Keeping Score

The Stanley Cup final only reaffirmed that when the referees put away their whistles and allow obstruction back into the game, well, you’re going to get 3-1 and 2-1 games. . . . When you look at the talent available on the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins roster, the seven-game final should have been a whole lot better than it was. But the referees slowed it down by choosing not to call obstruction the way it had been policed in the regular season. . . . You knew, of course, that the only product of the WHL on the Penguins’ roster is Vernon native Eric Godard and he didn’t get into even one playoff game. He had four points and 171 penalty minutes in 71 regular-season games.

It was one thing for Hockey Night in Canada to show numerous shots of Sidney Crosby’s parents during Game 7, but, sheesh, it went too far when the announcers started referring to them by their first names. . . . For the record, that would be Trina and Troy. . . . Bruce Dowbiggin writes a sports media column (Usual Suspects) for The Globe and Mail. After watching HNIC’s Ron MacLean in the postgame show after Game 7, Dowbiggin wrote: “Hmm, Usual Suspects thought you had to buy a ticket to be a fan.” . . . Seattle Times reader Bill Littlejohn, after the Red Wings accused Crosby of not being quick enough to the handshake line: “Sidney was reportedly busy unlacing his LeBron James signature skates.” . . . So the Penguins tie a can to head coach Michel Therrien in midseason, bring in Dan Bylsma and win the Stanley Cup. Who says midseason coaching changes don’t work? . . . Of course, this means you don’t want to be an NHL head coach whose team gets off to a slow start next season.

Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “I think USC deserves our praise for somehow remaining under the salary cap — and in two sports — for as long as it has.” . . . Janice Hough, the Left Coast Sports Babe, on the Major League Baseball draft, which was held over three days last week: “MLB’s draft never receives as much attention as the NBA and NFL drafts, partly because it goes on forever, and for the most part it features players most Americans have never heard of, sort of like the Stanley Cup playoffs.” . . . If you’re like me, you’re thinking that Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic will spend two hours every day in the offseason practising free-throw shooting. . . . It says here that we’re going to have fun following basketballer Kelly Olynyk for the next few seasons at Gonzaga U in Spokane.

With Wimbledon approaching, Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle provides a warning: “If you thought (Maria) Sharapova and the Williams sisters have taken shrieking to an inexcusable level, wait until you hear (Michelle) Larcher de Brito. She's a new-age shrieker, shattering all previous standards of volume and density.” . . . Larcher de Prito is a talented Portuguese teenager. Jenkins is hopeful that she will end up in a match against Sharapova, which might be enough for tennis officials to finally put a stop to the raquet racket. . . . Lamont and Tonelli, a couple of U.S. radio jocks, apparently put together a tennis audio tape. It features shrieking women and groaning men, and now you’re smiling, aren’t you? . . . Gary Loewen of the Toronto Sun has two questions for NHL boss Gary Bettman: “1. Is it true you had the referees experiment with dog whistles during Game 7? 2. Is it possible to demote some NHL officials to figure-skating judges?”

You may have heard that Sammy Sosa, the former hip-hop home run hitter, has said he is ready to retire and that he will “calmly wait” for his induction into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.” To which Elliott Harris of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote: “Certainly, just as soon as the fine folks in Cooperstown, N.Y., can figure out a way to make his plaque out of cork.” . . . Of course, Sammy’s chances may have taken a real hit with the revelation by the New York Times this week that tested positive in 2003. . . . Ian Hamilton, in the Regina Leader-Post: “Zero Tolerance Entertainment, a company which deals in adult videos, reportedly has asked the Houston Texans if it can advertise on the NFL team’s practice jerseys. The Texans are thinking long and hard about the offer.” . . . Perhaps B.C. Lions owner David Braley, who is in the habit of quietly bailing out other CFL teams, could help out the auto and forestry industries.

An interesting trial was held earlier this week in Victoria where one hockey player, Robin Gomez, faced charges of assaulting another, Chris Ferraro, during an ECHL game in that city. What made it even more interesting was that Gomez was defended by the father-son lawyer tandem of Alexander (Sandy) Watt of Kamloops and his son, Jordan, who works out of Victoria. Hmm, perhaps there’s a TV drama there. Or maybe a reality show. . . . There are rumblings that Bill Belichick, the head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots, is soon to be married. Seattle Times reader Bill Littlejohn, for one, believes the rumours to be true because “he has already ordered a tuxedo with a hood on it.” . . . Dan Daly, in the Washington Times: “Read somewhere that Bill Belichick might get married again. As noncommittal as Bill is, though, it’ll probably be a wedding day decision. If you can’t make the ceremony, don’t worry. Something tells me Belichick will have it taped.” . . . Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “Veteran NFL quarterback Trent Green is retiring after 15 seasons marred by concussions. Friends are telling Green he enjoyed a solid career.”

Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. He is at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca and gdrinnan.blogspot.com. Keeping Score appears Saturdays.