Thursday Cheers and Jeers

Wow, a week between posts. That's how guys get the title of "part-time blogger" I suppose. That's okay, sometimes real life gets a little busy. So, without any further ado...

Cheers

• London Knights. My hometown boys have advanced to the Memorial Cup final. I'd love to see them take on Edmonton in the final, but I suspect the opposition will be the defending champion Saint John Sea Dogs.
• L.A. Kings. Carlo Palazzo's favourite team is back in the Stanley Cup final for only the second time in Our Man Carlo's life. Man, I know what that's like. However, unlike the Leafs (I was two years old the last time they played for the Cup), Carlo's Kings have a real shot at winning it all in 2012.
• The Avengers. Wanton violence? Check. Cheesy comedy? Check. Scarlett Johannson in a skin-tight jumpsuit? Check! All in all, a good time at the theatre! 

Jeers

• Phoenix Coyotes. Yes, the Yotes were the victims of some questionable calls in their western conference final loss to L.A. But the parting shots at the refs and the Kings demonstrate why the desert dogs aren't a championship calibre team (yet). 
• A wet and wild spring.  You know what all this rainfall in May means down the road, don't you? Yep, welcome to Mosquitoville, boys and girls!
• What a boring week it's been on the municipal campaign trail! No restraining orders, no zany Twitter follies, no awkward "news" conferences, nothing! C'mon people, the electorate demands to be (unintentionally) entertained, damnit! 

Thursday Cheers and Jeers

I don't know if there's much to complain about this week. I'll have to really scan the memory banks, to see what I can find.

Cheers

• CFL training camps open in two weeks. Let the games begin!
• London Knights. My hometown team will be in tough at the Memorial Cup, but at least they're there!
• Saskatoon. An enjoyable weekend was spent in Saskatchewan's "other" city. Although the traffic situation certainly leaves a lot to be desired!

Jeers

• Fuddruckers. Every Reginan seems to be required to eat there when visiting Saskatoon. Not impressive this time though, as our burgers were dry. Blech!
• Plantar fasciitis. Every time I try to get back into some semblance of shape I end up injuring myself. Getting old sucks!
• "Drive By" by Train and "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction.  It's not possible to go two hours without hearing one - or both - of those songs played on the radio. Damn you, you infectious little ditties!

Locker Talk lineup for May 15

Here's the star-studded lineup for this week's show.  It should air tonight at 9 p.m., Thursday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at noon.  It will also air next week as well, as we're taking a week off. I'm sure some folks wish we'd go away for longer!

Locker Talk Guests for May 15/12
Co-host: Mitchell Blair

1. The Regina Riot look to regroup, after dropping their first game of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League season. Guests: Darren Fisher (Defensive Coordinator) & Shelby Moran (Linebacker).

2. A preview of the 2012 season for the Regina Red Sox, the defending Western Major Baseball League champs. Guest: Rob Cherepuschak (Clubhouse Manager), Tyan and Kael Cherepuschak (young Red Sox fans).

3. A young Regina midget AAA baseball player secures a scholarship to a NCAA school. Guests: Paul Vogelsang (Regina Mets Catcher) & Nathan Costron (Regina Mets Head Coach). 

4. A review of the 2011/12 athletic season at the University of Regina, and a look ahead to next year. Guest: Dick White (U of R Athletic Director).

5. A preview of the 2012 season at the Regina Lawn Bowling Club. Guests: Keith and Jean Roney (RLBC Executive).

6. A preview of the 2012 season at King's Park Speedway. Guests: Jim "Sharky" Braden (Track Announcer) & Noel McEvena (Regina Auto Racing Club). 

7. The Blair Necessities. Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

Monday musings

The work week kicks off...alert me when it's over.

• Mo Lloyd just can't catch a break. First he gets dumped by the Edmonton Eskimos and spends a year out of football. Now, he gets released in his second go-around with the Riders before training camp even begins.
• With the release of Lloyd and Kye Stewart, can we surmise the Riders plan to go with the Canadian duo of Shomari Williams and Mike McCullough at middle linebacker?
• With apologies to local folks who will be supporting the WHL representatives from Edmonton, I'll be cheering hard for my hometown London Knights at the upcoming Memorial Cup tournament. 
• The 2013 Mem Cup will be held in Saskatoon, the same city the offspring and I spent this past weekend in.
• Man, there's a lot of construction and roadwork going on in Toontown! Remind me not to complain about traffic delays in Regina - our northern neighbours have it way worse!
• The Fuddruckers experience was disappointing, as everyone at our table complained of dry tasting burgers. Gotta hate that!
• However, our dining party did agree that a Fuddruckers in east Regina would probably do very, very well.
• The only drawback of a weekend in Saskatoon was missing the cultural phenomenon of High Impact Wrestling at the Victoria Club. Rumour has it that Locker Talk combatants King Kash and Bull Bodnar brought the house down Saturday night.
• Attention HIW head office:  book Chad Novak and Mark Rathwell in a steel cage match. It's what the people want. It's what they deserve.
• This Novak fellow is making the race for the mayor's chair in Regina highly entertaining. The action on Twitter is worth the price of admission alone!
• Getting back to Locker Talk, the summer of 2012 is shaping up to be a memorable one for Carlo Palazzo, star of our monthly Our Man Carlo segment. His L.A. Kings might win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history just a few short weeks before the Italian Stallion gets married. Not bad!

Friday thoughts

Hurry up weekend, hurry hard!

• The J-man and I are headed up to Saskatoon this weekend for a lacrosse tournament. I'm proud to report the boy scored his first ever goal in league action last night. Season one is a success thus far.
• Did you catch the carnage towards the end of this week's edition of Locker Talk on Access 7? Our two guests from High Impact Wrestling got into a physical confrontation at the end of the interview. Intense!
• If you missed it, you can always check it out on Access' On Demand service. Not an Access customer? Then I guess you can't!
• Who do you like in game seven of the NHL playoff series between the Rangers and Capitals?  I can't stand New York coach John Tortorella, so I'll be cheering for the Caps, I suppose.
• Whatever happens, there will be at least one team from a non-traditional hockey market (L.A. or Phoenix) in the Stanley Cup final. Somewhere Gary Bettman is touching himself inappropriately in glee.
• I understand why people are upset about Ron MacLean's ill-advised comments (comparing hockey players to 9/11 first responders) on Hockey Night in Canada this week. 
• I think the idea was well-intentioned, but somewhere between Ron's brain and his mouth things went completely haywire. It happens. Apologize and move on.
• Football players born in 1997 or 1998, or their parents, will want to check this out.  It looks like an exciting opportunity for some young players to showcase their skills.
• Check out this story about the CBC news reader who built a flight simulator in his basement! Now you know one of the big differences between the CBC and private broadcasters. When I worked in private radio, I could barely afford a plane ticket, much less a freakin' flight simulator!
• Do I wish I had a flight simulator in my basement? Well...yeah!
• If I promise to do some cardio at the hotel gym in Saskatoon, can I enjoy some guilt-free Fuddruckers this weekend? Let's find out!