I don't have much to say today, but there are a few things. First off, the NHL news of the day yesterday was the Montreal Canadien's resigning of 23 year old defencemen PK Subban. In the end the two reached an agreement on a two year deal worth $5.5 million dollars, or $2.75 million per season. While to me this is a fair deal, it is nowhere close to the five years Subban was looking for. I also heard reports he was looking for money in the ballpark of $5 million per season.
I commend the brass of the Canadiens, in particular GM Marc Bergevin who did not waver in his dealings with Subban and his agent, Don Meehan. Since the moment he broke into the league Subban has rustled a lot of feathers with his actions and words. It went so far as Mike Richards stating the Subban needed to earn his spot in the NHL elite prior to acting like he was already a member. Those weren't Richard's exact words but they were along those lines.
More GM's need to follow the lead of Bergevin and not give into these demands. While Subban has the potential to be a top tier defender in the NHL, he is not there yet. He might tell you otherwise but he would be mistaken. I would even go so far to say that the Canadiens may have even dangled Subban to other clubs but chose to sign him when there was no deal, or no deal that was to their liking.
It seems as if Subban has already nearly worn out his welcome in Montreal as according to tsn.ca, there was very little excitement and chatter amongst the club today as they awaited the return of Subban to practice. And don't kid yourself, word spreads throughout the league pretty quickly. The actions of Subban have already done damage to his image and stock as a player in the NHL and Bergevin did his due diligence in making sure that the deal signed made sense for the hockey club and not simply the demands of what appears to be a 23 year old ego - maniac.
On the note of guys I am not terribly fond of, a report surfaced today that documentation has been discovered from a Miami clinic stating that Alex Rodriquez was one of a handful of players who attained PED's from them. Yes, the same Alex Rodriguez who admitted to using PED's while in Texas between 2001 and 2003. This report comes much later, but Rodriguez vehemently denies the allegations. If you ask me, he is a stone faced liar. Look at the numbers; at one time one of the most feared hitters in all of the game, since the MLB crackdown on PED's Rodriguez has been slightly better than average. That being said I am almost convinced that he has been taking PED's since he broke in with the Mariners as a 19 year old in the mid 1990's. I can only hope that in time the truth is told when it comes to the likes of Rodriguez, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds to name a few. I eagerly anticipate the day Bonds steps up and admits his wrong - doings.
That's all; real job is calling -- final exams and parenthood
HM
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
HUGE Rider News
I remember reading a tweet, or an article earlier in the week that stated the B.C. Lions had given Geroy Simon permission to seek out a trade. Last night around supper time I read on Rod Pederson's blog that when contacted the Riders were not interested. I thought no big deal, I like what we have. It would be nice to have him, but I won't hold my breath of get upset as I am not the GM of a football team. I knew Geroy was a class act with some tremendous stats over his career, walked away and never thought anymore of it until.....
My morning routine involves catching up on Twitter and the blog of Rod Pederson, both of which by the time I arrived at work, not only said the Riders were interested but that a deal was on the table waiting for the approval of the Lions. And then it broke, Geroy Simon is now a Roughrider. He comes to Ridernation in return for a third round pick in the CFL draft and import wide reciever Justin Harper.
As I tried to go through the roster and see who the Riders might put on the table in return I thought of several names, none of which were Justin Harper. A lot of this might have to do with the fact that he played in only a handful of games last year and was a non - factor after his tremendous showing in camp. Justin Harper was the 2012 edition of Terrence Nunn, the guy who finally gave us that huge threat on the outside who could only complement Darian and the offence. In a perfect world I cannot think of the trade being any better for the Riders.
Sure Justin Harper is big and could flourish in BC but you also have to remember they are loaded with young talent as it is. I get that Geroy is 37 years old. However, unlike some who have done nothing but complain and say this is a bad deal for the Riders and that they are paying him too much, I recieve this news with open arms. To me it just adds up to much more optimism heading into 2013 as the Riders look to win the Grey Cup on the Mosaic turf.
From what I understand, the deal Simon has signed is one year plus an option at $170K per season. With incentives he could make $200K. A stiff price to pay? Not when you take into the fact he is arguably one of the five greatest receivers in the history of the league and in my mind the best player of this generation at the reciever position. Here is MY ideas as to why this is a great deal for the Riders:
* Chris Getzlaf struggled last year. He drew extra coverage as with the departure of Fantuz, he was the second option for the Riders. Geroy will take some of that coverage away freeing up Getz to have another great season.
* Who do you double team; Dressler or Geroy? Go ahead and pick one because the other will simply pick you apart.
* In the past we have big recievers who have been afraid to go over the middle and take a hit to make a play (see Prechae Rodriguez); Geroy seems to thrive on this ability
* Guys like Greg Carr and Taj Smith both come with tremendous upside and the potential to be tremendous recievers. Is there a better mentor for these guys to learn the inticracies of the game from? One needs to look no further than the likes of Shawn Gore in BC to see the impact Geroy can have even without the ball
* This is not just another option for Darian, this is a serious weapon we can use, that coupled with the George Cortez philosophy and approach to offense makes us borderline lethal.
* It will free up space for Darian to use his legs while at the same time allowing Korey Sheets and Jock Sanders not only more space to run the ball with but for those guys who can catch the ball out of the backfield, I challenge any linebacker to cover those two with any effectiveness over the course of a game.
* Sure this means that some guys will be out of jobs. The potential release of guys like Brooks Foster, Dallas Baker and possibly even Limas Sweed loom. That is a part of the game and losses I can handle given what Geroy can, and will bring to the table.
For those who lament this trade, wake up. Brendan Taman has made us a better team today. While it comes at a cost, it will also mean the end for some guys. The money saved in that regard can be used to shore up the defense where the organization sees fit. Anyone who is a true Rider fan and understands the game will see this as nothing but a tremendous addition to the offence, the team, the dressing room and the community.
Welcome to Ridernation Geroy; you may not be here a long time (two years) but let's make them a couple of seasons to remember.
I am honestly like a kid in a candy story today.
One last note, that Evan Rostotski rink I occasionally allude to on this blog; well they kicked off the Norquay Open bonspiel with a thrilling 10 - 9 victory last night. That moves them into the first event and a 7:00 showdown tomorrow night as they play for a berth in the semi - finals.
Later,
HM
My morning routine involves catching up on Twitter and the blog of Rod Pederson, both of which by the time I arrived at work, not only said the Riders were interested but that a deal was on the table waiting for the approval of the Lions. And then it broke, Geroy Simon is now a Roughrider. He comes to Ridernation in return for a third round pick in the CFL draft and import wide reciever Justin Harper.
As I tried to go through the roster and see who the Riders might put on the table in return I thought of several names, none of which were Justin Harper. A lot of this might have to do with the fact that he played in only a handful of games last year and was a non - factor after his tremendous showing in camp. Justin Harper was the 2012 edition of Terrence Nunn, the guy who finally gave us that huge threat on the outside who could only complement Darian and the offence. In a perfect world I cannot think of the trade being any better for the Riders.
Sure Justin Harper is big and could flourish in BC but you also have to remember they are loaded with young talent as it is. I get that Geroy is 37 years old. However, unlike some who have done nothing but complain and say this is a bad deal for the Riders and that they are paying him too much, I recieve this news with open arms. To me it just adds up to much more optimism heading into 2013 as the Riders look to win the Grey Cup on the Mosaic turf.
From what I understand, the deal Simon has signed is one year plus an option at $170K per season. With incentives he could make $200K. A stiff price to pay? Not when you take into the fact he is arguably one of the five greatest receivers in the history of the league and in my mind the best player of this generation at the reciever position. Here is MY ideas as to why this is a great deal for the Riders:
* Chris Getzlaf struggled last year. He drew extra coverage as with the departure of Fantuz, he was the second option for the Riders. Geroy will take some of that coverage away freeing up Getz to have another great season.
* Who do you double team; Dressler or Geroy? Go ahead and pick one because the other will simply pick you apart.
* In the past we have big recievers who have been afraid to go over the middle and take a hit to make a play (see Prechae Rodriguez); Geroy seems to thrive on this ability
* Guys like Greg Carr and Taj Smith both come with tremendous upside and the potential to be tremendous recievers. Is there a better mentor for these guys to learn the inticracies of the game from? One needs to look no further than the likes of Shawn Gore in BC to see the impact Geroy can have even without the ball
* This is not just another option for Darian, this is a serious weapon we can use, that coupled with the George Cortez philosophy and approach to offense makes us borderline lethal.
* It will free up space for Darian to use his legs while at the same time allowing Korey Sheets and Jock Sanders not only more space to run the ball with but for those guys who can catch the ball out of the backfield, I challenge any linebacker to cover those two with any effectiveness over the course of a game.
* Sure this means that some guys will be out of jobs. The potential release of guys like Brooks Foster, Dallas Baker and possibly even Limas Sweed loom. That is a part of the game and losses I can handle given what Geroy can, and will bring to the table.
For those who lament this trade, wake up. Brendan Taman has made us a better team today. While it comes at a cost, it will also mean the end for some guys. The money saved in that regard can be used to shore up the defense where the organization sees fit. Anyone who is a true Rider fan and understands the game will see this as nothing but a tremendous addition to the offence, the team, the dressing room and the community.
Welcome to Ridernation Geroy; you may not be here a long time (two years) but let's make them a couple of seasons to remember.
I am honestly like a kid in a candy story today.
One last note, that Evan Rostotski rink I occasionally allude to on this blog; well they kicked off the Norquay Open bonspiel with a thrilling 10 - 9 victory last night. That moves them into the first event and a 7:00 showdown tomorrow night as they play for a berth in the semi - finals.
Later,
HM
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Weekend that Was
Not a bad weekend to be a sports fan. I eagerly awaited the dropping of the puck on Saturday afternoon. That in conjunction with the NFL Play - off's on Sunday, throw in some Dominion All - Star Curling and I found myself spending way too much time in front of the television.
Regardless, the excitement of the weekend has carried into the week and some big news, or potential news also arising that will be discussed later.
The NHL dropped the puck Saturday afternoon on 13 fronts. The hockey was what I expected it to be, not as sharp as it normally would be on opening night given the fact that camp was condensed into five days but you know, it was hockey, it was back and I couldn't have been happier. Just a few highlights that have stood out for me in the first three days of the NHL's return:
* The Corey Schneider experiment in Vancouver didn't start as smoothly as I bet many on the left coast would have hoped. Schneider was terrible against Anaheim and was pulled after giving up five goals on fourteen shots. To make the situation more tumultuous or interesting if you will, he sat on the bench to watch the Canucks drop a 3 - 2 SO decision to the Oilers the next night. (More on that to come...)
* The St. Louis Blues look really good. Led by Vladimir Tarasenko, whose three points last night give him five on the young season, the Blues steamrailed the Red Wings on Saturday and improved to 2 - 0 last night. I know the season is VERY young but the Blues may very well be that under the radar team to be afraid of moving forward.
* I loved watching the Calgary Flames stumble out of the gates to an 0 - 2 start. Mikka Kipprusoff has not been good and with the exception of two periods, the 1st on Sunday and the 2nd last night the Flames have been outclassed and look to be in for a potentially long season.
* I am no Leafs fan, never have been but watching Colton Orr jump into a duel with big John Scott last night and then watching him drop the big man to his knees was really impressive in my books.
* Jordan Eberle's opening tally for the Oilers on Sunday night was beautiful. Even though they won in a shootout, to me personally the Oilers looked like much better than Vancouver that night. True the Canucks were in the 2nd half of back to back nights but the Oil showed a lot of why there is so much promise and potential in Edmonton this year.
The big news out of the NHL today is word from Canuck GM Mike Gillis that Roberto Luongo trade talks have picked up and a trade is potentially in place. All that needs to happen according to TSN is the second team (that which would be acquiring Luongo) needs to make some sort of decision as it relates to another player. Speculation is speculation but with the changes to the buy - out procedures, it is safe to assume the Flyers may look to buy out Ilya Bryzgalov and then make a deal for Bobby Lou? They need a tender and also have some young talent in the likes of Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier that the Canucks would arguably covet given the injuries to David Booth and Ryan Kesler. At the same time, is it Toronto as many have speculated? The Leafs have seemend hesitant to give up what the Canucks have asked for but they still require goaltending; neithe Reimer not Scrivens will take Toronto where they want to go. Other possibilites are sure to arise and I would not count out Tampa Bay (Lecavalier) and Florida (Weiss) as potential landing spots. He wants to be close to his off season home in Miami and I would like to think that the Canucks are looking at the Eastern Conference as they would hate to run into Luongo in the post season and have him outshine Schneider. Time will tell but I would expect something to get done sooner rather than later as the longer this drags out the harder it will be on both Luongo, Schneider and the Canucks organzation.
The Superbowl is set. It will see a battle of brothers (which is already annoying) as Jim's 49ers take on John's Ravens in what many have dubbed the SuperBaugh or Harbowl. Say what you will, like it or not, lots of talk will surround the match up of brothers leading to kick off on February 3rd.
