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

follow all the media coverage here

What? No trades today!!! The nerve.  Lots of talk today, the good, the bad and the ugly.

First the good:

Steve Simmons, in tonight’s Toronto Sun wrote the kind of article I, as a fan have always wanted to read. The comments after the deal are okay, but I want to know the details, the how it happened story.  We don’t usually get to see that type of story.

“The meeting was convened on Nov. 15. That was the first time Dion Phaneuf’s name came up in any meaningful way with the Maple Leafs.

Frustrated over the fact the Leafs season had started so poorly, Brian Burke called a meeting of his top executives, Dave Nonis and Dave Poulin, and asked a rather basic question: How do we get better?

The three men were asked to rank the Leafs’ biggest needs in order.

“We all felt we needed a stud defenceman,” Burke said.”

And here we thought Burke was asleep at the wheel!  Not that it’s overly important, but are you surprised that Ron Wilson wasn’t involved?  I know that isn’t the normal role of the coach, but given the relationships here.  Also, what about Cliff?

“The two general managers spoke regularly — as most GMs do — over the past months but something changed less than two weeks ago. Burke was talking to Sutter on the phone when the conversation shifted.

“He said: ‘I might move a defenceman.’ My ears perked up at that,” Burke said.”

I bet his ears perked up.  It’s amazing the timing of these things.  Once again, I will say it is stunning given how much money is spent on “insiders” that none of this broke.  Not a whisper or hint of this trade was anywhere!

“The trade talks with Toronto began in earnest that day. Burke said: “If you were going to put a guy like Phaneuf in play, what would it take?” Then the Leafs did what most NHL teams do when talking trade. They provided the Flames with a list of all their signed and unsigned players, indicating which players they would consider moving and which ones they wouldn’t move.

According to sources familiar with the deal, the first player Calgary asked for from the list was Hagman. They liked his scoring, his contract, and what he could do for the Flames. But the deal was never intended to be one-for-one.”

Now, you see, this is the type of stuff I find fascinating.  If this is true, I think it’s incredibly interesting.  Wouldn’t you have loved to be a fly on the wall when these talks were on going?

“The Leafs didn’t necessarily want to give White away. But for them to make the trade, White and Hagman had to be included.

The conversations then progressed. The Flames asked for Matt Stajan. Burke had every intention of trading Stajan, a soon-to-be free agent, at the upcoming deadline.

He had tried to deal him a year ago. Parting with Stajan wasn’t that difficult. But he didn’t want to make a 3-for-1 trade. He wanted to expand the deal.”

See, I just eat this stuff up.  I wonder if Burke wanted to deal Stajan last year why it took so long to deal him (a rhetorical questions).

“I think we both agreed it made sense on Friday,” Burke said. “I ran the deal by Richard Peddie. He ran the deal by his ownership group. It’s not necessarily for approval, just to let them know what’s going on. We wanted all hands on deck for Saturday. We had to get through the games on Saturday night with everybody healthy.

“I e-mailed (Sutter) after our game. He e-mailed me back after the second period of their game. I went to sleep after that.”

Now you see, there is respect there.  Burke alerting his bosses as to what is going on.  As if they were going to say boo.  It’s just neat knowing that this stuff goes on and how it goes on.  Now someone will interpret this as Burke had to get board permission but that clearly isn’t what is written here.

David Shoalts column is pretty bad in my opinion. In fact, I just don’t get where he is coming from. Most of the column is nothing new, then Shoalts throws this at you:

“In the long term, one theory is Burke – who has given mixed signals on such as proposal – will trade veteran defenceman Tomas Kaberle when his no-movement clause lifts at the end of the season for a scoring forward and/or a first-round draft pick he doesn’t have (thanks to the Kessel trade).

This, not to put too fine a point on it, would be madness. ”

Now, say what you want about Burke, but has anyone seen him give mixed messages on Tomas Kaberle? I mean, he has been totally consistent along the way. Now to suggest that trading Kaberle when the NTC is off the table in the summer would be “maddening” is odd. If Burke could land a first round pick and a scoring forward- how could that move be madness?

