Losing two legends

We lost two legendary football stars this week, Sammy Baugh from the NFL and Joe "King" Krol from the CFL. Both were stars of the game long before my time, but I can appreciate the impact that they had on football from the history that accompanies them. Both were multi talented players. Most players played multiple positions back in the 1940s, but not all players excelled at all the positions they played, as Baugh and Krol did.

Sammy Baugh (#33) was a natural passer, a first round draft choice from Texas who played on two NFL champion teams for the Washington Redskins. He was also a talented defensive back and an outstanding punter. One year he led the NFL in passing, interceptions by a defensive back and in punting. Only recently has his record career punting average been exceeded by Shane Lechler of the Oakland Raiders. Baugh still holds several NFL punting records after being out of the game for over fifty years.

King Krol (#73) won five Grey Cups for the Toronto Argonauts in their hey day in the late forties and early fifties. Like Baugh he starred on offence and defence and was a talented kicker. A running back, Krol was named to the top 50 CFL players of all time. He is also a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

These two men lived to advanced ages, but we still mourn their loss as they were legends who helped make the great game of football what it is today.

Say it S'Aint so, Deuce!

It won't be the same without Deuce McAllister running out of the backfield, or just appearing on the New Orleans Saints sideline for the next four games. Deuce has been suspended by the NFL for using a banned diuretic, which can be used as a masking agent for steroids. It all seems a bit harsh when he claims to have been using the diuretic for losing weight, and was not aware that the med included a banned substance. It also seems harsh when you compare this situation to that of Ricky Williams, whose suspension resulted from marijuana use. Oh, I hope Deuce doesn't retire in the meantime and I never get to see him play again. We want you back, big guy.

"I did it for love..."

...what more can I say? It was a wonderful wedding day for nephew Ben and his bride, Stephanie. At the nifty backyard reception, we were treated to vinyl album 1970s music. Just cool. But even the best planned musical experiences can turn a little ugly.

The emcee introduced the process by which it would be determined which table would go to the buffet next. He explained that, after he put on a new song, the first guest to come up and give the name of the song could take their table to the buffet. I had no clue on the first few songs, but suddenly, one came on that was familiar.

I took off running in my suit and dress shoes, hearing someone breathing down my neck all the way to the head table. As I arrived I blurted out: "I did it for love," the title of any old song by a '70s group called Harlequin. All of a sudden I heard a feminine voice behind me say "Harlequin...I did it for love." That's when I got mad.

The emcee detected that he had a dilemma, but I made sure I made it worse for him. His first reaction was to declare the woman behind me the winner because she gave the name of the group, ignoring the fact that she was not the first one there and was not the first one to give the name of the song. I protested: "But you said all we had to do was give the name of the song!" By now the wedding table was turned, wondering what would happen next.

The emcee finally decided to let both tables go, especially since my opponent had only her and her partner at her table and we had only six out of eight at our table. I high fived the other competitor as we headed off. I was slightly embarrassed that I made an issue of it, but the literal lawyer came out of me suddenly. My table was pleased with my effort, as I took one for the team.

The highlight for me of the entire day, was the bride's wedding vows. She pulled a Rene Zellweger when she began her vows: "Ben, you had me at 'hello'". It was very moving.

Shockey the Saint

What a surprise! The spoiled brat of the New York Giants is now a member of my team, the New Orleans Saints. Actually, I am quite overjoyed, as I have come to appreciate Jeremy Shockey's skills as a tight end pass receiver over the past few years. I also appreciate the Saints taking a leap to add another weapon to their offensive arsenal. It should be another exciting season watching the black and gold, and it is only six weeks away! Time to order NFL Sunday Ticket.

Way to go, Junior!

Wow! Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run tonight. Not bad for a player who has said that he is not a home run hitter.

I remember when Junior broke in as a sensational 19 year old with the Seattle Mariners. He popularized wearing his hat backwards, not to be different, but just to be cool. It was so neat when his dad, who was still playing in the majors at age 39, was acquired by the Mariners and got to play in the same outfield as his son, a first in major league baseball.

