The Other 6 Seconds

WE'VE MOVED! - UPDATE YOUR LINKS AND FEEDS

2009-12-04T11:53:00.003-06:00

That's right... the move to Bloguin is complete. Should not be long until this page redirects to the new location. If you're not redirected in the next 5 seconds or so, click here and check out my new digs.Please update your bookmarks, loyal readers. Thank you all for your support.

You've Gotta Be Good to Be Lucky...

2009-12-03T23:28:00.002-06:00

and lucky to be good.The Stars proved that tonight against the Ducks. In what likely should have been a 1-0 loss to Anaheim, the Stars managed to squeeze 2 flukers past Giguere in relatively quick succession, and came away with the victory.I've spent all day working on my move to the Bloguin server, so I'm a little exhausted and tired of using my computer... so I'm going to keep this one short,

Wallpaper Wednesday: Brad Richards

2009-12-02T07:21:00.002-06:00

Recently posted over at thebreakaway.net, fellow Stars fan "ajhockey" has this Brad Richards wallpaper contribution to the blogosphere. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The Opposite of Good

2009-12-01T02:43:00.005-06:00

Remember my post almost 2 weeks ago? It was titled "Stars Beat Detroit... IN DETROIT!"It was written about how good the Stars were... having gone to Detroit and secured a victory by playing a complete game. A little under 2 weeks later, and the Stars are once again facing off against the Wings in the Motor City. This time, it wasn't good. We weren't good. We were the opposite of good.Detroit had

A Glimpse of Things to Come

2009-11-30T03:06:00.007-06:00

It's an exciting time to be Cole Jones.This blog is continuing to gain steam and popularity, and in the coming days, it'll also be gaining a new network.The Bloguin Network has arranged to host my delightful slice of the internet, putting me in company with my good friend Greg Ezell from Something's Bruin, among many other talented amateur analysts. I'm pretty excited about the move. We're just

Swedes Salvage Win After Collapse

2009-11-29T00:43:00.005-06:00

God Bless Sweden... God bless ABBA, Peter Forsberg, Swedish Fish candies, and alcoholic pear cider... without those things, Loui Eriksson may not have fed the pass to Tommy Wandell that beat arguably the most popular former backup goalie in Stars history, winning the game for us in OT.Before Wandell beat Mike Smith with that off-speed wrister to close the game out, and keep us the hell out of

Vote For This Blog, If You Feel Like It!

2009-11-29T00:02:00.000-06:00

I recently got an email from "The NHL Arena" about a "Blog-Off" they're running... When I saw the title, I got excited. I thought it was going to be some kind of contest of blogging skill or stamina... like a pie eating contest, for hockey nerds.Sadly, I don't get to show off my Kobayashi-grade gergitation abilities... and I'm afraid it may just be a ploy to get people to register to their NHL

Too Little, Too Late in the Desert

2009-11-27T22:29:00.002-06:00

Dave Tippett's tour of revenge is off to a pretty good start. 2 games, 2 wins against his former employers...Tonight, the Stars just started off slowly offensively, and never really got it going. A defensive collapse in the second period put the game away early and sent Marty to the bench before the frame had ended. The defense was chasing all night long, turning the puck over like it was going

What I'm Thankful For This Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T04:07:00.008-06:00

I tend to be a negative person from time to time... a grumpy old man in a grumpy young man's body. So I could dedicate today's blog to last night's loss to St. Louis... about how I didn't get to watch it, because DirecTV and Versus are still being jerks... or the Stars finding a way to lose to another team that they're better than on paper, and how we suck at shootouts, and how shootouts

Wallpaper Wednesday: The Captain

2009-11-24T23:36:00.003-06:00

This Brenden Morrow wallpaper comes from my good friend Will Telfer... a man lucky enough to own a 1991 Mike Modano Minnesota North Stars jersey with the actual correct number font! Enjoy, all.

Was There Something To That Morrow/Gleason Fight?

2009-11-24T00:53:00.008-06:00

Since blogs are meant for rumor mongers with nothing better to do, I think I'll stoop down a few levels and spew out some unfounded tomfoolery of my own. That's the price my readers have to pay for getting news and reaction from a blog.For those who missed it, 25 seconds into the Stars/Canes game on Monday night, Brenden Morrow and Tim Gleason dropped the gloves for no apparent reason. Brenden

A Brand New Stars Uniform?!

2009-11-23T01:57:00.005-06:00

Actually, the total opposite. One that's so old and so random, that no one seems to remember or care that it existed. Once again, our friends over at VintageMinnesotaHockey.com have bestowed upon me a visual gift from Stars history... making me revise my Uniform History Project for probably the sixth time now.It turns out the North Stars had a uniform design before they ever played their first

I Miss the Old Jeremy Roenick...

2009-11-22T02:26:00.007-06:00

You know... the one who had his jaw wired shut circa April, 1999.He was certainly less talkative in those days... for a short period of time, at least.Jeremy Roenick recently chimed in on the James Neal suspension, echoing the recent comments of the victim Derek Dorsett.''If Neal would have done this 20 years ago, he would have been blackballed from the league,'' said Roenick. ''If you're going

Robidas and Richards Lead Stars Over Devils

2009-11-22T01:50:00.003-06:00

The Dallas Stars beat the NHL's best road team at the AAC on Saturday night... and they did it with a four point outing by Stephane Robidas... a three point first period. Robi had 2 goals and 2 assists during his career night. Not to be out-done, Richards added 4 assists of his own. Normally when the Stars meet the Devils, it's a defensive slugfest, isn't it? This one was not. 5-3 the final.The

James Neal Gets 2 Game Suspension

2009-11-20T14:18:00.004-06:00

and now I'm sad...Let's see how we play without any Deals that are Real, against New Jersey... Mike Heika said it best. Neal's been our best player, and this is a pretty awful time to lose him.Most of all, I think it sucks for James. As I said last night, he's not a dirty player. He wasn't even trying to hit Dorsett, but hockey is hockey and things happen. Now we need Brenden to step things up.

The Royal Rumble on Victory Ave.

2009-11-19T21:35:00.005-06:00

Stars lost a stinker to the Blue Jackets at American Airlines Center tonight, and since I'm not in the mood to dissect and analyze another loss to an inferior opponent (seriously guys... wins against Detroit and San Jose, losses to Phoenix, Minny, and Columbus?), I'm just going to cop-out and do a simple "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." Does that show a lack of effort on my part? Maybe... but

Stars Beat Detroit... IN DETROIT!

2009-11-19T01:30:00.005-06:00

Remember when Stars fans were up in arms over the blown call on Nick Grossman against the Flames in overtime? I wasn't... because these things even out over time.Tonight was proof of that. In the third period, with Dallas up by a score of 2-1, Brad May shot a weak backhander between Auldy's left pad and the goal post. It definitely went in the net. It definitely crossed the line. The whistle

Wallpaper Wednesday: Loui Eriksson

2009-11-18T01:02:00.004-06:00

Busy week for me, with an empty week for the Stars has left me with very little to write about... but that doesn't mean I'm going to slack on Wallpaper Wednesday.This week's wallpaper comes from "Yzermans#1" at thebreakaway.net, and features our favorite Swedish sniper Loui Eriksson.Enjoy :) Stars play the Wings tonight in Detroit.. and it's about time. I hate these long weeks without hockey.

The Revenge of Tipp, More Fabian Talk

2009-11-14T22:03:00.006-06:00

The Stars lost a close one in the desert tonight against the Coyotes, with former Stars coach Dave Tippett leading his new team to a win against his old one. Overall, the Stars were outworked and out hustled, but the real back breaker(s) came in the second period.In the opening minute of the second, the Stars had such little urgency in their game that Phoenix "went through the Stars like poop

Mail Bag: Farmhands and Fabio

2009-11-13T14:05:00.000-06:00

Good friend of The Other 6 Seconds, Trevor Seelert, made a good point recently through the mail bag.... "Cole, you're in Texas. Even if you weren't, there is absolutely no reason for you to not have praised our young guns for how mighty they are in their first full season together. Praise them now damnit."You're right, Tibor... the Texas Stars are pretty much awesome, and I should talk more about

Superstitions, Sharks, DVRs, and Shootouts

2009-11-13T07:28:00.007-06:00

What a win... after 2 periods, the Sharks had a two-goals-to-zero lead over our Stars. Who knows how many Stars fans went to bed at that point, only to wake up to the news of a 3-2 comeback win? That's one of the big problems with the Stars, in my opinion... by putting the Stars in the Pacific Division, the NHL assures that the Stars play more late games than any team in hockey, making it hard on

Wallpaper Wednesday: James Neal

2009-11-11T00:19:00.004-06:00

This week, I'm presenting to you a wallpaper of The Real Deal, James Neal... courtesy of Ayaz Karim. I was planning on plugging his website, but it appears to be down... So at the very least, I'll plug his original thread at TBN.He made it per my request a few months ago, and I couldn't be happier with it. It's got a little bit of that HDR/EA Sports vibe to it, and I love it. It's part of my

Hull's Induction Speech

2009-11-10T02:51:00.002-06:00

Class act, as always.At first I was like... thanks to the Red Wings?! Why'd he skip over Dallas? Turns out he was saving the best for last. <3

Hull to the Hall: My Memories of Brett

2009-11-09T03:58:00.005-06:00

Tonight, arguably the best pure goal scorer in NHL history is going to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The man who scored the most important goal in Stars history, single handedly changed my expectations for the team forever, and completed the massive culture change around Dallas in the late 1990's... Brett Hull. Everywhere you look online today, you're going to find articles with Hull

Being an Adult Sucks

2009-11-08T00:12:00.003-06:00

I remember the good old days, not too long ago, when if the Stars were playing, I was watching. In person, on the couch, on a bar-TV at some restaurant... nothing would keep me away, and I knew every line combination, uniform number, stick-tape color, and favorite band of everyone on the team. (I'm exaggerating...... slightly)Then I grew up. I came to this horrid realization tonight as I was on

Controversial Call Burns Stars in Overtime

2009-11-05T05:23:00.007-06:00

Cole Jones is not a resident of Buffalo. He doesn't much care for blaming officials for losses, even when it appears that they made a mistake that altered the outcome of the game.I just refuse. Am I too holier than thou? Well, at least holier than Buffalo (Go Stars, Go Titans)... but if you, my readers, want to take offense to the penalty call against Nicklas Grossman in overtime that led to the

Introducing Wallpaper Wednesdays!

2009-11-04T08:15:00.004-06:00

Since I like to bring you guys a few less traditional blog goodies every now and then, I figured I'd share some artwork that you can use on the very computers you're using right now. To make it more awesome.That's the idea behind Wallpaper Wednesdays. I'm staff over at the TBN forums, where there are just a ridiculous amount of professional-grade graphics nerds that routinely blow my mind. With

The Uniform History Project: 2000's

2009-11-02T00:00:00.004-06:00

The Stars began the new millennium celebrating a very memorable win over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on New Years Eve, as defending Stanley Cup Champions, and with the best player in team history smack-dab in the middle of his prime. They started the decade wearing the new uniforms they debuted after their 1999 Championship, complete with the "Year 2000" patch that was worn by every team that

I Hate the Predators

2009-11-01T01:25:00.004-05:00

That's all I have to say, really. Ugly Halloween night in Nashville as the Stars lose in regulation to a team that I find it hard to like.It's not so much the players (other than Tootoo) as it is the fans. Without going too in depth about it, because I'll just sound like a sore loser, how many times can an arena say "you suck" in unison before the novelty wears off? Apparently 20 times a night,

Horror Business: Volume Two

2009-10-31T00:59:00.006-05:00

As I said a few days ago, since I love Halloween so much, I thought it would be a good idea to write a couple "Horror Stories" with Stars themes. My first one was about Mike Modano going insane and turning into hockey's Brett Favre, which is much happier scenario than the cryptic tale I've got in store for you today.Tom Hicks was struggling. He wasn't sure exactly what to do. A few years ago,

Never Say Die: Stars Snag Another Point in Loss

2009-10-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

Talk about a mixed bag. The Stars game against Florida tonight was a painful mixture of good news and bad news. For every yin, a yang. For every great play, a blunder.Steven Reinprecht had a natural hat trick before the first period had ended, and Alex Auld was having serious problems controlling his rebounds. Lucky for us, while Auld was getting scored on with third and fourth whacks at the puck

What Does the Pentagon Have that Toronto Doesn't?

2009-10-28T23:59:00.003-05:00

Top secret classified documents? The launch codes to some super secret military weapons? A fancy logo? Nope. The Pentagon has 5 points. That's more than we can say for the Toronto Maple Leafs, thanks to Whitby, Ontario native The Real Deal James Neal's overtime game winner on Wednesday night.The Leafs went into the night with only 1 win, and 3 points on the year. For much of the night, I thought

Horror Business: Volume One

2009-10-27T05:31:00.003-05:00

In honor of one of my favorite days of the year, Halloween, (and one of my favorite bands of all time, but you probably wouldn't like them) I decided the end of October would be a great time to discuss the darker more evil side of being a Stars fan. The spooky and more "Vincent Pricey" moments like seeing Brett Hull, Pat Verbeek, and Derian Hatcher wearing occult symbols on their chests... having

How to Cure a Hangover

2009-10-24T21:41:00.003-05:00

As you may know, if you're a loyal reader, I've spent the last half-week focused on the now-completed marriage between my lovely sister and a Turco-hating Mavs fan, who I've accepted as a part of my family. I had a wonderful time at the wedding, looked very sharp in my chocolate brown tuxedo, ate some very expensive food, and consumed more alcohol than I've ever had in my entire life.As the

Stars Earn a Point in L.A.

2009-10-23T00:09:00.004-05:00

That's all that matters. What a comeback, though.I'll admit that for the first half of this game, I was highly lubricated with the Chianti from my night out at Pietro's in Dallas, as part of the wedding festivities... so I can't give too much insight. My first real thought about the game was that Kopitar is too damn good, and by the time I realized just how much awesome he was, I sobered up a bit

A Couple Wallpapers I Made

2009-10-22T01:04:00.005-05:00

Not sure if any of my readers would enjoy using them, or if any of you even use the same resolution as I do... but what could it hurt?Huge thanks to dropthepucks.com for the source pictures on both. A game worn North Stars sweater, and Moog's old bucket from the 90's, with a little bit of my photoshop skillz thrown on top. Enjoy.

California Bloggin'

2009-10-21T22:27:00.006-05:00

As I said in my previous contribution to the wonderful Stars blogosphere, I've got quite the eventful week this week, between work, hockey, and my beloved sister's wedding... which is hampering my abilities to write as often as I'd like. Since I love my readers so much that I want to keep them entertained, I'm taking some time out of my packed schedule to inform you of my latest Stars opinions,

Quick Notes from the Stars Win in Chicago

2009-10-18T07:31:00.004-05:00

I've got a pretty busy week this week, between my work schedule, tickets to the Kings game, and the festivities surrounding my sister's wedding... so I might be cutting a few corners here and there. I hope I can be forgiven. Rather than a full game recap, I'm just going to skip my regular write-up and jot down a few thoughts about last night's game and whatever else comes to mind.The Stars simply

I Don't Know How to Feel...

2009-10-16T22:50:00.005-05:00

That was ugly.Boston handled our Dallas Stars fairly easily, coming away with a 3-0 victory at the American Airlines Center, and bringing the rest of us back down to earth after our stomping of the Predators.Rather than delve into the actual stats or recap of this game (because honestly, there are a million sites out there that would do it more justice than myself), I'm just going to go in a

Mail Bag: Too Many Productive Players When Healthy?

2009-10-16T19:31:00.007-05:00

From a good friend of The Other 6 Seconds, Trevor Seelert:"What happens when:a) Modano comes back. Petersen-Mo-Lehts 3rd line? Barch-Mo-Lehts 3rd line? (or 4th?)b) Ott comes back...back to an Ott-Mo-Lehts 3rd line?Personally I think Wandell has been playing far too well to get dumped on the 4th line. Fabian's coming around but needs to get stronger...that's not going to happen playing 7 minutes

Morgan Smith: Putting the FUN back in H1N1

2009-10-16T11:40:00.006-05:00

One might say that toughing out the symptoms of the much fear-mongered malady H1N1 flu to go to a Stars game hits Cole Jones levels of dedication. I'd be okay with such an assessment. To be fair, I had no idea that I was putting anyone in danger of getting anything worse than a bad head cold, but I think seeing the Dallas Stars whoop up on the Trashville Buttmunchers (as you can see, Swine Flu

The Defending Big D Podcast is Up...

2009-10-15T22:38:00.003-05:00

Feel free to listen at your leisure. Try not to let the sexiness of my voice damage your iPod earphones.A good time was had by all. I wasn't as organized or prepared as I'd like to have been, but I don't think I ruined their show too much.Big thanks to the boys over at Defending Big D again for the invite.

I'll be on Defending Big D's Live Podcast Tonight

2009-10-15T18:20:00.002-05:00

Goes live at 8pm central time, for those who are interested.Defending Big D:"We will be joined by special guest Cole Jones of The Other 6 Seconds, as we break down the past week of Dallas Stars action, try to determine exactly what's wrong the Stars penalty kill and most likely debate about Marty Turco. We'll also be debating who we think is the most important player on the Dallas Stars this

How to Dismantle the Predators in 3 Easy Steps

2009-10-15T07:26:00.007-05:00

Step One: Take a shot on Dan Ellis.Step Two: Celebrate your goal.Step Three: Repeat as desired.At least that's how it went last night at American Airlines Center. 3 shots. 3 goals. Remember when Aaron Downey one-punched Jesse Boulerice? It was kind of like that. Before the game even started, it was over. One of the most thorough dominations I've seen in a while.The top 2 lines for the Stars

TFP: Stars Traded For Quincey, Then Backed Out

2009-10-14T00:58:00.006-05:00

In my nightly scouring for entertainment and news, I located an interesting article from The Fourth Period... Apparently emerging young blueliner Kyle Quincey, now of the Colorado Avalanche, was traded to the Stars at the beginning of the 08-09 season by the Detroit Red Wings. The Stars, however, backed out of the trade after his physical."They told me to turn the cab around. The Stars' doctor

Visual Gifts From Our Friends in Minnesota

2009-10-13T02:26:00.008-05:00

A little over a month ago, I got an email from Kyle over at Vintage Minnesota Hockey giving me some kudos on my blog and my uniform history project.He's a Minnesota hockey history buff, and a fan/collector of vintage hockey sweaters (he just went to the 8th annual jersey collectors show, actually). He had some photos to share with me of another one of the rejected designs the North Stars had come

30 NHL Arenas by Bicycle... It has begun...

2009-10-12T09:07:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I linked to a blog called "30 NHL Arenas by Bicycle," which was to document the travels of a Stars fan in Austin who was planning a ridiculously ambitious bike ride. His plan is to ride his bike from Austin to Dallas... to Denver, then Phoenix, then to California... and to every single NHL Arena from coast to coast, in both the USA and Canada. Seriously. Dedication, folks.Well, I

The Penalty Kill, Turco, and the Shootout...

2009-10-12T00:47:00.008-05:00

The sky is not falling, nor am I here to report the contrary... but these 3 keys are why we aren't 4-0-0. Instead, we're 1-0-3.The Marc Crawford era hasn't begun with as much joyous fanfare as it deserves, with 3 losses in our first 4 games... but other than the PK, Turks, and the shootout, there's a lot to like about this Stars team. In our first 4 contests, we've outshot our opponents in each

Stars Douse Flames, Get First Win

2009-10-09T22:24:00.004-05:00

Since my now world-renowned blog has me thinking I'm a legitimate superstar amateur journalist, I figured I should start using those painfully annoying puns for blog titles. Stars Douse Flames... Bury Avalanche... Stars Align in Phoenix... and so on. All that matters tonight is that we aren't going 0-0-82.Alex Auld was in net, and looked solid, as the Stars secured Marc Crawford's first victory

Stars Make Good on Razor's Promise

2009-10-08T08:43:00.005-05:00

Got this in my email last night...It's good to see our beloved Mr. Reaugh was able to make something good happen for all us Stars fans who "suffered" through the season opener... only problem is, it didn't do much to help me.Those 2 games are the tickets given to those who showed up to the Stars open house last month, so I was already going. I guess the Stars had those 2 games earmarked as "give

82 Points Won't Get Us in the Playoffs

2009-10-07T03:17:00.005-05:00

That's what we're on pace for, after the first two games. 0-0-82.The Stars lost in another shootout, this time against the familiar foes in Edmonton, in another game that you could easily argue the Stars outplayed the opposition. James Neal continued to be "The Real Deal," and Brenden Morrow notched his first 2 of the season, reminding us just how much we missed him last year... We played well...

