The Hot Stove…

A few folks have asked me to post it, so here is the satellite hot stove from CBC tonight

tonight they talked about fighting, and the move to “ban it”, the CBA- Vinny, Al “he is being offered all over the league- at least 5 teams are in on it, TB wants Markov” Montreal number one on Vinny’s list..MB TB has a total lack of credibility if they trade him… NYI playing in KC…trade today…

watch it here

Al-Strachan Needs Help

Another useless article by Big Al. You don’t even have to read it to predict what is in it. Lets see, those who predicted attacking the league for a cap, you are correct. I mean the guy is sooooo smart he writes for who again? Oh yeah, no one. He is picked up by fox sports. The CBC is so desperate they continue to put him on the hotstove. One has to wonder what he pays the CBC to appear. His most recent article is yet another in the long series of the CAP is bad for fans…yadda yadda yadda. We know, AL move along…

Why raise it? Well Al speculates that the Cap will drop down to 45m in 2010-2011. He then tries to explain which teams are going to be in deep trouble for fact that they have too much money tied up in too few players;

“To the right is a list of some of the teams in precarious positions. The figures represent the amount of money, to the nearest million, that is already committed. The player number shows how many players are under contract for that year. Each team needs to have at least 23 players on its roster.”

Only one problem…the chart only contains 2 columns, the Team and the amount of money committed.

Missing Info?

So when Al says : “A team like the Rangers, therefore, will have about $9 million at its disposal to pay 16 players. Similarly, Philadelphia will have $3 million to pay 13 players.” It isn’t backed by ummmmm anything. At least he tried to do some homework.

One Day in, so far so good

First an ESPN writer calls him a turkey then Brian Burke throws a little cold water on his return to Toronto, here is hoping EYE has a bottle of rolaids or tums near his bed…. This couldn’t have been what J.B. Barry was hoping for as the Leafs brass heads out west. I loved his line about not wanting to make a comment about Burke’s comment and spoil Burke’s big day….CLASSIC……

Burke, in today’s paper said the right thing about Sundin, “I think it’s my job to determine, a, if he has interest, and, b, the cost,” Burke said. “Then, and only then, can I decide if it makes sense.” After how many questions on the same subject do you think it took for Burke to have to finally provide that gem??

JFJ, if you recall threw cold water on Gilmour while sitting at the table with Richard Peddie the day he was announced. His relationship with the media and fans never really recovered. Both smelt inexperience and he was doomed from the get go.

Burke played this one brilliantly. By steering this over to Sundin (why would he want to play here) he takes the pressure off (why there is any I don’t see, but I digress). His response today is more to shut people up I think. I mean you can just imagine the 500th question on Sundin him saying, look, until I hear from him that he would come back and what that is going to cost me how the hell can I comment? His answer yesterday echoes what so many people have been saying for a long time. Why would he want to come back. Hell Al Strachan (whom, by the way is brutal…no really, one word, brutal. How is this guy on the hotstove ??? There are so many better writers (and al doesn’t even write anymore) then this guy- first the CBC lost the song now they parade this jackass out there) said Sundin is still sour at how he was treated and would be #31 on his list of top destinations……

I don’t believe he is 100% wanting to come back. I think he is working out to see what type of shape he is in. Word is he isn’t even skating yet. He is meeting with teams to appease his agent so just in case he does want to come back he will have an idea. Like what kind of idea he needs is beyond me, but again I digress.

Burke has played this one perfectly. Would be nice to get a little bit of honesty on this one….

How great is it by the way that Sundin has notified the Maple Leaf media he won’t be talking to them while he is out there??? No seriously… With the ecconomy in the crapper how many of these guys said to their bosses, I have to go, Burke is there and I am sure I can have a chat with Mats to get the scoop….Opps….I rack one up for Sundin and EYE on this one!

Al Strachan Comes Clean: He Can’t See The Game

In another useless blog on Fox sports, Big Al writes about the 5 ways Bettman should improve the NHL.

This one is by far the best:

“Move the press boxes closer to the ice. Hockey is incredibly fast, but because press boxes are as far from the action as they can possibly be, the game looks slow. Many American writers are new to the game and aren’t aware of the speed at which it is played. If they were, they would write in more glowing terms. Since basketball takes this approach, it’s surprising that Bettman hasn’t mandated it.”

So it’s just for the new American’s to the sport eh Al? There is next to no chance of this happening. Where would they put the pressbox and who is going to pay for the lost real estate in moving some seats to accommodate the pressbox? If I was going to list 100 things that need to be changed this wouldn’t crack it.

His number one is classic too, “Get a better TV deal”, yeah, like I am sure Bettman and co haven’t thought about that yet…I am sure they aspire to have the worst TV deal in pro sports. Don’t you think that if they could do better then their current deal they would????

Al, do us a favor, go back to doing what you do best….which is what you do in between these usless posts, NOTHING!