The CFL fumbles again and pro cycling comes to Alberta

From where I sit it looks like the CFL is leaving me disappointed andfrustrated...

via cfl.ca

It's Labour Day...the last chance for the CFL to have the football scene without the NFL's imposing shadow. It means a CFL double-header...Edmonton at Calgary followed by Toronto in Hamilton. A day of Canadian football, grab a drink and put your feet up...right? Wrong. The CFL has dropped the ball. Again. Not only is there only one game, but there's a game tomorrow. On Tuesday. In Toronto. Against Montreal. The Argos can't get a good turnout on a weekend evening, who the hell thinks they're going to draw anything other than friends and family? It's idiotic. The league then has back-to-back games scheduled next Sunday. Yes, the CFL is trying to compete against the opening weekend of the NFL. Good luck with that gang!

Speaking of bad timing...we hit the Tour of Alberta.

via cyclingmagazine.ca

It's Canada's first major cycling race. And arrives just in time for me not to attend. It's the first week back to school and most of the racing happens during the day. Even though the prologue is an evening event I'm not going. I was quite excited to hear the race was coming, until I looked the calendar. Yes, I know they are limited in when they can get the riders. And the summer is only so long here. But still, it's the first week of school. I can't justify keeping my child out late on a school night or missing school altogether for a bike race. I can't get the time off work anyway. I would love to support the Tour of Alberta. And hopefully I will be able to...next year.

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

Tim Tebow looks for a new team

From where I sit it looks like Tim Tebow is out of work...again.

via espn.go.com
 
Now start the moronic rumours of Tebow heading to the CFL. Nothing like the uneducated making comments about a league they clearly know very little about. Take a look at the game last week between Toronto and Edmonton. The Eskimos Mike Reilly was 35-46 for 511 yards and 3 TDs...he lost. Sure that's an extreme example, however 5 starters are over 1,800 yards, only Winnipeg with their QB carousel don't have someone over 1,000. Henry Burris in Hamilton has nearly 3,000. Some Tebow supporters think he deserves to be added to that list. Here's a simple message: Tebow can't throw. The Patriots even didn't have him practice with any other units. Useful? Hardly. So, why the hell would any CFL take a gamble on someone who can't play the Canadian style of game?

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

Would you want your team (NFL, CFL or Arena) to sign Tebow for anything other than a promotional stunt? Where would you play him?

A half a suspension and Team Canada takes ball hockey practice

From where I sit it looks like the NCAA has taken a useless stand...

via washingtonpost.com

A half? They suspended Johnny Manziel for a half? What kind of bush league suspension is that? Whether it was an 'inadvertent violation' or not it's still a useless suspension. The NCAA is trying desperately to create some sort of punishment for Manziel to save face. I'm not sure what exactly the message is here...it's not much of a punishment at all. The Aggies are playing Rice. The Owls went 7-6 last season in C-USA, although they did beat Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl last year. So, suspending one player, for a half, against an unranked team is hardly intimidating. What's next? A quarter? Three plays? Forfeit a first down? Either give out a real punishment or just shut up about it.

The count down to Sochi 2014 continues as the top hockey countries met to play golf...and ball hockey...

via edmontonjournal.com

It was called an 'Olympic orientation camp'. All the major countries had one. The highlight being ball hockey done by the Canadians. Apart from that there was basically nothing to talk about. What was the point of that? Couldn't everything have been accomplished through an e-mail or conference call? If the IOC wants the NHL in their games so badly, they should be the ones to come up with the insurance to allow a couple of one ice sessions. What happened over the weekend was completely irrelevant. The vast majority of these players already know each other and the new guys got on board quickly. It was a pointless exercise in drumming up talking points for the guys on TSN and other hockey nations...and a chance for the USA to show how stupid they look in their new jerseys. 

 via yahoosports

If there is a next time for NHLers in the Olympics please try to do it right. Get the players on the ice, or don't bother.

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

The NFL pressures ESPN and Pete Rose acts like an idiot...again

From where I sit it looks like the NFL is trying to pressure EPSN...

via technorati.com

Once again the NFL is trying to hide from the horrible truth that are concussions. I'm sick and tired of major leagues, including the NHL, hiding from the issues of brain injuries. These are the lives of people. Sure, they go into the sport knowing it's violent and there is a risk of injury, but not the long-term affects of a brain turned to mush. And those are just the pros. What about all those who never play professional sports? Concussions happen at every level of the game. Are those documented? Do those people make millions of dollars? Do they get any long-term help? No, no and no. Until the top levels start taking this seriously, there will be nothing done anywhere else.

