Counting down the decade- 2001

2001 was a pretty good year. I hit the high school, my voice was still high, and I started flirting with girls more aggressively. Here's what else happened, categorized:

2001 socially:
-I joined BBYO, and was put in AZA 6. The day I joined 6 was a day I'll never forget--I was given my first porn, which is still hidden today in my sports card closet (what, you thought I really only used that for hockey cards?) and I think I was taken to Hooters, where I learned about "Pizza Porn and Poker" nights.  Those guys really corrupted me.
-Josh Knafo was highly involved in mine and Jules' lives. He taught Jules how to shoplift from the grocery store, and taught me how to shave my mustache and drink Mikes Hard Lemonade. No one found the empty bottles for 3 years, and when my mom did find them in 11th grade, she was shocked and appalled. Good thing she didn't know I had actually drank them longgggg before, I woulda been sent to rehab knowing her.


2001 in love:
-Summer at White Pine was uneventful love-wise other than the experience making out with Drew. I was so excited, I woke up the next morning to tell Adam R. Levine. His response--"No you didn't, she made out with Greenberg last night." So, Drew made out with me, and it was so bad that she had to follow it with Brian. Fuck. Oh, and supposedly she made out with Rotty earlier in the night. What a B.
- Took Melyssa Feiler on a date to Elitches (6 Flags for non Denverites). We got on the Ferris Wheel, and I knew we were going to kiss, so I very very subtly took off the rubber bands in my braces in preparation. Shane was there somewhere, so when we started kissing we had to stop as the wheel hit the bottom of its cycle. It was amazing. I was a stud.

2001 in Sports: Invesco Field Opens for the Broncos, Barry Bonds does some roids and jacks 73 HR's, AVS WIN THE SNALEY CUP AND I'M AT GAME SEVEN WHEN THEY WIN IT. That made my year. Watching Ray Bourque hoist it for the first time is just plain boner-worthy. Even better than the Ferris Wheel kiss, no joke.

Poor guy

I have a few nicknames--Jar bear, Jarzod, J-rod. Nothing too embarrassing, or too exciting.

The Avalanche's newest member, star rookie Matt Duchene (pronounced DEW-shane) isn't so lucky. I didn't want this to be true for him, but it seemed inevitable...

In this article, a fellow rookie TJ Galiardi is quoted saying "I know how 'Footy' took in 'Duch,' and 'Tucks' took in O'Reilly, but it's pretty funny how the guys talk about how Paulie took me in, when we're only two years apart."

He refers to Matt Duchene as "Duch," and I'm pretty sure that's not pronounced "Dutch." Oy. Poor Kid.

Hockey and Swine Flu

Swine Flu has come and almost gone, but in the end of the day it wasn't that bad. The fevers and lack of sleep and coughing and all that isn't exactly fun. But sometimes in New York you just need some time to lie down and do nothing, even if you're sweating/shivering through the whole experience. Oh, and thanks to Swine Flu I got to watch a bit more hockey.

There's one thing about hockey that blows my mind even today, a longstanding tradition which few outside the close fans and followers of the game realize:

Many NHL Rookies, often the top of their draft years, will spend their first few years in the league living in the homes of their resident team's veterans.

Let that resonate a bit. A kid gets a minimum $500,000 salary his first year and instead of buying his own condo and Porsche, he will be staying in the guest room of a 36 year old with 2 Seven year-old kids. While some are advised to do this, many do it by choice. Some examples off the top of my head:
-Sidney Crosby, considered by many to be the NHL's best player, lived in his idol and team owner Mario Lemieux's home for the first 3 years of his career.
-Alex Tanguay lived at Patrick Roy's home (hopefully before the whole wife beating thing)
-Avalanche Rookie Matt Duchene--3rd pick overall, in the pic above-- lives in Avalanche Captain Adam Foote's house (See the article here)
-Avalanche Rookie Ryan O'Reilly, also in the pic above, lives in the home of Darcy Tucker (who got a concussion in last night's game, let's hope he's doin ok)

I mean, these kids are making bank. And yet, the priority is learning from the best and growing as a player through the tutelage of a veteran in your early years in the league.

This may not seem too ridiculous, but think about it in other sports-- do you think Michael Crabtree is living in Isaac Bruce's basement right now after he just got that massive contract? Can you picture Blake Griffin staying at Baron Davis' basement taking care of the house and washing his own dishes? Hell No. Blake Griffin don't do no dishes. Neither does Michael Crabtree. Cuz they making too much money to live in someone elses house and do they own dish. You feel?

Anyway, I think I made my point. Hockey players deserve respect, because they are so much more like us. Even if they're making money, they're still doing the dishes. And I identify with that (even if I don't even do them myself...keep up the good work Amy and Ray!)