This began with discussion of Khudobin being traded to Boston. Full article here.
"--Again, and I didn't think this was any secret, but judging by the emails I'm getting from stunned fans, it was. The Wild was letting Anton Khudobin walk away this summer, so when somebody called for him, it decided to get something for him.
Heck, the Wild almost let him go last summer when he threatened KHL if he didn't get a one-way deal. At the deadline, in mid-July he signed a two-way. The Wild has Matt Hackett and will sign Darcy Kuemper as the 1-2 in Houston next year. The Wild plans to bring Dennis Endras over to compete for the No. 2. They'll also watch him at the world championships to see what they've got with him, but if worse comes to worse, you just sign a veteran backup this summer to play in Minnesota. There will be a million goalies.
What the Wild really wants to do is bring back Jose Theodore, so my suspicion is Theodore will take a few days on July 1 to guage the landscape to see if he can be a No. 1 somewhere. The Wild would hold its horses on signing a goalie and if Theodore can't find a job, it would welcome him back with open arms.
Josh Harding, sadly, is a non-issue in my opinion. He's a free agent and will likely have to move on. The Wild also has Johan Gustafsson in the system."
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Theodore Wants to Stick With Wild
Thanks to thepatronsaintx for sending me the link to this great article!
Theodore wants to stick with Wild
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 28, 2011 - 6:40 AM
I can't post text from the Star Tribune articles, so you can view it by following the link.
Theodore wants to stick with Wild
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 28, 2011 - 6:40 AM
I can't post text from the Star Tribune articles, so you can view it by following the link.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Post-Game Interview About OT Win In Anaheim (2/25/11)
Here is the Fox Sports North interview with José. PMB is first, then José.
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/pages/video?PID=mb29RAmJfjX2SFbZhzG4t3f_cCggNNP0
"They are a really good team with really good players," Theodore said. "But my job is to make sure that when I get in there, I'm not happy with being average. I've got to be good. Niklas Backstrom is playing some great hockey for us, and when he gets the day off, I have to keep going."
The Ducks, who are one point out of a playoff spot with 20 games remaining, have dropped all seven games in which they have taken at least 40 shots on net.
"Theodore played a great game for them. He pulled some saves out of nowhere," the Ducks' new goalie said. "If it weren't for Theodore, we definitely would have had this one."
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/pages/video?PID=mb29RAmJfjX2SFbZhzG4t3f_cCggNNP0
There was an article online at Hockey News, and I'll post the José highlights here:
Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored on the second breakaway 4:53 into overtime, giving the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory on Friday night. Jose Theodore made 19 of his 46 saves in the second period, helping send the demoralized Ducks to their fifth straight loss.
"They are a really good team with really good players," Theodore said. "But my job is to make sure that when I get in there, I'm not happy with being average. I've got to be good. Niklas Backstrom is playing some great hockey for us, and when he gets the day off, I have to keep going."
The Ducks, who are one point out of a playoff spot with 20 games remaining, have dropped all seven games in which they have taken at least 40 shots on net.
"Theodore played a great game for them. He pulled some saves out of nowhere," the Ducks' new goalie said. "If it weren't for Theodore, we definitely would have had this one."
Another bit about the win
Well, I can't stay up much longer. I'll have to see the interview tomorrow. But here's Russo's blog after tonight's game. Similiar to the post-game story, but there's one really neat part that I want you to see:
Wild wins an OT thriller in the OC; Bouchard winner, Theodore 46 saves
Posted by Michael Russo
Last update: February 26, 2011 - 1:26 AM
I tell people all the time the tough part about deadline is that you get so wired, it's hard to fall asleep, especially on the road and especially when you have a 4 a.m. the next day to get to the next city.
Tonight will be hard to sleep.
Tonight was the latest example of how Todd Richards' team just doesn't ever, ever quit. Shorthanded, banged-up, exhausted, the Wild just continues to put forth valiant effort because of some incredible character in that locker room.
What a game, what a finish, as the Wild got two breakaways in the final 45 seconds of overtime, the last by Pierre-Marc Bouchard, which he buried with 6.3 seconds left to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 victory. Jose Theodore, who still boggles my mind that he's a backup in this league, made 46 saves to rob Anaheim of a win in a game the Wild battled hard but was clearly fatigued after suffering a emotional, exhausting loss at LA the night before.
I don't know how I saw this, because I had to quickly scramble to rework my story a bit to file a few ticks after the game was over, but the coolest sight I saw was not the celebration in the corner with Bouchard.
It's how Niklas Backstrom and John Madden hopped the bench and rushed an exhilarated Theodore and just mugged him. It was a cool scene.
Just a great OT goal. Theodore makes his 46th save, yet another big one, I think on Corey Perry. The puck goes to the blue line and Antti Miettinen, who was just awesome tonight, pressured the D and forced a turnover. The puck went to Brent Burns.
The entire time, Bouchard was cherry-picking at the red line. As the puck popped free, I looked left and noticed Bouchard reading the play. He slowly skated sideways behind the D. They never saw him. He backed and backed, hoping Burns saw him. He did and Burns back-handed a beauty of a pass. Bouchard somehow stayed onside and scored his 2nd career OT winner between Dan Ellis' legs.
Clayton Stoner also scored, Miettinen assisted on every goal and Madden, one night after looking like he was going to jump off the Staples Center as he took responsibility for Drew Doughty's winning goal, was the unsung hero.
He not only scored the first goal, he went head to head with Ryan Getzlaf's line all night.
Huge win.
Wild wins an OT thriller in the OC; Bouchard winner, Theodore 46 saves
Posted by Michael Russo
Last update: February 26, 2011 - 1:26 AM
I tell people all the time the tough part about deadline is that you get so wired, it's hard to fall asleep, especially on the road and especially when you have a 4 a.m. the next day to get to the next city.
Tonight will be hard to sleep.
Tonight was the latest example of how Todd Richards' team just doesn't ever, ever quit. Shorthanded, banged-up, exhausted, the Wild just continues to put forth valiant effort because of some incredible character in that locker room.
What a game, what a finish, as the Wild got two breakaways in the final 45 seconds of overtime, the last by Pierre-Marc Bouchard, which he buried with 6.3 seconds left to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 victory. Jose Theodore, who still boggles my mind that he's a backup in this league, made 46 saves to rob Anaheim of a win in a game the Wild battled hard but was clearly fatigued after suffering a emotional, exhausting loss at LA the night before.
