I never saw this as a blog.
It was always a place for me to post my "articles". I'm young(ish), but I'm old school at heart. I didn't want to blog, I wanted to write as if I were applying for a job as a sports columnist. And I did.
I wanted to write for TSN.ca. For years I sent them my stories and tried to sell them on their need to hire me as a "super-fan" columnist. They never bit, and so I turned here. Reluctantly.
And I posted articles once a week, stuck to my format, and continued to swim against the trend. Like I said, I'm old school. I was the last guy to get a cell phone. Everyone tells me I need to be on Twitter.
Instead, I continued to tell myself that I could make it happen. I went to school with a lot of these media guys, and look, Eric Duhatschek just told his audience what I've been preaching for years. I was mindful of my criticism, style and content, all with an eye towards something bigger and better.
And while I had this little sabbatical from this space the last couple of months, I realized that I didn't miss the writing. At least not the work I was putting into it. I love sports. I mean, I really love them. The pressure, the stats, the drama. I love cap numbers and sabermetrics. I love the Leafs and Jays, the Raps and Bombers, but I never wear "the goggles". I love the world juniors, NFL Sundays, the baseball playoffs, and the PGA Tour.
What I really missed was talking sports with my friends. I've moved around to a few different places, and each time I've had to leave behind a great group of guys. Sure, we can always text. But "pti was awwsum today" just doesn't cut it.
I never saw this as a blog. Now, this is a blog.
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
MoneyPuck
In 1997 the Oakland A's named 35 year-old Billy Beane their new General Manager. Beane was a new-age thinker, a sabermetrician who identified under-valued skills and quickly exploited those inefficiencies in the baseball player market. In Oakland, Beane implemented a statistically-based shift in baseball philosophy and consistently produced contending teams with a payroll that was in the bottom-third of the league.If you've read Moneyball you're saying 'yes, we know'. Well...I promise you I'm going somewhere with this, so stick with me.
Boston began following Oakland's principles in 2002 when the Red Sox made 28 year-old Theo Epstein the youngest GM in baseball history. Epstein ended 85 years of Red Sox frustration by making several astute pick-ups and delivering a championship in 2004. A year later both Texas (Jon Daniels, 28) and Arizona (Josh Byrnes, 35) got with the program and then Tampa Bay hired 30 year-old Andrew Friedman in 2007. Collectively they have learned from the OBP boom, are thriving in the WHIP era and fully understand that the VORP needs to be with you.
That year the NBA finally noticed what was happening in baseball that and soon the Houston Rockets made 34 year-old Daryl Morey their GM and Sam Presti (31) took over in Seattle/Oklahoma City. Morey and Presti have adopted new ways of valuing players and their output. They've helped usher some of the new basketball statistics (Offensive/Defensive Efficiency, True Shooting Percentage, and Player Efficiency Rating) into the mainstream but more importantly they've used it for their advantage. Morey paid 50 cents on the dollar in a trade for Kevin Martin in February and has Houston in excellent salary-cap position to add a big name next summer. It's only with a tiny bit of hyperbole that I say Oklahoma City resembles the 1981 Edmonton Oilers - at worst they're a poor man's version. (Durant is Gretzky, Westbrook is Messier, Green is Lowe, Presti is Slats...it actually works pretty well, you know...assuming the Thunder now go out and win four championships in five years.)
All of the aforementioned GM's share several qualities, namely: 1) age (clearly)...very young by comparison to the rest of their colleagues; 2) it was the first GM job for each of them; 3) they all embraced non-traditional statistical information; and 4) none are former elite players or come from famous sporting families. Epstein went to Yale. Friedman was a securities analyst. Byrnes began as a 24 year-old intern for Cleveland. They're college educated and/or have made there way up the ladder with smarts and hard work. Oh, and every one of their teams have an enviable roster stocked with homegrown talent and free of any ridiculously long-term contracts that can kill you.
And then there is the NHL, where Florida just hired 59 year-old Dale Tallon and back in November, Pierre Gauthier (57) took over in Montreal. Of the 30 NHL GM's, an overwhelming majority are on their second opportunity. Or they're a former high-profile player. Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, who will turn 37 in June, is the youngest manager in the NHL and one of only seven current GM's under the age of 50.
