Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Avalanche Say No To Seth Jones
You can't believe it until you hear it, but it sounds like the Colorado Avalanche are going to pass on Seth Jones come draft day to take one of the talented forwards available. The story can be read right here.
If Sakic is true to his word, who does he take? Do you still think the Avs take Jones and this is just a smokescreen?
Riders Sign Canadian Fullback
With Neal Hughes injured, the Riders are filling the void left by his absence by signing former Hec Crighton Trophy winner Daryl Stephenson. That from Sportsnet's (and Sportscage's) Arash Madani who reported it Tuesday afternoon. The 27 year old has also spent time with Hamilton and Winnipeg.
Eskimos Lose Nichols For Season
He's done before it really started.
A torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered by Matt Nichols in Friday's pre-season loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders has ended the Edmonton Eskimos quarterback's 2013 CFL season.The Eskimos announced the injury news Monday morning.
Nichols, 26, is slated for surgery to his right knee, which he injured late in the first quarter while trying to bring down Roughriders defensive back Carlos Thomas, who had picked off a pass from Nichols that bounced off receiver Ed Gant's hands. Thomas then scampered for a 30-yard touchdown.
Nichols had to be helped off the field following the play and was carted off to the Eskimos dressing room. He returned to the field on crutches and didn't comment following the 31-24 Eskimos loss.
Nichols will speak to the media early this afternoon.
“It is a disappointment, but injuries are a part of our game, unfortunately," Eskimos head coach Kavis Reed said following Friday's game. "I think our team is constructed very well that if it is something long term, we’ll be fine.”
Quarterback Mike Reilly, whom Nichols had been battling for the team's starting role, is now the No. 1 pivot.
It's the second major injury in as many games for Nichols, who suffered a dislocated ankle during the East semifinal loss to the Toronto Argonauts in November.
(Edmonton Journal)
A torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered by Matt Nichols in Friday's pre-season loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders has ended the Edmonton Eskimos quarterback's 2013 CFL season.The Eskimos announced the injury news Monday morning.
Nichols, 26, is slated for surgery to his right knee, which he injured late in the first quarter while trying to bring down Roughriders defensive back Carlos Thomas, who had picked off a pass from Nichols that bounced off receiver Ed Gant's hands. Thomas then scampered for a 30-yard touchdown.
Nichols had to be helped off the field following the play and was carted off to the Eskimos dressing room. He returned to the field on crutches and didn't comment following the 31-24 Eskimos loss.
Nichols will speak to the media early this afternoon.
“It is a disappointment, but injuries are a part of our game, unfortunately," Eskimos head coach Kavis Reed said following Friday's game. "I think our team is constructed very well that if it is something long term, we’ll be fine.”
Quarterback Mike Reilly, whom Nichols had been battling for the team's starting role, is now the No. 1 pivot.
It's the second major injury in as many games for Nichols, who suffered a dislocated ankle during the East semifinal loss to the Toronto Argonauts in November.
(Edmonton Journal)
Monday, June 17, 2013
Modano Returning to Prince Albert
The Prince Albert Raiders announced today that alumni Mike Modano will be returning to Prince Albert on Friday November 1st for a Raiders home game, followed by serving as the guest speaker at the Kinsmen Sportsman Dinner on November 2nd.
Modano joined the Raiders in 1986 and was the team’s first player to be selected first overall in an NHL Entry Draft when the Minnesota North Stars drafted him in 1988. Through his three-year career with the Green and Gold, the Livonia, Michigan native compiled 294 points in 176 games, the 6th highest total in Raiders franchise history. Modano also sits tied for 6th in goals scored, with 118, and his 176 assists is the 5th among all-time Raiders.
Modano joined the North Stars in 1989 and went on to play 1499 NHL games with the North Stars, Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings. Throughout his 21-year career, the 6’3” centre set multiple NHL records for American-born players including most goals, with 561, most points, with 1374, and most games played by a forward. An eight-time NHL All-Star, Modano also appeared in 176 playoff games, scoring 146 points and a winning the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Internationally, he represented his country in two World Junior Championships, three World Hockey Championships and World Cup’s as well as three appearances at the Olympics, winning a silver medal in 2002. USA Hockey honoured Modano’s illustrious career when he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.
Modano joined the Raiders in 1986 and was the team’s first player to be selected first overall in an NHL Entry Draft when the Minnesota North Stars drafted him in 1988. Through his three-year career with the Green and Gold, the Livonia, Michigan native compiled 294 points in 176 games, the 6th highest total in Raiders franchise history. Modano also sits tied for 6th in goals scored, with 118, and his 176 assists is the 5th among all-time Raiders.
