Ok, so when I say this, I want to make it clear that I am not in anyway comparing sports to the tragedy of September 11. So for those who are going to go there, just stop.

I remember the time when a major news event happened when I used to stay up until 11:35 to see what Ted Koppel was going to say on Nightline. I knew Koppel would have the best guests and that was the way to get the best info. Fast forward x number of years to that dreaded day in September. There was no longer a need to wait up for nightline. CNN, MSNBC and whomever else covered the events of the day around the clock. The way we ingested and demanded news certainly has changed. Twitter has moved things to the news on demand realm.

The world of sports is no different. We used to have to wait for the morning paper to arrive (or for us to arrive at the subway station) to pick up the papers to get the facts and opinions we needed. Even as late as the last year we had to wait for the opinions from our favorite (or favorite to hate) to get memorialized in ink. Locally speaking, that has finally changed.

Consider that tonight at 10:01 Steve Simmons tweeted “Bryan Colangelo says – If you want to blame somebody for the Raptors, blame me – Read my column in Tuesday’s Sun …”

Or, you can read it now online at 10:02.

Dave Feschuk’s excellent opinion piece on the Raptors season was posted just moments before Simmons piece. Bruce Arthur’s Chris Bosh article that was in Monday’s paper similarly appeared Sunday night.

Point your browser over to search.twitter.com and enter the words Ovechkin suspended. You will find that before the suspension was made “public” by the league the Washington Post tweeted it, then published it and then the entire hockey world followed. Damien Cox first tweeted the news (a retweet of the Washington Post author Tarik El-Bashir post) and a little while later tweeted again that his opinion piece was now available on the Toronto Star’s website.

Thanks to twitter, RSS readers and feeds and incredible wesbites like Kuklas Korner the ability of fans to keep up to date in near real time is spectacular. For those of you who read this site on a regular basis are aware, I constantly say the NHL should buy twitter- I think it was made for the league. (yes I am saying it tongue in cheek). Consider that while the technology eyes are on SXSW this week, Twitter, during it’s presentation talked about, the little league that could:

“Twitter CEO Evan Williams showed off new technology Monday that lets content partners cleanly pull Twitter links and streams onto their Web site through JavaScript, instead of an API, but keep hush on advertising plans…..
…..Some features demonstrated by Williams at SXSW already exist. The National Hockey League (NHL) has been using a similar technology for months. In fact, the league attributes the technology to keeping fans glued to its site during the recent NHL draft picks.”

Don’t believe me yet…. Remember that little hockey game a few weeks ago between Canada and the USA?:

“Between 2:29 and 2:54 p.m. Pacific time, more than 3.5 million status updates were posted, which is twice the pace of the rest of the day.”

Back when I started this blog, the Globe and Mail was the leader in this new age era. They used to update their site nightly around 10 or 11pm with their feature stories for the next day. They, and the National Post left the Sun and Star behind. Now it appears that the tables have been turned. The Toronto Star has fully embraced the technology era. Their website, at least in the sports section is ever evolving. Not only do their writer write, they blog, live blog and tweet. The National Post and as evidenced by tonight’s Simmons column, Toronto Sun are slightly behind the Star. The Globe and Mail seems to have changed tactics, delaying the articles by their columnists a tad.

It’s funny that the Roy MacGregor writes a column this week that contains this gem:

“When newspapers start confusing “hits” with “circulation,” there is an undeniable danger to journalism.”

MacGregor is a legend. I am not sure there is a more well respected sports writer in the country. However, it says here that his column is off base.

“If, as increasingly appears to be the case in the uncertain world of Web publishing, traffic is what matters most – and may one day be the basis for figuring out how finally to make money out of Web content – then it only stands to reason that those working in the business will chase traffic harder than stories.

Why, given that traffic often increases when celebrity is involved, would a journalist risk a low-traffic day by introducing readers to someone they do not already know – regardless of how important that person’s story might be? ”

Is this any different in the electronic world as it was in the paper world?

I mean all that has really changed is that things are much more trackable. Do you think that what sells is different today then it was before? Rush Limbaugh didn’t need to track hits to know what would light up his switchboard did he? Al Strachan, John Robertson didn’t have the benefit of analytics to tell them what to write. I mean do we really need to watch Don Cherry to hear what he is going to say? Simmons Sunday column hasn’t changed one bit since the advent of the most modern technologies.

