Tragedy in High River . . . Merry Christmas from Darlene Love . . . Fund continues to grow

The High River, Alta., Flyers of the Heritage Junior Hockey League have postponed two weekend games after their captain was killed in a single-vehicle accident on Saturday morning. . . . D Eli Gosselin, 20, and another young man died in the accident. . . . There’s more information right here.
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A glance at the WHL standings shows 14 of its 22 teams with winning percentages of .500 or better -- three in the East Division, five in the Central Division, two in the B.C. Division and four in the U.S. Division.
If you go by wins and losses, there are 11 teams with more of the latter than the former -- two in the East, four in the Central, one in B.C., and four in the U.S.
And if you ever needed proof that some leagues need to go to the three-point victory you only had to watch the Calgary Flames kill the end of regulation time in Vancouver on Saturday night.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS . . .

Steven Van Zandt calls her “the greatest singer in the world.” Darlene Love first sang Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1986. It became an annual tradition, but it came to an end on Friday. (The show was taped Thursday and televised Friday.) . . . If you haven’t seen it, it’s right here.
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Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times has more right here on Darlene Love’s last appearance on Late Show with David Letterman.
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Over at the National Post, columnist Andrew Coyne makes a case for Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) as the “greatest Christmas song ever.” That piece is right here.
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Meanwhile, Dave Bidini, a Canadian musician of some renown, uses his column in the National Post to make a case for Fairytale of New York as the only Christmas song that matters. That piece is right here.
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THE FUND:

The Technology Fund hit $1,590 on Saturday, and I understand that it isn’t done yet. I will continue to update you and definitely will let you know when the purchase is made. But, no, I’m not about to camp out in front of an electronics store on Christmas night in order to be first in line for a Boxing Day sale! . . . To those who have helped out, hank you so much.
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The things kids say - "Dad, when you were a little boy was YouTube in 'black and white'"? #innocence
— Dan Russell (@DanRussellST) December 21, 2014

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The Book Shelf: Part 2 of 4

A brief look at some of the books I have read over the last while, perhaps to help you with some Christmas shopping (for yourself):

Detroit: An American Autopsy – Wow! If you have ever wondered how it is that a city like Detroit ended up filing for bankruptcy, Charlie LeDuff has written a real eye-opener. This isn't a book full of numbers; it is a book loaded with anecdotes that will leave you shaking your head. Time after time, you will stare at the heavens in bewilderment. A good portion of the book is centred on Detroit's firefighters and the incredible conditions under which they were expected to work. Sheesh, they had to bring their own toilet paper to work. LeDuff is a former Los Angeles Times and New York Times reporter who returned home to Detroit to write for the News. I highly recommend this book. (The Penguin Press, 286 pages, Kindle)

Dream Team: The book’s subtitle almost says it all – How Michael, Magic, Larry Charles, and the greatest team of all time conquered the world and changed the game of basketball forever. . . . Yup, that about sums it up. Except that it doesn’t, because it doesn’t say enough. This is a terrific book, full of colourful anecdotes involving some of the greatest basketballers of our time. But it is so much more than that. Author Jack McCallum, he of Sports Illustrated fame, does a wonderful job of explaining how all of these huge egos came together to form a team in the truest sense of the word. (Ballantine Books, hard cover, 351 pages, Cdn$34.00, US$28.00)

A Drinking Life: A Memoir – Pete Hamill, a New York newspaperman with Irish in his blood, opens his book with this: “This is a book about my time in the drinking life. It tells the story of the way one human being became aware of alcohol, embraced it, struggled with it, was hurt by it, and finally left it behind. There is no hero.” There may not be a hero, but this is a wonderful read that paints a terrific picture of growing up in a hard-scrabbled area of New York when booze was the milk of the working man. It really is a book about coming of age and starting to grow old. (Kindle, $10.03)

Drunk on Sports – Tim Cowlishaw is a recognizable face on the sporting scene; after all, he is a sports columnist with the Dallas Morning News and also holds down a spot on ESPN’s popular show Around The Horn. This is his story, and it’s an interesting read. This is a man who had the world by the tail, with a dream job and all that goes with it, including booze, booze and more booze. He wrote about and talked about the Dallas Cowboys and drank with then-head coach Jimmy Johnson. He covered Super Bowls and drank. He covered NASCAR and drank. A lot. He covered the Dallas Stars and drank. Yes, he drank a lot. But he didn’t see that as a problem, until he ended up in hospital a couple of times, once with a fracture to his skull. It’s worth noting that Cowlishaw says the aforementioned A Drinking Life: A Memoir, by Pete Hamill, had quite an influence on his desire to be a sports writer. (Kindle, $9.73)

End Zones & Border Wars: The Era of American Expansion in the CFL – Written by Vancouver Province sports columnist Ed Willes, the title pretty much says it all. This is a decent overview of what had to have been the darkest and most hilarious days in the CFL's history. In all honesty, though, this book could have used more Pepper Rodgers. (Harbour Publishing, soft cover, 208 pages, $19.95)

Fall of Giants – This is the first of Welsh author Ken Follett’s expansive historical trilogy that follows five families through the 20th century. Fall of Giants takes the families, and the reader, through the First World War and the Russian Revolution. If you like good, long reads that are loaded with great characters, international intrigue, historical figures and some just plain folks who are trying to make their way in the world, you won’t want to miss this. Just be prepared to get hooked on the series. (Kindle, $12.82) (See Winter of the World further down here.)

