Hockey Hotbed!

For only the second time in History, a Fresno Falcon has made it to the NHL - thanks to an injured Russian. Here's the story:

FRESNO, Calif. – Former Fresno Falcons goaltender Nolan Schaefer appeared in his first National Hockey League game this evening and helped lead the San Jose Sharks to a 5-4 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Schaefer replaced Sharks starting goaltender Vesa Toskala at 7:12 of the second period and recorded 12 saves on 13 shots against through the remainder of regulation and into overtime to earn credit for the victory. He was called-up to Fresno’s NHL affiliate from the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Barons last weekend when Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov suffered an injury in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets last Friday.

Schaefer, selected in the fifth round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Sharks, was assigned to the Falcons at the outset of the 2003-04 season following a four-year collegiate career at Providence College. He appeared in 12 games for Fresno that season, posting a 5-5-0 record with a 3.12 goals against average, .910 save percentage, and one shutout before receiving what turned out to be a permanent promotion to the Barons and the AHL.

Schaefer becomes just the second Fresno player to appear in an NHL game after wearing a Falcons uniform. Defenseman Garret Stroshein, who played 20 games for the Falcons during the 2001-02 season, played three games for the Washington Capitals in 2003-04.

As a result of Schaefer’s call-up to San Jose, Falcons rookie goaltender Jamie Holden was re-called earlier this week to Cleveland, which has yet to play a game since Holden’s arrival.

There was no thanking of Fresno by Nolan...whateverrrrrr. It's to be expected. People who get their starts in Fresno tend to forget all about their Fresno days.

You know, people like Kevin Federline Spears.

Questionable Fresno Radio

Jazz, Latino issues, smart people, Berkley, community programs, monotone political discussion and Dorks. Confused?

What I'm talking about is Fresno radio station KFCF 88.1 and the crazy schedule they got going. What's missing from the schedule is Devoya Mayo's show "Move On Up"; easily the best show on local radio.

You can listen to Devoya's show at 7:00 p.m. every Friday night. What's that you say? At 7:00 you're usually outside some chain restaurant, waiting for a table as you hold an oversized pager? Yea, I know, me too.

You can solve your Friday, radio listening, unavailability problem by going to KFCF's website and clicking the proper time to listen. Or, better yet, you can download the latest Dorktown podcast (show 12) and get a nice sample of Devoya and Michael Powell's show.

WE LOVE YA FRESNO

When I go to concerts in Fresno, I love seeing how bands tie Fresno into their show. Some are lame and just say “Thank you Fresno” a few times. Others are creative and come up with some Fresno stories.

A couple big rock acts came through town recently and mentioned Fresno several times: Green Day and System Of A Down.

Here’s a look at how Green Day and System got the Save Mart Center and the city of Fresno involved:

PREVIOUS VISITS
This was the first time System Of A Down played Fresno. Odd given all of the Armenian heritage in Fresno - It was about time.

Billie Joe revisited a time (17 years ago) when they played Fresno, for the first time, with Capital Punishment and then moved on to do a Sacramento show where they were beat-up by some skin heads.

FRESNO RELATIONS
The Save Mart crowd found out that drummer Tre’ Cool’s dad is from Fresno. Also their touring horn player is originally from Fresno.

Although he didn’t say it during the show, I happen to know that System’s singer Serj has a best friend that lives in Fresno and Serj was his friend’s best-man at a recent Fresno wedding.

YELLIN’ AT FRESNO
Green Day singer Billie Joe had to have broken the record for how-many-times-a-singer-has-called-out-FRESNOOOOOO during a show. He must have done it thirty times- Tre cool.

Serj and guitarist Daron Malakian mentioned Fresno many times. The best time was when Daron tied Fresno’s Armenian history in. “Before there was Glendale and Hollywood, there was Fresno!” – Fuck yea! And I’m not even Armenian.

Another cool Fresno stamp, by Daron, was while singing the song “Sugar” he began replacing the title [Sugar] with “Fresno”.

ODD END
A little off topic; Did anyone at the System show notice that the end of the show (after they played “Sugar”) was kinda weird? They (I don’t know who “they” is really) left the house lights off, usually indicating there will be an encore, but the road crew immediately began “breaking down” the stage, ending the show.

THANK YOU FRESNO AND GOODNIGHT!!

Fresno Rock Doesn't Stop

Hard rock just isn't what it used to be (popular wise anyway). Ever since the grunge scene faded out, hard rock is way down on popular music's list.

Although hard rock's popularity isn't at its height, that doesn't mean rock's talent level is low. Two of the better bands are Taproot and Chevelle.

On Thursday night, Taproot and Chevelle will be playing at the Paul Paul Amp, probably pissing-off outside-of-amplitheater-fair-goers with their loud, new-metal style. I'll be in section A row 9, likely with an empty seat next to me and a fryer-fresh-hot corndog in my hand.

The empty seat is either due to nobody liking current hard rock or I just smell (probably it's both).