“An American friend who now does a daily blog for a major U.S. newspaper says he came to realize there were certain tricks to Web journalism that did not apply during his many years as a hard-copy reporter.

The key to increased traffic, he says, lies in striking the hot buttons almost immediately – if possible, right in the headline.

If you can get as high up as possible those magic names and phrases that incite the American public – Sarah Palin, the Clintons, Tiger Woods, global warming, anything to do with sex – then the thousands upon thousands who have signed up for alerts on anything to do with Ms. Palin, Mr. Clinton, Mr. Woods, climate change, sex will come flooding to your page.”

None of that is new. What’s new is that idiots like me now, if we are willing to take the time can publish our own opinions. What has changed is the reach. Mr. MacGregor’s friend the blogger hard copy days never got beamed out to the world. With the exception of a few publications, very few stories in local papers ever got national let alone international attention. The pallet has changed and the audience size has changed, the game hasn’t. How many articles in tomorrow’s papers will be good news stories? Do we watch adoringly at the smooth pace of traffic along the 400 northbound on a Friday evening? No, we rubberneck at the poor guy who has wrapped his car around a pole. All the same things sell. The difference is that clicks and hits have replaced the physical sale of a tangible piece of paper. People used to buy the paper for what they could expect to find inside. We knew what our certain reporters were going to say on a subject and we were prepared to pay for it. Now we point our browser to our favourite outlets and we pay by having our eyeballs scan leaderboards and skyscrapers on a page.

So, no matter your poison, you can now have access to it sooner. That’s a good thing. Even better, there are more people writing on subjects we care about every day who never had a voice now do. I have 92 feeds in my rss reader. The vast majority are blogs. Of those, almost all are written by people who never before had a voice. Those who write for clicks will find that eventually the cream rises to the top and the quick buck will in fact end. The good writers, professional or blogger will survive and remain relevant.

As for me, my brain is in about 4 different time zones right now, as Tomas Kaberle says, I need a maintenance day.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Bruce Arthur’s Bosh story is here
Dave Feschuk’s Raptors story is here
Steve Simmons’ Toronto Raptors story is here
Roy MacGregor’s technology/journalism article is here

I’ll admit it, before the Wall Street Journal that I quoted the other day, I had never heard of Mona Halem. As a father of two who leads a rather dull life, I have never been invited to one of her parties and hanging with most pro-athletes isn’t my thing.

What is interesting is that prior to the WSJ article, Mona had flown under the Toronto MSM radar. Yet, if you look at her website it is filled with parties for VIPs over the last couple of years. How, one wonders does the WSJ pick up the story before the local, 4, yes 4 papers do?

Want proof of the pudding? Yesterday, in the Globe and Mail came this headline “For sports stars, it’s Toronto the Good ” an article that pays tribute to the WSJ this one written by Paul Waldie and Andrew Willis- Waldie the excellent reporter from the Coyotes story.

“Her reputation as a party host for professional athletes has become so widespread that her company was featured in The Wall Street Journal this week under the headline Why Pro Athletes Love Toronto.”

Yet not so widespread that any Toronto media outlet decided to cover her before the big boys in the USA did right?

Not to be outdone, the Toronto Star today has a story of it’s own. “Mona Halem, party line to the NBA” the story is titled. Denise Balkissoon writes the piece for the Star.

“She got us about 15 wins this year,” says Wright. “Throwing those Saturday night parties works great. She needs a raise.” In a Wall Street Journal article earlier this week, the New York Knicks’ Toney Douglas and Tracy McGrady also bigged up Halem’s bashes.”

Nice of Denise to mention the WSJ article, which without would never had lead to this piece. My favourite part of Balkisson’s story:”With files from Doug Smith”

Maybe I’m overly critical, but one would think that with 4 daily papers someone local would have picked this up first. I mean we hear all the time that Toronto is the dreaded place for athletes to come. It’s cold, the taxes etc. I know a lot of that deals with athletes coming to play for our local teams. However those stories almost always talk to athletes who come visit. Clearly Mona has made her name for herself internationally. Hell, people were lined up outside a famous museum here in Paris to see a painting of her (sorry Eggbert, couldn’t help myself). And yes, I know that’s a different Mona.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

The Globe and Mail story is here

The Toronto Star is here

Well, if you can’t leak em join em eh JP. Man, Ken Rosenthal over at Fox Sports must be pissed! I can’t wait to see JP’s first coverage of an Adam Dunn game. The Good news for JP is that when is reporting information he can lie at will. We all know that it isn’t a lie if the teller knows the truth. JP should start baseballbuzz.com. Word from JP on his joining ESPN as a baseball analyst is that it’s part of a 5 year, I mean 6 year, I mean 7 year, ooops 8 year plan.

