
Monday, May 31, 2010
Graham Elliot Second Anniversary Dinner
I was somehow lucky enough to score an invite to the Graham Elliot second anniversary dinner last night. If you don't remember, Graham Elliot is my favest Chicago restaurant. I'm kind of sort of obsessed and take all my visitors there. Apparently Chef Bowles and Co. recognize my super fandom and consider me a regular worthy of an invite to this special event. Mr. EWP and I were SO excited!
The invite said to dress summery, so this is what I came up with to wear [Darn Mr. EWP always taking pictures from a seated position. So unflattering!]
Anthropologie dress (I'm totally in love with the Parisian-esque city print!), Forever 21 bangles and headband, Guess shoes (you can see my runner-up shoes in the back)
There was a cocktail hour with all the booze you could drink. Or, in my case, all the fun and creative non-alcoholic beverages you could drink. Mr. EWP was supposed to get my cute drink in the pic, but apparently didn't get the memo, so here is me and part of a straw.
The invite said to dress summery, so this is what I came up with to wear [Darn Mr. EWP always taking pictures from a seated position. So unflattering!]
There was a cocktail hour with all the booze you could drink. Or, in my case, all the fun and creative non-alcoholic beverages you could drink. Mr. EWP was supposed to get my cute drink in the pic, but apparently didn't get the memo, so here is me and part of a straw.
Mmmmm..... Graham Elliot

The Menu: White tuna, pea bisque (may have been my favorite course), salmon confit, jidori chicken, and strawberry shortcake (my fave GE dessert).
Mr. EWP and I both remarked how the folks at Graham Elliot really brought their A game. While the restaurant is usually scrumptious, last night everything was just elevated and decadently delicious. Even the popcorn was better than normal!
Me and the hubs taking a break from shoving food in our mouths to smile for the camera.

Our new friends. Mindy and I follow each other on Twitter and found out we were both headed to the dinner and got a kick out of meeting each other in real life. Mr. EWP and I had a total blast with her and her boyfriend.

And, once again, I got a tour of the kitchen. The folks at Graham Elliot are seriously way too nice to me.

And then, the big finale: after dining at his restaurant at least 7 times, I finally got to meet Chef Bowles!!! I've forgotten the name of the cute bow-tied guy on the left, but he's the front of the house guy and super cute and nice. I almost asked if he was single so I could try to set him up with someone. I found him that adorable. But I restrained myself. I was already embarassing Mr. EWP enough with asking for a picture with the Chef.
We had the most wonderful time and were so honored to be invited to be a part of the second anniversary celebration. Thank you to everyone at Graham Elliot for a wonderful night!! Wishing you many more anniversaries.
xoxo,
The Menu: White tuna, pea bisque (may have been my favorite course), salmon confit, jidori chicken, and strawberry shortcake (my fave GE dessert).
And did I mention this was all on the house? We spent not a dime and ate and drank like kings (and princesses!)
Me and the hubs taking a break from shoving food in our mouths to smile for the camera.
Our new friends. Mindy and I follow each other on Twitter and found out we were both headed to the dinner and got a kick out of meeting each other in real life. Mr. EWP and I had a total blast with her and her boyfriend.
And, once again, I got a tour of the kitchen. The folks at Graham Elliot are seriously way too nice to me.
And then, the big finale: after dining at his restaurant at least 7 times, I finally got to meet Chef Bowles!!! I've forgotten the name of the cute bow-tied guy on the left, but he's the front of the house guy and super cute and nice. I almost asked if he was single so I could try to set him up with someone. I found him that adorable. But I restrained myself. I was already embarassing Mr. EWP enough with asking for a picture with the Chef.
We had the most wonderful time and were so honored to be invited to be a part of the second anniversary celebration. Thank you to everyone at Graham Elliot for a wonderful night!! Wishing you many more anniversaries.
xoxo,
EWP
1980 Team USA Jim Craig Jersey
Born on this date in 1957, Jim Craig played college hockey at Boston University for three seasons which included winning a National Championship in 1978 and being named an NCAA All-Star in 1979.
Following his college career, Craig gained valuable international experience as goaltender for the United States in the 1979 World Championships, posting a 2-1-2 record.
Craig gained his greatest fame as the starting goaltender for the United States at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
The young Americans opened their tournament with a come from behind tie against Sweden followed by a confidence building 7-3 hammering of traditional international hockey power Czechoslovakia.
