Saskatoon as a “foreign speck of dust”

Just a tad…

“This is America. This ain’t Saskatoon or Piscataway or Buddhistan or some other foreign speck of dust. This is America. We have an army. A god damn capital-A Army. A big badass American army with big ol’ guns. And that army needs soldiers. Lots of soldiers. Lots of big god damn badass American soldiers to carry some big guns and show the freaks and the geek’s what’s what. There’s Jesus in Heaven and there’s god above and he gave man dominion over all things and guess what, that man is called The You Ess God Damn Army. Now you tell me, son: where exactly do you think we should find a bunch of god damn red-blooded boys ready to kill for god and country? Should we, should we, should we look up under the couch cushions? Should we look up under the floormat? Hey, I think I left m’ god damn US Army recruits on my nightstand table! Should we look there? Hot shot? Oh, you probably think we should look up in the god damn fabric store, eh? How bout we look for one million future globe-dominating soldiers up in the La-mozz class? Is that it? Maybe we should go on down to the, to the Yankee Candle store down at the outlet mall and ask if they have any assistant managers lookin’ for a little excitement? Maybe that’s where we’ll find the future Navy SEALS of America? Maybe a bunch of posey-picking little girls will beat up the next Sad-dam? Is that it? Or do you think maybe, maybe, maybe we should, lemme just propose this to ya, maybe we should take a look down at the ol’ Nascar track? You think? Ya think that one might be a better idea, smart guy? Maybe we should go have a look at the ol’ football stadium? For some strong young fellas? Would that be alright with you, pinky? Maybe we can find a few strong young boys who know a little something about kickin’ butt down at the drag-racing spot, eh? That alright with you, Albert Einstein? Thank you so much. So if it ain’t too much trouble and all, we’re just gonna keep on spendin’ our $80 million a year sponsorin’ some stock cars and football games under the name of the God Damn Army of the United States of America, thank you very much. So stop your god damn bellyaching about it. There’s still a few good men left in Congress, thank god.”

Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.) [pictured] responded during the debate: “We have a volunteer military and they have to advertise for recruits somewhere. …. Do you think they should advertise at the philharmonic? Or maybe you think they should advertise at the ballet. We could surely get some burly, mean paratroopers if we advertised at the ballet.”

Peter McKay’s response, “This means WAR!”

 

 

 

 

 

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The Summer Olympics in Toronto…and Chicago?

Just a tad…

So I’m watching the Summer Olympics and getting into the spirit of it all. Also the envy of, “wouldn’t it be cool if we had the Olympics here, in the T-Dot.” Of course this is madness. The economy is in the shitter. Toronto has failed twice in the last 20 years. Atlanta in 1996 and Beijing in 2008. We’ve got the Pan Olympics happening in 2015 but that’s like the Triple “A” of sporting events. No the Olympics in Toronto might be a far distant want. But what if Toronto got some help. What if we teamed up with another city. No not Mississauga or Hamilton. Ottawa might be cool but I’m thinking bigger, much bigger. Why not look outside of our province. Heck outside of the country. My pick would be Chicago!?! What the heck are you talking about. How/Why would Chicago even think about partnering with us. In one word, Money! Chicago has already put their hat into the ring for the 2016 Olympics and was handed a first ballet boot to the ass. Foot in mouth was felt throughout Michigan Ave and City Hall.  Beating chests and red, white and blue did nothing for the Olympic committee.  Heck not even the President could get the Olympic committee to look their way.  But a dual bid from two of the largest cities in North America could be very attractive.

Here’s my break down of who does what

Opening Ceremonies – Chicago
Closing Ceremonies – Toronto
Track and Field – Chicago

Pentathlon – Chicago

Triathlon – Toronto
Aquatics – Toronto
Gymnastics – Chicago
Cycling – Toronto
Courts (basketball, volleyball) – Chicago
Canoeing, Kayaking and Rowing – Toronto
Equestrian – Toronto
Boxing, wrestling – Chicago
Judo, Taekwondo- Toronto

Weight Lifting – Toronto

Wrestling – Toronto

Soccer – Toronto

Baseball – Chicago

Softball – Chicago

Golf – Toronto

Field Hockey – Toronto

Sailing Toronto, Chicago

Tennis & Badminton – Chicago

Archery – Toronto

Hey it could happen..maybe

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Don’t hate Nickelback

Just a tad…

It couldn’t have been easy for Chad and the boys.  Talk about a rough start.  The hard knocks band from Hanna, Alberta, released their third album Silver Side Up on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  But since that day, Nickelback has raked up 32 Awards from Billboard Music, AMA’s, MuchMusic Video, The Grammy’s and The Juno’s.  They’ve sold more than 50 Million records.  So why so much hate for this truly Canadian band?  The answer may never fully be understood.

