Back to bloggin'

Yours truly will be blogging again after a summer-long hiatus and, hopefully, there will be no interruptions this time. Feel free to pass along comments regarding any sports items in the Quinte region as well as those of international, national and provincial significance. Cheers.

Bills need to make noise in Round 1

News that gritty Jeff Garcia, 40, could sign with the Buffalo Bills should be well-received by fans at Orchard Park. Garcia could help the floundering Bills buy some time while they develop a new QB, perhaps Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen with the ninth pick in Thursday night's NFL draft, or, dare we dream, Florida stud Tim Tebow. Stay tuned.

More Tiger crap

Who besides me is so tired of all this 'poor Tiger' crap?
Let's face it, if the guy wasn't stupid enough to get caught fooling around, he'd still be doing what he was doing behind his wife's back and which warranted a nine-iron upside the head.
What a joke.

Subban's star on the rise

Chances are better than good that former Belleville Bulls all-star D-man P.K. Subban will start the 2010-11 season in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens.
Subban was recently named to the AHL's All-Rookie Team with the beefy stats to back it up.
Subban is third among all AHL defencemen in scoring (52 points at the time of this writing, including 18 goals) while his 11 PPG were tied for first among all rookies. As well, Subban was at the top of the league for overall plus-minus.
Not bad for a kid from Toronto who learned to skate at midnights on the frozen outdoor rink at Nathan Phillips Square and a sixth-round pick of the Bulls at the 2005 OHL draft.
Subban was up for two games with the Habs this season, back in February, picking up an assist both times.
Subban never lacks for confidence, is physically mature and has unreal skill and speed and the courage and daring to try just about anything on the ice. He'll eventually become Montreal's No. 1 puckcarrying D-man and blueline QB. Plus, the Montreal media will love him. He's usually a terrific interview.

Playfair heats up the Heat

I thought the recent blowup by AHL coach Jim Playfair of the Abbotsford Heat (farm club of the Calgary Flames) was great. Finally, a coach showing his passion.

Lalonde moves on

Like it or not, Belleville Bulls defenceman SHAWN LALONDE, who begins the professional phase of his hockey career this weekend with the ROCKFORD ICE HOGS of the AHL, will be forever linked to an ill-conceived one-game standoff with GM-coach GEORGE BURNETT. When differences with Burnett boiled to the surface during the 2008-2009 season, Lalonde staged a one-game walkout right before a key intra-conference contest with Brampton. (Bulls won without him.)
To his credit, Lalonde immediately realized the error of his way, took full responsibility and went on to apologize to Burnett, his teammates and Bulls fans.
This season, Lalonde — rightly or wrongly — took heat from some critics for not waiving his no-trade clause and allowing the Bulls to deal him during a rebuilding season. Though it would have been an unselfish and team-first act, Lalonde cannot be faulted for wanting to take control of his own destiny.
We maybe didn’t always see the best of Lalonde this season but he leaves as the all-time goal-scoring leader for Bulls defencemen (47) and wins points in this corner for never ducking an interview and always returning phone messages.
I might not have agreed with everything Lalonde did during his time here, but he was always willing to discuss it.

Now what?

Clean the garage. Repair the lawnmower. Get to that leak in the basement.
Now, Belleville Bulls fans and supporters can get to all of those chores that usually don't get attention until May.
The Bulls are done.
After an unprecedented 3 straight trips to the conference finals, the Bulls are out of the playoffs for only the third time in the 29-year history of the franchise.
GM-coach George Burnett stuck to his guns from Day 1 this season, going with the kids and looking ahead to better days. Still, making the playoffs was a very realistic goal and 19 one-goal losses came back to haunt this team in the end.
Better days are definitely ahead.

NHL still doesn't get it

I've said before and I'll say it agan. OHL commish Dave Branch should be the prez of the NHL.
Recent head shots by Stirling native Matt Cooke of the Pens and Ottawa Sens goon Chris Neil, with neither drawing a penalty, prove once again the NHL just doesn't get it.
In the OHL, head shots draw a penalty and often a suspension.
And puh-lease, do me a favour and save me the stupid argument about the supposed "gray area" between the elbow and shoulder when a hit is being delivered. The proponents of that debate only demonstrate their lack of gray ... as in, gray matter.
Apologists also say these things often occur in the heat of the action.
Baloney.
When you deliver a hit, you know exactly how you're doing it. These cases aren't retaliatory.
Quite simply, in the NHL, a hit to the head should draw a double minor and be reviewed immediately after the game.
Hard hits? Big time bodychecks?
Love em.
Head shots? Cowardly. Premeditated. Meant to injure no matter what anybody tells you.

