Red Wings Win Stanley Cup

(Fairview Heights, IL)- What a great final, with a potentially game-tying Penguins' puck rolling near the goal line with less than a second left. The Red Wings hung on to win the Stanley Cup, in a series that showed what exciting sports action is all about.

I hope you got to watch some of it. It had continuous tension like basketball can't buy with a semi-trailer full of $100 bills. The post-game traditions are excellent- the handshake between the teams, and the handing off of the Stanley Cup to each member of the winning team.

As a San Jose Sharks fans, I enjoyed watching Brad Stuart lay out Sidney Crosby with a crushing, clean hit- and get to hold the Cup over his head.

I'm always a bit sad when hockey season ends... but at least I get to play again on Sunday night.

Rare Evening of TV Viewing

(Fairview Heights, IL)- How does this happen? How is it that there could be not one, but two shows I absolutely have to... well, not so much see as run in the background as I make site drawings?

7:00pm Eastern - NBC - Stanley Cup Finals, Game 6

11:30pm Eastern - Comedy Central - Bob Barr on The Colbert Report

I think the Red Wings will hoist the Cup tonight. There's no telling what Colbert will foist upon Barr. Big fun!

New Year's Spleen Vent

I'm a fit to be tied! For the first time since May '07, there was a TV show scheduled for broadcast that I really, really wanted to see. The NHL scheduled it's second-ever outdoor regular season hockey game, in Buffalo with the Sabres hosting the Pittsburg Penguins. NBC has the coverage in the USA, and the game is being played right now as I hammer the keys.

So, why am I not watching? Because WTHR-13 in Indianapolis is showing the weepy MONTEL WILLIAMS SAP-FEST INSTEAD! My lack of God!

Further infuriating is the WTHR website, which does not allow the user to fire off the angry email. They don't like user feedback, apparently. Customer service? Never heard of it!

Arrrgh. The one time I want to watch something. Thanks for nothing, WTHR. Way to ring in the New Year.

Update: Nice work WTHR. The rest of the country's NBC affiliates enjoyed strong ratings for showing the outdoor hockey game, while you ran Montel and Dr. Phil. Say- how'd that work out for you? From an ESPN report:

More people tuned in on New Year's Day to see the NHL play outdoors than any other regular-season game in more than a decade.

The Penguins-Sabres game in snowy Buffalo -- the first regular-season outdoor NHL game in the United States -- drew a 2.6 overnight rating and a 5 share on NBC. Those were the best numbers since a six-game regional telecast on Fox drew a 3.0 overnight rating and a 7 share on Feb. 3, 1996.

...and...

The Buffalo and Pittsburgh markets led the ratings, at 38.2/58 and 17.7/30, respectively. But markets such as Sacramento, Calif., St. Louis and Denver also drew strong ratings, even though the game went up against a number of college football bowl games, including an intriguing Capital One Bowl between Florida and Michigan.

Hey, WTHR! Next time you have a unique NHL game like this, don't pass on it. You can show the Montel re-runs any time. You can have hockey fans love you long time, if you'd like.