Replace The KB - Monpeeps Have Spoken...

I submitted 12 articles, 6 videos, and a whole lotta heart. Now, after three weeks of competition The Province Sports have picked the 4 who will replace the KB as their Canucks bloggers. Among the 4....

It is done. Check the link HERE for the "Bow-fficial" announcement. I'm going to keep this short, hopefully you'll be reading stuff from me for a long time, but I want to say thank you to the Province Sports, the 14 other competitors who brought the goods on a regular basis and blogged their hearts out. Check out the KB link here and feel free to click on the contestants and check them out. Win or lose, these are 14 people worth reading regularly. Most importantly I wish to thank...

You.

Every single person who believed the alternative underdog could pull this off and supported me every step of the way. Some of you I know, some of you I don't, but to all of you I'm eternally grateful. I do not take this opportunity lightly and I promise that I will continue to bring the goods and let you know that you backed the right horse. The pale horse.

I will write a bit more on the subject tomorrow, but for now...

... enough talk. Can I get an internet dance party going for all of Monpeeps out there? I'll bring the tunes. Get up off your chairs, stay in your chairs, do whatever you like. Just know, it's dancing time.

Thanks again. All systems Bow. Hit my music!



I dare you not to dance at 1:06. I DARE YOU!

Thanks for Reading.

- jB

Jersey. Always. #3 - "Modern Warfare"

This is it folks. The last video I will be releasing for the Replace the KB contest. While it was a toss up between this and "Getting to Know Bow 3", I just can't resist the opportunity to mix the Vancouver Canucks, Paintball and Jurassic Park together (plus, it was way too nice a day yesterday to not film something outside).

These have been an absolute blast to work on over the last couple weeks. I could not have done them without the help of the awesome crew mentioned up top in the #replacethekb tab. You can find all the videos I've done for the contest there. If you are like me and too lazy to click the tab (it is all the way up there after all), here is a shortcut.

In case this is my last post before the clock strikes midnight, I want to say thank you all for the positive feedback on the posts and videos. Coming into this contest in relative obscurity and competing with some of the best and most recognized names in Canucks fan blogging has been an honour and my diplomatic scorecards still have it as a 15 way tie for 1st place.

You know what? Who wants to see this contest extended? C'mon folks!

"ONE MORE WEEK! ONE MORE WEEK! ONE MORE WEEK!"

Thanks for not chanting. I'm exhausted. I think all 15 of us left it all on the ice (or keyboard as it were) and have a tremendous amount to be proud of.

Without further delay, "Jersey Always #3 - Modern Warfare".

Thanks for reading watching everything.

- jB

#ReplacetheKB

 

Twitter @jbowmancouver. I promise to tweet once a month about how much I love "McCain Deep n' Delicious Cakes".

"What's the Frequency Henrik?" - Tuning out the tuned out argument

Sunday, November 20th is "coaching day" in BC. I can't think of a better day to express that I've officially had enough of the rumblings that the Canucks now respond to the soon-to-be winningest coach in team history, Alain Vigneault, in the same way that Charlie Brown responded to adults.

(Somehow, I doubt Henrik is hearing trumpet noises right now.)

It is a popular topic when the Canucks are losing, and it's a popular topic when it comes to sports in general: the "tuning out" of a head coach. I can see where the basis of this take comes from. Coaches are leaders and leaders need to be inspirational, guiding influences. When a team falters, the knee jerk reaction is to criticize the result as "uninspired play".

(Players didn't respond to his plan of showing "Dead Poet's Society" on the jumbo tron.)

Jersey. Always. #2 - "Beer League"

A wise man with a great singing voice and radically fluctuating weight once said:

"A little less conversation, a little more action".

With that in mind, I present to you the second of three "Jersey. Always." videos entitled "Beer League". Keeping this series short and almost completely devoid of dialogue. If you have 1:12 seconds to spare today, I highly recommend giving it a viewing.

Check the #replacethekb tab at the top of the blog for my other campaign videos and #voteBow4Blog. The Cinderella story of this run is coming to an end, it's time to throw your support behind, well, not exactly the "dark horse".

Support the pale horse.



In case you were wondering, yes there is a take where a softball hit me "downtown". Perhaps there will be outtakes.

Thanks for reading.

- jB

#ReplacetheKB

Follow me on twitter @jbowmancouver There will be candy! (candy subject to change.)

Mike Gillis GM Camp for Kids - A Brochure Review

"A camp where kids and inept teens can gather and learn how to navigate life the Mike Gillis way" - Brochure.

"Don't be an idiot. Come here and learn something." - Brochure (first draft).

I was recently going through my "fictional things" drawer and I came across a brochure for an intensive summer camp for prospective or future GM's run by Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis.

(This kid will not be kissing any girls at the camp this year. Fact.)

Are You There Ron Hextall? It's Me, Ryan Miller

"Sometimes in life you just have to give people a whack on the leg to let them know you aren't to be messed with." - Ghandi.

(Or maybe it was Ron Hextall?)

There has been a lot of controversy recently over an incident on November 12th when Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic drilled an unsuspecting Ryan Miller in a game between the Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres. Hits happen all the time in hockey, but the reason there is so much controversy is because Ryan Miller is... wait for it, a goalie!

(Proof.)

Lucic was given a charging penalty for the hit, and Miller ended up leaving the game in the 2nd period (he has since been diagnosed with a concussion). After the game in the media scrum, Ryan Miller unleashed this gem on the world in regards to the hit, Lucic as a person, and his stance on feces.

Miller: "I just want to say what a piece of shit I think Lucic is. Fifty pounds on me, and he runs me like that. It’s unbelievable. Everyone in this city sees him as a big, tough, solid player. I respected him for how hard he played. That was gutless. Gutless, piece of shit.”

Wow. Hey bad guy from "Demolition Man", can I get an "Oh Snap!"?

(Thank you.)

Ryan Miller unleashes what passes as a salvo attack for a goalie these days. I'm not going to get into the legality of the hit, if you want that, check the rest of the internet (I'm sure you will find at least 400 people writing at length about it). For the record, I did not like the hit, but what I really want to do is ask the question:

What happened to tough goalies like Ron Hextall?

(Also, on an unrelated topic, Queen was an awesome band.)

Top 5 Classic Canucks Moments ('94 / Between The Lockouts)

Let me clarify right out of the gate what my personal definition of "classic" is when regarding Canucks moments. During the 40 year span of the Vancouver Canucks, there have been many eras which can be defined as classic to different groups of people. I think the simplest definition of mine would be the moments that happened during my wonder years... "formative years" in life.

(Lawsuit? Sidestepped.)

You hear people talk about how there were a big fan of certain things "while they were growing up" and that's just the period I went for when choosing these 5 moments. I was a fresh faced youngster when the Canucks went on their amazing run in '94 (which literally could have filled every spot on this list). How fresh my face was is debatable, but the message is that during that run I became a fan for life. The 10 years of Canucks fandom that followed saw me go from age 8 to 18, 3 feet tall to 6 feet tall and pale skinned to... well that didn't really change.

(Also something that never changed? My appreciation of this guy.)

A Canuck Life #1 - "The Heart"

I came into this contest with several goals in mind. "Don't cry" and "watch Rudy every day" appear on that list (conflicting goals if you ask me) but another one was to do 3 sets of 3 videos detailing a different aspect of Canucks fandom. I have a lot of fun doing them and I had hoped they would give me a little boost out of obscurity because the vast majority of people outside of my regular readers here have never heard of me.

To those who have noticed, thank you very much.

Anyone who wants to catch up on "Jersey Always" or "Getting to Know Bow" can click the "#replacethekb" tab at the top of the blog.

Now, the first of the last series: A Canuck Life - "The Heart"



The contest so far has been a blast. Everyone is bringing it daily and my scorecard has it as a 15-way tie for first (I have really diplomatic scorecards).

There are 10 days left, and 5 videos to go (as well as posts, just to prove I'm also literete, litarite, literate... good at words.)

Thanks for reading.

- jB

#ReplacetheKB

Sidney Crosby Returns - "Can... Can we hit him?"

In order to succeed in any kind of business, you have to protect your assets.

(Like it or not: Asset!)

Sidney Crosby is set to return to the ice soon for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time in nearly 10 months and however you may feel about him, this is good thing for hockey. Crosby has become an ambassador for a sport that desperately needs them.

Professional hockey has always struggled in some areas to find it's niche as a mainstream sport. Since the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout, the league has been doing everything it can to recover and expand it's fanbase.

(Well, almost everything. At least have each team put one animal on the roster. I don't even care if they play, just like the possibility that they might.)

In the post lockout NHL, several rule changes came about to showcase the high skill level of some of the league's top players, two of whom entered the league in it's return season. Alex Ovechkin and future Stanley Cup winner Sidney Crosby burst onto the scene and competed for the Calder Trophy (awarded to Ovechkin as the NHL's best rookie). It was just what the league needed to give it a boost: a fresh rivalry between two of the best young stars the sport had to offer.

(One homo erotic beach volleyball game away from "Top Gun".)

After several seasons and accolades (both have won the Hart and Art Ross trophies) Sidney Crosby managed to set himself apart in an undesired way. He was caught up directly in the biggest hot button sports topic since steroids in baseball:

Head shots.

On January 1st, 2011 at the Winter Classic Crosby had his head down and skated into the path of Dave Steckel and got his bell rung. He stayed in the game and suited up 4 days later against the Tampa Bay Lighting, a game which saw Crosby get hit into the boards from behind by Victor Hedman.

He hasn't played since.

I'm not going to debate the legality of the hits because that horse has been "blindside elbowed" to death. It's not so much that the Crosby hits were dirty, it's that they happened to a marquee guy, which got more people asking important questions. With Crosby on the verge of making his return (after speaking out against the league's failure to properly crack down on head shots) one of those questions I find to be the most intriguing is:

"How do the other players, play against him?"

(Doubtful we'd see the "Arrested Development" strategy.)

As much as I would hate to see it, there will probably be a wide berth given to Crosby the first couple of games. But that will not last long. When a guy like Crosby is KILLING your team, there is an expectation to go out there and send a message. That doesn't mean what it used to in the old NHL (a magical time when "sending a message" might as well have meant "shank the guy"), but even so, it is expected for players to raise the level of physicality and stop the threat.

(And here he is, trying to be threatening. Adorable.)

I'm not suggesting everyone just gives him a clear path to the net, but you have to admit anyone who throws a hit on the guy in the next few weeks will be under intense scrutiny from the league. Justified or not. Spoken or unspoken, it will happen. If anyone comes within a whiff of the league's "golden goose", NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan will be watching. Heaven forbid the league is required to market George Parros as a "must see" NHL superstar.

(Going after that all important "dudes with vans" demographic.)

If you think "Sheriff Shanny" isn't going to destroy anyone that lays a dirty hit on Crosby you are crazy. Shanny is there to protect all the players (and has been handing out suspensions for nonsense at an impressive rate) but there is something special about marquee players. Issues with them shine a light on the problems within the league and the measures being taken to stop those problems.

 

(Crosby gets hit, Commissioner Bettman lights the Shanny Signal.)

There is an odd parallel between Sidney Crosby and a former young, skilled NHL forward.

One of my favorite players growing up recently retired due to complications brought on from many concussions he received during his NHL tenure. At one time he was the youngest captain in the league and was a huge part of turning a fledgling franchise into a contender. He was a multi-time All-star, Lady Byng winner and runner up in the Hart Trophy balloting in 1997. He was from Vancouver, BC.

His name is Paul Kariya.

(One of his more awesome moments.)

(Kariya receiving one of the cheapest shots I've ever seen via Gary Suter.)

Paul Kariya, several years and a few concussions into his career received another one at the hands of "Concussion-Bot" Scott Stevens. It being the Stanley Cup Finals, Kariya manned up, returned and even scored a late goal to force a game 7, which they lost. The effort (not the hit) was deemed by many to be "Bombay Approved".

(Okay, by "many" I mean "me", but it still counts for something)

Sadly Kariya was never the same player. Although he had a good year here and there, you never felt like you were watching the same player you were before all of his concussions. After his retirement, he had some strong words for the league regarding their enforcement of player safety regarding concussions. 

“The thing that I worry about, is that you’ll get a guy who is playing with a concussion, and he gets hit, and he dies at centre ice. Can you imagine what would happen to the league if a guy dies at centre ice?”

"If you start at 10-game suspensions and go to 20, that sends a message to the players. But if you start fining the owners and suspending the coach, then it’s out of the game." 

With a big name superstar like Crosby now being involved in this controversy, the league is heavily focused on ensuring the safety of it's players and the quality of it's on ice product.

But is it enough?

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention another one of my favorite players as a kid who had his potential diminished and his career cut short due to concussion.

(If you don't like Pat Lafontaine, get your head checked.)

Time will tell if Sidney Crosby can regain the momentum he had before his concussion and remain one of the premiere players of this generation. But even with a close eye being kept on him, can anything be done to avoid seeing not just superstars, but average players "in a crumpled heap"?

Hockey is a fast and passionate game, it's going to happen again.

Thanks for reading.

- jB

#ReplacetheKB

 

Don't just "follow" me on twitter. Let's upgrade this to "stalking". I often tweet my whereabouts, allergies and greatest fears. @jbowmancouver.

Canucks 4th Line: Characters Welcome. Goofs Need Not Apply

Straddling the line between "do gooding hero" and "irredeemable jackass" you will find a group of players in the NHL who have the ability to get noticed and make an impact, whether it be on the scoreboard, on the ice or in the dressing room. They are commonly third or fourth line guys who form the backbone of what a team stands for. These impact players, more often than not, fall into two categories:

1) Characters

2) Goofs

"Out of the Blue, Into the Black" - A Sunday Showdown in Chi-town

Writing a Canucks post with a title that directly references a Neil Young song? List of life goals, you just got one entry shorter.

Today at high noon (or 4pm for people who like things more factual and less dramatic) the Vancouver Canucks renew their hostilities with the Chicago Blackhawks. There might not be a better way to put it than that. They hate each other, and that means great hockey... most of the time.

The Canucks have traded two awesome wins for two slightly embarrassing losses over the last week (most recently to the Blues, hence the title), and honestly I have no idea which team is going to take the ice in the windy city. Looking at the matchups, there are a few burning questions I find myself asking.

(That's mighty festive. Like New Year's Eve at The Riddler's house)

"Second verse, same as the first?"

Scoreless after 20 minutes. Chicago lights up the Canucks for 4 goals in the second, and another 3 in the third (while giving up 1).

The day was November 20th, 2010. Final score 7-1 Blackhawks.

This was also the day the Canucks snapped out of the early season jitters and started their ascent to the top of the NHL. After being bogged down for a month and a half with inconsistent play, lack of production from the big guns and continuous second guessing, the Canucks used this embarrassing defeat as a rallying point and they never looked back.

It was the wake up call they needed. If they lose today, which would be their third loss in a row, will it have the same effect on this year's team?

(Pictured L-R: Mad as hell, Not gonna take it anymore, Duncan Keith)

"Is the slot in the defensive zone made of lava?"

This might be the only plausible reason for the horrific play by the Canucks defence in front of "Schneidongo". I can only assume they are playing some sort of child-like game and they have declared the area in front of the goal as lava and if they touch it, well, you know...

(Nice to know Edler still cares for Toews' safety)

Seriously though, it doesn't matter who is in net if the 6 men who get paid to protect him don't show up to work. All the respect in the world to Tom Brady, but if his offensive line didn't show up, I highly doubt he would have a good outing.

Bieksa and Hamhuis are slumping. That's it. Both are great players and solid D-men and as soon as they get their groove back, all will be well. On the bright side of things, I'm loving what Alexander Sulzer is bringing to the table out there. Young guy, not letting his nerves get to him and seemingly not at all terrified of the lava the other D-men are convinced is out there. German cool.

(Lava does not exist in Alexander Sulzer's world. There is only more ice)

"With Burrows out, who gets the rub?"

With Alex Burrows potentially out of the lineup with back spasms, someone has to jump up onto the first line with the Sedin twins. People have been clamoring for everyone from Jannik Hansen to David Booth to Anson Carter (that last one may have been a desperate plea from an obscurity dwelling and very regretful Anson Carter).

("Well, this is awkward.")

AV's hand has been forced with the Burrows injury, and hopefully we'll see something fresh this afternoon that might spark our offence. I can think of no better way for David Booth to get his scoring touch back than by logging some minutes with the Hart Art Ross winning twins.

(The most important award is his mother's love... which he also has more of than Daniel.)

So there you have it - a few things to watch out for this afternoon when the Canucks and the Blackhawks get it on at the "United Centre".

Yeah, Canadian spelling. Deal with it, Chicago.

Thanks for reading.

- jB

#ReplacetheKB     #voteBow4Blog

@jBowmancouver

Getting to Know Bow #2 - "Games Night"

After a pretty disastrous first attempt at showcasing some of my better qualities in a campaign video (watch it HERE), I decided to rally "Team Bowman" together and get some footage from some people I knew I could count on to say something nice and positive about me.

Part 2/3 of "Getting to Know Bow" takes place at a "Family Games Night", which I always really enjoy but I get the sense my high compete level may be a bit too strong for some people. Let's take a look at the footage.



Well... dammit.

Thanks for Reading

- jB

Like what you saw? Head back to the Replace the KB page HERE and give it a thumbs up. Or down. Such is the benefit of living in a democracy.

#ReplaceTheKB   #voteBow4Blog

6 letter word for "giant waste of time"? ... Flames! Oh, also twitter (@jbowmancouver)

Three Little Words: "It's Been Worse"

(Gah! Higgins once again uses his speed and tenacity to hijack my opening)

After last night's "ironic scrimmage" by the Canucks (I like to imagine they thought they were above such trivial things as winning hockey games for a night), the left coast is once again flipping out over a bad effort. Not saying the Canucks didn't look bad, they did. Aside from Dan Hamhuis getting his first of the season and Maxim Lapierre trying to "Royal Rumble" Cal Clutterbuck into the Canucks bench (not to mention Clutterbuck's all class accidental cheap shot to the refs face as he was trying to break it up) there were no "highlights" to speak of. Except this. I can't stress enough that this happened.



The "Shanny Signal" is shining bright in the sky, Clutterbuck's in trouble.

(Shanahan: "Not tolerating bullcrap" since 2011)


Everywhere I turn I see brief, snippy three word opinions of the game, the team and the season:

"Sky is falling".

"Where's the defence?"

"Bad in October".

"Trade everyone anywhere".

There is a three word mantra I use at times like this (you know, after one bad loss and two big wins) to stay positive and put things in perspective:

It's been worse.

(Oh hello there, worst thing ever. I didn't hear you come in)

There was a time where the Canucks were populated by a bunch of overpaid babies who couldn't even make the playoffs, let alone get to within 1 game (and 5 goals) of the Stanley Cup. I have followed this team through light and dark and there is no time I can remember darker than when that "chip eating dream killer" infiltrated our team and ripped it apart from the inside during the late '90s.

(As opposed to the "soul eating dream killer")

You remember a little over a decade ago we had a team captained by Mark Messier and coached by Mike Keenan? Those were tough days to be a Canuck fan. I think deep down we all secretly hated that team. I made a vow in 1994 that I would never actively cheer for anything Mark Messier did. Thankfully, he did nothing here worth cheering about so I held up my end of it.

People are lighting their torches and getting ready to storm Gillis' office over a 6-6-1 start? C'mon folks this is not a 25 game season. There is a lot of hockey left to play and with all the pieces we have in place, even with the occasional loss I still find plenty to cheer about. If we wind up with a record lower than the '98 squad's 23-47-12 debacle, by all means I will abandon my "It's been worse" mantra.

("Potvin was here" would definitely make me appreciate the things I have now)

The Canucks are coming off the best year in team history, they have the vast majority of those pieces back and I can look up and down the roster and say that win or lose, this is a team to cheer for. Things will come together, we were never going to run the table and go 81-0-1 (got to be a little realistic, there would be a tie in there somewhere) so if they drop 10 straight, and 8 of those games are against Columbus, then maybe I will start to freak out a little. Until then, just keep reminding yourself:

It's been worse.

Thanks for Reading

- jB

I am motioning to change the phrase "like white on rice" to "like j.Bowman on twitter". I have a special place in my heart for doomed causes. (@jbowmancouver)

Like the post? Like me as a person? Like cupcakes? Head back to the Province's "Replace The KB" page HERE and give a thumbs up if you feel so enclined. If not, I'm sure I'll get over it... eventually.

#ReplaceTheKB   #voteBow4Blog

Jersey. Always. (Campaign Commercial)

June was a hot month. Temperatures soared and in order to beat the heat, t-shirts were required.

However, as an owner of many Canucks jerseys, the temperature was the last thing on my mind as the team marched toward their first Stanley Cup. I love wearing them, especially on game days. When the Canucks got into the Stanley Cup Finals, the fact that it was June and it was bloody hot did not make me rethink my fashion choices at all.

Jersey? Always.

I had been waiting to wear my jerseys on incredibly hot game days since I was 8 years old (the one out of place hot day in late March doesn't count). I wanted late round playoff hockey, and the jerseys to go with it.

I don't care what the occasion is, I love wearing my Canucks jerseys. So much so that I swear to all who read this, I will ONLY wear my Canucks jerseys from now until the end of the #ReplaceTheKB contest. "Flying V", "Skate", "Orca", "Orca that feels it has to specify where it's from", I got variety, so it won't be a problem. I just hope I don't have to attend any events where a Canucks jersey isn't really appropriate garb.

I don't care if it's a date, a business meeting or even a friend's wedding...




I will not leave my house without a Canucks jersey on. Game day or not. That is my promise.

Jersey. Always.

Thanks for Reading

- jB

I am on twitter (@jbowmancouver) or as the French would say "sur twitter". I can't speak French, I just use altavista translate.

Like what you see? Head HERE, click "share" and then go out and hug someone you care about today. I just watched the "Care Bears Movie" and those little guys had some great ideas...

#ReplacetheKB   #voteBow4Blog

Getting to Know Bow (Campaign Commercial)

After looking at the other 14 finalists for The Province's #ReplacetheKB contest, there is one thing I've noticed (aside from the fact that they are all pretty darn good at what they do):

I'm in a class of established Canucks bloggers, and nobody has ever heard of me or knows who I am.

I'm going to do my best to fix that though. So here is the first in my series of campaign commercials entitled:

"Getting To Know Bow"

I just watched that for the first time. I uhh... I have to make a call. Excuse me.

Thanks for Reading

- jB

I am on twitter (@jbowmancouver). It works out perfectly, cause my thoughts have a 140 character limit anyway.

Like what you see? Head HERE, click like, and then you know what? Make yourself a delicious sandwich. You earned it.

#ReplaceTheKB     #voteBow4Blog

NHL Casting Call: The Washington Capitals

You never know when something incredible is going to happen. At any given time, we could be moments away from seeing something that will change the landscape of the entire world, and when such things happen there is always someone ready to capitalize on it.

Odds are that person is in Hollywood.

The turnaround from "Real Life Events" to "Movie Adaptations" these days is so fast. I remember the day after Steve Jobs passed away reading that they had greenlit a movie about his life. It happens just that fast (they've greenlit the Clint Eastwood biopic roughly 9 times, but he's got fight in him).

Hollywood has been responsible for a lot of great moments in my upbringing, and whenever I can I like to give back. I've now accepted that I will never pay them back for bringing "Jurassic Park" into my life, and that's okay. The best way I can think of to help them would be to compile casting lists for... everything, just in case something incredible happens and they want to make a movie. Casting just the right people takes time.

Who knows? Tonight's Canucks vs. Capitals game could see something unbelievable and earth shattering go down (Volpatti hat trick?) and when the movie gets made, I'll reap some pats on the back from the movers and shakers in Tinseltown. Here is who should play selected members of the Washington Capitals team. You have to put a bankable star up front, so the person playing Alex Ovechkin comes with the Oscar pedigree to sell tickets and get award buzz.

(Note: Some of these players will have to be aged slightly for this movie to work. Also, one of them might need to be re-written as a car).

You're welcome, Hollywood.

Forwards

Alex Ovechkin

Played by:

Sean Penn

(Ironically, couldn't get a picture with a smaller head)