That would explain why it's so popular in the prairies, now wouldn't it? The entire article is worth a read, but here is the best part, from the Guardian:

Before we begin today, let me ask a quick question: are there any readers of this column who believe that Gary Bettman is doing a good job? If not, then do any readers of this column know anyone who believes that Bettman is doing a good job? No? OK, then do you know of anyone who believes Bettman is doing a good job? Can you even imagine anyone who believes he's doing a good job?

Funny, me neither.

Here's what my years trying to follow a puck on TV or from increasingly expensive seats in NHL arenas have taught me: the more hardcore the hockey fan, the more hardcore the hatred for Gary Bettman.

In case you don't know, Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League, a position he's held for almost 16 years. Before this, he was employed by the NBA, during a period that even then appeared to be a golden age. The NHL's board of governors saw the bling and bounce of basketball and assumed its magic and money could be replicated on ice. They not only headhunted Bettman, they also gave him a brand new title. Commissioner. With that went a mandate - sell the game. Forget Saskatchewan, go forth to the Sun Belt.

As an English fan of the NHL, it took me a long time to recognise that in the United States hockey is not cool. So amazed was I to learn this fact that I still can't believe it's true, especially when compared to basketball. I like basketball well enough, I've seen the Clippers play, the Lakers, the Knicks, the Celtics. I'm not meaning to sound either ignorant or unduly partisan, but the idea that the epitome of cool is a game where men bounce a ball mystifies me. Hockey, meanwhile, is fast, noisy, dangerous and potentially violent - how can America not like it? Not because that's what America itself is like but ... alright, because that's what America itself is like. But if basketball is all limited-edition Nikes and hip-hop beats, hockey is about gap-toothed farm boys clutching tickets to Nickelback concerts. Folks, word from the focus groups is in: hockey is for hicks.

He has a good point, too. Bettman is useless, and is by far the most hated man in hockey in almost all circles. That being said, he does have another point: that the hicks have more taste than the braindead American basketball fans. To which I say, good on you. But I think the issue goes far deeper than that. Hockey simply isn't an ingrained part of the American culture, as it is up here. Basketball, although envisioned by a Canadian, was born and bred (and nurtured to it's current mega-success) completely and wholly in the United States. Much like hockey up here.

On another note, I especially like that he mentioned Saskatchewan as a more common-sense place to locate a hockey team than the American south. Again, good on you.

(via jordoncooper.com, photo by groov3)

(via small dead animals)

The Patriots just walked all over the Steelers to go 13 - 0. But, do they have what it takes to go 16 - 0 and be the first undefeated team since the 72 Dolphins?In 2005, the Colts started off 13 - 0, but finished 14 - 2. Same with the '98 Broncos. In 1972, the Dolphins went 14 - 0 and were the first team in the modern NFL (and the latest) to go undefeated. The '34 Bears went 13 - 0 to be undefeated, but this was prior to the modern-day formation of the NFL. So, can they do it?

Well, it doesn't look terrible. The next two games are at home, against two of the worst teams in the NFL. Next week they play host to the 0 - 13 Miami Dolphins, which should, by all means, be a walk. The following week they welcome the 3 - 10 Jets, who really shouldn't pose much of a threat to their record. The only real threat comes in the final week of the season, when the boys from Foxborough head south to East Rutherford, New Jersey to play the Giants, who are currently 9 - 4.

I don't really see the Giants giving much of a headache to Tom Brady and crew, who have just been ridiculous all season. I just don't know if the Pats themselves will be able to handle the pressure. Who knows? It's exciting. I hate the Patriots (go Vikings), but I would love to see them go undefeated.

I've noticed that I haven't checked the email address listed on my contact page in, well, months. And there's a good reason too... it gets upwards of 30 - 50 spam a day. Which sucks.

Anyway, if for any reason you want to get in touch with me, send your emails to steveglauser@[nospam]gmail[nospam].com, minding of course, to remove the bits that interfere with the gmail domain portion. You know.

I first tried Twitter on March 5, 2007, and never really got into it. I just didn't really see the point. However, as a concept "micro blogging" has always intrigued me. However, no-one I know personally actually uses the services, and no-one I even have a connection to uses the service regularly, which makes it really difficult to find people to follow, or to find people to follow me.

I think I'll give it another go and hopefully get into it. If not, well, then it will go the way of my blogging I guess, hah. One of my resolutions for 2008 is to blog more. I said that last year too, and that never worked out so well. We'll see.

Follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/glauser.

Ryan and Jaret turn an empty keg into a beer fountain: