I am a hockey fan. I am Canadian. This would lead you to believe that I will cheer for any Canadian team still alive in the NHL Play - off's. Well that was the case until I heard about the antics of some fans of the Vancouver Canucks. At some point last week Theoren Fleury was on a radio talk show, out of Calgary I believe, and was asked about his thoughts on the upcoming play - offs. In his response Fleury talked about how he believes that the Canucks will be eliminated in the first round based on unproved goaltending in the play - off's. What happened in the hours and days following was bothering to me. The actions of some Canucks fan via the social media was disgusting, appaling, and a whole bunch of other words that can't be used. Basically what happened was some followers of the West Coast kids forgot that we live in Canada and individuals are entitled to their own opinions. What they did was bring up Fleury's past and the whole Graham James thing which is something that was, and still is troubling to many who call themselves a hockey fan. Sure, differences in opinion arise in sport on a daily basis, and I love to get into it with a friend or colleague when it comes to sports. However, there is a fine line between acceptable and unacceptable...and those who chose to say what they said were well in excess of those limitations. What troubles me the most is these cowards used the social media to let their ideas be known and therefore kept their identity anonymous. If you are 'man' enough to say these types of things, have the manhood to put your name on it. In the words of former NFL Coach Herman Edwards, '' put your name to it ". What Fleury went through, and arguably continues to deal with takes more courage than you or I could imagine. Anyone willing to make fun of what this guy has gone through is somebody whom will never be worthy of my respect. Therefore, I will be an ABC fan come play - offs....that is Anyone BUT Canucks.
Major League Baseball will be trying something new this year. Rather than open the season on Monday as has been the tradition as long as I can remember, the first pitch will be thrown out Thursday. This does make sense for a lot of baseball fans as it is a lot easier to go through one day of work hungover after opening day as it is to go through an entire week of work after Monday's festivities. As for baseball itself, I am going to give this topic a long, hard thought and give you my insights and predictions tomorrow. Yes, this is more a ploy to get more people to come back and continue reading my blog.
Dustin Penner returns to Edmonton as an L.A. King tonight. You watch, that piano he had tied to his backend for the whole time he spent as an Oiler will be nowhere in sight and he will be the best player on the ice. Just watch.... That's it for today...see ya tomorrow
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
A Quickie...
Just a couple of quick notes to start off the week.... The NCAA tournament is appropriatley dubbed March Madness; especially considering that two of the four teams headed to Houston next week are Butler and VCU. Sure Butler was there last year but two years running??? And VCU.....they weren't even in the original field of 64, they had to earn their way in with a victory over USC. You have to love Butler...nothing but heart and soul and just a good ol' hard working guy leading them. Last year it was Gordon Hayward and this year it is Matt Butler who honestly looks like he is more suited to be herding cattle than playing College Basketball at the most elite level. Good on em and Go Bulldogs! The McGill Redmen could not capture their first CIS title yesterday, dropping a 4 - 0 defeat at the hands of the UNB Varsity Reds who won their third University Cup in four years. I feel for ya Scotty. The WHL play - offs were as expected over the weekend. A couple of series look like they could last a while, namely Moose Jaw and Kootenay and Brandon and Medicine Hat. Speaking of Brandon, how impressive is the work of GM Kelly McCrimmon. Last year the Wheaties' obviously were buyers, giving up some future for the present as they hosted the Memorial Cup and they are still a strong team in the Eastern Conference who very easily could end up in the Conference Final if things go their way. If Kelly McCrimmon were to write a book on how to run a Western Hockey League team, Brent Parker should buy it. I honestly feel a little bit sorry for my buddy Jon Keen who moved out west to become the voice of the Kamloops Blazers this season after several years in Speedy Creek calling the Bronco's games. I mean, this is the first time in a while he won't be calling play - off hockey. Then I see his facebook status which says 20C in the 'Loops this week and I no longer feel bad. I feel truly bad for Amber Holland and the girls from Kronau. They lost a heart - wrenching 7 - 5 decision to Sweden's Annete Norberg in yesterday's final. While I have supported them from day one, you can't tell me that the pressure of the situation didn't effect them in yesterday's tenth end. Oh well, a learning experience which will only make them stronger when they are back at it next year at this time. The Barry Bonds trial continues today and one of Bond's former girlfriend claims she told him that his elbow injury from a few years back was the result of his steroid use. Girlfriend??? I thought Bonds was married??? Oh right we are talking about Barry Bonds..my bad. He will have lots of time to figure out what to do with all his women from his 8 X 4. Later Gator......
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Are we Still talking about this????
Yes we are still talking about the Zdeno Chara incident from two weeks ago. Surprisingly now it is the Bruins themselves who are keeping it in the news. What is most shocking to me is that it was Mark Recchi, a guy who I have always seen as a pretty classy guy who threw more fuel on the fire. Yesterday Recchi was heard in a radio interview saying that Pacioretty and the Canadiens 'embellished' his injuries. How do you 'embellish' a fractured vertebrate? And then he talks about how this serious concussion probably effected him for a couple of days and that's all. Seriously Mark Recci??? Talk to guys like Marc Savard, Patrice Bergeron and Eric Lindros; I am sure they would be quick to tell you that occasionally concussions last a little longer than a day or two. While I certainly hope he doesn't get a concussion a nice open ice with his head down hit on Recchi by Hal Gill seems fitting.
It was reported this morning on tsn.ca that last week when the GM's met in Florida, Gary Bettman sat down with Canadien's GM Pierre Gauthier and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli to warn them that he doesn't want tonights game between the two to become a gong show. The whole reason tonight might turn into a gong show is because I would assume the Canadiens feel they are the ones who need to make Chara pay for his actions. While this isn't right, how else could they feel? The NHL had every opportunity to make Chara accountable for what he did and they turned a blind eye. If tonight does become a gong show, which it presumably won't based on the playoff implacations, Bettman can only look at himself and Colin Campbell to lay the blame on.
To Curling, Amber Holland and the gals from Kronau have sure rebounded nicely from their 1 - 3 start, winnning twice today to improve to 7 - 4 and qualify for the play - offs. I sure hope Linda Moore has been following. If they win the worlds I think they should send an autographed picture to Moore thanking her for all 'her support' at the Scotties.
Talk to ya tomorrow....
It was reported this morning on tsn.ca that last week when the GM's met in Florida, Gary Bettman sat down with Canadien's GM Pierre Gauthier and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli to warn them that he doesn't want tonights game between the two to become a gong show. The whole reason tonight might turn into a gong show is because I would assume the Canadiens feel they are the ones who need to make Chara pay for his actions. While this isn't right, how else could they feel? The NHL had every opportunity to make Chara accountable for what he did and they turned a blind eye. If tonight does become a gong show, which it presumably won't based on the playoff implacations, Bettman can only look at himself and Colin Campbell to lay the blame on.
To Curling, Amber Holland and the gals from Kronau have sure rebounded nicely from their 1 - 3 start, winnning twice today to improve to 7 - 4 and qualify for the play - offs. I sure hope Linda Moore has been following. If they win the worlds I think they should send an autographed picture to Moore thanking her for all 'her support' at the Scotties.
Talk to ya tomorrow....
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Poor Tiger...
Remember when Tiger Woods was the best golfer in the world, had a gorgeous wife, hundreds of millions of dollars and the respect of most of the world? Well times have certainly changed for ol' Eldrick. Not only has his highly attractive wife left him, after possibly assaulting him with a 9 iron, but he lost most of his endorsement deals, a boatload of his money, the respect of pretty much all of the world with the exception of maybe Mrs. Woods and his game is in the tank. He hasn't won a tournament since 2009 and has plummeted out of the top five in the world. Where am I going with all this?...Today it was announced that Tiger has introduced an applicaiton for the I-phone that helps the amatuer golfer with their swing. It includes footage of Tiger's swing, answers generic questions and is advertised as being an application to make you and I better golfers. All this for the low cost of $9.99 to download the application. If I needed help with my game, which I don't by the way, the last guy I would go to is Tiger. Not only has he not won in a long time, but he is going through his fourth swing change in a short period of time. Maybe it is Tiger that needs to download an application like this to salvage his career before it completely sinks...that is is Elin didn't get his i-phone in the divorcoe. If Tiger was still good, or classy for that matter, I might consider it, but not now. I mean Mike Weir isn't playing the greatest gold either but at least he didn't sleep with a harem of high priced call girls and "movie" stars. And the fact that he is endorsing something as ridiculous as this only tells me that he knows his career is on the downswing and he is grabbing at every opportunity to make a buck or two between now and then. Honestly this guy is getting everything that he deserves; couldn't be happier.
And sticking with jerks in sport, from what I am reading the Barry Bonds' trial is not going well for the former slugger. There have been witnesses who have testified they saw Bonds' personal trainer in possession of syringes and one of Barry's best friends testified that Barry asked him to look into the pro's and con's of steroid use a few years back. Looks like Bonds has a whole lot of explaining to do. Another guy who is getting what he deserves....aah karma....one day you are the biggest jerk in the league the next day another criminal waiting for sentencing. I love it.
Other than that the race for the final NHL playoffs spots continue. Huge win by the Leafs last night but no ground gained as the Canadiens couldn't help them dropping a 2 - 0 decision to the Sabres. Speaking of the Sabres, as I watched the game last night I was very impressed with the play of Sabres forward Nathan Gerbe. This kid is only 5'5 but plays a lot bigger and has a ton of skill. That got me thinking, why don't teams try to make room for more of these guys in the league? They are much more exciting to watch than some of those big donkeys who are out there hurting people. I guarantee more people would pay to watch skilled guys like Gerbe than they would to watch morons like Trevor Gillies and Matt Cooke running around trying to hurt people.
