A the Winner is....PK Subban

You'll notice a recurring theme of my blogs lately, but my dislike for PK Subban runs deeper than most oceans.  Thursday night, the Montreal Canadians and the Tampa Bay Lightning played one another and there was some controversy that surprisingly involved PK Subban.  Early in the game Subban and Lightnings captain Vincent Lecavalier were getting into it a bit in front of the net.  Cross checks were exchanged, some jostling ensued and I'm sure some friendly words, such as "PK how's your family?", "They're fine thank you Vinny.  How's your family?", you know f words.  As the play progressed Lecavalier broke away from Subban, to pursue the puck and attempt a wrap around, when he received a couple of vicious slashes from Subban.  The slashes resulted in Lecavalier losing the puck and scoring opportunity and in retaliation he gave Subban a whack to the hip area.  You would have thought that Subban had just been shot, it was like watching the eye witness video of the JFK assassination.  Subban dropped to the ice and began to roll around in pain as if his femur had been broken.  Lecavalier was assessed a 5 minute slashing major and game misconduct.  Subban, what did he get?  2 minutes for slashing and when his penalty was over he was back in the game.  He could have got an Academy Award for his performance.  This kid has been a problem since he started in the league.  It goes back to the the 2010 playoffs when he was called up during Montreal's run to the conference finals.  He was and is still a pest.  Not even a pest, he won't fight so I guess he can't be deemed a pest.  He has this arrogance to him that is undeserved and is only fueled by the rioting, protesting, anti anyone else in the league hockey fans in Montreal.  In this season alone Subban has made many an enemy this season, being called out on different occasions by veteran players.  He has also been a healthy scratch many games this season because of his play and I don't mean because he is poor offensively or defensively, but because he is a PUNK!  He plays the game with no accord of anyone else on the ice.  He gets in a guys face and will stir the pot, but when the pot boils he will just skate away.  This kid is built like a brick shit house but he won't fight.  He has 3 fighting majors in his career, one of which was against Clarke MaCarthur where Subban sucker punched MaCarthur, so that wasn't much of a fight, because Subban threw a blind punch like a coward.  Subban is a stain on the NHL who over the last couple of years have been defending the game because of incidences of head shots and unsportsmanlike play.  Subban needs to grow up and realize that he is lucky to be playing in the greatest league in sport and that every kid in this nation would love to be in his shoes.  Check on the link below, it has the entire events of Subban vs. Lecavalier.   

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZyZ1aIsqcI&feature=related


Dear PK Subban,
   You are a EXPLICIT WORD HERE!!!.  I don't like you and if you were ever traded to my team I would have to find a new team to like, because you are intolerable.  You are a big kid who could easily hold your own in a NHL fight, but you choose not to.  I play hockey in an adult safe hockey league and I've been in more fights in my two years in that league than you have you punk.  If you are going to talk the talk, walk the walk and if that means a black eye once and a while then maybe that would be good for you.  I'd like to be the one who gives you that black eye you, EXPLICIT WORD HERE!!!!

*Disclaimer*  EXPLICIT WORD HERE does not indicate a racial slur as some of you may assume based on my last blog, in which that comment of PK Subban was misinterpreted as a racial remark, which it was not intended to be.

Get a Life Montreal!

