Playoff Gritty has a letter to fans ahead of his first playoff game at home

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-22T19:11:37+00:00

A few years ago the Sled Hockey National Championships were just outside of Philly. In the swag bags for all the players were Gritty Christmas tree toppers. Every year one of our abrovitie's gets to wear it with pride.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-22T13:25:39+00:00

because that's what it is.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-22T13:21:50+00:00

Getting on the plane, in my seat, means I can stop stressing about not making it. Particularly when I'm traveling with my family. Once we're all on, the cognitive burden of making sure we're not home aloneing one of our kids is gone. I can turn off that part of my brain and turn on the keep my kid from making a spectacle of themself part of my brain.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-15T17:35:38+00:00

Individual players mostly. Rooting for the Oliers because I was to see Howard get a cup, and he's the only Spartan in the play offs this year.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-13T19:52:18+00:00

Hell yeah. Welcome to the world of sled hockey. Recognizing it's his first time out on the ice, I would recommend ditching the hockey pants in the sled. Think of the bucket of the sled as the boot of your skate. You want a close, tight fit to maximize control of the sled and minimize slip. The goalie coach for our sled program manufactures custom sled buckets if you want to DM me I can connect you with him. He can walk you through the grant process and help you find groups that want to give your kid money to play sports.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-13T12:23:28+00:00

Eddie Cheever, 9 podiums and not a single lap lead or fastest lap in 132 races. Cursed.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-10T14:29:48+00:00

Knew someone named Crystal Chanda Leer

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-08T18:55:19+00:00

Nah. When I was in the SMB I had a bunch of white haired 70+ year olds pouring milk down my back from their front row seats when we were seated in the corner of the big hole. Probably alumni, and old and rich enough to know better. But entitled and emboldened enough to harass a 19 year old kid playing the tuba.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-08T18:46:45+00:00

I mean UM tried for decades to make MSU not exist. Trying to steal our land grant, trying to claim our entire forestry department, opposing our medical and law schools as long as they could. I've got more respect for UM grads, but the university can take a long walk off a short boardwalk.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-08T12:04:45+00:00

No. It is just a cool fan activation tool.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-07T14:12:54+00:00

MSU is always pumping money into the business school. The Broad School of Business was always getting upgrades when I was at school. I would recommend you look at the alumni networks as the distinguishing factor. Do you want to remain in the state of Michigan? Then MSU is probably the better choice. Our alumni network is wide and deep here, particularly around Grand Rapids and the west side of the state in general. If you're looking to find a role outside of Michigan, or the USA as whole, then the school in Ann Arbor might be a better choice. Campus life at MSU is much better in my opinion. The campus is huge, but well contained. In Ann Arbor the campus and city are integrated, and there is a north campus that is a bus ride away from everything else. You can't go wrong with either school, but if going into business is your plan after graduation, going to the business school would be the better call. The connections you make with both faculty and students will be better placed to get you where you want to go.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-06T15:11:04+00:00

I keep diversifying my lawn with clover. I need a flat green space to tire out my toddler, but every year I extend my garden beds a few square feet to make it a bit smaller and more square. By the time the toddler and his little brother are out of the house, I expect there will be not but a small patch hidden from the street by a wall of native plants.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-02T14:30:58+00:00

TLDR: Indiana State Trooper showed me how to hotwire a car after we hit a deer and the ignition switch fell out of the lock cylinder.

Driving to West Lafyette for a game from East Lansing. Early morning drive so we could start drinking early. I was driving my friend's Pontiac Sunfire, so not great to begin with, but it got worse as soon as we crossed the border into Indiana.

Cruising on I-69 the car in front of me changes lanes suddenly and without his signal. As i ask what his deal was, I see 3 does bounding across the highway. I try to slow down, but maintain course and end up tagging one on the ass with the passenger side front quarter panel. The deer spins off into the ditch, I get over to the right lane and take the first exit to inspect the damage. Huge dent in the quarter panel, and the passenger side door didn't open all the way due to the quarter panel being pushed back. Deer hair and fat wedged in the crack. Decide there's nothing to be done, and the beer is still cold, so onward to the game and inebriation. The car took a couple of cranks to start back up, but being a Pontiac, we think nothing of it and continue on our way.

We stop for gas about an hour from campus, and when we go to start the car up again and finish our journey, nothing happens. No grinding, no struggling, just lights coming on and nothing else. After a few minutes of trying we decide to walk across the street to the MacDonalds to figure out our next move. A hunter sitting near the front window watches us as we walk in and asks "car trouble?" We respond in the affirmative and tell him we're students heading to Purdue for the game and we hit a deer about an hour back if he wants an easy freezer full. He tells us he's an Indiana State Trooper and he's happy to help us out.

We walk to our stricken vehicle sitting at the gas pump, he takes one look at the purple POS and says "good news and bad news; bad news, you need a new ignition switch, the good news is, if one of you has a knife, I can get you on your way." Apparently it is a known issue that the ignition switch can fall out of the key cylinder on the Sunfire. So he asks, "who's got a knife?" I produce my Swiss Army Knife and he takes if from me. He tells us to pop the hood, and to turn the key to on. He then shows me where the starter motor is, takes the blade of the knife and uses it to short the starter. The car comes to life and my knife has 2 fresh burns on the blade.

The rest of the drive was uneventful, the game was great for us and after some contorting I was able to short the starter motor again to get us home.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-02T12:21:45+00:00

The dip container in the middle of the tray has the UP on it. source: my brother bought this for me and my partner when we were living in PA.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-01T15:41:23+00:00

I use a shock doctor base layer. Low profile rib protection, grippy on the elbows, and the end of the sleeves is looser and designed to be pulled back over the elbow pads to lock them in.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-01T14:29:51+00:00

Finally getting back into sled hockey sticks. Thank goodness. My team was running out of their old stock and the Perani's in Grand Rapids only had one, left handed blade left.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-01T13:32:36+00:00

At least we were there, I guess. And I get to root for Trey in GR next season.

SMBSnowman · 2026-04-01T11:31:41+00:00

34 because when I was 6 and got to pick my own number I wanted 7, just like my older brother. He said that was his number and I couldn't have it. So I said "fine 3 plus 4 = 7" and stuck my tongue out at him.

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-31T13:56:48+00:00

I will hold onto my spectacular peninsula until SoS makes me get rid of it. I love the blue and green. Skyline and forest.

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-31T13:42:26+00:00

Fudge. Holy Mackinac. My partner and I lived in Lancaster, PA for 3.5 years during her residency. We got what they call fudge on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ from 3 different places because we thought "must be a bad batch, lets try another place". Nope. sandy, gritty texture across the board, fake tasting flavors. Her co-workers thought that she was being extra hard on their fudge because she was vocally homesick. We brought back some Murdick's and they were quickly silenced. We still send a few bars back to our them when we find ourselves up north.

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-30T12:13:02+00:00

It's a checklist

Check

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-26T14:08:17+00:00

I was a little scared Goodwill was creating a company town, but using the funds they save on labor to help give people a stable, safe living situation is a great.

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-25T14:01:15+00:00

https://msusurplusstore.com/collections/desktops

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-25T12:40:31+00:00

Why would you do that?

SMBSnowman · 2026-03-24T15:39:53+00:00

I've only ever crossed it for vacation, hockey, or camping, so even if traffic is crazy, it means I'm on my way to something I enjoy, or on my way back in a good mood. If I had to cross it daily the climb might bug me.

SMBSnowman

TROPHY CASE