Posts
Welcome back hockey fans. As the season begins to wind down, the Rabbi and I take a look at some issues that affect the greater game. This week, we tackle "The Code." Using the Cooke hit and subsequent fight with Shawn Thornton, Ethan and I call into question the concept of players being able to police themselves. I haven't believed they've be able to for quite some time and Ethan seems to agree with me.
In the second and third periods, we take a look back at where it went wrong for the dregs of the NHL. First the East and then the West, we talk about why these teams ended up in the basement and what (if anything) they can do to get out of it.
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Look at me, standing up for the little guy in his fight for workplace safety
Workers deserve to feel safe in their place of work. They deserve to feel that fellow workers won't cause them life threatening injuries. And, their managers should be all for these workers' safety as it adds to the longevity of the product. I am, of course, referring this article in Globe and Mail today. The Competition Committee met today and not only agreed to fast tracking the GMs supposed "blind-side head shots" rule, but have made it clear to the GMs/Board of Governors they believe that this is discussion isn't over.
Now clearly, I haven't done something crazy like joining the NDP (heaven forbid) but this is an issue that won't go away until something drastic is done. I've advocated more than once (through this blog and through the podcast) that I feel that any form of headshots (be it incidental or intentional) need to be banned with serious penalties (both on and off the ice) for the perpetrator. And I'm not the only one who feels this way.
As Stephen Brunt pointed out in his column (linked to in this post plus and an earlier one), we are not going to completely eliminate concussions from the game. But why shouldn't we try to limit them? Why should the game continue to be played "The way it's always been done" if that only serves to endanger the lives of men who already take considerable risks every time they step on the ice?
All sports evolve with the times. It was once acceptable for football players to target a player's head or knees. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for baseball pitchers to spit on the ball. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for basketball players to throw each other to floor to court on layups. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for hockey players to play without helmets. Now it isn't. The argument that "if something has always been this way that it must remain" is tired, ill-informed and flat out wrong.
Hockey is now being played at speeds never seen before. As such, the impacts have never been seen before. There is still plenty of room from the waist to the shoulders for hard clean, body-checks. They still send a message of intimidation and in some cases injury. What there isn't room for is the posturing that headshots are part of the game; they aren't. Hopefully the NHLPA can successfully negotiate them out of the game by next year. Hockey isn't a sport for wusses. But it also isn't a sport for serious brain injuries.
Now clearly, I haven't done something crazy like joining the NDP (heaven forbid) but this is an issue that won't go away until something drastic is done. I've advocated more than once (through this blog and through the podcast) that I feel that any form of headshots (be it incidental or intentional) need to be banned with serious penalties (both on and off the ice) for the perpetrator. And I'm not the only one who feels this way.
As Stephen Brunt pointed out in his column (linked to in this post plus and an earlier one), we are not going to completely eliminate concussions from the game. But why shouldn't we try to limit them? Why should the game continue to be played "The way it's always been done" if that only serves to endanger the lives of men who already take considerable risks every time they step on the ice?
All sports evolve with the times. It was once acceptable for football players to target a player's head or knees. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for baseball pitchers to spit on the ball. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for basketball players to throw each other to floor to court on layups. Now it isn't. It was once acceptable for hockey players to play without helmets. Now it isn't. The argument that "if something has always been this way that it must remain" is tired, ill-informed and flat out wrong.
Hockey is now being played at speeds never seen before. As such, the impacts have never been seen before. There is still plenty of room from the waist to the shoulders for hard clean, body-checks. They still send a message of intimidation and in some cases injury. What there isn't room for is the posturing that headshots are part of the game; they aren't. Hopefully the NHLPA can successfully negotiate them out of the game by next year. Hockey isn't a sport for wusses. But it also isn't a sport for serious brain injuries.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Fit to be tied...then came the shootout
First the obvious. The Toronto Maple Leafs deserved to win the shootout last night. John Mitchell and Nikolai Kulemin's goals were wonderful and Phil Kessel had Jaroslav Halak beat if not for the crossbar. Jonas Gustavsson stoned Scott Gomez while Brian Gionta seemed to think that it was a good idea to shoot right at Fat Gustavsson, er sorry, The Monster. All of this is true.