Shoalts discussed burying Jeff Finger on the Marlies in favour of keeping Kaberle. I am not against the move of Finger in principal irrespective of Kaberle. I am thinking that even 22m in defence is too much though.

“Offensively, the Leafs could be a lot better next season. It is not unreasonable to assume 2009 first-round pick Nazem Kadri will be one of the top three centres. That would leave the Leafs Bozak, Kadri and Mikhail Grabovski leading the way down the middle. ”

I’m a leafs fan, but I am sorry. That collection, given all we have seen right now doesn’t thrill me in the least bit. Now could that change? Of course. Would I take that to the bank? Hell NO! Not trading Kaberle for a scoring forward based on this thesis seems more madness to me.

The ugly won’t even get a link. Berger on the radio today was outright offensive to listen to. His glass half empty all the time routine is beyond discussing. His dictionary required blog post is equally as bad. Do your self a favor and don’t read it.

If you want a good read, check this out to see what “Bryan McCabe has to say about the Leafs/Flames trade.

The hmmmmm goes to Bill Houston. It’s not very often that you see a reporter go “personal” on another reporter. Now Houston is out of the “real game” having joined the wide world of blogs (no orange jackets required- phew). However I think those in the industry would still consider him “one of them”. Houston did take a mild shot across Darren Dreger’s bow yesterday:

“The “yes, but” qualifier has to do with Dreger’s connection to Dave Nonis, the senior vice-president of hockey operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They’re second cousins. Therefore, the perception by some will always be that Nonis is helping out cuz over at TSN with information.

I have no idea who Dreger’s sources are or now much, if at all, Nonis contributes. I don’t know how close they are. But none of it lessens the good work that Dreger along with Bob McKenzie and Gord Miller did by breaking blockbuster Leafs-Calgary Flames trade, the biggest NHL deal to come down the pike in years.”

Raise your hand if you knew that about Dreger. I for one certainly didn’t. Houston certainly laid it all out there, but then softened the blow with the latter part of quote. It is certainly interesting to see this type of comment in print. It’s not seen very often.

“Regarding Nonis, Dreger said in an email, “Up until a few years ago, Dave and I didn’t even know we were related. For anyone to suggest I’m the benefactor of ‘family favors’ is insulting to me and I suspect, insulting to Nonis as well.”

Well, I guess we know how Dreger feels.

Look, I am not saying it’s offside. Houston covers all the bases in his article. I’m just a little surprised that he wrote this, as the insinuation is now out there. It’s not out of line, it’s just personal. Maybe I am just naive.

Simmons is here

Shoalts is here

Houston 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

Item- Kevin Allen’s blog post today:

” Here’s what I believe is happening, or will happen, as we move close to the March 3 trade deadline.

3. Although Tomas Kaberle has a no-trade clause, he probably will, around the trade deadline, give GM Brian Burke a list of trade destinations he would accept, just like he did last season. Why wouldn’t he want to play with a team with a chance to win the Stanley Cup?

8, Toronto will move potential free agents Matt Stajan and Alexei Ponikarovsky, and maybe a couple of others at the deadline.”

Ah yes, the annual who will be willing to wave or not wave their no trade clause as the deadline approaches. To be followed by semantics Burke who will say yet again that he won’t ask a player who has a no trade clause to wave theirs. Leaf fans will call the shows with their huge overestimates of what Kaberle would land in a deal.

Burke is in a real catch 22 with Kaberle. He isn’t arguably the best player on the team, he is hands down the best player on the team. Kessel may be come it, but he isn’t right now. I don’t care what Kaberle makes, it’s, for this argument totally irrelevant. If you are going to deal Kaberle the return has to be remarkably better than what you are giving up. Forget the first round talk. If you are dealing Kaberle it’s going to be a team he wants to go to. Those are going to be teams with a legitimate shot at the cup. So a late first rounder for TK? I think not. Prospects? Well, again, unless they are quality A+ why take the risk? I have said this before, and will say it again, Burke can’t let Kaberle go for nothing when his deal is up. However, before he trades him he has to be 100 % sure that either he can’t resign him or he is hitting a grand slam.

