Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Burse

Week Nine: CFL Quartback Rankings

Mike Burse — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:38:07 -0400

In another short week see how the CFL Quarterbacks ranked:

1. Cody Pickett

He completed 32-of-45 passes for 311 yards and two TDs in a 23-20 loss to Calgary. I did not expect to see Pickett put up another solid performance. Perhaps he is in fact a budding star quarterback in the CFL.

Only time will tell if he is the next Michael Bishop or not. The team around him seems to finally be showing signs of life, and the Argos could overtake Hamilton for second in the east by the end of next week.

2. Kevin Glenn

He completed 22-of-39 passes for 326 yards and three TDs and two interceptions in a close 31-30 loss to Edmonton. Glenn is showing why the Tiger Cats picked him up once the Bombers new General Manager Mike Kelly set him loose in the off-season.

Expect him to start again next week for Hamilton, and expect more of the same from this veteran. He may be the steady hand that this team needs to stay in the playoff race.

3. Ricky Ray

He completed 25-of-33 passes for 347 yards and one TD and one interception in a 31-30 defeat of the resurgent Tiger Cats. Ray has found his sweet spot this season and is showing why he is a top three quarterback in the CFL. Look for Edmonton to make the playoffs this season now that Ray is back in form.

4. Henry Burris

He completed 19-of-28 passes for 260 yards with two TDs and one interception in a 23-20 victory over Toronto. It says a great deal about the quality of play this week that with these numbers Burris is last on the list. He has been second to only Anthony Calvillo in terms of consistency this season.

What a week for the quarterbacks of the CFL! This week shows that the CFL brings a whole different brand of high-risk, high-flying football to the world.

Will Cody Pickett continue to prove myself wrong and become a top passer in the league?

Will Kevin Glenn get the Tiger Cats back on track? Please comment on where you would rank the quarterbacks of the CFL in week nine.

Week Eight: CFL Quarterback Rankings

Mike Burse — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:02:28 -0400

In a week that saw only four of eight CFL teams in action here is an abbreviated version of the quarterback rankings:

1. Darian Durant

He completed 19-of-31 passes for 326 yards and two TDs and three interceptions in a 34-25 loss to league leading Montreal. Durant is the only CFL quarterback that threw for over 200 yards this week. His Roughriders put up a good fight against the top team in the league this season, but in the end it was not enough.

Durant showed how strong on the run he is while breaking many tackles to avoid sacks throughout the game. He appears to be bringing his game up a notch and I hope to see that continue. When he is on his game he is an entertaining quarterback to watch.

2. Anthony Calvillo

He completed 19-of-28 passes for 170 yards and two TDs in a close 34-25 defeat of Saskatchewan. There is not much more to say about Montreal and Calvillo this season. They are the cream of the CFL crop this season and find ways to win every week. We'll see them in the Grey Cup final this season and they will be heavily favoured to win.

3. Michael Bishop

He completed 11-of-20 passes for 131 yards and one TD in a 37-10 steam roll of the Lions. While Bishops numbers are definitely not indicitive of a win in the CFL, he received much help from running back Fred Reid whom had an amazing game that saw him break a Blue Bombers record with 260 yards rushing and two TDs.

Bishop needs to show that Winnipeg is more than a one dimensional offensive team if they plan on coming anywhere close to a playoff spot.

4. Jarius Jackson

He completed 15-of-24 passes for 185 yards and one TD and three interceptions in a 37-10 defeat by Winnipeg. Overall this was a week to forget for the BC Lions. A week which saw them get run over with a record breaking performance by Winnipeg running back Fred Reid. It is back to the drawing board for BC this week, for a team that was once a steady top three team in the CFL their downfall this season has been surprising.

Will Montreal continue their dominance of the CFL this season? Will Winnipeg show that they are more than a running team? Can Darian Durant show more consistency with his play each week and become an elite CFL quarterback? Please comment below on how you would rank the quarterbacks in the CFL this week.

Week Seven: CFL Quarterback Rankings

Mike Burse — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:01:17 -0400

Here's a look at the top CFL quarterbacks for an exciting week seven:

1. (Last Week: No. 1) Henry Burris

He completed 30-of-45 passes for 479 yards and three TDs in a 38-35 loss to Edmonton. Once again Burris is in the top three on this ranking list. At the beginning of the season it appeared Burris and the Stampeders might be in for a long haul. But he has return to the form that saw Calgary think enough of him to sign him to a four-year deal.

Expect him to put in a solid performance in week eight. Also enjoy a much younger Henry Burris picture from his college days above.

2. (LW: No. 4) Ricky Ray

He completed 28-of-37 passes for 342 yards and three TDs in a 38-35 win over Calgary. Much like Burris many people including myself questioned his ability to be the starter for Edmonton at the beginning of the season. I am happy to see that Ray keeps getting better as the weeks go on.

Expect him as well to be back in the top three quarterbacks next week.

3. (LW: No. 2) Anthony Calvillo

He completed 23-of-37 passes for 261 yards and four TDs and two interceptions in a 39-12 thumping of Winnipeg. Calvillo and the Alhouettes are without a doubt the team to beat in the CFL this season. The aging Calvillo is making his case for the Most Outstanding Player award at the end of the season

4. (LW: Not ranked) Jarius Jackson

He completed 21-of-31 passes for 254 yards with three TDs and one interception in a 36-28 victory over Toronto. Wally Buono finally gave Jackson the playing time his season deserves. Jackson creates a much more dynamic and dangerous offence for the Lions.

If the Lions continue to use Jackson as the starter expect to see their season get back on track.

5. (LW: Not ranked) Cody Pickett

He completed 25-of-40 passes for 326 yards with one touchdown in a 36-28 win loss to the Lions. Pickett put in a good showing for his first start this season for the Argonauts. His numbers are good but next week will be a greater test for him as teams now have more footage to prepare for him.

