Dammit!!!!

The Kings Lost.

Boo fucking hoo.



Heres a playlist to make me feel better. Track listing and explanation below. Frick fracker!!!!


1. Jane's Addiction - L.A. Medley
Some good LA based cover songs to confuse the senses. Not a well known song from L.A's own Jane's Addiction, but one of their best, in my opinion.
2. John K. Sampson - Petition
A nostalgia hockey song about Reggie Leach and he hockey hall of fame, does it get better?
3.Elegy from Gump Worsley - The Weakerthans
A nostalgia song about Gump Worsley, does it get better still?
4.I'll Believe in Anything - Wolf Parade
The Kings "I Believe" Campaign in song form sang by some Canadians.
5.Back In Black - AC/DC
Back in the playoffs?
6.I'm Bad At Sports - Optiganaly Yours
Not so bad at sports, just picking teams to support
7.Lullaby For Wayne - Weezer
For Wayne Simmonds
8.Golden Brown - Drive Like Jehu
For Dustin Brown
9. Justin Destroyer - El Guapo
For Justin Williams, the warrior who takes too much crap fro his durability
10. As Quick As It Comes - Calla
For Jonathan Quick our MVP
11. Just Like Zeus - Jenny and Johnny
For Michal Handzus, we'll miss you next season my Czech brethren.
12. Im Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien - Minus The Bear
For Rob Scuderi, the unsung hero of the season. Maybe tied with Willie Mitchell for that honor.
13.2x2x2 - Cloud Cult
This is for DD, you get it?
14.In Green Fields - Big Drill Car
For Matt Greene, the toughest guy Ive ever seen get beat up on a regular basis
15.Breakfast With Ryan - Tourettes Lautrec
For Ryan Smyth, I wish we could have won you a cup during your years here, but I dont see it happening.
16.Oscars Eye - Gray matter
For Oscar Moller, you got a pretty good view from the box these playoffs, but you were an integral part to a few games that got us here, and for that I thank you.
17.Who Stoll The Soul - Public Enemy
For Jarret Stoll, the guy who single-handedly got us in the playoffs with his shootout shots.
18.Spring Wind - Jack Johnson
The song from Jack Johnson for Jack Johnson
19.Parsec - Stereolab
Parsec is an appropriate description of how long we got to see you this season Scott.
20.It's A Curse - Wolf Parade
After game three, I'm convinced it'a a curse, how do we reverse it?
21.One Great City - The Weakerthans
A song about how horrible Winnipeg is, this is dedicated for Dave Tippet, read into that whatever you want, but I have nothing else to say on the subject.
22.Hurt - Johnny Cash
This song is for Kopi. Depressing as shit, but so is the thought of what these playoffs could have been with him in the lineup.
23.Promises - The Buzzcocks
How can ever let me down? Seems second nature for the Kings.
24.Los Angeles - X
My favorite song about my favorite city

Report #2 Yay Kings!

Last night the Kings survived elimination, which means at least one more Kings game for me to attend before the season ends. Hopefully it'll be a win, I'd hate to see another opposing team win the series in our house. Last year visiting Canucks fans made me really mad with the "Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye" chant. I'm buying a bag of peanuts at the beginning of the third so I have something to throw at Sharks fans if they start that shit.

Anyways, back to the issue at hand. My progression. I skated yesterday and I was able to kind of stop. My friend Justin was helping me figure it out. Started out by just shaving ice with my right foot. Holding on to the boards and just pushing my right foot out. The key seems to be keeping my edges kind of flat on the ice, I always assumed you dig your edges in, but that just seems to make you stick in the ice. The more I rolled my foot outward, the more natural the slide would feel. I slowly started to apply it while skating around the rink. By the end of the session I could stop fairly consistently using my right foot out in front of me. It's not a hockey stop, but I dont feel like that's too far away.