Bulls hang in 'til the bitter end

Same old story. Another one-goal loss for the Belleville Bulls Thursday night in Barrie.
Still, as Jack Miller said on the radio "a moral victory."
Indeed, although they don't count in the standings.
Bulls hung with the best team in the conference for 56 minutes and that's not bad for a rebuilding squad.
Next year, these are the kinds of games Belleville will be expected to win.
On to Sudbury.

Cameron guns for 50

Former Bull Bryan Cameron hasn't scored in two games which is bad news for his former club which visits the Molson Centre tonight. Cameron has 49 goals and, it says here, will probably bag No. 50 tonight against his old team and old coach, George Burnett.
Way to go, Cams, although Miller and I kept saying you'd score 50 in a season HERE, not in freakin' Barrie.

Sabres, Caps, Coyotes make smart moves

Although it's difficult to disagree with media wags dubbing yesterday's NHL trade deadline -- dudline -- I think a couple of clubs did very well.
Sabres adding Raffi Torres was a smart move while Capitals got some grit in Scott Walker that will help in the room and down the stretch to the playoffs. Coyotes grabbing Wojtek Wolski was also a good move for a club that could be playing elsewhere in the future.
Leafs?
Unloaded some contracts, that's about it, although I think Luca Caputi (remember him in the OHL?) could help sooner than later.
Looks like Burke is pretty much committed to blowing up the team and starting from scratch.
(When does the cycle end?)
Last Stanley Cup, 1967. Next one? Not in sight.

The Kid is great

For me, the argument is over. Sid The Kid -- Sidney Crosby -- is the best young hockey player in the NHL.
I used to argue in favour of Alex Ovechkin. No more.
Great players make great plays at great moments. Crosby, who otherwise played a rather pedestrian game for Canada in yesterday's Olympic gold medal final from Vancouver against the U.S., made the right play at the right time to deliver the goods.
That is greatness.
Ovechkin? Puh-lease. He stunk the joint out in Russia's lopsided loss to Canada in the quarters.
And my apologies to Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. The two old goats were the best D-men on the ice Sunday despite looking hopelessly slow and inept and ready for the retirement lodge in Canada's first meeting with the U.S.
Sorry, guys.
Best players on the ice Sunday? Jonathan Toews and Rick Nash.
And, yes, we rule.

Bulls, Fronts starting early

If you're going to Kingston today to watch Bulls vs. Fronts, leave earlier than planned. Game time has been moved up one hour, from 7:30 to 6:30 p.m. so as to not conflict with start of Canada vs. Slovakia on TV at 9:30.
Go Bulls go.

Canada 6, Slovakia 5

After missing my Canada vs. Russia prediction by three goals -- I said 5-3, it was 7-3 -- I'm calling for a much closer contest with a pretty good Slovakian team which will play much tougher D than the Russians. Canada 6, Slovaks 5. Plus, the Americans will also qualify for the final, a rematch with Canada, where, as you know, it's always better to win the second meeting. Go Canada Go.

Canada 5, Russia 3.

Yes, you read it here first.
Tonight's final will be: Canada 5, Russia 3, which includes an empty-netter.
Luongo will be in top form and Canada will break open a tight game, late.
Watch for tomorrow's game recap.

Miller Time for USA

If anyone else is in net for the USA Sunday night, Canada wins.
Big deal.
That said, the U.S. outplayed our guys in many areas of the game and looked more cohesive than our band of NHL all-stars.
Still, it all comes down to Ryan Miller, who stood on his head in the U.S. net and made Martin Brodeur, by comparison, look like a peewee house league dropout.
And, yes, I'm a Flyers fan, but I don't like Pronger on D anymore. Too slow, too lumbering.
Time for the young guys to take over.
Canada either uses this as motivation to cream the Germans and get back into the thick of a gold medal competition, or fold.
I predict the former.

