IN SEARCH OF A-ROD AND A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
I am bleary-eyed and sleep deprived today but that's OK, I'm not complaining. It's an occupational hazard when you cover sports, especially when the ultra-intense drama of the baseball playoffs keeps you up until the wee hours EVERY NIGHT. Besides, I'm launching a new business today, so that's taken up some of my time. More on that later.
In case you missed it, Baltimore beat the Yankees in 13 innings to set up a fifth and deciding game and Detroit eliminated Oakland in 5 games. Just when I thought nothing could top Raul Ibanez' sick performance the night before (pinch homer to tie in the 9th, game winning tater in the 12th) to bring the Yankees back from the brink, last night was just as good, but in a different way. They say good pitching beats good hitting and this series proves it. The Orioles starting pitching is fantastic, making most of the Yankee hitters look like rejects from your local Slo Pitch League. A-Rod is a 29 million-dollar-this-year-punchline. Not only can't he hit, he fails to move runners along by making simple contact. He was dropped from 3rd to 5th in the batting order and really should be benched. Curtis Granderson is a 40 homer guy and he can't even hit a loud foul. Nick Swisher? Well, his name says it all this October. Sorry, but these are NOT your grandfather's Yankees. If it wasn't for 37 year old banged-up-but-still-gutting-it-out Derek Jeter, the Yanks would be dead already. I hope Baltimore wins.
I also hope the Jays make a serious pitch for free agent Josh Hamilton, whose problems with alcohol, drugs and now chewing tobacco are just as well known as his penchant for hitting long bombs. I think he would do OK in Toronto, where we tend to be a little more forgiving than most American fans (although that can be construed as a negative by some). Hamilton would make the middle of the Jays order incredibly tough to pitch around. Can you imagine a Bautista, Hamilton, Encarnacion middle of the order? Now, I don't care how much this is going to cost. Overpay for the guy. Even if you only get a few good years out of him, take a shot. The fans deserve a winner. If they can find a way to win in Baltimore, why not Toronto?
I'm really disappointed in the NHL and it's players. People say the fans will come back, just like last time. But I don't know. I feel as if we're begging for scraps and morsels of information that might lend hope to such a bleak situation. It's really pathetic. Both sides should be in constant communication. Instead, the NHL is announcing another two weeks of cancellations. Man, for some people that would be like Ford or GM announcing massive layoffs. Yeah, maybe you can come back to work in a few months. Maybe not until the New Year. Hey, we might cancel the whole season. Talk to your union rep, see if you might have to go find another job. Oh, that's right. The only thing you know how to do is play hockey.
Today I'm launching a new company "Sportlight Productions". We make custom recordings for sports fans. As a kid, I always fantasized about calling play by play of great sporting events. Of course, I also fantasized about scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal for the Maple Leafs and having Bill Hewitt announce my name ("Hebscher, coming down the left wing, over the blueline He shoots, he SCORES! Hebscher from Mahovlich and Keon") So I want to combine my love of play by play and creative writing with your love for a sports fan who would really dig a special gift. So, if you wouldn't mind, click on the icon and check it out. Thanks..
Friday, 12 October 2012
Thursday, 11 October 2012
THE FIVE CONCERTS I'LL NEVER FORGET.
When I was in my early twenties, I had a box filled with all my concert tickets and stuff. My plan was to make a huge collage on a wall in my new apartment. Photos, programs, ticket stubs, autographs, posters and CHUM charts. I was a music freak, had tons of records, knew the words to every song, and wanted to be a deejay on CHUM-FM. By the time I had moved into the new apartment, gotten settled, started a new job and bought furniture and stuff, it had been about a year when I started to think about that box again. That was in 1976. I still haven't found it. However, since I've been on a concert rant, I've been thinking about all the great shows I've attended. Perhaps you were at some of these. If not, you would've loved them. Trust me. I warned you about Neil Young, didn't I?
My Five Greatest Concerts
5. Led Zeppelin, Pontiac Silverdome, April 30,1977. On the drive down, we listened, of course, to every Zeppelin album on 8 track and wondered what they would play. 76 thousand others joined us to watch the Mysterious Gods of Rock. What a scene! Led Zep did not disappoint. The sound was so-so, but the stage show was spectacular so nobody really cared. I had never seen anybody hit the drums like Bonzo, and that includes Keith Moon. Both, of course, were dead within a few years. Sad.
4. Steely Dan, Massey Hall Toronto, 2009 The "Chinese Food of Music" said Steve Moore of CHUM-FM back in the 70s. "Listen to an album and an hour later you're hungry for more". I can't tell you how many times I've gone off to Dreamland with "the Dan" inside my head. This show was delicious, even though Fagen's voice needed the help of several back up singers. Hard to match their studio sound but this show was pretty close. They played the entire album "Aja" and much, much more. You had to be there.
3. Bruce Springsteen. Montreal Forum-Ottawa Civic Centre, January 1981. These were back-to-back shows during The River tour and I got to sit in the first row for both shows thanks to a very well connected friend (His Dad was a bigshot with the Montreal Canadiens). I'm pretty sure I never sat down either night. Springsteen was everything I had dreamed of an then some. I had missed out on seeing him several years earlier in Detroit when a blizzard prevented us from driving down. The night before, a bunch of us listened to his first five albums (that's all he had at the time) He was magic. 4 hours of bliss.
2. Los Lobos. Lafayette Tap Club, Buffalo NY, July 2009. LL was supposed to play a free concert in Lafayette Square downtown. Only problem was a wicked electrical storm cancelled the gig. With nothing else to do in Buffalo on a rainy night, they asked if there were any nearby clubs that would let them play, no charge. 45 minutes later, there's a 5 dollar cover at the place and Los Lobos are rockin' on a tiny stage in front of a few hundred lucky people. Great atmosphere, powerful sound, tons of fun and an up-close look at a band that just loves to play. Oh yeah, they invited women up on stage to sing along too. Do you think Neil Young would ever do that?
1. The Tragically Hip, House of Blues, Los Angeles 1995. On a day off from their tour opening for Page&Plant, the Hip absolutely rocked H.O.B. Since they had been playing dinky little 45 minute sets as an opening act for P&P, the Hip needed to cut loose for a couple of hours. Wow! Blew the roof off the joint. In attendance that night were many Canadians who had dragged their American friends to see what all the fuss was about. Gord Downie was at his absolute finest. Robbie and Paul were in perfect sync. Gord S and Johnny provided a tremendous rhythm section. I'm so glad I was there that night. Best concert I've ever seen.
Honourable mention to Tom Petty, Tower of Power, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, U2, Loggins and Messina, Johnny Winter, Pearl Jam, Bette Midler and Neil Diamond (not Young)
Maybe one day I'll find that box full of memories.
When I was in my early twenties, I had a box filled with all my concert tickets and stuff. My plan was to make a huge collage on a wall in my new apartment. Photos, programs, ticket stubs, autographs, posters and CHUM charts. I was a music freak, had tons of records, knew the words to every song, and wanted to be a deejay on CHUM-FM. By the time I had moved into the new apartment, gotten settled, started a new job and bought furniture and stuff, it had been about a year when I started to think about that box again. That was in 1976. I still haven't found it. However, since I've been on a concert rant, I've been thinking about all the great shows I've attended. Perhaps you were at some of these. If not, you would've loved them. Trust me. I warned you about Neil Young, didn't I?
My Five Greatest Concerts
5. Led Zeppelin, Pontiac Silverdome, April 30,1977. On the drive down, we listened, of course, to every Zeppelin album on 8 track and wondered what they would play. 76 thousand others joined us to watch the Mysterious Gods of Rock. What a scene! Led Zep did not disappoint. The sound was so-so, but the stage show was spectacular so nobody really cared. I had never seen anybody hit the drums like Bonzo, and that includes Keith Moon. Both, of course, were dead within a few years. Sad.
4. Steely Dan, Massey Hall Toronto, 2009 The "Chinese Food of Music" said Steve Moore of CHUM-FM back in the 70s. "Listen to an album and an hour later you're hungry for more". I can't tell you how many times I've gone off to Dreamland with "the Dan" inside my head. This show was delicious, even though Fagen's voice needed the help of several back up singers. Hard to match their studio sound but this show was pretty close. They played the entire album "Aja" and much, much more. You had to be there.
3. Bruce Springsteen. Montreal Forum-Ottawa Civic Centre, January 1981. These were back-to-back shows during The River tour and I got to sit in the first row for both shows thanks to a very well connected friend (His Dad was a bigshot with the Montreal Canadiens). I'm pretty sure I never sat down either night. Springsteen was everything I had dreamed of an then some. I had missed out on seeing him several years earlier in Detroit when a blizzard prevented us from driving down. The night before, a bunch of us listened to his first five albums (that's all he had at the time) He was magic. 4 hours of bliss.
2. Los Lobos. Lafayette Tap Club, Buffalo NY, July 2009. LL was supposed to play a free concert in Lafayette Square downtown. Only problem was a wicked electrical storm cancelled the gig. With nothing else to do in Buffalo on a rainy night, they asked if there were any nearby clubs that would let them play, no charge. 45 minutes later, there's a 5 dollar cover at the place and Los Lobos are rockin' on a tiny stage in front of a few hundred lucky people. Great atmosphere, powerful sound, tons of fun and an up-close look at a band that just loves to play. Oh yeah, they invited women up on stage to sing along too. Do you think Neil Young would ever do that?
1. The Tragically Hip, House of Blues, Los Angeles 1995. On a day off from their tour opening for Page&Plant, the Hip absolutely rocked H.O.B. Since they had been playing dinky little 45 minute sets as an opening act for P&P, the Hip needed to cut loose for a couple of hours. Wow! Blew the roof off the joint. In attendance that night were many Canadians who had dragged their American friends to see what all the fuss was about. Gord Downie was at his absolute finest. Robbie and Paul were in perfect sync. Gord S and Johnny provided a tremendous rhythm section. I'm so glad I was there that night. Best concert I've ever seen.
Honourable mention to Tom Petty, Tower of Power, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, U2, Loggins and Messina, Johnny Winter, Pearl Jam, Bette Midler and Neil Diamond (not Young)
Maybe one day I'll find that box full of memories.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
NY IS PISSING OFF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
And I don't mean the NY Yankees either. I'm still on the Neil Young kick.
Just to prove that I wasn't the only upset concert goer the other night, here are some recent reviews of NY shows.
"In typical fashion, Young, who wore old boots and jeans that made it look like he was dressed to work in the factory, didn’t cater to his fans."
"To all you burned out TRUE NY fans....your losers...that was the worst concert I've ever seen. NY is full of himself. The show was horrible. I was in the 13th row and almost everyone was sitting there bored out of their minds."
"Dudes, I have followed Young for many years and must now say this was one of the all time worst concerts ever seen by me. Self indulgent is he and will never respect those who know him or follow him."
"How about Ohio, Sugar Mountain, Razor love, something off of Harvest Moon. NY is a bitch. I want my money back!!!!! Talk about arrogant!!! There's 3 hours of my life I'll never get back."
So, keeping with the spirit of things, I now present the 5 WORST concerts I ever attended.
5. Jefferson Starship, J. Geils Band, Gentle Giant. Maple Leaf Gardens 1975. I wanted to hear GG's "The Power and the Glory" and all I got was a hoarse Grace Slick trying to muster up enough chutzpah to sing "White Rabbit". The sound was horrible and the guy behind me barfed on my coat. Disaster.
4. Spirit. The El Mocambo Toronto. 1977. Lead singer Randy California smacked his head on a low beam and knocked himself out 4 songs into the show. "I Got A Line On You" was fabulous. "Prelude-Nothing to Hide", "Nature's Way" and then boom.....down goes California. Show over. Never saw them again. Bummer.
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Troubador Los Angeles, 1984. Four guys wearing socks over their penises. Seriously. No tattoos, but plenty of 'tude. Noisy, out of tune, spitting on audience members and themselves. Left the show early due to a splitting headache. Never thought they had a chance. Little did I know.
2 Rolling Stones, Skydome, 1989. This was the Stones second trip to Toronto on the "Steel Wheels" tour. I missed them at the CNE a few months earlier. Wish I hadn't. The sound at the Skydome was brutal, the Stones appeared to be burned out. Mick's voice was awful and the strain of travelling the world seemed to have taken it's toll. Lacklustre at best. Everybody leaving that night was disappointed.
1. Metallica/Guns 'N Roses, Olympic Stadium Montreal 1992. James Hetfield of Metallica burned himself badly halfway through the show and they had to cancel. Long delay waiting for GNR. Crowd gets nasty, ugly and is looking for a fight. GNR comes on and sounds terrible. Axl claims his throat hurts and they can't hear themselves through the monitors. GNR leaves the stage after a few songs and the fans riot. Scary stuff. Cops can't control mob which turns over cars, smashes windows and acts like the Habs had just won the Stanley Cup (which they did less than a year later, and caused another riot)
Dishonourable mention. Teenage Head, 1980, Ontario Place. The Viletones, 1980, Larry's Hideaway. Sly and the Family Stone, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, 1975.
And I don't mean the NY Yankees either. I'm still on the Neil Young kick.
Just to prove that I wasn't the only upset concert goer the other night, here are some recent reviews of NY shows.
"In typical fashion, Young, who wore old boots and jeans that made it look like he was dressed to work in the factory, didn’t cater to his fans."
"To all you burned out TRUE NY fans....your losers...that was the worst concert I've ever seen. NY is full of himself. The show was horrible. I was in the 13th row and almost everyone was sitting there bored out of their minds."
"Dudes, I have followed Young for many years and must now say this was one of the all time worst concerts ever seen by me. Self indulgent is he and will never respect those who know him or follow him."
"How about Ohio, Sugar Mountain, Razor love, something off of Harvest Moon. NY is a bitch. I want my money back!!!!! Talk about arrogant!!! There's 3 hours of my life I'll never get back."
So, keeping with the spirit of things, I now present the 5 WORST concerts I ever attended.
5. Jefferson Starship, J. Geils Band, Gentle Giant. Maple Leaf Gardens 1975. I wanted to hear GG's "The Power and the Glory" and all I got was a hoarse Grace Slick trying to muster up enough chutzpah to sing "White Rabbit". The sound was horrible and the guy behind me barfed on my coat. Disaster.
4. Spirit. The El Mocambo Toronto. 1977. Lead singer Randy California smacked his head on a low beam and knocked himself out 4 songs into the show. "I Got A Line On You" was fabulous. "Prelude-Nothing to Hide", "Nature's Way" and then boom.....down goes California. Show over. Never saw them again. Bummer.
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Troubador Los Angeles, 1984. Four guys wearing socks over their penises. Seriously. No tattoos, but plenty of 'tude. Noisy, out of tune, spitting on audience members and themselves. Left the show early due to a splitting headache. Never thought they had a chance. Little did I know.
2 Rolling Stones, Skydome, 1989. This was the Stones second trip to Toronto on the "Steel Wheels" tour. I missed them at the CNE a few months earlier. Wish I hadn't. The sound at the Skydome was brutal, the Stones appeared to be burned out. Mick's voice was awful and the strain of travelling the world seemed to have taken it's toll. Lacklustre at best. Everybody leaving that night was disappointed.
1. Metallica/Guns 'N Roses, Olympic Stadium Montreal 1992. James Hetfield of Metallica burned himself badly halfway through the show and they had to cancel. Long delay waiting for GNR. Crowd gets nasty, ugly and is looking for a fight. GNR comes on and sounds terrible. Axl claims his throat hurts and they can't hear themselves through the monitors. GNR leaves the stage after a few songs and the fans riot. Scary stuff. Cops can't control mob which turns over cars, smashes windows and acts like the Habs had just won the Stanley Cup (which they did less than a year later, and caused another riot)
Dishonourable mention. Teenage Head, 1980, Ontario Place. The Viletones, 1980, Larry's Hideaway. Sly and the Family Stone, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, 1975.
Monday, 8 October 2012
NEIL YOUNG. THANKS FOR NOTHING.
Instead of staying home to watch playoff baseball, I went to see Neil Young in London ON on Saturday night. Bad decision. While the opening act, Los Lobos, rocked and rolled their way through a lively, but shortened 40 minute set, Young was at his worst, toying with the audience and testing their resolve. I won't go into the whole show, because I didn't stay for it all, opting to bail after an hour in search of a bar with a big screen so I could drink, eat and watch sports. Young, who is 66 years old, reminded me of a stubborn old man who will do whatever he feels like. It just so happens that some people were paying 200 dollars a ticket to be a part of this. Now, I love Neil Young, but I'm not a blind loyalist. Some people think he can do no wrong because he's Neil Young. Let me tell you, when you turn your back to the audience for 15 minutes and play the same hard, crashing note over and over and over again, you're testing the patience of your fans. We couldn't take his self-indulgent crap any more, so we left.
Have you noticed how many fine players have folded under the pressure of the baseball playoffs so far? It's like an epidemic. Like the 162 game regular season has absolutely nothing to do with the post-season. It's where veteran players suddenly start playing like rookies again. 40 year old Chipper Jones throwing a ball away at 3rd, leading to a St. Louis victory over Atlanta, and a terrible swansong for a first ballot Hall of Famer. The Braves made three key errors in that game. Must be the incredible pressure. We've seen dropped fly balls (Josh Hamilton, Coco Crisp) awful pitching performances from "lights out" relievers (Jim Johnson, Baltimore and Joaquin Benoit, Detroit) and even screw ups by umpires (Sam Holbrook's infield fly rule)
Let's face it. Baseball is a pressure packed game, especially when it gets cold and the games really mean something and the baseball itself resembles a wet bar of soap, difficult to grip on and even tougher to throw accurately. Routine ground balls become an adventure. More wild pitches are uncorked, with balls ricocheting off the shin pads of catchers after kicking up dirt a few feet in front of the plate. A guy who was in complete control in June and July can't find the plate in October. A guy who was hitting line drives all summer now swings at the first pitch and pops out with the bases loaded. A guy who would catch a fly ball 100 times out of 100 (Crisp) can't make that 101st grab when his team really needs it.
I would love to see the Bluejays do something about their managerial situation, but they need to wait to see who becomes available. Jim Tracy resigned as the manager of Colorado. Ron Washington might get the boot in Texas. Sandy Alomar Jr. was in the running two years ago, but the Jays hired John Farrell instead. And how did that work out? Besides, Farrell will end up going to Boston and the Jays will try to get some decent compensation out of the Sox in return. Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has to look after the managerial situation first and foremost. Any attempt at signing free agents or trading for veteran players will be stonewalled unless the player knows who the manager is. Want to attract the big names? You'd better have a "name" manager.
Instead of staying home to watch playoff baseball, I went to see Neil Young in London ON on Saturday night. Bad decision. While the opening act, Los Lobos, rocked and rolled their way through a lively, but shortened 40 minute set, Young was at his worst, toying with the audience and testing their resolve. I won't go into the whole show, because I didn't stay for it all, opting to bail after an hour in search of a bar with a big screen so I could drink, eat and watch sports. Young, who is 66 years old, reminded me of a stubborn old man who will do whatever he feels like. It just so happens that some people were paying 200 dollars a ticket to be a part of this. Now, I love Neil Young, but I'm not a blind loyalist. Some people think he can do no wrong because he's Neil Young. Let me tell you, when you turn your back to the audience for 15 minutes and play the same hard, crashing note over and over and over again, you're testing the patience of your fans. We couldn't take his self-indulgent crap any more, so we left.
