Frozen Steel Meets The Fans: Number 2 - James Clover

Welcome to the second fan question and answer session. We ask you the hockey family a series of ten questions and you supply the answers. It's as simple as that.

So who's the second hockey fan under the microscope. Without any further ado, let's shine the spotlight on them.

Name: James Clover

Club Supported: Sheffield Steelers

1. Where did you watch your first hockey game? 

Sheffield Arena.

2. Who was your first hockey idol? 

Ryan Finnerty or Colt King are the earliest I can remember.

3. Do you have a NHL team you support? If so, who? 

Boston Bruins.

4. What's your favourite and least favourite rink? 

Love the Arena as it’s home, least favourite...yet to be decided!

5. Do you have any match day superstitions? 

Outfit, it’s always the same jeans and jacket with a Steelers shirt.

6. What's your day job outside of hockey? 

Technical Support for one the country's biggest phone and broadband suppliers.

7. Do you have any other hobbies besides hockey? 

Football, Gaming, Wrestling and Music.

8. Which place would you consider your ideal holiday destination? 

Boston, Massachusetts.

9. Name your ideal four dinner guests 

Ryan Finnerty, Colt King, Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara.

10. Including you, name your all time hockey line. You can play anywhere from goalie, D, winger or centre. 

NM: Moose, D: Zack Fitzgerald and Chara, King RW, Bergeron C, Me LW.

Some great responses there James, thanks for taking part. Who will be the third person featured. It could be YOU! Remember you don't have to be a Steelers hockey fan to take part.

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@Disgu15ed

Check out Breaking The Ice: Our Podcast

Available on iTunes to listen and download, also on SoundCloud

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

Frozen Steel Meets The Fans: Number 1 - Chris Devlin

Welcome to a new occasional feature to Frozen Steel Blog. We're going to talk to you the fans in a kind mini question and answer session and give you the chance to appear on the Blog. Not just Steelers fans, we're going to feature fans from around the Elite League hopefully.

If you're interested in taking part, then get in contact with us at the usual methods shown at the bottom of this article. We welcome all fans, regardless. Without further ado, let's introduce our inaugural interviewee.

Name: Chris Devlin

Club Supported: Braehead Clan

1.

1.    Where did you watch your first hockey game?

  

I watched my first hockey game in Paisley. Paisley played their first home match in the SNL  and won the match at a canter.

2.    Who was your first hockey idol?

Big Bad John Kidd. Hugely underrated player who scored points and never lost a fight.

3.    Do you have a NHL team you support? If so, who?

Calgary Flames. In sport I always support the underdog. I took to the Flames early on and I am a very loyal sports fan so I will never change.   

4.    What's your favourite and least favourite rink?

The Motorpoint Nottingham is my favourite. Not just cause of the rink/arena but the surrounding facilities available within a short walking distance.

Fife Ice Arena is my least favourite. I have been swore at many times and after Paisley Pirates won the Scottish Cup in the mid/late 90’s up there I was challenged to a fight by a Fife guy in his 50’s at the bar. I was only a teenager myself I think!

5.    Do you have any match day superstitions?

I used to head towards the right hand side ticket collector at Braehead as I thought it brought us luck but in all honesty that is a load of rubbish so nothing apart from that.  

6.    What's your day job outside of hockey?

I am a business development manager for a large communications company.

7.    Do you have any other hobbies besides hockey?

I am a sports fan in general. I have a season ticket watching Soccerball for St. Mirren Football Club. Socialise with friends, pubs, restaurants.

8.    Which place would you consider your ideal holiday destination?

New York as you have so many different teams who are not too far apart who you can see on any given day.

9.    Name your ideal four dinner guests.

Rachel Weisz

Estelle Skornik

Lorraine Pascale

Emma Willis

10.  Including you, name your all time hockey line. You can play anywhere from goalie, D, winger or centre.

G – Bill Morrison

D – Doug Marsden

D – Tim Wedderburn

F – Alex Koulekov

F – Chris Devlin

F- Jade Galbraith

Warm thanks to Chris for taking part from all at Frozen Steel.

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@Disgu15ed

Check out Breaking The Ice: Our Podcast

Available on iTunes to listen and download, also on SoundCloud

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

20 Things that you may or may not know: Featuring FSB Editor Mark

Welcome to a quirky little article that I've decided to throw in during the off-season. I present to you dear FSB readers, 20 things that you might or might not know about me. Yes that's my ugly mush pictured above at the top of this piece...

The article will probably get not as many views as a normal article, but it is - as I state at the start: quirky. 

20 Things about FSB Editor Mark

1.  I should have been called Marc but Dad spelt it incorrectly on my birth certificate. I was to be named after Marc Bolan, the lead singer of T-Rex, whom I was told Mam quite liked...

2. I was born four days late on Hallowe'en 1971. Guess this explains why I can be a bit stubborn then.

3.  Within hours of being born, I marked my arrival into the world by p*ssing over the nurse.  Nothing like making an instant impact, eh?

4.  I went to my first hockey game at the tender age of 8 when I literally begged my family to let me go on the school trip to it. Never looked back since..

5.  I started to take an interest in the NHL a few months later watching the Oilers and being mesmerised by "The Great One" (Mr G). Both him and Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux seemed like gods.

6.  My NHL team is New Jersey Devils, and I've supported them since 1991. Martin Brodeur became my hero and I admit I would wear 30 on my back if I was a goalie.

7.  Now if I was an outskater, I'd go for 4 if playing D after the wrecking ball that was Scott Stevens and 68 or 71 if a forward. 68 because of Jaromir Jagr and 71 after the year I was born.

8.  At school I was a more decent rugby player actually. Used to playing hard contact games eh? I captained my school for a couple of years until...

9.  I've got no cartilages in my knees after a freak rugby training session accident at 15. I had to have major surgery on them and repair my Achilles which was shredded in the same incident.

10. I've had numerous nicknames in the past from Prof (after my geeky looks) to Aardvark. I'm now known as either Basil (after Basil Brush) or Mad Dog. Just look my initials and you'll see why the latter sticks.

11.  I am a bit of a sports fanatic and will watch most sports. However, one sport I never watch is tennis (not even for some of the pretty ladies). Each to their own I suppose..

12.   Up to the age of 26 I had long hair, which kinda tells you what sort of music I like. Then I noticed I was going thin on top, next thing out came the clippers and I shaved it off. I miss the long hair look.

13.  My musical taste is usually rock and metal. Favourite current band is Alter Bridge, closely followed by Shinedown. You should see my music collection, it's pretty large...

14.   If I had to be stranded on a desert island with someone I don't know, it would have to be with Rachel Hunter (Liam Stewart's Mam). Just think of her in the "Stacy's Mom" video...

15.  Picking four dinner guests (alive or not) would probably read the afore mentioned Ms Hunter, Martin Brodeur and Henrik Larsson. Nice mix of people; wouldn't you say?

16.   One food I could eat all the time would be pasta or anything pasta orientated. I am addtionally quite partial to a decent steak and also will happily consume a Chinese, Indian or Italian dish if need be.

17.   Favourite drink has to be either a decent hand pulled real ale or any continental beer such as Budvar. If I am sticking to soft drinks, I quite like a nice cold glass of ginger beer..blame Nan for that!

18.  So what's my favourite movie? I like action movies, thrillers, horror, sci-fi or a good comedy to be honest. But if I had to pick one it's the best fictional disaster movie going: "The Towering Inferno" which starred Paul Newman and Steve McQueen.

19.  Favourite hockey rink outside Sheffield? Now that's a tough call. I'll probably go with the "O" in Belfast because it has Rockies so close by. Coming close are Braehead and the Kinnarps in Jonkoping, Sweden. Least favourite? Never liked the BBT at all.

20.   My favourite holiday destination has to be New Zealand, I could honestly live there. Mind you, I wouldn't mind waking up on Xmas Day and spending it on Bondi Beach in Oz. Closer to home it's the County Down countryside or my native North East.

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@Disgu15ed

Check out Breaking The Ice: Our Podcast

Available on iTunes to listen and download, also on SoundCloud

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

Talking hockey with Tim Larsson

On Saturday night the Steelers hosted Swedish Hockey League (SHL) side HV71 Jönköping in their first of two Champions Hockey League games. Even though the result wasn't as favourable as we wanted, the atmosphere was immense. This was mainly down to the superb support given by our Swedish visitors.

We managed to collar one of them for a quick Q&A. Here we talk some hockey with Tim Larsson, and thank Tim for his time and willingness to take part.

FSB: First of all, what was the initial reaction to when HV71 drew the Steelers in the Champions Hockey League?

Tim: For myself I loved our pics. The main thing for me with the CHL is to experience new culture and explore new cities. To be honest I thought HV would win with numbers like Frölunda last season but Steelers put up a great fight. I'm sure you're gonna rock the EIHL.

FSB: As a New Jersey Devils fan myself how good is Mattias Tedenby?

Tim:  Mattias Tedenby had a really good year last season but I still think he needs to find a more equal style in his play. Can for example be brilliant 3 games and then disappear for 2 games. A lot of people in Jönköping think he's worth the entrance fee himself.

FSB: From what you have seen Tim, what is your opinion on the Steelers team that HV71 have played?

Tim: Robert Dowd is very good in my opinion. Steelers play a really gritty game and I think Jerry Andersson's experience will be very important for you this season.

FSB: Following on from that question, which Steelers players have impressed you?

Tim: Robert Dowd again, always an offensive threat for our defense, and of course the Moose Mustukovs. I just love his old time play in the net!

FSB: How far do you think HV71 can progress in the Champions Hockey League?

Tim: Hard to tell. CHL is really dependent on your day form. Look at Vienna, they defeated Skelleftea in the first game. I'll think Salzburg will be a hard nut to crack.

FSB: And finally, is it safe for us to assume that all HV71 fans are adopted Steelers fans from now on?

Tim: Haha, absolutely! We all love Sheffield now!

All the staff at the arena is super friendly and all the Steelers fans are so warmhearted. I think we all have a place in our hearts and I think you feel the same for us. Hopefully we made a bigger impact than Frölunda! ;)

 

I think you might be right Tim, we definitely have a soft spot for HV71 as well. Hopefully this will lead to plenty of friendships made, I certainly will be looking forward to making a trip to Jönköping myself sometime soon.

You can catch Tim in the old Twitterverse on @TimpanHv71 

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

@FrozenSteelBlog

@FrozenSteelMNL

@hockeybhoy

@Disgu15ed

Check out Breaking The Ice

Available on iTunes to listen and download, also on SoundCloud

Or Email the team at frozen.steel.91@gmail.com

Steelers Fans Forum Summary And Analysis

Apologies in advance, this isn't being written first-hand. I live in Scarborough, I'm not going to travel down to Sheffield for a Q&A unless they're providing cake and coffee.

But many Steelers fans did attend, and thank you to both Alan, and Samantha Dale on Twitter for keeping us all updated.

Twitter Takeover: Colt King Takes Over Steelers Banter

Following on from the success of their Q&A takeover with Tom Squires, our friends at Steelers Banter thought they'd do it again. And they got a corker. Ladies and gentlemen, Colt King.

Twitter Takeover - Tom Squires Takes Over @Steelers_Banter

This past Monday, our good friends at Steelers Banter (find them at @Steelers_Banter on Twitter) gave up their account to the British former Steelers forward Tom Squires. Squires, who currently is plying his trade for the Hull Stingrays, opened himself up for an hour and a half, answering questions on all topics. hockey and otherwise. He's a braver man than I am. Here's the Q&A.