BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND MAYBE HOCKEY IN JANUARY.
I was on assignment yesterday, reviewing the David Clayton Thomas show at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. The place is about a year old, very 70s style with comfortable seats and lots of legroom. Capacity of about 700. Intimate yet spacious. The acoustics are terrific, especially when you've got a Canadian Music Hall of Famer whose voice sounds as bluesy today as it did back in the late 60s when he fronted Blood Sweat and Tears. I have a confession to make. David Clayton Thomas once babysat for me and my brothers. I was about 7 years old at the time. I don't recall any details, but when we heard the song "Spinning Wheel" on the radio for the first time, my Mom said, with great delight "That fellow was once your babysitter" I later found out he was dating the girl who was babysitting us at the time, and happened to come and visit her once or twice. I have other stories involving my Mom and rock stars (Kiss, The Band) but I will leave them for a later date.
Anyway, back to the show. The audience became instantly engaged when DCT launched right into "Spinning Wheel" and then got right into storytelling, which was an unexpected bonus. I always love to hear how a song was conceived and what the inspiration was. "Lucretia MacEvil" is about a girl he met in Wawa Ontario at a Holiday Inn. "Hi-De-Ho" was written by Carole King, and was mistaken for a gospel song by many in the "Bible Belt" of the U.S. "And When I Die" was written by Laura Nyro, who was the girlfriend of one of the band members of BS&T. It reached #2 on the Billboard Top 100. The stories were as good as the music. The ten piece band was magnificent and took their cues from DCT, who is part Lawrence Welk (bandleader with flair) and somewhat Dean Martinesque in his ability to make the audience feel as if they are engaged with him at a cocktail party. The audience recognized hits such as "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Go Down Gamblin'", "You're the One" and a molasses slow rendition of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" that was almost nap-inducing. New songs included "New World Blues" and "It Ain't Free" from his new album, which will be released next spring. The encore was Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child".
All in all, a very enjoyable show in a lovely, comfortable venue.
Here's a question for those who have problems accepting "drug cheats" in sports. What would happen if, say, Melky Cabrera has a Hall of Fame career, but still has that 50 game suspension on his record? Can you still vote him in? Should a drug-related suspension disqualify one from induction to the Hall of Fame?
My friend Howard Bloom, from Sportsbusinessnews.com says we will have NHL hockey by January 15th. I didn't ask him what year, but I'm presuming (hoping) that it's 2013. Cross your fingers. Howard has a pretty good track record.
Friday, 30 November 2012
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
IS THAT A LONG PUTTER, OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME?
" Drive for show, but putt for dough". South African golfer Bobby Locke.
The long putter is going the way of the dodo bird. So too is the belly putter and any other golf club that uses an anchor such as the chest or chin, to stabilize one's stroke. Tiger Woods says that long putters "violate the spirit of the game". Of course, Tiger uses a standard putter, one that utilizes an arm and shoulder stroke that has been used since the beginning of time. Arnold Palmer is also critical of any putter that uses an anchor. But let's face it, 3 out of 4 Major champions recommend the long putter. Keegan Bradley won the 2011 PGA championship with a belly putter. Webb Simpson won the 2012 U.S. Open with a belly putter. Ernie Els won this year's British Open with a belly putter, and Adam Scott nearly won it with a long putter. I have to tell you though, they look goofy. They look more like pushbrooms than putters. I don't use one, and none of my friends do either. They just don't look right. I happen to agree with the USGA and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club who want to ban the "anchored putter". The putter should be the shortest club in your bag, and you should have to stroke the ball with your arms and shoulders, holding the putter instead of being able to secure the butt of the club to a part of your body. If you own one of these freaky clubs, you'll have until January 2016 before the ban takes effect.
Today is the first day of Q School. It's 172 golfers trying to win one of 25 spots on the PGA tour. It's 6 straight days of scphincter shrinking, breath holding, anxiety ridden golf where one missed putt, one hooked drive can mean the difference between teeing it up with the big boys, or playing in golf's minor leagues. The survivors must play 108 holes, so pacing yourself is essential. You can't get too high or too low. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Adam Hadwin and Brad Fritsch are two of 7 Canadians in the field. So too are such luminaries as Billy Mayfair, Nick O'Hern, Camilo Villegas and Major winners Shaun Micheel ('03 PGA) and Todd Hamilton (('05 British Open). If you want to read the absolute best book about Q School, I urge you to check out John Feinstein's "A Good Walk Spoiled". Fabulous read.
The Toronto Raptors fell to 3-12 on the season. That's the second worst record in the entire NBA. Only Washington, which is on pace to go 0-82 this year, are worse (0-12). When the Raps acquired Kyle Lowry from Houston, they didn't think the draft pick they sent to the Rockets in return would be a lottery pick. Guess what? It's going to be a lottery pick, and a pretty good one too, as the 2013 draft looks very, very strong. Let's face it, the Raptors are a mess. Oh sure, JV is going to be a fine center in a couple of years, and Lowry looks like a keeper at the point guard spot. Other than that, not much. Demar DeRozan is frustrating to watch. Is he a cut and slasher? No, he loses the ball too often when driving to the hoop. Is he a jump shooter? No. Doesn't have the range to shoot threes. Can he play tough defense? Not really. And I could write a book about Andrea Bargnani's disappearing act this year. Even though he scored 21 points last night, he had none in the final 22 minutes of play. The other day he was an abysmal 2 for 19. He also turns the ball over at crucial times in the game. And you know what? I've never seen Bargnani hit a game winning shot. Ever. Dwane Casey is in love with this guy, yet Bargs never rewards the head coach for his loyalty. The Raptors are 3-12 with a very tough road trip out West coming up next week. How much longer do Raps fans have to endure this? Try the rest of the season.
Finally, the NHL lockout is causing more and more casualties. Over at Rogers Sportsnet, seven behind-the-scenes people were let go. Why? No hockey games to produce. The Minnesota Wild announced that their employees will take a 20% pay cut if the lockout lasts into January. The Wild already cut anyone making 70K or more by 30-35% and that was back in September. It's only a matter of time before every NHL team streamlines their operation to the nth degree. It's only a matter of time before sponsors and fans find something else to latch on to. Even a federal mediator won't help. There is too much animosity on both sides. They're going to have to kill each other while fighting over the goose that laid the golden egg. But that goose is cooked. I'm afraid to say, the season is lost. Merry Christmas!
" Drive for show, but putt for dough". South African golfer Bobby Locke.
The long putter is going the way of the dodo bird. So too is the belly putter and any other golf club that uses an anchor such as the chest or chin, to stabilize one's stroke. Tiger Woods says that long putters "violate the spirit of the game". Of course, Tiger uses a standard putter, one that utilizes an arm and shoulder stroke that has been used since the beginning of time. Arnold Palmer is also critical of any putter that uses an anchor. But let's face it, 3 out of 4 Major champions recommend the long putter. Keegan Bradley won the 2011 PGA championship with a belly putter. Webb Simpson won the 2012 U.S. Open with a belly putter. Ernie Els won this year's British Open with a belly putter, and Adam Scott nearly won it with a long putter. I have to tell you though, they look goofy. They look more like pushbrooms than putters. I don't use one, and none of my friends do either. They just don't look right. I happen to agree with the USGA and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club who want to ban the "anchored putter". The putter should be the shortest club in your bag, and you should have to stroke the ball with your arms and shoulders, holding the putter instead of being able to secure the butt of the club to a part of your body. If you own one of these freaky clubs, you'll have until January 2016 before the ban takes effect.
Today is the first day of Q School. It's 172 golfers trying to win one of 25 spots on the PGA tour. It's 6 straight days of scphincter shrinking, breath holding, anxiety ridden golf where one missed putt, one hooked drive can mean the difference between teeing it up with the big boys, or playing in golf's minor leagues. The survivors must play 108 holes, so pacing yourself is essential. You can't get too high or too low. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Adam Hadwin and Brad Fritsch are two of 7 Canadians in the field. So too are such luminaries as Billy Mayfair, Nick O'Hern, Camilo Villegas and Major winners Shaun Micheel ('03 PGA) and Todd Hamilton (('05 British Open). If you want to read the absolute best book about Q School, I urge you to check out John Feinstein's "A Good Walk Spoiled". Fabulous read.
The Toronto Raptors fell to 3-12 on the season. That's the second worst record in the entire NBA. Only Washington, which is on pace to go 0-82 this year, are worse (0-12). When the Raps acquired Kyle Lowry from Houston, they didn't think the draft pick they sent to the Rockets in return would be a lottery pick. Guess what? It's going to be a lottery pick, and a pretty good one too, as the 2013 draft looks very, very strong. Let's face it, the Raptors are a mess. Oh sure, JV is going to be a fine center in a couple of years, and Lowry looks like a keeper at the point guard spot. Other than that, not much. Demar DeRozan is frustrating to watch. Is he a cut and slasher? No, he loses the ball too often when driving to the hoop. Is he a jump shooter? No. Doesn't have the range to shoot threes. Can he play tough defense? Not really. And I could write a book about Andrea Bargnani's disappearing act this year. Even though he scored 21 points last night, he had none in the final 22 minutes of play. The other day he was an abysmal 2 for 19. He also turns the ball over at crucial times in the game. And you know what? I've never seen Bargnani hit a game winning shot. Ever. Dwane Casey is in love with this guy, yet Bargs never rewards the head coach for his loyalty. The Raptors are 3-12 with a very tough road trip out West coming up next week. How much longer do Raps fans have to endure this? Try the rest of the season.
Finally, the NHL lockout is causing more and more casualties. Over at Rogers Sportsnet, seven behind-the-scenes people were let go. Why? No hockey games to produce. The Minnesota Wild announced that their employees will take a 20% pay cut if the lockout lasts into January. The Wild already cut anyone making 70K or more by 30-35% and that was back in September. It's only a matter of time before every NHL team streamlines their operation to the nth degree. It's only a matter of time before sponsors and fans find something else to latch on to. Even a federal mediator won't help. There is too much animosity on both sides. They're going to have to kill each other while fighting over the goose that laid the golden egg. But that goose is cooked. I'm afraid to say, the season is lost. Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
(NOT) EVERYBODY LOVES A PARADE.
I don't know what the official attendance was for today's Argonaut Grey Cup parade, but it was nowhere close to the throng that attended the 1983 Grey Cup parade. Back in those days, the Maple Leafs were a terrible squad and had been for a few years (sound familiar?) The Bluejays were just getting good, but wouldn't win a title for another couple of seasons. The Raptors were still a decade away from being conceived. But the Argos were a force. From a 2-14 record in 1981 to an Eastern Conference title in '82 to the Grey Cup in '83, the Argos were hugely popular. Guys like Condredge Holloway, Cedric Minter, Paul Pearson, Jan Carinci, Dan Ferrone, Don Moen and Joe Barnes were easily identifiable on Toronto streets (or in the bars) And so it was that the 1983 Grey Cup parade was, in a word, terrifying.
29 years ago today, an estimated 60 thousand fans showed up along the parade route to cheer the Argos on. I was covering the event for CKEY radio, and was driving the station vehicle with Jim (Shaky) Hunt riding shotgun. We were part of the procession with the players and coaches, who were riding in vintage convertibles along the parade route. As the parade began, Hunt noticed a lonely soul, wearing a snazzy sheepskin coat, standing on the curb. It was Argo coach Bob OBillovich. "Hey Obie", yelled Hunt as he rolled down the window "You need a ride?" And so it was that I got to drive the Grey Cup winning coach and one of the greatest sports journalists ever into a war zone. You see, the Argos hadn't won the Grey Cup since 1952, and the fans hadn't seen a parade of any kind since the Leafs won in 1967, so they were up for just about anything. The CKEY car was an ugly, multi-coloured Plymouth Reliant. Inside was a smart-mouth talk show host (me), a controversial, outspoken personality (Hunt) and the greatest coach Toronto had ever seen since the days of Punch Imlach (Sorry Leo). When the fans, many of whom were drunk, stoned or both, saw the car and the inhabitants, they went wild. A bunch of them started banging on the hood of the car and then began rocking the car back and forth. "Arrrrrrrrgos" they chanted. We thought we were going to get tipped over. OBillovich, realizing that he might not make it to Nathan Philips Square in one piece, unlocked the back door, said "I'm outta here" and took his chances among the great unwashed. Hunt and I were "on the air" using the car's two way radio to describe the scene to the listeners, while at the same time begging for help. In my panic-striken mind, I thought that blowing the horn might quell the mob. It only made it worse. I can still feel the car almost tipping over on it's side as Hunt yelled something like "Hebscher, get us out of here". Remember, this was being broadcast live on the air. Up ahead, we saw other Argo "fans" trying to tip over the car that Carl Brazely was sitting in. It was a madhouse. While our car was still on all four wheels, Hunt opened the passenger door and literally jumped out of the car and into the crowd. He would be safer there. I continued along in the company car, which by now had dents, dings, a cracked winshield and wobbly shock absorbers to boot. My two passengers had disembarked into a sea of blue humanity. I continued to report on what I saw as Mounted police had to make their way through the crowd to settle everybody down. It was a celebration for the ages. 31 years of futility gone and forgotten.
I managed to escape with my life that day, and with a story to tell. How I survived the 1983 Grey Cup Parade.
Nice job by CP 24s George Lagogianes today covering the parade with a microphone and a cameraman in tow. Had George been there that day in 1983, reporting live, he likely wouldn't have had as cooperative a crowd as we had 29 years ago. Besides, the Argos had nobody like Adriano Belli, the Kissing Bandit, on that team. If any Argo player tried to kiss another one back then, he would've gotten a punch in the head and a kick in the nuts.
The traditional "bet" between rival Grey Cup mayors took an interesting twist when Toronto mayor Rob Ford was kicked out of office because he violated the city's conflict of interest rules. The deal was, the loser had to donate his weight in food for the Daily Bread Food bank AND wear the winner's jersey in council. . Naheed Sendi donated $650 to the cause and wore an Argo jersey at Calgary City Hall today. But what would've happened had the Stampeders won and Ford wasn't around to pay off the bet? Who would've worn a Stampeders jersey in his place? His brother? Dalton McGuinty?
By the way, a fabulous tweet yesterday from funny man Rick Mercer, who asked "Is it true? Rob Ford is the new governor of the Bank of Canada?" Really, when you think about it, what's happened to the leadership in this country? Mark Carney resigns from the Bank of Canada to take a post in England. Dalton McGuinty resigns as the province's Premier and prorogues Parliament. Rob Ford refuses to acknowledge his transgressions and gets yanked out of the mayor's office. What's next?
A great question was posed today: "Which Justin will be more popular in 10 years, Bieber or Trudeau?" Discuss amongst yourselves. I'm thinking Bieber, who will be 28 and likely still one of the hottest performers on the planet. Trudeau will be 51 and, hopefully for Liberal supporters, the Prime Minister of Canada. Imagine the possibilities. Do you think when the two Justin's get together in the Prime Ministers Office in 2112, Mr. Bieber will be wearing overalls?
I see that the Bluejays made some news today. Closer Casey Janssen had shoulder surgery (try saying that five times real fast), and he joins just about every other Jays pitcher who had some work done this year (Sergio Santos, Kyle Drabek, Dustin McGowan, Brandon Morrow, Ricky Romero, etc.). Let's hope Casey is good to go in the spring. If so, the Jays pitching staff will be much improved, and perhaps the best in the league. The Jays coaching staff is now complete as well, with Chad Mottola, Luis Rivera and Demarlo Hale join John Gibbons' staff. Pete Walker is the new pitching coach and Dwayne Murphy goes from hitting coach to first base coach with an eye on the outfielders. Mottola is the new hitting coach. Hale is the bench coach and Rivera is the 3rd base coach and will also tutor the infielders. I can't ever remember spending this much time discussing baseball coaches, but their roles have evolved over the years. Does anybody remember the four Bluejay coaches in their first season, 1977? They were: Harry Warner, Jackie Moore, Bob Miller and Don Leppert. The manager was Roy Hartsfield. The team finished 54-107. Oh how times have changed.
I don't know what the official attendance was for today's Argonaut Grey Cup parade, but it was nowhere close to the throng that attended the 1983 Grey Cup parade. Back in those days, the Maple Leafs were a terrible squad and had been for a few years (sound familiar?) The Bluejays were just getting good, but wouldn't win a title for another couple of seasons. The Raptors were still a decade away from being conceived. But the Argos were a force. From a 2-14 record in 1981 to an Eastern Conference title in '82 to the Grey Cup in '83, the Argos were hugely popular. Guys like Condredge Holloway, Cedric Minter, Paul Pearson, Jan Carinci, Dan Ferrone, Don Moen and Joe Barnes were easily identifiable on Toronto streets (or in the bars) And so it was that the 1983 Grey Cup parade was, in a word, terrifying.
29 years ago today, an estimated 60 thousand fans showed up along the parade route to cheer the Argos on. I was covering the event for CKEY radio, and was driving the station vehicle with Jim (Shaky) Hunt riding shotgun. We were part of the procession with the players and coaches, who were riding in vintage convertibles along the parade route. As the parade began, Hunt noticed a lonely soul, wearing a snazzy sheepskin coat, standing on the curb. It was Argo coach Bob OBillovich. "Hey Obie", yelled Hunt as he rolled down the window "You need a ride?" And so it was that I got to drive the Grey Cup winning coach and one of the greatest sports journalists ever into a war zone. You see, the Argos hadn't won the Grey Cup since 1952, and the fans hadn't seen a parade of any kind since the Leafs won in 1967, so they were up for just about anything. The CKEY car was an ugly, multi-coloured Plymouth Reliant. Inside was a smart-mouth talk show host (me), a controversial, outspoken personality (Hunt) and the greatest coach Toronto had ever seen since the days of Punch Imlach (Sorry Leo). When the fans, many of whom were drunk, stoned or both, saw the car and the inhabitants, they went wild. A bunch of them started banging on the hood of the car and then began rocking the car back and forth. "Arrrrrrrrgos" they chanted. We thought we were going to get tipped over. OBillovich, realizing that he might not make it to Nathan Philips Square in one piece, unlocked the back door, said "I'm outta here" and took his chances among the great unwashed. Hunt and I were "on the air" using the car's two way radio to describe the scene to the listeners, while at the same time begging for help. In my panic-striken mind, I thought that blowing the horn might quell the mob. It only made it worse. I can still feel the car almost tipping over on it's side as Hunt yelled something like "Hebscher, get us out of here". Remember, this was being broadcast live on the air. Up ahead, we saw other Argo "fans" trying to tip over the car that Carl Brazely was sitting in. It was a madhouse. While our car was still on all four wheels, Hunt opened the passenger door and literally jumped out of the car and into the crowd. He would be safer there. I continued along in the company car, which by now had dents, dings, a cracked winshield and wobbly shock absorbers to boot. My two passengers had disembarked into a sea of blue humanity. I continued to report on what I saw as Mounted police had to make their way through the crowd to settle everybody down. It was a celebration for the ages. 31 years of futility gone and forgotten.
I managed to escape with my life that day, and with a story to tell. How I survived the 1983 Grey Cup Parade.
Nice job by CP 24s George Lagogianes today covering the parade with a microphone and a cameraman in tow. Had George been there that day in 1983, reporting live, he likely wouldn't have had as cooperative a crowd as we had 29 years ago. Besides, the Argos had nobody like Adriano Belli, the Kissing Bandit, on that team. If any Argo player tried to kiss another one back then, he would've gotten a punch in the head and a kick in the nuts.
The traditional "bet" between rival Grey Cup mayors took an interesting twist when Toronto mayor Rob Ford was kicked out of office because he violated the city's conflict of interest rules. The deal was, the loser had to donate his weight in food for the Daily Bread Food bank AND wear the winner's jersey in council. . Naheed Sendi donated $650 to the cause and wore an Argo jersey at Calgary City Hall today. But what would've happened had the Stampeders won and Ford wasn't around to pay off the bet? Who would've worn a Stampeders jersey in his place? His brother? Dalton McGuinty?
By the way, a fabulous tweet yesterday from funny man Rick Mercer, who asked "Is it true? Rob Ford is the new governor of the Bank of Canada?" Really, when you think about it, what's happened to the leadership in this country? Mark Carney resigns from the Bank of Canada to take a post in England. Dalton McGuinty resigns as the province's Premier and prorogues Parliament. Rob Ford refuses to acknowledge his transgressions and gets yanked out of the mayor's office. What's next?
A great question was posed today: "Which Justin will be more popular in 10 years, Bieber or Trudeau?" Discuss amongst yourselves. I'm thinking Bieber, who will be 28 and likely still one of the hottest performers on the planet. Trudeau will be 51 and, hopefully for Liberal supporters, the Prime Minister of Canada. Imagine the possibilities. Do you think when the two Justin's get together in the Prime Ministers Office in 2112, Mr. Bieber will be wearing overalls?
I see that the Bluejays made some news today. Closer Casey Janssen had shoulder surgery (try saying that five times real fast), and he joins just about every other Jays pitcher who had some work done this year (Sergio Santos, Kyle Drabek, Dustin McGowan, Brandon Morrow, Ricky Romero, etc.). Let's hope Casey is good to go in the spring. If so, the Jays pitching staff will be much improved, and perhaps the best in the league. The Jays coaching staff is now complete as well, with Chad Mottola, Luis Rivera and Demarlo Hale join John Gibbons' staff. Pete Walker is the new pitching coach and Dwayne Murphy goes from hitting coach to first base coach with an eye on the outfielders. Mottola is the new hitting coach. Hale is the bench coach and Rivera is the 3rd base coach and will also tutor the infielders. I can't ever remember spending this much time discussing baseball coaches, but their roles have evolved over the years. Does anybody remember the four Bluejay coaches in their first season, 1977? They were: Harry Warner, Jackie Moore, Bob Miller and Don Leppert. The manager was Roy Hartsfield. The team finished 54-107. Oh how times have changed.
Monday, 26 November 2012
WHEN THE HALFTIME SHOW ECLIPSES THE GAME ITSELF.
Nobody was talking about Chad Kakert or Ricky Foley or Ricky Ray or Scott Milanovich or the rest of the Toronto Argonauts and their Grey Cup victory over Calgary. Instead, all the talk surrounded Justin Bieber, Gordon Lightfoot, Carly Ray Jepson and Marianna's Trench. Yes, the Halftime show at the Grey Cup was roundly criticized by some as a hodgepodge of Canadian talent that underwhelmed the viewing audience, causing some louts to even boo Mr. Bieber in his home province. Perhaps it's because he's a multi-millionaire 18 year old pop star. Maybe it's the get-up he wore to greet Prime Minister Stephen Harper that had people booing his lack of respect for the Office of the Prime Minister.(See photo)
http://cdn.popdust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/JustinBieberOverallsCanadaPrimeMinisterInstagram.jpg
The idea of booing one's own is nothing new to Canadians. Bobby Orr, from Parry Sound Ontario, would be lustily booed every time he touched the puck at Maple Leaf Gardens. Of course, he played for the hated Boston Bruins at the time. Larry Murphy, a Leaf defenseman back in the mid 90s, was blamed for Toronto's woes and could not escape the boo-birds at the Gardens, of which there were many. Murphy ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside Orr and Phil Esposito, who was booed along with the rest of Team Canada '72 as they exited the ice following a loss to the Russians in Vancouver. Even the Argonauts of old would be poorly treated by their fans if they failed to live up to expectations (which was often).
I can only imagine what the rest of the world thinks of Canadians after they booed Bieber. I can tell you this much: Had "The Beebs" been playing halftime at the Super Bowl, nobody would dare boo him. It's all about respect, and more than a few Canadians showed very little towards the kid from Stratford Ontario.
If you were to ask me to list my 12 favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs, and then choose one that I'd want him to play at halftime, "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" would not be on that list. I would've gone with any of these:
Sundown
If You Could Read My Mind
For Lovin' Me
Carefree Highway
Alberta Bound
Early Morning Rain
Go Go Round
Cotton Jenny
Rainy Day People
Beautiful
Summer Side of Life
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
I wonder if they gave Lightfoot his choice of songs, or they told him they wanted "Trilogy" because of it' significance in Canadian history. Whatever the reason, he looked miscast, lonely and offered no stage presence whatsoever. Massey Hall it was not. In fact, the entire halftime show lacked any pace or flow.
As for the game, same thing. Good on the Argos for winning, but when the Stamps offense consists of a weak-armed Kevin Glenn and Jon Cornish trying to run into a D Line that knows what's coming, there's not much hope. Calgary coach John Hufnagel called for an end-around with the Stamps on the Argo three yard line. He also ran Cornish on first down just about every time, until it was obvious the Argos had it figured out. As a result, the game didn't have the excitement I had hoped for. The Argos had it well in hand by halftime, and I was flipping back and forth between that game and the New Orleans-San Francisco NFL game, which was a lot more exciting.
Next year, the CFL should poll it's fans many months ahead of the Grey Cup. As this question: Which act would you like to see at the Grey Cup? Give 8 or 10 options and let the fans decide. If the top acts are already spoken for (and if poll the fans well in advance, you can "book" the act before they get booked on tour) then you've got options and you can say you were actually listening to your fans. I understand that acts like the Tragically Hip, BTO, Nickelback and others are well-worn and overexposed at these events, but hey, if that's what the fans want, give it to them. I'm not sure the fans wanted Justin Bieber this year.
On Friday night, the McMaster Marauders were no match for the Laval Rouge et Or at the Vanier Cup. Mac was beset by injuries and Laval was bent on revenge after losing last year's Vanier Cup to Mac. Besides, while McMaster really WANTED to win their second title in a row, Laval HAD to win. They had circled the date on their calender back in the summer, and they were determined to make up for last year's loss. They did that, in spades.
Prior to the Grey Cup, downtown Toronto was busy as 19 thousand fans showed up to see the Raptors find yet ANOTHER way to lose a ballgame. This time it was coach Dwane Casey's stubborn refusal to bench Andrea Bargnani, despite one of the worst shooting performances I have ever seen by a pro. He went 2 for 19 from the floor, yet Casey kept him out there in both overtimes against San Antonio. He had two open looks in the OT periods, and clanged both of them. Not since Utah's Thurl Bailey in 1986, has a player taken that many shots and scored less than 5 points. So, what do you do with Bargnani? I mean, Ed Davis was on the bench with 15 points and 14 rebounds while Bargnani was on the floor shooting 1 for 15 at the time. No wonder the Raptors lose so often. How much longer can they keep putting the big Roman on the floor? Not much.
Kudos to Rory McIlroy, who destroyed an elite field at the Dubai World Championships. McIlroy reeled off five straight birdies on the back nine and won going away. I can hardly wait to see him and Tiger Woods battle next April at Augusta. Tiger wasn't in the field at Dubai, but he would've had to have played some awesome golf to match McIlroy who shot 66-67-66-66 to win by two over Justin Rose, who fired a final round 62 to make it somewhat close. McIlroy has now won 5 tournaments in 2012, and is a lock cinch to win Player of the Year honours. He will be the man to beat EVERY week in 2013.
Nobody was talking about Chad Kakert or Ricky Foley or Ricky Ray or Scott Milanovich or the rest of the Toronto Argonauts and their Grey Cup victory over Calgary. Instead, all the talk surrounded Justin Bieber, Gordon Lightfoot, Carly Ray Jepson and Marianna's Trench. Yes, the Halftime show at the Grey Cup was roundly criticized by some as a hodgepodge of Canadian talent that underwhelmed the viewing audience, causing some louts to even boo Mr. Bieber in his home province. Perhaps it's because he's a multi-millionaire 18 year old pop star. Maybe it's the get-up he wore to greet Prime Minister Stephen Harper that had people booing his lack of respect for the Office of the Prime Minister.(See photo)
http://cdn.popdust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/JustinBieberOverallsCanadaPrimeMinisterInstagram.jpg
The idea of booing one's own is nothing new to Canadians. Bobby Orr, from Parry Sound Ontario, would be lustily booed every time he touched the puck at Maple Leaf Gardens. Of course, he played for the hated Boston Bruins at the time. Larry Murphy, a Leaf defenseman back in the mid 90s, was blamed for Toronto's woes and could not escape the boo-birds at the Gardens, of which there were many. Murphy ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside Orr and Phil Esposito, who was booed along with the rest of Team Canada '72 as they exited the ice following a loss to the Russians in Vancouver. Even the Argonauts of old would be poorly treated by their fans if they failed to live up to expectations (which was often).
I can only imagine what the rest of the world thinks of Canadians after they booed Bieber. I can tell you this much: Had "The Beebs" been playing halftime at the Super Bowl, nobody would dare boo him. It's all about respect, and more than a few Canadians showed very little towards the kid from Stratford Ontario.
If you were to ask me to list my 12 favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs, and then choose one that I'd want him to play at halftime, "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" would not be on that list. I would've gone with any of these:
Sundown
If You Could Read My Mind
For Lovin' Me
Carefree Highway
Alberta Bound
Early Morning Rain
Go Go Round
Cotton Jenny
Rainy Day People
Beautiful
Summer Side of Life
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
I wonder if they gave Lightfoot his choice of songs, or they told him they wanted "Trilogy" because of it' significance in Canadian history. Whatever the reason, he looked miscast, lonely and offered no stage presence whatsoever. Massey Hall it was not. In fact, the entire halftime show lacked any pace or flow.
As for the game, same thing. Good on the Argos for winning, but when the Stamps offense consists of a weak-armed Kevin Glenn and Jon Cornish trying to run into a D Line that knows what's coming, there's not much hope. Calgary coach John Hufnagel called for an end-around with the Stamps on the Argo three yard line. He also ran Cornish on first down just about every time, until it was obvious the Argos had it figured out. As a result, the game didn't have the excitement I had hoped for. The Argos had it well in hand by halftime, and I was flipping back and forth between that game and the New Orleans-San Francisco NFL game, which was a lot more exciting.
Next year, the CFL should poll it's fans many months ahead of the Grey Cup. As this question: Which act would you like to see at the Grey Cup? Give 8 or 10 options and let the fans decide. If the top acts are already spoken for (and if poll the fans well in advance, you can "book" the act before they get booked on tour) then you've got options and you can say you were actually listening to your fans. I understand that acts like the Tragically Hip, BTO, Nickelback and others are well-worn and overexposed at these events, but hey, if that's what the fans want, give it to them. I'm not sure the fans wanted Justin Bieber this year.
On Friday night, the McMaster Marauders were no match for the Laval Rouge et Or at the Vanier Cup. Mac was beset by injuries and Laval was bent on revenge after losing last year's Vanier Cup to Mac. Besides, while McMaster really WANTED to win their second title in a row, Laval HAD to win. They had circled the date on their calender back in the summer, and they were determined to make up for last year's loss. They did that, in spades.
Prior to the Grey Cup, downtown Toronto was busy as 19 thousand fans showed up to see the Raptors find yet ANOTHER way to lose a ballgame. This time it was coach Dwane Casey's stubborn refusal to bench Andrea Bargnani, despite one of the worst shooting performances I have ever seen by a pro. He went 2 for 19 from the floor, yet Casey kept him out there in both overtimes against San Antonio. He had two open looks in the OT periods, and clanged both of them. Not since Utah's Thurl Bailey in 1986, has a player taken that many shots and scored less than 5 points. So, what do you do with Bargnani? I mean, Ed Davis was on the bench with 15 points and 14 rebounds while Bargnani was on the floor shooting 1 for 15 at the time. No wonder the Raptors lose so often. How much longer can they keep putting the big Roman on the floor? Not much.
Kudos to Rory McIlroy, who destroyed an elite field at the Dubai World Championships. McIlroy reeled off five straight birdies on the back nine and won going away. I can hardly wait to see him and Tiger Woods battle next April at Augusta. Tiger wasn't in the field at Dubai, but he would've had to have played some awesome golf to match McIlroy who shot 66-67-66-66 to win by two over Justin Rose, who fired a final round 62 to make it somewhat close. McIlroy has now won 5 tournaments in 2012, and is a lock cinch to win Player of the Year honours. He will be the man to beat EVERY week in 2013.
Friday, 23 November 2012
BLACK FRIDAY AND THE LIVIN' IS EASY.
My blog yesterday certainly got a few backs up. Just the mere suggestion that I like the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday over the Canadian one six weeks earlier elicited some negative feedback on Facebook, Twitter and here right here in the comments section. Reader Scott Robbins, a passionate Canadian and former classmate at college (when I actually went to class) , actually took me to task on his Facebook page. Here is an excerpt.
"I'll take (our) Canadian Thanksgiving hands down, every time. Canadian Thanksgiving, as we must remind, year after year, has nothing to do with Pilgrims (there were none in Canada) and breaking bread with the Indians (myth generally considered to be a light white-wash to gloss over the truth of mass genocide) and it certainly has nothing to do with a Macy's Parade or Football or 50% off at Target or getting up at 5am to line up outside stores to kick off a staged, frenzied early start to a Christmas shopping season."
OK Scott, I get it. But you have to admit that for football fans, it's a great day, even without the turkey. The first two NFL games yesterday were fantastic. The Detroit Lions showed us that there is, incredibly, ANOTHER way to lose a football game. Have your coach throw a challenge flag on a play that was going to be reviewed and go in your favour anyway. Then find out that the rules are: If you throw a challenge flag on a reviewable play, the play will NOT be reviewed and you will lose your challenge because you're stupid and you don't know the rules. Thanks a lot Jim Schwartz. The Lions lost in OT to the Houston Texans. Oh yes, Schwartz also elected to kick a 47 yard field goal (off the upright) on 3rd down and 11, rather than try a pass or a run that might've gained a few more yards and led to the winning field goal. By the way, for those who are interested, Schwartz is NOT Jewish. Sid Gillman and Marv Levy have nothing to fear.
In the second game of the day, the Washington Redskins beat Dallas in a very entertaining contest. RG3, the Heisman Trophy winner and QB for the Skins is a wonderfully talented player who keeps you on the edge of your seat. He threw 4 touchdown passes. Dallas QB Tony Romo is a wonderfully talented player who used to date Jessica Simpson, and now plays for a bad team with a bad coach and an owner, Jerry Jones, who wants to be the GM and the Director of Player Personnel. Despite a career high 441 yards passing, Romo and his Cowboys lost 38-31.
The third game was a laugher. The New York Jets, mired in controversy ever since they signed backup QB Tim Tebow, were humiliated by the New England Patriots 49-19 at home. The Pats became one of just a handful of teams to score 100+ points over two straight games. They put up 59 the week before. Tom Brady is just having fun out there. Not so for the Jets, who are about to implode. They even found out that Tebow has broken ribs, and couldn't have played if he wanted to. Word has it that Joe Namath (I want to kiss you) has asked for a tryout. A friend of mine in New York has seasons tickets to the Jets, the Mets and the NY Rangers. I tweeted last night that I felt sorry for him, but this is the way it is ALL THE TIME in Toronto. Even if the Argos win the Grey Cup, it won't take away from the Leafs, Raptors and Bluejays and their inability to even make the playoffs. PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS? What's that?
I thought allowing the horse into the lobby of the Royal York Hotel was fun, and just the thing we need to show the difference between the CFL and NFL. This is the time of year for Canadian football. Grey Cup week needs to be more like a party and less like the corporate spectacle that the Super Bowl has become. Can you imagine a Dallas Cowboys fan trying to ride a horse into the lobby of the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami during Super Bowl week? Vince Lombardi would turn over in his grave.
Looks like Roman Hamrlik has called for the "Hamrlik" manouevre on Donald Fehr and the NHLPA. Instead of calling Gary Bettman names via twitter, or wearing hats that say "Puck Bettman", some players are ready to call out the union to "make a deal already". No matter how you spin it, or who you want to blame, this has gone on for too long. The fear (Fehr) is that come next spring, when the NHL season has already been lost, the players will have to settle for the same deal that they are currently turning down. Unless a bunch of owners suddenly get cold feet and tell Bettman to settle, it looks like a Mexican standoff. As Bart Simpson would say "Aye Carumba!"
Thursday, 22 November 2012
WHY CAN'T WE BE MORE LIKE THE AMERICANS.
I love American Thanksgiving. I wish we had it here in Canada. Our Thanksgiving is in early October and it's on a Monday. Besides, it's not a "traditional" holiday like in the U.S. Canadians don't make a big deal out of Thanksgiving. It's not an exceptionally busy travel day here, whereas the U.S. holiday has everybody heading home for the holiday, which begins on Thursday with the big turkey dinner and all the football games, continues on Friday with the biggest shopping day of the year and the start of the "official" Christmas shopping season, and then the weekend is the time to hang out, loosen the belt on the pants and devour all the leftovers before heading back to normalcy. Of course, it's football that brings the families together more often than not. The Detroit Lions always play at home, around 12:30 pm. The Dallas Cowboys always host the afternoon game, around 4 p.m. This way, you can plan your big Thanksgiving Day feast accordingly. If you're a Detroit fan, you eat AFTER the Lions game. If you follow the Cowboys, you want to make sure you're finished BEFORE kickoff in Big "D". And if you're simply a football fan, you grab your plate, find a seat on the couch and hope like hell that the rest of the family understands. They will. It's Thanksgiving after all.
They're going to have close to 100 thousand football fans in Toronto this weekend, and the NFL doesn't even come to town for another few weeks. It's the Vanier Cup on Friday, followed by the Grey Cup on Sunday. Two Southern Ontario teams are involved. The McMaster Marauders are the defending Vanier Cup champs. The Toronto Argonauts are trying to win a Grey Cup at home for the first time in 60 years. Tickets are hard to come by, which is rare around these parts. In fact, thousands of Mac students lined up for hours the other day just to get a shot at reduced-rate tickets. The lineup was so big, several Mac players were "shocked" at the level of interest from the student body. Don't forget, everybody loves a winner, and many people will even pay money to watch them in action.
One of my directors at CHCH, Tansy Ko, seemed surprised at the fact that race car driver and Go Daddy spokesperson Danica Patrick was divorcing her husband after 7 years of marriage. Patrick and her (ex) husband Paul Hospenthal became engaged on Thanksgiving Day 2004. As Tansy pointed out "Who knew Danica was even married?". It's true. I'm sure gearheads all over the world knew that Patrick had a husband, because they always showed a shot of him on TV during her races. But for those of us who don't watch racing every week, Danica Patrick appeared to be a "sex kitten" who appeared in those Go Daddy ads to be a single woman. Kind of like the Bachelorette on the NASCAR circuit. Oh well, now that she's divorced, she's DEFINITELY available.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. That includes Gary Bettman, Donald Fehr and all those hockey-loving fans south of the border who now list football as their favourite sport. For the time being, anyway.
I love American Thanksgiving. I wish we had it here in Canada. Our Thanksgiving is in early October and it's on a Monday. Besides, it's not a "traditional" holiday like in the U.S. Canadians don't make a big deal out of Thanksgiving. It's not an exceptionally busy travel day here, whereas the U.S. holiday has everybody heading home for the holiday, which begins on Thursday with the big turkey dinner and all the football games, continues on Friday with the biggest shopping day of the year and the start of the "official" Christmas shopping season, and then the weekend is the time to hang out, loosen the belt on the pants and devour all the leftovers before heading back to normalcy. Of course, it's football that brings the families together more often than not. The Detroit Lions always play at home, around 12:30 pm. The Dallas Cowboys always host the afternoon game, around 4 p.m. This way, you can plan your big Thanksgiving Day feast accordingly. If you're a Detroit fan, you eat AFTER the Lions game. If you follow the Cowboys, you want to make sure you're finished BEFORE kickoff in Big "D". And if you're simply a football fan, you grab your plate, find a seat on the couch and hope like hell that the rest of the family understands. They will. It's Thanksgiving after all.
They're going to have close to 100 thousand football fans in Toronto this weekend, and the NFL doesn't even come to town for another few weeks. It's the Vanier Cup on Friday, followed by the Grey Cup on Sunday. Two Southern Ontario teams are involved. The McMaster Marauders are the defending Vanier Cup champs. The Toronto Argonauts are trying to win a Grey Cup at home for the first time in 60 years. Tickets are hard to come by, which is rare around these parts. In fact, thousands of Mac students lined up for hours the other day just to get a shot at reduced-rate tickets. The lineup was so big, several Mac players were "shocked" at the level of interest from the student body. Don't forget, everybody loves a winner, and many people will even pay money to watch them in action.
One of my directors at CHCH, Tansy Ko, seemed surprised at the fact that race car driver and Go Daddy spokesperson Danica Patrick was divorcing her husband after 7 years of marriage. Patrick and her (ex) husband Paul Hospenthal became engaged on Thanksgiving Day 2004. As Tansy pointed out "Who knew Danica was even married?". It's true. I'm sure gearheads all over the world knew that Patrick had a husband, because they always showed a shot of him on TV during her races. But for those of us who don't watch racing every week, Danica Patrick appeared to be a "sex kitten" who appeared in those Go Daddy ads to be a single woman. Kind of like the Bachelorette on the NASCAR circuit. Oh well, now that she's divorced, she's DEFINITELY available.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. That includes Gary Bettman, Donald Fehr and all those hockey-loving fans south of the border who now list football as their favourite sport. For the time being, anyway.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
I DIDN'T CHOOSE RADIO, IT CHOSE ME.
Thanks to those of you who pointed out my shortcomings and offered a solution. I have found the lost blogs, and they are re-posted. (Well, most of them anyway)
When we last got together, I was telling you about my one and only deejay job in radio as a failed country music jock. I was attending Conestoga College in Kitchener at the time of this misfortune, although "attending" might be a pretty misleading word. "Enrolled" is more like it. They offered a course in Radio and TV Broadcasting, which sounded like fun. You had to have a 65 average, but if you gave a good interview, they'd probably let you in the course. Since I had already been refused outright by Carleton University's Journalism program, and basically been told to take a walk by Humber College's 3 year Radio course, I had little choice. Yes, that's right. Humber College TURNED ME DOWN. They didn't think I had what it took to be a radio broadcaster. That was embarrassing, and I've never forgiven the school, even though my son currently attends the damn place. Luckily, I gave a charming interview, and got in to Conestoga. Despite offering courses in in Set Decoration and Radio Theory, neither of which I had any interest in, Conestoga was a cool place. I learned all about water pipes, punk music, neo-nazism and farm girls, all the while dreaming of being a radio announcer. All I really wanted to do was talk on the radio. TV? Never thought I had a chance. I was tall, ugly, with thick coke-bottle glasses, a geeky 19 year old who plodded through 13 years of elementary and secondary school AND two years of kindergarten AND 3 years of Hebrew school. I enjoyed talking. I knew a lot about sports and music. This was the life for me.
On "Sportsline" we maintain a "No Lockout Talk" policy which has been going on for over two months now. It's amazing how little you care about something that isn't part of a daily discussion. We don't talk hockey, ergo we don't think about it or care about it. Quite frankly, there's already plenty to talk about just in the football world. Between the Vanier Cup, the Grey Cup, the BCS and the NFL, there's barely enough room for hockey. Out of sight, out of mind.
The Vancouver Canucks average ticket price is $266.70 this year. The Maple Leafs is $227.89 and the Winnipeg Jets average ticket price is $227.00. That's for one ticket. And now you know why 61% of adult Canadians haven't seen an NHL game in the last 5 years. They can't afford it. Only corporations can. Well, not this year they can't. Looks like the season is a goner. The two sides are so far apart it isn't even funny. Tell you what. If you can't get a ten year agreement done, don't bother.
Thanks to those of you who pointed out my shortcomings and offered a solution. I have found the lost blogs, and they are re-posted. (Well, most of them anyway)
When we last got together, I was telling you about my one and only deejay job in radio as a failed country music jock. I was attending Conestoga College in Kitchener at the time of this misfortune, although "attending" might be a pretty misleading word. "Enrolled" is more like it. They offered a course in Radio and TV Broadcasting, which sounded like fun. You had to have a 65 average, but if you gave a good interview, they'd probably let you in the course. Since I had already been refused outright by Carleton University's Journalism program, and basically been told to take a walk by Humber College's 3 year Radio course, I had little choice. Yes, that's right. Humber College TURNED ME DOWN. They didn't think I had what it took to be a radio broadcaster. That was embarrassing, and I've never forgiven the school, even though my son currently attends the damn place. Luckily, I gave a charming interview, and got in to Conestoga. Despite offering courses in in Set Decoration and Radio Theory, neither of which I had any interest in, Conestoga was a cool place. I learned all about water pipes, punk music, neo-nazism and farm girls, all the while dreaming of being a radio announcer. All I really wanted to do was talk on the radio. TV? Never thought I had a chance. I was tall, ugly, with thick coke-bottle glasses, a geeky 19 year old who plodded through 13 years of elementary and secondary school AND two years of kindergarten AND 3 years of Hebrew school. I enjoyed talking. I knew a lot about sports and music. This was the life for me.
On "Sportsline" we maintain a "No Lockout Talk" policy which has been going on for over two months now. It's amazing how little you care about something that isn't part of a daily discussion. We don't talk hockey, ergo we don't think about it or care about it. Quite frankly, there's already plenty to talk about just in the football world. Between the Vanier Cup, the Grey Cup, the BCS and the NFL, there's barely enough room for hockey. Out of sight, out of mind.
The Vancouver Canucks average ticket price is $266.70 this year. The Maple Leafs is $227.89 and the Winnipeg Jets average ticket price is $227.00. That's for one ticket. And now you know why 61% of adult Canadians haven't seen an NHL game in the last 5 years. They can't afford it. Only corporations can. Well, not this year they can't. Looks like the season is a goner. The two sides are so far apart it isn't even funny. Tell you what. If you can't get a ten year agreement done, don't bother.
MEET THE NEW BOSS (SAME AS THE OLD BOSS)
John Gibbons? That was the big surprise? I guess when you considered the alternatives, it wasn't such a bad choice. The guy has managed in the majors before. He's familiar with Toronto and he'll do just about anything Alex Anthopoulos says. In the meantime, the entire country of Canada has gone ga-ga for Gibby and the Bluejays. Even the French CBC had a reporter at this morning's news conference and about a half hour in, after all the anglais had asked their questions, he fired off his query to Anthopoulos "en francais", to which AA responded "John (Gibbons) do you want to break out your french?" Much laughter ensued, and Alex fired off a response in french that seemed to answer the reporters queries, although we'll never know what he really said.
OVERHEARD IN THE BLUEJAY CLUBHOUSE SPRING TRAINING 2013
(Manager John Gibbons comes out of his office to greet his new team.)
"Hola Jose, my name is John. John Gibbons. Gibby. No, I'm not the clubhouse attendant. I'm the manager. Sorry, Ozzie isn't here this year. I'm the guy. Hey Emilio, remember me? John Gibbons. No, no. I'm not a coach, I'm your new skipper" J.J., you know me, I'm the anti-Guillen. I never say anything controversial, except to an umpire if I'm really mad. Or Shea Hillenbrand. And Mark, c'mon Burls, remember that brushback incident back in '07 with Aaron Hill? I could've charged the mound but I didn't. I was the Jays manager back then, don't you remember? Bucky? C'mon Bucky you know me. Gibby. Yeah, I'm back. Hey Melk man. Leche. Buddy, how's it going. Did you pee in the bottle today...ha ha. It's Gibby. Don't you remember me from KC? Those were the days."
(Gibbons moves slowly to the makeshift podium in the crowded dressing room)
"Can I have your attention please guys. My name is John, and I'm your manager this year. They wanted a guy named John so they wouldn't have to replace the sign on the door, but I'm not like the last manager named John. He was an idiot. I'm not. Guys, guys listen up please. We're going to win it all this year and anything less will be a major disappointment. That's what management has told me. If you think I'm going to take any guff from you guys, you're wrong. Anybody wants to fight me, come and get me. Farrell was too soft on you guys. We got rid of the dead wood and now we're going to kick some ass. Now, many of you have not met each other before, so I've got some sticky backed nametags for you to wear. If you're not sure of a guy's name, just shout out his uniform number. Like, "Hey 23, get your head out of your ass" or "Come on 24, throw strikes for a change". You'll get it. Now, I know all the writers and broadcasters from when I was here before, and they're all my drinking buddies, so just let me handle the media and you guys go out and play. Ok, all for one and one for all. Now go get 'em!
What's that JP? Oh, it's Gibbons. G-I-B-B-O-N-S."
I have a passion for music that is equal to my affection for sports. The two are inexorably linked with me. My fantasy is to sit and watch a baseball game with Bruce Springsteen. Jays versus Yankees. Talk a little ball. Talk a little music Have a couple of beers and just bond. Two guys. Sports and Music. Ask most athletes what their fantasy job would be and the answer is likely "musician". Ask a performer what his/her fantasy is, and the common response would be "athlete". I wanted to be both: Rock star in the summer, defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the winter. My parents thought it might be a good idea to finish my education, since I wasn't a very good skater and had no musical talent whatsoever. Couldn't play a note. Had to have something to fall back on. Luckily, I had a way with words, so I went into radio.
The first radio gig I ever had was at CKKW in Kitchener, Ontario. It was the graveyard shift, Midnight to 6 a.m. The late Dan Fisher was the program director, and asked me if I knew anything about country music, because that's what they played at the time. I said "sure", even though I didn't know Barbara Mandrell from Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie).
So I played the songs I was supposed to play. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, Crystal Gale, Loretta Lynn, etc. One day, at about 4 a.m., I got bored playing the stuff on the playlist and broke out a song by the Rolling Stones called "The Girl with Far Away Eyes". It had a country twang to it, so I cued it up on the turntable, flicked on the mic and announced it as "A new song by a band called the Country Maladeers". Pretty soon the phone was ringing. It was Dan Fisher. What P.D. was up at 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning? He was. I got fired. End of my career as a radio deejay. Next up, a career as a sportscaster. I'll update my life in media during my next blog. Stay tuned.
John Gibbons? That was the big surprise? I guess when you considered the alternatives, it wasn't such a bad choice. The guy has managed in the majors before. He's familiar with Toronto and he'll do just about anything Alex Anthopoulos says. In the meantime, the entire country of Canada has gone ga-ga for Gibby and the Bluejays. Even the French CBC had a reporter at this morning's news conference and about a half hour in, after all the anglais had asked their questions, he fired off his query to Anthopoulos "en francais", to which AA responded "John (Gibbons) do you want to break out your french?" Much laughter ensued, and Alex fired off a response in french that seemed to answer the reporters queries, although we'll never know what he really said.
OVERHEARD IN THE BLUEJAY CLUBHOUSE SPRING TRAINING 2013
(Manager John Gibbons comes out of his office to greet his new team.)
"Hola Jose, my name is John. John Gibbons. Gibby. No, I'm not the clubhouse attendant. I'm the manager. Sorry, Ozzie isn't here this year. I'm the guy. Hey Emilio, remember me? John Gibbons. No, no. I'm not a coach, I'm your new skipper" J.J., you know me, I'm the anti-Guillen. I never say anything controversial, except to an umpire if I'm really mad. Or Shea Hillenbrand. And Mark, c'mon Burls, remember that brushback incident back in '07 with Aaron Hill? I could've charged the mound but I didn't. I was the Jays manager back then, don't you remember? Bucky? C'mon Bucky you know me. Gibby. Yeah, I'm back. Hey Melk man. Leche. Buddy, how's it going. Did you pee in the bottle today...ha ha. It's Gibby. Don't you remember me from KC? Those were the days."
