Pages

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Eberle and Teubert Stay

"I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't."

Those were the words of Pats GM Brent Parker as he announced this afternoon the team has not traded World Junior silver medallists Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert at the WHL trade deadline. Parker made the statements during a live press conference on 620 CKRM Sunday afternoon.
As you know there has been a lot of debate on the future of Eberle and Teubert and what it does for the present day team and the future of the organization.
Parker knows there were valid arguments on both sides of the fence but said when push comes to shove that the offers for the two players that they were getting was just not equal return. Both players had indicated to Parker that they would like to remain members of the hockey club.
Parker is glad both players will end their careers as a Pat. He knows Eberle could have won a scoring title and that both could have ended their junior career winning a Memorial Cup with another team, but he is glad both are staying. He also understands some people are happy and some people are upset. He understands the emotion and passion and says to those who might be upset that you needed to hear the offers that were made before making a final decision on what took place.
The Pats go into tonight sitting 10th in the East--nine back of Red Deer and Swift Current who are tied for the last playoff spot. They have 27 games remaining.
Good on the voice of the Pats for bringing Parker's comments to fans. Its nice to know there is one radio station in Regina that knows there is more than one team in Regina that people care about. Many wanted to know about the futures of these two players and CKRM got the message out pronto.
Roddie, you owned the competition!

PS: Just down the highway, the Moose Jaw Warriors also appear to have been quiet. There was talk of Travis Hamonic and maybe Jason Bast being moved, but that does not appear to have happened.

Pats and Bruins Make Deal

From the desk of one Mr. Dan Plaster

It was a slow trade deadline day for the Regina Pats that was finished with a bang. The Pats have sent 20 year old defenceman, Matt Delahey to the Chilliwack Bruins, in exchange for 20 year old defenceman, Mitch McColm.
Delahey was a 3rd round pick, 44th overall in the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft ad has been with the Pats ever since. In 235 games with the blue and white, Delahey has 13 goals and 53 assists for 66 career points.
In return, the Pats get a 6’4, 212 pound Calgary native in Mitch McColm. He was originally a 7th round pick of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 2004 and spent the last two seasons with the Tri-City Americans before heading to the Chilliwack Bruins during this past off-season.
So far this season, McColm has played in all 45 of Chilliwack’s games with a goal and 8 assists as well as 76 penalty minutes. He brings with him a wealth of playoff experience: 26 games over two seasons with the Tri-City Americans, accumulating a goal and 5 assists.

Are the Hanson Brothers Playing In Russia

Check this story out from Reuters. WOW!!!



The Continental Hockey League (KHL) handed heavy penalties on Sunday to Vityaz Chekhov and Avangard Omsk after their match had been abandoned following an ugly brawl.
Saturday’s game in Chekhov, a small town in the Moscow region, had to be stopped after only three minutes 39 seconds when both squads jumped on to the ice to exchange punches.
Officials had no choice but to cancel the contest because the teams did not have enough players left to continue the game.
It was the first time a Russian hockey game has been called off due to a mass brawl.
Vityaz were fined four million rubles ($133,300 U.S.) and warned they would be thrown out of the league if there were a similar incident while Siberian team Avangard escaped with a one-million ruble fine, the KHL said on their website.
The league also fined four players, Canadians Darsy Verot and Brandon Sugden from Vityaz and Avangard’s Russian pair Alexander Svitov and Dmitry Vlasenkov, 150,000 rubles each.
In addition, seven players -- Vlasenkov and six from Vityaz, including both Verot and Sugden -- received one-game suspensions and each club was awarded a 5-0 defeat.
Verot instigated the mass brawl after three minutes of play by firing the puck at an opposing player. The referees restarted the match after handing appropriate penalties but were forced to stop it again when another fight erupted a few seconds later.
This time, the match had to be abandoned after officials handed a record 691 penalty minutes to both sides.
Saturday’s incident has been another heavy blow to the image of the fledgling league, formed last season with teams from Russia and other former Soviet republics of Belarus, Latvia and Kazakhstan, after a match between the same two teams in October 2008 ended in tragedy.
Nineteen-year-old Avangard forward Alexei Cherepanov, the first round pick of the New York Rangers collapsed during the game in Chekhov and later died from heart failure.
The league suspended Vityaz’s home arena and also fined the club for failing to provide adequate medical services.

Do They Stay Or Do They Go?