This is by no means meant to be an ageist attack, nor a judgment on the capability of Tallon or Gauthier to run NHL teams. But the fact is that owners, specifically NHL owners, continue to hire the same types of GM's despite mounting evidence in other professional sports that this updated model is indeed better. Who will be the team that first embraces the MoneyPuck philosophy, and why in the world is it taking so long?
Back in Major League Baseball, two more teams joined the new-age trend this past offseason when San Diego put Jed Hoyer (36) in charge and the Toronto Blue Jays handed the keys to Alex Anthopoulos (32).
Both teams are off to surprising starts.
Both teams are off to surprising starts.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Simply The Best
The most dominating team in pro football, both this year and in recent history, isn't the team you're thinking of.
Yes, the Colts are a perfect 9-0, have made the playoffs seven straight years, won the Superbowl in 2007 and feature a QB who is so ridiculously good he may very well be a robot...but the Colts are not worthy of the title "most dominating team in pro football".
Neither are the Steelers, even though they've won two of the last four Superbowls and have been #1 in total defence for most of the 21st century. The Patriots, with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, have been a model of winning and consistency but they aren't the answer either. The Dillon Panthers (a highschool team, but 'pro' by my standards because their players are paid) have had a good run the last three seasons, but with Coach Taylor leaving for East Dillon High, the Panthers will need a new gameplan.
No, the most dominating team in pro football doesn't reside in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Boston or on a weekly television show (Friday Night Lights is amazing by the way - watch season one and tell me differently, I dare you). Rather, the title belongs to a team and city further north, that plays in a league which famously claims "Our Balls Are Bigger."
The Montreal Alouettes put the finishing touches on a remarkable 15-3 regular season (where they scored the most points and allowed the least) a week ago and are once again the overwhelming favourite to win the Grey Cup.
The Als host the Lions this weekend in the East semi-final and with a win will go a perfect 10-0 at home in 2009. Soon-to-be 3-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Anthony Calvillo and his league best 108.4 QB rating and plus 20 TD to INT ratio is performing at a Manning-like level, and his receiving corps of Kerry Watkins, Jamel Richardson and Ben Cahoon are miles ahead of the competition. The rushing game, led by Avon Cobourne and his CFL best 13 rushing touchdowns, isn't overwhelming but with the passing game nearly flawless, it doesn't need to be.
The league recently announced the 2009 All-Stars and 14 of the 22 players named to the East team were from Montreal...and it probably should have included a few more.
Yes, the Colts are a perfect 9-0, have made the playoffs seven straight years, won the Superbowl in 2007 and feature a QB who is so ridiculously good he may very well be a robot...but the Colts are not worthy of the title "most dominating team in pro football".
Neither are the Steelers, even though they've won two of the last four Superbowls and have been #1 in total defence for most of the 21st century. The Patriots, with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, have been a model of winning and consistency but they aren't the answer either. The Dillon Panthers (a highschool team, but 'pro' by my standards because their players are paid) have had a good run the last three seasons, but with Coach Taylor leaving for East Dillon High, the Panthers will need a new gameplan.
No, the most dominating team in pro football doesn't reside in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Boston or on a weekly television show (Friday Night Lights is amazing by the way - watch season one and tell me differently, I dare you). Rather, the title belongs to a team and city further north, that plays in a league which famously claims "Our Balls Are Bigger."
The Montreal Alouettes put the finishing touches on a remarkable 15-3 regular season (where they scored the most points and allowed the least) a week ago and are once again the overwhelming favourite to win the Grey Cup.
The Als host the Lions this weekend in the East semi-final and with a win will go a perfect 10-0 at home in 2009. Soon-to-be 3-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Anthony Calvillo and his league best 108.4 QB rating and plus 20 TD to INT ratio is performing at a Manning-like level, and his receiving corps of Kerry Watkins, Jamel Richardson and Ben Cahoon are miles ahead of the competition. The rushing game, led by Avon Cobourne and his CFL best 13 rushing touchdowns, isn't overwhelming but with the passing game nearly flawless, it doesn't need to be.
The league recently announced the 2009 All-Stars and 14 of the 22 players named to the East team were from Montreal...and it probably should have included a few more.
