Joe Walsh Delivers Hard-Hitting Interview

Joe Walsh

Hi! My name is Joe Walsh, the entertainment critic for the Hockey Voice. I have been out of the loop for awhile and just recently was given what most people would characterize as a “plum” assignment. I guess living in Toronto has its advantages but it certainly doesn’t help when a fella’s trying to get into the journalism racket. Once the FIHL season ended, I had a feeling I would be getting something but certainly didn’t think I’d get the Mark Taylor interview. I’ve known Mark Taylor for many, many years and must admit I’m one of the biggest fans, if not THE biggest fan of his in Toronto. I recently got the chance to sit down with the icon and here's an excerpt of the things we discussed.

JW: I know the fans out there want to know what happened to the Ratz this year. What can you tell them?

Taylor: Well, Joe, I must say yellow is definitely your colour. I guess there’s a lot of blame to go around and I’ll start with myself. Being shut down in the playoffs is never a good feeling but I was double-teamed and sometimes triple-teamed and the boys couldn’t get the puck to me and I wasn’t able to get in there and pounce on rebounds like you’ve seen me do so many times. Our best players weren’t our best players, I’ll just say that and leave it at that.

JW: I read somewhere where you said that all people who wear sunglasses are stoned. Do you still feel that way?

Taylor: That is a bit of a misunderstanding right there. I think that people who wear sunglasses in stores buying chips, chocolate bars, Cheech & Chong movies and Visine could possibly be stoned. I think that when people walk around inside malls and stuff with the really dark ones, all wrapped around their eyes, it’s a good possibility they are crying or are really all fucked up. Just go over and start talking shit to them, and you’ll find out really quick.

JW: I also read where you like to talk to people and find out their story. Somebody was saying you have a unique knack for that. Care to collaborate on that one? Pardon the big fucking words, pal. I’m trying to impress everybody up here.

Taylor: Yeah, the best way is to have something all thought up ahead of time so you have it straight in your head. I was leaving a mall a little while and ago and a guy was having a smoke. I hollered at him, “Hey, John, haven’t seen ya at the Legion lately?” He replied, “My name’s not John. It’s Bob.” “Oh fuck, you’re not John! Shit, you look just like him” I returned. “No, and you won’t see me at the Legion either.” John-Bob added. That’s when I really kick it in to overdrive. “We’ll, the last time I saw ya, you were trying to get into a fucking racket. Anyway, good to see ya again, say hi to your Mom for me!”

JW: One of your nicknames is “Mr. 800,” Does that get a little old or do you still enjoy it?

Taylor: Well, Joe, funny you should mention that. It was 90 goals ago but I still like it. Most people who call me that probably don’t have 400 goals but they all like to feel like they’re a piece of it and let’s face it, I’m not playing hockey for personal stats now, it’s all about the fans. To answer your question, I still enjoy it, but have a feeling it’s changing next fall to Mr. 900, but let’s not count our chickens before they get stoned.”

JW: I heard the Ratz are re-loading for next year. Just exactly what is that piece of tail?

Taylor: I think the word you’re looking for is entail, but that’s okay. We tend to not re-build, we re-load. We have some feelers out right now all across Canada. Yes, I mean all across Canada. There is a huge amount of interest in playing for this squad. In fact, this might be a good time to address your situation. I don’t think we can find you a job making a six figure salary and only working Thursday and Fridays. I know that’s what you asked for, but so far, we haven’t been able to land such a position for you, sorry. As soon as I tell somebody that, they immediately ask, “Why only Thursdays and Fridays? When I tell them that you don’t want to work after game night, they usually hang up. I’m just saying.

JW: Well. I thank you for at least considering me, but I figured it would be a hard sell. Well, listen Taylor, it has been great doing this interview. I hope I get some consideration for one of them Golden Partridge Awards.

Taylor: No problem, it has been all your pleasure for sure.

Josh Cloney and Gregg Buchanan dance again - finally!

It was puck drop in the third period and the Milltown visibly needing a spark, Josh Cloney and Gregg Buchanan decide to put things to rest after a huge build-up all series.

You decide the winner & loser, it's too close for the Voice to call.

Moose move along after loss

Moose on the move again?

Head Coach Bill Mitchell
Nervous 51 % owner of Moose Ryan Weatherby

St. Stephen, NB - The wheels barely stopped spinning Sunday night when the Milltown Moose suffered a crushing 8-1 loss at the hands of the St. George XXX and decisions and announcements were made public. Ryan Weatherby, long the General Manager of the club, announced he was relinquishing his duties immediately. "I've had enough and feel I have got the team to this point and would like somebody else to step in and take us to the next level," noted a very nervous and agitated Weatherby.

