KS: Martha and Snoop . . . Colon and Dickey . . . Did Tiger win a major?

A tweet from Randy Turner (@randyturner15) of the Winnipeg Free Press: “Independence Day was a movie about aliens going from planet to planet sucking all resources. In a related story, the Arizona Coyotes are moving to Tempe.” . . . One more tweet from Turner: “I still don’t appreciate the way TSN cuts away after Jets games like they’ve just robbed a bank.” . . . The Chicago Cubs end a 108-year drought. Donald Trump is the president-elect of the world’s most-powerful nation. Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg are business partners. Hey, is this a great time to be alive or what? . . . 

TC Chong, the Richmond, B.C., blogger, had plans for the weekend: “Time to put up the Christmas lights and pick up the leg-hold traps I set for the Pokemon players.” . . . Just wondering but are you as tired as I am of listening to people’s telephone conversations while out doing Christmas shopping? . . . After the Atlanta Braves, about to move into a new stadium, signed aging right-handers Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey — actually, Colon is 43, and Dickey is 42 — comedy writer Marc Ragovin wondered: “What is the name of their new place? Jurassic Park?” . . . 

In case you weren’t aware, the Cleveland Browns, who are 0-12, had a bye this weekend. As comedy writer Alex Kaseberg noted going into the weekend: “Las Vegas has the Browns vs. Bye as too close to call.” . . . The Vancouver Sun, a Postmedia product, had a full page in Saturday’s sports section on airplane crashes involving the sporting world. Unfortunately, there isn’t a mention of the 1956 crash near Chilliwack that took the lives of five CFLers who were on their way back to Regina and Winnipeg from the all-star game that had been held in Vancouver. Of course, the copy the Sun used was from the Washington Post. . . . It’s enough to make an old newspaper guy cry. . . .

“I must have missed something,” venerable golf writer Dan Jenkins tweeted on Sunday. “Tiger beat two out of 17 players, but I kept reading that he was winning another major.” . . . Here’s Janice Hough, aka The Left Coast Sports Babe, after the second round of this weekend’s golf tournament: “ESPN headline ‘Tiger Woods fires 2nd-round 65 at Hero World Challenge, nearly aces No. 12.’ So is anyone actually leading this tournament?” . . . A note from Hough that some of us appreciate: “Dear Santa: On behalf of all of those people who have such nice cars but couldn’t afford turn signals — could you help them out this Christmas?” . . . “Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he tried marijuana twice for back pain in the last year and a half, but ‘it didn’t help at all,’ ” Hough reports. “Hmm! Maybe he should ask around the NBA for help getting better stuff.” . . .

Bill Littlejohn, our South Lake Tahoe, Calif.-based correspondent, reports: “Indiana University fired men’s basketball coach Kevin Wilson for apparent player mistreatment. Imagine that — a coach at Indiana who mistreated players.” . . . Littlejohn, again: “The MLB All-Star Game no longer will determine home-field advantage in the World Series. Instead, it will go to the pennant winner with the best regular-season record. The choice reportedly left a descendant to Paul the Octopus very disappointed.” . . . One more from Littlejohn: “Twenty to 30 inches of snow has been forecast for parts of the Big Island of Hawaii. So I guess, in the wake of the Chicago Cubs winning it all, Hell has officially begun to freeze over.” . . . Littlejohn also reports that, according to PNC Wealth Management, the cost of The 12 Days of Christmas now is more than US$34,000, an increase of more than $200 over last year. There are only three Saturdays left, so you best get started. . . . 

“The world’s oldest person, an Italian woman, has turned 117,” notes Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “Even more impressive, she’s been alive for all three Cubs World Series championships!” . . . On Nov. 20, NFL kickers missed on 12 extra-point attempts, causing Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald to note: “The best kicking I saw all week took place on the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special.” . . . 

If you didn’t hear, Flemingsberge IK dumped Åker/Strängnäs HC, 5-0, in a hockey game in a Swedish U-18 league the other day. The teams combined for 871 penalty minutes — that’s right, 871. Thankfully, there only were 67 spectators in the house. . . . The 1-10 San Francisco 49ers met the host 2-9 Chicago Bears on Sunday. How bad was it? Well, neither team was able to complete a pass in the first quarter. According to ESPN Stats and Info, that hadn’t happened in the NFL since Nov. 13, 1988, when the New York Jets and New England appreciates accomplished (?) it. . . . The Bears eventually won, to go to 3-9, which still won’t get them into the playoffs. . . .

