Thursday, June 25, 2009

Wayne Gretzky

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE…
DO NOT TUG ON SUPERMAN’S CAPE…
AND IF YOU LIVE IN CANADA…NEVER…EVER…CRITICIZE WAYNE GRETZKY…
BUT JUST ONCE IN MY LIFE…I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT GRETZKY “REALLY” THINKS…
YESTERDAY GRETZKY WAS IN VANCOUVER TO HELP PROMOTE THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS…
BUT HE IS ALSO LIVING IN THE EYE OF THE STORM THAT IS THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
BY THE END OF THE WEEK JERRY REINSDORF IS EXPECTED TO MAKE AN OFFER TO BUY THE TEAM…
KEEP IN MIND…THIS IS THE SAME JERRY REINSDORF WHO LAST MONTH MADE IT CLEAR…
IF HE BUYS THE TEAM…GRETZKY IS OUT…
REINSDORF HAS NO INTEREST IS PAYING GRETZKY $14 MILLION DOLLARS TO COACH HIS TEAM FOR THE NEXT 2 SEASONS…
BUT YESTERDAY…GRETZKY WOULD ONLY SAY HE IS WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH THE NEW OWNER…AND…
IN HIS WORDS…”MAKE IT WHERE EVERYBODY’S COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY”…
PLEASE!!!
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A MAN WHO WANTS TO TAKE $14 MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF YOUR POCKET…
SO HOW DOES THAT MAKE WAYNE GRETZKY….”COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY”???
BUT THAT’S JUST THE START…
THE CITY OF GLENDALE HAS OFFERED A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD CUT GRETZKY’S SALARY DOWN TO $1.6 MILLION A SEASON AND ELIMINATE HIS 1 PERCENT OF PIECE OF TEAM REVENUE…
GRETZKY’S RESPONSE…”WHATEVER IS GOING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THE CITY OF PHOENIX…I’M 100 PERCENT BEHIND IT”…
NOW ASK YOURSELF…HOW WOULD YOU RE-ACT IF THE CITY OF VANCOUVER WANTED YOU TAKE AN 80 PERCENT “CUT IN PAY”???
IN ALL THE COYOTES OWE GRETZKY OVER $22 MILLION DOLLARS…
WHICH JIM BALSILLIE HAS AGREED TO PAY…IF HE GETS THE TEAM…AND MOVES IT TO HAMILTON…
THAT’S 22 MILLION REASONS TO SUPPORT RE-LOCATION…
NEVERTHELESS…CHECK OUT THIS QUOTE…
“THE BEST CASE SENARIO WOULD BE…EVENTUALLY…THAT BOTH CITIES HAVE AN NHL TEAM”…
WHAT!!!
NO…THE BEST CASE SENARIO WOULD BE FOR WAYNE GRETZKY TO BE PAID THE MONEY THAT HE IS OWED…
NOW CLEARLY GRETZKY HAS TOO MUCH CLASS TO SAY IT PUBLICLY…
BUT JUST ONCE…JUST ONCE…I’D LOVE TO HEAR IT…

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

CFL ownership

LET’S BE PERFECTLY CLEAR ABOUT A FEW THINGS…
TO START WITH:
WITHOUT DAVID BRALEY…THERE IS NO CFL…
NOT ONLY DID BRALEY SAVE THE LIONS IN 1997…
BUT ON 5 OTHER OCCASIONS…
HE HAS COME TO THE RESCUE OF OTHER FRANCHISES IN THE LEAGUE WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT…
INCLUDING THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS…
AT NO TIME DID BRALEY BREAK ANY CFL RULES OR BYLAWS…
AT NO TIME DID HE TAKE AN OWNERSHIP POSITION IN MORE THAN ONE TEAM…
AND AT NO TIME DID HE ATTEMPT TO COMPROMISE THE PRODUCT ON THE FIELD…
NEVERTHELESS…TODAY THE GLOBE AND MAIL RAN A FULL PAGE STORY WITH THE HEADLINE…
“CREDIBILITY GAP”…
CLEARLY SUGGESTING SOME KIND OF WRONG DOING…
THE COLUMN READ THIS WAY…
“BRALEY “SECRETLY” PUT UP HALF OF THE $2 MILLION FRANCHISE FEE…WHEN DAVID CYNAMON AND HOWARD SOKOLOWSKI PURCHASED THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS IN 2003”…
THE STORY WENT ONTO SAY THE DEAL TOOK PLACE “WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEN CFL COMMISSIONER TOM WRIGHT…AND WAS UNKNOWN TO CURRENT COMMISSIONER MARK COHON”…
WHICH LEAVES THE QUESTION…”SO WHAT???”
BRALEY IS NOT REQUIRED TO SHARE HIS PERSONAL BUSINESS WITH ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE CFL…
AND THAT INCLUDES THE COMMISSIONER…
THERE IS ALSO NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME HAS EVER BEEN COMPROMISED…
THE CFL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER MAKING ITS OPERATION MORE TRANSPARENT…BUT THAT’S ABOUT IT…
HERE’S THE MUCH BIGGER QUESTION…
WHERE DID THIS STORY COME FROM…AND WHO DOES IT BENEFIT???
THE TIMING OF ALL THIS IS…TO SAY THE LEAST…INTERESTING…
CYNAMON AND SOKOLOWSKI HAVE JUST MADE A PITCH TO BUY THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
WHICH MAKES THEM DIRECT COMPETITORS OF JIM BALSILLIE…
THE SAME JIM BALSILLIE WHO HAS JUST “HIRED” TOM WRIGHT…
THE SAME TOM WRIGHT WHO WAS “FIRED” BY DAVID BRALEY…
THE STORY WAS WRITTEN BY DAVID NAYLOR AND MATTHEW SEKERES…AND SO FAR…
THEY’RE NOT TALKING

