And now for something completely different

Okay, we should have known nothing good would come of this.

Gumby, Griff and I are sitting around the saloon after the Phoenix game and, of course, we get to talking about Stompin’ Tom and his demise and his place among all-time Canadians and we go with him being an icon, as we should.

But then the glasses start emptying and we start talking about the greatest living Canadian and that’s too subjective so we switch gears and try to figure out the Coolest Canadian Alive.

Well, now we have to order a second – we’re about 20 steps from the hotel so there’s no real rush – and start really thinking.

(Well, that’s relative for three sportswriters about 11 p.m. in a saloon but …)

But here’s the thing: What constitutes cool?

Is it things you do and how you do them? Or is it how you carry yourself? Do you have to do something serious and globally significant or just, you know, be cool?

And you can’t just be famous because there’s a huge difference between famous and cool. Oh, and you have to be alive.

So …

We probably came up with 25 or 30 possibilities, all duly noted in the Handy-Dandy Notebook (and bonus points for anyone who gets that) and because this is my space, I’m narrowing it down to a personal Top 10.

So …

In no particular order (except for the top three) here’s what we got.

Diana Krall

She croons, she’s world famous, she’s married to Elvis Costello for goodness sakes.

Steve Nash

He’s got that geek chic thing going for him, he’s got global interests outside of sport and he produced that wonderful Terry Fox documentary.

Tommy Chong

The guy was part of Cheech and Chong. Has to be on the list, doesn’t he?

Drake

Gumby and I had no reason to disagree with Griff on this one and I may be pandering to the younger set but he seems cool whenever I’ve seen him. He’s no Wale and that’s not a bad thing.

Joni Mitchell

In the old-school folkie cool kind of way, right?

Neil Young

Duh! Plus, his dad was a sportswriter and he survived that.

And he was good

George Stroumboulopoulos

The guy was an intern at The Fan, for goodness sake. From such humble beginnings … (Plus I wanted to see if I could type his name correctly the first time. Let’s just say thanks, google)

Now, my personal top three, from three to one.

Chris Hadfield

The guy’s an astronaut, rolling around in space doing big things, he tweets great pictures and talks to students. That ain’t cool?

William Shatner

Come on now? This is a no-brainer, right?

Paul Shaffer

There really is no dispute, is there? The guy’s done everything from be Letterman’s sidekick to play with B.B. King and Cyndi Lauper and everyone in between.

If you want cool, he’s it.

So, how’d we do? I’m not going to give you the rest our list because I figure some of you will come up with the same runnersup.

Yeah, you never know what you’re going to get here, do you?

-

Basketball?

Yeah, guess there was some yesterday for the HOTH, who got to LA overnight and spent part of the afternoon working out at UCLA.

Wish I had some news but there really isn’t any; and there’s really no burning issues to discuss. These are the end-of-the-season dog days (oh yeah, I know that feeling very well) and I have a feeling it’s going to be slow on more than one occasion the rest of the way.

One of the few things worth thinking about is whether Dwane uses Sebastian Telfair more often in the final 20 games to see what he’s got.

And even that’s not that big a deal because I think there’s got to someway to upgrade at that spot as the summer rolls around.

-

You folks did well on the whole mail thing yesterday but there’s always room for more.

You know the drill, right? Either click over there at the right or askdoug@thestar.ca.

You’ll be glad you did.

-

Man, how much does it suck that Hobbs has to pull out of the world baseball thingy?

I was never sure Canada’s offence was going to be good enough to make some noise and now it’s even worse.

But they still should get out of the first round, I’d suggest and, really, isn’t that probably all they would have done anyway?

Might be a fun team to watch but I don’t know that they can play with the big boys.

And now all I have to do is find some place near this hotel where I can go watch Canada-Mexico at lunch here; seems to be a good thing to do to kill a Friday afternoon waiting for a late game.

-

You know, if you’re on the road for about a week and go Central time to Pacific time to Mountain time and back to Pacific time with a game every other day and practices and shootarounds, you can get worn out.

Thanks for the tips on LA Live area but it was ESPN Zone, bar food, the first bit of Knicks-Thunder and an early night.

Yeah, livin’ the dream.

-

So, remember way back when we had an Irregular asking about one of our favourite Canadian women’s basketball players, Guelph’s Natalie Achonwa at Notre Dame?

Well, she’s back in the news again, one of three Irish players named to the Big East first all-star team. Not bad at all.

And The First Lady of the Beat knocked this piece off before she’s off to chronicle the lutzes and toe loops and kiss-and-cry set.

We didn’t run it but one paper did that I found and it’s a pretty good look at the big picture.

-

 

 

Comments

[MK]

Jian Ghomeshi has to be on the list.

[Peter]

I could go with Strombo and Hadfield. Not Drake! And I'm young.

[Marcus]

One name missing from your list and one that could very well be at the top....George Beverly Shea. George is 104, has a Grammy life time achievement award and has probably performed live before more people than any other singer anywhere. I happened to see him sing live last year and he is still very good. Born and raised in Eastern Ontario he now lives in the USA.

[Vincent Lam]

Paul Shaffer was also in This is Spinal Tap. That's really cool. So is being a part of SNL.

I have to add two authors (don't see any authors on the list). The first is Malcolm Gladwell. Grew up in small town Ontario. Went to U of T. Probably one of the most influential authors today.

The other is Margaret Atwood. I suggest you follow her on Twitter. When you talk Canadian literature, she's the first name you mention.

Smart is cool right? They are the two brightest people to come out of Canada.

Blogger's note: Smart is especially cool, yes

[Eric]

Another name that cannot be left out is Terry Fox. Interesting that you cred Nash for producing the documentary but leave the man himself off of the list. I believe that Terry has a hold to some degree on most Canadian's hearts.

Blogger's note: Being alive was a prerequisite

[Jeff D]

Blue's Clues...nice!

Blogger's note: Well done!

[Landon]

Hi Doug, big fan, but I'm not sure how Leonard Cohen could be excluded from an top 10 Cool Canadian lists.

Blogger's note: That was a mistake now that I think of it; should have made top 10

[Peter]

Cool in Canada begins and ends with Leonard Cohen. No one can touch him.

[Barry Ward]

I think it's especially cool that Vincent Lam is following Doug Smith's blog. Irregulars can Google the name if they don't know who he is.

[Lorie]

OK. Not only because it's International Women's Day, but because I'd do it anyway, my additions to your list are three very cool Canadian women: Louise Arbour (she's done it all in the world of justice...among many other judicial appointments, she was appointed Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague), Ellen Page (from small parts in Trailer Park Boys to a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Juno in very short time...and her movies are very, very cool...) and Carole Pope (musican, author...just read her oh-so-fabulous autobiography "Anti Diva". Cool read. And she's just recorded a duet with Rufus Wainwright. Who's extraordinarily cool. As is his sister, the singer Martha Wainwright...as are their famous mother and aunt, The McGarrigle Sisters...and the list goes on....) But, Doug, the coolest of the cool, the legend among legends, the singer's singer: Mr. Leonard Cohen. The very - the ultimate - coolest living Canadian. And just because. As HOTH wind it down...Cheers.
http://youtu.be/7-0lV5qs1Qw

[AT]

wow... you have "Greatest" and "Canadian" in the same sentence and no mention of the "The Great One"?
Steve Nash is hardly Canadian anymore.

Blogger's note: It's not great, it's cool and there's no contest.

[Jeff D]

Any love for Gordon Lightfoot in the cool debate?

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Inspired topic, inspired list, Doug! That California atmosphere does a number sometimes, doesn't it?
WAY good on Phil Shaffer, though I think I'd still give Neil Young the slightest edge there. And Shatner, wow, for sure. H's like Canada's Betty White these days: fascinating, funny and everywhere!
Leave us not leave out kd lang. Michael J. Fox might be a Top 10'er. Romeo Delaire would likely be a Top 10 Most Overlooked. So would Maude Barlow, and most would need to Google that one.
But I think my Number One Most Interesting Canadian In The World might have to be a wine and spirits maven, a Ghostbuster, a Blues Brother, for crying out loud, the redoubtable Dan Ackroyd. Besides, I hang out with his uncle.
Cheers. Go Jays!

Blogger's note: And I used to frequent a saloon part-owned by Ackroyd; the great Crooks in Toronto

[Heath]

For the younger sect I'd go with Jake Baruchel and Michael Cera, maybe Seth Rogen but I'm not a huge fan but he is in the Hollywood power group.

For the older group I've got Martin Short and my personal fave, Eugene Levy.

[KB]

How in the world did Tom Green not make this list!!!

[Boko]

I agree with you, Doug, about
Diana Krall,
Joni Mitchell,
George Stroumboulopoulos &
Chris Hadfield.

I'd add Sarah McLachlan or K. D. Lang,
Sarah Poley,
Howie Mandel,
Celine Dion or Shania Twain,
Peter Jennings,
Christopher Plummer or Michael J. Fox, though.

[larry lukeeborg]

you're cool, doug

[Boko]

Oopps. I forgot that Mr. Jennings passed away 7-8 years ago. AND Shania Twain IS cooler than Celine Dion, but we all haven't seen ST's prospective reality show yet.

So my top ten would include Sarah McLachlan and K. D. Lang and Christopher Plummer and Michael J. Fox, instead!

[Lorie]

Doug!
What on earth are you doing up soooo early??? And if you're looking for some cool TV, check out the WBC game between Japan and TPE - in the 10th inning and Japan's just taken a 4-3 lead!!!

Blogger's note: Sadly, not on here anywhere

[sam]

Cool is so subjective...
Leonard Cohen is the King of Canadian cool - and you can't over look some other musicians and performers. Gorden Pinsent, Bruce Cockburn, Bryan Adams.

[Nick Kajganich]

Perhaps you may humbly disagree, but our favorite writer and connoisseur of the finest establishments and other worldly haunts should be included in any top Cool Canadian Lists. “Douglas Smith” I am sure that many of the irregulars will agree with me on this.

[Vincent Lam]

Hi Barry Ward. I'm sorry to say, I'm not THE Vincent Lam. I am neither a doctor or an author. But I would recommend reading his work.

[Colin K]

Coolest Canadian ever? I prefer the subtle confidence of Leonard Cohen.

[Eric-NS]

Like your 'cool' list and many of the suggestions by Irregulars.

BTW, Canada's World Baseball Classic opponent today is Italy. Mexico is tomorrow.

Blogger's note: Oops. Will fix

[Rob.V]

Well, there really is "no" answer to who is cool or not, and I'm not buying anything I'm writing here myself today either however I'll throw a couple of names out just because!

Jim Carrey? Look man, you cant be the "Pet Detective", or "The Mask" with out having some level of (ridiculous!!) cool in you.

Geddy Lee. I thought Geddy visited us here a few years back. Anyway, the greatest 3 piece rock band in the history of time (that never seems to get their due). Whether you like the style or not him/they HAVE to be on the list of cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juv5Ifs2fFY