Let The Dealing Begin

OK tell the truth. How many of you are going to be following what happens with the NHL trade deadline. Expect a lot of deals to be made…I’m thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-25 when all is said and done. Leafs coach Ron Wilson said earlier this week that TSN makes a bigger deal out of this than what it actually is. Hey Ron if it has people talking about your league then it’s a good thing. An I the only one who thinks Wilson is a jack-ass!!!
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The Blades had a chance to virtually wrap up the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference and an Eastern Division regular season title but Brandon beat Saskatoon 4-3 at Credit Union Centre to sit six back. I don’t think the Wheat Kings can catch the Blades but if there are no upsets in the 1st round, it will be these two teams in the 2nd round and it could very well be the best series of the playoffs when all is said and done if it materializes. Even though it looks like the Pats won’t be involved in those playoffs, I am still looking forward to what I think will be some great hockey. I don’t know what first round matchup SHAW is planning on bringing us. I wouldn’t mind seeing Saskatoon-Lethbridge if that’s how it shakes out.
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The CFL still has an interest in Ottawa. The league’s board of governors have given the group looking to bring the league back to the Nations capital more time to try and secure a deal with the city on a new stadium. They now have until September 18 to do that. The group led by Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt is looking to renovate Frank Clair Stadium as part of a re-development of Lansdowne Park. Trouble is, Ottawa civic officials also have a proposal from a local group headed up by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk for a new 20,000-seat soccer-only venue in nearby Kanata, Ont., to be home to a Major League Soccer expansion club. Can these two sides not get together and have a stadium that would support both. It doesn’t matter to me if its Frank Clair Stadium or a stadium in Kanata near the Senators home…if it means getting Ottawa back in the league and then perhaps a team in the Maritimes to give the CFL 10 teams I would be all for it. I don’t know if Hunt and Melnyk can work together and if they don’t one group will be left out in the cold. Personally, I think the CFL will do more for Ottawa than an MLS team.
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Some in the Cleveland media are having some fun with the new coach of the Browns (Eric Mangini) and GM (George Kokinis). One outlet is referring to the duo as “ManKok”. OK!! Maybe these guys could end up being rivals of High Impact Wrestling tag team combination “The Domestic Partnership”. Words can’t describe the antics of these two but high amounts of laughter do follow.
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Have you voted for Humboldt as the winner of the Kraft Hockeyville contest yet. If not you still can. Just go to http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hockeyville/. Enjoy trade deadline day and enjoy it by reading the always humourous Jay Onrait's blog on TSN. This guy doesn't have the two of spades or four of diamonds in his deck if you know what I mean---and thats not a bad thing.....

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/jay_onrait/?id=269701