Derek's Dirt

new posting @

2010-01-24T11:19:00.000-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

NFL PREDICITONS AND COUGARS UPDATES

Crucial Weekend for Pats

2010-01-22T08:43:00.001-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

GM Announcement

2010-01-21T12:51:00.002-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

Find out all the big hub-bub and the goings on with the Riders expected announcing of new GM today.

or, www.globalregina.com and scroll down

Printers, Taman, Oilers & Cougars

2010-01-20T10:17:00.002-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

the new spot...check it out.

check back at the new site later when I'll update you on what's going down with the Cougars this weekend.

cheers!

What was Ron MacLean thinking??

2010-01-18T08:40:00.002-06:00

http://communities/canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

the new site!!! Find out just how offside the HNIC host went this weekend.

MacLean Gets Ripped

2010-01-17T16:12:00.002-06:00

www.globalregina.com

or direct link to.

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

Ron MacLean seemeingly thinks its his responsibility to tear down a hockey players dignity.

More More More

2010-01-16T16:44:00.002-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspm

remember we've moved and we're blogging more than ever...keep on top of things by adding Derek's Dirt (on sports) to your favorites and check it out, morning noon and night!!

Getzlaf & Charles back!

2010-01-15T12:48:00.002-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

that's the new spot...check it out...I'm updating the new blog daily. Save it to your favs.

We've Moved

2010-01-14T09:00:00.001-06:00

go to

www.global regina.com

...and click the link part way down the page.

---------------------or-------------------

paste this in your browse line....

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

SEE YA THERE!!!

Come on Over

2010-01-13T23:10:00.000-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

Its the new place to be!

NEW LOCAL!!!

2010-01-13T09:30:00.002-06:00

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

or...

got

www.globalregina.com
and click the link part war dow the page.

Add it to your favs!!

Thanks for checking in!

NEW BLOG LOCATION

2010-01-07T09:35:00.002-06:00

I've moved. Being a member of the Global Sports team my blog is now here.

http://communities.canada.com/globaltv/blogs/dereksdirtonsports/default.aspx

or....

you can access it from the main Global Regina site.

www.globalregina.com

-scroll down main page and you will see a link to the blog there!

The new blog will be updated a lot with tidbits from here and there. Thanks for reading and supporting!!

No Crying In Football

2009-11-16T09:59:00.003-06:00

First off, I really don't care who wins the CIS football championship, but in the aftermath of Saturday's Dinos/Huskies game, I'm kinda glad it isn't going to be the U of S.

Grant Shaw had a chance to put the Huskies up a couple with under 20 to play when he lined up a 35 yard field goal. The kicker had gone 5 for 5 on the day, but his sixth kick was not to be. The miss cost the U of S a chance to chase down their Vanier Cup dream, and that is too bad. But in sport there must be a winner and a loser, that's just the way it is.

Now, I have nothing against Grant Shaw, in fact, I've never met him. There's a good chance his a real nice guy and a great teammate. And let's face it, the entire play didn't go right from the beginning. The holder mishandled the snap (probably throwing Shaw's timing off) and the kick may have been deflected by the Dinos at the line. All tough breaks.

No....My beef is with none of this...These things happen. There were dozens of other plays that one could point to that would have contributed to the Huskies narrowly losing...No, No. The reason I am sour is because of what Shaw did after the game.

"Grant Shaw declined comment." Are you kidding me? A University kicker declined comment? I know my colleagues in Saskatoon and how hard they cover this team all year and now, the key player in the key play of the season won't talk. Shame on you Mr. Shaw. Have some guts. Be a man for goodness sake.

In March I had the good fortune of covering the CIS Women's National Basketball Championship. Player of the year Kelsey Hodgson was shut down in her first game of the tournament and felt she let her team down...Tears flowing from her eyes, she came to do an interview. The young girl composed herself for 5 minutes to speak with us, but as soon as the cameras were off...on came the tears. Classy move by her to speak with us.

Same tournament. Sunday final. The U of R Cougars had just lost the National title on their home floor. Several 5th year players, eyes red with tears came forward to do interviews. Chelsea Cassano, Jessica Lynch and Meghan Cherkas all stood and talked while the tapes rolled. Do you think it was an easier on them than it would be on Grant Shaw?

Its a tough break for the young U of S kicker and I hope he bounces back, but I also hope he realizes that there is "No crying in football, " at least when its time to do an interview.

Rainy Days

2009-10-27T10:26:00.000-06:00

At least it isn't snowing. But amid the raindrops I had a startling revelation. The Riders are only 2 home wins away from the Grey Cup.

Wild, I know. But with a win at home versus Calgary the Green & White will host the West Final. Win that, and they are in!

I haven't had the chance to ask Coach Miller about this, but I have to think that the club would have taken this situation in a second back on July 3rd when the season kicked off.

Mosaic is a tough place for visitors to come to, so the chance to win 2 in a row to get to the big dance has to an exciting proposition!

Esks Could Be in Cold...Again

2009-10-24T09:02:00.002-06:00

Danny Maciocia is good at one thing...In fact he may be the best at it since Matt Millen was running the Detroit Lions. That's keeping his job.

Let's take a look at the Maciocia era in Edmonton. After inheriting a team, Maciocia did manage to win a Grey Cup in 2005, but since then...not so much.

First went the longest streak in North American Pro sports streak missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years when the Green and Gold missed in 2006 by finishing 4th in the West. The Maciocia led Eskies promptly followed that campaign with a dismal 4th place finish in 2007, missing the post-season for the second straight year.

2008 must be considered a bounce back year. the team won 10 games, but finished 4th in the West for a third consecutive year. The only reason they were allowed into the playoffs is because of the pitiful teams in the East and the CFL's generous allowance of 75% of its clubs into the post season.

Now, 2009 and all the optimism it started with as Maciocia had stepped down as Coach and turned the ropes over to Richie Hall. The team brought in free-agents, kept their core on offence and seemed to be poised to return to glory. NOT. The team continues to underachieve and after last night's thrashing at the hands of the Stampeders, they look destined fr their fourth-fourth place finish in a row.

To see just how the once proud franchise has fallen to such depths, one need not look any further than the man at the top of the Football Operations depth chart: Danny Maciocia,
General Manager & Director of Football Operations.
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At what point do we stop calling Ricky Ray an 'elite quarterback' in this league? In a huge matchup against a divisional rival late in the season. Ray managed to drive his team to ZERO TD's. Sure, I understand he has almost all the stats to back up the argument that he is one of the best. But in the last 4 years he's missing the main number that matters. WINS.

Tough Call

2009-10-19T09:47:00.002-06:00

Taking a step back and reading the rules and yeah, maybe it was a foul. But the penalty called on John Chick is a tough pill to swallow for the RiderNation.

Taken in the context of the game, Henry Burris had been able to escape what appeared to be sure tackles on a few occasions. In fact, one could argue maybe the whistle should have been blown on those plays. So after seeing this for four quarters, one can hardly blame John Chick for his actions.

This is football right? You do still play to the whistle right? Henry was rolling around and trying to get up right?

Turn the tables. If that was Darian Durant flailing around on the turf and somebody landed on him, Rider supports would scream bloody murder for a flag. But the referee is not a fan and must separate between colors.

The magnitude of the call was so massive because of the result...Almost 30 yards in field position and some hope for the Stamps. Enough hope to allow them to pretty much move the ball at will on a deflated defence.

Check out Rob Vanstone of the Leader Post. He maybe sums up this situation better than anyone. As he usually does!
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/football/roughriders-football/VANSTONE+Unnecessary+roughness+against+Roughriders+necessary+call/2116071/story.html#
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Enough negative, let's hit the positive. DD was A+. Durant once again fashioned together a 4th quarter scoring drive that gave his team a chance. Then he made the plays he needed to in OT to have his team come home in first place. Its getting harder and harder to be a Durant detractor. Sure, they still make up stuff about his arm strength and his interception numbers, but when it comes down to it, the only number that matters is in the 'W' column and he has as many as anybody in the West.
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The Pats are showing life. The Blue & White took 3 of a possible 4 points at home this weekend and looked much improved doing it. There is still a long ways to go, but if the get decent goaltending, they have a chance every night with Jordan Eberle dominating the way he does.
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If you are bored one night and looking for some good action, check the schedule and see if the Warriors are playing. I'm not wrong very often, but these guys look to be making a fool out of me. I said the Tribe would make the playoffs this year, but the way they are believing in themselves and playing right now, they might quickly become a contender for the league. I know, its a long season, but Hunchak et al are really looking good and I'm not just talking about Dave's suits.
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Too bad for my fantasy opponent this weekend who started Eli Manning over Tom Brady. As Tom Vernon told me, "Stick with your horses"...I did, and won!
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Cougar Tracks on Global Wednesday on News Final promises to be fun. A special guest interviewer spoke to the U of R Cougars Women's BBall Coach Dave Taylor....This team is easily my favorite in town.
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Speaking of the U of R. I'm working on a special feature that you are going to want to check out. Its coming in a couple of weeks and trust me, there will be lots of pub for it. Its going to be fun.
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Trino's Men's Wear is my favorite shop in the city. They have their own line of shirts in right now that are absolutely awesome...My wardrobe is growing because of them. No doubt that soon when you see me, I'll be wearing something from this great store on Quance.
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Press Box sports bar has Buffalo Ranch wings that are amazing! Rod Pedersen and Tom Vernon combined to convince me of the non-breaded version. So good!
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Did Chris Szarka ask Ken Miller to help him in his campaign for City Council? Lol...He sure saw the ball alot and likewise the endzone. Lots of free pub this weekend. Great game for the vet.
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Cheers

Thems the Breaks

2009-10-12T12:07:00.003-06:00

Bad news. I'm sure you've all heard by now that Weston Dressler is out for awhile, possibly the season with a broken fibula. Tough loss in a game the Riders won, but its not the end of the world.

Yes, Dressler was headed for his 2nd straight 1,000 yard season in receiving, the first time a Rider pass catcher would accomplish that since Don Narcisse did it in the mid 90's. And sure, #7 was probably going to be in the discussion for the Riders MOP (along with John Chick & Stevie Baggs). But this is football and it takes 12 guys pulling in the same direction to be successful.

So, what are the options? How about this theory. Slide Gerran Walker into Dressler's spot and put Chris Jones back on the roster. Simple, no ratio problems, just a 1 for 1 switch. And Walker has shown good speed and great elusiveness in recent games, he may not be the same as Dressler, but he's the closest thing the Riders have.

In Jones, the Riders are convinced there is some shine if they can just get to it under the dust. In fact, he was thought of highly enough to start the season at the wide out spot, so he mustn't be bad.
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I'm tired of receivers asking for a flag every time that a ball is thrown in their direction and they don't make a catch. BRUTAL...This is football, not figure skating. Suck it up. Maybe the leagues should look into throwing a flag for these whiners when they try and influence the call. Really, they are showing up the officials when they do this. In hockey if you pulled a stunt like that you'd get "T'ed" up for a pair.
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ATTN: Scott Moore @ CBC. Please get rid of Don Cherry.
I've been a huge supporter of Coach's Corner over the years, but the time has come to send Grapes out to pasture. This weekend I caught him saying that a player who had his thumb bitten by another player should just suck it up and quit crying. Sorry Don, but even the WWE doesn't allow biting anymore, nor should the NHL.
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I may have been wrong about the Moose Jaw Warriors. They might not just make the playoffs, they may contend for the East Division title. The Tribe took down the #1 Calgary Hitmen twice in a week. Jason Bast is sick. This kid may not have the most talent, but there is no doubt that there is not a more determined player in the league. Unreal! He outworks even the concession people! In fact, if I catch him serving burgers at intermission before going back on the ice to score another goal I wouldn't be shocked! His leadership is spreading thru the team like and mad disease. The result. Wins!
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I'm already excited about USC/ND this weekend.

NHL Drops Puck

2009-10-02T10:05:00.002-06:00

Wow, hockey season is already here in the bigs! Last night I only got a chance to tune into the second game of HNIC's double header.

First thoughts were "Really, Kevin Weeks?" Now while the former goalie really didn't add any insight into the part of the game that I watched, he at least seemed to realize his limitations and played it between the lines. I'll certainly give the guy a while to get comfortable to his new role before passing any judgement. I thought he was ok and no doubt nervous, but he didn't come off as a know it all, and I liked that.
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Could the NHL please talk to its officials and clarify to them that ans and spectators aren't their to watch them. Since when did lifting a guy's stick constitute a hooking call? Honestly, I had to turn the channel in the first period after being forced to watch the refs decide the game in the first 15 minutes by handing Calgary PP after PP. Credit the Flames for capitalizing, wait a sec, I'll never credit the Flames for anything.
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Was that Hakan Loob wearing the 'C' for Calgary last night? I hated those jerseys in the 80's and I still hate them today.
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Let's see if the Pats can ride the momentum of Eberle being back in town this weekend. A couple of home wins and the Blue & White are back to 500.
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Warriors take their first long trip of the year to Alberta this weekend. The Tribe will face a real test in the number 1 team in the country on Sunday in Calgary. Nice for Hunchak et al to have an early season measuring stick like that.
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Hard to believe I'm this far into this blog and this is the first Rider talk I have. I just figure that most people who come here are passing by after reading Roddy's blog, and they've got all the best dirt on the Green & White already. However, I will say to watch Global this week for a potentially big story and another edition of OTF.

Bits & Bites

2009-10-01T10:33:00.002-06:00

Mark it down. The Moose Jaw Warriors are a playoff team.

I know they've only played 5 games, but the way they are playing is real impressive. Last year's dismal record is long forgotten by this group of kids ho hit the ice every shift with dogged determination.

Look no further than co-captain Jason Bast for the motor of this squad. The 20 year old doesn't take a stride let alone a shift off. He just keeps coming at you and the rest of the squad follows suit.

Contrary to popular belief, this team can score goals. In fact one of the most impressive aspects of this squad is the depth that they are rolling out. The Tribe boast three hard working lines that can all put the biscuit in the basket.

And their backend in Moose Jaw, well it looks better than Megan Fox's. Hamonic & Stanton anchor a solid 6 that are certainly in the top 5 in the conference.
-------------------------
Red Sox & Yankees are both officially in the playoffs. Now I actually care about baseball.
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No NHL team in Hamilton. I'm shocked.
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This weather sucks. Bye bye summer. Hello NHL season.
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Congrats to Amber Holland and her rink in their big win at the Schmirler. Just add one more Saskatchewan women's team to that of the best in the World. This event featured teams that will represent China (current World Champs), Japan, Russia and the US at the 2010 games and Holland was the cream of the crop!
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Lastly today. This sportscaster is leading the fantasy football league that is comprised of various sports reporters and personalities in and around town. I'm 3-0 and go up against some team name the Fury who are 0-3 and managed by a dude named Fox.

Reminds Me of Good Times

2009-09-29T19:09:00.002-06:00

Got to check this out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT2XyIBMWUY

If this doesn't remind you of a story that you have that starts, "One time at a Rider game..."

Fans in this province and of the Green and White are some of the most passionate, but this one may take the cake.

Weekend Notes

2009-09-28T09:42:00.002-06:00

First up, is Dave Hunchak not one of the best? The Warriors Coach is always willing to chat, be frank and talk a little bit about how to look good in a suit. Oh yeah, and he's got one heck of a hockey team. This guy has the Tribe making the playoffs.

The Pats let out a collective sigh of relief after last night's game as it was released that Jordan Eberle is coming back to the club. Not a second too soon either. This team barely has one scoring line and the 19 year olds skill and work ethic should give the club a boost. But each and every player on the squad must improve their compete level and that is especially true of a couple of vets.

I don't know if there are better people in the world than curlers. Really! Once again it is just fantastic to be able to hang around this group. On Friday I spoke to Sheri Singler and she informed me of the dark circumstances following Stefanie Lawton and sister Marliese Kasner. She didn't have to talk about it, but she did. Why? Because she understands and wants others to understand. All my best to the girls in this trying time for the family, but maybe now there can be some peace for them.

Funny how life works. With Lawton and Kasner at home with their mother who ultimately lost her battle with cancer on Saturday morning, the team played on with subs. Who stepped up? Jan Betker and Joan McCusker. Members of Sandra Schmirler's team. Ironic, but it just shows what kind of people these are. They never forget and will always help out.

The Riders win! It was kinda one of those keep the lights off victories, but hey, it still counts in the W column. I just get a kick out of all those people that still bang on Darian Durant. He threw 3 interceptions...so what...He won! Who is the all-time leader in interception passes in the NFL? Brett Favre is the answer and people seem to think he's ok.

Speaking of Favre. If you haven't seen the game winning touchdown pass he threw yesterday, watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3B7Og-FS0

That's it for now..Got to get ready for the Monday Nighter...Starts in like 8 hours.

That's Pats

2009-09-24T09:20:00.002-06:00

Last night was only the third game of the year and the Pats first win, but its a tone setter for the club.

With the return of Colten Teubert and Matt Delahey, the Pats looked like the gritty hard hitting team they will need to be for the year.

Players not usually known for their physical play were stepping into Saskatoon Blades players all over the ice. Hrcina, Strueby and Metz all delivered body blows, but the tone was set early when Colten Teubert delivered a knockout like blow early on with a bone rattling hit.

Teubert was a physical presence all night long and looked like the 1st rounder he is. If he plays like this all year, opposition forwards will be taking a couple looks up when they're coming towards the Pats blueline.

Brett Leffler demonstrated what I thought was not only leadership, but a strong message to his team. With Garrett Mitchell trying to get off the ice in obvious pain from blocking a shot with his hand, one gutless Blades player thought it'd be a good idea to ram him into the boards. Leffler responded with an attack. The flurry of blows that he pulverized his opponent with may have cost the Pats a few minutes in penalties, but his team responded behind him and everybody with a red helmet on grew about 3 inches behind his actions.

Oh, by the way. Did you know Leffler clinched the game in the shootout and didn't even raise his stick. No big deal. Put the 'C' on #24 right now!

This is the Pats team that Regina has been waiting to see. Now let's see if they can keep it up.

Game Great - Extras Not

2009-09-22T09:24:00.003-06:00

At least the Tampa Bay Lightning had NHL jerseys on, even if many of the players in them may not skate in the show this year.

The caliber of hockey displayed on the Brandt Centre ice last night was nothing short of very good, too bad the same couldn't be said for the ice itself.

Preseason is a time for teams to evaluate what they have. Even the Pats failed to ice any of their stars in their Blue and White game in Lumsden, leaving many fans there to watch a lot of kids that will be in the SJHL this year.

I don't blame Tampa Bay for fielding a squad that they wanted to look at, but I do fault GM Brian Lawton and Head Coach Rick Tocchet for saying that their stars would be on the ice when the game was announced.

The NHL is a massive business and production. I doubt very much that the Tampa brass are concerned whether or not fans in the QC get to see their favorite player or not. To the Lightning, they need to use this game to see what they have. And as a horrible unit last year, they need all the looks they can get and I'm quite sure Vinny or Marty or Victor aren't the guys they need to evaluate.

Speaking of evaluations, here's one for the operation that hosted the event. Poor. This was supposed to be Regina's big league game, but it was quite evident that its was run by a small town group that has never been to a Pats game little lone an NHL matchup.

First off, thanks for the pre-game meal and media room. Oh, that's right, it didn't exist. Seriously. It was also nice of them to not really enforce any of their 'strict' security rules that they had in place. It looked like a rock concert downstairs after the game with all kinds of people milling around.

The press area was so stellar that minutes before the game, print reporters were trying to switch seats with TV reporters so that they could access the one extension cord provided for their laptops.

