I can’t say I watched the NHL All-Star festivities over the weekend. I’m not really a fan of those events, and I guess I was one of the few that wasn’t captivated by the whole John Scott fan voting thing. I felt the NHL orchestrated a trade designed to punish him for refusing to step aside from the game. It isn’t just a coincidence, to me, that he was dealt a week or so before All-Star weekend to the far most isolated, eastern outpost of minor pro hockey (St. John’s NL). It didn’t surprise me when it was revealed someone from the NHL head office tried to ridicule and shame Scott into not playing by trying to convince him that his children wouldn’t be proud. Then, it surprised me even less when the whole about face took place and he ended up being the All-Star Game MVP and was named the NHL First Star Of The Week. It started as a joke amongst fans to vote him in to the game, then it got nasty from the NHL’s perspective when he, actually, won the vote. It ended well, but the NHL head office can’t take any credit for it.
I’m not sure why the NHL even cared. Many of the ‘real’ all-stars don’t want to be involved anyway. Several of them skipped the weekend. Here, you have a guy (Scott) who’s dying to be involved and the NHL tried to run him out of town. I think the NHL will, ultimately, win this. I don’t think Scott will play very many more NHL games in his career. One of the reasons is because he isn’t that good, the other is because folks that run the NHL won’t want to see him again. Him not being very good didn’t stop him from playing up until this point.
Some teams endorse their players skipping the all-star events because they fear a serious injury could occur. Can anyone recall the last time we saw a torn groin from racing up the ice during a 3-on-3? There’s also some consideration to doing away with outdoor practices that teams hold as a bit of a treat to players and fans. Apparently, Columbus coach John Tortorella got hurt last week after he collided with one of his players during an outdoor practice. The culprit - bad ice. So it’s being considered to do away with these gimmicks. It’s too dangerous. You know what teams have decided isn’t too dangerous? Blocking shots. Yet, I can guarantee you an injury if you are going to stand in the way of a slap shot. Brendan Gallagher and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are two players, recently, injured from shot blocking; but there is no chatter of eliminating that.
For those who like plenty of goals, hard hits, and a the odd fight, I would suggest giving the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League a try. Tickets are, about, $50 and every single person I’ve talked to that has taken in a game has come away a fan. I’m eyeballing a game later this month or next; but I plan to attend one for sure.
It’s been a couple of weeks since the Saskatchewan Roughriders cut loose fan favourites Weston Dressler and John Chick. New Grand Poobah of Football, Chris Jones, determined their $250-thousand salaries to be too expensive and I don’t blame him. Dressler, in particular, had to know this day was coming. No team in its right mind (then again, the Riders have seldom been in a right mind over the years) would pay an aging receiver this kind of money, but Brendan Taman had to commit to it or risk losing Dressler to Ottawa a couple of years ago when he came back from the NFL.
Former hockey coach Graham James is getting day parole again. The system has deemed him a ‘manageable risk’. Think about that for a second. Shouldn’t he be ‘no risk at all’ before he sees the light of day?
Broadcasting giant Rogers cut, approximately, 200 people from its workforce last week; saying they needed to ‘reduce head count’. Such an endearing term. That must make employees feel, truly, valued.
This month’s traffic safety spotlight will be on distracted driving. That means texting and talking on the cell phone (without using the hands free). Consider yourselves warned.
My take on Energy East Pipeline is that Justin Trudeau will, eventually, come onside with it. It’s an easy way to look heroic to people in the west looking for a bone. There is no real reason to oppose it other than to be a contrarian. The other thing you can expect from Trudeau: a GST hike to 7%. He will blame Harper, of course.
Nice person mentions this week to Gaylene Putland, James Jakubiec, Joe Whitehawk, Michele Dekker, and Giny Hillman.
