Everybody hates the Sens

What a difference two seasons makes.

It doesn't seem that long ago that the Sens barnstormed through the Eastern Conference, enroute to a Stanley Cup Finals showing in the spring of 2007.

Since then? Well, its not going out on a limb saying the Ottawa Senators have not lived up to expectations in the past season and a half.

This season has been putrid, to say the least. Off to a 12-16-5 start in their first 33 games, the ship seems to be sinking fast. They sit dead last in the Northeast Division and a woeful 12th in the Eastern Conference. Ten points out of a playoff spot.

If you are a Sens fan, you are in panic mode. You have been for a while.

So who is to blame for this mess? Last season, Ray Emery was the team whipping boy, and he was unceremoniously rode out of the country, banished to Russia. This season, the role falls to former saviour Jason Spezza. Fans and media alike have grown tired of his turnovers, his blind passes, his big wide turns on the ice.

And the more he is scrutinized, the more he struggles. Right now, Jason Spezza is simply trying too hard. When that happens, more mistakes are bound to arise, and the boo birds aren't likely to quiet down anytime soon.

While Spezza's play has not been up to standard, the blame for the Sens downfall is to be shared among others.

Lets first look at Bryan Murray. Murray was behind the bench for the most successful season(s) in Sens history. He took the team to the Finals, albeit only to lose to Anaheim. After that series, he stepped down and said he didn't want to coach anymore, he wanted to focus more on the G.M. position.

So in comes John Paddock, promoted from Binghamton. He had coach much of the Senators young corps, including Jason Spezza. He was the natural selection as predecessor, taking over the reigns from Murray.

It didn't work out so well. After a 15-2 start, the Sens tanked. It all came to a head on February 26, 2007 in Boston. In what turned out to be Paddock's last game as head coach, the Sens phoned in an embarrassing loss to the Bruins that night. The game was televised nationally on TSN, and it was the most dispicable act I've ever seen from a pro sports team. Rumours had been swirling for weeks leading up to the game about Paddock's job security. Murray had no choice after this game. The team was playing to get John Paddock fired. An ECHL team could have beat the Senators that night. They weren't playing, they had simply quit, and it was disgusting to see.

Murray took over for the rest of the season, one that couldn't end soon enough for Sens fans. A first round sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins was all she wrote for the disappointing 2007-08 Ottawa Senators.

Murray once again announced he wouldn't be back as head coach, and the search was on for a replacement last summer. They ended up hiring Craig Hartsburg, he of great junior success, but marginal pro coaching results (one good year in Chicago). I questioned the hiring right away, and so far this season, I haven't been proven wrong.

All of a sudden the team can't score. Two years ago fans at the Scotiabank Place were chanting "Pizza, Pizza!", hoping for that sixth Sens goal, which would mean a free slice for all fans in attendance. Now, they are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL.

Why? The core forewards are still there. Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza obviously have to be better, but what the Sens are missing is secondary scoring. From 2005-2007 guys like Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette, and Chris Neil provided that back up offensive punch. While Fisher has been hobbled by injuries, Vermette, and Neil are mere shadows of their former self.

Then there is the defense. Chara, Redden, Pothier, Corvo, Priessing, Meszaros...all gone. While Corvo struggled in his time as a Senator, do you not think they could use a puck moving, strong skating defenceman right about now? Perhaps the team and fans gave up on Corvo too soon. Carolina doesn't seem to mind him.

One thing that the Sens cannot blame their tumble down the standings on is goaltending (this season, at least). Alex Auld has come in and taken the number one job from Martin Gerber, and has played well enough and kept the team in a number of games. Unless you are expecting offensive production from Auld, there should be no blame pointed his way.

So the bottom line in all this? The Sens ability or lack thereof to turn it around. Growing mustaches hasn't worked (Lame, by the way). New, ugly third jerseys haven't helped (even MORE lame).

Me thinks its too late. Hartsburg is on borrowed time, thats no secret, and Murray may be as well.

Something needs to happen fast, because Sens fans are jumping ship. Whispers of John Tavares anyone?

Year in Review Podcast

What was the biggest sports story of 2008? It was a busy year, what with the Beijing Olympics, a Patriot meltdown, a U.S. Open for the ages, and so much more. Its our last podcast of 2008, so give it a listen and give us some feedback. AroundSports360.com's Year in Review Podcast

A sign of the times

The NHL Board of Governors meetings are currently taking place in Florida and one the main issues that will be discussed in the slumping economy and its affect on the NHL. It was reported that there are a number of teams in serious financial trouble (didn't need a BOG's meeting to nail that one Gary), as many as 5 teams come to mind.

One team, probably the most seriously pressed team of the bunch, is the Phoenix Coyotes. It's projected that the team could lose up to $34 million this year and has lost over $200 million in the last ten years.

Another team that is requiring immediate support is the Florida Panthers. I came across a site that pretty much explains itself, 2 free tickets and parking if your a Florida resident who has yet to take in a Panthers game.

Check it for yourself http://www.panthersfirsttimer.com/

From what I gather they throw in the free parking because there is no mass transit system to the arena.

steve@aroundsports360.com

Somebody please sign Shanny

So we can see more of this...

Year in Review Podcast Thursday Night

The time has come for our 2008 Year in Review podcast. A look back at the year that was in the wonderful world of sports. Topics that we probably won't discuss: lacrosse, curling, billiards, the LPGA, bowling, and sadly, horseshoes. Among the topics that probably will be touched on is the NEW YORK GODAMN GIANTS STEALING THE SUPERBOWL. In the words of the great Charlie Brown: "AAAAARRRGGGHHH!" I blame Steve. He was there, after all. Be sure to listen this Thursday night for the Year in Review cast.

K-Rod close to signing

Free Agent Fransisco Rodriguez, is close to signing a three year deal with the New York Mets reportedly worth $37 million. There is said to be a fourth year potentially involved along with a $14 million vesting option depending on the young relief pitchers health.

As a type "A" Free Agent, the Angels will receive a 2009 draft pick from the signing team.

In other Free Agent news, C.C. Sabathia will be meeting with the Giants this weekend to discuss a potential contract offer.

steve@aroundsports360.com

Hey, you know who you look like?

Brothers seperated at birth? Both share the same level of hockey knowledge so maybe.... steve@aroundsports360.com

Hockey Analyst Roll Call

In our last podcast we briefly talked about a current active hockey player that has made his career after the game has passed him simply by his classy and "original" interviews. Here is a short list of some players, active & retired, off the top of my head that I think would be great as a hockey analyst in no particular order:

Mats Sundin - Say what you will but after over a decade of dealing with the Leafs/Canadian sports media, this guy can field questions and hardly sound cliche.

Brendan Shanahan - Have you seen his mocking of the Senators players from a few years back? This guy has a sense of humor and would be a welcomed addition to any broadcasting team.

Ron Tugnutt - A personal favourite. Being from Ottawa I often listened to him in his interviews on our local sports radio and thought he was well spoken. Does this mean it can be carried over to television? Maybe not, but I'd like to see him try if offered. (Must have been an Oiler that year I was in my coma)

Trevor Linden - Former Canuck, Isle and Hab who's words are listened to and respected. Involved in the NHLPA, Linden has a good idea about the intricacies of the game.

Joe Thornton - Other than a slightly missed judgement call a few off-seasons ago which landed him some community service hours, Big Joe still carries the class and attitude of a true professional. That professionalism should be carried over to television.

Craig Conroy - The best for last. If you don't know why he'll be in broadcasting after the game then you don't watch hockey that closely, simple.

Now the worst...

...REPLACEMENT NEEDED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

steve@aroundsports360.com

Podcast!

This week we discuss Plax's gunplay, David Frost miraculously avoiding prison, and all kinds of sloppy seconds. Get it? What that guy said? Ya you got it. Listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below! AS360.com Podcast Season 3 - Episode 4

Breaking News!!!

In what can only be described as a stunning turn of events, Detroit may have to relinquish the Stanley Cup and hand it off to the Toronto Maple Leafs. A coalition consisting of teams from Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto have petitioned NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to remove the 2007-2008 cup from Detroit. Last year the three tams combined to score 759 goals while racking up 126 wins. Detroit had a mere 54 wins and scored only 257 goals. The coalition states that due to the fact the Red Wings are currently 3rd overall in the league, hockey fans have lost faith in the current champions. This change is needed to restore confidence in the game of hockey. Mr. Bettman has returned early from a spending spree in Europe to deal with the crisis. While he is no longer captain of the Maple Leafs, Mats Sundin would be presented with the cup, perhaps as early as Dec. 6th on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada before the Maple Leafs host the Capitals in a rare nationally televised game on the network. Management for the Detroit Red Wings has requested that the league be shut down until Jan. 26th at which time perhaps cooler heads will prevail. Bettman may decide to replay the 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs at a cost of 300 million dollars during which time all other vital issues will remain unsolved. steve@aroundsports360.com

A question

With Plaxico Burress healing his self-inflicted gunshot wound to the thigh and now facing criminal charges, I started thinking about the root of the problem with these athletes who find themselves in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Before I go on, I want to state that I am in no way being an apologist for these men. What they do criminally comes with no excuse and they should be held accountable just like every other normal person.

If an athlete feels they may be placed in a threatened position, they have a few options.

1) Hire protection.

2) Enter a safe establishment. Don't go to a club that has to check for weapons or make you feel like you need to strap the gat.

3) Stay home, play scrabble.

These options are some ways to ensure the safety for athletes however I think that there may be one more that could prevent any future-related problems. Should professional leagues make player salaries public? In more ways than one I am beginning to think that they shouldn't.

I think of Wal-Mart, Sony, Tim Horton's. Do these companies release this information about their employees to the public? No, nor should they. What about actors? We may know what a movie pulls in from the box office, but we only sometimes hear what the actor actually earned for his/her performance.

If this private piece of information is withheld it might provide a sense of security for athletes, actors or anyone else making the millions I wish I had. And really, is there any reason for John Q. Public to know this information? Not really. If worried about a salary cap for our favourite sport, then just have the league release the status of the team's payroll as a whole. If John Q. Public then thinks that this release of information isn't accurate, who cares. It doesn't change anything for the sports fan.

Listen, a bad apple is a bad apple. If someone would act against league conduct regardless of this idea then so be it. However this could be a method of protecting a league's assets and maybe Plaxico then doesn't bring the gat to da club.

At least we wouldn't have to hear about the Yankees ridiculous offers anymore.

McCoy

steve@aroundsports360.com

Well that should end all the Tom Brady trade talk

Great day yesterday if you're a Steelers fan. Two things for sure if you are one...a) you're pleased as punch that they beat the Patriots, and b) your a dickhead. Matt "Not Tom Brady" Cassel showed his true colours yesterday. After back to back 400+ yardage games versus the Jets and the Dolphins, he fell back to earth (hard) against a strong Steelers defensive corps. This was a measuring stick game for Cassel. For the past two weeks all we've heard is how good the guy is and how much money is going to get thrown his way in 2009. There were even Tom Brady trade rumours. I kid you not. Well, after an afternoon that included two inopportune fumbles, five sacks, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 48.7%, that talked has died down considerably. And rightfully so. I can't believe I even have to write this blog actually. Nothing like a planning a future for a never-will-be quarterback after TWO good games (one of which the Pats lost by the way, to the Jets). If the Patriots ever pulled a move off that made Matt Cassel their current and future starting quarterback, I would find a very high cliff somewhere. The loss was huge for New England. The two teams they need to catch in the AFC WildCard race, Baltimore and Indianapolis, both won. The only solace is that the Jets laid an egg against Denver. What this means is that the Pats probably have to run the table the rest of their schedule. Good news is, they play in Seattle next weekend. Bad news is, Matt Cassel will be their starting quarterback. Le sigh.

