Do Kadri & Reimer Stay With Leafs

With the trade of Dion Phaneuf, most fans begin to ask, "Now how about moving Lupul and Bozak."  With both players being out with injuries, it would be difficult for the Leafs to move either. Moreover, with respect to Lupul, his contract and injury woes throughout his career further complicates things. While we know that some players on the roster may be moved prior to the deadline (Parentau, Polak to name two), I think the bigger question is what do the Leafs do with James Reimer and Nazem Kadri. 

I'm beginning to think that management is beginning to have some questions about whether or not Jonathan Bernier can be their goaltender for the next several years. It's the only thing that makes sense as to why Reimer is getting most starts unless the Leafs are marketing him for a possible trade. The problem with that scenario is that Reimer is a UFA at the end of the season so why trade him if you can get him without giving up anything. 

I have always liked Reimer. He's a gamer and has always been a good teammate, even when Randy Carlyle regularly dissed him. I don't remember ever hearing that Reimer was a problem in the dressing room. The concerns I have with Reimer is that he seems to be injury prone and in the past has had a problem with high glove side shots. It seems that some of his techniques have improved this year and that is even the case with his performance in shootouts. But, once again this year he has been out of the lineup due to injury. 

With respect to Bernier, I have wanted to believe that he was the answer in goal. But, this year has been awful and I wonder if he can truly be a number one goalie. All this being said, unless the Leafs believe that Sparks or Bibeau can jump to the NHL next season or if they have their collective eye on another goalie somewhere else, it might be in their best interest to sign Reimer to a reasonable 2 year deal. Whether he would accept that is another story. The other option would be to move Bernier, sign Reimer to a 3 year deal and cultivate a young goalie who will be ready 2 years down the road when the Team will be ready to contend for a playoff spot. 

Nazem Kadri's situation is another tough one. There is no question that his overall play this year under Mike Babcock has improved. However, I really have to question whether he is a number 2 or number 3 center. In my opinion, he is not a game breaker. He can be a solid center man but I don't see him warranting a contract more than Tyler Bozak's. Kadri may think otherwise but I don't see it.  

Another option could be exploring interest for Kadri before the Feb 29th trade deadline. If the Leafs could get a 2nd round pick & a prospect in a trade for Kadri it might be worth something to consider. The problem is going to be what Kadri's expectation is for a contract  The kid is very self-confident which could mean that he has a higher value of himself than what the market will bear. In my mind, a contract that may be slightly higher than Bozak's would seem to be in order. One other thing to consider, what if the Leafs have the ability to draft Auston Matthews. You could conceivably have Matthews and William Nylander as your number one and number 2 centers. It then comes down to Bozak or Kadri as your number 3.

The Kadri situation is a difficult one and I'm glad Shanahan & Company are the ones who have to make the decision. But considering what they have done up to this point, I feel confident that they will make the right one. 

Leafs Reach .500 with 4-1 win

With four unanswered goals, the last one into an empty net, the Toronto Maple Leafs reached .500 for the first time this year completing a 2 game sweep of the St. Louis Blues with a 4-1 victory at the Air Canada Centre.  For the second game in a row, Jonathan Bernier was solid as he came up with several big saves and withstood a furious attempt by St. Louis at the end of the game.  With the status of James Reimer up in the air, the Leafs will need Bernier to continue his recent play.

Peter Holland looked the part of a former first round pick scoring the ultimate game winner on a bullet of a shot that Blues goalie Jake Allen had no chance on.  Holland led all Leaf forwards with seven shots and really has stepped up his play since being sent up to the press box earlier this season.  You have to be impressed with the overall play of Nazem Kadri as he scored a key insurance goal last night that gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead that pretty much salted the game away.  What is most impressive is his play defensively as Coach Mike Babcock matches Kadri's line against the other team's top line.

As was pointed out last night during the telecast, it is remarkable to look at where the Leafs were last year compared to this year.  While last year's team was seventh overall in the East, it was evident to many that they were not as good as the record showed.  That became very clear after the firing of Randy Carlyle and the awful record under Peter Horachek.  The biggest difference with this year's team was described by Tyler Bozak. Bozak indicated that last year when the team fell behind they knew they would lose. This year, according to Bozak, they expect to win every game and never feel they are out of a game. That has been clear to me even in October when the team could not post a win.

Many in Leaf Nation seem to be confused as to whether they should be happy with the team's play or upset that they are not losing more.  My thoughts on this: 1.) Mike Babcock is developing a culture that will be long lasting.  Accountability and being defensively responsible are the key along with not being afraid to go into the dirty areas offensively.  When the Nylanders and Marners are ready to put the Leaf uniform on there will be no confusion as to what the expectations are if you want ice time and 2.) If we take Leaf management at its word, many current Maple Leafs will not be with the club after February 29th.  I will be surprised if some of the players signed to one year contracts and pending free agents are not moved for draft picks thus further stocking the team's young talent pool.  In the end, we need to appreciate the turnaround that is taking place.  With a draft class that may be one of the deepest, the Leafs are certain to get a very talented player with their first round pick.

As the team heads out West this week, Leaf fans have to be optimistic with the direction of the franchise. What a difference a year makes!!!

Tuesday's Thoughts

While not being able to handle the first winter weather of the year, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, I had a feeling Brian Cashman wasn't done yet and sure enough the Yankees acquired fireballing reliever Aroldis Chapman for 4 minor leaguers, none of which were any of the team's top prospects.  With Chapman, the Yankees will have an awesome back of the bullpen with Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances and Chapman.  The only concern is whether the 3-time 27 year old All-Star will be suspended for an alleged domestic violence incident.  One would think that the Yankees would have checked out the situation and believe even if Chapman is suspended he would still be available for most of the 2016 season.  A bulked up hard throwing bullpen will help to bolster a fragile starting rotation.

* As many of you who follow me know, I have been extremely critical of Cashman but right now I would give him high marks for this off season's acquisitions as the Yankees continue to get younger and more athletic.  It will only get better as the 4 big contracts come off the books.(Beltran, Sabathia, Texiera and ARod)

* The Maple Leafs continue to shock many in Leafs Nation as they defeated the New York Islanders in the Barclay Center.  It is apparent that the team is responding quite well to Head Coach Mike Babcock and if they can get decent goaltending they will be a factor in determining who gets into the playoffs.  One only wonders where they would be in the standings if they hadn't had such a terrible October.

* What will be interesting to see is who General Manager Lou Lamiorello will try to move at the trade deadline.  Certainly it's possible that Michael Grabner and P.A.Parentau could be moved but one has to wonder if there would be any consideration to move Roman Polak or fan favorite Leo Komorov.  Of course, there is the persistent speculation about the Leaf futures of Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Tyler Bozak.

* Speaking of Bozak, it has been really annoying how this guy has been a constant whipping boy.  The fact remains that he didn't ask to be the team's number one center.  He is a college free agent who has played up to his ability and has served the Leafs well.  Babcock seems to have slotted him perfectly as is the case with Dion Phaneuf.

