This And That

--The weekly assortment of thoughts running through my muddled mind and once again, they are in no particular order


 --Are you ready for what will likely be the best hockey game you see this winter. Canada and the U-S with the winner going to the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics. Canada has been less than stellar, but the Americans have been fabulous. Does that trend continue? Don't be surprised if the Americans are a little too cocky because its been too easy and don't be surprised to see a Canadian team that is now ready to play since its for all the marbles. I can't wait.

 --Words just don't describe the Canadian win in womens hockey. That game appeared to be over for Canada, but they found a way---did they ever! There were five of us in the CKRM newsroom watching when Marie Phillippe Poulin ended it. Phil Andrews came close to breaking my hand with a high five, but that was OK. It was great seeing our girls get gold and hearing O'Canada play. I can only imagine what it would have been like though if that puck that hit the post had gone in thanks to the major league oops move by the linesman.

 --Perhaps its Olympic karma. I couldn't help but think back to the Summer Olympics when our womens soccer team got jobbed by the refs allowing the Americans to win. It was a chintzy call to say the least on the Amerian girl for slashing, and I don't know if it was a penalty on Hayley Wickenheiser or not, it sure looked like it wasn't, but it did and allowed Canada to win it much like the bogus call on our soccer team allowed the US to tie it and win it when perhaps they shouldn't of. It all comes around.

--Heather Moyse and Kaillie Humphries had their bobsled gold medal effort basically go unnoticed because of the Canada-Latvia hockey game. That's too bad. Those girls work their ass off for four years to repeat as champs only to have hardly anyone speak about it because of the hockey game. What can you do?

--Is it just me or is there a lot of bitching about the NHL season being broken up because of the Olympics this year. Were hockey fans moaning about this four years ago? If you can't suck it up for two weeks every four years, too bad for you. That being said, I don't know if the NHL will be going to South Korea in 2018. I wouldn't blame them for that, but they need to return in 2022 if the games are played in a nation that plays hockey.

--Congrats to Jennifer Jones and her rink for winning Olympic gold. Jenny and crew have cemented themselves as one of Canada's all time greats. I have to wonder now though if that's the last competitive game they play. I don't think anyone would bat an eyelid if this team decided to call it a career with Jennifer handing things over to Kaitlyn Lawes. Why not?  I also think perhaps we've seen the end of the Kevin Martin rink and maybe the Glenn Howard foursome as well.

--What I've learned from these Olympics is that the rest of the world is catching up to us in mens hockey, but we are catching up to the world in many other sports.

--Who is penciled in as the Jays starting 2nd baseman this year? This team needs to make a deal to get a 2nd baseman whether it be Nick Franklin or Dustin Ackley who were both found out of a job after Robinson Cano signed with Seattle, Rickie Weeks from Milwaukee or go big and make a deal for Brandon Phillips in Cincinnati. A definite upgrade is needed though.

--Long ways to go until the start of the NFL season, but right now I think the Oakland Raiders would have Kory Sheets starting for them at running back.

--Paul McCallum should write a book about the 101 previous Grey Cups. He's been around for all of them hasn't he? The 44 year old has seen a lot in his 20 some years in the CFL.

--Looking forward to seeing the CIS womens volleyball championships at the U of R. Access and the U of R want me to do some play-by-play of this event. I just hope they provide me with someone who knows the game. I'm not exactly up on my volleyball, but I'll be studying up on it. Set, bump, spike!  That's next weekend though, this weekend its the Cougar womens basketball team against Victoria in 1st round playoff action and likely the last home action for the team this year. Get out there and support the Cougs if you can.


--That's all I got. Have a great weekend!