Your Christmas Gift Wishlist - For the Hockey Fan

Somehow, it is December. I don't know how it happened, or how we got here, but here we are. With December of course, comes the onset of the Holiday season. For all you sports lovers out there, I have compiled a list of items you should be asking for this Christmas season. First up are the need-to-have gifts for the casual to the hardcore hockey fan. Future Greats and Heartbreaks: A Year Undercover in the Secret World of NHL Scouts written by Gare Joyce Perhaps the best hockey book I've ever read, this book gives in depth behind the scenes looks into the NHL scouting business. The book pulls no punches into critical insight into guys like Akim Aliu, Angelo Esposito, and most notably (and harshly) Phil Kessel. Joyce contacted every NHL team about the book, and only the Columbus Blue Jackets took the bait. If you are a fan of major junior or college hockey, this book is beyond a must read. Reflections 2008: The NHL Hockey Year in Photographs The perfect coffee table book for the NHL fan, the photos in this book are simply amazing. It is a chronological look at the 2007-2008 NHL season, starting with the season openers in London, England. Several photos are dedicated to the All Star Game in Atlanta, the Winter Classic in Buffalo, and the Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit. The only writing in the book is the foreword, and after that its nothing but high-resolution, breath-taking photos. All captions are found at the back of the book in an index. One of the best parts of this book is gauging the crowd's reaction to the events capture in a still frame. The looks on some of the spectator's faces are priceless. The photos really do a great job of capturing the emotion both on and off the ice. One of the best examples is a shot of Joffrey Lupul of the Flyers scoring the overtime winner in Game 7 vs the Capitals, in Washington. Lupul is in extasy on the ice, the Caps fans in the background look ready to jump off a bridge. As a nice bonus to help you feel better about yourself, proceeds from the sale of the book go to Hockey Fights Cancer. Hockey Fights Cancer Tie Speaking of which, the Hockey Fights Cancer neck tie this year is very nice. It is 100% silk, and the lavender colour is very sharp (if you ask me). For the ladies, they also make a HFC Scarf. Silk as well and very nice. Again, a portion of the proceeds go to the charity. NHL Center Ice Package This is a no-brainer, and something I can't believe I don't have. Next year, it will be on my list for sure. You've all heard of it and maybe everyone but me has it. Watch every NHL game all season long with the Center Ice package. For those Saturday nights when you don't want to see Toronto vs Philadelphia and would rather see Minnesota vs Dallas.

Podcast!

This week we talk about the inevitable Brian Burke - Leafs- TSN lovefest, the American Thanksgiving NFL games, more MLB free agency and much much more. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. To listen to the podcast, follow the link below. AS360.com Podcast, Season 3 Ep. 3

Hey, you know who you look like?

Here is perhaps the best athlete/celebrity look-a-like I've ever seen. The only one that beats this is maybe Robert Horry and Will Smith. What do you think?

Sens 3rd jersey leak

Well Sens fans, I don't know if your season could get any worse, so you be the judge... The team will unveil their new third jerseys Saturday night when they host (and ultimately lose) to the New York Rangers. The Sens have been teasing the jersey and the whole "Back in Black" thing. Wow, a black third jersey, thats original! Anyways, here it is... let us know what you think. I think its gross. All the credit on these third jerseys leaking belongs to this great website.

Podcast(s)!

Well, the third riveting season of the AS360.com podcasts is upon us. After taking the summer off, we are back with our weekly go-around of the sports world. Links are below. Episode 1 - November 5th Hear our thoughts on the recently wrapped up World Series, pending MLB free agency, the start of the NHL season, and Steve's dominating Tennessee Titans. Episode 2 - November 12th "As much as I hate the Maple Leafs, I hate their fans more." Listen to me alienate several friends and family members. We also talk about Pierre McGuire, the Brian Burke-GTA love-fest-a-thon, and NFL MVP talk. Until we figure out to post them here, you can find all our podcasts and at http://podcast.aroundsports360.com/