Headline at TheKicker.com: Wildlife handlers dispatched to tranquilize Jim Harbaugh. . . . Headline at SportsPickle.com: Chip Kelly starting to worry 49ers won’t fire him in time to take the Oregon job. . . . As my wife and I were sitting in our car on Friday, trying to make a right turn into traffic from a driveway with no one willing to slow down and let us in, she pointed out: “It’s December, the rudest month of the year because everyone is in a hurry.” . . . Slow down out there, folks. Take a deep breath and enjoy December.

(Gregg Drinnan is a former sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post and the late Kamloops Daily News. He is at greggdrinnan@gmail.com and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears here on weekends, except when it doesn’t.) 

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Putting on broccoli or cauliflower? . . . Bears shuffle to Stanley Cup win . . . Bills' tickets in demand

“Police in Overton, Texas, shut down a lemonade stand because the 7- and 8-year-old proprietors didn’t have a permit,” reports Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “Luckily, the cops didn’t notice the girls’ radio was broadcasting a Houston Astros game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball.” . . . Perry, with a note for those attending the U.S. Open: “Golf fans attending this weekend’s U.S. Open can bring marijuana into Chambers Bay — it’s legal in Washington state, remember — but they’re not allowed to smoke it there. That’s what you call an odd rub of the green.” . . . After playing Chambers Bay, the pros’ next stop will be the mini-golf course at Tower Lanes Entertainment Centre in Tacoma. . . .

While watching the U.S. Open on Friday, former Kamloops Blazers goaltender Darryl Reaugh tweeted: “So, someone explain how PGA players can't function if a guy is walking 75 yards behind the green but a train rumbling by is no big deal??!” . . . Also on the subject of the U.S. Open, longtime golf writer Dan Jenkins tweeted: “My friend Ed Sneed asks when was the last time the Open was played on a nuclear waste facility and does a Geiger counter count as a 15th club?” . . . After Round 2 of the U.S. Open, Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles News Group tweeted: “Henrik Stenson said Chambers Bay was like ‘putting on broccoli.’ I guess he won't be stalking the lead (Saturday).” . . . When he heard Stenson’s critique, Rory McIlroy responded: “I don't think they're as green as broccoli. Maybe more like cauliflower.” . . .

In something of a gaffe, the Korean Times had the Chicago Bears winning the Stanley Cup. “I can’t wait to see the Stanley Cup Shuffle,” noted Bill Littlejohn, our South Lake Tahoe., Calif., correspondent. . . . During the NBA Finals, Littlejohn noted: “Internet buzz in the 'what if' department ponders WNBA star Elena Della Donne marrying Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers. That would result in her name being Elena Delle Donne-Dellavedova.” . . . Another report from Littlejohn: “With just $918 worth of tickets sold in 10 theatres nationwide, United Passions, a movie about FIFA, has earned the title of lowest grossing movie in U.S. history.$918? That won't even feed Chuck Blazer's cats for one day.” . . .

A note from Vancouver comic Torben Rolfsen: “Congrats to Sepp Blatter on his new job running MLB All-Star Game voting.” . . . At the time of that posting, the Kansas City Royals had seven AL starters. . . . “Don’t get me wrong,” writes Janice Hough, aka The Left Coast Sports Babe, “I’m thrilled not to see an AL All-Star team full of Yankees and Red Sox players. But seven Royals starting? And fans can vote a maximum of 35 times per email address. Great to have World Series home-field advantage decided in part by a process with all the integrity of American Idol.” . . . The U of Texas has approved the sale of beer at Darrell K Royal—Texas Memorial Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 100,119. “And the state has just legalized firearms on college campuses,” Hough notes. “What could possibly go wrong?” . . .

