By Edward Zawadzki
Monday, January 23, 2006

A lot of fans may not agree, but it looks like it may just be time for the Maple Leafs to start testing the market to see just how much veterans like Ed Belfour, Captain Mats Sundin might be worth on the trade market today. It looks like the team has to go back to the basics and emphasize the development of new young players. On the goalies side with the maturing of Micael Telqvist and such notable young talents as Tukkenn Rusk and Justin Pogge about to make the jump in the next season or two the Leafs could afford to give up a big salary player like Belfour and make some more room under the salary cap.

By Edward Zawadzki
Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Congratulations are in order for our Canadian junior hockey team that routed their trash-talking Russian counterparts 5-0 in the gold medal game of the World Junior Championships. This gritty, talented, assortment of our finest juniors were without a doubt the class of the tournament playing a hard-hitting disciplined style instilled into them by coach Brent Sutter. Sutter, the former NHLer who now coaches the WHLs Red Deer Rebels, has put together an absolutely sparkling 12-0 record in his two stints as coach of our national junior team.

By Edward Zawadzki
Monday, January 2, 2006

Well its been an interesting year in the world of sports. From labour disputes to steroids, 2005 has definitely not been a boring year. From Sydney Crosby to Todd Bertuzzi to the hockey world in itself has been in the habit of dominating the headlines. But give the other big league sports their due when it comes down to capturing headlines. Now here in no particular order are some of the high and low points of this year’s world of Canadian sports.

By Edward Zawadzki
Monday, December 19, 2005

One of the most inspirational sports stories of the year belongs to 23-year-old Deidre Dionne, of Red Deer, Alberta. One of the most talented athletes on the ski circuit, who is a bronze medal recipient in aerial skiing from the past Salt Lake City Olympics. Earlier this year on a dry training run in Australia, the plucky Canadian broke her neck in a freak accident. All were worried that not only her career was finished, but also the young athlete might never walk again. Surprising everyone after having surgery to fuse her neck, this tough young lady has resumed training and is an odds on favorite to compete at the upcoming Turin Games. Is there a movie of the week brewing on the horizon?

By Edward Zawadzki
Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Without a doubt this year’s version of our annual football classic was one of the most fascinating and exciting football games I had seen in some time. After getting off to a first half defensive battle, which saw the Eskies take a 10-1 lead to the locker room, the second half exploded with a total of 45 points scored through regulation time with the teams tied 28-28. Becoming the very first Grey Cup to go into overtime since the 1961 classic. the Eskimos came out on top with an exciting and hard fought 38-35 victory. This game had everything that a fan would want in a ball game from great offence, defense and controversy. It goes to show you that our Canadian brand of football still has it over our American cousins brand by a long shot when it comes down to excitement value.

By Edward Zawadzki
Thursday, November 10, 2005

I Caught the Argos 27-17 loss to the Ottawa Renegades the other evening and learned something from watching the game. First of all, since it was a meaningless contest, and with the playoffs at hand, team coach Clemons made the right decision and rested most of his team stars, including quarterback Damon Allen. Most importantly, this game showed me that backup quarterback Michael Bishop will most likely never be the man to replace the 40-something year old Allen, who doesn't have many more seasons left in his illustrious career. Looming in on the horizon, I saw that it is the third string pivot Charlie Peterson who the team should be grooming to one day take over the reigns of the Double Blue. This graduate of Brigham Young University certainly seems to be in possession of a fair amount of poise and talent.

By Edward Zawadzki
Friday, November 4, 2005

If Damon Allen wins the league MVP award that he will be the second oldest footballer to be given that honor. The oldest footballer to win that award was former NFL great George Blanda, who won the award in 1970 at the ripe old age of 43.

By Edward Zawadzki
Friday, October 14, 2005

It seems just like yesterday that Canadians Mike Weir and Lori Kane were the toasts of the golf world and helped put Canada on the map as one of the world’s hotspots of the sport. Now it seems that Bobby Jones and Babe Dedrickson would have a better shot at winning a tourney than the quickly fading Canucks.

By Edward Zawadzki
Thursday, September 29, 2005

None of us can imagine the pressure for success that’s placed on the shoulders of 18-year-old Sydney Crosby, but spies in Pittsburgh have told us that the youngster has shown--not only flashes of brilliance on the ice—but a maturity well beyond his years off ice. It will truly help to have someone like Mario Lemeuix to be, not only his teammate, but his boss, to help guide him through the rough spots. Having veterans like John Le Claire and Mark Recchi on your side doesn’t hurt your cause either.

By Edward Zawadzki
Tuesday, September 13, 2005

With the retirement of 21-year veteran Scott Stevens the league has lost one of its most physical and most controversial players of the modern era. His bone-crunching concussion-causing hits were without compare in the league. What a lot of people forget is just how valuable he was as an all-around player and team leader, who was a vital part of three Stanley Cup winning New Jersey Devils teams Along with winning the 2000 Conn Smythe Award, Stevens also scored himself a respectable NHL total of 221 goals and also set a league record of 1,635 games played by a defenseman.

By Edward Zawadzki
Thursday, September 1, 2005

As exciting as the Toronto Blue Jays have been at times this season, it just goes to show that this team--as it stands--just isn’t good enough to be consistent with the top teams in the league and the Jays' front office is going to have to make a few changes in the off season especially to the pitching staff and to bolster team hitting.

By Edward Zawadzki
Wednesday, August 24, 2005

 The organizers of the Rogers Cup must have just been beside themselves with the withdrawal of most of the top names in women's tennis from their tourney. When Serena Williams joined her sister, Venus, and Maria Sharapova on the sidelines as they lost a grand total of six of the top 20 seeds in the game.

By Edward Zawadzki
Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Even though the league's position is that Todd Bertuzzi served a total of 17 months suspension for his on ice attack on Steve Moore, I for one think it’s a complete travesty of justice that Bertuzzi is being reinstated before the victim Moore has received clearance to attempt to resume his career. For all those that come to Bertuzzi’s defence claiming that he missed two world championships and a chance to play in Europe during the lockout, consider th the fact that Moore is still in the recovery process of his injury caused by Bertuzzi. It only seems fair that the N.H.L powers to be should keep Bertuzzi off the ice until Moore is ready to lace up his skates again.

By Michael M. Bates
Thursday, August 4, 2005

Ryne Sandberg’s speech on his induction into the Hall of Fame was terrific. The former Chicago Cub talked about respect. The words came straight from the heart. Sadly, not everyone shares his respect for the game or the men who play it or the fans who watch it.

By Edward Zawadzki
Wednesday, August 3, 2005

Now with Bob Goodenow gone as head of the N.H.L players union, how far behind is the resignation of league commissioner Gary Bettman? What hockey needs now are bosses who can lead, and be conciliatory at the same time. It truly will take the N.H.L a long time to undo the harm of this lockout. Ted Saskin has the unenviable task of not only representing the players, but of making and keeping the peace between the league and all the factions of the players union.

By Edward Zawadzki
Saturday, July 23, 2005

Since the deal has been ratified this week, the rush will be on for teams to buyout a lot of their aging high priced players to free up the money for the salary cap. Look for the Leafs to rid themselves of high priced seniors like Owen Nolan, Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk. Others like Tie Domi, Alexander Mogilny and Eddie Belfour may not be far behind. But don't fret about losing some players for with all the new free agents to be made available league wide the Leafs have a really great opportunity to really turn this team into a true contender.

By Edward Zawadzki
Friday, July 8, 2005

What a world we live in. This morning, a large number of innocent people were maimed and murdered in the beautiful, historical city of London. A group of cowardly low-life Muslim zealots that have sworn allegiance to Al-Queda have taken it upon themselves to strike in their usual cowardly fashion upon one of the meccas of the civilized world. The Brits have proven themselves over their rich history to stand second to none when it comes to courage and mettle, and will stand tall in the face of this carnage. They will show the free and civilized world, through leadership and action, that attacks like this will not be tolerated, and the consequence of perpetrating these atrocities will be severe. My heart goes out to the victims, and to British Prime Minister Tony Blair whose leadership is essential to the worlds fight against religious and political fanaticism. God Save The Queen.

By Edward Zawadzki
Wednesday, June 29, 2005

As much as I hate to admit it the new W.B.C junior welterweight champ "Count" Floyd Mayweather certainly proved to the world that he is without a doubt one of the top pound for pound boxers in the world today. After his utterly dominating performance in defeating Montreal-born Arturo Gatti on June 25th in Atlantic City Mayweather has now assured himself of the huge paydays that are afforded only the top fighters of the sport.

I have to vehemently disagree with a report in a Toronto paper that suggsted promoters are licking their lips at promoting a future bout between Gatti and former brother-in-law Davey Hilton Jr. in a bout after Hilton's release from prison in the next year or so. For those who are not well versed in the bad blood between the two, the sordid details are that Hilton was convicted of sexual assault on his two daughters; daughters who also happen to be Gatti’s beloved nieces. First of all, the two proposed combatants are about 30 pounds apart with the former world middleweight champ Hilton being the much bigger of the two, and secondly, I think that it’s a grudge that will most likely be addressed away from the relatively tame confines of the boxing ring.

By Edward Zawadzki
Friday, June 17, 2005

With names like Vitali Klitschko, John Ruiz and Chris Byrd dominating the ranks of the sweet science, I never thought that I would start to pray for a Lennox Lewis comeback. It’s hard to believe that the promoters are actually selling these corpses as viable pugilistic world champions. Real champions like Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis must be spinning in their respective crypts at the state of heavyweight boxing today. Speaking of the current W.B.A champion don’t you think that the division would be more exciting with Rosie Ruiz as champ instead of big BAD John.

Speaking of boxing, is there anyone who can label great pet names on fighters better than the Toronto Sun's Steve Buffery? From Billy "The Goat" Irwin to David "The Bear" Teteh and the current Art "The Big" Binkowski, Buffery has certainly given yours truly many a chuckle at his imaginative nicknames.

I wanted to personally thank the world of professional tennis on behalf of the many thousands of men out there for giving us a viable alternative to the wonder drug Viagra. It goes by the name of Maria Sharapova.