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Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hockey. Show all posts
Tuesday 11 February 2014
Friday 17 January 2014
Thursday 12 March 2009
Karma (and the law) catches up
The chickens have come home to roost. Peter Pocklington may die in prison if he's convicted of the fraud charges filed against him in Palm Springs, California stemming from a personal bankruptcy filing in 2008. If the name doesn't ring any bells, "Peter Puck" is the former owner of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League who was vilified by the entire country of Canada for selling Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player who ever lived, for about $18 million to the Los Angeles Kings.
The man collected enemies like kids collect hockey cards. He brought in strike breakers to settle a company dispute with workers at a company he owned which eventually closed. He had another company bailed out by the Canadian government to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
In his personal bankruptcy papers, he claimed he was worth $2,900. He um, forgot to mention the luxurious home he has, the contents of a storage locker, the investment companies he owns offshore and last but not least two bank accounts. This man used to boast a wine collection worth $750,000 and a house full of Renoir sketches.
At some point he left Canada because he was displeased with its socialist leanings. He preferred to be among "people who are impressed with those who get up early and make things happen." He made things happen, alright--mostly disasters left in his wake. He has had more failed companies than Michael Jackson has had surgeries.
He has a United States citizenship application currently being reviewed, but now, at 67, he is a broken man with $20 million in debts and possibly facing prison time. I'm not so sure that the Americans are as enamoured with him as he is with them. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
The man collected enemies like kids collect hockey cards. He brought in strike breakers to settle a company dispute with workers at a company he owned which eventually closed. He had another company bailed out by the Canadian government to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
In his personal bankruptcy papers, he claimed he was worth $2,900. He um, forgot to mention the luxurious home he has, the contents of a storage locker, the investment companies he owns offshore and last but not least two bank accounts. This man used to boast a wine collection worth $750,000 and a house full of Renoir sketches.
At some point he left Canada because he was displeased with its socialist leanings. He preferred to be among "people who are impressed with those who get up early and make things happen." He made things happen, alright--mostly disasters left in his wake. He has had more failed companies than Michael Jackson has had surgeries.
He has a United States citizenship application currently being reviewed, but now, at 67, he is a broken man with $20 million in debts and possibly facing prison time. I'm not so sure that the Americans are as enamoured with him as he is with them. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Monday 5 January 2009
A sparkling performance
Canada proved to be too much even for a motivated Swedish squad who fell short in the fight for Gold for the second year in a row to the same adversary. For Canada, it was its fifth consecutive Gold Medal, a feat they accomplished twice now, having also won Gold in years 1993-1997.
Canada wasted no time opening the scoring with a goal just 38 seconds into the game. The game remained close until the lead widened to two in the second period. Despite having six or seven opportunities with a man advantage, including two short stints with a two-man advantage, the Swedes could not capitalize.
Finally, an even-strength Swedish goal midway through the third period made it Canada 3 Sweden 1. When Sweden pulled out all the stops, vacating the net in favour of an extra forward with more than two minutes left in the game, Canada scored two empty-net goals, clinching the Gold Medal.
Canada wasted no time opening the scoring with a goal just 38 seconds into the game. The game remained close until the lead widened to two in the second period. Despite having six or seven opportunities with a man advantage, including two short stints with a two-man advantage, the Swedes could not capitalize.
Finally, an even-strength Swedish goal midway through the third period made it Canada 3 Sweden 1. When Sweden pulled out all the stops, vacating the net in favour of an extra forward with more than two minutes left in the game, Canada scored two empty-net goals, clinching the Gold Medal.
What's just below Gold?
National disgrace. This is the reality that every Canadian national hockey team (not to be confused with Canadian NHL team, who have been a national disgrace for longer than I care to remember) must contend with every time they step on the ice. Despite the tremendous pressure, team after team--junior, Olympic, World and women's teams keep coming through with the goods. The current World Junior Hockey tourney is no exception.
The Canadian machine has sputtered on the way here--they allowed the Americans to build a 3-goal lead on New Year's Eve, but fought back to win 7-4 and then in an even more remarkable match this past Saturday night, the boys scored on Russia with five second left in regulation to send it into overtime, where the Canadians won in a shoot-out.
So, tonight they go for Gold for the fifth time in as many tournaments. They face a very talented and determined Swedish team and it should prove to be a highly exciting and entertaining game. And once again, nothing less than Gold is acceptable.
