Monday January 21 7:45 PM
I miss Jeff Blair. The former Gazette baseball writer (think about this: The Gazette once had Blair and Michael Farber in the sports section at the same time) has moved on to become one of the best baseball columnists in North America. He's still only a phone call or e-mail away but I miss hanging with him. Always an adventure. Always a lot of laughs. Almost always aided by alcohol. And once in awhile I'd actually learn something. Like the time we were chilling at Toronto's famed Horseshoe Tavern in the late 90's and he mentioned a group called the Drive By Truckers. I had never heard of them but I loved the name. Filed away for future reference.
About two years later I finally found one of their cd's called Southern Rock Opera, dedicated to Lynyrd Skynyrd. I was hooked. Country. Rock. Country-Rock. Swamp. Blues. Soul. Sung by four different and distinct vocalists and songwriters. Bloodlines directly into Muscle Shoals. They quickly became my favorite group. To say they're closest to The Band since The Band might be a valid reference point but I actually prefer the songs of DBT. The comparison to The Band isn't lost on them either. One of their finest tunes is called Danko/Manuel.
My friends Gary Silverman and Lloyd Fischler (BillyBob Productions) have been trying to figure out a way to bring these guys into town. But, thankfully, with the release of their new CD they'll be touring and hitting Montreal (Le National) on Thursday March 20th. Can't wait.
Brighter Than Creation's Dark **** Is their newest CD. More tales of loss, hope and redemption. And abuse. Shifting easily between country and guitar-driven rock. With a lot of instrumental help from legendary soul man Spooner Oldham. Female vocalist Shonna Tucker sounds like Neko Case. Don't miss their show.
www.drivebytruckers.com
More music you might like, most recent; some I've just recently gotten to:
Jason Isbell: Sirens Of The Ditch *** Former member of Drive By Truckers now on his own. Still soul-based but with more of a pop sound than a typical Truckers CD. Not a bad thing at all, just not quite as gritty. www.jasonisbell.com
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals: Follow The Lights *** Seven more songs, including four previously released in a different form, while we wait for the not-surprisingly-delayed box set
www.ryan-adams.com
Ryan Bingham : Mescalito *** 1/2 25 year old sounds 30 years older. Think Tom Waits and Guy Clark. www.binghammusic.com
The Black Angels: Passover **** I love this group. Dark, brooding, guitar-droning music from Austin, Texas I first heard driving to NYC courtesy of Lorne Rubin's buddy Mike Kweatek. (Legit)Descendants of the Velvet Underground. Played here in 2005 & 2006 when I didn't know a damn thing about them.
Buck 65: Situation **** Back to what he does best. This baseball playing Canuck (and former Montreal resident) can rap. And write. www.buck65.com
Jeff Buckley: Grace (Legacy Edition) ***** How do you improve on Grace? If you've wondered if there was more, yeah there sure was. How about studio covers of "Lost Highway" and "Mama, You've Been On My Mind" and a kick ass live cover of "Kick Out The Jams"? Plus a DVD. As painful a loss as Kurt Cobain. Might as well splurge on Live at Sin-E Legacy edition while you're at it.
www.jeffbuckley.com
Luke Doucet and The White Falcon: Blood's Too Rich *** Hockey playing ace guitarist and songwriter, touring w/Blue Rodeo. Get to your seat early for show at Theatre St. Denis Jan 31 & Feb 2. www.lukedoucet.com
Robert Hazard: Troubadour *** Former Philadelphia rocker (Robert Hazard and the Heroes-best cover of "Blowin' In The Wind" I ever heard) who wrote "Girsl Just Want To Have Fun" quiets down a bit. Way under the radar.
http://www.phillyrockers.com/robert_hazard_and_the_heroes/history.htm
Levon Helm: Dirt Farmer **** Tremendous comeback by former drummer with The Band. Couldn't sing for years because of throat cancer. Near miracle at work. Gets a lot of help from former Dylan guitarist Larry Campbell. You can actually watch Levon and Larry and a host of others in Levon's living room in Woodstock. One of the most joyous musical experiences I've ever had.
http://www.levonhelm.com/midnight_ramble.htm
Highwaymen The Road Goes On Forever: 10th Anniversary edition **** 1/2 Final get together for Willie, Waylon, Johnny Cash & Kris Kristofferson. Try to find even more poignant DVD edition.
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/highwaymen_country_/969778/album.jhtml
The Hives: The Black And White Album *** 1/2 Glorious hard driving punk directly from Sweden. www.thehivesbroadcastingservice.com
I'm Not There: Original Soundtrack ****1/2 Dylan songs from the movie performed by everybody from Eddie Vedder to Antony & The Johnsons to Willie Nelson to Jack Johnson. Includes title track from The Basement Tapes in its first official release. Pretty good "House" band, The Million Dollar Bashers, featuring Tom Verlaine, Nels Cline, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley, Tony Garnier and John Medeski. Almost as spectacular as the movie.
http://www.myspace.com/imnottheresoundtrack
Willie Nile: Streets of New York **** Title says it all. Willie's been around to tell the tale; inevitable comparisons to Dylan and Springsteen, etc. Thankfully he's lived to tell more including "The Day I Saw Bo Diddley In Washington Square".
www.willienile.com
Jennifer Warnes: Famous Blue Raincoat (The Songs Of Leonard Cohen) 20th Anniversary Edition **** If you missed it in '87, Warnes singing "First We take Manhatten", "Bird On A Wire", "Joan of Arc", "Song Of Bernadette" and more; backed by Steve Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford and Van Dyke Parks
http://www.jenniferwarnes.com/
STAX 50th Anniversary Celebration ***** Discover what made Memphis-based Stax one of the most vital labels in American music history. Essential.
http://stax50.com/blog/
Dave Van Ronk: ...and the tin pan bended, and the story ended ***** His last concert. An absolute must for anybody who cares about the history of music. Van Ronk taught everybody. A two hour crash course on jazz, folk, and blues. Listen while reading his book "The Mayor Of MacDougal Street".