Why Would You Buy That Jersey?!

2009-10-05T09:20:00.008-05:00

There's a regular feature on Yahoo's Puck Daddy Blog called "Jersey Fouls." Basically, they document any of the idiotic things people get their jerseys customized with. Anything from internet screen names, to random words, to names of players that never played in that jersey, or even for that team... They even have a recent occurance of a guy who wore a Mike Modano Minnesota Wild jersey to the

The Morning After

2009-10-04T11:56:00.005-05:00

Just woke up after a lazy Sunday morning, following a heart breaking Saturday night... shocked to see it was so close to kickoff of my beloved Titans game, and alerted to the fact that tonight is the second episode of Dexter, Season 4... I had completely forgotten that Sundays follow Saturdays, because for the last week or so, Saturday has been the only date circled on my calendar. In the

Tonight's the Night

2009-10-03T06:22:00.003-05:00

The Dallas Stars will FINALLY open up their season against the Nashville Predators tonight, at the American Airlines Center, and I personally can't wait to get there.We get to hear "and the head coach of your Dallas Stars, Marc Crawford" for the first time, which is going to be weird and cool... I'm assuming we're going to start with the Morrow-Ribeiro-Benn line, so we'll also get to hear the

Stars Lock-Up Robi Long Term

2009-10-01T05:01:00.005-05:00

If I learned anything at all since my 4 years of French class in High School, it's that I was an idiot for taking French over Spanish, when I would eventually work in Texas law enforcement. Not many Frenchies or Quebecois down here... thank god for language hot lines, because most of the Spanish I know, I picked up reading the menu at Los Lupes... and no amount of Huevos Rancheros, Chilaquiles,

Razor Guarantees Victory on Opening Night

2009-09-30T10:04:00.003-05:00

He's even going so far as promising to purchase game tickets for every single person in attendance at American Airlines Center on October 3rd, if we don't start the season with a victory over the Nashville Predators.He originally made this claim on The Ticket yesterday morning, then went home and put it in print on his blog.Since it's Razor, it's hard to tell if he's serious or not... There seems

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me Google Earth Got Awesome?

2009-09-29T10:00:00.007-05:00

Last night at work, I had a situation involving 911, a cell phone, and a mystery caller that hung up before saying a single word. The computer gave me no address, their cellphone number led me straight to voicemail, and I had to use my mad MacGyver skills to find out where this potential damsel in distress was located, so I could get her the assistance she needed, and be the hero I'm so

A Humble Declaration of My Own Celebrity

2009-09-29T07:30:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I was checking my email religiously before bed, because I was convinced I was about to be outbid on an eBay auction that I really wanted to win... turns out it was probably a scam, and I won't be getting anything awesome after all, unless the guy suddenly starts accepting PayPal, like the auction originally said... but that's completely beside the point. The point is, I was

Coyotes Coaching Change: Gretz Out, Tipp In

2009-09-24T20:30:00.006-05:00

Looks like our man Dave Tippett is going to have a job after all on opening night. Ellen Degen.... I mean Wayne Gretzky (seriously, they're separated at birth to me), who pretty much decided he wasn't going to show up to Coyotes training camp this year, due to the Coyotes uncertain future, stepped down as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes today. It didn't take long for them to name his

The Final Answers to Life's Great Debates

2009-09-24T03:06:00.010-05:00

As of my writing this post tonight, the contract dispute between DirecTV and Versus is still in effect... meaning millions of homes across the USA are still unsure if they will be able to get NHL coverage via satellite this winter. I said originally that I would remain neutral on this discussion, because neither side is completely in the right or the wrong... But with NHL preseason well under way

Talkin' Bout Benn, and Noting Various Aesthetic Frivolities

2009-09-22T01:03:00.013-05:00

I've had several people ask me about Jamie Benn since his awesome Memorial Cup run last season. Most of them want to know where I think he's going to play this year. The general consensus is that people want him on Dallas as soon as possible, so he can start learning on the job what being a Dallas Star and an NHL player is all about. Even Mike Modano agrees, Big Benn should be in Big D. I'm torn

The Dallas Stars Played a Hockey Game!

2009-09-17T04:16:00.010-05:00

And not just a bunch of prospects, but actual Stars like Brad Richards and Mike Modano played. Could summer actually be over?!Well... almost... Summer will be over when I can watch the games on TV like normal, or go to a game. Granted, nothing but my job obligations kept me from going to this game anyway... but that's beside the point. Plus, we still had kids playing, and the games still didn't

Apparently The City of Duncanville Sucks...

2009-09-15T21:54:00.001-05:00

..more than Jonas Gustavsson.Bad news over at the "Support Our Duncanville Rink" site.

