Windsor Tomcats

LIFE LESSON FOR 2017

Sometimes we try too hard

To get to the greener pasture.

In the process, we end up in trouble.

And when you find yourself in trouble

And you’re stuck in a situation

That you can’t get out of,

  There is one thing

You should always  remember –

Not everyone who shows up

Is there to help

To the victors (Sparky’s Victoria Secrets) go the coveted Stanley’s Cup; and for two members of team went the ‘sip’, or should I say shower.

The First timer Tunzie followed the age old tradition and practically took a shower from an enthusiastic Chevy who helped initiate him via a pour through the cup.  MVP The ‘Terror’ also drank deeply from the well and had a bit of a ‘aha’ moment when he realized the ‘cup’ was actually – a ‘cup’.    I don’t think either player minded as each they snagged their first Championship win.  And from the way The ‘Terror’ played, I expect he’ll see some more rings adorn his fingers.

The road to that cup was truly remarkable, considering the team only had a single spare.  Shack committed to draft, was chosen to be on the team and never showed.  Regardless, lead by Terror and sniper Soupy the team willed their way into the finals.  I say this as twice in the tourny they came back from multi goal deficits; each time however Sparky’s team found a way to win.

The finals featured Hurricanes Squad; who also put together a great run.  Regrettably they ran into a really hot goalie and lost out 5-3.  Afterwards The Danish said, ‘I really thought we had it; we were up by a pair’.  Perhaps it was the Rake’s motivational pre-game speech; ‘Remember boys, Yurri pre-DICK-ted we’d come in last.   Touché Rake, touché.

I did predict Hurricane’s team would make it to the finals; but had them playing Mayday’s squad, who I selected as Champs.  Guess I was partially right as I did have 1 squad picked out right.

My colleague correctly called it with Sparky’s team tasting victory; so my hats off to him whilst I enjoy eating crow.

I called it wrong; but I say everyone ‘won’ as each player walked out with 2 new shirts and their bellies full of food and beer.  Doesn’t get much better than that for $30.

Congrats again to MVP The ‘Terror’ and Sparky’s Victorious Secrets. And while you have visions of your favourite model in your head, I noticed Yurri Handzonmecac.

Yurri

Team 1 (Wearing Green) – Team Hurricane

Team 2 (Wearing White) – Team Mayday

Team 3 (Wearing Red) – Team Bulldog

Team 4 (Wearing Black) – Team Sparky

7am – First Game Starts!

Team 1 vs 2
Team 3 vs 4

Photos Taken

Team 1 vs 4
Team 2 vs 3
Team 1 vs 3
Team 2 vs 4

Championship Game

The Tomcats finally had enough guys show (or better said, very few guys cancel) to have three teams.  Thanks to The Danish and Chico for being able to fill in with the ever-present Falcon to ensure there were enough goalies for the night.  With the unusually mild February temperatures, the air in the Kapusta seemed more like early September or late April…lots of sweat and lots of water needed between games.

Hollywood’s Heaters – Chico, Hurricane, Beep, Bulldog, Snowpants, The Rake and Hollywood

Sparky’s Sizzlers – Falcon, The Turk, Doc, Rocky, Chevy, Tunzie and Sparky

Sunny’s Scorchers – The Danish, Killer, Flintstone, Soupy, Cribzie, Matador and Sunny

Very close, low scoring games to begin so the teams looked pretty even.  There was a feeling in the air many guys were under “tournament tension” already and stepping up their games.  However, The Scorchers were able to produce a couple of beat downs over the Heaters and Sizzlers.  Ultimately, I am not sure who even won the mini, but at times, the Scorchers looked like earth beaters.

The annual tournament is this weekend.  Did anyone mention games begin at 7am sharp?  Remember, parking lot is off limits for the Tomcats except for the final few spots closest to the bank.  Park in the clinic lot behind the Kapusta or even in the Unifor lot behind that.  Once hockey is done around 11-11:30 am, drinks will flow on the Kapusta floor (provided by Tomcats and Captains) and pizza will arrive by 1 pm.  $20 to your captain for the tournament, and $10 for pizza.

Despite the great hockey, what really marked the essence of Tomcat hockey was the guys sharing a pop on stage afterwards, telling funny stories and having a laugh.  As well, seeing many Tomcats just randomly pick up the $5 charge for other Tomcats really tells the story of what it means to be part of this group.

As I wipe a tear from my face,

Howie Feltersnatch

This week, instead of a motivator, I thought I’d send in a short educational lesson to help improve the minds of both Tomcats and fans!

Physics!

 

 

Hope this is not a little too deep or wobbly for you…. 

 

  Isn’t Physics great?..  

Bringers of the Bottles:   Matador, Falcon (24) Hollywood, LaBamba (12)

Between the Pipes: Falcon and Danish (maybe Scuz, if not Chico?, Matador?…will there even be a need for 3 goalies?)

Starting Line Up:  Sparky, El Choppo, Rocky, Chevy, Sunny, Doc, Beep, Hurricane, The Rake, The Turk, Chico, Soupy, Snowpants, Cribzie, Bulldog, Matador, Tunzie, Killer

PUP (Physically Unable to Play):  Razor, Jingles, Spinner

Healthy Scratches: Hollywood, Skippy, The Terror, LaBamba, Stevo, Sheepdog, Kamikaze

Sitting in Press Box:  Hicksee, Shack, Crow

With the Bad Axe Bearcats, waiting to be called up: N/A

Captains for the Mini:  TBD

Skinny:  What are the chances a mini occurs before the big tournament?

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

This year’s tournament will start at 7am!!

Got it?

Check your email for more of an explanation.

In case you forgot, the games start at 7am on Saturday February 25th!

Bringers of the Bottles:   Falcon (24) Hollywood (12)

Between the Pipes: Falcon and ?

