View From The Nosebleeds

THIS JUST IN....

2007-03-09T08:03:00.000-04:00

RE: the Halifax Commonwealth bids games.

Local councillors are livid that the province sent out the media release indicating that the province and the city withdrew their support for the games, wait for it, before the councillors actually voted! To boot, the councillors were still in a meeting discussing that very decision when simultaneously, their Blackberry's went off letting them know what they had yet to vote for!

Needless to say, one councillor was quoted as saying Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly had "no vision, no leadership." Duh!

SMALL MINDED MENTALITY WINS OUT AGAIN....

2007-03-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

The province of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Regional Municipality has done it again; it has shown it's small-minded mentality when it comes to progressive development. The province and HRM have recently pulled the plug on their support for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, all but ending Halifax's chance of hosting the event, and more to the point, getting federal funding for much needed sports infrastructure.

This mentality is reminiscent of that which exists in Kingston, Ontario, my pseuo-hometown, where councillors recently voted to continue on with the LVEC project. The mentality is such that they want big-time events and big-time infrastructure, but are unwilling to realize the meaning of the word 'investment.' Rather they get caught up in cost.

Now, because of thier lack of a spine, Halifax is the joke of the country, a city that boasts of it's ability to host big-time national and international sporting events, but can't get it's horses together to host the opportunity of a lifetime. And it is the opportunity of a lifetime, because after this, their isn't a committee that is going to serious consider coming to Halifax and risk being associated with such a mess.

Aside: we can't even get a friggin' tower built downtown because of these relics known as "heritage preservers..."

More later

NFL WEEK TWO PICKS

2006-09-14T22:07:00.000-03:00

This week, and for the rest of the season, Neate Sager, from over at Out of Left Field, joins in the tomfoollery that is NFL prognostication.

DISCLAIMER: These picks are for recreational use only. I am not Brandon Lang nor Chris Schultz. I am a sports fan who loves football and making an occasional bit of money.

Point spreads are courtesy of Covers.com and are as of 12:30 EST Sept 14.

Sunday, September 17 – 1:00pm
Buffalo (plus 6.5) at Miami (over/under 37)
Buffalo is coming off a close loss to the New England Patriots, while Miami fell in week one to the defending Superbowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Neither of these teams looked particularly great in the second-half of their games. And Miami’s loss could be attributed to coach Nick Saban’s fourth-quarter gaffe. The Dolphins will win this one, but an improved Bills team will keep it close.
Pearce’s Pick: Miami 24-21. (Bills cover)
Sager's Pick: Miami 23-20. (Bills cover)

Carolina (minus 1) at Minnesota (o/u 37)
Carolina is coming off a game where the offense stumbled against the Falcons tough defense, while their defense was ineffective at stopping the run. More importantly, there defense suffered the loss of two starters: middle-linebacker Dan Morgan is out with a concussion and left-tackle Travelle Wharton is done for the year with a torn ACL and MCL. With Steve Smith still sidelined, the team that was a preseason favorite to win the Superbowl is still looking for their first win. They will still be looking for it after their tilt with the Vikings, who came away with a narrow victory over the reeling Washington Redskins. The Vikes ran for only 86 yards last week, but against the depleted Panthers defense, they should easily surpass that.
Pearce’s Pick: Minnesota 21-17.
Sager's Pick: Carolina 24-17.

Cleveland (plus 10) at Cincinnati (o/u 42)
Neither Cleveland or Cincinnati had stellar passing games last week, with the teams combining for only 221 yards. The Browns defense gave up 170 passing yards and 156 rushing yards. With Carson Palmer looking for comfortable, and Rudi Johnson in the backfield, the Bengals have a good opportunity to go to 2-0 on the season.
Pearce’s Pick: Cincinnati 30-17.
Sager's Pick: Cincinnati 28-20. (Browns cover)

Detroit (plus 9.5) at Chicago (o/u 32)
Detroit gave up 264 total yards to one of the most potent offenses in the league last week, losing a boring 9-6 game to the Seahawks. This week, they are going up against the Bears, who are not usually noted for their offensive skills. Can Jon Kitna duplicate last weeks 213 yards passing? How will the addition of Az-Zahir Hakim affect the Lions offense? It doesn’t matter as the Bears defense, while not as dominant in years past, will smother the Lions lackluster running game.
Pearce’s Pick: Chicago 17-10. (Lions cover)
Sager's Pick: Chicago 19-9.

Houston (plus 13.5) at Indianapolis (o/u 47)
The Texans are in trouble this week. After holding their own in the first-half against the Eagles, they could not put together a scoring drive in the second. They finished 3-11 in third-down situations, and you are not going to win a lot of football games if you don’t convert these chances. Indy’s run game wasn’t that great, and as I have said before, they are going to miss Edgerrin James more than they think. That said, they did gain 272 yards passing and it is likely to be the same thing this week. Bet on Indy and the spread.
Pearce’s Pick: Indianapolis 42-17.
Sager's Pick: Indianapolis 31-17.

New Orleans (minus 2) at Green Bay (o/u 38)
New Orleans is favored by two points, meaning odds-makers think Green Bay actually has a chance in this one. Unfortunately, the Packers defense had but one sack last week, and I expect Reggie Bush to have his first “big” game this week against the hapless Packers defense, who gave up 361 yards last week.
Pearce’s Pick: New Orleans 24-7.
Sager's Pick: Green Bay 24-20.

N.Y. Giants (plus 3) at Philadelphia (o/u 42)
This is going to be the game of the week. The McNabb and Co. looked like the Eagles of old last week and Dante Stallworth is making his presence known. On the other side, the Giants, while 0-1, lost to Superbowl favorites Indy, but they kept it relatively close. This game will be fun to watch and I expect a high score on both sides of the ball.
Pearce’s Pick: Philadelphia 35-33. (Giants cover)
Sager's Pick: Philadelphia 23-13.

Oakland (plus 12) at Baltimore (o/u 34)
Baltimore is coming of a 27-0 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Bucs. The defense was outstanding, giving up only 142 yards of total offense. Combine this with Oakland’s offense, which finished last in week one, and their poor run defense, and it is another big win for Jamal Lewis and the Ravens.
Pearce’s Pick: Baltimore 24-10.
Sager's Pick: Baltimore 26-3.

Tampa Bay (plus 5.5) at Atlanta (o/u 36)
Is this the year of Michael Vick? Or is it the year of Warrick Dunn? Vick threw two touchdowns last week, Dunn ran for 132 yards, and the defense played superb against a Panthers offense without it’s star-impact player. The Bucs are coming off an embarrassing loss to Baltimore and without an true-impact player of the calibre of a Steve Smith, the Bucs are in for another loss. Although, the tight defense of both these teams will keep the game close and the scores relatively low.
Pearce’s Pick: Atlanta 20-10.
Sager's Pick: Atlanta 17-14. (Bucs cover)

Sunday, September 17 – 4:05pm
Arizona (plus 7) at Seattle (o/u 47)
Seattle is coming off a 9-6 win against the Detroit Lions, in which neither team found the end-zone. Don’t expect the same thing this week. The Cardinals looked like a different team last week, but it may have had something to do with their opponent. Warner will not put up similar numbers to last week and the defense will not be able to contain Alexander and the Seahawk’s offense. Oh ya, do I even need to mention the addition of Deion Branch? Look for Seattle to win easily against the spread.
Pearce’s Pick: Seattle 27-14.
Sager's Pick: Seattle 28-24. (Cardinals cover)

St. Louis (minus 3) at San Francisco (o/u 43)
St. Louis did not score one touchdown last week, yet took advantage of 5 Bronco turnovers to win 18-10. The 49ers are coming off a loss, and we should all get used to saying that phrase this season. Look for Steven Jackson to have another solid week, and the St. Louis Rams to put up another win.
Pearce’s Pick: St. Louis 17-10.
Sager's Pick: St. Louis 27-10.

Sunday, September 17 – 4:15pm
Kansas City (plus 10.5) at Denver (o/u 40)
Another game that has the making’s of a good one. The Broncos are coming off a loss in week one where they did not give up one TD, yet they still lost the game. KC did not play that great at home to the Bengals, but more disconcerting is that QB Trent Green is sidelined with a concussion. Is Damon Huard the guy that’s going to lead KC to the playoffs? Not so much. But Denver won’t be the spread.
Pearce’s Pick: Denver 27 -17. (Chiefs cover)
Sager's Pick: Denvers 27-7.

New England (minus 6) at N.Y. Jets (o/u 37)
Despite coming off a win over the Titans where starting QB Chad Pennington threw for 319 yards, the New York Jets are still 6 point underdogs to division rival New England. The Pats are coming off a three-point victory over Buffalo that was closer than many had anticipated. The question in this game is whether the Jets will be able to stop the run. They allowed 86 yards last week against the Titans, but this week, they will be up against the pounding Corey Dillion, Kevin Faulk, and the surprising Laurence Maroney. I believe they will.
Pearce’s Pick: New York 17-14.
Sager's Pick: New England 26-14.

Tennessee (plus 11.5) at San Diego (o/u 38)
The Chargers crushed the Raiders last week, and up against a similarly offensively-challenged team, expect much of the same.
Pearce’s Pick: San Diego 34-14.
Sager's Pick: San Diego 31-17.

Sunday, September 17 – 8:15pm
Washington (plus 6) at Dallas (o/u 37)
Both teams are 0-1 coming into week 2 after losing games they were both supposed to win. Both teams had similar defenses last week, while Dallas had a more potent offense. With an impact player like Terrell Owens able to break off for a TD at any moment, it is hard to pick against them. With Shawn Springs injured, it looks like it will be up to Carlos Rogers to cover T.O. I think this favors Owens.
Pearce’s Pick: Dallas 24-21. (Redskins cover)
Sager's Pick: Dallas 20-16. (Redskins cover)

Monday, September 18 – 8:30pm
Pittsburgh (minus 1.5) at Jacksonville (o/u 36.5)
Both teams are coming off big wins in week one, and the Steelers are given a very soft spread. Does this mean the game will be close? Last week, the Steelers gained 342 yards of total offense while the Jags gained 307. On the other side of the ball, the Steelers allowed 278 total yards and the Jags allowed 323. So the edge is to the Steelers, but their victory last week was partially due to Nick Saban’s lapse in throwing ability (a flag that is). Will Leftwich be able to have another solid outing like last week? I think no.
Pearce’s Pick: Pittsburgh 23-19.
Sager's Pick: Pittsburg 28-17.

NFL WEEK ONE PICKS

2006-09-07T17:53:00.000-03:00

DISCLAIMER: These picks are for recreational use only. I am not Brandon Lang nor Chris Schultz. I am a sports fan who loves football and making an occasional bit of money.

The betting lines are courtesy of Covers.com and are as of 6:30 EST.

Thursday, September 7
Miami at Pittsburgh (minus 3)
PICK: Miami 20-17. The Dolphins continue the streak they started last year against the Rothelisberger-less Steelers.
WINNER: Pittsburgh 28-17. Pittsburgh rewards Steeltown with an opening day win, and the rest of the betting country by covering the spread.

Sunday, September 11
Atlanta at Carolina (minus 5)
PICK: Panthers 24-21. Even without Smith in the line-up, the depth of the Panthers will prevail. But not against the spread.
WINNER: Atlanta 20-6.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay (minus 3)
PICK: Baltimore 24-17.
WINNER: Baltimore 27-0.

Buffalo (plus 9.5) at New England
PICK: New England 35-10. The long year for Buffalo begins on Week One.
WINNER: New England 19-17.

Cincinnati at Kansas City (minus 2)
PICK: Cincinnati 28-24. Carson Palmer shows the pre-season wasn't a fluke, and the Bengals are for real.
WINNER: Cincinnati 23-10.

Denver at St. Louis (plus 3.5)
PICK: Denver 21-17. Denver starts the season off on the right foot.
WINNER: St. Louis 18-10.

New Orleans at Cleveland (minus 3)
PICK: New Orleans 24-17. Bush runs for around 80 yards on 20-25 carries.
WINNER: New Orleans 19-14.

N.Y. Jets at Tennessee (minus 2.5)
PICK: N.Y Jets 17-14. One of the few bright spots for the Jets this year.
WINNER: N.Y. Jets 23-16.

Philadelphia at Houston (plus 5.5)
PICK: Philadelphia 28-21. Honestly, who is gonna consider watching this game?
WINNER: Philadelphia 24-10.

Seattle at Detroit (plus 6)
PICK: Seattle 32-24. Superbowl runner-up Seattle starts up with a win in Motown.
WINNER: Seattle 9-6.

Chicago at Green Bay (plus 3.5)
PICK: Chicago 42-10. Favre throws but one touchdown this game. Perhaps his only one all season.
WINNER: Chicago 26-0.

Dallas at Jacksonville (minus 2)
PICK: Dallas 21-7. If Dallas is to go deep in the playoffs like many pundits predict, they should win this one easily, and cover the spread.
WINNER: Jacksonville 24-17.

San Francisco at Arizona (minus 9)
PICK: Arizona 16-6. Can the Cards cover the spread? Against the 49ers, it's a no-brainer.
WINNER: Arizona 34-27.

Indianapolis at N.Y. Giants (plus 3)
PICK: Indianapolis 34-21. Won't even be close.
WINNER: Indianapolis 26-21.

Monday, September 12
Minnesota at Washington (minus 4.5)
PICK: Washington 21-17. Brunell and co. show that the preseason may have been a fluke.
WINNER: Minnesota 19-16.

San Diego at Oakland (plus 3)
PICK: San Diego 28-21.
WINNER: San Diego 27-0.

NFL 2006 PREDICTIONS

2006-09-02T02:04:00.000-03:00

With the NFL season set to begin in but a few days, here's my picks for how the season will play out, starting with the AFC.

AFC EAST
The Patriots look to avenge last year's early playoff loss, but after going 2-2 this pre-season, a few questions about this group remain: Will the offense, led by perennial Pro-Bowler Tom Brady, be as effective with the loss of David Givens and, as it appears, Deion Branch? Will Junior Seau pick up the slack with Teddy Bruschi nursing a broken wrist? How will the defense deal with the loss of Willie McGinest?

1. New England Patriots
Despite these questions, the Patriot's have proved that under Bill Belichick, the sum of the team is better than it's parts. Tom Brady has the ability to lead receivers into big yardage, and to place the ball perfectly. Despite losing his top two receivers, Brady and Co. seem unfazed.

2. Miami Dolphins
After running for 907 yards on 207 carries, second year running-back Ronnie Brown will have some help carrying the load this year. Daunte Culpepper was brought in to help shoulder some of the burden, but after going 2-2 in the pre-season -- but with their second stringers taking it to St. Louis -- it remains to be seen if the Dolphins can capture the magic that saw them finish the season with six-straight wins.

3. New York Jets
The Jets are obviously in re-building mode and making some solid draft choices like D'Brichashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. However, the two rookies, both first on the Jets depth chart for their respective positions, will have their work cut out for them protecting Chad Pennington and creating holes for Kevan Barlow.

4. Buffalo Bills
J.P Losman won the starting QB job for the Bills, but it is likely that 4th year running back, Willis McGahee will be given loads of work on offensive series'. But with the Bills, you have to consider their defensive line, anchored by RE Aaron Schoebel, as one of their strengths. Nonetheless, they are still the Bills, and with five of their first six games coming against tough opponents, they may not recoup from a poor start.

AFC NORTH
The top two picks in this division are a no-brainer, but the question is who will finish on top. And of course, the division is going to be dominated by questions about the two top quarterbacks: Is Carson Palmer going to rebound from his knee surgery? and Is Ben Roethlisberger going to be able to rebound from his motorcycle accident?

1. Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Palmer seems to have had all the proper pieces put back into the right place -- although, it took him awhile to get over that mental hurdle. Of course, there is likely more mental hurdles he will still have to get over. But with T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson as Palmer's primary targets, and Rudi Johnson in the backfield, it is hard to bet against this offense.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have the cornerstones of that Super Bowl team still intact; however, there success last year came largely from a season-ending 8 game winning streak, and it will be difficult to duplicate that this year. But I think as the year goes on, questions surrounding Bill Cowher's future may start to impact the team, specifically, their starting QB.

3. Baltimore Ravens
It is obvious that Baltimore is not the dominating team they once were, with an aging Ray Lewis anchoring the defense up the middle. This is not to say that they may not slide into a playoff spot via the wild-card. Kyle Boller is out, and Steve McNair is in, so look for Derrick Mason to have an even better year than his 1,000 yard one last year.

4. Cleveland Browns
Year two will not be any better for Romeo Crennel. Sorry, not much else to say.

AFC SOUTH
This division is all about the Colts. Despite last year's regular season dominance, the Colts still found a way to spend February in front of the t.v. instead of on it. With this still fresh in their minds, will this finally be the year of Manning and Co.?

1. Indianapolis Colts
At least two writer's are predicting Peyton Manning and the Colts to finally break-through in the playoffs and actually win the big dance. I agree that the Colts are due, but I am skeptical that it will occur this year. However, the defense proved last year that it is not all about the offense, so maybe it could happen.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags 12 wins last season had a little help from a generous schedule. However, with a much tougher one this year, a similar record might be stretching it. A relatively solid defense needs to be better supported by a more consistent offense -- Byron Leftwich, this means you!

3. Houston Texans
"Surprise" first-pick Mario Williams will have a lot to do to win over the Texans fans, who wanted Reggie Bush in the back field to compliment David Carr. Obviously this didn't happen, and the defense will be much improved. However, for a team that didn't boast a player with 1,000 yards carrying or receiving, some offense may have been more beneficial.

4. Tennessee Titans
Who is going to QB this team is a moot point -- with no discernable offensive target, the QB may as well be throwing to pylons (which means I still have a shot). Indeed, the acquisition of David Givens gives the O some credibility, but after game one, it will become clear that this team has some giant leaps to take.

AFC WEST
This division boasts three teams that have a legitmate shot at the division, if the cards fall properly for each team. The team that will prevail is the one that can stay healthy, and barring that, the one with more depth.

1. Denver Broncos
And that team appears to be the Broncos. The Bronco's already had a legitmate threat in the backfield in the Bells and Jake Plummer. The acquisition of Javon Walker and the emergence of Jay Cutler gives Mike Shanahan even more options.

2. San Diego Chargers
Philip Rivers hasn't had the strongest pre-season, but he is certainly a step-up from a former Chargers starting QB (cough cough). Having A.J Feeley backing him up will more than likely help his development like breathing helps me lose weight. Guys like McCardell, and some guy by the name of LaDanian Tomlinson will be carrying the load, and doing a relatively good job of it.

3. Kansas City Chiefs
Larry Johnson is an amazing player, but unfortunately, he is not an amazing team. Thus, he can't do this on his own, although judging by the personnel Cardinal's brass has surrounded him with, they think this possible. I am sure he looks in the mirror everyday and wonders: "why me?" Much like all Chiefs fans.

4. Oakland Raiders
Warren Sapp is playing the D-Line with Burgess (16 sacks last season), so this should make some opposing QB's think about getting the ball of more quickly. However, it is not like the rest of the secondary is going to do much about that: the starters combined for two interceptions last season, and they were both by FS Stewart Schweigert.

NFC EAST
What will be more entertaining: TD's from two explosive players playing on the same team? Or Parcell's slow burn and eventual blow-up? Not that it will happen this year, but mark your calendar for, say, next year around November.

1. Dallas Cowboys
Two words: Glenn and Owens. The former is a catching-machine, and I don't care what anyone says about T.O., the guy can play the game of football. Combine this with a Drew Bledsoe who is playing like he did in the mid-90's, and I think we have a division winner. A few things to keep an eye on is Bledsoe's ability to keep up this pace, and of course, Owens antics. Although, he is still in his honeymoon phase with Dallas, so look out for problems next year.

2. NY Giants
Eli Manning has the skills, but he isn't his older brother. With that said, he has a strong supporting cast: Tiki Barber in the back field, and Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer as targets. As solid defense means the Giant's have a chance to sneak into the playoffs after last year's division championship.

3. Washington Redskins
A terrible pre-season has lead many to wonder if the Redskins are for real. On paper, this team is for solid, with Brunell at the helm, and perennial stars as his targets: Santana Moss, Brandon Llyod, and the newly-acquired Antwaan Randle El. Yet the first-team offense has been dismal in the pre-season, and with Clinton Portis's status unclear, this could make for a long season for the Skins.

4. Philadelphia Eagles
With the Terrell Owens era behind them, the Eagles look to rebound this season. And in the depth chart, the Eagles have some names that are legit. McNabb, Westbrook, Runyan, Kearse, and Dawkins. Yet, their December schedule leaves a bit to be desired: they play at Indy November 26; at home to the Panthers December 4; back on the road for three more at Washington, New York (Giants), and Dallas. Any momentum they have at this point will surely be tested.

NFC NORTH
No one doubts that the Bears will take the division. However, the attention here is going to be on the Vikings, and what kind of bounty they bring home this time, and of course, the swan-song of No. 4.

1. Chicago Bears
With guys like Brian Urlacher, Nathan Vasher, and Charles Tillman patrolling the defensive-side of the ball, it's still going to be a challenge for any team to score points. That said, shut-outs are a rarity in the NFL, so the Bears offense is going to have to step-it up to take the division. But make no mistake, in this division, they will have no problems.

2. Minnesota Vikings
Irony: both Vikings of old and new travelled around in boats, taking whatever bounty (booty?) they could find. And like the Vikings of old, travelling to a new world and having to take the bumps and bruises of a new beginning, so too will the Vikings of 2006. Their first three games are against playoff teams from last year, and this could prove to be a formidable hump to get over. Nonetheless, the last four weeks see them playing some of the weaker teams in the league, which could propel them into a wild-card berth.

3. Detroit Lions
Mike Martz has had much success as a coach in previous year's; however, his unique offensive playbook quickly became obsolete as opposing coach's soon caught on to his system. Of course, it helped having players like Tory Holt, Marshall Faulk, Issac Bruce, and Kurt Warner running those plays. Unfortunately in Detroit, the same name power and talent is lacking.

4. Green Bay Packers
But if Detroit is lacking in offense, the Green Bay Packers are lacking in everything. And it kills me to say this. Brett Favre's likely swan-song won't be a pretty one. Not much else to say. A few highlights few and far between much of what the team did last year: few touchdowns and numerous interceptions. The loss of Javon Walker doesn't help. I hope they make brown bags large enough to fit over the cheeseheads.

NFC SOUTH
Another tough division where attention will focus on the powerhouse Panthers, underachieving Falcon's, and some Bush.

1. Carolina Panthers
This division has the potential to be one of the toughest, and on paper, the Panther's have fewer reasons for concern than the other teams. With more teams going with a platoon in the back, the depth chart for the Panthers is going to be a benefit. So is a healthy Jake Dellhomme. Throw in Steve Smith, an MVP candidate already, and the offense is set. On defense, the Panther's have an offensive line, anchored by Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker, that combined for 34 sacks last season.

2. Atlanta Falcons
On both sides of the ball, the Falcons, on paper, should be, at the very least, 1-2 games behing the Panthers, if not even with them. However, after a dismal finish last season, the Falcon's faithful are beginning to lose patience. And rightfully so. With names like Vick, Dunn, Lelie, Malloy, and Hall on the roster, this team should be on top of the division.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs didn't do much this off-season, and they will probably pay for it in the regular season. They have a strong set of core players, but they still need an impact player or two to make, well, an impact.

4. New Orleans Saints
I find it hard not to cheer for the Saints. I like an underdog. And I like to see good people do well. Reggie Bush, who should be playing for the Texans right now, has the burden of restoring interest into a football team that has undergone some serious setbacks in recent years. This kid is going to be great. And the offense has the potential to put up some big numbers. Unfortunately, with their defense, of which not one starter had more than 100 tackles last season, opposing teams are going to be able to put up even bigger numbers.

NFC WEST
The 2005 NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks will have no problem the League's weakest division, but what about those other teams?

1. Seattle Seahawks
This is a no-brainer. In this division, the Packers would have a shot. Well, that may be stretching it, but barring a complete collapse of first team offense, the Seahawks can set their sites on the playoffs after week one. Or now too. The core from last year is still in tact, and after their loss to the Steelers in January, they want it even more.

2. St. Louis Rams
Six new defensive starters and a winner in Jim Haslett means the St. Louis Rams, often an "offense-only" team may have a more balanced team. Marc Bulger is first on the depth chart and while not flashy, completed about 68% of his passes last year. Combine that with Stephen Jackson, who will get the ball more this year, and Adam Timmerman making holes for
him, and the Rams may make some noise in a weak division.

3. Arizona Cardinals
Matt Leinart throws with his left arm - who cares if he slightly seperated his right one? Not that it matters this year. Give this team a couple of years (which has been the motto since the dawn of this franchise), and they will be the new Bengals. Opening the season against the '49ers all but guarantee's them a good start to the season.

4. San Francisco 49ers
I must dislike this team on principle - they were my older brother's childhood team, and much like the hated Toronto Maple Leafs, no matter how good they were, I thought they would preform poorly. Lucky for me, this will actual happen for the '49ers (and fingers crossed for the Leafs as well, although it appears they do not need my help). Much like the Browns, there is not much to say about this team, although I heard Calvin Johnson would make a great first choice.

MOMENTUM SWINGS TO SANTANA...

2006-08-31T18:09:00.000-03:00

Some notes before dinner:

Related to a previous post where my good friend Neate Sager and I discussed this years AL Cy Young candidates, Johan Santaña dominated the Kansas City Royals today, striking out 11 over 7 innings of work. Now, with momentum seemingly shifting toward him, all eyes, well, mine at least, will be focused on Doc Halladay tonight, when he takes on Boston tonight. And considering the way Boston has been playing recently, odds are Doc will take some of Santaña's momentum back tonight.

Of note in that game, pitcher David Wells, the scheduled starter for Boston, was pulled from the line-up. His locker was cleared out, and TSN is reporting that he has been traded. The team, as of this posting, was not yet known.

Also, Adam Vinateri, arguably the NFL's best kicker, has a broken bone in his planting foot. It is not known if and when he will return; however, after just coming off a broken bone in my own foot, he should be able to play! Although if he doesn't, I am sure Adam Sandler would have something to say about it.

Finally, congratulations, and "thanks" goes out to Cassie Campbell. The "face" of Canadian women's hockey, has retired from the sport at the age of 32. Her accomplishments and awards speak for themselves, and the current state of women's hockey in Canada, and indeed, across the globe, owes her some gratitude.

Keep yer stick on the ice.

MORNING NEWS CRUISE - AUGUST 29, 2006

2006-08-29T11:40:00.001-03:00

Carson Palmer appears to be back! In his first start since having his knee re-built, he took hits, avoided the rush, and threw three TD's to lead the Bengals to a 48-17 win over my beloved Green Bay Packers.

It was a bittersweet evening. For starter's the Monday-nighter wasn't even carried by ABC, so I had to watch the interns at TSN update the game log. Then, I had to watch Carson Palmer
and the offense destroy what would generously be described as the Green Bay defense.

However, it is great to see someone like Palmer come back from a difficult injury such as the one he sustained. Much talk has been circulating about his mental ability to come back and sustain hits, avoid the rush, and read the defense. I think last night's demonstration may silence his critics.

But, the cyncial sports reporter says, "last night wasn't even a test -- it was Green Bay!" Touché I say, yet, it is still an NFL-level defense (cough), and still, the ability to get in a real game, take some snaps and some hits, is a monumental hurdle to overcome. Watch out for Palmer to get better and better as the season goes on.

Of Note:

Big Papi, suffering from what seemed to be flu-like symptoms has actually been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. He will be evaluated further later this week.

Tim Connolly is still feeling to effects of post-concussion syndrome. Speculation is that he won't be ready for the start of training camp -- maybe longer.

The Ottawa-Lynx, Canada's only Triple-A baseball team is no longer. Read more about it over at "Out of Left Field."

Keep yer stick on the ice.

AND YOUR 2006 CY YOUNG WINNER IS.........

2006-08-27T21:03:00.000-03:00

VERSUS

It started out innocently enough. It was one of those questions thrown out there as a typical conversation starter, but it soon took on a life of it's own. And from it, this post.

Fellow blogger and good home-town friend Neate Sager, from "Out of Left Field" simply asked: "Pat, who do you think for AL Cy Young: Johan Santaña or Doc Halladay?" He had to have known I would have an opinion on this matter. With both of us growing up in-and-around Napanee, Ontario, a rural, hockey mad community, we watched what little baseball we could [read: were aloud]. Neate, the die-hard loyal Jays fan, and myself, the only person in Napanee (and now Halifax) who proudly sports the "Twin Stripes."

So with this years Cy Young race quickly boiling down to the two ace's on our respective favourate teams, it was no wonder we were both eager to get into this debate.

Below is text of what transpired that fine Sunday afternoon, while the rest of the world was watching and wondering if Tiger might actually falter.

Sager:
So Johan Santaña has the flashy numbers, but at the end of the day, I've been watching Roy Halladay all season and this looks like a Cy Young Award season. He has had maybe one bad start all season. He's 16-4 with a low ERA in a hitter's ballpark for an average team. He could easily have 20 wins already. Pat, don't you think he passes the litmus test for a Cy Young winner?

Pearce:
He passes the test in many years, including this one. However, there is someone this year who goes beyong what Halladay can do. For instance, you say "flashy" numbers for Santaña, I say solid. He is 15-5, with an even lower ERA, more strikeouts, and is leading his team to a wild-card berth, and dare I say, a division crown.

Sager:
Don't get too far ahead of yourself there. The Twins still have to win it, and regardless, this is an individual award. Halladay's numbers reflect his importance to the Blue Jays -- take him away and the Jays are probably a sub-500 team, like they were when he missed major parts of the previous two seasons.

Pearce:
Okay, we will leave the Twins run out of this for the moment. Indeed, the Cy Young is an individual achievement given to the best pitcher in the league. And Santaña's numbers speak for themselves: first in ERA, first in WHIP (walks and hits allowed per inning pitched), first in strikeouts. After starting the season 0-3, he has won 15 of his last 17 decisions.

Sager:
Well, the Twins didn't score runs early on in the season, hence Santaña's 0-3 start. As for the slightly lower ERA, put it in context. That 0.11 difference between them amounts to two, three runs over nearly 200 innings, and you haven't even begun to discuss park effects or the quality of the opposition. Their ERAs are essentially the same.

Pearce:
If you are talking about style, would Halladay's numbers be worse if he were on a team with weaker defence? No one argues that the guy is a horse (four complete games this season), but he also puts a lot of balls in play. The regular Jays tarters (if you could call their middle infield 'regular') have a combined .986 fielding percentage (to the Twins .979), so with a weaker defence, would some of those 6-4-3 double plays actually be hits against Halladay?

Sager:
There's no defence that's good enough to make a pitcher better than he really is in he long run. (Funny: Right as I wrote that, Aaron Hill and John McDonald botched a sure inning-ending double play in the Jays-Royals game, reducing an 8-4 Jays lead to 8-6).

Here's my question to you, Pat: Are Halladay's numbers in the AL East, with the smaller ballparks and the Evil Empires, superior to Santana's stats in the AL Central, which has bigger parks, the majors worst team, Kansas City, and at least one good team that doesn't have a reputation for patient hitting? (cough, Detroit Tigers.)

Pearce:
Absolutely not! And here's why. The Jays, to date, have played the Red Sox and Yankees a combined 23 times, but the Twins have played the Tigers and White Sox a combined 30 times. It should be noted that the Tigers still have the best record in baseball, while the White Sox actually have a better record than the Red Sox.

Moreover, The Twins have played 24 games against the Royals, Orioles and Devil Rays, while the Jays, not including today, have played 40 games against the AL's unholy trinity of mediocrity.

When you consider Tampa Bay is only five wins better than the Royals, the notion of a weaker schedule for the Twins and Santaña falls a bit flat.

Santaña, by the way, is 6-2 against the Tigers and White Sox.

Sager:
Well, if you're talking best-on-best competition, consider that the Jays are 6-0 in Doc's starts against Boston and both New York teams (He only got the decision three times).

Pearce:
However, Santaña's ERA against the Tigers and White Sox is 2.12 while Halladay's is 3.00 against the Yankees and Red Sox. What's more, in the games Halladay started against the Yankees and Boston, the Jays averaged 6.8 runs per game. In the games Santaña has started against the Tigers and White Sox, the Twins have averaged 4.5 runs per game.

What this indicates is that against their respective divisions' top teams, Doc gets better run support, while Santaña, despite putting up wins, has less margin for error in his pitching.

Sager:
Ok, what I'm wondering, though, is if we're wrong to talk about what each guy has done to date and not look at where he's headed. Santaña is on a 15-2 roll. Halladay was 8-1 out of the gate. Is Santaña going to keep this up as the Twins pursue a playoff berth? How is Halladay going to fare in September, when the Jays will be playing for pride and have a schedule loaded with contenders? (Their last 13 games of the season are all against Boston, Detroit or New York.)

Pearce:
Here, I think I have to go with Halladay's perserverance. It doesn't hurt Santaña that his team is still in the hunt, but given Halladay's history, he is as good as it gets down the stretch, even with a team that's out of it. As mentioned, the guy is a horse. Back in 2003, when he won his first Cy Young, he was two years removed from a minor league stint that saw him re-define himself as a pitcher.

This year is eerily similar. He missed most of last year with a broken leg, and it just seems that he always has something to prove and is the best when that's the case.

And just take a look at his record down the stretch: since 2003, he is 7-3, despite missing some significant time in two seasons. Combine that with the aforementioned fact that his plays well against the Red Sox, Yankees, and Tigers, and he will likely to put up great numbers from here on in.

And consider this, in 2003, after pitching four complete games in the season's first five months, he tore through September, finishing the season with five complete-game wins in his final six starts.

Sager:
So can I mark you down tentatively for Halladay, I take it? It's funny, the question I keep asking of myself is, "What if the records were reversed -- if Santaña was 16-4 and Halladay was 15-5?" If that was the case, there would be no Cy Young debate, and Santaña, not his batterymate Joe Mauer, might be getting the Sports Illustrated cover.

Pearce:
Although, that was a pretty nice spread of Mauer!

But what about you? Do you think Santaña's momentum will lead him to a second Cy Young?

Sager:
Momentum is a funny thing, but yes, based on the stats and how he's overcome his team and his own slow start, Santaña is the guy here, especially since he's pitching in a playoff race, which should help him keep his focus. However, can we agree on one thing? That this season has two very compelling candidates for the AL Cy Young, which is about two more than in 2005 (when Halladay was injured and Santaña finished third largely since his record was only 16-7.)

Pearce:
Ya, I agree. There wasn't a whole lot happening from AL mounds last year.

Sager:
The other aspect we can agree on is that it could just easily be you backing Santaña and me backing Halladay.

Pearce:
Absolutely! Their numbers are so close in every category except for strikeouts. But as you mentioned, Halladay's quickness and ground-ball pitching is surely beneficial to his team. And of course, it gets the job done, which is the end goal.

And that is that. The race is close this year, and it has come down to two dominant, yet stylistically different pitchers. If Santaña gets Minnesota into the playoffs, I think it is a lock. If Doc can have a September like 2003, he is a lock. Like all good things, it comes down to the final few moments for it all to play out.

Send thoughts and comments to pwjp22@hotmail.com.

Keep your stick on the ice.

MORNING NEWS CRUISE

2006-08-25T08:15:00.000-03:00

What you may have missed while pondering who J.K Rowling is gonna finish off. (this format 'borrowed' from other [read: better] bloggers)

Burris Burns: As I called it, the Calgary Stampeders beat the Montreal Alouettes for their third straight victory. Coincidentally, the Alouettes lost their third in a row after starting the season 7-0. Henry Burris, Stamps starter, went 18-for-33, for 295 yards, while the Stamps racked up 523 total yards against the leagues second-best defense. In an otherwise boring year for the CFL, hopefully this game is the catalyst for more excitement.

See me fly: Carolina Panthers rookie DeAngelo Williams returned a kick-off 98 yards for a touchdown, perhaps securing his spot as the starting kick-off / punt returner for the team. However, the first-team offense was horrendous: Steve Smith is still out, Jake Delhomme went 6-for-15 for a whopping 56 yards, and the team did not gain a first down until 3:33 left in second quarter. Despite this, they still won. Against Miami. Sounds about right.

Seeing Red: Scoring thier final four-runs with two out, the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Franciso Giants last night. The big deal? The victory allowed the Reds to tie the Cardinals (who lost to the Mets) for first place in the NL Central. What's really sad about this is that the Reds and the Cardinals have a worse winning percentage (as do the Dodgers, the NL West division leaders) that the Toronto Blue Jays, who sit third in the AL East. Does anyone else think something's wrong with this picture?

Love the 'Twin Stripes': The Minnesota Twins took two-of-three from the Baltimore Orioles (where's the SWEEP?!), including a 11-2 rout last night to keep pace with the AL wild card leaders, the Chicago White Sox. This confidence bodes well for the Twins upcoming (read: HUGE) series with the Chicago White Sox. Probably starters for the series: Friday: Radke (12-9) vs. Vazquez (11-8); Saturday: Santana (15-5) vs. Contreras (11-6); Sunday: Silva (8-11) vs. Buehrle (10-11). I am calling this one 2-outta-3 for the Twins, with Saturday's game being the one to watch (no brainer).

Hometown Roots: Former agent/accused pedofile/assassination target/juicebar owner/gag-inducer David Frost is going on trial in September in my small hometown of Napanee. Ontario. He faces 12 charges of sexual exploitation and one assault charge from his involvement with the Quinte Hawks organization, based out of even smaller Deseronto, Ontario.

Not to worry though, I am having my mom bake a coconut cream pie to splash on his face. However, knowing the population of Quinte Detention Centre, Millhaven Penitentary (made famous by none other than the Tragically Hip), Jocyeville Penitentary, and the numerous Penitentaries in Kingston, a 'coconut' pie in the face is the least of Frost's worries. At least I hope so.

SIDE NOTE: The numerous "correctional facilities" in-and-around my hometown is neither a reflection of those town's or their inhabitants. Plain and simple, we need the money, jobs, and free-labour for our farms.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer. Labour Day doesn't count for me, because, I have to labour at work. Boo.

MAURICE CLARETT: SOCIAL CAPITAL AND CAUTIONARY TALES

2006-08-23T11:21:00.000-03:00

It is impossible to know what was going on in Maurice Clarett's mind the night he flashed a gun and demanded property from a couple on New Year's day 2006. It is also impossible to know what was going on in his head the night of August 9, 2006, when he was arrested and police found guns and a half-empty bottle of vodka in his vehicle. However, it is very easy to speculate what was going on in his mind -- a quick glance in the sports sections of the major newspapers over the last few weeks confirms this. What is certain though, is that Maurice Clarett had all the talent and ability to have a successful career in the NFL, but his lack of social capital, and/or his desire to tap into the little available to him, ultimately cost him his career, and potentially, significant portions of his life.

On January 3, 2003, Maurice Clarett joined some rare company: Magic Johnson, Grant Hill, and Isiah Thomas. The act that allowed his name to be said along with these greats? His five-yard run for a touchdown in the second overtime delivered a national championship to Ohio State. And with that, he became of of those few who, at a very young age, led their team to a nation championship.

However, who would have thought that this celebratory evening would have been the last highlight of his young life?

Maurice Clarett was pure football skill. Coming out of Warren Harding High School, he was dubbed by many journalists as the top high-school football player in the country. His speed was virtually unmatched, and his ability to read and react to play's was compared to veteran collegiate players.

He shined in his first year with the Buckeye's, rushing for 1,237 yards (a school record for freshmen) and scoring 18 touchdowns. The Buckeye's finished with a perfect 14-0 record, and went on to win the aforementioned national championship on his winning touchdown.
However, unlike another Ohio teenage phenom, Maurice Clarett did not have the social capital, at a young age, necessary to develop the skills, knowledge, and contacts, necessary to maintain a level head and be successful.

The idea behind social capital is that inherent in each individual's social networks is the knowledge, resources, and contacts that are invaluable for pursuing and achieving goals. For instance, because person A knows person B, and person B knows person C, person A can tap into the knowledge and resources person C possess, due to their relationship with person B. It is somewhat more complex than this, and has much to do with trust and reciprocity, but this is the basic point.

In any event, social capital is crucial for an individuals continued development and success. And compared to other athletes, Clarett just didn't have it at an early age. Clarett came from an impoverished background, traditionally low on social capital, and he had very little support from his family. In fact, he had the burden of being the "one," the individual on whom the family's hopes and dreams were pinned.

However, other athletes from poor backgrounds have gone on to have successful and healthy careers. The question remains, why did Clarett not succeed. And in this instance, the blame falls squarely on him. Whereas other athletes with little social capital tapped into what bit they had, Clarett refused to do this.

Clarett (like other athletes) was given ample opportunity to develop new social capital in the context and structure of the football environment. Here, he had coaches who wanted to help him succeed and friends and teammates upon whom he could rely. Yet still, he didn't take to this. On the contrary, he walked around like the world owed him something. Consider this comment from Mike Shanahan, Denver Bronco's coach:

He's got some heavy issues. It's just a shame this has happened to a guy that [had] so much promise and so much ability. I'm not sure what happened to him but it's a real shame...We tried to reach him quite a bit when he was here. One thing he did have here was a lot of support from our veterans and our players tried to really take care of this guy and he wanted no part of it...

So, whereas other players with similar backgrounds were able, and willing, to tap into the networks that became available to them, and to use them to their advantage, Clarett shunned these opportunities.

So when someone like Michael Wilbon refers to Clarett as a "cautionary tale," it isn't simply that Clarett had too much pressure placed upon him too quickly, it is also that young athletes must embrace and tap into the resources available to them through the networks and relationships around them. It is also about the importance coach's and team officials have in the dynamic. They are more than 'coaches' and 'officials,' they are leaders, mentors, guides, and contacts for these athletes that may have nothing else.

IS WELLS THE JAYS FUTURE?

2006-08-18T10:30:00.000-03:00

Keeping the core of a baseball team is like working the core of your body: it takes work, cash, determination, and pure-and-simple luck. But in the end, it is worth it all when the scores start piling up -- whether it's on a baseball diamond or a beach.

This tangent came to mind this morning after reading an interesting article by the Globe and Mail's Larry Millson, who argues that the Toronto Blue Jays recent trades of Shea Hillenbrand, Scott Schoeneweis, and Eric Hinske are all designed to make the team better next year through the extra cash (12 million) saved from these salaries.

According to him, the Jays number one priority is going to be signing two-time gold-glove winner Vernon Wells to a lucrative long-term contract. And while fickle Toronto fans may want to see the centre-fielder, who is putting up MVP-type numbers, in the blue, silver, and black next year, this sports nut does not think this is likely. And here is why.

The Jays are unlikely to be able to give him the type of contract a player of his calibre deserves. With so much money invested into a few players who may be past their prime (does this remind us of any other Toronto sports franchise), the Jays only have so much to go around. Vernon may even realize this. He was approached before this season to discuss the possibility of a long-term contract, and he rebuffed, claiming he only wanted to talk about it after this season. And after the numbers he put up this season, it is likely the Jays will not be able to afford him anyway.

Also, Well's does not even want to play in Toronto. The Jays traded away Shea Hillenbrand, a player with whom Wells reportedly had a good realtionship with. Then, as has been mentioned by numerous reporters, including my good friend Neate Sager over at Out of Left Field, the Toronto sports fan and culture is extremely fickle. A hero one night and a goat the next is the calling of most Toronto players.

However, this maxim does not seem to apply to those medicore players who seem to embody characteristics that every Torontonian aspires to have, but unlikely to ever develop: hard-work, determination, and courage. Here we are talking about guys like Tie Domi and Dary Tucker, just to name a couple.

To emphasize the point, just think of this quotation from Wells, when asked about whether trading Hinske might symbolize to the fans the Jays packing it in:

"I mean, half the fans wanted to get rid of him anyway. They booed him no
mattter what he did. Hopefully, it will be a good change for him."

Does this really sound like a player who feels that the fans in Toronto have embraced the team and it's players? Of course, the Jays are not the Royals or the Devil Rays, but Well's attitude to the city does lead me to believe he wants to stay in the city.

With this in mind, J.P. Ricciardi, as opined by more knowledgable people than I, should use Vernon Wells as the centre-piece of a package that would bring in a stronger short-stop and starting pitching.

Ultimately though, it doesn't matter. Playing in the division with New York and Boston, the two largest spenders in the league, the Jays have little hope of aspiring to the division crown with a payroll of 75-78 million. The wild-card perhaps.

But to the Toronto sports fan, it won't really matter either way. The Jays are just not cool enough yet. And ultimately, they did it to themselves.

Hinske Traded; Jays Throw in the Towel

2006-08-17T10:33:00.000-03:00

Reports are surfacing that the Jay's have traded third baseman/first baseman/outfielder Eric Hinske to -- wait for it -- division rival the Boston Red Sox! Questions remain of course, but what does this mean for the Toronto Blue Jays for next year and beyond?

Hinske is a very capable player, as shown by his abilities in all three positions he has been rotating around this year. Additionally, he is solid at the plate, despite the slumps and struggles that all hitters eventually go through. However, his $5.6 million dollar contract next year more than likely came into play. Thus, this move, considering the return, "future considerations," and the fact that it was to a division rival, smells like a pure and simple salary dump.

However, with the likelihood that payroll will not change significantly next year, what will next year's team look like? It is going to be difficult to find a player of Hinske's ability to play as a utility player. With the money saved on the Hinske and Schoeneweis trades, many people could view this as a move to bring back future pending free agents, such as "the Cat," Frank Catalanotto, or dare I say it, Vernon Wells.

Ultimately, it appears that the Jays have thrown in the towel for this year's race. The question remains, have they already done so for next year as well?

Other worthy news.

The PGA Championship is underway in Medinah, Illinois today. Players to watch include Tiger and Phil, but some sleepers could come through. Look for guys like Furyk and Vijay to get that big win this time around.

"I went to a wrestling match last night, and a baseball game broke out!" For those of you who didn't hear, the volatile series between the Angels and Rangers came to a head last night when Adam Kennedy charged the mound after being by a pitch.

Last night, "Juiced" "author" Jose Canseco made his pitching debut. The line: 4 and 1/3 innings pitched, one strike out, five walks, and four hit-batsmen. Hey, at least he is a better pitcher than he is a batter.

CHIMING IN ON HNIC

2006-08-15T10:26:00.000-03:00

Wow! Has it been almost a month since my last post? It appears so; however, with the recent submission of a thesis proposal completed, my thoughts can return to the wide world of sports.

In recent days, there has been a flurry of activity -- web-postings, editorials, radio-call ins -- concerning the news that communication conglomerate Bell Globemedia is planning to offer up 10.4 billion dollars over 10 years for the rights to Hockey Night in Canada. And it seems that everyone has an opinion on the matter.

One of the oft arguments that I have encountered see's this possible purchase as great news, because without a regular Saturday evening, the CBC can turn their attention to their mandate, which is to promote and support Canadian culture through television programming (although, I am not sure where such films as 'Happy Gilmore' fit into this mandate). But I digress.

A counter-point to this argument is that the sport of hockey is Canadian culture, and by airing hockey, the CBC is contributing to it's mandate. Indeed, what Canadian child did not play on a backyard pond? Or on the street? Or played until their fingers were frozen to their Easton Aluminum? Who doesn’t remember the last Canadian team to win the Cup? Moreover, the recent runs of two western Canadian teams seemed to reaffirm Canadian passion (or at least bandwagon jumping) for the sport.

While some may disagree with my assessment, it is hard to argue that hockey is not a part of our culture. Facets of culture do not have to be agreed upon by all members of a citizenry, it simply has to permeate that citizenry in a profound way. Indeed, like may pop-culture icons and ideals, Madonna, Britney Spears, Dave Chapelle, trucker hats (ugh), hockey permeates many facets of Canadian thinking.

However, for those of you who did not agree with this, keep this in mind. HNIC provides CBC with a 30 million dollar profit each year. This cash is what enables the CBC to fund and air “real” Canadian cultural programs like "Tommy Douglas," "Rick Mercer," "the Road to Avonlea," and the like. Without this cash, the CBC would be even less able to fulfill it's mandate.

The solution then? If Bell Globemedia wants to purchase the rights to HNIC, so be it, I am gonna have to upgrade my cable package anyway. However, if Bell Globemedia wants the format as well, such as "Coach's Corner," "Satellite Hotstove," and "Behind the Mask," they should be required to pay the CBC a 30 million dollar a year rental fee.

SHEA IT ISN'T SO...

2006-07-19T23:10:00.000-03:00

It has been awhile since my last post (thesis writing, job interviews, etc); however, my eyes and hears have still be tuned to the sports world, my one true and neverending passion. Here is my take on a few recent goodies.

An interesting story developing on Long Island and the front office (dis)organization of the New York Islanders. You may remember a little joke I threw into a post a while ago about dysfunction and the Isles, yet even with the removal of GM Mike Milbury, a man with the hockey sense of an Australian surfer, the state of this organization is not improving. And while this horse has been beaten to death in the last couple of days (get well soon Barbaro), a story about another front-office may have been missed by the "hockey-first-and-only" crowd in Canada.

For those of you who have been pre-occupied with the recent signing of Mike Peca and other note-worthy hockey stories, before tonight's Blue Jays-Rangers game, Shea Hillenbrand went on a profanity-laced tirade lambasting the Jays front office for not congratulating him for adopting a child. So, roughly a month after (supposedly) begging J.P. not to trade him, Hillenbrand maintains that he is just waiting to be traded now.

And of course, this comes on the heels of J.P. Riccardi's pre-all-star game tirade, where he called out his 3-4-5 hitters. While I personally thought (and think) this was a great move, although it would have been better coming from the bench-boss, many have made questioned his actions, certainly in light of Vernon Wells' comments, where he was obviously annoyed and upset with his General Manager.

What does this mean for the organization then? Is it in trouble? Hinske is on the market, that's obvious. I have heard rumblings that Vernon Wells may be traded next year. And ultimately, I am curious about the value in either of these moves. Hinske is making a claim to remain on the roster, and while some have argued that this is raising his trade value, I could think of a few other infielders for the Jays that could be traded away. Concerning Wells, he is quickly becoming the face of the new Toronto Blue Jays, and when a team trades away an exciting and talented player, there is usually some backlash from the fans (and the Jays P.R. and marketing divisions are already having a hard time, why give them more work?).

So then, is Riccardi simply trying to fire up his team or is his baseball ego grown to big for the glove? Some have argued that the Jays are doomed because the core of the team is still "Ash's guys." Does this matter? It may, if ego is the big issue.

Nonetheless, the Jays appear to be bleeding from numerous wounds. They are not meeting the expectations of fickle fans, despite having the sixth best record in the league. The front office seems to be suffering from the Long Island syndrome (and this is not the result of too many of those Iced Teas).

The question for Jays fans, including myself then becomes, when do we break out the Bo Sox hat? (or in my case, go Twins!)

MORNING NEWS CRUISE

2006-06-30T10:43:00.000-03:00

A quick glance at my morning online haunts reveals:

Duke lacrosse player Ryan McFayden has been re-instated to the school and athletic program. After being suspended for sending a vulgar email depicting the killing of strippers (mere hours after the infamous Duke party), he is happy to be back, having learned "a valuable lesson" about the power of words and how they can be misunderstood. [Sports Illustrated]

"What I meant to say when I said 'I want to kill strippers with a jackknife' was 'I want to love strippers with a jack-rabbit...'" See? Easily misunderstood.

Some of the Tour de France's biggest names have been implicated in a doping scandal. Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, and Francisco Mancebo are just a few of the names mentioned. [ESPN]

Is this really any surprise to anyone? Although, it looks like Lance Armstrong avoided yet another drug scandal.

Big match-up today in World Cup action. Germany takes on Argentina with the winner moving onto the semi-finals. Watch it!

My condolences go out to the Odom family today.

A SOCIO-ECONOMIST, YET HERE IS WHY I HATE NUMBERS

2006-06-29T15:00:00.000-03:00

Two! Two! Two beautiful numbers!

I love the summer. I mean, I absolutely love the summer. I live in one of Canada's most relaxing summer cities (Halifax, Nova Scotia), and there is nothing like sitting back in one of the 6,498 bars in the downtown core and watching a ball game.

And while my heart has always belonged to the Seattle Mariners, a the little-team-that-could, the Minnesota Twins, have created a little niche in my Grinch-esqe heart. Playing in the hardest division in the majors, the red-hot Twins have gone on a tear recently, going 17-2 since June 7.

Despite this amazing feat, the Twinkies are still 11 games out of first place! 11 games! In fact, in this recent winning span, they have only made up a half-game (!!!) on the first-place Tigers!

In fact, Sports Illustrated's Jacob Luft has picked up on this, and provides some very interesting stats. He points out that if the White Sox play .500 ball for the rest of the season, the Twinkies would have to post a record of 52-33 to catch them! Even worse, they would have to win two additional games (a 54-31 record) to catch the Tigers!

What does this mean for the chances of a Twins post-season birth? Well, they have 23 games remaining against the White Sox and the Tigers (roughly 28% of their remaining schedule). In addition, they the rest of their schedule sees them play 37 games (roughly 44%) against sub .500 teams. They play the Royals 13 more times this season!

When you compare the Twins schedule to that of their divison rivals, it bodes pretty well for the Twinkies. The Tigers play 59 games, or roughly 70% of their remaining games against above .500 teams, while the White Sox play 53 games, or 63% against the majors better teams.

If Santana and Mauer stay as hot as they have been since June, I know where a bettin' man would place his money.

PROGRESS YES; BUT AT THE EXPENSE OF A CITY

2006-06-27T14:05:00.000-03:00

You suck-did-i-ly-uck, Edmonton

If you have been celebrating our short break from Canada's national past-time, you may not have picked up on the latest hockey news making the rounds. For those of you still basking in the break, this story carries is much more than a hockey story -- it is about progress, society and economics (but in essence, it's really about hockey).

As the Carolina Hurricanes were celebrating thier Stanley Cup victoty June 19, they were joined by their wives and children. Despite this symbolic gesture, which demonstrates the important role families play in athletes' lives, the Hurricanes were admonished by many, and most notably in Canada, by Rogers Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos.

In continuing the story line, today's Toronto Star ran a story "Wives Deciding Athletes' Moves," citing the recent developments with Chris Pronger and Mike Peca, who, after carrying the Edmonton Oilers to the Cup final, prompty expressed their respective desires to leave the city of Champions at the bequest of their loved ones (so the reports go).

And rightly so. These families, as pointed out in numerous studies, and most recently opined by Out of Left Field, endure numerous hardships to support their athletic partners (while certainly not the most infamous case, Tim Thomas' is an interesting read).

And those in the upper-echelon's of sports management are starting to get it right as well.

From the same Toronto Star story, Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson, on the importance of family in athletes' production:
That kind of support is always a factor in anyone's ability to be at their
best.

And Blue Jay's GM J.P. Riccardi:

It's like any family situation now. There are wives that need to be heard
and the wife has a big say in (her) husband's life.
And while this progressive, feminist-friendly sociologist/sport-enthusiast applauds the acknowledgement athletes' families are finally receiving, my skeptical-self wonders what this will do for sports.

Any sociologist or business analyst will tell you that employers are apt to hire men over women because of the greater potential for a strong return on their investment. For instance, managers and exeutives (of which most are men) see males as dedicated hard-workers, who are not likely to work for three-years, only to take a year off for maternity leave. This perceived "baggage" limits women's potential and opportunity, while also limiting the potential of the company because they automatically disqualify suitable applicants.

However, this begs the question of whether or not teams will be willing to sign or trade for players who come with similar "baggage." For instance, what are the odds that another small-market team is going to offer up valuable assets for someone like Pronger, knowing that his wife was unhappy in Edmonton? Can anyone honesly see him landing in Minnesota or Columbus, cities with similar culture and life-style as other small-market teams?

What about the newly acquired Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo recently married a Floridian and all of his "non-hockey" friends reside in the sunshine state. Is this going to hurt the Canucks chances of signing him long-term? Are they even going to try?

I half-jokingly wonder if professional sports-teams are going to start conducinting socio/cultural- economic studies on potential free-agent signings, draftees or trade-pickups before making a decision? If so, that's great, because it means more guys like me might finally be able to live the dream of playing, er, I mean, working, for a professional sportsr franchise.

More likely, it means more money in the pockets of marketing and advertising firms, as coaches and managers, taking the cue from Raptors GM Glen Grunwald, make promotional videos of a home city in an attempt to woo potential players.

Ultimately, what this leads to seems to be what the NHL lockout was intended to erase, or at the vert least, limit: large-market teams being better equiped to attract big-names. Only this time, the financial playing field may be level, city size, cultural activities and events, services provided and available, will be the selling points. In this case, when a player decides to sign elsewhere for "personal reasons," it can easily be seen as a slight to the vacated city.

And with this in mind, is it really any surprise that the city of Edmonton is taking this snub personally?

I wish to acknowledge the important role my mother and grandmother played in my fledging development as a solid defensive-minded slo-pitch baseball player. I only wish they hadn't provided me with that un-named nickname that I will never live down. Cheers.

A BRIEF SEARCH REVEALS....

2006-06-23T15:43:00.000-03:00

Martin Havlat has stated that his is interested in signing only a one-year deal in Ottawa, quickly leading Sens fans and pundits to assume that a trade could be imminent. While I think the Sens should -- and most likely will -- try to work out a long term deal with him, it is interesting to speculate on potential destinations for the speedy winger, and what the Sens may get in return.

It is obvious that the Senators need of goaltending. They could test the free-agent market, but with such a valuable commodity at their seeming disposal, why not dangle him for a quality starter. What do you think Iron Mike Keenan would say to something along the lines of:

Emery, Redden, and Havlat for Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen. This provides the Sens with a much needed quality starting goaltender as well as a bona-fide gritty centreman.

Along the goaltender front, San Jose has two quality starters, and I think Vesa Toskala is their man. So in this potential trade, we would see something along the lines of Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov to Ottawa for Martin Havlat and Emery. Although, something with San Jose may involve a player such as Marcel Goc and some picks, along with Nabokov.

And while many more options exist, the one I am leaning toward is a Havlat to Boston for Andrew Raycroft and Boyes/Bergeron.

On a non-related note, I thought I would rant a little about the recent Nova Scotia conservative government's decision to limit the amount of stores that can open on Sunday for shopping. Claiming that the majority of Nova Scotians rejected a plebicsite a year-and-a-half ago, Premiere Rodney MacDonald says he is simply enforcing the majority's wishes. I have said it before and I will say it again, go to any of these open stores on a Sunday, and tell me the citizens of Nova Scotia don't want this!

MID-MORNING MUSINGS

2006-06-22T09:47:00.000-03:00

A few days after SI's Tom Verducci argued that the Mets Jose Reyes was the most dangerous leadoff hitter in baseball, despite not having the best OBP, the kid goes and hits for the cycle last night against the Cincinnati Reds. While I think Reyes is a potent leadoff hitter, I think some kudos are due for the Red Sox Kevin Youkilis. While he does not have the traditional speed of a leadoff man, a .433 on-base-percentage isn't something to ignore.
Could it be? Last week I pondered the state of the Seattle Mariners, my life-long baseball muse. Last night, Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs-scored to lead the Mariners to their fifth win in a row, an 8-5 win over the LA Dodgers. If only Seattle could play NL teams all year long -- nd 8-and-0 record in interleague play! When Seattle makes it to the World Series, it's lights out....
So the Red Rocket is out of Toronto. No, I am not refering to another transit strike, but rather to Toronto Raptors forward Matt Bonner, who was traded last night to the San Antonio Spurs. The next few days are going to be interesting for this franchise as player workouts of potential draftees continue to impress the brass.
Also, it's gonna take awhile to get used to Brian Williams over at TSN. Since I don't get that channel, I guess it is gonna take awhile to get used to life without Brian.

Toodles.

BONGS COOL; EPO BAD

2006-06-20T16:08:00.000-03:00

We cannot expect people to have respect for law and order until we teach respect to those we have entrusted to enforce those laws.

Hunter S. Thompson

In this new era of sports coverage, where the latest drug scandal receives as much attention as championship series', no fight seems to loom larger, in my eyes, than the one between Lance Armstrong and WADA, and specifically, Dick Pound.

In 2005, French newspapers L'Equipe reported that Armstrong's frozen urine samples, provided during the 1999 tour, were re-tested and came back positive for EPO.
In May 2006, a commission appointed by the International Cycling Union exonerated Armstrong, and accused WADA and the lab that conducted the tests o fmisconduct. The commission further recommended that a tribunal be convened to discuss potential legal and ethical violations by WADA and to consider "appropriate sanctions to remedy the violations."

On Monday, Lance Armstrong released a letter that he had written to the International Olympic Committee, calling for Pound's dismissal, which the IOC can authorize. While I think this step is highly unlikley, it has been reported that IOC members will discuss the letter and Pound's actions at their upcoming executive meetings.

Adding their voice to the growing critics of Pound, was the National Hockey League. Perhaps in retaliation to Pound's baseless accusation that two-thirds of NHLers used performance enhancing drugs, National Hockey League Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stated

We fully support Mr. Armstrong's plea to have the IOC hold Mr. Pound accountable for his past actions, and laud Mr. Armstrong's willingness to stand up for the rights of all of the innocent athletes who have been wrongly and unfairly
disparaged by Mr. Pound.

In his defense, Pound released a statement, where he stands by his complete rejection of the report that exonerates Armstrong, claiming that Armstrong has "too much time on his hands" since retiring from competitive cycling.

While I don't know who has taken performance-enhancing drugs and who is currently taking them, and make no mistake, there are athletes right now taking performance enhancing drugs, Pound's witch-hunt seems a bit stretched.

Being labelled a drug user in sports is akin to being labelled a pedophile in mainstream society -- it is not something that can be shaken (just ask a-never-been-proven-guilty-only-stupid Barry Bonds). And Pound's blind accusations and criticisms may reveal drug users and suppliers, but for those who are accused but ultimately innocent, there is no escaping that type-cast.

Ultimately, it often seems that Dick Pound wil lnot be content until he catches a really big fish. In this sense, he is not after the good of sport, nor ethics, but for making a name and a legacy for himself. In this light, more sports should get behind calls for his dismissal, and an overhaul of WADA.

A LITTLE NOTE DURING LUNCH BREAK....

2006-06-20T15:04:00.000-03:00

Unless you have just crawled out from under a rock, or from a major bender, you already know that the Carolina Hurricanes won thier first championship as an NHL franchise last night. Congrats to them, and congrats to the Edmonton Oilers for a valiant effort. If Kevin Lowe can get some of those un/restricted free agents signed, then Edmonton has a bright future.

However, it should be noted that after Calgary's run in 2003/2004, hockey pundits were saying that the Flames had a bright future. And we all see how this year turned out. Although, I just read that the Flames re-signed Kristian Huselius.

Also, if you are a hockey fan, and you are tired of watching hockey in the summer, take a look at Out of Left Field. Indeed, it is time to do something about this.

Big game today in World Cup action between Sweden and England. Leave work early for this one.

STORMY WEATHER

2006-06-15T12:49:00.000-03:00

And no, this is not some predictable reference to the Stanley Cup finals. Literally, it is stormy outside, and while I should be enjoying my lunch-hour outdoors, the remnants of Alberto is making that impossible.

As a result, some news and notes of interest that are making the rounds today.

Word on the street is that in addition to not wearing a helmet, Ben Roethlisberger didn't have a valid motorcycle license. While I am disinclined to be insulted, I refuse to step-down from my soap-box; I stated that this was a stupid act, and I will continue to say this. As a motorcycle enthusiast and safety-activist, I think I am entitled to berate someone who makes not one, but two immature decisions with his respect to riding.
Also, it is good to see Teddy Bruschi back to his old form. Not that he ever lost it. Here's hoping he is the only player on the Pats to play with some skill.
In MLB news, the Jays won with the help of six pitchers, and three home-runs, including back-to-back jacks from a resurgent Alex Rios and Frack Catalanotto.
The Mariners lost their second-in-a-row after sweeping the LA Angels over the weekend. And this comes after my claim that the Mariners had a lot to look forward to. Thanks karma, how you strike me down once again.
In that same game though, the A's took a hit as Frank Thomas got hurt. He has not yet been put on the DL, as he will be re-evaluated today. But honestly, is anyone surprised by this? This guy is more broke than Mike Tyson.
And finally, a good effort last night by the Oilers. Analysts and pundits, at least those over at TSN, were impressed by the play of Edmonton, but there is still work to be done to win.

WINNERS, LOSERS, AND THOSE LOST

2006-06-14T13:57:00.000-03:00

The rough at Winged Foot for this years U.S. Open.
Officials are still looking for Fred Funk.

With the practice rounds underway, and Thursday quickly approaching, I thought I would take a page out of SI's book, and offer up some predictions for the weekend.

AND THE BETTIN' MAN WOULD THROW IT DOWN ON...
Phil Mickelson -- Not one of SI's experts pick lefty to win this week. Perhaps they are thinking he could not pull off three-majors in a row, but Phil Mickelson is a great bet this weekend. Winged Foot is a long golf course, and while he can surely belt them out there, he leads the PGA in greens-in-regulation, putts-per-hole, and he is the only player on tour to better the tour average birdies-per-round by more than one (his average is 4.88 and the tour aveage is 3.47). Moreover, he is second in the tour on scoring average. His deft touch around the greens combined with his recent play give him ample opportunity to spend Sunday evening celebrating.

KEEP IT IN YOUR WALLET IF YOU ARE THINKING....
Sergio Garcia -- Sergio has never quite hit the same form that he had the first couple of years on tour. He is nowhere to be found when it comes to statistical leaders on tour, and when you combine this with his withdrawl from Barclay's Classic this past week, he will be nowhere near the top of the leaderboard.

POTENTIAL SURPRISES
Vijay Singh -- Vijah Singh has had a very disappointing season, but showed some life last week by winning the Barclay's Classic last week with some solid golf. However, no one has ever won the U.S. Open after a victory the previous week, so history does not seem to be on his side. But if he can play his rounds like last weekend, Vijay will be a happy golfer on Sunday.

Jim Furyk -- He has had an great year thus far, despite a swing that no PGA professional would want to teach - but hey, it's getting the job done. He is third in scoring average, but more importantly, he is fourth in driving accuracy. Keeping you ball out of the rough is going to be key, and once it is in there, two words come to mind: good luck. Fred Funk went looking for his ball during his practice round, and officials are still looking for him!

FEEL GOOD STORY
Tiger Woods -- Three of SI's five experts predicted a win by Tiger, and the world's number one golfer does have a knack for coming back from a break with a win. However, nine-weeks is a long time away from golf -- six weeks without touching a club -- and despite looking good on practice rounds, he has a lot to overome. Nonetheless, what a sight it would be to see Tiger win yet another major on Father's Day.

THINGS LOOKING UP ON THE WEST COAST

2006-06-13T22:37:00.000-03:00

Despite being a rural Ontario sports fanatic, I have never cheered for any of the Toronto teams -- and I think this has served my health quite well. In all honesty though, I have a special place for the Toronto Raptors, but I don't know why. Serious. Perhaps it's genetic.

Thus, while I may rant-and-rave once in awhile about the Jays, my heart-and-soul belong to the Seattle Mariners. I can remember sitting in my bedroom, with a hunter-green cieling and Mariner-teal (Northwest green apparently) on the walls (no wonder that house is still on the market), a Ken Griffey poster on three walls, and Edgar Martinez one on the other, with box scores of all their games on the floor. I still remember -- nostalgically -- the '95 dream season where all seemed lost. Griffey out early and 13 games out in mid-August. However, an unbelievable run to end the season gave Seattle a tie with the Angels. The ensuing tie-breaker was a laugher, with the Mariners winning 9-1, and clinching their first ever post-season birth.

And their opponents in that historic series: Evil Empire 1. And with the Mariners down 2-0, I still wore my hat and Griffey jersey to school everyday (luckily my girlfriend at the time had a sense of humour -- and did not attend the same school), and was riddiculed to no end. Nonetheless, my one small victory in those five years came via "The Double." Oh Edgar, how you saved me! I still remember Griffey turning third, and me, a hefty 15 year old, jumping off the bed with a thud, screaming "don't pull a hamstring!" And when he slid in and jumped, I jumped right along with him!

And since then, the Mariners have had some up and down times -- and little post-season success. Despite a 116 win season in 2001, the Mariners fell to the Yanks in the ALCS, 4-1, and I still have never heard the end of it from those from the centre of the universe.

And despite some recent hardships, the Mariners seem to have something to look forward to. Ichiru is still 2nd in batting average, and first in hits while second-baseman Jose Lopez is in the top-ten in RBI in the American League. On the mound, Jamie Moyer is doing all that a man of his age can do, while Felix Hernandez is piling on the strikeouts (fourth in the AL). And if Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre start to earn their pay-cheques, the Mariners could turn in some solid baseball.

After this past-weekend's sweep of the Angels, and the start of a six-game homestand tonight, perhaps I can break out the jersey and hold my head up high.

Besides, it could be worse; I could be a Royals fan.

Finally, give props to the team of one-namers for starting with a win. Has anyone noticed that Ronaldo looks fat?

EDMONTON IN A HOLE; PP THROWN IN THE TOWEL?

2006-06-13T01:26:00.000-03:00

Carolina kept its streak alive tonight -- the team has not lost two-in-a-row in the playoffs since the first round against Montreal. And taking a page book out of Edmonton's game-plan, they played a strong, physical defensive game around the boards and in the defensive end.

In fact, there defensive game was outstanding. They were quick to the puck on the PK, often sending a third player into a scrum along the low boards. And like most Edmonton fans, I could be found screaming at the tv "Get the thing out front!" But their system has worked to perfection this series, and Edmonton cannot seem to solve it. And the odd time that they do, Cam Ward has been as solid as Mack truck.

