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About Mike Boone
Full Name
Mike Boone
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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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...great to see even a phantom game blog from Boone ...GREAT reading all the intelligent, enthusiastic, knowledgable comments, opinions and insights on Our Team and Players
...re-newed my RDS subscription
...life is ALMOST as it should be again ...
...almost...
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
...to Me ...the best line in these interviews was from Gomez ..."...let's NOT go crazy ..." ...and likely there will be a few occasions during the season when that statement will be appropriate for Us and the media (...English and French)
...let's give Our Guys some room to breathe for awhile
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
if anyone's counting, gomez scored on price's GLOVE side
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
...So?
His shot was also while he sweapt through the slot into a crowd of Team As and had absolutely no release on it. Impressive, quick flick of a shot. He also wasn't even looking at the net...
And I hope he does that shot in a real game too.
Peace Out
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Lord Bugs Potter, esq. Emir of Al-Hab Habbala, Sheikh of Sheestleton, and Apostle of the Successors of The Flannel.
Huh?OK.I don't know what that means,but o.k.
Boone was saying something about fans here going to love the way Cammalleri lets it rip with his one-knee-down one-timer if he lights the lamp (which I'm sure he will :D).
I've been ranting about that since we picked him up! It's pure Brett Hull style. It's amazing to watch. Although Brett was a right-hander, Camms uses his off-wing PERFECTLY to wind up that shot. I can't wait to watch these guys in action. To all of you guys with fantasy pools, pick up Spacek if you can't get your hands on Markov; he's going to light the lamp fairly often on the PP!
I wish TSN would understand (big word for them) that Hal Gill is a TREMENDOUS (no pun intended) improvement over Breezer. That Mara will more than fill Cube's role too. Frankie has heart but Mara has heart AND size. Plus he can score if called upon. I think they rip on us and not the Leafs because we actually have expectations for our Habs and the Leafs...well...they simply don't... TSN is simply trying to make lemonade out of rotten milk.
TSN is a joke. They think anything Burke touches turns to gold. Pierre McGuire is more overrated than the 93 Laffs!
Brian Burke = Overrated Loud Mouth POS
Ok this is too much for me... Tuesday morning i'm heading down to Brossard!!! I better see good stuff!!!
----- go habs f*ckin go, AMEN!!! -----
I just read TSN's preview of the Canadiens... I think we are ranked 18th in their Power Ratings or something. It's worth reading if only to question why people are paid to write such recycled pap... stuff that was obvious and rehashed here a dozen times months ago.
The best writing about hockey seems to be done by fans, not paid reporters. I guess it's a matter of roles... TSN is paid to get it to you fast and the fans writing so many good blogs are not paid, so take the time to think about it before they write... the reporters report and the fans editorialize. There are some who report on hockey that really seem to know their stuff, but they feel like the exception rather than the rule. Makes you wonder where the expertise really lies.
I would much prefer that all the media rankings have us down their lists. 18 is perfect. Like Don Cherry's "waiting in the weeds" comment the Habs could surprise many people and maybe even a few teams. The fact is these pre-season ranking forecasts are something any child could create, don't you think? They don't have to be right, do they?
Prognosticators lose their reputation by picking teams to finish high and then having that team tank. Since no one really knows what's going to happen with the Habs (how long will it take the team to gel? Will Price rebound or not? Will Pleks/Kost/ etc improve their play?) they all seem to be erring on the down side. They're just protecting their butts.
But who cares what they say, after all the games aren't played on paper, right?
I absolutely agree. People like Robert L and the guys a Lions in Winter are a much more interesting read than anyone paid by any of the major sports networks.
http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
Andrew, what about me?? chopped liver?
You are correct of coarse.
Ian, when it comes to REAL Habs knowledge, you're that big first-line center we count on. ;)
Robert L is our 50-goal scoring winger.
The team itself should be so well outfitted!
---------------------------------------------------
`Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
Robert also wears the "C" in this case...
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
For sure. And LionsinWinter is an 'A'.
Me, I'm more like a 3rd line winger. Aggressive along the boards, defensive-minded, and can light the lamp now and then with a good idea. :P
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`Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
So I guess that leave me as a chirping fourth-line agitator...lol
Somehow I'm encouraged to mention that "The Girl Next Door" is on Bravo at 9 tonight.
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
Nothing wrong with that.We've all got our role!
