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About Mike Boone
Full Name
Mike Boone
Web site
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/columnists/mike_boone.html
About
I grew up in Park Extension, within walking distance of Dickie Moore's Dairy Queen on Jean Talon. Moore had a place on L'Acadie Blvd., and we used to see him driving around in his convertible with a Samoyed and a very dishy wife.
While "studying" at McGill University during the 1960s, I used to attend games at the old Montreal Forum. My fellow undergraduate reprobates and I would scramble up the stairs to get centre-ice spots in the top standing room section, where aged ushers didn't know or care what we were smoking.
I stood out in the cold for six hours to get tickets to the 1975 New Year's Eve game between the Canadiens and Central Red Army. With the exception of the birth of my daughter, the 3-3 tie was the greatest event I've ever seen in my life.
The Canada-U.S. Gold medal game comes close .... but I wasn't there.
I've been a professional journalist since 1974, when I joined the Montreal Star sports department. I've covered the 1976 Olympic Games, the 1979 Expos, pop music and MSO tours of Europe and Asia (classical musicians are WAY more fun to drink with than athletes). I wrote a TV & Radio column for 20 years and, since 2000, have written a City column for The Gazette.
The best part of being a Habs Inside/Out contributor is attending games at the Bell Centre. I think it's a great building: noisy, raucous and packed to the rafters with Montrealers and visitors who live for hockey.
And I still get goosebumps every time Michel Lacroix booms out "Accueillons nos Canadiens ..."
Having seen the Boston Red Sox win two World Series and the Pittsburgh Steelers add a couple Super Bowl titles, I suppose I can die happy ... but not before another Stanley Cup parade. And I'd really like my daughter to see a historic New Year's Eve game.
I like all the players. Covering baseball gives me a profound appreciation of pro athletes who aren't jerks.
My weltanschauung was summarized by the late great Bill Hicks when he said "all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves."
Have a nice day.
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A second shutout in 3 games? So... we're the Bruins?
... Mr.Boone i have to give it to you, you were extremely entertaining last night.
Almost everyone here tonight is pissing me off. Be a pesimist on your own time. Ya we sucked tonight. We will probably suck for a while ok. This team is a good one, there are a couple of peices missing and a couple that have to go all will be ok have some faith. Im not stupid i know we arent doing great. I personally would love to have a high draft pick, I think its needed big time in this city. However i am not going to hope for that, we will bounce back its just a matter of time and events.
I can really see where that's coming from. A high pick ala malkin, cros, ove, stamkos, etc... Someone who, regardless, will put up at least 80 pts a season.
The real reason this is necessary is because the fan base needs it. Someone who they can get behind and root for every game knowing that something magical might happen. Think Kovy, but younger and a harder worker who natch produces more.
If it doesn't happen in the draft, hey, maybe Price can fill in as the antithesis to the offensive threat. We just need to score more than 0 goals a game to make sure his effort is worth it.
very well said my friend
Good night Montreal wherever you are.....
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
Here they are...
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA7041
I find it amusing how people clamor for a trade. We over-value our players so much that we think that any team would like to have our players and would be willing to overpay in return. Get real people. There is nothing out there of value that the Habs can get in a trade, unless the Habs are willing to give up one of their top players in return.
As I said in another forum, people need to stop looking at Markov like he's a saviour. Certainly his loss is felt, and when he returns it will be an upgrade on some of the people playing in his spot right now. It's the forwards that this team was counting on, (e.g. Lapierre, Latendresse, Kostitsyn etc) that are not coming through - and the 'fill-in's, for all their hard work and trying, (Chipchura, White, Pyatt, etc.) aren't more than role players trying to be more than they are. If you're a mid-level team like the Habs, and when you've got that many holes and substitutes trying to fill the holes, you're going to suffer.
No trade in sight as I see it. As you say, we have nothing that other teams would give what the majority of posters here want. Only person I could see who has enough value that the return would reach expectations is pleks, and that is a definite no go.