Have you noticed how many fine players have folded under the pressure of the baseball playoffs so far? It's like an epidemic. Like the 162 game regular season has absolutely nothing to do with the post-season. It's where veteran players suddenly start playing like rookies again. 40 year old Chipper Jones throwing a ball away at 3rd, leading to a St. Louis victory over Atlanta, and a terrible swansong for a first ballot Hall of Famer. The Braves made three key errors in that game. Must be the incredible pressure. We've seen dropped fly balls (Josh Hamilton, Coco Crisp) awful pitching performances from "lights out" relievers (Jim Johnson, Baltimore and Joaquin Benoit, Detroit) and even screw ups by umpires (Sam Holbrook's infield fly rule)
Let's face it. Baseball is a pressure packed game, especially when it gets cold and the games really mean something and the baseball itself resembles a wet bar of soap, difficult to grip on and even tougher to throw accurately. Routine ground balls become an adventure. More wild pitches are uncorked, with balls ricocheting off the shin pads of catchers after kicking up dirt a few feet in front of the plate. A guy who was in complete control in June and July can't find the plate in October. A guy who was hitting line drives all summer now swings at the first pitch and pops out with the bases loaded. A guy who would catch a fly ball 100 times out of 100 (Crisp) can't make that 101st grab when his team really needs it.
I would love to see the Bluejays do something about their managerial situation, but they need to wait to see who becomes available. Jim Tracy resigned as the manager of Colorado. Ron Washington might get the boot in Texas. Sandy Alomar Jr. was in the running two years ago, but the Jays hired John Farrell instead. And how did that work out? Besides, Farrell will end up going to Boston and the Jays will try to get some decent compensation out of the Sox in return. Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has to look after the managerial situation first and foremost. Any attempt at signing free agents or trading for veteran players will be stonewalled unless the player knows who the manager is. Want to attract the big names? You'd better have a "name" manager.
Friday, 5 October 2012
SUPERSTARS WANTED IN TORONTO
Even if we aren't going to see the Leafs at the ACC this fall, there will be plenty of firepower down on Bay Street. Rush, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan and Neil Young are coming, which will be nice for the old folks, but we need to have a young up-and-coming Canadian to cheer for, and I don't mean Justin Bieber (who's also coming to town). The real feature this fall will be the "Face Off" featuring the next great Canadian superstar athlete (we hope). Like it or not, 21 year old Milos Raonic is "that guy" and the "Face Off" is designed to showcase the kid to folks willing to pony up anywhere between 35 and 150 bucks. Since Raonic is from nearby Thornhill, why shouldn't GTA folks get a glimpse at the future (we hope) Grand Slam champion? And if Raonic isn't enough to draw you to the ACC next month, there's the recently retired Andy Roddick, who beat him in Memphis in 2011 and was inconsiderate enough to retire this year without giving Raonic a chance to beat him in a re-match. Why did he retire? Have you seen Roddick's wife, actress Brooklyn Decker? She would be the only reason I would show up. Also on the bill, Serena Williams and Aggie Radwanska, who played each other in this years Wimbledon final. I wouldn't want to be the linesman in that one.
Exhibition tennis matches are, by and large, a joke. Many years ago, a young and exciting Andre Agassi (when he wore a hairpiece) was supposed to play an exhibition at Maple Leaf Gardens in February. Why he signed up for it, I'll never know, but the day before the match was scheduled, Agassi pulled out. The next day the newspapers had a picture of him lounging by the pool in Florida. Nice. Tennis players are famous for pulling out of matches, but when it comes to these exhibitions, they're legendary. Agassi was supposed to play this past summer at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, but begged off a few days before the match, claiming back spasms, and sent Michael Chang in his place. That's the beauty of these exhibitions. If one over-the-hill former star can't make it, there's always somebody else. Can you imagine paying good money to see Neil Young in concert, only to find out he had back spasms and would be replaced by 54-40? Can you say refund? I knew you could.
I can't wait for the baseball playoffs to begin. I'm going with the Atlanta Braves over St. Louis and Baltimore to beat the poor, poor Texas Rangers in the two "play in" Wild card games.
I hope the Bluejays make a decision on manager John Farrell soon. There are a lot of talented managers who would look good in a Jays uniform, including Texas' Ron Washington, who might get the boot if the Rangers are eliminated early from post-season. After two straight World Series defeats, Washington's job is on the line. Personally, I would love to see Terry Francona manage the Jays next year, but I think he'll go to Cleveland. If that's the case, let's get Sandy Alomar Jr. over here. He was interviewed two years ago before Farrell got the job and if the Indians don't hire him, Alex Anthopoulos would be well served to get him to Toronto.
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend, and don't forget to watch Sportsline every day at 5 pm on CHCH TV. That's followed by Square Off at 5:30. Enjoy!
Even if we aren't going to see the Leafs at the ACC this fall, there will be plenty of firepower down on Bay Street. Rush, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan and Neil Young are coming, which will be nice for the old folks, but we need to have a young up-and-coming Canadian to cheer for, and I don't mean Justin Bieber (who's also coming to town). The real feature this fall will be the "Face Off" featuring the next great Canadian superstar athlete (we hope). Like it or not, 21 year old Milos Raonic is "that guy" and the "Face Off" is designed to showcase the kid to folks willing to pony up anywhere between 35 and 150 bucks. Since Raonic is from nearby Thornhill, why shouldn't GTA folks get a glimpse at the future (we hope) Grand Slam champion? And if Raonic isn't enough to draw you to the ACC next month, there's the recently retired Andy Roddick, who beat him in Memphis in 2011 and was inconsiderate enough to retire this year without giving Raonic a chance to beat him in a re-match. Why did he retire? Have you seen Roddick's wife, actress Brooklyn Decker? She would be the only reason I would show up. Also on the bill, Serena Williams and Aggie Radwanska, who played each other in this years Wimbledon final. I wouldn't want to be the linesman in that one.
Exhibition tennis matches are, by and large, a joke. Many years ago, a young and exciting Andre Agassi (when he wore a hairpiece) was supposed to play an exhibition at Maple Leaf Gardens in February. Why he signed up for it, I'll never know, but the day before the match was scheduled, Agassi pulled out. The next day the newspapers had a picture of him lounging by the pool in Florida. Nice. Tennis players are famous for pulling out of matches, but when it comes to these exhibitions, they're legendary. Agassi was supposed to play this past summer at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, but begged off a few days before the match, claiming back spasms, and sent Michael Chang in his place. That's the beauty of these exhibitions. If one over-the-hill former star can't make it, there's always somebody else. Can you imagine paying good money to see Neil Young in concert, only to find out he had back spasms and would be replaced by 54-40? Can you say refund? I knew you could.
I can't wait for the baseball playoffs to begin. I'm going with the Atlanta Braves over St. Louis and Baltimore to beat the poor, poor Texas Rangers in the two "play in" Wild card games.
I hope the Bluejays make a decision on manager John Farrell soon. There are a lot of talented managers who would look good in a Jays uniform, including Texas' Ron Washington, who might get the boot if the Rangers are eliminated early from post-season. After two straight World Series defeats, Washington's job is on the line. Personally, I would love to see Terry Francona manage the Jays next year, but I think he'll go to Cleveland. If that's the case, let's get Sandy Alomar Jr. over here. He was interviewed two years ago before Farrell got the job and if the Indians don't hire him, Alex Anthopoulos would be well served to get him to Toronto.
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend, and don't forget to watch Sportsline every day at 5 pm on CHCH TV. That's followed by Square Off at 5:30. Enjoy!
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?
Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Billy Loes once said he didn't want to be a 20 game winner "because then I'd be
expected to do it every year". Ah, expectations. They certainly can be sky-high for athletes, especially if they have a big year. Case in point, Mike Trout, rookie centrefielder for the Angels. He is having one of the greatest seasons EVER by a rookie, and has Mickey Mantle-like numbers. .325 batting average, 30 homers, 49 steals (out of 53 attempts), 2nd in the league in OPS, first in WAR (wins above replacement) and a terrific defensive outfielder. Oh yes, he just turned 21, and is the fourth youngest player in the major leagues. So, what's he going to do for an encore next year? Who knows, but we can't expect him to do this every year, can we? Did we not expect Dexy's Midnight Runners to come up with a huge hit after the success of "Come on Eileen"? Was it wrong to think that actor Adrien Brody would follow up his Oscar winning role in "The Pianist" with another great performance, rather than being in a razor commercial with Andre 3000? I'll be interested to see if Trout can come close to duplicating his numbers from 2012 next year. I "expect" he will, but I won't be disappointed if he comes back down to earth. Can you imagine hitting .300 with 25 homers and 40 steals and NOT meeting expectations?
Kudos to the NBA for two things. One, having a complete season this year after that 66 game mess that they tortured us with last year after their work stoppage. Two, the implementation of a new rule which, hopefully, will cut down on "flopping". In the past few years, NBA players have started to look like soccer stars by going down at the slightest contact in order to try and draw an offensive foul. I find this to be offensive, and the NBA has agreed. Now, if a player hits the deck and the refs think he's faking it, he gets a warning. The second time it happens, it's a 5 thousand dollar fine. Next time, it's 10 g's. A fourth time offender gets hit for 15 thousand and then the fifth offense results in a 30 thousand dollar fine. Luckily, this rule wasn't in place when I was in high school. I was a champion flopper at Newtonbrook S.S., able to hit the deck with the slightest of contact and make it appear as if the offensive player had committed a reckless foul, and done bodily injury to yours truly. Of course, when your coach sends you out there and tells you to "take one for the team", he doesn't mean take a jump shot.
People have been asking me how long I think the NHL lockout will go on for. Let's put it this way, when 100 or so players have already signed up to play overseas, that's a pretty good indicator that this will last at least a couple of months, and probably into mid-December. I'm sure the union has told the players that it's going to be a long haul, so go and make the best deal you can. I say the NHL will come back just before the Christmas holidays begin. Ho Ho Ho.
It's fun to see a little battle of words going on between Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins and hockey commentator Don Cherry. When Eakins questioned the eating habits of young forward Nazem Kadri, Cherry came to the kid's defense, saying Eakins should lay off. Today, Eakins responded by saying that Cherry is pretty good at reading what somebody writes down for him. Ouch!
Have you noticed how much drama there is in the NFL this year. We're only 4 weeks in, and already we've had the replacement refs fiasco, the 0-4 New Orleans Saints, the Mark Sanchez-Tim Tebow hubbub, the Dallas Cowboys soap opera featuring Tony Romo, the dour Jay Cutler and the way he treats teammates and coaches, the comeback of Peyton Manning and the wonderful performances of the Cardinals, the Falcons and the Houston Texans.
