the 4th star

You wanna talk ridiculous? Let’s talk ridiculous then.

Could it be the New York Rangers are the most ridiculous hockey outfit out there? It would be easy just to say John Tortorella is ridiculous and leave it at that, after his hypocrisy regarding the benching of Sean Avery for Game 5 under the guise of sending a message for discipline to his team, and then following it up with getting his own ass sent up to the suite level for Game 6.

You want to argue with fans? Go right ahead. But as soon as you make physical contact or throw objects at paying customers, that’s when the line gets crossed. Both feet, several metres past the do-not-cross mark. However, he escapes a singular mention here thanks to the moronic letter sent out to the league by the Rangers regarding the Game 5 incident where Tortorella got into it with fans behind the New York bench:

According to Rangers trainer Jim Ramsay, one patron was screaming at the team, in graphic language, about whether Dan Girardi and Marc Staal have a sexual relationship.  This was within earshot of several children seated nearby.  Several other fans also made repeated homophobic remarks.  Moreover, Mr. Ramsay reported that he and other bench personnel were spit on by one or more “fans” as they yelled through the gaps in the glass.

Yes. Tortorella got suspended and seemingly has cost his team the series by over-reacting to bonehead taunts, not towards him but towards two of his players, but it’s the Rangers organization which gets the ridiculous award here by stoking the fire on the drama.

A letter? For name calling? That’s pretty ridiculous.

Or maybe Pierre LeBrun is more ridiculous. Only something really dumb could match the Rangers’ follies and fortunately, LeBrun has come through. His suggestion that the NHL acted too harsh by suspending Tortorella for a game AFTER THROWING A WATER BOTTLE INTO THE CROWD AND CLUNKING A WOMAN IN THE HEAD is just plain wrong.

So the New York Rangers’ coach threw a water bottle at a fan. If you knew what that fan was saying to Tortorella, you might not be so quick to come down on him.

Actually, nothing was said about him.

The league actually got it right by coming down on the Rangers. A hefty fine, paid out by an organization that doesn’t think twice about over-paying for free agents (see Redden, Wade and Drury, Chris) will not send a message. It never does.

LeBrun set the tone in his ESPN story with the opening paragraph:

More often than not, I fully support the way the league hands out discipline. I’m a big fan of the way Colin Campbell operates. But in this case, and I know it wasn’t solely the league disciplinarian’s decision (the big guy was in on this one), I can’t accept it. A one-game suspension during the Stanley Cup playoffs? This was too heavy-handed.

Fully support the way the league hands out discipline? Yeah, who doesn’t love the inconsistent, look-the-other-way-depending-on-who-is-on-trial method the NHL doles out the punishment? It’s a fine system, Pierre. Ridiculously fine.

Two things for you to consider as you look for something to do between the afternoon game (Pittsburgh at Philly, 2 p.m., CBC) and the later Saturday night contests (Calgary at Chicago, 8 p.m., TSN and Anaheim at San Jose, 9 p.m., CBC). Maybe we’ll all get lucky and the first game will go into like four or five overtimes…

1. Update your bookmarks, people! Actually, you don’t really have to. I’ve decided to say buh-bye to the .wordpress portion of the URL, just so when I tell people where they can check me out they no longer have to remember a long, confusing handle. the4thstar.com — that’s what should read in your address bar. Bookmark it, pass it along to a friend, or just remain slightly amused. Whatevs.

2. Things are happening. I’ve pumped the tires of this thing on Shaw-TV in the past and now I’m taking it to the radio airwaves. This morning, yours truly was a guest on the Hustler and Lawless Show on CJOB (10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturdays on 680). Big thanks to them for the invite. Topics we discussed included questionable coaching decisions, sleepwalking, and handing out gold watches. I thought it went pretty well, I have to say. Anyway, thanks to them and I hope to be back as a regular visitor.

The shameless self-promotion is now out of the way. Ugh. I need to take another shower.

Saturday. That usually means Saturday night, which usually means Hockey Night in Canada. At this time of year, this post season time of year, that usually translates into a chance to watch the drama queen Montreal Canadiens on a favourite flat screen in some local establishment where the patrons don’t know the difference between a goalkeeper and a goaltender.

No chance of checking out Les Habs tonight, what with the city still reeling from the broom administered by Boston Bruins on Thursday. But on the subject of minding the net, I present Carey Price. His trials and tribulations were touched on briefly the other day, but I thought it would be a nice gesture to give him a little Man Sandwich love now.

Ladies, you sure do like the goaltenders, don’t you?

(photo credit)

Some would call it confidence.

Some would call it arrogance.

Others would call it ignorance.

A down of football has yet to be played at Canad Inns Stadium and already different camps are forming regarding Mike Kelly. The rookie Canadian Football League head coach has had an interesting start to his tenure with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, raising a lot of eyebrows as he revamps a roster that underachieved last season. Oh, and just to make things even more interesting, he’s managed to stick his foot in his mouth along the way.

A few highlights:

• He takeen a few shots at Brendan Taman, once the former general manager resigned his post with the team.
• In a move that only diminished his tradability, Kelly announces to the league that starting quarterback Kevin Glenn is on the market. Knowing that the Bombers will probably release him anyway, none of the potential suitors bite. Eventually, the Bombers release Glenn and get nothing for him.
• Currently has no quarterback on the roster with legitimate CFL experience. Quarterback is an important position.
• Misinterpreted the rules regarding CFL off-season workouts. Then he complained about it.
• He’s been drawing comparisons to Jeff Reinebold.
• And now this. And some Bomber fans aren’t impressed. An excerpt:

More troubling is that Mike Kelly had no reservations to frequent usage of “Rated R” swear words, without regard for the fact that there were some young children in the audience. However, I will not repeat the statements, as I found them completely inappropriate. Not very savvy, Coach Kelly. Further, Lyle Bauer, the team’s president and CEO, laughed along the whole way. Shameful! Usage of profanity is very telling of a person’s decency and intellect, especially when done so in public to an audience that includes children.

I’m in no position to judge his character. I’m not around him to draw those conclusions. And it’s hard to judge Kelly as a coach and talent evaluator at this juncture, as we have yet to see his team play. I trust he knows what he’s doing, as he’s been around the game his whole life and I’m just some guy with a laptop and a need to write about sports.

Eventually, the Blue and Gold folks in the stands will decide if it is confidence, arrogance, or just cluelessness as they weigh what they see on the field with the wins and losses in the standings. That’s when Kelly will be deemed a success or a failure. Six, maybe eight games in, and we’ll have our answer.

I will say this, though: It is completely inappropriate to compare Kelly to Reinebold at this early juncture. Sure the man with the motorcycle made a lot of changes and a lot of promises before his miserable seasons in the coach’s chair, and it’s easy to draw the same parallels between the two unfiltered voices, but that would be a little too easy.

And unfair to both men. After all, there is a chance Kelly could flame out faster than the woeful Reinebold, and Bomber fans would hold this very year (and possibly the next one) as the new measuring stick for futility and blunder. The verdict will come down a few months from now.

So, New York Rangers coach John Tortorella decides to bench Sean Avery tonight, choosing to go with less-risky Aaron Voros instead. Not really surprising, when you consider that Avery almost single-handily cost the Blueshirts a Game 4 win with two ridiculous penalties in the final ten minutes of a one-goal contest.

A textbook move, but not one without consequences.

Here’s the problem with taking Avery out of the mix for Game 5: Washington is a scary team. They are down 3-1 in the series and will need their best game of the season to keep said season alive. Plus, they’re playing at home. I can’t imagine them losing this game (as I type this it’s 2-0 Caps) and if they don’t win, then Tortorella is a genius and he shows everyone that he has total control of the room.

If the Rangers lose Game 5, then what happens? Most (including me) will point to Avery and say he has to be back into the line-up as they look to clinch the series on the Madison Square Garden ice. Sure, Avery has warts but the Rangers are a better team with him in the line-up. Simple put, he’s a better player than Voros. That really can’t be argued.

With so many eyes back on Avery (if he draws back in), then what are the chances an even bigger sideshow develops on Sunday now? I’d be quite surprised if something didn’t happen with No. 16 and various members of the Capitals in that game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Avery’s actions (theatrics) impact the game in a negative way for the Rangers.

And Tortorella will take some of the heat.

If New York loses the series, and Avery sits out two of the three losses, all the finger pointing will be directly on the head coach. The Rangers brought in Avery for a reason — to create some energy in their dormant line-up. And now they are trying to leash him? It doesn’t make any sense.

Here’s a bigger problem for Tortorella: Washington bench boss Bruce Boudreau, badly out-coached through the series, made a risky move by turning to a rookie goaltender (Simeon Varlamov) after Game 1. His team is still down the series, but everyone agrees the switch has been a success.

Torts made a major roster change, when he didn’t really have to. A desperate measure when times weren’t really that desperate for his club. Now there is a drama created, and it will be interesting to see his next move and how his gamble plays out through the next game (or two).

UPDATE: New York is getting pumped. It’s four-love after two.

No more excuses for Joe Thornton? I beg to differ.

