Mom, birthdays, and handmade jerseys.

1. I had a birthday on 7/21.

2. RJ08, who is now officially RJ12 on the Jets (as he was in L.A.) and 30 years old, had his on 7/23. I was busy moving that day, but I sent a midnight tweet wishing him many happy returns and steak and potatoes. (I'm sure he appreciated it.)

3. My mother sent me a handmade jersey for my birthday.

4. I'm not lying: http://yfrog.com/h4nxvjrxj

5. I hope mperreault loves it, as my Caps blogging friends would have me believe.

That is all.

One year, two ways.

Just yesterday, mperreault signed a one-year, two-way contract with Washington.

Within hours of me having tweeted relief at this, a total stranger (and apparent Caps blogger) challenged me, politely, to defend mperreault's honor as an NHL-caliber center.

Apparently the guy has a hard-on for Marcus Johansson and didn't much like that I said he would be mperreault's main competition. Nor did he appreciate my statement about turnover in the NHL and that I could see mperreault in Boston in 2013, insisting that they'll keep the centers they already have.

And all this, of course, was going on in a public forum, with lord knows who reading. Thanks, guy. I'm all done with that; I've got work to do.

It makes me hope that mperreault has a breakout season and then leaves rather than gets traded. (I'm with you, wherever you wind up--you know this.) I mean, hell, *I* just got a new job. It could very well be contagious.

Out there.

The Jets have an official Twitter account. A discussion of player names came up--as in, which ones folks were considering having on their soon-to-be-acquired new Winnipeg jerseys.

I chimed in with RJ08's name. (He hasn't chosen a jersey number yet, so he's still #8 to me.)

In addition to being the first (and only) one to mention him, I got re-tweeted.

Now if only I knew whether anyone was actually reading that...

Coupled with this, during a Googlefest over the weekend, I discovered a Twitter account belonging, allegedly, to mperreault. Despite an admittedly cocky sentence of profile information (something about being a center with "magic hands" is all I'll say), it could be him. No tweets yet to prove one way or the other.

I love you and hate you, Internet. Look what you do to me.

J-E-T-S!

Wow, I didn't see that one coming.

RJ08 signed yesterday with the Winnipeg Jets--yes, the Atlanta Thrashers through last season--and he'll add great depth to their roster. I can't wait to see how things pan out. (Conversely, mperreault is still unsigned, with the Capitals' offer on the table as far as I know.)

Coincidentally, I won the Stanley Cup just yesterday with RJ08 on the first line of the L.A. Kings in NHL11. He won the Norris Trophy, and was runner-up for the Conn-Smythe Trophy (the game told me so). He became a free agent after the season ended and was offered $1 million by the Kings; the Capitals, whom he'd just beaten in the Final; the Bruins; and the FLYERS. I--er, computer "he" and I, I mean--decided to take the Bruins' offer.

Too bad I'll have to wait for NHL12 to have the Jets make a reappearance. Also, RJ08 will probably be stuck on the Lightning, as he was with the Kings when NHL11 came out. Oh well.

Anyway, congratulations--I'm proud of you, RJ.

Happy Canada Day!

They're both Canadian, so there you go. RJ08 is officially on the market; I'm actually hoping Les Habitantes pick him up. I already have a shirt, and have plans to see them play Les Flyers on November 25, Black Friday.

Don't lose faith, RJ. I'm still your fan; after all, you gave me the puck on my desk. Really.