The NHL trade deadline is today. Depending on when you read this, the networks will be in full trade-centre mode. This means they are just rambling on about topic after topic after topic just begging for a deal to be made so they can analyze it. I am guessing James Duthie and "the panel" and Daren Millard and his gang at Sportsnet must just die a little whenever a trade is made in the days leading up to the deadline as it means more tap-dancing for them, and with the trades made this weekend, the tap-dancing will be a'happenin! In Duthie's book "I'm the Guy on the Left" (which is outstanding by the way), he talks about how this day is usually an utter disaster and how TSN actually mocks its way through it by some of the stunts they have pulled. Looking at the commercial TSN has to promote Trade Deadline day, it looks as if they are ready to mock themselves again. That's fine with me. TSN may have lost hockey, but that is still my go-to spot for NHL coverage. Sportsnet has some good people on their desk in Elliotte Friedman, Rich Sutter and Kelly Hrudey, but in my mind, they pale in comparison to the three letter. Agree or disagree?
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I really like what the Florida Panthers did this weekend. Yes, they mortgaged their future somewhat by trading away a lot of draft picks, but GM Dale Tallon knows what he is doing and getting Teddy Purcell, Jakub Kindl and Jiri Hudler to strengthen what is already a very good team while not giving up role players like Quinton Howden, Mike Matheson or Vincent Trocheck along with guys in the system like Jayce Hawryluk and Dylan Olsen is a real coup. I heard rumblings Edmonton wanted Olsen and a lower round pick for Purcell, but that obviously didn't materialize,
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I can't believe the Oilers actually got a 3rd round pick from Pittsburgh for Justin Schultz. Then again, as someone on Facebook informed me, it was Jim Rutherford who got Phil Kessel from Toronto. I didn't think Edmonton would come close to getting a 3rd round pick for Schultz who might be one of the biggest letdowns in Oilers history. There was talk around the league about this guy being a Norris Trophy candidate when he spurned a chance to stay with Anaheim and chose Edmonton. Some have suggested a change of scenery and having the chance to play with guys like Crosby, Malkin and Letang will help his game. If it does, good for Pittsburgh and Schultz, but I don't see it. Still with the Oilers, it only seems right that they win the last game against the Islanders at Rexall Place.
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You can talk about Artemi Panarin, Dylan Larkin and Jack Eichel all you want for NHL rookie of the year, but my money is on Flyers d-man Shayne Gostisbehere. I was hoping to nab him in the late rounds of a perennial fantasy hockey league I am in and got beat to the punch. The guy has turned into one of the top 20 blueliners in the NHL in less than a season's work. Gostisbehere should be on the roster of the "Young Guns" team (aged 24 and under) for the World Cup of Hockey. I am fascinated to see who else goes and who makes up Team Canada with some extra spots open due to those who will play on that 24 and under squad.
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It was tough enough for Jolene Campbell and her Regina rink Thursday night at the Scotties when she let one get away in her last round-robin game. It was even tougher for her to watch New Brunswick give away a game they had control of by allowing Manitoba to score 3 in 10 to win the game and eliminate Campbell from a tie-breaker. Moments after Kerri Einarsson had won her game to end Team Saskatchewan's hopes, I texted Jolene asking her if she had 5 minutes to give for a Sportscage interview adding I would certainly understand if she didn't considering what her had last 16 hours had been like. Within moments of sending the text back, I got one back saying no problem and a while later we did the interview. As expected, she was disappointed, but encouraged over what had happened saying mistakes were made, but experience was gained and she is confident her team will be back. She didn't avoid the questions either in Grande Prairie or to myself. As I hung up the phone after the interview, I couldn't help but reflect back to Cam Newton's childish antics at the end of the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl didn't go Cam's way as mistakes were made, but experience was gained and I am sure he thinks his team can go back. The way Newton acted after the Super Bowl was a complete 180 from the way Campbell acted. That's why one person gained a lot of respect in and out of the curling world this week and why another person lost a lot of respect in and out of the football world. How you handle adversity is how you define yourself, and Campbell showed nothing but pure class. Then again, what would you expect from someone who calls Saskatchewan home because for the most part, we are a pretty good bunch in good times and in bad.
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A Riders fan asked me Saturday afternoon "Why is this guy (Chris Jones) gutting the Riders and getting rid of all the fan favourites? My response was the guy (Jones) wants to win and feels he can't with aging vets. The braintrust felt Weston Dressler and John Chick were too old, and too expensive, and he obviously felt Chris Getzlaf's shelf life had come to an end as well. I don't know how Getzlaf will do in Edmonton, but if his foot injury that has bothered him for the last two years are a thing of the past, he will be a nice weapon for Mike Reilly. I think Getzlaf would be the first to tell you the last two years were not what he envisioned, and I am sure he thought like many others his days in football would come to an end with him wearing the helmet with the /=S=/ on it. It's not, and yes that sucks for fans who cheered for the hometown guy. The reality is though this team feels they can be better without Getzlaf, Dressler, Chick and others because of guys like Shawn Lemon, Justin Capiccotti, John Chiles, Kendial Lawrence, Jeremy Kelly and others. It is a completely different squad than the one that walked off the field in Montreal in their last game of the season having won their 3rd contest of the year. Jones came in with his agenda, he likely gave that agenda to Craig Reynolds when he was interviewed, and it was obviously approved. Is it June yet?
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When people get cars these days, do they have the option of getting ones without signal-lights because it sure seems as if many have forgotten how to use them.
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Congratulations to Steve Burrows and the U of R Cougars mens basketball team.
They dug deep and then some to get past a pesky University of Winnipeg team winning the series in 3 games with the final being 69-62 on Sunday night. The Cougars didn't dress a full roster, and they were battling illness as a bug is going around the University, but they found a way especially on Saturday when they clawed back from a huge deficit midway through the 3rd quarter. It isn't going to be easy as they hit the road for quarter-final play this weekend in Kamloops, but playoffs always mean strange things. While the basketball team comes through after being down 1-0 in the series, the womens hockey team couldn't finish things off after beating UBC in Game 1 as the T-Birds took Game 3 3-2. A win by Sarah Hodges' squad and they would have hosted the CanWest championship next weekend.
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Still with basketball, what Steph Curry did Saturday night in Oklahoma City simply defies logic and description. He is re-defining the game he plays and he isn't going away anytime soon. Wouldn't it be great to see Golden State play Oklahoma City in the NBA playoffs. That would be very compelling theatre.
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Cancer got another one on the weekend as the man who helped many enjoy a Grey Cup or two along with other sporting events and concerts has passed on. Word spread Sunday morning that Dave Ash had died after a bout with a disease that frankly can just you know what and go away anytime soon. RIP Dave! It is safe to say you will make sure you have the best seat in the house when the new stadium opens.
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Ohio State coach (and former Florida) coach Urban Meyer said over the weekend at the NFL combine that Tim Tebow may be considering the CFL as he won't let his football dream die. Does Montreal still hold his rights? What a circus that would be! It would make the Michael Sam experiment look like a childrens story. Whatever happened to Sam anyhow? The last I heard he was trashing the CFL.
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The Pats are doing something long overdue today and that is having a game which will see over 3000 school kids in attendance as they drop the puck with the Red Deer Rebels in an 1130 start (1105 pregame show on 620 CKRM after some schmuck brings you the 11 AM news). Many other teams have done this and Regina is finally getting on board. I would love to see this one and see the atmosphere in the rink. I am guessing it will be tremendous.
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That's all I got. Have a good week as we head into March
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9 comments:
Love the fact the Pats are playing this morning. Other teams have done this and it is the best game of the year. Just hope we don't see any 5 on 5's out there today. This is how you keep the younger generation involved.
My brother thinks Chris Jones is killing the Riders too. It is ridiculous. I would love to see some of these people have to sit in the room and try to run a football team. It would be a massive train-wreck. All one has to do for recent memory is look at the outrage when Pierchalski got cut last season. What did he do in Ottawa? Zip! I'm actually quite surprised Getzlaf decided to keep playing football. I'd have done the smart thing and retired, because he won't be close to the impact player he was here. I am guessing he will be on the injured list early in the season and will play very little.
Would expect nothing less from Jolene because she is all class. One missed shot does not define her week. If NB had beaten Manitoba, it wouldn't have surprised me to see Team SK in final. She will be back. It may not be next year, but she will be back.
Hoping the kids make some noise, because god knows regular Pats fans don't!
TSN broke out the kiss cam this morning. HA HA HA!!
There is no comparison between TSN and Sportsnet as far as I'm concerned. Guys like Kypreos, Shannon and Stock are terrible.
These idiots who think Jones/Murphy are killing the Riders just don't have a clue. For a fan base that claims to be so knowledgeable, there are many out there who have no idea. It really is embarassing.
Good to see Burrows bringing the program back. It has been a long time!
Watched trade deadline coverage on both today. I was left wondering how Bettman could be so stupid to take the Rogers offer. TSN is so much better than them. Duthie, Ferraro, Lebrun, Miller, Button etc etc is so much better than the so called know it alls on Sportsnet. Friedman is the only guy on that station worth anything IMO.
perry
Many Manitobans have the same problem Mitch- no idea how 2 use signal lights
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