The Athletics – Strang, Robson and Mendes – One night in London: Allegations of sexual assault and a reckoning for Hockey Canada (Paywall Warning)
With the New York Times acquiring The Athletic there’s no doubt it will remain behind a Paywall. As long as their coverage remains well above Grade 5 reading level and their comments above Grade 4 playground gibberish it’s worth it.
How to use your leisure time is the biggest problem of a ballplayer.
Branch Rickey
Baseball Coaching Tips – Perconte – The Ego Coach has Created the Modern Athlete
While Justin Trudeau is taking potshots at Hockey Canada for their bungled attempt at a QKB like sweep it under the rug sexual assault settlement Justin needs to step up to the plate and demand that the NHL get rid of that fucking useless anti-Canadian Gary Fucking Bettman.
TSN – MPs begin another two days of hearings with Hockey Canada officials
SportsNet – Sadler – What to know ahead of this week’s Hockey Canada hearings
SportsNet – Ahead of next hearings, Hockey Canada releases plan to address systemic issues
The Hockey News – Neuman – Trudeau Rips Hockey Canada in Wake of Damning Slush Fund Report
Hockey Canada said it learned about the alleged sexual assault on Thursday and immediately informed Sport Canada and Halifax police of the allegations.
In 2015 Tootoo wrote a memoir titled “All The Way,” where he discussed his experiences playing for Canada at the world juniors, including how the team was made up of “horny young men.”
“(It) wasn’t just one-on-one action,” wrote Tootoo in his book. “A few of the guys would get a couple of girls after practice and head into one of the rooms. Enough said.”
Tootoo acknowledged on Saturday that his memoir touched on the team’s sexual exploits, but also said he was struggling with alcohol addiction at the time. It was in that context that he said he couldn’t recall knowing or hearing about the alleged sexual assault.
TSN – CP – Tootoo denies involvement in alleged 2003 world juniors sexual assault
If Trudeau wants to be taken seriously Hockey Canada heads must roll.
Public hangings are teaching moments. Every company has to do it. A teaching moment is worth a thousand CEO speeches. CEOs can talk and blab each day about culture, but the employees all know who the jerks are. They could name the jerks for you. It’s just cultural. People just don’t want to do it.
Jack Welch
Sal says that Justin should walk into the Hockey Canada office and use the broom that they used to try and sweep the scandal under the carpet to sweep out the Board and entire management. Sal says that the pre-brooming interviews should involve two questions that Phil has provided to Sal:
Have you read Jordin TooToo’s tell-all memoir – “All The Way.”
If no you’re gone, if yes you get question 2:
Why didn’t you act on the allegations contained about drunkenness and sexual abuse on Hockey Canada sponsored and funded teams.
Thanks for your fucking bullshit answer and you’re gone.
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.
Mark Twain
The scribes screaming for the players’ hides have missed the bullseye: Hockey Canada’s Board and Executive’s willingness to use funds garnered from Canadian youth hockey including girl’s hockey to pay a very large settlement to cover Hockey Canada’s ass for failing to monitor players under its control while shirking any fucking responsibility.
Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.
Mark Twain
TSN – London police to reopen 2018 investigation
Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late.
Branch Rickey
SportsNet – Johnston – Possible trade destinations for Flames star Matthew Tkachuk
Longed for him. Got him. Sh*t.
Margaret Atwood
Sal says that the Calgary Flames organization appears to have been built on the same model as Horse Racing Alberta: Who needs a Plan B?
You’ve got to eat while you dream. You’ve got to deliver on short-range commitments, while you develop a long-range strategy and vision and implement it. The success of doing both. Walking and chewing gum if you will. Getting it done in the short-range, and delivering a long-range plan, and executing on that.
Jack Welch
Sal says that the cautionary tale is that Bettman thinks you can sell ice hockey in the southern US states where the fans keep thinking it’s Halloween and wear their empty seat costumes to the games.
Ben Franklin may have discovered electricity – but it is the man who invented the meter who made the money.
Earl Warren
Sal says that its time that the Canadian NHL scribes like the wussy Eric Francis grew some balls, (Sal’s using that phrase euphemistically) and started taking that fucking useless Gary Bettman to task for the brutal state of the NHL in Canada.
How fucking stupid are the NHL owners when they fail to remember that David Stearn sent Bettman from the NBA to the NHL so that the NBA would prosper. And Stearn and his successor have been right in spades.
All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.
Gordie Howe
If the NHL had a luxury tax like the NFL, NBA and MLB would the Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers, Blue Jackets or Preds pay the tax to keep a player. Not a fucking chance, but you can bet your ass that the Habs, Maple Laffs, Canucks, Oilers, Flames and Nords Sherwood. Sal’s not so sure about the Jets or the Senators, but the Rangers, Bruins, Flyers, Penguins, Stars, Knights and a couple of the LALA land teams would pay the tax to the limit.
