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”…

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…

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

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”….

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…

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…

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”…

Roberto Luongo

ROBERTO LUONGO…THE $10 MILLION DOLLAR MAN…
IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WHAT A PLAYER MAKES…
NOW TRY AND EXPLAIN THAT TO THE FANS…
IF YOU DIVIDE HIS SALARY INTO THE NUMBER OF WINS LUONGO IS EXPECTED TO EARN THIS SEASON…
IT TRANSLATES INTO ABOUT $250 THOUSAND DOLLARS A WIN…
BUT THAT NUMBER COULD BE A LOT HIGHER…
IN 5 STARTS LUONGO HAS MANAGED TO PRODUCE JUST 1 WIN…
AT THAT RATE…THE COST PER WIN IS CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS…
SO FAR THIS SEASON HE IS A PERFECT 0 FOR 3 ON THE ROAD…WITH A GOALS-AGAINST-AVERAGE OF 5.29…
LASTNIGHT IN MINNESOTA HE GAVE UP 6 GOALS ON 18 SHOTS…AND WAS PULLED AFTER THE SECOND PERIOD…
GOALTENDERS IN HOCKEY ARE LIKE PITCHERS IN BASEBALL AND QUARTERBACKS IN FOOTBALL…
THE WINS AND LOSSES ARE ATTACHED TO THEIR RESUME…
AND NO WHERE IS THAT MORE PAINFULL THAN IN THE PLAYOFFS…
LAST SPRING THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ONCE AGAIN ENDED THE CANUCKS SEASON…
BUT IT’S MORE ABOUT HOW THEY ENDED THE CANUCKS SEASON…
THE HAWKS WON ALL 3 GAMES IN VANCOUVER…BY A COMBINED SCORE OF 17-7…
LUONGO WAS IN GOAL FOR ALL IT…
TONIGHT THE CANUCKS ARE IN CHICAGO…
AND ONCE AGAIN…ROBERTO LUONGO WILL GET THE START…
WHAT ADDS TO THIS DRAMA…IS HOW WELL COREY SCHNEIDER IS PLAYING AS HIS BACK UP…
IN 4 PERIODS…SCHNEIDER HAS GIVEN UP JUST 1 GOAL…
BUT THERE SHOULD BE NO DEBATE ABOUT…WHO SHOULD START…
LUONGO IS ON THE FIRST YEAR OF 12 YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $64 MILLION DOLLARS…
DESPITE THE INJURIES…STUPID PENALTIES AND THE LACK OF SECONDARY SCORING…
HE IS BEING PAID TO CARRY THIS TEAM…
IT SHOULD NOT MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY HE’S GETTING PAID TO DO THAT…
AND YET…SOMEHOW…IT DOES…

Headshots

HOCKEY HAS TO BE A GREAT GAME…SIMPLY BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO SURVIVE THE COMPLETE MISMANAGEMENT OF THE NHL…
FROM THE SAME PEOPLE WHO GAVE US THE “DEAD PUCK ERA”…
TWO LOCK OUTS…AND THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
NOW COMES “HEAD SHOTS UNLIMITED”…
2 WEEKS INTO THE NHL SCHEDULE AND THERE ARE ALREADY 15 PLAYERS OUT WITH CONCUSSION OR HEAD RELATED INJURIES…
THAT INCLUDES KEITH BALLARD OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…
AFTER DECADES OF WATCHING THE CAREERS OF NHL PLAYERS CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF HEADSHOTS…
THE ISSUE FINALLY WAS ADDRESSED LAST SEASON…
BUT ONLY AFTER MARC SAVARD OF THE BRUINS WAS KNOCKED OUT BY A BLINDSIDE HIT BY MATT COOKE…
AND ONLY AFTER THE OWNER OF THE BRUINS…JEREMY JACOBS DEMANDED ACTION…
JACOBS ALSO JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NHL BOARD OF GOVERORS...
IN OTHER WORDS…HE’S GARY BETTMAN’S BOSS…
FOR THE RECORD…SAVARD IS STILL SUFFERING FROM POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME…
PROBLEM IS…THE HEADSHOT RULE ONLY GIVES THE LEAGUE THE POWER TO REVIEW THESE HITS AND APPLY DISCIPLINE…
WHAT IT DOES NOT DO IS CLEARLY DEFINE THE DISCIPLINE…
AND THAT MEANS IT IS STILL BUSINESS AS USUAL…
AS A RESULT…ON MONDAY SHANE DOAN RECEIVED A MERE 3 GAME SUSPENSION FOR HIT BLINDSIDE HIT ON DAN SEXTON…
NOW!!!...TAKE A LOOK AT THE APPROACH BY THE NFL TO SAME PROBLEM…
ON SUNDAY THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DANGEROUS HITS…
THE WORST WAS THE ONE BY DUNTA ROBINSON OF THE FALCONS ON DESEAN JACKSON OF THE EAGLES…
BOTH LEFT THE GAME WITH CONCUSSIONS…
TODAY THE NFL ANNOUNCED NEW TOUGHER RULES ON DANGEROUS HITS…AND THOSE RULES WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THIS WEEKEND…
THE NFL REFERS TO IT AS A “HIGHER STANDARD OF ACCOUNTABILITY”…
SO WHY IT IS SO DIFFICULT FOR THE NHL TO DO THE SAME???
SIMPLE…COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN CLEARLY DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE PLAYERS OR THEIR SAFETY…
SO WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE NHL TO FINALLY TAKE THESE HEAD SHOTS SERIOUSLY???
YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE ANSWER

Cory Schneider

6 YEARS…6 YEARS…
THAT’S HOW LONG THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…AND THEIR FANS…HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR CORY SCHNEIDER…
IN 2004 THE CANUCKS DRAFTED SCHNEIDER 26TH OVER ALL…
THE ONLY GOALTENDER THIS ORGANIZATION HAS EVER TAKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND…
AND BECAUSE HIND SIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20…THE CRITICS HAVE BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT…
FORMER GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS LEFT “MIKE GREEN” ON THE TABLE…
BUT LASTNIGHT SCHNEIDER DID A LOT TO QUITE THOSE CRITICS…
HE STOPPED 32 OF 33 SHOTS…AS THE CANUCKS BEAT CAROLINA 5-1…
IT IS HIS FIRST “NHL WIN” IN ALMOST 2 YEARS…
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY…SCHNEIDER LOOKED THE PART…
AT 24 HE APPEARS TO HAVE ARRIVED AS A LIGITIMATE BACK UP TO ROBERTO LUONGO…
SOMEONE CAPABLE OF STARTING 25 GAMES…OR MORE…
AFTER TO BACK TO BACK MELTDOWNS IN THE PLAYOFFS…IT HAS BECOME CLEAR TO EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT LUONGO CAN NOT BE EXPECTED TO PLAY OVER 70 GAMES A YEAR…
AND STILL HAVE SOMETHING LEFT…FOR THE POST SEASON…
SINCE HE ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER IN 2006…THERE HAS BEEN A PARADE OF BACK UPS…
DANY SABOURIN…
CURTIS SANFORD…
DREW MACINTYRE…
JASON LABARBERA…AND ANDREW RAYCROFT…
NOT ONE OF THEM WAS ABLE TO WIN ENOUGH GAMES…TO GET INTO DOUBLE DIGETS…
WHICH MEANT…YEAR AFTER YEAR…THE JOB OF SIMPLY MAKING THE PLAYOFFS…RESTED ENTIRELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF LUONGO…
JUDGING FROM LAST NIGHTS PERFORMANCE…THAT MAY NO LONGER BE THE CASE…
SHOULD THIS BE THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT SEASON…THEN IT ALSO GIVES GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS A BIG CHIP TO PLAY AT THE TRADING DEADLINE…
NO QUESTION…THIS IS A LOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM JUST ONE GAME…
BUT WAITING 6 YEARS FOR ANYTHING…EVEN FOR A BACK UP GOALTENDER…CAN A MAKE EVEN “THE MEDIA”…GO A LITTLE… “CRAZY”…

The Leafs

WHO IS CLARKE MACARTHUR AND WHY SHOULD WE CARE???
FIRST THINGS FIRST…
MACARTHUR IS A 25 YEAR OLD…FORMER THIRD ROUND DRAFT PICK…WHO SCORED 16 GOALS LAST SEASON FOR BOTH THE BUFFALO SABRES AND THE ATLANTA THRASHERS…
THE THRASHERS WERE SO UNIMPRESSED…THEY WALKED AWAY FROM A ONE YEAR…$2.4 MILLION ARBITRATION AWARD…
AS A RESULT….THIS SUMMER THE BEST MACARTHUR COULD DO WAS TO TAKE A ONE YEAR DEAL FROM THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FOR A MERE $1.1 MILLION…
HOWEVER LASTNIGHT IN PITTSBURGH…MACARTHUR SCORED 2 GOALS AS THE LEAFS UPSET THE PENGUINS 4-3…
BECAUSE OF THAT…HE NOW LEADS THE NHL IN GOALS AND TORONTO HAS A PEFRECT RECORD OF 3 AND 0…
WHICH GETS US TO THE BIGGER QUESTION…WHY SHOULD WE CARE???
HERE’S WHY:
ANYTHING THAT IS GOOD FOR TORONTO…IS ALWAYS BAD FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY…
SADLY WE DO NOT HAVE “NATIONAL MEDIA”…
AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE ARE FORCED TO DINE ON A CONSTANT DIET OF…”TORONTO…TORONTO…TORONTO”…
IT’S WHY THE LEAFS ARE ON “HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA” EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT…
THIS…DESPITE THE FACT THIS FRANCHISE HAS NOT MADE THE PLAYOFFS IN 6 YEARS…HAS NOT BEEN TO A CUP FINAL IN 43 YEARS…
THE LAST LEAF TO WIN HART TROHPY WAS TED KENNEDY IN 1955…AND NO LEAF HAS EVER WON THE ART ROSS…
BUT THIS SEASON THE LEAFS HAVE WON THEIR FIRST 3 GAMES…
SO IF A SPACE ALIEN LANDED TODAY IN CANADA…HE OR SHE WOULD BE SAFE TO ASSUME…THERE IS ONLY ONE NHL TEAM IN THIS COUNTRY…
WHAT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO DIGEST…IS THE REACTION BY GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE…
AFTER LASTNIGHT GAME…BURKE REFERED TO HIS TEAMS START AS…”HUGE”…AND…”A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT”…
GRANTED…BY COMPARISON TO THE 1 WIN THE LEAFS MANAGED IN THEIR FIRST 13 GAMES LAST SEASON…BURKE CERTAINLY HAS REASON TO FEEL RELIVED…
BUT TO USE WORDS SUCH AS “HUGE” AND “MAJOR” AND TO HAVE THAT NONSENSE GO UNCHALLENGED IS COMICAL…
UNFORTUNATELY…UNTIL THINGS GET BACK TO NORMAL…
GET USED TO HEARING THE NAME…”CLARKE MACARTHUR”…

Cap Issues

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME…
TODAY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS TRADED SHANE O’BRIEN AND DAN GENDUR TO NASHVILLE…
IN RETURN FOR…RYAN PARENT AND JONAS ANDERSSON…
THEN…THE CANUCKS IMMEDIATELY PLACED PARENT ON WAIVERS…
WELCOME TO ANOTHER DAY…LIVING UNDER A SALARY CAP…
TOMORROW NHL TEAMS MUST DECLARE THEIR ROSTERS…
WHICH MEANS…THE CANUCKS HAVE LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GET UNDER THE CAP…
THAT’S WHAT ALL THIS MOVEMENT WAS ABOUT…
DO NOT KID YOURSELF…THE CAP IS SERIOUS BUSINESS…
LAST YEAR IT COST CHICAGO GENERAL MANAGER DALE TALLON HIS JOB…
DESPITE BUILDING A STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM…TALLON OVER PAID FOR PLAYERS SUCH AS…BRIAN CAMPBELL AND CRISTOBAL HUET…
AND LAST SUMMER HE FAILED TO QUALIFY RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…KRIS VERSTEEG AND CAM BARKER…
EACH WOUND UP WITH A NEW 3 YEAR DEAL WORTH OVER $9 MILLION…A PIECE…
THE END RESULT WAS…THIS SUMMER…THE HAWKS WERE FORCED TO GUT THEIR TEAM…
BUT TALLON IS HARDLY THE ONLY NHL GM TO MESS UP THE CAP…
EVEN LOU LAMORIELLO IN NEW JERSEY IS IN TROUBLE…
THANKS TO THE KOVALCHUK CONTRACT…THE DEVILS ARE NOW $3 AND HALF MILLION OVER THE CAP…
THEY WOULD LOVE TO UNLOAD BRAIN ROLSTON…BUT AT $5 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS…
THERE ARE NO TAKERS…
IN NEW YORK…WADE REDDEN AND HIS 6 YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $39 MILLION…IS NOW IN THE MINORS…
ONCE THE BOSTON BRUINS GET HEALTHY…THEY’LL HAVE TO DO THE SAME WITH MICHAEL RYDER AND HIS $4 MILLION DOLLAR SALARY...
OTHER CAP DISASTERS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS INCLUDED…
DALLAS GIVING SEAN AVERY $15 MILLION OVER 4 YEARS…
THE LEAFS SIGNING JEFF FINGERS TO A 4 YEAR DEAL WORTH $14 MILLION…
AND THE OILERS HANDING SHELDON SOURAY A 5 YEAR DEAL WORTH $27 MILLION…
IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THAT…THE CANUCKS CHALLENGES WITH THE CAP…ARE TO SAY THE LEAST…MINOR…
THE GOOD NEWS IS…STARTING THURSDAY…ALL THE ATTENTION WILL ONCE AGAIN RETURN TO THE GAME THAT IS PLAYED…
“ON THE ICE”…

Michael Vick

IN HOLLYWOOD…THEY LOVE A COMEBACK…
MICKEY ROURKE AND ROBERT DOWNEY JUNIOR ARE A COUPLE OF GOOD EXAMPLES…
BUT THIS WEEKEND THERE ARE TWO ATHLETES ON CENTER STAGE…BOTH ATTEMPTING TO GET THEIR “LIVES” AND THEIR “CAREERS” BACK…
AT THE RYDER CUP IN WALES IT IS TIGER WOODS…
TODAY WOODS BIRDIED THE 9TH HOLE…AS HE AND STEVE STRICKER LEAD THEIR MATCH BY 1 STROKE…
THE AMERICANS LEAD IN 2 MATCHES…THE EUROPEANS IN JUST ONE…
WHICH MEANS…WOODS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY THIS WEEKEND TO RETURN HOME AS A NATIONAL HERO…
ON SUNDAY IN PHILADELPHIA IT WILL BE MICHAEL VICK IN THE SPOTLIGHT…
A YEAR AGO DONOVAN MCNABB LOBBIED THE EAGLES TO SIGN VICK AFTER HE WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON…
VICK DID 18 MONTHS FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN DOG FIGHTING…
MCNABB IS NOW THE STARTING QUARTERBACK IN WASHINGTON AND WILL MAKE HIS RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA THIS WEEKEND…
BUT THE REAL STORY IS VICK…
ONCE AGAIN THE DEBATE BEGINS OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO FORGIVE HIM FOR HIS CRUEL TREATMENT OF DOGS…
LET’S BE CLEAR…THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT VICK DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE…
ALMOST EVERYBODY DESERVES THAT…
THE ISSUE IS FORGIVENESS…
IT BEGINS WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE VICK WHEN HE SAYS HE’S SORRY…
THIS IS NOT A MAN WHO TURNED HIMSELF IN…
VICK ONLY QUIT TORTURING AND KILLING DOGS…AFTER HE GOT CAUGHT…
ONCE HE HAD SERVED HIS TIME…HE IMMEDIATELY WENT ON 60 MINUTES TO SELL THE PUBLIC ON HIS NEW IMAGE…AND TO PLEAD HIS CASE TO BE RE-INSTATED BY THE NFL…
WHEN HE SAID…HE DESEVERED TO LOSE $135 MILLION DOLLARS…
DID YOU REALLY BUY THAT???
THE WHOLE INTERVIEW SEEMED STAGED…AND THE WORDS HE SPOKE APPEARED TO BE COACHED…
AFTER ALL…WHY DID CBS ALLOW JAMES BROWN ASK THE QUESTIONS???
BROWN IS A SPORTSCASTER…AND NOT A REGULAR MEMBER OF THE 60 MINUTES STAFF…
IN THE PAST WE HAVE WITNESSED SOME GREAT COMEBACKS IN SPORTS…AND CHEERED ON THE LIKES OF JORDAN…ALI AND RUTH…
SHOULD TIGER WOODS GET HIS GAME BACK…HE WILL CERTAINLY JOIN THAT LIST…
BUT MICHAEL VICK???
NO…NOT NOW…NOT EVER!!!