I fell asleep. They told me they fixed it, I trusted them. God hates me. I like to read the daily news. It wasn’t me. The dog ate my homework. Oh, you wanted that today? I was drunk. I’m hungover. It’s only a game. I have a headache. The sun was in my eyes. I left my wallet at home. I chose the wrong role models. I never got the memo. I’ve developed a skin condition and I have to avoid all excitement for a while so it will go away. I have no money. I’m working smarter, not harder. I need some space. It wasn’t in the stars. I’m full. You make me deliriously happy but to succeed as an artist, I need to be miserable. ‘The Man.’ The ‘Left.’ Racism. I’m not from around here. I don’t understand. I need my car for work. It’s just not the right time. I’m meeting a friend for lunch…Art Vandelay…he’s an importer/exporter.

This could be done all day. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go wash my hair.

No real story or talking point for the Friday Wrap Jam today. I was thinking of maybe talking about my mom’s birthday, which just happens to be on Sunday. Weezer is…um, I’m not sure how old she is, actually. Less than 59-years-old, that for sure. I’m gonna guess she’s turning 56, just because I think there’s a three-year gap between herself and Pops. Not sure though. I’ll shore up the age during the afternoon. Regardless of the rings, and as a little shout out to her, here are some white guys shouting through a classic. Funny enough, the Beastie Boys just happen to be mother’s favourite band.

Huh. What do you know? The FWJ does have a message today: Don’t underestimate Weezer.

UPDATE: I stopped by her office this morning. She’s turning 58 on Sunday. And no doubt thrilled that I’m mentioning it.

UPDATE#2: Apparently it is ‘Casual Friday” over at the bank. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Weezer in jeans before. I’m serious. I’m a little rattled over here.

It might be time for Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike Kelly to update his Wikipedia page. Not to take things off the field here, but somehow I don’t think the personal information listed is right. Blake Edwards turns 87 in July and is a moving picture legend. Kelly wasn’t even in Edmonton in 2003. He was with the Washington Redskins in some kind of capacity. So yeah, that Wikipedia can’t be right.

Or maybe it is, I don’t know. It could be possible, couldn’t it? I mean, while there is no mention of quarterbacks or the database in Edwards’ profile, I’m sure the stories of Julie Andrews are more than enough to help take the mind off of football and the heavy promise of a .600 winning percentage.

Naw, it’s probably a mistake.

This will make people dreaming of the Winnipeg Jets’ return very happy. You know what, sarcasm never really translates well on this thing. There must be a widget or something…

So, the always credible and highly entertaining David Shoalts wrote 937 words a week ago on the Phoenix Coyotes and their continuing financial woes, the bulk of which explaining how the National Hockey League is going to keep them afloat there for at least the next season.

In a related story, Shoalts penned another 915 words today on a group making its pitch to the NHL about bringing another team to the Greater Toronto Area. Shoalts outlines their plans and the potential pitfalls (the Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres), and goes on to say how the Coyotes would be the obvious choice to move into the region.

One source at the NHL governors level said “there is something happening in Phoenix,” but did not know specifics.

Nothing like a little vague speculation to help pass the day.

Anyway, here’s the point of this post: Shoalts wrote 1,852 words on the Coyotes and their financial troubles, even hinting at a possible move, in the span of seven days and not one of those 1,852 words was (or even looked like or sounded like) the word ‘Winnipeg.’ And I get torched for not holding my breath.

Great point from HabsWorld (via Puck Daddy) regarding the meltdown of both Montreal Canadiens and its fan base at the Bell Centre last night:

Jeering Carey Price in this game was shortsighted and ignorant. If you can’t look past the scoreboard and see the porous defensive play and/or coverage on 3 of 4 Bruins goals, then at least do everyone a favour and keep your mouth shut. Price was absolutely right to give them the Patrick Roy salute. It was embarrassing behaviour by an understandably frustrated group of fans. The thing is, these same people who boo the talent right out of Montreal are the same ones who ask every July, “How come top end players won’t sign in Montreal?” Ridiculous.

Outstanding point.

Last season, everyone and their dog was celebrating the virtues of the Canadiens, looking at general manager Bob Gainey’s impressive drafting record and the number of young players who were ready to break out. People (including myself) compared them to the sad-sack Toronto Maple Leafs and laughed. How could the two historic Canadian franchises be so far apart? Toronto, out of the post season had no hope. Montreal? Well, they not only had hope but a bright future to come.

This year, the exact opposite. It’s the Leafs with a slight glimmer of hope and a future, while Montreal — with more than half the roster looking at free agency and question marks in every area of the ice — is now spinning out of control.