They took care of business with wins against Norway 5-1, Romania 7-2 and West Germany 4-2 to finish the First Round undefeated at 4-0-1, earning a place in the four team Final Round.
"My goal in every game was to keep my team in a position to win," Craig recalled.
It was there that Craig cemented his legacy in hockey history, holding off the heavily favored Soviet Union, winners of five of the last six Olympic gold medals, in what would become known as "The Miracle on Ice". In all, Craig made 36 saves as the US was outshot 39 to 16 and won 4-3.
Despite the euphoria of that victory, the United States still had to come from behind to defeat Finland two days later 4-2 to clinch the gold medal.
"We were just a bunch of talented, dedicated, wonderful guys who believed in one goal, and stuck all of their own personal ambition away to achieve it. If that's a miracle, I believe in that," said Craig.
Craig had little time to savor the victory, as less than a week later he made his NHL debut for the Atlanta Flames and stopped 24 shots in a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
He would see action in just three more games, going 0-2-1 before being traded to his hometown Boston Bruins for a pair of draft picks at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.
He would struggle for playing time in Boston, but see action in 23 games and finishing the season with a 9-7-6 record.
The 1981-82 season was a litany of medial problems for Craig, including a broken finger which caused him to miss the 1981 Canada Cup, surgery to remove a benign lump in his shoulder, a fall off a ladder which broke his ankle and finally back spasms which ended his season after only 13 games for the Bruins minor league affiliate in Erie, Pennsylvania.
He spent the next season with the United States National Team, playing in 26 games played well enough to earn another shot at professional hockey. He finished his playing career with 27 games with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the CHL and three games with the Minnesota North Stars in the NHL before retiring from hockey.
Craig was inducted into the Boston University Hall of Fame in 1989 and the International Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.
Today's featured jersey is a Norcon 1980 Team USA Jim Craig jersey. This jerseys is a true icon of hockey and is notable for it's contrasting blue nameplates with white lettering.
While many manufacturers have produced replicas of the jerseys worn in Lake Placid by the United States "Miracle on Ice" squad, the original jersey manufacturers were Norcon of Forest Lake, Minnesota.
Today's video section highlights Jim Craig's performance in the 1980 Olympics.
This look at Craig's career includes footage from his NHL debut with the Flames vs. the Rockies.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
1984-85 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky Jersey
On this date in 1985, the Edmonton Oilers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 8-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals to win their second consecutive championship in their third straight finals, the last time a team would make the finals three consecutive seasons to date.
In the game, Jari Kurri tied a Stanley Cup record that still stands with his 19 goal of the playoffs to tie the record set by Reggie Leach back in 1976.
Also during the game, Wayne Gretzky had a goal and and three assists to set single season records for both assists, with 30, and points, totaling 47, and was also named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
The Oilers had smoked the rest of the Campbell Conference, finishing the regular season with 109 points, 13 ahead of their next closest pursuers the Winnipeg Jets. By comparison, the St. Louis Blues won the Norris Division with just 86 points. Gretzky's 73 goals and 208 points and Kurri's 71 goals and 135 points gave them a 1-2 finish in the league scoring race, securing the Art Ross Trophy for Gretzky.
In the playoffs, Edmonton swept both the Los Angeles Kings in three straight and the Jets in four to reach the conference finals were they secured the right to defend their title by knocking out the Chicago Black Hawks 4-2.
Meanwhile, in the east, the Flyers earned the President's Trophy with a 53-10-7 mark for 113 points. They were led by Vezina Trophy winner Pelle Lindbergh in goal and offensively by Tim Kerr (98 points) and Brian Propp (97).
The Flyers route to the finals saw them knock out the New York Rangers 3-0, dispatch the fading New York Islanders 4-1 and then the Quebec Nordiques 4-2.
Game 1 played in Philadelphia went to the Flyers 4-1 before Edmonton struck back to take Game 2 by a 3-1 score on goals by Gretzky, Willy Lindstrom and Dave Hunter.
The series now shifted to Edmonton for three consecutive games, as was the format back then. Gretzky won Game 3 all by himself as he scored twice within the first minute and a half after the opening faceoff and completed a hat trick before the end of the first period as the Oilers held on to win 4-3.
