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 Stephen Brunt
- TBA

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

- Dion Phaneuf of the Maple Leafs
- Brian Duff of NHL Network talking hockey
- hockey insider Scott Morrison at 6:10

Curious thoughts as the news that Jeff Jackson has moved on from the Maple Leafs. Jackson it has been reported wanted the opportunity to move up in the organization and obviously felt that things are crowded in Burke’s world. This is strange however isn’t it? Am I nuts or do I not remember someone already asking for permission to interview Nonis last season only to be denied? Hasn’t Brian Burke said that he almost expects Nonis to get the calls again this summer? I am pretty sure that when Poulin was hired one of the reasons given was that Burke was thinking that Nonis like Joe N. would get plucked sooner rather than later?

So, if one assumes that Nonis isn’t long for the world wouldn’t that allow Jackson to move up the ladder?????????

Hmmmmmm……

Come on, raise your hand if you have ever heard of Luca Caputi. As word circlated through the ACC tonight that Burke had apparently dealt Alexei Ponikarovsky for Luca Caputi the biggest response was WHO. Apparently Martin Skoula was thrown in the deal as well, however the MSMers out there seem to think that Burke will try to deal him as well. After watching the game tonight, I would like to think Burke is going to deal about 6-8 guys tomorrow for ANYTHING in return. The Leafs were playing the Carolina Hurricanes, the Maple Leafs made the Canes look like Team Canada 2010. My favorite Ponikarovsky Maple Leafs memory was about 2-3 years ago I was at a local Toronto restaurant on a Saturday night around 10:30pm near the ACC. As I was leaving Poni showed up and asked for a table, without batting an eye he was turned away. He tried to tell him that he was a Maple Leaf player and was laughed out the door.

Here’s a video of Caputi :

Here are the stats on the New Boys:

What a difference a day makes. Bruce Arthur takes the seat from John Shannon and voila, you have a co-host with some depth. Hell, the show was listenable again. Prime Time Sports was much improved tonight. Shannon and Kelley were replaced with Arthur and Blair and suddenly their was some humor, some insight and well a show worth listening to.

I have had the debate with others as to the value of the hosts vs. guests when it comes to sports radio. I’ll say this, If the hosts aren’t good I don’t care who they are interviewing the show is going to suck. A good host can save a bad guest, but the inverse isn’t true. I, and I am pretty sure I am the minority here do turn in for the guest over the host. I prefer listening to Brady and Wilbur as a choice. However, if their guests don’t interest me, I am done. Similarly, if Kelley is the co-host, it’s unlikely I am going to be listening to Mccown. This isn’t news I know, but the battle between the shows will come down to the guest. It’s not over the local guest either. Burke, AO and Colangelo all appear on both shows. There is no real race for getting the guest first, it’s the interview that matters. I don’t care who has Paul Kelly first, I care who gets him to say the most.

Speaking of Jeff Blair, did you catch his latest column on the Maple Leafs? It’s a dandy!

“But losing to another bad team – and doing so in the manner in which they did last night, blowing a 2-0 lead to the Atlanta Thrashers in front of a crowd that was considerably less than the 10,208 announced – also reinforces something about this team. It is susceptible even to clubs with just one really good player. Whether it’s in-game coaching decisions or preparation, it is nights like last night that make it impossible to view the 2009-2010 season so far as being anything other than a step backward – or at least an uncertain step sideways. Can’t beat the best if you can’t handle your fellow dregs. ”

Come on now, doesn’t that echo what we all say most mornings after another Maple Leaf loss? Blair hit this one right on the head.

“No serious questions have been answered. Most people knew Vesa Toskala was at best a backup on a mediocre team; nothing’s changed. He is a rally-killer, wholly unreliable. Other than Phil Kessel, the Leafs are a collection of middling forwards and third and fourth defencemen. But, hell, you know all this, don’t you? The Leafs know all this, too. Nikolai Kulemin and Tyler Bozak have, along with Kessel, formed a decent first line but ask yourself this: Do you want that to be the Leafs’ No. 1 line next season? Really? Uh-huh. Thought so. ”

Therein lies the problem with our Maple Leafs. The question I have for you is, do you think Brian Burke knew this and expected it. Does he know for example, that for right now his biggest enemy is time. It’s going to take a lot of time to turn this around. He gets a long contract because he knows just how long it will take to get to meaningful hockey games.

“It’s time for a fresh voice to explain these losses, because players are tired of answering questions and reporters are tired of asking them. They can only say, “We suck,” so often. ”

It is refreshing to hear Wilson talk so candidly some time about the lack of talent. It certainly beats hearing the coach say that he has never been surrounded by a more talented group. Who should the voice of this team be? Right now there is no player. It’s why there is no captain They lack leadership and character.