How about the 3 TV timeouts a period, or the 2 intermissions. Where was the entertainment that often accompanies such a game. Anything would have been better than the privilege of listening to Poker Face. Good song, but come on. No T-shirts shot into the crowd? Not even some kind of goofy blind folded game at the break? Nope, Nothing, Nada. And by the way, thanks for paying 'Big League' prices for a 'Little League' production. All that people seem to want to talk about is who wasn't on the ice, but I say maybe more chat should be directed at what wasn't even at the game.

It's a good thing that the Game Ops staff had a few of the fine Pats people backing them up and bailing them out. Otherwise this would have been nothing less than a complete disaster from where I sat, which was exactly in front of the drunk guy who was standing on the concourse asking me who was playing!

After all that ranting, it must be noted. The quality of the game was excellent as Kovalev, Fisher and Spezza dazzled with their speed and skill. The level the game was played at won't be rivaled until the WJHC gets here. Hopefully the level of the Operations is raised by that time.

Reminds Me of Clermont

2009-09-17T07:35:00.003-06:00

If you want to get it from the horse's mouth, here it is.

http://www.kamaupeterson.com/blog.html

This is quite the read on what its like in the CFL, straight from one of its own. I couldn't help but think of the Jason Clermont situation while reading this.

Clermont comes home to play with the Riders, but doesn't have the numbers that fans are accustom to seeing from the Regina product. Why? Are his skills diminishing? Is he miscast in the scheme? Plethora of receivers in Green & White?

I don't think its any one answer, but probably a number of factors for the reduced numbers, but there is one key stat that isn't kept that doesn't show Clermont's contribution to the Riders.

Coach Miller touched on it this week how the veteran receiver has not once made any noise about his role. In fact, he's been quite the opposite. Clermont continues to be a pro, helping the younger receivers and even at times the coaches. His hands are still as good as gold and his determination is second to none.

Players like Derrick Armstrong could maybe look at the 2-Time Most Outstanding Canadian and learn a thing or two. It seems all of the Riders receivers are!

Don't think for a second that Andy Fantuz doesn't look over and notice how Clermont carries himself. It could only help the younger become an even more complete player.

So while the numbers may be down, the contribution appears never to have been higher.

Riders Nuke Bombers/CFL Rule Suggestion

2009-09-14T11:04:00.004-06:00

WOW...LMAO...LOL

Yeah, that about sums it up in the new language of 'T-Bombing'. The Riders absolutely thrashing the Bombers 55-10 was about as brutal as I've ever seen.

Winnipeg is so bad that they should consider paying people to come watch them. What a side show, punctuated my Michael Bishop smiling on the sidelines. Seriously, this guy doesn't get it. A week before he flashed that same smug grin at reporters after his PR guy shut down an interview. Kinda like his career is shutting down. How was that 'ass-whooping' you promised SSK? That worked about as well as calling the coin toss. Really, the Coach can't even trust him to call heads or tails!!

The line about this guy is that 'he's athletic, has a great arm and always has potential for a big play'. Great! Potential means you never live up to expectations or talent. No disrespect, but he's brutal.

BUT, not as brutal as the entire team. Was the pigskin greases yesterday? or was that more of a smell of pig barns, kinda reminiscent of the Bombers play. These guys are supposed pros, but they coughed up more than a 90 year old smoker. Embarrassing.
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RULE SUGGESTION
Siddeeq Shabazz. Could you be anymore of a cheap shot artist. How did that guy last the entire game with his list of late hits and shots to the head. Take your beating like a man pal, cause you've got a few more coming this year.

Note to Mark Cohon and CFL officials. How about we amend the rules to disqualify a player that gets two major fouls in a game Soccer does it! Why not keep track of them and suspend a player for a game after he gets 5 in a season? They are brutal plays that are intended to injure. Get losers like that off the field!

BTW. Darian Durant. Anyone questioning the QB now?

Bombs Falling in Winnipeg

2009-09-11T09:04:00.003-06:00

Does it get any crazier than what is going on in the Keystone Province this summer?

Last weekend the Bombers were in town and we in the media had the joy of our first media scrum with Mike Kelly. I found him polite, articulate and well mannered. But something smells rotten in Denmark, and it ain't just that usually Portage and Main stink.

Now veteran linebacker Baron Simpson wants out of Bomber-Town. Its remarkable just how many negative stories keep coming out of the Peg this season. They're going thru veterans faster than a newborn goes thru diapers. Spygate, the Lefors incident, bringing in Michael Bishop.

The team is also bunkering in like Hitler in his last few days. Last weekend their media guy intervened during a Michael Bishop interview and apparently Simpson was 'unavailable' for comment in the Bombers' locker room.

Whatever is happening behind closed doors seems to be spilling out onto the field. The team is 3-6 starting the second half of the season and slipping closer and closer to missing a playoff spot if they don't run their plane around.

Stay tuned...No doubt there will be more out of Manitoba any second now, unless ofcourse they slam the doors shut again, in which case, the next story is already happening!

Bishop Checkmates Media

2009-09-05T16:30:00.002-06:00

Interesting media scrum today after the Bombers walkthru. First off, media was only allowed to shoot in the first 10 minutes of the Winnipeg onfield session. Too bad for the TV stations that nobody informed us of that little fact. Oh well, not like you get much anyways, but at least we could have shot some visuals then, instead of waiting for some action shots which we quickly found out after 5 seconds, we couldn't use.

Then come the interview. Bishop in rare form, completely avoided the questions, just saying he was "focused on the game"...No sour grapes, no extra motivation, nothing? Yeah right.

During the entire interview the Bombers' PR guy kept edging closer and closer to the scrum with each question. Finally after CJME's Jamie Nye asked "Which parking lot the fight took place in"..Bishop countered that he was once again "focused on the game"...As Nye tried a follow up question he was promptly cut off by the Bombers' PR personnel and told the scrum that Michael had answered the question.

Well, actually he didn't. Not even close. Listen, I understand the job of the PR guy and respect what he's doing, but let us do what we need to as well. Bishop is the one saying he was let go because of a fight in the parking lot, if its true, then lets hear about it. Instead, he gets to walk away with a smile on his face after avoiding dealing with his statements.

Comment of the Day: "If there was a fight you have to know that no punches landed. Bishop couldn't connect with anybody, he overthrew every time." author unknown

Kinda funny, huh?

'Classic' Weekend Coming

2009-09-02T08:52:00.003-06:00

This is it, Labour Day!

As if the annual Bombers/Riders clash didn't already have enough fuel, this year's will be explosive. Mike Kelly, Michael Bishop and now, maybe Pacman Jones. Wow!

I've been waiting for this game since Bombers' Coach Mike Kelly made is now infamous 'crotch' comment about the QC. My excitement level rose to new highs when the Derrick Armstrong incident prompted "its a non-issue, we're handling it internally". Now with all the Pacman Jones talk, I can hardly wait for Saturday when the questions "rain" down on the Winnipeg Coach.

To say the least, Kelly has been a polarizing figure in his first year at the helm. You could say he's almost the complete opposite of Riders' Coach Ken Miller. Fans of the Green and White sometimes criticize Miller for being to calm and quiet. Well, be careful what you wish for, cause Kelly is the other end of the rainbow. Which is better or worse? That is in the eye of the beholder.

What will the line of questioning be when Winnipeg touches down in Regina? There are son many places to go. How packed will the Green and White lounge be for Mike Kelly's presser?

Will Kelly say anything controversial or just play it safe? Oh, I can't wait!!

The game is quickly becoming a footnote before the history is even written. Of course the 60 minutes on the field is all that matters, but on this rarest of occasions, I find myself more interested in the frame than the picture.

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There is also a pretty big game going on at Mosaic on Friday. Mark Mueller will be the starting Quarterback for the U of R Rams when they kick off their season on against the Manitoba Bison. Mueller is the grandson of late legend Ron Lancaster, making this a passing of the torch on the hallowed grounds.

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When you add it all up, two great games will be played in Regina this Labour Day weekend, but the stories around the contests will no doubt be 'instant classics'.

Odds & Ends

2009-08-29T16:46:00.003-06:00

Michael Vick cheered in Philly, Dany Heatley booed in Calgary. Irony!

The Pats have picked up where they left off, losing. Who cares, its pre-season.

Speaking of pre-season, can we start the NFL already?

Team Canada. Are we really picking the team already? Do we have to know who the Captain will be? My only comment is that Mike Richards better be on the team. He's a winner!

Mark Mueller looks to be more than ready to guide the U of R Rams into the season.

Word has it that Bekki Schmidt has a bum ankle that could keep her out of game action until the season starts. How good does the pick-up of Joanna Zalesiak look now for Dave Taylor's group.

Zalesiak is a 5'9" 20 year old that can play the 1 or 2 position. And more than that, she is a joy to talk to. The "Polish Princess"will be heard from both on the court and on the air-waves this season.

Gabby Gheyssen: Golfs, plays hoops, pours drinks and is studying to be an accountant. WOW!

Finally got down to the 85 mark this week.

Woodsy has had two different players in his foursome hit hole in ones this week. Crazy! He hasn't seen one in 47 years on the course, now two in a week. I'm booking a tee-time as we speak.

What will the Riders look like in the second half? and more importantly, the 2nd half (7 points in 3rd quarter this year)?

Thunder making noise in the PFC. Good chance they are 3-1 and in first place at the midway point of the season.

Could the Blue Jays win in AAA?

The Press Box is the best place to grab a bite on the weekend for this guy!

Trip to Toronto rocked. Great tour of Sportsnet, watch Prime Time Sports and go to a Red Sox Jays game! Does it get better?

Over and Out for now.

Warriors Camp

2009-08-24T12:15:00.003-06:00

I ran into Coach Hunchak after the Warriors Balck&White game last night. He flat out told me to keep on top of this blog. Nice to see that he reads.

Speaking of the Warriors, this is a team that should be vastly improved this year. The team doesn't lose any 20 year olds and their returning players have another year under their belt.

Travis Hamonic will anchor the back end and looked smooth last night, not ever getting beat and carrying the puck at will.

Upfront, Quinton Howden is bigger and faster as a 17 and will no doubt be the offensive leader on this squad. Jason Bast is back and after a short chat with him its evident this kid is ready to guide the Tribe towards a playoff spot.

The only question might be in net as to who will be there and how they'll play. Both Jeff Bosch and Devan Dubyk are back and if they play well, I see the Warriors sneaking into a playoff spot.

The Tribe are off to Edmonton for the pre-season tourney and then back home on the 5th to start their exhibition season.

And peaking into the crystal ball, former GM Chad Lang's final first pick looks to have all the potential in the world. Morgan Reilly played most of the night paired up with Travis Hamonic and I really had to look to see if the 15 year old even made one single mistake. Reilly showed incredible season and vision and doesn't hesitate to jump into the play as well. At first look, this kid appears to be a homerun.

Many Questions Around Riders After Loss

2009-08-07T23:39:00.002-06:00

Wow! Where to begin? The Defense couldn't get off the field, the Offence couldn't stay on it and they never should have let the Special teams set foot out there in the first place.

The obvious turning point in this game was the fumbled punt by Gerran Walker that turned into 7 points and gave the Lions the lead after it looked like the Riders were set to go into the half out in front. But that was merely one play that only made it a 5 point game.

Where was the pressure on Buck Pierce? The Riders had 9 sacks in the season opener, but Friday they barely got within shouting distance of the Leo's QB.

Why do the Quarterbacks need to hold the ball so long? Are the Rider receivers not getting open? Or are the pivots simply not getting rid of the ball? If I can predict the play before the snap, you might think the other team is going to figure it out! Why did it take till the 4th quarter to throw a screen pass? Was Chris Getzlaf (last week's hero) even playing in this game? Do we not have a quick hit crossing route in the playbook? Wasn't BC the worst in the league at defending the run?

The game changed on one special teams play, but can be summed up on another. The on-side kick attempt with less than a minute to go, that didn't even have a chance. Kinda like the Riders.

CFL - Predictably Unpredictable

2009-08-05T21:08:00.003-06:00

This weekend marks the 1/3 mark of the season and almost nothing is what it seemed.

Sure, the East is almost as pathetic as most years, but with a little twist this year. Hamilton actually looks like a professional football club. I think most would have predicted Montreal being good and Winnipeg being bad, but Hamilton with a winning record? The Cats declawing the Lions, sweeping the season series? Not many would have the stones to have predicted that.

Now, if Hamilton is a shock, then Winnipeg is just what was scripted. Mike Kelly continues to be more abrasive than an S.O.S. pad. The Bombers Coach seems intent on wearing out his welcome in the Keystone province just as fast as he can. Now, the team is hanging their hopes on Michael Bishop? As one former teammate of Bishop's told me, "All the tools, no box." Good luck Winnipeg, but I don't think I'd worry about a late November trip to Calgary, although the Labour Day Classic should be entertaining!

Toronto. Well, KJ is struggling and has nobody to throw to. I can't say too many people in Saskatchewan are feeling bad for Rob Murphy these days, in fact most of the province has Stevie Baggs's spin move around the outspoken O-Lineman as a screen saver on their computers!

In the West, its more like a game of Yahtzee in '09. The Riders look great, 15 minutes at a time. The Esks look like they can't do anything, then beat down on the Als. Calgary is too busy dancing and looking at themselves with pictures of the Grey Cup to remember they have to play football. As for the Lions, did anybody believe Wally when he said that the team didn't lose much with the departure of Wake and Logan? Oh yeah, wins is the only thing they lost.

However, its REAL early in this wild league called the CFL and no doubt every weekend will continue to present the odd head shaking result, and that's why we love it!

Looking at 43-10 Loss

2009-07-21T09:37:00.003-06:00

Was it ugly? Oh yeah! But checking the standings today, it still only shows up as one in the loss column.

There always seems to be a knee-jerk reaction when the Riders offence fails to show much life that it must be the quarterback's fault. In fact, it seems that a number of fans are just waiting for the moment when Darian Durant fails so that they can complain. Well, I don't think you can hang the teams inability to move the ball this week around the neck of DD.

Sure, he is in control and maybe didn't have his best game, but I'm not sure a Ron Lancaster or Kent Austin would have been able to do a whole lot more on Saturday. To often the patch work O-line was unable to hold the Als off, forcing Durant to take flight quicker than he'd like.

As for what was going on downfield, the Riders receivers never seemed to be open. The Als thru a blanket over everyone the Green and White ran out there, forcing Durant into looking at second, third and fourth receivers...while running for his life.

Nobody was doing back flips over the running game, although Wes Cates tried something after his touchdown. This was an offence that looked truly outmatched on every level by its opposition at every position. The good news is, the team doesn't seem to have lost confidence, they just seem angry with their performance. As Jeremy O'Day put it, "sometimes you need a little dirt kicked in your face." Too bad it had to be an entire garden worth in front of a packed house.

The offence isn't the only place to blame...Continuing troubles on special teams allowed for another blocked punt and a lack of any return game left the Riders staring at a long field every time the took the ball.

And last, but certainly not least, maybe its the most...Turnovers. This team needs to hold onto the ball. Period. There is no giant playmaker out there, this is a team of solid players that need to work with machine like efficiency, but when they continually cough up the ball, it makes it tough to keep the engine running. Hold onto it boys.

But as I started this column, the good news is, today is Day 1 of practice and a good number of the Riders problems are correctable before this weekends game versus Richie and the Eskimos.

Riders-Lions Post

2009-07-04T09:12:00.003-06:00

Well, she ain't pretty, she just looks that way!

The Riders somehow managed to hang on to a 28-24 win over the visiting BC Lions Friday, in the regular season opener. Although this game resembled more mistakes than Grade 1 spelling test.

15 turnovers. Even two on the same play after a blocked punt was promptly coughed up. It was more of "you take it, I got it, its yours" than anything.

The Riders did show flashes on offence and Darian Durant had moments that made you believe. His first incompletion was certainly one of those. After being flushed from the pocket and having his first read covered, Durant heaved the ball long for Jason Clermont. The ball fell incomplete, but the pass was thrown in a manner that it was either Clermont or nobody. Good decision.

However, Durant did fumble twice, get picked three times and got stuffed on a third and inches...Still work to be done, but after the game his comments summed it up, "The win is all that matters." True that.

The defence sparkled, although there still have to be questions about how they will stop the run. Tad Kornegay was flying around the field, but on at least three occasions he was bulled over by a BC running back or QB. Tackling needs to be sharper.

However, the D did spend more time in the backfield last night than maybe all last season. Lions QB Buck Pierce was under constant pressure and was sacked, get this 9 times. The Green & White only had 28 all of last year. WOW!

Omarr Morgan was terrific. Two picks, and a hustle play that resulted in a fumble recovery! The vet totally led by example and showed that nobody should question or challenge him on the corner.

Jason Clermont had a quiet night, although the crowd did come to its feet with a noisy ovation after he made his one and only catch for 9 yards. It appears that just a little more time is needed for he and Durant to be on the same page, but when they click, it'll present Double D with just another sure handed guy to get the ball too. Weston Dressler proved there is no sophmore jinx here and Andy Fantuz looked every bit the All-Canadian. Three great hands guys, all Durant has to do is get them the ball.

So, in the end it was quantity over quality as the Riders pick up the 2 points, even if it looked like one of the ugly step-sisters.

Check out Global sports at 6 & 11 today to see a full wrap of the game. Tomorrow I'll have a story with Commish Mark Cohon.

Not So FREE Agent Frenzy

2009-07-01T20:45:00.003-06:00

As I sit here watching the opening day of the CFL season, I feel the need to write about the NHL. Today is perhaps the day that smart people make dumb moves, just because they have to.

Remember the days back on the playground where you felt the need to always one up another kid (of course I'm speaking to the guys, girls would never be so dumb). You know, watching some kid jump from the swings and try a spinerama from 10 feet in the air. You felt compelled to try a double twist from at least a dozen feet. Stupid huh?

But its not unlike the opening day of free agency in the NHL as GM's do their best impersonation of a 12 year old boy by trying to make the flashiest jump even if it risks their team's future.

Marian Hossa a 12 year deal? Serious? What are the Hawks thinking? What will they do when Jon Toews has a contract due, or Patrick Kane, or Duncan Keith? Crazy to say the least.

Now, I'd expect a bonehead move out of the Rangers who have made a habit of grossly overpaying players and they did it again with Marion Gaborik. No doubt he's one of the most dynamic players in the league, albeit for about 40 games a year he actually suits up for (his average over the last 3 years). And let's be honest, he's not even a point a game player over his career.

How about the Habs trying to show they're new found owners wealth? Mike Cammallllerrriiii or should I just call him Mr. $$$. 6 million for a guy who had a career year playing along with Iggy and he still didn't crack the 40 goal mark. Umm, I figure he'll be worth about $250,000 a goal this year...

The Sedins found out quickly just how much everybody thought of them...They wanted a Hossa deal and in the end got a decent deal. Good on the Canucks for not caving. I still think they overpayed a bit, but they did however keep their marquee players. Too bad they fade like a flower everytime May rolls around.

I hate to say it, but maybe the top two teams during this week might be the Flames and Leafs. Calgary adds hot young stud D man Jay Bouwmeester without really giving up anything. Although, wasn't this a team with cap problems last year? Where do they free up the cash?

As for the Leafs, giving up Kubina and getting Komisarek to replace him is a huge upgrade and frees up some cash. Although, the Buds still have a few holes to plug.

The Oil do better than break even as they lose Roli, but gain the Bulin Wall. However, the need to dump some dead weight in the form of #27 and that brings us to the final deal of the day, or shall I say deal in the works.

The Heatley saga. Sorry Dany, but you can't demand a trade and then try and demand where you go...Doesn't work like that in the new NHL. You my friend will be playing in Edmonton or Berne...Either way, shut up and score some goals.

In an era where teams are losing money and the economy is in the toilet, the NHL GM's managed to spend in excess of $430 million dollars. Just a shade more than my gambling losses in Vegas, although, I'm sure I had a better chance of winning.

The last 2 Cup winners, how were they built? Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom all drafted to the Motor City. Crosby, Malkin and Fleury, yep, they were drafted to the Steel City.

Maybe GM's should spend a few more bucks on scouting and little less time trying to jump off the swings higher than their peers, in an effort to prove their boyhood.

Viva La NHL

2009-06-29T10:31:00.002-06:00

Ahhh...The desert heat on my back and all I could think about is why is the NHL not in Las Vegas?

After spending last weekend in Sin City, I just really can't come up with a good idea as why the league doesn't put one of its failing franchises here. This is a city designed around outings. Sure the big money flows thru the casinos, but how many shows play on the average night? I don't know, but there has to be at least 50 or 60, plus the fountains at Bellagio and the volcano at the Mirage or the Sirens show at TI.

And each and every time the curtain goes up, the places are packed. Hockey would be just one more outing for people to see. Sure, there may not be a huge season ticket base, although Vegas is continually one of the faster growing cities in the States, so people isn't an issue. And the people that do live there are often from out of town, as was my cabbie from Boston (big Bruins guy).

But imagine a hot March afternoon, what better to do than go to Caeser's, throw down a couple of bucks on the game and then grab a few seats and beers and sit in the cool arena to root for your wager. I like it.

Its no different than seeing Love or O or Ka. And in most cases, a pair of NHL tickets would be cheaper.

You would think the corporate possibilities are endless. Casinos giving away tickets as a promotion to get you to stay at their hotel. "Stay here, get a ticket and a beer!"

And really, if the NHL continues to throw good money after bad at a place like Phoenix, why not take a gamble on LVNV? I for one would bet on it!

Riders Evaluate Offence???

2009-06-19T07:04:00.003-06:00

Pre-season...I mean its just pre-season. Are we talking about pre-season?

After the Riders 45-12 loss on Wednesday, the team touched down in Regina yesterday afternoon, something they only managed once in Edmonton. But the team is putting on the "its preseason and the score doesn't matter" face.

Coach Miller said the teams had 'different agendas' and the Riders was to evaluate their young talent. However true that may be, it also seems that things may have gotten away from them on the offensive side of the ball.

The QB position is far from clear. By all accounts, Steven Jyles looked to be the top pivot on the field while Durant's numbers are very pedestrian. Ok, it is the first game action and I for one still believe Darian is the number one guy on this roster.

Another player at the top of his respective depth chart, Wes Cates, didn't play because of his lingering shoulder issue. In fact, nobody has been able to say when he might play. That would have me looking hard at his fill in replacement. But the Riders only handed off the ball 11 times. Stu Foord had 4 carries while Hugh Charles toted the ball 3 times.

Maybe the team is set to go with these guys, but I would have thought a little more evaluation could have went into what has generally been a big part of the team's offence.

At the receiver position things are just as odd, although it is harder to complete a pass than to hand off to a back. Now, while I accept that Jason Clermont would be my target in the hurry-up like he was for Steven Jyles, I'm fairly certain the staff has to be comfortable with the 7-year vet. After his 4 receptions, only 6 other balls were caught by Rider receivers and 4 of those went to Bam Childress. Johnny Quinn and Chris Getzlaf picking up one each.

Where are all the rest of the receivers? Chris Jones & Todd Blythe have looked good in camp, but were shadows in this game. Maybe that is the evaluation, maybe they couldn't get open? Tough to believe that two receivers catch 80% of the balls. That will need to be rectified.

I won't talk evaluating the offensive line because these guys will be fine when the season starts, although as a team they did give up 5 sacks. However, the young guys played a lot in this one. When July 3rd rolls around, this group will be solid as a rock as always.

So as it goes, the team has alot of evaluating to do and only one game to do it, home against the defending Grey Cup champs from Calgary. It'll be interesting to see who gets what reps and what the evaluating process might be in that game.

But remember, this is pre-season...Yeah, we're talking about pre-season.

Riders Day 4

2009-06-10T17:19:00.002-06:00

Seemingly a real uneventful day during camp, but the one thing I did find interesting was what happened afterwards. Juan Joseph and Dalton Bell staying late to work on some reps with Chris Jones serving as the receiver. Joseph was still on the field after the media horde had finished interviews and left for the day.

Stu Foord left early and was seen with an ice pack on his leg. Coach Miller called it a bruise and nothing serious, he's day-to-day.

The team continued to go thru their second practice without pads on today.

I saw several passes get away on the QB's today, either sailing high or not getting to the back on a screen. Maybe not their best day of camp.

Coach Miller is positive about Bam Childress and Casey McGahee and their punt returning capabilities. The team struggled at the position last year and the Coach is determined to take Weston Dressler out of that roll so that he can focus on his receiver duties.

Only one week until the first pre-season game in Edmonton. Not much time to get everybody reading on the same page considering the new faces around. But Coach feels that the team is progressing nicely and will be ready.

Born Into Riderville

2009-06-09T09:21:00.002-06:00

Its our birthright. Being born in this province allows a person many things. The options are endless. But one thing that isn't an option is becoming a Rider fan.

I never grew up cheering for the Riders because they were a great team. In fact, for the first decade of my life, they stunk. But that didn't stop my Dad from taking me to a game every year. I remember the road trips into the 'Big City', the stop at McDonalds and me trying to be big like my Dad, Uncle and their buddy Del. I'd order a Big Mac and down the whole thing, at 6 years of age!

Its a ritual, a religion. A bonding experience that created a fan of the Green and White. I followed the team as best I could from a farm north of Midale. These were the days before TSN. I'd listen to the games on the radio with Dad, living and dying (mostly dying) with each snap. Always looking forward to that once a year game when Dad and his buds would take me into that cathedral of football.

I remember a rain soaked day in the East stands watching Terry Greer haul in pass after pass for the Argos. Oh I didn't like him. How about 'card day' where the fans were given these green and white cards to hold up on command, making a cool picture in the stands. Soon after the Riders began to be routed, the cards became giant paper airplanes. The cheers that day were reserved for how far each plane could make it from the upper deck across the field.

Time passes, but the love for the Green only grows stronger. The memories of watching 'The Kick' in the basement at the farm with my hockey bud Scott Hood is fresh as a daisy. How about the run in '97. I froze my butt of in Edmonton watching Doug Flutie tear us to bits, man it was awesome to see the Riders in the Grey Cup game.

Then there was 2007. The Riders in the West final in BC...My brother and I in Seattle to catch a Seahawks game. We couldn't get back to my cousin's fast enough to check if the Riders had won. They did and we spent the rest of our night in the Emerald City, arranging tickets, flights and a place to stay.

One week later, my brother, sister and I were taking my Dad to watch our beloved Riders at the Grey Cup. The life of a Rider fan had come full circle, with the kids sitting second row with the 'old man'.

And now, I have a son of my own. As he lay sleeping in his little Rider shirt, I can't help but smile and know that he has no choice but to be devoted to the Green and White. In a couple of days when the sun shines, he'll make his first trip to Mosaic to see the team he will fall in love with. And so it goes here in Riderville.

Riders Main Camp Notes

2009-06-08T08:36:00.002-06:00

Should I be surprised at the amount of fans in the stands, even though it was cold and raining? Crazy people, but it shows the care and love there is for this team.

The feel on the field was more like a mid-season practice rather than a tryout. Alex Smith barking out play calls was great to hear. That to me means Rider football.

Wes Cates was on the field taking part, but afterward Coach Miller labelled him doubtful for game #1 of the season. That could mean trouble. Hopefully the club waits until he's 100% before they run Cates out in game action and not risk him having a lingering shoulder injury all season.

Juan Joseph continues to get stronger as the camp goes on. I know he's only been on the field a few days, but he has improved each time.

Jason Clermont looked like, well, Jason Clermont. The ball came his way, he caught it, he turned straight upfield. Great to see!

Seeing Clermont and Andy Fantuz take a run at the line at the same time is a beautiful thing and is going to be quite a scary sight for opposing teams.

Speaking of Clermont, veteran Eddie Davis is glad he doesn't have to run into him this year! Davis a longtime vet with the team chuckled when asked if he likes camp. And while he's excited about football, he says no veteran is excited for two a day workouts.

Gene Makowsky basically said the same thing. And the weather certainly didn't help matters. Rain and sleet and cold. The veteran O-lineman was asked if he is willing to help the young guys, even if they are after his roster spot. Graciously he says he'll help anyone and if they want his job..more power to them! I really think his job is one that is pretty safe.

Schultzie was curiously serious in an exclusive interview with GlobalTV. Although he is pumped about the number of local players on the team, not just because they are from the 306, but because they are good players.

Coach Miller continues to be a treat to be around. He's honest and accommodating. The Coach stood by in the rain, waiting for the interviews to finish so that he could do his media scrum. On a brutal day, Miller stood and chatted with reporters for nearly 10 minutes while the rain came down and while his wife patiently stood by.

Glad Miller is nothing like those folks in Winnipeg who only allow the media to shoot during the first 15 minutes of practice. Wow, Winnipeg seems to be blowing up from the inside out, and now there going to have the media dropping 'bomb'ers on them.

The boys back on the field today and Tuesday morning, before a later go on Wednesday.

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Tiger and Roger...Really?

I think Roger has now proved he is the best all-time. No disrespect to Pistol Pete, but they both have 14 majors but Roger has the Slam. Incredible stuff. Not even some jokester could rattle RF.

Then there is Tiger. Oh yeah, how good was his back nine? The chip for eagle. The birdie on 17. Oh and that approach to seal the deal on 18.

In his 6 stroke play tournaments since returning from his hiatus all Woods has done is finish in the Top 10 every time out and win 2 of those events.

Right now is a great time to be a sports fan, because two of the greatest atheletes of all-time are in their prime and we get to witness it.

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Lakers! Doc Halladay! Hopefully Game 7!

Riders Ready For Main Camp

2009-06-06T11:12:00.002-06:00

One more sleep. That's all that separates the misery of the off-season from the joys of a new year. It's been over 210 days since the Riders last scrimmaged in a game and oh how things have happened since that fateful Saturday afternoon in November.

Unfortunately for the Green and White, most of the off-season news has been bad. Despite signing hometown star Jason Clermont,the team has been followed by a black cloud at virtually every other turn.

The Tillman case, the departure of Richie Hall, the exodus of defensive players (Jones, Lloyd, McKenzie, Gordon...) are all stories the team would probably rather not put press releases out about.

But, all that is in the past and with the start of camp, hope springs eternal. Coach Miller has a little bounce in his step. D-Coordinator Etcheverry smiled briefly on Friday. Alex Smith gave a wink and a nod. Despite everything that's gone on off the field, this team looks as if they're ready to get down to business on it.

As the players try and construct a game on the field, the heavy construction to add new seats on the south side of the west stands is ongoing. Just one sign that things are good in the land of the green. But in many ways, the two acts are mirroring each other.

The Riders go into camp with some serious questions at the Quarterback & Linebacking positions. Only time will tell if the team has the right answers for these spots, but it will take that time. The Riders coaches, players and fans all need to show the patience of a surgeon on this one.

The team is headed into camp with 68+ hopefuls and really only a few starters spots up for grabs. Hopefully the key positions sort themselves out in a clear manner. Hopefully the skies stay clear for the next couple of weeks.

We'll see in a few weeks first hand when the team hosts its pre-season game on the 23rd. But until then, it'd be to quick to crown or clobber anyone at any position.

Riders Rookie Camp Day 2

2009-06-04T16:29:00.002-06:00

Well, if the coaches were hoping to see what the rookies could do on a typical Saskatchewan day, they got it! A cool, breezy, rainy morning awaited the young guns as they tried to impress.

Day 1 standout Todd Blythe continued to catch virtually everything that came his way. At 6'5" the Iowa State product is a big target that has drawn comparisons to former Denver Broncos standout, Ed McCaffrey.(No doubt Rob Vanstone from the LP is drooling). "We're both tall and white" quipped back Blythe. Great stuff. Tall, good hands and funny! He's a keeper.

Justin Beaver made the catch of the day doing his best Weston Dressler imitation by laying out for a pass.

Chris McKenzie was one of the players singled out by Coach Miller as being impressive. The Arizona State DB shows tremendous closing speed on the ball and even though he's only 5'9" he was able to defend the tall Blythe on an under thrown ball.

The Riders first pick in this year's draft, Tamon George continued to look just a little bit out of place. The rookie corner is just a half step behind at this point in camp. Although he did say he was feeling more comfortable by the end of today.

Overall the drills today seemed to run a bit smoother as it appeared most of the players had become a little more comfortable with their surroundings and the nerves had wore off.

Eberle Talks Coaches

2009-06-03T11:45:00.002-06:00

There has been a lot of turnover in the coaching ranks both in the WHL and the NHL recently. Last week both the Regina Pats and Edmonton Oilers hired their new coaches, one of which will have the pleasure of having young star Jordan Eberle on their team.

Eberle was picked in the first round by the Oilers at last year's entry draft, so he'll head to camp this fall and tryout for his old World Jr. Coach Pat Quinn. If the Oilers choose to season their budding talent for another year, he'll return to the Pats who are now back under the guidance of Curtis Hunt. Here's some of the things Eberle had to say about his coaches:

Q) What do you think about the Pats bringing Curtis Hunt back?
EBERLE: It's tough to see Dale (Derkatch) go but, Huntsy, obviously the records we had with him here was tremendous. He's a great coach and everyone respects him.

Q) Is it exciting to know Hunt spent a year coaching in the NHL? Will it help you?
EBERLE: He's going to be a guy that's learned a lot in the last year. He's seen the Spezza's and Heatley's. The thing for me going into the season, I want to win.

Q) What kind of coach is Curtis Hunt?
EBERLE: He's not a big screamer and yeller but he's got this look that you know if he's not happy and he looks at you. In that way, he portrays himself, it's awesome. He credits guys, but when you're not playing well, he'll definitely let you know.

Q) What do you think about Edmonton hiring Pat Quinn?
EBERLE: (Laughing) I was pretty excited when I heard that. I've had him for two tournaments now. He's one of the better coaches I've ever had. He has that respect level with him. He's done so well with Hockey Canada and obviously being an NHL coach for a long time.

Q) Do you think its a big benefit that you've left an impression on Quinn already?
EBERLE: For him being familiar with me, I think that's something I'm excited about. I'm glad he got the job and its good to see a familiar face.

Eberle is in Calgary, working out and playing some golf for the short summer. He'll be back on the ice at the Oilers spring camp in late June, then to the World Jr. summer camp in August.

Dominguez Defines Class

2009-05-28T07:52:00.002-06:00

"The Riders don't owe me anything, in fact, I probably owe them."

Those are the words from #88 on the morning he found out that he wouldn't be invited to Riders training camp.

After several knee injuries in the last couple of years, the team and the veteran receiver have parted ways, but maybe only temporarily.

Ken Miller would not say that the door is definitely closed on Dominguez's career with the Green & White. The Coach did say that after evaluating the young talent coming into camp, given the right circumstances, Dominguez could be considered.

Given the Riders woes at keeping receivers healthy the last couple of years, it seems probable that there will be a need at some point during the season to fill a spot. And really, who better than a guy that has been in the offence for 6 years, is in shape and lives on the north end of town.

For his part, Dominguez says that a move to another team would be unlikely, given his family situation (3 kids under the age of 5) and his business ventures with Exit Fusion Realty. Dominguez laughs saying that you have to prepare for the end of your career some time and he's had to do it several times, so he is ready if this is it. But, the 6'3" wideout is very optimistic about a return to Mosaic Stadium.

There are a number of signs that could point to the veteran's return and although out of respect to the Dominguez, I'll leave those out there to the conspiracy theorists to bring up and discuss, but trust me,they are there.

Dominguez was nothing but a pro and an average guy yesterday, which makes him great to chat with. Matt D stood with me for a 1/2 hour just yakking about his situation in both football and life. And while its clear that his #1 passion is football, nothing can take the place of his #1 love, his family. He remains confident he can meld the two and have his family be a part of the Riders family once again this season.

Sports Media 101

2009-05-25T09:18:00.003-06:00

Wow...Reading Rod Pedersen's blog and the attached comments over the last 12 hours has presented some interesting insight into the mind of some sports fans. Or should I say a lack of their minds.

Folks, I'm not here to beat Rod's drum, nor am I here to bring anybody down, but there is a few simple facts about the sports media scene here in Regina and I'm sure its the same in most markets.

The media here all get along with each other fairly well. Hell, I golf with some of my competitors. Why? Aren't we suppose to all be enemies outdoing each other? Maybe. But I think the main reason that we get along is that we are all genuinely in the biz for the same reasons, we love it. That's a common bond that can't be broken.

I think back to the night the Warriors and Pats were the feature game on Sportsnet this year. After the game a media horde met at the Press Box including members of Rogers Sportsnet, Global, CTV, Leader Post, CBC, CKRM and other freelancers. No fights. No arguments. Simply people laughing and sharing a common passion.

That being said, it does hurt my soul when I see other media outlets getting a story before I do. I think we all have that desire to be first and best. If we didn't, we wouldn't be any good. And I think the level of sports coverage in this city is outstanding, no matter what form of media is distributing it. We're friends off the ice, but work hard to outdo each other on it.

But people also need to understand, just cause we get along or this guy does that for a living, sometimes there is a code. Rod Pedersen is privy to a lot of info because of his job, but if he wants to keep his job, he can't let every Tom, Dick and KENT know the details. Imagine the stories Rod could tell about players and coaches on the road. I'm sure it would be great for his blog and its readers, but I'm fairly certain it might not be good for his career.

People trust Rod and others like him with info. The second that trust is betrayed, the relationship is over.

I'm still fairly new in this town when you compare the longevity of some of the sportscasters here and I can tell you that the relationship between athletes and reporters takes time to build, but only an instant to destroy.

Last night I felt completely helpless, trying desperately to get someone to confirm to me that Curtis Hunt is the new Head Coach of the Pats. Now, while I exhausted every possibility I had at my resources and had sources lead me to believe it was true, I couldn't get them to give me a firm 'yes'. And you know what, I respect them for that.

Its all about trust, and while I'm working on building mine, people like Rod have spent a decade growing theirs and I'm sure they aren't going to just through it away!!!

So next time you see a story break about the Riders or the Pats, recognize that their are a lot of good reporters in this town hot on the trail. And TRUST that we are doing the best we can, without torching every bridge we cross. Because trust is a very precious thing.

Class dismissed.

Shultz Makes A Splash

2009-05-24T16:43:00.002-06:00

Nobody ever accuses interior D-Linemen of great athleticism, but Scott Shultz proved the big men can make some waves.

The Regina Optimist Dolphin Swim Club holding their 3rd annual Queen City Swim Challenge on Sunday. The feature event was certainly the Cannonball Competition, loaded up with local athletes, including Shultz.

"I was the chubby kid with the shirt on," Shultz told me about his days at the pool in Moose Jaw where her perfected the "Gain-Knife". A reverse flip off the springboard into a jack-knife can-opener that creates a huge splash and an even bigger roar from the crowd.

The entire even is run as a fundraiser for the swim club along with a portion of the money raised going to Jesse's Journey. So while the entire day is based on fun, Shultz sees the use of this 'training' as a benefit to his job. "If you see me doing backflips over offensive linemen this year, you'll know where it came from."

In the land of the Green and White, Shultz is truly a colorful character when it comes to embracing the community. What a guy and what a flip!!!

If you want to catch Shultz's 'Gain-Knife", tune into Global Sports Sunday at 6 & 11, or catch it on the Plays of The Week, Tuesday night at 11pm.

Wings Loss Costs NHL

2009-05-23T07:55:00.002-06:00

So when will the owners of the NHL's 30 teams get it (29 if you take out Phoenix)? Gary Bettman and his regime just aren't getting any smarter.

In the latest bonehead move by the League, unless both Conference finals ended in sweeps (the Wings lost last night), the Stanley Cup Finals won't begin until June 5th. This is being done to appease NBC who has a weak schedule on Friday and Saturday nights, so they can broadcast Games 1 & 2 on back to back nights. Well, why shouldn't the League cater to a network that pays nothing for its TV rights?

If the Pens sweep the Canes, they'll have over a week off, then go twice in two nights...Brilliant scheduling!! Even if Detroit and Chicago go seven, the winner will still have 4 days off. Genius scenario!!!

C'mon Gary, wake up, the dream is over. The US of A doesn't care about hockey. I mean, sure Detroit and Chicago, even Pittsburgh are good markets, but I am talking about the television viewing public in large part. Trust me, early June and I'm sure that people in LA or New York or Las Vegas or anywhere in Florida are going to have something better to do than watch a game they don't give a rat's behind about.

With all the lying Bettman has done with respect to franchises and their economic states coupled with his utter failure to deliver on his vision of selling the game in the South. Maybe its time the owners crawl out of bed, make a cup of coffee and smell it. Bettman is bad for your League.

Even the wonderful salary cap that Gary managed to scrap a season of hockey for is a bust. Teams in economic peril being forced to meet a minimum salary cap, even though they are losing millions of dollars a year.

I can't really think of one feather to put in Gary's cap,and I for one think its time the owners ask him to hang up his hat, for good.

Keenan Iced

2009-05-22T20:30:00.002-06:00

He went from chewing ice, to being iced!

Mike Keenan has been fired as the Head Coach of the Calgary Flames. I don't think that this was completely unexpected. Somebody had to take the fall for a team that grossly underachieved in the playoffs.

But wait a tick. Is it really that shocking?

This is a team that has only made it passed the first round once since winning the Cup in 89. Only one time in the last twenty years have Flames fans had a reason to stay interested past the end of April. I would say that Calgary supporters should be more surprised if the team actually won a round.

Keenan's firing is certainly justified. It was under Iron Mike's watch that Miikka Kiprusoff played in 76 games in back to back regular seasons. The Finnish goalie barely cracked a save percentage of .900 in either year. Obviously showing the wear and tear forced upon him. This season the Flames found themselves in the bottom third of the league in goals against, despite having the perennial Vezina candidate in between the iron.

The blame however should not be totally laid at Keenan's feet. GM Darryl Sutter must also have a finger pointed directly at him. I remember saying at the trade deadline that the Olli Jokinen trade would end up haunting the team. Trading a gritty player like Matthew Lombardi who can kill penalties and be disruptive on the forecheck for an unproven playoff entity like Jokinen was a bad decision.

Sutter's utter failure as a GM pushed his team up against the wall so bad in the final weeks of the season where they were up against the cap so hard that they could not field a full roster also hurt them. The Flames flickered to the finish, gave up home ice in the 1st round, which ultimately cost them as they quickly fell behind in their series and ran out of gas trying to fight back.

So while Keenan is being painted as the bad guy, the real villain may still be in place. For Flames fans, they hope there isn't a sequel in which to find out, but two decades of history is there to say it may be so.

Riders Prepare

2009-05-22T14:15:00.002-06:00

RIDERS PRESIDENT JIM HOPSON AND HEAD COACH KEN MILLER FIELDED CALLS YESTERDAY FROM MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA...AS EXPECTED, MANY OF THE QUESTIONS PERTAINED TO THE QUARTERBACKING SITUATION IN SASKATCHEWAN...

COACH MILLER WOULDN'T COMMIT TO WHO THE STARTER COMING OUT OF CAMP WOULD BE, BUT THAT HE HAS CONFIDENCE IN THE TEAM'S PIVOTS...MANY BELIEVE THE JOB IS DARIAN DURANT'S TO LOSE AND HIS HEAD COACH TOUCHED ON HOW HE'S LOOKING TO THE INEXPERIENCED PIVOT TO TAKE CONTROL OF EVERY SITUATION AND BE MORE DEMONSTRATIVE AND TO DEMAND THE RESPECT OF THE TEAM.

ANOTHER OFFENSIVE ISSUE RAISED INVOLVED THE UNKNOWN STATUS OF MATT DOMINGUEZ...MILLER REFERRED TO IT AS A "WAIT AND SEE" SITUATION...THE VETERAN RECEIVER WILL HAVE ANOTHER PHYSICAL BEFORE TRAINING CAMP AT WHICH TIME A DECISION ON HIS FUTURE WILL BE MADE.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOSSES OF MAURICE LLOYD, ANTON MCKENZIE, KITWANA JONES AND COORDINATOR RICHIE HALL PROMPTED THE COACH TO DEFEND HIS 'D'...MILLER IS HIGH ON REY WILLIAMS FILLING THE MIDDLE LINEBACKER SPOT AND LOOKS TO VETERANS LIKE OMARR MORGAN AND EDDIE DAVIS TO LEAD A DEFENCE THAT HEAD COACH FEELS WILL PLAY WITH AS HE CALLED IT "POISE AND EFFORT"

AS FOR THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS...PRESIDENT HOPSON ADDRESSED THE SITUATION SURROUNDING THE TEAMS GENERAL MANAGER ERIC TILLMAN AND HIS ONGOING COURT CASE, CALLING IT AN "AWKWARD SITUATION"...BUT SAID THE TEAM IS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH KEN MILLER AND HIS LEADERSHIP AND THERE ARE NO PLANS TO FILL THE GM SPOT ON AN INTERM BASIS.

HOPSON ALSO ADDRESSED THE POSSIBILITY OF REGINA HOSTING A GREY CUP IN THE FUTURE, THE PRESIDENT SAID THE TEAM DOES SEE THEMSELVES IN THE CYCLE, BUT MENTIONED THE SERIOUS DISCUSSION AND POSITIVE TALKS ABOUT A NEW STADIUM IS WHY THE TEAM IS HOLDING OFF FOR NOW.

HEAD COACH MILLER SAYS THE COACHING STAFF IS ANXIOUS TO GET ON THE FIELD...CURRENTLY THEY ARE PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THE PLAYBOOK, BUT ADDED THEY ARE TIRED OF MEETING AND READY TO START TAKING ACTION.

D-Day For Bettman

2009-05-19T09:05:00.002-06:00

So today is the day we may learn more about the fate of the Phoenix Coyotes, but stay or go, there is a bigger issue coming out of this proceeding. Is Gary Bettman ruining the game?

Now I'm sure most Canadians will just jump on board and say yes, but its not that simple. Remember, this is a guy that worked hard to keep Edmonton from ending up in Houston just over a decade ago. But in a 'what have you done for me lately world' people are trying to figure out why the Commissioner is set on keeping Jim Balsille from sitting at the owner's table.

The fight now is over who owned control of the Coyotes this season. Bettman is arguing its him (NHL), and if that's the case, man does he do a crappy job of running his business. $30million in losses. Oh, let's look at the deal that he personally brokered in Nashville. Yeah, that guy (Boots) will be cooling his heals in jail right away for fraud.

And how about not wanting another team in Southern Ontario, but tease those poor Winnipeg fans that actually believe there is any chance in hell they'll get a team back. Wake up Winnipeg, its a ploy and you are a pawn. Why not put a team in Red Deer, hey hear Dawson Creek has a new rink, try there Gary!

I do however appreciate that Gary is now set on keeping teams where they are for some stability. Too bad he didn't figure that out in time to save the Jets and the Nordiques. Oh wait, that involved moving south and securing a legacy of taking the game to American fans, all 200 f them!

If I'm an owner in the NHL I am starting to ask a lot more questions of the man I have in charge. I'm really starting to wonder who he has in mind. And today we'll find out a little more about the ongoing saga of Bettman. Stay tuned, because I'm sure this isn't a series finale yet.

Predictions & Observations

2009-05-17T10:38:00.002-06:00

I really don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying I think the NHL Finals will be a repeat of last year. Detroit is just too savvy for the young Hawks and Pittsburgh is just to talented for the Canes.

Its been fun watching the resurgent Hawks this year ad nobody is happier than my Uncle Dave. I personally am pulling for them. They did me a favour and knocked out both Calgary and Vancouver. And I like any good Oilers fan love seeing those two teams fall on their face.

But all good things come to an end and Detroit just seems prepared to take on anybody and any kind of style. The Hawks have that speed and talent, but if they don't get to touch the puck, what's it worth?

As for the Canes/Pens. I don't know if you've been watching, but Sid the Kid is playing like a possessed giant. Nothing is going to stop this guy and his team from advancing. Cam Ward has again been a superstar, out duelling Marty Brodeur and Vezina candidate Tim Thomas. But this one might just be too much for the Carolina tender.
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Lakers and Celtics win their game 7's....
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Ed Henick Senior Bowl goes tomorrow at Mosaic. Preview tonight on Global Sports!
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Speaking of Global Sports, its been a riot this weekend and today will be no different. Football, NHL, Bball, and Mem Cup!! See ya at 6 & 11.

Riders Trade Jones for 'The Juan'

2009-05-16T09:02:00.004-06:00

The trading of Kitwanna Jones will seem like a giveaway to many fans. In return, the Green & White get Juan Johnson. Who? I mean, we in the media don't even know how to say the poor guy's name.

In fairness to the Riders they had a very good defense last season, but they didn't seem to instill fear into the hearts of opposing QB's. Saskatchewan had just 28 sacks, only two better than the league worst Ti-Cats. So maybe a retooling up front in an effort to wreak a bit of havoc in the backfield isn't a bad idea.

Jones was one of two Rider players to have 5 sacks last year. The other? Mo Lloyd, who is also in Edmonton this year after signing as a free agent. Hmmm, seems like Richie is taking our D with him to the Big Onion.

Now Coach Miller indicated that Jones is a good player, although he may have had a difficult time being a starter here this year. Many believe that Jones is a bit undersized to play the DE position and with a new Defensive Coordinator this year (Gary Etcheverry) it seems obvious that #46 was not #1 on the end.

The Riders go to camp looking to have a Defence with at least 5 new starters, not a worry to the Skipper who feels they are 'talented' on that side of the ball.

Miller lists players like Seante Williams, John Chick and Stevie Baggs as players who will compete for the position.

In Juan Joseph the Riders get two things, well maybe three. A guy nobody has really heard of. A kid according to Coach Miller with a 'live arm'...although I think Michael Bishop was described to have a 'live arm'. Lastly the club gets a QB with the last name Joseph. And if memory serves, last time we had that, we won a Grey Cup. That's it, he really is the "Juan" to take us to Calgary this November. Book the parade, because this trade has sealed the Riders 4th Grey Cup.

Ward Olympics Starter?

2009-05-15T08:04:00.003-06:00

I hate to, but I told ya. Canes and Wings. There just wasn't going to be anyway that Cam Ward was going to lose this one. The kid born in Saskatoon is once again proving he's a big time goalie. After Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo both showed signs of being human, maybe its time to start talking about Ward being Team Canada's goalie in Vancouver.

Serious. Ward's won a Cup, a Conne Smythe and is proving again that his rate rate barely cracks 70, even in OT of Game 7. Ward will be a fresh faced 25 years old at the Olympics. Oh, take a look at his stats...Something happens to them when the playoffs roll around, they get better. Always have. This guy is a big time performer and the biggest of times. Right now he's the guy I want in between the pipes in Vancouver.
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Riders with a couple of announcements. Wayne Smith is done for the year with a ruptured achilles. Too bad for both player and team....Also, late last night Roddy reported on his blog that Kitwanna Jones is hooking back up with his buddy Mo Lloyd in Edmonton. The Riders get back a QB that I've never heard of. I'm hoping for a press conference today and will bring the details here.
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Penguins Fly

2009-05-14T08:24:00.002-06:00

Well, it was over long before it was over. 2 goals in the same time it takes Tanner Girletz to post a score on a bull called Afro Man.

Who could have thought this was coming? After Crosby yet again wowed with his skate to stick move that resulted in the game opening goal, fans hadn't even stopped high fiving each other when Craig Adam feathered a shot between Simeon Varlamov's legs. THE END.

It was suppose to be the ultimate battle between the two most deft gladiators. Instead it was more Christians and lions. A slaughter. By early in the second it was academic at 5-0.

Now while Game 7 maybe didn't live up to the Everest high expectations heaped on it, the series was truly a memorable one. Ovie had 14 points, Crosby 13. Both showing off tremendous skill at every turn. Truly a dazzling array of spinning, shooting, passing and celebrating. In the end, the Kid will live to play another day, while Alex the Great has been defeated.

And wasn't it great to hear Bob Cole belting out their names. I remember Cole calling the Oilers first Cup in the early 80's and now to hear his booming voice call out the heroes of a new generation, well, it's nothing short of awesome. Just like the series on the ice.
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Garrett Mitchell of the Pats is working out hard this summer. He's a humble kid who has just as much energy off the ice as he has on it, lots. I got a chance to bend his ear about the possibility of pulling on the Maple Leaf in December. While the 17 year old is not looking that far ahead, his eyes lit up at even the possibility of it.

Mitchell played on the U-18 team this spring and while he may be a bit of a long shot, don't count him out. The Pats forward was consistently one of the hardest working players every night and can be a bit of a thorn in the side of other teams. Steve Ott ring a bell??
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Story on Global Regina tonight about Tammy Jule. The Regina Beach product is off to tryout for the Senior National Women's Volleyball team next week in Winnipeg.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have been quiet these days, but have a presser called for tomorrow. Watch Global Sports tomorrow for news out of the 'Friendly City' or whatever they're calling the 'Band Capital' these days.
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Wings and Canes get it done tonight. Nothing like having a little experience in the cage in the big game.
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Shout outs: My old floor hockey team from a decade ago including the likes of Cliff Mapes, Fred Lowenberger, Murray Kittelson, Doug, Deion, Glenda, Ces...There were others, but it was early Sunday mornings and I was usually in a bit of a fog.

Odds & Ends

2009-05-13T08:46:00.002-06:00

No secret that Medicine Hat Tigers' coach Willie Desjardins will be named the coach of the 2010 World Jr. team. Really its a great pick considering that he was an assistant under pat Quinn last time around. I've never had the pleasure of meeting Willie, but in the short time I've been around the Dub, all I've heard is good things about him. And his record really speaks for itself.
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Organizers of the WJHC announced Monday that the Queen City will host a couple of Canada's exhibition games at the Brandt. A move no doubt made to help bolster sluggish ticket sales in Regina. But I thought we were getting those games anyway? Ticket packs are only 50% sold here in the Capital city. Maybe that's because a lot of spectators would be coming from out of town and don't want to buy for every game. I'm sure when the single game tickets are made available, sales will really move along.
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And yeah, I'd love for Canada to play some games here, but let's face it...This tournament is about ca$h as much as anything and the CUC holds more people than the Brandt.
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Lucky 7's...Looks like Gary Bettman's dream is now reality. Three of the four conference semi's going the distance. It's been real exciting watching a couple of these series, especially Washington/Pittsburgh. This is the way hockey was supposed to be played.
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No word yet if Regina is in the running for a relocated NHL team.
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Riders round out their coaching staff yesterday. By my math that gives Brent Parker another 3 months to get his hiring done. Although, the promotion of Cliff Mapes is a great move. Cliffy is one of the good ones. He cares about the product both on and off the ice and works tirelessly to provide a great evening for the patrons who come through the doors.
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I haven't heard from Plaster. I assume he's "not in Kansas anymore!" Actually I don't know if he ever was.
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I don't know if 'I Love Regina' when I go golfing one afternoon and then need to shovel the driveway the next morning.
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On my way out the door I just have to say that tonight is must see stuff with Pittsburgh trying to steal it on the road in Washington. This could be one of those moments you don't want to miss!

Questions in Vancouver?

2009-05-11T21:40:00.003-06:00

As the horn sounds in Chicago, the questions begin in Vancouver.

The first and many of the next number of queries must be directed at Roberto Luongo. This guy was touted as the hero, the goalie in 2010, arguably the top goalie in the game...Well, I'll argue. Sorry 'Bobby Lu' but giving up 7 (including 4 on 9 shots in the 3rd) is far from the best in the world. Luongo and Co. gave up three separate leads in game 6, but it doesn't end there. The Vancouver goalie and his teammates continually blew leads in this series. I know that the Canucks D had more holes than the a screen door, but if you're the supposed 'Best in the West' then make a save, hold a lead. Luongo has one-year left on his contract at 7.5 million. Hmmm.

Next question...Is that the end of Mats Sundin? Oh wait, he looked to be retired since he pulled on the jersey on the coast. He is now an unrestricted free agent. Bye Bye.

Next question...The Sendins. Often touted as dominant, they continue to be unable to lift their game and their team. No doubt they have their moments, but it always seems to just be a pair. The Canucks have struggled to find a winger to line up and be a good fit with the twins. Well, isn't that what great players do, make other players better? These two don't include the third member of their line, so when the going gets tough in the playoffs, they play shorthanded most of the time. Oh, by the way, they are unrestricted free agents. But that's an expensive package deal.

So while the players clean out their lockers, maybe some of them for good, what and when will the answers come to where this team went wrong.

What Do You Want To See?

2009-05-11T13:32:00.003-06:00

Busy weekend on the Regina scene, albeit, under the radar.

Team Saskatchewan selected the swimmers that will represent the green & yellow at this fall's Canada Games. I have to say that from a media perspective, this event was a dream.

Marj coordinated everything for, called back promptly, the times of the events were accurate and the kids were easily accessible and excited to talk. I will certainly be back to the pool sometime soon to catch up with these wake-makers.

The Canadian Junior Team Handball Championships were also going on at the fieldhouse and although the coordination might not have been that of the swimmers, the event was still cool. I caught a good chunk of the Girl's final between Alberta & Quebec and wow, handball can be a fairly vicious sport at times...Don't try and penetrate that defensive wall.

Now while I enjoyed my time at both of these events, I really wonder sometimes how much viewers at home get amped up about seeing Global cover it. My feelings have always been local first, but I'm not 100% sure that's what people are looking to see when they tune in to us.

I hope that's the way it goes, because its truly one of the great perks of my job, meeting these young athletes and then trying to convey their story to everybody. I truly believe all these people have great tales to tell and they're worth hearing.

But there is the school of thought that most people just care about NHL, CFL and MLB...Maybe, but then wouldn't they tune into Sportsnet or TSN?

Let me know what you think and what you'd like to see more of on Global Sports, cause in the media business, the customer is ALWAYS right and I certainly aim to please.

Dale Derkatch Talks

2009-05-08T20:39:00.002-06:00

I had the good fortune of running into Dale Derkatch today. To say it was good fortune might even be an understatement.

In the short time I've known the Pats legendary sniper, its truly been a treat every time I get to speak with him. And today was no exception, although its only been days his dismissal.

Derkatch very politely guarded his words when speaking about his one year at the helm of the Pats. He seems far to distinguished to try and sewer his former employers. He did however express that he doesn't believe that the Pats demise this season was solely his fault.

He says, "I only know one way" and "I've had success wherever I've been". Now, no question Dale is a determined individual who has one focus, to win. He did although allude to the fact that when things started to go south for the Queen City kids there may have been a difference in philosophy between he and some others in the organization.

Derkatch seemed as though he may not be all that disappointed about his dismissal considering that he maybe wasn't seeing eye to eye on the plan for the club with others. Of course he wouldn't name names as to who he was referring, he remains above slinging mud.

In the short time he's been unemployed he says that he has already been approached by a few different people about 'things'...He wouldn't commit to where and when he may resurface but did sound optimistic that it would involve hockey at some level.

Derkatch also mentioned how he was proud of Notre Dame and their Telus Cup victory, a tournament that he himself attended in Selkirk to soak in a couple of games.

A real treat to my day to run into one of the good guys that no matter how good it was going for the Pats this year, would also make himself available for a chat.

NHL Team In Regina?

2009-05-06T20:22:00.002-06:00

So with the musings that the Phoenix Coyotes are nearing extinction in the desert, comes the typical rumors. Now while it seems Jim Balsille is hell-bent on moving the Desert Dogs to the Golden Horseshoe, that hasn't stopped those in Winnipeg from hoping their beloved Jets might complete the round trip and fly home.

Now just because the Peg once had a team doesn't mean they're entitled to one again. In fact, if you are to consider Winnipeg, why not put the franchise here in Regina? Mayor Fiacco commented on it today saying 'why not'?

Combine the population of the surrounding areas and they are comparable once you take in Saskatoon and Moose Jaw. And while Winnipeg's MTS Centre isn't big enough to house an NHL club, the proposed new Dome in Regina would fit more than enough people.

Now maybe these are just idle dreams, but people believed in Bill Hunter when he almost snagged the St. Louis Blues for Toon-town.

I just think that if Winnipeg feels they can have a team, why couldn't we?? Let's face it, if they can do it, we can do it better!

Terrible Timing By The Pats

2009-05-06T08:08:00.002-06:00

The Regina Pats have officially announced what many have thought for weeks. Dale Derkatch is no longer the coach of the Queen City's WHL team.

The announcement didn't come as a shock, but the timing did. GM Brent Parker has said all along that he would make a decision after the bantam draft (last Thursday). It obviously didn't take a whole lot of time for him to make up his mind. So why then could he not have done it anytime in the last 7 weeks?

Would this franchise, who will now see a different Head Coach behind the bench for the third year in a row (unless Curtis Hunt comes back), not benefit from having some sort of stability. Parker admitted that part of Derkatch's downfall may be attributed to getting such a late start last summer.

Would it not be beneficial to have your new top man involved in the draft? It could help to know which style of play your team is going to go with so as to draft a player that may help achieve those goals.

This is a fragile bunch of players right now and its going to take some time for whoever the new coach is to rebuild all that was lost over the last year. Getting the new guy in here sooner rather than later could help with that. Athletes are creatures of habit and need familiarity around them to feel comfortable and thus productive.

So while Derkatch is gone, GM Brent Parker must now bare the cross alone. The turn-around must be quick as Parker himself has said the 'talent is there'. There should be no excuses when it comes to getting a top coach and fielding a top team next year.

As for Derkatch, his departure was quiet. In a brief phone conversation yesterday he basically just said that he has 'said his piece' (not a direct quote) and would rather not get into things. Classy.

Dale never seemed to mind stopping by with a comment or two whether it was at practice or before a game. I really enjoyed having a chance to meet and interview him several times this year. It didn't matter whether it was the first or the last game of the year, you could just see on his face that he loved being at the rink. It's too bad it ended this way for 'The Rat', but no doubt he'll be at a rink soon enough with a smile back on his face.

What? No!

2009-05-05T07:23:00.002-06:00

Really? Ovie nets 3...Sid bulges thrice...What a special game. If you didn't catch the Pens & Caps game 2. Sorry.
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Just dropped of a DVD for the Cougar Women's Basketball Team's annual breakfast. Is Coach Taylor one f the best or what? I could totally see going on a road trip with that guy to Fenway! By the way, I hope to post that video on here soon.
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The Kelowna Rockets have a 3-0 series lead on Calgary. My bad. I thought the Hitmen might go 16-0 in the playoffs. Whoops.
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Got my first 18 of the season in yesterday with CTV's Lee Jones. I played pretty well, almost as good as Phil Mickelson...Oh wait, that was my shot off the clubhouse. Seriously!
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Thom Vernon's blog features a section on Saturday night at the PB. "The Oilers goal, his 3rd of the season...." I agree Thom, we need more of those nights telling old stories and laughing over a pint of Rickards White. Although she could have smiled more!
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Varlamov save on Crosby in game one. Yeah.
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Five Rams players selected in the CFL Draft, most of any University. Does anybody think that Frank is getting it right? He's maybe the only guy that could possibly give Mayor Pat a run for his money in the election.
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Speaking of the Mayor, the 16th Annual Ken Goff Memorial Boxing event was awesome to watch. And kudos to Access for doing a fine job and bringing it to us live, that rocks!
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Two months until the Great White North Triathlon...better go and get my ass in shape!

Wild Weekend

2009-05-01T08:07:00.004-06:00

In the words of Randy Jackson "Check it out Dog"...

I wanted to use this line on air, but found it in real poor taste...'No confirmed cases of swine flu in Saskatchewan yet, but pigskin fever is set to hit the Queen City this weekend!' I know, lame.

The U of R Rams and the Junior Thunder will both hold their spring camps starting today and wrapping up on Sunday. As well, Matt Dominguez is holding his skills camp on Saturday and Sunday at Mosaic. Oh yeah, there's also a little thing called the CFL Draft tomorrow too. There's a god chance at least 2 and maybe more Rams players get selected. Riders only have a couple of picks.

For complete coverage on all of the above and the WCP Soccer Finals...GlobalTV, Ch5.

Oh yeah, there's some horse race in Kentucky that I'll also wrap on!
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Does anybody actually watch the weekend News at 6 & 11? It's honestly one of the best places to check out local sports, cause that's when they happen, on the weekend!! Just because its the weekend doesn't mean its any less quality. The Saturday-Sunday crew pour their hearts into those casts, yet people don't tune in. Funny thing is in this time of economic cutbacks, if people aren't watching, advertisers aren't paying. And let's face it, if we aren't making money, those shows are going to get cut and there goes the look at the local scene. I for one would hate to see that happen. I love doing stories on the young athletes!
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Is it me or has the officiating in the NHL become brutal. Last night during the Hawks/Canucks game it was terrible. On two separate occasions all 4 officials missed obvious Too-Many Men penalties on the Canucks as clearly pointed out by Craig Simpson of HNIC (I thought there was a third.) How about the hooking call on Toews? He had one hand on his stick! C'mon. Even the referee's motion for the call indicates two hands! Oh, and what is the difference between chopping a guys stick out of his hand or chopping his stick and breaking it? Apparently there is one! I don't think either should be called, but it seems the refs only call a penalty if those tough as steel sticks (insert eye roll) shatter!!
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Crosby vs Ovechkin?

How about Malkin vs Backstrom?
Too bad it's in the second round.
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Good to see Rod Pedersen at the Thunder presser yesterday. Its been awhile but it always livens my day to see him. In fact, he put a little heat on me to get off my backside and update this blog. Thanks Rod.

Speaking of exciting, Dan Plaster chasing tornadoes? Love that guy!
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Ken Goff Boxing tonight. Woodsy is doing the broadcast for Access! It'll be a beaut. If you can't make it, check out the Mayor's Cup on Sunday. These two events are no doubt the best boxing that comes through town!
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Adam is a shoe in on Idol. I can't even get my shoe on.
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Watch Global (Voted Prairie Dog's Best Sports) for all the best on the Riders draft this weekend, including a preview tonight at 6pm. Cheers!

Campbell, Carcillo and Cammalleri

2009-04-18T08:40:00.004-06:00

Let's face it, the NHL has officially made itself the punchline in its own joke. Now there have been some funny (not haha) rulings in the NHL playoffs over the years, but the two decisions this week leave even the most casual fan scratching their head trying to figure out the real meaning.

Now I'm not very old, contrary to what my co-workers say, but I remember way back in '87 when Ron Hextall brought the axe down on Kent Nilsson. In the wisdom of the day, Hextall was suspended 8 games, the next season. What? So he is allowed to play at the most crucial time of year, but then has to sit out the next year? WOW! That was a doozie.

But at least there was no real precedent. But what happened on the ice this week seemed to have something to go from in the very recent history.

In Game 1 between Philly and Pittsburgh, with the game out of reach and single digits on the clock, Daniel Carcillo lined up for a face-off with Max Talbot. As the puck was dropped Carcillo threw a roundhouse punch with the top hand on his stick, right to the kisser of Talbot. Suspendable offence? In the eyes of the League, Yes. Fine the Coach, Yes. Case closed.

Move one day forward, the scene Chicago. The Blackhawks are taking on the Calgary Flames. Early in the third period in a tie game, Mike Cammalleri lines up on the wing across from Martin Havlat. At the drop of the puck the Calgary forward spins and punches the Hawks Havlat in the face with the top hand on his stick. Virtually an exact replay of the incident in Pittsburgh 24 hours earlier. Suspension? Fine? Nope....Hmmm. Something smells rotten here and it isn't the players equipment.

The League says it takes into account that Cammalleri is a first time offender. Umm. Actually he still is a no time offender, because he received no discipline for his action. The NHL also states that the game situation is also a factor. It was late in a loss for Carcillo, but Cammalleri did it with 20 minutes to go in a tie game.

So by this wonderful logic, the NHL is stating that its ok to go out and murder a person, as long as they don't make more money than you and if its not on a weekend. You can drive drunk, just do it in the afternoon in a nice car. If you are good looking, you're allowed to slap your wife around a little.

Boy, am I glad that the NHL doesn't govern the real world!!!

With this extremely hypocritical set of rulings, the NHL is once again setting two standards on the ice. It's undeniable. Both acts were the same. Should it really matter who and when? Isn't this a League that says a penalty in the 1st period is a penalty in overtime? (Ask Claude Giroux that one)

Now, for the record, I don't think either player should have faced suspension. And if you recall, Brett Hull's fot was in the crease. Nuff said!

Poor Puck Timing

2009-04-14T14:28:00.002-06:00

Wow. The sun is shining, the temperature rising and hockey is finally heading to the post season. About damn time. Is it me or does the NHL regular season feel like it never ends? This mid-April rite of spring is nothing new, but maybe that's my beef. I shouldn't be throwing slabs of beef on the barbecue while watching hockey.

The NHL needs to seriously look at things. I know there is no clear solution on when to start the season. And reducing the number of games stands about a snowball's chance in June, oh wait, they are still playing hockey then, maybe there are snowballs. Owners don't want to give up revenue dates and really, isn't that what the game is about, money?

Its not only a Pro hockey thing. The WHL is still weeks away from wrapping up before the Memorial Cup even begins in May. The SJHL, bless its soul, has crowned a champ, but the Royal Bank Cup, still in the future.

To me, once the snow blindness of winter is gone, all I can see is golf, biking, and ball. Even in hotbeds of hockey such as Saskatchewan, the appeal of getting out of a cramped stuffy house that most of us have been held prisoner in for 6 long winter months, is far more exciting than Game 7 of the Cup finals.

Solutions? I have but a few. I just think that hockey is doing itself a disservice by not showcasing its best product at an optimal viewing time. Summer ends in late September. Let's drop the puck then. There we gain two weeks. Now scrap that entire sham of an all-star weekend/break. Now we have another week. Cut the schedule back to 70 games. That will give you another three weeks. There, We just gained five weeks and are playing for the Holy Grail at the end of April, before the links, paths and diamonds are open.

And if these changes were even marketed the right way in the least, there could be a chance that revenues could actually go up. Really! In Canada all the dates are sold out already, but now with 6 fewer home dates, you drive up demand. Games now are at a premium. As well, TV rights should also be clamoring to pay top dollar for fewer dates. And now, when the playoffs roll around in late February, there is no competition for the almighty buck on the sports scene. If you're the only show in town, then you should be the most watched, even in the US of A. More viewers equals more advertising money.

Maybe just maybe you could grab some of the NFL junkies looking for a sports fix after the Superbowl and suck them into the excitement that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Right now these chronics are just biding their time for the first pitch of MLB, but catch them while they're weak and they might just like the fastest game on ice.

The playoffs are truly the greatest time in sports, so maybe this makes no sense at all, but then again, does playing hockey in June?

There is Crying in Curling

2009-04-06T09:19:00.003-06:00

With just the slightest of kicks, the tears poured forth. That was the scene at the Optimist U-18 Curling Finals on Sunday.

With a 2-point lead, the girls from the Yukon played their last stone, a draw to the four-foot. As the rock lowed, it was suddenly spurred on just a little bit further by the foot of second Linea Eby. A mistake. An error. A tragedy. As soon as it happened, the young girl's face went pale. You could see the horror in her eyes as the decision of what to do was being made. But in her stomach the poor curler knew there was only one thing to do. Pull the rock off.

Immediately Eby began to cry. It was an unsettling feeling as Marlee Powers stepped into the hack to throw the final Nova Scotia stone that would eventually find the paint and score the win. Never have I heard the call to the sweepers overshadowed by the crying of one heartbroken girl.

Eby composed herself just long enough to shake hands, only to collapse again. To their credit, the Nova Sc0tia team were gracious in victory. In fact, the looked like they felt bad for winning, but after all, they did.

So often we only see the glory of sport and the winners. The tragedy that is losing seemingly is forgotten. For one poor girl from the Yukon, this will be a cross she will bear. Right or wrong.

Truth be told, the game was not lost on the mistake. In fact, had the rock stayed in play it was an easy takeout and the result would have been the same. But it was obvious in her mind that her error was the difference. Never mind its an 8-end game with 64 separate shots per team. This one little mistake certainly couldn't be any worse than sliding long on a draw in the third end.

The girls from the Yukon will head back north with silver medals around their necks, and should be proud of the medal hanging down in front of their hearts, even if they are broken.
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The Callie will host this event again next year and I for one hope to spend a lot more time at it. Real cool to see teams of kids from Canada, US and Asia go at it! I also hope to run into Linea Eby again at a curling rink somewhere and see her with a smile on her face. What doesn't kill you makes you better and nobody bounces back like kids!

Tigeriffic

2009-03-30T10:03:00.003-06:00

Are you kidding me? Five strokes back to start the day, but none of that seemed to matter when the birdie at 2 fell. I think Tiger should be submitted for testing, but not for drugs. I'm convinced that if you went to take a sample of blood you may get some sort of oil or gasoline or something, because this guy is a machine.

I am as big of sports geek as there is, but even I have to admit that golf isn't the most exciting of sports to watch on TV, that is unless Tiger is on and then, nothing beats it. Every shot becomes riveting. Every putt a nail biter. And every fist pump, electrifying.

As golf was on Global yesterday, there was a chance of it disrupting the Evening News. We watched very closely for the afternoon, wondering not only if our show would be affect, but whether or not Tiger would do the impossible that he has made casually possible so many times before.

As he took the lead with just a few holes to play we hurried around the station, everyone getting set to go on-air, because at that point the end seemed inevitable. But then the tee shot on 17 and bunker...Bogey. Tied coming home. Could he birdie the last just like last year?

As the famed golfer Roy McAvoy says, "Fairways and greens." Or maybe it was his caddie. Anyways, Tiger found fairway. And then carved in an approach to 15 feet under the hole. As the 6 o'clock hour neared, Tiger did what he always does. Light up the sky with flash bulbs. Game, set, match. Look out Augusta!
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Oh yeah, welcome to Elle Louise Meyers. Look out LPGA 2028!

What The?

2009-03-25T09:11:00.002-06:00

The World Baseball Classic is over? To be fair, I didn't really have a clue. I thought that the Americans were out a week ago! Then I see Dice-K making gyros out of them.

Seriously, does anybody care about this event? What I did see was a lot of empty seats at the games I did flip by. Maybe it just so happened that everybody at the park went for a beer & a pee when I tuned in! Although, I must admit, the final looked packed!
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Is there a big let down after winning the Brier or the Scotties? There is no doubt that our curlers are the best in the world, but the strain both mentally and physically put on our teams to win the national championship seems to wear them down. And really, do you think Jennifer Jones gets up for a game against Denmark as much as she does to take on Cheryl Bernard?
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As everybody knows I hate the NHL's point awarding system, but if there is a positive to take out of it, the playoff races are exciting. Problem is, you need a scientific calculator to figure out teams magic numbers. You can't live and die by teams win and losses because ties make such a big difference. 9 games to go and I have no idea other than if my beloved Oil win out they are in. Any other combo of results is infinite.

Odds & Ends

2009-03-24T09:52:00.002-06:00

Is the bluelight going to stop flashing? K-Mart and crew win another Canada Cup. I had the chance to meet up with Kevin Martin in Yorkton. He looked and sounded exhausted after curling terribly but still beating Brad Gushue. If there isn't talk about this team being the best ever in curling, the whispering should start.
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Of the combined 8 teams in Hoopla 5A boys & girls sem-final action, only one wasn't from Regina. I dare say that Queen City Hoops is in good shape. No wonder why the U of R Cougar women have been in back-to-back National Finals game.
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Jordan Eberle signs with the Oilers, not a shock. Don't fret folks, the Pats superstar will be back in blue and white next year and lead Canada to a 6th straight gold at the World Jr's.
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Now what? The Pats and Warriors are done and its still awhile until Rider camp opens. The University seasons have wrapped up and the high schools have handed out the trophies. So what will Regina sports fans wrap themselves around? I'm wondering too...Drop me a not in the comment section if you have any ideas.
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Shout outs...Stefanie Lawton, Sherry Middaugh, Brad Gushe...all gracious in defeat. Dave Arnold, for making NewsTalk fun to listen to and Sugar Ray Leonard for just being awesome!

Lords of the Rings Not At Home

2009-03-20T10:01:00.008-06:00

A great event is happening in our province, but none of the locals have turned up to host. The Canada Cup of Curling is being played in Yorkton this week without any Men's teams from Saskatchewan.

The lineup includes names like Martin, Gushue, Stoughton, Ferby and Middaugh. A veritable who's who in the men's game. And yet no team from the 306 was able to qualify. Concerning yes, but surprising no.

"This is a tough event to qualify for," says 2006 Olympic Gold Medallist Brad Gushue. Sure it is, just look at the caliber. But it speaks to a deeper issue of the state of the game here in Saskatchewan.

1980. You know it, you hate it. The Brier drought in this curling hotbed has reached three decades and counting. Curling has been at three Olympic games, yet no team from the Green province has represented the Red & White.

It's not that there aren't good curlers in Saskatchewan, it just seems that there aren't very many of them at the top level. Once you look past Pat Simmons & Joel Jordison, there isn't many names that spring to mind that may have a chance to take on the heavyweights in the sport.

It'd be easy to say that we just simply don't have the population here. But that argument doesn't slide. Manitoba is barely bigger and Newfoundland isn't even close when it comes to the number of people. They have 6 Briers and an Olympic Gold in the time which Sask hasn't won anything.

Maybe its the lack of good Juniors? Again, wrong. Saskatchewan's boys have won the national title twice in the last seven years. So the development program seems to be in place to get the kids on the right road to success. But that's where the dead end happens.

These successes have not translated to the men's game. All across curling clubs in the Land of Living Skies the game is dying with the 20 to 40 aged men. It's something the SCA (Saskatchewan Curling Association) says it is seeing, but it has no idea why.

Could it be the wrong approach to the game is being taken here? Look at the top teams at the Brier. Glenn Howard, Jeff Stoughton & Kevin Martin are all seasoned pros. While the game of curling is becoming increasingly athletic, it seems the strategy and mental side is also getting tougher.

John Morris, Martin's third, is a great example. Here's a guy that skipped Ontario to a Brier final as a virtual kid. But when it came time to being a part of a 'Super Team' with the goal of winning everything all the time, Morris checked his ego and has slid under the tutelage of one of the best in the world. Result: 2 Briers, loads of cash and their eye on the Gold.

This game of Rock N' Roll is becoming more and more a game of athletes playing chess with the precision of a surgeon. And while the good are getting better, they are also getting fewer. Only very few teams stand at the top of the hill and unfortunately, right now Saskatchewan's best are looking up.

Now, given all this, it bodes well that the 30 years of futility in this province is nearing the end. Pat Simmons seems determined to win it all. He has the commitment and the skill. He was even close two years ago when a picked rock cost him a shot at the final.

So its not all doom and gloom and in fact, the light might be closer than one thinks. Simmons has already qualified fr the Pre-Olympic Trials in the fall and can't wait to have a chance at representing Canada.

It won't be easy for Saskatchewan's men to conquer the curling world, but the provinces Lords of the Rings do seem to be getting closer to the top and hopefully will start making regular appearances at places like the Canada Cup.

Pats Eulogy

2009-03-17T08:59:00.003-06:00

Where to begin? I suppose at the bottom or near it, kinda where the team finished. The blame with this club needs to be like a good jam sandwich, spread to every corner and thick.

Let's start with the players. This group was far to carefree. Now I don't mean to say they didn't care. But caring comes at a cost, its not free, and in hockey you have to pay a price to reap the rewards. The Blue & White of 08/09 were far to frugal. Too often the team was second best in corner battles, picked up silver medals in races to the puck and seemed to get beaten in every showdown situation (see 4-10 shootout record).

The motto since early December has been "We're better than our record shows"...No you're not. You are exactly what your record shows, that's why they keep track of wins and losses. In 2009 the club went 8-23 with 5 of those wins coming against the WHL's worst club, the Moose Jaw Warriors. So 3-22 against teams other than the Tribe. Wow!!

But its unfair to slaughter the players without looking at their leaders. This was the only team in all of Canada to have 2-WJHC players on it. A bonafide sniper in Jordan Eberle and a hulking defenceman in Colten Teubert. Add to the mix argueably the best rookie in the WHL in Jordan Weal and last seasons Eastern Conference Goalie of the Year Linden Rowat and you have the core of a good young team. But in this league its the 19 & 20 year olds that make your hay for you.

Sure Brett Leffler and Matt Strueby had career years in goal scoring, but where was their dominating performances? At 19 they should impose their will on the other team. Didn't see that. Mitch Czibere, great guy, but I never saw him get under people's skin. Why? The Pats rarely seemed like a tough team to play. Nobody seems to worried to go into the corners to do battle with the Blue & White. And its the teams older players that should be the ones leading the charge in there.

Enough bashing the kids, because we do lose sight that these young men are just that, young. What about the adults in this situation? Dale Derkatch and Terry Perkins. Well, with any teams failures, coaching must take some heat.

It never really seemed like the coaching staff got the team to completely buy in. When a group plays with no urgency or desire, the finger points at the man on the bench. A coach needs to motivate his group and it seemed terribly obvious on too many nights that Derkatch et al were unable to light even a slow burn under the butts of their players.

Now to the offices at the Brandt. GM Brent Parker doesn't come away from this smelling like roses either, nor does his scouting staff. While the Pats certainly do boast some talent, what they are short on is identity. Kinda reminds me of the Ottawa Senators. What kind of team was this? They weren't fast, they weren't tough, they didn't play shut down D. Parker tried a couple of moves this year, but in the end they were a bit mystifying. Neal Prokop was added for presumably some size and toughness, but that never played out. Matt Robertson was suppose to be the 20 year old trigger man, but even he disappeared. And the Jesse Dudas experiment was a ticking timebomb that finally detonated.

At let us not stop here. If we are throwing eggs at the team, cast one in the direction of Owner Russ Parker. Inevitably its his team. If all these players, coaches and Management staff are failing to succeed its the owners fault for allowing it to happen.

Now, by the sounds of this column it would seem that the Pats should sell the team, fire everybody and demote most of the team to play in the PJHL. But the exact opposite is what should happen. this is a group that lost their mojo somewhere along the way. A first year coach who made plenty of mistakes but who bleeds Blue & White. The GM is one of the fiercest competitors around and the Owner is doing what a good owner needs to do, trust his people.

Every season brings new hope and I hope that Parker, Derkatch and the players are all still under the Orange Top in the fall. Not only do I believe they are good people, I firmly stand behind the fact that every single one of them want what is best for the Pats organization and given the chance at a clean slate, they'll learn from this and move on and up.

Cougars Are Regina's Champions

2009-03-09T12:27:00.002-06:00

In the words of assistant coach Christin Dickenson, "I wanted the storybook ending!"

It was there for the taking and for 25 minutes it seemed possible. The cougars played with heart and fire, but in the end came up agonizing short of completing the fairytale.

But for a Cougars team that says goodbye to six 5th year players, all is not lost. This team became the Queens of the Queen City...nearly 2500 fans in packed the CKHS, watching from everywhere, including the track upstairs. The ruckus fans erupting with each Cougar basket. Standing ovations were common place on this night that gave everyone a show of true sports desire.

The tears after the loss are hard to watch. Chelsea Cassano, the team's rock in the middle, sobbing openly. Meryl Jordan hugging family members. Jessica Lynch, a ferocious competitor, gathering her teammates together for one last cheer. It's a scene that touches everyone who was blessed to be there.

And while the trophy was not theirs to have, this group of girls are certainly Champions. Not because of their amazing on court performance, but for what they are off the court. The girls are more than accommodating to the media and their fans. There are more smiles than at a dentist's convention. It's the quiet charisma with which they walk the halls.

Head Coach Dave Taylor considers these girls his second family and commented on how "Hindsight will show this to be one of the best Cougar teams ever" after back to back silver medals at Nationals.

So often in sports we measure everything in wins and losses, but the U of R Cougars proved this weekend that you don't need the high score to be crowned winners.

For this reporter, it truly was the best weekend covering sports I've had the pleasure to be a part of. Thank you Cougars.

Tammy Jule - Athelte of the Week

2009-03-02T11:52:00.011-06:00

Just a week after turning 23 Tammy Jule took an afternoon to sit down and chat with me. The Regina beach product walks away from the volleyball court as the U of R's all-time kills leader.

DM - Was volleyball always your passion, your interest?

TJ - I grew up on an acreage and was more involved with horses and stuff like that. My first time playing volleyball would have been in grade 7 and I sat on the bench for half a year. I really enjoyed basketball and was better at it. But in grade 9 I was recruited for a club team and that's where everything started and I couldn't turn back.

To this day Jule still loves horses. She says it is the way you get to know a horse so well that you can just know which way they're going to go. The outdoors and the getting away from the city all appeals to her.

DM - So were you real tall in grade 9, real athletic?

TJ - I was just enough. I started club in grade 9. Actually there was a provincial team tryout. I didn't know about provincial team. Never heard of it. We were encouraged to try out and I thought there was no way I'll make it, so I didn't go. My parents were upset, so they took me to Moose Jaw for the ID camp and I ended up making the team and ended up playing for the youth National team that summer. S it all happened pretty fast.

Over the course of her career Jule played for the Regina Reds Club, Provincial team, Youth National team, Junior National team, the University of Buffalo and the U of R.

DM - back in grade 9, would have you expected all this?

TJ - I was just kinda going week to week, team to team. I didn't expect in my first year playing club to be playing on the National team by any means. So it was all pretty new to me. But as soon as you're on that team, then university becomes more and more of a reality.

DM - What was your time at the U of R like?

TJ - It was great to come home and to be with family and friends. To see familiar faces in the crowd, to play with the girls I grew up with, that was really good. Even getting the chance to help coach some of my now teammates, that was really cool. It was good to have the people close to me that have supported me throughout my career come and watch me.

DM - As volleyball goes, is this it for you?

TJ - I'm not ready to be done. There's a few opportunities that will hopefully come up. They have pro leagues overseas. Europe, Asia, Puerto Rico. I'm talking with an agent and I'd love to do that.

Jule is the go to gal on the team. When the Cougars need a big shot, she's the one who wants the chance to take it.

DM - Does your play translate into who you are off the court?

TJ - I think in some respects. I think my close friends will come to me for advice. If I don't have the answer, I'll hope to sort thru it the best I can.

Enrolled in the faculty of Kinesiology & Health studies Jule is making a switch to Marketing. She credits the similarities to the teamwork aspect of marketing and volleyball that makes that path attractive.

DM - Has your involvement in sports inspired your career choice?

TJ - Absolutely. Sports has had huge impact on my life and I know that it'll definitely continue to.

Tammy is the middle child of five. So far she is the most accomplished on the court, giving her youngest sister a role model. her siblings even take her #10.

DM - Is it important to be a leader?

TJ - I think its real important to be that person, cause those are the people I really want in my life and I love having family and friends that I can look to and that support me and I definitely want to be that for other people.

Tidbits: No superstitions

Drives a Honda Ridgeline named 'Roger' (her parents really like her)

DM - What will you remember the most from the U of R?

TJ - I think there's gonna be some games that stand out more than others and some practices you remember more than others, but more than anything its going to be the friendship. The hard work that you put in, just knowing how much, how you could do it. How if you set your mind to something, you could do it. Even if you're so tired and you feel you can't, there's always a way to push thru it.

It seems no matter what happens Tammy Jule will not have to push her way thru life, instead she'll be leading the pack, pulling others along with her towards the top.

Redemption!

2009-02-28T13:29:00.002-06:00

That's the only way to describe the U of R Women's Basketball win over the U of S last night in the Canada West Semi-Final by a 64-58 count.

The Cougars were schllacked by 28 points on their home court just over a month ago and were out for a little justice last night at the Final Four. The Cougars screamed out of the gate and were up by as many as 15 in the second quarter.

Talking with Head Coach Dave Taylor this morning he was pleased with the win, although he did say it got a bit sloppy at times. The Cougars turned the ball over too many times, but as he said "at this time of year the win is all that matters".

All-star Jessica Lynch lead the way for the Lady Cougars with some outstanding play on the defensive side. The fifth year forward lead the whole way for the Cougars with star centre Chelsea Cassano in foul trouble.

Tonight the Cougars are in tough against an offensively potent SFU. Coach Taylor knows that they'll need to play excellent defence and more importantly give SFU different looks on the D-side of the ball. It's not a matter of don't fix what isn't broke, because they'll continually have to switch the D to be successful.

More on the Final tomorrow.

Go West Girls!

2009-02-27T08:41:00.002-06:00

The basketball women of the U of R are in Burnaby this weekend for the Canada West Final Four.

Now a person could easily see this as a mere formality as all four teams will compete again in a weeks time for a National title. But for the Cougars there is plenty of motivation in BC.

First up, they play their arch rivals from the U of S tonight in the semi-final. Yeah, that's right, the same team that hammered the Lady Cougs by 28 on their home court in January. "We watched film of that game and it pissed us off" were the words from Gabby Gheyssen. The same girl who dubbed every battle with the Huskies a "blood bath" back in January. Bekki Schmidt offered that the team is going to BC to win a title, but that "revenge" is certainly on the cats mind.

In retrospect, maybe the 'Drubbing at the Den' was the best thing to happen to the U of R women. Assistant Coach Christin Dickenson spoke quietly yesterday of just that fact. If there was already a fire burning in this rivalry, that beat down maybe poured a bit of gas on it.

The gals looked loose at practice yesterday at Campbell. Why they are kicked out of their home gym a week before the big competition here in years is still a mystery to me. The cats look hungry and ready to feast.

Check in here tomorrow where I hope to have some comments from Head Coach Dave Taylor about tonight's game with the Huskies. Might be a bit later, just because of the time change.

What to Call It?

2009-02-23T21:15:00.003-06:00

Now I know I said that my first Athlete of the Week blog would be today, and it sort of is. More than just any athlete, I want to go in depth about the type, the how and the what this weekly blog will feature.

Where I am stumped is what should I call the feature? Give me some feedback. Here's an overview of what I plan to do.

I'm going to sit down, chat, bring you the interview, pictures and more. I believe this is a great forum to get to know more about some of your favorite athletes and be introduced to some new ones. More than just the 'how did you win?' questions.

In the coming weeks I hope to bring you up close interviews with women's basketball players, men's hockey players, world champs and the future of sport. Each interview providing an in depth look that can only be captured here. Regina is a city full of athletes deserving of such a title.

Just a quick heads-up...I have arranged for my first athlete of the week interview. Just to wet your taste buds a bit, all I'll say is she is one of my very favorite university athletes that I've had the pleasure to watch over the last few months. A dominant figure in her sport. Next Monday I'll have the exclusive chat with her.

Plan the Route

2009-02-22T09:29:00.003-06:00

The Pats won a game. Now that IS news, but hardly worth getting excited for. No disrespect to the Moose Jaw Warriors, but Regina should beat them. And, they should beat them again tonight.

The trouble is, its really all for not. The Pats are clinging to the hope of sneaking into the playoffs by a thread. Even if they are able to mount a comeback in the standings, their prize? The Calgary Hitmen! Yeah, the Oilers did topple the Detroit Red Wings in 06...but they had some desire and a hot goalie. The Pats have shown they have neither.

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Good people deserve recognition. How about Peter Loubardias and Sam Cosentino? Not only do they do a fab job for Sportsnet, but they're just great guys. After Friday's game there were a number of sports media hanging at the Press Box. Both of the aforementioned took the time to come over and chat with me a bit on how things are going in my career. I remember listening to Peter call Estevan Bruins games when I was a kid. For him to show a genuine interest in me and take 20 minutes to just gab on about stuff was awesome. It's nice to meet the good guys and they're two of the best.

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The new TSN2 is a huge pain in my rump (cue jokes about my HUGE rump)...Last night in typical confusing fashion, TSN is scheduled to have the curling. But lone behold a Nascar race (Nationwide, not Sprint Cup) runs long. Big shock. So, they run a crawl saying curling will be on TSN2. Then a short time later, the curling is arbitrarily switched back over to TSN. Luckily I was waiting for such a foul up. I'm sure the people taping the curling last night were pumped! Thanks for that one TSN.

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Did I mention I hate the shootout? Even last night when Mats won it in his return to the ACC, still hate it.

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Trade deadline in 9 days. With the cap destined to go down will we see any big deals? Doubtful. Too much uncertainty and too much seperation between the good teams and the bad.

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Early playoff prediction. Calgary is the only Canadian team to make the second round, but that's where our Nation's hopes end.

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Good luck to Hillis and crew today. It'd be great to have both the Men & Women going to the CanWest final Four.

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A new thing I'm going to start is my Monday Morning Athlete of the Week...Watch for it tomorrow. The first edition will just be a bit of a trial run, but the plan is to do an in depth interview with a local athlete that is deserving of such an honor. Tomorrow will just be a trial, but the plan is to have pictures and more. It came to me last week when I had the pleasure of meeting Kali Christ a young and very accomplished speed skater. I have the best job in the world!

Free Agency Fumble

2009-02-19T08:43:00.005-06:00

The CFL is a great product. It is followed by thousands of passionate fans from coast to coast. So why does the league fumble the ball when it comes to trying to capitalize on creating some mid-winter publicity.

The CFL free-agent period opened at 12:01am EST, Monday. Now, while I was excited and actually awake (I was at work), I'm sure I was one of a very select group of people who was hitting the refresh on my computer at an accelerated rate, trying to see who was going where.

The CFL is now found exclusively on TSN and if that network does anything good, its the hype it creates surrounding days like this. The NHL Draft, Free Agency and not to mention Trade Deadline day are all feathers in the cap Canada's #1 sports network. So I don't see why the CFL doesn't change things a bit, have a 3pm start to free agency, thus giving TSN a chance to promote it, have a show, bring in the panel, go live to Edmonton and yadda yadda yadda.

It could easily work as the CFL allows teams to speak to players under contract prior to deadline (that is for another blog), so as is the case now, the floodgates would open and there would be deals breaking fast and furious. It's just that shifting the timing a mere 15 hours, it would be all over cable television when people might actually be watching. Thus creating more buzz around a time when the hive is generally dormant.

This is a great chance for the league to capitalize on some 'free' publicity that its just missing out on. But this is one fumble that the CFL could easily recover itself and set the league up for a big touchdown in the future.

What's the Point?

2009-02-18T09:06:00.004-06:00

Where I come from (Midale, SK) you play the game to win. So as I look at all these points being awarded for losses in the NHL, it makes me sick. What a great message the league is sending, its okay to be mediocre.

In a game that is as tightly contested as hockey, I can understand that you would like to reward teams for a tie. I'm fine with that, but then its a tie. How can you honestly justify giving 2 points to a team that wins a skills competition and then award the same amount of points to a team that wins in 60 minutes. It really is a joke and I'm getting awfully sick of teams being satisfied of playing the last ten minutes as if they were on egg-shells not ice.

Players aren't stupid. playoffs mean bonuses and points equal playoffs. Especially playing conference or divisional opponents when the points are doubly important. Why would you risk going for the win if it may cost you the loss? Just play safe and wait for OT where you are guaranteed the point and then take your chances in the shootout for the bonus.

Here is a league and a commissioner hell bent on growing the game in the US of A and yet they do nothing but create situations to bore the game. Sure fans love the shootout...It's the first 65 minutes of paint drying that is the tough part to get past.

The League has to look at adopting a new points awarding system. It's hardly fair that some games are worth a total of 3 points while winning the old-fashioned way only has the league giving out 2 points.

I know this isn't a new argument, but isn't that the problem, this system rewards mediocrity. If its so great, let's celebrate both teams in the Stanley Cup Finals..After all they both made it. Give the top 2/3's of the Cup to the winner and the bottom 1/3 to the losers. That way everyone can win and the League will continue to be the only LOSER!

LIT Up!

2009-02-16T11:25:00.003-06:00

Wow...It's the only way to describe the Luther Invitational Tournament of basketball. The setting is really unparalleled. The gymnasium at Luther is more of a cathedral of sport. The first time I stepped in there was on Wednesday, the calm before the storm.

With no ruckus crowd, I was immediately taken by the championship banners posted on the vaulted ceiling, remembering the titans of the years past. The most notable, the 1984 Lions banner, celebrating their amazing win. It was quiet on this day, almost too quiet.

Thursday I was back in the very same place, but it seemed like a world away. The utter chaos that I witnessed was that of true passion and pure sport. The teams raced up and down the court like greased lightning, trading shot for shot, mere inches from the crowd. There were literally people jammed into this arena of purism as if they were on the last bus headed towards a resort in Mexico. It seemed like a feeding frenzy as the cheering never stopped, nor did the action on the court. I've been to some remarkable sporting events in my time, but this is something to see.

I now know the appeal of LIT. This cathedral of sport has taken the essence of the game back to its purest form for both athlete and spectator, and I am certainly drinking the coolaid from this religion's chalice.

A-Roid

2009-02-10T08:45:00.002-06:00

So Alex Rodriguez has come clean about being dirty. So that pretty much takes care of it. Baseball is a joke.

To interpret this into Canadian terms. Say Wayne Gretzky was under huge speculation that he had used something that helped make him unbelievable. And then yesterday out comes Sid Crosby saying that two years ago, he was using. That's what ball is looking at with two of its best offensive players of all-time in hot water over either lying about steriods (Barry Bonds) or admitting taking something, as A-Rod did.

I think maybe guys in the NHL should start taking something and then purposely get caught. If Gary Bettman had half a brain he'd make sure Alex Ovechkin failed something, maybe that way his dream of selling the game to Americans would work. People in the 50 States love baseball more than ever, despite the cheating that went on for nearly two decades. Seriously, we always talk about hockey players being so tough and sacrificing their bodies to win, well what about taking some PED's? If hockey players truly want to put their bodies in harms way, its the only way! It'll grow their physique and apparently the sport.

Listen, I don't condone what A-Rod did, but I understand it. Here's a guy that had just signed on for a 1/4 Billion dollars, more money than some provinces spend on education. You don't think he felt pressure to perform. And back 6 or 7 years ago when baseball clubhouses could easily be mistaken for a pharmacy, it's no wonder he tried a few things. Hell, it was more Vegas party than sport, ofcourse now the players are enduring a bit of hell.

I say good for Rodriguez for admitting it. Sure, he was basically caught, but he just said enough and fessed up. Maybe Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds should take a note from A-Roid and come clean about their dirtiness.

Pats Problems

2009-02-07T11:59:00.003-06:00

From way up high in the Brandt centre press box, things didn't look much better than they did from ice level. I took in different parts of the Oil Kings/Pats game from different areas of the arena and no matter where I was, the pictures were the same. Out of focus.

A person has to feel for the players and coaching staff as they seem to be trying everything to inject some life into a club that has dropped 11 of 15 and now is on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. Coach Derkatch was almost at a complete loss for words after the game. Some of the players we spoke with look as mystified as a Sigfried and Roy audience. The Pats confidence is just like a Vegas illusion act, disappeared.

Last night the Queen City kids looked as if they were thinking about what to do, where to go or when to shoot. Hockey at this level is fast and reactionary and if players take the time to work through the thousands of possible permutations available, they are destined to fail, because it'll be too late.

Too often Pats players were clearly outsmarting themselves, but never so evident than in the final 6 minutes of the game. After a Jesse Dudas slapshot had injured starter Torrie Jung, Cam Lanigan was called upon to hold onto the Oil Kings lead. Over those final minutes the Pats only directed 3 shots on goal. One shot every 2 minutes is not good enough when you have a cold goalie entering the game and you are trying to tie the affair.

Time and time again I saw Pats players pass up a shot because nobody was in front or the angle might not have been the best. That is the sign of a team squeezing the carbon fibre right out their sticks. There was no confidence in just trying to flat out beat a cold goalie with a shot.

There are no simple answers for the Pats. The team needs to walk by a mirror on the way to the ice and take a look in it. These kids are good young players and as a team they can be a strong force. They just need to see it.

BP on the Ice

2009-02-06T09:26:00.003-06:00

A tense feeling filled the Brandt Centre air yesterday afternoon as 'the Boss' laced up his skates and went for a twirl. Pats GM Brent Parker observed his floundering team from the trenches. The General Manager says its something he likes to do a couple times a season and its a good way for "a fat GM" to get some exercise.

The small media horde that was there to witness Parker's participation weren't buying his exercise routine, seeing as though he didn't take part in the skating drills when we were there.

Head Coach Dale Derkatch welcomed having the top man on the ice. Derkatch was all smiles, saying that the staff is willing to try anything if it means getting some wins. Only a day earlier Derkatch seemed extremely tired and at wits end after another loss, a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the Blades.

Another fresh face on the ice yesterday was Midget Pat C's goalie Derek Tendler. His appearance seemed to come as a bit of a surprise to veteran goaltender Linden Rowat, who would only say that he didn't know anything about that situation but that it was going to motivate him to work harder. Rowat is generally an upbeat kid who is good for a clip, but yesterday he seemed visibly annoyed.

So what do these two guest appearances mean? Maybe Parker just wanted to shoot some pucks. And maybe Tendler was brought out to just stop a couple pucks. But I don't think its a stretch to read between the lines and see that the GM and Coaches are trying everything they can to motivate their team in front of a huge weekend.

With Edmonton in town tonight and PA tomorrow, both teams the Pats are tied with for the 8th and final playoff spot, the Queen City kids better grow up fast or they'll find themselves in the express lane, out of the post season.

Tillman Charged

2009-02-04T08:26:00.004-06:00

By now most everybody in the 306 knows about Riders GM Eric Tillman being charged with sexual assault. The alleged incident took place last summer and Regina, the 16 year old female complainant reported it to police three days later and charges were laid on January 27th.

In our justice system one is innocent until proven guilty and I will follow by those standards in this case as well. I am not a lawyer or a legal junkie, so I won't delve into that arena, but what I do know is sports.

Despite Riders President Jim Hopsin stating that the team will be fine with Tillman on administrative leave, one has to think that Riderville may see a few speed bumps ahead. The CFL Free Agency period is set to kickoff in less than two weeks time. I have to think it might be hard to convince prospective players to come to Regina when the GM is caught up in some serious legal matters. Players want to know where the team is at and where it is heading before they sign on. Tillman is a great orator and can be quite the salesman for the Green and White. But with his voice being muted, players may flip through the station to listen to something else they like.

The word out of Mosaic is that the team will look to the senior members of its staff, lead by Ken Miller will assume the GM role. No disrespect to Coach Miller, but he is just that, the Coach. This is a league of salary caps and long term planning. Its just scary to think that the man with a plan is now on the sidelines while the guy who is used to being on the sidelines is making the plans. The good news for Rider Nation is that Tillman has already all but locked up the majority of the teams needs before his charges.

Two questions still out there are Linebackers Maurice Lloyd and Anton McKenzie. Both All-stars and both due a raise, but at what price. Ultimately the choice is theirs whether or not to return to Saskatchewan and I wonder if this issue may just sway them.

It's a difficult situation and in time it will all play out. The truth and the answers will start to come forward in the court room in just a few weeks, but there will continue to be questions on the field until the season starts.

Super'Duper'Bowl

2009-02-02T21:26:00.003-06:00

What more is there to say that hasn't already been said. After a relatively so-so first three quarters, their was an explosion in Tampa Bay and it wasn't the Pirate ship firing off its canons.

First Pittsburgh seemingly avoids disaster on a 3rd & 10 from their one, only to be called on a hold and give up the safety. Next the Fitzgerald play which had it not been for 'Big Ben' and his drive for the ages, would have erased any memory of David what's his name from the NYG.

Then along comes "Thee Ohio State University" and what may simply be known as 'The Catch' for this generation. Hard to believe last year's Superbowl could be topped, but get out the cherry and the whip cream, cause its been done.
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Michael Phelps has been having a real 'hoot' since the Olympics. Who cares? If he can smoke pot and still win 8 gold medals, what does that say for the rest of the guys in the pool?
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What a great weekend around town for CIS action. Tim Switzer from the Leader Post ran the gauntlet on Saturday hitting every single event. Congrats to him. Don't look now, but the Women's Basketball team is starting to get comfy at the CKHS, can't wait for Nationals next month!!

Who is God Picking?

2009-02-01T10:33:00.004-06:00

Football is a religion. Maybe that's why they play on a Sunday? On this particular Sunday, the Christmas of sport, the Superbowl will be played. Both teams are looking for a little help 'from above' in order to be crowned kings of the gridiron.

But who is the 'Big Guy' roting for? Well, through careful deduction I have figured out that God must have a place in Arizona. Think about it. Phoenix is in the desert. Isn't there something in the Bible about where the Jews were forced to go? Yeah something like 40 years. Roughly as long as the Cardinals waited to get into the playoffs. Then there is the team name, Cardinals. There is an obvious reference to the 12 men of the Catholic church who serve under the Pope.

What about the Ten Commandments? It says 'Thou Shall Not Steal'...Ok, not a direct translation, but the negative connotation around the word steal (at least in rhymes with Steel) gives me a bad vibe about what the 'Man Upstairs' thinks about Pittsburgh.

So far me, I've seen the signs (no, there wasn't 7 of them) but they all point towards a Lombardi Trophy for Arizona.

All the Things I've Seen

2009-01-30T09:30:00.003-06:00

Driving home from the gym (yeah that's right, I went for a run) this morning I was listening to one of my favorite bands, The Killers. The track All the Things I've Done filled my car with its sweet sound and reminded me of the fantastic Nike commercial that played last year during the Olympics.

I got thinking about all the wonderful sporting events I've been to over my years as a spectator. Oilers games, Olympics (Calgary & Salt Lake), Joe Louis Arena for the playoffs, the PGA Championship, an Arsenal soccer match, Seattle Mariners, the Seahawks... But of all the things I've witnessed in the flesh, two events last year resonate in my mind.

2008 US Open. Tiger Woods. Need I say more? That Saturday as Tiger wobbled around Torrey Pines on one leg I was amazed. The eagle putt on 13 from somewhere near Hawaii (70ft) was one of the Tiger moments. It just seemed to take forever to get there, but all along you just had that feeling it might go.

Then on 17, chipping from beside the green, Woods hits it to hard, but the ball simply takes one hop and then just like Dr. J. slams into the hole. If that wasn't enough, Eldrick goes right ahead and sinks a 30 footer for another eagle, just for good measure on 18.

Then came Sunday and anthor epic Tiger moment that will be on hilite reels for years. This time it was only a 12 footer on 18, but just getting it to sneak inside the corner and force a playoff. And while the US Open makes the players square off over 18 holes, that wasn't enough for Rocco Mediate to take Tiger out. Finally, after 91 holes, Woods was got to put his hands on his third US Open trophy. What a weekend? And all the while I was receiving daily updates from the course from my friend Larry Isaac (A great tv sports producer and a bit of an idol of mine).

The other event in 08 that will stick with me for awhile is Michael Phelps. While it was cool to see Usain Bolt dominate the competition with ease in 100m and 200m track events. The way in which Phelps picked up 8 golds is a once in a generation event.

The Men's relay where the Americans came out of nowhere. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Phelps already had six shiny gold donuts in his bag when he dove into the pool for the final f the Men's 100m butterfly. Four lengths of the pool separating him from tying Mark Spitz and history. Coming down to the wire it appeared as though Phelps' journey towards destiny might fall short. But at the wall, one final, quick stroke and touch of the wall...Phelps beat out his Croatian competitor by 1/100ths of a second. Unreal! The Americans captured the 4x100m Medley the next day and the pages of history needed changing.

Two great moments that will not soon be forgotten in my mind, even among all the things I've seen!.

Fine as Swiss Tennis

2009-01-29T09:14:00.004-06:00

Roger Federer is off to the Finals at the Aussie Open after straight setting over-hyped American Andy Roddick. Just appearing in his 19th straight Grand Slam semi is an amazing feat all to itself for the Super Swiss. Think about it, 19 times in a row he's made it to the final four of the four major tournaments. Only Ivan Lendl has appeared in more Grand Slam Finals and he only won 8 to Federer's 13 and counting. Over the last two decades nobody has a longer winning streak than RF's 41 or even his second best run of 35. The Fine Swissman is on the verge of tying Pete Sampras for the most Grand Slam single titles ever with 14 and its only taken him half the time to do it. Ironically, Sampras last won over a half dozen years ago, just when his heir apparent started collecting trophies. He's one of only 6 players to reach the final of every major. He spent 237 consecutive weeks as the #1 player in the world, the longest streak ever. Imagine waking up 1659 straight mornings and knowing you are the indisputable best at what you do. This is a body of work that is indisputably unmatchable by anybody that has set foot on the court. High performance at such a level of consistency like this is borderline impossible. But hey, they make them to last longer and taste sweeter in the land of the Swiss.
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Good thing poster boy Sid Crosby can play with pain. Just for showing up and smiling at the All-Star game, he avoided a one game suspension. He was so injured a couple of days ago that he couldn't risk anything in a game of shinny, but had three points against the Blue Shirts in New York last night. Meanwhile, Detroit fans (and me) still don't know why they're guys had to sit and not the wonderboy in Pittsburgh. Must be a good smile Crosby has. I wonder if the Red Wings would have sent a poster of Lidstrom and datsyuk, if that would been enough.
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The headline reads, "LEGACY ON THE LINE AS ST. PIERRE, PENN PREPARE TO SQUARE OFF"....Legacy? Are you kidding me. How about we all meet on Dewdney Street outside the bar and watch two animals try and prove their testosterone levels to the world. Legacy, ha.
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Finally, the Vancouver Canucks. Nobody likes a guy who says 'I told ya so' but I did. I don't think that many people like me anyway. Kind of like the way Vancouver fans feel about the Canuckle-heads these days. 10 million (pro-rated) to an old Swedish guy who hasn't played in the NHL in forever (I don't consider the Leafs a real big league club the last few years). Okay, so it has been less than a year, but c'mon Mike Gillis (GM Canucks), this almost never works. Trying to plug a big name into your lineup to put you over the top. Let's remember where this team finished last year. Below the playoff cut line. Then the club lost its franchise leader in Markus Naslund to New York. Brendan Morrison caught the first ferry out of town, taking his perennial 20 goals a year with him to Disneyland. To be surprised that the club has drooped 8 in a row at home and 7 straight overall shouldn't necessarily be a shock. What does need the defibrillator is the identity of this team. Now, no doubt Roberto Luongo is the club's best player, but having him as your Captain sends the wrong message. Yeah, I know (and Rod Pedersen let me know it) how important the goalie is, but if he ain't out there blocking shots and taking hits, its hard for any of his teammates to relate and therefore respect him. I've never liked hearing from a tender that we need to cycle the puck better down low. How the hell would he know? And, if one thing is as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, all goalies are a bit, how shall we say, different (again confirmed by Rod and my Dad. Both goalies). So while the list of reasons why the Canucks continue to be bad is long, their season may end up just being as short as last year.

When Two is Too Many!

2009-01-28T08:57:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was the annual 3-ring circus that is Superbowl media day. Much like City Councillors in Regina (according to Tom) the media does its best to get on TV this day with the wackiness that exists. Over 4,500 reporters from 20 Countries take in the annual gong-show that is less about journalism and more about grandstanding. The only thing I learned from it all is that Kurt Warner is close to God. That's good, because I'm not sure if the Cardinals have a snowball's chance in hell of winning.
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I got the chance to speak with a couple of 5th year players from the Lady Cougars Volleyball team yesterday. I know I sound like a broken record and keep saying how wonderful our University athletes are, but it's true. If the record was broken, would it actually play? Shouldn't I sound like a scratched record? Anyways, Tammy Jule and Kelly Cowan both spoke of how the team has committed to defence to start winning games. This group of gals has spent the entire season in the top 10 in the Nation, not bad! They host the #3 Pandas from the U of A this weekend. Could be the best VB played here in awhile!
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The Pats self destruct again? How can a team this loaded up with last year's top Eastern goalie, 1st rounders and solid role players be so consistently inconsistent. Although, they've been regularly bad for awhile now. The only 4 wins they've had since mid December, a comeback in Brandon, Edmonton and Moose Jaw twice.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets won last night. They are tied with 4 teams at 51 points, the playoff cut line right now. No Lidstrom and no Datsyuk in the Red Wings lineup could mean that somebody misses the playoffs by a point because of Gary Bettman's idiotic decision. (Not his only one by the way)
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Oh yeah, speaking of Bettman. Who takes this guy seriously when he says the state of the League is good? My word his got some big brass ones to lie like that.
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I'm living at the CKHS this weekend for Volleyball, Basketball and hopefully even a little wrestling. Of course, everything I see, you'll see on Global @ 6 & 11 this Saturday and Sunday.
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When is two too many? When you're trailing 9-1 with a couple minutes to go, why bother with the second goal? I mean, its over. Take the puck behind your net and just keep it from the other team like they do in soccer. By the way, Man U, 11 straight clean sheets, wowsers!! I'll tell you when two is too many. Two losses on home ice of 7 or more goals! That is too many!!! Maybe the Oilers were watching Regina City Council the other night and just got excited about being on TV and forgot what they were actual there to do!

Tidbits

2009-01-26T08:52:00.003-06:00

Some of the 'Global Gang' hit the town Saturday night after the show. First, I hate power tripping doormen and second, standing in line. I suppose I'm just getting old. My entertainment at the bar wasn't paying attention to all the young girls sleazing it up or watching the pathetic boys (I used to be one) schmooze their best to attract said girls. No, it was watching the Roger Federer tennis match on the big screen. The Swiss player mounted a masterful comeback from down 2-0 to take the long match. I truly like watching this guy play. I know he's slipped a bit in the last year, but to me he has the Tiger Woods factor going on. If he's on I'm watching.

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The NHL All-Star game went into a shootout. Ask the goalies, the whole game is a shootout. Boy I bet the Tenders have fun! I didn't watch 30 seconds of shinny from Montreal. I'm still angry that Datsyuk and Lidstrom are sitting tomorrow.

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Speaking of sitting...Mitch Czibere and Colten Teubert got to watch yesterday's game from the Saddledome seats. I guess the Pats brass had seen enough of Teubert's lack-luster, uninspired play and decided to send him a message to get better. I must say, gutsy move by the team, but I respect their decision. The Blue & White are in a dogfight fr the playoffs and they need Teubert to play better and be the dominate first rounder that he can be. As for Czibere, he sassed off on Friday and was being punished. N'uff said.

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Lecavalier to the Oilers? I'll comment when Vinny is in Oil Country.

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Great weekend for the gals at the U of R. Women's Basketball sweep. Women's Volleyball sweep. Women's Hockey sweep. Girl Power!!

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Shout out to my boy Martin Weaver. I've been without 'Agent 04' the last couple of weekends, so it was great to get him back. Regina sports fans were treated to some fantastic local coverage this weekend on Global Sports and the 'Great Martinski' is a huge reason why! Thanks bud.

Boo Bettman

2009-01-24T11:47:00.004-06:00

So the NHL All-Star 'Game' is this weekend. I use the word 'Game' very loosely because in no way does this on ice display look like hockey. It's more of a Disney on Ice spectacle than it is competition. I'm still trying to figure out why its even played. Sure, its a nice break in the season and marks the unofficial push for the playoffs, but the game itself is a farce. No contact, no goaltending and no intensity. Now, I'll admit that the Skills Competition does have a fighting chance of being attractive, but we all know the black eye that fighting is getting these days. The fastest skater, the hardest shot, the most accurate shooter all have merit. But the relays or the three on none drill, even the NHL version of the Slam Dunk with the creative breakaway thingy are all a bit of a trivial joke. 'A guy steps onto the ice...' you fill in the punchline.

And now, the ultimate punch in the gut. The League has decided in its infinite wisdom that players who aren't hurt but miss the weekend will be forced to miss their next game. What a joke that is, and its Gary Bettman telling it. Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings will miss their teams next game on Tuesday due to their absence in Montreal. So let me get my head around this. Two guys who are proven stars want to skip the NHL's big pat on the back weekend because they'd rather opt out and spend it with family. These are guys who are being punished? Family men with morals. Players that barely got two months off this summer and had to get right back to the grind. Two NHL award winning players are the guys the NHL is telling to take a night off.

Here's a hypothetical scenario. Right now, Detroit is only 5 points out of 1st in the entire League. Without its two top players on Tuesday they lose but have a great run towards the playoffs, but miss the President's Trophy by a single point. Along comes Game 7 of the Finals and Detroit, sans home ice advantage, lose. That one game back in late January might be real crucial, huh.

Or here's a more realistic one. Columbus, the team the Wings play on Tuesday, win the game. That victory vaults a Blue Jackets team into a playoff spot in the very tight West. In a Conference where every point counts do you think teams like Edmonton, Vancouver and Minnesota are overly pumped about this. I'm sure the Oil would love to play a Detroit team without the best D-man in the world and one of the top 5 forwards on the planet. If Columbus wins Tuesday's game and goes on to eek into the playoffs by a point, point the finger at Bettman and Co.

This decision has multi-million dollar consequences tied to it. Sure it seems like a simple punishment for not showing up to promote the League, but in Vancouver where they'd sell out a couple of playoff games, not to mention merchandise, beer sales and hell why not take it further and say hotels, restaurants, etc..etc..etc...This one simple little decision could kick a guy right in the pants. Yes in the pocket and the groin.

But hey, if its so important to have a couple of the game's best show up and play shinny for an hour, then so be it. But if Edmonton misses the playoffs based on this decision, Gary Bettman will be about as welcomed in Oil Country as Clarence Campbell was in Montreal. Ironically, where this whole debacle is taking place.

Terrible Toronto

2009-01-23T09:48:00.005-06:00

Just finished reading an article about the woes of professional sports in Toronto. With cities that have NHL, NBA, MLB and Football, TO ranks 13th out of 14 in terms of winning percentage over the last year.

My first thought was, who cares? With all due respect to Leafs fans (Woodsy), its been a couple of generations since they had a shot. Isn't it just a cultural thing to make fun of the Buds? 1967 was a long time ago, so its not like they've just been bad recently. Nor is it all John Jr.'s fault...He didn't screw them up for the 3 decades before he was there. Nor will it be Brian Burke's fault when the Leafs fail to win a Cup in the next decade.

Moving along but staying in the ACC. The Raptors. Well, their first mistake was to name themselves after an extinct species. Although, the Toronto Dodo Birds does seem to fit. Over a dozen years into their existence and the only thing they've won worth note is Vince Carter in the slam dunk contest. Bryan Colangelo may be one hell of a basketball executive, but he can't put the ball in the hoop.

The Blue Jays haven't soared very high since their back to back World Series titles, almost 20 years ago. Oh sure they tried to rekindle things with Cito Gaston. They've even upped the payroll to compete with the superpowers. Now correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Tampa Bay in the World Series this year? Wonder what their payroll is? J.P. does not fall into the 'one hell of a good executive' category, unless you say that he's on the hot seat in the next year.

Last but not least lets not forget about the Argos. (I'm leaving Toronto FC out of this because they are just too new to be counted as losers, yet) The Boatmen have pulled some doozies lately. The great way with which they handled Damon Allen, the CFL's All-Time QB. Oh, then there was the way overpaying of Kerry Joseph and a defence that is looking older than Mary's Joseph. Ummm, did the Double Blue win a game in the last 3 months of the season? How about unthawing 'The Don' to turn the ship around! It's a good thing Pinball is the guy he is or can you imagine the revolt.

Now why do all these teams do their fair share of sucking. Because in Toronto its about the CA$H....MLSE wants to make money before it wins championships. Rogers wants the Jays to be competitive, but not at a loss (see recent State of the Jays speech by Paul Beeston). And the Argos can't be taken seriously by anyone as they wait for the Buffalo Bills to move into their home.

Whether its recent or distant, the sports scene in Toronto has been bad. So if they are bad and have been for so long, why do we still here so much about them? Well, T-Dot is like that kid in the playground who tells you how great he is, only to have no game at all...We all love reminding him that he is brutal. And as long as there is media and sports in Toronto, there will be someone kicking dirt on the CN Tower.

Tillman Talks

2009-01-22T08:44:00.004-06:00

I had the good fortune of speaking with Riders GM Eric Tillman yesterday on a wide range of topics. Always accommodating and candid, it is generally a good time to sit down with the General Manager.

First I asked about the holes in the Coaching staff. Tillman assured me that there will be an announcement within the week on some if not all of the open positions. The only thing possibly holding up one or two of the official unveilings is the possibility of these men being under contract somewhere else until the end of the month. Tillman basically said that the team will let someone else pick up the tab on these guys for the next couple of weeks.

Tillman also stands by his word that the hiring of coaches is virtually all Head Coach Ken Miller's to make. Tillman says he has had input, but that he is very confident in "Kenny" and ultimately it is up to him who comes on board the staff. One comment that I found interesting is one that may or may not mean much. When I suggested that giving Coach Miller the reins like this would suggest the team is prepared to move forward with Miller for 'years and years to come', Tillman chuckled and responded that Miller is in his mid 60's and may only do this (coach) for a couple more years. Nothing definite, but just an interesting tidbit.

The next area of discussion focused on free agents and one specifically, Maurice Lloyd. Tillman has spoke with the all-star as recently as Tuesday night. They have had good and open dialogue and of course the Riders have suggested they would like to have 'Mo' back in Saskatchewan. But, he is eligible to test the free agent waters in a few weeks and you get the vibe that this is the direction Lloyd may be leaning. That doesn't mean he won't resign with the Green & White. Tillman remains optimistic that they can have the middle linebacker here, but he is also a realist and knows that there may a number of teams lining up to woo number 47 to their team with some "stupid money".

When asked about the Riders salary cap position, Tillman went Tillman and brought out the metaphors. This is why I get a kick out him and love to interview him. He related the Riders salary cap position to that of a middle income family on a budget. Paraphrasing: 'If you want to take a trip or buy a big screen TV, you can, but you'll have to sacrifice somewhere else.' That's too funny, but too true. The Riders have some wiggle room, but its doubtful they could sign all their big name linebackers to the contracts that they'll probably command elsewhere.

Whatever the case, Tillman feels the Riders are shaping up nicely for '09. There are still a few signings to come, but the GM is quite confident that the club will be a contender for 1st in the West and looks to play on the Final Sunday of November.

ALES IN WONDERLAND

2009-01-21T09:24:00.005-06:00

Some guys just never cease to amaze me and frustrate me all in the same moment. Ales Hemsky of the Oilers is one of these guys. Last night's performance against Columbus was nothing short of a masterpiece; 2 Goals, 2 Assists in an Oilers 4-3 victory. Now we've all seen 4 point games before, but it was the manner in which this was done. It was Gretzkyesque the way he single handily took the game on his back and carried his team to victory. It's not the first time Oil Country witnessed such an act in the dying moments of a game. How about the coast to coast job in 06 that vaulted Edmonton into the playoffs. What about those playoffs? Game 6 vs Detroit wasn't too bad, or how about Game 1 of the Cup final. After his team blew a 3 goal lead to be down one in the 3rd, there is Hemsky scoring a hilite reel goal to pull his squad even. The frustration comes in when you don't see it night in and night out. Here is maybe the only guy on the planet that can rival Alex Ovechkin for hilite of the night honors on a regular basis, but unfortunately he is about as irregular as a constipated baby. You never know when its coming, but when it does, wowie!! It'd be nice to have Ales peer into the looking glass and see what is really beyond it, cause that could put us all in wonder!!

PLEASE SWAT THIS FLY

2009-01-20T09:09:00.004-06:00

He's back. The most annoying player in NHL history. You know, the guy who reminds you of that fly buzzing around your room at night, keeping you from getting to sleep. It's hot and uncomfortable and that damn fly just won't quit. Then you finally get up, turn on the light and that little bugger is nowhere to be found. Yeah, I'm talking about Claude Lemieux. He's 43 and hasn't played in the NHL since 2003. Now, he's back in The Show with San Jose. Yes, the same Sharks who are leading the entire league! Is there nobody else in the farm system (Worcester) that is better than this? For crying out loud, Lemieux had already won a Stanley Cup before San Jose forward Devin Setoguchi was even born! Now, I know that Lemieux had a knack of getting under people's skin and sometimes playing with an 'ehem' edge (see Kris Draper hit). He also semed to be a guy that ended up on Cup winning teams (Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado). But do you really think that the stars on the Detroit Red Wings are going to give to steaming piles of dog dung that this guy is on the ice? Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg already play against an annoying idiot six times a year (Clue: He plays for Nashville, his number is the same as his name, 22). So if they can handle this guy a half dozen times, I'm sure they'll just laugh at the old man with the cane that's trying to get them off their game. It's obvious that Doug Wilson (Sharks GM) thinks that the road to the Cup runs through Detroit and he is trying to get his constantly under achieving playoff squad the edge they need to get over the hump which is Mowtown. Good news for Detroit. This annoying, buzzing fly will be slow moving and easy to swat.

TEARS OF JOY

2009-01-19T09:05:00.006-06:00

I happened to have the good fortune of being able to watch some of the Women's Southerns over the weekend at the Highland Curling Club. Here's a group of gals out on the ice for the love of the game. Sure, its uber competitive on the pebbled surface, but not so much that the teams don't exchange the odd chuckle with each other. But it was the smiles that turned to tears that made me stand up and take notice. In a game between Sherrilee Orsted and Mandy Selzer you had two rinks looking to get to the Provincial Scott for the first time ever. The nerves were there on both sides throughout the game but in the end it was Orsted's 4 in the 9th that sealed her trip to Swift Current. Selzer (former World Jr. Silver Medalist) was gracious in defeat. Orsted having clinched the biggest victory in her 25 years of curling was humble in victory. And then the Estevan foursome came together and the tears began to flow. The true reaction of jubilation could be measured in ounces as the salty clear liquid rolled down their cheeks. Witnessing the true joy that sport can give is nothing short of a miracle. On the next sheet of ice Cathy Trowell had just put the finishing touches on her win that would grant passage to Speedy Creek. Her celebration was a little more reserved, discussing a shot from earlier in the end. You see, for Trowell this is old hat and her cheers are for a much bigger prize. But for Sherrilee Orsted, Candace Newkirk, Christine Massier and Kristen Schlamp, this is as new as the skin on a baby's bum. And the four left the ice weeping like newborns!

NFL WRAP
Well, are you shocked? For the second straight year an NFC team is seemingly catching the proverbial 'Lightning in a Bottle' and making a run (or pass in the Cardinals case) to the Superbowl. Last year the Giants came out of nowhere to win the whole damn thing over the favoured patriots. So don't be blown away when Arizona is lifting the Lombardi trophy. Why not? The Steel Curtain? Maybe. But isn't Jim Johnson (Eagles D Coordinator) supposed to be the best in the world? Maybe he should have checked out some old Rams hilites of Kurt Warner. Maybe he should have checked the media guide and read a thing or two about Larry Fitzgerald. Quick tip for Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. DON'T BLITZ...DON'T PLAY MAN TO MAN! Just a thought.

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Is Donovan McNabb this generation's Jim Kelly? Just wondering.

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CASH FOR OIL
Nice of the Edmonton Oilers to put the Glenn Anderson jersey retirement on Pay Per View so that we had to shell out cash to honor a hockey idol. The money grubbing has gone far enough. Oh yeah, that's right, I idolized Andy back in the day. Newsflash Oil: I'm a die hard like no other, but your team has been inconsistent and a bunch of under achievers since they over achieved in 2006. When the schedule comes out, maybe try and give me a reason to watch, not a reason to roll my eyes at your latest attempt to make a dollar. Brutal. Do I recall the Messier retirement on Sportsnet?

And another thing. The league needs to step in on this one. How often does Gretzky and the Coyotes have to go through this? It seems that every time the Desert Dogs head to the Big Onion that the team is subjected to some ritual to honor one of the Great One's old buds. Shane Doan must be getting sick and tired of standing their watching Paul Coffee or Anderson take a victory lap. Good news is that really only Kevin Lowe's #4 is the only one left to hoist to the rafters.

BAD BALL

2009-01-18T10:17:00.005-06:00

It really was the 'blood bath' that was predicted, but in the end it was the U of R Cougars who played like a bloody mess.

One night after hammering the #4 Pandas on their home court, the Lady Cougs were embarrassed, shellacked, beat down...pick any phrase, but anyway you spell it they got their butts kicked. In a game the Cougars should have been ready to play, they clearly looked like they had forgotten how to. The first half wasn't quite a stinker, although there was a foul odour starting tho creep in as the Cougars were down a half-dozen...It was the 3rd quarter that reeked of rotten grain as the Cougars turned the ball over time and time again and were outscored 26-13. If that weren't bad enough, it seemed as though the team thought it was curling and could quit after a few ends as the U of R didn't even reach double digits in the 4th Q. Coach Dave Taylor was one of the least happy campers at the park last night, saying (and I'm paraphrasing) it was the worst effort he's seen in his 16 years at the university. When asked if there were any positives on the floor, his reply was simply "No".

It was a humiliating loss that the girls should learn from, because having your pants pulled down and your butt slapped in front of a full house probably shouldn't happen again. And seeing Nationals are here in just 6 weeks time, that might just be a good thing.

On a high note, the Basketball teams played in front of a packed house at the CKHS. Great to see such wonderful support!

NFL PICKS
I'm not going to give reasons for my picks, because I think they are likely to be wrong, but I don't like any Pro Sports teams in Pennsylvania, so I refuse to pick them. So I'm going with my heart and lining up a CARDINALS vs RAVENS Superbowl!

For the record...Kayla Hounsell (GlobalTV Weekend anchor) is 7-1 with her picks in the playoffs and is going with the Cardinals and Eagles to win today. No word to the logic, she now refuses to share trade secrets!

TERRIFIC 20'S

2009-01-17T09:48:00.007-06:00

The Regina Pats didn't exactly look like a Memorial Cup contender in their 4-1 victory over the lowly Moose Jaw Warriors last night, but a win is a win. What may have Pats fans more excited than beating their arch rivals from the west is the key players that were involved in the victory. Just a week after the trade deadline it certainly seems that Brent Parker should be smiling from ear to ear. His pick-ups of Matt Robertson and Jesse Dudas look like million dollar deals, considering the Pats only gave up Michael McAngus and a couple of 4th rounders. Last night it was Dudas scoring a shorthanded goal to tie the game, then Robertson bulging the twine for the eventual game winner. But even as impressive as their contributions have been in their first week with the Blue & White, the potential they bring down the stretch may have Pats fans frothing with excitement. Robertson has already displayed a great quick release snap shot that is lethal. Just having a guy like that on the powerplay draws attention and should free up room for some kid called Jordan Eberle. With two bonafide snipers on the man advantage the Pats PP should get better. Dudas represents the Queen City's need for a top 4 puck moving D-man. Even though he's been out all season, Dudas looks comfortable on the point and is a great fit to quarterback the PP. Dudas also seems to bring that intangible that calms down a scrum. He's a hulking presence that players on the other team seem to shy away from when the whistle blows. If he ever has to come to blows, it might be interesting. The Pats have tread water just hard enough to get their heads above the surface. Now, with their new 20 year olds, the club should make the playoffs, quite swimmingly.

Tune into Global Regina (Ch 5) tonight at 6pm for a wrap of last night's game and at 11pm catch hilites of the back end of the home and home as the Pats visit the Crushed Can this evening.

QC Updates

2009-01-16T09:08:00.003-06:00

DELAHEY INJURY
Pats D-man Matt Delahey skated on Wednesday after practice and was in full gear yesterday albeit, because it was team pictures. The top 4 defenceman said he is still having trouble passing and shooting and is still a little ways from returning to the lineup. The 19 year old hopes to return at the end of the month during the team's trip thru Alberta.

HOOPS ACTION
Is there a greater group of gals in town than the U of R Basketball team? Fun, charismatic and most of all accommodating. Stacey Walker declined and interview, not because she wanted to, but jokingly said, "I've got a zit." Too funny! Instead I spoke with Megan Cherkas and Gabby Gheyssen, to very enthusiastic young gals. Cherkas is coming back after missing the first half of the season from having the meniscus in her knee repaired. The 5th year guard says the knee is great, the lungs? Not so much, yet. Both girls eyes lit up when discussing this weekend's big games against the #4 ranked U of A Pandas (tonight 6:15) and the #3 ranked U of S Huskies(tomorrow 6:15). The pair were especially pumped for the provincial rivalry game tomorrow, prompting Gheyssen to call it "a blood-bath". Wow. Don't miss it!!

SOUTHERN CURLING
The Women's Southerns Playdowns are on at the Highland. Don't miss a chance to catch former Provincial winners like Cindy Ricci (nee. Street) and a former National Junior winner in Mandy Selzer throw stones. Although numbers have dropped off slightly in the rinks competing for a Provincial Title, the competition in Saskatchewan still proves to be some of the stiffest around the country. It proves for a high calibre of curling that s great to watch in a close up setting.

Catch Pats-Warriors hilites and full post-game coverage tonight on Global (Channel 5). Also catch our casts this weekend at 6 & 11 as I'll be on the desk keeping you up to date on the latest happenings with the Curling, U of R and the Pats. See you there!!

Crying Babies at Rink

2009-01-15T09:06:00.000-06:00

It's early morning and all is quiet, the baby isn't crying. Not like last night at a hockey game I attended.

It's been awhile since I have had the great pleasure of getting to a Midget AAA hockey game, so last night I headed down to take in the action. What I saw on the ice was nothing short of what I remembered. This brand of hockey has always been one of my favorite to watch. These 15, 16 and 17 year olds hit the ice every shift and go flat out for 40 seconds no matter what the situation. Hard hits, great passing and stellar team play hilite the game. But while the players are doing their best on the ice, unfortunately it was the fans in the stands that soon became the show.

Time and time again obscenities floated from the seats, generally directed at the officials. And time and time again fans were yelling commands to the players. "Fire" was my personal favorite that one man kept yelling to the kids on his team. Even before they had entered the attacking zone he wanted them to shoot. This guy was obviously a hockey Einstein, rethinking how the game might be won. Newsflash buddy, the boys either don't hear you or aren't listening. Then there was the lady sitting near our supposed Scottie Bowman. She had a personal vendetta with the referees, blaming them at the game end for the demise of her club. I guess it was his fault that her team couldn't score on a 5 on 3 advantage that lasted over a minute. Or was it the referee that allowed that soft goal just 8 seconds into the third. I didn't think so. These fans (and others) also seemed to have super human vision, as they were able to more accurately see than an official standing right by the net if the puck had crossed the goal line prior to the net being knocked off, at the FAR end of the rink!! Crazy.

I thought hockey fans had taken a turn for the better in local rinks in the last few years, but last night's episode proved otherwise. Too bad these so-called supporters couldn't shut up and see the game for what it was. Fast, skilled, hard-hitting hockey.

Oh oh, my baby just woke up and is crying. Kinda sounds like a hockey game I was at.

Empty Seats?

2009-01-13T09:23:00.000-06:00

Last night I was sitting in bed in my hotel room in Minot watching ESPN (jealous?). All that was plastered on the top sports network south of the 49th was college basketball, both men's and women's. The seats at th games were packed, unlike here in Canada. It got me wondering, why do we not follow our collegiate athletes with such vigor north of the border? You rarely catch a CIS game of any kind outside of the National Championship games on either of the big networks in Canada. Why? Not only that, but the attendance at the actual games is sparse at best. I realize that this is the Great White North and that hockey rules, but there is some fantastic amateur sport right under our noses and most people don't even have a sniff. There is something cool about going to a Pats game and watching the likes of Jordan Eberle and knowing that one Saturday night in a few years you'll be watching him on the Mother Network (CBC) and I will never take anything away from that. But consider names like Schmidt or Williams or Urban or Ross or Jule or Knoop.... Then consider a Tuesday morning in the future when you are getting physio or meeting with your accountant or financial planner and realizing that the person who is helping shape your future or helping with your health is that same kid you saw on the court just a few years ago. Kinda cool!

So next Saturday night when you are sitting at home staring at the 'boob tube' watching guys who once played here...Get up, shuffle on down to the University gym and pick a seat close to the court and take in the action from some kids that you may need to see in a few years.

Catch Cougar Tracks tonight at 11pm on Global Regina (ch. 5)