Can We Bury the Ghost of Marty McSorley's Stick?

May 30, 2012 enters uncharted territory for Los Angeles hockey. Never before has a Kings squad entered the Stanley Cup Finals as the favorite – – ESPN’s “experts" picked L.A. to take the Lord Stanley’s Cup home 10 to 3. Heck, they have only been in the Finals once. (Sheesh once? Why do I waste my time? I always say…)

Never before has an eight seed taken the top slot and the best post season in all major sports. The Kings are riding the wave like never before, 12 wins and only two losses and undefeated on the road. They are making teams whine all the way to the league office and whimpering away to the golf course. Surely these aren’t the Kings I grew up watching. Agonized with every postseason overtime loss and thoughts of next year.

Today, nothing makes sense. 

Down is up. Left is right, the moon IS made of cheese, and the Brad Pitt-Angeline Jolie union is universally embraced as the undisputed reflection of how relationships should be handled in the New America. You get it by now, I know. Yet, I digress once again, so I'll stop. But not before I face the horrors for a single game that changed my life, ruining sports and I know them.

It was Thursday, June 3, 1993. A beautiful Montreal summer day outside with the mighty Montreal Canadiens taking on the Great One’s (that’s Wayne Gretzky for those of you whose nickname encyclopedias have been misplaced) Los Angeles Kings at the Montreal Forum.

The magic of this game was that the Kings had already taken game one and literally cruising in game two up 2-1 in the closing minutes. Then it happened.

The illegal stick.

The curve of Marty McSorley’s stick was just a quarter-inch outside of the rules. A freaking quarter-inch! Screw it, the NHL tells the story better: 

The rest was history with the Canadiens winning the next three games and winning their bajillionth Stanley Cup. I swear the maintenance crew at the Forum spent years scraping off the bits of my skull and grey matter glued to ceiling of those hallowed hockey halls. Why? Because my brain exploded as I screamed "NO" spelled with 7,000 O's. When Marty was out-thought (not a hard thing to do with McSorley) by the brain trust of the Bleu Blanc Rouge (that’s Blue, White and Red in English).

It was then that Marty McSorley took his rightful place near the billy goat, the Bambino, the cover the Madden video game, the Clipper and every other curse that has broken the hearts of many men.

I ran in Mr. McSorley a few years ago. My passion for sports had long died down, but my vitriol for hockey’s nicest enforcer had not. His excuse to the group set to tee off in front of me went something like this:

“Geez, there’s been a whole lot of sensationalism, actually a huge degree of sensationalism, and I know there hasn’t been a whole lot of honesty. 'Did I have an illegal stick? Yes! Did I stand up after and say, 'Listen everyone, I had an illegal stick?' Yes! The things that have transpired since then, I don't think there has been a lot of honesty.''

Just like that, he explained it all away.

I wanted to punch him, but, uhhhhh, I quickly re-thought that course of action. I surely wish Mr. McSorley would have re-thought using a stick he clearly knew was illegal and had to have an inkling that the Canadiens always have the Hockey Gods on their side.

I don’t remember much really after that game.

Cut me some slack; things were very touch-and-go right then.

I only remember that sports didn’t mean that much to me after that. Something I was good with until this band of hockey misfits who could bare score in the regular season sucked me in again. I dusted off my 1990 Mike Krushelnyski game used jersey and will wear it proudly through the finals. After all, he left me with a much better memory in the Stanley Cup playoffs:

Internet Killed The Book Store

Kathleen Kelly just shed another tear.

1998’s You’ve Got Mail saw Meg Ryan’s surprising convincing turn as the second generation owner of The Shop Around The Corner whose spirits sank as she secretly fell in love while her dreams were getting bulldozed by Tom Hanks’ Darth Vader-ish Fox Books.

…now it seems the same thing is happening to book stores in general across the nation.

Yesterday, I passed by my once-favorite Borders in Northern California. The massive parking lot was desolate and the 12,000-square-foot building was comatose.

