The Last Word
By STEVE SIMMONS, TORONTO SUN
The latest from the disaster that will be the Summer Olympics in Athens: There will be no roof over the Olympic swimming pool, which was to have been built to protect athletes from the scorching temperatures. There isn't time to complete the roof by August.
What isn't certain is whether there will, in fact, be water in the pool by then.
Stay tuned. There is also no roof on the Olympic Stadium and the course that was supposed to house the marathon isn't wide enough for the number of participants. Other than that, all is well.
And one personal note: The media village will not be air-conditioned even though it was supposed to be. Be forewarned: those covering the Games will be more grumpy and smelly than usual.
THIS AND THAT: The early scorecard: Brian Leetch with 11 points since joining the Leafs; Sergei Gonchar with four heading into yesterday's games ... Bob Gainey, Darryl Sutter and John Ferguson all took on challenging positions as new general managers of Canadian teams and each has made his team better in barely a season of work ... Alexandre Daigle has been nominated for the prestigious Masterton Trophy, which goes to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, dedication and sportsmanship. Laughter in Ottawa is asked to be kept to a minimum ... And this from Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic: "If not for Todd Bertuzzi, much of the nation (U.S.) would never have realized a hockey season was in progress." ... Not only have the Canucks stopped winning since Bertuzzi was banished -- one win in six games -- but they've also stopped scoring on the power play ... Tomas Kaberle was a scratch Thursday night in Philadelphia. He only played like he was a scratch in last year's playoff games in Philly.
HEAR AND THERE: The two referee system at its finest: Chris Pronger and Donald Audette are playing Scott Norwood on the ice and the suspensions come after no penalties are called ... Hypocrisy thy name is the Raptors. They fire a $50 a game cheerleader for posing topless for a website. They pay millions to players who spend regular evenings watching women dance a whole lot more than topless ... And all this time I thought Lehigh was a player with the Portland Trail Blazers ... One minute to go. You're up by a goal. What's Robert Reichel doing on the ice? ... In this politically correct world of ours, how do the Simon Fraser athletic teams still get away with being called the Clan ... This Red Sox, Cubs curse thing has gotten crazy. Both Nomar Garciaparra and Mark Prior are in danger of missing significant time this season with achilles tendon problems ... Pat Hentgen has to be hoping that this is only spring training. That it will get better. Won't it? ... I know Dave Stieb was one of them but I still ask: What's a Saluki?
SCENE AND HEARD: Love the story retired player Keith Jones told recently about being traded for the very first time. Coach Jim Schoenfeld asked him outside the dressing room in Washington to talk to him for a moment. "I've got bad news," said Schoenfeld with a stern face. "We've traded you to Colorado." Said Jones: "So what's the bad news?" ... Some teams trade for a player to be named later. When the Eagles picked up Terrell Owens, they got a player who'll complain later ... Between Olympic years, Jeremy Wotherspoon is the most dominant speed skater in the world ... Weird world, the CFL: Keith Pelley leaves as president of TSN to become president of the moribund Argonauts. Larry Smith leaves as publisher of the Montreal Gazette to return as president of the Alouettes. ... Never mind Winnipeg, Kordell Stewart is likely to land in Denver as the backup quarterback to Jake Plummer .... Simon Fraser guard Pasha Bains was basketball player of the year in the CIS. Pass it on.
AND ANOTHER THING: First, it was obvious Glen Grunwald had to go as Raptors general manager. Now, it's reasonably apparent that both he and Kevin O'Neill have to be replaced with a new management group brought it to take over this mess ... Luc Robitaille, written off for dead in Detroit, has had another 20-goal season in Los Angeles ... You can make a sound argument for Andy Murray, Claude Julien, John Tortorella, Darryl Sutter, Ron Wilson, Barry Trotz, Dave Lewis and yes, even Pat Quinn, to be coach of the year in the NHL. There are that many candidates... Best reason to think the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup: They don't have to play Chicago, Carolina, Buffalo or Pittsburgh in the playoffs ... Rick Majerus is packing it in after all these years coaching Utah basketball. Why? "I've had seven bypasses. one for every major food group and two for the barbecue division." ... Some things are just meant to be. Jerome Williams should be a Raptor. Now and forever ... Mandatory viewing for Vince Carter: Old footage of Willis Reed limping onto the court with the legendary New York Knicks ... If Nashville doesn't make the playoffs it has only itself to blame. The Predators play the Blackhawks twice, the Mighty Ducks, Rangers and Blue Jackets in five of their final eight regular season games ... I would be upset that Tampa outfielder Josh Hamilton has been suspended for the season for violating baseball's drug policy is I had any idea who he was. I'd be even more upset if I believed baseball had an anti-drug policy ... This is why it's officially over for boxing: a fighter named Winky Wright thoroughly dominated Super Shane Mosley last Saturday night and hardly anybody knows it, or worse, cares ... And hey, whatever became of Teemu Selanne?
