I’d like to talk to you about mourning doves — more specifically, why nature hates them.
You might think that’s a crazy assertion. You’ll find mourning doves everywhere. They appear to be prospering. They even sit outside your window at 5 a.m. and sing that haunting song that reminds you that your work day is just beginning. And it’s Monday.
Here’s the truth: Mourning doves are slow and dumb. Bird enthusiasts will tell you that they are gentle and slow to startle. It’s a charming apology for their lack of survival instincts.
How many times have you had to slow to a near-complete stop in the road to avoid a shower of feathers flying for your car grille? If cars were predators, they would need no other food.
On that note, have you heard the sound that mourning doves make when they take off on their slow, awkward flight patterns? No, not the whistling of their wings that bird enthusiasts post on the web with far too much enthusiasm. And not the aforementioned cooing. I’m talking about that shriek that announces to all predators that they’re available: “Eat me!”
Given their slow, awkward flight pattern, the hunt is short. And given mourning doves’ portly bodies, the hunt is also sweet. It’s almost as if nature created mourning doves to be flying food for birds of prey and ground-based predators who can easily capture these “slow-to-startle” and slow-to-take-flight birds.
One last note: If you get the chance, check out a mourning dove’s nest. It’s little more than a handful of sticks laid haphazardly across each other with not enough bed and not enough height on the edges to keep the fledglings from splatting on the ground below.
I think this is why mourning doves procreate so well. They have to, otherwise the species wouldn’t last a week.
Let’s get to your questions in the April edition of the PHNX Coyotes monthly mailbag.
From Discord
Other than Anton Strålman, I have a hard time seeing any of the current crop of UFAS returning. The Coyotes want to use those roster spots to take on more bloated contracts this summer with the costs being other teams’ draft assets.
As for the RFAs, I expect Lawson Crouse, Barrett Hayton and Christian Fischer all to re-sign. Maybe Cam Dineen. I doubt that Kyle Capobianco will be back.
Whether Scott Wedgewood returns will depend on what other offers he has, and that will depend on how he performs overt the remainder of the season and in the postseason. I think David Perron’s production (26 goals, 55 points so far) will make him far too pricey a free-agent option for the Coyotes. I also think that, given that production, he will have more attractive offers to join a contender (or even re-sign in St. Louis).
Nobody really knows. The remediation of the land is still an unknown until they really get in there and assess the situation. Construction timelines are generally fluid because they are influenced by so many variables.
The advantage that Arizona creates is that construction can go all year long (despite the summer heat). If the Coyotes can get this deal approved before the summer, perhaps the extra half year will allow them to finish the project after only three seasons played at ASU’s multi-purpose arena. We’ll see…
I have not really delved into every team’s situation that deeply. To me, this all comes down to the arena situation. If the Coyotes can get that approved soon, the future looks promising. Without that, however, I have no idea what the future holds for the Coyotes.
I highly doubt that Phil Kessel will return. He wanted to be traded all season long. Yes, he was a great teammate, but he also wanted to play for a contender. If Kessel doesn’t have any offers in free agency, perhaps he’ll come back to the desert but I find that hard to believe. He doesn’t want to finish his career on a rebuilding team. If he doesn’t get any offers, maybe he’ll just retire. Or maybe he’ll go play in Europe; some place with good golf courses.
No, because I knew the actual situation was far more nuanced than some in the national media portray it. Strålman is the perfect example.
I could go off on a rant about all the superficial narratives that exist, but I might as well spit into the wind. Reporting without sufficient research or understanding is here to stay.
I do not. I lost track of that info during the pandemic. I will try to find out again.
I love this idea. I will try to make it happen this offseason.
That’s a complex question that would require a lot of reporting first. It is pretty obvious that the Coyotes are trying to reach a new potential fan base and their efforts at inclusivity are laudable. I’d also note that bringing those communities into the fold is about more than simply getting them tickets to games. There are other ways to connect.
That said, some within league circles find these efforts disingenuous, given all of the off-ice issues that the franchise has had. They’d like them to get their house in order first.
I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. I even think that one can help the other, but the efforts in under-served communities have to be authentic and genuine, not just an endless litany of marketing opportunities to improve the overall image of the franchise. There is a glaring need for ice sheets in these under-served communities. To me, that’s how you start a grassroots hockey movement. That is what teams in other NHL markets have done. Of course, that costs money and the pandemic has made spending far more challenging.
If you are talking about the walk along the river in Chicago, yes, it’s worth it because that area of there city is scenic, but I would recommend the riverboat architectural tour instead. It covers the same ground and it gives you a real sense of the history of perhaps America’s most interesting architectural city.
I was told that there was a software issue but I also know that the agreement to use ASU’s multi-purpose arena has not been finalized yet. Before you get concerned, I have been told that it is making its way through an army of lawyers. Given our nation’s glacial legal process, nobody I spoke to on either side is concerned about it reaching the finish line. The last I heard, both sides were fine-tuning the wording on one point and then the deal should be done.
That payment structure that you posted is no longer valid. ASM, after discussion with the city, agreed to an installment plan requested by the Coyotes. My understanding is that the Coyotes have been making the agreed-to payments. The last installment is due on June 30.
From Twitter
Let me get this straight. You’ll do all the research and I just have to summarize? Where do I sign?
I’m not sure what, specifically, you mean by the conditional picks and hitting on them but I’ll take a crack at a few.
The Coyotes traded Scott Wedgewood to Dallas for a 2023 fourth-round draft pick. It becomes a third-round pick if the Stars make the playoffs. Per The Athletic’s model, Dallas has an 87-percent chance of making the playoffs.
The Coyotes traded Christian Dvorak to Montréal for a 2022 first-round pick. That pick is top-10 protected so they will not get Montréal’s pick with the Canadiens sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings. Instead, they will get Carolina’s first-round pick, which the Hurricanes sent to the Canadiens as compensation for offer-sheeting and singing center Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
The Coyotes traded Darcy Kuemper to Colorado for a 2022 first-round pick that is also top-10 protected. The Avs have the Western Conference’s best record. The Coyotes will get their pick. Arizona also got a conditional 2024 third-round pick. The condition on that pick is this: If Kuemper plays at least 50 percent of the playoff games and the Avs win the Stanley Cup, the Coyotes get that pick. If those conditions aren’t met, there is no third-round pick in the deal.
When the Coyotes acquired Andrew Ladd from the Islanders, they also got a 2022 conditional second-round pick and a 2023 conditional third-round pick from New York. The Coyotes get the better of New York’s two 2022 seconds, either New York’s own or Colorado’s (from the Devon Toews trade) That will obviously be the Islanders’ pick. The Coyotes get the 2023 conditional third-round pick if Ladd does not play a game next season.
