Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering why anyone would take the time to watch the NFL Combine on the NFL Network, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Maple Leafs once again received solid goaltending from Ben Scrivens as the young netminder posted his second shutout in a row as the Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0. Scrivens was outstanding in the first period as the Panthers were taking it to the Leafs. Phil Kessel opened the scoring late in the first with a blistering wrist shot that once again illustrates how special a player he is.
* Nazem Kadri had one of his best games scoring a goal and making a beautiful pass setting up Clarke MacArthur's goal that deflated the Panthers in the second period. It seemed that Kadri was lost without Matt Frattin but it appears that he is developing chemistry with MacArthur. By the way, MacArthur's shot was a bullet.
* Randy Carlyle made a wise move sitting John-Michael Liles. I have thought that Liles has not played well for the last several games. His strength is supposed to be offense and he has provided little of it and his defense has been less than good.
* What a pleasure to be able to get the Toronto feed for yesterday's game. Joe Bowen and Greg Millen do an excellent job and provide plenty of insight. Bowen reported last night that James Reimer will begin light skating today so it will be interesting to see how he progresses. With tonight's game against Tampa Bay being on Leafs TV its probably a good chance that the Leaf feed will not be available on the Center Ice package. I still can't figure out why this happens.
* Ryan Miller's outburst after Buffalo's 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh does not surprise me at all. Miller has been the key to the Sabres for years now and it must be frustrating for him having to deal with a team that seems to be underachieving but may not be as talented as people think.
* Buffalo's handling of Mikhail Grigerenko is a disgrace. This kid may be a future star but he is only 18 years old and could use a year of seasoning in the AHL. Playing him eight minutes a game is foolish. In fact, Grigerenko has been in the press box the last 2 games.
* The NBA trade deadline is Thursday and there are plenty of rumors as one would expect. The Toronto Raptors are looking to move Andrea Bargnani and at this point there doesn't seem to be any takers. There have been reports out of Boston that the Celtics may be interested in moving Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce. Somehow I don't see either one going anywhere.
* Not sure whether the New York Knicks will make a move but they may not have to if in fact Rasheed Wallace does come back. It's being reported that Wallace will begin to workout with the team starting this week. The Knicks sure could use his defensive play.
* Was watching Yankee Baseball Tonight on YES and they were projecting this year's lineup. The projection had Mark Teixeira batting clean-up. I don't think he can handle it.
* Great articles today in the New York dailies concerning the status of Robinson Cano. As you may know, Cano will become a free agent at the end of the season and will be looking for a long term contract. Cano will be 31 in 2014. Can the Yankees afford to give him a 10 year contract?? I have been a Robbie Cano fan since 2005 when they brought him up but do the Yankees really want to be in another ARod type contract?
* Expectations are running high in Toronto about their Blue Jays. Somehow I have a feeling that all of the hype may be exaggerated. There is no doubt that Toronto is definitely improved and will be very competitive for a playoff spot. However, winning the off season doesn't necessarily transfer to winning on the field. Think: 2011 Boston Red Sox.
* Many Sabre fans are growing restless with their team's play and what they perceive to be a willingness on the part of management to accept the status quo. WGR 550 has been really fun to listen to lately as Chester Cheektowaga & Company vent their spleens over just about everything Sabres. A loss to Winnipeg tonight will really send them over the Skyway.
* And finally, the long time owner of the LA Lakers, Jerry Buss died yesterday at the age of 80. Buss was truly one of the iconic owners in all of sports. His desire to win was legendary but he also crafted a family atmosphere around the Lakers that all of his players appreciated. In these days of worrying about the bottom line (Hal S.), Buss was an owner that every fan would appreciate because he wanted to win as badly as they did. Rest in peace, Jerry.
Scrivens Leads The Way As Leafs Win 3-0
Ben Scrivens was solid in goal last night as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, 3-0 at the Air Canada Centre. With James Reimer out of action, the pressure was on Scrivens to perform and off of the last two games the Leafs have to be happy so far with his performance. Last night, the Maple Leafs did not play their best game and were still able to come up with two points as a result of the play of their young goaltender.
