Super Bowl XLI homily

Yeah, I know the blog is supposed to focus on hockey. But, as its owner, I can write about what ever I want, even if it is off-topic.

So, on a day when everyone is a football fan, let me go on record, though I’d never wager a quarter, that I believe the Indianapolis Colts will beat the Chicago Bears, 27-24, on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri, in today’s Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

And, yes, Peyton Manning will named as the most valuable player. Also, Chicago’s resident thug Tank Johnson (given his recent scrapes with the law, shouldn’t he be playing for the Cincinnati Bengals?) will play the entire game without getting arrested.

Now, I promise, we’ll get back on topic.

Busy, busy, busy

Way back in September, just as the 2006-07 season was kicking off, I was looking forward to February 2007. Not only will some of our favored Eastern Conference hounding opportunities (Washington, Boston and Pittsburgh) be in town, but it’s a month of promising Western Conference opportunities –- the Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes and the Dallas Stars.

Just think. Conditions, unlikely or not, exist to add pucks from Rob Blake, Wayne Gretzky (yeah, right), Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby (yeah, right II) and Mike Modano.

Even better is that we have tickets to see the Lightning play the Kings, Coyotes, Bruins, Penguins and Stars.

Don’t underestimate youth

If you get a chance, take a few minutes and read The Hockey News’ Jan. 30th cover story on Boston’s Phil Kessel and his recent dealings with testicular cancer.

Though the writing is somewhat predictable, as if often the case with that publication, the piece does dig into Kessel’s psyche when, at only age 19, he is faced with a potentially fatal disease.

I got a kick, too, of a quote from Boston’s Glen Murray, saying that Kessel probably needs some time to mature into a bonafide NHL star. Given what Kessel has gone though, perhaps its Murray, as well as the rest of the woefully inconsistent Bruins, who could learn a little about adversity from Kessel.

Welcome to the club, kid

A quick shout-out to Andrew, who made his NHL hounding debut yesterday in Tampa, getting a ton of Lightning players to sign a goalie stick and then loading up on Rangers players with a handful of pucks. He also got to see, from about the third or fourth row, the Lightning beat the Rangers, 3-2.