I'm not talking about the latest Wall Street crash as anyone with half a brain who is not retiring tomorrow knows this is the best time to buy in. The apocalypse is here because now we have Canucks' pre-season games being televised.
Let alone the fact all 82 mostly meaningless regular season games are not on TV, be it network, cable or pay, but what fan with the other half of that same brain would watch this dreck. Basically, we are living in a great era of sports information but you're telling me that in the midst of the last week of terrific MLB playoff races, Sportsnet Pacific decides pre-season hockey is a better ratings bonanza.
P.S. If you thought Dan Russell was hopeless at play-by-play, anyone who caught even five seconds of Don Taylor doing one of those games will know it isn't a job just any Joe Sports Journalist can do.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Prattlin' On About Nothing Again
Ah, summer distractions... luckily Dave Pratt (on the TEAM 1040) is there to wake me out of my slumber. Today (Sept. 4) after the announcement that Trevor Linden's number 16 will be retired, they lost it.
First of all, during the "leadership" discussion, there was a mention that when Mark Messier was here he insisted on being on the penalty kill and the Canucks PK stunk. Well, it was below the league average all three seasons Mess was here, but it was also below the season prior and after.
Check it out:
96/7 80.81% (league average: 83.73%) the season prior to Moose's arrival
97/8 82.18% (league average: 84.92%)
98/9 82.89% (league average: 84.19%)
99/00 80.43% (league average: 83.85%)
00/01 80.88% (league average: 83.36%)
So not only did the Nux improve their PK unit during Messier's first two seasons here but % wise they got closer to the league average. Not that it's a big deal nor a mindblowing stat and Messier was a lot of things, but to blame the PK problems on him when it wasn't all that good before he came is just plain vindictive. Knocking the Mooster, doesn't make Linden look better.
OK, before you all nod off, let's get to this "Linden will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder" jag that the Prattster went on about a bit. This has got to based on what "may happen" in his hockey future in management.
So, all this blether must mean that training camp has not yet started, and there is nothing much to talk about. Pretty much sums up my summer absence from blogging.
All I can say is talking about hockey even as dopey as the tangent was today sure beats last week's morning show on the TEAM where one day the poll question was whether anyone would want to see Michael Jackson live. Seriously? This what the coveted sports talk radio 18-to-25 male demographic is interested in? Weren't they more into the hair or metal bands back then? weren't they? No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones rang so true . . . let alone no Clash, Buzzcocks or the Jam.
With that dated New Wave reference, I must bid all adieu until hopefully the Gillisian One pulls of the Sedins for Kovalchuk deal I want...or until some actual hockey "news" happens.
First of all, during the "leadership" discussion, there was a mention that when Mark Messier was here he insisted on being on the penalty kill and the Canucks PK stunk. Well, it was below the league average all three seasons Mess was here, but it was also below the season prior and after.
Check it out:
96/7 80.81% (league average: 83.73%) the season prior to Moose's arrival
97/8 82.18% (league average: 84.92%)
98/9 82.89% (league average: 84.19%)
99/00 80.43% (league average: 83.85%)
00/01 80.88% (league average: 83.36%)
So not only did the Nux improve their PK unit during Messier's first two seasons here but % wise they got closer to the league average. Not that it's a big deal nor a mindblowing stat and Messier was a lot of things, but to blame the PK problems on him when it wasn't all that good before he came is just plain vindictive. Knocking the Mooster, doesn't make Linden look better.
OK, before you all nod off, let's get to this "Linden will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder" jag that the Prattster went on about a bit. This has got to based on what "may happen" in his hockey future in management.
So, all this blether must mean that training camp has not yet started, and there is nothing much to talk about. Pretty much sums up my summer absence from blogging.
All I can say is talking about hockey even as dopey as the tangent was today sure beats last week's morning show on the TEAM where one day the poll question was whether anyone would want to see Michael Jackson live. Seriously? This what the coveted sports talk radio 18-to-25 male demographic is interested in? Weren't they more into the hair or metal bands back then? weren't they? No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones rang so true . . . let alone no Clash, Buzzcocks or the Jam.
With that dated New Wave reference, I must bid all adieu until hopefully the Gillisian One pulls of the Sedins for Kovalchuk deal I want...or until some actual hockey "news" happens.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Vancouver and the MLS: Multiple Lawsuits Soon?
Now that Vancouver soccer fans (oops, "supporters") are all tingly about Canadian NBA god Steve Nash's involvement in the Whitecaps' bid for a Major League Soccer franchise comes news that Canucks' owner Francesco Aquilini may submit a competing bid.
Never mind the fact that the Whitecaps currently don't even play in Vancouver and at best draw 5,000 to bland Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby, now the USL (Useless Soccer League) team known as the Whitecaps FC (FC = we want to openly ape all things "British" even though we are in North America and play in a "soccer" league) has competition in their attempt to join the big league of soccer here in North America known as the MLS (does Major League Soccer have to pay a fee to the real estate venture, Multiple Listings Service, it shares its acronym with?) .
The Burnaby mayor Derek "Hizzoner Bling Daddy" Corrigan obviously sees the Whitecaps as a decent revenue stream for the city and wants to keep them in Burn-A-Bee. Then again this "Vancouver" team really never embraced the whole "Burnaby" concept despite also having two team training grounds in the city given the Whitecaps' head office remained in Vancouver's Gastown throughout.
Aquilini sees the success of the MLS's Toronto FC and also sees dollar signs, too. He has suggested he'd expand Swanguard to a capacity of 20,000 to accommodate an MLS team. Given Caps' now co-owner Greg Kerfoot's troubles in getting a downtown Vancouver waterfront soccer stadium built, this is now definitely going to get interesting, if the stadium becomes THE issue.
The Whitecaps are set to move into BC Place Stadium in 2011 once the retractable roof is put in. Obviously, a 60,000-seat capacity stadium is way too large for any MLS franchise today but the Caps, like the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions who currently use the facility, will "hide" seats in the upper deck behind a magic curtain to create a more intimate (and sexy?) soccer atmosphere.
It's curtains for the upper deck
Now it may not be ideal but it sure beats Swanguard, especially for location. Yes, the upper deck will be empty and much of the lower bowl, too, on most nights even with MLS soccer being an upgrade. Yet, you have to wonder if soccer fans (the hardcore 3,000 to 5,000 that have hung on after the glory days of the NASL and the original Vancouver Whitecaps) aren't in for a harrowing few years. Also, part of getting an MLS expansion team absolutely depends on building a soccer-specific stadium, as clearly stated in the past by MLS commissioner Don Garber, so BC Place can only be seen as a temporary home.
Remember, Vancouver may have the NASL history, the current strong ownership group and a the grassroots' support but this city is no lock for an expansion franchise given the MLS rocky expansion plans just four years ago where Cleveland seemed set to join the MLS with Chivas USA (the LA-based Hispanic/Mexican franchise). Cleveland is still on the outside and is not even being considered for this round of expansion.
Never mind the fact that the Whitecaps currently don't even play in Vancouver and at best draw 5,000 to bland Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby, now the USL (Useless Soccer League) team known as the Whitecaps FC (FC = we want to openly ape all things "British" even though we are in North America and play in a "soccer" league) has competition in their attempt to join the big league of soccer here in North America known as the MLS (does Major League Soccer have to pay a fee to the real estate venture, Multiple Listings Service, it shares its acronym with?) .
The Burnaby mayor Derek "Hizzoner Bling Daddy" Corrigan obviously sees the Whitecaps as a decent revenue stream for the city and wants to keep them in Burn-A-Bee. Then again this "Vancouver" team really never embraced the whole "Burnaby" concept despite also having two team training grounds in the city given the Whitecaps' head office remained in Vancouver's Gastown throughout.
Aquilini sees the success of the MLS's Toronto FC and also sees dollar signs, too. He has suggested he'd expand Swanguard to a capacity of 20,000 to accommodate an MLS team. Given Caps' now co-owner Greg Kerfoot's troubles in getting a downtown Vancouver waterfront soccer stadium built, this is now definitely going to get interesting, if the stadium becomes THE issue.
The Whitecaps are set to move into BC Place Stadium in 2011 once the retractable roof is put in. Obviously, a 60,000-seat capacity stadium is way too large for any MLS franchise today but the Caps, like the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions who currently use the facility, will "hide" seats in the upper deck behind a magic curtain to create a more intimate (and sexy?) soccer atmosphere.
It's curtains for the upper deck
Now it may not be ideal but it sure beats Swanguard, especially for location. Yes, the upper deck will be empty and much of the lower bowl, too, on most nights even with MLS soccer being an upgrade. Yet, you have to wonder if soccer fans (the hardcore 3,000 to 5,000 that have hung on after the glory days of the NASL and the original Vancouver Whitecaps) aren't in for a harrowing few years. Also, part of getting an MLS expansion team absolutely depends on building a soccer-specific stadium, as clearly stated in the past by MLS commissioner Don Garber, so BC Place can only be seen as a temporary home.
Remember, Vancouver may have the NASL history, the current strong ownership group and a the grassroots' support but this city is no lock for an expansion franchise given the MLS rocky expansion plans just four years ago where Cleveland seemed set to join the MLS with Chivas USA (the LA-based Hispanic/Mexican franchise). Cleveland is still on the outside and is not even being considered for this round of expansion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
