AGRI Biz

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm really hoping that the Blackhawks finish it up tonight. Not only because they are my favorite team in the West,—and the fact that I couldn't stand to watch the Flyers hold up the Cup that the Penguins had held up a year ago—but also because I'm ready for this book to be closed.  If you're like me, you have been miserable ...

  Chances are if you've been to a Blackhawks Playoff Game this season, you know who Chris Pisani is; but you don't know him by name. You probably just know him as “The Crazy Dancing Blackhawks Fan.”   In the middle of the third period of Blackhawk home games, it is now traditional for the Dropkick Murphys song “I'm Shipping Up To Boston” to play loudly over the speakers in the UC. ...

If there has been one constant throughout the Stanley Cup Finals for the Chicago Blackhawks, it’s been the play of left winger Dustin Byfuglein.  This team does well when Byfuglien is on his game, making plays and making a difference for the Blackhawks game in and game out.  So what makes him so special?  Let’s take a look at what makes him such a difference maker and what ...

Another turn has been taken in the Zack Kassian saga. Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier announced on Tuesday that the team would postpone contract negotiations with the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Kassian was charged with assault late last week after his involvement in a fight at a Windsor bar on May 30 . “It’s obviously not something we condone,” Regier told The Buffalo ...

This is the follow-up question on the lack of objectivity in the organisation; for part one, see my companion piece on Shark-Infested Blogger. As always, my contributions to the interview are in italics, and Mr. Hahn's responses in regular type. There also was some defensiveness throughout the organisation about the play of Joe Thornton in the first round, talking about contributing in ways that don’t show up on ...

After watching a number of post-game interviews and press conferences featuring Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger (courtesy of NHL.com’s and TSN’s websites), one thing is for sure: If a media member tries to be a smart-ass or asks a stupid question, he will get the same attitude back in spades from Pronger—and deservedly so. While the media and hockey fans both thirst for interviews and press conferences, for the ...

In sports these days stating the obvious is more common than oil covered ducks (too soon?), so in lue of that I will offer up yet another statement that need not even be said due to it's evident nature. The Toronto Maple Leafs need wingers. And one great way for a team to add some much needed depth along the left and right wings is through free agency. This offseason ...

Gary Bettman recently appeared on Hockey Night In Canada to be interviewed by the CBC's Ron McLean. What followed was a sometimes nasty exchange between the two mostly resulting in Bettman being defensive. While the segment appeared to have ended, the cameras kept rolling as the two men continued to talk:   McLean:  So why do you think you are the most hated man in hockey? Bettman:  I am not the most hated man in ...

The Columbus Blue Jackets have named Scott Arniel as their new head coach. Could Arniel be the man to take the Blue Jackets to the next level, with his level of experience and previous success? Until now, Arniel was the head coach of the American Hockey League Manitoba Moose. During his four seasons with the Moose, he was able to take the team to several playoff games, an appearance in the ...

By virtue of being born in the Bay Area the same year that the then expansion San Jose Sharks were born (1991), I have naturally followed the team my entire life. Granted, my memory of the early years '91-'98 is a bit fuzzy due to being a child. Since I can remember, everything this team does or doesn't do is in correlation with my mood every day of the NHL season.  Naturally, ...