So we aren’t the only ones who get annoyed when Happy Howard Berger speaks day in and day out, saying exactly the same thing. Jeremy Sandler reports that Ron Wison took on Happy Howie yesterday. I’m in Montreal and so if this is elsewhere I haven’t seen it or heard it:

“All of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ losing hasn’t robbed Ron Wilson of his sense of humour.

The sometimes prickly Leafs coach turned a question from Fan 590 radio reporter Howard Berger on his personal level of optimism into a miniature stand-up routine.

“You ask me this every day Howard,” he said. “It’s like water boarding or Chinese water torture until I crack. I’m not going to crack, I want to win every game. So it does get frustrating when you don’t win. We should send you to Guantanamo, we’d solve all the issues that we had.

“You would drive some of these guys nuts. I would interview these poor guys, the prisoners, after you’ve interrogated them and see what they have to say. It would be fun.”

Man does Wilson have Berger’s number. I guess listening to the same question every day will do that to you. It’s too bad Wilson has to answer the question, winning would solve it, but until that happens his little shots at Berger are brilliant. Brilliant in that sending Berger elsewhere to interrogate would be phenomenal, I think Jack Bauer would love the argyle sweaters or the Miami Dolphins jacket- Berger would be a huge hit on 24.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Sandler is here

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

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- Grapeline with Don Cherry & Brian Williams at 4:45
- Bob McCown’s co-host from 5:00 to 7:00 is Bruce Arthur
4:10 Jeff Blair, Globe & Mail
5:25 Mike Dee Miami Dolphins CEO
5:45 Keith Law, ESPN
6:06 Eddie Olczyk, NBC & Versus
6:30 Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports
6:45 Dr. Peter Jensen, Mental Training Coach for Team Canada in studio

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

- Tony Dungy of NBC on the NFL playoffs

- Rob Higgins, fantasy hockey expert

- hockey insider Scott Morrison at 6:10

The alarm clock goes off – followed by grunts of protest and frantic hand-slamming to shut it off. It’s 7:00 am, time to start preparation.

For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of travelling to Buffalo to take in a Bills game. Last year, five brave souls took the trek to see the Bills take on the Oakland Raiders. This season, eight of us crossed the border to witness the “Squish the Fish” game between the Bills and their AFC East rivals, the Miami Dolphins.

First and foremost, none of us are Bills fans. But when we arrived at Ralph Wilson Stadium at around 8:30, that all changed. Cars were slowly trickling into the parking lot, and we took an open spot where our two cars could be side by side. Being relative tailgating rookies, our supplies were limited. A small grill and two coolers were all we had – one for food, one for ‘adult beverages’. So for the next four hours we stood around in a parking lot, meeting random fans and witnessing the American past-time of tailgaiting.

Game time neared, and three of us decided to head into the stadium. We entered our gate, and immediately heard the buzz generated by the field. We knew our seats were pretty good, but we had no idea just how amazing they were. We kept on walking down, getting closer and closer to the field. And then we were there. Four rows back, right in the middle of the endzone. The Bills were warming up in our end, looking completely relaxed as they ran through their pregame drills. Fans around us, clearly season ticket holders, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. We received a warm welcome from several Bills fans, and even some brave Dolphins fans who sat in front of us.

As kickoff neared, the stadium reached a fever pitch. Over 72,000 fans yelling at the top of their lungs, bashing the bleacher in front of them with all their strength – truly a testiment to the overwhelming power of sport. The first half flew by. It felt like each team had piled up over 40 points, yet the teams were deadlocked at seven apiece.