The Canadian machine has sputtered on the way here--they allowed the Americans to build a 3-goal lead on New Year's Eve, but fought back to win 7-4 and then in an even more remarkable match this past Saturday night, the boys scored on Russia with five second left in regulation to send it into overtime, where the Canadians won in a shoot-out.
So, tonight they go for Gold for the fifth time in as many tournaments. They face a very talented and determined Swedish team and it should prove to be a highly exciting and entertaining game. And once again, nothing less than Gold is acceptable.
Tuesday 21 October 2008
Caution: offensive content
Earlier this evening, I found another reason for my waning interest in watching hockey. Mind you, it's not a biggee, but just the same...
The Toronto Maple Leafs' Nik Antropov had just tied the game late in the third period against the Mighty Ducks (I still can't believe they adopted that name). The home crowd was going wild and the camera did a pan across the Leaf bench.
Many of the players were looking down as if there was something fascinating going on down there, and many others were looking in various directions, looking about as interested as if they were at a lawn bowling game. No offence to lawn bowlers who many I'm sure can make the Maple Leaf team.
Getting back to the camera pan, it stayed long enough on one player for the presumably millions of faithful Canadian hockey fans to witness the "horking up" of a "loogie" just shy of the size of a regulation golf ball, and its propulsion halfway across the ice surface, quite possibly landing on centre ice. If it were black, it might have instigated an invalid faceoff. However, the best was yet to come. One player, who will remain nameless, only because I was less interested in him, than he was that the camera was on him, had an index finger lodged up his nose, seemingly to the third knuckle, where it remained until it was out of camera range.
I think the ending of Taxi Driver is less offensive...maybe because it is reminiscent of old-time hockey. ;)
The Toronto Maple Leafs' Nik Antropov had just tied the game late in the third period against the Mighty Ducks (I still can't believe they adopted that name). The home crowd was going wild and the camera did a pan across the Leaf bench.
Many of the players were looking down as if there was something fascinating going on down there, and many others were looking in various directions, looking about as interested as if they were at a lawn bowling game. No offence to lawn bowlers who many I'm sure can make the Maple Leaf team.
Getting back to the camera pan, it stayed long enough on one player for the presumably millions of faithful Canadian hockey fans to witness the "horking up" of a "loogie" just shy of the size of a regulation golf ball, and its propulsion halfway across the ice surface, quite possibly landing on centre ice. If it were black, it might have instigated an invalid faceoff. However, the best was yet to come. One player, who will remain nameless, only because I was less interested in him, than he was that the camera was on him, had an index finger lodged up his nose, seemingly to the third knuckle, where it remained until it was out of camera range.
I think the ending of Taxi Driver is less offensive...maybe because it is reminiscent of old-time hockey. ;)
Tuesday 9 September 2008
Only in Canada...
Media Advisory - Historic First In Women's Hockey As City of Brampton Unveils Community Centre Dedicated to Cassie Campbell
BRAMPTON, ON, Sept. 9 /CNW/ - The City of Brampton will celebrate the
opening of a world-class community centre named after hometown hero Cassie
Campbell, a three-time Olympian and former Captain of Canada's National
Women's Hockey Team.
WHEN: Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 11 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Cassie Campbell Community Centre
Sandalwood Parkway and Chinguacousy Road
(Northwest corner of Sandalwood Parkway and Chinguacousy Road)
WHAT: Official Public Opening
Speeches and Ribbon Cutting at 12:00 p.m.
WHO: Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell
Cassie Campbell
Regional Councillor Paul Palleschi
City Councillor John Hutton
City Councillor and Chair, Community Services Committee
Sandra Hames
Johnny Bower, Honorary Peel Police Chief and former
Toronto Maple Leaf
Emil Kolb, Chair, Peel Police Services Board
Mike Metcalf, Chief, Peel Regional Police
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have to wonder why there will be so many representatives from the police department. Okay, I get it, now. It's so that my childhood hero, Johnny Bower, doesn't get mobbed. In the early 60's, I watched the man back-stop the Leafs to four Stanley Cup championships in six years. And if memory serves, he did it without wearing a mask. Cassie was good, too.