Was it a good move to start him in place of Kerry Joseph? Yes it was. Is Cody Pickett the answer at quarterback for the Argos the rest of the season? Definitely not. Do not expect Toronto to awake up from their slump during the 2009 CFL season.

6. (LW: Not ranked) Kevin Glenn

He completed 12-of-27 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown in a 33-22 loss to Saskatchewan. In a game that saw Quinton Porter leave with injury, Glenn provided the quarterbacking to a steadily improving Hamilton franchise. The Tiger Cats have peace of mind knowing that their back up quarterback is quite possibly better than their starter. Expect to see Porter back starting next week health allowing.

7. (LW: No. 6) Darian Durant

He completed 15-of-30 passes for 193 in a 33-23 win over Hamilton. The win saw all the points for Saskatchewan come from the running or kicking game. It is becoming more widely believed that Durant is being mishandled in Saskatchewan. Fingers are starting to be turned to the coach not moulding an offence that allows his quarterback to have success.

Things need to turn around for Durant soon or he may find himself sitting on the bench.

8. (LW: No. 7) Michael Bishop

He completed 13-of-25 passes for 155 yards and two interceptions in a 39-12 loss to mighty Montreal. Once again Bishop is showing that he just does not have it between the ears to be the type of quarterback to lift a team on his shoulders and win consistently. The Blue Bombers look to be cellar dwellers this season and will begin to look to developing talent for the 2010 CFL season.

Will Quinton Porter be able to start week eight? Will anyone show that they are ready to play on the same level as Montreal has consistently this season? Will Ricky Ray and Henry Burris continue to look like they are back in as elite CFL quarterbacks? Please comment on where you would rank the quarterbacks of the CFL in week seven.

Tryouts for Canadian Women's Hockey Team Rigorous, Sacrificing Process

Mike Burse — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:01:36 -0400

For the 26 Canadian hockey players invited to try out for the team that will compete at 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, this is the chance of a lifetime.

Eighteen of those 26 players are moving to Calgary, sacrificing many other aspects of their lives for this camp including families, as many have children or are graduating from college.

The oldest player on Team Canada, Becky Kellar, at 34, even has her parents moving in with her to help care for her two sons while she focuses on making the Olympic team.

Prior to Team Canada opening the Olympics against Slovakia on Feb. 13, they will play a 61-game schedule not including practice and dry land training.

Of these 61 games, 30 will be played against the 18 teams of the Alberta 'AAA' Midget Hockey League. These games will include a four-day tournament at Calgary's Father David Bauer Olympic Hockey Arena from Sept. 24-27.

The AMHL has also indicated that the first time an AHML team faces off against the National Women's Team it will count toward the AHML standings (not including the four day tournament).

This will ensure that these games get truly competitive and allow the women the competition they need to be ready for the Olympics.

Body checking will not be allowed in games against the Women's National Team but there will be plenty of body contact to go around during these games.

The first test of this 61-game schedule is a match against Sweden's Women's National Team on Aug. 15 in Calgary. The Swedes are staying in British Columbia to train for the upcoming Olympics in February.

Out of all the countries involved in women's hockey, Canada, USA, Finland, and Sweden will be the only ones with a shot at taking home the gold medal.

To purchase tickets for any of the 61 games the Women's National Team will play, head over to www.hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada is thrilled to make this possible.

“We’re excited today to announce a partnership between Hockey Canada and the Alberta Midget Hockey League,” says Julie Healy, director of female hockey with Hockey Canada. “The series will be an important part of the schedule for the National Women’s Team as it works toward the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.”

According to Healy, the Women's National Team budget for the lead-up to the Olympic games in February is $3.5 million.

Each of the 26 players on the National Team will receive base funding of $1,500 per month, and on top of that they will receive $2,650 living and grocery allowance from Hockey Canada per month. Hockey Canada wants to make this their full-time job up to the Olympics.

It is good to see that these women uprooting their lives and dreams outside of hockey will be well taken care of from a financial perspective. Some of the luckier women also have corporate sponsors that will provide funding to them.

National Team Head Coach Holly Davidson will not reveal when she will whittle down her roster to the 21 players who will represent Canada at the Olympics.

The coach says, "It'll be when they are ready,'' she said. "I really don't like picking a date. Players just focus too much on it. Even as staff, you focus too much on it. Let's just have fun, train every day, get better and see where that takes us.''

This will surely be an exciting time for all the players trying to crack the Olympic team. As we get closer to the Olympics, check back for more updates regarding the Canadian Women's National hockey team and their quest for gold at the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Week Six: CFL Quarterback Rankings

Mike Burse — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:32:34 -0400

Let's take a look at the top CFL quarterbacks in the sixth week of the season:

1. (Last Week: No. 3) Henry Burris

He completed 22-of-38 passes for 366 yards and two TDs and one interception in a 31-23 victory over Winnpeg. He is the most consistent quarterback week-to-week thus far in the 2009 CFL season. Calgary is lucky to have him behind the snap on every play. I expect him to be in the top three once again next week.

2. (LW: No. 6) Anthony Calvillo

He completed 35-of-43 passes for 395 yards in a 25-0 shutout of the Toronto Argonauts. He helped Montreal to bounce back and improve their record to 5-1 for the 2009 CFL season. Calvillo put in a dominating performance that saw him complete 81 percent of his attempted passes.

3. (LW: No. 5) Quinton Porter

He completed 26-of-37 passes for 211 yards and one touchdown in a 28-21 victory over the Eskimos. For the first time in the past three weeks, Kevin Glenn has not replaced Porter part way through the game. It appears I was wrong regarding Porter needing a week off to watch Glenn. However the Ticats are still heavily leaning on running back DeAndra Cobb to generate much of their offensive yardage.

4. (LW: No. 1) Ricky Ray

He completed 23-of-37 passes for 335 yards with one TD and two interceptions in a 28-21 loss to the Tiger Cats. Ray put in a good performance in his team's loss to the resurgent Hamilton squad. Ray seems to be getting better as we get deeper into the season. This can only be good news for Eskimos fans.

5. (LW: No. 7) Buck Pierce

He completed 26-of-34 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a much needed 35-20 win over Saskatchewan. Finally Pierce has led the Lions to a victory, but I still say that Jarius Jackson should be the starter in BC. Pierce must now improve his consistency in order to the Lions to have a shot at the playoffs.

6. (LW: No. 2) Darian Durant

He completed 10-of-19 passes for 189 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 35-20 loss to the BC Lions. After two solid weeks in a row for Durant, which saw him at third and second in these rankings, his game tailed off slightly. This saw him replaced by Roughriders back-up Steven Jyles who threw for 96 yards and one interception. Overall this was not an effective week for the Roughriders and they will need to work hard next week for a bounce back performance.

7. (LW: No. 4) Michael Bishop

He completed 16-of-30 passes for 209 yards and one interception in another Winnipeg loss 31-23 to Calgary. As I had indicated last week, Bishop is still an effective yet inconsistent quarterback in the CFL. Although regardless he is an upgrade for the Blue Bombers over Stefan LeFors, and this shows in the offense generating more points this week. Now sitting at a 2-4 record on the season, Bishop needs to show that he can lead this Winnipeg team out of the cellar.

8. (LW: No. 8) Kerry Joseph

He completed 7-of-14 passes for 61 yards and one interception in a 25-0 shutout of hs Argonauts by Montreal. This game saw Montreal sack Toronto's quarterbacks a total of seven times. The Argos need to protect their leaders much better than this if they expect to even get close to the playoffs this season. Joseph was relieved in favour of Cody Pickett whom threw for just 83 yards. Joseph has now had two consecutive weeks at the bottom of the CFL. While he is to blame for not getting the job done, he does need some help from his teammates as well.

Will Kerry Joseph bounce back next week and drag his team to a victory? Will Quinton Porter continue to improve his play in week seven and take the Tiger Cats one step closer to the playoffs? Please comment on where you would rank the quarterbacks of the CFL in week six.

Dallas Eakins To Coach The Toronto Marlies

Mike Burse — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:39:12 -0400

As reported by TSN.ca, it appears Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke has made his choice regarding the man standing behind the Marlies bench this coming season. Dallas Eakins will be announced as the Maples Leafs new American Hockey League Head Coach on Tuesday.

After serving as an assistant coach with the Leafs from 2006-2008 under Paul Maurice, The 42-year-old Eakins was made the Director of Player Development with the Toronto Marlies. During the 2005-2006 season he was also an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies.

Dallas Eakins was drafted by the Washington Capitals as the 208th overall choice in the 1985 NHL Entry draft. But he only managed to get into 120 NHL games while scoring no goals and adding nine assists from 1988 to 2004.

He spent most of his time playing in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League. Between these two leagues in 882 games he scored 43 goals and 179 assists for 222 points, while playing with 10 different franchises.

During his pro career he did manage to play in 18 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1998-1999 season managing two assists.

During the 2003-2004 season he was named the Captain of the AHL's Manitoba Moose. In that season he switched from the No. 6 to 37 to honour the death of his good friend Dan Snyder. Snyder was a member of the Atlanta Thrashers at the time and was involved in a car accident with current Ottawa Senator (for how long?) Dany Heatley.

It was widely believed that Brian Burke would bring in his own head coach for the Marlies from outside the organization when he did not renew Greg Gilbert's contract for the upcoming season. However in a surprise move he chose someone whom was part of the Leaf organization prior to his arrival.

It has been rumored in years past that Dallas Eakins is part of the next generation of NHL head coaches. Could we be looking at the Maple Leafs new Head Coach when Ron Wilson has had his run with the team?

You be the judge.

Leaf Fans Petition for New Logo

Mike Burse — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:30:47 -0400

There is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan movement that began over a year ago that is now starting to gain momentum in the mainstream media. The proposal is to change the Maple Leafs current logo back to the logo that was seen on the front of the Leaf jersey from 1939 to 1967.

Here is the petition as posted on www.leafslogo.com

"To Whom It May Concern (Specifically, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment)

We, the undersigned, are in favour of changing the Toronto Maple Leafs primary logo and uniform design. The general opinion of the group leans towards changing the primary logo to the one on our alternative (3rd) uniform, replacing the current away uniform with the alternative uniform, and making a new home jersey based on the alternative uniform. There are several reasons for this, that can be found on our “about” or “facts” page, and also found in the additional info provided by signers of the petition. We understand that this change cannot be effective immediately due to the NHL’s rules on uniform changing, but would like to see such a move happen as soon as possible, to signify a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

Signed,

The Undersigned"

It is also noted on www.leafslogo.com that while this logo was on the Leaf Jersey they went to 14 Stanley Cup Finals and won 10 of them. Since they stopped using the proposed logo the team has not made any Stanley Cup Final appearances.

Bad luck or just coincidence? You be the judge.

Also, there is an interesting graphic showing the original six NHL franchises' logos from this year and their logos as they looked in 1967. The only logo that is immediately different is the Leafs logo. Every other original six team has largely kept the same logo on the front of their jerseys.

The Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, and the FAN 590 have all begun to cover this developing petition.

If you are interested in reading more about this petition head over to www.leafslogo.com and take a look at this informative Web site.

Coyotes to Play Games In Halifax?