“Donald Trump announced he is running for president,” reports Rolfsen. “Does he mean FIFA?” . . . There is a new highways law in B.C. that cracks down on left-lane hogs, who can be fined $167 and hit with three demerit points. As Richmond, B.C., blogger TC Chong points out: “Previously, all you got was a one-finger salute from motorists passing you on the right.” . . . Here’s Brad Dickson, in the Omaha World-Herald: “The Magna Carta turned 800 years old on Monday. It established that no man is above the law. Of course, this was before Florida State University fielded athletic teams.” . . .

After it was revealed that former figure skating great Michelle Kwan had joined Hillary Clinton’s staff, NBC-TV’s Jimmy Fallon added that “Tonya Harding was hired to take care of any other Democrats who enter the race.” . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: Report: 87% of Americans unaware they have been chosen in later rounds of MLB draft. . . . You may have laughed when the Buffalo Bills signed Rex Ryan as their head coach, but there are reports that the NFL team has sold 57,500 season tickets. . . .

The NHL’s 2014-15 regular-season began on Oct. 8. The NBA’s 2014-15 schedule opened on Oct. 28. The NBA season ended Tuesday night, one night after the NHL’s wrapped up. Gee, do you think the NHL season runs too long? . . . If TV people are wondering why ratings in Canada were down in 2014-15, perhaps they can look at (1) the amount of hockey on TV; (2) the lack of offence in what has turned into a grinding game, rather than free flowing; (3) the seemingly never-ending season. . . .

“In Game 6 of the NBA Finals,” writes RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com, “Andre Iguodala of the Warriors scored 25 points, was named series MVP and finally won his first championship. If Tennessee Williams were alive, he’d call it the Night of the Iguodala.” . . . “A resort in Cazumel, Mexico, has opened an underwater games lounge and bar,” Currie reports. “I hear it’s a real dive.” . . . Let’s close with Currie: “Canadian officials have ruled out mechanics as the cause of a recent Halifax-bound Air Canada crash. They’re still not sure about Eugenie Bouchard.”

(Gregg Drinnan is a former sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post and the late Kamloops Daily News. He is at gdrinnan.blogspot.ca and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears here on weekends, except when it doesn’t.)

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

The Book Shelf: Part 2 of 4

The Book Shelf: Part 2 of 4

Just in time for Christmas, here’s a brief look at some of the books I have read over the last while:

The Gods of Guilt -- Author Michael Connelly revisits Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, in this one. There is a murder victim, who was a prostitute; she also was a former client of Haller’s whom he had tried hard to get out of her line of work. Obviously, it didn’t work. If you read The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) and enjoyed it, you’ll like this one. (Kindle)

His Ownself: A Semi-Memoir -- If you are a sports fan and a reader, you no doubt will have read Dan Jenkins, either in Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest or Playboy, or between the covers of one of his numerous books. Now we have His Ownself, written in Jenkins’ take-no-prisoners style. This is writing the way it used to be, before political correctness smothered a lot of it. Go along with Jenkins on a great ride as he revisits his long and terrific career. But as you read along, you get the feeling that the author is laughing at life, like he knows he has pulled a fast one. Reading this is kind of like watching George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the movie Oceans 11. No one should have as much fun as they do; no one should have as much fun as Jenkins did during his career. (Kindle)

Hockey Card Stories: True Tales from Your Favourite Players -- This is a neat book, but it's not one to be read in one or two sittings. Rather, it's to be enjoyed over a month or six weeks. Author Ken Reid, a card collector who is an anchor with Rogers Sportsnet when he isn't counting cards, has selected a number of hockey cards and tells their stories through conversations with the pictured players. There are some terrific stories here, too. For example, Bryan Maxwell, now an assistant coach with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has three cards but his picture is on only one of them. (A note to the author: Despite what you might find on the Internet, Butch Goring’s famous helmet was a ‘SPAPS’, not a ‘SNAPS’. Yes, I had one.) (Kindle)

