WEEK TOMORROW HOCKEY CANADA WILL ANNOUNCE ITS 23 MAN ROSTER FOR THE OLYMPICS…
ACCORDING TO HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK…THERE ARE ONLY 3 SPOTS LEFT UP FOR GRABS…
ONE ON DEFENCE AND TWO FORWARDS…
AS FOR THE GOALTENDING…BABCOCK INSISTS…THOSE DECISIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE…
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEAM CANADA STEVE YZERMAN HAS ALL BUT CONFIRMED THAT…
IN HIS WORDS…”THE GOALTENDING IS SOMEWHAT CLEAR TO US…
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH IT MEANS…THE 3 GOALTENDERS ARE:
MARTIN BRODEUR…
ROBERTO LUONGO…
AND MARC-ANDRE FLEURY…
AS MUCH AS HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WOULD LOVE TO SEE LUONGO “START” THE TOURNAMENT…
CLEARLY THE JOB NOW BELONGS TO BRODEUR…
HOW COULD IT NOT???
LASTNIGHT NEW JERSEY SHUTOUT PITTSBURGH 4-0…
IT WAS BRODUER’S 104TH CAREER SHUTOUT…A NEW NHL RECORD…
A RECORD THAT HAD STOOD FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS…
AT 37…MARTIN BRODUER IS STILL ON TOP OF HIS GAME…
NOT ONLY DOES HE LEADS THE NHL IN WINS…WITH 23…
BUT HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE…AND SAVE PERCENTAGE…ARE BOTH BETTER THAN EITHER…LUONGO’S OR FLUERY’S…
ADD TO THAT…HIS TROPHY CASE INCLUDES…
4 VEZINA’S…
3 STANLEY CUPS…
AND 1 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…
BUT ALL OF THAT WILL MEAN NOTHING…IF BRODUER STRUGGLES EARLY IN THE TOURNAMENT…
AND NOBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT BETTER THAN BRODUER…
IN 2002 HE BEGAN THE OLYMPICS AS THE BACK UP TO CURTIS JOSEPH…
AFTER JOSEPH WAS BOMBED 5-2 BY SWEDEN IN THE OPENING GAME…BRODEUR LED TEAM CANADA THE REST OF THE WAY…
SO LUONGO MAY INDEED FIND THE “OLYMPIC SPOTLIGHT”…
BUT IN THE MEANTIME…HE HAS MUCH MORE PRESSING ISSUES TO DEAL WITH…
STARTING TONIGHT WITH NASHVILLE…
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Ed Willes
MAYBE IT’S JUST THE EGGNOG TALKING…BUT…
IT APPEARS ED WILLIS OF THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE AND THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE…
IN TODAY’S PAPER WILLES DECRIBED THE CANUCKS BLUELINE AS…”THE BIGGEST DISSAPPOINTMENT” OF THE SEASON…
CLEARLY THAT CONCERN IS SHARED WITH HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…
YESTERDAY AFTER THE MORNING SKATE…VIGNEAULT HAD AN ON ICE CHAT WITH KEVIN BIEKSA…
WHEN IT WAS OVER BIEKSA SKATED TO THE BENCH…SLAMMED HIS STICK AGAINST THE BOARDS…AND STORMED INTO THE DRESSING ROOM…
UNFORTUNATELY THE MESSAGE DID NOT GET THROUGH…
LASTNIGHT AGAINST ST. LOUIS…IN THE SECOND PERIOD…WITH THE GAME TIED AT 1…
BIEKSA WAS CAUGHT STANDING STILL AS DAVID BACKES DANCED AROUND HIM TO SCORE THE WINNING GOAL…
ON FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST WASHINGTON…IT WAS BIEKSA WHO COUGHED UP THE PUCK…WHICH DIRECTLY LED TO THE CHRIS CLARKE GOAL…
THE RESULT WAS VIGNEAULT CUTTING HIS ICE TIME…
ADD TO THAT…BIEKSA HAS SCORED JUST 1 GOAL THIS SEASON…AND IN A MINUS 1…
NOW COMPARE THAT WITH CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF…WHO LEADS THE NHL WITH A PLUS 17…
IN FAIRNESS…BIEKSA IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM…
LASTNIGHT ON THE KEITH TKACHUK GOAL…SAMI SALO WAS CAUGHT LOOKING…
THIS IS THE SAME SAMI SALO…WHO HAS PRODUCED A MERE 6 POINTS THIS SEASON…
WILLIS ALSO POINTED OUT TODAY IN THE PROVINCE…
“THE CANUCKS HAVE OVER $21 MILLION DOLLARS TIED UP THIS SEASON IN THEIR TOP 7 DEFENCEMAN”…
NO QUESTION GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS HAS NOTICED THAT…
THE 3 MOST EXPENSIVE ARE…BIEKSA…SALO AND WILLIE MITCHELL…WHO COMBINE FOR MORE THAN $11 MILLION…
AND YET THIS SEASON…THEY HAVE PRODUCED A GRAND TOTAL OF JUST 6 GOALS…
THEY ALSO SHARE ONE OTHER THING IN COMMON…
ALL 3 WERE SIGNED TO LONG TERM DEALS…BY FORMER GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS…
IT’S WHY LAST SUMMER GILLIS MADE NO EFFORT TO RE-SIGN MATTIAS OHLUND…
OR IS LIKELY TO RE-SIGN MITCHELL NEXT SUMMER…UNLESS HE IS WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT…
GOOD ON “ED WILLIS TO POINT OUT…THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES GILLIS “INHERITED” WHEN HE TOOK THIS JOB…
WHO KNOWS…AT THIS RATE…EDDIE MAY STILL GET AN INVITE…TO THE CANUCKS CHRISTMAS PARTY…
IT APPEARS ED WILLIS OF THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE AND THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE…
IN TODAY’S PAPER WILLES DECRIBED THE CANUCKS BLUELINE AS…”THE BIGGEST DISSAPPOINTMENT” OF THE SEASON…
CLEARLY THAT CONCERN IS SHARED WITH HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…
YESTERDAY AFTER THE MORNING SKATE…VIGNEAULT HAD AN ON ICE CHAT WITH KEVIN BIEKSA…
WHEN IT WAS OVER BIEKSA SKATED TO THE BENCH…SLAMMED HIS STICK AGAINST THE BOARDS…AND STORMED INTO THE DRESSING ROOM…
UNFORTUNATELY THE MESSAGE DID NOT GET THROUGH…
LASTNIGHT AGAINST ST. LOUIS…IN THE SECOND PERIOD…WITH THE GAME TIED AT 1…
BIEKSA WAS CAUGHT STANDING STILL AS DAVID BACKES DANCED AROUND HIM TO SCORE THE WINNING GOAL…
ON FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST WASHINGTON…IT WAS BIEKSA WHO COUGHED UP THE PUCK…WHICH DIRECTLY LED TO THE CHRIS CLARKE GOAL…
THE RESULT WAS VIGNEAULT CUTTING HIS ICE TIME…
ADD TO THAT…BIEKSA HAS SCORED JUST 1 GOAL THIS SEASON…AND IN A MINUS 1…
NOW COMPARE THAT WITH CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF…WHO LEADS THE NHL WITH A PLUS 17…
IN FAIRNESS…BIEKSA IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM…
LASTNIGHT ON THE KEITH TKACHUK GOAL…SAMI SALO WAS CAUGHT LOOKING…
THIS IS THE SAME SAMI SALO…WHO HAS PRODUCED A MERE 6 POINTS THIS SEASON…
WILLIS ALSO POINTED OUT TODAY IN THE PROVINCE…
“THE CANUCKS HAVE OVER $21 MILLION DOLLARS TIED UP THIS SEASON IN THEIR TOP 7 DEFENCEMAN”…
NO QUESTION GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS HAS NOTICED THAT…
THE 3 MOST EXPENSIVE ARE…BIEKSA…SALO AND WILLIE MITCHELL…WHO COMBINE FOR MORE THAN $11 MILLION…
AND YET THIS SEASON…THEY HAVE PRODUCED A GRAND TOTAL OF JUST 6 GOALS…
THEY ALSO SHARE ONE OTHER THING IN COMMON…
ALL 3 WERE SIGNED TO LONG TERM DEALS…BY FORMER GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS…
IT’S WHY LAST SUMMER GILLIS MADE NO EFFORT TO RE-SIGN MATTIAS OHLUND…
OR IS LIKELY TO RE-SIGN MITCHELL NEXT SUMMER…UNLESS HE IS WILLING TO TAKE A PAY CUT…
GOOD ON “ED WILLIS TO POINT OUT…THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES GILLIS “INHERITED” WHEN HE TOOK THIS JOB…
WHO KNOWS…AT THIS RATE…EDDIE MAY STILL GET AN INVITE…TO THE CANUCKS CHRISTMAS PARTY…
Monday, December 14, 2009
Ed Willes
THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS MIKE GILLIS DOES NOT NEED ANYBODY TO FIGHT HIS BATTLES…
LET ALONE SOMEBODY IN SPORTS TALK RADIO…
AND HAVING DAVID PRATT AS THE “CALM SANE VOICE OF REASON” IS THE 7TH SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE…
BUT TODAY IN THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE…ED WILLIS TOOK A CHEAP SHOT AT GILLIS…
IT WAS UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED…IT ALSO GOT PERSONAL…
WILLIS MAKES NO SECRET ABOUT THE FACT HE IS…“NOT A HUGE FAN”…
NO KIDDING!!!
THE FOCUS OF TODAY’S ATTACK WAS ON THE 13 PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER WHICH GILLIS HAS BROUGHT IN…
WILLIS POSSED THIS QUESTION…
“HAVE ANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN “DIFFERENCE MAKERS” FOR THE CANUCKS???”
WELL TO BEGIN WITH…NONE OF THESE PLAYERS WERE BROUGHT IN TO BE “DIFFERENCE MAKERS”…
LAST SUMMER GILLIS SPENT MOST OF HIS MONEY GETTING THE SEDINS AND ROBERTO LUONGO SIGNED…
HOW CAN YOU ARGUE WITH THAT DECISION???
IN CASE YOU DIDN’T NOTICE…HENRIK SEDIN IS NOW SECOND IN NHL SCORING…
WILLIS ALSO DROPPED THIS LITTLE GEM…
“YOU WONDER WHAT THE TEAM’S RECORD WOULD BE IF GILLIS HAD NOT FALLEN INTO A “MADE BED”…
“MADE BED???”…PLEASE!!!
THE TEAM GILLIS INHERITED IS THE SUMMER OF 2008…HAD LOST 7 OF IT’S LAST 8 GAMES…AND MISSED THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS…
TREVOR LINDEN’S FINAL GAME IN THE NHL…A 7-1 EMBARASSMENT…AT THE HANDS OF THE CALGARY FLAMES…
THESE CANUCKS DID NOT NEED A MAKE OVER…THEY NEEDED A HEART TRANSPLANT!!!
LET’S BE FAIR…
YOU CAN NOT JUDGE ANY GENERAL MANAGER IN ANY SPORT FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS…
BY THEN WE WILL KNOW THE IMPACT OF CODY HODGSON….YANN SAUVE…JORDAN SCHROEDER AND ANTON RODIN…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE CANUCKS ARE STILL PAYING FOR THE SINS OF “PAST MANAGEMENT”…
WHO’S FIRST ROUND PICKS INCLUDED THE LIKES OF…BRYAN ALLEN…NATHAN SMITH…R.J. UMBERGER…CORY SCHNIEDER…MICHAEL GRABNER…AND PATRICK WHITE…
EDDIE…RUNNING AN NHL FRANCHISE IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST…
YOU OF ALL PEOPLE…KNOW THAT!!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Atlanta Thrashers
TONIGHT AT GM PLACE HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WILL GET THEIR “FIRST” LOOK AT EVANDER KANE IN AN ATLANTA THRASHERS JERSEY…
IT COULD ALSO BE THE “LAST” TIME HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WILL GET A LOOK AT EVANDER KANE IN AN ATLANTA THRASHERS JERSEY…
THE THRASHERS ARE JUST ONE OF A HALF A DOZEN TEAMS THE NHL WILL BE FORCED TO RE-LOCATE…OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS…
THE EIGHT PEOPLE WHO OWN THE TEAM ARE MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL THAN A TIGER WOODS-MICHAEL VICK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL…
THE GROUP HAS SPENT THE LAST 5 YEARS IN AND OUT OF COURT FIGHTING OVER CONTROL OF THE FRANCHISE…
LAST SPRING A VANCOUVER GROUP THAT INCLUDED TOM GAGLARDI AND NELSON SKALBANIA MADE A PITCH TO BUY THE TEAM…
THE THRASHERS DENIED IT WAS FOR SALE…
BUT ONE OF THE OWNERS BRUCE LEVENSON DID ADMITT…THE TEAM WAS LOOKING FOR…QUOTE…”POSSIBLE INVESTORS”…
NO KIDDING!!!...
IN THE LAST 6 YEARS THIS GROUP…WHICH ALSO OWNS THE ATLANTA HAWKS OF THE NBA…
HAS LOST A TOTAL OF $174 MILLION DOLLARS…AND COUNTING…
WHEN IT COMES TO NHL ATTENDANCE…THE THRASHERS ARE 27TH …
BY COMPARISON THE PHOENIX COYOTES ARE 30TH AND ARE EXPECTED TO LOSE AROUND $50 MILLION DOLLARS THIS SEASON…
IN THE MEANTIME THE GLOBE AND MAIL NOW SAYS AS MANY AS 9 NHL TEAMS ARE CURRENTLY FOR SALE…
ONLY A FOOL WOULD BELIEVE THE THRASHERS ARE NOT ONE OF THEM…
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE STEPHEN HAWKING TO DO THE MATH…
THE OWNERS OF THE THRASHERS…ALSO CONTROL THE PHILIPS ARENA…
SO THE ISSUE OF GETTING OUT OF THEIR LEASE…IS NOT A MAJOR OBSTACLE…
ADD IT ALL UP…AND IT MAY HELP TO EXPLAIN…WHY ILYA KOVALCHUK HAS BEEN SO UNWILLING TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT…
QUITE SIMPLY…THERE IS NO GUARENTEE WHERE THE TEAM WILL BE BY NEXT SEASON…
CAN YOU SAY JIM BALSILLIE???
CAN YOU SAY HAMILTON???
IT COULD ALSO BE THE “LAST” TIME HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WILL GET A LOOK AT EVANDER KANE IN AN ATLANTA THRASHERS JERSEY…
THE THRASHERS ARE JUST ONE OF A HALF A DOZEN TEAMS THE NHL WILL BE FORCED TO RE-LOCATE…OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS…
THE EIGHT PEOPLE WHO OWN THE TEAM ARE MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL THAN A TIGER WOODS-MICHAEL VICK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL…
THE GROUP HAS SPENT THE LAST 5 YEARS IN AND OUT OF COURT FIGHTING OVER CONTROL OF THE FRANCHISE…
LAST SPRING A VANCOUVER GROUP THAT INCLUDED TOM GAGLARDI AND NELSON SKALBANIA MADE A PITCH TO BUY THE TEAM…
THE THRASHERS DENIED IT WAS FOR SALE…
BUT ONE OF THE OWNERS BRUCE LEVENSON DID ADMITT…THE TEAM WAS LOOKING FOR…QUOTE…”POSSIBLE INVESTORS”…
NO KIDDING!!!...
IN THE LAST 6 YEARS THIS GROUP…WHICH ALSO OWNS THE ATLANTA HAWKS OF THE NBA…
HAS LOST A TOTAL OF $174 MILLION DOLLARS…AND COUNTING…
WHEN IT COMES TO NHL ATTENDANCE…THE THRASHERS ARE 27TH …
BY COMPARISON THE PHOENIX COYOTES ARE 30TH AND ARE EXPECTED TO LOSE AROUND $50 MILLION DOLLARS THIS SEASON…
IN THE MEANTIME THE GLOBE AND MAIL NOW SAYS AS MANY AS 9 NHL TEAMS ARE CURRENTLY FOR SALE…
ONLY A FOOL WOULD BELIEVE THE THRASHERS ARE NOT ONE OF THEM…
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE STEPHEN HAWKING TO DO THE MATH…
THE OWNERS OF THE THRASHERS…ALSO CONTROL THE PHILIPS ARENA…
SO THE ISSUE OF GETTING OUT OF THEIR LEASE…IS NOT A MAJOR OBSTACLE…
ADD IT ALL UP…AND IT MAY HELP TO EXPLAIN…WHY ILYA KOVALCHUK HAS BEEN SO UNWILLING TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT…
QUITE SIMPLY…THERE IS NO GUARENTEE WHERE THE TEAM WILL BE BY NEXT SEASON…
CAN YOU SAY JIM BALSILLIE???
CAN YOU SAY HAMILTON???
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
More Tiger!