(Gibbons moves slowly to the makeshift podium in the crowded dressing room)
"Can I have your attention please guys. My name is John, and I'm your manager this year. They wanted a guy named John so they wouldn't have to replace the sign on the door, but I'm not like the last manager named John. He was an idiot. I'm not. Guys, guys listen up please. We're going to win it all this year and anything less will be a major disappointment. That's what management has told me. If you think I'm going to take any guff from you guys, you're wrong. Anybody wants to fight me, come and get me. Farrell was too soft on you guys. We got rid of the dead wood and now we're going to kick some ass. Now, many of you have not met each other before, so I've got some sticky backed nametags for you to wear. If you're not sure of a guy's name, just shout out his uniform number. Like, "Hey 23, get your head out of your ass" or "Come on 24, throw strikes for a change". You'll get it. Now, I know all the writers and broadcasters from when I was here before, and they're all my drinking buddies, so just let me handle the media and you guys go out and play. Ok, all for one and one for all. Now go get 'em!
What's that JP? Oh, it's Gibbons. G-I-B-B-O-N-S."
I have a passion for music that is equal to my affection for sports. The two are inexorably linked with me. My fantasy is to sit and watch a baseball game with Bruce Springsteen. Jays versus Yankees. Talk a little ball. Talk a little music Have a couple of beers and just bond. Two guys. Sports and Music. Ask most athletes what their fantasy job would be and the answer is likely "musician". Ask a performer what his/her fantasy is, and the common response would be "athlete". I wanted to be both: Rock star in the summer, defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the winter. My parents thought it might be a good idea to finish my education, since I wasn't a very good skater and had no musical talent whatsoever. Couldn't play a note. Had to have something to fall back on. Luckily, I had a way with words, so I went into radio.
The first radio gig I ever had was at CKKW in Kitchener, Ontario. It was the graveyard shift, Midnight to 6 a.m. The late Dan Fisher was the program director, and asked me if I knew anything about country music, because that's what they played at the time. I said "sure", even though I didn't know Barbara Mandrell from Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie).
So I played the songs I was supposed to play. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, Crystal Gale, Loretta Lynn, etc. One day, at about 4 a.m., I got bored playing the stuff on the playlist and broke out a song by the Rolling Stones called "The Girl with Far Away Eyes". It had a country twang to it, so I cued it up on the turntable, flicked on the mic and announced it as "A new song by a band called the Country Maladeers". Pretty soon the phone was ringing. It was Dan Fisher. What P.D. was up at 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning? He was. I got fired. End of my career as a radio deejay. Next up, a career as a sportscaster. I'll update my life in media during my next blog. Stay tuned.
DOES TORONTO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE GREY CUP?
If ever there was an acid test for the city of Toronto and it's supposed love for football, this is it. Toronto, in all it's glory will be hosting the 100th Grey Cup game, once known as Canada's National Drunk. The gods smiled upon the Canadian Football League yesterday by telling Anthony Calvillo that he can't turn back the hands of time. How fortuitous for the Toronto Argonauts and all those football lovers in the GTA who follow them religiously. One might have thought that Toronto must've been crazy yesterday as thousands huddled in front of their TV's to watch the Eastern Final. Not exactly. I'm sure the TV ratings were good, but everybody I saw at the Irish Embassy in Toronto was watching the NFL. Ditto for the Beer Bistro (mmmm Beer!) around the corner, where ALL the screens except for one were tuned to NFL games or the Raptors. Even when we went for dinner at Paganelli's on Front Street (excellent pasta and desserts), nobody was talking about the Argos and the Grey Cup. It was all about Tom Brady and RG3 and how shitty Bargnani has been playing and the gridlock from the Santa Claus Parade. My American friend Steve, who is a huge football fan, couldn't figure it out. (He also can't figure out why, in Canada, we serve salad as a side dish with quiche, but that's another story) Shouldn't the city be buzzing with the Argos in the Grey Cup? Apparently not. More folks are excited about seeing Neil Young, Los Lobos and the Sadies at the A.C.C. tonight than seeing Ricky Ray and the Chads at the Rogers Center on Sunday. Oh, by the way, the Argos play Calgary, and that means guys in cowboy hats will be descending upon Toronto and there might even be a horse or two walking through a hotel lobby. I don't have a point spread on the game yet, but I'll let you know so you can get a bet down.
And just in case you are a conspiracy theorist, don't forget that the Edmonton Eskimos greatly helped the Argos by GIVING them a future Hall of Famer, Ricky Ray. This move, to help the CFL sell the Grey Cup in Toronto, probably set the Eskimos back five years. The fans are outraged and have been since Eric Tillman made the deal. Tillman is now gone, but the stench from that trade lives on. It would be like Buffalo hosting the Super Bowl and suddenly the Bills get Tom Brady from New England in exchange for a fifth round pick and a bag of footballs. Very shady indeed.
My 17 year old son just got his learners permit and I took him out for his first drive yesterday. He thought he was going to go for a drive in the neighbourhood and maybe do a little parallel parking. Instead I told him to keep driving all the way to Home Depot, which meant a trip through a winding valley road with severe elevation changes, and then onto a main street with stoplights and everything. Finally into a busy parking lot at the Meadowlands with all kinds of obstacles like drivers not paying attention and the like. When he finally pulled into the parking space I congratulated him (and myself) for an excellent job. My only problem was HE WAS GOING TOO FAST. I had to yell at him a few times to slow down. I feel shame. But he's going to be a good driver, just like me (I hope).
Congrats to the McMaster Marauders, who will defend their Vanier Cup title against the Laval Rouge et Or on Friday night at Rogers Center. Both National semifinals were blowouts, which means you've got the two best teams in the nation battling each other for the second year in a row. Mac won it last year, but only after coughing up a huge halftime lead. 5th year quarterback Kyle Quinlan will be the difference as I am predicting a Mac victory. Hopefully there will be a big crowd out to see the best in Canadian University football. Hopefully Kyle Quinlan can find a job as a professional quarterback in a league that is SUPPOSED to promote Canadian talent.
Who will the next manager of the Bluejays be? I'm going to call Jim Riggleman for the job. He managed the Washington Nationals, but quit in 2011 after his team had won 11 of 12 games. The Nats didn't want to extend his contract, so Riggleman quit. He felt he was disrespected by the organization, so he resigned. I say bring him back for 2013 as the new Jays skipper. He's got Major League experience and I'll bet he'd be great in Toronto.
Oh yeah. They might sit down and talk hockey this week, just a few days after they said they were going to take a 2 week break. Wake me up when they've made a decision. Until then, I'll continue to get frustrated/excited about the Toronto Raptors. We've got to have something to cheer about this winter.
If ever there was an acid test for the city of Toronto and it's supposed love for football, this is it. Toronto, in all it's glory will be hosting the 100th Grey Cup game, once known as Canada's National Drunk. The gods smiled upon the Canadian Football League yesterday by telling Anthony Calvillo that he can't turn back the hands of time. How fortuitous for the Toronto Argonauts and all those football lovers in the GTA who follow them religiously. One might have thought that Toronto must've been crazy yesterday as thousands huddled in front of their TV's to watch the Eastern Final. Not exactly. I'm sure the TV ratings were good, but everybody I saw at the Irish Embassy in Toronto was watching the NFL. Ditto for the Beer Bistro (mmmm Beer!) around the corner, where ALL the screens except for one were tuned to NFL games or the Raptors. Even when we went for dinner at Paganelli's on Front Street (excellent pasta and desserts), nobody was talking about the Argos and the Grey Cup. It was all about Tom Brady and RG3 and how shitty Bargnani has been playing and the gridlock from the Santa Claus Parade. My American friend Steve, who is a huge football fan, couldn't figure it out. (He also can't figure out why, in Canada, we serve salad as a side dish with quiche, but that's another story) Shouldn't the city be buzzing with the Argos in the Grey Cup? Apparently not. More folks are excited about seeing Neil Young, Los Lobos and the Sadies at the A.C.C. tonight than seeing Ricky Ray and the Chads at the Rogers Center on Sunday. Oh, by the way, the Argos play Calgary, and that means guys in cowboy hats will be descending upon Toronto and there might even be a horse or two walking through a hotel lobby. I don't have a point spread on the game yet, but I'll let you know so you can get a bet down.
And just in case you are a conspiracy theorist, don't forget that the Edmonton Eskimos greatly helped the Argos by GIVING them a future Hall of Famer, Ricky Ray. This move, to help the CFL sell the Grey Cup in Toronto, probably set the Eskimos back five years. The fans are outraged and have been since Eric Tillman made the deal. Tillman is now gone, but the stench from that trade lives on. It would be like Buffalo hosting the Super Bowl and suddenly the Bills get Tom Brady from New England in exchange for a fifth round pick and a bag of footballs. Very shady indeed.
My 17 year old son just got his learners permit and I took him out for his first drive yesterday. He thought he was going to go for a drive in the neighbourhood and maybe do a little parallel parking. Instead I told him to keep driving all the way to Home Depot, which meant a trip through a winding valley road with severe elevation changes, and then onto a main street with stoplights and everything. Finally into a busy parking lot at the Meadowlands with all kinds of obstacles like drivers not paying attention and the like. When he finally pulled into the parking space I congratulated him (and myself) for an excellent job. My only problem was HE WAS GOING TOO FAST. I had to yell at him a few times to slow down. I feel shame. But he's going to be a good driver, just like me (I hope).
Congrats to the McMaster Marauders, who will defend their Vanier Cup title against the Laval Rouge et Or on Friday night at Rogers Center. Both National semifinals were blowouts, which means you've got the two best teams in the nation battling each other for the second year in a row. Mac won it last year, but only after coughing up a huge halftime lead. 5th year quarterback Kyle Quinlan will be the difference as I am predicting a Mac victory. Hopefully there will be a big crowd out to see the best in Canadian University football. Hopefully Kyle Quinlan can find a job as a professional quarterback in a league that is SUPPOSED to promote Canadian talent.
Who will the next manager of the Bluejays be? I'm going to call Jim Riggleman for the job. He managed the Washington Nationals, but quit in 2011 after his team had won 11 of 12 games. The Nats didn't want to extend his contract, so Riggleman quit. He felt he was disrespected by the organization, so he resigned. I say bring him back for 2013 as the new Jays skipper. He's got Major League experience and I'll bet he'd be great in Toronto.
Oh yeah. They might sit down and talk hockey this week, just a few days after they said they were going to take a 2 week break. Wake me up when they've made a decision. Until then, I'll continue to get frustrated/excited about the Toronto Raptors. We've got to have something to cheer about this winter.
TWITTER FOR IDIOTS.
I enjoy tweeting occasionally. But I know how to use Twitter and I know there are certain things you just can't say. For example, I would never attempt a joke that had anything to do with OJ Simpson. Or Hitler. It's not funny. It can't be funny. It can only cost you what's left of your reputation. It's offensive and stupid. And so it was that Calgary Stampeders receiver Nik Lewis offered up this tweet: "I just bought OJ's glove on eBay. Now all I need is a white girl named Nicole #MaybeALittleTooFar. Nice. The hashtag even shows you that he knew what he was doing, yet still posted it. When the shit hit the fan, Lewis stated that his paycheque for the Western Final game against BC would be donated to a women's emergency shelter in Calgary. Not only that, the team would match that amount with another donation. Lewis did NOT ever apologize for the offensive tweet. Spineless, if you ask me. Lewis shouldn't be allowed on Twitter for a year. And the Stamps inability or unwillingness to discipline Lewis speaks volumes about their organization.
I don't want to beat a dead (crazy) horse, but I've seen a few too many poor concert reviews for Neil Young and Bob Dylan over the past few weeks. Young is 66 and Dylan is 71. Both are considered crusty legends who can, and often do, play anything they want in concert and seem to be beyond reproach. Back in the day, you wouldn't dare write a negative review of these guys, for fear of being shut out by the performer. Nowadays, a fan like me can sit at his keyboard and peck away at them like crows on roadkill.
Look, I know they're legends, but all great performers must retire at some point. In pro sports, you're pretty much washed up by 40 (except in golf). You'll make a few dollars in your retirement years, but nobody wants to pay 200 bucks to see you perform. In music it's different. The fans expect you to sweep them off their feet with classic oldies that they grew up listening to. Even if the performer is old and grey and you can't understand half of what they're saying or playing, the image of them on performing for you while you're sitting in the beanbag chair in your bedroom with headphones on is permanent. Only Bruce Springsteen appears to have the ability to reproduce that feeling among his legion of fans. The Stones don't have it anymore. Dylan hasn't in years. Same goes for Young. Oh, you might get a "show for the ages" every once in a while, but for the most part you're getting the same old show from guys who are way past their prime as performers. Thank goodness their recordings live on. I just listened to "Rust Never Sleeps" by Neil. Outstanding. And Dylan's "Desire" recently took me back to the beanbag chair in my brother's room with a set of Koss Pro4AA headphones on. Ahhh memories!