* Watching William Nylander get knocked out of Team Sweden's game against Switzerland had me thinking that this franchise is cursed.  Luckily, the word is that he very well may play again in the World Juniors and that is good news for Sweden and better news for the Marlies and the Maple Leafs.

* It's interesting how Manzielmania continues to grow with each game that Johnny Football plays.  I guess I'm confused as to how an NFL quarterback who rushes for nearly the same number of yards as he passes for is the formula for a Super Bowl contender.  

* While I would agree that it may be unfair to evaluate Manziel with the receivers that he has to throw to, his actions off the field may be just as important when determining whether or not he is the quarterback of the future.  Of course, now we see the Christmas Eve video of Manziel with an alcoholic beverage in his hand.  Many will say what is the big deal.  But the big deal is this kid was in an alcohol rehabilitation program.  He shouldn't be drinking period.  This has to call into question his judgment. To me the Browns have 2 options: 1.) get rid of him or 2.) keep him and draft another quarterback, not necessarily with their first round pick.

* The Bleacher Report is reporting that Ray Farmer will be shown the door once the season is over but Mike Pettine will be retained as head coach.  I don't have a problem with that, particularly if Browns owner Jimmy Haslam insists that Pettine bring in some assistants who have some pro football experience.  There is also rumors that Haslam will bring in former Green Bay GM Ron Wolf to act as a consultant to rebuild football operations.  Would be a good move in my opinion.

* It didn't take long for the honeymoon to end between Bills fans and Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan.  What is very telling is how the Bills have regressed under Ryan and the Jets are on the verge of making the playoffs under Todd Bowles.

* If I were a member of the Jets and needed additional motivation for Sunday's game, all I would think about is how Ryan was jumping around on the sidelines after the Bills win at MetLife Stadium earlier this season.

* Would really like to see Arizona or Carolina win the Super Bowl.  Bruce Arians has done a great job and it's fun watching Carson Palmer have a chance to go far in the playoffs, particularly after the crushing injury he received a few years back against the Steelers when he was playing for Cincinnati.  What can I say about Cam Newton.  The kid is having an awesome year and Ron Rivera has this team really playing well.  Would be a great NFC Championship Game.

* I don't know what to think about the Al Jazeera report about Peyton Manning and others using HGH. It seems hard to believe that Manning would risk his reputation.  With the so-called source recanting his story, one would have to give Peyton the benefit of the doubt.

* For all of the gasbags and self-righteous morons who are slamming Mike Ditka for calling Al Jazeera not credible and garbage, I'm with Ditka.  Since when is Al Jazeera a sports reporting agency.  Credit to Da Coach for telling it like it is.

* With word that the Maple Leafs are looking to change their uniforms, one has to wonder how much of this is a result of Addidas getting the NHL contract for apparel next season.  We know that Nike was involved in the ridiculously stupid new uniforms for the Browns.  So much for tradition.

* There was an interesting article last week in the NY Post that raised the question as to whether or not Sidney Crosby is a coach killer.  Crosby has had four head coaches in his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The article pointed out that Crosby has a close relationship with Penguins owner and icon, Mario Lemieux.  I'm a Crosby fan, but the article gave me something to think about.

* If the playoffs started tomorrow in the NFL, the starting quarterbacks for the AFC playoff teams would be: Tom Brady, AJ McCarron, Brandon Weeden, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alex Smith and Brock Osweiler.  A far cry from the days of Kelly, Elway, Kosar, Marino and Esiason.

* By the way, the Browns could have had Bruce Arians or Todd Bowles as their head coach.

* Really looking forward to watching the Final Four in the College Football Playoffs and the Fiesta Bowl with Notre Dame and Ohio State.  I'm pulling for Oklahoma, Michigan State and the Fighting Irish.

* Wonder if the gasbags on WGR550 realize that these college games are taking place this weekend.  I'd bet anything I have that there will not be a segment in the morning or during drive time about them. More concerned about getting the right musical effects when they talk about Ryan O'Reilly.

* Here's hoping that you all have a Happy and Healthy 2016!!

Leafs: What A Difference A Coach Makes

For those people who don't believe that a coach makes a difference, I submit to you the 2015-2016 Toronto Maple Leafs.  No, Head Coach Mike Babcock is not going to coach this team to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Hell, the Leafs may not even make the playoffs.  But what he has done is instill the importance of hard work, paying attention to detail and competing every night.

One only has to look at Toronto's last two games to see the Babcock effect.  The Leafs were blown out by the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.  They traveled to Minnesota to take on the Wild the following night.  Last year's team would have gone through the motions after a rough front half of a back-to-back.  Not Babcock's team.  While they lost 1-0 to Minnesota, the Leafs played a good road game and could not cash in on their chances.  That had more to do with a lack of skill players than it did with a decrease in work ethic.

You can also see what I'm talking about during a game.  This team has fallen behind in games only to come back and give themselves a chance to win.  That just didn't happen last year.  The most important acquisition the Leafs made this off season was getting Mike Babcock.

In the last 20 years, the Leafs reached the Stanley Cup semi-finals four times.  In those seasons, their head coach respectively was Pat Burns and Pat Quinn.  Quality hockey men who the players knew meant business.  That's where we are now with Babcock behind the bench.  

Brendan Shanahan and Babcock have said that there will be pain during this rebuilding process.  But with Babcock as their coach and Lou Lamoriello as their general manager, the Leafs are setting the stage for a resurgence.  With William Nylander and Mitch Marner in the wings and other youngsters like Connor Brown, Stuart Percy and others ready to emerge to partner with Morgan Reilly and JVR, the future looks bright.  In the meantime, the Leafs have become a team that the fan base can rally around.  Hard work, paying attention to detail and competing every night is what Leaf fans are looking for at this point as we know that better days are around the corner.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While counting down the days to pitchers and catchers, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* The NFC Championship Game turned into an instant classic with Seattle's stunning come from behind overtime win over Green Bay. While everyone will point to the botched recovery of the onside kick by the Packers, the game was lost in the first half when Green Bay had to settle for field goals in the red zone as opposed to touchdowns. As a Browns fan I know that it always comes back to bite you.

* The New England Patriots emphatically became the AFC representative in the Super Bowl by manhandling the Indianapolis Colts 45-7. You can't help but be impressed and respect the job that both Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have done with the Patriots.

* While the NFL has become a passing league, both Super Bowl teams received huge games from running backs in the Conference Championship games. I guess you still need to be able to run the ball to win in December and January.

* If the Indianapolis Colts are to take the next step, they must be able to find a running game. Ahmad Bradshaw was playing well prior to his injury but the ex-Giant running back will be 29 years old next year and is on the small size. They thought Trent Richardson would be the answer but he wasn't even dressed for the playoffs. Without a go to back, Andrew Luck is going to have a tough time as evidenced by Sunday's game.

