Rush Returns!

For those who followed my blog in it's previous life on www.winterhawks.com, then you know that from time to time, I would take lyric quotes from my favorite band Rush and use them to tie into things in the world of the Portland Winter Hawks.

For the first time at this new location, Rush returns to the "After The Whistle" blog (sorry JAG, no Grateful Dead or Allman Brothers in this one). OK...don't get yourself all worked up about it...or is that just me? Here we go...

"how many times do you hear it?
it goes on all day long
everyone knows everything
and no one's ever wrong
until later"

- Show Don't Tell


One of the best and worst things today on the internet is all of the message boards that deal with every subject imaginable. The Hawks have their own little slice of internet society at the OregonLive board and that is always a source of equal parts entertainment, wonder and frustration.

I've always said that passion in fans is a good thing, and I truly believe that. It never ceases to amaze me though how that passion comes out in different people on an anonymous internet forum. I've met people who in real life wouldn't raise an arm to bat a fly, but put them on a message board from behind a keyboard and they are all of a sudden Russell Crowe in "Gladiator" - "at my mark, unleash hell...". Why is that?

Scooter and I sometimes get grief from a number of different sources about posting on the OL board, but we both feel it is important to provide information in whatever mediums are out there. We have both been guilty of getting emotionally charged in discussions that we should have walked away from, but we're passionate too.

Ten years ago, there were no internet chat rooms, message boards, MySpace, blogs and such, as hypocritical as it sounds in a blog that I'm writing right now, maybe we were all better off.

"So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It's hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while"

- Grand Designs

I'm going to go on record here in the blog and say that before he graduates, Tristan King will be a star in the WHL.

King, who just turned 16 yesterday, is the real thing. He may not have had the chance to show it early in his first season on the ice, off the ice he has shown me confidence and patience. The goal that he set up for his first career WHL point on Saturday in Seattle was a thing of beauty.

Another young player with promise, Chris Francis, carried the puck into the zone on the power play, dropped a pass to King in the slot. King, looking like he was going to shoot, held the puck long enough for the defense and goaltender to commit to the shot before passing to Rob Klinkhammer for an open net goal. The vision and patience on that play was outstanding for a first year player.

"We go out in the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones"

- Roll The Bones

The next two and a half weeks will be an interesting time for the Hawks. They have a big game at home on Saturday night against the Seattle Thunderbirds before hitting the road for six games in the Eastern Division.

The team needs to get back to what was endearing themselves to the Portland hockey fan - hard work and a never say die attitude. Go out and take your chances, boys. Fate may not always smile on you, but lady luck just might some nights.

Roll the bones...

"respond, vibrate, feed back, resonate"

- Chain Lightning

Comments are always welcomed and encouraged.

Go Hawks!