Mike Browne’s Blog

Note to self: Walmart doesn’t take counterfeit one million dollar bills.

I wonder if the woman in the above story had gotten away with it before? She had another three of the fake bills in her purse.

Thanks to Lance for the original link and to Angel for the reminder.

This all reminds me of a story. When I was just 19 my friend, also 19 got a settlement from a car accident he had been in injured in as a child. He cashed the check and asked for six one thousand dollar bills only. The first thing we did was go to the local McDonalds drive thru in my shitty little car to buy two 45 cent ice cream cones using a thousand dollar bill. The people working at the restaurant were not amused but they managed to make change for us anyway. They had to go downstairs and open the safe to do it but they did it anyway. After that we drove back to the slummy apartment that my buddy, Ian, was living in. We saw the creepy dope smoker lady from upstairs just getting into her dilapidated Omni Horizon with no floor (like Fred Flintstone’s car). Wanting a car, Ian bought it from her on the spot for $400. We were partying quite heavily at the time, and even though $6000 is still a lot of money today, it was even more 16 years ago. Still we managed to blow through it in a little better than a week and not two weeks later the car was in the junkyard. I’m not sure Ian ever insured it.

Those were the days. LOL!

Overshadowed by all the Todd Bertuzzi / Steve Moore stuff is the fact that the Canucks actually played a game and tied the Wild, the team who knocked them out of the play-offs last year and have been giving the trouble ever since.

With 4:17 left in the game newly acquired Geoff Sanderson scored to tie the game at one all. The Canucks ruled the third period and overtime, but couldn’t put another shot past Dwayne Rolosen to win.

I was a little tentative about watching at all after Monday night’s insanity, but did anyway. I’m glad I did. Although not looking like the most confident team (for obvious reasons) the guys played a good game. The brand new Canucks, Sanderson, Rucinsky and Bergevin, all skated well and look like great additions to the team. Here’s hoping!

There are twelve games left. Let’s turn on the afterburners.

GO CANUCKS GO!

Chuff, Vince and myself went to the new Vera’s Burger Shack location on Davie for lunch. Hands down the best hamburger I have ever had.

Todd Bertuzzi has been suspended for the rest of the 2003-04 season, including the final 12 (13 if you count last night’s game against the Wild) regular-season games plus the entire 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If the Canucks do go deep into the play-offs, Bertuzzi’s suspension could be more than even Marty McSorley’s two handed slash on Brashear at GM Place in February 2000.

Bertuzzi’s elegibility for the 2004-2005 season (if there is one) will be determined by Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner, before training camp. Whether Bertuzzi plays will be contingent on the progress of Steve Moore’s recovery.

Personally, Bertuzzi stands to lose more than half a million dollars in salary, not to mention the product endorsement deals this event has trashed. Already, Gatorade is talking about dumping him.

Also, thanks to heated remarks and promises of revenge made by other Canucks players and coaching staff, after Naslund was hit by Moore, the team has been assessed a fine of $250,000. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

As far as Todd Bertuzzi, I agree, the punishment does fit the crime. However, the NHL hasn’t really solved anything. Other teams recently have promised violence in retribution for perceived wrongs and received no fine and the players received no supensions. Why? No one got hurt. The only reason that things have turned out this way is due to the injury to Moore. If Moore had fallen on his side and ended up with no more than a fat lip, we would not have this to deal with this. Bertuzzi would have received a match penalty and one game for his dirty hit.

The NHL says it doesn’t condone this kind of violence, but doesn’t seem willing to take responsibility for their part in legislating the violence out of their version of the game. The league only ever reacts when someone is hurt and that always appears to be for face saving. Bottom line, violence sells tickets. It’s sad but true. A lot of the fans (myself included) enjoy the gladiator mentality to a point. When someone gets hurt it becomes ‘real’ and we’re ‘disgusted’. Hypocrisy? You betcha!

The culture of violence in hockey, especially the NHL needs another look. A solution would be to rethink the rules of the league entirely. A hard hitting, physical game base more on the International/Olympic version of hockey which is more about sportsmanship and finesse might be the way to go. You fight and you’re out.

I’ve loved watching the Olympics (especially when Canada won the gold) and, honestly, was not bored. I didn’t miss the fighting at all. I can enjoy watching hockey without violence. Can you?

In this case, I pray the Steve Moore recovers fully and goes on to have a long career in professional hockey. I hope that Todd Bertuzzi can come to terms with this event, and that he does get to play again.

Bertuzzi’s a great player, regardless of this incident. This mistake will follow him for a long time. If he is entitled to return to the game, who knows what effect it will have on his play. He is an asset to the Canucks and will definitely be missed no matter how long he’s out.

Hopefully, the Canucks can rally from this, put it behind them and go and win that cup.

GO CANUCKS GO!

UPDATES: Audio of suspension press confeerence and some comments from Brian Burke.

Before the game tonight Todd Bertuzzi held a press conference just to make a statement about Saturday night’s events. He was pretty contrite. Here’s the audio (1.88 mb mp3) of his remarks.

It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow morning at 6am when the desicion comes down from the NHL brass.

Check out The Museum Of Bad Art (MOBA). I just hope none of my stuff shows up there.

It was just a matter of time before Willaim Hung got a recording deal. Cranky American Idol judge Simon and his cronies may have missed a ‘diamond in the rough’ in the form of Hung. Sure, the guy can’t sing without his think Chinese accent and dances as though his feet were glued to the floor, but he has tons more potential than many of the others still in the contest. He makes people laugh at least.

If we have to see too many more horrifically banal projects like From Justin to Kelly people are going to revolt.

Rise up against the bland!

The NHL’s disciplinary hearing for Todd Bertuzzi is scheduled for today in Toronto. It should be interesting to see what his punishment is. I know I’ve calmed down considerably since yesterday as I’m sure many others have. You know that they’ve watched the video of the hit (3.65mb mpeg) over an over again from every angle. I guess we’ll hear what they ‘saw’ sometime today. Hopefully we’ll hear from Todd as well very soon.

UPDATE: The meeting is over but there won’t be a decision until 6:00 am tomorrow morning.

Yahoo! News – D.C. Sniper Muhammad Sentenced to Death

Just to cheer you all up. :/