Taylor vs. Tyler? We have a new leader

Your Honour: The hockey jury may wish to change its mind.

Remember the "Taylor vs. Tyler" hysteria leading up to the 2010 National Hockey League entry draft and the feeling that the poor Boston Bruins were the big losers when Edmonton Oilers, picking first, grabbed Taylor Hall, thus winning the biggest prize in the draft pool?

Some win. Some loss for Boston, which wound up with the consolation prize, Tyler Seguin. It felt like winning a plastic replica when first prize was a cherry red Corvette.

Poor, poor Boston. Stuck with Seguin. At the time, the hockey world was ostensibly sending letters of sympathy to Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli for losing out on the majestic Hall, a player some were calling a one-in-a-decade star.

That was then. This is now. Those people doing cartwheels down Nashua Street in Beantown? Chiarelli, Bruins coach Claude Julien and the thousands of Bruins fans who some days feel like the Chicago Bulls did in 1984 when Sam Bowie was picked No. 2 (behind Hakeem Olajuwon) by Portland in the NBA draft and the Bulls, choosing third, were saddled with a North Carolina collegian by the name of Michael Jordan. Perhaps you've heard of him.

Hall entered the NHL with the blaring of trumpets and superstar predictions. Seguin sat on the Bruins bench a lot, and played third- and fourth-line minutes. Hall finished with 22 goals in 65 games before breaking an ankle in March to finish his season. Seguin managed just 11 goals in 74 games. But oh, by the way, Seguin won a Stanley Cup while playing a far more prominent role in the playoffs; Hall's Oilers missed the post-season.

Year two? Seguin has been dazzling. He leads the Bruins in goals and points (11 and 21) in the first 18 games. As of Nov. 19, he led all NHL forwards in plus-minus with a plus-17. He is Bruins' offensive spark on a squad that will likely contend again for the Cup.

"I think we knew he'd be a good player for us this year, but no doubt, he's probably playing even better than we expected," Julien told Steve Conroy of Bostonherald.com.

And Hall? Still getting plenty of minutes, still a great player, but with only six goals (including a hat trick) in the first one-fifth of Edmonton's season. Maybe the pressure of trying to live up to being the No. 1 pick is weighing on him. Maybe being No. 2 has motivated Seguin to try just a little bit harder.

• Comedy writer Jerry Perisho: "A Democrat congressman is comparing the NCAA to the Mafia. The big difference is that when young kids are coming up through the Mafia, they're expected to go to class."

• Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath, to ESPN Radio, after Jets coach Rex Ryan was spotted at a mall wearing a Namath jersey: "I'm just stunned that the jerseys with No. 12 come in that size."

• Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, on the arrest warrant issued for Terrell Owens for missing child-support hearing: "Don't worry about Terrell; he's spent his entire career building an insanity defence."

• Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express: "The Yankees signed CC Sabathia to a five-year, $122 million deal. That works out to $400,000 per pound."

• Ah, the poor Maple Leafs. The world of humour just won't leave them alone. Here's a quick one: "I met a fairy today that granted me one wish. 'I want to live forever,' I said. 'Sorry,' said the fairy, 'I'm not allowed to grant wishes like that!' 'Fine' I said, 'I want to die after the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup!' 'Oh, you're crafty,' said the fairy."

• Comedian Argus Hamilton, on the Dodgers being put up for sale: "It will take awhile to sort out the best offer. Peter O'Malley's interested in buying the team, Mark Cuban's interested in buying the team and Kim Kardashian is interested in marrying the team."

• Greg Cote, Miami Herald: "Kneeling to pray in public has come to be known as 'Tebowing.' Meantime the practice's namesake, Tim Tebow, continues to take way too many sacks for the Broncos. Analysts think Tebow would have more mobility in games if he'd ditch the flowing robe and sandals."

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: "A new study has shown that prolonged sitting puts you at greater risk for illnesses like diabetes, arthritis and cancer. This can't be good news for Denver QB Brady Quinn."

• NBC's Jay Leno: "A man is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the leg at Sunday's Patriots-Giants game. The guy's lucky. If his gun had gone off at a Raiders game, 50,000 fans would have returned fire."

• Headline at Fark.com: "City of Orlando still preparing for NBA All-Star Game, halftime entertainment from the Easter Bunny."

• Comedy writer Alan Ray on Matt Kemp's $160 million contract extension windfall: "The last person Frank McCourt gave that much money also took his house and the Ferrari."