HAVING FUN

Hockey is a game!

I think all too often the word “fun” is the most forgotten word in most hockey people’s vocabulary. So much emphasis is put on winning, stats, revenue, systems, match-ups, line combinations, and all kinds of other things that exist in the game of hockey. But what really is the bottom line at the end of the day or at the end of our lives for that matter is how are we going to judge ourselves on how successful things have been for us.

When this season comes to an end some time in spring are we going to look back at all the pressure that the Flyers are under to win and be successful and some of the missed chances or roster moves that could have or should have been made. We will look on them either in a positive or negative light, depending on how the season turns out.

Something that I think has become lost in this game is the question of “did we have fun”. This isn’t just talking about the Flyers but with any team in any sport. For the people who are lucky enough to make hockey a career it can be a little tough with all the business side of thinks tending to be a little consuming at times.

Use Winkler’s own Dustin Penner as an example. A number of years ago he signed with the Edmonton Oilers for over $4.25 million dollars a year after just winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks where he made somewhere in the neighbourhood of $400,000 per season. His first couple seasons as an Oiler were not that great and I’m sure if you asked him if he was having fun he wouldn’t say yes.

Watching the Flyers play the Waywayseecappo Wolverines tonight it was evident for the first time in a long time that they were having fun. For at least 60 minutes all the pressure from the coaches, executive, the community, the scouts, and all the other people weighing down on the 23 players on the Flyers roster seemed to be gone. For whatever reason it looked like a bunch of friends getting together on the backyard rink and just having a good time. Now that tends to happen when you are winning which the Flyers have been doing lately but I think winning and fun go hand in hand.

There is so much riding on these people to perform. Not just the players, but the coaches too. The players have scholarship opportunities on the line, the coaches have their jobs are on the line. Everyone is just one wrong move or one back stretch from being gone. So with that being said the only thing that each individual can control is how they handle themselves and how much fun they have. Cause at the end of the day hockey is a game…..and games are supposed to be fun.

please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

IF IT WORKS....IT WINS

Hello once again and welcome back to another exciting post here on Behind the Mic. The month of November has been a pretty good one. Pretty much everyone is FINALLY healthy and we are starting to see the team that I think we should be seeing.

Four straight wins and one little bump in the road this past Tuesday has turned the Flyers season in the right direction. The goaltending of Peter Alexander has been awesome. The defense has been much improved thanks in large part to the return of Caleb Suderman and the switch from forward to defense for Jordan Peters. And also the offense is clipping along.

The thing though about the Flyers streak ending loss on Tuesday against the Blues is that it became apparent as to why things have turned around. It comes down to two simple words……work ethic.

In the game of hockey, work ethic has the ability to make an average player a good player, and a good player a great player. In November, this has been one of the Flyers strengths. However, during the second period against the Blues that wasn’t there and it cost them the game.

If the Flyers work harder then the other team then they can be one of the best teams in the league, but if they don’t then they are beatable. So the success of this season for the Flyers comes down to one simple yet very complex thing………work ethic.

Happy Movember!!

So since the last time we talked things have been going fairly well. The boys are on a three game winning streak and are poised to keep it going. However, the last time I talked about how things were going great I jinxed it so I will not talk about it. What I will talk about though is my mustache. What?!?!

Across the world the month of November is known as Movember. During Movember we as men are growing mustaches to support the fight against Prostate Cancer. Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer to inflict Canadian men.

Stats show that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and 4,400 men will die this year from the disease.

The point of Movember is to raise awareness for the fight against Prostate Cancer and to raise funds for Prostate Cancer Canada. The money raised will go to education, support, as well as research into prevention, detection, treatment, and a cure for Prostate Cancer.

Remember, every mustache makes a difference...

So just for your amusement I have found some pretty sweet pictures of some guys with some awesome staches……so here they are.

ME!!!!!

Rollie Fingers Lanny McDonald Mike Ditka Hulk Hogan Ron Burgandy Joe Namath I don't know this guys name but WOW!!!!!!! and WOW!!!

SWAN VALLEY ROAD TRIP DIARY

Hello folks…So this past weekend the Flyers made their second northern trip of the season. And unlike the Flyers trip up to OCN at the beginning of October I was able to tag along this time.

There are many things that happen on a road trip and to let you know what those things are I decided to keep a little diary of the weekend events so here it is…..(complete with pictures)

Friday, October 30th
9:35am – The Flyers bus filled with 21 players, 2 coaches, 1 trainer, 1 bus driver, and myself leave the Winkler Recreation Complex and start the 326 mile trip to Swan River

9:55am – Stop in Carman for coffee and to pick up Ernie Sutherland

10:13am – I am already bored (haha) I Am Legend is the first movie on the Ipod.

2:00pm – Stop in Dauphin for a break. Grab some McDonalds goodness and we are on our way.

3:22pm – We arrive in Swan River and pull up to the Westwood Inn

3:30pm – Pre-game meal is spaghetti and meat balls

3:50pm – Everyone gets their room assignments and relaxes and prepares for game #1 in Swan.

5:40pm – Meet in the lobby and board the bus for the Swan River Centennial Arena.

10:18pm – Back on the bus after a big 5-2 win which means a loud rendition of “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive” by Travis Tritt (which is the Flyers victory song by the way)

10:23pm – Back at the Hotel for another meal. Breaded chicken, potatoes, veggies, and various other things (yummy).

11:30pm – In your rooms and lights out by midnight. (that doesn’t apply to radio announcers though)

Saturday, October 31st
9:30am – Breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast, COFFEE)

10:00am – Team takes part in a 40 minute walk just to get the blood flowing. (I did not take part in the walk, I was watching a movie haha)

10:40am – Back in their rooms and settle in for an afternoon of napping, tv watching, music listening, and more napping. (I watched my Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Hamilton game and wasted 3 hours of my life)
3:30pm – Pre-game meal, Fettuccini Alfredo

3:50pm – Player meetings, first the defensemen, and then line by line. (breaking down video from the night before with Ernie)

5:30pm – Meet in the lobby and head to the rink for game #2

10:18pm – Pull away from the arena after a 6-1 loss and head to Subway for some food.

10:30pm – Leave Swan River and begin the journey back home.

12:20am – Stop in Dauphin to fuel up the bus and stop at Tim Horton’s

4:15am – Pull into the parking lot of the Winkler Recreation Complex, boy am I sleepy….GOOD NIGHT!!!!