Markov, on the other hand can be looked at as a saviour. One of the top offensive dmen in the league, and I would contend, the best player on this team wrt overall value and impact. That doesn't take the onus off of players like Kostitsyn who has superstar potential but just doesn't seem to get it. Hell, 3 mil plus is enough to live on for a lifetime with proper planning esp for someone who has grown up in an eastern bloc country. Maybe thats all he was looking for.
Fact is, either people start scoring and supporting the goaltenders - Seems like Price has a number of these 1 goal/0 goal games - or else this is gonna be a long season..
I don't know how losing all the time feels, but maybe ask The Rock, I'm sure he knows.
Cause Stone Cold says so!
55 shots is the most given up in ANY game this season.
Whoa...quite a crew in here tonight. Not a good place to be if you're an optimist. Somebody's bound to give you a head shot if you try to look on the bright side. The thing is I am an optimist about most things in life and since this is only hockey and it's only a game, well I'm not bent out of shape. Tonight I didn't see a catastophe but an excellent display of goaltending the likes of which I've been hoping to see for almost a year from this kid. It's a start. How the team reacts or responds to this game, to both their collective ineptness and to Price's great performance, is going to be the key to this season. We will make the playoffs, or not, simply based on how they react over the next week or two.
i have said it so many times and most replies i get people dont agee but gainey has drafted mostly forwards who have minimal scoring stats in junior/college ...20 goal scorers in junior/college...why is it most teams have young scoring prospects...
Wow, I completely agree! Thank you for posting this so many times.
http://kibblesofsteel.wordpress.com/
Just kidding.
The drafting isn't the problem, for Price's sake, the Habs have had only 1 top 5 pick over the past 10 years and he almost saved their asses last night. The only legitimate complaints are about Gainey's asset management.
http://kibblesofsteel.wordpress.com/
If you keep repeating it, it doesn't mean people will read it or agree. We know, already, stop harping on and on about it.
_________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
a trade should be coming soon. It better be
I don't think we have anyone anybody would want right now.
Bob cannot and not sure he would do anything.
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
I'm surprised at the tone of the messages tonight.
People actually questioning Bob Gainey's plan.
Wow.
What's the temperature tonight in Hades?
Habs Postgame Reacction:
Price: "I was here to get the two points not a record"
And prolly the quote of the night by Price: "They threw a lot of pucks at the net...that's prolly what their coach told them to do. They shot at the net and there was a lot of traffic" Is that a jab at JM? Or at the players who wouldn't do any of those things in the opposing end! Those are all things the habs DID NOT do.
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
Or possibly just an observation of how the game went?
Cause Stone Cold Says so!
Ouch....
I cannot imagine Price signing a new contract with us. But who will give him that contract after the season he'll probably have ?
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
This team has been absolutely pathetic this year. It’s always Carey and Jaro stealing games for Habs’ sorry butts. They deserve better…
I know our team is injury-plagued, but seriously we have no depth in this organization that could replace a major injury.. I don’t want to blame anyone but Gainey and Co better do SOMETHING to fix this mess.
Carey, Jaro, you guys have been stellar. You deserve wins.
After watching a few elite/high second tier games over the past couple weeks, our team does not seem to be able to execute both defence and offence against high speed/tempo teams. Only one or the other most nights (tonight = neither). They all too often give the puck up/away too easily; don't see many of them very strong on the puck at all.
What scares the heck out of me is that it is very difficult to teach people how to score. Look at how perplexed they are just trying to get bodies to create consistent traffic in front of the opposing goalies, things Price and Halak see ALL the time.
Glad to see some people are waking up to the fact that our goalies are not the problem with this team. Would argue that our 1-2 punch at this position is not too bad at all.
Dear Boone and other Insideout writers,
Please let me know when it's worth my while watching this team again... I give up.
Thank you.
PS - If I hear back from you this season I'll consider it a huge surprise.
Tyler Seguin?
I agree and lift my glass of Glenmorangie to you.
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
Shanny on this team is a great idea!
I loved the Nash fans cheering for Price after that last breakaway save.
Here we got Montreal fans who boo him, want him traded and hold signs ''the Price is wrong.''
The irony.
so here's what we need to do: SIGN A PETITION AND TAKE IT DOWN TO THE BELL CENTRE... FOR GAINEY TO BE FIRED AND WE DEMONSTRATE IN FRONT OF THE BELL CENTRE UNTIL HE'S FIRED!
