While Boltsmag is no longer updating (for blog posts about the Lightning, check out Raw Charge), I did need to post this graphic — five years late — for superstition sake…

Five years ago, I had this “The Wall” graphic updated with every game played in the Cup playoffs. Every game, a new notch was put up. Though it should have only been victories (I was young and stupid! Forgive me!), I notched every game – win or lose.

Some people blamed lack of updates on loses the Bolts suffered in the Eastern Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. This made me more responsible in updating said-graphic. After the Bolts won the Cup in 2004 — I neglected to update the graphic once again to register the 7th and final game.

This is my attempt to rectify that situation and perhaps throw off a jinx that the Bolts have had since:

Boltsmag was put together some five years ago… and now I announce that Boltsmag is going on extended — if not permanent — hiatus as a Tampa Bay Lightning blog.

Today, I announce the opening of the newest Sports Blog Nation website, Raw Charge.

There’s more to talk about with this, and I probably will post further remarks in this very post when they come to mind… But it’s the end and the begining… all at once.

I thought it was all too casual a mention when I looked at the cover of the St. Petersburg Times sports section and found a sidebar snippet mentioning the death of Bill Davidson.

William Davidson, owner of the Detroit Pistons, founder of Palace Sports and Entertainment and former owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise, passed away. And the amount of respect thrown his way by acknowledging his passing is a sidebar note?

I’m up in arms about that, but really — that’s a media kvetch and unimportant. This fan respects what Davidson’s empire achieved with the Lightning under it’s control and Davidson did indeed make a wise investment in the Lightning and the St.Pete Times Forum. Even if the Lightning were not financially solvent during the majority of his ownership tenure… The arena itself was one of the most active and highest rated in the world.

In other news: Everyone probably has noticed that next to nothing has been published here at Boltsmag down the stretch… We’re in transition to something else right now with the site and further details should be coming public in the immediate future. Stay tuned.

…which doesn’t mean I will be blogging more often but I was tired of the old design, big time, for Boltsmag.

As it stands, it’s not easy to find comments unless you visit the permalink for the post. That should be corrected with time.

BUMP AND UPDATE 10-07-2008: Some aspects of the site are still not working and I can’t quite remedy them until next week. I’d appreciate it if people can either use the contact form and report errors on the site or try to leave a comment (I can’t guarantee comments will get through with thanks to anti-spam software).

Yeah, that’s me… Of course no one has heard hide nor hair from me on the blogosphere about the Lightning since… well, my last post. I’ve been busy as hell with other projects and interest in other things…

Not that I am going to let Boltsmag fade away. Which leads me to this post: I’d have aprpeciated it if someone could have pointed out to me how out-of-whack the site looks when you venture to the archives. It makes me ashamed

Back to the drawing board on that… And who knows, maybe I’ll talk Olaf Kolzig or Steven Stamkos sometime soon?

Welcome one and all to Boltsmag.com – Tampa Bay Lightning Weblog.

For all who come across the site, it is in no way related to the previous Boltsmag, which was overseen by Eric Keaton and part of the now demised Rivals.com network. It’s simply a place for sounding off about the Lightning, the NHL, and presenting a fan view of the coolest game on ice.

I’m hoping that this site will show that there is support for Southern Hockey, which is routinely put down in various hockey-circles I come across. The Tampa Bay market is the premiere southern US market for Hockey. Yes, we’ve been to hell and back with regards to what the Lightning has gone through over the years – three owners (one of mysterious background, one of football background and currently an arena/sports professional), four 50+ loss seasons in a row, 3 venues (from the barn-like Expo Hall, to the Baseball-stadium-in-waiting Thunderdome, to Ice Palace / St. Pete Times Forum (AKA the Times Palace) ]…

But it’s the trials and tribulations that define fans and how devote an area is to a team.

My name is John Fontana and I hope that you find the information here interesting and informative.

My colleague on the site, Keith Short, contributes on occasion in his own “The View From Canada” column to give a view of the National Hockey League and events from a more informed perspective.

The Domains which Boltsmag can be reached on are www.boltsmag.com and www.rawlightning.com