I'm currently reading Journeyman by Sean Pronger. Captivating read, and I've just reached the part where he was claimed on waivers by the Jackets.
He talks about the first training camp with the Jackets and they brought in a new "Secret Weapon"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Pronger in Journeyman
Turns out the Blue Jackets' brain trust decided to shell out a hundred grand just to lure [Alexander Guskov] to training camp. I mean, are you kidding me? One hundred thousand dollars just to attend camp? Did they have to lure him away from his ten-million-dollar deal with the Hawaiian Co-ed Nude league? He was playing in Russia, for goodness sakes. And this was way before the KHL started handing out rediculous contracts, so there was no way he was making much jack back home. I would have thought a plane ticket, a hotel room, a few meals, and a chance to play in the NHL would have been enough
...
[Guskov] should have had it made. Management had a vested interest, not to mention a financial interest, in him. he should have been a shoo-in for at least the seventh defenceman spot. When you think about it, he didn't have to do anything good at camp; he just had to avoid doing anything bad. But he couldn't He played in every pre-season game and was awful in all of them. CBJ was forced to cut him and ship him to Siberia (literally) with his running shorts crammed full of dollars.
Stuff your stocking with the book, it's awesome. I'm curious what else I'll find out in there.
Yeah some other great stories in there. The vets giving an 18 year old Rick Nash a lesson on how to split the bill for dinner. Getting called up to Columbus while waiting to have his foot x-rayed. Getting waived by the Jackets 3 times, The PEI Mafia. That he demanded Douggie Mac trade him to Winnipeg (yes you read that right) and why. Lots of great, and not so great, names from the Jackets past make an appearance.
And outside all of the Columbus stuff, it's just an awesome book. Dealing with moving so often, lots of great stories of the road, being hungover and getting pranked by Gretzky, what "gameday" is like for the healthy scratch, avoiding the coaches when you know you're going to get sent down, being on the ice for the Moore - Bertuzzi incident, trying out the DEL, and getting 2 hand slashed by a 10 year old Chris Pronger.
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown read reports last week that the cancellation of the 2013 NHL All-Star Game will cost Columbus and central Ohio an estimated $12 million in revenue and $50 million in media exposure. That's just the All-Star Game, mind you. It does not take into account the 11 regular-season games that would have been held in Nationwide Arena were it not for the ongoing NHL lockout.
Brown, re-elected earlier this month after a contentious campaign, wants to do something about it.
The Dispatch has obtained a letter that will be sent later today from Brown's office to Karen Mills of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. Brown's office said he's looking for ways to help business in and around the Arena District that have been hurt by the lockout, now in its 75th day.
It's unclear what form that help would take, but area business told The Dispatch last week that they've eliminated some positions and scaled back the working hours of others because the the loss of hockey home games has significantly curtailed crowds on weeknights.
Brown also wants to work with local leaders -- the Blue Jackets, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, etc. -- to lobby the NHL for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game. (There likely won't be a 2014 All-Star Game because of the Olympics in Socchi, Russia.)
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Truth should never get in the way of a good persecution complex.
On CNBC this morning during the sports portion they talked about mediation for the lockout and showed video of the Jackets players practicing with their jerseys on backwards....was surprised their stock footage was of the Ice Haus
Anyone watch the new Behind The Battle? Pretty interesting to see them break down MacKinnon, Jones, and etc.
BTW. JD thinks we're going to be picking high.
Loving that series, especially this latest installment. Hearing them discuss MacKinnon, Jones, Pulock, Shinkaruk ... very cool. Also, you can absolutely see how much Boone Jenner despises losing. He was not happy after that game, and looked like he was ready to punch someone in the face. Too bad Doug MacLean wasn't around
Heck jackets may be able to trade a protection spot-
With the way that the waiver draft used to be structured (specificaly forbidding this practice), I can imagine there being a mechanism in place to prevent it.
With the way that the waiver draft used to be structured (specificaly forbidding this practice), I can imagine there being a mechanism in place to prevent it.
Glad to see the lockout hasn't affected your sense of humor.
For those of you who went to the Q and A for season tix holder event tonight you already saw this, but Jeff Rimer is sporting a new look. Going natural. He no longer looks like a used car salesman
