Welcome & introduce yourself

[Matt]

Where were you born? Tampa, Fl
Current hometown: Gainesville/Tampa
Ever live anywhere else?: No
Nationality/ethnicity: Dad's side is European, Mom's side is Italian/Spanish
Job: UF Student

Favorite hockey team: The Bolts and Ducks
Why do you like them? Lightning: Dad took me to a game for my birthday in 92..hooked on hockey ever since. Ducks: I played with them a lot in hockey video games because I was deadly with Kariya/Selanne. I liked watching them play so they became my "west team" so to speak.
Least favorite: Panthers and Sens mostly, a few other teams as well
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Lecavalier and Richards
Favorite active player on another team: Ryan Getzlaf
All time favorite player if different:
Favorite teams in other sports: 49ers, Rays, Gators, Michigan (dad is from the state so I root for them when they aren't playing UF)

Favorite video/other games: NCAA 08 and Madden
Favorite music: Mostly rock and rap
Favorite movies: Mostly comedies, but I do like some action flicks too
Favorite TV show: Lost and Heroes

[Hoek]

Where were you born? Florida
Current hometown: Tampa, FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Massachusetts
Nationality/ethnicity: Argentina (which makes me 'Latino' but really I'm just a European mutt)
Job: Bio Lab/Computer Tech

Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? Hometown team, but heck I objectively like the name, color scheme, and the players, too. I might have picked them if I lived somewhere else. Even the underdog factor was appealing to me back in '95 when playing EA NHL 94 first inspired me to become a hockey fan.
Least favorite: Florida Panthers
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Vincent Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Fredrik Modin
All time favorite player: Shawn Burr
Favorite teams in other sports: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, South Florida Bulls, Florida Gators, Blackburn Rovers, Boca Juniors, all MLS teams but particularly LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew, and NE Revolution at the moment (bring back soccer to Tampa though please!)

Favorite video/other games: Sonic the Hedgehog series, Half-Life series, World of Warcraft (which I HAVE stopped playing until the next expansion comes out), currently primarily a PC and Nintendo DS gamer so currently hooked on Team Fortress 2, Crysis, Bioshock, Phoenix Wright series, Elite Beat Agents, etc.
Favorite music: Anything 80s, other than that my taste is literally all over the place (techno, J-pop, ragtime, tango, classical, you name it)
Favorite movies: Star Wars series, LOTR series, Miracle, Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell, anything Jackie Chan, CGI stuff like Madagascar, Ratatouille
Favorite TV show: Naruto Shippuuden, Futurama
Have any interesting hobbies? Anime (see above), playing with Photoshop, nature watching, reading about space and bio research

Anything else to share? I love cute and furry animals like arctic foxes. Not that I'm an "animal lover" or PETA member, or even a pet owner. Just think they're awesome. *shrug*

[pete]

Where were you born? Tampa, FL
Current hometown: Atlanta, GA
Ever live anywhere else?: Nope
Nationality/ethnicity: French-Canadian-American
Job: Architect

Favorite hockey team: Gee, I dunno.
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Hartford Whalers
Least favorite: Tie- Atlanta and Florida
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Vincent Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Fredrik Modin
All time favorite player if different: John Cullen
Favorite teams in other sports: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

[astro]

I can't believe that I forgot to about one of my favorite players.......Dustin Brown. I like his physical style and he is starting to fulfill his offensive upside.

[chad]

Where were you born? Chatham, Ontario (Ridgetown)
Current hometown: Olathe, KS (Kansas City)
Ever live anywhere else?: Bradenton, FL and Nashville, TN
Nationality/ethnicity: Canadian/Double-German
Job title:Managing Editor

Favorite hockey team: NHL: Tampa Bay; Juniors: Rimouski, Kitchener; NCAA: UND
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Quebec Nordiques
Least favorite: Leafs, Panthers (although I think you have to be relevant to be hated), Senatorettes
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Brad Richards, though he hasn't been playing well lately
Favorite active player on another team: Joe Sakic
All time favorite player if different: Gretzky, Peter Stastny, V. Tretiak
Favorite teams in other sports: Gators.... with the Jayhawks a distant second, Bucs, Rays and Royals.

Favorite video/other games: NCAA 2008 (don't have time to play anything else)
Favorite movies: Bourne series, Oceans series (12 wasn't great), Shawshank Redemption
Favorite TV show: The Office, 30 Rock, Arrested Development
Have any interesting hobbies? Following college football recruiting... Fantasy football, baseball, hockey

[Coldrice]

Where were you born? Warren, PA
Current hometown: Seminole, FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Ft Benning, GA
Nationality/ethnicity: Scot/Irish
Job: Biometrics Administrator

Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? Live here now
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Pittsburgh Penguins, Ny York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs
Least favorite: Flyers, Sabres, Islanders, Bruins, and Panthers
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Brendan Shanahan
Favorite teams in other sports: Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Cubs

Favorite video/other games: Not too much time anymore but the Socom series, God of War, Guitar Hero I,II, and the New Star Wars Unleashed looks pretty inviting
Favorite music: Metal
Favorite movies: Lots
Favorite TV show: A bunch, can't pinpoint just one
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: Jack Daniel's, any good Ale, Stout, or Pilsner
Have any interesting hobbies? Nothing to brag or shine upon.

Anything else to share? I hope that the Lightning can turn this thing around

[CTLightning26]

ctlightning

Where were you born? Norwich, CT
Current hometown: South Windsor, CT
Nationality/ethnicity: Polish and Ukranian
Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? When the Whalers left for Carolina I needed a new team to root for and I eventually fell in love with the Bolts on my trips the area for games and watching them on NHL Center Ice
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Hartford Whalers.
Least favorite: Boston Bruins
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Martin St. Louis
Favorite active player on another team: Tough one, but we'll give Chris Drury a small edge.
All time favorite player if different: Kevin Dineen
Favorite teams in other sports: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Indians, Arsenal Gunners, New England Revolution
Favorite music: Acoustic, good old rock & roll - springsteen, U2, Petty, Beatles, REM, Crowded House, The Eagles
Some Favorite movies: Braveheart, Caddyshack, Garden State, Office Space, Lost in Translation, Shut up and Sing, etc.
Favorite TV shows: The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, Rescue Me, Entourage, Seinfeld, West Wing, Sopranos
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: Bud Light
Have any interesting hobbies? Music and movie collector, horse racing
Anything else to share? I wanna move to Tampa. Should I?

[Avery86]

Where were you born? Daytona Beach, FL
Current hometown: Orlando, FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Basically every single city in the Daytona Beach metro area. Soon to be London?
Nationality/ethnicity: English/French/Cherokee amongst others.
Job: graphic designer

Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? Proximity.
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): I always liked playing as the Avalanche in the old Sega NHL games.
Least favorite: Everyone else in the Southeast division and Ottawa
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Lecavalier, if I had to choose.
Favorite active player on another team: Modin
Favorite teams in other sports: UCF Knights, Manchester United, Reading FC, Tampa Bay Mutiny ... Nicky Hayden as a MotoGP rider.

Favorite video/other games: Many. Although Halo 3 is occupying my time right now. Zelda, Mario, Elder Scrolls series, etc.
Favorite music: One end of the spectrum to the other. Although right now I've got a strong taste for Tom Waits.
Favorite movies: Many. Recently? Juno.
Favorite TV show: Goofy cartoons. The Riches. Scrubs.
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: hoooo boy. Stella Artois and/or Hoegaarden, lately.
Have any interesting hobbies? Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Anything else to share? I hope to be living and working in London for about four months this summer, interspersed with traveling throughout the EU.

Where were you born? Fort Wayne, In
Current hometown: Tampa, FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Port Huron, Mi; North Charleston, S.C.
Nationality/ethnicity: Irish American
Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? It was exciting watching them be built and become a Stanley Cup Champ
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Detroit Red Wings; Port Huron Flags of the old IHL
Least favorite: Maple Leafs
Favorite active player on your favorite team: None other than Vinny Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Hasek and Chelios.....nice seeing the old ones still doing it
Favorite teams in other sports: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Michigan, and Michigan State
Favorite video/other games: N/A
Favorite music: Segar, Moody Blues, Guess Who, Blue Oyster Cult, Stealy Dan and anything underground from the late 60's early 70's
Favorite movies: Christmas Vacation
Favorite TV show: Two and a Half Men......go OK
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: Ultra.......old age diet
Have any interesting hobbies? Interesting to you? Dabble in writing state legislation to help property crime victims
Anything else to share? GO LIGHTNING

[astro]

Where were you born? Tampa, FL
Current hometown: Pasadena, CA ... soon to be Seattle
Ever live anywhere else?: Beaufort, SC, Irvine, CA, Okinawa, Japan and several other places for a short amount of time.... good ol' Marine Corps
Nationality/ethnicity: Irish and Puerto Rican
Job: Air Traffic Controller

Favorite hockey team: Lightning, Kings, and Seattle Thunderbirds
Why do you like them? I grew up in Tampa and automatically started to follow them. Kings- well, I live here and want a team that I can attend the games too.
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Hockey? what's that. From the great coverage of hockey growing up, I didn't know what it was.
Least favorite: Flyers, Flames, Rangers and Red Wings
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Lecavalier, Kopitar
Favorite active player on another team: don't have one
All time favorite player if different: Lecavalier
Favorite teams in other sports: Bucs, Gators

Favorite video/other games: World of Warcraft, but I stopped playing....too time consuming. Currently playing World in Conflict
Favorite music: Old School Metal and Punk
Favorite Band: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Chevelle, Tool and Iron Maiden
Favorite movies: I don't really care for movies, but I do like Clockwork Orange and Meet Joe Black
Favorite TV show: Simpsons
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: NewCastle
Have any interesting hobbies? Travelling

Anything else to share? I will be transferring to SEATAC some time this year (Between August and December). I am looking forward to it.

[joeminus]

Let's try this again ...

Where were you born? New York, NY
Current hometown: Tampa, FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Gainesville, FL, and Atlanta, GA
Nationality/ethnicity: Italian American and French Canadian
Favorite hockey team: Tampa Bay Lightning
Why do you like them? I was already a big hockey fan and living in Tampa when the team was announced, so I adopted them immediately.
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Detroit Red Wings (back when they were horrible)
Least favorite: Florida Panthers
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Eh, I guess Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Maybe Zetterberg or Modin
All time favorite player if different: Probably Lafleur or Dionne
Favorite teams in other sports: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Florida Gators, Arsenal Gunners
Favorite video/other games: Rainbow Six: Vegas, The Kingdom of Loathing
Favorite music: Punk rock, garage rock, indie-rock, post-rock, math-rock, prog-rock, alt-rock, alt-country, country-rock.
Favorite movies: I just saw No Country For Old Men ... that was good.
Favorite TV show: Hockey Night in Canada ... duh!
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: Labatt
Have any interesting hobbies? Interesting to you? Probably not.
Anything else to share? Nah. Thanks, though.

[Sotnos]

Just to get the ball rolling! Skip any questions you don't want to answer. I don't like to get too personal with these things, and left the "favorite team" stuff open since I hope our minor league affiliate friends will jump in too!


Where were you born? Nashua NH
Current hometown: New Port Richey FL
Ever live anywhere else?: Chicago for 7 years & many other cities in central/northern Florida
Nationality/ethnicity: French Canadian on both sides of the family
Job: Librarian (i.e., expert at shushing & giving noisy people the evil eye, right Matt? )

Favorite hockey team: The Bolts
Why do you like them? From the area & LOVED the idea of a hockey team in Florida from the start. I had a ton of cool t-shirts when the team first got started, god knows where they went to at this point.
Favorite hockey team as a kid (if different): Bruins - Every New England kid growing up in the 70s knew Esposito and Orr (pronounced O-wah)!
Least favorite: Senators with HM to the Panthers
Favorite active player on your favorite team: Lecavalier
Favorite active player on another team: Khabibulin
All time favorite player if different: Hmm
Favorite teams in other sports: Bucs, Gators

Favorite video/other games: World of Warcraft (and I can stop anytime I want to ) Card playing is like a family tradition, & I've been playing since I was a little kid.
Favorite music: 80s Brit-pop/alternative, especially The Smiths
Favorite movies: Miracle, LOTR series, a zillion other things that are probably WAY too girly to name, also I really like documentaries
Favorite TV show: I really don't like tv but try not to be a snob about it. I spend my tv time on my computer instead!
Favorite beer or alcoholic beverage of choice: Harp! Inspired by a huge discussion on SSN.
Have any interesting hobbies? Not sure how interesting this is, but I like to read and collect hockey books. I know, how appropriate! Some of my favorites are listed here. If I've missed a good one, let me know!

Anything else to share? Nope, not really, but I thought someone else might!