Modano joined the North Stars in 1989 and went on to play 1499 NHL games with the North Stars, Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings. Throughout his 21-year career, the 6’3” centre set multiple NHL records for American-born players including most goals, with 561, most points, with 1374, and most games played by a forward. An eight-time NHL All-Star, Modano also appeared in 176 playoff games, scoring 146 points and a winning the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Internationally, he represented his country in two World Junior Championships, three World Hockey Championships and World Cup’s as well as three appearances at the Olympics, winning a silver medal in 2002. USA Hockey honoured Modano’s illustrious career when he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.
Canada West And Shaw Announce Football Sked
Canada West Universities Athletic Association and Shaw Communications have teamed up for the 7th year in a row to bring football fans across the West another exciting weekly TV lineup in 2013, with eight games that feature all six conference schools, along with both Hardy Cup semifinal games this fall.
Each live broadcast can be seen on local Shaw stations, Shaw HD and Shaw Direct 299.
Canada West on Shaw TV Schedule
Beginning in Week #1, the first seven weeks of action highlight each Canada West football school and several rivalry match-ups, with an open option to show any game on the season’s final weekend as playoff positions are set.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are featured four times in the first seven weeks, with the Manitoba Bisons, UBC Thunderbirds, Regina Rams, Alberta Golden Bears and five-time defending Hardy Cup champion Calgary Dinos each making two appearances.
A big Prairie battle opens the Canada West / Shaw TV schedule when Regina travels to face provincial rival Saskatchewan on Friday, August. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Last season, the Rams used home field advantage to defeat the Huskies in the semifinals and secure a spot in the Hardy Cup final.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Huskies meet another 2012 playoff team as they play the Manitoba Bisons at Winnipeg. In Week #4, the Calgary Dinos have their first TV date of 2013, against Manitoba on Friday, Sept. 20. The Dinos defeated the Bisons in the highest-scoring game in Canada West history, 78-54 on the final day of the regular season last year, and eliminated Manitoba a week later in the a semifinal game at McMahon Stadium.
Mark down Friday, October 4 as a crucial on-air contest between heated rivals Calgary and Saskatchewan, at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. One or both teams have hosted a playoff game every year since 2008 and they finished 1-2 in the standings four straight seasons from 2008 to 2011.
After a “bye” week for all schools, UBC and Alberta kickoff the playoff drive with a game at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 19 and the Oct. 25-26 weekend brings an end to the conference season, where any of three Canada West games – UBC at Calgary, Saskatchewan at Regina or Manitoba at Alberta – could be picked up by Shaw TV.
Both highly anticipated semifinal games, November 1 & 2, will be broadcast live on Shaw TV across Canada. A carrier for the 77th Hardy Cup game on the weekend of Nov. 9 will be confirmed at a later date.
The Canada West champion hosts the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) winner in the Mitchell Bowl on the weekend of Nov. 16 and the CIS 49th Vanier Cup national championship is to be played at Université Laval in Quebec City on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The broadcast crew returns in tact from last season. WHL on Shaw host Andy Neal returns for his second season hosting Krown Produce Canada West Football on Shaw. Jim Mullin will provide the play-by-play for his 11th consecutive season in Canada West and seventh season with Shaw TV. Former Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Laurence Nixon is back for his third season at colour commentary, while 2004 Hec Crighton Award winner Jesse Lumsden returns for his second season of colour commentary. Former San Francisco 49er and CFL defensive end Daved Benefield returns for his fourth year of analysis.
This season, Krown Produce Canada West Countdown will debut as a 30-minute pregame show, hosted by Ryan Sullivan and Andrew Wadden. It’s the third season of the CIS football show. Countdown will feature a Coast-to-Coast Highlight Reel, panel discussion and more. For those of you who want their CIS news earlier, Krown Produce CIS Coast-to-Coast will be available online every Wednesday night and on Shaw TV Vancouver.
(Canada West)
Each live broadcast can be seen on local Shaw stations, Shaw HD and Shaw Direct 299.
Canada West on Shaw TV Schedule
Beginning in Week #1, the first seven weeks of action highlight each Canada West football school and several rivalry match-ups, with an open option to show any game on the season’s final weekend as playoff positions are set.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are featured four times in the first seven weeks, with the Manitoba Bisons, UBC Thunderbirds, Regina Rams, Alberta Golden Bears and five-time defending Hardy Cup champion Calgary Dinos each making two appearances.
A big Prairie battle opens the Canada West / Shaw TV schedule when Regina travels to face provincial rival Saskatchewan on Friday, August. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Last season, the Rams used home field advantage to defeat the Huskies in the semifinals and secure a spot in the Hardy Cup final.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Huskies meet another 2012 playoff team as they play the Manitoba Bisons at Winnipeg. In Week #4, the Calgary Dinos have their first TV date of 2013, against Manitoba on Friday, Sept. 20. The Dinos defeated the Bisons in the highest-scoring game in Canada West history, 78-54 on the final day of the regular season last year, and eliminated Manitoba a week later in the a semifinal game at McMahon Stadium.
Mark down Friday, October 4 as a crucial on-air contest between heated rivals Calgary and Saskatchewan, at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. One or both teams have hosted a playoff game every year since 2008 and they finished 1-2 in the standings four straight seasons from 2008 to 2011.
After a “bye” week for all schools, UBC and Alberta kickoff the playoff drive with a game at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 19 and the Oct. 25-26 weekend brings an end to the conference season, where any of three Canada West games – UBC at Calgary, Saskatchewan at Regina or Manitoba at Alberta – could be picked up by Shaw TV.
Both highly anticipated semifinal games, November 1 & 2, will be broadcast live on Shaw TV across Canada. A carrier for the 77th Hardy Cup game on the weekend of Nov. 9 will be confirmed at a later date.
The Canada West champion hosts the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) winner in the Mitchell Bowl on the weekend of Nov. 16 and the CIS 49th Vanier Cup national championship is to be played at Université Laval in Quebec City on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The broadcast crew returns in tact from last season. WHL on Shaw host Andy Neal returns for his second season hosting Krown Produce Canada West Football on Shaw. Jim Mullin will provide the play-by-play for his 11th consecutive season in Canada West and seventh season with Shaw TV. Former Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Laurence Nixon is back for his third season at colour commentary, while 2004 Hec Crighton Award winner Jesse Lumsden returns for his second season of colour commentary. Former San Francisco 49er and CFL defensive end Daved Benefield returns for his fourth year of analysis.
This season, Krown Produce Canada West Countdown will debut as a 30-minute pregame show, hosted by Ryan Sullivan and Andrew Wadden. It’s the third season of the CIS football show. Countdown will feature a Coast-to-Coast Highlight Reel, panel discussion and more. For those of you who want their CIS news earlier, Krown Produce CIS Coast-to-Coast will be available online every Wednesday night and on Shaw TV Vancouver.
(Canada West)
Riders Make First Set of Cuts
RELEASE:
Import QB Levi Brown
Non-Import LB Aaron Crawford
Import WR Phillip Livas
Import LB Anthony Heygood
Import RB Stephfon Green
Import DB Chip Vaughn
Import DL Kenny Rowe
Non-Import DL David Rybinski
Non-Import LB Aaron Crawford
Import WR Phillip Livas
Import LB Anthony Heygood
Import RB Stephfon Green
Import DB Chip Vaughn
Import DL Kenny Rowe
Non-Import DL David Rybinski
TRANSFER:
Non-Import OL Patrick Neufeld (9-game injured list)
Non-Import LB Mike McCullough (9-game injured list)
Non-Import LB Mike McCullough (9-game injured list)
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Something To "Mitch" About
Howdy friends! I shut things down on the weekend for a while because it was time to make a road trip.
The card was not what UFC wanted it to be and several changes had to be made in the weeks and days leading up to the event. The main event was Rashad Evans vs Dan Henderson, but the people of Winnipeg didn't seem to care. They wanted their UFC and they got it.
There were a lot of Canadians on the card, and those Canadians came through. One of them was Saskatoon's Mitch "Danger Zone" Clarke.
Mitch was visibly emotional after beating John Maguire for his first UFC win in three tries. He said after that had he lost, his days in UFC were likely over.
Winnipeg's own Roland Delorme was on the undercard and he was by far and away the most popular fighter of the evening as the hometown crowd cheered on his every move.
They love this guy in Winnipeg as much as we loved him in Regina. I miss seeing ya play Rip and so do a lot of others. We will never forget you!
I also couldn't believe the amount of people that stopped me while walking around the MTS Centre concourse. I must have had at least a half dozen people if not more including a father-son combo from Moose Jaw who had nothing but superlatives to say about the Sportscage and the job that is done in putting together the show that the true Rider fan wants to hear on a daily basis.
I can't really make any comments about the Rider game as I didn't really see a lot of it and when I did see it, it was basically moving my head up to a TV where there was no sound. I only had a couple of observations and these may not mean much.
--Greg Carr is going to make it tough on this coaching staff to find a spot for him
--If he performs well against Calgary, the team will have to find a way to keep Tino Sunseri around. Perhaps GM Brendan Taman better get that "9 game" handshake going. That handshake has been known to result in a finger injury.
