Brian Kates (Columnist)

Joined about 1 month ago

• 27 articles written
• 5 comments posted

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Brian's Fans (13)

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• Ken Armer 45 articles
• Jennifer Conway 21 articles
• MJ Kasprzak 39 articles
• Brian Kates 27 articles
• Ryan Kuchelyma 3 articles
• M MacDonald Hall 13 articles
• Abby Pond 18 articles
• Ian Robinett 32 articles
• Chris Schmidbauer 3 articles
• Nathan Simko 5 articles

• Bryan Thiel 100 articles
• Navin Vaswani 51 articles
• KP Wee 105 articles

Brian's Lineup

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Brian's Bio

I live in Oklahoma where they don't know the "difference between a blue line & a clothes line". I moved here from Hockeytown about 6 years ago and what a culture shock. I can't watch my favorite sports team (the Red Wings) hardly at all.

During the off-season, I usually watch movies like "Miracle", "Mystery, Alaska" or the "2002 Red Wing Stanley Cup Highlights" video. I am an avid photographer & Red Wing fan. I hope that we can have some interesting discussions on The Red Wings, Michigan Football & The Detroit Tigers. I will probably edit more than I write and don't worry, I'll be gentle.

My writing influence must be Mitch Albom whose column appears in the Detroit Free Press, amongst others. I would always read his articles because he had a unique spin on sporting events. He's also one of my favo(u)rite authors. Eh, I was born in Toronto, Canada, I'm allowed! My other favorite sports guy is Van Earl Wright and his "We've got highlights" slogan.

You can contact me through my website, www.brpamica.com, this site or brpamica@yahoo.com; just put "Bleacher Report" or "BR" in the subject line....and..............

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EDITORS NOTE: Things are going well with the left turns and eventually I'll be all right. For those who are hermits, the Red Wings are up 3-0 on Dallas in Round 3 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I should be writing again very soon for you. Have a wonderful week!!!

Brian's Recent Articles

See 24 more of Brian's articles »

Brian Writes About

• NHL (28),
• Detroit Red Wings (25),
• NHL Central (14),
• Hockey (12),
• Humor (10)

The Short List facts and information about Brian Kates

Bulletin Board (54) Post a note »

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by MJ
7 days ago

It's one game, but if tonight is an indication, Dallas is in trouble. Congrats.

by Jennifer
10 days ago

I'm here, just have been buried under a ton of work with the end of the semester. Nearly done. Yay! As for ren speak, I'm a medievalist so I'm used to it. I thoroughly enjoy using words like bloody and bollocks. Let me know what you think of my little series.

by MJ
14 days ago

They must be important, so I will pray for smooth sailing for ya!

by MJ
14 days ago

Oh, hey--gave you a shout out on my latest article.

by MJ
14 days ago

Congrats--but how do you let me write an article about the Wings series win before you do?

by Jennifer
15 days ago

I'm watching my Habs blow it. It' awful. The only thing I have to distract me is the end of the semester. All the students papers to grade really aren't going to put me in a better mood, but hey, next week I get to sleep and not worry about anything school related.

Still waiting for spring here. May 1, and no leaves on trees yet. Pathetic.

by MJ
15 days ago

Whasamatta, you bored by the Wings-Avs series so much that you don't feel like writin' about it?

by Abby
18 days ago

Hey! Yes, I've been attempting to move across the country, so I haven't been around much.

I didn't even have time to watch the games yesterday. It was horrible:)

by Danielle
21 days ago

I hope so! And you kept your deal!! :)
I have tickets to Sunday's game, I hope they don't blow that one...
Congrats on the win tonight!

by Danielle
22 days ago

haha, nice article! i was definitely weirded out when i first started reading it, lol. but it was really good! my voice is so gone from the game, my voice sounded so husky and weird haha. good luck against the avs, but i had to pick them over the wings. i just don't like the wings....sorry!!!!

by Danielle
24 days ago

Yeah, I'm a little nervous. I have tickets for tomorrow, so I'm hoping that I'm not going to have to be there as a pissed off fan. I want to be happy, haha.

by Andrew
24 days ago

Your buddies Evil Dick and Craig Parsons say what's up.