This is why I don't collect cards anymore

Somewhere in a basement in Picton, there are binders full of hockey and baseball cards. Like 12,000 of them. Some of them are worth some money, some of them are useless and should be burned (I'm looking at you, David Volek). When I was collecting them some time ago, I was an "insert" chaser. Insert cards were called "chasers", and pulling one was pure joy. When I managed to be lucky enough to do so, I would immediately put them in a protective hard plastic holder and set up my bedroom as if it were my own sports card shop. My sister and foster brother were regular customers. Its been about a decade since I stopped collecting. My last hurrah as a sports card enthusiast was a trade show in Toronto. I spent the whole day hunting for all the Tom Barrasso and Dainius Zubrus cards I could find. Personal favourites. Well it seems the luster of collecting has slowed down, as have the profits for the big companies such as Upper Deck and Topps. So what do you do when times get tough? You mix it up. And holy sweet hell have card companies ever done that. The big "chase" card these days? Celebrity hair cards. It is exactly what it sounds like. Yes, you could own a strand of JFK, Babe Ruth, or even Abe Lincoln's precious hair. Don't believe me? Read for yourself!

Donvan McNabb uses a spoon to eat his Chunky Soup.

After the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals fought to a 13-13 tie this past weekend, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb talked about his on field performance and whether this may hurt the teams chances of a post-season birth after explaining to reporters NFL overtime rules were unaware to him.

"I Don't think so..." McNabb responded, "We're still in the hunt for a wildcard birth and feel that with the remaining games we have there's still a shot." When asked about future sponsorship deals for the long time Eagle, McNabb wasn't to worried. "Sponsorship deals usually take into account more aspects that just on-field performance. I had a long standing relationship with Campbell's however both parties decided that it was best to part ways".

Asked to explain the relationship further McNabb responded that Campbell's was upset with the athlete after informing the company he wasn't aware both spoons and forks could be used to eat the product. "I always thought that you used a spoon, I was never aware that the fork could be used at all."

Steve

Fantasy Players Beware

I'm relatively new to Fantasy Sports and don't ever plan on leaving. In this wonderful world of Head-to-Heads, Rotisserie's and Salary Caps you can create a team of your favourite players (or least favourite players) depending on their current season production and watch them lead you to victory or defeat. Some owners are waiver nuts, while others (like myself) has patience that rivals very few. The draft of any fantasy sports is something that I always look forward to. Going to a buddy's house or a pub and have a few frosty's while exchanging jabs with your fellow "Fantasy Freaks" is always a good time had by all. A little bonus if you have a significant other is that your given the chance to get out of the house and have a little me time with your friends. However the following information is extremely important and may apply to you if your better half loathes the idea of your involvement in this fantasy world. I came across a site for WAFS (http://www.womenagainstfantasysports.com/), a site dedicated for those scorned by this glorious fantasy sporting world. The site, complete with forums, news, apparel and even spotlights, offers solitude to women crying and whining. If you check out the site look our for their forums and my personal fav' "ways to ruin his draft". Just a heads up guys, you never know what could happen. Steve

Begun, the MLB free agent wars have

We are just over 24 hours into Major League Baseball's free agent frenzy, and the first move has been made by (surprise!) the New York Yankees. Apparently the Yanks have offered rotund lefty C.C. Sabathia a six-year deal worth over $137.5 million, more than Johan Santana got last year from the Mets. The deal would obviously make the portly fellow the highest paid pitcher in baseball history. The New York Mets seem to have their hat in the fray as well. Unbelievably, but not surprisingly, the Yankees are going after not only C.C., but A.J. Burnett AND Derek Lowe. In other words, just the three best pitchers on the open market this year. Burnett is a sure fire bet to land there, but Lowe on the other hand I'm not so sure. It would make the free agent period very boring if the Yanks went out and got all three of those guys PLUS Manny Ramirez. Oh, and they are working on a deal with the Padres for Jake Peavy. Think the Yankees are a little pissed off about last season?