Mike Danton, sports fans is holding a press conference tomorrow. Do us all a favor and ignore it. This guy is a total piece of crap and to no one should give a rats behind what he has to say. The odds of me every watching a CIS game just went from slim to none.

i know I know Jack about NBA basketball, but am I correct that when your best player puts up 44 points, you have to win?? While on the subject, riddle me this batman, have you ever seen a less interested athlete than Hedo Turkoglu. Seriously, look at the guy’s expression on the court- He looks more intense in those pizza pizza commercials! Am I wrong?

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Blair is here

Mike Zeisberger has an interesting post today on the Maple Leafs. If nothing else it certainly causes pause for thought.

“Forget the playoffs. Unlikely to happen. From here on in, the focus should be squarely on the kids, the ones who have the potential to form the nucleus of this franchise for years to come. Wilson did not name names, but let’s face it: Many of the veterans the coach referred to will not be with the Leafs next year. The Alexei Ponikarovskys of the team have served their time in blue-and-white but it’s time for the young guns to take over.”

What, do you think Wilson/Burke are thinking the rest of the way here. Are the coaching/managing to try to make the playoffs or is the goal the bigger picture? How exactly does Zeisberger suggest that youth be served? Is the idea that only the kids should be played? Is the goal not to ice the most competitive squad every night?

“No more back-to-back games for Vesa Toskala. It’s nice to reward Toskala for his shutout against the Flyers by giving him the call the next night against Alexander Ovechkin but, as a pending unrestricted free agent, he will not be back anyway. So why start him?”

Wouldn’t the answer be two-fold, one he is an asset to certain degree and with the deadline approaching, he is an expiring contract so you never know what other teams are thinking. Would it be worth it to trade him for a 3rd or 4th round pick? I say so. Well, the only way you get ANYTHING for the guy is if he plays. Odds of him garnering any return is slim, but if he isn’t playing it’s nill. As for starting him again, I am pretty sure I read somewhere that he had a fairly decent record against the caps and more importantly he was damn good vs. Philly.

“If Wilson chose to go on a youth kick, he could actually ice a unit in which no player is older than 25 — Gustavsson (25), Schenn (20), Gunnarsson (23), Kessel (22), Bozak (23) and Kulemin (23), with White (25) waiting in the wings. No one is attempting to claim you’ll be ticking off these names on an all-star ballot one day. Given the franchise’s history of prospects who come up short, there is more than enough reason to be cynical about the future of this particular crop. But it’s time to find that out firsthand. How else do you get to see a glimpse of brilliance like Bozak’s between-the-defenceman’s-legs goal against the Flyers? There will be nights where Bozak looks out of place. It’s part of learning. But moves like that, while they shouldn’t send expectations skyrocketing, can not be taught. It’s pure skill.”

The one line of youth thing is interesting. Isn’t the issue for Wilson and Burke when does learning end and bad lessons begin. If kids aren’t ready, can more harm be done by over playing them? Last year Wilson’s approach with Schenn was that Schenn could do no wrong. Every mistake was viewed as a learning experience and Luke was sent right back out there. He consistently lead the team in minutes played. Why not take the same approach with these kids?

“Kulemin has been a pleasant surprise. Those of us who have been critical of his moribund play in the past must acknowledge his somewhat surprising work ethic has turned him into a solid two-way player. As for you Luke Schenn bashers out there, he has a plus-minus of zero. On this team, that’s not bad. And neither is the collection of kids”

Solid two-way player, isn’t that just a tad premature? I am not trying to be negative, but let’s not get overly excited here. He could turn into that and I think he has played very well of late. The bigger more pleasant surprise has to be Ian White.

Meanwhile, it looks like Happy Howie is starting to repeat what many of his fellow journalists are saying these days:

“So, to summarize: Burke is happy with his coaching staff. He will not consider offers for his only marketable player, even though it could help him to land assets that augment Kessel’s performance down the line. He has traded the Leafs’ first-round pick in the next two NHL drafts. The free agents he signed last summer [Michael Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, Colton Orr and Jonas Gustavsson] have had a negligable impact on the hockey club to this point.

Where, then, does one of the highest-salaried GMs in the league turn to begin moving the Leafs in the proper direction?

Your guess is as good as mine.”

