Monday, August 31, 2009

NHL

HOCKEY IS A GREAT GAME…
IT HAS TO BE…JUST TO SURVIVE THE CLOWNS WHO RUN IT…
YESTERDAY IN CHICAGO…THE NHL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION MET FOR 10 HOURS…
THE ISSUE WAS THE FUTURE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PAUL KELLY…
FINALLY AT AROUND 2.30 IN MORNING…
KELLY WAS FIRED…
THE UNION GAVE NO REASON FOR THE SHAKE UP…
ALTHOUGH WORD HAS IT:
THE PLAYERS FELT KELLY WAS TO CLOSE TO NHL COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN…
NEVERTHELESS THE P.A. IS NOW LOOKING FOR ITS 4TH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN THE LAST 4 YEARS…
IF CAN BELIEVE THIS…PAUL KELLY LASTED A MERE…23 MONTHS…
“THE SOPRANOS” HAVE MORE JOB SECURITY…
A FORMER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER…WHO DID NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED…TOLD ESPN…
THE PROBLEM WITH THE UNION IS WHAT HE CALLS…
”A CULTURE OF PARANOIA”…
THE TIMING AS ALL THIS COULD NOT BE WORSE…
WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR…THE PLAYERS AND THE OWNERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BEGIN TALKS ON A NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT…
STAY TUNED!!!
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…
ON FRIDAY NIGHT…THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FILED A LETTER BEFORE THE PHOENIX BANKRUPTCY COURT…
CLAIMING THEY RETAIN VETO POWER OVER ANY ATTEMPT TO MOVE A TEAM INTO THEIR TERRITORY…
THE LEAFS ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP THE PHOENIX COYTOTES OUT…
THE NHL HAS OTHER PLANS…
IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP JIM BALSILLIE OUT…WORD HAS IT…
THE LEAGUE IS ATTEMPTING TO BUY THE COYTOES…AND RE-LOCATE THEM NORTH OF TORONTO…
THIS DEAL COULD BE WORTH AS MUCH AS…”HALF A BILLION DOLLARS”…
AND HOW’S THIS FOR A TWIST???
THIS FIGHT WOULD PUT BETTMAN AND BRIAN BURKE AT EACH OTHERS THROATS…
LIKE IT SAID…HOCKEY IS A GREAT GAME…
IT HAS TO BE!!!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Team Canada

GREAT EXPECTATIONS…
IN THIS COUNTRY THAT IS NOT THE TITLE OF A CHARLES DICKENS NOVEL…
IT’S THE WEIGHT OF AN ENTIRE NATION ON THE SHOULDERS OF TEAM CANADA…
TONIGHT IN CALGARY THE PLAYERS…THE COACHES AND MANAGEMENT WILL GET THEIR FIRST REAL LOOK AT JUST HOW GREAT THOSE EXPECATIONS ARE…
THE ORIENTATION CAMP WRAPS UP WITH A “GLORIFIED SCRIMMAGE”…
NEVERTHELESS…16 THOUSAND FANS WILL JAM INTO THE SADDLEDOME TO WATCH…
THEY ALONE WITH THE OTHER 33 MILLION PEOPLE IN CANADA WILL ACCEPT NOTHING LESS THAN “GOLD” NEXT FEBRUARY IN VANCOUVER…
ANYTHING SHORT OF THAT…WILL BE CONSIDERED A NATIONAL DISASTER…
THEIR PERFORMANCE…GOOD OR BAD...WILL EITHER BE CELEBRATED OR CRITICIZED…FOR WHAT IS LEFT OF THE 21ST CENTURY…
THINK BACK TO NAGANO IN 1998…AND THE IMAGE OF WAYNE GRETZKY SITTING ALONE ON THE BENCH…
THAT TOOK PLACE 11 YEARS AGO…AND THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY…
DESPITE THE TIME AND DISTANCE…HEAD COACH MARC CRAWFORD WILL TAKE THAT MOMENT TO HIS GRAVE…
NOW MIKE BABCOCK IS IN THE HOT SEAT…
AND THIS TIME AROUND…THE STAKES ARE EVEN HIGHER…
THE 2010 OLYMPICS ARE LITERALLY IN OUR OWN “BACK YARD”…
OH…AND DID WE MENTION???
CANADA HAS NEVER WON AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN MEN’S HOCKEY ON OUR OWN SOIL…
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE “STEPHEN HAWKING” TO DO THE MATH…
NEVERTHELESS BABCOCK APPEARS TO HAVE EMBRACED THE CHALLENGE…
ON TUESDAY HE REFERED TO IT AS…”AWESOME”
HE ALSO WENT ONTO SAY…
”I’M CANADIAN…I WAS BORN IN CANADA…THE GREATEST COUNTRY”…
SUDDENLY THE ENTIRE NATION HAD THE UNCONTROLABLE DESIRE TO CRACK OPEN A MOLSON…
TONIGHT WILL NOT BE QUITE THAT EMOTIONAL…
THE SCRIMMAGE WILL BE BROKEN DOWN INTO 3 PERIODS…
IT WILL FOCUS ON SPECIAL TEAMS…5 ON 5 PLAY AND THE SHOOTOUT…
BUT THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL KIND OF ENERGY IN THE AIR…
A TASTE OF WHAT LIES AHEAD…
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY…A REMINDER OF WHAT IS…“EXPECTED”…

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hockey News Predictions

IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT CASEY STENGEL:
“NEVER MAKE PREDICTIONS…ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FUTURE”…
CLEARLY CASEY NEVER HOSTED HIS OWN “SPORTS TALK SHOW”!!!
ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS ISSUED ITS PREDICTIONS FOR THE UP COMING REGULAR SEASON…
IN THE WEST:
NO SURPRISE HERE…
THE PAPER EXPECTS SAN JOSE TO REPEAT AS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS…
VANCOUVER FANS WILL BE GLAD TO SEE…
“THE HOCKEY NEWS” PREDICTS THE CANUCKS WILL TAKE THE NORTHWEST DIVISION…AND FINISH 3RD IN THE CONFERENCE…BEHIND CHICAGO…
BUT THEY’LL ALSO WIND UP AHEAD OF BOTH…DETROIT AND CALGARY…
IT ALSO EXPECTS DALLAS TO BOUNCE BACK AND MAKE THE PLAYOFFS…
IN THE EAST:
AGAIN NO SURPRISE…
THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS PICKED BOSTON TO REPEAT AS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS…
BUT PREDICTS…WASHINGTON WILL FINISH 2ND…AHEAD OF PITTSBURGH…
IT ALSO IS NOT BUYING INTO ANY OF THE HYPE COMING FROM TORONTO GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE…
THE PAPER HAS THE LEAFS…MISSING THE PLAYOFFS AND FINISHING 11TH…
THEIR WRITERS ARE ALSO NOT A FAN OF “GLEN SATHER”…
THE NEW YORK RANGERS ARE EXPECTED TO END UP IN 13TH PLACE…
NOW BEFORE YOU TAKE ALL THIS TO VEGAS…
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW “THE HOCKEY NEWS” DID LAST YEAR…
IN THE WEST:
IT HAD MINNESOTA WINNING THE NORTHWEST DIVISION AND FINISHING 3RD IN THE CONFERENCE…
THE WILD FINISHED 9TH AND MISSED THE PLAYOFFS…
IT ALSO HAD EDMONTON AND DALLAS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS…
NEITHER DID!!!
AND THE PAPER…WROTE OFF…VANCOUVER…COLUMBUS…AND ST. LOUIS…
ALL OF WHICH DID MAKE THE PLAYOFFS…
IN THE EAST:
THE HOCKEY NEWS HAD THE BRUINS FINISHING 10TH…
ONE SPOT BEHIND TAMPA BAY…
AS YOU KNOW….THE BRUINS WENT ONTO WIN THE CONFERENCE…
THE LIGHTINING WOUND UP IN 14TH PLACE…
ALL OF WHICH PROVES ONE THING…
“CASEY STENGAL WAS RIGHT”….

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

NHL Broadcast Schedule

SUMMER IS OVER…
THE HOCKEY SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN…
TODAY BOTH CBC AND TSN ANNOUNCED THEIR NHL BROADCAST SCHEDULES…
THE HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA SEASON…WILL BEGIN WITH A DOUBLE HEADER ON THURSDAY…OCTOBER THE 1ST...
THE FIRST GAME HAS MONTREAL IN TORONTO…
THE SECOND HAS VANCOUVER IN CALGARY…
IN ALL…THE NETWORK WILL SHOW 76 GAMES…
ONCE AGAIN TORONTO REMAINS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE…
THIS SEASON THE LEAFS ARE ON HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA A TOTAL OF 24 TIMES…
COMPARED TO 15 TIMES FOR THE CANUCKS…
BUT IT’S THE GAME ON THE 24TH OF OCTOBER THAT WILL MAKE YOUR BLOOD BOIL…
THE LEAFS ARE IN VANCOUVER…
NEVERTHELESS THE GAME STARTS AT 4 O’CLOCK PACIFIC TIME…SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
WHICH MEANS 18 THOUSAND CANUCK FANS…WHO PAID BIG MONEY…WILL HAVE TO RE-ARRANGE THEIR LIVES…
SO LEAF FANS IN TORONTO CAN SEE THEIR TEAM AT THE USUAL TIME OF 7 O’CLOCK EASTERN…
WHAT SHOULD UPSET WEST COAST FANS EVEN MORE IS THIS…
ON THAT NIGHT…CBC ALSO HAS THE RANGERS IN MONTREAL…
WHICH MEANS THE NETWORK COULD EASILY SHOW THE HABS AT 7 EASTERN…
THEN SHOW THE LEAFS AT 10…
INSTEAD HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA WILL GO WITH EDMONTON/CALGARY AS THE SECOND HALF OF THE DOUBLE HEADER…
WAIT…THERE’S MORE…
ON THE LAST SATURDAY IN JANUARY…THE CANUCKS ARE IN TORONTO…
GAME TIME…7 O’CLOCK EASTERN…4 O’CLOCK PACIFIC…
TO BE FAIR…”TSN” IS ALSO A MEMBER OF “LEAF NATION”…
THAT NETWORK WILL FEATURE TORONTO A TOTAL OF 17 TIMES…
THE MOST OF ANY CANADIAN TEAM…
THE CANUCKS ARE THIRD ON THE LIST…WITH JUST 10 APPEARANCES…
NOT THAT THIS MATTERS TO ANYBODY IN TORONTO…
BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD…
LAST SEASON…THE LEAFS FINISHED 12TH IN THE EAST…AND HAVE NOT MADE THE PLAYOFFS IN 6 YEARS…
LAST SEASON…THE CANUCKS WON THEIR DIVISION…
ADD IT UP…AND IT’S ANOTHER REASON TO KEEP “FIGHTING” IN THE GAME…