Here's a myth. Old bald guys don't get. When hair gets so long the growth rate goes down. Well bald guys. It don't. But you'll never know.
Why are me and Conrad Black the same? We both don't pay Canadian taxes this year. Ah Rich or poor we are equal.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Afoot
I love a phrase from the books featuring Sherlock Holmes. "The games afoot."
Now the games afoot in the Conrad Black trial. Its gone to the jury. My gut instinct is that this could very well wind up to be a hung jury but who the hell am I.
And it will all take place in that jury room with time working against Black and his associates. You see this is the worst possible time to go into a jury phase. It is only days before the 5 day long July 4th celebrations.
Further it will also depend heavily on how entrenched the believer jurists are. If one or jurors is dedicated to a verdict. Then they have the edge. Rare is the time when jurists believe that a person is innocent will they stick it out over the long family oriented weekend.
The defense attorneys are the ones that are scared at this moment because such a time acelerates the likelihood of a guilty verdict. And US Juries are rarely overturned unless malfiesance is proven.
It goes like this in my personal estimation. If the jury cottons onto the fact that a long time associate like Radler plead guilty, regardless of whether or not he lied before, it means the others are just as guilty as he is. Only Radler owned up to his guilt. The others did not take the stand because they would have been forced to perjure their denial testimony.
If Black is found guilty then it was the failure of the defense, the fear of the defense to put him on the stand. This lack of confidence sways like a ghost through his trial. OJ wasn't put on the stand for good reason but none of those reasons exist here. It was important for Black to go on the stand and his own lawyers failed in that they didn't have the confidence that he could pull it off. I think he could've got on the stand and won the hearts of the jury. He possesses the intelligence and the acumen to do it.
At the moment its 30% for guilt, 30%percent for innocent and a full 40% chance that this will be a hung jury. Regardless the game is afoot and the bobsleigh crew has been launched. Allawowa!
The story is below.
****************
Case against Black, associates goes to jury
Bloomberg News
Published June 27, 2007, 2:54 PM CDT
Now the games afoot in the Conrad Black trial. Its gone to the jury. My gut instinct is that this could very well wind up to be a hung jury but who the hell am I.
And it will all take place in that jury room with time working against Black and his associates. You see this is the worst possible time to go into a jury phase. It is only days before the 5 day long July 4th celebrations.
Further it will also depend heavily on how entrenched the believer jurists are. If one or jurors is dedicated to a verdict. Then they have the edge. Rare is the time when jurists believe that a person is innocent will they stick it out over the long family oriented weekend.
The defense attorneys are the ones that are scared at this moment because such a time acelerates the likelihood of a guilty verdict. And US Juries are rarely overturned unless malfiesance is proven.
It goes like this in my personal estimation. If the jury cottons onto the fact that a long time associate like Radler plead guilty, regardless of whether or not he lied before, it means the others are just as guilty as he is. Only Radler owned up to his guilt. The others did not take the stand because they would have been forced to perjure their denial testimony.
If Black is found guilty then it was the failure of the defense, the fear of the defense to put him on the stand. This lack of confidence sways like a ghost through his trial. OJ wasn't put on the stand for good reason but none of those reasons exist here. It was important for Black to go on the stand and his own lawyers failed in that they didn't have the confidence that he could pull it off. I think he could've got on the stand and won the hearts of the jury. He possesses the intelligence and the acumen to do it.
At the moment its 30% for guilt, 30%percent for innocent and a full 40% chance that this will be a hung jury. Regardless the game is afoot and the bobsleigh crew has been launched. Allawowa!
The story is below.
****************
Case against Black, associates goes to jury
Bloomberg News
Published June 27, 2007, 2:54 PM CDT
A federal jury began deliberating the case against former Hollinger International Inc. Chairman Conrad Black after prosecutors told jurors he's "sunk" if they believe witnesses who testified at a 15-week fraud trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Sussman told jurors in federal court in Chicago that defense lawyers want them to believe that 13 government witnesses lied in their testimony during the trial.
"Because if that testimony stands, they are sunk," he said.
Black, 62, former Hollinger Vice President Peter Atkinson, 60, and ex-finance chief John Boultbee, 63, are charged with taking millions of dollars in noncompete payments as they sold more than $3 billion in Hollinger assets from 1998 to 2001. Former General Counsel Mark Kipnis, 59, is accused of aiding the scheme. Each faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted.
After his remarks, Sussman agreed to drop one of two tax- fraud charges against Atkinson, telling U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve that there was a lack of direct evidence linking the former executive to the crime. Atkinson still faces six counts of mail and wire fraud related to his receipt of the noncompete payments and one tax fraud charge.
St. Eve instructed jurors on the law in the case and handed it to them for deliberations just before lunchtime.
The jury will work until 3 p.m. local time today, she said.
St. Eve told jurors to use caution in weighing the testimony of Black's former partner F. David Radler.
During the trial, defense lawyers attacked Radler's credibility. The former Hollinger president testified that Black helped direct a scheme to steal $60 million from the company. Radler pleaded guilty as part of a deal with the government and will be sentenced after the trial.
Paul Healy, Hollinger's former chief of investor relations, received immunity from prosecution and testified that he was told to misrepresent Black's purchase of a New York apartment in 2000.
"You may give the testimony of Healy and Radler such weight as you feel it deserves, keeping in mind that it must be considered with caution and great care," St. Eve instructed the jurors before they began deliberating.
Prosecutors claim the defendants, along with Radler, masked the illegal payments as compensation for agreeing not to compete with companies that bought Hollinger newspapers and other assets.
Leaving the downtown Chicago courthouse, Black, accompanied by his wife, Barbara Amiel Black, his daughter and two sons, walked past a throng of reporters and photographers to a waiting white Cadillac Escalade. He declined to comment.
Black remains confident of his acquittal, his lawyer, Edward Greenspan, told reporters outside the courthouse.
Greenspan said the Black family is holding up well through a trial he described as "tense and very nerve-wracking."
He said he's not impressed by the reported 95 percent conviction rate of the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago.
New York Yankees baseball pitcher "Roger Clemens loses the occasional baseball game," Greenspan said. "This is a unique case."
Randall Samborn, spokesman in the U.S. Attorney's office, said he didn't have specific data on the office's conviction rate.
Greenspan wouldn't predict the outcome of the case. "It's impossible to know what a jury will do," he said. He also said it's impossible to predict how long jurors may take.
The charges against Black include obstruction of justice for removing boxes of documents from his Toronto offices two years ago. St. Eve instructed jurors that prosecutors must prove Black intended to obstruct one of three official proceedings: a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, a criminal investigation of Black by a federal grand jury or the pending criminal proceeding before the U.S. District Court.
"You must unanimously agree on which of the official proceedings, if any, Black intended to obstruct," St. Eve said.
The trial started with jury selection on March 14.
The case is U.S. v Black, 05cr727, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Sussman told jurors in federal court in Chicago that defense lawyers want them to believe that 13 government witnesses lied in their testimony during the trial.
"Because if that testimony stands, they are sunk," he said.
Black, 62, former Hollinger Vice President Peter Atkinson, 60, and ex-finance chief John Boultbee, 63, are charged with taking millions of dollars in noncompete payments as they sold more than $3 billion in Hollinger assets from 1998 to 2001. Former General Counsel Mark Kipnis, 59, is accused of aiding the scheme. Each faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted.
After his remarks, Sussman agreed to drop one of two tax- fraud charges against Atkinson, telling U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve that there was a lack of direct evidence linking the former executive to the crime. Atkinson still faces six counts of mail and wire fraud related to his receipt of the noncompete payments and one tax fraud charge.
St. Eve instructed jurors on the law in the case and handed it to them for deliberations just before lunchtime.
The jury will work until 3 p.m. local time today, she said.
St. Eve told jurors to use caution in weighing the testimony of Black's former partner F. David Radler.
During the trial, defense lawyers attacked Radler's credibility. The former Hollinger president testified that Black helped direct a scheme to steal $60 million from the company. Radler pleaded guilty as part of a deal with the government and will be sentenced after the trial.
Paul Healy, Hollinger's former chief of investor relations, received immunity from prosecution and testified that he was told to misrepresent Black's purchase of a New York apartment in 2000.
"You may give the testimony of Healy and Radler such weight as you feel it deserves, keeping in mind that it must be considered with caution and great care," St. Eve instructed the jurors before they began deliberating.
Prosecutors claim the defendants, along with Radler, masked the illegal payments as compensation for agreeing not to compete with companies that bought Hollinger newspapers and other assets.
Leaving the downtown Chicago courthouse, Black, accompanied by his wife, Barbara Amiel Black, his daughter and two sons, walked past a throng of reporters and photographers to a waiting white Cadillac Escalade. He declined to comment.
Black remains confident of his acquittal, his lawyer, Edward Greenspan, told reporters outside the courthouse.
Greenspan said the Black family is holding up well through a trial he described as "tense and very nerve-wracking."
He said he's not impressed by the reported 95 percent conviction rate of the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago.
New York Yankees baseball pitcher "Roger Clemens loses the occasional baseball game," Greenspan said. "This is a unique case."
Randall Samborn, spokesman in the U.S. Attorney's office, said he didn't have specific data on the office's conviction rate.
Greenspan wouldn't predict the outcome of the case. "It's impossible to know what a jury will do," he said. He also said it's impossible to predict how long jurors may take.
The charges against Black include obstruction of justice for removing boxes of documents from his Toronto offices two years ago. St. Eve instructed jurors that prosecutors must prove Black intended to obstruct one of three official proceedings: a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, a criminal investigation of Black by a federal grand jury or the pending criminal proceeding before the U.S. District Court.
"You must unanimously agree on which of the official proceedings, if any, Black intended to obstruct," St. Eve said.
The trial started with jury selection on March 14.
The case is U.S. v Black, 05cr727, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).
Sunday, June 24, 2007
O'Dontya
This I forgot to enter into the blog. I meant to a couple of weeks ago but I kept putting it off.
Eleanor Wachtel hosts a rather tedious CBC program called Writer's and Company. I mean tedious by CBC standards. It features Wachtel slyly interviewing authors. She attaches herself to the interviewed with phony insightful perceptions which the authors generally agree with her. Constantly.
The only other choice in that time period was to change over to a program on the Fan590 hosted by either the ever arrogant Mike Wilner effusing a new twisted defense about regarding the latest loss of the Blue Jays or the genuine county radio mouth Syracuse alumus who brands himself as somethin' Stormin somethin. The latter insisted last fall that John Ferguson Jr., General Manager of the Maple Leaf Hockey Club should have a contract extension. More on this later. Says it all though.
So one gets the idea. I do not have a TV. Like nothing exists on cable anymore. They have a lot of choice. Would you like this nothing or that nothing then pay Rogers another $70 per month in the faint hopes that intelligent life will emerge on a channel any channel. And if I did use the public airwaves the only thing I could get is the CBC News with some pansy immigrant butt kissing wuss refugee trying to read the news about Canada. Like I said. Its ten o'clock pm hell.
This is really strange. Its like changing channels during a commercial break to find out that every other channel has commercials. One frequency... crap... the next... crap... the next ... crap... What is this some sort of tele-electric fuckassed conspiracy?
Like I knew this already. So saving my waning energy reserves I had to listen to this left coaster ivory tower wench Wachtel interview some loser Canadian writer. Well for a change she had somebody someone actually knew. Although I do not like his writing I am comfortable with the fact that he probably doesn't like mine in return. It was Michael Ondaatjee.
I was contemplating changing the frequency over to the tedious Stormin rant when Wachtel started her tedious insightful questions. Now I have to say I am paraphrasing this totally and going by recall so I will write it like a radio script for fiction but you'll get the idea.
The characters described in the following script have nothing to do with real life and are not related to real life persons.
In your recent book your main character Pierre LaQueer expresses his disappointment with the relationships of the Step Mother with the Earth Mother and his blood Mother to the Father of the Saloon. Is it an allegory to the real life experience in Balil Stanka?
No not really. I just sat down and wrote it out.
The character LaQueer develops his career juxtaposed to the welfare of the ethic immigrant community in the new land. Does this plot effort manifest your experience with the twisted immigration policy expressed in Canada?
No. I sat down. I just wrote it and it came out that way.
[Now most people would give up this line of questioning. You would... I would... But not...]
Ughh. [it was an audible despite editing] LaQueer confronted by the irascible Tom Langton defused the situation by anger and physical threat. In the text he waved the gun. Does this symbolize the relationship between the United States and Canada as a an expression of ultimate futility of international friendship.
No. When I sat down and began writing I felt this idea would work.
Eleanor Wachtel hosts a rather tedious CBC program called Writer's and Company. I mean tedious by CBC standards. It features Wachtel slyly interviewing authors. She attaches herself to the interviewed with phony insightful perceptions which the authors generally agree with her. Constantly.
The only other choice in that time period was to change over to a program on the Fan590 hosted by either the ever arrogant Mike Wilner effusing a new twisted defense about regarding the latest loss of the Blue Jays or the genuine county radio mouth Syracuse alumus who brands himself as somethin' Stormin somethin. The latter insisted last fall that John Ferguson Jr., General Manager of the Maple Leaf Hockey Club should have a contract extension. More on this later. Says it all though.
So one gets the idea. I do not have a TV. Like nothing exists on cable anymore. They have a lot of choice. Would you like this nothing or that nothing then pay Rogers another $70 per month in the faint hopes that intelligent life will emerge on a channel any channel. And if I did use the public airwaves the only thing I could get is the CBC News with some pansy immigrant butt kissing wuss refugee trying to read the news about Canada. Like I said. Its ten o'clock pm hell.
This is really strange. Its like changing channels during a commercial break to find out that every other channel has commercials. One frequency... crap... the next... crap... the next ... crap... What is this some sort of tele-electric fuckassed conspiracy?
Like I knew this already. So saving my waning energy reserves I had to listen to this left coaster ivory tower wench Wachtel interview some loser Canadian writer. Well for a change she had somebody someone actually knew. Although I do not like his writing I am comfortable with the fact that he probably doesn't like mine in return. It was Michael Ondaatjee.
I was contemplating changing the frequency over to the tedious Stormin rant when Wachtel started her tedious insightful questions. Now I have to say I am paraphrasing this totally and going by recall so I will write it like a radio script for fiction but you'll get the idea.
The characters described in the following script have nothing to do with real life and are not related to real life persons.
Whacktel
In your recent book your main character Pierre LaQueer expresses his disappointment with the relationships of the Step Mother with the Earth Mother and his blood Mother to the Father of the Saloon. Is it an allegory to the real life experience in Balil Stanka?
O'Dontya
No not really. I just sat down and wrote it out.
Whacktel
The character LaQueer develops his career juxtaposed to the welfare of the ethic immigrant community in the new land. Does this plot effort manifest your experience with the twisted immigration policy expressed in Canada?
O'Dontya
No. I sat down. I just wrote it and it came out that way.
[Now most people would give up this line of questioning. You would... I would... But not...]
Whacktel
Ughh. [it was an audible despite editing] LaQueer confronted by the irascible Tom Langton defused the situation by anger and physical threat. In the text he waved the gun. Does this symbolize the relationship between the United States and Canada as a an expression of ultimate futility of international friendship.
O'Dontya
No. When I sat down and began writing I felt this idea would work.
[This type of questioning went on for a full forty minutes.]
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Belinda faces mortality
Last night a startling revelation. Belinda Stronach was seriously stricken with cancer. She took a very big step in opting for a double mastectomy, a drastic but hopefully effective step.
On this blog it is well documented that she has been the target for some criticism of her politics and lack of personal ethics surrounding her public persona. This is a rather exceptional circumstance.
It should be pointed out that the scary thing about this class of diseases that it has effected wealthy and poor, famous and lost souls equally. So many friends suffered an agonizing departure over this terrible medical event that no one, not even a political opponent or any opponent suffers without complete and total empathy.
Realistically Ms. Stronach will never read this or even care. Some ancient belief systems held that if one inscribed words or symbols regarding a wish or idea anywhere that it empowered a change in fate or destiny. People call this the heart of magic. And in that regard, to that this blogger wishes Ms. Stronach a path to better health and hopes of a good recovery.
On this blog it is well documented that she has been the target for some criticism of her politics and lack of personal ethics surrounding her public persona. This is a rather exceptional circumstance.
It should be pointed out that the scary thing about this class of diseases that it has effected wealthy and poor, famous and lost souls equally. So many friends suffered an agonizing departure over this terrible medical event that no one, not even a political opponent or any opponent suffers without complete and total empathy.
Realistically Ms. Stronach will never read this or even care. Some ancient belief systems held that if one inscribed words or symbols regarding a wish or idea anywhere that it empowered a change in fate or destiny. People call this the heart of magic. And in that regard, to that this blogger wishes Ms. Stronach a path to better health and hopes of a good recovery.
Little guy messages
News media is awash with everything Black and Hilton. Media feeds on subscribers hungry for everything inconsequential and trivial. Ethics contained within a bottle. The world of the self righteous do-gooders.
What has this got to do with anything. Scandals depend on their size and impact. There is a long list of these outrages. Environment is one. Poverty is another. Literacy is another. From these key elements stray every other outrage.
Today I wanted to deal with a community service program dealing with literacy. People must be able to read to understand simple things like... what is, how to, and where to. Apparently income hinges on ability to read. This last point can be challenged.
Regardless I was down at the centre reading the bulletin boards. See how the topic relates? There posted a sign outlining in great detail about an adult literacy course due to begin next week. Something nags me that this approach to getting this message out to the target group might not work using this particular method.
What has this got to do with anything. Scandals depend on their size and impact. There is a long list of these outrages. Environment is one. Poverty is another. Literacy is another. From these key elements stray every other outrage.
Today I wanted to deal with a community service program dealing with literacy. People must be able to read to understand simple things like... what is, how to, and where to. Apparently income hinges on ability to read. This last point can be challenged.
Regardless I was down at the centre reading the bulletin boards. See how the topic relates? There posted a sign outlining in great detail about an adult literacy course due to begin next week. Something nags me that this approach to getting this message out to the target group might not work using this particular method.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Black pain - what to do about it.
The closing prosecutorial arguments began this morning in Chicago signaling the final stages of a rather overstretched court assizes. Hanging in the balance lies the fate of a thousand lawyers.
Twisted thinking has it that now the legal system needs to find Lord Black innocent of all charges. Black has threatened to literally sue everyone else on the planet if he can swing it. The cascade of legal actions ensuing from this penny-ante criminal proceeding looms in the dreams of every senior law partner around this tiny orb called "Earth."
Even if he is found not guilty Black still will face numerous civil actions now waiting in the wings, waiting for this court action to end. Remind yourself of only this, this is only the criminal court action. Especially in the United States, criminal liability does not equate with civil liability. The only relationship is the degree of punishment inflicted on the final civil court settlements. If Black faces a guilty verdict the years in jail will pale compared with the larger civil liability.
A finding of not guilty will cut in half any civil liability. A not guilty vote is likely if the jury can manage to ignore the prescient fact that none of the accused has taken the stand to deny the allegations. I'm no legal expert compared with the array of legal minds whirling moth like around the flame of this case, yet I get this angst that at least one of the defendents could have taken the stand to deny the charges. That failure to take the stand to deny, may impair Blacks's able defense.
Black isn't likely to face jail time if a guilty verdict comes forth at the end of the week. Boring inside the court room I think this is phase one.
Twisted thinking has it that now the legal system needs to find Lord Black innocent of all charges. Black has threatened to literally sue everyone else on the planet if he can swing it. The cascade of legal actions ensuing from this penny-ante criminal proceeding looms in the dreams of every senior law partner around this tiny orb called "Earth."
Even if he is found not guilty Black still will face numerous civil actions now waiting in the wings, waiting for this court action to end. Remind yourself of only this, this is only the criminal court action. Especially in the United States, criminal liability does not equate with civil liability. The only relationship is the degree of punishment inflicted on the final civil court settlements. If Black faces a guilty verdict the years in jail will pale compared with the larger civil liability.
A finding of not guilty will cut in half any civil liability. A not guilty vote is likely if the jury can manage to ignore the prescient fact that none of the accused has taken the stand to deny the allegations. I'm no legal expert compared with the array of legal minds whirling moth like around the flame of this case, yet I get this angst that at least one of the defendents could have taken the stand to deny the charges. That failure to take the stand to deny, may impair Blacks's able defense.
Black isn't likely to face jail time if a guilty verdict comes forth at the end of the week. Boring inside the court room I think this is phase one.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Wind ups on a Sundin
Forever young, the Leafs signed Mats Sundin for another year and another hefty amount of cash. No doubt all Leafdom appeared ecstatic. The well ventilating Bob McCown spouted his usual contra-baritone disclaimer of really liking Sundin, but...
Sundin should go.
And he's right. But not for the collections of reasons he thinks.
Sundin is a very good player. The argument has always been that he needs good players to play beside him. Now that is a crock.
Every other "great" player usually brings up the level of those on the field of play, not the other way around. Mats does bring up the skill level of any hockey team if he choses. The example of this is the exceptional play of the Swedish National Team. In recent years that is the only time the real talent of Sundin goes on display. In Toronto, everyone assumes that Sundin really wants to win a Stanley Cup. He says he does. Well saying that alone is worth a million dollars. Sundin is an exceptionally smart man for the usual hockey player.
Actually Sundin is very easy to figure out if one takes another view apart from the usual North American hockey analyst and usual hockey macho. No, the Stanley Cup is not the most important trophy to him. He could care less about this trophy. In Sweden, in Europe, the most important trophy is the world cup of Hockey known as the World Championships. Sweden is his home. He is the national hockey hero there. The Swedish fans care less about the Stanley Cup and all about the World Championships. Sundin only cares about the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame not the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame. First one must understand that to understand the rest.
Here's why Sundin wants to play for the Leafs. Sundin is a very smart guy. He knows that with this set of management the Maple Leafs probably will never get to the playoffs. They can barely make it out of spring training. And if in the rare chance they did, the chances are enormously good that this team will certainly get knocked out of the first round, especially if he is on the ice.
Sundin knows that if he stays on the Leafs the most games he will play is about ball busting 84 games ...tops. And they finish in April usually before the World Championships. Now if Sundin did want to play on a great team they would go through to the Stanley Cup and have to play at least 100 games or more and finish in June. Even with bonuses Sundin gets maybe $6 million. A Stanley Cup versus another year of $6 Million in the bank. Hmmmm weigh it financially.
So if he plays with the Leafs he is working his body far less which simply adds years to his career. And playoff hockey is harder on the body than regular season games where it is easy to sluff off performances when one gets over tired. If he plays on the Leafs he might get an extra couple of years out of his body. Remember what Sundin said right off... "I am 36 years of age"
His age runs his life not the absence of a Stanley Cup trophy. If he goes to the great contending teams their long pounding play off schedule could take years off of his playing career and that many times less that there will be the opportunity to do the more important thing for Sweden which is to win the World Championships. And while their are 8 other teams in an NHL division the Swedes only have to manage to defeat the Canadians and maybe one of the Russians or Czechs or maybe a hot Finish team to get to the World Cup. Winning a World Cup in a Swede's mind is far easier and far more relevant to his post hockey career life. That's the end game for the Swedish hockey player.
Sundin knows that he will lose $6 million per year if he went to a contender NHL team. In World Hockey though the chances of getting a World Cup are much better on a good Swedish team. And bringing home the World Cup to Sweden is far more important to Sundin. So playing for the Leafs extends his playing career maybe two more years, gives him a longer summer off, and gets him the greater opportunity to get the Swedish team to the World Cup.
As long as Sundin is playing with the laughable Leafs it is great. The reason that Sundin wants a one year clause is not for laughs either. What would happen if the Leafs actually managed to get into the second round of the playoffs? Again he wants to go to another team, not a good one but one bad enough not to ever make it to the post season. He only wants to play on a dog team of a hockey team. As long as the Leafs win, and there is no one in Leafs management smart enough to understand this scam, he keeps playing for the Leafs and gets a $5 million per year salary. He gets almost the same pay as a "front line star" at 80% of the ideal workload. So if he stay on the Leafs, he gets; a longer playing career, a bigger bank account, a full summer off, a lasting hockey fame in Sweden, a lingering worship in hockey stupid Toronto. Only if he stays put.
The telling tale was in the last 20 games of the Leafs schedule. Only one goal. Yes he got an assist per game but he would get that anyway in addition to the goal. In order to get goals in the NHL it requires that a goal scorer be able to pound through "the Trap." Sundin was laying back making sure that the Leafs would not win the playoffs. After all he was playing golf and being a celebrity in Sweden about six weeks early than any other "star". And collectively, the Leafs management from the MLSE Board of Directors to the ever unimaginative John Ferguson would be only twice as stupid as Sundin, if he Sundin, underwent a double labotomy. Sundin's motives are plain.
Sundin should go.
And he's right. But not for the collections of reasons he thinks.
Sundin is a very good player. The argument has always been that he needs good players to play beside him. Now that is a crock.
Every other "great" player usually brings up the level of those on the field of play, not the other way around. Mats does bring up the skill level of any hockey team if he choses. The example of this is the exceptional play of the Swedish National Team. In recent years that is the only time the real talent of Sundin goes on display. In Toronto, everyone assumes that Sundin really wants to win a Stanley Cup. He says he does. Well saying that alone is worth a million dollars. Sundin is an exceptionally smart man for the usual hockey player.
Actually Sundin is very easy to figure out if one takes another view apart from the usual North American hockey analyst and usual hockey macho. No, the Stanley Cup is not the most important trophy to him. He could care less about this trophy. In Sweden, in Europe, the most important trophy is the world cup of Hockey known as the World Championships. Sweden is his home. He is the national hockey hero there. The Swedish fans care less about the Stanley Cup and all about the World Championships. Sundin only cares about the Swedish Hockey Hall of Fame not the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame. First one must understand that to understand the rest.
Here's why Sundin wants to play for the Leafs. Sundin is a very smart guy. He knows that with this set of management the Maple Leafs probably will never get to the playoffs. They can barely make it out of spring training. And if in the rare chance they did, the chances are enormously good that this team will certainly get knocked out of the first round, especially if he is on the ice.
Sundin knows that if he stays on the Leafs the most games he will play is about ball busting 84 games ...tops. And they finish in April usually before the World Championships. Now if Sundin did want to play on a great team they would go through to the Stanley Cup and have to play at least 100 games or more and finish in June. Even with bonuses Sundin gets maybe $6 million. A Stanley Cup versus another year of $6 Million in the bank. Hmmmm weigh it financially.
So if he plays with the Leafs he is working his body far less which simply adds years to his career. And playoff hockey is harder on the body than regular season games where it is easy to sluff off performances when one gets over tired. If he plays on the Leafs he might get an extra couple of years out of his body. Remember what Sundin said right off... "I am 36 years of age"
His age runs his life not the absence of a Stanley Cup trophy. If he goes to the great contending teams their long pounding play off schedule could take years off of his playing career and that many times less that there will be the opportunity to do the more important thing for Sweden which is to win the World Championships. And while their are 8 other teams in an NHL division the Swedes only have to manage to defeat the Canadians and maybe one of the Russians or Czechs or maybe a hot Finish team to get to the World Cup. Winning a World Cup in a Swede's mind is far easier and far more relevant to his post hockey career life. That's the end game for the Swedish hockey player.
Sundin knows that he will lose $6 million per year if he went to a contender NHL team. In World Hockey though the chances of getting a World Cup are much better on a good Swedish team. And bringing home the World Cup to Sweden is far more important to Sundin. So playing for the Leafs extends his playing career maybe two more years, gives him a longer summer off, and gets him the greater opportunity to get the Swedish team to the World Cup.
As long as Sundin is playing with the laughable Leafs it is great. The reason that Sundin wants a one year clause is not for laughs either. What would happen if the Leafs actually managed to get into the second round of the playoffs? Again he wants to go to another team, not a good one but one bad enough not to ever make it to the post season. He only wants to play on a dog team of a hockey team. As long as the Leafs win, and there is no one in Leafs management smart enough to understand this scam, he keeps playing for the Leafs and gets a $5 million per year salary. He gets almost the same pay as a "front line star" at 80% of the ideal workload. So if he stay on the Leafs, he gets; a longer playing career, a bigger bank account, a full summer off, a lasting hockey fame in Sweden, a lingering worship in hockey stupid Toronto. Only if he stays put.
The telling tale was in the last 20 games of the Leafs schedule. Only one goal. Yes he got an assist per game but he would get that anyway in addition to the goal. In order to get goals in the NHL it requires that a goal scorer be able to pound through "the Trap." Sundin was laying back making sure that the Leafs would not win the playoffs. After all he was playing golf and being a celebrity in Sweden about six weeks early than any other "star". And collectively, the Leafs management from the MLSE Board of Directors to the ever unimaginative John Ferguson would be only twice as stupid as Sundin, if he Sundin, underwent a double labotomy. Sundin's motives are plain.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Another quickie lllalaldf aon
For some strange and extraordinary occurrence the magic of the internet has returned inexplicably. Its a rapid thing to take advantage and this is being typed at at an incredible 75 to 80 wpm corrected. Amazing amazing.
Now I got to think of something to write..... hmmmm.
I did Paris already today... I don't know if she knows she's been done.
I did Conrad today. I don't think he cares whether or not he's been done already.
I didn't do Barbara Amiel. Nobody else wants to either.
I could have dealt with Stephen Harper. But I didn't have my hijacked airline puke pouch within reach today.
I could have dealt with Ontario Works. They announced a two percent increase across the board. Two percent... