January 30, 2012 12:46 PM
Checkers broadcaster Jason Shaya checks in each week with his 10 Thoughts - a series of observations about the team and the hockey world in general.
1) A week off from 10 Thoughts really made me sad. I promise never to leave my readers (all seven of you) without my inane observations again…until the offseason.
2) Best line I heard from the trip to Abbotsford after discovering the power was out at the hotel: “Here is your room key and here is your glow stick.” Suddenly, finding your room was like one of those underground tunnel scenes from an Indiana Jones movie.
 3) Don Cherry didn’t like that Logan Couture was picked last in the All-Star game because he thought it was embarrassing for him. Which of the people on earth are supposed to feel bad for a guy who gets a free car?
4) I interviewed Canes general manager Jim Rutherford for our TV game on Friday. Rutherford was gracious for giving us the time on camera. I have the feeling moves on the Hurricanes roster are coming sooner rather than later. The interview can be found here.
5) Is this the best hockey we’ve seen from Bobby Sanguinetti? Yes. The kid is on an incredible roll and I have to believe the Canes are taking notice. He is dominating on the power play. He has an eight-game point streak (4g, 8a). It is easily conceivable that he gets his first chance with the Hurricanes very soon.
6) You know what really grinds my gears? Kevin Dupont of the Boston Globe and Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette. Both of them turned their pens against Bruins goalie Tim Thomas for saying no to an invitation to the White House with the rest of the Bruins. Dupont called Thomas, “Shabby. Immature. Unprofessional. Self-centered. Bush league.” Not to be outdone, Todd wrote (since revised), “…Thomas’s decision to skip a team visit to the White House because he buys the garbage pumped out by Glenn Beck and his ilk was bad enough. But then, having pulled a highly public stunt to call attention to his whacko politics, Thomas blamed the media for paying attention. Look, if this cretin wants to stand outside the White House and spew his drivel, that’s free speech. But standing up the president? All that does is show that Thomas has the class of a swamp-rat. What’s worse, you know Thomas would not have done this with the liberal Democrat Bill Clinton in the White House. Truth is, he felt free to dis Barack Obama, because Obama is black.”
7) What Tim Thomas did was make his case against the continued growing Federal government. Thomas says, “I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People….This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.” Apparently, Thomas believes no championship or self-congratulatory and perfunctory media photo opportunity is of greater importance than the rights and freedoms of individuals; and he made his feelings known in a magnanimous way. According to Todd, Thomas supports “whacko” political positions which, believe it or not, may not seem “whacko” to a lot of people. In my humble opinion, less taxation, less regulation by the government in private affairs and keeping intact individual Rights promulgated in the Constitution by our forefathers and given by our Creator are reasonable. Others are free to disagree, but why does one side of a political argument become crazy? I have no issue with anyone objecting to what Thomas did. But the vitriol spewed, particularly by Todd, is utterly disgraceful and has no basis in reality.
8) I’d love a chance to speak to those two men but typically, writers of that ilk hide behind their pens guarded from the other side of arguments.
 9) I didn’t know of the man before he sang the U.S. National Anthem at the NHL All-Star Game yesterday, but Javier Colon’s rendition may have been the best I’ve ever heard.
10) After that reckless hit by Ben Youds on Zac Dalpe Friday night, Drayson Bowman jumped in and did the right thing by making sure Youds didn’t get away with what he did. The hit was unintentional but negligent nonetheless. Bowman had the entire 13,000 in attendance on their feet in support. Bowman has played the best hockey I’ve seen from him right now. My guess is that he’s up in the show very soon. Rutherford was very impressed with his game on Friday.
11) Not sure how much longer Michael Murphy will be out after a freak accident in Norfolk. I believe it will be at least another week before he’s good to go. He stepped on a puck during warm-ups. It’s a rare occurrence but he’ll be fine soon enough.
12) For those of you (me) that follow British and European politics, Prime Minister David Cameron is about to make everyone remember why he isn’t a Thatcherite. #nobackbone
13) Rutherford mentioned in his interview that there should be much more talk about Justin Faulk for the Calder Trophy. For a rookie to come into the league and play 25 minutes a night at his age is unprecedented. Let the campaign begin.
14) Next Monday will be the anniversary of the death of legendary guitar player Gary Moore…huge influence on my playing. I know kids today won’t get him because there is no rapping or swearing in the songs, but here is the best version of his epic “Still Got the Blues” for your listening pleasure.
15) Derek Wilkinson (@wilkyhockey) will be participating in the AHL Alumni game today. He’s good for at least 3 goals, 4 assists, minus-7 and several post game beverages.
16) Two games on the road this weekend. Listen in on ahllive.com and tweet me during the game @Jason_Shaya.
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