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Tuesday, April 1:
There's opening day and then there's Opening Day. In the early years of the Toronto Blue Jays, they held Opening Day -- an event. The first home game was always a day game, and there was a sense of great anticipation. And somehow, the chill at old Exhibition Stadium felt good somehow, sort of a "take that!" to the winter gods, a symbol that we took the worst they could throw at us, and here we all are, outdoors, basking in the promise of warmer days ahead while the boys of summer ply their trade on the field below. Then came SkyDome. And now, the Blue Jays host opening day, or even worse, opening night, just another of 81 home dates. Yeah, there's bunting on the walls, but the feeling is hollow, antiseptic.
Some places still hold Opening Day -- Cincinnati, Detroit, Baltimore -- and the Bronx, where they'll try again tonight to play what will be the final Opening Day in storied Yankee Stadium as the boys in pinstripes take on the Blue Jays. A night game is unfortunate but necessary as that appears to be the only dry window in the weather forecast. And next year, a new Yankee Stadium will debut next door -- which won't seem right somehow.
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Thursday, April 3:
I almost always cheer for whichever team is occupying the "visitors" slot on the Air Canada Centre scoreboard when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs. But not tonight. The way the Ottawa Senators have played after their great start to the season, they don't deserve to make the playoffs. A loss to the Leafs this evening would help them along their way to that possible amazing collapse.
As I write this, my beloved Detroit Tigers are 0-and-3 to start the season, having been swept at home by the Kansas City Royals. This supposed modern version of Murderers' Row has scored all of one run in the last 21 innings. Many people are picking the Tigers to win the World Series, but that's not going to happen. Yes, they'll hit, but their bullpen needs weren't addressed in the off-season and you can't win without a strong one. My World Series picks a year ago were the Mets over the Red Sox -- which might have happened if not for New York's memorable collapse. But I still think they're the class of the National League, and I think Boston's still the best in the American. So, the crystal ball suggests the Red Sox and Mets again, this time with Boston on top. The Blue Jays? In their familiar nest, third in the A.L. East, behind the Bosox and Yanks. Detroit gets the nod as my biggest disappointment this year and my upstart, where-did-they-come-from? team for 2008 is the Cincinnati Reds.
It's black, it's beautiful and it's name is Beverly (after a girl I knew in high school). It's my new 2008 Acura TSX and it looks fantastic right now in my driveway. I got an outstanding deal on it and the drive home from the dealership in Markham was exhilarating on a beautiful spring day. For what's it's worth, I always name by vehicles, always after ladies I've met who have made an impression on me in some way or other in my life. (The bride's aware of this -- she does the same thing). So Beverly joins a long list going back to 1971 -- a list that includes Betty, Robyn, Lynn, Connie, Candy, Carrie and Silver (a nickname from "Sylvia"). Sounds like Lou Bega's "Mambo number five", eh?
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Friday, April 4:
"We're all behind our baseball team! Go get 'em, Tigers!"
0-4 now. Nice start, lads.
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Sunday, April 6:
I first remember seeing Bruce Boudreau in 1972 as a member of the star-studded Markham Waxers, who won the Ontario Junior B championship in five games against the St. Marys Lincolns. My high school buddy and I were diehard followers of the hometown London Knights in those days, but the Knights missed the playoffs that season so we started making the short drive to St. Marys to follow the fortunes of the Lincs. (It was great fun to watch hockey in St. Marys' old arena, which had the narrowest ice surface I'd ever seen for hockey -- they couldn't fit the two face-off circles in the defensive zones. Eventually, their home games were moved to Stratford during that playoff run, to accommodate the larger crowds). The Lincs' players were older than the Waxers, but there was a huge discrepancy in talent, despite the fact that Boudreau and many of his mates were just in their mid-teens. Boudreau went on to star with the Toronto Marlboros the next three seasons and then became an American Hockey League legend, amassing 799 career points between the occasional cups of coffee with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His old Waxers are (like the oft-mentioned-in-these-pages Stouffville Spirit) a Tier II junior A team now, and have reached the league final (losing the series opener last night in Oakville). And Boudreau's having a pretty good season himself. He took over the floundering Washington Capitals in mid-season and has coached them right into the Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm thrilled for him. Always approachable, he'd be the first to reach for his wallet when it came time to buy the opening round, not just for friends but for anyone who happened to be at the table. Hopefully, he'll have a long and fruitful head coaching career in the NHL.
I felt like I was in my mid 30's yesterday watching the Blue Jays on TV, wearing their old powder blues in the home opener against Boston. These are a tad darker than the '80s version and I admit I was surprised that I liked them so much. Yes, they were originally road jerseys, and yes, I wish the numbers and names were blue with white trim instead of white with blue, but doggone it, I like them!
Detroit: W-0; L-5; Pct: .000. We'll visit this daily until (if?) they win a game.
