Almost time to get the Tailgate BBQ's fired up

Between trips to the ball park with the kids on a nightly basis and landscaping a new yard with every other available moment, there hasn't been too much happening in the Blogosphere here at The Tailgater.

When last we talked, we were heading into the Conference Finals of the NHL and Rider Training Camp was still a ways away. Well, TC is upon us and now the Stanley Cup Final is underway. Where did the time go? It's not like I was enjoying the warm weather while sitting out on a patio at my favorite watering hole drinking an ice cold Great Western Pilsner or 2. HA HA!!! I wish. I think summer was here last Saturday....and poof....it was gone.

Sherri Trapp went 1/2 in her picks for the conference finals and by doing so, moved ahead of me by 2 heading into the Cup Finals. That means she is the winner of the inaugural Tailgater NHL Playoff Pool. Sherri, your swag will be waiting for you this Saturday at Griffiths Stadium when the Riders come to town for practice.

Just for interest sake, Sherri did pick the Pens to beat Detroit in The Finals so we shall see what happens tomorrow. I also picked Pittsburgh, with Mitch Blair, Cory Wolfe and TJ Stancil picking the Red Wings to again hoist the championship trophy.

We'll post the final standings when the Stanley Cup Finals are over.

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It seems like it's been forever since that November afternoon when the BC Lions came into Mosaic Stadium and squashed the Roughriders hopes of repeating as Grey Cup Champions. The players, new and old, arrived in Regina over the last week or so to amp it up for the start of the 2009 Season with Rookie Camp followed by Main Camp.

Many are excited to see what the addition of free agent and home town boy, Jason Clermont will bring to the table. In an article done by Mitchell Blair for riderville.com, Clermont seems pretty grounded and insists that job number 1 is securing a roster spot with the green and white. While that seems like a lock, it's the sound of veteran poise and leadership that should have rider fans feeling giddy about his presence in the line-up.

On defense it sounds as though Trumaine "Joe" Sykes has been making his presence felt. Reports have him showing tremendous quickness and winning the battles at the line of scrimmage with the o-linemen.

All of this Rider talk at this time of the year always gets the juices flowing for the upcoming season. The thoughts of the game day experience in and around Mosaic Stadium, seeing lots of great friends and sharing lots of laughs..... All of this makes it a tougher decision to attend far fewer games this year than I have in the past.

Times change, life is busy and family takes precedence this summer. I fully intend to be back full-time for the 2010 season. I'll miss my game day trips with my pals and re-newing my old acquaintances in Section 102. I won't be totally avoiding the place though. I'm looking forward to the Season Opener on July 3rd when Anton McKenzie and Wally Buono are back in town......

In the mean time, keep your stick on the ice and see you at the park.

Thanks for reading!

-T-

No time left for you....

So, kids ball has started for us. All I can say is.....see you in the fall. Now I know how mom and dad felt for all those years.....personally chaufuerring us kids around. Blogging and just about everthing else, has taken a back seat to Spitz, coffee (damn cold weather), mits and huddling under blankets at the ball park.

I apologize for the lack of updated hockey pool picks and for the lack of anything else that might resemble blogging. Everyone submitted their picks prior to the start of the Conference Finals but......as Burton and The Guess Who sang...... there's been No Time left for yououououou.......

The Updated Pool Standings heading into the Conference Finals are as follows:

Sheri Trapp - 10/12
Mitchell Blair - 7/12
Cory Wolfe - 7/12
Troy Souster - 7/12
Paul Pybus - 7/12
TJ Stancil - 5/12

Trapper is heading the pack and may just have an insurmountable lead. She definitely has The Tailgater swag firmly in her grips.

TJ Stancil
Detroit over Chicago
Pittsburgh over Carolina

Sheri Trapp
Chicago over Detroit
Pittsburgh over Carolina

Paul Pybus
Detroit over Chicago
Pittsburgh over Carolina

Mitchell Blair
Detroit over Chicago
Carolina over Pittsburgh

Troy Souster
Detroit over Chicago
Pittsburgh over Carolina

Cory Wolfe
Chicago over Detroit
Pittsburgh over Carolina

Enjoy the Conference Finals and see you for The Stanley Cup Final

All hail the Queen

This update should have happened a couple days ago. Unfortunately, the flu seems to be kickin my ass........and winning.

The Tailgater Hockey Pool wrapped up it's opening round of picks with the Game 7 victories by Washington and Carolina. The victory by Carolina over Jersey would have to be considered an upset. However, the way it ended would be particularily upsetting to any Devils fan. It definitely threw a wrench into the plans of a few poolsters.

The only person to pick Carolina was Sherri Trapp who went 7/8 and leads after round 1. That prompted a full fledged, trash talkin, wipe our noses in it, email from Sherri to The Tailgater. I guess the gauntlet has been thrown down.

Now for Round 2, .......must....wipe......the.......Tim Horton's........drinkin........smile......off her face. LOL.....all in good fun Trapper.

So, here are the results after the First Round:

Sherri Trapp - 7/8
Mitchell Blair - 6/8
Denny Johnson - 5/8
Cory Wolfe - 5/8
Troy Souster - 5/8
Paul Pybus - 5/8
TJ Stancil - 3/8

Since the pool is cumulative over the entire playoffs, us "guys" still have a chance to catch the leader.

Here are the picks for Round 2 as submitted to me prior to the opening game between Vancouver and Chicago.

TJ Stancil - (former Saskatchewan Roughrider)

Boston over Carolina

Pittsburgh over Washington

Detroit over Anaheim

Vancouver over Chicago

Denny Johnson

Boston over Carolina

Pittsburgh over Washington

Detroit over Anaheim

Vancouver over Chicago

Sherri Trapp - (Communications - Saskatchewan Roughriders)

Boston over Carolina

Pittsburgh over Washington

Detroit over Anaheim

Chicago over Vancouver

Paul Pybus - (part time community radio guy and all around stud)

*disclaimer* - his words, not The Tailgater's

Boston over Carolina

Pittsburgh over Washington

Detroit over Anaheim

Vancouver over Chicago

Mitchell Blair - (former broadcaster and blogger extraordinaire)

Bruins over Carolina in 6

Washington over Pittsburgh in 6

Detroit over Anaheim in 6

Vancouver over Chicago in 7

Troy Souster

Boston over Carolina

Washington over Pittsburgh

Detroit over Anaheim

Vancouver over Chicago

Cory Wolfe - (Sports Columnist - The StarPhoenix)

Boston over Carolina in 5

Pittsburgh over Washington in 7 (barring any additional name changes by Washington players)

Anaheim over Detroit in 6

Chicago over Vancouver in 6

Dan "J.A." Blahay

Boston over Carolina

Washington over Pittsburgh

Vancouver over Chicago

Anaheim over Detroit

Enjoy Round 2. And fellas, if Sherri pulls any further ahead, there won't be a Rider office doorway big enough for her to get her ego through. Time to pick it up a notch!!

Thanks for reading!

-T-

It's been awhile

I have had the best intentions to get back here and post, but....... a new addition to the household has kept us busy.......

Meet "Tonka". I had sworn after the loss of Norm, that I wouldn't travel down this road again. However, there is something comforting and reassuring for us in having another little guy around the house. It's been so long since we had a pup though, that I have forgotten everything I ever did with Norm when he was a newbie. He certainly keeps us entertained and on our toes. This should be an interesting summer.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to make most "experts" eat their type written words as they have vaulted to first in the AL East early on and continue to sit atop the division after 19 games. The Jays are first or in the top 3 in most Offensive categories in the Majors. Check this out....

