Top Ten Tuesday:

Baseball CFL Football Hockey MLB Riders Saskatoon Blades Top Stories WHL

It’s another Top 10 Tuesday… From the absurd to the rational we’ll try to make sense of it all in this weekly tradition…

This week: Don did it again, Play-off Picks You Can Count On, Tebow-Mania to Montreal AND more…

10 – Nice to see that the latest NHL labor disruption was “all about the fans!” I’m still really not sure who won the latest NHL CBA. One thing that is for sure is that it wasn’t the fans! An abbreviated 48 game schedule is now in the books with no ticket reduction, merchandise discounts, season ticket loyalty rebates… No instead the money grubbing league has once again gouged the fans this time for post-season tickets. I’m truly not sure who can afford to take in a play-off game. From Vancouver’s $123-$425 per ticket per play-off game to Toronto’s $195-$2502 per ticket the prices in Canada are through the roof! It’s a good thing that owners locked out the players to cap costs and ensure that exorbitant increases aren’t passed on to the fans.

IN a survey of American teams’ ticket prices it appears as though Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Nashville and Florida owners are contacting fans to remind them that they still play hockey in those markets.

9 – You have to feel for Joe Nieuwendyk, the former General Manager of the Dallas Stars. When I had an opportunity to sit down with him at the World Junior Championship he was nothing short of fascinating! The insight that he shared and the knowledge of every player in his system was amazing. Unfortunately for him the organization cut his legs out and hired another man (Jim Nill from Detroit) before they informed him that he was going to be fired! Thumbs down!

8 – The Saskatoon Blades put on a three period display for their fans Sunday afternoon at Credit Union Centre. Many wondered aloud how sharp the team would be. No doubt there was some rust BUT the conditioning level of the team appears vastly improved. Now can the team find a way to get back up to game speed in their drills in order to capitalize on teams that may be mentally and physically drained from long play-off runs?

7 – My hockey chuckle of the week came courtesy of TSN! It’s outstanding when they allow their creativity to boil over. Such is the case with the Hangover parity with James Duthie, Daren Dreger, and the LA Kings… Well done gentlemen! Well Done!

6 – To baseball where Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopolis met with the media prior to the team’s fourth and final game in New York on Sunday morning. He was asked to explain the Jays feeble start to the season. He proceeded to point to gradual improvement in the starters ERA and the team’s league worst batting average. Many fans want to throw manager John Gibbons under the bus. The GM obviously is of that opinion but after and 1-and-7 road trip against Divisional opponents the Jays need to turn it around quickly or the GM’s head may be called for as well!

5 – On a different field CFL reporters seem to be foaming at the mouth for a possible Tim Tebow to Montreal situation. Yes, the knee bending QB was released from the New York Jets. However, if his arm wasn’t strong enough for the NFL game how in the world will he be able to compete on the larger CFL field? One thing’s for sure NEVER question Jim Popp! If he feels Tebow’s a fit Popp will make sure that he has a chance to fit in!

4 – Meanwhile Hamilton and Toronto are battling with players threatening not to report. Khalif Mitchell who Toronto acquired from BC has stated his displeasure in the deal that sent him to the big smoke… You make recall however, that a number of his well thought out antics on the field and on social media netted him league and team discipline. In the words of the wise fisherman in Nipawin Khalif needs to “Shut UP! And play” OR his football career may be over.

3 – In Hamilton Chris Williams, who has been nothing short of spectacular both as a kick returner and receiver, is threatening to sit out in order to force the team to allow him to try out south of the border. I get that he’s making the CFL minimum but no one held a gun to a head telling him to sign a 3-year deal with the Tabbies in 2010. If he’s upset with anyone it should be his representatives that helped him ink the deal. One things for sure on this one, new General Manager and Head Coach Kent Austin will not back down! Your move Chris!

2 – The NHL play-offs open tonight… Here are my first round picks! IN the East advancing to round two will be: Pittsburgh, Montreal, the Rangers and Boston. While in the West, Chicago, Anaheim, San Jose and St. Louis will advance!  No repeat for L-A!

1 – Lastly, Don Cherry has done it again! On Coach’s Corner on Saturday night he said that women should not be in NHL dressing rooms where guys are walking around without clothes on! He then went on to ask host Ron McLean if he would like a guy to go into McLean’s wife Karrie’s dressing room after one of her games. I hate to say it but I kind of get his point! I don’t think that ANYONE needs to go where an athlete is changing. What’s the point?

I know some newspaper types in the WHL feel that the dressing rooms should be open to the media. I get that I am trying to buck a tradition BUT really what’s the big deal in waiting 10 minutes for them to come out? What you may lose in time to meet your deadline you’ll definitely gain in maintaining your sense of smell!!!!

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