Mike Burse — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:25:10 -0400

The newest development in the never-ending saga that has become the Phoenix Coyotes' future is news of a Toronto-based group looking to finance a $150 million bid to keep the team in Phoenix. The catch is that they believe it is necessary to play at least five of the team's home games in a Canadian city, Halifax or Saskatoon have been mentioned as possibilities, in order to generate the required revenue to fund the franchise's losses.

Ice Edge Holdings, the Toronto-based company that is placing the bid, submitted a letter of intent to the NHL this past Friday. The company's representatives will also be meeting with the NHL Executive Committee today to discuss the feasibility of their proposed bid. Interestingly enough today the NHL will also be meeting with Jim Ballsille's representatives to discuss his bid as well.

How seriously should this new bid be taken?

While the President and CEO of Trade Centre Ltd., the corporation that runs the Halifax Metro Centre, does state that it may be up to 15 years before they are able to support an NHL team. The Metro Centre only has 10,500 seats currently, not nearly enough to generate revenue worthy of the logistical issues. So do not look for Halifax to be a destination for home games of the Coyotes anytime during the coming decade.

Also Saskatoon was mentioned as a possible location for some Coyotes' home games. Back in the 1980's the St. Louis Blues were nearly moved to Saskatoon before the NHL blocked the move from taking place. In Saskatoon the Credit Union Centre is currently a 11,300 seat arena, and there are also plans to increase that capacity to 15,000 seats in the fall. This would seem to be a much more realistic choice.

At the end of the day Ice Edge Holdings has until next week, August 5, to get the proper financing in place to have an acceptable bid. To date they are rumored to have enough financing to purchase the Coyotes, but not enough to sustain the losses that are inevitable in the first few seasons of ownership.

So far the only concrete bids as far as the courts are concerned are Jerry Reinsdorf's $148 million offer to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix, and Jim Balsille's bid to move the team to Hamilton.

There have been other rumored bidders to date, but most of them have not shown the courts the money. Including the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL's owners whom the NHL named in a court document as a group that was interested in placing a bid. They seem to have fallen off the map and have not pursued the bidding process for the franchise any further.

By next week we will have a clearer picture of where the future of the Phoenix Coyotes is headed. Until then let the wheel of rumours continue to spin on the Coyotes future.

Week 4: CFL Quarterback Rankings

Mike Burse — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:45:41 -0400

1 (LW 2) Anthony Calvillo

He completed 30 of 39 passes for 404 yards and two TDs with 1 interception in a 21-8 win over the Hamilton Tiger Cats in a game that saw the lowly Tiger Cats give Montreal a scare in the first half of the game. In what was Montreal's toughest win of the year to date, Calvillo put up another dominating performance. Thus far he is my choice for Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 CFL season.

2 (LW 3) Henry Burris

He completed 16 of 29 passes for 163 yards and three TDs in a 48-10 stamping of the BC Lions. Barrick Nealy also came into the game to throw for 8 yards on one pass. Again this week, Burris' gives his team a solid effort confirming that he is currently one of the top three quarterbacks in the CFL.

3 (LW 7) Darian Durant

He completed 20 of 36 passes for 238 yards and one TD in a 38-33 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos. Durant provided a bounce back performance for the Roughriders in a close game, but was unable to pull off the victory. This was a large improvement over the 112 yards and 1 interception performance against Montreal last week.

4 (LW 5) Ricky Ray

He completed 23 of 32 passes for 247 yards and one interception in a 38-33 defeat of the Roughriders. The running game for the Eskimos provided all the points on the board in this win, but once again Ray was effective in moving the ball up field. He has put up solid numbers this season, but still not what you would expect from a quarterback with his history in the league.

5 (LW 4) Kevin Glenn/Quinton Porter

Glenn completed 12 of 19 passes for 198 yards after coming in as relief during a 21-8 loss to Montreal. He replaced Quinton Porter whom completed 12 of 21 passes for 155 yards and one interception. I believe it is time for Kevin Glenn to get the start in week five and let Porter watch from the sidelines. It will give him the chance to watch a CFL veteran work a game.

6 (LW 6) Kerry Joseph

He completed 14 of 28 passes for 144 yards and two interceptions in the Argos 19-5 victory over the Blue Bombers. This was not a solid performance from the CFL's former MOP, but he got the job done with much thanks to his teammates in this important week four victory.

7 (LW 1) Jarius Jackson/Buck Pierce

Pierce completed 8 of 16 passes for 97 yards and one interception before Jarius Jackson was put in the game and completed 2 of 8 passes for six yards and one interception. These poor numbers were put up by the two quarterbacks in a miserable 48-10 defeat by the Stampeders. How the mighty have fallen in just one week, but one thing is for certain Buck Pierce needs to be the back up going into week five.

8 (LW 8) Stefan LeFors/Richie Williams/Bryan Randall

Another week with a terrible offensive performance from the Bombers quarterbacks. I am betting that Mike Kelly might be having second thoughts about ridding himself of a veteran CFL quarterback prior to this season. Here are the stats for all three quarterbacks, and they are very poor for lack of a more colorful adjective: Stefan LeFors completed 7 of 11 passes for 30 yards and one interception; Richie Williams completed 3 of 10 passes for 30 yards; Bryan Randall completed 1 of 5 passes for six yards and one interception. This lead to a Blue Bombers 19-5 loss at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts.

Week four was not a great week by any means for the quarterbacks in the CFL. Once again Anthony Calvillo highlights this list with another great performance. Please chime in with your thoughts on this weeks quarterback performances.

Toronto Leaving Arland Bruce At Home

Mike Burse — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:48:59 -0400

Things are heating up in Toronto between first-year Head Coach Bart Andrus and veteran receiver Arland Bruce. Hot enough that Bruce has been told to stay in Toronto while the rest of the Agros head to Winnipeg to do battle with the Blue Bombers.