But it's not an indication at all of last nights game. For two periods (to quote the great Rasheed Wallace) "Both teams played hard man, both teams played hard." It was excited, fast, back and forth hockey. The scored netted a one apiece. And then, Kessel scored. And the Leafs killed off the a double minor (and all of the previous power-plays). Toronto had the momentum. But couldn't put Montreal away. Take a look at nhl.com's Play By Play description of the third period.
I'll wait.
Okay let's review:
2:56 FAC TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #94 PYATT vs TOR #42 BOZAK
3:02 MISS MTL #44 HAMRLIK, Wrist, Over Net, Off. Zone, 52 ft.
3:18 BLOCK MTL #6 SPACEK BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Wrist, Def. Zone
3:55 HIT TOR #2 SCHENN HIT MTL #42 MOORE, Def. Zone
4:03 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #84 GRABOVSKI, Off. Zone
4:03 MISS TOR #84 GRABOVSKI, Slap, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 38 ft.
4:09 BLOCK TOR #2 SCHENN BLOCKED BY MTL #26 GORGES, Slap, Def. Zone
4:13 FAC MTL won Neu. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #51 WALLIN
4:35 BLOCK TOR #3 PHANEUF BLOCKED BY MTL #57 POULIOT, Slap, Def. Zone
4:40 FAC TOR won Neu. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
5:09 GIVE MTL GIVEAWAY - #41 HALAK, Def. Zone
5:35 HIT MTL #52 DARCHE HIT TOR #2 SCHENN, Off. Zone
So far a pretty dominant period by the Leafs but with a number of shots blocked and flat out missed. Now comes the deluge:
5:59 HIT TOR #11 SJOSTROM HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Off. Zone
6:14 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #11 SJOSTROM, Wrist, Off. Zone, 35 ft.
6:21 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #45 STALBERG, Snap, Off. Zone, 13 ft.
6:28 HIT TOR #45 STALBERG HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Off. Zone
6:32 MISS TOR #22 BEAUCHEMIN, Snap, Over Net, Off. Zone, 33 ft.
7:28 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #15 KABERLE, Wrist, Off. Zone, 48 ft. - GOALIE STOPPED,TV TIMEOUT
7:28 FAC TOR won Off. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #39 MITCHELL
7:35 BLOCK TOR #20 HANSON BLOCKED BY MTL #6 SPACEK, Snap, Def. Zone
7:52 HIT TOR #22 BEAUCHEMIN HIT MTL #6 SPACEK, Off. Zone
8:01 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #20 HANSON, Slap, Off. Zone, 44 ft.
8:09 MISS MTL #91 GOMEZ, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 41 ft.
8:27 STOP OFFSIDE
Just over two minutes completely dominated by the Leafs. Four shots on goal, one over the net and one blocked at the point until the Habs clear the zone. A very well played period so far for the Maple Leafs but they're unable to score. We continue.
8:27 FAC MTL won Neu. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
8:48 BLOCK MTL #26 GORGES BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Snap, Def. Zone
8:57 HIT TOR #42 BOZAK HIT MTL #14 PLEKANEC, Neu. Zone
9:23 BLOCK TOR #84 GRABOVSKI BLOCKED BY MTL #20 O'BYRNE, Wrist, Def. Zone
9:39 MTL #40 LAPIERRE HIT TOR #11 SJOSTROM, Def. Zone
9:51 HIT TOR #3 PHANEUF HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Def. Zone
9:58 STOP OFFSIDE
9:58 FAC TOR won Neu. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #20 HANSON
10:27 MISS MTL #57 POULIOT, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 43 ft.
10:51 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #42 BOZAK, Neu. Zone
10:59 TAKE MTL TAKEAWAY - #74 KOSTITSYN, Def. Zone
11:10 BLOCK MTL #20 O'BYRNE BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Wrist, Def. Zone
11:10 STOP PUCK IN CROWD
11:10 TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
11:42 BLOCK MTL #74 KOSTITSYN BLOCKED BY TOR #2 SCHENN, Backhand, Def. Zone
12:16 BLOCK MTL #52 DARCHE BLOCKED BY TOR #36 GUNNARSSON, Backhand, Def. Zone
12:25 MISS TOR #45 STALBERG, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 26 ft.
12:31 PENL TOR #11 SJOSTROM Tripping(2 min), Off. Zone Drawn By: MTL #26 GORGES
No shots on goal but the Leafs have had to block four Canadiens' blasts, while Toronto have managed one shot (blocked) and a missed shot. Less back-and-forth. with the now Canadiens controlling play by a silm majority. And then, Fredrick Sjostrom committs a stupid penalty. His team is beginning to tire. Beauchmin and Phaneuf stay on the ice, having been on for at least 15 seconds. And then this happens:
12:31 FAC TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #39 MITCHELL
13:01 MISS MTL #6 SPACEK, Slap, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 52 ft.
13:10 SHOT MTL ONGOAL - #57 POULIOT, Wrist, Off. Zone, 25 ft
13:13 SHOT MTL ONGOAL - #57 POULIOT, Snap, Off. Zone, 21 ft.
13:26 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #22 BEAUCHEMIN, Def. Zone
13:54 MTL #21 GIONTA(23), Tip-In, Off. Zone, 22 ft. Assists: #91 GOMEZ(41); #6 SPACEK(18)
The Maple Leafs' penalty kill, which has been so great up unitl this point, is fried. Previously it was challenging the Canadiens in the neutral zone and at the blue line, allowing no goals and just six shots in the previous five goes. Now, it backs off and allows the Montrealers to set up. Rather then zero or one shot, the Habs now muster up three shots including Gionta's equalizer.
The rest of the game is more of the same. Neither team is dominant and both defenses/goaltenders are unwilling to let in a game winner. Just five more shots for the Leafs and three for the Habs. Both team account for another seven blocked shots. Thoroughly enjoyable from this neutral fan's persceptive. The home team has wavered and is losing momentum but wouldn't given up the game winning goal. The road side has overcome the deficit but can't find their way to the back of the net. From my point of view, this is how it should end. A two-all draw, no one happy but both sides knowing that they earned the point. Instead, individualism triumphs over team. One-on-one becomes the story of a well played game of five-on-five. The Toronto faithful steal a point and while the visitors can't help to wonder "What if?"
This isn't the game I love. This is a farce. A side-show created so that "supposed" hockey fan can have a result. A winner. The problem is that sometimes, there isn't one. The two teams have played each other so evenly that a shared result is best one.
"For the good of the game," they said when the shootout was added. Not mine. Not mine.
But it's not an indication at all of last nights game. For two periods (to quote the great Rasheed Wallace) "Both teams played hard man, both teams played hard." It was excited, fast, back and forth hockey. The scored netted a one apiece. And then, Kessel scored. And the Leafs killed off the a double minor (and all of the previous power-plays). Toronto had the momentum. But couldn't put Montreal away. Take a look at nhl.com's Play By Play description of the third period.
I'll wait.
Okay let's review:
2:56 FAC TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #94 PYATT vs TOR #42 BOZAK
3:02 MISS MTL #44 HAMRLIK, Wrist, Over Net, Off. Zone, 52 ft.
3:18 BLOCK MTL #6 SPACEK BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Wrist, Def. Zone
3:55 HIT TOR #2 SCHENN HIT MTL #42 MOORE, Def. Zone
4:03 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #84 GRABOVSKI, Off. Zone
4:03 MISS TOR #84 GRABOVSKI, Slap, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 38 ft.