Kid Dynamite: The Gerry James Story -- Gerry James is the greatest Canadian athlete whom few people remember, and that’s unfortunate. Playing for football’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and hockey’s Toronto Maple Leafs during the same years, James was Bo Jackson before Bo Jackson. James was one of the greatest players in CFL history, twice winning the Schenley Award as the league’s top Canadian. He won scoring championships and Grey Cups; he was one of best and toughest running backs of his day. As a hockey player, he played like, well, a football player. In southern Saskatchewan, he is best known as a senior hockey player, as well as a junior hockey owner, general manager and coach. He also is an enigma, something that is most evident in author Ron Smith’s work. Reading this book, you are left to wonder if James, a contradictarian if ever there was one, knows himself, and if he doesn’t, is there any chance of Smith figuring him out. This book is worth reading, if for no other reason than to understand just what a terrific athlete James was. Unfortunately, there is a bit too much of the author in this book. As well, this book, like so many others today, could have used a good editor. Darth Vadar? Schultz, as in Charles M. Schulz? Sidney Crosbie? Wayne Gretsky? . . . If you’re wondering where the nickname, Kid Dynamite, came from, James’ father Eddie (Dynamite) James was a terrific footballer in his own right. (Kindle)

The King of Sports: Football’s Impact on America -- Author Gregg Easterbrook takes off the gloves as he takes on mostly the NCAA and the NFL, pointing out in no uncertain terms just how it is that football at those levels rules the roost. This just may get you looking at football and all of its money in a different light. (Kindle)

The Lost 10 Point Night: Searching for my Hockey Hero . . . Jim Harrison: When he was a child and first became a hockey fan, David Ward, the author of this little gem, became entranced with Jim Harrison. Almost 40 years later, Ward tracked down Harrison, along with a number of former junior, NHL and WHA teammates, and is able to tell the story of a boy/man and his hockey hero. Harrison is a great story, too, because he has beefs with a team or two, the NHLPA, Alan Eagleson and a few others, and he isn’t the least bit leery about voicing his opinion. This book won‘t get much publicity against some of the big boys that appear before Christmas, but it‘s a wonderful read. (Kindle)

My Cross to Bear -- Give this a read and you’ll wonder how it is that Gregg Allman, he of Allman Brothers Band fame, is still alive. From all the booze and all the drugs and all the wives (six at last count) and all the other women, not to mention the liver transplant, he should have been dead a long time ago. Still, this book, written with Alan Light, provides honest insight into Allman and his music career. You may recall that he once was married to Cher. “I was really glad that she never asked me what I thought of her singing,” he writes, “because I’m sorry, but she’s not a very good singer.” No, that marriage didn’t last either. (William Morrow, 390 pages, soft cover, Cdn$17.99, US$15.99)

Never Go Back -- Someone, and I can’t remember who it was, told me a long time ago to be wary of purchasing a book if the author’s name is larger than the title. Author Lee Child is there with Never Go Back, the latest book in his Jack Reacher series. Oh, it’s as readable and as much escapism as any of the earlier works, but there’s something missing here. Perhaps it’s the introduction of the teenager who may or may not be his daughter, who may or may not show up in a future book. I don’t know. Or maybe I just can’t get it out of my head that Hollywood selected Tom Cruise, all 5-foot-8 of him, to play Reacher, who goes 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, in that movie. Included is a Reacher short story (High Heat) that is quite good. (Dell, soft cover, 607 pages, Cdn$11.99, US$9.99)

99: Gretzky: His Game, His Story -- Keeping in mind that author Al Strachan and former NHL star Wayne Gretzky are good friends, this still is a good read. In fact, it may be worth reading just for the prickly Strachan’s many pokes at NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. There isn’t anything terribly shocking here, but there are a whole lot of Gretzky-related anecdotes that haven’t previously seen the light of day. (Kindle)

