Behind the Blog: Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic
Today’s Behind the Blog features Michael Fedor who runs Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic. His blog is always a great read whether it’s covering the blockbuster Joe Thornton trade, Dr. Phil Fantasy Episode, Sid the Kid, or Penn State hockey.
Q.1 – Your first entry dates back to May 30, 2002. What made you decide to create an online hockey blog and why did you name it Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic?
Well, a girl friend in TX introduced me to Blogger around that time. We were going to do a private blog just for each other. But I wanted to branch out on my own and write more about my favorite sport. I just wanted to share it with the world and maybe find others who liked it as much as I do.
I don’t remember how I came up with the title exactly, so I just thought that the name fit. I live for hockey 24/7.
Q.2 – Why are you a Pittsburgh Penguins fan and have you always been one?
I have always been a fan of the Penguins because I grew up in Pittsburgh. It’s the hometown team! When I was little, I just watched hockey, but it was around 1990 when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup that I really got into learning the players names and numbers. From then on, the sport was in my blood!
Q.3 – What are your thoughts on the recent trade sending Sergei Federov to Columbus?
When I profiled the Blue Jackets pre-lockout, I said that they were one player away from being a playoff contender. At the very least, they will be competitive. In the long run, I think this trade will help remove the “expansion team†stigma and make it a viable hockey franchise for many years to come. They’ve already been collecting top draft picks for a while now. Just like the same mold that Tampa Bay is using.
Q.4 – What advice would you give to other bloggers, especially to the newcomers?
Be a voracious reader! Get every diverse source available to you. Make sure you are educated about the game first. That keeps the “flames†away. Then surf around and honestly sign as many guest books and blog search engines as possible. That will help you to get noticed.
Q.5 – Where do you see the Penguins and/or NHL in 10 years? Any thoughts on the rumors of the Penguins heading to Kansas City?
I think the Penguins will eventually right the ship and fix things for the better. This CBA was tailor made for them. They can stay competitive with the bigger market teams, which in turn creates a better NHL. The Kansas City rumors are just hollow threats. Mario has done this a number of times and I believe they are all bluffing. It’s designed to put the pressure on the city government to bring a new arena to the city. If enough fans get scared into losing the team, then they will demand something be done about it. The Kansas City Blues are closer to that reality.
Q.6 – Who is your favorite player? Why?
Mario Lemieux is the default answer. However, I was also a fan of Milan Kraft when he played here. He had so much potential to be our number one center of the future, I even started calling him “millennium man†because his rookie year was during the 99-2000 season. But my really favorite player has been (don’t laugh) Manon Rheaume. After she played in that exhibition game for Tampa Bay, she’s been a real inspiration to me. She’s proof that if you keep doing what you love and never give up your dreams, eventually you will achieve something really big! Manon is the penultimate pioneer. I respect her very much.
Q.7 – As seen from a recent entry, you follow the Penn State hockey team. How long have you been a fan of collegiate hockey and how do you think Penn State will do this season?
I didn’t even know that Penn State had a team until I got there on campus in 1997. Since I skated there all the time, I bought a ticket to a game. I was even able to meet Penguins GM Craig Patrick there. He was really nice and approachable. What was even better, when I was broadcasting the Men’s games for WRSC, I was able to recognize Glen Patrick for being then the coach of the AHL Penguins.
Penn State is unfortunately a big fish in a little pond. They can’t play NCAA yet until they get an ice complex that seats more than 200 people on one side of the rink. So, they dominate the ACHA conference every year. They’ll be at the national championship tournament in the top 4 this year. Look out for them!
Q.8 – Do you think Sidney Crosby deserved the Rookie of the Month award for October? If not, who would you have picked to win it?
I wouldn’t say that Crosby was undeserving, but I think there would have been a better choice with Ovechkin. With Alexander Ovechkin, he’s the one scoring all the game winning goals that month. Crosby is frustrated and stuck with an underachieving club. I’d wait and give November’s award to Crosby for his OT heroics against Montreal and Philadelphia.
Q.9 – What team has disappointed you by their performance thus far into the season?
Besides the Penguins, I think the Minnesota Wild have been underachieving. They’ve been missing their star forward Marian Gaborik all season because of injury. An 8-9-2 record is nothing to be proud of.
Q.10 – If you could change one thing about the NHL, what would it be?
I’d bring back Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg. I feel so sorry for those fans in those cities.
Q.11 – Which division do you think is the most competitive this season?
The Atlantic Division. It’s perfect the way it’s set up that they are all bitter regional rivals to each other. Philly is strong, the Rangers are on a tear, the Devils, Isles and Penguins are all within reach. Plus, with this new schedule of playing rivals more often, it’s going to be even more important to beat the teams in your own division.
Q.12 – When did you attend your first hockey game and who was playing?
I don’t remember the year, but it was sometime in the early 80’s. When I was a little kid in a catholic grade school, the parish priest, who also happen to moonlight as a hockey referee, treated all of the altar boys to see a Penguins game. They played the Washington Capitals back when their rivalry was still pretty hot. I remember the name players back then: Dale Hunter, Michal Pivonka, Al Iafrate, and Kevin Hatcher.
Q.13 – If you had to predict which two teams would make it to the Stanley Cup finals, who would you pick and why?
Ottawa may have finally stumbled on the recipe to finally succeed. They dumped a lot of what was holding them back. In the West, it’s a lot harder to predict, but based from early on, it looks like Detroit will survive on top.
Q.14 – What do you hope to achieve with your blog over the next couple of years?
I would like to sharpen my skills to be able to make better persuasive arguments. I have a budding career in radio and I just can’t simply be a digest of news anymore. And I would like to learn some simple HTML commands to fix up the sites look. Like a drop down menu for the archives section.
Q.15 – Is there a hockey blog or site that you look up to for inspiration?
I read my buddy Jes Golbez’s blog once a day, Christy’s Behind the Jersey is good for Western Conference news, and Budblog was one of the first that I started the blogroll with. HockeyNation and Hockey will Tear Us Apart give me a pretty good idea of what’s going on north of the border. Zany Sports Lady has it all covered (darn it.)
Any additional comments?
I think this is profile that Christy’s started is really clever. Rarely do hockey bloggers write about themselves and this is a great way to get to know the people they are reading.
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2 Responses to “Behind the Blog: Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic”
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December 6th, 2005 at 5:45 pm
Michael’s blog is great. I doubt we see eye to eye on the sea chum (Wilkes-Barre/Screanton Penguins. I don’t have an opinion on their big brothers in Pittsburgh), but everyone, even Michael, can be wrong (LOL).
December 10th, 2005 at 5:42 pm
Kristy - why pre med? Your talents are in journalism young lady.. and I can’t see you sriting for medical journals!