The Entry Of The Year So Far: The 2007 LB Ice Dogs Players Award Banquet
I'm gonna skip a week or so and post this first since I've been dying to post this entry!!! I need to get this done and over with!!! The Circa Survive show and other stuff will be posted another time. I better see my e-mails flooded w/ LJ Comments Notifications!!! That means I'd like to see a handful of you commenting, not just 1 or 2 people -k-. Merci Beaucoup!!! ;) :D
Anyways, Monday night was the Ice Dogs Players Awards Banquet. The night before I spent making cds and gathering songs for the cd project, since last year's cd project was a success. I ended up having as many as 9 playlists ready, but I was stressing about sleep and getting all of those burned along w/ the covers made which was even more difficult. So I ended up making 2 cds (one for Eric b/c we click better plus he helped us the most when we asked him about music & Gabriel Proulx-Long story on the other players, but I'll prolly make the rest of the cds & give them out at their last home game or playoffs if they even make it which I doubt they will or the farewell party if I end up going). I do want to thank everyone who helped out.
Mostly from members from i_wanna_puck
askedfour: I had to put you there b/c you're the one who got me into Matt Mays in the first place plus your music dump a while back did help. Anyways, thank you!
penguinsrcool9: I put you there b/c of the Billy Talent help! (More of the BT songs were on the other playlists I didn't make)
If you felt left out, don't fret. I may re-open submissions for the remaining cds.
After putting the cds together and getting all ready, I stopped by the mall to get lunch and Coffee Bean to get my extreme mocha drink to keep me awake since I'll be driving there and back plus I still had homework to do.
The drive to Lakewood wasn't too shabby at all. There was some traffic on the way there. I thought driving there would be a nightmare since it was cloudy all day long, and I thought it was gonna rain. As soon as I got to the country club, I helped out the other members of the Booster Club set up the tables full of center pieces and other goodies. As soon as everything was done and everything was all settled, I did some of my homework before all the guest started to arrive. The theme of the banquet was Pirates (last year's theme was Beach Party).
Since Nommie was stuck in traffic (originally he wasn't supposed to go, but his work called him and let him go to the banquet anyways), Laura met up w/ me first. We chatted for a bit while waiting for Nommie. Although the players were all there during happy hour, I didn't meet them yet b/c my mind was mostly set on Nommie getting there plus I was still shy and overwhelmed. I'd say hi and nodded to them. I did talked to Eric for a bit since of all the players I feel comfortable being around him the most and gave him his cd. He opened the cd, and he kept telling me how he cannot wait to pop it onto his cd player as soon as he gets home. He really liked the SP characters I made of him too, and I told him how wicked_kathy and I make SP hockey characters and create stories out of them. Then I told him that I skipped class just to be at the banquet (Jerry already knew I was gonna be gone). I thought he was gonna tease me and pick on me for not going to class, but instead he really thanked me for coming and of course the cd. :D
Soon after Nommie arrived and I met up w/ Gabriel & gave him his cd. He was already starting to grow his playoff beard, and there was absolutely no guarantees the Ice Dogs would make the playoffs (b/c unlike last year when we already had a playoff spot, this year's team sucks that we're struggling to snag the last spot). I'm not a big fan of facial hair let alone playoff facial hairs, but it looked so nice and sexy on him. ;) After meeting him, us along w/ Laura got to our seats in time for the players introduction.
Last minute, I was asked to go up on stage and meet up w/ Stuart Kerr, since he was sitting at our table, and escort him there. During the player introdruction, they mentioned how his nickname is Disco, and they asked him to do a disco dance, and we wouldn't do it. I even jokingly told him that I'd dance w/ him, but he still wouldn't do it. Once we got to our seats, we started chatting and everything.
Please don't mind the crappy pic quality since it originally came out dark.
From there on we were mostly chatting before we got our food since we were at the last table. Oddly enough while trying to keep up w/ him along w/ Nommie & Laura, my mind was really set on the food since by then I was getting hungry and cranky. After dinner, they had the players awards.