Since 2002, the Patriots and Steelers have both won a pair of Super Bowls and the Colts have one of their own. The Pats went to another Superbowl in 2008 and lost. Meanwhile, the Alouettes have been to the Grey Cup final five of the last six seasons and are one win away from making it six of seven. If they win, they'll match New England and Pittsburgh in the championship column and they'll have done it without any mention of cheating. (See: Spygate, 2007)
The NFL has it's slick television production, a ridiculously awesome fan friendly schedule (from September to January, Sunday's are amazing) and superior athletes. But the CFL has the most dominating team. A Grey Cup win by Montreal in two weeks will seal their claim to the throne.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I Quit the All-Star Game
Hockey fans have gotten to the point where if someone asked us which we would rather watch: this weekend's NHL All-Star game or back-to-back viewings of ‘Requiem For a Dream’…it would be a toss up.
Both are equally scarring, un-enjoyable, and take days to forget.
I understand why the league does it: to thank their sponsors and to promote their star players. Both aspects are vital to any company’s survival and growth, so it’s not like the festivities are going away any time soon. But the entire event, the game, the skills competition, the introductions, the surrounding failed attempts at "hype", has all become intolerable.
I used to love the All-Star game. I remember really looking forward to it. I not only sat through those 11-5, 10-6, and 16-6 games in the early 90’s…I loved them. Seeing all the best players in hockey on the ice at the same time, Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, was almost mind-boggling. Watching the way everyone interacted with one another, identifying which players were leaders, who the jokers were, and who had the hardest shot or best accuracy…these were intriguing storylines that made for compelling television. It was great entertainment and was eagerly anticipated from this corner.
But somehow over the last decade or so, everything changed.
When I look back now, I see three primary reasons why the All-Star game has gone (for me personally) from can’t miss to can’t watch.
1) We grow up. As kids we like the players, we have our favorites, we collect the hockey cards and we devote most of our attention to the biggest stars. As we get older, our fan maturity kicks-in and the priority changes from individual accomplishment to team success. (Or lack thereof in the case of Leaf fans.)
2) Intensity. It seems to be on an indefinite suspension (much like Sean Avery, only he has a better chance of returning). I think the lack of intensity is caused by the fact that salaries have increased so rapidly and to such a degree that players no longer, as a whole, have the collective passion their predecessors had and therefore treat exhibitions as true exhibitions. Make no mistake, even the now mailing-it-in actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino put more effort into their performances than NHL All-Stars do.
3) Technology. With the number of local and national games that are televised, round-the-clock highlights, the plethora of information and video available on the internet, and the option of buying the NHL Center Ice package, fans today are more connected to the NHL than we’ve ever been. We can follow anyone and everyone as closely as we desire. Instead of catching glimpses of the best here and there and watching them congregate only once annually in the form of an All-Star game, we now see them nightly in double-headers, highlight packs, and fantasy recaps. The mystery that once surrounded players on teams outside our own division or conference has disappeared.
These three factors work together to create an All-Star weekend that features an incredibly lame skills competition (where players, if they agree to show-up, look bored, confused, or both) and a lifeless game of some sport that is indeed played on ice, but most assuredly is not NHL hockey.
This shouldn’t be misconstrued as a singular attack on the NHL. It’s more of a shot directed at all sports, because each of their so-called All-Star festivities are more Jared Leto than Jennifer Connelly. The Pro Bowl has never mattered, the NBA’s version faces many of the same problems that hockey’s does (no defence and a stale, unimaginative skills competition), and baseball’s game, while easily the closest to actual regular season quality, is reduced by the parade of pitchers and players that enter and exit seemingly by the moment, and the overwhelming boringness of the Home Run Derby. They all have issues that need to be addressed and corrected in order to make the events relevant and watchable for their fans.
Except the CFL, which actually has the best of the bunch.
Theirs doesn’t exist…
Both are equally scarring, un-enjoyable, and take days to forget.
I understand why the league does it: to thank their sponsors and to promote their star players. Both aspects are vital to any company’s survival and growth, so it’s not like the festivities are going away any time soon. But the entire event, the game, the skills competition, the introductions, the surrounding failed attempts at "hype", has all become intolerable.
