Friday, 02.11.2011 / 03:36 PM / Radio Waves By Lightning Radio
We continue with our Lightning player interviews, as “assistant to the assistant” Rob Boelke brings you his interview with Dominic Moore, recorded on February 2nd.
You can listen to the interview in its entirety here:
http://downloads.lightning.nhl.com/audio/2011/02/08/lrn/DMooreRW.mp3
Original Post here:
http://blogs.lightning.nhl.com/11319/striving-to-learn-moore-an-interview-with-dominic-moore/
If you remember the last time I penned a column for Radio Waves, I also eluded to this edition of the Lightning as a team ‘graduating college’ or beginning the process of becoming one of the premier hockey franchises in the world. In the past couple of weeks we have certainly seen evidence that supports my analogy, both on and off the ice. Off the ice, our owner Jeff Vinik has pledged the better part of $50 million to renovate the St. Pete Times Forum as well as to assist local charities and organizations within the Tampa Bay area. On the ice, the Lightning continues to set franchise records, off to its best start this late in to a season.
During a recent six-game win streak, broken February 4th in a loss to the Washington Capitals, Dominic Moore made his presence known once again, especially in the shootouts against Florida and Atlanta. “Those were a couple games where we maybe did not play our best, but we hung in there and gave ourselves a chance. I was fortunate to get lucky on those couple of goals. The more important thing is that everyone is doing their part and that we have a total team effort every night”, Moore told me after practice last Wednesday at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Moore is no stranger to talks of graduation or schooling either. In fact, this entire team isn’t. Eleven players have attended college in some capacity, not to mention Coach Guy Boucher’s four degrees, but there is something about Moore that most wouldn’t know without having a look at his bio. He spent four years at the Ivy League of Ivy League schools– Harvard University. As soon as I found that out, I knew I had to grill him about the secret societies and infamous final clubs.
“The good thing about going to a place like that is that you get the best of both worlds. (Harvard) hockey is one of the longest standing traditions in NCAA hockey, and academically, the best thing about going there are the people you meet. People from all walks of life, and that’s what I appreciate the most.”
Any educated hockey fan knows that the usual course to a professional career is one of the many regional junior leagues, but what I wanted to know was how many current NHL’ers went the college route like Dominic. USA Today keeps an updated database on NHL player origins. As I counted the 142 names one by one, nearly 20% of the league, I realized Moore’s decision to follow a different path is truly rare and unique. He told me that this path was not one paved just by hockey, but by family.
“We’re very grateful for the opportunities that we we’re able to get and I give the credit to my brothers for paving the way. It was a neat experience, one which we all appreciate.” Dominic’s older brothers, Steve and Mark, also attended the university and also played Hockey for the Crimson. In fact, the trio was able to play together during the 1999-2000 Eastern College Athletic Conference season, a season in which Dominic was named Ivy League Rookie of the year. Dominic went on to captain the Crimson during his junior and senior seasons, and following his senior season, he was named Harvard Male Athlete of the Year.
Aside from his brothers already being in Cambridge, Dominic mentioned that his decision to play college hockey over juniors came down to the structure of the league, and his ability to grow as a player within that structure. “College hockey is stronger now than it ever has been, and for me, it was a great experience. I was a late bloomer in terms of my game, and (college hockey) allows you to work on your fitness more, because you don’t play as many games.”
Late bloomer or not, his game is all there now, giving reason to the Lightning’s offseason acquisition of Moore, who’s bounced around the league a bit, playing with the Rangers, Leafs, Sabres, Penguins, Canadiens, Wild, and Panthers, before signing his current two year deal with the Bolts. When asked, he seemed happy to be here and have a bit of consistency. “There were so many changes here from last year to this year, with a lot of new faces from top to bottom. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this team, and I think everyone feels that energy.”
That bolt of energy has helped Moore carve out a niche in the hard-working third line of the Lightning, and has also helped him start his time in a Lightning uniform with four goals in the first five games of the season. In fact, the Bolts are 7-1 when Moore has scored this season. His work ethic on the ice is something we can all learn from… and it’s an education we can all experience without the costly student loan repayments over the next 25 years.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Attack of the Intern!
Originally Posting can be found here...
http://blogs.lightning.nhl.com/11105/attack-of-the-intern/
Monday, 01.03.2011 / 05:00 PM / Radio Waves By Lightning Radio
(Editor’s note: The top story in this edition of Radio Waves is penned by Rob Boelke, the intern and official “assistant to the assistant” of the Lightning Radio Network.)
Hey there Lightning Radio junkies, it’s “Assistant to the Assistant” Rob Boelke, the artist formally known as “Intern Rob.” The only way you might recognize me is from listening to “Lightning Hockey Hotline” on 620 WDAE, or you are one of my friends or family members whom I will forcibly make read this article.
For starters, the whole ‘Assistant to the Assistant’ is getting old and I am using this as a forum to petition for a better title. Anyone who watches ‘The Office’ or ‘Seinfeld’ knows why I feel so offended to be associated with this. Hell, ‘Intern Rob’ was fine in the first place, though it was slightly derogatory. So if after reading this, you could leave a comment with a better title for me? I’d appreciate it. (Editor’s sidebar: Knowing full well that a reader’s suggestion could actually be far worse than what the Lightning Radio staff has called him, we are taking suggestions at LightningRadio@sptimesforum.com. If we deem one of them worthy, the winner will receive a post-game meet-and-greet with the Lightning players following a mutually-agreed upon game).
I recently graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications for Media and Cultural Studies. I was born and raised in Tampa Bay and grew up watching all of the Tampa based teams, and I pride myself on being one of the few to remember such sporting ventures as the Tampa Bay Terror, as well as one of the few to be at both home Arena Bowl wins for the Tampa Bay Storm. I wasn’t there in ’98, the only other Arena Bowl held in Tampa, because it was Beanie Baby Day at the DEVIL Rays game. I’m digging a bit of a hole with that statement there.
My favorite memories from childhood are watching sporting events I shared with my father, whether we were in attendance or watching them on television. There were times when my father would just mute the TV and let me do all the talking. Other times, he’d yell for me to shut up…because my Pat Summerall and John Madden impersonations were atrocious. So from a young age, it has been the plan to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Fast forward to this past summer. I attended a Lightning-sponsored intern fair, and after a series of challenges, obstacle courses, puzzles, police interrogations, etc, voila, here I am.
I get the most out of the internship at home games. I attend morning skate and gather interviews of players and coaches before and after that night’s game. I regularly have access to the players and the locker rooms, and what would seem like an amazing experience, at first, was terrorizing. I used to write blogs and opinion articles about my favorite teams and their issues from afar, so the thought of actually having to interact with those I so often criticized or glorified was a bit nerve-racking.
The locker rooms tend to be chaotic and intimidating. With media members aplenty scrounging for interviews, I was expected to just “get in there” and mix it up with professional athletes. It took a little while to get used to, but I very much settled in now. Not one of the guys in the Lightning room is too ‘big’ not to talk to the lowly intern. I also take care of gathering sound from the visitor’s locker room, which brings its own set of challenges. For the most part though, the other teams have been more than inviting and supportive, players and staff alike. I think this is a testament to the game of hockey, as most everyone involved are pleasant and approachable, off the ice anyways.
During games, I am also in charge of arranging the on-air, intermission and post-game interviews with players outside our locker room. Soon after the game has ended, I head on over to Trolley’s, the site of our post-game broadcast and ‘Lightning Hockey Hotline’ where I do what I am best known for. I stand around holding a microphone, waiting for someone to gather the courage to come talk to Matt and ‘The Chief’ Bobby Taylor.
