That Brand New Web Domain Smell

Currently in the throes of getting Dieci its own web domain. If all goes well, it will hopefully be up by either Wednesday or Thursday.

*Very needless* to say, please expect some downtime with the site.

Also, I may or may not give the site a little bit of a makeover, to better suit its having its own domain. Please stay tuned.

BTW, I have not forgotten about the Ron Francis Day pics...just obviously been busy with other details. ;)

Current Music: "A Soldier's Memories" - Sailor Neptune's Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Single (Yes, I like "the cartoon with the boom anime babe that make (at least men) think the wrong thing". Shut up. ;P)

Happy Anniversary, Sault Ste. Marie!

Today, February 23rd, is the 1st Anniversary of Ron Francis Day...an event planned and executed by the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to honor one of their greatest sons, in both hockeydom and the city's overall history.

The event, held at the Marconi Hall/Club Restaurant, was a smashing success...with all 300+ of the $50 tickets being sold out within a couple of days. One of those tickets I happen to have in my collection, with plenty of thanks to a former Soo youth hockey teammate of Ronnie's. Picture of that, along with the program and a photo or two from the Sault Star will come later today/tonight.

To live the said event, OR relive it if you had the fortune of being there, check out Soo Today's coverage here and there.

Also worth noting is that today also happens to be the birthday of the last great regular linemate in Ron's illustrious NHL career...Jeff O'Neill*, who happened to practically idolize Ronnie during his childhood, right down to buying "Ron Francis Sticks".**

Current Music: "The Voice" by The Moody Blues

* - For all you Toronto Maple Leaf fans out there, second or third to last, if you want to count Matt Stajan or Tie Domi. I don't count them, even as much as I like Stajan, 'cause they weren't regular linemates of Ron's, no thanks to Pat Quinn's constantly changing #10's line position in the two months he was a Leaf.

** - Source: My copy of Raising Canes...a video/DVD by the Carolina Hurricanes and NHL, about the Canes' infamous 2002 Stanley Cup run.

Edit as of February 24th, 1:10 PM: Fixed some specifics about the Ron Francis Day event. Haven't forgotten about the pictures of the ticket and program...those coming sometime this weekend. Which, technically, makes the pictures not late...for I found out last night, through some articles I read in honor of the day, that Ron Francis Day was practically a weekend long affair. Thanks to the honoring of him at the Soo Greyhounds/Windsor Spitfires game that Friday (Feb. 24th), and the further honoring by the Soo Youth Hockey folks throughout the weekend.

Also coming soon will be a few site and collection updates...not going to give away anything yet, but I have *really* cleaned up. :D

Current Music as of the edit: "Space Child" by UFO

Collection Update For February 10th, Site Update For February 17th, 2007

No, I'm not dead...just that things have been rather uneventful when it comes to my Francis collecting as of late. Depending upon how much more good the "evil eBay" (thank you Bobby Bowden) is to me, that should change within the next couple of weeks.

The biggest thing to happen to my collection as of late is the addition of one the very rare few international trading cards to feature Ronnie...the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals Czech Stadion card, obviously from the Czech Republic.

Many, many thanks to ZDensima1 and their Czech Sports Cards and Memorabilia Store for what was a tricky find.

Current Music: "Remind Me" by Royksopp (Single Version)

Site and Collection Update for February 9th, 2007

Found some more multimedia via YouTube...specifically the 1995 "A Season To Remember" Pittsburgh Penguins video in its entirety, and CarolinaHurricanes.com's official coverage of the 2004 NHL Draft Prospect Youth Hockey Clinic. The most noteworthy of the two easily being "A Season To Remember", which features various interviews with Ronnie throughout the video, along with clips of him from the 1994-95 NHL Lockout coverage (during which he was one of the NHLPA representatives for the Penguins) AND the 1995 NHL Awards, at which Ron won the Alka-Seltzer +/- Award, the Frank J. Selke Trophy, and of course, the Lady Byng Trophy.

And finally, as I promised, pictures of my beloved 2000-01 Hurricanes Season Ticket Holders' Lithograph...

Current Music: "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio" by The Ramones

Site and Collection Update for February 2nd/3rd, 2007

Received two Pittsburgh Penguins Media Guides today, from the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Both of them celebrate the Pens' Stanley Cup victories...with the most noteworthy picture of you-know-who hailing from the 1992-93 Media Guide's gallery for the 1992 Cup win.

Scarily enough, that other dude helping Ronnie with hoisting Lord Stanley happens to be Rick Tocchet, who, as many know, is unfortunately now best known for things that won't be mentioned here.

In addition to updating the collection mentioned on the Dieci site, I also better organized the top part of the main page and updated my e-mail address to my G-Mail address in all parts of the site mentioning e-mailing me. Also fixed my contact links in both of my Card and Stuff Want Lists and throughout the Trade Block.

As promised a few posts ago, pictures of the Carolina Hurricanes Season Ticket Holders Party lithograph and possibly a few other things are coming later this weekend.

Current Music: "O My God" by The Police

Site and Collection Update for February 1st/2nd, 2007

Happy Groundhog Day! Not that I actually believe that stuff...despite the fact that it has so far made for a decent Bill Murray comedy and a swingin' annual party somewhere in Pennsylvania. Though, I'm not sure I would want to get up as early as those people at that party have to...then again, if the party offers Penn. Dutch Birch Beer, I would so be there if I had the opportunity.

Speaking of "somewhere in Pennsylvania", this update involves two books relating to a team "somewhere in Penn" for whom the man of the hour here played. ;)

The first book, Best In the Game by Dave Molinari, is a chronicle of the first complete season Ronnie played as a Pittsburgh Penguin...1991-92, which was also, as most hockey fans (should) know, the season where the Pens won their second Stanley Cup in a row. In the bits and pieces of the book I've glanced at, I am immediately impressed by how Molinari gives Ron his due regarding how if it were not for his presence, the Pens may not have won their second Cup (and quite possibly their first Cup too). Molinari frequently talks about how Mr. Francis was easily the hardest working player for the Pens when Mario Lemieux went out with an injury during the second round versus the New York Rangers. And even more noteworthy is that one of Ron's numerous quotes throughout the book is used for a chapter title. The one in particular being "This team has more guts than brains.", referring to how the Penguins did not care if the odds were (supposedly) stacked against them in the said second round vs. the Rangers.

As much as I look forward to fully reading that, what really got me giddy upon receiving it today was the other book: Penguin Profiles by Jim O'Brien. My giddyness being due to the fact that this was an extremely hard to find book, and I have *really* been wanting to read ever since I heard about from someone I used to know. Well, it *was* extremely hard to find, until I happened to be browsing on Amazon one night last week, and came across this page. And *very needless* to say, I was all over one of the copies offered like pink on the Pink Panther and that insulation for which he's the mascot.

Well, I only got more giddy when I went exploring in what is now my copy of PP...folks, the profile for Ronnie in this book is EASILY the most complete "biography" I have happened upon regarding the man in all of my collecting AND fandom thus far. The section's title is "Always the Big Brother", but it may as well have been "Everything You Wanted To Know About Ron Francis, But Were Afraid To Ask". And when I say 'Everything', I MEAN 'Everything'...leading to what will quite possibly be the most puckbunny-ish (I.E. tacky) thing ever posted in this here place. Brace yourselves...




Hey, I warned you.




Your last chance...



They even answer that age old question of "Boxers or briefs?".

Don't believe me? Check it out...

In all honesty, knowing how proper the man prefers to be, I'm quite amazed that Mr. Francis allowed such a picture to be published. But at the same time, I'm all for things that show someone having a sense of humor and/or fun one way or another...and this shows that Ronnie is certainly not exempt from being in possession of such a sense. Not to mention that the whole pic shows Ron with his family, which is quite appropriate, as much as he talks about them AND has mentioned them in most, if not all of his interviews.

Before I finally shut up about it, I bet if someone had the guts to ask him the aforementioned question, Ron's answer would have been "They're Hanes, and let's leave it at that.". As much as I like Michael Jordan, Ronnie would have totally rocked in that ad. :D

ANYWAY, if Ron's profile is any indication, the rest of Penguin Profiles should be something to read too...it is VERY SAFE to say that this is the most detailed hockey book of which I have come into possession. Even more detailed than Why Is the Stanley Cup In Mario Lemieux's Swimming Pool?...yes, it's THAT savvy about (now) past members of the Penguins.

Current Music: "Lovers In A Dangerous Time" by the Barenaked Ladies

I Hate the Bluefield, VA/WV USPS

Ok, I know, "hate" is a strong word...how about "highly dislike"? Yeah, that's the ticket...

Anyway, this does pertain to my collection. I may or may not get to add this. The "may not" being quite possible thanks to a ding-dongy USPS worker who may have gotten WV confused with VA. And the scary thing, if it has happened? This will not be the first time this crap has happened...

A couple of months ago, I ordered a Ronnie calendar from Lulu.com, and I gave it a month to arrive, not knowing where the calendar was arriving from exactly AND the fact that I chose Media Mail a.k.a. el cheapo AND slowpoke postage. Well, when that month was up, I knew something had gone awry, and immediately contacted Lulu. It turned out that, once I got the tracking number and entered it, the calendar would have arrived on time, about a week after I ordered it, if it had not been sent to some random address in Bluefield, WEST VIRGINIA instead of my addy in Bluefield, VIRGINIA.

I used to think that living in a "twin town"* was rather neat, until that mishap (Which was righted by Lulu graciously sending me another calendar free AND through UPS!!) AND now the mess I'm currently in, this time with a picture of Ronnie, Mario Lemieux, and Ulf Samuelsson receiving the President's Trophy, also lovingly called the "Martini Glass" by hockey fans...for those of you too lazy to click on the above link. ;P

Very needless to say, I hope the problem gets resolved soon...the seller is quite good, my knowing that from the couple of times I've gotten stuff from her. Hopefully, we'll work out something, be it for another copy of the same photo, or something else...

Current Music: "Breakaway" by Tracey Ullman

* - An ACTUAL twin town, as in a town on a state/country border...another classic example being Mr. Francis' birthplace of Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan/Ontario). AND, two classic examples of not actual twin towns/cities, that are featured on Wikipedia's list, are Raleigh/Durham (unless you count county borders...but even that's being a bit loose) and Greensboro/Winston-Salem.