(Probably our first and last) High School Football report

I caught a little bit of this story on SportsCentre this week, but its popping up again on Yahoo! Oaks Christian High School in California is boasting a pretty decent pedigree of players these days. The starting quarterback is Nick Montana, son of Hall of Famer Joe. You mighta heard of him before. Montana and his team are cruising through the regular season. Oaks Christian is ranked 95th by Yahoo! sports, after being well off the charts to start the season. Add Wayne Gretzky's and Will Smith's kid to the picture, and you have a pretty interesting team. Their fellow teammates will love the paparazzi influence I'm sure. (Yahoo! Sports Rival High)

Fired!

Barry, we hardly knew ye. The most famous mullet is sports is sans job as of this afternoon. Barry Melrose has been fired from his head coaching duties with the drastically under-achieving Tampa Bay Lightning. It was a joke of a hiring from the start, Steve and I both agreed on that (I think). Rick "The Gambler" Tocchet takes over the Lightning squad for the time being. Tampa is a woeful 5-7-4 to start the season, one that began with a lot of promise and new faces, most notably that of first overall draft pick Steven Stamkos. Melrose was criticized for the lack of playing time he gave the star rookie.

Onrait wants Manny in a Jays uniform

One of the best personalities TSN has these days is Jay Onrait. Actually, he is pretty much the only bright spot on an overly-serious network that is growing lame.

Today marks the start of MLB's free agent frenzy, and players are able to sign with the team that offers them the most cashitos.

Onrait's blug at TSN.ca today is all about J.P Ricciardi and how he should bring Manny Ramirez to the Blue Jays. Its a longshot (even Onrait admits that), but it would really solve a lot of problems with the Jays, most notably its anemic offence.

"I know what you're thinking: "Onrait, there's no way Manny signs in Toronto" and I admit it's a massive long-shot. But during J.P's entire rocky tenure as General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, there has never been a single, one-shot opportunity to change his fortunes with the signing of one player. One player who can flat-out hit right now and will probably be able to flat-out hit for the next 5 seasons."

Jay has a point and many Jays fans hope the longshot odds play out. Too good to be true though, in all likelihood.

Read the entire blog, here....

Eat it, Pierre!

So, as a Penguins fan, its fair to say I had a vented interest in the Stanley Cup Finals rematch tonight in Detroit. I don't have TSN 2, so I was stuck watching the Habs shutout the Sens, while listening to the Pens/Wings online. Things weren't going well in the second period. TSN broke to a highlight when the Wings scored to make it 5-2. When they got back from the clip, here is what Pierre "Turtle, Turtle" McGuire had to say: "Thats just men playing boys there. It was like that all the Finals last year and its still like that now." Nice call, Pierre. Sure enough, the Pens come back, tie it at 6 in the last minute and win the game in overtime. Oh how I wish I could somehow ram his tiny, albino foot down his skrawny turtle neck. Maybe that would make me one of McGuires Monsters. For anybody else looking to hate on this loud, arrogant hockey "expert", there are no shortage of anti-Pierre groups on the Facebook. I decided on People Against Pierre McGuire.

This little kid just won the Cy Young

The little kid is of course San Francisco Giants phenom Tim Lincecum. Not really much of a surprise, he had my vote (if I had one. Surprisingly, I do not). Lincecum was 18-5 for the horrible Giants, with an MLB leading 265 strikeouts. He also posted a second-best N.L earned run average of 2.62. Opponents hit just .221 against him. Not too shabby. Here is how the voting broke down... 1. Tim Lincecum 137 pts 2. Brandon Webb 73 pts 3. Johan Santana 55 pts 4. Brad Lidge 10 pts 5. C.C Sabathia 9 pts 6. Ryan Dempster 4 pts The American League Cy Young award will be awarded on Thursday, with Cliff Lee the favourite to win it. Throw in Roy Halladay and K-rod in the discussion too, they'll both get first place votes. I can't write about Lincecum without throwing another jab at inept Blue Jays G.M J.P Ricciardi. Rumours were floating around this time last year that a Alex Rios-for-Lincecum deal was in the works. Obvioulsy it never panned out and I had to watch Rios phone it in every game he played for the Jays this summer.