The Falcons/49ers game was a gem. Many had the Falcons going onto New Orleans when they jumped out to a 17 - 0 lead. However, they also blew a lead against the Seahawks the week before, and once again could not hang on to a large lead. The demise of the Falcons falls on the shoulders of the defence and not the offence as 24 points in the NFL should win you most games. The officials to me blew two calls late in the game; Harry Douglas did NOT catch the ball and Navarro Bowman should have been called for pass interference on Roddy White on 4th and 4 inside the 10. Regardless, the catch stood, no flag was thrown and the 49ers will look to equal the Steelers 6th Superbowl victory which is the most by any franchise in the history of the NFL.
I never realized how cocky, arrogant and down right pathetic the Patriots were until the conclusion of their 28 - 13 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. Bill Belichick refusing to speak to the media at the conclusion of the game is pathetic, demonstates awful sportsmanship and should come with a hefty fine from the NFL. For as long as I have watched sports, the defeated coach has ALWAYS at least given the media a couple of minutes to drop the traditional cliches of how proud they are of their team but that they just came up short on that given day. I mean if Ken Miller had the guts to address the media after the Riders 13th man debacle in 2009, surely Bill Belichick could take two minutes from his life. Oh and by the way Bill, put some sleeves on; you look like a bum.
More controversy emanates from the AFC Championship game as Tom Brady's slide late in the 2nd half that saw him spike Ed Reed was intentional in my books. If a defender can't touch a QB as they are sliding, surely the QB should not be allowed to pull a stunt like that.
And if that wasn't enough, did you hear Ravens DE Terrell Suggs go OFF about the arrogance of the Patriots from Belichick down. He had some very choice words for the Patriots organization prior to wishing them well at the Pro Bowl. He went one step further stating that since Spygate was uncovered the Patriots have won nothing. While you could make the argument they have reached two Superbowls, he does make a point. I can't say I disagree with the words Suggs spoke. I might not care for the language and brashness with which they were spoke but he was not in left field with his comments.
One more note on the NFL before we move on to the Rider news of the past few days. Seattle QB Russell Wilson (through his agent, and later rescinded) has said he would like to be paid more after his performance this year. The Hawks QB is scheduled to make $600,000 for the first three years of his contract; a contract that can not be renegotiated until the three year rookie contract concludes. Sitting with buddies yesterday watching PTI, a great point came up about players wanting to renegotiate after a strong season. How would the players like it if the owners or GM's came out after he had a poor season and say we would like to pay you less? If nothing else the allure of more money should be the incentive to continue to train hard and avoid becoming lethargic as your contract expires. You are only as good as your last game in my mind and Russell Wilson will get his money, he will just have to wait two more years.
And the Riders have made some headlines the last two days with a high profile hiring along with the release of a well - known player. George Cortez was not out of work long. The coach, recently fired by the Hamilton Tiger Cats has resurfaced in Regina where he takes on OC duties from Bob Dyce who will still remain in the organization in a capacity that is yet to be announced. Hamilton had a tremendous offense last season, and in this bloggers mind had no more star power or talent than we have at the current time. If Cortez can bring those ideas here and get the guys to buy in, we might very well have a very dangerous offense. Durant, Sheets, Sanders, Dressler, Smith and the list goes on could become the most feared opposition in the CFL.
That news was followed by today's release of S James Patrick, a five year Rider vet who two years ago led the league in interceptions. Many on twitter were lamenting the loss of Patrick as being a mistake. However as I tweeted last night, those people obviously didn't watch him play last year or understand some of what is required to play football at a high level. James Patrick was the worst tackling defender in the league last year. He can not tackle in the open field. Sure he was a ball hawk at times but the Riders lose nothing in that department with Craig Butler who also happens to be a better tackler. At the same time the ability to run Butler out there at safety opens up another spot for an import at another defensive position. Specultaion here; purely speculation but that could spell the end for Shomari Williams at LB for the Riders.
That's it' that's all...time to go home and prep for the Oilers home opener vs. the Sharks tonight.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
This and That / Canadian NHL Preview
With the NHL season quickly approaching us, I will discuss the NHL to some length later. Prior to that, there are a few sporting related notes I want to bring up.
The Wild Card weekend of the NFL Play - off's was for the most part a bust. THe Divisional Round was everything I love about football. With the exception of the 2nd half of New England's victory over Houston, there were three fantastic games.
Saturday's games were spectacular. Baltimore were 9.5 point underdogs to the Broncos. All week the talk was essentially the anticipation of the AFC Championship game between Peyton and the Broncs and Brady and the Pats. Nobody, including this guy, gave the Ravens a chance. Well, the Ravens played great, Manning threw two costly picks and a horrendous decision by the Bronco's safety in the final minute all adds up to the Ravens going to New England to play for a berth in the Superbowl.
What stands out for me in that game was the play of Champ Bailey. He has forver been a shut down corner who can run neck and neck with any WR in the league. Champ showed his age on Saturday as Torrey Smith made him look slow, and well thirty something.
I am still miffed as to why the Broncos elected to take a knee with thirty seconds left in the game. While it argubaly won't cost John Fox his job and very well could have nothing to do with the outcome of the game, it still makes no sense to me.
Heading into this week, I will not write the Ravens off. They are a team I see playing for Ray Lewis as he continues his swan song with the only team he has ever known. They will pressure Tom Brady up the middle all day, and if Joe Flacco plays the way he did on Saturday, I would not at all be surprised to see the Ravens win at Foxboro.
For much of the last two months 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has been asked about his teams situation at QB. After Saturday those questions have been muted. Colin Kaepernick is the real deal, he is the QB of that team today, tomorrow and well into the forseeable future. He was simply outstanding against Green Bay. I expect the Falcons and 49ers clash to be a tremendous football game but give the edge to the 49ers simply because I think their defence is better than Atlanta's.
In review, give me the 49ersby four and the Ravens by a point. The Harbaugh family home will be a very difficult place to be on February 3rd as they will watch one son hoist the Lombardi trophy while another is forced to swallow that bitter pill of defeat on football's greatest stage.
The NHL season is less than four days away with the season officially getting underway on Saturday in a 48 game sprint to the finish. Clearly I lost some interest in hockey with the lockout looming this summer. When did Mike Ribeiro end up in Washington, and furthermore, when did the Derek Roy for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy deal take place? Honestly, I am ashamed that I was unaware of this.
