Condors Blogs

Road Trippin - up the middle of the state

Monday, November 17th, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl, Uncategorized | No Comments

Two of three.  Not a bad road trip.

We might have something going here… Friday night there was a pretty good game down in Ontario, but the Reign’s powerful power play did in Bakersfield in the middle of that fateful third period. 

Great bounceback game Saturday in Fresno, playing a physical, systematic game.  the Condors played simple - not taking very many high-risk plays, chip it off the boards, open space in the middle of the ice, and frustrate the Falcons, who often over-committed and gave the Condors (an unofficial count of) seven odd-man rushes. 

and oh yeah, a great game out of Ryan Nie in net.

Sunday’s game was fun, although the kind of game that coaches probably lose their hair over.  what i liked was the spread out scoring (6 different goal scorers, 13 players had points), the power play connecting fantastically, and the fact that, although Stockton kept coming back on them, the Condors held the lead and continued to pressure.  that’s part of learning how to win.

with wins in three of the last four games, including against first place Fresno, all signs point to that learning process happening.

*   *   *   *   *

Speaking of Stockton, there’s a Denny’s right next to the hotel.  last weekend i went to Denny’s for the first time in over eight years.  one time, in St. Charles, Missouri, i went to a Denny’s and they served me a broken thermometer in my french fries (yes, i said a BROKEN THERMOMETER).

After the manager looked at me with a straight face and told me they would NOT comp my lunch, basically refusing to admit they tried to give me mercury poisoning, i naturally was compelled to tell them how idiotic they were behaving.  how could anyone in their right mind think that i should PAY for my meal that included a BROKEN THERMOMETER????

so on the way out, i stopped at the front door to tell the manager that not only was i skipping out on my meal, but that i would NEVER, EVER eat at Denny’s again.  AND that i would tell everyone i know about the incident. 

and then, just for good measure, i announced to the entire restaurant my advice to check their food first because i had a broken thermometer on my plate.

but this guy talked me out of my boycott and a week later, i still feel bad about going back on my word.  i guess i’m stubborn like that.

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i’m saddened by the news last week of the death of Mitch Mitchell, who was the pulse of the Jimi Hendrix Experience back in the 60’s.  his style was aggressive and rhythmic and he kept Jimi’s melodic ramblings in some sort of semi-chaotic order.  as a kid i played the drums and had a set in my basement, and Mitchell and John Bonham remain my two favorites.  he’s dead too.

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Teddy Bear Toss is coming up in just a couple weeks.  this is an event that has grown across the hockey landscape, although here in Condorstown it has been, for years, the game that many people circle on their calendars. 

This season, if you want to pick a player to score THE goal, maybe you pick rookie Jason Bailey, who has been there before…

*   *   *   *   *

don’t ask me how i rambled this far along on YouTube, but man did i love Tom & Jerry as a little Bartl!  this one was a great one (c-c-c-c-c–crambone!)  This one was great, too.  are kids these days watching these?  they’re missing out.  Tom & Jerry was good old fashioned slapstick…

*   *   *   *   *

and one last hockey video from YouTube - all i have to say is WOW.  i don’t want to hear our players ever complain about doing a commercial ever again.

That is all.

Kevin Bartl is the Vice President of Communications for the Condors and also the radio and television broadcaster.  His blog comes out every Monday.

Rain, rain, COME BACK!!! (Chuck-A-Buch)

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 | Chuck A Buch | No Comments

I am really enjoying living in California.  There is very little not to like; Great weather, nice people, palm trees!!!  However, I do have one little point of contention - I really love the rain.  I don’t love constant rain, and I’m not a huge fan of torrential downpours, but I find a good storm every once in a while to be a remarkably cleansing and relaxing event.

Although it can be a little soggy to be caught out in the rain, I really enjoy just sitting by the window, watching and listening to it.  And the smell!  I’m slightly a sucker for shampoos that advertise themselves as being the scent of “fresh rain,” or whatever gimmick they might use, and not ever have that distinct smell of a storm.

