No other way to say it. The big winner today was not only Canada, not only Sidney Crosby or any member of team Canada but hockey fans around the world. It’s not just that Canada won, it was the game. It is going to be very very hard to watch NHL hockey this week. The play during this tournament was incredible. I am not sure how relevant this is, but to me it’s like watching the NCAA tournament and then having to go back to watching NBA action. The difference is that this is hockey. This isn’t basketball. The play by all teams was at such a high level. The sport of hockey, those of us who love the game were the real winners today.

Personally, I looked at my son on my side and my dad on the other and said to the youngest of the three of us, remember this goal, you may NEVER see a bigger goal. The Henderson goal was before I was born. I’ve never seen a goal bigger than that. I am not sure Sidney Crosby will EVER score a goal bigger than that. He may win lots of cups, he may score lots of goals, but to score the winner in OT in the gold medal game of the Olympics?????? It reminded me of the late Tom Cheek’s call on Joe Carter’s home run. Touch em all Sid, you will never score a bigger goal.

I’ve not been a fan of most of the coverage on TV this year. Chris Cuthbert was very good today. The hockey team as a whole were very good too. Once again, (I know the horse is dead) following the game on Twitter was the most fun. Finally, to those in the arena, what class they showed at the end of the game, cheering the American players, especially Ryan Miller and Zach Parise. The line of the night has to go to Sidney Crosby who when asked to explain the winning goal said that he had no idea, he just shot it.

More later..

A little over 30 minutes to play the fist period. A wild wild period, incredible pace. Jonathan Toews scored the only goal of the first frame to put Canada up. It’s the first time Team USA has trailed all tournament. Amazingly, the guys calling the game said that the USA players had their flights booked home prior to the start of this game. This is handled by non-team members, but is still funny nevertheless.

On to the second period.

Here we go folks- Game on, tomorrow will either be a National Holiday or a National Day of Mourning….

Here’s hoping it’s a great game.

More throughout the game!

A little over a month ago the IIHF World U20 Championship gold medal game made television history for TSN. 12.3 million viewers tuned into the game at some point, a ratings record for TSN.

“Preliminary overnight data confirms that TSN’s average audience for the game was an outstanding 5.3 million viewers – an all-time record for the network and the largest audience recorded on Canadian television since 2005. It is the sixth largest audience for any broadcast on Canadian television in records that date back to 1994.

An astounding 12.3 million viewers – or more than one in three Canadians – tuned in to some of or the entire broadcast.”

So, where will tomorrow’s game be in terms of tv audience in Canada. I know all eyes and opinions will be on the US network audience, but my question is, what will the Canadian number be? It’s hard for me to imagine a bigger television draw for sports in Canada. I would be stunned if it didn’t blow the Wolrd Junior’s ratings number out of the water. This game is, our superbowl wouldn’t you agree?

In 2002, a Grey Cup TV record was set with a national audience of 5.435 million.

This past Grey Cup set another record, when the overnight ratings were 6.1 million viewers, making it the most watches show at the time in Canada TV for the year.

According to CTV, 13.3 million people tuned into watch the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympic games. A number that clearly blew the Grey Cup out of the water. This years superbowl drew aproximately 11.1 million Canadian viewers.

Will the game outdraw the opening ceremonies? Would be pretty incredible if it did.. Can you imagine the schrill from Rod Black if it does?

TSM

So once again I have must reading for you, again from a publication south of the border. As the Vancouver Olympics come to an end, NBC nightly news host wrote a really nice blog about his time in Vancouver, and it makes you (or at least me anyways) proud to be Canadian.

You can read Brian Williams Blog here:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/02/26/2213393.aspx

Here’s your bikini of the day from GetABikini.com

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- Grapeline with Don Cherry & Brian Williams at 4:45
- Bob McCown’s co-host from 5:00 to 7:00 is
- Olympic hockey is on the air

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.:

- Bill Watters is on vacation in Florida so Greg Brady is solo today

- Mike Komisarek

- John Buccigross of ESPN on hockey

- hockey insider Scott Morrison at 6:10

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Day 15 in Vancouver brings seven events with the possibility of winning medals. In curling the women will decide who reigns supreme. China and Switzerland battle for the bronze, while Canadian Cheryl Bernard and her rink take on Sweden for the rights to the gold. It’s the ladies battling on the hills in Whistler as well as both runs in the Women’s slalom goes down this afternoon. At Cypress mountain the Women’s snowboard parallel giant slalom will also need two runs to determine who wins the hardware. Sticking with skiing events the men will race in the 4 X 5km relay cross country race. On the short track there will be three medals up for grabs. The men will be racing for gold in the 500m individual race and the 5000 relay race ( you can be sure the Hamelin brothers will be looking for redemption in these races). The ladies get into the action with the 1000m individual race. In Men’s hockey there are no medals to be won today only a spot to play for gold. In the first semi-final, USA will battle Finland. In game two Canada will face Slovakia. I’m sure everyone in North America is looking for a Canada-US rematch with the gold on the line, but don’t count out the Finns or Slovaks. Both teams have a skilled grouping of NHL stars and more importantly two goalies who can go out and steal a win for their country.

