Baseball

Leafs goalie coach Rick St. Croix, the 2nd time around

2012-10-03T16:51:02Z

]]> new goalie coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been well received based on merit and on the person.

While St. Croix begins his new career with the Leafs, I am one of the few who has vivid memories of his brief playing career tending goal for the team.

It was early morning on Friday, January 11, 1983. Leafs general manager Gerry McNamara took an early morning phone call from agent Norm Caplan. McNamara knew the call would be about one of Caplan's Leaf clients, Michel "Bunny" Larocque, who was about to be relegated to the role of backup goaltender after expecting a long run as the Leafs' starting goaltender.

McNamara was loaded for bear as he vented to Caplan his displeasure about Larocque's recent goaltending performances. Expecting an argument from Caplan, McNamara was surprised when the agent offered a possible solution. He asked if he could have permission to shop his client Larocque to other general managers to look at trade possibilities. McNamara gave Caplan permission and the expected verbal fireworks between the two never materialized.

Two hours later, Caplan called McNamara back. "Would you take Rick St. Croix from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Larocque?" he asked. McNamara said yes. "Then give Keith Allen [the Flyers' general manager] a call and he'll do the deal." McNamara made the call and the deal was completed an hour later.

I always gave Caplan credit for being innovative in working to find greener pastures for two of his clients in Larocque and St. Croix. Though not well remembered now, Caplan was at the time emerging as the most influential player agent in the business. That all tragically changed when he died suddenly of a heart attack while vacationing in Paris in August 1984. He was only 41 years old.

The landscape for the power base of player agents changed with his death. Just weeks earlier he had added the No. 1 pick in the next year's entry draft to his impressive stable. Wendel Clark was one of many who had to find a new agent, and in this case he began his long professional relationship with Don Meehan.

I was working with the Leafs at the time and can remember St. Croix's first practice just a day later. How times were different. Peter Gross was a sports reporter for the local City TV station in Toronto. They liked to be aggressive and get their personalities as much into the story as possible. I looked out in horror as, after the Leaf practice, Gross was out on the ice taking shots on the Leafs' new goaltender with his City TV cameraman shooting the action.

I quickly put an end to the "session," fearful not just of hearing the displeasure from my boss Harold Ballard as to what was going on, but the genuine worry that St. Croix could be injured by an errant Gross shot.

A little over a year later that concern would play itself out with unusual consequences. The Leafs flew to Calgary for the start of a three-game western Canadian road trip on Sunday, February 20, 1984. The first game was the next night against the Flames.

St. Croix had taken a shot that hurt one of his fingers during a home game against Detroit on Saturday. On Sunday he had his finger x-rayed at the local Toronto Wellesley Hospital. The only problem was we didn't have our team doctor available to check the x-ray and get back to us.

I saw St. Croix that Sunday evening at the pool in the Calgary Westin putting his finger to the whirlpool. This thing must really hurt him, I thought, but I also thought it couldn't be fractured or we would have heard something by then.

Wrong!

The next day was game day and we got the call from Toronto. Our doctor who had been unavailable to check the x-ray out on the Sunday, had done so first thing Monday morning. The finger was fractured. Would have been nice to know before St. Croix (and the team) had boarded the plane the previous day. Remember, lots of things were different in those days.

Now we needed a backup goaltender. It would be tight to get one from our St. Catharines Saints AHL team as they were on the road in some small town in the U.S., and we needed a goaltender for that night in Calgary.

Easy geographic solution: Ken Wregget had been our third-round draft pick in the 1983 draft and played in the same province where we were at the time, with the Lethbridge Broncos of the Western Hockey League. We contacted the Lethbridge team and just got hold of Wregget before their team bus was about to pull out for a road game that evening.

We had to declare an "emergency basis" situation to call Wregget up from juniors. An emergency would mean that you are just plain out of healthy goaltenders and this is the last-resort move. In the big picture we weren't. We still had two healthy goaltenders in St. Catharines, but for that particular game we were stuck.

So Wregget was our backup that night in Calgary and returned to Lethbridge the next day. The Lethbridge team was obviously annoyed at their star goaltender missing an important junior game. We received a call from the NHL office in Montreal a day later and had to explain our emergency. They were less than impressed but there were no sanctions imposed against our team.

The unusual circumstances that we endured 30 years ago are fodder for shaking heads and smiles of disbelief.

What I remember the most are the people. The players. The realization that guys like Rick St. Croix were consummate professionals who were also apprenticing for further NHL jobs in their post-NHL careers. These are the guys who make me proud of their work ethic and their accomplishments.

Guys like St. Croix, John Anderson, Bruce Boudreau, Dan Maloney, Joel Quenneville, Dave Farrish, Jeff Reese, Barry Melrose, Luke Richardson, Joe Sacco, Jack Capuano and Paul Gardner have been NHL head coaches or assistant coaches.

Guys like Tim Bernhardt, Terry Martin, Jim Benning, Peter Ihnacak and Brad Smith have been among the most respected and successful NHL scouts.

Rick Vaive, Mark Osborne, Dale Degray, Mike Stothers, Jeff Jackson, Todd Gill, Derek Laxdal and Steve Thomas have held positions in junior hockey or with NHL organizations.

For some, the hiring of Rick St. Croix as the Leafs' goaltending coach was a simple announcement. For me, it unloaded a flood of different memories.

NHL lockout Day 18: Fan's comment of the day

2012-10-03T15:30:19Z

]]> ]]>
So until the game we love returns, we'll highlight one fan's take on the lockout each day from the posts we've received on Facebook, Twitter and the comments sections on CBCSports.ca.

Here is Wednesday's Fan Comment of the Day from CBCSports.ca user Netted The Gem:

"How about you take 30 of the best NHL video game players, post their games online to the same season schedule, and add beer commercials. Then see if it attracts a fan base.
It would speak volumes of how indifferent fans are to constant threats of disruption."

Want to share your opinion? Tweet me @JordanShifman or post a comment to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/CBCSports and come back every day to see what fans like you are saying.