Arland Bruce has placed himself on shaky ground this season after a number of incidents including: being fined by the CFL for an end zone celebration, being late for a team meeting, misplacing his playbook on the team plane, and now being left behind while the rest of the team plays an important road game.

Bart Andrus has finally had enough of what he deems to be unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour from his veteran wide receiver. The first-year coach decided it was best to have Bruce sit out this week's game to make a point.

However, Bruce has not taken the discipline well to this point.

Bruce feels vilified by his new head coach saying, "He's trying to make an example of me but he can take that back to NFL Europe or wherever he was coming from."

The outspoken veteran also went on to point the finger at another player on the Argos, "Instead of worrying about me, he needs to worry about getting the quarterback right and worrying about him."

This is hardly the kind of statements you expect from a CFL veteran in his sixth year with a CFL franchise.

It is also alleged by Bruce that Coach Andrus told him that they can release him from the team.

"If this coach doesn't feel comfortable with me here, well I've done my time here," Bruce said. "For him to say we can get rid of you, he doesn't even know the CFL."

Looks like the CFL rookie and the CFL veteran are not seeing eye to eye whatsoever thus far this season.

Another case of coach versus player and so far the general manager of the Toronto Agronauts Adam Rita is staying out of it. On Wednesday he stated that he would not comment on the situation and he is likely waiting to hear both sides of the story from coach and player.

It appears that the Argos locker room is having some serious issues early in the season. This may be the source of the problems they are experiencing on the football field this season. An effort will need to be made to mend the fences and get the players and coach working together or it may be time for some players to be removed from the team.

General Manager Adam Rita will need to work some magic in putting out the current fires in his team's locker room. This is shaping up to be a long season for the Agronauts and their fans. But Rita is a long time CFL general manager with the tools needed to steer this team back into the playoffs.

Crazy coach or prima donna player? You be the judge.

Week 3: CFL Quarterback Rankings

Mike Burse — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:28:32 -0400

1) Jarius Jackson

He completed 19 of 28 passes for 362 yards and four TDs in a 40-22 win over the Edmonton Eskimos. It will be hard for Wally Buono to give Buck Pierce the start when he returns from injury after this performance by Jackson.

2) Anthony Calvillo

He completed 24 of 34 passes for 281 yards and two TDs in Montreal's 43-10 win over Saskatchewan. He also passes Ron Lancaster on the CFL's all time passing touchdown list during this game. Calvillo just keeps getting better with age, he is a treat to watch.

3) Henry Burris

He completed 23 of 32 passes for 348 yards and a TD in Calgary's 44-9 dismantling of the Argos. That four-year contract extension is looking like a great move by the franchise to lock up a solid CFL quarterback to anchor them.

4) Kevin Glenn

In one half of football he completed 11 of 19 passes for 146 yards with two TDs and two interceptions in a 25-13 win over the Blue Bombers. He came in to replace Quinton Porter whom was moving the ball well but could not get into the endzone.

Porter ended up completing 16 of 23 passes for 188 yards and an interception. It looks like the Tiger Cats have more fight in them this season than last.

5) Ricky Ray

He completed 17 of 27 passes for 166 yards with two TDs and two interceptions in a 40-22 defeat by the BC Lions. Ray has not been his usual stellar self this season thus far and appears to have lost some arm strength. Hopefully he can become the Ricky Ray of last season or it will become a long year in Edmonton.

6) Kerry Joseph

He completed 27 of 45 passes for 306 yards with two interceptions in a 44-9 loss to the Stampeders. Joseph was one of the more effective Argos in the game moving the ball. There does not seem to be too much to be excited about in Toronto these days.

7) Darian Durant

He completed 10 of 20 passes for 112 yards and an interception in a 43-10 loss to Montreal. Just like the Agros, the Roughriders have many areas of their game to work on this week in practice.

8) Stefan LeFors

He completed just 7 of 19 passes for 99 yards in the Bombers 25-13 loss at the hands of the Tiger Cats. It is believed that he suffered an injury during the loss but Bombers coach Mike Kelly thought he was well enough to continue playing.

LeFors was a non factor in this game and the Bombers need to give another quaterback a chance to show that they can lead this team.

There you have it, the first weekly edition of the CFL quaterback rankings. Please chime in with your thoughts on week 3's quarterback performances.

Toronto To Go With Four-Man Rotation

Mike Burse — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:11:06 -0400

In consideration of the thin starting rotation of Toronto these days, Cito Gaston has decided to go with a four-man starting rotation to end the season. The rotation will be Roy Halladay, Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil and Mark Rzecpzynski.

This will see Brian Tallet move back to provide more depth in the bullpen. If the rotation needs a rest Tallet will be the spot starter, although he is currently well over his career high in innings this season.

Scott Richmond is projected to be back at the end of this month and would likely replace Mark Rzecpzynski or Brett Cecil in the rotation upon his return.

Shawn Marcum could be back in the Jays' rotation soon as well, projected to be the middle of August, but do not expect him to be starting games right away. He will likely start in some long relief prior to joining the rotation. Casey Janssen is also currently rehabbing an injury, but there is no time table for his return to date.

The Jays' will need these players back and healthy if they do intend to trade Roy Halladay and continue to make a run for the playoffs. The Blue Jays hitters need to wake up and play like they did earlier in the season.

Although, pitchers like Halladay come around only once every 15 to 20 years, he is a solid person, professional, with amazing talents. He is a hard pitcher to let go regardless of what you get in return for him. It also cannot be denied the impact he makes on the young pitchers coming up to the Jays from their farm system. Just to watch his greatness and work ethic on a daily basis has to help them understand how to become a solid big leaguer.

