Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Blogging

Blogging is still Fun...
I like Cheese....

GO Spiders GO

Monday, September 24, 2007

RYAN HARTNETT TIES THE KNOT!!!

HE ACTUALLY DID IT!

Pictured, the newly married Hartnett's, Ryan and his lovely bride Mary.
Saturday, September 22, the wedding ceremony was at the Botanical Gardens and the reception at the Harthstone Manor in Cheektowaga.


Friday, September 14, 2007

Spiders Win American Indoor Summer League Championship

Spiders Triumph in 6-5 in double overtime thriller

It was pleasant day in West Seneca, not to hot not too cold. The ambient temperature at game time was somewhere around 72 degrees. The day was set for Championship hockey….

Today was the day for the #1 Ranked Knockaround guys to face the #2 ranked SPIDERS. The teams had dueled to a 4-4 tie earlier this year but what would this day bring…


The Kguys scored early on a long shot from the point a clean face off win gave them the shot.

But the Spiders battled back and scored one of their own a beauty of a shot by Schlegel. The K Guys rounded out the scoring in the first with a broken play goal that barely made it over the line.

Sometime in the second a nice feed from Fins found Jeff Zawada’s stick and Zawada made them pay for it as the Spiders knotted it at two, the Spiders had control of the game and aside from some minor skirmishes in our zone it was clear the tide was turning….towards our web walking team.

The second period saw a questionable penalty call lead to a short handed Spider goal … Denny steals it at their lie and makes the “leagues top goalie” look SILLY as Denny dekes and shovels it to the roof…. But then on the way to the championship something odd happened … 3 K-guys goals in 3 minutes… not but 1 minute after Dennys tally


The k-guys were smirking and seemed very pleased with themselves. It was at this point the K-guys began counting their chickens (before they had hatched)…. Truth be told the Spiders were stunned for the moment and the bench was quiet during the second intermission. Each one of us wondering if we could get come back in this game… and yet we knew we could “let’s get one quick said one Spider.. we need to get one quick… Harry said stuff too but I don’t think anyone was listening, each of us contemplating our job at hand. It was long time Spider Mike Stayoch that lit the beacon of hope early in the third … just like the voice said “let’s get one early“ Mike came “flying” on the far boards and flipped it past the goalie all while he got utterly hammered into the boards… “you flew like 4 feet into the boards” remarked one spider after the game. As Stayoch grabbed and rubbed his shoulder. With that beginning new hope and step came into the Spiders steps as Mike halved the deficit to 1 goal…..

Denny flies in the corner turns out “no point no point yells the spider defenseman. Denny takes a look to the net draws off a defender and fires a bullet over to Kalinski… SHOT GOAL, Kalinski rips it by the goalie ... the Spiders have tied the game at five the Spiders have tied the game at five… The spiders have tied the game with 12 minutes to go in the third.

Later in the period with about 10 minutes to go a most unfortunate incident happened during a rush in the Spiders zone- a ball ricocheted out off of Hellert’s leg and hit post. There was a pileup in front Kalinski and another guy got tangled up and slammed into goalie Chris Farr and he heard a great POP sound..
Farr was in pain and down for at least a minute…was was next was it broken was it sprains is Farr just a wuss?... all these things went through our heads but the way he was moving … or not moving He had to be hurting…. Rickey got his goalie gear. After a brief spell he got up and gamer that he is he went back between the pipes…..

The Spiders seemed emboldened by his bravery and put the pressure on the next 10 minutes including a 2 minute PP but to no avail... stopped at every turn by what appeared to be a wall of a goalie.

After a few flurries in the K-guys end regulation ended deadlocked at 6.

Overtime was more like table tennis or two fighter feeling each other out during a fight punch counter punch dance no one was pressing full out.

One overtime came and went… a second flowed on through a post here a post there…

Then with 849 left in regulation It was all over the Spider’s out lasted the younger K-Guys when Denny lit Tim Z up one last time for the hat trick…..

That was the ------

GOAL of the Night

I would have loved to tell you what happened but I didn’t see much of it
I would ask Peek but he was getting a Gatorade when we scored it…

So here goes

Denny races up the near boards blows by the K-guy defender and rips it by the goalie and we went berserk tossing gloves and mobbing Lenny…

THE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

1. Stayoch: “Rick, go get me a powerade”

2. Farr: “I heard my ankle go pop”
Hellert: "Don’t worry it’s the ones you can’t hear that you have to worry about”
Wahl: “huh?”
Hellert: “I don’t want him to worry about his ankle”
Wahl: “oh”

3. Unknown Spider: "Their goalie won the goalie trophy right?"
Zav: “Ya their guys won all the trophies”
Hellert: “All the trophies but ONE”
And we all smiled….

