Teamoakville.comComments?Blog archive

 

 

June 30, 2010

Canada Day is upon us already, meaning that we’re closer to winter, not further away. A typically Canadian way to look at summer, I suppose.

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There’s not a lot happening for me this weekend. Laura and Chris are off to Nova Scotia. Patrick is with the family of a friend up on Georgian Bay.

I won’t be going far, I suspect.

A lot of you will be on the road tonight and tomorrow, so take care and arrive alive. The cottages and lakes will still be there if you’re 20 minutes or five hours late.

I’m not feeling witty or particularly ebullient so I’ll just say Happy Canada Day to all.

Stay safe.

 

June 29, 2010

Finally, the last day of school.

I’m not sure what your kids have been doing for the last two weeks to busy themselves in the classroom, but my younger guy has been doing a lot of nothing – watching movies seems to have been a favourite pastime.

I’m not sure to what educational purpose “Tommy Boy” was screened for the Grade 8 class, but there you have it.

Pad’s days were a little fuller in the run up to exams, but I don’t think he was taxed too heavily on his prep.

Anyway, they are officially done.

It’s an appropriately sunny, if a little cool, summer day which is exactly the sort of day for kids to run out of the school and launch into summer.

By the time Chris’s day ends tomorrow, he will be beside the bay in Cape Breton, visiting grandparents, sleeping late, swimming and boating and eating.

Pad and I will be left behind on this leg of summer to pursue hockey and  . . . well, hockey.

Both the guys had very good report cards so I can’t grumble and moan on that score.

But I will find things to grumble about soon.

- - -

Pad celebrated the last day of school by making it his first day as a driver. That he waited to do this longer than Prince Charles waited to get married is a matter for another day. But he’s now a G1 learner driver and my buddy Tim Danter at Drivewise Oakville can expect a call.

In the meantime, the rest of you might want to get off the roads.

While it is only the G1 – which means a licensed driver has to be in the car with him when he’s at the wheel – the question has already popped up.

Will I still go to hockey practices if I’m not required as the driver?

- - -

A sincere congratulations to the other (obviously older) hockey blogger in town, and his wife, who now have a grandson.

My only advice is that if Brian Burke calls, pretend you don’t know who he is and hang up.

It’s hard to imagine anything much more exciting and I’m betting that this is a kid with a lot of hockey in his future. We'll all be watching the 2028 entry draft carefully.

You can see a picture at Wayne’s page.

- - -

I’ll finish off a late lunchtime posting with a Youtube video of a man in Toronto during the G20 fuss last weekend.

Because I am a highly skilled observer of the human condition and you’re not, I’m going to tell you what I deduced from watching this video.

First, this man wanted to go shopping at the Eaton Centre.

Second, he wanted someone to explain why he could not.

And third, he didn’t like being videoed.

You see, years of training pay off in analysis like this. And thanks to the miracle of blogging, it's free!

 

 

 

June 28, 2010

The commute today is less lonely as Toronto starts to return to normal after the weekend events.

I won’t go on and on.

The legitimate protesters and their concerns were drowned out by a small number of masked thugs, apparently of the view that smashing out windows in coffee shops and banks will make the world right for whatever it is they represent.

I have little doubt that some of those masked idiots who were not arrested retired later that evening to cozy basements of $750,000 houses paid for by the wages of their parents working for companies who will be paying people to fix windows today.

I walked out of Union Station this morning and straight up Bay Street, past the Royal Bank towers to the intersection of Bay and King and the four corners of Canadian commerce, and saw not a single broken window, no graffiti, nothing other than a fence and a lot of cops directing traffic and waiting for the fence to come down.

You can read a pretty good overview of the stupidity of the weekend’s entirely pointless violence here.

- - -

The Oakville lacrosse gala house league weekend was everything it promised to be and more.

In the days before the tournament, there was simply “Gala Day.” Every team played a last game, got a t-shirt and went home. It was fun, but there was little drama. In a six-team division, for example, 6th played 5th, 4th played 3rd, and for the division championship, 2nd played first.

The problem with that was that in a short 10-game season, some teams were eliminated very early from having a chance to win the title.

So, a tournament was born.

The logistics were a challenge but the kids played hard and some divisions created their own drama that would have been worthy of TSN.

Off the top of my head, I was particularly enraptured by the Tyke (or Novice, not sure) Rock, who finished the regular season with a 1-9-0 record and then started dismantling their opposition in the tournament, winning a spot in the championship game. I don’t know how they fared there, as I was called away.

And in bantam, the league-first Rock – the dominant team of the season by far – were pushed hard in the championship game, as the Titans recovered from a 3-0 deficit to force overtime and then a shootout. And the Titans won.

There were great memories made at every level, courtesy of the gallant play of the kids and the tireless work of a small army of volunteers.

It was terrific.

- - -

One of the things that dragged me away on Sunday was Chris’s need to spend money.

He’s heading off to Nova Scotia for 12 days later this week and has saved his hockey and lacrosse time-keeping money to buy a netbook.

For the technology challenged, a netbook is basically a smaller, stripped down laptop computer. With a 10.1 screen it doesn’t have a CD or DVD drive, and has a smaller hard drive and processor than a full-size version.

But for visiting grandparents and staying in touch with Facebook, MSN, email, Youtube and a whole bunch of other words that didn’t exist when I was 13, it’s ideal.

He bought himself a very cool little machine, and within a couple of hours had installed iTunes and had the thing set up the way he wanted it.

- - -

I will be the first to admit that we didn’t pause to think for a moment about where the materials to build that sleek netbook came from – we did some research on reliability and warranties and performance and speed.

But did any of the raw material to make this high-tech wonder come from the Congo, where the bloodiest war on Earth since WW2 continues to rage and millions of people have been killed in the last 10 years?

No, we didn’t. We probably should have and I’m going to try to be smarter about it next time.

You can read more here on what I’m talking about. It’s important and I promise I won’t smash out any windows to get your attention.

If you go to Teamoakville’s Facebook group, I’m going to post a video that will tell you even more.

And you can find it here.

Have a great Monday.

 

June 25, 2010

As previously  reported, the goalie conundrum for MOHA’s bantam age group has been cracked.

I was told that the wait list for goalies and skaters was cleared yesterday and there are still vacancies for skaters.

For the first time in a long time the bantam level will have 18 teams, and that means all the goalies who were on the registration list (and given the controversy around this, I’m assuming that means all who played last year) will be staying in Oakville.

Goalie parents should buy Adele a coffee when you see her at the rink. She worked very hard on this, as did Tina and many others.

They done good and deserve to be congratulated for getting this right.

Well done.

- - -

We got through Chris’s Grade 8 grad last night just fine. At least it was fine the last time I checked.

The 90-minute ceremony ended about 8:30p, and then the kids had a dance until 11p, and then one of the girls in Chris’s class hosted a pool party until 1a.

I decided to come to work today after all (more on that later) so Laura volunteered for the late shift to go pick him up. Her Blackberry alarm woke me up just before 1a, but otherwise I was oblivious to it all.

All I know is that when I left for work everyone was where they were supposed to be and Laura mumbled that Chris had a good time.

- - -

There were a couple touching moments in the evening, as there always are when kids are involved. I was thrilled for a couple of his buddies/teammates who won individual academic awards. We’ve know these kids for a long time and to see them all doing well – well, it brings definition to that expression “it takes a village.”

There was a moment that was very special to a family that is facing more than its share of challenges.

The girls all looked like supermodels and the boys all looked like they would rather be in shorts and t-shirts.

The slideshow and video at the end showing images of these kids from birth to just last week brought the house down, especially the end with each of the grads walking by the camera waving as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” played on the soundtrack.

It was all done by the kids and it was very impressive and moving.

The highlight of the night for me (and sorry, I don’t have a picture) was Chris’s surfboard.

The theme of the night was Beach Party, and a group of moms produced a mock surf board for each of the 42 grads – no small task in itself. Each kid was then tasked with painting or decorating his surf board however they wanted.

Chris’s was adorned with his hockey team’s logo from last season. The team was an important part of his life and I guess it still is. It was cool and several people commented to me on it.

Even big brother Pad attended the ceremony and shook hands with several shocked former teachers. Suffice to say he doesn’t look much like he did when he left the school three years ago.

The emcees were amazing.

The valedictorian nailed her speech and thrilled her classmates.

It was a great night and with that, we’re done with elementary school until a new generation comes into our lives.

Onward!

- - -

I had such an easy commute last night there was really no reasonable way to justify staying home. And trust me, the house was so calm, cozy and quiet this morning I struggled to find a justification.

But, G20 be damned.

Last night, I left work early and got the 5:02p express train, which I rarely take. It’s usually crammed – all seats filled, people standing in the aisles and sitting on the stairs.

I sat upstairs on the train, and there were seven other people on that level. The lower level of the car had about 10 people. I’d guess each car is capable of seating about 250.

I’m starting to think that this is the best billion dollars Canada has ever spent because it seems to have cured the traffic and commuting problems in Toronto, at least for a day or two.

