- The long weekend was spent in Saskatoon where we celebrated our little girl's 1st birthday. She turned one on Wednesday, but had the big bash Sunday afternoon with grandparents, aunties, friends, etc.
- My dad stayed at the farm because the weather was right for seeding, but around supper time, he called one of my sisters, and said "he's driving to Alberta tonight." Proving that time is money in farming, he broke a bearing and shaft on the air drill, and the only place that had them in stock at that exact moment was the factory in Vegreville, AB. With Monday being a holiday, the part wouldn't have arrived on a bus until Tuesday, and he has to haul cows that day (today). So, I called him back, asked "where in Alberta?", he said Vegreville, which is about 45 min this side of Edmonton. I knew he'd be going through Saskatoon, so I jumped in. We left Saskatoon a little after 10:00, after a Tim Horton's stop out by Credit Union Centre... and drove straight to Vegreville (the home of the world's largest Ukrainian Easter Egg), arriving there at 3:09am. We arrived back in Saskatoon at about 7:45, and him and my mom went back to the farm from there. He drove all the way there, and back to Lloydminster, and after another Tim Horton's stop, this time for food (and coffee), at about 4:45, I took the wheel the rest of the way from Lloyd. Oh, then it rained... so he couldn't work anyway, thus making the adventure, well, pretty much useless!
- What did YOU do this weekend??
- As of 7:30 this morning, the Commissioner of the East Central District Track & Field meet says there's no firm date to makeup the annual event. The two-day meet was slated for tomorrow and Thursday, the same two days the Saskatchewan Teachers are striking. I've heard from one teacher and one student that the meet will be made up Monday and Tuesday, but that's yet to be confirmed. Provincials are next Fri/Sat in Regina, so they have to fit them in sometime before that.
- The Kootenay Ice, I believe, will have to win 4 straight games in order to win the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The Ice are 0-and-2, and need to beat 2-and-0 Saint John tonight in order to avoid elimination. And if they win, all that would do is get them into a tie-breaker, against either Mississauga or Owen Sound on Thursday. From there it would be off to Friday's Semi, and Sunday's final if they keep winning. Saint John has already locked up top spot and a date in the final, which could have them less intense than the Ice should be, fighting for their lives.
- How 'bout Mississauga coach Dave Cameron? His eyes are as crazy-looking as Guy Boucher's and he leads the league in F-bombs during the Memorial Cup. While I wasn't convinced he had a pulse during the World Juniors when he was also the bench boss for Team Canada.
- No announcement in Winnipeg today. TSN is looking smarter for not jumping the gun, than the Globe & Mail is for being all over it last week. Bob McKenzie's one of my heroes and I won't question him!
- I find it alarming that Doug Lindensmith, a guy who approached 100 points and is AMERICAN... will be playing Division 3 hockey next season. Perhaps Norwich gave him something he couldn't refuse, and maybe he had Div 1 options, or would have had he waited longer into the summer, but this is hard to believe for me. Is USA hockey improving so much that the major NCAA schools "don't need" guys from the CJHL? It seems more and more players are going CIS, ACAC, and NCAA Division III from the SJHL, and Lindensmith might be the best SJHLer from the 2010/11 grad class.
- Players from Yorkton (Dalton Bakke), Melville (John Paradis & Karson Erbach), Canora (Eric Kushnarek) and Wynyard (Josh Doidge) led Team South to a 30-15 win over Team North at the Ed Henick Senior Bowl in Regina on Monday. Chad Holinaty from Sacred Heart was also the Receivers' Coach for Team South.
- A reminder that the Richie Hall Red Cross Golf Classic is Friday at Deer Park. Call 786-1711 to see if any entries remain. Richie's bringing other Rider guests including Weston Dressler and Coach Greg Marshall. And I might have to miss it since we're without daycare on Friday... so I'm likely taking a vacation day and stayin' home.
- All MJHL teams have to announce their 2 local auto-protects by this Friday. I'll let you know who Swan and Wayway's protecting once they announce it. The MJHL Draft is Sat/June/5 in Russell... I'm likely making the trip. Stay tuned.
- And, the WMBL season starts this Saturday already. Yorkton and Melville are both off until next Wednesday, June 1st. The Cardinals are home to Regina, while Melville travels to Moose Jaw.
7 comments:
Ice gotta win tonight, stop all those Easterners bad mouthing the WHL!
RE: Lindensmith Scholarship.
Craig: A good subject to explore further. NCAA Div 1 appears to be shunning the SJHL. Here are some numbers from Chris Heisenberg's Div 1 recruit list for this past season: BCHL 92,
AJHL 29, SJHL 4. A tough question: Is the level of play in the SJHL that far below the BCHL and AJHL?
I think it's wrong that the East Central Track Districts is being re-scheduled. Not many districts have had that opportunity and have just gone and done the paper track meet and used city results to pick a district team for provincials.
Personally I think it's the other districts that are "wrong."
Some people who are organizing the ECDAA meet also feel they shouldn't be re-scheduling... but I think if they cared half as much about the student-athletes as they do about getting a raise they would do everything they can to make sure a Grade 12 gets their last chance to take part in districts... not all of these kids are going to provincials.
My wife and mom are both teachers and I absolutely think they deserve a pay increase, but it shouldn't be at the students' expense.
Regarding scholarships in the SJHL. Its really pretty pathetic that there are only 4 DIV 1 scolys.
I do know there are a few more Div 1 scholys on the table for some SJHL players, they are not solidified yet.
There are many players in the SJHL that are capable if not better than some of the others awarded. Its not that they cant compete or are not capable.
The BCHL, AJHL and the OPJHL leagues have education advisors and each team has a specially assigned education advisor helping these players with school work, SATs, tests and promoting their young players.
The problem is the SJHL as a league has to get their act together and do something about it. These teams need to spend the money and get someone in to assist these players. The SJHL aren't helping themselves.
Go yorkton Cardinals. All support is appreciated, maybe Craig Stein would like to do a little baseball coverage this season?
Pretty sure I cover it every year but thanks for the advice.
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