I don't know how I saw this, because I had to quickly scramble to rework my story a bit to file a few ticks after the game was over, but the coolest sight I saw was not the celebration in the corner with Bouchard.
It's how Niklas Backstrom and John Madden hopped the bench and rushed an exhilarated Theodore and just mugged him. It was a cool scene.
Just a great OT goal. Theodore makes his 46th save, yet another big one, I think on Corey Perry. The puck goes to the blue line and Antti Miettinen, who was just awesome tonight, pressured the D and forced a turnover. The puck went to Brent Burns.
The entire time, Bouchard was cherry-picking at the red line. As the puck popped free, I looked left and noticed Bouchard reading the play. He slowly skated sideways behind the D. They never saw him. He backed and backed, hoping Burns saw him. He did and Burns back-handed a beauty of a pass. Bouchard somehow stayed onside and scored his 2nd career OT winner between Dan Ellis' legs.
Clayton Stoner also scored, Miettinen assisted on every goal and Madden, one night after looking like he was going to jump off the Staples Center as he took responsibility for Drew Doughty's winning goal, was the unsung hero.
He not only scored the first goal, he went head to head with Ryan Getzlaf's line all night.
Huge win.
José Had 46 Saves in OT Win Over Anaheim!
I've been so excited about the OT win that José had tonight (saved 46 of 48 shots, Wild won 3-2) that I can't focus enough to blog. I'm waiting for his interview to show up on FSN's website. I'll post when it does.
More when I'm a little calmer! He was a beast!!
**************************
Well, since I'm exhausted from the very exciting yet nerve-wracking game, I'm just going to let Russo's post-game article tell the story. I'm still waiting for FSN's interview...maybe it's too late for them. :(
Wild's OT winner comes against the odds
Pierre-Marc Bouchard beat the Ducks with 6.3 seconds before the teams were to go to a shootout.
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 26, 2011 - 12:32 AM
ANAHEIM, CALIF. — If the Wild makes the playoffs, games like Friday night's will be the reason why.
Short key cogs in the lineup. Several others playing banged up. Exhausted from having played the night before.
Yet, behind a sensational goaltending performance from Jose Theodore, the Wild beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in overtime at the Honda Center and remained in sixth place in the Western Conference.
A loss would have dropped Minnesota to 10th.
Moments after Dan Ellis stopped Cal Clutterbuck on a breakaway, Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored his second career overtime goal with 6.3 seconds left. Bouchard, backing up behind the blue line, caught Brent Burns' backhanded headman pass and skated in alone.
"Butch going in, everybody stood up on the bench expecting the result, and that's the result we got," coach Todd Richards said.
Bouchard simply enjoyed it.
"That was a fun one, just a huge win for us," he said. "We showed a lot of character."
Theodore made 46 saves in helping the Wild win its 17th road game, two short of the team record.
"Theo was right on top of his game, and thank God," the Wild's John Madden said.
It was 1-1 when Ellis, making his Ducks debut one day after being traded from Tampa Bay, gave up a 50-foot, unscreened goal to defenseman Clayton Stoner with 4 minutes, 57 seconds left.
Stoner's goal came moments after Theodore made a left toe save, sliding across the crease to rob Dan Sexton.
But the Wild gave the lead back with two minutes left on Francois Beauchemin's tying goal on a Jason Blake rebound. Madden also scored for the Wild.
The Wild, after a hard-nosed battle 24 hours earlier up the freeway, entered the game battered and bruised. That was clear at the morning skate when the team showed for a meeting, then basically emptied the trainer's room of ice bags and ace bandages.
But Richards said the mood was "refreshingly good" after such a tough loss to Los Angeles in which the effort was unbridled.
Still, it was clear the banged-up team would have to overcome a lot in the clash ahead that night against Anaheim, another team it's dueling with for a playoff spot. To make matters worse, the team already playing without Mikko Koivu and Kyle Brodziak, had to call up Warren Peters from the farm to play in place of banged-up Cody Almond.
So in a huge game, the thin got thinner.
The Wild drew two quick power plays to open the game, but had nothing cooking. The first, Theodore had to stop a 2-on-1 chance by Jarkko Ruutu, then Corey Perry single-handedly chewed up the rest. The second, the Wild barely got into the zone long enough to set up.
But later in the period, the Ducks' top line of Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf seemed to tire themselves out by pinning Minnesota deep for a long shift. Antti Miettinen got the puck, and he sprung Madden and Andrew Brunette.
Brunette dropped a pass in the neutral zone for Madden, and the two oldest players on the roster were off for on a 2-on-1. Madden opted to shoot, and maybe Ellis was mesmerized by the pure speed coming at him. Madden breezed his ninth goal over Ellis' glove.
It was a nice moment for Madden, who dejectedly took responsibility for Drew Doughty's winning goal the night before.
The Ducks would score the equalizer in the second on Bobby Ryan's 29th goal. It came just as the Wild impressively killed off a Brent Burns' minor with solid saves by Theodore and gutty plays by Miettinen and Chuck Kobasew.
More when I'm a little calmer! He was a beast!!
**************************
Well, since I'm exhausted from the very exciting yet nerve-wracking game, I'm just going to let Russo's post-game article tell the story. I'm still waiting for FSN's interview...maybe it's too late for them. :(
Wild's OT winner comes against the odds
Pierre-Marc Bouchard beat the Ducks with 6.3 seconds before the teams were to go to a shootout.
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 26, 2011 - 12:32 AM
ANAHEIM, CALIF. — If the Wild makes the playoffs, games like Friday night's will be the reason why.
Short key cogs in the lineup. Several others playing banged up. Exhausted from having played the night before.
Yet, behind a sensational goaltending performance from Jose Theodore, the Wild beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in overtime at the Honda Center and remained in sixth place in the Western Conference.
A loss would have dropped Minnesota to 10th.
Moments after Dan Ellis stopped Cal Clutterbuck on a breakaway, Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored his second career overtime goal with 6.3 seconds left. Bouchard, backing up behind the blue line, caught Brent Burns' backhanded headman pass and skated in alone.