4:09 BLOCK TOR #2 SCHENN BLOCKED BY MTL #26 GORGES, Slap, Def. Zone
4:13 FAC MTL won Neu. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #51 WALLIN
4:35 BLOCK TOR #3 PHANEUF BLOCKED BY MTL #57 POULIOT, Slap, Def. Zone
4:40 FAC TOR won Neu. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
5:09 GIVE MTL GIVEAWAY - #41 HALAK, Def. Zone
5:35 HIT MTL #52 DARCHE HIT TOR #2 SCHENN, Off. Zone
So far a pretty dominant period by the Leafs but with a number of shots blocked and flat out missed. Now comes the deluge:
5:59 HIT TOR #11 SJOSTROM HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Off. Zone
6:14 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #11 SJOSTROM, Wrist, Off. Zone, 35 ft.
6:21 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #45 STALBERG, Snap, Off. Zone, 13 ft.
6:28 HIT TOR #45 STALBERG HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Off. Zone
6:32 MISS TOR #22 BEAUCHEMIN, Snap, Over Net, Off. Zone, 33 ft.
7:28 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #15 KABERLE, Wrist, Off. Zone, 48 ft. - GOALIE STOPPED,TV TIMEOUT
7:28 FAC TOR won Off. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #39 MITCHELL
7:35 BLOCK TOR #20 HANSON BLOCKED BY MTL #6 SPACEK, Snap, Def. Zone
7:52 HIT TOR #22 BEAUCHEMIN HIT MTL #6 SPACEK, Off. Zone
8:01 SHOT TOR ONGOAL - #20 HANSON, Slap, Off. Zone, 44 ft.
8:09 MISS MTL #91 GOMEZ, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 41 ft.
8:27 STOP OFFSIDE
Just over two minutes completely dominated by the Leafs. Four shots on goal, one over the net and one blocked at the point until the Habs clear the zone. A very well played period so far for the Maple Leafs but they're unable to score. We continue.
8:27 FAC MTL won Neu. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
8:48 BLOCK MTL #26 GORGES BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Snap, Def. Zone
8:57 HIT TOR #42 BOZAK HIT MTL #14 PLEKANEC, Neu. Zone
9:23 BLOCK TOR #84 GRABOVSKI BLOCKED BY MTL #20 O'BYRNE, Wrist, Def. Zone
9:39 MTL #40 LAPIERRE HIT TOR #11 SJOSTROM, Def. Zone
9:51 HIT TOR #3 PHANEUF HIT MTL #40 LAPIERRE, Def. Zone
9:58 STOP OFFSIDE
9:58 FAC TOR won Neu. Zone - MTL #91 GOMEZ vs TOR #20 HANSON
10:27 MISS MTL #57 POULIOT, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 43 ft.
10:51 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #42 BOZAK, Neu. Zone
10:59 TAKE MTL TAKEAWAY - #74 KOSTITSYN, Def. Zone
11:10 BLOCK MTL #20 O'BYRNE BLOCKED BY TOR #41 KULEMIN, Wrist, Def. Zone
11:10 STOP PUCK IN CROWD
11:10 TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #42 BOZAK
11:42 BLOCK MTL #74 KOSTITSYN BLOCKED BY TOR #2 SCHENN, Backhand, Def. Zone
12:16 BLOCK MTL #52 DARCHE BLOCKED BY TOR #36 GUNNARSSON, Backhand, Def. Zone
12:25 MISS TOR #45 STALBERG, Wrist, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 26 ft.
12:31 PENL TOR #11 SJOSTROM Tripping(2 min), Off. Zone Drawn By: MTL #26 GORGES
No shots on goal but the Leafs have had to block four Canadiens' blasts, while Toronto have managed one shot (blocked) and a missed shot. Less back-and-forth. with the now Canadiens controlling play by a silm majority. And then, Fredrick Sjostrom committs a stupid penalty. His team is beginning to tire. Beauchmin and Phaneuf stay on the ice, having been on for at least 15 seconds. And then this happens:
12:31 FAC TOR won Def. Zone - MTL #14 PLEKANEC vs TOR #39 MITCHELL
13:01 MISS MTL #6 SPACEK, Slap, Wide of Net, Off. Zone, 52 ft.
13:10 SHOT MTL ONGOAL - #57 POULIOT, Wrist, Off. Zone, 25 ft
13:13 SHOT MTL ONGOAL - #57 POULIOT, Snap, Off. Zone, 21 ft.
13:26 TAKE TOR TAKEAWAY - #22 BEAUCHEMIN, Def. Zone
13:54 MTL #21 GIONTA(23), Tip-In, Off. Zone, 22 ft. Assists: #91 GOMEZ(41); #6 SPACEK(18)
The Maple Leafs' penalty kill, which has been so great up unitl this point, is fried. Previously it was challenging the Canadiens in the neutral zone and at the blue line, allowing no goals and just six shots in the previous five goes. Now, it backs off and allows the Montrealers to set up. Rather then zero or one shot, the Habs now muster up three shots including Gionta's equalizer.
The rest of the game is more of the same. Neither team is dominant and both defenses/goaltenders are unwilling to let in a game winner. Just five more shots for the Leafs and three for the Habs. Both team account for another seven blocked shots. Thoroughly enjoyable from this neutral fan's persceptive. The home team has wavered and is losing momentum but wouldn't given up the game winning goal. The road side has overcome the deficit but can't find their way to the back of the net. From my point of view, this is how it should end. A two-all draw, no one happy but both sides knowing that they earned the point. Instead, individualism triumphs over team. One-on-one becomes the story of a well played game of five-on-five. The Toronto faithful steal a point and while the visitors can't help to wonder "What if?"
This isn't the game I love. This is a farce. A side-show created so that "supposed" hockey fan can have a result. A winner. The problem is that sometimes, there isn't one. The two teams have played each other so evenly that a shared result is best one.
"For the good of the game," they said when the shootout was added. Not mine. Not mine.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Fantastic Friday Links
Going around the NHL, we begin in Toronto. The usually angry Jeff Blair actually liked what he saw from the Leafs last night in their 2-1 shoot-out win over the (Fatt Brodeur-less) Devils.
Meanwhile the Sens continued their slide into complete suckage last night, falling 6-3 to the Thrashers.
The Rangers continue to forget that making the playoffs involves holding leads and winning games.
The B's got their "revenge" on Pittsburgh for the Cooke hit on Savard - if you define revenge as being a fight between Matt Cooke and Shawn Thornton but then proceed to lose a game that they needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. I for one do not. Then again I believe that Cooke should have been banned for the rest of the season.
Anaheim's James Wisniewski will sit the next eight games for a shady hit on Chicago's Brent Seabrook. You can take a look at it and get James Mirtle of Globe's take on the suspension/penalty call on the play.
In the NCAA Tournament Ohio University (not The Ohio State University) knocked off Georgetown with 97-83 BEAT DOWN! Other interesting results were Murray State over Vanderbilt, Old Dominion sent Notre Dame back to South Bend (and busted the Unfinished Bracket) and Villanova survived a scare against Robert Morris (with some strange officiating)
Those frustrating Toronto Raptors host The Durants tonight. My Dad and I were planning on going to this game last month. Then the Raps started to stink and we decided that they didn't deserve our money. Naturally, Durant will go nuts tonight/Raps will play like a real team/both.
Leafs-Habs tomorrow night at the ACC. Jim Hughson has a good preview of the game. The guys at Four Habs Fans and Pension Plan Puppets should provide you with all of your partisan/stripper information. Check them both out tomorrow afternoon. And a little story for this one. At the beginning of the season, brother and his Habs Fan roommate made a bet on the team that finished higher in the standings. The prize is the loser must take the other to a Leafs-Habs game and where the opposing team's colours. Looks like my brother is going to be clad in Bleu, Blanc et Rough tomorrow night.
No Avs until Sunday. The Boys in Burgundy play the Quackers in Anaheim. James Wisniewski will obviously not be in the lineup.
Have yourselves a Fantastic Friday and Wonderful Weekend
Meanwhile the Sens continued their slide into complete suckage last night, falling 6-3 to the Thrashers.
The Rangers continue to forget that making the playoffs involves holding leads and winning games.
The B's got their "revenge" on Pittsburgh for the Cooke hit on Savard - if you define revenge as being a fight between Matt Cooke and Shawn Thornton but then proceed to lose a game that they needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. I for one do not. Then again I believe that Cooke should have been banned for the rest of the season.