4. Kalinski: “So will those pictures go on the Christmas card this year?”
Wahl: “yes on the ornaments.”

5. Fins “Have you had @N@1 $ex with a woman before?"
6. Josh: “that we are the champions thing was one of the gayest things I have ever seen."
Zav- “all it means is we know how to have fun”

7. Wahl: “Stay on your feet Tonge!!!”
8. Joe: "you deserve a stranger tonight!”
9. Fins: “I’m a dirty man.”
10. And finally, No one can forget .. “the screaming seagull”… especially if you have tried it…

STRIPES REPORT

Richie can get cut down from behind slammed face first into the boards but if I get near a guy and have my stick on a guy I get 2 minutes….
The K-guys can pull ball after ball into their body ( hockey ball that is) and not get a delay penalty…I don’t know…………we won (woohoo) so I guess I shouldn’t complain

SCRATCHES

Dave Chan… He is done walking … couldn’t make the flight up …
Peek DNQ scratch
Wahl (eyeball)
Ryan Hartnett- had to set up chairs for his stag – (Harry has tickets)
Badding- DNQ scratch


Three Stars of tonight’s game, voted on by members of the media and anyone who says something after the game.

1. Denny – 6 goals and 2 assists, Iv’e never see him hustle more or move faster….
2. Farr- he mad a lot of nice saves and played on “potentially a broken ankle (heck we didn’t know at the time)”
3. Fins 3 assists he played ½ the third and both overtimes…


Regular season STATS
PP 0% (2-2)
YTD 56% (14-25) 1-3 - 2 man adv, 1 SHG against

PK% 100% (1-1)
YTD% 96% 24-25 (1-1, 7min adv) (1-1, 5 min) (2 man 4-4)


PPGoals
Denny (4)
Tongue (3)
Fins(3)
Grundistch (2)
Janos (1)
Jeff Zawada (1)

SHGoals
Fins (3)
Denny(3)
Wahl (2)
Stayoch (1)
Tongue (1)
Joe Zawada (1)


BY THE NUMBERS - PLAYOFFS ONLY
7-8 on PK, 3 SHG 2 by Denny and 1 by Stayoch
3-5 on PP, Goals by Denny (3) and Joe Z

Denny 3 G (13) 1A (4)
Kalinski 1G (2) (2A)
Jeff Z. 1G (1)
Joe Z (1G)
Fins 3 A (8)
Stayoch 1 G (3) 1A (3)
Tonge (1G)
Hellert (1A)

Monday, September 10, 2007

Let's Finish the Summer First

One more game left--- it's us against the Knockaroundz, last time we met we tied 4-4 that was without Richie, Peek, Zav, Fins and Chan.

Remember we scored one and they called it back on the "infamous" 60-ft is better than 3 feet high stick call.

Like DuQuin said after the game when asked what we happened-
"We missed Ricky and Mike."


5:30 PM est lets come with our A game and we will triumph.

Signing off

Victory belongs to the more persevering
Napolean Bonaparte

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Hockey Fall '07

Hey all,

I took a look at the schedule, as it stands today, for the Fall '07/Spring '08 Spiders season and did a little analysis since Harry and Tom said it was lopsided..

This is what I came up with:
5:30 - 4 games
6:30 - 5 games
7:30 - 6 games
8:30 - 3 games
9:30 - 3 games
10:30 - 4 games
11:30 - 3 games

Out of a 28 game season I think this schedule is pretty good.. We can't get away from the 10:30 and 11:30 games so I think we got a good schedule.

Hopefully it stays this way!!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Spiders at Wrigley Field, Chicago

Last month my father-in-law, Rick McClure, had the chance to go to historic Wrigley Field and partake in a Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers game.


So, one could not resist asking if he would represent the Spiders colors in the windy city.





Considering Rick, like most of us, is up for anything crazy and fun, he said yes!





In fact, he even had someone in the crowd ask where he got the jersey... cause he (the guy) had one just like it! Crazy.





Kudos to Rick!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

How they fixed my Eyeball!

Well, its been a week since the surgery and things are slowly starting to get better. I am glad they did not tell me everything. The end result will be wonderful, but the process so far has been pretty much hell. They say "no pain, no gain." I say, "NO SHIT!"