He must go! I won't sleep until he's gone! he has made this team a joke! the laughing stock of the league!
enough said. can't take the Montreal Bulldogs anymore.
Go stand out in the rain waving a sign if it'll make you feel better.
_________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
actually the bulldogs are doing pretty well lol
--- we need a kovalev
Kovalev [ka-va-leov]: A player who makes you jump out of your seat with a wicked deke or a sick shot and makes you say: "Did you see that!!"
i agree. do you have the emails of the other 198 jokers besides us that held a vigil for kovalev? this time, god willing, it WILL work.
I'm really serious about a petition for Gainey's head.
And to think, even when that@#$%^ guy is gone, we're still stuck with those humongous salaries for 4 more years. 4 more years of Gomez at that astronomical salary? I want to vomit!
Take some pepto, it'll make you feel better.
________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
Tugnutt 70 saves vs Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EHJ99HSVhM
Watch the last save against Bourque....
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
Absolutely amazing, they didn't give him mich else but at least his team was able to give him 3 goals.
Wow those were some SAVES.
if this keeps going we're going to end up with the 1st pick overall.
I think Bob should trade our next two first round picks to Toronto for Stajan. They don't have picks so they might go for it.
Gomez and Gionta have won Cups. We'll be fine.
And as for Gionta, what's a lower body injury for him? Is it a relative thing to other guys, because his whole body is kind of lower.
Can anyone explain to me how Pekka Rinne is 2nd star of the game and Price third star???
Pekka won. And I don't believe the shots total.
________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
he actually stayed awake throughout the game.. that;s also an accomplishment for him
--- we need a kovalev
Kovalev [ka-va-leov]: A player who makes you jump out of your seat with a wicked deke or a sick shot and makes you say: "Did you see that!!"
I like the levity on here tonight. Fans are all coalescing around reality. The polyannas are moderate, the moderates are accepting reality, and the pessimists are having a field day celebrating their good fortunes, and it's nice to see them get their day in the sun for so many years of pessimism. Maybe it will make them happier, or maybe it will make their steadfast belief that life sucks even stronger.
There are realists and there are dreamers. The realists see things for what they are ... in this case pitiful. The optimists see things the way they could be ... in this case the press clippings are better than anything we've seen on the ice ... and that goes for everyone on the team but Plekanic right now.
As a pesimist, I think that days like today are good..only due to the hope that if even the koolaid drinkers are onboard with us..perhaps we can finally make things better.
It's a false hope unfort, only Bob can fix this mess..or someone above him.
So I missed the game tonight because of my own hockey, and I guess it was a good thing. Would have been kinda fun as a goalie myself to see Price pull out all those saves though. Really though, 55? Against Nashville? Their biggest superstar up front is Arnott... WTF? I was planning on using the fact that Gio was out to show why we lost, then I saw the shot totals, and thats completely embarassing. No idea how it could have happened, its almost a shot a minute, o well, I guess I'll be glad I didn't miss much tonight.
i am sad...the WAY we lost,...speaks for itself.
TSN is totally pathetic. Nothing on the Habs on the front page and then a small piece when you go to the nhl section. And not a SINGLE word on Price's extraordinary performance...NADA! It's just really sad coz he deserves to be recognized for his effort tonight. His team didn't do it...at least we should!
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
TSN says that 53 saves was Price's career high. And then they continue on with Nashville players that scored.
Whereas they've over analyzed on Toskala's better performance over the last 2 games as if he's the return of Patrick Roy..
Patrick Traverse- Are you passed out? Never blog again
Patrick Traverse: are we going to see a new blog tonight (coast to coast
PS
Answer is below
V V V V V
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AK46 - Plecs - SK74
Absolutely detest the fame / fortune that has come to Pittsburgh over the past two years, on the back of the tank job pulled on the league for several years.
Respect the Red Wings on building a franchise the correct way. Draft skills and nurturing prospects.
Thought BG / Trevor T doing same ... but having a mild case of doubt creep tonight.
Are we becoming the Leafs? No. No. No. Habs have #1 picks the next two years to look forward to.
Great game CP !! 1st star.
Habs play Washington twice, Detroit, and Pittsburgh in the next two weeks. Brutal.
http://wildabouthabs.blogspot.com/
I feel bad for all you bloggers. Sane fans can't possibly withstand this punishment forever and there's going to have to be a major drop-off in readership. Then all you guys are going to be competing for this Patrick Traverse guy who's a bigger fan than all of us, and he can only read so much - and that's assuming he's sober!
Wait we haven't met the Flyers, that will hurt....
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
This is a waisted year, too many injuries too many changes at once.
So if everything is not perfect, then you get a sub 500 team.
We have no players that any other team would want. We might not want to admit it but we are like the Nordiques when the had Tugnutt and got clobbered every night.
We must come to accept that we are a bad team. This will mean no one will want to come as a UFA from now on. So bring up the youngsters on D get some reps, so what if they lose a year of eligibility. By the time they are ready to become an RFA or UFA we might have a GM who will sign players instead of sticking to a principle which doesn't work.
I remember those bad nordique teams, I guess Karma is a bitch. But at least they had Sakic...
____________________________________ Why don't we have a captain ?
You know what the Habs need?
Traverse and Breezer to lead the D
the flying french Dmen and their tremendous Outlet passes
And tickets so I can fly with them to all their games. 26-0-1 in the regular season...I think they should seriously consider.
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
I AM ALL IN!!
Sooooooo is Gainey lol
"I went to see a fight the other night...And A hockey game broke out!" ~Rodney Dangerfield~
LMAO -high five-
Cancel the bus! Let these guys walk to the airport..
On a positive note....Taylor Hall!
Don't even bring these guys home - just go to ils bizarre and pick up 19 kids off a rink (theyd play better)
Truth of the day!
instead of the bulldogs in february how about we have them play on tuesday? who honestly thinks theyw ouold get outshot like we did tonight?
NEXT GM IN MTL: should be SCOTTY BOWMAN! we should finallly give him a chance... hell if rejan houle can be a GM ANYONE CAN!
i think there are some classy guys from glory years who haven't yet ruined their legacies. head coach beliveau. put in robinson as an assistant coach to coach the power play and don't let him go beyond that. cournoyer in the front office with henri richard and jacques laperriere as assistant gm's. we can also give lafleur some kind of ambassador role and then see him mouth off despite being on the payroll. . . wait, that last one - mission accomplished.
LOL@ Tim Thomas' OT goal. Watch it if you can.
"All you need in hockey is good character, luck and skills" - Ovie
Yikes! Way to give away 2 points!
_____________________________________
Cheer for the crest on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.
More yoga Tim!
Patrick Traverse where are you
I need your lanky skills
im right here gere. love live habs
I'm Canadien great D-man of glory years, late 90's
You suck big money
you at home or one of us have to call you a cab? p.s. you said you live in the states, were born in 1989, and you're drunk. . . so keep a low profile, kid. no one wants to see a distraught habs fan walking the streets of kansas rambling about hockey drunk on malt liquor under age. somebody grab his car keys.
never go home for the habs. so what i'm 20. i have a quebec fake
I'm Canadien great D-man of glory years, late 90's
lol I agree. P.S. you should never blog when you're drunk
LMAO
Patrick Travers-we need you
Patrick Travers-we need you
but there sooooooooooooo bad :((((((((
Did a corner store run after the game and there was this little teddy bear in a Habs jersey. $10.99. Not bad I thought. My neice just had a baby and it would make a cute gift. But I couldn't do it. After tonights game I couldn't do that to the kid.
Lol... so NOW everyone is calling for Gainey's head? You people crack me up.
It only became obvious now I guess...not 2 years ago like it did for others.
You tell 'em, Timo.
I'm waiting for my own "told you so" when everyone else decides they want Carbo back, too.
Full Breezer 4 Life
We weren't NOT calling for his head, we were just trying to honor the 20-game waiting period rule.
team still has time to gel...lol
The gelling is complete, next step is polymerization followed by coagulation.
Be kind Timo, not everyone is as brilliant as us. As long as they come around at some point. LMAO
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