Concussions

WHEN IS THE NHL GOING TO WAKE UP???
TODAY IAN LAPERRIERE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS BECAME THE LATEST PLAYER TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME…
THIS SHOULD NOT COME TO A SURPRISE TO ANYONE…
ON APRIL THE 22ND OF THIS YEAR…LAPERRIERE WAS HIT IN THE FACE IN THE PLAYOFF GAME AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION…
IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED HIS SEASON…
NEVERTHELESS…A FEW DAYS LATER HE WAS CLEARED TO PLAY AND WAS IN THE LINE UP FOR GAME 4 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL…
NOW HIS SEASON AND HIS CAREER ARE IN DOUBT…
IT’S SAME STORY WITH MARC SAVARD OF THE BOSTON BRUINS…
ON MARCH 7TH…SAVARD WAS BLINDSIDED BY A VICIOUS HIT TO THE HEAD BY MATT COOKE…
HE SUFFERED A GRADE 2 CONCUSSION…
AGAIN…HIS SEASON SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVER…
NEVERTHELESS…BY MAY 1ST…SAVARD WAS BACK IN THE LINE UP FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS…
AND NOW HIS FUTURE IS IN DOUBT…
SAVARD ADMITTS WHEN HE RETURNED FOR THE PLAYOFFS “HE WAS NOT READY”…
THAT DECISION MAY COST HIM HIS CAREER…AND A LOT MORE…
IT IS EASY FOR THE TEAMS AND THE LEAGUE TO AVOID ANY RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS ISSUE…
AFTER ALL…ONCE A PLAYER GETS MEDICAL CLEARANCE…AND DOES NOT COMPLAIN…
THEN THE NEED TO WIN IS ALL THAT MATTERS…
THAT HAS TO CHANGE…
LAST YEAR A SURVEY OF THE “NFL” SHOWED THAT 20 PERCENT OF PLAYERS HAVE HIDDEN OR PLAYED DOWN THE EFFECTS OF A CONCUSSION…
IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THE NHL IS ANY DIFFERENT…
THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF CONCUSSIONS INCLUDE…DEMENTIA…DEPRESSION…AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE…
LAST SEASON WILLIE MITCHELL MISSED 48 GAMES AND THE PLAYOFFS WITH A CONCUSSION…
BUT UNLIKE LAPERRIERE AND SAVARD…MITCHELL REFUSED TO RETURN TO THE LINE UP UNTIL HE FULLY RECOVERED…
SO FAR THIS SEASON…HE HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS…
BUT THESE DECISIONS SHOULD NOT COME DOWN TO THE PLAYERS…OR THE TEAMS…
THE NHL NEEDS NEW…STRICKER GUIDELINES…THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS…EVEN IF IT MEANS…
PROTECTING THEM…FROM THEMSELVES…

Vancouver Canucks

THE NEW OREANS SAINTS ARE THE DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS…
SINCE 2004…THE BOSTON RED SOX WON…NOT ONLY 1…BUT 2 WORLD SERIES…
AND 6 MONTHS AGO…VANCOUVER HOSTED THE GREATEST WINTER OLYMPICS…EVER…
THOSE WERE 3 THINGS THAT YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED…YOU WOULD NEVER…EVER…SEE IN YOUR LIFE TIME…
YET…ALL 3 HAPPENED…AND ALL HAPPENED IN JUST THE LAST 6 YEARS…
IF SPORTS HAS TAUGHT US ANYTHING….IT IS THIS…
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…
ON FEBRUARY 10TH 1990…A LITTLE KNOW FIGHTER BY THE NAME OF BUSTER DOUGLAS…GOT INTO THE RING WITH MIKE TYSON…
“THE BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET”…
NOBODY BELIEVED DOUGLAS HAD A PRAYER…INCLUDING THE BOOKIES WHO LISTED HIM AS A…”42 TO 1” LONG SHOT…
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED…DOUGLAS WAS THE NEW HEAVY WEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD…
THE BOOKIES ALSO DID NOT LIKE THE NEW YORK JETS IN SUPER BOWL 3…
THE BALTIMORE COLTS WERE 18 POINT FAVORITES…
BUT JOE NAMATH GUARENTEED A WIN…AND THEN DELIVERED…
ON AUGUST 13TH 1969…THE NEW YORK METS…WERE 9 AND A-HALF GAMES BACK OF THE CHICAGO CUBS…
THE METS CAUGHT FIRE…WON THE PENANT…AND THEN SHOCKED THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES BY WINNING THE WORLD SERIES…
SPEAKING OF MIRACLES…
HEADING INTO THE WINTER GAMES IN 1980…THE SOVIETS HAD WON 8 OF THE PREVIOUS 9 GOLD MEDALS IN MENS HOCKEY…
BUT AFTER THE AMERICANS BEAT SHOCKED THE RUSSIANS 4-3…AL MICHAELS CALLED OUT…
“DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES???”
SO IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THIS…
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY TO BELIEVE…THAT THIS NHL SEASON…
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS CAN WIN A STANLEY CUP???
YEAH…YEAH!!!...CERTAINLY 40 YEARS OF HEARTBREAK AND DISSAPPOINT CAN LEAVE A FAN…SOMEWHAT…JADED…
BUT…MOST OF THE HOCKEY EXPERTS NOW PICK THIS TEAM TO GO TO THE DANCE…
NEVERTHELESS…IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING SOME TROUBLE GETTING YOUR HEAD AROUND ALL OF THIS…THINK OF IT THIS WAY…
IF BETTY WHITE CAN HOST SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE…
THEN IT “IS” TRUE…”ANYTHING” IS POSSIBLE!!!

Eric Tillman

LET ME BEGIN THIS BY MAKING A FEW THINGS PERFECTLY CLEAR…
THE FIRST IS…
2 YEARS AGO ERIC TILLMAN MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE…
WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF BOTH A “SLEEP AID” AND “PAIN KILLERS” HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HIS 16 YEAR OLD BABY SISTER…AND PULLED HER…TOWARD HIM…
THAT IS SEXUAL ASSAULT…PLAIN AND SIMPLE…
LAST JANUARY TILLMAN PLEADED GUILTY AND WAS GIVEN AN ABSOLUTE DISCHARGE…
NEVERTHELESS…ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS…TILLMAN MADE NO EXCUSES…
IN HIS WORDS…”I ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY…I AM PROFOUNDLY SORRY…IT’S A REGRET I’LL TAKE TO MY GRAVE”…
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO MAKE PERFECTLY CLEAR IS THIS…
I HAVE KNOWN ERIC TILLMAN FOR 20 YEARS AND CONSIDER HIM A FRIEND…
SO TODAY…I AM HAPPY TO SEE…THAT THE EDMONTON ESKIMOES NAMED HIM…THEIR NEW GENERAL MANAGER…
AND IN DOING SO…HAVE GIVEN HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD HIS CAREER…AND REGAIN HIS LIFE…
SADLY NOT EVERYBODY IN EDMONTON FEELS THAT WAY…
THE NATIONAL POST NOW REPORTS…THAT AN ON LINE SURVEY IN EDMONTON SAYS THAT MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF FANS IN THAT CITY ARE OPPOSED TO THE HIRING…
AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOW THREATENING TO NEVER ATTEND ANOTHER ESKIMO GAME…
THE DOUBLE STANDARD AMOUNGST SOME FANS…IS TO SAY THE LEAST “DISTRUBING”…
THESE ARE THE SAME TYPE OF FANS WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING A PASS TO “ATHLETES” FOR THEIR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT…
THAT LIST INCLUDES THE LIKES OF…
BEN ROETHLISBERGER…
TIGER WOODS…
KOBE BRYANT…AND MIKE TYSON…TO NAME A FEW…
IN A FEW WEEKS FROM NOW…DINO CICCARELLI WILL BE INDUCTED IN THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME…
BASED ON HIS PEFORMANCE ON THE ICE…CICCARELLI HAS EARNED THE HONOR…
BUT KEEP IN MIND…THIS IS THE SAME DINO CICCARELLI WHO AS A PLAYER…WAS BUSTED FOR BOTH INDECENT EXPOSURE…AND ACCUSED OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A 17 YEAR OLD…
IN EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES…THEY WERE ALL GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE…
THAT IS WHAT ERIC TILLMAN GOT TODAY…AND THAT’S ALL THAT HE GOT!!!
SO BEFORE ANY OF US PASS JUDGEMENT…LET’S BACK OFF…AND WAIT TO SEE…WHAT HE DOES WITH IT…

Cody Hodgson

TODAY CODY HODGSON AND THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS GOT THE BAD NEWS…
HODGSON HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED TO PLAY…
IT MEANS HE WILL NOT ATTEND THE PROSPECTS CAMP…
HODGSON AND HIS BAD BACK WILL RE-EVALUATED…AND WE SHOULD KNOW MORE BY NEXT FRIDAY…
NOW BEFORE YOU THROW THIS KID UNDER THE BUS…AND WRITE HIM OFF…
LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
CODY HODGSON REMAINS THE CANUCKS NUMBER ONE PROSPECT…
AND KEEPING HIM OFF THE ICE UNTIL HE IS 100 PER CENT IS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT THING TO DO…
SHOULD FANS BE CONCERNED…ABSOLUTELY!!!
BUT NOW THAT THE DOCTORS KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS…
THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE WILL NOT MAKE A FULL RECOVERY…
KEEP IN MIND…THE TORN MUSCLE IN HIS BACK WAS MISDIAGNOSED FOR 13 MONTHS…
AND BECAUSE OF THAT…HODGSON HAS LOST A FULL YEAR OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT…
NONE OF WHICH WAS HIS FAULT…
MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…EXACTLY WHAT THE CANUCKS HAVE IN CODY HODGSON…
IN JANUARY OF 2009 HE WON A GOLD MEDAL AT THE WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS…AND WAS THE LEADING SCORER AT THE TOURNAMENT…WITH 16 POINTS IN 6 GAMES…
THAT SEASON HE ALSO COLLECTED 92 POINTS IN 53 GAMES AND WAS NAMED CHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR…
BUT…HODGSON HAS YET TO PLAY A SINGLE GAME IN THE NHL…
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM…
ALL 9 PLAYERS WHO WERE TAKEN IN FRONT OF HIM NOW DRESSED FOR THE TEAMS THAT DRAFTED THEM…
INCLUDING STEVEN STAMKOS AND DREW DOUGHTY…
BUT THE ONE THAT REALLY HURTS…IS TYLER MYERS OF THE BUFFALO SABRES…
WHO WAS TAKEN 2 SELECTIONS AFTER HODGSON…
LAST SEASON MYERS WON THE CALDER…AS THE NHL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR…
LIKE IT OR NOT…BOTH THE CANUCKS AND THEIR FANS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PATIENT…
HODGSON HAS THE “POTENTIAL” TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS THIS ORGANIZATION HAS EVER DRAFTED…
BUT UNTIL HE’S HEATHLY…THAT’S ALL IT IS…”POTENTIAL”…
SO…THE WAITING GAME CONTINUES…
AND IF YOU THINK IT’S TOUGH ON YOU…
TRY AND IMAGINE WHAT CODY HODGSON IS GOING THROUGH

Pressure

PRESSURE”…
FOR THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…IT IS “THE” WORD WILL DEFINE THIS SEASON…
TO START WITH…THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS THE CANUCKS PICKED TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
A BIG REASON FOR THAT IS…HENRIK SEDIN IS LAST SEASON’S WINNER OF BOTH THE HART AND ART ROSS TROPHIES…
LASTNIGHT THE TWINS WERE AT METRO TOWN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS FOR E.A. SPORTS…
AS YOU MAY KNOW…DANIEL AND HENRIK ARE ON THE SWEDISH VERSION OF NHL 11…
AND SHOULD ROBERTO LUONGO CHOOSE TO GIVE UP THE “C”???
THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY HENRIK COULD BE NAMED CAPTAIN…
WHEN ASKED ABOUT ALL THE EXPECTATIONS BOTH PLAYERS ARE NOW FACING???
DANIEL EXPLAINED IT THIS WAY:
“THE PRESSURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE…BUT WE’D MUCH RATHER HAVE THIS KIND OF PRESSURE…THAN THE KIND WE HAD THE FIRST FEW YEARS”…
NO KIDDING!!!
IN THE FIRST 5 YEARS IN VANCOUVER THE SEDINS HAD BEEN LABLED “THE SISTERS”…
IN THOSE DAYS…IT WOULD HAVE EASY TO HAVE DEMANDED A TRADE…
OR SIMPLY BECOME UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…AND SIGN WITH ANOTHER TEAM…
INSTEAD THEY CHOOSE TO STAY…
AFTER THE LOCKOUT…BOTH DANIEL AND HENRIK HAD BREAK OUT SEASONS…AND OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS AVERAGED ALMOST 80 POINTS A SEASON…
THEN LAST SEASON…THEY TOOK THEIR GAME TO ANOTHER LEVEL…
HENRIK LED THE LEAGUE IN SCORING WITH 112 POINTS…
AND DESPITE THE FACT DANIEL MISSED 19 GAMES BECAUSE OF INJURIES…HE STILL MANAGED 85 POINTS…
IN FACT…ONLY ALEXANDER OVECHKIN AVERAGED MORE “POINTS PER GAME” THAN THE SEDINS…
SO NOW WHAT…CAN THEY DUPLICATE THAT PERFORMANCE???
THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THEY CAN…
ON THE 26TH OF THIS MONTH THE TWINS WILL TURN 30…STILL VERY MUCH IN THEIR PRIME…
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…THEY SEEM TO BE “IMMUNE” TO OUTSIDE PRESSURE…
AND THAT…SHOULD GIVE HOPE TO CANUCK FANS…THAT MAYBE…JUST MAYBE…THIS SEASON…
THERE “IS” REASON TO BELIEVE!!!

NHL predictions

IF IT’S TRUE THAT PREDICTIONS ARE FOR GYPIES…
THEN EVERYBODY IN THE SPORTS MEDIA BUSINESS IS BORN WITH A “CRYSTAL BALL”…OR IN SOME CASES…TWO…
THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS RELEASED ITS ANNUAL PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2010-2011 SEASON…
AND VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS ARE GOING TO LIKE WHAT THEY READ…
THE MAGAZINE HAS THE CANUCKS AS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
THE REASONS LISTED INCLUDE HENRIK SEDIN WINNING BOTH THE ART ROSS AND THE HART TROPHIES LAST SEASON…
AND THE FACT HENRIK DID ALL THAT…DESPITE THE FACT DANIEL MISSED 19 GAMES BECAUSE OF INJURIES…
THERE’S RYAN KESLER…WHO WAS NOMINATED FOR THE SELKE…
THE ADDITIONS OF DAN HAMHUIS…KEITH BALLARD AND MANNY MALHOTRA…
THE HOCKEY NEWS IS ALSO NOT READY TO WRITE OFF ROBERTO LUONGO…IN THEIR WORDS…
“HE HAS GAINED A LOT OF DETRACTORS FOR HIS POST SEASON PLAY…BUT HE STILL PUTS UP GOOD NUMBERS IN THE REGULAR SEASON”…
IN THE EAST…NO SURPISE HERE…
THE HOCKEY NEWS LIKES THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS…
BUT THE MAGAZINE DID STICK ITS NECK OUT…EVEN IF ONLY A LITTLE BIT…
IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…IT HAS BOTH ST. LOUIS AND CALGARY MAKING THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON…WITH NASHVILLE AND COLORADO MISSING THE DANCE…
NO QUESTION THE BLUES ARE A MUCH IMPROVED TEAM NOW THAT THEY HAVE JAROSLAV IN GOAL…
BUT OLI JOKINEN HAS ALREADY SHOWN THE FANS IN CALGARY…HE IS NO SAVIOR…
IN THE EAST…THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS TAMPA BAY FINISHING 7TH…WITH BOTH THE RANGERS AND THE SENATORS ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN…
AS FOR THE LIGHTNING…NO QUESTION…GENERAL MANAGER STEVE YZERMAN HAS GREATLY IMPROVED THAT TEAM WITH THE ADDITIONS OF SIMON GAGNE AND PAVEL KUBINA…
BUT THE BIG SURPISE IN THE EAST…COULD VERY WELL BE ATLANTA…THE THRASHERS WERE THE BIG WINNERS IN THE FIRE SALE OF THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS…LANDING A TOTAL OF 3 PLAYERS…
IN THE END…THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WE ALL DO AGREE ON…AND THAT IS…
THE LEAFS WILL MISS THE PLAYOFFS…AGAIN

BC Lions

ONE AND SIX…
NO MATTER HOW YOU DRESS IT UP…
NO MATTER HOW MUCH SUGAR YOU POUR ON IT…
THE B.C. LIONS ARE ONE AND SIX…
AND WHAT HURTS THE MOST…IS THE FACT THEY STILL HAVE NOT WON A SINGLE GAME AT EMPIRE FIELD…
IT’S NO SECRET THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HAS BEEN A LACK OF PRODUCTION AT THE QUARTERBACK POSITION…
THE TRIO OF CASEY PRINTERS…TRAVIS LULAY AND JARIUS JACKSON HAVE THROWN A GRAND TOTAL OF JUST 3 TOUCHDOWN PASSES…
COMPARE THAT TO ANTHONY CALVILLO OF THE AL’S…WHO HAS THROWN 17…OR HENRY BURRIS OF THE STAMPS WHO…HAS THROWN 16…
PRINTERS WILL GET THE START TONIGHT…HIS FIRST IN OVER A MONTH…
IN HIS FIRST 3 GAMES…PRINTERS HAS COMPLETED JUST 50 OF 88 PASSES…
THAT’S LESS THAN 57 PERCENT…THE LOWEST OF ANY STARTING QUARTERBACK IN THE CFL…
ADD IT UP…AND THE LIONS OFFENCE HAS PRODUCED A MERE 135 POINTS…
THE LOWEST TOTAL IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE…
IN FAIRNESS…THE BLAME DOES NOT BELONG ENTIRELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE QUARTERBACKS…
THE OFFENSIVE LINE HAS BEEN JUST THAT…OFFENSIVE…
AND THERE HAS BEEN AN ENDLESS STRING OF DROPPED PASSES…FUMBLES…AND NEEDLESS PENALITIES…
IT DOES NOT HELP THAT TONIGHT THE LIONS ARE PLAYING THE CALGARY STAMPEDERS…
THE TEAM WITH THE NUMBER ONE RANKED DEFENCE IN THE CFL…
YET…THERE “IS” STILL REASON TO BELIEVE…
3 WEEKS AGO…THE LIONS WERE IN POSITION TO BEAT THESE SAME STAMPEDERS…
THAT WAS UNTIL LATE IN THE THIRD QUARTER…WHEN LULAY THREW HIS 5TH INTERCEPTION IN 3 GAMES…
TURN OUT THE LIGHTS…27-22…THE FINAL…
NEVERTHELESS…OUTSIDE OF THE 2 BLOW OUTS BY SASKATCHEWAN…THE LIONS 4 OTHER LOSES HAVE BEEN BY A TOTAL OF JUST 16 POINTS…
IN OTHER WORDS…4 PLAYS…4 MISTAKES…4 LOSSES…
ELIMINATE THOSE 4 PLAYS…AND THE LIONS COULD VERY WELL BE 5-2…
WHICH MEANS…IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO WRITE OFF THIS TEAM…AT LEAST NOT YET…
BUT STARTING TONIGHT…IT’S TIME FOR THESE PLAYERS TO “PROVE” THEY BELONG ON THIS LEAGUE…
AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS…THE B.C. LIONS ARE STILL…
ONE AND SIX

Joey Votto

JOEY VOTTO…OF THE CINCINNATI REDS…
THE BEST CANADAIN ATHLETE…MOST CANADIANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF…
LASTNIGHT VOTTO COLLECTED 4 HITS…INCLUDING 2 HOME RUNS AND 4 RBI’S…AS THE REDS BEAT SAN FRANSICO 12-11…
HE NOW LEADS THE NATIONAL LEAGUE WITH A .326 AVERAGE…
HIS 31 HOME RUNS ARE 2 BACK OF ALBERT PUJOLS OF THE CARDINALS…
AND HIS 90 RIB’S ARE ALSO…2 BACK OF PUJOLS…
BOTH PLAYERS ARE NOW TRYING TO BECOME THE FIRST PLAYER TO WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN…SINCE CARL YASTRZEMSKI DID IT FOR BOSTON…BACK IN 1967…
THEY ARE ALSO TRYING TO BECOME THE FIRST “NATIONAL LEAGUE” PLAYER TO WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN…
SINCE JOE “DUCKY” MEDWICK DID IT FOR ST. LOUIS…BACK IN 1937…
THAT’S 73 YEARS AGO…
ADD TO ALL THAT…
THE REDS NOW LEAD THE CARDS BY 3 AND HALF GAMES…IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE “CENTRAL”…
WHICH MEANS…IN THE NEXT MONTH JOEY VOTTO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN…
A DIVISION TITLE…AND BE NAMED THE MVP IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE…
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CANADIAN PLAYERS WIN AWARDS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL…
THE LIST INCLUDES…JUSTIN MORNEAU…LARRY WALKER…ERIC GAGNE AND FERGUSON JEKNKINS…
BUT WHAT VOTTO IS ATTEMPTING TO DO IS…”UNTHINKABLE”…
SO THE QUESTION STANDS…
WHY DOES HE REMAIN THE ANSWER TO A TRIVIA QUESTION…IN HIS OWN COUNTRY???
TWO REASONS…
THE FIRST IS…THE RELIGION IN CANADA IS HOCKEY…
AND SECONDLY…VOTTO PLAYS IN CINCINNATI…
IF HE PLAYED IN TORONTO…VOTTO WOULD ALREADY HAVE HIGH SCHOOLS NAMED AFTER HIM…
LET’S SAY…FOR ARGUMENT SAKE…JOEY VOTTO WINS THE TRIPLE CROWN…
DOES HE ALSO WIN THE LOU MARSH???…AS “CANADIAN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR”…
DON’T COUNT ON IT….THIS IS AN OLYMPIC YEAR…
STEVE NASH…LARRY WALKER…JUSTIN MORNEAU…JOE SAKIC…MARIO LEMIEUX AND WAYNE GRETZKY…ARE JUST SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES THAT HAVE BEEN SNUBBED…BY THE CLOWNS IN TORONTO WHO VOTE ON THE LOU MARSH…
IN THE MEANTIME JOEY VOTTO CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN ALL OF SPORTS…
EVERY WHERE…EXCEPT…HIS HOME TOWN…

Vancouver Canucks

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THAT BRIGHT SHINY OBJECT IN THE SKY…
SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER…
ALL THE SIGNS ARE THERE…
THE BLUE JAYS ARE OUT OF THE PENANT RACE…
AND NHL PLAYERS HAVE MIGRATED BACK TO VANCOUVER AND ARE NOW SKATING AT UBC…
AS DIFFICULT AS THIS IS TO BELIEVE:
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL PLAY THEIR FIRST EXIBITION GAME IN LESS THAN A MONTH…
AND LAUNCH THEIR REGULAR SEASON JUST 18 DAYS AFTER THAT…
A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE CANUCKS WERE BOUNCED OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS BY CHICAGO ON MAY 11TH…
TO START WITH…GM PLACE IS NOW…ROGERS ARENA…
TOM LARSCHIED ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT…HIS LAST GAME WILL BE THE OPENER ON OCTOBER THE 9TH…
LARSCHIED WILL NOT BE THE ONLY FAMILIAR FACE MISSING…
TODAY WILLIE MITCHELL SIGNED A 2 YEAR CONTRACT WITH L.A.…
THE RECENTLY DEPARTED ALSO INCLUDE…PAVOL DEMITRA…KYLE WELLWOOD…MICHEAL GRABNER AND ASSISTANT COACH RYAN WALTER…
THE NEW FACES INCLUDE…DAN HAMHUIS…KEITH BALLARD…MANNY MOLHOLTRA…AND RAFFI TORRES…WHO JUST AGREED TO A 1 YEAR DEAL…
BUT THE STARTING LINE ON OPENING NIGHT COULD ALSO INCLUDE…
CODY HODGSON…JORDAN SCHROEDER AND JEFF TAMBELLINI…
THIS SEASON THE CANUCKS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW CAPTAIN…
GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS PLANS TO SIT DOWN WITH ROBERTO LUONGO NEXT MONTH…
THE SMART MONEY IS ON “HENRIK SEDIN” TO GET THE JOB…
HENRIK WILL BECOME THE TEAMS’ THIRD CAPTAIN…IN 4 YEARS…
ALL THIS SHOULD NOT SURPRISE HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…
WHEN GILLIS TOOK OVER 2 YEARS AGO HE PROMISED CHANGE…AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DELIVERED…
FROM THE ROSTER GILLIS INHERITED IN THE SUMMER OF 2008…THERE ARE NOW JUST 9 PLAYERS LEFT…
SO AS WE PREPARE TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR “FLIP FLOPS” FOR ANOTHER YEAR…
THE ONLY QUESTION THAT REALLY MATTERS IS THIS…
ARE THE CANUCKS FINALLY READY TO COMPETE FOR A STANLEY CUP???
WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT…

Ilya Kovalchuk

WELCOME TO THE DOG AND PONY SHOW…BETTER KNOWN AS…”THE NHL”…
ON TUESDAY THE LEAGUE ALLOWED THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS TO SIGN ILYA KOVALCHUK TO A 17 YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $102 MILLION…
TODAY THE LEAGUE REJECTED THE DEAL…
ACCORDING TO ESPN…
NEW JERSEY GENERAL MANAGER LOU LAMORIELLO KNEW THE NHL HAD THIS PLANNED…
AND STILL SIGNED KOVALCHUK…WHILE THE LEAGUE DID AND SAID…”NOTHING”…
AS A RESULT…THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION NOW HAS 5 DAYS TO FILE A GRIEVANCE…
AFTER WHICH THE WHOLE MATTER WILL BE HANDED OVER TO AN ARBITRATOR…WHO WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE DEAL IS VALID…
THE REAL QUESTION IS…WHY???
WHY HAS THE NHL DECIDED THAT “NOW” IS THE TIME TO GET TOUGH???
AFTER ALL…THIS IS THE SAME LEAGUE THAT HAS MADE FRONT-LOADED CONTRACTS “THE STANDARD”…
THE LIST INCLUDES…JOHAN FRANZEN…HENRIK ZETTERBERG…MARIAN HOSSA…CHRIS PRONGER…MARC SAVARD…AND ROBERTO LUONGO…
THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE!!!
NHL COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN HAS LESS THAN A YEAR LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT…
AND THERE IS NO GUARENTEE HE WILL BE OFFERED A NEW ONE…
TO BEGIN WITH…THIS CURRENT CBA…WITH ALL OF ITS LOOPHOLES…BELONGS TO BETTMAN…
AND HE IS THE ONE WHO SHUTDOWN THE LEAGUE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR…TO GET IT…
THE LEAGUE IS ALSO FIGHTING FIRES IN A NUMBER OF CITIES…INCLUDING PHOENIX…NASHVILLE…ATLANTA…AND DALLAS…
IN PAST BETTMAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ONTO HIS JOB…BASED ON HIS ABILITY TO PUT MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF THOSE OWNERS…
THAT IS WHAT DROVE ALL THE EXPANSION IN THE 90’S…
THESE DAYS IT’S TELEVISION…
BOTH THE NBC AND VERSUS DEALS RUN OUT AFTER NEXT SEASON…THOSE 2 DEALS BRING IN A MERE $75 MILLION…
BUT THANKS TO THE RATINGS SUPPLIED BY THE OLYMPICS…AND THE STANLEY CUP FINAL…
THE NEW AMERICAN CONTRACTS…COMBINED WITH THE CANADAIN DEALS COULD BE WORTH AS MUCH AS…$500 MILLION A YEAR…
BUT WHAT’S THE POINT…IF IT ALL WINDS UP IN THE HANDS OF THE PLAYERS???
IN THE END…THE KOVALCHUK CONTRACT IS ABOUT ONE THING…WHO RUNS THE NHL…
TODAY GARY BETTMAN FIRED THE FIRST SHOT…

Tiger Woods

“WINNING IS NOT EVERYTHING…IT’S THE ONLY THING”…
VINCE LOMBARDI SAID THAT 50 YEARS AGO…
AND TODAY…IN THE CASE OF TIGER WOODS…IT IS…THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH…
IF TIGER WOODS WAS A GREAT PERSON…MAYBE WE WOULD CARE???
BUT AS WE’VE WITNESSED…OVER THE LAST 8 MONTHS…THAT’S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE…
THIS WEEKEND AT THE BRITISH OPEN…
TIGER CAN SHIFT ALL THE ATTENTION…AWAY FROM THE TRAIN WRECK THAT IS NOW HIS PERSONAL LIFE…
ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS…”WIN”!!!
SOMETHING HE HAS NOT DONE…SINCE HE WRAPPED HIS SUV AROUND A FIRE HYDRANT BACK IN NOVEMEBER…
A VICTORY AT ST. ANDREWS…WILL DO A LOT MORE THAN JUST GET “TMZ” AND THE “NATIONAL ENQUIRER” OFF HIS BACK…
IT WILL ALSO GIVE HIM HIS 15TH CAREER MAJOR…
THE RECORD IS 18…OWNED BY JACK NICKLAUS…
SUDDENLY THAT IS WHERE ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION WOULD BE FOCUSED…
BUT IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE…
TIGER WILL TURN 35 LATER THIS YEAR…
WHICH MEANS…TIME IS STARTING TO RUN OUT…
NICKLAUS ONLY WON 1 MAJOR AFTER THE AGE OF 40…
AND ARNOLD PALMER DID NOT WIN ONE AFTER THE AGE OF 34…
THAT GETS US BACK TO ST. ANDREWS…A COURSE THAT TIGER HAS OWNED…
IN 2000 HE WON THE OPEN BY 8 SHOTS…
AND THEN IN 2005…HE WON BY 5…
HOWEVER SHOULD TIGER MELTDOWN HERE…AS HE DID…AT THE MASTERS AND THE U.S. OPEN…
THEN THERE WOULD BE…A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY…THAT HE NEVER CATCHES THE GOLDEN BEAR…
THERE ARE 2 OTHER FACTORS WORKING AGAINST TIGER…
THE FIRST IS THE COMPETITION…
NEVER HAS THERE BEEN AS MANY GREAT PLAYERS UNDER THE AGE OF 30…FROM JUSTIN ROSE…TO ANTHONY KIM…TO RORY MCILROY…
AND SECONDLY IS TIGER’S LEFT KNEE…IT’S ALREADY BEEN OPERATED ON 4 TIMES…
SO FOR TIGER WOODS…THE FUTURE IS NOW…
BECAUSE IF HE HAS INDEED…LOST THE ABILITY TO WIN…
THEN…WHAT’S LEFT???
SADLY…THE TRUTH IS…NOT MUCH!!!