http://www.elijahwald.com/vanronk.html
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/feb2002/vanr-f14.shtml
And some of the best in local music:
Annakin Slayd: Stalwart Empire http://www.annakinslayd.xbuild.com/
Angela Desveaux: Wandering Eyes http://www.angeladesveaux.com/
Echo Hunters: Cabin Fever http://www.echohunters.com/echos/
Rob Lutes: ride the shadows: www.roblutes.com
the Jimmyriggers: Traveling Salesman, Killer On The Run http://www.myspace.com/thejimmyriggers
Ladies Of the Canyon: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=90123180
Lee Mellor: Ghost Town Heart http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=36616999
No Barbers Required: Hard To Hold On To www.nobarbersrequired.com
The United Steel Workers Of Montreal: Kerosene & Coal www.uswm.ca
"Without music life would be a mistake" -Frederic Nietzsche
Monday, January 21, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
(Will it be a) Happy New Year (?)
Wednesday January 9, 2008 8 PM
Still trying to come to grips with the fact that Elliott Price is in his 50's....David Bowie turned 60 this week...and Bobby Hull, 69 earlier this month, looks like all those vodkas have finally caught up with him...Me?...Thankful that I still have the "I survived Crescent Street 1982" t-shirt in my closet (always good to check it out every Christmas) but man, I keep getting wider everytime I see myself on TV....Happy 2008
The Habs seem to be getting better...credit to Guy Carbonneau and the coaching staff for the rapid development of so many young players....and apparently finding the right line combos....imagine if they had one more slam dunk top six forward to play on Saku Koivu's right wing...normally I shut it down during the holidays but actually looked forward to watching them play each night...they've been picking up points at a brisk pace even though their goaltending has dipped dramatically...Carey Price will be fine...The Bulldogs play 9 of their next 10 games in Hamilton...hopefully he'll play 'em all, get his game and technique back to where it should be and then come back and help the Habs because Huet will not steal as many points...Bryan Smolinski ready to return?...The guy has been a useful NHL player for a lot of years but unless he picks up all parts of his game the team would be better off with Kyle Chipchura...trade winds starting to blow? (Love what TSN's Gord Miller said about trade rumours, "They're started by two kinds of people; 13 year olds who live in their parent's basement and 30 year olds who live in their parent's basement"...Also love what Gord said to Jack Todd in the press room prior to Tuesday's Habs-Hawks game; "Go fuck yourself"...)
Got to see two superb movies over the holiday, "Juno" and "The Great Debaters"...Juno starring incredibly talented Canadian Ellen Page (watch "Hard Candy" before you see Juno) and written by former stripper Diablo Cody...
http://diablocody.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/diablocody
Debaters directed by and starring Denzel Washington plus Forest Whitaker and Whitaker's son Denzel...based on a true story of an all-black school in the U.S. south in the 1930's...
http://www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com/
Also watched plenty of music DVD's including two history-making events:
The Other Side Of The Mirror; Bob Dylan Live At Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965 *****
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live At Monterey *****
No Doubt about it, the folkies booed Dylan when he plugged in at Newport in '65. The fact that this seminal moment is captured on film (by director Murray Lerner) is remarkable...So is Dylan's performance when he is called back (yes there were plenty in the crowd who loved it... they had already heard "Like A Rolling Stone" on the radio that summer) and plays "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the ultimate kiss-off to the staunch left wing folk crowd, "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". Dylan's rendition of "Chimes Of Freedom" the previous summer is also transcendent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NN7F74Uq8
Two years after Bob plugged in, Hendrix was introduced to America, with his two British mates Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell...the stories of following The Who are legendary...but to watch the whole set again is to realize that thousands at Monterey were stunned by an artist who put them through something they had never previously been through. And then Jimi "sacrificed" his guitar. For love.
http://www.jimihendrix.com/index.php
Peace.
Still trying to come to grips with the fact that Elliott Price is in his 50's....David Bowie turned 60 this week...and Bobby Hull, 69 earlier this month, looks like all those vodkas have finally caught up with him...Me?...Thankful that I still have the "I survived Crescent Street 1982" t-shirt in my closet (always good to check it out every Christmas) but man, I keep getting wider everytime I see myself on TV....Happy 2008
The Habs seem to be getting better...credit to Guy Carbonneau and the coaching staff for the rapid development of so many young players....and apparently finding the right line combos....imagine if they had one more slam dunk top six forward to play on Saku Koivu's right wing...normally I shut it down during the holidays but actually looked forward to watching them play each night...they've been picking up points at a brisk pace even though their goaltending has dipped dramatically...Carey Price will be fine...The Bulldogs play 9 of their next 10 games in Hamilton...hopefully he'll play 'em all, get his game and technique back to where it should be and then come back and help the Habs because Huet will not steal as many points...Bryan Smolinski ready to return?...The guy has been a useful NHL player for a lot of years but unless he picks up all parts of his game the team would be better off with Kyle Chipchura...trade winds starting to blow? (Love what TSN's Gord Miller said about trade rumours, "They're started by two kinds of people; 13 year olds who live in their parent's basement and 30 year olds who live in their parent's basement"...Also love what Gord said to Jack Todd in the press room prior to Tuesday's Habs-Hawks game; "Go fuck yourself"...)
