Happy Ice Hog Day!

I wasn't sure I'd have a new sign for tonight's game against the Bruins, what with the All-Star hangover I had after the weekend, but then I remembered it's Groundhog Day tomorrow, and I couldn't let pass the opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite holidays into a sign. That the Carolina Hurricanes' mascot is an "ice hog" plays very well with the groundhog theme, and the weather phenomenon of the Hurricanes fit right in, too. Unfortunately, the Canes lost tonight, so I'm the one who feels like heading back underground!

Rosey is Rad! Vote for Chad!

Two of my signs are featured in a video web ad for the upcoming 2011 NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Hurricanes video production staff contacted me through Facebook and asked if I'd make two signs, both basically saying "Vote Chad LaRose for 2011 NHL All-Star Game." I had a couple of days to come up with ideas. I sent them three or four, and they picked two. (I actually thought "DON'T LEAVE CHAD HANGIN'" was more cleverer, but I guess that was deemed too esoteric for the masses.) I made the signs, brought them to the Canes locker room, and got to hang out during filming.

The ad with my signs is actually the fourth in a series of four, all of which were shot one morning last April.

All-Star Ad #1 – Seat Selection (Extended Version)
All-Star Ad #2 – Exercise Bike
All-Star Ad #3 – Ping Pong
All-Star Ad #4 – Signs (featuring signs made by ME!)

I could barely contain my chuckles behind the scenes. Chad LaRose seemed perfectly natural as the funny guy in front of the camera, and Eric Staal was a great straight man.

Now, I'm not one to boast (bad karma and all), but it was pretty steamy hanging out in the locker room with such hotties as they changed shirts. I even got to help one of the stars with a wardrobe malfunction -- so close I could see his belly button lint! He had some difficulty keeping a towel around his waist. I'm talking about Stormy the Ice Hog, of course.

Why did the Canes need ME to make signs? I'm not 100% sure, but one should never underestimate the value of good penmanship.

Hog Wild

This sign refers to the Minnesota Wild and to the Hurricanes' mascot, Stormy, who is an Ice Hog. I borrowed the image from the interwebs.

Yes We Can!

I created an Obamicon and then blew it up and printed it onto four 8.5x11" pieces of sticky paper, then affixed them to foam board.

Sloppier Than Stormy's Lunch

This is an oldy. You can tell by the crappy resolution of my camera phone. Again, Stormy the Ice Hog is the Hurricanes mascot.

Slop Call

Stormy is, of course, the mascot for the Carolina Hurricanes. He is an Ice Hog.

Well, I do.