So K and I, as is our wont, have a bet on the Olympic hockey games. We’ve drafted a player from each country, and their performance during the Games will determine the winner of the bet. Said winner will receive the hockey stick of their choice, capped at $40 with shipping and handling.

Judging from his reaction during the fantasy draft, I’ve got a pretty good chance of winning. This will probably mean nothing to any of you, but the rosters are as follows.

LITTLE ROCK TOE-PICKERS

(colors: green and blue; mascot: Willy the Hillbilly)

G Backstrom, Kiprusoff, Niittymaki (FIN)

G Vokoun, Pavelec, Stepanek (CZE)

D Bartulis (LAT)

D Tollefsen (NOR)

D Sbisa (SWI)

D Chara (SLO)

F Crosby (CAN) -- captain

F Grabovsky (BEL)

F Sturm (GER)

F H. Sedin (SWE)

F Kane (USA)

F Malkin (RUS)

EDGEWOOD ESKIMOS

(colors and mascot TBD)

G Brodeur, Fleury, Luongo (CAN)

G Lundqvist, Liv, Gustavsson (SWE)

D Kaberle (CZE)

D Streit (SWI)

D Timonen (FIN)

D Ehrhof (GER)

F Ovechkin (RUS) -- captain

F Parise (USA)

F S. Kostitsyn (BEL)

F Thoresen (NOR)

F Marian Hossa (SLO)

F Sprukts (LAT)

Crosby, Sedin, Kane and Malkin? Ridiculous how good my forwards are. But K has the best player in the game in Ovechkin and the best goalie in Brodeur.

I hope to catch as many games as I can while in Colorado next week for the annual girls’ ski trip. We’ll be spending three days in Breckenridge and hopefully squeezing in a good amount of time with the lovely Jackie. It’s been something like three years since I actually skied last, so we’ll see how that goes. Also hoping I don’t end up getting stuck somewhere terrible on the way home, as with last year.

On Saturday, Amy’s pal Steve was in town from Florida, where he covers the Panthers for the Sun-Sentinel. We took him to lunch in suburbia (yikes) at this really tasty Persian place called Persepolis. That evening Amy and I represented at the game, though I think I might have frightened her somewhat with the vehemence of my yelling. It was a big win! And the game-winning goal was scored by one of the new guys! Come on!

Then was a party at writer EG’s place in Midtown. It was not without some drama (again), but I managed to stay out of it this time. But I was told that one group of co-workers had voted me “best legs in the newsroom” (I really want some kind of certificate of achievement for that) and that a vast majority of our friends think K is an absolute idiot for not snatching me up. Shrug. I’ve moved on.

Tomorrow night, Dad comes through town on his annual hajj to Daytona. Poker at Manav’s on Friday night (might as well just hand over my $10 buy-in and leave, really), and the trip to Medieval Times is tentatively set for Saturday night, depending on whether K gets called in to work that morning. Lord Chauncey and Lady Floagy, at your service.