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`Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
What the....?
I'll pass on the "C" as it'll mess with my game, and if Ian's my center I'll be going offisde too often to hit 50!
Thanks for the kind words boys, but my predictions aren't worth any more than the next fan's guess.
Being that I do what I do, I have to make one at some point. Where I gather my take would be different from a mainstream prognostication is that mine will never be done to cause a shock reaction. I gather the Habs are solid enough to vault as high as first in the Northeast if the Bruins comply and slide back. They should end up somewhere between 4th and 6th otherwise.
Oh yeah, and put J.T. on the PP point, with Boone in nets!
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
We're not talking about predictions Robert, just overall HIO performance.
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`Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
I thought it began being about predictions...
Lol, well there was that time I was relagated to the coach's doghouse!
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2009/9/13/1029102/who-will-be-the-surprise-of-this
Love it!!!!!!!LMAO!
That has to equal a game 7 O/T goal
nice one
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
the expertise lies with Boone of course!
--- we need a kovalev
Nice to have a coach who can articulate a thought.... and what thoughts ! wisdom packed hochey thoughts.
His amphisis on the puck possession aspect of the game as central to our direction during training camp is spot on and his expressed whish to see his D group playing a larger rôle in our offensive game is something coming from a coach in MTL that I have been waited to hear for years.
Despite is vision and directive of which I strongly agree with our identity will be forged by the players themselves.... thats how he said it himself...... I love this coach !
Kudos to Boonne for the quality audio control of his recording.... way up from what it was in the earlier days.... great stuff all and all.
Today is a sad day.
The picture kills me.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-saku-koivu13-2009sep13,0,6749034.sto...
I know it's real but my heart is STILL telling me it's just a photoshop mockup.
We'll miss you Saku. Hope you tear it up out West! Show them what our Captain is made of.
----
It's a good article too. Speaks of the way hockey players make these decisions... just like regular people...
Koivu saw enough promise here to move his wife, daughter and 3-year-old son, Aatos, across the continent.
"And look at the lifestyle and the weather," he said. "When you're coming from a long winter in Montreal, it's good. If you want to experience something else, this is the place."
He won't experience the hockey fanaticism that blankets Montreal, but he didn't come here to escape that. He came to win. "I was told -- and I've heard a lot -- that there's more fans than you think here and they're good fans,""
--------------------------------------------------- `Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
Just be happy for him.
He was my favorite Hab but I had to laugh at Jack the Todd's quote in the article:
"In all their illustrious history, the Canadiens never had a player with more heart than Saku Koivu," Todd wrote. "It is to our eternal shame that he was too often the target of attacks from bigots in this province, to our eternal credit that some of us were able to recognize what a rare individual Koivu is and to celebrate with him his greatest triumph, the return from cancer."
Maybe true if you picked up the Habs in 1990 like Mr. Todd. He's a joke.
I will personally never forget Koivu's contributions to this city. Even though I was also a late comer to the Habs fold and arrived here about the time as Todd, I would never suggest Koivu had more heart than, say, Richard, Beliveau, Cournoyer, Duff or Worsley. I grew up with those names and to me they were equal to my own heros of the time in Baun, Bower, Keon, Armstrong and The Big M. But Koivu is cetainly a modern day Habs hero with heart equal to any. I wish him well.
Doug, Koivu will have his night in Mtl. when the time is right. He carried a poor team on his back for many years. It will be a very special night for him and all hockey fans. Great man and humanitarian.
But that will never happen for Kovalev, nor should it. As fancy as he can be, he only lasts a few years with each franchise and gets moved.
A single tear just rolled down my cheek. Please no more Koivu posts, it hurts. But he seems happy and I wish him the stanley cup if we can't win it.
He should do well with the Ducks. Zero pressure to do anything there, and not one person will recognize him as he walks down the street. Saku has been very kind to me and my little ones. He sends us autographs every season, and in return I donate to his charity.
Sholi2000.com
2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Would love nothing more than to see Saku have a career year out West. He deserves a break from the pressure cooker in Montreal.
Still holding out hope, though, that he'll one day find his way back here, if only to retire as a member of la sainte-flanelle.
I'd love for him to get 90 points and a cup. I'd love 80. Also love the retirement idea - that's what we should do for him, even if only signed for one day contract. The retired number stuff is nonsense given our illustrious history but he deserves that much.