I used to love the All-Star game. I remember really looking forward to it. I not only sat through those 11-5, 10-6, and 16-6 games in the early 90’s…I loved them. Seeing all the best players in hockey on the ice at the same time, Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, was almost mind-boggling. Watching the way everyone interacted with one another, identifying which players were leaders, who the jokers were, and who had the hardest shot or best accuracy…these were intriguing storylines that made for compelling television. It was great entertainment and was eagerly anticipated from this corner.
But somehow over the last decade or so, everything changed.
When I look back now, I see three primary reasons why the All-Star game has gone (for me personally) from can’t miss to can’t watch.
1) We grow up. As kids we like the players, we have our favorites, we collect the hockey cards and we devote most of our attention to the biggest stars. As we get older, our fan maturity kicks-in and the priority changes from individual accomplishment to team success. (Or lack thereof in the case of Leaf fans.)
2) Intensity. It seems to be on an indefinite suspension (much like Sean Avery, only he has a better chance of returning). I think the lack of intensity is caused by the fact that salaries have increased so rapidly and to such a degree that players no longer, as a whole, have the collective passion their predecessors had and therefore treat exhibitions as true exhibitions. Make no mistake, even the now mailing-it-in actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino put more effort into their performances than NHL All-Stars do.
3) Technology. With the number of local and national games that are televised, round-the-clock highlights, the plethora of information and video available on the internet, and the option of buying the NHL Center Ice package, fans today are more connected to the NHL than we’ve ever been. We can follow anyone and everyone as closely as we desire. Instead of catching glimpses of the best here and there and watching them congregate only once annually in the form of an All-Star game, we now see them nightly in double-headers, highlight packs, and fantasy recaps. The mystery that once surrounded players on teams outside our own division or conference has disappeared.
These three factors work together to create an All-Star weekend that features an incredibly lame skills competition (where players, if they agree to show-up, look bored, confused, or both) and a lifeless game of some sport that is indeed played on ice, but most assuredly is not NHL hockey.
This shouldn’t be misconstrued as a singular attack on the NHL. It’s more of a shot directed at all sports, because each of their so-called All-Star festivities are more Jared Leto than Jennifer Connelly. The Pro Bowl has never mattered, the NBA’s version faces many of the same problems that hockey’s does (no defence and a stale, unimaginative skills competition), and baseball’s game, while easily the closest to actual regular season quality, is reduced by the parade of pitchers and players that enter and exit seemingly by the moment, and the overwhelming boringness of the Home Run Derby. They all have issues that need to be addressed and corrected in order to make the events relevant and watchable for their fans.
Except the CFL, which actually has the best of the bunch.
Theirs doesn’t exist…
Friday, October 31, 2008
CFL or NFL?
If you’re Canadian and someone asks if you like football there are four suitable answers:
a. Yes.
b. I’m a CFL fan.
c. I’m an NFL fan.
d. I hate soccer.
a. Yes.
b. I’m a CFL fan.
c. I’m an NFL fan.
d. I hate soccer.
While I suspect most of you would reply with an enthusiastic ‘yes’, it would be foolish not to assume some of you are fans of either one league or the other. (For now, we’ll leave soccer on the outside.)
To fully determine which answer is most appropriate for you, consider the following:
If you enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn and heading down to the stadium to tailgate for hours before kick-off, you’re a NFL fan. If you slam six cans of beer in between parking your car and walking across the parking lot to the game, you’re a CFL fan.
If you want 110-yard touchdowns, 2-1 scores and gambling (going for it) on third down the CFL is your game. If you want 50-yard punts and real 50-yard field goals, along with 2000 Bud Light commercials, focus on the NFL.
If you live for Sundays and aren’t afraid to spend 6-10 hours firmly fastened to the couch, you’re a NFL fan. (Some people might call you lazy. I call you dedicated.)
If you want to see the same half dozen quarterbacks continuously being run out of one city only to become competent again in the next, it’s the CFL for you.
If you like to catch your favorite players on the nightly news (no, not SportsCenter), you’re an NFL fan. If you stroll past your favorite players in Wal-Mart, you’re a CFL fan.
If you think a team should have to win at least half their games in order to qualify for the playoffs, the NFL is your league.
If you want to believe a running back rushing for over 1000 yards in a season is still meaningful, you should be following the CFL.