In the second period, Scrivens was solid as the Senators fired 19 shots at him without putting one in the back of the net. The Senators had a couple of point blank chances in the third that would have tied the game but Scrivens was equal to the task and shut the door. Credit must be given to Ottawa for mounting an attack with a depleted lineup but the Leafs young goalie showed that he can hold down the fort until Reimer comes back. It also allows Leaf General Manager Dave Nonis to concentrate on other areas of the team and not make a rush move for a veteran goaltender.
Both of the Leafs first 2 goals were a result of players going to the net. That is a positive and something that Coach Randy Carlyle has been preaching. However, it seems that the Leafs have not been able to utilize their speed to generate offense. I thought that they were better in their own zone last night but they didn't seem to have much going in pressuring Ottawa in the Senator end of the rink.
Nazem Kadri seems lost out there without Matt Frattin. The two had some good chemistry going and the injury to Frattin has impacted Kadri's play. In addition, Kadri is brutal on faceoffs and is a part of his game that he needs to work on. I did not have a problem with Colton Orr being on that line but until Clarke MacArthur is able to develop some chemistry with Kadri, it appears that this line will have difficulty generating offense.
The Leafs head to Florida for back-to-back games against the Panthers and the Lightning. It will be interesting to see how Carlyle handles the goaltending situation. Will Scrivens start both games or will Jussi Rynnas see his first start of the season with the Leafs. Either way, the rest of the team will have to be on its game defensively in order to pick up some valuable points. It won't be easy.
Mistakes Galore: Leafs Lose 3-1
The Toronto Maple Leafs played one of their worst games of the season dropping a 3-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leafs saw their road record fall to 6-2 as their defensive play reminded me of times last season when the wheels fell off. Bad pinches by defensemen, lack of a forecheck and an inability to get out of their own end marked most of the night in Raleigh for the Blue & White.
Ben Scrivens, filling in for the injured James Reimer, was solid but made a bad decision in trying to unsuccessfully cover a puck which resulted in the winning goal for the Hurricanes. Scrivens gave the Leafs an opportunity to come back in the third period as he made several key saves. But Toronto was unable to generate any offense as Carolina continued its winning ways.
John-Michael Liles had one of his worst games as a Maple Leaf and I have to wonder if he might not be a player that the Leafs could move before the April 3rd trade deadline. Liles has not provided much offensive punch from the blue line and is not overly physical. His brutal pinch when Clarke MacArthur turned over the puck led to a 3 on 1 break which resulted in the third goal for the Hurricanes. What was even more disturbing was the fact that Scrivens made the first save but no Leaf was around to pick up the other Carolina players. That play specifically reminded me of the Ron Wilson coached teams.
MacArthur is one of a few forwards who really needs to step up their game. He really has not been a consistent contributor offensively. I have been a defender of Nikolai Kulemin but I'm beginning to wonder if we may have seen his best season 2 years ago when he scored 29 goals. He appears to be totally out of it offensively and should not be getting the amount of power play time that he does. Mikhail Grabovski is also slumping offensively and without his scoring really puts the Leafs in a deep hole.
The Leafs first line was nearly invisible last night. What was clear is that the Bozak line can't compare to the Eric Staal line. Once again, Staal was a threat all night and Alexander Semin seems to have have been rejuvenated playing alongside the big center man. If you want to see the importance of a big center all you had to do was watch Staal last night.
It's not time to give up on the Leafs, after all they were not going to win the rest of their games. What was upsetting was not the loss but was the lack of effort. Saturday's game against Ottawa will be very telling as to how the rest of this season will unfold. If the Leafs play hard and provide the effort which was evident in their four game winning streak, then it would be evidence that Coach Randy Carlyle's system has taken hold. But if the Senators take it to the Leafs at the ACC, it might be time to begin to wonder if GM Dave Nonis may be willing to move some players before the trade deadline in April. In my mind, effort will be what I will be looking for on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre. A spirited game at home against their provincial rival is what we should expect. Anything less will be cause for concern in this shortened season.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if Bud Selig will take a cue from Pope Benedict and announce his resignation, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Maple Leafs continued on their winning ways with an impressive 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at the Air Canada Centre. The win was only the Leafs' second at home this season. The victory was clouded by the injury to goalie James Reimer. Reimer has been solid for the Leafs this season and seemed to be rounding into shape as the team's number one goalie. Coach Randy Carlyle indicated that the injury was not season ending and that Reimer should miss only a short period of time.
