BEYONCE DOES THE SUPER BOWL

AND IN THE END, THE RAVENS PUT A RING ON IT!

GOOD ADVICE FOR EVERYONE, EVERYDAY!

OBVIOUS RETREAT FOR SERIAL CHEAT

Nobody on this Earth is perfect. That's what makes us human.
Lance Armstrong beat cancer, beat the odds, inspired people to be the best they could be. Along the way on his road to stardom, he ditched those who stood by him in his darkest days (like his wife) and became a different dude.
He called people scumbags, liars, jerks, you name it, for questioning his and his sport's widely rumoured drug use. Science and his closest friends eventually contradicted everything that came out of his mouth.
Armstrong called for people's jobs. He mocked them, he sued them, he bullied them. He questioned their manhood, their motives, their integrity, perhaps not understanding how ironic that would become.
So, while he might tell Oprah he's sorry, and apologize to the loyal souls at Livestrong who do awesome work for a great cause that he was a sham on wheels, he did it because he got caught, not because he is a good man.
Had Lance admitted his cheating when all the facts removed the doubt, people might have forgiven him. But his decade of denials, his contempt, his behaviour, his in-your-face meanness will permanently make him a class ass.
* * *
While the following quote is about relationships, it can also be used for Lance when it comes to lying, excuses and shallow apologies:
“Earthquakes just happen. Tornadoes just happen. Your tongue does not just happen to fall into some other girl's mouth!” 
― Gemma Halliday, Deadly Cool

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

HAPPY MONDAY AND STAY HAPPY

. . . January is almost halfway done!

HOCKEY AND LIFE RETURNING TO "NORMAL!"

WILD-CARD WEEKEND IN NFL

Four games, four cities, four states, eight teams, two days: Welcome to Wild-Card Weekend in the National Football League.
On Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals are in Houston to play the Texans at 1:30 p.m., while the Minnesota Vikings travel to Green Bay for a 5 p.m. date with the Packers.
On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts play the Ravens at 10 a.m. in Baltimore, while the Seattle Seahawks   face the Redskins in Washington at 1:30 p.m.
So, who will prevail? Glad you asked.

Bengals at Texans

A lot of NFL experts like the surging Bengals to beat the fading Texans by at least three points.
Not being an expert, I like the fact Houston is playing at home, in a meaningful game, with awesome fans and a healthy lineup.
Yes, the Texans have lost three of their last four, while the Bengals have won six of their past eight. Methinks the Texans took their foot off the gas once they knew they had secured a playoff date, and will put pedal to the metal and win by at least seven.

Vikings at Packers

Last week the Adrian Peterson-led Vikings beat the Packers in Minnesota to qualify for the playoffs.
This weekend the action switches to Mr. Aaron Rodger's Neighbourhood in Green Bay and that will make all the difference in deciding this game.
Pick the Packers to prevail by at least seven points.
Funny story about Packers' receiver Greg Jennings:  Guess his sister was not impressed with Rodgers' play last week and trashed him on Twitter, proving pushing "send" requires less effort than trying to save face after!
See link at
TRASH-TALKING SISTER

Colts at Ravens

Ray Lewis announced this week that his Hall of Fame career will end when his Ravens are finished with playoffs. The menacing defender has his mind on a Super Bowl exit, not a loss to the Colts this weekend.
Quarterback Joe Flacco of the Ravens doesn't get much respect, but his experience should provide enough to get past rookie QB Andrew Luck and his Colts by at least three points.

Seahawks at Redskins

Vancouver's adopted Seahawks take their confidence and swagger to Washington to face RG3 and the Redskins in what promises to be THE GAME of the weekend.
Both teams have star rookie quarterbacks, great running games and exciting game-changers, but the Seahawks have the defence to get the job done.
A lot of the experts figure the 'Hawks can't win on the road and don't count the blowout against Buffalo in Toronto as enough proof to change that theory. So they pick the Redskins to win by at least three.
I will pick the Seahawks to win by at least seven as Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch will prove to be the difference on Sunday. Order the Skittles for Round 2, baby!

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY . . . 2013!

Thanks for reading our sporty blog in 2012.
My brother Ward and I have humongous plans for the new year to make this little ole' address on the Internet fun and worth visiting (even though giving away money was the No. 1 idea suggested by family and accidental readers forced to view this in 2012).
We asked if you wanted more cheerleaders and Ward's friends said "damn rights." We asked if you wanted more Edmonton Oilers stories and photos and Ward's friend(s) said "damn rights" (between beers). In fact, all of the in-depth answers from Ward's friend(s) were "damn rights."
This fun blog continues to be a work in progress, and while we have no things to die on the hill for like Gary Bettman, pint-sized boss of the No Hockey League, we will stoop to just about anything to get your undivided attention, even if it means stretching the truth and distorting the facts so we can get more members/awareness like the NRA or a provincial election campaign.
Hope you have an awesome 2013. Hope whatever resolution you make or whatever dream you have becomes reality.
And we hope that in 2013 you give us a click, if only to know that I won't give in to Ward's repeated requests for more cheerleader shots. Do you think it's that easy, bro?
Happy 2013!

SOMETIMES IT'S THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY!

AGENTS OF CHANGE MAKE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENCE

Agents of change make best Christmas presence

Real sports ‘heroes’ help Newtown cope with tragedy, while emotional

coaches call for everyone to act, not just talk about violence

This article appeared in today's Vancouver Sun sports section:

By Gord Kurenoff

Vancouver Sun

Twas the day before Christmas, when all through The Sun house, not a creature was stirring, except for me and my Mac mouse — and I got to thinking ...

As thinning sports departments across this wonderful nation strain brains trying to produce relevant and-or titillating stories which will hold the interests of a growing audience that prefers its “deep thoughts” in 140 characters or less, plenty gets overlooked or purposely omitted.

Competing for attention in a 24/7 media-fuelled world where people become famous for no reason — hello Paris Hilton, Kardashian sisters, cast members of Jersey Shore — or for all the wrong reasons — hello O.J., Charlie Sheen, NRA presidents, Elmo — sports scribes scramble to enlighten and educate, some without resorting to shock and awe, some less self-absorbed than others.

These wordsmiths find such stories and controversies in a wide world of sports densely populated by polarizing figures such as Tiger Woods, Graham James, Lance Armstrong, Gary Bettman, Ben Roethlisberger, John Tortorella and Barry Bonds.

Sports journos can ignite debate with complex offerings about post-concussion syndrome, doping, dog fighting, racism and violence. They can raise room temperatures sharing jerk du jour tales of people sending “junk” mail (hello Brett Favre) or insensitive tweets (hello Nik Lewis, Khalif Mitchell), or of brain-dead “fans” who email death threats to NFL quarterbacks for such atrocities as ruining their weekly pool.

We also read, sadly and repeatedly, about sports super heroes whose Kryptonite happens to be booze, drugs, infidelity, weapons, gambling, domestic violence, egotism or stupidity.

On one page we feature doctors and respected sports leaders calling for an end to violence, be it on the football field, lacrosse box or hockey rink, while on the facing page highlight the rising MMA star who insists tapping out while having your face and ears permanently disfigured is unmanly. It is an interesting time.

Much like the divisive topics of abortion, gun control, gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana that fills many news sections, the sports sandbox has its contentious subjects and personalities who ensure common ground will forever remain an oxymoron.

But every so often there are inspiring sports personalities who emerge to remind us kindness trumps all, even in the face of evil and unfathomable tragedy.

Such was the case last week where New York Giants’ receiver Victor Cruz — without prompting or PR handlers in-tow — paid a visit to Jack Pinto’s grieving family in Newtown, one day after they buried the six-year-old who was among the victims of the most deadly elementary school shooting in American history.

The Grade 1 Connecticut student, wounded beyond recognition, was laid to rest in a small Victor Cruz jersey. His dream, his crushed parents revealed, was to one day see the Pro Bowl receiver in action.

