Shootouts Suck

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. Hazel - hey.

Just watched the Leafs and Lightening on TSN tonight - Buds went down 3-2 in a shootout. A few observations about the shootout...without being critical:

• Belfour looked weak - I'd say almost overmatched. I know it was Lecavalier and Richards...but Eddie looked like he didn't have a clue.
  
  
• I am the last person to be question Mats Sundin...but he has one of the best backhands in the league, and he shoots right at Burke? I was hoping for a bit more from the man who was probably the best Maple Leafs player on the ice tonight.
  
  
• You need a goal...in a shootout...and Jeff O'Neill is on the bench????? I know O'Neill hasn't had a great year...but he is a natural goal scorer - he's gotta be ahead of Alexei Ponikarovsky (who I think is a good player) on the shootout depth chart.
  

Oh well, in the 2003/04 season 3 of a possible 4 points in Florida would have been considered a good trip...and considering all the injuries they have - I'll take it.

Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun had an article on the fate of Pat Quinn. Simmons raises the question about whether or not Pat Quinn would still be coaching the Leafs - if he wasn't coaching the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team. Simmons who loves to be provocative (don't all journalists? well, maybe not those covering the Bruins) claims that he has heard a number of well placed sources in the NHL family saying that had this not been an Olympic year - Quinn would have been fired by now. There is a great deal of speculation and many rumours about how happy the dressing room is or isn't with Quinn - but I doubt a coaching change would have any meaningful impact in correcting some of John Ferguson Jr's mistakes.

I think a coaching change would hurt this team - if anyone is going to get the most of out this year's Maple Leafs - it is Pat Quinn. He knows how to rally his troops (and I don't mean the reinforcements from the Marlies) when its crunch time...he will get them to raise their game come playoff time - and yes people the Toronto Maple Leafs WILL make the playoffs. Right Hazel?

Well, not much else to say tonight - had a chuckle or two reading the "On the DL" Blog (someone accused the comments of being from disgruntled Yankees adn Red Sox fans - haha)...not to mention Deadspin.

Well, off to start compiling the list of candidates for this week's edition of Weird and Whacked Wednesdays...off the top of my head:

• Senatards goalie Ray Emery lives up to the 'Tard. Emery donned his new headgear vs. the Bruins last night - a hommage to his idol Mike Tyson. Says a lot about Emery who already has the rep of being a hot head and a loose cannon - Tards GM John Muckler spoke to Emery on Tuesday about not wearing it anymore - "We didn't tell him not to wear it...we talked about what was right and what was wrong." One question Mucks...right and wrong in WHOSE eyes? Its not that I don't agree with not telling him not to to wear it... (how do you like that for a Muckler-ism?) More tomorrow.
  
  
• One defence Redskins' safety Sean Taylor doesn't want to hear about is Buddy Ryan's old 46... Taylor is now facing two additional charges and could face up to 46 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
  
  
• A 3rd member of my NL only roto team named for Hazel Mae is set to join the Red Sox - SS Alex Gonzalez just needs to pass a physical. Coincidence? or is Hazel pulling strings or exerting influence in the Sox front office? things that make you go hmmmm

All this and so much more...so come on back y'all. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...

Song of the night on Hazelspeeps - for Ray Emery and John Muckler - chorus only (think anyone would think of Hazel with this song?)

Little Ways - Dwight Yoakum

You've got your little ways
Of hurting me
You know just how to tear me up
Leave me in small pieces, on the ground

You've got your little ways
Of hurting me
They're not too big
But their real tough
Just one cold look from you
Can knock me down
one cold look knock me down

Peesth Out!

What's With T.O. Trade Talk?

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. As always, a special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I still can't figure out why there is so much trade talk coming out of Toronto. The Leafs are going to tank the season and give up on Sundin, they are going to consider trading Kaberle or McCabe because they won't be able to sign both, Jason Allison hasn't worked out and he is gone too - all this with 30 or so games remaining...all this with a team that has been ravaged by injuries...all this when they were going through a losing streak. The Canes proved yesterday that when you deal from a position of strenght (ie. winning) your chances of making a good deal increase exponentially. I'll wait and see what happens here. Speaking of T.O.

Still chuckling at the thought that Terrell Owens and Drew Rosenhaus are talking to Mike Shanahan and the Broncos about a trade with the Eagles. Does anyone see this train wreck coming? Owens has always complained about not getting the ball enough - the Broncos run the ball 35+ times a game...and Jake Plummer is their QB. If Owens had a problem with McNabb - can you imagine what he is going to say about Plummer? This promises to be entertaining.

I've gotta haul my can off to work...have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...looks like a good day ahead for you.

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
You can reach your goals if you are careful in how you present things. You will have stamina and discipline and will know what will interest the people you are dealing with. You can make financial gains if you are smart. 3 stars

Song of the morning on Hazelspeeps - for Mike Shanahan even thinking about T.O.

Longview - Green Day

Peesth Out!

Leafs Win, 'Tards Lose & Jack Laughs

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I'm sitting here sipping on my Port, reflecting on the weekend that got away from me. Nice January weather (nice enough to BBQ) and family members visiting with pints - Guinness and Kilkenny - adds up to a great (but somewhat fuzzy) weekend. My weekend was defined by my first street run in over a month...that is a story for another entry...but I did 8 km in 39 minutes (with some inspiration). I'm going to run in Hawaii this December...I'm going to do it - the plan to raise money for Diabetes Association is shaping up. Hazel, if you are checking in, you are cordially invited to a fund-raising party for the Diabetes Association - you would of course be the guest of honour. Renee, if you are checking in - you are most welcome to attend too! hahaha DJames...I'll get back to you on that...

How is that for Hazel Karma? The Leafs are mired in their worst losing streak in 10+ years, I mention that they could use some of Hazel's good karma - or a kick in the ass and they win. Luck you say? Probability? They were due? Say what you will...I'm going with Hazel Karma on this one. Sundin breaks out of slumber with 3 assists against the Panthers - why Leaf fans are talking about trading this man is beyond me. The ship isn't righted yet...but I'd like to think that Hazel has them pointed in the right direction. Thank you Hazel.

Bruins rolled into town today (with Jack Edwards in tow I would assume) and beat the Senatards again - I don't know what it is, but Boston has their number. To say the 'Tards looked bad tonight would be an understatement - they looked unorganized, confused, and rattled. The Tards can be had - ask the Bruins...ask the Carolina Hurricanes (I can't believe I'm saying that...but yes, the damn Hurricanes). Speaking of the Hurricanes -

Holy crap was that a trade or what? Jim Rutherford manages to get Doug Weight without giving up a quality NHLer in return. The Canes give up a late first rounder and a couple of mid-round picks and a few non NHLers to significantly upgrade at the Center position...and perhaps more importantly keep the 'Tards from getting him. Rutherford has to be applauded on this one - whether you think Weight is a 1, 2, or 3 Centerman (some have said he has slipped to number 3 status) this is a great trade for Carolina...a sign that Rutherford sees the chance to win - damn an uncertain future - go for it NOW. I like the move.

Muckler asleep at the wheel - expect Bruce Garrioch of the Sun to write an excuse column for Muckler tomorrow. After seeing what Larry Pleau of the Blues got (or in this case, didn't get) for Weight - Mike O'Connell is looking smarter, Doug Wilson of the Sharks is looking a little dumber...and Jack Edwards of NESN must be laughing. Easy Jack...the Bruins didn't come close to getting full value for Thornton - but they didn't come out looking as weak as St. Louis did.

Given that it was a bit of a lost weekend (especially with a slow NHL Sunday) - I hadn't really given a lot of thought to this week's Hazies...maybe a few winners tomorrow - plus reports on a whole lot more, namely:

• Mike Shanahan (those damn teeth of his - Mr. Ed) wants to meet the horse's ass - Terrell Owens (his free pass is over - I never heard about him selling the ring for victims of Katrina);
  
  
• Brett Favre considering retirement...do you blame him with the current state of the Pack?
  
  
• Hailey Wickeheiser is in a bit of a pickle...over something really dumb (Hazel would be familiar with Hailey);
  
  

All this and more to come tomorrow...have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...thanks again for the good thoughts out Toronto's way.

