Friendly International Ice

Friday's Prime Time Sports roundtable was spent largely discussing the game of hockey and ways to improve it at both the junior and professional level. Standard fare, but Gord Stellick brought up a point that I have been harping on for years and I wanted to expound on it. The NHL needs to begin grandfathering in larger, but proportional ice surfaces in new buildings.

There are a multitude of reasons someone might advoacate this concept, not the least of which, and as was disucussed on the PTS roundtable, potential safety benefits. The obvious logic being "more space = less collisions = less injuries". That reason seems all well and good, but it is pretty self explanatory, so it would be pointless to continue harping on it.

Example now irrelevant

I want to see the league implement a new ice surface standard that might allow for some creativity and character throughout the league. The recent spate of new arenas really has one defining characteristic; that none of them really have any defining characteristics. There are a few anomalies (the now NHL-less Phillips Arena with its strange wall of box suites), but generally, every arena looks like the last. Admittedly, total ice surface wont necessarily change the now industry standard layout of seats, but it might inspire new builders to get creative, and craft an identity for a team around it's arena. Much like in soccer, teams often have different sized playing surfaces, and in some cases, that playing surface is manipulated to highlight a team's strength. It is far fethched, but I imagine an NHL in which, for example, the Montreal Canadiens are playing on a large Intl size ice surface to compliment a free flowing, offensive game, whereas the Boston Bruins might be playing on a smaller, modern sized arena, designed to slow the game down, and up the physicality.

Stellick said the NHL missed their chance to implement this. Though they did miss a very good chance with all the recent new buildings, there is always time to change. All these new arenas will be old one day as well.

The NHL needs to be pushing this stuff!

Another big change I have long thought could only be a success, if the NHL insists on doing the "All Star" thing, than to make it interesting, borrow a page from the most successful, most popular game on the planet, and play an 'international friendly' or two. This could take advantage of the NHL's international flavour (something the other 3 North American sports leagues would love to have) and possibly create a mild level of competition in the game. For example, this season's ASG in Ottawa, you could have the skills comp one night with all the Stars, and then a Canada vs. USA or Canada vs. Sweden friendly the next day. Or I would even suggest have a second friendly in place of the skills comp.

And if the game is in the states, I think a USA vs. Russia All Star Game would sell alot better than East vs. West, or Western Hemisphere vs. Eastern Hemisphere, or Team Joe vs. Team Bob.





Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

2011 NHL R&D Camp

So the NHL has been tinkering again, and thankfully the ideas seem to have only gotten better since the first R&D camp. While there are still some absolutely terrible ideas, there are some (and one in particular) that I absolutely love. I'll run through some of the bigger experiments and sound off on them one by one.

• No-touch icing - Not sold on it, though I am not dead-set against it. As a defenseman, I hate that forwards are essentially given leeway nowadays to run defenders into the end boards and it is justified with the bogus cliche of "finishing your check"'

• No line change for team committing an offside - This is the type of rule that I really, really hate. This is such a trivial idea, and all it would lead to is coaches, goalies, trainers and players working to find a way to hold up the impending faceoff in order to buy their guys some time to catch their breath. Changes need to make things less complicated, not more.

• No icing permitted while shorthanded - I dont like this idea. Why shouldn't penalty killers have the release valve of throwing the puck down the ice?

• Verification line (additional line behind the goal line) - It will do nothing to affect gameplay, so I dont care, but I think Bob McCown's point was well made in saying, "why have the first line then?".

• Overtime variation (four minutes of 4-on-4 followed by three minutes of 3-on-3) - This is by far my favourite idea and one that really needs to be implemented. Only adjustment I would make is make it 5 minutes 4 on 4, and then 5 minutes of 3 on 3 (hell, I would be in favour of eliminating 4 on 4 and going right to 3 on 3). Goals will be scored 3 on 3. It is impossible to implement a defensive system while playing 3 on 3, so the entire OT period will just be endless odd-man rushes. And just to be clear, I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate the shootout.

• Shootout variation (5-man shootout precedes sudden-death format) - Just ditch the horrible shootout! Please NHL! It is terrible. The only thing worse than the shoot-out is the 5 minutes it takes to zamboni the ice before it begins (the last shoot-out I saw in person the zamboni broke down, so there was about a 10 minute break between OT and the SO). The excuse that "nobody leaves during the SO" is such a load of crap. Of course nobody leaves! If you have stayed for the whole game, then staying for OT, youre pretty dam invested in the game, there is no point in leaving then. People stay for the SO because they figure "Fuck it, I have already waited this long, may as well stick it out". I look forward to the days when we all look back at the shoot-out in the same way we look back on the glowing puck.

• Shallow-back nets - This seems like as close to a no-brainer as any move could be. Hopefully this makes wraparounds a little easier (not that guys like Dougie ever needed the space to make a beauty play).

• Delayed penalty variation (offending team must exit zone in possession of puck to stop play) - Of all the proposed changes to how penalties are called/served, I actually like this idea. I am not sure how well it would work in practice, but in theory, I really like it.

• Changes only permitted on-the-fly (except after goals and upon manpower changes) - Whoever came up with this idea should be fired.

• Strict enforcement of goaltenders covering puck outside crease (Rule 63.2) - Ummmmm......why is this rule not strictly enforced already?

• Remove trapezoid - I think the trapezoid is stupid, but I don't feel very strongly about its removal.

• All penalties to be served in their entirety - I dont like this idea. And as was opined on Prime Time Sports recently, this would probably just lead to fewer penalties being called.

• Bear-hug rule - I like this idea, but maybe thats just because I like bear hugs so much.

• On-ice officials communication -- ref-to-ref wireless - I dont see why this would be a bad thing. Communication = good

• Curved glass -- protection options at players bench areas - Another no brainer.


So there is my recap of the more important rule changes (because I know people have been dying to hear my take).

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=585925

A Tale of Two Stadia

Were it not for five years of inept management and unending greed from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Toronto FC might still be seeing crowds at BMO Field more akin to what we saw last night at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland. Of course the same warning will be issued about buying into the hype and support of a first year team. New York and Chicago fans were quick to dismiss TFC's year one box office success and electrifying atmosphere as a result of simply being the "flavour of the week", especially among today's super trendy, faux-wordly, young Torontonian. TFC fans scoffed at the suggestion. "This is a soccer city" they would say. "We just needed the team and the stadium".

Well, five years on, the team has gone nowhere on the field, has steadily declined as a box-office draw, and lost of all it's trendy "footy" cache; only to become soccer's version of the Maple Leafs, a big city laughing stock.

TFC Celebrates in front of a packed BMO Field

There are however significant distinctions to be made when comparing the cases of Toronto FC and the Portland Timbers (or Portlands Timbers FC, or whatever they are, to me, they're the Timbers). While the new toy sheen eventually wears on in every market, there is little reason to believe the Timbers will become the next TFC.

Chief among them, the Timbers are not owned by an organization as unscrupulous, and and as tone deaf as MLSE. MLSE's justification for continued ticket price increases in spite of the team's terrible performances was that they weren't pricing by Major League Soccer standards, they were charging by Toronto standards (of course, MLSE sets this "standard" with their two other pro sports properties, but alas). This is probably the biggest example of the selfish arogance displayed by MLSE with regards to TFC pricing. The product on the field was terrible. So terrible that any reasonable owner (Like Seattle's Drew Carey who apologized for and refunded fans after a 4-0 home defeat of his Sounders) would feel guilty about taking money for such trash. TFC was fielding a deplorable line-up, playing in a third tier football league, and charging as if they were Manchester United.

