Thanks to Greg Brady for posting this on Twitter tonight as I wouldn’t have seen it. Irrespective of what you think of Martin Brodeur’s play the other night, I don’t think anyone got overly personal with him. I mean everything I read was pretty respectful, noting what an incredible career he has had, stating that he absolutely had to make the Olympic team etc. This article, which I can only suspect was written by Damien Cox, there is no author attribution is way off side and one can only assume it has too much to do with Damien’s personal relationship with Brodeur. Cox on twitter took a shot at anyone criticizing Brodeur Sunday night stating that they “don’t understand the game”. This article goes beyond:

“Martin Brodeur doesn’t feel like he was lied to. Just blamed unfairly, and undoubtedly disrespected by head coach Mike Babcock.

Not only did Babcock call out Brodeur for his play in a 5-3 loss to the United States on Sunday, he then told Roberto Luongo he would be in goal for the qualification match against Germany a few hours after the game but waited to deliver the news to Brodeur, the winningest goalie in the history of the sport, until before practice on Monday.”

What’s odd about that is that there isn’t a quote from Brodeur in the piece at all!

“So it’s gold or bust with the Vancouver Canucks netminder, a sizeable risk given that outside of some fine work at the world championships the 30-year-old has never defined himself as a winner.

Now’s his chance. The last time Luongo had a chance to step forward an assert himself as Canada’s top netminder he coughed up the bit in the deciding game of last year’s playoffs for the Canucks and surrendered seven goals to the Chicago Blackhawks.”

Ok, Brodeur is your buddy, but really, is he so low that he would want someone taking shots at Luongo? I mean did Luongo do anything wrong here?

‘Babcock better be right on this or he deserves to be roasted on the spit of Canadian hockey opinion for all the unhelpful waffling he’s done on this issue.”

Wow. No, really Wow. Hypothetically speaking, Luongo pitches a shutout tomorrow, Canada doesn’t score and the German’s win 1-0 in a shootout. Should the spit we spinning because of this choice? Come on! These guys are professionals. No, Brodeur didn’t let in any Toskala’s but still, he had to know the possibility of getting replaced was real.

“For reasons he declined to explained, he then gave the opening start against Norway to Luongo.

In the next game, Brodeur’s brilliance saved Canada in the shootout against Switzerland, and Babcock praised the veteran for his play and his leadership. But after the loss to the U.S. on Sunday, Babcock identified Brodeur as the problem, saying “tonight was a night we’d have liked to have been better in that area.”

Wasn’t Babock in the wrong then for pulling Luongo in favour of Brodeur for the Switzerland game? I didn’t hear the entire Babcock session after the game, but I don’t think he threw Brodeur under the bus at all. Did he say that they would have preferred to be better in net? Yes. Isn’t that true? I mean, wouldn’t Brodeur have preferred to have been better in net? Hell Cox’s article in today’s Toronto Star sang the praise out of Ryan Miller. Wouldn’t we have preferred that it was Brodeur’s play we were all yapping about today? Ooops, I mean in the positive not the negative.

“None of this had to happen. Babcock could have announced in Calgary that it was time for the youngsters to take over and anointed Luongo and Fleury as the two goalies, with Brodeur in reserve.

Failing that, he could’ve made it clear once in Vancouver that Luongo would be the starter Again, that would have been an entirely defensible strategy.

Instead, he dithered, and in so doing has made the country’s national goaltender the lightning rod for all criticism about the team.”

Sorry, I’m not buying that. Brodeur earned his spot. Played well, or was “brilliant” in his last game vs. Switzerland. So he didn’t have a great game last night. if Babcock goes back to him and he has another off night then what? Babcock has three good alternatives. One of those guys is a future hall of famer. Babcock has the right to be undecided in net and chose to ride the hot or not goalie. If Brodeur pitched a gem last night, do you think he wouldn’t ride him going forward? How can we be surprised that given the performance last night it be so wrong or so surprising that a change is coming?

“But by making his goaltending choice a game-by-game proposition, Babcock has created great uncertainty where stability was necessary.”

I don’t know, I would rather Babcock rides his guys based upon his gut feeling. Not based on history, not based on bias, but on who he feels should be in net. Babcock needs to choose the guy who he thinks gives him the best shot at winning each game. I sense there is too much bias in this article.

The article is here

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

From 1981 to 1993 the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks were in the Norris Division and one-time bitter rivals. Tonight in the Windy City the Leafs and ‘Hawks renew the rivalry. Toronto is coming off a tough home loss to the Minnesota Wild. Before that the Leafs had collected points in seven straight including a Saturday night win over the Detroit Red Wings. Much can be attributed to the play of first-time Leafs Phil Kessel and Jonas Gustavsson. Although Kessel was shut out in his first game, he’s scored two goals and added two assists over the last three games. Over nines games, Gustavsson has a 2.77 GAA and a .912 save percentage. More importantly he’s earned the confidence of the players in front of him, making many of the tough stops. Chicago’s won two straight at home and looks to make it three tonight. The Blackhawks have benefited from the return of their captain Jonathan Toews. Toews missed two weeks with a concussion and since his return he’s registered points in both games. Chicago is sitting a top the Central Division in the West. They’re one point ahead of the Red Wings.

TSM: Hey all- part one in a new thing we are trying here, point/counterpoint. Mark Farmer is up with his point (to which I, TSM) shall offer my counterpoint tomorrow…. and now…the Point:

Hey Everyone! My name is Mark Farmer, and I have been grown up watching the Toronto Maple Leafs for as long as I can remember. I like all of you haved lived through some of the biggest mess ups in Leafs history, John Ferguson JR? Looking in your direction.

But from what I’m hearing from some Leafs fans today, and I hope they are joking, is that the Maple Leafs are on the verge of making the playoffs this season. Come Again?

Granted the Leafs will be much improved from the last few years of futility and competing well enough for a low playoff spot or finishing just outside of the eight best teams in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.

Now all of a sudden because of the addition of a few college kids, only one or two who will be with the team on Opening Night, and some added new toughness with the likes of Mike Komisarek(who may not be able to dress Opening Night) and Garnet(don’t call me Grant) Exelby, and the trade for Phil Kessel(who hasn’t arrived yet) to give them much needed scoring, they are expected to compete for a playoff spot. Sorry I don’t buy it.

They didnt address one major glaring error, Goaltending. Don’t tell me Jonas Gustavsson is the savior, as good as he may be for the Leafs in the future. He still has to learn how to play hockey in the NHL and Europe. He is also still a rookie.

Hockey may be hockey, any way you slice it, but NHL vs Europe is completly different. Don’t believe me…Chicago Blackhawks: 9. HC Davos: 2.

Will the Leafs make the playoffs this year? I don’t think so because the team hasn’t had the chance to gel like other teams have.

And I know this is said by every Leafs fan by Christmas of every year, but Wait ’til Next Year. Then they have a chance.

Editors note- stay tuned for tomorrow’s counterpoint by TSM on why the Maple Leafs WILL make the playoffs.

Interesting place we are at this juncture of time. The Toronto Maple Leafs are just about to conclude their first off-season under new GM Brian Burke. So we are really about to start the first season under the new regime. This, unlike last year is the first season of building the Toronto Maple Leafs. So of course I have lots of questions for you….

What do you want this coming season? What are the expectations, what will you be happy with? None of us, not even an overly homeristic blogger expects the Leafs to compete for the Stanley Cup this season. What then are realistic goals? Does it include the playoffs? Does it have to include the playoffs? Here is my take, I want a season where we don’t get embarrassed at home. I want a season where they show up 9/10 nights. I want a season where the kids play a lot and they are afforded the opportunity to make mistakes as Schenn was last year. Most of all I want a season where they are fun to watch. The outcomes of the games to me is secondary. I don’t care if they make the playoffs. I want ever young kid to get their chance and to grow as a player.

On a more specific point, which Maple Leaf do you want to really break out, have an incredible season, won where you can say, he is a true Maple Leaf? I am not sure which player specifically it is as I don’t’ know much about them, but I am rooting really hard for the US college players. I have so much respect for the guys who go that route. I have a lot of time and respect for guys who are bright enough to get educations in case things don’t work out for them on the ice. I am not so naive as to think they are all rocket scientists, but there is something admirable about having a college degree in your back pocket in case things don’t pan out. I would love to see more and more players go that route. I firmly believe that if the NHL is sincere in it’s hope to grow the game south of the border than it has to fully endorse and help grow the college game. Hockey isn’t basketball or football, but if they could get 1/100th of the focus on college hockey that they do nationally for football and basketball then the game would grow.

Now, I am also curious, if you aren’t cheering for the Maple Leafs, who is your team? Which teams do you want to have break out years, which do you want to see fall back? Me, I am a huge Capitals fan. I love their coach and I think Alex Ovechkin is a rockstar on skates. I really want to see them continue their climb upwards in the standings. Same goes with the Blackhawks. I am a little less enthused with them after they turfed Dale Tallon, but I love the young guns on that team, they are fun to watch and I think they play the game the right way. Of course, my two favorite teams are the Maple Leafs and whomever the Senators are playing on any given night, so as a die hard Leaf fan I really hope the Sens improve just enough to not make the playoffs but high enough to not have a good draft position.

From a media perspective, I hope that Jonas Siegel grows as a reporter, that someone new emerges as the voice of reason in covering the Maple Leafs. Jeff Blair was a fresh voice last season, Steve Simmons has grown by leaps and bounds in my books and Damien seems to luke warm on the Maple Leafs prospects as well. Finally, I hope that the Howie rants are greeted as warmly by Ron Wilson and Brian Burke as they are by each of us. How about you, what are your wishes from our beloved beat writers and broadcasters for the 2009-2010 Maple Leafs season.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Wow, with all due respect to the fine folks at both the Fan 590 and 640 Toronto, tonight was not your finest hour. The drive home shows tonight were, for lack of a better word, BRUTAL. Not one, both of them. How bad was it? I tuned into 550am to hear Buffalo Bills talking proud football radio. Consider:

Jim Kelley started Mccown’s PTS show flying solo. There is no question in my mind he was reading a script. His opening sounded as bad as his Mariott hotel commercial. He misprounced some words and then made inane arguments about the Blue Jays and other topics.

Up the dial it was no better. Brian Duff and Bill Watters talked Chicago Blackhawks hockey! Yes I know the Hossa contract is being investigated. It’s basbeall deadline day folks! Fake it! Bill Daily to talk hockey, geez! The Chicago beat reporter to talk Blackhawks? The slipper slope continued.

Meanwhile, Kelley fumbled along with Perkins, Shannon and Kirke. They spent a huge amount of time talking Argos Football.

Look, I am a big fan of sports radio. I really like both shows and the work that both stations produce. I say this a million times, the fact that they can find programming as often as they do is astounding. Especially at the Fan. There are times, and today was definitely one of them where I believe both stations blew it. Their prime shows were just plain unlistenable. Neither was compelling nor interesting.

Let’s hope this is not the sign of things to come over the next month as August can be preeeeeeety slow.

File this under things I didn’t know. An email sent me a link to a story that I simply don’t recall hearing anything about. Keep in mind that it was written in February of 2006 and I had litterally just moved back to Toronto with 2 kids, one who was born in November. Needless to say at that time, with new kid, new job and new home sports broadcasting wasn’t on the top of my list of priorities:

” Looks like Sportsnet Connected has been hit with a prominent short fuse.

A network source confirmed yesterday that Mike Toth, one of the network’s more colourful on-air personalities, is spending time in the penalty box.

Word is Toth mixed it up with a producer and was suspended. Already sidelined for a couple weeks, there’s no word when he will return as co-host of Connected. Toth is apparently still with the Rogers family, if his appearances on The Fan this week are an indication.

Before the recent tussle, Toth had made the occasional not-so-subtle on-air dig at the new direction the network is headed. ”

I had no clue “Tother” as he likes to refer to himself had it in him to “mix it up” or “tussle” . Can anyone shed some light on what exactly or allegedly happened??? Inquiring minds want to know! (that story, by the way can be found here)

Meanwhile here is a hillarious video of Toth from his early days where he used to imitate the great WWF wrestler the Honkey Tonk Man:

Finally, I mean FINALLY someone took notice of the piece of crap daily column that appears in the Toronto Sun sports section!! For the longest time I really thought it was only me!

“From the Department of What Might Have Been:

Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum were the starters in baseball’s all-star game last night.

Imagine them as teammates.