Now, as for Stajan and Poni or anyone else on the team not named Kessel- I have full faith that Burke and co can exchange these spare parts for some degree of upgrade. If they are resignable at below market prices, then don’t let their asses hit the door.

Item: From Kevin Paul DuPont :

“It’s the first public tickle the 22-year-old Kessel has received since his departure from the Hub of Hockey. His very public scratch from the first round of the 2008 playoffs, issued by Julien, got him going. Now we’ll see whether he responds to the same kind of goose north of the border.”

Kessel getting singled out by a coach who can’t seem to get any type of performance out of his team for the season and a half that he has been here and being benched during a playoff series, are two entirely different things. i highly doubt that Kessel was remotely bothered let alone similarly embarrassed by Wilson’s antics. Kessel is squeezing his stick way too tight right now. He needs a puck to go in off his head, his ass or some other appendage and he will be fine.

Item- From Steve Simmons weekly column:

“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 ”

Hard to disagree with what Simmons writes. knowing and hearing Burke lately however his ego is fully intact. He is just over 1 season into his tenure. Let’s talk at this time next season. If we are still on par for an 11 point decrease from the previous season (as we are now) then Burke has a major problem.

Item- From Larry Brooks weekly column:

“Here’s what we get to find out about Brian Burke as he runs the Maple Leafs: Can he succeed taking over as GM of a club that doesn’t have a brother of a pending Hall of Fame free agent defenseman on it?”

Here’s the question, is it the Maple Leafs, that Toronto seems to be the focal point of the NHL media or Brian Burke that Larry Brooks loathes? There was a time I actually rooted for the Rangers, now given Larry Brooks, I hope they never win another game. I wonder if Burke were to take over the NHLPA if Brooks would change his tune?

Item: From Damien Cox’s article in today’s Toronto Star:

“There’s no question Gustavsson is agile and quick and aggressive. But a No. 1 goalie? That’s unclear, and there’s just no way the Leafs can go into next season just wishing they have quality netminding.

They hoped Vesa Toskala would bounce back strongly from off-season surgery, and Burke was as wrong on that as John Ferguson was on banking that Andrew Raycroft could replace Ed Belfour.

They can’t just hope Gustavsson can do it next fall. They have to know. That means the final 36 games have to include at least 25 Gustavsson starts, assuming he’s healthy enough, and then a cold, realistic assessment has to be done over whether he’s ready.

If he’s not ready now, it doesn’t mean he won’t be eventually. But a serious contingency plan, like the Islanders had with Rick DiPietro’s status unclear last summer, would be necessary if Gustavsson still has too much to learn.”

This is a serious dilemma for Burke. After all the moves Burke made this off-season, the critics who claimed the Leafs would make the playoffs all did so on the strong belief that the goaltending this year would be improved this year. Hell, given the year in net last year it HAD to be better. Ooops. I don’t care what the numbers say. The reality is, barring a miraculous turn around, the same questions about goaltending will remain after this season. Few teams have been successful with questionable goaltending. Burke has to solve this problem as Cox writes and fast.

Item- Curtis Joseph set to announce his retirement

My memories of Cujo are very strong. I remember him being one of the leagues elite goalies when he played in St. Louis when Doug Gilmour did his round and round in that playoff game where the Buds finally knocked the blues off. I then remember the return to glory on Cujo’s back when he signed with the Leafs. It was the start of one hell of a run with the Leafs. Dare I say the Maple Leafs were respectable when he played in nets here. Then I remember the stab in the heart when Cujo jumped ship to sign with the Detroit Red Wings, claiming to think he had a better chance at a cup. Of course I remember cheering as hard as I could against Cujo and the Wings while he played for them.

