big_bill

Well peeps this is not my end of the season blog but it looks like it will be the one before it. Now you guys know me I am a very positive guy and always try to see the bright side of things but it looks like this time even I see the writing on the wall. It always stings a little bit more when your team has a good run and gets your hopes up so high just to crash down like a bad Red bull binge. I think though I do know why. Kipper has been holding up this team all season and I think it has caught up with him. He has had too do everything in his power this year and his power looks to be going down. He has let in some soft ones right away in games and it has been hard for the team to score.(J-Bo didn't help either but I digress)Other teams tenders are bringing it like kipper has been all season right now because the teams we are playing are mostly teams we are fighting with to get a playoff spot. The Flames are shooting lots but just no goals. It is very frustrating to see and I'm sure for the players it is frustrating to be a part of on the ice. The fact is we have three games left and two of them are against a team that is very good and also is fighting for top spot in the west...again. (I hate the Canucks so much)So my point is this could go two ways. 1, we get rolled and smoked badly or 2, we get two wins and take advantage of a team that knows they are in and is not clawing and scratching to get in to the playoffs. The brass tax here peeps is the Flames need help and wins and in my opinion we might get one of two but both will be a miracle. I am just going to try and enjoy what games are still on the sked and soak it all in. Appreciate that I am watching hockey because it is always a long summer when you are a Flames fan and you can't see your team. So until next time and maybe for the last time this season I will catch you all on the filpside! Shameless self promotion time! As always if you like my blogs and want to be a part of my C of Red fan page on facebook you can "like" here https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCofRed and you can also fallow the Bigman on Twitter here https://twitter.com/#!/BIGBILLZ420 Thanks peeps and GO FLAMES GO!

Hello again all my loyal Billy Blogers out there! I hope you are all having a awesome day today and are enjoying this epic sunshine! Also enjoying a extra hour of it as well! Spring is upon us peeps and that can only mean one thing to hockey fans PLAYOFFS! It also means something else to Flames fans...golf season. Sorry I had too. This year though the Flames are making a strong effort to get in this time and a few weeks ago I honestly thought that we were going to be in a better spot then where we are now. I'm not taking anything away from what the Flames are doing now because we are chugging along at a pace where we are getting points almost every game and that is all you can ask for with injuries but I just thought that we would have a few more 2 point games then we do. Either way we are still in this thing and with Glencross back and on the roll he is on I think we do have a solid shot of Spring hockey this season for the boys in red and black. Now lets talk trade deadline for a minute. Jay didn't do much. He signed a player and didn't make any moves. Now their was lots of talk that we had some nice offers to get some players for Olli. That would mean we where going to sell off one of our assets and basically throw in the towel on the season. We would have got some picks and it might have been a good plan considering the fact that Olli's contract is up at the end of the season and if he is not willing to be a Flame we might have hurt ourselves. I think Jay is thinking that he made a promise to the Flames fans of playoff hockey and if that was going to happen then we need Olli and I agree. The only thing is what if we don't make the playoffs and Olli signs a fat contract somewhere else in the summer because his stock has gone up this season and the Flames can't honestly overspend on another aging player. Olli is going to have a lot of leverage this off season and for Jay to not trade him Olli must have said he is willing to stay for a discount. I'm not sure but it is a risk that Jay was willing to take and we will have to see how this all plays out on July 1st. So now it's go time peeps! The Flames have 12 games left and we need to win most and get a point out of the rest. It is going to be a epic "march" to the finish line and now more then ever every game matters. Either way you know the Bigman is going to be on the edge of his seat and biting his nails off every game! It really is the best time of the season and I am excited as hell! Until next time I will catch you all on the flipside! Here again is a link to my facebook Flames fan page...LIKE! https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCofRed

Hello all my loyal Billy blogers out there! How are you all doing on this holiday Monday? Good I hope! Well peeps I wanted to take this time to do another blog for all of you even though I will be doing another blog soon right after the trade deadline. The reason I am doing a blog now is because of the fact that the Flames have reached their first goal of the season and that is to get too a playoff spot. In any situation where you have a big goal you first must set little goals along the way. In hockey I would think the first goal would be to get into the top 8, then fight for the top of your division/get home ice and then the main goal is to get to the finals and then finally the ultimate goal is to win the cup. It took a wile but the Flames made the first goal! Do I think the Flames are going to win the cup?...no, do I think they can win the division?...no, do I think they will get 4th spot and get home ice?...no BUT I do think we have a chance to make the playoffs now! From there anything can happen and I know people will say that we will go out in the first round but the way Kipper is playing I think we have a better chance then many will give us credit for. I think this team might even have a chance of making it to the 6th spot in the conference and the last time the Flames made it to 6th spot and Kipper was rocking this hard we went all the way to game 7 of the finals and some(me) will say we won in game 6. Now lots of you will be giving me the gears because many times this season I have been hard on this team and have almost wrote (literally) them off. ie. after the Van game where we where spanked and after the Boson game where we where so badly beaten I would have rather have watched the movie Deliverance...twice. Yes we where bad but we also on BOTH of those horrible games where playing our backup! Sutter finally got it threw his head that Kipper is the man and to play him in huge games. I honestly don't know what the hell he was thinking! Maybe he was on stupid pills but he finally realized it and here we are 8th baby! Also I have too say since Cammy has come back he has set this team in the right mindset. He is a leader that shows that hard work and dedication will get you far. He is not going to score every night but he is getting the young dudes to work even harder by being himself at a time when we are desperate for support form all the guys that are up helping us out with all the injuries we have. Not that many young guys are finding the back of the net but they are seeing that if they work hard and believe in themselves they can make it to the NHL. Cammy is a special guy, intense guy but he has a deep passion for winning and leaving it all out there on the ice and it shows. Like kipper he will never quit on a game. I'm not going to lie there has been a few games lately that if it wasn't for Cammy and Kipper we would not be where we are right now. With all that being said the trade deadline is still on it's way and we might have some new faces in the lineup or we might just stay where we are. Either way peeps I will have it all covered for you when the time comes but for now I will say.. Go Flames Go and I will catch you all on the flipside. If you want to fallow the Bigman on facebook I have a awesome C of Red fan page for all of you. Hit like and tell your Flames friends! http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-of-Red/253935751309646

Hello again all my loyal Billy Blogers out there! I hope you are having a awesome day even tho it is a Monday. So guys I wanted to give it a few games with our new players before I did another blog on how we are doing for our playoff push. And in my awesome opinion we are still at or a bit better of a level that we where before. Now I would be lying if I didn't say I thought we would be in a better spot by now but maybe my hopes at the time where a little to high because of the fact that we did dig ourselves a bit of a hole and other teams are doing well and are keeping the pace. That being said I still believe that this team will make the playoffs with the team we have now but as we all know the trade deadline is upon us and until then it is anyone's guess what Jay is going to do. Over the All star break Jay moved Brendon Morrison a guy who was good for us now as far as being a contributor for the team and could have helped us even in a limited role to get us to the playoffs. People will say "Well Bill he wasn't getting much ice time so how can you say that." well the fact is that at any time as any good GM knows that injuries can happen and to have a extra center would have been nice just in case we where in need. "So if Jay knew that why would he do that then?" you might ask. He was freeing up cap space. The only reason he would need extra cash is if he had a motivation to still make some moves soon. Jay has said his mission was to make the playoffs and freeing space just for the hell of it is not a move that would get us there. So in my awesome opinion again I believe Jay is not done and I would think he is going to go for a big fish. I just hope if he gets the big fish he is after that he will fit in quick and get us to where we all want to be in April. The next month is going to be interesting because we need to be still bringing it every game and around this time lots of players get insecure because they know if they don't have a no trade they could be on their way out soon so they might play scared. We need all the points we can get right now so every game is going to be a nail biter for us! I am excited to see how the Flames do when the deadline has passed and the pressure is off and it is really going to be go time! Until next time peeps I will catch you all on the flipside!

