Movember, Poutine, & a Change

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” – Arnold Bennett, author of many works, both non-fiction and fiction, including How To Live On 24 Hours a Day, which is still well known to this day.

Ohhhhh Movember! What a glorious month. It is indeed a month in which to celebrate. For one, you get NHL hockey in full swing, the Canadian Grey Cup (congrats to the BC Lions) and the ire of women everywhere for wearing a lip-sweater around the entire month. Also it’s American Thanksgiving which consists of turkey and football (That’s what America does! – prose taken from Wedding Crashers). A bunch of the boys got on board to support the cause of raising awareness for Prostate Cancer. Immediate kudos to my Canadian brethren who raised the most out of any country in the world during the magical month - $37 million to be exact. Here are a few of the boys’ muzzies…mine wasn’t voted the best – that award goes to Whitley.

Chris Whitley (okay this is not actually him but this picture is wayyyy better than the one of the actual Chris Whitley flexing topless with his mustache)

  

Jeff "I took pictures everyday of my mustache & put it on Facebook" Hutchins

Alan Mazur had to get stitches right before the end of the month but he had a great mustache going.

My classy Mexican duster (or James Brolin from American Gangster look-a-like)

 He cheated though by using Just For Men applicator and actual grease in his hair.

Even the older sister got in on the fun for some passengers at the Edmonton airport.

November has also had us see some other visitors from across the Atlantic. My roommate Jarrett Konkle’s father and grandfather both came over, uniting a trifecta of generations of the Konkles. We thoroughly enjoyed the week that they spent with us and, like most other visitors, we’re grateful for the bottle of Crown Royal that they left us (you might consider it a toll or tax for coming to visit). We were also treated to the feast of a lifetime prepared by now-coach Brent Hughes’ mother (more on the “now-coach” part later). Shake-and-bake chicken, scalloped potatoes, red onion & tomato balsamic salad, and a little bit of red vino to top it off. Oh snap. I forgot the most important part of the meal: Swiss Chalet sauce. For those of you unfamiliar with this Canadian delicacy, it’s basically a combination of sweet’n’sour sauce and awesomeness. It’s like the beer they make in Beerfest but for sauces. You might say our hockey “sauce” was powered by the Swiss Chalet “sauce” in practice the following day. It’s THAT good.

Shake 'n' Bake - Ricky Bobby & Cal Naughton Jr. - Talledega Nights

Also another nice visit but not in Dundee but down in Coventry was from a good friend and fellow Athol Murray College of Notre Dame Class of 2005 Hound, Dan Marashi. Dan and I both headed to Wilcox in our Grade 11 years and as I headed to Yale, he returned to England  to attend Kingston University, continued to play hockey for Bracknell (in the EPL), and got into natural body building. Needless to say, the guy now squats and benches a bit more than when we last saw each other in June 2005. This absolute beauty drove the 2 hours up from London and watched us lose 7-2 to the Coventry Blaze but said it was worth it for the fight I got into and the goal I scored near the end. Great guy and I can't wait to return the favour by heading down to London to have him show me around.

Dan & I after the game in Coventry. He may be smaller than I am but this guy can throw some weight around in the gym.

And as this post finds us already in December, I’d like to say Happy Birthday to my brother (Dec. 1), my dad (Dec. 10), the legend Gary Wishart (Dec. 11), and roommate Jarrett Konkle (Dec. 18). My own birthday was Dec. 5^th (thanks to all that gave a mention) but it started out in a dentist's chair. Unfortunately I took a puck in the face in the game the preceding Friday which cut my bottom lip open (hello stitches!) and chipped my tooth. Needless to say, I spent the part of my birthday in a dentist chair having the nerve from my front left tooth extracted. As I apparently do not take to freezing well, I usually take nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to get numb. However, that is not a common practice over here so I had to take 3 needles of freezing but still felt a fair amount of the drilling going on. As the French would say: “Tabernacle” (in English, this means “not so pleasant” in a few not-so-pleasant words).  Since then, I’ve headed back to the dentist chair for a root canal which required 4 needles worth of freezing but got the repair done to make my tooth look normal and aesthetically pleasing again. Nonetheless, on the celebration of 25 years, the boys and I enjoyed a solid meal together over a few pints and some good laughs. It should be noted here that in lieu of birthday cake, we found a “kebab shop” that was willing to make us another Canadian delicacy: POUTINE! Chips (fries), cheese, and gravy. Spent a few extra minutes on the bike for that one. I’m guessing we’ll be back tho for more Canadian goodness.

An example of the guilty pleasure from home that we've found in Scotland (not actual picture of what we ate here but you can understand the mouth-watering, delightful shame that goes into it).

All in all, I enjoyed my Movember (and the first week of December). Congrats to Lee Mitchell & Chris Whitley for sharing players of the month. Both guys had a great couple weeks and Whits is starting to show why he was a CHL All-Star. Also, best of luck to fellow blueliner Steven Chalmers as he heads over to Germany with U-20 Great Britain World Junior team. They don't play against Canada or any of the other big name hockey countries but it is a significant accomplishment for him and we're proud to have him on our team. Despite personal strides being made, our team record currently is no true indication of what kind of team jumps on the ice every night. The large majority of our losses have been by 1 goal. Nonetheless, we sit in a place in the standings that none of us are proud of. Inevitably, there was change that needed to be put into action. Having player-coach Dan Ceman relieved of his duties is a decision neither I nor any of the other players are in a position to make, so I won’t comment on that, but I will comment on the premise of “change.”

Change is defined as something becoming different. Change can be gradual or it can be expedited. It can be radical or conservative. Regardless of the nature of this change, the outcome is expected to be different than those before the alteration was made. And history proves to us that change is not always for the better (as Mr. Bennett alludes to in this entry’s quote at the top). Regardless, it is a change. It is meant to invoke a different result. Look at the rise and fall of the Roman, Ottoman, or even Nazi Germany empires. All of these situations required a change and then fell, either in a few years or a few hundred years, fell because of a need for change that rose up again.  The perceived status quo needed to be broken, and as I said, with our team, change seemed to be inevitable. With this change, we hope to rise out of the position we’re in and up into a place that we can hold on to into the playoffs.

I was recently reminded while watching the movie Braveheart for the umpteenth time (although first time in Scotland…and how fitting!) of how significant character is & how it can overcome in times of a disadvantage or change. It matters not who goes into a physical battle with the best men or the best weapons, but those with the most character, most conviction within their hearts & minds, and the belief that they will undoubtedly be the victor. In terms of our team, we have the ability to skate with the best of teams in the Elite League and have proven so by recent games against Nottingham and Belfast.  We have the character to play with the best and it is with this attitude, we draw a line in the sand and focus on the remainder of the season. Newly-appointed head coach Brent Hughes has made it clear the direction we need to head in and I believe all the boys are on board.

A bunch of Scotsmen rose up against a superior English force in the late 1200s/early 1300s. They pride, character, and conviction in their goal of freedom never tired.

With this new direction, the themes of change and character have never been more present in my mind.  In our situation, this change should be for the good, especially when you have nowhere to go but up, and that character and will are the most important factors in driving this change. As tough as it is to see a good man in Dan Ceman go, we must rise up and ready ourselves for the rest of the season; ready to fight and claw for every puck, every scoring change, every goal, and every point towards making the playoffs. Now is not the time to roll over and die but to turn the page and Carpe Diem (“Seize the Day” in Latin). It other words, it’s time to prove that we will never give up.

And now I gotta give it to my man “Dancing Rick” (Astley) to tell you that I’m
never gonna give up. 

(Okay…the song is a little out of context but this guy is more ridiculous than Will Ferrell in the latest Old Milwaukee commercials and I enjoy smiling.  A lot.)

Let the change be for the better. And let's hope Will Ferrell didn't get paid for this.

Until next time,

Brennan Turner

Trick or Treat (AKA Brutal Roadtrip or Canadian Visitors)

”I had all my own teeth and I wanted to keep it that way.” - Tom Glavine, baseball pitcher, who opted to play professional baseball over hockey when drafted in 1984 to both the MLB (2^nd round) and the NHL (4^th round).

Hockey is no doubt a sport where an errant stick or shot can quickly become a girlfriend’s, wife’s, or mother’s worst nightmare for their significant other (or son). On more than one occasion I’ve been cut open for a few stitches, had a couple black eyes, & broken my nose 8 times (only 6 were on the ice – the other 2 being basketball & soccer). As a result, many hockey players own the scars of old stitched-up wounds, a crooked nose, and/or a few missing teeth. I’m not naming names but there are a few boys on the team, who if you ask politely (even though Halloween has passed), may pop out their false teeth.  One of the greatest hockey players to have ever played this rough & tumble game was a man by the name of Gordie Howe. “Mr. Hockey” as he became known (every hockey player has to have a nickname!), was much recognized for his rare combination of significant skill & leathery toughness. I should also point out he was from Saskatchewan – a good province to learn both talents (no coincidence here that I am also from Saskatchewan).