It wasn't all Guns N' Roses though, I did fall again. This time I landed on my hip, and I have the bruise to prove it. I think I need falling practice, cuz I think my falls are looking rather wild, like Im trying too hard to stay up. Hopefully when I get fully padded up I'll get more accustomed to falling.

I ordered a ton of equipment over the weekend, if it shows up by Wednesday and work doesn't get in the way, I'm going to try to sign up for a Beginners Hockey Skating class at the Valley Ice Center. Thats all for now, Happy Easter.

In case you're interested, heres what I got. Still waiting for that sponsorship Bauer. This is getting expensive, so I better follow through.
Bauer Supreme ONE75 Senior Ice Hockey Pants - Royal
CCM U+ Fit07 Senior Hockey Elbow Pads
Bauer Vapor X:40 Senior Hockey Shoulder Pads
Bauer Vapor Core compression jock shorts
2 Pair CCM Hockey Socks
2 CCM 252 Heat Senior Wood Sticks
Kamazu Practice jersey
Clear Shin Tape
Bauer Senior Hockey Bag
A&R Tuff Terry Ice Hockey Skate Soakers

Mission Statement, 1st report

My name is Josh, I'm 34 years old. I've been a hockey fan since I was 16, but growing up in Southern California is not conducive to learning to play the sport. Besides a couple roller hockey games on the cul de' sac and a few innocent high school dates to the ice rink in Pasadena, I have zero experience with hockey and/or ice skating.

Recently I've been wanting to get out of my comfort zone and experience something new. Why not hockey?

My goal is to learn to skate, get good enough to join a rec league, then score a goal in a game. Once I score that goal, I'll quit this blog.

The entire journey will be documented here. I'll write sporadically about my progress, my equipment, my conditioning and anything else that I deem appropriate.

So where am I at? Let me reiterate that I am an absolute beginner, starting from scratch. Im not in the best physical shape, nor am I terribly athletic. So this may prove to be more difficult for me than some others may find it. What I lack in the skill department I hope to make up for with my witty commentary.

Saturday I went to Hockey Giant in Anaheim and bought skates (Bauer Vapor X:40), Gloves (Bauer X:30), Shin Guards (Bauer X:40) and a helmet with a full cage (Cascade M11). That was fun and now that I look at it, I guess I like Bauer stuff. I would be willing to accept a sponsorship if any of you Bauer folks want to send me some stuff.

Sunday I went to an open skate in Burbank. My first lap was really sketchy, but after an hour or so of skating in a circle I was fairly comfortable skating forward, though pretty winded, man I'm out of shape. I can cross over going left, and I think I can crossover going right, but not as comfortable because the the rink was going in a counter clockwise direction. Made a few attempts at hockey stops, but I just ended up kind of spinning in a circle. No attempt to skate backwards yet. My skates fit perfectly (SPONSORSHIP!!) and were reasonably comfortable. Much more responsive than any rental skates I had used in years past. Made a huge difference. I only fell once, and it was right in front of a group of 8 year old hockey players that I was trying to impress. The thing is, with my frame, 6 foot 3 235 lbs, when I get moving in a direction, it's hard to change that direction too quickly. Also, when I hit the ice, I seem to slide further than everyone else. I guess thats science. Fortunately the only casualty in what is now known by 8 year old hockey players in Burbank as "The Gigantic Slow Falling Guy Incident" was my ego.

After my skate session I was changing back into normal clothes and a 65-70 year old guy in hockey equipment sat down next to me and started taping things up. I chatted with him for a bit. He suggested I go to the clinic they have on Wednesday nights.

I would like to skate again soon, but I have to watch the Kings playoff game tonight and tomorrow I fly to Ohio for my Grandma's funeral. RIP Grandma.

I think my conditioning level is a problem, in the near future I think I'll be getting a bike to help with that. I also need to buy the rest of my equipment so I can go to stick time.

Thanks for reading this far. Hopefully future posts are more entertaining.