January, 2012

Sunday, January 1:

HAPPY NEW YEAR

to one and all!!

The Detroit Lions could do themselves a huge favour today by winning at Green Bay for the first time since Lambeau Field was called City Stadium. Well, it just seems that long (it's actually 1991). And they've only won 10 games in Green Bay since 1957. The Packers have nothing to play for today -- they're already the top seed in the NFC. But the Lions would avoid a trip to New Orleans or San Francisco next weekend if they win and instead would travel to the NFC East winner, a potentially easier game. But no matter. They're in the playoffs and I'm thrilled with that!

And while I'll be at work for the Lions' playoff game, I will be able to to watch some football on a new TV! We took advantage of the Boxing week specials to score a 50-inch plasma 3D set that will be delivered on Thursday. Can't wait!

Monday, January 2:

It certainly wasn't the best time for the Detroit Lions to put up their worst defensive effort of the season. The game at Green Bay yesterday was theirs for the taking with the Packers resting several of their stars in what was, for them, a meaningless game. Detroit's offense did its part but the defence was absolutely horrible and the loss dropped the Lions to the sixth seed among playoff teams in the NFC. That means a visit to New Orleans next weekend. Y'know, I actually think the Lions' defence can handle the Superdome's home team next Saturday -- as long as the team in question is Tulane. Sadly, they'll be up against the New Orleans Saints and I don't think it will be much of a contest. One good thing from my point of view, is that it will be played Saturday night after I get home from work.

One day after Manchester United came-a-cropper against Blackburn, Manchester City travelled to Sunderland and shockingly lost 1-0 on the final kick of the game. So the rivals remain tied atop the standings and didn't lose much ground as Chelsea was also upset and Tottenham held to a draw. A crazy weekend in the EPL. Hopefully United gets out of its funk in time for its own midweek trip to Geordie-land when they travel north to Newcastle.

Tuesday, January 3:

One thing is certain -- you turn off a football game featuring the Michigan State Spartans at your peril. They're never boring. They either stage a miraculous comeback or snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Yesterday, they pulled one out of the fire (thanks largely to Georgia mistakes) in triple overtime to beat the Bulldogs in their bowl game and salvage a tiny bit of Big-10 pride on a day that saw Nebraska, Penn State and Ohio State all go down to defeat. With luck, Michigan can win the Sugar Bowl tomorrow and fans in the Great Lakes State can at least say their teams did their part!

Wednesday, January 4:

What a night of mixed emotions. Team Canada, lost and left for dead midway through the third period, suddenly turned a 6-1 deficit in their world junior semifinal against Russia into a 6-5 squeaker with four minutes left. Try as they might, they couldn't get the equalizer even though they clanged one off the post in the dying seconds. Canada certainly outplayed Russia but made critical mistakes at the worst possible time. Same with Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. The Hokies dominated my Wolverines all night long but killed themselves with errors and Michigan came away with a 23-20 overtime win. They were lucky, but that doesn't take away anything from an unbelievable season. In coach Brady Hoke's first year, I was hoping for something like 7-and-5 with a minor bowl trip. Instead, they finished 11-and-2 and (somehow) came away with a win in a BCS bowl game. An astonishing turnaround and I don't know why Hoke isn't a unanimous coach of the year pick. Next season will be more difficult I'm afraid, even if Denard Robinson decides to stay for his senior year. The Wolverines open in Dallas against mighty Alabama and Michigan has road games against Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio. (Hey, if Hoke won't call them you-know-what, then I won't either). But this just-concluded season? Incredible!

And here's the clincher: After Virginia Tech missed its field goal in overtime, Michigan's Brendan Gibbons (who looks like a linebacker with a bit too much beef in the belly) nailed his for the victory. Later, he was asked what was going through his mind as he got ready for the kick. His reply? "Brunette girls." No way you're gonna ice this guy with a timeout!

Thursday, January 5:

I watched about half an hour of the Orange Bowl last night, which means I saw a few West Virginia touchdowns. They scored 10 of them in their 70-33 rout of Clemson. Yes folks, this was football, not basketball. This was the spread offense Rich Rodriguez tried to install at Michigan when he moved from WVU four seasons ago. Maybe it would have eventually worked the same way but in installing the offense, RichRod did nothing for the defence -- and that was the major turnaround for the Wolverines this season under Brady Holk. Yes, the Mountaineers' flashy offense is fun to watch but to me, defence wins championships. If you doubt that, then look at the two teams playing for the title next Monday in New Orleans. Alabama is ranked first in the country in defence, Louisiana State is second. And when they played head-to-head in Tuscaloosa, LSU won 6-3 in overtime. Yes folks, that was football, not hockey. Me, I'm glad Michigan is putting defence first. If they're to reach the promised land again, this, to me, is a quicker way to get there.