* The Chicago Bears made an excellent move by hiring John Fox to be their head coach. Fox is a defensive minded coach and that should bode well for a team that has been awful defensively for the last two years. The other thing about Fox is that he has had a history of building good coaching staffs and that will be important particularly as it relates to the offensive coordinator position.

* Can't wait to hear what the NFL finds out from their investigation on the claim that the Patriots deflated footballs in order to give their team a better grip on a wet ball. The Patriots may have taken over from the Yankees the title of "Evil Empire".

* Mike Harrington's column in Sunday's Buffalo News about the state of the Buffalo Sabres is right on point. Harrington calls into question the team's quest to be able to select Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel when there is hardly anything in place to help either of these kids if they get one of them. What veteran help is in place? Brian Gionta and Matt Moulson? Give me a break. And what about Jeremy White's man crush, Mikhail Grigerenko, who is becoming the latest NHL draft bust. Moreover, what about the fans who spend good money to come and watch the Sabres play. Some are buying the notion that this season is necessary to get the next Sidney Crosby. But there are no guarantees and it is foolish to think that an 18 year old kid is going to automatically turn a franchise around that is devoid of talent. As Harrington put it, this organization is a joke.

* I have no problem with the NCAA reinstating Joe Paterno's victories to his record which made him the most winning coach in college football history. What happened with Sandusky had absolutely nothing to do with those wins. The fact that the NCAA included this as part of a settlement shows that there was no basis for its action other than to bury Paterno.

* The All-Star break can't happen soon enough for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they dropped their fifth game in a row losing to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 at the ACC last night. But for the last 6 minutes of the game, the Leafs looked like a team totally lost. With each loss mounting it is becoming a foregone conclusion that they will not make the playoffs. As a result, Brendan Shanhan and Dave Nonis should take a page out of Knicks President Phil Jackson and start tearing things down.

* Not sure what is up with Tyler Bozak but he looked awful last night. He has regressed badly since the early part of the season and management should explore what kind of market there is for the soon to be 29 year old center. Jonathan Bernier is another player who did not look good last night and by his own admittance did not play well on Saturday night against St.Louis. If it were me, James Reimer would get the start in Ottawa on Wednesday. Based on what I saw last night, Nazem Kadri needs to be paired with Phil Kessel for the rest of the year. They seem to have a good chemistry and provided some real offensive creativity which the Leafs are in desperate need. Another player who seems to be regressing is James van Riemsdyk.

* The Dion Phaneuf bashing has grown to epic proportion and I believe it is unwarranted. He didn't ask to be captain and he didn't hold a gun to Nonis' head over his current contract. As has been said by many, he's not a number one defenseman but he is a top 2 or 3. I thought last night he tried very hard to get things going for his team yet he will still be criticized. A guy who should be criticized is David Clarkson. While it is true that Clarkson didn't hold up Dave Nonis for his massive free agent contract, the problem is unlike Phaneuf there is no redeeming value to Clarkson's game. Clarkson being on the second power play unit is an absolute joke and he is nothing more than a fourth line player at this point. He's also taking valuable ice time away from a younger player.

* There is no question that the Leafs are missing Peter Holland, Joffrey Lupul and Leo Komorov. As these players come back, it will be time for some moves to be made. If the Leafs are not going to use David Booth then they should put him on waivers. Trevor Smith should be sent back down to the Marlies and Troy Bodie should not be in a Maple Leaf uniform again. The Leafs need to explore if there is truly a market for Joffrey Lupul and if there is they need to move him. I'm not sure what to make of Cody Franson. Based on his age and his ability to score from the blue line, I would like to keep him. But management needs not to overpay and if they determine in their discussions with Franson's agent that his price is too steep, then they need to move him. With respect to David Clarkson, he would be healthy scratch. The Leafs need to give guys like Sam Carrick more ice time. Why bring Matt Frattin up if you are not going to give him regular minutes. If he can't get that ice time then you need to send him back down and he needs to stay with the Marlies.

* And finally, does anyone really care about the NFL and NHL All-Star Games?

Tuesday's Thoughts

While being proud of myself that I have finished my Christmas shopping, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* Well, the Johnny Football era began in Cleveland on Sunday and it was a total disaster. Manziel looked awful. He made bad throws and looked lost out there. The running game was non-existent which put more of an onus on Manziel. The Browns defense was terrible. To allow the Bengals to rush for over 100 yards in the first half was disgraceful. 

* Merrell Hoge was very outspoken in his criticism of Manziel and the Browns in general. To be honest with you, I agree with Hoge. There is no doubt we have only seen Manziel start one game but Hoge made an excellent point when he said that Manziel was not a first round talent but was taken in the first round. The pick was a reach and I have to wonder how much influence Jimmy Haslam had with that decision. But Manziel is not the only questionable selection in the first round as Justin Gilbert has had a VERY unimpressive rookie season. Gilbert was the eighth pick overall in the draft and could not crack the starting lineup. With two first round picks in the 2015 Draft, let's hope General Manager Ray Farmer does a better job than he did in this year's draft.

* Interesting article in the NY Post this morning about Johnny Manziel. The Post's Bart Hubbuch called into question Kyle Shanahan's play calling by saying that Manziel was in sets that did not capitalize on his ability to use his legs which set the rookie quarterback up for failure. Hubbuch makes some interesting points particularly when he claims that his league sources indicated that the Browns drafted Manziel at the behest of owner Jimmy Haslam rejecting Mike Pettine's opinion on Manziel.

* By the way, I hate the all brown uniforms that Cleveland wore Sunday. What happened to tradition? The classiest uniforms are the traditional ones: Green Bay, Indianapolis, NY Giants and Dallas. 

* The Toronto Maple Leafs are on fire as they had a weekend sweep of the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings. Moreover, they swept all four games in the two back to back sets that they faced. What has been a pleasant surprise has been the secondary scoring that the Leafs are receiving from guys like Mike Santorelli and Richard Panik. It's funny how being able to roll four lines that can play has had a major impact up to this point of the season. The depth that the Leafs have will lead the coaching staff to make some tough decisions once Leo Komorov and Roman Polak are ready to play. 

* It's really fun to see a player grow in front of your eyes and that's what we are witnessing with Nazem Kadri. I'm going to be honest with you, I had my doubts about this kid but he has made me a believer. Not sure if it was the chat that he had with Brendan Shanahan but Kadri is no longer a defensive liability. He is arguably the Leafs best all around center. I was truly impressed with how he handled both Henrik Zetterberg and Anze Kopitar. As he continues to commit to the defensive aspects of the game, with his offensive skill he can be one of the top all around players in the league. 

* Leafs Lunch on Friday had the three hosts predict how many points the Leafs would get on the weekend. Brian Hayes said the Leafs would get three points, Jamie MacClennan said two points and Jeff O'Neill said zero. I guess Jeff was wrong and shame on Hayes for not calling him out on it Monday.