If you enjoy creative and sometimes over-the-top touchdown dances, CFL games will provide it. If you want to see players celebrate awkwardly or not at all because they don’t want to be fined by commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL won’t disappoint you.
If you’re looking for the best halftime studio analysis the CFL is where you’ll find it. Randorf, Schultz, Dunigan and Climie are far and away the best panel in professional football. If you prefer hysterical laughing or listening to an incomprehensible Shannon Stewart, the NFL has you covered.
And while we’re on the subject of entertainment: NFL fans are treated to Usher, Keith Urban and Natasha Bedingfield, big, relevant names to kick-off a season. For the Grey Cup CFL fans somehow ended up with Theory of a Deadman, Suzie McNeil and someone named Andree Watters. Hey, at least it wasn’t Def Leppard.
(Quick tangent because I’m not ready to let this go: Did the NHL honestly believe Def Leppard was an appealing choice for their audience? Who okayed this? People thought McCain choosing Palin as his running mate was a bad selection. Well, this was easily 1000 times worse. What was the NHL thinking?)
If you’re a NFL fan you watch football with one eye attached to your fantasy scoreboard. If you’re a CFL fan you think a fantasy league involves five names of famous people you’re never going to hook up with.
(Tangent #2: I play fantasy sports 12 months a year and usually have numerous teams in several sports on the go, yet I’ve never been invited to join a CFL fantasy league. Not once. I’ve never even heard of a fantasy CFL league in casual conversation. Naturally, I googled CFL Fantasy football and clicked on fantasy.cfl.ca. This is what came up on the page:
CFFL Players,
Due to an unfortunate situation, all week 12 points will be nullified and the weekly prizes will be given out randomly. The Grand Prize standings will pick up again for week 13’s games.
We are sorry for the inconvenience. Our sincere apologies,
The CFFL Team
Rest assured, if an NFL Fantasy league tried to pull something like this, we’d be looking at multiple homicides and hundreds of friendships irrevocably damaged.)
If you're a NFL fan, years will pass before your team squares off against every other team in the league. If you're a CFL fan you wish years would go by without seeing the Tiger Cats come to town.
If you’re a NFL fan you grew up hearing stories about the ‘frozen tundra’. If you’re a CFL fan you grew up on the frozen tundra.
To fully determine which answer is most appropriate for you, consider the following:
If you enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn and heading down to the stadium to tailgate for hours before kick-off, you’re a NFL fan. If you slam six cans of beer in between parking your car and walking across the parking lot to the game, you’re a CFL fan.
If you want 110-yard touchdowns, 2-1 scores and gambling (going for it) on third down the CFL is your game. If you want 50-yard punts and real 50-yard field goals, along with 2000 Bud Light commercials, focus on the NFL.
If you live for Sundays and aren’t afraid to spend 6-10 hours firmly fastened to the couch, you’re a NFL fan. (Some people might call you lazy. I call you dedicated.)
If you want to see the same half dozen quarterbacks continuously being run out of one city only to become competent again in the next, it’s the CFL for you.
If you like to catch your favorite players on the nightly news (no, not SportsCenter), you’re an NFL fan. If you stroll past your favorite players in Wal-Mart, you’re a CFL fan.
If you think a team should have to win at least half their games in order to qualify for the playoffs, the NFL is your league.
If you want to believe a running back rushing for over 1000 yards in a season is still meaningful, you should be following the CFL.
If you enjoy creative and sometimes over-the-top touchdown dances, CFL games will provide it. If you want to see players celebrate awkwardly or not at all because they don’t want to be fined by commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL won’t disappoint you.
If you’re looking for the best halftime studio analysis the CFL is where you’ll find it. Randorf, Schultz, Dunigan and Climie are far and away the best panel in professional football. If you prefer hysterical laughing or listening to an incomprehensible Shannon Stewart, the NFL has you covered.
And while we’re on the subject of entertainment: NFL fans are treated to Usher, Keith Urban and Natasha Bedingfield, big, relevant names to kick-off a season. For the Grey Cup CFL fans somehow ended up with Theory of a Deadman, Suzie McNeil and someone named Andree Watters. Hey, at least it wasn’t Def Leppard.
