"Tellmann, Tostadas Tighten Chin Straps"

Ten weeks after their first meeting, Red Pepper and Cucoo’s Nest are set to butt heads again 7:00pm Weds. night at the Gambucci Arena. This is no ordinary game, however. This is the first time these two teams have seen each other since the Red Pepper bested the Nest in an O/T shoot-out. Rumors abound about how former Odessa Jackalope bruiser, Chris Morque will approach this rematch. In the last meeting Morque, who is credited with breathing life into a “Huff & Puff” league that had become much too soft, got the worst of a mid-ice collision, which left him in need of shoulder surgery.

Ironically, this game comes on the eve of the much anticipated Commissioner’s Memo calling for tighter officiating. In his typical style, Joe Bryon summed it up. “All the memos in the world aren’t going to stop this guy if his switch has been flipped. And it’s up for debate whether it’s flipped or not”. Other players in the Tostada locker room were less willing to focus on that aspect. “We expect a good game out of these guys. They’re a talented club,” said Pepper defensemen, Jason Smith. He continued, “I know I’m going to have a good time. I’ll probably play opposite handed a lot. It’s gonna be fun.”

Be sure to tune in to Swig & Hennessy Weds morning for the final word from league instigator Mark Kauk..

We’ll see you at the “Booch”

**UPDATE** "Red Pepper Screwed By Refs, in a 11-1 Trouncing **UPDATE**

At 8:00 am Thursday morning representatives from Red Pepper Hockey International filed a formal complaint against last night’s officials with Commissioner Brian Percel at Huff & Puff headquarters located at Barron’s Upholstery. In a very strange move Percel brought in referees from the WCHA. These are refs who have trouble officiating games in the “W”, so you can about imagine the difficulties they had in the Huff & Puff. “It was very disappointing.” said head coach and inspirational leader, Jeff Tellmann “This should have been a good game but it just turned into something else.”
Speedy Signs broke out of their shell last night and dropped 11 goals on the Tostadas at the Eagles Arena. In their 3rd victory of the season Speedy scored on 4 of 5 penalty shots. Two of which came after Aaron Smith and Corey Sprehe each offer advise to the refs on how they could improve their game. One penalty shot came after Dr. James Richmond enticed a Speedy player to drop the gloves and helmet, at which point James began shooting the dropped equipment over the glass. Chaos ensued as Red Pepper employee Freddy Aubol and other members of the McKinnon/Dagwoods/Manvel team went from spectators to participants and walked onto the ice sheet. “It got scary out there for a minute. You didn’t know what was going to happen. I couldn’t tell what McKinnon’s intentions were. I just knew they had sticks.” said, an obviously shaken, Tom Bryon. For his role in the scuffle, the Dr was asked to leave the game. It got so bad at one point, our fan started chanting “you suck shit” toward to officials. “It’s really too bad when you hear our fan start that type of stuff. We really try to leave the bulk of the cussing to Matt Bydal. But the league has to do something about that kind of fan behavior. I mean one of these days we’re going to get another fan and you just can’t have that crap happening,” lamented Tellmann.

Joe Bryon really brought in into focus after the game “I don’t care if the refs are from Mars we need to look within and pull something out. I haven’t scored in two months, Lindgren can’t find the net anymore, Bydal has forgotten how to shoot the puck or pass for that matter, Tellmann is the only one doing anything out there and we just can’t ask for 11 goals out of him night in and night out”

This may be the turning point in the Tostadas season. Matt Bydal sent shock wave through the locker-room after the game when he threw the stat sheet and clipboard in the trash. “Playing the way we are, you can keep the F*CK*NG stat in your head!” Bydal snapped. He continued, “I just keep thinking I can do this by myself, but it’s just not happening.” It’s a good point he makes. What was once the best line in the state (Tofte, Tellmann, Bydal) has completely fallen off the table. “We’re just not getting it done.” Sighed Tofte.

In his usual inspiration manner, Tellmann said it best. “We’ll be fine”



Quote of the Night: “The blog is dead.” by Matt Bydal after throwing away the blog spot stat sheet and clipboard.

Box Score
I’ll have to check the trash behind Eagles but I think Corey Sprehe got our goal.


*****UPDATE*****
1/20/06
Our sources tell redpepperhockey.blogspot.com a memo from the commissioner’s office will be released Weds. evening. The memo, purported to be in response to Red Pepper International’s formal complaint, is said to address league-wide concerns about officiating. Giving “advice” to game refs has apparently spread throughout the league and risen to a level where the Commissioner is compelled to step in.

In an effort to protect his refs and regain control of a league that has really heated up as teams jockey for play-off position, Commissioner Brian Percel plans to attack the problem on two fronts.

To protect his ref, our source says, Percel will decree “no more chatter will be tolerated”. A zero-tolerance policy. Any chatter/advice can & will result in ejection.

To regain control, Percel will order his refs to call more penalties. The objective is stamp out the chippy-ness that has crept into the league.

When asked to comment, Pepper Hockey Spokesperson and defensemen, Brad Lucke said, “We’re satisfied with the decision. That’s actually the style of play we’re most comfortable with. We just want to go out and showcase our talent.”

RED PEPPER HOCKEY IN THE DUMPS

Due to shitty play the red pepper blog is having technical difficulties

Neppels 2 goals lifts Red Pepper to a win

With the Red Pepper going into a game against the 2-9 speedy signs (SS) they may have started off the game with out the intensity the team usually comes out with. SS came out and got multiple chances and were only able to bury two of them. "i dont know what it was, but i was behind a guy saying to myself that is my guy and he is looking at a wide open net, and he shot it wide....so i was pumped because my +/- stayed intact" bydal said. SS was only able to get two goals out of all the chances they had, guess thats why they are 2-9 on the year. With the pepper scratching their heads and wondering what is going on the man on their team that looks like the guy picuted above stepped up to the plate. The recently moved to D, chad nepple, put the team on its back and had two outstanding goals to get it to 2-2 tie to close out the first. "hes just a great player, he knew he had a job to do tonight and gosh darnit he got out there and did it" said A smith "hes a great guy to work with and play hockey with."

With the second period starting the RP had a little jump in their step and came out and hung two on the board to close the second 4-2. The third was a back and forth battle and the pepper lost a little step and allowed SS to climb back into it and tie it at 5-5 with 8 minutes left. "we knew it was our game to lose so we knew we had to start winning the battles to the puck" coach tellmann said. RP got multiple chances but lindgrens highlight goal lifted RP past SS. With 2 minutes left bydal put the puck in the corner to richmond and richmond found lindgren out infront of the net and lindgren did what lindgren does...he sniped. "well i knew bill chase was watching and he never put me on one of his teams and i wanted to show him that he should of because i know how to cycle the puck dammit, so thats what i did i cycled the puck downlow to richmond and we scored....how do u like me know chase" Bydal said. Sphere sealed the deal 6-4 with an empty netter.

Player of the Game
Chad Nepple--2 early goals
Mark Lindgren--sealed the hatty with the game winner.....which is niiiiiiiice

Quote of the night
A Smith yelling Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, on the ice, after working bydal over the week before for doing the same thing. Bydal say no fucks last night.

BOXSCORE
1.
SS
SS
RP, Nepple (Sprehe)
RP, Nepple (A Smith)
2.
RP, Lindgren (unassisted)
RP, Sprehe (Nepple)
3.
SS
RP, Lindgren (Richmond)
SS
SS
RP, Lindgren (Richmond, Bydal)
RP, sprehe (A. Smith)

Red Pepper moves to 7-5 with a game against team 9 next week.