Hockey great/Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe (notice the missing teeth):

One of the ugliest (but also one of the best) hockey players: Alex Ovechkin

It was on our latest test of games that I came into my latest black eye. One reason many players from North America venture over to Europe is because there are usually “lighter” schedules, this meaning players are subject to as many games over the course of the season.  To extend on this point, the NHL regular season consists of 82 games. On top of this, each player usually will participate in 4 or 5 of the team’s 8 or so exhibition games. Moreover, if their team goes far into the Stanley Cup playoffs, add another possible 28 games to the list (16 if they sweep all 4 rounds). In total, a man who dodges injury could play up to 105 games in one season (about 38 weeks total). That’s 266 days total (give or take a few days), which intrinsically means playing a game every 2.5 days. Monday. Wednesday. Saturday. Repeat. To anyone else, this seems like a pretty easy job – only having to work 3 days a week. However, we have not accounted for daily practice, some sort of weekly regular off-ice workout regime, and the ever-grueling travel.

This last aspect can be the most taxing on a hockey player. Most hockey schedules are not always played out as mentioned above, but there are usually at least 3 games in a week. The most common North American schedule is playing on Friday, Saturday, and then finally Sunday. This is mostly due to a team trying to minimize its travel during the week. For example, situation #1: A team plays 3 games during the week with 1 being at home (City A) & 2 on the road (City B & C), in 5 different nights. Situation #2. A team plays 3 games in 3 nights: 1 being at home & 2 on the road in 3 nights. Situation #1 is more expensive for the team as renting a bus to City B, playing a game, returning to City A, playing a game 2 nights later at home in City A, then again 2 nights later renting another bus to City C, then returning to City A.  Situation #2 would take a team from City A, to City B, to City C, and back to City A again usually, minimizing costs while maximizing games played. Our most recent schedule was modeled according to this “Efficient Schedule Hypothesis” (borrowing from Fama’s debatable Efficient Market Hypothesis for those of you familiar with economics). Said roadtrip took us from Dundee, Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland (game 1), to Dublin, Ireland (night 1), to Cardiff, Wales (game 2), to on the bus (night 2), back to Dundee, Scotland for game 3 (and night 3). Total distance travelled? Close to 1100 miles (or 1750 km) in about 70 hours, including over 5 hours of ferries. Needless to say, we did not perform as well as we would have liked to in the first 2 games (the second of which I received my black eye after a punch thrown while I was down on the ice – no more to be said on this matter). In the 3^rd game in 3 nights, back in Dundee, our side played hard, but our tired legs could just not hold up and, battered and beleaguered, we lost 2-1.

3 games in 3 nights in 3 different countries. We traveled through 5 countries over the course of the trip (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales, & England).

The ferry similar to the one we used to go to Belfast and the one from Dublin to Hollyhead.

Alas, the roadtrip was not over there!  On Wednesday, we travelled to Nottingham (another 350 mile, 7-hour bus ride) to face a dangerous Panther squad. After 50 minutes, we were down only 2-0 despite playing with 5 defensemen and 8 forwards much of the game (injuries prevail after many games in not so many days) and after 60 minutes, final score: Nottingham 6, Dundee 0. Lastly, two nights later we found ourselves in another 300-mile, 6-hour trip to Sheffield. Still under-manned, our team played well but not a full 60-minute game and again we came out onh the losing end. 6 hours back to Dundee to face the Cardiff Devils the next night. On this Sunday, despite being quite worn down and still bogged down by some injuries, many of our guys played at much under 100% but we prevailed with a 3-2 shootout win.

Ironically, I potted the 2 regulation goals for us but my visiting family was no longer in town to see it! In fact, during this entire roadtrip, my parents and older sister (who flew over from Western Canada) followed the Dundee Stars like ducklings follow a mother goose.  Impressively, my father, a former RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police or Mountie) and ruler of all things highway, kept the rental car & its occupants dent-free driving around all of the United Kingdom (literally). It was his first time on the left side of the road and it took him a few days to warm up to the roundabouts. Their tours started them Friday in and around Belfast, through Glasgow up to Dundee, all the way down to Nottingham, back to Dundee, around Edinburgh, Falkirk, Pitlochry, & Stirling, and finally back to Glasgow for their flight out 9 days later on Sunday morning.  Over the last few years, I have become an excuse for my family to see many parts of, initially, North America, and now Europe, as they chase me around, hoping to catch a game while they still can. They used to be able to catch all my games up until the age of 16, driving my comrades & I to urban and rural rinks, tying many skates, and getting caught in a snowstorm or two. When I moved away from home to attend the storied Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan (by then we had moved to Winnipeg), they would travel feverously to attend as many games near our hometown and the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border as they could. On their many trips to Sask, I bet that the former Mountie and wife (both now in sales), escaped at least 6 speeding tickets through wily yet friendly banter with the accusing officer.  If they couldn’t attend a game in person, they’d usually call a relative near the town I was playing in, ask them to turn the radio to the AM station the game was being broadcast on, and put the phone next to the radio. Very dedicated parents to say the least, something I’m very appreciative of. I’m swaying though - these are stories usually meant for around an ice-cold beer or with a fishing line in the water.

