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Enough already with the CBC reports about sewage on the floor, frost in the beds, and desolation in every house of Ottawapiskat! I believe I could make some sort of reasonable evaluation of what the actual problem might be within one day, if I were to vist that poor, unfortunate community. But tonight, Wendy Mesley invited all Canadians to tell her what they think the problem is. Whaaa? How the hell would I or anyone else know what the problem is in Ottawapiskat? We certainly can’t find any hint from the media.
How the hell could any Canadian who has not been to Ottawapiskatk possibly know what the problem is? Certainly all CBC has done is send a slew of reporters, repeatedly, at regular intervals to report on the dismal EFFECTS of whatever it is that is causing the problems in Ottawapiskat. But there is not the slightest effort to determine what is actually CAUSING the problems. We know that some of the homes there are nothing more than shacks, that water is polluted, that people are sick and in destitute circumstances. But it’s not clear why? We know that something like $60million was pumped into the community in the last year, but there’s no indication that anything was built….or not. Was anything built? I don’t know. The media won’t say. Was anything NOT built? I don’t know, the media won’t say. Are there ANY individuals who have possiblly benefitted from the tens of millions of dollars pouring into the community? I don’t know…the media won’t say.
Can’t anyone give us some semblence of opinion as to what the REAL isssue is? We all know that there’s been some sort of monumental screw up. Either some band members or goverment officials have absconded with millions at the expense of individual lives. They should be prosecuted with all the might available to the crown. But there’s got to be an actual story. Do you know what I’m saying?
If I, or any one of my dear readers, were to visit Ottawapiskat tomorrow and spend 4 hours there talking to people, we would form an opinion. My guess, after 20 years of news reporting experience, that my opinion would be pretty close to the truth. Why have we not heard from any reporter about what the hell is actually going on in that miserable community. Reporters do have the ability to integrat such things in their reports in clever ways if they wish. But it appears to me as though CBC is intent on creating the impression that the main culprit here is the federal government. This is done through the process of omission….by omitting key facts. Has political correctness brought us to this. Where the truth cannnot be spoken, when human life is involved?
OK. It is not good to speak ill of the dead. But this rule, apparently can be broken by “historians”. Consider me an “historian” for the next couple of minutes. It may be a bit premature, but I think it’s time (now that all the NDP Leadership hopefuls are gathering for their first big debate) to mix in a little dose or reality to the NDP view of Jack Laytons’ world….a virtual socialist utopia where simple bromides out do common sense.
I liked Jack Layton. Not that I ever met him or anything like that. I mean, I liked him insofar as it is possible to like someone you don’t really know. He seemed like a decent enough guy. But I didn’t like his politics and I didn’t like his simplistic approach to complex issues; an approach which betrayed his disingenuous nature. I’ve said this somewhere before, but I believe it deserves to be said again. Jack Layton was too smart to actually believe half the stuff he preached. I believe that. So I also believe he was not being entirely honest. Certainly not as honest as I would hope a national political party leader should be. Mind you, when we think of other national party leaders we probably shouldn’t have a lot of faith in any of them. But my point is….Jack was certainly no Saint. He was a typical politician, whose party performed rather poorly in every province in the last election EXCEPT Quebec. It was in Quebec, where the NDP took off. And quite evidently, the ‘sophisticated’ voters of Quebec were not trying for a better government. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact they were prepared to vote for children or absentee candidates in many cases. In the past, they had voted for candidates who would destroy the country, so I suppose we should not be surprised. I predict that, some day, a dog will actually be elected somewhere in Quebec. (It might actually be an improvement over some of the characters we’ve seen over the years).
So let me be the first “historian” to pour cold water all over the “Saint Jack” myth. Jack was a middling politician…opportunistic and somewhat hypocritical (he and his wife living in Co-op housing on $100-G+ salaries) who just happened to luckily ride to victory in the last election on the fluke results of a Quebec protest vote…and nothing more.
As predicted, the Bruins beat the Canucks. Although many will say, quite correctly, that one goalie simply outplayed the other (by a long shot), I believe the Canucks loss goes much deeper. The NHL had decided Boston was going to win the series no matter what it took and by game 4 it was painfully evident that the Bruins would be getting away with everything short of manslaughter. Perhaps a more strong-willed team than the Canucks would have overcome this handicap. And they almost did. But I am convinced that if Luongo had not let in some easy ones in the final game, the refs would have taken the game over and assured Boston would win, just as they had done in earlier games throughout the playoffs.
I could not possibly watch any Bruin hoisting the cup. So I turned the tube off, half-way through the third and did not watch TV for three days. I didn’t want to see any news reports, and parades…etc. So, I missed the riots too! One thing about being retired, one can operate in virtual isolation for days and I did so. I missed all the nastiness, although I do confess that I heard about it from other people. But I refused to watch TV, lest a stray shot of a Bruin celebrating his ill-begotten “victory” might somehow flash across the screen. I can say with some pride that I have not seen a Bruin hockey player in any form since mid-way through the third period a week ago and don’t wish too.
So, now I am focused on the summer, barbeques and my garden. Go Lions Go!
The officials of tonight’s game, the seventh and final game of the Stanley Cup championship round, know who the NHL wants to win. The President of the NHL, Gary Bettman, the Chair of the Board of Governors, Bettman’s boss and owner of the Boston Bruins, and Gary’s good buddy, Collin Campbell, whose son plays for the Bruins all want the Boston Bruins to win. The officials know this. And one of the reasons the officials were appointed to referee this game, was because they know how to ingratiate themselves with the hierarchy of the NHL. If they call an “iffy” penalty against the Bruins, they will fall into disfavour with their bosses….and they know it. So the officials will continue to claim the Canucks are “diving” when they are cross-checked, slashed, high-sticked and boarded.
And, just like happened in New York in 1994, when official Terry Gregson called the first four of five penalties against the Canucks in the seventh and final game, the Boston bruins will get all the calls in their favour.
Why would things change now. Mason Raymond, the speedy young right winger for the Canucks, who was skating circles around the Bruins in this series was crippled with a cheap shot “can-opener” check into the corner boards in the first 20 seconds of game 6. The hit happened way after the puck was gone….longer than the delay involved in Rome’s hit on Horton. No penalty. Not even a whisper about a suspension, following one of the dirtiest checks I’ve ever witnessed. It was a deliberate attempt to injure and was not a so-called “hockey play” such as the check which Aaron Rome delivered on Nathan Horton in game 3….a hit which resulted in a record 4-game suspension. Meanwhile, Horton is skating in the warm-up for tonight’s game.
Game seven, Boston and Tampa Bay. No call on any number of plays…. involving Boston. In fact, for the first time in 20 years, not a single penalty called in the game….a game which Tampa Bay forced by scoring three power play goals in game six. The final score……1-0 for Boston. Hmmmmm
Game three, Boston and Vancouver. Bieksa is crippled by one of the cheapest slashes of all time on the back of his calf, well behind the play. No call. Game one, two, three, four, five and six. Henrik Sedin, receiving painkilling shots before every game for injured ribs and back muscles, is cross-checked after every whistle by Zdeno Chara of the Bruins. No calls. Chara, the biggest player in the NHL cross checks Sedin to the chest and they BOTH get called….so-called “unsportmanship” by the Canucks. The Vancouver team has played all year by the rules. They are built as a team to play without the slashes, the punches, the cheap shots that were the hallmark of the old Philidelpia Flyers and by the Bruins of today. There will a lot of non-calls by the officials tonight. That, of course, will favour the Bruins, who depend on cheating to win. Should the Canucks, somehow manage to get a goal lead, the whistles will begin to blow. Mark my words. The fix is in.
Meanwhile, EA Sports, the famous Vancouver based computer game developer, predicted a Vancouver Boston final when they created this years version of the game last October. EA Sports has been unbelievably correct for this year, correctly predicting 13 of the 14 series played this playoffs. They had the Canucks winning the Presidents Trophy and they had the Canucks winning over the Bruins. EA Sports has the Canucks winning 3-1 tonight with the final goal coming on a empty netter.
June 10th, 11
BLEEEP…..BLEEP
GB: Hello, Bettman here.
JMJ: I’m sorry to be calling you so late, Gary. It’s Jerry. Look, I don’t really think I have to say that this call never happened…etc….
GB: Oh…No…No..No Sir… I completely understand. Those Canadians would simply not understand. I mean we are trying to run a professional league here and all we hear from them is more “sportsmanship” and all the British crap. I mean what the hell!
JMJ: Exactly, Gary. Anyway. The reason I’m calling. I mean…I think Murph did a fine job under difficult circumstances with that record setting suspension for Rome. That was a dirty play. Yas…of course…we’ve heard all the squeeling from those
Vancouver pigs…he didn’t hit ‘em in the head and he had his head down and it was a hockey play and all that…but I mean…I just think we did the right thing there.
GB: Well thank you, Sir. These are difficult times with all…..
JMJ: Yes…Yes…of course. But look’t, Gary. That’s not why I’m calling. For God sakes what the hell are we going to do with these bastard Canucks?
GB: Well, sir. They got the first four penalties tonight. And I mean every call was ….you know…. “extra fair”…so to speak. And then, your players….I mean the Bruin players…were spearing, slew footing, cross checking after the whistle…and our official told me after the game…he was worried about a riot for God sakes! So..he had to make those calls against your players…I mean the Bruins.
JMJ: Look Gary. We all know that we just can’t allow those damn Canadians to win the Cup. We’re trying to crack the U.S. market here. We’ve got a huge investment in our TV contracts down here. Do you know what would happen if the Americans sensed that they were watching a sport they didn’t OWN? Come on! The Americans aren’t losers, OK? They want to win…..at everything….even the stuff they’re only half interested in, for God sakes.
GB: Well of course, Sir. But I just don’t know…..Our officials will do everything they can…..just like the other two games in Boston. We know it’s going to be a gong show on the ice. I was told that they’ll keep the ice at 30 degrees which should really slow things down. And then, the officials have warned to be “extra fair” to the Canadians. So, I fully expect your guys….I mean…the Bruins..will be sitting pretty going back to Vancouver.
JMJ: Well, I certainly hope so, Gary. It’s just that the Board is getting restless with all the hype that’s going on in Canada. We’ve even got stories popping up about the bush-league behaviour of Boston fans…for crying out loud.
GB: Sir, we really can’t control that. I mean, …OK so a few kids hit a 60 year old Canucks fan with a flying beer bottle. What can we do? I think she made up the story. What are the chances of Bruins fans..all sauced up..riding in a car and managing to hit an old lady in the head with a beer bottle…for Christ’s sake. Give me a break. She’s old…she’s all confused….She probably fell down and hit her head on the sidewalk. And, I know there were all kinds of stories from Canucks fans about being punched in the head and smashed into walls from hooligans after those Boston games. But, that’s got nothing to do with the NHL. That’s just some over exuberant fans.
JMJ: Well Gary. As you know I’ve been with this team for many years and we kind of take pride in our reputation for pushing the envelope…so to speak. The big bad Bruins…and all that. Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t go for the skill game…passing the puck and making plays …instead of the goon show. But, Gary, do you realize just how popular this UTF wresting is these days? That’s were we’ve got to go, Gary. We’ve got to get those kinds of TV contracts that the no-holds-barred-goon shows get. We could make a fortune.
GB: I know exactly what you’re saying, Sir. And you can count on me.
JMJ: I know I can, Gary. Thanks for your patience. Talk to you after the game….goodnight.
GB: Goodnight. CLICK …….Son of a bitchen bastard….what kind of goon show have I got myself involved in?
June 8th, 11
BLEEEP…….BLEEEP
GB: Hello, Bettman here:
JMJ: Gary, its Jerry here. How are you this evening?
GB: Just fine Sir….uh…but…of course..very concerned about the incident tonight.
JMJ: Yes, Gary, as a matter of fact that’s what I’m calling about. Now, needless to say…this call never happened. Me being Chairman of the Board of Governors and owner of the Bruins…you know….being your boss….and all that….some misfits might see something sinister in my calling you…etc. ..etc.
GB: Oh..of course, Sir. I understand completely.
JMJ: Gary, it’s just that we’ve had so much media coverage about concussions and all that….we just want to make sure that a clear message goes out that the league is prepared to deal with these issues fearlessly.
GB: I agree completely, Sir. We do, however, have a bit of a problem, because you may recall that when the Canucks were playing Nashville, the Canuck player involved in tonight’s incident was blind sided by an elbow to the back of his head. I mean it was definitely a late hit…against the boards from behind…and he had to be carried off the ice as well, but there was no penalty called. And there was no question of a suspension. And then, of course there was the incident with Anaheim and one of the Sedin boys was nearly killed by a blindside hit from behind by Ben Eager. That was late…it was an obvious intent to cripple, unlike tonight….and again…no penalty. He’s still obviously hurting from that. So It’s going to be tough to …..you know….kind of….change the rules….right in the middle of the final round.
JMJ: Well, of course you’re right Gary. The fact is that some of the other Board Members have been grousing about all the inconsistency and I’ve heard through the grapevine that they think it might be time to change things right at the top. But I know you’ve been doing your best and I don’t think knee-jerk reactions are what we are looking for here. What we need is a steady hand here. There’s a storm of controversy raging all around. We need somebody to look at the bigger picture.
GB: Yes Sir. But, to completely change direction right in the middle of the final round. And besides, Rome’s hit wouldn’t even have been a penalty if he had hit him 4/5ths of a second earlier.
JMJ: Look…Gary…we had to move Collie from his role….he’d been running into a lot of flack about inconsistency when it came to league discipline…and his son being a player on the Bruins…and now we’ve got Murphy……a completely new guy in there. So now would be a good time, I think, to really send a message…if you know what I mean.
GB: Well, I guess a one game suspension would make sense.
JMJ: Wha!….no….no… Gary…I’m talking some bold action here. Something unprecedented. Something to set the tone going forward.
GB: I see. Yes of course Sir. You know, Sir, I’m just a bit concerned that someone’s going to say….here we go again. You know, Carolina against Edmonton…and Roloson deliberately y crippled in game five and no call. Then there was the no-goal call when Calgary won the game against the Lightening…but ended up losing. I’m a bit worried ….I’ve never seen Canadians so united behind one NHL team like the Canucks. At some point the Canadians are going to see through it all. I mean, how long can we keep this up?
JMJ: You let me worry about that, Gary. The Canadians will watch anything when it comes to hockey. They’re like little kids. They’ll believe anything. Just get Murphy to call Burkie to work out the final decision. Burkie will know what to do.
GB: Well, we’ll have to be careful there, Sir. I mean, Brian was fired by the Canucks in 94 and then fined for tampering with them in ’95…so there’s a lot of bad blood there. If it ever got out that Murph talked to Burkie…it would be game over.
JMJ: I’m sure you’ll be just as discreet as usual, Gary. I think we’re on the same wavelength here, right?
GB: Oh yes Sir. Goodnight.
CLICK
Well, who’d a thunk it. The Canucks are on their way to the Stanley Cup and all is well in world. All the botched calls, all the flukey goals…all the attempts to injure…all the ugliness…..washed away by the Hockey Gods…who obviously have some sort of divine plan for the whales.
When, in the second overtime period, the puck mysteriously vanished from everyone’s sight only to fall magically in front of Kevin Bieksa’s stick…it was as though there really was such a thing as karma. Maybe those Buddhists are on to something. But who cares now. The important thing is that the best team won….albeit with enough ambiguity that the Sharks no doubt feel they were screwed by the Fates. Gary Bettman and other Americans who control the NHL must be fuming today. The California TV market….caput! That would involve actual TV viewer numbers equivalent to the Saskatchewan market in Canada. Now if Boston gets bumped, the only people watching the final in the US will be the seniors of Tampa Bay….wherever that is.
Bleeep……Bleeep……Bleeep
TG: Hello?
GB: Hello?…is this Gregson?
TG: Yes. Who is this…it’s three o’clock in the morning?
GB: Gregson, this is Gary. What the hell is going on?
TG: I’m sorry, what….uh…what do you mean sir?
GB: I mean what the hell is going on? I thought I made it very clear when you were appointed Head of Officiating that I wanted the Canadian teams to be treated “extra” fairly in all officiating calls. In today’s game, everything looked fine for the first period…..five straight calls against the Canucks…but then the son of bitchin wheels fell off. Havn’t you made my intentions clear to your officials?
TG: Well….uh..yes..uh..I have sir. But after 5 straight calls, it was getting a bit bizarre and we just had to call that rather blatant hook on one of the Sedin boys.
GB: Yes…yes..I know all that. But what, in God’s name, were they thinking….three straight 5 on 3′s and the game was over.
TG: Yes sir, but we had to make the call when they had too many men on the ice…then when they shot the puck out into the crowd, there was no choice. You know, frankly, who would have thought that, firstly the Canucks could possibly kill 5 straight against that power play and then score 3 quick ones themselves. Within minutes it was out of our control.
GB Well you listen to me, Gregson. I don’t care if we have a riot in that hell hole they call Vancouver…I want the right kind of officiating at the next game. Do you understand? For God’s sake, today’s game was on NBC. We moved the damn thing to noon on Sunday…. Those bastards up north all want their hockey on Saturday night. Anyway, we took a big chance putting the boots to CBC so we could move the game to prime time in the US and your idiot officiating crew completely screwed the whole thing. I want to see this thing fixed on Tuesday night, do you understand?
TG: Of course sir…we’ll be “extra fair” to the Canucks. Just like usual. Sir….do you mind if I ask you a question?
GB: What?
TG: Well sir, no one has actually noticed yet that we are being “extra fair” to the Canadian teams but I think it’s going to be harder to keep under wraps if Winnipeg gets in. I mean, those Jets fans are crazy….and frankly I’m a bit worried for my crews’ safety.
GB: Yes, they’re a bunch of damn freaks…like all the others in that piss pot of a country. But, you know, Terry, our Canadian franchises are the only ones, outside of the Northeast, who are making any real money. So, unfortunately, we just have to hold our noses.
TG: I guess so. Anyway, you can count on me sir, there’s be no mistakes on Tuesday.
GB: There damn well better not be. CLICK
Mrs Ruminator seems to be getting more and more creative as she approaches those “golden” years. The other day, she coined a phrase I hadn’t heard before and which is much nicer than the “senior moment” we are all so accustomed to. She used it recently at a retail store and all the staff were suitably impressed…they even said so.
“Silver Moment” is the term she used to describe those occasions when the mind suddenly stalls or misfires for no apparent reason. I did a Google search and it does, indeed, appear to be her own creation. There are some “Silver Moments” jewelry stores, and song or musical group called “Silver Moment”, but certainly nothing that I can find which matches this new approach to the baby boomers’ situation. So here’s to ‘silver moment’….much more appropriate, I think. A bit more flattering to those moments which seem to be coming along more often these days.
As a Canadian youth, I remember skating on frozen ponds, and scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal. I remember dark nights on frozen streets playing road hockey with my little brothers. Our ears were frozen stiff, our cheeks bright red, but every thought was focused on the “winning goal’ or the “great save” and hoisting the magificent cup above our heads.
So it is that the the Tampa Bay Lightning are once again, Stanley Cup contenders. And we must contemplate the sacred chalice of hockey being raised in the muggy heat of a Florida barn. Talk about “casting pearls before swine”!
How does Florida do it, with little fan support and absolutely no hockey culture? Well they do it with a great deal of help from NHL referees, who no doubt know who their boss is…… and they do it by the grace of their of non-existant fan base. That’s right. No city in Canada would tolerate the years of oblivion that the “Bolts” subject themselves do…. in order to obtain first round draft choices of the top young hockey players in Canada every year. The Bolts spend years wasting away in oblivion, building their team with draft picks, because they finish in the basement…and then, with the help of beneficial refereeing, they work their way to the Stanley Cup. The last time, they stole the cup from the Calgary Flames with a host of bogus calls, no doubt inspired by Gary Bettman.
Bettman, had the the bright idea a few years ago, that hockey would thrive in the Southern United States. Since then, Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, the Panthers of Florida, and a number of others have been struggling against bankruptcy. Bettman’s experiment has been an unmitigated disaster. While Canadian cities beg the NHL to give them a team, American fans ignore hockey, preferring pompous, inflated, effeminate basketball of all things. But Bettman, the shrimp with the little man’s complex, is incapable of admitting personal error.
I was curious about hockey in Florida. What are it’s roots there? Turns out there are 13 high schools in Tampa Bay with hockey teams. (probably all use the same rink) Compare that with the 252 high schools with hockey teams in Boston.
Tampa Bay is an abomination to hockey. It is a sacriledge to the greatest sport on earth. Tampa Bay residents wouldn’t know a puck if it hit them in the head. I guarantee you, that at least 8 out of 10 Tampa Bay residents have never held a puck, let alone skated.
The first game between Tampa Bay and Boston was joke. The NHL has decided that Tampa Bay must advance in order to salvage what little credibility Gary Bettman has left. So the most ridiculous officiating calls were common place….. as was seen in the Calgary series several years ago.
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