The Hazies - The Champs & 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 that was in the world of sports and single out some of the outstanding performances. The lucky few are awarded a Hazie and have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them - which is better than any recognition they may have gotten. While Hazel hasn't officially approved this week's winners, we would like to think that she'd give her trademark smile and thumbs up.

HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS

NHL
The NHL named their three stars for the week - and we think Hazel would be down with this week's winners, three of the league's classier players.

San Jose Sharks C Joe Thornton was named for First Star after putting up a 10 point week; Big Joe had four goals and six assists in leading the Sharks to a 3-0-1 week. We wonder if NESN's Jack Edwards still likes the Thornton trade...

Colorado Avalanche C Joe Sakic was named the Second Star for scoring three goals and six assists in leading the Avs to a 3-0-0 week. Sakic is doing everything he can to keep the Avs faint playoffs hopes alive.

Dallas Stars C Mike Modano was named the Third Star in what was a milestone week for the veteran center. Modano had four goals and two assists in leading Dallas to a 3-1-0 record; more importantly though, Modano scored his 500th career goal early last week, and then became the all-time leading scorer amongst American-born players with his 503rd career goal.


OHL
As mentioned last week, Oshawa Generals C John Tavares set an Ontario Hockey League record for most goals in a season by a 16 year old player with 71, surpassing the mark set by future Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky. Again I say, not bad for a Portuguese kid huh?


UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL
We don't pay much attention to basketball here - but I have to give it up to my alma mater Carleton Ravens. The Ravens won their fifth consecutive Canadian University basketball championship this past week - kudos go to Head Coach Smart who has done a great job with the basketball program. The Ravens gave the Louisville Cardinals all they could handle in a pre-season tournament up here this fall - losing to Pitino's boys on a last second shot. The Ravens would definitely make it past the opening round of the NCAA tournament.



HAZEL'S ZEROES - THE CHUMPS

NHL
The NHL handed Nashville Predators RW Jordin Tootoo a five game suspension for throwing a haymaker at Dallas Stars D Stephane Robidas last week. The incident happened after Tootoo "finished a check" on Stars C Mike Modano, Tootoo delivered the hit and turned around and threw a haymaker at Robidas, who was rushing in to defend Modano - the punch knocked Robidas out cold and he was taken off the ice on a stretcher. We'll get this out of the way first, it wasn't a cheap hit on Modano and it wasn't a sucker punch on Robidas - it was however a cheap shot. Which brings us to the reason why Tootoo is a chump - he has gained folk hero status up here for being a little guy from up north who plays "hard-nosed" hockey. However, Tootoo gets no respect from this page - he is a dirty player who plays in the grey zone; he takes full advantage of being a little guy, knowing that some of the NHL's tougher players wouldn't bother with dusting a pip squeak like him...even though he deserves a good beating. Tootoo is one of a new breed of "wanna-be" tough guys in the NHL who are all too willing to throw punches at other players - WHILE WEARING A VISOR. We have ZERO respect for any guy with a visor who wants to start a fight or throw punches. The NHL should institute a rule that any player wearing a visor who starts a fight or throws a punch (while still wearing their helmet/visor) is automatically suspended for five games.

Speaking of the Nashville Predators - we have given their organization plenty of credit here, but tonight we have to point out a major fault. The Dallas Stars management complained this week that the Predators failed to acknowledge Modano's milestone goal in Nashville - and I'm siding with the Stars on this one. In a league that is struggling to build a fan base in non-traditional hockey markets, the Predators didn't even put a message up on their scoreboard to acknowledge the fact that Modano had become the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer amongst American-born players. The Stars, to their credit, acknowledged Pittsburgh Penguins LW Mark Recchi's 500th career goal earlier this year - the Stars stopped the game to mark the moment and Recchi even received a standing ovation from Stars fans. The Stars were absolutely right to call out the Predators for the lapse in judgement.


NFL
Miami Dolphins LB Joey Porter was involved in an altercation with another NFL player at a Las Vegas casino over the weekend. Porter allegedly punched Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Levi Jones in the face after words were exchanged at a black jack table in the casino. What can you say about Joey Porter? The guy is a chump - Nick Saban is going to have his hands full with this head case. Ironic that the other player involved was a Cincinnati Bengals player huh?


NBA
While I was channel surfing tonight - I was disappointed and disgusted to see that former NBA great Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was participating in Dancing with the Stars. As a Cowboys fan, I was embarassed to see Emmitt Smith stoop to such levels - I am just as disappointed in Drexler. The former leader of the Phi Slamma Jamma boys Dancing with B-list "stars"? Sad doesn't begin to cover it...bad move Clyde, bad move - you're much better than that.


EUROPEAN SOCCER
We should have mentioned this last week - but in a Champions League game between Inter Milan and Valencia of Spain, Valencia reserve player David Navarro left the bench to join an altercation that took place after the final whistle. Navarro charged out on the field and sucker punched an Inter Milan player, leaving him with a broken nose. Navarro, proved himself to be a coward in every sense of the word as he ran away from the brawl after the punch...making a beeline for Valencia's dressing room. You can find the video of the incident on youtube - type in Inter-Valencia brawl and watch Navarro run. Navarro was suspended from international play for seven months - big deal, he is a reserve, he won't play anyways.

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 - now playing

Soul Meets Body - Deathcab for Cutie

Peesth Out...Buh Bye.