After a successful Christmas dinner which we hosted at the condo, we headed to the cottage Boxing Day. Minus 2 when we arrived at 2.30pm - shovelled, sawed the swimming hole and stoked the fire before the sauna and dinner. In the absence of weather forecasts which told us that big changes were coming, everything seemed fine - a big snowpack, pretty thick ice for late December, calm winds - all signs pointed to the beginning of a great winter. As was forecast, Saturday brought warm breezes and showers which became torrential rain and a balmy 10 degrees. By Sunday at 8am, half of the huge snowpack was gone and the temperature was holding at 10. Then, the winds came. Power went out at 9.15am and we were ready to go by 10.30am. The road was an luge track except with many large downed branches which we had to get out and clear. Had to wait until Barrie to find a Tim Hortons with power. Home just after kick-off in Buffalo.
The Bills looked like they were going to be able to run the ball effectively but also looked like they might not be able to stop the Patriots from doing the same. In the end, poor clock management and play-calling, among other things, were their undoing on this day when the wind severely limited offensive options and really simplified each team's game-plan. What a great call on Cassell's punt down to Bills one yard line in the fourth quarter. The "quick kick" which my dad talks about from old time CFL games - a perfect call at this point in this game with the wind at their backs. Gotta respect Belichick. As for Dick Jauron, well, not much to respect in this game but he has been very consistent in his 3 years in Buffalo, posting 7-9 records each season. That's 21 wins in 48 games. Are we not entitled to results better than that?
So, we will head back up to Muskoka Tuesday night for New Years Eve and a 5 day weekend. The long range forecast is for much colder towards New Years Day with a low of minus 23. That means the potential for excellent skating on the lake if it freezes evenly with little or no snow. We need more snow to soften the snowpack for skiing so, either way, I am happy as long as it stays cold.
Happy New Year to everyone.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday was a snow day in Toronto. It was also the day that the new Clint Eastwood film, Gran Torino, opened, so, at lunchtime, I headed out in the storm to buy tickets for the 7.40pm show. Mostly to avoid lining up later to buy tickets but some screenings sell out on opening night (most recently, as I recall, for Snakes on a Plane, which I admit seeing on its opening night) but there were about only 25 people willing to venture out in the wind and snow this time. And, it was way better than Snakes on a Plane, too. For Clint fans, it's obviously a must see but, I recommend it even for casual Clint fans. At 78, Clint stills knows his craft. We liked it. My grandfather drove a yellow Gran Torino for a couple of years when I was about 11 or 12 - might have been just a Torino.
Got up early Saturday and drove to the Queens Quay Loblaws to get the turkey. We're having my family to the condo for Christmas Dinner this year. Got a fresh turkey and loads of other stuff, just beat the huge line-ups and were home in time to get 2 messages from Siobhan's mother advising us to wait until Tuesday to buy the turkey. We could have waited and picked up the same turkey on Tuesday but our fridge is as good as Loblaws fridge, isn't it?
Sunday, I was cleaning up and ruminating on Christmas details during the early games and my Pro-line ticket blew up early as the Lions failed to win for the 15th time this year. Then, I watched the first quarter of the Bills game. It inspired me to go skating across the street at the Harbourfront rink as the second quarter started. The first quarter was a disaster - the kind that poor teams - especially those with "nothing" to play for - very rarely can turn around, but, as was anticipated by some, the team seems to like and respect Dick Jauron and, in the second half, it showed. I don't know if that's counter-productive in the long term but it's not a bad thing. I am also certain that, psychologically, once you have been eliminated from the playoffs, the pressure is relieved - or re-focused on your individual job, next year, free agency - whatever - but not on getting a birth in the tournament and seeing where you can go. Teams play differently once they are out. Some better and some worse and it's sometimes hard to know what it means but its different when you are just playing out the schedule.
Not to take away from what was a really good effort against a playoff calibre Broncos team (who must now travel to San Diego to decide the AFC West in what might be next week's best game). The Bills played 3 quarters of pretty good football yesterday and what I liked most besides Fred Jackson, was Edwards, who looked like he is not as scared to throw the ball down the field as he was through the month of November.