Gabriel Proulx won defensive player of the year, Mark Hurtubise got offenseive player of the year, Bo Cheeseman got the Sportsmanship Awards, Eric Neilson got Unsung Hero, Ash Goldie Got MVP & Brandon Schwartz got Rookie of the Year. Other awards voted by the team were Ash Goldie for MVP (again), Bo Cheeseman for Prankster & Brian White for Most Inspirtational.
After the awards ceremony was over, Laura and I went around getting autographs and stuff (I was getting hockeychix98's program signed) and having my pix taken w/ the boys. I got so close to Mark H.'s during our pix that I felt his heart beating. *le sigh*
A handful of players later, we went to Eric's table, and we chatted for a bit. He kept saying "eh" a lot (even more than the rest of the guys). :D Then I had him personalized and sign hockeychix98's program. He ended up mispelling her name, and I corrected him, but he wrote a small lil message for her. Then when I asked him to sign my program, he jokingly told me that he only had a high school education and he didn't know how to spell. He's too silly which make me like him even more.
Once the banquet died off, I left Lakewood, and made it back home in one piece.
I managed to meet most of the team, chat w/ Stuart and Eric for the most part, and even sit on Eric's lap in our pix w/o having to drink any booze since I drove there & gave up booze for lent. The Extreme Mocha at Coffee Bean & 2 cups of coffee alone got me all hyped up. I didn't even have to hide under the tables or the restrooms.
Stuart was an interesting guy. He did give a lil too much info. at times, but all he was all down to earth. Even him and Nommie had a lot in common. However, I really didn't click w/ him as much as I wanted to. No offense to him, but I clicked better w/ Olivier at last year's banquet. The more I miss Ollie & wished that he could've stayed w/ this year's Ice Dogs along w/ Ash & Dave. Also, I wanted Eric to be at our table since I get along w/ him a lot better. I shouldn't complain too much because in all Stuart was a great guy, and getting to know him better made me like him and appreciate him even more.
In all, it was one of the best nights I had in a while. I waited for months for this to happen. You don't understand how excited I was the moment the banquet was announced. Who knows if this will be my last players banquet I go to or not considering if the Ice Dogs will even be around next year. Who knows? Also, all of the guys from this year's team, I tried not to get too attached to them eventhough I met them a whole lot more than last year's team. I got too attached to last year's team, and all but 2 ended up being gone (at least Jaroslav Halak made it to the NHL while Cory, Jimmy, Michael, Marco & a few others made it all the way to the AHL). Hopefully we can get a handful of this year's team to stay for next season (including Mark H. & Gabe-hopefully get 3 more French Canadian players to join them & form the "New French 5"). I know Dave Walker & Brian White won't be back since they'll both be retiring after this year.
Alrighty, I need to stop writing now, and get to the eye candies. Till then, have a wonderful day. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Any tats you see on the players bodies, they are all fake since they were given fake tattoos.
First Off... The Team Group Pix! I ended up getting 4 since they players kept moving around while I snapped the pix, and I couldn't decide which ones should be posted...
Gabriel Proulx & his sexy (jinxage) playoff beard. RawR!
Stuart Kerr
Bo & Eric During The Live Auction
Ash Goldie
Mark Tobin
Brad Bonnello-He told me to excuse the food stains on his shirt. I told him that I'm an art student and I get crap all over my clothes so he doesn't feel bad.
Mark Hurtubise
Chris Collins
Laura & I w/ Bo Cheesman
Eric Neilson
Us Again (Eric = < 333)
Gary Gladue
Alexei Smirnov
Dave Walker
[Please me lots of comments. Thanx a lot! :D]
P.S.
Mark Mauno, this one photographer I always see at the games, was at the event and he took a lot of nice pix from the banquet. Please check out his pix (the banquet and other pix since he takes really nice photos). Laura, Nommie and I are in some of those pix.
Mark Mauno's Banquet Pix
Inside note: He reminds me so much of my high school photo teacher (and one of my favorite teachers in high school), Mr. Nethercott.
P.S.S.