419 – Anyone with a computer and an email account has received one of those Nigerian notes. And, surely, you have wondered what might happen were you to respond. This is the riveting story about all that and more. There is deceit and death and death and deceit and, in the end, the circle is unbroken. An award-winning work from author Will Ferguson, this is one of those MUST reads. I found it to be thoroughly engaging. (Penguin, Kindle, $15.99)

Gordon Lightfoot: The Man, The Music and the World in 1972 – Author/musician/man-about-Canada Dave Bidini, who is really good, set out to write a book about Canadian icon Gordon Lightfoot but the subject chose not to co-operate. Bidini forged ahead anyway, and has produced another gem. Like Stompin’ Tom Connors, Bidini writes about things Canadian, mostly hockey and music. In this book, he examines Lightfoot’s legacy in detail. In one aside to Lightfoot, Bidini writes: “Your music tapped into the very essence of the Canadian soul at a time when Canadians were just trying to figure out who they were and what they were about. You gave your people a voice. You gave them a musical hero.” Bidini wraps it all around the 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival. Ahh, 1972. Yes, Harry Sinden makes the odd appearance, and so do Bidini’s beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. At one point, he writes that Lightfoot records “most of your song ideas on a cassette recorder, often while you’re sitting around watching the Leafs play (you’ve done a lot of estimable things, Gord, but finding inspiration in the god-awful Leafs might be your greatest achievement.” If you haven’t met Bidini on the printed page, you should. (McClelland & Stewart, soft cover, 256 pages, US$18.99, Cdn$21.00)

The Innocent – I hadn't read anything written by David Baldacci prior to picking up this book. The central character is Will Robie, a hitman/assassin who is in essence a U.S. government employee. In this story, he gets tangled up in a web that involves a 14-year-old girl who has witnessed the murder of her parents. All in all, it was a good read over a couple of hotel days. (Vision, paperback, 543 pages, US$9.99, Cdn$10.99)

The Instigator: How Gary Bettman Remade the League and Change the Game Forever – Author Jonathon Gatehouse, who obviously knows his way around the National Hockey League, goes into great detail in explaining how the NHL has gotten from where it was when Gary Bettman moved into the commissioner's office to where it is today. You won't be surprised to read that this is Bettman's league and he wants/has total control. There really aren't any surprises here, but it is an interesting and valuable read, just the same. (Penguin, soft cover, 379 pages, Cdn$20.00)

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The Everett Silvertips are expected to introduce Garry Davidson as their new general manager at a news conference this afternoon.
Davidson has been the director of player personnel with the Portland Winter Hawks since Bill Gallacher purchased the franchise and hired Mike Johnston as general manager and head coach.
Davidson, who is from Souris, Man., will replace Doug Soetaert, who was fired on Feb. 2. Davidson becomes the second GM in the franchise’s history.
According to a release by Silvertips yesterday, “Silvertips and Consolidated Sports Holdings President Gary Gelinas will be on hand to make the announcement . . .”
The Silvertips are owned by Bill Yuill; Gelinas is the president and governor.
Davidson and Gelinas both have long histories in the BCHL.
Davidson last was involved with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, where he was owner, GM and head coach. He also spent time BCHL franchises in Nanaimo, Penticton, Trail and Victoria.
Gelinas was involved in the ownership of the Nanaimo Clippers, Langley Hornets and Westside Warriors.
Davidson reportedly was at the Silvertips’ practice on Tuesday.
With the exception of one season when he worked with a Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Omaha, Soetaert had been the Silvertips general manager since before the team began play in the fall of 2003.
The Silvertips are 15-32-9 and one point out of the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. They are 3-2-0 since Feb. 2.
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JUST NOTES:
F Joel Hamilton of the Red Deer Rebels has been in hospital since Saturday night after he was injured in an 8-5 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. He won’t play hockey again for a while but is making progress after being found to have two broken vertebrae. On Tuesday afternoon, Hamilton tweeted: “Walked and even accomplished a few stairs today. Should be out of here tomorrow! #progress” . . .
Remember Raider, the puppy rescued not that long ago from freezing cold by Shane Danyluk, Josh Morrissey and Carson Perreaux of the Prince Albert Raiders? Well, CKOM in Saskatoon reports that a couple from North Vancouver has adopted Raider. The puppy is to be flown to Vancouver today. . . .
The WHL announced Tuesday that Ben Wiebe, who served governor for the Swift Current Broncos for 17 years, will receive the WHL Governors Award. This award is given annually to, according to the WHL, “an individual who, through his outstanding services as a builder of the league has made a contribution to the growth and development of the WHL.” . . . Wiebe was part of the group that brought the Broncos back from Lethbridge in time for the 1986-87 season. He served on the team’s board of directdors for eight seasons and then was elected chairman and governor. He served as chairman for eight seasons, starting in 1994, and as the team’s governor for 17 years. . . .
F John McFarland, the first player selected in the OHL’s 2008 draft, appears to have had his season ended by a shoulder surgery. McFarland, who was acquired by the Ottawa 67’s at the trade deadline in January, will undergo surgery this week and could take as much as four months to recover. He was a second-round selection by the Florida Panthers in the 2010 NHL draft. He had nine points, including four goals, in 12 games since Ottawa got him from the Saginaw Spirit. . . .
The BCHL has announced the creation of two awards to honour referees and linesmen for their contributions to the game. The awards will be named after Kelly Sutherland and Brad Lazarowich, with one going to the top referee and the other to the top linesman. Sutherland, who now is an NHL referee, and Lazarowich, an NHL linesman, both worked in the BCHL. They also worked in the WHL. . . . Each of the award winners will receive $500, with $250 of that going to a charity of their choice. . . .
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Cranbrook, D Eric Roy scored with 3.2 seconds left in the third period to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . Roy’s eighth goal of the season was unassisted. . . . Ice F Jesse Ismond had tied the game with his 15th goal on a PP at 17:39. . . . Kootenay jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Wheat Kings scored three straight goal. . . . Brandon F Brenden Walker had three assists. . . . Wheat Kings F Mark Stone had a goal, his 37th, and an assist and took the lead in the WHL scoring race, with 92 points. . . . He is two points ahead of F Jordan Weal of the Regina Pats. . . . Brandon, which holds down eighth place in the Eastern Conference, moved six points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Ice remains fourth in the conference, a point ahead of the Saskatoon Blades. . . .