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Monday, April 7:
I always swore I wouldn't be like my parents and would follow the current musical trends and artists until I cash in my chips. Wrong again. I didn't know half the acts at the Junos last night. And much as I love my old rock and roll, I should know better.
White Sox 13 Tigers 2. Detroit: W-0; L-6; Pct: .000. They can't lose today -- they don't play! But now they get to travel to Boston to be worm fodder for the Red Sox in their home opener tomorrow. Nice.
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Tuesday, April 8:
The charity stripe. No hands in your face, just you, the ball and the basket -- which looks wide as an ocean in practice and as tiny as the hole in the middle of a DVD when a game is on the line. And so it was for the Memphis Tigers last night, up by nine with a little more than two minutes left when Kansas started fouling. It was about that time that I started writing this piece, congratulating the Tigers on their first NCAA men's basketball championship. Then they started missing free throw after free throw. Their top player fouled out, Kansas hit a desperation three to tie it in the dying seconds and boom! Overtime. And Memphis didn't stand a chance. Watching their body language on TV, they were beat before the OT tip-off. Sure enough, the Jayhawks were the ones making the shots, draining the inevitable free throws after fouls and taking the title away. They handled the pressure -- they're the deserved champs.
Belated hats off to the Los Angeles Dodgers who celebrated their 50th anniversary in L.A. (an understandable sore spot in Brooklyn) by playing an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox in the old L.A. Memorial Coliseum. People often forget that the (twice) home of the Olympics, the USC Trojans and (for awhile) the Los Angeles Rams was also the Dodgers' first California home until they moved to Chavez Ravine. Great idea, and obviously the 113,000+ fans who turned out thought so, too.
Tigers idle. Detroit: W-0; L-6; Pct: .000.
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Wednesday, April 9:
It's that time again:
'Twas the night before playoffs, and two before Masters.
Time to make playoff picks, both success and disasters.
A look at the standings and what do I see?
My two favourite teams, looking down regally.
Montreal and Detroit, first-place clubs in their conference.
A placing that should help their Stanley Cup confidence.
We'll start in the East, 'cause we do every year.
No reason. Just a quirk from your friendly ol' seer.
The Habs, well, they've spent all year beating the Bruins,
Montreal then, in five, leaving Boston in ruins.
Last year, we said Pittsburgh would slap 'round the Sens.
Oops. This time we'll get it -- six games for the Pens.
Ovechkin's the reason folks are loving the Caps.
Washington then in six, as the Flyers collapse.
Inspiration hangs from Mark Messier's "11":
Rangers beat Jersey in a Newark game seven.
In the West, no, the Red Wings won't go all the way.
But they will defeat Nashville in five games, I'll say.
San Jose is my Cup pick, the Sharks are on fire.
They need six to burn Flames to a funeral pyre.
The Stars and the Ducks in a set rough and tumble.
And the champs will need seven to make Dallas stumble.
Minnesota's been a thorn in the Avs' side for years,
Not this time. Colorado in six as they click on all gears.
You might like these picks, or you might say "Tsk, tsk!"
Just remember -- if you bet, do it at your own risk!
Red Sox 5 Tigers 0. Detroit: W-0; L-7; Pct: .000.
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Thursday, April 10:
Off the schneid!!!
Tigers 7 Red Sox 2. Detroit: W-1; L-7; Pct: .125. And we can put this to bed.
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Sunday, April 13:
The first four days and nights of the Stanley Cup playoffs have resulted in some glued-to-your-television action but the barroom talk will centre on the officiating. The same infraction that wasn't called against Detroit Thursday night was called against Boston last night. In overtime. And Montreal used the power-play to score the game-winner. (I was driving home from work when it happened, listening to the Boston radio broadcast. The guys on WBZ went nuts). Nashville had reasons to be upset with the officiating in both game in Detroit. And New Jersey wondered why a call went against them when a virtually identical infraction committed by the Rangers went ignored. Valid arguments, but a fool's game to play. The bottom line is, take advantage of the chances you get on the power play and you'll be fine. And the calls will even out over time.
It seems almost unbelievable when the Canadian national women's hockey team fails to win gold at the world championship. But that's what happened yesterday with a 4-3 loss to the Americans in the championship game in China. The U.S. and Canada are almost equal in talent, yet the Canadians usually prevail. Both countries seem to take turns going on a run of wins at the other's expense. Canada has to hope that this isn't the start of one for their rivals.
We're late to acknowledge this, but kudos to the Stouffville Spartans' boys high school pucksters, Ontario champs for a second straight year. They matched the girls' accomplishment of a year ago. The females did their best to fashion a three-peat but couldn't pull it off.