I remembered the last time I was here—it was just like Black Friday at 8:00 A.M.. The parking lot bulged with cars, shoppers scrambling over the rows of 50% off racks, stripping them clean like rodents around day old chicken in the alley way. Each shopper with armfuls of books. What a festive day it would have been. That is, if it wasn’t so sorrowful. It was October 2011 and the store was in its final days.

How ironic that I picked up a hardcover “Death of a Salesman” for $1.99. Willy Loman would have quipped that it should be renamed, “Death of a Bookstore.”

Just as the British band The Buggles summarized the death of the record store with the 1979 hit “Video Killed the Radio Star”, here it could be said that the Internet Killed the Book store.

With Amazon destroying Borders in the pricing wars and Kindle, iBook, Opus, Nook, Cybook, PocketBook, etc., taking over the reading market, the visit to the book store is part of our ever growing bygone era.

Just after the release of You’ve Got Mail, I read countless articles about when Borders hits your town, it would kill the smaller stores. Look what happened instead. This is the ultimate twist of irony.

Read somewhere online [whoops!] that in the final round of Borders store closings—over 400+ stores and $450+ million in inventory—that the commercial real estate being opened up totaled 6.8 million square feet of space. That’s 120 football fields to you and me.

You wonder if a little bit of distinguished branding might have helped Borders. I mean instead of threatening employee’s people's jobs if they didn't sell particular books that Borders promised to make bestsellers (as former CEO Ron Marshall did for years), they could have solicited their help to make them stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Kathleen Kelly might have saved Borders...

Simply, they should have taken a page from Kathleen Kelly.

Really all of the chains sell the same inventory. What made Borders special were the nuggets of gold each employee would deliver when asked for recommendations. I can’t tell you how many great reads I had based on two-minutes of conversations at the customer service desk. Ad campaigns and out-of-home campaigns should have been built around this intangible. An intangible you simply cannot find at Amazon. They could have brought this interconnectivity to the Internet with live chats that would have welcomed the consumer instead of driving them away with a confusing, unfriendly rewards program that never got its legs (and for good reason).

Yet, I digress…

Don’t misunderstand me. There’s nothing wrong with Kindle. I bought my mom one for Christmas two years ago and she loves it. Many friends swear by it. But when technology kills off something as sacred as the book store, something’s not right in the world.

I’m a purist in many respects. I enjoy holding a book. Strolling down the aisles gives you a greater perspective of knowledge. You appreciate the words more. How do you replace the sounds of a freshly cracked spine or the oddly alluring scent of flipping unsullied pages? You cannot. It’s a shame.

Borders. Dead.

Blockbuster. Dead.

What’s next? Starbucks? Now that would be a sad day.

Kindle helped kill the book store.

Las Vegas in the Oh-Tens

Back in Los Angeles, I was sitting at The Media Guy’s field office [read: Starbucks] when the good folks at the home office decided it was a good idea to send me back to Vegas. It’s only been 18 years since the whole Desert Inn incident and since the court documents incident reports are sealed and they boarded up the old landmark, I was open to the idea.

Thank good the Desert Inn Incident was sealed away.

I was there last June for a quick 14 hours to hang out with the 2010 Miss USA Rima Fakih. (Yes, I just resorted to name dropping!). But this time is different; an extremely long weekend with trips to Hoover Dam and a stop at the Venetian Theatre to see the incomparable Phantom of the Opera.

Ah, the lands of sin.

Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

You know, Both cities began under analogous situations: importing water to the desert to build fertile, dreamlike cities that bore little semblance to their dry, dusty beginnings. I’m betting that most people don’t know that an ex-Angeleno founded Vegas, naming the themed strip after L.A.’s own Sunset.

Was I ready? Was Vegas ready? Heck, I cleared the no fly list, saved up some royalty checks and found the perfect place to stay – the lovely Platinum Hotel and Spa. Yet, I need more intell.

The Media Guy's new best friend Kate recommends
the Platinum Hotel and Spa.
I wholeheartedly agree. Add, so does Carrie Underwood.

Who better to speak with than Kate Borsheim, my new best friend, who urged me learn about Vegas in the Oh-Tens?