Since yesterday when reports surfaced that the Montreal Police will be investigating the body check that Zdeno Chara administered to Max Pacioretty in Tuesday nights match up I have just been fuming!  Even more so today in the wake of the unfortunate incidents in Japan.  For once Montreal, let's think of someone other than yourselves.  I want to start my rant with saying I am okay with this hit.  It is a hockey play that as Gary Bettman said this hit "was part of the game" or as Vancouver Canucks assistant coach said "this play would have happened 10 years ago".  The fact that it was a hockey play and that the stanchion is in play makes this hit less sever than perhaps a Matt Cooke on Marc Savard or even the Erskin hit on Crosby in the winter classic.  Hockey is a fast pace game and a play of this nature is bound to occur once and a while.  The end result is unfortunate and it's never easy to see a player get hurt, especially with a broken neck, but my dark side finds it easier to accept because he plays for Montreal.  Since the hit occurred Montreal residence have been up in arms, just furious, feeling like Chara had committed murder!  They have inundated the NHL head offices with letters and phone calls demanding action, the only thing they haven't done is called in the army.  If this hit had been delivered by a Montreal Canadian, most likely P.K. Subban, on a player from the Bruins lets say Patrice Bergeron, it would have been the best hit in the history of the game and a new Quebec holiday would be implemented and statues all over the city would be erected.  No one likes to see their player get hurt, but hockey is hockey.  It's physical, fast paced and injuries of all nature will happen, some worse than others.  The reaction of the fans it a bit much though.  In 1993 we got robbed of a trip to the Stanley Cup Final when Wayne Gretzky slashed Doug Gilmore in game six of the conference final and instead of being penalized went on to score the goal that tied the game and Los Angeles eventually went on to win the game and the series.  Were Toronto fans pissed, sure we were, but did we inundate the NHL offices with phone calls and letters, NO!  We sucked it up and moved on with life.  Montreal you should do that same!  Chara isn't being suspended or fined, so get over it!  And I don't even want to get into the debate about who is a bigger hockey market, because Toronto is going to win that battle 9 out of 10 times.  Plus that isn't what this is about.  This is about the mentality that the universe revolves around all that is Montreal and the fact that they can't admit that the Chara hit was a hockey play.  Reaction around the NHL has been mixed but for the most part despite the unfortunate result of the hit, players and managers, coaches and owners can recognize that it is a hockey play, resulting from two players in a fast pace game trying to gain puck possession.  I'm not hear to defend Chara, even though as I have said I don't see the play as "dirty", my beef is with the fans of the Montreal Canadians.  There have been facebook groups started, demonstrations planned for next Tuesdays game and reports of fans calling 911 asking for Chara to be arrested.  Then we have the possible criminal investigation, which is a whole other can of worms.  The police have no business involving themselves in a professional environment.  These players go into every game with the knowledge that they are risk of injury and when something happens and an injury occurs it's part of their job.  The hit had it been two inches to the right may not have caused any injury!  The hit resulted in a job related injury, don't call the cops, call workman's comp Pacioretty!  But you won't have to do that because you make millions of dollars.  The fact that Montreal fans are going to have a demonstration or "rally" during the next home game to send a message to the NHL, well who is that really going to effect?  Will it effect the team?  Will it effect fans trying to watch the game live?  Will it ultimately effect the game itself?  Perhaps, before you think about your demonstration you should think about a small child, who this is going to be his or her first NHL game.  Going to watch their hero's the Montreal Canadians for the first time ever.  All day the excitement builds, they can't wait to see their favorite player hit the ice...or a stanchion (BOOM!).  But all that is ruined because the fans around them have large banners with harsh words for the NHL, or because fans around them are so enraged that they are continuously on their feet starting chants and  blocking this young fans view.  Then it happens.  Someone will get annoyed and one fight will begin, then another and next thing you know, riot!  It'll move from the arena into the streets and then really what good have you done?  This whole event has already effect the team, they lost last night to the St. Louis Blues 4 - 1, and in the midst of a playoff race I think the team needs to put this whole situation behind them and focus on hockey, but that is just for my logical stand point.  I honestly hope that they implode and miss the playoffs, that would be a happy ending to this story...for me. 

Dear Montreal Fans,

    You've had a hockey team since 1909.  This isn't the first, nor will it be the last time you encounter a controversial play and it won't be the last.  But pull your heads out of your asses and realized that hockey happens.  Players get hurt.  Injuries happen.  Stop your bitching and moaning and accept the decisions laid before you.  You are acting like murder has been committed, but the verdict that the NHL handed down was one of fairness and careful consideration.  Suck it up you babies!

  Va sucer un oeuf vous grenouilles sale!!!! 

Dear P.K. Subban,
   I do not like you and I now refer to having to take a dump as saying "I have to take a P.K." and it has nothing to do with your skin colour as much as it is that I think you're a piece of s....     