Miami held the lead going into the fourth quarter, but that’s when the “Twelfth Man” came into effect. Most people familiar with the NFL consider Seattle’s Qwest Field the loudest stadium in the league. But on November 29th, it was Ralph Wilson Stadium. The entire crowd stood and cheered in unison, and were rewarded by a Fred Jackson touchdown run early in the fourth. Rian Lindell gave the Bills the lead with a 56 yard field goal, and with Miami back in possession, Chad Henne threw the game away. Drayton Florence picked off an errant throw intended for Brian Hartline, and the crowd errupted. Everyone was yelling at the top of their lungs, and the stadium rang with the sound of aluminum bleachers being hammered.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, who already electrified the crowd with a 31 yard touchdown run in the second quarter, proceeded to reward every Bills fan for their loyalty on the next play, tossing a 51 yard bomb to Terrell Owens. Even though it was in the opposite end, we all knew he was going all the way when he caught the ball. I’d never heard anything louder in my life. Everyone was standing on the bleachers, screaming as loud as possible. My hands were numb from clapping and high fiving – my voice was hoarse, but there was no way I was going to stop cheering.

The Bills went on to win 31-14, behind 24 points in the fourth quarter. Back in the parking lot after the game, everyone was continuing the celebration. Bills fans wouldn’t be stopped by the sun going down – fires were sprinkled around the entire lot. We got into our cars at around 5:30 to begin the trek home, already talking about going back next year.

Sure, the 22 kilometer trip back home took seven and a half hours. Yes, my hands are still sore as I type this and my throat still hurts more than 24 hours after the game. But would I do it again? In a heartbeat – and I will next year. Bills Bash has become an annual tradition. And for anyone who’s even a remote fan of the NFL, I highly suggest a trip south of the border to take in a game. There’s nothing like it.

TWO POINT CONVERSION

- Bills in Toronto update! You can still get a pair of seats in the 500 level… for $310 dollars

- alright Canadian NFL fans, time to show the leauge what you’ve got. I’ll be there watching

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

It’s the second straight edition of Thursday night football as the Miami Dolphins (4-5) are in Carolina to take on the Panthers (4-5). These teams are very similar. They have the same record, they love to run the ball and they play punishing defence. Also both teams are coming off big wins in week 10. Miami jumped out to a big lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and held on at the end to win 25-23. The Dolphins got a balanced running attack from explosive backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown. Williams ran for over a hundred and Brown had 82 and a touchdown. What makes this duo so tough is that they’re good in a conventional offence and even deadlier in the wildcat formation. Yesterday the Dolphins were dealt some bad news. Brown is gone for the rest of the season with a foot injury. It’s the second time in three seasons he has dealt with an injury that cost him the remainder of the season. Brown is the focal point in Miami’s wildcat so it will be interesting to see how they adapt. Rookie Lex Hilliard takes his spot in the line up. Carolina is another team that relies on two very good running backs. The Panthers beat their division rivals Atlanta Falcons last week 28-19 thanks to the running of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. This duo combined for 174 yards on the ground and Stewart had two touchdowns. Carolina also got a boast from the return of 14-year veteran receiver Muhsin Muhammad. Atlanta chose to double team wide out Steve Smith, so Muhammad had single coverage for most of the game and pulled in 6 catches for 91 yards. It’s a toss up who’s going to win this game, but one thing is for sure – if you like the ground game, this is one game you won’t want to miss.

There’s a lot going on right now – Hockey season’s in full swing, with basketball just around the corner. Meanwhile, we’re starting to get a clearer look at the NFL picture, while just two teams remain in Major League Baseball. Locally, things aren’t pretty, but there’s plenty to talk about.

