Hello loyal readers! It has been a long time since my last post. Things have been quite busy with University and preparing to leave for the Marines this summer. I could not turn down posting this video by Ryan Parker. This epitomizes things between Boston and NY fans perfectly. Check it out.

Can the Tuna Save the Dolphins?

Much of the feedback I recieve concerning the NEST blog compliments the parody songs written by Ryan Parker. Well folks, he did it again. Another great song by Ryan, and his topic of choice for this song; Bill Parcels going to the Miami Dolphins.
In my opinion this infamous coach gives his boss a hug while at the same time hands his buisness card off to future prospects behind his back. However, thats a blog for another day! Enjoy!

The New Hockey "Therma Blades"

Tory Weber, a hockey enthusiast from Calgary has invented something that may change the way hockey is played. He has created a pair of hockeyblades that uses the idea of a heated ice-skate blade that would yield a better glide with less effot. After years of planning and commercilization, the skate blade comes on sale this month. It has also already been approved by the NHL for use.

"Weber was still “poor as a church mouse” when, in 2001, he read about the development of a battery small enough to fit inside the molded plastic that holds a hockey skate’s blade. He and a partner, Jeremy Furzer, began running tests and soon found that heated blades, which melt more ice and thus glide on a slightly thicker layer of water, can produce 50 to 75 percent less resistance to motion. “I thought, Gee whiz, if we had a 5 or 10 percent difference we’d be in good shape,” Weber says. "(NY TIMES) The company describes the blades as having a mini pair of zambonis infront of your feet.

Video clips shown at the skates release depicted trials between two players, one running on cold skates, the other running on warm ones and the results depicted that the warm blades allowed players to perform stronger, faster strokes when starting up on a run and tighter, more precise turns when weaving around pylons or skating in Tornado drills.

The Statistics released include a reduction in starting friction by 65%-75%, sliding friction by 50%-55%, and an overall improvement by 10. They claim that will also translate into a reduction in the player’s heart rate, lower oxygen demand, increased stamina, and so less fatigue throughout a game.

When they made their pitch to large skate manufacturers, the companies liked the idea but said to come back when it was fully commercialized. That happened again and again. In 2004 Wayne Gretzky signed on as an endorssor of the blades. And already serveral unidentified NHL players are currently using the therma blades as part of a test by the NHL.

I feel that it is to early to say whether or not these blades will truly change the face of hockey, or affect the game at all. An increase in speed done by mechanical means does not seem fair to me, however I will wait and see how the blades turn out in actual play conditions.

-Ben Out

USMC Holiday Story

As many of my readers know, I am a current officer candidate for the United States Marine Corps. This story was sent to me from another officer candidate and I felt it was the perfect time of the year to share it with my readers. Below I reproduce Corporal Schmidt's version as printed in Leatherneck back in 1991:

Merry Christmas, My Friend

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give and to see just who in this home did live

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand. On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind, a sobering thought soon came to my mind. For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen. This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more, so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door. And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone, Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene, Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine. Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read? Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan. I soon understood, this was more than a man. For I realized the families that I saw that night, owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play, And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day. They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year, because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home. Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye. I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice, "Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep, I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still. I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill. So I took off my jacket, the one made of red, and covered this Marine from his toes to his head. Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold, with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold. And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride, and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight. But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure, said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure." One look at my watch and I knew he was right, Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

The Bruins Organization & "Super Sid"