"Butch going in, everybody stood up on the bench expecting the result, and that's the result we got," coach Todd Richards said.
Bouchard simply enjoyed it.
"That was a fun one, just a huge win for us," he said. "We showed a lot of character."
Theodore made 46 saves in helping the Wild win its 17th road game, two short of the team record.
"Theo was right on top of his game, and thank God," the Wild's John Madden said.
It was 1-1 when Ellis, making his Ducks debut one day after being traded from Tampa Bay, gave up a 50-foot, unscreened goal to defenseman Clayton Stoner with 4 minutes, 57 seconds left.
Stoner's goal came moments after Theodore made a left toe save, sliding across the crease to rob Dan Sexton.
But the Wild gave the lead back with two minutes left on Francois Beauchemin's tying goal on a Jason Blake rebound. Madden also scored for the Wild.
The Wild, after a hard-nosed battle 24 hours earlier up the freeway, entered the game battered and bruised. That was clear at the morning skate when the team showed for a meeting, then basically emptied the trainer's room of ice bags and ace bandages.
But Richards said the mood was "refreshingly good" after such a tough loss to Los Angeles in which the effort was unbridled.
Still, it was clear the banged-up team would have to overcome a lot in the clash ahead that night against Anaheim, another team it's dueling with for a playoff spot. To make matters worse, the team already playing without Mikko Koivu and Kyle Brodziak, had to call up Warren Peters from the farm to play in place of banged-up Cody Almond.
So in a huge game, the thin got thinner.
The Wild drew two quick power plays to open the game, but had nothing cooking. The first, Theodore had to stop a 2-on-1 chance by Jarkko Ruutu, then Corey Perry single-handedly chewed up the rest. The second, the Wild barely got into the zone long enough to set up.
But later in the period, the Ducks' top line of Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf seemed to tire themselves out by pinning Minnesota deep for a long shift. Antti Miettinen got the puck, and he sprung Madden and Andrew Brunette.
Brunette dropped a pass in the neutral zone for Madden, and the two oldest players on the roster were off for on a 2-on-1. Madden opted to shoot, and maybe Ellis was mesmerized by the pure speed coming at him. Madden breezed his ninth goal over Ellis' glove.
It was a nice moment for Madden, who dejectedly took responsibility for Drew Doughty's winning goal the night before.
The Ducks would score the equalizer in the second on Bobby Ryan's 29th goal. It came just as the Wild impressively killed off a Brent Burns' minor with solid saves by Theodore and gutty plays by Miettinen and Chuck Kobasew.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Gameday, Wild @ Ducks, 9:00 CST (José Gets the Start!)
José will be starting tonight in Anaheim. 9:00 CST start. At least I don't have to get up early after this one. That 9:50 start time last night was fun.
If you don't visit my José tumblr page, you should at least check this entry. It's about what an awesome guy José is (like we all don't know that already, but it's so nice to read/hear now and then.) I'll make a post for it by itself sometime, but I don't want to mess with the gameday thread.
If you don't visit my José tumblr page, you should at least check this entry. It's about what an awesome guy José is (like we all don't know that already, but it's so nice to read/hear now and then.) I'll make a post for it by itself sometime, but I don't want to mess with the gameday thread.
The Dynamic Duo was referring to José and Backs.
After the 1st period, the Wild lead 1-0. Yay and stuff! José faced 10 SOG and made some pretty sweet saves.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Gameday, Wild @ Kings, 9:30 CST (Backstrom probable starter)
It was said over at wild.com that Backstrom is the probable starter tonight, and José will play tomorrow in Anaheim. It seems like forever since he's played...
Over at wild.com also, José is the "cover boy" for the latest two photo albums. They know who the hottest BAMF on the team is. ;o)
Over at wild.com also, José is the "cover boy" for the latest two photo albums. They know who the hottest BAMF on the team is. ;o)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wild's Best Offseason Acquisition...Our guy!
Ok, I'm a little late posting this. With the whole meeting Theo thing happening, I lost track of everything else. I'm going through my e-mail and found a message that loyal follower Valentina sent me way back at the end of January. She found it on the KFAN Sports Radio Site on January 27th. Thanks, Valentina!
It was by Brandon Mileski, Minnesota Wild 1st Half Awards:
Best Offseason Acquisition: Jose Theodore--Technically, this wasn't on 'offseason' acquisition, since Theodore was signed days into training camp after Josh Harding went down with an injury. How lucky did the Wild get to have Theodore available? Jose has been steady, consistent, and at times brilliant. Niklas Backstrom has battled a hip injury, and through a stretch of games, was playing poorly. The Wild never missed a beat when Theodore was put between the pipes. The Wild have depth at the goalie position, which is great in case one of them is in a slump.
And a twitter/tumblr friend of mine, Jilliette sent me this photo today. It was when José was with Colorado, and Marty Havlat was with Chicago, Jan 2008. José saying "Yo, outta my crease, dude!!"
It was by Brandon Mileski, Minnesota Wild 1st Half Awards:
Best Offseason Acquisition: Jose Theodore--Technically, this wasn't on 'offseason' acquisition, since Theodore was signed days into training camp after Josh Harding went down with an injury. How lucky did the Wild get to have Theodore available? Jose has been steady, consistent, and at times brilliant. Niklas Backstrom has battled a hip injury, and through a stretch of games, was playing poorly. The Wild never missed a beat when Theodore was put between the pipes. The Wild have depth at the goalie position, which is great in case one of them is in a slump.
And a twitter/tumblr friend of mine, Jilliette sent me this photo today. It was when José was with Colorado, and Marty Havlat was with Chicago, Jan 2008. José saying "Yo, outta my crease, dude!!"
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Gameday, Wild vs. Oilers, 7:00 CST (Backstrom in Goal)
The Wild play tonight at 7:00, but José is not starting.
They play back-to-back games on the West Coast Thursday (LA) and Friday (Anaheim), so I'm sure he'll get one of those games.
I really hope the Wild win tonight...not only to help their playoff bid, but also so we can see some goalie love!! It's been forever since we've had some good goalie love shots!! :(
Check out the even better photos from the outdoor practice the other day...
They play back-to-back games on the West Coast Thursday (LA) and Friday (Anaheim), so I'm sure he'll get one of those games.