Anaheim's James Wisniewski will sit the next eight games for a shady hit on Chicago's Brent Seabrook. You can take a look at it and get James Mirtle of Globe's take on the suspension/penalty call on the play.
In the NCAA Tournament Ohio University (not The Ohio State University) knocked off Georgetown with 97-83 BEAT DOWN! Other interesting results were Murray State over Vanderbilt, Old Dominion sent Notre Dame back to South Bend (and busted the Unfinished Bracket) and Villanova survived a scare against Robert Morris (with some strange officiating)
Those frustrating Toronto Raptors host The Durants tonight. My Dad and I were planning on going to this game last month. Then the Raps started to stink and we decided that they didn't deserve our money. Naturally, Durant will go nuts tonight/Raps will play like a real team/both.
Leafs-Habs tomorrow night at the ACC. Jim Hughson has a good preview of the game. The guys at Four Habs Fans and Pension Plan Puppets should provide you with all of your partisan/stripper information. Check them both out tomorrow afternoon. And a little story for this one. At the beginning of the season, brother and his Habs Fan roommate made a bet on the team that finished higher in the standings. The prize is the loser must take the other to a Leafs-Habs game and where the opposing team's colours. Looks like my brother is going to be clad in Bleu, Blanc et Rough tomorrow night.
No Avs until Sunday. The Boys in Burgundy play the Quackers in Anaheim. James Wisniewski will obviously not be in the lineup.
Have yourselves a Fantastic Friday and Wonderful Weekend
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Captain Blye and the Rabbi: Episode 19
Welcome back hockey fans. It's absolutely amazing outside, with yesterday being one of the nicest St. Patrick's Day in recent memory (take this comment however you'd like). It almost seemed a waste to stay indoors and cooped up but that's where the Rabbi and I were last night to give you, our listeners, your weekly dose of awesome. In this week's show, Ethan and I lead with the seemingly unending topic of headshots (and reckless play in general). Last week, we were disappointed with the hit that Matt Cooke put on Marc Savard. Well guess who is is? Donald S. Cherry himself. Maybe there's hope for the old guard yet. We wax on Cherry's reaction to the Cooke hit as well as some discussion on dangerous plays in the league these days. In period two, we discuss the playoff situation in the East. While the individual teams are closed to settled, there still are some pressing questions: "Can the Rangers make the big dance?" "How far will Ottawa fall in the standings?" And "Who are you, and what have you done with Montreal Canadiens?" Finally period three takes a similar look at the Western Conference. Spots one through seven seem locked in. The question is who will get the final post-season birth: Calgary or Detroit?
As always, enjoy the show!
As always, enjoy the show!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday Morning Links (posted in the afternoon)
Avs win. Hurrah! Avs get out-shot 51-22 by Dallas. Boooh!
Leafs lose. Meh!
Raptors lose, AGAIN. And Bruce Arthur says what we're all thinking. Why do I even bother with this team? I'm starting to feel like a Leafs fan.
Argos sign former Queen's QB (and Vanier Cup winner) Danny Branigan. Hey, he can't be worse than any of their other quarterbacks. In other news, the Argos have no quarterbacks.
The Habs are playing their best hockey of the season. I got nothing.
Ovechkin hits Brian Campbell from behind. Campbell is out for the season. Ovie was tossed for boarding. He might get suspended. Or he might not.
Update: Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post reports that Ovechkin has received a two-game suspension
From the department of "Should be obvious but normally isn't," even Don Cherry hated the Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard. This is the same league the enacted the Sean Avery Rule mid-way through the '08 playoffs. To the NHL: Just ban the hit and use the "intent to injure clause" to enforce it.
NCAA tournament bracket is out. Upon first glance Duke got let off easy, Syracuse got hosed, Kentucky could have a tough road and Kansas looks really, really good.
Alberta beats McGill to take the CIS Women's hockey National Championship. Too bad the girls couldn't win three in a row. Still impressive. And their 86-game win streak is something out of UCLA in the 70s.
