Weekend Musings

- It's official, Don Cherry is absolutely off his rocker.
Taking this "Canadian versus everyone else in the world" thing way too far again, Cherry now was calling for the head of Alex Ovechkin on this week's Coaches Corner...kinda.

Grapes claims that absolutely everybody in the league can't stand how Ovie celebrates after goals and he's eventually gonna get knocked out for it...after all, how could anyone in the league appreciate the attention and positive press he's brought to the league when he's constantly distracting everybody 'raising his arms in the air'.

- NFL free-agency began over the weekend and some huuuge contracts were doled out. $100 million to Albert Haynesworth made him the richest defensive tackle in league history.
Nmamdi Asomugha signed the largest contract ever for the defensive back, $43.5 million over three years to stay with Oakland.

But undoubtedly, the largest contract signed and the biggest names coming off the market occurred over the weekend when Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen signed their pre-nup before officially getting hitched.

- After working a 12-hour day on Thursday, I'm reminded why Jews were not meant to perform manual labour.

- Last night Jarome Iginla became the Flames' all-time leading scorer with a 5-point night. Is he the most under appreciated superstar in the league, or what?

- David Beckham is still in Milan without a deal to keep him there past March 9...the cold war negotiations continue.
There is some news however to pass along. Apparently Beckham has been staying at George Clooney's Italian villa. I dunno about you, but when I think "villa"...I don't think this





- Speaking of stalled negotiations, the LA Dodgers and Manny Ramirez continue talking contract. Ramirez, who is still a free-agent, has turned down several contract offers from the Dodgers who, most recently offered him $45 million over two years...gulp...

Manny was upset that the money wouldn't all be paid out in those two years and some of it would be deferred. Rumor is he would only get $10 million in each the next two years and the rest would be paid in installments over a few more seasons...what an insult, a man's gotta feed his family of Lamborghinis you know?

- Maybe the CFL isn't as stupid as we all imagined...

A week or two ago, the league reached out through it's website to fans asking for ideas of how to change the change the game or tweak it's rules in order to be more exciting, entertaining and fan friendly.

Evidently, the results were somewhat positive because among the suggestions of giving out $1,000 to every fan in attendance and free booze and chicken in the concessions (they never responded to me on either...those bastards), they actually are taking three rule suggestions to the CFL's Rules Committee meetings this week.

Among the rule changes:
Moving the extra point convert back five yards so it becomes less of an automatic thing (kickers were 99.5% accurate last season).

After giving up a safety, a team would kick the ball back from it's own 20-yard line, instead of the 35, where it is now.

Getting rid of the "rouge" or the single point for kicking the ball through the back of the endzone.

All three are good suggestions and deserved to be discussed if not tweaked a little before implementing.

The whole process shows that the CFL, while still a growing league in a fledgling economy, gets it. Good for them for going straight to the fans to find out what the real people who pay everyone's salaries think should be done about the game and actually taking their advice.