This year the World Cup of Soccer proved yet again that hundreds of fans can be connected by emotion. Interestingly enough, soccer inspired my career as a hockey writer. Around 10 years ago, I worked for VISA International. Yes, the same VISA company that sends you a bill and chastises you when you've made purchases over your credit limit. At that time, Team Brasil played against Mexico at a preliminary match in Miami.

 I covered the public relations department and received corporate tickets to attend the game. The crowd was uncontrollably wild and loud. The Brasilians danced the game away and quickly impressed all the football lovers in the Orange Bowl. Ten years later, after moving to the Northeast I was soccerless. I had to make a change in sport and opted for hockey. Luckily, the rules are similar and the skill level is as exceptional as that of soccer players. Ten years after attending my first soccer game and now writing about hockey, I bumped into the South Korean team at the Ritz Carlton Marina del Rey.

The Koreans were in awe of the hockey players also staying at the hotel. The feeling was mutual for both type of athletes. Today, watching the World Cup of Soccer as the Italians advanced to the finals I was reminded that emotion is what fuels and inspires all of us writers.

I must confess that I didn't know that goaltender Jose Theodore had turned into an obsessed Paris Hilton fan until I watched E News. Supposedly Jose and Paris met up at the Much Music Awards in Toronto. The Theo-Hilton connection led me to think that maybe the Colorado Avalanche goalie will appear in an episode of the Simple Life. It could be a funny episode as long as Miss Hilton doesn't break a nail and management makes a fine run in the playoffs.  The blondness to the Theo-Hilton connection just makes me want to read The Sports Intellectual blog.  Maybe Paris learned from The Drama Queen.

And then there is the question of Mike Lange who was the big guy behind the microphone on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. Where will he go? As you might remember, last season Bob Errey almost tripped me with the microphone cord as I attempted to interview Sidney Crosby in Chicago.

I blogged the whole incident which I should have sent to FOX not as a complaint but as an idea for a sitcom. As I tripped over Crosby, I needed Mike Lange to pop in the dressing room and shout: "Wrap the cord like a vacuum cleaner!" I will miss the announcer and his nutty sayings. Watching Lange on television was the equivalent of watching an episode of Seinfeld with hockey action as long as the Penguins scored. "

"Ah She Wants to Sell My Monkey!"

For all of you Chicago fans, bashers, haters and lovers, here is a nutty message parody from the Chicago Blackhawks front office created by a fan on their message board who appears not to be obsessed with Paris Hilton.

Monkey message link

Chris Chelios is upset and he won't have it any other way.  Recently, he told the Toronto Sun that he was concerned about Ted Saskin, head of the NHLPA union, breaking promises to the players.  He also told the Toronto Sun about a petition circulating through the NHL asking Ted Saskin to resign. Alledgedly, sources told the press that there were 30 side agreements of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that the players weren't informed about. Chelios believes that these "secret side deals" might hurt player salaries. 

"That's taking $90 million out of the market place for players," Chelios said to the press. "That lowers the market for everyone. That's going to hurt our marquee players. It's contradicting the deal we agreed to".

He is also upset about Saskin's portrayal of hockey players as not being savvy or being prone to manipulation as to contract matters.  "He's (Saskin) far more educated than us, he can dance around any player."  Now Chelios would like to hire a team of lawyers to investigate the matter. 

Chelios is also upset that the annual PA meeting is in Whistler, BC in July.  He referred to Whistler as an obscure place.  "Most players won't go. I think he set up to discourage as many people as possible from going."

Maybe he thought it would be in Miami Beach. 

The NHL announced its new bargaining agreement with officials yesterday.  I'm amazed at how much referees and linesmen make for skating, getting hit by pucks, being yelled at by mad crazed coaches, checked on the boards and being "in" the game.  But with the pay increase, will officiating change for the better in the NHL?  It seems that the new rules have lead to strict penalties.  Both Ottawa and Chicago are profitable gigs for the refs and linesmen.

The deal will pay first-year refs $136,000, with a maximum of $290,000 for veteran referees,   First-year linesmen will be paid $95,000, with the most experienced earning up to $190,000. 

I have a friend who is a linesman.  He is also a well respected anesthesiologist in Pennsylvania.  He told me that he was a linesman for fun.  He loves the game.  I now think that his moonlighting job is getting mighty profitable. 

  The refs

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Nikolai Khabibulin, goaltender extaordinaire,  is supposedly back to playing form, but the Chicago Blackhawks are still in the gutter.  The team has a .313 average overall which is close to the worst in team history.  Khabibulin, the first Russian born to win the Stanley Cup, was pulled out of two games this past week and replaced by his back up Craig Anderson.  Yes, his name now appears without an extra s.

Trent Yawney won't  blame Khabibulin.  

Much controversy surrounds Dale Tallon as he attempts to rebuild the franchise something that the organization has been attempting for years.  The centerpiece is their goaltender, but will his contract stand till next year.