Finally! KISS Goes Into Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame

It's about FREAKING time!  KISS is in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame.  Did I miss something?  Did Jan Wenner die or something?  I mean it couldn't have taken anything less, right?  Wenner hates KISS!  Is he still editor-at-large?

At any rate, KISS has entered the RNRHOF.  They're in about 14 years too late if you ask me.  Seriously? Madonna, Jay-Z (don't even get me started on how rap artists are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), ABBA are in the HOF (all of them on their first try, or ballot) but KISS, who are the most successful American rock band in history with over 100 million albums sold, 40 years of longevity and an inspiration to thousands of rockers; famous or not, took an extra 14 years after eligibility? Criminal.
Another point-referred by a reader in the comments section of the following album ranking list-all this recent attention (could one say adulation?) to KISS is ironic given that "in the seventies,every mention of the band in Rolling Stone was short, contemptible and dismissive."  In other words, the "selection committee" at the RNR Hall of Fame and especially those who are part of that committee from Rolling Stone magazine are still total jack-holes.

And another long-overdue accomplishment?  KISS finally lands on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.  A long time coming.  Of course, the interviews accompanying the article went fishing for dirty laundry between Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.  Not surprising for a magazine and editor that gave the band absolutely no respect in the last 40, count 'em 40 years.
The fact that six other former and present members of the band are not being honored is a debate for another post.  I'm just glad the original pioneers have rightfully, finally, been honored.

As with other bands RS has honored, the magazine has ranked their studio albums.  Obviously there are going to be conflicting opinions on this, especially given that the magazine's editor doesn't like the band in the first place (as that goes to show their late induction is not about their music, popularity, inspiration, longevity or any other legitimate reason, it's simply because Jan Wenner hates the band)  So it was his decision to ostracize the band and no one else's despite what bogus and bias claims Wenner spewed out.

KISS, the hottest band in the world is finally in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Long live rock'n'roll.

                          
The video quality is clearly not the best, but here are the boys words of acceptance upon receiving their awards.
                        

Of course KISS was never intended to actually be inducted into the Hall.  Afterall, it took 14 years to induct them.  As you'll read in this piece from ultimateclassicrock.com, the boys were treated like "uninvited guests," as Paul Stanley put it.  In other words, they were unceremoniously treated like shit.  Nothing less to be expected from a douche bag like Jann Wenner and his cronies.

Read the full transcripts of Tom Morello's induction speech and the acceptance speeches of the boys.

KISS Meets the Press after the induction ceremony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-tBhKaKgE#t=12

                         

In an unrelated story, KISS is also releasing a two-disk CD simply entitled  KISS 40, another greatest hits compilation, although some unreleased material are on them such as demos, rehearsals and live performances.  This goes along with the release of "KISSTERIA," a box set of their re-released vinyl catalog.

My Hockey Night is Dead

No offense to George Stroumboulopoulos, who I believe to be the Canadian Johnny Carson-only in the sense of if you're on the big red chair, you've made it; at least as a Canadian, but he's no Ron MacLean.

Putting aside the "need for change," the news that Rogers has replaced MacLean as host of the iconic Hockey Night in Canada with Stroumboulopoulos has made me fully realize that HNIC is not the one I know.  The Hockey Night in Canada I know doesn't look anything like this.
This cannot stand, but it will.  With the Rogers take-over of pretty much everything hockey on Canadian television, they're calling the shots; so they will do what they will and have.

Again, no disrespect to Stroumboulopoulos, but I grew up with MacLean and Don Cherry (who will be gone soon-and then hired by TSN) and I can't see Stroumbo doing the quick-witted repartee with guests on say, The Hot Stove.  Although he may be a good moderator, he just won't be the guy(s) that I watched as players such Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Mark Messier and other greats hoist the Stanley Cup.  Another thing that bothered me was the role of Bob Cole being reduced.  I can handle, almost applaud, the doing away with Harry Neale (he always sounded drunk to me and his color commentary was the worst) but Cole's play-by-play along with MacLean, Cherry and also the late Don Whitman, who did some fine CFL calls as well.

By the way, the replacement of Cole by ex-TSN talker Jim Hughson doesn't seem a change for the better.  It always sounds like I'm listening to a video game as Hughson has done play-by-play voice-overs for EA Sports.  That's what  fear Stroumboulopoulos will turn Hockey Night in Canada.  I mean I still can't stand the fact TSN has the old HNIC theme music.

I guess, through no fault of Stroumboulopoulos, my Hockey Night in Canada is dead.  The show I would come in and watch after playing hours upon hours on the rink, is gone.  The lineage of memories has been broken.  AWA wrestling, Bugs Bunny and Hockey Night in Canada with a couple of fried cheeseburgers on Polly Ann bread in between doesn't seem to have any meaning anymore.  By the way, the burgers on bread is the very same Eddie Murphy in his 80s gigs would refer as "welfare burgers."  But mom's were awesome.

My Hockey Night in Canada:  1981-2014.

