BT Edmonton Blogs

Two games into the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and Team Canada is sitting pretty. Two wins, four lines that are clicking and two goalies battling for that coveted starting role.

Many pundits predicted Team Canada would lack the scoring depth necessary to snap a two-year gold medal drought. Others wondered if our national team would have a true #1 goaltender that could handle the intense pressure of performing on home ice in front of 17,000 hungry fans. Of course, it’s still to early to put those questions to bed but it’s fair to say head coach Don Hay has an indication of the potential this team holds.

We welcomed Sportsnet Radio Network’s Andrew Walker to Thursday’s BT for some insight into where Team Canada goes from here. Does the returning netminder (Visentin) get honours ahead of the one (Wedgewood) who just shut out the Czechs? Does Mark Stone have a legitimate shot at setting a tournament goal scoring record? What should Edmonton Oil Kings fans make of Mark Pysyk’s limited role?

Click on the video below for Walker’s full interview. Check out his blog (updated throughout the WJC tournament) here. If you’re checking out the games at Rexall Place (especially Team Canada’s upcoming doozie on New Year’s Eve against the USA) be sure to arrive early! The atmosphere is truly something special. If you’re not lucky enough to watch the game in person, be sure to check out the Molson Hockey House just across the street at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The organizers have done an incredible job creating an atmosphere that just reeks of Canadiana.

Go Canada Go!

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From our family to yours...

Broccoli casserole (as seen in our family cook book Udderly Delicious) is an institution come holiday time in the Jespersen household. You need a few basic ingredients and ten minutes to spare. It’s almost impossible to mess up…and people will love it, guaranteed!

You’ll need:
Enough broccoli to cover an 8″x8″ square pan (4-5 crowns’ worth is plenty)
1 tin mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs
Butter (to grease pan and brown bread crumbs)

Cook broccoli slightly. Place in greased 8″x8″ pan. Mix 1 tin of mushroom soup with 1 cup sour cream. Place over top of broccoli. Put 1 cup grated cheese over top. Top everything with 1 cup buttered, browned crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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"That there's an RV, Clark."

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might be the greatest Christmas movie ever made. Much like granny’s festive fruitcake, every individual element (from the disastrous to the heart-warming) comes together to create a masterpiece you can really sink your teeth into. Who could ever forget the totally toasted turkey? Or the slipperiest saucer sled ride in recorded history? From the combustible Christmas tree (home to a squirrel) to the spectacular standard against which all residential light displays will forever be compared, Christmas Vacation introduced the concept of “Going Griswold” around the holidays.

The chemistry of a Hollywood Christmas classic is hardly formulaic. Sometimes, it’s the monumental collapse of a Christmas dinner (and subsequent duck disaster) that makes a movie memorable. Other times, it’s a display of seasonal (or secret) sentiment that really draws us in. History shows you don’t always need Santa Claus involved to crown a Christmas movie a classic. Something as “everyday” as a pizza delivery (”Keep the change, ya filthy animal”), a cab ride or a trip to the bank can make a movie special.

I have a few Christmas movies shortlisted. They’re the ones I watch every year. One takes me back to my earliest memories at Grandma and Grandpa’s place. Another reminds me of the fun we’d have as a family picking out our Christmas tree every December. One more recent addition to my list combines the childlike wonderment at the thought of the North Pole with spectacular present day special effects.

Really, though, as far as I’m concerned, none of these movies come close to challenging Christmas Vacation for top spot. I mean, how do you beat Clark Griswold’s classic rant when his Christmas bonus fails to meet expectations? Everybody can relate to stress hitting a whole new setting as the days tick down to December 25th. Maybe it’s the numerous reflections of drunk uncles real life that explains why so many millions can follow along with the movie word for word.

Every family has a true, movie-worthy holiday story. Whether it’s triumph or tragedy, a disaster or a dream come true, it seems everyone can tell at least one “you had to be there to believe it” tale. We want to hear yours! Share it by leaving a comment here on my blog and you’ll be entered to win a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation prize pack courtesy of www.RetroFestive.ca (you’ve got to check out their leg lamps from A Christmas Story).

The prize pack includes four of those legendary moose mugs (sip your homemade egg nog in style!), a moose mug punch bowl and Christmas tree ornaments, a Walley World Marty Moose toque, an official Christmas Vacation attacking squirrel and the Ultimate Collector’s Edition 20th Anniversary edition DVD. We’ll choose our winner on Wednesday, December 21 at noon so the (sold out) moose mugs have a home in time for Christmas Eve.

From all of us here at Breakfast Television, may your Christmas be a movie-worthy one…in a good way!

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I had no idea what to expect from The Amazing Kreskin before his appearance on Breakfast Television. The magician is a legend to be sure – dozens of appearances on The Tonight Show, more than 100 (!) appearances with Regis Philbin and global recognition as the world’s foremost mentalist.

Would he be able to read my mind? If so, could he tell that I’m just a wee bit cynical about the whole “mind reading” thing? Would he embarrass me by exposing my innermost thoughts? Or even worse, would the whole thing fall flat if Kreskin drew blanks?

You can check out my first segment with the man known by some as the Nostradamus of the 21st Century by clicking here but it was our second segment together that really blew my mind. I swear on my Grandfather’s grave I had no idea what was coming. I certainly had no hunches, clues or hints provided to me along the way. What you’ll see in the video below is my legitimate reaction to something that still has me scratching my head…

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Photo courtesy Edmonton Journal

My pal Dave “Willy” Willberg is a B.C. Lions fan. Don’t hold it against him. The guy absolutely loves CFL football (and knows it well). I asked the Estevan Lifestyles scribe for his thoughts on the recent trade that sent QB Ricky Ray to Toronto in exchange for QB Steven Jyles, K Grant Shaw and a 2nd-overall selection in the 2012 CFL Canadian College Draft. His response is below. As you’ll see, he doesn’t exhibit the same disgust as some local columnists have but he’s just as surprised by Eskimos GM Eric Tillman’s move.

What do you think about the deal? Leave a comment here and have your say!

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I don’t like the deal for Edmonton. For my money, Ricky Ray was the best player in the league last year. If not for the glut of injuries to his receivers in mid-season, Ricky Ray would have flirted with 6,000 yards passing. And keep in mind he did that with a wonky offensive line. I’m not a Steven Jyles fan. I don’t think he’s consistent enough to be a legit No. 1. It’s great for him that Edmonton has all those weapons at receiver and in the backfield. But Jyles still isn’t good enough to be a starting quarterback.

If they can find an excellent offensive lineman with the No. 2 pick in the draft, then that’ll take away some of the sting from this trade. The Eskimos weren’t going to take the next step without a rebuild on the o-line. But in the end, Edmonton traded a Hall-of-Fame quarterback for a back-up quarterback, a kicker and a first round pick.

You know I’m a big Eric Tillman fan. I think he’s been the best GM in the league for two decades. He has three rings. And he emphasizes Canadian talent more than anyone in the league. But I thought he’d get a much better return for a star pivot who just had one of his best seasons.

We took a look at our Breakfast Television hockey pool standings Tuesday morning…and much like a stammering young offender standing before a stern judge, I have no explanation for my 308th-place standing except to say I made some really poor choices. Put it this way: I’m looking for some huge second-half performances from my picks.

Where do you stand? If you signed up for the BT hockey pool back in September, remember you can check up on your ranking anytime by logging on to www.poolexpert.com using the email and password you initially provided during registration. We’ll continue to update the standings through the 2011-12 NHL regular season.

Take a look at the video below to see where our BT team members are stacking up, who’s in the prestigious Top Ten and what’s at stake. Our thanks again to Wayne’s Sports Cards & Collectibles for providing such a fantastic grand prize.

For the love of the game,
rpj.

What a month of Movember it’s been! From a record-setting national effort ($29.5M and counting) to a-MO-zing stories right here at home, we’ve all been thrilled to see so many Mo Bros and Mo Sistas stepping it up to change the face of men’s health.

Back on Movember 1st, Team Breakfast Television Edmonton set a fundraising goal of $10,000. When it came time to close our raffle and draw the winner of our BT Movember prize pack on Movember 28th, we were thrilled to report an actual total of $13,000 (with a few days left to go). On a personal front, I had hoped to raise $5,000 for the cause. I’m amazed to see the actual total topping $9,000. Thank you to each and every one of you (listed below) who made a donation to further prostate cancer research efforts in Canada.

It was a me-MO-rable (I can’t resist) Movember on BT. Starting with Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason shaving his Mo of 40 years and a round of finger Mo tattoos with the Crimson Empire gang to tips on healthy eating/living and the Mayor shaving his Mo live on the air, it was a month we won’t soon forget. I was honoured to share my shave with Greg Burns during our final Movember Monday of 2011. The marketing manager for Edmonton City Centre Mall brought a couple instructors from the Eveline Charles Academy along with him (oh, and a donation of $1,000 toward the cause).

Congratulations to Adam Rozenhart, winner of our 2011 BT Movember prize pack. Thank you so much to our sponsors who made such an appealing offering possible: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Marmot Basin, d’Lish Urban Kitchen & Wine Bar, the Edmonton Oilers, Crowley’s Jewellers, Hudsons Canadian Taphouse, Broadway Across Canada, Ricci Hair Company, Heather de Kok Floral Design, Crimson Empire Tattoo, The Chopped Leaf, Identity Clothing, Lord’s Shoes, MyBlackcard & Schick.

All of our Movember efforts go to waste if the MO-mentum (there I go again) stops here. I encourage each and every one of you men to book an annual physical exam with your doctor. All too often we ignore early warning signs (or miss them altogether). Prostate cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer – up to 90% – when detected early.

I can’t thank each of you who donated this month in person, but I can thank you here. Larry Irla, Rene Mayer, Erin Despas, Gregg Konachowicz, Kylee Quinn, Alexa Walcott, Andrew Wheatley, Melsha Shea, Kathy Butkovic, Jeff Chivers, Katie Cook, Lesley Hansen, Michael Keindel, Kendra Hopaluk, Nancy Critchley, Tanya Dove, Angela Webster, Ann King, Peter Thomson, George Fraser, Sherry Liimatainen, Erin Taylor, LeeAnn Roy, Arlene Pitts, Heather Pollock, Tyler Labrecque, Jonas Jespersen, Tammy Jespersen, Kristina Schwartz, Carol Reyda, Michael Brechtel, Jay Rudy, Michel Feist, Davis Graham, Melissa Ferreira, Zohreh Saher, Meagan Kelly, Adam Rozenhart, Nathan Friesen, Jenny Humphries, Richard McIntyre, Donna Arthurs, Chris Rossum, Megan Jespersen, Gwen Penney, Bridget Ryan, Bruce & Catherine Jespersen, Michael Allarie, Paulena Dubyk, Janelle Sloychuk, Charmaine Dorchak, Chris Bolivar, Aaron Probert, Deborah Bortscher, Chris Foster, Wess Langille, Diana Warowicki, Kristi Kastelein, Gary Skelton, Stephanie Enders, Anne Semeniuk, Tim Lozinik, Hannah Beckingham, John Hawkhurst, Amber Punga, Shawn La Haie, Michael Whidden, Amy Wolski, Shelley McDonald, Gloria Dekker, Lucas Favel, Jeff Nielsen, Jackie Arcand, Jim Fyshe, Stefane Bellec, Tammy Lockhart, Melanie Sorensen, Stephanie McDougald, Corinne Rogers, Richard Ireland, Jeff Woodward, Allison Dosman, Kelly Sears, Dan & Jenn Dromarsky, Dave Valentine, Karen Langpap, Laurie Schneider, Colin & Nicole Schieman, Simon, Sjoujke & Kingsley Remark, Leon Ewanick, Allison Salz, Barb Atamaniuk, Lily Tsui, Cheryl Emmerling, Erik Nilsen, Russell Eliuk, Heather McNabb, Sorin Mihailovici, Edmonton City Centre Mall, Meredith McLennan, Devon Meador, Scott Bruck, Terry Russell, Jane Ropchan, Andrea Babic, Julie Caron, Trevor Boller, Ken De Wit, Tatjana Rudy, Cathy Bird, Andrea De Klerk, Chris Vining, Carol Dreger, Carmen Molloy, Tracy Kennedy, Karen Wirtanen, Karen Command, Stephen & Kelli Blank, Ingrid Butler-Sieben, Dru Edmiston, Cheryl Hand, Dave Poirier, Corrina Kelbert, Leanne Rosko, Chantell Barone, Shannon Simpson, Kelly Noland, AnneMarie Pedersen, Cory Cremer, Jessica Beaudry, Stephanie Good, Heidi McCartan, Carol Lindequist, Lynn Cisco, Dyan Ball, Carol Petterson, Sergio Turlione, Clint Hollinger and those of you who chose to remain anonymous – thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you as well to those of you who left meaningful messages along with your donations. One in particular, from Corinne Rogers, stuck with me:

“I am a nursing student, who just spent 6 weeks on the urology unit at the UAH, and it moved me to witness what patients and their families with prostate cancer have to face. This is why I donated today.”

Together, we can work toward a future where prostate cancer will no longer claim grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers, partners, sons, teammates and friends. I am proud to stand amongst the thousands of men who sacrifice a clean shave (along with our dignity) for one month every year with that as our goal.

Mo love,
rpj.

2011 Movember Edmonton Gala - Cook County Saloon

Twenty-five days after he officially proclaimed November as the month of Movember in Edmonton on BT, Mayor Stephen Mandel came back to our studio to shave the furry ribbon he’d grown all month to raise awareness of prostate cancer in our great city.

Click on the video below to see how the shave went down. On Monday, I’ll shave my Mo (or should I say somebody will shave my Mo) as we celebrate our final Movember Monday of the year. We’ll also draw one lucky person’s name as the winner of our $6,000 BT Movember prize pack. You can qualify for that prize pack and check out all of our a-MO-zing sponsors here. We’re just shy of our BT team goal of $10,000 for prostate cancer research. You can help us get there!

Immeasurable thanks to all our donors and supporters through the month. See you Monday!

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The annual Movember Edmonton Gala, our city’s Party of the Year, kicks off Friday, November 25 at 8pm at Cook County Saloon! Hundreds of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas will show off amazing Mo-themed costumes (both team and individual), competing for esteemed titles like Man of Movember, Miss Movember, Ultimate Mo, Team Mo and Lame Mo.

You can purchase tickets to the big bash here. If you’re registered at www.movember.com, you’ll receive a Gala ticket for every $100 you raise (up to $200).

See you at the Gala! Don’t forget to join us Monday morning on BT for our final Movember Monday. We’ll wrap up the month, hand out a couple special prizes and draw the winning raffle ticket for our $6,000 BT Movember prize pack. If you haven’t yet qualified (by making a minimum $25 donation), you’ve still got time!

Mo love,
rpj.

It’s become a regular part of our annual Movember fund- and awareness-raiser here at Breakfast Television: the BT Movember prize pack. The idea is simple: you earn one raffle ticket for every $25 you donate (HERE). You earn five raffle tickets for every $100 you donate. New this year, you’ll earn fifteen raffle tickets for every $250 you donate.

Our 2011 BT Movember prize pack is a record setter value-wise. On Monday, Movember 28 we’ll draw a single raffle ticket live on BT. One lucky person will win:

Two nights at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge with breakfast and two 60-minute massages
Four lift tickets to Marmot Basin
A d’Lishiously Faithful night for four (Five course w/ wine) at d’Lish Urban Kitchen & Wine Bar
An Edmonton Oilers jersey autographed by Ryan Jones
$1,000 to spend on Tacori jewellery at Crowley’s
A $500 tab at Hudsons Canadian Taphouse
Four tickets to Disney’s Beauty & the Beast (presented by Broadway Across Canada)
His & Hers Cut and Colours at Ricci Hair Company
$250 to spend at Heather de Kok Floral Design
$250 to spend at Crimson Empire Tattoo
$250 to spend at The Chopped Leaf
$150 to spend at Identity Clothing
$150 to spend at Lord’s Shoes
Two one-year memberships to MyBlackcard
A one-year supply of Schick products
Assorted Movember swag

As you can see, there are special inclusions for both Mo Bros and Mo Sistas at a total value of more than $6,000. Remember, if past years are any indication, we’ll add a few elements to the BT Movember prize pack through the month. So click here and make your donation. You never know…it could be you who walks away a winner!

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This week's Movember Monday on BT involved a few permanent commitments to the cause. Thanks to Crimson Empire Tattoo for hooking up the finger Mo ink!