I feel really blessed to have seen Junior play in person once upon a time. It was one of the first seasons of interleague play, in the summer of 1997, and my family came with me to the Seattle Kingdome on a trip to the West Coast. The San Francisco Giants were the visitors that day, so we got to see Barry Bonds, in addition to Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson on the bench, and of course, Junior in the outfield.

There were lots of home runs that day, and Junior hit one of them. It was so exciting. I am sure that the experience and memory is lost on my family, but I will never forget being at that game. It was worth the trip from Saskatoon to Maple Ridge to Seattle just to see Junior play.

Congratulations Junior on this amazing accomplishment. You have joined the big sluggers of history, Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa in the exclusive 600 homer club. Way to go, Junior!

All alone with some knuckleheads (Leatherheads)

I thought I was late for the movie. I rushed to the automatic ticket dispenser and managed to procure my movie ticket in my great haste. I dashed off to the nearest hallway only to be directed to the opposite side of the theatre, to another hallway. The ticket person took my ticket and I dashed off to the third door on the left. I burst inside and was relieved that there were still previews showing. Then came my big surprise.

I expected to have the usual movie crowd staring at me trying to decide where to sit in the dark. Not this time. I didn't see anyone staring at me. I looked around more. There was absolutely no one else in the theatre! After my initial shock at feeling foolish for looking everywhere, I realized that no one was going to notice how I looked or felt.

I even managed a phone call from the theatre to my significant other to blather about my unique situation. And it didn't bother anyone (with the possible exception of my significant other). She explained to me my good fortune: I could talk, cough, laugh, burp, or, well you get the idea. It was indeed a great situation for me. I instantly sat in my conception of the best seat in the house.

However, one begins to wonder if you are a real loser to be the only one person watching a movie. Is the movie that bad? At a pivotal point in the drama, a character is talking on the phone and mentions that she will be hanging around with these "knuckleheads." You begin to wonder if that description includes you also, as the one and only spectator.

Nonetheless, I thought Leatherheads was a really good movie. I liked the character development and I like all of the actors. That the movie focused on the development of professional football in the 1920s was a real plus for me, too. As a football fanatic and historian, I could identify well. It was a great experience watching the historical comedy romance unfold on the big screen all by myself. But maybe I was the real leatherhead for shelling out $12.50 for a movie I could see for three bucks in a few weeks.

How do you get down off an elephant?

... you don't get down off an elephant; you get down off a duck!

Embarrassingly, I never got that joke until many years after I first heard it; and only then when my big brother explained it to me.

How do you get down from a Stanley Cup championship in southern California? If you're a Duck, it's from meeting a hot team in the first round of the playoffs.

The Dallas Stars were full measure for their eliminating the defending champion Anaheim Ducks in 6 games. Stars netminder Marty Turko was almost unbeatable much of the time. I think the Ducks just never quite recovered from that blowout in game one on home ice.

Am I disappointed? Yes. However, the Ducks did provide an exciting season, especially with the return of Scott Niedermeyer and Teemu Selanne who scored several key goals down the stretch.

I am mostly disappointed that the Ducks have missed the opportunity to repeat as Stanley Cup champs. Winning back to back may have placed them among some of the great teams in NHL history. But it was not to be. Quack.

Never give up

I can't believe they actually came back and won it all. The Kansas Jayhawks men's college basketball team had led at various times during the the NCAA tournament final against the Memphis Tigers, but they were down by 9 points with two minutes left, and were not shooting well. Miraculously, they came back to within 2 points with sufficient time, but the real miracle was yet to come.

Kansas missed on a good chance to tie it from 2 points down, and then, after fouling Memphis, the Tigers went up by three with about 10 seconds left. That meant that Kansas had to make a three pointer, something that they were lousy at doing all through the game up to that point. But then it happened.

With Memphis playing tough defence, Kansas somehow got the ball down court quickly (remember, they only had 10 seconds to do something). The Kansas dribbler was completely covered, but managed a pass back to Mario Chalmers just outside the 3 point circle and it was all or nothing. Memphis players were also all over Chalmers by the time he received the pass, but he let fly a shot with a great arc and somehow we all saw and heard the swish of nothing but net. Tie game with 2 seconds left!

So we are off to overtime, and Kansas, with the momentum, puts Memphis away for good to win the title. What a stunning turn of events. I keep learning from determined young athletes to never give up, even when it looks hopeless.

Sad All Over

I am grieving over the death of Mike Smith, lead vocalist and keyboardist for the Dave Clark Five, today near London. Mike died of pneumonia at age 64. He was too young to leave us.

I was only a wee lad when the DC5 hit the top of charts in the UK and, for a time, were as equally well known in the British Invasion as were the Beatles. In fact, the DC5 made 18 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, the most by any British group.

Smith had a distinctive voice, which some writer described as "leathery", that made the popular music of the group so appealing. I feel blessed nowadays to be able to see old performances of the DC5 on YouTube. Mike is a real presence in the performances.

Smith's passing seems even more tragic with the somewhat recent passing of the saxophonist of the group, Denis Payton, at age 63.

It is just really sad to lose the rock and roll stars of my youth, when they are still relatively young. Their music lives on, but it is sobering to realize that this is the end of an era.

"I'm in pieces, bits and pieces" over the passing of Mike. We will miss you, Mike. The song was always so true of you, that "You got what it takes."

What would Mark and Jake think?

The Buffalo Bills playing regular season games in Toronto? Former MP Mark Lalonde and former CFL Commissioner Jake Gaudaur would be horrified. When tycoon John Bassett announced his new Toronto franchise in the World Football League in 1973, Lalonde introduced legislation blocking the American invasion so quickly, it made Bassett's head spin. And Gaudaur was firmly in Lalonde's court, in seeking to preserve the Canadian game.

How times have changed.


PS: Here's another opinion on the matter

NFL's Foray Into Canada Will Doom CFL: Ackles
Ed Willes, Canwest News Service; Vancouver Province
Published: Friday, February 01, 2008

PHOENIX, Ariz. - When commissioner NFL Roger Goodell announces today that Toronto will play host to eight Buffalo Bills games over the next five years, he will present it as a positive development for both his league and the CFL.

B.C. Lions president Bob Ackles, on the other hand, has a different take on the matter.

Ackles believes this move is the toehold would-be NFL owners Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum have been looking to secure in Toronto and, ultimately, it will lead to the demise of the CFL. Ackles, whose feelings on this subject are well known, has been silent on it for a while.

Lord of the Rings Bobby Ackles began his career with the B.C. Lions in 1953 as their lowly water boy.

Thursday he broke that silence in a big way.

"That's no CFL, no Grey Cup and, in the end, no minor football in Canada because kids will see they don't have a chance to play pro ball," Ackles said, reacting to the news which is expected to come out today at Goodell's Super Bowl press conference.

"(Goodell) will handle it very diplomatically but this is the tip of the berg. It might take some time but you can see where this is going."

Today's announcement has long been in the works and is expected to include some concessions for the CFL. The games - five regular-season contests, three in the pre-season over the five-year period - will be played in December after the Grey Cup. It's also thought that Toronto Argonauts' and Hamilton Tiger-Cats' season-ticket holders will get priority in the purchase of tickets.

But Ackles says that's just a flimsy attempt at spin control.

"I'm just one guy," Ackles said. "But I think it's just a matter of time. There are two guys (Rogers and Tananenbaum) with a lot of money and they usually get what they want.

"Why would anyone want to go to Toronto? No. 1, it's ego. No. 2, it's the money. It's a big foot in the door and they'll draw sponsorship money out of southern Ontario. And that means there won't be a national TV contract (for the CFL)."

Ralph Wilson, the Bills' owner, is 89 and has said his estate will likely sell the franchise to the highest bidder on his passing.

There is still no NFL team in Los Angeles but there's no ownership group, either.

"(Former NFL commissioners) Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue wouldn't have handled it this way," Ackles said. "Goodell came out and said he wants to grow the game internationally. Well, it's failed in Europe so where does that leave?"

Vancouver Province
ewillespng.canwest.com
© CanWest News Service 2008

Teemu is back!

Oh joyous news! Teemu Selanne announced he is returning to the Anaheim Ducks' lineup this season. Welcome back, man. I remember how excited I was when you returned to the Mighty Ducks from your travels to San Jose and Denver. I am glad you have re-discovered the passion and we can enjoy your exciting play again. Go Ducks!