At my work in perhaps the busiest restaurant in midtown Toronto (the media capital of Canada don’t you know!) I’ve had my run in with various sports celebrities. I personally have served two former Maple Leafs GMs (John Ferguson Jr; his dad paid, horrible tipper; Gord Stelleck, decent tipper) as well as heard stories of Damon Allen and even R&B singer George (OMG!) being present at the old place. Today however, a young lady walked in, sat herself and her friend at my table and had a few drinks. That young lady? Kristen Bourne, aka Tessa Campinelli from the original Degrassi! Impressive? You bet. It’s one thing if a celebrity that you’ve been told to like (like Kanye West or Cher) sits at your table, but to have someone there from a TV show or movie that you genuinely love, it’s something else altogether. This would be like my friend Shannon meeting George Romero or my cousin Jeff meeting Samuel L Jackson or my buddy Chad meeting Shannon Tweed. It just takes it to a higher level when the person in question belongs to something that is your own. Sorry I’ll stop babbling now. We do have football this week SportsOne. By the way. Yes. I did pick the Browns to cover (+14) last week. I justified it by saying “I don’t know what I’m doin.” Well there you go. And here we go.
TITANS (+2) vs Steelers
The fact that the Steel are getting every call makes them the favourite this week. The Titans are at home and looking to cement their stand as the No 1 seed in the AFC. They say in blackjack to never bet against black. Well this is football. I’m not betting against the mustache.
CHIEFS (+3) vs Dolphins
The fish are set to do battle with the Jets in week 17. The Chiefs have nothing to play for.
It’s going to be cold in KC. All those things equal a game that I won’t be watching but am pretty sure the Chiefs can win.
Cardinals (+8) vs PATRIOTS
Can the Pats win this game? Absolutely. Do I think the Pats win this game? Absolutely! Am I starting to think Tom Brady was just a product of a great offensive system? Absolutely!!!! Will they win by 8? No F*$&ing way.
BROWNS (-3) vs Bengals
They’re calling for a snow storm on Sunday. I really hope Cleveland is covered in snow. It would give a reason to watch this game wouldn’t it? Also, while discussing Madden ’09 with my brother Jordan, he mentioned how he got called for holding during a last second field goal try, rendering the field goal play void and he went into the locker room tied instead of up by 3. We got to talking and decided that most F.U. play we’d like to see happen in Madden ’10: Important Game. Your team up 21-20 with 0:21 left in the 4th. Opponents ball on your 41 yard line. 4th and 8. Instead of lining up for a 58 yd field goal, the computer attempts a pass; it’s batted down, but one of your players inexplicably takes off his helmet giving the computer a 1st and 10 at the 29 with 14 seconds left. They kick the 43yd field goal and win the game. That would cause many a TV to be broken we think. This has to be programmed into next year’s game. It has to.
REDSKINS (+5) vs Eagles
What happened to the ‘Skins? They were in the mix for so long and seemed to have lept off the plank into the harbour these last few weeks. Philly meanwhile has been beating up on teams who have been sort of shell shocked at he time. (Cards in the east, Giants right after Plax, Browns all the time) Washington puts its pride on the line in their last home game of the season and shows up.
49ers (-5) vs RAMS
Everybody in St Louis get your “2-14 Happy Dance” ready!
VIKINGS (-3.5) vs Falcons
There are a couple of things I know for sure. I will never forget meeting Tessa Capminelli (I know I know I’ll stop). Also, Matt Ryan WILL win rookie of the year. He has to. We all (and don’t say you didn’t either. Just because mine is in print and can be accessed 24 hours a day 7 days a week…um….wait…oh s&%#!) picked the Falcons to be terrible this year and they’re two wins away from potentially locking up the 6 seed in the NFC. They fall short this week however. (Am I actually picking T. Jackson to lead Minny to victory? I’m more star struck than I thought)
LIONS (+7) vs Saints
Hey! Remember when the Lions were favoured?? It was back in week 1 on the road in Atlanta! So not only do we have a team that threatens to go winless (or over defeated) but perhaps for the first time ever we have a team that might finish worse than 2-14 being favoured in one of those games on the road! Also, congrats to every Fantasy Football team who has Calvin Johnson in your stating line up. If you have him, you’re still in the playoffs. RIP Trampoline Bear 2008.
Jets (-4) vs SEAHAWKS
Brett Favre travels to Seattle to say goodbye to Mike Holmgren who coaches his second to last game ever. Forget the game, they need to do the postgame show live from the Hooters Brett will be taking his former coach after the Jets inch closer to the AFC East title.
Texans (-7) vs RAIDERS
You can almost feel the 2009 buzz coming for this team can’t you? Well it’s only about three years late. The Texans take their winning streak to Oakland. 2009 Fantasy Note: Keep an eye on Houston’s receivers next season. If you can, pick one up in the 3rd round (I’m not mentioning his name) and also, avoid every starter on Oakland unless you’re in a bizarro league.
Bills (+6.5) vs BRONCOS
This is the game you don’t want to go near. If the Chargers lose at 1pm, then Denver will have already clinched the division and should spend the next two weeks trying to figure out how to stop Peyton Manning from running all over them again. I’m betting on that to happen and the Broncos don’t show up. Plus the running back tandem this week is Tatum Bell, Selvin Young, Tim Biakabutuka, Onterrio Smith and (fresh out of jail) Bam Morris. Not a great line up.