In all, it’s fitting that Curtis ends his career here in Toronto. He had a tremendously successful career with stints in multiple cities. Few who get to wear the Blue and White capture the hearts of the fans like Cujo did. Hats off to a great career Cujo. Here’s hoping you find something that will keep you happy and occupied in the future.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Kevin Allen is here

Kevin Paul DuPont is here

Steve Simmons is here

Brooks is here

Cox is here

I read this gem from Steve Simmons latest and last pieceof 2009:

“And I don’t know what’s worse for the NHL, keeping hockey in Phoenix or exploiting a Canadian market to prop up an American franchise.”

Now fans of the Buffalo Bills, don’t get all defensive on me here, and I know that the bills are much more popular than the coyotes, I know that there is a storied history in buffalo. I know that Bills fans, at least the most vocal aren’t happy about a game being played in toronto.

I know that many of them view the bills playing in Toronto as a cash grab by the Bills owners. However to listen to Bills officials tell it they are simply tryig to expand their market from one that has suffered greatly during tough economic times to one that has proven to be more resiliant.

Given all of that, couldn’t we say how shameful that a Canadian market is being exploited? I mean we are right, we have the deeper pocketed businesses that were willing to shell out for the game right? If we are being exploited for the NHL and Phoenix, doesn’t it ring true that we are on the case of the Bills too?

One last comment on the Bills in Toronto. This hasn’t been a failure for the NFL in Toronto. What it has proven is that Toronto isn’t so much a Bills town as people thought. We weren’t going to brace their team a our own just because it was being played here. The actual game weren’t enough of a draw and the bills aren the home team here. Hell, put the colts and pats here, call it a neutral site game and let’s see what happens. Toronto has always been an event city. The games haven’t been much of an event. In the alternative, give us our own team (not theirs) and you can bet it will be an event that will sell out long enough to generate a fan base when the team is good.

Happy sunday

TSM

Greetings from Detroit.

I listened to the Leafs take on the lightning tonight on XM radio as I drove across the 401 and I have to tell you I have never heard a more boring play by play duo as the guy on Tampa radio, one of whom sounded like Phil Esposito. I may not love Joe Bowen, but at least you can listen to the guy. When the opposing team scores, Bowen isn’t as excited as those rare opportunities when the Buds score, but he isn’t totally monotone as whomever did play by play for the Bolts. No joke, when the Leafs scored tonight, he may as well been reading the phonebook. His voice didn’t raise at all. One word… BRUTAL.

Meanwhile, the MSM took on the Brendan Burke issue today. The articles ranged from the good (Arthur, and Blair), the fair( Damien Cox) , the over the top, (Steve Simmons), the yawn, (Michael Grange) and finally, the absurd, (David Shoalts).

“Burke’s support for son could change hockey and all of sports” – That’s the headline from Simmons article in the Toronto Sun. Now, this is a big story, but come on guys. Don’t go too overboard here. I could be totally wrong but I just don’t see players across the league all of the sudden opening their hearts and embracing gay athletes in their sport because of the Burkes. That isn’t in any way diminishing the courage of either Brian or Brendan.

Simmons’s article isn’t all bad though:

” It took the kind of temerity his father is known for Brendan Burke, at 21, to go public. And Buccigross’ piece should be mandatory reading for those who care about family, love and support.

In various forms, I’ve known Brian Burke for almost 30 years: The longer I’ve known him, the more depth I’ve discovered. When you strip away all the noise, the headlines, the made-for-TV bluster, what you’re left with is a large man with an even larger heart.

“Just don’t tell anybody,” he once told a colleague. “I don’t want to spoil my reputation.”

But here is big, loud Burke now, in a remarkable position of sorts: In the historical and sometimes hysterical homophobic hockey world, he can suddenly become the voice of tolerance, the voice of acceptance. He can tell people it’s OK to play hockey, be belligerent, and be gay. He can tell people it’s all right to coach and manage and scout: Sexual preferences really aren’t anybody’s business. ”

That is important and entirely accurate for sure.

