Hello all,
 
OK, by now most of you know that I won $931 in the 50/50 at the Abel Arena.
But do any of you know that I was only two digits off from winning the $1320
on Saturday night!!!! It was a wild and wacky weekend for me and the gang up
in the Soo, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents on the weekend.
 
First, I'd like to thank all of the folks up in the Soo for the kindness and
hospitality. I had a blast!!! The new arena is just an absolute "GEM." It is
without a doubt one of the best rinks on the college circuit. It was also
great to meet and greet some new friends in John H. from Michigan and Mark
J. from LSSU. Never mind the usual clowns, aka Scott Monaghan and Co. that I
hung out with. The only problem is that if you stay in Hotel Mono, make sure
to bring a stool for the shower if you're over 5-8. The darn shower head was
built for midgets!!!!!!!
 
Second, Jeff Jackson is a smart man. Let's look at the story that ran in the
Evening News that Jackson might have premeditated. Jackson knew his team was
tired and sick and needed a boost to get through a tough team and maybe
planted a little seed for the boys to grow on and with. This is just a
little theory of mine!!!! But then again, Jeff knows that I'm the good luck
charm for the Lakers. I'm now 13-2 watching the Soo boys live and in person.
 
Third, as far as I can see, this Michigan team is just like all the rest.
They are good, no question about it!!!! But when the chips are on the table,
this team looks likes it'll fold like the rest of them. The Hobey Boys for
UM were missing in action for the weekend and Marty Turco played well Friday
and mediocre on Saturday.  I don't want to say that this team can't win it
all, but if they are, they had better have used that nice little bus ride
home for a gut check. They need to step up and step up NOW!!!!  Jim Hunt has
officially given me the title of the "Michigan anti-christ." He says that
they just can't win with me in the building and he started choking me after
Saturday nights loss at Hotel Mono. He also threw three snowballs at me when
I was sleeping on Friday night!!! It's good to have friends.
 
Fourth, even though I like Shegos and Piotrowski, I thought the games
weren't that well refereed either way. Pi had control of the game for a
little while, but Shegos had no control from the opening faceoff to the end
of the game. It was just a typical LSSU-UM game and was played like it.
However, when Luhning stepped on Trcinski on Saturday he should have gotten
a 10 min misconduct as well as the 5 for the hit from behind!!!! Luckily,
neither game that out of hand, even though it was close at times on
Saturday.
 
Five, the extra-cirricular activities. After winning the $931, I bought
drinks for the gang for the next two nights. I'm sorry that I didn't meet up
with John. H from UM, but after two losses, he and his pals bolted the Soo.
Anyway, this was just the prelude to Cincy!!!
 
I would just like to relay one quick funny story. When I flew in on Thursday
night, I flew on a jumper from Chicago to the Soo, I stopped in a town
called Pellston. When I landed and saw the size of the airport, my first
thought was that I've seen rest stops on the NJ Turnpike bigger than that.
It was tiny!!! Then I saw this woman get off my plane and wave to her
friend. It just so happens that he picked her up on a SNOWMOBILE!!!!!! I
have never seen that at Newark before!!!! Then I get to the Soo, the baggage
claim is so small that they opened this metal door and said "Here's your bag
Mr. Barkan!" This is what I call a great concept.
 
For more details or comments, drop me a line!
 
Yours in the Bond of Chaos in College Hockey,
Jon Barkan
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