In Kamloops, F Matt Needham scored off a rebound at 19:01 of the third period as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . The Oil Kings had been 30-0-2 when leading after two periods. . . . The game matched the Blazers, who lead the Western Conference and the overall standings, against the Oil Kings, the top team in the Eastern Conference. When it was over, the Blazers held a five-point lead over the Oil Kings. . . . In the Western Conference, Kamloops is seven points ahead of the Tri-City Americans. . . . Edmonton took a 2-0 lead on goals by F Kristians Pelss, his 20th, in the first period and F Jordan Peddle, his ninth, in the second. . . . Kamloops got a PP goal from F Brandon Herrod, his 22nd, at 3:12 of the third. . . . D Austin Madaisky tied it with his 12th goal just 1:44 after that. . . . Needham won it off a Madaisky rebound. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan beat his former club for the second time this season. This time, he made 24 saves, 11 fewer than Edmonton’s Laurent Brossoit. . . . Kamloops was 1-4 on the PP; Edmonton wasn’t given even one PP opportunity. . . . Edmonton, which plays the Rockets in Kelowna tonight, leads the Eastern Conference by five points over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Colin Jacobs and F Connor Honey had shootout goals to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Rockets erased a 3-1 deficit to force overtime. . . . F Zach Franko got it to 3-2 at 5:50 of the second period. . . . D Myles Bell forced OT when he beat G Calvin Pickard on a penalty shot at 19:07 of the third period. It was his 12th goal this season. . . . The penalty shot was awarded after it was ruled that Seattle had intentionally knocked its net off the moorings. . . . Seattle now has sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Victoria Royals and three up on the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Rockets are headed to a sixth-place finish. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., shootout goals by F Brendan Gallagher and F Cain Franson gave the Vancouver Giants a 5-4 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Brendan Gallagher scored three times for Vancouver, giving him the franchise record with 129 career goals. He went into the game tied with Adam Courchaine for the club record. . . . Gallagher, who has five hat tricks this season, has 34 goals this season. . . . His third goal, at 17:29 of the third, gave the Giants a 4-3 victory. . . . Tri-City tied it on D Zach Yuen’s ninth goal at 18:41 on a PP. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 29 shots. Franson wasn’t able to beat Comrie on a penalty shot at 5:47 of the third period. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin had two goals, giving him 36, and an assist for the Americans. . . . Vancouver lost F Anthony Ast with a charging major and game misconduct at 9:21 of the third period. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning played in his 296th career game, breaking Craig Cunningham’s franchise career record. . . . The Giants moved into a fourth-place tie with the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Conference. . . . The Americans now are two points ahead of the second-place Portland Winterhawks in the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans were playing their first game in a stretch that has them going four times in five nights. . . . They are in Portland tonight, in Kent, Wash., on Friday and at home to Spokane on Saturday. . . . The Giants, meanwhile, are playing five games in six nights. They are in Spokane tonight, at home to Edmonton on Friday, in Everett on Saturday and at home to Red Deer on Sunday. . . . Yikes!
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Paul Ciarelli, Brandon.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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Dave Bidini is a Canadian musician of some renown. He also is a terrific writer. If you haven’t already, make sure you read his book Tropic of Hockey as it is outstanding. In Tuesday’s National Post, Bidini writes of Trent Frayne, one of his literary heroes, who died on the weekend. This is short and well-written. Frayne would have appreciated that. It is right here.


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