I went to open skate this afternoon just for a little exercise. I left with a lot more.
A father brought his just-turned-3-year-old son out for the first time. Little skates, little gloves, little helmet. There was a lot of falling -- crumpling, really. Often kids are taught to skate by pushing a chair or cone. Maybe if he was the first child he would have been eased into it that way. But no, it was sink or swim for this little guy. He was picked up when he fell down, then was on his own again.
When I chatted with them, the dad, who plays in two men's leagues, bemoaned the fact that the kid seemed more interested in everything around than actual skating. Sitting in the penalty box? Wow.
I saw the boy take his very first strides. He made these little happy sounds when he knew he got it. I'm going to try to remember that sounded like, because that kid had what so many of us have lost lately -- the simple joy of hockey.
There are a lot of people in and around hockey who don't seem to even like the sport anymore, if they ever did. Everything becomes about something other than hockey. It's especially easy this time of year, when huge contracts are signed to pay people to play a sport they once did just because they liked it. Loved it.
I would just encourage everyone to take one little step back towards what made them become a fan of the game in the first place. There's plenty of summertime left to do it. One little step, the size of a 3-year-old stride.
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wolves new coach Don Granato
Since Strickland has now broken the story, we'll go ahead with this post.
Let’s get the first question out of the way -- yes, Don Granato is the brother of Tony and Cammi Granato. He was raised in Downers Grove, Ill., just outside Chicago, and still makes his home in the metro area.
Granato’s personal story is quite inspirational. In February 2005, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the same cancer that Mario Lemieux battled. Granato, who was coach of the Worcester IceCats at the time, had to step down and undergo 12 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. He beat the cancer and returned to coaching the next fall, with the parent St. Louis Blues as an assistant (link includes photo).
For the past two seasons, he’s been working as a pro scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Granato was hired there by John Ferguson, Jr (then GM). Granato was set to have continued on with the Leafs next year, if not for him going after the Wolves job.
Researching him as I’ve been doing, it’s hard not to see his passion for coaching. One in a series of columns on hockey in USA Today several years ago is titled A coach’s emotional roller coaster ride.
You get a sense of how excited he is about the game by the number of exclamation points he used in the column above. Copyeditors could not temper him. I count five.
John Buccigross met him in 2004 and had described him this way:
As far as his accomplishments go, Granato was the captain of the Univ. of Wisconsin's NCAA championship team in 1990. He was AHL Coach of the Year in 2000-01 with Worcester, posting a .675 winning percentage. He also won the ECHL Kelly Cup with Peoria in 1999-00. He was also general manager of that team.
Style of coaching? He expects a high compete level from his teams, so you’ll see an up-tempo game. Granato talked about the importance of competitiveness in another of his columns.
Granato was a forward when he played, and is still quite young, turning 41 in August.
St. Louis Blues GM Larry Pleau on Granato back in 2005:
Wolves players with ties to Granato? Not many. He'll largely be starting from scratch with the players. The incoming Mike Hoffman played 15 games for Granato in 2003-04 in Worcester. Colin Stuart’s brother Mike played for him for three years also in Worcester.
When given a choice, as he was by the Blues in 2005 between coaching and scouting, he's chosen coaching. But Granato’s pro scouting and management experience will surely come in handy for the Wolves. Like the Thrashers, the Wolves need to bring more hockey minds into the organization. When the day comes that Wolves GM Kevin Chevaldayoff is officially hired by an NHL club, they will need those people to fill the hole he leaves.
Interestingly, Granato coached alongside former Thrashers coach Curt Fraser in St. Louis in 2005-06 (both were assistant coaches), and now with Fraser going to Grand Rapids, they will be going head to head in the AHL. (Speaking of Fraser, anyone else find it ironic that Todd Nelson and Curt Fraser were each both previously employed by the other's new organization?)
All in all, Granato looks like an excellent choice from all angles.
Let’s get the first question out of the way -- yes, Don Granato is the brother of Tony and Cammi Granato. He was raised in Downers Grove, Ill., just outside Chicago, and still makes his home in the metro area.
Granato’s personal story is quite inspirational. In February 2005, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the same cancer that Mario Lemieux battled. Granato, who was coach of the Worcester IceCats at the time, had to step down and undergo 12 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. He beat the cancer and returned to coaching the next fall, with the parent St. Louis Blues as an assistant (link includes photo).
For the past two seasons, he’s been working as a pro scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Granato was hired there by John Ferguson, Jr (then GM). Granato was set to have continued on with the Leafs next year, if not for him going after the Wolves job.
Researching him as I’ve been doing, it’s hard not to see his passion for coaching. One in a series of columns on hockey in USA Today several years ago is titled A coach’s emotional roller coaster ride.
You get a sense of how excited he is about the game by the number of exclamation points he used in the column above. Copyeditors could not temper him. I count five.
John Buccigross met him in 2004 and had described him this way:
Don will make a good NHL head coach because of his experience and love of the game. He has a dedication to his craft and a cool demeanor that will work very well with the 21st Century athlete. Players will play and perform for him. He projects authority without being demeaning. He has those deep-set Granato eyes that project intensity, passion and warmth.Bucci asks him eight questions at the bottom, my favorite is this one.
No. 6: Ray Ferraro is now your brother-in-law after he wed your sister Cammi. Isn't that a bit unsettling?
Granato: No comment.
As far as his accomplishments go, Granato was the captain of the Univ. of Wisconsin's NCAA championship team in 1990. He was AHL Coach of the Year in 2000-01 with Worcester, posting a .675 winning percentage. He also won the ECHL Kelly Cup with Peoria in 1999-00. He was also general manager of that team.
Style of coaching? He expects a high compete level from his teams, so you’ll see an up-tempo game. Granato talked about the importance of competitiveness in another of his columns.
Granato was a forward when he played, and is still quite young, turning 41 in August.
St. Louis Blues GM Larry Pleau on Granato back in 2005:
"He's young. He's enthusiastic. He's a good teacher. And he comes from a hockey family. You take a decision on who will handle your prospects very seriously. You spend lots of money in the development process, from scouting the kids to grooming them to be NHL players. It’s important not to make a mistake in choosing a coach to bring your prospects into the future."
Wolves players with ties to Granato? Not many. He'll largely be starting from scratch with the players. The incoming Mike Hoffman played 15 games for Granato in 2003-04 in Worcester. Colin Stuart’s brother Mike played for him for three years also in Worcester.
When given a choice, as he was by the Blues in 2005 between coaching and scouting, he's chosen coaching. But Granato’s pro scouting and management experience will surely come in handy for the Wolves. Like the Thrashers, the Wolves need to bring more hockey minds into the organization. When the day comes that Wolves GM Kevin Chevaldayoff is officially hired by an NHL club, they will need those people to fill the hole he leaves.
Interestingly, Granato coached alongside former Thrashers coach Curt Fraser in St. Louis in 2005-06 (both were assistant coaches), and now with Fraser going to Grand Rapids, they will be going head to head in the AHL. (Speaking of Fraser, anyone else find it ironic that Todd Nelson and Curt Fraser were each both previously employed by the other's new organization?)
All in all, Granato looks like an excellent choice from all angles.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday tidbits: KHL, coaches, roommates
Preseason games have begun in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League, successor to the Russian Super League). That's more bad news for seeing Ilya Nikulin in North America.
I was a little surprised not to hear reaction about the Thrashers adding an additional assistant coach to the normal two. "Three! That's too many!" or something like that. Well, if you think three is a lot, the Sharks now have five. And no, video coaches don't really count.
Former Thrashers coach Bob Hartley is being interviewed for the Islanders job, but given that they have young talent that needs to be developed, he's not a favorite to get it. From Newsday:
I'm going to say no to that question. Candidates Mike Sullivan or Scott Gordon of Providence seem like a good fit for their needs.
There were more NHL coaching changes this offseason than in recent memory. That, combined with multiple affiliation changes means that things are still fairly unsettled in the AHL. And it's almost August.
AHL coaching openings remaining:
Rochester (due to Randy Cunneyworth to Atlanta)
Rockford (Mike Haviland now an assistant with the parent Blackhawks)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Todd Richards hired by the Sharks)
Iowa (now affiliated with Anaheim)
Portland, though Kevin Dineen may return as coach, despite the change in affiliate to Buffalo.
Providence, if Scott Gordon gets the Islanders job.
The hiring of Todd Richards by the Sharks was a great one. I was extremely impressed by him when I was up in Wilkes-Barre for the AHL finals. He’s well-spoken, thoughtful, and energetic. I would bet money he’ll have an NHL team of his own in a few years.
Here's something fun. The St. Louis Blues website pitted Dan Hinote's fiance (Amy McCarthy) roommate (Erik Johnson) in a "who knows him better?" contest. Amy won by a big margin. The answers are funny. I once tested roommates Brad Schell and Lane Manson on how well they knew each other and they did much better than EJ here. Schell got more questions right about Manson than the other way around. That didn't surprise me since Lane talks so much.
Meanwhile, in media news, newspapers around the country are taking a massive beating.
.
I was a little surprised not to hear reaction about the Thrashers adding an additional assistant coach to the normal two. "Three! That's too many!" or something like that. Well, if you think three is a lot, the Sharks now have five. And no, video coaches don't really count.
Former Thrashers coach Bob Hartley is being interviewed for the Islanders job, but given that they have young talent that needs to be developed, he's not a favorite to get it. From Newsday:
There’s little doubt Hartley meets Snow’s criteria for a coach in terms of discipline and providing structure and technical expertise. But the major question for Hartley is whether he has the patience for a long-term development project and the willingness to rely on young players in major roles.
I'm going to say no to that question. Candidates Mike Sullivan or Scott Gordon of Providence seem like a good fit for their needs.
There were more NHL coaching changes this offseason than in recent memory. That, combined with multiple affiliation changes means that things are still fairly unsettled in the AHL. And it's almost August.
AHL coaching openings remaining:
Rochester (due to Randy Cunneyworth to Atlanta)
Rockford (Mike Haviland now an assistant with the parent Blackhawks)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Todd Richards hired by the Sharks)
Iowa (now affiliated with Anaheim)
Portland, though Kevin Dineen may return as coach, despite the change in affiliate to Buffalo.
Providence, if Scott Gordon gets the Islanders job.
The hiring of Todd Richards by the Sharks was a great one. I was extremely impressed by him when I was up in Wilkes-Barre for the AHL finals. He’s well-spoken, thoughtful, and energetic. I would bet money he’ll have an NHL team of his own in a few years.
Here's something fun. The St. Louis Blues website pitted Dan Hinote's fiance (Amy McCarthy) roommate (Erik Johnson) in a "who knows him better?" contest. Amy won by a big margin. The answers are funny. I once tested roommates Brad Schell and Lane Manson on how well they knew each other and they did much better than EJ here. Schell got more questions right about Manson than the other way around. That didn't surprise me since Lane talks so much.
Meanwhile, in media news, newspapers around the country are taking a massive beating.
Rough June for newspapers portends bleak futureIn Atlanta, the AJC announced 10 days ago that they are cutting 8 percent of their workforce.
Accelerating decline in ad revenue leaves newspaper publishers predicting still more bad news
NEW YORK (AP) -- Regional and national newspaper publishers, already staggering with a drop in ad revenue more severe than the industry has seen since the Great Depression, say the second half of 2008 may be even worse.
.
Observations on hockey players
I've met hundreds of hockey players over the years, so many that the early ones are starting to blur together. That's the downside, but the upside is that I can echo the longstanding wisdom that they are a pleasure to be around, and are what keeps me doing what I do. Here are some observations on personality and what it takes to make it.
1. Hockey players are nice people. I spend a fair amount of time near visitors locker rooms, trying to find a particular player. I often ask the equipment manager or a teammate to tell the guy I'm looking for him. Not only do they tell him, the often will follow back up with me on his status and estimated time. Thanks, man. The best for me was when I was in another city and mistook one player for another (easy to do given circumstance). The guy practically apologized for not being the one I was looking for. He finally got his first NHL contract this summer -- glad to see that happen to such a nice guy. And the nicest in the bunch are without fail the tough guys. When you think about it, it makes sense -- only those who channel that belligerent energy in a team-oriented way, on and off the ice, are going to move up the ranks.
2. Hockey players are smart people. It's a rough sport, but hockey is not about brute strength (like football) or being freakishly tall (like basketball). It's about skill and teamwork. I've only met two players who I would label "dumb jocks," and the fact that I remember them for that underlines how rare they are. Players in other sports get in trouble for dumb things. I don't think hockey players are angels, but they are usually smart enough to do the cost/benefit analysis on that potentially dumb thing and decide against it. One time a player who many probably would look at and assume he was dumb got preemptively defensive with me about it, stating that he wasn't dumb. I assured him that I never thought any such thing.
3. Most down to earth? On a whole, defensemen and guys from Saskatchewan. Defensemen don't get much glory, so they have the easiest time keeping their heads on straight. And Saskatchewan? Per capita, they've produced the most NHLrs of any Canadian province. Most of them could probably kick your ass too, starting with Gordie Howe. The culture must be just right there.
4. Good goalies have a swagger to them. All of them. They need it to do that job, which has so much pressure. If you meet a goalie who doesn't seem to have a swagger, either you don't know him well enough yet, he's in a bad spell, or he's not a very good goalie. I've noticed this same phenomenon with reporters to a lesser extent, because if you folded up the tents when people criticized you, you would last about three days. I get concerned when I meet a goalie and see no swagger.
5. Desire goes farther than talent. You need both, but the most important is desire. I've seen very talented players flounder in the minors because they just don't care to apply themselves. Likewise, there are tons of heart and soul players in the NHL who are there simply because they are willing to go through walls.
.
1. Hockey players are nice people. I spend a fair amount of time near visitors locker rooms, trying to find a particular player. I often ask the equipment manager or a teammate to tell the guy I'm looking for him. Not only do they tell him, the often will follow back up with me on his status and estimated time. Thanks, man. The best for me was when I was in another city and mistook one player for another (easy to do given circumstance). The guy practically apologized for not being the one I was looking for. He finally got his first NHL contract this summer -- glad to see that happen to such a nice guy. And the nicest in the bunch are without fail the tough guys. When you think about it, it makes sense -- only those who channel that belligerent energy in a team-oriented way, on and off the ice, are going to move up the ranks.
2. Hockey players are smart people. It's a rough sport, but hockey is not about brute strength (like football) or being freakishly tall (like basketball). It's about skill and teamwork. I've only met two players who I would label "dumb jocks," and the fact that I remember them for that underlines how rare they are. Players in other sports get in trouble for dumb things. I don't think hockey players are angels, but they are usually smart enough to do the cost/benefit analysis on that potentially dumb thing and decide against it. One time a player who many probably would look at and assume he was dumb got preemptively defensive with me about it, stating that he wasn't dumb. I assured him that I never thought any such thing.
3. Most down to earth? On a whole, defensemen and guys from Saskatchewan. Defensemen don't get much glory, so they have the easiest time keeping their heads on straight. And Saskatchewan? Per capita, they've produced the most NHLrs of any Canadian province. Most of them could probably kick your ass too, starting with Gordie Howe. The culture must be just right there.
4. Good goalies have a swagger to them. All of them. They need it to do that job, which has so much pressure. If you meet a goalie who doesn't seem to have a swagger, either you don't know him well enough yet, he's in a bad spell, or he's not a very good goalie. I've noticed this same phenomenon with reporters to a lesser extent, because if you folded up the tents when people criticized you, you would last about three days. I get concerned when I meet a goalie and see no swagger.
5. Desire goes farther than talent. You need both, but the most important is desire. I've seen very talented players flounder in the minors because they just don't care to apply themselves. Likewise, there are tons of heart and soul players in the NHL who are there simply because they are willing to go through walls.
.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Todd Nelson in Thrashers blue (photos)
Since I may be the only person who has taken photos of Todd Nelson in Thrashers colors, I'll go ahead and post them. All are from the recent prospect camp here in Atlanta.
It was not only Anderson's comment during prospect camp that made me think Nelly would get the job, but also the way he was pressing the flesh among the staff. "Hi I'm Todd Nelson and I'm running for assistant coach." I would only add that Nelly has always been very pleasant to me both in Chicago and Atlanta, even when he wasn't running for anything.
Nelson giving tips to Will O'Neill (48) and Zach Bogosian. Nelly was a defenseman in his day, so it's likely he'll continue to specialize there.
Nelson with Wolves coach Wendall Young.
Nelson in goal. Sort of.
With the name on the back.
It was not only Anderson's comment during prospect camp that made me think Nelly would get the job, but also the way he was pressing the flesh among the staff. "Hi I'm Todd Nelson and I'm running for assistant coach." I would only add that Nelly has always been very pleasant to me both in Chicago and Atlanta, even when he wasn't running for anything.
Nelson giving tips to Will O'Neill (48) and Zach Bogosian. Nelly was a defenseman in his day, so it's likely he'll continue to specialize there.
Nelson with Wolves coach Wendall Young.
Nelson in goal. Sort of.
With the name on the back.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Follow-ups: coaching, rink, and Finns
1. I think we'll be hearing imminently who the Thrashers assistant coaches will be this year. It seems more and more likely to me that Chicago Wolves assistant coach Todd Nelson will be joining John Anderson in Atlanta. I first mentioned it here during prospect camp.
The Wolves will likely make their own coaching announcement as soon as the Thrashers do. Right now it would be awkward to do it because Nelson would be a candidate for the head coach position there if he stayed. Best to avoid that. (Though I wonder if any media in Chicago would even notice...there's been not one item on the search that I could find. Everything's been out of Atlanta/Gwinnett.)
Some don't think the identity of the assistant coaches are very important. In normal times, that's probably true. But these aren't normal times. When there's any kind of power struggle or uncertainty going on, it gives you a window in like nothing else does. Would top candidates stay away due to the uncertainty of ownership, like the head coaching job?
2. In other news, Finnish hockey fans are hard-core. I learned this today after mentioning something about Finland yesterday and getting about 1000 visits from that country in the past 24 hours (numbers not exaggerated). That's like what, 10% of the country? (I kid!) Seriously, though, stay cold, Finland.
3. Things you like to see: Robbie Bina turning pro.
5. I found another article talking about the rink project in Peachtree City. It references a letter from Don Waddell to the organizer of the project.
The Wolves will likely make their own coaching announcement as soon as the Thrashers do. Right now it would be awkward to do it because Nelson would be a candidate for the head coach position there if he stayed. Best to avoid that. (Though I wonder if any media in Chicago would even notice...there's been not one item on the search that I could find. Everything's been out of Atlanta/Gwinnett.)
Some don't think the identity of the assistant coaches are very important. In normal times, that's probably true. But these aren't normal times. When there's any kind of power struggle or uncertainty going on, it gives you a window in like nothing else does. Would top candidates stay away due to the uncertainty of ownership, like the head coaching job?
2. In other news, Finnish hockey fans are hard-core. I learned this today after mentioning something about Finland yesterday and getting about 1000 visits from that country in the past 24 hours (numbers not exaggerated). That's like what, 10% of the country? (I kid!) Seriously, though, stay cold, Finland.
3. Things you like to see: Robbie Bina turning pro.
In about three years, Robbie Bina has made the incredible journey from a broken neck to a professional hockey contract.4. Things you don't like to see: Unfinished, abandoned hockey arenas. This is the Sarasota one.
The arena is now little more than three concrete walls standing along the largely unused road named Center Ice Parkway. It is fenced off twice -- once with a gate for which Diaz has the key and with another fence maintained by SMR.
The project's future remains uncertain, but it still has its supporters.
The East Coast Hockey League (sic), which had a team lined up to come here if the arena was built, still considers Lakewood Ranch a prime market.
5. I found another article talking about the rink project in Peachtree City. It references a letter from Don Waddell to the organizer of the project.
During his presentation Thursday, Thompson included a letter from Don Waddell, Executive Vice President and GM of the Atlanta Thrashers.
“The Thrashers would like to be involved in this, and will do mini-camps and hold some practices here,” said Thompson.
He also presented a letter of support from Toby Jeffreys, Majority Owner and Chairman of the Gwinnett Gladiators.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Predictions and plans for August
Things that wouldn’t surprise me if they happened:
* Mark Popovic signing in Finland with Tappara. That’s the same team as Niclas Lucenius, by the way.
* Colton Fretter signing with the AHL Houston Aeros. They were interested in him last summer but he chose to re-sign with Chicago.
* Kevin Doell signing in Finland (or Sweden). He had a deal lined up with Espoo last summer with an NHL out clause. He was an UFA then and now. If anyone bemoans the loss of Doell, Rylan Kaip should be able to take over those checking responsibilities with the Wolves.
* Brett Sterling traded before the end of the calendar year. Left wing is still log-jammed with Kovalchuk and Kozlov. He is probably more valuable in a trade right now.
What would surprise me is 2000 draft pick Ilya Nikulin signing with the Thrashers. Everyone in the organization has said for years, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” because it seems every year noise gets made and then he doesn’t come. Even a signed contract wouldn’t be enough at this point for me. Don’t believe he’s coming until you see the whites of his eyes. It’s hard to extricate players from Russia for reasons that go even beyond the current dispute over contracts.
When Nikulin was drafted, Zach Bogosian was 9 years old. Think about that for a moment.
Thanks to prospect camp, July has been the busiest month ever on the blog, and it’s only the 21st of the month. Thanks for stopping by, though I’ll admit the traffic makes me feel pressure to write every day. If you want to save yourself some clicks, and take some pressure off me, set up an RSS feed with the blogs you read and then it will show you if they’ve updated.
In August, I’ll do more “rules related to prospects” posts as people found them useful. Some may want to revisit the one on the NHL/CHL agreement now to understand why Angelo Esposito can’t play for the Chicago Wolves for the 2008-09 season (until his junior season is over). If you have another rule you’d like to understand better, just let me know.
Soon we’ll start hearing that so-and-so got invited to this or that NHL camp. That’s great except for Philadelphia’s. For the past couple of years, they’ve brought in 60+ players so that they can have a four-team mini-tournament at the start. Guys are brought in just to be bodies, and quickly released.
Conveniently holding off until the end of prospect camp was the premiere of season 5 of Project Runway. Last season I won my pool by picking Christian Siriano to win. To me he stood out right away. This season the talent is more spread out, with no clear favorite. I had to do a substantial amount of research this weekend to decide on my pick. I’m going with Jennifer Diederich. She’s got a clean look in her work that I think the judges will go for. If you do not yet watch the show, you’re missing some good TV. It’s on Wednesdays at 9pm on Bravo.
* Mark Popovic signing in Finland with Tappara. That’s the same team as Niclas Lucenius, by the way.
* Colton Fretter signing with the AHL Houston Aeros. They were interested in him last summer but he chose to re-sign with Chicago.
* Kevin Doell signing in Finland (or Sweden). He had a deal lined up with Espoo last summer with an NHL out clause. He was an UFA then and now. If anyone bemoans the loss of Doell, Rylan Kaip should be able to take over those checking responsibilities with the Wolves.
* Brett Sterling traded before the end of the calendar year. Left wing is still log-jammed with Kovalchuk and Kozlov. He is probably more valuable in a trade right now.
What would surprise me is 2000 draft pick Ilya Nikulin signing with the Thrashers. Everyone in the organization has said for years, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” because it seems every year noise gets made and then he doesn’t come. Even a signed contract wouldn’t be enough at this point for me. Don’t believe he’s coming until you see the whites of his eyes. It’s hard to extricate players from Russia for reasons that go even beyond the current dispute over contracts.
When Nikulin was drafted, Zach Bogosian was 9 years old. Think about that for a moment.
Thanks to prospect camp, July has been the busiest month ever on the blog, and it’s only the 21st of the month. Thanks for stopping by, though I’ll admit the traffic makes me feel pressure to write every day. If you want to save yourself some clicks, and take some pressure off me, set up an RSS feed with the blogs you read and then it will show you if they’ve updated.
In August, I’ll do more “rules related to prospects” posts as people found them useful. Some may want to revisit the one on the NHL/CHL agreement now to understand why Angelo Esposito can’t play for the Chicago Wolves for the 2008-09 season (until his junior season is over). If you have another rule you’d like to understand better, just let me know.
Soon we’ll start hearing that so-and-so got invited to this or that NHL camp. That’s great except for Philadelphia’s. For the past couple of years, they’ve brought in 60+ players so that they can have a four-team mini-tournament at the start. Guys are brought in just to be bodies, and quickly released.
Conveniently holding off until the end of prospect camp was the premiere of season 5 of Project Runway. Last season I won my pool by picking Christian Siriano to win. To me he stood out right away. This season the talent is more spread out, with no clear favorite. I had to do a substantial amount of research this weekend to decide on my pick. I’m going with Jennifer Diederich. She’s got a clean look in her work that I think the judges will go for. If you do not yet watch the show, you’re missing some good TV. It’s on Wednesdays at 9pm on Bravo.
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