Monthly Archives: September 2009

The Phoney Coyotes Have Lost $389 Million Since 2004

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

I love to say I told you so. It’s fun.

People used to look at me funny when I suggested that the Phoenix Coyotes had lost far more than $500 million since the Winnipeg Jets were moved to the desert in 1996.

They won’t look at me funny anymore.

Yesterday, when Phoenix bankruptcy Judge Redfield T. Baum rejected both bids to purchase the Coyotes — although the NHL will be allowed to amend its bid and try again — he also opened up the books to the public. Here are the numbers:

The Phoenix Coyotes Hockey Club lost the following amounts of money:

2004 — $75 million

2005 — $50 million

2006 — $75 million

2007 — $117 million

2008 — $72 million

That’s $389 million in five seasons. $389 million!!!!!!!

Baum said: “Financial statements raise substantial doubt as to the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

Well, no shit Sherlock.

The Phoenix Coyotes are a disaster. And it’s very likely the Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are closing in on disaster territory, as well.

The imagination runs wild thinking of how much money that Phoenix franchise will lose this year. And ol’ Judge Redfield T. Baum, on the eve of the 2009-2010 NHL season, thinks it will be a good idea if that dreadful hockey club stays right there  in Glendale, Ariz., for the next seven months.

The people who run the NHL, who had their “membership selection right and control over home team location rights” protected by a bankruptcy judge who has decided to drive a joke of a franchise deeper into the financial abyss, should be counting their lucky stars tonight. Anybody else who looked at those numbers would have yelled “Shut that thing down, right now!”

No wonder the U.S. in a recession/depression. This is a wonderful example of how money is frittered away in the United States. There wasn’t one person in this entire exercise who demonstrated any fiduciary ability whatsover. I wonder how many people have been stiffed by this “business?”

Sadly, throughout this entire procedure, there has not been one single person who has provided even the slightest hint that he could run a one-car funeral. I fear for the future of capitalism.

This week’s question: How much money WILL the Phoenix Coyotes lose this year? The over-under line is at $200 million.

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Thoughts And News From a Crazy Sports Weekend

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

From Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson battling it out in Atlanta to Brett Favre’s brilliant comeback at the Dome to Jimmie Johnson’s win at the Monster Mile to the Bombers home victory on Saturday night to the Lions first win in 19 games, it was a wild and woolly weekend.

It’s Tuesday morning. Monday Night Football was a dog and our 92-CITI-FM radio show was highlighted by the announcement that we are “An Official Station of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Radio Network.” So  here’s what’s left in my head…

1) Favre was magnificent on Sunday afternoon, hitting Greg Lewis with a 32-yard touchdown pass — a 32-yard bullet, by the way — with two seconds left to beat a very good San Francisco 49ers team.

Yesterday, wherever I stopped in Winnipeg, people were jumping up and down with enthusiasm over Favre’s final drive. Many were happy that they were going to next week’s Monday Nighter between the Vikes and Packers at the Metrodome.

It was a truly great moment in football history, a 39-year-old veteran who has retired twice, once again doing what he’s always done throughout his marvelous career — bringing a team back in the final seconds. On Sunday, Favre earbned his paycheque and Vikings head coach Brad Childress earned the respect he might have lost by encouraging Favre to come out of retirement — after training camp had ended — to play another year (or two).

If you get a chance, go to http://www.kfan.com/pages/psn_paulallen.html and listen to Vikings play-by-play star, Paul Allen’s call. It was almost as exciting as the fact Favre threw the pass about 40 yards on a line.

2) Jimmie Johnson, the three-time defending Sprint Cup champion, won the AAA 400 at the Monster Mile at Dover on Sunday, but once again 50-year-old Mark Martin was second and, as a result, Martin remains 10 points ahead of Johnson in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

It was Johnson’s fourth win at Dover, his second at Dover this year, and he’s now just eight consistent races away from a fourth straight Sprint Cup title.

I love Mark Martin, but if Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knauss keep it together, Johnson should take home the Cup once again. And what an incredible feat that would be.