Tiger should get into acting

What a joke. The Tiger Woods "press conference" last week, that is.
I loved the headline in the Toronto Sun: "No Balls."
No kidding.
For one thing, I use the term "press conference" lightly because Tiger, true to his Teflon, corporate nature, invited only select members of the media and took no questions. It was strictly lob ball.
If he was indeed serious about coming clean -- no pun intended --  he would've face the music in a full-on, no-holds-barred presser.
Instead, the so-called public apology was contrived and contoured to make Tiger look as worthy of our sympathy as possible. (Did you wipe a tear from your cheek when he kissed his mommy? Or, puke.)
What a joke.
I don't give a rat's butt how many porn stars, waitresses or exotic dancers Woods has had an affair with. Who cares, besides his family and, of course, the all-important sponsors?
But these sappy and, really, stupid public apologies are just plain crap.
Especially when they're phony.
Poor Tiger. Boo-hoo.
Crying all the way to the bank.

Big week 4 Bulls

What started out as a great week for the Belleville Bulls ended with a thud in a 6-0 loss to Erie Saturday night at Yardmen Arena. Bulls had won 2 in a row heading into the game against a damn good Otters team that was coming off a 1-0 win over Missy and a 5-2 win at Ottawa.
Bulls host the Majors Wednesday, then have a home-and-home with Kingston Friday and Saturday.
The math now becomes a factor and depending on what happens to the Bulls over these 3 games, the playoffs could be history by Sunday.

Canada must accept full blame for luger's death

It's difficult to believe Canadian Olympic officials could actually limit the use of the luge facility at Whistler by foreign competitors prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
That's taking the Own The Podium program just a tad too far.
And, it probably cost a life when a Georgian luger was killed last weekend before the competition even started.
The COC should accept full responsibility and admit the error of their way. If any other host countries have been employing the same tactics prior to other Games, it must stop. Now.

Bulls back in the hunt, but barely

A 4-2 home-ice win over the arch-rival Kingston Frontenacs last night at Yardmen Arena snaps a six-game losing streak (five in a row at home) and puts the Belleville Bulls, though barely breathing, back in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
Now six points out of eighth, Bulls must win six to eight of their remaining 11 games -- a tall order -- and hope the struggling Oshawa Generals (eight-game losing skid) and Sudbury Wolves (five losses in a row) keep on losing.
Bulls have home-and-aways remaining with Barrie and Missy, which will probably be losses unless both teams pull an Indy Colts and rest starters (unlikely) down the stretch. Therefore, Bulls have seven games to make the playoffs.
Osh and Sudbury have some tough tilts remaining too, and it's conceivable they could win only three games apiece down the stretch. Or less.
If that happens and Bulls win five, six or better yet, eight, they could make the post-season by two points.
Keep your calculators handy. Keep that pyramid under your bed. And keep the faith.
Bulls need to do everything right in the final few weeks of the season and pray, daily, at the altar of the Hockey Gods.

Boys hoop playoffs

The Bay of Quinte boys basketball finals are Thursday at NCC and I like what they've done this year by holding championship matches in Tier I and Tier II divisions.
It gives other teams a chance to experience a title.
I recall watching the Bulldog Cup a few years ago, which is the consolation rugby tournament held for the teams who lose their quarterfinals and therefore don't advance to the Bay of Quinte tournament, and seeing the Moira Trojans win either the boys junior or senior title.
Judging by their reaction, you'd have thought they just won OFSAA.
But the kids had accomplished something. They'd won something. And it meant something.
Plus, the coaches later told me that title really helped build the team the following year with more kids coming out and returnees, who now had a taste of winning, wanting to climb the ladder to the Bay of Quinte tournament.
Good stuff.

Slim, but ...

Yeah, I know. I pretty much wrote-off the Belleville Bulls in my previous Bulls blog, suggesting the final regular season date -- March 13 at Niagara -- will be the last game of the season, period.
In other words, no playoffs.
Bulls began the week eight points out of the playoffs and on a six-game losing streak with a dozen games left including doubles with Barrie (loss, loss) and Missy (loss, loss).
Still, optimism reigns. At least for a while.
The good news is Oshawa and Sudbury, both eight points ahead of Belleville, have lost eight and five in a row, respectively.
In other words, if those two teams continue to spin out of control in their current losing streaks and Bulls can manage to stop theirs and put a few wins together, well, maybe, just maybe, the playoffs can be attained after all.
Remember. Back in September, I said Bulls would make the playoffs on the last day of the regular season.
It could still happen.
I'll take them over Kingston tonight at home, and that might be enough to kick-start a last-ditch drive for eighth place.
Go Bulls Go.

