Tuesday, October 24, 2006

you get vaseline

i'm pretty sure this is a parody of oprah.

but i gotta admit tyra banks does do a good interpretation of crazy, perhaps a little too well.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

look at me, i'm so great


Leafs are doing well. Who could have seen this coming?

Me.

A wise man once asked (September 11, 2006), where are the Leafs goals going to come from this year? Yours truly posted a comment saying that I have an idea (scroll to the bottom for my comment). You know, just a hunch.

Fast forward a month and a half later. What team leads the NHL in shots? The Toronto Maple Leafs. Tonight they play the Colorado Avalanche, who rank 4th in Shots per game. Git ready boyz, it's gonna be a shootout at the AC corral.

Friday, October 06, 2006

running with remote controls

Dear Diary,

Last night, as I got home from work, I decided to keep a running log of events that passed as I was watching the Leafs-Sens game. Yes, I know this is straight stealing of an idea from Bill Simmons, and yes, I realize that using the internet to talk about television is slightly, well, lets just say that the internet has better uses.

Anyways, I had my pad thai, Leafs were up 2-0 after one, the digital clock had just struck 8 and I started.

8:00 First thing was to notice the new addition to the Centre Ice package this year, HD sports channels. To wit, not only was the Leafs – Sens game on CBC HD, I had game two of the NLDS between L.A. and New York on HD, and as a bonus surprise I got Philadelphia at Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is up 2-0.

8:09 I’m really excited for the Leafs this year. Thoughts on last night’s game (that the Leafs lost 4-1) were;
-Leafs skated well
-Bates Battaglia was a great surprise. My friend Blake reminded me last night that this was the same Battaglia that was pretty darn good in the Toronto-Carolina playoff match up of a few years ago.
-There are a lot of AHL guys from last year on the Leafs roster this year, and it’s going to take a while for the team to gel. But there’s a big, if not huge, difference (and I think it’s a good one) between this year and last that results from this fact. These guys (former Marlies) are hungry. The old guard of players had their best years behind them, and on some nights, seem to be resting on their laurels. Not these guys. And quite frankly, I think with the new rules, it’s easier for AHL forwards to adapt to the NHL than it is for the defencemen. I think this is why Ferguson went after defencemen in the free agent market this past off-season and only signed Peca for the forwards.
-Martin Gerber saved Ottawa. I still contend had the Leafs scored on their first shift last night, they would have walked away with a win. Once Gerber got into his groove, it was a large uphill battle for the Leafs.

8:11 Just flipped to Washington at the New York Rangers. Kolzig looks solid on one save. Flipped to Chicago at Nashville, and J.P. Dumont has scored for Nashville just 41 seconds into the game.

8:13 2nd period about to start in Ottawa. Another point about last nights game, I am not a fan of the people (note: not fans) who attend Toronto Maple Leaf games. Not only do they miss most of the beginnings of the second and third periods, but last night, with just under five minutes to go and only down by two goals, Gord Miller (the TSN announcer) was commenting that fans were starting to leave. Geez guys, it’s the first game of the season, you think you could show some support to your team and stick around? I’m a huge believer in positive energy and all that karma sutra stuff and home ice/field advantages and here in Toronto the Leafs basically don’t have it. Of course this is offset by the huge amount of Leaf fans throughout the world making lots and lots of noise when the Leafs go on the road. So I guess it balances out.

8:15 Review of the two Leaf goals so far. Kilger seems to always be rushing down the left wing and unleashing a slapshot. If he can harness that, we could see a fantastic goal production out of him. Kilger is one of the guys who might step up, and will have to, if the Leafs are to have a good season.

8:16 Flipped to Baseball. The L.A. starter apparently has one career win. Glavine has what, twenty something career playoff wins? Hmm… one career win is not exactly the kind of guy you want starting game 2 of your playoffs. I thought Maddux was starting for L.A. tonight? Back to Hockey and Belak and McGratton are fighting, or should I say throwing jersey jabs. Thats where you grab the opponent by the neck of their jersey, lean away, and jab. It’s highly affective if you have a reach advantage (which Belak has on McGratton) but it also tires you out. Not a single real punch connects. Don’t worry fellas; you got two more meetings in the next three weeks to get it on.

8:19 When Jeff O’Neill gets into shape, I’d like to see him with Sundin and Wellwood. This in no way is because I have him in my pool. Well, maybe a little way. Ok, ok, a big way. O’Neill would play well with Sundin. I’m just saying.

8:22 3-0 Toronto. Yep, definitely pumped.

8:25 FSN Pittsburgh is commenting on the Pittsburgh fans. Yes they are making noise, and yes it does seem like there are quite a few of them. But it is game #1. Think they’re concerned about a Canadian buying the team? I would be if I were them

8:28 Not a fan of the way Chris Neil shoves our players into our goalies. Good thing he got a penalty for this, after last year I’d think the NHL would do its utmost to protect the goalies.

8:29 Nashville-Chicago tied at two goals apiece ten minutes into the game? Wow, that’s some offense.

8:30 Tucker scores, 4-0 Toronto! This is great; I hope we kick their ass. I HATE OTTAWA. This goal is the epitome of how simple of a game it can be. Skate, shoot on net go to net. Good things happen. I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but sometime during those past few years I spent in Ottawa, a venomous seed of hate for the Sens was planted. Maybe it has something to do with Ottawa fans having perhaps the biggest inferiority complex in the world. To wit; in Ottawa, if the Leafs and Sens are playing at the same time, if you go to a bar (as I did on many occasions) the Sens fans cheer louder for the team that scores against the Leafs then they do for their own team scoring a goal.

8:33 3-2 for Chicago over Nashville?! What is going on? Mental note, bet the over the next time these two teams play.

8:37 This Leaf team is going to earn it this year. And they look like they have the hunger to own it. I’m gushing with anticipation.

8:41 Got a phone call. Diary shall be cut short; I am going out to watch the third period.

8:47 Wow! What a Goal by Alexei Ponikarovsky. I actually jumped out of my chair for that one. 5-0 Leafs.

10:43 8-6 Chicago over Nashville. Wow.

NFL PICKS

Last week 6-7. Overall 27-31.

My picks for this week (5).

Tennessee +18.5
At NY Giants -4.5
At Minnesota -6.5
At New Orleans -6.5
At Green Bay +3
Miami +10
Buffalo +10
At Carolina -8.5
At Jacksonville -7
At Arizona +3.5
At San Francisco -3
At Philadelphia -1.5
At San Diego -3.5
At Denver -4 Final score: 20-14