(Quick tangent because I’m not ready to let this go: Did the NHL honestly believe Def Leppard was an appealing choice for their audience? Who okayed this? People thought McCain choosing Palin as his running mate was a bad selection. Well, this was easily 1000 times worse. What was the NHL thinking?)
If you’re a NFL fan you watch football with one eye attached to your fantasy scoreboard. If you’re a CFL fan you think a fantasy league involves five names of famous people you’re never going to hook up with.
(Tangent #2: I play fantasy sports 12 months a year and usually have numerous teams in several sports on the go, yet I’ve never been invited to join a CFL fantasy league. Not once. I’ve never even heard of a fantasy CFL league in casual conversation. Naturally, I googled CFL Fantasy football and clicked on fantasy.cfl.ca. This is what came up on the page:
CFFL Players,
Due to an unfortunate situation, all week 12 points will be nullified and the weekly prizes will be given out randomly. The Grand Prize standings will pick up again for week 13’s games.
We are sorry for the inconvenience. Our sincere apologies,
The CFFL Team
Rest assured, if an NFL Fantasy league tried to pull something like this, we’d be looking at multiple homicides and hundreds of friendships irrevocably damaged.)
If you're a NFL fan, years will pass before your team squares off against every other team in the league. If you're a CFL fan you wish years would go by without seeing the Tiger Cats come to town.
If you’re a NFL fan you grew up hearing stories about the ‘frozen tundra’. If you’re a CFL fan you grew up on the frozen tundra.
Friday, October 3, 2008
And so it began...
First and foremost, I'm a fan. OK, maybe I'm a bit of a freak. Alright fine…ahem. My name is the Canadian Sports Junkie and I'm a sports-aholic. 
It started with hockey, the Jets in the late 80's.
Dale Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen, Freddy Olausson...those were my guys.
My Dad had a quarter-share of two season tickets at the old Winnipeg Arena and he'd take me to a handful of games each year, but mostly I listened on the radio. Back then the Jets played in the Smythe Division and the late puck-drops inevitably led to me falling asleep before hearing the final score (assuming my Mom hadn't already caught me trying to deke around her bed checks and confiscated my radio). Most of the time I could scan the newspaper in the morning, but if the Jets were on the West coast the box score would read 'late' and I'd be left in the dark until my Dad came home for supper that night. That was a crushing feeling as a nine year-old, and thankfully, because of the internet, a feeling no child will ever know again.
Hockey was my first jones, but it quickly spread from there.
I remember Ben Johnson winning the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, then being stripped of it, and not quite being old enough to understand the proper context.
I remember buying the NHL Yearbook magazines and reading them cover-to-cover several times over, treating each edition like a newborn baby, preserving it in mint condition, year after year. I wasn't in a rush to do my homework, but I could tell you who the Sharks were most likely to select first in the expansion draft.
In the early '90s Henry "Gizmo" Williams initiated my interest in the CFL with his back-flip celebrations, but it was Matt Dunigan throwing for 700+ yards in a Blue Bomber uniform that won me over.
Then the Jays won back-to-back World Series and the Expos won in '94 (yes they did) and suddenly I had another itch to scratch. I know a lot of people complain that baseball is boring and the season is too long, but they're not taking into consideration how fun it is to hate the Yankees and Red Sox. Or how truly rewarding it would be to actually beat them again.
And then, after Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls caught my attention, the Raps and the Grizz joined the NBA and another love affair developed. Sure, those first few years of the NBA in Canada had the sizzle of a $2 steak, but hey, at least we had the Naismith Cup!
From there March Madness and soccer's World Cup were added to my roster, the WWE was dropped, and golf, tennis, and perhaps the grand-daddy of them all, the NFL, were brought onboard.
Why is it that every show on television is copycatted, but none of the other pro sports leagues will try to emulate the NFL? Short, meaningful regular seasons, concrete schedule, and do-or-die playoffs. I mean, could you imagine if the NHL played exclusively on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays? You don't think this would help attract US television audiences? A regimented schedule that you can plan for...what a concept!
Now? I'm a sick puppy.
European Tour golf early on the weekends? Check.
College football on a Saturday afternoon? Most definitely.
The Champions League on a Tuesday or Wednesday? Pour me a Guiness and count me in.
I might not wake up in time to watch Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso start the race, but I'll be there to catch the checkered flag.