The Coyotes traded Ryan Dzingel and Ilya Lyubushkin to Toronto for Nick Ritchie and a conditional 2023 third-round pick. The condition is that the Coyotes have the option of taking a 2025 second-round pick instead. They will take the latter.
Hope that covers it.
I think once rumors got out that teams were calling about Chychrun last summer, his camp became open the idea. I don’t think Jakob Chychrun wants to sacrifice three seasons of his prime in a rebuild. I can’t blame any player for that sentiment.
That said, GM Bill Armstrong will not budge off of his huge asking price. If teams aren’t willing to pay that price at the draft this summer —and Chychrun didn’t help that cause with a subpar season and then a season-ending injury — Armstrong won’t trade him. That is basic asset management. You don’t devalue your assets in trades or you will not succeed as a GM.
I won’t speculate yet on whom they might be targeting because I don’t think that list has been finalized, either for them or for other teams. I will dive into this in the offseason, however, because I do think that the Coyotes will be looking to do this again this summer.
Good question. The Senators have been a tire fire (pun intended with the arena name) for a long time. I think it’s fair to see some bias in some of those reports.
I think it was a combination of both. Keller clearly dedicated himself to changing his body this summer by adding those seven pounds of lean muscle mass. He had an earnest chat with Armstrong and he took it to heart.
Playing with Tourigny has also helped. Keller has been open about what a great communicator Tourigny is, and how he has enjoyed the relationship. Tourigny also had the confidence to put Keller in situations that he hadn’t seen in the past, including the penalty-killing unit and protecting leads late in games. That, in turn, ignited Keller’s confidence and you could see it in his game.
It’s a shame that he got hurt. He was headed for a 70-plus point season, but he clearly turned a corner under Tourigny.
I would think so. That’s generally a question that we ask on break-up day (April 30).
I have never asked players about their gardening skills. Now I feel like I must.
I’ll take Greece. I love Banff, but I love exploring foreign cultures even more. Canada is not foreign to me.
I don’t have one. I’m not qualified. The only thing that matters is what the scouts think.
Forward Juraj Slafkovský appears to be rising on everybody’s draft board, however.
Yep. It came in a story that I wrote about him very early in the process. Here’s the lede from that story that I wrote for The Athletic.
Past teammates describe Rick Tocchet as the ultimate alpha male, a guy whose aggressive nature is just as evident in his coaching as it was when he played. There is a balance to that machismo, however. Whether he is grousing about how much his feet ache after three-a-days at training camp, or mocking the vacant lot atop his head where one of the NHL’s better flows used to grow, Tocchet dives willingly and humorously into self-deprecation, removing any notion of an unchecked ego.
His relationship with Phil Kessel is another example.
It’s Sunday morning at the Ice Den Scottsdale. Twenty-one of the 23 players who will comprise the opening-night roster have just emerged from a meeting. Kessel stops at the grease board inside the locker room to pore over the day’s practice plan that assistant coach John MacLean has posted. It’s a long stop, and Tocchet can’t help noticing as he chats with a reporter in the short hallway outside the room.
“Did you see him looking at that board?” he asks Derek Stepan, repeating the question for several other players.
Kessel has finally heard enough and fires back.
“I’m just trying to see how long you’re keeping us on the fucking ice!” he chirps.
Tocchet lowers his head and starts to belly laugh. This encourages Kessel, who continues his complaint as he makes his way past his coach, a grin on his face.
It’s a quick but telling glimpse into the relationship that the two forged during their two seasons together in Pittsburgh, both of which ended with the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. It also hints at who Kessel really is. Sure, there have been plenty of portrayals of Kessel, from clandestine hot dog junkie to unwilling practice and workout participant, to enigma or malcontent, but to Kessel and the handful of people in his inner circle, those portrayals elicit little more than an eye-roll or a shrug.
Why?
“Because they’re not true,” Kessel said.
Yes, the Coyotes provided me with this statement in response to Sky Harbor’s assertion that the proposed arena and entertainment district would saddle the airport with $21.5 million in annual losses.
“We are significantly confused by the assumptions that seem to underpin Sky Harbor’s estimate of the economic impacts of TED’s temporary construction cranes,” the statement said. “As a result, we are urgently requesting any data that they might be using, since it appears their assumptions do not reflect the facts of our construction plan. In any case, however, this so-called analysis excludes the net new economic benefits that TED will deliver to the county — benefits that include $5.9 billion of new spending, $12.5 billion of net new direct output, 8,700 new jobs and $225 million in net new tax revenue over the next 30 years.”
We already did one:
I have already covered multiple Super Bowls and college football championship games. I covered the 2001 World Series. I have also covered NBA conference finals. I have no desire to cover golf or the Olympics (too big and difficult to cover meaningfully from a media standpoint).
I really want to cover the Stanley Cup Final. Hockey has been my favorite sport since age 6.
The Blackhawks’ handling of the Kyle Beach scandal has been an unmitigated disaster. It removed any credibility from the franchise, it tarnished three Stanley Cups and the legacies of the players involved, and while Rocky Wirtz was the architect in making hockey meaningful again in Chicago, he has bungled this situation so badly and so callously that it is clear that he needs to step aside and let his son take over.
A lot. Honestly, I can’t remember all of them because it has been too long, but people at all levels of the organizations, and people around the league reached out. It meant a lot to me.
The future of the assistant coaches is one of those questions that you don’t ask until after the season. We’ll know soon.
Right after the draft at the Ice Den Scottsdale.
I can’t imagine the Coyotes ever going that route, given the fractured relationship. In fact, I’d bet the house that it won’t happen.
I don’t have a full sense of that yet but I would guess that Dmitrij Jaškin, Phil Kessel, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Capobianco and Josef Kořenář won’t be back.
I answered the former above. Strålman is a possibility.
Other than Dylan Guenther and JJ Moser, who have already signed, I don’t expect anyone else to sign but I could be wrong.
Yes, the installment plan calls for the last payment on June 30.
Xavier Gutierrez discussed that very advertising revenue plan in a Q&A that I conducted with him recently.
I am not aware of a Plan B this time around. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. I just haven’t heard anything in that regard.
Those odds that you are seeing are only for the first draw. The odds for the remaining teams will increase on a proportionate basis for the second lottery draw, based on which team wins the first lottery draw.
I’m not sure. Somebody asked the same question two questions above this.
I will remind you what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the NHL All-Star Game:
“It’s something that has to be done in the short term,” Bettman said. “It’s not gonna be two weeks but it’s not gonna be two years. If there’s no prospect of a new building then we’re going to have to focus with ownership on what makes sense, but as long as there is a realistic possibility in the near term of a new arena in the right place, we think there’s a tremendous opportunity in that vibrant market.”