Ok Sports fans, here is your homework. It’s not very often that I insist you read something, but Michael Farber’s article in Sports Ilustrated is must reading. The story on Brian Burke is fantastic. Talk about a story that “captures the spirit of thing”:

“A few days after Brendan came out to his father, in late December 2007, Brian told him, “You know the best part? I don’t have to take anything back.” Burke says he never told his children there was anything wrong with homosexuality. But when he really rummages through his memory, he concedes there are smudges on his otherwise clean conscience. When he played in the American Hockey League in the late 1970s—he was a stay-at-home defenseman whose skills fast-tracked him to Harvard Law School—he spoke in the lingua franca of the locker room. “Yeah, I used those slurs,” he says. “I’m embarrassed by it. It was an accepted part of the [hockey] culture, and it still is. But not on my teams. It’s a big part of trash talking, and that’s got to change.”

That’s just one piece of Farber’s story that caputures much of the Brian Burke that we don’t get to see or hear about..

“”Last summer I said something [nasty] about Kevin Lowe, and Brendan asked, ‘How can you stay mad at someone?’” Burke says. “I said, ‘It’s easy.’ He said, ‘No, it’s not. He used to be your friend. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t approve.’”
When Lowe, now the Oilers’ president, learned of Brendan’s passing, he e-mailed Brian, referring to their shattered relationship while offering his sympathies. Burke immediately called Edmonton G.M. Steve Tambellini, with whom he had worked in Vancouver, and asked him to tell Lowe that this is one broken fence he wants to mend.
And so Burke and Lowe began the healing process last week at Canada Hockey Place. In their best moments, the Olympics can be as much about peace and friendship as about rivalries. Five nights before the U.S. beat Canada 5–3, the grieving father walked over to Lowe, a Team Canada executive, and offered his hand. Burke says an awkward sort of half man-hug accompanied the handshake. ”

Fantastic stuff Michael, a great story on a Burke. It becomes easier to become a fan of Burke with each passing day. While he portrays himself as the big truculent type, you can tell there is a softer side that is probably driving the bus more often than not. That’s good to see.

Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber’s excellent article on Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke can be read here.

Here’s your bikini of the day from GetABikini.com

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- Grapeline with Don Cherry & Brian Williams at 4:45
- Bob McCown’s co-host from 5:00 to 7:00 is
- Bob Nicholson of Team Canada
- Jamie Sale & David Pelletier

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.:

W/ Greg Brady

4:05 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -

4:30 – The Business Report with Jamie Tawil

4:40 – Doug Armstrong – Team Canada Executive

4:55 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -

5:05 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -

5:20 – Lindsay Berra – ESPN The Magazine Writer

5:40 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -You make the call. 416-870-6400,

6:10 – Inside the NHL with Scott Morrison – CBC HNIC/AM 640 Hockey Insider

6:30 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -

6:55 – Hockey Talk/Open Phones -

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

Today marks day 14 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. There are six events going today that will end with a gold, silver or bronze winner. Two of those medals will be handed out on the ice. As predicted from the start of the Olympics, it’s Canada versus the US in Women’s hockey. Simply no other country can compete with these two power houses when it comes to this sport. Canada was gold in the last Olympics, but the States have won the last two World Championships. Sticking with the ladies and ice, the Women’s free skate goes tonight and Canadian Joannie Rochette sits in third with her sights on the two women ahead of her. Frankly with every that has gone on in her life this week, it would be an incredible accomplishment to  win any kind of medal. The other four medals will be decided using skis and poles – well skis at least. Starting with Nordic combined – the large hill ski jump (sans poles) and 10 km cross country (avec poles) start this afternoon. In the Women’s cross-country there’s no ‘I’ in team as the ladies battle in the 4 X 5km relay. On the slopes the second runs of the ladies giant slalom goes down. While at Cypress Mountain the men wrap up their aerials event. In Curling both the Men’s and Women’s teams are in semi-final action. Cheryl Bernard and her ladies are currently up 6-4 at the end of the ninth end against Switzerland. Later on Kevin Martin and his posse taken on the Swedes.