As a devoted military historian, I would like to pay tribute to all of our American neighbours who are celebrating the Memorial Day weekend.
In the U.S.A., Memorial Day is the equivalent to our Remembrance Day.
Every time I think of Memorial Day, I think about the time I visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.
I don’t mind admitting I was a little choked up looking at all those names etched forever in stone.
To that end, check out this amazing YouTube video.
And now on to this week's mail bag.
From: Stan
Comment:
Here is a question that has been bugging me for over 10 years and I hope you might be able to answer it. Every time I look at an NHL ice surface, I see the logo. Do they paint them directly on the ice, or is there something more to it? I would think paint, unless it was super deep, would be damaged by the continual skating (I know, it's called flooding which they do a couple of times daily). It is interesting to see how they can add new ads and logos on in a short time (24 hours) and I am just curious how they do that?
Answer:
Hi Stan, great question. After checking with the head of operations at the HSBC arena in Buffalo, I discovered the answer is really quite ingenious. NHL rinks build up at least an inch and a quarter of ice. When the ice is at the half way point in thickness, teams paint their logos, sponsors logos, league logos, etc. Then they build up the remaining layers of ice over top of the logos. That way when the Zamboni scrapes the ice, the logos don't get affected. When the playoffs roll around and they have to change the logos, the teams will scrape the ice down to the requisite thickness to repaint the logos.
When they're done, they build the ice back up and it's game on.
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From: Kevin
Comment:
Two questions that may be impossible to answer. 1. How will the Clippers screw up the No. 1 pick? 2. How does Bob Saget stay on television?<
Answer:
Hi Kevin, thanks for the two solid questions.
1. Never underestimate what lengths the Clippers are willing to go to in their never-ending quest to be the most pathetic franchise in the NBA. First off, a dapper looking David Stern will calmly stroll to the podium with a million flashbulbs going off at once as he prepares to make the much anticipated announcement.
"With the number one pick in the 2009 NBA draft, the L.A. Clippers are pleased to announce, that they have selected, from the University of Minnesota, forward, Blake Wheeler."
All hell breaks loose on stage as the Memphis Grizzlies suddenly realize that because of the Clippers stupidity, the Grizz get to draft Oklahoma Sooners superstar Blake Griffin. Spending his down time back home in Minnesota, Wheeler can't figure out why Charles Barkley keeps sending him text messages to congratulate him. Clippers fans in Los Angeles immediately start wearing "we suck" paper bags on their heads. In a complete state of panic, the Clippers trade Zach Randolph and two first round picks to the Raptors in order to grab Toronto's first round pick. At this point, all the coaches and scouts are foaming at the mouth in the Clippers' war room. In a panic move, the Clippers take Serbia's Miroslav Raduljica and then quickly announce they think that he could be the next Yaroslav Korolev.
The TNT camera's cut to a shot of commissioner Stern breathing into a paper bag as tries to regain his composure. From there, Ernie Johnson is seen trying to explain to a confused Charles Barkley why Blake Wheeler isn't a good fit in the Clippers front court and what exactly is a Boston Bruin.
2. It's painfully obvious. Bob Saget has compromising photographs of every high ranking executive in American television.
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From: Dave
Comment:
Everybody has had a nickname that they haven't been proud of. Have you? I'll antie up: mine is "Outhouse." I'm a goalie and I raced off the ice during a game. I'm not proud.
Answer:
Hi Dave, whoa, "Outhouse" eh? That's a tough one. Sorry to hear that dude. To be honest with you, some of the best nicknames in sports are really inside jokes that can't be properly explained on a web site like this. One of my personal favourites was the nickname hung on Mike Morreale when he was a young receiver with the Argos. Head coach Adam Rita would only refer to Morreale as "meat" throughout camp. Needless to say, the name stuck the rest of his career.
The all-time best "inside" nickname I have ever heard of in sports belongs to long-time lacrosse player, coach and executive, Derek Keenan. He is known around the NLL by the classic nickname, "jammer". You owe it to yourself to go to a National Lacrosse League game, meet a player afterwards, buy him a beer and some wings and beg him to tell you why Keenan is called "jammer".
That's it for this week, keep the questions rolling in. Congratulations going out to the Windsor Spitfires, the 2009 Master Card Memorial Cup champions. No city in Canada is more deserving of some good karma than Windsor.
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