230 for the first round and go to $125 to $400 for the fourth round. Game dates will be announced the evening of Sunday, April 12, with Stanley Cup Playoff games scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 15.
Tickets for first-round games will be on sale at the Nationwide Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster ticket centers, the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, online at http://www.BlueJackets.com and http://www.Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800-745-3000.
From Mason to McConnell: Jackets Make History
For seven seasons, this city has craved this evening. 654 contests had been played… 132 players had skated Nationwide Arena’s ice… 91 draft selections had been made… Nine were top ten selections… Five players had served as captain… Three logos had been utilized… And an owner and chairman had passed away…
With one point separating the Blue Jackets from their initial playoff experience, I anticipated an electric evening… As I walked the bricks, over the bridge, down the stairs, and toward the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, I was stunned… The bricks were silent… Granted, the temperature was imperfect and the Blue Jackets were in Chicago… Still, I expected activity… I expected recognition for the importance of this evening (I would locate that recognition later)…
When I arrived at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, I recognized a cache of empty chairs… The Arena District’s premiere pre-game venue was vacant, only a scattered array of fans were enjoying dinner with friends, entertaining the bartenders, or watching the contest… And the contest, for the first period, was not worth watching… Fourteen minutes into the contest, the Blackhawks inked the initial salvo… Five minutes later, they registered a 2-0 lead (Apparently, the Blue Jackets didn’t recognize the importance of this evening either)…
Amidst this frustration, I was thankful for two conversations… The first with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Owner Tom Selvaggio… The second with Grace, who is a server… The round robin of our comments, mostly centering on the Blue Jackets and how, given the present circumstances, playing their way into another premature vacation was entirely possible, was completely enjoyable…
The second period’s commencement mirrored the conversation… After twenty-five minutes, the Blue Jackets closed within 2-1… They evened the contest three minutes later and as I walked the still silent bricks to R Bar, the obvious thought in my head, must have been obvious in everyone else’s as well… We are thirty minutes away… Don’t mess this up…
As I walked across the bridge and toward R Bar, the scene was what I had expected… The venue was crushed… The crowd was chanting, they were groaning, they were exalting and exhaling with every second… Yes, ABC6 and a Dispatch photographer were present, but the media wasn’t the patrons’ inspiration… Erasing their past was…
That past reappeared again, as five minutes after my arrival, the Blackhawks reassumed command 3-2. Was this scenery a titanic tease? Would this energy, which finally rivaled a football Saturday, be wasted? Would the Blue Jackets and their partisans have to count on the Detroit Red Wings to engrave their postseason invitation?
For almost fifteen minutes, those questions remained unanswered… Not for lack of inspiration from those watching… The chants, which included “Let’s Go Jackets” on numerous occasions, were exhilarating… This was the crowd I had anticipated… This was the crowd this franchise merited… An educated, exuberant mass crammed into a venue, which on this evening, was the ultimate hockey bar…
With ticks over five minutes remaining, the educated, exuberant mass finally received reason to explode… A trickling puck, which seemed unsalvageable, found the stick of Rick Nash… Who better to clinch the playoffs? Who better to score the goal? And he did… 3-3… The venue erupted…
That eruption would be trumped only minutes later when history was made… Within a glance, I couldn’t surmise if this was New Year’s Eve or simply a new hockey era… Fans cheered and hugged… I saw multiple couples kiss… The chant progressed from “Let’s Go Jackets” to “Lets Go Playoffs.” This crowd was delirious…
But, they were not satisfied… Amidst a chant of “Let’s Get Two,” the verdict was clear… They wanted a win… Overtime elapsed… The first shootout participants elapsed… Then, Fedor Tyutin scored… Steve Mason registered a final save… And the perfect conclusion was authored… As the crowd celebrated and cheered, the most poignant chant, one I had not considered, but savored hearing occurred… “J.H.M.”
