News you need to get through the day …
A few random thoughts for a Saturday morning …
PICK YOUR PICKS
According to The Spectator’s Teri Pecoskie, 87 draft picks were traded leading up to the Ontario Hockey League trade deadline. Things were so crazy that only two teams (Flint and North Bay) still have their own second-round pick for this spring’s draft. Only two (Guelph and Ottawa) still have their own second-round picks for the 2019 draft. And only six (Flint, Guelph, North Bay, Ottawa, Peterborough and Saginaw) still have their own second-round picks for 2020.
BUT DO IT QUIETLY
Speaking of OHL draft picks, the information above comes from a website called, appropriately, OHL Draft Pick Database — that’s really not all that easy to find. Yet it’s really the only option since for some reason, the league doesn’t have a complete table of future draft picks on its own website and hasn’t been willing to provide one when requested.
If draft picks are the currency of wheeling in and dealing in the league, allowing fans to keep up with the futures would be a terrific and necessary addition to the site.
OH, GEE
Trying to decide what’s more terrifying if you’re a Buffalo Bills fan. Going into last week’s playoff game with Tyrod Taylor and Nathan Peterman as your quarterbacks or seeing OJ Simpson hanging around a Bills pre-game party in Nevada (though not tailgating at the stadium, contrary to early reports).
Both might be enough to convince the average person to cheer for another team.
BUT CAN HE RUN A SLANT?
The Blue Jays signed Josh Donaldson to a one-year contract worth $23 million on Friday. That’s roughly $28.7 million in loonies. Which means the third baseman will make as much this year as the entire combined rosters of the Calgary Stampeders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts and half of the Ottawa Redblacks.
THEN TAKE A WIDE RIGHT
You knew things were going to be rough for the Bills against Jacksonville even before the game started. Why? One of the last exits off I95 before you leave the highway to get to the stadium is Norwood Drive.
THE BIG QUESTION
John Herdman did a magnificent job with the Canadian women’s soccer team. We’re now going to find out if he’s truly got the magic touch or the beneficiary of being in charge of a golden generation of female soccer stars in this country.
Because our men’s team is currently ranked No. 94 in the world — the five countries in front of us: Estonia, Armenia, Cyprus, Belarus and Gabon — and we don’t have a male version of Christine Sinclair or Melissa Tancredi. And all the men who’ve held this job before have failed.
If he pulls this off, he would have to be considered some kind of soccer genius.
MYSTERY NUMBER
We know attendance was way down at the world junior hockey championship in Buffalo this season. But what about TV numbers? How did they do? Good question.
Three years ago, a press release trumpeting big numbers tuning in was released by TSN on Jan. 6. Two years ago, TSN released them on Jan. 6 again. With big numbers again. Last year they were made public on Jan. 9.
This year? Still waiting.
OLYMPIC DOGS
The Canadian Olympic men’s hockey team that was introduced this week is a Who’s Who of Who’s That? Not sure too many people could identify Marc-Andre Gragnani, Rob Klinkhammer or Karl Stollery in a police lineup.
But three played for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Rene Bourque had four games here in 2014, Christian Thomas — son of former Toronto Maple Leaf, Steve — scored 22 goals in 107 games for Hamilton, and Max Lapierre assisted on the Calder Cup-winning goal in 2007.
The oddest moment from Monday’s NCAA championship football game? Winning coach Nick Saban telling an interviewer right after the thrilling win that this was the happiest moment of his life. While not even cracking a smile.
WHY WE SHORTEN NAMES
The star of that game was freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who came off the bench to lead Alabama to the win. His is a wonderful story. But for the record, Tua isn’t his real first name. That’s a short form. His full name is Tuanigamanuolepola. So Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa. We’ll stick with simply calling him Tua.
LOADING UP LATE
One last word on OHL draft picks. Watch out for Barrie, they’re loading up … on 14th rounders. Weirdly, the Colts have four picks in the second-last round this spring. Weirdly, because it’s rare for anyone drafted that late to ever make the league.
Maybe they know something nobody else does.