SCRUFFY’S THIS ‘N THAT

1 – JUNIOR A CHAOS:  I’m not sure what is going on in the world of Junior “A” hockey, but I don’t like what I’m seeing. I wonder if the SJHL – as we know it – will be affected in some manner.

If you didn’t hear, five Alberta Junior teams — Brooks, Spruce Grove, Blackfalds, Okotoks and Sherwood Park — are heading to the BCHL. That league if you don’t know is an unsanctioned league, severing their ties from the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada.

There is obviously a disconnect between Hockey Canada and the BCHL and now that disconnect is getting larger as the Alberta Junior League goes from a 16 team loop to an 11 team one.

I don’t know what this means for the SJHL, but I wonder if the SJ would entertain joining forces with the Manitoba Junior League. If that happened, would all current member teams be able to do it because of extra costs?

Hopefully, this means nothing for the SJ because the teams in that league are so important to their communities. I guess time will tell but we are certainly seeing a shift. As it stands right now I don’t know if it’s a good one for Junior A Hockey.

2 – HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA: I love Hockey Day in Canada. This year was no different as Ron McLean and company headed off to the beautiful city of Victoria BC to showcase the game that we love.

HDIC has a special spot in my heart. Many, many years ago Hockey Day in Canada was held in Shaunavon.  My wife is from that part of Saskatchewan, and I wanted to go check it out. After discussions with the great Don Kollins at Newstalk, I was off with the family to go check out the day and I have to say that through all the many things I have covered over my many years in the media this was one of my all-time favourites with so many stories that could be told including getting a 10-minute interview with Don Cherry. When he pulled up in front of the rink in the back of an RCMP SUV, the whole town might have been there for greet him. It was a rockstar moment.

I also spoke to a member of the Swift Current Broncos that day. The Broncos would play at home against the Pats that night but before the game this player came to support his hometown. That player was Luke Hunter.  He went on to bigger and better things as he is now a part of one of Canada’s best country music bands — the Hunter Brothers. 

3 – PATRICK ROY: The eyes emoji came out when the word came down Saturday afternoon that Patrick Roy was the new head coach of the New York Islanders. Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello working together. I may need to buy some more popcorn.

4 – QB2: The announcement that Mason Fine had signed a two-year contract extension with the Riders was met by a dull thud from many members of Rider Nation.  While the debate was there all season after the Trevor Harris injury, I think more believed Jake Dolegala had more of a future than Fine. I was one of them. I would guess this means Dolegala will be seeking employment elsewhere but who knows? Personally, I think a more experienced QB is needed to serve behind Trevor Harris, but I’m not the one making the decisions.

5 – BILLS FANS: They are outstanding! They are crazy! Are they more fanatical than Rider Nation?  Absolutely! I don’t see Rider fans jumping through tables! Seeing a game in Western New York and seeing those people do their thing would be an experience. They do deserve to celebrate a title and if that happens Buffalo may never be the same. It won’t be happening this year though as another “wide right” will haunt them.

6 – CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY: We will know the combatants in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday night. Many believe Lamar Jackson is the only thing preventing us from a Taylor Swift Super Bowl. They’re right. I have no problem with the biggest pop star on the planet supporting her man by coming to games. It’s great that she is doing that. I just don’t need to see her entrances into the stadium and the constant showing of her up in the box. I am guessing she wishes that wasn’t the case either.  Do cameras show the wife or girlfriend of players who score a touchdown against the Chiefs. We know the answer to that.  I digress.  Here are some tidbits of information going into Sunday’s two games.

• Sunday’s AFC Championship in Baltimore between the Chiefs and Ravens will feature former MVP quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Mahomes earned the honor in 2018 and 2022, while Jackson won the award in 2019.
• It will mark the fifth Conference Championship Game in NFL history featuring two former MVP quarterbacks and the first in which both quarterbacks are under the age of 30. 
• The Detroit Lions are playing in their second Championship Game in franchise history (1991) and look to make their first Super Bowl appearance.
• Quarterback Jared Goff is looking to become the fifth starting quarterback to advance to the Super Bowl with multiple franchises, joining Tom Brady (New England and Tampa Bay), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (Indianapolis and Denver), Craig Morton (Dallas and Denver) and Kurt Warner(St. Louis Rams and Arizona). Goff previously led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl LIII appearance following the 2018 season.
• The 49ers have appeared in four of the past five NFC Championship Games (2019, 2021-23) and, including Sunday, have 19 Championship Game appearances, the most among all NFL clubs. The 49ers are seeking to become the fifth franchise with eight Super Bowl appearances, joining New England (11 Super Bowls), Dallas (eight), Denver (eight) and Pittsburgh (eight).

7 – BO BICHETTE:  Bo Bichette told the Blair and Barker podcast on Wednesday that it’s time to “get it done”. Sorry Bo, as it stands right now your front office has let you down tremendously. Unless they make a couple of big pickups between now and Opening Day, I don’t see the Blue Jays being any better than 3^rd in the AL East and I don’t think they are a playoff team.

8 – GOODBYE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:  I don’t know about you, but a lot of my youth learning about Major League Baseball, the NFL and other sports were spent reading Sports Illustrated. I had a subscription and waited every week for a new issue. Of course, as a man in my 20’s, there was an issue that came out in mid-Februrary that I and many others couldn’t wait for. I digress!

The covers were iconic and the stories by some of the best sportswriters in the day were tremendous. It was a good bulk of my reading.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when word came out last weekend that the American Brands Group that bought the magazine in 2019 was going to lay off a large number if not all the staff. I’d like to think SI will continue to be found, but at the end of the day it is just another blow against journalism which continues to die.

9 – 15 AND COUNTING: I won’t lie, I love the fact the Edmonton Oilers have won 15 games in a row. After a dismal start to the season that cost Jay Woodcroft his job, Edmonton has been on fire and now appears to be a playoff team. We are at the end of January. The playoffs are a few months away. If Edmonton is in them, they need 16 wins to capture the Cup. Having won 15 is great, but these aren’t the wins that get me excited. I don’t care what team you cheer for. If that team is a playoff team, you are saying the same thing.

10 – WHY? Why is it some people go to places like Costco, Superstore, Walmart etc etc and decide the middle of the aisle is the spot to have conversations with people? Why are they so oblivious to others around them? WHY?

That’s all I got. Have a great weekend!