Till tomorrow...
And sticking with jerks in sport, from what I am reading the Barry Bonds' trial is not going well for the former slugger. There have been witnesses who have testified they saw Bonds' personal trainer in possession of syringes and one of Barry's best friends testified that Barry asked him to look into the pro's and con's of steroid use a few years back. Looks like Bonds has a whole lot of explaining to do. Another guy who is getting what he deserves....aah karma....one day you are the biggest jerk in the league the next day another criminal waiting for sentencing. I love it.
Other than that the race for the final NHL playoffs spots continue. Huge win by the Leafs last night but no ground gained as the Canadiens couldn't help them dropping a 2 - 0 decision to the Sabres. Speaking of the Sabres, as I watched the game last night I was very impressed with the play of Sabres forward Nathan Gerbe. This kid is only 5'5 but plays a lot bigger and has a ton of skill. That got me thinking, why don't teams try to make room for more of these guys in the league? They are much more exciting to watch than some of those big donkeys who are out there hurting people. I guarantee more people would pay to watch skilled guys like Gerbe than they would to watch morons like Trevor Gillies and Matt Cooke running around trying to hurt people.
Till tomorrow...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Some People's Kids...
Following his meeting with the NHL, suspended Penguin's forward Matt Cooke today told reporters he was sorry for what he did, and now realizes more than ever that he needs to change the way he plays the game. Uh, HELLO......!!!! Is he just realizing he is a cheapskate today? What about that vicious elbow on Marc Savard? What about being suspended five times for cheap shots? And now, you realize you need to change. What that tells me about his character is that he has absolutely no remorse for the damage his actions are capable of. Feeling bad for this but not the Savard hit is inexcusable. Matt Cooke, you are the hemorrhoid of the NHL.
And speaking of guys I have no respect for, three years after being indicted, the trial of Barry Bonds is now underway. For those unaware, Bonds is charged with a few different things for apparently lying under oath about taking steroids. I can understand why he wants to deny these supposed actions, but come on Barry do you think the world is full of a bunch of gullible morons???? You know what Bonds told court he thought he was taking while his trainer was injecting him with steroids?.....flax seed oil and arthritis cream. Are you serious??? Assistant US Attorney Matt Parrella has said Bonds' claim is 'ridiculous' and rightfully so. When was the last time your arthritis flared up so you called over your personal trainer to inject you with some cream??? In addition, flaxseed oil is taken as most liquids are...through the mouth. Uh honey, i have a heck of a cough tonight, would you get the syringe out and pump me full of Buckley's??? Come on Barry Bonds, these types of statements just prove to me, and hopefully the rest of the world how ignorant and self absoribing you really are.
Not sure why but I feel the need to comment about the NBA. Remeber way back during All - Star weekend when Carmelo Anthony was finally traded to the New York Knicks after making the first half of the season all about him? Well I find it thoroughly enjoyable that since that trade the Knicks are a measley 7 - 9 including two losses to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers, while his former club, the Denver Nuggets are an impressive 10 - 2. How good did the Nuggets do in this deal??? Got rid of an ego - maniac which would inevitbaly clear up some cap space, all the while bringing in some good young talent who instantly made them a better team.
Not much else to say except that the CIS Men's Hockey Nationals take place this weekend, and for my good friend Scotty Giroux I hope like hell the McGill Redmen win it all.
Till tomorrow......
And speaking of guys I have no respect for, three years after being indicted, the trial of Barry Bonds is now underway. For those unaware, Bonds is charged with a few different things for apparently lying under oath about taking steroids. I can understand why he wants to deny these supposed actions, but come on Barry do you think the world is full of a bunch of gullible morons???? You know what Bonds told court he thought he was taking while his trainer was injecting him with steroids?.....flax seed oil and arthritis cream. Are you serious??? Assistant US Attorney Matt Parrella has said Bonds' claim is 'ridiculous' and rightfully so. When was the last time your arthritis flared up so you called over your personal trainer to inject you with some cream??? In addition, flaxseed oil is taken as most liquids are...through the mouth. Uh honey, i have a heck of a cough tonight, would you get the syringe out and pump me full of Buckley's??? Come on Barry Bonds, these types of statements just prove to me, and hopefully the rest of the world how ignorant and self absoribing you really are.
Not sure why but I feel the need to comment about the NBA. Remeber way back during All - Star weekend when Carmelo Anthony was finally traded to the New York Knicks after making the first half of the season all about him? Well I find it thoroughly enjoyable that since that trade the Knicks are a measley 7 - 9 including two losses to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers, while his former club, the Denver Nuggets are an impressive 10 - 2. How good did the Nuggets do in this deal??? Got rid of an ego - maniac which would inevitbaly clear up some cap space, all the while bringing in some good young talent who instantly made them a better team.
Not much else to say except that the CIS Men's Hockey Nationals take place this weekend, and for my good friend Scotty Giroux I hope like hell the McGill Redmen win it all.
Till tomorrow......
Monday, March 21, 2011
Justified...
As you all know Matt Cooke, the NHL's most annoying player was booted from the Penguins 5 - 2 loss against the Rangers for an elbow to the head of Ranger's forward Ryan McDonagh. Given all the discussion as of late in regards to intention and past history, many were interested to see what Cooke would recieve for his latest in a long line of cheap, meaningless shots that only seem to injure people. Given that this is Cooke's sixth suspension, five of which have been for blows to the head or checking from behind, my gut was he would pay. Even the usually tight - lipped Henrik Zetterberg went on the record as saying he felt Cooke should get the rest of the season and the play - offs.
Well this afternoon after a closed door meeting with Colin Campbell, Cooke was suspended for the rest of the regular season as well as the first - round of the play - offs. With ten games remaining in the Penguins regular season, this amounts to no less than a fourteen game suspension and could be as many as seventeen games. I haven't had much nice to say about the NHL and their disciplinary practices as of late, but this one I will applaud. I can only hope that when he does something stupid again in the future, the suspensions grow exponentially.
What makes this somewhat ironic is that Cooke plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins who are owned by Mario Lemieux. About a month ago when the Pens and Islanders got into a gong show in what was attempts by the Islanders at retribution for a Max Talbot hit earlier in the year, Lemieux went on to say that if the NHL would allow this to happen, he was questioning whether or not he wanted to remain a part of the league. He later went public with what he saw as suitable punishments for head shots to not only the player themselves, but the organization also. Well Mario, isn't it ironic that the player who has almost single - handedly brought headshots to the forefront of the NHL plays for you. If I were Mario and I was so opposed to this type of crap, I would only see one option...release Cooke upon the conclusion of the season and try to convince every other GM in the league that this little twerp isn't worthy of a job in the NHL....case closed.
Sticking with the NHL, when are more players going to realize that visors are there for protection. I know that some guys still play with this unwritten code of toughness and honor but how many more players are going to be injured seriously before either more players choose to wear them or the NHL makes them mandatory. This comes in the aftermath of the Vancouver Canucks losing Manny Malholtra for the remainder of the season with an eye injury he suffered last week. That incident comes a couple of months after Canadiens defenseman James Wisniewski took a blast to the face and has left a serious scar on his cheekbone. I can only presume that Wisniewski was inches away from early retirement. What stings the most for Vancouver, and fans of Canadian based NHL teams is that despite the fact Malholtra had only thirty points, he brings a lot more to the NHL's best team than numbers alone. He is a gem in the face - off circle and one of the league's best penalty killers. We all know how important these two areas are to the game come April, May and June.
On the topic of NHL play - offs and the race for the final spots, I can not believe what I am about to say. I am somewhat hoping that the ugh.......Maple Leafs make the big dance. There...it's out, I said it. Not sure why but that's how I feel and as a Canadian we can never have too many teams in the play - off's.
Speaking of play - off's the Western Hockey League kicks off their second season this week. My pick to win the league???? Well after talking to some friends in Saskatoon it sounds like Brayden Schenn may have been what the Blades need to put them over the top. Saying that, as long as they get steady goaltending, I will take the Blades to oust the Portland Winterhawks in six.
What do I like best about this year's WHL Play -off's???? The fact that the Regina Pats once again failed to make it....another aspect of the fine stamp owner Brent Parker has put on this club. Hopefully, Chad Lang will soon be able to return this club to the state they were in prior to the Parker's buying the club. Don't get me wrong, I like Regina and genuinely respect the Pats as an organization as they are one of the oldest in Canada with a history of producing some great talent. But I know there are others who feel the same way; Brent Parker has really put this club back a few years.
The Riders have traded for return specialist Tristan Jackson. He will be effective when, and only when the scheme employed by the Riders special teams improves. Say what you want about Dominique Dorsey and Ryan Grice - Mullen...they may have struggled at times but their past tells us that they are more than capable of making the big play on special teams. I will stand strongly behind my belief that Jim Daley and his inability to adapt made these guys look worse than it needed to be. You watch, Dorsey will land somewhere and he will once again be a big time special teams player. I can only hope Craig Dickenson brings some youth and exuberance back to the special teams.
Other than that, not a whole lot making noise in the world of sports this weekend. A couple of questionable calls during the Madness that is March in NCAA basketball but in the end the right calls were made and didn't negatively effect the outcome of any games. Have a good one...
Well this afternoon after a closed door meeting with Colin Campbell, Cooke was suspended for the rest of the regular season as well as the first - round of the play - offs. With ten games remaining in the Penguins regular season, this amounts to no less than a fourteen game suspension and could be as many as seventeen games. I haven't had much nice to say about the NHL and their disciplinary practices as of late, but this one I will applaud. I can only hope that when he does something stupid again in the future, the suspensions grow exponentially.
What makes this somewhat ironic is that Cooke plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins who are owned by Mario Lemieux. About a month ago when the Pens and Islanders got into a gong show in what was attempts by the Islanders at retribution for a Max Talbot hit earlier in the year, Lemieux went on to say that if the NHL would allow this to happen, he was questioning whether or not he wanted to remain a part of the league. He later went public with what he saw as suitable punishments for head shots to not only the player themselves, but the organization also. Well Mario, isn't it ironic that the player who has almost single - handedly brought headshots to the forefront of the NHL plays for you. If I were Mario and I was so opposed to this type of crap, I would only see one option...release Cooke upon the conclusion of the season and try to convince every other GM in the league that this little twerp isn't worthy of a job in the NHL....case closed.
Sticking with the NHL, when are more players going to realize that visors are there for protection. I know that some guys still play with this unwritten code of toughness and honor but how many more players are going to be injured seriously before either more players choose to wear them or the NHL makes them mandatory. This comes in the aftermath of the Vancouver Canucks losing Manny Malholtra for the remainder of the season with an eye injury he suffered last week. That incident comes a couple of months after Canadiens defenseman James Wisniewski took a blast to the face and has left a serious scar on his cheekbone. I can only presume that Wisniewski was inches away from early retirement. What stings the most for Vancouver, and fans of Canadian based NHL teams is that despite the fact Malholtra had only thirty points, he brings a lot more to the NHL's best team than numbers alone. He is a gem in the face - off circle and one of the league's best penalty killers. We all know how important these two areas are to the game come April, May and June.
On the topic of NHL play - offs and the race for the final spots, I can not believe what I am about to say. I am somewhat hoping that the ugh.......Maple Leafs make the big dance. There...it's out, I said it. Not sure why but that's how I feel and as a Canadian we can never have too many teams in the play - off's.
Speaking of play - off's the Western Hockey League kicks off their second season this week. My pick to win the league???? Well after talking to some friends in Saskatoon it sounds like Brayden Schenn may have been what the Blades need to put them over the top. Saying that, as long as they get steady goaltending, I will take the Blades to oust the Portland Winterhawks in six.
What do I like best about this year's WHL Play -off's???? The fact that the Regina Pats once again failed to make it....another aspect of the fine stamp owner Brent Parker has put on this club. Hopefully, Chad Lang will soon be able to return this club to the state they were in prior to the Parker's buying the club. Don't get me wrong, I like Regina and genuinely respect the Pats as an organization as they are one of the oldest in Canada with a history of producing some great talent. But I know there are others who feel the same way; Brent Parker has really put this club back a few years.
The Riders have traded for return specialist Tristan Jackson. He will be effective when, and only when the scheme employed by the Riders special teams improves. Say what you want about Dominique Dorsey and Ryan Grice - Mullen...they may have struggled at times but their past tells us that they are more than capable of making the big play on special teams. I will stand strongly behind my belief that Jim Daley and his inability to adapt made these guys look worse than it needed to be. You watch, Dorsey will land somewhere and he will once again be a big time special teams player. I can only hope Craig Dickenson brings some youth and exuberance back to the special teams.
Other than that, not a whole lot making noise in the world of sports this weekend. A couple of questionable calls during the Madness that is March in NCAA basketball but in the end the right calls were made and didn't negatively effect the outcome of any games. Have a good one...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Holy Suspensions Batman!
I have nearly had it with the NHL lately....all they are doing is talking and over analyzing certain ideas to death. It seems that the exciting playoff races taking part in each of the conferences now pales in comparison to what is or is not being done to change the game. I have said all along that one of the biggest problems the league has is Gary Bettman. He is more concerned with making money and dealing with the business side of things as he is with ensuring that the players, or employees essentially are safe at work. How is that right?
Although don't you also find it ironic that since the Chara hit and all the discussion suspensions have been handed out. The one that shocks me is the Dany Heatley two game suspension for his elbow on Steve Ott the other night. Was there an infraction on the play? Yes. Was there an injury? Yes, to a degree. Was Heatley suspended? Yes. Does Dany Heatley have a history of taking cheap shots like that? No. What doesn't jive..Zdeno Chara is in the exact same boat but whatever.
While it is far from the NHL, the MJHL, or Manitoba Junior Hockey League laid down the law following a show of fecal porportions the other night. At the end of a play - off game which saw the Portage Terriers eliminate the Swan Valley Stampeders from the play - offs, Stamps forward Jesse Enns took a disgusting run at full speed from no less than the blue line in order to run a Terrier into the boards from behind in the corner. This would boil over to assistance coaches fighting on the Terrier bench. Fortunately enough the Terrier player skated off on his own strenght and appeared to be nothing more than a little dazed. (You can see the video on youtube). Anyways, for his actions, Enns recieved a 40 game suspension! That is two - thirds of a Junior A season. Good on the MJHL for saying that type of garbage will not be tolerated. The head coach of the Stamps also got a two game suspension, which in a way is right but in a way is not enough. Clearly Jesse Enns is on the ice with three seconds left in a three goal game for a reason, and thank god that reason didn't end up with a serious injury which could have easily occurred. To me the whole reason that incident played out is because the Stamps coach wanted something to happen....and he chooses who is and is not on the ice. Oh, and the coaches who duked it out on the benches, 22 games each. When was the last time 86 games in total suspension were handed out at one time in any league?
The madness has begun, and already an upset. Morehead State has defeated perennial powerhouse Louisville. Honestly, I hadn't even heard of Morehead State before last week.
Have a good one.
Although don't you also find it ironic that since the Chara hit and all the discussion suspensions have been handed out. The one that shocks me is the Dany Heatley two game suspension for his elbow on Steve Ott the other night. Was there an infraction on the play? Yes. Was there an injury? Yes, to a degree. Was Heatley suspended? Yes. Does Dany Heatley have a history of taking cheap shots like that? No. What doesn't jive..Zdeno Chara is in the exact same boat but whatever.
While it is far from the NHL, the MJHL, or Manitoba Junior Hockey League laid down the law following a show of fecal porportions the other night. At the end of a play - off game which saw the Portage Terriers eliminate the Swan Valley Stampeders from the play - offs, Stamps forward Jesse Enns took a disgusting run at full speed from no less than the blue line in order to run a Terrier into the boards from behind in the corner. This would boil over to assistance coaches fighting on the Terrier bench. Fortunately enough the Terrier player skated off on his own strenght and appeared to be nothing more than a little dazed. (You can see the video on youtube). Anyways, for his actions, Enns recieved a 40 game suspension! That is two - thirds of a Junior A season. Good on the MJHL for saying that type of garbage will not be tolerated. The head coach of the Stamps also got a two game suspension, which in a way is right but in a way is not enough. Clearly Jesse Enns is on the ice with three seconds left in a three goal game for a reason, and thank god that reason didn't end up with a serious injury which could have easily occurred. To me the whole reason that incident played out is because the Stamps coach wanted something to happen....and he chooses who is and is not on the ice. Oh, and the coaches who duked it out on the benches, 22 games each. When was the last time 86 games in total suspension were handed out at one time in any league?
The madness has begun, and already an upset. Morehead State has defeated perennial powerhouse Louisville. Honestly, I hadn't even heard of Morehead State before last week.
Have a good one.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Say What.....?
Bruce Boudreau's big mouth has once again caught the attention of the hockey world. Earlier in the year, his 'word selection' during an intermission talk to his team caught the anxst of many. For those of you unaware, Boudreau's Washington Capitals are in Montreal to take on the Canadiens tonight. This will be the first Hab's game at home since the Chara hit last Monday, and fans of the team plan to protest outside the Bell Centre in response to the NHL's lack of discipline for the hit delivered to Max Pacioretty. When asked about this, Boudreau said something to the effect that "if you don't like headshots, don't come to the game." Honestly Bruce Boudreau, this comment makes you sound like a heartless child of unwed parents. Statements like this tell me that Bruce Boudreau not only knows that headshots are a part of the game, he seems to be all right with it. You could even say he condones it with this type of comment. He is all right with it for two reasons: (1) he has not been negatively impacted by an injury to one of his high profile players, and (2) admitting he is against these types of hits would mean he would have to admit that one of his former players, David Steckel, is the reason why argubaly the best player in the league today has not played in over two months. Steckel was the one who gave Sidney Crosby that vicious blindside blow to the head in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day.
What makes Bruce Boudreau someone worth listening to in the first place. The man has done nothing in this league. He has been given a tremendous team, filled with talent, and has done absolutely nothing with it.
Secondly, should he not be spending more time figuring out how he is going to avoid another collapse in the play - offs, and less time squaking off???
Do you think Mr. Boudreau and his potty mouth would feel the same way about headshots if it had been Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom who was concussed on New Year's Day and not Sideny Crosby, whose team is arguably his teams greatest rival??? Not on your life.
Advice to the Capitals brass, get your coach a muzzle because not only he is making himself look like a jackass, but his comments reflect poorly on your organization as well.
What makes Bruce Boudreau someone worth listening to in the first place. The man has done nothing in this league. He has been given a tremendous team, filled with talent, and has done absolutely nothing with it.