In the post triumph pandemonium, it’s easy to forget that the person most responsible for hockey in Columbus wont witness the initial playoff contest… As many fans dedicate this penultimate accomplishment to Mason or Nash or Ken Hitchcock, they should remember John McConnell as well…
With one point separating the Blue Jackets from their initial playoff experience, I anticipated an electric evening… As I walked the bricks, over the bridge, down the stairs, and toward the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, I was stunned… The bricks were silent… Granted, the temperature was imperfect and the Blue Jackets were in Chicago… Still, I expected activity… I expected recognition for the importance of this evening (I would locate that recognition later)…
When I arrived at the Frog Bear and Wild Boar, I recognized a cache of empty chairs… The Arena District’s premiere pre-game venue was vacant, only a scattered array of fans were enjoying dinner with friends, entertaining the bartenders, or watching the contest… And the contest, for the first period, was not worth watching… Fourteen minutes into the contest, the Blackhawks inked the initial salvo… Five minutes later, they registered a 2-0 lead (Apparently, the Blue Jackets didn’t recognize the importance of this evening either)…
Amidst this frustration, I was thankful for two conversations… The first with Frog Bear and Wild Boar Owner Tom Selvaggio… The second with Grace, who is a server… The round robin of our comments, mostly centering on the Blue Jackets and how, given the present circumstances, playing their way into another premature vacation was entirely possible, was completely enjoyable…
The second period’s commencement mirrored the conversation… After twenty-five minutes, the Blue Jackets closed within 2-1… They evened the contest three minutes later and as I walked the still silent bricks to R Bar, the obvious thought in my head, must have been obvious in everyone else’s as well… We are thirty minutes away… Don’t mess this up…
As I walked across the bridge and toward R Bar, the scene was what I had expected… The venue was crushed… The crowd was chanting, they were groaning, they were exalting and exhaling with every second… Yes, ABC6 and a Dispatch photographer were present, but the media wasn’t the patrons’ inspiration… Erasing their past was…
That past reappeared again, as five minutes after my arrival, the Blackhawks reassumed command 3-2. Was this scenery a titanic tease? Would this energy, which finally rivaled a football Saturday, be wasted? Would the Blue Jackets and their partisans have to count on the Detroit Red Wings to engrave their postseason invitation?
For almost fifteen minutes, those questions remained unanswered… Not for lack of inspiration from those watching… The chants, which included “Let’s Go Jackets” on numerous occasions, were exhilarating… This was the crowd I had anticipated… This was the crowd this franchise merited… An educated, exuberant mass crammed into a venue, which on this evening, was the ultimate hockey bar…
With ticks over five minutes remaining, the educated, exuberant mass finally received reason to explode… A trickling puck, which seemed unsalvageable, found the stick of Rick Nash… Who better to clinch the playoffs? Who better to score the goal? And he did… 3-3… The venue erupted…
That eruption would be trumped only minutes later when history was made… Within a glance, I couldn’t surmise if this was New Year’s Eve or simply a new hockey era… Fans cheered and hugged… I saw multiple couples kiss… The chant progressed from “Let’s Go Jackets” to “Lets Go Playoffs.” This crowd was delirious…
But, they were not satisfied… Amidst a chant of “Let’s Get Two,” the verdict was clear… They wanted a win… Overtime elapsed… The first shootout participants elapsed… Then, Fedor Tyutin scored… Steve Mason registered a final save… And the perfect conclusion was authored… As the crowd celebrated and cheered, the most poignant chant, one I had not considered, but savored hearing occurred… “J.H.M.”
In the post triumph pandemonium, it’s easy to forget that the person most responsible for hockey in Columbus wont witness the initial playoff contest… As many fans dedicate this penultimate accomplishment to Mason or Nash or Ken Hitchcock, they should remember John McConnell as well…
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Seven Seasons to Now
On April 8, 2009, history will be made. With only one point, the Blue Jackets will clinch their initial playoff opportunity. Gossip CBUS will completely cover this milestone, as we twitter live from the Frog Bear and Wild Boar and R Bar.
Get out tomorrow night, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and realize that with your hope and support, the postseason awaits...
Get out tomorrow night, cheer, drink, read our tweets, and realize that with your hope and support, the postseason awaits...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Community Blue Jackets
10 TV: The Columbus Blue Jackets, in the midst of a playoff push, have adopted Ryan Salmons as one of their own, complete with a contract and terms that would score him bonus incentives.
Salmons, 19, knows hockey inside and out -- from strategies of the game to trading locker room barbs -- but he isn't a player. He's a fan whose time to enjoy hockey is dwindling. Salmons was diagnosed with cancer less than a year ago. The diagnosis wasn't good at the time, and in recent months, a brain tumor has worsened. "Things are getting tougher," Salmons said. "I can really tell. I'm in a lot more pain."
The Blue Jackets, anxious to find way for Salmons to focus on quality of life, decided to make him one of their own. Last week the team left the rink and went to Salmons' house to deliver a one-day player contract. "It was the real contract that we sign," said Blue Jackets forward Jason Chimera. "It was the real addendum sheet (and) he had to hit a bonus for two playoff tickets for the first playoff game."
Since then, Nationwide Arena has become Salmons' second home. "I can't put into words what this team has done for me and my drive and my morale," he said. "It really does mean a lot to me."