I would like to make a long winded, elaborate preview of each division but know I will be way off, so instead I have chosen to provide you with what I think will pan out in regards to our seven Canadian teams.
Before that though, the Oilers, my team whom I will always support and cheer for regardless of the situation made a decision today that has left me to scratch my head. In naming the captains and alternate captains today, the Oilers did a couple of things I am unsure of how to respond to. Justin Schultz, the prized off season signing who tore up the AHL but is yet to play in an NHL game has been given an 'A', a role he will share with Taylor Hall. I am not questioning the ability of Justin Schultz but is it really fair to give a kid who has yet to play a game a letter? Sure the Oilers are young, and the future is bright but don't you want some veteran leaders taking on the responsibilities of alternate captain. Shawn Horcoff remains the 'C' but to give Schultz, Hall and Eberle an 'A', veterans Ryan Whitney and Ales Hemsky will be without a letter this year. Time will tell but I think Whitney is a guy who should have a letter. Schultz will have a letter down the road but what about someone like Ryan Jones who proves night in night out that you can count on him to give 110%? Just my thoughts.
And now.....
MONTREAL -- The Canadiens are a team who I really feel will struggle to score this year. Their top line with the likes of Brian Gionta and Thomas Plekanec will provide some punch, but get past that and David Desharnais is penciled in as the #2 Centre. A team with a lot of sandpaper and grit with guys like Travis Moen, Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong will make life miserable for the opposition, but a one line team such as this doesn't instill a whole lot of fear into the opposition.
On the backend, so long as a deal can be struck, PK Subban anchors a blue line who with the exception of Andrei Markov (health permitting) which is young and unproven. Carey Price could be in for some long nights in le belle province.
TORONTO -- I love to watch the Leafs struggle. However with Brian Burke gone, success for the Leafs will be a little easier to swallow. The biggest question in Toronto remains in net. James Reimer in my opinion is NOT a guy you can depend on night in night out. Trading for Luongo makes sense but at what cost? Burke mortgaged a lot to try and improve a team who well, didn't get any better. Names I hear bantered about in a potential deal include Bozak, Kadri and Gardiner. It is those guys who this team will need to build around as they move forward so Dave Nonis may have a really tough decision to make. The pressure to win in Toronto is great so he may be forced to make a deal he would really rather not complete. If the chips fall as they may, the Leafs may just be young enough to get into the second season. You can count on one thing for sure; you will be held accountable in Toronto so long as Randy Carlyle is behind the bench.
WINNIPEG -- The honeymoon still lingers in Manitoba's capital as their Jets enter the second season of their return north. There is no question in net as Ondrej Pavelec was great last season and I expect much the same again. Dustin Byfuglien leads a young team who is on the cusp of breaking through. Evander Kane leads a group of forwards who brought in Olli Jokinen and Andrei Ponikarovsky for some veteran leadership. The Jets will be in the hunt all year and could very well be lacing them up in May.
OTTAWA -- Last year to me as an anomaly for the Senators; a team who shouldn't have been there got there, largely on the strength of great goaltending and out of this world play by Erik Karlsson. Karlsson will not be as good as he was last year, and let's fact it this team is getting old. Daniel Alfreddson is 40 and Jason Spezza is getting up there. Milan Michalek will not be a repeat of the guy he was last year. I don't see play - off hockey in the nation's capital this season.
CALGARY -- I hate the Flames, I hate the Flames, I hate the Flames. They are old, not quick, and really not going to be a factor in the west this season. This is a team who while they are getting older really lack a lot of depth in the organization. You don't need to watch too many Abbotsford Heat game to realize this team is moving in the wrong direction. That being said, spending money on guys like Dennis Wideman and Jiri Hudler convince me that Jay Feaster and the gang in Cowtown think they have a shot this year; they don't. If they are smart, come April the likes of Iginla, Tanguay and Bouwmeester go on the block in order to replenish a weak farm system with depth and a hope for the future.
VANCOUVER -- Arguably the only team I dislike more than Calgary, the Canucks will once again be a force in the West. Corey Schneider is the man however I question his ability to perform seventy nights a season. That being said, a 48 game season is probably a blessing for the Canucks as they won't have to worry about the stress of a long season on a moderately unproven goalie. Up front they will have two lines that can score with anybody and great depth and grit as you move down the depth chart. While aging on the blue line, Bieksa, Salo, et al are good enough to lead the Canucks to yet another President's Trophy. Schneider is the X - factor; his play will determine their position come play - off time.
EDMONTON -- You have to love the looks of this team. An embarrasement of riches up front who at any given time could have the last three first overall picks on the same line with Yakupov, Nugent - Hopkins and Hall. Jordan Eberle is their best player and will be looked to help fill the net. The same issue remains for the Oilers and that is on the blue line. While they certainly possess the talent to score lots, they lack that shut down pairing many other teams have. Whitney is the leader back there defensively while they will look to Justin Schultz to QB what could be a lethal PP. From what I have read Schultz is also solid in his own end of the rink.. Devan Dubnyk played really well in the Spengler Cup and has shown flashes of being a very good goalie. The sprint to the finish will help these young legs. They won't be at the top of the league but they almost certainly will be much closer to the elite than they will to the bottom feeders. A play off berth is in my opinion very likely for a team who on most nights will be a treat to watch.
All said and done, I see two teams who missed the play - offs last year being right there in the end this year, the Wild and the Hurricanes.
My Stanley Cup pick at this moment would be the Rangers coming from the East to take on the Kings. There will be no repeat champion as Tortorella and the blue shirts will drink from the mug come June. What do you think?
Lastly, something very special is brewing in the Norquay Curling Rink. In tonight's final draw of the Regular Curling season prior to the Bonspiel blitz, the Evan Rostotski rink, which includes yours truly at third look to cap off a magical season. With a victory, 7 - 0, the perfect season will have been accomplished. Honestly, I am shocked we were not invited to participate in last week's Continental Cup of Curling; we are THAT good.
Later,
HM
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Idiot's who make Sports fun include....
The Ryan brothers. If you are an NFL fan you have heard of these two clowns. They are both coaches following in their father, Buddy's footsteps. Then you think back to the day that Buddy Ryan, then Defensive Coordinator with the Houston Oilers sucker punched Offensive Coordinator, Kevin Gilbride on the sidelines MID game!
Rex is the head coach of one of the biggest three ring circus acts the NFL offers, the New York Jets. Two years ago Rex demonstrated his cockiness by providing his team with the schedule for the entire year in training camp. The schedule included the Superbowl parade. Regardless, this year was a joke if you are a fan of the Jets. I personally have never really cared for the Jets, a dislike exacerbated by the presence of the said, Rex Ryan as Head Coach. My reasons for my dislike, along with my sick pleasures include"
* He is a loud mouth to the ?th degree. If you ask him I'm sure he will tell you he is the greatest coach to ever grace God's green earth;
* He convinced management to move up and draft Mark Sanchez with the 6th overall pick three years ago. On a sidenote Mark Sanchez sucks.
* He traded for Tim Tebow, the worst QB the NFL has ever spent so much time talking about. He claimed that Tebow would help the Jets win; the Jets never won and Tebow never played.
* He has a tattoo of his wife wearing a Sanchez jersey; only slightly creepy
* And to cap it all off, after a season that was a complete disaster for the Jets, Rex Ryan stated in a press conference that he is the right man to coach the NY Jets. Sadly, I think he truly believes that.
On to his brother Rob, who on Tuesday was fired as Defensive Coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys lost on the final night of the season to miss the play - off's on yet another costly mistake by Tony Romo. The problem with the Cowboys this year was not Tony Romo, it was Rob's porous defense who would have been unable to stop molasses from moving uphill. Sure teams have bad years and guys get fired, but then, to prove he is his brother's brother he tells a reporter he is not worried as he will likely 'be out of work for about five minutes'. I hope he never gets another job again. I wouldn't hire this guy to coach my local six man High School team let alone pay him piles of money to accomplish so little.
Today is the WHL trade deadline, and I rarely talk about the WHL. I am not sure why, but when it comes to the WHL my fondness for the Regina Pats is about as miniscule as possible. They have been a disaster for over a decade now, and part of it lies in the way they run their hockey club. They don't seem to get Junior Hockey, or the idea of building a winner. Three years ago, a team that was going nowhere, the Pats balked on trading Jordan Eberle and Colton Teubert, a couple of guys they could have got a king's ransom for. Last year, a team who barely squeaked into the play - off's chose to mortgage the future to a degree by making a couple of acquisitions at the deadline. This year, they again are going pretty much nowhere yet don't appear willing to move any viable talent that is always a hot commodity at this time. Their GM was recently quoted as saying 'I like our team'. Really? Not many others do. Inevitably at some point, WHL GM's need to look at their team and choose to sacrifice a year or two of obscurity for a run in the future. Trade your studs for kids who will become studs. Somebody needs to send that message to the Regina Pats.
That is all I have today.
Later,
HM
Rex is the head coach of one of the biggest three ring circus acts the NFL offers, the New York Jets. Two years ago Rex demonstrated his cockiness by providing his team with the schedule for the entire year in training camp. The schedule included the Superbowl parade. Regardless, this year was a joke if you are a fan of the Jets. I personally have never really cared for the Jets, a dislike exacerbated by the presence of the said, Rex Ryan as Head Coach. My reasons for my dislike, along with my sick pleasures include"
* He is a loud mouth to the ?th degree. If you ask him I'm sure he will tell you he is the greatest coach to ever grace God's green earth;
* He convinced management to move up and draft Mark Sanchez with the 6th overall pick three years ago. On a sidenote Mark Sanchez sucks.
* He traded for Tim Tebow, the worst QB the NFL has ever spent so much time talking about. He claimed that Tebow would help the Jets win; the Jets never won and Tebow never played.
* He has a tattoo of his wife wearing a Sanchez jersey; only slightly creepy
* And to cap it all off, after a season that was a complete disaster for the Jets, Rex Ryan stated in a press conference that he is the right man to coach the NY Jets. Sadly, I think he truly believes that.
On to his brother Rob, who on Tuesday was fired as Defensive Coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys lost on the final night of the season to miss the play - off's on yet another costly mistake by Tony Romo. The problem with the Cowboys this year was not Tony Romo, it was Rob's porous defense who would have been unable to stop molasses from moving uphill. Sure teams have bad years and guys get fired, but then, to prove he is his brother's brother he tells a reporter he is not worried as he will likely 'be out of work for about five minutes'. I hope he never gets another job again. I wouldn't hire this guy to coach my local six man High School team let alone pay him piles of money to accomplish so little.
Today is the WHL trade deadline, and I rarely talk about the WHL. I am not sure why, but when it comes to the WHL my fondness for the Regina Pats is about as miniscule as possible. They have been a disaster for over a decade now, and part of it lies in the way they run their hockey club. They don't seem to get Junior Hockey, or the idea of building a winner. Three years ago, a team that was going nowhere, the Pats balked on trading Jordan Eberle and Colton Teubert, a couple of guys they could have got a king's ransom for. Last year, a team who barely squeaked into the play - off's chose to mortgage the future to a degree by making a couple of acquisitions at the deadline. This year, they again are going pretty much nowhere yet don't appear willing to move any viable talent that is always a hot commodity at this time. Their GM was recently quoted as saying 'I like our team'. Really? Not many others do. Inevitably at some point, WHL GM's need to look at their team and choose to sacrifice a year or two of obscurity for a run in the future. Trade your studs for kids who will become studs. Somebody needs to send that message to the Regina Pats.
That is all I have today.
Later,
HM
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Plethora of Ramblings
Having neglected the blog over the Christmas season and given the last week of sporting events worth discussing, I feel no better time than to sit down and let my voice be heard on a number of things.
First up...NFL football, namely Wild Card weekend, or as one tweeter tweeted this weekend, Mild Card weekend. What is usually a great weekend of football was for the most part anti - climatic with no real barn burner to watch. My analysis of each is as follows:
I knew if the Bengals were going to beat the Texans their defence would need to be up to the challenge and for the most part they were. What hurt the Bengals was struggles offensively. I didn't expect Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Co. to light up the scoreboard but I did think they could put on a better show than the one they did Saturday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. I was really rooting for the Bengals to move on as A) I really like the direction that team is heading, B) One of my all time best buds has bled Bengal orange since the debacle that was Ki - Jana Carter and he deserves some play - off success, and C) Let's face it, watching a team move on after seemingly twenty years of irrelevance would have been nice. I can't help but wonder if the Bengal D could have held on had Dalton not overthrown a rather wide open A.J. Green in the endzone late in the 4th quarter. Mark my words though; with the Ravens aging as well as the Steelers, the AFC North is Cincinnati's division to lose next year.