Compare that with Simmons’ piece from last Sunday:

” A quick Brian Burke report card. His team stinks. His friend, the coach, can’t get the Maple Leafs to kill penalties or play anything resembling team defence. His big acquisition, Phil Kessel, has gone soft and sour. He won’t be drafting Taylor Hall in June or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins the year after. And his college free-agent signings are nowhere to be found while David McNab, who signed Andy McDonald and Dustin Penner for Anaheim, has come up with another good one for his former team in Dan Sexton. Outside of goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who has had two heart procedures and a groin injury in his rookie season, little has gone right in Burke’s world and, knowing him, that has to driving him to absolute frustration”

Totally identical? No. Same thoughts and tone, for sure. Berger’s blog post on the 14th suggests that Brian Burke is blowing it by publicly starting his Tomas Kaberle position. It’s kind of an odd position for Berger. He who bashed the Leafs for thier alleged intentions with Bryan McCabe. This is the same guy who was the most relentless about the culture and reputation of the Maple Leafs had to change. No one wants to play here etc. I wonder how much this is about the fact that with Tomas Kaberle not in play, how little there will be for Berger to report on up and until the deadline. Who, pres tell would listen to him if he had no Maple Leaf scoops. With Kaberle not being asked to wave his no trade clause, the clammer of info on the Poni and Stajan talk just isn’t going to be that juicy is it? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Over at the Toronto Star, Kevin McGran has an interesting quote from Ron Wilson:

“Coach Ron Wilson acknowledges he’s got a young team, but won’t use it as an excuse. “The guys who are making the big mistakes aren’t our rookies and second-year players, they were veterans,” said Wilson. “Shame on them for not quite being ready. It’s simple little things, like defencemen backing off.”

Doesn’t that beg the questions, WHY ARE THE PLAYING THEN??? and Who’s job is it for a player to be ready?????

The first should be pretty easy. Wilson shouldn’t be playing guys who are making “big” mistakes. What am I missing here?

With regards to the second, part of the responsibility has to be the players. I get that. However, a big part has to fall on the coaching staff. Their job is to ensure that their players are prepared. That started last season when they sent them away for the summer. For the new guys, it was the coaches job to get them on the right page before training camp and then the entire group during it. The duty carries forward as the season progresses. One thing Wilson can’t complain about is a revolving door of personnel. His GM hasn’t really made too many changes.

Did you catch this gem from Bill Houston? Houston writes how Berger went off the other day how surprised he was that Leafs fans were “bitter” with respect to how the season has unfolded:

” We would suggest not. This has everything to do with a sense of hopelessness — that the future, at least for the next two seasons, has been squandered. It’s all about Burke, after one mediocre season, rejecting the idea of building the team the sensible way, through the draft, and instead opting to give away two first round draft choices and a second to Boston for Phil Kessel, a player who’s streaky but talented, but certainly not a franchise player. For the fan, it’s not so much what Kessel is or isn’t. It’s about the fact there’s nothing to look forward to. There’s no lottery pick waiting for the team at the end of the season. The rebuilding is over, but the house is a wreck. Now, as Bill Watters said on AM640 in Toronto today, it’s all about Burke trying to renovate as best he can.”

It’s hard for me to disagree with the take, except for the Wilbur part. Wilbur’s anti- Leaf bias is legendary.

So, who’s excited for the Blue Jays season? Bought any tickets???? Ohhh, how bout them Argonauts??? Ohhhh and hey, what ever happened to Craig Daniels?

Zeisberger is here
Berger is here
Simmons is here
McGran is here
Houston is here

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

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

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 John Shannon
- Mike Wilner on Mark McGwire’s steroids admission
- Ken King, Calgary Flames
- Jarret Bell
- Doug Smith

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

- Herm Edwards on the NFL playoffs

- an interview with a member of the Maple Leafs’ front office

- Bob “The Bear” Cowan

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

Interesting reading the papers today as the experts respond to Brian Burke’s selection for the USA Olympic team:

“Burke would choose a Canadien over his dead body simply for his having been nearly booed out of the Bell Centre last June at the NHL entry draft. A Size XL ego who is loved or loathed with no grey area beyond his snowy scalp, Burke immediately claimed that he didn’t take the podium abuse personally. But …”

That from Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette.

Choosing the team is thankless, unless of course you win. No one is ever going to be happy and neither Brian Burke or Steve Yzerman are exempt from the criticism.

However, Burke, if nothing else wants to win. I can’t imagine that being booed in Montreal entered Burke’s mind for 1 second when he was picking his roster. His ego, as Stubbs points out is too big. There is no way he would let being booed get in the way of winning gold.

“There will be no better time for Gionta and Gomez to thank Brian Burke for Friday’s vote of non-confidence than on March 20 and April 10, when they personally can stick it to his Maple Leafs.”

