Something To "Mitch" About

Sask hockey.....take a bow.  I'm not going through the numbers, but I'm guessing one province hasn't achieved the triple crown of hockey by winning the Esso Cup, Telus Cup and RBC Cup. The Yorkton Terriers completed the championship run with a dramatic overtime win over Carleton Place to win the National Junior A title. The Terriers were down to their last life at the Western Canadian Cup and found a way to regroup and advance to the RBC and when they were down to their last life at that event, they rallied again to get to the final. Down 3-1 with 3 minutes to play, they found a way to tie it up and win it. Congrats to Trent Cassan, Don Chesney and the Terriers organization. Trent is one of those young coaches whose profile is at an all-time high. If he is coaching in Yorkton next year, its because he wants to because I'm sure many an offer will be coming.

If TSN gets some hate-mail from Yorkton, they deserve to. The game ends, the celebration is had and they go to Sportscenter. Why couldn't the network devote five more minutes to show the Cup being given to the team. Its a magical moment and its one that all of Yorkton could have enjoyed. NOPE!! The same thing was done after the Telus Cup when the Mintos had won, but there was an NHL playoff game to go to. That wasn't the case Sunday night. Sometimes you just have to give your head a shake and wonder who is making these decisions.

Sorry Hab fans....its buh-bye if its Budaj the rest of the way and don't whine on the hit that knocked Carey Price out. It happens all the time in today's game where the goalie gets hurt. The only way those plays aren't happening is if you take the magnets off the post and that isn't happening anytime soon.

The Habs traded Ryan McDonagh for Scott Gomez. OUCH!!!!  If its any consolation, they traded Jaroslav Halak for Lars Eller too and that one worked for them.

The L-A Kings are the most Jekyll and Hyde team I have seen in a long time.

Can we just waive the waiting procedure and put Teemu Selanne in the Hockey Hall of Fame now? I'm not saying the class of 2015, I'm saying like at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon.

It is said the Boston Bruins may be trying to move uber-pest Brad Marchand. This Oilers fan would love to have Marchand if the price is right. He would spice up the Battle of Alberta. Oh yes he would!!

I am all for CFL players getting more money because they deserve it, especially when you have guys like Kory Sheets having to work in the oilpatch to make money in the off-season. The owners know in a way they have the players over a barrel here because many of them depend on their football income. This may be get worse before it gets better.  Some have asked if TSN will get involved because of their huge involvement with the game. If TSN didn't get involved in the NHL dispute, I can't see them getting involved here.

If Michael Sam doesn't make the NFL, would he come north of the border? Does anyone have his rights?

Sportscage junior hockey insider Kelly Remple has been finally convinced by someone to join Twitter. He can be found at @silverfoxtalks . Can he limit his Tweets to 170 characters? What will come from his account during Vikings season?

Graham DeLaet could have really made it a Sunday to remember as he was in position to win his first tournament at the Byron Nelson, but he couldn't get anything going. Another top ten finish is  nothing to sneeze at though. I'm sure like many of us watching his weekly exploits, he is going 'When will it be my week". Soon.  I think a lot of us were hoping to see at worst a DeLaet-Mike Weir playoff which would have been cool. It was good to see Weir show that his game isn't done and perhaps the Ontario native may be heard from again a few times over the next little while.

We are approaching mid-May and the Jays are in the thick of it in the American League East. When do they make some kind of move and what type of move do they make? I think they need another starting pitcher and there are a lot of them out there. The Drew Hutchison performance Friday was one that should have Toronto baseball fans feeling optimistic.

Two thumbs up to "The Wolf of Wall Street". I didn't know it was a real story until Mrs. Scruffy told me though. Man, what a decadent lifestyle he had.

Sadly again, I end this segment with sadness. For the past many years, I have gone into Access to do Locker Talk with Pete Paczko. There are many people behind the scenes and one of them was a gentleman named Chris Workman. He had his physical problems, but he was a great guy to be around. We had a lot of fun.  I was rocked on Sunday night when the producer of the show Graham Condo left me an e-mail and a voice mail saying Chris had suddenly died while working Saturday night after experiencing some difficulties. I am just stunned and as Pete put on his Facebook page, Tuesday nights will no longer be the same around the Access studios without him around.  RIP Chris. I know I gave you a lot of good-natured grief over the years and I know you know that Pete and I meant no harm. I won't be participating in this Tuesday's show for other reasons, but I hope to get over to Access to tape a farewell segment to Chris or whatever is planned.

CFL Labor Action Looking More Ominous

From Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun..

