DAYTONA HOMES FRIDAY LANGSERVATIONS

With me in Jamaica, blog contributor Jim Lang takes over the weekly observations column.Enjoy,
RP:
• JESSE LUMSDEN, OLYMPIANI first saw Jesse Lumsden play football as a skinny freshman running back for the McMaster Marauders in 2001. By 2004 he was the single most dominant running back I had ever seen play in the CIS. During his senior year he averaged a remarkable 10.2 yards per carry, scored 21 touchdowns and gained 1,816 yards. His performance caught the eyes of NFL scouts and earned him a training camp try-out from the Seattle Seahawks in 2005 and the Washington Redskins in 2006. At the same time Lumsden had the makings of becoming a perennial All-Star in the CFL. There was one small problem; he kept getting hurt. As much as Lumsden loved football, it didn't love him back. Eventually injuries would force him to walk away from the CFL after the 2010 season. But Lumsden's athletic career didn't end there. It turned out that there was another sport perfect for Lumsden's athletic skills, the bobsled. Blessed with remarkable size and speed Lumsden was a natural on the bobsled track. After competing in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver Lumsden finds himself once again representing Canada at the Winter Olympics. This year in Sochi, Russia Lumsden is a member of the two-man sled along with Lyndon Rush. Last January, 2013 Lumsden and Rush took home the Gold Medal at the World Cup Germany. I am not going to lie. I think it would totally cool to see Lumsden and Rush take home a medal in Sochi. Not many athletes who are forced to retire from their sport as a result of injuries are able to fall into another sport and excel. Well that is exactly what Lumsden is doing and I bet a lot of CFL fans are pulling for him.
• MARTIN ST. LOUISIf anyone has a problem with Hockey Canada's decision to name Martin St. Louis as the replacement for Steven Stamkos, I would like to meet them. Martin St. Louis is the consummate pro; a player dedicated to being the best, both on and off the ice. Since 2006/07 the diminutive St. Louis has missed a grand total of five games. During that time he has amassed 649 points and further cemented his status as the kind of player other guys in the league try to pattern themselves after. St. Louis might be short but as a result of his insane off-season work-out regime he might have the biggest legs of any player in the NHL. He competes hard every night and has proven time and time again that he is among the most consistently productive players in the league. Every team needs an older guy who has seen and done it all. St. Louis is exactly that type of player. If he ever decided to stand up in the Team Canada dressing room and say a few words you can be darn sure everyone is going to listen to what the man has to say. That is the effect respect has on other players and Martin St. Louis has earned the respect of his peers 10 times over.
• THIE BIATHLONOne of the sports at the Winter Olympics I have always enjoyed watching is the Biathlon. A sport that has its roots in military history I have always been intrigued by the combination of intense physical effort (cross country skiing) and the precision of hitting a target with a rifle. In the men's pursuit competition competitors have to complete a 12.5 kilometer circuit while stopping four times to shoot and hit their allotted targets. For each missed target the competitors have to complete a 150 metre penalty loop. Can you imagine pushing yourself to the very limit of what your body can take for 12.5 kilometres, only to be told you have to go another 600 metres because you missed four targets? I am thinking of a word right now. It rhymes with truck. Maybe it will come to me.
• THE OLYMPIC BREAKI love watching Olympic Hockey. However with the time difference Team Canada will be playing bright and early every morning. That means a lot of evenings with nothing to watch. In my house that means my wife and daughters will take over the television. That means three weeks of bad reality shows, chick flicks and endless nights of Harry Potter movies. Here is a helpful guide for you men out there who want to escape the madness.1 – Offer to clean the kitchen. I am serious. Your wife will think you're a hero and if you're like me you can watch classic war movies on your tablet while you do the dishes. (Patton is a personal favourite.) This way when the NHL resumes their regular season schedule you will have earned at least four nights out with the lads to down pints and watch some hockey. 2 – Walk the Dog. Lord knows I need to drop a few pounds so every time I am about to get sucked into the vortex of another Selena Gomez show I start walking my dog. Whether my dog Hershey likes it or not he is about to take some mega power walks during the NHL's Olympic break. 3 – CFL and NFL draft homework. You can never be too prepared for the draft. So when my wife starts talking about watching a marathon of home decorating shows I pull out the old "I have to do some draft homework for Rod Pedersen" excuse. It works every time. 4 – Help a friend in need. When all else fails you and your buddies can come up with a set of signals (Omaha isn't bad). By using this code word in a text message you know to tell your wife; "Hey honey, Steve down the road is having some trouble with his reciprocating, belt saw that digs post holes. I need to go over to his place to help him out." She will think you are being a nice guy to help out your friend. Steve meanwhile tells his wife the same thing and the two of you can go to Tim's and kill a couple of hours talking about nothing.
WARNING: This method will only work so many times. Use extreme caution or you will be forced to watch the entire DVD Collection of Desperate Housewives. (Follow Jim on Twitter at @JimLangSports)