The size of the town of my high school, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. It's the alma mater of notable NHL alumni including Wendel Clark, Curtis Joseph, Rod Brind'Amour, Vincent Lecavlier, Brad Richards, Jordan Eberle, and over 100 other NHL players. The big building in the foreground is the Olympic Size rink. The town itself is about 250 people - with the school in session, the town grows to about 600 people.

Seeing the parents for the first time in months after a tough game in Belfast.

Some of the signs that my sister enjoyed over here. The first sign I didn't see and hit my head on a multi-century-old stone ceiling in Edinburgh Castle. It hurt.

The family trip was great, despite all the travel we were doing as a team, and that we were missing 2 more individuals from the family. While in Belfast, they went to Giants Causeway and Carrick-A-Reade, both pretty cool places according to their pictures and description of the place (of course, I was on a bus as told above). Finally back in Scotland, I showed them around some of the places I’ve already seen (i.e. St. Andrews & Carnoustie) and those I was hoping to see anyways (i.e. Edinburgh, Falkirk, & Stirling). We also treated ourselves to some unbelievable meals along the way. As it was my parents 31^st Wedding Anniversary on Oct. 25^th, we went to St. Andrews for a great lunch at the Jigger Inn & some great touring around the town. That evening, I invited a bunch of the boys to help us celebrate the milestone at Don Michele’s, a great restaurant run by a great guy (Patrick) who’s also a former Dundee ice hockey player from Italy. We also headed down to Edinburgh where we toured around Edinburgh Castle (amazing!), the Royal Mile, and enjoyed a pint & some Scottish whiskey in Edinburgh’s oldest pub – the White Hart Inn, established 1516. We had some great meals, most notably lunch at the Round House in Falkirk and Peppo’s (famous fish & chips) in Arbroath.  I definitely recommend both places if you ever have the chance.

The parents on the day of their 31st wedding anniversary on the famous Swilcan Bridge in St. Andrews. (I missed their 25th & 30th wedding anniversary because I was at a college & playing pro far away so it was nice to celebrate with them again)

Sampling some Scotch whiskey at the White Hart Inn (established 1516 AD). Notice the black eye.

The amazing and incredible Edinburgh Castle. Definitely a must if you happen to visit the Scottish city.

I’d be remiss not to talk about any golf! Right before the family got into town, the usual golfing crew braved the cold, windy weather one day & headed over to Drumoig Golf Club. A great layout, the course proved extremely challenging on the front 9 with some very long par 5s, all into a strong wind that blew my hat off more than once (Picture me running after a rolling hat down the fairway, golf bag over my shoulder, clubs falling out, and my toque-wearing counterparts pointing and laughing). If you need an indication of how much the wind can play a factor here, I shot 54 on the front (the wind really had to be taken into account on 7 of the 9 holes) and 40 on the back 9 where wind was only a factor on 3 holes. Good fun nonetheless (if you’re not having fun, why even play?).

Teammate & Boston University product Dan McGoff on the 9th tee at Drumoig Golf Club. The 9th hole fairway was about 20 yards wide with water on both sides (you can only see the one side in the photo). Easily one of the more difficult holes I've ever played - especially with a 40 MPH wind playing perpendicular to your shot.

Sooooo, with that ridiculous roadtrip behind us, we’re hungry for some more wins, hungry for some more golf (might have to start wearing the toque tho), and thirsty for some Crown Royal & ginger. (Disclaimer: The only place we’ve found this Canadian whiskey treat is at the Jigger Inn in St. Andrews so the family brought some to Konkle & I. We are very grateful.) And also hungry for more chocolate walnut zucchini cake that my mom made us while she was here – it’s unbelievable. On that note, thanks Mom for making the cake and the “early” Christmas and birthday presents. Don’t worry though, the former are still in its Christmas wrapping paper.

Much more I could have put in this post but will save it for another one before it gets too long and your eyes become sleepy. 