Media Guy: So obvious question is, does the slogan “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” still apply.

Kate: Let's just say Mark Zuckerberg killed that slogan for all of us when he created Facebook "tagging." In the over-sharing world that we live in now, "What Happens in Vegas, ends up on Facebook" as well as Twitter, etc. Now that's not to say that what happens in Vegas can't stay in Vegas, it's just up to you, your friends and the people you meet in Vegas not to share all of your Vegas happenings within the social media realm. The motto value of "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas" however, is very high. There's nothing like being on a plane on your way into Las Vegas listening to all of the excited chatter of passengers' upcoming plans for their Sin City visit. It is absolutely fascinating to watch people transform and let go of their inhibitions without being under the influence of any drugs... Maybe that's what this city is for outsiders - a drug.

It's still a way of life...

MG: Now that’s the type of drug that I could get into. The drug of released inhibitions. The joy of travel where you can choose the highest of high rollers and the lowest of $2 tables. When you see the commercials or Vanessa Marcil waxing poetic with Josh Duhamel on Las Vegas, all you see are showgirls and gambling. How do you take it all in?

KB: Las Vegas has anything and just about everything you can think of. Top restaurants, incredible shows and talent, and people from all over the globe make up the community. It's funny really. Run into a local and they may tell you that they NEVER go to The Strip. For me, I understand that Las Vegas holds things that I may not experience anywhere else. I do get dolled up occasionally and head to The Strip for a new club opening, or try my hand at the craps tables. I get wide eyed as I sit in the audience of a stellar Cirque du Soleil show. I get all "touristy" with my camera, as I capture a shot of the Bellagio fountains. The best trick for me to avoid being annoyed by all of the overly drunken and loud visitors to the Strip and to just let go and let the big lights of Las Vegas take me and enjoy the crazy uniqueness of it all. 

MG: So is there a life beyond the Strip?

KB: Las Vegas does exist beyond The Strip. This "second world" is similar to the world visitors to our city come from. There are suburbs, schools, community parks, etc. Everyday motions like the commute to work, happy hour with co-workers, home to cook dinner. We live close to the mountains, and love to hike and bike. We enjoy Lake Mead in the summer months and have backyard cookouts in the cooler months.

MG: Living in Vegas, how do you get around these two scenes and is Mark Zuckerberg even allowed there?

How best to navigate these worlds is to measure your own time and sanity. Obviously Las Vegas never sleeps, and most of those employed here in Vegas rarely work a 9 to 5. To have fun in the glitz and glam of Vegas, means you'll probably give up sleep to do so. To coordinate between work and play is a bit different than most are used to, and traditional Saturday / Sunday weekends are out the window. When you are here to play, we are here to work. Living in these two worlds comes down to (in its simplest form) time management. You can burn the candle at both ends too quickly if you are not careful.

As for Mark Zuckerburg, as long as he is willing to open up those deep pockets of his, I'm sure any casino here would give him the world.

MG: You mentioned Vegas never sleeps. I thought that was New York….like Huey Lewis sang:

New York, New York, is everything they say

And no place that I'd rather be

Where else can you do a half a million things

All at a quarter to three

Huey Lewis can find a half a million things to do in New York AND Las Vegas.

I know you’re from Texas, Kate, but what about the New York vs. Las Vegas situation?

KB: I'll give it to New York as it is the original city to never sleep, however Las Vegas has truly given it a run for its money. When I decide to leave Vegas, I realize that I'm going to have to get used to a life where things close down for the evening. No 3am dinner with friends, or 24-hour bars. I'm not a big drinker, but it's been kind of fun to throw "Last Call" out of your vocabulary. Looks like my next move is to New York... it's the only US city that compares when it comes to the pace of business and lifestyle. I can't say I wouldn't mind the fashion either. But if I had to slow down, nothing is better than that Southern hospitality.

----

Backstage at the Oscars

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here's The Media Guy's journey and perspective backstage at the 84th Academy Awards® with eight pictures and about 700 words including interview excerpts and intimate insights. 