Cobourne runs wild for Tiger-Cats

2012-10-03T15:13:14Z

]]> Listen in as Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back Avon Cobourne joins hosts Andy McNamara and Carlan Gay on the 3rd And Long podcast. Plus former CFL cheerleader Shannon Kelly makes her picks in "Beat The Odds." Listen in as Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back Avon Cobourne joins hosts Andy McNamara and Carlan Gay on the 3rd And Long podcast. Plus former CFL cheerleader Shannon Kelly makes her picks in "Beat The Odds."

Follow the show on Twitter @3rdandlong

Follow the hosts on Twitter @AndyMc81 and @carlangay

Email them at 3rd.longpodcast@gmail.com

Manning, Broncos saddle up for Patriots

2012-10-03T14:07:31Z

]]> 3rd And Long hosts Andy McNamara and Carlan Gay set up terrific matchups like Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning and talk contenders and pretenders with NFL Total Access host Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network. 3rd And Long hosts Andy McNamara and Carlan Gay set up terrific matchups like Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning and talk contenders and pretenders with NFL Total Access host Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network.

Follow the show on Twitter @3rdandlong

Follow the hosts on Twitter @AndyMc81 and @carlangay

Email them at 3rd.longpodcast@gmail.com

MLB playoff chaser: Athletics force division decider

2012-10-03T05:13:19Z

]]> The Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs, setting up an Atlanta-St. Louis wild card game in the National League, while Oakland has all the momentum in the AL West title race with Texas. The 10 teams with a shot at the World Series have been set after the Los Angeles Dodgers bowed out of the race late Tuesday night.

The L.A. loss also locked in the first set matchup: defending champions St. Louis will travel to Atlanta Friday for the one-game wild card.

The winner of that contest will take on the top seed in the National League. Washington and Cincinnati both can claim that distinction after wins Tuesday, although the Nationals have the advantage and can sew it up with a win in an early Wednesday afternoon game.

In the American League, Oakland headed into the final series needing a sweep of the Texas Rangers to claim the AL West title. They are now just one game from doing just that after a two-run victory on Tuesday. The teams play mid-afternoon Eastern Time on Wednesday.

The Yankees were on the verge of falling into an AL East tie with Baltimore, but pulled out a victory in extra innings to stay in the driver's seat.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman could have brought back Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui in the offseason for bench strength and DH depth, but elected to sign Raul Ibanez. Ibanez homered in the bottom of the ninth and struck the decisive extra inning blow against the Red Sox.

With the win, New York also holds a one-game advantage in determining who will be the top seed in the American League.

Detroit is already locked in as the second seed and a home game on Saturday against an undetermined opponent, so all eyes instead were on Miguel Cabrera's Triple Crown chase.

Rowing Canada better off without Spracklen

2012-10-02T20:09:10Z

]]> parting ways with controversial coach Mike Spracklen, I applaud the organization for finally making the decision to move forward. I'm sure some Spracklen supporters will question the decision, but there are many athletes that see this as something that has been a long time coming.

There are those that loved him, but their experience was markedly different than those on the outside of his inner circle. My goal here is to shed light on the other side of this story and show why this is a great decision for the team.]]> parting ways with controversial coach Mike Spracklen, I applaud the organization for finally making the decision to move forward. I'm sure some Spracklen supporters will question the decision, but there are many athletes that see this as something that has been a long time coming.

There are those that loved him, but their experience was markedly different than those on the outside of his inner circle. My goal here is to shed light on the other side of this story and show why this is a great decision for the team.

Spracklen created an adversarial environment where everybody other than his chosen few were the enemy. This included our international competition, but also the Canadian women, lightweights, and even athletes within his training group that might have taken the spotlight away from him. They were the enemy and he seemed to feel that he had the right to do whatever he wished to negatively affect them to somehow build up his guys.

I'm not suggesting that we all need to hold hands - this is elite sport and it is harsh. I am as hard-edged and competitive as you get, but there is a huge difference between pushing athletes to get the best out of themselves, and manipulating and purposefully wearing down the "disposable" athletes with complete disregard for their ambitions.

That is where I think the real damage was done. Spracklen's focus was always, appropriately, on his top boat, but that didn't have to be at the expense of the rest of the athletes on the team. These are the athletes that contribute to the atmosphere at the training center and push all those above them to train harder and get faster. These are the athletes that are the future of the program that should be developed and encouraged rather than abused.

Unfair selection process

Another consistent point of contention was the lack of a transparent selection process. When you run a fair selection process, there are still going to be winners and losers. That is sport - there will be disappointed athletes. But if an athlete can say that he or she got the chance to demonstrate his or her ability in an impartial process, there wouldn't be this intense bitterness that followed many athletes during Spracklen's tenure.

The common response when athletes are bold enough to voice a complaint about the training environment or how they're being treated in Spracklen's camp is that they need to "toughen up." For the vast majority of these athletes, it has never been about toughening up or shying away from hard work. I spent the better part of six years in his program and was at or near the front of the group the entire time - pushing the team forward and adding my fire and intensity to every single workout. That is not what this has been about.

It has been about having our fate in the hands of a coach who has our best interests at heart and wants everyone to succeed. It has been about seeing that a better way was necessary and wanting to avoid all of the mental games and nonsense. It has been about insisting on a fair and transparent selection process set up for the talent of the athlete to shine through, not one set up to produce a desired result.

After years of persisting in a program that wasn't set up for us to succeed, we stood up and said enough is enough. We weren't willing to continue to sacrifice our Olympic dreams so that other athletes, many of whom we beat on a daily basis, could achieve theirs. We forced the split of the group and established the Small Boat Group, led by our coach Terry Paul, focused on producing the fastest pair, four, and double for Canada.

For my pair partner, Dave Calder, and I, the split was a chance to get out from under the program that had oppressed us for years, and for others it was a chance to be a part of a project of their own and not just be cannon fodder for Spracklen. We created a positive training environment and insisted on a fair selection process. It wasn't perfect but every single guy in our group got his chance to prove himself on the water.

As a result we had guys that would have been cast aside actually training towards their own goal. We had guys come across to our group as broken men whose confidence in themselves had been shattered. Terry built them back up and made them believe in themselves again. We trained hard, all of our scores improved dramatically, and we qualified more boats for the Olympics than we have since 1996. As a bonus to all of that, the training was actually fun and exciting again.