CFL ownership

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Marc Crawford

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE “DAVID CHASE” TO APPRECIATE THE JOB SECURITY OF COACHS IN THE NHL…
IT’S LIKE SOMETHING…RIGHT OUT OF “THE SOPRANOS”…
YESTERDAY THE HEAD COACH OF THE DALLAS STARS DAVE TIPPETT WAS FIRED…
TODAY TIPPETT WAS REPLACED WITH MARC CRAWFORD…
THAT MAKES 5 COACHING CHANGES SINCE THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON…
AND A TOTAL OF “19” CHANGES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS…
BUT HERE’S THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NHL AND THE SOPRANOS…
IN THE NHL IT’S GOOD TO GET “WHACKED”…
CHECK THIS OUT…
TIPPETT STILL HAS 2 YEARS LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT…
WHICH MEANS…FOR THE NEXT 24 MONTHS HE CAN…
GO TO THE BEACH…GO TO VEGAS…OR GO TO WORK FOR HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA…AND STILL GET PAID…
THIS SEASON CRAWFORD RECEIVED TWO PAY CHEQUES…
ONE FROM THE L.A. KINGS…AND ANOTHER FROM CBC…
NO PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUE…SPENDS MORE MONEY ON COACHES…NOT TO COACH!!!
IT WOULD APPEAR…THE NHL HAS ADOPTED THE…”ONE STRIKE…AND YOU’RE OUT” POLICY…
DAVE TIPPETT HAD SPENT 6 YEARS IN DALLAS…
IN THAT TIME THE STARS WERE 115 GAMES OVER .500…
THEY HAD WON 2 DIVISIONAL TITLES…
AND LAST YEAR TOOK DALLAS RIGHT TO THE CONFERENCE FINAL…
THIS SEASON WAS THE FIRST…AND ONLY TIME…THE STARS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS WITH TIPPETT BEHIND THE BENCH…
AND HE HAD LOTS OF GOOD REASON…
FIRST…THERE WAS THE SEAN AVERY MELT DOWN…
SECONDLY…THE SLOW START BY MARTY TURCO…
AND THIRDLY…INJURIES TO KEY PLAYERS…SUCH AS:
BRENDAN MORROW…BRAD RICHARDS…SERGIE ZUBOV…STEVE OTT…AND JERE LEHTINEN…
JANICE SOPRANO WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE UNDERSTANDING!!!
NEVERTHELESS…DO NOT FEEL TOO SORRY FOR TIPPETT…
AFTER ALL IN THE WORLD OF NHL COACHES…HE’S A “MADE GUY”…
NO LEAGUE RECYCLES ITS COACHES MORE THAN THE NHL…
THERE ARE STILL 3 OPENINGS THAT HAVE TO BE FILLED…BEFORE THE START OF NEXT SEASON…
AND 27 OTHER HEAD COACHES…THAT GET NERVOUS…EVERY TIME THEY START THEIR CAR…
IN THE WORDS OF TONY SOPRANO…”BADA BING…BADA BOOM”…

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Game 7

THE STANLEY CUP IS THE TOUGHEST TROPHY IN SPORTS TO WIN…
FRIDAY NIGHT IN DETROIT THERE WILL BE MORE PROOF OF THAT…
THERE WILL BE A GAME 7…
AFTER MORE THAN 8 LONG MONTHS…THIS WILL BE THE FINAL GAME OF THE SEASON…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT A LONG ROAD THIS HAS BEEN…
TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE…
ON OCTOBER THE 7TH OF LAST YEAR…THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS OPENED UP THEIR REGULAR SEASON IN OTTAWA…
TWO NIGHTS LATER…THE DETROIT RED WINGS WERE AT HOME TO PLAY THE LEAFS…
THOSE TEAMS EACH PLAYED 82 GAMES FOR A TOTAL OF 164…JUST TO GET TO THE PLAYOFFS…
AND SINCE THEN:
THE PENGUINS HAVE ADDED ANOTHER 23…AND THE WINGS ANOTHER 22…
BRINGING THE GRAND TOTAL TO…209 GAMES…
FOR THE WINNER…IT WILL BE A CELEBRATION TO LAST A LIFE TIME…
FOR THE LOSER…A FEELING OF EMPTINESS THAT WILL LAST ALL SUMMMER…
AND IN TRUTH CAN NEVER BE DESCRIBED…
LAST YEAR AFTER PITTSBURGH LOST TO DETROIT IN THE FINAL…
SIDNEY CROSBY APPEARED IN AN NHL TV COMMERCIAL THAT ASKED THE QUESTION…
“IS THIS THE YEAR???”
CROSBY LOOKED INTO THE CAMERA AND SIMPLE STATED…
“I NEVER WANT TO BE IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH AGAIN”…
LASTNIGHT IN PITTSBURGH HE AVOIDED DOING JUST THAT…
NOW ALL HE NEEDS IS JUST ONE VICTORY TO KEEP HIS OWN PROMISE…TO HIMSELF…
SO THE QUESTION STANDS…
WHERE DOES THIS FINAL STAND…IN TERMS OF GREATNESS???
CERTAINLY RIGHT UP THERE WITH MONTREAL/CHICAGO IN 1971…
EDMONTON/PHILADELPHIA IN 1987…AND VANCOUVER/NEW YORK IN 1994…
EACH SERIES WENT 7 GAMES…
ALL WERE BLESSED WITH PLENTY OF STAR POWER…
AND NONE OF WHICH…PLAYED OUT THE WAY…THE EXPERTS HAD PREDICTED…
SUCH IS THE CASE WITH THIS SERIES…
THIS IS WHY WE LOVE THIS GAME…
BECAUSE IN THE END…THE TOUGHEST TROPHY IN SPORTS TO WIN…WILL BE DECIDED BY THE PLAYERS…

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Phoenix Coyotes

TONIGHT THE NHL SHOULD PARTY LIKE ITS 1994…
SHOULD PITTSBURGH WIN…AND FORCE A GAME 7…
THIS CUP FINAL COULD GENERATE MORE EXCITEMENT AND ATTENTION…THAN THE CANUCKS AND THE RANGERS DID…15 YEARS AGO…
TV RATINGS ON BOTH NBC AND VERSUS ARE AT RECORD NUMBERS…
AND NEVER…HAS THE NHL BEEN SO BLESSED…WITH SO MUCH…GREAT YOUNG TALENT…
COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN SHOULD FEEL LIKE HE’S 5 FEET TALL!!!
UNFORTUNATELY…THE GAME THE NHL IS PLAYING “OFF THE ICE”…IS A COMPLETE DISASTER…
TODAY IN PHOENIX BETTMAN WAS BACK IN COURT TRYING TO BLOCK JIM BASILLIE FROM BUYING THE COYOTES AND MOVING THEM TO HAMILTON…
HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL…
INSTEAD…IT WOULD APPEAR…JUDGE REDFIELD T. BAUM HAS DECIDED TO GO WITH A “RE-LOCATION FEE” TO SOLVE THE MATTER…
ACCORDING TO THE JUDGE…IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THE MONEY NOT COME OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE CREDITORS…
WORD HAS IT…THAT “FEE” IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND $100 MILLION DOLLARS…
AS LONG AS BASILLIE IS WILLING TO ADD THE “RE-LOCATION FEE” ONTO THE…$212 MILLION…HE ALREADY HAS ON THE TABLE…
IT WOULD APPEAR…THE TEAM…AND THE RIGHT TO MOVE IT…COULD SOON BECOME HIS PROPERTY…
IF THAT HAPPENS…THAT’S WHEN THE FUN WILL REALLY BEGIN…
IT WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR…THE NHL…THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS…GARY BETTMAN…AND JIM BALSILLIE TO WIND UP SUING EACH OTHER…
OH…AND THERE’S ALSO THE POSSIBLITY OF AN ANTI-TRUST SUIT…
WITH ALL THAT OUT OF THE WAY…GARY BETTMAN THEN LEFT THE COURT ROOM…BLEW OFF THE REPORTERS…JUMPED ON A PLANE AND HEADED FOR PITTSBURGH…
SHOULD THE WINGS TAKE GAME 6 TONIGHT…IT WILL BE BETTMAN’S JOB…TO HAND THE STANLEY CUP TO CAPTAIN NIK LIDSTROM…
DON’T LET THE SMILE FOOL YOU…
IT’S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR GARY…