Secondly, should he not be spending more time figuring out how he is going to avoid another collapse in the play - offs, and less time squaking off???
Do you think Mr. Boudreau and his potty mouth would feel the same way about headshots if it had been Alex Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom who was concussed on New Year's Day and not Sideny Crosby, whose team is arguably his teams greatest rival??? Not on your life.
Advice to the Capitals brass, get your coach a muzzle because not only he is making himself look like a jackass, but his comments reflect poorly on your organization as well.
Let the Madness Begin....
Yes it is that time of year again, time for the NCAA Tournament, better known as March Madness to tip it up. The great thing about this tournament is the fact that we can expect the unexpected...a team that has no right winning will not only win their first round game, but also their second. A guy who has done nothing all year will make a big shot or make a big play to secure his team a victory. In the end though the greatest thing about this tournament is watching these young men put it all on the line for a trophy...not a pay cheque but a trophy. To me that is what makes this tournament great. Oh and if you are picking a winner...good luck; this tournament is full of teams with double digit losses, and really anybody could win this thing.
Sticking with College Basketball but of the Canadian version, the CIS Championship was held over the weekend in Halifax. TSN2 had coverage of the event which you think would be good except for one minor problem. Rod Black was doing the play by play. If ever there was a guy meant to commentate figure skating and only figure skating, Rod Black is the man. The guy is an idiot. Late in the second semi - final on Saturday between Carleton and the U of S when it was obvious it would be Carleton advancing, Black made this earth - shattering comment....Carleton doesn't play to lose, they play to win. Are you kidding me??? Does this mean that Rod Black honestly thinks that the Huskies travelled all the way to Halifax to lose?
Stick to the sow cows and axels Rod.
While on the topic of that game, a couple of things became abundantly clear. First off, Huskies Point Guard Jamelle Barret was going to win or lost that game for the Huskies. In the last eight minutes he saw nobody else in green on the floor....throwing up crap from everywhere and making absolutely nothing. Now that is just the type of team guy you want (note the sarcasm). And secondly, the coaching by the Huskies and their ability to adapt was not good. Down the stretch, this Hinz kid from Carleton was killing them, and with the same move everytime. Have you ever heard of a little something called a 'double team'??? Hey it may not have worked magic but it wouldn't of been worse than watching him do the same thing on his man while another Huskies defender sits and watches from two feet away!!!!
One quick curling note, anybody else starting to feel bad for Glen Howard...how many times is this poor guy going to be so good all week only to lose in the final?
The Western Hockey League season is winding down and once again the Regina Pats will not be in the second season. You want to know who I think killed the Pats....Brent Parker. Last year he made a string of mistakes that hurt this team not only this year but will into the future as well. First he thought he had a contending team so he gave up a lot to get Carter Ashton. When trade deadline came and it was all but a certainty that the Pats would once again miss the playoffs, he balked on trading Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert who he could have got a king's ransom for. Instead he hung on to them, doing nothing to improve the future of the team and for what? To watch these guys not even be given the opportunity to play for a WHL Championship which they rightly deserved, in particular Eberle. Great job! (again..note the sarcasm)
That's it...that's all. Time to go practice this fake cough so the boss actually believes I am sick on Thursday when March Madness starts.
Sticking with College Basketball but of the Canadian version, the CIS Championship was held over the weekend in Halifax. TSN2 had coverage of the event which you think would be good except for one minor problem. Rod Black was doing the play by play. If ever there was a guy meant to commentate figure skating and only figure skating, Rod Black is the man. The guy is an idiot. Late in the second semi - final on Saturday between Carleton and the U of S when it was obvious it would be Carleton advancing, Black made this earth - shattering comment....Carleton doesn't play to lose, they play to win. Are you kidding me??? Does this mean that Rod Black honestly thinks that the Huskies travelled all the way to Halifax to lose?
Stick to the sow cows and axels Rod.
While on the topic of that game, a couple of things became abundantly clear. First off, Huskies Point Guard Jamelle Barret was going to win or lost that game for the Huskies. In the last eight minutes he saw nobody else in green on the floor....throwing up crap from everywhere and making absolutely nothing. Now that is just the type of team guy you want (note the sarcasm). And secondly, the coaching by the Huskies and their ability to adapt was not good. Down the stretch, this Hinz kid from Carleton was killing them, and with the same move everytime. Have you ever heard of a little something called a 'double team'??? Hey it may not have worked magic but it wouldn't of been worse than watching him do the same thing on his man while another Huskies defender sits and watches from two feet away!!!!
One quick curling note, anybody else starting to feel bad for Glen Howard...how many times is this poor guy going to be so good all week only to lose in the final?
The Western Hockey League season is winding down and once again the Regina Pats will not be in the second season. You want to know who I think killed the Pats....Brent Parker. Last year he made a string of mistakes that hurt this team not only this year but will into the future as well. First he thought he had a contending team so he gave up a lot to get Carter Ashton. When trade deadline came and it was all but a certainty that the Pats would once again miss the playoffs, he balked on trading Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert who he could have got a king's ransom for. Instead he hung on to them, doing nothing to improve the future of the team and for what? To watch these guys not even be given the opportunity to play for a WHL Championship which they rightly deserved, in particular Eberle. Great job! (again..note the sarcasm)
That's it...that's all. Time to go practice this fake cough so the boss actually believes I am sick on Thursday when March Madness starts.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
One Last Thought...
In listening to what Gary Bettman said to, refering to 'the hit' as being part of the game. I know now what the biggest problem the NHL has....Gary Bettman. Please share your thoughts.
More Backlash.....
Now two days following the Zdeno Chara/Max Pacioretty incident on Monday night, the topic continues to be the centre of discussion around most water coolers today.
To start, Pacioretty himself told TSN's Bob MacKenzie that the NHL's decision to not punish Chara 'disgusts' him. He went on to say he is not so much angry over what happened to him, but rather angry that the NHL has allowed this to happen which in turn sends the message that these types of plays are acceptable. I think he has it right....the NHL has to do something to change the game or the day will come when a absolute tragedy will occur in an NHL arena.
What really angers me is this morning on a message board, some 'brainiac' felt that the NHL should fine Pacioretty for his comments. That guy has just been nominated for my Idiot of the Year Award.
On the topic of idiots, message boards on a lot of websites this morning have some clowns blaming the design of the arena as being the problem. Seriously, the design of the arena is to blame? This to me is absolutely ridiculous. Every rink in the world is designed the same way...so I mean let's change everything because one guy doesn't have the respect to hold back?
In addition, I have heard comments regarding the area of the ice being the problem. So what, rather than take the quickest route to the puck, you think Pacioretty should have taken the time to think about what could potentially happen (of which being driven into the stantion was probably not a potential consequence) and take a less direct route to the puck? Come on, I wish all those clowns blaming everything but Chara for what happened would just sit down and realiz he is the only reason this happened in the first place, plain and simple.
As of this morning, the Quebec Provincial Police has opened an investigation into the matter. My question is if there are grounds on which Chara could possibly be charged with a criminal offence, and potentially be incarcerated (which will NOT happen) how can Mike Murphy and the powers that be at the NHL office feel that no discipline is required???
Cudos to Air Canada. The company sent a letter to Gary Bettman and the NHL stating that if the NHL continues to let events such as this one to take place, they are no longer interested in maintaining a relationship with the league through their sponsorship. If more and more companies would step up like Air Canada, maybe the NHL will realize the game is in need of some changes.
Lastly, I have watched this hit oodles of times on TV, and if you watch closely Chara uses his right arm to push Pacioretty towards the stantion. Call me a conspirator but I will go on the record as sayign that Chara meant for him to strike the stantion; probably not with the impact that occured, but intentional none the less.
To start, Pacioretty himself told TSN's Bob MacKenzie that the NHL's decision to not punish Chara 'disgusts' him. He went on to say he is not so much angry over what happened to him, but rather angry that the NHL has allowed this to happen which in turn sends the message that these types of plays are acceptable. I think he has it right....the NHL has to do something to change the game or the day will come when a absolute tragedy will occur in an NHL arena.
What really angers me is this morning on a message board, some 'brainiac' felt that the NHL should fine Pacioretty for his comments. That guy has just been nominated for my Idiot of the Year Award.
On the topic of idiots, message boards on a lot of websites this morning have some clowns blaming the design of the arena as being the problem. Seriously, the design of the arena is to blame? This to me is absolutely ridiculous. Every rink in the world is designed the same way...so I mean let's change everything because one guy doesn't have the respect to hold back?
In addition, I have heard comments regarding the area of the ice being the problem. So what, rather than take the quickest route to the puck, you think Pacioretty should have taken the time to think about what could potentially happen (of which being driven into the stantion was probably not a potential consequence) and take a less direct route to the puck? Come on, I wish all those clowns blaming everything but Chara for what happened would just sit down and realiz he is the only reason this happened in the first place, plain and simple.
As of this morning, the Quebec Provincial Police has opened an investigation into the matter. My question is if there are grounds on which Chara could possibly be charged with a criminal offence, and potentially be incarcerated (which will NOT happen) how can Mike Murphy and the powers that be at the NHL office feel that no discipline is required???
Cudos to Air Canada. The company sent a letter to Gary Bettman and the NHL stating that if the NHL continues to let events such as this one to take place, they are no longer interested in maintaining a relationship with the league through their sponsorship. If more and more companies would step up like Air Canada, maybe the NHL will realize the game is in need of some changes.