The CFL and the CFLPA still have three more days to beat the date of their CBA resolution the last time they had to hammer out a new deal.
In 2010, the sides came to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement exactly one week before the start of rookie camp. One week before rookie camp this year is on Wednesday, so they could still be ahead of schedule if they can figure something out in the next three days.
Yeah, right.
When the CFL and CFLPA had its negotiations four years ago, there was nowhere near the amount of strong talk we’ve been hearing from the players over the past several weeks. There was a general assumption that a deal was coming four years ago, so the talks weren’t that big of a deal. To no one’s surprise, a new agreement was reached on May 26, 2010.
While this year’s talks aren’t going as smoothly, it sounds like things are looking up a bit. There were rumblings the players were going to go public with their demands on Tuesday, but that apparently isn’t going to happen now after some progress was made on Friday in Toronto.
In fact, the sides are scheduled to talk again on Wednesday, according to a source close to the negotiations.
The leverage, of course, is with the league, which doesn’t deny things are looking up in the nine-team league, but says they’re not that great yet. It’s no secret the players want revenue sharing, but the league instead is willing to give them a modest salary cap increase.
It looks like the players want to give the league a scare, so maybe training camps don’t start on time. The chances of the season not starting on time? Can’t see that happening.
WAITING, WONDERING
The people stuck in the middle of this labour mess are the football operations folks, who are busy preparing for a season that might be delayed.
Then again, they’re forging ahead like nothing is out of the ordinary.
“It’s business as usual until we’re told differently,” Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman said.
Teams have already begun booking flights and reserving lodging for players. The fields are reserved, and the schedules are set. Now all they need is a collective bargaining agreement, and they’ll be set to go.
“In order to get the best deals on flights, you gotta do it,” Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said. “Everything is proceeding as normal.”
Rookie camps are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 28, with main camps to open across the country bright and early on the morning of Sunday, June 1. Rookie camps will be able to take place because the CBA doesn’t expire until after they’re complete.
“(A work stoppage) is something you think about in the back of your head,” Popp said. “If something happens, you think, ‘What’s next?’ But I’m optimistic. I want and expect us to be on schedule.”

This And That

The weekly collection of thoughts running through my muddled mind. Here we go in no particular order


--I saw the start of the CFL draft on TSN Tuesday night, but I only saw the first few picks. It wasn't THAT bad was it? Where did commissioner Marc Cohon go? He was there one minute and gone the next never to return. Did he get whacked by Scott Flory and thugs from the players organization? Did he accidentally walk into Jennifer Hedger's dressing room and well........? Did he perhaps do us all a favour and beat the hell out of Cabbie? Whatever it was, he disappeared for some unknown reason.  Why would TSN then alienate many by not having the rest of the draft available. The fact is was only available to those on Rogers or Bell just reeks and there are many fans who have a legitimate reason at being po'ed with TSN.

--We are less than a month from the Riders opener against the REDBLACKS at Mosaic barring CFL labour woes. Sadly, I don't think that game materializes as something I never thought would happen appears to be reality. I think a CFL players strike will be disastrous, but it would seem as if the players firmly have the  public on their side going in. It baffles me as to how the teams can think they can keep a majority of the money they are getting and not share the wealth.

--I think Rider fans are going to LOVE 2nd round draft pick Alex Pierzchalski. The wide receiver, out of Toronto, has a swagger to him already and it sounds like he loves having an opportunity to play for Rider Nation.

--Right or wrong, Maurice Price of the Calgary Stampeders was free to tweet whatever he wants in this a society of free speech. However, if I were to go into a full movie theatre and yell "FIRE", I would pay the consequences for my free speech. So is Price! There are just some things better left unsaid Mo. You can feel that way if you want (and many disagree), but don't be surprised if there's a backlash and punishment of some kind. This whole situation has brought the social media and the athlete debate back into the spotlight because some NFL'ers were also fined for offensive tweets regarding Michael Sam. I don't think a league can tell a player what he can and can't say and that ultimately its up to the player to convey his thoughts. If those thoughts are deemed wrong by someone, he will have to own up to them in some fashion.

--If you caught the Sportscage Tuesday night, you heard what was first rate commentary and analysis from former Rider Luc Mullinder. He took his game to a whole new level with his commentary on the players who were drafted. Luc is one of the reasons why Rider Radio and CKRM's sports coverage is off the charts and its only going to get better.

--Best wishes and speedy recovery  to Al Ford after the cowardly attack on him outside the south Albert liquor store Monday afternoon.

--It sounds like CJFL player of the year and former Thunder quarterback Asher Hastings may get a solid look at being the number 1 pivot at MacMaster this year. I say ALRIGHT!!! Go get em' Asher!

--Is Sidney Crosby the Peyton Manning of the NHL? They can both get it done in spectacular fashion in the regular season, but the playoffs are another story.

--The San Jose Sharks continuously collapse in the playoffs yet they stick with Todd McLellan while the Pittsburgh Penguins immediately think its time to gas head coach Dan Bylsma in the wake of the Penguins elimination to the Rangers. Is this an indictment on the Sharks and a sign they don't care about winning or are the Penguins pushing a panic button? The best coach in the NHL is Mike Babcock and he isn't winning the Cup anytime soon so is it time to think about making a change in Detroit. NOPE! It makes me wonder about the agendas of the Penguins and Sharks and what they want for their future.