Minnesota had a shot I thought. Even without Christian Ponder, I thought that if one individual could lead his team to a victory this weekend it was more than likely Adrian Peterson. Well the Packers did a pretty good job of containing him and scored enough points against a feisty Viking defence to move on. Minnesota laid a lot on the line the week before in their thrilling win at home to qualify for the dance and to repeat that in Lambeau was going to be a chore. Even though he was unable to run his team into the Divisional Round, Adrian Peterson is a pleasure to watch and he HAS to be the MVP this year. Remarkable considering a year earlier his knee was completely blown out. As they move forward, I have to wonder if this is a team on the rise, or if they simply played over their heads. Peterson is great, but is Christian Ponder the man to help them get to the next level?
The Colts were the Cinderella story of the season. They played for Chuck Pagano, whose battle with leukemia gave them a rallying call all season long. Who would have thought they would have got there, one year removed from a miserable season and the absence of Peyton Manning? Cudos to their accomplishments. The Ravens, largely motivated by the fact that Ray Lewis was playing his final home game in Charm City came out on top. Anquan Boldin was great for the Ravens, particularly in the second half and the Ravens became one of very few teams with at least one play - off win in five straight seasons. Good for them and good for Ray Lewis; their season and #52's career ends this weekend. There is no way they march into Denver and beat the Broncos.
And now onto the Redskins/Seahawks battle late yesterday afternoon. I have been a Redskins fan for years; I even managed to remain loyal during the Heath Shuler era (YUCK!) Their first two drives yesterday were awesome and I thought to myself, they can go a ways if they play this way and then......RGIII banged up his knee late in the second drive and was never the same. He limped rather than ran, was unable to plant his leg making passing the ball an adventure.
A couple of things irk me about yesterday. First off, the defence was porous at times. All too often, Marshawn Lynch ran off one, two even three tackles to gain positive yards. Secondly, Brandon Browner is a huge a&#hole. He was not simply playing bump and run against Pierre Garcon; he was assaulting him on every snap. Sure Pierre Garcon is a man and would not make excuses but I will. Brandon Browner could have been, and should have been flagged numerous times for illegal contact on a reciever. He never was, and to make matters worse the Redskins seemed to have ended a Seahawks drive in the third quarter only to have a first down awarded on a holding call on a reciever which would not have held up my grandmother. I know, one flag doesn't make the difference but that was some serious BS that they allowed to happen for one team all day.
As for the RGIII thing; he stayed in the game and gutted it out when he clearly was in pain. For that I give him credit. However at the same time, how does Mike Shanahan not see that he was entirely inneffective after the first two series? The offence was anemic for the last fifty minutes and when there defence was doing a good job of holding them in and getting stops, they were rewarded with four plays off before having to head right back out there. Kirk Cousins should have been inserted into that game well before RGIII went down. Not saying the Skins win with him but they certainly would not have been any worse and the future of the franchise would not have been in any jeopardy. The win now mentality is always going to be strong in sports, but at what cost does winning now come at? As a fan of the Redskins, RGIII and the NFL, I can only hope Washington didn't mortgage the future on 84 passing yards.
My picks this weekend; the Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos and Patriots. Gethca popcorn ready for next week's AFC Championship; it will be a beauty.
Sticking with football, it seems something is always cooking in Ridernation to stir up the locals. Craig Dickenson's sudden resignation last week followed by his almost equally quick signing on in Winnipeg has some locals steaming. I look at it this way, Craig Dickenson was an employee of the Roughriders, he wasn't married to the franchise. Clearly something took place that he couldn't commit to or didn't agree with and made a decision with his best interests in mind; good for him and I wish him luck in the future. As a Rider fan, rather than vent and sneer about tampering and loyalty, I put my faith in Corey Chamblin to find a comparable, perhaps even better replacement.
Still no news of player contracts from the Riders but I have read on a couple of blogs that announcements are to come in the not too distant future. I have already said who I would like to see back next year but that is my opinion. Brendan Taman doesn't tell me how to teach History so I sure as hell won't get worked up with the moves he makes. Well if he traded Dressler and Durant I would be angry but we all know that is not happening this year.
One final thought on the Riders, well the Grey Cup more for that matter. I was thoroughly disgusted prior to Christmas when I attempted to book a downtown Regina hotel room for Grey Cup weekend only to be told unless I was part of a corporate group I was out of luck. I, like many other season ticket holders do not live in Regina. In fact I put on approximately 700 kilometres round trip to attend home games. Others go further but that is not the point. You would think the Grey Cup Committee would have the common sense to realize that we are vital components of the success of the club and next year's event. While they can't make hotels set rooms aside, you would think they could suggest that some rooms be left aside for ticket holders like us. Sure I can hang my hat at the old man's house but that isn't the point. Maybe I am wrong on this but I am still angry.
And now hockey, and two stories I want to address, the World Junior's and the lockout, or end of now.
The Canadian entry at the WJHC in Ufa was not that good. I am as big a supporter of Hockey Canada as others but this year's team was just lacking in a few areas, and those came to the forefront when it counted. I really felt outside of our top line, the forwards were not overly dangerous. As an opponent I would not be intimidated or fearful of much this team presented aside from the Nuge. For a top three pick, Jonathan Huberdeau was awful in my mind, Mark Scheifle didn't stand out as a seventh overall pick should have and for a guy supposedly being bantered about as a first overall pick, Nathan McKinnon was non - existent except for some undisciplined penalties. I get that he is 17 and played on the third/fourth line but if he was good enough to take overseas and as talented as they claim, he looked average to me. Surely we could have taken a bigger, stronger forward that could have provided us with as much as him.
A lot of people complained about Malcolm Subban. I tell you what, without Malcolm Subban we would have been third in our pool. He stole the round robin game against the American's and played really well against the Russian's in the preliminaries as well. The loss in the semi to the American's is not on him, rather those in front of him who turned the puck over at an alarmingly regular rate. The defence on this team was not up to our regular standards. They lacked that electric offensive, puck moving guy we have had in the past like Ryan Ellis, or Dion Phaneuf even. When you lack offense in the back end, the need to be reliable and solid at home is magnified. This group didn't have that shut down pairing as we are accustomed to. There is always next year in Sweden.
I don't want to seem like I am down on Hockey Canada as it is a thankless job who unless the gold medal is won never get respected. They do a lot of work and put in several hours all year, not simply in the month prior to the event with the invitations, camp and pre - tournament games.
In saying that, we didn't only finish fourth because our team was weaker than in the past, or because they weren't as sharp as they could have been. The rest of the world is simply getting better. And to be honest, I firmly believe a lot of them are using the Canadian model as the backbone of their development programs. We are not deteriorating as a hockey nation, the rest of the world is simply improving. Look no further than Switzerland as your example; four losses in OT to some very good hockey nations was a great showing for them. A bounce here and there and the Swiss would have been playing for a medal.
