A.I. A Mile High.

I think the Denver Nuggets trading for Allen Iverson actually make turn out well for them. I say that because they are coached by George Karl. Karl has coached pain in the ass superstars before such as Shawn Kemp (he was a superstar before he ate his way out of the league) and Gary Payton and coached them very well. You have to wonder if AI is going to stunt Carmelo Anthony's maturity as a player though. AI has to have the ball in his hands all the time and I don't see 'Melo liking that too much. This trade will make them far more exciting to watch and will get them into the playoffs but it won't get them past the first round in the ridiculously tough western conference.

It's a Christmas Miracle!

I can honestly say I never thought this day would come. Olympic Stadium in Montreal has finally been paid off. After thirty years the ugliest big league stadium in North America was paid off in true Quebec fashion - with tax money generated from cigarette sales. They should paint a portion of the retractable roof that horrible nicotine stain color that your teeth gets just for the symbolism.

Well Done Vernon!

It's great to see Vernon Wells reupping with the Jays. The price night seem high but with the money being thrown around this winter on free agents Wells will look like a bargain next winter. This is also the price of comepting in the AL East. With the Red Sox and Yanks around you have to be prepared to spend. The Jays now need to really go wild and go after the still unsigned Barry Zito or Mark Mulder. The key to beating the Sox and Yanks has always been left handed pitching and these guys are two of the best.

I went to bed halfway through the thirs quarter of the Rockets-Lakers game Froday night with the Rockets up by about 18. Then Kobe goes nuts, leads a comeback and scores 53 in an overtime win. Shit. Then I decide to skip watching last nights Wizards-Lakers game and Gilbert Arenas goes for 60 and Kobe 45. I'm not skipping another Lakers game this year.

I watched Greg Oden play on Saturday afternoon. He is legit and is going to be an NBA all-star within 2 years. The thing I like about his game most is that he is a true center. He's not one of these 7 footers who wants to take threes and score from the perimeter all day. He just gets the ball on the blocks and knocks his defender on his ass while dunking on him.

I pick the Saints to go to the Super Bowl and then they blow a home game to the 'Skins. The Titans score three defensive touchdowns to beat the Jags a week after the Jags kill the Colts. If anyone can figure out this years NFL please let me know.

The Isiah Thomas farewell tour is just hitting its stride after he no doubt ordered up the foul that lead to the NBA's most recent embarrassing brawl.

The Road To The Super Bowl

- After last night's dreadful loss to the 49ers I have written off Seattle as a Super Bowl contender. My pick in the NFC is New Orleans. I know that Chicago will have home field advantage and it will be tough for New Orleans to go play in bad January Chicago weather. BUt do you really think the Bears can get to the big game with Rex Grossman at QB? I don't. I like Drew Brees and the Saints special teams to get them past the Bears.

In the AFC I am sticking with Baltimore. The Colts have proven that they would get killed by both San Diego and Baltimore because of their awful run defense. I think the Chargers would be the favorites at this point and will probably get home field advantage but the Raven have to running game and the defense to stop them. And they also have a quarterback who has been to a Super Bowl in Steve McNair. I think Chargers QB Philip Rivers is the real deal but when you have two evenly matched teams in the playoffs you always take the team with experience at QB.

- A hilarious tale of the tape.

- It shouldn't come as a big shock that Allen Iverson has not been traded yet. Sixers GM Billy King is one of the worst in the business and blew his best chance to trade AI over the summer. Now everyone in the league knows he is going to have to settle for 60 cents on the dollar. But the real issue is that Iverson can make a bad team better, but he absolutely will not make a good team better. I've said before he is incapable of giving up the ball and deferring to other players on a good team. People will say he can now because he has matured but I still say no way he can do it.

- The Jays offering Vernon Wells a monster contract was a brilliant move. They will now know exactly where they stand with him. If he signs it that's great. If he doesn't sign it they should trade him immediately and get the pitching they need and move Alex Rios to center field. And Wells would also be the one who looks bad if he left Toronto, not JP who tried to sign him.

I think JR Is Done.

It looks the Jeremy Roenick, the single biggest asshole in the NHL, has already warn out his welcome in Phoenix by walking out on his team last night. He was scratched from the lineup and left the building to go to dinner at a local restaurant and watch the game, but feels he did nothing wrong. As classy as ever JR, classy as ever. Here's a news flash for you pal, you're no longer even an average player with only 6 points in 28 games with over 15 minutes of ice time a game. If Phoenix lets him go I don't see any other team picking him up.

Gretzky should have learned his lesson with Brett Hull last year but he didn't. And that's a big reason why the Coyotes are awful and why Gretzky is over his head as the head of hockey operations.

Naomi Watts

It has taken a hell of a lot of restraint on my part not to have the gorgeous Naomi Watts added to the Pursuit of Leisure Hottie list yet. I could wait no longer. As Ms. Skeelo can attest, I think Naomi is the one women that I just go dead silent over when I see on screen. There's really no need to say how I stunning I think she is becuase everyone else is thinking the exact same thing.

I have to admit I had no clue who she was until the excellent Mulholland Dr. came out and certainly had no idea she was one of Nicole Kidman's best friends. But she has proven herself to be one of the best actresses working today in such movies as 21 Grams, King Kong (I though her Vaudeville acting was fantastic, very few people could have pulled it off), The Ring and Le Divorce. She also dresses with class and is a fantastic interview. Amazingly she is still single.

Tuesday Musings.

- I was in Toronto last week and while driving from appointment to appointment in the afternoon I had the pleasure of listening to Kim Mitchell on Q107. I was a little cynical when I heard he would be doing this as a full time gig, but I can honeslty say he's great. His stories are top notch and the fact that Q doesn't play anything released post 1986 works well for Kim because he has partied and jammed with half the musicians he's playing. The only problem is that he doesn't seem to play his own tunes which means I have to switch channels to get my "I am a Wild Party" fix.

- The Jays should not feel too bad about not signing Ted Lilly or Gil Meche. The money they got was insane and Lilly had a career year last year because it was a contract year. He'll never be that good again. The Jays have a great 1-2-3 in Halladay, Burnett, and Chacin. If they can get any consistency from a number four guy they will be fine. But I think they should trade Vernon Wells for that pitching right now. With the money JD Drew got Wells price tag just jumped to at least $16 million a year.

- The money that JD Drew got from the Red Sox is obscene but only if you're not a Yanks or Sox fan. The signing made perfect sense for Boston (unless Drew starts to cry when the fans got on him because he's soft). They are in it to make the playoffs and if Drew helps get them there they will make his salary in 2 home playoff gates. They need another good defensive outfielder, which Drew is, and he can protect Manny in the lineup. And Manny will never be traded. Every year he asks to get traded, it doesn't happen and he shows up and mashes .320-45-130. Manny's goofy but he's also the best hitter of his age group.

- Cindy Klassen deserved to win the Lou Marsh Award as Canada's top athlete. This award is really for the best amatuer athlete in Canada. Justin Morneau would have also been a good choice for his AL MVP year which is more improtant (and more profitable as far as endorsements go). But the most impressive athlete in Canada right now is Steve Nash. As someone who watches a lot of basketball I can't emphasize enough how miraculous it is that a 6 foot something, white point guard from Victoria is the two time NBA MVP. And not only that, he has been the leading force in changing the NBA game to uptempo again. For those of you who don't watch the NBA, a couple years ago the NBA was as unbearable to watch as the NHL was. Horrible offense, defensive mugging and 75-65 final scores. Nash changed all that and made the league exciting to watch again.

- The more things change....Nice to see new Liberal leader Stephane Dion taking the low road and referring to the Harpers "neo-conservative ideology" and Bill Graham comparing the Tories to Nazis by using the name of a former Nazi propagandist during question period. I thought having a bright guy like Dion in charge would help raise the level of debate in the house. Apparently I was wrong. Pathetic.

- Now that bumbling fool Zaccardielli has resigned as head of the RCMP the Tories should depoliticize the role of RCMP Commissioner and have him report to a parliament officer or committee, and not have him report to a Minister while being himself a Deputy Minister.

- At 30 games into the season in the NHL teams are what they are right now. And Leafs, and especially Sens fans - what you are is .500. Deal with it. These teams just are not very good.

- If Minnesota trades for Allen Iverson it will be a disaster. AI has proven repeatedly he can't play with another all-star on his team. He takes terrible shots (sure he always leads the league in scoring but he shoots 40% doing it), has to have the ball in his hands all the time and can't handle having someone better than him on the team. And Kevin Garnett is a lot better than AI.