If there is anyone to blame, it is the collective PP of the Oilers, and ultimately, the coaching staff of the Oilers for not adjusting the system accordingly. While Carolina is playing an almost perfect PK, it is up to the coaching staff to adjust the system and get the players to work within it. And I am not convinced that this was occuring tonight. The soft dump that had brought them success in earlier series' has not been working in this series, yet they continue to utilize it, and by my count, they were successful at retrieving the puck less than 50% of the time! If the Oilers are to continue this series, they will have to try something different in the offensive zone, which may be easier said than done with, at best, three games remaining in the season.

And like NS over at Out of Left Field, I agree the Jussi Markanen played as well as anyone not named Roloson, and did a great job of keeping Edmonton in the game. He is not the one to blame, not that many people would be blaming him. Nonetheless, like my laundry on a Sunday afternoon, the "kid" got hung-out-to-dry on Recchi's game winner. Let's hope the Oilers don't throw in their towels just yet.

SERIOUS, BUT UN-STABLE...

2006-06-12T18:37:00.000-03:00

"Oh no you don't -- Put that goddam thing back on there!"
"Ok coach."

A quick note before returning to my thesis and before watching Game three....

While Big Ben Roethlisberger may be sitting in Mercy Hospital in serious but stable condition, the question that comes to mind is: Is he mentally unstable? Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the Steelers and a bigger fan of Roethlisberger, but riding a motorcycling without a helmet is like blarring your Dixie Chicks CD in rural Alabama -- it's just stupid!

According to Dr Larry Jones, the trauma surgeon at Mercy, Roethlisberger was "coherent," and that "he knew what had happened." And of course, what happened was that the only QB of the modern era to go to two conference finals in his first two years hopped on a motorcycle without a helmet, drove through Pittsburgh traffic, and apparently went head-first into another vehicle's windshield. And according to reports, Roethlisberger has often refused to wear a helmet while on his motorcycle.

And while I can see how some journalists could turn this into a moralistic statements, arguing that Roethlisberger (and athletes in general) should set a better example for the youth who look up to him, that's not the point that I am arguing -- I have no doubt that youth today will do what they want nonetheless.

No, the point that I advocate is that this is a story about stupidity and immaturity. Someone with that much poise and maturity on the field should be able to do the same in the real world. If not, then the Steelers helmet stays on full-time.

SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR BLOGGING

2006-06-11T00:08:00.000-03:00

"My face! My face! My beautiful face..."
So long Super Luke!

After a relatively exciting game, Oilers work-horse Ryan "my-dentist-is-the-richest-man-in-Edmonton" Smyth got the game winner, as the puck, in symbolic fashion, bounced off the Oiler crest on his jersey, and into the net. And cheap goal or not, fans in Edmonton will take a victory anyway they can.

And as the score indicates, the Oilers played a much more defensive game. Despite trading chances with the Canes throughout the game, by my count, Edmonton still outshot Carolina 31-22, indicating two important things. One, they blocked more shots than in previous games. And two, they got more pucks to the net by cycling and moving the puck more quickly, not giving Carolina time to get into the lanes.

What is going to be perceived as more inspiring for the Oiler's is the play of Jussi Markkanen. He looked calm and comfotable tonight and when tested, he looked solid. Fans will be hoping the Oilers will be able to build from this.

However, I am not enitrely convinced Markkanen is the saviour of this team. For instance, Edmonton played the type of hockey that got them here: tight defense, mucho shot blocking, and keeping the play to the outside. Indeed, the Canes had some scoring chances from in close, and Markannen made the saves, but for the most part, he made the saves he should be making.

Should the Oilers win game 4 Monday night, with another solid outing from Markkanen, it will be interesting to see if Coach MacTavish will bring back Roloson, should he be ready. While I am not privee to the Oilers medical facilities, there have been rumblings that Roloson could make an appearance, should the series go deep.

The Detroit Red Wings have informed Manny Legace that they will not be offering him a contract. After his performance in the playoffs, I can't imagine many teams interested in his services. What's that? John Ferguson Jr. just called him? Ok, the world makes sense again.

This sets up an interesting scenario though. Now that Roberto Luongo has told the Panthers he is interested in only a one-year contract, Mike Keenan may be looking to move him. Bob McKenzie raises some interesting points on this matter, but it boils down to the Panthers having to trade him for essentially nothing. Yet, the Wings have a few talented bodies they may be willing to part with, including Holmstrom or Lebda.

In ironic news, during the 2006-2007 season of my dynasty in NHL 2006, the Florida Panthers traded Luongo, Olli Jokinen, and a still playing Joe Nieuwendyk to Detroit for Zetterberg and Lang. I wouldn't hold my breath for this blockbuster though.

In World Cup news, despite playing 40 minutes with only 10 men, Trinidad and Tobago pulled off a tie with Group B favourite, Sweden. Although I was unable to actually watch the game (thanks to a fire-drill in my office), I was able follow the "Matchcast" via the FIFA webpage. And I tell ya, I have never read so many great saves in all my life! Yet, Shaka Hislop still doesn't get "Man of the Match?"

That's all for now. I would say something about my beloved Jays, but everytime I think of them, I sigh. It is like remembering the fond times with a past-lover, only to then stumble upon the memory of them cheating on you. In your own bed. With your best friend. And the girl from work you had a crush on.

Oilers Need to Step it Up

2006-06-10T18:07:00.000-03:00

Quick note before heading out for Game 3.

The Jays are losing 5-zip in the top of the fourth. Ugh. This is only the second game of a seven-game homestand, so here's hoping it gets better. If this game ends with a Tigers victory, at least we won't have the suspense of watching the Jays try and actually sweep a series -- although, with that outcome known even before the game begins, it is not actually that suspensful.

Keys to Victory for Edmonton

Block more shots. In game two, they blocked only ## shots, while Carolina saved Cam Ward from having to make an additional 24 saves. This is unacceptable coming from a defensive minded team with little confidence in their goaltender
Quickness on special teams. The Canes move the puck around so quickly in the offensive zone, that it is very diffitcult for the Oilers to jump in the lanes. They will have to be quicker to be successful. The same goes for the power play. In game 2, we saw the Canes penality killers attack the Oilers forwards on the boards, and they were quick to get out to the point. If Edmonton is to better their 1-for-13 power play, they are going to have to move the puck.
Oiler forechecking. Against Detroit, the Oilers utilized a 1-2-2 system to perfection, and this can work against the Canes, who play a similar offensive style to Detroit. At the end of game one and throughout game two, the Oilers were sending two men deep, and the Canes were just too good at getting the puck up to the forwards. And the Canes turned it up from there. Throw one guy deep, and keep strong pressure in the neutral zone, and you will see a lot more turnovers go Edmonton's way.

I am off! Keep yer stick on the ice.

You Think the View from Up Here is Bad?

2006-06-10T11:12:00.000-03:00

"Excuse me, Mr. Congressman, this package just arrived for you."
"Well, what is it?"
"It looks like a grade 3 geography lesson plan, and a map of Canada..."
"This can't be right...Canada looks like it is flipping the bird"
Long Pause
"Sir, it's actually upside-down....and that's Florida"

I caught about three minutes of the Jays-Tigers game last night -- mostly as I walked to-and-from the bathroom in some bar in Halifax. And despite pulling out a 10-5 come-from-behind victory, the Jays are likely feeling somewhat deflated after losing not one, but two pitchers in the process. Immediately following the game, they placed 6-2 Gustavo Chacin on the DL, as well as reliever Pete Walker. On a brighter note, Frank Catalanotto extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Look out Dimaggio!

In other Toronto news, the Argos suffered another preseason loss at the hands of the Ti-Cats, although this one was certainly more respectable than the drubbing they were handed last week. Even better for the Argos was the play of Ricky Williams, and the play of the Offensive Line. Williams had 11 carries for 46 yards, and despite that his fumble in second-quarter set up a Ti-Cats touchdown, coach Clemons was impressed with his improvement.

Vijay Singh, relatively quiet thus far on the PGA tour, catapulted to the top of the leaderboard with a bogey-free 7-under 64 yesterday at the Barclays Classic. While his entire round was impressive, his 45 foot eagle putt on the ninth was a beauty. If he can play this well next week, and not let his head get in the way of his game, he will have a good shot at making a run at Winged Foot, a course that sets up pretty well for him.

As a side note, Phil Mickelson sits at 2-under, and as a somewhat chubby golfer myself, I always kinda like it when Lefty can pull out the victory. It helps keep the dream alive.

And finally, in policitcal news, Republican (Indiana) U.S. Congressman John Hostettler, referring to the recent "terrorist-related" arrests made in Southern Ontario, called Canada a breeding ground for terrorists, specifically referring to "South Toronto" as a type of ethnic enclave that allows radical discussion to occur. First, most of the "discussion" he is referring to occurred in a Mississauga mosque, which is decidely WEST of the the city. Second, which part of "South Toronto" is this guy referring to? City Centre Airport?

More on the hockey game tonight...

Sounds like my family....

2006-06-09T15:12:00.000-03:00

How many Kevin Bacon heads does this get?

I have always liked Ted Nolan, but for a multitude of reasons, he has not coached in the National Hockey League since winning the Jack Adams award in 1997. He has a tremendous hockey-mind, as shown by his success in the Ontario Hockey League with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, and most recently, as the head coach of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Moncton Wildcats.

Side note: This was the first time an Atlantic team has accomplished this feat, although the Halifax Mooseheads went to the Memorial Cup in 2000 as the host city.

Alas, the New York Islanders, the organization on which "The Office" must surely be based, has decided to give Nolan a chance behind the bench at the highest professional level.

However, it is going to be interesting to watch the relationship between Nolan and Neil Smith, the newly hired GM of the Isles, develop. Nolan, sometimes labelled as a "GM killer" who is difficult to work with (and for), was actually hired by Charles Wang, the owner of the team. The hiring of a head coach usually falls under the purvue of the GM, and as Pierre McGuire points out, this situation could lead to some serious dysfunction in the organization.

My question is: what has "Mad Mike's" tenure been all these years, if not dysfunctional?

"It's too bad he lives in the city...he's depriving some village of a pretty good idiot."