Expectations, Why Have Them, They Only Get Crushed

The Major League Baseball season is upon us and already on most major sports websites, talk shows and blogs there is talk about this up coming season and what to expect from each team.  This happens every year at the beginning of every sports season.  Who's going to be the best, who will be status qou, who will rise from the basement and make a run for the playoffs.  And every year us die hard fans we fall for it, we raise our expectations, start to believe "we have a chance this year."  But it's all for not, well for Toronto fans anyways.  There is a motto I have coined a phrase for Toronto Sports fans; There's Always Next Year.  At seasons end no matter what, we always seem to have to wait until next year.  What has miffed me to such a degree that I am ranting you ask?  This article on TSN's website  http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=356987.  This article (if you choose not to read it), basically talks about what the Jays need to make the MLB postseason.  The article is well written and makes some very valid points, points that again would make a fan of the Jays start to really think; "we have a chance."  The very big detail that this article seems to miss is that fact that the Jays have a limited pitching staff in terms of big league experience or success.  Another thing this article doesn't take into account is that we are now missing 31 home runs from Vernon Wells and who knows if Jose Bautista will crush another 54 home runs!  I know that sports writers, bloggers and talk shows need material to talk, write and discuss, but I'm just saying why can't they be more realistic.  Now the article I reference is from a Canadian media outlet, based in Toronto, so of course they are trying to show fans the optimistic view from the top and I'm sure larger media outlets such as ESPN or the Baseball News won't be so kind when predictions are made in the next couple of weeks, but that's not the point.  I would say that it's likely that only a small percentage of Toronto sports fans would look at what ESPN or the Baseball News is saying, because again, articles such as the one on TSN give us such hope that we choose to ignore reality.  I'm not trying to be pessimistic, I am simply being a realist.  I love my hometown teams, but I also know what expectations should really be.  Do I hope I am wrong and that the Jays win 100 games and make the playoffs, sure I do!  But it's not going to happen.  The positives that come out of a season like last year, or even the previous 2 or 3 is that we are making progress.  We are winning 80 plus games a year, being competitive and the future looks bright, but to put such pressure on a young team in a city that doesn't really support them except for Opening Night or when Boston or New York comes to town.  You want my prediction, Jays will finish 4th in the East behind New York (3), Boston (2), Tampa Bay (1) and only 2 or 3 games ahead of the new look Orioles and in the Wild Card, we won't even be on the board at the end of the year when it shows the top 5 teams in the hunt.  Sorry my beloved Jays, I hope you prove me wrong, but realism is the way to go, I'm not blowing smoke up any ones ass, because where there is smoke there is fire and the Jays don't need any other help to burn themselves.


Dear Toronto Media,
    Just tell it like it is.  We only have so many sports channels to watch, so if you rag on our favorite team we don't really have a whole lot of other options to watch, so stop kissing ass and give us the raw truth.

Dear American Media,
    Do us a favor, don't even mention the Jays in your preview shows, just tell your viewers/listeners that the MLB reduced the American League East by one team, I don't really think anyone in America knows we exist.
   

Work Stoppages Hurt No One...Except the Fans!

Here I am about to blow off some steam about the impending NFL work stoppage and I've been on a work stoppage of my own!  This is my first rant in over a month and I apologize for that.  Life gets busy and believe me I could rant about a few things in life, but that's not what this blog is about, it's about SPORTS!!!
   Tonight as 11:59 p.m. the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement runs out between the league, owners and players.  There has been a lot of mud slinging all season in regards to this pending situation and as the weeks have run down it seems that neither side wants to rectify the situation before it becomes a work stoppage!  Earlier this week the talks to prevent a lockout went to mediation, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will resolve anything.  Not since 2004-05 has there been a sports related lockout and that was the NHL which cost the league the entire season.  No games, no all star game, no playoffs, no champion.  Prior to that there was a scare with the NBA in 1998-99, but they were able to resolve the that labor dispute before it lead to any games lost.  Now as the 2010-11 season closes in the NBA there is fears of a work stoppage pending as owners are sick of these new long term, high pay contracts being handed out by big market teams.  Then we all remember the MLB lockout that cost the league to miss the 1994-95 playoffs and no World Series Champion.  I have a personal connection with that lockout as most Canadians do, as that year the Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays were poised to meet in the World Series and in directly that lockout was the beginning of the end of baseball in Montreal.  At the time of the lockout in 1994-95 the Blue Jays and Expos lead there respective divisions and were clear favorites to make runs to the World Series.
  What really gets me is that fact that these multi-million dollar sports leagues allow these situations to lead to lockouts.  These are businesses and I understand that, but there is more to these businesses than the owners and players, there are the FANS!!!  The fans make these leagues and these players their money.  We are the ones that sit in the stands when our team is just awful, we are the ones who by the merchandise and pay for over priced beer and food at the stadiums or arenas.  These owners become blinded by the dollar signs in their eyes and the players just get greedier and greedier with absurd contracts and endorsements deals.  For example and this is just a recent example, Cam Newton, highly touted prospect coming eligible for the NFL draft (if one happens), just signed a multi-million dollar deal with Under Armour, so you can't tell me he's too concerned about the NFL season. 
     I can't even imagine what is being discussed in these meetings to try and rectify the unrest and to reestablish a CBA, not only will these teams loose millions of dollars with empty stadiums all year, but we all know about the t.v. contracts that the NFL garners.  Just the t.v. revenue alone would be astronomical!  Can't fathom allowing the season to be scrapped, why not just take a hundred million dollars and flush it down the toilet and that's probably only a small percentage of what a lockout would cost!
       Work stoppages only affect one person and often times that person is over looked, even though that person is the most important person to any professional sports league, that person...you, the fan.