Holliday wants to go to a perennial contender, so Oakland makes sense

Matt Holliday is apparently on the move to the Oakland Athletics, in a deal that apparently will see closer Huston Street head to the Coors Light State. This is a bit of surprise. Last week, the should-have-been 2007 National League MVP (see image) stated that he wanted to be dealt to a team that has a chance to compete for the World Series year in and year out. Apparently, that team is Oakland. Quick! Name five other current Oakland A's! I can't either. Doesn't matter though, Holliday is one hell of a pick up for Oakland, but does he make them an immediate favourite in the A.L West? He'll need some help. And a better question is do the A's have the resources to lock him up after next season? Might they be starting to build their empire now, preparing to move into a new stadium in the next few seasons?

The self destruction of Big John Daly

By now, everybody has heard about the latest John Daly fuck up. Passed out in a Hooters, although if you listen to the big man himself, he was merely "sleeping with his eyes open." John Daly has always been a guy I've secretly rooted for, and I don't think I am alone. The guy keeps digging a bigger hole for himself, almost daily. If he ever perseveres and puts it all together again, it would be one of the best feel-good stories in all of sports history. But thats a longer shot than Daly is off the tee. Gambling, divocre(s), drinking, chain-smoking, its all a regular part of Daly's life. He has gone on record as saying that he has lost $60 million gambling over the years. Good christ. There is a terrific article up on Yahoo! Sports about Big John and his downfall. Read it here.

NHL related election propoganda!

These are all courtesy of the Puck Daddy blog at Y! Sports... I'll post my fave three.... here is the link to the rest.

Hockey Canada vs IOC = logo-gate!

So because of a suuuuuper serious IOC rule, Hockey Canada may have to change its trademark maple leaf logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. There are so many menial and strict rules that surround the Olympics, and this one is certainly up there. Bob Nicholson, Hockey Canada President is none too happy... "I can't believe that they're taking a chunk of history, especially when we're hosting it in our country... They're putting Team Canada at a disadvantage in its own country." The decision could have a lot of consequences, both on and off the ice. (TSN)

Remembering Greg Moore

Halloween Day will always be a day of sombre and remorse for me (until I have kids, anyway).

It was October 31, 1999. I was in my first year of college in Peterborough, living away from home for the first time with my great friend Jamie Grimmon. It was a Sunday, so naturally there were races on. At the time, I was a genuine open-wheel racing fan, primarily a CART fan.

And at the turn of the century, Canada was taking names and kicking ass in the sport.

The man leading the Canadian surge on the track was Greg Moore, and he was a phenom in CART.

On that fall day in 1999, Moore was on the 10th lap of the season-closing Marlboro 500 in Fontana, California, when his car left the track, and wrecked violently. Tragically, he died.

If you watch enough racing, you see your fair share of crashes. As Moore's crash went, the auto racing world has seen more spectacular. But as I was sitting there watching the race, and the crash, I knew it was bad. Don't know what it was, just had the feeling that this outcome was not going to be a good one.

Speculation went on throughout the race on Moore's fate, and ultimately it was announced that he had passed on. I felt numb, as a fan and as a Canadian. Back in 1999, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a CART race to lead the highligts on SportCentre. Greg Moore was to CART at the time, what Sidney Crosby is to the NHL now. He was the next big thing, already dominating the sport, and had such a promising future.

A lot has changed since then. CART is no longer around. Fellow Canadians Paul Tracy, Alex Tagliani, and Patrick Carpentier have all moved on to some NASCAR series or another, as have most racing fans.

Personally, as a fan of the sport, I couldn't move on or get over Greg's death. Racing to me was and never will be the same.

So I'll have a pop in Greg's memory tonight. He was on his way to being a true Canadian legend and sporting icon, cut down in his prime, and now... too soon and often forgotten.

See you at the front, indeed.