Pete Rose needs a muzzle...

via hollywoodreporter.com

Please don't try to write off the accomplishments of other athletes just because their league doesn't measure up to your standards. You can't compare leagues. Just like you can't compare eras. There were less relievers when Rose played. For example in 1973 there were 7 pitchers with over 300 innings pitched. Last year there wasn't anyone above 240. There's more and better scouting. Better training for pitchers. Pete Rose would have been a great player today, but he wouldn't have put up the numbers. Rose wants to start counting his minor-league hits too. Try keeping to top level playing here Pete. Sadaharu Oh is the all-time home run leader. Not Barry Bonds. Josh Gibson's name should be in this conversation too. There's a long list of players who put up amazing numbers, but didn't see full time in the Major Leagues. That doesn't diminish what they did...just as it doesn't diminish what Rose did. Only Pete Rose is so petty, he refuses to acknowledge someone else may be better.

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

the NCAA does something right, Braun does something wrong and I want FoxSports 1

From where I sit it looks like the NCAA has finally made the right decision on something...

via abcnews.go.com

Sure it was dumb that the military clause was removed from the NCAA regulations, but with just under 2 weeks to go until the regular season this is good. Stephen Rhodes is a young man who gave up 5 years of his life to protect us. The very least that can be done is to give him the game he loves. I have criticized the NCAA a lot in the past couple of weeks...mainly for being abjectly stupid. But this is justice. This wasn't some guy pissing around Europe, he risked his life. And the NCAA is letting him reap the reward. Now can we please resume focusing on the games?

Ryan Braun is back in the news...this time for a developing foot-in-mouth disease.

via espn.go.com

The two biggest issues Braun raised swing wildly along the complaint spectrum. Antisemitism is a serious allegation and should be investigated fully. I don't care who the guy is or even what he's doing. Something like that must be treated seriously in a part of life. Allegedly Braun claimed not only was the urine collector racist...but he was a Cubs fan! How could he still do his job in good conscience as a Cubs fan? The bastard! We all know how low Cubs fans can sink...they even interfere with their own team!

via theguardian.com

So, this must be true. I'm looking forward to Braun addressing all this crap...at the very least to see whether he's removed his foot yet.

One final thought here...and this is for the CRTC. Please let me have Fox Sports 1. SpeedTV is dead and what they're show is worse than their regular junk. Sportsnet is running 4 stations (regional, 360, world and 1). So, let's have another sports broadcaster up here!

Since it's Jay and Dan that could help with CanCon rules...right?

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

The EPL is back and no more nice purses at NFL games

From where I sit it looks like football is back...

via sportsun.org

Yes, real football. I love the NFL, thoroughly enjoy the CFL, but this is football, this is the English Premier League. The top flight of club football in the world. Please don't get me wrong, I have a great deal of respect for the Bundesliga, La Ligua and Serie A. There are some powerhouse sides, with huge names in each of those leagues. But it's not the EPL. It's football done by those who created it. The EPL is a tough league, there isn't room to hide from a hard tackle and don't expect sympathy from the referee. As for the fans, have a browse through some of these to get a flavour of the British football supporter. And after the way the season ended two years ago...

this really is the best league.

Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, don't bother to take a nice purse to any NFL games.

via marketplace.org

Sure, the bombing at the Boston Marathon got everyone worried about unattended bags, but this ban is ridiculous. That was a tragedy. Not a trend. I can't blame the NFL, or any other leagues, for upping security. However, this comes across as heavy handed. The target seems to specifically be purses and diaper bags. There can be just as much damaging material in a heavy winter jacket as a purse, but there's no ban on parkas. Let's add to that the ban doesn't apply to tailgating. So, a terrorist could just as easily cause havoc before a game as during. This feels more like an attempt to get money out of fans to buy their stupid plastic bags, as an effort to keep people safe. If the NFL was serious about keeping people safe they would ban tailgating, have fully body scanners at every door and do a full background check on every ticket buyer. More like boarding an airplane. Hopefully, that will never happen. Hopefully.

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

The IOC is in more trouble and the NFL bans gridlocked helmets

From where I sit it looks like the IOC is in deep trouble no matter what they do...

The Russian government has left the IOC with no safe way to deal with the situation. They either follow their own rules and support a draconian law...or do the right thing and risk losing their international support from other countries. I'm sorry to say this but Russia isn't even the worst offender. In fact, some major Olympic stars come from countries where homophobia is rampant. Take a look at this case from Jamaica. But Usain Bolt is still the biggest name in track. There isn't really much the IOC can do here. If they want to move the games, where do they go? Even the most recent Olympic city, Vancouver, couldn't be ready to go in this short a time frame. Plus for the sake of the people in Sochi I don't think it should be moved. Honestly, this is when the IOC needs to stand up, change their own rules and wave the rainbow flag proudly. Whether or not they will is something else entirely.

Meantime, the NFL is once again making headlines, this time for banning the use of customized facemasks.

via sportsgrid.com

Guess, what...I'm fine with this. Those helmets look idiotic. I want the league to focus on letting players have fun through skill and showmanship. Not stupid facemasks. I can't even understand why someone would want to do this. Apart from some extra protection, it only adds weight. It certainly can't make breathing any easier. Plus it's only going to add to the strain on a players neck. These helmets look more like something to put in front of the fireplace to keep the sparks down...or maybe a high school metal shop art project. They can ban all the helmets they want, but please let me watch the players have fun.

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