Song of the night on Hazelspeeps - for the Leafs win tonight...the 'Tards loss...and for Canes fans.

Oh Be Joyful - Matthew Good

If you are in New England and you don't know Matthew Good - do yourself a favour and familiarize yourself with him. Lemme know if you do - here or on the Yahoo site.

Hazel, you would LOVE this song - it kicks.

Peesth Out!

Hey Jack...Gimme A Call

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

The NHL gears back up tonight - Leafs are playing Florida, with more players added to the list of wounded...the Buds can't take anyone for granted. Bruins are here to play the 'Tards - I highly doubt Hazel made the trip up here...but hey Jack Edwards, drop me a line or a note here - we can have a beer and discuss a little NHL.

Well, I have got to get out and shovel before I go to work. A messy Monday in store with snow and freezing rain...damn Canadian winters. Have a great one peeps...

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...here's how Canoe says you can expect your day to be like.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
You'll have some great ideas for reforming the way you and those around you do things. Don't be too pushy -- dig in and do the work yourself and everyone else will follow suit. Don't overreact; file it away for the time being. 4 stars

Stay cool today Hazel.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - what I woke up to this morning...

Clocks - Coldplay

Peesth Out!

Sunday Morning Quickie

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Things just keep getting worse in Toronto - I think the Leafs need a visit from Hazel to boost their fortunes...or kick their cans; another loss last night - this time to the Canadiens. Oh well, they are still in the hunt for a playoff spot. More later.

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
You will meet some interesting people today but don't let anyone cause you grief. Stick to your beliefs and avoid anyone who is the least bit aggressive or argumentative. 4 stars

Meet interesting peeps? Now if that doesn't say...

Have a great one!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps -

No Excuses - Alice In Chains

Peesth Out!

Loco For Coco

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

It might have been the Guinness, could have been the Port - but I swear I heard Mike Adams in my sleep, telling me that Coco Crisp is the greatest thing to hit the Red Sox since...well...Hazel Mae. More on that later though, let's just say he was laying it on a bit thick.

Full slate of games in the NHL today....the Leafs need to snap out of this miserable funk they are in - jeebers, even the Bruins look better than them right now. Hazel, this is where we could use some good karma.

Have a great day peeps.

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
The more you do for others in your community, the better. Speak up. Although not everyone will back you, it will be important for you to feel you have done what's right. If you sit idle and worry, your health will suffer. 2 stars

Get on out there Hazel...Here's hoping things are groovy in your world.

Song of the morning on Hazelspeeps

Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Peesth Out!

Not Hatin'

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I had some of my family members over tonight - so after a number of pints of Guinness and a few nips of Port (Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Port - the vintage stuff would be reserved for - you know who) I turned on computer and tuned in to WEEI.

If I had to sum up my listening experience over the last few nights - Planet Mikey - in a word..."Meh". I will reserve comment on him - but to say this guy is a shill is an understatement. Listening to this guy over the last few nights....ugh, does this guy really believe half of the crap he is spewing?

I have heard the story behind how Mike Adams came to be...Hazel made this guy (the summer interview). How she gave this guy more than five minutes of her time is beyond me - but then again, I should be so damn lucky. But I have to ask...Hazel, how could you? Mike Adams...Planet Mikey? (insert groan here)

I'm going back to my Port - I'm not gonna hate tonight...I'm going to say Aloha Ahi`Ahi to my friend in Kahului...for the those of you that don't know - that's in Maui.

Have a great weekend peeps...

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...and that you are having a great weekend.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - it sure as hell won't have anything to do with Mike Adams or Planet Mikey... ugh. My choice tonight -

Right Here Waiting - Staind

Peesth Out!

Rushing Into Weekend

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I'm running late, so no blurb about the night that was or the day that is to be. Yes I know Leafs lost again - I'll take my lumps later.

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't jeopardize your own health by doing too much for others. Put more time into your own well being instead of laboring over things you can do nothing about. Financial gains are apparent. Keep a close eye on any investments you have. 2 stars

I don't know what to make of it...

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world and that your weekend is a great one.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - I just woke up to it

Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day

Peesth Out!

Day Late - Thanks Blogspot

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in – from the regulars who visit to see what's making news on Weird and Whacked Wednesdays, to the first timers who have happened upon this page and are wondering "What the F***?" Blogspot was down last night - so Wednesday's post comes today. Before I start, as always, a special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who have been here before – you can skip the formalities and move down to this week's entry. For those of you who haven't been here before, Wednesday's entries take a look back at some of the more humours stories in the world of sports from the past week or so – stories that would be classified as weird, some that are so out there that they can only be described as whacked, and those that are just downright silly. I'll let you decide where the story falls.

As the title states – the theme for this week's Weird Whacked Wednesday entry is all about having a big mouth…so without further delay, on with the show this is it.

EUROPEAN SOCCER

SHARIF DON'T LIKE IT
England Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has gotten himself into trouble with the British media and fans of England – AGAIN. A couple of years back he was roasted by the English media for a hot, steamy (and some would suggest tawdry) affair with his then secretary – the lovely Faria Alam. This time around, in a gag that would have made Ashton Kutcher proud, Sven got "Punk'd" by a British tabloid reporter who has been known to pull this stunt a few times before.

Mr. Mahzer Mahmood posed as a sheik and invited Eriksson to Dubai to discuss what English Premiership Team he might be able to purchase (a la Roman Abromovitch). Eriksson must have gotten loaded – not only did he spill the beans about Aston Villa being in rough shape, he went on to say that he would like the job after the 2006 World Cup (to be won by Portugal – right Hazel?), he tried to impress "Sheik Mahmood" by saying he could lure David Beckham to the team and a number of other unhappy players such as Michael Owen - oh yeah, if that wasnt' bad enough he also said the Premiership is riddled with corruption.

You can imagine how well Eriksson's recount of the state of the union in the Premiership went over. The funniest part of the story is that the English Football Association met with Eriksson and will release him from his contract after the 2006 World Cup (to be won by whom? All together now…). The final two years on Eriksson's contract was reportedly worth over $5M U.S. Way to go Sven…I wonder if he made the face he did at Euro 2004 when Portugal scored their second goal against England. Classic.

MLB

WORKING FOR THE CLAMPDOWN
So, the whole world knows that Theo Epstein is now back with the Red Sox - I guess you can only understand all of this if you are immersed in Boston sports 24/7 - hello Hazel Mae!!!!! But there are some interesting angles on this -

• Theo decides not to resign in October, speculation is that he is still "advising" through the fall and early part of winter, then he comes back as GM and executive vice president - oh yeah, and the little bit about the Gorilla suit (but that's nothing compared to all the other angles on this story);
  
  
• The two men hired to replace Epstein - Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington lose their dream job as co-GMs; the consolation prize (and a pretty good one I would say) is that they got to be interviewed by Hazel (I'll check the video on NESN tomorrow);
  
  
• Larry Lucchino, demonized by most Red Sox fans last fall, originally seen as the victor in the battle of young and old - is now the vanquished...holding a press conference today with Epstein, Hoyer and Cherington to explain things. thing that make you go hmmmm
  
  
• John Henry didn't attend the press conference with the four horseman of the Sox... you make your own assumption.
  
  
• The story that Theo is returning to the Sox is first reported by the Boston Herald - I may be wrong, but isn't the Boston Globe the paper that is supposed to be connected to the Sox? How does the Herald break the story? I'm not going to point fingers... Why wasn't Hazel the first one to know? I would have spilled the beans to Hazel (no smart remarks!