Jean Dujardin and Uggie the dog. photo credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW EXCERPTS WITH: Jean Dujardin, winner of the Oscar® for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role in "The Artist".

Q. ...with your great success in this silent movie, are you concerned with the effort to make a transition into talkies?

A. In America? I'm not American actor. I'm a French actor, and I continue in France and but it's possible. 

Tom Cruise congratulates Meryl Streep. Photo credit: Todd Wawrychuk / ©A.M.P.A.S.

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW EXCERPT WITH: Meryl Streep, winner of the Oscar® for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her role in "The Iron Lady".

Q. In your very moving speech this evening, you mentioned jokingly we might all be sick of you in the future. I hope that doesn't happen, but it seems like you have the beginning of a second project in life with The Women's Museum. Would you talk a little bit about that?

A. Thank you for asking about that. There is no national women's history museum, but there is a lot of history that is not written about the contributions of women in our country and around the world. And I think it would be really, really inspiring for people all around the world to have this fantastic center where you can learn the stuff that hasn't been written about women, because for many, many centuries, history was not interested in us. And yet, and our history is invisible and I think it would be great for boys and girls to go to a place where they could learn about the contributions of their foremothers as well as their forefathers.

Photo credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW EXCERPT WITH: Christopher Plummer, winner of the Oscar® for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role in "Beginners".

Q. I'm curious how you look back at awards of any kind, specifically, the two nominations and now the first Oscar win. In terms of a measure of a career, because it's, obviously, not the reason you do things, but what kind of dessert topping does it put on a distinguished career?

A. That's absolutely a wonderful phrase. It is a le creme on top, and it's lovely to be sort of accepted, because you know that beyond the pleasure of working in front of a live audience, particularly, it's a general acceptance of your work. So it's thrilling, and I don't pretend not to poo poo awards, although there's so many of them, I can't keep up. I mean, they're inventing a new one every day.

Christian Bale with Octavia Spencer after presenting her the Oscar® for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. photo credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW EXCERPT WITH: Octavia Spencer, winner of the Oscar® for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her role in "The Help".

Q. Can you explain how did they help you to do that or you know what your cast really meant to you when you said your family really meant to you?

A. Well, it's very rare that you have the type of ensemble that we had. You know, you don't get all the Academy Award nominee winners and Cecily Tyson, Mary Steenburgen, Sissy Spacek, Viola Davis coming together to do a project. And then you have the collaboration of Academy Award nominees behind the scenes. We just left our egos at the door and worked together as one beautiful unit from Emma, Viola, Bryce, Allison Janney. I mean, it was an award winning cast. So to be a part of that and to just sort of dissolve into the world that we were representing is something that we're supposed to do as actors but it was rare that we did it without judgment with each other.

Oscar®-winner for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, Asghar Farhadi. credit: Darren Decker / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Hollywood's Power Couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, walk backstage. credit: Darren Decker / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Morgan Freeman credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Brian Grazer and Penelope Cruz. credit: Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.

Jennifer Aniston, Melissa Leo, the Oscars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame

I wandered the plastic-covered red carpet at the Kodak Theatre on Wednesday looking for the story of the day. All of the good stuff was happening in Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal New York. There, Oscar® fans were the first to see the actual Oscar statuettes that will be presented to the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at this Sunday. The 1987 Best Actor Oscar awarded to Michael Douglas for his 'Wall Street' performance was there as well.

Last year's Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo cut the ceremonial ribbon as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Meet the Oscars, Grand Central” exhibition.

Oscar®-winning actress Melissa Leo opened the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' "Meet the Oscars" exhibit. credit: Peter Dressel / ©A.M.P.A.S.

A few of my colleagues were there and they said it was a fabulous morning. I could wax poetic all day about New York, Grand Central and walking everywhere you go as I debate here, but then a little birdy dressed in a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department uniform said these magic words:

"Jennifer Aniston is getting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in forty-five minutes."

Her handler wouldn't let her stop to talk to the Media Guy.

Faster than you can say "Free Starbucks" I was hoofing it to Hollywood and Vine, which at the time seemed like a good idea. However, with the wrong Ferragamos on my feet and thirty pounds of camera equipment in tow, the ten blocks seemed more like a trek through the unpaved roads of Sicily.

When I arrived to the ceremony which was directly across from the Pantages Theater and inform of the W Hotel, it was, needless to say, packed. At least 1,000 people, maybe more. I didn't have a press pass and there was no place to camp out for the best shot.

Call it divine intervention.  Call it The Media Guy Timing. Call it whatever you like, but I lucked out standing in front of the Metro station entrance. This stumbled upon nook-and-cranny-of-space that the security guards left unfettered, would wind up being the catwalk area that hosted the celebs walking from the hotel to the microphones.

I was in the perfect spot to see everyone -- Adam Sandler, Wanderlust co-star Malin Ackerman, John Aniston, Justin Theroux and the star of the day -- walk in.

All smiles...

"Wait a minute...let me get my bearings...where's Michael?" (ok, a Media Guy can still dream)

On this 75-degree, clear Los Angeles day, Aniston became the first of her "Friends" to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her brief 2:10 speech was packed with humbleness and enthusiasm as she mused exclaiming that one of her "wildest dreams" had come true. "I was born in Sherman Oaks, CA. I am a California girl through and through. And I'm sure this has always sort of been in the back of my mind," she said.

As she received the 2,462nd star Walk of Fame, she concluded with, "I am utterly humbled and grateful to all of the fans who have come out today and supported me throughout my career. … I love you!"

Oscar® Notes

credit: TODD WAWRYCHUK / ©A.M.P.A.S.

The four Oscar®-winning actors from the 83rd Academy Awards – Christian Bale (left), Colin Firth (right), Melissa Leo (right center) and Natalie Portman – will present at the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today.

Meryl Streep, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis will also present at the awards, while Tony Bennett will perform at the Governors Ball on Oscar® Sunday.




More Walk of Fame Photos

"I was born in Sherman Oaks...it was always on my mind to get a star [on the Hollywood Walk of Fame]." 

"I'm going to get on all fours, so this could get interesting..." - Jennifer Aniston 

Malin Ackerman was the first celebrity on the scene.

Adam Sandler remarked that he "wore my best shirt for you today..."

See the Reuters B-roll:

The Pink and Green Oscars Update

Score another round to social media.

photo credit Scott Garfield ©Disney Enterprises

Many of you emailed me pointing to the Twitter campaigns advocating Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy become the host of the 84th Oscars. Billy Crystal was ultimately tabbed to replace Eddie Murphy, but the people were heard as the hyper green frog and his cannibal girlfriend will present onstage next Sunday at the 84th Oscars.

(Sorry about the cannibal comment.)

I'm still a little bitter about Miss Piggy's hawking of Denny's Grand Slam breakfast a few years back. I love pancakes and eggs just as much as the other guy, but I'm not ordering a side of "human" with my morning meal ala Miss Piggy raving about the bacon and sausage that comes with the Denny's classic. Notwithstanding her poor food choices, the Puppet Power Couple will be large and in charge and it should add a lot of fun to the telecast.

In my last Oscars update, I gushed about Angelina being announced as a presenter and the stars kept rolling in this week. Michael Douglas, Tina Fey, Cirque du Soleil® (featuring music contributed by Academy Award-nominated composer Danny Elfman), Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone and Penélope Cruz were all confirmed to appear on the show.

For some reason I was really enthralled about the "Out of Character" exhibition on display in the Academy's Grand Lobby Gallery in Beverly Hills. Douglas Kirkland photographed all 20 of the Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress nominees in the two weeks since the January 24th nominations announcement and they are nothing short of amazing. If you can't make it in person, you can view them here.

Six days to go to the red carpet...I'm counting down by the hour, not by the day.

Pictured: photographer Douglas Kirkland (left) and Actor in a Leading Role Nominee George Clooney.  credit: Matt Petit/©A.M.P.A.