One thing you can count on most years -- Manchester United will hit a holiday slump. They lost their second straight yesterday, 3-0 at Newcastle and it's becoming obvious that while United is still an extremely strong club, they're not championship material this year -- at any level.

Friday, January 6:

The headline in today's Aftonbladet (Swedish national newspaper) says it all: "31 års väntan äntligen över." Thirty-one years of waiting at long last over. That's how long it had been since Sweden's national junior hockey team last won the world championship. It's almost impossible to imagine such a strong hockey nation being shut out for so long at the junior level. But last night they triumphed, 1-0 over Russia in overtime. And they were deserved winners, outshooting the defending champs by a gum-swallowing margin of 58-17! Only the unbelievable work of Russian goalie Andrei Makarov kept this from being a rout and the saddest moment of the night was watching him bravely accept a silver medal. But anyone who thinks this tournament matters little outside Canada didn't stick around to see the Swedish kids bellow out, "Du gamla, Du fria" with all their might -- and every bit as off-key as past Canadian champs warbling, "O Canada."

We bought a rear projection high definition Panasonic about a decade ago that has served us well -- and will continue to do so upstairs if we want to watch a late movie in bed. But the main TV is now a Panasonic plasma, and it made its debut in our den with the Canada-Finland and Sweden-Russia hockey games from Alberta. The old TV's picture is great but the picture on the new one is hard to describe. You almost feel as if you're in the arena. I can't wait to check out a Blu-ray DVD and a 3D video!

Sunday, January 8:

There is no joy in Motown; the Lions and the Wings struck out. The football game went as I expected as the Lions defence, good for long stretches in the first half, finally ran out of gas in their 45-28 loss at New Orleans. Detroit led 7-0 and 14-10 at the half but the turnaround drive came when the Lions trailed 24-21 in the second half. On the Saints' fourth quarter touchdown drive that gave them a 10-point lead, Detroit's defenders had chance after chance after chance to stop the home team and failed each time. A dropped interception, missed tackles, a failure to halt the drive on a fourth and two. After the touchdown, Detroit tried to get greedy right away and Matthew Stafford's long pass was picked off. Four plays later, Drew Brees torched the Lions' secondary for another touchdown and the rout was on. Two things about the Lions: They sealed their fate with last week's brutal defensive effort in Green Bay, condemning them to a road game against the Saints in round one, and while Detroit is much improved, they need more talent on defence, especially at linebacker and in the secondary -- and they have to learn how to run the ball. They had 32 net yards compared with 167 for New Orleans and by controlling the clock (38 minutes of possession for the Saints, 22 for the Lions), the Saints kept the ball away from the Lions' proficient passing attack for two thirds of the game. A nice campaign by Detroit but let's remember: They didn't beat a team with a winning record all season. Not one.

As for the Red Wings, they always lose to the Maple Leafs in their annual game. Guaranteed. If Toronto fans weren't such nervous nellies, they would have won a small fortune last night. It's about the safest bet in sports.

Monday, January 9:

It's beyond my comprehension to figure out how Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday. But they did. I don't think Elbow will lead his team to a Super Bowl championship next month, or even a win at New England on Saturday. But as I type this words, I'm looking around the room for any sign of The Creator. What did throw me was Pittsburgh's defence on the one overtime play, as the Steelers jammed the box to stop the run. Yes, playing a form of prevent might have given Elbow room to maneuver his team downfield and into field goal range. Yes, the Broncos have a great kicker and footballs travel like golf balls in the thin Denver air. But under the new overtime rules, surrendering a field goal without having possession yourself isn't fatal -- giving up a touchdown is. An 80-yard pitch and catch ensued and the game was over.

With two straight EPL defeats, the last thing I expected was Manchester United heading crosstown to Eastlands to knock defending champion Manchester City out of the FA Cup playdowns. But win it they did, 3-2, almost blowing a 3-0 lead. Good thing it ended when it did. Even though City played most of the match with 10 men, they were stronger at the end but could not find an equalizer.

It's all on the line tonight as LSU plays Alabama (again) for the BCS championship. This time it's in New Orleans, a short drive from Baton Rouge. In November, the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide 9-6 in overtime at Tuscaloosa. But some suggest (and I agree) the Tide will turn this time with Alabama's master strategist Nick Saban having more than a month to prepare for the rematch. If that's the case, leaving both teams with one loss, I wonder if AP voters will consider one-loss Oklahoma State for their version of the national crown?