Right now, 14 that are on the NHL roster and 26 organization-wide. NHL RFAs Lawson Crouse, Christian Fischer and Barrett Hayton will likely be re-signed. Maybe Cam Dineen, too.
I needed this sarcasm today, Jack. And since you have been here for the long haul, you get full license.
I’m thinking about a seven-round mock draft this year, and then a speculative one for 2023, guessing the complete NHL standings ahead of time.
My guess is that the Coyotes would take Logan Cooley if Shane Wright goes No.1 as expected. Arizona needs top-end centers desperately, but it will all depend on the scouting staff’s evaluation.
It’s a really good question. I’ll have more from Ladd on that subject on Monday, but it is something on which to keep an eye.
I don’t know yet since I have not seen it completed, but I can tell you that there won’t be a bad seat in the building, and that includes the press box, which will be the closest press box to the ice in the NHL.
I’m not sure what their plans are for vendors, but I hope they go local and invite BoSa Donuts. They’re better than Tim Hortons or Dunkin’ Donuts.
They need top-end centers, but they also need top-end defensemen.
I think all options are on the table for the four, second-round picks. It will depend on whether other teams make offers, or if there is a player the Coyotes want in those spots. The draft is incredibly fluid.
It’s basically an AHL roster we’re watching right now. They’re in over their head, but I agree, the defending has been atrocious at times.
I don’t know yet, but Armstrong is in Europe right now to scout the league championships. TPS Turku (Slafkovsky’s team) is playing Tappara in the SM-liiga finals.
Normally, I would play along, Greg. Today, I’m giving you a shout-out for your tireless work with Maricopa County Animal Care & Control.
Please peeps, follow Greg’s lead. Consider adopting, fostering, volunteering or donating money and/or resources. The situation at the shelters is dire.
Cooley and Bedard. The Coyotes need centers and Bedard is the one player in the next two drafts whom scouts and executives view as a generational talent.
Good question. I have heard that some council members would prefer to take that cowardly approach. Tempe put out the RFP for the public to see. Tempe should decide on the RFP in full view of that same public. Transparency in government matters.
Not that I’m aware of. Rasmus Korhonen is currently playing in Tucson, but he is on loan and will return to Porin Ässät of the Finnish league next season.
Pretty weird. I still have a vivid memory of Derek Morris’ goal on Quick from the red line.
He has a long road ahead of him. Seventh-round picks very rarely make it to the NHL anyway and the injury has set him back in his development, but GM Bill Armstrong loves his work ethic and attitude.
The only recent development since the executive session was the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board meeting on Thursday.
At the executive session earlier this month, the City of Tempe asked the Coyotes for clarification on some points of their proposal. That process is ongoing. There will not be a vote on April 28 as previously hoped.
I have suggested the same in print. I think they need to find creative ways to stay connected to the fans who won’t be able to attend games at ASU, either due to costs or scarcity of tickets.
Glendale is planning to renovate Gila River Arena so that it can hosts bigger shows. The city says that it only needs about 20 shows to replace the revenue lost from those 42 or 43 Coyotes home dates (including preseason).
We’ll see how the rest of the year plays out with booking events, but if you look at the final six months of 2022 after the Coyotes officially move out, Gila River Arena only has 12 events booked over that six-month period, and three of those are Professional Bull Riders events. That’s not going to cut it.
Here’s what city manager Kevin Phelps told me today: “(Arena manager) ASM (Global) is working with (architect) HOK to finalize the scope of work and begin the first phase of identifying the core areas of focus for the renovations. Once that has been signed off, they will begin to work on managing the improvements around the scheduled events. As more eyes are looking at the renovation project, it appears that some of the back-of-house and infrastructure elements of the arena are in far better shape than earlier assessments. This will allow us to really focus the money on fan experience and revenue capture.”
Clayton Keller, Lawson Crouse, Nick Schmaltz, Travis Boyd, Shayne Gostisbehere and JJ Moser all exceeded expectations. The jury is still out on Barrett Hayton. Coach André Tourigny loves all of the other elements of Hayton’s game. The bottom line is that he needs to produce more, but given his bizarre development path, I still think Hayton is capable. This is an important summer for him.
I thought the Blackhawks game was their best chance down the stretch but you never know in the NHL. The final five opponents are all playoff teams or playoff hopefuls with plenty for which to play.
151 Comments (82 conversations)
BABA 44
Thanks for answering my questions. It would be great if we could sign Perron. He’s a gem.
I just don’t think he fits the current profile of the team, age-wise and financially.
JimA
I believe even though Perron has played for multiple teams the quirk is that he has only ever signed contracts with the Blues?? Not bad for kid who thought he was going to play for Middlebury like his brother
Robert
I think I’m confusing pigeons with doves. Anyway, they get up underneath my roof and nearly everyday, much to the amusement of my neighbors, I toss rocks up there trying to toss the rocks in such a way that they fall straight down on top of the pigeons or doves but not hit the wood of my house. I was going to but one of those ugly spike type things on the roof to keep them off.
I don’t like birds. In one of the many occupations I tried in my years of trying to find something that would work, I tried being a game warden.
Game warden school was tougher than Army basic training /AF basic training or Airborne School.
It was brutal. We beat the heck out of each other w/ boxing gloves while they filmed it, and when they found out that I didn’t like to hunt, one day they made me “ breast” 21 doves just to see if I would do it.
Ha! I’ve never heard breast used as verb before.
Brandon Sparks
It’s great your readers can keep you abreast of new word usages.
Robert
I could tell you about the time in Game Warden boot camp.. they put a road kill deer in front of the class and made me come up and gut it.
Another recruit standing behind me talking me through how to do it.. geez.
I came home for a weekend break after the first four weeks of training with two black eyes…I walked in and my old mom turned around from the washing machine and started crying ha!!! I think my boxing record was 0-3-1.
If I get another season ticket stop me in between periods on the concourse and ask me what else I had to do with the guts from that deer.
Toughest harassment recruit school I ever went to ( very proud to get through it and ended up not even getting a county!!!
Never worked as a game warden ha!..)
I finished too low in the class rankings!
As long as we’re talking about animals.
gfallar
We’ve learned over the years of hosting dove nests in the rafters of the patio, to the delight of our dogs as many of the fledglings left to their own devices were savored as between meal snacks, that mourning doves must be very close to the top of the “Ten Worst Nest Builders Ever To Exist Yes We Mean EVER” list.
Two or three sticks in a random pattern on any partially level area are just fine.
I believe they must wait until there’s only five minutes before “These eggs ARE coming now, brah!” before beginning stick gathering.
They are delicious, though, and very fast on the wing thus difficult to shoot.
I agree with all but the fast-on-the-wing part. They may have a fast top speed, but the all-important acceleration is lacking.
JimA
Didn’t get my question in on time but surprised that it wasn’t asked about how Keller is doing?
Feel bad for not only the recovery aspect but seeing the leaps he made last summer and losing that time this year.
[…] a recent mailbag segment, GOPHNX.com’s Craig Morgan indicated he didn’t believe Chychrun wanted to waste three years of his playing prime as part of a […]
[…] a recent mailbag segment, GOPHNX.com’s Craig Morgan indicated he didn’t believe Chychrun wanted to waste three years of his playing prime as part of a […]
[…] a recent mailbag segment, GOPHNX.com’s Craig Morgan indicated he did not believe Chychrun wanted to waste three years of his playing prime as part of a rebuild. […]
[…] a recent mailbag segment, GOPHNX.com’s Craig Morgan indicated he didn’t believe Chychrun wanted to waste three years of his playing prime as part of a […]
Mike
1. Wanton Arachnicide is my new band name.
2. I wonder how much Coyotes notoriously bad travel schedule impacted the goalies’ abilities to stay healthy?
3. Your long drive to Glendale can be replaced by a long walk to your car, Craig!
Robert
Excellent answers… excellent questions
I’ve always been scared of animals
A little bird came off our Christmas wreath and inside our house, I ran and got my wife
A snake was in our garage, I ran and got my wife
I got attacked by a Coyote one morning on a 4am, 10 mile run.
( they give rabies shots where the bite is nowadays)
I got attacked by a bird every time I ran past building 41 on my before work 7-10 milers.. it would always scratch the top of my head so I started wearing a Dave Wottle cap.
I’m glad my wife was around.. those creepy things would still be around.
Then there’s that tough ex-Phoenix Coyote, you know, the famous… he broadcasted for awhile… darn it anyway, I admire that courage.
Grabbing rattlesnakes and jumping on top of golf course gators!!!
Brandon Sparks
I also fear moths for their erratic flight patterns! Glad I’m not alone.
Brandon Sparks
Also, you need to do a feature on Chef Mario. That would be a good read (and a tasty bit of journalistic research).
Jerick Tafoya
Repairing the Chychrun relationship is something I’m very curious about. Of course, that all goes out the window if he’s traded.
As far as captains go, I’d love to see Keller, Crouse and Stralman all with an “A”.
Haha. While I have no problem using my electric fly-swatter on moths and other bugs — I was wondering if I can I hire Craig to hunt scorpions at my house?
Brandon Sparks
My question is, why does it have to come after management decides to keep Chychrun? Wouldn’t it be better for all parties (and the rest of the team) if Armstrong began attempts to repair the relationship in earnest? Allowing this to drag on unresolved only makes it more difficult to repair the relationship down the line. Fix it now and worst case, Chychrun gets traded but leaves on good terms.
Winterhawk1999
Who is Charlie McTavish? Other than the CEO of Complete Goaltending Development. What I do as a replacement for Zac Bierk as a development coach he is, well if you want to know look at all the AZ goalie prospect numbers, not good. I have done my homework on this person and the resume is very thin. What I know I will keep to myself, but I would be concerned.
ChrisKay1
Loved the Lot 59 reference. I saw countless ASU Baseball games that started around 4pm during those years. The pull of watching Barry Bonds, Alvin Davis and Oddibe McDowell was ALWAYS greater than going right home to start my homework. Just glad that parking in Lot 59 did not have a time limit on it.
AZHockeyNut
Had a cat that got stung, she survived. It was a god-awful sound she made though. I prefer kitchen shears over the shovel. Get in there and clip that tail. harmless after that.
Brandon Sparks
Dammit, I just remembered the question I’ve been waiting a month to ask: what exactly are “NHL standards” when it comes to locker rooms/team facilities?
Robert
Good luck with the surgery.
Hopefully it’s just old athletic injuries.
Those are always worth it. I only regret that I have but two knees and one spine to sacrifice for my sport…
Best of luck Craig.
lukea
Regarding your opening Craig, it isn’t even just other fans trolling the Coyotes. It’s media members as well. During the draft John Buccigross made some comment about the Coyotes “2,000 seat arena”. I saw a supposed journalist from the athletic call the Coyotes Arizona State the other day thinking she was so funny. Not to mention all the other nonsense that outlet has put out on the Coyotes. I don’t understand why they can’t just leave us alone.
Haha! I admire good journalism. I don’t like misinformation being spread through shoddy journalism.
lukea
One note I love in here is that everyone at the Coyotes table got to go up to the stage and the regional scouts got to go up for the guy they spent all year watching.
mlkinkor
Not gonna lie….reading your intro and your comment about “local fan base” gave me a new question that I wish I didn’t burn one question on trying to be funny. (Wu is pretty freaking awesome though, I work for the university, get to see him on occasion, always a fun time)
I’m leaving this comment just as much for myself…I want to organize a Coyotes fan event in Wichita around the game. Have no idea how to do it…but I cant be the only Coyote fan here in Wichita. I mean…ive seen a Khabibulin jersey at thunder games on occasion.
Sheryl
Maybe you can get in touch with someone in the marketing department to help at least with social media signal boosts. I’d wager they’d actually like to hear from fans in those neutral preseason sites to help organize get-togethers. At least I would if I was in marketing.
the Puck stops here
Good luck on your surgery….you’ll be back on skates before you know it
Brandon Sparks
We should probably get him a no contact jersey for the time being
Bill Brasky II
The Athletic’s investigative reporting on the Coyotes from afar has lost virtually all credibility after getting almost all the facts wrong on the ASU arena/Coyotes logo and ASU contract morals clause articles. We’ll stick with Craig for the real scoops!
Thanks, Bill.
Yeah, that was a pretty cool nugget. The scouts got the royal treatment at the draft. ‘Bout time.
Thanks for investigating.
That’s a complex answer, but never fear: It will be included in an upcoming story.
rjthies
Regarding the second question, I am currently at the Lumineers concert at GRA and can confirm the goal horn is still in the rafters here. So either the coyotes are getting a new one or they will join the Bruins, Rangers and Red Wings as teams who use a recording
Bill Brasky II
Another question I forgot to ask involves injuries to unsigned players at development camps — like the recent one to Geekie — and at the preseason prospect camps. I’m assuming players sign injury waivers and the NHL teams take care of the medical and insurance part of the injuries and rehab?
Also, college-bound players such as Cooley are not eligible to sign NHL contracts until they finish their NCAA careers, right?
Bill Brasky II
One more question: Nathan Smith was listed on the development camp roster, but I didn’t see him at either the first workout or the scrimmage. Do you know why he wasn’t there?
