Fred is dead

I can't believe it. How could it happen to one of the twins?

Before the dramatic book sale, I contemplated who would be killed off in the final instalment, as promised by the author. I didn't really think any of the big three would be eliminated. But someone else of note would have to go.

Since I didn't remember the name of the other twin, I guessed "Fred will be killed." My prognostication, partly in jest, was met with scorn from my spouse and daughter.

However, when that same daughter, a big fan of the book and movies, finished the seventh volume last night, she appeared from her ivory tower, looked at me and blurted out "Fred was killed!" She glared at me like I was some kind of seer.

I guess you just have to know what you are talking about. A little bit of luck is also helpful.

Pourquoi les Canards?.... Parce que!

Je ne sais pas. Who really knows how it was that the Anaheim Ducks put it all together this season and captured the Stanley Cup.

Recently, a sports columnist wrote that he hated to admit it, but Brian Burke is the best general manager in the NHL.

Is it a factor that the Ducks have more Canadian players on their roster than any other NHL team?



Maybe having a no nonsense head coach to help the boys focus on hockey in the southern California sun was what was needed.

Perhaps the right combination of veterans and young skaters was the reason for success.

Why the Ducks? Why them and not the San Jose Sharks, the Los Angeles Kings, the California Seals, the Oakland Seals or the California Golden Seals?

You might point to luck, and it is true that some of the games in the final two series could easily have gone the other way with a few opposite bounces of the puck. However, there were probably some instances where the opponents had advantagious bounces also.

Why does a team suddenly rise to the top, when other teams who have been dwelling in mediocrity for decades can never seem to get anywhere? Well, it must be a combination of things that come together at the right time. Whatever the reason, this prairie boy is still ecstatic about the Anaheim "Mighty" Ducks taking home the hardware. Go Ducks!