*UPDATE!* MONDAY JANUARY 30/2012

 This Edition will be featuring news, events and features 

                                                                         from this past weekends All-Star Game!

 



Also featured in this edition:

-The Elfstones of Shannara Review
-Australian Open Results
-Logan's How-To Guide for getting destroyed at MW3


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  This past week has been a different week in the sporting world, as both the Australian Open and the All Star weekend wraps up.  We will begin down under with a look at the final matches from the Australian Open.

 
  In the Mens Singles event,  Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal to obtain the 2012 Australian Open Title.
While this was disappointing to me, (I'm a big Nadal fan) Djokovic has been playing incredibly well lately and has his sights set on the French Open. The match lasted over 5 hours, with both competitors completely exhausted.   With the 2012 Summer Olympics looming, Djokovic could potentially not only have a Grand Slam in his future, but a Golden Slam as well.  (For non-tennis fans, a Grand Slam Champion has won The Australian Open, The French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open all in one year, as each Major event is a Grand Slam.)  A golden slam also includes a gold medal at the olympics. Only one person (Steffi Graf) has accomplished that feat to this date.  Hopefully Nadal or Federer can throw the proverbial wrench into his plans.

  The Ladies Singles title was awarded this year to Victoria Azarenka.  This marks her first Grand Slam win as she defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets.  Sharapova looked as though she started strongly, but quickly fell apart.  The match ended at 6-3, 6-0 and lasted just shy of 90 minutes. 

  My girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki, better start pulling up her socks.  I do not like it when she loses.

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Judging By The Cover: The Elfstones of Shannara

  Finally we arrive at the next book in the Shannara series.  In the flagship story, the Sword of Shannara, a very classic-themed fantasy novel takes place.  Main character goes on adventure, meets people, obtains talisman to defeat evil character from long before.  While this is true for many stories, including the upcoming one, Terry Brooks manages to perform pure magic with this next masterpiece.  The Sword of Shannara definitely displays Brooks' inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien.  The formatting of the story as well as characters are mirrored within the pages of the book.

  In the Elfstones of Shannara, things change.  Terry Brooks steps through the bread and butter fantasy regime and launches into a completely different storyline.  While the story takes place in the Four Lands, (as did the Sword) it focuses mostly with the Elven Nation.)  The story begins with a very dark, evil premise.  I do not plan on spoiling it, but here are the basics.  Do not worry, I will not ruin it.  The elves have a very sacred tree known as the Ellcrys.  The tree has long ago sealed away a vast army of Demons who want nothing more than the destruction of the Elves. After hundreds of years, the demons have eroded that seal, and the Elven nation is caught off guard as the Ellcrys proceeds to die.  The only way to restore the seal is to have the tree reborn, having one of the tree's chosen to cross dangerous wilderness to find the Bloodfire, in which the seed must be cast.


  The characters that take place in this story are all very dynamic and interesting.  The demons are all lucidly described, and the horrors of their army are only made worse by my imagination.  The three demons that Brooks has described with such detail would easily make you wet your pants in real life.  He also brings back the things from the Sword that were so crucial to the success of the story-the Druid Allanon, the Elfstones and the heir of the Ohmsford line.


  The Elfstones would be one of my favorite Shannara stories.  All throughout reading the book, I was fueled with the sensation that I was running out of time, despite the fact that I am merely the reader.  The shocking turn of events at every corner instills the desperation within the person reading, and the events shock you. 

  Lastly, there has forever been a plan to create a movie version of the Elfstones of Shannara.  I don't know who you'd get to play Eretria, but I am willing to bet that most guys love her very forward, eager character, and that there is a high bar of expectation there.

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    Whoops, I accidentally threw a grenade at myself: A beginner's guide to MW3.

  "Logan, get the new Modern Warfare game, then we can play together" my brother prompted, and given that we are both busy and live in separate provinces, it did not sound like a bad idea.  When it comes to gaming, my brother and I differ.  I like a select few games.  I will play many types, but if I get a moment of free time and decide that a game will be my way of passing that time, I only have 3 or 4 that I will choose from.  I can also maintain constant attention on a game for a long period of time, which allows me to become increasingly better at a fairly fast rate.  I am highly competitive, so I will strive to beat you, regardless of whether or not there is a prize.

  My brother plays even an even smaller variety of games.  Whether because I am so competitive, or because he just does not play much, we do not often have a game we are evenly matched at, with the exception of stratego.  (By the way, stratego is awesome.  I challenge you)  So, my brother has played call of duty games before, and I have never allowed C.O.D. to be brought into my inner circle of wanted games.  Suddenly we both have xbox live accounts, and a good way to spend quality time with my brother surfaces.  What better way to show I love him than to let him shoot me in the face with an M4?