The Flyers came back in Game 4 with a trio of goals, one even strength, one power play and one shorthanded, before the first period even ended. The Oilers demoralized the Flyers and electrified the home fans with four consecutive goals of their own, including a pair from Gretzky, to come from behind and win 5-3.
The Oilers then came out firing on all cylinders in Game 5, scoring four goals in the first period and went on to hammer Philadelphia 8-3 behind two goals by Paul Coffey and Mark Messier, as well as Kurri's record-tying 19th of the playoffs and Gretzky's four point night to set new records for playoff assists and points, which earned him Conn Smythe Trophy honors.
Today's featured jersey is a CCM 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky jersey. Interestingly, each of the four times the Oilers would win the cup with Gretzky as captain, it would be at home in their white jerseys.
This run of success was prior to teams wearing a special patch during the Stanley Cup Finals, which was not introduced until 1989, so this jersey carries no additional patches - a rarity for the Third String Goalie collection.
Here is Wayne appears in a TV commercial with his younger brother Keith.
Next, Wayne's time with the Oilers is documented in this profile of "The Great One".
Dasherboard: Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Pond Hockey Championships went to the Chicago Blackhawks as they outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers in a goal-fest no one anticipated. The Flyers, who shut out the Montreal Canadiens three times in five games nearly gave up as many goals last night as they did in the entire previous round (7-6).
The Blackhawks were no better defensively for the first 40 minutes as they allowed the Flyers three first period goals, including one with just 27 seconds remaining to take a lead into the first intermission. After fighting all second period to create a lead, Chicago again allowed a late goal, this time with just 1:11 remaining, to allow Philadelphia to enter the third period tied despite giving up three second period goals.
By this point, there should have been little doubt in either team's minds that they were not going to score again based on the opportunities that presented themselves so far, especially since Chicago's top line had yet to contribute anything offensively.
In the end, it was injury replacement Tomas Kopecky who got the storybook game winner, after having sat out the entire semifinals as a healthy scratch, as the Blackhawks line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien registered no points and were a -9 combined.
Other noteworthy events from Bizarro World included the rugged Flyers not taking a single penalty during the entire game.
Brian Boucher returned from injury and relieved Michael Leighton after Leighton allowed five goals on 20 shots and played well until being victimized by Kopecky when he committed too early and was caught down as Kopecky simply skated around him an easily shot the winning goal past him into a gaping net.
Antti Niemi played well enough in the third period to keep the Flyers off the board and protect the fragile Chicago lead to get the win in goal.
The Flyers Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards were also surprisingly held without a point and totalled a -7.
Daniel Briere led the Flyers with 4 points including a goal and the disruptive Scott Hartnell had 3 points for Philadelphia. Troy Brouwer led the Blackhawks with 3 points, which included 2 goals, and Dave Bolland contributed a shorthanded goal.
The win was Chicago's first in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1973 and the series resumes on Monday night.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Plastic Hollywood
Hollywood is no stranger to plastic surgery. Throughout the years there have been many celebrities who have gone under the knife with both exemplary results and those mishaps that grace the cover of weekly tabloid magazines. The main difference is aesthetic plastic surgery as a whole is that it has become more socially acceptable than in years past. This "social acceptance" of sorts has become a double-edged sword for both celebrities and laypeople alike. More and more physicians are coming across patients who don't know when to stop, who seem to be "addicted" to plastic surgery procedures, or frankly suffer from a medical condition known as "body dysmorphic disorder".
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a defined as a disorder in which the affected person is excessively concerned or preoccupied by a perceived defect in his or her physical appearance. This usually leads to disruption in one's ability to function in their daily activities as the affected person considers their perceived defect to be shameful and embarrassing. This disorder has also been associated in conjunction with anorexia and bulimia, as well as social anxiety, OCD, and ensuing depression.
BDD is of concern in the field of plastic surgery, and now more magnified with some celebrities getting repeated procedures, camera-ready with distorted features and all. Patients with BDD may come to appointments requesting multiple procedures that they are not suitable candidates for. Plastic surgeons should decline to operate further on patients who display signs of BDD and appropriately refer them to a psychiatrist if needed. Enabling only seems to make things worse, as we saw in the case of Michael Jackson.