• Are the Toronto Maple Leafs awful, unlucky, or both? It’s a little confusing when you watch them play, but that third period on Saturday night summed up their season nicely. Even when the effort is there, and it was, there simply aren’t enough finishers up front. Sure, Ron Wilson, blame Luongo’s stellar play… Have you noticed that most goalies seem to be on their “A” game against Toronto? Reminds me of Raptors fans justifying the outside shooting of an opponent – “Come on, Shane Battier will never go 7/8 from three-point land again”… If something happens enough, it’s time to look in the mirror.
• That being said, Phil Kessel will help. The cynic will say there’s nobody to get him the puck, but the guy can score. Toronto had plenty of chances to even the score on Saturday, but lack a sniper to get the job done. Speaking of Kessel, let’s talk about the No. 1 pick fiasco. The trade looks horrible right now, but is it? Yes, the Leafs may end up with the first pick in next year’s draft, but it’s still quite possible to move up. In any case, there’s absolutely no guarantee Burke lands a young player with as much potential as Kessel. And really, that’s all the draft is. That first round pick is an imaginary player – If Burke still had the pick and used it on this year’s Phil Kessel, what’s the difference? He’s young, great, and locked up. The GM was certainly banking on a better season from his team, but it’s still possible to view the trade with the glass half full.
• Who wins first – The Leafs or the Raptors? I’ll say the Raps win on Friday in Memphis, so it’ll be tight.
• Speaking of the Toronto Raptors, their first month could be pretty miserable. Games against Cleveland, Orlando, Detroit, New Orleans, San Antonio, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and Utah would be tough for anybody, and especially a team that still hasn’t gelled whatsoever. I’m not saying it’s time to panic – Quite the contrary, actually… But reasonable fans should expect to get killed in at least a few of the early contests. Toronto showed very few signs of improvement throughout the preseason, and going 5-10 out of the gate shouldn’t surprise anyone. The playoffs are still attainable, but the start will be rough. If the team improves, there will be plenty of time to right the ship.
• Despite Frank Zicarelli’s objection, it’s the right call to start DeMar DeRozan. I really think Frank has it completely wrong on this one – He talks about hiding rookies, but the second unit is no place for this. The Raptors backups are having enough trouble scoring and it makes no sense to give DeRozan that responsibility. Instead, let the kid do what he’s been doing – filling the lane, cutting to the hoop, and getting to the line. The starting unit is filled with scoring, meaning DeRozan will get his without having plays run for him. It’s the perfect spot to get him minutes, and it’s not like anybody else has earned them. Antoine Wright? Please, you don’t earn minutes by sitting on the bench, especially when you’ve accomplished next to nothing in this league.
• More important than the starting lineup is the finishing lineup. Right now, I’d say the Raps end games with a lineup of Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Obviously, it’s somewhat dependant on the situation.
• Vince Carter is going to have a huge year for the Orlando Magic. Huge.
• What happened to the Miami Dolphins yesterday? As well as New Orleans played in the second half, it was perplexing to watch Miami abandon their game plan. This team is built on running, but insisted on throwing with a huge lead. It made absolutely no sense, and ended in disaster. On the other side of the ball, the Saints continued to prove they are among football’s elite.
• On the other hand, the New York Giants had every opportunity to beat Arizona, but insisted on handing the game to the Cardinals. Last week, it was the defense. This week, it was the offense. Tom Coughlin has to get them ready for a tough Eagles squad before the wheels completely fall off.
• I hate the Dallas Cowboys, but Tony Romo is a very good quarterback. It’s ridiculous what people say about him, despite the way he carries that offense. Nobody is a “winner” until they win. Peyton couldn’t win in the playoffs, until he did. Same goes for Eli. One of these years, a whole lot of people will be eating crow with regards to Romo.
• Troy Polamalu completely changes the Steelers defense. They were average in his absence, and beastly in his return.
• How depressing is this world series matchup for Cleveland Indians fans? The starting pitchers for Game 1 – CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee – both played for the Indians last season. At least they still have LeBron James… for now.
• As for Philadelphia vs New York, it’s too close to call. Two powerful lineups, two good pitching staffs. The series goes six or seven.
• My “wows” for the week go to Anze Kopitar, Vernon Davis, Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard.

-DL

College of Sports Media Game of the Night:

The last time the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts met was back in week 17 of 2006. Peyton Manning threw for two touchdowns and the Colts won 27-22. Out of the last six times these two teams battled the Dolphins have the edge of the Colts, beating them four times. Tonight in Florida these teams go it with a lot to prove. For Indianapolis they want to show the rest of the league that they’re still the dominant team that won the Super Bowl three years ago and should not be overlooked. Future Hall-of-Famer receiver Marvin Harrison is no longer on the team and his replacement, Anthony Gonzalez is out for two to eight weeks with a knee injury. Manning still has go-to wide out Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark. Both should expect many throws their way and will factor into the decision of this game. Defensively Indianapolis will miss the services of safety Bob Sanders for this one as he too is dealing with knee problems.

