Politicians have no place, and best flop and Canadian song ever?

I am reminded of the first regular season game-day of the Kevin O’Neil era and if there’s one thing KO was, it was single-minded when it came time to get ready for a game and he didn’t suffer what he thought were silly questions well ever, let alone on a game day.

Well, one fellow – and the game was on Halloween, as I recall – asks KO about his best Halloween memory and KO gives him a look and then says sotto voce:

“Will the ridiculousness never end?”

I am reminded of that phrase this morning as I read this dispatch that says some publicity seeking politician in the United States wants to get the Senate down there investigation the NFL – and the other pro sports leagues – for the stuff about the New Orleans Saints and the bounty program that’s been in the news.

Seriously.

Look, I know politicians kind of well, dealing with some of them is part of life around Casa Doug, and some of them, not all but some, can be spotlight-stealing publicity hounds whose sole intention is to obtain power and then retain it.

So I kind of get it when one of them goes off the rails and tries to get some TV time or newspaper time talking about an issue so far removed from his bailiwick that it’s not even funny.

Politicians, here, there and everywhere, need to be worried about far greater issues than how a pro sports league disciplines itself; there are things like job creation, disparity of wealth and unfair taxation, the erosion of the social safety net that’s hugely troubling that need to be addressed.

Sports?

Sports is sports and while it is a huge part of life for so many of us and a multi-national, multi-billion-dollar business, it is, in almost every imaginable way, quite able to police itself on things like bounties on players in games. As we’ve said, the NFL moved swiftly and harshly to deal with this issue, as it should have, and it now should be over.

The last thing anyone needs – the league, the teams, the players, the owners, the fans – is some grandstanding politician getting his name out there by keeping the situation going.

Go and deal with real issues, Mr. Senator, that’s what they’re paying you to do.

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Oh, boy.

You know technology and I, right? Kind of like math and I, not the greatest of mixes.

Well, now that I’m sitting here looking at my brand new iPhone and trying to figure out how it works, my head is hurting and I’m a little a’scared.

Thankfully, 15-year-old Super Son was around last night so I wasn’t hopelessly lost trying to make it work.

Kind of miss the old Blackberry, it was easier to type on because of the raised keys and the BBM thing but everyone tells me I’ll eventually get used to this new-fangled device.

Got apps?

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This, folks, is the greatest flop in the history of sports. I don’t even think a soccer player could match the theatrics of this one.

Made me absolutely laugh out loud when I saw it.

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So while I was doing this about the league, and this about the Knicks and, yes, this little piece of video magic, one thing occurred to me about the HOTH and what’s ahead.

Five home games in a row can’t really be seen as a good thing, can it?

For some reason, and I can’t put my finger on it other than to say it’s as much maturity as anything, the Raptors just don’t seem to play as well at home as they do on the road.

They have fewer wins (7) at the Air Canada Centre than they do away from the Air Canada Centre (8) and while it’s nice they’ve already eclipsed last season’s road win total, that’s not really the point.

The point is that they have to better at home, more strong-willed, more grown-up, more businesslike. It’s as if they’ve bought into the idea that home teams have some kind of magical elixir when they step on the floor, that opponents are somehow going to find it difficult to win.

Doesn’t work that way.

It’s supposed be the home teams are simply more confident that they will eventually win, that they know how to take care of business.

Maybe it’s the vagaries of youth, that some of these guys think it’s just more fun to play at play home or something. Maybe it’s the opponent and the schedule.

Whatever it is, with five straight at home after Saturday’s trip to Chicago – five games with the whole team relatively healthy and intact – would be a good time to make some kind of statement.

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Okay, I don’t know who’s screwing the weather but I need to have word with her.

It’s really nice that it was 26C this week, the sun was shining, the patios were open and it was glorious.

But now they tell me it’s going back down to 4C on Monday and I’m thinking the shorts we pulled out of closet will have to go back.

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I know this isn’t going to happen and I understand fully why.

But wouldn’t it be nice if, say, Rogers were to announce today that one of its regional sports networks – and I’m thinking Sportsnet East and Ontario would be the logical choice – was going to change its Sunday afternoon schedule and show the fifth and deciding game of the NBL Canada championship series live?

Yeah, the Halifax Rainmen beat the London Lightning last night in Halifax in what I’m told was an electric atmosphere to send the series to a deciding game Sunday afternoon in London.

I can’t be there sadly, the flight back from Chicago won’t make it in time, but I’d sure like to get off the plane, find a stool or a couch and see it.

It should be wild.

And I know London Irregulars will keep me apprised, right?

And I do think it’s quite fitting that what’s been an excellent first season will end this way.

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Canada Music Week, right?

And I know we did this guy/band yesterday and, honest, I was going to suggest this even before an Irregular mentioned it yesterday but if this isn’t the best song by a Canadian band ever, it’s in the top three, right?

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Oh yeah, here’s a second-to-last shot at the mail and we will be here for an IGBT tonight around 7. See you then.

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Comments

[SEAN H]

Apps? Well obviously the NBA.TV is great. BOOKMARK is fantastic for audiobooks and remembering where you left off. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER of course for your line of work. Also got THE STAR app for your lovely paper. URBAN SPOON for food locations nearby of your fancy. For music I have a bunch but JANGO is my favourite because it plays music based on a band or artist your recommend. So lets say you type in the Beatles, it will play music that sounds like the Beatles. I love it. By the way, 1 month into using your IPhone you'll be selling your RIM stock. Its that good.

[Rob.V]

That flop was priceless!!. Very funny, a great way to start your day.
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So an irregular could use some help. Looks like I've got a business trip to San Fransisco next week. I'll probably take in a Warriors game (which appears to be over the bridge -according to google maps) however I'm a first timer so I am open to any suggestions or recommendations for food (or other) if anyone would care to help.

Blogger's note: Take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to the game; if you don't have dinner at Tomasso's (sp?) in SF you will be missing out

[sam]

The Blackberry against iPhone debate occurs quite often in our office. The iPhone folks rave about the product. If you are used to imacs or ipads you should have no problems figuring it out.

I read your piece on Derek Fisher this morning. Yesterday I heard an interview with our old Friend Sam Mitchell - His take is Derek should have accepted his fate and gone to Houston. That when you sign a contract you know you could be traded at any time. The team that trades for you does so in good faith and it's not right that you can refuse to appear and engineer a buy out to go to a prefered location. Sam figures if you refuse to report, you should be suspended and no team should be able to sign them. . .

Can't say I disagree with Sam...

It's a story that the HOTH know from the HWSNBN trade for Mourning and the William's. It didn't sit right with Raptors fans - I'm sure some Rocket fans are feeling the same...

The Flop - may go down as the worst reaction ever to having a Basket Ball bounce off thier head. . . Too funny!

[Eric-in-NS]

At least one Nova Scotia Irregular will also keep you apprised of the NBL deciding game...
I can watch on Eastlink, but am fully behind your call to Rogers. The new league deserves the attention. Some of the promotion here calls the Rainmen "Nova Scotia's only pro sports team."

The Premier here was interviewed on the radio the other day based on his offhand remark that an official meeting away from Halifax would cause him to miss the first final game in Halifax. Turns out he's a season ticketholder and avid ball player...

So far the camera work and quality of picture for the final series have been better for the Halifax games. Anyone have a reason for that?
- Eric

[Cristian]

Hey Doug,
Sorry to hear you've moved over to an iPhone. The Star and most other newspaper, radio and tv for that matter, love to tout our local cuisine, local beer, farmer's markets, 100-mile-diet, etc. but when it comes to local technology designed and built (yes built in Waterloo not China) it seems support is lacking. Blue collar hard working men and women are putting together BlackBerrys right down the road (and more than a few of them subscribe to and read The Star) and yet the vote goes to send our money to Cupertino, California and Tucheng in New Taipei. Sad.
Well, if the kids like it, it must be good, right?
All the best,
C

[DannyFromFreddy]

Doug, I can see why some people might think that the whole NFL bounty issue does need an outside look. I know football is a violent sport but when you offer money to injure someone, it boarders on or perhaps reaches the point where criminal charges need to be considered.

I think when you look at The Guess Who's body of work and then add in Burton Cumming's and Randy Bachman's other solo/band songs, they are a top three all-time Canadian band.

[SheikYurbouti]

@Rob V
I'm no expert on San Fransisco dining, etc., but a few downtown places I had good food/good times at are:
Sears Fine Food- a local institution and great for breakfast!
Lefty O'Douls- pub/restaurant serving up good old fashioned comfort food instead of usual pub fare.
Biscuits & Blues- decent food offerings, but the music is the bigger attraction, usually only costing $15-20 cover. Hot wings (giant sized) are good, and though not New Orleans, Jambalaya is pretty good.
PS. If someone suggests the famous Boudin Sourdough Bakery & Cafe for chowder, pass. I've had better at an Earl's on the prairies

[GM]

Ah, the flop. What to do about it? I wouldn't mind them taking away the charge call altogether. Not sure it would work, but that's how much I hate defenders not making a play on the ball, essentially just trying to "trick" the offensive player by standing in their way at the last second. Of course, if refs didn't buy the flop, it wouldn't happen so frequently. The thing is, no human reacts to getting hit that way. If you're hit square on the chest, you don't fall flat backwards. You may take a few stumble steps backwards, but that's about it. Also, refs are taught to call what they see happening. So often we see them calling something based on the reaction (i.e. a player falling) even if they didn't catch what supposedly caused (or didn't cause) the player to fall.

I agree with Sam on Fisher, aka the worst/best flopper in the game. Obviously Houston was okay with buying him out, but it still rubs me the wrong way.

[Rob.V]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it!
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I'll be sure to let you know how I made out.

[Steve]

@GM My problem every time this debate comes up is that the term 'flopping' for most people seems to mean taking a charge and therefore draw the automatic conclusion that the only solution is to remove the charge rule completely.

The most extreme examples of the behaviour being discussed however, like the one Doug posted, rarely have anything to do with taking a charge. The real solution is to do what the league claimed they would do a few years ago (but never followed up) and review games for players acting to get calls and start fining them on an increasing scale.

[GM]

@Steve, I'd be all for that. Something. Anything. I just wish refs didn't always fall for it. My hypothetical example is a tiny Isaiah Thomas (Kings) type player charging into a Shaq type player. The only way that gets called is if Shaq falls backwards but in reality he wouldn't even budge. A charge is a charge whether the guy falls backwards or not.