As seen in the lay press recently, reality star Heidi Montag, 23, underwent 10 surgical procedures in one day. What would lead an attractive young lady to want to bring upon such drastic physical changes all at one time? Is there an underlying psychological issue that should have been addressed or is this just a major publicity stunt (or some wacky combination thereof?). It's a slippery slope in the celebrity-obsessed culture that we live in, and an issue that seems increaslingly prevalent as plastic surgery takes a front row seat in pop culture--on the internet, film and television.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a defined as a disorder in which the affected person is excessively concerned or preoccupied by a perceived defect in his or her physical appearance. This usually leads to disruption in one's ability to function in their daily activities as the affected person considers their perceived defect to be shameful and embarrassing. This disorder has also been associated in conjunction with anorexia and bulimia, as well as social anxiety, OCD, and ensuing depression.
BDD is of concern in the field of plastic surgery, and now more magnified with some celebrities getting repeated procedures, camera-ready with distorted features and all. Patients with BDD may come to appointments requesting multiple procedures that they are not suitable candidates for. Plastic surgeons should decline to operate further on patients who display signs of BDD and appropriately refer them to a psychiatrist if needed. Enabling only seems to make things worse, as we saw in the case of Michael Jackson.
As seen in the lay press recently, reality star Heidi Montag, 23, underwent 10 surgical procedures in one day. What would lead an attractive young lady to want to bring upon such drastic physical changes all at one time? Is there an underlying psychological issue that should have been addressed or is this just a major publicity stunt (or some wacky combination thereof?). It's a slippery slope in the celebrity-obsessed culture that we live in, and an issue that seems increaslingly prevalent as plastic surgery takes a front row seat in pop culture--on the internet, film and television.
SATC 2 - An EWP Review
Some things are so big that they make an EWP come out of her leave of absence and blog. The Sex and the City 2 movie is one of those things.
First of all, like all big events, an outfit was necessary.
This is what I wore:
Badgley Mischka dress, belt stolen from other dress, black crinoline for some much needed pouf, David Yurman ring, Anthropologie flower clip (I was wearing a much bigger flower earlier but figured people sitting behind me wouldn't be able to see and switched), and black peeptoe Louboutins.
Well, the movie, folks, was not good. It was all really stupid and didn't make much sense. And, well, it was pretty racist. I was pretty offended most of the movie. In all, the girls' problems all seemed contrived and stupid, as we thought they would be after they wrapped everything up so well in the first movie.
This is so sad to say, but it was definitely not worth seeing :(
For those of you who haven't seen it, that's about all I'll say here. I give you the good, the bad, and the ridiculous below:
SPOILER ALERT. If you have not seen SATC 2 and don't want to know some plot points, do not read ahead. SPOILER ALERT.
Okay, everyone gone who doesn't want to read? Good.
THE GOOD:
First of all, like all big events, an outfit was necessary.
This is what I wore:
Not my best creation, but I found myself with only 15 minutes to get ready and threw this together. Not bad for only having 15 minutes.
Well, the movie, folks, was not good. It was all really stupid and didn't make much sense. And, well, it was pretty racist. I was pretty offended most of the movie. In all, the girls' problems all seemed contrived and stupid, as we thought they would be after they wrapped everything up so well in the first movie.
This is so sad to say, but it was definitely not worth seeing :(
For those of you who haven't seen it, that's about all I'll say here. I give you the good, the bad, and the ridiculous below:
SPOILER ALERT. If you have not seen SATC 2 and don't want to know some plot points, do not read ahead. SPOILER ALERT.
Okay, everyone gone who doesn't want to read? Good.
THE GOOD:
- With the previews saying "we were stuck between wild sex and a baby" I was really afraid the movie would be about Big and Carrie having a baby, which is so not them. Luckily, the writers agreed and stuck true to the Carrie character and no babies for them. Phew!
- I don't know if this is good, but I'll stick it here: I'm pretty sure I went to high school with one of the guys who sang at Stanford and Anthony's wedding.
- Speaking of the wedding - Liza was fabulous. Seriously. Wonderful. Her doing "Single Ladies" was maybe the highlight of the entire movie.
- The fashion. Not as ridiculous (or expensive) as the last movie, but still wonderful nonetheless. The desert landscape led to many flowy, dreamy maxis and jumpsuits. I loved them all.
- The Indian butler made me cry when he talked about his wife. SO SWEET. And unexpected.