  We start talking over our wireless headsets, which is like a phone, but no airtime charges.  Love it.  We begin a match.  I'm playing against him (oh great) and people who have scores thousands above my own.  I do not understand the scoring, but I'm sure that it somewhat bears consequence on their virginity.

  Everyone in the game is lightning fast.  Apparently, they can run, aim, shoot, throw grenades, eat a sandwich, call an airstrike, all in the time that I can reload and walk into a wall.  So I find a nice place to hide, and stay there for all of ten seconds before my brother immediately pops up and knifes me in the back. 

  Watch Family Guy? In one episode Peter buys MW3 and is playing, and is hiding with teammates behind a car.  He tries to crouch, hits the wrong button and throws a grenade into the car, proceeding to kill himself and the team.  Well I recently discovered that I am Peter Griffin incarnate.  No one is safe. 

 Also, you start with these Piddly-ass weapons.  These guys have super-upgraded stuff with silencers, scopes, heat sensors, etc.  and I'm stuck shooting a weapon that makes the Klobb from Goldeneye 007 look good.  (For those of you who didn't understand or appreciate the klobb reference, the Klobb is a gun that may as well not use bullets.  It may be more prudent to throw the gun.  It may have been effective for tickling opponents.

  So my brother and I are fairly evenly matched.  Hallelujah.  So if your trying to rack up the kills, add me.  You'll have to kill me before I kill myself though, so good luck.
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  To wrap up for the week, we head to Ottawa for the All Star Weekend.  Now we begin by going through the draft as I critique the choices of the captains.  Following will be the results.

Chara-Captain (Lupul-Assistant Captain)                     Alfredsson-Captain (Lundqvist-Assistant Captain)
1. Datsyuk                                                                   Karlsson
Winner of first round definitely is Chara.  In a game of scoring, lead with scorers, regardless of whether or not you guys are buddy-buddy in the locker room.
2.Thomas                                                                     Spezza
Winner of round two is once again Chara.  Alfie is clearly set on bringing Senators in the desire to get home ice advantage.  Only one problem remains.  The Senators suck.
3.Malkin                                                                       Quick
WTF is Alfie thinking.  Chara clearly wins, and Alfredsson is showing signs of post-concussion syndrome?
4.Hossa                                                                        Giroux
Funny, Giroux tweeted that it will be great when he gets drafted first round.  Foot in mouth must be bad when you wear skates.  Alfie wins close draft here.
5. Timonen                                                                    Letang
Close battle with two defensemen.  Given that Chara has scorers, his draft was likely a better one.
6.Perry                                                                         Stamkos
Alfie solidly wins, I would say this is Chara's first misstep. Stamkos is en route for the top guy in the league one day.  How do you choose Corey Perry before him?!
7.Price                                                                          Elliot
Chara wins. While I do not really like Carey Price, Elliot was not good for years.  One good year does not merit a high draft choice.
8.Kessel                                                                        Weber
While Kessel officially shut everyone's mouth this year by starting out as the leading scorer after being picked dead last in 2011, this is a close draft, but Chara wins again.  Chara has obtained a scorer. Alfie responds by getting a defense.  But instead of getting a shutdown guy (like Weber's teammate Suter) Chara picks a big scoring guy.  D'OH.
9.Suter                                                                          D. Sedin
Weird round.  Yes Suter gets picked.  Healthy choice, good draft.  The fact is, the Sedin brothers, though they play for a hated team, are talented.  Coupled by the fact that they are on the same line, Goalies have to legitimately fear them.  Point awarded to Alfie.
10.Howard                                                                   Girardi
Alfreddson do you not read Logan's Letter?  The Rangers suck. So do your draft choices.  Point-Chara
11.Campbell                                                                 Yandle
Point to Alfredsson.  Yandle has been a heavy part of the solution in Phoenix, and while Campbell is a good player, Yandle is a better choice.
12.Kane                                                                       Michalek
Point to Chara.  Chara drafts a scorer, Alfie drafts a mucky muck Senator.  Not to discredit a former shark, but Michalek has not quite reached All Star Status.
13.Phaneuf                                                                   H. Sedin
You may think I awarded this to Alfie because he got both Sedin's and chose the better player.  Truth is, I just really hate Phaneuf.
14.Iginla                                                                       Neal
Tough decision.  Iginla is a great sniper and support forward, while Neal is thriving with his position in Pittsburgh. You call this one.
15.Wideman                                                                 Edler
Chara wins again.  Wideman knows how to score, win, shutdown, etc.  While both Defense have earned their successes, Wideman is clearly a better choice, and not just because I own him in my pool.  Edler is not used to shutting down a collective brute scoring force.
16.Gaborik                                                                  Tavares
Again, you decide who wins.  New York Rangers center Gaborik is clearly better stats-wise and has more experience, while Tavares has accomplished much with his other-New York team.  One thing is certain...both these guys shouldn't be drafted in the 16th round.
17.Eberle                                                                     Hartnell
Point to Alfie.  Eberle shouldn't be here. Hartnell is now on a team with teammate Giroux, and Philadelphia is a scoring machine this year.
18.Seguin                                                                     Pominville
Point to Alfie again. He has been outdrafting Chara in the back half.  I have been in a battle in my pool lately, having just acquired Pominville.  My rival has Seguin.  I believe Pominville is a better choice and is a shoe-in for at least one goal.
19.Benn                                                                       Couture
Last point goes to Alfie.  Not just because Logan Couture and I share a name, or because he plays for the Sharks.  It's because this kid will be amazing someday.  He's leading the Sharks, who (injuries not withstanding) have one of the most well rounded offenses in the league.  Plus the kid has talent.  He deserves
the car that he wins for being drafted last.)

