Locker Talk Lineup for January 28

Here's the lineup for this week's show. It aired last night, and will hit the Access 7 airwaves again on Saturday at noon. Plus, all episodes are available via the On Demand service for Access customers.

Locker Talk Guests for January 28/14
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair

1.   A profile of the University of Regina track and field team. Guests: Joy Becker, Tevaughn Campbell and Tait Nystuen (Cougar track athletes). 2.   City Hall raises the Seattle Seahawks’ 12th man flag, in support of Regina native – and Seahawks’ punter Jon Ryan. The Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl this weekend.  Reporter: Mitchell Blair. 3.   The O’Neill Titans are gunning for their second straight city championships in boys and girls high school wrestling. Guests: Robert Kirton (Coach) & Alyx Paulson (Wrestler). 4.   Locker Talk Film Room. Locker Talk sports movie reviewer Carlo Palazzo offers his thoughts on another sports cinematic classic. This time: Varsity Blues. 5.   A profile of the University of Regina men’s and women’s wrestling teams. Guests: Kristine Longeau & Danielle Anderson (Wrestlers).  6.   The Blair Necessities.  Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

Monday Musings

Whoa! Did somebody forget to pay the heating bill? Damn it's cold out there. Might as well restore circulation to the extremities by doing a little typing.

• I neither hate nor love either participating team, so I'll be cheering for the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday's Super Bowl, strictly because Regina's Jon Ryan booms punts for the Seahawks. 
• I wonder how many other people around here are in the same boat?
• So, is this where the Toronto Maple Leafs come crashing back down to earth after their recent six game winning streak?  
• Don't look now, but the Toronto Raptors are sitting atop the (admittedly weak) Atlantic division of the NBA. The Raps currently hold down the 4th playoff seed in the eastern conference.
• Now, find me three Canadians - outside of Toronto - who care about the preceding bullet!
• I caught the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view last night. With my new announcing duties on High Impact Wrestling broadcasts, do WWE pay-per-views count as research? 
• Do I even need to guess how the Canada Revenue Agency would answer that question?
• It looks as though the J-man made it through his first round of high school exams relatively unscathed. 
• However, he was not impressed when I told him that I didn't have to write an exam until grade 11. Grade 9 and 10 students at our high school were exempted from exams if they had a mark over 80% in a given class. Good times!
• Yes, you can interpret that to mean I had pretty good grades in high school. How the mighty have fallen! 
• One new year's resolution is crossed off, with a new job starting in a couple of weeks. Now it's time to get serious about the fitness resolution! (Hey! It could happen!)
• So, why is U.S. Netflix so much better than the Canadian version?

Monday Musings

It's the start of a new work week. What's not to love?

• Kudos to the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks for advancing to the Super Bowl with wins in their respective conference championship games.
• The teams with the two best records in the regular season will meet for all the marbles. Sounds about right.
• Speaking of marbles, did Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman lose his during his post game interview with Erin Andrews?
• Sherman's rant was definitely ill advised, but most of the vitriol directed towards him in the aftermath was much worse. And in some cases, blatantly racist. Not cool.
• Well, the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks found a way for people to notice their underachieving little teams, didn't they?
• Prearranged line brawls do nothing for the credibility of the NHL, especially among potential fans outside of traditional hockey markets. But I suspect you already knew that.
• On the bright side, the Toronto Maple Leafs are riding a season long four game winning streak, after dispatching the Montreal Canadians Saturday night.
• I'm not exactly objective on the subject, but I swear the Habs have the most gutless collection of forwards I've seen on one NHL team in a long time!
• FINALLY! The Regina Pats finally notched a victory over the Prince Albert Raiders on the weekend. The timing couldn't be better, after the Pats soiled the sheets at home on Friday night against the Kootenay Ice.
• It was an historic evening Friday at the Balaton Ballroom in Regina, as the High Impact Wrestling hijinks were taped for future broadcast on Access 7.  Apologies in advance for the quality (or lack thereof!) of the play-by-play commentator! Good help is obviously hard to find.

Friday Follies

Just a random assortment of thoughts, rattling around in the old noggin:

• I've done a lot of things in my broadcasting career. Been a lot of places, seen a lot of things. Tonight, it's something brand new as I man the announce booth for High Impact Wrestling on Access 7.  My Locker Talk cohort Mitchell Blair will join me on the headsets - but not tonight, as he has a previous engagement. This should be fun. Oh, the debauchery!
• It's Pack the Dome night at the Brandt Centre (formerly Agridome) as the Regina Pats host the Kootenay Ice. The game will be broadcast live on Rogers Sportsnet, and here's hoping the hockey fans of Regina and area turn out in droves.
• With a little bit of consistency in their play, and especially between the pipes, I think the Pats might be able to go at least two rounds into the WHL playoffs this spring. Wouldn't that be fun?
• I'm sorry, I honestly can't see Weston Dressler cracking an NFL roster. I think he'll be back in Rider green, although possibly not until later in the season. And I also sincerely - for his sake - hope I'm wrong on both counts!
• Don't tell Mitchell Blair, but I'm probably going to be cheering for his Seattle Seahawks this weekend in the NFC final. Yes, I hate the San Francisco 49ers that much!
• The AFC final features two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks in New England's Tom Brady and Denver's Peyton Manning. So of course it'll probably end up as a 10-7 final!
• Seattle vs either New England or Denver would make for a pretty darn entertaining Super Bowl match-up. It may even rival the commercials for entertainment value!
• 2014 is starting out with a move up the corporate ladder for yours truly. The news is still very fresh, so I'm going to have to keep the details close to the vest for the time being.
• 2014 is absolutely kicking the crap out of 2013 so far. I certainly hope that continues!

Locker Talk Lineup for January 14

Epic. That's the word that will used by future generations to describe this week's episode of Locker Talk on Access 7. The show airs tonight at 9 p.m., and again at noon on Saturday. It will also be repeated next week, and will be available on demand for Regina Access cable customers. Here's the lineup:

Locker Talk Guests for January 14/14
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair

1.   A preview of the 2014 Saskatchewan men’s Tankard, coming up in Shaunavon later this month. Guest: Braeden Moskowy (Third - Team Virtue). 2.   An update on the 2013/14 PJHL season for the Traveland RV (Pilot Butte) Storm. Guests: Tanner McCall (Assistant Coach) & Brady Anderson (Forward).  3.   Locker Talk Fitness File. For January. With hosts Daniel Ince & Michelle Espino. 4.   The roster tinkering is complete, and now the Regina Pats will take a run at a WHL east division championship. Guest: Bill McGuigan (Pats Assistant Coach). 5.   An update on a challenging season for the University of Regina men’s basketball team. Guest: Darius Mole (Cougars Guard). 6.   A preview of “Pride and Glory”, the first High Impact Wrestling show of 2014 in Regina. Guests: King Kash (Wrestler/Promoter) & Mike McSugar (Wrestler). 7.   The Blair Necessities.  Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

Locker Talk Lineup for January 7

It's the first show of the new year! Here's the lineup for this week's episode, airing tonight at 11 p.m. (after WHL hockey) and again Saturday at noon on Access channel 7. Tune in. I dare ya!

Locker Talk Guests for January 7/14
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair

1.   Locker Talk 2013 Regina Athlete of the Year award presentation. Winner/Guest: Asher Hastings (Regina Thunder QB). 2.   Several Regina speedskaters get set to represent their country at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, while their home club launches its outdoor season. Guests: Bill Christ (Regina Speed Skating Club Head Coach) & Mallory Gellner (Coach/skater). 3.   Access 7 Sports Plays of the Month. For December. 4.   Regina is getting set to host the national ringette championships in April. Guests: Denise Treslan & Carla Pieracci (Organizing Committee).  5.   An update on the 2013/14 season for the Regina Rebels female midget AAA hockey club. Guests: Kim Perepeluk (Head Coach) & Andie Wilyman (Rebels Forward). 6.   The Blair Necessities.  Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

Monday Musings

Typing keeps us warm, so blogging is a necessity on a day like today!

• It's been a very cold winter so far in this part of the world, but it has snowed considerably less than last year. So, which scenario is better? Can we vote for a third option?
• For the second straight year, Canada fails to win a medal at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Let the navel-basing and hand-wringing begin!
• I agree with Brent Sutter. Other countries are producing more top-end talent, because they're actually letting kids develop their skills, rather than teaching them systems that stifle their creativity at an early age.
• For instance, look at Canada's defensemen this year. Those kids seemed almost afraid to try to create anything offensively. Is that a talent issue, or coaching?
• The WHL trade deadline is just a few days away. Do the Regina Pats load up, and try to make a run for top spot in a weak east division? Or deal a couple players for some assets for next year?
• When's the last time the Pats were legitimate contenders at this time of year, and we didn't have to wonder what they would do at the trade deadline?
• Once again, the Green Bay Packers fail to contain San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and will watch the rest of the NFL playoffs from home.
• The Packers sport one of the most exciting offenses in pro football, but their defense is poor - especially the front seven.
• So, who do I cheer for now? I'm leaning towards the Seahawks, but can always be convinced otherwise with a well-placed bribe!
• How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions? I haven't been 100% with my commitment to eating better and working out more often, but not bad. There's still hope!
• Better make sure your pvrs are in good working order, because Locker Talk returns to the Access 7 airwaves tomorrow night. We kick things off by announcing the 2013 Locker Talk Regina Athlete of the Year.  
• No, the winner isn't Mitch's man crush Rex Roberts. However, Rex and the rest of his High Impact Wrestling cronies will also return to the Access airwaves in 2014, with the launch of their own weekly pro wrestling show. Should be fun!