Dear NFL, Owners and Players,
    Do something about this!  Get off your soap boxes and give your fans a season.  You've had three straight years of amazing Super Bowls, do you really want to miss out on the because you lockout the players!
     Owners, stop being so greedy.  You have millions of dollars already, last time I looked at my bank account I'm pretty sure it would allow for me to purchase an NFL team, but what do you care, any loses you'll just write off next tax season, you doucebags!
  Players...whatever, you all have so much money you'll probably spend your time buy stupid fancy cars, raping women and going to NYC night clubs and shooting yourselves or some other felony incident.  TMZ will be all over because the Kardashian's will be rotating from NFL'er to NFL'er with all their free time!
     I would give anything to play in a professional sports league, it would be an honor and I would play for below league minimums, it would just be the thrill of playing in front of thousands of people every night and knowing that somewhere, I'm giving a fan, old or young a thrill when my team scores the winning goal, hits a home run, or runs back a kick return for a touchdown.  Re-asses your priorities...all of you.
  Notice I didn't mention the NBA in my sentimental moment...I hate the fuck'n NBA!

An All Star Game Should be a Show, Not a Joke

So over the weekend sports fans were forced to endure two just simply awful all star games.  Let's start with the NHL All Star game.  First and foremost it was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, so that is problem number one, no hockey culture there are all!  Screw you Eric Staal.  But seriously, I was only able to watch this game in 5 - 10 minute segments as I found the PGA's Farmer's Insurance Open more exciting.  The players were not skating, no one was taking any liberties trying to make a fancy move or try to undress the goalies.  At least three times I saw odd man rushes, one of which included a 3 on 0!  They passed, passed again, passed again, oh then another pass and at the last second Kopitar shot the puck and Carey Price let in the goal like the vegetable strainer he is...YOU SUCK PRICE!  What this game was missing was any intensity, player desire to showcase their skills.  No one was rushing back down ice to stop these odd man rushes, so set up something pretty, make a fancy move, flip the puck in the air and try to bat it our of mid air and score, DO SOMETHING!  People in Raleigh probably had to remortgage their homes in order to be able to afford to go to this game and all they got was half ass'd defense, less than stellar goal tending and "superstars", who were less than super.  I understand that most of these guys have never played together and that no one wants to over do anything and risk injury, but what the NHL put on the ice on Sunday afternoon was nothing more than pick up hockey.  Eric Staal was out taking shifts that lasted anywhere from 3 - 4 minutes, which after about 2 of those minutes he was just waving his stick around and making funny noises, in all likelihood because he was mic'd up for HNIC.  I would have like to have seen some more "razzel dazzel" and creative puck movement, perhaps a face wash or two, even some over exaggerated goal celebrations.  This is a showcase for the fans, put on a show.  I caught about 10 minutes of the AHL all star game last night, and in that 10 minutes I saw some physical play, a guy went hard to the net as the goalie went to smother the puck and poked it into the net and best of all I saw a guy flip the puck (from behind the net) over top to a guy who was in front of the net, who then tried to bat the puck out of the air and into the net.  The play failed but at least they tried, which is more than can be said about the NHL all stars.  You are voted in by the fans because you are exciting, talented players and then you go out and basically throw shit in the faces of the fans like dirty zoo monkeys.  The NHL needs to reevaluate the all star game and it's purpose.  You'd see more action and creative hockey in any team practice then you saw in all of the game Sunday.  Perhaps the NHL needs to adopt a system similar to Major League Baseball, where the winner of the mid summer classic gets home field advantage during the World Series.  We all know that in the NHL just because you finish 1st in the conference doesn't mean you will find your self in the Stanley Cup final.  In recent years the team to finish in the 6th  threw 8th  spots in the conference have made it to the Stanley Cup final.  So perhaps by making the game worth something such as home ice advantage in the final round you would get a more intense, hockey like game and not just a bunch of over paid monkeys skating around like a bunch of beer leaguers.  NHL all stars always say that it's an honor to play in the All Star game, they sure as hell didn't act like it the other night.
As for the NFL pro bowl, well it has always notoriously sucked donkey ass, so I don't have a lot to say about it.  At least it was high scoring and the players were trying to compete.  When they tried a risky play it was to entertain the fans, it led to a lot of turn overs, but at least they tried!  Still wasn't much of a game, but they tried.