"I'd love for him to get 90 points and a cup."
I'm not going to state the obvious Doug.... LOL.... I know you're just being honest about what you see as realistic.
--------------------------------------------------- `Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
"It is different, there's no doubt," he said, smiling. "Like today here it felt good. You can just be among your teammates and have fun and practice hard but it's more of a tighter feeling than it was in Montreal."...Saku Koivu
``It's like these (new) guys have been here two or three years already. There's a buzz in the dressing room I didn't feel so much last year. You can just sense it in the room.''...Jose Gorges
For those who still don't get why Gainey did what he did.
Quotes from Saku and Josh at their respective camps.
Gomez wanted to say he couldn't hear the heckler because he had his two Stanley Cup rings stuck in his ears, but someone used that line already once before. ;)
Maybe they were stuck in his eyes, so he didn't have to read Hab Professor's post like the rest of us.
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
Been lurking here for a while. First post!
Hopefully this can put to rest the constant banter about the Habs being small:
Boston Bruins
Average Height Forwards (in inches): 72.56
Average Weight Forwards: 193.24
Average Height Defense: 73.54
Average Weight Defense: 205.77
Average Height Team: 73.05
Average Weight Team: 199.50
Montreal Canadiens
Average Height Forwards (in inches): 72
Average Weight Forwards: 205.21
Average Height Defense: 74.25
Average Weight Defense: 213.5
Average Height Team: 73.13
Average Weight Team: 206.36
Toronto Maple Leafs
Average Height Forwards (in inches): 72.24
Average Weight Forwards: 200.06
Average Height Defense: 73.3
Average Weight Defense: 207.03
Average Height Team: 73.27
Average Weight Team: 203.68
Ottawa Senators
Average Height Forwards (in inches): 72.5
Average Weight Forwards: 206.5
Average Height Defense: 73.33
Average Weight Defense: 202.42
Average Height Team: 72.92
Average Weight Team: 204.46
Stop confusing us with the facts!
Just think if we'd kept Kovy instead of Gionta....
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`Could this team miss the playoffs? Who knows?' - Bob Gainey on the new Habs.
Thanks -- great first post! Keep 'em coming!
Now that's what I call a great first post. Welcome tacograndé!
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Beliveau is the best that ever was.
Ed- awesome first post, thanks for the obvious effort. Too many people blather on here about our size without doing their homework.
Last year someone crunched similar numbers and found that the Habs were, on average, slightly larger than the rest of the league.
Here's hoping this shuts up the posters who prattle on about the "smurfs".
Thanks Chorske!
I noticed that we were not that undersized last year too however, I think the difference this year may be that while we DO have size we are also going to be a team that sticks up for each other.
Hi Adam, nice job. But listen, that black and yellow picture, I have a spare habs sweater if you would like to borrow .
Hi Ian,
It's all about the text! If the avatar language is offensive I can change it though.
Might want to consider that change particularly if the Sheriff comes snooping around. But I do like your stats. I intend to copy this list and drag it out when we get the next "shrimp" or"midget" complaint. (and I liked your comeback to the troll below...the under 200 lb guys).
Great first post, into which you put a lot of thought & work. It's amazing how sometimes things are not what we perceive them to be. Even Sportsnet has an article on the Canadiens' & say they have "Plenty of beef at camp".
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/09/12/canadiens_beef_camp/?utm_sourc...
I thought I was going to be impressed with that article Ed, until I read they they somehow believe Andrei Kostitsyn is small. Since when is 6 feet tall small? Even in the NHL that's average to big.
http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
I'm not sure they said he was small. They said five of the Canadiens' projected top six forwards are six feet or under. This is what Latendresse had to say:
"If you look at the top six forwards they're all smaller players, so that could help a guy with my size," the 22-year-old said. "But it's up to me to have a strong camp and grab that spot."
Thanks Ed. Wow, I am impressed that a Toronto outlet actually said something positive about the Habs.
Great post, a lot of work went into it, and it certainly puts things into perspective. Hopefully we'll avoid getting 'smurf' comments this season ...
"... et le buuuuut!"
Average wt of the forwards 206 lbs ??? Thanks to Laraque and Lats.. I'd say ...
How many forwards under 200 ?? that like corners and the boards .... .
A better average might be the sum of their individual wieght + individual pim divided by the # of players .. the higher the number the grittier the team .... only a thought
I've always questioned the "PIM = grit" statements that floats around. More penalties come from being out-of-position or not moving your feet and having to clutch-grab or hook etc. than from tough gritty play. If you want to try your statistic try it with hits rather than PIM. I would bet that would give you a more accurate reflect of a gritty player.
I can buy that GJ.
Now I'm questioning why we get bumped around and out muscled of the puck , or throw the puck aimlessly away instead of taking a hit , a much smaller team , or so the stats say. like Boston ???
Boston
Forwards under 200lbs: 19
Montreal
Forwards under 200lbs: 4
Ottawa
Forwards under 200lbs: 5
Toronto
Forwards under 200lbs: 7
Took the rosters off of each teams website.
Boston should read 9, not 19.
oof pwnage
No joke hahaha, don't mess with stats.
http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
Nicely done........and the pictures awesome...HAHAHAHA
"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang." Ken Dryden
Love your pic .. Brings me back when I was a kid on the NES .... Sweet...
Apparently Boston will take it any way that they can get it.
Facts don't stop trolls.
http://berkshireonthehabs.blogspot.com/
Too true, too true.
Forgot to check my e-mail after I purchased my tickets yesterday, but I really loved this 'fee'.
3Web Convenience Fee@$ 8,75=$ 26,25(Tax Included)I know paid the same fee...but still cheaper than the $40-60 stub-hub fees and inflated cost of tickets.
"At least we are not the Leafs!"
seriosuly!!!! why am i paying a 5.00 fee for an electronic ticket??? that makes no sense... it's not even a physical printout so they are not losing money on anything.
--- we need a kovalev
We don't really care though, do we? We just want to make sure we have our tickets! If it were any other team, maybe I'd be questioning all these mysterious fees.
Day one of training camp and some HIO fans are heckling each other!
Nice to see the passion is building...
As far as Gomez waking up...heckling at training camp is kinda stupid...but that said he will hear it from the Bell Center if he does not come out strong...right or wrong he knows it...
Hopefully "puck posession" team is meant in the Coach Babcock sense...not the sit on the puck until opposing teams fall alseep sense...
"At least we are not the Leafs!"
GO ALS GO
That was a sweet 28-24 win!
Wait for Price to bloom...it's his 'Prime Time' in 3-4 years.
Note to the heckler if this was 25 games into the season and Gomez was playing poorly I say you have every right. To start this crap first day of training camp make you look like a idoit. Lets support the team and give these guys the chance to play before we get down on them. Remember last year, it wasn't the fans that let the team down they showed up every game. Its was last years players that let the team down and Gainey did something about it. Go Habs Go
They look, and should feel like idoits too.
idoits.
TML = Too Many Losses
I like what Gill said yesterday... the players have to tune the media and the fans out to some extent. Nice touch for Gomez to acknowledge that he heard the fan, but it will only encourage others to do the same and can quickly get pretty tired. I agree with your comment about waiting 25 games.
Wow, Boone cuts the audio before we hear Gomez finish "Merci beaucoup". Don't let Bertrand Raymond hear this!
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
Exclusive !!!! A photo of Gomez's heckler.
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
Funny!! Now get off my lawn!!!
Bwahahahahahaha
hilarious!
hahaha nice one. I would have put my money on the heckler being MB or Gainey.
OMG - Uncle George!!!!!!
lol
try again!
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Ya! The Habs Rule! now on Twitter!
The heckler was smart dog.....he hasn't stopped dissing Gomer since he signed with us.
i mentioned on the other thread that price, kostitsyn, and gomez got some boos
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
likehoy,how did the Kbro's and Plec play?
pleks and skost didn't play...they practiced on team C but i didn't bother watching...
akost played the way he normally played...they had him on the right wing and cammy on the left of gomez
that line had zero forecheck and couldn't get out of their own zone
akost had a few hits and was steady but not outstanding
that line shows a lot of offensive zone chemistry in terms of puck possession...could be a really good powerplay unit
(zero penalties were called throughout the game)
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
Thanks ,good report ....
really? already? That's ridiculous
"Montreal has a better downtown than Buffalo, for sure ..."
Another one bites the dust.
Welcome to Chez Paree Mr. Spacek! Your usual table?!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them." - Sam Pollock