You all know I’m not the type that goes kicking & screaming into the future (err,,, other than electrifried instruments) but I’m not at all impressed with black,, yes, BLACK! Maple Leaf sweaters that I saw them wear in their warmup... have yet to see what horrendous version they’ll wear during the game. I can’t figure out this obsession these days with grey and black uni’s in all sports. Ugh,,ugh,,UG ly.....

I suspect you already know that the question of oddball uniforms one of the few things in life for which I can't supply a definitive answer.    My guess is that it has something to do with many people having plenty of disposable doh-rey-me and somebody else wanting a cut of it.   As for the "black" aspect, I dunno.

I can see wearing special uniforms to be auctioned for charity.  The yocal high school has an annual [well they did pre-Covid] "Let's Kick Cancer" or some such appropriately named fundraiser... pink uniforms that get auctioned, all kinds of raffles, 50-50s, and secondary auctions, etc.   I think the annual donation to ExtendingCancerCare is just a little short of 20G.... pretty good for a small town, by my estimation.

Up on one of the remote reserves, a principal was giving us some guidelines on attire for teachers.  Blue jeans were out, but black jeans were okay.  He delivered that tidbit while chewing gum and wearing flip flops.... it came a year after the previous principal [married to a local lady] advised us to dress so as to not set ourselves apart from the yocals any more than necessary.... blue jeans got specific approval.

Pssst ... I gotta question your choice of games to watch.... Habs and Canucks on the other channels, ya know!  

I am watchin’ the Habitants & Millionaires..... they showed a blip of the Leaf warmup on pre-game. You’ll have to fill us in, Owen, on your being a Moan-Ray-all fan. Some team in Man-ee-toe-bah was a Habs affiliate years ago...?

Fill you in?? or give my "expert" analysis??   I seem to recall the Habs outshooting opponents by quite a margin and still losing a few games a week or two ago, so it's good to see a reversal of form [outcome??] tonight.   

As I type, I hear Kevin Bieksa say "Ya gotta block the shot or get out of the way!"  I could swear I heard some other [former] coach repeatedly say the very same thing?!?!?!?. 

I expect D&C/OTGAO would also have something to say about the "dummies" that go for a la-dee-da Sunday skate on their shoot-outs instead of more-or-less down the middle with speed.  I figure the slow wide loop  is because the guy hasn't the foggiest about what he wants to do and hopes something might come to him if he diddles around long enough.   Dummies!!

Affiliate?? You mean St. Boniface Canadiens??   I recall at least 2 former St. Bs on the MB Bisons that won the CIAU in '65.

Edit: Anyhoo... time for Jets-Oilers playing to the STB soundtrack.  

Well, Sutter is 3 and 2 with his dump-it-in-& forecheck (aka “chase”) . We’ll see if he has the horses to keep that MO going for very long.

Quote : “Affiliate?? You mean St. Boniface Canadiens?? I recall at least 2 former St. Bs on the MB Bisons that won the CIAU in '65.”
Well, I’m not sure if I ever told yooz guys, but the TeePees had a former St. Boniface Canadien on their Memorial Cup- winning club in nineteen and fifty-four, Cecil (“Cec”) Hoekstra, a guy from a Lowlands family. His St. B team won the Turnbull Cup of the MJHL which probably caught the attention of one Rudy Pilous. 

Read it here first: NHL ref sacked for speaking into a "hot" mic:   https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2021/03/24/referee-caught-on-hot-mic-wanting-to-call-penalty-on-preds.html

It's not like it wasn't a known known [whatever that means, Chuck  ] .... but I guess the NHL handled it appropriately since Peel was set to retire at the end of the season.

Ya gotta watch what ya say, eh!

On a more serious note, Bob Plager, “Mr. Blue”, died in a car accident today. Longtime hard hitting defenceman, an OTGAO type, he was a fan favo(u)rite in St. Loo. I remember him playing against the TeePees when he was with the Guelph Biltmores. Here he is in the inaugural Blues team photo.
RIP Bob.
stltoday.com/news/local/crime-...00d5.html

RIP.   This article mentions some of the interesting times with the 3 brothers, pre-NHL.   http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2009/07/hockeys-battling-brothers-plager.html

RIP Bob Plager and condolences to family and friends.

I remember the first Cup series between the Blues and North Stars. The fan frenzy was incredible and the action kept them raving.

An aside: When I was volunteering in the Mariposa Folk Festival office (a tiny space on the third floor of the Toronto Folklore Centre i.e.: the attic) in '71, I took a call from some guy in St. Louis. He asked our address. When I told him it was 284 Avenue Road, he exclaimed, "Aaaavenoooo Road?!"

Well, here you have it. It's about entertainment, not winning. Burkie sez so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=BjAzO5qhZ_k

But, but, but.... I'm not so sure he said his job is about "not winning" in that he also said:

a) his job is to build a team that can contend for the S. C.

b) "my job is to win hockey games..... make the team as good as I can."

c) "[GM's job] is to win hockey games."

d) "winning is the best part of the job."

e) [his job is] to turn the team around.... turn it into a winner."