That kind of greed and that lack of forethought has, is, and will cost TFC in the long term. Their growth, never  mind as a team, but their growth as an organization and as a brand has taken a huge hit. The kind of grass roots support that created the first year scenes that MLSE then used as marketing for the next several years, the grass roots support that makes Jeld-Wen Field in Portland look like a manic green cauldron, that has been seriously damaged, maybe irreparably.

I know this seems like a crazy concept to the marketing geniuses at MLSE, but maybe charging to the hilt on absolutely everything you can isn't such a great long term plan. Maybe ensuring that your customers won't expect to be ripped off at every corner might help you retain customers. If Paul Beirne and Tom Anselmi were watching TV late Wednesday night, they got a good glimpse at two vastly different scenes; and two scenes that are both plausible outcomes in Toronto. While Seattle played to a rabid crowd of long time supporters (of course the Timbers, like the Whitecaps are an old USL team), FC Dallas played in front of friends and family (and I think alot of them skipped out after half time) for their Champions League tie.

If MLSE keeps trying to charge Toronto Maple Leaf hockey prices for, what is essentially,Toronto Maple Leaf inter-county baseball caliber competition, they're going to find their golden goose dead, burnt and worthless pretty quickly. Toronto fans will pay (the Leafs and Raps obviously still draw), but if they think you are trying to rip them off (cough...Bills in Toronto...) they will turn their back on you. The reason MLSE thinks they can charge so much for TFC, that Toronto is an expensive city with alot to do, is the exact same reason that it will be quite easy for potential long time TFC fans and supporters to shrug their shoulders and move onto something else.









Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Team Canada to call Toronto Home

Canada Opens World Cup Qualifying With Toronto Stand - Globe and Mail

Captain Canada and a victim of TFC/MLSE mismanagement

Team Canada (the association football version) will make Toronto, and more specifically, the as of yet illogically named (for FIFA games anyways) Canadian National Soccer Stadium its home for it's first run of qualifying games for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The senior men's team has only played a handful of games in Toronto since the stadium went up, and only one meaningful game (a crushing draw with Jamaica that effectively ended the 2010 World Cup campaign almost before it began).

With the teams Canada has been drawn against, and hopefully the stability provided by a consistent home field (which will hopefully, but not likely provide a home crowd as well), the squad should make it through to the next round of qualifying. SHOULD. But this is Canada's men's national team, and they rarely do as their supposed to (unless they're supposed to lose, they're pretty good at meeting that bar).

Of note, all three games will take place on Friday nights, which should make for some, lets call them, "lively" attendees.

Hopefully ticket prices are reasonable so that casual Canadian soccer fans will consider going, as opposed to the cash grab mentality that normally pervades CSA ticket distrubution methods wherein they attempt to overcharge knowing that the fans of the other team (i.e. whoever is playing against Canada) will pay almost anything to watch "their" team (despite the fact that presumably a large number of those supporters now live and work in Canada.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Bobcat's Ominous Tweet

@FadooBobcatBob McCown

ROGERS Sportsnet...RIP...September. Well....partly

During today's broadcast of Prime Time Sports, McCown (who has been tweeting up a storm by his standards in recent weeks) sent out this ominous tweet. A few of the responses asked Bob about leaving the Fan, or going to the competition, but I suspect that isn't the case. For one, I don't think Bob would so flippantly tweet about something like that, and secondly, I think the fact that Bob emphasized the ROGERS half of Rogers Sportsnet, would lead me to believe that McCown is more likely referring to some sort of re-branding (again) or some kind of ownership change. Frankly, I would welcome a re-branding. Sportsnet Radio The Fan 590 is about four syllables too long. I really hope there are no changes to Bob's show, as it is the best thing going in sports radio, and I would hate it if Bob went over to TSN Radio. Their signal is weak and talent pool is even weaker.

I suppose we will just have to wait and see.

And on a related note, why didn't the Holiday Monday round table go up until today? I am hoping it was just a result of the holiday, and presumably limited staffing. If The Fan is considering any kind of podcast delay (such as ESPN 980's flawed attempt to combat the evolution of radio broadcasting by delaying, and thus, devaluing the Tony Kornheiser Show) they ought the think twice. It can only hurt the brand.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

FC Twente Player's Dive for the Ages

FC Twente's Peter Wisgerhof does his best to get on Barcelona's radar with a dive that would make Emilie Heymans proud.

In all seriousness though, that has got to be AT LEST a yellow card. Frankly, with something that egregious, and in a match that doesn't necessarily mean all that much, I think a straight red would be perfectly acceptable.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

New York Rangers Winter Classic Leak?

Making the rounds on the web today is a possible leaked image of what the New York Rangers might be wearing for this coming season's Winter Classic.

If these are indeed the Rangers' WC threads, than kudos to the NHL on more great branding for the Winter Classic. The Rangers' shield generally looks pretty weird on a jersey, but it looks great on that. And I love when teams use that sort of off-white colour, as opposed to the super clean white.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

St. Johns Refreshing Summer Beverage

I really can not believe this team was named this. They better be getting some money from Tim Horton's. Not only is the name nationally synonymous with a delicious summer time beverage, but the logo looks like it belongs on the cup itself. I am getting thirsty just looking at it!

I suppose the people of St. Johns won't really care, they have a team, that is all that matters, but its a shame that management went with such a ridiculous name. As a Torontonian, I can't help but feel a little guilty that the Baby Leafs moved here and I have been to all of one game, but I guess it is MLSE's place to feel guilty; and they obviously have no emotion (cough...Ryerson MLG deal).



Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Howard Berger's Photo Cache

Former Fan 590 Maple Leaf beat reporter Howard Berger has posted a lengthy expose of the Toronto Maple Leafs uniform on his new blog and its great not even for the info, but just for the bevy of classic photographs of Leaf action.

All the talk is that the Leafs are ditching their current, and very popular, third jersey in favour of a different vintage style third. Frankly, so long as the Leafs don't go for the 1980's jersey, they can do no wrong by borrowing from their history. I am as big a fan as anybody of the current third (I bought it when it was first unveiled back in 2000 or whenever it was) but a change would certainly be welcome.

Word has it the jersey will basically look like this, which I am fine with. I am a fan of the Leafs using all of their Leaf logos. I like them all.

Apparently these sweaters are 'Rob Fird' sized

See the full photo gallery here

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @edgeHNIC, @Da moSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Prime Time Sports - Friday Roundtable

"This is the finger cricket players don't use"

On Friday Greg Zaun lit into JP Arencibia. Arencibia proceeded to come up huge for the Jays that night and chirp Zaun on twitter afterwards. Nice to have those kind of stories. Its always good to hear a current player show a commentator where he can stuff his criticism. And it all makes for more entertainment. 

The Friday roundtable was fairly dull this week. A lot of CFL talk. Grange needs to speak up more. He was the most thoughtful guy on that panel and said the least (though I guess that makes sense). Having Cox and Shannon on the roundtable isn't good for the show. With them and Bob in the same room, every discussion just seems to become a bunch of buddy-buddy ribbing and very little of substance ever gets touched upon.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Prime Time Sports - Thursday No Shows

NOT Maple Leaf Gardens

On Thursday we were supposed to get both Tom Anselmi (presumably to explain the money grubbing, scum-baggish move by MLSE to bring an injunction against Ryerson to keep them from calling Maple Leaf Gardens, Maple Leaf Gardens, but he never came on, but even worse, we were supposed to get one of my faovurite PTS regulars Darren Rovell, but we didn't get him either. Instead we got a half hour of Cox talking on a cell phone about his boring tennis match. 

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Prime Time Sports - Belli and Bailey Nip By

"He's a chicken."

The highlights of Wednesday were firstly, Donovan Bailey in studio. This was an absolutely terrific interview. I loved his insight on the Skydome showdown between him and Ben Johnson. I remember watching it very well. It really seemed to me like the kind of rare sporting even that comes along once in a generation. Everyone on earth knew Johnson pulled up to avoid the embarrassment. It was great to hear Donovan still won't mince words, yet he still manages to be tactful about it.

The second highlight was Adriano Belli describing the Japanese American Football team as "Japs". 



Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Prime Time Sports - Tuesday CFL Jibber Jabber

Tuesday was a lot of CFL talk, which I still can't get too involved in. I am definitely coming around on the CFL and have watched more games this season than I ever have (though I am still a classic Torontonian suffering from Argo Apathy). As I say, the league is growing on me, but I still have little to no interest in hearing Jim Barker or Eric Tillman discuss games (especially so early in the season). Bob and Cox got into a big argument about the recent controversial hits which I really didn't care about. I thought the hit that got the Argo player ejected was incredibly late and that is about all I have got to say about that. 

John Salley came by and he and Bob discussed getting him a job. If there is actually a chance of that happening, the Fan 590 ought to jump through hoops to make it happen. Salley and Bob have great chemistry on the air. The last time Salley was on was a classic PTS segment and this week was only tempered by the fact that he wasn't dropping in on a round table. Brian Williams and Buddy Nix came on later to show off how awesome their voices are and redeem the show for all of its earlier CFL jibber jabber.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw Listen Here - http://www.fan590.com/onair/primetimesports/

Prime Time Sports - Monday jersey talk

On to Prime Time Sports from this past week. Bob was finally back. The selection of fill-ins was pretty good, with the exception of Gord Stellick. I am sure he is a nice guy, and he is engaging as a round table panel member, but I don't think he can carry a program. He just sounds like too much of a sanitized, prototypical (or stereotypical) radio host.

Best Blue Jay in the best uniform.

On Monday Bob had Paul Beeston on asked him candidly about the Blue Jays switching logos next season and going back to the traditional (and universally beloved) Blue Jays logo. Beeston seemed to strongly imply that the switch was coming and hopefully that is the case. Its a disappointment that the Jays didn't wear the classic uniforms for Roberto Alomar's retirement day, but I am hoping it is just a sign that they didn't want to push the old school uniform at all this season in the hopes of running through as much of the current product before a full scale re branding next season. The switch has got to be all but a done deal; never mind the fans, who clearly love the old logo, but even the branding throughout Rogers Skydome is about 2:1 old school logo. There hasn't been an easier branding decision since the Winnipeg Jets.

Royal Blue > Navy Blue

Speaking of the Jets, Mark Chipman was also on with Bob, and in more uniform news (throughout this blog you will find I am quite obsessive about sports uniforms), he certainly left the door about as open as possible for the return of the classic Winnipeg Jets look at some point in the future. I have no problem with the Jets new branding, but it would be great to see the old Jets logo (90's era only please, the other two incarnations have not aged well) back in action as an alternate logo.

Links and Twitter handles: @FadooBobcat @FriedgeHNIC, @DamoSpin, @JeffMarek, @michaelgrange @GloBlair @GordStellick @darrenrovell @Paul__Jones @Wilnerness590 @keithlaw

New Format

Well, I figured using the Prime Time Sports moniker was, one, a little murky legally, two, somewhat lazy creatively, and three, quite limiting contextually, so the blog has been renamed, and slightly reformatted to include much more of the sports media content I waste all my time consuming. The page will evolve as and if I keep posting, so I can safely say this is not a finalized format. 

As a start, I will work in my two other favourite sports podcasts, The Score Media's "Tim and Sid: Uncut", and "The Tony Kornhieser Show", which, for the time being anyway, I think is a property of ESPN 980 in DC. Not a Toronto sports show per se, but as Mr. Tony himself will tell you, he doesn't do a sports show. As I update this blog I will work in content and links from these shows while offering comment for no other reason than to kill time whilst not doing anything on my long weekends.