Tuesday, January 10:

There is defence -- and there is the manhandling Alabama put on LSU last night in their 21-0 win (five field goals and a touchdown with a missed extra point) in the BCS championship game at New Orleans. The Tigers crossed midfield once in the game and that drive ended with a sack and fumble by quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who had a dreadful night (11-for-17, 53 yards passing, 15 yards rushing, one fumble, one interception). The busiest player of the night for LSU was punter Brad Wing. Here's how the Tigers' offence fared in their 11 possessions: punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, interception, punt, punt, fumble, punt. Somewhere in there, they managed five first downs. So the teams end up splitting the two games they played -- only the Crimson Tide won when it mattered most. Oh, and who does Michigan open the 2012 season against in Arlington, Texas? Yep. Alabama.

Friday, January 13:

This is winter in Buffalo?! I was there yesterday doing some cross-border shopping and it reminded me of Seattle or Vancouver in mid-winter. Seven degrees Celsius (or about 45 Fahrenheit), rain, and not a hint of a flake anywhere. In fact, the lawns were brown-green and I expected to see a flower or two somewhere along the way. Usually by mid-January, Buffalo is covered under a mountain of snow. I was thinking of staying overnight and driving back today but the forecast didn't look good so I hightailed it home in the wee hours of the morning. Sure enough, the city was snow-bound today. So a (rare) wise decision on the part of yours truly.

Saturday, January 14:

A word of warning -- never wear a bright red polo shirt whilst shopping at Staples. Or Canadian Tire for that matter. I made that mistake this past week when I wandered into Staples for some printer ink. Suddenly, I was the most popular person in the store: "No sir, I don't know what isle the glossy paper is in." "Sorry folks, I have no idea what the warranty is on Canon printers." "No, ma'am, I'm have no idea if that can be returned for cash." The shirts the Staples employees wear are virtually identical to mine. But theirs say "Staples" on them, while mine says "Indy 500." I wasn't upset -- but it got hilarious after awhile, especially when one young couple asked me their question twice!

Sunday, January 15:

Defence wins championships. All week long, I couldn't believe San Francisco was an underdog at home against the New Orleans Saints. To me, if any team was going to shut down the explosive Saints, it was this swarming 49ers defence. Odd game. For three quarters, they did just that (and what a monster of a game defensive tackle Justin Smith had!). But while they made some big plays in the final frame, they were also getting weary, and the Niners had to win the game in a shootout over the Saints in the final four minutes. Quarterback Alex Smith conjured up memories of Joe Montana and Steve Young with his own Candlestick magic. And we're also delighted for first-year Niners' coach Jim Harbaugh, who thrilled us years ago as quarterback of the Michigan Wolverines.

Tebow Time? A nice story but it came to a crashing end in Foxboro. Tom Brady (another Michigan signal-caller) owned this one from start to finish. But no one should mock Tebow. Yes, he wears his religion on his sleeve but from all accounts, the guy is truthful and honest about it and cares more for kids who have been dealt a bad hand in life than for his own exploits on the football field. How can anyone hate a guy like that?

Tuesday, January 17:

I read that the NFL is finally going to hire some full-time referees. The timing couldn't be better. Perhaps if officials were at the job 12 months a year -- doing training and film work when they weren't on the field -- they would be better at the task. Then maybe guys like Bill Leavy and Ed Hochuli wouldn't be household names for all the wrong reasons. Leavy is a retired police officer and firefighter, having spent 27 years serving the public in those capacities. Hochuli is a trial lawyer, specializing in -- among other things -- wrongful death and personal injury defence. They're the kind of guys you want to cheer for -- until you start watching their games. Leavy was in the spotlight Sunday, making two completely dreadful and head-scratching calls that ultimately led to 14 points for the Green Bay Packers. That the visiting New York Giants prevailed (rather easily to boot) says a lot about their character and ability not to get flustered. Many other teams would have let the bad calls get to them and never recover. Like the Seattle Seahawks in 2006 at Super Bowl XL in Detroit. They were robbed repeatedly in that game by the officials and ultimately lost to Pittsburgh. The referee in that game: Bill Leavy.

Thursday, January 19:

"...Winter snow drifts by my window." But not much. Today's Alberta clipper dropped just enough to cover the driveway. Maybe a centimetre. Maybe. Much less than an inch. I could wait for Monday's predicted high of seven degrees Celsius (about 45 Fahrenheit) and accompanying rain to melt it but the exercise is welcome so I'm going to shovel it. Never in my life have I actually looked forward to shovelling show. But that's the story of this wacky non-winter in the suburbs of Toronto. And with luck, it will stay this way right through to spring.