Dear NHL,
   You tried the fantasy draft format, you made NHL players look like fools as they waited to be picked, until it was down to two guys, how small do you think they felt?  Give up that format and go back to East vs. West and make this game about home ice advantage.  Maybe then the players will actually play and fans can enjoy the game, like a real hockey game.  Perhaps a score of 3 - 2 or 5 - 4 not 11 - 10.  You feel you need to compete with other major sports in America to get ratings, well perhaps if you didn't hold your All Star game in Raleigh, North Carolina and in a market where hockey belongs you'd get better ratings.  Hockey doesn't belong in Carolina, Florida, Dallas, Los Angeles or San Jose, those place need football, basketball and monster truck, but that is whole other blog...you suck Gary Bettman and your wife's fat!

Super Bowl = Super Hungover

For as long as there has been Super Bowls (at least in my 28 years on this earth) the Super Bowl has been played on a Sunday, the traditional day of football, the end of the week (or beginning of a new depending how you look at it), but why for the Grand Daddy of them all would you make it a Sunday???!!!  All across North America there will be Super Bowl parties galore.  Bars stools will have big fat American's asses firmly planted in them from 11 a.m. until close and I'm sure there are some establishments that will open a little early so that any patrons who wish to partake in pregame banter and watch the know it all's talk about each teams journey to this point.  What I don't understand though is why is HAS to be Sunday?  This is a one day, winner take all show, so why does the day have to be Sunday?  People want to drink and enjoy themselves and they do!  The fact that the biggest sporting event of the year is on a Sunday, when most of the world has to get up and work the next day, doesn't seem to stop people from fully involving themselves in the festivities.  On average 6% of people (American Statistic Only) call in sick on the Monday following the Super Bowl.  That's over 18,000 people, approximately 350 per state!  Some states in American would shut down with that many people home sick for the day!  Other sports do not limit their grand prize being handed out to just one day, granted not all sports are a one game winner take all; most are your traditional 7 games series.  TV contracts and other things come into the equation as well and in a 7 game series you never know how many games it might go or when the prize will be won.  This past summer the World Cup was played and the final match was on a Sunday.  Why??!!  Why must the sporting world do this to the public.  All we want to do is enjoy watching our favorite sports team, or sport, enjoy the company we are in, maybe a few cocktails and not have to worry about going to work the next day!  If you are reading this and you say "Well Angry Sports Fan, how about you just not drink?"  Then I say to you, don't be ridiculous you killjoy!  Learn to have some fun, enjoy life, get tanked during the Super Bowl!  I'm not suggesting much, I'm just simply saying why not make the Super Bowl on a Thursday (as 7.5% of people call in sick on a Friday anyways, even when they are not sick) or even better a Friday or a Saturday.  I can understand viewership overall for tv drops significantly on a Friday or Saturday, but it's the FREAK'N Super Bowl!!!!  I am pretty sure you could host the Super Bowl in Alaska at 3 a.m. and it would still sell out, the ratings would still be astronomical and you'd still get the Black Eye'd Peas to play the half time show, but that's another Angry Rant...stupid Black Eye'd Peas.