Chimera and Jackets' center Manny Malholtra have become Salmons' closest friends on the team. "It's a privilege to know him and be around him," Malholtra said. "I'm lucky to be in this situation; to meet a kid like him."
Chimera said it was no secret that Salmon was having an impact on the Blue Jackets team. "If this kid can fight through that, we can sure make the playoffs and do a big run," Chimera said. "Guys want to get there for him."
Brad Salmons, Ryan's father, said he believed the bond between his son and the Blue Jackets could lead the team to their first playoff appearance. "I truly believe that Ryan and his drive to be here for the playoffs is pushing a lot of players to go that extra step," he said.
Still, even with the excitement of a playoff run, the Salmons family deals with looming reminders of Ryan's health. "The hardest conversation I've had with him was yesterday," Brad Salmons said. "We actually had to talk about the burial, what his wishes were."
In the meantime Salmons' focuses on the Blue Jackets, his new friends, and the playoffs, which until this year, seemed to be unattainable for Columbus. "I'm trying, I'm fighting and sticking around with them," Salmons said. "Giving them that push, hopefully."
Salmons, 19, knows hockey inside and out -- from strategies of the game to trading locker room barbs -- but he isn't a player. He's a fan whose time to enjoy hockey is dwindling. Salmons was diagnosed with cancer less than a year ago. The diagnosis wasn't good at the time, and in recent months, a brain tumor has worsened. "Things are getting tougher," Salmons said. "I can really tell. I'm in a lot more pain."
The Blue Jackets, anxious to find way for Salmons to focus on quality of life, decided to make him one of their own. Last week the team left the rink and went to Salmons' house to deliver a one-day player contract. "It was the real contract that we sign," said Blue Jackets forward Jason Chimera. "It was the real addendum sheet (and) he had to hit a bonus for two playoff tickets for the first playoff game."
Since then, Nationwide Arena has become Salmons' second home. "I can't put into words what this team has done for me and my drive and my morale," he said. "It really does mean a lot to me."
Chimera and Jackets' center Manny Malholtra have become Salmons' closest friends on the team. "It's a privilege to know him and be around him," Malholtra said. "I'm lucky to be in this situation; to meet a kid like him."
Chimera said it was no secret that Salmon was having an impact on the Blue Jackets team. "If this kid can fight through that, we can sure make the playoffs and do a big run," Chimera said. "Guys want to get there for him."
Brad Salmons, Ryan's father, said he believed the bond between his son and the Blue Jackets could lead the team to their first playoff appearance. "I truly believe that Ryan and his drive to be here for the playoffs is pushing a lot of players to go that extra step," he said.
Still, even with the excitement of a playoff run, the Salmons family deals with looming reminders of Ryan's health. "The hardest conversation I've had with him was yesterday," Brad Salmons said. "We actually had to talk about the burial, what his wishes were."
In the meantime Salmons' focuses on the Blue Jackets, his new friends, and the playoffs, which until this year, seemed to be unattainable for Columbus. "I'm trying, I'm fighting and sticking around with them," Salmons said. "Giving them that push, hopefully."
Monday, March 30, 2009
INVITE: The Other Paper Blue Jackets Pre-Game Party
Commencement: 5:00Venue: Frog Bear & Wild Boar (343 N Front Street)
Reservations: Frog Bear Bar
Blue Jackets vs. Predators Ticket Contest
Friday, March 27, 2009
Moron Threatens Steve Mason
10 TV: Police said a man has been charged in connection with threats he made against the Columbus Blue Jackets -- specifically goalie Steve Mason -- during the team's shutout victory Thursday night over the Calgary Flames.
Peter Stenzel, 52, faces charges of inducing panic and menacing after allegedly making phone calls to the Blue Jackets in which he threatened the team and talked about bombing and shooting Mason… According to police, arena and team personnel contacted authorities after receiving three phone calls. Caller ID information led police to a home in northwest Columbus, where they found Stenzel, a native of Canada, wearing a Calgary Flames T-shirt.
The Blue Jackets released a statement Friday but did not go into much detail regarding Thursday's incident. Stenzel was expected to appear in court on Saturday.
Peter Stenzel, 52, faces charges of inducing panic and menacing after allegedly making phone calls to the Blue Jackets in which he threatened the team and talked about bombing and shooting Mason… According to police, arena and team personnel contacted authorities after receiving three phone calls. Caller ID information led police to a home in northwest Columbus, where they found Stenzel, a native of Canada, wearing a Calgary Flames T-shirt.
