Lindros gets rejected and MLB heads towards more suspensions

From where I sit it looks like the list of Hockey Hall of Fame inductees is again cause for debate.

Not at all for who's on the list, all worthy choices. It's those deemed 'snubbed' by some reporters/pundits/experts. No matter who gets in there will always be questions raised about names left off the list. Tops this year seems to be Eric Lindros. Sadly, his above average numbers and intimidation factor don't override what happened off the ice. Sure, there are hall of famers with lesser numbers, but how many had his parents? Or his petulant attitude. From the start Lindros came across as a spoiled brat who pouted when things didn't go his way. Or, worse yet, got his parents to call and act on his behalf. Sadly, this is a product of the Canadian hockey ideal. It's the expectation that hockey players will set themselves to a higher standard. Unlike in some sports where the star will sulk if he/she doesn't get called on in tight games. Lindros and his family rarely measured up to public expectation. Whether, justified or not that will always be held against him...and his mom will call and complain about that too.

Speaking of whiny, rich jerks...big name Major Leaguers are in trouble.

Once again, big name players are facing sanctions over the use of PEDs. Once again, they refuse to answer questions. I guess there can be some honour among thieves. Nobody wants to tell the truth, or turn in their friends. All this is doing is making the players look worse. They are placing themselves in line with so many others who deny their culpability, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Fans know they cheated. Clearly, MLB has evidence they cheated. But they sit there denying it all, like a 4-year-old caught with a hand in the cookie jar. And, what do they gain through mindless denial? Certainly not respect from the fans. Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining. We know you are cheats and the sooner you tell the truth, the sooner we can all move on.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Silva acts like an idiot...and so does NASCAR

From where I sit it looks like Anderson Silva made a complete ass of himself.

There's not many other ways to describe what happened. Chris Weidman deserved more respect than what Silva afforded him in the octagon. Sometimes you need to see the entire fight to grasp the nuance of what happened. Sometimes a fight can be easily summarized in 10 seconds. Silva wanted to play stupid games. And he did. Weidman wanted to fight. And he did. Hubris may be the best word for Silva on the night. A stupid, arrogant display of contempt that ended precisely the way it should have. Weidman deserved the win and the title, if even just for taking his opponent seriously.

Speaking of moronic decisions brings me to NASCAR and the Coca-Cola 400.

Once again a green-white-checker finish left just as many cars wrecked as fighting for the win. In fact this time they managed to one up themselves in dangerously stupid choices..and basically ignored their own rules in the process. I grew up in the 'good old days' where the drivers 'raced back to the flag' when the yellow came out. However, in a wise move to make racing safer and give emergency crews more response time the field is frozen almost as soon as a crash happens. But, not Saturday night. For reasons known only to themselves a 6 car wreck was fully ignored, presumably for the sake of a dramatic finish. And it was dramatic...with another dozen or so cars piling up. What will it take for NASCAR to wake up and see the danger? Sadly, it will probably take a full-on tragedy for changes to be made.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Happy Independence Day

From where I sit I want to wish my American family, friends and followers a very happy 4^th of July.

I am Canadian. I always will be proudly Canadian. However, I will celebrate the 4^th today. Let's face it, everybody loves a party...and those thrown in the USA can hardly be matched. It's also an opportunity to remember how blessed we are. We share an undefended border. Our battles are fought in stadiums between teams, not in the streets between gangs. Disagreements are settled in board rooms with handshakes, not in war zones with guns. Canada and the United States share a bond, unlike anything else in the world. We celebrate victories together. We mourn tragedies like the Boston bombings or the lost firefighters in Arizona. We welcome people from around the world to share our freedoms. It's knowing when push comes to shove we stand together. It's the bond of friendship, of rivalry, that can only be shared between friends as close as we are.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The Coyotes stay put...for now

From where I sit it looks like the Phoenix Coyotes are staying in Arizona...

Or is that the Arizona Coyotes are staying in Phoenix? Or Glendale? I think. In any case, I'm so relieved this is over with. It's great that the City of Glendale has made a commitment to keeping a money losing franchise locked up for the next 5 years...which should be enough time for Seattle to get a new rink built so the Coyotes won't have to play in Key Arena. Glendale City Council can't afford emergency services, and they continue throwing good money after bad.  A new stadium is on the way in Edmonton. City Council here had lengthy debates about money potentially being spent in other areas, however there won't be cuts to services. Firefighters and Edmonton Police are still getting their share of the budget. Taxes aren't going up. It should also be pointed out...the Oilers suck! They haven't made the playoffs since 2006. And it's the toughest ticket in town. The Coyotes went to the conference final last season and missed the playoffs this year by 4 points...and they can't get anyone to attend! After getting a sell out on opening night, only 8,355 people bothered to show up 3 days later. So, I'm glad the Coyotes are staying in Glendale. It will give Seattle time to properly get ready for their team in 5 years.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Danica isn't a racer and the Blackhawks raise the bar for class

From where I sit it looks like Kyle Petty is in trouble...for being right.

