This is a great time of year. The hockey playoffs are on, the first rounds of golf are had, there's plenty of action happening on the ball diamonds and sadly, if you are like me, you have to deal with allergies. With everything starting to bloom, it creates havoc on yours truly and this year it is seemingly worse than ever. I spent the day in Weyburn watching my daughter play ball amongst the sneezing and the sniffling. Oh yeah, I took something that I thought would help me out before we left but it didn't. Needless to say that right now I feel like one great big pile of you know what.
Just some thoughts though while travelling back and forth today
1) There should be some serious thought about twinning Hwy 39. There is just too much traffic on that road----at least it was that way today. Impatience on single lane highways can cause a lot of problems if you know what I mean
2) Why is it people when driving can't see a convoy behind them and realize it is them causing the problem by going under the speed limit. Not only that, but said people just won't pull to the shoulder thus allowing people to go by. No, instead you have these people living in their own little fantasy world thus causing number 1.
3)Where's the home of Rod Pedersen sign or the statue as you go through Milestone?? Hmmm!!!
While sitting at the ball diamond, I could look beyond the left field wall and see the Weyburn Colosseum. I know its not the exact date of the event, but I couldn't help but think about the excitement back in 2005 when the hometown Red Wings won the RBC Cup in that rink in the most incredible of finishes. After winning in triple overtime to get to the final, the Wings were leading Mason Raymond and the Camrose Kodiaks late in the game when the Alberta champs tied it. It looked like overtime would be needed when Rick Wood capitalized on a miscue between goalie and defenceman and put the puck into an open net with just seconds to go sending the old building into a state of delirium. The reason I think of that today is because the 2009 RBC Cup final went with the SJHL champion Humboldt Broncos looking to make it two straight titles. It wasn't to be though as the Vernon Vipers won the game by a score of 2-0. With the win, Vernon has now won the Tier 2 title five times which is more than any other team. They had shared the record with the Prince Albert Raiders.
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Being in Weyburn meant I missed a day of hockey on TSN. It started with Sweden winning bronze at the Worlds and then Canada losing gold to Russia for the second straight year. The Russians winning 2-1. Like I have previously stated, I will care about this result when its our top players against our top players. When you can't field the team you would like to because of the Stanley Cup playoffs, it waters down the event. Yeah, I would love to see Canada win but the reaction to losing isn't as strong as it might be --OK will be---if they were to lose in Vancouver. I know everyone feels a gold in Vancouver is expected but that event should bring us some hockey we won't forget for a long, long time and there is certainly no guarantee that Canada will win gold or maybe even a medal. If the latter happens, Hockey Canada will be looking for a great big rock to hide under as the heat intensifies.
From there, it was to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Detroit looks like they have gotten a wake-up call as they have handed it to Anaheim in two straight games. Game 5 sounds as if it was all-Detroit in a 4-1 win. Facing elimination, Boston stayed alive with a very convincing 4-0 win over Carolina. Why haven't the Bruins played like that all playoffs????
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The International Ice Hockey Federation obviously knows that the World Junior Hockey Tournament is a huge sell in this country. The I-I-H-F saying Sunday that the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 tournaments will be held in Canada. The world womens championship will also be held in Canada in 2013, 2016 and 2020. No matter where the games are played, Canadians will turn out en masse to support the host nation.
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The Blue Jays continue to get great results from a patchwork starting rotation. Brett Cecil gives up just five hits over eight innings in a 5-0 win over Oakland. Guys like Cecil and Brian Tallet are complimenting Roy Halladay's stellar work every five days. If this team can get guys like Litsch and McGowan back and perhaps make a trade for someone whether it be a high priced rental or not, maybe just maybe the Jays can create some pennant fever in this country. I just wonder with the Stanley Cup playoffs in full swing how many Canadians are actually taking note of what has happened over the first few weeks of the baseball season. I know attendance has been down this year at Skydome but I'm thinking it might pick up Tuesday when the Yankees make their first appearance of the season. If Toronto is going to make noise in the East, they must compete with New York, Boston and Tampa and this will be the first of what is many games against that trio of teams this year.
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That's all I got. Where's the Kleenex?? Ah-Ah-Ah-CHOOOOOOO!!!! SIGHHHH!!!!!
4 comments:
I hear you on the Hwy 39 thing. If you think its bad between Regina and Weyburn go Weyburn to Estevan a few times. Was it really four years ago that Weyburn won the RBC?? Time flies!!
Here is hoping Premier Wall will think about twinning Hwy 39 from Regina right through to North Portal. It will then mean the three major highways into Regina will be double lane highways. There have been too many deaths on that single lane stretch of highway between Regina and Weyburn and a lot of it probably has to do with people getting impatient.
The Jays will go out and get a number two pitcher. They have to and they do so knowing guys like Tallet and this Cecil kid can give them a periodic start if need be. Cito is only now getting the credit he should have gotten years ago.
The NHL's mission to have Pittsburgh and Sid win a Cup will be halfway complete after tonight.
Gary
Hey Mitch, missing an NHL playoff game was a regular occurence a few years ago, when I was a coach in the RMGSL. But I really enjoyed the alternative---watching the kids develop in sport and have a little fun at the same time.
Enjoy these years, as they are only young once. The NHL will outlast all of us.
PBB
Not arguing with you PBB. I agree with you 100 percent. But if its the Oilers and its Game 7...oh wait, that would mean Edmonton would have had to made the playoffs recently. SIGGHH!!!
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