BUCS (-3.5) vs Chargers
Chargers on the east coast means that they lose. At least it gives LaDanian Tomlinson loads more time to recover from that turf toe injury from last year? Now we need Novak Djokovic to miss a year or two with tennis elbow.
Panthers (+3.5) vs GIANTS
Ooh. The game of the week. Unlike the similar game being played in Tennessee, both of these teams are fun to watch. Carolina shows us why they should be the No 1 seed this week. The Giants peaked too early. They also hugely underestimated how vital Plax was to their offence. I know my buddies Ryan (they both like the Giants and they’ve both been rather quiet lately. Hmmm) are just waiting for another excuse to come down on me when the Giants rile off a bunch of wins in a row. Oh well.
BEARS (-4) vs Packers
The final game before Christmas. A few things will happen this week. The Bears will win on Monday night and set up a monster week 17. Thousands of parents will set up videos hoping that their kid opening his/her presents on Thursday will be the next internet sensation in the likeness of that little boy getting the N64 like ten years ago. And millions of men will have to make a new hole in their belt with a nail.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Dear Mr. President - The State of Sports Networks in Canada
Dear President Obama,
You are about to become the most powerful man on earth. You have been elected to run the most important government in the world and with the help of your contemporaries around the globe have the opportunity to not only change things for the better, but also to rub out the constant threats of terror that have plagued western civilization for most of the last decade. You also have an opportunity to help your younger brothers become better equipped for life in the 21st century. You yourself are a sports fan. You stated last month before the election that if you could change one thing in the sporting world it would be to have an eight team playoff to determine the NCAA Football Champion. Mr Obama sir, myself and countless others in a foreign nation need your help too. We need your help to change the very structure of our own BCS situation. Mr President Elect: With your help and ours, we can together fix this atrocity. We can make the life of a Canadian sports fan no longer suck.
Don’t get me wrong. The sports scene here is pretty good actually. We have six teams in the league dedicated to the greatest game on earth. We also have a single baseball team and basketball team which captures the hearts of the nation; never more evident fifteen years ago when the baseball team won its second of back to back World Series titles and then later that fall it was announced that the same city would be getting its very own NBA franchise. We also not only have a great football league but live in close enough proximity that we can enjoy your American version of football and get every game live on television also.
It goes far beyond what we have I’m afraid. You see, we have three sports networks. Amazingly your country really only has two. (ESPN and FSN; we as well as you refuse to acknowledge Fox Sports World, GOL TV and OLN as true sports networks) And while we both know that FSN is really only for local sports and the all of a sudden non-stop “Best Damn” countdowns, ESPN is something that unless you have an illegal satellite system, us Canadians have only heard and dreamed about.
I’m a law abiding citizen sir. I do enjoy aspects of Canadian sports programming. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t watch “The Score Tonight” every night of the week. That being said, you need to help us. You need to step in and save us from what is happening. I do not even know where to start. I guess I’ll start with the “Premier” sports network in Canada. One called TSN (The Sports Network) and which coincidentally is partially owned by the juggernaut that is ESPN.
ESPN (and it’s family of networks; they never get tired of saying that)is by far the No 1 sports network in the U.S. And for good reason. They have a massive amount of original programming and dedicate every night to showing MLB games, college basketball and football games as well as a sports movie here and there. However, during the day the programming lineup is as dreadful as it is here. Non-stop yachting, darts, billiards and poker. It’s ok if you like that sort of thing. I myself like information and there’s one thing ESPN got right some time ago: They launched ESPNews which between the hours of noon and five broadcasts live, updated information regarding sports in any league. They also bring in various sports reporters to chat it up with the news anchors. Basically for five solid hours every afternoon, a sports fan can plop down and listen to in depth conversations regarding various sports leagues. That, sir, is where TSN goes wrong.
Why couldn’t TSN supplement the ESPNews coverage during the day? Surely that would be more interesting to watch than the “2007 Ladies 9ball championships” or the “2008 Worlds Strongest Man/Beer Guzzling” competition. ESPN owns a fifth of TSN, couldn’t they offer the simulcast to them? They changed the name of the flagship sports highlight show AND the logo of the network when they acquired them! Obviously ESPN has some clout. And why wouldn’t CTV (a mega million dollar television company who owns the other 80%) be open to such an idea? There is something to be said about the sports fan who would rather watch Extreme Fitness Challenge (even if they are “ladies”; I have yet to see any actual indications that they are female) over five glorious hours featuring in depth discussions with the likes of Peter Gammons, Andy Katz, Sports Illustrated columnists and perhaps even NHL sports reporters like EJ Hradek and John Buccigross. (Hooray for Hakan-Hannakuh!)
Alas, that’s not even the tip of the iceburg sir. Much like FSN in the U.S, we also have our own “local oriented yet nation-wide” sports network: It’s also called Sportsnet. Rogers Sportsnet. Original I know. This “network” is useful for about six months of the year. Because Rogers owns the Toronto Blue Jays, over 120 games are broadcast on Sportsnet every year. However between October and March (inclusive) the network is totally un-watchable. In Western Canada they show lots of hockey games on Sportsnet West or Pacific featuring the Edmonton Oilers games and Vancouver Canucks but here in Ontario it is dead air from night to night. Nothing but poker and darts. This is a sports network? It would be one thing if the Ontario Sporstnet showed Toronto Maple Leaf games and Toronto Raptors games. However it only shows about 15 Leafs games and ZERO Raptors games this year. (More on that later) How can this go on?
