May All Our Draft Picks Be First Rounders, and each of those turn to be Franchise Players.
May Our Team treat us as we have treated them
May Our Media get off their asses and do their jobs (at least those who usually don’t)
May each of you and your families have a happy, healthy and especially prosperous 2009
From the entire TSM Family

THE TSM FAMILY

What an amazing game. This was one worth watching again. I hope these two teams meet in the finals. Kudos to Pat Quinn for keeping the kids focused when they were down 3-0. Ohhh and Burke, if you were watching, get us the #1 pick. No untouchables, throw the bodies overboard now!

To the American player who smacked the canuck on the head when he skated back to by the bench, have a great season in whatever junior league you play in.

Spoke to Neil Smith this am about this, from a logistics perspective only. So the Stars could waive Avery, he would clear. They would then recall him. Assuming the Leafs were able to get him on a claim, his salary would go down to about 2 million. The Leafs would then trade Blake to Dallas for a 2nd round pick.

Leafs dump Blake, and his $, get avery at a decent discount and a 2nd round pick

Richard Griffin, the Star’s baseball guru writes a nice piece on the Leafs game last night and echos many of the same thoughts about the meaning of Cujo’s sudden appointment to starting goalie (at least for 2 games):

“So, eight days later, same opponent, same need to rest Toskala, why not call Pogge up again to face a team that he beat in his debut? Why not repeat a formula that produced a victory just a week ago? The next night, when the Leafs returned home to face the Stars on Dec. 23, the night after Pogge’s debut, with Toskala still feeling groin woes, coach Ron Wilson wouldn’t give Joseph the start. Instead, he sat on the bench for the first seven goals against Toskala before entering in relief.

The Leafs’ philosophy somehow changed in the space of a week. After three straight losses by the frying Finn heading into last night, instead of Pogge, Joseph got the nod. One may be excused for thinking Joseph’s swan song is at hand. If he is indeed going to exit stage right – certainly not a slam-dunk – it should be with the dignity he deserves. The Leafs, if that is the plan, seem to be allowing that to happen.”

Funny some folks think that the Buds don’t have that soft place in their hearts. Remember this, Cujo left the leafs at the alter to head down the 401 to Detroit. His public reasoning at the time was that he wanted to win. The insinuation then was that the Leafs couldn’t win. Many of the those saying MLSE is heartless said Cujo could never come home.

My question is, what role will he play with the Buds if any after his playing days are over?

Gagne was driven hard into the boards by defenseman Kevin Bieksa and didn’t return after being diagnosed with an undisclosed upper body injury. Gagne, second to Carter on the Flyers with 40 points, left the ice favoring his left shoulder. He was limited to just 25 games last season due to a concussion

Antropov for?????

So Wilbur had an interesting thought tonight on his radio program. Trade Blake to Dallas for Avery and a second round pick. Wilbur also thought there was a way to do it through waiver so the buds would only have to pay Avery 2 million per. So Buds fans, would you make that deal???

Hats off and a bow to Cujo…450 wins is a nice accomplishment. Good game for the buds, I was watching the game over at CP’s pad and you could tell the tying goal was coming. What a brutal call on the Finger penalty.

Why did Siffers only play 5 minutes tonight???? Oh and man do the Thrashers suck.

LT posted this while I was away. However I think in the spirit of the holiday’s it needs to be reposted.

Here are our gifts to all those in the Toronto Sports Scene:

Howard Berger:

* A Heathcliff Huxtable sweater collection
* Subscriptions to Leafs TV and Centre Ice packages (a nice stocking stuffer)

Damian Cox:

* A better headline writer…this was at the top of his list too I think

Jim Kelly:

* A contract from WGR 550 (Buffalo radio) so that we don’t have to listen to him any longer this side of the border

Plaxico Burress:

* A gun rack and shooting lessons

Ron MacLean:

* A new panel for HNIC Hot Stove…(can’t watch Millbury & Strachan any longer)

Eklund:

* 1 accurate prediction and where he didn’t take > 4 positions

For the Jays:

* Season ticket holders
* A new General Manager

The Leafs

* A Stanley Cup….oops, that should be for the 2011 list

The Argos:

* A new coach

The Vanier Cup:

* A venue

Bob McCowen:

* Better sources

Gord Kirke:

* Recruiting gig for the Blue Jays president vacancy

Cito Gaston

* A time machine set to 2010

Chris Bosh

* Charles Oakley

Bryan Colangelo

* Honeymoon extension

Jeff Blair

* Better material to write about

Curtis Joseph

* Career win 450

Brian Burke:

* Many, many top draft picks

Please feel free to add in your own.

On behalf of LT, we wish all of you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year.

So everywhere folks are looking for signs that the Leafs have a GM. Brian Burke seems to be as elusive as the current American Presidential tandem of George Bush and Dick Cheney. Seriously folks, is the Great Burke that hard to track down or are the Toronto Press lazier then I was on the cruise??

Whichever it is, perhaps we are today seeing the first moves of the Burke Era. Curtis Joseph has been told he will start not only tonight’s game but also the one after that. This leads to all kinds of conclusions:

1. This is Cujo’s last shot. He has, as have others stated that it is hard to get going as infrequently as he has been called upon. So this is the Leafs saying here’s the ball run with it. If he is no better after 2 then what is left to prove?
2. This is the beginning of a competition/end of Toskala era. What pres tel will happen when (or if) Cujo is stellar in both games? Seriously, what do the Leafs do if the guy stands on his head for the next 2 games. The Leafs win and he is star #1, are they going to yank him? What kind of message does that sound to the kids?

This looks like there be signs of life in the GM office after all. I don’t buy this is about “getting cujo an edge”. This is a test. If he fails he is done. if he passes, bye bye Vesa, call up the kid and let the kid and Cujo carry the torch the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, it would be refreshing as hell to see some real reporting in one of the Toronto dailies….

Everyone has written on the topic…especially our esteemed Toronto media who are lazy and write about it repeatedly (with no new info/angle)…..How do the Leafs win the Tavares sweepstakes (tank) while at the same time have their tradable assets play well enough to attract strong trade offers?  I do agree, it’s a tough puzzle to solve.

The answer is not blowing in the wind…the answer my friend is in the NHL rule book; Rule 66 – Forfeit of Game.  All the Buds need to do is forfeit a bunch of games to ensure they finish last….simple!

Burke needs to think outside the box….he could use a guy like me on his team.

LT