Fwiw, while pro sports are entertainment, I dunno about his assertion that he's competing across the board.... while there's undoubtedly some cross-over (?) I wonder what proportion of opera fans are also hockey fans.

I liked his speculation (?) about  a S.C. parade in the center of the universe..... seeing as how Boston's route was 2 miles long, in TO they'd need a 10 mile route.

Also, fwiw [or maybe not], he also mentioned a great desire to repeat success..... to do it again, and that's what makes me question the rationale about what's behind Carey Price's up-and-down (?) play.

Burkie studied to be a lawyer. Talks out of both sides of his mouth .....

It's primarily entertainment - that's his first priority. I'd like to learn when winning took second place to entertainment in the hockey biz - with Buttman's ascension, maybe?

Interesting that he graduated from Harvard Law.

So, is the 'Peg going to vault over the Maple Cheese for first place? I wish they'd get rid of their crappy uniforms (altho' the lighter blue ones aren't bad).

I came here to see if Paul posted this article in the Whig. The new online version sucks.

https://www.thewhig.com/opinion/columnists/yes-don-cherry-did-coach-a-championship-team

For my Sat. p.m. jollies, I averaged the seasonal winning percentages [too lazy to do the wins/losses rigamarole] for D&C/OTGAO and a few other coaches that popped  into mind.   D.C. = 60.1%  / Claude Julien = 58.5%  /  Joel Quenville = 60.6% / Ken Hitchcock = 57.8%.   Can you imagine what D.C.'s %age would be if he knew something about hockey?   

Paul.... if you can wait a bit, I'll get back to you re. the standings    ... Edmonton is in the thick of it too.

Winning %’s are dependent on the quality of players , imho , & if they are suited for D&C hockey or la-dee-da fancy-pants hockey. A good coach can motivate at times, but most elite athletes, I believe, hate losing and are very competitive so any extra urging by a coach becomes extraneous.  Espo, who coached for a while, said coaches were over-rated. BTW, DC/MD wasn't his favourite - Phil never liked the D&C style, so guess who got traded to the Rangers....

p.s. , dread thrift,,, I'll allow Holger to play some Lightnin' Hopkins tonight, even tho LH had a pickup on his acoustic geetar. It was his birthday this week.

...yabbut... Phil was probably just trying to "explain" his winning %age of 52.1.   I think some knowledgeable folk have said the big thing is managing the egos/personalities more so than the Xs-and-Os.  Otoh, the overwhelming number of players who, in their intermission interviews, maintain that "we gotta stick with our game plan" must figure the coach came up with one worthy of sticking with.... or being stuck with... or ????

But, I do agree, making a silk purse out of a sow's ear takes some doing.   

quote:

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Originally posted by chuckv97

p.s. , dread thrift,,, I'll allow Holger to play some Lightnin' Hopkins tonight, even tho LH had a pickup on his acoustic geetar. It was his birthday this week.

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I was able to listen to most of SNB last night. A lot of electric stuff. Although they did play one Robert Johnson song. I'd be satisfied if Holger played a whole show of Piedmont blues. (BTW, I got a double CD of John Hartford's Aereo Plain and Morning Bugle this pazt week and played it in the car to and from the Pasta Shelf yesterday evening. The Mrs. fast forwarded when "Boogie" came on, asked if he was deliberately being creepy.)

The Habs traded for Eric Staal. Another aging player whose best days are in the past. They should trade Bergevin and Molson. Those two are holding the team back. (At least they got Buffalo to chip in on Staal's salary.)

Paul: So, is the 'Peg going to vault over the Maple Cheese for first place?

Me: Paul.... if you can wait a bit, I'll get back to you re. the standings.

Apparently the answer is "not yet.*"  I was thinking maybe I'd be able to give a different answer, but c'est la vie.  I guess I'll have to ask for an extension, but the Maple Laffs look like they're for real.

* =  or in an attempt to sound smarter than I really am: "...not as of yet."  

Edit: And for more unsolicited insight (?): https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-fall-to-maple-leafs-lose-wheeler-to-injury/c-323134674?fbclid=IwAR2B6013CCveHxZ7ETGBrxv5ruKE2lh-RuoEsU2gtEeQ6bdAGwylqLDobvM

Edit #2: Maybe les Habs are copying the Maple Laffs.... didn't the last TO cup win come with some fairly old players?

The Leaf fans are preparing the Cup victory parade in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ as we speak....

....maybe they can hold off a bit and do a combo W.S. parade while they're at it .... Jays are undefeated so far this season.     

* dread thrift alert!

Blue Jays win opening day game at Yankee Stadium 3-2 in the 10th inning. Reliever Merryweather was lights out in the bottom of the tenth,, struck out all 3 Yanks.
No D&C - dump (by pitcher) and chase (by fielder) - with this guy.

quote:

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Originally posted by chuckv97

The Leaf fans are preparing the Cup victory parade in Phoenix/Scottsdale**, AZ as we speak....

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** home of their "ringer" import, Auston (don't call me Healey) Matthews