Something to "Mitch" About

--Happy Family Day or whatever it is you call today. It's a long weekend and I'm down with that, and I'm guessing many of you are as well.

--Riders head coach Chris Jones said it the best on Friday night at the Kinsmen Sports Dinner and you certainly can't argue with him. In a Q and A with Rod Pedersen, Jones said " They didn't bring me here to win a popularity contest.  They brought me here to win football games and I'm trying to win as many as I possibly can and use the experience I've gained in the past."  

You really can't get any more clear than that!  For those still not on the Chris Jones bandwagon, what more do you want? Yes, some moves that will be made will be unpopular (ie: Dressler and Chick), but sometimes one has to make moves that aren't the most popular to attain the success you want. Chris Jones knows that, and he will do things his way. I'm sure some more unpopular moves will be coming over the next few months as no coach in any sport can make all the "right" moves, but at the end of the day, he will make more right moves than wrong ones as his resume suggests.

--It would also seem as if Chris Jones likes his "wrasslin" as he let High Impact Wrestling performer Merle Graves have it over the head with a cookiesheet. I am sure Mr. Jones is more than invited to any HIW performance during his time here including the next card which happens to go next Friday night.  Who's kidding who, if he can smack Graves around with a cookiesheet, he can smack Dalby around on Friday night and I think we would all love to see him smack McCormick with one after a Riders practice this year. (I'm joking Murray!!!!!!)

--Its been said many times, but Sundays without football just suck! It is another six weeks until baseball starts. My friends, we have hit the dead time.

--I don't know what tickets were to the NBA all-star game,(or the Kobe Bryant fellatio-fest as it turned out to be), but if those going were expecting basketball to be played, they were sadly mistaken. I kept waiting for some Harlem Globetrotter skits to break out. You knew there wouldn't be any defence, but did anyone even try to play defence. Can someone also please explain what the h-e double hockey sticks Nelly Furtado was trying to do in butchering O'Canada. For those who didn't see it....






That was brutal!  What wasn't brutal was the slam dunk competition on Saturday night. I saw the last round and it was unreal. How Zach Levine beat Aaron Gordon confused me a little, but that was tremendous. I had to wonder where Vince Carter was though, as it only seemed right that he would return to Toronto for the slam-dunk exhibition considering his performance years ago was considered as one of the best ever.

--While I was not really excited about the NBA all-star game (as I am with virtually all all-star games), there is no denying the increased popularity of the sport in Canada. The Raptors have been in the NBA for 20 years and we are seeing the rewards on a yearly basis. The NBA's only Canadian talent at one time was Steve Nash, but now you look at rosters and you see players like Anthony Wiggins, Nik Stauskas, Kelly Olynyk, Tristan Thompson and Trey Lyles. The emergence of the Raptors has increased the sports popularity in this country much like the arrival of Wayne Gretzky in Los Angeles made the NHL thrive in California and markets where it had never before been with players from California and soon to be number one pick Auston Matthews from Arizona making their way into the league. I still wonder if the NBA could make a return to Vancouver if it was done properly, and for some strange reason, I think Calgary could be a great home for a 2nd Canadian franchise. We aren't just known for hockey anymore, and that is becoming more and more of a reality every day, and will be reinforced more when baseball begins as Canada will have solid representation on major league rosters again. 

--River City Sports' Regina location is shutting its doors. I'm guessing lack of business is the main reason behind the move. Unless it has the /=S=/ on it or its an NHL item, I am guessing many just get their sporting apparel online or by visiting the city in person and getting that favourite item while at the park or at the rink,  Reginans can still get stuff at Jersey City, but I know many who would rather just visit a site like Fanatics.com to get their merchandise.

--I am still trying to figure out why the Ottawa Senators were the team to get the Leafs out of salary cap hell by absorbing Dion Phaneuf's contract. I still can't see Stamkos playing there as I think he ends up somewhere with a team who is on the cusp of winning or is in the position to. I haven't looked at the numbers to see if he would fit, but wouldn't it be ironic if Stamkos continued his career with a team who is on the cusp of winning----the Florida Panthers.

--Congrats to Flin Flon Bombers radio voice Rob Hart who called his 1000th game in the SJHL the other night. He's a beaut!

--There aren't many TV shows on these days I will endorse, but the show "Billions" gets a two thumbs-up from this guy. Great show!

--Enjoy holiday Monday!