“There’s almost something fun about disliking Nickelback,” says Sam Sutherland with Toronto-based AUX TV, which created the Nickelblock plug-in for Firefox and Google Chrome. “I think it bonds people.”

It’s a meme, a sort of pop cultural flu, says Robert Belton, a professor in the faculty of creative and critical studies at the University of British Columbia. “Someone somewhere said, ‘Nickelback stinks,’ and it was funny, so everybody else piled on, whether they actually think that or not.”

Well, not everyone has been piling on – the Canadian Football League petition only had 52 signatures as of Wednesday.”

Well here’s hoping the City of Detroit made it through their Thanksgiving Day game shedding more tear for the Lion’s 27 – 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers than to Nickelback’s halftime performance.

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The letter reads as follows:

“This game is nationally televised, do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians and they chose Nickelback?!?!?! Does anyone even like Nickelback? Is this some sort of ploy to get people to leave their seats during halftime to spend money on alcoholic beverages and concessions? This is completely unfair to those of us who purchased tickets to the game. At least the people watching at home can mute their TVs. The Lions ought to think about their fans before choosing such an awful band to play at halftime.”

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Here’s Nickelback’s response on Funny or Die ~ http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5166240802/nickelback-responds-to-NFL-petition

Cop Shows aren’t Canadian Enough

Just a tad…

When is US TV cop drama not a US TV cop drama?  When it’s shot in Toronto.

You guys should have bought CBC’s The Border when you had the chance.

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You can read Alex Beam’s full article in Boston Globe here

“It all started a couple of seasons ago, when CBS picked up “Flashpoint,’’ a series about a Toronto police SWAT team that was popular in Canada. “Flashpoint’’ celebrates everything the Canadians say they hate about us Americans: It’s gratuitously violent and stupid, with the Kevlar-vested lads in blue armed to the teeth with the latest weaponry. They cruise the world in caravans of gas-guzzling, black Chevy Suburbans, just like Canada’s favorite son, Kiefer Sutherland, in “24.’’ They even use the phrase “set up a hard perimeter,’’ which I thought had been trademarked by the lazy writers on “24.’’…

…Yes and no. In 2008, 41 American police officers were killed in the line of duty. In Canada, zero. Per capita, there are more than twice the number of homicides in the United States compared with Canada, where handguns are tightly restricted. I’m saying this is a good thing. I just don’t see why Canada has to pimp itself out as Dodge City North to earn some simoleons south of the border…”

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NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Since debuting June 24, ABC’s “Rookie Blue” has captured between 6.2 million and 7.2 million viewers — hardly the breakout hit of the season. Even canceled programs such as “FlashForward,” “Three Rivers” and “Ghost Whisperer” have turned in better performances against hardier competition. Yet “Rookie Blue” is being renewed for a second season, and the network is touting the workmanlike police drama the Los Angeles Times called “modest and plain” as a hot commodity.  Shows such as “Rookie Blue” are becoming more common, and the broadcast networks want more of it despite the middle-of-the-road ratings…

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You can read Brian Steinberg’s full article in Advertising Age here

Where to Find a Summer Hit on U.S. TV? Canada

“There are opportunities at all levels in the U.S., because the networks are sort of more open” to the idea of picking up programming crafted for an international viewership, said John Morayniss, one of the executive producers of “Rookie Blue” and also CEO of E1 Television, one of the show’s production companies. Produced in Toronto, the drama is “going to be really heavily financed through Canadian licensees and other incentives and subsidies in Canada,” he said.

More scripted fare with a decidedly northern exposure appears to be on the way. The CW network recently announced it would air Canadian comedy series “18 to Life” starting in August. CBS recently began airing episodes of another Canadian police drama, “The Bridge.”

As for “Rookie Blue,” ABC is touting it as the breakout hit of the summer. This despite the fact that the recent episode of Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch,” highlighting the death of the show’s hero, Capt. Phil Harris, delivered 8.5 million viewers. And even though “Rookie Blue” is airing in the ABC time slot normally reserved for powerhouse medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” this newbie isn’t coming close to delivering that hit show’s average of nearly 14.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen…”

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Canada is taking it to the streets of NYC, LA & ChiTown

Just a tad…

Hey it’s you tax dollars at work.  Yeah!!!