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Tuesday, April 15:
No, no, no. You can't just make up the rules as you go along. The other night, Rangers' super-pest Sean Avery used an innovative way of getting into Devils' goalie Marty Brodeur's head -- he screened him by facing him and waving his stick back and forth in Brodeur's face. As a goalie, I would hate it, but there was no rule against it -- until now. Yesterday, the NHL announced that effective immediately, such action would be subject to a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. I'd have no problem if the league decided in the off-season to make such an action illegal. But this just screams that the NHL is simply making it up as it goes along. Which, in effect, it is.
Dominik Hasek been an outstanding goalie for years and years but he's not much more than simply average these days -- and last night he was below mediocre. Detroit would be wise to start Chris Osgood in game four in Nashville.
Here it is: April 15th -- my official end of winter. And the last of the snow in the front garden disappeared yesterday. I don't expect to see any more of it until mid-November at the earliest.
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Wednesday, April 16:
I came very close to driving to Chicago today to catch a Cubs game, which is exactly what I was doing a year ago when word filtered through on my satellite radio with details of the shootings at Virginia Tech. Hour after hour I drove and hour after hour the news got worse. It's still unbelievable to think of the carnage, 366 days later.
The Cubs will have to wait until the ivy is in bloom. The bride's car needed some work, so she needed a chauffeur. But I will get my baseball fix the first week of May -- just two weeks away!
I used to eat cereal. Every day. But my favourites aren't made anymore. I loved Grape Nuts Flakes and Apple Jacks. There's (to my knowledge) not a store in Eastern Canada that carries them anymore and frankly, I don't even know if they're still being made. I need something more than basic Corn Flakes and something a little less kidsy than Cap'n Crunch. So I eat toast.
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Thursday, April 17:
Goodbye Ottawa Senators, we hardly knew ye. I can't remember a team falling from grace so far so fast as the Sens did this year. They won all seven of their pre-season games and then started off 15-and-2 and when they beat Detroit 3-2 on January 12th ("Stanley Cup final preview!" the papers blared) they were 29-12-4 for 62 points. From that point on, they staggered home at a 14-19-4 pace (32 points), falling from first in the East to seventh and needing almost all of their 94 points just to get into the playoffs. Then, a four-game sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. There's a nasty ol' smell coming from Kanata and it may take all of the off-season to get rid of it.
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Saturday, April 19:
Happens every year. The Detroit Red Wings finish high in the standings and struggle mightily (often in vain) against their first-round opponent, usually because the goalie they face turns into Patrick Georges Frank Roy Vezina Brimsek. Last night, Nashville's Dan Ellis made 52 saves in as one-sided a hockey game as you can imagine. Yes, Detroit won, but just 2-1 in overtime. It will cost them down the road. The Wings are a grizzled lot, and the more games they play, the less chance they have of hoisting the trophy in June.
Hard to believe the New Jersey Devils have lost four straight years in either the first or second round. Harder still to fathom that Marty Brodeur has been outplayed by his goaltending opponent in all four of the losing series.
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Sunday, April 20:
A co-worker almost rolled his eyes at me early yesterday morning when I suggested Manchester United would have its hands full at neighbouring Blackburn. And hands full they did, needing a very late equalizer to salvage a critical point. So they're three points up on Chelsea with the goal-difference tie-breaker in their favour. Both teams have three games left with the critical one coming next Saturday at Stamford Bridge. A United win and the title is theirs but the Blues haven't lost a Premier League home game this season. They do have six draws from 17 matches, so if United can create a road saw-off, I'm sure they'll take it. The Red Devils' problem all year has been rising above the middle and bottom feeders. They drew at home to 17th place Reading. They lost at number-16 Bolton. Rival Manchester City swept both derbies this season. Draws at Tottenham, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough and a defeat at West Ham. Compare that with a collective four wins and a draw in their five games against the top clubs -- Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. It's no great comfort to me that United closes out with a home game against West Ham and a trip to Wigan.
Taking a called strike three to end the ballgame with the tying run 90 feet away? That's what Detroit's Ryan Raburn did yesterday against Toronto closer B.J. Ryan. And it sort of sums up the Tigers' sorry season so far.
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Tuesday, April 22:
Well, it took long enough but my two favourite NHL teams (don't ask) finally made it to round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Bob Cole kept saying last night, "there's nothing like a game seven." He's right, and I think he was thisclose to saying, "there's nothing like a game seven in Montreal." The whole city gets up for it in a way few places (and none outside Canada) ever do. I saw a game seven at the Forum once -- a rare Montreal loss, to Minnesota in 1980. The pre-game atmosphere was electric, the post-game letdown so intense, you could almost reach out and touch it. Unfortunately, last night the post-game celebration got out of hand along Ste-Catherine St. I'm not sure when Montreal turned into Detroit (site of my other favourite NHL team) in that regard, but it's never pretty.