I do encorage you to squee, swoon, and flood this entry w/ lots of nice comments. I do however ask that you don't take any of those pix (as well as Mark's pix), and especially post them anywhere else (or use them for graphics and stuff) w/o asking me first. Doing that will force me to hurt you, and it won't be a pretty site. I'd much greatly appreciate it. Thanx a whole ton! :D
Anyways, Monday night was the Ice Dogs Players Awards Banquet. The night before I spent making cds and gathering songs for the cd project, since last year's cd project was a success. I ended up having as many as 9 playlists ready, but I was stressing about sleep and getting all of those burned along w/ the covers made which was even more difficult. So I ended up making 2 cds (one for Eric b/c we click better plus he helped us the most when we asked him about music & Gabriel Proulx-Long story on the other players, but I'll prolly make the rest of the cds & give them out at their last home game or playoffs if they even make it which I doubt they will or the farewell party if I end up going). I do want to thank everyone who helped out.
Mostly from members from i_wanna_puck
askedfour: I had to put you there b/c you're the one who got me into Matt Mays in the first place plus your music dump a while back did help. Anyways, thank you!
penguinsrcool9: I put you there b/c of the Billy Talent help! (More of the BT songs were on the other playlists I didn't make)
If you felt left out, don't fret. I may re-open submissions for the remaining cds.
After putting the cds together and getting all ready, I stopped by the mall to get lunch and Coffee Bean to get my extreme mocha drink to keep me awake since I'll be driving there and back plus I still had homework to do.
The drive to Lakewood wasn't too shabby at all. There was some traffic on the way there. I thought driving there would be a nightmare since it was cloudy all day long, and I thought it was gonna rain. As soon as I got to the country club, I helped out the other members of the Booster Club set up the tables full of center pieces and other goodies. As soon as everything was done and everything was all settled, I did some of my homework before all the guest started to arrive. The theme of the banquet was Pirates (last year's theme was Beach Party).
Since Nommie was stuck in traffic (originally he wasn't supposed to go, but his work called him and let him go to the banquet anyways), Laura met up w/ me first. We chatted for a bit while waiting for Nommie. Although the players were all there during happy hour, I didn't meet them yet b/c my mind was mostly set on Nommie getting there plus I was still shy and overwhelmed. I'd say hi and nodded to them. I did talked to Eric for a bit since of all the players I feel comfortable being around him the most and gave him his cd. He opened the cd, and he kept telling me how he cannot wait to pop it onto his cd player as soon as he gets home. He really liked the SP characters I made of him too, and I told him how wicked_kathy and I make SP hockey characters and create stories out of them. Then I told him that I skipped class just to be at the banquet (Jerry already knew I was gonna be gone). I thought he was gonna tease me and pick on me for not going to class, but instead he really thanked me for coming and of course the cd. :D
Soon after Nommie arrived and I met up w/ Gabriel & gave him his cd. He was already starting to grow his playoff beard, and there was absolutely no guarantees the Ice Dogs would make the playoffs (b/c unlike last year when we already had a playoff spot, this year's team sucks that we're struggling to snag the last spot). I'm not a big fan of facial hair let alone playoff facial hairs, but it looked so nice and sexy on him. ;) After meeting him, us along w/ Laura got to our seats in time for the players introduction.
Last minute, I was asked to go up on stage and meet up w/ Stuart Kerr, since he was sitting at our table, and escort him there. During the player introdruction, they mentioned how his nickname is Disco, and they asked him to do a disco dance, and we wouldn't do it. I even jokingly told him that I'd dance w/ him, but he still wouldn't do it. Once we got to our seats, we started chatting and everything.
Please don't mind the crappy pic quality since it originally came out dark.
From there on we were mostly chatting before we got our food since we were at the last table. Oddly enough while trying to keep up w/ him along w/ Nommie & Laura, my mind was really set on the food since by then I was getting hungry and cranky. After dinner, they had the players awards.
Gabriel Proulx won defensive player of the year, Mark Hurtubise got offenseive player of the year, Bo Cheeseman got the Sportsmanship Awards, Eric Neilson got Unsung Hero, Ash Goldie Got MVP & Brandon Schwartz got Rookie of the Year. Other awards voted by the team were Ash Goldie for MVP (again), Bo Cheeseman for Prankster & Brian White for Most Inspirtational.