BCS Is Hear To Stay.

- While a lot of people like to bitch about the BCS, I still think it is the best system out there despite some of it's obvious flaws. I have always argued against a playoff system for college fotball becuase a potential playoff would take away a lot of the meaning from the games played in September, October, and November. Michigan fans can complain all they want about not being in the title game but had they beat Ohio State when they played them they would be. If you went to a playoff they could still have a chance despite losing that game. Keep things the way they are. Regular season games hold a lot of meaning right now as they should.

- Bob Cole is the voice of Hockey Night in Canada and it will be a sad day when he retires (or more likely dies) from the broadcasts. But Bob's not what he used to be and after watching the Leafs-Habs game Saturday night I am convinced that Jim Hughson is hands down the best color analyst working hockey games today. He has a great voice, follows the play well, knows the game, and most importantly knows when to shut up. He's also not trying to come up with new catch phrases a game. I think he's the perfect guy to replace Cole.

- Since I bought my HDTV I have been watching a hell of a lot of NBA games (I have the RaptorsTV channel). Basketball in HD is absolutely awesome by the way but I digress. My point is that there are a few former draft busts who are turning into pretty good players. Kwame Brown will never live up to his first overall draft pick status by the Wizards but he is playing really well for the Lakers. He has finally got into NBA shape and is playing with enthusiasm. He has improved his footwork tremendously and is a lot more aggressive on the boards. He still needs to go to the hole more often but the more Kobe screams at him the better he'll be.

And watching the Clippers-Magic game last night I was impressed with Darko who will never live up to the number two draft pick of the '03 draft (ahead of 'Melo, DWade and Bosh). But he will be fine. He is long, athletic, is a good ball handler and a good weak side shot blocker. In a few years he is going to be a consistent 16 and 8 guy if not better. I also realized last night that Magic center Dwight Howard is the second coming of Moses Malone as Bill simmons has pointed out. He is an absolute beast in the paint. He is the strongest hands in the league and he uses his lower body extremely well when moving other guys under the basket. He also never gets called for fouls because he's bumping guys so subtly. Once he adds a short hook shot to his offensive game he is going to be unstoppable. I said at the start of the year I thought Chris Bosh would become the best big man in the east this year. I was wrong, it's Howard.

Canadian Politics.

- I don't really know what to think of the Liberals electing Stephane Dion as their new leader this weekend. I actually like him but I don't see him as having a lot of appeal as a party leader. At the very least he makes Stephen Harper look downright charismatic so in that regard I'm glad Ignatieff didn't walk away as the leader. And as someone who grew up in Toronto during the Rae days I was having nightmares about a minority government lead by Bob Rae (best button was one John Baird apparently had made that said "Vote for Rae. Go for broke.")propped up by Jack Layton.

Turning back to Dion, I think he is very capable and never got the credit he deserved for the Carity Act but will he be able to gain support in Quebec, or enough to win back enough seats in Toronto? He won't get any support out west. I also think there is more to him than the environment (more on that below), I think he was using it as his main issue to differentiate himself from other candidates. The next election just became the Tories minority to lose (there won't be a majority in this country for a long time).

- Alberta Tories elected relative unknown Jim Dinning as their new leader this weekend. This outs an offical end to the reign of Ralph Klein, Canada's very own kleptocracy. Correction: They elected Ed Stelmach not Dinning. Very tired this morning.

Question: If you were a Liberal in Alberta would you have joined the Tories to vote in this leadership election? I would have knowing it would be the only way I would ever have any say in who my Premier would be.

- I think governments that don't believe in Global Warming are taking a very stupid, pigheaded, and shortsighted approach to it. Whether or not you buy into Global Warming as fact (for the record I think it is complete hooey), you need to buy into the fact that more and more people are buying into it as fact and the momentum is only going to increase (or to use a cliche: the horse has left the barn). Smart governments, and I'm not ready to declare Harper's Tories a smart government yet, would take advantage of Global Warming hysteria and pour research dollars into new processes that are more "environmentally friendly" and export them worldwide and make a killing off of it. My old adage comes into play here - If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Then Beat 'em. I'm dead serious about that too. What could be more free market than making the lefties think you're with them only to make obscene profits off of their beliefs.

Kate Winslet

The latest addition to the Pursuit of Leisure Hottie list is Kate Winslet. Smart, charming, and talented, she was a no brainer. I also happen to think she is the most talented actress of her generation. She has been fantastic in movies such as Hideous Kinky, Quills, Enigma, Finding Neverland, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Look for her in The Holiday which opens next week.

Other Sports Shorts.

Who is the best team in the NHL, Buffalo or Anaheim? I guess we'll have to wait until the finals to find out because they don't play each other in the regular season. The NHL needs to fix their scheduling next year.

This is what drives me nuts about Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. The ACC does not have very good ice and the Leafs have had $2.5 million on the books for a dehumidifier for three years. Hurry up and buy the bloody thing. You're paying McCabe and Kaberle over $9 million a year combined, wouldn't it be pretty stupid if one of them got lost for the year tripping in a rut in the ice?

A lot of people are upset that the White Sox struck a deal with 711 to start their home games at 7:11pm. As far as corporate tie ins go I actually like this one. Games typically would have started around that time anyway so what's the difference. I'm a lot less offended by that then the fact that they play their home games in US Cellular field.

Anybody still think Michael Vick is a great NFL QB? Five years from now people are still going to be sitting around talking about his potential and the fact that he still isn't very good. The main problem is that he is dumb and lazy. And I don't think anything is going to change that.

Speaking of overrated QB's, I still say if Eli Manning's last name was Johnson or Smith he would have been a 5th round pick, not 1st overall.

Finally, Cowboys QB Tony Romo has shot down rumours that he is dating Jessica Simpson. I think that was a dumb move. Once other women find out your linked to a hotty like Jessica (yes she's a dope but she is hot) they would be all over you.

NBA Notes. They're Fannnntastic.

The Raptors have to fire coach Sam Mitchell immediately. I have watched at least five Raps games this year and he is killing them. There are two main times in a game you can tell whether a coach is doing a good job or not. The first is the first seven minutes of the second half after teams have had a chance to make adjustments at halftime. The Raps consistently get outplayed in the third quarter and can never get good matchups. The second time is coming out of a timeout in the offensive zone. 75% of the time you should get a very good look, if not an easy layup. I've seen the Raps looking for a good shot with the shot clock winding down out of a timeout at least 15 times. It's pathetic. Chris Bosh looks like he's ready kill someone then reneg on his new contract. The Eastern conference is a complete disgrace with only 4 teams over .500. The Raps are 5-10 and only a game out of first. Bring in someone who actually has a clue how to coach and they can make the playoffs.

Ben Wallace and Scott Skiles will never get along in Chicago and that says a lot about both of them. Wallace couldn't get along with Flip Saunders in Detroit last year either which makes me think his ego has got the better of him. Hey Ben, you're really not that good. You're a complete blank on the offensive end of the floor and with the new defensive rules you can't dominate the paint the way you used to. As for Skiles, he has had a lot of problems with players in the past which makes me think his son a naval officer, tough discipline routine, just won't work with NBA players for more than a year. And don't be surprised the Bulls are struggling. As I said in my NBA preview when you have a frontcourt that can't score at all you are in big trouble now that the league has moved back to offense.

Bill Simmons is right. The T-Wolves have to trade Kevin Garnett now. They are horrible and not getting better. As much as I like the thought of seeing guys play their whole career for one team I don't like watching KG play without the fire he used to have. Given that Kevin McHale is the worst GM this side of Isiah Thomas it's just a matter of time before KG goes to the Lakers or Bulls for two role payers and a first and second rounder.

Sex and The City Sucks!

I had a conversation with a female friend of mine a while back that was similar to conversations I have previously had with other women. The argument came over the show Sex and the City. My contention is that it was really never a good show and that no self respecting straight guy would ever like it. Most women have told me they know plenty of guys who like the show and I said, and still say, any guy who says he likes this show is a)gay or b)lying through his teeth to impress the girl he is talking to. Now I will admit that every straight guy is in love with Kristin Davis who plays Charlotte, but that is nowhere near the same thing as loving the show.

For the record I think the show was never very good because Cynthia Nixon and Kim Cattrall are both bad actresses, Charlotte was annoying most of the time, the writing was simplistic and repetitive, and contrary to popular belief, Sarah Jessica Parker displayed horrid fashion sense on the show. And any show that has a goof like Chris Noth as the main romantic lead is in big trouble.