I really hope the Wild win tonight...not only to help their playoff bid, but also so we can see some goalie love!! It's been forever since we've had some good goalie love shots!! :(
Check out the even better photos from the outdoor practice the other day...
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Few More Photos From Yesterday's Outdoor Practice
I realized I didn't make a post about whether José was starting in the Wild's game against Detroit today. But I guess you all figured that one out on your own. He didn't start. The game is going very well though. It's tied 1-1 in the 3rd period. Backstrom is having a great game.
Now, a few more photos I found today from the outdoor practice. These were found accompanying an article by the StarTribune's Kent Youngblood this morning.
This one has rocketed to one of my very favorite photos of him. I mean, how cool is this guy?
Now, a few more photos I found today from the outdoor practice. These were found accompanying an article by the StarTribune's Kent Youngblood this morning.
This one has rocketed to one of my very favorite photos of him. I mean, how cool is this guy?
They had a 4-on-4 scrimmage at the practice. Green Team won, and you can see José in the middle there.
And a group photo...You can see Sir Lord of Cool in the front there.
Still waiting for the official stuff from the Wild's website.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wild Practiced Outside Today
The Wild held an outdoor open-to-the-public practice today. At one point José put on sunglasses under his mask to combat the brightness. Here's the article (there is video included at the link, I can't figure out how to embed it here.)
There are 2 video clips that include shots of José. One shows him warming up skating with PMB.
Created: 02/19/2011 5:44 PM KSTP.com
By: Chris Long
Wild Skate Outside In Front Of 1,800 Fans
The Minnesota Wild have made no secret of the fact they want the NHL to pick them to host an outdoor Winter Classic game - possibly as soon as next year.
Today, they gave a sneak preview.
1,800 fans gathered at The Oval Skating Center in Roseville to watch the Wild practice.
During the hour-or-so session, the Wild ran through drills and scrimmaged.
After the whistle blew, some of the players stayed on the ice to have some fun in a scene reminiscent of kids on a backyard rink ignoring mom's call to come home for dinner.
Several players sported eye black as the sun periodically peeked from behind the clouds on a day that was close to perfect for an outdoor hockey event.
Goalie Jose Theodore combatted the glare by wearing sunglasses under his goalie mask.
The highlight of the workout for fans was watching the "grey team" skate a lap around the massive speedskating oval after losing to the "green team" in the scrimmage. Several of the players tucked in one-behind-the-other in a formation suited to racing typically held on the speedskating surface.
After the session, most of the players slowly worked their way down a line of fans along the sideboards, signing autographs and taking photos with the crowd mostly comprised of younger Wild fans.
The final sight of the event topped off a day full of memorable moments.
The players left the ice and clamored onto their bus for the ride back to their locker room at the Xcel Energy Center - still wearing all their equipment.
There are 2 video clips that include shots of José. One shows him warming up skating with PMB.
The other shows him in goal with his sunglasses on.
By: Chris Long
Wild Skate Outside In Front Of 1,800 Fans
The Minnesota Wild have made no secret of the fact they want the NHL to pick them to host an outdoor Winter Classic game - possibly as soon as next year.
Today, they gave a sneak preview.
1,800 fans gathered at The Oval Skating Center in Roseville to watch the Wild practice.
During the hour-or-so session, the Wild ran through drills and scrimmaged.
After the whistle blew, some of the players stayed on the ice to have some fun in a scene reminiscent of kids on a backyard rink ignoring mom's call to come home for dinner.
Several players sported eye black as the sun periodically peeked from behind the clouds on a day that was close to perfect for an outdoor hockey event.
Goalie Jose Theodore combatted the glare by wearing sunglasses under his goalie mask.
The highlight of the workout for fans was watching the "grey team" skate a lap around the massive speedskating oval after losing to the "green team" in the scrimmage. Several of the players tucked in one-behind-the-other in a formation suited to racing typically held on the speedskating surface.
After the session, most of the players slowly worked their way down a line of fans along the sideboards, signing autographs and taking photos with the crowd mostly comprised of younger Wild fans.
The final sight of the event topped off a day full of memorable moments.
The players left the ice and clamored onto their bus for the ride back to their locker room at the Xcel Energy Center - still wearing all their equipment.
Friday, February 18, 2011
José Theodore's Tuque Defined the First Classic
Here's a great article that was in the Calgary Herald yesterday talking about our guy's famous tuque.
By George Johnson, Calgary Herald February 17, 2011
Nothing topped the tuque.
Not the game's greatestever buddy reunion, with Gretz and Mess and Coff and the Flower and Big Bird turning back time, the years stripped away, kids again for an hour or so, kibitzing on a frozen milieu that once-upon-a-time defined not only them but two eras in a country's imagination.
Not the 57,167 committable souls huddled in Commonwealth Stadium who shelled out up to $135 for the privilege of sitting in wind chill minus-19-to-30-degree C temperatures since 2 p.m. in the afternoon.
Not the polar ambience or the yesteryear star power or the "November to Remember" tag line or who actually won the game (4-3 Canadiens).
No. What people best remember of Nov. 22, 2003, the first Heritage Classic to be staged, is that tuque.
Especially the cute, fluffy purple pompom on top.
"I've gotta to say, now, seven years later, more people ask me about that tuque than anything else,'' admits Jose Theodore, stripping off gear inside the Minnesota Wild's dressing quarters during a recent game at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "I've played for four teams now and that's still the picture I sign the most.''
In 2003, Jose Theodore was 27, at the peak of his puck-stopping powers, coming off a careerdefining Vezina and Hart Trophy season, the toast of Montreal, Patrick Roy's heir apparent for sainthood. It seemed at that moment, frozen (quite literally) in time, that the hockey world was his for the beckoning.
"A lot has happened in my career since then,'' concedes Theodore, who since toiled in Colorado and Washington before landing in St. Paul. "But when someone hands me a photo to autograph it always seems to be the one with the tuque on.
"The idea actually came from one of my brothers. They wanted to do a Vintage game, that was the purpose, right? So he said 'It'd be pretty cool if you knitted a tuque. Remember the old pictures of Georges Vezina with a tuque on? The black and white ones?' And I did. Of course I did. It seemed really cool to wear a vintage tuque. I mean, when else are you ever going to get the chance?