* The Leafs have five games remaining before the Christmas break and those five games start off tonight against the Anaheim Ducks at the Air Canada Center. It is key for the Leafs to avoid any extended losing streaks if they are to convince themselves and their apprehensive fan base that this will be another season where there is a late season collapse. After tonight, the Leafs go to Carolina on Thursday, play Saturday at the ACC against Philadelphia and then go to Chicago on Sunday to take on the Blackhawks. Their last of the five game stint is on December 23 at Dallas. I'll take going 3-2 before they head out on a five game road trip after Christmas.

* The Yankees announced the signing of Chase Headley to continue to play third base. The deal was four years at $52 million dollars. If Headley can stay healthy then this is not a bad deal. My concern is that this guy has had a history of back issues. Hopefully those are behind him. This signing would also seem to indicate that the Yankees see Alex Rodriguez as mainly a DH which according to both NY dailies will not sit well with him. Nothing like ARod drama to begin another baseball season.

* Brian Cashman indicated in an interview that the Yankees are not in on Max Scherzer. The reason given was that the team did not want to commit to a seven year contract to a 30 year old pitcher. Hmmm...do you believe him?

* Is there a bigger joke of a franchise in the National Hockey League than the Edmonton Oilers? Dallas Eakins is the latest head coach to get the ax as it was announced yesterday that Eakins was fired and General Manager Craig MacTavish has named minor league coach Todd Nelson as interim head coach. As I mentioned last week, Eakins would have been better served being an assistant coach in the NHL before taking a number one job, especially one that saw two experienced head coaches (Pat Quinn and Tom Renney) not be able to turn the team around. There are two constants that have overseen this mess: Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish. Someone should tell ownership that it is time to cut the cord from the 80's Oilers as these guys have led this once proud franchise into the toilet. 

* Interesting fact number one: the Green Bay Packers have never won in Ralph Wilson Stadium. 

* Interesting fact number two: the New York Jets 16-11 victory over the Tennessee Titans is the first time that the score of 16-11 has ever been the final score of an NFL game. 

* Plenty of talk about the NHL expanding to Las Vegas. To me, expansion is not the answer but re-location is the way to go. All they would have to do is move the Florida Panthers to Las Vegas and that would give each conference 15 teams. There is no question that Quebec City or a second team in Toronto is more deserving but the NHL must even out the conferences. Bringing the league up to 32 teams further dilutes the talent. 

* So far the Boston Red Sox have spent the most money in free agency. So much for the evil empire. 

* Jon Lester was presented to the Chicago media as he had signed with the Cubs. Lester's number is 34 in deference to Walter Payton, Kerry Wood and Nolan Ryan. This guy is going to be well liked in the Windy City. 

* Tough news for the Dallas Cowboys as DeMarco Murray has a broken hand and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Indianapolis. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the Cowboys since he has become a vital cog in that team's offense. 

* Kudos to Marcus Mariota for winning the Heisman Trophy. It will be interesting to see if this kid decides to leave Oregon. 

* Was really interesting to hear former Heisman Trophy Winner John Huarte tell the story how he was notified that he had won the award. Huarte was the quarterback for Notre Dame and won the award 50 years ago. He was in his dorm room and the phone was ringing out in the hallway. Huarte answered it and was told that he won the Heisman. Far cry from today's major production put on by ESPN.

* Well Bills fever is running wild in Western New York. Buffalo's chance to make the playoffs are slim but it is feasible that they could go 9-7 which would be a big improvement over last season. However the big question is: will this success lull the franchise to believe that they can be playoff contenders with Kyle Orton as quarterback?

* And finally, Ted Nolan is one of the best coaches in the National Hockey League. Despite a roster way short on talent, he has managed to get the Buffalo Sabres to be a respectable hockey team. While I understand Sabre fans wanting their team to tank so they can draft Connor MacDavid or Jack Eichel, it is not in Nolan's DNA to have his team not compete. Think about his first stint with the Sabres when he had "the hardest working team" in the NHL. If the Sabres wanted to tank, they should have kept Ron Rolston. By the way, there were plenty of empty seats at the First Niagara Center last night when Buffalo played Ottawa.

Tuesday's Thoughts

As the countdown to Christmas begins, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* The Johnny Manziel era begins in Cleveland and it is the move that had to be made. As anyone who has read this blog or my Twitter posts, you know that I was not crazy about the Browns drafting Johnny Football. I had no problem with Coach Mike Pettine going with Brian Hoyer as the Browns starting quarterback. But over the last five games, Hoyer has shown that he is not the quarterback of the future let alone the guy to lead this team to the playoffs this year. In his last five games, Hoyer has thrown for three touchdowns while also throwing 8 interceptions. The first seven games, he had 8 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

* As a realistic Browns fan, I know it would be nice if they made the playoffs but if they did they would probably get bounced in their first game. That's why making the move to Manziel is best for the long term future of the franchise. It's imperative that the Browns see what they have in Johnny Football before the end of this season to determine if they need to use a top draft pick on another quarterback in the 2015 Draft. 

* Kyle Shanahan had another bad game and all of the talk about him getting a head coaching job next year is pre-mature in my mind. Two points: 1.) Why did he continue to run sweeps with Isiah Crowell? The play went no where every time it was called. 2.) On Buffalo's 1st series of the second half, Kyle Orton was picked off by Joe Haden inside Buffalo territory. Why wouldn't you go for the jugular with a play action pass to the end zone? Instead he tried the same running play to Crowell that went no where. Then Hoyer gets sacked and the Browns have to punt the ball away. 

* One other point about the play calling, the Browns red zone offense is no better now than it was under Pat Shurmer and Rob Chudzinski. You need to score touchdowns. 

* The Maple Leafs continue to play well as they convincingly defeated the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday night. Since the 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Nashville Predators, this Leaf team seems to be playing with a purpose. Even in their 4-3 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, they showed some fight as they fought back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in regulation.

* The Leafs are finally healthy up front as they got Joffrey Lupul and David Booth back and as a result Randy Carlyle is using four lines which have all been productive. 

* The Alex Ovechkin hit on Leo Komorov was a cheap shot and should warrant a review by the NHL. All I have to say is this: if the shoe was on the other foot and Komorov cheap shot Ovechkin resulting in him being taken out of the game, Komorov would be suspended. Here's hoping Komorov can play tonight against Dallas. 

* Jake Gardiner's heart has been called into question but he was the first player who I saw get into Ovechkin's face after he nailed Komorov. Funny, I haven't heard any of the Toronto gasbags mention that at all. 

* Here's hoping Korbinian Holzer continues to play as he had the last two games. If it continues, the Leafs are in a very good position for a possible trade once Roman Polak comes back.

* The Leafs will have some difficult decisions to make as they approach the trade deadline this season. They have a number of players who will be free agents next season (Cody Franson, Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Bernier, Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik). There have been reports that Joffrey Lupul is concerned about possibly being moved out of Toronto. I like Lupul but the Leafs really didn't miss a beat when he was out with an injury. If Holzer shows that he can play well consistently, the Leafs may be able to move a defenseman. The key would be to clear cap space as the cap will not go up that much next season. While the Leafs can be a playoff team, I think its safe to say that they are not a Stanley Cup contender at this point. The next couple of months will be very interesting in Leafland.

* New York media types calling for the Giants to move Eli Manning are morons. I'll take a two-time Super Bowl Champion any day. 

* At the end of the day, the AFC North may be the most overrated division in the NFL. Pittsburgh looked awful against New Orleans and Baltimore blew a game at home against San Diego. Cincinnati held on for dear life against Tampa Bay and the Browns are fortunate to be 7-5. 

* Was so happy to see Colt McCoy get a shot in Washington. He threw for close to 400 yards on Sunday.  

* Speaking of Washington, you have to wonder if RG III will ever get back to what he was his rookie year. You have to wonder if the decline in his play is related to his knee injury or is it a result of him being too much of a celebrity. Rumors are that the Redskins would take a 5th or 6th round draft pick for RG III. 

* The Browns-Bills game on Sunday was one of the worst games I've seen in a long while. By the way, for these Blue Cheese breath morons here in Western New York, the Bills are not a playoff team and if they get in they will be knocked out in the first game which is the same thing I said about the Browns.

* Kudos to Jerry Sullivan for pointing out to the Louie Lackawannas of the world that it's nice to be happy about being in the hunt but the Bills offense is putrid and they are not a legitimate playoff team. 

* It will be interesting to see how the Bills top defensive line plays next week against Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Denver.

* The arbitrator's decision to overturn Ray Rice's indefinite suspension should not be a surprise to anyone. The fact is that Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Ray Rice twice for the same offense. In most labor-management situations that is a no-no. Yet, had to hear people being interviewed in bars saying that the arbitrator's decision sends the message that domestic violence is not a big deal. Really?? The message that the decision sends is that the National Football League, in working with the NFL Players Association, needs to set up a process on how to handle such offenses. Goodell cannot be the judge and jury.

* The Toronto Blue Jays made a nice move in acquiring Josh Donaldson for Brett Lawrie and 3 prospects. Lawrie has a history of being injury prone and Donaldson adds more punch to a lineup that already features Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista. Add the acquisition of Russell Martin and the Blue Jays will have a formidable experienced lineup in 2015. Don't be surprised if they make some additional moves during the Winter Meetings. 

* Melky Cabrera is as good as gone in Toronto. Will be interesting to see where the Melkman ends up. 

* Meanwhile Brian Cashman is preparing to repel down a building in Connecticut.  

* Any reason why Willie Randolph has not been hired by the Yankees to be their first base and infield coach?

* In 2009, the Yankees infield was Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixiera. All were considered All-Stars. In 2015 it will be ? at third base, ? at shortstop, ? at second base and lucky if you get 125 games from Teixiera at first base. Meanwhile, Cashman is repelling down a building with Bobby Valelntine.

* It's being reported that the Yankees are interested in lefty reliever Andrew Miller. There is plenty of speculation as to what the Yankees are doing by going after Miller. Are they looking to build a back end bullpen that would consist of Miller, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Justin Wilson? Are they looking to send a message to Robertson that they will move on without him? I simply don't understand why there should be any question about re-signing Robertson. This home-grown 30 year old, who has had one of the best earned run averages of any reliever since 2009, is looking for a four year deal and the Yankees are only willing to give him a three year deal. It's not about the money, it's about the term. This whole situation sounds like the Cano scenario from last year. Why do the Yankees have a hard time giving home grown players long term contracts but have no problem giving long term contracts to free agents such as Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann? And let's not forget the guaranteed three year contract they gave to 36 year old Carlos Beltran.

* The NFL rule change that limits what a defensive back can do five yards beyond the line of scrimmage is a big joke. It is also inconsistently called.  

* Would love to see Missouri knock off Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. If that should happen it could be possible that no team from the SEC makes the playoffs.

*Do you remember when Brian Burke said that he felt the Toronto market would be too tough for a rookie coach and that is why he hired Randy Carlyle over Dallas Eakins? Well, now some NHL gasbags are saying that Edmonton may have made a mistake by hiring Eakins. Their rationale is that it would have made more sense for Eakins to serve as an NHL assistant coach before taking on a head coaching job in the NHL. I guess Brian Burke was right even though certain members of the media would never admit it. 

* Gotta love Sportstime Ohio talk show host Bruce Drennan. After the Browns loss to the Bills on Sunday, Drennan said that the worst thing about the loss was that the Bills stink!! That's why I love the guy!!

* The Packers-Patriots game was billed as a Super Bowl preview. Somehow, I don't see it. I'm not a big fan but with a renewed running game, Denver will be a tough team to beat in the playoffs. I'm really impressed with their young running back C.J. Anderson and he could be a difference maker in the post season. 

* It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Jim Harbaugh will be gone from San Francisco. Big rumor has him either going to Oakland or the Jets. But wouldn't it be great if he went back to where his career started in Chicago?

* And finally, does anyone know whatever happened to Everrett Golson??

Tuesday's Thoughts

While beginning my four month bitch about the cold and snow, here's what is on my mind this morning:

* What a sports weekend. Let's first start with my favorite hockey team: the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a great game against the Boston Bruins, the Leafs dropped back to back games on the weekend. Friday they dropped a 2-1 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the ACC. The Leafs didn't play great but they certainly had a chance to get a point. But the 6-2 loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres left many Leaf fans shaking their heads. The Leafs were awful in all aspects of the game and it's hard to understand. How can a team play so well against the Bruins and be embarrassed by Buffalo. 

* Remember the controversy caused when Joffrey Lupul said it was frustrating playing at home because the ACC crowd was too quiet? Well in Buffalo on Saturday, there were more Leaf fans in the First Niagara Center than Sabre fans. Not only were there more Leaf fans but they were loud and proud! So much for the crowd getting the team going. If the Leafs played with as much passion as the Leaf fans who go to Buffalo to watch them play, their record in Buffalo would not be 1-14-1 in their last 16 games at First Niagara Center. 

* There has been plenty of questions, both inside and outside the organization, about the first line being weak defensively. If that is the case, why not break them up? Prior to Joffrey Lupul being injured, Randy Carlyle did just that. After the Lupul injury, Carlyle had Daniel Winnick on the line with Phil Kessel and Nazem Kadri. But, when Carlyle needed some offense he went back to Tyler Bozak and James van Reimsdyk teaming up with Kessel. So what do you want Randy??  

* The furor that was caused by Phil Kessel refusing to speak to the media after Saturday's debacle in Buffalo is a joke on many levels. First, Kessel was obviously pissed at being embarrassed by the worst team in the NHL. But, you see he can't win. Kessel has been criticized for showing no emotion and being a me-first player. But when he shows emotion he's a dirt bag because he wouldn't talk to the media. Leading the media pity party was TSN Leaf beat reporter Jonas Siegel. Siegel believes that Kessel owes it to the fans to speak to the media. Really Jonas?? I could careless if Kessel speaks to you ever again. What I also found interesting that Siegel said that he covers for the players. I want to know, what are you covering up Siegel?? I don't buy that for a minute. 

* Secondly, there are members of the Toronto media who will never warm up to Phil Kessel. I remember a couple of years before he re-signed with the Leafs, some media types saying that Kessel will leave Toronto when he became a free agent so the Leafs should trade him to get something before they lost him and got nothing. You see, according to these geniuses, Kessel didn't like the pressure of playing in Toronto and would want to go back to the U.S. Well, I guess they were wrong as Kessel has expressed numerous times about how he loves playing in Toronto.  

* I wonder how many members of the Washington media are ready to run Alex Ovechkin out of town because he isn't a good two-way player. In fact, I would make the argument that Kessel is a better all around player than Ovechkin. I am sick and tired of the Kessel bashing by the Toronto media. He is Toronto's best player. The challenge for Brendan Shanahan is to surround him with players who can compliment his talent. Is he a great two-way player? No he is not. But he is their most talented player and I'm not expecting him to be Patrice Bergeron. Kessel is not this team's problem. 

* If you want to look at a problem, how about Mimico's own David Clarkson. I was happy when the Leafs signed him but he has been a major disappointment. He does not deserve to be on the second power play unit and I question as to whether or not he shouldn't be on the fourth line. His penalty in Buffalo on Saturday killed the momentum that the Leafs had achieved and led to a Sabres power play goal. The guy should not be up on the second line with Kadri. He actually played his best when he was with Bozak and JVR. 

* Its to the point where I honestly believe that it is in Jake Gardiner's best interest to be traded. Heaven help him if he makes a bad play that leads to a goal but when Cody Franson swan dives, misses the puck and allows the Sabre forward to come out in front of the net which leads to a Buffalo goal, you don't hear a word about it. Maybe what all of the Toronto media would like to see is Kessel, Gardiner, and Phaneuf traded for draft picks so we can build through the draft. Boy, wouldn't that be great!!

* Funny how the Toronto media criticizes Kessel for being a terrible interview but goes bonkers when he tells them to get away. Good for Phil. 

* By the way, for a guy who the media believes is out of shape, Phil Kessel has not missed a game in the 5 1/2 seasons he has played for the Leafs.

* Boy, I miss Brian Burke.

* The Cleveland Browns could not stand prosperity as they went from first to last place after their 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans at home. I really lay the blame for this loss on the coaching staff. Why would you not blitz a quarterback who was making his first start in four years? Why wouldn't you have put eight men in the box to stop the run and force Ryan Mallett to make plays? Why would you not play Ben Tate who was going up against his former team? Why would Terrence West, your leading rusher the last two games, only get five carries?? Mike Pettine and his staff were completely out-coached. 

* I still have my doubts on Brian Hoyer being the guy to lead the Browns to the promise land. The problem is I don't believe Johnny Manziel is the answer either. If I'm right, the Browns will still be looking for a quarterback in 2016. 

* Browns General Manager Ray Farmer needs to be held accountable as both of his first round picks: Manziel and Justin Gilbert have not contributed at all. Cleveland cannot afford first round picks not having an immediate impact. I wonder if Ray watched Zach Mettenberger last night. Mettenberger was Tennessee's sixth round pick in the 2014 Draft and has had more of an impact that Johnny Football.

* Remember when all the so-called media experts pronounced the end of the New England Patriots? Well, they have won six in a row including Sunday night's domination of the Indianapolis Colts. Right now they are the best team in the AFC and maybe in the entire NFL. 

* It might be time to take the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals seriously. I have been a believer of the Cardinals as they shutdown the Detroit Lions Sunday. It will be interesting to see how they perform against Seattle this week. Kansas City's victory over the Seahawks is starting to get me to take notice.  The Chiefs are not a great team but they have a great running back, an efficient quarterback and a very good defense. They should make the playoffs once again.

* I wonder if Packers head coach Mike McCarthy realizes that he doesn't need to run up the score to make the final four in the NFL. It's difficult to explain why McCarthy has left Aaron Rodgers late in games against the Bears and the Eagles. I wonder what he would think if some frustrated defensive player took a big hit against Rodgers putting him out for awhile.

* A month ago, Notre Dame was a possible final four contender and Everrett Golson was a potential Heisman candidate. Well, ever since their heart breaking loss to Florida State the bottom has fallen out for the Irish and for Golson. Golson has been a turnover machine and Notre Dame has lost two in a row, the last defeat at the hands of Northwestern at South Bend. At this rate, Notre Dame may be looking at the Poulan Weedwacker Bowl. 

* Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman wants all Yankee fans to be excited because he re-signed Chris Young and acquired left-handed reliever Justin Wilson for Francisco Cervelli. Young being the Yankees fourth outfielder really excites me when it's a good bet that he may start close to 100 games as a result of the injury prone Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Young couldn't start for the Mets. As for Wilson, Cashman says that the left-hander is a part of building a deep bullpen even though Wilson had an ERA over 4. 

* While Cashman talks about building a deep bullpen, there is a chance he will let the team's closer David Robertson leave via free agency. I would not be surprised if Robertson is this year's Robinson Cano.

* While Cashman fiddles, the Blue Jays signed Russell Martin and are reportedly interested in Jon Lester and Andrew Miller. The Red Sox are courting World Series star Pablo Sandoval. If these teams load up, you can be looking at another playoff-less October in 2015 for the Bronx Bombers.

* While the New York media continues to speculate whether Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will be shown the door at the end of the season, the real focus should be on their general manager Jerry Reese. Reese has done a terrible job in drafting and Coughlin may pay the price. The other casualty of Reese's ineptitude is Eli Manning.

* It's looking like Bills head coach Doug Marrone may be on the hot seat after his team's 22-9 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Thursday. While Marrone deserves to be wondering about his job, GM Doug Whaley also deserves to be looked at critically. Whaley believed so much in EJ Manuel that he traded away his first round draft pick in 2015 to obtain Sammy Watkins. I love Watkins but what good is it to have him if no one can get him the ball. The Bills could have stayed at number eight and selected Mike Evans. If Marrone has to go the same could be said for Whaley. Under Ralph Wilson, the Bills were criticized for not bringing in top coaches and general managers to run football operations. If Terry Pegula wants to make a mark on this franchise he needs to bring in quality football people to run his team.

* And finally, thoughts and prayers with hockey great Gordie Howe and his family.

Leafs Redeem Themselves With 6-1 Win Over Boston

In October the Toronto Maple Leafs were embarrassed on their home ice in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Boston Bruins. The loss resulted in a players only meeting which has led to a 6-1-1 record that was topped off by last night's convincing 6-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Without a doubt the Leafs responded not only offensively but defensively.

Not much more you can say about Phil Kessel other than he is a world class goal scorer who the Leafs have not had on the wing since Lanny McDonald. Hopefully this puts to bed the nonsense about Kessel's off season work habits. The bottom line is that Kessel is their best player whether he skates 10 times in the summer or 100 times in the summer. The chemistry of the first line is outstanding and one of the most dangerous in the NHL.

But the line that seems to be the biggest surprise and is giving an identity to this Leaf team is the Mike Santorelli, Peter Holland, Leo Komorov line. When the Leafs brought back Komorov many were critical of the team for the contract given to the hard-hitting Finn. But so far this season, it is clear that it has been money well spent as Komorov has continued his aggressive fore-checking style, killing penalties and chipping in offensively. Mike Santorelli was brought in to do exactly what he is doing: taking the body, being defensively responsible, taking face-offs when needed and providing some offense. Peter Holland has shown so far that if given the opportunity he can be a solid all-around player. The additional ice time has given the former first rounder a chance to show his offensive ability and he has proven to be a good penalty killer. It seems pretty clear that these three have developed a great chemistry.

What really impressed me last night was how well the Leafs played inside their own zone. Their breakouts were very efficient and they weren't running around chasing the Bruins. The forwards did a nice job in back checking and Jonathan Bernier came up with big saves when he needed to. I thought last night Stephane Robidas played his best game as a Maple Leaf and the two youngsters, Jake Gardiner and Morgan Reilly, looked very comfortable and used their skating ability to move the puck out of their zone and set up offensive chances. Both of them have been taken to task for their play but if last night is any indication they have gotten the message.

I have been critical of Randy Carlyle but I give him credit for giving the fourth liners more ice time in the third period, including power play time, when the game was in hand. Josh Leivo seems to be fitting in well with Richard Panik and Trevor Smith and Carlyle needs to continue to give this unit reasonable ice time.

The score was indicative of the complete domination by the Leafs. Their special teams out-performed the Bruins as the Leafs were 3 for 3 on the power play and they killed all three Bruin power plays. Without a doubt, this was their best game of the season. The key is to continue this type of play. It doesn't mean that they will continue to win games by five goals. But what it does mean is that they will be a tough team to play against which would be a far cry from last year's team.

Next up is Pittsburgh on Friday night at the ACC and the way I see it, the Leafs have another score to settle with one of the other Eastern Conference powers.

Will The Leafs Compete Tonight?

The last time the Boston Bruins were at the Air Canada Center they dominated the home team by a score of 4-1. The score doesn't really indicate how badly the Leafs were outplayed as they were booed off the ice. What was disturbing was their total lack of effort.

Since that game the Leafs are 5-1-1. While they have had a propensity to give up the first goal, their energy level has been ratcheted up immensely. During these seven games they have lost Joffrey Lupul and Daniel Winnik but they have been able to persevere. Peter Holland has been elevated to the third line with Mike Santorelli and Leo Komorov and he is showing why many believe that he can be a top 6 forward. The Leafs also seem to be getting secondary scoring to compliment the big line of Phil Kessel, James van Reimsdyk and Tyler Bozak. 

The Leafs seem to be playing a more gritty game led by the likes of Santorelli, Komorov and guys like Sam Carrick. Richard Panik seems to be settling in and showing why Steve Yzerman didn't want to part with him. The Leafs will need all four lines to use their speed and be aggressive on the forecheck. And it goes without saying that they need to be defensively responsible in their own end.

While it is still very early in the season, tonight's game is a good measuring stick for this Leaf team. No one believes that Toronto is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender but if they are going to be a playoff team then the Leafs need to have a better effort against one of the top teams in the league. A win would be great but I'm looking for a an effort worthy of a team who desperately wants to make the playoffs. The Bruins have been the big bully who kicks sand in the Leafs face. It's time for the Leafs to take a stand. The game will be nationally televised in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network's Rivalry Night. Puck drop is at 8 pm.

Tuesday's Thoughts

While thinking it might be a good time to start my snow blower up, here is what's on my mind this morning:

* The Toronto Maple Leafs completed a weekend sweep on Sunday by defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-3 after winning 5-4 on Saturday against the New York Rangers. In both games, the Leafs gave up the first goal but were able to prevail. What was really hopeful was that the Leafs were able to get secondary scoring from the likes of Peter Holland, Leo Komorov, Mike Santorelli and Josh Leivo. Holland has 3 goals and 2 assists since being moved up to the third line. Anyone who has read this blog knows that I have been advocating more ice time for Holland. This kid can be a contributor in the top nine of the Maple Leafs and he has shown that every time he has been given the opportunity. 

* Wednesday night the Leafs take on the Boston Bruins. If you remember the Bruins dominated the Leafs on a Saturday night in Toronto as they came away with a 4-1 win. The score was not indicative of how widely the Bruins dominated the game. After Wednesday, the Leafs take on the Penguins Friday night. Pittsburgh also dominated the Leafs on a Saturday night at home. It will be interesting to see if the Leafs are more competitive in these two games than they were in October. 

* Had the opportunity to be at the Sabres-Penguins game on Saturday in Buffalo. I only stayed for the first period as the game was a joke. It was like a Jr. A team playing a pee wee team. Can't believe Sabres season ticket holders are very happy with the entertainment value they are being provided by St. Pegula's team. 

* Great article by Bucky Gleason in the Buffalo News about Sabres fans hoping and praying for Connor McDavid. Gleason pointed out that the Sabres chances to get the number one overall pick was 20%. More importantly, he correctly stated that one player is not going to turn things around and that the Sabres will need more than McDavid. Pittsburgh took off not only with Sidney Crosby. They also had Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Kris Letang to name a few. 

* Well, they are drawing me back in. I have been fighting not to jump on the bandwagon. I've been burned too many times. But Thursday night's 24-3 victory at Cincinnati has me getting ready to jump on the Cleveland Browns bandwagon. With a stout defense and the rediscovery of their ground game, the Browns came out victorious in a game that I had very little faith in their ability to win. Brian Hoyer played an efficient game and helped to ease my doubts about his ability to lead this team. The upcoming game Sunday against Houston is one that they should win but it won't be easy. The Browns don't have the luxury to take a game off if they want to maintain the top spot in the AFC North. 

* Watched all of the Bills-Chiefs game on Sunday and it was plain and simple: the Bills gave the game away. Sure there was the McKelvin fumble and Dixon fumbling out of the end zone which hurt the Bills. But, they were in the red zone twice and had to settle for two field goals. In the one series, Kyle Orton overthrew two open receivers in the end zone. The defense, which played well for the most part, gave up a 39 yard touchdown run to Jamaal Charles on a fourth and one play. If the Bills falter, this will be the game they look back on as the one they let slip away. 

* Things are blowing up in Chicagoland as the Bears were embarrassed by their bitter rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Sunday night on national television. I really believe that Marc Trestman is in over his head. Of course, the guy who really should be held accountable is GM Phil Emery. 

* How pathetic is the NFC South that New Orleans leads the division with a 4-5 record. Atlanta at 3-6 is still in the race. 

* What a tough break for Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals as Palmer is done for the year with a torn ACL. It will be interesting to see if Bruce Arians is able to keep things going with Drew Stanton as their QB. 

* Very happy for Rex Ryan as his NY Jets pulled off a huge upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everyone believed the Steelers would roll over the hapless Jets but Ryan & Company dialed a game plan up which led to a victory. Just goes to show you: "on any given Sunday".

* The recent information that has come out pertaining to Alex Rodriguez is hard to believe. What really annoys me is that it is beyond a reasonable doubt that ARod has lied about his use of performance enhancing drugs. Would it not have been better for him to negotiate a deal in 2013 as opposed to the charade that we all witnessed? The Yankees have a lot of issues to resolve in 2015 and it was hoped that ARod would be a part of the solution. However, I think it is clear that the media circus will be back as a result of this latest revelation that ARod admitted to the Feds that he bought PEDs from Anthony Bosch in exchange for immunity from any prosecution.

* Rumors flying around that the Yankees may be interested in Elvis Andrus and Alexi Ramirez to play shortstop next year. The rumors never indicate who the Yanks would have to give up but Andrus is only 26 years old while Ramirez is 33 years old. I would take either over Stephen Drew. The one draw back on Andrus is that he will just be starting an eight year contract.

* Everrett Golson took himself out of any Heisman thoughts with his terrible performance Saturday against Arizona State. It also took his Notre Dame football team out of any consideration for the Final Four. 

* I must admit I was never a big Mark Sanchez fan but I did think he got a raw deal in New York. That's why it's nice to seem him bounce back in Philadelphia. Only 28 years old, Sanchez could be the Eagles franchise quarterback as he put on a fine performance last night against Carolina. If there needs to be another reason why John Idzik should be fired as Jets GM, it's watching Sanchez possibly leading Philadelphia deep into the playoffs.

* And finally, GR Gasbag Howard "I never met a donut I didn't like" Simon was equating Marcel Dareus with Warren Sapp. While Dareus may have the same stats as Sapp did at this point in both of their careers, the key will be if Dareus can stay out of trouble long enough to even think about the hall of fame. It's guys like Simon and the rest of the GR Gasbags who perpetuate the unrealistic perceptions of Buffalo's professional athletes.

Leafs Answer The Bell, Defeat Hawks 3-2

The Toronto Maple Leafs answered the bell with a rousing 3-2 win over Chicago on a Saturday night at the Air Canada Center. Both Chicago goals were on the power play and James Reimer stoned the Hawks in the third period stopping 26 shots. These weren't all ordinary saves, there were several game saving stops and was by far Reimer's best game of the season.

For the first two periods, the Leafs had the edge in 5 on 5 play without a doubt. Randy Carlyle decided to move Peter Holland to the third line and he responded with the game winning goal and his aggressive fore-check set up James van Reimsdyk's goal. Leo Komorov continues to show why he is an asset to this club as his huge hit on Johnny Oduya set up the Holland goal. 

The Leafs made the right move bringing up Sam Carrick from the Marlies. I would have loved to see the fourth line play a little more and hopefully they will during the upcoming road trip. Carlyle has to be happy with the play of Daniel Winnik on the Kessel-Kadri line. It seems that playing with Kessel has really put a charge into Kadri's game. I don't see how Carlyle can separate those two.

There were many who were questioning this Leaf team heading into last night's contest. Big deal that they beat Buffalo, the critics would say. Columbus is injury-riddled so not much you can say about Friday night's win. Saturday night was going to be a true test and the Leafs responded well. Is this team a lock to make the playoffs? No, but it certainly can compete with any team in the league if it utilizes its speed, is aggressive on the forecheck and takes the body when necessary. They did all of that last night and that is why their performances against Boston and Pittsburgh was so alarming.

The Leafs answered the bell and made a statement that they can be a tough team to play against. They still need to get some consistent secondary scoring. The power play needs to start clicking and there needs to be a consistent commitment to defensive zone coverage. But, the Leafs have showed us that they have what it takes to be a playoff team and they don't have the luxury to take a night off.

Saturday A Statement Game For Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second game in a row with a solid 4-1 victory over the injury riddled Columbus Blue Jackets. The night began with the news that Joffrey Lupul has a broken bone in his hand and will be out of action for an undetermined amount of time. As a result, the Leafs top two lines had to be altered with Daniel Winnik teamed up with Nazem Kadri and Phil Kessel and David Clarkson matched up with Tyler Bozak and James van Reimsdyk. The restructured top two lines accounted for all four of the Leaf goals letting all Leaf fans breathe a sigh of relief.

Winnik did not look out of place on the top line, in fact he cleared space for his line mates and was rewarded with a goal late in the third period. Once again, Phil Kessel led the way with a goal and two assists which included a pretty pass to Kadri. The young center seems to be benefiting from being paired up with Kessel and hopefully this will continue. The constant bashing that Kessel gets from certain members of the media and the fan base because he only skated 10 times during the summer needs to end once and for all. The bottom line is that Kessel makes his line mates better. Look what he has done with Tyler Bozak and now it appears Kadri may be the next beneficiary.

Jonathan Bernier played very well last night and appears to have shaken off the early rust that he had in the first couple of his starts in goal. The Leaf defense played well last night. Morgan Reilly continues to grow and it seems that Roman Polak makes for a nice defense partner for him. It looked like Jake Gardiner played a much more simpler game last night and as a result was sound defensively.

The fourth line had one shift in the third period and that resulted in a foolish Matt Frattin penalty that led to a power play goal for Columbus. I didn't have a problem with the Leafs re-acquiring Frattin, even though I like Jerry D'Amigo's game. But Frattin has been awful since the pre-season and has not shown any signs of being a solid contributor for this team. It is unfortunate for his line mates, Peter Holland and Carter Ashton. Ashton needs to get a fair shot with the Leafs so they can determine where this kid stands in this organization. As for Holland, I still believe that this kid can be a solid possible top-6 forward with the Leafs. He set up the Clarkson goal with a nice pass to Dion Phaneuf. It is encouraging that Randy Carlyle is giving Holland power play time but he needs to get more minutes. If Frattin continues to be a liability then Leaf management needs to make a decision and bring up someone like Josh Leivo. As an aside, the Komorov-Santorelli-Panik line had a strong game and Komorov has been a difference maker on the PK along with Winnik.

Tonight the Leafs step up in weight class as they take on the Chicago Black Hawks at the ACC. In home meetings against Pittsburgh, Detroit and Boston, the Leafs were completely out played and out hustled. The games were brutal to watch. Last season, the Leafs had a huge 7-3 win against the Black Hawks at home where Peter Holland led the way with 2 goals. The Leafs have something to prove tonight to their fans and to themselves. A lackluster performance tonight will rewind the criticism of the core of this team. Fans will be looking for scapegoats. A win isn't necessary but what is necessary is some effort. Certainly a better effort than what they showed against the Penguins, Red Wings and Bruins. While it's fairly early in the season, tonight's game very well may be a statement game on this season.