Newsflash : WEEI just reported that the Sox have reached a minor league deal with Colorado OF Dustin Mohr. This is the second member of Hazel Mae's Heroes (my rotisserie team) to join the Sox...coincidence? Maybe... again, things that make you go hmmmmmm


KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Former Colorado Rockies Pitch Denny Neagle found the world's most expensive "Purveyor of Pleasure." Neagle pleaded guilty to solicitation of a prostitute in a Colorado court. Neagle was arrested in Dec. 2004 after he offered a nice young lady $40 for "favours". This little indescretion cost Neagle millions (he had $10 Million on the final two years of his contract) after the Rockies voided his contract ; they later reached a settlement. I hope it was worth it Denny...you know what Eddie Murphy said about women..."HALF? HALF? Not even if they shot sparks out of their "BEEEEEEEPS"

NBA

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO
Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers was traded – finally. On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Artest had been traded to the Kings for guard Peja Stojakovic – then reports said that he refused to be traded, on Wednesday Artest finally relented and will join the Kings. Funny quote from one of the Kings owners, Gavin Maloff – "We're gamblers. So we are going to take a chance on him." For those that don't know, Mr. Maloff owns a casino with his brother. Take a chance on Artest? That's like going all-in on a pair of sevens. (I bet Hazel plays poker…bet she's good at it too) Larry Bird must be laughing right now. Can anyone say Snake Eyes?

I think that wraps it up for this week...feel free to submit your ideas for the Weird and Whacked . Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Enjoy your weekend.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - if you haven't figured it out...the theme music has been from the one and only....THE CLASH. As such, the song of the night is for Sven Goran Eriksson

Rock the Casbah - The Clash

Peesth out!

That's "Bulis-it"

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Blogspot was down for maintenance last night - and as such I couldn't post this week's Weird and Whacked Wednesday entry. Speaking of whacked, last night's Habs/Flyers game could only have happened on a Wednesday. The Habs, who going into last night, had one only 1 of their last 17 road games walked into Philadelphia and come back from a 2 - 0 deficit to beat the Flyers 5 - 3...the kicker? Jan Bulis scores four goals - that's "Bulis-it" if you ask me.

Back later with more. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
Network every chance you get. You will expand your friendships and build a strong business base. When you have acquaintances from different walks of life, it can open up a host of opportunities for you. 5 stars

Sounds to me like Hazel is in for a great day...going to the yahoo site could be just the thing to kick start this five star day - don't you think?

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - woke up to it

Steal My Sunshine - Len (one hit wonders from Toronto...but its a great song)

Peesth Out!

Wednesday Teaser

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Some pretty funny stuff for this week's Weird and Whacked Wednesday update - the moral of this week's storty "Loose lips sink ships." I'll leave it at that - check back in later tonight to see what it is all about.

One of Canada's greatest hockey players retires from hockey and a former Prime Minister steps down from the leadership of his party - who do you think got more attention? Speaking of which - Theo Epstein must be asking "what do I have to do?" The day he is re-appointed GM - news over the wire is that Lemieux retires...shades of the Tedy Bruschi announcement last fall.

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
Physical activities are a must today. You will go all-out and show everyone what you can do: You are going through a winning streak. Romance is looking good. 5 stars

Looking like a good day for Hazel - I'd volunteer to go to the gym with her.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - just because

Don't Phunk With My Heart - Black Eyed Peas

cuz your that that
that that that that
that girl

Peesth Out!

The Magnificent One Calls It A Career

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

The talk tonight is that the Magnificent one Mario Lemieux has called it a career. TSN and Rogers have extensive coverage on one the the greatest players ever to lace up a pair of skates in the NHL. I don't know what kind of coverage American media is giving this - but given that Hazel grew up a hockey fan...she's has to have done something on NESN - right?

For those of you who have read the page for a while now - you may or may not remember that during the NHL draft I wrote about seeing Lemieux at a downtown bar. He was very accomodating to fans; all of them wanting a picture with him, an autograph, a piece of him. My friends and I debated whether or not we should join the scrum - I thought we should give the guy some peace so we sat and drank. On his way out though...they elected me as the spokesperson and pushed me to say something to him as he left. So I cleared my throat and stuck out my hand - as he shook my hand I couldn't think of what to say...so I just said "Welcome home Mario...you are back in hockey country. We know what you mean to the game...and to many of us, you were the greatest player we ever had the pleasure of seeing." He smiled and said "Thank you...thank you very much, its good to hear that. " He shook all of our hands and walked out.

To my mind, Lemieux never got the credit he deserved - he was always compared to Gretzky...unfairly so. Lemieux never got the respect he deserved because he wasn't as likable as Gretzky - during their heyday Lemieux was looked at as "the anti-Gretzky".

• Lemieux (a French Canadian) was never as well spoken as Gretzky;
  
• Lemieux was seen as a complainer - a big guy who couldn't take the rough stuff;
  
• Lemieux was seen as indifferent - he didn't have a passion for the game.

All this and a lot more garbage. Lemieux put up with abuse that few had to - Lemieux played a great part of his career without enforcers on his team to act as a deterrent to anyone who thought about gooning it up with him. He didn't have guys like Messier, Kurri, Anderson, Fuhr, supporting him - many of Gretzky's teammates went on to Hall of Fame (partly because of Gretzky...but they were still great players) - guys like Kevin Stevens, Tom Barrasso, and some of the other Pens will never make the Hall (Ron Francis will...Bryan Trottier will - but he wasn't in his prime when he played with Pittsburgh).

Lemieux lead his team to two stanley cups and came back from cancer - I think that shows a passion for the game. Lemieux was one of the greatest players ever to put on a Team Canada jersey. His elevated his game everytime he put on a red and white jersey - leading Canada to victories in the Canada Cup and the 2002 Olympic gold. He played in the shadow of Gretzky and therefore never got his due.

I like Lemieux - I didn't appreciate how good he really was until much later on in his career. I have written about this before - who are the greatest NHLers of all time. Where Lemieux fits on that list is the topic of debate tonight - what isn't, is that he was one of the greatest. I have him at number 2...from talking to people who have watched hockey much longer than me (not that they know more about it - hear that Jack Edwards?????)

1) Bobby Orr - the best player ever to play. Period. (I am deferring to hockey watching veterans)

2) Mario Lemieux - he did it without the supporting cast Gretzky had. Jayzuss...Lemieux made Rob Brown an all-star. Enough said.

3) Wayne Gretzky - no one will ever touch his records...but he wouldn't have done what Lemieux did if he was in the same boat.

There will be more to come on Mario in the coming days...if you are a fan of Team Canada or a hockey fan - you owe Mario Lemieux a big thank you. Mario may be the last truly great NHLer we will see - Mario's retirement signals the end of an era in hockey.

Have a great one peeps...be sure to visit yahoo site.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Mario Lemieux

Simply The Best - Ms. Turner (cheezy I know...but he was one of them - depending on how you talk to)

Peesth Out!

Monday Addendum

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

If you are Canadian - the news of the day is that we have a new government this morning boys and girls. If you are American...you likely don't know or care about who is governing Canada.

Yesterday night's entry was shortened, highlighting a few of the notable performances in the NFL - what I didn't do was bring attention to the "Not So Heroic". Darius Kasparitis of the Rangers was suspended for five games for an elbow on Grant Marshall - how the NHL only gave him five games is beyond me - more on that later though.

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
You'll be in a very good position to do something that will benefit others. Being a leader or at the center of whatever is going on will enable you to make needed reforms. Don't be afraid to take a different approach. 3 stars

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - I couldn't stand the thought of waking up to sports radio this a.m.

Madonna - I'm Sorry (Her new CD is pretty damn good - even if you don't really count yourself as someone who digs her)

Peesth Out!

Monday's Heroes - Abridged Version

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae. If you in the category of "anyone else" - why not check out the yahoo site? That goes for you too Hazel - if you happen to be peeking in for this week's Hazies.

So Monday's recap will be a short one - the Leafs and 'Tards are on tonight; Tards up 2-1 in the second period:

• Belfour playing well tonight;
  
• Sundin leading by example;
  
• team playing with passion and
  
• Belak held his own in a scrap with McGratten
  

(that's an update for Hazel if she isn't watching the game in the NESN studio).

So its the Steelers and the Seahawks in Superbowl XL, with Vegas establishing the Steelers as a 4 point favourite. I would be jumping all over the Seahawks +4; they have the running game to keep the ball away from the Steelers - and the passing game to challenge the Steelers. On the defensive side of the ball - they are smaller, but their team quickness and speed allows them to fill holes and get into position to make plays. Oh yeah, and I can't stand Cowher, Bettis and Roethlisberger...Seahawks win 34 - 23.

Ok, so I'm back after a break - Tards just went up 3 - 1 (insert your expletive here). Back to this week's notables...the winners of the Hazies.

HAZEL'S HEROES

NFL
As much as I can't stand Roethlisberger, I have to give it to him for his performance on Sunday - he was close to be flawless going 21 for 29, 275 yards and 2 TDs. While a lot of credit goes to Pittsburgh's Offensive Coordinator for great play calling that confused the Broncos and negated their pressure D - Roethlisberger deserves credit too. He made the right reads, he used his feet to buy time when he had to, and he never put the ball in danger's path. He gets some silverware this week.

Pittsburgh's D deserves mention - they harassed Plummer all afternoon, creating four turnovers including the back breaking INT at the end of the 1st half. They exposed Plummer for what he is and always has been - an average quarterback, and a guy that many think will never win. Harsh but true.

New England football fans have to have a soft spot for Matt Hasselback. Hasselback made play after play against a very good Carolina defense - he converted a bunch of 3rd downs, he used his feet to pick up yardage and keep Carolina honest...Alexander had, what for him was, an average game - Hasselback led Seattle to the win - 20/28 for 219 yards and 2 TDs. This is Seattle's year.

Honourable mention goes to Julius Peppers of the Panthers - the man widely regarded as one of the best players in the NFL played with a separated shoulder and still had an impact on the game.

NBA
I don't normally do the NBA - but you have to give it to Kobe Bryant. 81 freakin' points in leading the Lakers to a win over the Raptors...81 POINTS. Bryant went 28/46 (six 3 pointers) from the field and 18/20 from the line - damn. Enough about basketball.

I'm outta here for the night (4-2 for the Tards) - we'll talk NHL tomorrow. I gotta go do some administrative stuff at yahoo site. Renee, if you are checking in - I think we have addressed the issue.

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Kobe Bryant

Jam Session - Third World (I think...its an old reggae song).

Peesth out!

The Jakes

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Two blowouts yesterday...two awful performances - one to be expected, the other a surprise. Going into yesterday's game, Jake Delhomme's career playoff passing record was amazing (well over 100)...at one point yesterday in the 3rd quarter it was 1.6.

Jake Plummer, the guy who everyone had questions about did not disappoint...Plummer gave Pittsburgh the game with a bunch of turnovers - he has always been over-hyped. No need to say more now.

I'm going with Seattle to win...I wonder who Hazel is picking.

To listen to Ottawa Senatards fans and Ottawa media...you'd think the 'Tards had won the cup after Saturday's game. Oh to see the disappointment on their faces this spring.

Red Sox are reportedly set to trade Guillermo Mota and Andy Marte to Cleveland for CF Coco Crisp - more later.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
You can make today exciting by positioning yourself with people who are goal-oriented or have similar interests. This is a perfect day to get a personal assessment done and do a little personal update as well. 3 stars

A day of reflection I guess.

I'm outta here...work. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - for Seattle's first trip to the Superbowl...

Tossed Salad & Scrambled Eggs - Kelsey Grammar (the theme song to Frasier).

Peesth Out!

The Good, The Bad, & The Very Very Ugly

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

I'm going to keep it brief this morning, I can almost hear the round of applause on that.

The Good - went out last night, great night. (Memo to Renee if you are reading this...if you get a chance, touch base...question for you, about something that happened last night).

The Bad - waking up on Sunday morning after too many Guinness (with Sourpuss shooters) and not enough water.

The Very Very Ugly - ugh. I stopped paying attention mid-way through the second period last night - I hope Hazel didn't witness that gawd-awful game last night. Idiots...'Tards fans were screaming like they had won the Cup...Leafs will get them in April...they always do. Tellqvist will get the call Monday.

NFL Sunday...I'm changing my mind again. I'm going to take Denver...Champ Bailey takes away Hines Ward and the Broncos win 23 - 16.

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
You may have to ask yourself some very straightforward questions to decipher what it is you are really trying to achieve. Make sure that your motives are clear. Don't lend or borrow today. 3 stars

That's about all I got. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy for you this Sunday.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - after last night's game...and sorta the way I feel this morning.

Home For A Rest - Spirit of the West

You'll have to excuse me
I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a month
I've been drunk since I left

Peesth Out!

Snowy Saturday

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special “Hey” goes out to Hazel Mae.

A very snowy Saturday here - looking out the window is like looking at a snow globe. We are supposed to get 15 damn cm today – shovelling the first 10 on the ground this morning sucked – slushy, wet and heavy… but that’s my problem.

Leafs and Senatards here tonight, Tards are ripe for the picking. I hope the Leafs aren’t flying in today, cuz I don’t see how their plane could possibly land in this crap. NFL Weekend – Conference Championship games…I’d like to see the Seahawks and the Steelers (I guess); but I have this uneasy feeling that the Panthers are going to beat Seattle. Steelers 26 – 20 over the Broncos, and the Panthers 23 – 20 over Seattle…We’ll see I guess.

HAZEL’S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
Quiet observation will lead to the answers you've been looking for. You can make some personal or physical changes. A friend or relative will have some interesting comments. Short trips will pay off. 3 stars (I don’t know what to make of that…so I won’t say a word).

I gotta book…busy day today – Leafs and pints tonight! Go Leafs Go.

Have a great one peeps – enjoy your Saturday.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world…hope you are having a great weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps – for the Leafs and Tards tonight, who seem to like to mix things up these days

Let’s Play – Offspring

Ya gotta keep ‘em separated!

Peesth out!

Finally Friday!

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in on this Friday. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Where to start this early Friday morning. Well, I'm sure the talk of the day in North America will be the return of Theo Epstein to the Boston Red Sox...yes, even up here in Canada. But here on Thoughts of Hazel Mae we are all about hockey...loving the Leafs and hating the Ottawa Senatards.

So the Senators lost last night to the Ducks...but what made things even better was that they blew a 2-0 lead AND then lost in a shootout. The look of confusion on Hasek's face was great, the look of disgust on Bryan Murray's face was PRICELESS...the "unaffected" look on the face of Alfredsson and Redden was typical. Leafs in town to play the 'Tards tomorrow night - I hope Belfour comes up big...Ottawa is ripe for the picking; even with Toronto's injuries.

I am watching the score I can't believe the Bruins managed to beat the Flyers last night - Wayne Primeau scored a highlight reel goal, Marco Sturm also scored - Jack Edwards must be smiling. Travis Green lead the Bruins with two goals though...he always killed the Flyers - the Leafs could always count on Green to show up in Philly. Hazel could attest to that.

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Things are beginning to happen so keep the momentum going. Resurrect your ideas, only this time do it yourself instead of letting others get involved and take over. No one understands what you do better than you. 3 stars

Well, its time to head off to work. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - in keep with the "if you are Canadian...and remember things in the 70's and 80's"

I Want You Back - Unknown (freaky remix of a cheezy 80's song by a woman named Sherry Kean...it really works...I gotta download it).

Peesth Out!

He Has Risen

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Just when you thought things were quiet and relatively sane - a few stories hit the wire that are very worthy of a Wednesday mention...or in this case - an Addendum.


EASTER COMES EARLY TO BOSTON
The Boston Red Sox announced today that their former General Manager Theo "Baseball God" Epstein has rejoined the team - it's like Easter Sunday. Epstein's official title and function have not yet been made public - but I think we all know what "Baseball Operations" means; doesn't it mean operating a baseball team? Doesn't a GM operate a baseball team? Theo as the unofficial GM? I wonder what Hazel would say about this if she could tell us...

I'm not suggesting for one second that I was the only person to say it - but I knew it from Day 1, from hour 1, from the minute Epstein announced he was not going to resign with the Red Sox. I said it right away, he will be back. Any reasonably astute baseball fan knew that he would be back with the Red Sox...he wasn't going anywhere else.

I wonder if he was promised Larry Lucchino's job...somewhere down the road (like in a year or two). I also wonder if this time around, he wanted to avoid the job of GM (officially) because there are questions about the Sox this year, and he wants to see where things end up. For the record, I think he is the Senior GM calling the shots - with all due respect to Boston's current GM tandem. I also think that the first big splash on Theo's return is where the Red Sox announce that they have acquired Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for a package of prospects - that's right. Theo is going to come back big and make a splash - putting together a team for another run at the World Series - because after this year...the Sox may be headed for a couple of relatively lean years (in other words, NOT serious contenders). Theo blows the budget this year and makes a legit run at the World Series with a 3-4-5-6 lineup of Tejada, Ortiz, Ramirez and Varitek. Oh yeah, also for the record - I'm still calling for 2006 to be the year of RAMADA.

I'm sure Hazel is writing her copy on this one.


GET A "GRIFF" ON THINGS
The Boston Dirt Dogs site says that the Sox are reportedly interested in acquiring Reds OF Ken Griffey Jr. (a member of the 2005 roto team - Hazel's Heroes) for recently signed Bronson Arroyo. If this is true...I'm sure Epstein puts a stop to it. If the Sox were going to trade Arroyo (which I'm not convinced) why wouldn't they package him with another prospect for a guy like TEJADA??? Does anyone think that the O's would turn down a good young pitcher or two (Papelbon) to go with Eric Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Rodrigo Lopez?

I can't see Arroyo going for Griffey...I like Jr., really, but he is injury prone and cursed - Jr. is not the answer to Johnny Damon.


OUNCE OF PREVENTION DOESN'T ADD UP TO POUND OF CURE
The NHL announced the Columbus Blue Jacket Defenceman Bryan Berard has test positive for nandrolene - a banned substance under IOC drug testing. Can you see Dick Pound smiling over this one? What does this all mean? Well, Berard can't participate in next months olympics and is banned from international competition for two years - given that he wasn't on the U.S. Roster for Turin - it amounts to nothing. This test has no impact on his status in the NHL - as the test was done in December...before the NHL drug testing started. Berard said it was from a supplement he took.

The message board on TSN is railing on Berard...with some of the posters being downright nasty. I can't though - after what Berard has overcome to get back in the NHL...he gets a "get out of jail card" from me. I would hope Hazel would think the same thing...I think New England hockey fans give Berard the pass.


THE RETURN OF THE TORONTO TOROS?
Not sure if Hazel is old enough to remember the Toros - this is one of those cases where an age difference of a couple of years is like a lifetime - for those of you who are over 35, and who remember Mark Napier, Vlaclav Nedomansky, Richard Farda and Lou Nistico...Resident hockey" Bullcrapper" (no not Bruce Garrioch) Eklund is reporting that the Penguins could wind up in southern Ontario as a second Toronto team - yeah right. Fans in Winnipeg and Quebec City must be licking their chops at the thought of having Crosby there.


TAKE FIVE?
I don't normally do basketball...but former Raptor Antonio Davis was suspended for five games for rushing into the crowded last night to confront a drunkard he thought was harrassing his wife. For the record, I'm cool with what Davis did...and I don't think he should have been suspended. I like Davis.


I WONDER WHAT RENEE WOULD THINK?
Everybody's favourite cheerleader - former "Pantherette"??? Angela Keathley received six months probation for her bathroom incident a few months back...you know, the sex in the washroom gig. It got me thinking...what would Renee (everybody's favourite "peep") think about this one? Renee...lemme know!

Well, that is about it for tonight...I'm trying NOT to think of the NFL this week.

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...have a great weekend.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps...for the return of Theo Epstein to Boston...for the possibility that Crosby and the Pens could wind up in Toronto (ya right) or Winnipeg...or Quebec...OR MILWAUKEE, TULSA OR SEATTLE...

Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day

Peesth Out!

Not Much To Say - For Once

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

So it was a quiet night last night - the new NHL...if you are down a few players you are screwed. The Leafs looked pretty ordinary last night against the Wild - without Lindros and McCabe they are in trouble, especially McCabe though. Whatever...more later.

Thing started to get a little silly again last night - but we'll do up another Wednesday Addendum later on tonight. I gotta haul my can into work.

HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't put added pressure on yourself. There will be enough people doing that for you. Try to take a practical approach to everything you do. A self-improvement project will get you moving. 3 stars

Now I ask you...who would dare put pressure on Hazel?

Have a great one peeps...hope things are nicer where you are - we have a lousy weather day in store.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - morning wake up...

Shake It Off - Mariah Carey (I'm diggin the emancipation of Mimi)

Peesth Out!

A Relatively Quiet Wednesday

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Weather sucks here today...freezing rain - the drive into work should take all morning. Not much to post tonight - its been a quiet week in the world of sports. Back later.

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
Consider the promise you made yourself at the beginning of the year. If you haven't stuck to it, take the time to get back on track. Don't let other people's agendas take precedence. Stick to your game plan. 3 stars

Have a great one peeps. Renee...check your mail...cuz I'm wonderin'

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Morning on Hazelspeeps - for the weather today

Here Comes the Rain - Eurythmics

Peesth out!

A Relatively Sane Week - Relatively

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you that check in regularly - you know what Wednesdays are about here. For those of you who haven't been here before, Weird Whacked Wednesdays are just that - an entry that recaps some of the weird, the whacked and downright silly events in the world of sports over the past seven days.

NFL
Sean Locklear of the Seattle Seahawks was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly grabbing his girlfriend by the throat Saturday night; Locklear has been subsequently released without having to post bail. Locklear claims he didn't grab her by the throat...just the shirt - like that is somehow acceptable. You gotta wonder what kind of brain this guy has...to get into trouble the week before/of the NFC Championship game. Seattle has not yet confirmed his status for Sunday's game.

CUTTIN TO THE CHASE
The wife of Indianapolis Colts CB Nick Harper will not face felony battery charges for cutting him with a kitchen knife. Daniell Harper is facing a criminal recklessness charge and is free on $5,000 bond.

One would think the silliest part of the story is that she said the incident was an accident...or maybe that he is facing domestic battery against her for an incident in June... no - the really silly and whacked thing is that she did it while their kids were home. Yup, Mom tries to slash/stab Dad while the kids are playing X-Box or Playstation...Those poor kids.


NHL
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS
Phoenix Coyotes Captain Shane Doan is suing The Honourable Denis Coderre - Liberal Member of Parliament. Last month, Coderre accused Doan of using a derogatory term about French Canadians during a game against the Habs. Stay tuned...Coderre vows to fight this one to the end. Oh for those of you in the U.S. that don't know or don't care...the timing of this one is great - Canadians are going to the polls next week...what better way for a politician to get free publicity and profess his love for our country.

OPEN MIKE
Just a thought...Mike Milbury, Mike Sullivan and Mike O'Connoll are all still gainfully employed in the world of professional sports (Harry Sinden too for that matter), while Ted Nolan, Paul Maurice, and the recently fired Steve Stirling are on the outside looking in - go figure. That's just weird.


TENNIS - YES TENNIS!
CHECKING IN TO THE BIG HOUSE
Former U.S. Tennis star Roscoe Tanner was sentence to two years in prison for violating probation on his grand theft conviction. Tanner had a history of bounced cheques...and non-existent cheques - failure to pay child support. You can insert your own thoughts on this one.

That's about it for tonight - Leafs are losing 4-2 so I'm not in a good mood.

Have a great one peeps...changes coming to yahoo site.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Sean Locklear and Nick/Daniell Harper

Rough Boys - Pete Townsend (your music lesson for the week - try to download it)

Peesth Out!

Late Start To The Day

Hey Peeps (those of you still left after the spam attack), and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

A quick post this morning - news of the day (last night) Seattle Seahawks RT Seal Locklear was being held without bail pending investigation of a domestic violence assault against his girlfriend...way to go Sean, on the week of the NFC Final - brilliant.

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
You may have to prove yourself today. Don't take chances or assume anyone knows who you are or what you can do. Money can be made and a good position obtained but not without your undivided attention. 3 stars

Looks like a day of opportunity for Hazel

Well, I'm outta here - Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - woke up to it this morning

Bobcaygeon - Tragically Hip

Peesth Out!

A Few Heroes - And One Big Zero

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who haven't been here before, Monday entries highlight some of the great performances in the world of sports from the past seven days or so - I think if Hazel were picking them, she would present the with a "Hazie".

HAZEL'S HEROES

NFL
Darrell Jackson of the Seahawks came up big on Saturday. Jackson, considered by most experts to be Seattle's best WR, caught 9 passes for 143 yards with 1 TD. What makes his performance even more impressive was that he did it with Alexander out of the lineup and Washington keying on the pass. Jackson also came back from a hard hit to the back.

James Farrior of the Steelers was a one man wrecking crew against Peyton Manning and the Dolts...errr, sorry C-O-L-T-S...the Colts. Farrior had 8 tackles and 2.5 sacks in leading a Steelers D that made Manning look ordinary.

Steve Smith of the Panthers accounted for 244 yards of total offence - catching 12 passes for 218 yards and 2 TDs - when the number 1 defence in the NFL had to been keying on him...especially when DeShaun Foster left the game. Smith made Chicago look very bad.

Ben Watson of the Patriots gets a Hazie, for chasing down Champ Bailey after the INT and making the play close...Watson showed a lot of heart and deserves credit for not giving up - Watson is a CHAMP.

Honourable mention goes to Tom Brady...who showed heart and class when things were tough. Brady showed himself to be a real leader - I like that guy a lot.

NHL
Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes was named offensive player of the week. Staal had 3 goals and 4 assists in 3 games for the Hurricanes last week.

Simon Gagne of the Flyers and Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals got honourable mention.

Marty Brodeur of the Devils is heating up as the Olympics near. Brodeur had 3 wins and a GAA of 0.65, and a save percentage of .975 for the Devils this past week. Gretzky and Team Canada coaches and players must be smiling.

Marty Turco of the Stars, Keri Lehtonen of the Thrashers and David Aebischer of the Avs all got honourable mention.

Now that the NFL is winding down...the NHL will get a lot more play on Mondays.

So this past weekend, the NFL brought out the best in some...and brought out a "less than stellar effort" from others - these are the guys we refer to as the:

NOT-SO-HEROIC
Clinton Portis of the Redskins was shut down and silenced by Seattle on Saturday. Portis for all his talk and showboating over the last few weeks finished the game with 41 yards on 17 carries. Thanks Clinton...

Kevin Faulk of the Patriots...awwww, crap. I don't want to talk about that game. The bad call made by the back judge turned the tide of the game...he should be canned - without that call, Denver doesn't score any points and the Patriots go into half at 3 - 0. I'm still mad at Faulk though.

The Triplets - Manning, Harrison, and James. In the case of Harrison - 3 catches for 52 yards, and James - 13 carries for 56 yards, they didn't do anything to distinguish themselves or impose themselves on the game. I saw a shot of Harrison on the bench in the fourth quarter and he looked like he had given up. Manning is another story - for a guy that is supposed to be the leader of the team - he can't even hold Brady's jockstrap. Manning is a sour puss, always choosing to wallow in his own misery when things aren't going his way - he does nothing to try to take charge or inspire his teammates...he's a quitter. He won't ever win.

Mike Vanderjagt - no, not for missing the field goal. Vanderjagt's post game interview was crap - the guy is an arrogant S.O.B. I heard him say that when the recovered Bettis' fumble he "went to Tony Dungy, to (offensive coordinator) and to Peyton to ask...'what's the plan? we going for a TD? or FG?'...they said TD all the way." Vanderjagt went on to half-heartedly say he was ready for the kick (or should have been) but he left the loss at Manning's feet. Those two hate each other...Mike is gone.

The entire Chicago Bears team - from the number 1 D that gave up 29 points and let Carolina's only credible thread (Steve Smith) run wild...to an offence that spent the afternoon dropping passes and not making plays. Chicago's record was in large part due to them playing a week schedule...the Bears don't make the playoffs next year.

THE BIG ZERO
The yahoo site has a spammer - yes. Some jackass decided to go on to the yahoo site and spam members to death with 200 plus spam messages over night...jerk. So message posting is suspended til we get things figured out.

Renee if you are reading this...check your mail. DJames, same goes for you. Thank you for your emails - corrective steps are being taken. We'll get it sorted out.

So that about sums it up for a grouchy Monday...if the NFL Weekend wasn't bad enough - a friggin spammer on Yahoo site.

Have a great one peeps...stick with the group - we'll get the spam crap fixed and off the site.

Hazel I hope things are groovy in your world...we'll get the peeps page back, it was starting to really take shape.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for Peyton Manning and Mike Vanderjagt...and the Indianapolis Colts

Friends - Jody Watley

Friends won't be around
Friends will let you down
When you need them most
Where are your friends?

Peesth Out!

A Wild NFL Sunday

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae (for those of you who haven't visited the page on NESN).

So, how do you recap today's games? The Colts are out again, with yet another sub-par playoff performance by Peyton Manning, their reliable kicker Mike Vanderjagt misses a field goal he should have made...the Steelers almost blew it on a fumble by Jerome Bettis (that would have been the biggest boner loss of all-time maybe)...Roethlisberger does enough NOT to lose. The vaunted Bears D gets torched by the Panthers, who played half the game with their number 3 back...Chicago putting their faith in Rex Grossman and his 7 starts...this was a bad football day all around. But I'll have more to say tomorrow.

One of the good things that happened today - I grabbed a videotape to record the premiere episode of 24...before setting the VCR, I pushed play to make sure it wasn't anything I wanted to tape over - there was Hazel, during a Sox/Oriole game I tape this summer. Damn...I found another tape. A good part of the day today...thanks Hazel, for just being you.

I'm outta here..work comes early tomorrow. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...hope you had a great weekend too.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for the Indianapolis Colts, and especially Mike Vanderjagt...who had it all in their hands...especially with New England being out of the playoffs

Loser - Beck

Soy un perdador
I'm a loser baby, so why don't you...

Peesth Out!

And Then There Were Four

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Before I start...Happy Martin Luther King Day...I hope Hazel has the day off.

So how was your NFL Sunday? Well, mine pretty well sucked the big one - I didn't really care for three of the four teams that were playing. Start with the Colts and the Steelers - I can't stand either of them, so it was a tough call on who I really wanted to see lose. I don't know if it was sad or funny that Mike Vanderjagt missed a game tying kick - on one hand he's Canadian, so that sucks...but on the other hand he is the guy Manning called an idiot kicker (not without reason). Vanderjagt for all his talk, for all his bravado...for everything he says he is, missed the kick. He's gone...watch, the look on Manning's face said it all - Peyton is going to want him gone, and what Peyton wants...

Speaking of whom, I can't stand Manning - though I don't mind James and Harrison - all the screaming, gesturing, walking up and down...all crap, all smoke and mirrors, good defences shut him down. You know, I hate when people refer to them as the triplets. They haven't done enough to earn that tag; they have not even come close to achieving what the real triplets did together...that's right, the triplets - Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmit Smith. The Colts 13-0 season went down the drain with a playoff lose to the Steelers...All the talk of the Colts, ya right.

Well, I'm not going to be a hater, out of respect for what happened to Tony Dungy and his family. So the Colts get a pass this year...but consider this the beginning of the end - this team won't be back.

I can't stand the thought of another week watching Ben "I Hand The Ball Off 40 Times A Game" Roethlisberger, Jerome "The Shakes" Bettis and Bill "Spit Shower" Cowher... couple that with watching Jake "Porn Moustache" Plummer, Mike "Mr. Ed Teeth" Shanahan, and John "The Cerebral - Yet Average White Guy Safety" Lynch - I don't know if I can stomach 3.5 hours of these clowns. I would like to see both of them could lose - hopefully they beat the snot out of each other - with the winner getting their cans handed to them in the Super Bowl.

Then Carolina...ugh. Yes, I picked them to win...but I also picked them on a few pro-line tickets to tie the Bears (a result of 3 points or less) and those dumbasses had to go and kill my tickets...4 longshot tickets that would have won about 900 bucks. I want someone to plant Steve Smith, someone to knock Delhomme into next week...and someone to put John Fox in a straight jacket - I can't stand seeing him bounce around the sidelines. Ok...enough hating about the NFL this weekend.

Next Sunday's winners....Seattle over Carolina (they WON'T win three road games in a row) and Denver over Pittsburgh. Seattle beats Denver in the Super Bowl on Feb 5.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
You'll be in a bit of a push-pull situation and, the more you try to sort things out, the worse they will become. Today is best suited to fun and refusing to become too serious about anything. 5 stars

Now, if that doesn't say "Hey Hazel...go drop a message down on the yahoo site." I don't know what does...other than her horoscope saying exactly that.

So now I gotta get my can in gear...it's -35C today (damn Canadian winters), and I'm still a little grouchy about this past NFL weekend, the Leafs blowing a game to the damn Coyotes on Saturday night.

Have a great one peeps...

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world...hope your NFL weekend was better than mine.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps -

When The Night Feels My Song - Bedouin Soundclash

Peesth Out!

Questions Still Abound

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in on this NFL Sunday. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

After getting bounced out of the suicide pool – I’m having trouble looking forward to today’s games. I still can’t get over how two plays changed the course of the game, and quite possibly a run at another Super Bowl. The Back Judge who threw the flag on Samuel should be canned – IMMEDIATELY. You can’t make a call like that 10 seconds after the play is over, especially when the official who was on the spot said the play was good. I’m not going to rag on Kevin Faulk, but…

So it’s Day 2 of the Division Playoffs, not that it matters anymore, but I would have pick Indy today. I think Carolina covers against Chicago too – but what do I know? I am out of the pool.

HAZEL’S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
Have some fun but don't overdo it. You will be able to do something to help a younger person in your life who is looking for answers or solutions. Don't lend or borrow money or possessions. 5 stars

How does that add up to be a 5 star day? That’s why I don’t get horoscopes…

Have a great one peeps…enjoy your NFL Sunday.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps…for the idiot Back Judge who with one terrible call changed the face of the game…who probably woke up this morning and thought –

I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash

Peesth Out!

Faulked Over

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. Hazel..."Hey"

I can't believe how that second half unfolded - I'm still laying this one at the foot of Faulk; that fumble was a killer - inexcusable, unforgiveable, and ultimately the turning point. Yes, they had chances to take over the game - but that fumble set Denver up...the Broncos would not have been in the game.

I am sorry New England, I feel your pain - to see some of the stalwarts on the team mess up...I just don't know what to say.

A bad night all around...Leafs lost too. Damn.

I'm outta here...gonna go drown my sorrows with a couple of family members that are here...I want to see Manning and the Colts kick the snot out of Jake Plummer and John Lynch. I guess I'm taking I'm left with the Seahawks now.

Have a good weekend peeps...

Hazel, I hope things are ok in your world...after this weekend, I could see things being a little tough.

Peesth Out!

What The Faulk?

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. Hazel..."Hey".

Oh my freakin' gawd I can't believe this pile of crap...Kevin Faulk, you better redeem yourself - consider yourself lucky, if you played for Jimmy Johnson and the great Dallas Cowboy teams of the 90's you'd be in the dressing room and booking your flight home.

I can't believe that interference call - that is such a pile of crap. There are so many things I want to say...but, I'm going to bite my tongue and call on Hazel to bring the Patriots back. Brady and the boys will pick it up.

Come on Patriots...Come on!

Peesth Out!

Lightening Striking Twice?

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

So last week I changed my mind about my pick and it worked...New England saved me and kept me alive.

This week - the same thing. I didn't pick Washington, deciding instead to trust New England...I hope it works.

Back later...

Peesth out!

Today's Pick

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel - she must be getting ready for an NFL Saturday.

I'm taking New England...I'll take Brady over Plummer, I'll take Belichick over Shanahan, I'll take Bruschi and Seymour's inspiration over the Broncos. I'm saying 23 - 20 New England. I'm going with where I think Hazel's good karma is going today.

I hate the Seattle game...so i'll just watch it and won't risk my pick on it. I was thinking Washington though

Check back later.

Have a great one peeps...if you haven't been to yahoo site...YOU NEED TO GO. That's all I'm saying! Oh my goodness

Hazel, hope things are groovy in your world...GO PATS!

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps...for my suicide pool pick

More Than A Feeling - Boston.

Peesth Out!

NFL Saturday

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. As always, a special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae this fine NFL Saturday morning.

Still don't know who to pick today...maybe Washington with the weather forecast in Seattle. Probably New England though...we'll see.

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
You have the discipline to get things done. Your emotional outlook may cause some problems if you are confronted with a situation you don't want to deal with just yet. A partnership you are in may not be as trustworthy as you want to believe. 2 stars

I'm sure it will be a better day for Hazel than this horoscope predicts.

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps...thinking of Seattle

The Rain - The Cult

Peesth Out!

Friday...Finally!

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checkin in on this fine Friday. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Canadian hockey fans are still feeling all warm and mushy inside from Mark Messier's retirement ceremony and the Rangers retiring his jersey - nice story. So as we head into this NFL weekend, I am still at a loss about who I am picking...still leaning towards New England +3.5 on Saturday. Like I said last week - indecision can be a good thing, sometimes.

I gotta haul my can off to work (lousy internet access there...hence the early morning posts).

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
You will have trouble getting down to business -- too many things on the go and difficulty deciding where to start. Tackle one thing at a time. A good attitude and less frantic behavior will help considerably. 2 stars

Hazel, if I was you - I would take this to mean "ahhh forget all the crap and just watch football all weekend"... while you are at it, see if you can catch a Leaf game. I hope things are groovy in your world - have a great weekend.

Have a great one peeps...don't forget to go to yahoo.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - I woke up to it this morning

Stand Inside Your Love - Smashing Pumpkins

Peesth Out!

Wednesday's Leftovers

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

So there were a few things that caught my attention today - they are most definitely "Weird Whacked Wednesday" worthy. Just a quick post for a Thursday night - my boss is going to be calling me for our day tomorrow, and I have to think about these damn NFL picks this weekend. If Hazel doesn't check in with her picks one of these days...I'm going to have to resort to asking "Renee" for her opinion - every worse, I might even ask DJames! Hazel?

THE TEFLON DON
Jim Kelley of Rogers Sportsnet (and the Fan 590) writes about how Mike Milbury has lead a charmed life on Long Island; for those of you who haven't heard - Milbury fired Isles coach Steve Stirling, and announced he was stepping down as GM to serve as Vice-President in charge Charles Wang sports properties. Kelley highlights some of Milbury's dumber trades - and there were PLENTY of them. It is worth checking out the article - though scary thing is that he mentions that Brent Sutter might be interested. Interim head coach Brad Shaw is there for days.

Tonight on Hockey Central (Rogers Sportsnet) Bill "I Still Hate The Leafs" Watters pointed out that Milbury has traded away 17 first rounders in his 10 year stint as Isles GM. Watters, Kelley and Darren Dreger did everything but laugh out loud at how much of a joke Milbury has been as an NHL GM. When I think about Mike Milbury...I have no problem saying - "I could do a better job." I really believe that.

THE NIGHT TRAIN TAKES THE BUS?
Alexander Mogilny, who will forever be known as "The Night Train" practiced today with the Albany River Rats - New Jersey's AHL team. Mogilny for his part was a smart alec when asked about what the Devils asked him to work on. You know he's laughing - $3.5 M to play in the AHL. Gotta love ALMO.

DAZED AND CONFUSED?
U.S. Ski Racer Bode Miller apologized for the pain and confusion caused by his comments during the 60 Minutes interview. The US Ski Federation must have torn a strip and a half out of him. I wonder what Miller was on at this news conference, especially when he responded to a question with -

"The most important thing is that I wanted to come out to mostly my family and friends...But also we have a lot of people who supported me along the way, through my team and even just family and friends who have supported me , who I think are subject to only what the media puts out in America."

HUH? Can someone PLEASE tell me what he means? Can anyone make sense of this? Shyte, even Milbury isn't this dumb...or is he? I was in a meeting where a very senior politician once said "I never answer any question I don't like - instead, I just answer the question I wanted to be asked". Bode has his own way to rock I guess.

