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Sunday, May 9, 2010

Steve Nash-One Tough Canadian

Steve Nash is a hockey player trapped in a basketball player's body. The Phoenix Suns guard is one of my favourite athletes. I love watching the guy do his thing. He is a magician with the basketball and he's also an extremely tough s-o-b. Here's what Nash looked like after his Phoenix Suns had eliminated the San Antonio Spurs in four straight to move into the NBA's West final.....

The Victoria native took an errant elbow to the eye. As you can see, he looks as if he has been in the octagon. That would have been enough to end the night for many players, but not Nash. He got up, got stitched up and with the eye slowly swelling shut, he scored 10 of his 20 points to lead the Suns to the victory.
I would love to see Nash get into the NBA final. When he was the two-time MVP, his team could not get to the finals. In an NBA that is now consumed by the exploits of guys like Lebron James. Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, I would love to see Nash get his moment in the sun. It might be his final one. If anyone deserves it, its him.
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Mothers Day is a day baseball loves to commemorate. Many players swing pink bats and many have something pink in their attire as baseball fights breast cancer. For Oakland A's pitcher Dallas Braden, mothers day is a chance for him to remember his mother who died from cancer many years ago. Perhaps it was fitting then that it was on Mothers Day when the Oakland righty became the 19th pitcher in baseball history to throw a perfect game. Throwing a perfect game has to be the hardest thing to do in a team sport. You have to have precision control as not to walk anyone. You have to hope that every ball that is hit is hit to someone who can make a play, and you have to hope that play is performed without an error being committed. You must go through that 27 straight times. Its no easy feat. If there is a tougher thing to do in a team game, I'd like to know what it is. If you have a thought, comment away.
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On a day to honor Mom, all we did was curse her out----Mother Nature that is. Thanks for the cold, wet rain. That spoiled what would have been the first barbecue of the year at Casa De Blair.
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This Chicago-Vancouver series has been a weird one. With the exception of the second game, it has been the visitors that have controlled the story. Even then if you look back to Game 2, the Canucks had control through forty minutes. I had to agree wtih the HNIC crew who said the Hawks just didn't look ready for this one. They didn't seem to have that "we're going to end this" look in their eye. I would suggest they get that look back for Game 6 in Vancouver on Tuesday.
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Say what you will about UFC boss Dana White, but he is someone who has let it be known that he isn't going to take any crap from his competitors who act up once the bell has rung. White told Paul Daley he isn't welcome in UFC anymore after the Irishman took a sucker punch at Josh Koscheck after their match had ended at UFC 113 in Montreal Saturday night. White saying in the post-fight press conference that he doesn't care if Daley is the best 170 pounder fighter in the world, he is never coming back to UFC because of his actions last night. Is that being a little harsh or is that sending a message to others who might consider acting like a barbarian after their time of acting a barbarian is up. Daley can go elsewhere to do his thing so its not like his career is over. Its too bad other commissioners didn't take a page from White's book and give swift punishment for stupid actions. Then again, there isn't a MMA fighters union. If there was, Dana wouldn't carry such a big stick.
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Global's Heather Anderson told her sports sidekick Derek Meyers last night that she is taking golf lessons. If this is the case, she can take my spot in that Meyers, Jones, Nye foursome that abused Aspen Links time after time last summer. Work on that short game Heather, work on that short game.
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Six weeks into the baseball season and it may be safe to say that the Toronto Blue Jays are the most exciting team to watch. I know that sounds crazy, but this team loves getting it together for a 9th inning comeback. They did it for the 2nd time this week and the 4th time this year as they get four in their last swings to beat the White Sox 9-7. I honestly thought Toronto would be about 10 back of the Yankees by this time. They are only 5. I don't think they've played the Yankees yet either. At what time does GM Alex Anthopoulos decide whether or not this roster should be strengthened somewhat. If they are still in the thick of the AL East race or the wildcard race by June 15, I would go for it.
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I will never understand why Hockey Night in Canada hired PJ Stock.
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As you go into your Monday, I say
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. Think about it and you'll see I'm right.
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Have a good week!

6 comments:

Henry said...

Re: PJ Stock,

They think he's the second coming of Ron McLean, don't cha know? Thank goodness, McLean's only 50 and will likely be at the front desk for a while.

Mike from Vita, MB said...

Will the real Vancouver Canucks please stand up? Their fans must be pulling their hair out trying to figure out this team.

I'd love to see Nash win an NBA title to silence the naysayers who say you can't win 3 MVP's UNTIL you've won a championship.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinkin if Steve Nash was a hockey player, he would be in that Eric Staal mode. A guy that just gets it done with no questions asked and can put the team on his back if he needs to.

Anonymous said...

Totally off topic, but can you shed any light on what Rod is saying on his blog this morning?

Mitchell Blair said...

No I can't, and if I did, I'm not stealing RP's thunder.

Anonymous said...

PJ Stock is HORRIBLE! I cut the guy some slack when he first started but man the guy hasn't gotten any better; he fumbles his words, cannot think on his feet and has absolutely no charisma. Does his dad run the cbc or what????