This just in. Nothing to report on the National Hockey League. No reason to be optimistic. The season may as well be over. What a shame.
Christmas has come early at my house. We will be hosting 700-800 people in a few weeks as part of a Christmas house tour in my neighbourhood. Now, in my living room, I have several pieces of sports memorabilia on the wall that my wife and I agree are pieces of art. The red Chicago Blackhawks signed jersey is a perfect compliment to a green Christmas tree that's festooned with garland and glitter. The signed Stan Musial bat looks beautiful next to the stockings hanging from the fireplace. And the autographed 1987 Team Canada poster, all red and white, looks like it was made for the holiday season amidst the icicle lights and fancy ornaments. If ever a house could combine sports and the festive season and make it appealing, our house fits the bill.
I was pretty impressed with the Raptors gut-it-out victory over Indiana the other night. After losing in triple OT to Utah on Monday, nobody thought the Raps could win the next night on the road with three regulars (Lowry, Fields, Anderson) missing and Demar DeRozan having played 55 minutes the night before. I had told my co-host on Sportsline, Bubba ONeil, that I thought the Raps would win, because they HAD to prove to themselves and the fans that they could dig down deep with a supreme effort. And even though they only scored 5 points in the fourth quarter, they managed to hold on to a 74-72 win, and a HUGE confidence builder.
As of press time, we're still waiting for MLB Comish Bud Selig to approve the Jays-Marlins deal. When that happens, I say we start the season immediately instead of waiting for next spring. It promises to be a very exciting time for the Jays and their fans. I expect attendance to reach close to 3 million next year. No excuses not to go. No excuses for the Jays not to make the post-season. Anything less will be a disappointment. And by the way, do you think it matters who the Jays get as a manager now? Seriously, could they possible hire anybody that's going to make you react in an extremely positive or negative way? I doubt it. Bobby Cox? Sure, he can handle this team. Ozzie Guillen? Well, he certainly knows five of the players really well. Tony LaRussa? Absolutely. Age should not be a factor here. A veteran manager might be just the thing this team needs. A guy who won't overmanage, just let them play.
How many months until spring training begins again?
I enjoy tweeting occasionally. But I know how to use Twitter and I know there are certain things you just can't say. For example, I would never attempt a joke that had anything to do with OJ Simpson. Or Hitler. It's not funny. It can't be funny. It can only cost you what's left of your reputation. It's offensive and stupid. And so it was that Calgary Stampeders receiver Nik Lewis offered up this tweet: "I just bought OJ's glove on eBay. Now all I need is a white girl named Nicole #MaybeALittleTooFar. Nice. The hashtag even shows you that he knew what he was doing, yet still posted it. When the shit hit the fan, Lewis stated that his paycheque for the Western Final game against BC would be donated to a women's emergency shelter in Calgary. Not only that, the team would match that amount with another donation. Lewis did NOT ever apologize for the offensive tweet. Spineless, if you ask me. Lewis shouldn't be allowed on Twitter for a year. And the Stamps inability or unwillingness to discipline Lewis speaks volumes about their organization.
I don't want to beat a dead (crazy) horse, but I've seen a few too many poor concert reviews for Neil Young and Bob Dylan over the past few weeks. Young is 66 and Dylan is 71. Both are considered crusty legends who can, and often do, play anything they want in concert and seem to be beyond reproach. Back in the day, you wouldn't dare write a negative review of these guys, for fear of being shut out by the performer. Nowadays, a fan like me can sit at his keyboard and peck away at them like crows on roadkill.
Look, I know they're legends, but all great performers must retire at some point. In pro sports, you're pretty much washed up by 40 (except in golf). You'll make a few dollars in your retirement years, but nobody wants to pay 200 bucks to see you perform. In music it's different. The fans expect you to sweep them off their feet with classic oldies that they grew up listening to. Even if the performer is old and grey and you can't understand half of what they're saying or playing, the image of them on performing for you while you're sitting in the beanbag chair in your bedroom with headphones on is permanent. Only Bruce Springsteen appears to have the ability to reproduce that feeling among his legion of fans. The Stones don't have it anymore. Dylan hasn't in years. Same goes for Young. Oh, you might get a "show for the ages" every once in a while, but for the most part you're getting the same old show from guys who are way past their prime as performers. Thank goodness their recordings live on. I just listened to "Rust Never Sleeps" by Neil. Outstanding. And Dylan's "Desire" recently took me back to the beanbag chair in my brother's room with a set of Koss Pro4AA headphones on. Ahhh memories!
This just in. Nothing to report on the National Hockey League. No reason to be optimistic. The season may as well be over. What a shame.
Christmas has come early at my house. We will be hosting 700-800 people in a few weeks as part of a Christmas house tour in my neighbourhood. Now, in my living room, I have several pieces of sports memorabilia on the wall that my wife and I agree are pieces of art. The red Chicago Blackhawks signed jersey is a perfect compliment to a green Christmas tree that's festooned with garland and glitter. The signed Stan Musial bat looks beautiful next to the stockings hanging from the fireplace. And the autographed 1987 Team Canada poster, all red and white, looks like it was made for the holiday season amidst the icicle lights and fancy ornaments. If ever a house could combine sports and the festive season and make it appealing, our house fits the bill.
I was pretty impressed with the Raptors gut-it-out victory over Indiana the other night. After losing in triple OT to Utah on Monday, nobody thought the Raps could win the next night on the road with three regulars (Lowry, Fields, Anderson) missing and Demar DeRozan having played 55 minutes the night before. I had told my co-host on Sportsline, Bubba ONeil, that I thought the Raps would win, because they HAD to prove to themselves and the fans that they could dig down deep with a supreme effort. And even though they only scored 5 points in the fourth quarter, they managed to hold on to a 74-72 win, and a HUGE confidence builder.
As of press time, we're still waiting for MLB Comish Bud Selig to approve the Jays-Marlins deal. When that happens, I say we start the season immediately instead of waiting for next spring. It promises to be a very exciting time for the Jays and their fans. I expect attendance to reach close to 3 million next year. No excuses not to go. No excuses for the Jays not to make the post-season. Anything less will be a disappointment. And by the way, do you think it matters who the Jays get as a manager now? Seriously, could they possible hire anybody that's going to make you react in an extremely positive or negative way? I doubt it. Bobby Cox? Sure, he can handle this team. Ozzie Guillen? Well, he certainly knows five of the players really well. Tony LaRussa? Absolutely. Age should not be a factor here. A veteran manager might be just the thing this team needs. A guy who won't overmanage, just let them play.
How many months until spring training begins again?
DO WE GET "BILLY THE MARLIN" TOO?
When I first heard about the Bluejays-Marlins 12 player trade last night on Twitter, I misunderstood. I thought the Jays had re-acquired pitcher Jo Jo Reyes and was not happy about it. Remember, he was the guy who almost set the record for most consecutive losses. Thank goodness it was Jose Reyes, who, when he wants to, is one of the most electrifying players in baseball. Unfortunately, he's injury prone. Same goes for starter Josh Johnson, who will more than likely spend some time on the DL this year. And, if you include Emilio Bonafacio, (best Bluejay name since Candy Maldonado) who spent two months on the DL last year, you've got a few concerns. Nevertheless, I expect all three to be key contributors in 2013, along with rubber armed Mark Buehrle and catcher John Buck.
Here is my projected starting lineup for April 2013, which allows for one more deal to get a big bat.
1. Jose Reyes (6)
2. Emilio Bonifacio (4)
3. Jose Bautista (9)
4. Josh Hamilton (8) (The Jays will sign him for three years and 85 million bucks)
5. Edwin Encarnacion (3)
6. Brett Lawrie (5)
7. JP Arencibia (2)
8. Adam Lind/Moises Sierra (DH)
9. Rajai Davis/Colby Rasmus (platoon)
That's a lineup that could, potentially, steal over 200 bases AND hit over 200 homers. And that's just from the STARTERS.
Starting five:
1. Morrow
2. Johnson
3. Buehrle
4. JA Happ
5. Ricky Romero
Bullpen:
Janssen
Delabar
Lincoln
D. Oliver
A. Loup
S. Santos
Bench: Izturis, Buck, David Cooper
Congratulations to the Toronto Raptors, who defied all odds after losing in Triple OT Monday night by defeating Indiana 74-72 despite just 5 points in the fourth quarter. Just when the Raps looked dead and buried for the entire season, they prove that hard work and a bit of luck goes a long way in the NBA.
Oh, and by the way, now that the Jays have made a blockbuster deal, perhaps Phil Jackson might be a good candidate to manage the team. He's won 11 championships (OK, so it's basketball) and that means he'll have the respect of the players. He would look funny in a baseball uniform though. And that triangle offense? He'll have to change it to a "diamond" offense. OK, I'm only kidding (sort of) I think just about anybody could manage this team now. Doesn't really matter who they get.
When I first heard about the Bluejays-Marlins 12 player trade last night on Twitter, I misunderstood. I thought the Jays had re-acquired pitcher Jo Jo Reyes and was not happy about it. Remember, he was the guy who almost set the record for most consecutive losses. Thank goodness it was Jose Reyes, who, when he wants to, is one of the most electrifying players in baseball. Unfortunately, he's injury prone. Same goes for starter Josh Johnson, who will more than likely spend some time on the DL this year. And, if you include Emilio Bonafacio, (best Bluejay name since Candy Maldonado) who spent two months on the DL last year, you've got a few concerns. Nevertheless, I expect all three to be key contributors in 2013, along with rubber armed Mark Buehrle and catcher John Buck.
Here is my projected starting lineup for April 2013, which allows for one more deal to get a big bat.
1. Jose Reyes (6)
2. Emilio Bonifacio (4)
3. Jose Bautista (9)
4. Josh Hamilton (8) (The Jays will sign him for three years and 85 million bucks)
5. Edwin Encarnacion (3)
6. Brett Lawrie (5)
7. JP Arencibia (2)
8. Adam Lind/Moises Sierra (DH)
9. Rajai Davis/Colby Rasmus (platoon)
That's a lineup that could, potentially, steal over 200 bases AND hit over 200 homers. And that's just from the STARTERS.
Starting five:
1. Morrow
2. Johnson
3. Buehrle
4. JA Happ
5. Ricky Romero
Bullpen:
Janssen
Delabar
Lincoln
D. Oliver
A. Loup
S. Santos
Bench: Izturis, Buck, David Cooper
Congratulations to the Toronto Raptors, who defied all odds after losing in Triple OT Monday night by defeating Indiana 74-72 despite just 5 points in the fourth quarter. Just when the Raps looked dead and buried for the entire season, they prove that hard work and a bit of luck goes a long way in the NBA.
Oh, and by the way, now that the Jays have made a blockbuster deal, perhaps Phil Jackson might be a good candidate to manage the team. He's won 11 championships (OK, so it's basketball) and that means he'll have the respect of the players. He would look funny in a baseball uniform though. And that triangle offense? He'll have to change it to a "diamond" offense. OK, I'm only kidding (sort of) I think just about anybody could manage this team now. Doesn't really matter who they get.
MATS SUNDIN. GREATEST LEAF EVER?
When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded away fan favourite Wendel Clark to Quebec in 1994, the man who came the other way was supposed to be the answer to the Leafs prayers. Mats Sundin was 23 years old and had scored 135 goals in 4 seasons with Les Nordiques. He was part of a great team that would eventually win a Stanley Cup in Colorado with the likes of Joe Sakic, Adam Foote and Mike Ricci. But the Leafs really wanted the Big Swede, and were willing to part with Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre and some young talent in order to get him. I recall our meeting at the Hot Stove Lounge at Maple Leaf Gardens. Sundin was all smiles, happy to get out of Quebec City and into the hockey mecca known as Toronto. Unfortunately for Mats, the Leafs glory days of the early 90s were over. The 1994-95 season was strike-shortened to 48 games and even though Sundin led the team in scoring, the Leafs were an old team by then. Doug Gilmour and Dave Andreychuk were 31. Mike Ridley, Randy Wood, Mike Gartner, Dave Ellett, Jamie McCoun and Garth Butcher were all over 30. Coach Pat Burns had taken the Leafs to back-to-back Conference Championships, but couldn't squeeze much more out of this team.
But every night, Sundin was there. He logged the most minutes, took the most abuse from opposing players and continued to play at a high level. In fact, I don't remember him missing a game in all the years I hosted Leafs games on Global TV, and then became the radio colour voice of the Leafs alongside Joe Bowen. A quick check of the records showed that Sundin missed all of 7 games in the six seasons I covered the team. One time, he twisted his ankle so badly, it was almost a certainty that he wouldn't play the next night in Chicago. Not only did he play, he scored twice and took a vicious Chris Chelios two-hander to the back of the leg for good measure. Afterwards, in the dressing room, I noticed what I thought was a tattoo of the Swedish flag on his leg. It wasn't. It was the bruise left by the Chelios hit.
Sundin's nickname was "Big Weed". He was, and still is, a big guy. At 6'5 and 230 pounds, he towered over many of his teammates and opponents. You could see him coming a mile away. When he got on the team bus or the team charter plane, it always seemed as if he was ducking to get in the doorway. I'm 6'3", and he always appeared to be a good head taller than me. And on skates the guy was 6'8 and could skate like the wind. As the Leafs eventually traded away Gilmour, Andreychuk and the rest of the veterans, Sundin had to deal with a plethora of wingers who weren't nearly as talented as he. Jonas Hoglund, Mike Johnson, Derek King, Sergei Berezan, Freddie Modin, Dmitri Khristich, Mikael Renberg and Nik Antropov, to name a few. Not once did he complain to management or the coaching staff about the talent level of some of his teammates. While other, less talented centres had wingers who could snipe 30 or 40 goals a year, Sundin rarely had the pleasure of playing alongside those types of athletes.
When reflecting on Sundin's career, I will remember that he played hurt a lot. He stood up for his teammates. He was an outstanding international player (See Sweden, Olympics and World Championships) and he averaged exactly a point a game over an NHL career which saw him play in over 97% of his teams games. He was, in a word, a "horse", and deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. I expect the Maple Leafs will retire his number 13 some day. I hope it's sooner than later. Was he the greatest Leaf ever? You be the judge.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded away fan favourite Wendel Clark to Quebec in 1994, the man who came the other way was supposed to be the answer to the Leafs prayers. Mats Sundin was 23 years old and had scored 135 goals in 4 seasons with Les Nordiques. He was part of a great team that would eventually win a Stanley Cup in Colorado with the likes of Joe Sakic, Adam Foote and Mike Ricci. But the Leafs really wanted the Big Swede, and were willing to part with Clark, Sylvain Lefebvre and some young talent in order to get him. I recall our meeting at the Hot Stove Lounge at Maple Leaf Gardens. Sundin was all smiles, happy to get out of Quebec City and into the hockey mecca known as Toronto. Unfortunately for Mats, the Leafs glory days of the early 90s were over. The 1994-95 season was strike-shortened to 48 games and even though Sundin led the team in scoring, the Leafs were an old team by then. Doug Gilmour and Dave Andreychuk were 31. Mike Ridley, Randy Wood, Mike Gartner, Dave Ellett, Jamie McCoun and Garth Butcher were all over 30. Coach Pat Burns had taken the Leafs to back-to-back Conference Championships, but couldn't squeeze much more out of this team.
But every night, Sundin was there. He logged the most minutes, took the most abuse from opposing players and continued to play at a high level. In fact, I don't remember him missing a game in all the years I hosted Leafs games on Global TV, and then became the radio colour voice of the Leafs alongside Joe Bowen. A quick check of the records showed that Sundin missed all of 7 games in the six seasons I covered the team. One time, he twisted his ankle so badly, it was almost a certainty that he wouldn't play the next night in Chicago. Not only did he play, he scored twice and took a vicious Chris Chelios two-hander to the back of the leg for good measure. Afterwards, in the dressing room, I noticed what I thought was a tattoo of the Swedish flag on his leg. It wasn't. It was the bruise left by the Chelios hit.
Sundin's nickname was "Big Weed". He was, and still is, a big guy. At 6'5 and 230 pounds, he towered over many of his teammates and opponents. You could see him coming a mile away. When he got on the team bus or the team charter plane, it always seemed as if he was ducking to get in the doorway. I'm 6'3", and he always appeared to be a good head taller than me. And on skates the guy was 6'8 and could skate like the wind. As the Leafs eventually traded away Gilmour, Andreychuk and the rest of the veterans, Sundin had to deal with a plethora of wingers who weren't nearly as talented as he. Jonas Hoglund, Mike Johnson, Derek King, Sergei Berezan, Freddie Modin, Dmitri Khristich, Mikael Renberg and Nik Antropov, to name a few. Not once did he complain to management or the coaching staff about the talent level of some of his teammates. While other, less talented centres had wingers who could snipe 30 or 40 goals a year, Sundin rarely had the pleasure of playing alongside those types of athletes.
When reflecting on Sundin's career, I will remember that he played hurt a lot. He stood up for his teammates. He was an outstanding international player (See Sweden, Olympics and World Championships) and he averaged exactly a point a game over an NHL career which saw him play in over 97% of his teams games. He was, in a word, a "horse", and deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. I expect the Maple Leafs will retire his number 13 some day. I hope it's sooner than later. Was he the greatest Leaf ever? You be the judge.
A TALE OF TWO CONCUSSIONS.
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler showed concussion-like symptoms during last night's game, and had to retire for the rest of the evening. Earlier in the day, Calgary Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate has his "bell rung" in the first half against Saskatchewan, and then admitted on TSN that he didn't remember anything from the first two quarters. Really? So why was he allowed to go back into the game? He was examined by the Stamps medical staff, as well as Calgary's offensive coordinator Dave Dickenson, who had his career shortened by concussions. Both parties said Tate didn't show any symptoms of a concussion, and therefore he was allowed to re-enter the game. Now the word is out that the CFL is looking into the incident in order to make certain that proper precautions were taken by the team's medical staff. In Chicago, it was the Bears team doctor who determined that Cutler should sit out the rest of the game. Now, if we really want to protect the player, there should be rules in place whereby an independent doctor, paid for by the league, is present at every game in order to provide an examination that is not based on the interests of the team. If leagues really want to take every precaution to ensure that concussions are diagnosed properly, let it be done by someone who does NOT have a vested interest in the team, but rather is concerned about the human being only.
The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomes four new members tonight, but it's just not the same with the NHL players locked out. Instead of celebrating the success of Pavel Bure, Adam Oates, Mats Sundin and Joe Sakic, a lot of folks are lamenting the lack of high calibre hockey. How can you acknowledge the great players of the game when you don't even have a game to watch? There is no "buzz" surrounding this years induction ceremonies, but there should be. I wonder if Gary Bettman will show up in Toronto tonight.
And, since the local hockey team isn't playing, the focus of attention turns to the other local squads. The Argos are off to Montreal for the East final, and possibly will host the 100th Grey Cup, but the Raptors are sinking fast. They are 1-5 this year, and with Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields both out , the second unit of the Raptors looked like a bunch of pick-up players searching for a game of run and gun. Their loss to Philly on Saturday night was embarrassing. After taking a 10 point lead in the first quarter, the Raps were outscored 32-8 in the second quarter, and trailed by 19 at halftime. John Lucas III has been simply awful and should be cut. Rookie Terrence Ross is learning the hard way. Ed Davis is sometimes ok, sometimes awful. Amir Johnson has his moments as well. If the Raptors hope to win some games, they'll need their "big guns" Bargnani and DeRozan to pick up the slack. So far, they haven't been able to, and this season is off to an ugly start, with many difficult games to come.
Finally, the Los Angeles Lakers did NOT hire Phil Jackson to coach them, but rather decided on Mike D'Antoni, the former bench boss of the New York Knicks, and before that, the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Good move. This guy won't overcoach Kobe and company, and he knows how to run the pick and roll (when Nash comes back). D'Antoni will also allow Kobe Bryant to "do his thing", rather than change the Lakers style, which is up-tempo. Under Mike Brown, the Lakers tried to run a "Princeton" offense, which featured a lot of motion, a lot of back door cuts and an awful lot of passing. It just didn't work. D'Antoni will have his hands full with some of the personalities on that team, but if he just let's them play their game, the Lakers will be a lot more successful, and a lot more fun to watch.
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler showed concussion-like symptoms during last night's game, and had to retire for the rest of the evening. Earlier in the day, Calgary Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate has his "bell rung" in the first half against Saskatchewan, and then admitted on TSN that he didn't remember anything from the first two quarters. Really? So why was he allowed to go back into the game? He was examined by the Stamps medical staff, as well as Calgary's offensive coordinator Dave Dickenson, who had his career shortened by concussions. Both parties said Tate didn't show any symptoms of a concussion, and therefore he was allowed to re-enter the game. Now the word is out that the CFL is looking into the incident in order to make certain that proper precautions were taken by the team's medical staff. In Chicago, it was the Bears team doctor who determined that Cutler should sit out the rest of the game. Now, if we really want to protect the player, there should be rules in place whereby an independent doctor, paid for by the league, is present at every game in order to provide an examination that is not based on the interests of the team. If leagues really want to take every precaution to ensure that concussions are diagnosed properly, let it be done by someone who does NOT have a vested interest in the team, but rather is concerned about the human being only.
The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomes four new members tonight, but it's just not the same with the NHL players locked out. Instead of celebrating the success of Pavel Bure, Adam Oates, Mats Sundin and Joe Sakic, a lot of folks are lamenting the lack of high calibre hockey. How can you acknowledge the great players of the game when you don't even have a game to watch? There is no "buzz" surrounding this years induction ceremonies, but there should be. I wonder if Gary Bettman will show up in Toronto tonight.
And, since the local hockey team isn't playing, the focus of attention turns to the other local squads. The Argos are off to Montreal for the East final, and possibly will host the 100th Grey Cup, but the Raptors are sinking fast. They are 1-5 this year, and with Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields both out , the second unit of the Raptors looked like a bunch of pick-up players searching for a game of run and gun. Their loss to Philly on Saturday night was embarrassing. After taking a 10 point lead in the first quarter, the Raps were outscored 32-8 in the second quarter, and trailed by 19 at halftime. John Lucas III has been simply awful and should be cut. Rookie Terrence Ross is learning the hard way. Ed Davis is sometimes ok, sometimes awful. Amir Johnson has his moments as well. If the Raptors hope to win some games, they'll need their "big guns" Bargnani and DeRozan to pick up the slack. So far, they haven't been able to, and this season is off to an ugly start, with many difficult games to come.
Finally, the Los Angeles Lakers did NOT hire Phil Jackson to coach them, but rather decided on Mike D'Antoni, the former bench boss of the New York Knicks, and before that, the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Good move. This guy won't overcoach Kobe and company, and he knows how to run the pick and roll (when Nash comes back). D'Antoni will also allow Kobe Bryant to "do his thing", rather than change the Lakers style, which is up-tempo. Under Mike Brown, the Lakers tried to run a "Princeton" offense, which featured a lot of motion, a lot of back door cuts and an awful lot of passing. It just didn't work. D'Antoni will have his hands full with some of the personalities on that team, but if he just let's them play their game, the Lakers will be a lot more successful, and a lot more fun to watch.
HOW LONG BEFORE I FIRE YOUR ASS?
Here's why the Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Mike Brown after a 1-4 start to the season.
a) He's not Phil Jackson. b) He runs the Princeton offense, which Kobe doesn't like. c) The Lakers are too smart an organization to continue to beat a dead horse (coach) or d) all of the above.
If you answered "d", you are correct. Mike Brown was a bad fit for this team to start with. The Lakers didn't respond well to him last year, having been beaten by OKC in five games in the second round. This year, Brown was on a short leash, and when the team lost all of it's preseason games, the clock was already ticking. Steve Nash's leg injury in game two of the season was strike two for Brown. And then losing in Utah to another bad team was the final straw. The team wasn't responding to the Princeton offense, which is basically a movement based offense designed for five slow white guys. Give credit to the Lakers. They knew it wouldn't work, and they have 77 games to make things right. Now, if the new coach of the Lakers isn't named Phil Jackson, you've got a scoop. Byron Scott would work almost as well, but Phil's the guy with credibility....and he gets along real well with Kobe. By the way, five games into the season is not the quickest firing of a coach. The Buffalo Braves fired coach Dolph Schayes just one game into the 1971-72 season. Hey coach, have a great season. Oh by the way, you're fired!
News today that the Texas Rangers are only willing to offer Free Agent outfielder Josh Hamilton a three year contract should've made Alex Anthopoulos sit up and take notice. AA needs to find an explosive bat to complement Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion in the middle of the batting order. Hamilton would be the perfect choice. We're all aware of his off-field problems, but the fact is, the guy can flat-out hit!! If the Jays are serious about contending, they need pitching yes, but even more they need a batting order that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Hamilton had a lousy second half last year, in part because he tried to quit tobacco during the middle of the summer. The lack of nicotine affected his play sufficiently, and after hitting .400 in April, he finished the year in the 280s, but with massive power numbers. Personally, I don't care if they get some mediocre starting pitcher at 14 million dollars a year. The guy can only help the team every five days. I want an everyday player who can break a game open. Go spend a boatload and get Josh Hamilton.
Here's why the Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Mike Brown after a 1-4 start to the season.
a) He's not Phil Jackson. b) He runs the Princeton offense, which Kobe doesn't like. c) The Lakers are too smart an organization to continue to beat a dead horse (coach) or d) all of the above.
If you answered "d", you are correct. Mike Brown was a bad fit for this team to start with. The Lakers didn't respond well to him last year, having been beaten by OKC in five games in the second round. This year, Brown was on a short leash, and when the team lost all of it's preseason games, the clock was already ticking. Steve Nash's leg injury in game two of the season was strike two for Brown. And then losing in Utah to another bad team was the final straw. The team wasn't responding to the Princeton offense, which is basically a movement based offense designed for five slow white guys. Give credit to the Lakers. They knew it wouldn't work, and they have 77 games to make things right. Now, if the new coach of the Lakers isn't named Phil Jackson, you've got a scoop. Byron Scott would work almost as well, but Phil's the guy with credibility....and he gets along real well with Kobe. By the way, five games into the season is not the quickest firing of a coach. The Buffalo Braves fired coach Dolph Schayes just one game into the 1971-72 season. Hey coach, have a great season. Oh by the way, you're fired!
News today that the Texas Rangers are only willing to offer Free Agent outfielder Josh Hamilton a three year contract should've made Alex Anthopoulos sit up and take notice. AA needs to find an explosive bat to complement Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion in the middle of the batting order. Hamilton would be the perfect choice. We're all aware of his off-field problems, but the fact is, the guy can flat-out hit!! If the Jays are serious about contending, they need pitching yes, but even more they need a batting order that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Hamilton had a lousy second half last year, in part because he tried to quit tobacco during the middle of the summer. The lack of nicotine affected his play sufficiently, and after hitting .400 in April, he finished the year in the 280s, but with massive power numbers. Personally, I don't care if they get some mediocre starting pitcher at 14 million dollars a year. The guy can only help the team every five days. I want an everyday player who can break a game open. Go spend a boatload and get Josh Hamilton.
JAYS SIGN SMOKIN' HOT PITCHER
It's not what you think. The Bluejays acquired two players today. One was a 32 year old, switch hitting infielder named Maicer Izturis, who will be referred to as "Maestro" in these pages from now on. The other is 25 year old pitcher Jeremy Jeffress, who is best known for being suspended twice for testing positive for "recreational" drugs, not PEDs. This was in the minor leagues, where, if you are caught a third time, the suspension is of the lifetime variety. Since he'll be on the Jays 40 man roster, his punishment for a third offense is a one year suspension, as MLB doesn't seem that concerned about guys firing up blunts and then throwing no-hitters. Marijuana is far from a performance enhancer, but it is illegal and therefore frowned upon by baseball. Jeffress was suspended for 50 games back in 2007 and then 100 games in '09. Since then he's been clean, but his numbers are nothing special. Apparently he can throw a fastball 100 miles an hour, but rarely knows where it's headed. Izturis, is a classic Punch and Judy hitter. A banjo hitter, they used to call these guys because of the sound made when the bat hits the ball. Far from a solid "thwack", the contact is such that it sounds like a banjo string being picked. Izturis is being looked at as the everyday second baseman on the Jays, which is kind of scary. The one good thing about him is his glove. In 246 major league games as a second sacker, he's committed only 10 errors. Your classic good field/no hit player. If the guy can hit 260, steal a few bases and play solid defense, he'll be an upgrade over Kelly Johnson. Pencil him in as your #9 hitter. Up next for Alex Anthopoulos: A manager. Any manager that's left will do.
What was going on with ABC's Diane Sawyer on election night? She sounded as if she had polished off a fifth of Jack Daniels before going on the air. Slurred words, slumped head, asking for music before announcing an election update. She was obviously impaired, although neither Sawyer nor ABC made any statement about her condition. It's possible that she was exhausted from covering Super Storm Sandy, but don't forget, this is not the first time that it’s been suggested Sawyer was drunk on camera. The morning after Obama’s inauguration in 2009, she appeared on Good Morning America in similar word-slurring condition. But, rather than make fun of her on Twitter (e.g. "And Diane Sawyer declares tonight's winner as....Chardonnay) let's look at the problem of alcoholism and the number of lives it affects. I don't personally know Sawyer, but I do know many, many performers, be they musicians, comedians, actors, TV personalities, who like to have a little "somethin' somethin'" before they go on stage or go before the cameras. If the ABC News producers knew that Sawyer had a problem, yet refused to yank her off the air, then they're not part of the solution at all. It's too bad because I think Sawyer is an excellent journalist who is, above all, human. Get some help, Diane. And to ABC, do something about this instead of letting her make a fool of herself.
As you know, we won't see hockey anytime soon, but what better way to relive the glory days than to own a piece of Toronto hockey history. My buddy Hersh Borenstein of Frozen Pond Collectibles is running an auction featuring artifacts from Maple Leaf Gardens. Banners, pictures, seats (even toilets seats from the Leafs dressing room) and lots of other goodies from the hockey world. Here's the link:
http://tinyurl.com/anlws2p
Finally, the Toronto Raptors look to be in some kind of trouble early on. Forget about what I wrote Monday after their win over the T-Wolves. This is a different team now that Kyle Lowry is out and Landry Fields can't shoot and Andrea Bargnani is proving to be as useless as he's ever been. You will, no doubt, point to Bargnani's 25 points last night in a LOSING cause and say he played a pretty good game. Like hell. He shot 9 of 20, but 0 for 5 from three-point land. And while he did grab 9 rebounds, it was the rebounds he MISSED that stood out. Twice in the fourth quarter, he failed to box his man out which led to easy offensive rebounds and buckets for the Mavericks. He just looks so lazy out there.
It's not what you think. The Bluejays acquired two players today. One was a 32 year old, switch hitting infielder named Maicer Izturis, who will be referred to as "Maestro" in these pages from now on. The other is 25 year old pitcher Jeremy Jeffress, who is best known for being suspended twice for testing positive for "recreational" drugs, not PEDs. This was in the minor leagues, where, if you are caught a third time, the suspension is of the lifetime variety. Since he'll be on the Jays 40 man roster, his punishment for a third offense is a one year suspension, as MLB doesn't seem that concerned about guys firing up blunts and then throwing no-hitters. Marijuana is far from a performance enhancer, but it is illegal and therefore frowned upon by baseball. Jeffress was suspended for 50 games back in 2007 and then 100 games in '09. Since then he's been clean, but his numbers are nothing special. Apparently he can throw a fastball 100 miles an hour, but rarely knows where it's headed. Izturis, is a classic Punch and Judy hitter. A banjo hitter, they used to call these guys because of the sound made when the bat hits the ball. Far from a solid "thwack", the contact is such that it sounds like a banjo string being picked. Izturis is being looked at as the everyday second baseman on the Jays, which is kind of scary. The one good thing about him is his glove. In 246 major league games as a second sacker, he's committed only 10 errors. Your classic good field/no hit player. If the guy can hit 260, steal a few bases and play solid defense, he'll be an upgrade over Kelly Johnson. Pencil him in as your #9 hitter. Up next for Alex Anthopoulos: A manager. Any manager that's left will do.
What was going on with ABC's Diane Sawyer on election night? She sounded as if she had polished off a fifth of Jack Daniels before going on the air. Slurred words, slumped head, asking for music before announcing an election update. She was obviously impaired, although neither Sawyer nor ABC made any statement about her condition. It's possible that she was exhausted from covering Super Storm Sandy, but don't forget, this is not the first time that it’s been suggested Sawyer was drunk on camera. The morning after Obama’s inauguration in 2009, she appeared on Good Morning America in similar word-slurring condition. But, rather than make fun of her on Twitter (e.g. "And Diane Sawyer declares tonight's winner as....Chardonnay) let's look at the problem of alcoholism and the number of lives it affects. I don't personally know Sawyer, but I do know many, many performers, be they musicians, comedians, actors, TV personalities, who like to have a little "somethin' somethin'" before they go on stage or go before the cameras. If the ABC News producers knew that Sawyer had a problem, yet refused to yank her off the air, then they're not part of the solution at all. It's too bad because I think Sawyer is an excellent journalist who is, above all, human. Get some help, Diane. And to ABC, do something about this instead of letting her make a fool of herself.
As you know, we won't see hockey anytime soon, but what better way to relive the glory days than to own a piece of Toronto hockey history. My buddy Hersh Borenstein of Frozen Pond Collectibles is running an auction featuring artifacts from Maple Leaf Gardens. Banners, pictures, seats (even toilets seats from the Leafs dressing room) and lots of other goodies from the hockey world. Here's the link:
http://tinyurl.com/anlws2p
Finally, the Toronto Raptors look to be in some kind of trouble early on. Forget about what I wrote Monday after their win over the T-Wolves. This is a different team now that Kyle Lowry is out and Landry Fields can't shoot and Andrea Bargnani is proving to be as useless as he's ever been. You will, no doubt, point to Bargnani's 25 points last night in a LOSING cause and say he played a pretty good game. Like hell. He shot 9 of 20, but 0 for 5 from three-point land. And while he did grab 9 rebounds, it was the rebounds he MISSED that stood out. Twice in the fourth quarter, he failed to box his man out which led to easy offensive rebounds and buckets for the Mavericks. He just looks so lazy out there.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
I DID A BAD, BAD THING.
Maybe it's because I slagged Neil Young. I guess that's what happens when you take on a legend in print.
I accidentally deleted about a month's worth of blogs today. I thought I knew what I was doing, but now I can't get them back. They're gone forever. Call it the curse of Neil.
I actually cried and stomped my feet when I realized what I had done. I felt like a murderer. I killed all those great thoughts, the stream of consciousness comments and observations that have made me so popular among my dozens of followers. I am truly sorry. Without any backup system, those opinions are now lost forever in that great trash bin in cyberspace.
Luckily, my posts on Twitter and Facebook can still be retrieved, so I will now endeavour to duplicate my random thoughts from the past few weeks.
I wondered aloud what the Jays batting order would be now that they have 4 switch hitters. Last year they had none. I wondered if Mats Sundin was the greatest Maple Leaf ever. I lamented the fact that athletes and social media don't always mix well. Guys are always saying dumb things on twitter. I talked about concussions in football after Jay Cutler of the Bears got knocked out. Since then, 4 more quarterbacks have "had their bell rung". I talked about Kyle Lowry's bum foot, Ricky Romero's wonky elbow and my ugly mustache, which has now turned into a Movember beauty. I talked about the dumbest rule in sport, kicking the ball out of bounds and not being penalized in football. I talked about the greatest TV theme songs, my favourite albums, the best concerts I had attended, Justin Bieber at the Grey Cup halftime show and wondered why football games take so damn long to play (too many flags).
Some of my better tweets over the past few weeks.
"I know why the Jays held a 9:30 a.m. news conference. Because they want to get out of the building before Adriano Belli (the kissing bandit) shows up."
"Is Emilio Bonifacio the best Bluejay name since Candy Maldonado?"
"Toronto is the new capital city of the Dominican Republic" (After the Jays had acquired yet another Dominican player, Melky Cabrera)
"Who is going to manage this Bluejay team now, Phil Jackson?" (November 13th)
So, there you have it in a nutshell. Stay tuned for daily blogs, all of which you'll be able to read at your leisure, provided I don't say anything bad about Neil Young. As for the stuff from the last few weeks, consider it short term memory loss and maybe one day it'll re-appear. But I doubt it.
Maybe it's because I slagged Neil Young. I guess that's what happens when you take on a legend in print.
I accidentally deleted about a month's worth of blogs today. I thought I knew what I was doing, but now I can't get them back. They're gone forever. Call it the curse of Neil.
I actually cried and stomped my feet when I realized what I had done. I felt like a murderer. I killed all those great thoughts, the stream of consciousness comments and observations that have made me so popular among my dozens of followers. I am truly sorry. Without any backup system, those opinions are now lost forever in that great trash bin in cyberspace.
Luckily, my posts on Twitter and Facebook can still be retrieved, so I will now endeavour to duplicate my random thoughts from the past few weeks.
I wondered aloud what the Jays batting order would be now that they have 4 switch hitters. Last year they had none. I wondered if Mats Sundin was the greatest Maple Leaf ever. I lamented the fact that athletes and social media don't always mix well. Guys are always saying dumb things on twitter. I talked about concussions in football after Jay Cutler of the Bears got knocked out. Since then, 4 more quarterbacks have "had their bell rung". I talked about Kyle Lowry's bum foot, Ricky Romero's wonky elbow and my ugly mustache, which has now turned into a Movember beauty. I talked about the dumbest rule in sport, kicking the ball out of bounds and not being penalized in football. I talked about the greatest TV theme songs, my favourite albums, the best concerts I had attended, Justin Bieber at the Grey Cup halftime show and wondered why football games take so damn long to play (too many flags).
Some of my better tweets over the past few weeks.
"I know why the Jays held a 9:30 a.m. news conference. Because they want to get out of the building before Adriano Belli (the kissing bandit) shows up."
"Is Emilio Bonifacio the best Bluejay name since Candy Maldonado?"
"Toronto is the new capital city of the Dominican Republic" (After the Jays had acquired yet another Dominican player, Melky Cabrera)
"Who is going to manage this Bluejay team now, Phil Jackson?" (November 13th)
So, there you have it in a nutshell. Stay tuned for daily blogs, all of which you'll be able to read at your leisure, provided I don't say anything bad about Neil Young. As for the stuff from the last few weeks, consider it short term memory loss and maybe one day it'll re-appear. But I doubt it.
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