Women's Olympic hockey a joke

And remember, this is coming from a guy who has 3 daughters ... all of whom play hockey, which I greatly enjoy watching them do.
That said, Olympic women's hockey stinks.
The early rounds are an utter joke with Canada and the U.S. kicking the beejezuz out of sorry squads from Switzerland, Slovakia and Upper Mongolia for all it matters.
Sure, sure. I heard Canada captain Hailey Wickenheiser say the other day that it's no different from the early days of the men's Olympic hockey tournament. You could look it up. She's right.
However, compared to the poor countries in women's hockey, the men's game became competitive on a much broader scale much more quickly. And, at any given Olympics, 6 different teams could win the men's gold medal.
Here's an idea.
Have Olympic qualifying rounds the year before the Winter Games, then invite only the top two women's teams -- Canada and the U.S. -- who would spend a week playing a best-of-5 series for the gold medal.
The bronze? Who cares.
On another note, how about a medal for fourth place? Aluminum? Copper? Platinum???

Season ends March 13 -- period.

The Belleville Bulls host the Kingston Frontenacs Wednesday night and will try to snap a six-game losing streak including five straight losses at home.
The big ice is supposed to be an automatic advantage for Bulls who have lost 11 one-goal decisions on the Olympic-sized pond.
Not.
Barring some kind of miracle, Bulls will miss the playoffs for only the third time in franchise history and the first under the stewardship of GM-coach George Burnett.
Still, things should be better next season with several decent youngsters entering their sophomore campaigns and Bulls picking in the top 4 of the 2010 OHL draft where I'll fall off my chair if they don't go for a bona fide scoring forward. (Remember the time-honoured adage, you can teach a scorer to play defence but you can't teach scoring.)
As mentioned in this space earlier, it will be a mighty interesting off-season in Bulls land. For one thing, Burnett must figure out who will play with the incredibly talented Richard Panik next season. He sorely needs the right linemates to shine. Watch for Burnett to make a deal -- or 3.
Those of us who cheer, support or cover the Bulls should take solace in the fact, with the impending early spring, that we have enjoyed 3 straight trips to the conference finals.
We are, after all, spoiled.

Countdown to Vancouver 2010

The Winter Games start Friday in Vancouver.
Canada has won more medals in each succeeding Winter Olympics since Calgary so optimism reigns in B.C. that our athletes will surpass even the record 24 medals won in Turin in 2006, including seven gold.
One event, however, that I can't wrap my brain around in the Winter Games is snowboarding, which was thrown in by money-hungry Olympic big wigs a few years ago just to attract a younger crowd that perhaps they hadn't been drawing before.
I'll watch snowboarding in the Olympics when skateboarding makes its debut in the Summer Games.
I also think for biathlon, where they cross-country ski and then shoot at targets, they should have live targets. Maybe ship out some o' them dang coyotes from Prince Edward County.
Go Canada Go.

Home sweet home? Not

The Belleville Bulls lost their fourth straight home game, 6-3 to Ottawa Wednesday night at Yardmen Arena.
Some good news, the power play worked after firing blanks for the four previous games and team captain Luke Judson ended a five-game point drought with his team-leading 20th goal of the season.
Still, I lost count how many odd-man Ottawa rushes were allowed by the Bulls, including two breakaways in the first period -- they scored on both.
Ottawa led 3-0 on a dozen shots and chased rookie netminder Tyson Teichmann to the bench (he could've sued his teammates for non-support). Anthony Peters didn't fare much better in that department.
It was a fun game to watch, though: wide open, loose, back-and-forth, lots o chances. Just the kind of game Bulls GM-coach George Burnett hates this season because he doesn't have the horses, yet, to play that way.
Best quote from George: "We played like we weren't worried they might score."
Which, of course, they did. Six times.
Bye-bye playoffs.
Oh well, the kids will be even better next season, Bulls might get the first overall pick in the OHL draft (please let it be a high-scoring forward) and Burnett can be counted on to make some moves to bolster the attack.
That's gotta be the plan. Right?

One-goal losses will haunt Bulls

The drive to make the playoffs, more like a crawl, actually, is looking bleak for the Belleville Bulls.
At this point, so late in the season and so far behind, the math ain't lookin' too good for the Brahmas.
And, if indeed the club misses the playoffs for only the third time in franchise history, and the first time under the tutelage of GM-coach George Burnett, it will be because of blown one-goal decisions.
After a tough 5-4 loss to Guelph Saturday night, Bulls had been in 24 one-goal hockey games, losing 14.
If they had won even half of those games, a playoff spot would be within their grasp.
Scoring goals must be a priority next season. Or finding more people who can do that, to be exact.