Hello all my loyal Billy blogers out there! I know how you are all doing so I won't even bother asking. The Flame nation is a buzz with the news that Cammy is back with the Flames. Yes it was only a week ago that the "fit hit the shan" around here and everyone was looking for the life boats. I like to think I was one of the dudes playing some awesome music for all of us as we die but I too was cashing out on this season. To be honest this season is still taking on water but a strong home record and the good news that we got yesterday has seemed in this Flames fan's eyes anyway that we might be on our way to righting this ship after all. Some of you might think that being this positive about a trade this early is a little foolhardy but I have seen the impact that positivity does to any group and the positivity I know Cammy has about playing for this city is damn infectious. This guy never wanted to go and was making every effort to come back and the only reason Sutter didn't bring him back was because of his size. Cammy is a small guy but has a huge heart for this game and to pass on a guy because of his size is just stupid. We have all seen what impact small speedy players have on this game and especially now in this new NHL. Cammy attitude was always good even when he was mad. Like the comments he made about his old team. He saw something going on he didn't like and he spoke up about it. Not to be a jerk but to expose and state a problem so they could deal with it and move on. I believe if Cammy was still a Hab, in about ten games they would have been in a better place because he has the nuts to speak up about the issue. They could have moved on because it was put out there instead of being keeping quiet. Fortunately for us that storyline will never happen like that and he is here to help us write our epic story of how this Flames team made it to the playoffs. I have no doubt that Cammy is going to bring up the locker room and will have an immediate impact on this team moving forward. Am I saying he is going to come here and score 20 goals? No but he will bring a fresh breeze into a room that hasn't been there for a long time. Something this team needs. CAMMY IS BACK PEEPS!!! Time to start a new day, turn the page, start over all the epic cliché's you can think of all in one, time to get er done!!! Until next time peeps I will catch you all on the flipside.

Thank you Pearlff2 for your awesome and well thought out comment. I don't want to see Iggy dealt but if they had a choice between him or Kipper in my opinion Kipper should be the guy to stay. Shootouts where never his strong point that is very true but he has had so many awesome seasons working so hard and stopping so many sure goals that I can totally forgive him on those plays. He has got better on them but 9 times out of ten it will be the pokecheck that will save the day! Thanks again and GO FLAMES GO!

OK peeps I'm going to spare you the pleasantry's today because it would be disingenuous. This team has officially hit rock bottom and did it in legendary fashion! There are games where you measure yourself and see where you are and then there are games where you see the sad horrible reality that is the pile of crap that is the Calgary Flames. I love this team OK but this is just disgraceful and pathetic now. Sutter for some stupid reason keeps sitting Kipper in HUGE games and it makes me crazy. Why would you sit the only reason we have been a playoff team in the past and the only reason we would have a shot at Jay's promise of this year making the playoffs. Kipper is why this city got excited again for hockey. Kipper is the reason we had the C of Red, Kipper is the reason so many butts got to the seats and now I hear there is a possibility of trading KIPPER?!!! I don't know why Iggy is so untouchable? He never got us to the playoffs before Kipper got here. He is a guy I love and respect but lets be real Kipper is the back bone and if you deal Kipper then we will go down in EPIC flames people! We deal Kipper and the fans will go MARK MY WORDS JAY! Don't do the same DUMBA$$ move that you did in Tampa! Listen to a guy who has been a member of this fan base in the 90's in the "young guns" days and knows that if you do this we will be there again. Deal Iggy if you have to we can build around Kipper. We can get a bunch of rookies that can mess up and Kipper will be there to stop the pucks. Don't trade Kipper Jay no matter how much pressure you feel it is the WRONG MOVE! This team needs a new voice as well and Sutter needs to go. I used to love the Sutter's and thought that there way was the way but this new NHL as shown that old style of thinking is dead and we need some new blood. We need to wipe away all Sutter influence from this club and forge ahead. I like Daryl and Brent I really do, I liked there Cowboy hardworking style but the boys have tuned it out and it is plain as day (with the exception of Oili) Please Jay don't deal Kipper and fire Sutter and the fans will stay. Get rid of Kipper and it will be so bad Jay you will never get a GM job again and you will be remembered as the guy who Killed this team forever. Until next time...

Hello all my loyal Billy blogers out there! How are you all doing on this snowy, snowy day? I hope well! I don't know about you guys but now it feels officially like Christmas time...that's right I said CHRISTMAS time. I am one of those people who thinks that Christians need to stop being so damned considerate during their most joyous time of celebration and enjoy the season of Christmas for what it truly is! Everyone else who has religious holidays are respected highly in this country and are allowed to do there thing so why can't us Christians? Now I will get off my soapbox and say Merry Christmas one more time before getting started at the business at hand and that is playoffs! "PLAYOFFS?!....PLAYOFFS?! Don't talk to me about PLAYOFFS!" to quote the great Jim Mora speech. Yes playoffs and the reason I am bringing up playoffs is because in my last blog I said that this team as it is right now will not make the playoffs and since then I can't see that I am wrong at all. Trust me guys I don't want to say this and would love to fill you guys with encouraging hope on this team making a spectacular run but I don't see it. Jay said at the beginning of the season that we WILL make the playoffs and that this team is not in a rebuilding phase. I believed him and still believe that he wants that to be the case but want and will are two different things my friends and this team is not doing what they should be. Now Iggy rumors are out there and I don't know what to believe. Jay said no way in hell and until he is proven to be a liar in my eyes I will believe it. A huge part of me would be sad to see Iggy go but if the deal was good and we could make the playoffs this year and many to come then I would say go for it. If it was a deal to get some young unknowns and some other dudes like in the Deon deal then I would say HELL NO! This is about the playoffs and I don't know about you guys but as a hockey fan I want to see a team that I know not only has a shot at playoffs but a possible home ice position and could go a few rounds. That is what Flames fans want. We do not want to get rid of our awesome players to get lego bricks and hope to go so far down the standings that we pick #1. The problem with that way of "building" is you never know what the talent pool will be that year 100% unless there are 3-4 super skilled players to choose from that off season. That hardly ever happens people! No team knows if they will be #1 because it's a lottery, so either way it is a gamble and that is not what hockey is all about. Hockey is about win and your in! Hard work and doing your best and rebuilding in my eyes is a fools game when you have to do it like that. What we need to do is look at what we have. Instead of looking at a problem and seeing all that is wrong with a situation we should look at all that is good and go from there. What is the best thing about the Flames? Kipper. OK so now we look at our D. Who is the best player there, Geo. OK now we look to or wingers, our centers and so on and so on. I am not paid to make those kind of decisions Jay is and he knows what he has and what he doesn't. If he is serous about making the playoffs then we need to make some changes either now and do what he said he would do or admit on T.V he was wrong about the playoffs after December, eat crow like a man and wait until summer to do what needs to be done. My opinion he should eat crow and wait because he will make better choices then. Anyways guys that's all for now but I would like to say again thank you so much for reading my blog! I had the most hits ever on my last blog "Sorry Olli" and I'm blown away by how much you guys responded. The only thing tho is no one commented and I'm sure lots of you have awesome opinions so please leave a comment and join the C of Red on facebook! Until next time peeps, I will catch you all on the flipside! C of Red link! http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-of-Red/253935751309646

Hello all my loyal Billy Blogers out there! How are you all doing on freezing cold Saturday?! I hope well despite the brutal conditions. We all brag that we are Canadian and we can handle the cold but deep down every one of us on the first real cold day of the year are all whiners! Anyways I hope the Bigman can warm you up with my hot blog! That's right it has been a wile since I have checked in but the hit count keeps rising and rising and I think it HAS to be from all the peeps that go to this fine website! I know it can't be from the 33 fans on my C of Red facebook page or my friends on my personal facebook page! It has to be all of you that are here everyday who love this team. So I would like to say thank you!! and also if you do like my blog then please become a fan on my C of Red page because there is always something added there that you might not find on other fan or official pages. Well I think I have done enough shameless self promotion for one day lets get to the good stuff! Well we are 18 games in and I usually say I can't judge a club until the 25 game mark but I think I am going to try anyways. Is this team right now a playoff team? No. Is this team going to improve? Possibly. What we have seen from this team has been what we have seen from this team the last few seasons, and that is a hit or miss team that has trouble icing a consistent effort every night. In my opinion we have some guys who play with pure heart, some who play for money and some who used to play with passion that have lost it. (Disclaimer) I am going to say what I believe and I'm not going to hold back and that's why I think all of you read my stuff because I say what I think. Some of you might think I'm throwing guys under the bus but I am not. I just am going to say what I see and I might be wrong and I will admit it if I am. That being said I owe Olli a huge apology for being his #1 hater for a few seasons now. This guy I thought when he came here was overrated, overpaid and I said he had no heart. I was wrong. He has come in this season and been one of the pillars of this team. Like anything in life there are pillars and fillers and Olli has stepped up and worked his Finn a$$ off and has truly become a pillar. He has shown huge heart and a willingness to lead and he might not have the C but he is the leader of this team these days. That's right I said it! Olli is the leader because Iggy has lost his passion. Now I will give some of you a few moments to gather yourselves and calm down... I know some of you are right angry at that statement but if you really look and see whats going on, on the ice anyone can see that Olli's line is the true #1 line! What makes a #1 line? Well it is the line that makes it happen every night and leads the charge and Iggy's line is not that line I'm sorry. Iggy is the face of the club and we all love him but love is not going to get us to the playoffs! Like I said before in my first blog I think...not sure but anyways I said Iggy should take a step back this season and let some of the younger guys step up. The reason I said that is because Iggy has lost his hunger for the game that he used to have. His fire is still there but it is low. Does he turn it up? Yes but it takes someone to really piss him off or when he feels the pressure of the team going down he will get going but that is not what we need. We need players to come out every night and have the drive give it everything every night and have the hunger for the puck. Let me make something real clear! I am not saying get rid of Iggy I'm just saying he needs less ice time and he has to check his pride at the door for the team. This will give the younger guys a chance to shine and also give Iggy some opportunity's to be overlooked by the opposition. If he was out on a 3rd line then the other players on those 3rd lines would not be ready for him because they would never expect him to be on that line. I just know he would never do it because of his foolish pride. Iggy's pride is what might make us miss the playoffs again. Well I didn't plan on going on and on about Iggy but sometimes when you are a writer the words take you and you just have to go with it. What I originally wanted to talk about was the people who are making it happen and the ones who are not. Since you guys don't have all day I will just say the names and will do another blog on them soon. Kipper, Olli, Geo, are playing with pure heart...the rest are not and that's how I see it. I love Iggy and like Kipper never want to see him go but he needs to step it up or let others do it for him. Leaders know when to do the right thing only Iggy knows if that is putting 100% of his focus into the team or letting others take over and being their guide. It is up to him. Until next time peeps I will catch you all on the flipside! If you want to join my C of Red facebook page then here is a link for you guys! GFG!!! http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-of-Red/253935751309646

Hello all my loyal Billy blogers out there! How are all of you on this fine October game day? I hope well. The Bigman is doing well and I wish that I could say the same for the Flames. I'm not one to panic this early in a season because I know there is lots of hockey to play but I said the same thing last year and we missed the playoffs by only a few points. So maybe it is time to freak out a little! That being said,in the last 24 I have been hearing some trade talks. Now I'm not one to get all caught up in that kind of crap all the time but when I hear stuff that I think is on the level then I will take the time to post it. I'm only getting names of dudes that other teams are interested in not what might be on the way back, so I think it might be salary dumping type stuff going on with young prospects or draft pics coming back...but in the new NHL of salary caps and teams wanting to swap contracts I don't see it happening myself. So we would have to be talking with teams that have extra salary to work with. The teams that have been talking to us (I'm hearing) are the Rangers, Jackets and the Devils. All teams that are near the cap so I don't see them taking on salary without sending some back our way. Not only that but all of those teams don't have centers that we would want with the exception of Richards from the Rangers. He just signed a huge deal with them so I don't see him going anywhere. So is this a whole lot of nothing..NO it shows that we are active and we are not willing to watch this team miss the playoffs again. As you guys already know I think we need better centers because we will not make the playoffs with the dudes we have now. BMO is our best guy and he can't play every shift. Jokes has been way better and I'm a man who will give credit when it's due but that being said it hasn't gone in the back of the net. He is out there doing in my opinion his best and is the hardiest working Flame that is not Kipper but he needs to get them to go in. If he keeps working as hard as he has they will. It will only be a matter of time and puck luck. The Flames need to get into there heads that if "every game matters" then the only acceptable loss is one in OT or a shootout. The truth is in the new NHL that "every point matters" and that is why we have missed the playoffs two seasons in a row. Am I hitting the panic button..no but I am concerned that if we don't get on a point roll we might be in a hole that will be hard to climb of in April. Games like tonight's game is one we can never lose any points in. Devision games are the most important to win and to win them in regulation is even better. The Avs where good for some reason against us last year so I am curious to see how they will do this season. Either way the Flames in my opinion have been working hard and doing what they can to put together a full 60 minutes. Thats all we can ask. Well my peeps I hope you liked this blog and I will have more for you soon but if you want more updates and trade news then join the C of Red on facebook. I add lots of links, video highlights rumors and my most awesome blogs! I will provide a link here so you can join right NOW! lol Anyways guys I hope you all have a awesome day and the Flames can get the win. Until next time I will catch you all on the flipside! C of Red link http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-of-Red/253935751309646

Well peeps it's official hockey season is upon us once again and I am thrilled to be blogging again for the team that I love! I have worked real hard also on having a stronger facebook presence this year and for future seasons to come in the way of a brand new fan page for us! What is it called you might ask? Well it is called the C of Red. Yes what better way of bringing the fans of the Flames together then to have them as the stars of it! I created the page but it's for us. Like some of you long time Billy bloggers already know is I have been doing this for a wile, since 2006. I had a really successful fan page on myspace (when it was cool) and then I moved over to here after I started to realize myspace was slowing down. Since then I have been posting my podcast and blogs threw my personal facebook and as awesome as it is I think I could reach more of you with a facebook fan page. So thats why I started it. A way for me to have more people see my work and a place for us to have some fun! So now that all that is out of the way lets talk about 2011/12! The training camp is over and my personal opinion is I was happy that we had a winning record but at the end of the day I was left with the feeling that we where just average. It is very obvious that we have some good rookies in the ways of forwards but in my opinion our younger D and goaltenders where not so good. Am I worried about it? No. Why? Well because that is what being a rookie and training camp is all about. These dudes have lots of time this season to get better and make a good showing for next season. It also goes to show the way Jay is focusing his attention. Our D right now that are up are way faster and younger then before. With all do respect to Reg he was slowing us down. People feared him when he would run them into the boards but those times where getting fewer and fewer. Geo has shown us all that he is the real deal and it is because of his awesome play that Reg was expendable. Also I'm not worried about our rookie goalies because we now have a solid back up to Miikka. "The Calgary tower" has shown me last season that he has the perfect mentality for the job and that is a real hard thing to have in that position. Usually dudes that have that ability are also the ones that suck when the job becomes full time. That is the unfortunate part of that type of goaltender. Good thing for us Kipper is always in shape, stretches like a beast and hasn't been on long term IR for many years. So the future for our D and our goaltending is very good for this season. Our weakest position in my opinion is and has always been our center position. I know the Flames brass will try and have you drink the kool aid again this season and say we are strong there but the simple fact is we have always sucked at the center spot with the exception of Conny. We would have to have had four Conny's in the past to be good and that is and was never the case in Calgary. I have no faith is Jokes. I have some faith in Moss, I have little to no faith in Stajan, I like Morrison but he is older and the rest have to prove themselves to me. Harsh I know but I tell it like it is and I'm not going to blow sunshine up butts around here. We need to see some solid improvement in that position and if we don't get it by Christmas I think we all know we will have to make some moves there. Jay is not a stupid guy and he knows about the problem. Thats why he made a huge play for Richards. Even though he didn't get him here that just tells me that he is totally aware of this problem and it working on it the best he can. As far as our wingers are concerned I think we are ok for now. If Iggy takes a supporting role this season and helps the young dudes with ice time we will be way more faster and competitive. I love Iggy but he has tried to put this team on his back for far too long and I think It's time for him to take a larger role in development and leadership of our young guys. That doesn't mean he won't do what he does best but if he was not on the ice AS much then the other dudes will get more confidence and attention from the opposition, leaving him and Tangs open for sneak attacks. All and all this is going to be a awesome season and I know the Flames are going to be much better then seasons past. Since the change upstairs with Darryl moving on (I hate to say it) but they all have been way better. I think Jay brings in a new atmosphere of respect/fun and I think it was the change that was needed. Many of you know I loved what Darryl did for this team and I didn't want to see him go but I guess I was wrong. (you won't hear me say that often) So I hope you all liked my very first blog of the 2011/12 season and I look forward to doing more of them soon. I don't fully judge a team until after 20 games but I'm sure you will hear something from me sooner then that, good or bad! So until next time peeps I will catch you on the flipside! ps Here is a link to the new C of Red on facebook! "like" us and tell your friends! http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-of-Red/253935751309646

If you peeps want to see my old blogs go here! http://media.fans.flames.nhl.com/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=8391152&as=122884

Hello all my loyal Billy blogers out there! It has been a wile hasn't it? The bigman has done it all. First I had the Unofficial home of the Calgary Flames on myspace...yeah myspace. It was nice wile it lasted and the dead page is still out there if you give a crap, then the bigman moved to the awesome Internet airwaves and did his not so awesome podcast called "Big Bill's Flamecast" on talkshoe. Almost good but I got to admit it was very unorganized and filled up with lots of unnecessary swearing and bad jokes to hide the fact that I sucked as a part time "broadcaster". Then the bigman took a year off to get a life. Yeah I said it. I lost over 120 pounds and am feeling great. Still not where I want to be but I'm a hell of a ways from where I was. Now I got to say that I had no intention of bloging again for the Flames but since it is almost that time again I thought what the hell! This season I will do blogs only, for my 5 radio fans I'm sorry but I just don't have the time or desire to do that anymore. I do however love to write and I love my Flames and this season for better or for worse is going to be a very interesting season to say the least. I will do a more detailed blog on the Flames at or after training camp because I think that there is going to me some more changes to come (as there always is at training camp) and I don't want to get too far ahead of myself or look like a dumbass, because how can you critique a team that hasn't even been formally put together. I would just be whining about another team that didn't make the playoffs for another season, and that team is not the team we are going to see in October. No peeps this is just a little primer for all of you and hopefully you will subscribe to my stuff and enjoy what I got. Before I go I just want to say that it is sad to see such a awesome guy like Wade Belak pass away. He was as some of you know a former Calgary Flame and a tremendous human being. He always had a funny joke to tell and was always on TV trying to make people laugh. This world needs more Wade's in it because it's a dark world sometimes and it just got a little darker yesterday. On behalf of myself and my friends and loved ones I want to offer my most heart felt condolences to his family. The NHL needs to look into head hits and depression. It's a real problem. It happened to many hockey players and wrestlers. Chris Benoit being the worst possible example. Head hits of any kind do damage and it needs to be discussed and changed. I love hockey fights but as a guy who loves this game more then the average fan I am willing to pay and see a fightless game to see people like Wade stay alive. Please NHL wake the hell up! Also NHLPA wake the hell up! These guys need a way to transition out of the game when their carriers are over. So have a program out there for them because when you eat sleep and crap hockey for your whole childhood and adult life and it's gone in one day, guys need a place to fall and get back up because it is a hard check to take! Thanks peeps for reading this and I can't wait to blog another season and see another season of FLAMES HOCKEY! Until next time, I will catch you all on the flipside.