Lastly, I have watched this hit oodles of times on TV, and if you watch closely Chara uses his right arm to push Pacioretty towards the stantion. Call me a conspirator but I will go on the record as sayign that Chara meant for him to strike the stantion; probably not with the impact that occured, but intentional none the less.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Slap on the Wrist???
To say I disagree with the decision of the NHL regarding Zdeno Chara's hit last night on Max Pacioretty is a colossal understatement. In case you missed it last night, Chara rode Pacioretty into the stantion at the end of the bench early in the third period. Pacioretty lay motionless on the ice for some time, clearly unconscious and was eventually taken off on a stretcher. He was awake as he was taken off of the ice. Today it was reported on tsn.ca that Pacioretty not only suffered a severe concussion but he also has a fractured vertebrate. The NHL's stance is that since Chara is not a repeat offender and since he didn't leave his feet, there is no reason for a suspension or fine. Are you kidding me???? The puck was nowhere near the two as Chara rode him out. Furthermore, there is no denying that these two have had a bit of an issue with one another since Pacioretty scored a winning goal in a game between the two earlier in the season. When you add to that the fact that Pacioretty was arguably one of the best players on the ice in a game that the Hab's were clearly winning, how can you not think Chara had intentions of doing something. After the game he was quoted as saying he didn't want to hurt him. If that is the case, why the blindside interference on a guy who clearly has you beaten to the outside in pursuit of the puck? This is the stuff that makes me sick......and the fact the NHL slaps him on the wrist with nothing more than a conference call makes me more sick to my stomach. Chara wanted to hit Pacioretty...no doubt about it in my mind. What is it going to take before the NHL stands up and does something about this??? Had Chris Neil, or someone who has been suspended in the past laid that hit, do you think they would have gotten zero games and no fine??? Not a stinking chance. You could even argue that this hit was exponentially worse than the Trevor Gillies hit on Cal Clutterbuck last week that earned the big goon ten games. This is a joke, plain and simple. Max Pacioretty may never play in the NHL ever again and all the NHL can do is tell Chara that what he did wasn't nice and he shouldn't do it again!! Shame on you NHL for letting allowing players to get away with these type of blows, and then in the next moment talk about ways to end the head shots in hockey! Get it together!
In sticking with the theme of leagues who allow individuals to get away with stuff that should never be allowed, let's turn our attention to the US and NCAA football. In particular I am talking about the events surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes Football team. For starters, five players on the team, including starting QB Terrelle Pryor are suspended for the first five games of this season for selling OSU merchandise, as well as receiving perks like free tatoo's in exchange for Buckeye's merchandise. The fact that these suspensions were handed out prior to their January Bowl Game, yet they were still allowed to play irked me. Now that it comes out that their coach Jim Tressel was not only cognizant of this; he did nothing about it which makes it that much worse in my mind. Last week I talked about my beef with NCAA athletes and their law breaking tendencies. This is ludicrous that players are caught breaching NCAA rules yet allowed to play in the biggest game of the year, and will now sit out games at the start of the season that will probably see Ohio State play a bunch of teams who have little hope of victory, which in essence does nothing to threaten their chances of appearing in a major bowl game and assuring that both Ohio State University and the NCAA make money, millions of dollars of money. And what does Tressel get for his admission of guilt, a two game suspension and a $250, 000 fine. That might seem like a larg eamount of money, but I can assure you that the head coach of Ohio State makes millions per season. Why does both the NCAA and Ohio State allow this to happen??? When are people going to stand up and do the right thing??? Tressel should be fired, most in the civilized world are for breaking the rules of their employer, and those five players should never have been allowed to play in January and should be forced to sit out games that matter. Only then will Ohio State be forced to suffer as a program which in my opinion should happen everytime you break the rules.
On to something that doesn't irk me, but rather brings a feelign of warmth and comfort. Am I the only one getting as much amusement out of the struggles of the Miami Heat. The whole enjoyment stems from the summer when Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh held a press conference in Miami where they declared themselves a 'dynasty'. Shouldn't a dynasty be the best team in the league? Not only are the Heat NOT the best team in the league, they aren't the best team in their conference. In fact, they are only the third best team in the their conference! I love it, I absolutely love it. And then talk that following their loss to the Bulls on Sunday, there were players crying in the locker room...not complaining but crying real tears, that is gold. Professional athletes crying over a loss...nothing could be better, in particular a group who pretty much annointed themselves champions for the next half decade in June. At this rate the Heat will be hard pressed to make it past the second round of the play - offs. Ahh, jus think in eight years we will be talking about that dynasty that was the Miami Heat...play - off appearances in eight straight years....only problem...zero championships and the sight of Lebron trying to remove that size 15 from his mouth.
It is now a known fact that Tiki Barber wants to return to the NFL. Why? From what I am reading, love of the game isn't exactly at the top of the list...seems Tiki needs a little money. He was dismissed from his analyst gig on NBC which paid him a reported $300, 000 a year because he left his eight month pregnant wife for a 23 year old intern, and NBC used their 'morals clause' Without that income, and what I am assuming is a rather large alimony payment, Tiki better hope somebody wants to take a chance on a 35 year old running back three years removed from football of any type. Can you say....Welcome to Home Depot...you can do it, Tiki can help.
That's it, that's all....a good guy who needs a shout out...Shomari Williams of the Riders. He was at my school to present some positive messages to our students yesterday, what a gem! Great guy, great message and a thrill to sit and talk with.
In sticking with the theme of leagues who allow individuals to get away with stuff that should never be allowed, let's turn our attention to the US and NCAA football. In particular I am talking about the events surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes Football team. For starters, five players on the team, including starting QB Terrelle Pryor are suspended for the first five games of this season for selling OSU merchandise, as well as receiving perks like free tatoo's in exchange for Buckeye's merchandise. The fact that these suspensions were handed out prior to their January Bowl Game, yet they were still allowed to play irked me. Now that it comes out that their coach Jim Tressel was not only cognizant of this; he did nothing about it which makes it that much worse in my mind. Last week I talked about my beef with NCAA athletes and their law breaking tendencies. This is ludicrous that players are caught breaching NCAA rules yet allowed to play in the biggest game of the year, and will now sit out games at the start of the season that will probably see Ohio State play a bunch of teams who have little hope of victory, which in essence does nothing to threaten their chances of appearing in a major bowl game and assuring that both Ohio State University and the NCAA make money, millions of dollars of money. And what does Tressel get for his admission of guilt, a two game suspension and a $250, 000 fine. That might seem like a larg eamount of money, but I can assure you that the head coach of Ohio State makes millions per season. Why does both the NCAA and Ohio State allow this to happen??? When are people going to stand up and do the right thing??? Tressel should be fired, most in the civilized world are for breaking the rules of their employer, and those five players should never have been allowed to play in January and should be forced to sit out games that matter. Only then will Ohio State be forced to suffer as a program which in my opinion should happen everytime you break the rules.
On to something that doesn't irk me, but rather brings a feelign of warmth and comfort. Am I the only one getting as much amusement out of the struggles of the Miami Heat. The whole enjoyment stems from the summer when Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh held a press conference in Miami where they declared themselves a 'dynasty'. Shouldn't a dynasty be the best team in the league? Not only are the Heat NOT the best team in the league, they aren't the best team in their conference. In fact, they are only the third best team in the their conference! I love it, I absolutely love it. And then talk that following their loss to the Bulls on Sunday, there were players crying in the locker room...not complaining but crying real tears, that is gold. Professional athletes crying over a loss...nothing could be better, in particular a group who pretty much annointed themselves champions for the next half decade in June. At this rate the Heat will be hard pressed to make it past the second round of the play - offs. Ahh, jus think in eight years we will be talking about that dynasty that was the Miami Heat...play - off appearances in eight straight years....only problem...zero championships and the sight of Lebron trying to remove that size 15 from his mouth.
It is now a known fact that Tiki Barber wants to return to the NFL. Why? From what I am reading, love of the game isn't exactly at the top of the list...seems Tiki needs a little money. He was dismissed from his analyst gig on NBC which paid him a reported $300, 000 a year because he left his eight month pregnant wife for a 23 year old intern, and NBC used their 'morals clause' Without that income, and what I am assuming is a rather large alimony payment, Tiki better hope somebody wants to take a chance on a 35 year old running back three years removed from football of any type. Can you say....Welcome to Home Depot...you can do it, Tiki can help.
That's it, that's all....a good guy who needs a shout out...Shomari Williams of the Riders. He was at my school to present some positive messages to our students yesterday, what a gem! Great guy, great message and a thrill to sit and talk with.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Welcome to Another Week....
Let me start this week with something that has always made me mad....sportscasters who don't now how to pronounce the name of athletes properly. While I expect this from time to time from small town broadcasters, or when the player is young and new to the league, where I don't EVER expect to hear this is on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Never have I been so angry watching an Oiler victory than I was on Saturday night listening to Mark Lee, a guy who is by no means new to broadcasting, continually butcher the name of Oilers forward Linus Omark. He referred to him incorrectly (as Lee - nus, and not Line - is) for the whole stinking game. There are no excuses for this to happen, none.
