This And That

Welcome to Friday! Here are the usual weekly thoughts running through my muddled mind, and as always they come in no particular order.



--After the defeat of the Edmonton Oilers in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Regina Pats in Game 6 of the WHL final, my hockey interest has gone out the window.  I can't be the only one who spent Monday night thinking I should be at the Brandt Centre.


--Was Islanders coach Doug Weight really at the Brandt Centre for Game 6?  I was told he was. I'm not buying it.  If he was, I missed Oilers royalty.  Number 39 was a favourite for this guy.


--Thank you Adam Brooks!  I can only wonder where this kid would be in all-time Pats lore if he had been allowed to get some solid ice time in his first few years as a Pat.  Chances are Brooks wouldn't have a shot at the NHL if it weren't for John Paddock who saw what coaches before him didn't.  It was tough watching that kid say good-bye on Tuesday as the Pats cleaned out the room.  The best Pats captain I have seen is Rick Rypien, but Brooks has to be near the top of that ladder.  If the Toronto Marlies aren't playing in the AHL playoffs next May, I am guessing number 77 will be back at the Brandt Centre watching his junior team compete for the Memorial Cup.  Some are wondering if Brooks is one of the all-time best Pats. Nothing against Adam, but I can't go that far.  You certainly can't take away what he did here though especially over he last two years.

--What will the Pats look like next year? Brooks, Dawson Leedahl and Chase Harrison are gone. Connor Hobbs, Austin Wagner and Filip Ahl may not be back. The same could be said for Sam Steel. Is Tyson Jost a possibility? That is a question no one seems to know the answer to.  John Paddock was on the Sportscage Tuesday and admitted he doesn't even know what the situation is as he has heard many different things about what happens to Jost if he fails to crack the Avalanche.  Joe Sakic could make it easy for everyone and keep him in Denver, but if he doesn't what happens? An answer on that is needed right away.   FWIW:  I think Wagner is back as a 20. I would be more confident in that if Darryl Sutter was still the coach in L-A as the Kings will shed some of their older players which could create room in the minors for Wagner, but I somehow think he will back. Time will tell!

--Home ice advantage? PFFFT.   The home team was 44-41 in the WHL Playoffs this year.

--This won't be a popular statement, but Yorkton's Turner Ottenbreit could play on my team anytime. The guy is an old-school defenceman who can hit and hit hard. You have to be accountable when on the ice and know where he is. Guys from Erie, Saint John and Windsor will find that out over the next week.  Imagine him as a 20 year old on the Pats next season!  I doubt that happens, but you never know.

--People think the Ottawa Senators are boring.  Go watch the NBA playoffs then if that is your take. They may not be high-flying like the Hawks, Oilers or Penguins, but it's working and they just might be in the Stanley Cup. Did you know Ottawa has made more appearances in a conference final over the last 20 years out of the Canadian teams. Absorb that for a few moments. Yes, those Ottawa Senators could be Canada's best team over the past two decades. Again, let that sink in for a bit.

--Jose Bautista, what are you thinking? Down 8-3 to Atlanta  in the 7th, Jose was Jose by doing another batflip,  Sorry, guys batting less than 200 on a team that is in last place in the division and is down 5 don't do batflips. I wouldn't even endorse that if it were a Cub doing it.

 At least he was somewhat apologetic after Wednesday's game.  It's no secret I have no time for this guy, and this is just another reason why.  His ego is just off the charts.  I really don't know why because he isn't and hasn't been one of the game's best.  No one wanted this guy in the off-season so the Jays took sympathy on him.  If he keeps playing the way is batting under 200, his Jays career will officially end come the beginning of October.

As for Kevin Pillar, that one shocked me. In the heat of the battle whether it be on the diamond, the court or the field, things are said that shouldn't be. 10-15 years ago no one would have batted an eyelash at what Pillar said to Motte, but in these times you can't say that anymore.  He has handled this in a very classy like fashion. As some have said though, how you act now isn't the key, it is how you react the next time. That is true. 

-- Riders training camp is now less than two weeks away.  Are you ready Saskatoon? Are you ready Rider Nation?  Of course you are. What is the expectation Rider Nation? Kevin Glenn told a conference call this week they are Grey Cup calibre. Some believe they aren't even a playoff team. I think they'll be better, but I don't know if they are a playoff team. At this juncture, they certainly aren't in the same stratosphere as the Lions and Stamps.  All CFL fans know though that you don't crown a champion in mid-May.

--Tom Brady really needs to tell his wife to zip it. Maybe Bill Belichick needs to tell Brady to tell Gisele to zip it. Why on earth would she say her husband played the season with a concussion. Does she not know what type of firestorm that would and has created.  Did Belichick extend and ignore the rules again? Does anyone in New England really care?  They would if the Patriots were 5-11.

--Six weeks into the baseball season and your division leaders are the Yankees, Minnesota and Houston in the American League and Washington, Milwaukee and Colorado in the National League,  ????? Houston and Washington might have been the only teams I would have put in there. If it's like this in August, there will be a lot of good teams having questions asked of them.

--That's all I got. Have a great long weekend! The summer starts now