When Did Ben Get So Tall?

With BTSH games switched to Saturday this past weekend, league members were given a rare chance to relax and hang out after their games without having to worry about their jobs the next day. As a result, the situation created a perfect opportunity for BTSH  to go on a Saturday night pub crawl of the Tompkins Square area. Throughout the evening, the festivities circulated to four official stops with plenty of good times and good drinks along the way.

The action began as it typically does in BTSH, with the league initially gathering at the East Village Tavern. As usual, players headed for the bars directly after their games, so by 8:00, when the Hockey Night in Tompkins crowd arrived, the joint was already hopping.  Thus, it should come as no surprise that typical BTSH gaiety would occur even on this first leg of the tour.

However, the evening had just begun.  After several hours of EVT revelry, it was time to relocate. Led by Adriano “Muscles Marinara” Bratta’s motivational skills and Matt Workman’s MacGyver-like resourcefulness, the league finally reached destination two of the pub crawl: 7B (AKA Horseshoe Bar). Although BTSHers were initially a little thrown off by the bar’s unusual layout, they quickly adapted, especially after several rounds of $5 24-oz Labatt’s were consumed.

Leg three took the league across the street to Manitoba’s (the bar, not Corey “Chongo” Winters’ home province), where crawlers were delighted to discover the bubble and air hockey tables downstairs. Plus, as an added bonus, those who were still around helped Catalina celebrate her 21st birthday, which included a harmonious rendition of “Happy Birthday”. A few lucky league members also received red velvet cupcakes as part of the festivities.

BTSH finished the pub crawl at Aces with a plethora of league members still in tow. Although the merriment continued for some time amidst the non-league Saturday night party people, the long day of games in the hot sun began to take its toll, forcing most to throw in the towel on a very enjoyable pub crawl.  Otherwise, to those who outlasted the media, we salute you.

Bratta has already said he wants to have another pub crawl–with actual advance planning–next season.

Get Ready For HockeyCon

Submitted by HockeyCon co-organizer Adam “Legend Killer” Rubens

The NHL season starts October 2, and to celebrate, as well as raise the level of hockey awareness in the city, we bring you HockeyCon. Attendees of HockeyCon are encouraged to dress up in hockey regalia as they partake in drink specials at participating bars on the East Village/Lower East Side.  We will watch live NHL games, hockey movies, and listen to hockey music.

Know Your Neighbor

Name: Will Kuhns
Team: Cobra Kai
Suggested Nickname: Sensei
Rejected Nicknames: Rac-, World Cup Willie, i.am, Ski
Origin: Silver Spring, MD
College: University of Maryland, College Park
First Job: Hair model
Current Job: Director of Communications for Major League Soccer
Early Aspirations: To be successful enough for his high school to invite him back as a speaker.
Current Accomplishments: Being selected to cover the World Cup in South Africa for MLS
Hero: Francis Preston Blair
Reason to Love Him: He won the 2009 Brendan “Flounder” Hay Memorial Award.
Reason to Hate Him: He has a hot-headed approach to everything.
Best Known For: Scoring a single-game record of eight goals in Cobra Kai’s 10-8 win against the Mighty Squirrels in 2009.
Fast Fact: For most of 2005, he lived and studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on a grant from the J. William Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Favorite Things: Depeche Mode, climbing billboards, wearing pink hats, the environment
Favorite All-Time MLS Player: Preki
Least Favorite Things: The Next Karate Kid, the other Will Kuhns, University of Virginia, the Electric Light Orchestra
Hockey Comparison: Peter Bondra
Non-Hockey Comparison: Naranjito
Things The Media Will Continue to Overhype About Him: He consistently leads Cobra Kai in goal-scoring.
Down the Road: Will scores a critical shootout goal and celebrates by ripping off his jersey to reveal a black Nike sports bra.  However, referee Dave Ladanyi quickly disallows the goal, as Kuhns blatantly kicked the ball into the net.