SportZone lineup for Feb 27

Here's the lineup for this week's show, airing tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 3 p.m. on Access channel 7. Oh, we're also searching searching for some female content - a sports-minded young lady who would be interested in joining our team of SportZone community co-hosts. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested - post a comment and we'll discuss it further. Thanks.

SportZone Guests for February 27/08

1. A preview of the Winter Senior Nationals diving championships, being held in Regina March 3-9. Guests: Andrew Mitchell (Regina Diving Club Head Coach).

2. A preview of the Regina Red Sox annual sports dinner. Guest: Gary Brotzel (Red Sox President).

3. The University of Regina women’s basketball team takes part in the Canada West final four tournament this weekend. Guests: Stacey Walker & Megan Cherkas (Players).

4. A preview of the 2008 North Regina Little League season. Get those registrations in! Guest: Drew Filyk (NRLL President)

5. A profile of the Sheldon-Williams senior girls basketball team. Guests: Laura Hunko (Head Coach), Sarah Petrovich & Lindsay Ledingham (players).

6. Two University of Regina wrestlers are eyeing spots on Finland’s Olympic team. Guests: Hajar Ashtiani & Jouni Rosenlof (wrestlers).

And the beat goes on...

Well, it looks as though the Toronto Maple Leafs will continue to suck for the foreseeable future. Thanks to the refusal of veterans like Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe to waive their no-trade clauses, the Leafs weren't significant players on the NHL's trade deadline today.

The Leafs did make a trio of minor (salary dump) moves:

• Winger Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a 5th round pick (2008)
• Defenceman Hal Gill to Pittsburgh for a 2nd round pick (2008) and a 5th rounder (2009)
• Forward Chad Kilger to Florida for a 3rd round pick (2008)

Woo-hoo! Better start mapping out the parade route along Yonge Street - the Cup's ours! Meantime, players like McCabe, Kaberle, Tucker and Raycroft (and their ridiculous contracts) will continue to keep the franchise mired in mediocrity (or worse). Time to start shopping around for a playoff team to cheer for. For the next few years, probably.

SportZone lineup for Feb 20

Here's the lineup for this week's show, airing Wednesday (tonight) at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 3 p.m. on Access channel 7:

SportZone Guests for February 20/08
Community Co-Host – Carlo Palazzo

1. A preview of the Regina high school wrestling championships. Guests: Ron Gonzales (O’Neill head coach), Calvin Daum & Cymone Becker (wrestlers). (www.rcsd.ca/oneill).

2. A preview of alpine slalom ski races being held at Mission Ridge this weekend. Guests: Terry Hooper (Sask Alpine), Patrick Young & Kendall Sampson (racers).

3. A profile of the Luther Lions senior girl’s basketball team. Guests: Angela Tillier (head coach), Elora McLeod & Cara van Burck (players).

4. A preview of the CIS swimming championships. Guests: Andrew Malawski & Linda Duarte (U of R/RODS swimmers).

5. A post-mortem on the 2007/08 season for the U of R men’s volleyball team. Guest: Greg Barthel (head coach).

Wrapping up a long weekend

What a terrific Family Day long weekend. I'm not normally in the habit of offering kudos to political parties, but you have to give the former NDP government a "thumbs-up" for instituting a February holiday.

I thoroughly enjoyed the long weekend with the Jakester. Saturday saw us travel to the thriving metropolis of Gray with the rest of the novice Bullets for a hockey tournament. Young Jacob potted another goal in the first game, and posted a solid performance in goal in the second game - only giving up two goals. The Bullets ended up with a 1-2 record, but outscored the opposition 14-12. We'll take it.

Sunday involved some outdoor hockey (brrrr!) and Monday included a hockey practice. We wrapped up the festivities with a viewing of Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson's "Game Plan" movie last night.

All in all, a good time was had by all. Hopefully the Regina Pats enjoyed their weekend in the Rocky Mountains, before getting back to business tonight. The Pats are in Calgary and need a win to hang on to any hope of catching the Hitmen for top spot in the WHL's Eastern Conference. Regina goes into tonight's contest trailing Calgary by 11 points, with two games in hand.

The last word on the Super Bowl

Normally, the combination of Bill Belichick and Michael Jackson would be too creepy to consider. But in this case, it seems appropriate:

SportZone guests for Feb 13

Here's the lineup for the show, airing tonight at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 3 p.m. on Access channel 7:

SportZone Guests for February 13, 2008
Community Co-Host: Carlo Palazzo

1. A rink from Regina's Tartan Club returns from the national junior men's curling championship. Guests: Brennan Jones, Mitch Criton & D.J. Kidby (curlers).

2. These are busy times for the folks at the Skate Regina figure skating club! Guests: Leslie Gosselin (Vice-President), Garrett Gosselin & Emery Millette (skaters).

3. A Regina rink is representing Saskatchewan at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Regina February 16-24. Guest: Michelle Englot (Team Saskatchewan skip).

4. An update on the Regina Pat Canadians, our entry in the Saskatchewan midget AAA league. Guests: Cody Hanson & Brett Ferguson (forwards).

5. The Steve Nash youth basketball program is coming to Saskatchewan. Guest: Joe Ralko (Basketball Saskatchewan President).

6. An update on the U of R track and field team. Guests: Carla Nicholls (Head Coach), Caitlyn Fowler & Sarah Klimm (throwers).

7. A preview of the 2008 Luther Invitational basketball tournament. Guests: Mark Becker, Kyla Cheater & Grace Waschuk (Organizing Committee).

Prince Albert man to shoot for $1 million

From TSN.ca

He's 5'9" and 215 lbs., shoots left and practically grew up at his local hockey rink. Now, the only thing standing between 35-year-old sawmill worker Darwin Head of Prince Albert, SK, and a cool million dollars is scoring 15 goals in 24 seconds, as he was named this year's participant in TSN's second annual, international award-winning million-dollar giveaway, the Chevrolet Malibu Million Dollar Shootout.

As part of the contest, Head will also have the chance to win up to four new Chevrolet Malibu Hybrids - the 2008 North American Car of the Year - for himself and his friends. The contest will air live nationally on TSN and TSN HD on February 27 during the first intermission of the game broadcast featuring Colorado @ Vancouver, which begins at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).

"I grew up watching and playing hockey. I have so many heroes who played the game, I just hope I can score like them when it's all on the line," said Head. "This is all so exciting. I've had a few sleepless nights since I learned I'd be shooting for the million."

A lifetime Saskatchewanian, Head grew up on the Mistawasis First Nation reserve, located approximately 45 minutes west of Prince Albert. He started playing hockey at age 10 and continued playing recreationally until he was 25 years old. Head, who entered the Chevy Silverado Million Dollar Shootout last year, lives in Prince Albert with his wife Criste and their three children.

Glad that's over!

What a bizarre weekend! Saturday I tumbled out of bed at 5:30 to hit the road to Strasbourg for Jacob's hockey tournament. Unfortunately, that meant missing all three games of the Pats vs Warriors weekend. Mind you, Ronald and Lurch have the same lovely (broken picket fence) smiles as Theo Fleury, so it was almost like being at the alumni game. Almost.

On the ice, the Jakester rediscovered his scoring touch with two goals. Sadly, that accounted for 66% of the scoring for the novice Bullets. Not exactly a juggernaut squad, but the kids are having fun. I even got to do some public address announcing at the tournament - just like old times!

Sunday morning, it was over to the Al Ritchie for an 8 a.m. game. It was exciting, but the Bullets dropped a 5-4 nailbiter. Then I returned home to discover my internet service was out of commission. That's awesome. Hence the posting from work this morning. Shhh!

Did you happen to read the Pats 90th anniversary insert in Saturday's paper? Wow, was that badly written! I laughed out loud when reading about Rod Pedersen experiencing the "high sand lows" with the Pats. Or, was that supposed to be "highs and lows"? Just one of many mutilations of the language in that insert. Tragic, really.

And tragic also describes the antics of some Moose Jaw fans I'm hearing about this morning. Fighting in the stands? Spitting at the Pats alumni players? Seriously, spitting? Who the hell does that? Mind you, I suppose a "feller" can really get some velocity going when firing through those gap-toothed grins. Go with your strengths, I guess.

Dis 'n dat

I suppose no one should be surprised that the Saskatchewan Roughriders promoted 66-year old Ken Miller to head coach. Miller was the offensive coordinator last year under Kent Austin, and helped devise an innovative - and highly effective - offensive scheme. The question is: who will be responsible for "coaching up" Kerry Joseph and the other quarterbacks? The job Austin did in developing Joseph into the league's MVP last season was incredible.

The Regina Pats have lost three in a row on home ice, and now lead Moose Jaw by only two points for top spot in the WHL's east division. That's quite a dramatic turnaround from January, in which the Pats picked up at least a point in 12 straight games. Obviously things need to get turned around quickly, as the Pats and Warriors tangle in a home-and-home set this weekend. It should be an intense couple of games! Let's hope the teams decide the outcome this weekend, as opposed to the men in the striped shirts.

SportZone lineup for Feb 5

Here's the lineup for this week's show, featuring Regina's two most prominent football exports. The show airs Wednesday night (tonight) at 6 p.m. and Thursday at 3 p.m.

SportZone Guests for February 5/08

1. Regina’s lone NFL player looks back at the 2007 season, and ahead to 2008. Guest: Jon Ryan (Green Bay Packers punter).

2. Looking back at the 2007 CFL season, and ahead to 2008, with the CFL’s Outstanding Canadian for 2007. Guest: Jason Clermont (B.C. Lions slotback).

3. An update on the Regina Capitals, struggling through a rare losing season in the PJHL. Guests: Cliff May (forward) & Spencer Blaschke (goaltender).

4. An update on the University of Regina men’s hockey team. Guests: Kyle Ross (Cougars forward) & Brant Hilton (Cougars goaltender).

5. A profile of the LeBoldus Golden Suns senior boys basketball team. Guests: Jordan Puscus & Jerad Kozey (Players).

Wolf calls out Holmgren

Any Green Bay Packers fans who feel/felt their team was outcoached in Super Bowl 32 against Denver will want to read this. It's ten years later, and that loss to the damn Broncos still stings. Apparently for a few people.

And yes, I do feel the Packers were also outcoached in this year's NFC championship against the Giants. That wound is gonna take a little while to heal. Especially if the Giants stun the world and beat New England this Sunday.