As predicted, Saints win

As predicted in this space Friday night, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indy Colts for the Super Bowl championship Sunday night in Miami. And, it was a turnover by Mr. Perfect -- Peyton Manning -- that decided the outcome.
It says here the Football Gods were angry with Indy for sitting its best players late in the season to rest for the playoffs instead of going for a perfect regular season. They don't like that. It's called, bad karma.
Who dat?

Saints a sentimental pick

I'm picking the New Orleans Saints to win Sunday's Super Bowl for a few reasons. Sure, the usual stuff, team of destiny, rising from the flood waters of hurricane-ravaged city, breath of fresh air with Drew Brees at QB, all-around threat in Reggie Bush, excellent coaches, solid D, etc.
Sure, you gotta admire Peyton Manning because the guy is just so damned good but I'd like to see him lose this one, please.
Also, I hated how Indy benched their starters late in the season, compromising the entire playoff system and insulting their fans. Fate decrees that should come back to bite them in the ass.
I've been to the Big Easy a couple of times, back in 1978 and later in the mid- to late-1980s to play rugby. In fact, playing for a touring side out of Ottawa called the Rock N Roll Rebels, I was part of a Mardi Gras rugby tournament championship team, defeating the St. Louis Bombers in the final.
Neat story, that. The sponsor of the team was the Anhauser Busch beer guy for his part of the city and he took us to a nearby bar after the final and told the bartender to keep serving us free product as long as we were there. "You beat my boys," he said. "So, I gotta take care of you."
Anyhoo, Saints had 39 takeaways on D during the regular season and 7 so far in the playoffs. That's my key stat.
No, Manning isn't likely to turn the ball over much. If ever. But ...
Saints 45, Indy 39 in a CFL-style shootout.

Tick, tock, tick, tock ...

... that's the sound of the clock running out on the Belleville Bulls, 3-2 losers in Ottawa Friday night and moving ever farther away from a playoff spot. Better effort, closer score, same result. Hoping for better things tonight when they host Guelph.

Time running out on Bulls

Is it too late to change my pre-season prediction?
Back in September, I said Bulls would make the playoffs -- on the last day of the regular season.
Now, I'm not so sure.
Bulls are quickly running out of time.
Their last two home games were lopsided losses to the combined tune of 13-2.
Ouch.
On the road? It's been well-documented. Despite a rare 3-1 win Thursday in Peterborough, Bulls can't win consistently away from home and now it looks like they can't even win at home.
Still, some bright spots.
The ABC Line -- Aleardi, Brassard, Curtis -- has been coming on gangbusters. Strong and Basso and Luciani on defence too. Even Scotty Howe, who looked like he just couldn't play in this league early in the season is coming around. A couple of goals will give a guy confidence.
The old guys?
Let's just say it's too bad the trade deadline is past although there may not have been many takers for some of these guys anyway.
Rumours suggest all-star D-man Shawn Lalonde, already signed with the Blackhawks, is looking ahead to finishing the season in the AHL once the Bulls are eliminated. I plan to ask him this week if he is indeed guilty of looking past the immediate picture.
It will be an interesting off-season in Belleville.
In goal and on D, Bulls are OK.
Up front? Aside from a handful of kids, there are problems.
With their first-round 2010 draft pick, which will be a high one, Bulls need to throw caution to the wind and grab a bona fide offensive guy. Somebody who can freakin' score.
Then there are a handful of guys in the lineup now who probably shouldn't be here next season.
Decisions, decisions for George.

Local hockey product has hand in Avatar

Tony Meagher, who followed his brothers — Terry and Rick — to Boston University on a hockey scholarship from 1976-80, works for an animation company in L.A. that did some of the special effects for the box-office smash, Avatar.
Meagher quarterbacked the Quinte Saints football team and played Jr. B for the old Bobcats before leaving town for BU and the bright lights of Hollywood.

Matthias back on the radar

A couple of weeks ago, one of my hockey-playing children asked me: "Where is Shawn Matthias?"
Well, as of Tuesday night, the former Belleville Bulls standout was back on the NHL radar after scoring both goals for the Florida Panthers in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Talk about making the most of his ice time. According to NHL game stats, Matthias saw just over seven minutes of work against the Habs.
That's quality over quantity.

