Let's Go Blazers!

Well, since I have been NHL-deprived since moving to PDX, I have been going to other sporting events (see last post). Before moving here, the NBA really did not do that much for me (except when I was a kid watching MJ and the Bulls destroy the competition :) ). But I went to a couple of games last season, and I really liked the young Blazers team that was playing. They seemed to have a good vibe, they were good kids, and this Brandon Roy kid really impressed me. Then the draft happen, and everyone was excited about Oden. So I kind of jumped into the bandwagon and started getting excited (especially after they traded Randolph and got rid of the remaining "JailBlazers".

So I bought a couple of tickets for some early games (Dallas and New Jersey), and I got hooked watching this young team, working together, and capable of beating the best teams in the league. Since then, I have gone to about another 10 or so games, and watch them on TV regularly. No matter if they make it to the playoffs or not, they definitely have gotten one more fan. I still have three more games to go before the end of the season, and I will be going to many more games next season.

So, if you do not have an NBA team nearby, and you like players that give their 100% every game, I suggest you watch the Blazers and you will like what you see!

Until next time!

Hockey?! What Hockey?

Well, as anyone that knows me well, knows that I love hockey. It is a fast-paced sport that can have you on your feet many times during one single game. I was very happy when I lived on the East Coast to be able to watch professional hockey live on almost a weekly basis... Then decided to move to the NW, and unfortunately the NHL has not decided to provide this side of the country with a NHL team (We need to drive to Canada to see an NHL game, eh?). This has been very hard for me, especially at the beginning, but nowadays I am coping with some of the other sporting events around the PDX area. This includes the Blazers (will post about them later), the Portland WinterHawks and the Portland Lumberjax.
The Winterhawks are a junior Hockey team that plays here in PDX. The team consists of 16-19 year old kids trying to show their skills to get drafted to a NHL team. I try to go regularly to these games to at least get my hockey fix, and even though it is not to the level of the NHL, it is still fun to watch. Well..... It is fun to watch the Winterhawks score from time to time! You see, the Winterhawks are last in the league with a dismal 9-498 record. But, I still go to games to hope that they win once in a while, and to enjoy the game of hockey.

The Portland Lumberjax are a professional Lacrosse team. I have never been to a game before this year. I was kind of interested in it, and my wonderful wife bought me season tickets to see them (only 8 home games). I was kind of skeptical at first, but after attending the first game, I really enjoyed it. It is a mix of about 80% hockey, and 20% basketball. Usually the games are high scoring (10 goals per team is not unusual), so it is a lot of fun to watch and cheer. I have also gotten to meet some of the guys in the team, so I know who to cheer for more depending on how personable they were :)

So there you have it. Two posts in a span of a day. Hell must be freezing over! I have been wanting to write, but I never got around to it.

Marriage is a wonderful thing!

I just want to give a shout out to my buddies Rich and Ed for finally willing to cross-over the depth of h.... I mean, to finally get engaged to be married! That is just awesome news! I am very happy about that. The next 100 beers I drink during the year will be dedicated to both of you! Cheers!