"Well, I didn't knit anything but when we showed up in Edmonton they had tuques like the ones in the pictures. And I thought 'That's perfect!' "
The plan was to wear the tuque during warm-up, strictly as a lark. Theodore used double-sided tape to affix it onto the top of his goaltending helmet. Miraculously, it held fast the entire game.
"My goal was just to have one picture or one hockey card with the tuque on,'' he says now. "Just as a memory. For me, you know? If anyone else thought it looked kinda cool, great. But after warmup, everyone was like 'Yeah, it looks AMAZING! It doesn't look silly. Wear it during the game.' And I thought 'Why not?'
"Honestly, I didn't think it'd be a big deal. Then right after, they asked for the tuque to put in the Hall of Fame, reporters wanted to ask me questions about it, everyone seemed to be talking about it.
"It WAS a big deal.''
What will define Sunday's second edition of the Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium, make it special . . . the weather, the ice conditions, the score, is anyone's guess.
But Miikka Kiprusoff and Carey Price, find your own schtick.
The headgear gimmick belongs to Theodore.
"Usually, in any other year, they'd sell 7,000 or 7,500 or so of those tuques in Montreal. After I wore one in that game, they sold something like 175,000! Crazy. I had no idea.'' A small smile. "If I had, I would've asked Puma for a contract deal before, for the exposure it generated.
"No, seriously . . . it's fun to look back on it.''
Because of the sub-arctic conditions, the game was touch-and-go to be held at all until a half-hour beforehand.
"For players on the bench, they had big heaters for guys to warm their hands,'' recalls Theodore.
"They go for 60 seconds hard and come back. But for us as goalies . . . it was REALLY cold. I had to wear extra layers. Two little gloves under my glove and blocker. Two extra pair of pants. It was so cold water would literally freeze on your jersey.
"As a goalie, usually you do everything the same. We're creatures of habit. But a game like that really takes you out of your comfort level. It's a real challenge for a goalie.
"I remember giving up a goal in the third period. Usually, you feel the puck. You know if you have it. But I didn't have it and I didn't know it because I couldn't feel it. And the ice gets really bad.
"It's all about the weather. You look at the (Winter Classic) this year in Pittsburgh and it was raining. In Buffalo it was nice, snowing, really pretty. When it gets really cold it creates extra problems, but it's extra-special, too. Like when you were a kid out on the outdoor rink.''
For the current Flames and Canadiens, the man in the tuque who helped make '03 such a memorable slice of Canadiana has once sage piece of advice -forget the weather and accept the conditions, good or bad, and embrace a moment that will not come your way again.
"It is, quite literally, a once-inlifetime experience,'' says Jose Theodore. "So just go with it. Enjoy yourself. The points are important, sure, because they count and a lot of teams are still fighting for playoffs.
"I'm really glad we won.
"Not just for the two points, though. Because 20 years from now, 30 years, that game will still being shown on ESPN Classic. And it makes it much easier to watch if you win.''
George Johnson is the herald's sports columnist. e-mail him at GJohnson@calGaryherald.com
By George Johnson, Calgary Herald February 17, 2011
Nothing topped the tuque.
Not the game's greatestever buddy reunion, with Gretz and Mess and Coff and the Flower and Big Bird turning back time, the years stripped away, kids again for an hour or so, kibitzing on a frozen milieu that once-upon-a-time defined not only them but two eras in a country's imagination.
Not the 57,167 committable souls huddled in Commonwealth Stadium who shelled out up to $135 for the privilege of sitting in wind chill minus-19-to-30-degree C temperatures since 2 p.m. in the afternoon.
Not the polar ambience or the yesteryear star power or the "November to Remember" tag line or who actually won the game (4-3 Canadiens).
No. What people best remember of Nov. 22, 2003, the first Heritage Classic to be staged, is that tuque.
Especially the cute, fluffy purple pompom on top.
"I've gotta to say, now, seven years later, more people ask me about that tuque than anything else,'' admits Jose Theodore, stripping off gear inside the Minnesota Wild's dressing quarters during a recent game at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "I've played for four teams now and that's still the picture I sign the most.''
In 2003, Jose Theodore was 27, at the peak of his puck-stopping powers, coming off a careerdefining Vezina and Hart Trophy season, the toast of Montreal, Patrick Roy's heir apparent for sainthood. It seemed at that moment, frozen (quite literally) in time, that the hockey world was his for the beckoning.
"A lot has happened in my career since then,'' concedes Theodore, who since toiled in Colorado and Washington before landing in St. Paul. "But when someone hands me a photo to autograph it always seems to be the one with the tuque on.
"The idea actually came from one of my brothers. They wanted to do a Vintage game, that was the purpose, right? So he said 'It'd be pretty cool if you knitted a tuque. Remember the old pictures of Georges Vezina with a tuque on? The black and white ones?' And I did. Of course I did. It seemed really cool to wear a vintage tuque. I mean, when else are you ever going to get the chance?
"Well, I didn't knit anything but when we showed up in Edmonton they had tuques like the ones in the pictures. And I thought 'That's perfect!' "
The plan was to wear the tuque during warm-up, strictly as a lark. Theodore used double-sided tape to affix it onto the top of his goaltending helmet. Miraculously, it held fast the entire game.
"My goal was just to have one picture or one hockey card with the tuque on,'' he says now. "Just as a memory. For me, you know? If anyone else thought it looked kinda cool, great. But after warmup, everyone was like 'Yeah, it looks AMAZING! It doesn't look silly. Wear it during the game.' And I thought 'Why not?'
"Honestly, I didn't think it'd be a big deal. Then right after, they asked for the tuque to put in the Hall of Fame, reporters wanted to ask me questions about it, everyone seemed to be talking about it.
"It WAS a big deal.''
What will define Sunday's second edition of the Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium, make it special . . . the weather, the ice conditions, the score, is anyone's guess.
But Miikka Kiprusoff and Carey Price, find your own schtick.
The headgear gimmick belongs to Theodore.
"Usually, in any other year, they'd sell 7,000 or 7,500 or so of those tuques in Montreal. After I wore one in that game, they sold something like 175,000! Crazy. I had no idea.'' A small smile. "If I had, I would've asked Puma for a contract deal before, for the exposure it generated.
"No, seriously . . . it's fun to look back on it.''
Because of the sub-arctic conditions, the game was touch-and-go to be held at all until a half-hour beforehand.
"For players on the bench, they had big heaters for guys to warm their hands,'' recalls Theodore.
"They go for 60 seconds hard and come back. But for us as goalies . . . it was REALLY cold. I had to wear extra layers. Two little gloves under my glove and blocker. Two extra pair of pants. It was so cold water would literally freeze on your jersey.
"As a goalie, usually you do everything the same. We're creatures of habit. But a game like that really takes you out of your comfort level. It's a real challenge for a goalie.
"I remember giving up a goal in the third period. Usually, you feel the puck. You know if you have it. But I didn't have it and I didn't know it because I couldn't feel it. And the ice gets really bad.
"It's all about the weather. You look at the (Winter Classic) this year in Pittsburgh and it was raining. In Buffalo it was nice, snowing, really pretty. When it gets really cold it creates extra problems, but it's extra-special, too. Like when you were a kid out on the outdoor rink.''
For the current Flames and Canadiens, the man in the tuque who helped make '03 such a memorable slice of Canadiana has once sage piece of advice -forget the weather and accept the conditions, good or bad, and embrace a moment that will not come your way again.
"It is, quite literally, a once-inlifetime experience,'' says Jose Theodore. "So just go with it. Enjoy yourself. The points are important, sure, because they count and a lot of teams are still fighting for playoffs.
"I'm really glad we won.
"Not just for the two points, though. Because 20 years from now, 30 years, that game will still being shown on ESPN Classic. And it makes it much easier to watch if you win.''
George Johnson is the herald's sports columnist. e-mail him at GJohnson@calGaryherald.com
Gameday, Wild vs. Ducks, 7:00 CST (Backstrom Starts)
The Wild play Anaheim at home tonight, but Backstrom will be starting instead of José. The next game will be Sunday at home against Detroit (and that is one of NBC's games that day.)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Goalie goes all out to be relaxed
Here's a little article about our guy from Mike Russo. Thanks to loyal followers Berni and Valentina for sending me the link first thing this morning! You guys are great.
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 17, 2011 - 7:37 AM
I can't post text from the Star Tribune articles, but you can view the article by clicking the link.
By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
Last update: February 17, 2011 - 7:37 AM
I can't post text from the Star Tribune articles, but you can view the article by clicking the link.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
José Was 3rd Star of the Game
3rd Star of the Game!
I'm sure he would've preferred a win, but at least he was recognized for his excellent effort.
He's now 10-8-2, .914, 2.70
And he was the 1st star over at Hockey Wilderness. Here is a quote from there:
"José Theodore needed to play a heroic game to keep his Wild in the game and he did just that, making 18 saves in the second period to limit the damage and keep it a one goal game."
"Jose Theodore played out of his mind..."
Hockey Wilderness 3 stars:
1. Jose Theodore (18 saves in the 2nd period, 34 overall, many key saves, kept the Wild in it)
Gameday, Wild @ Blackhawks, 7:00 CST (Wild Lost 3-1, one empty net goal)
Russo reported on twitter that José is starting tonight in Chicago. Let's hope the boys bounce back after last night's loss.
Go Theo!! Go Wild!!
************************************
After the first period, the Wild are down 1-0. José faced 10 SOG. The Wild have had 17 SOG, but haven't been able to get a score out of them. Damn!
Go Theo!! Go Wild!!
************************************
After the first period, the Wild are down 1-0. José faced 10 SOG. The Wild have had 17 SOG, but haven't been able to get a score out of them. Damn!
After 2 periods, the Wild still trail 1-0. José faced 18 more shots that period!! He's having an exceptional game tonight. The Hawks had 4 PPs and the Wild killed 'em all. Thank goodness. Now let's hope they can score a couple in the 3rd!!
The Wild lost 3-1. The last goal was an empty-netter. José stopped 34 of 36 shots. He really was excellent tonight. I was really proud of him. Just wish the team could've won for him. Scoring would've helped. :o(
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Backstrom in Net Tonight Against Vancouver
The Wild play Vancouver at home tonight, but Backstrom will be in net.
They play in Chicago tomorrow night, and Coach Richards has said he'll make the decision about tomorrow's starter after tonight's game.
They play in Chicago tomorrow night, and Coach Richards has said he'll make the decision about tomorrow's starter after tonight's game.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wild (and José) Win in Shootout in St. Louis (and I was there!)
I didn't blog last night during the game, because my butt was in the stands at Scottrade Center in St. Louis watching the Wild/Blues game live! It was my first live NHL game, and it was so much fun! My brother drove me down there. He'd been to quite a few Blues games, but I never had. I was so pleased when I heard that José would be the starter.
There was a lot of scoring in the game, and the shootout was so nervewracking! I hate shootouts! It didn't start out well for José, but he showed one of the reasons I respect him so much. He shook it off, adjusted and came back strong! He was a shootout beast, and won it!! Here was his comment after the game:
"The first three shots, they had two goals," Theodore said. "After that you kind of get that rhythm. I adjusted a few things, my timing, and then I felt pretty solid."
Here's my thought on goalies and shootout...even if a goalie has the first 3 goals scored on him, if his teammates score 3 goals also, then it's a whole new game, and it continues. So it's just as much up to those scorers as it is to the goalies, right? But the goalies are the ones that get the crap fallout from shootout losses. That really aggravates me. And if a goalie doesn't really have confidence that his teammates are going to score, that has to be weighing on their mind. Luckily the Wild scored in the shootout early on, and that had to give José some confidence and gave him the time to adjust what he was doing. Way to go, Wild and José!!
There was a lot of scoring in the game, and the shootout was so nervewracking! I hate shootouts! It didn't start out well for José, but he showed one of the reasons I respect him so much. He shook it off, adjusted and came back strong! He was a shootout beast, and won it!! Here was his comment after the game:
"The first three shots, they had two goals," Theodore said. "After that you kind of get that rhythm. I adjusted a few things, my timing, and then I felt pretty solid."
Here's my thought on goalies and shootout...even if a goalie has the first 3 goals scored on him, if his teammates score 3 goals also, then it's a whole new game, and it continues. So it's just as much up to those scorers as it is to the goalies, right? But the goalies are the ones that get the crap fallout from shootout losses. That really aggravates me. And if a goalie doesn't really have confidence that his teammates are going to score, that has to be weighing on their mind. Luckily the Wild scored in the shootout early on, and that had to give José some confidence and gave him the time to adjust what he was doing. Way to go, Wild and José!!
José stopped 31 of 35 shots. He stopped 6 of the 9 shooters in the shootout.
I tried not to be obnoxious around all the Blues fans during the game. I was relatively quiet, but I did clap when the Wild scored goals. BUT during the shootout, I couldn't contain myself. I had to show my support for José. So after each save he had, I screamed "Joooosssssé"!! I got a few "looks" from Blues fans, but no one gave me crap. There was one other Wild fan a few rows down the way.
Then after the game, I didn't even put my coat back on, because I was so proud of José and I wanted everyone to see I was his fan, so I wanted my Theo jersey to be where everyone could see it. I walked back to the car in freezing temps with my Theo jersey uncovered for all to see!! I love that guy!!! :o)
My camera is not great, and my photography skills are even less great. So I took lots of photos, but they are nothing special. But here's one to show that I was actually there.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I Met José!
As much as I hate for you all to know what I look like, I can't not post this photo. ;o)
I hadn't posted anything about this before now, because I didn't want to jinx the meeting. But if you follow my tumblr page, you probably saw me talking about it over there.
I won the online auction that the Wild held to "meet and greet" José after practice this past Tuesday. The auction ended on Jan. 31st, and a rep from the Wild organization called me a couple days later with the particulars of what practice, etc. We were allowed to watch the practice, which is a big deal, because they've never allowed the public in for practices. There were about 30 of us there. Every winner was allowed to bring 4 people. I brought my husband.
I live in Central Illinois, so it was an 8 hour drive to get to St. Paul. We drove up on Monday and got there about 5:00. We stayed at the Holiday Inn across the street from the Xcel. The practice began at 10:30 am on Tuesday and lasted until noon (they said it ran longer than normal.) We got to sit down close to watch them. Luckily José practiced most of the time at the end where we were. I didn't see much of Backs, because he was at the other end. I took some photos, but they didn't turn out real well. I thought my camera was ok, but I guess not. :p Maybe it's hard to get good photos in those places...but here are a couple just to prove I saw the practice.
I won the online auction that the Wild held to "meet and greet" José after practice this past Tuesday. The auction ended on Jan. 31st, and a rep from the Wild organization called me a couple days later with the particulars of what practice, etc. We were allowed to watch the practice, which is a big deal, because they've never allowed the public in for practices. There were about 30 of us there. Every winner was allowed to bring 4 people. I brought my husband.
I live in Central Illinois, so it was an 8 hour drive to get to St. Paul. We drove up on Monday and got there about 5:00. We stayed at the Holiday Inn across the street from the Xcel. The practice began at 10:30 am on Tuesday and lasted until noon (they said it ran longer than normal.) We got to sit down close to watch them. Luckily José practiced most of the time at the end where we were. I didn't see much of Backs, because he was at the other end. I took some photos, but they didn't turn out real well. I thought my camera was ok, but I guess not. :p Maybe it's hard to get good photos in those places...but here are a couple just to prove I saw the practice.
There were 2 guys sitting quite a few rows up from the rest of us, and partway through practice, José hit a puck up towards them. It landed a couple seats in front. I thought about going to get it, but I thought he must want them to have it, so I didn't. Well, in a few minutes, one of the guys came over and said "Here you are" and held the puck out to me. I said, "Oh, thanks!" He said, "You're a Theodore fan. I'm his brother." I said, "You are?" Then he stuck out his hand to shake and said, "I'm José's brother." I said it was nice to meet him and I was there to meet José after practice. Then I thanked him again and he said he could tell I was a Theodore fan so wanted to give it to me. Then he went back. When I listen to the video I was shooting, he sounds so much like José. You can tell they're brothers by their voices. Then I told José I met his brother and he signed the puck for me. He said the other guy was another brother of his. So two of them were there. I thought that was so nice of him to come down and give it to me!
So after the practice, we went to a lounge to wait for the players to shower and come out. We were called in as our player was finished. I was called first, so my husband and I went in. Actually, Brent Burns came in before José, and I said, "Oh, we're not here to meet you." I felt bad as soon as I said it, because I didn't want him to think we didn't want to meet him. But they specifically told us we won the auction for one player, and we weren't going to get to meet others. One of the PR people told him his group wasn't there yet. But I said "It's not that I don't want to meet you though" and I held out my hand to shake. He shook my hand and my husband's. Then he sat down and asked who we were there to see. Then he saw my shirt and said, "Oh, Theo?" I said yeah. He said, "Yeah, I think Theo's still upset about the goals I scored on him today." Then he laughed. He asked how we got the opportunity to do this, and I said it was an online auction. I said, "You went to the highest bidder. Does it make you feel like a piece of meat?" We all laughed.
Then José walked in and came over and I said, "I'm Carol." He said "Nice to meet you. Very nice to meet you" and we shook hands. Then I introduced my husband and they shook hands, etc.
It was all kind of a blur. My husband videotaped a bit of it, so I can look back and know that it did happen, because it's kind of hard to believe now that I'm back to "reality." He signed a practice jersey for me (that was part of the auction.) Then he signed a couple other things I brought for friends (Hi, Berni! ;o) We talked for a few minutes, and he is such a nice guy. He didn't seem to hate being there or like it was a burden or anything. He was so neat to talk to. I only sounded like a derp once or twice. ;o)
Here are a few screen caps from the video. Seriously, one of the best days of my life. ;o)
José Will Start Friday in St. Louis
José will start the first game in the back-to-back games against St. Louis Friday. This is the game in St. Louis, the Saturday one is at home.
And I will be at the game in St. Louis, so no blogging during the game. I'll actually get to see him play!! Go Theo!!!
And I will be at the game in St. Louis, so no blogging during the game. I'll actually get to see him play!! Go Theo!!!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Theodore To The Rescue (Pioneer Press Article)
This was an article over at Pioneer Press after the Colorado game the other night. (Thanks to miseenjeu for sending me the link.)
Theodore to the rescue
He foils Avalanche during critical time
By Tom Powers
Updated: 02/03/2011 11:55:23 PM CST
DENVER - With the Wild sagging visibly in the third period, José Theodore came to the rescue Thurdsay night. Theodore, who hadn't played since Jan. 11, was brilliant in protecting a one-goal lead while the Wild killed a four-minute penalty to Martin Havlat for high sticking.
Actually, the Wild's forwards and defensemen didn't do much to kill it. In fact, some of the penalty killers were counterproductive, putting the puck on Avalanche players' sticks instead of clearing the zone. But Theodore kept the tying goal off the board.
"Yeah, another outstanding game for him," said Andrew Brunette, who scored two of Minnesota's four goals. "I just feel bad we gave up that late one on him."
The Avs scored in the final seconds to make it a 4-3 final. Theodore stopped 38 of 41 shots.
"In the third, they were really putting pucks through the crease," Theodore said. "But we were doing a good job of boxing out and then clearing it."
Fastest two goals: The Wild scored twice in the first 1:01 to take a 2-0 lead. They easily were the two fastest Wild goals to start a game in team history. The previous mark was 3:25, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Kyle Brodziak and Andrew Brunette scored to set the new mark. On Jan. 18, Matt Cullen and Brent Burns scored in the first 3:25 against the Edmonton Oilers, which was the old record.
Theodore to the rescue
He foils Avalanche during critical time
By Tom Powers
Updated: 02/03/2011 11:55:23 PM CST
DENVER - With the Wild sagging visibly in the third period, José Theodore came to the rescue Thurdsay night. Theodore, who hadn't played since Jan. 11, was brilliant in protecting a one-goal lead while the Wild killed a four-minute penalty to Martin Havlat for high sticking.
Actually, the Wild's forwards and defensemen didn't do much to kill it. In fact, some of the penalty killers were counterproductive, putting the puck on Avalanche players' sticks instead of clearing the zone. But Theodore kept the tying goal off the board.
"Yeah, another outstanding game for him," said Andrew Brunette, who scored two of Minnesota's four goals. "I just feel bad we gave up that late one on him."
The Avs scored in the final seconds to make it a 4-3 final. Theodore stopped 38 of 41 shots.
"In the third, they were really putting pucks through the crease," Theodore said. "But we were doing a good job of boxing out and then clearing it."
Fastest two goals: The Wild scored twice in the first 1:01 to take a 2-0 lead. They easily were the two fastest Wild goals to start a game in team history. The previous mark was 3:25, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Kyle Brodziak and Andrew Brunette scored to set the new mark. On Jan. 18, Matt Cullen and Brent Burns scored in the first 3:25 against the Edmonton Oilers, which was the old record.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Jose Theodore keeps winning long after entire NHL appeared to write him off
This was a blurb over at InGoal Magazine today. Makes me so proud of him!!
Jose Theodore made 38 saves in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Colorado, once again playing a huge role in Minnesota’s playoff surge behind equally stingy starter Niklas Backstrom. Theodore is now 9-7-2 (including his 250h career win) with a .914 save percentage, not bad for a goaltender who didn’t have a job when the season started, and was worried about his future before Josh Harding tore up his knee in a crease collision and the Wild came calling.
Which makes it worthwhile to revisit a great recent story by Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that was written after watching a game in the press box beside Theodore. It examines the extreme ups and downs of a remarkably roller coaster career that has alternated between league MVP and media whipping boy, as well as the personality behind the heavily tattooed, guitar playing, puck stopper and the tragic loss of a child.
Jose Theodore made 38 saves in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Colorado, once again playing a huge role in Minnesota’s playoff surge behind equally stingy starter Niklas Backstrom. Theodore is now 9-7-2 (including his 250h career win) with a .914 save percentage, not bad for a goaltender who didn’t have a job when the season started, and was worried about his future before Josh Harding tore up his knee in a crease collision and the Wild came calling.
Which makes it worthwhile to revisit a great recent story by Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that was written after watching a game in the press box beside Theodore. It examines the extreme ups and downs of a remarkably roller coaster career that has alternated between league MVP and media whipping boy, as well as the personality behind the heavily tattooed, guitar playing, puck stopper and the tragic loss of a child.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Gameday, Wild @ Avs, Wild Win 4-3!
The Wild are back on the road tonight, and José will get the start! The coach said they'd made the decision to start him during the break, before Backs' shutout the other night. They want to keep both goalies ready.
Go Theo!!
Go Theo!!
That last one was José looking back while going off the ice after the 1st period (Wild lead 2-0), and I can tell his eyes are saying, "Take that bitches!"
He stopped 12 SOG.
2nd period is over, Wild lead 3-1. He faced 10 more SOG.
That photo shows my favorite part of Wild wins. ;o) The Brotherhood of the Goalie. ;o)
Wild won 4-3 (that 3rd goal was scored with about 10 seconds left. Aargh!)
José saved 38 of 41 SOG!! Great game, Theo!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
José Will Start Thursday in Colorado, Wild Won Tonight
The Wild played LA at home tonight. Backs got a shutout and a SHOOTOUT WIN! That's a pretty big deal for him! So good for him.
And after the game Russo tweeted:
"Richards said Jose Theodore will play Thurs in Colorado despite Backstrom's 1-0 SO tonight. They want to get him playing again."
I would be happy about that if it was anywhere but Colorado. Those fans are such haters! But he'll go in there and show them how awesome he still is, and the Wild will win, and all will be well in the universe!
And here was the goalie love from tonight...FSN did not do me a solid with their showing of the love. They made the screen a little bitty tiny box, so we couldn't see crap. José had an absolutely gorgeous smile when congratulating Backs, but we couldn't really see it!
And after the game Russo tweeted:
"Richards said Jose Theodore will play Thurs in Colorado despite Backstrom's 1-0 SO tonight. They want to get him playing again."
I would be happy about that if it was anywhere but Colorado. Those fans are such haters! But he'll go in there and show them how awesome he still is, and the Wild will win, and all will be well in the universe!
And here was the goalie love from tonight...FSN did not do me a solid with their showing of the love. They made the screen a little bitty tiny box, so we couldn't see crap. José had an absolutely gorgeous smile when congratulating Backs, but we couldn't really see it!
This smile would've been to die for, had we been able to see it! Oh FSN, I oughta!!!
