Wednesday, December 1, 2010

BC Lions

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE…
TODAY “THE TEAM” AND THE B.C. LIONS SIGNED A NEW 4 YEAR PLAY BY PLAY AGREEMENT…
ONCE YOU GET PASS THE PRESS RELEASE AND THE HAND SHAKING…
TRY AND SEE THIS FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS…THE LATEST IS AN ON GOING BATTLE IN THE SPORTS AND COMMUNICATION BUSINESS…
THE BATTLE GROUND IS…”CONTENT” AND “DELIVERY SYSTEMS”
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY...IT’S ABOUT HOW YOU…THE FAN… EXPERIENCE SPORTS…
“THE TEAM” AND ITS PARENT COMPANY “BELL” ARE IN THE DELIVERY BUSINESS...
IT’S EVERYTHING FROM TSN…TO THE INTERNET…TO THE PHONE IN YOUR POCKET…
AND IT’S WHY YOU CAN NOW BE WALKING DOWN A STREET IN VANCOUVER…AND BE WATCHING THE STANLEY CUP FINAL AT THE SAME TIME…
BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG THIS GAME IS…
CHECK THIS OUT…
ACCORDING TO THE TORONTO STAR…
ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS IS ATTEMPTING TO BUY MAPLE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT…
WHICH OWNS THE LEAFS…THE RAPTORS…TORONTO FC AND THE AIR CANADA CENTER…
TOTAL VALUE IS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $2 BILLION DOLLARS…
THE COMPANY ALREADY OWNS THE BLUE JAYS AND THEIR HOME…ROGERS PLACE…
ROGERS LIKE BELL…IS A COMPANY WITH LOTS OF DELIVERY SYSTEMS…INCLUDING…SPORTSNET…CITY TV…AND A CHAIN OF RADIO STATIONS…INCLUDING “THE FAN 590” IN TORONTO…
IT EXPLAINS WHY LAST SUMMER…ROGERS SPENT MILLIONS TO OUT BID “TELUS” FOR THE NAMING RIGHTS FOR THE HOME OF THE CANUCKS…
WELCOME TO ROGER’S ARENA…
THE REAL VALUE WAS IN THE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS…ANOTHER “DELIVERY SYSTEM” IN NEED OF “CONTENT”…
IN THE END…THE BIG WINNER IS YOU…THE SPORTS FAN…
TECHNOLOGY NOW GIVES YOU…WHAT YOU WANT…WHEN YOU WANT…WHERE YOU WANT…24 AND 7…
QUITE SIMPLY…IT’S A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME…AND TO SAY THE LEAST…THE STAKES ARE HIGH…
TODAY “THE TEAM” WAS THE BIG WINNER…AND WE THANK THE LIONS FOR THAT…
BUT COME TOMORROW…WE’LL ALL HAVE TO GET BACK TO…“THE FUTURE”…

