If you've read this blog, you know I'm not the biggest Sidney Crosby fan. The Penguins captain is a tremendous hockey player, but in my mind he needs to grow up a little. His act during the playoffs became a little tiresome. Yes, he scored the golden goal in Vancouver and for that, I and many others are thankful, but I'm still not a big fan of his. However, I will come to Sid's defence when it comes to the latest controversy he is embroiled in.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is slamming Crosby and several other NHL'ers for not participating in the World Hockey Championships. IIHF communications director Szymon Szemberg says “How can a player who is 22 or 25 or 27, and who was just eliminated from the playoffs be tired? Tired is a miner who works in a damp pit in Miktivka, in the Donetz Plateau in Ukraine, who never sees daylight and who provides living for a family of five in a modest two-room apartment. That is tired. Tired is a divorced mother with two young kids who double shifts as a nurse assistant and cleaning lady to make ends meet."
“Why is a 22-year-old Sidney Crosby tired when a 34-year-old Ryan Smyth is answering the bell for his country despite having represented Canada at the worlds already on eight occasions?”
That really isn't fair. Sid has played a lot of hockey over the past couple of years and he has to be physically fatigued. Some will say teammate Evgeni Malkin is there playing for Russia. One can bet that after the Olympic performance Malkin was told to get his ass to Germany a-s-a-p by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
If there hadn't been an Olympics, I would say Sid should be there. I just ask why the IIHF demands that a World Championship be held in the same year as an Olympic tournament. That is just stupid.
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Calgary reminded Brandon why they didn't make it to the WHL final. The Hitmen bounced the Wheat Kings 5-2 at the Mem Cup in a nothing game. The two teams meet Friday with the winner playing Windsor in the final. I'm guessing Friday's tilt will be closer and better.
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I had a good sitdown with Riders coach Ken Miller on Wednesday in an article for Riderville.com that will hopefully be up before the long weekend. Its not often you get one on one time with the head coach in his office, but I can tell you it was a great conversation. I could sit and talk football with Miller all day long. I have a great deal of respect for the man, and while I want this team to win the 2010 Grey Cup after what happened last year, I want this team to win for Miller. There are some out there that believed he wasn't a good coach and that hiring him to replace Kent Austin was a mistake. All he has done is give this team two great seasons--one that should have ended with a Grey Cup. The man knows his football and he knows how to do his job. As long as he is around, the Riders are in good shape. Miller also showed me the new video technology the team has. I can't even describe to you how incredible this system is. Trying would not do you justice. I joked with him that he never thought he would have this when he started coaching many a year ago. His response was "My biggest worry was how to keep my pants clean from all the chalk stains.
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I received a nasty comment from "Andyfan" about a statement I made on Andy Fantuz on Tuesday's Sportscage with Rod Pedersen. Rod asked me why Jordan Sisco can get an NFL shot, yet Andy Fantuz can't. My answer was simple. Andy isn't fast enough to be a wideout, and he isn't big enough to be a tight-end. He has the hands and the talent. There is no denying that. However, he can't create enough space between him and a defensive back in the NFL as a wideout and he would need to gain about 25-30 pounds and learn how to block blitzing linebackers and rush ends if he was a tight end.
That had "Andyfan" all upset as he questioned my football knowledge amongst other things. Needless to say, I was happy to hear Cal Murphy say the same thing when Rod asked him the same question on the Cage and he referred to what I had said the day before and that I was basically right.
When an NFL scout and a guy that has seen more football than you and I may ever see agrees with this armchair quarterback, it tells me that I might be right. That's OK "Andyfan", I won't be expecting an apology.
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Why isn't the NHL investigating the Joe Thornton slash on David Bolland in Game 2 of the Hawks-Sharks series. Some guys would be sitting down for at least a game, but not Big Joe apparently. Would it be different if his team was up 2-zip.
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Who's your Conn Smythe favourite right now? If the Flyers keep playing the way they are, could Michael Leighton get some consideration? They haven't lost since he took over for an injured Brian Boucher.
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The Mets get an inside the park homerun and a triple play in the same game and they still lose. Angel Pagan hit the inside the park homer and was involved in the triple play. He's the first guy in 55 years to do that. Who researches these facts? I'm guessing the Mets media guy doesn't have that fact in his game notes.
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JEEBUS! A huge spider just crawled on the wall to my left as I type this. Mr. Spider has now been flushed down the toilet. That thing was monstrous! If my wife had been at the computer, I might have an additional room.
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This story about the guy who was beaten and tortured and dropped off at the General is an extremely disturbing story. The Leader-Post has a story about a neighbour who says he heard strange noises coming from an apartment where Dustin Lafortune apparently lived. While the neighbour says he had several conversations with the man who lived upstairs in the apartment above him where the noises were coming, he never ever contacted the police. WHY?? One call might have saved this poor guy from a lot of pain and suffering.
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Have you gotten your Riders licence plate yet. Has anyone taken "SCRFY". Good! Its mine! I'm waiting for the original rush to die down though before I get one.
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There might not have been a better written show than "Arrested Development". That show is too funny!
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Have a great Thursday and ask yourself this....
Why is it that when adults have multiple personalities it's schizophrenia, but when a child has imaginary friends it's cute?
3 comments:
Of all those who played in the Olympics, only Perry is there. If people are on Crosby's case, where are the guys who didn't make the playoffs (Iggy, Nash, etc), or those whose teams were out in the first round (Brodeur, etc) ? We knew the "Snubbed" weren't going to go (Phaneuf, LeCavalier, St. Louis, Bouwmeester, Green,etc), so we have who we have. Of the snubbed the only one who did go was Ryan Smyth, the only classy one.
Nice to hear you on radio again, Mitchell!!
Regarding Crosby and the Worlds guess what? No player is required to go to that as they are not getting paid. His first allegiance is to Pittsburgh, and getting ready for their next season. Ray Bourque used to do the same thing. He played in the Canada Cups,and after that said he was done with it. Patrick Roy was the same way. Ryan Smythe goes because he played on teams that miss the playoffs every year or go out in the first round. It's a chance for him to get a vacation, and compete a little longer.
You are correct on your statements about Andy Fantuz and Arrested Development. I watched Arrested Development in reruns, and once you watch you can't stop. It is the best written comedy ever. I think it was way ahead of it's time.
The guy who didn't call the police I can only imagine one reason. I think people in those apartment complexes in the core neighbourhoods like that have the tendency to mind their own business as the order of the day. It is transient renters, and on a month to month basis you really don't get a sense of community like you would be if you owned a home, and were living on a block. I just think people put their heads in the sand, and don't want to get involved. I agree though an annonymous phone call to the police could maybe have avoided this whole thing or curbed it significantly.
When this story broke on the weekend "Seven" with Brad Pitt was on TV. There is a scene where they discover this exact same scenario. The Doctor tells them, "he's been through the worst, and he still has hell to look forward to". Very disturbing to say the least.
Obama
Why did the IIHF point their stick at Crosby. He was in the SC playoffs. There are other Canadian players like Iginla, Nash, Getzlaf(sorry Regina), Niedermayer, etc, etc whose team did not make the playoffs and they stayed home. Mike Green didn't go over once Washington was eliminated. Why is Sid getting the heat here when others should also?
Shannon
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