Runs scored - 1st

Hits - 1st

Doubles - 1st

Triples - T 13th

Homers - 2nd

RBI's - 1st

Batting Average - T 1st

Total Bases - 1st

Slugging % - 1st

Sacrifice flies - T 2nd

walks - 3rd

on base % - 3rd

Not too shabby. With the depth, or lack thereof, in the starting rotation, the Jays will have to keep pounding the rock if they hope to continue to hang with the big dawgs from Boston and New Yawk. Currently their team ERA is ranked at a very respectable 5th in the Bigs but recent injuries have forced the call up of unproven players in the pitching rotation. Namely Brian Burres and Bryan Bullington. Burres took the loss in surrendering 6 earned runs to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night. The Jays were pummeled 10-2. Brian Tallet has had a couple of quality starts while filling in for Jesse Litch. His record is 1-0 while posting an ERA of 2.95. The biggest surprise in the starting rotation has to be rookie, Ricky Romero. He has a sparkling 1.71 ERA and a 2-0 record. That impressive start was tempered a little on Thursday when Romero was placed on the 15-day DL.

The Jays have yet to play an AL East opponent. So, we shall see in the upcoming weeks if they are for real.

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In Anavet Cup play, the Humboldt Broncos remained alive on Saturday night. The Broncos went into hostile territory in Portage, Manitoba and escaped with a 4-3 OT win to even the series at 3 wins apiece. Tanner Vandesype scored a pair including the winner at 8:19 of the extra period. Game 7 is Sunday night. Sundays winner advances to the Royal Bank Cup in Victoria.

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The Notre Dame Hounds will play in Sunday's Telus Cup Championship against the Calgary Buffaloes. The Hounds defeated Rousseau Sports de Laval-Bourassa 6-4 in the Telus Cup semifinal Saturday. It'll be the Hounds first trip to the Final in 22 years.

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That's it for tonight. Gotta take the new pup out for a walk. We'll be checking in on the latest from the Dakota Dunes Idol competition in the upcoming days.

Feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions. Thanks for reading!

-T-

This is what it's ALL about

In the spring of 1999, I watched nervously as Brett Hull scored the controversial OT goal that captured the Stanley Cup for the Dallas Stars. Being a long time Stars fan has been tough at times. There has certainly been more valleys than peaks. They had previously lost the Finals to the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins so it was relief of sorts to finally witness a win. Too many years of watching the Edmonton Oilers win was starting to grate on me.....especially because I have so many friends in these parts that are Oiler fans.

A few weeks after the triumph over Dominik Hasek and the Buffalo Sabres, the Stanley Cup would arrive in Saskatoon with little fan fare. As luck would have it, a friend of a co-worker was good friends with Brian Skrudland. The day that Skrudland had the Stanley Cup in Saskatoon, I was lucky enough to get invited over to his house to see Stanley up close and personal. It was cool. Yes, the Dude with the white gloves in the TV commercials was the same guy accompanying Stanley on this whirl wind trip. What a gig that would be. Parties, parties and more parties. Imagine all the different celebrations that hallowed mug has seen. How about some of the names on the trophy? WOW! It was an awesome moment in time. I had THE SAME Stanley Cup (there are 2 cups) over my head that countless other greats had had. Richard, Yzerman, Gretzky, Brodeur, Roy and just a few days earlier, Mike Modano......and on and on. That moment in time was something I'll always remember and never forget.



The second season of the NHL begins tonight. I'm a western conference guy so, I'm more familiar with those teams. Having said that, my Stars were out so I had kinda lost interest in what was happening the last little bit. With my playoff interest in decline, I decided to take the challenge to a few friends and so...... The Tailgater 2009 Playoff Picks were created. There's no Maggie the Macaw (sp?) here. Although, some who know me have probably compared me to an ape of sorts.

Here are the First Round match-ups:

East
#1 Boston vs #8 Montreal
#2 Washington vs #7 New York Rangers
#3 New Jersey vs #6 Carolina
#4 Pittsburgh vs #5 Philadelphia

West
#1 San Jose vs #8 Anaheim
#2 Detroit vs #7 Columbus
#3 Vancouver vs #6 St. Louis
#4 Chicago vs #5 Calgary

It may all be in fun but you better believe it's about bragging rights as well. Here are the guest picks and let the trash talking commence.......

TJ Stancil (former Saskatchewan Roughrider)
East
Boston
New York Rangers
New Jersey
Philadelphia (gotta go with the Home team)

West
San Jose
Detroit
Vancouver
Calgary

Denny Johnson
East
Boston
Washington
New Jersey
Pittsburgh

West
San Jose
Detroit
Vancouver
Calgary

Sherri Trapp (Communications - Saskatchewan Roughriders)
East
Boston
Washington
Pittsburgh
Carolina

West
San Jose
Detroit
Vancouver
Chicago (which kills me as a Flames Fan)

Paul Pybus
East
Boston
Washington
New Jersey
Philadelphia

West
San Jose
Detroit
Vancouver
Chicago

Mitchell Blair (former broadcaster and blogger extraordinaire)
East
Boston in 5
Washington in 6
New Jersey wins in 6
Flyers in 7

West
The Ducks upset San Jose in 6
Detroit in 5
Vancouver in 5
Chicago in 6

Troy Souster
East
Boston
Washington
New Jersey
Philadelphia

West
San Jose
Detroit
Vancouver
Chicago

Cory Wolfe (Columnist - The StarPhoenix)
East
Boston in 7
Philly in 6
Jersey in 5
Washington in 5

West
San Jose in 7
Chicago in 6
Vancouver in 5
Detroit in 5

The Tailgater would like to thank all our special guests for participating. Enjoy!!

Saskatoon Shines - The results are in......

Recently, The Tailgater put out a survey with 40 questions about Saskatoon's favorite restaurants, taverns and leisure pursuits. After delving into the returned surveys, the votes have been tallied. There were some unanimous results and some surprises. Check it out....


1) Best Fine Dining Restaurant - John's Prime Rib
2) Best Family Friendly Restaurant - Grainfield's
3) Best Burger Joint - Fuddruckers
4) Best Fast Food - A&W (apparently price was not a consideration)
5) Best Sub Shop - Subway
6) Best Steak House - The Keg

***Honorable Mention goes to The Victorian Restaurant - It may not be well known as a steakhouse, but, my wife and I dined out there recently and I had arguably THE BEST steak I'VE EVER eaten.***

7) Best International Cuisine - Several restaurants were mentioned such as EE Burritos, Vietnamese Diner, La Bamba Cafe, O'Shea's and Genesis to name a few. My tie breaker vote goes to Touch of India.
8) Best Desserts - Moxies
9) Best Ice Cream Stand - Homestead
10) Best Wings - (tie) Fox & Hounds, The Shark Club
11) Best Nachos - Fox & Hounds
12) Best Coffee House - Starbucks
13) Best Club - Jax
14) Best Lounge - Winston's
15) Best Sports Bar - Sports on Tap
16) Best Brew Pub - Maguires
17) Best Movie Theater - The Galaxy
18) Best Cultural Events Center - Persephone Theatre
19) Best Shopping Mall - Midtown Plaza
20) Best Shopping District - Preston Crossing

