Scruffy’s This N That

1 – THROW THE KEY AWAY: Don’t know if you saw the story this week out of Seattle where a man is facing assault charges after coming onto the ice to assault two teenagers who were reffing a hockey game. The video is just disgusting.  The two refs are talking by the benches when all of a sudden you see the guy come in to the picture on the ice where he basically pushes both to the ground. Just disgusting.

At the time I first saw the incident, there was no word of this jackhole being arrested but he was. He said he was mad because something had happened to his kid on the ice and there was no penalty.

These incidents happen all the time and they have been happening.  Yes, it doesn’t happen to this extreme most of the times but it does. I can only imagine the backlash if this event had happened in Saskatchewan. While this idiot is facing charges, how far can you go when it comes to punishment from the hockey association in Washington State? I would think this guy has seen the last of the rink for a while. Is it fair to tell his child that he is no longer welcome on the team he plays for? Yes, that sounds harsh but is it the only way?

The Seattle Kraken have said the two refs who were assaulted will be brought to a game once the NHL season resumes and give them the red-carpet treatment as a sign of good faith. That’s nice, but it is sad that it has to come to this for that to happen.  

I don’t know how this will end up, but I would like to see the guys end up behind bars for a while. It might teach him a lesson. It might not, but it might deter others from doing something similar.

2 – BEDARD AND THE BLACKHAWKS: The NHL is on an extended break as the Four Nations Cup continues. When the league returns to play, teams will be chasing a playoff spot. In the East, the battle for the two wild-card spots looks to be between six teams while in the West, we may have the teams that will compete for the Cup with the order needing to be finalized. One of those teams that are playing out the string are the Chicago Blackhawks. That shouldn’t be a surprise, but is this team improving or regressing?

The NHL Network had a discussion on some teams that I caught this week and the talk centred around Connor Bedard and Year 2 for him on a team that really isn’t very good. It hasn’t been a great sophomore season for the former Pat. Biz Nasty has gotten on his game, Mark Messier has gotten on his game, his head coach was replaced, the team helped Carolina get Mikko Rantanen without getting anything of substance in return. They are the second worst team in the league and if the truth be known, he hasn’t really taken the step in Year 2 that we thought he would which maybe isn’t fair to him. Should they be better with 98 onboard?  Getting the golden chip doesn’t guarantee your fortunes change immediately (right Edmonton and Connor McDavid), but some progress is needed in his second year and it seemingly isn’t there which is too bad because I think everyone in the 306 is cheering for him after his time in Regina.

The Hawks need to get serious going into Year 3 of the Bedard era. They need to get some free agents that will make this team one that can compete if not get a playoff spot and let Bedard prove that he is the player we all thought he would be.

3 – MORE BEST-ON-BEST: The Four Nations Cup is best-on-best. The quality of play won’t be the same as it will next year at this time when the Winter Olympics are happening in Italy and the patriotism that we are feeling now because of the orange runt in Washington will be magnified as Canadians will expect nothing less than gold as we all unite for one cause.

Now there is word that another World Cup of Hockey will come in February of 2028 meaning there will be another in-season event.

Gary Bettman has said it will be an eight-team event so I am guessing Slovakia and Czechia will be involved.  Will the Russians be involved by that time? Say what you will, but if we are going to have a best-on-best tournament, you need Russia to be in it.

The 4 Nations followed by an Olympics and a World Cup of Hockey should mean good things for the league and the game globally moving forward.

4 – SUPER BOWL FALLOUT: In last week’s column, I said the Chiefs would win. I am glad I was wrong with that prediction (Philadelphia beat Kansas City 40-24). I also said if the Eagles were to win, they would have to hope their front four brought the heat on Patrick Mahomes because if they blitzed, Mahomes would expose them. Eagles DC Vic Fangio did not call one blitz and the front four made life miserable for Mahomes and the Chiefs as the KC o-line had no answers.

I didn’t see Philly beating KC the way they did, but yeah it looked good on them. I thought, like many of you, here we go again on a pretty ticky-tacky offensive pass interference call on AJ Brown to take away a first down early in the first quarter, but Philly took the Chiefs to the woodshed. They beat them from ringpost to ringpost to ringpost to ringpost.

Some are asking if this was the worst Super Bowl ever played? Those people need to go back and watch the Niners dismantle Denver 55-10 or the Bears clobbering New England 46-10. Those were UGGGGGG – LEE.  There have been lots of great games and lots of duds. This was one in the latter, but it certainly wasn’t the worst.  I will say this though: CFL fans can put their chest out and say this year’s Grey Cup game and halftime show were much, much better than what the Super Bowl gave us.

5 – WHO WORE WHAT? The day after the Super Bowl, I saw many a story about what Taylor Swift was wearing and what Anne Hathaway was wearing and what Tom Brady was wearing. Those were just three examples. WHO CARES?!

I don’t know why there is such a fascination to see what celebrities are wearing to the game and what players are wearing as they enter the stadium. Is it that big of a deal to you? If so, why?

Would T-Swift had been chastised if she had come to the Superdome wearing a Chiefs t-shirt and a pair of jeans or leggings? Would Brady had been criticized if he hadn’t been wearing a tie? T-Swift and other celebs were there to watch the football game for whatever reason and Brady was there to broadcast it to the world.  What their wardrobe looked like to me is inconsequential.

6 – DEFINITELY A PASSING GRADE: I saw some armchair general managers criticizing Jeremy O’Day this week for not being active as free agency hit.  Yes, the team wasn’t as active as others, but they didn’t have to be. As O’Day said in a media availability this week, we had nine all-stars last year and we have all nine coming back. That is huge when it comes to continuity’s sake as your team’s best players will be back. Adding Sean McEwen and Mike Rose to each line are also moves that makes the /=S=/ better. I am not really sure on the Tommy Stevens signing as I hope there is still a plan for Jack Coan moving forward. I’m one that really doesn’t understand the need for a “short-yardage quarterback” in the CFL.  I never have. I don’t see the Eagles bringing out another quarterback when it comes time for the Tush Push. Do any NFL teams bring out a different QB to take the snap on a short-yardage play? I guess if you are going to dress three quarterbacks you have to have a role for that 3^rd guy, but I don’t see the need.

7 – HURRY, HURRY HARD! It’s the best time of year for curling fans. It is that time of year when the dulcet tones of Vic Rauter come through your TV screen for the next few weeks. The Scotties begins today in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Nancy Martin wears the Saskatchewan jacket for the first time and chances are it will be a tough week for her, but she started things off on the right foot by beating hometown rink Krista McCarville. At the end of the day, is there anyone out there who can beat Rachel Homan? She is only 46-4 this season. McCarville will have many on her side and Kerri Einarson should be there at the end as well.  If you want a longshot to give Homan a run, look at Nova Scotia’s Christina Black.

8 – A NIGHT TO ENJOY: The final scores weren’t what I wanted to see, but a lot of credit has to go to those who market Cougar Athletics for getting a crowd out a week-ago Friday to the CKHS when the U of S Huskies came to town in a basketball showdown. 

In between games, the U of R honoured not only the Hardy Cup champion Regina Rams by hoisting their Canada West banner, but they also took time to salute both Canada West curling champs for their accomplishment. 

2200 people packed the CKHS and for someone who loves his Cougar basketball, it was great to see. I know it can’t be like that every weekend and there has been some great crowds to watch Dave Taylor’s and Steve Burrows’ team do their thing this year. The more eyes on the product means the crowds will continue to grow and that’s not a bad thing.  It’s also much more affordable than other sporting events happening in YQR during winter months so that’s a plus. If you haven’t seen the Cougars play yet, they play their last home games of the year Saturday night against Calgary starting at 6.

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• I have said it before and I will say it again. Brad Marchand could play on my team any day of the week. If trade rumours are true, that might just happen!
• How is Paul Maurice not a part of the Canadian coaching staff at the 4 Nations Cup?
• I really like the Jeremiah Masoli to BC signing. It’s a toss up between the Lions and Elks as to who has the best 1-2 combo in the CFL going into training camp.
• I still don’t know exactly why the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers. There’s a piece of that story we are missing. There has to be.

That’s all I got! Have a great week!