Nothing in Particular

It has been far too long since my last rant, or thoughtful analysis of the world of sports. People may not even read this but according to my site I have four followers who thirst for my knowledge. So in no particular order, here are my thought about the world of sports, with obvious preference for those ideas that come to mind first between now and the end of this post.

* The Edmonton Oilers are embarrasing themselves. A team that was supposed to make a run for the play - off's are no where close to where many predicted. They seem to have no drive or desire; Taylor Hall is the only consistent on this team. Ryan Smyth HAS to retire. And to make matters worse, the Old Boys Club that has become this organization is making it worse. Craig Mactavish probably wasn't the best hire in the world as GM. I hope he proves me wrong but this allegiance to the group who dominated the 1980's has to end. Kevin Lowe made himself out like a complete ass by using his Stanley Cup Rings as validation of his hockey knowledge. Try doing that without Wayne, Mark and Jari Mr. Lowe. Ralph Kruegger has GOT to go. I watch most games and fail to see the roses and lollipop positives Ralph keeps chirping about. Time for Mr. Katz to make some serious changes at the top of this organization as they are wasting a lot of young talent on 13th, 14th and 15th place finishes.

* The Toronto Blue Jays are thus far quite disappointing.

* I hate to admit it but I truly hope that the Maple Leafs make some noise in the play - off's. I like their chances to win at least one round.

* It is great to see the New York Islanders playing the way they are. Young team, good coaching and look at the results. Perhaps the Oilers should look to see what is being done on the Island as they move forward.

* Did anyone see the brawl at the conclusion of the QMJHL play - off game last night between Baie Comeau and Blaisville - Broisband? Twelve suspensions and a $1000 fine to the player who has been deemed the instigator. A $1000 fine for a kid playing Major Junior hockey is like an NHL'er recieving a $1 million dollar fine. Send's a message for sure but come on, $1000??? Better hope the team helps him out with that one.

* I have next to no interest in the NBA Play - off's.

* Winter sucks and is going to take away some quality time from my golf game this year.

* The NFL Draft goes tonight and if the New York Jet's DON'T pick a QB they should be ashamed of themselves. Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow (who I think is still with the Jets) could be the two worst QB's in the entire NFL right now. A change at that position was needed about twelve months ago.

* Claude Noel is a gem; tells it like it is but doesn't come across nearly as arrogant as John Tortorella. Speaking of Torts, love watching the Rangers struggle, particularly with him at the helm.

* The Oilers should make a big move this summer, something that gives them either grit, help on the blue line or a combination of both. I would not be surprised to see one of the young studs, not including Taylor Hall in a different uniform come next October.

* A little less than two months away from the Riders season opener in Edmonton. July 5th's home opener can not come fast enough for me.

* Say what you will, Brian Burke is very much responsible for the Leaf's return to the post - season. The same could be said for Scott Howson as the Blue Jackets fight for a play - off spot nobody saw happening.

The Madness & More

Starting tonight one of the greatest tradition's in all of sports will play out for the 75th time. Of course I am talking about the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. My thoughts on this wonderful three weeks of sports will be continued later.

Ryan Miller sure sounded off upon hearing about Patrick Kaleta's disappointment over being a healthy scrath. While Miller has since recanted what he said and apologized to Kaleta, you can sure see the frustration in his eyes and hear it in his words. That is one unhappy goaltender. One must wonder if anything else has been said or done within the locker room that hurts Miller's credibility in the eyes of his teammates? Do the Sabre's consider moving him at the deadline or in the summer? There are a few teams out there who would surely improve with the services he can offer between the pipes.

The Edmonton Oilers continue to struggle in their youth movement. While they are obviously playing better hockey this year than they have in the past, they continue to 'lay an egg' at unfortunate times. One needs to look no further than the debacle that was the third period and overtime of Friday night's game against Detroit. An undisciplined and generally speaking, poor period cost the Oil the extra point. While getting a single point is better than nothing, in this era of three point games, losing a point like that to a team you are trying to catch for a post - season berth is almost inexcusable. Those who want to point the finger at Jeff Petry for his play on Datsyuk in OT; a lot better blue liners have been victims of Datsyuk's in the past and it never should have gotten to that point.

Sergei Kostitsyn's play on Sunday night was truly embarrasing. Even as an Oiler fan watching Lenart Petrell bury the short - handed goal to give the Oilers a lead they wouldn't relinguish I was still terribly embarrased for Kostitsyn. Who abandons the back - check for a line change at such an inopportune time? Reports say Kostitsyn won't play tonight in Columbus. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the press box into the weekend.

The talk continues surrounding Jarome Iginla and whether or not the Calgary Flames should trade their seventeen year veteran on or before April 3rd. As an Oiler fan I obviously detest the Flames, but not Iginla. He plays the game with heart and the way it was meant to be played. He leads by example and is as loyal a professional as you will find in sports. That being said if the Flames don't move forward and trade Iginla they are simply putting their club back a few years. They could get a combination of youth and draft picks in return for their long - time captain; something that organization sorely needs. One need look no further than their desperate attempt to sign Ryan O' Reilly to prove their own cognizance of the fact they need to get younger. Iginla, Kiprusoff and Bouwmeester should all be active at the deadline simply for the sake of the organization. In addition there is nothing saying that Iggy wouldn't return as a UFA come July 1st.

The Vancouver Canuck's have struggled over the last two weeks like we haven't seen them do so in nearly a decade. I can't help but think the goaltending issue is partially to blame for these struggles. In my opinion, it would be tough to play night in, night out with a revolving goaltender, and not only for the goaltenders. For the sake of the team, one of those goalies, presumably Luongo needs to go. The state of flux the Canucks are in is desperate need of some form of continuity. I would wager a significant sum of money if Mike Gillis could make the deal with the Leaf that was on the table at the draft (Luongo for Kadri, Bozak and a 1st) he would noe hesitate to do so.

The New England Patriots will not be the same team without Wes Welker. He along with Tom Brady have been the achilles heel of that team for the better part of the last decade. Allowing him to go was a mistake that I am sure Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and the entire organization will antagonize over for a few years. At the same time what a tremendous acquisition by the Broncos. Without hesitation I would say that the Broncos instantly became the odd's on favorite to win the Super Bowl in New York next February.

And let the madness begin.....

The play - in games of the NCAA tournament take centre stage tonight which will officially fill out the bracket for the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. Given the parody that we saw in the NCAA this year, anything is possible. There is no clear cut favorite to win it all, and with a little bit of luck and solid play, I would suggest there are no less than 20 twenty teams who could win it all.

While Gonzaga may be the nation's top ranked team at season's end, they are certainly not the favorite to win it all. I don't even have them in the Final Four in my bracket. If you ask me the most rounded team moving on is Indiana where the likes of Zeller and Oladipo have not lost often, and never by a large margin. The Big Ten is very well represented in this year's tournament with seven berths. In fact, Michigan was the fifth seed in the Big Ten tournament, but a fourth seed in the Big Dance and a team who has a legitimate chance to win it all.

I made my picks today, and took Michigan, Michigan State, UNLV and New Mexico to reach the Final Four. When all is said and done the maize and blue of Michigan will be victorious over their state rivals in the Championship game. While I could once again be guilty of picking with my heart, (something I often do), here's to hoping the next three weeks are as exciting and dramatic as they are expected to be.

General Thoughts & Opinions

Since it has been a while, here are just some random sports related thoughts from the past few weeks which have entered, and are yet to escape the vast space within my mind:

* It is sometimes very difficult to be a Rider fan. I find it particularly annoying when fans bemoan and belittle our play over the course of the year and say this guy, that guy and the other guy need to be fired. In saying that, we all know the Riders had some weaknesses on the field last year, namely on the defensive side of the ball. Our pass rush was at times obsolete and our secondary proved to be our achilles on a couple of occasions. What does GM Brendan Taman, along with Jeremy O'Day do about it? They go out and get arguably the best cover man not only available, but one of the best in the league in Dwight Anderson. They follow that up with some depth signings included Weldon Brown and Tristan Black, and then they go out and pick up the best pass rush option available in free agency, snagging Rickey Foley away from the Argos. Most fans would be happy to see management making strides towards improving areas of weakness, right? Nope, not in Saskatchewan. Here they are seen as guys that are too old, or bring too much baggage, claim that Taman doesn't know how to evaluate talent and he should be sent packing. My words to those fickle, always complaining fans, your lives must really suck if the Riders make you that angry in the off - season.

* Dennis Rodman was an idiot throughout his playing career. He maintains his status as a complete moron, not with his recent trip to North Korea, but his statement after that the country has great leaders and all Kim Jung Un wants is to discuss basketball with Barack Obama. Go get another tattoo, maybe dye your hair another neon color or something but Dennis, leave the foriegn diplomacy to guys with common sense. In no world is the leader of a nation who spends money on nuclear arms while his people starve seen as a good guy who is just misunderstood.

* Watching the PGA Tour can be so damn aggravating. Yesterday I anxiously tuned into the final round of the Honda Classic hoping to watch Canadian Graham Delaet make a run at his first tour victory. While they showed a few shots of the Saskatchewan native, we all had to endure every single shot Tiger Woods shot en route to a 76 and a top 50 finish. Really? By the turn he had no bearing on who would win the tournament so why on earth does anybody, even the biggest Tiger fan want to see his birdie putt on 16 to get him to +5 and only fourteen shots back with two to go? Absolutely sickening. I know people want to watch Tiger but if you are spending your Sunday afternoon to see him struggle to shot 75, you need to make better plans for the weekend.

* Speaking of the PGA, I do not buy Rory McIlroy's story that tooth pain was the root (sorry for the pun) of his withdrawal at this week's stop. If that had been the case would he not have brought that up when approached in the parking lot moments after walking off the course? While we may never know the real reason for his WD, I would hope that it was something that actually warranted his decision. Many people buy tickets to these touranments, and to have the number one ranked player take off after 27 holes is a shame. Compounding the problem is that there are guys on the alternate list watiting to get a spot and who need to play to make money to maintain status, something Rory won't have to worry about for a long, long time. If he walked off simply because he wasn't playing good and took a spot away from someone who actually needed it, that is shameful.

* Speaking of shameful, Calgary Stampeder Head Coach John Hufnagel left the Coach of the Year luncheon early saying he had a flight to catch. Brutal excuse; an embarrasement to himself, his organization and the CFL as a whole. If he isn't fined by the league he should be. He does coach in Calgary, so in a way this isn't a surprise however.

* CFL schedule comes out this week and word on the street is tomorrow will be the day where my summer plans can start to be made as my schedule will revolve around the Rider home games. It bothers me that so many season ticket holders complain about the schedule saying that Rider games interfere with other plans. Uhm, you bought tickets for a reason I would think; that is to watch the Riders. If they are getting in the way of your plans, perhaps you need to make better plans. I live three and a half hours from Mosaic and have missed one game in four years. Sometimes being a fan involves sacrifice, and to me missing a day at the lake to spend the day/evening at Mosaic is NO sacrifice.

* This morning Damien Cox tweeted that other than AAA hockey, there should not be body contact as those kids need to learn how to play, not how to check. Uhm, Damien is hitting not part of the game? Thus learning to play the game should mean learning how to hit, be hit and do so in a safe manner. I get it that hitting in hockey is often given a bad rep because of some careless acts by a select few players such as Patrick Kaleta, Matt Cooke and Dan Carcillo to name a few but you can't change the entire face of the game. Furthermore, not everybody who makes it in hockey plays AAA. Some pretty good hockey players have come from lower ranks, and to have them play without hitting would be wrong in my mind.

OUT!

Cudos to the Habs

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

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

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.

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