Speaking of UCLA, the Bruins will miss the tournament for the first time since 2004. Can't say I'm shocked. They've only lost five scholarship players in the past two years (and two of them were one-and-dones). 14-18, however, is unacceptable. Howland needs to recruit is ass off this off-season.
It's Monday, so Elliot Friedman's Monday notes column is out. Always a must read.
Finally, Brunt gets the last word in the Globe.
Leafs lose. Meh!
Raptors lose, AGAIN. And Bruce Arthur says what we're all thinking. Why do I even bother with this team? I'm starting to feel like a Leafs fan.
Argos sign former Queen's QB (and Vanier Cup winner) Danny Branigan. Hey, he can't be worse than any of their other quarterbacks. In other news, the Argos have no quarterbacks.
The Habs are playing their best hockey of the season. I got nothing.
Ovechkin hits Brian Campbell from behind. Campbell is out for the season. Ovie was tossed for boarding. He might get suspended. Or he might not.
Update: Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post reports that Ovechkin has received a two-game suspension
From the department of "Should be obvious but normally isn't," even Don Cherry hated the Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard. This is the same league the enacted the Sean Avery Rule mid-way through the '08 playoffs. To the NHL: Just ban the hit and use the "intent to injure clause" to enforce it.
NCAA tournament bracket is out. Upon first glance Duke got let off easy, Syracuse got hosed, Kentucky could have a tough road and Kansas looks really, really good.
Alberta beats McGill to take the CIS Women's hockey National Championship. Too bad the girls couldn't win three in a row. Still impressive. And their 86-game win streak is something out of UCLA in the 70s.
Speaking of UCLA, the Bruins will miss the tournament for the first time since 2004. Can't say I'm shocked. They've only lost five scholarship players in the past two years (and two of them were one-and-dones). 14-18, however, is unacceptable. Howland needs to recruit is ass off this off-season.
It's Monday, so Elliot Friedman's Monday notes column is out. Always a must read.
Finally, Brunt gets the last word in the Globe.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Captain Blye and the Rabbi: Episodes 17 & 18
Welcome back hockey fans. Sorry I've taken so long to post. In last week's show, Ethan and I spend the first two periods (and OT) wrapping up the Olympics. The first period we devote to the men's team and its triumphant march to the Gold. Russia, Slovakia and finally the USA all fell to the mighty Canadian juggernaut. Okay we weren't quite a juggernaut. More accurately we survived the Slovaks and the Americans by the skin of our teeth. Still, Ethan and I break down the knockout phase with special attention paid to the final. In period two, we revisit the issue of whether or not NHLers belong in the Olympics at all. The third period brings us back to the NHL where we chat about the trade deadline. For all of the hype, could there be a more boring day on the hockey calender? Finally in OT, we return one last time to the Olympics and discuss our golden girls. They won (of course) but after the victory the Canadian Women's hockey team decided to celebrate on the ice. Some in the media have taken the girls to task for it. Ethan and I do not.
In this week's edition, The Rabbi and I open with a frank discussion on head shots in the NHL and what the GMs are proposing to improve the safety of their players. We wonder whether this will work and if it goes far enough. In period two we talk about ol' time rivalries and how they've become largely diminished in these past few years. Leafs-Habs was once life and death. We don't think it's the case anymore. In period three, we get into the topic the Vancouver Canucks "marathon" roadtrip. Yep, were on the road for 14 games but split up by the Olympics...which just so happened to be in Vancouver. Hmmm.
Check em both out!
In this week's edition, The Rabbi and I open with a frank discussion on head shots in the NHL and what the GMs are proposing to improve the safety of their players. We wonder whether this will work and if it goes far enough. In period two we talk about ol' time rivalries and how they've become largely diminished in these past few years. Leafs-Habs was once life and death. We don't think it's the case anymore. In period three, we get into the topic the Vancouver Canucks "marathon" roadtrip. Yep, were on the road for 14 games but split up by the Olympics...which just so happened to be in Vancouver. Hmmm.
Check em both out!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