Miami wants to show everybody that last season was no fluke. They surprised the NFL by winning the AFC East relying heavily on the wildcat formation. Last week they looked bad, committing  four turnovers en route to a 19-7 lose to the Atlanta Falcons. For the Dolphins to be successful Chad Pennington needs to eliminate mistakes and they need to get the ball into the hands of running back Ronnie Brown as often as possible. Last season Brown was the key factor in the Dolphin’s wildcat offence, rushing for 916 yards, scoring 10 touchdowns along with 254 receiving yards. Miami also has to play sound defence, limiting the big plays and getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. A year ago linebacker Joey Porter had a career year leading the team with 17.5 sacks.

Both from loyal readers on in an email to me…the other as a comment on the site:

“Norm Rumack? C’mon you couldn’t have taken a shot at Rumack? I have a rusty ballpeen hammer that is smarter than him. ”

That is a classic. Funniest thing about Norm is that he is the biggest hammerhead out there. He is harmless though….

“u NEED to find a way to see Hockeycentral on Sportsnet and see what Berger is wearing..

Nerdier than I even thought before…Some kind of ottawa rough riders throwback jersey or something…it was awful. A plea for attention given he was on tv. ”

I am surprised he wasn’t wearing the creamsicle orange Flyer’s jersey he loves so much. As a dolphins fan it kills me when he wears the jacket or hat…

So I spent some time very early this am writing a blog post in response to Steve Simmon’s gibberish in today’s Sun. I was not entirely surprised to not get a ton of activity on the post, as for the most part if it isn’t leafs or hockey, well, that’s just the way it is. I was pleased and confused to see the following comment posted in response to my post:

“Dear NFL people, please leave the Bills in Buffalo and as far away from Toronto as possible!”

This was signed Barbie.

My first reaction was that this had to be from someone in Buffalo. I wrote the reply below to the aforementioned Barbie from Buffalo. Only one problem, Barbie from Buffalo isn’t from Buffalo, it’s Barbie from Canada. A quick look at her blog tells us or at least me, that she is an avid football fan. I am more surprised at her comments given her strong affinity for the game. In any event, I thank you for writing Barbie, and for those of you who may care, here is my response to Barbie who should be from Buffalo :

*

Hey Barbie:

Thanks for your note. 2 things I think you need to know. First, whom, are these NFL people you are writing to? I can tell you, without question that I am not them. I am surprised that you are addressing this issue to the NFL people though. Whom do you think took this game to Toronto? It wasn’t the city of Toronto or the NFL, it was the owner of the Buffalo Bills and their owner (or at least his wallet.)

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly let’s make something clear. From a fan standpoint, very few out there would be happier if the NFL were to come to Toronto then I would be. Having said that, I don’t really want a team from another city. While I realize that we may be forced to take a pre-existing franchise, I, like many others would much prefer an expansion franchise as opposed to a franchise that is currently playing in another city.

So, if by NFL people you mean us here to the North, you are picking the wrong enemy. We want a team, not your team. If you want your team to stay as your team, keep buying as much Bills gear as you can and as many tickets as you can.

I would be remiss to say that given your Bills play of late, including their performance yesterday….Please keep your Bills as far away from Toronto as possible…we have enough with losing franchises thank you!

Sorry for yesterday’s post…. I am back to being riled up.

“Yes, this Buffalo Bills game in Toronto today has not exactly worked out as planned but even so, the economics have to be daunting for the Canadian Football League. Today’s game will bring in more ticket revenue — about $8 million — than the Argonauts manage for an entire season. The Argos range from $6 million to $7 million a year in ticket sales”

“But the first National Football League game to be played in Canada ended up accomplishing what nobody really envisioned. It angered people in Buffalo. It angered people in Toronto. It cost Rogers Communications all kinds of money. And it entertained almost no one.”

Ahhhh yes, Mr. Simmons. To whom the glass is always entirely empty. Funny how only yesterday the CFL should be worried that one games revenue equaled more then an entire season and today everyone is “angry”.

