Monday, June 28, 2010

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…

Friday, June 25, 2010

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…

Monday, June 21, 2010

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…

Friday, June 18, 2010

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”…

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

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”…

Friday, June 11, 2010

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???

Thursday, June 10, 2010

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…

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

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…

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

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…

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

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…