***Honorable Mention to the Broadway District for it's cool atmosphere during the summertime festival season***

21) Best Movie & Game Rental Outlet - Rogers
22) Best Men's Clothing Store - Anthony's Fashions for Men
23) Best Women's Clothing Store - American Eagle
***curiously, there were no votes for La Senza***
24) Best Children's Wear Store - (tie) The Children's Place, Old Navy
25) Best Kids Birthday Party Center - Ruckers
26) Favorite Festival (summer) - Taste of Saskatchewan
27) Favorite Festival (winter) - Ice carving at The Bess
28) Best Book Store - McNally Robinson
29) Best Outdoor Activity Center (trails, parks) - Meewasin Trails
30) Best Park - Kinsmen Park
31) Best Golf Course - Dakota Dunes
32) Best Outdoor Pool - Riversdale
33) Best Indoor Pool - Harry Bailey
34) Best Leisure Facility - Lawson Civic Center
35) Best Home Building Center - Rona, Co-op Home Center and Home Depot
36) Best Home Decorating Store - Charter House

***Will IKEA ever come to Saskatchewan?***

37) Best Greenhouse - (tie) Clements and Wilsons
38) Best Flower Shop - Nosegay
39) Best Saskatoon Hotel for a Weekend Get Away - (tie) The Bessborough, The Sheraton
40) Best Saskatoon Hotel for a Weekend Family Get Away - Travelodge

DeLaet Moving up in the World

In one of the first blog posts on The Tailgater, I mentioned the fact that Graham De Laet was moving towards a career on the PGA. After a successful start to the 2009 season, it was recently announced that Graham had moved up in the World Golf rankings and also moved up to third in Canada behind Mike Weir and Stephen Ames.

So, it was nice to see an article on Graham in today's Star Phoenix Sports page. You can read here.....

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Sports/DeLaet+movin/1471920/story.html

Better late than never

Things have been busy around here lately. Finally, we're getting some decent warm weather and now I'm moving faster than Noah as I'm building water pathways and chiseling ice to make sure my house doesn't float away in the big melt. That , or trying to prevent my basement from filling up. So, The Tailgater has had to take a back seat to kids activities and Mother Nature as of late.

I finally was able to get some photos of the last Blades game together courtesy of Kelly Salmon. We had great seats in the upper deck. Too bad the Blades season ended earlier than everyone around here liked to see. However, you take the good with the bad and the Blades learned some lessons in what kind of intensity it will take to take it to the next level next year. They look to be headed in the right direction and could return as many as 16 players. Time will tell.....

I have to fly for the night but, as promised, here are a few shots from our seats at the final home game of the season last week.....

Thanks for popping in and I'll be posting my survey results in the next day or so......

-T-

Dakota Dunes Idol update

Sounds like the audition went well for Rob. He sent me the following message tonight.......

Troy, the audition went well buddy just need to wait til tomorrow to find out if i advance or not cross your fingers man.

We will Rob. Keep us posted!

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If you have anything you want mentioned here on The Tailgater, please shoot me an email or post in the comment section. I'll do my best to get it on here.

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Well, it just wasn't meant to be for the Saskatoon Blades. They were beat last night 4-3 by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in front of over 10,000 spectators. The Blades just couldn't get on track and fell behind early. I'll have more, with pictures, over the next few days.

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Great news in Winnipeg today as the city is getting a new football stadium and the Bombers will now be owned by David Asper. A brand new stadium in the Manitoba capital should bode well for something being done in Regina. If Hamilton is able to land the Commonwealth Games, that should bring with it a new stadium. That would leave the Saskatchewan Roughriders playing in the last stadium with the greatest needs for improvement / replacement.

I believe this news today should put some giddy-up in the decision making process in Regina.

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Thanks for reading today.

-Troy-

Rob Mccarthy for Dakota Dunes Idol

A good friend of mine, Rob Mccarthy, was telling me the other day that he entered the Dakota Dunes Idol which starts this week. Top Cheese for this competition is $10,000. As the former front man for such local bands as HUGE and Torch 144, Rob has opened for the likes of The Watchmen, 5440, Lee Aaron and April Wine.

For more information on the Dunes Idol competition, visit the Dakota Dunes website (http://www.dakotadunescasino.com/promotions.html).

Rob starts off his Idol performance with a rendition of "Home" by Daughtry, this Thursday, April 2nd at 7:00 at the Dakota Dunes Casino with the Finals slated for April 28th and 29th.

You can help Rob by voting for him at the Casino after his performance. Best of Luck "Deuce"!!

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If you are heading to tonight's Blades - Hurricanes Game 7, you might wanna leave early. Reports today stated that 4,300 tickets were sold yesterday alone. With a full business day today and walk-up prior to the game, estimates are for a crowd in excess of 9,000 tonight. This should be an entertaining and boisterous atmosphere.

It's been a long time since there was this much buzz about the Blades. Doors open at 5:30 and puck drop is at 7:05. Don't forget to wear white and bring your white towel.

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The Riders will be fined $87,000 + for going over the salary cap in 2008. While I agree with the principle of the cap, something has to be done to fix the issue of the injury list. It's all or nothing. You either have to stash players long term for a 6 week injury or suck it up and take the hit. I agree in principle but something has to be done. How can a team with a rash of broken legs be penalized for something that is totally out of their control?

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Thanks for reading and if you can't get to the game tonight, make sure to tune in to Shaw or Access Cable for the Live Broadcast.

See you at the rink!

-T-

It All Comes Down to This

This is for all the marbles. This team has a chance to do something special. They're in the driver's seat. They have to do the things they've been doing all season. Oh the cliches.

After Staving off elimination tonight in Lethbridge, the Saskatoon Blades will return home on Wednesday night for the ever, over-cliched game 7. It was do or die tonight. Their backs were against the wall. It was win or go home and win they did. Rookie Josh Nicholls paced Saskatoon with 2 goals. Milan Kytnar, Teghan Zahn and Adam Chorneyko also tallied for the Blades.

The Hurricanes had a chance to wrap up the series at home after wrestling away home ice advantage from Saskatoon with a win on Saturday night. For any other team, a road win in Lethbridge tonight might have been a little much to ask for. However, after setting a new team record for road wins this year with 29, the Blades have felt comfortable playing away from Credit Union Center.

Zach Boychuk had single-handedly beat the Blades by scoring 6 goals in the last 3 games. Tonight, the Blades kept him off the score sheet. They'll need to do that again in Game 7 to improve their chances of winning.

So, it all comes down to this.....they need to get a win in their building.....they've battled back from the brink of elimination.....there's no tomorrow.....they have to remember what got them here.

There's no reason there can't be close to 10,000 fans at Credit Union Center on Wednesday night. It's playoff hockey. This is what hockey fans live for. Ahhhh game 7's.

See you Wednesday night at Credit Union Center.

Saskatoon Shines

Saskatoon is a great place to live. I've been here now for 15 years as a resident, but, have been in and around this city my entire life. We've made it our home and quite frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way. If given the opportunity or decision to pursue a career somewhere else, I would have a very difficult time leaving here. Why would I though? A bunch of girls at work today told me that Saskatoon has the finest looking ladies around too. Thanks girls. I appreciate your input. Alot of the men out there would probably agree with you.

Every place has it's pros and cons. Some people get annoyed with Saskatoon's traffic flow and the fact that Circle Drive isn't really a circle. Some get annoyed by having to "cross the river" to get to an appointment. I live on one end of the city and work in the opposite end. I can still get to work in 15 minutes so......in my opinion, it's still small enough that I don't get that big city feel. Ask someone who has moved here from Toronto how they feel about a 15 minute commute to work. I'm sure they'd take it in a heartbeat.

Sure, there are things about Saskatoon that annoy me and that I would love to change....if I had the power to but, it's mostly....not that big of a deal. I would love to have a new south bridge. I would love to have Credit Union Center downtown. I would also love it if there weren't so many damn potholes. Hello Spring! Are you listening?

Many say that the recent boom in Saskatchewan has made this an expensive place. It's growing too fast. Housing is expensive.....and on and on. Conversely, I believe that Saskatoon is now a place of potential growth for business and new investment. We're only just starting to see the growth potential.

