Sports Guy North

The Wizard of Odds

“Well, folks, when you're right 52% of the time, you're wrong 48% of the time.”

“Awwww, why didn’t you say that before!”


Well anyway, that’s how I feel about my pick in the Denver Pittsburgh game. I was right in saying that Denver wouldn’t cover the spread, so technically my pick was correct. But I couldn’t have been more wrong about Denver winning the game anyway. And I really couldn’t have been more wrong in saying that “Plummer has shaken his reputation thus far as being the man of the costly turnover” He proved me very wrong on that point early on. And with that, a 6 seed is in the Super Bowl. I must admit, this is not the year where I saw that coming. Nonetheless, I was 2-0 against the spread for the week, extending my record to 6-4 in the playoffs, and 159-107 overall on the season. A 160-win season is still doable, but next years goal will be to get the losses back under 100. I have to turn this sinking ship around before I go under 60%.

If I Only Had a Brain

We now start this game already in progress? As you probably heard already, Monday's contest between the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators was a full 60-minute game, but the Predators were spotted a 1-0 lead. The reason given for this phantom goal was that is was the score of the game on November 21 before it was postponed. But that is not an explanation. If they're going to do something like this, then the game should start at the time where it left off, with all stats in tact. Will this go down as the longest regular season game and keep all the stats? Not likely. Or is it 60 minutes and whoever is in net gets a GA on no shots? Or does the goal happen without any goalie credited with a goal against? At one point in the game Nashville had 2 goals on 1 shot. It doesnt make sense to have done it this way. They should have picked one or the other - start new, or start where left off. No mix. It made no sense. Not to mention the fact that the rematch was in Detroit instead of nashville. I'm not following any of this. And to make matters worse, Nashville won the game by 1 goal. At least they didn't sore in the last 8 minutes, imagine the controversy this game would have started then.

Cowardly Goat?

There is a movement starting in Buffalo to rid the town of the worst jersey's in professional sports. And I couldn't be more supportive. There is a petition to sign if you click on the photo to the left, and I encourage you all to join in. I would love to see the old Blue and Gold back in Buffalo. There was never a reason to switch away from it in the first place, and these updated jersey's look fantastic.








Tin Man, Rusty

So the big news for today will be coming out sometime this afternoon when Mario Lemieux, yet again, announces his retirement from the NHL. This move was the obvious next step after announcing he was selling his share in the team. Mario is done with hockey, and just wants to completely cut away from it for a few years, before returning to coach the Montreal Canadiens. I really can't blame him for not waiting out the season. He's hurt, and his team is going no where fast. It's best for everyone if he's not involved. And it's sad to think what his career could have been if not for all the injuries and illness. I went to a Sabres Penguins game in December in hopes of seeing him play one last time, but it turned out that I was a day too late. We'll miss you Mario, thanks for all the great plays over the years.

The Wicked GM of the East

You'd think that Mario's retirement would be on my mind most today, but it isn't. I am most bothered by the trade rumours I'm hearing coming out of New York. Jale Rose and Mike James for Hardaway and Ariza. I will keep my comments on this disaster until it becomes a reality. What a mess that deal would be for the Raptors. Knowing Babcocks history, however, I'm sure it's already a done deal.