Early losses could come back to haunt Bulls

Let's hope nine losses in 13 one-goal decisions endured by the Belleville Bulls earlier this season don't come back to bite them in the collective butt as they battle down the stretch for that, so far, elusive eighth and final playoff spot in the OHL's Eastern Conference.
While they can do nothing about the past, Bulls can sure do something about the present if they can get their moribund road power play off the ground. At last look Bulls were dead-last in the OHL in PP efficiency on the road, plus had lost nine of their last 10 games away from Yardmen Arena.
That won't get you into the post-season.
Starting Thursday in Peterborough, where they have yet to win this season, Bulls have road games left in Ottawa, Kitchener, Oshawa, Kingston, Barrie, Sudbury, Missy and Niagara.
There's not a dog in the bunch, except for Oshawa and Niagara and maybe Kingston, depending on which team shows up. Sudbury? Again, a big maybe.
So, even with the greatest degree of optimism, that's four road wins. Tops.
For a team that has won only six times on the road so far, that's a lot to ask.
But, getting some help on the PP might help. In 142 opportunities with the extra man while on the road, Bulls have scored just 16 times.
On the road, overall, Bulls have scored 56 goals -- worst in the OHL.
At the start of the current season, many OHL observers wondered where the goals would come from in Belleville.
With 20 games to go, we're still wondering.

Richardson on a roll

Ran across an L.A. Kings blog from former L.A. Daily News sportswriter Rich Hammond regarding Belleville native and current Kings first-liner Brad Richardson.
Says Hammond: "Brad Richardson, essentially a borderline fourth-liner at the start of the season, is now the Kings' first-line LW on a line with Anze Kopitar and Wayne Simmonds. Richardson is actually the veteran on the line at age 24 and 216 NHL games.
"Richardson's promotion is less about high-end offensive talent (six goals in 49 games) and more about hard work and forechecking. The goal is to get more out of Kopitar and (coach) Terry Murray feels Richardson's style of play could help get him going."
Nice to see a local boy making good in the Bigs.
Richardson's dad, Jimmy, was a nifty forward with the old Jr. B Belleville Bobcats in the 1970s. I remember him jumping out of the penalty box at Memorial Arena during a Metro League game to take a pass just at the expiration of a minor. In alone, he beat the opposition goalie on a deke.
Obviously, the younger Richardson was born with some talent and terrific genes from a pair of wonderful parents and has taken it to another level.

QMJHL brass did the right thing

The QMJHL did the only thing they could do today -- suspend Patrice Cormier for the remainder of the season and playoffs after his goofy high hit.
What an embarrassment for the captain of Canada's world junior team.
Kudos to Q-league brass for doing the right thing.

Coaches say suspension was bang on

Hard to argue with Bulls GM-coach George Burnett and St. Mike's GM-coach Dave Cameron when they say the 20-game suspension handed late last week to Windsor Spitfires headhunter Zack Kassian was the correct punishment.
Kassian is a first-round NHL draft pick and Burnett said his team will miss him down the stretch and 20 games for a player of his ability (though I'm not alone in thinking Kassian always leaves you wanting more) "will send a clear message" to other potential wrong-doers.
True.
Cameron makes a good point when he suggests that had Matt Kennedy of the Barrie Colts been hurt worse on the play (he suffered his, wow, fifth concussion on the hit), then OHL commish Dave Branch would've been justified in throwing the book at Kassian, meaning a suspension for the remainder of the season.
Twenty games is almost a third of an OHL season. That's a lot.
Will it be enough to make players think twice before committing to an illegal hit?
Maybe. Maybe not.
But I agree with Burnett. It's a pretty strong message. One that should be hard to ignore.
Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if anything more results from the aftermath of Bulls D-man Julian "Lucky" Luciani getting mixed up with the Ottawa 67's bench during a 3-0 Bulls loss in Ottawa Friday. Luciani got two games for his efforts but it's hard to believe he wasn't, shall we say, "invited" to respond to something delivered from the Ottawa bench.
I applaud Luciani for showing some stones. He's got gumption.
And I'm more than willing to believe the instigator wore a barber pole uniform.

Bye bye, Brett ...

