"Something To Mitch About"

What a weekend! It was an extremely busy one, but that's OK.

It all started Friday night at the Hungarian Club as the stars of High Impact Wrestling did their thing at a new venue and I think its safe to say they impressed many.

There were a lot of imports there from other territories, but that is what you would expect at their biggest event of the year. The matches were great, the guys did some stunts that make me wonder just why they would do it when they aren't getting paid a lot and I'm sure each and every one of them were damn sore on Saturday morning.

The next card is next month back at the Victoria Club. As I mentioned to fellow wrestling afficionados Tony Playter, Rob Vanstone and Pete Paczko after, HIW may have outgrown the Victoria Club. I'm sure there were many first-timers at Friday's card that will go back, but the Vic Club is just too small for them.  They are working hard to make this thing work and if Friday's card is any indication, it looks as if its good times (and painful times) ahead for the group.

Saturday night was the Regina Red Sox annual dinner and it was first class all the way.

It was a distinct pleasure and an honour to have a chance to interview former Blue Jays closer Duane Ward on stage with CBC's Kent Morrison. Ward was outstanding as he answered questions from Kent and I along with the crowd. What really stood out to me were two things  1) That he feels Dave Winfield was perhaps the greatest athlete of our generation as he was a first round draft pick in four different leagues (ABA, NBA, MLB, NFL) . 2) How the Blue Jays honestly felt they weren't playing for a city, but a country. I found that comment to be surprising seeing there were Americans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, etc. etc. on that squad, but they were all honored to win the championship for the country. If there was thing that disappointed me, it was that Ward couldn't answer a question that for some reason has always bothered me. What happened to Joe Carter's home run ball? I thought for sure Ward would know, but he doesn't. He has no clue! Who has that ball and does he or she realize its significance?

All in all it was a great night at the Turvey Centre and I thank the Red Sox for the opportunity. I think blog-readers know I am a huge supporter of the Red Sox and I can't wait to get back to Currie Field and cheer them on to what will hopefully be a "three-peat".

The Blue Jays are 9-17 in April. There is a lot of time to fix what has gone wrong. However, one has to think the Jays will need 93-95 wins to make the playoffs meaning they have to go 84-60 the rest of the way in what is an American League East where they have lost series to all division rivals. I think its opportunity wasted in Toronto. They will need to be a 500 team by the end of May. If they aren't, expect a managerial change. Would Cito get a call yet again?

The Chicago White Sox need to bring these jerseys back!!

If you're squeamish, I would suggest paging down a little. It was expected that Jon Jones will would massacre Chael Sonnen in the main event at UFC 159 and he did finishing it off before the first round was over. Good thing!  Jones broke his toe in that first round and there is no way as you will see that he could have continued...

That just re-defines nasty boys and girls!

I will be rooting for a Chicago-Boston Stanley Cup final. Doing that should enable me to win the hockey draft I was in on Sunday.

Nice of the Edmonton Oilers to finish off the season waxing division rivals Minnesota and Vancouver to a tune of 13-3. Where was that a few weeks ago? I would like to say that is a precursor to next year, but its not.

The Detroit Red Wings were being written off by a lot of people, but Mike Babcock challenged them by saying if you want in the playoffs, you have to win your next 4. They did! They will give Anaheim a battle in the first round. One has to think this might be Detroit's last hurrah though with the likes of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Franzen. etc. etc. They will be a tough out make no doubt about it.

When in my hockey draft, I stayed completely away from Vancouver-San Jose. That's a coin-flip! I would have to say though if the Sharks are bounced, that may be it for Todd McLellan. From what I hear, he isn't the only playoff coach on the hotseat.

A question was asked on NHL Home Ice on XM. Can you consider James Reimer as a candidate for one of Canada's goalies in Sochi? I can't say yes, but I can't say no either. That will be a weak spot for Canada no matter who they take as Carey Price, Marc Andre Fleury, Cam Ward and Roberto Luongo don't leave me feeling comfortable.

The Yorkton Terriers have started out the Western Canadian championships with wins over Manitoba champion Steinbach and the host Nanaimo team. The Terriers were seen as the number 3 team going into this tournament behind AJHL champion Brooks and BCHL champion Surrey so I guess one could say Yorkton won the games they were supposed to, but they are showing that they belong and some thought that wouldn't be the case. Keep it going boys!

The first round of the NBA playoffs has been great. Saturday's triple overtime game between Brooklyn and Chicago was an instant classic. The first round of the NBA playoffs was also the last round of the NBA playoffs for the Los Angeles Lakers. What a gong show that team was. To think a lot of people thought that would be the team to challenge Lebron and the Heat. NOPE! The Lakers need to do many things and the first thing is to get rid of Dwight Howard.

A story came out Friday suggesting the Toronto Raptors would look into seeing whether or not Phil Jackson might be interested in coaching the team seeing the new head of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is good friends with Phil. I guffawed openly upon seeing that. I would think Phil Andrews has a better shot of coaching the Raptors than Phil Jackson. I would think Dave Taylor would have a better shot than Phil Jackson. Perhaps James Hillis is off to Toronto. The chances of Phil Jackson ever coaching Toronto are beyond zero. At least none of the Toronto media picked up on the story---at least not that I saw.

If everything pans out, I would think the winner of the NFL draft is the St. Louis Rams. They seemed to improve their team immensely. The loser might have been Matt Barkley. The USC quarterback likely would have been a top 5 quarterback had he come out and not stayed at USC for another year, but an injury-riddled campaign followed by a tough season meant his stock fell to the point that he was taken in the 4th round. It just shows when you have the chance to leave, do it.

Congrats to U of R defensive lineman Stefan Charles for signing a free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans once the NFL draft was over. It will be interesting to see how this impacts his role in the CFL draft and where he goes. I would not be surprised to see the Saskatchewan Roughriders to take him with the number 4 selection. There is a thought process out there that Charles will slide to the 2nd or 3rd round because of the NFL, but I can't see that happening especially because he wasn't drafted, but signed on with someone as a free agent.

Some believe the Riders should take MacMaster DE/LB Ben D'Aguilar if he is around at number 4. There is no doubt the Riders need a rush end, but for some reason I see D'Aguilar as another Shomari Williams.

Ya didn't think I was going to get through this without a CFL mention of some kind didja??

Congrats to Morgan Klimchuk of the Pats for winning gold at the World Under 18's in Sochi. Canada winning hockey gold at Sochi. There's a sentence I hope to write next February. The way Klimchuk played, I have to think he has solidified himself as a late first round pick. As for Connor McDavid, the NHL draft lottery in two years will be of tremendous interest. That kid can play.

As you start the day, remember this. If nothing is going right, go left!