I'm crediting my buddy Mitch for this joke.

Mitch: Did Taylor Hall make it?
Logan: I don't believe so.
Mitch:  I guess he's not good enough for the All Scar game!
Sheldon: Bazinga


* In searching for the results, I ran across a page that describes the Nine events of the all star skills competition.  I pissed myself laughing at many of the jokes the writer had to say.  For pure hockey based enjoyment, click here. http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/01/28/your-2012-nhl-all-star-skills-competition-using-guide-nhl-lures-younger-demographic-by-spelling-it-skillz/
Skills Competition

Elimination Shootout

Hardest Shot

Accuracy Shooting

Fastest Skater

Breakaway Challenge

Relays

Alfreddson wins skills comp 21-12.  Domination!

Yet Chara wins the Game, 12 to 9.  Chara Smash!



Thanks again! Be sure to send me any feedback you wish.

Logan

*UPDATE* MONDAY JANUARY 23, 2012

Logan's Letter

  This week, the Letter takes a more casual route.  I began the week by collecting small pieces of news and stories to report on, with the full intention of renewing my weekly addition to the online world.  I was going to report on some political crap that I have nothing vested in, or maybe that one of our fellow Albertans (providing you are reading this from within Alberta) have won the 6/49 for a cool $25000000.  I was going to write the word million, but so many zeroes just makes it that much more fun.  (If by random chance you as the reader were the lottery winner, or just have a ton of money in general, remember your good old buddy Logan, who has a fancy for a large V8 Nissan Titan.)

  As with many of you I'm guessing, I have been pretty wrapped up in my own life lately.  Not anything bad, just busy.  I do not want to use it as an excuse, but writing is a passion and a hobby both for me, and sometimes I need to just let myself off the hook for a bit.  I apologize for not writing, but at the same time it was necessary.  To write the average previous column, it would take 3-4 hours a session, and I had to work around the silly fact that I had no internet at my apartment.  Perhaps worst of all, following the format that I had set for myself, I found myself not looking forward to writing some articles.  That is bad news.

  Ever have trouble looking at the big picture?  Me too.  I have been told I can easily draw people in with my words.  I have been given compliments about the sincerity and the emotion in my poetry.  I have acknowledged that people may benefit from my words somehow in ways I may not understand.  Like many others, I sometimes find it tough to accept that maybe there is something more than what I see.  So here is my plan. I'm no longer following agenda.

 I began seriously writing in high school.  True, I often skipped class to go write, whether out of boredom or because it allowed me to cope with the depression I struggled with.  I had no storyline, no basis to follow.  It was pure creativity, and it manifested in a surprising way.  I often looked back at the lengthy piece that I wrote that day, and found myself not remembering writing it.  A story that I was telling was breaking out of me, and while it was raw and lacked structure, the story started to tell itself.  I have had this story developing within me for 9 years, and while I still feel unprepared to write it, I still want to become submersed in that same feeling.  My story builds in my mind and grows, and one day will be written.  For now, I am focusing on writing from within.  My writing, when I write with full flow and power, teaches me and leads me.  It is oddly intuitive.  For the longest time this was most likely the most at peace with myself I had ever been.

  I had the goal of building a sort of "portfolio" with this column.  Now, I want to just make it more personal.  I will simply be writing what I want to that week.  It will likely have much of the same content, just less structure.

  I appreciate you all.
  Logan.


P.S.  I would like to congratulate all those who are representing Calgary in the National Open.  The 20 game qualifying tournament was this past weekend and we will have great teams bowling in our name.  Good Luck at Provincials!!!

P.P.S.  Sharks, stop losing to the Canucks.

P.P.S.S.  Elfstones of Shannara review next week.  Have you started to read the Sword of Shannara yet??