Lastly, the best team in the tournament won the tournament. The American's were fast, dangerous, solid at home and all that combined with a great performance from netminder John Gibson equated to success for them. Congrats to Phil Housley and all of USA Hockey on a well deserved championship.
I like many other hockey fans became very sour and jaded with the NHL in the past three plus months. The game was as good as it has ever been in many areas aside from simply the actual showing on the ice when labour issues lead to the lockout. That being said, waking up yesterday morning to the news that a tentative agreement was in place and once the deal is raitfied (presumable Wednesday) the puck will once again drop on January 19th was almost better than Christmas for me.
The return of the NHL comes at a great time. The NFL Play - off's will be over in a month which without the NHL meant either watch the NBA or hold out for the beginning of MLB in April or the return of the Riders in June. This really helps to fill in those open schedules, particularly now that I can look forward to putting the kids to bed, hitting the Lazy Boy, cracking a beverage and watching the second half of Hockey Night in Canada, or the Monday night after that always tough first day back being able to sit down with my daughter and son and listen to the soothing sounds of Chris Cuthbert call a game on TSN. I may have talked a big game but it was simply that; talk. I love the NHL and am pleased they will be back soon.
If I have an issue with what transpired yesterday it was Ron Hainsey telling a reporter that it was really the pension issue which served as the hill the players were willing to die on. Are you kidding me, the league minimum is $700, 000 and the average salary is $2.4 million dollars. That means the average player makes in a year what I will make in my career and you are worried about money after you are done? Put 10% away a year, play for ten years and without interest you are sitting on over two million dollars. Come on!
It doesn't matter, it is over, and short of the ratification vote, signed, sealed and delivered.
As for the season that will transpire, a 48 game season will really put the honus on playing every game like it counts. Teams cannot afford to go through a eight to twelve game dry - spell as it will all but doom you. In that sense it will possibly make the game more exciting to watch as it could be very much like play - off hockey for the next five months. At the same time it could very well mean teams who deserve to make the second season won't and those that perhaps shouldn't qualify may very well sneak in.
As an Oiler's fan I really think they are in a good position given that the core of their young talent pool (Eberle, Hall and Schultz) have been playing in the AHL and at a very high level at that. Dubnyk played great at the Spengler Cup and most have been skating or playing some sort of professional hockey during this time. In a shortened season, where it will be a sprint from that start rather than the marathon that it usually becomes, the youth of the organziation could very well see them enter the dance for the Stanley Cup when all is said and done. I don't hold my breath on them being the last team standing, but I do think they get a ticket to the party, or at least hope they do.
Later,
HM
First up...NFL football, namely Wild Card weekend, or as one tweeter tweeted this weekend, Mild Card weekend. What is usually a great weekend of football was for the most part anti - climatic with no real barn burner to watch. My analysis of each is as follows:
I knew if the Bengals were going to beat the Texans their defence would need to be up to the challenge and for the most part they were. What hurt the Bengals was struggles offensively. I didn't expect Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Co. to light up the scoreboard but I did think they could put on a better show than the one they did Saturday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. I was really rooting for the Bengals to move on as A) I really like the direction that team is heading, B) One of my all time best buds has bled Bengal orange since the debacle that was Ki - Jana Carter and he deserves some play - off success, and C) Let's face it, watching a team move on after seemingly twenty years of irrelevance would have been nice. I can't help but wonder if the Bengal D could have held on had Dalton not overthrown a rather wide open A.J. Green in the endzone late in the 4th quarter. Mark my words though; with the Ravens aging as well as the Steelers, the AFC North is Cincinnati's division to lose next year.
Minnesota had a shot I thought. Even without Christian Ponder, I thought that if one individual could lead his team to a victory this weekend it was more than likely Adrian Peterson. Well the Packers did a pretty good job of containing him and scored enough points against a feisty Viking defence to move on. Minnesota laid a lot on the line the week before in their thrilling win at home to qualify for the dance and to repeat that in Lambeau was going to be a chore. Even though he was unable to run his team into the Divisional Round, Adrian Peterson is a pleasure to watch and he HAS to be the MVP this year. Remarkable considering a year earlier his knee was completely blown out. As they move forward, I have to wonder if this is a team on the rise, or if they simply played over their heads. Peterson is great, but is Christian Ponder the man to help them get to the next level?
The Colts were the Cinderella story of the season. They played for Chuck Pagano, whose battle with leukemia gave them a rallying call all season long. Who would have thought they would have got there, one year removed from a miserable season and the absence of Peyton Manning? Cudos to their accomplishments. The Ravens, largely motivated by the fact that Ray Lewis was playing his final home game in Charm City came out on top. Anquan Boldin was great for the Ravens, particularly in the second half and the Ravens became one of very few teams with at least one play - off win in five straight seasons. Good for them and good for Ray Lewis; their season and #52's career ends this weekend. There is no way they march into Denver and beat the Broncos.
And now onto the Redskins/Seahawks battle late yesterday afternoon. I have been a Redskins fan for years; I even managed to remain loyal during the Heath Shuler era (YUCK!) Their first two drives yesterday were awesome and I thought to myself, they can go a ways if they play this way and then......RGIII banged up his knee late in the second drive and was never the same. He limped rather than ran, was unable to plant his leg making passing the ball an adventure.
A couple of things irk me about yesterday. First off, the defence was porous at times. All too often, Marshawn Lynch ran off one, two even three tackles to gain positive yards. Secondly, Brandon Browner is a huge a&#hole. He was not simply playing bump and run against Pierre Garcon; he was assaulting him on every snap. Sure Pierre Garcon is a man and would not make excuses but I will. Brandon Browner could have been, and should have been flagged numerous times for illegal contact on a reciever. He never was, and to make matters worse the Redskins seemed to have ended a Seahawks drive in the third quarter only to have a first down awarded on a holding call on a reciever which would not have held up my grandmother. I know, one flag doesn't make the difference but that was some serious BS that they allowed to happen for one team all day.
As for the RGIII thing; he stayed in the game and gutted it out when he clearly was in pain. For that I give him credit. However at the same time, how does Mike Shanahan not see that he was entirely inneffective after the first two series? The offence was anemic for the last fifty minutes and when there defence was doing a good job of holding them in and getting stops, they were rewarded with four plays off before having to head right back out there. Kirk Cousins should have been inserted into that game well before RGIII went down. Not saying the Skins win with him but they certainly would not have been any worse and the future of the franchise would not have been in any jeopardy. The win now mentality is always going to be strong in sports, but at what cost does winning now come at? As a fan of the Redskins, RGIII and the NFL, I can only hope Washington didn't mortgage the future on 84 passing yards.