The Blue Jackets released a statement Friday but did not go into much detail regarding Thursday's incident. Stenzel was expected to appear in court on Saturday.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Red Wings Own Lame, Bland Jackets
Walk Lane Avenue on any fall Saturday and the activity is amazing. Thousands of people patronize the businesses, occupy the sidewalks, and populate the parking lots. It doesn’t matter that the vast majority may not have tickets. This is their city, their event, and their team and in the thousand’s minds, the moment isn’t as sweet without them.
Sixty minutes prior to faceoff, the bricks were a sight to see… The importance of the contest, both for this season and the franchise overall, was reflected in the swarm which awaited their entrance into Nationwide Arena and inhabited every seat either obvious or invented. As I walked the bricks, interspersed with evenly split collage of Detroit Red Wings and Blue Jackets jerseys, the playoff atmosphere perfectly articulated the afternoon’s motivation… The Red Wings wanted revenge… The blue Jackets wanted validation…
The crush inside the Frog Bear and Wild Boar mirrored the mass assembled outside… The patio was crushed, the tables were occupied, and while a noticeable collection of eyes were affixed on the Ohio State-Purdue Big Ten Championship contest, the crowd’s energy was palpable.
Said energy expanded as I arrived at R Bar… From the patio to the popcorn pouch (which was refilled every five minutes during pre-game), the Blue Jackets jerseys and shirts were omnipresent and the crowd’s energy was stellar… The Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s population may have, in heart, been a split contingent… However, R Bar’s allegiance was unquestionable… With thirty minutes remaining until face-off, every R Bar television was affixed on the Blue Jackets pre-skate…
My eyes, meanwhile, were darting between the pre-skate and the random collection of fans which assumed residence within feet of R Bar’s door… The congregating ran the gambit from those sporting random attire to those sporting random Blue Jackets attire… However, the random who required the most attention, stood within five steps of the entrance… His ensemble included a mask and sign which read “Hey, Detroit, I’ve got my mask back… Jason lives at Mason-wide Arena.” Are Blue Jackets fans that uncreative that they have to parody horrid eighties movies for their goaltender’s nickname?
I cannot answer that question until all examples are exhausted… I can restate my answer as to why Ohio State afternoons supersede any Blue Jackets contest, not withstanding that contest’s historical significance… As I entered Gordon Biersch for my final moments prior to faceoff, the inside and outside crowd resembled what you would observe at this venue on a typical late spring afternoon…
This was not a typical late spring afternoon…. This was a chance to score a season series from a team that has owned you for seven seasons… The main dining area and the bar were busy, the patio was slightly less busy, and the Red Wings-Blue Jackets contest was relegated to a side monitor, barely visible around an Ohio State banner… The Ohio State-Purdue contest remained on four of the five bar screens (and in case you are wondering, the other screen featured golf)…
As reprehensible as you may feel that treatment of a potential playoff squad was, that insult pails in comparison to the cluster of Ohio State fans, who were four of only ten fans remaining in the venue when faceoff occurred… (we will return to the insult in a moment)… From the outset, you could sense the Red Wings attitude… While a goal was disallowed thirty seconds into the contest, the scored twice more to assume, what would ultimately conclude, as a 2-0 first period advantage…
With the Red Wings ahead 2-0 and the Big Ten title tilt concluded with Purdue as victors, the previously mentioned cluster of Buckeyes fans approached the exit… They were asked if they were leaving (reasonable question right?)… They informed their questioner that they possessed tickets to the contest and would be walking the bricks to the Arena… These four possessed tickets and they blew off the start to watch what amounted to a meaningless contest for both team’s tournament aspirations… I can’t imagine why I have stated my opposition to Columbus as a professional sports city…
That reinforcement of my opposition was not tempered during the second period, as the Frog Bear and Wild Boar sat equally vacant… One table occupied… Four bored bartenders starting toward the unwatched televisions as the brackets were revealed… It’s not as if the masses not inside Nationwide Arena were missing a grand exhibition… the Red Wings concluded the second with a 3-0 edge… Still, this was a historical opportunity (wasn’t it?)…
The energy was slightly elevated at R Bar, but it could not approach the spectacle of pregame. Moments after the Red Wings scored their final goal (4-0), I glanced toward the glass, which faces onto the bricks and the scene was mystifying… Streaming across the bridge, first in pairs, then in collections, and finally en masse, were Blue Jackets fans, wearing the green hats they were afforded as a St. Patrick’s Day promotion… I cannot state this with certainty… However, I believe every one of the 19,000 hats that were handed out walked the bridge as I watched…
As I transitioned from watching the bricks walked to walking them myself, first into our three postgame locations and eventually toward Front Street, I carried one obvious thought… The bricks and the venues they surround are the Blue Jackets Lane Avenue… Can anyone imagine a fall Saturday, in-game or post game with only twenty people on Lane Avenue?
