Hockey Fans Clouded Judgement

You may have reccently heard/read about the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty. If not, check out the video Here: Youtube

In most circles, it is believed to be a hit that went awry. In other circles it is believed to be vicious and intentional.

An Air Canada Exec with too much time on his hands has made his personal vendetta an NHL sponsorship issue. Denis Vandal, a resident of Montreal, sports fan, and director of Marketing at Air Canada has issued a letter to the NHL, requesting that NHL suspend Chara for his involvement in the incident.

"We are contacting you (Wednesday) to voice our concern over (Tuesday night's) incident involving Max Pacioretty and Zdeno Chara at the Bell Centre in Montreal," wrote Vandal. "This is following several other incidents involving career-threatening and life-threatening headshots in the NHL recently."

"Unless the NHL takes immediate action with serious suspension to the players in question to curtail these life-threatening injuries, Air Canada will withdraw its sponsorship of hockey."

The funny thing is that Vandal didn't say Squat when Crosby was injured earlier in the season. Oddly enough Vandal also failed to react when one of his own Bleu Blanc et Rouge chased an opposing player down the ice swinging his stick like it was Paul Bunion's Axe trying to poke out eyeballs or chop down a tree. Video Here: Youtube

Why was nothign said in 2010 when Lapierre tried to cross check an unsuspecting player through the boards? Video Here: Youtube

Now, the MTL police are investigating the incident. Source Here: Canoe.ca Sports

Where were the Police and Vandal (Air Canada) during the above incidents? Why didn't the police investigate the UFC fight a few months ago. Weren't the fighters trying to injure each other? It's not like they're having pillow fights in the octagon.

I know that when a Leaf player is hurt, I'm upset. I'm even more upset when it's one of the stars. Even still, I'd think it's insane for Toronto Police to go after a player for an incident like this.

As for Air Canada, it's scary that one person has this amount of power. If I were Denis Vandal, I would concern myself with the abysmal consumer satisfaction rating of Air Canada (5th of 7 North American Airlines) instead of concerning myself with a single incident that happened in a hockey game.

I do believe that there are ways to make hockey safer, I just can't believe that this one incident has become the catalyst for so much hate.

The Amazing Guacamole

Do yourself a favour, and this SuperBowl, make yourself a quick and easy Guacamole.
This is another of my home-made recipes I think you'll enjoy. This dish needs to eb prepared fresh. Guacamole turns brown if left out too long.

You'll Need:
2 Medium sized ripe** Avacados (Haas)
1 Medium onion (diced)
1 Small - Medium tomatoes diced (or 6 cherry tomato diced)
2 teaspoon of freshly ground cumin seed
1 table spoon of fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (can be substituted for 1/2 clove of crushed garlic)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Fresh Jalapenos or crushed chilies to taste
--Bonus-- finely diced crispy bacon pieces (optional)


Halve the Avocados, and cut into 1" chunks. Place the avocado into a mixing bowl. Add the spices and salt to the avocado, and blend. Don't over-blend. You want to leave the mixture chunky. Add the diced onions, diced tomato, jalapeno, chilies,and lime juice and blend once again (If you're adding bacon, now is the time to do it).

Move the mixture to a serving bowl, and serve with multigrain tortilla chips.

Avocados should be bought ripe the day you make the mixture. A ripe avocado should have a black rind, and should be firm, yet give when squeezed in your palm. Avocados that are overripe, will share the same colour as a ripe avocado, but will give more easily when squeezed. If you plan to buy your avocados in advance, buy unripened avocados. Unripened avocados have a greener/lighter flesh, and don't yield when squeezed. Avocados ripen very fast, so be sure to buy them only when you plan to use them.