Last nights Bruins game against Pittsburg said alot about how the Bruins organization has changed in the past few years. Going into the game, I honestly believed that the Bruins were in for a thrashing, and for the first period and a half I was right. Down 4-0 it it seemed grim for Boston until a series of goals all from four differnt players led to a tie game in the third.
Four different players scored which alone is huge! It shows the Bruins are no longer unable to produce goals in games, and coming from four different players shows an extended arsennal of the Bruins. Sturm, Axelsson, Nokelainen, and Wideman each put one in for the B's. Even after losing in the shoot out, to me still felt like a win for the Bruins.
Its been years since the Bruins were able to compete with teams like Pittsburg on a level that they did last night. I actually felt as if I was watching a winning team! I know im synical when it comes to the B's, but if you have been following them for years like myself, you too would become synical.
"The Penguins came to Boston with Sidney Crosby -- a.k.a. Super Sid -- and the Black & Gold hoped to be the Next One's Kryptonite." Nothing bothers me more than hearing about Sidney Crosby and his prodigious skills. Perhaps it is the young hockey player within myself that hates to see somebody be so good, or perhaps it is the truth that he has yet to bring his team up to his level and win a stanley cup. Yea, im going to go with that one. The true greats are great because they can not only perform well on their own, but bring the rest of the team up to their level thus ending in an epic tale of a glorious team. Penguins not winning a stanley cup since 1991...not so glorious it seems, hmm?

-Ben Out

All I can say is...Wow...

**I strongly recommend reading the blog BEFORE watching this video clip!**

You have been warned!

Now let me start off by saying, I have always been a fan of the strange shows that Cartoon Network's Adult Swim shows on Sun-Thursday cable programming after 11:00pm. These are not adult as in sexual, instead they are adult as in...not for children because they are so damned strange that who in their right mind would ever let innocent children watch these shows, kind of adult. "Saul the Moleman", "Squidbillies" which is a family of hillybilly squids, "Robot Chicken", and last but certainly not least "The Tim and Eric Awesome Show."

I want to say before I get any more into this blog that I do in fact SOMETIMES get laughs from these shows, however the majority of the time the show ends and I find myself staring at my television screen with a puddle of drool at my feet and an unexpressive deeply vacant look upon my face which is always followed by a question of "What In the name of little baby Jesus did I just view."

Back in the day it was great, my friends and I would all get together to watch some quality entertainment at night in our early college careers. We would laugh, at the interesting selection of shows but none ever made us think the uncanny thoughts that today's Adult Swim programming could make one think. Either way, the shows did what they were made to do, amuse, however its no longer that way.

Its plain and simple loyal readers, these shows no longer aim to entertain, the aim to make us, the viewers, wonder why and how a sociopathic person was allowed to create a such a show! There really is no possible way for me to express my...not dismay or anger at these shows, but complete expressionlessness that comes over me after viewing one of these programs. So please, take 1:15 seconds to watch the clip I picked out from "The Tim and Eric Awesome Show" (In honor of the season I picked a holiday clip that is equally as strange as every other clip) so perhaps you can also understand...or not understand...what is happening to my childhood love, Adult Swim.

-Ben Out

Pats: Love 'em or Hate 'em

You can't open to the sports page of any New England news papers these days without having some new article about how much the rest of the country hates the Patriots...Talk about tiring! I mean come on, football is a sports where barbaric men (and a growing amount of women) come and show their manliness by grunting, roaring, cheering, hitting, drinking, throwing, and WINNING, and that is winning by ANY means necessary. But no, since the Pats started winning superbowls a few years back the attitudes of the rest of the country have changed from manly and supportive to as follows:
2002-"Oh wow good for them, those New England Teams suck we should all be happy for them for winning a season."
2004-"Oh wow they did it again within two seasons of play, thats interesting."
2005-"O.k. this is no longer funny, somebody needs to put them back in their place of New England underdogness (you heard me...underdogNESS)."
2007-"Wahhh wahhh we can't beat the Patriots so lets think of every reason possible that could possibly attempt to tarnish their record but still won't help us win any games, or even better lets make guarantees so when we do beat them it shows that we called it and that they really were not that good!"(I'm looking at you Smith from the Steelers! Thought I'd forget about you eh?)
Thats it, that is the attitude of thousands of "manly" football fans (and some players) throughout our country. I ask you loyal readers, what has happened to the men of America? Are we going to allow these flaccid and forceless groups of bellyachen' men who used to represent the tough and rugged football fans represent the NFL any longer! We shall stand together and say NO!
So please all you crybabies out their, turn around, bend over, and let the Patriots finish what they have begun! (YOU TOO MERCURY MORRIS I SEE YOU SULKING AWAY OVER THERE!)