Meanwhile check out Michael Grange, a writer who’s work I generally enjoy:

“If you’re gay but can skate, handle the puck and stand up for your teammates, come on out.

A fantasy of a forward-thinking hockey future or a reality close at hand? It depends whom you ask.

The NHL is still waiting for its first openly gay lodge member, either active or emeritus. There’s never been a gay player come out during his career in any of the other three major North American team sports, either, and only a handful in retirement. ”

That’s just the start of a rambling piece that really doesn’t say all that much.

Here is, in my opinion the best Damien had to offer:

“Burke, the president and general manager of the Maple Leafs and one of the best-known figures in all of hockey, learned of his son’s sexual orientation at Christmas 2007. He knew ahead of time that his son, a student at the University of Miami (Ohio) and a student worker on the school’s highly regarded hockey team, had spoken to Buccigross and that a story was to be released Tuesday afternoon.

“The feedback has been awesome,” Burke said Tuesday, about three hours after the story was first posted. “My emails have been off the charts.”

At the same time, however, Burke believes there will be those who won’t embrace the family love inherent in his acceptance of his son’s orientation or of Brendan’s decision to go public with his sexuality. Burke remembered that when he was in California in November to vote in the U.S. presidential election – he voted for Barack Obama – he was aggressively confronted by anti-gay activists protesting a same-sex marriage proposition on the California ballot.

“I told them to (expletive) get lost,” said Burke, who also voted for the proposition. “But over the next two weeks, yeah, I expect to get some hate mail over today’s story. There is going to be a backlash. All I care about is if Brendan is prepared for it. It takes jam to do what he’s done.”

All things that I didn’t know about Burke before and am more impressed with him after learning. I read the quotes from Burke and you can 100% envision him saying those things.

Jeff Blair, hits one out of the park on this one, along with Bruce Arthur:

“t never hurts to have somebody tell you, “It’s okay.” But while Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke’s support of his son’s decision to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality is welcomed both for what it says about Burke as a father and administrator, it does little to make the shower stall any less tyrannical.

History suggests that for all the good intentions and words to come out of the story of Brian and Brendan Burke, as reported this week by ESPN.com, and for all the right-thinking ideas espoused, homosexuality is still a taboo in team sports. Actors, artists, singers and politicians have all managed to acknowledge being gay without necessarily ending their careers. But team athletes haven’t – not while they’re competing. ”

Call it cynicism, or negativity, but unfortunately, I think Blair is most likely right. It’s too bad, and it’s doesn’t reduce the positive effects of the Burke Boys, it’s just a sad commentary on the world of professional sports.

“One of the most telling aspects of the ESPN story on Brendan’s struggle with how to tell his father the news is the seemingly enlightened reaction of the University of Miami (Ohio) RedHawks men’s hockey team to the report. Although the cautionary part of it is Brendan Burke is not a player, but a student manager with the team and that counts when ranks close – as baseball learned all too well during the steroid era, for example.

So we’re a long way from where we need to be. It is the locker room that must be the area of effective change, and an active player who must be the agent of change, if being gay is to become less of a taboo in team sports. ”

I think Blair is entirely correct. Again, a sad commentary on where we are, and a rather large admission that the effect of the Burke boys won’t be nearly as great as the headline writer on Simmons’ story.

“The demeanour of the players tells much more about their feelings with regards to gay athletes than their words. ”

That is how Shoalts opens his piece on the story. It’s the beginning of the end for Shoalts. Why ask a question if you aren’t going to believe the question. If you ask it of guys, there has to be certain degree of faith that the answer you are given is truthful. Secondly, last time I checked I didn’t know Shoalts to be a licensed psychologist or lie detector who can sense that he is being lied to.

“All of those questioned were sincere in saying they would, like the Leafs GM, support any family member who revealed they were gay.”

Then why ask the question? Why start with the preamble that every quote in your piece is not to believed? Shoalts went down the line, Maple Leafs, players and coaches, and Tampa Lightning players too. He has quotes from multiple players. Yet he leads with a line that suggests he doesn’t really believe them. Why bother reading on? In all it’s not a bad story but for the beginning. Kind of surprising given the author.

