It’s Good To Be Back……

Finally the time has come to write something here in the posting waste land of mediocre musings.  Thus far the summer has been fantastic on many levels so I thought today of all days should be the day to end the posting hiatus (collectively I know the internet as a whole is yawning at this news).

Truth be told today is the day that both the Association and the Merger (my 2 young sons) started summer camp, thus leaving me with a few moments to spare.  Having the 2 youngsters by my side each and everyday in the summer is a complete joy but it leaves me with limited time to bore you all with my barely passable grammar and questionable punctuation.

I had a goal for the new year that this little site that shouldn’t would get to 500 000 hits so I better fire up some content. Luckily for me the teams that I support (formerly drink to) are surrounded by as much positive mojo then I can ever recall.  It’s good to be back (for at least this day)

Cheers my friends and family (or random unfortunate wayward internet travellers)

 

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Rory McIlroy Paying Homage To Tiger In Nike’s New Commercial

I have never been a Rory McIlroy fan but after watching Nike’s latest commercial I might have to soften my stance a tad.  My gripe with Rory centers around an interview he gave around the time Tiger’s life/career came off the rails.  McIlroy was quite cocky about his game and Tiger’s lack of game at the time and I saw McIlroy as a cocky little tyrant.

This commercial changes my view of him a little.  Nicely done PR firm.

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Opening Day 2015

 

 

Oh how someone is looking down on me today. It’s opening day, I’m off  work for Easter Monday and I’m about to get horizontal on the couch with The Association, The Merger and soon to be joining us will be The First Lady of Sports Administration (she would be the motivated one of this lunch bunch as she is currently out swimming).

The fellas are jacked and for the most part are dressed in their Toronto Blue Jays gear (The Merger has used his out clause and is exercising his right to stay in his pyjamas all day).  It’s been a tough year for Toronto sports fans (a familiar refrain I know..) so this household is looking forward to seeing what the Blue Jays can bring forth this season.

The start of the MLB season has long been an exciting time for me.  My birthday falls close to the start of the season each year and growing up I would often receive ducats to Opening Day of the season or the Blue Jays home opener.  I have so many fantastic memories of my Grandmother and Mom breaking me loose from school early to in order to make the trek to Toronto to catch the game.  Dollar hot dogs and bleacher seats at the old (and demolished) Exhibition Stadium were responsible for my baseball education.  I feel fortunate to have sat out on the hard no back bench stadium seating of the Ex with the wind blowing my hat off just in time for a sea-gull to aim and take fire at my under-combed coif.  (I’m almost tearing up thinking about it right now)

Enjoy your Opening Day!!

OK BLUE JAYS!!!

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Roy Halladay Is Becoming A Twitter Must Follow – Who Knew?

During his playing career Roy Halladay was known for his pitching prowess and not his personality. Halladay was all business on the mound and his work ethic in the gym in preparation was legendary according to some.

However it would appear that retired Roy Halladay has plenty of personality to offer and today he took a not so gentle jab at Alex Rodriguez via Twitter.

I recorded my first strike out since retirement! Time for a comeback? She has a better swing then Arod! No steroids pic.twitter.com/98ytAyTUy0

— Roy Halladay (@RoyHalladay) March 23, 2015

This is on the heels of his awesome picture he took while at an amusement park earlier this winter.  

Methinks that Halladay’s barb is just the beginning of what is coming Alex Rodriguez’s way this season.

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Steve Nash – Life After Basketball

I’m retiring.

I heard someone once say there comes a day when they tell us all that we can’t play anymore. We’re not good enough. Surplus to requirements. Too slow, maybe. When you’re a teenager with outsized dreams and a growing obsession, and someone tells you this ain’t gonna last forever, it’s scary. I never forgot it.

Steve Nash is retiring from basketball.  He penned a letter to announce his decision via The Players Tribune (found here).

Nash is a Canadian Icon on and off the basketball court.  IHis play on the court has inspired many young Canadian basketball players to imagine the possibilities of a Canadian excelling on the largest basketball stage, the NBA. Nash won consecutive NBA MVP awards and was most likely a sham bench call from competing for a NBA title.

Nash is now in charge as general manager of Canada Basketball and his vision and diplomacy will lead a new generation of Canadian basketball stars onto the world stage.  If you haven’t read his letter please find a few minutes to do so. It’s well worth the time.

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The Quotable Coach – Ron Hunter of Georgia State

 

 

 

I hope you make better decisions in your presidency than picking against Georgia State.

This is Coach Ron Hunter of the Georgia State Panthers to President Barack Obama (YES the Barack Obama, THE president of the United States) after the Panthers knocked off Baylor in today’s opening round of the NCAA tourney (I refuse to call it the second round as it is still the first game for 62 other teams.  I’m sure I’ll feel some scorn from the First Lady of Sports Administration but I have to have some principles, right?)

Coach Hunter was referring to President Obama’s NCAA Bracket in which the President picked Baylor to defeat Hunter’s Georgia State.

Coach Hunter is quickly becoming a media darling during this NCAA tourney run.  He blew out his achilles tendon while celebrating Georgia State’s entry to the big dance.  Not to be outdone by this unfortunate event Coach Hunter fell off his stool (where he has to sit to coach due to the achilles injury) after his son hit a game winning 3 to knock off the heavily favoured (a bracket busting) Baylor Bears.

In a Chris Farley way Coach Hunter has me hooked to see what he will do next.

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Who’s Your Paddy? Happy St. Patrick’s Day

 

It’s St. Patricks Day my friends and the green libations are most likely flowing somewhere around you as I type (little known blogging fact….I’m banking on you having too many libations it tends to make my writing and for that matter me a bit more palatable). 

Since I’m on Daddy Daycare duty with the Association and the Merger (they are mesmerized watching Air Bud right now) I thought I would try to commemorate this fine day by listing  some of my favourite folk named Patrick. So while you’re out at your local watering hole tipping back some room temperature Guinness or another tumbler of Jameson’s take a moment to pay tribute to these fellas.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day my friends.  Enjoy (responsibly) the sociables this morning, afternoon and evening.  Cheers!!

Patrick Ewing

Patrick Ewing’s game speaks for itself. There were many a day where I was pretending to be him in my basement with my Nerf basketball set. Unfortunately the only similarity in our games was our penchant for sweating and not winning a title. It should also be noted that my man Stig has already paid homage to Ewing today so this one goes out to you Stig.

 

Sir Paddy McSweenz

Heck of an Irishman this guy is. He is also responsible for 74 percent of the alcohol in my humble abode. Paddy’s athletic exploits are numerous and my amateur writing would never be able to do him justice.  However I would be in the wrong if I didn’t mention his ability to drive the basket with reckless abandon and his feathery touch from behind the arc (not to mention his innate ability to blind his defender with his pasty white skin)

Patrick Swayze (As Derek Sutton from Youngblood)

 

How can you make a list of Patrick’s and leave Swayze off of it. Derek Sutton was my 2nd favourite Swayze character behind Dalton from Roadhouse.

EDITORS NOTE and UPDATE:  As per usual I’m a little lean on content with my list.  As I was perusing the wonderful folks at SI.COM I came across a more comprehensive list of PATRICKS.  Unfortunately they differ from my TOP 3.  Someday Sir Paddy McSweenz will get his due.   Enjoy it nonetheless CLICK HERE

 

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Go Pro With Allison Stokke

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve posted anything in regards to internet sensation Allison Stokke and as a result I’ve neglected and have done a disservice to my adopted favourite sport of Pole Vaulting.  I would like to remedy this situation as I know one of my loyal readers (who hails from North East, Pennsylvania) relies on me to be his hub for all of his Pole Vaulting news.

As an offer of peace I would like to extend an olive branch and submit Allison Stokke’s new commercial for GO PRO for your perusal.

(Sorry King and you are welcome)

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#BellLetsTalk

 

I’m not a bad guy and I’m most likely not as benevolent as I probably should be.  So it was quite easy for me to support Bell Let’s Talk Day. It’s the least I can do and as luck would have I’m pretty proficient at doing the least in many situations that I face.

If you are not aware Bell is donating 5 cents to help support mental health initiatives in Canada with every tweet and retweet of #BellLetsTalk

 

 

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CHL Prospects Game Tonight – Orr vs. Cherry

Tonight is a dark night in the NHL (for most Leaf fans that is most nights but I digress) and the only stick and puck game worthy of typing about is the CHL prospects game.  This game will allow those who tune in (and the many scouts in attendance) another chance to see Connor McDavid scoot around the ice while others try their best (often in vain) to catch him.

This year’s game will also feature a defenceman named Matt Spencer of the Peterborough Petes.  I’ve been fortunate enough to play hockey with the aforementioned Spencer’s father for the past few winters. Luckily for Matt it would appear that his high hockey acumen has come from his mother, as I can routinely be seen blowing by his father off the wing every Sunday morning (would I lie?).

Other than having a friend’s son play in this game (providing yet more evidence of me getting older and older) this all in prospect format is usually much better  hockey than the high-end shinny hockey that NHL all-star game that will be played later on this weekend.  The players play with a high intensity and unlike the NHL’s version there is plenty of hitting and from time to time a dust-up or two.

Case in point the 2003 game in which Dion Phaneuf dropped the gloves with Paul “Biznasty” Bissonnette. Enjoy!

 

 

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