Happy Movember! (The picture above is from Naples, Florida when my parents trekked down there for a couple games and my last serious mustache attempt)

Brennan Turner

Victory!

“Victory” – Johnny Drama (Entourage); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIeWjLC_SB0

The words “bring out the golf clubs” are usually only echoing around the rink after a team has just finished off their opponent in playoff competition. But no, currently, this is not the sign that the hockey season is over. C’mon! We still have 50+ (at least) games left! It’s just the sign that the boys have been hitting the Scottish links to relax a little bit. This has been a past-time as long as hockey off-season activities has been documented (see: Grant Fuhr in “Boys on the Bus” – absolute gem of a hockey movie on the Edmonton Oilers when all the greats were there in the midst of their Stanley Cup perennial ownership. Unbelievable trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PRBr43emtw&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLC12FCD5C0A8A2149).

Nonetheless, as mentioned previously, my golf clubs are here, shined up, & ready to strike the white Pro V1s. It would be idiotic not to take advantage of the many golf courses in the area on days off so a couple of the boys (D-men Alan Mazur and Dan McGoff and forwards Jarrett Konkle & Brent Huughes), a few of the front office men, & myself have set out to do so. So far, I’ve been the low guy on all but 1 occasion (Hughesy must not have counted a lost ball or two) but we’ve all had a great time nonetheless. In addition to Downfield, we’ve played Ballumbie Castle & Alyth golf clubs, the latter of which originated in 1894 and was quite challenging with the 50+ km/h winds that we played in (Here I beat Hughesy – I shot an 87.  Not great but all the same respectable under the conditions).  We hope to swing the wrenches at a few more places before the winter weather takes grip on these eastern Scottish shores. These include Drumoig, Ladybank, and of course one of the St. Andrews courses. Most recently, we were treated to “Scottish golf” in the cold, deafening wind &hard rain. Thankfully this only lasted one hole but I still had to grab my toque, rain jacket, and umbrella. All in all, playing in Dundee, Scotland, the golf is just one of the benefits, despite the laundry that must be done after the rain comes. There are countless areas to check out & enjoy on the days off (even on work days if time permits).

Thankfully, we didn't hit any houses.

Konkle playing my caddie. He did a good job...not good enough for a tip afterwards though.

Konks teeing off at Alyth Golf Club - one of the oldest in Scotland.

Seeing some sights is all part of the experience that is playing overseas. A few fans and some team associates have graciously suggested a few places for us to visit. Hopefully there is ample time for us to drive or train to a few of these places and enjoy them all the same. Of course, I’m saying this as some family members cross the Atlantic to join me for a few days in this experience. My older sister, the globesetter of the family, I’m sure has about 300 places picked out to see within 10 days. I told her I only want to see the ones where we can grab a pint after every mile or so of walking. I’m sure my father would agree. My mother would not. (Picture of what I hope I will not look like after walking).

Back to many of the benefits here in Dundee though: there are various ways to fill the free time. Usually my roommate & I, Konkle, hit the gym in the morning before head off to the rink for practice. Grabbing a quick lift/cardio workout is a solid start to the day – there are some on our team however who work or attend college full-time & don’t have this luxury before practice. This being said, we (mostly I) antagonize said individuals by sporting the “gun show” in the dressing room to some favourite jams like “Moves Like Jagger” and pretty much any rock song. This may be the reason that some of the boys think that my nickname should be Disco (add it to the list). One individual that may have bigger muscles in the legs department is Lee Mitchell aka the Hulk (in terms of size & strength, not becoming enraged). Apart from the betterment of the body, akin to Sir Isaac Newton, each action has a reaction, so we often head to the movies for some Ben & Jerry’s or popcorn (albeit small quantities). And for the evening, if the situation presents itself, the gents are able to hit a pub or two where the old hockey pastime of story-telling reigns supreme. Stories shared include those of old teammates, worst/best fights, games won/lost, goals scored, and some other stories that are not necessarily PG 13. I’d like to say some of my stories are the best but others would say they run to long and the interrupt me by asking if I found $50 afterwards (aka your story sucked and the only way to make it funny or good is to say you found $50 at the end of it. Disclaimer #2: No guarantee this makes your story good). 

Our gym.

Not too many people have got moves like Mick. Or could fit into those pants for that matter.

