There is no poll. Don't worry, we'll have more soon!

Stay tuned!

After extensive contract negotiations, the Mighty Pirates organization is extremely pleased to welcome back Howie for another season of insightful, amusing, and extremely addictive commentary! Yes, Howie tells it like it is!

You'll find links to each and every Howie Report right here after each game.

Pirates, TNHC Seek the "P" Word
2010-09-27: Mighty Pirates 3 vs. Drunken Monkeys 3

Ah, parity — the holy grail of sports organizers and league owners round the world... Entering their 18th year (the "To Life" Season) in True North Hockey Canada — a league established to cater to horrible, awful, really bad hockey players — the Mighty Pirates have enjoyed a yo-yo like existence. One year they are flying high, dominating teams far worse than they are, the next year they are the doormat for the teams in the next division up, who are far better. Would they ever find their rightful place in the shifting world of hockey competition, a place where any team could win any night, depending on how well they played?

Well, hold on to your helmets, folks, but the first two Pirate games of the TNHC Toronto Monday Night Gilmour Division (the second lowest division) has seen well-played, clean, competitive hockey and two ties:2-2 vs. the Mid-Ice Crisis last week (the MIC were of course smarting from having lost the championship game and the Starbucks Cup to the Summer Pirates just the week before!), and 3-3 last night vs. the Drunken Monkeys — a historic first meeting between these two clubs.Could this be it — could we be seeing the result of the delicate balancing act that personifies the creation of the perfect hockey division?

Let's not get too carried away — at least not yet.After all, we veteran Mighty Pirates know about teams purposely ragging the pre-season to improve their chances for the championship (but what fun is that?).Furthermore, it is hard to get into "real hockey" when the baseball season is still in full swing (okay, that only applies to a certain "elite" segment of the team!), and with so many regulars and subs still unavailable and/or injured and/or away, it is hard to work on "gelling" let alone working as a well-oiled machine.

Let's face it — the 18th season of the Mighty Pirates ushers (sorry for the pun, Gallivan!) in a new era for your favourite hockey team. With long-time veteran goalie Lella (the only regular goalie the Mighty Pirates have ever known — 17 years must be some kind of hockey record for a goalie with a single team!) and forward/defense and all-around nice guy Leggett bowing out of the regular roster, the Pirates have reached deep into their farm system to retool the line-up. First of all, Summer Pirate regular goalie Sturgeon, who has played out for the MPs for the past few seasons, has graciously stepped in between the pipes to fill the very big skates of Lella. The Klein family (and the Canadian Medical Association) has contributed the eldest offspring of original Pirate L. Klein, J. Klein. And the Summer Pirates (and Ontario Association of Architects) has given us co-Rookie of the Year for the 2010 Championship Summer Pirates, Hine. Rounding out the roster are Captain Mola, the Grind Line (Sager, Phillips and Alternate Captain Turner), centers Gallivan, Jezioranski and Alternate Captain Mutch, forwards Mandell, Sousa and Kwinter. On defence are Tassone and Butler (platooning early and late games), Besant and L. Klein. Subs are Brown, Siddons, E. Mintz, Kitchen and Bingham. Wow, it sounds like it is going to be one great season!

So stick around. Next up are the Cyclones in another historic first meeting, at 8:10 pm on Monday, October 4, at RINX 2. Fans are anticipating this game almost as much as the Pirates are anticipating the beer, wings and pizza afterwards in Howie's bar! Be there or else!

GO PIRATES!!! VIVEN LOS PIRATAS!!!
Les/Howie