3) My beloved Detroit Lions won on Sunday, 19-14 over Jim Zorn’s (he’s a former Bomber, you know) confounding Washington Redskins.

It’s funny, but all six people in my NFL pool picked the Lions to win (it was one of my few victories this week) and that suggested that nobody, not anybody, thinks the Redskins are a threat.

The Lions won’t likely win more than two or three games this season, but right now there are six winless teams (and the Redskins aren’t one of them) after three weeks — St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Kansas City, Tennessee and Cleveland. And three of them — St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Cleveland — don’t look like they’ll win a game. In fact, if you look at every schedule, there is a reason to think all three could go 0-16.

4) Despite his win on Saturday night, Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike Kelly is still despised by plenty of Bomber fans. I know, I get the e-mails.

However, to be fair, Kelly could be Bart Andrus, a guy who has lost the Toronto Argonauts’ locker room and who has turned the Argos into a 3-9 last-place team. No matter how bad you might think Kelly is – and I’m not so sure he is that bad – it could always be worse.

Yesterday, another veteran has been sent packing by Andrus as the Argos traded cornerback Byron Parker — who has more interceptions for touchdowns in his CFL career than the entire Argos defensive backfield has interceptions — to the Edmonton Eskimos for a fourth-round pick in next year’s Canadian draft. Nice deal.

There is a chance Parker, who was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles to make room for Michael Vick, could suit up for the Eskimos when they play 4-8 Winnipeg at Canad Inns Stadium on Friday night.

If he plays, Parker could be a difference maker in that game so I guess if the Argos can’t beat Winnipeg on the field, they can make someone else better and hope that team beats Winnipeg.

5) Finally, I was able to announce on 92-CITI-FM this morning that our radio station is now “An Official Station of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Radio Network.”

That’s tremendous news, but it also means that 92-CITI will carry Canada’s games, plus the medal round of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament.

Here’s the schedule and every game is on 92-CITI-FM in Winnipeg:

Tuesday, Feb. 16: 7 p.m., Canada vs. Norway

Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Canada vs. Switzerland

Sunday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m., Canada vs. USA

Tuesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Qualification Game (Canada is not likely to play in this game).

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m., Quarter-final game.

Friday, Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m., Semi-final No. 1

Friday, Feb. 26, 9 p.m., Semi-final No. 2 (Canada would likely play in this game if Team Canada qualifies).

Saturday, Feb. 27, 9:30 p.m., Bronze medal game.

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2:30 p.m., Gold medal game.

There is nothing better than Olympic hockey. And there is really nothing better than having Olympic hockey on 92-CITI-FM.

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Bombers Win. Was it Good or Bad for the Future?

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

When it comes to right now and the immediate future of my friends, Mike Kelly and Brett McNeil, Saturday night’s 29-24 win over the Toronto Argonauts was a blessing.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers needed a victory, no matter how chippy or nail-biting, and thanks to the obvious fact that they finally played a game without seven or eight turnovers, the Bombers built a 29-9 lead and held on to beat the sad-sack Argos by five.

For now, that’s a big victory. Winnipeg “improved” to 4-8 with the win and as a result, Winnipeg is just two points back of B.C., in the race for the final playoff spot in the East. Yep, that’s “the East.” If the playoffs started today, with the CFL’s crossover playoff system, 5-7 B.C.  would finish third in the East and go to Hamilton for the Eastern semifinal.

However, there are still six games to play this season and the Bombers have four of them at home. Winnipeg is clearly a better football team at Canad Inns Stadium than they are away from it, so there is no reason to believe that the Bombers can’t catch B.C. and sneak into the playoffs.

Winnipeg plays host to an inconsistent Edmonton team this coming Friday night, goes to Hamilton on Oct. 12, plays host to B.C. on Oct. 18, plays host to Montreal on Oct. 24, goes to Montreal on Oct. 31 and plays host to Hamilton on Nov. 8. There is a chance this team could be 8-10 before it’s over and with that, they could play host to the Eastern semifinal.