* Ben Scrivens was solid in relief of Reimer, stopping 31 of 32 shots sent his way. General Manager Dave Nonis will have to decide if he needs to bring in a veteran back-up. There are free agents available, such as Dwayne Roloson, Ty Conklin or Alex Auld to name a few. If need be, Nonis would be better off signing a veteran free agent as opposed to having to give up anything for a goalie.
* James van Reimsdyk continues to impress as he notched his 8th goal of the year against his former team. And how about Matt Frattin? 7 goals in 10 games for the hard charging winger who was sent down at the start of the season.
* Kudos to Leaf tough guy Colton Orr for his first goal of the year last night. Orr had worked very hard to get into shape and it paid off as he made the team this year after being sent down last year to the Toronto Marlies.
* Brian Burke was at the game last night and it had to be bittersweet for him as the Leafs are playing the type of hockey that he had envisioned when he came to Toronto.
* Sportsnet's camera shot of Nonis when Reimer was going off the ice captured the emotion of everyone in Leaf Nation: oh no not again.
* Curtis Granderson wants to remain a Yankee but unless he is willing to temper his salary requests I don't see the Yankees re-signing him. Granderson is a class act, on and off the field, but with Hal Steinbrenner's desire to get to a payroll of $189 million and the contract of Robinson Cano also expiring, it seems hard to imagine Granderson being in the Bronx in 2014.
* Speaking of Steinbrenner, Hal seemed to be backtracking last week when he said that the $189 million payroll was a goal and that a lot will depend on the development of young players. Someone must have told Hal that a less than competitive team will mean less people at the Stadium and declining ratings for YES.
* The Cleveland Indians are really making a push to be a player in the AL Central division this year as they have signed Michael Bourn. Bourn joins Nick Swisher as the 2 big off season signings along with ex-Oriole Mark Reynolds which should upgrade the Tribe offense.
* It was reported yesterday that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was returning to his role as CEO of his family's Flying J's truck stops which are all over the country. I guess with having Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi in charge of his football team, Haslam feels comfortable going back to the family business. Hmmm...somehow I don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about all of that.
* Haslam's claim that there will be some changes to the traditional Browns uniform. My question is: why??
* With the Philadelphia Eagles re-signing Michael Vick, could Nick Foles be available?? I was impressed with Foles in games that I saw him play and I wonder if the Browns would be interested.
* The Buffalo Sabres are making a huge mistake with how they are handling 18 year old Mikhail Grigerenko. The youngster was in the press box on Sunday for the game against the Bruins. He is averaging only 11 minutes a game, hardly enough for this kid to develop his skills.
* Lindy Ruff must really think people are stupid. In defending his use of Grigerenko, Ruff said that it was no different than how Steven Stamkos and Tyler Seguin broke into the league. Maybe similar to Seguin, but no way similar to Stamkos who was clearly the best player in that year's draft and is one of the best players in the NHL. Sorry Lindy, but I don't see Grigerenko being Steven Stamkos. The kid should be playing in Rochester where he could develop into a solid playmaking NHL center.
* Bucky Gleason's column on Sunday called out Sabres owner Terry Pegula and was right on the mark. Interesting the observations from people around the league about the Sabres and the unbelievable loyalty to Dracy Reiger and Lindy Ruff. The honeymoon period may be ending for Pegulaville.
* Jerry Sullivan added to the chorus yesterday on Schopp & the Bulldog. I was shocked when Sullivan said that Ruff did not want strong-willed players like Chris Drury on his team. Apparently, the control-freak Ruff did not like having a player who also has leadership skills.
* Gasbag Paul Hamilton stated once again that as long as Reiger remains GM, Ruff will be the Head Coach.
