- Aah the perils of being a young team. the IceDogs showed their growing pains after an impressive 6-3 win over the Kingston Frontanacs, by showing up flat on the road on the weekend, dropping a 6-2 decision in Barrie and a 5-1 thrashing in North Bay. Uneven play will plague the IceDogs from time to time this year. They also caught a bit of lightning in a bottle as well as the Kingston victory was in the midst of what has become a 5 game road losing streak while their 5-4 OT win last weekend over Windsor was followed up by a 9-0 lambasting of the Spitfires in Erie the next day. Big challenges await this weekend with home games versus Mississauga and Ottawa on Thurday and Saturday sandwiched around a visit to Erie on Friday night.
- Twitter exploded after Richard Sherman's WWE style promo interview post- Seattle's win over San Fran in the NFC Title Game. Fox, who apparently, cut short the interview for their own reasons then decided to have a contrite and articulate Sherman on two more times before the post game ended. What got me were the reporters chastising those who felt that Sherman was classless and out of line because there was high entertainment value not normally seen in today's cliche spewing vanilla interviews with athletes. Listen, I love a good quote or interview as much as the next guy and Sherman was must see, highly entertaining TV. However, he was also a classless, self-absorbed jerk as well. You can be both entertaining and a complete tool at the same time. Trust me, I've patterned both a teaching and broadcasting career around that same philosophy!
- If I had an autobiography it might be titled Paul Romanuk Ruined My Career. Ok, ok, it's not entirely true. Many would say that if my broadcasting career does not advance beyond it's current state, the wounds would be self inflicted. A few years back I can remember applying for the Raptors play by play job when they went away from a simulcast of TV. I had actually a couple of positive conversations with then Fan 590 program director Nelson Millman about the position before Mr. Romanuk swooped in with his NHL and Olympic position and broke my heart. Well, that might be somewhat exaggerated, but its my story and I can tell it anyway I want. Anyways, with Rogers grabbing the national rights to the NHL next year anyone with a microphone and a voice checking to see if there are any openings comes news from Steve Simmons of The Sun that the very same evil incarnate Paul Romanuk might be in line to be the number two man behind Jim Hughson. Nothing confirmed, but Romanuk would be a very nice fit behind Jim Hughson. Damn you Paul Romanuk! *shakes fist like a caught Scooby Doo Villain*
- Oh those Raptors. They have the city of Toronto dying to root for them, and they go and pull the grenade on themselves with a sloppy loss to an LA Lakers team that is a shell of its former self. While fans can accept a hard fought loss against the elite of the league, a loss to the directionless Lakers is something that cannot be forgiven by a fan base who has raised their expectation level since the beginning of the year.
- Rooting for the Bronco's in the SuperBowl. It has nothing to do with Richard Sherman, and a lot to do with the fact I can't stand Pete Carroll and I have a very healthy respect for Peyton Manning. That's the SNL hosting Peyton Manning, and not the QB Peyton Manning, who broke all of my hero Dan Marino's records. Now all Dan has is a terrible acting resume thanks to Hootie and the Blowfish and Ace Ventura and a stunning collection of both Isotoner gloves and commericals.
- A busy broadcasting week awaits with three games in three nights. Two IceDog games and then a return to the Cable 14 booth for the Hamilton Bulldogs vs Toronto Marlies. I love calling AHL games from Copps Coliseum as the sightlines are great and it gets me that much closer to the big show. However, its the fourth straight Marlies/Bulldogs game and the story lines are tougher to find! Still there is high entertainment value in the Battle Ontario, especially with the two teams in such close proximity in the standings. Bang! Now we've got a storyline! Top that Paul Romanuk!
Until next time.
Steve Clark
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