--The defence looked like it was getting good pressure on the Edmonton quarterbacks
--Darian Durant seemed to like what was going on when he was out there,
Of course, I'll be able to give much more thought on this week's game since I'll be front and center,
That is it. I could tell stories about some of the things that happened on the road and who else I bumped into, but to protect the innocent I won't. There is that "What happens on the road trip stays on the road trip" thought process. In the end, no one was harmed in the production of what was a great weekend. Winnipeg, if you get the UFC back there, I will see you.
Thanks for checkin in!
(Pictures of Mitch Clarke and Roland Delorme, courtesy of Winnipeg Sun)
The destination was Winnipeg's beautiful MTS Centre with the event being UFC161. After watching it for so many years with my neanderthal friends, we had to make the trip and what a trip it was. That is if you consider walking the rainy downtown streets of Winnipeg in a rye-induced haze at 230 in the morning one night followed by having a chance to talk to some of the performers after the event was over in a social setting Saturday night which again resulted in a slow and painful start to the day on Sunday a great trip. Here are just a few pics.
The card was not what UFC wanted it to be and several changes had to be made in the weeks and days leading up to the event. The main event was Rashad Evans vs Dan Henderson, but the people of Winnipeg didn't seem to care. They wanted their UFC and they got it.
There were a lot of Canadians on the card, and those Canadians came through. One of them was Saskatoon's Mitch "Danger Zone" Clarke.
Winnipeg's own Roland Delorme was on the undercard and he was by far and away the most popular fighter of the evening as the hometown crowd cheered on his every move.
Much to everyone's delight, Delorme also came through.
While people were there to see the fights, they were also there to see the extremely beautiful Arianny Celeste and Brittney Palmer and both of the UFC Ring girls did not disappoint,
The crowd also loved it when the voice of the octagon Mike Goldberg and his partner Joe Rogan came out for the festivities.
I also had the chance to hob-nob with a lot of the stars of the show and the UFC. From what I've heard, I don't think Saskatoon will have to wait much longer before a card comes to Credit Union Centre. Here are just a few snaps of me with some UFC celebs...
Former CFL commish and now head of UFC Canada Tom Wright. You don't find a better guy than Tom. One of the first things he said to me was I'll be at GC 101 because you can't beat a GC in Regina.
Referee Yves Lavigne
Roy "Big Country" Nelson. The crowd was really cheering for him, but he got beat in the end in what was a riveting heavyweight match between himself and Stipe Miocic. Nelson got hit over 450 times in the match and did not go down. That is a record.
Edmonton's Ryan Jimmo. He won his match, but it wasn't particularly exciting. Near the end of his fight, a fight happened in the stands near where we were sitting. I don't think anyone on my side of the MTS Centre heard that Jimmo won because of the noise going on and everyone watching the fight which included some ladies. Even Rogan had to wonder when it was all over what had happened and in the post-fight news conference, Jimmo admitted the fight in the stands may have been better than his.
One other picture I had to show you from the MTS Centre and its this one. If you've been inside the building, you've probably seen it...
They love this guy in Winnipeg as much as we loved him in Regina. I miss seeing ya play Rip and so do a lot of others. We will never forget you!
I also couldn't believe the amount of people that stopped me while walking around the MTS Centre concourse. I must have had at least a half dozen people if not more including a father-son combo from Moose Jaw who had nothing but superlatives to say about the Sportscage and the job that is done in putting together the show that the true Rider fan wants to hear on a daily basis.
I can't really make any comments about the Rider game as I didn't really see a lot of it and when I did see it, it was basically moving my head up to a TV where there was no sound. I only had a couple of observations and these may not mean much.
--Greg Carr is going to make it tough on this coaching staff to find a spot for him
--If he performs well against Calgary, the team will have to find a way to keep Tino Sunseri around. Perhaps GM Brendan Taman better get that "9 game" handshake going. That handshake has been known to result in a finger injury.
--The defence looked like it was getting good pressure on the Edmonton quarterbacks
--Darian Durant seemed to like what was going on when he was out there,
Of course, I'll be able to give much more thought on this week's game since I'll be front and center,
That is it. I could tell stories about some of the things that happened on the road and who else I bumped into, but to protect the innocent I won't. There is that "What happens on the road trip stays on the road trip" thought process. In the end, no one was harmed in the production of what was a great weekend. Winnipeg, if you get the UFC back there, I will see you.
Thanks for checkin in!
(Pictures of Mitch Clarke and Roland Delorme, courtesy of Winnipeg Sun)
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