* And finally, does anyone know whatever happened to John Gurtler?
MLB: Accept It, Clean It or Shut It Down
With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, the 2013 Major League Baseball season is in its preliminary stages before it kicks off in about 6 weeks. Spring training is a time for hope for a good season and the possibility of some young phenom to make his mark. But this year what will be hovering over all of baseball is the suspicion of who is on some form of performance enhancing drug (PED). The report out of Miami that has linked several players, the biggest name being that of Alex Rodriguez, will dominate the spring just as much as who will be the favorite to win the World Series.
I have gotten to the point where all of the discussion and hand wringing is tiresome and needs to be boiled down to these three positions: 1.) accept the fact that players are using PEDs and move on, 2.) impose blood testing and if a player has been caught they should be banned for life and 3.) shut the season down until all users are identified and given the opportunity to clean themselves up.
Acceptance: Quite frankly this is where I am at. I really don't care anymore because, in my opinion, the teams and MLB don't care. It is hard to believe that in this day and age that the teams don't know what's going on. If the teams and/or MLB are not aware, then shame on them because they should be considering the amount of money that they have invested in these players. Of course, maybe they do know and feel that it is in their best interests to have a 38 year old star bounce back quickly from an injury.
Clean It: If MLB and the Players Association were truly concerned about the reputation of the game and its players, they would make mandatory blood drug testing. It should be done at the beginning of the season, randomly during the season and at the end of the season. Every player should be tested, from the superstar to the 25th man on the roster. In addition, MLB should fund testing throughout the minor league system. I'm tired of hearing about invasion of privacy. I don't want to hear about the costs. If MLB, its teams and the players are serious about repairing their image and cleaning up the game then just do it.
Shut It Down: If MLB and its players refuse to do anything about the use of PEDs, then maybe the 2013 baseball season should be shutdown. No baseball. Maybe Congress could place the heat on Bud Selig and mandate blood testing or else they will remove the anti-trust exemption they enjoy and order the season canceled. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell of this happening but it's to the point that I am sick and tired of talking about PEDs in major league baseball.
Of the three, the only one I can control is acceptance. Of course, I guess there is one other thing I could do is just not follow baseball anymore. But being a fan, I know that that won't happen. Then again, with the possibility of the Stanley Cup Finals going into late June, the NBA Finals being in mid-June and NFL training camps opening in mid-July, maybe it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Hmmm...do you think Selig and company would really care??
Leafs Pound Canadiens 6-0
Some where Brian Burke has to be smiling. Phil Kessel had a goal and 2 assists, Dion Phaneuf a goal and an assist, James van Riemsdyk a goal and an assist and James Reimer pitched a 37 save shutout. All four of these players were in Burke's mind the building blocks for turning things around. On top of them, the truculence that Burke talked about was on full display last night as the Maple Leafs pounded the Canadiens physically and on the scoreboard with a 6-0 win at the Bell Centre.
From start to finish the Leafs were the better team and the outcome of the game should put to rest the ridiculous talk on Toronto radio earlier in the week when it was stated emphatically that the Canadiens were so much further ahead of the Maple Leafs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning the parade down Bay Street. But the big difference between the two teams is goaltending. However, last night Reimer outplayed Carey Price and the way Reimer has been playing the best move the Leafs made may be not giving up young assets for Roberto Luongo.
The Canadiens whining over the rough stuff in the third period is interesting. If they wanted to play out the string, why was Brandon Prust out on the ice?? Prust going after Mikhail Grabovski is what started the brawl in which Max Pacioretty had Grabovski by the back of his neck with his arm over Grabovski's mouth. Was there a bite?? I didn't see it but what else would you expect from the Canadiens but to complain. Maybe what they should do is look in the mirror.
The key for the Leafs will be to have a strong performance Monday at home against the Flyers. Their 6-1 road record is outstanding but the 1-4 record at home is abysmal. Improvement at Air Canada Centre might ensure a playoff spot for the second youngest team in the NHL and if Reimer & Company are leading the way, Brian Burke will know his plan is starting to come to fruition.
