Lucid? You decide.

I haven’t done a stream-of-consciousness post for a while. Let’s give it a whirl.

-Well, all of that concentration on what to name the new NHL team in Kansas City will apparently have to be put on hold. Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania leaders have stepped up and the Penguins will be staying. Rumor has it that Nashville, Florida, Atlanta and Tampa Bay are all more than mildly interested in the KC situation.

-I wish I was more confident about SIU’s chances in the NCAA tourney. I have them going to the Elite 8. But I think that's out of wishful thinking more than anything. I’m still wondering when Randal Falker will be the player he was in the regular season after a disastrous MVC tournament performance. They need him to dominate to go deep in the bracket.

-An Illinois, SIU match-up this weekend would be sweet…but I think it’s unlikely. Virginia Tech is too good for the Illini.

-Recently attended a meeting at which Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert and Police Chief Bill Clay both spoke. Eckert continues his energetic leadership of the city…and it’s easy to see why he wanted Clay to run the department…very impressive.

-The Blues are pointed in the right direction. No doubt about it. Young stars are beginning to become obvious. Now we all have to support the team and, at the same time, be patient while the youth movement takes hold.

-It was fun seeing a full house at Scottrade again. 19-thousand plus for the Montreal Canadiens last Saturday.

-I read an interesting op-ed piece the other day…can’t even remember who wrote it…but it struck a nerve nonetheless. The gist…we in the baby-boom generation have only a short time left to make a significant mark on the world in which we live. The leading edge of the boom is now in its sixties and will only be in a position to wield influence (political, monetary, etc.) for so much longer. What have we done to improve the world? What can we still do? As young people we promised the world we’d be different, and better. The clock is ticking.

-I still haven’t had the opportunity to meet Andy Murray. But I couldn’t be more impressed with the job he has done. I intend to introduce myself soon and hope some of what he brings to the Blues rubs off.

-I wonder how close O.J. is to catching the “real killer”.

-Is it me? Or is there something to the weather being more severe lately? Seems like when there’s a storm system these days …it’s really a dandy. Is Al Gore onto something besides doughnuts?

-My favorite movie of the last month-- Little Miss Sunshine. Finally rented it.

-I am one of the many who is not nearly as interested in American Idol as I was last season. Not sure why. But the lack of overall talent this season is obvious. I was either glued to the TV or recorded every episode last year. This year…not so much. I can’t even name more than two of the finalists. Maybe I’m getting my life back.

Speaking of Idol… last year’s “shoulda won guy”…Chris Daughtry is doing OK isn’t he?

The Cardinals should be at least as good as they were last season…and will be much better if their starting pitching holds up. Obviously, it’s doing fine in spring training. What seemed like a strength…relief pitching…is struggling though. I’d like to see Izzy pitch well for a month or two before we declare him back to “dominant closer” status.

I see the St. Louis Zoo has had to deal with an issue that Barb and I are starting to discuss. “When do you put down a beloved animal?” The zoo euthanized Clara, the matriarch of it’s Asian elephant heard today because her arthritis had become too much for her. Our beloved Springer Spaniel Fergie is beginning to decline rapidly. Accidents in the house, arthritic hips, deaf, vision , are all beginning to cause us worry. It’s so hard to know when the time is right.

Kansas City Penguins?

During the warm-up skate at the Blues-Flames game, I engaged in some interesting banter with some of my friends who regularly watch “the boys” from up close. We were trying to decide if the Penguins should remain the Penguins if they indeed complete a franchise re-location to western Missouri. Mario Lemieux, and the Pens ownership group, declared an impasse with the powers that be in Pittsburgh on Monday over the lack of a new arena deal. The Penguins lease at Mellon Arena is up at the end of June. And, all indications are that shortly they will announce a move to Kansas City if the Pennsylvania power-brokers don’t step up in a significant way.