The good news is that JP hasn’t lost his humble ways:

“I look forward to sharing my perspective of the game, which has many layers and has been built over the years through my various roles,” Ricciardi said in a statement.”

Confirmation that JP’s favorite words remain, I, me and my.

Apparently JP’s best buddy is Matt Millen.

The globe and mail had the story first, at least that I saw and you can see their report here.

You know, I spent a long time trying to find something to write about this evening. The sky is falling only works so often you know. The good news is that the good folks over at the Globe and Mail were able to speak to some Maple Leaf players today and well, that’s all it took.

“As players, we’ve got to believe in ourselves and prove all the doubters wrong.” Matt “Stayon” Stajan

WOW

WOW

WOW

Matt Stajan can’t really be this stupid can he?

Oh, I get it, he’s joking right- he’s a regular John Candy

Doubters?????????

Doubters?????????

Matt- your team stinks.

Look in the standings, look in the papers, look in your dressing room. It doesn’t take a Harvard education to figure out what you got…

“I’m frustrated that I can’t do more,” said Leafs coach Ron Wilson, adding that losing his job is “the last thing” he’s concerned about. “I’m just going to do the best job I can – if I’m not good enough, someone will come down and tell me that.”

Now, on the other side of the island, reality has set in for Mr. Wilson. He can’t do more because his lineup is so devoid of talent there isn’t any coach alive or dead could do with this squad of losers.

“What’s hard to believe about this Leafs team, however, is just how unchanged its lineup has been all year. All of the 21 skaters who played or were scratched in Toronto’s season-opening loss to the Montreal Canadiens are still part of the team, with the only newcomers consisting of minor-league call-ups Tyler Bozak and Carl Gunnarsson.”

Damn straight. I was thinking the other day how our GM- and maybe the others around the league should only work from say March to October. They don’t appear to do ANYTHING the rest of the year. ( I know the f’n cap the owners wanted- killed everything)

“And despite the fact the Leafs sit dead last in team save percentage for the second season in a row, their situation in goal also remains the same – aside from the fact rookie Jonas Gustavsson has wrested the No. 1 role away from Vesa Toskala.”

Hey, even, the oldest, fattest, slowest cat still wants to eat a mouse from time to time. Stealing the number one spot from Toskala is no feat.

“Burke, in other words, cast his lot in the summer, spending up to the cap to add sniper Phil Kessel, a pair of defencemen and Gustavsson in goal, additions that have led Toronto to a worse record (15-23-9) than they had at this point last season (17-22-8) when they finished 24th overall.”

Now that gives us something to really look forward to on draft day- I mean UFA day.

“The Leaf GM’s only cards left to play will involve tearing down this roster after the Olympic break, selling off whichever of his eight unrestricted free agents who prove to have some marginal value and perhaps dealing defenceman Tomas Kaberle to bring in a late first-round pick from a contending team.”

Ah yes the dog days of spring.. I am really waiting for the first interviewer to ask Burke is he ever dreamed/imagined that his team – the one he built this year could finish below his team from last year. Hell, he was PISSED they made the playoffs then….What’s he going to be like this year when they are worse off????????

Awesome piece Mirtle….

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Have you ever played a really shitty round of golf. You know, you lose a ball a hole at least, can’t drive, chip or putt. Until the last hole you drive the shit out of the ball- longest drive of your life- straight down the fairway. You then chip the ball on to the green only to be followed by the greatest putt ever. To the point that as you walk off the course, you say to yourself, hey, I’m not so bad, next time I will kick ass.

Now, consider our beloved Maple Leafs. Every time the sky seems to be falling, you know they can’t win a game, let alone kill a penalty, the are free falling in the standings, everyone including the press is writing them off and what do they do???? They go on a mini streak. Pucks start going in when they shouldn’t, goalies are making saves they have no business making and guys like Colton Orr actually win a fight or two.

