February 28, 2007
Red Wings Lose All Moral Authority
OK, perhaps I'm going a bit over the top here. But when I saw the news last night at the bar that Todd Bertuzzi had been traded to the Wings, my heart sank. Not because I think he's a bad player (he's defintely not), and not because I don't think his physical style of scoring oriented play won't be a big help to Detroit in the playoffs (it absolutely will), and not because he was a rival member of a hated rival team for years (I've gotten over these things in the past easily enough, even Chris Chelios). But Todd Bertuzzi is a bad human being who had no business playing hockey (or being out of prison). And I finally understand what its like to be an Avs fan.
In my years of watching hockey there was only one player that I could not stomach as a part of my team: Claude Lemeiux. Though unarguably brilliant at his close-checking endlessly annoying grinding style of play, his consistently foul behavior on the ice (remember, judged in the shadow of his fellow hockey players) was so vicious and nasty, I could never really forgive it.
When Bertuzzi came into the league, I had a grudging respect for him. Those games (was that 2002?) against Vancouver in the playoffs were some of the best of the entire run, with Bertuzzi and Jovanovski earning my anger and respect in equal measure through every minute of play. But on March 8th, in 2004, Bertuzzi committed the second worst outrage in recent hockey (and all sports) history, when he sucker punched Steve Moore of the Avalanche, slamming his head to the ice. The resulting fall broke Moore's neck, at least it is assumed to be the fall, as Bertuzzi had to be pulled off him even after the fall. Moore will never play hockey again, though he has avoided paralysis.
Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely, but only ended up missing the lockout non-season and was reinstated on August 8th of 2005.
I'd like to believe that people can change, and can be redeemed. But I'd also like to believe that there should be some form of responsibility for destroying someone's health, livelihood and driving them out of the sport. Ending someone's career through intentional malicious action is not OK, and not being allowed to play in a league that does not hold any games in not a sufficient penalty. And I can't avoid feeling really awful that my team is now a part of it.
In other news, Kyle Calder was also added and should be a good help to the team.
I'm probably over-reacting, but I can't help but think about dealing Jason Williams and all those draft picks for Forsberg, before Nashville got the chance. I guess the best I can hope for is that he takes longer to recover from surgery and gets traded in the off-season. But its going to be difficult to enjoy games with him playing.
February 26, 2007
I'd like to thank the Academy
So, Sid, my good friend and consistent bad influence has asked me to help him get an album cover for a band he knows. The cover involves boats, alcohol, and snow, so naturally he thought of me. However, I haven't been able to find a good source of empty liquor bottles that look appropriately ancient, so I've spent the night watching the Academy awards and trying my hardest to finish three pints of potent potables.
I love the Oscars. Its a personality flaw I'm sure, but I love watching brilliant talented people get recognized for their efforts. Its a pretty rare Oscar night that doesn't find me crying at least a half-dozen times. It was great to see recognition finally for Ennio Moriconne, Marty Scorsese and Helen MIiren. An d it was kind of great to see Peter O' Toole (for my money, the greatest actor of the last 50 years, excepting maybe Brando) get screwed yet again, as there's something beautiful about seeing the most brilliant be denied year after year. (Which isn't to say Forest Whittaker doesn't deserve it, but O' Toole has consistently been incredible with the misfortune of being put up against, Gregory Peck in "Mockingbird", De NIro in "Raging Bull", Kingsley in "Gandhi", Brando in "The Godfather", and John Wayne 30 years after his first nomination in "True Grit". Can't a guy get a break? )
Anyway, as usual I enjoyed the show (not the preshow I hate that red carpet bullshit) and seeing incredible people get told they're incredible and make really bad speeches. At the moment however, my glass is still full and I'm only 1 1/2 pints in, so I'll say good night to all, and a special wish for Peter O' Toole that maybe next year or the year after will finally be his year.
February 19, 2007
In Memoriam: Robert Anton Wilson
On January 11th of 2007, Novelist, futurist, Discordian and Subgenius Pope, Quantum Philosopher, and all-around hip guy Robert Anton Wilson died. Pope Wilson had suffered with post-polio syndrome for several years (but somewhat amazingly hadn't begun showing serious complications until 60 years after being cured from polio). And at 75 years old, he had lived a fuller life than most people get to.
My first reading of the Illuminatus! trilogy was very influential on me, just for being a serious joy of language and total mindfuck in concepts. But it was further reading that allowed me to really explore more deeply the message Wilson was carrying, a message that has been transmitted for millennia but frequently ignored. The mind is the best thing we've got but its unreliable, and if you're ever sure about *anything* then you're wrong. The mind filters information and recognizes patterns (and we're not talking just about the cognitive functions: hearing, vision, tactile senses also are constantly filtered and reinterpreted). The more strongly you have "belief" in something, the more likely your mind is to find evidence of it, and ignore contrary evidence. As Wilson himself says, this is not a new concept but rather one that Plato and Buddha both pointed out, and yet people still behave as though it were not true. Even science (in the form of the modified Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics) confirms this core statement about the universe, and yet we all forget it every day (as RAW admitted he did frequently as well).
In any case, if you aren't familiar with Wilson's work, check out Illuminatus! or some of the writings or watch "Maybe Logic" the documentary on his life and thoughts. And if you've already been initiated, its a great time to pick them back up or maybe get further into the work.
I'll miss his insight. Bob was number 1 on my 1-person list of people I'd like to meet and have a conversation with (the previous 4 or 5 having already died). But its one more example: everything is temporary, and reality is a state of mind. Hail Eris and smooth sailing, Bob.
Notes:
While you're at it, if you want to follow a synchronous path, check out the RU Sirius podcast show,