Got to see two superb movies over the holiday, "Juno" and "The Great Debaters"...Juno starring incredibly talented Canadian Ellen Page (watch "Hard Candy" before you see Juno) and written by former stripper Diablo Cody...
http://diablocody.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/diablocody
Debaters directed by and starring Denzel Washington plus Forest Whitaker and Whitaker's son Denzel...based on a true story of an all-black school in the U.S. south in the 1930's...
http://www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com/
Also watched plenty of music DVD's including two history-making events:
The Other Side Of The Mirror; Bob Dylan Live At Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965 *****
The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live At Monterey *****
No Doubt about it, the folkies booed Dylan when he plugged in at Newport in '65. The fact that this seminal moment is captured on film (by director Murray Lerner) is remarkable...So is Dylan's performance when he is called back (yes there were plenty in the crowd who loved it... they had already heard "Like A Rolling Stone" on the radio that summer) and plays "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the ultimate kiss-off to the staunch left wing folk crowd, "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". Dylan's rendition of "Chimes Of Freedom" the previous summer is also transcendent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NN7F74Uq8
Two years after Bob plugged in, Hendrix was introduced to America, with his two British mates Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell...the stories of following The Who are legendary...but to watch the whole set again is to realize that thousands at Monterey were stunned by an artist who put them through something they had never previously been through. And then Jimi "sacrificed" his guitar. For love.
http://www.jimihendrix.com/index.php
Peace.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas Baby
Monday December 24, 3:00 PM
Here's hoping these fine folks find what they're looking for under the Christmas tree (and you too):
Cristobal Huet-a thank you note with his parting gift
Michael Ryder-two weeks in Hamilton
Saku Koivu-a badly swollen middle finger
Guy Carbonneau-Brenden Morrow (oh wait...)
NHL Officials-a muzzle for Guy Carbonneau
Bob Gainey-Size and strength down the middle
Michel Therrien-a safety net
PJ Stock-An English/French dictionary
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens et al-lie detector tests
Bud Selig-a pink slip
Washington Nationals-a fire; without the sale
Donald Fehr-Bah, humbug!
Michael Vick- a cell full of rabid rottweilers
Bill Belichik-a '72 Dolphins dartboard
Anthony Calvillo-a healthy family
Jim Popp-a Jack Todd whoopi cushion
Jack Todd-empathy, heart, soul & a baby seat in Popp's hummer
The Green Room-an Open for Business sign
Hurley's, Irish Embassy, Ye Olde Orchard, McKibbin's, Champs & Vargas-a very very Green Christmas
And from a very creative listener:
The following are a few of the gifts santa plans to hand to the HABS:
Francis Bouillon: 2 inch lifts.
Michael Ryder: A soccer net.
Andrei Markov: "Searching for Bobby Orr" by Steven Brunt.
Mike Komisarek: Darcy Tucker with his head down.
Christopher Higgins: 2 highly trained dobermann pinschers, Zeus and Apollo (A.K.A. "The Lads").
Tom Kostopoulos: A weekend with Bob Probert.
Andrei Kostitsyn: An invitation to Paul Maurice's house.
Maxim Lapierre: A double wide "tempo" for his Hummer. (St-Leonard style).
Sergei Kostitsyn: A fake ID card.
Saku Koivu: Subscription to the Journal de Montreal.
Patrice Brisebois: Already got his present... (Christmas was in July for Pat this year!)
Carey Price: 2 cases of REDBULL!
Guy Carbonneau: A perpetual road trip.
Doug Jarvis: A day off. (FINALLY!)
Bob Gainey: Alexander Ovechkin... or a win on Dec 23.
The rest get a $10 gift certificate to the Barfly. Thanks for all the good work.
Girth
Back in a few days with some suggestions for your eyes & ears.
Peace.
Here's hoping these fine folks find what they're looking for under the Christmas tree (and you too):
Cristobal Huet-a thank you note with his parting gift
Michael Ryder-two weeks in Hamilton
Saku Koivu-a badly swollen middle finger
Guy Carbonneau-Brenden Morrow (oh wait...)
NHL Officials-a muzzle for Guy Carbonneau
Bob Gainey-Size and strength down the middle
Michel Therrien-a safety net
PJ Stock-An English/French dictionary
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens et al-lie detector tests
Bud Selig-a pink slip
Washington Nationals-a fire; without the sale
Donald Fehr-Bah, humbug!
Michael Vick- a cell full of rabid rottweilers
Bill Belichik-a '72 Dolphins dartboard
Anthony Calvillo-a healthy family
Jim Popp-a Jack Todd whoopi cushion
Jack Todd-empathy, heart, soul & a baby seat in Popp's hummer
The Green Room-an Open for Business sign
Hurley's, Irish Embassy, Ye Olde Orchard, McKibbin's, Champs & Vargas-a very very Green Christmas
And from a very creative listener:
The following are a few of the gifts santa plans to hand to the HABS:
Francis Bouillon: 2 inch lifts.
Michael Ryder: A soccer net.
Andrei Markov: "Searching for Bobby Orr" by Steven Brunt.
Mike Komisarek: Darcy Tucker with his head down.
Christopher Higgins: 2 highly trained dobermann pinschers, Zeus and Apollo (A.K.A. "The Lads").
Tom Kostopoulos: A weekend with Bob Probert.
Andrei Kostitsyn: An invitation to Paul Maurice's house.
Maxim Lapierre: A double wide "tempo" for his Hummer. (St-Leonard style).
Sergei Kostitsyn: A fake ID card.
Saku Koivu: Subscription to the Journal de Montreal.
Patrice Brisebois: Already got his present... (Christmas was in July for Pat this year!)
Carey Price: 2 cases of REDBULL!
Guy Carbonneau: A perpetual road trip.
Doug Jarvis: A day off. (FINALLY!)
Bob Gainey: Alexander Ovechkin... or a win on Dec 23.
The rest get a $10 gift certificate to the Barfly. Thanks for all the good work.
Girth
Back in a few days with some suggestions for your eyes & ears.
Peace.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Snow Balls and Baseballs
Sunday December 16 4:30 PM
What a great day to do nothing but eat and drink-oh wait, we did that Friday at our station Christmas party. Snow days like this remind me of elementary school, specifically Churchill school in Chomedey (later renamed Irving Bregman Memorial) where our gym teacher was future Queen's football coach Ian Breck. Those of us who were within walking distance actually looked forward to heading to school on snow days because Ian would gather some fellow teachers in the library for a bull session with students. A couple of times he introduced us to one of his roommates who looked vaguely familiar. Turns out he was an American Hockey League goaltender named Wayne Thomas. (The Canadiens' top farm team was based in Montreal for one year. Their home rink was the Forum. Some of the other players included Bobby Sheehan, Phil Roberto, Chuck Lefley, Bob Murdoch and another goaltender named Ken Dryden.)
