Khalif Mitchell Unhappy About Trade

Khalif Mitchell just sounds like one massive jerk. As you will read in this piece by the Vancouver Province's Lowell Ullrich, he is spouting off after being traded and he didn't necessarily have the love of some team-mates.

Canada's Interested In The Blue Jays

Sportsnet delivered its largest audience ever for a Toronto Blue Jays game last night, as an average of 1.4 million (2+) viewers tuned in to Sportsnet's Opening Night broadcast featuring the Cleveland Indians vs. Toronto Blue Jays on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific.
Overall, more than 4 million Canadians watched some part of the record-setting season opener on Sportsnet, as the Blue Jays fell to the Indians, 4-1. Audience levels peaked at 1.9 million viewers at 8:29 p.m. ET in the bottom of the 3rd inning, as the Blue Jays were at bat with the bases loaded, and 0 out.
The 1.4 million average audience marks a 13% increase over Sportsnet's previous highest Blue Jays audience of 1.3 million viewers on April 9, 2012 (Boston @ Toronto, 2012 Blue Jays Home Opener). It also marks a 48% increase over the 2011 Blue Jays home opener average audience of 976,000 viewers on April 1, 2011 and a 81% increase over the 2010 Blue Jays home opener average audience of 796,000 viewers on April 12, 2010.
Fans also flocked to Sportsnet's digital platforms on Blue Jays opening day, as unique visitors to sportsnet.ca and Sportsnet's Mobile App were 56% higher in comparison to last season's home opener on April 9, 2012.
Sportsnet's coverage of the Toronto Blue Jays 2013 pre-season set a network record as well, attracting the highest average audience ever in Sportsnet history for its Blue Jays Spring Training national telecasts. An average audience of 350,000 viewers watched Blue Jays spring training broadcasts on Sportsnet this season, marking a 36% increase over the previous average audience high of 257,000 set in the 2012 pre-season.

NHL Trade Deadline Day

In what really has become more and more of a non-event, its NHL trade deadline day. A lot of the moves have been made already, but if you want to know what's happening, click here.

A Chat With Jamie Campbell

I had a chance to speak with Sportsnet's Jamie Campbell, who hosts Jays Connected and is the in-game host for Blue Jays games on the network, while he was in town last week for a segment that will run on Access 7's LockerTalk. Here is the audio from that chat...

Lions Trade Mitchell To Argos

The Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions have completed a trade that will send former all-star DT Khalif Mitchell to the defending Grey Cup Champions in exchange for import DE Adrian Awasom as well as the rights to a negotiation list player.

Commented Argonauts General Manager, Jim Barker, “Khalif has shown the ability to be a dominant interior defensive lineman in the CFL. He has been a part of a Grey Cup championship team and understands the level of commitment needed to again be a champion. We’re excited to have him join our Club.”

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound lineman joins an Argos squad that is in need of an established defensive lineman after losing Ricky Foley to free agency, releasing Ronald Flemons and granting all-star Armond Armstead his release.

Mitchell has spent the past three seasons with the Lions after joining the league in September of 2010 as a free agent. During the 2011 campaign, he gained notoriety as being one of the CFL’s most feared pass rushers, leading to him being named a Western Division and CFL All-Star at his position.

The native of Virginia Beach, VA had 33 tackles and 6 sacks in his all-star season, and comes to the Boatmen with 54 tackles and 8 sacks in 34 career CFL games. Prior to his stint with the Lions, Mitchell spent two seasons on the practice roster of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.

NHL's Three Stars For March

FIRST STAR -- SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS


Crosby led the League with 19 assists and 25 points as the Penguins became the first team in NHL history to post a perfect calendar month (minimum, 10 games). He also tied linemate Pascal Dupuis for first in the League with a +19 rating. Crosby recorded points in 12 of 15 games, including eight multi-point efforts, and had two point streaks of five or more games. He also matched a career high with five assists against the New York Islanders March 10, becoming the only active player with more than one five-assist game in his career (his other such game was 12/13/06 vs. Philadelphia). The 25-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., native leads the NHL with 41 assists and 56 points in 36 games this season. He also ranks second in the League with a +26 rating and 14 power-play assists.

SECOND STAR -- P.K. SUBBAN, D, MONTREAL CANADIENS

Subban led all defensemen with 18 points (7-11—18) in 14 games and paced all skaters with 11 power-play points (4-7—11). He collected points in nine of 14 games, including seven multi-point outings, and recorded a career-high three assists at the Florida Panthers March 10 -- a number he then matched against the New York Rangers March 30. Subban's seven goals were the most in one month by a Canadiens defenseman since Mathieu Schneider had seven in February 1994. The 23-year-old Toronto, Ont., native leads all NHL blueliners with 10 goals and ranks third among defensemen with 27 points in 28 games this season. His six power-play goals are tied for first among defensemen, while his 18 power-play points rank third in the League overall.