Stanley Cup

THE STANLEY CUP…
THE GREATEST TROPHY IN SPORTS…
AND WITH IT…ONE OF THE GREATEST TRADITIONS IN SPORTS…
THROUGH OUT THE SUMMER EVERY MEMBER OF THE WINNING TEAM GETS TO A SPEND A WHOLE DAY WITH “THE CUP”…
YESTERDAY IT WAS IN WINNIPEG…WHERE JONATHAN TOEWS WAS GIVEN THE KEYS TO THE CITY…AND THE PROVINCE NAMED A LAKE AFTER HIM…
THIS WEEK IT WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA…
IN ALL THERE WERE 5 MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS THAT ARE FROM THIS PROVINCE…
ON WEDNESDAY IN SURRY…COLIN FRASER WILL KICKOFF THE PARTY AT THE “CENTRAL CITY PLAZA”…
ON THURSDAY TROY BROUWER WILL TAKE IT TO NORTH DELTA…
THERE’S A BIG PARADE PLANNED…
ON FRIDAY…BRENT SEABROOK HAS A “PRIVATE EVENT” PLANNED IN TSAWWASSEN…
ON SATURDAY THE CUP WILL BE IN PENTICTION…WHERE DUNCAN KEITH PLANS TO TAKE IT TO THE CHILDRENS WARD OF THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL…
THEN ON SUNDAY…IT’S OFF TO MAPLE RIDGE…ANDREW LADD WILL TAKE IT TO THE CAM NEELY ARENA…
IT’S THE SECOND TIME LADD HAS BROUGHT THE CUP BACK…TO HIS HOME TOWN…
UNFORTUNATELY THE CUP DOES NOT ALWAYS RECEIVE THE RESPECT IT DESERVES…
IN 1905…THE OTTAWA SENATORS LEFT IT OVER NIGHT ON THE RIDEAU CANAL…
THE 1940 NEW YORK RANGERS…URINATED IN IT…
IN 1980…CLARK GILLIES LET HIS DOG EAT OUT OF IT…
IN 1991…IT WOUND UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MARIO LEMIEUX’S POOL…
IN 1994…THE RANGERS TOOK IT TO BELMOUNT AND LET KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER “GO FOR GIN” EAT OUT OF IT…
AND 2 YEARS AGO…IT WAS PUSHED OFF A TABLE WHILE AT CHRIS CHELIOS’ “CHILI BAR IN DETROIT…
SOMEHOW THE STANLEY CUP HAS SURVIVED IT ALL…AND IN THE MEANTIME…GONE FROM…THE WHITE HOUSE…TO THE TOP OF FISHER PEAK IN CRANBROOK…
IN ALL…IT TRAVELS OVER 100 THOUSAND MILES…EVERY YEAR…
BUT THE REAL MAGIC OF THE CUP…IS SOMETHING THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE EYES OF “THE FANS” WHO FINALLY GET TO SEE IT LIVE AND IN PERSON…
THIS WEEK…HOCKEY FANS IN B.C. WILL GET THEIR TURN…
IN 117 YEARS…IT’S SOMETHING THAT NEVER GETS OLD…

LeBron James

SHAME ON LEBRON JAMES…
SHAME ON THE MIAMI HEAT…
SHAME ON THE NBA…
LASTNIGHT ON NATIONAL TELEVISON LEBRON JAMES PREFORMED ONE OF THE WORST “DOG AND PONY” ACTS IN THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS…
HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS JOINING HIS FRIENDS DWAYNE WADE AND CHRIS BOSH IN MIAMI…
IN DOING SO HE TURNED HIS BACK ON THE CITY OF CLEVELAND…AND THE FANS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED HIM FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS…
YOU MIGHT THINK SOME ONE WHO GREW UP IN AKRON OHIO WOULD FEEL SOME KIND OF LOYALITY TO THOSE PEOPLE…
YOU WOULD BE WRONG!!!
IN HIS WORDS…”I WANTED TO DO WHAT WAS BEST FOR LEBRON JAMES”…
AFTER MAKING HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ON ESPN…JAMES JUMPED ONTO A PRIVATE JET AND FLEW TO MIAMI…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE FANS BACK IN CLEVELAND SPILLED OUT INTO THE STREETS AND SET FIRE TO HIS NUMBER 23 JERSEY…
TO UNDERSTAND THIS KIND OF ANGRY AND FRUSTRATION…SIMPLY THINK BACK 9 YEARS…TO THE DAY THE VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES PACKED THEIR BAGS AND LEFT FOR MEMPHIS…
SADLY…THERE ARE NOW TWO NBA’S…
THE ELITE…WHICH INCLUDE…THE LAKERS…THE CELTICS…THE MAGIC…THE SPURS…AND NOW THE HEAT…
AND THE “NOT READY FOR NETWORK TELEVISION PLAYERS”…WHICH INCLUDES…PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF THE LEAGUE…
ONE LOOK AT THE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS…AND YOU CAN SEE THE TROUBLE THE NBA IS IN…
LAST SEASON ONLY 4 TEAMS SOLD OUT EVERY GAME…
COMPARE THAT WITH THE NHL…WHICH HAD 11 TEAMS SELL OUT EVERY NIGHT…
THE DIFFERENCE IS ONE WORD…”PARITY”…
ACCORDING TO COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN…LAST SEASON…THE NBA LOST $400 MILLION DOLLARS…
THAT DESPITE THE FACT THE LEAGUE GENERATES ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN NATIONAL TELEVSION CONTRACTS…
THE CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT RUNS OUT NEXT SUMMER…AND MOST EXPECT A LOCK OUT…
THE OWNERS MUST REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR BUSINESS…AND GIVE THE FANS THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT OF ALL…”HOPE”…
WHAT LEBRON JAMES DID LASTNIGHT…MAYBE…”WHAT IS “BEST” FOR LEBRON JAMES”…
BUT MORE UNFORTUNATELY…IT REPRESENTS WHAT IS…“THE WORST”…IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS…

Hockey Season

ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW…TAKE A DEEP BREATH…
YOU CAN JUST FEEL IT???
AND DO NOT LET THE BRIGHT SUNSHINE AND THE CROWDED BEACHES FOOL YOU…
THIS IS HOCKEY SEASON!!!
AS WE SPEAK…THE PROSPECTS ARE ON THE ICE AT THE NEWLY NAMED ROGERS ARENA…
AND TONIGHT AT 7 O’CLOCK…GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS WILL HOST THE ANNUAL “CANUCKS SUMMER SUMMIT”…
AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN TO THE SEASON TICKET HOLDERS…WHAT THE FRANCHISE HAS PLANNED FOR ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY…
THOSE CELEBRATIONS MAY INCLUDE A NEW JERSEY…
AND TODAY E.J RADEK FROM ESPN OFFICIALLY PICKED “THE CANUCKS” AS “THE” TEAM TO BEAT IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FOR NEXT SEASON…
WHAT A DIFFERENCE 2 YEARS CAN MAKE…
IN 2008…WHEN GILLIS ARRIVED IN THIS TOWN…THE CANUCKS WERE A TEAM THAT HAD MISSED THE PLAYOFFS 2 OF THE LAST 3 SEASONS…
AT HIS FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE GILLIS MADE IT CLEAR…CHANGES WERE COMING…
IN HIS WORDS…”I DON’T THINK THIS TEAM IS CLOSE”…
THEN GILLIS WENT TO WORK AND BEGAN TO BACK UP HIS WORDS…
HEADING INTO NEXT SEASON…THERE COULD BE A FEW AS 8 PLAYERS LEFT…FROM THE ROSTER MIKE GILLIS INHERITED…
7 OF THOSE 8…INCLUDING THE SEDINS…ARE LOCKED UP TO LONG TERM CONTRACTS…
AND MASON RAYMOND COULD BE SIGNED…BY AS EARLY AS THE END OF THE MONTH…
GILLIS ALSO PROMISED “BOLD MOVES”…
WHICH HE DELIVERED…STARTING WITH MATS SUNDIN…
FOR EVERY PAVOL DEMITRA…THERE HAS BEEN A MIKAEL SAMUELSSON…
AND FOR EVERY MATHIEU SCHNEIDER…THERE HAS BEEN A CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF…
THE CANUCKS ARE ALSO ABOUT TO BENEFIT FROM 2 SOLID DRAFT YEARS…
CODY HODGSON IS NOW A LOCK TO MAKE THIS TEAM…
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT ARE CLOSE…
INCLUDING…JORDAN SCHROEDER…YANN SAUVE AND ANTON RODIN…
WHILE ALL THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON…THANKS TO THE SALARY CAP…
THE ELITE OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…SUCH AS CHICAGO…SAN JOSE AND DETROIT…
HAVE ALL TAKEN A SERIOUS STEP BACK…
AS A RESULT…THE EXCITEMENT AND THE ANTICIPATION IS EVERY WHERE!!!
AND THERE’S JUST “94” DAYS TO GO…
AIN’T HOCKEY SEASON GREAT???

NHL Free Agency

THE ROLLERCOAST RIDE…ALSO KNOWN AS “THE NHL OFF SEASON”…
HAS AT LEAST ONE MORE “BIG THRILL” BEFORE IT’S OVER…
GET READY FOR FREE AGENCY…
ON JULY 1ST OF LAST YEAR…40 PLAYERS SIGNED NEW DEALS WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS…
SOME OF THE BIG WINNERS INCLUDED…
MATIAS OHLUND GOT $30 MILLION TO PLAY IN TAMPA BAY…
MARTIN HAVLAT WAS PAID $30 MILLION TO RELOCATE TO MINNESOTA…
SO DID MIKE CAMMALLERI TO MOVE TO MONTREAL…
AND THEN THERE WAS MARIAN HOSSA WHO LANDED $60 MILLION IN CHICAGO…
MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT THE SEDINS WOULD HAVE EARNED HAD THEY NOT SIGNED ONE DAY BEFORE…
THE BIG PRIZE THIS YEAR IS ILYA KOVALCHUK…
THIS WEEKEND DURING THE DRAFT…THE L.A. KINGS ATTEMPTED TO AQUIRE HIS RIGHTS FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS…
HOWEVER…THE DEVILS STILL BELIEVE THEY CAN SIGN KOVALCHUK BEFORE THURSDAY…
EITHER WAY THE KINGS COULD BE A VERY BIG PLAYER ON JULY THE 1ST…
WORD HAS IT THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING TO SIGN A DEFENCEMAN…
THE SHOPPING LIST INCLUDES…
1) DAN HAMHIUS…
2) SERGIE GONCHAR…
3) PAUL MARTIN…AND…
4) TOMAS KABERLE…
THOSE 4 DEFENCEMEN MAYBE “GROUND ZERO” WHEN THE FEEDING FRENZY BEGINS…
THERE’S TALK THAT IF THE DEVILS CAN NOT GET PAUL MARTIN RE-SIGNED…
THEY WILL TAKE A RUN A SERGIE GONCHAR…
IN THE MEANTIME THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ARE DETERMINED TO NOT ONLY RE-SIGN GONCHAR…
BUT ALSO LAST WEEK TRADED FOR THE RIGHTS TO DAN HAMHUIS…
AS A RESULT….OVER THE WEEKEND…PITTSBURGH GENERAL MANAGER RAY SHERO SPENT MUCH OF HIS TIME TALKING TO BOTH HAMHUIS AND HIS AGENT…
ALSO OVER THE WEEKEND THE SAN JOSE SHARKS GAVE THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS PERMISSION TO TALK TO GOALTENDER EVGENI NABOKOV…
THE FUN AND GAMES BEGINS IN LESS THAN 72 HOURS…
HOLD ON TIGHT KIDS…BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A DOOZY…

NHL Entry Draft

WHEN THERE IS THIS MUCH SMOKE…THERE HAS TO BE SOME FIRE…
AS WE SPEAK THE NHL ENTRY DRAFT IS GETTING UNDER WAY IN L.A…
HEADING IN…THERE WERE MORE RUMORS FLYING AROUND…
THAN A TIGER WOODS BACHELOR PARTY…
EDMONTON GM STEVE TAMBELLINI HAS BEEN TRYING TO AQUIRE THE 2ND PICK OVER ALL FROM BOSTON…
THE OFFER WAS SAID TO BE…ALEX HEMSKY AND JORDAN EBERLE…
COLUMBUS MAY DEAL THE NUMBER 4 PICK OVER ALL…THE BLUE JACKETS ARE DESPERATE FOR A CENTER…
THE ISLANDERS ARE LOOKING FOR A WINGER…AND MIGHT TRADE THE NUMBER 5 PICK OVER ALL…
HOW’S THIS FOR A TWIST…
FLORIDA GM DALE TALLON HAS BEEN TALKING TO HIS OLD TEAM CHICAGO…ABOUT LANDING KRIS VERSTEEG…
TALLON IS OFFERING THE NUMBER 15 PICK OVER ALL…
HERE IN VANCOUVER…
ALL THE ATTENTION IS ON WHAT GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS HAS PLANNED…
THERE WERE RUMORS FLOATING AROUND ABOUT THE CANUCKS AQUIRING THE RIGHTS TO DAN HAMHUIS FROM PHILADELPHIA…
WORD HAS IT…HAMHUIS IS NOT GOING TO SIGN WITH ANY TEAM UNTIL AFTER JULY 1ST…
“FORGETABOUTIT”…
THERE WAS ALSO SOME TALK ABOUT THE CANUCKS GOING AFTER ALEXANDER SEMIN OF THE CAPITALS…
SEMIN WILL MAKE $6 MILLION THIS SEASON AND BECOME AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT NEXT SUMMER…
THIS IS ANOTHER…”FORGETABOUTIT”
IT IS MUCH MORE LIKELY…”IF” THE CANUCKS MAKE A DEAL…IT WILL BE TO MOVE DOWN IN THE DRAFT…
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS…THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF VERY GOOD PLAYERS TAKEN AFTER THE 25TH PICK…
THE LIST INCLUDES…MILAN LUCIC…MIKE GREEN…DAVE BOLLAND…DAVID KREJI…CORY PERRY…SHEA WEBER…MIKE CAMMALLERI…AND DUNCAN KEITH…TO NAME A FEW…
AT THIS MOMENT…ALL WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN IS THIS…
THE OILERS HAVE THE FIRST PICK OVER ALL…
AFTER THAT…IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME…UNTIL SOME GM…LIGHTS A MATCH…

Empire Fields

IT WAS LIKE DEVA VU…ALL OVER AGAIN…
YESTERDAY THE B.C. LIONS PLAYED THEIR FIRST HOME GAME…OUT DOORS…IN 28 YEARS…
25 THOUSAND SHOWED UP TO WATCH AN EXIBITION GAME…
ALTHOUGH IN TRUTH…MOST OF THEM SHOWED UP TO EXPERIENCE “EMPIRE FIELD”…
AND IT IS BETTER THAN ADVERTISED…
FROM THE SIGHT LINES…TO THE MUSIC…TO THE CONCESSIONS…TO THE SOUNDS OF THE ROLLER COASTER…FOR MANY US IT REALLY DID FEEL LIKE “WE’D BEEN HERE BEFORE”…
WHAT IS TRULY AMAZING IS THE FACT THE LIONS WERE ABLE TO GET IT BUILT IN 111 DAYS…
IT IS PERFECT…
WELL ALMOST…
THE LIONS DO HAVE ONE PROBLEM…
THE PNE...WHICH IS RUN BY THE CITY OF VANCOUVER…
FOR SOME REASON THE CLOWNS…THINK IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO GOUGE FOOTBALLS $30 DOLLARS TO PARK THEIR CARS…
NOW KEEP IN MIND…
THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY ON THE HOOK FOR THE $14.4 MILLION DOLLARS IT TOOK TO BUILD EMPIRE FIELD…
IT’S ALL PART OF THE $458 MILLION TAX PAYERS ARE SPENDING ON RENOVATIONS TO B.C. PLACE…
IN OTHER WORDS…IT’S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF EVERYBODY…IF THE PNE DOES IT’S PART TO ATTRACT AS MANY FOOTBALL FANS AS POSSIBLE TO EMPIRE FIELD…
YOU DO NOT NEED A MASTERS DEGREE IN BUSINESS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AN EMPTY SEAT…NEVER BOUGHT A TICKET…OR A BEER…OR A BAG OF POPCORN…
MOST FANS WHO WENT TO THE GAME ON SUNDAY WERE SHOCKED AT THE PRICE OF PARKING…
IT’S ONE THING FOR PRIVATE COMPANIES TO JACK UP THE PARKING FOR MAJOR EVENTS DOWNTOWN…
IT’S QUITE ANOTHER FOR OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS TO PLAY THE ROLE OF “BANDITS AND THIEVES”…
THE LIONS ARE AWARE OF HOW UPSET THEIR FANS ARE…AND THERE ARE MEETINGS PLANNED…
UNFORTUNATELY…KNOWING THE IQ THAT NOW RUNS THIS CITY…
MAYOR GREGOR ROBERTSON MAY DECIDE….THE ANSWER…IS A “BIKE LANE” FROM HERE TO CHILLIWACK…

Empire Stadium

EMPIRE STADIUM…
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS IT WAS OUR “FIELD OF DREAMS”…
IT OPENED IN 1954 AS VANCOUVER HOSTED THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES…
AND AS A RESULT…IT BECAME THE SITE OF THE “MIRACLE MILE”…
THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY…TWO MEN HAD MANAGED TO RUN A MILE IN UNDER 4 MINUTES…
ON AUGUST 31ST 1957 ELVIS PLAYED THERE…
IT WAS ONLY 1 OF 3 CONCERTS IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER…WHICH WAS HELD OUTSIDE OF THE U.S…
ON AUGUST 22ND 1964…THE BEATLES HIT TOWN…
ON THAT NIGHT…THE MOST EXPENSIVE SEAT IN THE HOUSE WENT FOR A STAGERING $5.25…
WHEN THE BAND HIT THE STAGE…THE 20 THOUSAND FANS WENT NUTS…
MANAGER BRIAN EPTEIN WAS SO CONCERNED…HE DEMANDED RED ROBINSON GO OUT…STOP THE SHOW AND TRY TO SETTLE DOWN THE CROWD…
BUT WHEN ROBINSON WALKED OUT…JOHN LENNON TOLD HIM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO…QUOTE…”GET THE “F” OFF THE STAGE”
THE SHOW LASTED A MERE 27 MINUTES…
BUT FOR FOOTBALL FANS…
EMPIRE STADIUM BECAME HOME FOR THE B.C. LIONS…
THIS CITY’S FIRST PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FRANCHISE…
A FRANCHISE THAT HAS GIVEN US…
JOE KAPP…WILLIE FLEMING…JIM YOUNG…LEON BRIGHT…MERV FERNANDEZ…DOUG FLUTIE…DARREN FLUTIE…AND GEROY SIMON…
JUST TO NAME A FEW…
IN 1955…EMPIRE STADIUM HOSTED ITS FIRST GREY CUP GAME…
THE FIRST EVER PLAYED WEST OF TORONTO…
IN ALL…EMPIRE WITNESSED 7 CFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES…
WITHOUT IT…THERE WERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO…VANCOUVER WHITECAPS…
NO SOCCER BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP…IN 1979…
AND NO MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER…IN 2011…
BUT THE REAL VALUE OF EMPIRE STADIUM CAN ONLY BE MEASURED IN THE MEMORY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE…
ON SUNDAY AT THE NEW “EMPIRE FIELD”…ALL THOSE MEMORIES WILL RETURN…
LIKE THE MAN SAID…”THIS FIELD…THIS GAME…IT’S A PART OF OUR PAST…PEOPLE WILL COME…PEOPLE WILL MOST DEFINITELY COME”…

Cyclists

PEOPLE…SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG HERE…
YESTERDAY THE CITY OF VANCOUVER OPENED THE DUNSMUIR STREET BIKE LANE…
IT IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO A PROJECT TO CREATE 55 KILO-METERS OF BIKE LANES IN THIS CITY AT A COST OF $25 MILLION DOLLARS…
ALL THIS TO ACCOMMODATE A HANDFULL OF “FAIR WEATHER” CYCLISTS…
WHO NOW BELIEVE THEY NOW OWN THE ROADS OF THIS CITY…
THESE PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CREATE A “DAILY TRAFFIC JAM” OF 20 THOUSAND CARS…
ALL SPEWING MILLIONS OF TONS OF CARBON MONOXIDE…
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME…YELLING INTO THE FACES OF THOSE DRIVERS…”GO GREEN”…
ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH…THESE SAME BOZOS SHUT DOWN THE CITY…BY STAGING A PROTEST CALLED “CRITAL MASS”…
IT’S ILLEGAL AND INCREDIBLY IRRESPONSIBLE…BUT NOBODY EVER GETS ARRESTED…
WHY???
BECAUSE THE LEADER OF THESE “PIN HEADS” IS THE MAYOR OF VANCOUVER GREGOR ROBERTSON…
A MAN WHO CLEARLY DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF VANCOUVER TAXPAYERS WHO PAY HIS SALARY…
ACCORDING TO THE CITY’S OWN CENSUS DATA…96 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN VANCOUVER…
DRIVE CARS TO WORK…
THAT’S 96 PERCENT…
THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE THE 100 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE LOWER MAINLAND…
WHO ALSO WORK IN VANCOUVER AND NEED THIER CARS TO MAKE A LIVING…
AND IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT IT IS HAVING ON THE HOTELS…RESTAURANTS…AND SHOPS…
ALL OF WHICH PAY TAXES AND EMPLOYEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE…
THE BIKE LANE ON THE BURRARD STREET BRIDGE IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THE DAMAGE THAT IS BEING DONE TO THIS CITY…
EVERY DAY…TRAFFIC IS BACKED UP IN ALL DIRECTIONS…WHILE THE BIKE LINE REMAINS UN-USED…
ALL THANKS TO A COMPLETELY “CORUPTED” POLITICAL SYSTEM…LED BY A MAYOR WHO HAS CLEARLY SOLD HIS SOUL…TO “SPECIAL INTEREST” GROUPS…
THIS IS THE SAME CLOWN WHO BELIEVES GIVING AWAY “MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS” TO THE HOMELESS IS A GOOD IDEA…
IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS THE CITY OF VANCOUVER WILL BUILD OVER 500 UNITS ON THE MOST EXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE IN NORTH AMERICA AT A COST OF $225 MILLION DOLLARS…
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME…NOT ADDRESSING ANY OF THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM…
STARTING WITH DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION…
THE ANSWER IS TO GET POLITICALLY ACTIVE…
MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD…AND YOUR VOTE IN COUNTED…
THE NEXT VANCOUVER ELECTION IS ONLY A YEAR AWAY…
IT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO “RIGHT” THIS TERRIBLE “WRONG”…

UFC

YOU DO NOT NEED TO LOVE SOMETHING TO RESPECT IT…
ON SATURDAY AT GM PLACE….THE UFC WILL FINALLY ARRIVE HERE IN VANCOUVER…
THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT…WITH TICKETS GOING FOR AS MUCH AS $3 THOUSAND DOLLARS A POP…
EVEN ITS CRITICS CAN NOT DEBATE THE SUCCESS OF THIS COMPANY…
IT OWNS ALL THE RECORDS FOR PAY PER VIEW…
GENERATING AS MUCH AS A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR…
ITS PROGRAMING IS SEEN IN 130 COUNTRIES WORLD WIDE…
ITS ATHLETES ARE NOW SEEN ON THE COVER OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED…
IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN OFFICIAL BEER…BUD LITE…
PRESIDENT DANA WHITE INSISTS THE UFC IS NOW BIGGER THAN HOCKEY…
AND PREDICTS WILL ONE DAY BE BIGGER THAN SOCCER…
IT’S NOT IMPORTANT…WHETHER OR NOT THAT’S TRUE…
IT’S ONLY IMPORTANT FOR THE UFC…THAT HE CAN SELL IT…
AND IN THERE LIES THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF ANY BUSINESS…
SALES AND MARKETING…
THE UFC HAS FILLED THE VOID…THAT WAS LEFT BY COLLAPSE OF BOXING…
A BLOOD SPORT THAT COMBINES THE “SENSELESS VIOLENCE” OF VIDEO GAMES…WITH THE SCRIPTED AND PRODUCED DRAMA OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING…
THINK OF IT AS…GRAND THEFT AUTO…MEETS…THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY…
THEN THE UFC PACKAGES ITS PRODUCT LIKE A ROCK CONCERT…WITH A GENEROUS MIXTURE OF LIGHTS AND SOUND…
THINK OF THAT AS…THE LOVE CHILD OF…DON KING…VINCE MCMAHON…AND BRUCE ALLEN…
AS WITH EVERY BUSINESS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY…THE UFC TAPS INTO EVERY POSSIBLE STREAM OF REVENUE…
TICKETS FOR LIVE EVENTS…PAY-PER-VIEW…CABLE T.V…DVD’S…VIDEO GAMES…CORPORATE SPONSORS…ACTION FIGURES AND T-SHIRTS…
IF THE UFC CAN STICK A LOGO ON IT…IT’S FOR SALE…
IN THE END…IT DOES NOT MATTER…WHETHER YOU “LOVE” OR “HATE” THIS FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT…
IT ONLY MATTERS IF YOU’RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT…
BECAUSE WHEN THE SHOW IS OVER SATURDAY NIGHT…THE ONLY TRUE WINNER IS GOING TO BE…THE UFC…
AND HOW DO YOU NOT…RESPECT THAT???

Chicago Blackhawks

AT 4 O’CLOCK THIS MORNING THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ARRIVED HOME WITH THE STANLEY CUP…
THEIR FIRST IN 49 YEARS…
AFTER LANDING…THE PILOT OF THE PLANE OPENED THE WINDON AT THE FRONT OF THE PLANE AND WAVED A BLACKHAWKS FLAG…
THE NEXT STOP WAS RUSH STREET…
ON FRIDAY THE REST CITY WILL GET ITS CHANCE TO CELEBRATE WITH THE CUP…
CHICAGO HAS PLANNED A TICKER TAPE PARADE…
NOW COMES THE TOUGH PART…REPEAT…
SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE SALARY CAP…NO DEFENDING CHAMPION HAS MANAGED TO DO THAT…
AND TO SAY THE LEAST…THIS SUMMER THE HAWKS ARE FACING SOME SERIOUS CHALLENGES…
TO START WITH:
FOR NEXT SEASON THE HAWKS ALREADY HAVE $57.5 MILLION COMMITTED TO JUST 14 PLAYERS…
THAT INCLUDES THE NEW CONTRACTS TO…
PATRICK KANE…AT $6.5 MILLION…
JONATHAN TOEWS…AT $6.5 MILLION…AND DUNCAN KEITH…AT $8 MILLION…
THAT’S 21 MILLION FOR 3 PLAYERS WHO COMBINED…MADE LESS THAN $4 MILLION THIS SEASON…
THEY ALSO HAVE 10…COUNT ‘EM 10 FREE AGENTS…
ON THE LIST…JOHN MADDEN…ANDREW LADD…BEN EAGER…ADAM BURRISH AND GOALTENDER ANTI NIEMI…
THE HAWKS ARE ALSO STUCK WITH TWO UNWORKABLE CONTRACTS…
GOALTENDER CRISTOBAL HUET HAS 2 YEARS LEFT AT $5.6 MILLION…PER…
AND DEFENCEMAN BRIAN CAMPBELL HAS 6 YEARS LEFT AT $7.1 MILLION…PER…
THE HAWKS MAY HAVE TO EAT…ONE OR PERHAPS EVEN…BOTH OF THOSE CONTRACTS…
THERE IS ALSO THE REAL POSSIBLITY THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO TRADE EITHER PATRICK SHARP OR DAVE BOLLAND…
JUST TO CREATE SOME CAP SPACE…
NEXT SEASON SHARP WILL MAKE $4.1 MILLION…BOLLAND WILL MAKE $3.4 MILLION…
SINCE THE LOCK OUT EVERY TEAM THAT HAS WON THE CUP HAS FACED THIS PROBLEM…
BUT NONE QUITE LIKE THE BLACKHAWKS…
THE SIMPLE TRUTH IS THIS…
IN THE NEW NHL THERE ARE NO DYNASTIES…
WHICH MEANS HOCKEY FANS IN CHICAGO BETTER ENJOY THIS PARTY…BECAUSE IT MAYBE A WHILE…BEFORE THEY GET TO THROW ANOTHER…

Canadian Soccer

THERE IS ONLY ONE THING IN SPORTS THAT IS WORSE THAN LOSING…
AND THAT IS NOT GIVING A DAMN…
TODAY MARC WEBER OF THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE WROTE A BRILLIANT STORY THAT DETAILED THE DISASTER…THAT HAS BECOME OUR MEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM…
ON FRIDAY THE WORLD CUP BEGINS IN SOUTH AFRICA…AND FOR THE 6TH STRAIGHT TIME…
CANADA WILL NOT BE INVOLVED…
IT IS NO SECRET THE BLAME BEGINS AND ENDS WITH THE CANADAIN SOCCER ASSOCIATION…
A GROUP THAT DEFINES THAT UNIQUE MIXTURE OF “IGNORANCE AND ARROGANCE”…
THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING…
IN THE LAST 3 QUALIFYING ATTEMPTS FOR THE WORLD CUP…
CANADA HAS GONE A MISERABLE 2-10-6…
ALTHOUGH THE GREATEST EMBARASSMENT BELONGS TO OUR “UNDER 20 TEAM” THAT HOSTED THE WORLD IN 2007…
A TEAM THAT WENT 0-3 AND FAILED TO SCORE A SINGLE GOAL…
THIS FROM A COUNTRY THAT HAS NEARLY 3 MILLION PEOPLE PLAYING THE GAME…
CANADA HAS 17 TIMES THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED PLAYERS AS COSTA RICA AND 14 TIMES AS MANY HONDURAS…
COUNTRIES THAT ROUTINELY KICK OUR BUTTS IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING…
CURRENTLY THIS COUNTRY IS RANKED 63RD IN THE WORLD…RIGHT BEHIND MACEDONIA AND IRAN…
DESPITE IT ALL…NOBODY AT THE CANADIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION EVER LOSES THEIR JOB…
IN THE WORDS OF FORMER NATIONAL GOALKEEPER CRAIG FORREST:
“HALF OF THEM DON’T EVEN KNOW THE GAME…AND THEY’RE NOT ACCOUNTABLE”…
AND THERE IS THE KEY…
A COMPLETE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY…
AND UNTIL THAT CHANGES…NOTHING WILL CHANGE…
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR ATHLETES ARE CAPABLE OF…
SIMPLY LOOK TO THE VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS…
THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CREATED A PROGRAM CALLED “OWN THE PODIUM”…
WE INVESTED IN OUR ATHLETES…WHICH GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD…
THE RESULT WAS 14 GOLD MEDALS…
THE MOST EVER WON BY ANY COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WINTER GAMES…
THE 2014 WORLD CUP WILL BE HELD IN BRAZIL…
AND WHO KNOWS…IF WE LEARN TO GIVE A DAMN…WE MIGHT JUST GET AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY…

Steve Yzerman

THERE WAS MORE PROOF TODAY…THAT IF YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH…YOU WILL SEE EVERYTHING…
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA THE NHL GENERAL MANAGERS MET…
IT WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL ACT FOR STEVE YZERMAN AS THE NEW GM IN TAMPA BAY…
LAST MONTH YZERMAN SIGNED A 5 YEARS DEAL WITH THE LIGHTNING…
FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS YZERMAN HAS BEEN A DETROIT RED WING…
23 AS A PLAYER…4 AS AN EXECUTIVE…
DETROIT GENERAL MANAGER KEN HOLLAND DESCRIBED THE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING YZERMAN WORKING FOR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION AS…”SURREAL”…
BUT HOLLAND HAS NO DOUBT YZERMAN CAN DO THE JOB…
IN HIS WORDS…”HE’S PAID HIS DUES…HE’S DONE EVERYTHING HE COULD TO PREPARE TO BE A GENERAL MANAGER”…
KEEP IN MIND…3 MONTHS AGO…IT WAS YZERMAN WHO LED CANADA TO AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL HERE IN VANCOUVER…
ALTHOUGH YZERMAN UNDERSTANDS THAT PICKING AN OLYMPIC TEAM…AND RUNNING AN NHL FRANCHISE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS…
IN THAT RESPECT…YZERMAN NOW SAYS THE ONE THING HE LEARNED FROM HIS TIME WITH THE WINGS WAS…”PATIENCE”…
HE’LL NEED IT BECAUSE…TO SAY THE LEAST…THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE…
THE LIGHTNING HAVE NOT MADE THE PLAYOFFS IN 3 YEARS…AND THIS SEASON WERE 21ST IN ATTENDANCE…
FOR NEXT SEASON…THEY ALREADY HAVE $39 MILLION DOLLARS COMMITTED TO JUST 12 PLAYERS…
INCLUDING THE $10 MILLION THEY’LL PAY TO VINCENT LECAVALIER…
THAT’S A LOT FOR A PLAYER WHO PRODUCED JUST 70 POINTS LAST SEASON…AND STILL HAS ANOTHER 10 YEARS ON HIS CONTRACT…
ALSO NEXT SEASON…MATTIAS OHLUND WILL MAKE $4 MILLION…AND HAS ANOTHER 6 YEARS LEFT ON HIS DEAL…
BUT THE LIGHTNING DO HAVE TWO GREAT YOUNG STARS IN STEVE STAMKOS AND VICTOR HEDMAN…
AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE NUMBER 6 PICK IN THIS YEARS ENTRY DRAFT…
WHICH GETS US BACK…TO THE NEED FOR “PATIENCE”…
BUT AS WITH EVERY JOURNEY…NO MATTER HOW LONG…IT ALL BEGINS WITH A FIRST STEP…
AND TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA…STEVE YZERMAN TOOK HIS…

Father and Son

FOR A FATHER AND A SON…IT SIMPLY DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS…
SCOTTY BOWMAN AND STAN BOWMAN ARE NOW JUST 2 WINS AWAY FROM SHARING A STANLEY CUP…
AS YOU MAY KNOW…
THESE DAYS SCOTTY IS NOW A SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AND STAN IS THE TEAMS GENERAL MANAGER…
2 YEARS AGO SCOTTY LEFT DETROIT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HIS SON…
AT THE TIME THERE WERE NO GUARENTEES OF THIS KIND OF SUCCESS….
KEEP IN MIND…THE PREVIOUS SEASON…THE HAWKS HAD FINISHED 10TH IN THE WEST…
AND HAD MISSED THE PLAYOFFS…9 OF THE LAST 10 SEASONS…
BUT THE OWNER OF THE HAWKS ROCKY WIRTZ KNEW HE HAD A GOOD YOUNG TEAM AND HE WANTED A MENTOR IN THE ORGANIZATION…
AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HE GOT WHEN HE SIGNED SCOTTY BOWMAN…
A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THAT IS GOALTENDER ANTTI NIEMI…
AT TRAINING CAMP THE HAWKS WERE DEBATING ON WHETHER TO KEEP…NIEMI OR COREY CRAWFORD…
BETWEEN SCOTTY AND STAN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO WITH NIEMI…
AND IN THE PLAYOFFS NIEMI HAS CARRIED THE HAWKS…
GOING 14-2…WITH A-GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE OF 2.41…
BOWMAN IS ALREADY THE ONLY HEAD COACH IN THE HISTORY OF THE NHL…NFL…NBA AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH 3 DIFFERENT TEAMS…
NOW IF CHICAGO GOES ONTO WIN THE CUP…IT WILL BE HIS 12TH CUP WITH 4 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS…
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 3 CUP FINALS BOWMAN MADE IT TO…WHILE HE WAS IN ST. LOUIS…
STRANGELY ENOUGH…THIS LATEST RUN ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED…
IN THE SUMMER OF 2007 THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WERE TALKING TO BOWMAN…
BUT IN THE END…NEVER PUT A SERIOUS OFFER ON THE TABLE…
THE END RESULT COULD BE ONE THE BEST “FATHER SON STORIES” IN HOCKEY…
RIGHT UP THERE WITH:
BRETT AND BOBBY HULL…AND GORDIE AND MARK HOWE…
ALL THAT’S MISSING NOW…IS THE STANLEY CUP…

Stanley Cup Ratings

THE STANLEY CUP FINALS ARE A HIT…
ON SATURDAY NIGHT…GAME 1 ON NBC…DREW A 6 SHARE…
THE BEST NUMBERS IN THE U.S…FOR AN OPENING GAME OF THE FINALS…SINCE 1999…
AND ARE 12 PERCENT HIGHER THAN GAME 1 LAST YEAR BETWEEN DETROIT AND PITTSBURGH…
CHICAGO LED THE WAY WITH A 35 SHARE…WHILE PHILADELPHIA PULLED A VERY RESPECTABLE 25 SHARE…
GAME ONE ALSO HAD STAR POWER…
IN THE CROWD…VINCE VAUGHN…TONY LA RUSSA…AND REX RYAN…
TONIGHT FOR GAME 2…JOHN CUSACK AND JEREMY PIVEN ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE TAMPA BAY RAYS HAVE CAUGHT THE FEVER…
ON SUNDAY THE RAYS FLEW INTO TORONTO TO TAKE ON THE BLUE JAYS…
THEY ARRIVED WEARING BLACK HAWK JERSEYS…WHICH WERE SUPPLIED BY CHICAGO…
IT WAS THE IDEA OF TAMPA BAY MANAGER JOE MADDON…WHO GREW UP AS A ST. LOUIS BLUES FAN…BUT IS NOW CLEARLY PULLING FOR THE HAWKS…
IN THE WORDS OF MADDON…”IT’S COOL”…
BUT WHAT IS REALLY “COOL” WAS THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE OF GAME ONE ON SATURDAY NIGHT…
TOMAS KOPECKY SCORED MIDWAY THROUGH THE 3RD PERIOD TO GIVE THE HAWKS A 6-5 VICTORY…
11 GOALS…COUNT ‘EM…11 GOALS…
DEFENCE MAY WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS…BUT OFFENCE STILL DRIVES RATINGS…
IT’S NOT LIKE THE NHL HAS NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE…
THERE WAS GRETZKY IN L.A. AND MESSIER IN NEW YORK…
BUT IN THE LIGHT OF THE ECONOMIC MESS THE NHL IS DEALING WITH IN CITIES LIKE…
PHOENIX…NASHVILLE…ATLANTA…FLORIDA…AND DALLAS…TO NAME A FEW…
A GREAT STANLEY CUP FINAL…IN TWO GREAT HOCKEY MARKETS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE LEAGUE AND COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR…
ON FRIDAY BETTMAN ONCE AGAIN INSISTED...”THE MARKET IS NOT FLOODED” WITH TEAMS FOR SALE…
KEEP IN MIND THOUGH…THIS IS THE SAME GARY BETTMAN WHO TOLD US A YEAR AGO…THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS IN PHOENIX…
BUT FOR NOW…THE ATTENTION IS ON THE ICE…
AND ONE LOOK AT THE T.V. RATINGS…IT WOULD APPEAR THAT IS WHERE IT IS GOING TO STAY…
AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT WEEK…OR SO…

A Tale of Two Cities

“IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES…IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES”…
CHARLES DICKENS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HOCKEY WRITER…
BECAUSE THE MONTREAL CANADIANS AND THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS ARE INDEED…“A TALE OF TWO CITIES”…
THE CANADIANS WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE…
AFTER ALL…THE HABS STUMBLED INTO THE PLAYOFFS…LOSING THEIR LAST 3 GAMES AND 8 OF THEIR LAST 11…
THEY FINISHED IN 8TH PLACE IN THE EAST…JUST 1 POINT AHEAD OF THE NEW YORK RANGERS…AND 8 GAMES UNDER .500…
IN THE MEANTIME THE CANUCKS RAN AWAY WITH THE NORTH WEST DIVISION…
WON MORE HOME GAMES THAN ANY OTHER TEAM IN THE NHL…
AND HENRIK SEDIN TOOK HOME THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
YET IT WAS MONTREAL…THAT UPSET BOTH WASHINGTON AND PITTSBURGH…
THE SAME CAPITALS THAT WON THE PRESIDENTS TROPHY…
AND THE SAME PENGUINS THAT WERE THE DEFENDING STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS…
IN A SINGLE MONTH…MONTREAL GENERAL MANAGER BOB GAINEY HAS BECOME A GENIUS…
AND VANCOUVER GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS CAN NOT GET A TABLE AT MCDONALDS…
IT ALL MAY SEEM LIKE MADNESS…UNTIL YOU REMEMBER THE “GOLDEN RULE” OF PLAYOFF HOCKEY…
GOALTENDING IS EVERYTHING!!!
SIMPLY COMPARE THE NUMBERS BETWEEN JAROSLAV HALAK AND ROBERTO LUONGO…
HALAK’S GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IS 2.42…
LUONGO’S WAS 3.23…
SO FAR IN THESE PLAYOFFS…HALAK HAS ALREADY FACED 450 SHOTS…96 OF THEM CAME IN GAMES 6 AND 7 AGAINST WASHINGTON…
THE HABS WON BOTH…AS HALAK GAVE UP A TOTAL OF JUST 2 GOALS…
AFTER 2 ROUNDS…THE CANADAINS HAVE BEEN OUT SHOT IN 12 OF 14 GAMES…
AND THAT INCLUDES GAME 7 LASTNIGHT IN PITTSBURGH…WHERE THE NUMBERS WERE…39-20…
COMPARE THAT TO THE 17 GOALS LUONGO SURRENDERED IN 3 HOME GAMES AGAINST THE HAWKS…
INCLUDING THE ONE TO BRENT SEABROOK…18 SECONDS INTO GAME 4…
FOR THE RECORD…HALAK MADE $800 THOUSAND THIS SEASON…
LUONGO WAS PAID $7.5 MILLION…
WHEN IT COMES THE 2010 NHL PLAYOFFS…MONTREAL AND VANCOUVER ARE CERTAINLY A TALE OF TWO CITIES…
BUT THEY ARE ALSO A TALE OF TWO GOALTENDERS…

HAVE WE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE???
MAY 11TH 2009…
IT WAS EXACTLY 1 YEAR AGO TODAY…
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS MET THE CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS IN GAME 6 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL…
THE HAWKS LED THE SERIES 3 GAMES TO 2…
THANKS TO A COUPLE OF VICTORIES IN GM PLACE…
TALK ABOUT DÉJÀ VU!!!
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR…IS THE LOCATION…
A YEAR AGO…THESE TEAMS MET IN CHICAGO…
TONIGHT IT’S VANCOUVER…
BUT ONCE AGAIN…TONIGHT THE SPOTLIGHT IS CLEARLY ON ONE PLAYER…
ROBERTO LUONGO…
LAST YEAR THE HAWKS SCORED 3 GOALS IN THE LAST 7 MINUTES OF THE 3RD PERIOD TO BEAT THE CANUCKS 7-5…
7 GOALS ON 30 SHOTS…
DESPITE WINNING A GOLD MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS…MAY 11TH 2009 IS THE PERFORMANCE THAT LUONGO HAS CARRIED WITH HIM ALL SEASON…
CANUCK OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT SIMPLY WROTE IT OFF…
AND IN THE SUMMER…LUONGO WAS SIGNED TO A 12 YEAR CONTRACT WORTH…$64 MILLION DOLLARS…
THAT DEAL WILL KICK IN NEXT SEASON…
IN THE FIRST YEAR…LUONGO WILL BE PAID $10 MILLION DOLLARS…
MAKING HIM THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER IN THE NHL…
THE DEBATE IN THIS CITY IS NOW CENTERED ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CANUCKS DID THE RIGHT THING…
THE ANSWER USUALLY DEPENDS ON WHICH DAY YOU ASK THE QUESTION…
ON SUNDAY THE ANSWER WAS “YES”…
LUONGO STOPPED 29 OF 30 SHOTS AND WAS BRILLIANT…
LAST WEEK...THE ANSWER WAS “NO”…
LUONGO SURENDERED 12 GOALS IN BACK TO BACK HOME GAMES…
WHICH GETS US TO TONIGHT…AND GAME 6…”THE SEQUEL”…
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS…THE SCRIPT FOR THIS MOVIE WILL BE WRITTEN…
AND WHATEVER THE ENDING…CANUCK FANS KNOW ONE THING…
IT’S GOT TO BE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL…

WHERE THERE IS LIFE…THERE IS HOPE…
LASTNIGHT IN CHICAGO THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS KEPT THEIR SEASON ALIVE…
AND AS A RESULT…THERE WILL BE A GAME 6 TOMORROW HERE IN VANCOUVER…
ON SUNDAY NIGHT THE CANUCKS DID THE 3 THINGS THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY MUST DO…

1) SCORE THE FIRST GOAL…IN 4 OF THE FIRST 5 GAMES…THE TEAM THAT SCORES FIRST HAS GONE ONTO WIN…
2) STAY OUT OF THE PENALTY BOX…IN GAME 4…THE CANUCKS…GAVE UP 4 GOALS ON 8 POWER PLAYS…LASTNIGHT THE HAWKS WENT 0 FOR 4…
3) AND FINALLY…ROBERTO LUONGO HAS TO BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER…LASTNIGHT HE GAVE UP JUST 1 GOAL ON 30 SHOTS…WHEN LUONGO IS ON HIS GAME…THIS TEAM PLAYS WITH A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND DISCIPLINE…TWO THINGS THAT WERE COMPLETELY MISSING IN GAMES 3 AND 4…


ADD IT UP…AND THE CANUCKS HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP IN CRAWLING OUT OF A BIG HOLE…THAT THEY HAVE DUG FOR THEMSELVES…
UNFORTUNATELY FROM HERE ON…IT’S NOT GOING TO GET ANY EASIER…
SAMI SALO IS NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY TOMORROW NIGHT…
AT THE END OF THE FIRST PERIOD…DUNCAN KEITH TOOK A SLAP SHOT…THAT HIT SALO RIGHT IN THE GROIN…
THERE WAS SOME FEAR…SALO HAD SUFFERED A RUPTURED TESTICLE AND AS A PRECAUTION HE WAS TAKEN TO A NEAR BY HOSPITAL…
THE GOOD NEWS IS…THAT WAS NOT THE CASE…
THE BAD NEWS IS…THERE’S NO WORD ON WHEN HE’LL BE READY TO PLAY AGAIN…
THE CANUCKS NOW HAVE 4 DEFENCEMEN ON THE INJURY LIST…
AND THAT HAS FORCED HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT TO DO MORE WITH LESS…
LASTNIGHT KEVIN BIEKSA AND ALEX EDLER LOGGED OVER 27 MINUTES OF ICE TIME…
CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF HAD OVER 25 MINUTES…AND SHANE O’BRIEN…EVEN WITH A NASTY CUT TO HIS FOREHEAD…HAD OVER 19 MINUTES…
EVEN ANDREW ALBERTS SAW ADDITIONAL ICE TIME…ALMOST 11 MINUTES…
BE AFRAID…BE VERY AFRAID…
BUT RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE CANUCKS NOW…IS GM PLACE…
WHERE THEY’VE GIVEN UP 12 GOALS IN THEIR LAST 2 GAMES…
UNLESS THAT CHANGES ON TUESDAY NIGHT…YOU CAN TURN OUT THE LIGHTS…

Dustin Byfuglien

IT’S GOOD TO BE BAD…
ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLAY IN THE NHL…
RIGHT NOW DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN COULD RUN FOR MAYOR IN CHICAGO…AND WIN…
NOT BAD FOR A GUY WHO PLAYED HIS JUNIOR HOCKEY IN PRINCE GEORGE…
BYFUGLIEN HAS NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT HIS NEW FOUND POPULARITY IN THIS PROVINCE…
AS HE PUTS IT…“THE FANS DEFINITELY HATE ME”…
IT CERTAINLY HAS CUT DOWN ON HIS SOCIAL LIFE….
BYFUGLIEN NOW ADMITTS…THIS TRIP TO VANCOUVER HAS INVOLVED LITTLE MORE THAN STAYING IN THE HOTEL AND GOING TO THE RINK…
BUT THANKS TO HIS PERFORMANCE IN GAME 3…HIS IMPACT ON THIS SERIES CAN NOT BE DENIED…
3 GOALS…6 HITS…
IN THE MEANTIME…ADAM BURRISH HAS TAKEN A VERBAL SHOT AT THE CANUCKS…
TODAY ON ESPN CHICAGO...BURRISH RIPPED ALEX BURROWS…SHANE O’BRIEN AND RYAN KESLER…
HE LABLED ALL 3 OF THEM AS...QUOTE…UNQUOTE…”CLOWNS”…
NOT BAD FOR A GUY WHO AVERAGES 5 MINUTES OF PLAYING TIME PER GAME…AND HAS YET TO REGISTER A SINGLE POINT IN THE PLAYOFFS…
ADD IT UP AND THE HAWKS ARE A TEAM THAT YOU JUST “LOVE TO HATE”…
SO IS THAT WRONG???
THINK ABOUT IT…
TAKE A LOOK AT CANUCK HISTORY…
TIGER WILLIAMS…AND GINO ODJICK ARE TWO OF THE MOST POPULAR PLAYERS TO EVER WEAR A CANUCK JERSEY…
WILLIAMS IS THE NHL’S ALL-TIME LEADER IN PENALTY MINUTES…
ODJICK IS THE CANUCK’S ALL-TIME LEADER IN PENALTY MINUTES…
AND WHEN IT COMES TO CHIPPING…
RAY FERRARO LED THE NHL IN THAT CATEGORY FOR 18 STRAIGHT YEARS…
AND THEN TURNED IT INTO A BROADCASTING CAREER…
THIS IS THE GAME…WITHIN THE GAME…
AND ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE CANUCKS FELL INTO THAT TRAP…AND THE HAWKS MADE THEM PAY FOR IT…
OR ED WILLIS PUT IT…IN TODAY’S PROVINCE…
“THEY KICKED IN THEIR FRONT DOOR…TOOK THEIR FAVORITE CHAIR…OPENED THEIR BEST BOTTLE OF WINE…THEN CHATTED UP THE CANUCKS’S WIFE…WHILE CONTROLLING THE REMOTE”…
TONIGHT THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE CLEAR:
”NO MORE MR. NICE GUY”
BECAUSE IN THIS GAME…YOU KNOW WHERE NICE GUYS FINISH…

Playoff Bandwagon

IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY…YOU CAN HEAR IT…
THAT OLD FAMILAR SOUND…
THE SOUND OF CANUCK FANS JUMPING OFF THE BANDWAGON…
CANUCK FANS LIKE LEMMINGS…DO NOT HIBERNATE DURING THE WINTER…
THEY BOTH HAVE A HIGH REPODUCTIVE RATE…AND CAN BREED RAPIDLY WHEN THE ENVIROMENT IS RIGHT…
THEN EVERY SPRING…THEY BOTH DEVELOP THE UNCONTROLABLE DESIRE TO…COMMIT SUICIDE…
LEMMINGS PREFER A HIGH CLIFF…
CANUCK FANS TRADITIONALLY GO WITH A BANDWAGON…
SUCH WAS THE CASE LASTNIGHT AT GM PLACE…
THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS CRUSHED THE CANUCKS 5-2…
OR AS ED WILLIS WROTE IN THE VANCOUVER PROVINCE THIS MORNING…
THEY WERE “EMASCULATED”…
SOME CANUCK FANS WILL ARGUE…”THEY DID NOT JUMP OFF THE BANDWAGON BUT WERE INSTEAD PUSHED OFF BY DUSTIN BYFULGIEN”!!!
ALL 6 FOOT 4…257 POUNDS OF HIM…
THEY CANUCKS CAN ALSO MAKE THAT ARGUMENT…
BUT THE HARD REALITY IS THIS…
LASTNIGHT THE HAWKS PLAYED “THEIR” GAME…
AND THE CANUCKS DID NOT PLAY THEIRS…
THE RESULT WAS…
UNDISICIPLINED PENALTIES…
2 POWER PLAY GOALS FOR THE HAWKS…
AND A HAT TRICK FOR BYFULGIEN…
ALSO LASTNIGHT…THE ON ICE OFFICIALS MADE IT CLEAR…CRASHING THE CREASE…AND GOALTENDER INTERFERENCE IS NOW ALLOWED…
THE HAWKS TOOK ADVANTAGE…THE CANUCKS DID NOT…
BECAUSE OF THAT…ANTTI NIEMI LOOKED LIKE THE GOALTENDER…WITH THE NEW $64 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT…
FRIDAY THE CANUCKS MUST FIND THEIR GAME…
AND THE SEDINS ALONG WITH MIKAEL SAMUELSSON MUST FIND THE NET…
BECAUSE HEADING BACK TO CHICAGO DOWN TO 3 GAMES TO 1…IS NOT AN OPTION…
IF THAT HAPPENS…THAT SOUND YOU NOW HEAR…WILL TURN INTO THUNDEROUS ROAR…
WHICH IS TRADITIONALLY FOLLOWED BY…5 MONTHS OF…DEAD SILENCE…

Playoff Hockey

KEEP IT SIMPLE…STUPID…
HOCKEY…EVEN NHL PLAYOFF HOCKEY…IS NOT BRAIN SURGERY…
AND THERE IS NO MYSTERY WHY THIS SERIES BETWEEN VANCOUVER AND CHICAGO IS NOW TIED AT…A GAME A PIECE…
ON MONDAY THEY WENT 1 FOR 6 ON THE POWER PLAY…AND THEN IN 3RD PERIOD…SURRENDERED A SHORT HANDED GOAL TO PATRICK SHARP…
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2 GOAL POSTS…THAT WERE HIT BY KEVIN BEIKSA AND SAMI SALO…
YOU DO NOT NEED STEPHEN HAWKING TO DO THE MATH…
HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT PUT IT THIS WAY…
“IT WAS JUST ABOUT EXECUTION”…
SOMETHING THE CANUCKS HAVE BEEN GOOD AT ALL SEASON…
IT’S WHY HENRIK SEDIN WON THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
IT’S WHY THIS TEAM HAD THE BEST HOME RECORD IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
AND IT’S WHY THE CANUCKS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME FROM BEHIND IN THE 3RD PERIOD A TOTAL OF 13 TIMES…
THE MOST BY ANY TEAM IN THE ENTIRE NHL…
YES…IT’S ONLY NATURAL FOR FANS IN THIS CITY TO GET NERVOUS AND DRAW COMPARISONS TO THE LAST YEARS MATCH UP WITH THE HAWKS…
VANCOUVER SPLIT THE FIRST 2 GAMES AND LOST THE SERIES IN 6…
BUT HENRIK SEDIN DOES NOT BUY THAT…
IN HIS WORDS…”LAST YEAR WE GOT RATTLED ABOUT EVERYTHING”…
“THIS YEAR WE STICK TO OUR GAME PLAN”…
WHICH SETS THE STAGE FOR GAME 3…TONIGHT AT GM PLACE…
THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR THE CANUCKS IS…HOW THEY…AND ESPECIALLY ROBERTO LUONGO…HAVE BEEN PUSHED AROUND BY THE HAWKS…
TO COUNTER THAT…TONIGHT DARCY HORDICHUK AND RYAN JOHNSON ARE EXPECTED TO THE BE IN THE LINE UP…
BUT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN…PUSHING BACK…AND LOSING CONTROL…
THE TRUTH IS…THE HAWKS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE PENALTIES…AND THE CANUCKS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET OPPORTUNITIES…
SO WINNING TONIGHT IS ONLY A MATTER OF…CASHING IN…
AND HOW SIMPLE IS THAT???

Roberto Luongo

LIKE THE MAN SAID…
“DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR”…
IN GAME 1...ON SATURDAY NIGHT…THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS EMBARASSED THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS IN THEIR OWN BUILDING…
FINAL SCORE…5-1…
THE LAST TIME THE CANUCKS WERE IN A PLAYOFF GAME IN THAT CITY…
THE HAWKS ENDED THEIR SEASON AS ROBERTO LUONGO GAVE UP 7 GOALS ON JUST 30 SHOTS…
INCLUDING 3 GOALS…IN THE LAST 7 MINUTES OF THE 3RD PERIOD…
AFTER GAME…LUONGO WAS SO UPSET…HE COULD NOT HOLD BACK THE TEARS…
AND LIKE SACK OF BRICKS…HE HAS CARRIED THAT GAME WITH HIM FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR…
NOT EVEN AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…COULD LIFT THAT WEIGHT…
IT EXPLAINS WHY HE TOLD PATRICK KANE…DURING THE HAND SHAKE…
”WE’LL SEE YOU IN THE PLAYOFFS”…
AFTER SATURDAY NIGHTS WIN…RYAN JOHNSON…ONE OF LUONGO’S CLOSEST FRIENDS ON THE CANUCKS…TOLD THIS STORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER LAST YEARS LOST IN GAME IN 6…
IN HIS WORDS:
‘I’LL NEVER FORGET ON THE PLANE LAST YEAR…HE CAME BACK WHERE I SIT AND HE JUST SAID “SORRY” TO ME…I JUST FELT AWFUL FOR HIM”…
FAST FORWARD TO THE FIRST PERIOD OF GAME 1…SATURDAY NIGHT…
LUONGO WAS BRILLIANT…
HE STOPPED ALL 17 SHOTS FIRED HIS WAY…AND 36 OF 37…TO GIVE THE CANUCKS A ONE GAME TO NONE LEAD IN THIS SERIES…
WHEN ASKED ABOUT…WHAT IT MEANT FOR HIMSELF PERSONALLY…TO RETURN TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME AND EXORCISE THOSE DEMONS???
LUONGO PLAYED IT SMART…QUOTE…”NOTHING”…
“IT DOESN’T MEAN NOTHING TO ME”…
“WE’RE HERE TO WIN 4 GAMES”…
“THERE’S NO SATISFACTION FOR ME PERSONALLY OR FOR THIS TEAM”…
IT’S NOT TRUE…BUT IT SOUNDS GOOD…
KEEP IN MIND…THE CANUCKS OPENED LAST YEARS SERIES WITH CHICAGO WITH A 6-3 VICTORY…AND WHO REMEMBERS THAT???
TONIGHT LUONGO CAN ONCE AGAIN SILENCE THE CROWD IN CHICAGO…
RIGHT NOW FOR THE CANUCKS…THAT IS THE “SWEETEST SOUND”…

Alex Ovechkin

OH SOMEWHERE IN THIS FAVORED LAND THE SUN IS SHINING BRIGHT…
THE BAND IS PLAYING SOMEWHERE…
AND SOMEWHERE HEARTS ARE LIGHT…
AND SOMEWHERE MEN ARE LAUGHING AND SOMEWHERE CHILDREN SHOUT…
BUT THERE IS NO JOY IN WASHINGTON…
THE MIGHTY O.V. HAS STRUCK OUT…
FOLLOWING MONTREAL’S 2-1 VICTORY LASTNIGHT…
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN SAT IN THE CAPITALS LOCKER ROOM WITH HIS HEAD DOWN…
AND SIMPLY SAID…”I’M IN SHOCK RIGHT NOW”…
HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE…
THE OWNER OF THE CAPITALS TED LEONIS WROTE THIS IN BLOG THIS MORNING…
“LASTNITE’S LOSS WAS DEEPLY PERSONAL AND DEEPLY AGONIZING TO ME”…
ALTHOUGH LEONIS INSISTS…HE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING RASH…
THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR…
THERE WILL BE CHANGES IN THE OFF SEASON…
BUT THE GAME LASTNIGHT…AND THIS SERIES…SPEAK TO A MUCH LARGER QUESTION…
IS OVECHKIN A WINNER???
HIS TALENT IS NOT AN ISSUE…HOW CAN IT BE???
OVECHKIN IS THE MOST EXCITING PLAYER IN THE GAME…
AND HIS TROPHY CASE IS PROOF OF THAT…
BUT THOSE AWARDS ARE PERSONAL…
NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THE TROPHY CASE OF SIDNEY CROSBY…WHICH ALSO HAS A HART…AN ART ROSS…AND A ROCKET RICHARD…
BUT IT ALSO HAS A WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP…AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…AND A STANLEY CUP…
IN EVERY SPORT THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT ATHLETES…WHO WERE UNABLE TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP…
THE LIST INCLUDES…
1) DAN MARINO…
2) STEVE NASH…
3) MARCEL DIONNE
4) CARL YASTRZEMSKI…
5) AND WARREN MOON…

THE DIFFERENCE FOR OVECHKIN IS THAT HE IS STILL YOUNG…HE DOES NOT TURN 25 UNTIL SEPTEMBER…
BUT AN ATHLETE ONLY GETS SO MANY CHANCES…
AND LASTNIGHT OVECHKIN AND THE CAPITALS WASTED ANOTHER ONE…
AS A RESULT…TODAY THERE IS NO JOY IN WASHINGTON…
BUT THERE’S PLENTY OF IT IN PITTSBURGH…

Chicago Blackhawks

MAY THE 11TH 2009…LEST WE FORGET…
IT HAS NOW BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE GAME 6 IN CHICAGO…
THAT’S EXACTLY…350 DAYS…84 HUNDRED HOURS…50 THOUSAND 4 HUNDRED MINUTES…
BUT WHO’S COUNTING???
FOR HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY…
IT’S ALL COMING BACK…LIKE SOME KIND OF A BAD DREAM…

***CLIP OF KANE GOAL****

THE HAWKS SCORED 3 GOALS IN THE LAST 7 MINUTES OF THE GAME…TO CLINCH THE SERIES…
AND BRING THE CANUCKS SEASON TO AN END…
PATRICK KANE COLLECTED HIS FIRST CAREER HAT TRICK…
SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN OST ON ROBERTO LUONGO…
AFTER THE GOLD MEDAL GAME…BOTH THE CANADIANS AND AMERICANS LINED UP FOR THE TRADITIONAL HAND SHAKE…
WHEN LUONGO GOT TO KANE…HE SIMPLY SAID…
“I’LL SEE YOU IN THE PLAYOFFS”…
SHOULD THE HAWKS WIN TONIGHT IN NASHVILLE…LUONGO WILL GET HIS WISH…
AND THAT WILL INCLUDE A RETURN ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN HIMSELF AND DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN…
THE TRUTH IS…
THERE IS “NOT” A LOT OF PLAYOFF HISTORY BETWEEN THESE TWO TEAMS…
LAST YEAR WAS ONLY THE THIRD MEETING…
BUT LAST YEARS SHOWDOWN WAS A NASTY AFFAIR…
AND THEN IN OCTOBER IN CHICAGO…WILLIE MITCHEL THREW A LITTLE MORE GAS ON THE FIRE…WITH A DEVESTATING HIT ON TOEWS…
THEN OF COURSE…THERE’S 1982…
IT WAS ROGER NIELSON…AND THE BIRTH OF THE WHITE TOWEL…
ALL OF WHICH WILL BE THROWN INTO THE HYPE GOING INTO THE SERIES…
NOW IT MAY SEEM…AS IF WE ARE GETTING A HEAD OF OURSELVES…
AFTER ALL…CHICAGO STILL MUST GET BY NASHVILLE…
AND THE PREDATORS HAVE CLEARLY GOT THEIR OWN IDEAS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THESE PLAYOFFS…
BUT…WITH LASTNIGHTS WIN BY THE CANUCKS…A RE-MATCH BETWEEN VANCOUVER AND CHICAGO IS JUST ONE WIN AWAY…
A RE-MATCH…FANS IN THIS CITY HAVE WANTED FOR ALMOST A YEAR…
BUT LIKE THE MAN SAID…“BECAREFUL THOSE THINGS YOU WISH FOR”…

Defining Moments

A DEFINING MOMENT…
IT’S WHAT WE ALL LOOK FOR…
IT’S WHAT SIDNEY CROSBY DELIVERED IN THE GOLD MEDAL GAME…
IT’S WHAT BRETT FARVE FAILED TO DELIVER…IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME…
WHEN YOU THINK OF BOBBY ORR…WHAT IMAGE COMES TO MIND…
NOW THINK OF BILL BUCKNER…
LASTNIGHT IN THE THIRD PERIOD OF GAME 4…
HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WITNESSED NOT ONE…BUT TWO DEFINING MOMENTS…
THE FIRST CAME EARLY IN THE PERIOD…WITH THE KINGS LEADING 3-2…
ALEXANDER FROLOV WALKED IN ON A BREAKAWAY…
ROBERTO LUONGO MADE A GAME SAVING…PERHAPS…SERIES SAVING…STOP…
AND THAT SET THE STAGE FOR HENRIK SEDIN…
WHO SCORED THE WINNER WITH LESS THAN 3 MINUTES LEFT IN THE GAME…
HEADING INTO THESE PLAYOFFS…THERE WERE STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE SEDINS AND LUONGO COULD DELIVER AT THIS TIME OF YEAR…
IN 53 PLAYOFF GAMES…HENRIK HAD JUST 30 POINTS…DANIEL…JUST 28…
AS FOR LUONGO…IN 22 PLAYOFF GAMES…HE HAD PRODUCED A MERE 11 WINS…
AND OF COURSE THERE IS STILL THE MEMORY OF…GAME 6 IN CHICAGO…
BUT WHAT WE WITNESSED LASTNIGHT IS PROOF…THAT THE 3 HIGHEST PAID PLAYERS ON THIS TEAM…ARE CAPABLE OF MUCH MORE…
WITH THE SEASON ON THE LINE…THE BEST PLAYERS ON THE CANUCKS…PLAYED LIKE THE BEST PLAYERS…
NOW COMES THE TOUGH PART…
DOING IT AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT IN GAME 5…AND AGAIN SUNDAY IN LOS ANGELES…
THIS SEASON WILL NOT GOING TO BE JUDGED BY THE REGULAR SEASON…
THE WINNER OF A DIVISIONAL TITLE…IS THE ANSWER TO A TRIVIA QUESTION…
IT HAS BEEN 16 LONG YEARS SINCE THE LAST TIME THE CANUCKS MADE IT PAST THE SECOND ROUND…
AND ON PAPER…THIS TEAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO THAT…AND A LOT MORE…
BUT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN…IT WILL TAKE THE KIND OF EFFORT…WE SAW IN THE THIRD PERIOD LASTNIGHT…
AND A FEW MORE…”DEFINING MOMENTS”…

oh Canada!

OH…CANADA!!!
AS IN…OH CANADA…NOT AGAIN!!!
IT HAS BEEN 17 YEARS…SINCE THE LAST TIME A CANADIAN TEAM WON THE STANLEY CUP…
AND THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT DROUGHT IS ABOUT TO END ANY TIME SOON…
BY FRIDAY NIGHT…IT IS POSSIBLE…ALL 3 CANADAIN TEAMS COULD BE ELIMINATED…
TONIGHT BOTH VANCOUVER AND MONTREAL ARE FACING A “MUST WIN” SITUATION…
AND TOMORROW…PITTSBURGH COULD KNOCK OUT OTTAWA…
THE LAST TIME THERE WERE NO CANADIAN TEAMS IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS WAS 1996…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW LONG THAT’S BEEN…
THE JETS WERE STILL IN WINNIPEG…
THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE FOLKS OVER AT CBC…
THESE DAYS THE NETWORK SPEND $100 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR…JUST FOR THE BROADCAST RIGHTS…
AND EVERY YEAR…A BIG CHUNK OF THAT MONEY IS EXPECTED TO BE RECOVERED IN THE PLAYOFFS…
UNFORTUNATELY…NO CANADIAN TEAMS…MEANS LOW RATINGS…WHICH MEANS A LOT LESS MONEY…
AND THAT MEANS…YOU AND I…”THE CANADIAN TAX PAYERS”…GET STUCK WITH THE BILL…
NOW COMPARE THAT TO THE NBC DEAL…IN WHICH THE NHL IS GUARENTEED NO MONEY…
THE LEAGUE AND THE NETWORK SIMPLY SHARE THE REVENUE…
WHICH MEANS…IT IS MUCH MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE LEAGUE…IF AMERICAN TEAMS ADVANCE DEEP INTO THE PLAYOFFS…
JUST SOMETHING…FOR THOSE STILL LOOKING FOR A CONSPIRACY THEORY…
FORTUNATLEY THE TRUTH IS NOT SO COMPLICATED…
IT REALLY GETS DOWN TO SIMPLE MATH…
THERE ARE 24 AMERICAN TEAMS AND JUST 6 CANADAIN…
UNTIL THAT RATIO CHANGES…THE ODDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AGAINST CANADAIN TEAMS…
THERE IS ALSO THE PRESSURE TO WIN…
WASHINGTON…PITTSBURGH…CHICAGO…AND LOS ANGELES WERE VERY BAD…FOR A VERY LONG TIME…
AND THAT ALLOWED THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRAFT THE LIKES OF OVECHKIN…CROSBY…KANE AND DOUGHTY…
IN JUNE…THE EDMONTON OILERS WILL BECOME THE FIRST “CANADAIN” TEAM TO DRAFT FIRST OVER ALL…IN 14 YEARS…
BUT LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE…
AT LEAST “THIS” SUMMER…CANADIAN HOCKEY FANS WILL HAVE AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…TO SOOTHE OUR PAIN…

Vancouver Canucks

THE NHL PLAYOFFS SHOULD COME WITH THIS WARNING…
OBJECTS MAY APPEAR LARGER THAN THEY ARE!!!
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND…HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY WERE “GIDY WITH EXCITEMENT”…
WHY NOT???
THE CANUCKS HAD JUST WON THE OPENING GAME OF THE PLAYOFFS…
THEN ON SATURDAY NIGHT…A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO GM PLACE…
THE L.A. KINGS SHOWED UP…
SUDDENLY ALL THAT “GIDDY” HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A SENSE OF “PANIC”…
NOW LET’S ALL TAKE A STEP BACK…TAKE A DEEP BREATH…AND CHILL OUT…
FOR THE RECORD…EVERY TEAM IN THESE PLAYOFFS…INCLUDING WASHINGTON AND CHICAGO HAVE LOST AT LEAST ONE GAME…
SO THERE’S THAT…
YES…THE SERIES IS NOW TIED AT 1 GAME A PIECE…
AND YES…THE CANUCKS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THEY HAVE NOT DONE VERY WELL THIS SEASON…
WIN ON THE ROAD…
BUT LET’S KEEP ALL THIS IN PERSPECTIVE…
TO START WITH…THIS IS ALSO THE SAME TEAM THAT BEFORE AND AFTER THE OLYMPICS WEATHERED A 14 GAME ROAD TRIP…
SECONDLY…TONIGHT THE PRESSURE IS ON THE HOME TEAM…
THE KINGS HAVE NOT HOSTED A PLAYOFF GAME IN 8 YEARS…
AND FINALLY…THE CANUCKS HAVE ADRESSED THEIR TWO MAJOR ISSUES…
THE FIRST IS PENALITES…
ANDREW ALBERTS HAS BEEN BENCHED…
ALBERTS LEADS THIS SERIES WITH 23 MINUTES IN PENALITES…
AND THE KINGS HAVE GONE 4 FOR 9 ON THE POWER PLAY…
ADD TO THAT…HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT HAS DROPPED PAVOL DEMITRA TO THE 4TH LINE…
DEMITRA HAS BEEN THE INVISIBLE MAN…
THE SECOND LINE WILL NOW BE KESLER BETWEEN SAMMUELSON AND MASON RAYMOND…
THESE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WOULD GO UNNOTICED IN THE REGULAR SEASON…
BUT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR MAKE HEADLINES…
THE KEY GOING INTO THIS SERIES WAS ROBERTO LUONGO…AND THAT HAS NOT CHANGED…
SO FAR LUONGO HAS BEEN SOLID…
AS LONG AS THAT DOES NOT CHANGE…THE END OF THE SEASON IS NOT AS CLOSE…AS IT MAY APPEAR…

Playoff Predictions

"PREDICTIONS ARE FOR GYPSIES”…
THE GREAT TOE BLAKE SAID THAT 50 YEARS AGO…AND IT’S STILL TRUE…
4 PLAYOFF GAMES…4 UPSETS…
IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST…
ON PAPER…IT WOULD HAVE TO BE COLORADO OVER SAN JOSE…
BUT…ARE WE REALLY SURPRISED???
AFTER ALL…IN THE LAST 4 YEARS…THE SHARKS HAVE OPENED THE PLAYOFF AT HOME…AND ARE NOW A PERFECT 0 FOR 4…
THEN THERE’S PHOENIX OVER DETROIT…
THE WINGS WENT INTO THE GAME AS THE HOTTEST TEAM IN THE NHL…
BUT…THE COYOTES HAVE SPENT ALL SEASON SUPRISING PEOPLE…
AND BECAUSE OF THAT…WON 50 GAMES…A FRANCHISE RECORD…
THEN THERE’S OTTAWA OVER PITTSBURGH…
BUT…MARC ANDRE FLEURY HAS STRUGGLED ALL SEASON…
HIS GOAL AGAINST AVERAGE WAS 22ND…AND HIS SAVE PERCENTAGE WAS 31ST …
LAST NIGHT FLEURY GAVE UP 5 GOALS ON JUST 26 SHOTS…
SURPRISE!!!...SURPRISE!!!
AND THEN THERE’S PHILADELPHIA OVER NEW JERSEY…
BUT…DURING THE REGULAR SEASON…THE FLYERS TOOK 5 OF 6 FROM THE DEVILS…
WHICH GETS US TO GAME 1 TONIGHT…BETWEEN THE CANUCKS AND THE KINGS…
ON PAPER…THE CANUCKS SHOULD WIN…
THEY HAVE HOME ICE ADVANTAGE…
THEY HAVE THE ART ROSS TROPHY WINNER…
AND THEY ALL THAT PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE…
BUT…IN THE REGULAR SEASON…THE KINGS FINISHED JUST 2 POINTS BACK OF THE CANUCKS…
AND OUTSIDE OF THE OLYMPICS…THIS SEASON GOALTENDER ROBERT LUONGO HAS NOT LOOKED LIKE…WELL… ROBERTO LUONGO…
HE’S BEEN PULLED 7 TIMES…A CAREER HIGH…
HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IN THE REGULAR SEASON WAS 27TH IN THE NHL…
AND SINCE THE OLYMPICS…HIS GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE IS A MERE….”892”…
AND THAT INCLUDES THE 8 GOALS HE GAVE UP 2 WEEKS AGO AGAINST THESE VERY SAME L.A. KINGS…
SO…
IF THE AMERICANS CAN PULL OFF A MIRACLE…AND BEAT THE SOVIETS…
IF THE JETS CAN BEAT THE COLTS IN SUPER BOWL 3…
AND IF “BUSTER DOUGLAS” CAN KNOCK OUT “MIKE TYSON”…
THEN CANUCK FANS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE NERVOUS…
UNLESS OF COURSE…THEY HAPPEN TO BE…”GYPIES”…

Phoenix Coyotes

IT’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN GLENDALE…
TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 8 YEARS…FANS IN THAT CITY WILL SEE A PLAYOFF GAME…
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR...THOSE SAME FANS…HAVE AT LEAST “SOME HOPE”…THIS FRANCHISE ACTUALLY HAS A FUTURE…
LET’S START WITH THE TEAM…
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY…THE COYOTES MANAGED TO WIN 50 GAMES IN A SEASON…
AND FINISHED JUST 4 POINTS BACK OF SAN JOSE FOR THE BEST RECORD IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
SO…NO MATTER WHO WINS THE PHOENIX DETROIT SERIES…
ON THE ICE…THE COYOTES SEASON HAS ALREADY BEEN A MAJOR SUCCESS…
OFF THE ICE???…WELL…THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY…
LASTNIGHT THE CITY COUNCIL IN GLENDALE APPROVED A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH JERRY REINSDORF…
THE DEAL IS EXPECTED TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE SALE OF THE TEAM…
BUT IT DOES LITTLE…TO GUARENTEE ANY LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO THAT CITY…
REINSDORF HAS AN OUT CLAUSE THAT ALLOWS HIM TO LEAVE IN 5 YEARS…
SHOULD THAT HAPPEN…HE IS GUARENTEED TO WALK AWAY WITH 100 PERCENT OF THE $103 MILLION HE PLANS TO INVEST TO BUY THE TEAM…
NO WAIT…IT GETS WORSE…MUCH WORSE…
THE CITY OF GLENDALE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ANOTHER $65 MILLION TO BE PAID TO THE NHL OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS…
THAT ALONG WITH THE $103 FROM RIENSDORF GETS NHL COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN OFF THE HOOK…
AND THERE’S MORE…
TO HELP REINSDORF COVER ANY LOSES…
THE CITY WILL HAVE TO COVER UP TO $25 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR…TO A MAXIMUM OF $100 MILLION…
TO PAY FOR IT ALL…THE CITY OF GLENDALE PLANS TO CREATE…WHAT IT CALLS…A “COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT”…AROUND THE ARENA…
IN OTHER WORDS A TAX ZONE...
IN THE END THE TAX PAYERS OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE…COULD WIND UP WITH A BILL FOR…GET THIS…$268 MILLION DOLLARS…
LET’S HOPE THE HOCKEY FANS IN ARIZONA ENJOY THESE PLAYOFFS…
BECAUSE THEY ARE CERTAINLY…ABOUT TO PAY FOR THEM…