For those who haven’t been following this drama, Kansas City is building a new state-of-the-art arena…Sprint Center…that has already sold out all of its luxury boxes for major events, including hockey. This dramatic display of community and corporate support for the NHL can be compared to the St. Louis effort of the 90’s to lure the NFL back to town. The grass-roots civic organization in KC that has been working on getting an NHL team there…NHL21…has pretty much guaranteed any ownership group that chooses to operate in their new digs a windfall for the foreseeable future. The building will be operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group, an investor in the arena. The company, led by Philip Anschutz, also owns the Los Angeles Kings, so there is a link to the inner circle of the NHL.

Paul McGannon…who I’ve become friends with through doing the p-a for Blues pre-season games staged at Kemper Arena in recent years…leads NHL21 (stands for the goal of getting KC hockey in the 21st century) and has some one hundred Kansas City business leaders involved. They have waged a concerted and energetic campaign to lure an NHL team to town for a number of years. With Lemieux and company struggling to make it in western Pennsylvania, or at least not being in a position to overlook such a pot at the end of the rainbow, we might expect a new look to hockey in the Show-Me State soon.

If the Pens leave the Steel City, the debate over whether the nickname goes with them will rage as in the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens situation. If the NHL intends for Pittsburgh to be one of its markets again soon, Commissioner Gary Bettman may try to persuade the team owners to abandon the Penguins name for a re-start in Pittsburgh when, and if, they are able to situate another team there in the future. Given that possibility, what would you name the new team in KC?

The long-ago team in Kansas City was known as the Scouts. They left for Denver after the ’75-’76 season to become the Colorado Rockies. That didn’t work out, and they headed for New Jersey to become the current Devils. Going back to the name Scouts might have some appeal. But I would think a fresh start with a new nickname would be more likely. The current minor-league team in KC is known as the Blades. I would think that’s out too. You wouldn’t want the small-time implication on the new club.

So, let’s come up with a new name for this bunch of pro skaters. Here are my suggestions—

-Kansas City Pioneers… (fits the American frontier geography/history)
-Kansas City Cowboys or Wranglers… (cattle market of the past etc.)
-Kansas City Commanches…(oops! Better not go there..but they do have the Chiefs)
-Kansas City Monarchs (Tribute to Negro league baseball team…and fits regal theme of Royals baseball)
-Kansas City Cougars..(grrrrrrr)
-Kansas City Bears… (what the hell..use a polar bear in the logo. Makes as much sense as penguins)
-Kansas City Huskies… (Mush!!)

I’m not a fan of the not-specific-to-humans and animals nicknames like Avalanche…or Lightning... but if you want to go down that road, how about-
-Kansas City Blizzard… (cold like ice, prairie weather etc.)
-Kansas City Comets… (good illiteration).
-Kansas City Crunch.. (I don’t even like that one)
-Kansas City Sparks …(like the glint off a skate blade)

My head is starting to hurt. You can add your thoughts in the comments link at the bottom.

Another Star-in-the-Making

A few weeks back I took some space here to brag on the theatrical talents of our youngest son. In the interest of equal time, and equal love, I dedicate the following paragraphs to first-born son Ian, who informs us he has also chosen to pursue a life of performing. It must be in our genes.

Ian Robert Calhoun was born on a sweltering day in July of 1980. Those with a good mind for history might remember it as the year that Mount St. Helens blew its lid. That summer’s drought caused the place where Ian was born, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, to conserve water by serving patients food on paper plates and forbidding them to bathe or shower for days at a time. It was an awful source of discomfort to Barb while recovering from childbirth. But the person we got out of it was worth it.

For the last year-and-a-half, Ian has been part of the ski-resort culture of Colorado. He’s been a personal trainer and all-purpose employee at the Allegria Spa at the Park Hyatt hotel at Beaver Creek. He possesses a degree in marketing from SIU-Carbondale. But, like many with a formal education, he hasn’t quite found his niche in the field of his training. He now believes his true calling to be music.

This doesn’t come as a surprise. Ian amazed us a number of years ago when he stopped tooting the horns of his grade and high-school days and picked up a guitar and taught himself to play. Not just play… but REALLY make it sing. He demonstrated right there the instinct, patience, and talent to be a professional musician and songwriter. Now, his rock music love affair has caused him to pull some friends together to form a band. Ian will be a singer/guitarist. He’s got a friend who also writes and plays guitar. Another is lined up as drummer. They’ll need to add a few more pieces to the puzzle, but that’s already in the works.

Ian comes by his musical inclination and proclivity naturally. The musical genes on his mother’s side run deep. Grandpa Bob is an excellent singer with the St. Peter’s Cathedral men’s choir. Given the right opportunity, I’m convinced he could have become a famous classical tenor. Barb’s late grandfather, “Prof” Miller, was the organist and music director at “the Cathedral” for many years. He was said to have been a wonderfully talented man as well. On my side, well nothing quite so renowned, but I played a mean accordion and was a pretty fair singer in the high school and college choirs in my day. My parents were musically inclined as well.

Ian and favorite Colorado tree--->

Ian has now decided to abandon the mountains and head for the big city after this ski season. What big city? Right now it looks like either Chicago or New York…but I’m guessing that could change depending on how opportunity presents itself. Our young rocker has impressed the pros enough in the past to be invited on stage to sing a tune or two with bands performing in Carbondale. Now he’s written enough music, and feels confident enough as a performer, to go for the brass ring professionally.

When you see the way some people in music become instant stars…and then flame-out to obscurity…it’s not terribly easy to watch your offspring walk into that environment with great expectations. Music “stars” seem to come and go with the seasons. But your child’s dream is what’s important. If Ian has settled on what his life is about, who are his parents to question it? Just as with his brother Stewart, we can only say “go for it with all you have” and be as supportive as we can. The life, the dream, the talent and the time are all his to do with as he pleases. I’ll let you know here when the first CD comes out.

One thing is for sure, there's no dad anywhere that could be any prouder of his sons than this one.

Amazing!

The John Davidson/Larry Pleau team did a pretty fantastic job with their trade deadline transactions. I saw JD in the hallway at Tuesday night’s game after his press conference and congratulated him. You could see that he had gotten little sleep in the previous few days. But, I would say, and I'm sure he would say, it was worth it.

I know what this is going to sound like. It’s going to sound like I’m a shill for the organization. But, I don’t care. What you’re reading here is how I really feel. And if that sounds like shilling, so be it. I’m still a Blues fan, even though I work for the team on game nights. And I get excited when exciting things happen. After all, we Blues fans haven’t had much to get cranked about for three or four years.

Of course, we'll never know what other deals were offered, or what JD and company might have turned down, but the packages for Tkachuk and Guerin. The re-signings. The Wideman-Boyes trade with Boston. Outwardly, I can’t imagine anyone handling the situation much better than they did. While the draft picks will take a while to reap dividends, having that many high draft picks for the next couple of drafts will put the team in prime trading position…and/or prime drafting position. Either way, great things almost have to come from it.

Getting a player like Boyes for Dennis Wideman, one of the expendables considering the number of quality players the team currently has working the blueline, was icing on the cake. Brad Boyes is the kind of player that should be able to thrive under Andy Murray. He apparently got demoted to some degree in Boston because they needed to give quality ice time to other higher profile kids. So, naturally his production was a little down this year. You just get the feeling that the kid has the skill (26 goals last year) to do great things in a top-six forward role here. He’s already had one star-quality season.

I think most non-insiders have the wrong opinion of Jamal Mayers. I might have been one of those people in the past. I, like many, have been frustrated with Jammer's inability to finish, and his lack of play-making prowess. But, the Blues, and apparently many other teams in the league, think very highly of the rest of his game. His ability to put in quality ice-time in just about every other way made him a valuable commodity on deadline day. So much so that the Blues decided to resign him to, what appears to be, a reasonable three-year deal. The other thing about Mayers is his obvious passion about wearing the Blue Note. He truly does bleed blue, and doesn't mind shedding some of it for the good of the team.

With Jarmo Kekalainen running things on draft day, and JD/LP ready to move up or turn picks into players, draft day ’07 will take on a significance rarely seen in Arch-town. I, for one, can’t wait.

No more Tkaaaaaaa-chuuuuuuuk

Well, we knew it was likely…. If not inevitable.

As much as I have enjoyed the Keith Tkachuk era of Blues hockey, I am really excited about the package that John Davidson and Larry Pleau have received in return from Atlanta. How could you expect to get more than a first and third-round pick this year, a second rounder next year, and a decent roster player (Glenn Metropolit)? Then, if Walt decides to re-sign in Atlanta… something I think is unlikely…but, if he does, the Blues get another first-round pick next year. Wow...Wow…Wow!!

That’s an enormous package for the future..even though the “experts” say this won’t be a really great year for players in the draft. There’s always the opportunity to package multiple picks to trade for other players or higher picks. Let’s understand that Mr. Tkachuk is still a very good player. But at one time he was considered one of the top ten, or so, players in the league. I think even he would admit that he’s not quite in that category any more. So, for the Blues to turn him into that sort of package in return…is an amazing feat in my book.

Now, by the time you read this it may be a moot point, but if the Blues can get a similar package (and why wouldn’t you expect that) in return for Bill Guerin, it would really set things up for the future of the team. The youth movement wouldn’t take full effect for a few years, but it should set Blues Nation to salivating about the possibilities, and get a lot of buzz going about hockey in our town. But, I think it's also likely that the team might be more inclined to keep Billy around for his ticket-selling ability.

As for myself, I will have to come up with a new “signature call” for one of the players at the games. Keith Tkaaaaaa-chuuuuuk was so much fun to do. And, maybe, I’ll get to do it again if he re-signs with The Note this summer. But, until then I might have to work on… Leeeeeeee Stemp..neeeeeeee-aaaaaaak. Or David…Baaaaaaaaaaa-ckesss. But it’s not so much the enthusiasm that I use in making the announcement. It’s the name itself. Tkachuk is just a great name for a p-a announcer. It’s almost like Ka-ching…and the first syllable..ka..is just so easy to have fun with. I always growled it out…and held it out…and then came in behind it with the powerful “chuck”. Just the perfect name for a pro athlete. Not many other names lend themselves to that kind of enthusiastic pronunciation.

As good as they are, Dallas Drake, Doug Weight, Bill Guerin and several others don’t have names that give you much of a chance to “play up” the announcement. On the other hand, I might try to have a little more fun with Eric Brewer, Manny Legace, Bryce Salvador, and some others that offer a little more fodder for fun.

I’ll miss "Walt". I remember when he came to the team in the deal with Phoenix several years back, I asked him before his first game if he minded if I had some fun with the announcement of his name. He encouraged me to do whatever I felt would work. He’s a great guy, and I’ll certainly miss having fun with his goal announcements. But the team will be much…much…better in the long run for this trade. And, hopefully, he’ll be on the same track that Weight was last year. Success in the playoffs…and return to wear The Note once again, afterwards.

Proud Papa

I want to use this space this time to brag a bit on my youngest son Stewart. Number one son Ian will get some time here soon. But, because we went to Chicago last weekend to see Stew perform in a college stage production, I have to strike while the iron is hot.

Stewart William Calhoun is now 22, and in his last year at the best place he could possibly be for a kid who wants to be an actor…the theatre conservatory at DePaul University which is called simply…The Theatre School. It is one of the more revered crucibles for performers, writers, and theatre management people in this country. We feel fortunate that Stewart was accepted there.

