My Number One Milt Stegall Memory!

I still laugh when I see this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKLVJiD5w1I

Feel free to leave your Stegall memories.

An Eastern Conference Final Preview???

If you are wondering what to watch on TV tonight, here's some advice. Rogers Sportsnet will have the game between the Saskatoon Blades and the Calgary Hitmen. With all apologies to fans of the Brandon Wheat Kings, this is a battle of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Calgary has only been beaten seven times this year but the Blades have handed Calgary two of those seven losses and one of the wins was in Calgary making Lorne Molleken's men just one of two teams to do that this season. Calgary goes in having won 8 games in a row while the Blades are coming off a 3-0 win in Red Deer last night which was their 25th road win of the season. One of these two teams will likely win the Eastern Conference and take on Vancouver (or perhaps Spokane) in the league final.

Here's hoping the Blades can give Saskatchewan WHL fans a good playoff showing. Its been far too long since a team from our province captured the league championship. The last one being the Swift Current Broncos way back in 1993. Moose Jaw gave it a shot in 2006 before losing to Vancouver in four straight. It is long overdue that a Saskatchewan team is in possession of the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Every team in the Central Division with the exception of the 2nd year Edmonton Oil Kings have won the trophy since the Broncos did it in 1993. Give the Tigers, Hitmen, Hurricanes and Rebels their due in the seasons that they won but also ask the question why the Saskatchewan teams can't get to the top of the mountain more often then what they have.

Goodbye Milt!!! Hello Kelly???? Hello Zeke???

STEGALL OFFICIALLY CALLING IT QUITS
The Globe and Mail Wed 18 Feb 2009
Sports Byline: David Naylor
After 17 years of professional football, the player considered by many to be the greatest receiver in CFL history is calling it quits.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers called a news conference for today at which Milt Stegall will announce his retirement after 14 years. The news comes three weeks after his 39th birthday.
The Miami (Ohio) University product did not get drafted into the NFL but spent three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before coming to Winnipeg midway through the 1995 season. He went on to become the CFL's career leader in receiving yards and touchdown receptions.
Stegall retires without a Grey Cup ring, having played on the losing side in 2001 and 2007.


Bates on the shopping block;
B.C. said to be dangling veteran hoggie as trade bait
The Vancouver Province Wed 18 Feb 2009
Sports Byline: Lowell Ullrich

The man responsible for splitting the Grey Cup apart could be on the verge of a break-up with the Lions.
Three league sources said Tuesday the CFL team is actively shopping veteran Lions offensive lineman Kelly Bates, possibly in the hopes of snaring another defensive upgrade. So far, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders have reportedly shown the most interest, and of those two clubs, the Bombers have by far the most to give.
New Winnipeg coach Mike Kelly inherited a roster which includes middle linebacker Zeke Moreno, and with Barrin Simpson and recently re-signed defender Joe Lobendahn capable of filling the position, the Bombers wouldn't suffer drastically on their depth chart.
Moreno led the CFL last season with 97 tackles while splitting his time between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg, which acquired him when Simpson was lost to injury for the season. A source said Moreno is also drawing interest from Saskatchewan and the Toronto Argonauts.
Bates --a product of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, has heard the suggestions he may be on the move.
"It's a surprise to me that a guy who has been good in the community and been a long member of the Lions is being shopped around???" said Bates, an eight-year Lions veteran who was a 2007 league all-star.
"I want to reserve judgment on the situation. But I understand the business."

Is Don Cherry a Hall of Famer??

There's been a lot of debate over the past couple of months as to whether or not perhaps Canadas most familiar face when it comes to hockey should be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Count me in as one who says yes he should be. Hockey is a piece of Canadiana and so is Don Cherry. Like him or hate him, he has done a lot for the sport through his weekly appearances on Coach's Corner and his rock-em, sock-em videos and one could argue that Hockey Night in Canada gets the viewers it does in the first game of the doubleheader because they want to know what Don is going to do or say and is this the night perhaps that he suffers the meltdown of meltdowns. Say what you will about him but he is a rockstar. Just ask the people of Shaunavon about that when he appeared there a few years for "Hockey Day in Canada". When word came out Cherry was on his way to the rink, I think the whole town showed up and when he emerged from the RCMP cruiser that took him there, the place exploded with everyone wanting one touch or one photo of "Grapes". To this generation, Don Cherry isn't a hockey coach, he is someone who spouts off his views. He could be compared to John Madden. Many who watch the NFL now realize he was a coach but they associate his name with the wildly popular video game named after him. Don Cherry's contribution to hockey is one that should not be ignored. He should most definitely in my mind be a future Hockey Hall of Famer. One can only imagine what kind of jacket he would bring out for that ceremony.

Elsewhere, the Rider Nation is still moaning about the loss of Anton McKenzie and Maurice Lloyd. Like I said yesterday, money was the key issue and both men got more elsewhere than they were going to get here. You would probably do the same thing so stop it and lets move on.

The Tampa Bay Lightning may be calling the Habs and other teams today to talk about Vinnie Lecavalier after the performance of Steven Stamkos last nite. The number one draft pick this year had a breakout game last night as he recorded his first pro hat-trick in a loss to Chicago. Speaking of the Habs, a lot of debate over the benching of Alexei Kovalev. It doesn't take long in Montreal for the swords to be sharpened and one has to think his days as a member of "Les Habitants" are short.

How bout this from the Florida Panthers......

DAVID SHOALTS
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

The Florida Panthers are giving away tickets again — with a twist.
The Panthers, long the NHL's most generous franchise when it comes to handing out free tickets, are tying their latest giveaway to their performance. Anyone who buys four tickets from now through the end of the regular season will get tickets to four games next season if the Panthers do not make the playoffs.
The promotion is called the Panthers Promise Plan. If the Panthers do make the playoffs, those buying tickets will get priority for playoff tickets.At this point, thanks to a good run since January, the Panthers are in decent shape. Before last night's games, the Panthers had a 28-20-8 record and were tied for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the Buffalo Sabres.

Would you call this a good marketing idea or not??? I'm not sure.

This Ones For You RP!!!

My good friend Rod Pedersen is the biggest Starbucks guy I know. I saw this and immediately thought of him. I wonder if he was able to find a Starbucks while on his tropical vacation. Knowing RP I'm sure the answer is yes.

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/?fpn=starbucks%20goes%20down%20market?GT1=33009

UFC fans won't like this little story I came across today....

http://sportsbybrooks.com/ufcs-owners-in-bankruptcy-white-in-jeopardy-22374

I watched parts of the Ottawa-Nashville game on TSN last night but I didn't see this rather humourous episode. Apparently Carrie Underwood didn't want to be seen at the game watching her man Senators forward Mike Fisher. C'mon Carrie!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsIslnig9pQ

No Surprise Here

The Edmonton Eskimos have added free-agent running back Jesse Lumsden to their stable. This means the oft-injured running back will now play for the team his father Neal played for for a number of years. When healthy Lumsden is one of the best RB's in the CFL but his durability is a major question mark. I wonder if Rider fans will get a chance to see Jesse play live in 2009....he has been injured when the Ti-Cats have come to Regina the past two years.

Are You A Hockey Card Collector??

If so, you will love this!!!!

http://www.upperdeck.com/marketing/news_article.aspx?aid=5257

I don't know how kids can afford to be card collectors today when I see the price for a various pack of cards. I think we all remember paying 25 cents for a package and having one card in the pack smeared with the flour from that terrible pink stick of gum.

One CFL item. The Eskimos have signed former U of S Husky Graeme Bell. I think CFL fans--especially those in Saskatchewan--know the battle Bell went through to get back on the football field after he was assaulted outside a Saskatoon bar suffering a terrible head injury just before the start of the 2007 season. Family is apparently the reason for the move.