So Brett Favre is going home. Back to his riding lawnmower in Kiln, Mississippi, straight to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, or to mull over another, late pre-season soap opera regarding his retirement.
Will he or won't he?
Remember, even if he says he won't, he might.
And that's despite the fact the New Orleans Saints roughed Favre up pretty much throughout their O.T. win in Sunday's NFC conference final. In fact, at one point, it looked like Favre might leave the game. I was hoping not, and was glad when he didn't, because then we'd have heard the excuse from Vikes fans and Favre supporters that they would've won if he stayed in.
So, he stayed in and they lost anyway.
And, as predicted here on Friday, Favre was guilty of a poor decision and bad turnover at the most inopportune of times that eventually paved the way for the Saints' victory in O.T.
Anyway, great game, great result. First Super Bowl appearance for the former Aints who, at one time, played before fans with paper bags over their heads.
Those days are long gone.
I dug up a New York Jets sweatshirt to wear during the Colts game and was holding out hope for an upset at half time but you just knew it wasn't enough, didn't you.
Colts made Jets look downright inept in the second half en route to the AFC conference title.
They deserved the win, but helmets off to the Jets for getting that far. Great future ahead for Gang Green.
Watch for my Super Bowl prediction Friday.
(Go Saints go.)

Construction at M.A. Sills Park

Wondering what all the fuss is about at M.A. Sills Park these last few days?
Seems the city has put shovel into ground to start the new artificial turf field and parking lot project at the west end athletic complex.
As I write this, big machines are moving earth and digging holes. Soon, an artificial turf field will be installed to accommodate football, soccer and rugby, allowing teams to start their outdoor seasons earlier and end them later.
Plus, the idea to put the parking lot AT THE BACK of the complex makes sense. Harder Drive is busy enough, especially on school days and during weekend soccer tournaments.
Eventually, the complex will include a field house too. Lights for the turf field are also in the works and local high school coaches are already excited about the future possibility of Friday night football under the lights.
With yet another recent Canadian health and fitness study revealing that our children are too often fat and lazy, the recreation facilities boom in Belleville should be embraced by all.
Get your kids outside and involved in sports.
We already have several decent athletic and recreational facilities. Now we're getting more.

Was Kassian suspension severe enough?

Helmets off to OHL commish David Branch.
The big guy continues to lead the way when it comes to dealing severely with headhunters and players who would take advantage of opponents in vulnerable situations and for no other reason than to "finish the check."
The latest example is the 20-game suspension slapped on Windsor forward Zach Kassian for his idiotic headshot on Matt Kennedy of the Barrie Colts. Kennedy was both in a vulnerable position and was not in possession of the puck when Kassian, leading with his elbow and leaving his skates, knocked him into next week.
There was a time when the OHL was one bench-clearing brawl after another. In other words, a lot of fun.
Nobody got hurt but the league was becoming a gong show and Branch knew it had to end.
So, he introduced rules and punishment to fit the crimes and today, even a line brawl is a rarity. At least in the Eastern Conference.
Now, Branch is showing the same determination to rid the league of headhunting.
However, was 20 games enough for Kassian?
It would appear Branch set the bar when he booted Michael Liambis out of the league for the entire season after he slammed Ben Fanelli into the backboards with a needless hit from behind that resulted in a fractured skull for Fanelli.
Did Kassian deserve the same punishment?
Probably.
Hits to the head are cowardly. They are in most cases premeditated, no matter what the instigator tells you. They are meant to injure. They have no place in hockey.
I admire a terrific, bone-crunching, open-ice bodycheck as much as a nifty breakaway goal. And, sadly, we see less of the former than we'd like.
But, please, do not attempt to defend the headhunters.
If you have your head down, with the puck, you almost deserve to get hit.
That said, the hit should be with the shoulder -- not the elbow.
Branch's critics will suggest Kassian's star status saved him from banishment for the rest of the season.
Hard to disagree with that.