The spotlight will shine firmly on the Brandt Centre and on Pats GM Brent Parker today. It is WHL trade deadline day. Will Parker pull a deal involving Jordan Eberle and/or Colten Teubert before the deadline is over. Parker wanted his team to make a run for it by getting Carter Ashton, Craig Orfino, Cass Mappin and Mitch Spooner, but the hockey team has not responded. They did get a shootout win over Medicine Hat last night, but they begin the day nine points out of the final playoff spot. With Eberle and Teubert, that is a tough mountain to climb and if they do get there, will it just mean another first round exit at the hands of a much stronger Calgary Hitmen or Brandon Wheat Kings.
There is no doubt Parker (Brent and Russ) are not very popular amongst the Regina hockey community because of what this team has or hasn't done over the last few years. Many people are at the end of their rope. I'm guessing Russ didn't like being booed on Friday when introduced before the celebrations to honor Jordan and Colten.
I am on record as saying I liked the trade Parker made with Lethbridge to get Carter Ashton. I thought it would it get this team going. It hasn't. This team is better than it looks, but there is a lot of dead weight in that dressing room. I don't think some of that dead weight will be dealt today because other teams have no interest. I would like to watch Eberle finish his junior career in Regina, and yes, I am being selfish when I make that comment. However, considering the fact this hockey team continues to spin its wheels, it might behoove Parker and the organization to make a deal----and a damn good one to make their team better. When I say a damn good one, I mean deals that are significantly better than the Brad Stuart trade to Calgary and the Josh Harding trade to Brandon.
-----
Watching TSN's the Reporters this morning, Michael Farber put his thumbs down to trades in junior hockey. ???? He says its tough enough for young men to leave their families and set up shop in another place to follow his dream of playing hockey. He adds its even tougher when you are a good player playing for a bad team knowing you will likely get traded as have guys like Jake Allen, Alex Pietrangelo, Patrice Cormier and perhaps Eberle and Teubert because its another upheaval in their young lives. Farber even suggested this is why players should consider taking the NCAA route because they know they will never get traded. What a load of crap! If these players are in the WHL, its because they have a dream to get to the NHL. They know that they have to sacrifice a tremendous amount to get to that pot at the end of the rainbow. What does Farber want? The Warriors to only have players on their team from the Moose Jaw area, the Hitmen to have a Calgary only lineup, Prince George to stock a roster made up of players from northern B.C.? C'mon!
-------
So much for rookie jitters! Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looked like a polished veteran. He was mistake free as New York beat the Bengals 24-14 to move on in the NFL playoffs. Joining them in round 2 is the Dallas Cowboys. They were dominant in beating Philly on the last week of the regular season and they were more dominant in crushing the Eagles 34-14 yesterday. I can't stand the guy, but Tony Romo looks like the 2nd coming of Troy Aikman. The three pronged rushing attack of Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Marian Barber is creating headaches for opposition defences. The Cowboys look good and dare I say it, they will give the Vikings everything they can handle and then some next weekend at the Metrodome. What a game that should be next Sunday afternoon. As for this Sunday afternoon, I see the Patriots having enough to beat what should be a pesky Baltimore team and even though I think the Packers are a better team than the Cardinals, Arizona is at home and they started getting things together last year by winning a playoff game no one they would when they beat Atlanta. Thus, I take Arizona in a high scoring affair.
------
I'm sure baseball fans have seen the Ken Burns documentary "Baseball". The nine segment film is going into extra innings. Burns says the 10th inning will focus on things like the players strike, the dynasty that is the Yankees, baseball post 9/11 and the emergence of players from Latin America and Asia.....and yes, there will be some talk about performance enhancers as well.
------

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Fleury Rips The Flames

Theoren Fleury was not holding back when he wrote a blog posting(one that he has now taken down) that is very critical of the Calgary Flames. Here is the link to the story....
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/2010/01/07/12385706-qmi.html

Once you have read it, I ask you this? Is Fleury wrong with what he's saying? While it is a little callous considering what Calgary did for him, I agree with what he says.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Thank God For The Seahawks!

Eric Tillman resigns. John Chick signs with the Colts and the Pats lose 5-2 to Moose Jaw in a hockey game in which only one team seemingly showed up. It was not a good day for Regina when it comes to sports. As the title of this post says, thank god for the Seahawks. In what was a surprising development, the team fired head coach Jim Mora on Friday after a pitiful season in which the team went 5-11 and looked absolutely horrible in the second half of the season. Word out of Seattle is the team is courting USC coach Pete Carroll. If this is the case, get it done. There might not be a better college football coach than Carroll. I'm not sure of this, but I think USC has put out more NFL'ers in the past decade than any other program. If they haven't, they are top three for certain. Carroll is an excellent coach and after years of leading the Trojans, it is time for Carroll to once again enter the NFL wars and see if he can work the same magic in the NFL that he has in the NCAA. If Pete Carroll is the next coach of the Seahawks, I will be a happy, happy man.
-----
Like it or not, Eric Tillman is no longer the general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Tillman took the high road and handed in his resignation. In doing so, he said his family was a major reason for this decision being made. I can't imagine what it would be like for Eric to be out with his family and have some nut-job go off on him. You know that in Saskatchewan this would happen. It would not be fair for Eric, his wife or his two small children. I always wondered if this would happen even if he were found innocent. There are too many people in this province who take the game far too seriously who would say something at a very inopportune time. Its too bad this situation had to end this way. Eric takes full blame for what has happened and I give him credit for that. He knows a major mistake was made and that there is no one to blame for that mistake but himself. Now that is over, there are three questions that stick out for me.