No one will contact me on weekdays between 5:30 and 6PM EST because they know I won't answer them. That's PTI time, or as it's known in my house...church.
I live for stats, I can pore over box scores and league leaders for hours, but I also know how much they do and do not mean.
I love Christmas, but I might love the World Junior Hockey Championships even more. I appreciate Easter weekend, but Good Friday will (almost) always be Day 2 of the Masters to me.
In short, I love sports. I enjoy playing them and love watching and dissecting the games and contests. I love agreeing and disagreeing with the announcers, watching replays to see which players genuinely care, and busting my buddies chops when their teams lose, especially if it's at the hands of one of my own teams.
I know I shouldn't care nearly as much as I do, but I can't help myself. The competition, the intensity, the dim-witted GM's who constantly make bad decisions, it's all food for my insatiable appetite.
It started with hockey, the Jets in the late 80's.
Dale Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen, Freddy Olausson...those were my guys.
My Dad had a quarter-share of two season tickets at the old Winnipeg Arena and he'd take me to a handful of games each year, but mostly I listened on the radio. Back then the Jets played in the Smythe Division and the late puck-drops inevitably led to me falling asleep before hearing the final score (assuming my Mom hadn't already caught me trying to deke around her bed checks and confiscated my radio). Most of the time I could scan the newspaper in the morning, but if the Jets were on the West coast the box score would read 'late' and I'd be left in the dark until my Dad came home for supper that night. That was a crushing feeling as a nine year-old, and thankfully, because of the internet, a feeling no child will ever know again.
Hockey was my first jones, but it quickly spread from there.
I remember Ben Johnson winning the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, then being stripped of it, and not quite being old enough to understand the proper context.
I remember buying the NHL Yearbook magazines and reading them cover-to-cover several times over, treating each edition like a newborn baby, preserving it in mint condition, year after year. I wasn't in a rush to do my homework, but I could tell you who the Sharks were most likely to select first in the expansion draft.
In the early '90s Henry "Gizmo" Williams initiated my interest in the CFL with his back-flip celebrations, but it was Matt Dunigan throwing for 700+ yards in a Blue Bomber uniform that won me over.Then the Jays won back-to-back World Series and the Expos won in '94 (yes they did) and suddenly I had another itch to scratch. I know a lot of people complain that baseball is boring and the season is too long, but they're not taking into consideration how fun it is to hate the Yankees and Red Sox. Or how truly rewarding it would be to actually beat them again.
And then, after Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls caught my attention, the Raps and the Grizz joined the NBA and another love affair developed. Sure, those first few years of the NBA in Canada had the sizzle of a $2 steak, but hey, at least we had the Naismith Cup!
From there March Madness and soccer's World Cup were added to my roster, the WWE was dropped, and golf, tennis, and perhaps the grand-daddy of them all, the NFL, were brought onboard.
Why is it that every show on television is copycatted, but none of the other pro sports leagues will try to emulate the NFL? Short, meaningful regular seasons, concrete schedule, and do-or-die playoffs. I mean, could you imagine if the NHL played exclusively on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays? You don't think this would help attract US television audiences? A regimented schedule that you can plan for...what a concept!
Now? I'm a sick puppy.
European Tour golf early on the weekends? Check.
College football on a Saturday afternoon? Most definitely.
The Champions League on a Tuesday or Wednesday? Pour me a Guiness and count me in.
I might not wake up in time to watch Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso start the race, but I'll be there to catch the checkered flag.
No one will contact me on weekdays between 5:30 and 6PM EST because they know I won't answer them. That's PTI time, or as it's known in my house...church.
I live for stats, I can pore over box scores and league leaders for hours, but I also know how much they do and do not mean.
I love Christmas, but I might love the World Junior Hockey Championships even more. I appreciate Easter weekend, but Good Friday will (almost) always be Day 2 of the Masters to me.
In short, I love sports. I enjoy playing them and love watching and dissecting the games and contests. I love agreeing and disagreeing with the announcers, watching replays to see which players genuinely care, and busting my buddies chops when their teams lose, especially if it's at the hands of one of my own teams.
I know I shouldn't care nearly as much as I do, but I can't help myself. The competition, the intensity, the dim-witted GM's who constantly make bad decisions, it's all food for my insatiable appetite.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Favre Solution?