Don’t get me wrong, they don’t rise meteorically to playoff levels, no, they win enough games to be considered back into the hunt, do well enough to draw us back in and then, they will return to their mediocrity that we know so well. They will lose like they are losing now….and all will appear almost lost again.

So that is where we are today. The Toronto Sun has an article which basically says Ron Wilson is starting to realize that he doesn’t have the troops to win the battle. The Toronto Star has one that says kids are so bored with the Maple Leafs they are playing video games as opposed to watching Leafs games. The Globe and Mail has one questioning whether Ron Wilson actually deserves the reputation of being a good penalty killing coach.

Every blog around (this one especially) has written this team and players off as crap. The stage is set. Get ready to be teased as we get every year. Its about to happen again. Yes Maple Leaf fans, this is the time when the Leafs are supposed to complete the swan song and nose dive right to the bottom. But no, instead I am certain they will do exactly what they have done in the past, they will pull it together just enough to get our hopes back up. You know, they will hit that tea shot, chip and putt to get us all thinking maybe they aren’t that bad after all…

Unfortunately, for us, like the beginning of Major League, when all the locals comment on just how shitty the Indians actually are, we too know the truth. This team is devoid of real talent. The wholes are big and numerous.

When Mats Sundin arrived, after the Gilmour era, every problem the Leafs revolved around the fact that the Maple Leafs were one dimensional. Every single forward of any name or value that was brought in was done to play with Mats. Only one problem. None could play with Mats. None were as good as Mats. Now, the pressure is on Burke to find someone to play with Kessel. Kessel won’t be a superstar here unless he has someone of equal value to play with. None of the role players will be able to play roles as long as we don’t have depth. It’s really that simple.

You know it’s coming when Damien’s latest article talks about the reason why the Leafs won’t tank this year. The Leafs never tank. They tease. This is the time they do it, at our darkest day, when all looks lost, they will become our short term oasis. Enjoy it while it lasts, but don’t get sucked in….it’s not real, and let’s hope our own talent evaluators know better.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

28 games in, 11 and 17. 11 games from the top, yet only 1 game out of a playoff spot. 9 games from the bottom. 4 and 6 in their last 10. Losers of their past 2. The one thing that we have learned from our ice friends is that teams with new components can take a while to mesh. Michael Grange in the Globe and mail has a good article looking at the Toronto Raptors and the tipping point they are quickly approaching. Grange points out that, “Through 28 games the Raptors have been blown out nine times already. Their average margin of defeat is 16 points. ”

This, as it sits today isn’t a good basketball team. I who know nothing about basketball now that. Grange goes on to talk about the difficult schedule the Raptors have faced and the necessity to give them time to prove themselves- coach included.

Here’s the question I have Raptors fans. They have changed the coach, they have changed most of the parts. The result appears to be the same. Am I wrong? Does Bryan Colangelo get another shot at another coach? Does he get another shot at changing the deck chairs? The guy totally rebuilt the team this past offseason, to the delight of most who cover and root for the team. What are the 2 constants in this every changing franchise? Colangelo and Bosch. Really, what else am I missing? BC said that the best way to keep Bosh was to build a winner around him. So much for that plan, at least so far right? What’s the next option? Should Triano go? Those who cover the team have been very very polite. Those who go to the games have been very very loyal.

So, the season isn’t over yet. There is time to salvage things. What should BC do? What can be done? What does a fan think?

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Grange is here

Here’s your bikini of the day from bikinibeat.org:

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- McCown, Saul Korman
4:10 Randy Robles, Elias Sports Bureau
4:25 Jeff Blair, Globe & Mail
5:25 Dan Shulman, ESPN
5:42 Lisa Meldrum, Canadian Golfer on the LPGA Tour next year
6:05 Daryl Jones & Keith McCullough, Ice Edge Holdings IN STUDIO
6:30 Alex Anthopoulos, Jays GM
6:45 Pat Gillick, Phillies Special Assistant to the GM

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

- Darren Dreger from California on the NHL Board of Governors meeting

- Jolly Jonas Siegel from the ACC to preview tonight’s Leafs-Coyotes game

- hockey insider Scott Morrison at 6:10

Here’s your bikini of the day from bikinibeat.org:

On Fan 590 Tonight

5:20 Tom Anselmi, MLSE COO in studio

5:40 David Shoalts, Globe & Mail

6:06 Rob Becker, Legal Analyst

6:30 Brian Cooper, Head of Sports & Entertainment in studio

6:45 Should be Jim Popp but we’ll see!!