The next time I met Wayne Thomas was in the early 1980's very late one night at a bar in Cape Cod. I don't remember how I was introduced to him but I do remember that he said he was part owner of the place. I told him the story about Churchill School in Chomedey. His eyes lit up (just like the rest of him at that point) and he started telling me stories of the Voyageurs. A few minutes later he took me over to another part of the room to introduce me to his partner in the bar. I instantly recognized Nick Fotiu. Oh the stories we could tell...
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=5378
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12635
Ian Breck is currently the head coach of Team Canada's Under- 20 Junior Football team.
The Mitchell Report. Just another in a list of "scandalous moments" in baseball. I keep reading of comparisons to the 1919 Black Sox scandal. How about the Dowd report? Or the cocaine scandal of the early 1980's? Have we already forgotten about the collusion cases organized by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth and the pathetic owners in the mid-80's? (if you don't think collusion helped kill at least one market, consider this-players forced back to their old teams included Tim Raines. But free agency rules being what they were, a player couldn't re-sign with his old team until May 1. So the 1987 Expos played the entire month of April with Triple A leftfielder Alonzo Powell. He batted .195. The Expos April record was 8-12. From the moment Raines re-joined the team ( in 139 games in 1987 Raines hit .330 with 18 home runs, 68 RBI's, 50 stolen bases, a slugging pct of .526, an OBP of .429 and a LEAGUE LEADING 123 runs scored) the Expos went 83-59. A total won loss record of 91-71 was good enough for 3rd place in the NL East, just four games behind the division champion St. Louis Cardinals. And what about baseball's biggest scandal of them all-not allowing a single black player to play until 1947?
So spare me the moralizing. There have been worse moments than this.
Two scenes I'll never forget:
Scene #1
A former Expos catcher tapping me on the shoulder in the clubhouse asking me what I thought about a couple of his teammates who were certainly on something (David Segui was one of them). I said if it's obvious to me what's going on how can anybody directly involved in the sport not seem to know or care? He then asked me if I thought it was fair that he should have to decide whether to bulk up or not. If ever there was a rhetorical question that was it. And it was repeated in every clubhouse in baseball. I salute the guys who resisted the temptation and played through through nothing stronger than the odd greenie or (in John Wetteland's case) an over consumption of caffeine.
Scene #2
A bunch of media types gathered at Hurley's Irish pub. I mention to a baseball writer that players are starting to grumble about obvious steroid use. I tell him it's a huge story about to explode. He agrees but says he can't really sniff around because he'd have his "access" cut off. He says it's more of an investigative piece that has to be done on a national level with a parade of sources and an almost unlimited expense account. And then Ken Caminiti won the NL MVP award.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/12/13/flashback_juiced/index.html
Saku Koivu goes a dozen games without scoring and he's either washed up or a lousy leader or both. He scores two goals against the Leafs and his critics will say the Leafs were tired. I think we're all guilty of over analyzing after each game or block of games. There's still a lot of hockey left to play. Among Koivu's right wingers this season-Michael Ryder, Tom Kostopolous, Mark Streit, Bryan Smolinski, Guillame Latendresse, Alex Kovalev, Mathieu Dandenault and Sergei Kostitsyn. Who's next-Stephen Harper?
Saku Koivu is a special guy. "Un champion", says Bob Gainey. It takes one to know one. Koivu is not part of the problem, never has been. I'd concede that at this point he might not be part of the solution either. The fact that the Habs seem to go only as Koivu goes is not his fault. It's an organizational failure. But if they are to trade him (out west) they had better hit a home run. Steroid-free.
What a great day to do nothing but eat and drink-oh wait, we did that Friday at our station Christmas party. Snow days like this remind me of elementary school, specifically Churchill school in Chomedey (later renamed Irving Bregman Memorial) where our gym teacher was future Queen's football coach Ian Breck. Those of us who were within walking distance actually looked forward to heading to school on snow days because Ian would gather some fellow teachers in the library for a bull session with students. A couple of times he introduced us to one of his roommates who looked vaguely familiar. Turns out he was an American Hockey League goaltender named Wayne Thomas. (The Canadiens' top farm team was based in Montreal for one year. Their home rink was the Forum. Some of the other players included Bobby Sheehan, Phil Roberto, Chuck Lefley, Bob Murdoch and another goaltender named Ken Dryden.)
The next time I met Wayne Thomas was in the early 1980's very late one night at a bar in Cape Cod. I don't remember how I was introduced to him but I do remember that he said he was part owner of the place. I told him the story about Churchill School in Chomedey. His eyes lit up (just like the rest of him at that point) and he started telling me stories of the Voyageurs. A few minutes later he took me over to another part of the room to introduce me to his partner in the bar. I instantly recognized Nick Fotiu. Oh the stories we could tell...
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=5378
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12635
Ian Breck is currently the head coach of Team Canada's Under- 20 Junior Football team.
The Mitchell Report. Just another in a list of "scandalous moments" in baseball. I keep reading of comparisons to the 1919 Black Sox scandal. How about the Dowd report? Or the cocaine scandal of the early 1980's? Have we already forgotten about the collusion cases organized by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth and the pathetic owners in the mid-80's? (if you don't think collusion helped kill at least one market, consider this-players forced back to their old teams included Tim Raines. But free agency rules being what they were, a player couldn't re-sign with his old team until May 1. So the 1987 Expos played the entire month of April with Triple A leftfielder Alonzo Powell. He batted .195. The Expos April record was 8-12. From the moment Raines re-joined the team ( in 139 games in 1987 Raines hit .330 with 18 home runs, 68 RBI's, 50 stolen bases, a slugging pct of .526, an OBP of .429 and a LEAGUE LEADING 123 runs scored) the Expos went 83-59. A total won loss record of 91-71 was good enough for 3rd place in the NL East, just four games behind the division champion St. Louis Cardinals. And what about baseball's biggest scandal of them all-not allowing a single black player to play until 1947?