And sticking with sportcasters who make me angry, I turn to curling and TSN's coverage of The Brier. My thoughts are when a national television company is going to broadcast a national championship of any sorts, there is no place for biases in the commentary. For the most part Vic Rauter does a great job of staying on the sidelines, but Linda Moore just flat out dislikes Saskatchewan. She took every chance she could to point out Anber Holland's shortcomings at the Scotties and last night did the same thing with Pat Simmons and crew. Had you watched the game, Moore made it sound like the Saskatchewan boys had never curled before. In the end, this just frustrates me when someone is able to use their position to present their side of the story, and not the WHOLE story. Where are you Ray Turnbull???? The curling word misses you and needs your insight and unbiased opinions.
So yet another NFL Combine has come to an end, and now NFL fans will be inundated with information regarding the draft for the next seven weeks. I don't get what all the hype is about the Combine anyways and can not belive people actually CHOOSE to watch it for hours and hours. For that matter I can't believe it is actually televised. While I understand speed and agility are necessary to be a good football player, demonstrating your skills on an individual scale means nothing if you can't do it in a game scenario. To make things worse, let's put all these youngs guys on display, not only for the scouts and coaches in attendance to watch, but here is a a great idea, let's get a bunch of camera's and stuff and televise it for all of North America to watch. What needs to happen in my mind, scrap the Combine, have an exhibition game that displays the abilities of the best draft eligible players in a real game scenario. I know the Senior Bowl attempts to showcast this, but when so many of your top ranked players are underclassmen, they aren't afforded this right. The CHL does this right with their Top Prospect's Game...the NFL could borrow a page from them.
So Mike Weir, Canada's only major champion on the PGA is no longer a fully exempt member of the tour. What makes this even more ironic is it comes on the heels of what I would assume was his worst round as a professional, shooting an 85 on Friday at the Honda Classic. While I have always cheered for Weir and would like to see him return to the form he was in in 2003, he should be thankful that as a past champion on the tour he will get some sponsor exemptions because in my mind there is no way anyone on the PGA tour should be shooting 85. St. Andrews in the driving rain and howling wind...maybe, but southern Florida in March with a little wind...maybe the game has passed him by. Don't worry about him though, his career earnings, along with what he has made through his business ventures is still putting food on the table.
Last week I commented about my feelings for Islander's goon Trevor Gillies, who recieved a ten game suspension for his actions last week. What makes this worse is how he and Islanders GM Garth Snow tried to condone it over the weekend, and make it sound like it was just a reaction. A reaction is NOT running a guy from behind while at the same time punching him in the head. Clearly this guy has NO respect for any other player in the league. You don't need to look any further than him standing in the aisle, yelling at Pen's forward Eric Tangradi struggling to get up from a couple of weeks ago. What, it isn't enough to sucker punch him and hurt him, but then you have to taunt him on your way out??? Get a life, and furthermore, if this guy is so tough, why doesn't he square off with somebody??? It seems all he does is run guys from behind and lets them know he's there with a greasy cheap shot. The guy is without talent, respect and possibly, much intelligence. If I am an Islander, I would be embarrassed to have this guy as a teammate. At least guys like Zenon Konopka who are considerably smaller than Gillies will square off and make it fair.
Everything I love, but everything I hate about sports took place over the weekend in Kindersley. In an SJHL playoff game between the host Klippers and visiting Weyburn Red Wings, the ..... pretty much hit the fan. In a game that the Klippers won 9 - 2, tensions boiled over with a minor brew - ha - ha. It had everything from guys yelling and swinging sticks, to water bottles being thrown and apparently a Klipper fan trying to enter the Wings bench. While I am all for tension and rivalries in sports, particularly in the play - offs, why do idiots feel the ned to directly involve themselves in the action? If you want to talk, talk and maybe somebody will listen, but now because of all this, apparently the RCMP are involved and Red Wing Coach Dwight McMillan, a legend in the Junior coaching ranks will have to deal with this. Why??? Because some idiot took it upon himself to enter the bench and seek to take matters into his own hands. Not only should this 'hero' never be allowed in the Kindersley arena again, I think the league as a whole should ban him permanently.
Anywho...home for the night...talk to you tomorrow.
And sticking with sportcasters who make me angry, I turn to curling and TSN's coverage of The Brier. My thoughts are when a national television company is going to broadcast a national championship of any sorts, there is no place for biases in the commentary. For the most part Vic Rauter does a great job of staying on the sidelines, but Linda Moore just flat out dislikes Saskatchewan. She took every chance she could to point out Anber Holland's shortcomings at the Scotties and last night did the same thing with Pat Simmons and crew. Had you watched the game, Moore made it sound like the Saskatchewan boys had never curled before. In the end, this just frustrates me when someone is able to use their position to present their side of the story, and not the WHOLE story. Where are you Ray Turnbull???? The curling word misses you and needs your insight and unbiased opinions.
So yet another NFL Combine has come to an end, and now NFL fans will be inundated with information regarding the draft for the next seven weeks. I don't get what all the hype is about the Combine anyways and can not belive people actually CHOOSE to watch it for hours and hours. For that matter I can't believe it is actually televised. While I understand speed and agility are necessary to be a good football player, demonstrating your skills on an individual scale means nothing if you can't do it in a game scenario. To make things worse, let's put all these youngs guys on display, not only for the scouts and coaches in attendance to watch, but here is a a great idea, let's get a bunch of camera's and stuff and televise it for all of North America to watch. What needs to happen in my mind, scrap the Combine, have an exhibition game that displays the abilities of the best draft eligible players in a real game scenario. I know the Senior Bowl attempts to showcast this, but when so many of your top ranked players are underclassmen, they aren't afforded this right. The CHL does this right with their Top Prospect's Game...the NFL could borrow a page from them.
So Mike Weir, Canada's only major champion on the PGA is no longer a fully exempt member of the tour. What makes this even more ironic is it comes on the heels of what I would assume was his worst round as a professional, shooting an 85 on Friday at the Honda Classic. While I have always cheered for Weir and would like to see him return to the form he was in in 2003, he should be thankful that as a past champion on the tour he will get some sponsor exemptions because in my mind there is no way anyone on the PGA tour should be shooting 85. St. Andrews in the driving rain and howling wind...maybe, but southern Florida in March with a little wind...maybe the game has passed him by. Don't worry about him though, his career earnings, along with what he has made through his business ventures is still putting food on the table.
Last week I commented about my feelings for Islander's goon Trevor Gillies, who recieved a ten game suspension for his actions last week. What makes this worse is how he and Islanders GM Garth Snow tried to condone it over the weekend, and make it sound like it was just a reaction. A reaction is NOT running a guy from behind while at the same time punching him in the head. Clearly this guy has NO respect for any other player in the league. You don't need to look any further than him standing in the aisle, yelling at Pen's forward Eric Tangradi struggling to get up from a couple of weeks ago. What, it isn't enough to sucker punch him and hurt him, but then you have to taunt him on your way out??? Get a life, and furthermore, if this guy is so tough, why doesn't he square off with somebody??? It seems all he does is run guys from behind and lets them know he's there with a greasy cheap shot. The guy is without talent, respect and possibly, much intelligence. If I am an Islander, I would be embarrassed to have this guy as a teammate. At least guys like Zenon Konopka who are considerably smaller than Gillies will square off and make it fair.
Everything I love, but everything I hate about sports took place over the weekend in Kindersley. In an SJHL playoff game between the host Klippers and visiting Weyburn Red Wings, the ..... pretty much hit the fan. In a game that the Klippers won 9 - 2, tensions boiled over with a minor brew - ha - ha. It had everything from guys yelling and swinging sticks, to water bottles being thrown and apparently a Klipper fan trying to enter the Wings bench. While I am all for tension and rivalries in sports, particularly in the play - offs, why do idiots feel the ned to directly involve themselves in the action? If you want to talk, talk and maybe somebody will listen, but now because of all this, apparently the RCMP are involved and Red Wing Coach Dwight McMillan, a legend in the Junior coaching ranks will have to deal with this. Why??? Because some idiot took it upon himself to enter the bench and seek to take matters into his own hands. Not only should this 'hero' never be allowed in the Kindersley arena again, I think the league as a whole should ban him permanently.
Anywho...home for the night...talk to you tomorrow.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Friday's Thoughts
So Taylor Hall had his first, and hopefully last career Gordie Howe hat trick last night. What is most embarrassing about this is not only did he look like a kid getting thrown around by his older brother over the last pork chop, but he is now lost for the remainder of the season with a high ankle sprain. Kid, what the hell were you thinking???
Speaking of Gordie Howe hat tricks, did you know that former Red Wing Brendan Shanahan had 14 in his career! Now that Mr. Hall is something that impresses me; you....not so much.
The NFL and the Player's Association have agreed upon a one week extension to reach a new CBA. It is quite possible to assume that this means progress is being made and the chance of saving the season is at its all time highest. Staying with the NFL, it has been reported that former Rider Andy Fantuz received a $10,000 signing bonus when he reached his deal with the Bears last month. Some might say it isn't worth it to take a 'shot' at a league he may very well not make it in. To those nay - sayers, it ain't about the money, it is about pursuing your dreams. And in the event that he does crack the Bear's roster he will make a whole lot more than he would have in the CFL.
As I sit here watching the Senators and Rangers on TSN, Pierre McGuire, who for the record is a loud mouth who is taken best with a stiff shot and a solid mute button, is talking about how Sean Avery of the Rangers is doing his best to get under the skin of the Sen's Chris Neil. Apparently, Avery was quick to remind Neil that he was available to any team who wanted him at the deadline and the Senators still couldn't get rid of him. While I do hope that Neil grabs him and knocks his teeth in, I must admit that's good TV. Just for one night, I would like to be a fly on the glass between the benches and listen to some of the trash talk that takes place in the course of a game.