Leafs Bounce Back With 3-2 Win
The Toronto Maple Leafs bounced back from a disappointing home loss against Carolina with a 3-2 win in Washington over the Capitals. The win bumped the Leafs road record to 4-1 while they are 1-4 at the Air Canada Centre. James van Riemsdyk led the way with 2 goals for the Leafs while Korbinian Holzer scored what proved to be the game winner.
Ben Scrivens was in goal for the Leafs and while he looked shaky at times, he made some big saves in the third period to preserve the win. Scrivens flopped around quite a bit in the crease and had Leaf fans nervous throughout the game. What should have Leaf fans more nervous is the continued dismal power play and the sudden demise of the penalty killing units.
The power play had another 0-fer night and I still believe that there needs to be a shake-up in personnel. Maybe have Dion Phaneuf go down low in front of the net or use a big body like David Steckel or Colton Orr. How about giving Matt Frattin some power play time?? How about a line with Phil Kessel-Mikhail Grabovski-JVR and a second line of Matt Frattin-Nazem Kadri-Jay McClement. Change is necessary because the current set-up is not working with the big problem being there is too much perimeter passing which allows the opposition to stay in their box.
The Leafs penalty killing units have abandoned staying in the box as evidenced by the last two games. Both Capital goals were on the power play and both times all four Leaf penalty killers were chasing the puck. The same was true against Carolina on Tuesday. Prior to Tuesday's game, I felt that Randy Carlyle had made strides in improving what had been an achilles heel for the Leafs throughout the Ron Wilson era. But it seems the Leafs are getting overly aggressive and need to be more disciplined. With limited practice time it may be difficult for the coaching staff to make corrections but this could be a big problem if not corrected soon.
The Leafs head to Winnipeg for a game against the Jets tomorrow night at 8pm. Almost a year ago, Toronto dropped a 2-1 decision to the Jets which started their dismal run over the cliff which ended the season and resulted in the firing of Ron Wilson. Will see what happens tomorrow as James Reimer should get the start in goal.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering how often Punxsutawney Phil is right in predicting the weather, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their losing ways on home ice dropping a 4-1 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes last night. The power play was once again dismal going 0-4. The Leafs have only scored twice in their last 26 power play chances. Coach Randy Carlyle really needs to shake things up by maybe giving the Nazem Kadri-Matt Frattin-Leo Komorov line power play minutes. I also think that John-Michael Liles should be paired with Dion Phaneuf on the first power play unit.
* It might also be a good idea to shake up the team's first 2 lines. What about having Mikhail Grabovski center a line with Phil Kessel and JVR? That would leave Tyler Bozak to center Nikolai Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur.
* The Leafs really miss Carl Gunnarsson and Jake Gardiner. Was not impressed with Korbinian Holzer last night. He looked very tentative. Leafs should leave Mike Komisarek in the lineup and may want to consider pairing Mark Fraser with John-Michael Liles.
* I have never been a Joe Flacco fan but I have to give him credit for a remarkable playoff run that was capped off with being the MVP of the Super Bowl. Going through the playoffs without throwing an interception is an accomplishment that is rarely met.
* Jim Harbaugh is really getting to be annoying. His sideline histrionics are a bore and his claim that the refs stole the game from his team is more befitting of a Pop Warner coach. Maybe it's time to worry about your porous defensive secondary as opposed to the referees.
* So glad that the Ray Lewis Idolization Show has come to an end. Lewis hardly distinguished himself in the big game as he could not keep up with Niners tight end Vernon Davis. For my money, the Raven defender who deserves star honors for his play in the Super Bowl was Ed Reed.
* Kudos to Boomer Esiason for not backing down to CBS co-host and resident loud mouth Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe interviewed his good friend Ray Lewis and did ask Lewis about the double homicide 13 years ago. Lewis gave his usual answer, invoking God and blaming the authorities for not getting answers for the families. Esiason flat out said that Lewis was involved with a double murder and didn't give answers that the public was looking for. Way to go, Boomer.
* Let me go on record as saying I will not watch whatever network hires Ray Lewis for its pre or post game shows.