Top 10 Active Non-Drafted NHL Players

Mike Burse — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:41:10 -0400

With the Leafs signing Jonas Gustavsson here is a look at the top 10 currently active NHL players that were never drafted (in no particular order). It was hard to choose who merits a top ten slide but feel free to comment on anyone whom may have been missed. This investigation shows there are many quality non drafted players and this bodes well for the Leafs signings this offseason.

Begin Slideshow

Leafs Being Investigated For Tampering

Mike Burse — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:18:39 -0400

The Globe and Mail is reporting that the NHL is investigating the Maple Leafs for tampering regarding comments made of the Sedin twins prior to July 1 free agency.

The comments made by Head Coach Ron Wilson while he was on the Fan 590: "You're hearing right now, and this sounds very contradictory but, there's a real possibility, I would think, that we would be going after the Sedins. Let's just speculate there."

This comment was made only one day prior to the free agency period. Apparently, it is enough for the NHL to warrant an investigation.

Speculation of this investigation has been confirmed by Leaf General Manager Brian Burke: "The league has indicated that they are looking into it, so we will have no public commentary at this time."

That is the statement that Burke gave to the Globe and Mail.

Have the Vancouver Canucks filed a complaint to the league regarding the Maple Leafs possible tampering?

"No, the Canucks have not filed tampering charges," said the NHL's Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly.

The League has also declined to make any further comment at this time.

So what does this mean for the Maple Leafs if these allegations are upheld? There is a possibility of the NHL using draft picks as punishment. Earlier in the season the Maple Leafs lost $500,000 and a fourth-round draft pick as they signed Jonas Frogren to a contract over the NHL's entry level limits.

Just to clarify the Frogen situation, the NHL believed Frogren to be an entry-level player, as he was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 1998, and never signed an entry-level NHL contract at that time. The Leafs and Don Meehan at the time believed Frogren to be an unrestricted free agent and signed him to a contract over the $875,000 entry level limit.

If the Leafs lost $500,000 and a fourth-round pick for a contract infraction, then one would have to assume that they stand to lose much more than that for tampering.

In 1994 then New Jersey Devils General Manager Lou Lammoriello launched an investigation of the St. Louis Blues after they had made an offer sheet to then restricted free agent Scott Stevens. Four years later the NHL awarded the Devils $1.4 million, their choice of one of the Blues' first round picks from 1998 to 2003, and the ability to swap first round picks once during that time period.

The big difference here is that the Sedin twins resigned with the Vancouver Canucks. Therefore you would have to assume that the compensation would be less if the Leafs were found guilty.

This will be an interesting story to watch unfold over the course of the off season.

Angela Ruggiero To Develop Women's Professional Hockey League

Mike Burse — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:49:57 -0400

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games will be the last time Angela Ruggiero, a 5'9" defender for team USA, suits up to play for the American National Team. She is a big physical defender. Ruggiero will be retiring at the age of 30-years-old. It is very common to see women retire at earlier ages as they do not receive the same financial backing that men do.

She competed with the National Team for her first Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan during 1998. Over the past eleven years Ruggiero has become an important fixture on the National Team and for Women's hockey in general. Her goal in her final Olympics is of course to beat USA's main rival Canada and in the process win the gold medal.

In 213 games for the US National Team she has recorded fifty six goals and 122 assists for 178 points as a defender.

Also, She has appeared on the sixth season of Donald Trump's popular television series "The Apprentice". Trump offered her a job following the show but she decided to decline and train for one final Olympic Games. Prior to this she had attended Harvard University and obtained a degree, showing that this is one driven and multi-talented individual.

Her plans for retirement? Helping to develop a Women's professional hockey league for players from all over the world to participate in. She believes that the Canadian Women's Hockey League and the Western Women's Hockey League are the foundation that the new league could be formed out of. Even the NHL only started as a 6 team league with mostly Canadian players.

Ruggiero believes that the two current Women's hockey leagues in Canada should allow players from all over the world to showcase their skills. This is the only way to create a league in the Women's game that is the equivalent of the NHL in the Men's game.

She also still has a working relationship with Donald Trump whom seems to be getting more involved with the sports entertainment business. With the kind of financial backing that Trump could supply this makes Ruggiero's vision a real possibility.

Could the National Hockey League one day be competing with the "Women's Professional Hockey League" for television ratings? As long as there are intelligent, driven people like Angela Ruggiero working for it anything is possible.

Truculence on Toronto Maple Leafs' Blue Line

Mike Burse — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:43:15 -0400

Here is an evaluation of the Leafs' current defence core.

Thomas Kaberle A-

We should hold onto this puck moving defenceman. He is a level below the best puck moving defenders in the game, but his contract nearly puts him on par with them in terms of value. He could be very valuable in teaching Anton Stralman the ropes on the power play. I would keep him with the Leafs for the remainder of his contract.

Mike Komiserek B-

Do not let delusions of Chris Pronger come to your mind when you think of this young man. He may be the second coming of Jason Smith though, and Smith is a solid defenceman and leader. $4.5 million per season is a little pricey for a player of his ilk, but that’s what you had to pay to get his services off the open market.

Garnet Exelby C+

If not for his nasty streak and how difficult he makes himself to play against then he would be an AHL player. He won’t score but he will be an effective third pairing defender that opposing forwards will think twice about cutting through the middle of the ice when he is there.

Mike Van Ryan B-

If only this guy could stay healthy for a whole season. He is an effective offensive defenceman who will not hurt you too much in your own zone. Overall, he is a valuable player to have in any lineup.

Ian White B-

He would be a C+ but his versatility to play the wing brings him up one level. He has a great first pass out of his own zone that can often create a good offensive chance for his team. He also has a little bit of a nasty streak for a smaller player.

He can play on the second power play and penalty killing units and contribute to a team. A solid performer any team would not mind having in the lineup.