Even more than the actual storm, it is the moment right before the clouds open up above you that I love the most.  Everything seems calmer, quieter, more peaceful but with a twinge of anticipation of the storm to come.  Some of my fondest childhood memories are of this exact moment.  I used to thoroughly enjoy sitting in our beach house down in North Carolina (I know, its been a tough life), and watching the clouds roll over the sound beyond our backyard.  Inhaling deeply to capture the smell, feeling the cool breeze cut the summer heat.  I can still smell, see and feel those moments.

That is why I am nostalgically content on days like we had last week.  Never mind I dont even have a rain coat on this side of the country, or that my timing was unfortunate and I got a carwash right before the storm.  These things don’t bother me and don’t compare to all the fondness I have for a good rainstorm.

Ok, with that out of the way… How about that game on Monday!!  That was by far the most dominant the Condors have looked, out-shooting Vegas 18-6 in the first period alone.  And to win a tough-fought one-goal game, their first one-goal win this season, should do wonders for this young squad’s confidence. 

It was definitely fun to watch, and hopefully we’ll see more of it on the road in the coming week and a half, so be sure to tune in, or make the trip south, when the team takes on Ontario at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Friday at 7 p.m., kicking off a busy three-in-three weekend that includes games in Fresno and Stockton on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. 

Hey, travelling around California to watch Condors hockey on the road sounds better than weekend chores, no?  Even if the forecast isn’t for rain.

Andrew Buchbinder is Media Relations Manager for the Condors and is in his second season with the team.  During the off-season, he serves as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bakersfield Blaze.

Monday night hockey (the many faces of Bartl)

Monday, November 10th, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl | No Comments

It’s Monday, and strangely, it’s a game day.

but first, i have a favorite story from Saturday night’s visit to Condorstown from Olympic legend Jason Lezak.  What do you ask an Olympic Gold Medalist if you have only one question?  Condors Operation Assistant Jason Schaeffer had one question, and it was a good one.

Schaeffer: Who would win in a race, you or Aquaman?
Lezak: It would be tough, but i think i could take him.

True story. 

That’s beautiful.  Schaeffer is my fourth favorite co-worker… he used to be fifth.  the kid’s hilarious.

*   *   *   *   *

The Condors need a win.  the Condors need a win, badly.  tonight would be nice, too.  the problem is, they played pretty good against Vegas on Friday night on the road, and then played pretty good Saturday night against the Falcons.  but here they are, in a four-game losing skid. 

now, it’s a little early to be hitting the panic button, but there are some issues that need resolving for Bakersfield if they want to get off the shnide and, more importantly, turn things around.  one of them is costly mistakes.  another one of them is offense - pope, caruana and derlago have accounted for 16 of the team’s 25 goals - they need some help.

another is timing.  they just can’t seem to get that needed goal at the right time.  or they can’t seem to kill off that one key opposition power play.  they can’t seem to get that huge save to bail them out.  i guess that happens during losing streaks.  one of these nights one of those things will happen, and you’d be surprised at how everything else will seem to fall into place.

i look forward to them having another crack at the Wranglers tonight. 

*   *   *   *   *

Speaking of Vegas, and thinking back to last Friday night in Sin City, Vegas always brings out the inner gambler in people.  well, there are three things that you can always bet on happening when the Condors are in Las Vegas:
1)  I will end up with a room at the very end of the hall at the Orleans.  it’s happened on three of the last four trips.  by the way, that hotel has the longest hallways in all of Las Vegas.  and when i mean at the very end, i mean at the very END.
2)  I will get woken up by housekeeping at 8:00 in the morning.  who needs their sheets turned down at 8 in the morning????  i even get a knock on my door when the ”do not disturb” sign is on.  Jerks.
3)  I will purchase the cinnamon roasted almonds when the concession stands open an hour before game time.  i love them.  they’re delicious. 