Not much else to say tonight....quiet night I suppose. Until tomorrow......
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Criminals & Sport...
In a recent study that you can read at cnnsi.com, it appears that US Colleges are recruiting primarily on skill with little emphasis on the character/history of the recruits. The roster of the Top 25 Men's Football teams at the start of last year, included a staggering 204 athletes who had been charged with criminal offences. In addition, there was only ONE team without a player who has been in trouble with the law in the past! While I know that talent is important when trying to establish a competitive program because NCAA programs can and do make a lot of money. From berths in bowl games to merchandise sales, many NCAA programs make millions of dollars in revenue a year. However, do you not also want to maintain a program which is respectable in terms of the development of not only athletes but also young men who will go on to become contributing members of society??? These young men are not only representing themselves and their respective team, they are also representatives of the University. I guess some Universities are fine with having criminals represent them on the battlefield as long as they keep on winning. That is in my mind, a little sad.
There are however, exceptions, in particular BYU or Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Cougars as they are called have always put forth competitive football teams and this year's Men's Basketball team has been in or around the Top 10 for most of the year. Despite their performance to this point, they still dismissed forward Brandon Davies earlier this week for the remainder of the season. Davies, a native of Provo, was a starter and averaged in doule digits to this point in the year. His importance to the team can be seen by the fact that ranked as the sixth team in the nation, the Cougars got it hung on them last night at home to New Mexico, a team out of the Top 25 and traditionally not a powerhouse. Why was Davies dismissed you ask??? He confessed to engaging in pre - marital sex, a violation of BYU's Code of Honor. While this might seem unreasonable, at least BYU can look at themselves in the mirror knowing that the image of their University is more important than wins and losses.
And sticking with criminals, how far has Micheal Vick come in two years??? From a year and a half in jail for his role in a dog - fighting ring to yesterday signing a franchise tag with the Philadelphia Eagles that will see him earn $16 million next year (so long as the season takes place). To this point Vick has worked hard at rebuilding his reputation and career. I can only hope that he never lets him fall into a position like that of a few years ago when this whole mess started.
So you want to coach a professional basketball team do ya? Ask John Kuester of the Detroit Pistons how much fun that can be. In recent weeks several of his players, including some of his better talent like Ben Wallace, Tracy McGrady and Richard Hamilton have intentionally skipped a morning shoot around, and then were caught laughing later that night when Kuester was kicked out a game for recieving his second technical foul. Kuester appeared to be particularly snarly that night and I can't blame him when he is signed to coach grown men who are acting like children. You guys are making how much money to play a game??? Perhaps events like this explain why McGrady, once one of the brightest stars in the league struggles to find a team willing to take him on from one year to the next. It is these guys who give professional athletes a bad reputation; spoiled rotten clowns who think the world would stop gravitating if not for them.
And on the subject of men growing like children, the Chicago Cubs, who are less than a month into a season which will last approximately eight months, already can't get along. And yes, these are the same Cubs who last year had to send arguably their best pitcher home for a while after he snapped and got in a scrap in the dugout. Well yesterday afternoon in Grapefruit League action, Carlos Silva got shelled for six runs in the first inning, three of which were unearned thanks to three Cubs errors. Once the inning mercifully came to an end, Silva lost it in the dugout, pointing the finger at some of his positional players, including third basemen Aramiz Ramirez who had made one of the errors. And what do you think happened???? Well a scrap of course; another case of grown men acting like elementary aged children. Do you think Lou Pinella misses his job as the skipper of the Cubbies???
Trevor Gillies is a big idiot with a nice moustache who should not be allowed to play in the NHL. The big goon, coming off a nine game suspension for his role in the Islanders/Penguisn debacle a couple of weeks ago returned to the Isles line - up last night. Before the night out he earned himself another suspension, the lenght of which will be decided by the NHL before the end of the week. Gillies reaction to a Cal Clutterbuck hit on an Islanders teammate was to drill Clutterbuck from behind into the boards; a hit which took Clutterbuck, an all round tough hombre, a while to get up from. Gillies is clearly in the line - up for one reason as his ONE career goal would account for. Why do teams feel the need for these donkey's to have a roster spot, particularly the Islanders. This is a team without much going for them, and recently lost Rob Schremp on waivers, a skilled guy who can actually play the game. Trevor Gillies is good for absolutely nothing in my mind as far as being a professional hockey player goes.
And lastly the debate and discussion has been re - ignited in terms of Winnipeg potentially recieving another crack at housing an NHL team. I can agree with both sides of the argument as to why Winnipeg can and can not support a team, but here is what I will say to all those clowns who keep saying the MTS Centre would be the smallest rink in the league. Listen up and listen good because I am only saying this once. The MTS Centre will sit 14, 000 people, and it will be packed and it will be loud. Sure there are other NHL rinks with a larger capacity, but a 20, 000 capacity rink in Atlanta with 8, 000 people in attendance is ridiculous. It doesn't matter how many seats the rink has, it depends on how many people are in those seats. So fill a rink to 45% capacity in a city where hockey is clearly not that appealing, or pack a slightly smaller rink for 41 nights a year in a hockey market. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which option makes more sense, but then again Gary Bettman is far from a rocket scientist.
That's it, that's all.....good guys who deserve a plug...Trevor Olson, Trevor Latham, Evan Rostotski, Paul Henderson (not that one), and Chapstick.
There are however, exceptions, in particular BYU or Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Cougars as they are called have always put forth competitive football teams and this year's Men's Basketball team has been in or around the Top 10 for most of the year. Despite their performance to this point, they still dismissed forward Brandon Davies earlier this week for the remainder of the season. Davies, a native of Provo, was a starter and averaged in doule digits to this point in the year. His importance to the team can be seen by the fact that ranked as the sixth team in the nation, the Cougars got it hung on them last night at home to New Mexico, a team out of the Top 25 and traditionally not a powerhouse. Why was Davies dismissed you ask??? He confessed to engaging in pre - marital sex, a violation of BYU's Code of Honor. While this might seem unreasonable, at least BYU can look at themselves in the mirror knowing that the image of their University is more important than wins and losses.
And sticking with criminals, how far has Micheal Vick come in two years??? From a year and a half in jail for his role in a dog - fighting ring to yesterday signing a franchise tag with the Philadelphia Eagles that will see him earn $16 million next year (so long as the season takes place). To this point Vick has worked hard at rebuilding his reputation and career. I can only hope that he never lets him fall into a position like that of a few years ago when this whole mess started.
So you want to coach a professional basketball team do ya? Ask John Kuester of the Detroit Pistons how much fun that can be. In recent weeks several of his players, including some of his better talent like Ben Wallace, Tracy McGrady and Richard Hamilton have intentionally skipped a morning shoot around, and then were caught laughing later that night when Kuester was kicked out a game for recieving his second technical foul. Kuester appeared to be particularly snarly that night and I can't blame him when he is signed to coach grown men who are acting like children. You guys are making how much money to play a game??? Perhaps events like this explain why McGrady, once one of the brightest stars in the league struggles to find a team willing to take him on from one year to the next. It is these guys who give professional athletes a bad reputation; spoiled rotten clowns who think the world would stop gravitating if not for them.
And on the subject of men growing like children, the Chicago Cubs, who are less than a month into a season which will last approximately eight months, already can't get along. And yes, these are the same Cubs who last year had to send arguably their best pitcher home for a while after he snapped and got in a scrap in the dugout. Well yesterday afternoon in Grapefruit League action, Carlos Silva got shelled for six runs in the first inning, three of which were unearned thanks to three Cubs errors. Once the inning mercifully came to an end, Silva lost it in the dugout, pointing the finger at some of his positional players, including third basemen Aramiz Ramirez who had made one of the errors. And what do you think happened???? Well a scrap of course; another case of grown men acting like elementary aged children. Do you think Lou Pinella misses his job as the skipper of the Cubbies???
Trevor Gillies is a big idiot with a nice moustache who should not be allowed to play in the NHL. The big goon, coming off a nine game suspension for his role in the Islanders/Penguisn debacle a couple of weeks ago returned to the Isles line - up last night. Before the night out he earned himself another suspension, the lenght of which will be decided by the NHL before the end of the week. Gillies reaction to a Cal Clutterbuck hit on an Islanders teammate was to drill Clutterbuck from behind into the boards; a hit which took Clutterbuck, an all round tough hombre, a while to get up from. Gillies is clearly in the line - up for one reason as his ONE career goal would account for. Why do teams feel the need for these donkey's to have a roster spot, particularly the Islanders. This is a team without much going for them, and recently lost Rob Schremp on waivers, a skilled guy who can actually play the game. Trevor Gillies is good for absolutely nothing in my mind as far as being a professional hockey player goes.
And lastly the debate and discussion has been re - ignited in terms of Winnipeg potentially recieving another crack at housing an NHL team. I can agree with both sides of the argument as to why Winnipeg can and can not support a team, but here is what I will say to all those clowns who keep saying the MTS Centre would be the smallest rink in the league. Listen up and listen good because I am only saying this once. The MTS Centre will sit 14, 000 people, and it will be packed and it will be loud. Sure there are other NHL rinks with a larger capacity, but a 20, 000 capacity rink in Atlanta with 8, 000 people in attendance is ridiculous. It doesn't matter how many seats the rink has, it depends on how many people are in those seats. So fill a rink to 45% capacity in a city where hockey is clearly not that appealing, or pack a slightly smaller rink for 41 nights a year in a hockey market. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which option makes more sense, but then again Gary Bettman is far from a rocket scientist.