WOO HOO! Canada Wins Gold; Defeat Sweden in Olympic Hockey Championship

For the second straight Olympics, team Canada's men's hockey team is reigning supreme after thoroughly dominating Sweden in the gold medal game in Sochi, Russia; winning 3-0.  Team Canada last won the gold medal against the U.S. in Vancouver in 2010.  They are the first undefeated Olympic champions since the Soviet Union went 7-0 in 1984.

Every so-called expert and analyst (at least on the Canadian side) said this is the best six-man defensive pairings that Canada has ever put on the ice.  There have been greats and legends that have patrolled the blue line for Canada at international hockey events such as Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey.  But, say the analysts, this is the first time Canada has iced six defensemen that each had stifling acumen.  Carey Price picked up consecutive shutouts in the tournament, including the semi-final and championship game.  Canada allowed only three goals the entire tournament, with Price allowing all three in wins against Norway (3-1) and Finland (2-1 OT) in the preliminary round.  In the quarter-final game against Latvia, Price allowed the last one he would (2-1).  Price then earned back-to-back shutouts in the semi-final against the United States (1-0) and the gold medal final against Sweden (3-0)
Roberto Luongo didn't allow any goals as he earned a shutout in his only game in the tournament against Austria (6-0).  Luongo was the starting goalie in Vancouver in 2010, earning gold in his own right.

Canada went undefeated in the tournament, going 3-0 in the round-robin preliminary round defeating Norway, Austria and Finland.  It took Canada an extra period to defeat the Finns 2-1.  Canadian fans were made to worry a bit in their quarter-final game against Latvia, as their heroes narrowly beat the Latvian squad 2-1.  Latvian goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis was insane during the game and only after Shea Weber scored late did Canada  shut down the advancing Latvians.  Gudlevski made an incredible 55 saves against the Canadian powerhouse team.  He is under contract with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.  His NHL rights are owned by the Tampa Bay Lightning.  He may be seeing the big city soon on a well-deserved call-up.

A lot of Canadians were up very early to patronize bars throughout the nation.  Depending on where one lives, you could have been up at four in the morning to watch the gold medal game.  Personally, I have never heard of a bar opening for six or seven a.m. to honor their customer's obsession for the national sport.
That's Canada folks.

And not to be a total sexist, the Canadian women's team also claimed gold for the fourth Olympics in a row in Sochi with a 3-2 come-from-behind overtime win over their arch-rival Americans, 3-2.  a game being described as one of the best comebacks by a Canadian team, women's or men's.

Canada is hockey.

Just Because

Seeing rain for the first time.

Zombie Team Names...Reborn

Here's an interesting piece from Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net,  a column on professional sports teams that have either been relocated to a different city (then the original or birthplace of said team has received a new team, using the original team's name) or a new team in a city that has gone decades or longer without a team then using a new team either from relocation or expansion with the same name of a team long-gone.  Usually from a want to honor the past, or by popular decision by the fans.

Star Wars Blooper Reel

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but for people like myself, it's new to me.  Enjoy!

Kasdan In, Arndt Out

Director J.J. Abrams has brought on board writer, director and producer Lawrence Kasdan to help him re-write the script for the upcoming third STAR WARS trilogy to replace first choice writer, Michael Arndt.

Personally, I was glad to hear this news.  Not only did I think through his body of work, that Arndt was the wrong choice to write the next SW film, let alone the next trilogy, but I just didn't think he would do the story justice.  I understand him, accurate or otherwise, to not be a fan of the franchise.  His credentials are fine with Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3, but I just don't think that was substantial enough to make me believe he "got" what the characters and story was all about.

With Kasdan and the late Leigh Brackett giving us The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Kasdan giving us Return of the Jedi (1983) along with the other George Lucas vehicle, Raiders of the Lost Arc (1981), it's not altogether crazy to think he is the right choice (actually in my opinion, the only choice from the beginning) to be the main author of this new trilogy.  He knows the characters, he knows the premise and he knows how to be dark, which is exactly what Empire needed after A New Hope.

If I have even the slightest of intuition, I believe the producers of this project will borrow themes and characters from author Timothy Zahn's book series, Heir to the Empire and it's sequels, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command.  Released in 1991, these are still the best STAR WARS novels going.  These and his later SW stories, Spector of the Past and Vision of the Future.  Both these trilogies and duologies are centered around the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn (other than the main protagonists that is) the greatest villain since Darth Vader.  And yes, that does include Darth Maul and Darth Sidious/The Emperor. If you've read any of these books, you'll know what I'm talking about.  If you haven't and you consider yourself a STAR WARS fan, READ THEM!  Seriously, how could you have not already?

Also, I've learned a little bit of the casting call Disney has out for the films (at least for the first one) and they're reportedly are looking for "young girl in her 20s, athletic" and "male in his 60s"  I''m thinking the girl will be Jaina, the daughter of Han Solo And Leia Organa-Solo.  As for her siblings, twin Jacen and little brother Anakin, who knows?  And as for the "male in his 60s?  No idea.

With Kasdan on board, I am feeling a little bit more positive about this.  Now I hope J.J. Abrams knows not to "Jar-Jar Binks" this thing.

Just in case, here's a little guide for him: