WIZ Blog

Most students would bring a prized possession or a favorite pet to their classroom’s Show N Tell, but on Wednesday, May 16th, Kathleen Cox brought James Wisniewski to her Sells Middle School 6th grade classroom, as part of the Verizon Wireless “Show N Tell with NHL”.

James Wisniewski picked Kathleen up in a limousine and headed to Sells Middle School in Dublin, Ohio. Kathleen’s classmates were all giggles as Wisniewski took over the classroom and told them of his love for playing “Ghost in the Graveyard”. They then erupted into laughter as he joked that he had been in “zero” hockey fights stating, “You have to talk it out.” When James Wisniewski was asked what he would be if he wasn’t a hockey player, he simply replied, “An historian.” James has been known to sit and watch the History Channel for hours on end. One Twitter follower posted not only a James Wisniewski fight video, but also the sentiment, “@jameswisniewski would be a bad historian if he doesn’t remember all this. Ha Ha Ha”

After a great day Wiz shared with 10TV just how much he loved the time spent in the classroom. Kathleen was interviewed as well and answered, “I was excited for today. He’s really famous and I’m not.”

Thanks again to Kathleen, Sells Middle school, and Verizon Wireless for putting this all together.

Here are some pictures and the video from the Verizon Wireless “Show N Tell with NHL”:

images by @bluejacketsNHL and @alison_pegg

We call it teamwork and oftentimes use the word in passing, as if there isn’t much meaning behind the sentiment. To the contrary, once life presents genuine teamwork in progress, like in The Blue Jackets win over Detroit last night, it’s truly unforgettable.

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Some might guess that James returning  to the ice was the main reason for the shift of  fortune, but to only focus on one man, actually takes away from the all-inclusive team effort leading up to, during, and after the game. A true sense of camaraderie could be felt throughout the band of players, the stands of fans, and hockey house parties across the nation. Setting the remarkable tone of events, was a vibe, an energy hard to describe, now etched in the memories of many.

Defined as a group of people in a combined action, teamwork becomes an abstract concept, one that’s nearly impossible to pin down. Watching The Blue Jackets play against The Red Wings helped put it all in perspective, while the hushed questions of, “So this is what teamwork is all about?,” could be heard streaming across Nationwide Arena and beyond.

Sure The Blue Jackets won this time, but even when the score goes some other way, keep the value of teamwork in mind – win, or lose.

James Wisniewski’s wife, Nicole, is set to do her part for wildlife preservation this Saturday, October 15th, at the Columbus Zoo. The annual Wine for Wildlife event not only brings recognition to the plight of endangered species, but also makes way for a vast amount of donations.

Avid animal lovers, Nicole and James Wisniewski never pass on a chance to lend their support. They are embracing the Columbus Zoo’s conservation and sustainability work locally and in more than 70 countries around the world and look forward to attending this year’s wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, dinner, entertainment and live auction.

Nicole takes the welfare of animals seriously and puts her best foot forward in every attempt to bring attention to the wildlife cause and the importance of protecting endangered species.

With a sold out venue, the 2011 Columbus Zoo’s event is sure to help Save Wildlife.

With so many different social media accounts out there and a host of wannabe celebrities seeking to increase friend and follower numbers, you are advised to verify who you are following. Although we have the Facebook and Twitter buttons on our site with direct, interacting links, there still seems to be some confusion as to who is the real James Wisniewski on Facebook and Twitter.

This is the official James Wisniewski website and when you go to his official Twitter and Facebook accounts those will also be linked to this site. Below are the official links for the James Wisniewski social media and it sure would be appreciated if you could pass along this information, by posting the hyperlinks on your facebook page and twitter account to keep others informed. Be sure to check. You just might be following the wrong guy.

https://www.facebook.com/JamesWisniewskiFans

http://twitter.com/#!/jameswisniewski

Here’s a quick rundown on what Twitter folks are saying about the Wisniewski move to Columbus Blue Jackets:

LJWalter78 – Welcome to C-Bus! As a fan I am excited to have a d-man with your skills & ability, above that, attitude & work ethic!

bozefus2003 – Welcome to Columbus, your going to be a great addition to the team!!!

mhaserodt – Welcome to Columbus, sir!

rdixon8 – Welcome to Columbus, we are VERY happy to have you!

scottdurst – we are so excited to have you in columbus you are gonna have a great time in this town welcome aboard

7CannonBlast61 – Welcome to the CBJ.

scottdurst – welcome to columbus buddy

shawnaconley – Welcome to C town Wiz. you will love it here.

Ready for some tongue-in-cheek Tweets involving the Blue Jackets, James Wisniewski, and yes, Sean Avery too? No further introduction needed:

theroyalhalf – Really…James Wisniewski was traded to a team that is known as the BJ’s? You have a wicked sense of humor, Pierre Gauthier.

Carkeez - So fitting that Wisniewski is now a BJ. Take that Avery.

amy13phins - Sean Avery has been trying to reach James Wisniewski to congratulate him on his new 6-year $33 million contract, but keeps getting blown off.

OvenChicken8 - I bet all Howson could think about when signing Wisniewski was that gesture he gave to Avery earlier in the year

piercecp  – just signed some guy whose name I can’t pronounce. Wisniewski? Oh well, all I know is I would’ve flipped off Sean Avery too.

JoeYerdonPHT - The Wisniewski GIF of him taunting Sean Avery is going to get a lot of wear and tear over the next six years.

pickensfcsports  - I wonder how Sean Avery feels about that…. RT @Aportzline #CBJ sign D James Wisniewski. Six years, $33 million.

seanrcampbell  - How ironic. The BJs signed Wisniewski. I bet Sean Avery is laughing.

TheWrage – Who knew James Wisniewski would eventually sign with the Columbus BJ’s? Somewhere Sean Avery is giggling.

James Wisniewski (pronounced wiz-NEW-skee) just inked a six year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. WIZ comes to the Nationwide Arena ready for action. He’s one to acclimate easily to new surroundings and finds challenges rewarding.

Wrapping up interviews, James explains how he welcomes the move to Columbus and further states, “My family and I are really excited to be a part of the Blue Jackets organization and I’m looking forward to getting to Columbus to help this team win games. I think this is a team that is ready to take the next step and I’m excited to help us become a winning team and a Stanley Cup contender.”

Wisniewski’s first order of business…celebrate with family and friends. Next move…get to know the CBJ fans!

Go Jackets!

What a Montreal Canadiens ride! Who knew that an XBox Live game and an unexpected phone call would become the backstory for the James’ trade from Islanders to the Canadiens? And talk about a story…

Taking it all in, James updated his Islanders teammates, who also happened to be part of his Call of Duty group, and started making plans. He instinctively recognized the significance of the move, prepped his wife, Nicole, and took some time to think. He’d soon be in a new country, speaking a different language, and among avid hockey fans at every turn. What an opportunity! Never one to shy away from learning, James enthusiastically signed up for French lessons, with respectable results to boot. James and Nicole settled into a quaint apartment, enjoyed getting to know the other players and their families, found time for winter golf, and experienced steady fan and Habs team support.

Finding his way around the Montreal ice was not an issue. He fit right in and made his presence known, racking up slapshots from the blueline and impressive defenseman stats all season through. Playing for the Habs produced high quality memories, that he continues to treasure. Through the multiple point games, the memorable puck to the face day, and commendable playoff run, all was eventful and well worth the trip. The get well wishes, and the “hope he signs with us again” sentiments have not gone unnoticed. Fans sure do make a difference and James extends gratitude every chance he gets. As he’s stated before, “This is a pure hockey city. We had a snow storm last night…not one seat was empty,” and that shows the true dedication of the Montreal Canadien fans.

It’s time now for James to take on his latest challenge and as he journeys to the next team, James Wisniewski sends a Montreal Canadiens message, “Thank you, and until we meet again.”

With July training just around the corner, James and Nicole are making the most out of spring, by catching up on family time, traveling around the world, and reflecting on the great Habs memories made along the way.

Expressing gratitude to the Montreal Canadien team James states in the WIZ the Warrior Canadiens.com article, “We were going to war together. There was a lot of adversity to deal with considering all the injuries we had over the course of the year, but we still stayed focused and didn’t let ourselves get off track down the stretch. It was a real pleasure to play in a market like Montreal with all the media attention the team gets.”

James professes his like for the Canadiens and revels in the great camaraderie among the Habs team, the fans, and Montreal. Look for more James and Nicole news to come, as they ready themselves for the next round of hockey. Stay tuned!