Some Tuesday morning musings on some of the things that amuse, confuse and even amaze a fellow in the wonderful world of fun and games.
WE LOVE IT
I hardly can believe there was a crowd of 18,115 at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday night to watch a World Cup of Hockey game between Russia and Slovakia. The only real interest was if Slovakia lost, which it did, to set up a quarter-final matchup against Canada.
Perhaps it's just as well the league is headed for a lockout. After the hockey we've seen in the World Cup, the NHL's regular season would be a real letdown.
The CBC brass must feel there is going to be a shutdown. They're carrying all the games and getting in as many commercials as regulations allow. They even have let the post-game show drag on until even the usually loquacious Ron MacLean seems to have run out of things to say.
We might as well enjoy it while we can. It's the last hockey we'll see for a while unless Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow come to their senses.
I'm afraid they both have egos so big they don't realize they're doing their best to kill the game they claim to love.
OPEN NEEDS A BIG NAME
The Canadian Open golf tournament has been around for 100 years.
Some of the biggest names in golf have won it. Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods are among the former champions.
Jack Nicklaus never won it but he was runner-up seven times.
This year let's hope that another big name wins it. I'd settle for Vijay Singh or Phil Mickleson. Let's not have someone who comes up with his first win on the PGA Tour -- unless he's going to be the new Palmer. The 1955 Open was his first pro win.
THE NFL STARTS
As some of my younger colleagues keep telling me, the "real" football season starts this week. Too bad they haven't been paying more attention to the CFL where the game has been reborn in both Toronto and Hamilton.
When Ol' Hunt first started to cover football, the season opened on Labour Day weekend with games between the Argos and Tiger-Cats, the first being played Saturday in Toronto with the return match on Monday in Hamilton.
Who will win the Super Bowl? I don't have a clue but it won't be the New England Patriots.
Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated's resident football guru, picks the Patriots to beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Dr. Z seldom has picked a correct winner since Vince Lombardi packed it in as coach of Green Bay. No reason to think he will now.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
I can't get too excited about the way the Blue Jays played on Sunday. Teams often play well when they're out of it. I would have been more impressed had they played that way in April when they had a big chance to get the fans on board and blew it. The Jays will have a new manager next year. How about Paul Molitor? Of course, he has forgotten more about baseball than GM J.P. Ricciardi will ever know. So he probably won't even be considered ... It's quite a send-off Moe Norman is getting. Front-page stories, lengthy obits, items on the national newscasts. Too bad Moe didn't get the same adulation while he was still alive. He'll be buried Friday wearing two wrist watches. Moe often had as many as five on his wrist. He wanted to be sure he always knew the right time. Rest easy old friend.
