<—-Bill at 5 years old - already telling the weather to his kindergarten class! Bill shares a birthday with daughter #2, Marie - who was born 30 years to the hour after Bill. Blog commenter, Corey is also on the birthday list today. Bill will be making the traditional birthday visit to Sand Lake Elementary School where one of the teachers has a May 9 birthday. They’ll have cupcakes and Bill will do his weather talk. Then back to the old landfill in Rockford to recycle and finally into work.

The Dallas Stars earned a trip to Detroit and the NHL’s Western Conference Finals by winning BOTH games one AND two, on the ROAD, in their previous two series, in Anaheim and San Jose.  The Red Wings can NOT afford to let that happen in Hockeytown.  The Stars have also gotten great goaltending from former Michigan Wolverine Marty Turko.

As I’m sure most of you (my fellow hockey fanatics) are well aware, Turko has NEVER won a game as pro at Joe Louis Arena, a place where he played so well while he was with U-M.  For the record, Turko is 0-7-2 at the Joe, and has won just two of 17 games overall against Detroit.  A good showing by the Wings in game one could put a little doubt back in the back of Turko’s mind and force the Stars to play from behind, for the FIRST time this playoff season.

This will mark just the fourth post season meeting ever between the two franchises and the first in ten years:

1998 - The Wings knocked off thee then top seeded Stars four games to two in the Western Conference Finals.  Detroit went on to sweep Washington in the Cup Finals that year.  Dallas went on to win it’s first and only Cup the following season, knocking off Dominik Hasek and the Buffalo Sabres in six.

1995 - After first round playoff upset losses in 1993 (Toronto) and 1994 (San Jose) the Wings rolled over the Stars in five, as Detroit eventually advanced it to the Cup Finals for the first time since 1966.

1992 - After dropping games one and two in Detroit, and trailing in the series 3-1, the Wings battled back to eliminate thee then MINNESOTA NORTH STARS in seven.  The turning point in the series came in game six, when Sergei Fedorov scored the game winner, in a 1-0 overtime victory at the Met.  It was the first time in NHL history, that a playoff game winner, was decided by instant replay.  After the goal was intially waved off and play continued, referee Rob Shick called for a replay, following the first stoppage in play.  Fedorov’s shot was reviewed and the Wings were awarded the win.  It was also the LAST playoff game EVER for the Stars in Minneapolis.  The team didn’t make the playoffs in 1993, and moved to Dallas the following season. In fact, the Minnesota North Stars last game ever?  At Joe Louis Arena, in the 1993 regular season finale,  15 years ago. 

Speaking of years ago.  My favorite Stars memory came during the 1969-70 season, when my father took me to my first Red Wings game, at the old Olympia, against Cesar Maniago, and the Minnesota North Stars.

38 years later… I’ll take the Wings, is seven.

Norbu Zhamdu (l) lights the Olympic torch of the first torchbearer Gegyi at the top of the Mount Everest, Tibet, southwest China

These are the 6-10 Day Temperature Outlook (left) and the 8-14 Day Temperature Outlook from the Climate Prediction Center. I guess I wouldn’t shut the furnace off yet. The negative Arctic Oscillation is going to help to keep things on the cool side for the next couple weeks. So, you may want to think twice about planting frost sensitive plants, especially if you’re in a low spot that often gets chilly on a calm, clear night. We’ll probably have at least several more mornings with a chance of at least scattered frost in low spots. The good news is that you don’t get a lot of severe weather up north with a pattern like this.  Oh…take a moment and check out the really cool volcano/thunderstorm pictures on Craig’s blog.

I thought you might like to see these amazing pictures of the Chaiten Volcano in southern Chili. The site is not written in English but the photos are some I have never seen before. Note all the lightning around the ash plume in the night photos. The ash cloud was driven at least 12 miles high putting it into the stratosphere where it will remain suspended for awhile. The best guess is that given the far southerly latitude of this eruption, it may not have any effect in the northern Hemisphere.

I know.

Trust me. I know. It’s been a long time for me since I wrote one of these. I was busy. In case you don’t know, I got engaged and had a death in the family within the span of about 2 days in the middle of April. Now, I am planning a wedding, but fear not. I am going to try something new with this blog.

