Sorry been tied up for a bit so didn’t get the usual post in today.

In honour of Maelle Ricker’s Gold Medal win I present today’s bikini of the day:

Here in London England, the holiday spirit is alive and well. The streets are filled with lights and the store fronts each more imaginative than the next. It is quite remarkable to see and I have to admit I am a bit jealous that Toronto does not carry the same spirit. This year, with a new animation movie hitting the market for the holidays, Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol, the streets here are full of sponsored decorations. Marketing in the year 2009, everything is for sale.

So with that in mind I reflect on the possibility of our Toronto Maple Leafs applying to host an outdoor game. I have to admit, and I fully realize that I may be alone in this thought, but I really couldn’t careless. The reality is, despite the fact that Toronto is a Maple Leaf town, and I love to go to as many games as I possible can and watch every minute of those I am not able to attend, I have no desire to go to an outdoor game, here, there or anywhere. I would have liked to attend the first one. For me, everyone after doesn’t compare, it’s no longer new, cool nor hip. It’s gotten to be quite passe.

The idea of watching the Leafs play outside vs. the Habs, or any other original six team does absolutely nothing for me. Personally, I would rather see them put ice make in Maple Leaf Gardens for a night. Now that would be cool. If we could go back to the old rat infested Gardens for one night…That I would pay for. That would be a new, fresh, exciting event. It also couldn’t be replicated in many markets as the old barns simply don’t exist anymore. Put the Leafs and Habs in their old uniforms, let the pension plan folks sit in the old bunker, Jimmy Holmstrom on the organ, the horribly ugly old usher uniforms for one night…that would an honour to our tradition.

With respect to an outdoor game in Toronto I say Bah Humbug- pass. I am already bored with the idea, it’s no longer innovate, I personally wouldn’t go if the tickets were free.

On another note, I see the Leafs want to host another all star game and a draft. I was at the last all star game, it was fun. Given the recent play of our team, it was the first time there was a real buzz in this town over hockey for a long time. Hell, more people would care about the all star weekend then will the Pan Yawn Games. As for the draft, if memory serves me correctly, wasn’t the last draft hosted in Toronto a total bust? I seem to recall less than stellar turnout with no one giving a rats ass about it being in town.

Yes, all three things are about the almighty buck to MLSE. They each represent additional gate revenues. The game of areana success is all about filling yours more nights than others. So if they can squeeze more asses through the turnstiles 1, 2 or 3 more days a year it means more beer, hot dogs, sushi and popcorn etc. I would assume that the message would be more about building or rebuilding the hockey fan base in Toronto. The usual suspects in the MSM would call the spade a spade and cry that is about nothing more than money. The typical out of town media would complain about Toronto getting more attention then needed etc.

If we get the draft or the all star game, cool. If we don’t – oh well. Personally, I would much rather have meaningful games later in the year and playoff home dates (yes, plural) than have these events.

Didn’t see any of the game last night, it sounds like there was a coaching issue again last night. While Wilson can’t play the game, if a team comes out flat or unprepared, that to me is a coaching issue. The coach was unable to get his guys up for and prepared for the task at hand. It also further establishes the lack of leadership on the team. The Maple Leafs don’t have the guy to grab the team by the proverbial neck and get them going.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Our man LT likes to check in a few times a week with the same question, “Did Burke land Marleau yet?” Clearly, LT wants Marleau. The news that the San Jose Sharks have stripped Marleau of his captaincy has lead to rampant speculation that Marleau will be dealt by the Sharks. So the question is twofold, one, do we want him? and two, do we have the assets to get him.

The answers are as intriguing as the questions themselves. Burke seems to be after high character guys. Does the fact that he is losing his captaincy mean he is not a high character guy? Does losing his captaincy make him less desirable? There are lots of high character guys who aren’t captain material. Hell, I wrote yesterday that Tomas Kaberle is, by all accounts a high character guy but by no accounts is he captain material. In my opinion, the only reason we want him is if Ron Wilson wants him. It’s one thing to be a GM in the league and covet or admire a player on another team. It’s different to have coached a guy. If Ron Wilson wants him, than that is good enough for me too. He puts up good numbers and is only 30.

Now, more interesting is do the Maple Leafs have the assets to get him. The obvious answer is yes they do. They coud pile up enough of (or all of) their young talent and throw in draft picks (Tom Kurvers trade ring a bell) to trade for him. The real question is, how marketable is a guy who has just been stripped of his captaincy? I mean how does Doug Wilson sell high on a guy who he in essence has just humiliated? Whether or not the move is justified or not, stripping a player of this honour can’t be viewed positively on the part of the player. I don’t care how it is sold, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it’s still stripping the player of one of the highest honors in the game. So what is the price for a guy like this right now?

All intriguing questions as we inch closer to training camp.

I have to admit, the more I have thought about it today the more I have really started to believe that Burke should find room for Chelios in this franchise. I think it would be a move of pure genius to land him. One way, two way, what ever way. Bring him here to be a role model and a mentor. I hear Ken Holland interviewed today, and as brutal an interview as it was, he said that the one thing that makes the Red Wings special is that when kids finally make the roster (they are so deep they don’t have to rush their prospects) they sit in the locker room in stalls next to guys like Steve Yzerman and Chris Chelios and learn how to be professional hockey players. They learn how to prepare, how to workout, the work ethic, how to eat etc. This is exactly why Burke should offer Chelios something unique to come in and teach these young kids how to be pros.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia