This And That

Yeah, I know. I usually put “This and That” up on Friday morning, but Blogger wasn’t working right for me this morning and there were a couple of things I was waiting on before posting. It’s the holidays too so bear with me.

--Canada is 2-0 at the World Juniors which is great, but I still have some lingering doubt about this squad. Watching the Russia-US game, the Canadian kids will have to take it up a notch or two if they are to beat both of those squads. I wouldn’t be surprised if the game between the two today was a gold medal preview.

--One of the reasons why it may be tough for Canada to recapture that golden feeling is discipline. Yes, I know its an issue every year, but the hit by Boone Jenner against Sweden was suspension-worthy and I’m guessing JC Lipon will get a game for his hit against the Slovaks. If Anthony Camera gets suspended it’s a joke though as there was nothing wrong with that hit and the fact it took the refs so long to even make a penalty call was ludicrous.

--Is there a reason why we are not seeing the other pool play their games. How good are the Swedes? How good is Finland, the Czechs and Switzerland. I'm guessing TSN didn't have the resources or didn't want to spend the $$$$ to send a 2nd crew to Russia. 

--Is it just me or has the massive New Years eve party seemed to have gone the way of the do-do bird? It would seem to me as if more and more people are going to house parties and just having intimate little get-togethers instead of dressing up, going out and spending a ridiculous amount of money. I remember doing that for a few years at Delberts.  There were some good times…good times indeed!

--If you have read this blog, you know I am not a Tony Romo fan. I find the guy to be so over-rated that its ridiculous and that if he was the signal-caller in a place like Cincinnati, San Diego, or some less publicized team than the Cowboys that he would just be considered an above average to average quarterback. That being said, I will give Romo his due as he has picked up his game over the last couple of weeks as he tries to get the Cowboys in the playoffs. However, I have to think that Romo may play his last game as a Cowboy if he soils the linen and Dallas gets hammered Sunday night in Washington. I just don’t think Dallas can win with Romo and it may be time to look at the position very carefully should Dallas lose on Sunday. If they win, they likely get Seattle in the first round of the playoffs. Derek Meyers and I may drop the mitts before that one starts or during that game.  Duke is a huge Romo fan!

--The Regina Pats simply need to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors and Saskatoon Blades this weekend if they want to keep their roster intact. The Warriors win at the Brandt Centre Thursday night means they are three up on the Pats in the fight for the last spot in the East. If that gap gets to five or seven, its time to start wheeling and dealing.  Goalie Matt Hewitt, forward Lane Scheidl and defenceman Colton Jobke would be the bait in the water. I have heard rumours of Hewitt going to Victoria or Prince Albert and I have also heard that Scheidl could be on his way to Kamloops. We won’t know for a while.

--Pats V.P of business operations Cliff Mapes is a beaut.  He listens to Sportscage religiously and he is phoning Kelly Remple during the show on Thursday. I call him out asking why is he phoning when he knows Kelly can’t answer and when we tell him to phone  us he does. He has a tough job in getting people into the Brandt Centre to watch games, but he keeps trying and trying and trying.  He’s a good man (most of the time!)

--Saskatoon Blades p x p man (and overall good man) Les Lazaruk joined Kelly Remple and I inside the Sportscage on Thursday. Les believes that even though they are currently the top team in the East, that the team to watch in the 2^nd half of the season is the Edmonton Oil Kings. How can that team possibly get better than what they are? If they add some key pieces to their lineup, they could run away with the East. I personally think Red Deer is going to make some noise. They’ve been a different team since Brent Sutter returned behind the bench.

--The World Under 17 challenge begins on Saturday in Quebec. I always thought that tournament never gets the credit it deserves. That is what happens when it goes head to head against the World Juniors though.

--Why do people continue to drive like maniacs down the Ring Road when conditions call for you to slow down? What is going through the minds of some of these idiots that roar past you going 120 or more in the passing lane.

--Its been a long time since I’ve done morning radio. After two days of being up at 330, I just don’t know how Heather Anderson and the gang at Global and Jonathan Glasgow and his cohorts at CTV can do what they do every morning looking chipper and in tip-top condition. My hair would be in several different directions and I’d be yawning and looking dopey-eyed by 8 AM.

--There is no better TV character than Al Bundy!

--The Canadian Club ad in which the guy says "You would need a weedwacker to see my nipples" is a little strange. When I'm drinking whiskey, I don't want to think about chest hair--mine or anyone elses. 

--I’m glad that Sportsnet’s (Sportscage Insider) Arash Madani  broke some CFL news this week with word that Grey Cup MVP Chad Kackert will likely work out with the Jets while Jacksonville will work out soon to be free agent quarterback Mike Reilly. I was beginning to think the CFL had shut down operations for a while since no team was making any headlines for a few days.

--Big Brother’s Rachel Reilly is apparently in Regina. Is this big news? I don’t watch the show. Why would some reality TV star be in Regina? Will Seanna from the WOLF challenge her to a fight?

--Is the NHL’s new offer to the players a sign that they are caving? From what I see, the players can’t turn this one down can they? What does Donald Fehr have up his sleeve if he says no to this?

--If the NHL does come back, I will be very interested to see what the Edmonton Oilers do. Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are obviously in game shape and Justin Schultz looks to be the real deal. As Al Dumba noted on Friday’s Sportscage, there will be a lot of guys who won’t be in game shape for a while while the young Oilers will be having played in Oklahoma City.

--If the NHL does come back, would fans make the statement to both owners and players and stay away from the first night of play. I doubt it. I’d love to see it, but even I have to admit that I would be watching the first Oilers game on TV. 

--That's all I got. I've got a best of column coming. There were a lot of good stories in Regina this past year with a lot of success stories. Have a good weekend.  GO SEAHAWKS!!