My picks this weekend; the Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos and Patriots. Gethca popcorn ready for next week's AFC Championship; it will be a beauty.
Sticking with football, it seems something is always cooking in Ridernation to stir up the locals. Craig Dickenson's sudden resignation last week followed by his almost equally quick signing on in Winnipeg has some locals steaming. I look at it this way, Craig Dickenson was an employee of the Roughriders, he wasn't married to the franchise. Clearly something took place that he couldn't commit to or didn't agree with and made a decision with his best interests in mind; good for him and I wish him luck in the future. As a Rider fan, rather than vent and sneer about tampering and loyalty, I put my faith in Corey Chamblin to find a comparable, perhaps even better replacement.
Still no news of player contracts from the Riders but I have read on a couple of blogs that announcements are to come in the not too distant future. I have already said who I would like to see back next year but that is my opinion. Brendan Taman doesn't tell me how to teach History so I sure as hell won't get worked up with the moves he makes. Well if he traded Dressler and Durant I would be angry but we all know that is not happening this year.
One final thought on the Riders, well the Grey Cup more for that matter. I was thoroughly disgusted prior to Christmas when I attempted to book a downtown Regina hotel room for Grey Cup weekend only to be told unless I was part of a corporate group I was out of luck. I, like many other season ticket holders do not live in Regina. In fact I put on approximately 700 kilometres round trip to attend home games. Others go further but that is not the point. You would think the Grey Cup Committee would have the common sense to realize that we are vital components of the success of the club and next year's event. While they can't make hotels set rooms aside, you would think they could suggest that some rooms be left aside for ticket holders like us. Sure I can hang my hat at the old man's house but that isn't the point. Maybe I am wrong on this but I am still angry.
And now hockey, and two stories I want to address, the World Junior's and the lockout, or end of now.
The Canadian entry at the WJHC in Ufa was not that good. I am as big a supporter of Hockey Canada as others but this year's team was just lacking in a few areas, and those came to the forefront when it counted. I really felt outside of our top line, the forwards were not overly dangerous. As an opponent I would not be intimidated or fearful of much this team presented aside from the Nuge. For a top three pick, Jonathan Huberdeau was awful in my mind, Mark Scheifle didn't stand out as a seventh overall pick should have and for a guy supposedly being bantered about as a first overall pick, Nathan McKinnon was non - existent except for some undisciplined penalties. I get that he is 17 and played on the third/fourth line but if he was good enough to take overseas and as talented as they claim, he looked average to me. Surely we could have taken a bigger, stronger forward that could have provided us with as much as him.
A lot of people complained about Malcolm Subban. I tell you what, without Malcolm Subban we would have been third in our pool. He stole the round robin game against the American's and played really well against the Russian's in the preliminaries as well. The loss in the semi to the American's is not on him, rather those in front of him who turned the puck over at an alarmingly regular rate. The defence on this team was not up to our regular standards. They lacked that electric offensive, puck moving guy we have had in the past like Ryan Ellis, or Dion Phaneuf even. When you lack offense in the back end, the need to be reliable and solid at home is magnified. This group didn't have that shut down pairing as we are accustomed to. There is always next year in Sweden.
I don't want to seem like I am down on Hockey Canada as it is a thankless job who unless the gold medal is won never get respected. They do a lot of work and put in several hours all year, not simply in the month prior to the event with the invitations, camp and pre - tournament games.
In saying that, we didn't only finish fourth because our team was weaker than in the past, or because they weren't as sharp as they could have been. The rest of the world is simply getting better. And to be honest, I firmly believe a lot of them are using the Canadian model as the backbone of their development programs. We are not deteriorating as a hockey nation, the rest of the world is simply improving. Look no further than Switzerland as your example; four losses in OT to some very good hockey nations was a great showing for them. A bounce here and there and the Swiss would have been playing for a medal.
Lastly, the best team in the tournament won the tournament. The American's were fast, dangerous, solid at home and all that combined with a great performance from netminder John Gibson equated to success for them. Congrats to Phil Housley and all of USA Hockey on a well deserved championship.
I like many other hockey fans became very sour and jaded with the NHL in the past three plus months. The game was as good as it has ever been in many areas aside from simply the actual showing on the ice when labour issues lead to the lockout. That being said, waking up yesterday morning to the news that a tentative agreement was in place and once the deal is raitfied (presumable Wednesday) the puck will once again drop on January 19th was almost better than Christmas for me.
The return of the NHL comes at a great time. The NFL Play - off's will be over in a month which without the NHL meant either watch the NBA or hold out for the beginning of MLB in April or the return of the Riders in June. This really helps to fill in those open schedules, particularly now that I can look forward to putting the kids to bed, hitting the Lazy Boy, cracking a beverage and watching the second half of Hockey Night in Canada, or the Monday night after that always tough first day back being able to sit down with my daughter and son and listen to the soothing sounds of Chris Cuthbert call a game on TSN. I may have talked a big game but it was simply that; talk. I love the NHL and am pleased they will be back soon.
If I have an issue with what transpired yesterday it was Ron Hainsey telling a reporter that it was really the pension issue which served as the hill the players were willing to die on. Are you kidding me, the league minimum is $700, 000 and the average salary is $2.4 million dollars. That means the average player makes in a year what I will make in my career and you are worried about money after you are done? Put 10% away a year, play for ten years and without interest you are sitting on over two million dollars. Come on!
It doesn't matter, it is over, and short of the ratification vote, signed, sealed and delivered.
As for the season that will transpire, a 48 game season will really put the honus on playing every game like it counts. Teams cannot afford to go through a eight to twelve game dry - spell as it will all but doom you. In that sense it will possibly make the game more exciting to watch as it could be very much like play - off hockey for the next five months. At the same time it could very well mean teams who deserve to make the second season won't and those that perhaps shouldn't qualify may very well sneak in.
As an Oiler's fan I really think they are in a good position given that the core of their young talent pool (Eberle, Hall and Schultz) have been playing in the AHL and at a very high level at that. Dubnyk played great at the Spengler Cup and most have been skating or playing some sort of professional hockey during this time. In a shortened season, where it will be a sprint from that start rather than the marathon that it usually becomes, the youth of the organziation could very well see them enter the dance for the Stanley Cup when all is said and done. I don't hold my breath on them being the last team standing, but I do think they get a ticket to the party, or at least hope they do.
Later,
HM
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