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

- Brian Burke, general manager of the Leafs

- Bob “The Bear” Cowan with his Monday NFL pick

- Jolly Jonas Siegel from the ACC to preview tonight’s Leafs-Sabres game

- Hockey insiders Darren Dreger & Ray Ferraro at 6:10

Had Brian Burke taken over the Leafs gig two summers ago, then his second offseason would be worth evaluating. Attempting to evaluate Burke today on his one year anniversary is nuts. I mean, the guy may fail, and he may fail miserably, but come on. He started a year ago, just over a quarter into the season. He has had 1 draft and one free agency, one trade deadline, and we are going to write a story entitled “Jury Still out on Burke”. One friggin year and you are drawing conclusions like that? The problem is the article by David Shoalts of the Globe and mail is only bad because it says NOTHING. The title is brutal and totally misleading.

“One of the things Brian Burke promised when he took over as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs was a sea change from the country-club atmosphere that settled over the team in previous years.

With the Burke era officially beginning its second year today with a game against the Buffalo Sabres, opinions are divided about the success of his first year – but most of the critics agree the players work much harder than they did in the past. However, no one should take that as a sign that a change in culture is complete.

True culture change, say those who took on the burden of doing it, takes years, sometimes more than a decade to complete. It takes a lot more than getting rid of a few lazy players who may be a bad influence on their teammates and bringing in some hard-workers.”

Rise your hand if you are care where the Toronto Maple Leafs are after his first year, or after his 5th or 6th. Who is going to spend the time and evaluate him at this point of the season. Let’s at least give him until the end of this season don’t you think?

““If you’re looking at the change to an elite team, it was probably 10 years,” Holland said. “But if you’re talking about going from what was the worst team in the world, as it was in 1985, to a playoff team, then you could say five years.””

Exaclty! So why even bother writing the article in the first place? I mean, if that is the gist of the article, and it is, then why bother. Shoalts makes all the arguments on why these takes time…5 to ten years in some cases, and yet the headline is that jury is out? What did people expect? Burke himself said this was going to be a long process.

“The key to success with youth, Holland said, is patience. That is an issue in Toronto, given defenceman Luke Schenn’s struggles in his second NHL season.

“The odd 18-year-old kid can change the fortunes of your team, but they’re named Gretzky and Lemieux,” Holland said. “For most of them, it takes a long time.

“People think next year you’re going to be twice as good, which is unrealistic. You go home for the summer and think you made it after your first year, plus your buddies are telling you, too. So, it is not until your second off-season that you hit the gym a lot harder than you did after the first year.”

I love that the Red Wings are again the blueprint of success. No one ever would have guessed that this would be the model of success years back. I remember when they were giving away cars at the JLA in attempt to get people to come to the arena. If they are the model, then shouldn’t others be afforded the same time to follow it? Let’s see Burke try to draft the same way Illitch’s team did and then we can talk right?

““We’ve got the work ethic, no one can say we don’t,” he said. “But we don’t have the talent like a team like the Red Wings. We don’t have a leader here who is out there doing the right thing all the time, a genuine Stevie Yzerman or Nicklas Lidstrom.

“[Yzerman] wasn’t regarded as a leader until he was about 10 years into his career. He got the captaincy early, but it was Scotty Bowman who basically brought it out of him and that took three or four years. That’s why if it’s Luke Schenn for us, it’s going to take three or four years.”

Exactly the point. So why the headline, and the intro to the article? Shoalts hit a homerun on the Coyotes. On the Leafs he seems to be striking out an awful lot lately.

Talk to you from Las Vegas

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

“”How would I rate the season? Obviously, it is incomplete,” Burke said. “There are certain aspects of our play that have not lived up to our expectations, or even close to it, and there are some other positive signs.”

OK, so you can’t rate the season, let’s start try rating the first quarter. Is he kidding? Positive signs? Are you all familiar with the old saying, “aside from that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?” I mean come on. I am all for being optimistic and all, but there has to be some degree of truth doesn’t there? I want to see the positives, but I am not. I am, I don’t know kind of finding it hard to look beyond the 3-17 record. With the lone exception of Kessel, I’m finding it really hard these days….