Saturday, January 21:

The things you remember. Like being the only reporter on a five-hour round trip bus ride at the 1992 Winter Olympics in France to cover freestyle skiing, just a demonstration sport at those games 20 years ago but one that promised to be dominated by Canadians. (Just as an aside, I recall that the bus driver, who spoke no English, had various French radio stations piped through the vehicle for the journey. Every song was in French but one -- James Brown's "Like a Sex Machine." Listening to that whilst riding through the eerie darkness of the French Alps was the ultimate in bizarre). Sarah Burke would have been but nine years old when the Olympics came to Albertville. But in two years her freeskiing specialty was to be a full-fledged Olympic sport. Burke won SuperPipe gold four of the last five years in the X-Games competition and would have been a solid favourite in 2014 at the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Her death Friday, nine days after crashing during a training run in Utah, is a tragic loss for the sport and most importantly, for her family and friends. By all accounts, she was extremely humble about her exalted position in freestyle skiing and carried a winning smile everywhere she went.

Sunday, January 22:

It's a marathon, not a sprint. That's what veteran drivers tell the rookies at the Indy 500. It also applies to the hockey season. The Minnesota Wild, in first place overall a month or so ago, are currently out of the playoff picture in the West. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who had such a fine start, find themselves in the same situation in the East. And last night's loss to a turmoil-wracked Montreal team was a stomach-turner for Leaf fans. The same can said in an opposite way about my Red Wings. They've won six straight and lead the NHL in points. Will they stay there with a veteran (some say aging) roster? I suspect not and if so, that will again be a killer in the playoffs if they have to travel far, especially if a series goes to a seventh game.

Monday, January 23:

Special teams. The most overlooked aspect of football -- until something goes wrong. And they went horribly wrong for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49res yesterday, which is why John and Jim Harbaugh's respective teams will be watching Super Bowl XLVI (46, for you non-Romans) on television. The Ravens were done in by Billy Cundiff's dreadful miss of what would have been a game-tying 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds left, allowing New England to reach the championship. The miss came just after Lee Evans couldn't hang onto a perfectly thrown pass in the end zone that would have given the Ravens a sure win. The Niners were sunk on two muffed punts by returner Kyle Williams. The first one hit his knee in the fourth quarter giving the New York Giants a possession that would lead to a go-ahead touchdown. The second, he fumbled in overtime, allowing the G-Men to kick the winning field goal. Special teams. So overlooked and taken for granted. So important.

Joe Paterno died yesterday and all I could think about was Paul "Bear" Bryant. The legendary Alabama coach died in January of 1983, just four weeks after retiring. Paterno always said that he kept on coaching so we wouldn't end up like Bear Bryant. Instead, he was forced out late in his 46th season as head coach at Penn State, done in by his lack of proper action in the Jerry Sandusky child molestation case. Within days it was revealed JoePa had lung cancer and yesterday, he passed on at age 85. You wonder if the scandal and his ruined reputation killed his will to fight the cancer. We'll never know. What we will know is that his reputation was ruined by the choice he made not to take proper and further steps when appraised of the alleged sexual attacks, instead deciding to protect the football program and the Penn State brand name. And sadly, that soiled reputation is as it should be. (In much the same way, Woody Hayes will forever be known as the coach who was dismissed after punching an opposing player, not the man who established Ohio State as a by-the-book football power). I was a Joe Paterno fan, right from the 1969 Orange Bowl when Paterno's Nittany Lions won a crazy 15-14 game over Pepper Rodgers' Kansas Jayhawks: And I always thought he was a class act. But whenever his name is mentioned from now on, I'll always think about the scandal -- and the kids who were scarred for life.

Is the Toronto Star nuts? Yesterday, in the wake of their 3-1 loss to Montreal Saturday, they wrote off the Maple Leafs, saying it would take an amazing turnaround to make the playoffs. Yes, they're slumping but it's still January for crying out loud. They're in ninth place, all of two points out of a playoff spot with 35 games to play! And the Star is doing a RIP piece on them. Insanity!

Wednesday, January 25:

“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley.” Words to live by, I guess (if you can figure them out). But I bring them up only to mention that this is the day we celebrate their author, the late Scottish poet Robbie Burns. He was born on this day back in 1759 (no, we didn’t go to school together!). So if you celebrate Robbie Burns Day, be sure to have a proper Haggis this evening!

Thursday, January 26:

Somewhere up there my mom is smiling. She would have turned 98 years old today. Miss you, mom!

Somewhere up there my dad is smiling at the stunning result from the Bell Centre last night: Canadiens 7, Detroit 2. Born in Montreal, he was a Habs fan all his life. And after moving to Windsor in the shadow of the Motor City, he especially loathed the Red Wings, as the two teams were bitter rivals throughout the 1950s. He once admitted to me that he used to go to Montreal-Detroit games at old Olympia Stadium and cheer his head off for the Canadiens. I went a bit ballistic when he told me that, asking him if he had had a death wish, roaming around the rather dangerous corner of Grand River and McGraw, cheering for the hated opposition. Disgusted, I told him it was a wonder I'd ever been born. But it turns out, we're a kindred spirit in terms of wanderlust. And I thank him for that. And you know, normally I'd be peeved at the play of my Red Wings last night but the loss doesn't bother me. Thanks to my dad, I have a soft spot for the Habs so I know he would have loved the romp. And I miss you too, dad!

Goodbye, Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). CSI won't be the same.

Saturday, January 28:

Manchester United's reward for knocking Premier League-leading City out of the FA Cup was a match-up with Liverpool. At Anfield, which has been a house of horrors for United in recent years. Sure enough, the Scousers scored a late one to knock out United 2-1. Only the league title is up for grabs for the Red Devils now and I doubt they'll catch their cross-town rivals even though the difference is just three points with plenty of games remaining. There's just something about this season's edition that leaves me wanting. Not that I'm complaining. United has given me a lieftime of thrills in 20 years after decades of "close but no cigar."

Christine Sinclair to the rescue last night. Just as Mexico had closed the gap to 2-1 in their CONCACAF semifinal in Vancouver and were threatening to equalize, Sinclair took a lovely pass and displayed marvelous finesse with a chip shot over the onrushing goalie and into the cage. It's a touch few strikers of either gender can master and it gave Canada a 3-1 win and a guaranteed berth into the summer Olympics.

You couldn't pay me money to watch the NHL all-star festivities this weekend. Nor the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. All-star games put me into a complete snooze. Except baseball's and even then I watch with reluctance.

Sunday, January 29:

They showed the replay of last month's Lamont Peterson-Amir Khan boxing robbery last night on TSN, in which referee Joe Cooper 1) took away two points from Khan for pushing without stopping the fight previously for a warning. 2) missed an obvious low blow against Khan and 3) was so far out of position in the first round that his legs tangled with Peterson's, turning a knockdown into a slip. Khan lost by split decision with the judges giving Peterson the nod by a single point. Obviously, without the penalties, Khan would have won by majority decision. All of which brings to mind that: 1) it's another black eye for boxing, a sport that has already been deemed irrelevant by the UFC. 2) Has Cooper been seen since that night and were his pockets bulging? 3) Joe Cooper will never ref a championship bout again. 4) this has done nothing to enhance the image of Washington, D.C. as a fight town and 5) the guy I feel most sorry for is Peterson, who fought a great, great fight but whose championship status has been stained by a controversy he had nothing to do with.

Monday, January 30:

I'm "baching" it this week with the two pups who have been good as gold with The Bride away for nine days in Amsterdam. Well, one little accident over the weekend but that's OK. They're a little stressed without "Mommy" but that will improve as the week goes by.

So how is the local six doing, you ask? Just swimmingly. Take away a mid-season swoon and the Stouffville Spirit would be in first place in their division, ahead of mighty Newmarket, the annual holders of top spot. But, like most years, this outfit does something that makes you swallow your gum. Yesterday's 4-3 home win over Markham for example (a huge win against the team chasing them for second place). Stouffville was comfortably up 3-1 after a dominant second period. But it was all Markham in the third. The visitors tied the game only to have the Spirit score a late winner. Shots on goal in the final frame? Merely 22-1 for the Waxers. That's right -- the lone shot on goal for Stouffville in the third period was the game-winner. Nothing this team does surprises me anymore but one thing is certain: They're not going to sneak up on anyone in the playoffs. In the past, they've played the role of small town underdog to perfection. This year, they'll go in as small-town favourites.

Tuesday, January 31:

Snow. Not much, maybe five centimetres (or a couple of inches) last night but in this wacky winter, that represents a major storm. Most of it had fallen by midnight and I seriously considered shovelling it before crashing for the night, knowing I wouldn't otherwise get to it until this evening after work. But I let it go and I'm glad I did. Most of it was gone due to the early spring-like weather we had today and it will stay well above freezing overnight with more of the same forecast for tomorrow. So I'll let Mother Nature do the heavy lifting and do the rest when temperatures get back to normal late in the week.