Monday, November 29, 2010

Brian Burke

BE CAREFULL THOSE THINGS YOU WISH FOR…
2 YEARS AGO TODAY…BRIAN BURKE WAS NAMED THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS…
IT’S STILL NOT CLEAR…HOW EXACTLY A GENERAL MANAGER OF ONE NHL TEAM CAN TRADE HIMSELF TO ANOTHER NHL TEAM IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEASON…
BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY…
AT THE TIME…THIS MARRIAGE HAD ALL THE PROMISE OF WAYNE AND JANET GRETZKY…
NOW IT LOOKS MORE LIKE “TIGER AND ELIN”…
WHEN BURKE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR THE JOB….HE DESCRIBED TORONTO AS A HOCKEY CITY…THIS WAY…
“IF YOU’RE CATHOLIC…THIS IS THE VATICAN”…IT WOULD NOW APPEAR…TORONTO FANS ARE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE MORE FAITH…
LAST SEASON THEY FINISHED 29TH OVER IN THE NHL…WITH A MERE 74 POINTS…
THIS SEASON THEY ARE NOW IN 13TH PLACE IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE AND ON PACE TO FOR A MERE 71 POINTS……
ALL THIS GETS US THE PHIL KESSEL TRADE…
BURKE SURRENDERED 2 FIRST ROUND PICKS AND A SECOND ROUNDER TO BOSTON…
AT THIS RATE…IT WILL COST THE LEAFS…AT LEAST…BACK TO BACK BLUE CHIP DRAFT PICKS…
IN THE MEANTIME…KESSELL CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE…
HE HAS JUST 5 POINTS IN HIS LAST 14 GAMES…
IN HIS FIRST 2 YEARS ON THE JOB…BRIAN BURKE’S LEAFS AT 10 GAMES UNDER .500…
THERE’S ALSO THE ISSUE OF CAP MANAGEMENT…
BURKE HAS SPENT BIG…ESPECIALLY ON FREE AGENTS…
AS A RESULT THE LEAFS HAVE THEIR NOSE FIRMLY PRESSED UP AGAINST THE CAP…
AND AFTER 2 YEARS OF TRYING…HE STILL HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TRADE TOMAS KABERLE…
WHO IS ABOUT TO BECOME AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT…
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS…
BRIAN BURKE IS GETTING PAID $18 MILLION OVER 6 YEARS TO WIN A STANLEY CUP…
CLEARLY HIS DECISION TO FAST TRACK THAT PROCESS HAS BLOWN UP IN HIS FACE…
KEEP IN MIND…THE TEAM HE WON A CUP WITH IN ANAHEIM…WAS BUILT BY BRIAN MURRAY…
SO UNLESS BURKE CAN FIND ANOTHER WINNING LOTTERY TICKET…AND HAVE 3 FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS SUCH AS CHRIS PRONGER…SCOTT NIEDERMAYER AND TEEMU SELANNE…FALL INTO HIS LAP…
THE LEAFS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOSE HOCKEY GAMES…AND THE PRESSURE IN GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOUNT…
AND THAT’S THE TROUBLE WITH GETTING WHAT YOU WANT…
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LEARN…HOW TO LIVE WITH IT…

Monday, November 22, 2010

Vancouver Canucks

BUYING A TICKET TO A CANUCKS GAME…
BRINGS WITH IT THE SAME GUARENTEES…AS BUYING REAL ESTATE IN THIS TOWN…
ABSOLUTELY NONE…
NEVERTHELESS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION OF FANS WHO SPENT A LOT OF THEIR TIME AND MONEY THIS WEEKEND AT ROGERS ARENA…WAITING FOR THE CANUCKS TO SHOW UP…
IT’S KIND OF LIKE…LINUS AND THE GREAT PUMPKIN…
ON SATURDAY NIGHT THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS WERE ALLOWED TO SCORE 7 UNANSWERED GOALS BEFORE THE CANUCKS FINALLY WOKE UP…
ON SUNDAY…THE PHOENIX COYOTES GOT A TASTE OF ALL THIS CHRISTMAS SPIRIT…
IN 6 OF THE LAST 7 GAMES…THE CANUCKS HAVE GIVEN UP AT LEAST…THE FIRST 2 GOALS…
AS YOU WOULD EXPECT…THEY HAVE LOST 5 OF THEM…INCLUDING THE LAST 4 STRAIGHT…
IT IS NO SECRET WHAT THE PROBLEM IS…THE CANUCKS ARE NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH…
NOT EVEN CLOSE…
HOW ELSE CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE FACT…THAT LASTNIGHT THIS TEAM DID NOT DRAW A SINGLE PENALTY…
NOT ONE…
AS A RESULT…THE NHL’S NUMBER 1 POWER PLAY…NEVER SAW THE ICE…
ONCE AGAIN…THE LOCAL MEDIA ARE POINTING A FINGER AT HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…
AND THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED….”HAVE THE PLAYERS TUNED HIM OUT???”
IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME VIGNEAULT HAS BEEN ON THE FIRING LINE…
BUT GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS IS NOT ONE TO…MAKE DECISION BASED ON CONCERNS OF THE MEDIA OR THE FANS…
IN THE MEANTIME…THERE ARE OTHER WORRIES…
MANNY MALHOTRA HAS NO POINTS IN HIS LAST 7 GAMES…
MASON RAYMOND HAS JUST 4 GOALS THIS SEASON…
ALEX BURROWS HAS JUST 1 GOAL IN HIS FIRST 10 GAMES…SINCE RETURNING FROM HIS SHOULDER INJURY…
AND KEITH BALLARD CAN NOT SEEM TO GET INTO…OR STAY IN…THE LINE UP…
AS ALWAYS…ROBERTO LUONGO IS AT THE CENTER OF THIS STORM…
THAT’S THE PRICE…WHEN YOU ARE THE $10 MILLION DOLLAR MAN…
ON SATURDAY LUONGO GAVE UP 4 GOALS ON 20 SHOTS…AND LASTNIGHT ANOTHER 3 GOALS ON 28 SHOTS…
HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IS NOW 2.88…THAT’S THE 32ND HIGHEST IN THE NHL…
ADD IT UP AND HOCKEY FANS HAVE GOOD REASON TO BE CONCERNED…
ESPECIALLY…IF THEY’RE INVESTING IN A TICKET

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Wally Buono

IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS…THE HEAD COACH OF THE B.C. LIONS WALLY BUONO WILL MAKE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS OF HIS LIFE…
DOES HE WALK AWAY FROM COACHING AND COMMITT HIS FULL ATTENTION TO THE FRONT OFFICE…
BUONO WAS BORN IN ITALY…
BUT AS KID GROWING UP IN MONTREAL…FOOTBALL QUICKLY BECAME A BIG PART OF HIS LIFE…
IT WAS HIS TICKET TO IDAHO STATE…
HE PLAYED 10 YEARS FOR THE ALOUTTES…WHERE HE WON HIS FIRST 2 GREY CUPS…
FOR THE LAST 21 YEARS…BUONO HAS WORKED THE SIDELINE…WON 4 MORE CUPS AND WAS NAMED THE CFL’S “COACH OF THE YEAR” 3 TIMES…
HE NOW STANDS…AS THE WINNINGEST COACH IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE…
SO…HOW DO YOU SAY GOODBYE TO THAT???
THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY…IF THE FIRE THAT HAS DRIVEN YOU THE LAST 5 DECADES…IS GONE…
AND WALLY BUONO IS THE ONLY PERSON…WHO CAN ANSWER THAT…
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW…
MUCH OF THE HEAVY LIFTING WITH THIS TEAM IS DONE…
THIS SEASON THE LIONS WERE THE YOUNGEST TEAM IN THE CFL…
17 STARTERS WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 27…
AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT TRAVIS LULAY FINALLY ARRIVED AS A QUARTERBACK THAT CAN CARRY A TEAM ON HIS BACK…
HIS PERFORMANCE IN THE WESTERN SEMI-FINAL…IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT INJECTS NEW LIFE…
NOT ONLY FOR THE FANS…
BUT ALSO TO A COACH…WHO IS SUDDENLY NOT SO INTERESTED IN COUNTING BIRTHDAYS…
ADD TO ALL THAT…
THE LIONS ARE HOSTING THE GREY CUP NEXT YEARS…
AND ARE GOING INTO A BRAND NEW STADIUM…
HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT TO WATCH ALL THAT…FROM THE PRESS BOX???
IT WILL BE A FEW DAYS BEFORE BUONO MAKES HIS DECISION OFFICIAL…
BUT IN THE END…HE KNOWS IN HIS HEART…
THE ONLY REASON ANY COACH PUTS UP WITH THE RAT RACE…
IS TO GET “THE CHEESE”….