There was another good reason for a win on Saturday: With a record of 4-8, Mike Kelly has now won as many games as Jeff Reinebold did in his first year as head coach — 1997. That means, with one more victory, the media can no longer call Kelly “Jeff Reinebold-like.” Go Bombers Go!

However, on the downside, the Bombers are back in the playoff hunt. That means Winnipeg will have to go with the veteran Michael Bishop for the remainder of the season. There will be very little opportunity to play Casey Bramlet or Ricky Santos, the alleged “quarterbacks of the future.”

Because of that, one senses this team won’t improve dramatically next year. And this team still needs to improve dramatically next year if Mike Kelly is going to be around a for long time, not just for a good time.

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Week 3 NFL Picks: Biggest Matchup in Minnesota, Who Knew?

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

When the National Football League schedule makers came up with this year’s slate of games, it’s unlikely any of them thought Week 3′s biggest matchup would be the undefeated San Francisco 49ers at the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

But there is very little doubt that the Vikings home opener against Mike Singletary’s rebuilt ‘Niners is the game of the week.

San Francisco opened with a 20-16 road victory over the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals and then beat division-rival Seattle 23-10 at home in Week 2. In the win over Seattle, runningback Frank Gore rushed for 207 yards on only 16 carries, pulling an Adrian Peterson a week before he faces off against Adrian Peterson.

Forget the oddsmkers, this will be an outstanding football game. The ‘Niners, under Singletary’s leadership, have come back from, the depths to be a legitimate contender in the NFC West. The Vikings, with Brett Favre at quarterback, could be the best team in the NFC. Even though Minnesota is a 7 1/2-point favourite, one gets the sense this game will be much closer.

After two weeks, the Coach is 20-12 while Dr. Sports is 19-13. However, to respond to a request that we received this week, we’ll make our picks simpler. No more point selections, it will simply read as “cover” or “not cover.”

You’re welcome.

Let’s take a close look at Week 3:

1. Cleveland Browns 0-2 at Baltimore Ravens 2-0 (-13.5)

The Browns can’t score (my goodness, Brady Quinn has been awful) while the Ravens can. This will be ugly.

Dr. Sports: Ravens to win and cover

The Coach: Ravens to win and cover

2. Pittsburgh Steelers 1-1 at Cincinnati Bengals 1-1 (+4.5)

For Dr. Sports, this is the upset of the week. Without Troy Polamalu, the Steelers will have trouble stopping the run and play-action. Carson Palmer is getting healthy and the Steelers still have a weak run game.

Dr. Sports: Bengals to win.

The Coach: Steelers to win but not cover.

3. Washington Redskins 1-1 at Detroit Lions 0-2 (+6.5)

For Dr. Sports, the Lions will be successful at only one thing: Setting the NFL record for consecutive losses at 20. The Coach sees it differently. This is Matthew Stafford’s coming-out party and the Coach’s upset of the week.

Dr. Sports: Redskins to win and cover

The Coach: Lions to win.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars 0-2 at Houston Texans 1-1 (-3.5)

Someone asked this week, “Which team was the worst in Florida.” Amazingly, all three of them are 0-2. The Coach thinks Jacksonville is the worst while Dr. Sports doesn’t believe they Jags can block anybody.

Dr. Sports: Texans to win and cover.

The Coach: Texans to win and cover.

5. San Francisco 49ers 2-0 at Minnesota Vikings 2-0 (-7.5)

Even though both teams are 2-0, the Vikings have had an easy go against Cleveland and Detroit. However, they did win both on the road. This will be a terrific football game.

Dr. Sports: Vikings win but not cover.

The Coach: Vikings win but not cover.

6. Atlanta Falcons 2-0 at New England Patriots 1-1 (-3.5)

Look for a high-scoring, passes-in-the-air, bombs-away football game. Randy Moss will be in hog heaven here.

Dr. Sports: Patriots to win but not cover.

The Coach: Falcons to win.

7. Kansas City Chiefs 0-2 at Philadelphia Eagles 1-1 (-9.5)

Beyonce or even Taylor Swift or even Kanye West could play quarterback for the Eagles and they’d still beat Kansas City.

