Will the NY Islanders Move to Brooklyn Hipster-fy Hockey?

For years, I've been telling everyone how hockey will become a widely popular sport and receive the attention it deserves on network television and in the media, mainly because I wanted more friends to watch games with me (...). Although football and basketball fans still outnumber hockey by a stretch, a recent article states that the NHL is selling out more arenas than the NBA this season. Yes those numbers might be skewed by the NBA's performance, but there are other signs that hockey might be growing in popularity; for one, I've been seeing occasional San Jose Sharks photos in my Facebook and Instagram feeds from unsuspecting west coast hockey fans, and two, Apple decided to include the LA Kings in their newest iPad Air commercial.

Apple approves of ice hockey.

But the true tipping point of my hockey popularity theory will be its adoption by hipsters. In 2011, I sensed the hipster hockey trend as the NHL and Versus' (now owned by NBC) aggressively marketed to hipsters in Williamsburg. Now, with the impending 2015 move of the New York Islanders to Barclays Center in Brooklyn--the hipster-fying of hockey is inevitable. Who wants to bet Pharrell will be sporting a throwback hockey jersey at the 2016 Grammys?

Will Hipsters ruin hockey?
The thought crossed my mind this Monday when I attended an Islanders/Bruins game at the current Nassau Coliseum venue out in Long Island. Stepping inside the Islanders arena was like stepping back into time, as if the arena hasn't changed since the 80s. Of all the NHL hockey games I've attended, this was the first time that prior to the game there was a moment of silence for an original season ticket holder who recently passed away. That and the rowdy Islanders fan section felt pleasantly intimate.

Sean and I are smiling because the Bruins won 6-3

Will the history, family-like atmosphere and camaraderie disappear at Barclays? I hope not. The move has received mixed feelings by Islanders fans, but my hope is the move will inject energy into the franchise while still preserving all its quirks and traditions (like those Ice Girls!).  In many ways, hipsters and hockey is a destined combination--eclectic warmup music from techno to country, beards and swearing. I have high hopes that Brooklyn, NY Islanders fans and hipsters can make it work.

The Bruins Bear is Literally The Coolest Hockey Mascot Ever

Also check out the Bruins Bear on Pinterest (The World's Most Pinteresting Bear)

Boston Bruins Parade, BEST DAY EVER [PHOTOS]

It's 5:00 am and I'm still buzzing from the energy I gained earlier today at the Bruins Parade in Boston. The parade started at the Garden and ended at Copley Square where I patiently waited since 9:30 am for Captain Zdeno Chara and MVP Tim Thomas to arrive a little past noon with the Stanley Cup! I was joined by a million other Bruins and Boston fans, all decked out in Black & Yellow. This day along with Terrier Day (parade for the 2009 BU Hockey Champs) lives on as some the best celebrations in my life. Yay, Boston is back to being a hockeytown!

Boston Bruins are Stanley Cup Champs (& I Can Finally Get The Hat I Wanted)!

Just when I thought I couldn't get back into hockey again, I witness my favorite NHL team the Boston Bruins win a Stanley Cup Championship in Game 7. My Boston friends always told me to not get attached to the Bruins because they will only break my heart, and they sure did year after year, losing 3-goal or 3-game leads. Painful as it was, there is no other arena than the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston that I feel at home in--the mustard yellow seats, fully loaded nachos and organ renditions of top 40 hits. Bruins are my team and the only professional team I have seen live; however, I have never seen them win in person. Nevertheless, I couldn't be happier that after 39 years the Lord Stanley's Cup is back in Beantown.

A year ago, I had the opportunity to touch and kiss the Stanley Cup while dreaming about the Bruins winning, and now a year later my dream has come true!! I'm planning to go to Boston for the parade and am pretty pumped to finally buy the Bruins hat I've been wanting for a while. I'm glad I waited because now there's a real hardcore version out with "2011" on the back and huge ass letters saying "Stanley Cup Champions" on the front, just the way I like it:

Why I Love Ben Affleck's Boston

There are so many landmarks, symbols, colors, things that define the city of Boston, and almost all of them show up time and time again in Ben Affleck's movies.  I saw The Town today, and from the very first scene--bird's eye view of Boston with the Garden in the center--I couldn't help but miss that city.  I'm pretty sure people from the Boston area look at movies like The Town in aversion the way I look at the remake of Hawaii Five-O, but to me, the accents, the Bruins and Sox jackets, the Irish bars, the yellow and orange Fall trees reminded me of all the reasons why I love Boston.

It wasn't until I lived in Boston for college did I understand how it felt to love something so much (like BU hockey) that you would do anything for it or understand how it felt to love something so much that is hurt like hell to lose it (like BU hockey).  I had the fortunate pleasure of working with great people from the Boston area that I would easily call family and the pleasure of witnessing a World Series win along with a National Championship.  Boston is a city where bonds and traditions are strong, and Affleck's The Town perfectly captures the romantic notion of duty, brotherhood and passion.

It always confuses me how a city like NYC can never live up to its movie persona, because the actual NYC is less glamorous, more dirty and smelly and people don't live in 3 bedroom apartments with giant living rooms.  Boston movies, however, always seem more real.  Less icing, more cake.

The Town was an awesome movie and I recommend seeing it.  Now I can't wait for hockey season to start!

Whos says NYC is more romantic than Boston?

BU v. BC at Fenway Please?

Yesterday, the NHL announced Boston's Fenway Park as the location of the 2010 Winter Classic. The Boston Bruins will play the Philadelphia Flyers on New Year's day. The NHL article also mentioned a week long of events prior to and after the Winter Classic in Boston. Events like open skate at Fenway, Dane Cook comedy show, House of Blues concert and a POSSIBLE BU/BC GAME AT FENWAY PARK!

Here's the most important sentence in the entire article:
"There also are ongoing discussions regarding plans for the men's and women's hockey teams from Boston College and Boston University to play games against one another at Fenway on Jan. 8."

Hopefully this happens. Imagine the bragging rights of winning one of the biggest college hockey rivalries in one of the oldest ball parks in America. Since we're on this issue, check out the trailer for "The Battle of Comm Ave" from Rival Films:

Found my dream job, Boston Bruins Advertising

The past couple years, I've been a fan of Boston Bruins commercials. Beginning with the "I'm into Bruins" commericals (and the little kid version).  Recently the Bruins has topped themselves and combined my two most favorite things in the world: Hockey + Great Advertising.

Check out the 'Bruins Hockey Rules' commercials that are airing now on NESN:

There's a couple more on YouTube.  I love seeing the garden in the background, reminds me of Beanpot and Hockey East... wish I had money to go to a Bruins playoff games.  But I'll settle for a Stanley Cup! Go BRUINS.