Java The Hut

Do those of you who are regular coffee drinkers ever stop to ask yourself why we drink so much of it? I am a total java fanatic, but really, aside from the mug I bring to class with me every day, how much coffee do I really need to drink? The answer of course is that I don't NEED any coffee at all, and nor do any of us. However, let's face it, we are collectively hooked on that sweet caffeinated goodness. I've got the coffee jones, and it's bad.

It's not so much the rich aroma, or the little bit of giddy-up. Nope, I drink gallons of coffee every day for the same reasons we all do. Just what are these reasons, though? A few:

1. Force of habit - I'm a total slave to routines. I like predictability, and can't cope with altering my morning routine.

2. Coffee culture - A huge culture has sprung up in North America surrounding coffee in the past 15 years or so. It essentially is based on the Eurpean coffee house model, but instead of hitting Starbucks, Haaselton's, or some other upscale coffee house that actually does have some ambiance, in our typical North American uncultured manner, we sit at the bland run-of-the-mill Tim Horton's that is identical to the other 15 of them in our city.

3. It's a beer substitute - Okay, look, I love beer. Beer is good. The problem is that beer is TOO good. Apparently, drinking a couple of beers every morning isn't socially acceptable (damn conformist moral majority) ;) , so coffee it is... (For any of you getting your shorts in a knot and thinking "Oh my goodness, would he actually drink a couple beers every morning?", relax. I'm not nearly as think as you drunk I am) (The preceding message was brought to you by The Foundation for Knowing How to Recognize a Joke)

4. Cuz evvvverybody's doin' it - Yep, even as adults we are prone to falling into the herd without even realizing it. Put any coffee drinker in a room with a few other people who are swilling a cup of joe, and you can bet that person (ie: moi) will be fumbling for change to fetch a double-double, or waving their arms wildly to get the server over with a cup o' the good stuff within about 15 seconds. Nobody wants to feel unhip (I know. It's dumb as all heck, but for whatever reason we feel somehow hip or socially sophisticated just because we are drinking a cup of crushed beans and hot water).

5. Nobody likes a quitter! - I was raised to work hard, see plans through, put future goals ahead of short-term ones, and all that other great stuff that fathers of the Boomer generation passed on to their sons in a not-so-subtle manner (ie: Boomer father tells slacker son to get his head out of the sand, use his head for more than a hat holder, etc.). Now, how would my father feel knowing his years spent berating me went to waste and he raised a quitter? No, worries, Dad. Your son doesn't give up! Nope, I am taking a stance against all the underachievers out there that would toss their Thermos in the blue box for the "betterment of (their) health". I intend to stand tall, wave my mug of java in the air, and pat myself on the back for sticking to my principles. ;)


So, upon reflection, it isn't so much that I think I should abruptly dump coffee. Nope, coffee and I have a pretty good partnership. We just need to see a little less of each other.

Let's talk about Sens

So, October has drawn to a close, and with it, the National Hockey League season is slowly (Seriously, does the league have an intentional mandate to draw the season out until late June every year for the rest of time?) getting into gear. Most of the league's 30 teams have now played at least ten games, and despite the fact that it's still early, several expected (and some unexpected) themes have emerged from the fledgling season already. I resisted the strong urge to post my pre-season prognostications, but I can't seem to withstand the urge to comment on a couple of things that have risen to prominence so far in this young season.

First things first, to all the people surprised by the Leafs' strong start, I can't help but ask why it's at all shocking. Ron Wilson is an excellent NHL coach, and his team will outwork many teams on any given night. Given that it's still early in the schedule, many teams haven't hit their stride yet, and will fall prey to the hardworking tenacity Wilson's troops employ. However, honestly, to those of the Don Cherry bent that feel this Leafs team can somehow overcome their complete lack of talent and offence (when Mikael Grabovski, who couldn't crack Montreal's top 12 forwards is your #1 centre, you have a problem) you're setting yourselves up for disappointment in line with the past several years. This team simply does not have enough NHL-level talent to come out from the rigours of an 82 game schedule in playoff position. The league's best teams will grow stronger throughout the season, and can beat the Leafs on talent alone on most nights. The Rangers for example are not too likely to pull a collapse akin to last night against the Leafs in January. I think Leafs fans should be more concerned with playing themselves into good draft position than some 8th place fantasy. Simply put, the Leafs need a young offensive star to build their team around... the kind you usually find in the early picks of the NHL draft.

I have laughed numerous times this season already at the pundits surprised by Ottawa's slow start. I keep hearing them referred to as the "retooled" Senators. My buddy and I laugh at that term all the time. Losing your best defenceman to free agency (Wade Redden), not replacing him, and then only adding a grizzled, slow-footed defenceman (Jason Smith), and couple of grinders to your lineup doesn't exactly seem much like retooling to this guy. Yes, Bryan Murray did add some much-needed muscle over the summer in Jarkko Ruutu and Smith, but after losing out in the sweepstakes for prized UFA defenceman Brian Campbell, and striking out in attempts to trade for Dan Boyle, Murray failed to land a puck-moving defenceman to replace Redden. Furthermore, Murray did nothing to address the Sens' lack of consistent secondary scoring. The Big Three are once again the only steady offensive line the Senators have, and every time Craig Hartsburg breaks them up, they become ineffective. This problem has plagued Ottawa for several seasons now, yet Murray has yet to come up with any viable solutions to it. As for the other big problem in Ottawa, the goaltending picture remains clouded, with neither Martin Gerber nor Alex Auld showing enough consistency to establish himself as the unquestionable number one starter. Thus, considering the Senators still suffer from all of the problems they had last year, except for the addition of a bit of grit, this team is the same as the one that barely made the post-season in '07-08. I am hardly surprised by their slow start. This is a mediocre hockey team, that happens to have three of the league's better offensive players on it. I think the only way Murray can address his team's needs is to trade one of the Big Three (personally, I think Jason Spezza is highly dispensable) for a puck-moving defenceman, and some second-line offence. Otherwise, the Senators will remain a team with some flashy top-end talent, but lacking the overall depth, defence, and goaltending to contend.

I'm not trying to pick on either the Leafs or the Senators here, but living in this part of the country, hockey fans get inundated with coverage of both teams, and it's usually of a biased slant. I'm not shocked at their respective starts. The Senators have major problems and may struggle to make the playoffs, while the Leafs will continue to gain points in the early part of the season, when other teams haven't found their legs yet. It's a long season. I'll check back in a month or two, and we'll see where they both sit then.