We can’t be surprised by the coverage. The MSM is in the news business and this is news. It’s bigger than life because it’s Brian Burke and he is in Toronto. It’s good attention if it changes anything. However, I think Blair is probably right though, until a current NHLer comes out, little will change. We still live in a hurtful society.

In other news, the Buds almost lost one tonight having choked on a 2-0 lead. They percervered and won, beating Tampa, in Tampa for the first time in regulation. Small, tiny steps for this team. Let’s see them string a couple of these together, then we can get excited.

Happy US turkey day to all celebrating- prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Simmons is here

Grange is here

Cox is here

Blair is here

Shoalts is here

“Maple Leaf fans – and the media, and the city, it seems – aren’t even patient for a retooling, or at least a retooling that some believe is doomed to failure.”
Damien Cox

“The point is, most hockey commentators in Toronto have rolled over for Burke. They blame goaltending, the defense, the coach and the forwards for the team’s awful start, but give Burke a pass.”
William Houston

” Hey Leaf zealots, why overreact this early in a season in which your team can still finish 78-3-1? Get off the high bridges and shut those upstairs windows. Better days – as always – are just around the corner, right? In the interim, here are some observations after a 5-2 trampling of the Blue & White by the defending Stanley Cup champions at the Air Canada Centre”
Howard Berger

“Even more ominous would be the aftermath of a seventh consecutive defeat – Saturday night at home to the New York Rangers. An anomaly in the schedule has the Leafs idle for an entire week, which means that Burke, Wilson and the players would have to munch on an 0-6-1 record for a full seven days.”
Howard Berger

6899

12,179

13,103

13,280

5,000

So once again we are suckers, we are idiots and yes we are losers. Right, I mean, we still seem to love our hockey teams. The nerve. I mean, our team loses every game it has played so far and we are “panicked”. Oh the horror. Oh those idiot fans. Oh those losers. I know, let’s shit over the same people who indirectly put food on our plates. The more I piss them off the more they will read what I have to say the more money I will make. That’s the logic right? We all are sure that Stay At Home Berger is the world’s biggest closet Maple Leaf fan. He is negative, not because he believes it, but rather because the competition is and he thinks that he has to be in order to compete. He no longer is an insider. He hasn’t broken a story since I don’t know when. To be honest, I am no longer quite sure what the hell he’s an authority on at all. But I digress. Stay at Home Berger is doing what he thinks he has to do.

The question is, or perhaps the answer, I guess, is… What would these brains prefer? would they be happier if we stopped listening, reading, watching and going? No seriously. Would these guys prefer an apathetic fanbase? Look at the Jays. Do these think that their bosses would employ 1/4 of them if the ACC was as empty as the TED on a nightly basis? If the Leafs were 0-6 and the fans weren’t calling the talk shows, commenting on stories like the sky was falling what would these guys we talking about? If no one was reading, listening or watching would they really be happier? So the media would be happy if the love fell off the maple leafs, unemployed but happy…I don’t buy it. These guys are sellouts. They write what they believe will sell. No more and no more less.

The proof is in the Burke furor. Houston, the NY TImes and others are getting on the Toronto Sports Media for going soft on Burke. The problem these same guys have is they have sung the Burke song for so long they no longer have a choice. Seriously, go back in time as many years as you want, but I can’t remember the last time they had a GM that the press actually endorsed. They liked Cliff when he made the Gilmour deal. However the rose fell off pretty quickly as he dealt the picks away- TRADE SCHMAFT- remember that. Following Cliff in no specific order, Mike Smith, Ken Dryden, Pat Quinn, JFJ and Cliff part deux. The “experts” had issues with credentials of all of the above for a wide range of reasons. Each GM or acting manager had their own flaws according to those who are considered the brightest and best of our sports media team.

