Bucee's is going for a "GQ" look for its next billboard campaign. They may or may not, however, be using Ryan Stanzel and Rick Bronwell

Aeros equipment manager and resident comedian Rick Bronwell continues his Aeros.com blog. Rick loves hearing from his fans...rather, Aeros fans...so e-mail him now.

Hello, here we are again at Blog Central. It’s Wednesday, February 21. We’re having a good time, hanging out at the practice rink. We’re out here all week. We had an optional practice on Monday, then we were here yesterday and today too. Oh, before I go any further...If you have some time, I encourage you to click on all the links we put in here. Some are serious, but some are jokes. It's part of what makes The Blog, The Blog!

Today’s not too much of a busy day. We’re packing the bags up after practice, putting them on the truck – just doing our normal thing. We’ll unload at Toyota Center around 11 p.m. after the Rockets game. Iowa gets in about 3:50 p.m., and Donny will go pick them up.

Speaking of Donny, a little sidebar here. Donny’s next to me. I’m looking at his eye, and it looks like he has one heck of a layer of mascara on. That’s because last night in his rec league game, little Donny White got smashed in the face with a puck. His eye is pretty much swollen shut. It looks like James “Buster” Douglas after he won the title over Mike Tyson. Only Douglas’ whole body looked like Donny’s eye. Heck I’m in better shape than Douglas.

We’ve got games Thursday and Friday against Iowa. It’s not too late to get that great Maple Leaf Happy Hour Package that includes a game ticket and a drink coupon to Maple Leaf. Call 713.974.PUCK now to order! Friday, the first 3,000 fans get an Aeros logo pen! We’ll come back to Sugar Land after the game on Friday and have practice at 1 p.m. on Saturday. There’s a concert at Toyota Center Saturday. We’ll unload about 12:30 a.m. after that concert. We’ll play Sunday against Milwaukee, and they fly out Monday morning. Sunday is one of my favorite days, with the Family Day package. Call 713.974.PUCK and bring the whole family out!

Then we’ve got another week of easy listening and relaxing before going on those nice road trips in March. I’m sure I’ll have some great stories for you then. This week’s been pretty dead except for the huge release of Hold the Mayo’s debut album. We’ve had some great response. The MySpace page is getting hit up like none other…with the exception of anyone else in a band, who is an actual band.

I just want to say thank you to everyone for listening and enjoying it – the good feedback and even the bad. I can’t repeat any of the bad. I think he was just mad he doesn’t have a blog. If you don’t have bad criticism, you haven’t made it as a band I keep telling Benny. American Idol called us the other day and told us we were awful. We’re not going to American Idol. A studio in Los Angeles called and said no. It’s just normal things when you’re starting out. It takes a lot of grunt work to get your first deal.

You can get the CD for $10 at the Aeros Charities table at home games. It’s $12.95 if you get it through Aeros.com, but it includes shipping and handling. We guarantee you’ll laugh along with us, and your ears won’t hurt that bad when we’re done!

We’ll get to the full mailbag later on, but I want to print this special e-mail here.

Q: I have had one heck of a day here at work…But watching your video has renewed my energy and my will to continue! Keep up the good work……..PS I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. I owe you both for that one. – Amee’

A: Amee' – It made us very, very happy to read this e-mail on how it renewed your energy and will to continue. I didn’t think It’s a Beaver, or Songs from the Jar would do that, but you can put us on a list of mystery healers. If you’ve sitting at your desk and having a hard time getting through the day, turn on our CD. You will continue to live. That’s a great e-mail. I hate saying that we have fans. I’m like, you’re kidding me, we/I have fans? I’m the equipment guy. I sharpen skates and hang up jocks for a living.

Speaking of fans, my wife is taking this harder than I thought. She doesn’t want to accept that I’m somebody now. Last night, we were making dinner and I said “Heather, you can’t talk to me like that, I’m somebody now.” She put me right back in my place and said, “You’re nobody, now go change Addison’s diaper”. Things are right back to Earth on that. I have a big head literally, but I’m not carrying it around like a balloon like she imagines. She keeps thinking I’ll go on a road trip, be a rock star, and have a bus all to myself. And all the money I can handle. I might get the SVT version of the Ford Focus, which is six speed instead of the five. Electric windows, too. 162 horsepower instead of 140. We’ll bump it up a little bit. Crazy Jim was telling me wants to be like me. That’s not my fault, it’s just the way of the beast.

So…

The Booster Club banquet was unbelievable. It was a great time. Stanzel and I emcee’d it. We played some songs. Well, I did. We had some more plans but we were running long on time. We’ll save those for maybe Celebrity Waiter. I think that one game is a really good one, but we can’t tell you what it was. It’ll be a surprise.

I got to sing to a special girl Lauren. We’re really close friends now. Just kidding. Let me give you some background. I was going to play the Zamboni song. Kim puts up $200 to hear me serenade her daughter with it. I can’t believe someone paid me $200 to sing. That’s amazing. I should be paying them to hear me zing. So I’m singing the Zamboni song, which isn’t exactly fit for singing to a girl. We went ahead and made a couple alterations to it. I had an extra verse, too. I found it on rickbronwell.com.

We had a great time. Thanks go out to Melanie, and all the organizers. It was for a great charity – Kids Unlimited. It’s one of best charities out there. I know if something was going on with my daughters, I’d want them to be in that organization to get the best care and to make themselves feel as happy as they possibly can. We look forward to doing it again next year. If we’re invited back! We’ll even wear our Bucee’s gear! And Tommie and the Mardi Gras crowd - Thanks for the beads!

I started a workout regiment last week. Heather and I got a membership at Lifetime Fitness. The place is so clean and it’s fun to work out there. I have a problem. I always get bored with working out. We have a gym here at the rink that I could use for free, but every time I start doing it, I do it for a couple weeks, and then I have to much work to do around the rink so I go do it. I figure if I have to pay for the membership I’ve got to use it.

So far it’s worked well. They have daycare there, so both the wife and I are doing the mutual thing to support each other. If one of us doesn’t want to go, the other one forces them to go. The daycare is unbelievable. We drop the kids off, and they don’t even know who we are. Addison crawls right in as fast as she can, and Ashleigh goes and plays with the other kids. They’re in there two hours. We work out, then we’ve got the hot tub, sauna, the steamer. I lost 10 pounds in a week. Of course I put it all back on with that Boston Cream Pie last night. It’s just a Twinkie with pudding. I didn’t know they could make a Twinkie better than a Twinkie, but you can.

Mailbag time, Part 2

Q: I thought I had seen it all. If there ever was a forum for the rubber balls bouncing around in your skull, this is it. They do realize that once they got you started there is no way they could ever stop you? I used to think you had a face for radio, but after seeing you as a cartoon I couldn't be more wrong. You are like a male Jessica Rabbit. I have a few song titles for you:
Your skates are sharp enough, you just can't shoot straight.
I heard you the first time, there's 22 other guys here.
You told me the sticks would ship last week.
I woke up and have no idea where I am.
The arena at 2 a.m.
I'm addicted. Can't wait to hear the CD.
Bobby in LA

A: Bob – Those are good titles for songs. I may have to write a song about the skates being sharp enough. It’d be my ode to JR (search for “Roenick lamented” on the link). I love it, Bobby. Bobby is actually the guy that does our lettering and numbering on our jerseys. All our fonts, nameplates and such. Thanks for the e-mail. I love you man, especially the rubber balls comment. I can’t believe you pegged that one. Actually they are more like little tiny superballs, because I don’t have many brains up there. Bobby’s addicted. Everyone is. It’s all about the laughs.

Q: Hey Rick,
Listened to the tunes on MySpace today. You guys are crazy, but I enjoyed it anyway. Especially the RADIO EDITS. Too funny. I had to chuckle when you mentioned C is for Cookie in the Bucee’s song. I'm always humming that tune myself. - Leslie

A: Thanks Leslie for a nice comment on the CD. It’s nice to hear that people are laughing, especially the C is for Cookie. I had to put that in for my kids. They don’t watch Sesame Street that much. It’s one hour and no commercials. It’s a miracle in itself to keep their attention that long. This CD thing has turned into something that’s bigger than I or anyone imagined.

To Julie at Pappa La Rosa’s. I could just pick up the phone and call you, or see you downstairs. But I know you're reading. Everyone is. I’ll give you a copy of the CD, so you can give it to your cousin at Bucee’s. I know next time I’m in Bucee’s, at the end of April (it’s sad we only go there one more time this season)…I want to hear it on the loudspeaker in the bathrooms. Because that’s where it belongs, on the loudspeaker in the bathrooms.

We’re working on getting some songs together for a second CD. We’ll probably do less talking and more singing. We’ve had some interest from the media even (seriously!) If we book some appearances, well get it up on Aeros.com and our MySpace page. We can play covers if we play live too!

Well, I’ve got to go pack some running shoes and shower shoes. Remember to e-mail The Blog! Until next time!