Well, have a great one Peeps...I'm outta here. Visit the yahoo site to register your picks for this week's NFL action. And if you are in New England, sign up for DJames' march to Fenway where he will lead the peeps!

Hazel, hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - For Bode Miller

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - George Thorogood (originally done by John Lee Hooker).

SENATARDS LOSE! SENATARDS LOSE!!!! in other related news, Bruins get shellacked by the Kings.

Peesth Out!

Good Thursday Morning?

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Day 4 of waking up in the middle of the night (practically) for work...thankfully I like my job.

NFL musings later...still looking for some devine intervention with my suicide pool picks - Hazel are you listening?

HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
Prepare for the unexpected. You can count on someone creating emotional frustrations for you. Don't let it confuse you. Anger will only lead to more worry and trouble. 2 stars

I hope Hazel's day goes a lot better than that!!

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Have a great day!

Song of the Morning on Hazelspees - just cuz I like it.

Morning Wood - Enth Degree

Peesth Out!

Happy Heatley Day!

Hey Peeps, and anyone else checking in for this edition of Weird and Whacked Wednesdays. For those of you who have happened upon this page for the first time, Wednesday entries are used to recap some of the weird, the whacked and the downright silly events and occurances in the world of sports from the past seven days. I hope you find the entry relatively amusing if not informative.

As always, a special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae!

So you may (or may not) be wondering to yourself - "What's with the title? Happy Heatley Day? What the #@$#@#????" Well my friend/reader/accidental visitor/or random blogger I will tell you - as this is the lead entry for this Wednesday's entry.

ERIN LOVES A PARADE
If you have been a regular reader of this page - you will have heard the name "Erin Nicks"; for those of you that don't know who she is, let me give you a bit of info. Erin Nicks is a freelance journalist who writes a Sunday column for the Ottawa Sun...some of her articles good, some point out the obvious - and some are just downright silly. Case in point, her article in the Jan. 8/2006 edition of the Sun.

Nicks talked about how fans of the Atlanta Thrashers showed no class in booing Dany Heatley during a Sens/Thrashers game last week. Nicks admonished the Atlanta fans for booing Heatley - saying that they showed no class in booing a player who, because of an unfortunate event, could not continue playing in the city that was a reminder of a painful time in his life. Nicks then went on to wonder how fans could be so callous against a guy like Heatley, and yet not boo money hungry players like Hossa who quit on a city/team because of money.
I almost never do this, but I can't begin to tell you how stupid I thought the whole article was...to minimize what happened with Dany Heatley is insulting.

First off, I don't think fans in Atlanta booed him for any other reason than his desire to leave the city - and subsequent bitch slapping of Atlanta fans after coming to Ottawa ("nice to play in front of real hockey fans")

Second, It wasn't an unfortunate event - it wasn't that anticeptic and clean - it was the death of another human being. The very fact that Nicks minimizes the accident, caused through Heatley's own negligence, is disgusting - talk about media schills...pathetic doesn't even begin to describe the argument.

Third, to try to make the argument that an athlete leaving a team for financial reasons is somehow more dispicable than someone who the life of a friend into his own hands with reckless driving - and subsequently lost it...well, there are no words to describe it.

Nicks ended the article by asking Ottawa fans to show themselves to be a cut above Atlanta fans...Nicks asks fans of the Sentards to not boo Marian Hossa in his homecoming...no, Nicks instead suggests that fans show Heatley how much they love him by putting their energy into cheering Heatley...ignore Hossa and cheer Heatley...a Dany Heatley Day she suggests.

What a pile of dreck...and I can't believe the Sun published it.


JOE HAD TO GO
Joe Thornton's return to Boston was short-lived to say the least. Thornton was ejected 5+ mins into the game for a hit on Bruins D Hal Gill, that the referee deemed to be "intent to injure" - Joe got a 5 minute major, a ten minute misconduct and a match penalty. Thornton was interviewed after the game and denied any intent to injure Gill - when interviewed after the game, Gill thought the penalty was excessive, and said he didn't think Thornton was out to hurt him. In a minor sideline - the Bruins lost 6 - 2. I would love to hear how Jack Edwards spins this loss - Joe had to go!

ARRRR JUUU TAHKIN TO MAY?
A fan of the Habs made his way onto the practice ice and skated a half lap around the rink before going in on a breakaway to take a shot on Habs goalie Jose Theodore. The trespasser identified himself only as "Raphael". I don't know if its qualifies as weird or downright silly...but it qualifies.

Funny thing about this? A Hab fan told me today...I bet most of the media hoped he would have scored...so they could complain more about Theodore AND tell Habs management to sign the guy. Montreal fans...meh.

GO IN PEACE...BUT FOR GOD'S SAKES JUST GO
You just knew that Terrell Owens had been quiet for far too long. The Eagles have given T.O's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, permission to seek a trade - of course no one expects any team to give up players or a draft pick for Owens.

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THAT...WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?
Jacksonville Jags WR Reggie Williams was served a notice to appear in court after being caught with a small amount of marijuana on him. The charge is "possession" because he had less that 20 grams. You know where this is going right? Enough said...damn friends leaving pot in your car. Oh yeah, to make things even better - Williams was caught during "a routine traffic stop"... ah huh. I've heard that before. Ladies (Renee, Tina Hazel et al) and Gentlemen (and you too DJames) meet "Cheech"... now I want to take a moment to introduce you to "Chong", read on...

POSSESSION? YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET
Former Missouri RB Zachary Abron was charged with felony possession of marijuana - yep F-E-L-O-N-Y. See, the former all-time school rushing leader was found to be in possession of 14.4 OUNCES of pot. For those of you who are wondering "What is that compared to Reggie Williams?" 14.4 ounces of marijuana is roughly 400 GRAMS...that's almost a damn LB (by that I mean a POUND - not a linebacker)

GOTTA BE A FOOTBALL HERO - TO GET ALONG WITH THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
I wonder if our girl Renee could wade in here to confirm - Hazel could wade in too. Seems like Stanford Cardinal football players and coaches were found to be taking potential recruits to strip clubs in. The whacked part of this - players and coaches submitted receipts from a place called New Century Theater...receipts for a strip club. I wonder if they give receipts for lap dances - oh wait...they don't do that stuff in the U.S. huh? I won't ask the obvious question...and DJAMES, if you are reading - bite your damn tongue and leave Renee alone! hahaha

WHEN YOU DON'T GET ALONG WITH THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS...
Wisconsin reserve running back Booker Stanley is a prime example of a football player NOT getting along with the beautiful girls (for those of you that don't know...that was a song back in the days of old farts like my friend's dad - You gotta be a football hero..."), but I digress.

Seems that Booker has been charged with - get this - sexual assault, battery AND (for good measure) bail jumping. All this while he is facing battery and disorderly conduct charges for his role in a fight at a block party last spring. One bad dude our friend Booker...you gotta read this one.

In other news - Maurice Clarett waived his right to a preliminary hearing - he will be charged with using a gun to rob two people of a cell phone.

TO BE...OR NOT TO BE...TRADED
Miguel Tejada has taken back everything he said - he doesn't really want to be traded, he wants to stay in Baltimore and help them win. Does this sound to you like the Manny Ramirez that Sox fans know and love/hate? (Can't you just hear Hazel saying Rrrrrameeerrrrez?) Count on it...Tejada is going to be traded, he's going to Boston - watch. Oh, and before you say anything - it WON'T be for Manny...I think Miggy and Manny stay. Watch...

That's about it for this week...if I have missed anything, please let me know.

Have a great one peeps...

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - For Erin Hicks and her empassioned plea to fans of the Senatards...For "Raphael" who tried to pal around with the Canadiens...For Drew Rosenhaus and Terrell Owens as they look for a new team...For Booker Stanley and those close to him (like his girlfriend)...for Joe Thornton who didn't mean to hurt Hal Gill...and for the members of Hazelspeeps (particularly Renee) who ask Hazel - for the younger readers of the page

Why Can't We Be Friends? - Smash Mouth (originally performed by War)

Peesth Out!