Living in Saskatoon puts you in a pretty good geographical position to enjoy allot of life's pleasures. Cabin country is only about an hour and a half north of here. There is an abundance of lakes and fishing/camping destinations within a short driving distance. There's plenty of golfing destinations close by. If professional sports are for you, it's a short drive to Regina or even to Calgary, Edmonton or Winnipeg. Minneapolis is only a day away too.

Saskatoon has plenty of festivals to enjoy as well. There are cultural events and musical presentations to take in. The Jazz Festival, Folkfest, The Ex and Cruise Weekend all make for a summer of enjoyable activities. The picturesque and historic University of Saskatchewan is also located here.

Where am I going with this you ask? Well, I've been giving lots of thought to what makes Saskatoon a great place for each and every one of us. I thought I would try and put a blog list together of all the things you enjoy about life in Saskatoon. From dining and family experiences to shopping and recreational pursuits. I'm putting a list of categories together for people to pick their favorites. Please submit your top pick for every category. E-mail me your picks to tsudsy@gmail.com or post in my comment section below. I'll post the top 3 responses for each category in 1-week. Please enjoy and take the time to fill it out if you can so we can see what makes Saskatoon Shine for you.

Thanks for reading.

-Troy-

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The categories are as follows:

1) Best Fine Dining Restaurant

2) Best Family Friendly Restaurant

3) Best Burger Joint

4) Best Fast Food

5) Best Sub Shop

6) Best Steak House

7) Best International Cuisine

8) Best Desserts

9) Best Ice Cream Stand

10) Best Wings

11) Best Nachos

12) Best Coffee House

13) Best Club

14) Best Lounge

15) Best Sports Bar

16) Best Brew Pub

17) Best Movie Theater

18) Best Cultural Events Center

19) Best Shopping Mall

20) Best Shopping District (Broadway, Preston Crossing etc)

21) Best Movie & Game Rental Outlet

22) Best Men's Clothing Store

23) Best Women's Clothing Store

24) Best Children's Wear Store

25) Best Kids Birthday Party Center

26) Favorite Festival (summer)

27) Favorite Festival (winter)

28) Best Book Store

29) Best Outdoor Activity Center (trails, parks)

30) Best Parks

31) Best Golf Course

32) Best Outdoor Pool

33) Best Indoor Pool

34) Best Leisure Facility

35) Best Home Building Center

36) Best Home Decorating Store

37) Best Greenhouse

38) Best Flower Shop

39) Best Saskatoon Hotel for a Weekend Get-Away

40) Best Saskatoon Hotel for a Weekend Family Get-Away

*I know there's a lot more categories that I could have used but, I I'll save those for another time. If you have any suggestions, please include them in your response.*

Where have the Wings gone?

What has happened to the Weyburn Red Wings? Series tied 1-1....back home after smacking the Melville Millionaires 5-0 in Game 2.....up 3-1 with less than 3 minutes left.....and give up 3 goals in that less than 3 minute span.....and LOSE? I can imagine that the veins were poppin' out of Dwight McMillan's head. So, back to Melville for Game 4. The Wings were up 4-2 heading into the 3rd and playing a great playoff road game. Then, the wheels fell off the wagon for the second straight game as they surrendered another 2 goal lead in successive games. Tied 4-4, the teams battled through a scoreless first over time before the Millionaires ended it in the second overtime.

The Wings now have to climb out of a hole that they dug for themselves. Can it be done? Absolutely. They've played Melville strong on the road. It only takes the first win to get some momentum back. What's most troubling is the lack of finish and blowing 2 goal leads late in the last two games. We shall see tonight if they've remedied those issues.

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The kids finally finished swimming lessons today. Whew! Man.....it's time for summer holidays. About a month and half from now, ball season begins.

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Some will hate me for saying this but, it's time that Saskatchewan switched the clocks with the rest of the country. I'm all for having extra sunlight in the evening. I'd rather the sun came up at 5 instead of 4. I'd rather enjoy that extra hour of daylight in the evening doing something recreational than missing out on it early in the am while I'm sleeping. I could go golfing after work instead of getting up REALLY early to get a round in before the family is ready to go.

Maybe it's more important that the cows aren't confused.

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Yesterday marked the first day of spring. It's always such a dirty time of the year yet, one just has to think about what is around the corner. There's nothing better than an ice cold GW Pil on the deck in the summertime. After spending a large chunk of my time constructing my own deck last summer, I hope to actually sit and enjoy some leisure time on it this year in a lounger. So looking forward to that. Let's get that BBQ fired up!

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Over the last few years, I've had the opportunity to meet some great people by following our Saskatchewan Roughriders around the country. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of the Riders, Eskimos, Bombers, Stampeders or even the BC Lions. Alot of the fans from other teams also happen to be great people first.

Now anyone who truly knows me, knows that I love to socialize. There's nothing better as a football fan than to enjoy your entire game day. For me, that means getting to the stadium very early and enjoying a tailgate. BBQ's smokin' and cold ones chillin'. My first ever roadie to watch the Riders took me to Van City in 2003. I had frequented the message boards of riderfans.com leading up to my trip to Vancouver and had figured a trip to a Lionbackers tailgate prior to the game, would be in order. You soon come to realize that behind the user names of the message board posters, there are characters that you think......"I have to meet this guy sometime". One of the posters that fell into that category is a guy by the name of Ritch. More commonly known as 3rd Down, Ritch is a unique character that truly enjoyed his time on the forums. Even though he is a true Lions fan, he loved to just talk CFL football. He always left me thinking that he was a Rider fan deep down inside. Phrases such as "turd down", "caseymania" and "gumby" (in reference to Damon Allen), were used commonly by Ritch and you soon discovered that he had his own special language in his posting.

I was able to finally meet Ritch and a bunch of others at that Lionbackers tailgate when I made that first road trip. He was a funny guy. We chatted it up and shared some laughs. The thing was, as a Rider fan at a Lionbacker tailgate, Ritch was a guy that didn't care that you were cheering for the Green and White. He just wanted to meet Sudsy and talk some CFL football.

I haven't crossed paths with Ritch for some time but I heard some disturbing news yesterday about him. He was recently attacked in a Vancouver pub and left in critical condition. The story of his attack can be found here...... http://www.vancouversun.com/news/community+rallies+against+attack/1399948/story.html

and here......

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/03/18/bc-foutainhead-attack.html#socialcomments

This truly is unfathomable. It is unbelievable and senseless. It really makes me wonder........has this society that we live in, lost all it's common sense? Do people not think about the consequences of their actions?

To Ritch and his family....... Get well soon Sir. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Me, Ritch (in his Damon Allen jersey) and other Rider fans

Q and A with Saskatchewan Roughrider LB Yannick Carter

With CFL training camps for the 2009 season still about 3 months away, The Tailgater went looking to talk some football to break up the winter freeze. Today we go 1-on-1 with Saskatchewan Roughrider linebacker, Yannick Carter.

The three-year pro was drafted by the Riders in the 3rd round (20th overall) in the 2007 Canadian Draft out of Wilfrid Laurier University. He was named a CIS First Team All-Star in 2006 and won a Vanier Cup in 2005.

-------------------------------------------

Troy Souster - Welcome to The Tailgater Yannick. Thanks for taking the time to join us.

Yannick Carter - No, thank you for having me on. It's a privilege and an honour being here to discuss football.

TS - Can you tell us a little bit about how your off season has been going?

YC - This year has been one of the best off seasons personally. I have a completely new outlook with my training and the opportunity that has been presented to both myself and the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an organization. We have a lot of new faces coming in this year and a great deal of potential to build off of continuing from last year. In terms of my training I have refocused my self in order to push for a bigger role within the overall grand scheme of things. So I am looking forward to seeing if my hard work pays off in the end. Fingers crossed!!!

TS - Have you kept in touch with any of the guys over the winter? What's the overall mood heading into '09?

YC - It's hard not to keep in touch with the guys. There is such a close knit group within the team so I've been shooting text messages and so forth with some of the guys, both returning and leaving. Guys like Anton, wishing him all the best in B.C. and players like Rey Williams and Lance Frazer to congratulate them on getting new contracts.

I think the overall mood heading into 2009 is a positive one. We are really looking forward to some of the new talent that the team is bringing forward. In addition, utilizing some of the talent that we already had in starting positions to fill the void from some of the past Rider talent that is being used elsewhere. We have a new D coordinator coming in and I am looking forward to what he has to bring to the table both as a person and as a coach. Coach Etch is a great guy and has tremendously talented mind when it comes to defensive philosophy.

The offense should be back and healthy so we are looking forward to seeing guys like Andy Fantuz, Neal Hughes and others back on the field leading the way. Having Durant sign back with the organization is a move that all the guys in the looker room are pleased with from what I hear so we are really looking forward to the 09 season.

TS - Obviously there's a physical side to your off season training. What type of specific drills are you doing to prepare yourself for the grind of a 20+ game season?

YC - Recently I've taken up yoga about three times a week which is new to my training. Every now and then I will throw in a hot yoga class as well. Overall since taking part in these classes I've noticed that my flexibility has increased. In addition to yoga, I have taken part in a workout program called Cross Fit, which has me in really good shape. I also do some footwork drills with a ladder, cones, tennis ball for hand-eye coordination and hurdles to keep my footwork in order. Usually, I find an indoor facility to avoid the winter's cold while doing my drills. But I am one that believes that "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" and I have stuck to my training program given to me by my strength and positioning coach Dwayne Cameron at Wilfrid Laurier. It's been the one program that focuses on a lot of total body work outs that are football oriented and has gotten me to this point.

TS - How do you prepare yourself mentally for that same grind?

YC - One way that I have recently picked up this season is reading. There is one book that I read and recommend it to all athletes. It's called Mind Gym, and it's about how the mind influences the performance of an athlete and helps them find ways to over come what ever mental road blocks might become present within the sporting world.

TS - There will be changes at linebacker in 2009. Mo Lloyd and Anton McKenzie have moved on. Sean Lucas and Rey Williams have re-signed. What do you have to do to keep your name in the mix for a position?

YC - You know, Mo and Anton were a great linebacker set. It's unfortunate to see them leave, and even more unfortunate not being able to see them play together. Having said that, as a teammate I have all the confidence in both Sean and Rey. They are tremendous athletes and know how to play the game and a higher level. In order to keep my name in the mix, I have to continue to work hard and prove my worth on special teams and hope that I will get the chance to prove what I can do. Special teams is an important part of the game here in the CFL and it's part of the game that I take pride in and want nothing more than to excel at. If it helps me land a spot on defense... it's just that much better. But for now, I will continue to work hard at being a force on special teams and work my way up from there.

TS - What kind of an adjustment in philosophy will there be from Coach Hall to Coach Etcheverry?

YC - I'm not too sure what to expect with Coach Etch. I know that he has a great mind for the game and is a perfectionist. Every detail matters, no matter how small or big. He is a firm believer in the idea that the small things matter and can have a profound impact on the general outcome of any given play or game. What I do know is that last year he had us doing these pursuit/stamina drills, and now that he is the D-coordinator I can only imagine that it's going to become a bigger part of practice so I am going to have to spend some more time on the treadmill getting my stamina up. (laughs)

TS - What's a typical Game Day in the life of Yannick Carter?

YC - First, I like to wake up and make my self a nice breakfast, get a good meal in before the game. Then, I will go back to bed, lay down and watch some film while relaxing on our upcoming opponent. During this time I will be taking in enough fluids to make sure I am hydrated enough for the game.

The one thing I hate about game day is sitting around waiting, so I will head over to the stadium early and relax a bit there, listen to some music while getting ready. I always head out for my own individual pregame warm up which I got from my years of playing at WLU under Coach Cam's strength and conditioning progam. From there, getting into the team activities whether it be team prayer, warm up, chapel and get the game started in front of the best fans in the CFL!!!

TS - Looking back to November 25, 2007. What's the memory you will treasure most from your Grey Cup experience?

YC - Wow, there are so many to pick from. But, by far the best was being able to look up in the stands before, during and after the game and seeing a sea of green. Knowing that we have the following of the province of Saskatchewan all the way out east to help us bring home the cup to the fans that deserve it the most was something I would never forget. Coming back home to -20 degrees weather and having over 12,000 people sitting there all bundled up to welcome us home.... it was just an amazing experience which I will never be able to forget.

TS - I also had the pleasure of being there that day with some great friends and well.....it's an experience as a fan that I will never forget. I might have even teared up (laughs).

TS - Do you keep the Grey Cup Hardware out for everyone to see or does it only come out for special occasions?

YC - (laughs) It only comes out on special occasions. It's something that I will cherish forever and one day hope to have enough that I can pass them down to my kids, if I ever have some (laughs), but it's tucked away in a safe to make sure nothing happens to it.

TS - Tell us something we might not know about Yannick Carter.

YC - (laughs) Every time I am asked that question I have to laugh. Upon first glance you would never guess that I am a huge Nascar fan. I get made fun of a lot about it but there is something about the sport that just gets to me. Watching Dale Earnhardt beatin and bangin at Dover, rim ridin at Daytona like The King once did is something I enjoy regardless of how boring others might find it.

TS - (laughs) Really? Nascar? Man, I have some friends in Regina that you really need to hook up with. I'm sure they would even have you over on a race day so you can sit in their hot tub and watch some crashin and bangin (laughs).

TS - OK. Let's switch gears a little here.........What's your favorite road city to play in?

YC - (laughs) Man, I don't know if I can pick one. I love playing road games and seeing thousands of people with long faces after a win. But if I had to pick one I would have to pick between B.C. It is a huge rivalry and has so much more implication than just a win or a loss. It's about bragging rights and so much more knowing that you are going to be playing them again pretty much the very next day, we play them so often. The fans get into it... it just makes it such an exciting game to be part of playing in B.C.

TS - How often do you remind U of S Huskie Alumni Gene Makowsky, about your Wilfrid Laurier Vanier Cup title over the U of S in 2005?

YC - (laughs) I never do it... well at least not to his face. Gene is a great guy, funny, locker room leader and I have to give him the respect he deserves as a vet. Plus, I am sure he has accomplished way more than me being part of a Vanier Cup team (laughs). BUT, on the other hand, some of the OUA guys that I played against... they get an ear full of chat from me on a regular basis. The McKoys, Fantuz, Palmers.... oh believe you me, they know all about the Vanier Cup in 05 (laughs).

TS - (laughs) Is there anything you remember specifically about that game, other than the last second field goal?

YC - I remember so much of that game. There were so many highs and lows of that game. There was the 3rd and 15 catch that Dante Luciani made, the off the opponent shoulder grab by Bryon Hickey to extend the drive, Jesse Alexander, Dave Montoya and Brandon Keks stopping the run game... oh and that long 70 plus run for the touchdown they got to put them ahead late in the game because some guy (that being me) messed up and lost contain. The Laurier fans rushing the field after it was all done... yeah there is so much I remember. It was such a special moment I can probably recall play by play of that game off the top of my head.

TS - If you were talking to someone who knew absolutely nothing about The Rider Nation, how would you describe it?

YC - Crazy... come see it for your self. Nothing I say can describes the magnitude of the following you will experience in Rider nation.

TS - Has anyone from your family been out to experience a game day at Mosaic Stadium?

YC - I had my girlfriend and her family come out to the game, season opener last year, it was a great experience from them seeing the way Mosaic Stadium gives support come game day. They felt like it was no other.

TS - Finish this sentence. The funniest thing I've ever seen happen during a CFL game was...........

YC - .....lady blind folded during a commercial break in one of them "find the billboard competitions", running full speed into the sideline boards in Toronto... PRICELESS!!! Took the edge off of the game and added some comedic relief. I think they might have awarded her the prize because they felt bad (laughs). She deserved it though, what a champ (laughs).

TS - If you weren't a pro football player, what other career would you be pursuing?

YC - Nascar (laughs), no all joking aside... I would do home renovations. Love working hands on and every job site there is something new and different. Never gets boring and there is a great sense of accomplishment seeing the final product after what it once was before.

TS - Football players are fun loving guys. It's a long season with the same group. Whose the Rider jokers keeping things loose?

YC - Adarius Bowman... that man is something else. Just his presentation of his jokes is too much, has you rolling every time he gets going.

TS - Whose the worst or best trash talker in the CFL?

YC - (laughs) That's simple... myself. I don't know what to say, when to say or even why I say the stuff I do. Just don't have it in me I guess. Going to have to work on that this off season (laughs), do you have any pointers for me?

As for the best there are a few out there... I won't mention any names but they know who they are.

TS - (laughs) You won't get any good tips from me. My 6 year-old out trashes me.

TS – What artists are on your iPod?

YC - Jah Cure, Bascom X, Sizzla, Munga, 112, T-pain, Maroon 5, Lenny Williams.... I know I am all over the place. Got to keep things interesting. Don't want to fall a sleep while listening. If you have any good songs feel free to suggest a few.

TS - Well, I have to say that after watching Lenny Kravitz LIVE at the Grey Cup in Toronto, I added a few more of his to my collection.

TS - If you could have a sit down meal with a celebrity (other than yourself), who would it be?

YC - Rider Nation, they are known world wide as the best fans, why not sit down with them and get to know how they've come to love and support their team like no other. They are the true celebs.

TS - Cool. You like wings? (laughs)

YC - Love them... St Louis wings out in my home town area has the best Cajun style wings you will ever have in your entire life. If I come back looking like a left tackle you know who to blame for it now, I'm addicted (laughs).

TS - OK....Scott Shultz blows a tire in pre-game player intros and he can't lead "The Crunk" (is it still called that?) at center field. Who leads it and why?

YC - LUKE MULLINDER... if there is one man on our team that gets into game mode and can get a team going its that man. He has this fire in his eyes sometimes that makes me walk out of the stadium and watch the game on tv where you know you are safe AND I AM ON HIS TEAM (laughs)... man just transforms when it's game time.

TS - Renovate Mosaic or build a new stadium?

YC - Donate the money to me, I need a new house and rims for my car... (laughs), I say renovate. I think the stadium has so much history to it. Tearing it down you will lose a lot of that. Why not keep that history and just build on to it using the past excellence as the foundation for where you want to be in the future.

TS - Hey Yannick. Thanks for taking the time to do this with us. It's much appreciated. Best of luck this upcoming year and see you at Mosaic Stadium.

YC - Once again, thank you... I am looking forward to getting back out there and just getting things started, hopefully bringing the cup back to Saskatchewan.

(Yannick Carter and yours truly post 2008 Season Opener)

Will that be electrified or non-electrified?

Cold enough for ya??? Is this not the longest winter ever? What’s with the -46 windchill here in Saskatoon this morning? It’s the kind of weather that will do serious damage to any brass monkey. It feels like January….not the week before the donning of spring.

It’s a great time for The Eagles to be touring through Saskatoon isn’t it? I’m sure they were thinking of this very moment in time when they came up with the album title Hell Freezes Over. Don, Glenn, Joe and Tim……welcome to Saskatchewan. Enjoy our hospitality. You’ll find Hot Shots, Kamik boots and long johns just down the street at Midtown Plaza. The Bay also has those fuzzy hats with the ear flaps. Make sure to stock up on Great Western Pil as you exit town on your way to Winnipeg. Oh and by the way, please resist the temptation of using your tongue to test the temperature of anything metal. You might want to let your beer can warm up before indulging.

So pardon me while my mind wanders off to that far away time….. A time of warm weather, lots of girls, sleeping outdoors and sitting around a campfire.

As a kid, my family and I used to go camping from the first day of summer holidays to the last day before school started in September. I remember those times like they were yesterday. Where did the time go? We didn’t venture too far away. We used to call Pike Lake Provincial Park “home” for the summer. Home on wheels was a 17 foot Jayco. My brother and I were always involved in sports that took us into late July or early August so we camped at the Park and were still close enough to home to continue with our activities. Mom and dad could still work during the day and come back in the evening.

So, the younger Souster and I were able to hang with our buddies in the campground all day and “cruise chicks” on our bmx bikes. We were the definition of cool…..or not. Swimming lessons in the am followed by Kraft Dinner for lunch and regular trips to “The Huddle” for candy in the afternoon. I even managed to ride the bike back home when I was bored. 16 miles one way. That was hard on the seat. No parent interference. Life was good. We’d hit the playground after dark. It was always so much easier to meet girls when you didn’t have to look them in the eyes. The evenings always seemed to end sitting around a campfire.

Mom and dad slept in the trailer while little Bro and I tented it. Luxury and independence came in the form of a 4 man tent with a 5 inch TV and no parental interference. This was my favorite part of camping. To this day, my favorite time of summer is sitting out on the deck or veranda and watching a good old fashioned prairie thunder storm. Tenting made this easy to do. I’d lay in the tent and watch the lite show ALL night. The sound of the rain falling was so soothing. Falling asleep….no problem. Gotta get up the next day to scan the campsites for “new merchandise”.

If I recall, we started camping when I was around 8 or 9. That lasted till about the time of high school graduation. Then, it was no longer cool to be seen camping with the parents. They cramped our style. They had rules. “No driving around the park with the stereo cranked!” “Cut some firewood while we’re gone today!” “Yes, you have to take swimming lessons again this summer!” Ahhh, swimming lessons. That was money well spent. I took swimming lessons all summer, every year, for about 5 or 6 years. To this day, I still can’t tread water for more than 10 seconds. It might have had something to do with the fact that Pike Lake was shallow enough out at the dock for me to stand on the bottom. I could wail away with my arms and egg beater like crazy. All the while I would stop and tippy-toe on the bottom. Man……that was worthy of some kind of an acting award. Instead I got a crappy maroon badge. By the way, what is a sunfish or a swim kids 2? Bring back red, maroon and orange. I think that was as high as I got. I don’t even know what color was after that. I’m pretty sure I was only a couple badges away from being a full fledged life guard.

Back then you didn’t have to re-mortgage your house to camp either. Did you want an electrified site or non-electrified? Hmmmm let me see……$7 bucks a day or $4? “Come on dad, pay the 7. We gotta have those patio lanterns plugged in for mood lighting.” The last time I was at Pike Lake, it was 20 bones a night…..NON-electrified. Sorry, there’s not enough 30-something females on bmx’s to convince me to pay that.

Ah well……back to reality. Gotta go warm up the brass monkey and slip him into a pair of Fruit of the Looms. Can’t let the poor little bugger get a chill. Ah crap…..gotta go plug in the car!

-Troy-

My appologies....