Dr. Sports: Eagles to win and cover.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

8. Green Bay Packers 1-1 at St. Louis Rams 0-2 (+6.5)

Let’s hope the Packers are angry after losing at home to Cincinnati last week.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win and cover.

The Coach: Packers to win but not cover.

9. New York Giants 2-0 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-2 (+6.5)

We agree: The Bucs are better than 0-2, they just aren’t good enough to beat the Giants.

Dr. Sports: Giants to win but not cover

The Coach: Giants to win and cover.

10. New Orleans Saints 2-0 at Buffalo Bills 1-1 (+5.5)

Dr. Sports likes the Bills at home since the Saints have been on the road for two straight weeks, but the Coach thinks Drew Brees will throw for 400 yards and four TDs.

Dr. Sports: Bills to win.

The Coach: Saints to win and cover.

11. Chicago Bears 1-1 at Seattle Seahawks 1-1 (+1.5)

The Seahawks will be without Matt Hasselbeck (broke rib) but we both believe Seneca Wallace can get the job done. This is a close one and we like home teams in close ones.

Dr. Sports: Seahawks to win.

The Coach: Seahawks to win.

12. Tennessee Titans 0-2 at New York Jets 2-0 (-2.5)

The Titans don’t want to fall to 0-3, which makes this an extremely important game for Tennessee. However, Mark Sanchez looks like the real deal and the Jets have to be feeling pretty good about last week’s win over New England.

Dr. Sports: Jets to win and cover.

The Coach: Jets to win and cover.

13. Denver Broncos 2-0 at Oakland Raiders 1-1 (-1.5)

Even though the Broncos are 2-0, they aren’t that good. Even the bookies have the Raiders to win. That has to tell you something.

Dr. Sports: Oakland to win and cover.

The Coach: Oakland to win and cover.

14. Miami Dolphins 0-2 at San Diego Chargers 1-1 (-5.5)

The Dolphins are on a short week and they’re playing three time zones west. This will be a blowout.

Dr. Sports: Chargers to win and cover.

The Coach: Chargers to win and cover.

15. Indianapolis Colts 2-0 at Arizona Cardinals  1-1 (-2.5)

Kurt Warner vs. Peyton Manning on Sunday night. Does it get any better than that?

Dr. Sports: Arizona to win and cover.

The Coach: Arizona to win and cover.

16. Carolina Panthers 0-2 at Dallas Cowboys 1-1 (-9.5)

The Panthers will be 0-3 on Tuesday morning. One must worry about Jake Delhomme’s health.

Dr. Sports: Cowboys to win but not cover.

The Coach: Cowboys to win and cover.

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Things Banging Around in My Head

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

When you spend every waking moment reading about, writing about or thinking about sports, one of two things will happen: Your brain will turn to tapioca or you’ll start a blog to get this crap out of your head.

Right now, I have a headache. Let’s see if I can drain the swamp.

1) For head coach Mike Kelly’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, there might not be a more important football game played this season than Saturday night’s Bombers-Argos battle at Canad Inns Stadium. If the Bombers win and go to 4-8, they’re right back in the playoff hunt (that’s what happens in a league where six of eight teams make the playoffs). However, if they lose and fall to 3-9, it will be time to think about next year.

Lose, and the Bombers can go right ahead and release Michael Bishop, save some money and let the kids, Casey Bramlet and Ricky Santos share the quarterbacking duties for the rest of the season.

2) “The Minister of Defence,” Barrin Simpson, is no longer a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The star middle linebacker, who was, for awhile, on the CFL’s nine-game disabled list, has been told by head coach Mike Kelly not to return to the locker room, to meetings or to hang out at practice.

To make matters more difficult for the Minister’s future in Winnipeg, the CFL’s board of governors ruled yesterday in favour of Simpson’s grievance, a grievance that was filed last week. The board said Simpson would be placed on the one-game injured list, not the nine-game list. The Bombers wanted him on the nine-game list so his contract wouldn’t count against the cap.

Now that he’s already come off that list, if he can’t be traded quickly he will likely have to be released.

And the Bombers will get nothing in return for a very good football player.

3) This my good friend and 92-CITI-FM producer, Scott O’Neil: “Mark my words, you will be doing a CFL Report (7:15 a.m., every Monday through Friday, on 92-CITI-Fm brought to you by MAACO) on how Casey Printers led the B.C. Lions into the playoffs and how Barrin Simpson led some other team into the playoffs.”

I agreed.

4) Jim Balsillie, the man who wants to buy the Phoenix Coyotes for $242.5 million and move them to Hamilton, told the bankruptcy court in Phoenix on Wednesday, that he would agree to keep the team in Phoenix this year.

Which mans that Balsillie has another $50 million (the likely number for this year’s losses) to throw away on that dog of a franchise.

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Bombers Now Officially in Disarray

Posted on September 20, 2009 by Scott Taylor| 1 Comment

It’s official, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in disarray. The only thing this team has going for it is the fact the 3-8 Toronto Argos — another team that is, officially, in disarray — are coming to town this Saturday night.

In the meantime, it was a wild and crazy day in Montreal yesterday, a day that ended with head coach Mike Kelly losing his temper and trading frustrated wide receiver Romby Bryant to the Calgary Stampeders.

First, the Bombers fell to 3-8 on the season, drilled 33-14 by the Alouettes at Molson Stadium yesterday. Avon Cobourne scored two touchdowns and Damon Duval kicked five field goals as the Alouettes took advantage of four Bomber turnovers — three interceptions and a fumble. The Bombers scored fewer than 15 points in a game for the seventh time this season and have now tossed up 10 interceptions in three weeks.

Then, after dropping an important pass and picking up a dumb penalty, the Bombers traded WR Romby Bryant along with popular by oft-injured SB Arjei Franklin to the Calgary Stampeders for receivers Jabari Arthur and Titus Ryan, defensive lineman Odell Willis and a couple of 2010 draft picks. On the upside, program sales should rise at Canad Inns Stadium.

The Bombers’ problem, of course, isn’t Romby Bryant. It’s a failure to find a quarterback to replace Kevin Glenn.

On Sunday afternoon, we had a chance to see Winnipeg’s new “Casey the Quarterback.” Sadly, it was Casey Bramlet not Casey Printers. Casey the Quarterback went one-for-eight with two interceptions. Hmmmm, wrong Casey, I’d say.

But, hey, go ahead and trade away Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin. Two new receivers won’t make much difference if there is no one who can get them the football.

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No Wonder Newspapers Are Dying

Posted on September 19, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

MINNEAPOLIS — Friday night, we spent a terrific night at the Metrodome in Minneapolis watching the Minnesota Twins turn the American League Central Division race into a real race.

The Twins got a tremendous pitching performance from Brian Duensing, a two-run bomb from Michael Cuddyer and held on in the ninth to shut out the Detroit Tigers 3-0. Great game, great night at the ballpark. And it was nice to have a brief chat with my old friends Larry Fitzgerald Sr. and Chuck Olsen in the press box.

But then, what happens in the cold light of dawn? The Twin Cities Star-Tribune newspaper arrives at my door (it was part of my hotel stay, I can assure you I wouldn’t pay for it) and I read the column by Jim Souhan.

Nice premise: “On their feet, fans grasp the worth of important baseball.” Souhan defended the American League Central Division, the Division that every baseball fan will agree is the weakest of them all, but he did it with a moronic, backhanded shot at the Division that showed his incredible ignorance. The ignorance only possessed by an unthinking mainstream media newspaper columnist in these days of the dying daily newspaper.

Souhan wrote: “Baseball needs a place to hide its weaker teams and the Northern League is full.”

Whether Souhan failed to have the proper size of cojones to rip the American Association where the Twin Cities’ own St. Paul Saints play or he was just rushing at deadline, is not for me to decide. But the truth is this. The Northern League is NOT full and it would gladly accept the American League Central Division’s Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals.

Check the roster in Cleveland. This year’s September call-up edition of the Cleveland Indians is not as good as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. And frankly, that lousy Class A team is being passed off as a Major League ball club. That’s nothing short of fraud.

But what the hell? Just as columnists make up phony plans for football stadiums (there is NO Plan B if David Asper fails) and others create hockey trades out of the ether, we’ve grown to accept pure, unadulterated mendacity in the mainstream media. I keep kicking myself every day, saying: “Why do I bother to read that stuff?”

No wonder newspapers are dying.

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Week 2 in the NFL: Perhaps the Closest Week of the 2009 Season

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

If you’re a Sport Select player, this is the week for you. Fact is, if you look closely at this week’s Pro Line Game List you’ll see eight games that could easily end in a Sport Select tie (no more than three points either way).

There are some tremendous (and tremendously bad) games in this week’s slate. For every Pittsburgh at Chicago or New Orleans at Philadelphia, there is also a Minnesota at Detroit or St. Louis at Washington.

This week, we find Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher out for the season with a broken wrist, Donovan McNabb likely playing with a broken rib, Jeff Garcia on the Philly bench and Mark Sanchez coming back for a second shot at victory.

It will be a fun week and as we did in Week 1, Doctor Sports from Hot103 in Winnipeg and yours truly, from 92-CITI-FM, will battle once again, right here at www.rivercitysportsblog.com for NFL bettor supremacy.

1. Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-6.5)

Jake Delhomme had a meltdown and the Panthers were a disaster. Delhomme MUST stay away from the turnovers or Carolina is dead.

Dr. Sports: Falcons to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Falcons by 7.

2. Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (+9.5)

The Lions looked terrible in their opening day loss to the Saints, but as terrible as they were, they looked better than they would have last year. Matthew Stafford is a keeper. The Vikings play their second game in a row on the road, but shouldn’t be challenged.

3. Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers (-8.5)

We’re not betting against the Pack at home until further notice.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win, but the Bengals will cover.

Scott Taylor: Packers by 10.

4. Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5)

Jaguars do not have a pass rush so look for Kurt Warner to light them up. Cardinals to win and cover.

Dr. Sports: Cardinals to win.

Scott Taylor: Jaguars by 3.

5. Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5)

Hey, do you smell something funny?

Dr. Sports: Chiefs to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Chiefs by 3.

6. New England Patriots at New York Jets (+5.5)

Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez will get a reality check. Tom Brady has the rust off.

Dr. Sports: Pats to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Patriots by 3

7. New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5)

McNabb out. Kolb starts. Brees threw 6 touchdown passes last week. Welcome to Philadelphia, Jeff Garcia. Wear a helmet on the sidelines.

Dr. Sports: Saints to win.

Scott Taylor: Eagles by 3.

8. Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (-6.5)

Both teams played tough opening week but the Titans hold the advantage being better rested.

Dr. Sports: Titans to win, but Texans against the spread.

Scott Taylor: Titans by 7.

9. St. Louis Rams at Washington Redskins (-9.5)

The Rams didn’t score last week and are now playing back-to-back road games on opposite coasts. Good freakin’ luck.

Dr. Sports: Redskins to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Redskins by 10.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills (-4.5)

Bills didn’t lose to the Pats last week; they beat themselves. Look for Terrell Owens to have a big day.

Dr. Sports: Bills to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Bills by 10.

11. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (-1.5)

This will be a close one. Dr. Sports says, “The 49ers are up and coming but not yet.” The Coach says, “Coach Singletary has the Niners ready to win the West.”

Dr. Sports: Seahawks to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Niners by 3.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears (+2.5)

Jay Cutler possibly can’t play that bad at his new home can he? I’m not a believer.

Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Bears by 3.

13. Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos (-2.5)

You want to hook your wagon to Brady Quinn or Kyle Orton? Sorry,  there is no third choice.

Dr. Sports: Denver is at home so take them to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Denver by 3.

14. Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers (-3.5)

This is one of the better games of Week 2. The difference in this one will be the San Diego passing game.

Dr. Sports: Take the Chargers to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Baltimore by 3.

15. N.Y. Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-2.5)

This is the opening week of the new stadium in Dallas, so Jones’ Joint will be jumping. And the over-under on punts hitting the new giant TV screen is three.