An Open Letter to Dany Heatley

2009-09-14T03:17:00.007-05:00

Dear Mr. Heatley,It has recently come to my attention that your wish to leave the Ottawa Senators has been granted, and that you are now the newest member of the San Jose Sharks. No doubt you are excited at the opportunity to play with a pure set-up man like Joe Thornton, not to mention the obvious upgrade in climate that you'll be enjoying in the Bay Area. Kudos on manipulating your former team

Morgan Smith's Training Camp Tweets

2009-09-13T03:45:00.000-05:00

Cole here... Setting up Morgan's Twitter feed into this blog post, so you don't have to keep reloading his page to keep up with what he says.Morgan should be getting up and getting involved around 8 this morning, with practice starting at about 9:10. The team scrimmage starts at about 10:10. Sadly, looks like Scott Glennie isn't going to be involved, after suffering a little bit of a groin injury

The Other 6 Seconds' New "Sideline Reporter"

2009-09-13T02:00:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone.My name is Morgan Smith, one of Cole's Stars-fan friends. Due to Cole's lack of proximity to the Stars practice facility in Frisco and lack of free time to attend events held there, I'll be keeping you updated on the second day of Training Camp including observations on specific players, tangents how Ivan "The Fishnevskiy" Vishnevskiy is so dreamy, and up to the minute updates on the

Texas Stars Uniforms Leaked!

2009-09-11T20:50:00.010-05:00

Who knows how long until the Texas Stars unveil their new uniforms for the inaugural season down in Austin... can't be too much longer, since they'll have to be playing games in SOMETHING in the very near future... but it's never too late to leak a uniform design (except for after it's already unveiled, i guess... but unless I missed something, it hasn't been yet)A buddy of mine at TBN, "Shaun,"

Pre-Camp Catch-Up: Heatley, Fleury, and My New Found Fame

2009-09-10T22:59:00.004-05:00

All kinds of news today, as teams are gearing up for the start of camp.I'll start out in a very unapologetic self-serving tone... Greg Wyshynski at the Puck Daddy blog on Yahoo came out with his Dallas Stars season preview today. He's not alone, as the order of the alphabet appears to have made today the unofficial Stars preview holiday. The reason to care about Puck Daddy's preview? A delightful

Traverse City: Stars Finish 6th

2009-09-10T22:52:00.003-05:00

The Detroit Red Wings have defeated the Dallas Stars in our final game of the tournament, by a score of 4-1. The Stars finish the tournament in 6th place, with a record of 1 win, 2 regulation losses, and a shootout loss.In the final game, superprospect Jamie Benn had a goal and a fight. I haven't heard who won it, but I hope it was Big Benn... at least let us win something, you know? Now all the

Traverse City: Stars Get Their First Win of the Tourney

2009-09-10T02:55:00.006-05:00

The Stars appear to be building momentum in this tournament, showing improvement in each game they've played. Sadly, the slow start has them playing just one more game in the tournament... the 5th place game. A far drop from the Championship game they played in last season... But before I get too negative, I'll take the time to remind myself that this tournament is about player development and

Awesome Update about the Duncanville StarCenter

2009-09-08T04:47:00.005-05:00

The folks over at "Support our Duncanville Rink" keep rolling with the good news in their fight to keep StarCenter open in our area. Here's a quick excerpt from their most recent update."One of the exciting new outcomes from the events of the last ten days is the realization of the incredible potential to expand hockey in our community. The more we have researched and talked to people, the more

Traverse City: Stars Lose Close One to Wild, Won't Repeat

2009-09-08T04:07:00.005-05:00

Well... the Stars title defense as Traverse City Prospects Tournament champions is over about as quickly as it began. Two days, two games, two losses. The Stars lost a close game to the Minnesota Wild's prospects, 2-1 in a shootout.Tyler Beskorowany was in net for this contest, and by all accounts was our best player. Besko allowed one goal in regulation, zero in overtime, and one goal in the

Traverse City: Baby Stars Get Stomped By Blues

2009-09-07T04:24:00.009-05:00

My frustration over the fact that the Traverse City Prospects Tournament isn't being television this season like it was last year, was amplified by the score that I awoke to on Sunday night before work. The St. Louis Blues defeated the Dallas Stars by a score of 9 to 6, hearkening back to the fire wagon hockey style of the 1980's... a decade these players were barely alive to witness. Not exactly

Former Star Perrott Plans Career Change

2009-09-06T11:19:00.004-05:00

Found a pretty cool article from the National Post this morning, about former Stars goon Nathan Perrott. Apparently since leaving the Stars, he floated around the minors for a few years, and then tried to make a go of it in the KHL... but he recently decided to hang up the skates and put his hockey career behind him, to pursue a career as a professional heavyweight boxer.Here's an excerpt from

Saving the Duncanville StarCenter

2009-09-02T23:57:00.008-05:00

For those unaware, in recent weeks, the Dallas Stars announced that they would likely be closing down the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Duncanville, Texas... This obviously was upsetting to all those who participate in hockey and figure skating at the complex, but it should also be upsetting to all hockey fans in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. This is the only rink to serve the area of Southern

The Stars Fan Survey, Helping Out Another Blog

2009-08-31T19:55:00.003-05:00

During my aimless wandering around the internet last night, I found a post over at Defending Big D's forum asking for participants in a new fan survey for Stars fans. The survey is part of a project being conducted by Stephanie over at the Dallas Stars 4 Life blog.If you get some time, I'd recommend sending an email over to Stephanie to inquire about participating. The more people that help out,

Begging for September

2009-08-29T07:43:00.014-05:00

Good morning, loyal readers... I blog today about various topics and aim to spread hope and excitement for the month ahead.September... one of my favorite months. Football season is finally fully here, baseball's playoff races are really hitting their boiling point, and best of all, the start of Stars training camp. REAL STARS NEWS again. Position battles. Preseason games. Sub-100° Temperatures.

