Wednesday, 24 October 2012

THE IDEAL GREY CUP HALFTIME SHOW.

 The 100th Grey Cup is set for Sunday November 25th in Toronto.  Rather than predict which teams will be involved, I'm more interested in finding out who will be performing at halftime.  As of this writing, there has been no announcement as to who will be appearing at the sold-out Rogers Centre.  Usually, there's a big buzz.  What fabulous act will grace the stage at Canada's National Drunk?  Who knows, but the criteria is simple.  Be Canadian and, most importantly, be GOOD.  So, as a public service to all of those Canadians who enjoy music and football and having a good time, I asked my Facebook friends, most of whom love to have a good time, to suggest their ideal halftime show.   If anyone reading this knows anyone connected with the arm of the Grey Cup organizing committee that's responsible for the halftime entertainment, please pass it along.   Now, the results, courtesy of a few hundred of my Facebook Friends.  

1.  Rush . But they're already booked in Phoenix Arizona that night.
2.  Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, BARK, Lee Harvey Osmond) Available.
3  The Tragically Hip. Available.
4.  Burton Cummings. Available.
5.  Neil Young.  Available. Hmmmm.
6.  Justin Bieber.  Available. Hmmmm
7.  Sheepdogs Booked in Quebec City with Yukon Blonde.
8.  Viletones.  Don't think they're booked anywhere.  Perhaps available.
9.  Kim Mitchell.  Playing Metro Toronto Convention Centre the night before.  Available.
10. Shuffle Demons.  Available.

And there you have it.   An all-star collection of Canadian talent.  Honourable mention to Elvis Costello/Diana Krall (we gave them half-credit) Triumph, The Trews, April Wine, Stompin' Tom Connors, Harlan Pepper, Brian Melo, Our Lady Peace, Rough Trade.

So now it's up to the Grey Cup Festival Organizers.  You don't really think it'll be Justin Bieber and Neil Young do you?   I'd kind of like to see Tom Wilson and Lee Harvey Osmond tear it up on Grey Cup Sunday.   And if the Hip aren't busy that night, that would make a helluva double bill.  I mean, how much more Canadian can you get?

Raise your hand if you thought Detroit's Justin Verlander was going to absolutely smoke the San Francisco Giants last night.  My hand is up.  How can this guy totally dominate hitters all year long AND in the first two rounds of the playoffs, yet can't get anybody out with two outs in the 3rd inning?   Maybe it's because Pablo Sandoval (a.k.a. Kung Fu Panda) hit three homers last night, two of them off Verlander.  Maybe it's because the Tigers had an extraordinarily long rest after sweeping the Yankees and can't find their mojo.  Luckily, the Tigers have an abundance of starting pitching, including Max Scherzer, Anibel Sanchez and Doug Fister (Fister? I don't even know her.) Unfortunately, the Giants seem incredibly opportunistic, and have the Big "M" going for them.  Momentum.  It's scary to watch.  Marco Scutaro?  Barry Zito?  Is this 2002 all over again?  I worry greatly Tigers fans.  I really do. 

Excellent column by Richard Griffin in today's Toronto Star.  While I'm thinking of musical acts for the Grey Cup, he's thinking about the long-term future of the Bluejays.  He has a list of managerial candidates, and it's a pretty good one.  Except he doesn't include Ozzie Guillen on the shortlist.  He'd rather the Jays go with someone who WANTS to be here long term.  But every manager the Jays ever signed WANTED to be here.  What this team needs is someone who knows how to win, not is going to learn how to win.  A man who can take control of the team by making intelligent baseball decisions at critical moments.  That's the key.  I'll bet you Farrell and his coaching staff lost the Jays 5 games this year because of dumb baserunning.  Maybe more.  Rally killing outs at 3rd and home with nobody out and a big inning brewing.  A good manager never lets that happen.  If I'm a player on the Jays, I want to learn how to win from a winner.  Who on the Jays is a winner?   Nobody.  Not one current Bluejay has played on a World Series winner.  Only Jeff Mathis, Colby Rasmus, Carlos Villenueva, Aaron Laffey, Darren Oliver and JA Happ have been to the playoffs before.  Somebody needs to step up and teach this team how to win.  Go and get a Winner.



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