MY GREATEST DAY AT THE RACE TRACK.

Earlier this week, I was thrilled to hear that Fort Erie racetrack had been given a new lease on life.  There would be horse racing at the 116 year old facility in 2013, as reports of it's imminent death were somewhat premature.    Thank goodness!   Fort Erie is a place where I spent many a fine afternoon, starting at a very young age.  You see, my maternal grandfather, my father and my father's brothers were all fans of horse racing.  When my Dad was a kid, he used to climb up a telephone pole and then shout out the numbers of the horses as they crossed the finish line.  This was known as "past posting", a common way to place a bet to the bookmaker, in the hopes that he didn't realize that the race had already been run.  My uncle Dave and my Uncle Chuck were regulars at Greenwood, Dufferin Park and Fort Erie.   I recall them telling me a story about a horse that went for a swim one day in the infield lake.   I looked it up.   It's true.   

 In 1961, a horse named Puss n Boots, who was leading a race, left the track and decided he wanted to take a refreshing dip in the scenic lake that is the centrepiece of the Fort Erie infield.  Jockey Ronnie Behrens was sent flying as Puss n Boots determined that a lovely swim would be more fun than winning a silly race.   Try telling that to those who had actually bet on Puss n Boots!

I think I was 6 or 7 when I first visited Fort Erie, tightly clutching my father's hand as we walked into the massive structure.  I recall smelling stale cigars (White Owl or Muriel Panatella Extra) and roast beef sandwiches, not to mention the faint scent of horse manure.  There was a bugler in a red coat who came out before every race and played the "Call to the Post".  (You know "Da Da Da dadadada-dadadada-Da Da Da Daaaaa)  There was the sound of thundering hooves and snorting nostrils and the voice of Darryl Wells over the loudspeaker calling each race like it was the Queen's Plate.   Fort Erie also had wonderful soft ice cream, which I think my father bought me just to keep me quiet.   I like the actual races, but I couldn't understand why it took so much time between races.   Mind you, I didn't know about handicapping back then.

A decade or so later, I had my greatest day ever at the racetrack.    It was at Fort Erie on a Friday afternoon.   The horse's name was "No Response" and my friend Bernie had gotten a "tip" on the horse from his father, who knew a guy who knew the trainer of the horse.   Apparently, "No Response" was in great shape and well slotted in a race against inferior opponents.  He was listed at 5-1 odds in the morning line, and the "tip" was only on if the jockey gave a particular signal.   He would come out of the tunnel and onto the racetrack where the bugler introduced the field to the patrons.  If the jockey reached down and began adjusting his  stirrup during the post parade, they were going for the win.  Now, this wasn't a "fix" (when other jockeys hold their horses back to allow another to win) it was a "tip" that the horse was in shape and rarin' to go.  

Bernie and I skipped school that afternoon and drove down the QEW to Fort Erie.  "No Response" was scheduled to run in the third race, at about 2:30 p.m.   We ran into some traffic problems at the Burlington Skyway, which was a toll bridge at the time and had long lineups, and then we had to high-tail it the rest of the way.   We got to Fort Erie with about 15 minutes to spare, ran up to the third floor, so we wouldn't be spotted by Bernie's father, and watched the horses come out of the tunnel for the 3rd race.   Sure enough, the jockey on "No Response" (who shall remain nameless) began adjusting his stirrup.   We watched through binoculars.  "Did he just do what I think he did?"   The answer was "yes" and off we went to the betting windows.    I had saved up all my money, 120 dollars, and decided to put it all on "No Response".  I had never been so nervous in my life.   Bernie put all his money on the horse too.  A couple of hundred bucks, I think.   Then we went back to our lookout spot, making sure Bernie's father didn't see us from two floors below.

"No Response" looked very calm during the pre-race warmup.  He was listed at 8-1 on the big tote board in the infield, which meant he wasn't given much of a chance in the race.   He wore saddle cloth number 5, and immediately broke first from the middle of the pack as the starting gate opened.   The first words out of track announcer Darryl Wells' mouth were "No Response takes the early lead".   From that moment on, it's a blur.  "No Response" led by a length, then two lengths, then three.   On the far turn, he opened up by about five lengths, but rather than get excited, I was worried that he might be burning himself out too soon.   Bernie had a rolled up racing program and kept hitting me with it, as if I were the horse and he was the jockey trying to urge me on.    It must've hurt, but I didn't care.  "No Response" now led by 7 lengths entering the stretch.   It was as if he were "Secreteriat" but racing under a different name.   In mid-stretch, there was no doubt that he was going to win.   The only question was:  by how much?   At the wire, "No Response" won by 13 lengths.  I kissed Bernie on the cheek.  I let out a "whoop" (which I'm sure Bernie's father heard from the first floor) and we waited for the result of the race to be declared "Official".

When the tote board finally lit up, "No Response" had paid $19.00 on a two dollar win ticket.  I collected $1140 dollars for my $120 dollar investment, and kicked myself for not having bet more.  Why didn't I ask my father for a loan?  ("Dad, I need a hundred bucks so I can bet on a horse").  Bernie collected over $2000 that day, and then admitted to his father later that we had skipped school in order to go to Fort Erie and make the bet.   Luckily, his Dad didn't give him a hard time about it.  Apparently the old man made several grand on the "tip".

Several years later, I was hosting a sports phone-in show on 590 CKEY Radio in Toronto (now The Fan).   My guest was that very jockey who rode "No Response".  I told him about that day at Fort Erie and how we watched anxiously to see if he would adjust his stirrup on "No Response" during the post parade.  His response shocked me.  "I would ALWAYS adjust my stirrups in the post-parade" he claimed.   "You mean you weren't signalling that you were 'going for it' that day?"   "Not at all.  I was always trying to win".
That man is now on Fort Erie's Sports Wall of Fame.  I'll be going back to the "Fort" this spring so I can soak up the atmosphere and remember the good times.  Anybody got a cigar?

ROMERO VS. FORD.  WHO HAD A TOUGHER WEEK?

Ricky Romero got sent to "A" ball yesterday.  Rob Ford may be on his way to "AA". (Thanks to the Star's Richard Griffin for that one).   Who has a better chance of bouncing back?  Take your pick.   The much-maligned mayor of Toronto has knocked everybody off the front pages with his antics and alleged transgressions (i.e. alcohol abuse, conflict of interest, bum grabbing).   Meanwhile, Romero has taken over front page news on the sports pages because of his problems (lack of control, shattered confidence, fear of failure).   The fact of the matter is, while Romero was sent all the way down to sunny Dunedin, Florida ("A" ball) instead of chilly Buffalo ("AAA" ball), he would be hard pressed to even make the starting rotation of the Bisons or the "AA" New Hampshire Fisher Cats.   Seriously, Romero's spring performance was so bad, he's now the 16th best starter in the Jays organization, down from number five, and before that, number ONE. 
     That's right.  Number ONE.   Rob Ford knows all about that as well.  When he was elected mayor of Toronto, he was on top of the world.  But not now.  He's being skewered by the Toronto Star and certain unnamed sources for his "drinking problems".   Romero is only being skewered by opposing batters.  How does a man who USED to be able to throw strikes and get batters out at the Major League level end up becoming lower on the Jays depth chart than Deck McGuire and Chad Jenkins?  Is this a repeat performance of Roy Halladay, who ended going all the way down to Dunedin after failing miserably in Toronto?   Let's hope so.  "Doc" was injured and had to re-learn the mechanics of pitching while dealing with confidence problems.  This was in 2001, when he was 24 years old and had two full seasons of MLB under his belt.  He pitched 13 games at Dunedin, all as a reliever.  He then started 5 games at AA and, finally two games at AAA before he was pronounced fit and ready to return to the Jays.   He finished the 2001 season brilliantly at Toronto, and then became the Doc Halladay we all remember.  In 2002 and 2003, he won 41 games, led the AL twice in innings pitched, and won the '03 Cy Young Award.
      If Ricky Romero is looking for inspiration, he need only look as far as Halladay.   No, his injury isn't nearly as seriously as Doc's was, but his mental state may be even more fragile.   When you're used to getting guys out and suddenly they start hitting you hard....that's a wake up call.  Can Romero bounce back after a re-hab stint that begins in the low minors?   Time will tell.    As for Rob Ford, there is no place for him to be demoted to.   It's not like he's going to get optioned to Sudbury and take over council there.   Instead, he'll have to go out there every day, not every fifth day, and prove he's capable of leading the city.  A far more daunting task than what Romero faces in sunny Florida.

THE "REAL" ACID TEST FOR THE LEAFS.

In years gone by, the Toronto Maple Leafs would come up with a huge win over Boston, Montreal or another top contender, only to lose a night later to a lightweight.  For this reason alone, I am declaring tonight's game against the Florida Panthers a "must win" tilt.   "Wait a minute" you're saying, "How can a game against the last place team in the Conference be such an important one?".   Simple.   This game is a stepping stone.  If the Leafs are for real, and want to be taken seriously, 3 out of 4 points against Boston isn't enough.  They must now win, and win convincingly against a team that has no business being in the same rink with them.   They should dominate the injury-riddled Panthers tonight.   No excuses, such as having to play the night before, travel, fatigue, etc.   The Leafs are as healthy as they've been all year, and the only way they lose tonight is if they beat themselves.
     Remember too, most NHL teams that visit Toronto have at least a few GTA born players on their roster, and therefore get up for games here without much prodding.   The Panthers, however, are so injury depleted that only one player, Shawn Mattias from Mississauga, will have any kind of a cheering section at the A.C.C. tonight.  Having said that, the Leafs only have three men on their roster from the GTA:  Oshawa's Ryan Hamilton, Etobicoke's Mike Kostka and Toronto's Jesse Blacker (just called up).  It used to be that half the team was from the Toronto area.  My how times have changed.
     Whatever Randy Carlyle tells his team tonight, he had better stress the fact that if the Leafs are going to be taken seriously, they have to announce their presence with authority tonight.   Now that they've gotten the Boston monkey off their backs, it's time to put the hammer down.  If the #1 line isn't working out, don't be afraid to send them to the bench, as was the case with JVR last night.  Having said that, I expect a big night from Kessel, Bozak and JVR against the Panthers, and I think they're ripe for a breakout game.  The second unit of Lupul, Kadri and Kulemin has been splendid of late, and watching Kadri and Lupul play together is a joy.   Jake Gardiner's addition to the blueline has given the team a shot in the arm, and speaking of shots, the Leafs still lead the league in fighting majors, so the Panthers may not be overly aggressive tonight.
     I'm going to predict a 4-1 Leafs victory this evening, and make it the turning point of the season.   However, be forewarned:  If Toronto somehow reverts back to the Leafs of old, and stumbles against Florida, all bets are off and those two games against Boston mean absolutely nothing. 

SPRINGTIME IN TORONTO AND (ALMOST) ALL IS WELL.

In this space a few weeks ago I was concerned for Brett Lawrie's health.  This was after he had to take a pass on Team Canada at the WBC because of a ribcage injury.  In fact, he hasn't played since March 6th, and now he'll begin the season on the DL.   What this does is create an opportunity at third base.  With Lawrie out for an extended period, Jays manager John Gibbons must determine who the best bet is at the hot corner.    Here now is my projected starting lineup for Opening Day, Tuesday April 2nd.

6-Reyes
4-Bonifacio
7-M. Cabrera
9-Bautista
3-Encarnacion
D-Lind
8-Rasmus
2-Arencibia
5-Izturis

What do you think?  Tons of speed at the top of the order, major RBI guys in the middle, and if Lind can show some of the form he flashed after being recalled from Las Vegas, it makes for a pretty formidable lineup.    Sure, there are questions surrounding Romero, and, to a lesser extent, the bullpen, but look at that offensive firepower.   I'd like to see a foot race between Reyes, Bonifacio, Rajai Davis and Anthony Gose, who will start the year in Buffalo.  I'd like to see a Homerun Derby involving Bautista and Encarnacion, and maybe even Lind.   And I'd like to see a pitch-off between Dickey, Buehrle, Johnson and Morrow.    I'll tell you one thing.  2013 is going to be a FUN year for Bluejays fans.

And it looks like a great spring for Maple Leaf supporters as well (easy now, don't get ahead of yourself.)
All the bitching and moaning last week about "only" getting a point against teams like Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and Buffalo turned out to be foolish, as those three points were enough to keep the Leafs in the playoff race, and rather comfortably at that.   I'm sure they would have "settled" for just a point against Boston on Saturday night, but they earned two.  Jake Gardiner seems to have graduated from the Marlies for good; James Reimer is, as Brian Burke once proclaimed "the real deal", and if the #1 line of Bozak, Kessel and JVR starts playing up to their potential, the Leafs are a legitimate threat in the East.  Seriously, they've proven they can beat the Bruins, the Habs and even the Penguins.   The teams they have trouble with are the Jets and Hurricanes, and to a lesser extent, the Senators.   The Leafs can physically beat up on their opponents, and if they do happen to commit infractions, it's not as bad as in previous years because Toronto's penalty killing is at 85.3%, good for 5th in the league.   Do you know how good that is?   In the previous 7 seasons, the Leafs PK was 28th, 27th, 30th, 30th, 29th, 28th, 24th, and averaged somewhere in the neighbourhood of 75% success rate.  No wonder they haven't been able to make the playoffs. 
     I'm not saying that their ability to kill off a two minute minor is going to be the difference between making the playoffs and not.   What I AM saying is this:  Special teams win or lose in the playoffs.   The Leafs PP has a ways to go, but being able to kill off a penalty at a key time provides a tremendous boost to the morale of a team and allows a player to be more aggressive without worrying about taking a penalty and costing his team the game.   The 5th best PK in the entire league?   That could go a long way in determining the Leafs post-season success.   And yes, they WILL make the post-season. 

SHOOTOUTS?  WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' SHOOTOUTS.
According to the National Hockey League, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost 5 games in a row, even though they garnered points in two of those "losses".   The NHL also maintains that Claude Julien has more victories as a Boston Bruins coach than Don Cherry.   Ridiculous
Of course, both of those stats are incorrect, the result of the NHL introducing shootouts to begin the 2005-06 season, and screwing up stats geeks forever.   Look, you can't tell me a team has lost 5 in a row, when, under the "old" system, they would've been credited with two ties.  The Leafs have gone five games without a win, but at least give them credit for reaching overtime twice.  As far as I'm concerned, they're 0-3-2 in that span.  And while Claude Julien has been credited with 247 wins as the coach of the Bruins, 16 more than Cherry amassed during his time behind the Boston bench, that number is badly skewed.  The Bruins have lost 52 overtime games during Julien's tenure in Boston, and I'm going to assume that they've likely WON at least 52 overtime games that, in the old days, would've been ties.     By my calculations, Julien would have about 195 regulation wins and 52 overtime wins.  Since Cherry never had an opportunity to garner an overtime win, Julien's record is hollow.
     Watching the Leafs and Winnipeg go through all those shootout attempts on Saturday night reminded me of what I don't like about overtime.  The five minute 4 on 4 is a good idea, and I've got to believe that if they made it 3 on 3 for the NEXT five minutes, you'd get a goal more times than not.   Besides, the shootout is becoming ridiculous.  It's already a huge gimmick, as evidenced by some of the scoring attempts.  If hockey is truly a team game, then let the team decide it on the ice, not one player.   3 on 3 would be fabulously exciting, and would likely result in a ton of scoring chances.   As well, a mistake or a miscalculation when playing 3 on 3 could result in disaster, and we all love that edge-of-your-seat anticipation of a goal that is imminent.   If that doesn't float your boat, why not give out 3 points to a team that wins in regulation?  That would force teams to "go for it" late in regulation.  If there's one thing I hate, it's when teams are happy to have a single point, and just wait for overtime before putting any real effort into winning.  It's nice to have that single point in your pocket.
     If you're going to have overtime, make it worthwhile.   After seeing 10 skaters, 2 goalies and 3 officials on the ice, it would be great to see a fresh sheet of ice and the equivalent of "shinny" for the overtime.   Keep playing until someone scores.  You'll see lots of skating, quick line changes and the skilled players will shine.  Can you imagine going up against Crosby, Malkin and Letang in a 3 on 3?   Yikes!   I guarantee you that every goal scored in overtime will be considerably more exciting than watching Ondrej Pavelec stop Dion Phaneuf during round 9 of the "shootout".   Oh, and by the way, why didn't Leaf coach Randy Carlyle use Mikael Grabovski in the shootout on Saturday?  Was he punishing Grabo, or did he want to prove a point to the underachieving sniper and his teammates?   In the modern day NHL he could do both without taking much of a risk. After all, Carlyle's Leafs had already earned a valuable point, even though everybody thought they had lost the game.   Half a loaf is better than none and a real overtime is better than a shootout.

WHAT IF SPORTS WAS ALLOWED TO COVER THE CONCLAVE?
Depending on who you talk to, the Conclave that resulted in the selection of a new pope was fascinating, stirring, compelling and spine tingling all at once.     Kind of like the NHL draft, but not everybody was wearing an ill-fitting suit and a funny hat.   Wouldn't it have been great had CTV decided to send their TSN crew to Vatican City to cover the event, instead of those boring news reporters?
 
(MUSIC OVER A WIDE SHOT OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL.  THE SONG IS "RED SKIES AT NIGHT" BY THE FIXX, SUNG WITH THE LYRICS "WHITE SMOKE AT NIGHT"
JAMES DUTHIE:   "Hello everyone, and welcome to Draft Day, also known as Selection Saturday.   You are looking live at the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, where in a matter of minutes, smoke will billow and the world will know who the next Pope is.  That man is likely sitting with his parents in the green room, nervously awaiting the announcement.  We did a mock draft here on TSN the other day, and the consensus number one pick was Cardinal Marc Ouelette from Quebec, a natural leader, a left hand shot and a man who can turn a "franchise" around.   Let's bring in Bob McKenzie for his analysis"
BOB:  "James, I just got a tweet from the College of Cardinals, and they're now saying that a discussion is going on regarding the release of smoke, and what it means.   If the smoke is black, that means there will be no Pope, and we'll have six more weeks of winter.   If the smoke is white, we will have a new Pope, and spring will arrive on April 1st.   If the smoke is pink, then Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr will appear on the balcony at St. Peter's Square for a press conference, but they will take no questions from the media. 
DARREN DREGER:  And there's a real buzz here around the Basilica.   A lot of folks are rooting for a "hometown" Pope.  Of course Canadians are hoping for Ouelette, but you'll remember 8 years ago when Cardinal Ratzinger came out of nowhere and shocked even the Germans who had him as a big underdog.  I like Cardinal Scola from Italy this time around.  He's got great potential, is a fabulous two way Cardinal, and is very flexible and modern in his thinking.  I believe he will try to institute mandatory visors, get rid of the center red line,  and allow women to become priests. 
JAMES: The other issue we should discuss here panel is the new Pope's position on mandatory drug testing.  Should all Cardinals have to pee in a cup before performing their duties, and what if one is found to have a positive drug test?  Should he be excommunicated, or just committed to purgatory?   We've got our Vatican correspondent, Father Guido Sarducci standing by in the middle of St. Peter's Square.  He's the gossip columnist for L'Osservatore Romano and a former first round draft pick of the Milan Red Devils.  Father, you've done a lot of papal watching in your time, how do you see this one?
FATHER GUIDO SARDUCCI:  Well, you know what-a-they-say, White smoke at night, Catholics delight.  I like one of the American Cardinals to be chosen, because they all speak perfect English, and frankly I'm tired of having to listen to an interpreter.  Hey, if you wanna be Pope, learn to speak the language!  
I have it on good authority that the next Pope will not be happy with his entry level contract, and may miss Papal training camp unless his demands are met.   We may even see a trade with the Anglicans if the Catholics can't sign him. 
JAMES:  Over 100 thousand fans have crowded into the Square for this event, and that breaks the old record of 16 thousand fans who packed the Bell Centre in Montreal for the 1992 draft, in which Pope Roman Hamrlik was selected by the Tampa Bay Diocese.   OK, let's go to that live shot of the chimney because there is white smoke billowing out, and that means we are seconds away from finding out who the top pick is.  The Catholics have a jersey and a cap ready.   The jersey has a number "1" on it, and the name "Pope" stitched on the back.  The cap is a size 7 and one-eighth, the most popular hat size of previous pontiffs. 
BOB:   I have to tell you James, the suspense is killing me.  I think there might be some backroom dealing going on prior to the announcement.  Meanwhile, the number of Canadian flags is impressive.   There's a flag shop just off St. Peter's Square, and next to the Italian flag, the Canadian one is the biggest seller.  Remember, there hasn't been a Canadian selected first overall since Cardinal Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in 2011.  This could be the TSN Turning Point. 
JAMES:  Sorry to interrupt Bob, but here comes Rabbi Gary Bettman to the podium to announce the selection. Let's go to our P.A. announcer, Andy Frost.
ANDY:   "Ladies and gentleman, Boys and girls, Catholics and non-believers.   Please direct your attention to the balcony, where the new Pope will be announced and then interviewed by TSNs Ray Ferraro.
BETTMAN:   "Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the city of Vatican, the college of Cardinals, and the National Hockey League, I am pleased to announce the first selection.  From Buenos Aires Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis. 
JAMES:  "So there you have it, Ron Francis, one of the greatest players in the game, a Hall of Famer, is the new Pope.  A great two way player.  A two time Stanley Cup winner, a three time Lady Byng trophy winner and the perfect choice here on Selection Saturday.   And that's not just blowing smoke.    Now, let's send it back to SportsCenter.

TIGER OR KOBE.  WHO HAD A BETTER WEEK?
When two of the biggest superstars in sports are on their respective games, it's a pleasure to watch.   It's what I love most about athletic competition.  Get the best in the game out there, playing at their peak, and see what transpires.   Both Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant have something to prove.  Tiger is looking for that elusive "Major" that would bring him closer to Jack Nicklaus.   Kobe is looking to make good on his promise that the L.A. Lakers will "make the playoffs, I guarantee it."  
     When Kobe made that promise, the Lakers were still 3 games out of a playoff spot with nowhere to go but up.  Since the declaration, the Lakers have gone 7-2, and today own the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Meanwhile, Kobe is averaging 32.2 points per game, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds, and is shooting a remarkable 55.5% over the past ten games, 8 of them victories.   L.A. has ripped off 16 wins in their past 22 games, and while they've made significant strides, they still haven't proven they can beat teams like San Antonio and Oklahoma City.   And the Nuggets.  And the Clippers.  Kobe is averaging some 38 minutes a game in playing time, and he's challenging veterans such as Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace to improve their play as the Lakers deal with a short bench, and no Pau Gasol.   The Lakers overtime win over the Raptors on Friday night was a terrific example of "gutting it out".  They'll need more of those if they hope to, not just make the playoffs, but advance in that tough Western Conference.
     Tiger Woods had an amazing week too.   He won his second tournament of the year, the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral by absolutely destroying the field.   In 72 holes, Tiger needed just 100 putts, or an average of 1.388 putts per hole.  That's an incredibly low number, the lowest ever for Tiger over a 4-day tournament.   And the reason he was putting so well?  His good buddy Steve Stricker, who, after a practice round at Doral last Wednesday, called Tiger over and gave him a 45 minute putting lesson.  The result:  Tiger started putting like the Tiger of old, calmly knocking in putts with the same easy manner that Steve Nash employs when he's shooting free throws:  natural, easy and deadly accurate.  Like he was born to do it.
And now, without having won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open, Tiger will be the prohibitive favorite for the Masters in early April.   In fact, he's the odds on choice to win at Bay Hill in two weeks, a tournament he's already won 7 times. 
     Even though Tiger ignored questions about the Masters, you know he's thinking about it.  Augusta National may have changed it's configuration, but that shouldn't make a difference to a guy who has won five times in the last year, the most of anyone in the world.  He's not the number one golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy is right now, but he may as well be.  With the flatstick looking so good, Tiger can still miss a few fairways and post a good score.  He pedestrian one-under par 71 in yesterday's final round featured a couple of sloppy bogeys near the end of the round when the outcome had already been decided.   Even though he beat Stricker by two, nobody ever got close enough to make Tiger sweat.   The way he's playing, he might tie Nicklaus' record THIS year. 
     I've been enjoying the World Baseball Classic and even though Canada did not advance to the second round, I was impressed with their pluck.   To come back from a humiliating 14-4 loss to the Italians on Friday with a big win over Mexico just showed the desire and professionalism of this squad.   And the controversial play which led to the brawl should not have even happened.   I know that run differential in the WBC makes it a different game, but you can't expect a guy to bunt with a 7 run lead in the 9th and not suffer retribution.   The "code" in baseball says you don't embarrass your opponent by running up the score or otherwise show him up.   That's exactly what Canada did, and they should've expected that there would be retaliation by the Mexicans.   You can't just turn the "code" on and off, especially when once every four years the rules of engagement change.   Get rid of "run differential" and you won't have this problem anymore.
      I'm not convinced that Ricky Romero is the number five starter on the Bluejays ahead of JA Happ, but manager John Gibbons doesn't seem too concerned.   Gibby has been around long enough to know that it takes time for a guy to get his "groove" back, and even if Romero struggles in spring training (which he has) Gibbons will give him plenty of opportunities to right himself.  If that means Ricky can't get out of the second or third inning in April, that's OK.  Happ will be available on standby, and that alone should motivate Romero and hopefully get him back to his 2011 form, when he won 15 games and was an All-Star.   Still, it's got to be tough when you were the Opening Day starter for the Jays the past two years, and now you're struggling to keep a spot in the rotation.   It also goes to show how pitching-rich the Bluejays are. 
     You had to know the Chicago Blackhawks were going to lose eventually, but now that they've lost back to back games (to Colorado and Edmonton), will they be able to get their "mojo" back?   We've seen this before with teams that run off long winning streaks.  Once the streak is over, it's hard to get back to your winning ways.   The Hawks have enough depth to recover, though.  Both Cory Crawford and Ray Emery have been outstanding in goal, and with a defense featuring Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Leddy and Oduya, the Hawks are loaded with talent.   Still, a long winning streak can take a lot out of a team, especially when the playoffs arrive.   Ask the 1979-80 Philly Flyers, who went 35 straight without a loss, but were defeated by the Islanders in the Stanley Cup final.   Maybe a 5 or 6 game losing streak is just what the Hawks need right now.  

BRETT LAWRIE:  AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN?

The sports landscape is littered with the potential of young men and women who were expected to have long and illustrious careers, but never reached their full potential.  More times than not, it was because of injury.  How good would Bobby Orr have been were it not for all those knee injuries?  Could he have played 15 years?  20?  We'll never know.  Bill Walton was one of the most dominant players in the NBA, but suffered through broken feet and wonky knees.  Oh, what could have been.  My worry now is that Brett Lawrie of the Bluejays may fall into the above category.   Great player.  Terrific potential.  Injury-prone.
    My grandfather would've loved Brett Lawrie.  He really took a shine to guys who played all-out.  In fact, one of his favorite players was a centrefielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers named Pete Reiser. The original "Pistol" Pete, according to my grandfather, was the greatest centrefielder ever.  That was before he started getting hurt.  In his rookie season, 1941, the 22 year old Reiser led the National League in hitting (.343), runs scored (117), doubles (39) and triples (17).  Of course, that was the year that Ted Williams hit .406 and Joe DiMaggio put together a 56 game hitting streak, so Reiser's accomplishments were overlooked. Reiser was a switch-hitter, had a cannon for an arm, and could run like the wind.  The only problem was:  he went all-out on every play, no matter what the score of the game, no matter where the Dodgers were in the standings.   Remind you of any current Bluejay?   
      Because of his hell-bent-for-leather style, and the fact that all outfield walls in those days were either concrete or steel fencing, Reiser injured himself quite often chasing down flyballs.  There was not a ball he didn't think he could get to.    He suffered a fractured skull five times, and was carried off the field on a stretcher a record 11 times.  Concussions?  Too numerous to mention.   Why do you think all outfield walls are padded now in the major leagues?  It's because of "Pistol" Pete.   Alas, his major league career only lasted 10 years, and even though he had a .295 lifetime average, played in 3 allstar games and won a World Series, the "what if's?" are many.    His one-time manager with the Dodgers, Leo Durocher said in his autobiography, Nice Guys Finish Last:  "There will never be a ballplayer as good as Willie Mays, but Reiser was every bit as good and he might have been better.  He had more power than Willie.  He could throw as good as Willie.  Mays was fast, but Reiser was faster.  Willie Mays had everything.  Pete Reiser had everything but luck" .
     Now let's look at Lawrie in 2013.  He's young.  He's strong.  He's probably a lot like Reiser was at the same age, all full of piss and vinegar.  He only knows how to play one way:  full out.   Something has to change, though.  Lawrie seems to get hurt on plays where he tries to do too much, like tumbling into photo bays at Yankee Stadium.    Am I wrong here?   Did Wendel Clark not come into the NHL and hit everything that moved on every shift?  Did he not suffer a series of serious injuries (knee, back, shoulder) because of his style of play?    Lawrie is 23 years old, and he's now got 2-3 weeks of rest and re-hab before he'll be allowed to play again.  If I'm the Bluejays, I make certain that Lawrie is not only 100% healthy, but that he understands 100% that if he doesn't turn it down a couple of notches, he'll end up being the next Pete Reiser, and we'll always wonder what could have been.   Remember, if you don't have your health, you don't have anything.
            
     

"THE HOCKEY SONG" LIVES ON
"Stompin'" Tom Connors wrote and recorded a lot of songs.  The most popular among Canadian sports fans is "The Hockey Song", which was likely played in every single arena in the country at one time or another.  We're not sure if Connors was a Leafs fan, or preferred the Habs or maybe the Canucks.   It doesn't matter at this point, as long as he recognized what hockey meant to the fabric of Canadian society.   Mind you, Connors also wrote " Snowmobile Song" " Ketchup Song" and "The Football Song", so he had a pretty good idea what Canadians liked to do for leisure. By the way, I don't know of anyone who can listen to "Ketchup Song" on the album "Bud the Spud" and not be hungry for French Fries.
    As far as hockey songs go, you'd get an argument as to which was the best.  My personal list goes as follows:
10  Time to Go by Dropkick Murphys
9    Hockey Skates by Kathleen Edwards
8.   Gretzky Rocks by The Pursuit of Happiness
7.    Fireworks (Originally titled Bobby Orr) by The Tragically Hip
6.   The Ballard of Wendel Clark, Parts I and II by The Rheostatics
5.   I Wanna Drive the Zamboni by the GearDaddys
4.  Big Leagues by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider
3.  50 Mission Cap by the Tragically Hip
2.  The Hockey Song by Stompin' Tom Connors
1.  Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) by Warren Zevon.

Sorry folks, but even though I am Canadian, I had to choose Zevon's tune ahead of the iconic "Hockey Song" by STC.  It was well written, beautifully arranged, somewhat humourous and illustrated Zevon's love for hockey. And just because he was an American doesn't mean we shouldn't give him his props for writing a fabulous tune about a sport he absolutely adored.  If you've never heard it, now's your chance

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUb0C0iI_GE&feature=related

Boy, I would've loved to have heard Stompin' Tom do his Hockey Song in front of a live, appreciative audience before he died.  Which begs the question:  Why didn't the 100th Grey Cup committee call on 'ol Stompin' Tom to do a halftime song instead of Gordon Lightfoot?    Maybe, had they done some digging, they would've discovered that the Stomper recorded "The Football Song", and wouldn't it be nice if he got to play it in front of 50 thousand fans and a TV audience of several million?   Too late now.   The closest you'll get is next Wednesday's memorial service at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, home of the Petes.  It's fitting that we'll be able to pay tribute to Connors in a hockey arena.   It was so Canadian of him to request that venue.   Rest in Peace Stomper!

KILL THE UMPIRE?  NO, JUST GET HIM SOME HELP.

What would you say if I told you that some day EVERY call in EVERY professional sport will be the correct call?  Is that something that would interest you?   Is that something that you wished existed when Brett Hull had his skate in the crease in 1999 in Buffalo?  Is that something you hoped would've been in effect when Kerry Fraser DIDN'T call Gretzky for high-sticking Doug Gilmour?  Or when Michael Jordan pushed off on Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA final?  Or when Maradonna's "hand of God" went uncalled in the '86 World Cup?  Or Jim Joyce's "safe" call that cost Detroit's Armando Gallaraga a perfect game?
     These are just a few of the egregious calls made, or not made by umpires and referees over the years.  I'm sure before they had TV replays, there were tons of missed calls.   But that was then.  Now, with every game televised, the technology is there to prevent incorrect calls, or at least overturn them with video review.  Some leagues have better video review policies than others.  Football has a "challenge" flag for coaches to use if they felt the refs got the call wrong.  Hockey has video review on all goals, but usually it has to do with whether or not the puck had crossed the goal line and whether or not the puck was directed into the net illegally.  In basketball, the refs can review whether a shot was taken before the clock expired, and also whether or not a player had his foot behind the three point line.   In baseball, the only reviewable play is whether a ball was a homerun or not.    And that's the problem.  Baseball needs to go to expanded replay to include such things as fair/foul, catch/trap and safe/out on the bases.  I'm sure guys like Jim Joyce, and before him Don Denkinger would've wished that technology was in place years ago.   It would've saved a lot of aggravation.
     This years World Baseball Classic is the perfect time for MLB to explore it's options when it comes to expanded replay.  ESPNs Jayson Stark reports that MLB officials plan to observe which camera angles are used, determine how long it takes to see a definitive replay of close plays and estimate the amount of time it would take to review such plays.  As well, MLB must figure out whether to use a "challenge" system like the NFL, or put a designated replay umpire in a booth to decide which calls to review.   There's also talk that, like the NHL, baseball will employ an umpiring crew at a central location to ensure the calls are correct.  Whatever system is used, it'll cost a lot of money.  More cameras in the ballparks, more camera operators and more umpires working in the press box or in a central location.
     But then there's the issue of which calls are reviewable and which aren't.  Balls and strikes will never be reviewed, even if an ump calls a batter out on a pitch that misses the strike zone by a foot.  But what other calls are excluded?  Balk or no balk? Tag or no tag?   Would expanded replay have overturned the call and given the Bluejays a triple play in the '92 World Series when Atlanta's Deion Sanders was tagged out Kelly Gruber?  Perhaps.   Look, with the billions of dollars spent by fans, advertisers and TV rights holders, and the spectre of PEDs still fresh in the minds of many, baseball needs to take a giant leap forward when it comes to expanded replay.  They must ensure that they get the call CORRECT.    Both the players union and the umpires union favor expanded replay, and that's good news.   A new policy will be in place by the start of the 2014 season.   Until then, expect a lot of controversial calls this season, and more cries of "Kill the Umpire".
    

LADY KICKER CAN'T BOOT ONE OVER THE GENDER BARRIER.

A week ago, we were praising Danica Patrick for her groundbreaking performance at the Daytona 500.  Today, I'm sorry to report, another woman's attempt to gain athletic notoriety fell short.  About 40 yards short.  28 year old Lauren Silberman was hoping to kick a 60 yard field goal at the NFL combine in New Jersey.  Instead, she embarrassed herself  with two kicks that totaled 33 yards.  Pathetic.  This, after Silberman, who had never kicked a football in competition, paid a 275 dollar registration fee and told just about anyone that she was going to become the first female to try out at an NFL regional combine.  The media ate it up.  But did she deserve to even be there?

 On the NFL’s website for registration, the league makes it clear it expects serious competitors:

“Applicants must meet NFL eligibility rules and be able to perform at a high skill level. The NFL reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any applicant it determines to be unqualified or unfit to compete.”

 After seeing Silberman's efforts, it must've been clear to the NFL that she didn't fit into any of the above categories.  Not even close.   She had never played competitive football before.  She was a club soccer player in college, so I guess that was enough for the NFL to take her money.  Of course, the fact that she had a whack of camera crews following her every move, including the folks at "E" television, made the whole affair smack of a publicity stunt.  Seriously, my 80 year old mother wearing orthopaedic cleats and using a walker could've kicked it further.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj7I0r7YVEE

     There have been many occasions where a qualified female athlete has taken on "the boys" in an effort to follow their sporting dreams.  Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie both played in PGA tour events, but they were PROFESSIONAL golfers.  Ann Meyers was a sensational college basketball player who tried out, unsuccessfully for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.  But she could PLAY.  Manon Rheaume played an exhibition game in goal for the NHLs Tampa Bay Lightning, but she was already an accomplished player at the highest levels of female competition.   As for football, there are plenty of  kickers who would've been better representatives of the female gender than Silberman.  In fact, Katie Hnida, the first woman to score a point in an NCAA Division One football game, thought that the "stunt" has likely done more damage to the dreams of female athletes than boosted them.    Hnida said Silberman's kicks were terrible.  "Her performance does not have to do with her gender.  It has to do with her experience and preparation." said Hnida, who kicked for the men's varsity at the University of Colorado, and, later, the University of New Mexico. "Unfortunately, what's going to happen now is she's going to be looked at as inferior because she was female".  

      According to eyewitness reports, Silberman took no warm up kicks because she was nursing a quadriceps injury (even though NFL officials say they had no idea she'd suffered it) and it took her 20 seconds just to put the football down properly on the kicking tee. (She didn't know how).  At this point, NFL officials should've wondered why they allowed this woman to compete.  But it was too late.    Her first attempt looked as if she had never kicked a football before, and barely went 20 yards in the air.   Her next attempt was even worse, just 13 yards.  She then asked to see a trainer, and before you knew it, she was out of the competition, the victim of a recurring quad injury.   A happy ending?  Not at all.   A blow to all women who dream of competing in a male-dominated sport?  Certainly.  It's going to be even tougher now.

    And what of Lauren Silberman?  Well, she wants to try again.  "You know, the distance wasn't there, but hopefully the scouts will notice my technique.  It's not always length".   Yeah, that's what SHE said.  But we all know the truth.

WHO DOES KADRI REMIND YOU OF?

Nazem Kadri isn't the first hockey player to blossom in his third NHL season, and he won't be the last.  Just ask his coach, Randy Carlyle. If anybody knows about toiling for the Leafs as a young, promising player, it's Carlyle.  "Kitty" was a highly regarded defenseman who was expected to join Borje Salming, Ian Turnbull and the aging Jim McKenny, Brian Glennie and Claire Alexander on the Leaf blueline.  He pretty much split his time between the Leafs and their Dallas farm team for his first two seasons, unable to gain a starting spot.  The potential was still there, but the Leafs opted to go with 20 year old Trevor Johansen on the back end, which meant Carlyle was expendable.    Now, think of Kadri's situation over the past three years with Ron Wilson at the helm. He wasn't living up to his potential as the 7th pick overall in the draft, Wilson was questioning his desire and his conditioning, and the kid's morale was at an all-time low.  He didn't seem to have much of a future with the Leafs, even though he was 21 years old. 
    Randy Carlyle was 21 when he was traded, along with 25 year old George Ferguson, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for 30 year old defenseman Dave Burrows.  Burrows ended up playing 151 games with the Leafs, made no impact, and was out of the NHL at the age of 32.  Carlyle went on to play over one thousand games in the NHL, and won the James Norris Trophy at the age of 24.  Lopsided trade?  Absolutely.  Carlyle had a near-Hall of Fame career in Pittsburgh and then in Winnipeg, where he had to battle the Oilers, Flames and Canucks for so many years.  Kadri announced yesterday that he will NOT be traded by the Leafs, and that he will be the cornerstone that everyone had HOPED he would be.  Rather than worry about Ron Wilson dressing him down in public or Brian Burke burning up the phone lines looking to trade him, he can relax and set his sights on being the Leafs number one centre.  And, if he can follow in his coach's skates, Kid Kadri might even turn into an all-star by the time he's in his mid 20s.   After seeing some of the moves he put on last night, I'm looking forward to monitoring his progress.
       OK, I knew the Chicago Blackhawks were a good team, but I had no idea HOW good.   Nobody could've predicted a start like this.   Last night a 3-0 win over St. Louis.  That means a 20 game unbeaten streak to start the season.  Joel Quennville for the Jack Adams trophy?   Jonathan Toews for the Hart?  Patrick Kane for the Art Ross? Corey Crawford and Ray Emery for the Jennings?  Take a look at the Hawks schedule and tell me they don't have a chance to go 30 games without a loss.  40 games.  Maybe even all 48 games without losing a game in regulation.   My prediction:  The Hawks will be the best team in the West, and lose to Vancouver in the Conference Final.  Roberto Luongo will be the difference.
     Sean McIndoe (@DownGoesBrown)  has an excellent article in Grantland about NHL coaches and GMs and who is likely to get the boot.  Torts, Boucher, Todd McLellan....all in trouble.   It's a good read.
http://tinyurl.com/aldumde