It almost happened 19 months ago, when the San Francisco Giants offered Lincecum to the Blue Jays for outfielder Alex Rios.”

No, that isnt how this went down Mr. Loewen, it was the other way around! It wasn’t JP (whom you all know how much I love) who had to be talked into this, he pitched this deal to the Giants. The implication from reading Loewne is that it was JP who blew this one and that is entirely unfair. Greg Brady, FINALLY called Loewen out for his ummmm “reporting”, going so far as calling Loewen a liar and suggesting that perhaps Loewen needs to both apologize to JP! It was classic radio this evening. I say it again, For the good work that the good writers do, it only takes on Loewen to spoil the lot.

So I asked the question about the Marlie head coaching gig and a few people emailed me that Dallas Eakins got the gig. If that is the case, it isn’t anywhere publicly. Eakins is the director of player development on team Burke. At least so far, no one is listed anywhere as the Marlies coach.

So I see where the NHL has re-upped it’s deal with NBC. Are those of you stateside pissed? Here, in Canada it doesn’t really matter that much, we get every game every second, everywhere. What it does mean is that come playoff time, an NHL game will likely be moved from one network to another “because of that damned horse race!”. For my 2 cents, you can’t have a viable sports product in the USA and not be on ESPN is some way shape or form. If this NBC deal prevents that, then it is a mistake.

I also see where Bettman told the world today that all is fine in his little world. Hell yes it is, if you brought home 7 million extra large, wouldn’t you be telling everyone just how great things are????

Anyone surprised by this news?

“A federal judge Wednesday sentenced former NFL player Travis Henry to three years in prison for financing a drug ring that moved cocaine between Colorado and Montana.

Henry, 30, of Frostproof, Fla., was arrested by federal drug agents last October – just a few months after the running back’s release from the Denver Broncos”

Didn’t think so.

Great stuff in today’s Chicago Tribune on les affairs Tallon. Get a load of this:

“And then there was Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz weighing in on what Stan Bowman brings to the job that Tallon couldn’t.

“He’s 36, Dale’s 58,” Wirtz said. “We always want younger people, so what he brings is a system in place to get better. It’s nothing that Dale was doing, but also Dale’s at the tail end of his business career. I’m at the tail end. I’m 56. I want my son and cousins to do better than I am. I have a son who’s 32. I hope they are constantly pushing me.

“We constantly want to bring younger people up in the organization. We don’t want a bunch of players that are 42 years of age on the ice. There’s a reason for that.”

Paging Dale Tallon: Your attorney is on line 2 talking excitedly about an age-discrimination suit.”

Of all the asanine things for an owner to say, that has to be right up there as numero uno. I mean Ballard had the whole Soviet Airplane thing, but what the hell was going on in Wirtz’s head when he said this?? Clearly things have been smoothed over as Tallon was forced to speak to the press today and predictably said all the right things. Remember the story about the Blackkhawks players going to his dad’s funeral??? Tallon is a class act. He got a 2 year extension, probably at decent coin and the ability to take another job with another team should the opportunity arise. However, the truth, will come out.

2 things of interest here, 1. The blackhawks are in deep trouble cap wise, all the experts are saying, yet they just promoted their capologist to GM! 2. More importantly, Wirtz wants younger guys in the office, why did he just hire Scotty freaking Bowman!!!!

Sports news tonight is hard to come by, so I provide you this tale of a missing parrot:

“there’s a missing talking African Grey Parrot from Niagara Falls that knows how to use the F-word, asks for a beer when she’s thirsty, and chants “go leafs go” whenever there’s a hockey game on television.

It also knows how to sing Frosty the Snowman, can count numbers from one to 10, and when someone turns on the vacuum cleaner it reminds everyone in the room “don’t make a mess, don’t make a mess.”

The four-year-old parrot, who goes by the name of Biscuit, went missing on Sunday from Bill Brown’s home on Fairfield Place near Kalar Road in Niagara Falls.

“It’s a very smart bird,” said Brown, adding everyone has been devastated because Biscuit is just like one of the family. They’ve had her since she was six months old and it would cost about $2,400 to get another one.

