Saturday, October 1:
Another college football overtime "instant classic" between Michigan and Michigan State -- this time featuring Wolverines' kicker Al Alphonse and Spartans' kicker Gary Gaston. It may have been an error-plagued game, but highly entertaining. That is until ABC cut away in overtime for the spine-tingling opening kickoff between Syracuse and Florida State. Does the name "Heidi" mean anything to these chowderheads?
PREDICTION, BOXING: Antonio Tarver over Roy Jones Jr. -- KO in 4th.
Sunday, October 2:
Here's hoping Roy Jones Jr. retires from the ring. He was a great champion, but now appears to be deathly afraid of taking a big punch. And maybe that's justifiable after getting KO'd in two straight fights. But against Antonio Tarver, he simply ran around the ring for 12 rounds, trying to avoid getting hit and showboating for the crowd. He only showed flashes of past brilliance in the fifth round, and was almost unplugged in the 11th. If this is his future MO in the ring, then I'll pass on watching.
Monday, October 3:
PREDICTION, BASEBALL - FIRST ROUND:
White Sox over Red Sox in 5.
Yankees over Angels in 5.
Cardinals over Padres in 3.
Braves over Astros in 4.
Thursday, October 6:
Saw my first hockey game under the new crackdown rules tonight in Peterborough. I know it will take some time for players, coaches and referees to get a handle on this, but Holy Moly!! Thirty-one minor penalties (!), 28 power plays and I-don't-know-how-many 5-on-3's. I love everything about an October drive from my Stouffville home to Peterborough on the back roads, but in this instance, watching the fall colours beat watching the game hands down. I actually thought the refs were gonna call two minutes for skating.
Friday, October 7:
Have a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day weekend -- and to our American friends: an equally safe, happy and healthy Columbus Day weekend!
Monday, October 10:
It’s difficult to write these words, as I remember a colleague and friend who left us on Saturday. Tom Cheek might have described himself as a “tall drink of water” but he only ever looked down on people literally, never figuratively. As the premier voice of the Toronto Blue Jays from day one until last year when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, Tom was indeed, the “voice of summer” for a great many, not only in Toronto and Ontario, but across Canada. He was one of those folks baseball fans grew up with, and hoped to grow old with.
So many people have personal “Tom” stories. I’ll always remember his humour and love of the occasional practical joke. I was covering spring training in 1986, and the Blue Jays were close to breaking camp in Florida. A new month had dawned and I found myself sitting next to Tom in the tiny Grant Field press box prior to an exhibition game. We were chatting about the Jays’ playoff run the previous season, when his eyes grew wide. He stared past my shoulder and shouted in horror, “What’s THAT?! ” Like a complete huckleberry, I whirled to my left, only to hear Cheek chuckle, “April Fool’s !”
He was as fine a man as he was a broadcaster, and he was a giant in his field. God speed, Tom. You’ll be missed.
Tuesday, October 11:
So much for the best ballclubs money can buy! Both the Yankees and Red Sox are now on the sidelines. I see that Mike Mussina was the losing pitcher in game five. No tears over that from this corner. Mussina was the guy who showed up Cito Gaston in the 1993 all-star game at Baltimore by warming up on his own, and then complained after the Tom Cheek tribute last season in Toronto that the ceremony screwed up his pre-game ritual. Nice.
Well, I was 2-for-4 in round one of the baseball playoffs, and the only one I nailed in terms of the correct number of games was the "easy one." St. Louis and San Diego.
Onward and upward!:
PREDICTION, BASEBALL - SECOND ROUND:
White Sox over Angels in 7.
Cardinals over Astros in 5.
Saturday, October 15:
I can see it now -- Leaf Nation will be planning the Stanley Cup parade route down Bay Street now that Toronto has won three straight NHL games. Three days ago, people were throwing the season away.
For me though, it’s still football season. I had visions of attending a college game in the states today, but those plans fell through. Just as well. I watched two fantastic finishes to games on television -- first, Michigan's last-play touchdown to beat Penn State and then moments later, a USC winning score with three seconds left to upend Notre Dame. To say nothing of UCLA's stirring comeback overtime win at Washington State a few hours later. There aren't many sports I don't love, but college football is at the top of the list.
And baseball's right there, too. I was killing time in the basement today when I discovered some long forgotten (and very faded) photographs from baseball road trips in my 20's. Yep, way back then, and yes, they did have cameras in those old days. But mine was just a simple thing, and the quality of these pictures are poor. Still, I'll tinker with them in Paint Shop Pro over the next few weeks and post them, just to give you an idea of what the ballparks looked like in the late '70's and early '80's.
Thursday, October 20:
Sometimes I wonder if there's any grey matter inside my old cranium. I haven't been the least surprised by the Chicago White Sox' playoff success for one major reason: Great pitching always beats great hitting. Smart baseball minds have been saying that for a century. But I didn't apply the same principle to my National League predictions. I didn't like Houston in either series, and yet here they are in the Fall Classic because of their pitching. But I don't like them in the World Series, either. Both teams have great pitching, but the White Sox can hit. They can also play "small ball" as well as any National League club.
I'm 3-for-6 so far -- this pick will make or break me:
PREDICTION, BASEBALL - WORLD SERIES:
White Sox over Astros in 6.
Switching gears, kudos to Ontario Hockey League commissioner Dave Branch and the people who operate McGill University for their swift and decisive action dealing with two hazing incidents that were unfortunate at best, and hideous at worst. Branch levied stiff fines to the Windsor Spitfires and a severe suspension to coach and GM Moe Mantha. McGill cancelled its football team's two remaining games. Harmless team initiation methods like singing a school song or having rookies fetch pucks after practice are one thing -- public humiliation and acts that run afoul or the law and morality are quite another.
Sunday, October 23:
I wish everyone could have shared in the fun and camaraderie from Saturday night in Sarnia, Ontario. A collection of great junior hockey fans, representing different teams, cities and even countries, gathered in a superb display of laughter and friendship. Seems odd that there is so much disagreement in the world, when this proves that complete strangers can come together, start meeting twice a year and form lasting friendships. And a sincere thank you to the Sarnia Sting and the staff at Kelsey's in the arena for being such wonderful hosts.
I think the odds of winning both last week's Powerball in the U.S. AND the upcoming 6-49 draw in Canada might be better than having the Detroit Lions, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens win while the Toronto Maple Leafs and Green Bay Packers lose on the same weekend. I love it
Friday, October 28:
OTTAWA -- I've been watching hockey for a long, long time -- more than four decades, which of course, belies my youthful appearance! I'm hard pressed to remember have seen a better goal live than Jason Spezza's overtime winner for the Ottawa Senators last night over Montreal. It was the sort of hockey magic that would make you swallow your gum, and if you haven't seen it, just check out any of the upcoming "plays of the week." I had a perfect view -- five rows up, between the goal line and the face-off circle. Of course, I had put my camera away by then, in an effort to scoot away quickly and avoid the worst of the legendary Corel Centre traffic jams. Even so, I lingered to watch it again on the centre ice scoreboard, it was that outstanding.
And by the way, a great radio call on the goal from my old colleague Dave Schreiber, subbing for Dean Brown, who was doing the game on TV.
