Author: Al Daniel
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Best actor from every EIHL city (Part I)
The BAFTAs can blur barriers as big as an ocean. So can any major American award show when British imports make more than a splash on this country’s pop-culture scene. With such crossover at their celebrations of excellence, TV and movies arguably epitomize the United States and United Kingdom’s kinship. On that note, we are crossing the Atlantic to acknowledge some…
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Denver’s Mendel proof of hockey-hoops harmony
Griffin Mendel hails from a British Columbia town, Kelowna, whose name is the local First Nations term for “female grizzly.” A public sculpture symbolizing the etymology came along in 1998, the year before Mendel was born. Some four-to-five hours southwest, there was once an NBA franchise representing the province with the same mascot. But the…
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McCain was a perfect cameo for Wedding Crashers
One week before John McCain passed away, the Paramount Network happened to screen his lone theatrical film appearance. Not all TV airings of 2005’s Wedding Crashers leave in McCain’s uncredited guest spot, opposite James Carville. Some channels file that under the throwaways when condensing the presentation to accommodate commercials and whatever is airing next. But…
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10 best Bart Simpson-Principal Skinner rivalry moments
Starting at the end of next month, Bart Simpson will round out his third decade in fourth grade. For viewers who have kept The Simpsons running this long, this partially means anticipating new Bart-versus-Skinner storylines. Past its peak or not, the show will surely keep revisiting that dynamic. During its golden years, relying on the classic kid-antagonizes-authority-figure…
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Pepsi on Ice: A brief history of hockey sponsorship and cross-promotion
As a concept, Pepsi is as old as Stanley Cup competition. The soda and the sports tournament share an 1893 birthdate. In each entity’s quasquicentennial year, one might think the stars aligned for the beverage to partner with the game. It has, still does and is slated to continue to do so. Even while Coca-Cola…
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Pyrotechnics, public outreach and, oh yeah, puck
Approaching their 25th anniversary, the Chicago Wolves have achieved a rare feat by sticking as a minor-league franchise in a definitive major-league market. They have done so, in large part, by being an entity that almost anyone with on- or off-ice ties would just as soon stick with. The Chicago Wolves have prepared future stars…
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10 best Jackie Burkhart quotes
Jackie Burkhart was Mila Kunis’ breakout character in more senses than being her major role. The way the two bookend the likability scale underscored the precocious actor’s aptitude. “She’s a horrible person,” Kunis acknowledged while revisiting some of Jackie’s lines for a Cosmopolitan YouTube video last month. Kunis laughed as she said this, much like…
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When two prides of Brantford collided
The late Phil Hartman was years ahead of Wayne Gretzky in many places. Both beloved Brantfordians moved to the Lower 48 and dispensed their talents in Los Angeles and New York. They would each earn a spot on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Only one of them had remained in his homeland long enough for his…
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Jeff Glover knows hockey is still hot in Atlanta
Jeff Glover and NHL Center Ice missed a potential collaboration at the turn of the decade. The subscription service delivering regional telecasts to displaced diehards ran a montage of supposed customers. Pairs depicted included Flyers fans in New York, Penguins patrons in Los Angeles and Blackhawks buffs in Boston. Their universal message: “We may live…
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Here comes America’s most forlorn month
Sorry August, but someone has to rank No. 12 on the American almanac. The first full calendar month of NFL training camp is the Cleveland Browns among its peers. Between mainstream holidays and other marquee occasions, it is lucky to finish higher than last in a given year. As unfair as it is, the eighth…