THIRD STAR -- SERGEI BOBROVSKY, G, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Bobrovsky led the NHL with three shutouts and also ranked second in wins (nine), goals-against average (1.49) and save percentage (.950) as Columbus posted its most successful month in franchise history (10-2-4). He allowed one goal or fewer in 10 of his 14 appearances, recording his first career shutout against the Detroit Red Wings March 9. Bobrovsky made 30 or more saves on seven occasions and tied his season high with 39 stops in consecutive games -- a 2-1 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks March 14 and a 1-0 shootout victory over the Phoenix Coyotes March 16. The 24-year-old Novokuznetsk, Russia, native is 12-8-6 in 26 games this season, ranking second in the League with a .927 save percentage and eighth with a 2.13 goals-against average

Something To "Mitch" About

That picture that Kory Sheets commented on over the weekend depresses me big-time as we hit April 1. It is encouraging to know though that it will all be gone by the time the Riders open up the pre-season at home. I hope it is at least.  How many more days is it until the season starts anyhoo?

Those wondering when spring will be arriving should know that it will take a while yet. It is tradition that as spring comes, the Toronto Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs and it looks like they will make it this year so we have a while to go yet.  In fact, six of the seven Canadian teams could make the playoffs, however Edmonton still looks iffy.

If Sidney Crosby got on the phone with Jarome iginla to convince him to play in Pittsburgh, is that not tampering? I wonder how the Bruins feel about that? Speaking of Sid, I guess we’ll find out if the Penguins can play without him the way they did without Malkin.  Will Sid getting hit in the face with the puck when he was wearing a visor now have everyone calling for cages?

Your final four teams are Syracuse, Wichita State, Michigan or should I say”Mitchigan” and Louisville.  The Wichita State team is coached by Greg Marshall which dispels any myth that you can’t win if your coach is named Greg Marshall.  Yes, that is a cheap shot and I should be penalized 10 yards or at least four minutes for it.  Louisville advanced by beating Duke, but the game was marred but a simply gruesome broken leg suffered by Louisville’s Kevin Ware. I could give you the Youtube link and let you see it If you haven’t, but I’m not going to.  I thought CBS did the right thing by showing the replay once and that was it. I believe TSN showed it as well, but also just once. Its something no one needs to really see time after time after time.

Who are the idiots thinking Lorne Molleken should be let go before the Memorial Cup starts after what happened to the Blades? As I said earlier, Molleken went from being a hero when the team won 18 in a row to seemingly being Saskatoon’s most hated guy. Where are the negative comments to the players who obviously pulled the chute in the first round? I’m not a big Blades fan, but if they should win the Memorial Cup (and I certainly hope they don’t after what happened), I hope Lorne tells the Saskatoon hockey fan who will be a happy bunch to shove it you know where.

What the hell is Jerry Jones thinking? A 6 year, 100 million dollar plus contract extension for a quarterback who has won one playoff game and seemingly can’t win the big game. BA HA HA HA HA!! Don’t count on Dallas winning the big game anytime soon! Seriously, what were you thinking Jerr-ah!

Say what you will about Ralph Klein, but the former Calgary mayor and the premier of Alberta was one of the most popular politicians we have seen and while some bristled at the way he did things, he did it and said it and he didn’t care who he offended. There are a lot of politicians and people in general who could take a page or two from the way Klein did things.

Even when he is out of the game, Sean Avery continues to act like a first class ass. I’m guessing his actions of Saturday night is one of the reasons why he isn’t playing hockey.

Have you seen Team Finland at the World Mens Curling Championship? If Canada had a rink that looks like they do, the whining would never end methinks. I bet those four are a howl after some nights at the Helsinki Curling Club.

So far, so good with the melt. I do have two questions though.  1) Will graders be out cleaning streets from all the slush that is now forming because some cars are getting stuck and 2) Will those cars be getting stuck on streets where there is hardly any room to navigate as it is because the streets are so narrow.

Its April Fools Day today. Remember that!

April might be the best month that sports has to offer----even with no football involvement! For those who care, I take the L-A Angels to beat the San Francisco Giants in the World Series and yes, I see the Jays making the playoffs. Do I see the Cubs making it? Only if they expand the playoffs by about 10 teams.

Here is one for all you baseball fans.

Have a good week and remember not to do anything that you wouldn’t want to explain to the paramedics.

(Mosaic Stadium photo courtesy Jean Guy Dauphinais)