That's the thing with Spracklen's approach - it wears you down and sucks the enjoyment out of rowing to the extent that most of his athletes only do one, maybe two, Olympic cycles. The elite rowing countries have many of their top athletes sticking around to do three or four cycles. We do this because we love it - we love the training and we love racing for Canada. But with all of this unnecessary bullshit piled on top of the extremely difficult training, it ceases to be worth it after a while.

Culture of fear

There will always be passionate differences of opinion on either side of issues like this. I get that and can understand why there were those within his group that loved him. I don't agree with it, but I can try to understand. They were protected from the impact of his wrath and have never felt the mental anguish and frustration that goes with that. They were largely removed from worrying about the lack of a fair selection process because many of them hadn't ever needed to truly fight for their seat. So I understand that from the inside of that group, there were few complaints. What I do struggle to understand was the insistence that the rest of us remain martyrs to their cause.

The culture of fear that Spracklen instilled in his group was such that even the top guys, the supposed leaders of the group, hesitated to say anything against his destructive tactics. So the friends and teammates that you went to battle with every day said nothing and shrank into the background, simply happy that it wasn't them facing the brunt of it. And that seemed to be enough - as long as it wasn't them, then everything was fully justified, part of the process, and something that others had to endure while the chosen few chased their goals.

After Dave and I won the silver medal in Beijing, I found myself in a position of leadership on the team and I wasn't going to sit idly by and shy away from demanding change. I learned from the lack of action from past leaders and had way too much respect for my teammates to let that happen again.

We forced the beginnings of change that was long overdue, and I am pleased to see that Rowing Canada has closed that chapter of our history so that we can move forward to a more positive and successful team in its entirety Rio 2016.

Rowing Canada will regret parting with Spracklen

2012-10-02T20:07:45Z

]]>

The day following my first regatta as a coach, Mike was let go by Rowing Canada.

]]> By Kevin Light, Special to CBC Sports

When I returned from the London Olympics, I was hired as the head coach of the Claremont High School Sports Institute for Rowing. This past weekend I coached my first regatta, employing the skills I learned from Mike Spracklen, the man who coached me to three world championships titles with Canada's men's eight boat in 2002, 2003 and 2007, and to Olympic gold in 2008.

The day following my first regatta as a coach, Mike was let go by Rowing Canada.

At the London Olympics, I was a spare for Mike's men's eight that won a silver medal. Following the race there was joy, as we all thought this result would allow Mike to continue coaching athletes in Canada.

Five weeks following the Olympics, it came out that Rowing Canada had not yet spoken a word to Mike. On Sept. 9 I received a letter from the captain of the 2008 gold-medal crew, Kyle Hamilton, and coxswain Brian Price, asking current and former athletes to write letters showing their support for Mike, his program, his methods and leadership. This was my letter:

"Rowing Canada,

I have been asked by Brian and Kyle to write a letter supporting Mike with the hopes that it will push Rowing Canada to begin communications with him. I find it appalling that I have been asked to write such a letter, and I won't write that letter.

It has hurt me immensely to see how Mike has been treated the past two years by Rowing Canada and I can't believe that after his most recent Olympic medal, Rowing Canada has not initiated communication with him.

I was a part of Rowing Canada before Mike arrived and witnessed how a "B" final program operates. I was not impressed at 19, and I'm not impressed at 33. If Mike is not brought back, these are the men's eight results you should expect:

1999 - 8th
1998 - 8th
1997 - 8th
1996 - 4th
1995 - 9th
1994 - 11th
1993 - No entry.

If he is brought back, these are the men's eight results you should expect:

1990 - 2nd
1991 - 2nd
1992 - Gold
2001 - 6th
2002 - 1st
2003 - 1st
2004 - 5th (men's four Silver)
2005 - 7th
2006 - Men's pair 3rd
2007 - 1st
2008 - Gold
2009 - 2nd
2010 - 7th
2011 - 3rd
2012 - Silver

I would not be surprised if Mike takes the decision away from you and decides to move on and coach elsewhere. There are other countries that have gotten wind of his discontent in Canada and are undoubtedly presenting him with attractive offers, one of which might be too good to refuse.

It would be my advice for him to coach for a national sport organization that respects him as much as the athletes who have been asked to write these letters do. It would be my hope that country is Canada, but unfortunately unless there are huge changes in the way Mike is treated, I don't believe Rowing Canada deserves to have Mike coaching for them any longer."

Tearful day

On Monday I finished coaching my high school kids at 4 p.m., checked my email and read the news that Mike had been fired by Rowing Canada. I spent the next three hours sitting on the front of his coach boat rocking back and forth on the waves. I didn't know where else to go or what to do. I was in shock. I was on the phone crying with former and current athletes who were calling me for advice. I was asking them for advice.

I was able to get the energy to leave after a conversation with 2004 silver medallist and 2008 gold medallist Jake Wetzel. We talked about how lucky we were to have been coached by Mike. Remembering the good times rather than this bad day.

Mike was quoted Tuesday as saying, "I've got something to offer somebody somewhere. I've got a few more years left in coaching and I want to use them in a place where they want me."

I'm very happy to hear Mike is going to take the opportunity to coach in another country. I feel sorry for the heavyweight male athletes left in Canada, because they won't be given the same opportunity to succeed as I did. I'm not sure Rowing Canada and high-performance director Peter Cookson fully understand the consequences of his actions, because not only have they lost one of the greatest coaches in rowing history, but Canada is now going to have to race against him.

Thank you, Mike and Annie Spracklen, for the lessons you both have taught me over the past 12 years. You leave me with an Olympic gold medal I keep in a drawer, and the ambition and focus to "do what I say I'm going to do" that I will keep in my heart for the rest of my life

Kevin Light is a former member of the Canadian men's eight rowing crew. He won three world titles and the 2008 Olympic gold medal under coach Mike Spracklen.

'Loose, relaxed' Miguel Cabrera closing in on Triple Crown

2012-10-02T19:57:39Z

]]> The pressures of a pennant race and playing in some of baseball's top pitcher-friendly ballparks certainly isn't fazing Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera during his pursuit of the first Triple Crown in 45 years.

]]> The pressure of a pennant race and playing in one of baseball's top pitcher-friendly ballparks certainly isn't fazing Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera during his pursuit of the first Triple Crown in 45 years.

His 4-for-5, one-homer performance in the Tigers' 6-3 victory over the Royals at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium on Monday night not only helped the team clinch the American League Central title but helped the third baseman pad his lead in the Triple Crown categories: batting average, home runs and runs batted in.

Cabrera, 29, enters Wednesday evening's contest with a .331-.324 edge in average over Los Angeles Angels rookie Mike Trout and a 11-RBI advantage over Texas' Josh Hamilton (139-128). Cabrera's first home run at Kauffman Stadium this season put him alone in first, followed by Hamilton (43), Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion (42), Chicago's Adam Dunn (41) and New York's Curtis Granderson (41), his former Tigers teammate.

"He's got a lot of abilities to do it," Granderson said of Cabrera's Triple Crown quest during an interview last week in Toronto. "I think the one thing that everyone was probably afraid that he might not do is hit home runs at [Detroit's spacious Comerica Park] but he's proven he can hit them there [28 this season] and hit them everywhere else [16 at 10 other parks]."

Through Sept. 30, Comerica Park on average had surrendered the sixth-fewest home runs per game this season in the American League at 1.96, while Kauffman Stadium has been even tougher on sluggers with only 1.85 homers hit per contest, according to ESPN's Home Run Tracker.

Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to win the Triple Crown when he hit .326 with 44 homers and 121 RBIs for the Boston Red Sox in 1967. According to STATS LLC., a player has finished atop his league in two of the three categories 45 times since then, with batting average being the spoiler in 41 of those near-misses.

Cabrera probably will be the Tigers' designated hitter in the final two games of the regular season to limit the wear and tear on his six-foot-four, 240-pound frame.

Conserving energy

The fact the Venezuelan has played at first base, DH and third this season, Granderson said, has allowed Cabrera to maintain and keep as much energy as he needed through a taxing 162-game regular season.

"It's just the way his body's built," said Granderson, Cabrera's teammate in Detroit during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. "He knows how to push [his body] and when to pull back when he needs to, gets his rest when he needs to.

"He's loose, relaxed and has fun playing baseball."

In Cabrera's favour, noted the six-foot-one, 195-pound Granderson, is his size advantage over many major leaguers, plus the fact he's on par with Hamilton, Encarnacion and Dunn in hand/eye co-ordination.

The right-handed hitting Cabrera also has tremendous lineup protection in the form of Prince Fielder, who batted cleanup behind Ryan Braun last season in Milwaukee when the latter was named National League MVP. Through Oct. 2, Fielder was hitting .312 this season with a .410 on-base percentage, 30 homers and 108 RBIs.

"Prince is a great hitter and a guy you always have to worry about," Granderson said. "He's a left-handed bat so you can't go ahead and make pitching changes [and bring in a right-hander] to face Miguel and whoever the right-hander happens to be behind [Fielder]. It [Fielder's presence] definitely does a lot of things.

"You just can't say, 'OK, we got Miguel out of the way, let's relax.' You've got a very dominant threat waiting for you and that helps [Cabrera] a lot."

Power to all fields

Cabrera has been pulling most of his home runs to left field of late, but lined a 0-1 sinking fastball off Kansas City lefty Bruce Chen the other way into the Tigers' bullpen in right-centre on Monday. When they were teammates, Granderson said he marvelled at Cabrera's ability to hit with power to all fields.

"He's going to find a way to [win the Triple Crown] but he's going to go out and try to help his team win ball games," said Granderson. "I don't think he's focused on [the Triple Crown] too much [but rather] getting to the post-season."

It is said that winning the Triple Crown takes a special blend of power, discipline, consistency and luck. Cabrera is nothing if not consistent as he is on track to hit at least .320 for the seventh time in eight seasons and only twice has played fewer than 158 games.

Granderson said Cabrera understands what pitchers try to do to get him out and is effective at executing his plan, saying the slugger never goes to the plate thinking he must hit a home run but is capable of doing so on any pitch.

The Tigers' infielder is batting .339 since the all-star break and hit .324 in the first half. Cabrera is also big in the clutch, a .348 hitter with two outs this season and hitting at a .356 clip with runners in scoring position.

"Miguel puts up these numbers every year, so it isn't a surprise that he's got a chance at the Triple Crown," Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, who took a homer away from Cabrera on Sept. 26 in Detroit, told reporters. "He's just an incredible hitter, and he's respected by everyone in the game."

Cabrera was 7-for-23 (.304) with two home runs and four RBIs in his career against Jeremy Guthrie entering Tuesday's contest and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in a 4-2 loss. He's a .364 hitter (4-for-11) with a homer and three RBIs versus Wednesday's scheduled starter, Luis Mendoza.

"That's the ultimate, to win the Triple Crown," Baltimore slugger Jim Thome told reporters. "I think it would be good for baseball. I think it would be good for kids of our era to say that they watched a Triple Crown.

"If you're a kid in Detroit, how could you not want to see a Triple Crown?"

NOTE: Should Cabrera and Hamilton finish tied for the home run lead, Cabrera would still win the Triple Crown, as Yastrzemski did when he finished even with Harmon Killebrew with 44 homers.

Jeff Twohey thriving with the enemy Generals

2012-10-02T19:07:42Z

]]> The Peterborough Petes and Oshawa Generals have a deep-rooted rivalry. A few years ago Jeff Twohey never would have imagined leaving his beloved Petes to work for the enemy. Jumping to the Oshawa Generals from the Peterborough Petes is akin to switching sides in the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys.

The Petes and Generals have a deep-rooted rivalry and, a few years ago, Jeff Twohey never would have imagined working for the enemy.

Twohey was a Pete through and through. He had spent 30 years with the storied Ontario Hockey League organization until he was blindsided two years ago and was fired as Peterborough's general manager.

Now he finds himself in the same role, running the Generals. It's early, but the veteran junior hockey man could not have asked for a better beginning to his new job. Oshawa has the best record in the OHL at 4-1-0 and two of his team's wins have come at the expense of the Petes.

