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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

A Whole Lotta This, A Whole Lotta That

Many thoughts going into a Wednesday so here goes.

One of the NHL's best is calling it quits today. I am and have always been a big Joe Sakic fan. He is a lock to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame and he goes down as one of the best ever to play the game. What hasn't Burnaby Joe done?? He has won World Junior gold, he was won Olympic gold, he has won a Stanley Cup, he has been named the NHL MVP, he has been a playoff MVP, he is one of the few players in today's world to have played his entire career with the same organization having spent 20 years with the Nordiques/Avalanche. You don't get much better than Sakic. The NHL will not be the same without him
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I wasn't surprised to see the Michael Jackson memorial service on TV today, but I didn't think I would see it on so many channels. Muchmusic, CNN and other news channels OK, but all four major networks and two in this country showed it. With all due respect, this was not the funeral of a president, it was the funeral of one of the world's top entertainers. I think some went a little far on it.
While on the topic of MJ, I find it interesting that no one in eulogizing him dares bring up his past, but now many people are starting to bring up the fact that slain Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was a guy who cheated on his wife. Yes, many are talking about his career on the football field, but a lot of people are now trying to tarnish McNair's life by dragging his personal life into things. McNair is not the first professional athlete in any sport to be an adulterer. He is also not the first pro athlete to be an adulterer, yet someone who did a lot for his town in many ways. If you are going to drag McNair and his lifestyle into his memory than one must do the same for Jackson--who in my mind had a far worse personal life. He was great on stage, but as a person, the guy was a whackjob and a guy that I wouldn't want my kids around.
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While watching the Jackson memorial, I started to wonder who in the sports world might have such a global mourning. We in Saskatchewan felt the pain of Ron Lancaster's passing a year ago and as much as we don't want to admit it, we will do it again when Gordie Howe passes on. Only two names came to mind--possibly three. The three being Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky. I don't put Tiger's name on the list because he is still active.
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I was always of the belief Jays GM JP Ricciardi was an idiot, but further proof in my mind came Wednesday when he said he would listen to trade offers for Roy Halladay. Roy Halladay is the Blue Jays. Without Halladay, they simply aren't even on the radar. When Halladay pitches at home, they average roughly 10-thousand more at Skydome than they do when he's not on the mound. This guy is the best pitcher in the game and getting rid of him now would be a colossal mistake. Whoever is in charge of the Toronto pursestrings should give this guy what he wants and give it to him now. If that means bringing in some players than so be it. I don't know what exactly Ricciardi would want in exchange for Halladay, but if its minor leaguers and prospects, then send him out on the same plane Halladay goes out on. Whatever you do J-P, don't trade him to the Red Sox or Yankees. That would not be fair to Toronto baseball fans who would have to see this guy pitch against the Jays many times a season.
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We've got a long ways to go until the puck drops for the new WHL season, but Dean Millard and Guy Flaming have a list of what rookie forwards you might want to be on the lookout for next season. Take a gander.....

http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-5-tuesday-whl-rookie-forwards.html

If you are a junior hockey fan, you really have to listen to the show these guys have. It is outstanding!!!
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It will be interesting to see how the Rider o-line performs Saturday in Toronto. I thought even though the offence didn't move a lot in the 4th quarter of Friday's game that the line held up pretty well and I think BC still has a better d-line than Toronto. However, the Argos did have six sacks against Hamilton with ex-Rider Ron Flemons and Adriano Belli each having a pair. Baptism by fire I guess because the team doesn't really have a choice. I think they'll be fine, but it will be interesting to see what offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice has in his playbook to keep that defensive line at bay.
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I always laughed about this when I was in radio, and I still had to the other day at camp when Cole Bergquist made his first appearance at Rider camp. Where else in the CFL would the 4th string quarterback be surrounded by media. For all we know, Bergquist may never take a regular season snap of meaning with the Riders (see Drew Tate) but he is the guy generating all the buzz right now. I can only imagine what will happen if Graham Harrell ever shows up or if Chase Daniel ever makes an appearance here because of their college careers----ones that were much better than Bergquist's. If Cole works his way up the ladder to be the number 2 or number one guy in the future than yeah, get a microphone or camera in his face, but really what does a number four quarterback have to say that's interesting.
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I'm hearing now that the Senators and Oilers are once again talking trade, but its now Jason Spezza and not Dany Heatley that Edmonton wouldn't mind having. I don't know if Cogliano, Penner and Smid are still on the table as far as the Oilers go, but I would rather send those guys for Spezza and something else(Chris Phillips perhaps) than give them up for Heatley. Speaking of which, is it just me or does the entire hockey universe now hate this guy. I seriously don't know how the Senators are going to get rid of him. They can't outright release him can they???
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Jordan Eberle is talking about his future. Here's that story....
http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/nhlnews/story.html?id=ea7696f6-ee1c-4211-a9c0-e2c28732f44d
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And if I were to ask you what sporting event had the most viewership in Canada this past week, what would your answer be? If you said the Rider game, you would be correct. I don't know what the numbers for Friday Night Football are usually like, but an average of 457-thousand people watched it according to the Toronto Star's Chris Zelkovich. I'm guessing many of those are ex-Saskatchewan citizens living elsewhere or those in our province who didn't make it to the game. I don't have the other numbers for the three games last week, but it will be interesting to see what type of viewership the Riders get Saturday in Toronto. I'm guessing most of you reading this will be tuning in. If not, why????
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A survey has come out saying Saskatchewan people are the ones in Canada that gab the most on the phone. I guess they must be counting the daily "chat(s)" that the wife and mother-in-law have!!!!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Trading Halladay maybe the only way Toronto can 'reboot' the franchise. The budget will never be such that Ricciardi can go wild in free agency and add players. Over time the Jays draft table hasn't produced enough to turn the team around.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you on the parallels between Michael Jackson and Steve McNair. Both men had some serious skeletons in their closet. Not one person wanted to bring up Michael's past when he was being eulogized even though we knew what type of creep he was off the stage. As soon as we learned it was McNair's girlfriend and not his wife that was killed besides him, some people started saying he got what he deserved and forgot about the man he was in the community and on the field. You can't have it both ways.

Joe Sakic is in my list of top 5 best players in the modern era behind Gretzky, Lemieux and Orr. The guy had talent and then some.

Don't you know by now that the 4th string QB or the 5th string QB gets his 15 minutes of fame in Riderville. Imagine how he and others must feel when they are asked for an interview. I'd be going ME?? Really?? WHY!!

JN

Anonymous said...

If anyone wants the real story on Michael Jackson go to the Bill O'Reilly's The Factor website. His "Talking Points" memo nails this story right on the head. The same people who sing his praises completely distanced themselves from him when he was going through his trial. The fact is the evidence that came out at his trial makes him a pedophile regardless of his verdict. He paid these victims off plain and simple. I don't blame Bill one bit for not cutting his vacation short to report on that mess.

Obama

Anonymous said...

You wouldn't be beakin about Halladay is JP sent him to your beloved Cubs. If he can improve the team by trading him, see ya!!!

Anonymous said...

Obama reads O'reilly! Everything about Obama has become clear to me.

Chad

Anonymous said...

Joe Sakic was the complete hockey player. The greats (Gretz, Lemieux) had their flaws in the defensive zone, but not Sakic.

Anonymous said...

Please, when players like Gretz and Lemieux are rolling up close to and over 200 points a year I don't think the mandate is to play D. They were winning their game 6-5, and the result was 6 Stanley Cups between the two. When Joe was leading Quebec in scoring, and they were winning 12 games a year I'm quite sure he wasn't back checking either.

Obama

Anonymous said...

Spezza and Phillips for Cogliano, Smid and Penner? Are you high?

So you think Edmonton's seventh defenceman, washed up and out of shape disaster Penner, and third-line centre are good enough to lure Ottawa's second best forward and best defenceman? Do you think before you post?

How rediculous. To get Spezza and Phillips, Edmonton would have to throw in Hemsky and Souray, at least. Only the Oilers would make a trade as stupid as the one you suggested, and they don't have any players of real value, anyway.

Anonymous said...

You know what's ridiculous.......spelling big words like ridiculous wrong. To the poster who yaps about the "rumoured" Spezza trade to Edmonton and talks about Phillips being Ottawa's best defenceman. Phillips is Ottawa's best d-man...really???? HA HA HA HA HA!!! Kuba, Campoli and Lee are better than Phillips. I wonder Mr. Anonymous, are you Bryan Murray????

Jason