THE BAD:
- I get motherhood is hard. I really do. But Charlotte complaining and crying about how being a mother is just so tough when she is a housewife with a full-time, live-in nanny was just utterly ridiculous. What's so tough, Char? You don't have to worry about a work-life balance, and you apparently don't even watch your kids. So please let me know what is so darn tough. Nothing? Okay, that's what I thought.
- The entire braless nanny storyline was unnecessary and didn't do anything for the storyline except make Charlotte wholly unlikeable and crazy.
- Abu Dhabi? Really? The ladies need to stay in New York. Stop sending them places. I don't like them in LA, don't like them in Mexico, and I don't like them in the UAE.
- That said, I was excited to see the girls in all the glamour that is the UAE (that place is swank and cosmopolitan, folks), instead the movie portrayed it as backwards and awful. Did the producers think that blatant anti-Muslim xenophobia would make for clever humor? Because it didn't. I was offended the entire time. Especially when the movie had a group of angry men chasing the girls because Samantha was wearing shorts and had condoms in her purse. And then they donned burkas to get away. It was not funny. It was offensive. We don't need backwards Muslim stereotypes in the movies. I guess I should be happy they didn't add in a terrorist subplot.
- Why are Stanford and Anthony in a marriage where Anthony gets to cheat? Wholly disappointing. Stanford deserves better than that. And while we're fighting for gay marriage to get legalized the last thing we need is this bad gay stereotype of promiscuity.
- Aside from Big, the men don't have any part at all. Steve and Harry each have one line.
- The "I am Woman" karaoke scene made me cringe. It was slow, it was boring, and there is no way those characters would have done that and not made fun of themselves for doing it. And, lord, it went on forever. It would. not. end. No more karaoke, please.
- WHERE WAS GILLES MARINI??? I was convinced he'd be in the sequel.
THE RIDICULOUS:
- I'm as big a proponent of high heels as anyone can be, but there is a time and a place for everything. And even I would draw the line at wearing 5 inch heels in the desert. The girls looked ridiculous sinking into the sand with every step they took. Couldn't they have been put in a sexy gladiator sandal? It would have made WAY more sense.
- Carrie cheats on Big (yes, kissing your ex-fiance is cheating), and what does he do? No big fight. No expression of betrayal. They don't even talk about what was going on with them. No, Big gives her a giant black diamond ring. WHAT???? Since when does the cheater get gifts of giant jewelry?
- More ridiculous? Carrie was driven to cheat by the fact that Big bought them a tv. To watch movies together. I'm sorry, you're in your 40s and 50s, every night can't be out on the town. Watching a movie together at home doesn't sound so bad. And, sure, tv wouldn't be my ideal anniversary gift, but I'm not going to go run off and cheat because of it!
1992-93 Los Angeles Kings Wayne Gretzky Jersey
The Toronto Maple Leafs concluded the 1992-93 NHL season with 99 points and entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Norris Division, drawing the second seeded Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs. The series not only went the full seven games, but the final and deciding game in Detroit went to overtime before Toronto was able to advance to face the St. Louis Blues, who shocked the top seeded Chicago Blackhawks.
The scrappy Blues put up quite a fight, pushing the Maple Leafs to another Game 7 before Toronto was able to advance to the Campbell Conference Finals.
Meanwhile in the Smythe division, the Los Angeles Kings eliminated the favored Calgary Flames in six games before upsetting the top seeded Vancouver Canucks in six to earn a date with Toronto in one of the more memorable playoff series in league history.
The Maple Leafs, led by Doug Gilmour's 127 points, rugged captain Wendel Clark and the goaltending duo of rookie Felix Potvin and Grant Fuhr, were looking to play tight defensive hockey in hopes to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since winning the championship in 1967.
Meanwhile, the Kings, still looking to participate in their first finals in 1993, were led in scoring by Luc Robitaille's 63 goals and 125 points. Jari Kurri, Rob Blake and Wayne Gretzky also led the Kings attack. Gretzky had been limited to just 45 regular season games by a back injury and finished outside of the top three in league scoring for the first time in his career, but had fully recovered in time for the playoffs.
Kings coach Barry Melrose recalls the series "was one of the best series the NHL has had in the last 30 years. Both buildings were electric, and both cities were unbelievable."
Game 1 went to the Maple Leafs at home 4-1 but the tone for the series was set when the King's Marty McSorley destroyed Gilmour, who already had three points, with an elbow to the head and Clark went after McSorley in the kind of fight rarely seen in the playoffs.
The incident began a war of words in the media between Maple Leafs coach Pat Burns and the Kings Melrose after Burns accused Melrose of ordering the hit on Gilmour during the game, which got personal with Melrose commenting on Burns' weight and Burns comparing Melrose's mullet to that of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
The Kings were able to gain a split on the road with a 3-2 win and back in Los Angeles, they held serve in Game 3 with a 4-2 win only to lose two days later by the same score, sending the series back to Canada tied at 2-2.
In a tense Game 5, Toronto was able to put Los Angeles on the brink with a 3-2 win with 40 seconds remaining in overtime when Glenn Anderson scored by knocking a puck out of the air with an amazing backhanded swing.
Game 6 began with the Kings dominating the first two periods and holding a 4-1 lead in the third period before Clark exploded with a hat trick to force the game into overtime with under a minute and a half remaining in regulation.
Famously, a high sticking incident by Gretzky on Gilmour went uncalled and Robitaille fed the puck to Gretzky to win the game just 1:41 into overtime to force a deciding seventh game back at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens on this date in 1993.
Game 7, which is available for viewing here,
began with Grezky scoring shorthanded to put the Kings up 1-0 before assisting on Tomas Sandstrom's goal to give the Kings a 2-0 lead after one.
Clark and Anderson got the Maple Leafs even with goals in the first half of the second period before Gretzky struck again to beat Potvin with a slap shot to give the Kings a 3-2 lead heading in to the third.
Clark responded early in the third to even the game again at 3-3. Play continued up and down the ice until Mike Donnelly scored on a rebound of an Alexi Zhitnik shot to give the Kings the lead with less than four minutes remaining. Gretzky then completed his hat trick seconds later after circling the net and sending a backhander off the skate of a defender to give the Kings a two goal lead and little time remaining.
Before the Kings could breathe easy, Dave Ellett got one back for the Maple Leafs but when the dust settled, Toronto area native Gretzky had dismayed the home fans by setting a Stanley Cup record with his eight career playoff hat trick as the Kings prevailed 5-4 to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Today's featured jersey is a CCM 1992-93 Los Angeles Kings Wayne Gretzky jersey as worn during the Kings famous seven game series with the Maple Leafs, including when Gretzky scored the overtime winner in Game 6 wearing white at home in Los Angeles.
All players in 1992-93 wore the Stanley Cup Centennial patch on their jerseys that season, including the playoffs until the finals when the Kings and Canadiens switched to the Stanley Cup Finals patch.
First up is a look at Game 1, which immediately set the tone for the series and the drama that was to follow.
Here is Don Cherry reacting to the non-call on Wayne Gretzky in overtime of Game 6, followed by NHL official Bryan Lewis to explain the call.
Finally, a brief look back at the entire series.
Friday, May 28, 2010
picture-aholic
Random pictures from my week:
This past weekend I went to Austin with the boyfriend to help him find a place to live when he starts law school at UT in the fall. So of course I made him take me to the hey cupcake! trailer.
Next to hey cupcake! is an adorable candy/chocolate shop that has some pretty crazy treats
happy weekend!
This past weekend I went to Austin with the boyfriend to help him find a place to live when he starts law school at UT in the fall. So of course I made him take me to the hey cupcake! trailer.

happy weekend!
1984-85 Philadelphia Flyers Mark Howe Jersey
Born on this date in 1955, Mark Howe first gained recognition as a surprising addition as member of the 1972 United States Olympic Team that won a remarkable silver medal in Sapporo, Japan. At just 16 years old, and still only a high school junior who had just recently gotten his driver's license and playing on a team with Vietnam War veterans, he remains the youngest member of a US Olympic Hockey Team ever.
1972 United States Olympic Team - Mark Howe, back row first on left
Coach Murray Willamson relates in "Striking Silver: The Untold Story of America's Forgotten Hockey Team
";
"We picked Mark up, and he played some exhibition games with us. We needed a left winger. He was on our list for skill and attitude. The maturity level of this kid was overwhelming. He was a big part of the team. He was tougher than hell. Vlclav Nedomansky of Czechoslovakia nailed him in a preseason game, and he didn't know where he was, but it didn't bother him at all. I used him as a forward, and he became a Hall of Fame defenseman."
Howe recalls,
"The whole thing was just a great, great learning experience. The way I looked at it for my career, it was a huge stepping-stone. I learned more in the six weeks I was gone than I learned in the years and years of going to school. I mean, just about life in general - and just seeing the talent of the players from overseas, watching the Soviets play was a whole new level. Coach Williamson pushed me hard. I was a scorer. But when I went to that team, I wasn't. I was the guy who provided energy. I had to fit into a role, and so for me, it was a completely different experience - a tremendous learning experience."
During the medal ceremony as Howe stood with a silver medal around his neck, it finally struck him that this was a moment to savor.
"I remember looking up at the flag, and that's when I realized what an honor it was the play and represent your country. No matter what I did, I always gave the best I could. Seeing the flag of your country being raised - even though there was one a little higher than ours - was my fondest moment."
He then added to his resume by winning a Memorial Cup in 1973 as a member of the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey League and was named the tourament's Most Valuable Player in the process.
At a time when the NHL had an minimum age limit of 20 for it's players, the 18 year old Howe turned professional during the NHL/WHA rivalry in a headline-grabbing signing to play for the Houston Aeros of the WHA along side his brother Marty and his legendary father Gordie, who was lured out of retirement for the opportunity to play with his sons.
Mark scored his first goal 27 years to the day after his father scored for the first time for the Detroit Red Wings. His trophy cabinet continued to grow, as Mark was awarded the Lou Kaplan Award as WHA Rookie of the Year and the Aeros won the Avco World Trophy in 1974. In 1975 the Aeros repeated as champions of the WHA and Howe was the leading playoff scorer with 22 points in 13 games. He was also named to Team Canada for the 1974 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.
Howe, who began his career as a wing, had moved back to defense by 1976-77 and the trio of Howes signed with the New England Whalers for the 1977-78 season. They continued to play together through the 1979-80 season when the Whalers became members of the NHL. While he regularly scored in the mid-70's points-wise in Houston, his offensive game came alive in New England, first with 91 points in 1977-78 which was followed by 107 points in the final WHA season of 1978-79 before scoring 80 in his first NHL season.
After Gordie retired following the 1979-80 season, Mark no longer had to play in his father's shadow and was named to his first NHL All-Star Game in 1981 and was later played for the United States in the 1981 Canada Cup. After one more season in Hartford, Howe was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers at the 1983 draft following concerns after a grisly injury in which he was impaled in the thigh by the pointed center of a goal. His recovery required a liquid diet for a period of time that resulted in him losing 24 pounds. His injury resulted in a redesign for goal frames and the way they were held in place on the ice.
He rebounded from his injury and excelled as a member of some great defensive teams of the era. Howe played in his second All-Star Game and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 1983 and played in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1985.
He had perhaps the best season of his career in 1985-86, setting NHL career highs with 24 goals, 58 assists and 82 points, made his third All-Star Game, was the NHL plus/minus leader at +85 and came in second in voting for the Norris Trophy.
In 1986-87 Howe helped lead the Flyers to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals while contributing 12 points in 26 games from the blueline and was a Norris finalist for the third time.
After playing 75 games in 1987-88 and his fourth All-Star Game, back and knee injuries would limit him to no more than 60 games for the remaining seven seasons of his career. After four more seasons with the Flyers, Howe signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, the club his father gained most of his fame with.
While healthy, Howe provided veteran leadership to the Red Wings defensive corps, which included a young Nicklas Lidstrom. The Red Wings began a transformation in 1993-94 with the arrival of Scotty Bowman as coach and made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1995, their first finals appearance since 1966.
After one more season, in which he was limited to just 18 games, Howe retired with 929 NHL games and 426 in the WHA for a combined 405 goals and 841 assists for 1246 points and was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
Today's featured jersey is a 1984-85 Philadelphia Flyers Mark Howe jersey. 1984-85 was Howe's third season with Philadelphia and he scored 18 goals and 57 points and made it to the Stanley Cup Finals the season he wore this jersey.
The Flyers jerseys remained relatively unchanged from their introduction in 1967 with only gradual detail changes such as the addition of black outlines separating the sleeve and body colors in 1982 and tweaks to the names and numbering style.
Today's video segment is a look at Mark Howe, followed by an interview with him while he was with the Whalers in the WHA.
Here is a great interview with Howe on the occasion of his return to Detroit.
Finally, here is Mark answering a question about successful players from his son Travis.
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