Introduce yourself to Raw Charge (2010-11 edition)

Well, for those of you who have seen the countless stories with my byline attached, you may get teh inkling that I have some official capacity with Raw Charge. And I do.

Really. Please, believe me. I know this seems liek a stretch but I do have an official capacity with the site! Honest!

I’ve een a fan of the Bolts since the team inception. I’ve been blogging about the Bolts for what will e seven years in February (5 years at Boltsmag.com and just under 2 here at Raw CHarge).

I did an interview with SBN head honcho Tyler Bleszinski last February. You can find out more about me within it.

I’m Kevin, one of the writers from SBNation’s New Jersey Devils blog, In Lou We Trust. You’re probably going to see me comment here whenever the Devils and Lightning are playing each other, or whenever you guys are up against the Rangers/Flyers to cheer you guys on (better you guys winning than the Flyers or Rags). Despite being a Devils fan and being a writer for ILWT, I don’t live in Jersey (or have ever been there). I hail from Scarborough, ON and currently reside in Peterborough (hometown of such NHLers as Corey Perry and Mike Fisher). I’m currently in University studying biochemistry.

I’d say my favourite hockey moment would be Jason Arnott’s cup winning goal in 2000 against the stars. Picture perfect play.

I am a refugee from the old Lightning board, and been posting at DRaysBay for much of the last baseball season. Seemed natural to go to another SBNation blog.

I’ve been following hockey since the late 1970’s (grew up a Rags fan in NY, lived a couple years in Detroit, so I have a soft spot for the Red Wings), and became a Lightning fan the moment I moved to Tampa in 1997.

My favorite hockey moment was the Bolts winning the cup…after that I supose way back the 1980 Olympic team and the Rags finally shutting up the chants of “1940” when they won the Cup in 1994. Gooing back far again, even though I wasn’t the biggest Islander fan as a kid it was cool when they won 4 straight.

For some reason I have never developed the visceral hate for opponents in this game quite as much as I have for baseball.

Here’s my interview with Tyler from his Better Know a Blogger series – mine was the first, and it was done waaay back in June of 2009.

Ummm…. Other than what’s in that post linked above, I’m originally from the Seattle area, used to play hockey myself as a defenseman, and my other sports love is college football – the University of Washington Huskies, to be specific. I think that’s about it, really.

Oh, and I’m the new minor league scout for Raw Charge – I live in Virginia, so I thought I’d make the best of it and head down to Norfolk once a month or so to see how the farmhands are doing.

My dad put me on skates as a 5yo. My first pro hockey memory was watching the St. Paul Saints around 1965, Gary Sabourin was my favorite player. Most of that team would become the St. Louis Blues a few years later. We moved to Marlborough, MA where I played Organized hockey from 1967-73, growing up a Bruins fan. One of my unique memories was watching Bobby Orr score a Hattrick in an 8-0 pasting of the Blues in 1968, where it took 15 minutes to clear all the caps from the ice and then watching the 1st ever Bolts game where they tried to eject the single fan who tossed his cap on the ice after Kontos completed the hattrick. I played my high school hockey in Cortland, NY. I played defense, which is probably obvious.

Grew up in Tennessee, never played hockey, or even really skated. We didn’t exactly have any ice. But I did a lot of indoor soccer (in defense), which looks awful similar. I chose TB as my team despite never having been there (and abhorring both hot weather and flat land) because they were the new team when I started watching, the only team in the Southeast during my formative years, and had a cool logo. We have the Preds now, and I’ll always pull for them out West, but my heart was already with the Lightning. I don’t even live in Tennessee anymore anyways; I went to college in South Carolina and am in grad school in the Boston area. Next year, I’ll hopefully be in more grad school in one of 17 locations stretching across the US and Canada.

I’m a fan of several sports, and my loyalties currently lie most with the University of Tennessee football team, second with US soccer, third with UT basketball, and fourth with Tampa Bay hockey (the only real professional team on that list, as you may note). It’s been hard to watch the Bolts in the past because they’re never on TV, but the ubiquity of online streaming should help that. Also, I’m going to my first live game in several weeks when TB comes to the TD Garden to play the Bruins. Best moment is obviously the Cup win, both because it was awesome and because it was actually televised. woo!

Oh right, and I’m called I S, Incipient, and Jay.

ive been playing hockey since i could stand up and started playing ice around 3 or 4. been playing ever since and never played any other sports. grew up here in brandon played for teams in brandon and ellenton. played on lots of travel, AAA, rec, you name it. now that im 18 i finally graduated after 4 great years of high school hockey for newsome. lucky to be captain my senior year. and was also lucky enough to have our team win the lightning conference league championship and then go down south and win the state championship my junior year. so i guess i have close to 15 years of nothing but hockey and being from here my favorite team was the lightning(also a redwings fan for sergei fedorov). play adult league now.

Hey everybody, I’m sort of new to Raw Charge. Last year I wrote the article about Vinny that got a little attention. I really don’t comment that much.

I am from the area and am a big Lightning fan.

Some of my family is from Pittsburgh so I’m a big Penguins fan.

Either way I don’t like the Flyers.

I play recreational hockey with some friends during the season. I also comment on DRaysBay, the Tampa Bay Rays blog and I’m a big Rays fan as well. My west coast hockey team is the LA Kings. I’m an independent filmmaker and will most likely end up in LA, so I figured I should start liking them now. I’ve watched them rebuild over the past three years and it’s been fun watching them.

I hope to write a couple more articles as the season gets going.

G’day.. My roots in hockey and the Lightning run deep, so bare with me.. My name is Joe. Age: 26 Live in St. Petersburg, FL…Been commenting on Raw Charge since last season. Born in Saginaw, MI moved to Sarasota, FL with my family when I was 4. Born into a hockey family so only natural that I love it also. Played AAA travel ice hockey (or the FL version of it) from age 8 to 17. Played all over Florida… Brandon, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville,Sunrise, WPB, etc. My main sport is hockey, always has been, always will. Being from Michigan, I’m of course a die hard Red Wing fan as well as the Bolts. My dad played on the Wings farm team and over time got to play and develop a friendship with all the greats of the time, including Mr. Hockey himself #9 Gordie Howe. Been a Bolts fan since they started years ago at Expo Hall. Used to attend lots of games at the ol Thunderdome ( Tropicana Field) …now I make it to as many as I can through-out the season and always when Detroit is in town. I’m sure everyone can imagine my bittersweet excitement when word got out Steve Yzerman was coming to town. It was hard to watch him leave a club that everyone thought he’d retire with but at the same time so very great to here where he had made his choice… TAMPA!!

Will probably change my post name at some point being it’s a bit out-dated now. I can’t wait to see how this team develops under the new regime lead by one of my all time favorite players… Steve Yzerman. My favorite times as a Bolt fan… The 1st game ever in ‘92 aka blowout vs. Chicago.// The 2 times I got to play between periods at a Bolts game at the Expo Hall & Thunderdome.. Man the ice is really bad after an NHL period. And Of course the Cup in ’04, still pissed I wasn’t there!! And last but not least is the bright bright future of this team… In Stevey Y -WE TRUST!!!

To wrap things up… through out the whole time I played hockey, I wore #14 after my favorite Bolts player John Tucker. Which started after I met him at a Bolts game that first season in Expo Hall and he was one of the nicest/stand up guys I’ve ever met… to this day almost 16 years later. Not long after that, was lucky enough to attend the first year of the John Tucker Hockey Camp and for several years after as well. Awesome to see he still works with the club.

Sorry for the long post, tried to keep it short and still probly left some out… but like I said… my hockey love runs deep. You’ll also find me on “Winging it in Motown” The SB Red Wings blog, which is how I found SBnation and then Raw Charge. I’m not the best writer but I get the point across. Not really big on any other Florida sports teams, if it’s another sport and I like ‘em.. theyre probably from Michigan… i.e. Wolverines, Pistons, Tigers, etc. Haven’t played in years but will again someday for sure, hopefully soon!!

Last but not least… GO BOLTS/WINGS!!! In YZERMAN We Trust!!!!!!

Those that have been on Raw Charge for a while know me and my wacky southern accent. Unlike some of “youse guys” I’m not a northern transplant. Born and raised in God’s Country…also know as South Carolina! Didn’t start following hockey in earnest until the USA duked it out with the USSR in the ‘80 winter Olympics. Started following Tampa Hockey a couple of years before the Cup year, so I’m well familiar with the “lean years”. Looking forward to the Bolts getting back on track.

Personally, I’ve live in SC all my life and started playing hockey quite a few years ago. But a set of bad knees (from too many years playing catcher in softball) have taken their toll and now I just have to be satisfied with watching. I’m near Charlotte NC so I go to Charlotte Checkers (AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes) games whenever I can, but I’ll watch any kind of game, from the pros to peewees.

Look me up on Twitter @TJ_hockeyfan426 if ya want to follow me (But I have NO idea why anybody would, so….LOL)

To the “old guys”— It’s good to see ya again!

To the “new guys”—WELCOME TO HOCKEY BAY USA!!

I could easily link you to my SB Nation profile, but why would I do that? It’s out of date and it’s lame. Haha. Need to change that, seriously.

I am from the Czech Republic, I reside in Zlin (born and raised there) and support our local hockey team (we’re in the top hockey league in the country and won the league title once – in 2004, how appropriate!). I turned 24 not so long ago, but I don’t either look my age nor do I act my age.

I’ve been a hockey fan since February 1998 – Nagano, ya know? Over all the years of being a hockey fan I developed some love and also some hate towards some teams. Love? Zlin hockey team, naturally Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Czech national team, Team Canada, Sarnia Sting and Quebec Remparts (I know… the list is longggg!). Hate? Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers, Detroit Red Wings, Team Russia. You want reasoning? Feel free to ask! :)

I am officially the biggest Simon Gagne fan you’re ever gonna meet. Seriously. Don’t even try to deny or question that. Right on his tail (oh, that sounds funny) is Vinny Lecavalier. You ever trash talk them, you’re gonna get it. And you won’t like it. (trying to make me jealous is not the best idea either) That’s just a heads up for those who don’t know me much ;)

You can call me Kat, Katie, Kate, Cheese, American Cheese or simply use my screen name, Katchis.

If I use terms such as: Hubby, Puppy, Baby, Cutie Pie, Simmy, Cheese, American Cheese, Mon Fromage, OMGagne, Gags, Si-Si, Sim (and many others) you know I’m talking about Gagne.

Andddd… curtain’s down.

Hi all. I write about the Panthers over at Litter Box Cats, but I’m a fan of the game as much as any one team. That said, like most of the other people who live in Broward County, I am originally from New York. Although I grew up in upstate NY, I was not a Sabres fan, but a Flyers fan.

I was a casual fan until I moved to Syracuse ten years ago and got an apartment with my younger brother (Red Wings fan). We ordered Center Ice, started watching multiple games a night and never looked back. I spent most of grad school reading my assignments during period breaks.

My first live hockey game was a Division III game (Elmira College) when I was 12, which was all there was at the time. There is an ECHL team there now. I saw my first live NHL game in 2002 when my siblings and I were all visiting my parents in Orlando. We dragged our significant others to Tampa to see a Lightning game. The date was Nov 29, 2002 and the Lightning lost 5-3 to the Canucks. That was when my wife became a Lightning fan. After the Bolts beat the crap out of the Flyers in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, they had my grudging respect and I cheered them on to the Cup win.

I moved to South Florida four years ago and have followed the Panthers since then. I keep up on what the Lightning are doing and generally root for them if they’re not playing the Panthers or Flyers. As much as I like a division rivalry and verbally sparring with Lightning fans, I think that when both teams are doing well it’s good for all Florida hockey fans. Also, there’s that small matter of one of my favorite players getting traded to Tampa (that would be Simon Gagne).

We try to make at least one, if not more, of the Panthers-Lightning games in Tampa. So, if you’re at the game and see a geeky looking couple wearing the two captains’ jerseys, it’s probably us.

First my background: though I was born in Montana, I call Washington state home. I’m a 17+ year member of the Air Force, fortunate enough to be stationed just a few minutes south of The Forum. I’ve been stationed many places, but this is my first time being stationed in the home city of an NHL franchise and I love it.

My love of hockey didn’t start until after my career in the Air Force started. At the time, I was stationed about 30 miles from St Louis, so for the past 15+ years the Blues have been my hockey love. To this day, they are close to my heart.

One of the hockey podcasts to which I subscribe uses the analogy of “girlfriend” teams—teams for which you find a certain affinity and don’t follow with any significant amount of time, but one you find yourself attracted. When I bought the PC game NHL 94, the Lightning became my “girlfriend” team, a status that remained unchanged until my assignment here in Tampa in December 2009. Our (me and my family) first game was the December game against the Thrashers. That night, the relationship deepened. I wept for my new love this past spring, but rejoiced when she was revived with the new leadership and management team.

I will always love the Blues—they were my first love, after all—but my first love now is with the Lightning.

Some trivial items:
Fave current player: Dion Phaneuf
Fave retired player: Tony Twist/Kelly Chase (tie)
Fave Lightning player: Stamkos/Ellis (tie)
Least fave hockey personality: Bettman/McSorley (tie)

That is all. What questions did I not answer?

Hi there! My husband Johnny B has already posted above in this thread, so you already know when I became a Bolts fan (tho’ if you’d asked me, I would’ve guessed the game was in 2001, not 2002… but if he’s got the exact date, then go with what he says). :)

I just started posting on Litter Box Cats, the Panthers SB Nation site, so I figured I oughta come over here, too. I follow the Panthers because they’re the team where we live, but the Lightning are my first love, and I will always love them more (just don’t tell anyone at LBC I said that!). ;)

I’m originally from Hampton Roads, VA, so I was pretty excited when the Admirals became the Lightning’s farm team. Being from VA, I’m also a Hurricanes & Capitals fan. I used to hate the Panthers, but they’ve won me over. So basically, I like the entire Southeast Division except for the stupid Thrashers… and even that may change if they keep picking up players I like. I honestly like about half the teams in the NHL (aside from the SE Division: Leafs, Sens, Flyers, Sabres, Red Wings, Preds, Blackhawks, Sharks, Kings…). I’m a “non-traditional” hockey fan, is what I’m saying.

I probably won’t post here too much, but I’m sure I’ll pop in occasionally. Nice to meet y’all!

Live in Lakeland. Usually get out to 5-6 games a year.

Found the site through DraysBay…. figured I needed something to pass my time until baseball season rolls around again.

Finally got around to joining here. I’ve lurked here a couple of times over the last year when stories broke.

I’m a life long Caps fan (grew up in D.C. area) and Coyotes fan since their arrival in the Valley. I just starting contributing over at Five For Howling, SBN’s Coyotes blog.

I’m actually hoping to make it down to Tampa for the Caps game in early March.

But I do want to point out that it’s still here and it’s still open, so if you’d like to introduce yourself to the community — please do so.

My name is Shaun and I’m a designer/contributor/cartoonist over at Broad Street Hockey. I’ve loved hockey since I was born. My mom and my uncles taught me right from the start. I’m a die-hard Flyers fan.
I enjoyed Tampa Bay, especially Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. I remember watching them in the playoffs in 02-03(?). All that went out the window the next year in the ECFs. No reason to open that wound but while I still hold those players in respect I can’t totally root for them with everything I have anymore. That plus this one douche I knew in college was a TB fan. Haha. So that bad taste in my mouth has mostly gone away and I can cheer for the ‘Ning every now and again….except Steve Downie…he’s just a psycho.
If there’s a Lightning game going on and the Flyers haven’t played in awhile or I just really feel like watching some hockey, you’ll see me around. You can thank/blame Katie for that.

Better late than never though.

Name is Jordan and I live and breathe hockey ever since I can remember. It’s still a mystery of how I got into hockey since I live in the desert of Southern California and nobody in my family really liked hockey to begin with. Not to worry though they have all since converted and become true believers. I’m a fan of the Anaheim Ducks and still miss the old “Mighty” logo. My favorite players growing up were Sergei Fedorov and the great Vladimir Konstantinov. The fluent play of the Russian Five is still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed in hockey other than the Stanley Cup. I’ve since become drawn to the skill of Stammer (It could be the jersey number I’m not too sure) and the crazed man Steve Downie. The last thing you need to know about me is that I can’t stand Don Cherry.

thankfully but a guy like Prongs is a big help.

Seems I’m late to the party…

Bolts fan living in England. Hate football (the “proper” one where you’re supposed to use your feet), love most other European sports (rugby union, cycling and Formula 1 in particular), fell in love with the tactics of the NFL one Saturday in 1997 (during the weekly highlights show we’d get back then). Started following the Packers (if only because my dad did) and then baseball, and finally hockey. No NHL team in Wisconsin, so started following the Bolts because of Bucco Bruce. No, really…

I try and stay up to watch games – most games start just the wrong side of midnight, which makes it difficult to do on a regular basis. Also try and post in the game thread as I did last year, but having to stream the games on my laptop I’ve not worked out the logistics of doing both yet… which has gotten me into trouble with Cassie (I’m sorry!)

I play in a local beer league, a fourth line Right Winger on a team that usually only rolls three. Follow hockey over here, cheering on the boys from Wales, although I don’t get to go to as many games as I’d like.

Favourite Player: Warren Tait (defensive forward who seemed to the only player on my local team who played hard every night, hence my handle)
Favourite Bolt: Paul Szczechura (noticing a trend?)
Best Hockey Moment: My first point
Best Tampa Moment: Managing to wrangle 17 hours out of my honeymoon so I could catch the Bolts home opener this season

And in stealing Katchis’ idea…

Phew, the doors still open… Huge Bolt fan (since their inception). I recall going to Expo Hall… Savard, Bradley… The final Bolts playoff game vs. Flyers, at the Thunderdome (‘96). Could see the writing on the wall but made the treck as an homage to my teams season… Igor Ulanov, Michelle Petit vs. Eric Lindros… Alex Selivanov, Darren Puppa… Wow!!! Fast forward to the Ice Palace/SPT Forum, the magical ’04 season… All the owners crappy and good… I’m tearing up… Theres a good chance if I ever have a male heir his 1st name just might be Marty-Brad-Nikolai-Ruslan-Dave-Tim-Fedrick-Andre-Pavel-Daryl-Nolan-Vinny-Marty… Bolts Forever! … Maybe I could start with a dog… And now the onwards-n-upwards promise of this and future seasons… Welcome one and all, theres plenty of room, good seats still available… Come on in!!!…
I might have overdone it… I think I sprained something there…