Starting Line Up:  Sparky, El Choppo, Rocky, Chevy, Sunny, Kamikaze, LaBamba, Doc, Stevo, Sheepdog, Beep

PUP (Physically Unable to Play):  Razor, Jingles, Spinner

Healthy Scratches: Hollywood, Hurricane, The Rake, Skippy, The Turk, Chico, Soupy, Snowpants, Cribzie, Bulldog, Matador, Tunzie, Killer

Sitting in Press Box:  Hicksee, Shack, Crow

With the Bad Axe Bearcats, waiting to be called up: N/A

Captains for the Mini:  TBD

Skinny:  Lovebirds are dropping like flies today…no mini.

I think Harry Ballsonue in his last article called me out!  And I thought with the upcoming weekly tilt it was time to put on my big boy pants and make some predictions.

The first prediction I will make is there will be only 2 teams this coming Tuesday who play.  It will ‘definitely’ not be a mini tournament.  I know, with the game falling on Valentine’s Day I agree this is pretty safe prediction.  I’ll go a bit further then:  there will be only 1 sub each team.  The rest of the guys will forgo the ‘after’ game festivities; and game itself to instead beg for and romance themselves a little ‘lovin’ from the Miss Kitty Tomcat at home.

Crazy how after this game we are a mere 11 sleeps until the BIG tourney.  Speaking of which; I’ve gone over the teams closely; and while I agree with the absence of ‘Crow’ this thing at first glance looked very tight.  Deeper review and a dusting off of my crystal ball provided me with the champs.  I’m calling it now; Mayday will sip from the cup after a finals game with Hurricane’s team.  Bulldog’s team and Sparky’s will have a great showdown for the third spot; with the edge going to Bulldog.

Whilst your cursing my picks, I noticed Yurri Handzonmecac.

Yurri

Killer Night…Do Things Now ! by Harry Ballsonue

The symbolic Doomsday Clock now reads two and a half minutes to midnight, reflecting growing climate change and nuclear warfare concerns. This “ unprecedented” thirty second adjustment marks the closest the clock has ever been to midnight since 1953.

So, what am I telling you, do things now, first thing you should do is go to the February 18 Fund Raiser being held in South Wood Lakes, Tomcat brethren ‘Ghost Crossing’ is playing and from what I hear, they are sounding pretty good. Some new tunes and a new guitar player has been added, Joad the Toad is better then Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga and Madonna put together and I’m not kidding here…..tickets are only $25 and it is for a great cause.

Ghost Crossing, with band fan, Crow Snr. Please consider coming out and supporting your fellow Tomcats in this fun fundraiser organized by Hollywood.

Ghost Crossing preforming last year at the Ukrainian fund raiser.
Tickets are only $25 and you will be helping a great cause.
Also preforming, the Barvinok Dance Ensemble and a band out of Toronto, Zirka with an out of this world violin player, Karen, if you come for anything you want to come and watch her!
February 18 SEE YOU THERE !

The second thing you should do is start prepping for the upcoming tournament, eating right, drinking less and getting mentally ready for the greatest tournament on earth, the Stanley’s Cup. I still have not seen a prediction by Yur Handsarronmycok perhaps he too sees complete parity this year and it is even too close for him to call.

Teams February 7 were:

Terror Tigers, Sparky (Captain) Sunny, Stevo, Cribzie, Doc, Chevy, Tunzie, Kamikaze and the Terror
Chico Cheetahs, Turk (Captain) Snowpants, La Bamba, Soupy, Killer, Bulldog, Rocky, El Choppo and Chico
Hockey was Killer….really, Killer was on fire and scored 5 goals last night for the Chico Cheetahs, “I felt good out there, the ball seemed to go in whenever I touched it, it happens not often, but it does once in a while” Killer stated with a smile from ear to ear and added, “I just with The Rake was here to see it”.

In the first game, the Chico Cheetah’s took an early 4-0 lead only to lose the game 9-7. In the second game, the Chico Cheetah’s were not talking any chances and were up 6-1 before no time at all, they ended up beating the Terror Tigers in game 2, 9-4.

Great to see Chico in the line up for the first time, this year, some great net minding on Chico’s part.

Also, Doc returns from the IR, and did not look out of place at all, he spent his off time working himself into top notch form, shaved his beard for aero dynamics.

You could see that the Chico Cheetah’s in Monday’s practice had the Turk showing them how to block shots as they blocked hundreds of shots all night and speaking of blocked shots, the Turk blocked his usual 190 shots last night, which brings him to some where near 12,000 blocked shots for the year.

Reminder that there will be no hockey on Tuesday February 28. As it sits right now, there are only 2 weeks left before the Stanley’s Cup tournament.

One more thing about Ghost Crossing, Jingles went down with an injury so they brought in a new guitarist and vocalist ’The Duke’….Tomcats will recognize the Duke as he is associated with the Kapusta Kow Palace. One point that I had been asked to make about the upcoming February 18 show is that you really don’t want to miss it. It will be Ghost Crossing’s first time that they will actually be playing an original Ghost Crossing song, yes an original Ghost Crossing song, “We are”, stated a triumphant Hollywood, “And here is a kicker, my Broocher will be singing 3 Ukrainian songs, that in itself is worth the price of the $25 ticket, but Joad the Toad has been rocking out some new songs that you do not want to miss”. Concluded Hollywood

For our Golfers…Snowpants setting Tomcat Golf Tournament date tentatively for Friday, June 16…Tomcat Management knows it is quite a ways off…but “good planning makes good times”. (I just made that up)

There is no time like now, if you really really think about it, if doomsday is indeed coming, this is the time for the fund raiser on the 18th, the Stanley’s Cup tournament on the 25th and for me to put my Harry Ballsonue.