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Alex

@nobrakes.bsky.social

208 followers 153 following 1.9K posts

Technical Writer, Musician, Reader, Board- and Video-Gamer, Photographer, EIC emeritus of Tech Hockey Guide, ex-Hockey PA Announcer and Bar Trivia Host | Twin Cities, MN

Posts Replies Media

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 4h

Since University of Illinois went radio silent and NIU keeps not doing the ASU thing and getting their ACHA program bumped up, I propose that we eye up the true frontier of Illinois' institutions of post-secondary education: NCAA Division I hockey at DeVry University.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 10h

I've gotta figure out some sort of deflector because the air vent in my office points right at my feet, and it turns out that not only do I hate cold air blowing on my feet after about 30 seconds, but I also hate hot air blowing on my feet after about 30 seconds.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 22h

The beginning of Star Wars, when a Jawa jumps out and makes a loud noise before hitting R2-D2 with an ion blaster.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Reichard is my highest scoring player in my non-PPR league and my second-highest scoring by literally 0.1 in my PPR league. Fucking madness.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Vikings somehow winning without scoring a single touchdown *again*.

static.klipy.com

Jesse Pinkman Cries: They Can't Keep Getting Away With This

Alt: Jesse Pinkman Cries: They Can't Keep Getting Away With This

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Vikings proving that the best offense is not just a good defense, but also a reliable kicker.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

3-1 final in Houghton. First time Michigan Tech has swept Minnesota since 2005. The vibes among Michigan Tech fans right now after sweeping the higher-polled team this weekend:

static.klipy.com

Shoresy: This Team Will Never Lose Again

Alt: Shoresy: This Team Will Never Lose Again

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Huskies scored on a late power play to go up 2-1 and then buried an empty-netter to make it 3-1. Minute left to go; Gophers still running with an empty net.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Missed most of the game while my wife was running the Twin Cities Marathon, but we're tied at one apiece in Houghton. Shots 30-21, but the Gophers just had a five-minute PP to pepper Bartoszkiewicz.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Every once in a while, my dog comes in from the yard smelling like death and just giving her a bath doesn't get it out. Wish we knew what the cause was so we could get it out of the yard, because holy heck is it *bad* this morning.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Love when executive dysfunction hits at 10:30 PM and you *should* just go to bed, but that would require committing and following through on actively doing nothing.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Seriously. Both "Resident Evil" and "Exit 8" were better than they really had any right to be.

A meme of Dr. Doofenshmirtz captioned:

IF I HAD A NICKEL FOR EVERY TIME THIS YEAR I SAW A MOVIE—BASED ON A JAPANESE VIDEO GAME—IN WHICH A GUY WORRIED ABOUT FATHERHOOD HAS TO NAVIGATE A HORRIFIC SITUATION, I'D HAVE TWO NICKELS

WHICH ISN'T A LOT, BUT IT'S WEIRD THAT IT HAPPENED TWICE

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I went to cancel my @startribune.com subscription but, whoops, turns out I already did!

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Just gonna sit here and watch that Boldy pickoff on loop with a giant grin on my face.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

And now Bowling Green up 2-0 over Michigan at first intermission. Wild night for B1G@CCHA.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Huskies get the win over the Gophers: 3-2 final. Physical game, ice condition definitely a concern for both teams, should be an absolute barn burner tomorrow.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

MVB burries another one for Michigan Tech to get the 3-2 go-ahead over Minnesota.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Fun trivia: "Blue Skirt Waltz" being played at every Michigan Tech home hockey game is basically a proto-Rick Roll. A local DJ overplayed it in the early 1950s, so it became a regular bit of the college band's rotation until public opinion came around on it and now it's the "Copper Country Anthem."

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Gophers tie it back up. Hendrickson takes multiple swipes on a wraparound and eventually gets it through to the net.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Jansson makes the most of a slot turnover in front of the Gopher net. 2-1 Huskies with 13:29 to go in the 2nd.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Pritchard gets through two Huskies at the blue line and notches a breakaway goal for the Gophers. Tie game in Houghton early in the 2nd.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Michigan Tech's Matthew Van Blaricom opens the scoring for the season against the Golden Gophers. Physical game so far, with both teams battling hard for the full length of the seemingly still kinda soft ice—some weird bounces and loss of footing all over the rink.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Remember kids: If you're gonna skate up and cross check somebody after the whistle, make sure that you're not the one who falls over.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Well, they're actually introducing lineups, so it looks like the ice issues have been fixed and we're gonna play some hockey!

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Just saw Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil. The people yearn for a Resident Evil Outbreak remake. We need more RE where the hero is just some rando.

The cover art for Resident Evil Outbreak.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I need to get up and take a shower before going to this movie, but my dog is curled up like a donut and twitching her ear as she dreams and it's really cute and I don't want to walk away from that.

Reposted by Alex

Lindsey G @lindseyyyg.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Reposting with alt text 🫡

Ticket Information - Hockey Game Postponement & Schedule Changes
Dear Hockey Ticket Holder,
We are extremely sorry for Friday's game postponement and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
As a result of the postponement, there have been changes to this weekend's hockey schedule:
• Friday's game has been rescheduled for Sunday at 3:07 p.m.
• Saturday's game will now begin at 4:07 p.m.
Sunday's Ticket Information
If you had tickets to Friday night's game, please review the following options:
If you still have your ticket from Friday night's game:
You will be able to use that ticket for admission to Sunday's 3:07 p.m. game.
If you no longer have your ticket from Friday night's game:
Please email the Ticket Office at tickets@mtu.edu with "Reissue Tickets" in the subject line. In the body of the email, please include:
• Your name
• Quantity of tickets
• Section, row and seat numbers)
Providing all of this information will help us process and reissue your tickets as quickly as possible.
If you would like a refund for Friday night's game:
Please email the Ticket Office at tickets@mtu.edu with "Refund Tickets" in the subject line. In the body of the email, please include:
• Your name
• Quantity of tickets
• Section, row and seat number(s)
• Last four digits of the credit card used to purchase the tickets (if purchased by credit card)
• Your mailing address (if purchased with cash)
If you have the receipt that was emailed to you, please include it with your request as well. Providing all of this information will help us process your refund as quickly as possible. Please allow 1-2 weeks for refunds to be processed.
REMINDER: Saturday's Game
For anyone holding tickets to Saturday's game, the start time has been moved up to 4:07 p.m.
Again, we sincerely apologize for the postponement and the disruption it has caused. We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued support of Michigan Tech Hockey.
Thank you,
Michigan Tech Athletics Ticket Office

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

If you had a ticket for Friday’s UMN@MTU game that was rescheduled to Sunday because of ice issues, here’s the instructions from the MTU ticket office. Note also that today’s game was moved up to a 4:07 ET start. (Sorry for no alt text; I’m on my phone and that’s a lot of text to transcribe)

A screenshot of ticket instructions for Sunday’s UMN@MTU hockey game.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Taken by a fan in the arena and shared to the @chasingmacnaughton.com Discord:

A jumbotron which reads:

Due to player safety,
tonight's game has been
cancelled.
Saturday's Game 4:07 PM
Sunday's Game 3:07 PM

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

UMN @ MTU hockey cancelled and rescheduled to Sunday at 3:07 ET. Looks like some ice issues at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I'd say I've been watching the Wild game, but really it's been on in the background while I clear out the editing queue for @chasingmacnaughton.com. (If you're seeing this, have a passion for a CCHA hockey schools, and want to write or edit for us: let's talk!)

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Update: DirecTV is now showing a channel, but that channel displays a message saying "Our contract with this channel’s owner recently expired."

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Just over 2 hours until puck drop on the season opener, and the Wild still have not made a deal with literally any of the cable/satellite providers in the metro (except for Fubo, who might not even really count given that they're internet only).

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Behind the scenes at @chasingmacnaughton.com: staff chat spent some of yesterday (and this morning) fondly remembering when you could fly between MSP and CMX on Mesaba Airlines.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I don't know what I saw that brought this to my attention this morning, but Pizza Hut is sponsoring a giveaway of 24 Little Free Libraries. littlefreelibrary.org/support/spon...

littlefreelibrary.org

Pizza Hut & Little Free Library - Little Free Library

KPMG Friends and Family for Literacy (KFFL) is partnering with Little Free Library to build book-sharing boxes to be placed at community-based organizations.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I'm about to go grab a sweatshirt. Had to turn on the AC because I got a warning from my thermostat about indoor humidity.

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Reposted by Alex

Je Hyeon | ABOLISH the polICE @naptime.theolive.garden · 30/09/2026

idc about yt or tt, I’m talking about here in bluesky you weirdos. just use words (so people can use filters)

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I'm not sure how many of our readers actually follow me on here, but @chasingmacnaughton.com / @techhockeyguide.com is *not* doing a group ticket buy for next weekend. If you've done group tickets with us before, you should've gotten an email today with advice on where to individually get seats.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Looking at that 10th season logo at center ice in Vegas in utter disbelief because... like... a decade?

static.klipy.com

Man Ages Rapidly

ALT: Man Ages Rapidly

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Brb. Gotta find a new team. Loons are spending too little and Man City are spending too much. www.premierleague.com/en/news/4727...

premierleague.com

Premier League Statement: Manchester City FC

An independent Commission has found Manchester City FC guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Audio mix on MNF feels weird and off. Like it’s being mic’d with tin cans and string.

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Realizing I never shared this shot from a couple weeks ago. Squirrel snacking on a walnut out my home office window.

A close-up of a squirrel eating a walnut. It's got crumbs half falling out of its mouth.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Hey look, now he gets to be a Giant (waste of some other fanbase's time to endlessly debate whether he can be any good)!

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Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

How foggy is it? Well, I assure you my camera lens *is* clean.

A screenshot of a phone’s camera looking down a foggy street. Circled at the top is a notice to “Clean the camera lens.”

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Dying laughing at this one:

A screenshot of a tweet altered to say:

My neighbor told me [The Vikings] keep [injuring] his [starting quarterbacks] so I asked how many [QBs] he has and he said he just goes to the shelter and gets a new [QB] afterwards so I said it sounds like he's just feeding [starting qbs] to [BLITZ RATE 75.9%] and then his daughter started crying.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Minnesota defenders and not *quite* finishing their tackles; name a more iconic duo.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Trump quoted in this "Paid for by the U.S. Government" ad saying he'll kick the warmongers out, but, like... he knows where he can start, right?

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Consumer prices are going wild, we've started several new wars, and we're building a reliance on fossil fuels despite taking action to make that fuel more expensive... ... but it's okay, because we have a pro-Trump ad telling us none of this is true *paid for by the U.S. Government.*

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Wild. Myles Price returns a punt 86 yards for a TD, and it wasn't even necessarily the coolest TD in that five-minute span because Deebo Samuel took a lateral 80 yards to the house, too.

Alex @nobrakes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Need cargo pants to become normalized again so that keeping a mass market paperback and/or Game Boy in the cargo pockets can become normalized again.