by Ian
24 days ago

Ok, I'll watch game 1. If they lose, I'm blaming you, though. lol

ps. the article was just as good the second time

by Danielle
24 days ago

Hey! Thanks for those edits btw, I think it's funny how I didn't capitalize God, and I'm probably one of the most religious people I know. And for your idea, well, I think the Sharks need to get past the Flames tomorrow first!! I've sworn off slasher movies, I've gotten my lifetime fix from that one relationship. I have tickets for tomorrow night, so we'll see how that goes. I'm pretty terrified. Maybe I should have saved my ex-boyfriends idea for later...haha just kidding!!!

by MJ
25 days ago

Congratulations on the Wings advancement. Hopefully, you'll be playing the Avs in the second round--that would be a great renewal of the rivalry, good for the sport, and of course an indication that the Sharks won!

by Danielle
27 days ago

Oh, and I guess I was on the big screen at the game, but I apparently wasn't aware of it, haha.

by Ken
27 days ago

Hey, figured id drop you a line. Your articles are great reads and i feel your pain for being stuck where no one knows hockey. Although i must disagree with the Go Wings part....yuck...

by Abby
27 days ago

Ha! Well, Keith's is a magical brew that comes from Halifax, Nova Scotia. It's a rather delicious India pale ale, though they also brew other ales. Not up to the Guiness, but good enough. After two or three, the taste becomes irrelevant anyway.

I was up late for a staff dinner. End of ski season debauchery. But I'm usually up that late anyway, for some reason.

by Abby
28 days ago

For some reason, tonight's drink of choice was rusty nails.

What was I thinking?

It's irrelevant, really, as long as I was able to watch Montreal lose!

I could have used a Guiness or three.

by Abby
28 days ago

Hey thanks! I just spent a week in Nashville, the week leading up to the playoffs. Surreal.

I don't know about cheering for the Wings, though. :)

by Danielle
28 days ago

Oh, it sounded like you made the trip to the Tank, haha. Yeah, it was a great game. I'll look forward to that, I'm actually writing my experience at the game...right now. And sadly, no, that's Patrick Rissmiller from the Sharks. He's a nice guy though.

by Danielle
28 days ago

Wait, were you at the game? Or just watching on tv?

by Danielle
28 days ago

Ha, yeah that was a great game. I wasn't on tv! I was out of my seat during all the intermissions. I was pretty belligerent though after each Sharks goal, so I was a little surprised I didn't even end up on the jumbotron.

by Ian
29 days ago

Good look bro!

by Emily
about 1 month ago

Hey Brian,

Along with the advice I see you're already gotten on the subject, I also say give it a shot. You never know til you try!

by Andrew
about 1 month ago

Game 1-play that should have been whistled dead after the puck struck an official on a clearing attempt AND a missed tripping call on Zetterberg, result: Zetterberg scoring the game winner.
Game 2-one goal that would have been ruled a goal on further inspection waved off without video review and another a clear case of goaltender interference by Holmstrom, result: 2 goals and a 4-2 win.
Definitely Cup calibre.

by KP
about 1 month ago

Hey Brian, I read your new article... Well, the part I like about it was you broke down the entire roster and went through their strengths in depth.

Again, there was some suspense used to get the reader "hooked", so to speak, to get to the end.

One thing that could be learned from this, though, is that the poster had a point - one should sometimes try to look at the overall picture/other teams just so not to sound biased.... (this part of his comment could be treated as a kind of constructive feedback for your future articles. :) )

But, the rule for the Conn Smythe Contest was to come up with an answer THIS week, in the first round of the playoffs... so, good job overall in analyzing the Red Wings in that much detail.

Good luck! :)

by Andrew
about 1 month ago

Nope, I wasted 18 years playing rep, high school, junior B and college club so that I could tell a Wings booster why he shouldn't be handing out hardware 2 games into the first round.
It was written with a sarcastic undertone to avoid just the reaction it seems to have gotten, you can't put out something so deterministic and not expect somebody to call you on it bro.
Sorry if I offended, but I stand by my assertions.

by KP
about 1 month ago

Hey Brian, yeah, I read your last two articles - quite a contrast, I must say! Good job with the humor in both, and the "Conn Smythe" article had a teaser which kind of makes the reader come back for more. That was very good!