Also, at these team outings, food is often a part of it. As we are “finely tuned athletic machines” (see the Adam Sandler classic “The Waterboy” for further clarification), nutrition is essential! Often is the case, someone will receive the classy ritual of being “shoe-checked.” This is where an individual will sneak under the table and put ketchup or salad dressing on another teammate’s shoe. Once the prank is executed and the sneaky devil who was under the table is back at his seat, everyone clinks their silverware on their glasses, which is a sign to check your shoes. If you’ve been successfully targeted and you find your shoes dirtied, you have to get up and tell a joke or sing a song – basically humiliate yourself in front of the restaurant, bar, or whatever establishment you’re in. If you’ve been around the game enough, you’ve definitely been shoe-checked or have shoe-checked someone else. Why am I telling you this? I got shoe-checked the other night. Always have to be on the lookout but all in good fun. 

Here, my shoe is "checked".

An excellent local establishment.

Dinner with the boys. Some random dude got at the very front & ruined the picture.

To the hockey aspect of this blog – victory! The boys finally won our first game in convincing fashion. Everyone’s been playing hard and focused on the task at hand so that is very encouraging. What’s not encouraging is Mazur’s attempt at a goatee & fellow D-man Chris Zarb’s beard (which apparently is a science experiment on timing facial hair growth). Back to the point: we thought we had our first “W” the weekend previous but had some penalty trouble (some is a bit of an understatement when 6 penalties in a row against us were called). In sum, we got in the win column and could easily be back to .500 before the coming weekend is over, which would be solid since we have 6 games in 10 days after said weekend (I thought I left North American minor hockey schedules in North America…). Also, one quick note: there must’ve been a girl with good taste in charge of selecting “Man of the Match” in our most previous game who was intermittently impressed with my swarthy Saskatchewan good looks. After reading this last sentence, you’re either A) laughing or B) throwing up. If neither is happening and you are confused, I was selected as Man of the Match. Truth be told, any one of the boys could’ve been picked as everyone played very well. It was by far our best game of the year and hopefully we can continue to build on it. Don’t ruin it for me though – I still like to think I got picked for not just my play on the ice!

A propos, before I leave you, I should absolutely make note of Thanksgiving back in Canada this past weekend.  Contrary to many of my American friends (namely those in my Yale Hockey Class of 2009 who would berate me with anti-Canadian jargon…), according to the all-telling, forever-reliable world of Wikipedia, Abraham Lincoln decreed a day of “thanksgiving” in 1863. Interestingly enough, history would suggest that the celebration of Thanksgiving in Canada is not just a copycat of American Thanksgiving but that the former did in fact precede the latter by about 285 years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada) ). 

This all being said, I’m thankful that all of us (both Canadian & American amigos) can be thankful for all that we have: freedom, family, roofs over our heads, clothes on our backs, and food on our plates, among other things). There are millions out there in this world who do not have these fortunes and it is in fact too often that we take it all for granted. To celebrate a little Canadian Thanksgiving, roommate Jarrett Konkle & I searched high & low for a turkey & stuffing/dressing. Truth be told, Konks (by himelf) searched high and low (slash the middle shelf of an Asda grocery store) and found a chicken with stuffing in it, all the while I viewed the solid film “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy.” What a great roommate. The glory should not all be his however – I made garlic bread and tortellini. No turkey, cranberry sauce, and/or mashed potatoes, but enough to be thankful for nonetheless. In addition to these, I’m thankful for this opportunity to continue playing hockey. Lord knows there are other things I could be doing. But not now…not just yet.

Brennan “Disco” Turner

Becoming A Vagabond

“The truth is that it is natural, as well as necessary, for every man to be vagabond occasionally.” - Samuel H. Hammond, U.S. Congressional Representative (Georgia - R) 1803-05.

I’ve never been outside of North America. I have sisters who have lived in The Hague (outside Amsterdam) and been in Madrid during the subway terrorist attacks there in 2004. I have a mother who travelled Europe “back-in-the-day” on a shoestring budget. Me? I’ve just always played hockey. I forfeited opportunities to travel overseas with summer school session offered by Yale (my alma mater) in order to attend Chicago Blackhawks summer development camps, which ultimately led to my first professional hockey contract and a taste of the NHL.

So after the 3 and a bit years of toiling in the North American minor leagues, I decided it was time for a change. I dreamt big and went after my dream full-throttle – something not many people can say they’ve done. Some people even have the opportunity to chase the dream but don’t, for reasons unbeknownst to me.  Taking this shot at my dream, I have undoubtedly been very fortunate. My job is a hockey player! My income-stream is the result of lacing up a pair of CCMs, taping up my stick, and throwing a few elbows here and there.  And my office has my last name over my head when I sit down! Courtesy of hockey, I’ve seen all 4 corners of the continent (Alaska, Newfoundland, Southern Florida, & Southern California) and played in over 200 professional games, including being part of an AHL championship team with the Binghamton Senators this most recent season. I’ve attended NHL camps in Chicago and Ottawa, faring well but not well enough to get that illustrious NHL game. To quote the cliché “so close yet so far away” could be considered an understatement.  But more hockey players than just I could write a novel on this one aspect of the game (perhaps another time).

