What to do?

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

“March Madness” - to friends south of the border, it means the beginning of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament; to Leaf Nation it means something entirely different, go to Youtube and type in “Vesa Toskala”. That clip pretty much sums up how maddening of a season it has been for Leaf Nation.

The Leafs are faced with an interesting dilemma as they head into the final eight games of the season – the dream for a playoff spot was dealt a death blow last night when the Buffalo Sabres scored SIX third-period goals to erase a 4-1 deficit and beat the Lightning by a score of 7-4. Do they continue to play for that final spot in the draft? Or do they look at the probability of making the playoffs and call it quits?

Any rational member of Leaf Nation would advise that it is time to call it a season and try to fall far enough in the standings to get a shot at picking Steve Stamkos (the consensus number one pick) in the June Entry Draft.

However, with the Leafs’ remaining games being against divisional opponents, who are all jockeying for playoff positions, it is incumbent on them to show some integrity and play to win? For the record, I still think the Bruins are going to trip up and choke down the stretch, but notwithstanding all that – isn’t it incumbent on them as professionals to play to win?

The Leafs still find themselves as far out of a playoff spot as they are from falling to 26th place – and with it, a shot at Stamkos; with the Islanders announcing that Rick DiPietro is gone for the season, and the Blues looking hard-pressed to make up five points on the Leafs, their chances of finish 26th are about as good as they are of making to the playoffs.

With all that said, tanking the season sends out a bad message to everyone – especially if they wind up in the same position they are now, out of the Stamkos Sweepstakes. Plus, could “we” as Leaf Nation stomach seeing the boys lose to the likes of the Tards, the Habs, the Bruins and Lindy’s Sabres? We can’t do much about the Tards and the Habs, but derailing the Bruins and the Sabres would be sweet.

Go Leafs Go!

Quickly, the 2008 Boston Red Sox deserve a round of applause for standing up to MLB and refusing to play in Asia if their coaches weren’t compensated with appearance fees. While I (and everyone else I think) could have done without all the hype – and seeing DL Schilling’s mug everywhere – it was good to see this “team” (emphasis on team) stand up for their support staff. Can we all start singing “We are family’?


WEDNESDAY’S STARS
Manchester United Winger Cristiano Ronaldo scores again, not once but twice, in the Red Devils 2-0 win over Bolton. Ronaldo is THE man.

Detroit Red Wings LW Henrik Zetteberg had a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Columbus – good for the Maeple Leafs in the second round of the playoffs against Quikdraw’s Leprachauns in the yahoo pool.

THURSDAY’S THREE PLAY
Tough night on Tuesday with the stinking Habs dropping on e in a shootout to the pitiful Blues. Total for the week stands at + $160. Tonight’s suggestions:

Ottawa over St. Louis – the Tards won’t drop this one after watching the Blues shock the Habs. Lay $100 on the Tards - $280.

Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay – see above about Sabres comeback win. Lay $150 on the Pens - $240 – pick of the day.

Phoenix over Los Angeles – the Coyotes are down to their last breath , plus they have dominated the Kings at home. Lay $100 on the Coyotes - $175.

That’s it for today gang – thanks for taking the time to check in.

Hazel, here’s hoping things are groovy in your world.

I’m Out.