The African Grey Parrot has a beautiful and majestic appearance and is considered by experts to be one of the most intelligent birds. It is often referred to as a bird that has both “brains and beauty.” Because of their level of intelligence, they require a great deal of attention and patience.

Biscuit is grey in color, is about 14 inch high and has a red tail.

The family has put up posters, talked to people in the neighbourhood and notified the humane society, but they’ve had no luck.

Brown said they have a big dog named Chevy and what might of happened is that a car outside caused the dog to bark, that frightened the parrot which managed to escape through a screen door.

“We didn’t realize she was missing until I went looking for her. We found her about three hours later but she flew over the house toward the hydro field near Pitton Road,” said Brown.

He placed her cage in the field for a day hoping she might return looking for food, but that didn’t happen.

Biscuit had her wings clipped so the family didn’t think she could fly. They wonder if the wings managed to grow back.”

That really sucks. But friggin cool is it to have a bird that chants go leafs go…It’s the avian version of Howard Berger!!!!! Seriously folks, if you see a Grey Bird chanting go leafs go, call Nelson Millman, I mean 905-380-0662. For more on the beer drinking, potty mouthed maple leaf rabid bird click here

Speaking of Howie, who is drinking some colored kool aide while up north, in his blog he implies that one Tomas Kaberle will be dealt before the middle of August when the window to do so closes. I still say he goes to Boston, but what the hell do I know?

Jeff Blair, @globlair tweeted tonight that he thinks there is only a 40% chance of Roy Halladay getting traded. FYI.

Oh, and the NHL Schedule game out today……in other news, the sun came up today too.

Fairly reliable sources are telling TSM tonight that it is looking less and less likely that the Indiana Pacers will match the Raptors offer sheet to Jarret Jack. No of course Bird (see a theme here, Jeff Parrot, missing bird, larry bird?) could pull a 180 (that never happens in basketball) and decide otherwise, but it appears that Jack will be a Raptor sooner rather than later. To those on either the Fan or 640 who read this, go get him signed up for a weekly spot- the guy is good.

Also good? Richard Griffin on 640 with Brady and Watters, if they were smart they would try to go exclusive with him because he is very good on the radio.

Have a good night folks, TSM

Editor’s note: Say hi To Victor, a great new addition to the TSM author list!

Round two of the playoffs started last night with Vancouver battling Chicago or if you buy into the marketing of the series, it’s the wily-veteran Canucks taking on the young-inexperienced Blackhawks.

Before I get into the game itself I was super-pumped to be watching the game on CBC. If there is one thing the government hasn’t screwed up is playoff hockey. The commentators are great, they have the legend Don Cherry (love him or hate him) and Ron MacLean is the best in the business. Playoff hockey without gimmicks. No media between benches. No player or coach interviews during breaks in play.

Early on it looked like the nine-day rest since sweeping the Blues took its toll on the Canucks. They failed to register a single shot on a four-minute man advantage early in the first. Things got rolling in the late stages when some former Maple Leaf content (Mats Sundin and Kyle Wellwood) set up Pavol Demitra for the lone goal in the opening frame. Vancouver went on to score two more in the second and looked to have things wrapped up…right? If you watched any of the Calgary-Chicago series you know the answer to that one.

The Blackhawks stormed out in the third completely taking the air out of GM Place with three straight goals. 20-year old Patrick Kane had two of them. Vancouver looked totally out of it until Blackhawks defenceman Cam Barker opened the door to his own personal doghouse. He turned the puck over in the offensive zone pinning four of his teammates in Vancouver’s end and the Canucks broke out on a four-on-one. You don’t need to re-read the last line you read it correctly. Four-on-one. To top it off there was less then two minutes to play. Sami Salo pocketed a juicy rebound, Ryan Johnson found an empty net and the game is over. Vancouver wins 5-3.

The more I think about it, the more the end of the game looked like a classic rope-a-dope. The wily Canucks tricked the inexperienced Blackhawks into a false sense of confidence and pounced when the time was right. Maybe those guys in marketing are actually on to something.

NOTES:

Oscar worthy quote-of-the-night – “Hockey Scrum Dog Millionaire” – CBC commentator on the vast amount of post-whistle activity
Runner – up – Jeff Marek on Anaheim’s Corey Perry “Ducking Suspension”

Scott Oake is a pro, but I just don’t get his comment at the end of the game. During the post-game wrap up with Marc Crawford he commented on the fact that Chicago didn’t call it a night trailing by three and facing Roberto Luongo. Come on Mr. Oake, no one likes a quitter.

