Something to "Mitch" About

--WTF??!! That is what many who went to the Brandt Centre are asking this morning after seeing the Regina Pats get spanked on back to back nights by the Brandon Wheat Kings. I'm not going to sit here and berate a bunch of kids who don't get paid like the pros do, but I'm also not going to sugarcoat anything. That was just plain embarrassing. There was no motivation, there was no energy, there was no nothing this weekend and it showed. Those who thought the season was over when Daniel Wapple got hurt appear to be right. Yes, the Brandon Wheat Kings need two more wins to take the series, but as one person texted me during the second period. It appears as if I won't be seeing you at Game 5. Is there any reason right now to think I will be? I'd just like to know what happened to the team that we enjoyed during the regular season because the team we saw in the first two games is the team many thought we were going to see in the regular season. The Pats have never had a lot of success in Brandon, but they need to find a way to pull not just one win out of Westman Place, but two.

--Some interesting numbers on WHL attendance can be found by going to http://www.hockeyattendance.com/league/whl/2013/?sort=avg_att

--Forget what I said about the light being perhaps at the end of the tunnel for the Oilers. Saturday's 8-1 spanking by the Flames shows this team has to once again blow it up and start from square one. Pathetic doesn't even start to describe that one.  That being said, I am becoming a big Ben Scrivens fan. His comments after the game about a fan who threw a jersey on the ice were outstanding. I couldn't agree more. As for the incident with Taylor Hall and Dallas Eakins, grow up Dallas. If your skin is that thin, get the hell out. At least there are two players on that team who obviously give a damn about what is going on and are embarrassed while you just sit there and try to make up one excuse after another, I was sure wrong about this guy. There are a bunch of other players on that team who just don't seem to give a damn. Its time for yet another complete overhaul and that too is embarrassing.

--Can we just skip the Stanley Cup playoffs and have the Bruins and Blues compete in the Cup final, I don't think there are two better teams in the league with apologies to all you Penguins and Sharks fans.

--The only playoff action at Air Canada Centre this year might be courtesy the Raptors. What has happened to the Leafs?

--Part of me really wanted the Oil Kings-Raiders game Saturday afternoon to be solved by the shootout. Its what the WHL didn't want, but asked for. It would be absolutely preposterous in my mind to have a playoff game be decided by a shootout.


--Had a small chat with Estevan Bruins coach Chris Lewgood at the Pats game. I was pulling for Chris this year as he made his SJHL debut. He helped make Pilot Butte the team it is in the Junior B loop and he will bring a winner to Estevan because he is that devoted to the cause. I hope he is given a chance to show what he can do. I think he will.

--Speaking of SJHL coaches, I heard a very interesting rumour about an SJHL coach being perhaps wooed by a WHL club and it wasn't Humboldt's Dean Brockman or Yorkton's Trent Cassan.  I've perhaps maybe said too much already, but don't be surprised if after the SJHL season is done, you hear this person moving up to the WHL.

--Watching the NCAA's shows me how good of a basketball program Canada is going to have in the next few years. Guys like Andrew Wiggins, Nik Stauskas and Kevin Pangos are certainly representing us well in March Madness. Wiggins won't be going to the Raptors in this year's NBA draft, but one has to think the Raptors might want to look at a Canadian kid as a possible draft pick to help grow the sport and perhaps give the franchise a homegrown posterboy.

--TSN advertises March Madness and then puts the majority of programming on TSN2. The same goes with opening day baseball where one game will be on TSN with a tripleheader on TSN2. This isn't a way to make Canadians buy your channel. It only angers them. TSN needs to start putting some more mainstream sports onto the main network especially with the NHL going bye-bye at the end of the year.

--After a great start to the tournament, things have fizzled big time for this blogger. I still have my Final Four teams all in tact, but I only have 10 of the Sweet 16 teams and that is not even close to acceptable compared to past years.

--There are reports out of Ontario saying neither the coach or the GM of the Saginaw Spirit went to the funeral of Terry Trafford. He is the 20 year old player who committed suicide after being kicked off the team. It is said the two stayed home to look after grief counseling for those who needed it. Ummmmmmm....didn't most players in the organization go to the funeral?  What a weak excuse! It is unconscionable that neither Greg Gilbert or Jim Palafittio did not go.

--Aaron Sanchez needs to be a part of the Jays starting rotation.

--Some baseball insiders say the Cubs have the most promising minor league system in the majors and that success could be a couple of years away. Really? Could it be?  I'll believe it when I see it.

--The ads for the Masters just make me long to swing the clubs.

--So much for the thought of Canada having an Olympic and world sweep in curling.  I didn't see the final, but it would appear Rachel Homan and crew imploded at the end. Should this surprise me considering the events of the weekend?  Yes, it was a very disturbing one for teams I root for. At least Michigan won!

That's all I got.  Have a great week!