Nanook Notes

First, as a little ego-inflating moment for myself, I was told that I (personally, not just the Sun Star) got a few shoutouts at the hockey banquets from Dallas and the assistant coaches, thanking me for my coverage. I’m guessing it was about this, since I only wrote a few hockey articles this season.

If you’re reading this coaches, it’s my pleasure to cover the Nanooks, and really nice to know that my stuff is appreciated. I send out shout-outs to Dallas for bringing the Nanooks back into the game. Wherever they went, he found them. I also have to send out another shout out to Dion Knelsen for his jumping up at the glass at the fans after the game-3 win over OSU. It still blows my  mind away (in a good way).

On to “business”:

This blog actually takes a good chunk of time sometimes (with seeking out good links or the related poking around the Internet that that involves when I find something else interesting.)… I know that I don’t always provide great commentary (or commentary, depending on whether you think I’m great or not), but being a full-time student and editor of the campus newspaper, there were always times I just wished I had more time to dedicate to some really cool features and “didja know that?” kind of things.

Since I am graduating in exactly a month (yikes!) the future of Nanook Notes is somewhat up in the air. Considering that Nanook Notes’ URL is “Sunstarsports” the blog will definitely be staying with the Sun Star, as will all of my previous posts. It will be up to next year’s staff to decide whether or not to continue Nanook Notes with a new sports reporter.

Depending on my situation (I don’t have a job or anything lined up yet–double yikes!) I may continue blogging about the hockey team if I stay in Fairbanks (or heck, maybe even if I don’t!) but that will have to be decided later. I’ll add a link to a new site if one is created. As far as why I probably won’t cover other sports, it mostly comes down to a time issue. Hockey is my first and foremost sport; I’ve played since I was nine years old. And like I said, it takes a hunk of time. My normal morning news-browsing/e-mail checking routine takes about an hour to an hour and a half, not usually including blogging time; time I probably won’t have with a “real” job.

Dang, I’m starting to get a little emotional. Write down the date, because this is the closest you will likely ever be to seeing me cry in public. No tears here. Maybe some nostalgia, but NO TEARS :p

Anyways, I hope that my little blog that started out as a class project has at least garnered a few “regular” readers, and that everyone who has googled the Nanooks or even someone else and stumbled upon it hasn’t felt like it was a total waste of their time.

This is probably not a total farewell. If stuff happens, I’ll still keep it updated. It’s crunch time for the semester though!

Here’s a News-Miner staff report about the success of three Alaska teams; hockey, swimming and rifle. The swimmers won their third meet on the road yesterday at Lewis & Clark, and the rifle team just beat Navy.

Also, CCHA productions featured Chad Johnson in “Behind the Mask.” You have to download silverlight to view it, I haven’t watched it yet, waiting for it to load and might have to run to the post office before it closes if it doesn’t start up.