The Hazies - The Champs & The Chumps

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, The Hazies take a look back at the week or so that was in the world of sports, highlighting some of the more notable performances - to those who have risen above the rest, we award them with an honourary "Hazie" - the lucky few have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them. While Hazel hasn't officially OK'd this week's winners, we'd like to think she give her trademark smile and thumbs up.



HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS

NHL
Detroit Red Wings LW Henrik Zetterberg was named the NHL's First Star of the Week. "Zets" finished the week with five goals (two game winners) and four assists in four games - highlighted by his four point night last night.

Chicago Blackhawks RW Martin "kick you in the groin with my skates on" Havlat was named the Second Star. The former SenaTard had five goals and three assists in four games in leading the Hawks to three road wins - oh yeah, which incidentally screwed our Three Play total last week (don't ask, I'll bring the bad news tomorrow).

Dallas Stars G Mike Smith was named the Third Star after going 3-0 for the week with a GAA of 0.85 and a save percentage of .967 - highlighted by a shutout streak of 131.06.

New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur recorded his TENTH shutout of the season last week, no small feat in the new NHL. For those of you thinking, "big deal, scoring isn't up that much this year' - maybe, but scoring chances and power plays are up.so Marty is doing something right.

Colorado Avalanche D Karlis Skrastins - you may be asking "who?" - set a record last week, playing in his 487th consecutive regular season game; eclipsing the great Tim Horton's record for most consecutive games played by a defenceman. I wonder if the means that there will be a chain of Skrastins Donuts in the future.

Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter served notice Saturday that the Flames are gearing up for a run to the Stanley Cup this spring. Sutter acquired D Brad Stuart and C Wayne Primeau from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. The kicker in the deal is that the Flames will get Boston's 1st round draft pick in 2008 if Stuart, who is an unrestricted free agent after this year, leaves the Flames to sign elsewhere. Sutter is one shrewd dude.

Oshawa Generals C John Tavares was named the Ontario Hockey League player of the month for January. Tavares finished the month with 22 goals and 17 assists in 13 games. Not bad for a Portuguese kid huh? Sidney who? (oh relax.I'm kidding).


EUROPEAN SOCCER
Ok, I mentioned a while back that Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham was getting a free pass here for a while - for an act of kindness that often gets overlooked when it comes to athletes. Beckham gets honoured for scoring a goal on Saturday against Real Sociedad - it was Beckham's first appearance for the Galacticos since coach Fabio Capello said that the Englishman would never play for Madrid again. For those of you that missed it, Real's coach and President both lambasted Beckham for signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS - both taking cheap shots at him. They loved him in Madrid on Saturday.


HE'S JUST A KID - BUT HE IS A CHAMP
Our last "Champ" of the week is not a professional sports figure - but a soon to be six year old boy named Alexander. I won't share the details here of why he's a champ - but believe me, if anyone this week deserves a Hazie award, its him. And while Hazel hasn't approved this week's winners - I am absolutely, positively certain that she would give a thumbs up to Alex.


HAZEL'S ZEROES - THE CHUMPS

NHL
Ottawa SenaTards G Ray Emery was suspended for three games today for a slash across the head of Montreal Canadiens pest Maxim Lapierre in a game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. For those of you who missed it, Lapierre was driving to the net when he lost his balance (or was pushed) into the Tards goalie. As Lapierre was down on his knees, Emery swung his goalie stick and would have hit Lapierre right between the eyes had the Habs pest not been wearing a visor. When asked about the suspension, Emery said he was disappointed with having to sit out three games and pulled a Todd Bertuzzi for good measure, saying "It wasn't my intention to hurt him." Really? You swing a piece of lumber like that at a guy who is prone and it wasn't your intention to hurt him? Congratulations Ray, you just confirmed what the league already knew - you are a hot-head who can't be trusted to keep his composure. Enjoy round one of the playoffs Tards - it'll be all you see this year...AGAIN.

Speaking of the SenaTards - their fans flooded the call in shows to complain about the suspension - crying foul on the NHL. The Tards faithful started off their calls with "I don't condone what he did, he deserved to be reprimanded - but Ovechkin got nothing for checking Briere a couple of months back." This is the mentality of the Tards faithful - equate a stick swinging incident to a hit (albeit from behind and kind of dirty). And you wonder why we call them SenaTards?

NFL
Is there anything left to say about Chicago Bears DL Tank Johnson?


MLB
New York Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez was reportedly thinking about pulling a J.D. Drew and leaving the Big Apple - his agent Scott Boras thinks he wouldn't lose any money if he signed with another team. Who is the bigger jerk?

That's about it for tonight gang...have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.


Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - because its just that kind of night.

Say It Right - Nelly Furtado

(break-a-break-a-down..hey you dont mean nothing at all ...hey hey)
In the day, In the night
Say it right, Say it all
You either got it or you don't
You either stand or you fall
When your will is broken
When it slips from your hand
When there's no time for joking
Theres a hole in the plan

Oh, you dont mean nothing at all to me
No, you don't mean nothing at all to me
Oh, you got what it takes to set me free
Oh you could mean everything to me

I can't say that I'm not lost and at fault
I can't say that I don't love the light and dark
I can't say that I don't know that I am alive
And all of what I feel I could show
You tonight you tonight

Oh, you dont mean nothing at all to me
No, you don't mean nothing at all to me
Oh, you've done what it takes to set me free
Oh you could be the everything to me

From my hands i could give you, something that i made
from my mouth i could sing you another brick that I laid
from my body i can show you a place god knows (Only god knows)
If you know the place is holy, do you really want to go?

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!