Having just graduated/escaped from the hell that is the modern day college experience, I feel like I have something in common with this year’s team and staff. Consider the ’04 Stanley Cup run as the organization ‘graduating high school’. A few bumps in the road as the team ‘started college’ through the last few seasons, and they have wound up here, in what seems to be one of the final classes required for their ‘degree’. The Bolts are very much a team in transition, having learned some hard lessons over the past few years. But it seems now, under the tutelage of Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher, who is no slouch himself when it comes to schooling, the Bolts are ready for the proverbial ‘next step’.
From my vantage point, Couch Boucher is the most well-rounded coach we have had in the organization. He is the professor that changed your outlook in college. His personality is infectious. I attend his pre-game press conferences every home game, and it is evident why the locker room has that friendly and inviting tone. Boucher’s most used phrase this season has to be “Does that answer your question?” He also likes to joke a bit. Smiling is not uncommon when you are interviewing Guy, and even then you still get the sense everything he does has purpose. Nothing he says to the players or the media is ever unimportant or not thought through. He is always focused. It is as if Guy treats his job like a chess match, picking and choosing the appropriate actions and reactions to every situation.
Speaking of tutors, the play of Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, thus far, can not go unmentioned. I feel Marty is likely to eclipse career highs in a couple of categories this year, and his influence over Steven Stamkos can be seen in Stammer’s work ethic and attitude over the last two seasons. And though Lecavalier missed 14 games with a hand injury this season, his play has been sublime since returning two weeks ago. There is a presence and calmness that can be seen in almost all of his shifts, which culminated in the wraparound goal against Tim Thomas and the Bruins on December 28th. I believe the team feeds off of that poise, and our boys are 7-1-1 since his return, which can’t be too much of a coincidence.
Some of the new students are quickly showing their ability as well. I have been impressed by Dana Tyrell since training camp. His tenacity on the forecheck, coupled with his speed on the puck, has lead to a number of odd man rushes and breakaways for him and his line mates.
The experience to this point has been indescribable, and there should be plenty more to come. I intend on making the most of this while it lasts and undoubtedly, these experiences will help set me apart when it comes time to start my career.
http://blogs.lightning.nhl.com/11105/attack-of-the-intern/
Monday, 01.03.2011 / 05:00 PM / Radio Waves By Lightning Radio
(Editor’s note: The top story in this edition of Radio Waves is penned by Rob Boelke, the intern and official “assistant to the assistant” of the Lightning Radio Network.)
Hey there Lightning Radio junkies, it’s “Assistant to the Assistant” Rob Boelke, the artist formally known as “Intern Rob.” The only way you might recognize me is from listening to “Lightning Hockey Hotline” on 620 WDAE, or you are one of my friends or family members whom I will forcibly make read this article.
For starters, the whole ‘Assistant to the Assistant’ is getting old and I am using this as a forum to petition for a better title. Anyone who watches ‘The Office’ or ‘Seinfeld’ knows why I feel so offended to be associated with this. Hell, ‘Intern Rob’ was fine in the first place, though it was slightly derogatory. So if after reading this, you could leave a comment with a better title for me? I’d appreciate it. (Editor’s sidebar: Knowing full well that a reader’s suggestion could actually be far worse than what the Lightning Radio staff has called him, we are taking suggestions at LightningRadio@sptimesforum.com. If we deem one of them worthy, the winner will receive a post-game meet-and-greet with the Lightning players following a mutually-agreed upon game).
I recently graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications for Media and Cultural Studies. I was born and raised in Tampa Bay and grew up watching all of the Tampa based teams, and I pride myself on being one of the few to remember such sporting ventures as the Tampa Bay Terror, as well as one of the few to be at both home Arena Bowl wins for the Tampa Bay Storm. I wasn’t there in ’98, the only other Arena Bowl held in Tampa, because it was Beanie Baby Day at the DEVIL Rays game. I’m digging a bit of a hole with that statement there.
My favorite memories from childhood are watching sporting events I shared with my father, whether we were in attendance or watching them on television. There were times when my father would just mute the TV and let me do all the talking. Other times, he’d yell for me to shut up…because my Pat Summerall and John Madden impersonations were atrocious. So from a young age, it has been the plan to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Fast forward to this past summer. I attended a Lightning-sponsored intern fair, and after a series of challenges, obstacle courses, puzzles, police interrogations, etc, voila, here I am.
I get the most out of the internship at home games. I attend morning skate and gather interviews of players and coaches before and after that night’s game. I regularly have access to the players and the locker rooms, and what would seem like an amazing experience, at first, was terrorizing. I used to write blogs and opinion articles about my favorite teams and their issues from afar, so the thought of actually having to interact with those I so often criticized or glorified was a bit nerve-racking.
The locker rooms tend to be chaotic and intimidating. With media members aplenty scrounging for interviews, I was expected to just “get in there” and mix it up with professional athletes. It took a little while to get used to, but I very much settled in now. Not one of the guys in the Lightning room is too ‘big’ not to talk to the lowly intern. I also take care of gathering sound from the visitor’s locker room, which brings its own set of challenges. For the most part though, the other teams have been more than inviting and supportive, players and staff alike. I think this is a testament to the game of hockey, as most everyone involved are pleasant and approachable, off the ice anyways.
During games, I am also in charge of arranging the on-air, intermission and post-game interviews with players outside our locker room. Soon after the game has ended, I head on over to Trolley’s, the site of our post-game broadcast and ‘Lightning Hockey Hotline’ where I do what I am best known for. I stand around holding a microphone, waiting for someone to gather the courage to come talk to Matt and ‘The Chief’ Bobby Taylor.
Having just graduated/escaped from the hell that is the modern day college experience, I feel like I have something in common with this year’s team and staff. Consider the ’04 Stanley Cup run as the organization ‘graduating high school’. A few bumps in the road as the team ‘started college’ through the last few seasons, and they have wound up here, in what seems to be one of the final classes required for their ‘degree’. The Bolts are very much a team in transition, having learned some hard lessons over the past few years. But it seems now, under the tutelage of Steve Yzerman and Guy Boucher, who is no slouch himself when it comes to schooling, the Bolts are ready for the proverbial ‘next step’.
From my vantage point, Couch Boucher is the most well-rounded coach we have had in the organization. He is the professor that changed your outlook in college. His personality is infectious. I attend his pre-game press conferences every home game, and it is evident why the locker room has that friendly and inviting tone. Boucher’s most used phrase this season has to be “Does that answer your question?” He also likes to joke a bit. Smiling is not uncommon when you are interviewing Guy, and even then you still get the sense everything he does has purpose. Nothing he says to the players or the media is ever unimportant or not thought through. He is always focused. It is as if Guy treats his job like a chess match, picking and choosing the appropriate actions and reactions to every situation.
Speaking of tutors, the play of Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, thus far, can not go unmentioned. I feel Marty is likely to eclipse career highs in a couple of categories this year, and his influence over Steven Stamkos can be seen in Stammer’s work ethic and attitude over the last two seasons. And though Lecavalier missed 14 games with a hand injury this season, his play has been sublime since returning two weeks ago. There is a presence and calmness that can be seen in almost all of his shifts, which culminated in the wraparound goal against Tim Thomas and the Bruins on December 28th. I believe the team feeds off of that poise, and our boys are 7-1-1 since his return, which can’t be too much of a coincidence.
Some of the new students are quickly showing their ability as well. I have been impressed by Dana Tyrell since training camp. His tenacity on the forecheck, coupled with his speed on the puck, has lead to a number of odd man rushes and breakaways for him and his line mates.
The experience to this point has been indescribable, and there should be plenty more to come. I intend on making the most of this while it lasts and undoubtedly, these experiences will help set me apart when it comes time to start my career.
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