We packed up the grandmas and grandpa last Friday to head for Chicago to see Stew, and his college friend Jessica Rosenberger (from Dwight, Michigan), perform as the leads in young composer Jason Robert Brown’s (pic right) The Last Five Years. This musical has accumulated a cult-like following since it opened in Chicago in 2001, and then moved on to New York for an off-Broadway run in 2003. Younger people know all about it. Older people tend to be in the dark. But, it’s a great show that features two performers and a small orchestra. The story line is unique in that it follows the story of a couple’s relationship from their first date to their eventual break-up with a marriage in the middle. But, the woman tells the story from the end to the beginning, while the man tells it chronologically. When they cross paths on stage in the middle of the show they sing a wedding duet. Otherwise, it’s mostly one person on stage at a time.

Anyway, the music was great…and this show was spectacular, particularly for a college production. I don’t want you to think that just because Dad is writing, that I’m the only one who thought it was any good. At least one reviewer (Colin Douglas with Center Stage dot net, which covers the Chicago entertainment scene) wrote:

Skilled young actors Stewart Calhoun and Jessica Rosenberger completely inhabit their roles, allowing the audience to share in the joys, sorrows, successes and disappointments of their characters. Thankfully, both actors also possess pleasant singing and speaking voices, along with crisp diction not always found in today's theater.

The director and set designer got raves for their work too. Music Director, and one of Stewart’s professors, Mark Elliott should be praised for his work at the piano and assembling a great group of musicians to support the actors.

For a parent, buying into the dream of a kid who wants to be an actor is daunting, especially when he wants to take the more legitimate route through a private university’s theater program. It’s an enormous mountain of tuition and uncertainty to face and climb. But, because Stewart has known since he was in grade school that he wanted to be on stage…and demonstrated the talent and commitment to see his dream through…Barb and I decided years ago that the best thing we could do was to be as supportive as we possibly could. Seeing him carry a show as a lead actor/singer for the first time in a very professional presentation was thrilling, satisfying, and rewarding. To say the least, a number of tears were shed as we enjoyed our son performing and thriving “in his element”.

I’d also like to mention that because of the type of person Stewart is, my sister Bonnie Heffernan, her husband Mark, and daughter Lindsay, along with a number of other friends drove five hours to the "Windy City" to see the show too. That speaks to the loving support that Stewart has been fortunate to enjoy during his young life. I know he is as grateful as I am for that. He wouldn't be the great young person he is without it.

As to Stewart’s future…he will graduate in June with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from DePaul. Before that happens he will travel with other graduating students to Los Angeles and New York to perform/audition in front of casting agents, directors, producers etc. You know, people that might hire him in the future…or hopefully immediately. We certainly are holding out the possibility that he could become a big star of some kind. We also understand that not many of the thousands of people who enter the “show biz” work force each year with the same dream as Stewart make it. So, picking the right agent and getting Lady Luck on his side are the big things right now. He has the tools, talent, and the training, now he needs “the break”.

But, whether or not Stewart makes it big, he has already brought so much joy into the lives of his parents, family and friends that there is no chance he will ever be considered a failure. As a parent, all we want is to be sure that our child is happy with the path he has chosen in life. Seeing him in this show was proof that he has done that.

Now…go break a professional leg, Stew!

Many Thanks!!

I want to thank everyone involved with the recognition I received recently for the 20 years and 900 consecutive games with the Blues... especially SCP Worldwide, The Blues front office, and anyone else who played a part in my special night on Friday 1/26.

In case you missed it, I was asked to drop the ceremonial first puck before the Blues-Wings game that night. But before I did, wife Barb and I were accompanied to center ice by Blues President John Davidson. The ceremony was hosted by Kelly Chase, who had some incredibly nice things to say. “True professional” and “Iron man of the Blues family” are what I remember most.

JD presented us with a wonderful framed, limited-edition poster of the Blues retired-jersey players shown in action shots. It was signed by all of the living retired-jersey Blues…Sutter, Federko, MacInnis and Hull. Also pictured are the late Barclay Plager and Bob Gassoff. It’s a great piece and will have a very special place in our home. Alongside will be the number-20 jersey (for twenty years) presented to me by Captain Dallas Drake on behalf of the players. I’ll get that signed by them before putting it up on the wall. The team also gave us a trip to Chicago on the team charter for an upcoming game. That will be tremendous fun.