Sorry, I was not at development camp but I will ask.
You are correct on all counts, although I would reword the last question to say that once a player signs an ELC, his college eligibility has ended.
Thank you, Chris.
My kids have other plans for me.
Make it happen.
Yep, goalie hips. The right one will be replaced on Thursday; the left one is about two years out.
docroc@cox.net
Hope you are getting direct anterior hip from a legit expert surgeon
Jerick Tafoya
Thanks for the mailbag, Craig.
I know you already answered my question, but the Chychrun situation makes me curious and eager to see how it works out. The Matthew Tkachuk trade package really has me doubting that other GMs are willing to pay the price that Bill Armstrong set. Chychrun is excellent, but I doubt he’ll bring a similar return to Tkachuk’s.
I also wonder if Chychrun can change his mind and decide he wants to stay.
And lastly, great response to the would you rather question. Personally, although I’d love to know what my dachshund is thinking, it’d be more beneficial to acquire foreign language skills.
Robert
I can’t believe the people who leave noise on all night, to sleep and how many of them thinks that their neighbors should have to hear it too!!!
First it was 8 years in a military barracks! Never mind that, the stories are ENDLESS! But the first thing that comes to mind is the “ Parliament “ 45 that kept playing next door, all night long,,, “ Fire, Fire, when your hot, your hot, you really shoot your shot, your dynamite child”…….and if you said anything.. boom! A brawl.
Then the old man in the apartment next to me who retired from IU, who kept his TV on all night.
Now at a retirement community, there are these snowbirds that come back and wanna be high school again… The one great thing about Arizona is when the snowbirds go home, you get 4 months of quiet…. Usually.
My first run is at 4:30am and I pass this house each morning wearing my head lamp and hammerin miles, where this guy keeps all his lights on in his driveway, put up more lights to light it up more and you can hear is TV going from out in the street!!!!
Sorry Craig, that’s was a trigger and thanks!!!
lol. You were triggered.
JPearlman
While I disagree with you on the running Coyote sweater, I do wonder what it would like with the Kachina or howling head. I think they’ve got a great template.
Brandon Sparks
Agreed, I prefer the running coyote to the howling one.
That’s an interesting thought because I do like the canvas.
gfinney
“There has to be a genuine angle to warrant me writing about it.” Yes! A+. 100.
gfallar
… Dirt road life mean the times we can leave doors and windows open at night are the best, coyotes yips, owl hoots, and strange noises in the night outside are worth staying awake for but soothing at the same time. Then of course the birds in the morning are a perfect background for waking up because we don’t have those nasty black grackle things with their grating noise. Of course, the nights are rarely conducive to letting in untreated air anymore.
… The roadkill Coyotes is definitely the worst.
… Radiohead, I don’t get the attraction.
… Doaner answer mysterious and between-the-linesy, clearly you have the information in the vault to be dispensed later. We’ll be watching.
… Glad you didn’t go down the finance track.
Mark Teifert
Craig check out Indian Horse, it is a fairly recent hockey movie that I really liked. Native reeducation schools and a gifted player set in the 70s. The film tackles some hard truths in the hockey culture (many that still resonate today) that are worth exploring.
gfallar
yup!
Will do. Thanks.
It’s telling to me just how many musicians list Radiohead as a major influence and a ground-breaker in the biz. Their music is rarely predictable, never formulaic. I suppose the vibe is something you like or don’t, but I think they are nothing short of brilliant.
00Frosty
I don’t care what anyone says, Mystery Alaska is great! Love that movie!
AZHockeyNut
God bless ya, by far the best explanation in this answer…”The only constant is the swarms of mosquitoes (this also defines New England summers).” Having moved here from New England many years ago, I say you totally nailed that one! Well put sir!
Honestly, I have no idea what the attraction is unless you are right on the water in New England.
Didn’t mean for that to sound snarky, but there is too much surface-level journalism out there. Anybody can show up to a news conference or player availability and write a simple story based off that. That’s not really journalism in my opinion. Mostly, it’s just lazy.
Bill Brasky II
Did I miss the original announcement that Coyotes’ rookie camp would be held in San Jose starting Sept. 16?
What about the veterans’ training camp …. will that be held in Scottsdale — or San Jose as well?Will we not be able to see any of the prospects before the regular training camp starts?
It is in conjunction with the annual Rookie Faceoff tournament, which will be held in San Jose this year. Camp will be in Scottsdale.
mlkinkor
I know I mentioned how Hayton looks on the ice…but Saturday night, the biggest observation I had was Dauphin….that man was always involved and was making some insane plays with the puck.
Robert
Thanks Craig, always great to recover after a tough workout reading your articles.
I like the “ hub” idea of all Arizona’s teams.
I think it would be great and the renovations would be worth it.
I hope the new owner of the Suns is a hockey fan and he, Muruelo and the Mayor can come together for a deal.
Coffee? You better believe it. If you are ( well, we’re) an endurance athlete, nothing is more important.
The best coffee in my experience always comes from a 7/11 or gas station coffee, I call it.
A good size styrofoam cup full of gas station coffee, drank on the road, EXACTLY two hours before a major race is crucial to insure that late race surge on your opponents. I like to grind my own beans in older age.
gfinney
“…the arena is usually owned by the city, jointly owned or owned by an NHL team.”
The Oxford comma beckons you to the dark side. Come over. We have cookies, ice cream, and smooth whiskey.
Sheryl
Yeah! Be a rebel, Craig, and ditch the AP style guide!
Never.
Agreed on the need for coffee, but I’m going to have to disagree on gas station coffee.
Brandon Sparks
There’s a time and a place for gas station coffee, I will concede that
Canis Latrans
At gunpoint.
Ha!
Bill Armstrong told me the same thing.
Robert
Just to clarify:
I think your “ hub” idea is the only based on reality way this franchise can succeed.
To have the the other three teams all centrally located in downtown Phoenix provides some mutual support.
I think the team can lean on the support of the other three fan bases and could slowly but surely gain a following.
I look at the proposed giant entertainment complex on Tempe Town Lake and remember all the pre-game walks, hours before the game at the plaza at GRA and I never got use to the vast emptiness. And I remember tailgate.
I think all the pro sports should come together in your aptly named “ hub” in mutual support and slowly but surely gain fan momentum.
Thanks
I see that you work in the department of redundancy department.
SnarkyPenguin44
If Alex Chiasson makes the roster, will you use “Alex Chilton” as the soundtrack for his highlight reel?
I like this idea, and you are now in my inner circle for knowing The Replacements’ best song.
Robert
Movies: I haven’t been to a theatre since “ Guns of Navarone” whatever year that was.
