Seven Sorted Thoughts on a Sunday Filled with Sports
1. TNT Christmas singing
This is just fantastic. I love watching these guys because they are entertaining, funny, and very honest. They get into genuine debates about everything and no one seems to take it personal. This should put you in the Christmas Spirit.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/tnt_overtime/2014/12/11/12-days-of-christmas-2.nba
2. The Leafs are Winning
I feel like Chicken Little posting anything about Leaf success but it is true. They have gotten it together and just in time for Christmas. The Raptors and Blue Jays did a great job of holding the fort, but if the Leafs are for real, Toronto might just explode with happiness. Families will reunite, birds will sing, strangers will smile at each other, and the Toronto Star can blame the past failures of the Leafs on Ford Nation. It could be a glorious Christmas if this keeps up.
3. Kobe vs MJ
With Kobe stumbling towards Michael’s career point total it is becoming more and more obvious that he will never surpass MJ on any level. It is no secret that I have never been an MJ fan but Kobe is not close to the greatness of His Airness. Kobe is not even the best (Tim Duncan) or most important (Lebron James) player of his generation. For rings 1, 2, and 3 he wasn’t even the best player on his team. (Shaq) If I was comparing Kobe to anyone in basketball history, he is a modern day Wilt. High praise but not quite the pedestal he was searching.
4. The Johnny Football Era Begins
Grab your popcorn and soda while you have time. This could be the start of a long and fruitful career or he might get a chair next to Tony Mandarich and Ryan Leaf for being overhyped college players. Either way, it will be exciting for however long it lasts. It could be a real life version of Speed.
You know, he will have lots of opportunities to blow up his career now, let’s see if he can escape himself.
5. Why Tyson Chandler is Awesome
Dallas is having a great season thus far and part of the reason has been the return of Tyson Chandler. He is an old school player with a high basketball IQ. Friday night against the red hot Warriors, he swatted away the shoe of Marreese Speights as Stephan Curry tried to pass it to him. The announcer wanted a tech or something called against Chandler but I am sure even the vast NBA the rule book has nothing against shoe deflections. It was just a smart play by a cagey vet! To his credit, Stephan Curry was looking out for his teammate and trying to get it back to him as well. The end of the video has more jump balls than an elementary kid’s game.
6. Canadian University Sports Coverage
If I go to espn.com there is more NCAA talk than you can shake a stick at. It’s not just football and basketball either; Women’s soccer and Field Hockey are even getting love. The effort is made to promote anyone and everyone they can who represents a university. If you go to tsn.ca you have to go through two menus before you can even find the CIS. Click on it and the last headline is a Vanier cup story. Come On Guys! You are supposed to be our number one sports station and we cannot get any university coverage? We need to insist on Canadian content that is amateur and not hockey.
So what did sportsnet.ca have to offer? They are better; they have a section dedicated to Sports U. It is a little hockey and football heavy for my liking but then I noticed their great contest! 10000 scholarship to a person writing about CIS sports. This is the type of initiative they need to take. Please help me promote this challenge!
http://recruited.sportsnet.ca/
I have my new favorite Canadian Sports Channel.
7. 2014 Lou Marsh Trophy: Kaillie Humphries
The Lou Marsh award is given annually to Canada’s top athlete. There is always a stink when it is not given to a hockey player but there are other sports. Kaille is the reigning Olympic champion, world champion, World Cup leader and she is now competing with the men. What more could she do? While some are screaming for Drew Doughty to win, I personally thought Eugenie Bouchard or one of the rugby girls would have been second. Don Cherry being Cherry stated Drew should have won because of the importance of Hockey. Not quite!
*Raptors Watch*
2-1 since my last blog and an important stretch ahead. We are playing some weak teams and we just need wins. They beat Indiana on Friday and really need to go 4-0 before they get Chicago next week. I refer to these games as ''Go To Work'' games. You have to put on the work boots and just get the job done. There is no getting up for these but you also don’t allow yourself to slouch. It’s like shovelling a pile of dirt, one load at a time and remain consistent.
*Mes Observations des Chevaliers*
No one had a better week than we did! 2-0, both were hard working wins. The boys are pounding the glass and are working hard at both ends. Thursday’s win came without a starter and our sixth man. I love the development I am seeing and we presently sit in third in the league. It’s becoming fun and the boys are starting to get it.