How much more interesting would the 2022 NHL free agency market have been if the teams could spend another $5,000,000.00 each and pay a 50% tax that would be split amongst the remaining teams in proportion to the amount they spend over the cap floor.
BoardRoom – Sprung – MLB Salary Floor: It’s Time to Fight Tanking With a Minimum Payroll
The NHL does have a floor, but it needs both a soft and hard cap and a luxury tax to allow the markets where the fans actually go to the games and support their teams to be rewarded.
Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.
Satchel Paige
Sal says that the professional sports leagues need to revamp their manner of compensation to not only limit tanking but punish the coasters who only perform on the last year of their 7 year contract.
Sal has a solution:
Players should be paid on a performance basis. Contracts are negotiated and caps are set exactly as they are today. Payment however, becomes based on performance. 25% of each team’s cap floor is paid into a pool. The balance of each team’s cap monies are paid to the players based on on the percentage that each player’s contract is of their team’s total payroll.
The 25% cap floor pool would be paid out based on team performance. Each team would receive a portion of the 25% cap floor pool to be paid to their players based on the team’s points in the final league standings divided by the total league points. The team would then pay this sum to the players based on the percentage that each player’s contract is of their team’s total payroll.
The arithmetic would not be too difficult using modern computing technology. Sal’s sure that even Bettman could figure it out on his abacus.
Successful teams would find it easier to attract and keep free agents.
Players on long term contracts would be incentivized to play harder or see their compensation diminished.
Who would want to play for the Coyotes and the other tankers when your paltry contract would become even paltrier.
One more stat for fans to keep track of and argue over.
The NHL also needs more GMs using the RFA offer sheet. That will only happen when the NHL and the NHLPA tweak the offer sheet rules.
Sal says that going to arbitration should not prevent another team sending an offer sheet.
SportsNet – Fox – NHL’s Top 10 RFAs of 2022: Latest rumours, reports
TSN – Gaudreau thanks Flames, says he considered staying on 7-year term
Sal says that Johnny G should shut his mouth cuz every one of his bonehead excuses for leaving about $16 million on the negotiating table sounds stoopider than the last one.
It’s morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money.
W. C. Fields
TSN – Tortorella: Comments on DeAngelo, Flyers ‘pisses me off’
Sal says that Torts comments sound a lot like a backhand shot at Johnny G.
Sal says that Treveling looks to have got as decent a trade for Tkachuk as he could, but the pressure’s on to get Huberdeau and Weegar signed or traded or the summer of 2023 could be a repeat of the summer of 2022 for Flames fans.
If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there with ya.
Cowboy Wisdom.
TSN – Valji – Tkachuk trade shows Flames’ intent to defend Pacific Division title
Sal says that Treveling may be looking at the flip side of the signing coin. Johnny G, Tkachuk and Mangiapane all had their best seasons by far in their final contract year so maybe he’ll spin the wheel with Huberdeau and Weegar and Lucic in the last years of their contracts.
Sal says that he was looking for a little action on whether Johnny G, Tkachuk and Mangiapane would have worse years in 2022-23 than they did in their final contract year. Best line Sal could find was $100US gets you a box of Turtles.
When it comes to fine dining and trades in professional sports Sal’s always been a quality over quantity guy. Team that gets the better player wins the trade.
Sal says that the happiest scribes in Canada this AM live in La Belle Provence. They can spend the entire winter tantalizing their readers with talk about repatriating either Dubois from Winnipeg or Huberdeau from Calgary taking turns taunting the Winnipeg and Calgary fans.
Baseball Coaching Tips – Perconte – The Ego Coach has Created the Modern Athlete
It’s very important in life to know when to shut up.
Alex Trebek
SportsNet – Francis – Tkachuk exclusive: Star winger explains why he left the Flames
First of all, I would like to make one thing clear: I never explain anything.
Mary Poppins
SportsNet – Tkachuk to be traded imminently after telling Flames he won’t sign an extension
Don’t Think Twice it’s Alright
It’s very important in life to know when to shut up.
Alex Trebek
Opening day is always so cool to be a part of and to people watch. The Pacific Classic, which I’ve had the privilege of riding in a couple of times, is great. Every day at Del Mar is fantastic. I love the smells, working out on the beach, running the stairs. It’s just a healthy environment. I love it.
Chantal Sutherland
The Ringer – Shoemaker, Rosenberg and Famuyide – Vince McMahon Retires
Sports Business Journal – Kraft Heinz to maintain presence at Steelers’ home under new deal
Never Put Ketchup on a Hot Dog
Front Office Sports – Plan to Keep Bears in Chicago Includes Dome for Soldier Field
Hawthorne Sal
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.