Friday Five: Stuff To The Brim

After American Thanksgiving, we're at the cresendo of another week-- which means it's time for the Friday Five and tackling the stories from the week-- huzzah!!

1. With yet another blue alternate jersey being introduced, how much is this like the black alternates that seemed to pop up every now and again back-in-the-day??

The blue jerseys are whatever, they seem to really be like the black jerseys have been in the past, but there's two things that bug me about it. First, it's putting blue in there for blue sake, though that really only applies to the Penguins. They have that "Vegas Gold" in their palate, but they went "retro" for their jersey?? A bit bothersome. Second, the ALTERNATE being blue when the HOME jersey is already blue. It's not much of an alternate if it's the same color as the home jersey-- may as well call it "cash grab" jersey.

That said, I like the idea of having a home jersey and a clash kit, eliminating the whites if you wanted and adding more color to the game....though that's as gimmicky as some jerseys being made now.

2. Rumors abound about Chris Chelios returning to the game by way of the KHL. What more does he have to prove??

In Soviet Russia, elderly signs YOU!! WHAT A COUNTRY!!!

But, seriously-- I don't know much Chelios has left to prove, but if he has the drive to be competitive and play in a professional league, as well as someone willing to pay him; can't fault him for making some cash. That said, he couldn't find like a senior league team around the area or in Canada to play for so he could compete for the Allan Cup?? Come on, now.

3. Outside of the jerseys, the Blue Jackets are playing amazing; but can they keep the pace up??

You have enjoy the Jackets because they seem like an unassuming team because many think that the bottom could still fall out. Which it could do, but the tandem of Steve Mason and Mathieu Garon is playing fantastic, Rick Nash is proving his worth, and the role players are chipping in with some secondary scoring. If (and that's a big IF) all the key cogs can keep up the pace and stay healthy-- they could be a team to watch when it comes to late in the season. If there's more injuries-- it could be a rough second-half for the Jackets.

4. It took 21 rounds, 42 shooters to end a shootout in Germany. While many people hate the shootout, doesn't a longer one create that drama??

There's plenty to dislike about the skills competition to end the game, but I think the longer it's drawn out, the more drama that's created; even in the deepest of skeptics....or not. Either way, I think that there's plenty more that can be done to prevent a shootout, like extending the overtime period. The funny thing about this is that people bitch about games ending in ties, then they bitch about the solution that's come from not making a tie. Can't win there.

5. With the introduction of Boomer in Columbus; who are the most bizarre mascot you can think of when it comes to the lexicon of hockey??

As a Caps fan, before Slapshot, there was Winger-- or as I like to call him, Ephrim the Retarded Eagle, mostly due to his out of proportion body. In St. Louis, Louie the Polar Bear is something out of sort, which I don't think is better than their possible mascot-- Cool Cat, which would have been with those crazed third jerseys in the Keenan era. However, you look at Nordy of the Minnesota Wild, the mix of the bear, fox, and yokel makes him epic......plus he has a mullet.

---------

That's another week in the books, and I hope you are as stuffed on Turkey as you are of this drivel. To contribute to make it better, email me at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com with your subject and it will probably make the cut when it comes to what to talk about. Huzzah!!

Reg Chelios or Chris Dunlop-- You Decide

Tyler McKenna over at NHL Digest had an idea and he Twitter'd dat:

The #Habs need a Defense coach now & Chelios was let go by the #RedWings - How about player/coach Chris "Reggie Dunlop" Chelios?

Now, how far-fetched is that?? Are we at the point where we have guy who are not going to give up, so we may as well give them a coaching spot in the process to ease them into the transition of the post-playing life?? Now, Tyler said that he's joking, but at the same time-- I believe this to be a very true possibility. In fact, Chris Chelios actually created the thought of a coach behind the bench instead of on the ice when hockey first started.....true story (to steal an O&A bit; Linger Longer).

Of course, if Chelios can still play; it's not a bad idea to have him in an increased role on the team and teach some of the younger kids the small nuances of the games and position, as well as tell them about how the phonograph became so popular and how he doesn't get this new fangled iPod stuff......okay, a reach. Anyway-- you sign the guy to the league minimum and you can utilize him as a player or as a coach when/if he's injured or too tired to play.

Granted, if you're the head coach of any team, you don't want to see this. That's an awkward position to be put into as a coach to say to a guy that he's not good enough to play, but how about you stand beside me on the bench and watch the guy who is taking your spot do better than you. It seems like putting salt in the wound to make this guy watch the man taking his spot. Think of the tension that it could create through the lockerroom if that were to happen. Although, you never know if Chelios has resigned to the fact he's not going to be able to keep up with the speed of the league and may have to take this option to play some rather than none at all; though I doubt his pride will let him do that until it's the last ditch effort.

This has been able to work before in the lower-minor leagues, but I doubt it would fly in the NHL. However, if there's ever one guy to do it-- it will probably be Chris Chelios. The last player-coach in the NHL was yet another seasoned defenseman, Doug Harvey-- so history could be kind to Chelios. Yet, like Tyler-- I doubt any of this will happen, but it may be nice to see someone carry on the Reg Dunlop tradition for a new generation that may only know the "Slap Shot" heritage for the Hanson Brothers, Stephen Baldwin, and awfulness.