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You can read Lesley Ciarula Taylor’s full article in The Toronto Star here

Canada’s new gambit to lure U.S. tourists: multi-storey Twitter walls

“People walking along four of the busiest streets in the United States can see the fronts of buildings flashing real-time Twitter postings from travellers enthusing about Canada.

The month-long advertising campaign captures tweets, pictures and other social-media comments about Canada and blasts them onto giant interactive touch screens.

“It cues with what’s happening in the digital world,” said Cosmo Campbell, creative director at DDB Canada in Vancouver, which created the campaign for theCanadian Tourism Commission…

…The eight-by-10 foot monitors are built into storescapes on 7th and 8th Aves. in New York City, on North Michigan Ave. in Chicago, and on The Grove Drive in Los Angeles…”

Hey Niagara Falls! Let’s you and I dance.

Just a tad…

“Dear Toronto,

We think your city is a crime-ridden, graffiti-laden, gridlocked urban prison that you should escape now. Please spend your time and money here instead.

Best,

The Niagara Parks Commission”

Ouch.  That kind of hurt.  That was taken from Anthony Reinhart’s article in the Globe and Mail (which you can read below).  So Niagara Falls thinks it can make itself look good by putting down the GOLD that makes the horseshoe?  It’s probably not the best ad-campaign out there.  Actually it sucks.  Not because it tries to shine above everyone else.  Every city that puts an ad out for itself tries to make themselves look the best, but usually it isn’t at the expense of another city.  Clearly these weren’t made to be laugh out loud funny, we’re just kidding around.  As the bigger kid, Toronto of course should just brush it off and not let it bug us.  But I’m pretty sure if we decided to keep our money and travel time here in Toronto or head as far as Burlington to west, Niagara Falls might start shaking in their boots.  Heck I was thinking of hoping on the GOTrain to see the Falls later this summer.  Maybe I’ll just head off to Oshawa and have some fun people that like us Torontonians

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You can watch all of the “Shake off the City” spots by clicking on the image below

CBC’s Metro Morning Host Matt Galloway spoke with Terry O’Reilly about: Niagara Ad Campaign Gone Too Far

You can listen to that conversation here

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You can read Anthony Reinhart’s full article in the Globe and Mail here

Smearing Toronto: A bad case of Falls advertising?

In a bid to stanch a deepening financial bleed wrought by a drop in visits from the United States, the Ontario government agency that maintains Niagara Falls has turned to – and, curiously, on – its big-city neighbours in Toronto.

The Niagara Parks Commission’s $300,000 ad campaign – parts of which paint the city as a place of wailing car alarms, spray-bombed alleys and bicycles stripped of their wheels – has Toronto officials not only annoyed, but mystified.

Acting mayor Joe Pantalone, a board member of Tourism Toronto, wondered why the parks commission would resort to “an unnecessary cheap shot” when the city has traditionally been an ally in promoting Ontario to the world.

“Whenever we advertise Toronto internationally and nationally, we always say, ‘Come to Toronto and go to Niagara Falls,’” Mr. Pantalone said. “I would hope that they realize that a mistake has been made … and simply pull those ads and come up with something more constructive.”

Why there is no love for Alberta

Just a tad…

The Calgary Stampede is on this week.  Instead of enjoying the thousands of people coming to the event, organizers have had to bring out the PR police to thwart all of the negative arrows being thrown at them.  This of course isn’t new for the Stampede, however after 5 animal deaths, that black eye isn’t getting any better.  On top of Calgary’s bad news, the province of Alberta is feeling the hate as well.  Thinking about visiting Alberta for a vacation?  Maybe a trip to oil trailing pond might be up your alley.  Bird watching would be fun.  As long as you enjoy watching oil soaked feathers.  Corporate Ethics International is making the point that as bad as Gulf Spill is,  Alberta, Canada is doing so much worse.  As a Canadian I’m not feeling so good about looking this bad, but also as a Canadian I know, at least with oil situation, I’m not helping to make the situation any better.  No car this weekend.  TTC I’m you bitch, where are going?