We shall see then how much Gionta and Gomex are insulted by their omission from Burke’s roster.

Meanwhile, Larry Brooks, Burke’s number one fan chimes in:

“So if Tim Gleason played for the Maple Leafs and Mike Komisarek played for the Hurricanes, which defenseman do you suppose would have been named to the Olympic squad by Team USA (and Maple Leafs) GM Brian Burke and which would be left at home?”

All kinds of thoughts on this one. My first response is identical to the one above. Burke isn’t going to pick his own players as opposed to others if he knows better. He wants to win. Having said that, he did go out and sign Komisarek this off season, he must like him. Would I think for one second that familiarity played a role in say a tie-breaker situation where it was down to 2 players of, in Burke/Wilson’s minds, equal talent- then the answer is yes. If they were trying to decide between 2 guys whom they thought were equally talented I could see them giving the advantage to the one who plays for the Maple Leafs- the old devil you know adage right?

Then, as Burke was being interviewed on TV tonight during the Swedish game at the WJHC fans rinkside were chanting “Leafs Suck”- according to Damien Cox on Twitter. I would think that of all the attention, Burke enjoys this one the most.

I am having my knee scoped tomorrow so may not be many posts during the day

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Stubbs is here

Brooks is here

You watch the video and it’s hard not to be envious of our neighbors to the east. Say whatever you want about the Montreal Canadiens, but they are one classy organization. No one recognizes their veteran superstars like they do. I watched the pre-game ceremony and re-saw it on TSN about 15 times and was just in awe. To have all their great superstar lace em up, put on the jerseys for a photo was pure gold!

This isn’t a knock on MLSE, rather a plea, to consult the Canadiens play book before the next session where we honor more Maple Leafs. The Habs just flat out do it well.

Change clearly is in the air. Let’s see:

First the Maple Leafs. How many contracts are expiring at year’s end? How many players currently on the roster do you expect to be here for training camp next year? No matter what is being said publicly, if the Leafs continue at the same clip as they are right now for the rest of the season, there will be tremendous pressure to change the coaching staff. The only thing that could make that easier for Burke is if the US Olympic team shits the bed for what is perceived as coaching errors.

Toronto Blue Jays. Good, bad or indifferent, AA is going to overhaul his roster too. Does that mean they will be any better? Who knows. Beeston and company aren’t exactly instilling confident feelings in me, that’s for sure. From my perspective, it’s pretty damn telling when trading Roy Halladay is seen as a positive thing if only for the the hope that there will be multiple usable assets coming in return. Add to that the fact that this will be Cito’s last season as manager and well, change is coming. We may have a better idea of how fast this coming Monday when the annual derby of players begins.

Toronto Raptors: Oy! No, really, Oy! Brian Colangelo’s boys lost their 5th in a row tonight and it was UGLY. How ugly, they gave up 146 points! Ummmm, wasn’t the plan to keep Bosh here to place him in a winning environment???? The only reason the seseason isn’t a total disaster so far is that there are worse teams in the league right now (thank god for the NJ NETS). The Raptors are 7-13 after 20 games, 8 games back from the leader in their division and are in second place!! At this pace change will have to be considered by Colangelo and soon. Chris Bosh- who has been on fire so far this season put up 2 points tonight.

Toronto Argos: 3 and 15. I am not going to pretend that I know the first thing about this team. I do know that their owners aren’t going to put up with the results they have seen in the last couple of years. A product like this won’t sell anywhere near the tickets they are hoping to sell regardless of where the team plays.

Fan 590: William Houston broke the news today that Nelson Millman is leaving the station that he built for greener pastures at Sportsnet. While Houston correctly says that any rumored change is merely speculation one has to think that it’s better than a 50:50 bet. In the past couple of months Millman has had to terminate some long time employees including Norm Rumack. Millman is a people person. He likes and supports his team. Change wouldn’t come easy with him still at the fan and it is likely to be easier for a new person to make changes that Nelson would rather not make. The challenge for whomever the new boss is will be talent location. This isn’t exactly a market full of young talent. Getting rid of any of the current on air personalities is easy. Finding better alternatives in this market right now will be more difficult. Either way, anyone not named Mccown should be worried at the Fan.

Houston also mentioned that Steve McCalister has left the Globe and Mail to run Yahoo Sports Canada’s sports team. That is fascinating. For the first time an internet portal in this country is taking sports seriously. Be certain to keep an eye on that change.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the health of Maple Leafs goalie Gustavsson. While there is lots of speculation out there right now, it is just that. In either event there will be a change in net and let’s hope that he is okay soon not for hockey sake but for his own health.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia