Charles in charge for the rams?

There's a very, very interesting name on the roster of the University of Regina Rams for this weekend's spring camp. Running back Adrian Charles is scheduled to attend.

You may remember Charles as a star running back with the Saskatoon Hilltops a couple of years ago. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in October of 2008. The charges related to a shooting in Pickering, Ontario (Charles is from Whitby, Ontario) earlier that year.

Those charges were eventually stayed, although Charles is due in court in Saskatoon this summer on drug-related charges.

When he was not facing legal issues, Charles was the premier running back in the Canadian junior ranks, and would certainly be a huge boost to the Rams' running game.

Friday thoughts

Have you ever been really, really glad to have a week come to an end? This would be one of those weeks!

• I'm not shedding any tears over Ovie and the Capitals being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, but did it have to be the Habs that did it?
• Let's go Pittsburgh!
• I'm thinking the Chicago vs Vancouver series will be must-see tv.
• Don't ask me to assess how the Regina Pats did in this week's bantam draft. It'll be two years before we know the answer.
• Having said that, their first round pick looks like he'll be a keeper. And he seems genuinely excited about coming here. Bonus!
• Truth be told, the Pats have done reasonably well in stocking their first two lines over the past couple of years.
• It's the third and fourth liners (and defencemen 4-6) who haven't exactly lived up to expectations.
• Ryan Dinwiddie as a Saskatchewan Roughrider? Really?
• I would suggest it's okay to have one quarterback on the roster who can make all the throws, just for variety's sake. Dinwiddie can't.
• Thanks to everyone (blog readers and others) who expressed their concern for the J-man this week. He's out of the hospital and on the mend.
• He's disappointed about having to miss a few weeks of baseball season, but to quote: "But at least this didn't happen during football season Dad!"
• Is it any wonder why I adore that kid?
• Did you know that doing sit-ups can lead to appendicitis? Yeah, neither did the doctors and nurses!
• Like I've said before, and need to remember at times like this - you can't cure stupid!

Pats go shopping

Here's an overview, courtesy of the Regina Pats, of how today's WHL bantam draft shaped up for the denizens of the Brandt Centre:

Edmonton, Alberta – The Regina Pats completed the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft and selected 10 players in total. There are players from all over Western Canada and the US, with 4 from BC, 3 from Saskatchewan, and one each from Alberta, Manitoba and California.

The Pats selected 5 defencemen, 4 forwards and one goaltender.

Here are the newest members of the Regina Pats:

1st Rnd, 5th Overall Morgan Klimchuk (C) Calgary Bisons Calgary, AB
3rd Rnd Kyle Burroughs (D) Langley Eagles Langley, BC
4th Rnd Colby Williams (D) Regina Oilers Regina, SK
5th Rnd Ty McLean (LW) Moose Mtn. Wild Redvers, SK
5th Rnd Brett Harris (C) Notre Dame Hounds 100 Mile House BC
6th Rnd Tanner Burghardt (G) West Central Klippers Kerrobert, SK
7th Rnd Nolan De Jong (D) Saanich Bantam Victoria, BC
8th Rnd Nolan Parrington (D) Winnipeg Warriors Winnipeg, MAN
9th Rnd Demico Hannoun (RW) North Delta Devils Delta, BC
10th Rnd Alec McCrea (D) San Diego Gulls El Cajon, CAL


There was a pair of trades this afternoon. The first saw the Pats acquire the 67th and 102nd overall picks from the Portland Winterhawks in exchange for the Pats 49th overall pick.

The other deal had the Pats re-acquiring their 10th round pick from the Kamloops Blazers in exchange for the Pats 10th round pick next season

Blogging break

My blogging exploits are going to be pretty light this week. My son is in the hospital, recovering from abdominal surgery - including having his appendix removed - last night. He'll be fine, but I'm obviously a little preoccupied right now. Have a great week!

From the Rams to the Colts?

Big news for University of Regina Rams star receiver Jordan Sisco. Sisco, who is expected to be selected in the first or second round of the upcoming CFL draft, has landed a free agent tryout with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He leaves for a Colts mini-camp on Thursday.

Chalk up another Canadian coup for Colts scout Cal Murphy. Knock 'em dead, Sisco kid!

Here's a wild theory

So, as you have no doubt heard by now, the Saskatchewan Roughriders released quarterback prospect Graham Harrell today. By the way, Harrell's Wikipedia page has already been updated to indicate he's a free agent.

As a result, many folks are concerned about the prospect of starting the season without a single quarterback with any CFL experience behind incumbent starter Darian Durant. 2007 league M.O.P. Kerry Joseph has been mentioned as a possible stop-gap signing.

Here's a crazy thought. If you're looking for a veteran presence to mentor the young guns, and replace Durant in an emergency, how about.............wait for it..........Marcus Crandell? He's going to be at training camp anyway!

Crandell is currently an offensive assistant coach with the Riders. The last time he took a snap was during the 2008 season. He was released when the Riders launched the ill-fated Michael Bishop experiment. It's unlikely, but this is the CFL. Crazier things have happened.

By the way, Crandell will be 36 on June 1st. I may have too much time on my hands today.

Thursday Cheers and Jeers

Really? It's Thursday already? Where did the week go?

Cheers

• Organizers of the Esso Cup female midget AAA hockey championship. A well-run event, combined with a high calibre of female hockey makes for a good time.
• CAA Saskatchewan. The only place in south Regina that a person is able to renew their vehicle plates after 1 pm on a Saturday.
• M & M Meat Shops. Pretty much a godsend for a guy that can't cook worth a damn.
• Italian Star deli. Still making some damn fine sandwiches! And where else are you gonna buy that syrupy Italian nectar called Brio in Regina?

Jeers

• Dusyk and Barlow Insurance. When you're only open from 10 am - 1 pm on Saturdays, why even bother?
• Tennis Saskatchewan. Their new website is.....not so much.
• The revolving door in a certain office at everyone's favourite local cable cooperative. Not cool.

How about you? Who or what is on your hit list this week?

SportZone update

We're not taping a new episode of SportZone this week (hey, don't cry - it'll be okay), due to the Esso Cup hockey tournament. However, last week's episode will air again today at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.

Gosh, that gives you plenty of time to claim a free pizza from Panago, just for answering the weekly trivia question. Or you can scroll down to the SportZone post from last week and answer the question now!

Monday musings

Frankly, there's not much going on up upstairs this morning!

• I caught the first couple games of the Esso Cup tournament over at the Cooperators Centre yesterday. Actually, I did colour commentary on Mitch Blair's online broadcasts.
• For the uninitiated, the Esso Cup is the national female midget AAA hockey championship. It's worth checking out, and cheering on the local (Regina Rebels and Notre Dame Hounds) teams.
• Don't look now, but the San Jose Sharks are two games away from another first round elimination.
• Would San Jose's departure clear the way for Chicago to earn the western conference berth in the Stanley Cup final? No.
• Thud. That's the sound of the Toronto Blue Jays falling back to earth.
• Imagine how much it would suck to be a Toronto sports fan right now. Four (not counting soccer) professional sports teams, and not one of them made the playoffs this past season!
• The J-man returned safely from his Minot expedition, and has his first baseball practice tomorrow night. It's officially spring!
• I asked this question on Facebook: Wouldn't it be nice if there was a second internet, exclusively for stupid people? That way they wouldn't clutter up this one!
• The search continues for a suitable hound for the Paczko residence. Because I know all of you were anxious for an update!
• Meantime, Potvin the cat continues to hide under the deck - only coming out to eat and hiss at people. Freak.
• 23 degrees today? That is outstanding!
• What a great night it will be to go jogging! (Dear Lord, did I really just type that?)

Friday thoughts

Well, it certainly hasn't been a boring week around here!

• Plenty of upsets on the opening night(s) of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And I stand corrected. It looks like Montreal's postseason will last five games, not four.
• I can't even imagine what life would be like if the Habs knock off the Caps. I suppose if Halak gets hot, crazier things have happened.
• I just hope that next season Phil Kessel outscores whomever Boston selects with the 2nd overall pick in the NHL draft. For one year, anyway.
• Dion Phaneuf is going to be the captain of the Leafs. I suppose they could do worse.
• If Toronto snags Patrick Marleau in free agency, that would definitely be a step in the right direction too.
• Will Chad Lang join the employ of the Regina Pats? Personally, I like the job he did in Moose Jaw, so I would have no problem with that.
• If it happens, will Lang be given free reign over the hockey operations department? That, my friends, is the $64,000 question.
• Congrats to Jordan Eberle on his selection as the WHL's Eastern Conference player of the year, and his upcoming participation in the World Hockey Championships.
• He and Taylor Hall displayed some chemistry during the World Junior Championships. I wonder if that will influence the Oilers to select Hall over Tyler Seguin with the first pick in the NHL draft?
• Mitch Blair and Carlo Palazzo have been alternating in the co-host's chair on SportZone the past couple of months. Does that rotation work for you? Anyone else you'd like to see as co-host? We aim to please!
• Unless of course your suggestion is to fire the host!
• Speaking of Mitch, I'll be providing some colour commentary for his online broadcasts during the upcoming Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament.
• Would the Cooperators Centre be packed if the Regina Rebels meet Notre Dame in the final? I'm guessing that's the best-case scenario for the organizing committee!
• Jason Armstead, we hardly knew ya (again)!
• I suppose the signing of Dominique Dorsey made Armstead's release inevitable anyway.
• I think I'll swing by Gold's Gym after work and see what the beautiful people are up to. Maybe they've had a rough week too.

Any dog experts out there?

Changing gears completely, I'm considering getting a dog. I've never owned a dog before. Frankly, having a cat suited my busy life pretty well. However, the J-man is allergic, and I wouldn't mind a pet that actually seems happy to have us around!

Therefore, I'm hoping any experts (hello Bev?) out there can give me some advice on what breed to look for, based on the following:

1. Independance - it would be nice if the dog were able to be on its own for occasionally extended periods. I put in some long days on occasion, and may not always be able to dash home to feed/let out a dog.
2. Short hair. It would be nice to find a breed that's relatively hypo-allergenic, and doesn't require a lot of brushing/grooming.
3. Affectionate. A dog that gets along well with children (ie: the J-man!) and visitors would be nice, and a major change from the aforementioned cat.
4. Calm. All dogs need exercise, I get that. But again, with a busy lifestyle, it may be hard to fit in extended frolicking some days. So, if the dog doesn't absolutely need a lot of exercise, or can get by with chasing a ball down a hallway instead of a walk some days, that could be a good thing.
5. Agreeable. No interest in strong-minded and/or stubborn beasts. We had enough of that with the cat.

That's my wish list. Basically, I'm looking for a dog that is playful, but not hyper. Affectionate, but not bouncing off the walls. A calm buddy who likes some fun every now and then, but also appreciates the value of some quality "me" time. Is that realistic?

Thursday Cheers and Jeers

It's been a tough week. I may be a little crankier than usual.

Cheers

• Dr. Glenn Ollenberger. When he's not busy doing the "doctor thing", or taking off on exotic holidays, he does a darn fine job keeping our tennis club website updated.
• BCG Canada Inc. Tim Hubic and company are going to do a darn fine job redesigning and hosting the previously mentioned website.
• Krav Maga Regina. Wanna burn off some stress? This is the way to do it!
• Garth Schill at Dilawri Acura. One helpful (and patient!) guy.

Jeers

• You just have to read the front page of today's Leader-Post to know what is upsetting me today.
• People who accept whatever they read as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
• JYSK. Yet another retailer that offers nothing in the way of customer service.
• Krazy Kiley's (again). It's going to take something special for them to redeem themselves, after two months of piss-poor service.

That's enough from me, or I'll keep going all day. Like I said (wrote), it's been that kind of week. So, what's on your naughty/nice list this week?

SportZone lineup for April 13

Here's the lineup for this week's show, airing tonight at 9 p.m., Thursday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. (edit: and next Tuesday at 3 p.m. and next Saturday at 4 p.m.) on Access channel 7:

SportZone Guests for April 13/10
Community Co-Host: Carlo Palazzo

1. The Harvest City Reapers celebrate another provincial 1A boys basketball championship. Guests: Joel Wells (Head Coach), Garrett Peters & Habib Habib (Players).

2. A preview of the 2010 rowing season in Saskatchewan. Guest: John Wetzstein (SRA Provincial Coach).

3. A report on the Regina Rebels’ preparations for the 2010 Esso Cup. Reporter: Brendan Pawliw.

4. A preview of the 2010 Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic. Guest: Ken Ripplinger (Organizing Committee).

5. The Blair Necessities. Our weekly commentary by local sports raconteur Mitchell Blair.

6. A preview of the 2010 outdoor and box lacrosse seasons. Guest: Dale Measner (SLA Executive Director).

SportZone trivia: Which country will Canada square off against in this year's Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic? Send us your answer, for a chance to win a free pizza from Panago!

SportZone lineup for April 6

Still some time left to answer the weekly trivia question and snag a free pizza from Panago!

Edit - new airtimes: Here's the lineup for the big show; airing Thursday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and next Tuesday at 3 p.m. on Access channel 7 in Regina:

SportZone Guests for April 8/10
Community Co-Host: Carlo Palazzo

1. A preview of the 2010 Baseball Regina season. Guest: Karen Toffan (Baseball Regina board member).

2. Spring has sprung. Surely golf season must be close at hand? Guest: Brad Herridge (Assistant Pro, Tor Hill Golf Course).

3. A report on Regina high school badminton action. Reporter: Brendan Pawliw.

4. A preview of the 2010 Esso Cup, the female midget AAA national hockey championship tournament. Guest: Lynn Tulloch (Tournament Chair).

5. The Blair Necessities. Our weekly sports commentary by local sports raconteur Mitchell Blair.

6. The Balgonie Clippers celebrate a national juvenile men’s broomball championship. Guests: Kelvin Solie (Head Coach) & Jayson Lechner (Team Captain).

SportZone trivia: Where was the first Esso Cup national female midget AAA hockey championship held in 2009? Send us your answer, and your contact info, to win a free pizza from Panago!

Monday musings

Stuff. Just stuff:

• I can't imagine anyone feels too badly about Phil Mickelson winning the Masters, particularly with everything his family has been through recently.
• Tiger Woods looked pretty good though. It won't be long before he starts cashing winner's cheques again.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't manage to knock Montreal out of the NHL playoffs, but they did square the season series with the Habs by beating them in overtime Saturday night. Which means no money changes hands in my running annual wager with the J-man's grandfather.
• Good luck to the Habs, as they embark upon their annual four-game postseason run.
• Hey Barry Melrose! Do you think Steven Stamkos is ready for the NHL yet?
• With Buck Pierce signing in Winnipeg, do you think Steven Jyles is regretting his decision to leave Riderville?
• We held our first coaches meeting of the year for the RMF atom Cougars last night. Hurry up and get here, football season!
• In the meantime, there's baseball. The J-man moves up an age group this year, so that should be interesting.
• The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a great start. Of course, as we learned last year, this will not last.
• Speaking of teams from Toronto, could the Raptors have soiled the sheets any worse against Chicago yesterday?
• Even without injured star Chris Bosh, is that really the best the Raps could manage in a must-win situation? That team is softer than the Pillsbury Dough Boy's belly.
• Speaking of soft bellies, and the campaign to get rid of mine, the latest lung infection appears to have passed, as I returned to cardio action on the weekend without hacking up a lung. That's always a plus!

Thursday Cheers and Jeers

It's been kind of a slow week, but let's see what we can come up with:

Cheers

• Cross the Line football camp. Brian Murray and his crew (including Riders Wes Cates, Belton Johnson, Dan Clark and Marcus Adams), put on a fine camp. The J-man wishes the RMF season would start today. So do I!
• Enterprise Rent a Car. Consistently the best price when I'm booking a rental car for our annual Ontario holiday. Yes, I've already booked for a July holiday. Yes, I'm that much of a nerd.
• Hill Avenue Drugs. I came in with a veritable shopping list yesterday (thank you, bronchitis), and was out of there less than 10 minutes later. That's service!

Jeers

• Krazy Kiley's. I'm becoming a little less impressed with each passing day.
• Tennis Saskatchewan. We're on the verge of the outdoor tennis season, and the provincial governing body hasn't had a functioning website in more than a week. Impressive!
• Seasonal allergies. Just because.

Do you have someone (or an organization) you want to praise/rag on? Don't be shy. Let 'er rip!

Monday musings

A collection of stuff from the top layer of the cranial onion:

• It looks as though the people who didn't augment their long weekend by taking Thursday off took today off instead. Must be nice!
• I wonder how many took both off?
• A big-time tip of the hat for Weyburn's Graham DeLaet, who finished in a tie for third at the PGA's Houston Open.
• We'll be hearing a lot more about that young golfer in the years to come. Bank on it.
• Graham James gets a pardon from the National Parole Board. Uh, pardon?
• Wanna bet the Harper government revamps the Parole Board in the near future?
• Jogging + lung infection = not good times.
• Mind you, I've had an on again/off again lung infection since last October. What the hell is up with that?
• I'll be cheering for Butler to knock off Duke in the NCAA men's basketball championship game tonight. Love the underdogs!
• Mitch Blair asks an interesting question on his blog this morning. If Regina's Tyler Bozak had spent the entire season with the Leafs, would he be an NHL rookie of the year candidate? I'd say yes.
• Will the Leafs bump Bozak to the second line next season to make room for Nazem Kadri? That would suck!
• You know what annoys me? People who have never spent a day working in your profession, yet act as if they are experts in your field.
• I guess now I know how professional sports coaches/athletes feel when fans and the media play armchair quarterback.
• Damn you, karma!

(Good) Friday thoughts

An assorted collection of goodies to satiate your Good Friday hunger for content:

• I'm looking forward to the Cross the Line football camp today and tomorrow. Camp Director Brian Murray has enlisted a number of current and former Riders to help out. The J-man is so pumped to be working with Wes Cates!
• And, this RMF head coach is equally pumped about all the coaching tips I'll acquire over the next two days - look out atom Cougars!
• Jogging sucks. Especially when you combine it with seasonal allergies.
• Careful where you step if you're walking around Normandy Heights today. One of my lungs might still be out there.
  
• I rented The Blind Side and The Men Who Stare at Goats for the weekend. Which one should I watch first?
• Lawyers who think they're Hollywood producers. What the hell has the world come to?
• Sorry, a little job frustration seeping through - all better now.
• Only 28 days left to take advantage of early bird pricing on a 2010 Lakeshore Tennis Club membership! Get on it!
• Someday I'll attend another Krav Maga class. I think my last one was in October.
• And yet I keep paying the monthly fee, just in case.
• I think I want the Saskatoon Blades to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings in round two of the WHL playoffs.
• I'm definitely pulling for the Yorkton Terriers to win the SJHL title, especially after reading about their back-up goalie who is battling cancer. Sorry LaRonge Ice Wolves, I'm on the Terrier bandwagon.
• If the Toronto Maple Leafs only give Boston the 4th or 5th overall draft pick this year, does that make the Phil Kessel trade worth it? Discuss.
• Congrats to Regina's Tyler Bozak on a great rookie season with the Leafs. Now, if I can only get him on my show this summer...
• And condolences to Regina's Josh Harding on his season-ending injury while tending goal for Minnesota. Now if I can only get him on my show too...
  

Thursday Cheers and Jeers

The Easter edition of Cheers and Jeers!

Cheers

• Safeway (Southland Mall). The ice cream birthday cake (with real cake inside!) was very well received by the J-man and his crew.
• High Impact Wrestling. Granted, at times it felt like an episode of Trailer Park Boys, but a good time was had nonetheless!
• The Keg (south Albert St.). Always a good steak, but the garlic bread with cheese was truly exceptional! A fine birthday supper (first of two!) for young Jacob.

Jeers

• Krazy Kileys. Lately, the service (which is usually great) has left a lot to be desired!
• Smitty's (any location). Worst coffee ever. Always.
• North Regina Little League. There's nothing like showing up for your kid's evaluations and being told you haven't paid his registration fees - while you're holding the receipt in your hand! Smooth...

That's my list for this week. Who is on yours?