So spare me the moralizing. There have been worse moments than this.
Two scenes I'll never forget:
Scene #1
A former Expos catcher tapping me on the shoulder in the clubhouse asking me what I thought about a couple of his teammates who were certainly on something (David Segui was one of them). I said if it's obvious to me what's going on how can anybody directly involved in the sport not seem to know or care? He then asked me if I thought it was fair that he should have to decide whether to bulk up or not. If ever there was a rhetorical question that was it. And it was repeated in every clubhouse in baseball. I salute the guys who resisted the temptation and played through through nothing stronger than the odd greenie or (in John Wetteland's case) an over consumption of caffeine.
Scene #2
A bunch of media types gathered at Hurley's Irish pub. I mention to a baseball writer that players are starting to grumble about obvious steroid use. I tell him it's a huge story about to explode. He agrees but says he can't really sniff around because he'd have his "access" cut off. He says it's more of an investigative piece that has to be done on a national level with a parade of sources and an almost unlimited expense account. And then Ken Caminiti won the NL MVP award.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/12/13/flashback_juiced/index.html
Saku Koivu goes a dozen games without scoring and he's either washed up or a lousy leader or both. He scores two goals against the Leafs and his critics will say the Leafs were tired. I think we're all guilty of over analyzing after each game or block of games. There's still a lot of hockey left to play. Among Koivu's right wingers this season-Michael Ryder, Tom Kostopolous, Mark Streit, Bryan Smolinski, Guillame Latendresse, Alex Kovalev, Mathieu Dandenault and Sergei Kostitsyn. Who's next-Stephen Harper?
Saku Koivu is a special guy. "Un champion", says Bob Gainey. It takes one to know one. Koivu is not part of the problem, never has been. I'd concede that at this point he might not be part of the solution either. The fact that the Habs seem to go only as Koivu goes is not his fault. It's an organizational failure. But if they are to trade him (out west) they had better hit a home run. Steroid-free.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Dancing (5th, 6th, 7th, 6th, 8th cha cha cha) With the Habs
Sunday December 9, 1:30 PM
What's wrong with the Canadiens? Let me count the ways.
-they can't win at home
-they can't win key face offs
-they can't score
-they can't kill penalties
-they can't (won't) fight
-their goalies have caved
What did I miss?
The Habs have no home identity-other than the "history" in the soon-to-be 12 year old Bell Center. Opposing teams dictate play. And with little or no physical fear they pretty much do what they want. Playing the Canadiens in Montreal has become ultra-comfortable. A pro sports sin. The only response the Habs have is to hope their goaltender out-plays everyone. From John Ferguson to Pierre Bouchard to Rick Chartraw to Chris Nilan to Lyle Odelein, every successful Montreal team has had a cop, a cop who could play. Some winning teams featured 4-5 guys who could fight. (The last Cup team in '93 featured Odelein, Todd Ewen, Mario Roberge and the league's best middleweight-Mike Keane.) This bunch? I'd rather see PJ Stock out there 3-4 minutes a game than Mark Streit. (I like Streit-as a power play specialist and role player. He gets way too many minutes of ice time).
The stat sheet (always be wary of the Montreal sheets) says the Canadiens won 60% of their face offs vs Carolina. Fact is, other than Koivu, Habs' centermen have been pretty dismal this season. Hard to comprehend with three of the best face-off men of their respective eras behind the bench. Lack of success in the face off circle also explains, partially, the woeful PK record.
I'm not enough of an X's & O's student to further explain the PK problems. Again, with Guy Carbonneau, Doug Jarvis and Kirk Muller to teach, it would be difficult to believe it's poor coaching. And it hasn't been the fault of the goaltending. Kyle Chipchura, Brian Smolinski, Tom Kostopolous and Steve Begin have been the go-to players on the PK unit. Chipchura will be fine but it's not often a rookie is handed that kind of responsibility. He's made some (rookie) mistakes. Smolinski, on the other hand, looks done. He doesn't win battles one on one or along the boards. Unlike Begin and Kostopolous he doesn't block shots. He's been a solid NHL player for a long time but this is beginning to look a lot like Janne Niinimaa revisited. (Which brings us to another area of concern for Hab fans-pro scouting. Ultimately, it's Bob Gainey who rightfully takes the heat for poor signings/trades. But a constant during the Gainey regime is Pierre Gauthier, who's title is assistant GM but who, in essence, is their top pro scout. Among the NHL players brought in during his watch: Radek Bonk, Todd Simpson, Mike Johnson, Sergei Samsanov, Niinimaa, Josh Gorges, Smolinski and Kostopolous. Those in a hurry to see Gainey go should shudder at the prospect of Gauthier as GM in-waiting.)
We knew goal scoring, especially five on five, would be tight for this team. But who could have possibly predicted that Michael Ryder would be stuck on three goals less than a month away from the all star break? It's sad to see. Sadder still is the pssibilty that his NHL career has already peaked. Shoot puck. Score goals. That's his job. He can't skate well or check and has possibly the worst hockey sense of any forward on the team. Shoot puck. Don't score goals. No job.
Goaltending, as mediocre as it's been lately, is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. Carey Price will be fine. He's discovering that NHL shooters are pretty good. Rod Brindamour alone in the slot can pick a corner a lot faster than the typical AHL'er or Junior player. It's part of the learning curve.
Captain Koivu? Struggling to be sure. A goal here or there would help but remember first and foremost he's a playmaker. What I look for from Koivu is if he's putting the puck on the stick of his linemate(s), and whether it's Higgins, Ryder, Streit, Smolinski or whomever, he's getting that job done. Of more concern is that he looks a step or two slower.
Maybe it's just the late fall blahs, weeks ahead of the Christmas swoon. And what looks piss-poor right now will eventually be straightened out. Until then the Habs will likely drop lower than 8th. Perhaps to 10th or 11th. And two or three games later jump all the way to 6th. The only thing we know for certain about this team is they can't play with Detroit. So they have a lot of company.
In the meantime, Bob Gainey has to find a couple of bodies with some size and toughness and talent. That's all. And he has to find this player or two by himself.
What's wrong with the Canadiens? Let me count the ways.
-they can't win at home
-they can't win key face offs
-they can't score
-they can't kill penalties
-they can't (won't) fight
-their goalies have caved
What did I miss?
The Habs have no home identity-other than the "history" in the soon-to-be 12 year old Bell Center. Opposing teams dictate play. And with little or no physical fear they pretty much do what they want. Playing the Canadiens in Montreal has become ultra-comfortable. A pro sports sin. The only response the Habs have is to hope their goaltender out-plays everyone. From John Ferguson to Pierre Bouchard to Rick Chartraw to Chris Nilan to Lyle Odelein, every successful Montreal team has had a cop, a cop who could play. Some winning teams featured 4-5 guys who could fight. (The last Cup team in '93 featured Odelein, Todd Ewen, Mario Roberge and the league's best middleweight-Mike Keane.) This bunch? I'd rather see PJ Stock out there 3-4 minutes a game than Mark Streit. (I like Streit-as a power play specialist and role player. He gets way too many minutes of ice time).
The stat sheet (always be wary of the Montreal sheets) says the Canadiens won 60% of their face offs vs Carolina. Fact is, other than Koivu, Habs' centermen have been pretty dismal this season. Hard to comprehend with three of the best face-off men of their respective eras behind the bench. Lack of success in the face off circle also explains, partially, the woeful PK record.
I'm not enough of an X's & O's student to further explain the PK problems. Again, with Guy Carbonneau, Doug Jarvis and Kirk Muller to teach, it would be difficult to believe it's poor coaching. And it hasn't been the fault of the goaltending. Kyle Chipchura, Brian Smolinski, Tom Kostopolous and Steve Begin have been the go-to players on the PK unit. Chipchura will be fine but it's not often a rookie is handed that kind of responsibility. He's made some (rookie) mistakes. Smolinski, on the other hand, looks done. He doesn't win battles one on one or along the boards. Unlike Begin and Kostopolous he doesn't block shots. He's been a solid NHL player for a long time but this is beginning to look a lot like Janne Niinimaa revisited. (Which brings us to another area of concern for Hab fans-pro scouting. Ultimately, it's Bob Gainey who rightfully takes the heat for poor signings/trades. But a constant during the Gainey regime is Pierre Gauthier, who's title is assistant GM but who, in essence, is their top pro scout. Among the NHL players brought in during his watch: Radek Bonk, Todd Simpson, Mike Johnson, Sergei Samsanov, Niinimaa, Josh Gorges, Smolinski and Kostopolous. Those in a hurry to see Gainey go should shudder at the prospect of Gauthier as GM in-waiting.)
We knew goal scoring, especially five on five, would be tight for this team. But who could have possibly predicted that Michael Ryder would be stuck on three goals less than a month away from the all star break? It's sad to see. Sadder still is the pssibilty that his NHL career has already peaked. Shoot puck. Score goals. That's his job. He can't skate well or check and has possibly the worst hockey sense of any forward on the team. Shoot puck. Don't score goals. No job.
Goaltending, as mediocre as it's been lately, is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. Carey Price will be fine. He's discovering that NHL shooters are pretty good. Rod Brindamour alone in the slot can pick a corner a lot faster than the typical AHL'er or Junior player. It's part of the learning curve.
Captain Koivu? Struggling to be sure. A goal here or there would help but remember first and foremost he's a playmaker. What I look for from Koivu is if he's putting the puck on the stick of his linemate(s), and whether it's Higgins, Ryder, Streit, Smolinski or whomever, he's getting that job done. Of more concern is that he looks a step or two slower.
Maybe it's just the late fall blahs, weeks ahead of the Christmas swoon. And what looks piss-poor right now will eventually be straightened out. Until then the Habs will likely drop lower than 8th. Perhaps to 10th or 11th. And two or three games later jump all the way to 6th. The only thing we know for certain about this team is they can't play with Detroit. So they have a lot of company.
In the meantime, Bob Gainey has to find a couple of bodies with some size and toughness and talent. That's all. And he has to find this player or two by himself.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
New Month, Same Team
Saturday December 1 2:00 PM
December-finally. I don't mind the blast of cold air-as long as the sun is shining. I'll spare you the metaphors.
Getting ready to watch the Rangers and Senators. Those silly comparisons to the Habs of the late 70's can now be buried for good. Love what Senators coach John Paddock said about his teams' losing streak. "It's part of the ebb and flow of a long season", said Paddock while (just a guess here) silently starting to worry about Martin Gerber. Canadiens fans need to keep that in mind. Look at the standings. As I write this the Habs are 5th in the eastern conference, two points behind the second place team and just two points out of eighth. Welcome to the salary cap era. It's just as tight in the west. Teams that started the season surprisingly slow (Buffalo, New Jersey) have righted themselves. Teams that started surprisngly well (Washington, Ottawa) have also settled into a more realistic zone.
For one of those rare instances this season, the Canadiens actually dominated a first period of play. Last night in Newark (what a great title for a movie, huh?) the Habs dominated, helped out by, but not just because of, the power play. Best save of the night was Martin Brodeur on Alex Kovalev, a low, well aimed wrister that Brodeur cooly kicked away. And as often has been the case the last two seasons, if the Canadiens don't score on the power play they find themselves in a bit of trouble. This season, their penalty killing unit continues to struggle. Lousy combo. One of the reasons Steve Begin and Tom Kostopolous are sitting tonight vs Nashville. The other reason-a team TOTAL of 9 hits the last two road games. Why bother putting on shoulder pads? If Begin and Kostopolous don't hit they don't play. Simple as that. Good move by Carbonneau. Why not Brian Smolinski or Michael Ryder? I think Ryder is next. Smolinski won 9 of 12 faceoffs last night.