It's been a busy few days in this guy's household so I apologize for no new items to read. I do appreciate you coming back to read on a regular basis. Stay tuned over the upcoming days as I have a couple things in the works.

Thanks for reading.

-Troy-


Oh are my Dallas Stars in a world of hurt. They just cost me a trip to Tim Horton's as payback on a bet! Hey Pappi, your double-double is in the mail.

Rock On!!!

One week ago, the womens national curling champion was crowned. This week, the men take center stage. One word describes the men's field competing for the Brier title.....DEEP! Read on from an article courtesy of http://www.seasonofchampions.ca

Exceptional field for 2009 Tim Hortons Brier

An incredible field is ready to battle at the Tim Hortons Brier, presented by Monsanto, March 7-15 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.

Many are calling this year's line-up the best in the 80 editions of the Canadian men's curling championship. And with good reason. The field includes six skips who have won one or more Briers, four of whom who have also won at least one world title, and the 2006 Olympic gold medallists.

This marks the sixth time that the Brier will be staged in Calgary. Only Toronto has hosted the championship more often. But Calgary becomes the first city to have held the Brier under four title sponsors since 1927....Macdonald Tobacco, Labatt Breweries, Nokia and, for the past five years, Tim Hortons, Canada's largest quick service restaurant chain.

This year, TSN will provide exclusive and comprehensive coverage of the Tim Hortons Brier, televising all morning, afternoon and evening round robin draws, plus the playoffs. The semi-final is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at 6:00 pm MT/8:00 pm ET, while the final will be on Sunday, March 15 at 6:00 pm MT/8:00 pm ET. It's the seventh consecutive year that the Brier final has been contested in Eastern prime time.

Returning as the defending Canadian and world champion is Alberta's Kevin Martin, now a three-time Brier winner (1991, 1997, 2008). Last year, Martin's Edmonton team of John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert went unbeaten at the Tim Hortons Brier in Winnipeg, a perfect 13-0 in becoming just the third team to go undefeated since a playoff format was adopted in 1980. Martin, who will be making his 10th Brier appearance, capped the year by winning his first world title, taking the 2008 world men's championship in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Alberta has won 23 Briers.

But his challengers are many, including the 2007 Canadian and world champion Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ontario, who was the runner-up to Martin last year and also the Brier runner-up in 2006. Howard, making his 11th Brier appearance, is a three-time Canadian and world champion, having also played third for brother Russ Howard in 1987 and 1993. Ontario has nine Brier titles.

Ironically, among Glenn Howard's foes is his aforementioned 53-year-old brother, who makes a record 14th Brier appearance, but first since 2004. Russ Howard, who will be skipping New Brunswick for the sixth time, after winning world titles for Ontario in 1987 and 1993, was also a member of Brad Gushue's 2006 Olympic gold medal-winning team, skipping while throwing second stones. Howard's son, Steven, is playing second, as part of an alternating front end. New Brunswick has yet to win the Brier.

It's just the second time in Brier history that two brothers will have faced each other as skips. In 1942, Donald Campbell of British Columbia competed against Gord Campbell of Ontario at the Brier in Quebec City.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Brad Gushue of St. John's, who won Olympic gold in 2006 in Turin, Italy, along with his third Mark Nichols, will be making his sixth Brier appearance but is still looking for his first win. The 2001 world junior champion finished the runner-up in 2007 in Hamilton, losing the Brier final to Glenn Howard. The 28-year-old skip will be trying to win just a second Brier title for his province since Jack MacDuff pulled off a shocker in 1976 in Regina.

Two-time Brier winner (1996, 1999) and former world champion (1996) Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg will represent Manitoba, which has won a leading 26 Briers since 1928, after not competing in the inaugural event in 1927. Stoughton, in fact, provided his province with its last Brier victory in 1999 in Edmonton, as he'll make his seventh Brier appearance.

Nova Scotia's Mark Dacey of Halifax, making his sixth Brier appearance, won the 2004 Nokia Brier in Saskatoon, then subsequently finished third at the Ford Worlds in Gävle, Sweden, despite losing only one game (a semi-final). His shocking 10-9 Brier final win, counting three in the 10th end, came at the expense of Alberta's Randy Ferbey, who was seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive Canadian title that year. Nova Scotia has three Brier wins.

Once again representing Quebec will be Jean-Michel Ménard of St-Romuald, making his sixth Brier appearance. In 2006 in Regina, Ménard upset Glenn Howard in the final, giving his province just a second Brier triumph. His team went on to Lowell, Massachusetts, where it earned a silver medal for Canada at the world men's, losing to Scotland's David Murdoch in the final.

Completing the field are British Columbia's Sean Geall of New Westminster, Northern Ontario's Mike Jakubo of Sudbury, Northwest Territories/Yukon's Jamie Koe of Yellowknife, Prince Edward Island's Rod MacDonald of Charlottetown and Saskatchewan's Joel Jordison of Moose Jaw.

After the conclusion of the 12-team round robin, the top four teams advance to the Page Playoffs, whereby the first and second place teams meet in one game (winner to final, loser to semi-final) while the third and fourth place finishers meet in another game (winner to semi-final, loser eliminated).

The winner of the Tim Hortons Brier will then represent Canada at the Ford world men's curling championship, April 4-12 at the Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick, seeking a leading 32nd title for Canada since 1959.

The winning Brier team also becomes one of 16 teams eligible for the 2009 Tim Hortons Canadian Curling Trials, December 6-13 in Edmonton, which will determine Canada's representatives for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Currently, only the Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard teams have earned berths directly into the Trials, while a number of others have qualified for the pool. Only four teams will get berths directly into the Trials, while the remaining 12 teams will battle in a pre-Trials competition, November 10-14 in Prince George, to determine the other four Trials spots.

The Brier-winning team also receives $144,000 in Sport Canada funding over a two-year period, and, for the fifth consecutive year, all four Brier playoff teams will receive money for television cresting value: $40,000 to each of the two finalist teams, with $30,000 to third and $20,000 to fourth.

The entertaining and always popular Ford Hot Shots, the curling skills competition, gets underway Friday, March 6 with the preliminary round from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm. The playoffs take place Saturday at 11:00 am, following the Opening Ceremonies, which start at 9:30 am.

Ford of Canada will provide the winner of the Ford Hot Shots with a two-year lease on a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4, with a retail value in excess of $20,000. The Ford F-150 was recently named the 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. The second place finisher earns $2,000 while the third place finisher receives $1,000.

The first draw of the Tim Hortons Brier gets underway at 1:00 pm MT/3:00 pm ET on Saturday, March 7.

The Brier began in 1927 in Toronto and has been played in 31 different cities across Canada, from Victoria to St. John's. In addition to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Yukon/Northwest Territories have also yet to win.

Calgary held its first Brier in 1948, followed by 1961, 1980, 1997 and most recently, 2002. When the Brier was in Calgary in 1997, a then-attendance record of 223,322 was established, as Alberta's Kevin Martin defeated Manitoba's Vic Peters in a wild, thrilling final, 10-8.

In 2002, Calgary's attendance was 245,296, now the third highest in Brier history. The Brier was won by Alberta's Randy Ferbey, who defeated Ontario's John Morris in the final, 9-4.

The Brier was last held in Alberta in 2005 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, when an attendance record of 281,985 was set, eclipsing the previous mark of 248,793 in Saskatoon in 2000. It was won by Alberta, skipped by Randy Ferbey.

Up-to-the-minute draw results will be available on the Canadian Curling Association (CCA) website (www.curling.ca ).

-30-

2009 TIM HORTONS BRIER, MARCH 7-15, PENGROWTH SADDLEDOME, CALGARY, ALBERTA (Teams listed in order of skip, third, second, lead, alternate and coach)

ALBERTA – Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton
Kevin Martin
John Morris
Marc Kennedy
Ben Hebert
Terry Meek
Jules Owchar

BRITISH COLUMBIA – Royal City CC, New Westminster
Sean Geall
Brent Pierce
Kevin Recksiedler
Mark Olson
Tyler Klitch
Glen Pierce

MANITOBA – Charleswood CC, Winnipeg
Jeff Stoughton
Kevin Park
Rob Fowler
Steve Gould
Randy Dutiaume
Norm Gould

NEW BRUNSWICK – Curling Beauséjour, Moncton
& Gage Golf & Curling Association, Oromocto
Russ Howard
James Grattan
*Steven Howard
*Jason Vaughan
*Peter Case
Daryell Nowlan
*will rotate

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR – Bally Haly Golf & CC, St. John's
Brad Gushue
Mark Nichols
Ryan Fry
Jamie Korab
Glenn Goss
Ken Bagnell

NORTHERN ONTARIO – Copper Cliff CC, Sudbury
Mike Jakubo
Matt Seabrook
Luc Ouimet
Lee Toner
Scott Seabrook
Bruce Melville

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES/YUKON - Yellowknife CC
Jamie Koe
Jon Solberg
Brad Chorostkowski
Martin Gavin
Tom Naugler
Terry Shea

NOVA SCOTIA– Mayflower CC, Halifax
Mark Dacey
Bruce Lohnes
Andrew Gibson
Kris Granchelli
Mat Harris
Peter Corkum

ONTARIO – Coldwater & District CC, Coldwater
Glenn Howard
Richard Hart
Brent Laing
Craig Savill
Steve Bice
Scott Taylor

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND –Charlottetown CC, Charlottetown
Rod MacDonald
Kevin Champion
Andrew Robinson
Mark O'Rourke
Peter MacDonald
Pat Aylward

QUEBEC – Etchemin CC, St-Romuald
Jean-Michel Ménard
Martin Crête
Éric Sylvain
Jean Gagnon
Philippe Ménard
Michel St-Onge

SASKATCHEWAN - Bushell Park CC, Moose Jaw
Joel Jordison
Scott Bitz
Aryn Schmidt
Dean Hicke
Rod Montgomery
Ron Meyers

Trade Dudline Day?

Is it me or was there ALOT of 3rd and 4th line plugs traded today? The Calgary Flames appear to be poised to make a run for Lord Stanley's mug after picking up Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold. Jokinen should be a very nice offensive complement to Jarome Iginla and Michael Cammallari while Leopold rejoins a solid defensive crew with the likes of Phaneuf, Aucoin, Regehr and Sarich.
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Looks like the Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks were sellers today. The Ducks moved F Travis Moen, D Kent Huskins, F Samuel Pahlsson, D Logan Stephenson, D Steve Montador, F Eric O'Dell, a 2009 Conditional Pick as well as released F Brendan Morrison.

Phoenix moved Jokinen, D Derek Morris and G Mikael Tellqvist.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs stockpiled draft picks while immediately getting a little longer in the tooth with the acquisitions of G Olaf Kolzig and D Jamie Heward.
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Pittsburgh added some veteran grit with the addition of Bill Guerin while Boston picked up another veteran presence in Mark Recchi. It seems like it was back in the 70's when Recchi won his first cup with Pittsburgh.
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The Edmonton Oilers now have 2 players named Alice.....er.... Ales, as they picked up F Ales Kotalik from Buffalo. They also nabbed F Patrick O' Sullivan in a 3-way trade with Carolina and LA that sent F Erik Cole back to the Hurricanes.

For all the Trade Deadline Deals visit the TSN website http://www.tsn.ca/tradecentre/feature/?id=11776
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Looks like Coach Dwight McMillan has the Weyburn Red Wings clicking on all cylinders. The Wings swept the Kindersley Klippers four straight with a 5-1 win tonight in Kindersley. The Wings now await the winner between Melville and Yorkton. Melville leads that Sherwood Conference semi 2-1.
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The Prince Albert Raiders did themselves and the Saskatoon Blades a favor tonight with a 2-1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. The PA win keeps their playoff hopes alive while reducing Saskatoon's magic number to clinch the East Division to 2. The Raiders are now tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. The win also further distances the Regina Pats who now sit in 10th spot.....7 points back of both Edmonton and PA. The Pats do have games in hand over both PA and Edmonton but they better start to make some hay.
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All has been quiet in Riderville lately. ONLY......90+ days till TC starts. When is that Bridge City Rider Cabaret anyways? If anyone knows, please drop me a line.
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An event to keep in mind.....

Saskatoon will again be hosting the top Men's fastball players in the world this summer. The ISF Men's World Softball Championship will run from July 17th - July 26th. Tournament info can be found by visiting http://www.2009worldsmensfastpitch.com/

Thanks for reading!

-T-

SJHL Playoff Scoreboard

The Weyburn Red Wings took a strangle hold on their Sherwood Conference semi-final with a 4-3 overtime win tonight in Kinderlsey. Rodney Cowie scored the winner 11:26 into the extra frame. The Wings lead the series 3-0 and can wrap it up on Wednesday night in Kindersley.

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The Yorkton Terriers got back into their series with the Melville Millionaires after a 4-3 road win in Melville. Game 4 is Thursday in Yorkton with the Mil's leading the series 2-1.

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In the Itech Conference, Humboldt hung a snow man on the Battlefords with a lopsided 8-2 win. The Broncos now lead that series 2-1.

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The Melfort Mustangs finally solved Flin Flon goalie Matt Weninger and potted a half dozen tonight. Problem was, the Bombers pumped in 7 in a 7-6 OT win. Flin Flon now leads that conference semi-final 3-0.

You can find all your SJHL Playoff info here at their official site..... http://www.sjhl.sk.ca/

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Hello to all my friends in Weyburn. This is what it's all about. Remember this????

I had the opportunity to attend that Royal Bank Cup back in 2005 in Weyburn. Wasn't that a great tournament for the host team. The Wings had had what could only be described as a horrible regular season. They followed that up by upsetting the top seeded Camrose Kodiaks not once, but twice, including the Championship game. Good Times!!

One of my fondest memories of that tournament was watching the coach of the team from Georgetown, Ontario get booed off the ice. That was a classless team of thugs. They gave new meaning to the term "bush league".

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Is the NHL Trade deadline day tomorrow gonna be one with major deals or a bunch of duds? Not sure if my Stars are going to be buying or not. I'm not convinced yet on Brett Hull as a GM. The fiasco that was Sean Avery, led to the Stars having to eat half his contract. I guess if there's a silver lining in their situation with all their injuries, they might have saved enough cabbage to make a trade deadline move.

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Wheatkings 4 Blades 3

Milan Kyntar tallied the hat trick for Saskatoon but it wasn't enough as Brandon escaped Credit Union Center with a 4-3 win tonight in front of 8,422 patrons. The win by Brandon closes them to within 6 points of the Blades for first in the East Division. The Wheatkings hold a game in hand and prevented Saskatoon from reducing it's magic number of 3.

Blades goalie Braden Holtby remains 4 wins behind Tim Cheveldae for the most all-time wins by a Blades goaltender. Holtby's total stands at 81.

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Curling fans will be able to assume the position again starting this Saturday as the Tim Horton's Brier takes center stage. You can find all the draw and event info here - http://www.seasonofchampions.ca/2009brier/

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Maybe I'm the only one that was watching, but, it sucks that Prison Break is going off the air. What series will I take up next?

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That's all I got for now. Thanks for reading!

-T-