Weir versus Woods

Way to go, Mikey.

CFL, NFL, a little golf

On Friday night, the Toronto Argonauts took another step toward securing a playoff berth, and the Eskimos came another step closer to elimination.

Bad news for the Eskimos, too, as Ricky Ray left the game with a separated shoulder. Now I may hate Ricky Ray, but I don't wish injuries on anyone. Except maybe Rex Grossman.

More on him later.

What does it mean that quarterbacks in the CFL are dropping like flies? Burris? Out. Ray? Out. Printers? Out.

Not to mention the Lions, but they always seem to have depth in the quarterback position, and Jarious Jackson is playing like a starter.

Note to Hamilton: Need a quarterback? Talk to Wally Buono.

The Lions crushed the Stamps on Saturday, solidifying their hold on the West. The Riders helped the Bombers and the Argos by taking a game from the Als. Next week's Thanksgiving games will likely set the playoff picture.

In the NFL today, I'll be watching the Bears against the Lions, more to see if Brian Griese can put the final nail in the coffin of Rex Grossman. Today, everyone is a Bears fan.

And I can't be the only one excited about what Favre is doing in Green Bay. After last year I thought he should just retire, but he seemed to know that another season would give him a chance to leave on a high note. This season, everyone is a Packers fan.

Finally, as I settle in for a day of watching football and golf (so glad that the weather stinks so bad today), I can only say this: Go, Mike, go!


LUNCH: probably pizza

Oilers' Raffi with the funny

One of The Daily Show's recent "reports" was on Mexican immigration to Canada.

So of course they talked to Raffi Torres of the Edmonton Oilers.

The clip comes by way of Covered in Oil.

Raffi may have himself a career after hockey.


BREAKFAST: nectarine and oatmeal

I have an idea

Hey, Hamilton Tiger-Cats! Need a new quarterback?

Rex Grossman might be available. He's got NFL experience. Maybe he can help you out?

You heard it here first, people. Rex Grossman, Tiger-Cat.

Which would win in a fight? The Bear or the Ticat?


LUNCH: steak sandwich

Are you ready for Halo 3?

Lots of talk over at the Future Shop Community Forums about the pending release of Halo 3.

This board has information about the midnight launches that will be held across the country. (Except Quebec. What's up with that?)

This board is talking about how soon preordered and mailed copies of the game will arrive. It turns out that some people already have their games in hand.

This board is tracking the line lengths. Apparently there are already some lineups in Ontario. (What's up with that?)

Anybody out there planning on lining up? Anyone calling in sick tomorrow so they can play all night?


LUNCH: hamburgers, yum

What a game!

Lots happened in Hamilton last night, where the Calgary Stampeders took on the Tiger-Cats.

The game starts with the Stampeders hitting Casey Printers and forcing a fumble. The Stamps convert the turnover into a touchdown, and on the kickoff Sandro DeAngelis attempts an onside kick.

And it works!

And Casey Printers, who thinks he's so great, is absolutely sucking. Even with Jesse Lumsden - who is a great running back, by the way - Printers was 9 for 16 and 73 yards when he left the game because of a "hamstring injury."

Isn't that what some players say they've got when really they just want out of a game in which they are sucking?

The Ticats decide to throw Richie Williams to the Stamps, instead of Timmy Chang.

That's when things started to go wrong for the Stamps.

Williams actually gets the Ticats rolling. And Joffrey Reynolds fumbles twice. And suddenly the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are actually in the lead.

The, as Burris leads the Stamps on a late drive to win back the game, he gets hammered, and leaves the game with a shoulder injury.

Watching the replay, it looked like it might be separated. We'll see. The point is that his shoulder injury actually happened. Unlike some vague, unconfirmable muscle strain suffered by some other quarterback earlier in the game.

So the Stamps drop the win, the Ticats pick up some pride, and Printers? This is what Printers has to say: "I'm happy for these guy. 'Boy, I was out there cheering and I'm kind of hoarse right now. But this is a great team win.''

A team win, for sure. But a team that doesn't include Casey Printers. What a knob.

Move over, Ricky Ray. Make some space in the "I hate you" box for your new best friend, Casey Printers.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Jason Maas might get to start against his old team, the Edmonton Eskimos, who are in town for a game today. Play nice, boys.


BREAKFAST: oatmeal

iPod Touch discussion

Over at the Futureshop Community Forums, there's an interesting back-and-forth about the pros and cons of the new iPod Touch.

The usual Apple-haters are there, as are the Apple advocates, but generally people seem excited about the touch screen functionality.

My issue is that I have a Mac computer, but can't find a PDA that properly syncs with my calendar and address book. All the Palms and HPs work fine with Windows machines, but they don't sync with Macs very well.

The iPhone looks to change that. But until they become available in Canada, maybe the iPod Touch will at least let me get rid of one device.

But the price is a bit high for me to just get one on a whim. More research required.


BREAKFAST: boiled egg, toast, and cantaloupe

RIP Colin McRae

One of the greatest race drivers in the world is dead.

Scottish rally legend Colin McRae died on Saturday when the helicopter he was piloting crashed. Also killed in the accident were McRae's five-year-old son.

Get the details:
Scotsman
Telegraph
Guardian
Reuters


BREAKFAST: just coffee

Stamps are rolling, Ticats are sucking

Burris and the Stamps just may muster together a season after all. Over at Twelve Men on the Field, a great rundown of the crushing defeat they laid on the lapsing Roughriders.

But the best story in the CFL this weekend is how badly the Hamilton Tiger-Cats stank in their game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They barely managed to find 4 points. Tom Canada, Bombers defensive end, personally sacked Printers four times.

Ha, ha ha! How's that, Printers? What do you think of your sleazy agent now?

Given his arrogance in the press conferenes last week, when he puffed up his chest about coming in to "lead" the Ticats, I'm pleased as punch that Printers' pride was bruised.

You can't just step back into the CFL and expect that because you spent a few months in the NFL, people are going to sit back and revel in your glory. Remember, you were ignored while in Kansas City, Printers. Maybe now we know why.

Still hoping the Leos can heal themselves up before we get too far into the second half of the season. Even though they stomped all over the Argos this weekend, as it stands now, the Stamps look to be chasing first place in the West.


LUNCH: hot dogs

Eskies don't fold a lead. For a change

Well, fancy that. After dropping first half leads in each of their last three games, the Eskimos managed to play an entire game this week, pounding Montreal and keeping a faint hope of the post season in sight.

Montreal, for their part, were awful. After a solid effort against the B.C. Lions last week - the Alouettes had me wondering if I was watching an NFL game, actually: Brady to Payton, Brady to
Thurman - the Alouettes secondary let Ricky Ray and Jason Tucker eat them alive. They scored on the first play of the game. How can you let that happen?

Ricky Ray, for his part, passed the great Warren Moon for total passing yards for an Edmonton Eskimos quarterback. I hate Ricky Ray.

Jason Maas ended up coming in to relieve Brady, and helped the Als notch a few points, so as not to be completely embarassed. Wonder what Maas thought of being back in Edmonton. He'll probably be on Whyte Avenue tonight.

On a somewhat related note: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are starting Casey Printers against the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Saturday. 'Cause Timmy Chang was so masterfully horrible against Toronto last week. Timmy!


LUNCH: PBJ sandwich and some potato chips

Here comes hockey

So the NHL training camps start today (some start tomorrow), which means it's time to gird for the new season.

The Oilers, having traded away their franchise player (Ryan Smyth, duh) will get to play against him now, as he steps into Denver to play for the Colorado Avalanche. Nice work, Kevin Lowe.

And I had forgotten that Mike Keenan was the new head coach of the Calgary Flames. OMFG! Iron Mike!

Watch out, Northwest division. Even looking at a photo of Keenan scares me. Don't let the smile fool you. He only smiles before he crushes someone.

So get those spreadsheets out, because the time for fantasy drafts fast approaches.


LUNCH: a bowl of beef stew

Separated at birth?

Just saw the TSN "This is my Sportscentre" promo with Henry Burris, from the Calgary Stampeders.

Is it me, or does he look and sound suspiciously like Tiger Woods? What's up with that?

I have to say that I'm very impressed with how Burris led the Stamps back from halftime deficits, to clobber the Eskimos twice last week. Twice.

I still don't think the Stampeders have enough to make it out of the West, but at least Burris has his game going.

Eskimos' season over

With a 3-6-1 record on the season, the Eskimos lay back and watched the nail be driven into the coffin of their 2007 season.

For the second time in under a week, the Eskimos went into half-time leading, and managed to come out in the second-half as dry as toast. Dry toast.

And they allowed their arch-rivals, the Stamps (who aren't so great themselves again this year with a 5-4-1), to heave the hammer.

Those Edmonton boys must be hanging their heads this morning. I bet Ricky Ray is in his underoos, watching cartoons while eating Frosted Flakes, and blubbering like a baby.

Have I mentioned how much I hate Ricky Ray?

The big games this weekend, though, are B.C. at Montreal and Saskatchewan at Winnipeg. Those games will start getting the divisions sorted out as we head into the second half of the season.


BREAKFAST: coffee, coffee, and toast. then some more coffee.

Hard drive free iPod

Well blow me down. It seems that the reason the new iPod Touch only comes in 8GB and 16GB sizes is because they don't have hard drives.


LUNCH: i had some Smarties for dessert

Maas heads to Montreal

So that's what happens to Maas now that Printers has joined the Ti-Cats.

Cheer up, Jason. Montreal is a way better place to live than Hamilton. Am I right?


LUNCH: hamburger and fries, pickle on the side

Football, football, and more football

So the NFL season opened tonight. The Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts kicked the New Orleans Saints all around the field, 41-10.

I'm not a big fan of Peyton Manning. The only reason I was glad the Colts won in February was because I really hate Rex Grossman, who wants everyone to call him a quarterback for some reason. Oh how the Bears have fallen since the late '80s.

I'll admit to being a bit surprised that the Saints didn't perform better tonight. Drew Brees is a decent quarterback and with Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister as backs, how could they only post 10 points?

Still, it's early yet, right? There's still time for America's Team to strut their stuff?

In CFL news, Casey Printers is back. Oh joy. The whiner left the Kansas City Chiefs and ended up in Hamilton. The B.C. Lions, where Printers got some great experience, didn't even make an offer for him. That tell you something? (Some will say it was a salary cap issue that kept the Lions out, but I don't buy that.)

Wonder how Jason Maas feels about the Ticats being so excited about Printers.

And finally, I'm looking forward to the Stamps-Eskimos rematch tomorrow night. The Stamps, who tried hard to lose the Labour Day Classic on Monday, snatched a win from the Eskimos, who didn't bother showing up in the second half.

Tomorrow, only four days later, the two teams meet again, in Edmonton this time. I think the game is called the Shrine Game, or something like that. Anyone out there know?

It'll be a doozy.


LUNCH: all-beef hot dogs

Apple reveals new iPods

Okay, I've had a couple of iPods in my time, and it looks like I'll have to get another one.

Apple today announced new iPods, including a new iPod Nano that has a colour screen and video capability.

But the iPod that'll have me running after it is the iPod Touch.

It's like having an iPhone without messing around with any of that phone stuff.

But seriously, the iPod Touch has the same touch screen interface as the phone, and the same video ability, and the same screen, and the same slickness.

And it's got Wi-Fi, too.

The two models come in 8GB and 16GB capacities. I'm not sure why they don't have the 80GB or 160GB capacity of the iPod Classic models. Anyone out there know why?

These babies are supposedly going to be available at the end of September. Sweet.


LUNCH: smoked turkey sandwich and a crisp, new crop Gala apple

While watching the Labour Day Classic, western edition

I just realized why I hate Ricky Ray.

It's because his name is that of an obscure cartoon character from a 1930s animated soft-core porn experiment, not that of a head quarterback, CFL or otherwise.

Ricky Ray. Pfft.

LUNCH: hotdogs, Cheetos Puffs, and a beer