I got the bicycling bug again and decided to purchase a geared bicycle.
I received the shoes and pedals in first from Nashbar.
The bicycle was very well-packed. Everything was covered in foam and cardboard. If you get one of these, be prepared to cut off about 30 zip ties. The bicycle arrived in perfect condition.
The Monza came with an owners manual and assembly instructions. The owners manual has no practical use. The assembly instructions were decent. I decided to assemble it right in the padded box.
The pedals are a perfect match for the bicycle. The cleats are red, which happen to match the Time (shoes) logo.
Here’s the finished bicycle. It looks beautiful and was a bargain with the components. It is definitely heavier than I would want at around 22 lbs. However, I’m a beginner and think that this is going to be a great beginner bicycle. I can purchase something more expensive after I improve my skills/ability.
The Boston Bruins have a new set of commercials that are must-see Youtube. Here for your viewing pleasure. The first is definitely my favorite, though I like the “live fish” effect in the third.
I know that this has been blogged to death and made the highlight reel on Sportscenter. Regardless, I have to share this goal by Ovechkin for all the folks who read this blog but aren’t into hockey.
The best thing about this is that the Cap’s were playing the Habs when Ovechkin decided to make his move. Guy Lafleur completely trashed the Habs, who are freefalling through the standings.
I was really curious about how the teams would stack up against each other if they were scored using the revised points system I mentioned before.
The table below is a ranking of all the NHL teams using the three point system. Just for kicks, I left in the old points in the second to last column. As you can see, it shuffles around some of the teams, but it isn’t as drastic as you might expect. “NP” stands for normalized points.
I bought some new equipment to go snowshoeing with Tracey. The first thing I needed was a pair of waterpoof hiking boots. I decided on the Hi-Tec Montana after reading the reviews. I’ve used them a few times now this winter and I love them. They were very comfortable out of the box and are waterproof. If I was hiking longer distances I’d consider replacing the inserts.
I also bought the Atlas 2008 9 Series Snowshoeing Kit. I am a beginner at snowshoeing and so far these have been fantastic. They are really lightweight and are easy to get on/off. They have a lot of “bounce ” to them because of the rubber suspension system. My only criticism is that because of the spring, you get a lot of snow thrown up your back – so wear waterproof clothing!
Tracey bought the Winter Walker snowshoes from LLBean. These seem to be a little bit sturdier, and feel a bit heavier than mine. However, they have a pretty loud hinge on them and make “clacking” noises.
I’d say that both are pretty good beginner choices. However, I like the choice that I made and am looking forward to more days on the snow.
Unfortunately, the Bruins have lost two games in a row. They had a fair number of chances in both games, but the puck just did not seem to go in. The Bruins are still on top of the conference at this point.
As a fan, I am really excited about this. However, as I have started to realize, the standings are a terrible indication of the actual strength of each of the teams. With many games being determined by OT shootouts, it is really difficult to say that the standings reflect the true strength of the team.
This issue is explored by Jeff Klein in his NYT Article.
Let’s examine the record of a random team, like the Rangers. The N.H.L. tells us they’re 20-11-2. Wow, that sounds good — 20 wins, 11 losses, and 2 “OTL,” which seems like ties or kind-of ties. They’re a powerhouse, and Rangers fans should be really happy!
The reality, of course, is that 9 of those 20 wins came via overtime or penalty shootout, and those 2 “ties” are actually losses in OT or PS. And, you know, in the playoffs there is no four-on-four overtime or penalty-shot contest … just hockey, with five skaters a side and no guaranteed points for being tied after 60 minutes.
There have been have a number of solutions proposed, including the three point system and a no points system. Regardless, I really wish there was a place to get a “normalized” version of the standings for hockey purists.
There hasn’t been a lot of opportunities to laugh at the Canadiens in the last few years. The Bruins were winless against them last year, and lost to them in the post-season. The Bruins have beat them several times so far this year. I am experiencing some schadenfreude while watching this clip.
If you haven’t seen it already, you have to check out Milan Lucic’s hit on Mike Van Ryn. According to the announcer, it will make every highlight reel for the next 10 years.
He got a hat trick in the same game. This was the first game he played with contact lenses. I hope he keeps them in for the rest of the season.
