Linking up

Some random thoughts from a mind beyond saving, just to keep this blog ticking over:

AP

Jeff Pain, Team Canada needs your mask, says Carla.

I don't know if there's an SI Jinx for this, but we can only hope so: Canada's picked to finish second to the Czech Republic in the men's hockey comp at the upcoming Turin Olympics: "SI hockey writer Michael Farber disagrees and picks Canada," they say, somewhat wimpily (if your hockey expert isn't making the picks here, who is?)

Best hockey read of the last, oh, couple of days anyway: AbeltoYzerman's historical notes accompanying the latest Carnival.

Today's ripped from the headlines offering: Liz Manley marries former Ice Dog.

Meantime, a big heads-up for anyone who hasn't to check out Ninja's blog, which is fast becoming required reading for Leafs fans -- including nightly game notes.

(C.Y.)

Comments

[Carla]

I got a huge laugh when I saw the helmet that skeleton racer Jeff Pain is wearing on his helmet. I'd love to see this nasty little fella painted on our goaltenders' masks for the Games. :-D

[James Mirtle]

Boy, Maggie the monkey is getting some good pub the last few days. (When I clicked on the link, I was thinking 'I wonder who CY thinks is making SI's picks?')

[cy]

That Maggie eh. If she got a royalty, we'd all be broke.

[Flam Flim]

So whatcha' think? Ovechkin 9, Leafs 2 tonight?

Nice pro-war fluff piece by Mark Zwolinski in the Star today ("Leafs get taste of war's horrors"). What it has to do with hockey remains to be seen. If the Leafs need a reality check, all they have to do is look past the platinum seats at the ACC.

If the USA didn't launch an illegal war against Iraq, their youth wouldn't be in such bad shape.

Unlike Bryan McCabe's viewpoint that the American military is protecting Canada's interests also, I wholeheartedly disagree. So this wasn't a reality check for the Leafs Mr. Zwolinski, it was an "un-reality refresher" courtesy of Uncle Sam.

Now can we stick to hockey please?

[Jlo]

I thought the same thing re: "the horrors of war" and McCabe's comment. Let's be honest: Canada does not need defending from Iraqi guerilla fighters.

I have to say though, at least this is more interesting than chasing down JFJ and trying to get him to cop to a plan. And regardless of whether one is for or against the war, it is far more real than hockey. People actually die in war, as opposed to hockey players who "suffer" groin injuries and the like.

No one wants to say it, but it's true: hockey is just a game. It means nothing. Of course, that would send the whole house of cards tumbling and all the sports writers would be out of a job. Not really though, because, thanks to the harsh realities of the world, we enjoy a good diversion now and then. Hockey is a very nice diversion.

[cy]

What got me was the notion put forth that these poor kids in the hospital were eager to get back over there. Somehow I doubt that -- and as the Leafs TV mouthpiece told viewers, the press was not invited (Leafs TV also told us, via Bill Watters, that Harper would go down as "one of the greatest Prime Ministers in history" -- I didn't know they were moving into the realm of political punditry, but there you are). The whole thing, start to finish, came across as carefully managed pro-U.S. propaganda. And Jlo, you may still disagree and that's fine, but this is what I see as part of the Leafs' very careful, very corporate, very controlled m.o. -- JFJr not levelling about "the plan" is just a small indication of how far removed from the fans they are. So too was that trip to the local outdoor rink to pup their sponsors' name up on the scoreboard. This flag-waving exercise (and it wasn't even our flag), involving matters far more important than hockey, is somehow different, and much more troubling. I'm with you Flam -- Stick to hockey please!

[Arthur]

I disagree that the U.S. isn't protecting our interests. 80-90% of the good things Canada has is thanks to our relationship with them. I won't bother to break down the incredible trade relationship we enjoy with America. Every country in the world would line up for the relationship with them we regularly abuse. The biggest reason our government has scaled back military spending for the last 30 years is because everybody knows the biggest kid on the block lives right next door to us.

If anyone thinks America wouldn't be the first country to back us up if we ever needed it, they're dead wrong.

Anyway, I saw the Leafs' hospital visit as a chance to cheer up some young guys who could really use some attention. Is that so bad?

[Carla]

'Anyway, I saw the Leafs' hospital visit as a chance to cheer up some young guys who could really use some attention. Is that so bad?'

If it hadn't been politicized, Arthur, no, it wouldn't have been 'so bad'.