So, one more game next Sunday against the Patriots with a chance to go 8-8 and show the home fans that there might be hope for next year. The Patriots will have something to play for so it could be fun to play the spoiler again. I want Edwards to continue to build for next year. Next year - yeah, that's it. Next year will be the year.
Here's hoping that whatever we all do for the holidays, that we enjoy it as much as we can. As I write this, the winter solstice is some 15 hours past and each day will now grow longer, the sun will rise a little higher in the sky and the Stonehenge druids can take most of the next 12 months off. We will be off to the cottage Friday. Maybe we will take the ABS canoe to the creek for some December paddling.
Got up early Saturday and drove to the Queens Quay Loblaws to get the turkey. We're having my family to the condo for Christmas Dinner this year. Got a fresh turkey and loads of other stuff, just beat the huge line-ups and were home in time to get 2 messages from Siobhan's mother advising us to wait until Tuesday to buy the turkey. We could have waited and picked up the same turkey on Tuesday but our fridge is as good as Loblaws fridge, isn't it?
Sunday, I was cleaning up and ruminating on Christmas details during the early games and my Pro-line ticket blew up early as the Lions failed to win for the 15th time this year. Then, I watched the first quarter of the Bills game. It inspired me to go skating across the street at the Harbourfront rink as the second quarter started. The first quarter was a disaster - the kind that poor teams - especially those with "nothing" to play for - very rarely can turn around, but, as was anticipated by some, the team seems to like and respect Dick Jauron and, in the second half, it showed. I don't know if that's counter-productive in the long term but it's not a bad thing. I am also certain that, psychologically, once you have been eliminated from the playoffs, the pressure is relieved - or re-focused on your individual job, next year, free agency - whatever - but not on getting a birth in the tournament and seeing where you can go. Teams play differently once they are out. Some better and some worse and it's sometimes hard to know what it means but its different when you are just playing out the schedule.
Not to take away from what was a really good effort against a playoff calibre Broncos team (who must now travel to San Diego to decide the AFC West in what might be next week's best game). The Bills played 3 quarters of pretty good football yesterday and what I liked most besides Fred Jackson, was Edwards, who looked like he is not as scared to throw the ball down the field as he was through the month of November.
So, one more game next Sunday against the Patriots with a chance to go 8-8 and show the home fans that there might be hope for next year. The Patriots will have something to play for so it could be fun to play the spoiler again. I want Edwards to continue to build for next year. Next year - yeah, that's it. Next year will be the year.
Here's hoping that whatever we all do for the holidays, that we enjoy it as much as we can. As I write this, the winter solstice is some 15 hours past and each day will now grow longer, the sun will rise a little higher in the sky and the Stonehenge druids can take most of the next 12 months off. We will be off to the cottage Friday. Maybe we will take the ABS canoe to the creek for some December paddling.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
MCAP Party Friday night which was fun. Went to the cottage Saturday morning. No snow in the city to speak of but Muskoka has about 60 cm on the ground already. Joe, who plows the road and our driveway, has done so 6 times now, including Sunday morning as we had another 8cm overnight. Winter begins in a week.
Skied into Keyhole Lake along the Johnson trail to Saw lake then along Clear Creek - about 7km return - once Saturday and once yesterday. The first one was tough through 25cm of untracked powdery dry snow. My cousin Pete was on snowshoes and we traded the lead several times, stopping to knock the caked on snow off the hemlock boughs along Clear Creek. Sunday's ski was a bit easier through the 8cm of new snow and took 90 minutes - 20 less than Saturday's. The forest looks transformed - like a surreal movie set - with all the trees heavily laden with so much snow. Many smaller trees are still bent over from the rain then ice then heavy wet snow which fell overnight on November 9th.
With rain in the forecast, I decided to shovel the roof. I did this once last year - in February, I think, and one other time in the last 5 years but certainly never in mid December. An even bigger workout than the skiing actually, and it's a bit more dangerous too. I survived and got the whole north leaf done which is where it had drifted up to 80 to 100cm in places. I then had to shovel the snow off the back porch which creates a cool sort of tunnel effect leading from the driveway to the back door. It was a fairly heavy calorie burning couple of days.
The Bills lost again. Dick Jauron personally took responsibility for calling the fateful play on second down with 2:06 to go in the game and Bills leading by 3. JP Losman executed it in his own special way (I used to think, mistakenly, that Drew Bledsoe was the best at this), and the Bills are now 6-8 after showing some promising signs in the running game on this day in the Meadowlands, but finding another way to lose in the end. Going from 5-1 to 6-8 isn't necessarily indicative of a coaching problem but it would not make you want to sign him to three year extension, would it?
At Denver next Sunday if anyone cares, as we begin thinking now about our position in the April draft and, once again, about the revenue disparity and the team's long term future in Buffalo.
We will will go next to the cottage on Boxing day - 2 days before the Bills last game of the season against the Patriots.
Skied into Keyhole Lake along the Johnson trail to Saw lake then along Clear Creek - about 7km return - once Saturday and once yesterday. The first one was tough through 25cm of untracked powdery dry snow. My cousin Pete was on snowshoes and we traded the lead several times, stopping to knock the caked on snow off the hemlock boughs along Clear Creek. Sunday's ski was a bit easier through the 8cm of new snow and took 90 minutes - 20 less than Saturday's. The forest looks transformed - like a surreal movie set - with all the trees heavily laden with so much snow. Many smaller trees are still bent over from the rain then ice then heavy wet snow which fell overnight on November 9th.
With rain in the forecast, I decided to shovel the roof. I did this once last year - in February, I think, and one other time in the last 5 years but certainly never in mid December. An even bigger workout than the skiing actually, and it's a bit more dangerous too. I survived and got the whole north leaf done which is where it had drifted up to 80 to 100cm in places. I then had to shovel the snow off the back porch which creates a cool sort of tunnel effect leading from the driveway to the back door. It was a fairly heavy calorie burning couple of days.
The Bills lost again. Dick Jauron personally took responsibility for calling the fateful play on second down with 2:06 to go in the game and Bills leading by 3. JP Losman executed it in his own special way (I used to think, mistakenly, that Drew Bledsoe was the best at this), and the Bills are now 6-8 after showing some promising signs in the running game on this day in the Meadowlands, but finding another way to lose in the end. Going from 5-1 to 6-8 isn't necessarily indicative of a coaching problem but it would not make you want to sign him to three year extension, would it?
At Denver next Sunday if anyone cares, as we begin thinking now about our position in the April draft and, once again, about the revenue disparity and the team's long term future in Buffalo.
We will will go next to the cottage on Boxing day - 2 days before the Bills last game of the season against the Patriots.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
2008 Season Week 14
I like riding my bike so much that I went for a ride yesterday at noon from my place at Queens Quay and Lower Simcoe to High Park and back. It was sunny, about minus 8 and the winds were gusting to about 70km I think. Tough ride westbound then a gift eastbound. I realized early on the westbound leg that trying to light the bar-b-que in the parking lot at Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday would have been quite a challenge, not to mention the challenge of staying warm for 6 hours in those conditions. I've been to plenty of cold weather games in Orchard Park over the years but I was happy to walk into the Rogers Centre around 3.15pm to soak up the "atmosphere" leading up to the first ever real NFL game in Canada.
I am surprised that we were able to breathe at all because there was no atmosphere. None. About 5 minutes before kick-off, I looked around from my $255 seats in the 500 level (I paid $215 but the "face" value on the ticket was $255 - I presume this was to point out that I actually could have paid more than I did) and the place was only two thirds full and most certainly did not feel like anyone's "home" game. The introduction of the Bills offence was met with only half hearted applause. The Dolphin fans weren't any better either. It just felt dead. Dead, but warm.
The Bills season is now officially over. JP Losman played the way we want to remember him after he leaves, mercifully, at the conclusion of this now lost season. Indecision, sacks and fumbles - just the way we like them. The defence was OK but gave up some key third down passes. But the offence was pathetic once again. Forget the quarterbacking, the line broke down numerous times, Lynch couldn't break out and generally, it was crap. The most promising moment came right before the most disappointing moment- so at least we got a couple of important plays close together which held off the overall boredom for a while. Josh Reed made a nice one-handed catch and broke down deep into Miami territory but, on first and goal from the 3, they tried a corner fade to Lee Evans which was intercepted for a touchback. The Bills never threatened to score again as they continued their virtual free-fall through the sub 500 barrier to 6-7.
The SkyDome (with no dis-respect intended to the recently departed Ted Rogers), with the roof closed, has always been and continues to be a facility whose vast steel and concrete ceiling just seems to suck the life from the crowd inside the comfortable, anti-septic pod. Even with the stands approaching full in the second quarter (no matter how much Toronto sports fans pay, they still show up late), the mood seemed quiet and disinterested - even on Miami's third downs. I had hoped for more from the crowd - a buzz of any kind - but the game offered nothing and the crowd offered nothing in return. It just seemed like a gathering of casual NFL fans sitting in the warm dome and chatting with each-other as the ugly game played itself out - kind of like a bad baseball game where the home team just can't generate any offence. This league, despite producing some of the most compelling sports entertainment every season, can sometimes offer a brand of football, as we saw in Toronto today, which is almost unwatchable.
And so the first real NFL game in Canada is history. Was it a success? For Ralph Wilson's bottom line, yes it was a success but, apart from the Miami Dolphins (who, after finishing 1-15 last year have turned their fortunes around dramatically), I can't think of anyone who was happy with this day, for a long list of reasons. It was warm in there though. That was nice.
I am surprised that we were able to breathe at all because there was no atmosphere. None. About 5 minutes before kick-off, I looked around from my $255 seats in the 500 level (I paid $215 but the "face" value on the ticket was $255 - I presume this was to point out that I actually could have paid more than I did) and the place was only two thirds full and most certainly did not feel like anyone's "home" game. The introduction of the Bills offence was met with only half hearted applause. The Dolphin fans weren't any better either. It just felt dead. Dead, but warm.
The Bills season is now officially over. JP Losman played the way we want to remember him after he leaves, mercifully, at the conclusion of this now lost season. Indecision, sacks and fumbles - just the way we like them. The defence was OK but gave up some key third down passes. But the offence was pathetic once again. Forget the quarterbacking, the line broke down numerous times, Lynch couldn't break out and generally, it was crap. The most promising moment came right before the most disappointing moment- so at least we got a couple of important plays close together which held off the overall boredom for a while. Josh Reed made a nice one-handed catch and broke down deep into Miami territory but, on first and goal from the 3, they tried a corner fade to Lee Evans which was intercepted for a touchback. The Bills never threatened to score again as they continued their virtual free-fall through the sub 500 barrier to 6-7.
The SkyDome (with no dis-respect intended to the recently departed Ted Rogers), with the roof closed, has always been and continues to be a facility whose vast steel and concrete ceiling just seems to suck the life from the crowd inside the comfortable, anti-septic pod. Even with the stands approaching full in the second quarter (no matter how much Toronto sports fans pay, they still show up late), the mood seemed quiet and disinterested - even on Miami's third downs. I had hoped for more from the crowd - a buzz of any kind - but the game offered nothing and the crowd offered nothing in return. It just seemed like a gathering of casual NFL fans sitting in the warm dome and chatting with each-other as the ugly game played itself out - kind of like a bad baseball game where the home team just can't generate any offence. This league, despite producing some of the most compelling sports entertainment every season, can sometimes offer a brand of football, as we saw in Toronto today, which is almost unwatchable.
And so the first real NFL game in Canada is history. Was it a success? For Ralph Wilson's bottom line, yes it was a success but, apart from the Miami Dolphins (who, after finishing 1-15 last year have turned their fortunes around dramatically), I can't think of anyone who was happy with this day, for a long list of reasons. It was warm in there though. That was nice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)