Though I'm not sure why the reference to the 1980 Olympic team... anyway, I'll check back later to see Part 2.

by Matt
about 1 month ago

Brian,

You've definitely got writing talent. I think you should go for it.

by Bryan
about 1 month ago

Oh I almost forgot, the one thing that I've never forgotten is something written in Bill Simmons' book. He was talking about someone who he was talking to about 'making it' as a writer, who told him "use statistics—basing everything on opinion is easy enough, but putting in some time to research facts and back up your argument shows that you care and you're passionate about what you do. Some people will always disagree and tell you you're terrible. However, whatever they say, you know that you're passionate about what you do, and you're working to be as successful as you can be."

Again, I don't know if that helps, but I hope it does.

by Bryan
about 1 month ago

I'm not a guru, or the know-all, end-all of knowledge or lore, but there are a few things I've learned...well one mainly:

The worst anyone can say to you is no.

Basically, if what you want to do is write, then do it. Maybe one outlet (magazine, paper, ect.) may not like your style but another might. I wouldn't hire someone like Steve Simmons, although I'd hire Bill Simmons in a second, while there are people that disagree with me.

The best thing you can do is to get your name out there.

As far as I'm concerned, I loved your most recent piece about the Wings and the Cup. The only things I would suggest are paragraph spacing (shorter paragraphs=readability), and perhaps some expansion on some of the thoughts you have—don't be afraid to go indepth.

With the Conn Smythe piece, I'd recommend staying on topic (with more...relevant players) first before travelling off into the world of "why this movie character won't work". Those premises work, however they have to be set up properly (maybe with a little bit of foreshadowing), but it's nothing you can't handle.

I certainly hope that helped, but again the best piece of advice I have is to not let one person get you down. If one doesn't want it, someone else might...and with a little more experience one day you may be wanted by everyone! Who knows?

by The Enforcer
about 1 month ago

Hmmm...So you think the Wings are bringing it back home, huh? We'll see about that. They've gotta get past the Sharks first, you know. ;)

Thanks for the edits. I just now figured out where I can see your feedback!
Cheers! (and GO SHARKS!)

by KP
about 1 month ago

Brian, I've read most of your stuff. You seem to know what you're talking about, and as a sports fan, me personally, I would read it.

Of course, I am not an expert myself, but I think the more you write and post things online, the better your chances are, because this is a way to showcase yourself to others.

While it's likely that you won't hear anything from several places--I suppose it's all about connections and background--but don't let that discourage you. I agree with what someone suggested on here earlier; try to branch out to give you some versatility. (Speaking from my own experience, I have gotten rejected several times but am still trying out different niches to see where it ultimately gets me.)

Overall, your posts look good, and I think if this is something that you enjoy doing, why not give it a shot?

Good luck!

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

I forgot to tell you the pic is Rob Blake putting the hurt on Theo Fleury. The first time I saw it, it had the caption "Theo Fleury, meet Rob Blake." It was just too good to pass up.

by M
about 1 month ago

I'l get right on taking a closer look. You aren't a favourite writer for nothing, but I'll put a critical eye to your stuff and try and give you some constructive feedback... not that I'm the expert on this, but that may be good. It's always best to know what the folks who actually would read it think. As a sports fan, I find the best stuff are the things that give you something new, or elaborate on information other providers gave tid-bits on.

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

My best advice is to polish everything before you post it here. It's basically an on-line writing portfolio, so it's best to have a professional mentality. You will also want to try to branch out, because editors like versatile writers.

As for a job search, go nation-wide, and don't look at just newspapers. Try sports magazines as well. I'll keep an eye out as well. Good luck!

by Ryan
about 1 month ago

I've enjoyed all of you articles on the NHL. You seem fairly knowledgeble and I think that if you keep it up you never know what kind of opportunity will come your way. There are many newspapers and sports writters out there, you just need to write articles about what you know the most about and keep on pluggin..

Cheers

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

Your writing is really pretty good. Speaking as a comp teacher, I'd say you've got a few surface problems (surface problems are things like punctuation and flow), but nothing horrible or unfixable. You're working your way into your style, which is a long and often frustrating process. In the end, it's worth it.