  Dear NFL,
    Consider my argument I have made above.  Traditions are made to be broken or adjusted.  Throw this one in the trash like the Patriots threw their Super Bowl hopes in the trash.  People love the Super Bowl, but I know that every year there are thousands of people standing around the water cooler saying "I really wish the game was on Saturday, I'm going to be sooooo hung over on Monday.", while others will just simply say "I'm not coming to work on Monday, I'll be tooooo hung over."  If you listen to me and move the game I guarantee you will still get the same ratings, make the same in revenue (if not more) and the economy will benefit with the reduced number of employees sick on the Monday following.  This isn't just a blog NFL, this is a revolution, I'm helping to stimulate the economy and keep America Productive.  Suck it Barack!

Consistency Is What You Make It

For a couple of years now the NHL has been all about protecting players and trying to remove hits to the head from the game which is a worthy endeavor as it's a dangerous aspect of the game.  They have increased fines, suspensions and Colin Campbell spends more time in player meetings that he does at home it would seem.  I do not have any dispute with the NHL cracking down on head shots, it's dangerous and can cause serious harm, but what I do have an issue with is the inconsistency of the NHL's punishments from incident to incident.  This week Mike Brown of the Toronto Maple Leafs was suspended three games for his hit on Ed Jovanovski in a game in Phoenix.  There was contact to the head, but the contact was not intentional, as Brown was following through on a hit and Jovanovski put himself in a vulnerable position.  These are situations that I can understand must be difficult for the NHL to asses, as it's a fast game and from watching the game live and seeing highlights, if Jovanovski had not have reached for the puck (bent over) as he did, there would have been no contact to the head, just a standard shoulder to shoulder check; there was no penalty on the play  You review this suspension and then you look at recent incidents in the NHL that have lead to injuries that have gone without any NHL involvement, be it suspension or fines.  Most recently you look at the Winter Classic, the great idea of the NHL, where Sidney Crosby was blindsided without the puck and the play up ice, which has now lead to a concussion and Crosby to miss the last 5 games.  There was no penalty on the play and no suspension or fine.  I guess the NHL didn't want to draw negative attention to their spectacular idea.  Another example would be last year when Marc Savard was hit by Matt Cooke which put Savard out from the middle of last season until this past November, again, no penalty or suspension.  A week ago Friday, Ben Eager of the Atlanta Thrashers sucker punched Colby Armstrong of the Toronto Maple Leafs, not a clean play, but he was given six games!!! Six!!!  The NHL is handing out suspensions and fines like a blind referee.  It's often been a theory from minor hockey to professional that when a blatant call is missed during a game, that at some point after that in the game a really bad call will be made to put the referee's mind at ease that he has even up the game.  It appears that Colin Campbell and his disciplinary committee do the same when it comes to handing down fines or suspensions.  He misses one such as the Crosby hit so he feels he needs to come down hard on a play like Ben Eager, or Mike Brown when they certainly don't warrant such punishment.  If the NHL wants to keep head shots out of the game, which in my opinion you'll never fully get rid of them, the game is too fast, players react at the last seconds putting themselves in harms way *Cough Jovanovski Cough*, then you have to take the first steps and have a more consistent manner of punishments.  I understand there are reoccurring offenders and punishments are harsher for them as they would be for a first time offender, but be more consistent.  Swallow your pride and call a guy down for a meeting at Principal Campbell's Office even if it's a week after the hit.  Take your time review the play, determine if it needs a suspension.  The NHL is reacting to rash with some of these decisions and it's creating a credibility issue in the eyes of the public and I'm sure in the eyes of teams, management and players.

Dear Colin Campbell,
    How about you spend less time being a hockey dad and protecting your baby boy (who is a pro hockey player and should be subject to discipline as well) and focus on your job and doing it right.  You are an advocate for cleaning up head shots and being diligent in player accountability, but when you let the best player in the league take a cheap shot and you don't hold the player who hit him accountable, you are just continuing your inconsistent ways.  Use some common sense you tit mouse! 