The Bachelor…ABC Television’s guilty pleasure

I watch it because I wonder if people are really like this or not. I watch it for the single guy who always seems to be falling in love with six women at a time. I watch it for the women who smile and then eviscerate each other at the drop of a bikini top. And, I almost forgot, there’s more drinking going on than at Senor Frog’s on a Saturday night.

Most wouldn't expect this type of beauty from Belize.

So Monday, I sat down to watch in my television salute to Valentine’s Day.

This week’s destination brought the six remaining contestants and Ben to the tropical island of Belize. For those of you who whom I haven’t bored to death with my travel stories, I want to tell you that I love Belize. It’s ingrained into the fingerprint of my heart. I was there last year for the burgeoning Belize Film Festival that showcases pristine beaches and a renewed thirst for tourism. My first real girlfriend was from there and not only was her beauty representative of the people there, but her essence lit up the room when she entered. You’ll find those qualities nearly everywhere you go and everyone you meet.

This episode really pushed the envelope on adventure tourism. Swimming with sharks, jumping from helicopters into the ocean, lobster diving. You name it and it was probably happening. There were snakes. Well, only one snake: the vicious viper Courtney. The model who manipulates the lip-smacking, floppy-haired Bachelor Ben, with her evil web of Machiavellian dating. Summoning the venom that would make any poisonous succubus envious, Courtney makes The Bachelor worth watching despite the water cooler talk from the ladies who say, “I want to kick her in the neck!”

The head viper: Courtney

This week she made out with Ben on top of a Mayan temple while millions of Americans fumed and screamed at the television. Courtney, oh Courtney, you are one evil raptor that stalks the reality show landscape. However, for me that’s not what enraged my spirit. What also enrages me most is why Ben takes credit for all of these dates. His pseudo-humble bragging “I have a great date planned. We are going to take a helicopter to the top of some Mayan ruins that most people can only dream of…” Then the girls gush about how romantic he is and how he really cared to plan the perfect day. I thought maybe I was being jealous of Big Ben, but my text messages from buddies who also indulge in the spectacle of The Bachelor, let me know that he’s sliding by on the merits of his party planning producers.

We all know that he didn’t plan that those sumptuous outings. It was most likely some assistant producer that staked out Belize a year prior that planned these dates. Or perhaps it was some poor marketing schlub who didn’t even get to go there who worked out the logistics one early morning with the representatives from the Belize Tourism Authority. You know marketing guys/girls and football linemen really get the short end of it all. They do the heavy lifting and protect the stars of this world. But, the minute one thing out of 100 goes awry, they take the worst of the abuse. Yet I digress…

"Hey Ben, just stop the madness..."

Shout out to Ben: Stop taking credit for the elaborate romantic dates and let the ladies know it won’t be like this when you have to start picking grapes at your vineyard in harvest season!

…and back to the show…

Next week are the hometown dates, so this week was critical to whom Ben will ultimate choose to be the next Bachelor relationship that breaks up right after the reunion show. For those of you who don’t know what a hometown date is, it’s when Ben gets to meet the families of the Final Four Women. (Note: you don’t meet his family unless you make the Final Two.) Now those hometown dates will cause some serious shrinkage (if you know what I mean), and fast when you go and meet the families might be a tad off [read: weirdos]. It happens all of the time. Remember last season when Brad went to Shawntel N’s hometown and saw her handiwork as the funeral director? He couldn’t get on his ABC-sponsored chartered jet fast enough. Next week is really the apex of the season. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss it.

So for one hour and fifty-five minutes they teased it to the end if Courtney would get the rose or not. But in the end, even after a side conversation in the middle of the rose ceremony, Ben kept Courtney. The sad part was that he sent home the fun-loving, out going, real girl Emily to keep an average-looking mean-spirited model who can’t get along nicely with others.

Next week is really the apex of the season. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss it. Watch it here: Season 16, Episode 7.

Who wouldn't want to make out with the person of their choice  on the top of a Mayan ruin?

Happy post Valentine’s Day. Watch the show here: