Canadiens Hockey: The Centennial Season is Here - blog
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Just hours after the Cats halted a 14-game winstreak led by Anthony Calvillo against his former club, Bob Gainey and the Canadiens confirmed Max Pacioretty and Yannick Weber will start the season as a Hamilton Bulldog not a Hab.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Is Velcro Hands secret identity "Captain Modesty"? Ben Cahoon can set a milestone becoming Number 1 alltime in the CFL among Canadian receivers. That's pretty good for a guy born in Utah (lol) but raised in Alberta and Montreal, and told his whole life he's too small and too slow for the NFL. But Ben tells me about a striking lesson in arrogance and humility.
Even before Ben played his first game in Canada...he had a weird encounter with the wacko whose record he's poised to break! His name's Ray Elgaard, and he was a prairie plow of a tight-end-style slotback from the late 80's and well into the 90's for Saskatchewan....Ben's graudating from Brigham Young University and gets a call from a tele-marketer trying to get his hands into the wallets of US college football prospects. He says "Hi, this is Ray Elgaard.."...and Ben says "what do you do..." and Ray says "I've just set all kinds of passcatching records in the cfl...." and Ben innocently replies "I'm headed to the CFL"....Elgaard: "What position do you play?" Ben now ticked this stranger who looked him up doesn't even know they've got great hands in common: "I'm a receiver too." Elgaard's fired up now: "Well, you'll never touch any of my ___%#@!##$#records, kid!" Ben says tall these seasons later: "Maybe I owe him a call one of these days."
CANADIENS SOFT-PEDDLE CARBONNEAU'S CONTRACT EXTENSION
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
ANOTHER WEEK OF DOGS FROM MOFF:
Colts, Titans, Chargers, Panthers, Redskins, Bears, Falcons, Giants, Broncos, Patriots, Bills, Bengals, Steelers, Saints.
CFL PICKS OF THE WEEK:
Take all the favorites this weekend: BC will make The Don wish he were retired again, Calgary crushes the Riders who refuse to pull Michael Bishop who has all the talent in the world but in the words of one former teammate is "defective", Als clinch against the Tiger-Cats who are still looking for a new head coach for '09, and Edmonton gets payback on the Blue Bombers.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
I'm not suprised one bit that Ben Maxwell survives the first deep cuts of Bell Centre Training camp while PK Subban is headed back to junior. Maxwell has looked smooth and smart though he's only prolonged his demotion. The kid must play. Subban is fun to watch every shift---unless you're his coach. "He's got the energy of a puppy," one close follower in the Canadiens organization tells me. Hey, the Moffat's just adopted a new puppy from Animatch---that means wiping some mistakes off the floors and rugs, and Belleville will have to PK's crate for the next year.
AND THEN THERE WERE 32
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Saku Koivu deserves to bring his teammates to Finland though, don't you think?
The NHL's ongoing Hockey Cold War with the Russian Hockey politburo prevents anyone from thinking Moscow would be an option in October 2009.
ALEX KOVALEV READY TO GO
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Canadiens/Bulldogs goalie Marc Denis wears his pride all over his face and his mask. The former 1st round draft pick of Colorado out of the Chicoutimi junior hockey program has a tribute to the 100th Season on a new paint job for his goalie mask he'll wear in his first start for the Canadiens against the Sabres in the Hockeyville game.
Denis' wife (a Chicoutimi native he met as a junior) and two boys Tom and Olivier (6&4) will be cheering him on.
So will 1200 fans who'll pack 6 wooden bench rows at the Benoit Levesque Arena tonight in Roberval, the winner of the national contest to host the Habs and Sabres.
CANADIENS OPEN PRE-SEASON WITH 8-3 LOSS TO BRUINS
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
McElveen is a soft-spoken CFL rookie who had been sitting on the Als practise roster since LAST FALL! After signing as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans, McElveen was a 2007 NFL training camp cut. He wondered if opportunity would ever knock again. The Falcons and Dolphins showed limited interest but made no contract offers.
KOIVU AND LARAQUE TO MISS PRE-SEASON OPENER MONDAY IN HALIFAX
SAKU KOIVU BACK ON SKATES AFTER BEING FELLED BY A STRAY PUCK
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Bryan Chiu and Anthony Calvillo admit they were intimidated by Mike until they got to know him (a process that took several wild-eyed seasons). Chiu says Pringle would run over his own linemen to bust through a hole of his own making if you didn't get your block for the indestructible CFL Rushing King.
Calvillo says "Iron Mike" didn't even talk to him their first few years in Montreal...but AC sure understood that look in the huddle that growled: "give me the rock again now!"
NFL PICKS
WEEK 3 WINNERS: Falcons, Raiders, Titans, Giants, Cards, Patriots, Bucs, Panthers, Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos, Steelers, Colts, Ravens, Packers, Jets.
For the record, here are your CFL winners for the Weekend:
Blue Bombers, Stampeders, Lions and Alouettes.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
My sources say some Als are still shaking their heads over the release of Kai Ellis. GM Jim Popp told CJAD recently the veteran d-end/linebacker and special teams warrior refused to take a pay cut to help keep the Als under the CFL Salary Cap, but other sources close to this team say it was still a shocker to some loyal soldiers on the team, and they were thrilled to a man to see Ellis score his first CFL TD for Winnipeg to spoil Don Mathews' return to the sidelines in Toronto.
VETERANS JOIN YOUNGSTERS FOR DAY ONE OF ROOKIE CAMP
Bob Gainey Goes With "Plan B" in Robert Lang
PATRICK ROY TO HAVE HIS DAY AT THE BELL CENTRE
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
With rumours the Habs may have a player signing to announce this week, I got word from Sundin's agent reconfirming that Mats is over in Barcelona, Spain at a charity poker tournament. "Who has the better poker face---your or Mats?" I wondered. "Based on the last few months---Sundin," admits the veteran player agent.
I suggested to Uzooma Okeke that The Don won't have time to impact the Argos' systems by Friday night against the Bombers..."Why not? He could hit them with a whole new playbook on game-day," roared the future Hall of Fame lineman now scouting Canadian University games this month for the Als.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
So Mats Sundin was telling the truth to CJAD when he insisted he was NOT coming to Montreal...but I wonder if he already knew Montreal was coming to him? I can only feel sorry for Bob Gainey, sitting threw two hours of face-to-face indecision. If the Canadiens' GM could not win a commitment mano-a-mano, I have to believe Sundin won't be playing anywhere close to an NHL rink in 2008.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Why can't more members of the Montreal media appreciate Saku Koivu for his actions rather than keep dissing him for what he DOESN'T do? Funny how Canadiens management and fellow players had no problem with Kaptain Koivu staying in Finland rather than jet in for the Habs' golf tournament this week...yet some whiners get on #11's case. You don't think its some of the same people upset at him because he doesn't speak "enough French" publicly, do you?
THE NHL's SILLY SEASON: SILLIER THAN USUAL, THANKS TO MATS
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
"Sorry," the laid-back Cowboy goalie responded cooly, "I've already had him neutered."
It was fun to see the comraderie among the players at Laval-sur-le-Lac Tuesday for the Canadiens Childrens' Foundation golf tournament, but West Islander Doug Scott just wanted to rave about The Goal-line Stand. "This is the CFL---you HAVE TO make a yard when you have 3 shots at it." Scott's been in his share of battles of the trenches and tells me the refs would constantly let players sneak a toe into the one-yard neutral zone, unlike Mark Estelle's case against the Lions.
I've got a huge green streak, so I love what Montreal businessman and philanthropist Herbert Black did to "recycle" Guy Carbonneau's lucky playoff tie. The wildly coloured Hermes silk birthday present from Carbo's wife finally sold at auction for a staggering $100,000. Truth is Mr. Black didn't even want the tie. When bidding was stalled at $55,000, he offered a $75,000 matching donation if either of the bidders locked in battle took it to the dizzying heights of $75-K. With genourosity stagnating at $60,000, Black--the King of Recycle and Re-use thinking at American Metal and Iron--said "I'll take the tie---here's $100,000." As the Canadiens' auctioneer said: "It's only money."
CAREY PRICE DIET PLAN: You can lose 20-25 pounds in months if you cut out midnight chocolate bars. That's the secret Carey told me of his summer regimen. He also cut down on his other guilty pleasure: chili cheese-dogs.
That and working out fulltime in Calgary with a trainer recommended by his younger cousin, a Florida Panthers draft pick. Price is also related to NHL veteran and perennial World Hockey Championships Team Canada star Shane Doan. Let's hope you're always too deep into the playoffs to join Cousin Shane, Carey!
SMALL WORLD DEPARTMENT: I welcomed a bidder from a recent A.L.S. Society gala to the CJAD broadcast booth on Friday. Louis Desjardins mentioned that he played defense for the Universite' de Sherbrooke team when Larry Smith was with Bishops. "Did you hit him hard?" I asked. "Larry should remember one hit," Louis suggested proudly. Well Mr. President? "Against Sherbrooke I think Coach apologized to me because he pulled me at halftime. I'd already rushed for 220 yards. I don't remember getting hit." Way to go, Prez!
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
So how did a 10-year old blind boy from Hampstead become Cahoon's special motivation against BC? Gregory Krychman was a CJAD Sports Intern for a day on the eve of the game and requested an interview with the rugged pass-catcher. Ben graciously agreed to answer questions and then after the mic was off, promised Greg he'd give him the football if Calvillo hit Ben with a TD pass.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
West Islander Scott Flory is adamant about stopping the NFL threat to the CFL. "I'd have a Canadian flag tattoo-ed to my butt...if I believed in tattoos," says the likeable lineman. "I'm one of the few Alouettes born in Canada and schooled in football in Canada and I want my kids to grow up on the CFL. I want the league bigger and stronger 100 years from now." We stand on guard with thee, Scott.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
The only times I've had police at my house, Lachine's finest proved themselves to be empathetic, level-headed and helpful. So I can't imagine the anger frustration and fear felt by Montreal Alouettes Mark Estelle and Alain Kashama that evening leading up to an Als playoff game when the ugly minority within The Force hurled racial taunts from under the cowardly cover of a presumed language barrier. A Quebecois version of n-word was jabbed at them, because the stooges figured if they were hastling two guys getting into a vehicle with U.S. plates they could get away with it. What were the odds one of their victims was former property of the Chicago Bears and a proud native of Congo, who understood their stupidities.
Kashama and Estelle's case was on my mind again after the Montreal North riots, because here was what the facts may one day show to be a gross example of police overkill that was swept under the rug. And if police had dealt seriously with the issues in "the Burgs" maybe they would have learned something before things got way out of hand in another part of the city.
Reknowned Montreal lawyer Raphael Schacter tells me the delays in the Als case have been perplexing and vexing and altogether unnecessary. In a matter of days we may finally learn that a special prosecutor in Quebec will allow charges of assault to be filed against the officers who pointlessly put the fear into Kashama and Estelle. It should never have taken this long. And when a community seeks justice the failure of the Police Disciplinary Committee to act until after a court case decision only smacks to me of cover-up or neglect.
The fine men and women of our police force I'm sure are embarrassed too, and they are not served by seeing the stooges in their midst sheltered.
The Buffalo Bills are no threat to Canadian Culture. This I can assure you after witnessing the "History in the Making" kickoff to the Bills Toronto series. Ted Rogers, who knows how to make a buck or several billion, made it a gouge-fest without the Super Bowl hoopla. Philion and I sat in the first row of the endzone during the first quarter. Some fans paid more than $200 for those seats! Most in the same section were given theirs for free to help paper the house. "Toronto's Team" in the NFL turns out to be the Steelers who lost to Buffalo on the eve of the Als game.
No, none of your Alouettes were at the NFL game...no chance to catch up with a few homies or college teammates. Head Coach Marc Trestman called another 9PM team meeting on the eve of the game---"he seems to like doing that when we're in big cities," observes one CFL vet.
While veterans in several struggling CFL cities are nervous, Als experienced warhorses can rest assured they don't face the Week 9 Axe. CFL teams are stuck paying 6-year vets they release after week 9, which happens to coincide with NFL cuts. GM Jim Popp, AGM Marcel Desjardins and super-scout Uzooma Okeke have all been scouring NFL camps for talent and the Als secret neg list will be loaded and reloaded to the 35-man max, but only a few extra players are allowed on the practise roster down the stretch run to the playoffs.
Mats Sundin taking the opening faceoff for the Habs this season? Right after a 7-year old Chinese girl belts out the anthem.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Eric Wilson is my kind of d-tackle...off the field: fun-loving guy, popular in the room. On the field, a Philion-style don't be shy about taking a hard clean hit at a qb. It was fun to see him make his first career interception in the city where he began his cfl career---the Peg'. Wilson (I call him the Winnebego when he lines up at fullback) insists he could have had his first td too---claims he was wide open in the endzone on the play before Adrian McPherson squeeked in from the 1. Now tell me Eric--is it your speed or your moves that got you so open?
No the Als do NOT have Broadway Brett on their secret Neg List of rights to American players. So don't be expecting the Jets' qb star to be heading north after he storms Manhattan ( well, the Meadowlands swamp anyway).
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Congrats to Ashley and Damon Duval on the birth of their second son Hunter who apparently has some of Grandad's fullback in him given the 9-pound, 2-ounce birthweight! He should be ready for the Canadian draft in 2029 and from Larry to Brad to Hunter, that could be 3 generations of Smith family Alouettes. I'd love to see it.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
If Damon Duval breaks a window at the Montreal Neuro by blasting a CFL record 75-yard field goal some day, will he have to pay for the repairs? After hitting from 50 and 51 yards out toward the west endzone against the Tiger-Cats, Duval may want to check his damage insurance. He had room to spare on both his long distance connections and Moffat predicts he'll stop traffic on Parc some day kicking one over the east endzone.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Laval's Stephanie Dubois impressed her coach Simon Larose the most with her emotional toughness during her big upset win over the #20 ranked player in the world. Maria Kirilenko tried in vain to block out the adoring crowd at Centre Court, but failed. Buy your own earplugs, Maria. Maybe they got a build-your-own set at Ikea? And if you see Mats Sundin there, will you call me?
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
I thought the Als were more than patient with Jason Armstead. Head Coach Marc Trestman wanted to give a veteran one more chance on field (Regina) that can deliver some of the more extreme kick-return conditions in the league. CJAD's Ed Philion noted that blocking wedges against the Roughriders were set up straight ahead--forcing Armstead to stop dancing nowhere. Instead the speedster who's now run away from opportunities in 3 CFL cities in less than a full calender year has likely played his last game unless someone else is that desperate.
Good luck Larry Taylor, Christmas has come early for you. The rookie from U Conn (where he met former Alouette O'Neill Wilson, a Toronto native) was a Christmas present for Jim Popp over the winter. Popp (you may knock him as a coach but he's still a workaholic GM) is on Christmas vacation in North Carolina and decides to take in a college bowl game with his brother. Popp's shivering in the cold and this tiny but ripped return guy runs one back for a td. Popp immediately calls Assistant GM Marcel Desjardins and says 'get him on the neg list!' (that's the secret talent lists CFL teams must file to league headquarters for exclusive rights on American talent). Desjardins chuckles---he was watching the same game and had already made note of Taylor's feats.
Kai Ellis says after the birth of his first child this winter he no longer had time to spend 7 hours a day at the gym. Really?! Any Dad stumbling through Fairview pushing a stroller could have warned you, Kai! Ellis is a fitness freak whose body hasn't produced the impact on the field, in part because of nagging injuries. But maybe returned to his natural position--defensive end---he'll have more of an impact than at MLB where he job-shared last season. Somewhere in Washington State, his tae kwan do opponents may be relieved he's got to spend more time with his daughter this winter, too.
Tony Proudfoot is a special guest of the ALS Society of BC and the Rosedale on Robson Hotel this week. They'll have Tony in their suite at the Als game Friday night, where he'll sit with his former teammate Wayne Conrad. Bidding is at $6500.00 for the 1977 Grey Cup Championship ring and game-worn jersey of Wayne's---a truly once in a lifetime opportunity for a collector or Als fan, so please e-mail me if you want in on the bidding at last minute.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
I've been thinking of getting a Thunder-Monkey tatoo, but I have to reconsider now after studying the major works of art on the arms of Danny Desriveaux (Montreal native but raised in Laval) and Alain Kashama. Kash has a map of Africa with leopard's spots and a C for Congo to represent his family's roots and the animal that inspired their name. Desriveaux has a map of Haiti with his parents' home cities marked, and a football in between the numbers 514 and 450 marking his local flav.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day?
MLB's are supposed to spit fire when they're not chewing up and spitting out opposition runningbacks and quarterbacks, but Taylor is a lightweight at the position. And after missing all last season, was flying around with reckless abandon while blotting out any fears his arm might fall off.
Rick Moffat's Stoopd Question of the Day
Did you really expect the Als Offense to progress so quickly from from Dunk’n’Dink to Slam Dunk?
Nobody remembers the first line of Lord of the Rings or War and Peace, so we can quickly forget the first play from scrimmage of the Marc Trestman Era Playbook, a truly epic work. All kinds of motion, as secretly foretold by Anthony Calvillo, who was looking like a chocaholic ice-cream addict headed to Wild Willie’s just reviewing his extensive play menu the morning of the Als’ 2008 season kickoff.
But for all the waggling and misdirection from the Als receivers, Play No. 1 boiled down to a quick toss to Laval-native Danny Desriveaux who was quickly blasted to the turf. The flames launching up from Stelco must have looked like the Hellfires of Kuwait from Desriveaux’s view. That is if he could see passed the Tweetie Birds and the stars circling his head after the first serious contact of the Happy Football New Year. Dink’n’dunk they call those little short junk passes that may pad your completion stats, but won’t get you to the endzone in any hurry.
But the Trestman playbook has many chapters, and many twists of plot and formation for an experienced and studious quarterback like Anthony Calvillo. He proved to be a voracious reader of the Trestman “phone-book” and soon was carving up the Ti-Cats defense and in a town where AC was booed mercilessly during his own stint in Hamilton, moved to #2 alltime in CFL passing yards with a near flawless performance.
Calvillo is a man on a mission this season. He told CJAD’s Ed Philion, his former teammate and the true Grey Cup MVP of 2002, that his wife Alexia’s battle against cancer has inspired him with a greater appreciation for the love of the game. AC’s love of family and community has never been in question.
No surprise to me that AC’s re-inspired play also will benefit the city that he has come to love and call home. After spending too much time over the offseason at the 7th floor of the Royal Vic, he’s vowing to refurbish the Family Room there. For every touchdown pass Calvillo throws, he’s donating $100.00 (CJAD’s Kids Fund matches his donations and invites YOU to make a pledge as well) to the job of making that place I hope you never have to visit just a little brighter and more comforting for families in need of a lift.
That Trestman playbook cost Anthony $200 bucks. But a convincing win to get the rookie head coach his first ice-dunking by game end, and polishing your Hall of Fame stats (more irony in that the Hall is a short drive from Ivor Wynne, and Hamilton will again have to swallow the fact it dropped Calvillo for nothing on waivers ten years ago)….priceless.
West Islander Brian Chiu and Vaudreuil resident Paul Lambert happily led the dunking brigade with a direct hit on Trestman to celebrate the win in Steeltown. More delicious irony since O-line has paid the highest physical price of their toughest camp ever at Fort St. Jean and a grueling pre-season. Trestman’s new playbook looks like a CFL besteller, but it doesn’t fly if the Great Wall of Mount Royal doesn’t keep Calvillo looking downfield, rather than down at the turf, or worse, flat on his back looking up at the sky.
Props to K-Wat…Kerry Watkins and the receivers have so many formation variations on each play to learn, that they barely had a chance to plot out any endzone celebrations. After being mobbed by a hustling o-line on his first td, Watkins thankfully had a 2nd chance to show off his creativity, forming a circle with his fellow pass-catchers and playing “hot potato” with the football after his second TD of the game. “Just thought of it right before the anthem,” says Watkins, who was among the Als players forced to rehearse their playbook choreography in the hotel parking lot on the morning of gameday. That had some CFL vets I talked to wondering ‘if they don’t know their plays by gameday, how will a parking lot practise help them?’ But if superstition rules, the offense may have to get used to finding more parking lots on gameday. And saving their endzone celebration planning for gametime.
Rick Moffat's Stoop'd Question of the Day
Could Mr. Gainey be playing the hearts and minds of Montrealers to make some media waves heard all the way back to Sweden? Is this open effort doomed to fail like the Hossa talks with the Thrashers? Or will the Habs have the perfect cover for getting the longtime Leafs' captain AFTER Toronto would be deserving of compensation? My get tells me Sundin is headed to the Rangers, but then again, none of you expected Tanguay on Draft Day, did you!
Rick Moffat's Playoff Question of the Day
Trestman may be driving his players hard with more meetings, rules and regs than the veterans are used to, but he's driving his assistants equally hard. Is he a closet Maoist? The work-camp ethic also revealed an egalitarian streak on the flight home from Winnipeg...no coaches were upgraded to First-class seats as in some previous years, with Trestman and his confidantes scattered among the players.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Is there anything like a good axe-wielding massacre to get survivors to rally together? Some coaches think so, and love to have a shocking cut of a veteran to give that 'off with their heads, now the rest of you follow me' approach to a new season. Remember The Don pronouncing Lawrence Phillips his starter over Mike Pringle (who in Reggie Jackson 'straw that stirs the drink'-style told me he was "the baker who baked the Alouettes' cake"). Marc Trestman doesn't strike me as a lumberjack though. More like a laser surgeon. He is thorough, detailed, and hands on, but he's not into shock doctrine.
Don't be disappointed if the Canadiens fail to trade up in the draft. Trevor Timmins has Bob Gainey's complete confidence to make something happen wherever they select in the draft. Last time in Ottawa, Timmins shocked many by taking a strapping young goalie who's father was bursting with enthusiasm. Carey Price was funny and glib on draft day (far more engaging than his rookie season scrums) while Dad Jerry, a former Flyers' draft pick was beside himself with joy. All those long flights in their bush-plane to hockey tournaments had paid off. And Carey's Dad instantly saw the process coming full circle for its NHL landing...he'd been coached at his only NHL camp by Canadiens' Hall of Fame legend Jacques Plante during the Bernie Parent era.
Dave Mudge of the Als is taking a summer course toward his MBA at McGill. On the Als' first roadtrip out to Winnipeg for 2008 I asked him what's thicker? Your Industrial Relations textbook or the new Als' Playbook? "No question...the playbook's thicker than the phonebook."
I finally got around to watching that wild Bob Dylan flick on DVD, where he's played by various actors and an actress. When Dylan's portrayed by a little boy who jumps into a boxcar, the voice you hear talks about "hobos and no-bos'. It struck me that in some regards, the CFL pre-season is full of Football Hobos and Nobos. Witness Chris Jennings, who failed to impress the BC Lions in a tryout camp in Vegas recently, but still go a workout just two weeks ago with the Cleveland Browns. He was hoping he might soon be on a level playing field with his buddies from West Virginia--NFL stars Randy Moss and Troy Brown--the Browns like what they saw of this speedy runningback and asked him to sit tight. But Jennings then got a call from Assistant GM Marcel Desjardins and soon was rambling north.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Can't say as I blaim the New Guy. Veteran players are impressed with how hard they're being pushed, and the last vestiges of the Don Mathews era "players coach" regimen is being beaten out of them. Old dogs are learning new tricks? They're barking at Fort St. Jean and take it out on the Argos Thursday night, live on CJAD 800.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
The pride of Pointe-Claire Tony Proudfoot is back from ALS Society-Canada Lobby Day on Parliament Hill. CJAD's Alouettes expert and former CFL Allstar was keen to meet Ken Dryden (rare are the meetings between men who enjoyed Stanley Cup parades and Grey Cup parades in the same year!) and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, but Tony drew the particular attention of Bob Rae, the former Ontario premier. Turns out Mr. Rae is a longtime family friend of the Uteck's...Tony's former teammate Larry Uteck also fought Lou Gehrig's Disease so bravely for so many years. In a cruel coincidence, Tony and Larry were roommates one year in the '70's. I only wish Tony could have brought his old helmet, shoulder pads and staple gun and knock some more sense into our politicians.
Remember flamboyant Alouettes linebacker Duane Butler? "The Freak", as his teammates called him, just called me to let me know he's hoping to recruit about 10 serious high-school or CEGEP level football players for a special camp led by Butler and about a dozen other former US college and NFL players. Just e-mail me, and I'll make sure you get all the info, because Duane's coming back to Montreal next week. Please note, the camp is being held in Detroit, so it does require some travel.
Sure the Russians were showing Ovechkin-esque enthusiasm standing at their bench for the final minutes of a 4-0 semi-final win against Finland at the World Hockey Championships, and yes I know the Russians advanced to the gold medal showdown without losing a game, but that still does NOT excuse them for embarrassing Alex Kovalev publicly by dissing him for being "too slow." No Alex couldn't beat Alexander the GR8 in a foot-race or a rush end-to-end, but he surely could have contributed. Then again, maybe the Canadiens are lucky some in the French Press were denied the opportunity to hype a Kovalev vs. Koivu confrontation on ice!
Hope you weren't getting on Bob Gainey for Ribeiro racking up all those points in the early rounds of your playoff pool? How did you like that swing Mickey Ribs took at Osgood? Looks to me like El Amigo wouldn't even land a job with Mr. Hicks' other team the Rangers. That's Texas Rangers, I mean. Funny how Osgood went down like he was shot, eh? I don't think Pamela Anderson has a chest inflated like that.
Rick Moffat's Stoopid Question of the Day
IT'S OVER
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Mike Komisarek made one of the best plays of the night, when after the Flyers and Canadiens shook hands and Habs congregated back at centre ice for a wave of the sticks to the crowd, the rugged defenseman gave one last face-wash to Carey Price...forcing the downhearted rookie to raise his chin, and leave the ice head held high.
DECISION TO GO WITH HALAK IN GAME FOUR A GUTSY ONE
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
NEW GOALTENDER, SAME RESULT FOR THE CANADIENS
CARBO KEEPS CARDS CLOSE TO VEST FOLLOWING GAME THREE LOSS
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE FLYERS IN GAME TWO
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
CANADIENS VS. FLYERS: Habs in 5. The Philly defense corps would be the NHL's best charity basketball team but they won't be able to keep up with the speed of the Canadiens' Special-K's---Koivu+Higgins or the Kostitsyns for that matter.
PENGUINS VS. RANGERS: It really is Crosby's time. Already. Michel Therrien got my 2nd place vote for Coach of the Year (I think you can guess who won my 1st place vote). The Rangers may be emotionally spent from knocking off their Jersey rivals, Penguins in 6.
CANADIENS GO TO OVERTIME FOR GAME 1 WIN OVER FLYERS
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
I hope no-one gets on Kovalev's politically incorrect refusal to join the BuzzCut Boys. Asked if he'd get the Mohawk cut that's the rage in the Canadiens dressing room, Alex said "we can't all be Indians, someone's gotta be cheifs." Alex, you score a pair every night, you can wear your hair in a '70's 'fro like Larry Robinson for all we care. I just don't like Mark Streit hiding behind AK-27, by telling CJAD he'll cut his if Alex does.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Frankly I would have preferred to see the Canadiens versus the Rangers in Round 2, even though the Habs only won 1 of 4 against Jagr and company. Why? Cuz that would have kept alive my favorite Round 3 dramatics---Cristobal and Ovechkin matching up against their good buddies Andrei Markov and Carey Price, among others.
One more stupid question: If Philly is the city of Brotherly Love, will the Kostitsyn Brothers keep tearing it up on the Plekanec line?
BE LISTENING GAME 1 THURSDAY NIGHT AT 6:45 ON CJAD 800, WITH GAME 2 SATURDAY FROM THE BELL CENTRE AS WELL.
HABS THUMP BRUINS 5-0 TO TAKE GAME 7
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Didn't I tell you Carey Price was strong on the Emotional Rebound. I don't fault him for the Game 6 loss, not for any one of those 5 goals the Bruins pored in against shaky defense and little support in the Habs zone from the Kovalev line. And here in Game 7, is Carey Price stoning the Bruins who had the best scoring chances in the 1st period, and some more tough ones in the 2nd BEFORE the Canadiens broke it open. Shots were 11-4 Bruins at one point in the first, but the Habs had the 1-0 lead.
SEVENTH HEAVEN? WE'LL FIND OUT TONIGHT!
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Next time you hear someone refusing to pay utmost respect to the captain, remind them of his performance in Boston. His foot still fractured, Koivu wins the opening faceoff, 5-0 on the draws in the first period, and sets up not one but two goals, elevating Christopher Higgins and Sergei Kostitsyn in his wake. And everyone whose ever been inspired by Saku through a cancer treatment had to gulp like I did at the first sight of seeing him bald-headed to join the BuzzCut Boys (Saku won't reveal who did his lid, but I suspect Josh Gorges). "Is Mrs. Koivu fine with this look? I asked shortly after the sheers were put away? "She hasn't seen it yet, smiled the captain. Captain with a Capital C...I did the math homework---check this out! Saku Koivu's career points per PLAYOFF game .837. Hockey Hall of Famer Henri Richard .716.
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day
*Carey Price on the "emotional rebound". I know, this assumes he has emotions. You're thinking "if he's so good handling the puck, how come his first playoff assist came on a Bruins' goal!?" No worries. The rookie's an ice cold 6-0 in starts after losses since February. If this 20-year old were a mood-ring, he'd be see-through. But he's not old enough to remember mood-rings, is he? Carey says he should never be compared to Patrick Roy, so I'll compare him to Ken Dryden. Number 29 was fried for 7 goals by the Bruins in Game 5 to give the Bruins a 3-2 Series lead. GM Sam Pollock stuck with the lanky, laid-back netminder. Dryden's teammates still have the rings to prove it.
BRUINS SEND THIS ONE TO BOSTON FOR A GAME SIX
CANADIENS ON THE VERGE OF CLINCHING
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the D-AY
"Bet you're roommate's not going to want to put up with that," I suggest in the Canadiens' dressing room in Boston. "Wait til he hears me sing," warns Price, who later confesses its a moot point for now because he's been given his own room during the playoffs, a status usually reserved for NHL veterans with 600+ games. Let me remind Carey has 44 games under his belt including playoffs.
NO DENYING BRUINS IN GAME 3
Rick Moffat's Stupidd Question of the Day
CANADIENS SURVIVE GAME TWO SCARE TO GO UP 2-0 AGAINST BRUINS
Rick Moffat's Stoopd Kuestion of the Playoff Day
Brian Smolinski and Steve Begin are touched by the "BuzzCut Boys" tribute---Playoff Beards + Bald Heads= Post-season success. If Kostopoulos and Smo keep scoring, they'll touch off a true men's styling craze. Get well soon Max Smolinski! Brian's little boy has been sick lately, too sick for school and wasn't allowed to stay up late to watch Daddy score in Game 1.
CANADIENS DRAW FIRST BLOOD AGAINST BRUINS
Rick Moffat's Stupid Playoff Question of the Day
Josh Gorges, the man with the shears, says the shaved head look brought him good luck in his Junior days when he went to Memorial Cup with the Kelowna Rockets. "My sister's a hair-dresser so maybe so day I can help her open her own shop," the vastly-improved defenseman says with a mischievous grin.
Rick Moffat's Stoopd Question of the Day
DONT DRAFT HABS! Not because I don't trust them to go far. Trust that everyone else at your Hockey Pool draft will overpay or take Canadiens players too high. The Habs scored 34.3 percent of all their goals on the Power-play in regular season (compare that to Ovechkin and Cristobal's Capitals at only 26.8 percent) and we'll see if the refs put the whistles away...Canadiens scoring will be down as well.
CANADIENS' BEASTS OF THE EAST
MARK STREIT HABS' UNSUNG HERO. AGAIN.
Rick Moffat's Sstupid Questionn of the Day
SURGING SMOLINSKI SINKS SABRES
CANADIENS CALL UP REINFORCEMENTS FROM HAMILTON
The view from the top
Saku Koivu has left the building -- on crutches
Rick Moffat's Stoopidd Kquestion of the Day
Rick Moffat's Stoopid Question of the Da
I know, I know I called Cristobal Huet to be traded on the Ric Peterson Show, and Murray Wilson called Paddock's firing if the Sens lost to the Bruins after being shut out by the Leafs. So, what's next for Moff's Psychic Hotline? Moffat predicts:
*Kovalev will shoot his age...the dream of every golfer...and get to 35 goals before the end of the season.
*Carey Price will win his first NHL Playoff game and CJAD will play the entire song "SAVE A HORSE RIDE A COWBOY" to celebrate. Ride a Cowboy Goalie, Carbo! Ride a Cowboy Goalie.
*Sergei Federov will NOT carry the Capitals into the playoffs. But Ovechkin and Huet just might!
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the Day?
As for the Patriots, for all their horrible play selection, still were one dropped interception away from the perfect season. I still think they were robbed of a fumble recovery by a bad call that didn't even seem to be debated, but the Patriots did NOT deserve to win, and stripped of their historic opportunity, there is no way in the world they should be called the Best Ever in the NFL.
While I was stuck watching CTV proudly promote Canadian culture by running promos for Dexter the U.S. serial murderer ("David Fisher" from Six Feet Under seems as convincing as Lloyd Robertson or Sandy Rinaldo in that role), here's a new ad that is worthy of stirring the pot in the Best Ever NFL debate:
http://www.rbk.com/us/perfectville/
Rick Moffat's Stupid Question of the New Year
RICK MOFFAT'S STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY?
Alouettes players are buzzing about Marc Trestman, the latecomer to the coaching sweepstakes, but players are talking about him like he's already been officially hired. One Als' veteran says its great to see the club is not just "recycling" another coach from another CFL outpost: "it's a fresh start, he's got a great pedigree."
Trestman has worked with 8 different NFL teams in almost 25 years of coaching since his own failed tryouts with the Minnesota Vikings (one of the teams he ended up with on the coaching staff several years later) but the connection that leads him to Montreal was from one of his earliest stops in the NFL. Having coached QB star Bernie Kosar in college, Trestman was hired by the Browns to help the young star adapt to the NFL game. Also on staff with the Browns--Joe Popp, father of Jim.
Moff's Stupidd Kwestshun of the Day
There are lots of fans who've e-mailed me insisting the shiny black monstrosity on wheels and the flowing follicles are symptomatic of the same thing. CJAD listeners are volunteering to give the VP/GM/Head Coach a haircut, and there are many more fans who'd love to see an 'off with his head' approach taking the scissors and straight-edge razor to his flowing job-titles, not his locks. But I think Coach Popp just needs a lesson in humility, and I think 8-11 will give it to him.
