What Does Bobby Ryan Help the Ducks With?

Something of a contract is certainly worthy for one player. If it's for Bobby Ryan, then it had better be a large contract.

Yes, a few weeks ago before the preseason started, Bobby Ryan received a 5-year deal from the Anaheim Ducks, which he accepted with gracious honors. I'm sure he feels relieved he is finally coming back to his own team, and the Ducks are finally glad that he's staying on even though he was a restricted free agent.

So now that we've covered that let's take a look at what has happened during his preseason time? I can only cover a certain amount of action, like the Coyotes-Ducks game on September 21st and the Ducks-Kings game on September 28th.

He played very well in both games scoring the lone goal in the first game for the Ducks. He seems like a very reliable player with speed and agility to help him get past even the most supreme of defenses.

Okay, I'm just kidding. He is that great of a player. So what does he help the Ducks with? Many of those problem areas, I know. He is able to crack through tough defenses, look for the loose pucks, and jam them in the back of the net. Yes, that's exactly what the Ducks need in order to reclaim that postseason birth.

However, his role hasn't been that easy. He's had trouble last season even though he was very productive in getting goals and it looks like he'll have to do a lot better this season in order to get back into the playoffs.

So guess what? We've seen Bobby Ryan before and we'll see the good ol' scoring guy he really is. Keep watching out for him. He's dangerous, he's fast, and he can score before you even have a chance to react.

Writing a Lot of Essays

A blog post will be written about Bobby Ryan tomorrow. He recently got a 5-year deal from the Anaheim Ducks and I'll write a post on what I think about the new deal and the future for my Ducks.

In the meantime, let me write something that has gotten me feel a little tired and overwhelmed all the time: Writing essays. Yes, yes. Writing essays is not fun for anybody, but it's a requirement in middle school, high school, and college.

Well, see, I go to Whittier College. Now this college is a writing intensive school. You know what that means? More essays. Lots of essays. Essays that blow your brain up and leave you feeling flat.

Writing essays is not something anybody should be ashamed of. Sure we have problems with mechanics, writing, grammar skills, and so what. But the fact of the matter is we have no control over what essays we do and how we do them.

We're trained in very different areas of essay writing. I was taught that the thesis statement is the first thing you say in a paragraph. Now after listening to my peer mentors and my faculty advisor say that the thesis statement comes at the end of the sentence and a hook comes at the first, I was thinking "What the?"

Yes, I do have a different way of writing and Whittier College feels like it should change that so I live under a different level. It doesn't really make sense. We can write an essay however we want but now we have to learn a different way to write?

Heck I'm just saying: I may be a writer, but I'm not a pressure cooker. If I write under pressure or in a different system, you'll see me get an F faster than a bird can learn how to fly.

So yes essays are tough and things always seem to go downhill whenever somebody writes an essay. But lift your head high. We're not all losers at this time and sometimes we even learn a lesson from them. Take essays like an adventure. Write the first few words and let the pen and the mind take the rest.

We don't love essays and sometimes they do haunt us, but it's for our benefit to have success in the outside world. So take the essays seriously. They might be hard and they might be tough, but in the end, it'll all be worth it, both as a writer and anywhere in the future careers.

Three Things I'm Pissed Off About: My College, the Angels' closer problems, and Nikolai Khabibulin

