Zamboni Ramblings: The 2011/12 NHL Season Begins

By Eric Rosenhek

Life is sweet, isn’t it? Hockey is back and everyone has good feelings – unless you’re a Habs, Sens or Blue Jackets fan – about their team. Some hockey fans in Toronto are even planning a parade route.

Without a doubt, these feelings will disappear once December rolls around. The two-month mark is when the contenders and pretenders reveal themselves.

Until then…

BOTB is still on?

I have lost complete interest in CBC’s Battle of The Blades.

It was a fabulous concept: hockey players becoming figure skaters; an on-ice version of Dancing with The Stars.

But the novelty is gone.

The first season was intriguing and exceeded expectations. The second season was filled with excitement. Now the third season is well underway and all I can think is “Oh, this again?”

The producers probably sense the same sentiment. That would explain the decision to include a female hockey player (Tessa Bonhomme) this season.

Don’t misunderstand me! Having male and female players take part is a great idea. It should’ve happened in the second season, if not the first. However, it’s a decision that comes too late.

That’s the problem with competition-based reality problems. When they begin, they’re cool and generate a huge amount interest. But with each new season, the program in question loses significance, despite any “shocking” or “controversial” rule change.

Is winning American Idol a big deal anymore? Do careers still get a boost from appearing on Dancing with The Stars? How many more “a day in the life” shows do we need?

I’m definitely not blaming those taking part in season three of BOTB for my lack of interest. What they’re doing takes an incredible amount of effort and dedication. Unfortunately, for Bonhomme, Bryan Berard, Cale Hulse and everyone still participating, these types of programs have a short shelf life. And it looks like BOTB has passed its expiry date.

Then again, I’m just one person amongst a massive television audience.

Glorious YouTube

One thing I love about YouTube is all the retro clips you can come across. If you’re a hockey fan, there are plenty of goodies.

There’s this…..and this……can’t forget about this one…..this one’s awesome…and there’s this as well.

And that’s only a small fraction.

Quotable quotes with John Tortorella

Is there any coach more colourful than John Tortorella? He’s full of piss and vinegar, and that’s when the Rangers win.

Tortorella came up with another memorable quote this past Saturday when New York lost to Edmonton. It was a masterpiece.

"I know you guys have a job to do, but I'm not going to answer any questions. We sucked from head to toe."

According to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, the speech lasted for about 16 seconds.

You can’t replicate such brilliance, nor can you duplicate it. Tortorella is a character of his own creation. Sure, one could put him in the same category as Don Cherry and Bruce Boudreau. But there is no denying that Tortorella has his own style. Every journalist who attended that post-game conference was probably thanking every heavenly body for a short-night’s work with plenty to write about.

Actually, they should thank John Tortorella.

Always look on the bright side of life

To all fans of the Montreal Canadiens: Chin up! At least they’re better than Columbus (for now).

To all fans of the Columbus Blue Jackets: Chin up! At least you have some points.

Two minutes for shamelessly promoting myself

Check out #TheHockey54Show, every Sunday at 11pm ET (10pm CT) on 102.5 The Game in Nashville. The Schwartz and I approach hockey in a unique way. It’s different from other hockey shows.

Don’t live in Nashville? No worries! You can listen online at www.1025thegame.com.

Doing something else Sunday night? Fine! You can also listen to the show as a podcast. In my unbiased opinion, it’s the best 45 minutes of your life.