Sportsnet is the second most useless sports network in the country and sadly, promotes itself as the most all around sports network. Our third network, a new up and coming network called “The Score”, which barely gets any license to show live sports events, shows no pro hockey and only two years ago got allowance to show Raptors games is far and beyond a more premier sports network than this one which is owned by the largest media conglomerate in the country. The programming being offered by this “network” is an embarrassment to Canadian television and has to be changed sir. You need to step in and help us sports fans create a sports network lineup that is conducive to what we want. We want coverage. We want live sports events. Most of all, we want something we can enjoy during all hours of the day and night. But that doesn’t compare to the latest sports network travesty. I’m sad to inform you that it gets worse. Much much worse.
Mr President elect, you need to step in and save us from the monster that is TSN2. It was launched right before the NFL season started and was supposed to be a second network devoted to sports and give us Canadians more sports coverage than we’d ever seen. We envisioned a world where Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn would never be pre-empted for early round golf highlights (just turn over to TSN2!), a world where we’d get bonus live sporting events and where we’d be able to watch not one but two women’s bowling championships at the same time! (Could you imagine?) But that’s not what has transpired.
TSN2 is nothing but a “west coast” version of TSN. “The Deuce” in the US is a fully independent network which offers viewers different sports and different shows. “The Deux” (or DUH!) on the other hand timeshifts regular TSN programming and for 95% of the week is rendered a useless network; until it decides to put on an NHL or Toronto Raptors game. (TSN2 is showing almost a quarter of Toronto Raptors games this year) Then and only then is it worth watching; except that nobody in Ontario can get it.
This is the thing that aggravates the SportsOne most of all sir. In this country we have various cable and satellite systems. Rogers Cable is by far the No 1 source for television in Canada while Bell and a company called Star Choice (I’ve never actually met anyone with Star Choice so you will have to take my word on it) factor in a reasonable minority. Both of the two satellite systems carry this “network” but Rogers refuses to be bullied into making its customers pay a premium for a station that for 152 out of 168 hours a week is nothing more than a complete copy of a station we already have, and is owned by the good people at ESPN.
Rogers offers its customers something called the Super Sports Pack. It is unprecedented in television; even the mighty DirecTV nor Dish Network have anything like it. Basically, for a fee of $30 a month the viewer gets access to the respective sports packages of the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL, OHL (it’s a junior hockey league, you wouldn’t be interested) as well as every college basketball and football game broadcast by the entire ESPN network. It’s a great deal and we sports fans up here love it. However, because Rogers does not offer TSN2 as part of its channel lineup the NHL and NBA games broadcast on this “network” are blacked out and we are unable to watch. That in itself is not a big deal. It’s TSN’s decision to put those games on its network and it’s Rogers decision to not offer the station on its channel lineup. The problem however is that TSN DOES NOT SEND ITS OWN PERSONNEL TO BROADCAST THESE GAMES! THEY SIMPLY SUPPLEMENT THE U.S. COVERAGE WHICH WOULD BE OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO SUPER SPORTS PACK CUSTOMERS! That Mr. Obama, is absolute bullying.
They’re basically saying sir, “Hey Rogers customers, do you wanna watch the Penguins/Capitals game? Too bad, because your cable subscriber won’t let you”. They should be saying “Hey Rogers customers, do you wanna watch the Penguins/Captials game? Too bad, because we’ve hijacked the Rogers Super Sports Pack by supplementing coverage we don’t own, and making it so that even if you do purchase the Sports Pack for $30 a month it doesn’t matter. If you don’t like it blame your cable carrier, not us. We’ve done nothing wrong by trying to bilk people out of more money. We’ve done nothing wrong by launching a new network that shows time delayed programs you already get with your basic cable subscription. We’ve also done nothing wrong by marketing this network under the false pretence that it’s its own network and that by ordering it you will get more sports coverage than ever before when in actuality all you’ll get is the opportunity to see Michael Landsberg four times a day instead of two.”
For me sir, it’s one thing to launch a network and black out games for those who don’t order your channel, provided that you offer original programming. If TSN were sending its own crew to televise these games I would not have issue with it. If someone owns the MLB Ticket in the US but for some reason does not subscribe to ESPN they do not get the games ESPN covers, because ESPN owns the coverage and covers it themselves. But for TSN to broadcast Versus’ coverage of a hockey game, sell it as “their own network showing their own game” and black it out for Rogers Super Sports Pack subscribers who would other wise be entitled to watch said game as part of their $30 per month fee, that can not happen. It just can not.
So you see Mr President, between the horrible TSN2 saga, the useless network that is Rogers Sportsnet and the fact that TSN (despite being owned by ESPN AND having a “second” channel) can not do anything to make their afternoon schedules more interesting, we Canadians have hit a brick wall. Myself and my contemporaries have faith in you. You are a sports lover and I know it breaks your heart to hear of a country not unlike your own going without all the things you Americans take for granted. Help us sir. Please. With your help we can end this madness. We can end this never ending bombardment of darts, billiards, “jet obstacle course” races and (gulp!) women’s bowling. I don’t even have the stomach to let you in on what ESPN Classic Canada is all about. (Really? You’re showing us CFL games featuring the Las Vegas Posse? Can’t we just imagine that US expansion never happened and be done with it??) Please Mr Obama. Help your neighbours to the north. We’re behind you every step of the way. Yes we can. Yes we can.
Yours truly,
Adam Cole
The SportsOne
P.S. What do you think of these early week NFL picks? Not too shabby eh??
Colts (-6) vs JAGUARS
COWBOYS (-4) vs Ravens
You are about to become the most powerful man on earth. You have been elected to run the most important government in the world and with the help of your contemporaries around the globe have the opportunity to not only change things for the better, but also to rub out the constant threats of terror that have plagued western civilization for most of the last decade. You also have an opportunity to help your younger brothers become better equipped for life in the 21st century. You yourself are a sports fan. You stated last month before the election that if you could change one thing in the sporting world it would be to have an eight team playoff to determine the NCAA Football Champion. Mr Obama sir, myself and countless others in a foreign nation need your help too. We need your help to change the very structure of our own BCS situation. Mr President Elect: With your help and ours, we can together fix this atrocity. We can make the life of a Canadian sports fan no longer suck.
Don’t get me wrong. The sports scene here is pretty good actually. We have six teams in the league dedicated to the greatest game on earth. We also have a single baseball team and basketball team which captures the hearts of the nation; never more evident fifteen years ago when the baseball team won its second of back to back World Series titles and then later that fall it was announced that the same city would be getting its very own NBA franchise. We also not only have a great football league but live in close enough proximity that we can enjoy your American version of football and get every game live on television also.
It goes far beyond what we have I’m afraid. You see, we have three sports networks. Amazingly your country really only has two. (ESPN and FSN; we as well as you refuse to acknowledge Fox Sports World, GOL TV and OLN as true sports networks) And while we both know that FSN is really only for local sports and the all of a sudden non-stop “Best Damn” countdowns, ESPN is something that unless you have an illegal satellite system, us Canadians have only heard and dreamed about.
I’m a law abiding citizen sir. I do enjoy aspects of Canadian sports programming. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t watch “The Score Tonight” every night of the week. That being said, you need to help us. You need to step in and save us from what is happening. I do not even know where to start. I guess I’ll start with the “Premier” sports network in Canada. One called TSN (The Sports Network) and which coincidentally is partially owned by the juggernaut that is ESPN.
ESPN (and it’s family of networks; they never get tired of saying that)is by far the No 1 sports network in the U.S. And for good reason. They have a massive amount of original programming and dedicate every night to showing MLB games, college basketball and football games as well as a sports movie here and there. However, during the day the programming lineup is as dreadful as it is here. Non-stop yachting, darts, billiards and poker. It’s ok if you like that sort of thing. I myself like information and there’s one thing ESPN got right some time ago: They launched ESPNews which between the hours of noon and five broadcasts live, updated information regarding sports in any league. They also bring in various sports reporters to chat it up with the news anchors. Basically for five solid hours every afternoon, a sports fan can plop down and listen to in depth conversations regarding various sports leagues. That, sir, is where TSN goes wrong.
Why couldn’t TSN supplement the ESPNews coverage during the day? Surely that would be more interesting to watch than the “2007 Ladies 9ball championships” or the “2008 Worlds Strongest Man/Beer Guzzling” competition. ESPN owns a fifth of TSN, couldn’t they offer the simulcast to them? They changed the name of the flagship sports highlight show AND the logo of the network when they acquired them! Obviously ESPN has some clout. And why wouldn’t CTV (a mega million dollar television company who owns the other 80%) be open to such an idea? There is something to be said about the sports fan who would rather watch Extreme Fitness Challenge (even if they are “ladies”; I have yet to see any actual indications that they are female) over five glorious hours featuring in depth discussions with the likes of Peter Gammons, Andy Katz, Sports Illustrated columnists and perhaps even NHL sports reporters like EJ Hradek and John Buccigross. (Hooray for Hakan-Hannakuh!)
Alas, that’s not even the tip of the iceburg sir. Much like FSN in the U.S, we also have our own “local oriented yet nation-wide” sports network: It’s also called Sportsnet. Rogers Sportsnet. Original I know. This “network” is useful for about six months of the year. Because Rogers owns the Toronto Blue Jays, over 120 games are broadcast on Sportsnet every year. However between October and March (inclusive) the network is totally un-watchable. In Western Canada they show lots of hockey games on Sportsnet West or Pacific featuring the Edmonton Oilers games and Vancouver Canucks but here in Ontario it is dead air from night to night. Nothing but poker and darts. This is a sports network? It would be one thing if the Ontario Sporstnet showed Toronto Maple Leaf games and Toronto Raptors games. However it only shows about 15 Leafs games and ZERO Raptors games this year. (More on that later) How can this go on?
Sportsnet is the second most useless sports network in the country and sadly, promotes itself as the most all around sports network. Our third network, a new up and coming network called “The Score”, which barely gets any license to show live sports events, shows no pro hockey and only two years ago got allowance to show Raptors games is far and beyond a more premier sports network than this one which is owned by the largest media conglomerate in the country. The programming being offered by this “network” is an embarrassment to Canadian television and has to be changed sir. You need to step in and help us sports fans create a sports network lineup that is conducive to what we want. We want coverage. We want live sports events. Most of all, we want something we can enjoy during all hours of the day and night. But that doesn’t compare to the latest sports network travesty. I’m sad to inform you that it gets worse. Much much worse.
Mr President elect, you need to step in and save us from the monster that is TSN2. It was launched right before the NFL season started and was supposed to be a second network devoted to sports and give us Canadians more sports coverage than we’d ever seen. We envisioned a world where Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn would never be pre-empted for early round golf highlights (just turn over to TSN2!), a world where we’d get bonus live sporting events and where we’d be able to watch not one but two women’s bowling championships at the same time! (Could you imagine?) But that’s not what has transpired.
