Something To "Mitch" About

Its been quite a start to 2014 for Saskatchewan on the athletic stage. You've had Jon Ryan, you've had Graham DeLaet and now you've had Mark McMorris. I saw a lot of bleary-eyed people Saturday and the reason was McMorris. I think many of us stayed up late Friday night/Saturday morning to watch McMorris do his thing, and I think I can say we weren't disappointed. I won't sit down and watch the Winter X games when they are on, but I will watch McMorris and I am just constantly amazed at what this kid and others can do. There are some Olympic sports that in my younger years might have had me say "I can do that., but there is no way I could even come close to doing what he can. What makes the accomplishment greater is you know there is no way he could have been feeling great because of that broken rib he suffered just before the games.

While I knew McMorris was going to have to qualify for the final around midnight, I was prepared for that, but I didn't know the final was right away. I thought it was a night-time event in Sochi. It meant Mrs. Scruffy had the bed all to herself as I just napped on the couch. Reading the Twitter feed of many of my Regina media cohorts, they also stayed up. It just begs the question as to why the Press Box or 4 Seasons didn't invite us all over for some early morning Olympic watching. We could have had coffee guys.

I found the scene to be very reminiscent of when Sandra Schmirler won gold in Nagano. I was living in a south end apartment at the time and the final was on early in the morning. It was about the 6th or 7th end and I got out of bed for whatever reason. As I  looked out the window, 90 percent of the lights on the street were on and they weren't normally so I knew everyone else was doing what I was. I don't think mine was the only other neighbourhood either.

Congratulations to U of R Cougar basketballer Brendan Hebert for setting the all time school record for career assists over the weekend. He's done it in only his 4th year and while he's only got a couple of games left this year, he has another whole season next so that record is one that might be sticking around for a while.

Speaking of basketball at the U of R, the womens team should be really saluted for what they did while without the services of Head Coach Dave Taylor. The team had some big games in front of them and they had to be knocked off their feet when they found out their coach had measles. It put assistant coach Carly Graham in a tough spot, but she found a way and the girls found a way to just keep going and just keep winning. Taylor was back on the bench this weekend, but the girls were just dominant in defeating Calgary twice. I would love nothing more than to see this team head to Windsor for the Nationals and do to them what they did to the U of R at last year's nationals. They certainly deserve an opportunity after what they have been through.

So guys, what are your plans for two weeks with no NHL to watch? Is this the time where we check out what the Toronto Raptors are doing? With Valentines Day happening Friday, this might be the time to really go all out for that love in your life.

Rachel Homan, that was impressive. Can you do that again next year in Moose Jaw? I don't know if anyone has had an easier time in winning the Scotties than she did. At no time, did she ever need to throw her last rock of the game.

The Brier won't have Kevin Martin or Glenn Howard in it. When is the last time a Brier was held without one of those two rinks in it?

I am fully aware the "native" nickname issue is a very tender one and I see both sides of the debate, but its time to either do it all or don't do it at all. The issue has hit close to home now with a group wanting Bedford Road high school in Saskatoon to change their name to something else from "Redmen". If that happens, then how much longer till Balfour in Regina has to change its name. Personally, I could care less and I don't have a problem with Braves, Indians, Warriors, Redmen, etc. etc. etc. I know a lot of people do, especially the native population and that's fine. All I am saying is that you can't have this one change their name like the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux and not have this one like the Florida State Seminoles change their name. You either get rid of all nicknames with a native connotation to it like the Redmen, Warriors, Braves, Indians and yes even the iconic Indian Head on the Chicago Blackhawks jersey or you let them all stay. Its as simple as that in my mind.

It would appear as if the CFL is going to Halifax sooner than later. Commissioner Marc Cohon was in the Nova Scotia city this past week and I think it was for more than a fact-finding mission. I would love to see the CFL as a 10 team coast-to-coast loop for many reasons. I don't think I'm alone with that.thought. I had to laugh this week when I heard a TSN personality talking about how this story was flying under the radar and no one was talking about it. Well, perhaps if your fine station started talking about it instead of giving us a daily 15-20 minute hockey report and concentrate on one of the holdings that you own it wouldn't be that way. Don't get me wrong----I like a lot of what TSN does, but they could be a LOT better in many different areas.

Don Simons with the Regina Humane Society was outraged this week when he was asked to talk about a story involving a Regina man given a lifetime ban of owning animals while being fined 1 dollar. Simons says the one dollar fine is a joke and he is 100 percent correct with that statement. Simons also correctly pointed out that its more of a crime to park at an expired meter than it is to abuse an animal and that is a very sad statement. I have no time for people who abuse animals-----none whatsoever. What would ever make someone abuse a cat or a dog is beyond me. The guy in this case should be going to jail as far as I'm concerned.

 

That is former Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model Christie Brinkley. She's the best of the bunch as far as I'm concerned. Brinkley turned 60 this week. She is rockin that bikini at age 60 ladies and gents. Rockin it!

How many times can I buy a POOLS ticket and have everything right except for one game and then hope that's good enough only to find out it isn't. ARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!  I had that happen a couple of times over the NFL season and I think this past Saturday might have been the 5th Saturday this year where I've had all the NHL winners except one. Damn you Carolina!!!! Damn you Montreal!!!!

Question for you. What winter has been more tiresome? This one because its been colder than usuall or last year because of all the snow we received. Surprisingly, the answer is about 50/50 in people I have spoken to. I'm not a big fan of this, but I would rather have it than all the snow we had last year.

There's been a lot of talk over the Super Bowl and the play of the Seahawks defence. It has had some ask  " Is The Legion of Boom is the best "D" the NFL has ever seen?" I say the answer is no as that honour would go to the 85 Bears. However, I would say the performance of the Seattle D is the best performance by a defense in the Super Bowl game itself. When the 85 Bears won, they faced Tony Eason and Steve Grogan and when the 2000 Ravens won, they faced Kerry Collins in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks faced Peyton Manning who despite his playoff inefficiencies will go to the Hall of Fame.

I've rambled long enough for a Monday. Have a good week everyone!