The lockout is over! The NHL will be back this year with a shortened 48 game season. I can't really get excited about it, but I am looking forward to see how the young Oilers play considering they were tearing it up in Oklahoma City. Its good for my friends Kevin Dureau and Jason White at the Press Box as well as George Yannitsos at the Four Seasons as business would have been going south after the Super Bowl. Its also great for all the employees at rinks around North America who had their lives disrupted for no reason except the posturing of two men who I hope have short shelf lives in their respective positions.
How much longer can Gary Bettman be the commissioner of the NHL? Is he the worst commish in the history of pro sports? When you consider the amount of work stoppages that we have seen under his tenureship, you would have to think so right?
What can the two sides do now to say sorry to the fans? Fans who in many cities will flock like lemmings to the rink and soon act as if nothing happened. Fans who were scorned across North America and the World. There has been a suggestion that free Centre Ice be offered, but that hurts the bottom line of the many cable companies out there so I can't see that happening. I would like to think ticket prices will be slashed, but I can't see that happening as well. Will players make themselves accessible after games for autograph signings? There are many ideas that one can take. Lets see if they do.
Like many of you, I was rather sick of the endless TSN coverage, but hey, that's their bread and butter and if they go hogwild for Free Agent Frenzy and other things, what makes you think this would be any different.
No doubt that the Regina Pats are playing their best hockey of the year....they made it five straight wins with a 3-1 victory over Brandon giving them a 6 point weekend. The win streak has them sitting in the playoffs and has them six back of 5th place Lethbridge in the Eastern Conference standings. Have they done enough for Chad Lang to buy some guys instead of sell some guys. Lane Scheidl, Colton Jobke and Matt Hewitt would provide some talent for next year and beyond, but the team is perhaps playing its best hockey of the year right now and they are healthy. Its a problem, but I'm guessing its a pleasant problem for Lang to have.
What is it about Pats fans or really Regina drivers that go to the Brandt Centre and have no idea how to leave the place in an orderly fashion. Its not a scramble to see who can get out first people. If everyone co-operates, the traffic jams are far shorter. Its a matter of co-operation. The amount of "douchebaggery" and stupidity upon leaving Friday's game against Medicine Hat just made me shake my head and wonder why?
I didn't think it would happen, but I'm back in radio full-time. Yes, you will hear me as the afternoon news anchor on CKRM on a permanent basis and to those who have asked, yes I will still be involved with Sportscage and Rider broadcasts....at least that is the plan for now. A huge thank you to all the kind words I received on my Twitter and Facebook page from people when I let the news out Friday. It is greatly appreciated and frankly, a little humbling as well. When I was growing up, I always wanted to work at RM and now that opportunity will come--albeit I have done a lot of stuff there over the last few years. That isn't a shot at CJME either as I had a lot of fun working there for most of my time. When I was growing up though, CKCK and CKRM were thee stations.
Could the NFL playoff games on Saturday have been any worse? What a pair of snoozers. The Baltimore-Indy game wasn't that great, but the Seahawks-Washington game lived up to its billing--sort of. Washington jumped out into an early lead, but you knew early on that RG3 was not the quarterback that he was during the regular season. Russell Wilson methodically moved his team down the field and while they left some points on the board, he managed to engineer enough points to get his team the win. However, the status of RG3 is what everyone is talking about. It was game, set, match when he went down after mishandling a snap in the 4th quarter and it might be game, set, match for the talented rookie quarterback who is battling some sort of knee injury. Did Mike Shanahan set the future of the team back by continuing to drag this guy out there not only this week, but last week against Dallas. Like any football player, Griffin didn't want to be told he shouldn't be out there so he has to take some of the blame as well, but more harm than good was done with his development.
It sets up four great games next weekend---Denver/Baltimore, Houston/New England, Atlanta/Seattle and Green Bay/San Francisco. Who ya got?
How nice would this look in your mancave?
NBC"s Sunday Night Football had players of the game sign this ball and another one. One went to a lucky fan, the other is going to the Football Hall of Fame. Imagine a ball signed by the likes of Manning, Peterson, Brady, Rodgers, Brees, etc. etc.
I bet there are Vikings fans out there who never thought they would miss Christian Ponder. Joe Webb was a disaster! His play just makes me wonder again how a guy like Webb is on an NFL roster while guys like Lulay, Durant, Tate and Ray or not. All four of those guys could have done a better job than Webb.
I can't believe that a simple little move to change the provincial logo---one that has been used for over 30 years--is drawing so much attention. Is this because we are still in a holidays slowdown period?
Who would have thought that the best Xmas present for my nine year old daughter was a 10 dollar super slider. Her love of toboganning has gone to a whole new level!
The more I think about it, the more I think Craig Dickenson despite what he is saying didn't want to be here and used this "when he had to be back" as an excuse. He knew ahead of time when he had to be back. None of the other coaches had a problem with it so why should he be exempt. Why should he receive preferential treatment. Hey, if you don't want want to be here, I don't think Chamblin wants you around and I am starting to think and hear that might have been the case. Its too bad because Dickenson is very good at what he does and it will be tough for Chamblin to find a replacement that is an adequate one.
I didn't get a chance to see Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel do his thing at the Cotton Bowl as he led Texas A and M to a huge win over Oklahoma. After the game though, all everyone could say is he will only get better.
I could care less as to wins tonight between Alabama and Notre Dame. I hate Nick Saban and I hate the Irish. The only thing the game is missing is the winner playing Ohio State. I'll check in on the game from time-to-time, but methinks I'll be watching Monday Night RAW. Speaking of which, they have three rogues now known as "The Shield" running amok. Is this just not a repeat of Nexus from a couple of years ago. Lets not get too imaginative Vince!
Why is it that Canada and Russia always play great games that end 6-5? Sadly, the goaltending issue raised its ugly head again in the bronze medal game. It makes me wonder with Canada having the inability to win the big game if Tony Romo is somehow involved with our junior program.
More proof that the rest of the world is catching up to Canada. For the first time in the history of the World Under 17 challenge---an event that has 5 Canadian teams in it, no Canadian team took home a medal. As I've said before, Hockey Canada doesn't need a summit, but it needs to take a good hard look as to how to improve the product.
That's all I got. I'm channelling my inner Vic Rauter on Monday as I am off to Weyburn to call the provincial junior curling finals on Access 7 along with Mark Lang. Saskatchewan has had many rinks win the Canadians in both junior mens and womens and go on to win the worlds so perhaps I will get the opportunity to see a future world champ tomorrow. Nothing wrong with that. Have a great Monday.
GO SEAHAWKS!