That's it, that's all.....good guys who deserve a plug...Trevor Olson, Trevor Latham, Evan Rostotski, Paul Henderson (not that one), and Chapstick.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Another Day...
Making the news today.....
I will start by admitting fault. As a self annointed 'sports buff' I am ashmaed to admit I forgot that Monday marked the one year anniversary of 'the golden goal'. While this was obviously one of the greatest moments in Canadian hockey history, the moment was tainted for me. I am fully aware that what I am about to say will ruffle some feathers but frankly I don't care. What ruined this glorious moment in hockey history for me was the fact that it was scored by Sidney Crosby. Why does someone who is continually whining to the ref have to score this goal and become the new face of Hockey Canada? Why can't someone who just goes out, plays the game and keeps his mouth shut, like Toews or Getzlaf score the goal. Those are the guys I want my daughter looking up to. They play the game, they don't complain and are in my mind simply greater role models for young hockey fans in this country.
Moving on...it has been reported that the owner of the Boston Red Sox, John Henry has been fined $500, 000 by Major League Baseball for comments he made about the league's revenue sharing policy. Apparently Henry had an issue with the fact that what he refers to as seven 'non - competitive teams' were awarded nearly $1 billion in revenue from the league. Hey Henry, how in the world do you expect small market teams to get any better??? This comment just proves you, like many others are selfish and not thinking about the league as a whole. We all know that what is best for any sports league is as little parity, and as much competition as possible. So without sharing in the revenue how do you expect small market teams like the Kansas City Royals to ever become competitive and relevant? All idiots like this guy and Hank Steinbrenner do is throw huge amounts of money at free agents, which in part is ruining baseball. Why don't fans of those franchises deserve to be given the opportunity to to watch a team compete with the likes of the Yanks, Phillies, Red Sox, etc?
Speaking of money and revenue, the NFL is growing dangerously close to a lockout, which could seriously put next season at risk. What scares me even more is a report on CNN that says the league would be able to survive two years without playing a game before finances became a little shaky. How huge is your league when you can afford to wipe the slate clean and not worry about going broke for two years?
The problem the NFL is having in terms of a new CBA between the Owner's and the NFLPA comes down to the all mighty dollar. Last year revenues for the NFL were in excess of $9 billion dollars. The problem, rather than share this revenue evenly amongst the players and the owners, the owners, who already take $1 billion off the top before splitting the pot now want to take more like $2 billion off the top which would mean 30 owners share in more than $5.5 billion dollars, leaving the players, totalling more than 2, 000 to share in the remaining $3.5 billion. You tell me how that is at all fair. The league doesn't make money because the fans like the owners, they make money off the players who go through six months of hell and abuse on their bodies to play a game they love. And honestly, as Redskins fan, I have a general dislike for Dan Snyder, their owner, and I also know that he isn't pinching his pennies to get by. As long as you continue to have selfish owners what is going to happen is there will be no NFL football for a long time or the players may be forced to cave in and give up dollars in order to be able to continue to play the game they love, all the while lining the pockets of greedy individuals like Al Davis, Dan Snyder, etc.
Now rather than take about greed, let's talk about someone who has their head on straight, Carson Palmer, of the Cincinnati Bengals...at least for now. When Palmer came out of College he was a much heralded QB who was lucky enough to end up with one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the league (sorry Skipper). For his part he was able to dig them out of inferiority to a state of mediocrity and beyond. He led them to a divison title and a couple of play - off appearances. However, the continued struggles of the franchise has appeared to sour Palmer on the Bengals. Listening to Chad Ochocino or Johnson or whatever his name is certainly doesn't make the job as the Bengals QB appealing. Anyhow, Palmer has now supposedly put his suburban Cincinnati house up for sale and told the franchise that he wants to be traded. He has gone so far as to say that if he is not traded, he will retire, and was quoted on one website as saying he will never step foot in Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Bengals ever again. He was also quoted as saying that he has $80 million in the bank, no longer needs to play the game for money and now just wants to play for the love of the game. Cudos to Carson Palmer, a guy who is playing the game for all the right reasons. I have to admit if I were in Cincinnati there is nothing to love about playing football for that franchise.
Barry Bonds is back in court on charges of perjury and lying to the government. I hope he is found guilty and sent to jail. While I hate the fact steroids totally inflated the numbers of a lot of players, I dislike Bonds more for who he is, probably one of the biggest jerks in sports in the last twenty years. A couple of months in jail could prove to Bonds that he ain't that tough.
To steal a little tidbit from Rob Vanstone of the Leader Post...good guys who deserve a shout out... Jon Keen, voice of the Kamloops Blazers, Scotty Giroux, Bryan Fleck, Tyler Eddy, Aaron Frank, Dan Miller, and my Dad. If I forgot you, I will remember you at some time in the future..
Till tomorrow..or Friday...
I will start by admitting fault. As a self annointed 'sports buff' I am ashmaed to admit I forgot that Monday marked the one year anniversary of 'the golden goal'. While this was obviously one of the greatest moments in Canadian hockey history, the moment was tainted for me. I am fully aware that what I am about to say will ruffle some feathers but frankly I don't care. What ruined this glorious moment in hockey history for me was the fact that it was scored by Sidney Crosby. Why does someone who is continually whining to the ref have to score this goal and become the new face of Hockey Canada? Why can't someone who just goes out, plays the game and keeps his mouth shut, like Toews or Getzlaf score the goal. Those are the guys I want my daughter looking up to. They play the game, they don't complain and are in my mind simply greater role models for young hockey fans in this country.
Moving on...it has been reported that the owner of the Boston Red Sox, John Henry has been fined $500, 000 by Major League Baseball for comments he made about the league's revenue sharing policy. Apparently Henry had an issue with the fact that what he refers to as seven 'non - competitive teams' were awarded nearly $1 billion in revenue from the league. Hey Henry, how in the world do you expect small market teams to get any better??? This comment just proves you, like many others are selfish and not thinking about the league as a whole. We all know that what is best for any sports league is as little parity, and as much competition as possible. So without sharing in the revenue how do you expect small market teams like the Kansas City Royals to ever become competitive and relevant? All idiots like this guy and Hank Steinbrenner do is throw huge amounts of money at free agents, which in part is ruining baseball. Why don't fans of those franchises deserve to be given the opportunity to to watch a team compete with the likes of the Yanks, Phillies, Red Sox, etc?
Speaking of money and revenue, the NFL is growing dangerously close to a lockout, which could seriously put next season at risk. What scares me even more is a report on CNN that says the league would be able to survive two years without playing a game before finances became a little shaky. How huge is your league when you can afford to wipe the slate clean and not worry about going broke for two years?
The problem the NFL is having in terms of a new CBA between the Owner's and the NFLPA comes down to the all mighty dollar. Last year revenues for the NFL were in excess of $9 billion dollars. The problem, rather than share this revenue evenly amongst the players and the owners, the owners, who already take $1 billion off the top before splitting the pot now want to take more like $2 billion off the top which would mean 30 owners share in more than $5.5 billion dollars, leaving the players, totalling more than 2, 000 to share in the remaining $3.5 billion. You tell me how that is at all fair. The league doesn't make money because the fans like the owners, they make money off the players who go through six months of hell and abuse on their bodies to play a game they love. And honestly, as Redskins fan, I have a general dislike for Dan Snyder, their owner, and I also know that he isn't pinching his pennies to get by. As long as you continue to have selfish owners what is going to happen is there will be no NFL football for a long time or the players may be forced to cave in and give up dollars in order to be able to continue to play the game they love, all the while lining the pockets of greedy individuals like Al Davis, Dan Snyder, etc.
Now rather than take about greed, let's talk about someone who has their head on straight, Carson Palmer, of the Cincinnati Bengals...at least for now. When Palmer came out of College he was a much heralded QB who was lucky enough to end up with one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the league (sorry Skipper). For his part he was able to dig them out of inferiority to a state of mediocrity and beyond. He led them to a divison title and a couple of play - off appearances. However, the continued struggles of the franchise has appeared to sour Palmer on the Bengals. Listening to Chad Ochocino or Johnson or whatever his name is certainly doesn't make the job as the Bengals QB appealing. Anyhow, Palmer has now supposedly put his suburban Cincinnati house up for sale and told the franchise that he wants to be traded. He has gone so far as to say that if he is not traded, he will retire, and was quoted on one website as saying he will never step foot in Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Bengals ever again. He was also quoted as saying that he has $80 million in the bank, no longer needs to play the game for money and now just wants to play for the love of the game. Cudos to Carson Palmer, a guy who is playing the game for all the right reasons. I have to admit if I were in Cincinnati there is nothing to love about playing football for that franchise.
Barry Bonds is back in court on charges of perjury and lying to the government. I hope he is found guilty and sent to jail. While I hate the fact steroids totally inflated the numbers of a lot of players, I dislike Bonds more for who he is, probably one of the biggest jerks in sports in the last twenty years. A couple of months in jail could prove to Bonds that he ain't that tough.
To steal a little tidbit from Rob Vanstone of the Leader Post...good guys who deserve a shout out... Jon Keen, voice of the Kamloops Blazers, Scotty Giroux, Bryan Fleck, Tyler Eddy, Aaron Frank, Dan Miller, and my Dad. If I forgot you, I will remember you at some time in the future..
Till tomorrow..or Friday...
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