The idea that someones life, and thus their eyeball, will allow for me to see again is very surreal. Yea, it is not a heart or liver or even a lung, but a gift nevertheless that would not be possible in any other form. For that I am eternally grateful. Thank You.

Anyway, much thanks go out to my loving wife Kelly and my parents for putting up with my sorry ass... and for all who have called, texted, emailed and sent over gifts. Nice to know that when you "go off the grid" people actually care.

Now, seriously. Ali Gage, model and actress was 28 when diagnosed with Keratonconus. A corneal transplant was done. The below link is a slide-show of her surgery from 2001. Some things are little different now, but it's very similar.

Go to: http://www.fyeye.com/power-point/agcornea-transplant/Ali-Transplant/sld002.htm

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Spider's 2nd Annual Family Picnic

Sorry to say that due to problems coordinating the Spider's 2nd Annual Family Picnic, where everyone is available to attend, the party will be cancelled for 2007. We can't find a date that will work for everyone.

We will try again next year.

As soon as Harry is better I will have him change the Spider's Social Events Calendar to include the cancellation.

Trail Pictures!!!!!!!




Saturday, August 11, 2007

Rebuilding #77 - Harry's right eyeball

WHAT IS KERATOCONUS
About 1/ 2000 people will develop keratoconus. Most people will have a mild or moderate form of the disease. Less than 10% of keratoconics will develop the most severe form. It typically is diagnosed in the late teens or twenties. However, many people have been diagnosed in their mid to late thirties; this is usually a more mild form of the disease. It is common for one eye to precede faster than the other and the eyes may go for long periods of time without any change and then change dramatically over a period of months.


A corneal transplant may be needed when vision cannot be corrected satisfactorily using other procedures such as contact lenses and glasses, or if painful swelling cannot be relieved by medications. When the cornea becomes "opaque" or gray/white (see uper photo) from disease or injury or painful from swelling or blisters, it no longer functions as the "clear window" of the eye. It then acts more like a "soapy" window which you cannot clearly see through. Even if the rest of the eye is healthy, a cloudy cornea will obstruct clear vision. Of all the transplant surgery done today (hearts, lungs, kidneys, etc.) corneal transplants are by far the most common and successful.


A corneal transplant, also known as a corneal graft, or as a penetrating keratoplasty, involves the removal of the central portion called a button (see right photo) of the diseased cornea and replacing it with clear healthy donor button. The donor cornea button is sewed into the defect created by removal of the diseased cornea. Tiny hair-thin sutures or stitches are used to anchor the graft to the host tissue.
The postoperative recovery is a long one, but in most cases, resumption of normal activities may occur soon after surgery with some reasonable limitations. For example, lifting heavy objects or strenuous exercise must be avoided until directed otherwise by the physician. Until the eye has healed, glasses or an eye shield must be worn to protect the eye. The sutures used to sew the donor cornea in place are barely visible and do not cause pain. It is normal for the eye to feel scratchy or irritated for the first few days following surgery. As the cornea heals, some of the stitches used to sew the donor tissue into place are removed. This can be done quite easily in the doctor's office. The final improvement in vision is gradual and occurs six to twelve months post-operatively.

Monday, July 30, 2007

ZawadaBowl 2007 is a success!


Yep. That is right. Jeff Zawada actually has an official sanctioned BEER PONG TABLE!


Word has it on the street that it will be at the 3rd Annual Wahl Labor Day Party on Sunday, September 2!
.
(pictured LtoR) Norm looks on as Mike Stayoch tosses and Joe Zawada conteplates his next shot.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Another Future Spider: Christopher John Farr


Name: Christopher John Farr
Age: 1 day
Weight: 7 pounds, 7 ounces
Height: 19 inches
Position: Goalie Coach

Friday, July 20, 2007

Future Spider: Trent Grundtisch

Hey guys

I tried to wear my jersey into the operating room, but was denied....had to wear scrubs. So I had to wait until we got home to take a picture. So, what position do you think he'll play? I was thinking D because we need a little more speed back there!

-Tim

Here's his stats:
Name: Trent Timothy Grundtisch
Age: 6 days
Weight: 5 pounds, 8 ounces
Height: 19.5 inches
Shoots: unknown (already has a harder shot than his dad!)

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Spiders in Little Egg Harbor, NJ

This is from my trip to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey on the 4th of July.




This is Steve Gasowski's parents place. Awesome view. You can see Atlantic City across the bay at night and during the day before the haze rolls in. They are right at the main and only boat inlet to Great Bay

Not a bad place to call home, except for those damn "Green Heads!"