It hit me late last night, as I was slogging through the last of 14 hounding reports for the
Los Angeles Kings, that quantity doesn't always mean quality. It's nice to show off the fruits of one's hockey-hounding labors, but, really, do I need to share each and every item that we're fortunate enough to get signed?
Like I've said before, the last thing I want this blog to become is a job. But, that's exactly what's happening. Between the prep work, hounding, working of images and, finally, the actual writing, I'm spending far more time that I really should delivering the goods.
That doesn't mean, though, that Hound Central 5.0 will be coming to a premature end. Sure, I've considered the idea as, through a number of external forces, my priorities are changing. But I can assure you that, no, I'm not pulling the plug on this season's blog.
Beyond that? Well, I'm sure you can see the writing on the wall.
What I will be doing, however, is relying more on others, rather than just myself, to provide hockey-hounding content. From an ever-growing stable of correspondents, as well as a reader-centric feature that's still in the works, Hound Central 5.0 will undergo some changes over the rest of the season.
The biggest change? Fewer reports from our own hockey-hounding adventures. Rather than chronicling each and every autograph we get, we'll stick to the highlights. Rather than, ahem, 14 posts from a team, three to four will suffice. And, yes, these Sunday morning homilies, even if others help out, will remain a staple.
Bottom line, folks, is that I enjoy doing this. I hope, too, that you find my efforts worthwhile. I just need more time for other aspects of my life. After all, this is just a hobby, not a job.
Tips from a pro
One of the benefits of getting involved in youth hockey, even down here in Hockey Bay, is learning from former NHL players.
Last week, as part of the Tampa Bay Lightning's community outreach efforts, former Bolt
Brian Bradley led Colin's hockey organization, the Police Athletic League, or PAL, Stars through a practice.
Afterwards, as it's easy to see, Colin got Bradley to sign this puck.
Even better, though, one of the local cable TV sports outlets, SunSports, was out on the ice, taping the practice for a future segment on its
Inside the Lightning show. We don't know if Colin will appear within the segment, but like any proud parents, we hope he does.
From what we've heard, the segment is set to air Monday, Dec. 21 on SunSports. The Lightning visit the New York Islanders that night, so we imagine it'll be part of the pregame show.
5 Big Sigs
Though Moody, Hound Central 5.0's roving Southeast correspondent, did an awesome job filling in with a stellar
guest Sunday morning homily last week (
thanks, again, buddy), even including his own 5 Big Sigs, I felt I needed to tender my own hopes and wishes for the two hounding adventures set for this week:
~ Loafs goalie
Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson on
Toronto and Sweden pucks;
~ Loafs defenseman
Tomas Kaberle on a 2004-05 Upper Deck World Cup of Hockey World's Best insert and 2002-03 Topps Total Toronto St. Pats cards;
~ Full team sheets from the Loafs and
Rangers;
~ the Rangers'
Marian Gaborik on a Slovakia souvenir puck; and
~ the Rangers'
Henrik Lundqvist on a Sweden souvenir puck.
In part of our bid this season to add former NHL players to the autographed puck collection, Colin was quick to add Gilles Meloche, top, and Tony Granato, part of the Pittsburgh Penguins' coaching staff, during the team's extended stay here in Hockey Bay recently.