There are many things in the world that piss us off. Of course, most of them are relationships, stress, evil teachers, etc. Are they all the source of one problem or many problems altogether? That's not the question I'm pondering about. I've decided to include some things that I'm very angry about these last few days and they all span some topic that I'm trying to cover in most of my daily life.
The first thing I'm pissed off about is my college. Now recently I have been accepted to Whittier College and went there, like I was supposed that. Unfortunately, everything I had expected didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it. You see, I'm part of the largest class size Whittier ever has, as a result of more and more people graduating. So it's hard to make friends in this kind of environment especially with a big number of people.
When you first go off to college, do you expect a fresh start in a new environment? Or is the drama that was high school starting to linger over you? Actually, to be honest, I am feeling like Whittier College has become a high school. Honestly. I can see some groups starting to click and form cliques. The relationships are blossoming within different people. Whether or not they meant it or not, that is what I picture. The teachers are a far more serious problems. On the first few days of school, it's like a living crap nightmare. They start handing out hard homework assignments like it's supposed to be a mass murder.
Now let me say something here: This is stupid and I am almost to the edge of the cliff and about to fall in. I have walked into a mess and have no idea how to get out of it. Will it pan out okay? Honestly, I doubt it and I always regret everything I do. I think it's stupid and insaneful that people are starting to form their own groups and avoid the unrealistic topic of what's at hand. I'm not used to college life and I don't think I want to be. In fact, I don't think I was ready for college at all. I think I'm just scared of new people and people in general. Maybe I'm just plain stupid, that's all. But here's the thing: When you enter a nightmare and a nightmare like this college, the memories last like glue and paste.
Okay, those are all what I think. Unless somebody comments or tells me otherwise, that is my perception. I'm not after anybody or anyone else. I'm just totally insecure in how I want to deal with my life. I want to make a name for myself in some way, but I want to be off campus a lot, which I am. I'm gone, I'm not involved in school-related activities, and honestly, I'd rather not get involved, unless, of course, you tell me a good reason that I should. I want to live a good life, and right now, some of you might not be giving that to me. I hope I'm wrong and I hope there is some way to correct this but for right now, I don't know where I'm going.
Okay, that's enough about my college hectics. The next thing I'm pissed off about is the Los Angeles Angels' closer problems. Unfortunately, the Angels decided to give Fernando Rodney a chance at the closer role by trading away Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for some players. I have only a few things to say about this.
Is this another dumb move the Angels are planning? Or is there a darker force behind this? I've seen Fernando Rodney pitch and he gives up more runs than any other Angels pitchers combined. So I don't know why they would trust Rodney with the closer role. They've seen him pitch as well. They know the same results as the ones I've seen. So why are they trying to do this to themselves? You're already out of the playoffs and all you're doing is sacking your players for the future. I'd rather jump off bridge than see Fernando Rodney pitch. It will always be the same, unless I watch otherwise. Rodney needs to pitch better if he is planning on having a future with the Angels. Then again, he did poorly with the Tigers and it's possible he won't return to the Angels.
Here's the last point I'll make. It's an NHL point so at least I went back to the topic for a past of this post. It's about Nikolai Khabibulin. Okay, some of us have heard the story. Others haven't. I actually happened to only hear about a part of this story so I had to do a little research on ESPN to find out the actual story. What I read was from September 1. According to that report, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which stemmed from a drunken-driving conviction in Arizona. Now he's trying to appeal it. And I have one thing to say for Nikolai: You shouldn't have been drinking and driving in the first place. Hey, Arizona already has the new immigration law. If by chance, they can arrest you on both accounts. Oh wait, sorry. You're legally allowed to be in this country. Well actually you play for Edmonton so you suck all the time now.
I don't want Khabibulin in goal for the Oilers this season. Let another player play his position in goal. I want Devan Dubnyk instead of this dope. Hey, he may not play all as well but he's a pretty good fire in net for those Oilers who need help to get back into the Western Conference this season. After all, the Oilers became a team of discontent or, in other words, sucky. So good luck Khabibulin, at least if you do get sentenced to 30 days, at least you don't have to be on a sucky team.
Well, that's the end of my day. Yeah, it's pretty long, isn't it? Well, there's a lot of say and there's plenty of time to say it. Unless you're writing at 1:29 in the morning in which case there's not a whole lot you could say. But I said a lot, didn't I? Those are my three things I'm most pissed off about right now. Comment on any way you choose. I'm just saying opinions. If you find something really harsh, I apologize but I didn't mean to target anybody or anything. Just remember that. Rememer to keep reading those hockey insights. The season's fast approaching so there'll be more and more coming. Later, bros and puckheads.

Why You Can Never Be Too Sure About the Coyotes

So what if you don't have all the money to stay in a place that doesn't promote hockey? What if fans are continuing to empty Jobing.com Arena overtime? If the Coyotes plan on trying to rebuild themselves in the Phoenix area, it might have been too little too late. Or are they staying? The money and the investors are not willing to come to a team that has had trouble selling out tickets in a place that doesn't promote hockey as much as football, basketball, or baseball.
So we can honestly say that the Coyotes will not be in Phoenix past this year. Wait a minute. Let's not just jump to conclusions. The fact of the matter is is that the Coyotes are a team that you can never be too sure about. I mean, think about it. If the news reports says that the Coyotes have found some new investors and then another source says that the investors never even knew the team, you've got yourself a problem there, right?
The team is rebuilding under head coach Dave Tippett, but the financial troubles are still taking big hits on this young and playoff bound team. It looks like the chances of staying in Phoenix are slim to none. For me, the better bet for this team is to try and rebuild somewhere else. You won't help yourself trying to get more money in Phoenix because this team can't sell out and its losing money overtime just staying there.
We don't expect to see the reports about the Coyotes getting bought yet. I mean, if you look at it, you can create a lot more money and better investors if the team plays in Canada. So, is it inevitable that the team move up to Canada? Unfortunately, yes. I'm so sorry for a team that couldn't help themselves in the desert, but a change of scenario might help them out of a increasingly high debt.

How Niemi Helps The Sharks

Apparently, the San Jose Sharks felt that bringing in Antero Niittymaki wasn't enough to provide a solid goaltender for their team. So who they go out and get in replacement?

The guy who knocked them out of the playoffs the following year.

Yes, the San Jose Sharks have inked a deal with the former Blackhawk goaltender Antti Niemi on a reported 1-year, $2 million deal. A 1-year deal? Wait a minute. So they don't expect him to be there longer?

Hey, the Blackhawks didn't want him because of the salary cap, so they bring in former Dallas goaltender Marty Turco. He is one of eight players that was gone from the Stanley-Cup winning team. Now he's part of the team just trying to win that cup after being scrutinized by reporters and the press alike.

Niemi helps the Sharks in their goaltending situation. I don't think Niittymaki can carry this team all the way into the playoffs. After all, he's only got 73 minutes of playoff experience. Antti Niemi has a longer span of playoff experience.

He helps a team that lost Nabokov to a Russian team this past offseason and a solid defense that could use a little more help in goal feeling Niittymaki might not be the right fit for them. He has an excellent stance in goal, a more butterfly-like one that's able to stop even the hardest of shots by the opposing team.

So do we think the Sharks have the potential to go far now that Niemi has landed in San Jose? Well, I wouldn't think too far. They aren't the Blackhawks, so there's a chance they could get upset by many minor teams. But we'll see. If Niemi is as good in San Jose as he was in Chicago, the Sharks should have no problem winning a Stanley Cup this year.