1)If what I have heard is correct, Eric was not in good shape when told to go home on the afternoon in question. Did he travel home by himself or did someone in the organization drive him home? If he went home by himself in the state that he was in, why? To me, if he was as loopy as he claimed. this would be like a drunk driver getting behind the wheel.

2) Why did the crown pursue this matter so vigorously if the family of the teenage girl that this happened to was willing to let the matter go?

3)Did Eric have a drug problem with the amount of back medication he was taking? If he did, should measures not have been taken to "dry him out". Should Eric have not taken some time off to clear his system? If that had been done, would the incident have even occurred? Perhaps Eric is to blame on this one because of his work ethic. You know that being forced to take time off was something he probably would not do.

This story has been a complete tragedy. Is Tillman to blame? Is the organization to blame? Is the Crown to blame? Is there shared blame all around? We will never ever get the answers to those questions. Many will say the right thing has been done and many will say the wrong thing has been done. The debate will linger on for a long time. Meanwhile, the search begins. The names of Brendan Taman and Joe Womack are front and center. Will one of those men take over from Tillman or will someone like a Tom Higgins be the new guy. Yes, you can accuse me of being a shill for the football team if you want, but I am confident Jim Hopson will find the right guy. His last choice as a GM worked out pretty well did it not? Have faith!

If you get a chance, go to the CJME website for an outstanding interview done with Tillman by Jamie Nye. Its an outstanding 40 minute piece. I recommend you give it a listen.
http://www.newstalk980.com/audio/raw-audio/20100108-jamie-nye-1-1-with-eric-tillman
------
John Chick has signed a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. This shouldn't come as a surprise. When you have a season like what #97 has, you have to expect NFL interest will come. Will Chick stick. Don't be surprised!
------
Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert were back. Sadly, I think the Pats thought having those two would be enough to win a hockey game. WRONG! They looked dead on skates as they lost to Moose Jaw. Even the two silver medallists seemed to be off their game a little, but can you blame them. Medicine Hat is here tonight and you have to wonder if the Tigers win if Eberle or Teubert will be at practice Monday or if they will be heading to a new team. I know GM Brent Parker doesn't want to trade both of his marquee guys and both don't want to leave, but there may be no choice if this team loses to the Tigers tomorrow.
------
I have seen three people on their cellphone talking while driving over the past two days. Why are these hooligans still on the road? Where is the police when you need them?
------
The provincial Scotties will wrap up in Eston after fire destroys the old arena in Kindersley and damages the curling club where the provincial womens championship was being held. Sadly, the competitors lost a lot of their belongings in the blaze, but they all got out safely. When a small-town rink is destroyed, it creates a big hole. The rink is the centre of a town in the winter. The people of Kindersley look as if they have a major rebuilding project on their hands. What happens to the SJHL's Klippers now? Have they lost their home for the rest of the year and if so, where do they go? Here's hoping everything goes well for people in the town and that the rebuilding process is a quick one.
-----
The Olympic torch relay hits Regina today. If you can, get out and experience it.
------
The NFL playoffs begin today with two games. The Jets are in Cincinnati and the Eagles are in Dallas. New York hammered Cincy last weekend to get into the playoffs while Dallas crushed Philly. Will the same thing happen this weekend? I think the Jets can beat the Bengals because of their defence and the fact the Bengals have limped to the finish line. It won't be as easy for the New Yorkers as it was last week. As for Philly and Dallas, perhaps its my hatred of the Cowboys that has me feeling this way, but Philly is more experienced at playoff football than Dallas. Yes, the Cowboys finished the season strong, but this is another level to which they must climb. I'm not sold on Wade Phillips and I'm still not sold on Tony Romo. I think Philly can win this one, but they may need a David Akers field goal at the gun to do it. If Dallas should lose, may the NBC cameras catch a frowning Jerry Jones as many times as they can. If you show him being smug with his ear-to-ear grin when the Cowboys win, you must show us that sad-sack what just happened look when they lose.
-----
That is all! It looks like the weekend is going to be a nice one, so try and enjoy some outdoor activities if you can!

Its Official


40 months after saying hello to the Rider Nation, Eric Tillman said goodbye this afternoon. Tillman has resigned as GM of the Riders after pleading guilty to a charge of sexual assault involving his teenage babysitter.
This situation has torn apart the Rider Nation with many compelling arguments on both sides. This is the best move for all involved. Eric's contributions to this team will never be forgotten which is something that those on both sides of this debate will agree on. Thanks for the memories Eric!

President and CEO Jim Hopson says a search is now underway. One person that will not be on that list is current coach Ken Miller. Hopson says Miller has expresssed to him that he has no interest in being a coach/GM.