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Joe Sakic

FORGET DIMAGGIO!!!
“WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE SAKIC???”
A YEAR AGO THE COLORADO AVALANCHE RAISED SAKIC’S NUMBER 19 SWEATER INTO THE RAFTERS…
IN SEPTEMBER HERE IN VANCOUVER…SAKIC WAS INDUCTED INTO THE B.C. SPORTS HALL OF FAME…
TWO VERY RARE SIGHTINGS…OF ONE OF THE GREATEST HOCKEY PLAYERS THE GAME HAS EVER SEEN…
THE NEXT…IS EXPECTED IN 2 YEARS WHEN SAKIC GOES INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME…
IN THE 20 YEARS HE PLAYED IN THE NHL…SAKIC MADE THE ALL STAR TEAM 13 TIMES…
SAKIC IS ONE OF ONLY 6 PLAYERS TO SCORE 600 GOALS AND COLLECT 1,000 ASSISTS…
THE OTHERS ARE…WAYNE GRETZKY…GORDIE HOWE…MARCEL DIONNE…MARK MESSIER…STEVE YZERMAN…AND MARIO LEMIEUX…
HE IS ONE OF ONLY 22 PLAYERS WHO BELONG TO THE “TRIPLE GOLD CLUB”…
TO JOIN…YOU MUST HAVE WON AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP…AND A STANLEY CUP…
AND HE’S ONE OF ONLY 4 PLAYERS…TO HAVE CAPTAINED HIS TEAM TO A STANLEY CUP…AND WIN THE HART TROPHY IN THE SAME YEAR…
AT 41 YEARS OF AGE…JOE SAKIC HAS THE KEYS TO THE HOCKEY UNIVERSE…AND YET HE REMAINS OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT…
INSTEAD FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON…HE WILL SPEND HIS TIME COACHING HIS SON’S HOCKEY TEAM…
SAKIC EXPLAINS IT THIS WAY…”I HAD SUCH FUN A YEAR AT HOME LAST YEAR…THAT I WANTED TO DO IT AGAIN”…
THE ONLY INVOLVEMENT HE HAS WITH THE AVALANCHE IS AN INFORMAL ROLE WITH PRESIDENT PIERRE LACROIX…
THE DEAL IS…SAKIC WATCHES THE GAMES…AND IF LACROIX WANTS A SECOND OPINION…HE GIVES JOE A CALL…
NOW ALL THAT…IS NOT TO SAY…JOE SAKIC HAS WALKED AWAY FROM THE GAME…
IT’S JUST…FOR NOW…HIS FAMILY COMES FIRST…
EVEN SAKIC ADMITTS…AT SOME POINT HE WILL WANT BACK IN…
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS…HE WILL MAKE THE SAME COMMITMENT TO MANAGEMENT…THAT HE MADE AS A PLAYER…
SO UNTIL THEN…
THE CLOSEST YOU’LL GET TO JOE SAKIC THESE DAYS…IS LOOKING AT HIS SWEATER AT THE PEPSI CENTER…
OR GOING TO A “BANTAM” HOCKEY GAME…IN LITTLETON COLORADO…

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Leafs

TODAY THE PREMIER OF BRITISH COLUMBIA GORDON CAMPBELL ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION…
CAMPBELL IS THE VICTIM OF A SELF INFLICTED WOUND…CALLED THE “HST”…
BUT HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING A VERY BAD WEEK…
THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS HAVE ALSO CRASHED AND BURNED…
AFTER STARTING THE SEASON WITH 4 STRAIGHT WINS…
HOCKEY FANS IN THAT CITY HAD BECOME EVEN MORE UNBEARABLE THAT USUAL…WHICH IS SAYING A LOT…
GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE HAD BEEN DECLARED A SAVIOR…
AND THERE WAS TALK OF THE PLAYOFFS…
A MYSTICAL LAND…THIS ORGANIZATION HAS NOT BEEN TO…IN NEARLY 7 YEARS…
BUT JUST LIKE A “CHARLIE SHEEN NIGHT ON THE TOWN”…
THIS PARTY DID NOT LAST LONG…
LASTNIGHT OTTAWA HAD ITS WAY…WITH THE LEAFS…
AS A RESULT…TORONTO HAS NOW LOST 6 OF ITS LAST 7…
IN THOSE 7 GAMES…THE TEAM HAS MANAGED JUST 8 GOALS…
AND DURING THAT STREAK…THE LEAFS WENT 167 MINUTES AND 39 SECONDS WITHOUT SCORING…
THE LONGEST DROUGHT SINCE DECEMBER 8TH 1927…
THE FIRST YEAR THE ORGANIZATION PLAYED UNDER THE NAME…THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS…
ALSO LASTNIGHT…THE LEAFS WERE HANDED “INJURY”…TO “INSULT”…
DION PHANEUF WILL BE GONE FOR AT LEAST A MONTH…AFTER SUFFERING A DEEP CUT TO HIS LEG…
THIS IS THE SAME DION PHANEUF…WHO WAS ROUTINELY GETTING BOOED BY TORONTO FANS…
AS EXPECTED…BURKE WENT INTO DAMAGE CONTROL…
AND ON TUESDAY HE DISCRIBED THE WAY THESE FANS WERE VENTING THEIR FRUSTATION AT “ONE PLAYER” AS…”DISGRACEFUL”…
THE MESSAGE MUST HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH…BECAUSE BY THE END OF THE SECOND PERIOD LASTNIGHT…
THOSE FANS WERE BOOING…THE WHOLE TEAM…
THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY EASIER FOR THE LEAFS…
TONIGHT THEY’RE IN WASHINGTON…
OH…SOMEWHERE MEN ARE LAUGHING…AND SOMEWHERE CHILDREN SHOUT…
BUT THERE IS NO JOY IN TORONTO…OR VICTORIA…
THE MIGHTY LEAFS…AND GORDON CAMPBELL HAVE BOTH…STRUCK OUT…

