Worth a Gamble?

With all eyes fixed on a Phoenix courtroom today, we thought why not write about something completely unrelated. Sure we’d be overjoyed to see the Coyotes move to Hamilton or anywhere else in Canada. Its just that this saga won’t end today and we’re tired of it. Once the courts get involved, the wheels turn slowly… oh so slowly…and the draggin’ is getting to us. Today will be a big day in the history of the franchise no doubt but a final solution will be far from decided today.
So we thought we’d share a story about one of our pastimes. Something that we use as a diversion.Online poker.

We started playing a year or so ago.  Got the hang of the rules etc.  Then we put it aside for awhile.  But since we got the netbook with the internet stick, its back with a vengeance.  Its a great time killer at our job and when waiting for everyday stuff to happen.  The internet stick is great so far.  Sure Canada’s “most reliable network” has its flaws and it drops its connection every so often but its a lot better than what South Africa has.  We wonder how the news of the upcoming World Cup will be delivered if a pigeon (wtg Winston!) is faster than the country’s number internet service.  The beautiful game will sure become a lot slower!

But we digress, the internet stick has made online poker very portable and convenient for us and the interaction with other players, and the drama of Hold ‘Em keeps us lightly interested/amused. We are far from experts at it and you can play for free.  The challenge to win is there and when you do win, its great.  When you lose, there’s always another hand. Not a bad game if we do say so ourselves.  If we ever get stuck somewhere with nothing to do, at least there is always poker.

If we were in a certain Phoenix courtroom today, we’d be playing it for sure.

Imagine

We just bought a lotto tix for tonight with one purpose.  Win and we’re off to Phoenix to bid tomorrow!  Its an auction is it not?  Just imagine…

To think its come to this.  A team that had passionate fans in Winnipeg is now being sold to the best bidder in a courtroom in the desert.  There’s only 2 bidders.  Only 2 groups in all the world who want this team and one is the league. As a fan, we’d just like to be there and make a bid, have a say and speak on the behalf of all the passionate hockey fans in North America and say “shame” on you NHL for letting this happen!  Just imagine…

PS: we’ll miss you on the pitch Danny!

Coyote Ugly?

Just a few thoughts before the fate of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes gets decided next week:

• The NHL could have avoided all this legal mess in the first place if they had dealt with current owner Moyes’ issues from the start.  Therefore, all this drama, costs, comments, publicity… u name it, could have been avoided had they done what they should have done in the first place. It now appears like the league seriously dropped the puck on him and he HAD TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY.  Leaving an owner to hang like that and then dealing with everything that came to light can never be underdone and the league will need to address the fallout for years to come.
• By putting in an offer themselves, the NHL closes the door on the NHL in Hamilton at this time.  T’was a good idea from the start Mr. Blackberry and we applaud your efforts.  If we had your assests at our disposal, we’d have done the same.  Now at least the world knows what a mess the NHL really is and we thank you for bringing that to fruition.  Had u not placed a bid, none of this info would have come to light and we’d still be in the dark about how the NHL operates.  We feel like we’ve learnt a lot.  Don’t know if we really needed to know, but looking back it sure is nice to know.  These are infact the ppl who hold the fate of our most passionate sport in their hands.  Nothing against monkees but it sure looks like there is a crew of them at at the helm.  Moving fwd, the bottom line conduct of the Coyotes and the league in general will be more under the microscope thanks to you and your bid.
• This isn’t over.  Not by a longshot.  For starters, we forsee less than 1000 ppl at some Coyotes’ games this year.  Its gonna be ugly for hockey in the desert. How long will the rest of the league put up with that?  We also expect more drama from a slew of other financially struggling teams this season.  Could be a banner year for back room deals!  That is if monkees can operate in back rooms…

What Will Happen on a Hawt Dallas Night?

Bobby Luo smashed his stick during the 2nd period of last nights comeback win over Phoenix.  Turning point for his season???  At least it was for that game & from there on, he shut the door on the Coyotes & the Canucks overcame the deficit in the 3rd with some clutch goals. What a character win.

Tonight in Dallas, its different.  The Dallas Stars are as hot as they come.  Winners of 7 of their last ten & scoring heaps of goals.  The Stars got shutout their last game so look to see them come out flying hard & fast against the Canucks 2nite. Bobby Luo can prove that he’s back tonight in a big way against a team like this.  The Canucks will be needing his A Game as they are sure to tire on back2back nights.  Anything less than getting a point tonight will be a massive disappointment. The teams are separated by only a point in the standings & its still wicked tight in the NHL’s Western Conference as 5th place & last place 15th have only 10 points between them. Crucial matchup if there ever was one & we won’t be missing a puck drop.

PS: Eastbound and Down looks like a hoot!

PPS: Also speaking of TV, caught up on Jockeys last night.  Very well done quasi-reality show.  Great horses and great insight into the world of horse racing.  We won’t be missing a hoofbeat!

3 Games in 4 nights = No Playtime 4 Canucks

… and beyond is a 4 game week long West-East Canada Roadtrip!  Its clutch time for the Canucks! The standings are super tight and we need the wins!

Watch tonight for Alex Burrows to be on the top line with the Sedins vs the Coyotes.  Hopefully that will spark them into some offense.  Did the twins even play against the Blues the other night?  Really though, if the trade off is a pointless night from the twins and a lot of secondary scoring that equals a win, we’ll take the win in a heartbeat!  Keep the other team’s shutdown line busy out there and good things will happen for the team. Don`t worry twins, the points will come.

Though we like the move, generally speaking AV’s constant line juggling is getting annoying.  But in this case its actually needed. We predict a 4-3 Canucks victory in OT.  The Coyotes are coming off an impressive 1-0 win over the Red Hot Dallas Stars.  We doubt that they’ve got that type of game 2 nights in a row. Ilya Bryzgalov can’t stop ‘em all. We’d like to see Roberto Luongo have a stellar game at the other end.  Its been awhile and we need the reassurance all is well in net!

And lastly, Mats Sundin.  What can we say about a 3 point effort vs. the Blackhawks and a followup 2 goal game!  He’s come into form and hopefully that continues and the opposition keeps getting confused about what really is the top line on the Canucks.  Now off to watch, drink and be merry!

PS: did you know the Canucks have a prospect page that they update… we didn`t either!

PPS: on a completely different note… the EPL flexes its muscle and gets this top-notch soccer site to rid itself of its logos.  all in the name of dollars and non-$en$e! and again its the fans that suffer!  BOO!

Looks Like They’re Content to Sit on the Lead

What’s wrong with the NHL (except being run by pinheads?)?  The league is trying so hard to be a big boy right now, it hurts to watch.  With their GM’s Meeting this week to assess the current financial situation and attempt to forecast the future we thought we’d chime in with what we forsee:

• The NHL will lose 2 franchises this off season.  They will not be sold but just fold outright.  It’ll be more cost effective that way.  The alternative of running a club losing tens of millions of dollars will just be too much for the owners of those franchises to bear.  Atlanta and Phoenix are at the top of our lists with the 2 Florida teams close behind.  Gary Bettman will no doubt put a positive spin on this as “effective bottom line management” for the league.
• The resulting roster draft will up the level of play in the NHL and create a better on ice product therefore saving the league’s ever so precious gate income.
• The salary cap will drop due to declining revenues.  Anything to the contrary is being just way too optimistic.  Get your heads out of the cloud NHL!  You are not immune to the changing financial scene in North America.  The cap will not go up in 2009!
• A few teams will see new owners.  Even if that just means the NHL itself takes control of them.  Yes, we’re looking at you Anaheim but not Buffalo or Nashville!
• And speaking of Nashville, finally the corporate backing for this franchise will appear.  Country music stars and industry types will take over the franchise and with its solid fanbase and a team of over achievers, they will make a serious playoff run.  Much to the delight of all!

That’s enough for one day.  Lets sleep on those for now.  Whew!  Predictions are tough!

Note to Tomas: There Are No Easy Games in this League

Amusing as it is to watch the revolving dog house door in Leaf land, you gotta feel bad about Tomas Kaberle last night in Phoenix.  Benched for most of the game (only 13 minutes of TOI) and a tidy minus 3 for the night.  Not only was his ice time cut in half but when he was on the ice, nothing went right.  Is that because of a lack of trying or just a bad day at the office?  Hmmm….

Obviously Coach Wilson has been noticing a trend with the floating Kaberle.  His head hasn’t been in the game since mid-November.  In the past 8 games, Kaberle has a stellar 1 assist, 5 shots and is minus 6.  Tomas has always been one that if the team is to succeed, has to bring his “A” game to the rink at both ends.  We’ve been waiting for him to fire more shots, get more physical, make better passes for what seems like an eternity.  Is the time ripe to give up on him?  Truly the skill is there.  We’ve seen it on occassion.  If Uncle Ronnie can’t get him goin’, then Kaberle is on the outs.  His only hope is that he can react like former doghouse residents, Jason Blake (3 points last night) and Matt Stajan (early season scratch and now Leafs Leading Scorer) and rebound.  But rebounding may not be enough.  We need to see Kaberle finally achieve his potential.  Career highs of 11 goals/season and 67 points/season in a Leaf jersey only wet our appetites for more.   Kaberle can be the next Lidstrom if he gets his head right.  Whether that is fair or not is up for debate.  But he has been held to a higher standard during his tenure in Toronto and now is the time to reach it.

So what’s next for Kaberle?  We think a trip to the press box this weekend is in order.  That’s what Stajan and Blake had to endure and we forsee the same for Kaberle.  If he doesn’t start showing up regularily, Tomas may well end up as the first bait of the Cirque de Burke era! Bring on the trade debate rumours!  Surely the Leafs could get a top 6 forward for him… or a goalie… or another D-Man…or a back-up goalie… Wow, this team has needs!

Post of the day:  Mean Streak by ex GM Neil Smith.  Essential reading & insight!