---Hey Vancouver fans, your old head coach could be going back to the Stanley Cup and is at the worst one of the final four teams in the NHL. How does that feel?

--I'm guessing the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year award won't be going to Milan Lucic.

--Should there be some concern over the fact one Regina kid went in the recent WHL bantam draft and his selection wasn't well into the 200's--231 to be exact! Add that to the fact only 7 Saskies went in the first 5 rounds or 110 picks and it makes me think something is terribly wrong. Is there anything to worry about when it comes to producing future NHL'ers from this province?

--Mosaic Place converted many mens rooms to female washrooms on Tuesday night to accommodate the "ladies" in attendance at the Backstreet Boys concert. One can only wonder how many "cougars" were prowling the streets of the Band City Tuesday night. I can only hope Rob Carnie is in one piece this morning.

--One last thing and that is my deepest sympathies to the friends and family of Crystal McGregor (Heisler). After a long battle with cancer, Crystal could not fight any more and left us Thursday night. Her fight was an inspiration to many and it is with tremendous sadness that I write this. I was hoping a few weeks ago to get a quick chance at saying  hi and giving her a hug telling her to fight on at an exhibition basketball game where monies raised went to her fight. When her husband Paul said she couldn't make it and that she wasn't doing well, it left me with an empty spot and I didn't even know her as well as many others. Dance in the rain Crystal! Your courage and resolve was second to none. Your pain is gone now, but your memory will live forever with many.  My good friend Rob Vanstone has a very good story on Crystal in today's LP. You can see it here

Curtis Hunt Has A New Head Coaching Job

The Fort McMurray Oil Barons are delighted to announce the hiring of Curtis Hunt as the team’s new Head Coach and General Manager.

Curtis comes to Fort McMurray with an incredible wealth of coaching experience, including six seasons as head coach of the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, where he left with the second-most games coached in that franchise’s history.

Hunt was an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League in 2008-09, and later served as head coach of the Senators’ American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton later that season.

Hunt was also an assistant coach with Canada’s gold-medal winning World Junior Hockey Championship teams in 2007, in Leksand, Sweden, and 2008, in Pardubice, Czech Republic. He also won a silver medal as an assistant with Canada’s men’s under-18 team at the 2005 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in the Czech Republic, as well as a gold medal at the 2005 Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic, a bronze as co-coach of Team Canada at the 2012 Innsbruk, Austria Youth Olympics, and a bronze medal at the recent Sochi Paralympics with Canada’s Sledge Hockey team.

He also brings two years of experience as head coach of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, and prior to that was an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for four years.
Hunt’s playing career saw him win a Memorial Cup with the Prince Albert Raiders in 1985, with whom he spent three seasons before moving on to a lengthy professional career that included stops in Flint, Michigan as well as Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as captain of the St. John’s Maple Leafs for the team’s inaugural three seasons in Newfoundland before capping off his playing career with the Houston Aeros and Michigan K-Wings of the IHL. He was selected in the ninth round of the 1985 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.

“We had discussions by phone, and I did a little research on the organization, being a top franchise,” said Hunt, “and when you think of junior hockey in all of Canada, maybe in all of North America, you would include Fort McMurray in that mix.”
“This looks like just a great opportunity for everyone involved. I’m thrilled to be here today and get the process moving.”

“He seems like the perfect fit for us because of his past experience, and his connections,” said Oil Barons President Len Clarke. “We just want to continue the tradition of the Oil Barons organization. We’re well respected in Alberta and across Canada; we just wanted somebody to get us to the next level.”

“You’re looking at a premiere organization; so when you look at the way things are done, there are a lot of things done right,” said Hunt. “It won’t be a complete overhaul; it will be building on the strengths.”

“I think it’s his philosophy on coaching and hockey in general,” said Clarke of the rationale for selecting Hunt. “When you talk to him, you know his main objective is to produce winners, both on and off the ice. Our objective as an organization is also to help these young players become better men and productive citizens, and Curtis can certainly help us fulfill that desire.”

“Three principles would be hard work, intelligence, and support,” said Hunt. “We want to be a group that works hard. We want to play with intelligence – hard work and smart work. Then, support in hockey is everything; the most important player is the player beside you, and all of our success is linked; that goes right through your locker room.”

“We’re very proud,” Clarke added. “As much as we’ve chosen him – he’s chosen the Oil Barons.”

Getting Drafted Is A Win For One Rider Pick

Great story in the Calgary Herald on Riders defensive back Matt Webster who was drafted by the team on Tuesday. You can read it right here

Five Minutes With First Two Rider Draft Picks

University of Western Ontario defensive lineman Dylan Ainsworth and University of Toronto receiver Alex Pierzchalski were the first two Rider selections at Tuesday's CFL draft. I had an opportunity to speak with both on Wednesday.

Is It Alright Rider Nation?