I have been approached by European teams in the past to venture across the pond but the dream of The Show remained. It’s hard to resist this when you’re a Canadian prairie boy, growing up on the windy frozen Canadian tundra – playing hockey outside until you get enough frostbite on your cheeks that even when you’re a grown man, you can’t fully grow in that section of your playoff beard. Finally, the ups and downs of minor hockey in North America had taken its toll and I decided my skills (and mental health!) were better off in a new environment so I took the plunge and signed with the Dundee Stars of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom.

The team I play for is located in Dundee, Scotland – about an hour and a bit northeast of Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Perhaps it’s easier for a reader to place this city with regards to its two nearby famous golf courses: Carnoustie and the birthplace of golf, St. Andrews, both of which are about 10 miles away (Dundee is in between the two).  It’s a city of about 200,000 people with another 50,000 in surrounding communities. Where my roommate (forward Jarrett Konkle) & I live is right on the water in the downtown in a place called City Quay (but pronounced City Key). Our 3^rd floor “flat” overlooks the expansive River Tay and neighbours many friendly, loud, and gregarious seagulls.  (Quick note: the 1^st floor of a building is called the ground floor or “0” in an elevator, the 2^nd floor is actually called the 1^st floor, and so on and so forth so we actually live on the 2^nd floor). Here's the view from the walkway in front of our building on the River Tay.

Upon arriving in the UK, crossing the street can be very hazardous. Your whole life, you’re taught to look left, then right, then left again before crossing the street. Not so over here. Within the first 2 days, I almost got hit probably half a dozen times because I failed to look right first AND THEN left. Just like skating is muscle memory, I think I’ve now got my brain trained to protect the rest of my body (it will however be interesting what happens when I return to Canada). Building on this, driving on the left side of the road in the position of which I most identify as the passenger has also been eye-opening. Here, there are not very many street lights or stop signs but instead a plethora of roundabouts – circles of unending traffic flow.  Figuring when to go and what lane you have to be in to go to the exit you want to has gotten my roommate and I a few evil glares, a few horn honks, and more than a few two-finger salutes (the equivalent of giving the middle finger here). Needless to say, we have only gotten one ticket so far – a parking ticket. It seems that everyone here drives a small car. We drive a 2-door Honda Civic (not the most ideal vehicle for 6’3 and 6’1 guys, making me miss my SUV), and parking spaces are very tight. I think I’ve perfected my entry and exit from our car so as to not hit the neighbouring car door as long as there’s about 8 inches of room to squeeze out.

Learning how the British Pound (also known in slang as quid) works has been interesting as well. They have coins in £2, £1, 50p (p = pence or cents), 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, and 1p. Let’s just say after a night out for a couple wobblies with the boys, your pockets can feel quite heavy. Ironically, you always seem to have enough in said pocket for some late night food (errr I mean salads). In terms of cost of living, comparably I have found it a little cheaper here in some areas and more expensive in others, exchange rate being accounted for (which is currently at about £1 = US/CAN $1.60). For example, I can buy a loaf of whole wheat bread here for under a £1. Back home, or even in the U.S., this is usually around $2. Drinks out and about seem to be cheaper as well – i.e. the first night we went out together as team (a Saturday), Jagerbombs were £2. Like c’mon! Let’s just say we soon became preferred customers. (Disclaimer: alcohol should be consumed in moderation and can affect your ability to operate motor vehicles and motor functions of your own body). On the flip side, a Starbucks coffee here is more expensive here usually (although I have no compared the entire menu to be completely sure of this). For example, a Grande Caramel Macchiato is usually around $4 something back home while being £3.75 here. For those of you still salivating about late night foods, the McChicken is on the value or “pound” menu, so that is in fact more expensive. All in all, the food here isn’t all that bad. I have in fact already experienced Haggis and I am not all that opposed. It’s kind of a combination of more dense ground beef/meatloaf.

Powerade/Gatorade can be a tricky thing here. If you’ve ever had that irrefutable desire to quench your thirst and refuel with a low-calorie, quality electrolyte beverage (specifically looking at some Yale Hockey buds here), you have to be careful here what you pick up from the beverage aisle. Case in point, after a workout, I grabbed a Powerade to “hydrate” and, much to my surprise, it was carbonated. Not all that refreshing. And I had to buy another one to ensure proper hydration. It turns out that all sports drinks come in 2 versions, carbonated and regular. You have to pay close attention.