After the awards ceremony was over, Laura and I went around getting autographs and stuff (I was getting hockeychix98's program signed) and having my pix taken w/ the boys. I got so close to Mark H.'s during our pix that I felt his heart beating. *le sigh*
A handful of players later, we went to Eric's table, and we chatted for a bit. He kept saying "eh" a lot (even more than the rest of the guys). :D Then I had him personalized and sign hockeychix98's program. He ended up mispelling her name, and I corrected him, but he wrote a small lil message for her. Then when I asked him to sign my program, he jokingly told me that he only had a high school education and he didn't know how to spell. He's too silly which make me like him even more.
Once the banquet died off, I left Lakewood, and made it back home in one piece.
I managed to meet most of the team, chat w/ Stuart and Eric for the most part, and even sit on Eric's lap in our pix w/o having to drink any booze since I drove there & gave up booze for lent. The Extreme Mocha at Coffee Bean & 2 cups of coffee alone got me all hyped up. I didn't even have to hide under the tables or the restrooms.
Stuart was an interesting guy. He did give a lil too much info. at times, but all he was all down to earth. Even him and Nommie had a lot in common. However, I really didn't click w/ him as much as I wanted to. No offense to him, but I clicked better w/ Olivier at last year's banquet. The more I miss Ollie & wished that he could've stayed w/ this year's Ice Dogs along w/ Ash & Dave. Also, I wanted Eric to be at our table since I get along w/ him a lot better. I shouldn't complain too much because in all Stuart was a great guy, and getting to know him better made me like him and appreciate him even more.
In all, it was one of the best nights I had in a while. I waited for months for this to happen. You don't understand how excited I was the moment the banquet was announced. Who knows if this will be my last players banquet I go to or not considering if the Ice Dogs will even be around next year. Who knows? Also, all of the guys from this year's team, I tried not to get too attached to them eventhough I met them a whole lot more than last year's team. I got too attached to last year's team, and all but 2 ended up being gone (at least Jaroslav Halak made it to the NHL while Cory, Jimmy, Michael, Marco & a few others made it all the way to the AHL). Hopefully we can get a handful of this year's team to stay for next season (including Mark H. & Gabe-hopefully get 3 more French Canadian players to join them & form the "New French 5"). I know Dave Walker & Brian White won't be back since they'll both be retiring after this year.
Alrighty, I need to stop writing now, and get to the eye candies. Till then, have a wonderful day. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Any tats you see on the players bodies, they are all fake since they were given fake tattoos.
First Off... The Team Group Pix! I ended up getting 4 since they players kept moving around while I snapped the pix, and I couldn't decide which ones should be posted...
Gabriel Proulx & his sexy (jinxage) playoff beard. RawR!
Stuart Kerr
Bo & Eric During The Live Auction
Ash Goldie
Mark Tobin
Brad Bonnello-He told me to excuse the food stains on his shirt. I told him that I'm an art student and I get crap all over my clothes so he doesn't feel bad.
Mark Hurtubise
Chris Collins
Laura & I w/ Bo Cheesman
Eric Neilson
Us Again (Eric = < 333)
Gary Gladue
Alexei Smirnov
Dave Walker
[Please me lots of comments. Thanx a lot! :D]
P.S.
Mark Mauno, this one photographer I always see at the games, was at the event and he took a lot of nice pix from the banquet. Please check out his pix (the banquet and other pix since he takes really nice photos). Laura, Nommie and I are in some of those pix.
Mark Mauno's Banquet Pix
Inside note: He reminds me so much of my high school photo teacher (and one of my favorite teachers in high school), Mr. Nethercott.
P.S.S.
I do encorage you to squee, swoon, and flood this entry w/ lots of nice comments. I do however ask that you don't take any of those pix (as well as Mark's pix), and especially post them anywhere else (or use them for graphics and stuff) w/o asking me first. Doing that will force me to hurt you, and it won't be a pretty site. I'd much greatly appreciate it. Thanx a whole ton! :D