"Time has softened the hurt for me," said Twohey, who worked a couple of seasons as a scout for the Phoenix Coyotes in between OHL gigs.

"I had been back to the [Peterborough] Memorial Centre as a scout and watched the Petes from a distance. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't painful to leave the Petes.

"Outside my family, that team was the most important thing in my life. I loved that team. The most painful thing was they walked in with no warning and five minutes later I was gone."

LEGENDARY MENTORS

Twohey, 52, was mentored by Petes legends Roger Neilson, Dick Todd and Jacques Martin. He began as a part-time scout with the Petes back in 1980 when he was a student at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont. He scouted Sudbury and the area and, after finishing school, he returned to Peterborough to become the Petes trainer.

Todd hired Twohey, even though he had no experience sharpening skates, repairing equipment or treating injuries. But he was a quick study and learned on the job.

He also continued to scout when the Petes weren't playing and eventually moved up the organization's ladder from assistant coach to assistant coach/assistant GM to GM, a position he held for 17 years.

He was part of four OHL championships in Peterborough -- two as GM in 1995-96 and 2005-06 -- and sent many juniors to the NHL, including Eric and Jordan Staal. But after four consecutive losing seasons, Twohey was sacked.

He had other opportunities to get back into the OHL. But the pull wasn't there. Then the Generals ownership group -- Peter DeBoer, Adam Graves and Rocco Tullio -- called.

Twohey didn't take the job to spite the Petes. He liked who was involved with the Generals, the club's history and he didn't want to regret not giving junior another try.

"I was really enjoying the opportunity working with the Coyotes," Twohey said. "I learned so much in two years and [Phoenix GM] Don Maloney was so good to me.

"I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it all over again. But this was different.

"Peter DeBoer called me in April and then I had another call from Adam Graves. Rocco was great, too.

"My interest was piqued. I also appreciate the history of the organization with people who ran this team before like Sherry Bassin and Gus Bodnar as well as all the outstanding players who have been here. It was a good fit."

Twohey's wife Nicole and daughters Julie and Erin were supportive of the decision to go to work for the enemy.

FIRST DUTY

His first duty was to hire a new coach. Twohey interviewed a whopping 25 candidates. He would have liked an experienced head coach, but one lesson he learned as a Coyotes scout was that sometimes an inexperienced candidate could be successful, too.

As an example, Twohey got to know all the coaches in the OHL as a Coyotes scout. He would often have to find out about a Phoenix prospect or check a draft-eligible player's personality or work ethic.

One person Twohey came away impressed with was Guelph Storm bench boss Scott Walker, who became a head coach a few months after he retired as a player.

So the person Twohey decided to hire was 35-year-old D.J. Smith, a former NHL defenceman who spent the past seven seasons as a Windsor Spitfires assistant coach. Led by Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Boone Jenner, who has scored seven times in five games, Smith and Twohey have the Generals on the right track.

"D.J. is not an ego guy," Twohey said. "We have a young coaching staff.

"They're intense and no nonsense and I have really been impressed with what they have done. I have an open-book relationship with D.J.

"I never have signed or traded a player without his knowledge and I sit in on his meetings and pre-game talks with the players. We share everything."

And all that sharing has the former Pete thriving with the enemy.

NHL lockout Day 17: Fan's comment of the day

2012-10-02T17:35:05Z

]]> ]]>
So until the game we love returns, we'll highlight one fan's take on the lockout each day from the posts we've received on Facebook, Twitter and the comments sections on CBCSports.ca.

Here is Tuesday's Fan Comment of the Day from CBCSports.ca user WillieHuber:

"This is so easy. Given the existing professional hockey structure in Europe, set up a World Super League made up of NHL players and existing European players.

The Super League will have two divisions- one in Europe and one in Canada. The top European division will be made up of cities from Sweden, Finland, Russia, Germany, etc that have large arenas and populations. The Canadian division will be made up of current NHL cities, plus Hamilton, Quebec City, and Windsor (for Detroiters). The remaining European teams and Canadian minor league teams make up the second and third tiers of each division and we institute relegation and no salary caps.

Its better for hockey in Europe and it captures 75% of the North American market (Canada + Detroit). Between cable and opening the Euro television market, there will probably be more money for the Super League."

Want to share your opinion? Tweet me @JordanShifman or post a comment to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/CBCSports and come back every day to see what fans like you are saying.

NFL Roundtable: Week 4 recap

2012-10-02T15:47:31Z

]]> In CBCSports.ca's Week 4 chatter, our guys break down the slow starts by Mario Williams and Mark Sanchez, and debate whether the Vikings are for real and the Texans are the best team in football. In CBCSports.ca's Week 4 chatter, our guys break down the slow starts by Mario Williams and Mark Sanchez, and debate whether the Vikings are for real and the Texans are the best team in football.

Follow our panelists on Twitter: @tcare66 @JesseCampigotto @JasonD79.

The Bills made one of the biggest free-agent splashes in the off-season by signing end Mario Williams to the richest contract ever given to a defensive player - six years, $100 million (with $50 million guaranteed). Yet through four games, Williams has managed just seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. Should the Bills be feeling a sense of buyer's remorse?

Tony Care: Do you think the Houston Texans knew something the rest of us didn't when they decided to let Williams test the free-agent market? The biggest concern from my end is that Williams has been non-existent in the Bills' two losses against New England and the New York Jets. This was the guy who was supposed to provide the big pass rush from the edge. It's too early to call Williams a bust and I won't go there yet. However, the honeymoon period is definitely over.

Jason Davidson: Of course the Buffalo brass should be feeling some of that remorse. Williams is simply not justifying his huge salary. With that kind of dough, you should be making some sort of an impact, even if we're just at the quarter mark. The only job he seems to be doing well right now is alienating himself. He's the only guy on the Bills roster who doesn't have to speak to reporters more than twice a week. The fact that he is, for the most part, silent, shows that he is shying away from taking the heat and being accountable for his performance. But, hey, at least the Texans aren't missing him. They're doing just fine at 4-0. Then again, Williams spent the end of both 2010 and 2011 on IR.

Jesse Campigotto: 1.5 sacks is a disappointing total, but you can't call anyone a bust after four games. Plus, there's more to being a good pass rusher than personal sack totals. The best guys, even when they're not recording sacks, are hitting/hurrying the quarterback and drawing double teams that open up opportunities for their teammates. Right now the Bills ranks sixth in the league in Adjusted Sack Rate, as calculated by the website Football Outsiders, and defensive tackle Kyle Williams already has 3.5 sacks. Kyle Williams is one of the more underrated players in football, but he's only two sacks shy of his career high for a season, with 12 games still to play. Mario Williams should get some credit for that, no?

The Minnesota Vikings have caught the attention of the rest of the NFC North with a 3-1 record. Is it time to take the Vikings seriously?

Tony Care: The Week 3 victory against San Fran was certainly a wakeup call to the rest of the division. Quarterback Christian Ponder is having a nice start to his second year. He's making the right reads and is avoiding those back-breaking turnovers. The defence also gets overlooked but you have to love the physical way it goes after opponents. I'm still not ready to put the Vikings in the same class as the Packers and Bears. I want to see if they have the ability to beat those teams before anointing them an NFC North power.

Jason Davidson: I'm not buying the Vikings hype just yet. Their only win that's looked convincing was their 24-13 victory over the 49ers in Week 3. Their other two wins came against a lowly Jacksonville Jaguars squad at home along with this past Sunday's road win over the Lions in Detroit, a team who seems to have regressed after making such progress in 2011. The Leos' kick/punt defence was terrible, thus resulting in two Minny TDs. Percy Harvin's game-opening kick return TD for over 100 yards pretty much said it all. Adrian Peterson will go a long way in determining if this team has a shot or not and I just don't see it.

Jesse Campigotto: Ponder seems to be pulling off a reasonable Alex Smith impersonation. He's not exactly tearing it up (Ponder's 6.7 yards per pass attempt ranks 26th in the league) but he's limiting his mistakes (0 INTs, two fumbles) and keeping his team in games. The interceptions will come at some point, though, and it'll be interesting to see if Ponder can play from behind or if he's a front-runner like Smith (and, really, most of the QBs in the NFL).

The New York Jets are 2-2 but were annihilated at home by a 34-0 margin against the San Francisco 49ers. Fans are already clamouring for a QB switch, a move that would bring in Tim Tebow for the anemic Mark Sanchez. So should Rex Ryan make the change?

Tony Care: It doesn't matter. The record is a mirage. This team has few viable offensive weapons for any QB to succeed with. The Jets lost their so-called big-threat receiver when Santonio Holmes injured his foot against the 49ers, and have no running game to speak of. So what can Tebow possibly do to help this train wreck? I do want to call out Sanchez one final time. I don't care how often Ryan tries to defend his QB. Sanchez is not a franchise pivot and will never lead the Jets to a Super Bowl.

Jason Davidson: That 48-28 triumph over the Bills back in Week 1, when Sanchez threw for three touchdowns, sure seems like a long time ago. Tebow isn't going to change anything on that team. Not even he could have prevented the disaster that occurred on Sunday. This team is in complete disarray. Darrelle Revis, their star cornerback, is done for the year and Holmes will miss at least a few weeks with an injured foot. That's a pretty big blow to Tony Sporano's offence. Still, following Ryan's entertaining post-game press conference on Sunday, he seemed pretty adamant that Sanchez is still the guy. And remember, he was given a three-month contract extension back in the summer. However, Sanchez might rather want to sit on the bench and down a few hot dogs next Monday night rather than take snaps. They are home to the Houston Texans.

Jesse Campigotto: Isn't this the exact scenario everyone envisioned when the Jets acquired Tebow? That Sanchez would struggle out of the gate, the notoriously impatient New York fans and media would howl for Tebow, and the collapse under the weight of the controversy? And it only took four games for it to start playing out. Ryan should resist turning to Tebow for now, though. Miami has four more games before its bye: three of those at home (Houston, Indy, Miami) and only one on the road (New England). Give Sanchez that much time to step up, and if he doesn't, you've got the bye week to install the radically different offence that's necessary for Tebow to succeed.

For the first time in their history, the Houston Texans begin the season winners of four straight games. The Texans have won by a combined 126-56 mark. Is this the best team in the NFL?

Tony Care: No team is playing better. In our pre-season picks, I took the Texans as a Super Bowl finalist. Maybe I should've gone further. Offensively, they can beat you with the run or pass. On defence, end J.J. Watt is an absolute terror and leads a unit that thrives on converting turnovers into points. The only concern I have for the Texans is whether they can keep their guys healthy, particularly with the offence. QB Matt Schaub, RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson still have to prove they can collectively last for a full 16-game schedule.

Jason Davidson: May as well pick up my thoughts from my last answer. Yes, the Texans are the best football team right now. With the exception of their 31-25 win in Denver in Week 3, they have dominated their opponents in each of their victories. The three-headed offensive monster that is Schaub, Foster and Johnson looks fantastic. But let's give the defence some love too, especially defensive end Watt. Definitely no sophomore jinx for the Texans' first-round pick out of Wisconsin from 2011: 20 total tackles, 7.5 sacks and 5 deflected passes. As mentioned already in this roundtable, Mario Williams isn't even close to those kind of numbers. The Texans are looking darn good to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl come February.

Jesse Campigotto: The Texans are good, and they'll run away with the soft AFC South, but I hesitate to anoint a team whose wins have come over Miami, Jacksonville, Denver and Tennessee. We'll find out more about the Texans over the next three weeks before their bye: at the Jets on Monday night, home to Green Bay, home to Baltimore.

NHL landscape littered with landmines

2012-10-02T12:13:08Z

]]> If you have any doubt what a stalemate the NHL lockout has become, consider this: talks took a step backward last weekend because the league and the NHL Players' Association could not agree on who should pay for a) an extra trainer on the road and b) for each player to have his own hotel room.

Players felt teams should pay for both, especially since an extra trainer is a safety issue. Apparently, some teams only travel with one. As for single rooms, well, they've been fighting for that since Matt Stajan made Joe Nieuwendyk watch The Fifth Wheel. Right now, you can be solitary if you've played 600 NHL games.

The league, of course, feels otherwise, that these are added costs and should come out of hockey related revenue. There's no consensus and everybody leaves grumbling.

It's no wonder that, sometime this week, the NHL will announce the cancellation of regular-season games, with clubs expecting it will happen two weeks at a time. Michael Russo of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune tweeted Monday that the word "cancel" may not be used as there will be hope for an 82-game schedule if this mess is solved soon enough.

That may not be so simple, with at least one player saying there would be resistance to jamming too many back-to-back games into a shortened calendar. The path to consensus is littered with landmines.

WHY WE'RE HERE

A combination of mistrust, miscalculation and misplaced optimism has everyone trapped in labour hell. With record revenues and the highest average salary in history, there was a hope from moderates on both sides that cooler heads would prevail.

The players now believe the owners always intended to lock them out. The owners now believe the union's refusal to start negotiations until July meant it wanted to force the league to do it.

The NHL horribly misunderstood how much its first "offer" would anger the players and stiffen resolve. The players, believing many of the high-revenue teams would not want a stoppage, underestimated league commissioner Gary Bettman's ability to keep his collective in line.

Right now, it is total gridlock and there are still no good answers to the question: "What brings the thaw?" The No. 1 response remains "I don't know."

So how will this be solved? Here are some guesses:

SOMEONE MAKES A CONCESSION

Boy, this seems incredibly unlikely right now. One source (a smart guy, too) had a real good take on this. He pointed to former NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow's surprise 24 per cent rollback offer in 2004.

Goodenow threw it on the table and it became part of the dynamic. It never went away. When you consider most players weren't told that proposal was coming, then you can understand why they were so upset when it became part of the package with a salary cap.

There is a sense both sides remember that very well and don't want to make concessions that blow up in their face as badly as that one did. You have to think both have something in their back pockets they know could create movement. But they aren't ready to make them yet because history indicates doing it too early ends badly for you.

Of course, the other problem with a concession is that neither side is in the mood to make one right now.

ONE SIDE COLLAPSES

We'll see when -- or if -- this happens. Ultimately, the players have the most to lose. But on Oct. 15, they get their escrow cheques. Last year, everyone paid 8.5 per cent of their salary into these holdings. They'll get almost all of it back. If the plan is for the NHL to squeeze the opposition into submission, it will take longer.

The players are furious right now. It's a different kind of anger than in 2004, when they knew a lockout was coming. This time, the rank and file thought it could be avoided and are deeply disappointed it's gone this far. They are simply not willing to concede anything at this point.

We'll see where we are if this goes into December. Just 20 per cent of players had contracts going into 2005-06 when the last lockout began in September 2004. It's different this time, with the number closer to 60 per cent. But these are the their prime earning years and a good chunk are looking at a second salary interruption of their careers. The risk is greater for them. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had a lower figure in the original copy of this story. I had asked for confirmation of the numbers, but they turned out to be incorrect. My mistake anyways.)

But while the owners are hoping the union collapses, many of these same players (and their agents) believe most teams do not want a work stoppage. After talking to several people who attended the NHL's September board of governors meeting, my sense is that while most want to play eventually, Bettman has more than enough support right now.

There are some owners who are dead set against him (hint: one of them has a name that rhymes with James Dolan), but the majority are willing to see where this goes over the next couple of months.

Obviously, the high-revenue teams, especially those in Canada, are aching to start. But if Phoenix is ever going to have a chance, I can't imagine how it's good for the Coyotes, coming off their most successful season ever, to ruin that momentum. Same with the Florida Panthers, who ended a decade-long playoff drought and won the Southeast Division. The Los Angeles Kings should probably ask the Tampa Bay Lightning what happens if you don't get that "Stanley Cup bounce."

That said, there are a few things you have to understand about how things work atop the NHL. Dolan may be supremely annoyed, but the NHL constitution makes it very clear that if Bettman doesn't support a deal, 75 per cent of owners must vote against him.

Bettman is brilliant at keeping ownership under control. He's right up there with David Stern and Bud Selig when it comes to herding cats. And the NHL is not like the NBA, where Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban walks in and unabashedly racks up the GNP of a small African nation in fines. It would be unusual for the newer owners (Montreal and Toronto, for example) to challenge.

If this does go into December, many of them won't be happy with either the commissioner or Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who is another huge obstacle. There are some in the NHLPA who are hoping for this scenario. Being hopeful is one thing, having it actually work is something else.

NBC SPORTS

I include the network as a factor solely because of this story indicating the NBC Sports Network is in a ratings freefall. The NHL is its prime live property. Curious to see if this becomes a factor.

THE COURTS

I am the first to admit I have no idea if the NHLPA's motions in Alberta and/or Quebec have any chance of success. I don't know the legalities. What I do know is this: NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr has a history of going this route.

Many people forget that the 1994 baseball strike did not end with a cancelled World Series. The next season was supposed to begin with replacements as the two sides could not even agree on what to order for lunch. But just before the games were to start, Fehr won an unfair labour practices complaint against Major League Baseball. MLB was forced to bring back the real players under the terms of the expired collective bargaining agreement (Think about that one whenever anyone mentions replacement players in the NHL).

Again, I have no idea if the courts will in any way be a factor, but I'm including it because of Fehr's history -- and he's certainly trying.

THE INTERMEDIARY

I always thought this deal would be done by second-in-commands Bill Daly and Steve Fehr. But now even they are having trouble creating movement. In the darkest days of 2005, it was Calgary Flames owner Harley Hotckhiss, along with Trevor Linden, who tried to broker an agreement. That attempt failed, but Hotchkiss was such a respected figure. He eventually played a major role in getting the new CBA done. It said a lot about him that Bettman would not stand in the way of the Linden meeting and that the union would be willing to do it.

Hotchkiss passed away in 2011. Who has his vision and steps up in his absence? If someone doesn't do it soon, we're in for the long haul.

MLB playoff picture gets clearer

2012-10-02T03:35:16Z

]]> Recapping a busy Monday night in Major League Baseball:

All 5 American League playoff teams are set, although the specific matchups won't be determined for at least one more night, if not on the final outing of the season.