In terms of technology, because the cable provider here, Sky, seems to be run by kindergarteners, we still have yet to get any Internet, despite being here a month.  We do have TV and when the technicians came to set up our cable, we asked them if they were going to do our Internet too, to which they replied “that’s not our job.” In the twitter world that’s called #badbusiness #epicfail #poorservice and the list could go on. Seriously? How do you run a successful, efficient business when you have to have separate cable and internet technicians? You call Time Warner (America) or Shaw (Canada) and you’re up and running with phone, cable, and internet in a day or two. Upon speaking with customer service, we keep being told we’ll get a call in an hour….or 48 hours….or we’ll try and get a technician out there as soon as possible – nothing that appeases our internet worries. What I currently use to connect is a “dongle” which is just a USB internet stick. You can get 7GB of data upload/download for about £25 which isn’t too bad. We have a lot of similar channels here as home like MTV and Comedy Central and we paid extra to get ESPN America so we can get all the highlights and some of the programs (Monday Night Football, College Gameday, MLB playoffs, etc.).  The biggest difference I’ve found in terms of the cable is the lack of censorship of shows. Like MTV showing nudity and letting f-bombs fly no questions asked! A bit of an eye opener without question. I use my Verizon Wireless blackberry over here – simply “turned off” my U.S. account because I’m out of the country and replaced my Verizon SIM card with a T-Mobile UK SIM card. The cost for 6 months of unlimited data and free calls (if someone calls me)? Only £20. Literally pay less for 6 months of unlimited data here than in 1 month of unlimited data with Verizon – something tells me they could be doing a lot better. Granted you buy like £20 worth of “allowances” so you can text normally (10p/text) or call someone (25p/minute! Yikes!). Staying in contact with people both here and back in North America is mostly in terms of Facebook, Blackberry Messenger, and an app called Whatsapp which allows you to text for free to someone who doesn’t have Blackberry Messenger.

Now to the hockey. This league is a bit of an “older” league with more than a few 30 year olds on each team. Nonetheless, these guys are still very competitive and often are some of the best players on the other teams. My role here is as it was before: continue playing strong physical defense while trying to chip in some offense. I had 4 points in the 2 exhibition games but none in the 5 games since then (frustrating!). I play a significant amount of minutes and am counted on to shut down the other team’s top lines in addition to playing powerplay and penalty kill. We’ve come out on the losing end more than the winning end thus far but are working towards significant progress. Each game we seem to be getting better at our systems and offensive flair seems to show itself more and more. The biggest thing we need right now is consistency – chipping pucks in, getting pucks to the net, stopping on pucks turned-over, limiting turnovers, and playing more physical are all things that we are getting better at but haven’t gotten to where we need to be. Nonetheless, we have the personnel to compete with the top teams and still have a lot of season left so I am very optimistic.

All this being said, my first month in Scotland has been incredible.  We’ve visited the aforementioned Carnoustie and St. Andrews golf courses, both of which are incredible to see and actually step foot on. You can literally walk around on the courses as much as you want just so long as you don’t get in the way of any golfers.  The town of St. Andrews is a great place to viist as it boasts a top university in the world (same college that “Wils & Kate” went to) so there’s a few good restaurants, including the only restaurant in about 50 miles around that serves sushi. Since there’s about 30 legitimate golf courses within a 20 mile radius of Dundee, I fit my golf clubs (except my drivers) in my hockey bag & just bought a cheap bag over here. Hit the links for the first time this past week at Downfield Golf Club, the site of the qualifying tournament for the 1999 and 2007 British Open. All things said and done, a challenging course!  Travelling to away games, you get to see a lot of the country side which I would compare to Montana or Wyoming (for Americans) or the foothills of Alberta (for Canadians) but the hills are a little bigger. And there are a ton of sheep. And it rains a fair amount. Literally can be a beautiful sunny day when you enter a grocery store and when you step out 30 minutes later, it’s pouring. Here's a couple pictures of St. Andrews & Carnoustie (the latter being the bottom 2 pictures. The player here is Padraig Harrington heading up to the 18th green at Carnoustie during the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship).

I’m sure I’ve missed some things but this is the first blog of many. I hope to post every couple weeks or so and put up pictures to accompany the posts but it'll be slow going at first. If there’s any questions you have, feel free to ask me in the comments.