Sixty minutes prior to faceoff, the bricks were a sight to see… The importance of the contest, both for this season and the franchise overall, was reflected in the swarm which awaited their entrance into Nationwide Arena and inhabited every seat either obvious or invented. As I walked the bricks, interspersed with evenly split collage of Detroit Red Wings and Blue Jackets jerseys, the playoff atmosphere perfectly articulated the afternoon’s motivation… The Red Wings wanted revenge… The blue Jackets wanted validation…
The crush inside the Frog Bear and Wild Boar mirrored the mass assembled outside… The patio was crushed, the tables were occupied, and while a noticeable collection of eyes were affixed on the Ohio State-Purdue Big Ten Championship contest, the crowd’s energy was palpable.
Said energy expanded as I arrived at R Bar… From the patio to the popcorn pouch (which was refilled every five minutes during pre-game), the Blue Jackets jerseys and shirts were omnipresent and the crowd’s energy was stellar… The Frog Bear and Wild Boar’s population may have, in heart, been a split contingent… However, R Bar’s allegiance was unquestionable… With thirty minutes remaining until face-off, every R Bar television was affixed on the Blue Jackets pre-skate…
My eyes, meanwhile, were darting between the pre-skate and the random collection of fans which assumed residence within feet of R Bar’s door… The congregating ran the gambit from those sporting random attire to those sporting random Blue Jackets attire… However, the random who required the most attention, stood within five steps of the entrance… His ensemble included a mask and sign which read “Hey, Detroit, I’ve got my mask back… Jason lives at Mason-wide Arena.” Are Blue Jackets fans that uncreative that they have to parody horrid eighties movies for their goaltender’s nickname?
I cannot answer that question until all examples are exhausted… I can restate my answer as to why Ohio State afternoons supersede any Blue Jackets contest, not withstanding that contest’s historical significance… As I entered Gordon Biersch for my final moments prior to faceoff, the inside and outside crowd resembled what you would observe at this venue on a typical late spring afternoon…
This was not a typical late spring afternoon…. This was a chance to score a season series from a team that has owned you for seven seasons… The main dining area and the bar were busy, the patio was slightly less busy, and the Red Wings-Blue Jackets contest was relegated to a side monitor, barely visible around an Ohio State banner… The Ohio State-Purdue contest remained on four of the five bar screens (and in case you are wondering, the other screen featured golf)…
As reprehensible as you may feel that treatment of a potential playoff squad was, that insult pails in comparison to the cluster of Ohio State fans, who were four of only ten fans remaining in the venue when faceoff occurred… (we will return to the insult in a moment)… From the outset, you could sense the Red Wings attitude… While a goal was disallowed thirty seconds into the contest, the scored twice more to assume, what would ultimately conclude, as a 2-0 first period advantage…
With the Red Wings ahead 2-0 and the Big Ten title tilt concluded with Purdue as victors, the previously mentioned cluster of Buckeyes fans approached the exit… They were asked if they were leaving (reasonable question right?)… They informed their questioner that they possessed tickets to the contest and would be walking the bricks to the Arena… These four possessed tickets and they blew off the start to watch what amounted to a meaningless contest for both team’s tournament aspirations… I can’t imagine why I have stated my opposition to Columbus as a professional sports city…
That reinforcement of my opposition was not tempered during the second period, as the Frog Bear and Wild Boar sat equally vacant… One table occupied… Four bored bartenders starting toward the unwatched televisions as the brackets were revealed… It’s not as if the masses not inside Nationwide Arena were missing a grand exhibition… the Red Wings concluded the second with a 3-0 edge… Still, this was a historical opportunity (wasn’t it?)…
The energy was slightly elevated at R Bar, but it could not approach the spectacle of pregame. Moments after the Red Wings scored their final goal (4-0), I glanced toward the glass, which faces onto the bricks and the scene was mystifying… Streaming across the bridge, first in pairs, then in collections, and finally en masse, were Blue Jackets fans, wearing the green hats they were afforded as a St. Patrick’s Day promotion… I cannot state this with certainty… However, I believe every one of the 19,000 hats that were handed out walked the bridge as I watched…
As I transitioned from watching the bricks walked to walking them myself, first into our three postgame locations and eventually toward Front Street, I carried one obvious thought… The bricks and the venues they surround are the Blue Jackets Lane Avenue… Can anyone imagine a fall Saturday, in-game or post game with only twenty people on Lane Avenue?
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