The battle cry from EVERYONE was to bring in a REAL hockey man. Someone like a Ken Hollan. Someone who had won. Someone who could build the modern day Maple Leafs. Go back over the last 10 years and read the comments on how the Leafs need a GM who can build a hockey department. One who will have total control and build the organization properly. As Burke became a possibility these experts zeroed in on him. In essence they wanted him here. Yes, he’s great for the media. He’s a great quote. There will always be a good story. Life won’t be dull under Brian Burke. The problem for each and every one of these guys is, they begged for and fully endorsed the hiring of Burke. When the team was struggling over the years they said that is what the team needed. Now that he is here they can’t start saying Ooops less than a year in. To do so would be to admit the unthinkable, that they don’t know shit. I mean if the guy they wrote about this team needing for years isn’t, what does that make them????

So, Cox’s article today isn’t all that surprising. Neither is the perceived hysteria over the current losing streak. The problem in his town is that neither the song nor the singers have changed despite lots of other things changing. GM’s, presidents, players and more have been run out of town. The commentators haven’t. The wise read, watch and listen to be entertained. The fools take it as anything more than that.

The numbers above, by the way, represent attendance at various NHL buildings over the last 2 weeks:

6899- announced in Phoenix

12,179 – Nashville announced attendance

13,103- Nashville announced attendance

13,280- Columbus announced attendance

5,000- number of unsold tickets in Tampa

So I ask the media, if the Leafs had numbers like that, do you think you would have a job???? Do you prefer the empty seats or the ship of fools?????

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

One of my favourite Sunday reads is the Sunday Boston Globe. I know there are those who love the NY Times, or other Sunday papers, but ever since I was in Vermont, I fell in love with the Sunday Globe. This started long before every paper was available for free on the internet and was back when the Blue Jays actually played meaningful baseball games. We would all get the Sunday Globe delivered so we could read Peter Gammon’s column and then I could read Kevin Paul Dupont and Nancy Marrapese-Burrel on the NHL and the Boston Bruins. So, it is still a Sunday habit to point my browser every Sunday to the Globe to see what is what in the world of sports.

This Sunday, Kevin Paul Dupont has interesting tidbits on the Toronto Maple Leafs. He starts of first with the Leafs offering Jason Allison a tryout:

“I told Jason when we talked that I don’t remember him being the most fleet afoot guy when he last played,’’ said Burke. “I’ve seen what he can do out there with the puck on the half-wall. It’s a good bet that he can still do that. But the challenge, especially after not playing for three years, could be the legs.’’
Allison, though, never made his bacon off overall speed or start-up acceleration. Even in his Hub of Hockey heyday, he lived off spatial awareness, touch, and getting in front of the net when necessary.”

For my two cents, there is nothing to lose by inviting the guy to camp. Having said that, if he is going to offer someone a tryout on a complete whim, I would have preferred it be a guy like Gary Roberts. I don’t know if he could even do so given Robert’s last contract status…but I am just saying. I have no fond memories of Allison’s first Maple Leaf stint and certainly wasn’t enamored enough to want for another round.

I love what Steve Simmons wrote on the subject in today’s Sun ( a paper I used to love to read when there was more than 1 or 2 writers worth reading):

“Brian Burke wants belligerence and truculence on the Leafs and the invitation of Jason Allison to training camp is further proof of that. A lot of people who have played with Allison in the past will tell you he has attitude, most of it off the ice … Allison, by the way, had two speeds when he last played in the NHL: Slow and slower … One more Allison question: If the Leafs are going to invite him, why not Jeff O’Neill, Alex Khavanov and Aki Berg?”

If Allison’s reputation is as bad as Simmons suggests you have to wonder what the hell Burke is thinking. As for others from that era of Leafs that Burke could go after, Eric Lindros seems to be dying to be back in the news again no?

Dupont pays Burke one hell of a compliment later in his piece in a blurb about the NHLPA mess:

“Kelly is, without a doubt, one of the four smartest men around the NHL, along with commissioner Gary Bettman, his deputy Bill Daly, and Leafs general manager Brian Burke. Say what you will about their individual styles or decisions, they understand the business of the game and somehow keep it relevant, which is no mean feat.”

