Interview With Ron Francis Up @ the NBC 17 Carolina Hurricanes Blog

As promised, when NBC 17 got the interview up AND I saw it, the interview would get mentioned here.

That first link leads to the NBC 17 blog itself, since the blog doesn't have a way to link to separate entries, dagummit!

This link leads to NBC 17's sports video section...which features not only the Francis interview, but also other special interviews with a few other prestigious members of the Canes, of both the front office and playing kind.

Regarding the interview itself, it's good, as most Francis interviews are. ;) In this one, Ronnie gives insight into his job and working for the Canes. He also lets us know what the scoop is on those rumors of him becoming a player for the Canes again... ;)

Current Music: "Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs" by Gary Burton and Friends

New Links Added

Added a new link to the Carolina Hurricanes and Various Favorite sections of my chain...the NBC 17 Canes Blog and Strongbad E-Mail Archive (About time...right?), respectfully.

BTW, it should be noted that if we are to believe the NBC 17 Canes blogger, an interview with Ronnie regarding what he's up to nowadays is not too far away...

(Under "March 21, 2007: LaRose To the Rescue?".)

"Coming soon: Ever wonder what Hurricanes legend Ron Francis is up to these days? We’ll talk to him about “retirement” from the NHL and we’ll learn he’s not sitting in any rocking chairs or sipping drinks with umbrellas in them on the beach."

You know whenever that interview gets posted, I'll talk about and link to it here and on my Dieci site.

Current Music: "Afterglow" by Pamela Williams

How Did I Miss This?

Oh, that's right...I don't listen to 850 The Buzz 'cause of a little thing called not being in Raleigh anymore, at least for now. BUT, I do occasionally read other blogs, and happened upon this rather cool tidbit over at Bubba's Canes Country...

"I was listening to a Justin Williams interview on 850TheBuzz yesterday afternoon and he sounded very upbeat. He said that the team still feels very confident in what they can accomplish and they are close to putting things together. Of course they are as disappointed and frustrated as everyone else is about the loses, but there are no more excuses. They need to start winning hockey games. He said that they got a visit from Ron Francis after the game Tuesday night and the “Franchise” told them that they are in a similar situation that he was in with Pittsburgh back in 1992, the year after they first won the Cup. The Penguins barely squeaked into the playoffs, but ended up winning the Cup again that year. Isn’t it great to have one of the best players to ever play the game come into your locker room for some inspiration? If that doesn’t get the boys worked up, nothing will!"

Indeed, Bubba. No wonder the Canes have been doing quite well lately...perhaps I was just a little harsh in not calling the recent Devils/Canes game a "turning point".

Also worth mentioning is that Bubba also acknowledged Ron's presence in the 2006-07 Canes team photo.

As for new collectibles, there have been none lately...and not looking to be any for at least a little while.

Current Music: "Wild One" by Darius Rucker

Photos of the Collection Update For March 17th, 2007

As promised a couple of days ago, here are some photos of/from my obtainings from the webmaster of 13Pens.com, now known as PenguinsChronicles.com.

Programs






Ron Francis, Mario Lemieux, and Ulf Samuelsson receiving the President's Trophy for 1993, as shown in most, if not all Pittsburgh Penguins Magazines given out during the 1993-94 season.

Penguins Report Photos


One of the EXTREMELY RARE few fights in which Ron found himself caught...this particular one being against the New Jersey Devils' Randy McKay.


A nice picture of the Francis family, circa 1993, at the Penguins Christmas/Holiday Party taking place that year.




Pictures from the 1993 "Penguins At Your Service" Charity Dinner and Event.





From the game honoring Ronnie for obtaining his 1,000th career NHL point against the Quebec Nordiques on October 28th, 1993.

Current Music: "Discipline" by King Crimson (Live in Berkeley, California on August 13th, 1982)

Collection Update For March 12th, Site Update For March 17th, 2007

This past Monday, I got the results of quite the gracious trade offering from Casey Samuelson, a.k.a. the man behind the website formerly known as 13Pens.com...eight more Penguins Reports and three Pittsburgh Penguins Magazines, two from the 1993-94 season and one from the 1995-96 season.

As indicated by this post, the papers and programs are finally up and mentioned in Dieci, in their respective sections.

Thanks to holding back from buying for a little while, don't expect any updates for sometime, save when I get around to posting some pictures from the Reports and programs here.

Hopefully, should things work out in the near or distant future, this won't be my last trade with Mr. Samuelson. Even if it takes a bit of patience, stay tuned in that regard.

Oh, and a Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and all throughout hockeydom! :)

Current Music: "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson

Ron Francis To Be In the 2006-07 Carolina Hurricanes Team Photo

I knew Director of Player Development was a rather impressive job on the Carolina Hurricanes' front office totem pole, but didn't know how impressive until I saw this.

If you look at "IMG_8622", there our man of the hour is, sitting next to Cam Ward and listening to whatever the young netminder had on his mind.

Very needless to say, I will be picking up a 2006-07 Canes team photo poster, somehow, someway. In the meantime, I'll be adding the sucker to my Stuff Want List when I finally get around to updating my site, hopefully within the next couple of days.

Current Music: "Lunch Hour Wedding March" by Flim and The BBs

Penguins To Remain In Pittsburgh!

Like almost everything else posted here thus far, better late than never...

Before the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Buffalo Sabres last night, it was made completely official that the Penguins will remain in Steeltown for at least another thirty years AND finally have a new arena by 2009.

Very, VERY GLAD to see the Pennsylvania government AND Gary Bettman realize what a huge loss it would have been to let the Penguins go to somewhere like Kansas City. With the Pens' two Cups AND all of the greats to have played for them thus far, that would have been quite a bit of hockey history to throw away.

Congratulations to one of Ronnie's own teams AND to one of his finer teammates in Mario Lemieux for getting what was quite a mess finally settled. Now, if I can just get my butt to the Mellon Arena and take in a game there before it gets demolished.

Current Music: "On Broadway" by George Benson (Live)

Site and Collection Update for March 6th, 2007

Yeah...only six days late...no big deal... *gah*

Anyways...I can't believe how long it has taken me to get to this...especially considering what the new addition is...

Look like no big deal, eh? Well, they *are* a big deal..."they" are the official media slides of the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins...a team that played quite a special role in Ronnie's NHL career in not just one or two, but at least three ways...

1. 1995-96 was the first season of the reign of the infamous Lemieux-Francis-Jagr line. Thanks to that line...

2. ...Ron got into the 1996 NHL All-Star Event/Game, even though it was thanks to Gary Bettman making him his "Commissioner's Pick" for that year. I *could* go into what a crime that was for it to come down to that, but that's another post.

and...

3. 1995-96 was the best season Ronnie ever had, point-wise, at 119 points (27 goals, 92 assists). Again, thanks to being fortunate enough to center Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

In addition to Ron and his two uber-popular teammates then (and still now), the slides feature some other big names like Bryan Trottier (five-time Stanley Cup winner with the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins, then assistant coach for the Pens), Ed(die) Johnson (two-time SC winner with the Boston Bruins, then head coach for the Pens), Craig Patrick (assistant coach for the 1980 "Miracle" USA Olympic Hockey Team, then general manager for the Pens), Tom Barrasso (the best goalie the Pens have ever had thus far), Petr Nedved (one of the Pens' better scorers besides the "Big Three" in the mid-late 90's, who eventually became even more of a star with the New York Rangers), Markus Naslund (then an up and coming player for the Pens, who eventually matured into quite the scorer and Captain for the Vancouver Canucks), Glen Murray (eventually became a star of sorts for the Boston Bruins), and Patrick Lalime (then a rookie goalie with the Pens, who went on to become one of the better goalies thus far for the Ottawa Senators). *whew!* That's a lot of hockey history there, making these slides another crown jewel for my overall collection.

Between those and the Ronnie Carolina Hurricanes Season Ticket Holders Lithograph, this has already been quite a year for the Ron Francis Project...and it's only been a little more than two months!

Current Music: "No More Tears" by Ozzy Osbourne

Photos of the Collection Updates For February 23rd and 24th and March 2nd and 5th, 2007

While I could do descriptions for what I've added to my collection recently, I think I'll let the pictures do the talking this time...especially as someone just glad to have everything finally updated.

February 23rd, 2007

The back of the 1993-94 Pittsburgh Penguins Highlights video.

And in honor of that date being the first anniversary of Ron Francis Day in Sault Ste. Marie, ON...

And yes, you are seeing the ticket correct...it says "No. 248". What it doesn't say is that it was/is out of the *very limited* number of 350 or so.

February 24th, 2007

The most noteworthy pictures from the Penguins Reports...

From the January 9th, 1998 visit to the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital.

The poster in the "Ron Francis Tribute" issue.

The second of three times Ronnie would ever get to hold the Prince of Wales Trophy.

Ronnie's *very brief* stint of coaching during the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Florida Panthers, thanks to injuring his leg before the series began.

From the 1992 Stanley Cup celebration at Three Rivers Stadium.

And last, but certainly not least, Ronnie with one of the many participants in his then beginning "Night Out" charity program...which continued through into his time playing with the Carolina Hurricanes.

March 2nd, 2007

The 1994-95 Penguins Calendar...cover and Ron's respective page.

Ron's being featured as "Player of the Week" in The Hockey News.

And last, but certainly not least...

Quite possibly the last Junior Hockey Magazine (circa September/October 1981) to mention Ron Francis, at least as a Soo Greyhound, before his big call-up to the Whale.

Current Music: "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

AT LONG LAST: Site Update For March 6th, 2007 and Collection Updates For February 23rd and 24th, and March 2nd and 5th, 2007

Did I say site and collection updates were coming ASAP? Oops...looks like I fibbed a little there. But, I think I've done pretty well, considering everything I had to go through and scan. And that everything included...

- The 1993-94 Pittsburgh Penguins Highlight Tape

- The 1994-95 Penguins Shop 'N Save Calendar

- A 2006-07 In The Game Heroes and Prospects "Silver" Memorabilia Used Jersey Card

- An issue of The Hockey News where Ron was named Player of the Week!

- A Junior Hockey Magazine released right before Ronnie became a Whaler AND NHLer for good.

- EIGHT Ice Time Programs

- And, TWENTY-SEVEN Penguins Report Newspapers!!

Yes, you read that right...twenty freakin' seven editions of the Penguins Report newspaper, primarily from the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. Folks, twenty-seven issues is A LOT. In addition to cleaning and spiffying up the website here and there, I had to scan each and every one of those in both senses of looking for articles about and/or pictures of Ron AND scanning the pictures, if there were any, to save in my computer's archives.

Anyway, for the wait I've put y'all through, I will make sure you get paid handsomely in the form of pictures from and of the newbies in my collection...AND ALSO the Ron Francis Day ticket and program I promised over a year ago...just check out the post above this one, coming later today.

Current Music: "Stars In Your Eyes" by Chieli Minucci

Happy Birthday, Ron Francis!

A nice big Happy Birthday! to whom this blog AND my new website is devoted. :D

Yes, Dieci's new web address is now alive and kicking as of today...yes, on Ronnie's birthday, of all days!

The new address is: www.vivadieci.net. Be sure to bookmark that AND discard the missfantastic.com address, which is now defunct thanks to my saying good-bye to Yahoo! and moving to Network Solutions.

Collection updates AND photos coming ASAP now that I got the site address AND site makeover out of the way...be sure to check out the site for that latter. Got it looking A LOT BETTER than it originally was.

Current Music: "Dreams" by Van Halen