HAPPY HOLIDAYS ????

Merry Christmas to one and all !

2012 can't end fast enough for me. I don't want to pee in your coffee here but the last 12 months have not been kind to me here at Hockeybird. Look, I don't feel comfortable spilling it all out here so just believe me when I say I am VERY happy this year is coming to an end.

Now I can't sit here and suggest that all is terrible. In the past I have been very blessed and I do feel comfortable listing a few of those blessings. The whole Hockeybird thing for one. I mean, it was just an stupid web page that took on a life of it's own....and when you look back, it was quite a lot of great people and great fun. Those who went to Rangerland or the Rodents site, former Hockeybirders (and you know who you are) are such an outstanding bunch and I am forever grateful that we spent as much time together as we did.

There are many other things I remember with great pride and fondness. To list them here would take forever and a day and I'm quite sure that no one comes here to read that kinda crap anyway. But what some once came here for is just not available right now as there are no NHL games to speak of. No NY Ranger power play woes to complain about, no refs screwing us articles, no defending of coach Torts while everyone else is roasting him. Nothing. There is no NHL at this point. As they announce cancelled games through Jan 14th, one has to wonder how long it will be before the entire season is cancelled. What kind of league cancels two seasons in eight years when they are in the middle of the greatest increase in interest, quality and revenue in their entire history of existence? How can so many successful business people screw up so badly? When the NHL comes back, it will never be the same. The damage in my opinion is in fact irreversible. Again I have to ask.......how could anyone be so fu%$ing stupid?

http://www.leaderboard.com

I have not before in my lifetime seen as many non-players act as if they suffer from TBI. Too many pucks to the heads of those who've never taken one. How the Mayans saw this coming is just amazing to me.

It's fair to say that the loss of an NHL season has got me down. It's part of why I have little in the way of the Christmas spirit. Let's face it, there are more important things in life but that's perhaps why I miss it so. The NHL was my escape from those big issues. Add to that the dysfunction in Washington, the loonies who shoot innocent kids and the imbeciles who think they can pass a law that can stop it from happening, an economy so bad that people like myself can't find decent work.....it's enough to rip the Christmas spirit right out of ya.

OK, enough of my whining. I really stopped in today to express my thanks for what we do have and my hopes that you all have a great holiday no matter what you celebrate (if at all) and my sincere wishes for a great new year. May all of you get what you wish from Saint Nick and may common sense return to our world.

A great big "BEER ME" to one and all!

----}- Bird