Posts with the Guardian tag

Barris Beat

Betting on tarnished stars

Written by Ted Barris on . 1 Comment
NHL stars Connor McDavie & Wayne Gretzky endorsing (but looking amazingly off-balance) a betting ap.

You’ve probably seen it. The now ubiquitous advertisement shows Connor McDavid allegedly focused at practice. The Edmonton Oilers’ star forward is firing pucks at a goaltender. Cut to just off the ice where a coach turns to Wayne Gretzky and says: “Connor’s just finishing up. He’s pumped you’re here.”

“No rush,” Gretzky says as he looks down at his cellphone and shouts at it, “Come on! Drain that three.” He’s clearly encouraging some other athlete for some other purpose. But he’s become a distraction to McDavid.

“Trying to practise here, Wayne,” McDavid admonishes Gretzky.

“You need it!” Gretzky shoots back. (more…)

Barris Beat

Locked into vinyl

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
As background to where and when I work, a favourite LP on my retro turntable.

It happens about 15 minutes and 30 seconds in. It’s happens after the flugelhorn introduction from the leader of the band, Chuck Mangione. It follows the entry of the full Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the spontaneous applause. Just about the time soprano sax player Gerry Niewood comes in. Right in there, kind of unexpectedly, there’s this short stutter in the recording. No, not in the recording, but in my pressed version of it.

“It’s a locked groove,” I once explained to my daughters, “an imperfection in the pressing of the vinyl disc.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Cannot curl up with a Kobo

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Reading the Cosmos community newspaper with my grandson - initiating his contact with hard copy early.
Reading the Cosmos community newspaper with my grandson – initiating his contact with hard copy early.

They always surprise me with their unique requests. Last weekend, as I was writing a magazine article, one of my grandsons walked around my office pointing at books and papers and photographs while asking, “What’s this?” or “What’s that?” It went on for 20 minutes. It was great fun. But I think my favourite request was when another grandson looked at me with drooping eyelids, a big yawn and a special request on his lips.

“Would you read me a bedtime story, please?” he asked. Then, there was a short pause as I waited for the supplementary, “Can I hold the book?” (more…)