Throwing In a Little Hockey

Things you need to know to appreciate the video:

• Phil Kessel used to play for the Bruins.
• He was a very skilled player.
• His attitude, however, was not very Bruins-like, being more of the hey, I'm trying hard enough, whatever, than the whatever it takes school. (Paging Joe Thornton...)
• After a few years of loafing around whining, he became a free agent. During free agency, he dug in his heels, and in the end was traded to Toronto.
• In return, the Bruins got draft picks that became promising young players Dougie Hamilton and Jared Knight, and most especially Tyler Seguin, who broke in with the Bruins as an 18-year-old two years ago and made quite an impression during the Cup-winning season. (He's tearing up the Swiss league these days, sigh.)
• Enough so that when the Maple Leafs came to town in 2010 and Seguin scored his first NHL goal, the crowd expressed their appreciation to Phil for demanding that trade. By chanting, "Thank you, Kessel!"

And now a Bruins fan who owns a horse, a horse that races in Toronto, mind you, has named that horse ... ThankYouKessel.

No, really. How awesome is that? Thanks for the link and the story, Puck Daddy.

My favorite part of that video may be when the announcer calling the race pronounces ThankYouKessel in the same sing-song way that the crowd at the Garden did.

Oh, what, you want something more holiday-related than hockey, particularly since the NHL isn't even playing right now? And don't even talk about this week's negotiations, don't get me started, they're just messing with me, and even if they do get it together, how weird will that be? I was saying to someone at work just today that, should the NHL get its shit together and manage to provide at least part of a season this year, it will be really weird to watch games and not know what's going to happen. The Bruins won last night--I knew they would! What's more, they're going to lose tonight (notice me blogging while the game is on in the other room), but win the next two! I just know it! How can I go back to reality? How, I ask you, how can I possibly?

Don't answer that. Here, let's compromise. Hockey meets Christmas as Shawn Thornton, Bruins tough guy extraordinaire, recites Twas the Night Before Christmas with the Boston Pops.

Kind of fun for the season, right? I like how Lockhart puts his baton away rather than appear to threaten Thornton with it.

I've had a problem recently with watching videos on my home computer. I feel like it might be easier to diagnose the problem if they just wouldn't play at all, but instead they won't play on blogs or in Reader, which they used to, but if I click over to YouTube, I can watch them there just fine. Weird, right? I imagine it might have something to do with my old, increasingly creaky computer*, which I think will need replacing in the new year. I'm contemplating getting a laptop this time, not so much for carrying around with me outside the house, but for flexibility in the house. For instance, in terms of my office re-do, a laptop would mean I could have the computer set-up at the narrow end of the room without having to figure out wiring issues (since the internet control box is near the door). Though I'm told one can get a thingy that would allow the desktop to connect wirelessly ... perhaps my IT guy** and I will have time over Christmas to discuss my options.
*I only bought it in May 2007, after all...
 **Hello, brother! See you in two weeks-ish!