Americans clinch West's last playoff spot with loser point

It’s your lucky day because if you click right here you will find the best essay you will read this week . . . this month . . . maybe this year. Written by Bryan Curtis at grantland.com, it’s all about the legendary Dan Jenkins. . . . At one point, Jenkins, referring to Tiger Woods, tells Curtis: “He is a hell of a talent. He just happens to be an asshole.”
---
F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft, joined the Vancouver Giants last week and was to play with them for the remainder of the season. However, it appears his season is over. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Benson was on crutches Tuesday and had a brace on his left leg. He won’t need surgery, but Benson’s season is over. . . . Ewen’s report is right here.
---
IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
(NOTE: Prince Albert and Red Deer are tied for eighth, each with 71 points. Each has three games left. A tie for a conference‘s final playoff spot will result in a tiebreaker game.)
---
Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
---
WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Everett at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
---
TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings got goals from eight players as they dumped the Saskatoon Blades, 8-5. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock scored his 22nd goal and added two assists, while F Richard Nejezchleb got his 31st goal and also had two helpers. . . . The Wheat Kings broke open a 1-1 game with four straight goals. . . . F Nikita Scherbak and D MacKenzie Johnston each had two assists for the Blades, while F Chase Clayton scored his 10th goal and added an assist. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Jayce Hawryluk, their leading scorer, who is serving a WHL suspension and won’t play again in the regular season. . . . Also missing was F Peter Quenneville. . . . F Nolan Patrick, the fourth overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft, played for Brandon. He was pointless but finished plus-2. . . . The Wheat Kings (32-29-9) moved into seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels and Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Blades (16-48-5) have lost nine in a row. . . .

In Calgary, F Brady Brassart drew three assists as the Hitmen dumped the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 5-3. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini scored his 17th goal and added an assist, while F Jake Virtanen notched his 43rd goal. . . . F Riley Sheen scored twice for Lethbridge, giving him 18 goals. . . . Virtanen broke a 2-2 tie 7:56 of the second period, with D Kenton Helgeson scoring his 10th goal at 17:55. . . . Lethbridge G Stuart Skinner, the 17th overall pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, stopped 39 shots in his first WHL start. . . . Calgary (46-17-7) is tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings for first place in the Eastern Conference. . . . Lethbridge (12-53-5) has lost 12 straight. . . .

In Edmonton, G Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots to help the Oil Kings to a 1-0 victory over the short-staffed Kootenay Ice. . . . The Ice dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Among the Kootenay scratches were D Landon Cross and D Landon Peel. . . . Jarry, who leads the WHL with 42 victories, has eight shutouts this season and 14 in his career. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski turned aside 29 shots. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson scored the game’s lone goal, his 33rd, just 15 seconds into the second period. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett picked up his 125th career assist, tying him with Mark Pysyk (2007-12) for the franchise record. . . . The Oil Kings (48-18-3) are tied with Calgary atop the Eastern Conference. Edmonton has the edge in victories (48-46), which is the first tiebreaker, and a game in hand. That game will be played tonight in Medicine Hat. . . . The Ice (39-26-4) is fifth in the conference, six points behind Medicine Hat and three in front of the Swift Current Broncos. . . .

In Moose Jaw, D Jesse Forsberg, F Jack Rodewald and F Tanner Eberle each scored twice to carry the Warriors to a 6-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Forsberg’s second goal, his 10th this season, came on a PP and broke a 3-3 tie at 2:05 of the third period. . . . Eberle then scored twice, the second one shorthanded and into an empty net. He’s got 22 goals. . . . Rodewald has 27 goals. . . . Raiders F Leon Draisaitl scored his 36th goal and also had an assist. . . . Warriors F Brayden Point drew three assists. . . . The Warriors (21-40-9) have won four in a row. . . . The Raiders (33-31-5) had a four-game winning streak snapped. They are tied with Red Deer for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff berth. . . .

In Portland, the Tri-City Americans lost 3-2 in OT to the Winterhawks, but the visitors were celebrating as the loser point allowed them to clinch the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic won it with his 38th goal just 30 seconds into OT. . . . Portland D Mathew Dumba forced OT with his sixth goal at 11:07 of the third period. . . . F Parker Bowles scored twice for the Americans, giving him 13. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 46 shots as he set the franchise‘s single-season record for most saves. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke turned side 18 shots in his first appearance since Feb. 10. He had been out with mononucleosis. . . . F Beau McCue had two assists for Tri-City. . . . Portland has won four in a row, while the Americans have lost four straight. . . . The loser point that went to the Americans was enough to eliminate the idle Prince George Cougars, who now are five points behind with just two games remaining. . . . Portland (51-13-5) will be the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed and will meet the No. 7 Vancouver Giants in the first round. . . . The No. 8 Americans (28-32-9) will open against the No. 1 Kelowna Rockets. . . .