Ok sports fans, I will bite… Raise your hand if you are angry about yesterday’s game at the Ted. Forget the outcome as well, anybody can be angry on any given Sunday. Seriously, I want to know the person who was “angered in Toronto”. Except those who couldn’t drive around near the Dome yesterday due to road closures, raise your hand if the game made you “angry”. That is what I thought. There is nothing to be angry about. His entire article is full of contradictions. I spoke to 25 people who went to the game yesterday. Each of them and their respective groups were thoroughly entertained. Every one of them said the same thing “We had a great time”. So, there you have it, I can’t believe my peeps were the only ones entertained…

The game brought in 8 million in ticket revenue alone. That doesn’t count all the other crap. Was it a HUGE success ? No, was it a COLOSSAL failure, no. Let’s recall all those stories about the amounts of money the Rogers Community has lost on the Blue Jays or other entities. Certain things corporations do for total profit (like charging 1.99 for directory assistance on a cell call) and others they do for profit, pr, marketing etc.

Yesterday, I had the good fortune of being outside for about 20 minutes at a local cemetery. Never a fun event, but I can tell you it was certainly in the top 5 coldest 20 minutes of my life. So, for the Bills fans who are so angry, get your pals and companies to buy more tickets so that your owner wouldn’t have to move a few games to where he can subsidize his take locally. That, or get in the car and drive. As much as people say they would have preferred to be outside yesterday, be the least be honest. Here in Toronto, which is Florida compared to Buffalo weather, it was unbearable outside yesterday. I can only imagine what it was like in Buffalo. Those Bills fans who went to the game (of which half of my 25 were) all were thrilled it was in doors.

“People paid mortgage payments for a pair of tickets to watch J.P. Losman play quarterback. That doesn’t seem fair to anybody. He is Buffalo’s Michael Bishop — and before Saskatchewan let him go, you could watch for him about 25 bucks.”

Now, remember that line folks, and compare it to:

“The good people at Rogers — bless them — announced attendance at 52,134. Some of them apparently paid. Those who attended the Metro Bowl high school championships last week were given freebies. Those who work for Rogers or the Blue Jays were informed they could have free tickets.

Outside, you could have had scalpers’ seats for less than $50. That makes this event dubious as a way of impressing the NFL.

So, you want it both ways? Metro Bowlers (couldn’t resist) and Roger Community Members were allowed in for free and scalping would land you a seat for $50. Raise your hand if your mortgage payment is $50. I know the argument, people shelled out good money early at face price for seats. I know a couple of people who had to fly home last minute from Florida last week. The bought their tickets on westjet.com the day before the flight, they paid under $200 for their tickets tax in. They sat with another friend who just happened to be on their flight but bought her ticket several weeks ago. She paid over $450 for her ticket. Life isn’t fair. What can I tell you.

“What also was evident was that the emotional draw that makes sport special — being here for your team, caring, being passionate — loses its appeal in what ostensibly seemed like a neutral-site game. When I asked a friend in the stands to rate the atmosphere, he called it a D-.”

Clearly your friends aren’t my friends.

“This had a corporate Super Bowl feel to it. A lot of people paid a lot of money to be here and then weren’t sure what to do.”

What were people expecting? This is not a surprise to anyone with a brain who knows the Toronto market. Look at the facts. The majority of people who grew up in this city loved one of several NFL teams, the cowboys (America’s team), the Dolphins (I am not sure why), the bills (proximity) and the (steelers- Bradshaw and the boys). No offense to anyone who lives and dies for another team. Growing up in Toronto, everyone I know roots for one of those teams in strong majorities. Toronto is not entirely a Bills town. This was a neutral site game. It is not different then games in Europe, Mexico or anywhere else. To complain that it had a corporate feel is stupid. Love it,or hate it, this is Toronto. If you don’t like it, unfortunately, you are wishing away your teams. People may bemoan the corporate feel to the ACC, but guess what Leaf Nation it is sold out every night. If you want the team to be able to spend to the cap, and you want it go get big name GM’s and coaches, that barn has to be full. Wait until you see what the Blue Jays look like this year if the rumored trimming takes place.

“All our lives we’ve been waiting for the National Football League. Today we have to take a moment and wonder why. After the most talked-about, most promoted, most hyped football game played in Toronto, all there was left at the end was a sense of ambivalence.”

Who hyped it? Who has been waiting for an NFL Bills Dolphins Game all their lives? If that is you, I am truly sorry for you. Give Toronto a game where it is the home team, the Toronto Whatevers against either the Bills or the Dolphins then we can talk. The hype? Media created. Yes Rogers held a press conference, the press covered it. How many times did the folks at the Fan590 have the bills guys on the air. Say what you want, and I know who owns the fan, but the hype here is on the press. The naysayers poo-pooed this from the get go. There is no surprise at the result. What did people expect?

Say whatever you want. The NFL should be the easiest sale of the year. Each HOME team only hosts 8 regular season games and 2 pre-season games. No matter what you charge for a season ticket, the multiplier is 10….10!!!!! Not 41, or 81, 10!. If you don’t sell the game out they Bill Wirtz you. That’s right the game doesn’t go on local tv. 5 times this year, a HOME team hasn’t been able to sell enough tickets to lift the blackout. Here we had a neutral game and they were able to lift it. 5 times, the folks in their respective home towns couldn’t care enough to go to a game. In those towns there is a HOME team. In those towns (Oakland and Detroit) the teams suck, but hey so do the Cubs and the Maple Leafs. We all know of cities that have lots teams. It happens too often and will happen again. (personally I don’t think it’s that unimaginable that the Jays aren’t here in 8-10 years, but that is a blog post for another day). Here in Toronto the game sold out. I don’t care the ‘nitty girtty’, the NFL wouldn’t lift the blackout if they weren’t satisfied that their standards in doing so weren’t met. This wasn’t a home game, this was an event. At 5 different home stadiums where weather wasn’t an issue (one is a dome, one is in CA) they couldn’t sell enough tickets to show the game on tv.

Anyone who is grumpy about the price of tickets or concessions needs to give their head a shake. If scalpers were selling tickets as cheaply as being reported then you could have gone for next to nothing. As for concessions, take your kids, or your significant other to a movie and buy a popcorn and a pop. Go to the Jays game and see what you pay. Newsflash, we live in an expensive city. Have you been to a local McDonald’s lately?? Seriously, I don’t take my kids because the food is lousy AND it’s not cheap… I could live with crappy burgers if they were cheap.

The game was exactly what it should have been. For those who said it didn’t feel like a normal NFL game, newsflash, it wasn’t. Every other NFL game has a home team. Those who went and said I don’t get the hype, then you weren’t paying attention to the nuances of the game and your expectations weren’t properly set. Go to Washington DC and take in a Redskins game. Go early, find your way to a tailgate party. Do the same in Chicago, San Diego, Miami….

Lastly, as for the game itself. Which, in all sporting EVENTS is usually secondary, was pretty much what was expected. The Dolphins who were 1-15 last year are a team on the incline. The Bills despite their start are clearly a team on the decline. The game pretty much matched that. If you read the Buffalo paper today and compare it with the Miami papers and look at the game analysis you will see just that. How many Super Bowls have been great games. Events as opposed to games are rarely worth watching.

Simmons’ column is the usual BS. Noise created by a badly dressed spinster.

I feel so much better now….

So, a couple of Bills fans have 1000 signatures to try to get the Ted’s roof opened up for the Bills/Dolphins game. Too bad the roof is locked and John Gibbons has the key somewhere down in the Keys where he and Ernie are fishing for Musky.

No jokes folks, there is no chance the roof is going to be opened for the game.

Here is what I don’t get though…. This story is being covered all over, the AP, Fox sports, ESPN etc….anyone else notice that the URL of the petition is not mentioned in the story???? What a joke….

Sorry Bills fans, do you remember that great scene from the cult classic the Princess Bride?:

Inigo Montoya: Who are you?
Westley: No one of consequence.
Inigo Montoya: I must know…
Westley: Get used to disappointment.
Inigo Montoya: ‘kay.

read the story sans url here..