The NHL Shows Signs Of Having A Clue.

- I'd like to think that my consistent ragging on the stupidity of the NHL's post lockout schedule had something to do with their decision to change it but I won't flatter myself. It only makes sense that every team plays every other and you get to see your favorite players at least once every two years. Now if Commissioner For Life Gary Bettman could institute about 150 other changes the league might develop a pulse in traditional US hockey markets like Boston and Chicago and New York.

- Some pretty interesting pennant races are shaping up that shouldn't have been that interesting. Despite Eric Gagne's brutal performance last night (Boston fans are going to kill this guy unless he gets about 100% better than he has been by playoff time), Boston will still hang on. I don't know about the Mets though. They look really shaky but they play bottom feeders Washington and Florida the rest of the way, which should help them.

- I don't often review books I've read here but since The Hammer reviewed A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson I thought I would give my take on it.

I was predisposed to liking the book due to the subject matter. I would absolutely love to take four months off and walk the Appalachian Trail. I found most of the book entertaining and even found the second half interesting when Bryson literally got off trail and started really just telling stories about small towns and the ineptness of the government entities that run the US national forests. But I found Bryson to be the worst kind of pompous British windbag. Which is a pompous British windbag who was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. I always find it annoying when a North American goes across the pond and all of a sudden forgets where he's from and tries to be something he isn't (think Madonna and her ridiculous British accent as an example). I find it beyond tacky and his attitude is heard throughout the book. While I greatly enjoyed this particular book, again more due to the subject matter, it didn't leave me the least bit interested in reading anything else he has written.

- I find the level of fury surrounding the Patriots recent cheating funny. It's not like cheating is new to the NFL. Teams have been watching other teams coaching calls forever, the Pats were just dumb enough to tape it. And steroids have been rampant in the league for at least 30 years. With the predominance of betting on football (and let's not forget the single biggest reason the NFL has become America's sport is gambling) I also wouldn't be surprised if their had been point shaving at some point in blowout games over the years.

- I was reading a book downstairs last night while flipping channels and came across the Pilot for Gossip Girl, which I hadn't heard of. A quick search told me it was written by Josh Schwartz of The O.C. fame so I figured I would give it a shot. It had to be one of the worst hours of TV I have ever watched. It has none of the irony or sly sense of humour of The O.C. and was pretentious and cliched. I don't see it lasting 5 weeks.

Half Assed Football Preview.

- Due to my trip to New Hampshire I missed doing an NFL preview. And we're already headed for Week 3 so I can't be bothered now. I will say that no matter how scary the Pats have looked the first two weeks I still say the Colts are going to repeat by beating the Saints (who will recover from their 0-2 start because the NFC is once again awful). The Colts improved their defense and Peyton is still the best QB in the league. I don't think his focus will suffer one bit after winning the Super Bowl and doing a tonne of commercials and other stuff in the off-season.

- The NFC is so bad I think any of the top 5 teams in the AFC (Colts, Patriots, Chargers, Broncos, Ravens) would win the Super Bowl if they make it.

- Why don't I have the Bengals in the top 5 in the AFC despite having the third best QB in the league and some great receivers? Because they have no discipline and Chad Johnson and a lot of other guys on that team are losers, that's why. Until Johnson starts caring more about his teams record than his individual stats they are going nowhere in the playoffs. He would never say it but I think Carson Palmer would love to see Johnson run out of town.

- The Lions are 2-0. Really. But I still say they are more likely to finish 4-12 than 8-8.

Other stuff:

- Everybody knew Tiger was going to win the FedEx Cup but the Tour Championship was a joke this weekend. How can you give away $1.2 million to the winner of that tournament and $10 million to the FedEx winner on such an easy course. Tiger's winning score was -23. That's just ridiculous. The greens were the slowest and bumpiest on tour this year and East Lake was an unacceptable course to declare your playoff champion.

- In New Hampshire I had the pleasure of watching the Red Sox every night on NESN and Dice-K is going to kill them in the playoffs. His fastball isn't over 92, his curve has no bite and hitters are laying off his cutter because he can't throw it for strikes. He is also prone to mental lapses and giving up big innings. I've watched him pitch at least 6 times this year and he is nowhere near where he was a t the start of the season. I would have him coming out of the bullpen in the playoffs with Beckett, Schilling, Lester as my top three and Wakefield as my fourth.

Do Not Call This Sam Bowie 2.0

- As an NBA fan the news that Greg Oden will miss his rookie year due to microfracture surgery on his knee is pretty bloody depressing. Hopefully he will recover as Amare Stoudamire did in Phoenix and not some of the older guys who have had this surgery. The last thing Blazers fans need is to start thinking this guy is going to play about 120 games before having to retire due to injuries. He's a great guy off the court as well and the league needs him to be healthy. David Stern is probably still hyperventilating.

- I hate the Patriots and Bill Belichick. I think the NFL should have forced Belichick to stop dressing like a homeless man on the sidelines as part of their punishment.

- I'll be giving a recap of my vacation in New Hampshire later today or tomorrow.