Goodbye Cam Janssen

In my 20 years or so of following the New Jersey Devils, few players brought more heart and grit to the team than Cam Janssen. Unfortunately, what he brought in heart and grit, he completely lacked in skill (that redonkulous slapshot goal last year against the Caps, the only one of his career so far, notwithstanding) and hockey sense. One of the classiest players off the ice, Janssen was an absolute monster on it, fighting his way, literally, to the NHL.

But now Janssen is off to St. Louis, his hometown, where his pitbull-esque playing skills will instantly endear him to long-suffering Blues fans. Getting Bryce Salvador for him might be one of Lou Lamoriello’s greatest heists from a hockey POV, but I’m really saddened to see Janssen go. He entertained the shit out of me last year, and his willingness to drop the gloves and act like a madman was always appreciated. When I think back to the good times in my old apartment, Cam Janssen acting like a goon on television is right up there. He will be missed.

However, there is a wide open race for the Stanley Cup, and Janssen wasn’t going to suit up in a playoff game. Shit, he’s only played one game for us all season. So now we bolster our D, and maybe make a second trade on this 2008 Trade Deadline Day. I love the Devils’ chances this year, especially since our entire conference is terrible and Marty’s playing out of his mind (as usual). This is just another piece of the puzzle, and reeks of the Richard Shmelik and Grant Marshall deals in 2003, the last year we won the Cup. In Lou We Trust.

If it's in the papers, it must be true Part Whatever

It's been a crazy past few days. So before I hop in the Jetta and go to Vermont for the weekend, here's what's paid my bills:

- Station benefit concert set for Monday in Providence. Talking to Dee Snider ALWAYS rules. But, sadly, tickets are not selling.

- Trip opened for Great White at the Station on Feb. 20, 2003. Ten minutes after their set, the place went up in flames. Trip returns to RI this weekend.

- Mooninite bomb scare dude Peter "Zebbler" Berdovsky is throwing a party to relocate his mom from Belarus to Poland. Gotta love Herald reader comments!

- Kerry Lavin is bringing the Rock-n-Romp thing to Boston, and Bon Savants, Wonderful Spells, Neal Pollack and DJ Michael Savant will turn Great Scott into romper room come Sunday. Kidnap a child and get there!

- On Thursday I wrote about some dude in Pittsburgh who was selling his gazillion records on eBay. Starting bid: $3 million. Looks like he found a buyer.

- CD review: BIPPP: French Synthwave 1979-1985. Destined to be the coolest, most misunderstood and weirdest compilation of 2008.

New Tampa Bay Rays stadium proposal

Holy crap.

Now, my parents are a part of the groups in the Tampa / St. Pete area opposed to a new ballpark. They, for some insane reason, like Tropicana Field, citing parking, easy access, the dome, the AC, the... sucktastic team on the sucktastic turf. But look at this proposed beaut:


It's the proposed sailboat stadium, and suddenly trips to Central Florida don't seem so bad. Damn, look at that thing!

Station Nightclub fire: 2/20/2003

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., that killed 100 people, severely injured 200 more, left 65 children without a parent (or both), and saw 23 people lose a husband or wife.

It was the fourth-largest nightclub fire in US history, and of all the surviving victims, only 15 have become eligible for social security. A largely forgotten tragedy due to the nature of the event (Great White concert, blue-collar clientele, location within a small city in the Ocean State), few of the survivors have resumed a normal life 60 months after the event.

Burn injuries are unlike many others because they do not heal. You can’t heal the sweat glands that are damaged by severe burns, and visible markings become permanent reminders. I’ve spent the past three days speaking with survivors, and their tales are harrowing. The Station Family Fund is one of the main volunteer groups that oversee most of these medical, housing and other bills, and amazingly, 85 percent of the donations they receive come between Valentine’s Day and the Feb. 20 anniversary. 85 percent within seven days of the year. Check out stationfamilyfund.org for ways to donate.

By some strange coincidence, I was in Providence the night of Feb. 20, 2003, at the Green Room DJing with Terence. I remember watching it unfold on the local news, and even then, no one had any idea what the outcome would be. Amid the random jokes about it being a Great White concert, I think the prevailing thought was "Imagine dying at a fucking Great White concert?!?!"

My friends and I go to shows every week, and as Dee Snider told me the other day, this could have happened anywhere. Significant public safety measures have since been enforced nationwide, but a quick perusal of the exits of the Middle Easts, Great Scotts and TT the Bears’ of the city, as well as pretty much every other venue in the world, tell us this can easily happen anywhere.

Holy wishbook goldmine

A kind soul over at Uni Watch posted a link to the Wishbook Web Database, and... uh, holy fuck. Dating back to 1940, the creators of this site has scanned in thousands of pages of Sears, JC Pennys, Wards and other Christmas catalogues from way-back. The real juice for my 20-something self is the toy playset layouts from the 1980s Sears books. Anyone my age has to remember going though these things after school, circling everything they wanted, then feeling let down when Santa didn't bring a fraction of it.

But to look back on these are pretty awesome. Some highlights:

1983 Sears Star Wars page -- needs no introduction


1985 Sears He Man page -- The most underrated toy series of all time


1985 Sears Sectaurs page -- I lost my shit when Robot Chicken used these a few weeks ago, and now the memory is fully restored. These fuckers were bad ass.


1986 Sears M.A.S.K. -- OK, He Man gets enough respect, but maybe M.A.S.K. is the most underrated toy line ever.


1986 Sears Thundercats -- Thundercats were no joke, and next toy line bound to be raped into a summer blockbuster flick. Bill Duke as Panthro?


And some other cool shit... Even though in 1971 the New Jersey Devils didn't exist, and everyone knows that Grubby was a total bitch...

New baseball books

Since pitchers and catchers reported last week, I highlighted some of the better baseball books to hit the shelves this spring. "Moneyball" will always top my personal list, but some of these look fairly interesting...

New BM Linx song online

The band that brought the dance floor anthem "Understanding Orange" to the pill has a new jam posted online. The Outlaw Jimmy Rose is likely the lead single off the NYC electro band's upcoming sophomore album, and if this is any indication, it's going to fucking destroy. This band is just fucking fierce.

Darwinian LOL'z

Killing time on Valentine's

I don't know why this kinda got me excited, but the trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie is floating around online. Good shit, though when he picks up his hat I was waiting for Harrison Ford to tell some Nazi to get off his fucking plane.

I kinda <3 Harrison Ford. Not as much as I <3 Michael Douglass, but it's close. There's your Vanyatine's Day message of love from yours truly. Oh, and Cyanide Valentine plays the pill tomorrow night, and we've dubbed it the Post-Valentine's Hangover Dance Party. I name everything, I know.

Lola's first birthday! (In pictures)

Little Miss Lolabears had her first birthday over the weekend, and a small group congregated at Le Barrows to sing Happy Birthday and watch her dine on the finest tuna steak Whole Foods had to offer. It was a very posh soiree, as one guest put it, and will be just a glimpse of what Lola Day 2008 will encompass this summer.


Lola knew what was up, and started creepin as soon as the tuna cakes were finished.


This is probably the fanciest shit I've ever made.


Lola is not impressed with birthday candles.


But she soon chowed down...


...And proceeded to pass the fuck out afterwards. Sleeeeepy caaaaat!