Plus/Minus

My fellow hockey-loving readers are well-acquainted with the curious and frequently debated player statistic known as the plus/minus. But even if you couldn't care less about hockey, the plus/minus has some life lessons to teach us all. Non-hockey people, I see you shaking your heads, but bear with me and I promise I'm gonna get you there. Hockey buddies, you can laugh at me if you wish, because I'll probably deserve it.

Simply put, the plus/minus is a way of measuring the net result of the good and bad elements of a players performance when they're on the ice. When good things happen, like your team scoring a goal, you get a plus towards your rating - the hockey version of a gold star on your kindergarten activity report. If something bad happens, like the OTHER team scoring, you get a minus. Easy enough right? But here's the REALLY fun part. When your team scores a goal, EVERYONE on the ice gets a gold star, not just the shooter that put the actual biscuit in the basket. Of course, this also means that when bad stuff happens, everyone gets penalized, even if only one player made a real big mistake. The assignment of credit or blame to everyone, and how it impacts individual players, is what rankles fans when their particular player starts taking a hit on his plus/minus stat.

Let's look at my pal Drew Doughty for example.



He logs more time on ice than any defenceman on the Kings entire team. Walking around in every day life, he's a hell of a player. But when the team struggles, his plus/minus goes down with everyone else, even if he did everything right on a shift and the other 4 dudes out there on the ice were completely slacking. How is this fair? Drew is AMAZING, but some hack that doesn't follow the Kings looks at me like, "Why do you like this guy? His plus/minus sucks." Now for the record, Drew is a +8 right now, so no one that knows anything about hockey would say that to me, but you get the idea.

It's fair because the plus/minus process is a lot like life. When we have success, it's rarely achieved alone. We have the support and love of others to help get us there, even if they don't get direct recognition. The same goes for failures. While we may ultimately make the decision alone that leads there, we impact others in big and small ways. This is the reason I love hockey - it's a true team sport, where success and responsibility are shared. Just like life.

So I thought it would be funny to give myself a plus/minus rating for the first official Monday of the New Year. Here's are my stats:


(-) Failed to get up as early as planned, and started entire day behind schedule

(-) Felt strap on lucky purple bra break while I was sitting in the car on the way into work (this is actually a -2 since this bra has a 4-1 win record at home Kings game since date of purchase)

(-) Bra managed to break on a "hair up" day, making MacGyver'ed solution of tying straps in halter configuration in Starbucks bathroom less than ideal

(+) Consumed morning Starbucks out of reusable car cup (new environmentally friendly me)

(+) Remembered to bring lunch to save expense of buying

(+) Survived entire day at work wearing MacGyver bra without being detected by co-workers

(+) Limited caffeine consumption to 1 Starbucks and avoided customary second stop on way home

(-) Arrived home and logged into Facebook to the dismay of continued flap over my Caps jersey episode at the last Kings game

(+) Successfully completed first date with elliptical training in over a month

(+) Spent evening listening to tremendous Kings win on radio! Drew makes 4 assists and is #1 Star of the Game! (That's a plus 2!)

So if my math is correct, I'm a +2. Not bad for a Monday....

Pressure to Be Perfect

In the last days of 2009, I spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about the amount of “carry over” I would have into the New Year. Unfinished blogs, undelivered and overdue Christmas presents....and the list goes on. I wanted it to be a “perfect” start to the New Year - a clean slate. All old projects finished, all to-do list items crossed off. But instead of making a race to the finish line on my last “productive" day of 2009, I listened to a really frustrating Kings vs Calgary loss on the radio and drank a beer instead. Clearly one of my New Years resolutions should have been FOCUS!

Intent on learning something from my “failure,” I got thinking about the concept of perfection. Where does the drive to be perfect come from? Does our society expect it? Is it inbred in us as human beings? Or am I just OCD and need to get over it? Frankly all of these explanations are plausible. But let’s try and solve the fundamental problem and figure out what it takes to become perfect, since none of us start out that way.

Let’s start by looking at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition...or as I found in this case, definitions.

1 a : being entirely without fault or defect : flawless b : satisfying all requirements : accurate c : corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept d : faithfully reproducing the original; specifically : letter-perfect e : legally valid
2 : expert, proficient
3 a : pure, total b : lacking in no essential detail : complete c obsolete : sane d : absolute, unequivocal e : of an extreme kind : unmitigated

Everyone knows the old saying referenced in definition number 2, “Practice makes perfect.” It’s a hopeful idea. If you just work hard enough at something, you will eventually become perfect. Maybe not flawless, but at least expert and proficient. You don’t need to have special God-given talents to be perfect, you just have to put in the work.

Then somewhere along the way, some well intentioned teacher, coach or personal motivator morphed the saying into “Perfect practice makes perfect.” If you’re an athlete, this makes sense because of the concept of muscle memory. If you do something enough times, you muscles just remember to go that way, even if it’s the wrong way. Huh. So now I not only have to practice, but I probably have to practice even more to overcome any mistakes I made learning the process in the first place. All this adds up to PRESSURE. Pressure, at least for me, leads to procrastination. Which is exactly how I got to the point of writing this blog about the less than perfect start of my New Year.

So if the search for perfection is so full of pressure, why even bother? Let’s just all acknowledge defeat and go have a beer. We bother because it is our nature as human beings to strive to be better, more than we are. And in the end, I think continuing to push higher is more important than being perfect .

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is perfection.

Kings vs Caps: The Battle of the Great 8's

To say that this afternoon's contest between the Caps and Kings was a huge deal may be the understatement of the century. In addition to being a true showdown between the most dynamic player in hockey (Washington's Alex Ovechkin) and the 20-year phenom tasked with defending him (LA's own Drew Doughty), it was the ONE time this year I wasn't wearing a Kings jersey on my back at Staples Center. At least Drew and Ovie wear the same number - so I'm always wearing #8.



That did not keep my Kings buddies (including the cameramen) from harassing me all night, however. I was called a traitor by at least 4 people, either in person or on Facebook posts. But you know what, I've got big shoulders, so I can handle it. And Nadine knows that no matter how much I love her, if the Kings were playing the Caps in the Stanley Cup final, I would be wearing a KINGS JERSEY! She's on her own with her Caps then!

We knew the Caps would be a tough opponent at any time, but the thought of playing them on a Saturday AFTERNOON? Saturday matinee games have been like kryptonite for the Kings this year, and we hadn't won ANY of them going into this contest. To combat the Saturday curse, all the bloggers and news outlets that cover the Kings were encouraged to have fans attempt a "Black Out," where all the fans wore a black jersey, preferably the Kings 3rd "shield" jersey since we have a terrific win record in those.

The first period, surprisingly, went to the Kings. Ovechkin went to the box. Drew threw a MASSIVE hip check on the Caps Mike Green. The Kings outshot the Caps 11-4, and scored the first goal, with an assist to Drew! Looks like Steve Yzerman picked the right defenseman for Team Canada. Sorry Green!

In the second, the Caps caught up on the shot front, and the Kings took several penalties, so thank goodness our PK had it together. Drew had one really crazy "Air Doughty" moment defending the Caps Brooks Laich, and all I could think was "PLEASE don't land on your head, kid!" Luckily Drew was fine, but later in the period the Caps got on the board and tied it 1-1.

Going into the third, I was holding my breath and silently hoping for a miracle. The Kings got the go-ahead goal early in the 3rd (thanks for that short-hander Zeus!), there was a lot of pushing and shoving at one point between Drew and Ovie, and if my lip-reading was right Drew was actually yelling at one of the zebras looking for a penalty. And the best part? When the buzzer sounded and the Kings had actually WON (2-1 was the final score), Drew was the first player to bear hug our goalie Jon Quick! I almost cried!

My one major fail of the game was missing the best photo opportunity of the evening. Someone made a sign that read "Our #8 is better than your #8," and one of the camera guys got it up on the Jumbotron. I was laughing so hard reading it I totally forgot to capture the moment. If anyone has a shot of it, please get in touch with me. I'm sure Drew's fan club would love to have that one.

I did capture THIS moment. Pretty darn cool on the Kings part to celebrate the boys like that during such a big game. I can't wait for the Olympics!



And now for the difficult task of choosing the "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night." I have to say, the Caps GM George McPhee has assembled a hot looking team. I could not find ONE unattractive guy. How is that even possible? I have no idea, but just trust me here. This line-up literally has hotness for every taste.

Of course, you have to start with Ovie. He's got that rakish, bad boy hotness...and when he smiles with that missing front tooth....yeah....



Mike Green...just like a little teddy bear with that mop of hair! And he looked straight at me!



Then you have Nicklas Backstrom, that adorable little Swedish meatball. He looks like he's twelve, but in a totally cute way.



And...*sigh*....Jose Theodore..... He's French-Canadian, and even if he's missing the "tall" he's got the "dark and handsome" part covered...and then some.



But in the end, what's not to like about the very tall and handsome drink of water that is Brooks Laich! His OWN TEAMMATES all vote him their most eligible bachelor, so in the end he won out. My friend Chelsea loves him, so this choice should make her happy too.



Congrats Brooksie! You're the "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night." Look for your award certificate in the mail in 2 weeks. Chelsea's cell number will be on the back.

And let's hope the Kings can capitalize on the incredible energy from this win, because our next task is another tough one. We're swimming with the Western Conference-leading Sharks at the "Shark Tank" in San Jose Monday.

GO KINGS GO!

Hockey New Year!

So after a long and incredibly fun night with the girls, the RIGHT thing to do on New Year's Day would be sleep in, right? Nothing doing! After getting to bed at 3 AM, Chelsea and I were up at 7:30 AM to get ready, make a Starbucks stop and head to the Toyota Sports Center to watch the visiting Washington Capitals practice. Since they played in San Jose on Wednesday, they came straight to LA to hang out until their game against the Kings tomorrow.

Nadine had gotten some good information that the Caps would start their practice at 9 AM, since the Kings flew in late the night before. When we arrived at the practice rink....no Caps. One of the staff then confirmed they had pushed their practice back to 3 PM, and the Kings didn't take the ice until 12:30, so we had time to kill. And we needed a TV....

Why? Because the other big thing going on today was the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston, featuring the Boston Bruins vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. Hockey outside, like it was first played. AWESOME! So I remembered the name of a sports bar down the street, Googled their info (God, I love my iPhone), called and confirmed they were both open and had the game on. So off we went to kill some time, eat and watch hockey at Stick & Stein.

We left around noon, and arrived in time to find the Kings starting their practice. They had a light one owing to a very energetic game (AND A WIN!) in Minnesota the night before. They quit just before the end of the Winter Classic, which by that time was on a TV in the snack bar at TSC. So I was able to see the end of the classic game (congrats to the Bruins on their win) AND the announcement of the US Men's Olympic Hockey Team, which will include 3 KINGS!!!!! Nadine and I were sitting there on folding chairs cheering as Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson and Jonathan Quick's names were announced. What a perfect way to start the new year!

Then, it was FINALLY time to watch the Caps take the ice. Even in practice, they're impressive, and it's easy to tell why they have the best offensive numbers in the NHL. They skate FAST and intense....which makes pictures hard to get, but I managed to snag a couple of my favorites.

Ovie, of course...



And Brooks Laich (plenty to like there!).



It was also very interesting watching Coach Bruce Boudreau, who has previous ties to the Kings organization from his days coaching our AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs.



He might look like he could stand in for Santa Claus if he grew a beard, but he is TOUGH in practice, constantly chirping and pushing the guys. And he's a taskmaster in other ways too. Alexander Semin made the mistake of missing a pass on a routine drill because he wasn't paying attention, so he had to drop on the ice and do push-ups.

He looked a little embarrassed as he was getting up.



At one point, Nadine and I looked at each other, and voiced the same thought in unison regarding the Kings chances in tomorrow's game.

"We're screwed."

New Years Eve 2009: Resolutions

Since New Year's Eve would not be complete without resolutions, my plan with the girls was to spend a little time during our evening to record a video describing our individual resolutions for 2010. Unfortunately, it was a little too dark for video, but I took enough pictures that I found one to give you a corresponding visual image for each resolution.

Chelsea resolved to drink less soda (or as you Midwestern folk call it...pop) and eat less candy.



Looks like she's substituted our bartender's "Ryan Special" for the soda. Great work, Chelsea!

Brianna resolved to be less of a lightweight.



She's clearly well on her way. Way to go, Bri!!

Jen resolved to be more "girly."




OK. Tiara - check! Sparkly accessories - check! Make-up - check! Hiding behind paper beard...hmmmmm. That's a fail.



And lost the heels on the walk home...still, you get partial credit Jen. Keep up the good work and we'll have you there in no time!

My resolution was to take fewer self-portraits....










I clearly have work to do...

New Years Eve 2009: The "What Not To Wear" Blog

So the best thing about celebrating New Year's Eve at Sharkeez last night (besides the excellent company of my girls Chelsea, Jen and Bri) was people watching. We saw quite a few people who should make resolutions to do one of the following in 2010:

• Buy a mirror
• Take a buddy shopping (preferably one with better taste)
• Audition for "What Not to Wear" and get Clinton and Stacey's help
  

After you've reviewed these examples, if you don't understand what I'm getting at, see the list above.

