Roll Models

Posted on March 25, 2009

It never ceases to amaze me how we select our roll models. Look at professional sports. Just about any hockey player in Canada, who plays for “your” team can be a roll model, or hero. And the reason? He skates well, hits hard, and scores goals. He entertains, makes us happy, helps us forget our everyday problems. All admirable traits, not to be dismissed. But what about the person? What about the hockey, baseball, basketball, football, cyclist, track and field athlete who cheats, lies, abuses banned substances, beats and cheats on their wives, or refuses to support their children? Are these athletes “roll models”? Are these athletes “heroes”? Unfortunately some of them are. That is one of the reasons the cycle never changes. Take a long hard look at who your role models are. Know the person, not the athlete, before you put him on a pedestal.

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A change of Heart

Posted on March 22, 2009

   Wasn’t to long ago, in fact, about 24 hours to be exact that I was in favour of fighting in the NHL. But I watched a fascinating documentary on CBC Newsworld last night, about the aforementioned subject. And I have had a change of heart. Why so suddenly you may ask? Well, I’m glad you asked. It was because of Marty Mcsorley. He was actually defending his wood chop to the head of Donald Brashear. He was “only trying to gety him to fight” and Brashear, according to Mcsorley, had no right not to. Reason enough. There’s the so called “code” in the NHL, and then there’s plain stupidity. And Mcsorley’s judgement is just plain stupid. Staged fights in hockey? They should be banned outright. Spontaneous fights? Have a graduating scale. Game misconduct for the first one, five games for the second, ten for the third, fifty for the fifth, and a half dozen gets you banned from the league, for life. End the madness, end it now, before someone else dies, because of the “game” and the stupid “code”.

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What’s Wrong with this Picture?

Posted on March 11, 2009

   Chris Brown, allegedly beats the living shit out of Rhianna, and allegedly threatens to kill her, and his sponsors stick by him. Michael Phelps gets his picture taken with a bong, and gets universally dumped on as a bad roll model. Am I missing something here?

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We’re Just Sayin”

Posted on March 9, 2009

Here we are in the middle of the worst recession of our generation, and the federal government is spending $25 million dollars to upgrade our “leisure trails” around the country. Why can’t they give some of that money to municipalities to repair the trails we use to get to work. The craters are getting big enough to swallow a bus.
A-Rod had surgery to repair the torn labrum he suffered during spring training. He also had a cyst on his hip drained. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t some cysts caused by repeated needle injections? And isn’t the area around the hip where athletes inject banned substances? Just wondering out loud here.
Is it really the economy that is causing major broadcasting companies like CTV and Can West Global to lay off hundreds and close local stations? Or is just a coincidence that they are asking the CRTC for permission to charge us for watching free tv. They say they can’t survive if they don’t get more money. And just think, if CTV did pay $3 million for the “Hockey Night In Canada Song”, they could have saved about 30 jobs at $60 thousand per. And in these hard financial times, what kind of leadership are the poobahs at CTV, Rogers, the CBC and Global showing? Are they taking any kind of pay cuts? Just wondering.
And in light of the shootings going on in Vancouver, less than a year before the Winter Games, will all the athletes receive kevlar vests in their welcoming packages when they arrive? Might not be a bad idea. Sort of adds new meaning to the term biathlon doesn’t it?
We’re just sayin’…..

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A HAPPY CAMPER

Posted on March 5, 2009

The world is going to hell in a hand basket these days, but I can honestly say I don’t have too much to complain about. Sure my savings have been decimated by a speculator disguised as an investor, and I’m now working on freedom 95, but hey things could be worse. I have four wonderful grand kids who are the love of my life. I had the pleasure of having dinner with three year old Will this week, and he blew me away. I had what I thought was a nifty blue shirt on when I was with Will. It had a sharp white window pain design. He was standing in front of me with a quizzical look in his fabulous blue eyes, when he blurted out “Pops, did you wear your pyjamas to work today?” Well I almost died laughing. From the mouths of babes!!!! We laughed and played and read books together. It was an absolute pleasure. Hudson is the youngest, he comes over just about every Sunday and helps me play guitar, he gets great pleasure in using the “pick”. Emma and Nick are the oldest, Emma is the diva of the brood, and is one of the best looking grandchildren in the world, and Nick, well, he is something else. Quiet, brooding, and sharp as a tack. They are spectacular. And the best thing is, there’s another on the way, and he will be here about mid-July. Let the world crumble, as long as my grandkids are around, life is grand.