Saturday, October 10, 2009

STALKER REPORT: OCTOBER EDITION



Good morning, and welcome to Joni Bologni's "Ex-Player Stalker Report.”

Unlike my cohorts, who follow the game for the love of the sport, I attend games mostly for the, shall we say…view. And just because the median age of our team is what- sixteen? (Ok, maybe 22) and I now qualify as a dirty old woman, I still feel this report provides a valuable service to those who love the boys and the game.

So, without further ado, the First Edition.

Let’s just say, it was a cruel summer. October will mark the return of many fine players, including our beloved team captain, but a lot of my old favorites simply won’t return. Mole, Hart, (and a certain favorite D-man who shall remain nameless), to mention a few, have all moved on to hopefully bigger and better things, though they will be sorely missed.

On the up side, one of our favorites, Sixsmith, is back for another go (even if it can’t be long before a player of his caliber is back in the AHL). Still, the excitement of an almost completely new team hangs in the air. Who will emerge as the hot new prospect, the seasoned veteran, the trash talking inciter of violence? Will the goalie be a brick wall, or a crazy hot-head who rushes the opponent’s bench for no discernible reason? The adrenaline rushes, the mouth waters- the first puck cannot drop too soon!

But all in good time. For now, let’s check up on some of our dearly departed boys.


UPDATE ONE: So, so sad.

Sigh. This is a picture of my face when it was announced Andy Sertich would be headed overseas next season. Serty’s relentless pursuit of the puck, combined with his ability to play consistently for a million minutes a game made him by far my favorite player last year. The focus and work ethic he brought to every shift was really a pleasure to watch. I also really like his hair.

But enough reminiscing- onward to the future: Serty now plays for the Medvescak Bears, a Croatian team in the Austrian League (Erste Bank Eishockey Liga). Sertich, of Slavic lineage, is picked up under the point system as a Croatian-American. I can’t believe I have to learn Croatian now. Wanna see Andy score on a Croat? About a minute in, watch for him in blue, number 15:







Double Sigh. Send us a link if you know where to watch these games in their entirety. You’ll notice it’s a pretty packed crowd- sold out in the first 24 hours, as rumor has it. The league is attempting to re-build a love of hockey in the nation after a little hiatus due to, well, a war. We wish them the best, and as long as Serty’s wearing the Bears’ blue they can count on us as die-hard Medvescak fans.

Croatian word of the day:

Branič: defenseman


STALKER REPORT PREVIEW: Next Edition- Evan Kotsopoulos

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