“I’M HUMAN…I’M NOT PERFECT”…
THOSE ARE THE WORDS USED BY TIGER WOODS ON HIS OWN WEBSITE…
LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
NOBODY EVER SAID HE WAS “PERFECT”…
BUT THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE…
THE MORE HE BECOMES…”HUMAN”…
MORE AND MORE IT IS BECOMING CLEAR TIGER WAS INVOLVED IN SOME KIND OF AN AFFAIR…
THE PROBLEM IS THE WAY THAT INFORMATION IS BECOMING AVAILABLE TO US…
TO START WITH…TIGER WOODS IS NOW HIDING BEHIND A MEDIA BLACK OUT…
AND THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET…
UNWILLING TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS…FOR FEAR THEY MIGHT UPSET A SPORTS ICON…
INSTEAD THE DETAILS OF HIS CAR ACCIDENT ARE COMING TO US THROUGH THE TABLIODS…
AND THAT IS WHAT IS DRIVING THIS WHOLE MESS…
FOR EXAMPLE…TMZ IS NOW REPORTING…
TIGER TOLD A FRIEND HE WAS IN THE MAKRET FOR A…”KOBE SPECIAL”…
AS YOU KNOW…
IN 2005…AFTER A SEX SCANDAL…KOBE BRYANT BOUGHT HIS WIFE A $4 MILLION DOLLAR DIAMOND RING TO MAKE PEACE…
AND TOMORROW “US WEEKLY” WILL HIT THE STANDS WITH A FRONT COVER STORY THAT SAYS…
TIGER WOODS HAD AN AFFAIR WITH A LAS VEGAS COCKTAIL WAITRESS NAMED JAMIE GRUBBS…
ACCORDING TO US WEEKLY…
GUBBS THE RELATIONSHIP LASTED 31 MONTHS…
AND SHE HAS OVER 300 TEXT MESSAGES…AND VOICE MAIL FROM TIGER WOODS…TO PROVE IT…
RIGHT NOW…THE SMART THING FOR TIGER WOODS TO DO…IS FOLLOW THE LEAD OF DAVID LETTERMAN…
AND TAKE CONTROL OF THE STORY…
HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE…AND TELL THE TRUTH…
ANSWER ALL THE UNPLEASANT QUESTIONS…AND THEN GET ON WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
THERE IS A SIMPLE RULE IN LIFE…
WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A HOLE…THE FIRST THING YOU MUST DO…IS STOP DIGGING…
THE FANS AND THE SPONSORS DO NOT EXPECT TIGER WOODS TO BE PERFECT…
THEY JUST DO NOT WANT HIM TO BE…ROGER CLEMENS…
THOSE ARE THE WORDS USED BY TIGER WOODS ON HIS OWN WEBSITE…
LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
NOBODY EVER SAID HE WAS “PERFECT”…
BUT THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE…
THE MORE HE BECOMES…”HUMAN”…
MORE AND MORE IT IS BECOMING CLEAR TIGER WAS INVOLVED IN SOME KIND OF AN AFFAIR…
THE PROBLEM IS THE WAY THAT INFORMATION IS BECOMING AVAILABLE TO US…
TO START WITH…TIGER WOODS IS NOW HIDING BEHIND A MEDIA BLACK OUT…
AND THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET…
UNWILLING TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS…FOR FEAR THEY MIGHT UPSET A SPORTS ICON…
INSTEAD THE DETAILS OF HIS CAR ACCIDENT ARE COMING TO US THROUGH THE TABLIODS…
AND THAT IS WHAT IS DRIVING THIS WHOLE MESS…
FOR EXAMPLE…TMZ IS NOW REPORTING…
TIGER TOLD A FRIEND HE WAS IN THE MAKRET FOR A…”KOBE SPECIAL”…
AS YOU KNOW…
IN 2005…AFTER A SEX SCANDAL…KOBE BRYANT BOUGHT HIS WIFE A $4 MILLION DOLLAR DIAMOND RING TO MAKE PEACE…
AND TOMORROW “US WEEKLY” WILL HIT THE STANDS WITH A FRONT COVER STORY THAT SAYS…
TIGER WOODS HAD AN AFFAIR WITH A LAS VEGAS COCKTAIL WAITRESS NAMED JAMIE GRUBBS…
ACCORDING TO US WEEKLY…
GUBBS THE RELATIONSHIP LASTED 31 MONTHS…
AND SHE HAS OVER 300 TEXT MESSAGES…AND VOICE MAIL FROM TIGER WOODS…TO PROVE IT…
RIGHT NOW…THE SMART THING FOR TIGER WOODS TO DO…IS FOLLOW THE LEAD OF DAVID LETTERMAN…
AND TAKE CONTROL OF THE STORY…
HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE…AND TELL THE TRUTH…
ANSWER ALL THE UNPLEASANT QUESTIONS…AND THEN GET ON WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
THERE IS A SIMPLE RULE IN LIFE…
WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A HOLE…THE FIRST THING YOU MUST DO…IS STOP DIGGING…
THE FANS AND THE SPONSORS DO NOT EXPECT TIGER WOODS TO BE PERFECT…
THEY JUST DO NOT WANT HIM TO BE…ROGER CLEMENS…
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