Friday, June 5, 2009

The Sedins

IT IS NOW EXACTLY…4 WEEKS TO THE DAY…UNTIL THE SEDINS TWINS BECOME UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…
WITH THE ACCENT ON…”UNRESTRICTED”…
UNLIKE DOING YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ON CHRISTMAS EVE:
GETTING THE SEDINS GIFT WRAPPED…WILL REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST…REACHING FOR A CREDIT CARD…
TO START WITH….TODAY THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE REPORTED…THE TWINS ARE LOOKING FOR LONG TERM DEALS THAT WILL PAY EACH OF THEM…AROUND…$7 MILLION DOLLARS A SEASON…
WHERE’S SANTA CLAUS WHEN YOU NEED HIM???
FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS HAS BEEN BACK EAST…ATTENDING NHL MEETINGS…
SO IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS…NEITHER SIDE HAS TALKED…
BUT WHAT SHOULD CONCERN YOU…IS THIS…
THE AGENT OF THE SEDINS J.P. BARRY NOW SAYS…“NO TALKS ARE SCHEDULED”…
IN THE WORDS OF BARRY…”RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN…”WAIT AND SEE”…MODE”…
THE SEDINS CAN AFFORD TO SIT BACK AND RELAX…
NO MATTER HOW THIS PLAYS OUT…SOME GENERAL MANAGER WILL…”SHOW THEM THE MONEY”…
BARRY HAS PUBLICLY STATED THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 5 TEAMS “INTERESTED”…
THAT MAY BE TRUE…
BUT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN…“INTERESTED”…
AND HAVING BOTH THE “MONEY” AND “CAP SPACE” TO MAKE IT WORK…
CERTAINLY BRIAN BURKE AND THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS ARE ON THE LIST…
BUT KEEP IN MIND…
BURKE ALREADY HAS $42 MILLION COMMITTED TO 17 PLAYERS FOR NEXT SEASON…
SO UNLESS BURKE CAN FIND A TAKER FOR TOMAS KABERLE…THE LEAFS WILL NOT BE A FACTOR…
MONTREAL MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE…
BOB GAINEY HAS JUST $23 MILLION COMMITTED TO 11 PLAYERS…
ATLANTA GENERAL MANAGER DON WADDELL IS DESPERATE TO RE-SIGN ILYA KOVALCHUK…
LANDING THE SEDINS WOULD PROVE THE THRASHERS ARE SERIOUS…
AND THEN THERE’S THE L.A. KINGS…
IF THEY CAN NOT TRADE FOR VINCENT LECAVALIER…THE KINGS WILL BE A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE FREE AGENT MARKET…
DESPITE THE FACT THAT SUMMER HAS JUST ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER…
FOR THE SEDINS:
“IT’S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

Chris Osgood

THE GOLDEN RULE IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IS…
“WINNING MAKES EVERYTHING RIGHT”…
CHRIS OSGOOD OF THE DETROIT RED WINGS IS PROOF OF THAT…
OSGOOD IS NOW JUST 2 WINS AWAY FROM HIS 4TH STANLEY CUP…
HIS RECORD IN THE PLAYOFFS IS 14-4…WITH A…GOALS-AGAINST-AVERAGE OF JUST 1.95…
AS A RESULT…THE HEAD LINE IN THE VANCOUVER SUN TODAY…REFERED TO HIM AS…
“THE WIZARD OF OZ”…
CAM COLE NOT ONLY HAS OSGOOD WINNING…THE CONN SMYTHE…GOING INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF THE FAME…AND MAKING TEAM CANADA…
THE HEADLINE IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL USED THE WORD…
“REDEMPTION”
ERIC DUHATCHEK POINTED TO HIS “73” PLAYOFF WINS…
AND REMINDED US THAT ONLY 6 GOALTENDERS IN HISTORY HAVE MORE…
PATRICK ROY…MARTIN BRODUER…GRANT FUHR…ED BELFOUR…BILLY SMITH AND KEN DRYDEN…
THERE WAS ANOTHER PITCH TO GET HIM INTO THE HALL OF FAME…
WHAT MAKES THIS STORY SO AMAZING…IS THE ROAD CHRIS OSGOOD TOOK TO GET HERE…
IN FEBRUARY DETROIT GENERAL MANAGER KEN HOLLAND WAS SO DISSAPPOINTED IN THE PLAY OF OSGOOD…
HE SENT HIM HOME…IN THE HOPE THAT OSGOOD WOULD FIND HIS GAME…
HEADING INTO THE PLAYOFFS…HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE WAS 3.09…
40TH IN THE NHL…
NOBODY…NOT EVEN THE WINGS…KNEW IF OSGOOD STILL HAD ANYTHING LEFT IN THE TANK…
NOW SHOULD DETROIT GO ONTO WIN THE CUP…
OSGOOD IS A LOCK FOR THE CONN SMYTHE…
AND WITH THAT ON HIS RESUME…THE HALL OF FAME SHOULD NOT BE OUT OF HIS REACH…
BUT TEAM CANADA???...
KIDS…GIVE YOUR HEAD A SHAKE…
THERE’S A REASON WHY OSGOOD MAKES A MERE $1.7 MILLION A SEASON…
YES…HE HAS BEEN THE BEST “FEEL GOOD” STORY OF THE PLAYOFFS…
SO ENJOY IT…WRITE ABOUT IT…BATHE IN IT…TELL YOUR GRAND CHILDREN ABOUT IT…
BUT TRUST ME…WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR STEVE YZERMAN TO PICK TEAM CANADA…
THE GOLDEN RULE WILL APPLY…
AND NOBODY KNOWS THAT BETTER THAN CHRIS OSGOOD…

Monday, June 1, 2009

Gary Bettman

IF GARY BETTMAN HAD BEEN THE CAPTAIN OF THE TITANIC:
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO ASSURE THE PASSENGERS…
“THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF ICE!!!”
ON SATURDAY IN DETROIT…THE GOOD SHIP BETTMAN ONCE AGAIN…SET SAIL…
IT WAS THE ANNUAL “STATE OF THE UNION” ADDRESS…
THE CENTER OF ATTENTION WAS THE FATE OF THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER A FAILED FRANCHISE…IN A FAILED MARKET…
IT IS ABOUT WHO RUNS THE NHL…
RIGHT NOW IT IS BETTMAN…AND A SMALL COLLECTION OF OWNERS WHO SUPPORT HIM…
THE MATH IS THIS SIMPLE…
IF BETTMAN LOSES THIS FIGHT…HE LOSES HIS JOB…
NEVERTHELESS ON SATURDAY…WHEN THE ISSUE WAS RAISED…
BETTMAN LOOKED INTO THE EYES OF THE MEDIA AND SAID…
“FROM MY STANDPOINT…IT’S NOT PERSONAL”…
WHO THE HELL IS TRYING TO FOOL…
FOR BASILLIE…IT DOES NOT GET ANY MORE PERSONAL…
BOTH IN PITTSBURGH AND THEN IN NASHVILLE…HE HAD THE DOOR SLAMMED IN HIS FACE…
FOR A BILLIONAIRE…THAT’S PERSONAL…
SHOULD BASILLIE WIN IN BANKRUPTCY COURT…
THE NHL WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE TO LET HIM INTO THEIR LITTLE CLUB HOUSE…
THE OTHER CHOICE WOULD BE A LONG AN EXPENSIVE LEGAL FIGHT…
DURING WHICH…THE LEAGUE WOULD HAVE TO SUSPEND THE FRANCHISE…
THE NHL WOULD ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT ON ITS HANDS WITH THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION…
THAT’S A LOT OF HEADACHES…TO PROTECT A TEAM THAT HAS LOST MONEY…EVERY YEAR SINCE MOVING TO PHEONIX IN 1996…
EVEN IF THE NHL WINS THIS ROUND…UP NEXT IS ATLANTA…THEN FLORIDA…THEN TAMPA BAY…AND THEN NASHVILLE…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR BASILLIE IS “16”…
THAT’S HOW MANY OWNERS HE NEEDS ON HIS SIDE…TO HAVE BETTMAN THROWN OUT AS COMMISSIONER…
SO GARY…HOW ABOUT A DRINK???
WORD HAS IT…THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF ICE!!!