Jeff Finger C+

He is a solid defender who can chip in a little on offence, but he is built to play a shutdown role. He would be a good player to pair Luke Schenn with, as he would provide a steady influence and cover up for Schenn’s youthful errors.

Luke Schenn C+

Don’t kid yourselves Leafs fan this kid is a work in progress. Do not expect him to be leading this team for another two or three seasons at the earliest. Defencemen are like a fine wine and usually get better with age. Be patient with this young man as he has all the makings of a future captain on a Stanley Cup team.

Anton Stralman C

If not for his offensive skills he would be nowhere near the NHL. He will likely be the 7^th defenceman and a power play specialist. He could develop into a player much like Thomas Kaberle. He will be an effective player if he is not given the wrong kind of minutes.

Overall this team has a fairly solid back end now. This should help Vesa Toskala immensely in the coming season. Now the Leafs need to have some more scoring and skill on their forward lines. But that is a topic to analyze another day. Chime in with your thoughts on the Leafs new defence core.

June 26 Deadline To Keep Coyotes in Phoenix

Mike Burse — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:11:02 -0400

The National Hockey League has set June 26, 2009 as the deadline for a local ownership group to step up and put in an offer to purchase the Coyotes franchise.

Failing an offer from local ownership that wants to keep the team in Phoenix, the NHL will then look for another owner that can relocate the franchise. The NHL does state that they will then run the Coyotes in Phoenix for the 2009-2010 season as there is not enough time to relocate them for the start of this season.

The franchise will be moved in time for the 2010-2011 season if an owner is not found to keep the franchise in Phoenix.

Looks like the Coyotes may be playing in an empty arena for much of next season if the Friday deadline passes without an offer to purchase.

Jim Balsillie's bid will be considered by the NHL if there are no bids for local ownership by June 26. Now if he can be patient and play nice from here on in he may indeed achieve his dream of bringing a seventh NHL franchise to Canada.

Canadian Women's Hockey: Playing for Love of the Game

Mike Burse — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:09:20 -0400

The Canadian Women's Hockey League is looking to raise $1 million in order to run their league. This would allow the players to play in the league without paying, and in turn would allow the best players to continue to develop.

Compared to the dollar amounts in the National Hockey League this is a very insignificant amount.

Nancy Drolet went to the Olympics for Canada in 1998 and is now Chairman of the Board, in charge of raising this $1 million. In a league where the players have full-time jobs and the hockey is part time, this is an essential fundraising project. Not many of these players are lucky enough to make more than the average family in Canada does.

Cassie Campbell, current Hockey Night In Canada correspondent, is one of the highest-profile former Canadian women's hockey players. Also, Haley Wickenheiser is well known for playing with men in Finland. For many other women's hockey players, these are dreams that will never be achieved.

The Canadian Women's Hockey League helps Canada to develop some of the best hockey Olympians in the world. This league is essential to the development of women's hockey as a whole. I hope that you will take an interest in these players who play for the love of the game.

I, for one, would like to see many more seasons of operation of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. Perhaps the National Hockey League should stand up and create a partnership with the women's game and not be ignorant of it.

For more explanation of the CWHL go here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/174302-canadian-womens-hockey-league

Coyotes Staying in Phoenix

Mike Burse — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:49:27 -0400

As reported by TSN.ca: "Arizona bankruptcy Judge Redfield T. Baum rejected the Canadian billionaire's bold bid for the insolvent team Monday, saying in a 21-page ruling that there wasn't enough time to deal with all the unresolved issues raised by the unprecedented case."

For the third time, Jim Balsille has been turned away by the National Hockey League. Gary Bettman has won round three. Will this be the last we hear from Jim Balsille? I highly doubt any man with his deep pockets and determination will simply ride off into the sunset.

What happens to the Coyotes now? Well, for starters, it remains to be seen if there are any other concrete offers to buy this team out of bankruptcy. If not, the NHL has the option of buying the team itself and running it until they find a suitable buyer.

Could the Coyotes still move to southern Ontario? The answer is simply yes, it is possible. If the NHL garners enough interest from potential owners in that area, then they could sell the franchise for a greater fee. A fee that would equal, in the NHL's minds, the value of a second franchise in the Southern Ontario area.

For now, it appears that next season Phoenix will get the chance to show that they really do deserve an NHL franchise. One could only hope that they could be a success story, much like Pittsburgh has become successful since bankruptcy and close sale to Mr. Balsille.

More details to follow as this story develops...

Brian Burke's Vision

Mike Burse — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:59:43 -0400

The new Maples Leafs General Manager and President is beginning to make his mark on this team. We all knew eventually their would be a changing of the guard here in Toronto under a new General Manager of Burke's ilk. He has emptied the Leafs net so far this offseason and here is a look at the players and now coaches involved.

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The Best Series of the 2009 Stanely Cup Playoffs

Mike Burse — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:41:20 -0400

For a team that did not make the playoffs I would have to say that they are receiving more media coverage than the playoffs themselves. In what has been a playoffs full of great games, series and individual performances; the Coyotes are stealing the show. Here are three series that deserved more media coverage than they were able to get.

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Penguins-Red Wings: Random Thoughts Before Game Five

Mike Burse — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:43:43 -0400

The Penguins have started to show why they have been picked by some to defeat the Red Wings for the Cup.

They now have Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jordan Staal rolling—and I am sure Detroit is aware of it.

This is where the series will get very interesting.

I see Crosby much in the way I saw Yzerman when he was still playing at his peak. Like Yzerman, Crosby does not let not scoring points get in the way of contributing to his team. Crosby has not been on the same level offensively as Malkin has in this series, but he is keeping Zetterberg relatively quiet on the score sheet.

For Detroit to take over the series again, they will need Pavel Datsyuk back in the lineup and performing at top speed. He would provide them with a much improved attack, and another weapon for the Penguins to have to concern themselves with.

The problem is no one except the Red Wings knows just how much Datsyuk is hurting. Unless he is playing close to 85 percent, he may be a non-factor against these high flying Penguins.

Also, I now know why Penguins general manager Ray Shero made the trade to get Hal Gill at last year's trade deadline. He has been very effective in front of his own net at clearing the Red Wings out and allowing Fleury to see the shots. Tomas Holmstrom has not been as effective as he can be because of Gill's tremendous efforts in front of his goalie.

Well people, we have ourselves a series now. I am sure that the Red Wings know and have seen that this is not the 2008 Penguins they are playing. This is a more matured and determined team that will not give up. I applaud Pittsburgh for their resilience and composure for coming back from down 2-0 to tie the series.

I, for one, cannot wait to see the fifth battle in this war they call the Stanley Cup Final.

Florida Panthers Sold?

Mike Burse — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:45:21 -0400

As reported originally by Reuters and subsequently Sportsnet...

Sports Properties Acquisition Corp, formed in 2008, has placed a $240 million offer to purchase the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League.

The company had been rumored to be placing a bid on the Phoenix Coyotes. This would be highly unlikely now that they have an offer to purchase another team.

Before we get to any speculation, no they are not planning on moving the team to southern Ontario. If they are there has been no indication of this to date.

Sports Properties offer to purchase includes:

- The Florida Panthers hockey club

- BankAtlantic Center

- An arena management company

- As well as some land surrounding the arena

Sports Properties' management team includes:

- Tony Tavares, former president of the Washington Nationals (MLB) and former CEO of Disney Sports Enterprises

- Andrew Murstein, New York City taxi tycoon

- Hank Aaron, the true home run "king"

- Mario Cuomo, former New York State Governor

- Richard Mark, Senior Partner at Apollo Real Estate Advisors

That appears to be quite a diverse group of sports professionals and otherwise. It appears that this group could stabilize the situation in Florida and help to grow the teams fan-base, possibly tweaking the teams economic model enough to make them a profitable member of the National Hockey League.

Poor Mr. Bettman must be pulling what hair he has left out these days. With all the talk of Phoenix and Mr. Balsille, the Washington Capitals being accused of taking performance enhancing drugs, the scheduling problems with the Stanley Cup Final, and now another team set to be purchased.

Gary Bettman has to wonder if this is what he signed up for when he took the job as Commissioner of the National Hockey League.

John Tavares: Is The Top Prospect Injured?

Mike Burse — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:08:34 -0400

John Tavares has skipped his upper body workouts at the NHL Draft Combine.

Tavares skipped the push ups and bench press portion of the Combine. However, in the lower body areas he did do well compared with the the other prospects thus far.

Could this possible injury see his place in the draft fall a little? If it does, I cannot imagine that he will fall past the third overall pick. It would be hard to pass up on his current and future talents, regardless of his current status.

Tavares has a history developing with a shoulder injury, if this is in fact a shoulder injury. Back in April, when the London Knights were playing the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL playoffs, he was knocked out of a game by Taylor Hall (widely believed to be the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft). The hit took place behind Windsor's net.

X-rays at that time came back negative and there was no reported serious damage to the shoulder. It will be interesting to hear just how hurt he really is.

He was also out of the CHL's Top Prospect Game in January due to the same shoulder injury.

While the rumor mill regarding teams potentially moving up in the draft has quieted considerably, expect things to pick up once the Stanley Cup Final is over.

As details become available expect further updates on John Tavares' status.

Toronto Maple Leafs to Acquire Second Overall Pick in NHL Draft

Mike Burse — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:06:57 -0400

Breaking news from Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night In Canada, as heard on the Fan 590 here in Hamilton.

It is rumoured that the Tampa Bay Lightning will trade the second overall pick, Ryan Malone, and a player to be named in return for the Toronto Maple Leafs' seventh overall pick and two players (possibly Pavel Kubina and Jiri Tulsty).

Having John Tavares here in Toronto might not be such a long shot after all. In light of Tampa Bay's known money problems, with Malone being paid between $7 and 8 million this coming season, this trade makes financial sense for the Lightning.

Tavares would give the Leafs that young gun they need to build around—and I might say that he would look good skating alongside Jason Blake.

More details to follow as this story develops.

Bettman Versus Balsille Round 3

Mike Burse — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:56:54 -0400

Well isn’t this a familiar place we have arrived at once again. Jim Balsille has put forth a conditional offer to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. The condition (I am sure Mr. Bettman is so pleased by this) is that he will be allow to move the franchise to an undisclosed city in south western Ontario.

This is a place that Balsille rightfully describes as an un-served hockey market. In a Kitchener-Waterloo based paper it is also stated that the Balsille camp is to meet with city officials regarding an undisclosed topic next week.

Something has finally got to give at the NHL head office. When teams in non-traditional hockey markets are going bankrupt it is time to give up the ghost and allow them to move to a more likely profitable situation.

I as much as anyone want Hockey to be widely accepted and loved in the USA, but unfortunately in some places it just will not work. In a perfect world NHL franchises would be allowed to move to markets which are chosen based on their likelihood of a fan base and profitability. These markets should not be chosen based on the fact that they could get the NHL a national television deal.

Having said all this I do believe in expanding into non-traditional markets, as some places will work. But you have to be very careful and not drop too many teams in those types of markets. The league needs a solid base from which to launch and promote teams in non-traditional markets. Right now with six teams rumoured to be in non-profitable situations, and many more shaky franchises the NHL does not have that base.

In a perfect world the league would come to their senses and allow a man with money and smarts to run a franchise in the most likely to be profitable place.