While trying to make a routine phone call earlier today, I was somehow connected into a conversation between Brett Favre (who left Packer training camp yesterday) and CFL commissioner Mark Cohon. The following is a transcription of their dialogue.
Mark Cohon: Hello Brett, listen, I've always been a big fan of yours and I'd really appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss a very exciting idea. I'm with the CF...
Brett Favre: Sorry buddy, I've already got an insurance guy and a family friend handles all my investments. How did you get this number anyways?
Cohon: No Brett, I'm not interested in representing or advising you in any way. I'm actually the commissioner of the Canadian Football League.
(Awkward pause)
And, ahhh (nervous laugh)...I've got a proposal for you. Green Bay is offering you $20 million to stay retired from the NFL, but they never said anything about our league.
Favre: Ahhh, look partner, I'm a National Football League quarterback. Four down football. Best players in the world. That's the stage I compete on.
Cohon: Look, you've already won the Superbowl, been the MVP and rewritten the NFL record books. What else is left to accomplish down there? Our season is already one-third over and wraps up right around American Thanksgiving. Instead of hanging out in Mississippi and throwing passes to highschool kids while waiting for a good team to get into injury trouble, why not come up here for a few months and get into game shape?
Favre: Wait, did the Bills move to Toronto? Dangit, I thought I heard something about that a few months back.
Cohon: No the Bills are still in Buffalo...well, kind of. But we've got eight teams and only three or four legitimate quarterbacks, so you could pretty much have your pick of the litter. Ever been to Regina?
(Silence)
Warren Moon, Joe Theismann, Doug Flutie. We've had several star NFL quarterbacks, why not play meaningful games and build your legend while showcasing yourself for a possible return to the NFL in November? At that point it will be far easier to determine which teams are serious contenders. Do you really want to go to Kansas City or the Jets?
Favre: I dunno...maybe. I hadn't ever considered Canada. What's this gig pay?
Cohon: Well our salary cap just rose to $4.2 million
Favre: Hmmm. Four mill.
Cohon: Ahhhh, no that was actually per team so you're looking at something more like a couple hundred grand, but think about the upside: you could...
Favre: Click.
Cohon: Brett? Hello?
Mark Cohon: Hello Brett, listen, I've always been a big fan of yours and I'd really appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss a very exciting idea. I'm with the CF...
Brett Favre: Sorry buddy, I've already got an insurance guy and a family friend handles all my investments. How did you get this number anyways?
Cohon: No Brett, I'm not interested in representing or advising you in any way. I'm actually the commissioner of the Canadian Football League.
(Awkward pause)
And, ahhh (nervous laugh)...I've got a proposal for you. Green Bay is offering you $20 million to stay retired from the NFL, but they never said anything about our league.
Favre: Ahhh, look partner, I'm a National Football League quarterback. Four down football. Best players in the world. That's the stage I compete on.
Cohon: Look, you've already won the Superbowl, been the MVP and rewritten the NFL record books. What else is left to accomplish down there? Our season is already one-third over and wraps up right around American Thanksgiving. Instead of hanging out in Mississippi and throwing passes to highschool kids while waiting for a good team to get into injury trouble, why not come up here for a few months and get into game shape?
Favre: Wait, did the Bills move to Toronto? Dangit, I thought I heard something about that a few months back.
Cohon: No the Bills are still in Buffalo...well, kind of. But we've got eight teams and only three or four legitimate quarterbacks, so you could pretty much have your pick of the litter. Ever been to Regina?
(Silence)
Warren Moon, Joe Theismann, Doug Flutie. We've had several star NFL quarterbacks, why not play meaningful games and build your legend while showcasing yourself for a possible return to the NFL in November? At that point it will be far easier to determine which teams are serious contenders. Do you really want to go to Kansas City or the Jets?
Favre: I dunno...maybe. I hadn't ever considered Canada. What's this gig pay?
Cohon: Well our salary cap just rose to $4.2 million
Favre: Hmmm. Four mill.
Cohon: Ahhhh, no that was actually per team so you're looking at something more like a couple hundred grand, but think about the upside: you could...
Favre: Click.
Cohon: Brett? Hello?
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