Speaking of the Winter Classic, what a hockey game (Maple Leafs 3, Red Wings 2) and more importantly what a day for hockey. Get 105,000 people to watch a hockey game played on the University of Michigan football field, add some snow and temps of 12 degrees, and take the game to a shoot out and you have as Red Wing coach Mike Babcock said, "For me today was a home run for hockey." And there is an Allen Americans connection as Tyler Bozak, who scored a key third period goal and the game winning shoot out goal for Toronto is good friends with former American, Anthony Maiani. They went to college together (University of Denver) and have lived and trained together in the summer.
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUITONS:
Thought I had a great idea last week to share the resolutions of some of the players, their wives, coaches and staff of the Allen Americans. After all, revelry and resolutions have been essential to ringing in the New Year since 2000 B.C. when Babylonians held semi-annual festivals around the spring and autumn equinoxes. It wasn't until 46 BC when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar that the New Year was celebrated on January first.
Here are some other fun facts about NYE:
- The Time Square New Year's Eve Ball came about as a result of a ban on fireworks. The first ball, in 1907, was an illuminated 700-pound iron and wood ball adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs. Today the round ball designed by Waterford Crystal, weighs 11,875-pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and is bedazzled with 2,668 Waterford crystals.
- In Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year's Day as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year.
- Spain and Peru: These countries have similar traditions, in that they eat 12 grapes to bring good luck in the 12 months ahead. However, in Peru they eat a 13th grape to insure their good luck.
- Greece and Norway: Also having similar traditions, in Greece they bake a bread with a coin inside, and if the third slice has the coin, it is said that spring will be early that year. Similarly, Norwegians make rice pudding with one whole almond, and whoever’s serving holds the almond is guaranteed wealth that year.
- Tradition says that the more leafy greens a person eats, the more prosperity he or she will experience (what an incentive for staying healthy!). Tradition also says that legumes bring prosperity because beans and peas look like coins. No wonder why so many people eat black eyed peas on January 1st.
- More vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day than any other holiday.
More
vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day than any other holiday throughout
the year. (So does that mean thieves are having their last fling before
changing their ways or are they trying for a big score to start the New
Year?) - See more at:
http://www.hartselleenquirer.com/2013/01/03/10-facts-about-new-years/#sthash.3T9c01Nd.dpuf
More
vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day than any other holiday throughout
the year. (So does that mean thieves are having their last fling before
changing their ways or are they trying for a big score to start the New
Year?) - See more at:
http://www.hartselleenquirer.com/2013/01/03/10-facts-about-new-years/#sthash.3T9c01Nd.dpuf
- Auld Lang Syne is sung at midnight to toast in the New Year. The song was composed by Robert Burns sometimes in the 1700's. The term means "old long ago" or "the good old days."
And we always need some stats:
| Percent of Americans who usually make New Year’s Resolutions | 45% |
| Percent of Americans who infrequently make New Year’s Resolutions | 17% |
| Percent of Americans who absolutlely never make New Year’s Resolutions | 38% |
| Percent of people who are successful in achieving their resolution | 8% |
| Percent who have infrequent success | 49% |
| Percent who never succeed and fail on their resolution each year | 24% |
| People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions |
| Resolution maintained through first week | 75% |
| Past two weeks | 71% |
| Past one month | 64% |
| Past six months | 46% |
Armed with all of these facts and traditions I started my quest to gather some resolutions from players, their wives and some of the American's staff. I found out very quickly most folks do not make NYE resolutions. However, I would linger long enough that they felt obligated to give me something or said they would get back to me (nobody did). It was a fun excercise and here are a few of the responses.
Taylor Ludwig: To be more positive, to not be so angry at Tyler's schedule and hockey life.
Tyler Ludwig: To not eat so much fast food.
Daniel Tetrault: Be a better husband.
Chantal Berube: To give up junk food, especially pizza.
Andrea Hanson: I want to try and be a better vegan, avoid milk and dairy and also be more disciplined in school. (Andrea is attending law school at Wake Forest)
Greger Hanson: Be more productive with my spare time.
Jamie Schaafsma: Eat less chocolate.
Sarah Bootland: To work out more and spend more one on one time with my children and make them feel extra special.
Tommy Daniels: To not get engaged on NYE as I am 0-2 on NYE engagements. Done it twice and neither one worked out.
Steve Martinson: More cardio for me (stationary bike) and longer practices for the team. Win more games because that reduces stress so I eat less.
Richard Matvichuk: I'm like Marty, I want to ride the bike more but mine includes a motor.
Ice Angel Brooklyn: My first one is to always put the shopping cart back at the grocery store. My second one is to go out on a date.
Wendy McMillin: I want to improve my nutritional habits this year. That was a problem when we were in England.
Cassie Colvin (Trevor Hendrikx's girlfriend): I have wanted to act for years and I am going to sign up for acting classes.
Robert Fatta (Director, Ticket Operations): Do more travel other than going to hockey tournaments with my kids.
Erik Adams: Play more golf and teach Brooklyn to skate better than Jen.
Jarret Lukin: Ran into Jarrett and his girlfriend (Dara) in the elevator and asked about resolutions. This was a group effort and maybe was even Dara's resolutions for Jarrett but they both seemed to agree. Do more charity work and spend less time playing video games especially Candy Crush.
Barry Janssen: Figured I better share my own resolutions after asking everyone else. I don't normally make them but doing this story made me think about it. I'm on the band wagon for eating better this year. I have proven to myself in the past you can't out train bad eating habits. But as a reminder for when I fail and it causes stress, remember stressed spelled backwards is desserts!
Experts say if you publicly state your resolution you will more likely succeed so I am publicly stating I will finish the story I have been working on for over two months about Mike Berube.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!
DID YOU KNOW: The Allen Americans have never lost a NYE game. They are 5-0 and have outscored their opponents 25-6 on NYE.
All I can say is "KUDOS". Excellent as usual. Good luck with your resolution. See ya Friday.
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