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Wednesday, April 23:
MONTREAL -- So, when did Montreal become Detroit? The answer is, of course, a long time ago. While Detroit's worst riot was due to civic unrest, it also saw a terrible scene following the 1984 World Series win by the Tigers. Montreal? Hockey riots are commonplace, starting with the infamous "Richard Riot" on St. Patrick's Day, 1955 when people trashed the Forum and surrounding businesses after tear-gassing a home game into forfeiture. That was all due to a rest-of-season-and-playoffs suspension to Richard, a French-Canadian god. They also rioted after the Habs won the Cup in 1986 and again in 1993. Sad. Unnecessary. And thumbs-up to the people who have come forward, helping the police make arrests.
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Thursday, April 24:
MONTREAL -- I've seen Toronto get Stanley Cup fever even though the Maple Leafs couldn't get as far as the final. I've seen Pittsburgh go giddy for Stanley. I've seen (and especially heard) the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul turn heads in Duluth with the ear-splitting noise they created for the North Stars in a Cup final. But I've never experienced anything like Montreal right now. Every establishment I visited had flags, pictures and/or posters of the Canadiens. Every waiter and waitress is donning a Habs shirt. Every third car has a Canadiens flag. And when Montreal tied their second-round opener against Philadelphia in the final minute and then won it in the first minute of overtime tonight, the roar was heard from Mount Royal to the south shore -- both inside and outside the Bell Centre. I'm told Calgary and Edmonton get this way, but all I know is that I've never seen anything like it.
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Friday, April 25:
OTTAWA -- Funny region, Ottawa-Carleton. Despite the presence of the Senators, hockey fans across the Ottawa River in Gatineau are just about as over the moon about the Canadiens as Montrealers. In Ottawa, there's not much in the way of excitement at all. I realize there's the English-French thing, but I didn't expect quite as solid a dividing line.
Some paint company is going to make a lot of money someday if it approaches the municipal governments of Quebec's cities and towns and makes the novel suggestion of painting lines on roads, so drivers can identify lanes. Seriously, I know the province had a brutal winter, but the lines on the roads are almost non-existent right now. It leads to chaos, or at least more chaos that usual in that part of the country. My late father was from Montreal and he joked that the only way to survive was to press down on the accelerator, hit the horn, close your eyes and pray! And he did his driving there in the middle of the last century. Believe me, Dad, it's no better now!
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Sunday, April 27:
I thought the awarding of a decisive penalty kick to Chelsea in the dying minutes of their 2-1 win over Manchester United yesterday was a bit dubious -- penalized hand balls are supposed to include intent, are they not? But lest you think this is a case of sour grapes, I also thought Chelsea should have been up by about three goals at the half -- which would have made the controversy moot. Overall, the Blues were deserved winners. So here we go -- a tie for the lead with two games left for each side. United still control their own destiny with a large edge in goal differential. All they have to do is beat West Ham at home at Wigan away and the six points will guarantee them the championship. But it says here, they'll stumble and fail to close out with twin wins. Problems with lower-ranked clubs have cost them dearly already in this campaign. And failing to score last week at Barcelona might also be a bad omen for the Champions League with the second leg of United's semifinal set for Tuesday at Old Trafford. Conceding a goal to the Catalonia visitors would require no less than two in return to reach the title match against either Liverpool or -- you guessed it -- Chelsea.
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Tuesday, April 29:
The only thing that's kept me from going "A-hem!" regarding my first round playoff picks is the fact that I've also picked the San Jose Sharks to win the Stanley Cup. And here they are, down 0-2 to Dallas, having lost their first two home games -- which is the same thing the Stars did to Anaheim in their first-round win over the Ducks. That was one of just two series I got wrong in my predictions (Washington-Philadelphia was the other). But in round two, I would have taken Montreal, the Rangers, Sharks and Red Wings. And right now, it looks as if Detroit may be the only one on the right track there.
Road trip time. Tomorrow, it's off to New York and then Washington to see five ballgames in a three-game span. Of course, the forecast calls for showers and chilly temperatures all three days.
And a happy xxth to the bride today, the sunshine and the light of my life!
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Wednesday, April 30:
PHILADELPHIA -- I won't miss Shea Stadium. Today's ballgame was delayed for 40 minutes due to a water main break, of all things. When it finally got going, the Mets played like stumblebums and were demolished 13-1 by Pittsburgh. All of which allowed us to leave a little early for Philly and arrive in time for the Phillies and Padres. Good thing, too as the parking lots were jammed, what with the Flyers playing the Canadiens just across the street. Tough crowd in Philly. The temperature was about six degrees when a fan couldn't hold a screaming liner into the front row of the upper deck. "Nice hands," someone yelled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The bride and I did indeed "have the time of our lives" last night, taking in"Dirty Dancing" at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. A fun and well-delivered musical by the cast.
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