Coming form a writer like this is pretty impressive. It tells you that Burke has the respect of those who know the game and have covered it for years. Maybe, just maybe MLSE got this hiring right. The proof will be in the pudding for Burke, not this year, but pretty soon there will have to be the makings of some progress towards the playoffs and beyond. Which brings me to this question for you, it’s opening night, Burke is sitting in the press box, is there a sense of relief, anticipation, angst???? What do you think. He has had a pretty busy off season. Many pieces have been changed. No one has any clue how they will fit together and no, one game doesn’t make a season. I wonder what will be going through his mind 10 minutes before the first puck is dropped.

Now, onto our poll:

Simmons is here
Dupont is here

You have read LT’s argument on why he has photo’s of JP in his bedroom. Steve Simmons has a retort in today’s Toronto Sun:

” Gord Ash was fired after finishing third four consecutive times with the Blue Jays. And nobody argued it wasn’t the time.

J.P. Ricciardi, in his eighth season in Toronto, will finish no better than fourth out of five in the American League East for the second consecutive year.

And, should he be fired, no one will argue about that, either.

It does get old, all these seasons of spinning wheels, going nowhere.

Ash was on the job seven years, and left behind Roy Halladay and Vernon Wells, Alex Rios and Orlando Hudson for his successor. Twice Ash finished fifth with the Jays, fourth once and four times in third place.

Ricciardi will leave behind Adam Lind and Aaron Hill and Ricky Romero for his successor.

In eight seasons, his Jays have finished fifth once, fourth twice (we’ll include this season), third four times and once in second place, and led the league in excuses just about every season.

The timing on Ash’s firing was appropriate and necessary.

The time to get rid of Ricciardi is now.

This and that

Ricciardi is outraged because somebody breached confidentiality in the Rios waivers scenario. And well he should be. Ricciardi, for example, would never breach confidentiality by going public with trade demands, or making certain large news agencies are aware of his every move, or hanging his most popular out to dry by revealing private conversations. Nope, he wouldn’t do that … ”

Me? I am with Simmons.

I had 2 interesting talks with what I will call Toronto Sports “experts” this week. The discussion was the Toronto Blue Jays. It seems that there is varied opinions on what Rogers will do with this team. One seemed to think that the current Rogers executive team has little interest in keeping the Jays. The other suggested that there is much intrinsic value in having the team and the dome that they are in a hold position. Further, this person said, very few teams actually make money in baseball and that the losses suffered by Rogers on the Jays are a drop in the bucket. Both agreed that irrespective of who the owner is, beyond luck (read Tampa Bay) it will be tough to compete with a 200 million payroll. One suggested, with admittedly no factual basis behind it, that perhaps interim President Paul Beeston could put together a group to buy the team. The other suggested that Beeston has made numerous attempts to hire his replacement but has thus far been unsuccessful. On Beeston, one source said, there is only 1 full time job that interests Beeston, and that is currently held by Richard Peddie! The most interesting dialogue was on the topic of JP Ricciardi. One expert said that in his experience with several teams in MLB, the role of GM is almost equal parts luck as it is skill. The amount of luck in drafting, trading and signing is unlike any other sport, the expert told me. Pat Gillick was viewed as a genius for making the Robbie Alomar, Joe Carter deal. The deal, he said was as close to not happening as it was to happening. Gillick’s management team was split on whether they should make the deal or not. Gillick finaly decided to make the deal and a genius was born. This isn’t a knock on Ricciardi. Ricciardi’s biggest problem one of the expert’s suggested (and I concur) is his ego. He comes across as an arrogant ass. It’s hard to sell the team with that.

More to come from these talks in the days ahead. I leave you with this question. Could you imagine a MLSE hierarchy that looks like this?

BOARD
I
Paul Beeston
II
Brian Burke Bryan Colangelo