Before we get hot and heavy back into the Thrashers stretch run, I wanted to give you hockey fans some props. I got more comments from people saying they were impressed with the passion of hockey in Atlanta, something they didn’t expect. People even loved the boos for guys like Marc Savard saying that’s the sign of a passionate sports town. Bottom line, Atlanta knows how to put on a big event and the hockey community didn’t let us down. So here’s my debriefing of All-Star weekend before we get into the Thrashers and how their season is basically on the line in the next two weeks (we can save that one for Tuesday).

Best All-Star moment: Kovy the Entertainer putting on a show in the second period with his antics after Evgeni Nabokov robbed him of two goals. He really put on a show and that’s exactly the kind of stuff this sport needs. He completely destroyed the brooding Russian persona he was starting to get tagged with and was entertaining every time you put a microphone in front of his face. Quite honestly, I think Kovalchuk gets bored answering questions from me and the same couple people during the season, and really rose to the occasion when the hockey world came to Atlanta. Good for him.

Best interview: Sure, chatting it up with hockey greats was fun, but nothing tops an interview with Alyssa Milano. My wife reads the blog, so that’s all I have to say about that.

Worst interview: Alright, maybe it wasn’t the worst because I was captivated, but I watched some guy ask Scott Gomez if A) He’d ever wear colored laces and then followed it up by asking him if he’d fight Gary Bettman if they played together in a men’s league game. Actually, here was the exact question: “If the dude tried to mess with you, would you throw down?” and the answer from Gomez? “I really like my job. Maybe a quick elbow in the corner…I wouldn’t want to get blacklisted.” Actually, I take it back, that might have been the best interview.

Biggest surprise: I couldn’t believe how packed the Red Carpet event was. I was there a half hour early and people were pressed five deep along the barricades. I know the players were impressed, and that was one moment Don Waddell highlighted as well. If you were there, good for you, that was impressive.

Best jersey: There were just some absolutely fantastic hockey jerseys busted out. I talked to one guy who had a game-worn Toby Enstrom jersey from the exhibition season before Toby changed his number. But there were jerseys from all over the world and from every team in the NHL. My personal favorite was a woman wearing a Bob Probert jersey. It was fantastic. I asked her where her Petr KIima jersey was and she laughed and said “I’m old school.” Naturally anything from Slap Shot was pretty good too. Did you see anything unique?

Moment when I felt bad for Marian Hossa, but I knew it was coming: Obviously Hossa had to answer questions all weekend about his contract, and that’s understandable. It goes with being a millionaire athlete who is in the process of possible negotiations. But after he scored his first career goal in an All-Star game, in front of his home fans, a minute into his postgame interview, he’s asked about his future in Atlanta and the contract. (and naturally, you want to know what he said. Here it is: “I just had fun, tried to enjoy every little bit of it. The fans are great here. I just had fun tonight, we’ll see what’s going to happen in the future.”)

One thing I might change: For the breakaway competition that was judged, I’d make two adjustments. I think it has tons of potential, and was the best event in the Skills competition. But first, I’d get rid of the goalie. If a guy is doing a 360, he doesn’t need a poke check from Manny Legace (who, by the way, quickly became one of my favorite players to chat with. I told him he got robbed of the MVP in the YoungStars game, and he started laughing. He’s a great guy, and I hate that I missed his miked-up portion of the television broadcast on VS. because I heard it was great). Plus, Ovechkin almost took off Chris Osgood’s head when he was doing that baseball swing. Maybe put cardboard cutouts or something so accuracy is important, but I’d eliminate the goalie. Secondly, I’d bring in players just for that event, like the NBA does for the Slam Dunk competition rather than spring it on All-Stars who might not specialize in or be ready for something like that. You?

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