On my walk from the office to Union Station last night I encountered a couple swarms of cops.

The first group (pictured below) were on bikes, about a dozen of them. I took out my BB to snap a photo and one of them looked at me, a little annoyed.

“Did you get your picture?” he shouted.

“Yes, but my camera’s not big enough to fit you all in!” I replied. Several of his colleagues laughed, well aware of the absurdity of it all at that moment.

Literally across the street, about 20 more cops on foot were standing at the corner of Yonge and Wellington on the edge of the War Zone, doing not much of anything.

 

 

- - - 

This morning’s commute in ss equally uneventful. Empty train. Empty GO Station. Empty Union Station. Downtown stores closed except for the coffee places.

Police were actually saying good morning to passerby – I’m guessing they were bored.

- - -

The NHL entry draft goes tonight from Los Angeles. Taylor or Tyler?

I’m predicting Taylor!

Read more here.

- - -

The World Cup continues apace for those who care more deeply than I do, or pretend to care for the purposes of whatever flavour of jingoism they’re promoting.

I honestly don’t really care, but I’d love to see England beat Germany on Sunday simply because I like watching the British press turn themselves inside out, which they surely will if England can win.

(Safe bet is the Germans will win, and handily.)

But here in the centre of the universe, with the G8 and the G20 and fighter jets and helicopters overhead, there’s an odd collision of World Cup fever and G20 whatever.

One of my favourite writers has his take on it all here.

- - -

Our weekend will be dominated by the Brian Kruse Memorial House League Gala Tournament, the season-ending celebration of House League lacrosse in Oakville, named for one of the greatest friends the game ever had in southern Ontario and Oakville.

Pad and Chris will both be busy reffing and timekeeping respectively, and I may be pressed into timekeeping, announcing, and lugging boxes of t-shirts and medals.

Chris’s bantam team finished the season in 2nd place after starting with three consecutive losses, so we Type-A parents will be looking for the kids to contend for a championship this weekend. Go Bandits!!

The annual Oakville Lacrosse date-stamped t-shirt has earned a place among the most treasured pieces of sporting attire in our town, probably ranking just behind the Rangers team jacket.

The difference is that the t-shirts are a badge of honour for the house league kids and coaches exclusively, and that’s what makes them special. The rep teams have their own swag and the Hawks gear is cool (the midget 1 black jersey is a big deal to the kids coming up through the system).

But the Oakville lacrosse t-shirt is the best. I think I have one for each of the last 10 years or so and every one of them tells a story.

More kids play house league than rep and this weekend is their moment in the sun, sort of like Awards Week is in MOHA. The crowds will be large and loud as the weekend reaches the semi finals and finals. Come out and cheer them on.

There are novice games tonight at Maplegrove, tyke games at Kinoak and peewee, bantam and midget action at Glen Abbey.

All the games Saturday and Sunday are at Glen Abbey, including the Peanut-level games, which may be the best of them all.

Only a few short years ago, lacrosse in Oakville was nearly dead. Thanks to hard work by a lot of people, Oakville is now a powerhouse at the rep level and boasts a strong house league that churns out terrific candidates for the rep teams and provides a great venue for kids who just want to play once a week until school is out.

It’s a great story. Come out and celebrate the game, the kids and our community.

- - -

School is pretty much out, which means lots of happy, distracted kids. Remember that in your travels and drive safely.

Have a great first weekend of summer. Don't forget to join the Facebook group and start a discussion. Tell me what's on your mind!

Hug the kids – especially the smiley, sweaty ones!

 

June 24, 2010

This may be my last day downtown this week. I’m not directly involved in keeping tabs on the G-8 and G-20 hullabaloo, so simply avoiding the downtown and possible protests and related messes may be the best option.

Our offices are just east and north of the War Zone, but being a block from the financial district means if there is any significant number of protesters, then we’ll feel something where we are. But the real issue is simply getting to where you want to go, and safely.

Clearly, a lot of people have already checked out.

Many downtown stores and businesses are already closed today. Most all of them will be closed tomorrow. Banks and liquors stores top the list, so if you were planning on buying your banker a six-pack, you’re out of luck.

My morning train was nearly deserted. I would estimate the crowd on the Union Station platform was less than 20 per cent of normal traffic when we arrived.

It was pouring rain so I walked through the PATH system that links all the downtown towers by tunnels. Again, lots of closed business and lots of cops – dressed ominously in black, with riot helmets hanging off their belts, walking in groups of four.

Not sure why four – maybe they qualify for a group discount at Tim’s that way.

At street level, King Street at Yonge – normally a very busy intersection at this hour – was a ghost town. From where I popped out of the PATH system at the old Bank of Commerce building on King just west of Yonge, I was able to walk right down the middle of King Street without a car in sight in either direction for several blocks. This is normally how I get my heart rate up before arriving at the office – dodging trolley cars and taxis, and running from police officers trying to give my jay-walking citations.

But today, nada.

Whether this all represents the calm before the storm, or whether it’s been massively overblown I have no idea. We’ll have to wait and see.

But clearly the majority of 905ers and many others have voted with their feet, deciding it’s not worth the risk. And they’re probably right.

A few days ago the Toronto Star published a useful Survival Guide to the Summits. Click here to read some good advice.

If you’re looking for a more wonkish guide to what business will be done at the summit, click here.

Below are some pictures from this morning – King Street near Yonge looking east and west at rush hour, 8a. And a condo building across the street from our offices where street-level windows and doors have been boarded up.

As Guns and Roses famously said, Welcome to the jungle.

 

 

- - -

Chris graduates from Grade 8 tonight, and with him, so does the entire family.

After tonight we won’t have anyone left in elementary school, which means nothing to our boys but is surely some coming of age – or just aging – moment to us parents.

Abbey Lane Public School is the only school Chris has ever attended, from primary through Grade 8 and he is very ready to move on. Laura has been involved in the school with the same tenacity she brings to every thing she volunteers for – people who know her will know what that means. I expect some separation anxiety.

Next year Chris will be a freshman at Abbey Park, where his brother will be a senior (unless his mother relents in her opposition to the move-away-to-play-hockey thing, which is a conversation for which I can’t afford the amount of Kleenex it would take to revisit.)

We’re proud of Chris, and we’re proud of his buddies, almost all of whom have made the same nine-year journey with him.

I’m not a big fan of overdoing things like a Grade 8 graduation. But after nine years in the same building, a celebration is warranted as a threshold is crossed.

Well done.

- - -

We had to buy or rent a suit for Chris for this evening. At the end of the day, we rented a simple black tux (as did most of his pals) because it was cheaper than buying a suit he would never wear again. The suit that Patrick wore for Grade 8 grad was far too large in the waist, which surprised us, but Chris was happier with the tux anyway.

FYI, he asked if he could also have a top hat, which is where I drew the line. I told him he could have a top hat AND cane when he graduates from law school.

“Lawyers? That’s like arguing and stuff, right?” he asked. Yes indeed, buddy.

“OK, I’d be good at that.”

He would, too.

The other thing he asked for was the Batmobile for one evening, which I said I would deliver after he graduates from medical school after law school.

He accused me of ragging the puck.

Anyway, after we picked up his tux (remember, Laura was away) I ran into Metro and bought a couple steaks for me and Pad, and then into the LCBO for a six pack. And then we picked up a small pizza which Chris wanted.

Chris is by a fair margin the sharpest wit in our home.

“Geez dad. Beer, steaks, pizza and tux? We’re ready for a party!”

Good idea, but we never actually got that far. The food was good though.

- - -

Henrik Sedin became the first member of the Vancouver Canucks to win the NHL MVP award, carting off the Hart Trophy ahead of the Crosby and Ovechkin.

Even though the balloting is done before the playoffs, I don’t think there was a lot of doubt that Sedin had the best season of the three and was enormously valuable to his team.

I was at the airport picking up the blonde, so I missed the show and the inevitable cavalcade of bad puns from the host.

But you can read a recap of the evening here.

- - -

Oakville Minor Lacrosse starts it's season-ending Brian Kruse Memorial Tournament today for house league team.

More on this later, but it's going to be a hot, sticky, exciting weekend.

- - -

The end of the school year for Chris – and his older brother finishes off today with a physics exam – put me in mind of great end-of-school memories.

As noted earlier this week, I created a Facebook page for this site, the idea being that YOU guys would actually participate, join the Facebook Teamoakville group, and write/reply/comment on things I say here or things I say there.

The idea was to let you guys have a forum where other readers here could hear other points of view.

The good news – the Facebook page has quickly become the most visited exit link from this site. So, you’re checking it out.

The bad news – no one wants to play in the sandbox, perhaps timid or afraid to comment.

I don’t get that.

So, chick here to visit the Facebook page and read a dusty recollection of an end-of-school memory. In the box that says “reply” at the end of the post, share your own, unless you didn’t finish Grade 9.

If you’re a Facebook member, click on JOIN for the group. Stay in the loop. Be the first to know when other people make fun of me!

And yes, BTW, I have a personal Facebook page too, purely in the name of stalking my children.

You can find it here. And if you want to join me and my friends, feel free to add me. I’m not terribly fussy!