“There are no words that can describe the type of feeling you get when a kid idolizes you so much that they want to, unfortunately, put him in casket with your jersey on,” said Cruz, who spent almost an hour meeting with Jack’s grieving parents last Tuesday.

Coming off Superstorm Sandy’s devastation to his neighbourhood and the need to prepare for his NFL game with playoff implications on the line, Cruz had every acceptable excuse to pass on this gut-wrenching appearance, but elected to man up and make a meaningful difference.

Then there’s Derek Jeter, the all-class shortstop for the New York Yankees who has been the model athlete for doing the right thing since putting on the Bronx Bombers’ pinstripes.

When he heard that Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto — shot to death while protecting her horrified Grade 1 students — was a devoted Yankees’ fan, he called the victim’s mother, Donna Soto, a few hours before the funeral service.

James Wiltsie, a cousin of the 27-year-old teacher, said her love for the Yankees was part of the emotional eulogy and that nobody asked Jeter to call, he just reached out to offer his personal condolences.

“It was the only time I saw Donna smile. That call meant the world to a mother whose world had just completely crumbled ... it brings some comfort to know that people like Derek Jeter recognize Vicki as a hero. ... it brings more comfort to know that people like Derek Jeter exist.”

Then there’s Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans, who one day after writing the names of every Sandy Hook victim on his cleats for a nationally televised Monday night game, called Jack McDonnell, the older brother of seven-year-old Grace by request of the grieving family.

“I lost my grandmother earlier in the year and just knowing how that feels. I just kind of wanted to do something to at least try to lift his spirits,” said Johnson, fighting back tears. “That was tougher than playing football. But I had to do something, I just had to.”

These stories, often left off sports pages to make room for police blotters, lockout updates and other silly screw-up of the week notes, need a more permanent home. For every Sean Avery bonehead move that makes news, there are generous gestures from real stars like Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Perhaps the most impressive acts, however, came from basketball coaches Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and Winthrop’s Pat Kelsey, the latter who used his time during a post-loss media conference last Wednesday to address the tragedy in Newtown and called for people from all walks of life to become difference makers, starting today.

“I’m going to personally be an agent of change with the 13 young men I get to coach every day and the two little girls at home that I get to raise.

“ ... Parents, teachers, rabbis, priests, coaches, athletes, everybody needs to step up now. This has to be a time for change, not just more talk.”

Boeheim, who declined last Monday to discuss his impressive 900th career victory so he could address gun control, offered: “If we in this country cannot get the people who represent us to do something about firearms, we are a sad, sad society.

“My 900 wins means nothing today when we are burying children who we failed to protect as adults.”

As Edmund Burke once said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

Merry Christmas folks.

TOONING IN TO TUESDAY!

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: PICK THE IDIOTS TO WIN!

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: PICK THE IDIOTS TO WIN!

The folks at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not would be impressed.

One week after calling the New York Jets’ decision makers “idiots” in a spur-of-the-moment Tweet, wide receiver Braylon Edwards is back in the National Football League playing with, you guessed it, the Jets.

Edwards, who was unhappy being released by the Jets in the off-season and ended up in Seattle before a hamstring injury terminated his stay with the surging Seahawks, believes in quarterback Mark Sanchez and his talent.

Edwards’ tweet “Don’t blame Sanchez, I played there. Blame the idiots calling shots” turned out to be an interesting resume to get back in Jets’ clothing, where receivers have failed to stay healthy or reliable this season.

The Jets (6-7) are in Nashville tonight to face the Tennessee Titans (4-9) and if they win their unlikely playoff dream will continue.

The majority of the pigskin experts pick the Titans to win by a field goal. I think if the game is that close near the end, the Jets will find a way to prevail as they have more to play for.

In the meantime, I’m writing a note to my old workplace and those idiot decision-makers and we’ll see how that turns out! Keep you posted!

GOD BLESS NEWTOWN, RIP TO THE VICTIMS

By our readiness to allow arms to be purchased at will and fired at whim… we have created an atmosphere in which violence and hatred have become popular pastimes. 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

NFL THURSDAY: BENGALS TO PHILLY UP VICTORY TANK?

This guy, likely single, appears to be a real 'backer' of Philadelphia's sports teams!

NFL THURSDAY: BENGALS AT EAGLES

The Cincinnati Bengals visit the City of Brotherly Love tonight to face the Eagles, who were officially eliminated from the National Football League playoffs last weekend despite beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-21 to snap an eight-game losing skid.

The Bengals (7-6),  tied with the Pittsburg Steelers for the final playoff berth in the AFC, could use a win tonight and certainly can’t afford to lay an egg like the Texans did Monday in their massive meltdown in Massachusetts.

The Eagles will be experimenting with a few rookie players down the stretch as they try to determine who stays and who goes in the sure-to-be-busy off-season.

The experts seem to think the Bengals will prey on a suspect Eagles’ defence and treat Philly like a minor speed bump en route to the playoff promised land. I expect this game will be extremely close and question the insiders who think the Eagles have nothing left to play for now that their 70-day misery streak is over. I have seen enough upsets this NFL season to last a lifetime. So have those counting on me to be right!

Gord’s Guess: I have lost many pool prizes this season by picking the WTF Eagles. I think the Bengals will win this one by a field goal, or more, even though I like Philly versus anywhere in Ohio! The Ben-Gals, the cheerleaders who bark out Cinci's rah-rahs, get my early vote for “interesting” calender of the year as their photos are rumoured to be great . . . my friends allowed to look at such things pass this info on!

Aido proudly shows off
his team's championship banner.

GROANER OF THE WEEK: St. Peter and Satan were having an argument one day about football. Satan proposed a game to be played on neutral grounds between a select team from the heavenly host and his own hand-picked boys.

"Very well," said the gatekeeper of Heaven. "But you realize, I hope, that we've got all the good players and all the best coaches."

"I know, and that's all right," Satan answered unperturbed.

"We've got all the referees."

GRID BITS: My brother Ward, about to head out for yet another tanning vacation, passes on this note and photo of Aido Siebenga and his Cloverdale Bobcats B.C. Peewee football championship banner.

The Vancouver Mainland Football League team defeated the Abbotsford Falcons 22-0 in the provincial final late last month. The team is coached by B.C. Lions’ great Geroy Simon.

HUMP DAY HUMOUR: You get the picture(s)

Cartoon of the Week

Bad Santa Note of the Week

Funny Photo of the Week

Poster of the Week

 

Pet Picture of the Week

Bumper Sticker of the Week

Funny Stamps of the Week

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK: Amazing Race spinoff coming to Canada, eh!

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK:

Amazing Race is awesome, 

but now it's setting up cheaper shop in Canada

The Amazing Race has been on TV for 21 seasons and continues to be the reality TV show of choice in our humble abode, including Sunday night’s finale in New York City where two gay goat farmers surprisingly claimed the $1 million first-place prize.

The show combines exotic travel, cool challenges, partner and rival tensions, cab drivers with no sense of direction, superb scenery, trip rewards to die for, sleep deprivation, jet lag, language barriers, evil scheming, relationship breakdowns and emotional meltdowns.

Now we learn that CTV is doing a Canadian spinoff. As in cheaper, dummied-down, no international border crossings. The spin-filled news release indicates that “The Amazing Race Canada will explore the world within Canada . . . and is a huge opportunity for racers, viewers and advertisers.”

Well, hold on to your Timmy’s coffee, maple syrup and lumberjack shirt cuz this is going to be interesting, eh?

What would an Amazing Race Canada look like? Hmmm. Go to Ottawa and find the one senator who works? Find a winning sports team in Toronto? Find a guy in Calgary who doesn’t own a pickup with a Wife In Trunk decal on the passenger’s window?

Find a woman in Edmonton who doesn’t think the Edmonton Mall is one of the Eight Wonders of the World? Find a free parking spot in Vancouver or five sober males who don’t carry weapons to firework displays or hockey gatherings? Or find who decided that French would be the second official language in B.C. when only 1.3 per cent speak it?