Believe it or not, until I started publishing here, I was *convinced* I was not a good writer. I still don't think I'm that good, but maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist. Because of the support and feedback I get here, I'm hoping to publish a hockey history book someday.

If you want help or have any sort of writing questions, you can always e-mail me (first.last@und.edu). I'm gentle and patient. And I have an inside view on how to structure writing like few others, thanks to comp teacher boot camp.

Gotta follow those dreams and really try. Don't want to get old and say "if only" or "maybe I should have."

by MJ
about 1 month ago

Well, you're in my line-up, so that says something. You have passion about what you're writing, and it comes through. I think you and I are both good enough to write, but it may be that I like our style and the public won't--who knows? But look, dude, I don't see how you would embarrass yourself--you may or may not be there yet, but the way you get better is by doing it. It's certainly a dream worth pursuing, and you'd probably regret it for the rest of your life if you didn't try.

And thanks for valuing my opinion enough to ask, even though I am sure I am not the only one you posted this for. God speed, man!

by MJ
about 1 month ago

Read the one on Pavel, but frankly he is not as interesting to me as Lidstrom. He is a great player, and last year's performance should shake off that "can't come up in the playoffs" label that I think had more to do with unlucky bounces than anything (two years ago I was floored at the saves that followed some of his shots and passes). Kinda like Thornton for us.

By the way, I gave the Wings some dap in my analysis of the Sharks' opening series and in my post-season predictions--check 'em out if you haven't.

Oh, and as I write this at my work desk, I am wearing my teal-coloured Santa hat with the Sharks logo!

by Emily
about 1 month ago

No problem, Brian. I'm just going through titles and trying to add search-able keywords to make articles more visible. I did appreciate your creativity in titling though.

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

Yeah, I'm thinking of writing a hockey history book, or maybe a series of them.

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

It would be a heartbreaker because so many people will be disappointed either way. Each city has huge expectations. I've gotta root for the Habs though, it's been far too long since the Habs, and any Canadian team, had Lord Stanley's Cup.

By the way, the "H"' in the Canadiens logo actually stands for hockey, as the "c" and "h" combined stand for "Club de Hockey." "Habitants" at the time meant something like farm boy and was a kind of derogatory term, as it generally referred to French-Canadians. Since there were a lot of French-Canadians on the Habs team, the name stuck.

There you go, random hockey factoid of the day.

by KP
about 1 month ago

Hi Brian, thanks for the notes.

The Canadiens' nickname is supposed to be "Habitants", ie. French settlers who went to Canada in the early days of the country. I guess "Habs" stuck as a nickname as "Frenchmen" for the Canadiens!

Cheers :)

by KP
about 1 month ago

Thanks, Brian, for the add, and welcome to Bleacher Report!

Should be an interesting playoff season coming up! :)

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

Hey Brian, funny enough, I just wrote about that great Detroit tradition. Take a look, tell me what you think.

by Tony
about 1 month ago

Hey Brian, thanks for the add. So have you converted anybody down in Oklahoma?
I've got family in Michigan (Birmingham) so I get down to see them at least 4 times a year. My nephews went to Seaholm H.S. and one went on to State.
I bet you miss Hockeytown huh?

by M
about 1 month ago

Thanks for the add. Can't wait for the playoffs... the Wings certianly want to make a picth for the glory with the roster they have right now.

by Danielle
about 1 month ago

That's definitely my worst nightmare coming true, lol! But hey, we'll see, things might be a little different this year.
And yes, I am a true Longhorn. I'm in California, but my heart's in Austin!

by Danielle
about 1 month ago

Hey! Thanks for the add, Brian. I guess I can talk to you, even though you're a Red Wings fan! Ha!
-Danielle

by Jennifer
about 1 month ago

Thanks for the add.

Jen

by Christopher
about 1 month ago

THANKS A LOT FOR THE EDIT AND FEEDBACK.

by Joshua
about 1 month ago

Hi Brian, I see that you've left me feedback on my article, but I'm unable to read what it is. How would I go about checking the feedback that you've left me?

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