

Current pledge total: $1,080.00

Hi Sens fans.

It's your favourite sentient hockey hairdo here.

When I signed up to write for this site, I was not expecting the kind of welcome that I received. Within the first week as a member of the Silver Seven (although there are at least 11 of us), I managed to have an article featured on Sportsnet's website and as well as my tanned, chiseled legs featured on Sportscentre.

I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the greater Ottawa Senators community, even as I sit in my underwear in my living room in the United States. As a form of thanks I've decided to put together the "Sens Money on the Board" campaign. The concept was shamelessly stolen from Columbus Blue Jackets bloggers at theunionblue.com. Check out that article for a nice summary of the history of the event.

Money on the Board

Money on the board is a hockey tradition in which a player or coach will pledge money on a locker-room whiteboard as extra incentive to score a game-winning goal or win a key game. The #SensMotB campaign encourages fans to put money on the board for various in-game events. For example, I pledged $1 for every Karlsson point for the rest of the season, and $10 for every Guillaume Latendresse goal.

I put out a feeler last night to see if any Sens fans would be interested in participating in an Ottawa Senators version of the campaign, with donations going to the Sens Foundation, a local charity that describes itself as follows:

The Sens Foundation, a strategic partner of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, is led by a small team of fundraisers, event planners, and communications professionals, partnered with more than 2,500 community volunteers, who are passionately committed to raising funds that enable positive life changes for children in eastern Ontario and western Quebec in the areas of education, healthcare, sports and recreation.

This was the instant reaction of Sens fans:

via sensforlife11.weebly.com

Before the final goal-horn had sounded, over 50 Sens fans had pledged money for various in-game happenings and pledged over $900 $1000 in 3 hours through the hashtag #SensMotB. While most fans pledged money for a Sens win, or folk hero Erik Karlsson getting on the scoreboard, some were more creative:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/bonksmullet">bonksmullet</a> if this game goes into OTand <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Sens">#Sens</a> win I will pledge the players #=$ Goal scorer & Assisting guys! <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23ComeOnZibby">#ComeOnZibby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23SensMotB">#SensMotB</a></p>— Chad Ror (@C_RORRIS) <a href="https://twitter.com/C_RORRIS/status/327577945415761920">April 26, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/bonksmullet">bonksmullet</a> for my buddy @<a href="https://twitter.com/smit_treat15">smit_treat15</a> and in honour of my son Connor who is a brain cancer survivor-$10/goal, $5/ass, $15/scrap-$100/GHHT</p>— Matt Ross (@mRodrums) <a href="https://twitter.com/mRodrums/status/327577196535357440">April 26, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/bonksmullet">bonksmullet</a> ill donate $2 for every pressbox hotdog kassian eats.</p>— Kris Kok (@kriskok) <a href="https://twitter.com/kriskok/status/327576359851409408">April 26, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/kriskok">kriskok</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/sensfoundation">sensfoundation</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/bonksmullet">bonksmullet</a> 15 hotdogs</p>— Matt Kassian (@kassassination) <a href="https://twitter.com/kassassination/status/327619107363115008">April 26, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I'm pledging $10 if we can all make it to tomorrow morning without seeing a penis column by Don Brennan.@<a href="https://twitter.com/silversevensens">silversevensens</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/bonksmullet">bonksmullet</a></p>— Laura/theactivestick (@theactivestick) <a href="https://twitter.com/theactivestick/status/327592528197087233">April 26, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Donation Information

Here is a spreadsheet of most of the pledges made last night (I excluded some that didn't end up happening), including the total dollar value in the top left. Unbelievable job everyone.

Please make your donations here: the Sens Foundation.

If you'd like, on the "Donor Information" page, under the "Donation being made in the name of:" field, enter #SensMotB. Hopefully the Sens foundation can get us a total donation tally in the end.

We plan on running this campaign through the playoffs, so if any of you plan on pledging more than you have already, feel free to wait until the playoffs are over to make your donation.

Huge shout-out to Twitter user "Char Ror" @C_RORRIS who has pledged to donate $257.00 to the Sens foundation. Thank him for his generosity if you get the chance.

The Next Game: April 27th vs. Philadelphia

Although the game will still be meaningful to the Senators, as their playoff seed is yet to be decided, why not make the game more meaningful by putting some money on the board? To facilitate the pledge collection process, I've made the following form:

Note: You're not donating anything yet by filling out the form. This is just to help me collect your pledge data. Feel free to be as creative as you'd like. Tweet me if you have any questions about the form, or find something wonky.

Here are the potential pledges for the next game so far.

Thanks to Sens Chirp, the 6th Sens, Sens Nation, the Sens Mile and everyone else who helped spread the word.

Your favourite 90's neck warmer,

Radek Bonk's Mullet