Sports Guy North

Elias Watch

23 games, 25 points, +7 rating. More importantly, however, are the 15 wins the Devils have lodged with Elias in the lineup. That is to say, they have 15 wins and 8 losses with Elias, versus 19 wins and 26 losses without. They have been in a bit of a slide lately, but still appear to be secure in a playoff spot. If the manage to draw the Rangers in the first round, I’m pretty sure my money would still be on Brodeur over Lundqvist. Even without Mogilny in the lineup.

Mogilny Watch

What I don’t understand is why the River Rats have the 6th worst attendance in the AHL. They are averaging only 4,026 fans per game, which makes no sense. Having been to Albany I can say almost for certain that there is nothing better to do with your time than watch Alex Mogilny play some world class hockey (albeit surrounded by minor-leaguers on a last place team). Seriously, Albany is a hole, there is nothing else there. I checked with Ticketmaster and upcoming events of note include “Larry the Cable Guy”, and if golden showers are more your thing, R. Kelly will be stopping by in April. If I’m missing something, please someone from Albany let me know what that might be. Otherwise get out there and watch what might be some of the last games that a legend may play in his career. He at least deserves that much.

Zarley Z Watch

I’m still waiting for someone to send me an update on Zarley Zalapski’s current status. You guys really, REALLY just aren’t following up on things properly for me anymore. I needs ta know about my Zarley.

Antonio Watch

A big part of me is starting to suspect that Antonio may have put in 8 games because that’s what was decided that he should put in, for appropriate show. A compromise likely reached to both save his face as the President of the Players Association, and to keep him from having to be somewhere that he, and his precious wife, hates. Most notably, the 8 games he put in only had him showing up for 2 games in Canada. At the end of the Raptor’s 5 game road trip, suddenly Antonio found himself injured. From what I saw of his last game against Miami, he seemed fine. 2 days later in Toronto, however, he was nowhere to be seen. If this isn’t what really happened, then I apologize to mister Davis, but at this point it is more than a little bit suspect. And it’s sad, because he had me committed to be his #1 fan. Now I just don’t know what I believe in anymore. I guess as a Canadian I’ll have to go back to cheering for Vince Carter… I mean Tracey McGrady… I mean Steve Francis… oh man…


White Guy Watch

The Raptors are rolling into Boston on Wednesday, which reminded me to check on the White Guy Dunk Contest Results. The 4 contestants that the public would most like to see in such an event are:

1. Dauber Kamen
2. Half-a-man Araujo
3. Darko Milicic
4. Brian Scalabrine

It’s a shame that Z didn’t quite get into the event, because I for one would give anything to see what kind of tricks can be done in the midst of a massive 4 inch vertical. The possibilities are endless. But, the line-up is decent, if not just for the constant array of clanks off the back of the rim from Araujo. It’s even got the token goofy red head in the midst. Just a great field all around. Now, send in your descriptions of your favourite contestants dunks, and I’ll put the best ones for each in a post next week. The more creative and/or embarrassing the dunk, the better.

Olympic Watch

The Olympics are still over:

Canada: None
USA: None

Groin Watch

So many groins this year, so little time. Hasek’s one-week injury he sustained in the first week of the Olympics has, by this point, officially taken more than one week to heal. He did skate this week, although not in any equipment. He also managed to fall at one point skating backwards and fairly slowly. But the road to recovery is well underway, and his one week should be over in 2 or 3 more weeks. Emery has done a decent job in his place, but if the Sens are going to compete, they need Hasek, and they need him to be healthy. I’m sure if the Sens do meet an early end in the playoffs, there will be a lot more people in Ontario agreeing with me that tournaments in the middle of the playoff races are not the place for NHLers to be playing. Some people on the west coast, who have already seen their Canucks complete their inevitable slide out of a playoff spot, probably already agree with me. The Canucks fans, though, do have other scapegoats to look at if they want. What a mess that team has turned into late in the season, as seems to be tradition on the coast of late. We’ll never know what that team could have been without injuries, conflict, coaching mistakes, court cases, in-fighting, etc. You have to think something better should have come out of the last 3 years than Canucks fans were awarded. But you’ll just have to keep thinking.