A Saturday in review

• The Stanley Cup arrived, without case, by airplane. I saw it, that three-foot-tall piece of silver and nickel, glistening for al to see. Only four people in the history of the cup have engraved it, and the fourth one will be working on the next panel tomorrow. Apparently, the other three were already dead. Sort of like a tradition passed down from one person to another. Once you are called to engrave on the Cup, you are given the job for life. I think.
• I met Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the first time. With his movie-star accent and political savvy, the Governator gave a nice speech.
• I met the band Pennywise for the first time. They only sang one song as the players coaches, management and the Cup came down the red carpet (which I personally blessed a la basketball court, a hallowed ground of glory, a ritual), and that was the song that is most associated with the punk veterans from San Diego, the Bro Hymn. This was modified for the event (i.e. "Anaheim Ducks, this one's for you!") It's rare to see a song with simple hooks and chords that is still strong for nearly two decades, and be readily customizable.
• I met the players on the team for the first time. If you take away the glory, the accolades and so one, and all the honors, they are really regular people like us who work hard, and had the right chemistry to win.
• OCTA didn't do its passengers a favor by not having enough buses to take the commuters home. They may need to be better prepared next time. I decided to drop the complaint after seeing that bus ahead of me when boarding the next one as I was about to get off at the VA Medical Center.
• A guy from Long Island told me, "My friend shook hands with Randy Carlyle. He said, 'Randy, thanks for all the hard work.' He said, 'No problem. Look, I gotta head home. It's late.' That was the best thing that ever happened to him." He has a mystique about him, Randy Carlyle does. A humble person who had the winning formula this season.
• I was on the big screen for a few seconds. Tee-hee.
• The cover band that played before Pennywise was not well received. Posers.
• The championship flag was raised, the confetti fell, and fireworks came up into the sky. Next season, three banners (Pacific, Western, Stanley) will rise into the rafters.
• The Kings will be crushed. Dial 99999!
• The Galaxy failed again, and the noose is getting tighter for Frank Yallop. The Angels won, the US soccer team is off to the finals, and the Matildas failed football. Again. Damn you Kim Jong Il and your bloody concubines for ending the hopes and dreams of the maidens of Australia! Not to worry, I'll stay to base follow the US ladies instead now in Beijing.