The White Sox limited the Indians to two hits in their bid to stay alive, but it went for naught as the Detroit Tigers clinched the AL Central with a win in Kansas City. Not only that, but Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera slugged his 44th home run to take over the AL lead, putting him on target for the circuit's first Triple Crown since 1967.

Just after 1 AM ET, the Oakland Athletics locked in a spot by defeating Texas 4-3, thereby eliminating the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays from consideration. Oakland trails the Rangers by just one game in the AL West.

The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles entered Monday tied atop the American League East but the Yankees edged ahead in the race with a drubbing of Boston. The Orioles are in the playoffs for sure, but now sit in the wild card position after losing in Tampa.

The Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves were already in the playoffs but they found out their designations on Monday. Atlanta lost to Pittsburgh, which means the Nats take their first ever division title since moving from Montreal to Washington. So far, the decision to shelve ace Stephen Strasburg has not cost the young club.

The Braves settle for home field in the wild card game, but who Atlanta plays is not yet known. The St. Louis Cardinals guaranteed at least a tie of the second wild card spot, which means they'll either jump right in against the Braves on Friday, or play a one-game tiebreaker before the wild card against Los Angeles. The Dodgers got a walkoff hit to keep their thin hopes alive.

NHL lockout Day 16: Fan's comment of the day

2012-10-01T20:33:59Z

]]> ]]>
So until the game we love returns, we'll highlight one fan's take on the lockout each day from the posts we've received on Facebook, Twitter and the comments sections on CBCSports.ca.

Here is Monday's Fan Comment of the Day from Scott Van Slyck via Facebook:

"I had an epiphany today... the players want to share in all hockey related revenues... players, do you share your endorsement or commercial money with the owners?!? You're paid to do a job, you get a salary to play...

I'd love a share of my companies profits too but guess what? It doesn't work that way... take your salary and let the owners make their money off tickets, merchandise and concessions... otherwise be prepared to cough up your cash from Gillette..."

Want to share your opinion? Tweet me @JordanShifman or post a comment to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/CBCSports and come back every day to see what fans like you are saying.

No end in sight for labour dispute despite Gretzky's Jan. 1 hope

2012-10-01T17:52:53Z

]]> Wayne Gretzky believes the NHL will be up and running by Jan. 1. But No. 99 also made it clear that he has no inside knowledge of what has been going on behind the closed doors of the stalled negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA that - in the next few days - will produce the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season.

]]> Wayne Gretzky believes the NHL will be up and running by Jan. 1. But No. 99 also made it clear that he has no inside knowledge of what has been going on behind the closed doors of the stalled negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA that - in the next few days - will produce the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season.

Gretzky made an appearance in Toronto on behalf of one of his corporate sponsors, TD Canada Trust, on Monday.

Initially, reporters were warned that Gretzky would not take any questions regarding the 17-day lockout. The Hockey Hall of Famer, however, knew his opinion on the subject was wanted and he obliged.

"When I was a player I always wondered how guys who played in the 1960s and 1970s stood up and made the comments on something they probably didn't know a lot about because they're not involved in the day to day, so for me to sit here and try to analyze what's going on would be hypocritical because I'm not involved day to day," Gretzky began.

"The only thing I will say is the commissioner's office and Donald Fehr and the Player's Association are very smart men. They're both very intelligent. They're both leading with people that are following them tremendously and it's a matter of sitting down and getting a deal done.

"I think that in 2004 we were changing the whole landscape, ownership wanted to have some sort of revenue sharing and once we came to the revenue sharing the hard part for my point of view seems to be out of the way. Now it's a question of working out the number that both sides think is fair. And that's why I believe that I don't see this lockout being as long as the last one.

"I think that ultimately here both sides will sit down and they will get a deal done here so hockey will be back playing."

Gretzky was then asked by CBC's David Price if he should buy tickets for the Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at the University of Michigan on Jan. 1.

"I don't know," Gretzky said. "I believe in my heart, and maybe because I'm such a big hockey fan, that they will be playing by January 1. I think the hard part of their deal was the last negotiations of players agreeing to a salary cap and now that there is a salary cap in place and revenue sharing, I see them ultimately getting a deal done here. And I see them playing hockey this year, yes."

What Gretzky failed to concede was that the players would like to see a better revenue-sharing system, something the owners have shunned so far. One of his former players, when he coached the financially-troubled Phoenix Coyotes, commented on this on Saturday.

"As a player, we understand there are certain things [the owners] want," Coyotes captain Shane Doan told the arizonasports.com as he took batting practice before the Arizona Diamondbacks game. "As a player, we think that if they want us to share the amount we've made, they need to share with each other. That's one of the biggest parts of this. If they aren't even willing to share with each other, it makes it very hard to ask the players to cover everything.

"The league is made up of 30 teams and individual groups. We all feed off each other, because we play each other. The whole league needs to be stronger, and we want that.

"The players in our last agreement gave a lot. In this agreement we are willing to help out, but [the owners] have to help out each other too."

The NHLPA and NHL engaged in discussions on non-economic issues last Friday, Saturday and Sunday in New York and now will retreat to see if there is a next move by either side.

On Friday, the two sides talked about the necessity of more drug testing, especially during the season. The next day the two groups zoned in on defining hockey-related revenues, and on Sunday the player-safety issues that were touched on Friday continued to be discussed. Similar talks on these matters will continue over the next couple of days.

When the NHLPA and NHL decided to restart negotiations on the most important issue - how to divide the $3.3-billion US of hockey-related revenue - is anybody's guess. The NHL repeatedly has stated that it is waiting to see a new proposal from the NHLPA, and the players have said that any immediate salary give backs was a non-starter.

It seems as if the NHL's plan is to wait and see how the players will react after they miss a couple of pay cheques. The NHLPA board had a conference call on Monday and they continue to be galvanized. But will they continue to walk the walk and talk the talk in November?

So we'll see if Gretzky's Jan. 1st hopes will be met. But right now it appears both sides remain firmly entrenched in their positions and not willing to come together to get a deal done.