Click here to see a more panoramic view of the arena.




Before the game started, they had a ceremony marking Mike Ricci's 1000th NHL game, which he'd played a few days earlier. The sad part was that he was injured in the mean time and wouldn't be playing tonight.

The Sharks did, as expected, go on to win the game. My old friend Alyn McCauley (the only Leafs player I've ever really respected, now playing in San Jose) got an assist on one of the goals.

By the time I drove back to San Francisco, it was really late and I went to bed. The only problem was that outside my window, someone was playing steel drums in a manner lacking talent to an unconscionable degree. Extra disappointing was the fact that he knew only two songs. But it only lasted about an hour and I fell asleep as soon as he stopped.




The next morning, I spent about 30 seconds trying to figure out why there was a big line of people on this street corner. Then I gave up. I suppose I could have crossed the street and asked one of them, but nobody likes to get shot. (Kidding!)




This is a first for me: a busking opera singer. He was singing along to the music from the stereo strewn at left.