You can download a PDF version of the Ed’s letter to the US here

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You can read Petti Fung’s full article in The Toronto Star here

Stampede horse deaths spark debate

Animal welfare advocates say more are calling for historic event to be shut down

There have been animal injuries or death almost every year at the Calgary Stampede but the death of four horses within 24 hours has left organizers of the event reeling and critics renewing their calls to stop the use of animals for entertainment.

Two of the horses died from heart attacks, and two were injured so badly they were ordered euthanized at the scene.

Stampede officials call the deaths “unfortunate,” but animal welfare advocates say the debate is changing.

“It is unusual and it is unfortunate,” said spokesman Doug Fraser, with the Calgary Stampede. “To lose an animal regardless of the circumstance is difficult for the Calgary Stampede and the owners.”

Last year, there were four animal deaths, including three horses and one steer that had suffered a spinal cord injury during a rope steering competition.

Desiree Arsenault with the Calgary Humane Society said the rash of deaths has altered public attitudes.

Last year, she said, about 70 per cent of people talking about the Stampede were in favour of the rodeo events, which carry prizes worth $2 million, while 30 per cent were animal rights advocates who said horses and steers should not be used for entertainment.

This week, Arsenault said she estimates that the numbers have changed and now 50 per cent want to keep the rodeo while the other half want to see the events shut down.

You can read Kim Guttormson’s article in the Calgary Herald here

U.S. ads call for Alberta boycott

Oilsands spark push to keep tourists away

Billboards in four American cities compare oil-covered birds in the Gulf of Mexico with dead ducks in a Syncrude tailings pond. The ads, calling the oilsands the “other oil disaster” and asking would-be visitors to rethink a trip north, spurred immediate reaction from politicians and the oil and tourism industries.

“The Alberta government needs to think about the fact that in the coming years they have the potential to become the environmental South Africa of the Western Hemisphere,” said Michael Marx, executive director of Corporate Ethics International, which is leading the campaign, referring to the former apartheid regime. “Over time, when the potential tourists, who tend to be wealthier and better educated, see what’s going on in Alberta, they’re not going to want to support it.”

Premier Ed Stelmach, who recently took out a half-page ad in the Washington Post defending the oilsands, said the continued bashing and misinformation is frustrating.

“But it also gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the facts of the situation,” Stelmach said, noting he was showing a delegation from Japan around the Stampede on Wednesday. “Once people are here and see for themselves, they appreciate Alberta and the natural landscape.”

FOX TV North…not so Foxy

Just a tad…

Now I’m not saying that former director of communication for the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, Kory Teneycke was being ass when speaking with the Kathleen Petty on CBC’s The House.  But the newly minted VP, Development at Quebecor Media sure didn’t mince words when it came to the fact that SunTV would be obtaining a Category One license from the CRTC.  A Category One status would be like CBC or CTV main channels.  Your basic cable package.  Now you maybe wondering so what and what’s with the title of the post, FOX TV North?  Well back in June, President and CEO of Quebecor, Pierre Karl Péladeau let it be known that he would be bringing a Fox type station to Canada.  If you’ve ever watched segments of FOX News online or Sunday morning you’ll understand that this “Right Leaning” channel.  No good, no bad, that’s just what it is.  Does our television landscape need a “Right” voice?  Are CBC, CTV and Global to umm “Left”?

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If you click on the image below and fast forward to 18:37 you hear Ms. Petty take on slay the dragon Mr. Teneycke

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You can read Susan Krashinsky’s full article in The Globe and Mail here

CRTC refuses Sun TV’s bid for preferred status on dial

In its application to operate the Sun TV News channel, Quebecor Inc. argued its all-news specialty station was poised to create “a completely new genre in Canada.” Now, it appears the federal broadcast regulator disagrees.

In a private letter sent to Quebecor on July 5, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rejected Quebecor’s request for a rare must-carry license. It would have guaranteed distribution by all cable and satellite firms – and the subscriber fees that come along with that distribution.

The license Quebecor requested – known as a Category 1, soon to be Category A – is rarely granted, and in March of this year, the CRTC announced that it would not consider any new applications for those licenses before October, 2011.

Quebecor applied anyway, asking for special consideration. Its reasoning, according to the letter, was that Sun TV News would be “an Information & Analysis channel,” and therefore different than its all-news competitors.

The CRTC rebuffed that claim. In the letter, Peter Foster, the director general of television policy and applications, suggested that there was little to distinguish Sun TV from other all-news services, since “news and analysis are sub-categories of the information programming category … news would be broadcast throughout the day … [and] in promotional material, the proposed service is referred to as the Sun TV News Channel.”

Quebecor now has two options. It can apply for a standard Category 2 specialty service, which is relatively easy to obtain: it simply creates a digital specialty channel, and the onus is on the people running the channel to negotiate distribution with cable and satellite companies.

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You can read Steven Chase, Susan Krashinsky and Grant Robertson’s full article in the Globe and Mail here

Quebecor planning 24-hour right-leaning network

Quebec billionaire Pierre Karl Péladeau is attempting a major shakeup of television news in Canada, with plans to launch a 24-hour cable channel modelled on the right-leaning U.S. network Fox News.

It is a shot aimed directly at CBC and CTV, which for years have dominated the all-news format in English Canada. For months, Mr. Péladeau’s Montreal-based media empire, Quebecor Inc., has been putting together plans for a channel that will tap the same conservative sentiment that has made Fox News a major contender for ratings in the U.S.

To operate the upstart news network, Quebecor has enlisted a former senior aide to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to oversee the operations. Kory Teneycke, who served as director of communications to Mr. Harper in 2008 and 2009, has been appointed vice-president of business development at Quebecor Media Inc. and will lead the new project.

If approved by the federal broadcast regulator, the gamble takes Mr. Péladeau outside of his comfort zone of Quebec, where he dominates French-language media.

Though he ranks among the country’s wealthiest print and television magnates – with an empire that includes the Sun chain of tabloid papers in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario – his focus is mostly on assets in his home province.

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The July 1st Vs July 4th sing-a-long

Just a tad..

I’m going to file this one under “Wild and Wacky Americans”  To the author Andrew Malcolm, I usually take little samples of newspaper articles, but I just had to rip the full text.  It was to good to leave behind.  If you need me to tailor it down just leave me a post.  And now I bring you the Anthem Wars!

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The whole article is here but you can read more of Andrew Malcolm’s work at the Los Angeles Times here

Americans and Canadians go to war over anthems

Now that both the United States and Canada have celebrated their respective national summer holidays, there comes news out of Florida of a simmering dispute over their respective national anthems. With the result that both got banned.

Canada celebrated the oddly named Canada Day on July 1 with much playing of “O Canada,” the national anthem that became official in 1980. This being Canada, it has two versions, one in French and one in English. The versions actually have different lyrics, but that’s another story.

Each summer, July 1 is about the time many eager Canadian families up in North America’s attic begin laying out the planks for their backyard ice rinks.

The peaceful Canadian holiday that roughly coincides with the start of that country’s pro football season marks the hasty 1867 formation of a separate Canada by a Britain that lost its Civil War bet on the Confederacy. Then, it watched the United States buy Alaska from Russia and figured the disgruntled Yanks might try a grab for the British colony in between.

Canada Day comes just three days before the July 4 holiday that marks another one of those rowdy American moments that mixes alcohol and explosives, celebrating the Declaration of Independence and the violent ensuing and elongated break with Britain and its goofy fat king.

OK, back to Florida, which neighboring (or neighbouring) Canadians believe they have a birthright to visit anytime. Especially in winter. You can easily spot Canadians because they’re always putting “eh?” at the end of declaratory sentences to make a question seeking friendly affirmation from listeners. And Canadians are the folks making awful faces when they sip the lame stuff Americans call beer.

Americans are generally gentle with the visitors, even letting them watch the hockey playoffs on the bar TVs. And no one is yet demanding that the Obama administration get off the golf course and get busy building a fence along the world’s longest undefended border between the two countries.

In Florida’s Sarasota County, our news colleagues at Sun-Sentinel.com report that there’s an array of trailers named La Casa Mobile Home Park. Almost 10% of the people occupying the 900 trailers are Canadian, eh?

When the community has events such as dances or other affairs with music, it has become customary to close the evening by playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” and sometimes, in deference to the Canadians, “O Canada.”

However, in the interests of equal-opportunity xenophobia, it seems a number of La Casa’s American residents have now complained to authorities about playing the Canadian song on U.S. soil.

As a result, the community’s activity board has just announced a new end-of-evening music policy: No more national anthems for any country.

Instead, as a crude compromise, the musicians have now been instructed to play “God Bless America.”

Now, some might say, “Huh?” eh?

The board’s thinking is that since both the United States and the much larger Canada are part of America, as in North America, no one will be offended. They hope.