Dr. Sports: Take the Cowboys to win and cover.

Scott Taylor: Cowboys by 7.

16. Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins (+2.5)

Both teams played below their potential last week but the Colts, even with injuries and without Marvin Harrison and Tony Dungy, are better than the Dolphins at home.

Dr. Sports: Colts by 1.

Scott Taylor: Dolphins by 3.

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Quote of the Year

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike Kelly has been beaten up pretty badly in recent days. Of course, when you’re 3-7 and you’re rebuilding a franchise and you don’t spend a lot of your spare time genuflecting at the shrine of the humourless and ridiculously judgmental mainstream media, you can be quite easily beaten up.

So on Wednesday morning, during an interview with Tom, Joe and The Coach on 92-CITI-FM, Kelly responded to a question about the 17-year-old who had started the “Fire Mike Kelly” Facebook site.

“Facebook?” Kelly asked, “I thought that was a website for 14-year-old girls. I spend way too much time around football, I guess. Geez, I’m going to get in trouble again for saying that, aren’t I?”

Not here.

Thank you Mike. Quote of the Year.

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Some Blue Bomber Thoughts. On a Perfect Tuesday in September

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

The NFL is back and at this stage, I like New England and Minnesota in the Super Bowl. That, of course, is subject to change.

The NHL is back and right now, I like Calgary and Washington in the Stanley Cup final. That is also subject to change.

The CFL, meanwhile, is heading into Week 12. There are eight games remaining and things start to get serious now. If I were a betting man today, I’d bet Calgary and Montreal meet in the Grey Cup, but who knows? That could change, too. This year, the CFL is as close as it’s ever been, at least among the league’s top four teams: Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton and Saskatchewan. Meanwhile, Hamilton isn’t bad and B.C. should be better.

Toronto and Winnipeg, however, are extremely lousy, but if B.C. doesn’t improve, one of these two dogs could reach the playoffs.

1) Yep, that’s the craziest part about Winnipeg’s last two defeats – 29-14 in Saskatchewan and 55-10 by Saskatchewan in Winnipeg. As badly as Winnipeg has been beaten and as horribly as they’ve played, the Bombers are still in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Granted, when six teams out of eight make the playoffs, it’s harder to miss the post-season than to make it. But that’s a good thing if you’re the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Right now the 3-7 Bombers are only two points out of the playoffs, tied with Toronto at 3-7 and in view of crossover B.C. at 4-6.

Meanwhile, after this coming Sunday’s game in Montreal, the Bombers have a very easy schedule with more home games than road games. Playoffs here we come????

2) Mike Kelly continues to deny that Casey Printers is ever, ever, ever coming to Winnipeg, but what happens when Montreal clobbers the Bombers this week and again, it’s the quarterback position that kills the local side?

Kelly doesn’t like Printers, it’s personal and that’s fine, but the coach does have a quarterback problem and he’s running out of options. Jeff Garcia signed with Philly on Monday so he’s not returning to Canada any time soon.

And don’t tell me Casey Bramlet is the answer. Please don’t tell me that.

3) In the midst of a football world full of craziness, you have to give the Toronto Argos some credit. At least, they’re trying to get better.

Yesterday, the scorchingly fast Dominique Dorsey returned to the Argos. Dorsey, who was a CFL special teams all-star last season and a guy who led the league in combined yards despite missing five games due to injury, was just recently cut loose by the NFL’s Washington Redskins. No other NFL team came calling, so Dorsey re-signed with the Boatmen, the team with which he played for the past two seasons.

The Argos return game, just like the Bombers return game, has been less than satisfactory this year and Dorsey will immediately make the Argos better. He’ll also play some running back and catch the football from the H-back position. Evidently, the Argos don’t want to fall to 3-8 if they don’t have to.

Toronto plays in B.C. this week while Winnipeg plays in Montreal.

Wonder what the Bombers will be thinking about on Monday? Casey Printers? Pacman Jones? Kevin Glenn? All interesting thoughts.

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