In other news, the Hamilton Tiger Cats still haven't found a place to play their home games in 2013. London? Moncton? Toronto? Anywhere but Hamilton, although there is still talk that before they put a shovel in the ground, they might want to look at the old West Harbour site for the new stadium. Right now, they're planning on building a new stadium on the current Ivor Wynne site, but more than a few city councillors would love to see the West Harbour project re-visited. A while back, the TiCats said they would "never" play at that site. Maybe it's time to reconsider.
Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Billy Loes once said he didn't want to be a 20 game winner "because then I'd be
expected to do it every year". Ah, expectations. They certainly can be sky-high for athletes, especially if they have a big year. Case in point, Mike Trout, rookie centrefielder for the Angels. He is having one of the greatest seasons EVER by a rookie, and has Mickey Mantle-like numbers. .325 batting average, 30 homers, 49 steals (out of 53 attempts), 2nd in the league in OPS, first in WAR (wins above replacement) and a terrific defensive outfielder. Oh yes, he just turned 21, and is the fourth youngest player in the major leagues. So, what's he going to do for an encore next year? Who knows, but we can't expect him to do this every year, can we? Did we not expect Dexy's Midnight Runners to come up with a huge hit after the success of "Come on Eileen"? Was it wrong to think that actor Adrien Brody would follow up his Oscar winning role in "The Pianist" with another great performance, rather than being in a razor commercial with Andre 3000? I'll be interested to see if Trout can come close to duplicating his numbers from 2012 next year. I "expect" he will, but I won't be disappointed if he comes back down to earth. Can you imagine hitting .300 with 25 homers and 40 steals and NOT meeting expectations?
Kudos to the NBA for two things. One, having a complete season this year after that 66 game mess that they tortured us with last year after their work stoppage. Two, the implementation of a new rule which, hopefully, will cut down on "flopping". In the past few years, NBA players have started to look like soccer stars by going down at the slightest contact in order to try and draw an offensive foul. I find this to be offensive, and the NBA has agreed. Now, if a player hits the deck and the refs think he's faking it, he gets a warning. The second time it happens, it's a 5 thousand dollar fine. Next time, it's 10 g's. A fourth time offender gets hit for 15 thousand and then the fifth offense results in a 30 thousand dollar fine. Luckily, this rule wasn't in place when I was in high school. I was a champion flopper at Newtonbrook S.S., able to hit the deck with the slightest of contact and make it appear as if the offensive player had committed a reckless foul, and done bodily injury to yours truly. Of course, when your coach sends you out there and tells you to "take one for the team", he doesn't mean take a jump shot.
People have been asking me how long I think the NHL lockout will go on for. Let's put it this way, when 100 or so players have already signed up to play overseas, that's a pretty good indicator that this will last at least a couple of months, and probably into mid-December. I'm sure the union has told the players that it's going to be a long haul, so go and make the best deal you can. I say the NHL will come back just before the Christmas holidays begin. Ho Ho Ho.
It's fun to see a little battle of words going on between Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins and hockey commentator Don Cherry. When Eakins questioned the eating habits of young forward Nazem Kadri, Cherry came to the kid's defense, saying Eakins should lay off. Today, Eakins responded by saying that Cherry is pretty good at reading what somebody writes down for him. Ouch!
Have you noticed how much drama there is in the NFL this year. We're only 4 weeks in, and already we've had the replacement refs fiasco, the 0-4 New Orleans Saints, the Mark Sanchez-Tim Tebow hubbub, the Dallas Cowboys soap opera featuring Tony Romo, the dour Jay Cutler and the way he treats teammates and coaches, the comeback of Peyton Manning and the wonderful performances of the Cardinals, the Falcons and the Houston Texans.
In other news, the Hamilton Tiger Cats still haven't found a place to play their home games in 2013. London? Moncton? Toronto? Anywhere but Hamilton, although there is still talk that before they put a shovel in the ground, they might want to look at the old West Harbour site for the new stadium. Right now, they're planning on building a new stadium on the current Ivor Wynne site, but more than a few city councillors would love to see the West Harbour project re-visited. A while back, the TiCats said they would "never" play at that site. Maybe it's time to reconsider.
Monday, 1 October 2012
NIFTY, THE HAMMER, P.K., LIZ AND JEAN VAL JEAN.
I had a great time on Saturday at "Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer", where over 1500 players and tons of "celebrities" took part in a day long tournament in the parking lot of Ontario Place. My wife came along with me, and remarked that it was "like a school reunion" with men and women who hadn't seen each other in a while commenting on things like hair, expanding waistlines and swapping stories from the good old days.
I knew I was in trouble when one guy asked me "Who's the celebrity on YOUR team?" Luckily, I pointed to the great Canadian tenor Michael Burgess, who played Jean Val Jean in "Les Miz" and has a voice which makes angels in heaven green with envy. Michael is what I would consider a "celebrity". Me? I'm just a TV guy. The real stars, in my mind were people like Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, Rick (Nifty) Middleton, current Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K.Subban (although he's out of a job right now) Elizabeth Manley, Tie Domi, Tony McKegney, Todd Warriner, Marty McSorley and several Olympic athletes. All of them donated their time and energies to this fabulous cause, and helped raise 2.2 million dollars for the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society. Oh, and by the way, my team "The Hammers", came back to tie our final game 3-3 after falling behind 3-0. I'd like to think my stalwart defensive play helped inspire the troops. I hope they want me back next year.
On the "real" hockey front, it's amazing how bitter some of these former players are. Many played back when Gary Bettman was the comish, and they have nothing but nasty things to say about Bettman and his regime. Their suggestion to the current players: You've only got so many good earning years in this game, so you'd better make hay while the sun shines. Translation: Get a deal done soon or there might be some cracks in the union's foundation.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse are playing 3 shows in Ontario this week, and I'm looking forward to Saturday's show at the John Labatt Centre in London. Neil, 66, is a longtime San Jose Sharks fan, who frequents many games along with his son, Ben, 33, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is a quadraplegic and unable to speak. Actually, it's Ben who's the Sharks fan. Neil recently pledged allegiance to the Winnipeg Jets in a TV commercial, and that had Sharks fans all riled up. Neil, of course, spent his teenage years in the 'Peg living with his mother, while his famous father, Scott Young, wrote a newspaper column in Toronto, authored several books, and ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame. When someone mistakenly pointed out that Neil's favourite growing up was Punch Imlach, the former Leaf coach, Young replied "Maybe my father's favourite, but certainly not mine". By the way, Neil is in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame twice. Once as a solo artist, and once as a member of Buffalo Springfield. I get the feeling he hated the Leafs, the team his father covered, but I'll try to confirm that when I attempt to get an interview on Saturday. Stay tuned.
Best moment of the weekend: Watching the U.S. golfers choke and gag down the stretch as they blew the Ryder Cup to the European team. It wasn't so much the players, but rather the American fans. Every time they shout "USA USA", it makes me dislike them even more. This chest-beating borders on jingoism and reminds me of the Atlanta Braves fans and their stupid "Tomahawk Chop" back in 1992 when the Bluejays defeated them in the World Series despite the upside down Canadian flag and incessant chopping. You would never hear Canadians act that way. I like the fact that we're just as patriotic, but certainly more "reserved" than our American friends.
I had a great time on Saturday at "Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer", where over 1500 players and tons of "celebrities" took part in a day long tournament in the parking lot of Ontario Place. My wife came along with me, and remarked that it was "like a school reunion" with men and women who hadn't seen each other in a while commenting on things like hair, expanding waistlines and swapping stories from the good old days.
I knew I was in trouble when one guy asked me "Who's the celebrity on YOUR team?" Luckily, I pointed to the great Canadian tenor Michael Burgess, who played Jean Val Jean in "Les Miz" and has a voice which makes angels in heaven green with envy. Michael is what I would consider a "celebrity". Me? I'm just a TV guy. The real stars, in my mind were people like Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, Rick (Nifty) Middleton, current Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K.Subban (although he's out of a job right now) Elizabeth Manley, Tie Domi, Tony McKegney, Todd Warriner, Marty McSorley and several Olympic athletes. All of them donated their time and energies to this fabulous cause, and helped raise 2.2 million dollars for the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Canadian Cancer Society. Oh, and by the way, my team "The Hammers", came back to tie our final game 3-3 after falling behind 3-0. I'd like to think my stalwart defensive play helped inspire the troops. I hope they want me back next year.
On the "real" hockey front, it's amazing how bitter some of these former players are. Many played back when Gary Bettman was the comish, and they have nothing but nasty things to say about Bettman and his regime. Their suggestion to the current players: You've only got so many good earning years in this game, so you'd better make hay while the sun shines. Translation: Get a deal done soon or there might be some cracks in the union's foundation.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse are playing 3 shows in Ontario this week, and I'm looking forward to Saturday's show at the John Labatt Centre in London. Neil, 66, is a longtime San Jose Sharks fan, who frequents many games along with his son, Ben, 33, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is a quadraplegic and unable to speak. Actually, it's Ben who's the Sharks fan. Neil recently pledged allegiance to the Winnipeg Jets in a TV commercial, and that had Sharks fans all riled up. Neil, of course, spent his teenage years in the 'Peg living with his mother, while his famous father, Scott Young, wrote a newspaper column in Toronto, authored several books, and ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame. When someone mistakenly pointed out that Neil's favourite growing up was Punch Imlach, the former Leaf coach, Young replied "Maybe my father's favourite, but certainly not mine". By the way, Neil is in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame twice. Once as a solo artist, and once as a member of Buffalo Springfield. I get the feeling he hated the Leafs, the team his father covered, but I'll try to confirm that when I attempt to get an interview on Saturday. Stay tuned.
Best moment of the weekend: Watching the U.S. golfers choke and gag down the stretch as they blew the Ryder Cup to the European team. It wasn't so much the players, but rather the American fans. Every time they shout "USA USA", it makes me dislike them even more. This chest-beating borders on jingoism and reminds me of the Atlanta Braves fans and their stupid "Tomahawk Chop" back in 1992 when the Bluejays defeated them in the World Series despite the upside down Canadian flag and incessant chopping. You would never hear Canadians act that way. I like the fact that we're just as patriotic, but certainly more "reserved" than our American friends.
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