Let's start with the employees. This is the hostess....



Now, I totally GET that this is your typical college hook-up club-wear bar, but I'm worried you're gonna get your walkie-talkie all tangled up in those fabric strips, and what a hot mess that would be.

Speaking of hot mess....



The last time I checked, there is only ONE Lady Gaga. YOU are not her. Please find the rest of your clothes and quit offending everyone in a 50 mile radius.

And these are just...just....indefensible!





No, no no.....NOT the shoes. I gotta admit, I'm having a little moment of shoe envy right now. I'm referring to the sequined explosion you're calling pants. If your goal with this outfit was getting your date to stare at your ass all night, CONGRATS! Mission accomplished. But I gotta say, even if I had your ass, this is the last thing I would put on it.

And FYI...HE doesn't seem to understand those pants either.

You, my spiky haired friend, are a reject from Jersey Shore.



Please refrain from buying anything with Ed Hardy on it until further notice, and you may look a LITTLE less like a complete douche.

Oh, honey! You're clearly gay, so you MUST have something better in your closet. Please put it on....NOW.



And finally, if this EVER happens to me, I beg someone to take me into the woods, but a gun to my head and end it.



Have a FASHIONABLE New Year!

Flat Stanley Spends Christmas in Delaware!

Happy Holidays from Delaware!

Boy, has it been a busy Christmas weekend here with Meg's family. More new people to meet and so many neat things to see! I barely know where to start, but I'm going to do my best.

On Christmas Eve, Meg went over to her brother's house to see family there, including her two nephews. I stayed home because I was still REALLY tired from the night before, and Meg said things can be a little crazy when her nephews start ripping open their piles of presents. But I got to meet them the next day, on Christmas, when everyone came to Meg's Mommy's house for something called brunch, which is between lunch and breakfast. I was just glad that Santa managed the trip and left everyone presents!



Meg's nephews are a lot of fun! The little one on the left is Michael, and he's six years old. The big one in all the Philadelphia Phillies gear is Will. He's 11 and Meg says he's a very good baseball player, which is why he likes the Phillies so much. Apparently Philadelphia, PA is not far from Delaware, so they are the closest baseball team to cheer for.



We had lots of food, opened presents, and then the boys went home to play with their new ping-pong table they got as a family gift for Christmas. I took a nap while Meg went over to play with them for a while. Those boys certainly know how to wear you out!

The next day, Meg and her Mommy took me to a place called Grotto Pizza, which is very famous in this part of Delaware. Grotto has been making pizza since Meg was a little kid, and that's a very long time!



Meg misses Grotto Pizza so much that she makes a trip there every time she comes back to Delaware. It looks like the Grotto people know what they're doing, because that sure is a good looking pizza!



Meg also said they make very good Philadelphia-style cheese steak sandwiches, so I got to try some of that too. That sandwich is almost as big as me!



By the end of dinner, we were so stuffed we took half the pizza home and had it for breakfast the next day. I never knew cold pizza could taste so good!

Before we left Delaware to fly back to California, Meg took me on a little tour of Rehoboth Beach, DE and we got to see the Atlantic Ocean!





Rehoboth Beach is where Meg and her friends spent a lot of time during the summer when they were growing up. There is a boardwalk that follows the line of the beach, so people can walk above the sand. It was hard getting pictures of the boardwalk, because parts of it are being replaced because of damage from storms the last few years. I mostly enjoyed looking at the water.

Meg also pointed out a very famous Rehoboth Beach and State of Delaware landmark, the Dolle's sign!



Dolle's sells salt water taffy, which is the souvenir most people take home from Rehoboth when they visit. Unfortunately I didn't get any to take back to Mary in Rhode Island because Dolle's is closed during the winter. I guess that means I'll have to find a way to come back!

And we missed Santa too!



He's probably on his own flight back to the North Pole.

It's been a whirlwind trip, but I'm really glad I came so I could meet some of Meg's family. And once the snow went away, Delaware is a pretty nice place to visit. But I really do want to come back another time, because salt water taffy sounds yummy, especially after more Grotto Pizza...

But first, we have a long trip back to Los Angeles. And the next time I get to write to you, it will be a new year! I can't wait to see what will happen in 2010!!