The race for the Republican nomination for governor has a sleeper candidate that will shake things up if he is able to get the name recognition he needs and if he is able to get his message out.

Other than assumed frontrunners Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and former Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley, there is another tier of candidates waiting to break out. One who is already well into that process is businessman and economic development leader Nelson “Oz” Griebel. Griebel is the head of MetroHartford Alliance. On its website, the group says, “The Alliance brings together 1,000 businesses, education and healthcare institutions, municipalities, non-profit organizations, and government leaders who are invested in the Hartford Region’s future economic growth and its viability for robust business development.”

Griebel appeared on Channel 3’s Face the State hosted by Dennis House Sunday and did well for himself. While careful not to directly criticize Gov. Rell or the other candidates to succeed her, Griebel made it clear he would not continue Rell’s leadership approach. He said he would have attended the National Governors Association meetings in Washington. He went on to say he would “be the face of the state” in dealing with economic development and other issues.

Griebel easily handled questions from House, the Stamford Advocate’s Brian Lockhart and the always-tough Rick Green of the Hartford Courant. And while his business development credentials are solid, how will he handle the monstrous budget deficit or dealing with the Democratic-controlled legislature? There are a lot of questions still to be answered.
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When a state’s entire U.S. House delegation consists of Democrats, you expect them to vote “liberally.” Such is the case with Connecticut. The National Journal ranks Connecticut’s House delegation (Courtney, DeLauro, Himes, Larson and Murphy) as the 4th most “liberal” in the country. They rank Massachusetts as the most liberal (shocking) followed in order by Hawaii and Vermont.
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Big “ups” to FOX 61-TV and the Hartford Courant for hosting and showing on the Internet two US Senate debates this week. Today, Democrats Merrick Alpert and Richard Blumenthal debate (why would Blumenthal share a stage with Alpert?). Tuesday will see the Republicans go at it in what has already been a nasty campaign. Linda McMahon, Peter Schiff and Rob Simmons will participate. Each will take place at 7 pm and will stream live on www.ctnow.com and www.courant.com .

Each candidate was given space in Sunday’s Courant to say at they would do in their first 100 days in office. As a candidate, the trick is to get the reader to actually read your piece.

Alpert lost me in the first two sentences by repeating the question and then not answering it. Blumenthal was Blumenthal—dry, intellectual, nearly robotic but impressive.

For the Republicans, McMahon was non-specific and routine. Schiff was numbing with numbers. Simmons’ was probably the best—practical, understandable and more specific than the others. The average reader wouldn’t finish reading any of them. The Shad’s author will be watching the debates on the ‘net for sure.
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Olympic note: The Gold Medal men’s hockey game was one for the ages and strangely, one in which you really didn’t mind if the other team won. USA’s goalie Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) was rightly named MVP of the tournament despite giving up the winning goal. Impressive is the fact that all the players on each team are millionaires (NHL stars) and therefore were truly playing for country. Of course, it also makes the 1980 Miracle on Ice victory (all college kids who had to eat at the coach’s house for lack of money) that much more special.

For future games: Twenty minutes of 4 on 4 overtime is not really fair (the NHL plays 5 minutes of 4 on 4, then a shootout) because it heavily favors the straight-out faster team. Sometimes the faster team is not the best team (although in this case it was). The grinding, better passing, gritty team is at a disadvantage. I suggest a simple, 20 minute, 5 on 5 sudden-death overtime and then a shootout.

Crosby, Nash, Toews, Thorton, Pronger, et al.—hard to beat.

Just about everyone at the state Capitol in Hartford and almost all editorial boards and blogs agree: There is no good excuse for Gov. Rell missing the National Governors Association meetings held last weekend, wrapping up Monday.

The NGA itself billed the meetings as a chance to “address critical issues, including health care reform and the economy. Governors will also meet with President Obama, members of the administration, business executives and other experts for discussions on a host of issues and challenges facing states.” The NGS highlights private “governors-only” sessions, “including a meeting with President Obama at the White House, provid[ing] governors a venue for sharing their thoughts and views on common challenges.” But not Governor Rell. Governors from Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the contiguous states all recognized the value of the meetings and attended. Is anyone surprised Connecticut gets left behind when it comes to getting stimulus money or other federal aid? For what it’s worth, Connecticut paid the dues for the NGA. Pathetic.

The Hanging Shad pointed out Rell’s absence from the NGA meetings Tues. morning( http://scullycommunications.com/scullyblog/ ). The Hartford Courant followed with a more in-depth article Wednesday. The Rell administration gave some lame excuses that ranged from “she had to be here for the budget negotiations” to “we are well represented in Washington.” Really? It took until September to get the current budget passed. And there is no substitute for face time with President Obama and administration big shots. Is this what we can expect until the fall when we elect her successor.
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In a somewhat related story, longtime business and economic development leader Nelson “Oz” Griebel appears on Channel 3’s Face the State hosted by Dennis House Sunday. Griebel is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor. The show was taped Thursday evening so host House has leaked some of the content of the show including Griebel breaking with Gov. Rell and stealthy criticizing her about missing the NGA meetings. Said Griebel, “I really believe it is vitally important the governor be the face of the state, that the governor be the chief business development officer of the state. Not only do other governors go to these events but many major businesses do as well and I think it is important that the governor communicate to businesses that Connecticut is open for business and we are eager to retain jobs we have and gain new ones.”

And that’s not all. According to House on his blog, Griebel said, “In this kind of global economy you have to understand that every state and many countries are going after these jobs. If Connecticut doesn’t have a hungry governor, there are 49 others out there eager to eat our lunch.”
“It is vitally important that a governor stay involved in this. This is a 6 or 7 day a week job.”
Face the State airs on Channel 3 Sunday at 11 am.

In the political races here in Connecticut, the casual voter who might not pay attention to the elections until the fall because, well, they’re held in the fall, has been getting a steady diet of campaign ads from Republican US Senate candidate Linda McMahon and GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley. Expect to see Democrat Ned Lamont in that mix soon. What do they all have in common? Gobs of money. Light-your-cigar-with-a-hundred-dollar-bill type of money. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The Shad’s author wishes he had that kind of money. And God bless these people if they can get their message out to voters using their riches.

Eventually, however, (with any luck) all the candidates will have to talk issues, answer questions about their positions and what their priorities are should they be fortunate enough to be elected to office. Many times this is when the lesser-known candidates get a chance to stand out. We hope this will be true of candidates such as Hartford Metro Alliance Chairman Oz Griebel (R), Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton (R), Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman (D) –all running for governor; Health Care Advocate Kevin Lembo (D) for Lt. Gov.; State Sen. Jonathan Harris (D) for secretary of state.

Full disclosure: The author of The Hanging Shad has worked with Mary Glassman and Jonathan Harris in the past and is clearly a big fan of both. I’m not alone: Mary Glassman Stands Out Amid Glitter In Connecticut Governor’s Race – Courant.com (I’m also a fan of Rick Green).

Money is important in politics, no doubt. But the voters of Connecticut should strive to cut through the clutter and get to know the candidates who are not so well-known right now and don’t have the personal wealth some others do. It’s important. There are enormous challenges ahead.
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Leave the Canadian women’s hockey team alone. The media and the snooty-nosed, Thurston Howell, III-like Olympic committee members are all over the women for their post-gold medal celebration after they dispatched an exciting and talented American team. Granted, hanging around the arena for more than an hour is a bit much. And swigging beer and smoking cigars on the ice is waaaay over the line—especially for the under-aged members of the team.

The team representatives have already apologized so let it go and move on. Suggestions that they be barred from the closing ceremonies or other such punishments are nonsense. These women have been carrying the weight of an entire country for this whole tournament and for some, carrying the stress of Hockey Nation for years.
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Other Olympic notes:

The hockey Maple Leaf has awakened and could steamroll their way to the gold. Love the US Nordic combined team which hit gold for the first time. At a critical point in the Sweden-Finland women’s hockey bronze medal game, a Finnish player dropped her gloves and grabbed the Swedish player by the head and threw her to the ice (know what that’s like and it’s no fun)! Those Scandinavian women are tough! Who knew?

USA men’s hockey team takes on Finland today for a spot in the finals and an eventual rematch with Team Canada—now THAT’S what I’m talking about.

The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Yemen arrived in Boston Harbor this week, amid high security and attention. Officials from Boston and surrounding communities were satisfied with the procedures for the docking of the hulking vessel but wondered whether the same attention would be given to the next 25 shipments that are to come.

A Coast Guard team boarded and searched the ship, scanned the hull for explosives, and recorded the faces, retinas, and fingerprints of crew members. The 935-foot Maran Gas Coronis arrived flanked by pilot vessels and tugs. Patrol cars and wagons parked at nearly every vantage point with a view of the ship’s arrival.

Local officials yesterday praised the security measures, but they questioned whether such attention will continue as shipments go on from the Middle Eastern country known to have harbored cells of the terrorist group Al Qaeda.

“This is the first run from Yemen, and it went off very successfully, because the eyes of the world were on this ship,’’ Mayor Thomas M. Menino said in an interview. “We expect that, because the Coast Guard was there, State Police were there, every security group was there to watch it. But you know this was the first one. What happens to the next 25 that come to Boston?’’

According to the Boston Globe, opponents of the tankers worry that terrorists could board a ship as stowaways and potentially ignite the flammable gas as the tanker docks in Boston. In 2004, a study commissioned by the Department of Energy concluded that a terrorist attack on an LNG tanker would cause “major injuries and significant damage to structures’’ a third of a mile away and could cause second-degree burns on people more than a mile away. Also that year, the Boston Fire Department estimated that up to 10,000 people could die in a LNG fire in Boston. Officials of the company importing the LNG, Distrigas of Massachusetts, dispute the risk outlined in the critical studies. There is no data on what a terrorist attack could do to surrounding states. Connecticut officials joined forces to keep a LNG terminal out of Long Island Sound.

According to the Globe, Distrigas has signed a 20-year contract with its Yemeni supplier and expects to bring as many as 30 shipments a year through Boston Harbor. The company provides 20 percent of New England’s natural gas on a typical day.
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If any Shadder read the Hartford Courant this morning, they would have seen a story about Governor Rell blowing off the National Governors Association held this past weekend into Monday. The Shad posted the story Tuesday morning.
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Olympic notes:
The USA men’s hockey team had a close call in the quarterfinals, beating Switzerland 2-0 (empty net goal at the end). While everyone is extolling the youth factor of the American team, it was the veterans that carried the play. Nothing but the very best hockey in the world to come from here on out.

Lindsay Vonn v. Julie Mancuso? I’ll taking Mancuso any day, on any topic.

I love NBC bringing back Dorothy Hamill and Kristi Yamaguchi for their views and analysis on the figure skating. They are still great personalities. USA’s Nordic combined team broke new ground—making it hard not to watch the rather boring sport of cross-country skiing.

When Gov. Rell made it known earlier this year that she is not seeking another term, we all kind of expected her to lay off the heavy lifting (not unlike when she was smack-dab in the middle of her terms) as those who want to succeed her scrambled for position. However, I don’t think anyone expected her to simply “mail in” the rest of her term.

That’s the way it looks right now as Rell remained in Connecticut this past weekend while the rest of the nation’s governors attended the winter meetings of the National Governors Association in Washington. These are no ordinary meetings. According to the NGA, the meetings (which concluded yesterday) “address critical issues, including health care reform and the economy. Governors will also meet with President Obama, members of the Administration, business executives and other experts for discussions on a host of issues and challenges facing states.” But not Governor Rell. The NGS highlights private “governors-only” sessions, “including a meeting with President Obama at the White House, provided governors a venue for sharing their thoughts and views on common challenges.” Except of course, for Connecticut’s.

It’s not like Connecticut doesn’t need representation on these issues. The state received a proverbial “drop in the bucket” in federal stimulus money last time around and is one of only nine states getting nothing in the latest round. You’re not increasing your chances of getting a slice of the pie when you don’t show up for your chance at face time with the president and other big shots. Taxpayers should be asking why Rell is the least hard working governor in the nation.

Unless there is some sort of family or health situation involved, there is no excuse for the governor not going to DC and fighting as hard as possible for Connecticut. And there’s no excuse for legislative leadership not holding her accountable.
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Olympic notes:

I know this goes against the grain but as a life-long hockey player, I can tell you the USA men’s hockey team better step it up or they will be on the outside looking in when it comes time for passing out the medals.

No one was happier than me when they beat Canada but the fact is, they were outplayed for the most part, failing to effectively transition from defense to offense and they need to be more physical in front of the net. The fact is, Ryan Miller basically hoisted the team on his back and carried them to the win.

The scary part is, Canada played a horrific game and still almost won. They have the better players and they played like they didn’t want to be there. If Pronger, Bergeron, Nash, et al come to play, watch out. If they sleepwalk through the rest of the tournament, the US doesn’t have to worry. Meanwhile, Thursday’s Gold Medal game between the USA and Canadian women could be great stuff.

Speed skater Shani Davis is my favorite Olympic athlete (after the multitude of hockey players). Davis wins and does one, post-victory interview, smiling widely and thanking those that helped him. Pure class.

Bode Miller has redeemed himself; dialing down the partying while showing humility. The same cannot be said for snowboarder Lindsay Jacobellis.

I think NBC is doing a great job.

Note to loyal Shadders (and occasional readers as well): The posts will be a little less frequent in the coming weeks as I enter a rather time-consuming physical therapy program to get the body back into shape after the holiday-time, near tragic fall. BTW, thanks for all the well-wishes and “get wells.” It means a lot to me.

You know the situation is bad when there is question as to whether you’re even qualified to hold the elected office you seek. Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz is trying to close the door on the issue as it pertains to her and her bid for attorney general. After balking at first, she has now decided to seek a declaratory ruling from a judge as to whether she has been an attorney “in active practice” or alternatively, have the 10-year requirement struck down as unconstitutional.

She may not get the answer she wants (Dick Blumenthal didn’t exactly come through with a “foxhole response” for her). However, that has to be better than having the issue hanging over her for the entire campaign. Her rivals, particularly former state Senate Majority George Jepsen and state Rep. Cameron Staples, have found way to work the issue without outright slamming Bysiewicz. She is leading in the latest polls (as she was in the governor’s race),

On the other side of the aisle, there is no doubt Republicans will relentlessly question Bysiewicz’ qualifications regardless of how the judge rules.
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The clip-clop, clip-clop, you hear are the Horsemen of The Shad’s personal Apocalypse. One of the signs has been reveal. I agree with nearly ALL of Kevin Rennie’s column on Ned Lamont in Sunday’s Hartford Courant. Lamont clearly plans to parachute into the race for the Democratic nomination for governor and overwhelm everyone else with his personal wealth. He already leads in the polls which this far out, are purely name recognition. Hopefully, the others in the race who are going town to town building support (Dan Malloy, Mary Glassman, et. al) won’t lie down or be intimidated.

Lamont’s appearance on Channel 3’s Face the State hosted by Dennis House was one part scary and two parts pathetic. For every question House asked, Lamont answered a different one. The robotic Lamont said what he was programmed to say. Disappointing at best.
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More Olympic notes:
Unquestionably an incredible athlete, Apolo Ohno’s marketing choices (he’ll pitch just about anything) makes him seem more pitchman and less champion athlete. Meanwhile, Lindsay Vonn gave herself a built-in excuse if she didn’t win with the whole shin injury thing. Please.

Love the snowboard athletes. They get it. Shaun White is the best. Making history as he goes alone. I wish I could get my hands on those Canadian gloves and those plaid shirts. Hate the pajama-looking outfits the US ski-jumpers wore.

Ok, I‘ll skip asking for the phone number of the Harvard and women’s hockey player. I’ll settle for Kristie Yamaguchi’s.

More on the best sport—hockey—to come.