* Many were raving about the Beyonce half-time show. Quite frankly I thought I was at a strip club.
* Kudos to New York Knicks All-Star Center Tyson Chandler for his third straight game with 20 rebounds which ties a franchise record with none other than Willis Reed. Chandler could break the record Wednesday when the Knicks take on the Washington Wizards.
* The Knicks are on a roll having just completed a 5-0 homestand. Full marks have to go to Knicks Head Coach Mike Woodson. He has really taken hold of this team by making everyone accountable for their play, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. This is rare in the ego-driven NBA.
* I've never been a big Tim Tebow fan but the New York Jets have ruined this kid's career. How can a quarterback go from leading his team to the playoffs, including a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on wild card weekend, to now having to wonder if he will play in the NFL again. Here's hoping the kid can get a chance to re-establish himself in the NFL.
* The NY Daily News is reporting today that ARod is believing that there is a conspiracy involving the Yankees and Major League Baseball to bring him down and end his career. Of course, this is coming from the public relations firm and lawyers that ARod has assembled to defend himself from the recent allegations reported in a weekly Miami newspaper. It's becoming more and more painful for this guy to continue to be a Yankee.
* Last night I saw the Yankeeography on Whitey Ford and in it Ford says how he was honored to have the opportunity to wear the Pinstripes and understood the pride and tradition of the uniform. I wonder if the same can be said about ARod.
* I can't think of hockey fans that are more smug than Buffalo Sabre fans. There is the belief by many of them that their team is so much better than they are playing. Really??? Does the team have a true number one center?? What about the defense corp?? The fact is that the Sabres will be one of the teams that will be hovering between 8th and 13th place.
* Listened to WGR550 afternoon Gasbags, Mike Schopp and the Bulldog yesterday. The big question was whether they believed that Sabre owner Terry Pegula is actually evaluating Lindy Ruff's performance as head coach in lieu of the team's recent troubles. At one point, Schopp said that he feels that this team has good players and that they should be playing better. Really???
* As far as Pegula goes, he made a huge mistake by extending Darcy Reiger. As long as Reiger is GM, I find it hard to believe that Lindy Ruff would be fired. While I think Ruff is a good coach, the time has come for a change. If Pegula says its all about winning the Stanley Cup, then look at Ruff's record: 0-15.
* How well are Pegula's big free agent signings playing?? Ville Leino may be out for the season and Christian Erhoff is hardly worth what he's getting paid. While the GR Gasbags love to get on Goalie Ryan Miller, I hardly hear them talk about the lack of performance from the pair of free agent signings that had Sabre fans all a flutter in the summer of 2011.
* So much for the Sabres added grit leading to winning results.
* By the way, has anyone seem John Scott??
Leafs Top Sabres In OT 4-3
In a place that has routinely been a house of horrors, the Toronto Maple Leafs went into the First Niagara Arena and defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in overtime. Matt Frattin had two goals for the Leafs, his second being the game winner with 1.5 seconds remaining on the clock. Frattin, as you recall, was sent down to the Marlies after having a less than inspiring training camp but has come back strong providing the Leafs with some needed scoring punch.
Coach Randy Carlyle had to juggle his lines and moving Jay McClement to Mikhail Grabovski's line paid dividends as McClement notched his first goal of the season that gave the Leafs an early 1-0 lead. Carlyle evened out minutes for his defensemen and it worked out well as Cody Franson played one of his best games as a Maple Leaf. Franson's goal gave the Leafs a 3-2 lead but the Sabres tied it forcing overtime.
James Reimer had another solid game in net for the Leafs. There should be no question that he should be the Leafs number one goalie. The kid really looks confident in net and the Leafs need that to have a chance to win. It will be interesting to see if Carlyle comes back with Reimer on Thursday night against the Capitals.
This game should also wipe away the smugness that Sabre fans have. There is not much difference between the Leafs and the Sabres. Both teams need a legitimate number one center. Both teams need secondary scoring. The key difference is in goal but last night Reimer stood toe-to-toe with Ryan Miller and Frattin beat Miller to win it. For me, there is nothing better than a win over the Sabres, especially in Buffalo.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if WGR's Jeremy White has a man crush on Sabre 18 year old rookie Mikhail Grigerenko, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* White's Sabres will be hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at the F'N Arena in downtown Buffalo. Last week, Ryan Miller was outstanding at the ACC and unless the Leafs can figure out a way to solve him it could be a long night for the Blue and White.
* Interesting article this morning in the Toronto Star by Damien Cox. Cox is advocating that Leafs GM Dave Nonis move Phil Kessel at the trade deadline on April 3rd. Kessel is one of my favorite players on the Leafs. He is the best pure scorer that the Leafs have had in years. I've said many times that it's too bad Kessel wasn't around when Mats Sundin was the Leafs number one center. Not sure who replaces Kessel's goal scoring ability as evidenced by the 33 goal a season average that the 25 year old has produced since coming to the Leafs. To be honest, I'm tired of the constant lamenting of the trade that brought the kid to Toronto and I'm beginning to believe that as with Luke Schenn the best thing that can happen to Kessel is if he is moved to a place where his ability will be fully appreciated.
* Here's hoping James Reimer continues to play well so that the incessant Roberto Luongo to Toronto rumors can be put to rest.
* It's funny but after the cancellation of the 2004-2005 hockey season there was greater emphasis on speed and skill and many experts said that with rule changes there would be more of a chance for smaller, skilled players to succeed in the NHL. Funny how now there is more emphasis on big bruisers who will crowd the net. Kind of makes the lost season of 04-05 pointless. Thank you Emperor Bettman.
* The Sabres reaction to anyone who gets close to Ryan Miller borders on the ridiculous. I want to see how tough they are when they take on the Bruins or the Rangers.
* Full marks to Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes for going at it with Boston's Milan Lucic. In last night's game, Gleason went toe-to-toe with Lucic and didn't back down. Wonder who on the Sabres will do the same thing.
* Don Cherry continues to become more ridiculous as evidenced by his calling Edmonton Oiler rookie Nail Yakupov "an idiot" as a result of the 18 year old's goal celebration. Maybe one of those good old boy Canadians should have warned the young Russian before the season started that he must not show any emotion and be stoic. You can bet your bottom dollar that if this was some 18 year old from Kingston, Ontario that Cherry's reaction would be different. I wonder if Cherry has ever called P.K. Subban "an idiot".
* Kudos to Tim Graham and Jerry Sullivan for their work in Sunday's Buffalo News pertaining to Ray Lewis. If you get a chance check them out.
* NY Daily News columnist Bob Raisman this morning wonders whether or not a reporter will have the guts to press Lewis about what happened on that fateful night in Atlanta 13 years ago. My guess is the answer to that question is no.
* This Super Bowl could be tops in ridiculous statements from its participants. First, you have Joe Flacco saying that having next year's Super Bowl in New Jersey is "retarded". Then you have the bombastic 49er coach Jim Harbaugh proclaiming that Niner DE Justin Smith is one of the best all-time players in the NFL. And let's not forget Raven Terrell Suggs who is talking about Rex Ryan's tattoo. With media day today, can't wait for more pearls of wisdom.
* Knicks Coach Mike Woodson is going to have to get his team playing better defense if they are to have a good chance to play deep into the NBA playoffs.
* The Niagara-Canisius game on Sunday was reminiscent of year's gone by as it was a thriller that had people talking about it. All people except the gasbags at WGR 550. Too busy debating who is the Sabres number one center. Earth to gasbags: the Sabres don't have a legitimate number one center.
* Niagara University has something special going on at Monteagle Ridge with the Purple Eagles being first in basketball in the MAAC and the hockey team being ranked 17th in the country. Of course, you don't hear too much about this from Gasbag 550.
* And finally, the Yankees signed Juan Rivera to a minor league contract with the hope that the 34 year old could be their right handed hitting outfielder/DH. This must be the big January move that we have been waiting for from Brian Cashman. I wonder if Chad Curtis, Ricky Ledee or Shane Spencer are available.
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