Ward-en

I found this sign, which related to goalie Cam Ward, while rifling through some old ones. I think I archived it for karmic reasons. It's not a useful sign once the opposing team scores.

Falling Stars

Too bad the Canes fell to Dallas tonight. :(

Snot Stevens

While rifling through some old signs, I found this one that I apparently forgot to photograph and upload. It refers to Scott Stevens, then of the New Jersey Devils.

Some of my signs pre-date camera phones. The first ones that I ever made, I probably threw away right after the game. I remember leaving one on the windshield of a car belonging to a visiting Montreal Canadiens fan in the parking lot. It soon dawned on me that I could save them and reuse most of them. Now I have a hard time discarding any of them. Even when one of the Canes players gets traded, it's as likely as not he'll eventually return someday. Still, the day is coming when I'll have to chuck some of them into the recycle bin.

Maybe I should cut them up and make confetti. Is confetti allowed in the arena? The cleanup crew might hate that. Perhaps I could save it for a special occasion, like another Cup win.

Slow Derby

The current Women's Flat Track Derby Association rules allow skaters to stop, backskate, and/or skate in the reverse direction. Jammers (the ones who score points by passing opponents) can step outside the track and go back to reenter behind the rest of the back so that they may try again to pass without committing a penalty and therefore earn points or the "lead jammer" designation that they would have lost on the first attempt. All this makes for (1) confused fans (2) confused refs (3) confused stat-keepers, and (4) ssssssslow skating.

In my opinion, and that of many other fans, this is not what roller derby should be. You wouldn't get this kind of nonsense on the banked tracks. My sign isn't very clever - I made it quickly during halftime on the back of another one - but there is something to be said for simplicity and for putting into writing what everybody at the bout was thinking.

The WFTDA should simplify the rules so that normal folks can follow the play. Derby should be fast and hard-hitting. If they want it to be slow and tame, they should go and play a pleasant game of croquet on top of Ann Calvello's grave.

Richland Poor

Carolina Bootleggers vs. Richland County (SC) Regulators. November 20, 2010

Take a Spill

It was the Canes who struck it rich tonight with 7 goals to the Edmonton Oilers' 1. You can keep your Alberta Beef; I'll take the free queso at Moe's (given away if the Canes score at least five goals).

As Seen on TV

These are the autographed versions of the two signs I made for a TV commercial starring Chad LaRose and Eric Staal. See previous blog post for the story. The ad was released on the web over the summer but is now shown on TV.

Neuter the Cats

I don't think this a particularly clever sign, but I made it short notice when someone offered me a free ticket to the Florida Panthers game just hours in advance. It took me only 12 minutes to make this sign. I think it's a record.