In Kelowna, the Victoria Royals scored two third-period goals and beat the Rockets, 3-2. . . . D Ryan Gagnon tied the game 2-2 with his second goal of the season at 5:04. . . . Victoria F Axel Blomqvist -- was there a better addition via trade this season than this guy? -- scored his 24th goal at 16:40 to win it. . . . Victoria G Patrick Polivka kicked out 34 shots, one more than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . . Kelowna F Tanner Wishnowski scored his first goal at 2:18 of the first period. Wishnowski, who is from Oakbank, Man., turned 17 on Jan. 28 and was playing his first WHL game. He played this season with the major midget Kelowna-based Okanagan Rockets. . . . Victoria F Brandon Magee tied it with his 25th at 16:23 of the first period. . . . Kelowna F Cole Linaker scored his 11th goal, shorthanded, at 16:45 of the second. . . . The Royals have won six in a row. . . . The Rockets have lost just four home games this season, but three of those have come against the Royals. . . . Victoria penalty-killers were 35-for-35 as the Royals won the season series, 5-2-1. . . . The Royals (48-17-4) have 100 points for the first time in franchise history. They will finish third in the Western Conference. . . . The Rockets (54-11-4) lead the Western Conference by five points over Portland. Each team has three games left. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs scored the game’s last three goals and beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 6-4. . . . F Hudson Elynuik tied the game 4-4 with his third goal of the season, via the PP, at 15:51 of the second period. . . . F Mike Aviani got his 37th at 14:34 of the third and F Connor Chartier added an empty-netter, his 13th goal of the season, at 18:37. . . . The Chiefs have won three in a row. . . . Aviani scored twice. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg, the WHL scoring leader, had one assist. . . . Seattle won the season series, 7-1-0. . . . The Chiefs (39-24-6) are fifth in the Western Conference, two points behind Seattle (40-23-6).
---







From Roger Shannon (@rogershannon): “Moncton Wildcats send well wishes and prayers to Kootenay Ice Forward Tim Bozon who is fighting for his life in his battle with Meningitis.”
---
From Helene Barbier Bozon (@Helene Bozon), Tim Bozon’s mother: “RIP Terry Trafford. Sad.”


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

The Vancouver Canucks have gone from Roberto Luongo and Corey Schneider as their goaltending tandem to Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom, and you may want to think about how that happened. . . . You also may want to ponder what sank quicker, the Canucks or the Titanic. . . . Is it just me, or have the Sedin twins all but lost their games in less than a year? Did they grow old in hockey years before we knew it? Does head coach John Tortorella’s shot-blocking, grinding style disagree with them that much? . . . BTW, the Canucks owe each of the Sedin boys four more seasons at $7 million per. . . .

“Kazakhstan finished last in the medal count with one bronze at Sochi,” writes Richmond blogger TC Chong. “Richard Petty said they would have won it all if no one else showed up.” . . . Shades of O.J.: In South Africa, a 24-hour TV channel dedicated to Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial went on the air last Sunday. . . . Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “My feeling on LeBron’s mask: Hey, aren’t Marvel superheroes supposed to LOOK like Marvel superheroes?” . . .

Steve Simmons, in the Toronto Sun: “Word around the Olympics was that Rogers is targeting CBC star George Stroumboulopoulos to host its NHL broadcasts next season after it couldn’t secure James Duthie. And it’s all but been confirmed that Paul Romanuk will be Rogers’ second play-by-play man, after Jim Hughson in the No. 1 chair.” . . . Romanuk, a former TSN hockey play-by-play voice, has been in London, England, for the past few years. . . . I haven’t got my hands on a copy yet, but you can bet that I’ll read His Ownself: A Semi-Memoir, from the legendary Dan Jenkins. The book hit the shelves on Tuesday. . . .