So what does Bob Gainey do to improve his team's 5 on 5 play and/or goal scoring? He's not going to find it in Hamilton. The Bulldogs were shutout 6-0 on home ice last night. And their best players to start this season (Sergei Kostitsyn, Maxim Lapierre and Jonathan Ferland) are not goal scorers. Perhaps Gainey was in attendance in an effort to piece together a package for
immediate NHL help (Brad Richards?). In the meantime, Ryder sticks out like a sore thumb. A goal scorer not scoring for a team that needs a goal scorer.
Where have you gone Stephane Richer?
Martin Brodeur's career record against Montreal is 34-12-5. 12 losses? I can barely remember one...You won't have Jack Todd to kick around anymore...he's accepted a buyout from The Gazette...oh yeah, I'll have plenty more to say next month...The Black Hawks are once again fun to watch...They're playing for Denis Savard and Chicago area hockey fans who can once again see them on local TV....and whaddya know, the crowds are starting to return (over 16,000 last night vs Phoenix)...I'm starting to warm to the idea of bigger nets..the highest scoring team in the east is Carolina with 85 goals in 26 games...I'd rather see a little more room on the ice and I no longer buy the notion that ripping out the first few rows of seats in places like the Bell Center automatically means a huge loss in revenue...it's a loss the Habs can easily make up by charging more for premium seats and loges...the white- collared crowd that enjoys a pre-game meal at Queue De Cheval have plenty more money to spend...Angels owner Arte Moreno says baseball fans are "going to be angry and disappointed" when the Mitchell report on steroid use is made public...do you think one of Moreno's own stars might be on the list of players George Mitchell names as a user?...Best wishes to Terry DiMonte in Calgary, even though he thinks John Mellencamp is a better artist than Bob Dylan..Finally got around to actually seeing Nirvana Unplugged, finally out on DVD...It's stunning to see and hear the performance in HD and surround sound (watch for Kurt Cobain's facial expression at the end of Leadbelly classic):
http://www.nme.com/news/32183
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEtDC6MuImU
Happy December.
December-finally. I don't mind the blast of cold air-as long as the sun is shining. I'll spare you the metaphors.
Getting ready to watch the Rangers and Senators. Those silly comparisons to the Habs of the late 70's can now be buried for good. Love what Senators coach John Paddock said about his teams' losing streak. "It's part of the ebb and flow of a long season", said Paddock while (just a guess here) silently starting to worry about Martin Gerber. Canadiens fans need to keep that in mind. Look at the standings. As I write this the Habs are 5th in the eastern conference, two points behind the second place team and just two points out of eighth. Welcome to the salary cap era. It's just as tight in the west. Teams that started the season surprisingly slow (Buffalo, New Jersey) have righted themselves. Teams that started surprisngly well (Washington, Ottawa) have also settled into a more realistic zone.
For one of those rare instances this season, the Canadiens actually dominated a first period of play. Last night in Newark (what a great title for a movie, huh?) the Habs dominated, helped out by, but not just because of, the power play. Best save of the night was Martin Brodeur on Alex Kovalev, a low, well aimed wrister that Brodeur cooly kicked away. And as often has been the case the last two seasons, if the Canadiens don't score on the power play they find themselves in a bit of trouble. This season, their penalty killing unit continues to struggle. Lousy combo. One of the reasons Steve Begin and Tom Kostopolous are sitting tonight vs Nashville. The other reason-a team TOTAL of 9 hits the last two road games. Why bother putting on shoulder pads? If Begin and Kostopolous don't hit they don't play. Simple as that. Good move by Carbonneau. Why not Brian Smolinski or Michael Ryder? I think Ryder is next. Smolinski won 9 of 12 faceoffs last night.
So what does Bob Gainey do to improve his team's 5 on 5 play and/or goal scoring? He's not going to find it in Hamilton. The Bulldogs were shutout 6-0 on home ice last night. And their best players to start this season (Sergei Kostitsyn, Maxim Lapierre and Jonathan Ferland) are not goal scorers. Perhaps Gainey was in attendance in an effort to piece together a package for
immediate NHL help (Brad Richards?). In the meantime, Ryder sticks out like a sore thumb. A goal scorer not scoring for a team that needs a goal scorer.
Where have you gone Stephane Richer?
Martin Brodeur's career record against Montreal is 34-12-5. 12 losses? I can barely remember one...You won't have Jack Todd to kick around anymore...he's accepted a buyout from The Gazette...oh yeah, I'll have plenty more to say next month...The Black Hawks are once again fun to watch...They're playing for Denis Savard and Chicago area hockey fans who can once again see them on local TV....and whaddya know, the crowds are starting to return (over 16,000 last night vs Phoenix)...I'm starting to warm to the idea of bigger nets..the highest scoring team in the east is Carolina with 85 goals in 26 games...I'd rather see a little more room on the ice and I no longer buy the notion that ripping out the first few rows of seats in places like the Bell Center automatically means a huge loss in revenue...it's a loss the Habs can easily make up by charging more for premium seats and loges...the white- collared crowd that enjoys a pre-game meal at Queue De Cheval have plenty more money to spend...Angels owner Arte Moreno says baseball fans are "going to be angry and disappointed" when the Mitchell report on steroid use is made public...do you think one of Moreno's own stars might be on the list of players George Mitchell names as a user?...Best wishes to Terry DiMonte in Calgary, even though he thinks John Mellencamp is a better artist than Bob Dylan..Finally got around to actually seeing Nirvana Unplugged, finally out on DVD...It's stunning to see and hear the performance in HD and surround sound (watch for Kurt Cobain's facial expression at the end of Leadbelly classic):
http://www.nme.com/news/32183
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEtDC6MuImU
Happy December.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Hard To Hold A Candle In The Cold November Rain
Saturday November 24 3:30 PM
I hate November. Worst time of the year. A clear reminder that many more dark and dreary days are ahead before we finally see the sun again on a regular basis. It's cold but far worse for me is the fact that it's so damp. I also hate the slush. So does the bottom of my jeans. Yet we all soldier on. Further proof that Montreal is one terrific place to live.
Can you find anything good about the month of November? Oh sure, if you're a winter outdoor enthusiast like Andie Bennett it means you're on the fast track to snowboarding, skiing, tobogganing (the first time I've ever written the word-honest), skating and washing your long underwear. Whoopi.
The best word I can use to describe this month is: bleak. Such a bleakness to it. In hockey the Canadiens play the Sabres and Leafs and Senators and Bruins. Same teams they played in October. There's no longer a local baseball hot stove session to follow. And only once in the last 30 years have we been able to attend a Grey Cup parade. And that one-five years ago-was damn cold-even with all the whiskey.
It's also hard to ignore-especially for anybody over 45-that the world changed forever-and for a lot worse-on November 22, 1963.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpPjjKdUds&feature=related
Thanks to Larry Robinson for helping some of us escape the darkness for a few hours on November 19th. Shame on Ron Corey, Francois Seigneur, Pierre Boivin and anybody else who dragged their rear ends while Larry lost his mother, father and older brother while waiting to be properly honored. Kudos to Larry and Lou Lamorellio for making the evening so memorable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9rp-ewJ8mI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKd4HJNSbQg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmRWz_Dyk0&feature=related
Brief observations about the Habs more than one quarter through this season....anybody still need to be "sold" on Carey Price? Imagine how good he'll be when he plays more often then once a week or every 10 days...Mark Streit's bubble has burst...time to cut back on his ice time...I admire the guy but the Habs need an upgrade on Francis Boullion...How can a team coached by Guy Carbonneau, Doug Jarvis & Kirk Muller struggle so much to kill penalties?...it's not the goaltending...Michael Ryder is almost out of time...this year's Sergei Samsonov?...If he's still stuck in neutral by the 30 game mark he ought to be replaced...I'm not at all worried about Saku Koivu but I'm still waiting for another performance like the one he delivered against Briere and the Flyers; over three weeks ago...some refs clearly have it in for Alex Kovalev..then again some refs wouldn't be in the NHL if not for the two man system...brutal calls (and non-calls) seem to be a hot topic every night...to paraphrase Pierre McGuire..where can the Habs find a guy like Rick Tocchet (circa 1992)?...or Kevin Stevens for that matter?...Bob Gainey's x-mas wish list: Olli Jokinen, Marian Hossa, Mats Sundin (3-way trade?) or Shane Doan...
The greatest hockey team of all-time ( Montreal Canadiens 1955-1960) lost another Hall of Famer this week. Tom Johnson was Doug Harvey's defense partner. And Red Fisher's drinking partner. But he never called Fisher Red. Read it and weep. And laugh:
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2007/11/23/heres_looking_at_you_kid/
I hate November. Worst time of the year. A clear reminder that many more dark and dreary days are ahead before we finally see the sun again on a regular basis. It's cold but far worse for me is the fact that it's so damp. I also hate the slush. So does the bottom of my jeans. Yet we all soldier on. Further proof that Montreal is one terrific place to live.
Can you find anything good about the month of November? Oh sure, if you're a winter outdoor enthusiast like Andie Bennett it means you're on the fast track to snowboarding, skiing, tobogganing (the first time I've ever written the word-honest), skating and washing your long underwear. Whoopi.
The best word I can use to describe this month is: bleak. Such a bleakness to it. In hockey the Canadiens play the Sabres and Leafs and Senators and Bruins. Same teams they played in October. There's no longer a local baseball hot stove session to follow. And only once in the last 30 years have we been able to attend a Grey Cup parade. And that one-five years ago-was damn cold-even with all the whiskey.
It's also hard to ignore-especially for anybody over 45-that the world changed forever-and for a lot worse-on November 22, 1963.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpPjjKdUds&feature=related
Thanks to Larry Robinson for helping some of us escape the darkness for a few hours on November 19th. Shame on Ron Corey, Francois Seigneur, Pierre Boivin and anybody else who dragged their rear ends while Larry lost his mother, father and older brother while waiting to be properly honored. Kudos to Larry and Lou Lamorellio for making the evening so memorable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9rp-ewJ8mI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKd4HJNSbQg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZmRWz_Dyk0&feature=related
Brief observations about the Habs more than one quarter through this season....anybody still need to be "sold" on Carey Price? Imagine how good he'll be when he plays more often then once a week or every 10 days...Mark Streit's bubble has burst...time to cut back on his ice time...I admire the guy but the Habs need an upgrade on Francis Boullion...How can a team coached by Guy Carbonneau, Doug Jarvis & Kirk Muller struggle so much to kill penalties?...it's not the goaltending...Michael Ryder is almost out of time...this year's Sergei Samsonov?...If he's still stuck in neutral by the 30 game mark he ought to be replaced...I'm not at all worried about Saku Koivu but I'm still waiting for another performance like the one he delivered against Briere and the Flyers; over three weeks ago...some refs clearly have it in for Alex Kovalev..then again some refs wouldn't be in the NHL if not for the two man system...brutal calls (and non-calls) seem to be a hot topic every night...to paraphrase Pierre McGuire..where can the Habs find a guy like Rick Tocchet (circa 1992)?...or Kevin Stevens for that matter?...Bob Gainey's x-mas wish list: Olli Jokinen, Marian Hossa, Mats Sundin (3-way trade?) or Shane Doan...
The greatest hockey team of all-time ( Montreal Canadiens 1955-1960) lost another Hall of Famer this week. Tom Johnson was Doug Harvey's defense partner. And Red Fisher's drinking partner. But he never called Fisher Red. Read it and weep. And laugh:
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2007/11/23/heres_looking_at_you_kid/
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