TSN2 is nothing but a “west coast” version of TSN. “The Deuce” in the US is a fully independent network which offers viewers different sports and different shows. “The Deux” (or DUH!) on the other hand timeshifts regular TSN programming and for 95% of the week is rendered a useless network; until it decides to put on an NHL or Toronto Raptors game. (TSN2 is showing almost a quarter of Toronto Raptors games this year) Then and only then is it worth watching; except that nobody in Ontario can get it.
This is the thing that aggravates the SportsOne most of all sir. In this country we have various cable and satellite systems. Rogers Cable is by far the No 1 source for television in Canada while Bell and a company called Star Choice (I’ve never actually met anyone with Star Choice so you will have to take my word on it) factor in a reasonable minority. Both of the two satellite systems carry this “network” but Rogers refuses to be bullied into making its customers pay a premium for a station that for 152 out of 168 hours a week is nothing more than a complete copy of a station we already have, and is owned by the good people at ESPN.
Rogers offers its customers something called the Super Sports Pack. It is unprecedented in television; even the mighty DirecTV nor Dish Network have anything like it. Basically, for a fee of $30 a month the viewer gets access to the respective sports packages of the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL, OHL (it’s a junior hockey league, you wouldn’t be interested) as well as every college basketball and football game broadcast by the entire ESPN network. It’s a great deal and we sports fans up here love it. However, because Rogers does not offer TSN2 as part of its channel lineup the NHL and NBA games broadcast on this “network” are blacked out and we are unable to watch. That in itself is not a big deal. It’s TSN’s decision to put those games on its network and it’s Rogers decision to not offer the station on its channel lineup. The problem however is that TSN DOES NOT SEND ITS OWN PERSONNEL TO BROADCAST THESE GAMES! THEY SIMPLY SUPPLEMENT THE U.S. COVERAGE WHICH WOULD BE OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO SUPER SPORTS PACK CUSTOMERS! That Mr. Obama, is absolute bullying.
They’re basically saying sir, “Hey Rogers customers, do you wanna watch the Penguins/Capitals game? Too bad, because your cable subscriber won’t let you”. They should be saying “Hey Rogers customers, do you wanna watch the Penguins/Captials game? Too bad, because we’ve hijacked the Rogers Super Sports Pack by supplementing coverage we don’t own, and making it so that even if you do purchase the Sports Pack for $30 a month it doesn’t matter. If you don’t like it blame your cable carrier, not us. We’ve done nothing wrong by trying to bilk people out of more money. We’ve done nothing wrong by launching a new network that shows time delayed programs you already get with your basic cable subscription. We’ve also done nothing wrong by marketing this network under the false pretence that it’s its own network and that by ordering it you will get more sports coverage than ever before when in actuality all you’ll get is the opportunity to see Michael Landsberg four times a day instead of two.”
For me sir, it’s one thing to launch a network and black out games for those who don’t order your channel, provided that you offer original programming. If TSN were sending its own crew to televise these games I would not have issue with it. If someone owns the MLB Ticket in the US but for some reason does not subscribe to ESPN they do not get the games ESPN covers, because ESPN owns the coverage and covers it themselves. But for TSN to broadcast Versus’ coverage of a hockey game, sell it as “their own network showing their own game” and black it out for Rogers Super Sports Pack subscribers who would other wise be entitled to watch said game as part of their $30 per month fee, that can not happen. It just can not.
So you see Mr President, between the horrible TSN2 saga, the useless network that is Rogers Sportsnet and the fact that TSN (despite being owned by ESPN AND having a “second” channel) can not do anything to make their afternoon schedules more interesting, we Canadians have hit a brick wall. Myself and my contemporaries have faith in you. You are a sports lover and I know it breaks your heart to hear of a country not unlike your own going without all the things you Americans take for granted. Help us sir. Please. With your help we can end this madness. We can end this never ending bombardment of darts, billiards, “jet obstacle course” races and (gulp!) women’s bowling. I don’t even have the stomach to let you in on what ESPN Classic Canada is all about. (Really? You’re showing us CFL games featuring the Las Vegas Posse? Can’t we just imagine that US expansion never happened and be done with it??) Please Mr Obama. Help your neighbours to the north. We’re behind you every step of the way. Yes we can. Yes we can.
Yours truly,
Adam Cole
The SportsOne
P.S. What do you think of these early week NFL picks? Not too shabby eh??
Colts (-6) vs JAGUARS
COWBOYS (-4) vs Ravens
Saturday, December 13, 2008
NFL Week 15!
We’re officially in crunch time. Only two weeks after this and still plenty to figure out, including playoff spots, draft picks and the immortal question of who is fatter: Romeo Crennel or Andy Reid. “Christmas is coming, the coach is getting fat….” Here are some thoughts for week 15.
JAGUARS (+2) vs Packers
The most disappointing team in the NFL this season vs the most disappointing team in the second half. Although the Jags quit a few weeks ago, they’ll show up this week. What am I basing that on you ask? Two things, and they’re both the same: Absolutely nothing. Also, a moment of silence for Fred Taylor who was placed on IR and is probably done for his career. Thank you.