*   *   *   *   *

What is Nicole Parra doing after her term is up?  that’s got to loosen up her schedule a bit… i’d like to take her out to dinner.

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A shout out to all the Vets and current folks in the military for Veteran’s Day.  my grandfather was a POW during WWII in Germany and as a kid i was horrified at some of the things i heard about it.  also, my brother in law is in the Air Force.  i always think about those two men when i think about the sacrifices the members of our armed forces make.  American men and women always join the military thinking about all the benefits it will give them and enhance their lives, but its another thing to actually be living it - dragging your family all over the country (or world) every four years, leaving them for months at a time on deployment, wondering when your turn is coming to go to Iraq, etc. 

so Cheers to them.  Also, Marty Raymond has started a new thing during the Condors Countdown interviews - he’s giving shout-outs to Kern County military people currently overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.  So if you’d like anyone in particular to get named (family, friends, etc.) please email me here and we’ll do our best to get them in.

*   *   *   *   *

this has been a long blog already, so i’ll save my Denny’s story until next week.  remind me.  it’s a good one.

Dont vote (the many faces of bartl)

Monday, November 3rd, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl | 2 Comments

anyone who knows me knows that i cannot let this day go by without at least one political comment.  so my comment is this:

DON’T VOTE

that’s right… i said not to vote - that is unless you know what you are doing.  too many people will tell you to go vote because you have to, because it’s your duty.  and they’re wrong.  your duty is to know what your vote means, not just blindly pick someone because you “like him”. 

your duty is to have a knowledgable opinion about policy.  your duty is to be an active political participant, more often than for 5 minutes every four years.

so that means that if you used the phrase “no talking politics at this party!” or “politics is so boring” or “i never listen to talk radio” at least once in the last year, you probably shouldn’t vote.  if you aren’t going to pay attention more often than once every four years, then don’t pay any attention at all.

now onto some hockey talk.

*   *   *   *   *

Monday’s announcement that Dany Roussin was leaving for Germany was obviously a surprise.  but it means a couple different things. 

the most obvious is how competitive the beginning of the season has been, on the Condors roster as well as in games against opponents.  remember that Dany already was sat once this season, in the third game of the year.  Dany is a talented player who reportedly played well in Milwaukee’s AHL camp prior to joining the Condors.  but he had only three assists and five shots in five games with Bakersfield and hasn’t really been a factor.  the players have to have the focus and effort and drive, and if it isn’t there, there will be no production.

what it also means is one less decision this week with the return of Matt Pope from IR.  the kid has six points in his first four pro games… and with three full lines + four other forwards, many people were going to have to sit.  not sure if Pope will take Dany’s spot with Matt Caruana and Chad Painchaud or not (we’ll see in practice on Tuesday) but one guy leaving makes more room for others.  actually, that may be an interesting option for a line…

that being said, Dany is a nice guy and a good player and i’m sure this decision was a hard one for him, as he really sounded enthused to be here this season.  we wish him the best of luck in Germany.

*   *   *   *   *

we had a chance to film some new commercials Monday, probably to start running before the end of the month.  we had fun, i hope they come out good.  Caruana is in one of them… dude was actually ad-libbing on the loose script we had.  clearly he’s been hanging out at the Liam Huculak Actor’s Studio lately.

i also got to throw some face paint and camo on and play a hunter in another one… we filmed out at CALM, and they were very accomodating, so many thanks to Lana and their staff.  they were getting ready for the Holiday lights event, which starts later this month. 

i’m a zoo guy, i’ve been to over a dozen zoos all over the country, and i dig CALM.  i just remember being a little Bartl that loved animals and being amazed at being able to get so close to these creatures i only saw on TV.  it really jump-started my brain and my love of nature at a young age.  so if you have little ones, do them a favor and take them out there if you haven’t been in a while.  it’s worth it.

i guess that’s two soapboxes in one day.  sorry (not really).

*   *   *   *   *

some other random stuff for today:

* The Bovine Commandos (my hockey team) lost on Sunday, 4-3 in the shootout over at the Ice Sports Center.  yours truly was once again held off the scoreboard, even in the SO, and have just one goal in four games.  the BC’s have probably fired the scout that recommended me.  VERY disappointing, i’m supposed to be scoring goals.

* attention drivers in the SW - the speed limit on Gosford is 55!  that’s all i’m saying about that.

* so i’m watching that Rome series on HBO, and something really is bugging me.  why is it that in all these classical period pieces that Hollywood produces, everyone speaks with a British accent?  seriously.  Alexander, Troy, Rome… even in other movies like 10,000 BC (terrible film, by the way) people were talking like Englishmen.  what’s the deal with this??? 

now, granted, i’m not that schooled in ancient Roman history to know what their dialect sounded like, but i imagine it was a precursor to… oh, i don’t know…. maybe ITALIAN?  i think they spoke Latin, i don’t know.  but i DO KNOW that it wasn’t British.

* i still get a little chill when i watch the replay of Jason Lezak’s unbelievable finish in the 4×100.  can’t wait to meet this guy Saturday night. 

* one last thing: man, do i love it when it rains!

that is all.

Kevin Bartl is the Vice President of Communications and the “Voice of the Condors” and his blog comes out every Monday on bakersfieldcondors.com. 

On Wednesdays (Chuck-A-Buch)

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 | Chuck A Buch, Uncategorized | No Comments

Wednesdays are my favorite days.  This started waaaay back in the day - probably around second grade.  This random thought came to me while I was sitting in front of this blank screen, which incidentally enough is no longer blank, and I started thinking, “who likes Wednesdays?”

I think Wednesdays are generally held in the ”hump day” category.  People don’t actually like them, they just like what comes after Wednesdays - namely only two more days of daydreaming before the weekend.

I understand this.  I even see the validity in seeing Wednesdays as such.  But, for some reason, when I think of it being Wednesday, some little nostalgic twinge occurs in my memory banks - a twinge of youthful excitement over it being Wednesday, which is curious to me.

After all, Wednesday is not commonly dubbed as people’s favorite day.  I mean, every once in a while you hear it, but most people stick to Thursday and Friday, not even counting the weekends.

So, I dug back through the ‘ol noodle (always an interesting experience) trying to figure out what positive, exciting thing happened to me in my youth on a Wednesday that has endeared me to the week’s middle day for so long. 

Then it hit me - when I was in elementary school, Wednesdays were pizza days during lunch!  Instead of the same old bologna sandwich I had every other day, the entire lunch room would be consumed by the glory that is dough covered in piping hot tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, and it was great!

The lunch format was that we would go outside and play/get picked on for a while, then go back in and eat before going back outside to play/get picked on some more.  I have no idea if this was at all beneficial to our young digestive tracks (not to mention our developing self esteems), but I do know that the tantalizing smell of the pizza would emanate from the lunchroom all the way out to the school yard, and as if overtaken by reverse osmosis, a mad dash back INTO the building would ensue to be first in line for the pie.

Side note: I found out the hard way that pizza, apparently, is not commonly referred to as a pie out here.  One day I was foolish enough to order a large pie at a Bako pizzeria and was flatly told, “We don’t sell dessert.”  Ok.

Anyway, the excitement that I garnered from eating pizza at lunch evidently transferred to general excitement for it just being Wednesday, which has remained in my system all these years.  Since I always try to formulate some point out of my general stream of concsiousness that I call a blog, let me make two final conclusions: 1) I probably could’ve spent the last 30 minutes doing something productive, but not nearly as fun; 2) The power of pizza is truly something to behold.

Andrew Buchbinder is Media Relations Manager for the Condors and is in his second season with the team.  During the off-season, he serves as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bakersfield Blaze.

Oct. 27, 2008 (the many faces of bartl)

Monday, October 27th, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl | No Comments

The first real week of hockey is in the books… and i think we’ve seen enough to form some reasonably positive conclusions early on.  take a look at the Condors scoring right now, there are two rookies at first and second in points.  i venture to say that is not normal course of Condors action. 

The two Matts (Pope and Caruana), while they still have work to do on their game, have found success early in their rookie careers, and that’s a good thing.  it’s easy to recall Mark Derlago last season, struggling for points and sometimes power play time during the first half of the season, only to turn into a scoring machine during the second half.  if these two guys continue to improve, they will be looking forward to good careers down the road.

the scoring has been spread out this season too.   Eleven players have two or more points.  and while the goals haven’t been coming so easily in the first four games (well, in three of those four, anyway), they are coming from various combinations of personnel on the ice. 

and some guys are playing very well and have yet to be rewarded in the point column for their efforts.  i think Charlie Kronschnabel and Chad Painchaud have probably been the Condors most consistent and well-rounded forwards.  But they have just four points between the two of them (one of them an empty net goal), and that will change if they continue to play the way they’ve played.

My Condors 3 Stars of the Week:
1. Matt Pope (3g-3a)
2. Matt Caruana (3g)
3. Tyler Scott (1g-1a)

*   *   *   *   *

Apologies are in order to the aforementioned Mr. Pope.  I’m sure the fans will notice sooner or later that he no longer has four goals, but three.  Turns out his second goal of the game on 10/22 was switched to d-man Sean Hurley, which is what i believe the original announcement was.  Pope told a staff member after that game that Hurley’s shot didn’t hit him on its way in, and thus the change was made.  nonetheless, he got an assist on the play instead, so his point total remains the same.

i guess Pope will have to wait for that first hat trick of his career.  hopefully he can keep the sombrero!

*   *   *   *   *

Other stuff

*  Don’t look now, but here come the Ducks.  after a very slow start, dropping their first four contests, Anaheim has won three in a row and four of five, including a big one in Montreal last Saturday.  it was the first regulation loss of the season for the Habs.  the Ducks are in Columbus tonight to take on the last place (strange, eh?) Blue Jackets at 4pm Pacific.  and i know one guy who is rooting for Anaheim very hard tonight!

*  What’s going on in Idaho?  There has been 12 combined goals in the three games they’ve played.  there was 11 goals scored in one Condors game this season.

*  I liked their roster in the preseason, and so far they’ve looked pretty good early on, that’s why Phoenix is my dark horse in the National Conference this season.  After losing 126 games in the last three years, they are en route to erasing the trend out in the desert.  and i’m sure Condors fans will dislike this guy just as much in a RoadRunners sweater as they did in an Aces sweater.

*  C’mon Rays… seriously?  You’re not going to get punked in five games after the season you’ve had, are you?

*  Since i don’t go to the movies, but use Netflix instead, i know my movie reviews are a little out of date.  But i was so disappointed in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that i cannot help myself.  what an AWFUL freaking film.  it’s not the aliens thing that ruined this film for me, it was the plot, script, characters, cinematography, stunts, computer animation, cheap one-liners and the bizzare performance of great actor John Hurt.  

i have no choice but to assume that George Lucas has a personal vendetta against me, taking classic all-time great movie series’ from my youth and trashing them with terrible sequels 20 years later. 

by the way, Cate Blanchett annoys the hell out of me.  in addition to being particularly annoying in this Indiana Jones movie with a terribly fake Ukranian accent, she was also annoying in Lord of the Rings, Coffee and Cigarettes and Babel.  and if you’re ever tempted to see a Bob Dylan film, don’t make that the excuse to rent I’m Not There.  she in it.  she plays Dylan.  and it’s awful.

that is all. 

Kevin Bartl is the “Voice of the Condors” and the Vice President of Communications.  His blog comes out every Monday on bakersfieldcondors.com

And we are off (the many faces of bartl)

Monday, October 20th, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl, Uncategorized | No Comments

Oct. 20, 2008

Yes, we’re off and running, with a narrow 2-1 defeat on Saturday.  But it was a pretty good game, had a lot of the early season choppiness to it, but the effort was there and i think we’ll win more of those than we lose this season.

and i think the crowd was already in playoff form.  for 7,912 fans, the “ref you suck” chant was in perfect unison, as if everyone had been practicing all summer. 

I think the Ducks folks were impressed with the crowd too.  they seemed to enjoy it.  How about Wild Wing repelling from the rafters??  awesome.  and to the Ducks Power Players, i just want to say thanks.  thanks for coming out and having fun with our fans, thanks for making the drive up from Anaheim, and, well, uh….. just…… thank you.

there was a great vibe in the building Saturday, the most energy i’ve felt out of an Opening Night crowd in many years.  the building was buzzing! 

A couple of home games this week and also the first road game of the year, heading up to Fresno on Friday.  it will be our triumphant return to Selland Arena for their home opener, so i beg Condors fans to come up to the game.  please don’t leave me to fend for myself in that crowd.  preferrably sit in section 11… that’s where they stick the visiting radio guy.  Also, just a note that games in Fresno are NOT carried by B2 Networks.  Selland Arena is not equipped for it yet; you’ll just have to tune to ESPN Radio 1230 if you can’t make it up.

*  *  *  *  *

Another player has arrived in Condorstown, goes by the name of Jason Bailey.  Marty Raymond has called him a high-energy guy who “hits everything that moves.”  we shall see soon enough; he skated today with the team for the first time and will see action at some point this week.  what seemed like five or maybe six guys that we were in line for from the AHL earlier in the summer, has suddenly turned into eight guys from Iowa and one more from Manitoba. 

its getting a little crowded on the Condors roster.  the coaching staff can’t keep everybody.

*  *  *  *  *

* Kudos to the Tampa Bay Rays, for knocking out the Sox, finally.  i’ll admit, i thought they had blown it and i was fearing the possibility of this happening again.  in case there was any chance of confusion, let me make myself perfectly clear, i dislike the Red Sox immensely.

* Double Kudos to former Condors employee Alex Sheffield, who’s been down there working for the Rays for the last couple seasons.  Good luck in the series AL!!

* I finally saw “No Country for Old Men” and i must say that while it was a pretty good flick, i’m shocked it won Best Picture.  i think there’s something i didn’t get… i imagine the title referred to the sherrif, who quits at the end of the movie, but his character is fairly worthless through the whole film.  he is in no big scenes, doesn’t solve anything, is never seen with the main characters and basically just trails the entire storyline.  and the rest of the movie is just overly violent.  Again, it was good, but Best Picture?

* Does anybody in America still have Derek Anderson as their fantasy QB?  the guy was back to his normal state of existence yesterday against Washington, going 5-for-22 until a 4th quarter rally.  What gives?  if you have room on your roster, pick up Brady Quinn… he’s got to get put in eventually.

* It took a couple games, but i finally scored a goal for the Bovine Commandos in the Masters League Sunday night, in a 3-0 drubbing of the Blues.  The BC were backstopped by a clutch shutout by Scooter and kept Blues offensive juggernaut Chuckie Sadro off the board.  We take on some team called Kobra Kai next Sunday.  They must be named after the enemy dojo in this 80’s classic.

* One last thing… i usually don’t like funny wedding videos, but this is hysterical!

On Fragility (Chuck-A-Buch)

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 | Chuck A Buch | No Comments

So, my brother tore his ACL… again.  Different knee, same terrible injury.  The first time was when he was back in college playing lacrosse, this time he was playing basketball in Brooklyn.  The news, and a comment my dad made about how my brother is going to have screws in both knees and one hand when ACL repair #2 is complete, got me thinking about all the injuries the two of us have had through the years (I have a younger brother too, but he likes computers and art, which, aside from the possibility of tendinitis in your mouse finger, pretty much precludes injury.)

Between my older brother (ACL boy) and I, we’ve gone under the knife a combined 4 times (with his impending knee operation about to put him ahead, 3-2) and broken countless other bones that healed naturally.  I’ve done in a wrist and forearm in lacrosse, a finger and hand in basketball, and one of the operations was to repair a very badly broken elbow, sustained in gym class in the third grade.  There has also been a broken toe or two, but i don’t count them.  

He had the aforementioned ACL operation, and also needed screws in his hand when he shattered one of the little bones that runs across the top of your hand to your fingers (clearly, I know my biology) in a lacrosse game. 

The very first serious injury suffered by either of us was way back when we were wee Buchbinders playing in our yard in Larchmont, NY.  I was probably about 4 or 5, making him around 9.  I was in a bad mood, so he was hopping around on the jungle gym thing we had to try to make me laugh.  Well, he accomplished that goal when he fell from the top of the jungle gym all the way to the ground, breaking his arm and sending me into a hysterical laughing fit (granted, I didn’t know how hurt he was, but I can assure you it was pretty funny at first!)

I think there have been even more injuries, but they’re escaping my memory right now.  Looking back at all the times our bodies have been broken and/or torn, two conclusions arise: a) clearly our mom should have forced more milk into our systems (all her fault!!!), and b) we’ve been incredibly lucky.

Conclusion “b” might seem an odd one, but when you think about our injury histories in the following manner, I think it becomes clear.  My brother and I have always only hurt ourselves doing things, relatively safe things, we enjoyed.  All but the jungle gym mishap have been sports-related, and we love to play sports.  We’ve never fallen victim to the countless tragedies that strike so many people throughout every day and leave them injured, and that makes us lucky.  We’ve also never hopped on a motorcycle or intentionally put ourselves in great physical harm (except for a fight I picked in fifth grade, didn’t turn out well for me.) 

You can even transfer this conclusion to the contact sport we all love here in Condorstown.  Take Scott Balan as an example.  One of the leaders of this team since he’s been here, Balan has caught the injury bug the last two seasons, suffering campaign-ending injuries both years.  But look, he’s right back at it, in great shape and ready for 2008-09.  I’d bet if you asked him, even at the worst, most painful and least hope-filled times of his extensive rehab, he would never have regretted playing hockey because he got hurt.  Actually, I’d say he would consider himself lucky for the opportunity to play pro hockey, regardless of the injuries.

I guess the moral here, if there is one, is that we should all appreciate our bodies and use them in the safest way possible while also allowing ourselves to enjoy life.  If you do that, it is remarkably easy to forgive your body when it lets you down and breaks, forcing you to sit on the proverbial bench while it heals.  Just ask my brother.  He’s not happy with his situation and impending operation, and he knows it is going to be a long, arduous rehabilitation, but he also knows that he was doing something he enjoyed, not doing anything dangerous, just playing and living.  With this realization, he is at peace with his torn ACL… again.

Andrew Buchbinder is Media Relations Manager for the Condors and is entering his second season with the team.  During the off-season, he serves as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bakersfield Blaze.

Open House (the many faces of Bartl)

Monday, October 6th, 2008 | The Many Faces of Bartl | No Comments

Sunday’s Open House was cool. 

everyone seemed to be having a good time, and enjoying seeing the boys go through drills, the shootout, the public skate, getting autographs, etc.  i don’t know what that could be like for the players on the ice, to be going through those drills, trying to focus, trying to impress the coaches, trying to be as crisp and clean as possible, but something tells me that there were many of them who rather enjoyed it… those are the guys who like performing for a crowd, who don’t feel extra pressure of circumstances out of their control, who don’t get self-conscious.

and that’s good… they need be able to perform under pressure because the ultra-reality of the Open House is that as many as half of them won’t be here on October 18. 

two of the Condors best forwards, Liam Huculak and Dany Roussin, only arrived at the ISC around 1pm, fresh from the American Hockey League, where both of them played in an AHL pre-season game (and reportedly looked good) the night before.  perhaps another 3 to 5 forwards could be coming “down” from the AHL camp in Iowa or elsewhere (hint, hint) and maybe even another one or two d-men and a goalie as well.  that’s as many as ten guys, not including Andrew Ianiero (home for the weekend), who could make an impact here this season and take a roster spot that was occupied by some other hopeful body on Sunday.

regardless, those players got a glimpse into what playing for the Condors is like.  believe it.  many of them commented at how great it was to see so many people out just for a skate. 

yes, boys, it’s awesome here.  we know.  welcome to Condorstown.

the next week will be pretty interesting here in Bakersfield.  Californian beat writer Mike Griffith said to me the other day, ‘this is going to be a totally different experience covering this team this season.’  and he said it with an air of anticipation. 

we are learning little things here that define what it means to be an affiliated club, and we’re learning it every day.  but mainly we’re learning to function within a small cloud of uncertainty.  i was asked about 40 times when the “Anaheim guys” would be coming and i would tell them the truth: i don’t know.  they might come Monday, they might come Friday, they might all show up on the 17th.  although early this week is more likely, since the AHL begins play this coming weekend and many AHL rosters have close to 30 players on them right now.

lots of folks would say hi at the Open House on Sunday, and i’d ask ‘how are you?’ and they’d answer, ‘great now that hockey is here!’  and that makes me excited to start the season.  and THAT is what the Open House is designed for.

*  *  *  *  *

* Game 3 Saturday at Dodger Stadium was one of the greatest sports moments of my life.  i grew up a Dodgers fan, sneaking downstairs to watch those games from LA that were on way too late on the East Coast, seeing those palm trees in the outfield, the funky bleacher roofs, THINK BLUE on the mountainside just past the parking lot, the LA skyline on the horizon…

To be able to be there in person for a playoff game was great.  and i couldn’t believe the atmosphere in that stadium - it was rocking.  i swung my rally towel all night, i engaged in the Manny and the Sweep chants, i hollered when the Duke and Newcombe came out to throw the first pitch, i even yelled with every historical tribute video they played on the Dodger Vision.  and it was the most intense first inning of a ballgame i can remember. 

it was awesome.  long live fandom.

* i don’t care what anyone thinks, i am constantly suckered into watching the last 30 minutes or so of Titanic whenever i see it on TV.  the scene where the ship is actually going into the water is amazing… bodies flying everywhere, people screaming, the view that Jack and Rose had from the railing as the boat was standing on end… its quite terrifying to imagine living through that, and that movie brilliantly captured the horror of that moment.  i got sucked into it Sunday night.  don’t judge me.

* Speaking of movies, i just saw The Love Guru last night.  have you seen this?  it was hysterical.  seriously… i was in hysterics (hence the use of the word hysterical).  and make sure you watch the bonus features segment of the broadcasters with my boy Jim Gaffigan.  the dude’s hilarious.  this isn’t from Love Guru, but see what i mean??

* i grew up near buffalo, and the Sabres were often on TV.  they used to have a guy on the team named Rob Ray (aka “Razor”) who would just beat the holy hell out of people.  one night they were in Quebec and during a line brawl a fan jumped over the glass and ran over to the Buffalo bench.  big mistake.  i found it on YouTube last night.  click here to watch Ray hit this idiot 15 times.  it’s classic!

That is all.

Kevin Bartl is the Vice President of Communications and the “Voice of the Condors”, entering his sixth season in Condorstown.  His weekly blog comes out every Monday.

3 Question with the Boss (Oct. 2, 2008)

Friday, October 3rd, 2008 | 3 Questions with the Boss | No Comments

Each Thursday, Condors President Matthew Riley answers three questions in his weekly video blog.  This week he talks about the new ECHL rule changes, the many Condors in camp and the MLB Playoffs (and how he can’t pick a side!)  Click here to watch this blog on Condors.tv.

Matthew Riley has been at the helm of the Condors since the team’s inception, and has twice been named Executive of the Year (once in the WCHL, once in the ECHL), while the team has claimed 16 front office awards from the league in 10 seasons.