Lately, I’ve been running two episodes continually on my DVD…
Perry Mason “ Case of the Jaded Joker”… and the office scene in the “ Columbo” episode “ Dawns early light” where this guy is telling Colonel Rumford the board had decided to close the military academy that he was in charge of.
“ The wars over colonel”
Col. Rumford: “ The wars never over William. They’re will always be people bent on destroyer country and that’s why academies like this cannot be allowed to die”.
William: I think you really believe that.
Col. Rumford: And what do you believe in William? That plastic world of advertising you so snuggly fit into? It is people like you William who have made our country a moral junkyard”
Each time I applaud, then turn back to the MLB playoffs or the NHL channel of course ha.
gfallar
Playing a game across the southern border in Mexico City is a great idea.
I had Gandalf pegged early, Sauron not so much until he started getting all jiggy with the ring work.
AZHockeyNut
I just love all the questions you answer and how well you do it. I am sure this kind of real journalism takes a lot of time and effort. Just want to say thanks so much for doing it.
lukea
The Bedard refusing to play for Arizona is an incredibly stupid rumor clearly just made out of thin area and is something for supposed “insiders” to talk about to fill time.
It’s just ridiculous.
Thank you. The mailbags are definitely time consuming, but I genuinely enjoy interacting with everybody. I get a lot of interesting questions. The trick is making sure I can do enough reporting to provide insightful answers.
Bill Brasky II
Regarding your answer about the Yotes’ defensive prospects, has Soderstrom fallen so far in the new front office’s eyes that he doesn’t even get a mention anymore?
I would have expected him to be one of the first to get the call up after a pretty decent first pro season in North America last year in Tucson? It’s not like our current RH defenders are lighting it up on the Coyotes right now.
Stay tuned, Bill. I’ll have something on Victor on Tuesday.
Right, the ring fascination made me wonder. They’re playing loose with the details from the books, too, which makes it harder to guess.
lol.
Guns of Navarone is a classic.
mlkinkor
“The Sound of Silence” covered by Disturbed is 1, and you know what…I like Tori Amos’ “Smells Like Teen Spirit” over Nirvana’s. There’s another one I’m trying to think of…but im blanking on it right now.
gfallar
That one is a solid cover!
JPearlman
I’m a fan of the Lovesong covers by Adele and 311 over the original by The Cure.
gfallar
Bonnie Raitt covers of Randy Newman’s “Home”, her cover of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” and Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day”.
Joe Cocker’s cover of The Beatles “A Little Help From My Friends”.
There’s tons more, it’s a great wheelhouse for a long night of food and drinks.
dougthepilot816
IMO, the Manfred Mann cover of the Springsteen song “Blinded by the Light” is the best example of the cover version being superior to the original.
I didn’t get the question in, but it seems to me that the Defense pipeline is lagging behind the Forward pipeline (we won’t discuss goalie). Thoughts?
Robert
I’ve had the acoustic side of Bob Dylan’s live 1964 disc in the CD player of my car now for 13 years.
No joke.
Well, with a slight interruption every now and then of the Allman Brothers Fillmore East CD… about and then it’s “ whipping post” until I get tired of it.
Then the 1964 live Dylan goes back in and to top it off I play two songs off of it only. Number 5 and 7….Mr. Tambourine Man and “ Desolation Row”
There is no finer music than that.
Same CD in my player since 2009…
Having a blast at the hockey games.
gfallar
Allman Bros Fillmore is a must have for every person with ears as is Little Feat Waiting For Columbus.
Turn them both up.
Signed…
Tinnitus Guy
Charles Woodall-Pike
Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails is the elite standard in my book.
I think I also enjoy Five Finger Death Punch’s cover of “Bad Company” more than the Bad Company original
And as much of a fan of the Eagles as I am, I do prefer The Ataris cover of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer”
This is a tough one because Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” is an iconic song for me.
Haha! That’s awesome. I have a playlist called “Anytime” that is exactly what it sound like: songs that I can listen to at any time, no matter how old.
Thank you, Doug! This was the cover that I was trying to remember when I wrote this piece. I agree completely. Manfred Mann’s cover outdoes Springsteen, and that’s saying something.
Joe Cocker’s cover of The Beatles “A Little Help From My Friends.” Excellent choice.
Checking this out now.
mlkinkor
Hurt is the cover I was trying to think of….I ALWAYS forget that Johnny Cash’s version is a cover. The song just feels like it’s meant for him.
AZHockeyNut
Ok Craig I will trust you. No one does the Coyotes like you. Really appreciate what you do and the insight you provide both hockey and non hockey.
John18
“I have long believed that the entire period between Christmas Eve Day and New Year’s Day should be a national holiday. Business leaders probably don’t agree. The US is so hyper focused on productivity and work ethic that it fails to consider the benefits that more balance might be create. An entire week off probably sounds like blasphemy.”
Yeah, but resturants need to be open, groceries need to be open, movies probably need to be open, utilities need to be on, presents need to be returned, supplies need to be trucked, election lawyers need to (never mind), gas stations need to be open, airlines need to (never mind), etc. My point is it would be a week off for maybe 25% of the population.
Durangutang93
Thanks for answering these questions Craig.
Robert
Very good mailbag, great questions.
I’m concerned that over 30% oppose the new arena.
I don’t even like that number.
I hope active positive campaigning is being done!!!
Brandon Sparks
Should have clarified my question: by “homework” I meant finding out whether a player spends his weekend at the gym or at the club.
Rob Turner
Maybe Marchand’s Twitter comment was actually after he read through the Mail Bag.
Durangutang93
Thanks Craig for answering everyone’s questions and Happy Birthday!
Robert
Very good!!!
AZHockeyNut
Thanks Craig. Appreciate you
the Puck stops here
Great job as always , Craig…Happy Birthday and hope you enjoy the secluded vacation with the family…
Robert
50-69….shock. As someone who still considers himself an athlete and thinks of himself as the great Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert of Memphis wrestling fame used to say “ I’m every mothers nightmare and every school girls dream” …. I actually have arranged a visit to “ Friendship Village” in Tempe.. I made sure to find a place close to where the new arena could be built.
The lady says 10 minutes away.
I still run 40 miles a week but I do it at night or very early morning with a head lamp so people don’t see me… ridiculous… gone are the days of coming in 112th out of 5000 in a major road race!
50-69. That’s about 2/3rds the way up that escalator the Gunther Grass talked about in “ The Tin Drum”
Top Beatles and Stones songs? Mine changes everyday. The studio version of Jumping Jack Flash with the alternative tuning and Brian Jones electric lead is really nice and last night, I couldn’t get out of my mind “ Salt of the Earth”.. I think off the “ Beggars Banquet “ album.