Morning Sickness - Oct24/08

Night of Big Hits in Beantown Check out these two beauties dished out on Thursday night... Milan Lucic smashes Mike Van Ryn straight to the depths of hell! (or through the glass)... Denis Wideman catches Matt Stajan with his head down in the middle... No Fun League strikes again Titan's RB Chris Johnson has been fined $10,000 for his "excessive" touchdown celebration last Sunday. All he did was bang on drums. Really, Roger? $10,000?!? Seems a bit much. Johnson abides.. "I am not happy about it," Johnson told The Tennessean newspaper. "I knew I was going to get a fine, but I am totally upset about how much. I am going to appeal. There's no fun in this league. I was trying to have fun and they want to penalize us for having fun." See for yourself...

Rays get World Serious, tie World Series

Turns out James Shields is money. He pitched the Rays to victory tonight over the Phils, who really really need Ryan Howard to stop hitting ground balls into the death shift. Before I get into it more, just wanted to point out that the Jayson Werth error (see photo) reminded me of David Justice's drop in Game 6 of the 1992 World Series. That is all. The first two games have been fairly entertaining, in my humble, and often correct opinion. Between plays at the plate, pick-offs, and great pitching, we already have the best World Series since 2003, when the Marlins shocked the world (again) and beat the Yankees (not again, but you know what I mean). Really though think back to the last few Fall Classics: 2004- Red Sox end the curse and dismantle the St. Louis Cardinals. Great story, history for sure, but a snooze of a World Series. Sweep. 2005- SWEEEEEEP. McCoy's Houston Astros (aka, the most boring World Series combatant in recent memory) get taken to school by the upstart Chicago White Sox. Brad Lidge sucked, no Astro could hit and it was some of the most nausiating baseball I've ever watched. 2006-Revenge of the Cards. They took advantage of a Tigers team that showed up in the Fall Classic and played minor league baseball. Detroit made 8 errors in the 5 game loss, most of them on simple throws to first base by pitchers. Bad, bad baseball. David Eckstein's swang song. 2007-Red Sox bring the Colorado Rockies back to earth in a huge way, sweeping them and outscoring them 29-10. HOLY SHIT. So you can see why I'm optimisitc we might have a Series on our hands here. It certainly couldn't be any worse than the previous 4.

November 5th can't come soon enough

Thats the day after the U.S. Election where (if there truly is a God), we will never have to hear from Sarah Palin again. In an article due out in People on Friday she claims she wants to have a son and name him "Zamboni." (Yahoo) We get it, Sarah. You are a hockey Mom. Truth be told, you are probably turning a lot of hockey fans off of the game. I'm surprised Gary Bettman hasn't put you in any "Is This the Year?" commercials. Oh, and if you haven't had enough of her yet, you can catch her dropping the puck at the Blues game on Friday. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Smart. Especially after you consider the fact that the Flyers haven't won a game all year after she dropped the puck at their home opener. Jinx City!

Morning Sickness - Oct 23/08

Sean Avery's doucheness unrewarded Martin Brodeur shuts down the NHL's resident scumbag and the rest of the Stars 5-0. I was told about Sean Avery when he was drafted. I knew a chick who went to high school with him in Owen Sound. She said he was the biggest asshole she ever met. He has sure lived up to that reputation. Naturally, Avery didn't talk to reporters after the blowout loss. Think it would have been the same way if the score was reveresed? He'd still be talking. None of this shit would be happening if Scott Stevens were still around. (Newark Star-Ledger...) What an awful way to start the World Series I'm not talking about the Phillies taking Game 1, I'm talking about the dispicable anthem singing of the Backstreet Boys. Holy Christ, they really couldn't find anybody else to perform? Ashley Simpson wasn't available? Come on, World Series organizers. Pats not happy with Tom Brady, his knee, or his doctors So the Pats wanted a doctor in Boston to operate on Brady's knee, but he decided to get it done by a family friend in California. Infection, shitstorm ensues... (ESPN) Sign of the Times