Pages

Friday, April 1, 2011

Baseball Is Back

A miserable March has now passed us by. As I woke up Thursday morning, I looked outside and saw the snow on the ground and a heavy layer of frost on my vehicle, but there was a different feeling. I wasn't upset because it was another cold morning, I was optimistic because of what I would see in a couple of hours.

The New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers kicked off the 2011 major league baseball season. It wasn't sunny and warm in the Bronx, in fact it might have been warmer in the YQR, but it was baseball and that is a sign that spring is here. It will be the same next Thursday when they tee off at Augusta.

The real baseball season will begin for me today. The Cubs open up at the hallowed cathedral that is Wrigley Field on the corner of Waveland and Addison. The ivy won't be visible and if it is, it will be brown. However from Wayne Messmer singing the national anthem to the famous "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" sung by some celebrity, it will be a precursor to much nicer days---nicer days that we need and we deserve after what we have gone through. That being said, Environment Canada says it is going to be a cool and wet April around here. Isn't that what we want to hear to start a new month. Hopefully, its an April Fools joke. Yes, remember to take everything that you see today with a grain of salt. I will be interested to see what the Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg Sun come up with as they always have something clever that reels in a few people.
----
The Brayden Schenn story is sickening and its stupid. For those that don't know, someone made up a Facebook page that supposedly belongs to the Blades forward and then made some derogatory comments towards First Nations people. The Blades were quick to rush to Schenn's defence by saying this site is being run by an impostor. This should be an impostor who has criminal charges laid against him if true. I would hope this impostor is in no way connected to the Prince Albert Raiders and that he or she is not trying to get Schenn and the Blades off their game as they battle the Raiders in the first round. Whoever has done this has tried to ruin the reputation of the future NHL'er. Is it really that important to do that? If you answer yes to that question, you have some serious issues. While I applaud the Blades for quickly throwing cold water on this story, I also have to question if they have gone too far. The Blades don't want any of their players on Facebook and have asked them to remove their accounts if they have one.
Do the Blades have that power to ask their players to do that? Do they have the right to take social media out of the hands of their players? Can they assure that some players won't start a fake account just so they can continue conversing with some people. There are a lot of questions that can be asked with this story. The big question though is who might be responsible. When I say I hope its not anyone connected with the Raiders, you have to wonder, especially when you see this story out of Hamilton. Is it getting to the point that teams are going to start telling their  players they can't Facebook or Twitter anymore. I hope not.
-----
I still think Saskatoon will win the series, but I'm guessing very few people out there thought they would be tied at 2 with the Raiders after four games. It would be a devastating blow to the entire Saskatoon organization if they were knocked out in the first round, However, it would be one gigantic positive for the Raiders who have been on the outside looking in for the past few years. That's why you gotta love the playoffs.
-----

Saskatchewan teachers are thinking strike. Really?
-----
Vancouver Canucks fans are happy  because their team has won the Presidents Trophy. I wouldn't be too ecstatic over that accomplishment that really means nothing. Its another trophy you want to win----but hey, you will get one of them this year.
-----
Good on Thiago Silva for coming clean about what happened after UFC 108, but shame on you for doing what you did. I don't think we will be hearing about you for a while.
------
Move over 306, you're going to get company. Saskatchewan needs a second area code. What should the new number of our code be. Can we somehow do it so it has a Rider theme to it? Yes, some of you do believe that the Riders have to be associated with every little thing that happens here because Saskatchewan apparently has nothing else to be proud of or associated with.
-----

The La Ronge Ice Wolves and Yorkton Terriers will square off in Game 1 of the SJHL final tonight in La Ronge. You can watch the game on Access 7 throughout Saskatchewan. If you can, check it out because it will be good hockey. Its too bad SHAW wouldn't pick up the Access feed as people in Saskatoon, Swift Current and Moose Jaw are missing out on Junior "A" hockey and what its like in their own province.
-------
The Riders annual general meeting is set for June 16. There is no truth to the rumour Jim Hopson will come to the event dressed up as the Monopoly guy and that at some point, he will be lifted onto a giant stack of money. They will just take a video of it instead for everyone to see. Sorry Jim, but when you have the easiest job in the province you deserve that gentle jab. How much money will the team make this year?
-----
The story of the Regina mother who lost her baby just hours after it was delivered in what was seemingly a healthy state is a terrible story. What makes it worse is the fact that the NDP is trying to exploit the death by blaming the government. At what level won't an opposition party stoop to to try and make the government look bad.
-----
We are nearly a week into the federal election campaign and I have not received one piece of election literature (crap) from any of the candidates in my riding, Do we have anyone? If any of these people come to my door asking for support, there will be some questions that are asked. I really don't think any of the three will like what they've been through when they walk back down the driveway. I heard someone say the other night they are not going to vote as protest for this election being called. That is wrong! I don't like it, but when you are called to register your vote, you do it. If you don't, you have nothing to bitch about and by looking at voting numbers, there are many out there who shouldn't be bitchin and moanin and complainin----but they do. I wonder if they all go under the name "Anonymous".
----
"Arthur" looks to be the biggest waste of 2 hours of anyone's life. Is there any real reason to pop down some good money to watch that?
-----
GO CUBS!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on the mother of the dead child issue. I think it is rather shameless to have this woman sit down and share her grief with everyone in an attempt to make the government look bad. I realize the SP would do this if they are in opposition, but its one of the reasons I will never vote NDP as long as Mr. Lingenfelter is in charge.

Jeff

Anonymous said...

HELL YEAH to baseball opening. I will be parked on the couch tonite and all weekend watching the Jays. They will surprise some people this year.

Jason

Anonymous said...

Teachers are grossly underpaid? The teachers of today are a joke compared to the teachers of 20 years ago. When my kid comes home and says he watched a movie in class today and it was cool, I think to myself, that poor underpaid teacher. GIVE ME A F**IN BREAK!!

Anonymous said...

474 are the new digits mitch!

S'toon Todd

Anonymous said...

Great post today Mitch, If I can respond to some

1) The WHL should step in on the Schenn investigation, If someone connected with the Raiders is involved, slap them with a very hard fine and suspension.
2) I think Brodsky/Molleken have gone too far by not allowing players to have Facebook, but it is playoffs. I'm sure the policy will change when they are done.
3) Opening dayh is always special. I was in Cincy when they opened up their new park. It was something to behold.
4) Teachers have a tough job, but I don't think they do the job that was done when we went to school. It seems to me as if the workload is pretty slack now. If anything, I would increase the workload seeing the research can be found much easier.
5)I'm an SP supporter and I think the NDP is garbage. The stunt they pulled yesterday is heinous, but the mother had to agree to it didn't she. How did the NDP find about it? Exactly!

Have a great weekend!

Rob

Anonymous said...

So one LOUSY teacher and you paint all of them with the same brush. Very intelligent. I know a lot of teachers who put in a LOT of extra hours that they are not paid for to make sure their students have a wonderful year. Are there terrible teachers out there?? Of course, just like any profession. So why punish the good ones because of the brutal ones. Do something about it if you don't like what your kids teacher is doing. Mike ( I am a teacher and GOOD at my job).

Anonymous said...

Okay Rob,

I'm not going to get into the debate all day, but you may require a little history lesson. While in Opposition the SaskParty was notorious for parading a "Patient of the Week" into the Legislature.

In one instance while in opposition they brought the family of a Hutterite girl into the Leg to show her leg, and that it would require funding to take her out of Province for surgery.

I understand you hate the NDP, you'd probably find something to hate if it wasn't them. However today the NDP is like Grandpa's Bohemian Beer. It's Beer the same as the SaskParty, but they don't have the girls in the commercial.

The comment about how it's different when we went to school is troubling. I actually think because of the low value place on education, and everybody passes which was implemented for Generation X, we are where we are. Basically a bunch of dumbasses raising children to be dumbasses, and blaming the Teachers who are just the Foot Soldiers. If you or anybody thinks teaching in a classroom today with an unsupportive School Board, Parents who think Little Sally can do know wrong, and kids with no boundaries is easy then try it. It is not the Teachers who set the curriculum. They deliver it, and they are worth every nickel they get.

Obama

Anonymous said...

I don't think the Blades have the right to tell their players they can't have a Facebbok account. I think they have the right to monitor those accounts, but why should those players be punished because some jackass is ruining Schenn's reputation.
The bottom line though is whoever is responsible is a very scummy individual and one that hopefully is discovered.

Rick

Anonymous said...

I do agree that everyone should exercise their right to vote. We lst thousands of men who battled to give us this right. However, if you don't agree with any of the parties, spoil your ballot by voting for them all. These spoiled ballots are counted and kept track of. If you do this, you then can have an opinion on what is going on in government. If the people in Ottawa see a high number of spoiled ballots, maybe they may get a bit of a message?
Ray

Anonymous said...

Ray,

You're heart is in the right place, but I have to disagree with that statement. What people need to do is get involved with whatever Party they believe best reflects their vision and values. If not involved, then examine the platforms objectively, do the math, and find out if it is sustainable. Too often Voters will fall for rhetoric, and get away from the accurate records. My advice would be to use the template of "keeping politicts local". This means you examine what an MP has objectively done for his riding, and the Provnice in general. Using this template you'll find the PC MP's in this Province are so out of touch it's hard to get a thought on it.

If you take issue with a stance the government is writing then here is what you do. Write a concise, well thought out letter, and send it to their office. State the issue, your disappointment/approval, possible solution, and end with "I trust you understand". You will always receive a response back, and they take this type of communication seriously.

What they do not take seriously is ranting and raving to their staff on the phone or in person. They do not respond to threatening letters or letters that are incoherant ramblings. I have had the opportunity to engage my MP and MLA on various issues in this format, and always had a good response.

Obama

Anonymous said...

I guarantee that some diluted Raiders fan is responsible for the Brayden Schenn thing. Its sickening, but then again so is Prince Albert.

Anonymous said...

Scruffy, Scruffy, Scruffy, I sometimes just shake my head at you.

Anonymous said...

Underpaid? Actually, they get paid well if you factor in the fact they work less than nine months of the year.

I had a job once where felt I was underpaid . . . I found a new job.

Mike from Vita said...

For those who are unaware, a person can "decline" their ballot, just like abstaining from a vote in a town hall meeting. It is not a spoiled ballot, but it is "noted" just like abstentions in a meeting.

The only people that have a right to talk about teachers are people who have or are teaching. They are the ones who KNOW what it takes to be a teacher. Ever have a grade 4 student tell you to F-Off, and not have any recourse? Ever deal with a parent who should NOT be propagating offsprings? A sad but real problem our schools deal with daily.