Kyle Wellwood’s night – two assists, 7-0 on the faceoff, 20 minutes of ice-time, two sticks to the face equally eight minutes worth of power play time, one chipped tooth and a pint of blood.

Cam Barker won’t be flying solo in the doghouse. He’ll be joined by fellow defenceman Brain Campbell. With Nikolai Khabibulin pulled for the extra attacker, Campbell left the blue line to go into the corner. Puck jumps over his stick, Vancouver scores and Scotty Bowman is NOT impressed.

This is my first post for Toronto Sports Media. I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading your comments!

Victor

The championship game in the NCAA tourney is tonight. How long thereafter will Matt Gilroy sign his first NHL contract? Everyone and their mother has an opinion and thought as to where he is going to land. I have it on good authority that the teams he is talking to is down to 3. I am also told that one of them is the Toronto Maple Leafs. When I say he is talking, I mean his agent, as Gilroy can’t technically talk to anyone if he wants to play in tonight’s game. I have yet to hear with any degree of certainty who the other 2 teams are, but Hanky is suggesting that he is going to either the Flyers or Blackhawks. While these are among the teams I have heard from a few folks, none of the people are very reliable. Should be interesting to see if Burke can swing this one. He followed him when he was with the Ducks and now the buds.

Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated puts together some deals that he thinks make some sense from both sides. Here are Maple Leaf ones from his article:

“Toronto sends Tomas Kaberle to Florida for Keaton Ellerby, Shawn Matthias, a 2009 first-rounder and second-rounder
In public, Brian Burke says he doesn’t want to deal Kaberle, a reliable puck-mover signed at a fair price for two more years, unless his doors are blown off. In private, I’m guessing Burke realizes that Kaberle’s part of the transition, not the long-term solution. A mid-level first-rounder and Ellerby (10th overall, 2007) would expedite Toronto’s rebuild. Ellerby has filled out nicely since he was drafted, adding 30 pounds to a now 6-4, 205 frame. He has the look of a solid, top-four blueliner.
Word out of Florida is that they’re not inclined to take salary back — they recently laid off some front office staff — but any team appreciates good value. At $4.25 million, Kaberle is a relative bargain. And by dressing up the roster with Kaberle, the Panthers accomplish two goals: they set themselves up for a legitimate run at the playoffs and make themselves a more appealing long-term option for Jay Bouwmeester. Make that three: if Bouwmeester is deemed unsignable prior to the draft, his rights can be dealt, and Kaberle is in place as insurance.”

“Toronto sends Nik Antropov to Chicago for a first-rounder
The Hawks need immediate help with Patrick Sharp on the sidelines — and depth down the middle when he returns — but they can’t afford to take on significant salary or give up pieces of the current puzzle. Antropov is big, he can be physical, and he can play anywhere up front, giving Chicago valuable depth for their first playoff run since 2002 . . . and all he’ll cost is a pick.”

Read the rest of Allan’s deals here

Quote of the day:

“It’s hard because the only thing you get from the fans is you’re an idiot.” Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules

Ya think that may because you given no evidence to the contrary?

The Hat Talks Burke:

I include this cause I just love saying, from tomorrow’s paper:

“LIFE OF BRIAN: It’s hard not to get mesmerized when Leaf GM Brian Burke is in a voluble mood – as he was the other day on a conference call with reporters, when he outlined a whole lot of specifics about what he had in mind for his Toronto squad going forward. Burke was equally candid about big-picture broader issues, relating to the deadline; the upcoming free agent season; and just about any topic that didn’t involve specific individual players under contract to other teams, which of course, would constitute tampering.
So Burke cannot say if that all the cap space that he’s hoarding at the moment will be offered to the Sedin twins, or Mike Cammalleri, if any or all hit the open market this summer; or if the window to deal Tomas Kaberle, when it opens this summer, will be used to make a move on Pronger, for whom he’s traded for twice in his career and would be a logical place to start the chemistry change that he wants so badly in the organization, even if the thirty-something Pronger is not of an age to help the long-term rebuilding of the team. When asked about preliminary contract talks with player agents, Burke said the primary man on that front is assistant GM Jeff Jackson. However, Jackson relays information to Burke and their collective view is that agents have yet to factor in the changing economic times into their demands for new contracts. “I don’t sense that they would concede the economic conditions, looking ahead, might have changed as much as we feel they have,” said Burke, who said he too is personally experiencing the effects of the recession, with two houses for sale in California. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sell those homes, even what I paid for them, for three years. That’s a stark economic reality for us. Not complaining, just to me, I don’t need to speculate on whether the economy’s off, there’s first-hand evidence of it in our family. That’s going to come home to roost. Whether it has yet or not (with agents), I don’t sense that it has. ”Meaning that agents who are using salary comparables from the last few years to establish market value for their clients in today’s changing economic climate may be in for a surprise? “I wish them well in their quest,” said Burke. Burke went on to say that as a seller, it helps his cause that the playoff races are so close “There’s good bunching; I think that’s good for our business,” said Burke. And even if it hurts his own cause, trying to get value for the players he has on offer, Burke would not retreat from his claim that GMs, more often than not, get it wrong at the deadline.“Any mathematician will tell you that we’re all crazy,” said Burke. “Collective pronoun again. We’re all nuts – because there are 30 teams and there is one parade. After the first round, there are only eight teams playing. So after the first round, you get 22 teams on the sidelines. The math is horrible. “The notion that you’re going to add to your team and hope you win a round, the math defies that. But the human element is, first off, there’s that optimism we all share, that belief we’re missing that one piece. Second, your team expects it. Your players are looking to you to add weapons for this last part of the race. “So we all get sucked in.” And while some GMs do make decisions that help them win in the short term, Burke contends: “There are five or six of us that made poor ones that same day. It’s an awful day, it’s an exciting day, it’s a day full of magic, and a day full of very poor decision making.”

Read the rest of Eric Duhatschek’s column here

Word is that Buzz Hargrove has replaced Eric Lindros as the NHLPA’s new obudsman. Great news. Great news as long as you are looking for a labour war!

Hi folks, I have a wicked cold and all the peeps viewing Obamamania this am slowing down the internets didn’t make me feel any better.

Here are some random mid-day thoughts:

1. Someone explain what the hell Lowen is talking about:

“For fans of the television series Lost, it returns on Wednesday with a brand new season.

For fans of the Maple Leafs and Raptors, they will all be reruns.”

HUH??? What the hell does that mean. Is he trying to say that MLSE is lost? Talk about a broken analogy….

2. Bruce Arthur’s article in Today’s national post is as good as I have seen on the Raptors. Consider these:

“Jose Calderon is close to coming back, and Marion would give this roster balance that it hasn’t had since general manager Bryan Colangelo assumed control nearly three years ago. A real small forward: imagine that.”
“No, the chief value of Marion’s theoretical arrival is that he would allow this team to embark on its latest repair job one season sooner — that is, one season before Chris Bosh opts out of his contract and is presented with the option to become a Detroit Piston, to become a New York Knick or to win several championships with LeBron James, in Cleveland or elsewhere.”
“For this franchise’s franchise player to remain, the Raptors will have to have made giant strides from their current state. And that means fielding a team that does not include the rather ridiculous sight of Jamario Moon hoisting up an entirely unnecessary three-pointer with 16 seconds left on the shot clock, and 35 seconds left in a one-point game, as he did yesterday.”

WOW- in depth analysis what a novel concept???

3. Interested in looking for the perfect hot dog down near the ACC??? These guys did a nice job!

4. I see the Toronto Rock fired their coaching staff, just 3 games in to the season. Did the head guy lie about being in Vietnam too? In any event, Mike S tells me that the lineup for Brady and Watters looks something like this:

4-5 the old rock coaching staff
5-6 the new rock coaching staff
6-7 great moments in rock history

5. Thanks to the folks aat Kuklas Korner for highlighting the greatest in arena promotion I have ever heard of (even better then my old favorite, the move of the game), If the blackhawks ever score a goal at exactly 10:00 of the second period one fan is awarded $1,000,000 by the Illinois lottery. Happened at a game last night. How cool is that?

more later this afternoon….