Beatles? Glass Onion like you said. In “ Lennon Remembers”, Lennon said that was his favorite… “ Im looking through you”…. But that’s just today….
Yeah, the back end of 50-69..almost 70…
“ Friendship Village”
I can remember after 4.5 years of taking care of my wife, in exhaustion finally having to look for help. Some poor lady showing me around the place…tears… whole way.
“ An escalator ride is a good time to reconsider…to reconsider everything……”
ChrisKay1
The font used for the Discord questions is much easier to read this month. Don’t have to spread each one out with fingers on phone to make each question bigger, which was always a pain in previous months. Thank you.
Jerick Tafoya
Excellent mailbag, Craig!
Haha! Your response to my Chipotle question was awesome. How you feel about their guacamole is the exact same way I feel about their sour cream — just inject it into my veins.
And your intro about birthdays and age was awesome. The 90-plus quote had me rolling.
Robert
Excellent feature. The interviews. The questions and answers were great.
I’ve often wondered about Sahara Bets.
I think it went from 260 to 280 followers in the last two weeks.
I didn’t want to bring it up and am ashamed of myself that I did not.
I’m a season ticket holder and a fan and just couldn’t speak up.
I hope the voters of Tempe don’t notice.
It’s important that this whole thing succeeds.
The worst thing that could happen is that it gets voted in, it’s built and when I’m walking around the arena in the hours before the game, it’ll be like Westgate was when I walked around there at 2pm for a 7 o’clock game.
Music, coming out of the speakers, the sound of the water fountain spraying water up and as empty as the surface of the moon… nobody… like a Rod Serling script.
280 followers
Do they have a busy plan?
Yes, but the arena will sit solo for a bit. The development will take longer to complete, just as it did in Westgate.
Also, I think attracting people to Tempe will be a lot easier than attracting people to Glendale.
Robert
“ business “
gfinney
Glad to hear you’re a fan of the written word. I’m old so I have a bias toward print, having grown up with only print reporting. I don’t think audio/video is inherently inferior, but a multi-person format lends itself more to casual conversation and an emphasis on personality. That has a place in the journalistic ecosystem but I dread the day when that’s all there is. It’s quick to produce and the modern public seems to want ever more frequent content, but it comes at the expense of carefully considered organization and presentation. It can also be a minefield if someone says something off-the-cuff that winds up being controversial. In the old print model editors would catch that stuff and save someone from a potentially career-ending faux pas. I’m not sure how budding sports journalists learn those lessons now without getting severely burned. Keep writing! There are still some who appreciate it.
Thank you for the support and also for this well-thought response. I agree wholeheartedly with this take.
Robert
Excellent column as usual. I was a volunteer journalist for the Bloomington Herald Tribune.
The editor, poor Bob Zaltzberg ( apologies mr. Zaltzberg) allowed Dr. Ruff and I to print a weekly column for about 5 years.
The difference between a pro journalist and a journalist without portfolio, must infuriate real journalist like yourself.
The letters I got, oh man. I misspelled names and other things…
I once got a letter which had in the envelope my column cut out of a paper.
The guy circled in red ink each time I used “ I”….
I’m sorry Mr. Zaltzberg. I have this passion for a sport that I lived ( still do) but I wish you would have left it to the professionals.
All that came back Craig when you wrote about your attention to detail.
CTS brought up “ best all around athlete on the team. It would be great to dive deeper into that topic. I interpret that as being good at multiple sports.
In my sporting life, I almost broke 17 minutes for 5000 meters, at one time bench pressed 350 pounds and hit a home run in a major league park ( sort of) in a real collegiate game.
My vote on the Coyotes would be Lawson Crouse.
I saw him in batting practice before Coyotes Night 2017 ( I think 2017) at Chase Field hit several over the right center field fence at Chase Field.
He also said he liked to run in a radio interview but did not go into detail.
Thanks and great job as usual.
Rob Turner
The Jamie, Shawn pod “discussion” about the Sabres would have to be named En Garde.
lol.
BABA 44
After having gone to a dozen Roadrunners’ games this year, I hope the Yotes bring up Ronald Knot for the rest of the season. He has impressed me. Hope he gets extended a new contract. He and #92 V K Would make a good pairing next season for the Yotes.
They like him a lot. Just what that team needed.
Todd Y
Wow! A monster of a mailbag.
I beg to disagree with Craig on one answer. There is one (and only one) free agent that would change the rebuild and the entire outlook for the team. AM34 a Coyote in 2024!
Also Demetrous Koumontzis is now an Idaho Steelhead making him the 3rd Sun Devil on the roster with Jack Becker and Willie Knierim.
I missed that, but the mailbag has now been updated with the Koumontzis news.
Todd Y
After the whole intro on spelling, I screw up his first name. Arrrgghhh!
lol.
Thank you, sir.
AZHockeyNut
As one who’s name is nearly always butchered and who’s parents’ names are always butchered I wholeheartedly say thank you for the attention you pay to those kind of details. We may not always agree but I respect the effort you put in your work. Thank you also for answering my questions. I really appreciate the opportunity.
DesertCanuck
I suggest we start referring to the Keller-Hayton -Schmaltz line as the Anti-Tank Machine.
Robert
It’s funny. I majored in philosophy first because of the book covers.
The edition of “ The Stranger” that we used, had the people with the white washed faces and confused clothes.
“ Mother died yesterday or the day before, the telegram wasn’t clear”, “ It’s better to burn than to disappear!!!”
Nausea was life changing for me. Roquentin and his overwhelming experience with existence from the “ oily feeling rock” he found on the beach to large tree roots he saw as he sat on that park bench “ digging into the earth at his feet and finally to the puddle of water that accumulated beneath his glass of beer. “ you could explain to me that this is just glass of beer but it’s more than that and suddenly I realized I had reached the water depths towards fear!”
And the “ Self Taught Man”!!!! Read every book in the library on the shelves in order!
Finally “ A great menace weighs over the city”!!!!
Can’t we say that about the Tempe election on May 16th????!!!!
The people in this damn city may lose the most exciting sports team ( sport) in the world and we’ve been going through this stress for 11 years!!!
“ A great menace weighs over the city”!!!!
Finally “ Waiting for Godot.”.. I used to make a tick mark on the back page after each time I read it cover to cover.
I remember in the book I had back home I had 21 tick marks and I’ve read it two more times since I moved out here.
I memorized everything Estragon, Vladimir and Pozzo said.
Me and this other fellow used to train with the Hanover College XC team on Sunday mornings..,
We’d trade lines from the play back and forth.
In fine Existential manner he disappeared after graduation. Wouldn’t return calls.. no record of him. 30 years later I read an obituary of a 96 year old man with the same last name Beuchler.
In the obit it said “ Pre-deceased by a son the late Paul W Beuchler.
A vet like me, we met in a bookstore and we were wondering what to major in. I picked up Becketts book, looked at Paul and said “ Waiting for Godot”… he GOT IT, I GOT IT..,and we started cracking up in the bookstore.
So, I majored in it until I thought about getting a job. Switched to geology, got one of my many occupations in that field ( related) and can’t remember a damn thing about the subject..,, yet, ( and thinking of Paul) I still feel “ that disproportion between man’s hopes and fears and the………..silence of the universe” ha
Robert
Honorable mention: The Flies-Sartre
“You are a splinter in the flesh! A poacher in his lordship forest!!! A leper mewed in a later house!!’”
Paul would recite that line and many others from this play, while we were on a Sunday morning 20 mile run and he’d have this intense serious look, staring at the pavement, then looking over at me, snap out of it and we’d both start laughing!!!
Lets go YOTES!!!!!!!
Robert
“ lazer”
AZHockeyNut
“Ketchup is the worst. I like BBQ” um they are basically the same thing….. One is generally thinker than the other but I mean splitting hairs.
DesertCanuck
As the leader of the Ban Ketchup Forever movement I am here to say they are not the same, no more than Marinara and Bolognese are the same.
gfinney
If you get to Melbourne you have to see an AFL game live (preferably at the MCG). I will want full details of the venue, atmosphere, accent distribution, etc. They’re weird in that they don’t have a published schedule beyond June (impossible to imagine that happening here) but it’s Maple Leaf Gardens for the AFL so they’ll have something in play.
Winterhawk1999
I always find the mailbag an interesting read over the last couple of years, both the questions and Craig’s responses. What I know tells me there will be some surprise decesions over the summer. The reality here is everything is drive by staying at the cap floor and what the operating budget looks like going in the 2023 season. Tough way to run an NHL franchise and that small light at the end of the tunnel is still an unknown. That all said I will comment on my favortie topic goaltending, and my personal opinion is things remain status quo with the big club if the numbers work to start the season as has been well documented. Is a trade a possibility, sure it is. On the farm this is were it gets interesting, and there are possible changes afoot. Do they resign Prosvetov, I don’t think so.That book doest read like it’s cover. Do they resign Tendeck, why would they after 3 years of isolation in the ECHL and reluctance to play him when called up. Yet his play on the last road trip contibuted to the team securing there playoff berth.There were trade talks going on during last summers deadline, and it didn’t happen because it appears the Coyotes got cold feet. Can’t understand why. Anson Thornton, is not close to making any jump to the AHL, never mind the ECHL. And Rasmus Korhonen, he is not really killing it in Finland, but the Coyotes love those 6’5″ goalies. In my opinion the Coyotes management of there goaltending assets as been pathetic over the last (2) years. My parting comment is on Logan Cooley. Had a conversation with a US scout close to the US national program in August who told me at that time that Cooley was thinking about staying in school. Didn’t really think much about that statement at the time.
TheLegend
Thanks Craig for taking my question.
Totally slipped my mind that a sportsbook and ASU wouldn’t mix.
Hopefully we’ll have some sort of good arena news soon while you out. (for a change. 😉
I think they could announce something fairly quickly.
John18
Have a wonderful family vacation!
Robert
Thank you Craig.
“ most people hated it, especially agents and players”
I’m in great company. I hated it too.
What lack of supervision in this organization allowed for this new Twitter guy?
Show me a loser, who jokes around about losing and I’ll show you…. a loser.
Total lack of pride in that front office.
“ Mullett Arena, the YOTES will experience home field advantage “
“ Landfill to Landmark “
“ Dewey Defeats Truman”
It’s been 10 days now “ Where’s Waldo”?
Thanks for your work. It’s always been outstanding.
Thank you as always, Robert.
ChrisKay1
Your kids are very lucky to be able to go on a Western European trip – kudos to you. I went on a 30 day 10 country family trip when I was 12, and it greatly aided my ability and confidence to travel independently on my own or with friends to various countries in my 20s and 30s (without having to use tour groups as a crutch). Will never forget the impact on me of being in East Berlin and seeing the Berlin Wall from both sides. East Berlin was so cold and lifeless compared to West Berlin. When the tour bus got back to West Berlin, the entire bus was so happy that everyone spontaneously started singing the Star Spangled Banner, and not everyone in the group was an American. I still get chills when I think about it. Until you go to other countries, you can not appreciate just how important freedom is, and the impact of American policy, both good and bad, on the rest of the world. I quickly learned that people in other countries knew more about what was going on in the American political system than 95% of any Americans did. Talking to those people in other countries could be a profoundly impactful experience for your kids.
100 percent. Travel provides invaluable perspective.
Thank you, John.
Wiggy
Thanks for all your great work here and have a wonderful vacation with your family. Lets all hope its quiet as hell around here while your gone and there are concrete arena plans announced the day after your return. Interested to hear your perspective about Dublin as I am taking my family there in July. Safe travels!
Mike the sports nerd
While I don’t think ASU basketball would’ve helped the Tempe arena get approved (the opposition was too stuck on lying to everyone), I do wonder if ASU would be open to joining the Coyotes in a new building if the location was close enough to Tempe (such as the suggested spot near Sloan Park, since that’s just down the 202 from campus).
Robert
Good questions as usual.
I’ll just wait and see what goes on.
Got up late, somehow didn’t get out the door until 4:25am. Ran 4 miles, 1 set of pull-ups, 5 sets of curls, pull downs and bench press for my first workout.
Finished Stephen W Sears book about Gettysburg. I thought George Stewart’s book on “ Picketts Charge” was the only book you needed on that charge but it turns out different authors find different tidbits of information.
There were 169 guns in the famous cannonade preceding that I’ll fated charge….
Amazing book.
On the other hand Richard Dawkins book “ The greatest show on earth”, his book on evolution, got so detailed, on and on about different variations of dog breeds and flowers, I got frustrated and sitting in a rocking chair, threw the book behind me, smacking it against the wall!
Dogs and flowers.
2nd workout, 4 miles on treadmill.
Yesterday, I cranked the treadmill up so high that afterwards, I had to clean up 3 nearby treadmills because I slung sweat all over them.ha
Anyway, Sears said, the fuses on confederate ammunition was so faulty, it would sometimes fall on advancing infantry just ahead, the infantry guys would become so angry that they would turn around and threaten their own artillery guys, so they decided to use solid shot only.
That revelation made me sit up straight in my chair. I had never heard that before.
I always thought EP Alexander stopped firing on the advance, more research required!!!!!
All while awaiting YOTES news