After a week off and back at it yesterday for the first time this season, we had three straight solid games including the spectacular Loggers comeback to end the evening.

Unfortunately, I do not have the chance to sit down and watch all the games for obvious reasons but what I saw and the comments I received afterwards were unanimous, three good games and even the losing teams had fun playing tightly contested battles. It should be noted that there were few regulars missing yesterday so we could see the teams as they are for the most-part as most substitutes resembled the missing players. With the standings getting tight and with just three points separating the first and last place teams, including three squads tied at the back of the pack, the parity is beginning to eliminate the skeptics. There was a lot of work, evaluation, talks and shuffling to get to this point, but if everyone plays to their ability, we should witness a good race to finish of the season where we will crown the champions. All the more reason to arrive early for your games or stay later to encourage your fellow league mates even if it is not always in your nature or your habits, it brings only good to our Saturday get togethers !

Par souci d’efficacité, I'm going to use franglais on this one. There was no game ce week-end mais je trouvais que ça valait la peine to let people know about our new all-star jerseys pour notre match des étoiles sur lequel je travaille depuis un certain temps. Ces derniers furent dévoilés this past Wednesday au pub St-Paul in Old-Montreal où plusieurs membres de la ligue and their friends came to celebrate and and at the same time, watch le come back des Habs on TV. Soirée où everyone got a prix de présence.

Ladies and gentlemen, I know you don’t come to our site to talk politics and religion, but we are bathing in it and whether you are secular or practicing, whether you invest in political debates or change the channel, it’s part of the spectrum we all live in even often on our way to the rink. I won’t go on at length on the subject, but it’s one that is dear to me going back to my own animated films at the end of the 1980s (near the time music was in black-and-white ....)

In a burst of generosity and wanting to get involved and make things happen, Jacob Poliquin, the unparalleled Vipers defender  suggested organizing a silent auction with some of his works, Carey Price, PK Subban, Max Pacioretty and the great Jean Beliveau. Offering 50% of the proceeds from the sale of his most recent paintings to the LFA to help fund a variety of expenditures (new all-star team jerseys, tournaments and special events), he understands, in his way, the importance of getting involved and participate in the happiness of everyone. The painting of the Habs guard dog at a size of 48x48 was signed by Mr.Price in the fall and surely has grown in value with the emerging career of the CH's keeper. Those of PK and Max at a 40x40 size will probably also be signed by the end of the calendar year. In terms of le gros Bill (his latest) it's 60x40 and like the others is an acrylic of the giant.

Without falling into clichés, the essence and substance of the message that the new year brings is hope for a better world and league. With the arrival of 2015 and the new opportunities that it brings, we must start fresh with the best of what we have to share while leaving behind any negative energy. Without engaging in resolutions simply to do so, lets look in the depths of our being and make a statement by giving ourselves a game plan to start the new year. I wish to all those whose eyes will cross these pages, a real good year, not the crap lifestyle they try to sell us on the tube.

Season's Greetings

Surely motivated by the feedback that I have received over the last few weeks since I started my Franglais LFA Bulletin Board, I've decided to do the same to end this year's news. Mostly because of a lack of time due to the long list of things to do for the league before the end of 2014, but also because I want to give our weekly LFA news a local flavour, not because it's solely used on the island but it's definitely more common than across the bridges on 450 land.

This sunny Sunday is a complete contrast with last week which passed under a gloomy drizzle and inspired prose to match. With the doors of our league open to all, it was only a matter of time until a woman signed up to play. She did not disappoint, winning fans along the way. Like her, I made my LFA season debut after spending the fall in the stands to watch over the games and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the teams. Before the game I wanted to make sure the lads wouldn’t act like cro-magnons and not be too surprised to see a woman suddenly appear in the dressing room, which one must admit doesn’t happen all that often.

As the month of the dead comes to an end and I think of those who are no longer with us, I tought it would be nice to highlight the good people who contribute to the success of the LFA. Much like the recipient of a big award during a gala evening, I do not want to forget anyone as I start this tribute in thanking those who have helped in carving the new face of adult hockey in Quebec. I think you would agree that the work is far from over, but its ambitions and its innovative approach paint a new portrait of a sport that arouses so much passion among its participants, fans and whose roots go deep in our culture and in some way has replaced religion in our society. First of all, I realize that simply naming their names will not be enough to emphasize their importance within the organization.

Like many Sundays before, I start this article in my bed in between worlds, it is unfortunate not to be able to record the thoughts and phrases, because once awake in front of my computer, the reality of life interferes with the purity of thoughts under the sheets. Far from considering myself a journalist or a writer, the project that is the LFA has turned me into a blogger (if I believe the definition), and when I started this project, I was far from knowing the role it would play in my job. Of course I could just give you the scores and what stood out during the games, but we have designated areas for that kind of stuff, so I focus more on what is said, done or felt, even if my primary purpose is to let you know what is happening on different fronts in the league, because what happens on the ice is only a small part of the big picture.