This and That

The usual weekly assortment of thoughts running through my muddled mind and as always, these are in no particular order.


--Did Johnny Gaudreau save the NHL some major league embarrassment on Tuesday night? Even this anti-Flames fan felt Sam Bennett had scored only to have the league say the puck didn't go completely across the goal line. What??? I'm not really sure how the league could say that wasn't a goal, but they did and you know had Anaheim held on to win that game that we would hear about that play for a long, long time.

--Would this controversy be needless if the NHL had cameras inside the goal post that looked across the goal-line. It makes sense doesn't it? There is word the NHL has this technology in Toronto, but they don't share it with the networks. If that is the case why? I think that is a service you need to deliver to your fans.

--I wonder how long it took Flames fans leaving the Saddledome to realize what had happened in the political world. I'm guessing it took some of the shine off the Game 3 win.  Then again, the Flames are unbeaten since Rachel Notley became Premier.

--With the Alberta election going the way it did, will Connor McDavid be asked to save the political situation in that province too?  Will it cause Obama to head west?

--Seeing what Gaudreau and Tyler Johnson are doing in these playoffs makes me wonder what kind of NHL career Dale Derkatch would have had if the little guy had the success in the NHL back than like what they have now. Methinks "The Rat" would have been right up there with those two if not better. Sadly, we will never know, but we can guess.

--The Chicago Blackhawks are a different team with Patrick Kane in their lineup.

--I don't know if Bob Cole will be back in the broadcast booth for next season, but he has done a pretty good job in the two series he has done. I am hoping he will get the chance to do one of the conference finals as you know Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson will do the other. If you have watched the Tampa-Montreal series, is it just me or is Hughson doing his best to ignore Glenn Healy? There have been moments of awkward silence in this series after some interaction between the two.

--If you are anyone who knows something about football in the YQR, you have to be so happy for Addison Richards that he is getting an NFL opportunity with the New York Giants this weekend. Who knows how long the opportunity lasts, but the U of R Rams receiver deserves a chance to show what he can do in an NFL environment. Here's hoping he has a great weekend and that he ends up being taken by the /=S=/ in next week's draft.  By the way, I am predicting the Riders make a move to get a pick early in Round 2 that will be used to take Richards.

--Is it June yet????

Just another month and a bit until this place starts to rock again. Can't wait!

--Rider fans, you have to love Coach Corey Chamblin. He put it right out there during Tuesday's State of the Franchise Conference Call. Coach C saying "I feel very confident I can be one of the elite head coaches in this league and my team will be one of the elite teams in this league just because of the diligence of the players that we have, the staff, the management, everything that we have here. So I’ve learned to depend on some other guys on the other side of the ball and I also think I’ve become very strong in the sense of learning defence. You know, learning how to run a defence, learning what defences can be dominant in this league, which is an offensive league. In that senior year you’re ready to take that next step and I think I’m ready to take that next step in terms of taking this organization to the next step.” I wonder if Rider fans realize how lucky they are to have this guy in command.  He may not make every right move and he will be second guessed from time to time, but I feel pretty damn confident with this guy calling the shots and you should too.

--I could save this nugget for training camp, but I think Anthony Allen is going to have a helluva season in the Riders backfield and make some fans go Kory who?

--Floyd Mayweather has uttered the word "rematch" after learning Manny Pacquiao had a shoulder injury. Does this surprise anyone? Let's hope no such rematch takes place.

--One of my favourite golf tournaments is underway at the TPC course in Sawgrass as golf's unofficial major is going on, The best in the world are competing at the Players Championship and if they are at Sawgrass it means battling the 17th hole which as golf fans know is an island green. That is one hole I would love to play, but I am guessing I would need a bag-full of balls. I can only imagine what that hole would be like on a windy Saskatchewan day.

--The WHL championship series which will be seen on SHAW is brought to you by Rogers. Why am I guessing Dan Russell and Bill Willms won't be mentioning the championship sponsor too many times.  FWIW: Kelowna wins in 6.

--The Red Deer Rebels picked up Connor Gay at the trade deadline for Jake Leschyshyn and then traded Gay to Saskatoon yesterday for the Blades 3rd round pick. Whoever orchestrated that deal for the Pats needs a raise right now! What was a great trade looks even better now-----unless you're a fan of the Rebels. OUCH!!

--There have to be a lot of happy hockey players in Yorkton and I am guessing Yorkton minor hockey is beaming too after the WHL bantam draft. 5 players in the first 50 taken are from Yorkton with another one being from Melville. In all, 33 players from our fine province started what they hope will be a career in the NHL today and it is a big day for all of them. Congratulations and good luck as you take that next step in your career. One of those 33 players from Saskatchewan selected was Lukas Sillinger--the son of former Pats great Mike Sillinger, I'm guessing Mike is a happy pappy knowing his son will follow in his footsteps and wear the same jersey he did. Can the Pats get Owen now too? That would be outstanding!

--The Patriots were found guilty in "Deflategate" with Tom Brady seemingly knowing what was going on. I will be shocked if Brady faces a suspension and I will be more shocked if he gets a suspension of two games or more considering many have done much more horrible things than Brady and gotten a couple of games. Does this change Brady's legacy any? It doesn't as far as I was concerned. He had legal balls in the Super Bowl and he led back to back touchdown drives against the NFL's best defence so he loses nothing as far as I'm concerned.  One other thing. Is this any different than a hockey player who had an illegal curve to his stick? You're not cheating until you get caught is what they say and others will say this is gamesmanship.

--Since he is technically a Canadian, would it be a bad thing if the Toronto Raptors drafted Kentucky's Trey Lyles. That would be a solid pick for the team. 

--Is there any time that is a good time to go to Costco? That being said, its time for Regina to get a second Costco. Hey Harbour Landing, are you listening?

--One last thing and that is a big Congratulations to all my buddies and Ballsy too who do their thing at the WOLF 104.9 which is not only Regina's #1 rock station, but is now Canada's #1 medium market station as they were handed the award at an event in Toronto Thursday night. It is great working alongside those idiots and helping out in any way I can.

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