“On the bright side for Burke is the Leafs’ work ethic, their conditioning, and the players’ willingness to stick up for one another like they did in Ottawa two nights ago, in a fight-filled contest featuring ample amounts of the truculence the GM holds dear.”

hehehehehhehe. I guess Joe didn’t know that Gary Roberts was about to slam the leafs conditioning, and I am sure Burke didn’t see it coming either- but hell, you know what they say opinions….

“We have played well enough to win eight of the last 10 games and that’s why you haven’t seem me storm into the dressing room and yell at everybody,” Burke said. “Other than the Minnesota game [a 5-2 loss to another of the league's struggling teams], I think our efforts have been solid.

Horseshoes and hand grenades. That’s the only place where well enough to win counts. I so want to believe in what Burke is selling, but I am just having the hardest time. In the past, it was always easy to be a leafs fan in that the biggest problem was at the top. Whether it was Ballard, Mike Smith, Dryden, JFJ, MLSE whomever- there was hope that one day they would get it right. Last year, by all accounts they did, yet the product appears to have gone backwards. Maybe it’s simply because the first rounder has already been dealt away. There is no silver lining to sucking as bad as we are right now. If we are going to finish dead last, were on pace for 49 points overall right now, then we want the reward that comes with it. Burke has traded that reward away.

“It is clear they are listening to the coach. We are executing our systems. We are working our tails off. We are outshooting our opponent most nights. But [the losses] can’t continue forever.”

Ummmmmmmmm, why can’t the loses continue forever(or for at least this season)? A certain baseball post game host said of Vernon Wells and Alex Rios during multiple points of the season, they can’t hit this poorly all year….Well, they did didn’t they. It seems to me, that the guy who correctly said that if you don’t start every year trying to make the playoffs you should go drive a truck has dramatically lowered his expectations and measures of success. That’s fine, but he should come out and spell it like it is. Say hey, I know we suck, but it’s okay, were going to get through this, we have a plan etc.

“”I have been exploring the trade front since I got here, but it is hard to do, and if this group can’t get it done then the next step is to send somebody down and bring up one of the kids,” Burke said. “If we are not going to have success, then we are going to start the learning process for the young guys.”

Maybe I am being too impatient but, this is getting to be a little hollow. We have heard that he isn’t afraid to send guys down for what seems like a long time, and well, the proof is in the proverbial pudding. Send the message to the non-performers and the kids that their play isn’t acceptable. Deal with the cap ramifications later…send the message- do the right thing.

“We got three wins,” Burke said. “And that can’t continue.”

I agree, lets just see some proof that he means it.

“For the first time since moving into the Air Canada Centre 10 years ago, the NHL’s richest franchise confirms that it has been unable to lease an unspecified number of the facility’s 152 luxury suites for Leafs games this season. Yet the team does not believe this is the first sign that fans are growing weary of the product. “We’re certainly aware of the tipping point theory,” Richard Peddie, president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the team, said yesterday. “We have not experienced it. But listen, winning is the best thing you can possibly do. People want to be entertained, but they want to be entertained and win. We know we’ve got to turn things around, and we will.”

As someone who is constantly asked to procure tickets for people I can tell you that getting leafs tickets has NEVER been easier and more reasonable than it has been this year. Call it the economy, call it a lousy product, but it is what it is.

But here is what I don’t get:

““If you check markets like L.A., Chicago, New York, they haven’t leased out all their suites either,” he said. “So it’s the norm. ”

Richard Peddie’s arrogance. Why is the guy speaking to anyone with ability to write about the team. He comes across like such an ass. This is Burke’s team, he should be answering these questions.

I said this before- screw the outdoor game, play one at the old Gardens! Hell the Leafs are playing a lot like the Leafs I watched at the Gardens for most of my life, why not play one game there vs. the HABS???? Peddie- if you want to do one good thing for Leaf fans, get it done. Play one game at the Gardens Hell even Damien is backing the idea:

“A: Not interested in a game at the dome or BMO Field, really. Now a night of nostalgia at the Gardens, that I could get behind.”

O’Connor is here
Leafs ticket story is here
Damien is here