“Don't really understand the mass appeal of outdoor hockey games,” tweeted Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as the Penguins and Blackhawks played in a Chicago snowstorm last weekend, “but assume it has nothing to do with the exceptional quality of play.” . . . Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register chimed in with: “Good job, Bettman. Let's don't have Olympic hockey. Let's have fiasco hockey in a snowstorm instead.” . . . I really need someone to explain to me just how it is that Toronto’s mayor is still in office. . . . And while they’re at it, they can explain to me how Russia rattles sabres in Ukraine and the price of gas in Kamloops jumps from $1.20.9 to $1.33.9. . . .

Here’s Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post, writing about Tiger Woods before the final round of last week’s Honda Classic: “Now, however, the familiar refrain for Woods is one of a player grasping at straws, one of a player who is reluctant to accept his new reality. Woods, in bad times and in good, now sounds a lot more like the masses of weekend amateurs who are in constant search of their elusive game, never knowing what’s coming with the next swing.” . . . Former San Francisco outfielder Barry Bonds is working with the Giants as a hitting coach during spring training. “Let’s just hope all of that attention and power doesn’t give Barry a big head,” offered comedy writer Alex Kaseberg. . . .

During the recent NFL Combine, Auburn defensive end Dee Ford, speaking on Sirius XM radio, took a shot at South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. “People are just looking at the fact that he is a physical specimen,” Ford said. “Honestly, if you watch the film, he plays like a blind dog in a meat market, basically.” . . . How did Clowney react to that? “I just feel like he’s trying to build his stock up or something,” Clowney told the NFL Network. “It doesn’t bother me, but I told him, ‘I’m still better than you.’ ” . . . Hey, Capital One, it’s time to retire that commercial with Martin Short in it. Please! . . .

So . . . Larry Brooks of the New York Post wrote about 10 days ago that the Rangers had attempted to get forward Martin St. Louis from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for their captain, Ryan Callahan. . . . That prompted this response from Phil Esposito, a Lightning broadcaster, who was appearing on The Next Sports Star: "Some (bleep) in New York that writes for the New York Post, and we all know who he is, decided, 'Let me put something out there so maybe we can start some controversy.' It's a bunch of (bleep). It's been going on for as long as I've been in the game of hockey . . . Don't give me this (crap) you're going to trade Marty St. Louis, who has a no-movement clause, he doesn't want to leave, for Callahan, who's a kid, I like him, he's a heart-and-souler, but he couldn't score more than 25 or 30 goals in his (bleeping) lifetime, and he doesn't play all the time because he gets hurt, because he plays like he's 6-foot-5." . . . Of course, Brooks fired back: “If Phil Esposito feels obligated to talk about me on the radio, perhaps he would like to tell the story about the time he spent an elevator ride in the Garden kicking me in the back of the legs because he was upset with something I had written the previous day. At least that would be accurate.” . . . And then, come Wednesday’s NHL trade deadline, guess what happened? Yes, St. Louis ended up with the Rangers, with Callahan going the other way. . . . Atta boy, Espo! . . .

“Men’s curling in Saskatchewan is at an all-time low. Again,” writes Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express. “Pat Simmons, our best curler, plays in Alberta. And two Albertans have twice come to our province to cherry pick a pass to the Brier. It worked once. A handful of provinces are sending pros and we are sending the equivalent of good club teams. We’ve won seven Briers in 75 years. Not good enough. Maybe the Richardsons will consider a comeback.” . . . The Los Angeles Dodgers will have Larry King (yes, that Larry King) playing host to a show on their 24/7 TV network. The show will be called Larry King At Bat. “Presumably,” notes Janice Hough (aka the Left Coast Sports Babe), “Larry hopes to get as a regular guest that nice young man Vin Scully.” . . .

When the Canucks dealt goaltender Roberto Luongo to Florida on Wednesday, it looked for a while as though Luongo and protagonist Tim Thomas would be the Panthers’ goaltenders. Asked how the two of them would get along, Luongo responded: “I always get along with my backups.” . . . Thomas was later dealt to the Dallas Stars. . . . “Just woke up in a cold sweat from the ultimate Sochi nightmare,” writes Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “As in, tennis scream queen Maria Sharapova decided to take up curling.”

(Gregg Drinnan is a former sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post and the late Kamloops Daily News. He is at gdrinnan.blogspot.ca and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears here on weekends, except when it doesn’t.)

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.