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Orland Kurtenbach

TONIGHT THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL UNVEIL THEIR “RING OF HONOR”…
THE FIRST INDUCTEE WILL BE ORLAND KURTENBACH…THE FIRST CAPTAIN OF THE CANUCKS…
IT’S ALL PART OF A SEASON LONG TRIBUTE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS FRANCHISE…
THE HI-LITE OF WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER THE 11TH…WHEN THE CANUCKS WILL OFFICIALLY RETIRE MARKUS NASLUND’S NUMBER 19…
FROM A MARKETING POINT OF VIEW…THIS IS BRILLIANT…
CELEBRATING YOUR PAST IS JUST GOOD BUSINESS…
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT THAT…SIMPLY LOOK AT THE SUCCESS THE NFL HAS ENJOYED…
THE CHALLENGE FOR GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS IS TO FIND ENOUGH OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS THAT’S TRULY WORTH CELEBRATING…
AFTER JOINING THE LEAGUE IN 1970…THE CANUCKS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS 6 OF THEIR FIRST 8 YEARS…
AND DID NOT WIN THEIR FIRST PLAYOFF ROUND UNTIL 1982…
FROM 1976 UNTIL 1991 THE CANUCKS SUFFERED THROUGH 15 STRAIGHT LOSING SEASONS…
THAT IS STILL AN NHL RECORD…
DESPITE THE FACT THE CANUCKS HAVE MADE IT TO THE STANLEY CUP FINALS TWICE…
THOSE RUNS IN 82 AND 94 ARE THE ONLY TIMES IN FRANCHISE HISTORY…THE TEAM HAS ADVANCED PAST THE SECOND ROUND…
AS FOR THE HALL OF FAME…THERE IS ONLY ONE NAME THAT BEARS A CANUCK LOGO…PLAY BY PLAY MAN…JIM ROBSON…
THAT IS UNLESS YOU WANT TO COUNT…CAM NEELY OR MARK MESSIER….
YES…THERE HAS BEEN SOME INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS…
PAT QUINN AND ALAIN VIGNEAULT BOTH WERE NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR…
PAVEL BURE WON THE CALDER…
AND NASLUND TOOK HOME THE PEARSON…
BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL LAST SEASON…THAT THE CANUCKS WITNESSED THEIR GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT…WITH HENRIK WINNING BOTH THE HART AND THE ART ROSS…
WHICH LEADS TO THE QUESTION…IS IT TOO EARLY TO RETIRE NUMBER 33???
IN FACT…IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THIS TEAM HAS ENJOYED SOME OF ITS GREATEST SUCCESS…WINNING 3 OF 4 DIVISION TITLES…
AND NOW HAS A LIGITMATE SHOT TO WIN A CUP…
AFTER 40 YEARS…THESE ARE “THE GOOD OLD DAYS”…