Rick Moffat's blog
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
COYOTES ON THE LOOSE? HOPEFULLY THE PENGUINS ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT A PACK OF WILD BULLDOGS!
How can THIS not get through to Matt D'Agostini? Even with Pouliot and Bergeron out for Super Bowl Weekend, Dags is in the doghouse while Bulldogs are off the chain everywhere. Darche on the top line. White-Desharnais-Trotter as a 4th line? The Canadiens have 8 players with them this weekend who've spent time in Hamilton this season. Dags---you don't want adult education classes at Stelco U!
What are the 2 things Anthony Calvillo and I agree on about Super Bowl Sunday? 1) Colts will DESTROY the Saints. 2) There will NOT be 13 men on the field at game-end.
While I'm at it AC, how come you don't pretend to be conducting the orchestra like Manning does at the line of scrimmage? "Actually Marc (Coach Trestman) wanted to bring in some plays that would have me make more reads right before the snap, but in the CFL we only have 20 seconds between plays. We just didn't have time. Fans don't realize in the NFL you can do alot with 45 seconds."
What's the latest scandal dividing the Habs' room? Most of the players I talked to are turning on Josh Gorges, an unabashed Colts fan. The Canadiens D-man insists he's no band-wagon hitch-hiker...he comes by it honestly. "My Dad's cheered for the Colts since Johnny Unitas was the quarterback in Baltimore."
Now Josh, about that refusal to put your money where your mouth is in a Super Bowl friendly wager with D'Agostini? "He shouldn't be talking...he still owes me for last week's games!" Gorges jokes, referring to his bang-on predictions for the Conference finals.
Is this a sign of age or maturity? Anthony Calvillo's pointed out that the latest Hall of Fame inductees are all guys he has played with or against. "That's showing my age," chuckles AC. "Glad to see Ham going in. He told me he'd teach me things, but I had to want to learn. Tracy always said he wanted to help young quarterbacks but they didn't all want to learn."
Anthony, you obviously paid attention...just don't plagiarize his induction speech 10 years from now!
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
How did you like that preview of the All-Canadian Stanley Cup Final?
HABS MATH TEST: Can you prove #41=#1?! Jacques Martin still insists #31=#41=#1.
Why do you want to trade Carey Price all of a sudden? That's not going to cure the problems on the Habs.
Hey Tracy Ham, how often does fellow Hall of Fame inductee Elfrid Payton remind you he sacked you 4 times in a game once!? "Every time we get together...but now at least I can say I was sacked by a Hall of Famer!" chuckles Ham.
Do you realize there is a direct line from Joe Barnes of the 70's to Anthony Calvillo's Grey Cup success? Barnes coached Ham in Baltimore, after Tracy led the Argos to one of the worst seasons in CFL history. Tracy then qb-whispered Calvillo back to confidence after an even worse season in Steeltown. "Why was it so important for you to mentor someone, Tracy?" I asked the Als' QB of Eastern Final heartbreaks in '96, '97, '98 and '99? "Because people took the time to mentor me."
Shouldn't Elfrid's bust at the Hall include his gag false-teeth?
SWAC, where did you get that Sack Dance? (Not so much a dance as a crouch with a cursing point and shake of the fingers). "That's my tribute to the late Glenn Montgomery. We played high-school ball together and he went on to the NFL (Houston Oilers). I just took what he did and made it my own." Montgomery died of Lou Gehrig's Disease, another wicked twist of fate for a man who overcame adversity to rise out of the New Orleans ghetto.
How come no-one but Coach Martin has noticed Ryan O'Byrne stepping up? He led all players in hits AND blocked shots during that 3-2 upset over the Canucks.
Think anyone on Canada will dare hold a "Beware the 13th Man" sign when the Als kickoff their Grey Cup Rematch game in Regina? Rider fans are more likely to dress like Lady Gaga at the Grammies.
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
HAPPY HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA EVERYBODY! Yannick Weber says "is it Hockey Day in Switzerland too?" Sure is, since for once, family and friends don't have to stay up all night to listen to him on www.cjad.com! The Canadiens hit the Nation's Capital with a Coach who's hometown still doesn't even have an arena. Jacques Martin tells me growing up in St. Pascal, the nearest arena for minor hockey was in the "big town" of Clarence Creek.
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
Why will Roman Hamrlik think twice before he ever goes deepsea fishing again? Cuz he got terribly seasick Sunday. The only Habs player to tough out stormy waters on a trip arranged by fellow defenseman Paul Mara's guy. Mara of course didn't make it to Floride becaues of his recent injury, and Carey Price had the good sense to bail at the last minute. Hammer toughed it out but says "I thought I was on the Titanic." All he caught was some Gravol while Nick Addey-Jibb, the team athletic therapist, landed The Big One---a 10-pound tuna.
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
Who would be crazy enough to complain about being put on a line with Lecavalier and St. Louis? Didn't that McGill education do anything for Mathieu Darche? Mad Matt was all smiles in the dressing on gameday in Jersey telling me about his 'hot-streak' with the Lightning 2 seasons ago. "I was on an energy line with Halpern and Michel Ouellet, and one day I come in and I see on the board our line is broken up. I thought 'why would coach do that? I've got 13 points in my last 20 games'. Then my buddies told me to get over it. I was moved to the line with Marty and Vinnie." Darche sure isn't complaining about getting on a line with Gionta for his first goal in bleu, blanc, rouge.
"Have you ever held a broom in your life?!" I ask Martin Brodeur, who suggests if he could play any other sport at the Winter Games he'd try curling. Curling?! "Less effort," laughs the FHoF'er. But you've never touched a broom in your life, Marty! "That's true, and I haven't moved to many rocks, either!" he fires back as I leave the Devils room.
So Dags is challenging Benoit Pouliot for Designated Enforcer status on the Habs now? Michael Cammalleri tells me he feels D'Agostini's willingness to drop the gloves helped spark the team in the 3rd. Sure, but wouldn't you rather Dags get the hands going while still holding his stick?
Wouldn't you have loved Mikael Tam to come out and call for severe punishment and criminal charges against Cormier? I know, would have been been unfair to expect a teenager to settle the debate for the Hockey World, but who does the Q-League think it is...VANOC or Communist China for stifling free speech?
Has Jim Popp already hedged his bet on the possibility of losing Keron Williams, Jermaine McElveen or both? Former Baltimore Raven and Carolina Panther Lorenzo Williams signed Friday with the Als. Blink and you missed him on the practise roster for a few weeks in 2008, but the Panthers wouldn't have given him another look if he didn't have some talent.
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
Were Big Georges' days as numbered as his shifts after last Sunday's loss in New York? When Carey Price appears more eager to get in a fight, ya think? When Josh Gorges is toughing it out against Avery who's being as obnoxious as ever, even after Josh dished out worse than he took it; when Benoit Pouliot engages for his first NHL fight? And still only 4 shifts from Georges and no fight?
It was pretty clear at that point Jacques Martin had lost confidence in his "enforcer". Georges telling me he had weekly meetings with coach to plead for more icetime clearly was his way of dropping the gloves to pick up his pink-slip.
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