Go to Regina and find a Pilsner-loving woman who hasn’t dated a Roughrider or someone who owns a Saskatchewan Wheat Pool hat? Find someone in Winnipeg who hasn’t danced on a table at a bonspiel or a stranger’s wedding? Find someone in Quebec City who doesn’t like smokers or French-only business signs, or is happy being part of Canada?

See if you can run across Prince Edward Island in 22 minutes and confuse ships by turning the lights in your hotel room on and off every three minutes?

It is a tad interesting, given that we are the world’s “second largest country with a wonderful backdrop,” that The Amazing Race has not spent much time here in the past. Why is that?

Perhaps Canadians will have to solve why Don Cherry gets $800,000 a year to vent on Coach’s Corner while Ron MacLean, who works all year, only gets $500,000? Or why we buy hotdogs in packages of 12 and buns in packages of eight? Or why our drive-thru ATMs have Braille lettering?

If you think you've got what it takes, sign up and good luck!

AMAZING RACE CANADA WEBSITE

NFL WEEK 14: BIG PACK PURSUING PLAYOFF PARTY TICKETS

DREAMS OF PLAYOFFS ON THE MINDS OF MANY

With four weeks to go in the National Football League regular season, the pigskin stats junkies are pleased to reveal that 28 of the 32 teams still have a chance to make the playoffs and bloggingtheboys.com says 22 of those teams are already in or darn close to post-season positions.

The Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Houston Texans will be in the Super Bowl hunt for sure.

The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers can punch their post-season tickets with wins this Sunday.

Of course the soap opera-circus that is the New York Jets continues to entertain (if not always win), and the Seattle Seahawks continue to tread on playoff territory and can get at least one foot in that post-season party with a couple wins in the next two weeks.

In the words of the late Al Davis, and several frustrated people counting on my picks to actually be right (for a freakin’ change), it’s time to just win, baby!

So, as we enter the first full weekend of December, and the “real world” celebrates 86-year-old Hugh Hefner’s engagement to 26-year-old Crystal Harris, Pizza Hut launching a new perfume (Old Slice?), Barbara Walters fawning over Honey Boo Boo and rumours that Starbucks is introducing the $450 gift card that will score you three coffees, stirring sticks and a piece of gum, we bring you the NFL picks of Weekend 14.

Drum roll please:

St. Louis Rams at Buffalo Bills

The lowdown: Both of these squads are writing Santa to get into the playoffs, which seems appropriate given the Mayan calendar predicts the world will end on Dec. 21 of this year. So ho ho ho, forget it Buffalo. Same for St. Lou!

Gord’s Guess: Bills by a field goal. There has to be a winner, right?

Dallas Cowboys at Cincinnati Bengals

The lowdown: The Bengals have won four games in a row. The Cowboys had to use Google to see what a lengthy win streak means. I like the Cowboys more than the Bengals (cheerleaders factored into that choice), but I like making money, not wasting it, so sorry Dallas!

Gord’s Guess: Bengals by at least a field goal.

Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns

The lowdown: Hail to the Chiefs for an emotional win last week when football had to be the last thing on their minds following the shocking Jovan Belcher murder-suicide. The Browns are a better team and this week the Chiefs will return to “normal,” which is normally bad.

Gord’s Guess: Browns by 7 points or more.

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

The lowdown: Now that all the adjectives have been used to describe the great play of Colts’ rookie quarterback Andrew Luck this season and his 8-4 team, the focus can be on why the Titans don’t have the horses to beat the Colts.

Gord’s Guess: Colts, by 9 points or more.

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

The lowdown: Da Bears need this win badly to keep pace with the Packers, who they play next weekend. The Vikings have lost four of their past five. The heat is on Minny quarterback Christian Ponder to produce or pack up. A lot of experts are picking the Vikings as their upset special.

Gord’s Great Guess: Da Bears, by three points or more.

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

The lowdown: Everyone seems to think Ben Roethlisberger will return to fighting form from a shoulder/upper body injury to power past the Chargers. All ribbing aside, I think that will happen.

Gord’s Great Guess: Steelers by 9 points or more.

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The lowdown: The Eagles have lost eight in a row, which is surprising given their talent on paper. The Bucs have lost two in a row but haven’t reached the mailing-it-in stage yet like their rivals.

Gord’s Guess: Bucs by at least six points.

Baltimore Ravens at Washington Redskins

The lowdown: The Ravens’ defence, the staple of the team, is bruised and hurting and that favours RG3 and his fleet-footed offence. The Skins can smell the playoffs and at home they usually answer the bell. Experts say flip a coin on this one.

Gord’s Guess: Redskins by at least a field goal.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

The lowdown: Panthers’ QB Cam Newton is taking a whole lot of heat this week for being a selfish diva! That is being reported by many vain journos who act the same way. He’s a great quarterback on a bad team and the frustration of losing is wearing thin for Newton, who will have to mature and endure another tough weekend against the Dirty Birds, who are superb on both sides of the ball.

Gord’s Guess: Falcons by at least eight.

New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars

The lowdown: Jets’ coach Rex Ryan says he’ll stick with Mark Sanchez and believes his inconsistent team can soar past the Jags. The wife thinks sticking with Sanchez is always a great idea, too! I had a few words with her about this blind loyalty, and she had some paragraphs for me!

The Bleacher Report’s columnist Gary Davenport says the Jags will be lucky to attract 11 fans for this snorefest, when in fact they’ve had to add extra seats as Jacksonville (home of Tim Tebow's largest fan club) rarely gets to see a circus and sideshow included in the cost of a ticket!

Gord’s Guess: It’s a coin flip but I have to go with the Jets in a squeaker.

Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers

The lowdown: I am slowing learning how to spell Colin Kaepernick. The Dolphins will be slowly trying to figure out the 49er’s QB du jour on Sunday. Both team’s defences are strong, but the 49er’s offence is way better that the Phins’ attack.

The lowdown: San Fran treats its fans to a victory of seven points or more.

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants

The lowdown: The Saints’ fall from grace this season because of Bounty Gate still amazes me given their talent. And the Giants’ inconsistency has been interesting, too, as the defending Super Bowl champions struggle to get on a roll. The Giants need to win to clinch the NFC East. The Saints are playing for pride, which might not be enough this weekend.

Gord’s Guess: Giants by at least seven. For whatever reason the Giants’ alarm clock goes off every December and they are nearly impossible to beat at home.

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

The lowdown: The Seattle Seahawks haven’t lost at home this season (thank you replacement refs), and the Cardinals don’t win on the road. And Arizona hasn’t tasted victory in Seattle since 2009. Unless the Cards sign a star quarterback and offence before Sunday, they won’t win there in 2012 either. Folks are starting to mention the P-word in Seattle, and it’s not pathetic. A playoff berth is there for the taking with the team’s soft schedule for the next couple of weeks.

Gord’s Guess: Seahawks by at least seven.

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

The lowdown: Detroit hasn’t won at Lambeau Field since 1991 (21 losses since then) and this season the Lions haven't done well on the road. The Leos are like the current NHL lockout: Lots of talk, hope, potential, spin and wasted time.

Gord’s Guess: Quarterback Mr. (Aaron) Rodgers will enjoy a fine day in his Green Bay neighbourhood and beat the Lions by at least nine points.

MONDAY NIGHTER

Houston Texans at New England Patriots

The lowdown: Maybe the best Monday Night Football matchup of the season. The Houston Texans are the only NFL team that hasn't lost on the road this season.

The Texans, 6-0 away from Houston, are in New England, a place where a visitor hasn't won in December since 2002. The Texans are one of the many teams the Patriots have handled during that streak, with Houston losing 40-7 on Dec. 17, 2006 in its only visit there.

Pats’ QB Tom Brady will be trying to win one for his new baby daughter, Vivian Lake, who was born Dec. 5. Brady is married to supermodel Gisele Bundchen. His son Benjamin turns three on Saturday so there will be all kinds of celebrating on the home front and in the Pats’ end zone!

Gord’s Guess: New England will win by at least a field goal.