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At about 250 pounds, Grand Rapid’s native Ryan O’Neal is truly a “super”  heavyweight in the boxing world, but he is also about 40 pound lighter than he was just four months ago.  The 29-year-old is one of the oldest fighters taking part in the National Golden Gloves tournament this week at DeVos Place, but he’s also, one of the least experienced.

With less than ten fights to his credit, and at admitted an “out of shape” 290-plus pounds, O’Neal advanced all the way to Michigan Golden Gloves State Finals in 2007, before losing by decision in the championship match.  “Me doing what I did OUT of shape last year, made me want to dedicate myself to get in better shape this year,” O’Neal told me during one of his final workout sessions at the Martin Luther King Gym in Grand Rapids last week.  “I figured if I could start taking care of myself, and get in GOOD shape, I could beat anybody.”  So far, so good.

Duing the past four months O’Neal has lost more than 40 pounds and won six consecutive fights.  He won the 2008 Michigan GOlden Gloves Super Heavyweight title this spring and knocked off Earl Tompkins of Pennsylvania, Missouri (4-1) in the opening round match of the National Golden Gloves Tournament, Tuesday night, at DeVos Place.   “I know a lot of people doubted me,” O’Neal says, “but I’m still here.”

The former Grand Rapids Central High School football and baksetball player, sqaures off with fellow super heavyweight Jabril Temple of St. Louis, Missouri, tonight in ring one.   “I’m from the inner city, and lot of negativity, everyone’s always telling you want you CAN’T do, instead of what you CAN do,” O’Neal says.  “I just got tired of it, and decided to change my life around. This is just another test for me.”

You can find a preview feature story I did on Ryan last week, currently in the video section of woodtv.com.  Jack Doles will have highlights of Ryan’s fight, tonight at 10:00 p.m. on WXSP and again at 11:00 p.m. on WOOD-TV 8.  Enjoy the fights.

Larry Figurski - WOOD-TV 8 News/Sportrs

After receiving a first round bye, Hundsonville native, and three-time defending Michigan Golden Gloves Heavyweight State Champion, Jordan Shimmell, finally steps into the ring tonight at Devos Place.    “I’m a little bit anxious, a little bit excited, and a little bit nervous,”  Shimmell told me recently at one of his final workouts at the Golden Gloves Gym on Leonard Street.  “I’m fighting the best guys in the nation. It’s definately exciting to be right here in my hometown, in front of my home fans, friends and family.”

Shimmell is considered by many to be West Michigan’s best hope of winning a National Championship.  ”Winning nationals would be extraodinary, it would be awesome,” Shimmell said, “especially here in my hometown.”

Tonight will mark Jordan’s third appearance in the national tournament.  At just 19, his resume already reads like that of a future pro:  2004 National Junior Golden Gloves Champion,  2005 National Junior Olympic Gold Medalist,  two-time (2006 & 2007) Michigan Amateur Boxer of the Year and again, three-time (2006, 2007 & 2008) Michgian Golden Gloves Heavyweight State Champion.

The kid who began his boxing career at the age of nine, will face Florida’s Emmanuel Augutama, tonight in ring three.  Augustama was a 4-1 winner over Mike Glenn of Kansas, on Monday night.  “I feel more ready this year than ever, ” Shimmell told me, “I’m hoping this is the year.

You can find a preview feature story I put together on Jordan last week, currently in the video section on woodtv.com, and of course, be sure to join Jack Doles for highlights of tonight’s fight, at 10:00 p.m. on WXSP, and then again at 11:00p.m. on WOOD-TV 8.

Larry Figurski - WOOD-TV News/Sports

Good news for parents… the Regent Theatre in Allegan is announcing free matinees of PG or G rated films for kids all summer!!!

Highlights from the press release:

The matinees are Monday – Friday at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. 

Admission to the movie is free for all ages. 

Free Summer Matinee Lineup:
June 2 – 6                Bee Movie Read more »

Several major earthquakes have hit the island of Honshu in Japan. The strongest was a magnitude 6.7 (a strong quake). Japan gets more earthquakes than just about any other place on Earth.