The former Petty has a very legitimate point about Patrick. Sorry, she's not that good. Yes, she's quick, even has a couple poles, but really isn't all that accomplished as a racer. Take a look at her numbers. One win. That's it. Six podiums in 114 races in Indy Car. NASCAR has been worse. Even at lower levels she's lacking in results. In what's now the Atlantic Championship, Danica Patrick had 0 wins and 5 podiums in 24 races. As comparison Simona De Silvestro took 5 wins and another 5 podiums in 35 races. Patrick is a sell. Plain and simple. Is she a great spokesperson? Yes. However, she's not a racer. If it wasn't for marketing Danica Patrick would never have made it out of the lower ranks. Naturally, Patrick laughed off the comments from Petty. And so she should. I wouldn't expect her to come out and say, “He's right, I'm here for my looks.” The best drivers at all levels share one thing in common, they win. So Patrick is left with a simple way to get many critics to shut up. Win. And I don't see that happening any time soon.

The NHL presented a brilliantly sentimental commercial during the Stanley Cup final...

The simple hand shake after a series remains one of the more powerful sights in hockey. Two teams battling for up to 7 games, then sharing a hand shake. The Chicago Blackhawks have taken the respect to a whole new level. This ad ran in the Boston Globe on the same day the Blackhawks held their victory parade:

Much is made of the 'me first' attitude of many sports figures. There is a champion every year, in every sport. But to win with class is almost unheard of. Sure, every winner pays tribute to their opponent, but a full-page ad is a gesture I've never seen. It's fun to have a rival, it's great to have a rival you respect. Well done Blackhawks.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

the Stanley Cup thrills while the CFL kicks off

From where I sit it looks like a fantastic Stanley Cup final with an amazing ending...

Although it didn't go 7 games there's nothing preventing this final from joining the ranks of other classics. Three overtime games, almost every game decided by a goal (game 3 was 2 goals). This series manged to showcase the NHL delightfully. Speed, aggression, finesse, intensity, toughness. Everything the League wants fans to revel in. From Tukka Rask stopping damn near everything in games 2 and 3; to game 4's 11 goals. From Patrice Bergeron being held together with medical tape; to the Bruins game 6 collapse. It seems hard to believe the season was almost wiped out. This takes a big piece of that sting away. Now, don't do it again!

The CFL season kicks off this week...the importance of this depends on what you look for in football.

I am an NFL fan, but I still enjoy the CFL. Its style of game is wide open. A free flow of offense. It's a fun game to watch. But, sadly lacks the promotional power and star names of the NFL. The NFL is the best league being played by the best players.  That will never happen north of the border. So the CFL remains a 2^nd tier league. Honestly, the League would be best served to embrace that.  Most players who come up here have no clue that Canada is like, or even some of the basic rules of the Canadian game. But they grow to love it. So, what if they leave for a bigger paycheque?  I still want to see the highest quality players available.  In smaller centres the players become major celebrities. The passion shown by fans in Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Edmonton and Calgary rivals anything seen south of the border.  The biggest difference is...this is our game.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A Heat repeat, a new coach in Vancouver and trouble in Calgary

From where I sit it looks like the right team won the NBA title...however, I do see a couple of issues.

The biggest one is the series format. Unlike the NHL, the NBA uses a 2-3-2 series, but just in the final. The rest of the time it's 2-2-1-1-1. My complaint is, since when has travel been a problem in the NBA? Game 7 was great, but game 6 was a marvel. Certainly the Heat came through in the clutch and the Spurs simply couldn't put them away. However, how much different could things have been if the game was in San Antonio? Would the Spurs have gotten more calls from the refs with support from the home crowd? Could Miami have rallied against the noise, instead of with it? 

Secondarily, I have a bone to pick with Danny Green. Sure, he's friends with LeBron James, but did he need to show up at the Heat party? Send a text, a tweet, whatever, just don't show up at the party. Hell, even show up at a party next week. But on the night you lost the championship...not such a smart move.

In the NHL, Boston and Chicago are helping fans forget the lockout with a thrilling series. Meanwhile, several teams are filling coaching vacancies.

The Canucks are, perhaps, making the biggest change. John Tortorella will keep life interesting for the players, fans, and most importantly the media. The big question will be if the team can follow orders from Tortorella. In spite of a mass of talent in New York, the Rangers were a defense first team, trying to stifle creativity from both sides. If the team can be brought into line, and the Sedins, Kesler et al can still produce, they will again challenge. However, if there's another New York...well, I think we won't be needing Larry Brooks to get more quotes from Tortorella.

One other NHL related thought. Calgary has been hit by heavy flooding, including severe damage to the Saddledome.

I am not now, nor will I ever be a fan of any team from Calgary. Not the Flames, not the Hitmen, not the Roughnecks, not the Stampeders. However, this not a time for sports rivalries. The city is in need. So are her people. When the time is right I will lustily boo Calgary teams and cheer anyone they play against. Until then, stand tall Calgary. My thoughts and prayers with everyone affected.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.