 

June 23, 1990

Bantam goalie dads with kids on the waiting list are telling me that they are getting good news about their prospects for next season. I won't get into all the details at this point, but if you were on the waiting list last week, then there may be reason for optimism.

Great, great news.

- - -

And now, some reminiscing.

It was 20 years ago today that the Meech Lake Accord died a whimpering death, threadbare from political knit-picks and me-too agendas.

My younger readers will ask what the hell am I talking about: writ simply, the Constitution of Canada was repatriated in 1980 without Quebec as a signatory. The Meech Lake accord was an agreement among the provinces and the federal government in 1987 to add Quebec’s assent to the document.

Given three years for the provincial legislatures to ratify it, it died as governments changed and political points of view changed with them, notably in Newfoundland and Manitoba.

I was a (much younger) reporter in Ottawa that spring of 1990 and was heavily involved in reporting on the daily and sometimes hourly nuance of the obvious impending death of this agreement that gave us the term “distinct society” and politicized the phrase “roll the dice” as never before.

As a friend and colleague liked to tell people, we wasted great gobs of our youth standing outside of locked rooms waiting for men in ties to come lie to me.

When the end of the accord finally came, after much political theatrics including the creation of the Bloc Quebecois, it was a wild political week.

In Ottawa, futile negotiations to save the accord, Elijah Harper and his feather, Clyde Wells’s “final manipulation” and the Liberal leadership convention in Calgary that anointed Jean Chretien all added more colour than the political landscape needed.

Not to mention the fledgling Reform Party took root in Meech Lake angst and attracted a then unknown conservative to its ranks as an advisor. More would be heard from Stephen Harper in the years ahead.

Laura was working at the Ottawa Citizen in those days and it seems in retrospect all we did was work as we immersed ourselves in the grind with no kids or rinks to worry about.

We didn’t know it at the time but the death of Meech created eventually the son of Meech – the Charlottetown Accord – that did more for my frequently flyer mileage accounts than any foreign assignments ever did. I seemed to be always getting on a plane going somewhere in those days, and that’s when I learned to hate airports.

The failure of that accord in a national plebiscite in turn set the table for the 1995 Quebec referendum, more than five years after Meech croaked.

By that time I was back in Ottawa (after two years in Edmonton) as the bureau chief and had another ring-side seat on Canadian history. Oct 30, 1995 was a long day – in fact, it was pretty much three solid days in the office without hardly leaving.

One of my most vivid memories was that of finally leaving work to get home to take Paddy (as we called him then as a two-year old, now shortened to Pad) trick-or-treating. It was a cold night and dark and a light wisp of snow was falling. I had to carry one of those brick-sized cell phones from that era, and it was stuck to my head as the ramifications of the referendum continued to rattle the country and we tried to anticipant and react to coverage needs.

Twenty years after Meech, Canada is still here and Quebec is still in Canada and probably not going anywhere anytime soon, even if it wins the next Quebec election, which may be likely.

We started a tradition – short-lived, as our first stay in Ottawa was only less than four years – of having Canada Day parties and the 1990 version was quite something.

We hung red and white streamers on the house for the event and invited pretty much the entire Parliamentary Press gallery, among many others. It rained overnight after the party and the red ink from the streamers ran down the white pillars of the veranda.

Mid morning the next day, I was standing outside hosing off the house to get rid of the dye. A neighbour wandered across the street smiling.

“You know you’ve had a good party when you have to hose down your house afterwards,’’ he offered.

Yes. Yes indeed.

Read more here on the anniversary of Meech Lake.

- - -

I’m happy to see Angela James and Cammi Granato in the Hockey Hall of Fame. They were key to a generation that inspired women hockey players on the continent to take up the game in big numbers.

Otherwise, I’m unimpressed.

And you can read here for all the reasons why, most of which I agree with..

- - -

Speaking of hosing down the house, Laura returns tonight so I have to come up with a quick domestic tidiness plan.

Perhaps a flash fire.

Happy Meech Lake Day.

 

 

 

June 21, 2010

We marked Fathers Day on Saturday night, because Laura was leaving Sunday on business. She made a dinner that was unfreaking believable. Thank you.

- - -

After getting her to the airport on Sunday morning I was back home just past noon. Pad was already gone to a friend’s place where a study group was converging to prepare for exams starting tomorrow. Not sure how much studying was actually done, but he claims a lot.

Chris wasn’t even out of bed yet and the leaders at the US Open were more than five hours away from teeing off. So I opened the laptop and did some work and waited for Chris to wake.

Once he eventually did, I offered a trip to the driving range (“Too Hot”) or a movie (“I think I’ll just chill, dad”) as dad-like father-son activities for the day.

So, alone but never lonely, I cleaned up the kitchen, puttered around the yard watering things, and when I came back inside Chris had changed his mind and wanted to go to a movie.

We went to see The A Team.

OK, OK. It was his pick, alright?

What we expected was a generally silly premise with lots of things blowing up and, well, that’s what we got.

The part where they actually fly the combat tank was actually pretty funny. And Liam Neeson was pretty good in the role of the leader of the team, played in the old TV series by George Peppard.

I don’t imagine there will come a day when Chris and I will sit at a table and argue about the artistic nuance of this film.

But we had a good time on Fathers Day.

- - -

Being that it was Fathers Day, we decided on – yes, you guessed it – Swiss Chalet for dinner.

Also, because I’m lazy.

The boys eventually zeroed in on the MuchMusic Video Awards, meaning I was relegated to the TV in the kitchen to watch golf. I could have gone to the basement rec room, but the beer was in the kitchen so that just seemed a more efficient use of my time.

Plus, it was easier to keep walking in to the family room where they were, point at the TV, and say “who’s that?”

- - -

Interesting development in the GTHL where the league will implement free agency for resident players at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Previously, only players 12 and under enjoyed free agent status at the end of the season.

Older kids – like mine – are basically owned by the team they played for the year before until they are cut or released.

The story mentions that this only applies to residential players, so I’m not sure what the implications are for imports (like my kid.) Not going to be an issue for us as he only has one year of midget eligibility left anyway if he uses it.

You can read the story here.

- - -

Not sure if you’ve heard but apparently the G-20 is meeting in Toronto later this week and it’s only costing Canadians a billion dollars to make sure no one gets hurt.

On the one hand, I think it’s a really good idea for the world’s leaders to meet and have some kind of personal relationship, however shallow and fleeting. It’s much harder to bomb people you’ve met.

And I also believe that if we’re going to be the host, then we better make sure nothing untoward happens on our watch. If you’re doing it, do it right.

But.

A billion dollars? That seems a bit much, honestly.

And the US State Department has issued a travel alert, basically telling people to avoid Toronto altogether because of the summit.

Nice!

Read more here.

- - -

Manute Bol, the skinny seven-foot, six-inch wonder of the NBA some 25 years ago, has died. He was only 47.

Bol was wildly popular with fans and a shot-blocking machine.

Read more here.

 

June 18, 2010

A little update: I launched a discussion on the Teamoakville Facebook group on the MOHA million-dollar reserve.

You can join the discussion here, or even start a new discussion on a topic of your choice.

 

June 18, 2010

Run off my feet so I'll keep it brief on a sunny Friday.

My intention with the Facebook link above is for readers (that would be you) to get a little more interactive with the content team (me) at Teamoakville.

The site software I have has the capability to create forums for readers to chat on topics, silly and otherwise.

But -- these types of forums are almost instantly invaded by porn-producing, web-crawling trojans and malicious scripts. I'm not joking.

So, it occurred to me that a way to let you folks write on topics of mutual interest was to create a Facebook group. So I did.

In any given month there are between 1500 and 2000 of you coming to this site. Some more often than others.

If a few of you would stick a toe in the pool and post things on the Teamoakville wall, or kick off discussions on the discussion tab, we'll take the ball and run with it.

You have to have a Facebook account, and then you have to "join" the Teamoakville group. And presto! You can yell back at me for all the world to see.

If none of you do, then, well. Nothing will come of it.

But try it out. You have nothing to fear but, well, others making fun of you.

But I'll hunt those people down and mock their flower bed selections, so, I've got you covered.

Try it out.

- - -

I always prattle on around here about the need to drive safely, remember those kids in the backseat, arrive alive, etc etc.

I actually mean it.

Since it's a sunny weekend and many of you will be on the road, consider the following video the next time you get in your car. Wear your seatbelt. You don't wear just for your own good, but for those who would be devastated without you.

This is a beautiful piece of film.

 

- - -

The Habs on Thursday traded their greatest hero in recent memory, Jaro Halak, the rail-thin goalie with the big heart who carried the team to precipice of a spot in the Stanley Cup final.

In a way it's probably better for him and for the fans that the reality of the NHL marketplace and salary caps means that the Habs probably can't afford to pay him the type of money he will be asking as an unrestricted free agent.

Halak will always have his memory of Paris in the spring and a remarkable season of giant killing.

Montreal fans will have that memory too, and won't have to face the torment of conflict that would be inevitable when fall comes and Jaro turns out to be just another NHL goalie. You can't play like he did a few weeks ago for 82 games and the wonderfully demanding and impatient fans in Montreal would eventually have turned on him anyway.

So he's off to St Louis for a fat contract in exchange for some genuinely exciting young prospects.

Read more here.

- - -

Before I conclude with a bit of weekend silliness, I want to say Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, but particularly mine and Laura's.

My dad will no doubt be parked Sunday in front of his beloved Blue Jays, cursing the relief pitching and waiting for the bats to get hot again. I could write pages on all the things he did for me, but the greatest thing he did was set an example. He's why I go to the rink and the field and why I knew then and still know now how lucky I was and am. A remarkable man, you'd be lucky to meet him.

Laura's dad is simply the most modest, fair and even tempered guy I've ever met. When it comes to inlaws, I am a lucky guy.

I know it's Father's Day weekend because the US Open golf tournament is on this weekend. My boys will decide how much of that I get to see, as they should.

Be nice to your dad this weekend. Drive safe. Hug the kids.

- - -

In honour of the World Cup, Monty Python's classic bit Philosophy Football -- Germany vs Greece, with every major thinker from those countries, plus former World Cup player Franz Beckenbauer, who the commentator notes "is a bit of a surprise."

Funny stuff.

 

 

June 17, 2010

You will note from the logos above that Teamoakville is venturing into social media.

I've not made money doing the blog for five years, so I figure it's time to not make more money in social networking.

In all seriousness it's really just an experiment. But if you play along I'll share what I learn and maybe find new ways to amuse and annoy you.

Onward into the ether.

- - -

The successful candidates for the eight positions on the new, smaller MOHA board are:

Adele Arsenault, Rob Planck, Vivian LeBlanc, Mary Card, Lou Germano, Tom Daly, Dave D’Amico, and Mike Kennedy.

Good luck to all during their term.

- - -

The move by the University of Waterloo to shut down its football program for a year because nine players out of about 60 tested positive for steroids is creating conversation across North America.

I laud the honourable intention of the move, but I’m having some trouble with how punishing 53 innocent guys for the actions of nine can be interpreted as fair.

Furthermore, it basically amounts to terminating the program.

These kids committed to Waterloo and in some cases have been at the school for three or four years. And now, they’re done. Poof.

These are fairly high-end athletes in most cases. They train year round to play in eight or nine or 10 games. Apparently CIS is going to allow the Waterloo orphans to transfer immediately to other programs if they want (and if they can find a spot to play), but nonetheless the whole thing stinks.

CIS football is fairly small bananas compares to NCAA, even compared to US high school football in many places.

But what is not small is the commitment the kids make to the programs.

And for me, the program owes something more to the kids than simply tossing the whole thing overboard because of one small group within the team. It is the same as the whiner on the playground taking his ball and going home. It teaches nothing to the kids except that adults like to cover their asses, which is the overwhelming feeling I get on this.

I hope the kids fight this, because information is emerging that the school knew months ago that there was a problem – because the team captains told them. And the school didn’t act.

As for my dire prediction that this is the end of football at Waterloo? It is simply not feasible to start a football program from scratch, which is what Waterloo would be trying to do. The core of the team will have moved on, and recruiting competitive players to compete for spots on a start up will be a massive challenge. My guess is that the university would rather save the money.

Read more here.

- - -

I don’t know how many times Laura and I have sat around the kitchen table and discussed the idea of sending one or both of the boys on solo, round-the-world sailing expeditions at the worst time of year and then selling the whole concept to a reality TV producer so we could cash in.

Yes, we’re like every other parent we know: how can we endanger the lives of our children and turn them into a revenue opportunity at the same time? It’s an age-old question.

What makes the remarkable story of Abby Sunderland a little less remarkable, a lot more scary, and generally unbelievable is that news reports suggest this may be the way her dad’s mind apparently works.

Sunderland, a California teen, made headlines a week ago when her sailboat lost contact with the world during a storm in the Indian Ocean. She’s only 16 and she’s sailing around the world alone (or rather, was) just like her older brother did, too.

Now, two thoughts occurred to me at the outset. First, as someone who sailed when we lived in Nova Scotia, I hoped she was OK. I’d never done anything remotely as ambitious as her undertaking, but I know how ugly an ocean can get in even a small storm. It’s not pretty.

Second, I was wondering what kind of parent thinks this is a good idea. Enter Abby’s dad.

I’m glad they found the kid safe in the Indian Ocean. And perhaps the fact that Abby has six siblings and yet another en route makes it easier for her dad to be so cavalier with her well being.

And the fact that he negotiated with a TV production company for a reality show on the zany antics of his family puts him squarely in the same class of parent as say, oh, the parents of Balloon Boy.

Abby’s mom says that while they did talk to a TV production company, they never agreed to anything and there are no plans to try to capitalize on Abby’s headline-grabbing adventure.

I also suspect there’s no plans to repay the million or so dollars it cost to search for her.

Some people shouldn’t be parents. Sadly, no licence is required.

An even more shocking accounting can be found here of the decision tree that sent Abby sailing into the southern hemisphere’s oceans at a very bad time of year.

- - -

Speaking of nominees for Parent of the Year, how about this one?

A North York woman  – with only a G2 licence – was pulled over by the OPP near London doing 157 km an hour.

But it gets better.

She had four kids under eight years old in the car with her.

And three were “improperly restrained.” What’s that mean?

Well, two of the four were SHARING a seatbelt and only one was in a car seat.

Read more here.

- - -

You may recall that a couple of months ago, the story broke that hockey pedophile Graham James had quietly received a pardon for his assault years ago on Sheldon Kennedy while he was the future NHLer’s coach.

A brave source and diligent reporting cracked that story open and led, remarkably, to federal legislation tabled with light speed to overhaul who can get a pardon.

People like Karla Homolka, for example, whose name is a synonym for horror.

With your members of Parliament racing to get out of Ottawa as fast as they can, the pardon legislation was at risk of not being passed in time to prevent Homolka from applying for, and probably getting, a pardon next month.

Federal parties came to a deal last night to make sure that won’t happen.

This might not be anywhere on your radar, but it should be.

Because someone took a step forward and shined a light on something, questions were asked. A small army of people got behind that person and asked more questions. A nation was outraged. The prime minister himself was pissed. Legislation was introduced and laws were improved.

And Karla Homolka won’t be getting a pardon, nor will a bunch of less infamous people who represent a risk to our children and our neighbourhoods.

And it started with one guy shining a light. You should thank that guy, even if that’s just a quiet thought to yourself because he is anonymous. But wherever he is, he has a lot to feel good about today.

Read more on the Homolka situation here.

- - -

June 15, 2010

For the last week or so Chris has been working on a paper for school – an essay in which he puts forth a thesis and then defends it, with references and footnotes. His thesis is that The Beatles were the greatest band in rock history. Fair enough.

Yesterday it was announced that Paul McCartney, who is performing in Toronto later this summer, has added a second show here and tickets were on sale.

On a lark, I thought to myself well, it would be cool to take the whole family to see Sir Paul, who the reviews say puts on a spectacular concert for the best part of four hours and never has to play anything but original hits and never has to play the same song twice.

So, I logged on to bloodsuckingleeches.com Ticketmaster and searched for four seats together.

The good news is that I was offered four lower-bowl seats at the ACC. The bad news?

The price was $1069.

Absolutely staggering.

I had a number in my head that I was willing to pay. I knew it would be expensive but I also knew it was a sort of rare occasion that the four of us would want to go to a concert and see the same thing, let alone a living legend who can still bring it.

Sadly, the number I had in mind was lower than the one on offer. I just cannot justify $1,100 for one night out (not including parking, food, etc.)

So instead, we’ll buy groceries, or pay the mortgage, or save for the boys’ educations.

- - -

Some 15 years ago we were living in Ottawa. Pad wasn’t even two yet and Chris had yet to join us.

A young company with funky graphics and an irreverent approach to film making took the world by storm with the release of Toy Story, a film as iconic to parents of my general age group as Bambi was to a couple generations before us.

Pixar gave us the adventures of Woody and Buzz and all the other toys – many of which populated the childhoods of the parents pouring into theatres with their own kids – and made us laugh and cry and sometimes sit agape at the raw imagination flooding the screen in front of us.

If I’ve seen Toy Story once, then I’ve easily seen it 500 times. It became a staple in the VCR in our house, as did the equally brilliant sequel in 1999. I often saw it at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning, lying on the sofa with a little boy – or two -- with a blanket on top of me with a dry bowl of Cheerios and juice in a spill-proof sippy cup. We’d laugh at the jokes and be quiet for the quiet parts, and at the end we’d sing the Toy Story theme – You’ve Got a Friend In Me – with my boys admonishing me when I changed the lyrics to “you’ve got friendly knees.”

This Friday, 15 years after we all sat in the dark and were introduced to the wooden cowboy and the plastic spaceman and Andy – the three-year-old toddler with the full toy box -- Toy Story 3 is coming out.

If the first 40 seconds of the trailer for this movie -- with Randy Newman’s soft piano and sentimental lyrics and the foreshadowing punch line from the mom:  “Andy’s going to college. Can you believe it?” – doesn’t choke you up with the weight and wonder of what the hell happened to the last 15 years, then you are a stronger person than me.

Of course, in classic Pixar style the trailer jarringly changes direction into slapstick as the toys all panic at the prospect of having no prospects and the scene is set for the film’s release.

I think it would be interesting to wait two or three weeks to see this one, after the young parents with small kids have been there and the crowds thin out. My guess is there will then be more than a few couples of a certain stage in life who will be in the audience without any kids at all, but still hardwired to the adventures of Woody and Buzz in ways that can’t yet be easily explained to those folks with kids still celebrating birthdays in single digits.

Click below to see the trailer.

- - -

For the record, Megan Fox didn’t quite get clicked on 250 times yesterday, but I’m going to spare you my full rant on the Gulf of Mexico, for now. I grew up next to the ocean and what those people and creatures are going through – and will continue to struggle with for years and years – breaks my friggin’ heart. Of course, the flip side of it is that we all have cars and other machines and furnaces. People like those at BP wouldn’t be drilling in the Gulf if we weren’t clamouring for more, more, more. Just food for thought.

- - -

My friends on the Oakville A's Minor Mosquito AAA team had another good weekend. The boys ran the table by winning all six of their games this past weekend at the Mississauga North Minor Mosquito AAA Baseball Tourney. A correspondent reports:
“Some very close games, 3 out of the 6 were won by 1 run including the finals as the A's defeated the Hamilton Cardinals by an unusual low score of 3-2. Defense on both sides was spectacular... “
Here is a pic of the boys with the hardware.
Standing: Eric Cerantola, Luke Raczywolski, Andrew MacGrandle, Ethan Hammond, Carter Pauley
Seated: Matt Stone, Evan McIntyre, Luke Seidel, Tanner Elson, Jordan Gamble, Paul Costin. Missing from picture is Tyler Sagl
Coaches: Ryan Seidel, John Raczywolski, Richard Gamble, Allen Elson. Missing coach, Drew Hammond.

Well done guys. You’re going to need a bigger trophy case!

 

June 14, 2010

Barely three days into the World Cup, there are two big stories from the action so far.

Only one of them was on the field, and that was the inability of the England goalie to stop a routine ball fired directly at him.

I didn’t see the play in live action, but have probably seen it 10,000 times since then on various sports shows. I’d post a video here, but I can’t imagine you haven’t seen it.

The poor man, Robert Green, is being vilified in the media as if he were personally responsible for the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico (which continues apace, thanks for asking, ruining the environment, wildlife and the livelihoods of thousands of people. But back to real news . . .)

You can click here to get a flavour of the criticism raining down on Mr. Green.

The other story of the tournament thus far has nothing to do with the games and everything to do with the fans. It’s about the noise.

The vuvuzela – cheap, plastic, tuneless horns – are providing a horrid backdrop to every game. Turn on a game and you will be forgiven for thinking that swarms of hornets have infested your TV.

The noise is said to be nearly unbearable at the games, robbing the tournament of the colour of the chants and songs and other rituals of soccer fans at these things.

Since I am very unlikely to sit down for two hours and watch a World Cup game from start to finish, it’s not a big deal to me.

But it is for others and you can read about it here.

- - -

Speaking of blowhards (kidding!!), I understand that calls were being made to the candidates for director positions on the MOHA board to say who won, and who didn't. There was no list posted last time I looked, but maybe there will be soon.

I heard that the motion to reduce the number of directors from 3,576 to 30 (OK, from 35 to 30) passed which meant there were eight vacancies to be filled at the vote last week.

- - -

Another note from last week’s AGM – kudos to MOHA money boss (treasurer) Rich Garrie for his very detailed numbers report on the association’s finances. It was great to see that much detail, and it may well have been done the same way the previous year, but I didn’t get to the 2009 AGM.

One suggestion – it would be nice to have access to the documents a few days before the AGM because there was really too much info to digest in a few minutes if one wanted to ask an informed question.

Rich is very approachable and happy to field questions any time, but such a move would be helpful for the numerically challenged among us. Like me.

- - -

How about that NBA final, huh??

You know – the one between that team from, um, out west I think, and that other one. In green. From the east.

Oh forget it. You’re not watching and neither am I.

- - -

If you’re a fan of geopolitical comings and goings – and hey, who wants to join my weekly rec room lecture series analysing American foreign policy from Manifest Destiny to the Bush Doctrine?? – then you know there’s oil in Iraq and eventually the Americans would find an economic upside in Afghanistan, too.

And they did.

A new report suggests Oneoftheworldsmosttroubled-stans has about $1 trillion in untapped mineral reserves. That is far, far more than previous estimates and well, a trillion dollars is a lot even to Americans. (Insert sound of chair being violently pushed from desk, sound of footsteps running, door opening and slamming shut as Halliburton executives run to airport.)

Some think it’s enough to change the Afghan economic circumstance and the way that bigfoot western countries approach the challenges there.

Yes, I can see your eyes glazing over.

But you can read more here if you want.

- - -

Cripes people, it’s Monday. Can’t I inflict one serious thing a week on you? I was going to talk about the Gulf of Mexico today but I’ll spare you that since you had to endure that whole Afghan mineral wealth thing.

But honestly. What were you expecting? Megan Fox in a bikini??

(If the Megan Fox link gets hit 250 times by 9a Tuesday, I won’t bore you with my views on the BP spill tomorrow. And yes, I can tell if you sit there hitting the link over and over and over. So don’t!)

Enjoy your Monday.

 

June 11, 2010

All in all, it was a pretty quiet MOHA AGM last night.

Nancy Brooks was re-elected as VP of rep for another term in a three-way race for that spot. After too many years to count hanging around politics and elections, I can tell you that three-way battles generally favour the incumbent as the challengers inevitably end up spitting the vote (see Preston Manning for more on this), and that’s what happened here.

Nancy got slightly less than 50 per cent of the 169 votes cast, but won handily and faced no questions from the floor after her report.

I don’t know the result of the director elections or the proposal to reduce the board from 35 to 30, so you’ll just have to chew your fingernails nervously.

There were few questions – one on the capping of goalie registrations, one on what’s happening next season in terms of rule changes (nothing) – but there wasn’t a whole lot more light shed.

On the goalie issue, the association will add teams to divisions by multiples of two where numbers warrant, and they’re open to all ideas, but not everyone on the goalie waiting list is going to get a spot in Oakville.

I was surprised that more goalie parents didn’t show up armed with ideas to bounce off the executive, but there was one dad with one question. That’s how it played out.

I would guess that there were maybe 50 or 60 people in attendance for the AGM of an association that boasts nearly 4000 players. Apathy or contentment? Draw your own conclusions.

It took about an hour and 15 minutes and I made it to Glen Abbey to retrieve my refereeing boy in plenty of time.

- - -

The World Cup opens today in South Africa. Because Canadians notoriously suck at the beautiful game, fans here will have to rely on their heritage to adopt a team to root for – assuming they care at all.

Go Ivory Coast!!

I care only in the sense that it means a lot to some friends of mine and I rather enjoy watching them get worked up without me having anything emotionally invested in the matter.

The first big nail biter of the tournament is probably tomorrow’s USA vs. England match, although I know that every match is live or die to someone. The Yanks are better than people give them credit for, but not as good it should be for a country with 300 million people, virtually unlimited resources and a large portion of the population obsessed with the game. You’d think they could come up with 15 or 20 elite-level footballers.

England has been without a major international soccer championship longer than the Leafs have been without a Stanley Cup, albeit only by one year. But their fans are lunatics and making the quarterfinals will be the bare minimum of expectations. If they lose to the Americans, expect rioting and sarcastic editorials. Read more here on why the USA can thank England for whatever success they might achieve.

The biggest mismatch of the open games will be Brazil vs North Korea on Tuesday. The former being one of two odds-on favourites (the other is Spain) to win it all and the latter being a state that can’t summon the resources to feed its children let alone compete in the world’s largest sporting event. But at least one South Korean player thinks the North side may surprise some people. Read more here.

Click here for more on the World Cup.

- - -

Yeah, he can drive. But will he brush his teeth and do his homework?

An 11-year-old automotive prodigy from Montreal has been signed to train with Ferrari after wowing experts with his performance at Kart racing events.

Lance Stroll has a name that sounds better suited to a USC quarterback, and he’s still five years away from legally driving a car, but he’s squarely in Ferrari’s headlights now.

And we think hockey is expensive?

“Dad, can I have $2500 for a new set of racing tires?”

“Dad, can I have a Ferrari for my birthday?”

Read more here.

- - -

If you were planning on taking a cab across downtown Chicago today, change your plans.

The Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup parade starts mid morning and is expected to end, oh, in mid-August some time.

Some folks literally starting lining up for the celebration as soon as the game in Philly ended on Wednesday night.

Read more here.

- - -

More running and reffing and timekeeping this weekend for my boys. I don’t know yet whether Pad is in for a third-straight Saturday of doing six straight games, but I hope not. Otherwise, an announcement about his retirement from black-and-white duty may be imminent.

The weather forecast is grim. Let’s hope that doesn’t last.

Drive safely and have fun wherever you are.

Hug the kids.

 

June 10, 2010

Well, I’d have bet just about anything that the Flyers would win last night, so that shows you what I know.

Good for the ‘Hawks. A long time coming but this is a team that’s going to be good for a while, or at least until it can’t afford to keep the core together under the salary cap.

For those keeping score at home, the Leafs are now sport the longest Cup drought among original-six teams.

They share the 43-year winless streak with Los Angles Kings and St Louis Blues who both joined the league in the 1967-68 expansion, the year the Leafs’ drought began.

Of the four other expansion teams that year, three have won Cups – Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Minnesota (who did it after moving to Dallas). The fourth team, the Oakville Seals, struggled and eventually moved to Cleveland where they were later folded into the Minnesota North Stars prior to their move to Dallas.

And just to highlight how far away from contending for a playoff spot, let alone a Cup, the Leafs are, consider this. Philly got into the playoffs by winning a shootout on the final day of the season. They rode a hot goalie and some gritty play all the way to game six of the finals

Compare the core of their lineup to anything on the Leafs. Pronger, Richards, Carter, Gagne, Briere, Hartnell, Timonen.

Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Tomas Kaberle (who they’re trying to trade), and . . . a bunch of young guys who may or may not pan out.

If you were living under a rock last night and today and don’t know what happened, then you can read about it here.

Enjoy the summer Leaf fans.

- - -

The MOHA annual meeting is on tonight (7:30p at the South Atrium of town hall on Trafalgar Road) and I’m still planning to be there, in spite of a busy schedule on the home front. At the very least I’ll be out to vote for the board elections.

We don’t get a vote for the Rep VP as we don’t have a kid playing rep in Oakville, so I’ll sit on my hands and watch that one unfold.

- - -

If you use Google much, you’ll notice that they’ve changed their look, adding images to the formerly stark white standard interface.

I guess that’s all well and fine for people who need to look at a picture for the seven seconds it takes to type in a search query. I prefer the simple layout, and guess what? So far I can’t go back to a simple default “classic” screen.

Mildly annoying to me.

Very annoying to others.

You can read more about this here.

And FYI, the brainiacs in the blogosphere have found a workaround URL to get classic view back.

Use this: http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=all

- - -

June 9, 2010

Hockey Canada says it is reviewing a study that suggests that peewee hockey players competing in divisions that allow bodychecking are four times as likely to get a concussion than players in divisions that don’t allow it.

Stunning news.

OK, sarcasm aside – because the inherent risk of injury in hockey increases when you add body checking – I’m not sure what Hockey Canada will make of this study that followed 1000 players in Alberta and 1000 in Quebec (where they don’t allow body checking at peewee).

Perhaps they will have access to more data than has been reported in the press.

As a parent and coach, I feel that one concussion is too many, and I’ve seen more than one. But I also know that every time my kids hit the ice – or lacrosse, rugby or soccer pitch – there’s risk.

If they play in “contact” divisions, I know the risk is higher. We all know that. So the study tells me what I knew in my heart to be true: Bodychecking produces more injuries than when there’s no bodychecking.

I’m just not sure what a hockey bureaucrat would do with a study that tells him something he already knows. Read more here.

- - -

Just as an aside on this, some questions.

What level were the hockey players? House league or rep? What level of rep? How many games were played by the 1000 kids in each sample? Are 93 concussions among 2000 kids over one season a lot?

I don’t have anything to compare it with, so I don’t know. But those 2000 kids played a lot of hockey. Maybe there are fewer concussions now than five years ago, but there’s no context for the numbers.

For example, if a peewee team plays 45 games a year (and some rep teams will play many more, some a HL teams fewer) then for the purpose of the study, the sample is 2000 kids each competing in 45 games (more or less). If there are 16 kids on a team, and two teams in a game, then each game produces 32 “player games” for the study. Sort of like “man hours” of work lost to an injury.

So, that produces 90,000 (2000 kids times 45 games each) “player games” of experience used in the study. Obviously the games generally involved about 32 kids at the same time, but each player was assuming risk in each game, hence the large number of 90,000 “player games.”

That puts the total number of concussions – 93 from both provinces – in some perspective, I think. But without a benchmark from earlier studies or other contact sports, it’s really just a number and, as I sad before, I’m not sure what Hockey Canada is to make of a study that tells us what we all knew.

- - -

If you have kids in public school in Oakville – and probably anywhere else in Ontario for that matter – then you probably always have your wallet out.

Money for school trips. Hot lunch day – biweekly fundraisers that typically feature pizza and a drink.

The schools desperately need the money and the parents cough up again and again. I don’t think most people think twice about it, it’s just the way the system works.

Well, new provincial guidelines planned for 2011/12 may take a bite out of that fundraising, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Nutritional Guideline PPM 150 will prohibit the sale non-healthy food on any school property. So, no sugary drinks in vending machines. No potato chips. And perhaps no more pizza days.

It’s an entirely laudable objective but if it sideswipes things like hot lunch day, then it will be seen as being implemented with jack-boot zeal.

Ironically it will be perfectly fine to send your kid to school with a slice of pizza wrapped up in a lunch box, with a bag of chips and a regular Coke to wash it all down.

But it won’t be OK to sell those things at the school to students.

I’m betting this one will get changed.

Read more here.

- - -

Chris Pronger has a nice set of pins for a dude.

Well, at least according to this photoshopped image created by the Chicago Tribune he does.

Click here to see the poster in the Trib, which, BTW, is not a tabloid.

I bet this sold a lot of papers. I also bet when the players on the Blackhawks saw it they all whinced because going into Game 6 in Philly tonight, does anyone think the Flyers needed something extra to fire them up as they face elimination?

Dumb.

- - -

That’s all for now. I have an ice dance lesson scheduled and I’m working on my Pronger.

 

June 7, 2010

I’m back racing the rats this week. Yay.

- - -

Saturday, even though Laura wasn’t around, was just a fun day with a lot of lacrosse. I often say that I could spend the whole day at Glen Abbey just watching the games, and this weekend I pretty much had to.

For a variety of reasons there was a shortage of refs for the house league games on the weekend, so Pad and three others had to do all of them. Which meant he called six straight games and wasn’t particularly happy about it.

The league executive recognized that this was a bit onerous and shortened all the periods from 15 minutes to 12 and then built in some break time for the refs through the day.

I delivered some pizzas for the guys to chew on, as well as water and juice.

But by the end of the day, they had all just about had enough.

Pad got to call his brother’s game and resisted the temptation to toss him.

The Bandits, who started the season 0-3-0, have since gone 4-0-1 – including the tie Saturday – and are looking like they are ready for the playoff tournament, which is just a couple weeks away.

- - -

I got a lot of strange looks at the rink on Saturday. More than usual, I mean.

I went to Sobeys in Glen Abbey after dropping Chris for timekeeping duties. Some women there were collecting money for breast cancer research and I gave them some – in fact, I gave them paper money which made them smile (I love making women smile!) and they said because of my generosity they had a special gift for me.

They gave me a pin and they made me promise to wear it all day.

So I did.

At first, I felt compelled to explain myself to everyone I saw. After awhile, I gave up. Eventually, I forgot I had the thing on.

All for a good cause. And for the record, I support the pin’s sentiment.

- - -

Actually, I had a pretty good week with strange women while my wife was away.

I went to the gym several times and on one occasion a young lady told me “you look hot.”

Cough, cough. Well, thank you. I’ve been working out, you know.

Actually, the true version is that on that particular day I went to the gym and forgot to bring a t-shirt to work out in.

So I had to wear the grey t-shirt I wore to the gym, which meant I had no shirt to change into after showering, and so that I couldn’t shower until I go home. Home was only five minutes away, but after an hour on a step machine and then 25 minutes of light weights, I looked like someone dumped a bucket of water on me.

As I was walking to the car, I passed a woman who saw the grey t-shirt now dark with sweat.

“You look hot,” she said – a comment that was more an evaluation of my personal weather system than my physique.

Hot?

Lady, you have no idea.

- - -

Remember that old TV ad showing an egg dropping onto a frying pan? “This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.”

Well, the New York Times has an interesting piece that is a riff on that theme, except it’s this is your brain on technology.

The article is quite long but if you tend to have a Blackberry, laptop, iPhone, iPad, six remote controls, a PS3, a cell phone and a coffee maker on your lap all the time, you might find it interesting.

In summary, the more you use technology to make you more efficient, the harder it becomes for you to retain all the data your brain is processing.

I think I already knew that, because I don’t know where my car keys are or when my wife was born.

You can read the story here (get a large coffee first).

And, even cooler, there’s a nifty interactive test you can take to gauge your focus – or lack thereof. Click here to take the test.

- - -

He’s always been Mr Hockey.

Now, you can call Gordie Howe Dr Hockey, too.

The University of Saskatchewan gave Howe a honourary doctor of laws degree on the weekend.

Read more here.

- - -

Laura’s back home now, so it’s safe to assume no one will be telling me I’m hot or otherwise now.

Chris arrived back from the north county on Friday, bug-bitten and tired but pleased with the overall experience that included hiking, canoeing, tree-top rope ladders, diving from cliffs (so he said) and other stuff that I’m sure I’ll never hear about and that’s probably just as well.

The Hawks won last night, so that seems to be unfolding as it should.

In summary, we’re all back under one roof for a couple weeks.

That’s a good thing.

 

June 4, 2010

Some guys will do anything to get out of a dinner with Don Cherry.

Ron MacLean is being hailed as a hero for his role in helping rescue a man from a river in Philadelphia, where the CBC HNIC host is for the Stanley Cup finals.

MacLean’s role was secondary to the guy who jumped into the river, but his quick thinking and reaction played a big part, there’s no doubt about that.

Why the guy pulled from the water was bound with rope and tape, no one has figured out yet.

Read more here.

- - -

Hats off to Swiss Chalet!

Pad reffed three games last night and was starving when he got home. I promised him take-out chicken as a late-night snack.

Problem is, Swiss Chalet, the Official Takeout Chicken of Greenbriar Drive ™, doesn’t deliver after 10p and I knew there was no way we’d be home much before 10:20p.

Perhaps the person on the phone taking the order could look at our account and see how many of their birds meet a hungry demise at our address.

But whatever the reason they agreed to deliver late just for us.

And the chicken? It never had a chance, poor thing.

- - -

Chris returns from the north country this afternoon and he’ll be full of stories of wilderness adventure, wrestling bears, zip lining across tree tops and the unspeakable hardship of going three full days without access to a gaming platform or broadband Internet.

The horror! The hardship!

When I was a boy, Al Gore hadn’t even invented the Internet yet!

When Chris was born, dial-up was considered high-end!

And Tiger Woods was still relevant. Things change.

It will be good to have Chris home.

- - -

Sitting at Glen Abbey last night watching midget 2 lacrosse (Oakville lost to Brampton, which always grates) someone mentioned that the NBA finals were starting last night.

Blank stares and mumbling follow.

“That’s basketball, right?”

In short, no one cared. No one could pick Kobe out of a lineup.

No one rushed home for the 4th quarter.

Give us hockey. Give us lacrosse. If you can’t carry a stick and hit someone with it, well, what kind of a sport is that??

- - -

Speaking of which, Duke won the NCAA lacrosse championship on Monday, beat Notre Dame 6-5 in overtime.

Pad and I watched most of the game, but the OT was a real stunner, with a Duke long pole winning the draw and sprinting down the field to score the winner only five seconds into the first extra period.

Long poles taking faceoffs are rare, and often regarded (I’m told) as a defensive move.

This guy won the draw as cleanly as I’ve ever seen and ran away from the defenders like Pad sprinting for the all-you-can-eat buffet.

And you can relive those exciting five seconds by pressing play and watching the video!

 

- - -

Aside from the eight directors to be elected at the MOHA AGM next week (and advance polls Saturday and Tuesday) the membership is also being asked to elect a new vice president of rep hockey.

With something like eight OMHA titles this spring, the MOHA program is clearly in decent shape. Actually, great shape.

Much of the credit for that comes from being one of, if not the largest minor hockey association in Canada. If you have some 4,000 registered kids, there will be a lot of talent to pick from.

But there are other factors and having decent leadership making good decisions over a period of years and having a good system are part of it, too.

I think things done over the last seven or eight years at house league, like implementing the Hockey Canada Initiation Program, have also provided a strong base for Oakville hockey going forward. At rep, there’s a good head rep coach, a good committee of mentors, and a good town rep committee. It was all smart, it continues to work, and it’s all good.

So what should the membership be looking for in leadership/innovation on the rep side?

Well, no one asked but since I have a couple of spare minutes . . . .

First suggestion? Mentorship, to whatever degree it exists for coaches now, has to be expanded in scope and reach.

In scope, mentorship should be less about drawing Xs and Os on whiteboards (and that’s important) and more about leadership, education philosophy/approach, and development. Identify the three or four or five guys in early rep or early house league who have the smarts, the personality, and the interest to become great coaches and leaders. And then mentor them and support them carefully.

And mentors don’t all have to be former NHL players. Some of the smartest men and women in Oakville never played in the NHL, but they are successful in life because they know how to do things. The basics of recruitment, organization, and managing interpersonal relationships are more important than your hockey pedigree as a mentor. And having played pro hockey doesn’t mean you necessarily have a clue about mentorship. If you can find people with both skill sets, great.

On reach, rep mentorship is not just about adults. The program should be actively seeking and identifying the best half dozen or 10 athletes – note I didn’t say hockey players, I said athletes – in every age group and start making sure they are getting the development they need. Track their progress. Keep an eye on them. Be proactive in promoting them internally and externally. At the older age groups, same thing except find the later bloomers, the kids worth a second look.

Don't sort of do it. REALLY do it. Make a list. Call the parents and find out the level of commitment, etc. Few kids succeed without a really solid support network.

I hear someone grumbling, "but hey, isn’t the system a level playing field? Everyone gets treated the same?"

Yes and no.

Everyone in HL gets the same ice time. Everyone gets to have fun. Everyone gets a juice box. Everyone gets a chance to show whether they might be one of the guys who is highlighted for future development.

But not everyone is a gifted athlete, and that’s just a fact, and you can learn it now or learn it on OHL draft day when they’re 15. Part of the rep mandate has to be to promote its best individual athletes to the highest levels they aspire to.

If a minor hockey program with ONE MILLION DOLLARS in the bank doesn’t have the foresight and resources to identify a kid in peewee single-A as a potential OHL draftee or NCAA candidate a few years down the road, well, we have an issue. (And to me, we do.)

If the MOHA wants to stop kids from leaving for the GTHL (and believe me, they do) this would be a big step toward addressing that issue. If parents of the elite kids see there are a system and a plan, they won’t all leave.

I know kids in the 1996 cohort, for example, who are among the best athletes I’ve seen in the age group and it is as obvious as the 87 on Crosby’s back that by the time they are 15-16-17 they are going to be physical specimens and above-average athletes. Some have consistently been overlooked for promotion to higher levels of hockey opportunity, or the promotions have come slowly. Some have already left for the GTHL. I see it in even younger age groups too.

Which brings me to my second suggestion – do not allow parent coaches at AAA in minor bantam or higher. In practice that would mean assembling four bench staffs of non-parent coaches: minor bantam, bantam, minor midget, and midget. If you can eliminate AAA parent coaches altogether, so much the better.

Easier said than done? Maybe.

Some parent coaches at these levels have done a good job. Some haven’t.

Why do it? Because parent coaches have a vested interest in one kid on the bench that generally rises above others. In AE, A and AA, it comes with the turf of rep hockey. You need dedicated parent coaches to make the system work and the vast majority of them are fair to a fault.

But at AAA, especially in the older age groups, parent coaches – fairly or not – will be subjected to charges of favouritism of their kid, or their kids’ friends, or their friend’s kid, or whatever. Sometimes it’s true. Sometimes it’s not.

I’m saying take it out of the equation at AAA altogether so it’s not an issue. No parents on the bench, period.

But like I said, no one asked for my opinion. End of sermon

- - -

Back to the rink tonight for more lacrosse refereeing, plus I’ll probably have to hose Chris off after his trip.

Saturday will be a long one, especially for Pad as a shortage of house league referees means he will be on the floor for six or possibly seven games. That’s not fun.

Enjoy your weekend. Drive safely. Hug the kids.

 

June 3, 2010

Short late posting today.

Being off is harder work than work-work.

- - -

With Pad out at a BBQ last night I had the house and the hockey game to myself for most of the evening.

The youth club that was hosting the pool party and BBQ might have considered building a boat considering the amount of rain we got. But it didn’t rain much between 7p and 9:30p and Pad said they managed to get in the pool and he also was well fed, which is no small feat for the hosts.

This youth group gets together every Wednesday night all winter and typically Pad is committed to hockey – a game, a practice, something – at that time. So he rarely gets to go, but he enjoys the company of the folks who go.

On Facebook, he’s a member of a user group call simply, “I Can’t, I Have Hockey.”

- - -

The Flyers have made a series of it. My guess?

Not for long. But we’ll find out in game four.

- - -

The weirdest and most tragic sports story of the night was Tiger hurler Armando Galarraga coming within an out of a perfect game – and the reason he didn’t get the perfect game was a blown call by the umpire.

The ump in question – veteran Jim Joyce – saw the replay after the game and knew he blew it and apologized personally for the error.

MLB is reviewing it all and says it may still award Galarraga the perfect game.

Read more here.

It kind of feels beside the point to do it now.

- - -

All lacrosse all the time tonight as Pad calls three rep games at Glen Abbey. I will be there for some of the action, especially the late midget game.

Save me a seat John!

Sorry for the pithy update folks, but life is happening.

I’ll be more fulsome tomorrow. Maybe.

 

June 2, 2010

As previously mentioned, the MOHA AGM is coming up – a week from tomorrow actually. And the meeting will include elections of VP positions and directors.

What you probably don’t know is who is running for what, and that’s because with only 10 days until the vote, and five days since nominations closed, the MOHA web site does not have this information posted. Everyone is busy, I get that.

But since the first advance poll is Saturday -- three days from now -- people might like to know about who is running and where the advance polls are.

So as a public service and as a renowned busy body, here’s the scoop.

VP house league – incumbent Tina Fields acclaimed. A thankless job that never stops. I will, however, thank Tina for her hard work and wish her well in the new mandate.

VP rep – three candidates: incumbent Nancy Brooks; current director and former head ref Andy Wigley; and Tom Daley, coach of the AAA midget team that has been a blueprint for rep success in recent season.

Director candidates (eight get elected): Incumbents: Lou Germano (a good friend and former coach of my kid, more hockey experience than most people and a smart guy), Mary Card (another friend and tireless MOHA volunteer and convener. Mary makes the trains run on time. She may even make the trains.) and Rob Plank (a guy I don’t know well but know well enough to know that he is a doer – he takes on projects like the FSMT and helps make them successful. Vote for him.) Vote for all three of them.

Among the new folks vying for spots on the board (and I don’t know them all, so forgive me): Adele Arsenault (another good friend and former director, hockey mom, and all-around uber-volunteer. Vote for her.), Paul Barbuto, David Bessant, Graham Burton, Tom Daley, David D'Amico, Dave Duggan, Lisa Forwell, Louis Gorgenyi, Michael Kennedy, Vivian LeBlanc (another friend, devoted hockey mom and someone you don’t want to sit next to if her kid is on the ice/field! Let’s just say she’s enthusiastic, and that would be good on the board! Vote for her.), Marylou Lepore, and Mike Varanesi (yet another friend. VP of HL in Oakville lacrosse and a great guy, devoted volunteer and a no-brainer for the MOHA board. Vote for him.)

Advance polls: the first one, as mentioned, is this Saturday, from 10a till noon at River Oaks. The second is Tuesday from 7p to 9p at the MOHA office.

The AGM is June 10, 7:30p at town hall on Trafalgar Road.

Every parent of a registered player is allowed to vote and attend the AGM, so get out and vote and attend!

Now you know!

- - -

In the latest example of political correctness gone amuck, an Ottawa minor soccer league has implemented a rule that will result in a forfeit by the leading team if the team wins a game by five or more goals.

Huh?

I’m all for balanced house league sports and helping develop kids’ self esteem. And I’m against running up scores and boorish coaches.

But I’m sorry. This is just patently stupid.

If a team is chronically losing by more than five goals, rebalance the teams, bring in coaching help, work with the kids. Wins are achieved, not handed out. And success by one group of kids shouldn’t be punished.

And occasionally in life, lessons are learned from a good thrashing.

Am I a curmudgeon?

Read more here.

- - -

Great BBQ last night with my kid.

We watched the Jays squander a big lead and lose a game they should have won, we wondered how Chris was doing at camp (great, BTW) and we wished Laura was here to makes school lunches. OK. Kidding. But we miss them.

- - -

I finished running errands (read, BUY MORE FOOD FOR PAD) early yesterday so I was back at BTNL waiting for him to finish his workout.

The kids were in two groups alternating on the lawn , doing situps and other exercises with those large 25-pound plates you see on dumb bells. (They may be 50 pounds actually. I’m not sure.)

Some of the smaller kids were using smaller plates, but the net effect was the same. It was impressive, not to mention that it was 29 degrees outside. Then they would run the "NHL drill" on the pavement. And then do the plates again.

Between the two groups there were probably four or five really impressive athletes – including a goalie I once coached in house league who is vying for an OHL roster spot now, another kid who is an established OHL player, and some others I didn’t know but you could tell they are very serious athletes.

You know when someone is interviewed on TV talking about draft day or some big achievement and inevitably a parent or friend will say, “he or she really deserves this and no one know how hard he/she worked for it.’’

Well, I know.

If you could have seen the way these kids were training yesterday in the heat and the things they were doing, it would blow your mind.

These are kids – boys and girls both – still chasing dreams that they probably don’t talk about out loud. But it was raw athleticism and it was very hard training and it was, as I said, impressive.

No one was watching (other than me and a trainer.) They weren’t showing off because there was no one there to impress. They were accountable only to themselves.

It was simply the anonymous back-breaking work of chasing a dream. Of really chasing a dream.

Our whole town should be proud of kids like that. They believe in something and they believe in themselves.

Man it was impressive.

I took a couple photos from a distance with my BB to send to Laura just so she could see what her kid was doing (she said it looked like Ted was trying to kill them. Hmm. Maybe. But probably only if they drop one of those plates on their head.)

 

 

June 1, 2010

Yes, I’m still here but my routine is a bit off – as am I. (Off, I mean. Not working. Much.)

Laura is visiting with her folks and eating lobster and I’m making sure the boys get where they need to be and burning some days owing from vacations past.

- - -

Nominations closed last Friday for the MOHA board and open executive positions but there’s still nothing on the web site about what’s going on.

Anyone heard anything?

- - -

Speaking of MOHA, there’s still no word on the future of house league goalies on the waiting list.

I’m sending an inquiry to Hockey Canada to see if there’s a precedent in Canada for a minor hockey association capping player registration by position.

In the meantime, parents are patiently waiting to hear the outcome of the diligence MOHA is assuring them that this matter is getting.

Here’s hoping they come up with a better solution than turning away kids who have been members of MOHA house league for almost a decade.

- - -

I had to be up a little earlier than normal today to put Chris on a bus with his schoolmates to a camp east and north of Gravenhurst.

It’s a school trip and I’m sure it will be highly educational, what with swimming and camp fires and singalongs and games . .  .

School has changed a lot from when I went and didn’t learn anything.

- - -

I’ve mentioned here before that Pad has a bad peanut allergy, which means no nut products of any kind in our house and lots of planning and care when he’s elsewhere.

On Sunday, the hottest day of the year thus far, Chris came with me as I ran some errands after dropping Laura at the airport, after taking Pad to hockey, after . . .

Anyway.

We were in the grocery store and Chris said, dad, it’s hot. We need popsicles. I said great idea, told him which aisle to look in and away he ran, literally.

He took off so fast that I forgot to mention to him that he had to check the label – we read EVERY label, every time – to make sure it’s nut safe.

Two minutes later he bounded up the aisle with a big box of fudgy treat things, smiling like only he does.

“Are they nut safe.” I asked.

He smiled, and pointed to the giant “nut-free” label on the box.

“Dad, I’m not going to be the guy that feeds peanuts to Pad.”

It probably sounds like a little thing to you guys. But it was a big deal to me.

And his brother.

- - -

The Philadelphia Flyers deserve a better fate than the one they have found. Outscored by only two goals over two games, they now trail the finals 2-0 as the series swings back to the poorly named City of Brotherly Love.

Poorly named? Yes. Philly fan are ruthless and critical as much as they are fanatical and devoted.

Santa was once booed at an NFL Eagles game and it is said Philly fans, on slow days, go to the airport to boo planes landing.

You can be sure the faithful will raise Kate Smith, the roof, and everything else to try and get the Flyers back in this one.

It won’t be easy.

- - -

Meanwhile on the weekend, a different championship was settled as the Oakville A’s minor mosquito AAA baseball team rolled undefeated through the Mississauga Majors AAA tournament to take their first crown of the season under sweltering conditions.

This is the same crew that bulldozed its competition last season and it’s looking like a winter away didn’t slow them down a bit.

Pictured here are top row: Carter Pauley, Tyler Sagl, Eric Cerantola, Ethan Hammond, Tanner Elson, Andrew MacGrandle

Bottom Row: Luke Raczywolski, Paul Costin, Jordan Gamble, Luke Seidel, Matthew Stone. Missing from the picture was Evan McIntyre.

Coaches Drew Hammond, John Raczywolski, Richard Gamble, Allen Elson, Ryan Seidel.

Way to go, guys!

 

- - -

Pad and I spent last night in a rink, where he was working out and trying for the first time the new flat-bottom-V style of skate sharpening.

We had to have the blades replaced on his boots so we took the opportunity to try to the new (and more expensive) style of sharpening, which I blogged on months ago, and you can read some background on here.

The review?

He said he noticed some difference, but not much. I thought he skated better than usual, but that may have just been other factors (like, he skated better than usual.)

For the record, that was the second time since January that we’ve replaced the blades on his old Grafs, which he refuses to replace.

Blades are cheaper than new skates. If he’s happy, I’m happy.

I don’t even want to think about how many times you have to pay for a sharpening to wear down blades in five months.

- - -

So, Laura is lounging bay-side in Cape Breton.

Chris is lounging lakeside in cottage country.

Pad is back on the ice tonight reffing three-on-three hockey.

I’m gonna head to the gym and then drive him around. We’ll probably barbeque tonight.

It’s June and it feels like it. Finally.

 

 

 

 

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