COLTS (-17) vs Lions
Well that was fun. The Lions almost vindicated me by winning last week against Minny. This week they’re looking 0-14 in the face. That “Matt Millen Firing Party!” thing seems like eons ago doesn’t it? On the other side, Manning and company seem like they’ve gotten things together. Looking very scary indeed, although they couldn’t play in Cleveland two weeks ago and beat up a horrid Bengals team last week. They’re like that girl you meet at a frat party who says she’s 19 and taking Sociology but you’re positive she’s lying and only 16 and even though for a split second you figure it doesn’t matter you ultimately decide you need more info. I think we need more info on the Colts. That being said, we won’t get it until they’re destroying my Broncos in Denver during Wild Card week. (Cue MSN frowny face)
BENGALS (+7) vs Redskins
The Bengals are bad. The ‘Skins are bad at covering the spread. ‘Skins win but not by a touchdown. Meanwhile, while watching Basketball Diaries on the other night, I decided if you’re going to have a movie made about you, you want Leonardo DiCaprio to portray you. Think about it. You get a great actor and let’s face it, um, you could do a lot worse than him. (Right girls?) With my luck, the SportsOne would be played by Rob Schneider.
FALCONS (-3) vs Bucs
This is the huge early game this week. The ‘Cons (that works doesn’t it?) will not go away and as everyone has been saying, the NFC South teams do not lose at home. The Bucs’ defence is in peril after that beat down in Carolina on Monday night. Atlanta keeps its playoff hopes alive with another win. While we’re on the subject of playoffs, (Playoffs??!!) remember back in September when everyone was talking about the NFC East as the sure fire 3 team playoff division? Come to mid December, and the NFC SOUTH looks like it might get 3 playoff teams. Who knew? (Random NHL note: Is it OK to start calling Mikail Grabovsky “Borchevsky 2.0”? Can we get a ruling?)
49ers (+6.5) vs DOLPHINS
You almost get the feeling the Vegas guys are making these lines based on the way the Dolphins played the previous week, not on how good Miami actually is. That being said, the 49ers are playing inspired football now (see girls? This is why us guys are trying to get our pants off all the time. It inspires people) and dare I say it, they seem to have an actual capable QB at the helm. Miami needs this game more the San Fran does obviously, but don’t be surprised if the Niners keep it close, or make off with a win.
RAMS (+2.5) vs Seahawks
Have we ever had 2-11 vs 2-11? Someone call Elias on this one, please! Both of these teams needn’t be discussed. Hopefully Fox is sending interns to call this game. Or maybe they’ll just send cameras and the TV fans in St. Louis and Seattle will just get video and be forced to imagine what would be being said like when CBC was on strike a few years ago. Oh and also, there is NO excuse to punt in this game, I don’t care what the circumstances are. (4th and 19 from the 4? What the hell, air it out!!! 4th and goal from the 5? Sounds like a double reverse to me!) Why can’t Andy Reid do an emergency coach job for this game?
JETS (-7.5) vs Bills
The Bills are hopefully enjoying the money the late Ted Rogers gave them for playing eight games in Toronto over the next five years. (Let us never speak of the short cut again) The single biggest problem with the whole experiment is that I know a ton of NFL fans and not one of them follows Buffalo. This whole thing is doomed if the next game isn’t Buffalo vs Dallas. Although it was fitting that the SkyDome (remember, I refuse to call it “that name”) was as silent as a funeral, which it was for the Bills. Meanwhile, the Brett Favre Madden curse has begun. You just wait. Ooo.
Titans (-3) vs TEXANS
I refuse to believe in this Houston team. They beat a garbage Jax team at home and then went into Green Bay and snuck out with a win against a team that has underachieved in this second half like no other. That being said, Tennessee is for real and can clinch home field throughout the playoffs with a win and a Steeler loss. It happens this week.
RAVENS (-3) vs Steelers
This has garbage game written all over it. The over/under is 34.5 but I swear they could’ve put it at 19.5 and people would say to themselves “you know, that’s low….but I really could see this game being 10-7”. The Ravens have over achieved all season and I see no reason why they won’t continue to do so. The question remains however: Why does every game Baltimore plays have a “garbage game” stigma attached to it?
PANTHERS (-7) vs Broncos
I love my Denver Broncos. That being said, they’re about to get pummelled. The title of “Denver Broncos RB” has turned into a real life “Spinal Tap Drummer” has it not? No spontaneous combustions though, as of yet anyways. On a side note, can’t we all just get along? The Titans two running backs had the “Smash & Dash” nickname first. Can’t we just call the Panther duo “Punch & Pie”? Or “Load & Shoot?” or my personal favourite “Pass & Gas?”
CARDINALS (-3) vs Vikings
Tavaris Jackon (remember him? From weeks 1 & 2?) gets the start for Minnesota. Just what the Vikings fans want: The unstable, second year QB who couldn’t get it done in September starting in a “need to stay ahead of Chicago” game in December in Glendale. Cardinals never lose at home. Jackson never wins.
RAIDERS (+7) vs Patriots
New England didn’t look great last week in Seattle. Oakland never looks good (unless they’re playing my Broncos. Ladies and gentlemen your 2008 Denver Broncos, making the Raiders and Chiefs look great! [cue MSN “WTF” face…well there should be a WTF face!]) however New England stayed on the west coast this week, presumably to engage in drinks and strippers with Tom Brady who’s been on the west coast for a few weeks now. (Wouldn’t you be?) Oakland for some reason keeps it close. Meanwhile Raiders fans prepare the 5 mile migration to San Francisco.
COWBOYS (-3) vs Giants
Giants without Brandon Jacobs + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + a really great week 16 game between the Panthers and Giants for home field advantage in the NFC Playoffs at stake if the Giants lose and the Panthers win + Cowboys playing at home = Dallas wins 24-17 or something like that. Oh and I also just realized we’re a few months away from a potential real life “The Longest Yard” featuring inmates Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress and coached by OJ Simpson! ABC would HAVE to at least send Brent Mushberger for that!
Browns (+14) vs EAGLES
I remember when the Monday night game used to matter. The Browns are awful. The Eagles are not as good as they’ve been the last two weeks. I mean, they tied at Cincy? That counts for something right? Maybe? I don’t know what I’m doin.
This Week: 0-0-1
Last Week: 10-6
Season: 109-97-6
JAGUARS (+2) vs Packers
The most disappointing team in the NFL this season vs the most disappointing team in the second half. Although the Jags quit a few weeks ago, they’ll show up this week. What am I basing that on you ask? Two things, and they’re both the same: Absolutely nothing. Also, a moment of silence for Fred Taylor who was placed on IR and is probably done for his career. Thank you.
COLTS (-17) vs Lions
Well that was fun. The Lions almost vindicated me by winning last week against Minny. This week they’re looking 0-14 in the face. That “Matt Millen Firing Party!” thing seems like eons ago doesn’t it? On the other side, Manning and company seem like they’ve gotten things together. Looking very scary indeed, although they couldn’t play in Cleveland two weeks ago and beat up a horrid Bengals team last week. They’re like that girl you meet at a frat party who says she’s 19 and taking Sociology but you’re positive she’s lying and only 16 and even though for a split second you figure it doesn’t matter you ultimately decide you need more info. I think we need more info on the Colts. That being said, we won’t get it until they’re destroying my Broncos in Denver during Wild Card week. (Cue MSN frowny face)
BENGALS (+7) vs Redskins
The Bengals are bad. The ‘Skins are bad at covering the spread. ‘Skins win but not by a touchdown. Meanwhile, while watching Basketball Diaries on the other night, I decided if you’re going to have a movie made about you, you want Leonardo DiCaprio to portray you. Think about it. You get a great actor and let’s face it, um, you could do a lot worse than him. (Right girls?) With my luck, the SportsOne would be played by Rob Schneider.
FALCONS (-3) vs Bucs
This is the huge early game this week. The ‘Cons (that works doesn’t it?) will not go away and as everyone has been saying, the NFC South teams do not lose at home. The Bucs’ defence is in peril after that beat down in Carolina on Monday night. Atlanta keeps its playoff hopes alive with another win. While we’re on the subject of playoffs, (Playoffs??!!) remember back in September when everyone was talking about the NFC East as the sure fire 3 team playoff division? Come to mid December, and the NFC SOUTH looks like it might get 3 playoff teams. Who knew? (Random NHL note: Is it OK to start calling Mikail Grabovsky “Borchevsky 2.0”? Can we get a ruling?)
49ers (+6.5) vs DOLPHINS
You almost get the feeling the Vegas guys are making these lines based on the way the Dolphins played the previous week, not on how good Miami actually is. That being said, the 49ers are playing inspired football now (see girls? This is why us guys are trying to get our pants off all the time. It inspires people) and dare I say it, they seem to have an actual capable QB at the helm. Miami needs this game more the San Fran does obviously, but don’t be surprised if the Niners keep it close, or make off with a win.
RAMS (+2.5) vs Seahawks
Have we ever had 2-11 vs 2-11? Someone call Elias on this one, please! Both of these teams needn’t be discussed. Hopefully Fox is sending interns to call this game. Or maybe they’ll just send cameras and the TV fans in St. Louis and Seattle will just get video and be forced to imagine what would be being said like when CBC was on strike a few years ago. Oh and also, there is NO excuse to punt in this game, I don’t care what the circumstances are. (4th and 19 from the 4? What the hell, air it out!!! 4th and goal from the 5? Sounds like a double reverse to me!) Why can’t Andy Reid do an emergency coach job for this game?
JETS (-7.5) vs Bills
The Bills are hopefully enjoying the money the late Ted Rogers gave them for playing eight games in Toronto over the next five years. (Let us never speak of the short cut again) The single biggest problem with the whole experiment is that I know a ton of NFL fans and not one of them follows Buffalo. This whole thing is doomed if the next game isn’t Buffalo vs Dallas. Although it was fitting that the SkyDome (remember, I refuse to call it “that name”) was as silent as a funeral, which it was for the Bills. Meanwhile, the Brett Favre Madden curse has begun. You just wait. Ooo.
Titans (-3) vs TEXANS
I refuse to believe in this Houston team. They beat a garbage Jax team at home and then went into Green Bay and snuck out with a win against a team that has underachieved in this second half like no other. That being said, Tennessee is for real and can clinch home field throughout the playoffs with a win and a Steeler loss. It happens this week.
RAVENS (-3) vs Steelers
This has garbage game written all over it. The over/under is 34.5 but I swear they could’ve put it at 19.5 and people would say to themselves “you know, that’s low….but I really could see this game being 10-7”. The Ravens have over achieved all season and I see no reason why they won’t continue to do so. The question remains however: Why does every game Baltimore plays have a “garbage game” stigma attached to it?
PANTHERS (-7) vs Broncos
I love my Denver Broncos. That being said, they’re about to get pummelled. The title of “Denver Broncos RB” has turned into a real life “Spinal Tap Drummer” has it not? No spontaneous combustions though, as of yet anyways. On a side note, can’t we all just get along? The Titans two running backs had the “Smash & Dash” nickname first. Can’t we just call the Panther duo “Punch & Pie”? Or “Load & Shoot?” or my personal favourite “Pass & Gas?”
CARDINALS (-3) vs Vikings
Tavaris Jackon (remember him? From weeks 1 & 2?) gets the start for Minnesota. Just what the Vikings fans want: The unstable, second year QB who couldn’t get it done in September starting in a “need to stay ahead of Chicago” game in December in Glendale. Cardinals never lose at home. Jackson never wins.
RAIDERS (+7) vs Patriots
New England didn’t look great last week in Seattle. Oakland never looks good (unless they’re playing my Broncos. Ladies and gentlemen your 2008 Denver Broncos, making the Raiders and Chiefs look great! [cue MSN “WTF” face…well there should be a WTF face!]) however New England stayed on the west coast this week, presumably to engage in drinks and strippers with Tom Brady who’s been on the west coast for a few weeks now. (Wouldn’t you be?) Oakland for some reason keeps it close. Meanwhile Raiders fans prepare the 5 mile migration to San Francisco.
COWBOYS (-3) vs Giants
Giants without Brandon Jacobs + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + Cowboys playing at home + a really great week 16 game between the Panthers and Giants for home field advantage in the NFC Playoffs at stake if the Giants lose and the Panthers win + Cowboys playing at home = Dallas wins 24-17 or something like that. Oh and I also just realized we’re a few months away from a potential real life “The Longest Yard” featuring inmates Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress and coached by OJ Simpson! ABC would HAVE to at least send Brent Mushberger for that!
Browns (+14) vs EAGLES
I remember when the Monday night game used to matter. The Browns are awful. The Eagles are not as good as they’ve been the last two weeks. I mean, they tied at Cincy? That counts for something right? Maybe? I don’t know what I’m doin.
This Week: 0-0-1
Last Week: 10-6
Season: 109-97-6
Friday, December 5, 2008
Goodbye Mr Mitchell! And the "What if?" game!
Well, goodbye to the Sam Mitchell era in
It’s been a garbage season so far. Things started out fine, then the Raptors forgot that they can’t play defence so they lost a few games in a row. Now they’re out west where they’re 14-112 all time (Can you believe that? 98 games below .500! That’s a fact) and coming off of a 39 point loss to
Mitchell won Coach of the Year just two seasons ago for guiding the Raptors to the division crown before losing to Vince Carter and the Nets in the first round. Last season, a meagre .500 record and another first round defeat. This season they’re still hovering around the .500 mark and entering
What if the Raptors had fired Mitchell last May, and put in a bid to win Mike D’Antoni?
Could you imagine? All of a sudden the Raptors have a coach who is a proven winner (you can’t throw the Spurs in my face here, there is only one team remotely like them in the East and that’s Detroit, and they’re on the way down) plus a lineup that wants to run and gun led by a point guard who wants nothing more than to BE Steve Nash! D’Antoni would be perfect for the Raptors lineup. Think about it. They have one of the most agile big men in the league (Chris Bosh) plus one of the best set up men in the league (Jose Calderon) and they also have energy in the SF and SG positions. You’re telling me this team couldn’t play D’Antoni’s style and win against everyone in the East save for probably the Pistons (too much like the Spurs, defensive and heavy in front) and the Celtics (easily the most talented complete team in the East)?
The Raps tried the “7 seconds or less” offence a couple years ago and it failed horribly. The reason: They didn’t have the right guy leading the offence. Calderon is the ultimate pass first NBA point guard. The biggest difference between him and Chris Paul is that while Paul has the ability to take over a game here and there; Calderon is forever in debt to his team mates. Think of Isaiah Thomas and Steve Nash. Nash is great at making everyone better and distributing the ball (Calderon); Thomas was simply amazing (Paul). With that in mind, Calderon would relish the opportunity to run the kind of offence D’Antoni likes and while this is being wasted in
What if Jorge Garbojosa never got injured?
This is a huge x factor for the Raptors. Garbo was a major contributor in ’06-’07 and was poised to become the ultimate 6th guy on the team. He wasn’t good enough to start (even though he did often, but coming off the bench in a Manu Ginobli type way would have better suited his style) , but he could chip in with a 9/3/2 every game plus he was far and away the best defender on the court. We can only guess as to what this team might have done had their second best forward not suffered a career ending (NBA anyway) injury.
What if they never traded Charlie V to
What if the powers that be could have seen ahead and known that Jose Calderon would be the beast he has become? How much better off would
What if they had not wasted a draft pick on Rafael Araujo?
It’s a thought that goes through the mind of Raptors fans every week. With the 8th pick in the 2004 Draft Rob Babcock (to think, at one time we had both him AND JFJ running things here!) picked the Brazilian who is now out of the league and possibly making porn in Austria. Every time I have a conversation with buddies or colleagues they point to the fact that Andre Igoudala was still on the board. “Man, imagine how stacked our team would be with him on it now? It’d be crazy!” True, but there’s no way the Raptors would’ve wanted to pay Bosh, Igoudala and then keep Calderon at the same time. Igoudala is good, but he’s not great. Calderon has the potential to be a Top 3 point guard in the league. Right now probably only Chris Paul and Steve Nash are better. As anyone will tell you, with a few exceptions, a great point guard always trumps a good shooting guard.
Just imagine though if the Raptors had addressed their desire to give Bosh a great player down low by drafting Andris Beidrins. If
Ok, I’m done now. But that 2004 Draft severely crippled this team. It’s too bad, because if Bosh walks in a year and a half, the Raptors are in the same boat as
Hey there’s a Thursday night football game this week too.
Raiders (+9.5) vs CHARGERS
Worst. Thursday night game. Ever.
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