Also, they hope, by evening’s end no one will be in shape to try singing the Irving Berlin lyrics because they’d have to alter the words a little:

“God bless America, Land(s) that I (we) love,

“Stand beside her (them) and guide her (them) Through the night with a light from above”

Of course, Mexico is also generally considered part of North America. But that’s another story.

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This story started right here.  You can read Tom Lyons’ full article in the Herald Tribune here

What’s next:  No flags on the Fourth?

Clint Van Tassell made a surprising announcement at his mobile home neighborhood a few days ago.

Could his timing have been worse, asks irked fellow resident Jean Liebig?

Probably not. Could there be a worse time than before the Fourth of July weekend to announce a ban on the national anthem?

If you could ever find a good reason for a ban like that ever, I mean.

“It’s crazy,” Liebig told me.

When she read Van Tassell’s words in the mobile home park’s newsletter, they seemed more appropriate for April Fools Day.

The NHL can’t wait to come to Canada…right?

Just a tad…

Does the NHL need to come back to Canada?  Probably yes, but the likelihood of that happening is completely up in the air.  The Globe and Mail and TSN had a great series giving readers the ins and outs of “if”, “why” and “when” a new Canadian team will make it’s home here in Canada.  For me Winnipeg and Quebec City are no brainers.  Hamilton and another team in Toronto, not so much.  Though London or K/W  would be awesome.

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You can read David Naylor’s full six part series in The Globe and Mail here

Why not Canada?

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Winnipeg: The city’s economy showed resiliency during the recession and the population is growing at roughly three times the rate as when the Jets left for Phoenix in 1996. Local businessman Mark Chipman and his Toronto-based partner David Thomson aim to bring a team into the downtown MTS Centre, which would be the NHL’s smallest building with 15,015 seats and 50 luxury boxes. Given that revenue generated by the building wouldn’t match that of the top buildings in the league, there’s limited upside and the franchise could conceivably have trouble attracting free agents. Is the league really interested in returning to the ’Peg? Bettman has recently indicated that the priority of the league may be to take care of markets where teams existed previously. “The market size to me hasn’t been a concern,” Bettman says. “I know there are plenty of hockey fans there.”

You can read David Naylor’s full article in The Globe and Mail here ~ Also you can read the full Report Card here

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Quebec City: In 1995, Aubut sold the Nordiques to Denver investors after the Quebec government refused to authorize a bailout. The economy has diversified over the past 15 years and Quebec’s unemployment rate ranks among the lowest in North America. The NHL’s decision to return would hinge on the success of a campaign for a new publicly funded $400-million arena, championed by the mayor. How passionate is the business community? Suites for the nonexistent building have already sold out. Media giant Quebecor, led by CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau, wants to own the franchise.

You can read David Naylor’s full article in The Globe and Mail here ~ Also you can read the full Report Card here

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Hamilton: The market is far bigger than the city itself; more than three million people live within an 80-kilometre drive of Copps Coliseum. But the arena needs major upgrades, and various estimates of costs range between $50-million and $200-million. Despite acknowledging in federal court in Phoenix that revenues generated by a Hamilton franchise would be among the league’s highest, the NHL claims not to have studied the feasibility of putting a franchise in the city. Says Bettman: “If you were to have a second team in Southern Ontario … maybe it belongs in London, maybe it belongs in Waterloo. Who knows? The notion that ‘well, there’s an old building that happens to be there [so] let’s go,’ I don’t think that’s the way you put your franchises on the ground.”

You can read David Naylor’s full article in The Globe and Mail here ~ Also you can read the full Report Card here

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Toronto: Research demonstrates a massive appetite among sports fans for a second NHL team in Toronto, roughly double the interest in attracting an NFL team. The corporate support would be all but guaranteed, as Toronto is the location of more than 900 head offices. There is land available for a new arena at the Woodbine racetrack and the former Downsview Airport. But a second team would have an impact on the overall entertainment industry, in which Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is heavily engaged. Do the Leafs have a veto? MLSE disagrees with the NHL about its right of territorial control over a market of more than five million people. But even if a deal could be made to compensate MLSE, the cost of an expansion or relocation fee, plus a new arena, could be prohibitive. Meantime, in spite of many rumours, no company or individual has stepped forward to begin the process of establishing a franchise.

You can read David Naylor’s full article in The Globe and Mail here ~ Also you can read the full Report Card Here

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Finally some words of wisdom from good old Gary