Re-Live an Awful Night in Stars History with Video Games!

2009-08-26T23:49:00.004-05:00

Or live it for the first time, since most of us weren't Stars fans yet in 1991... This is one of the coolest websites I've seen in a long time.Clockwise, a very talented editor of classic Sega Genesis games, has a very well regarded hack of the EA Sports Classic NHL94 that reverts everything back a few years to the 1991 season. Perhaps taking a bit of inspiration from the YouTube sensation that

An Open Letter to Gary Bettman

2009-08-24T01:22:00.010-05:00

Dear Mr. Bettman,My name is Cole Jones, and I'm a hockey fan from Dallas, Texas. I run a delightful little website on the Internet that's called The Other 6 Seconds, dedicated to the Dallas Stars, and my undying obsession with all things green and gold. Being the on-the-ball marketing and law guru that you are, I'm sure you're well aware of the current dispute between satellite television

More Summer Mailbaggin': Volume 3

2009-08-18T05:14:00.010-05:00

The glorious fellows over at TheBreakaway.net have submitted some more topics for the mailbag, to help get us through these final painful weeks before training camp opens and we've got real things to discuss. Without them, I don't know what I would do with this site. Serves me right for opening a hockey blog in the summer, eh?Let's get to work.TBN's "arossi12" asks: "Cole, do you think

The Uniform History Project: 1990's

2009-08-14T09:49:00.003-05:00

The Stars franchise would begin (and end) the 1990's with a bang. The 90's would be a busy decade for the team. A decade that saw 2 runs to the Stanley Cup Finals (in 2 different cities), and their first ever Stanley Cup Championship.They began the decade wearing the same uniforms that they ended the 1980's in. The traditional N-Star in green and gold (with a little black for fashion purposes).In

OMG! Celebrity Blogging Time!

2009-08-12T17:52:00.023-05:00

Don't worry, this isn't about Perez Hilton or Sean Avery's Sloppy Seconds or pretending to give 2 shits about the personal private information of Mike and Mandy Modano. (That's right Mo. If you're reading, The Other 6 Seconds respects boundaries. I love watching you pick apart the Oilers defense. I don't necessarily care about your dirty laundry. Refreshing in the 'blogging age' isn't it?)This

The Mail Bag: Volume Two

2009-08-07T04:21:00.000-05:00

The first edition of the mail bag seemed to be fairly successful, as I got a handful of emails with more things to talk about. Makes my job easier, because content isn't flowing freely in these boring summer months.The first question for this edition comes from James Carey, who wants some analysis on our boy Fabio's rookie season."cole, i was hoping you could discuss fabian brunnstrom and his

Stars Introduce Charlie Huddy

2009-08-04T13:31:00.009-05:00

Charlie Huddy was hired today to be our next defensive coach, replacing Rick Wilson who has officially signed with Tampa Bay. This was first reported by Heika a few days back, and I was waiting until it was official to make too much fuss over it. Today, it was made official. I've heard nothing but good things about Huddy as a coach. Oilers fans absolutely adore him, and generally seem to believe

'Zubov to Russia' Official

2009-07-30T15:28:00.006-05:00

According to TSN, Sergei Zubov is returning to his native land to continue his professional hockey career.Sergei Zubov will be suiting up with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL next season. According to Wikipedia, he'll be joining a D-corps that includes one-time Star Sergey Gusev, and one of my all-time favorites Darius Karsparaitis.This seems to be the end of the NHL career for Zubie, after 16

The Uniform History Project: 1980's

2009-07-27T09:47:00.021-05:00

We're picking up where we left off in the uniform history project, and entering the 1980's. The 80's hold a special place in my heart. The 80's were an eventful decade for myself, that saw my birth, my first words, potty training, my first day of school, and eventually my first episodes of Thundercats and Ninja Turtles.The Stars on the other hand were entering their third decade and (roughly)

The Mail Bag: Volume One

2009-07-25T01:27:00.011-05:00

During the slow-news months of a long hockeyless summer, sometimes a blogging fellow such as myself runs out of things to talk about. Rather than try to guess what topics you want to read about, I decided I'd open up a new segment of the site called "The Mail Bag." (Creative name, no?) Just like I did with my blogger biography page, I backdated a mail bag introduction as well, to get this thing

Remembering Reunion

2009-07-20T00:40:00.010-05:00

Anyone who has been downtown recently has surely been by the remains of Reunion Arena, former Dallas landmark, and one-time home to your beloved Dallas Stars and the Dallas Mavericks. Just a few days ago, I saw it myself for the first time in a few weeks, and was somewhat saddened to see what was left of the building I once dubbed "the happiest place on earth" when I was an elementary school

Stars Release 09-10 Schedule, More Zubie Talk

2009-07-16T05:20:00.004-05:00

The highlights and lowlights:Season opens against Nashville at the AAC, on October 3rd at 7pm.Traditional New Year's Eve Game is 7pm against the Anaheim Ducks.Olympic Break will be February 14-28th.Once again, no visit by Crosby's Penguins or Ovechkin's Capitals on Texas ice (because why would anyone want to see their home team play against the Champions, or the best player in the world?)12 road

A Veritable Cornucopia of Mass Bloggitude

2009-07-11T15:02:00.025-05:00

This type of posting is going to be pretty common this summer, as news is expected to be relatively slow. That's what I get for starting my blog in the offseason, eh? In this edition of "6 Seconds," I'm going to touch base on a number of topics with very little relation to each other... from Zubov's status, to uniform history notes, to the preseason schedule, to whatever else strikes my fancy.

Stars Get Their Goaltender

2009-07-08T17:15:00.011-05:00

Joe Nieuwendyk announced a few hours ago that the Stars have acquired Alexander Auld from the Ottawa Senators for a 6th round draft pick in next year's draft.He's not Jonas Gustavsson, but he sure beats Martin Gerber, Kevin Weekes, or Manny Fernandez. I'm very pleased. He's a good relatively-young goalie with loads and loads of size. He covers a lot of net. One of the things I've noticed about

Welcome Woywitka, and Trade Specultation

2009-07-08T05:37:00.014-05:00

The Dallas Stars signed Jeff Woywitka to a 2-year deal (one-way contract) just after I went to bed for the evening on Tuesday afternoon.This signing gives the Stars a logjam on defense, without even mentioning the possible return of Sergei Zubov that Nieuwendyk has admitted is still an option. Most fans out there realize what this means... a trade could possibly be on the way. Possibly for a

Apparently Official: Jonas Gustavsson Sucks

2009-07-07T10:03:00.004-05:00

TSN.ca and Sportsnet are both reporting that Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson will begin his NHL career as a Toronto Maple Leaf, leaving the Dallas Stars without many desirable options at backup for next season.Heika says on his blog that the Stars are interested in Martin "Darth" Gerber as a backup plan... which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence from yours truly. Sure, it would be really really

Wallpapers Galore (and a glimpse into my world)

2009-07-07T04:20:00.011-05:00

Relatively slow night at work tonight, which is great considering how busy the holiday weekend was. When I logged into the dispatch computer at the start of my shift, I was struck with inspiration for a cheap "filler" posting, that I know you all enjoy reading. When the clock hit 4:30 AM, and everything seemed to be calm and over for the night (knock on wood), I decided it wouldn't hurt to go

Playing Catchup and Making the Rounds

2009-07-06T04:17:00.009-05:00

Hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday weekend. I personally spent my holiday weekend alternating between sleep and work. Summer fun for you and your family equals overtime (and holiday pay!) for law enforcement personnel nationwide. Hope you enjoyed a hot dog and a Samuel Adams Summer Ale in my honor, as I spent the evening answering complaint calls about fireworks ordinance violations. Good

Stars Add Karlis Skrastins

2009-07-02T16:24:00.010-05:00

Good news, Everyone! Looks like Joe Nieuwendyk has made his first UFA signing as GM of the Dallas Stars, and it's actually one that I like a whole hell of a lot. Sure beats the start to our summer last year, doesn't it?Welcome the newest Dallas Star, Karlis Skrastins. Formerly of Avalanche and Predators fame, but apparently was playing for a semi-professional travel hockey team called the "

Quiet Canada Day in Texas

2009-07-02T10:15:00.005-05:00

July 1st (Canada Day in Canada, and Start-of-Free-Agency Day in North America) went by without much news for Stars fans. Jonas Gustavsson is still, at the time of this blog post, unemployed and in his homeland waiting to make his decision. However, as Jonas waits, the Stars saw most of their available options at goaltender dwindle away.Roloson went to the Islanders. Conklin went to the Blues.

The Uniform History Project: 1970's

2009-07-01T09:21:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the 70's. The decade that saw the Seals franchise relocate to Cleveland for 2 miserable years, before merging with our Minnesota North Stars. This merger coincided with the demise of my favorite Stars uniforms in team history, as apparently the Gund brothers had awful taste in sports fashion.This decade's uniforms begin with the same look that we saw at the end of the 1960's, with no

Jere Lehtinen Isn't Going Anywhere

2009-06-30T17:49:00.005-05:00

The Stars announced this afternoon that they've agreed to a new 1-year contract with long-time Star Jere Lehtinen, that will pay him anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 million, depending on what incentives he reaches this year.Great news for all Stars fans, in my humble opinion. They manage to keep one of the most important assets in team history, and save us from seeing him suit up for any other team for

Gustavsson Not Ready to Choose

2009-06-30T12:58:00.004-05:00

Sportsnet is reporting that Jonas Gustavsson doesn't plan to make his decision until after July 1st now, contrary to his previous self-imposed deadline of the 30th.I've got to admit, I'm a little disappointed.Just a short little update today, as I've got what I'm praying is nothing more than a 24 hours bug. :\2 other quick notes before I go back to bed, Stars sent qualifying offers to both Aaron