Don't mess with the Jets

On to Sunday's NFL conference finals.
The big question? Can the upstart New York Jets pull off another upset, this time over the heavily-favoured, Peyton Manning-led Indy Colts?
Answer?
Yes.
It says here Colts will rue the day they laid down and allowed the Jets to sneak into the playoffs through the proverbial back door when Indy coach Jim Caldwell decided going for a 16-and-0 record and a place in NFL history was worthless.
Bad decision.
Jets will make Colts pay for that gross insult to the league, the record book, the players and — most importantly — the fans.
Sure, conventional wisdom dictates Colts will win. Manning has no peers, really, when it comes to his play at quarterback and his receiving corps is second to none in the NFL. Plus, Colts shut down a Baltimore Raven ground game last weekend that had run roughshod over the New England Patriots — on the road.
But Jets are the feel-good story of the NFL playoffs so far and though it's a longshot, there are ways they can win.
First, establish the running game; second, find a way to limit Manning. Face it, he can't be stopped, so Jets must find a way to control the damage he'll inflict on them.
Jets are 2-and-0 against the Colts in the playoffs, including Super Bowl III when Broadway Joe Namath shocked the world and the NFL establishment by leading his AFL underdogs to the big prize. Do you think Jets coach Rex Ryan will be reminding his players of that neat chuck of history?
Key stat: Jets had the No. 1 rushing offence in the NFL this season; Colts were 24th against the run.
Game breaker: Jets rookie RB Shonn Greene has run for 263 post-season yards including a 39-yarder for a TD against Cinci and a team-record 53-yard TD scamper against the Chargers.
Vikes at Saints?
Evergreen QB Brett Favre is yet another feel-good NFL story this season, shuffling out of the NFL retirement home to steer Minny to the conference final. Blah, blah, blah.
One problem, Favre's greatness — that he wants the ball in all key game situations — is also his greatest weakness. He'll either win you the game or turn the ball over.
Key stat: Minny hasn't won on the road since Nov. 1.
Game breaker: Saints star Reggie Bush counted 217 all-purpose yards against Arizona last weekend.
Jets and Saints, Super bowl bound.

Fading fast or waiting for last-second push?

Was it just me or were the Belleville Bulls really that bad Saturday night in a 4-2 loss to the London Knights?
You could count how many times Bulls drove the London net — once — and it resulted in a goal by Alex Aleardi.
I saw London's Nazem Kadri get crunched in the corner early in the game (he got up, dusted himself off and skated up ice to set up a goal) but after that I'm hard-pressed to remember another bodycheck coming from a Bull.
At least Paul Bezzo and Aleardi tried to get the bench fired-up with a couple of separate scraps.
And how many odd-man breaks did London have? The Knights looked pretty comfortable on the big ice and their lightning-quick transition game was a joy to behold.
Sure, it's difficult and maybe unfair to compare these two clubs. London is a solid contender; Bulls are firmly in rebuild mode.
However, the Brahmas are only two points out of the playoffs. So close they can smell it.
But, they need to put a bit of a streak together.
Like GM-coach George Burnett said after the game, Bulls are in the playoff chase but not the race. To do so, they've got to get over that two-point gap and get right into that mix of Sudbury and Brampton and Oshawa.
Then it's a race.
This franchise has missed the playoffs just twice since 1981.
It's a benchmark worth preserving, even it means 4-and-out vs. Barrie.

Jimmy Patterson always had a smile

Shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Jimmy Patterson, 46, the longtime north-end goal judge for Belleville Bulls home games at Yardmen Arena.
A great guy, always smiling and a lot of fun to be around.
He'll be greatly missed.
Visitation is today (Sunday, Jan. 17) at Burke Funeral home from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
Funeral service is Monday (Jan. 18) at Holy Name of Mary Church in Marysville at 11 a.m.
Memorial donations to a trust fund for Jimmy's kids, Kayla and Jenna, are being accepted.
Contact Burke Funeral Home for details.

Please, please ... no more Brett Favre

Can't wait for Round 2 of NFL playoffs this weekend, particularly Dallas vs. Minny.
Hey, I love it when old guys extend their careers in any sport now that I'm, well, older, but I've had it up to here (hand above head) with Brett Favre. Sure, the guy is great but enough already. If I have to hear one more NFL commentator tell me "how much fun" Brett is having out there, I think I'm gonna hurl. Why shouldn't he be having fun? He's making a ridiculously huge amount of money to play his favourite sport?
Dallas has Tony Romo at QB and anybody who gives Jessica Simpson the boot is either really stupid or really smart. I just haven't figured out which yet.
Vikes seem to have strayed from their ground game, probably because Favre favours throwing the ball more than handing it off to Adrian Peterson and that makes no sense in January.
Cowboys to win.
I also like New Orleans, simply as a sentimental favourite (wasn't watching Cards over Green Bay last week just like watching a CFL game? Beauty.) and would love to see Baltimore knock off Indy, although with Peyton Manning at the helm I think Colts will pull it off. They'd better too, after that debacle in the second to last week of the regular season when they sat their regulars against the Jets.
Shame, shame, shame.
I'll also take San Diego over a spunky Jets squad. Chargers are the hottest team in football and should win the Super Bowl this year.
Remember. I said, "should."
And remember, last week I was 1-and-3.

Paul Svoboda blog

Paul will be blogging for us.