Wednesday, August 1st

1 - What would you do on the last play?

I know what I'd do, kick the field goal, naturally, but enough about me. Shultz cites Wally Buono as a fine example of how it ought to be done, but what Shultz seems to forget is that Wally's Lions were beating Saskatchewan 35-12 with less than a minute to play three weeks ago, and instead of kneeling twice and booting the field goal they ran the ball in from the one yard line. Not only that, the play call was a QB option in a game where the Lions had already lost their first two QB's to injury. And Shultz is trying to say Wally's to classy to run up the score? Here's a better suggestion (in my opinion) for why Buono didn't want to kick the field goal in the Stamps game. It's late in the game, your leading by less than a touchdown, and you have the ball. Why risk kicking a field goal when there is a chance (slim chances are still chances) that the kick could be blocked or missed and the ball returned for a TD, especially when you don't need the points? Buono's not kneeling out of concern for the other teams feelings, he's protecting a lead. As for the tie-breaker not trumping a code of ethics, let's just imagine that Hamilton roars back from the brink to tie Winnipeg in the season series, and Hamilton wins the points battle by a field goal. Doesn't Berry look like an idiot know. I lost a lot of respect for Taffe on this one. If you get your collective butts kicked get down to work and make sure it doesn't happen again, don't whine about respect.

2 - The 'Rumoured to be heading to Toronto' Sweepstakes are off to a rather slow start after a rather inspired build-up. On June 8th, with the the Stanley Cup final still raging, Sportsnet and the Toronto Sun joined forces in an attempt to ramp up as much expectation as possible without actually naming any names. However, big expectations have led to nothing more than a bigger disappointment. For all you non-Saskatchewan people, this is how it feels to be a Rider fan. Anyway, the biggest (and only) focus of the 'Rumoured to be Heading to Toronto' crowd has been on a couple of front office types, Harry Sinden and John Muckler, who are both being considered for a new 'consultants' job (a position which seems to have to purpose other than to give a public face to the noose hanging around GM John Ferguson Jr's neck). As noted in the Muckler article, David Poile is being considered as well. To add insult to injury, Sportsnet is also reporting (via the Buffalo News) that Mike Peca actually wants to play somewhere other than Toronto, a big no-no in this contest. So, after a month of free-agency, The Toronto Star, and Globe and Mail are tied for first, with every other sports news organization in the world in second, and Sportsnet in last. (That's right, you don't get any points for trying.) Amateur critics of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto media, can only hope things improve.

3 - Good to see one of my favorite Pens will be back next season. I love this guy. And this is why I love Crosby. Was that classy or what. You wouldn't know it from reading the comments though. There's just no pleasing some people.

4 - There are meltdowns, and then, there are meltdowns. I'm not even going to talk about it.

5 - There are spankings, and then, there are people who take little Johnny out behind the woodshed and break grandma's best wooden spoon over his sorry behind. I think this one speaks for itself. (click)

6 - Why is this newsworthy? Are people really so pathetic that they take pleasure in reading about Spears' life falling apart?

7 - For those of you who may or may not have been reading crap like this, I redirect you here. Now that, ladies and gentleman, is journalism. Pity the big boys can't keep up with the amateurs. Yes, it's long, but it's also very, very good.

8 - The UN wants peace. How sweet. The question is, how to you get people engaged in ethnic cleansing to come to a compromise. Organizing peace conferences is fine, assuming there is even a compromise that can be reached. Or is it like negotiating with Islamic Terrorists (Okay, we leave Afghanistan, but you guys can only wipe out half of Israel, fair?). In a time like this I would like too see someone go into the Sudan and say 'end the ethnic cleansing, now, or we will come in and end it for you in a way that we see fit' and then back the talk up with a little bit of walk.

9 - And finally, a cause I can get behind. Don't forget to vote.

Man on Fire