Right on the heels of that blockbuster, head coach Bill Mitchell announced he was exploring the possibility of buying the team and moving it to Piskehagen.

Mitchell added, "I'm not gonna be dealing with a bunch of drunken bastards drinking at their hunting camps all the time, let's set that straight right now. I'm gonna be running a classy organization that reflects my philosophy and boozing it up is not what I'm all about."

XXX Trample Moose in Game 5

St. George XXX at the Top of the Heap

Back Row (Left to Right) Brandon Hawkins, Nick Ganong, Matt Hall, Scott Matheson, Sara Ross, Kris Van Horne (in back), Ryan MacDonald, Gregg Buchanan (in back), Jeff Ross, Matt Stuart, Chris Hill, Ryan Best

Kneeling: Ryan Price, Jamie Ross

JJ Hyslop wears his glasses that were not worn during Game 5
JJ Hyslop gives the horns after Game 5 defeat

From back row left to right: Shane McGregor, Austin McGregor, Sheldon Holt, Tyler Tapley, Sean McSorley, Jeremy Leavitt, Josh Cloney, Kevin Pomeroy, Greg Fahey, Ryan McGregor, Chris Nelson, Mark Hatt, Nathaniel Sharkey, Bill Mitchell

Front row left to right: Jordan Morrow, Ryan Haley, Amos Arseneault, JJ Hyslop, Bill Booth, Ryan Weatherby

St. George XXX celebrate victory

Blacks Harbour, NB - It was never in doubt. As soon as Jamie Ross scored the opening goal on a first period slap shot, it was evident a storm was brewing and the Milltown Moose were not going to be able to fight it. Before the night was out, Matt Stuart would add a pair, as did Scott Matheson and Jamie Ross added another to make a pair and Tom Wilcox and Gregg Buchanan added singles to make up the 8 XXX goals as they routed the Milltown Moose 8-1 in the deciding game of the 2011 FIHL Finals. Ryan McGregor spoiled Nick Ganong's shutout by bending the twines for the Moose.

After the game, XXX goalie Nick Ganong said, "Hey, the Moose beat Taylor and the Bonny

River Ratz, I'm never discounting anybody who can do that. I've played for the Ratz and played against the them. Taylor has 890 goals; need I say more? These guys gave us all we could handle. I'm tipping my hat to them. They are a good bunch of guys but somebody had to win and somebody had to lose."

FIHL 2011 Playoff MVP Awards leaked to Hockey Voice

WOW! Ain't nobody gonna believe this shit!

Blacks Harbour, NB – As a top secret meeting at FIHL headquarters carried on through the night, speculation began to grow what was being discussed behind closed doors. The Hockey Voice has obtained a leaked document that outlines a very special list of awards for the 2011 FIHL PLayoff MVP.

The donors are top secret but here is a list of prizes;

· The keys to a $300 half ton (comes complete with an inspection sticker and gun rack)
· Lifetime supply of Zig Zag papers
· 1 litre jug of slug bait
· A treestand in Piskehagen for either the first week of deer season or last week (your choice).
· 100 dozen beer bottles
· 1 bottle of Mark Taylor Purple Jesus wine
· Moose call signed by Tommy Barrett

Feisty Moose Force Game 5 in the Harbour Sunday

Moose Season Still Open XXX Goalie Nick Ganong bellyflops to keep game close late in Game 4

People talking to people and straightening shit out

Josh Cloney (12) faces with Scott Matheson (16) in 1st Period action

St. Andrews, NB - The Milltown Moose have climbed back out of the depths of elimination to notch the best of five FIHL Finals at 2 apiece. They did so by virtue of a 5-3 win in St. Andrews Thursday night after jumping to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame.

The Moose held a 3-1 lead after the 1st and 5-1 after 2 stanzas before the XXX made it interesting with 2 in the final period. JJ Hyslop was steady in net for the Moose but would probably like to have the 3rd XXX marker back as it knuckled by him late in the third. Meanwhile, Nick Ganong slammed the door in the third and played his best hockey for XXX since Game 2 and sets up a showdown Sunday night at the Fundy Arena at 7:40 pm. - winner take all.

The game was fast-paced all the way with a fair amount of contact and certainly the will to win was written all over everybody's face. Nobody wanted to give an inch but certainly when the Moose scored 3 goals early, it was just too big of a hole to climb out of against a Bordertown team that had winning on its mind.

One would be foolish to try to predict a winner as the series has featured the best of both teams. XXX was the superior team in the first two games as the out-hustled and out-chanced the Moose but still only managed two 3-2 victories. Then in games 3 and 4 the Moose have outscored XXX 12-4 and lots of people would tend to think they have momentum going into Game 5.

I have seen Nick Ganong practically steal games by himself and the Hockey Voice definitely has not written off Nick or his teammates. On the other hand, if you get JJ Hyslop a lead, he is extremely tough to mount any type of comeback on as he gains confidence and does not give up many.

I expect Game 5 to be a close one and of course, too close to call.

Resilient Moose force Game 3

Dugas stands tall

Blacks Harbour, NB - Anybody who follows the FIHL knows what Andrew Dugas' feelings are for some of the guys on St. George XXX. So it should come as no surprise that if Dugas had a chance to piss on their parade, he would do everything in his power to do it. He played an almost flawless game Tuesday night as he backstopped the Milltown Moose to a lopsided 7-1 victory. Dugas was sitting in for the ailing JJ Hyslop who usually tends the Moose cage. The win staved off elimination for the Moose who are now down 2-1 in the best of 5 final but appear to have grabbed momentum and are headed back home to play game 4 in St. Andrews Thursday at 8:30 pm.

The game was a physical affair with plenty of body contact going both ways. The one play that caused concern was late in the third when XXX forward Jeff Ross cross-checked a Moose player from behind after the whistle. The on-ice officials gave him a 2 minute cross-checking minor and a 10 misconduct which amounted to the rest of the game. It could have very easily been a match penalty which would have tacked on a game misconduct for game 4.

St. George will have to score early Thursday night in order to stem the tide. If not, it could be a long night for Nick Ganong and Company.

Lots of talk between benches makes for interesting Game 3 in Blacks Harbour

XXX Star Gregg Buchanan and Moose star Josh Cloney talk about getting together and renewing old acquaintances. Will it be Game 3 in Fundy Arena on Tuesday night at 7:40 pm?

Let's face it - When goatee wearing midget security guards are venting, the Hockey Voice is there. When hockey players have had enough of each other's shit, the Hockey Voice is there. There's nobody who covers the local hockey scene like the Hockey Voice.

Jeff Ross sinks Moose in Game 2 Overtime win

Ryan Price (19) holds the line in overtime and sets up Jeff Ross for game winner in Game 2 FIHL action in St. Andrews Sunday afternoon.

XXX takes Game 1 in FIHL Finals

Goaltending the Story in Game 1Nick Ganong backstopped XXX to victory in Game 1

Blacks Harbour, NB - The goalies took center stage in Game 1 Tuesday night at the Fundy Arena. St. George XXX netminder Nick Ganong and Milltown Moose goalie JJ Hyslop showed why they are rated as two of the top rated goalies in the FIHL as the former teammates dueled in a 3-2 XXX victory. They are both former St. Stephen Seahawks products but Tuesday night it was all business. The game featured everything fans could hope for - scrapping, a penalty shot and just good solid, fast hockey.

The series moves to St. Andrews for Game 2 and a rare Sunday afternoon game at 2:30 pm. Game 3 will be back in the Harbour Tuesday night at 7:40 pm.

Ratz a big hit in Montreal

Expert: Ratz a close second behind Les Habitants

An obvious reference to loving the Bonny River Ratz

Kingfishers knocked out of playoffs by Moose

Kingfishers star Josh Bagley reacts after hearing the news
Matty Walsh leaves game early

Blacks Harbour, NB - The Milltown Moose have made franchise history and advanced to the FIHL finals by eliminating the reigning champs Fundy Kingfishers 8-4 Sunday night. The under-staffed Kingfishers fell victim to the relentless checking of the Moose who also managed to shut down the long stretch passes that has long been a hallmark of the Kingfishers.

The Moose will now face the St. George XXX in a best of five that gets under way Tuesday night at the Fundy Arena at 7:40 and onto St. Andrews Thursday night for an 8:30 start.

Moose goalie JJ Hyslop and series MVP summed it up best by saying, "If you wanna be the man, ya gotta beat the man."

Jesus gives Hockey Voice reporter the evil eye at Bell Center

Stevens: "Ratz take elimination from playoff hard"

Mark Taylor hears news of Ratz elimination while in New York

Eric Lee fights back tears

Carl Chambers copes the best way he can

Rick McFarlane swallows bitter pill

Jim Buchanan "Can't beat 'em, join 'em"

Rookie JD Cote sports sunglasses to hide disappointment