Sports Casters, More like Sports Assholes

On the heels of the disappointing loss in the Gold Medal game of the IIHF U20 World Hockey Championship, Canadians all across the country were left dejected and with an empty feeling, just not quite able to explain what we had all just witnessed. We then awoke to newspaper articles, highlights and still images of those young men after the final horn had sounded. This game was difficult to watch as the outcome unfolded, but what I found harder to accept was the criticism and out right assault sportscasters and sports writers in this country unleashed on these young men. These are just kids, young men going into an international tournament to represent their country, which only a few understand that pressure. These are not professional players, they are the most talented this country has to offer in junior hockey. These boys play because they love the game and they all have just one dream, represent their country and make the NHL. I hope that they all avoided reading newspapers or watching highlights because if they weren't crushed by the loss, some of the harsh things that were said certainly would have broken their spirits , what spirits they have left. Mike Babcock, coach of our Canadian men's Olympic Gold medalists said it best, that this country should be proud of what those young men did. They are just that, young, mistakes will be made. If people want a place to place blame, look no further than TSN's James Duthie, he jinxed the Canadians. Just before the camera panned away from him to end the 2nd intermission he made the snide comment "The Russians came back from against Finland, down 3-1 and against Sweden when down 2-0, can they do it again, well Canada isn't Finland or Sweden.". This comment may not seem like much, but like similar comments made many times before it came back to loom large at the end of the third. Talk to any athlete or sports fan and we're are very superstitious and a comment like that just put a jinx over the heads of our juniors. It's like a commentator stating during the 7th game of the world series, two out and winning run at bat, "all he has to do is hit a home run and his team wins the world series!!!". Thanks asshole I know how the game works, next thing you know "bam!!!" home run. Or when sports casters keep count of home many outs until a no hitter. I understand that dialogue is a must during televised sportscasts, but sometimes sports casters need to just shut the he'll up!! Part of the greatness of sport is that no game is over until it's over, until the fat lady has sung (speaking of Gary Bettman's wife), but it is just extra frustration when a guy who is painted up to look pretty for tv makes stupid comments like James Duthie did last night and then a result like last night follows. I understand that the game is played on the field or ice or court, but JINX, JINX, JINX!!!!


Dear James Duthie, just SHUT UP! You better hope you haven't caused a curse, that you have destined the Canadian juniors for silver finishes for years to come, or I will single handedly insure that it's known as the Dirty Duthie curse....worse than any sports curse you pretty boy douche!

Hockey on the Pond is Not for the NHL

Lacing up the skates and taking to the old pond was and is still good for amateur, no professional hockey.  There is nothing like a sunny winter day at the cottage or the community outdoor rink where you can enjoy some pick up hockey with friends, but it's not something that works for the NHL.  The atmosphere works, the idea of playing these outdoor games work, having crowds of 25, 50, or 75 thousand fans out to enjoy some old fashion hockey.  All the festivities and grandeur that go along with these events is all great for the sport, but that fact that this is an actual game, with actual points on the line blows my mind.  This years game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals was close and by all accounts a good game, but the original start time was 2 p.m., pushed back to 8 p.m. because of rain and too mild temperatures (organizers hoped by moving it to the later time it would cool down and give a better consistency to the ice).  For a regular season game that has meaning to it, two points, which could mean making or missing the playoffs, winning a division, or gaining home ice advantage for the playoffs, it make no sense to me why you would put that in the hands of unpredictable conditions is beyond me.  I am not saying that you should do away with the Winter Classic (or Canada's version Heritage Classic - because Gary "I hate Canada" Betman won't give us our own Winter Classic), I'm just saying that it should be something that is part of the All Star break or even the All Star game itself.  Granted this isn't a possibility in all climates where the NHL finds it's home, but it's a better option than awarding points.  I understand that any given night, one team is going to win and one is going to lose, but when it's not a level playing field (or soggy ice surface) then it's just not fair, nor is it logical.  I like the idea and the atmosphere of these Winter Classics, but come on NHL, get your collective heads out of your giant asses and make this an exhibition game and not something that could make or break a teams season.

  Dear NHL,
      It's a great idea and I know it makes you a shit tonne of cash, but don't make this a "real" game.
 
  Dear Gary Betman,
      You're a rat!  I don't like you!!!  You are worse than a politician when you are asked for a straight answer!  Bring hockey back to CANADA where we will make more money than any club in the US and give us our own Winter Classic, image a Maple Leafs vs. Canadians outdoors in either Montreal or Toronto...CASH COW!!!  Speaking of your wife...BAZING Gary BAZING!