BRAMPTON, ON, Sept. 9 /CNW/ - The City of Brampton will celebrate the
opening of a world-class community centre named after hometown hero Cassie
Campbell, a three-time Olympian and former Captain of Canada's National
Women's Hockey Team.
WHEN: Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 11 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Cassie Campbell Community Centre
Sandalwood Parkway and Chinguacousy Road
(Northwest corner of Sandalwood Parkway and Chinguacousy Road)
WHAT: Official Public Opening
Speeches and Ribbon Cutting at 12:00 p.m.
WHO: Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell
Cassie Campbell
Regional Councillor Paul Palleschi
City Councillor John Hutton
City Councillor and Chair, Community Services Committee
Sandra Hames
Johnny Bower, Honorary Peel Police Chief and former
Toronto Maple Leaf
Emil Kolb, Chair, Peel Police Services Board
Mike Metcalf, Chief, Peel Regional Police
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have to wonder why there will be so many representatives from the police department. Okay, I get it, now. It's so that my childhood hero, Johnny Bower, doesn't get mobbed. In the early 60's, I watched the man back-stop the Leafs to four Stanley Cup championships in six years. And if memory serves, he did it without wearing a mask. Cassie was good, too.
My town is a hotbed of our national sport
So, what's the big deal? Nothing, really. Except that what few people may know is that hockey is not Canada's national sport. At least not our national summer sport. Heck, it wasn't even our national winter sport until sometime in the 90's when somebody decided it should be. What has always been our national sport until it was relegated to our national summer sport to make room for hockey is that oh-so-popular sport you see being played by Canadian youngsters in the streets and every vacant lot available was, of course, lacrosse.
For those of you who may not be familiar with it, the game is sort of like hockey, but instead of using a puck and hockey stick, you use a very, very hard ball and a lacrosse stick. The ball is carried in webbing on the stick and tossed among players until a shot on goal is feasible. The only other major difference is that players use much less equipment. This is because there isn't much body checking in lacrosse--they just whack you in your bare arms and legs until you scream "uncle" and relinquish the ball.
The goalie is an exception in terms of the amount of equipment he wears. Remember the very hard ball? He's allowed to wear the padding of three full-sized sofas so as not to deter his attention from keeping the ball out of his net--a net that is much narrower than a hockey net. He also gets a special stick with a much larger "pocket" than a player's stick. The amazing thing about this game is that anyone ever scores at all. The goalies look like grizzly bears who accidentally wandered into the arena and took up positions at either end as if they were playing for The Salmon Cup.
Below we see a women's lacrosse match--a much milder version of the game. Here, the girl on the right is executing a "just-letting-you-know-I'm-here" tactic, where she extends her arm completely resulting in simultaneous blows to her opponent's arm and head, almost dislodging her mouth guard.
The team-mate of the girl under attack is wistfully wishing she were a majorette and is just dying to twirl her "baton".
Below is the aforementioned grizzly bear, always ready to scoop up a passing salmon with his fish net.
Oh--I almost forgot. My town is on the verge of a lacrosse championship.
For those of you who may not be familiar with it, the game is sort of like hockey, but instead of using a puck and hockey stick, you use a very, very hard ball and a lacrosse stick. The ball is carried in webbing on the stick and tossed among players until a shot on goal is feasible. The only other major difference is that players use much less equipment. This is because there isn't much body checking in lacrosse--they just whack you in your bare arms and legs until you scream "uncle" and relinquish the ball.
The goalie is an exception in terms of the amount of equipment he wears. Remember the very hard ball? He's allowed to wear the padding of three full-sized sofas so as not to deter his attention from keeping the ball out of his net--a net that is much narrower than a hockey net. He also gets a special stick with a much larger "pocket" than a player's stick. The amazing thing about this game is that anyone ever scores at all. The goalies look like grizzly bears who accidentally wandered into the arena and took up positions at either end as if they were playing for The Salmon Cup.
Below we see a women's lacrosse match--a much milder version of the game. Here, the girl on the right is executing a "just-letting-you-know-I'm-here" tactic, where she extends her arm completely resulting in simultaneous blows to her opponent's arm and head, almost dislodging her mouth guard.
The team-mate of the girl under attack is wistfully wishing she were a majorette and is just dying to twirl her "baton".Below is the aforementioned grizzly bear, always ready to scoop up a passing salmon with his fish net.
Oh--I almost forgot. My town is on the verge of a lacrosse championship.
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