I have to say that the things are nice. But, during the ceremony, at the moment that Dally presented me with the jersey, the players from both teams stood at their benches and rapped their sticks on the boards. I have to admit that brought a little extra moisture to this old announcer's eyes. A spectacular memory for me.

Also that night, the team took care of my family and some friends in grand style with a suite and refreshments. Everyone enjoyed that…and it wouldn't have been nearly as special without my “special people” on hand. I know my 86-year-old mother said she was probably more nervous than I was. Since I wasn't really nervous, just in a daze, I have a pretty good idea how wound-up and excited she was. I'm sure it meant a lot to mom. While my sons were both out of town, I'm sure they were there in spirit.

One thing about that night that was somewhat surprising was the fact that Fox-Midwest, and outstanding producer Tim Pabst, carried the whole ceremony. The Blues must have asked to have that done because many times the puck-drop ceremonies and the anthem are covered up by a commercial break. This night Tim waited until the commercial break was over to carry the ceremony. I’m guessing that the team wanted it that way to show the fans some of the history and tradition still associated with the “Blues family” even though there are new owners in town.

I will be getting some photos of the whole thing from team photog Mark Buckner shortly. Bill Greenblatt..who shoots independently…was also there and promises some shots too. Thanks to Curt Price of letsgoblues.com for the photos on this post. Keep coming back and I’ll have some more for you soon.

Once again, I was thrilled at the way it all was handled. And to anyone who has extended a hand or a good wish, I say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

Miracle Worker

Not since Annie Sullivan woke Helen Keller to the outside world have we seen anything like it. The age of enlightenment has arrived. The light bulb has been invented. The dark ages are in the past. Cave man discovered the wheel. The Wright Brothers have taken flight. Tranquility Base has been established.

Yes, Andy Murray must be hockey's version of Vince Lombardi...or Ghandi...or Patton...or (fill in the blank with the leader-of-men of your choice) the way the Blues have reinvented themselves in the last month-and-a-half. Saturday night's 1-0 win over San Jose was the icing on the turnaround cake. In the last game before the all-star break, the Blues outskated the hottest team in the Western Conference on their own ice. Suddenly, there's no team in hockey that the Blues aren't capable of skating with, and beating. Bill Guerin's goal, lucky though it may have been, was the only score the team needed to subdue the "mean fish" at the Shark Tank.

So many players on the team are skating with an energy and ability that we've never seen before that it's hard to believe when you watch. Keith Tkachuk is a kid again. Doug Weight is flying instead of skating. Bill Guerin is his old very dangerous self. (He only had 13 goals in Dallas all season last year). Radek Dvorak is ten times the player he was in November. Manny Legace has gone from screen door to brick wall. Barret Jackman is playing like an all-star, no longer the "lost soul" of before. Dallas Drake, who had looked like a beleagured veteran ready for the scrap heap, has changed into a fresh-faced--well maybe that's a stretch--kid. The man the fans loved to hate, Eric Brewer, is suddenly the player the Blues thought they were getting in the Pronger deal. By the way, Pronger is hurt and not playing for Anaheim.

Some of the youngsters...led by Lee Stempniak...who appears to be a star in the making...have suddenly turned into solid pros. David Backes, Dennis Wideman, Jay McClement et al. Even Peter Sejna, who flamed out a couple of years ago and appeared to be a career minor-leaguer is suddenly re-energized and worthy of an NHL sweater. The more I write, the more excited I get.

I've said it before, it's hard to believe you're watching the same bunch of players who were so pitiful in pre-December games. Can you believe that a man can come in, put in a different set of rules, values, and pracitce habits and get this bunch of professional players to morph from the worst team in pro sports into a Stanley Cup contender? I hate to even mention The Cup because they're still several points out of a playoff spot. But, you've seen the same thing I've seen. These guys are now one of the best teams in hockey. You legitimately expect them to win...or at least be competitive...in every game. Amazing!

The thing that now will be very interesting is how the management, John Davidson, Larry Pleau, Dave Checketts, Jarmo Kekalainen... et al, decide to approach the upcoming trade deadline. My feeling is that if they honestly believe they will make the playoffs and do some damage they will keep the team largely intact. If, on the other hand, they get the idea that they might make the playoffs, but flame out early, then they could be inclined to sell off a few veterans for the sake of future draft picks and prospects. I think that decision will be based largely on how they perform against Detroit and Nashville this coming Friday and Saturday. Those two teams are not only at the top of the Central division, they represent the type of teams that the Blues would have to do well against in the playoffs to create any post-season excitement. With the recent success we should expect large crowds at Scottrade Center for these games and with most of the squad well-rested after the all-star break, there should be no excuses for poor effort.

Keep your eyes on those two games. Is this team capable of going deep into the playoffs? Or have we been enjoying the water at a mirage? I tend to think they can compete. But I also think it's more important to stock up for future cup runs. Big decisions to be made in the next few weeks.

People...Not Royalty

Shows like Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood feed The Monster. Then they live off it's excrement. The Enquirer, The Globe, and other such supermarket rags feed it too. The Monster is our cultural fascination with celebrity. Why do we allow these media companies to do this to us? Why do we consider the people that The Monster feeds from, and to us, to be special and more important than anyone else? They are regularly shown to be very, very human with faults and imperfections just like the rest of the population.

Lindsay Lohan goes into re-hab. Martha Stewart goes to jail. Rosie and Trump are feuding. Someone called someone else a name. Brangelina is having a baby. TomKat are having a royal wedding. Blah, blah, blah. I guess every industry needs a product. But I, for one, don't get the continuing fascination with these people considered to be celebrities. Especially when fame in the entertainment industry is so temporary...and fleeting.

Let me give you a few examples of that. When's the last time you heard from Lisa Kudrow? A few years ago she, and her Friends co-stars, could do no wrong. Everything she did was under the microscope. She was doing TV, movies, the talk show circuit, and seemingly anything else she wanted to do. She was regularly featured as food for The Monster. Now, I'll bet you can't name anything she has done in, maybe, two years.

Another example. If it weren't for the fact that he went off the deep end during a stand-up routine several weeks ago, would Michael Richards be on your radar? Of course, being on Seinfeld for all that time probably has him in a financial position to do whatever he wants. But, as far as being productive in the entertainment business is concerned? He's been non-existant. Richards is always going to be Cosmo Kramer and he might as well get used to it. The likelihood of him being able to land parts in movies or other TV shows seems remote. So, suddenly he isn't good Monster food. He goes back to "regular guy" status and does stand-up gigs to keep his name out there.

Another. Where would any of the American Idol winners...or non-winners for that matter...be right now, and what would they be doing, if it weren't for someone coming up with that show. Would Kelly Clarkson be an enormous recording star? Would Clay Aiken be sitting at a computer working for an accounting firm? Would Chris Daughtry (who's first CD is breaking all kinds of records in sales) be still working at a car dealership service department? Would Jennifer Hudson be in Dream Girls and holding a Golden Globe? Or would she be working as a secretary at Bob's Auto Body? These people are now bona fide stars and part of the monster's regular output. But because they seized an unlikely opportunity, now they are treated as though they aren't regular people. And after awhile they buy into that notion too. "We're treated like we're special...so, I guess we are."

How do we fail to make the connection that there are many people who are more talented than these who happen to get the break to find themselves in the spotlight? Many others have a better head on their shoulders. Many in other professions are truly worth the adulation and fawning that is dealt out to the Hollywood crowd. We should remember that when we feed The Monster by watching the TV shows and purchasing tabloids. As long as we feed it, it won't go away.

20th Anniversary Stuff

-The word has gotten around that I've been doing the Blues P-A job for 20 years now without missing a game. So, I've done a few media interviews about that and I thought I'd share some the info here. No biggie. (By the way...I'm being told now that there will be no recognition of my anniversary at Saturday's game. Too much other stuff to do because of NBC doing the game)

But, I won't scoop Norm Sanders. Norm is the Blues beat writer for the Belleville News-Democrat. I spent about a half-hour with him on the phone Thursday. He says they'll be running a story sometime soon. So, just keep your eye on the N-D for Norm's article.

I also answered a few questions for Tom Settles who writes Blues stuff in a couple of different places, including stlsports.com. Here are the questions he posed in an e-mail and my responses.

1) What is the preparation for you to get ready for a game each night?

I usually get to the game early…two hours before gametime…and study the game notes. They usually contain pronunciations of all of the difficult names from the opposing team. If there’s still a question about how a guy’s name is pronounced, I usually try to consult with the out-of-town broadcaster or one of the media relations guys from the visiting team. Other than that, I usually like to get to my position rinkside early enough to go over the promo copy for that night and get my scoresheet filled out so everything is scripted as much as possible. If there are any special ceremonies, or differences in the presentation, I try to chat with Chris Frome (Director of Event Operations) about that.

2) Is there a specific night or goal that sticks out as your favorite over the span of 20 years?

A couple of nights are special to me. The 1988 NHL All-Star game was very special. I announced the lineups live on ESPN. And to see Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, and many others all on the ice at the same time was pretty special. Lemieux was MVP of that game at the old Arena. And the Brett Hull number retirement night on December 5th was also very special. Hullie’s career in St. Louis started just after I started doing the p.a. announcing, and I have had a special connection to him because of that. I announced all of the goals that he scored as a member of the Blues.

3) Who has been your favorite player to watch.?

Brett Hull. No doubt. He saved hockey in St. Louis, in my opinion. And, he did things as a player that will never…never’s a long time…but I think never be done again. Al MacInnis is a close second. I also liked watching Brendan Shanahan while he was here...and was very sorry he had to go elsewhere.

4) What seems to be toughest and the best part of your job?

The toughest part has been being away from my wife and sons for as much as the job requires. And there have been a few times where I’ve missed out on some family functions. But not many.

The best part is just being around professional hockey people on a regular basis and having the feeling that you’re part of the sport. Being the p-a announcer is a pretty special part of presenting a hockey game and I enjoy being involved in the action close-up. There are a few perks to being that close to the game that I won’t name…but they are nice too.

5) Learning all the players names must be hard, what has been the worst to pronounce and have any of the players come back to say you did it wrong?

There have been several down through the years that have been a bit of a challenge. But, I have to say…and I hope I don’t sound like a braggart…that the names sort of come naturally for me. I don’t have a lot of trouble with that. Once I understand the origin of the surname, Slavic, Germanic, French, whatever. And once I find out where the player is from…Canada, American, European…there are rules that apply to pronouncing names that usually get you through. Like I said before, if there are any questions I usually consult with a broadcaster, team official, or the player himself.

A few have been pretty challenging. Maxim Afinogenov of the Sabres took a little study the first time I saw it. When Petr Cajanek of the Blues first started playing here, I got a message from one of the Blues media relations guys telling me that I was pronouncing his name wrong. I was saying it Chy’-an-ek , just like we’ve become accustomed to it. The guy said that, then coach, Joel Quenneville wanted me to get it right. I asked around trying to find out how he thought it should be pronounced but never did get two people to say it the same way twice. So, I just kept doing it the way Blues broadcasters Chris Kerber, Ken Wilson and I agreed that it should be pronounced. And I never heard any more about it. I think Rob Niedermayer was in the penalty box one time and I had announced him as Needer-mayer…instead of Needer-myer…and he tapped me on the shoulder and corrected me. But those have been pretty few. It’s usually names like that which can be pronounced correctly in different ways that give you the most trouble. In those cases, you just have to get to know the player and how he wants it pronounced.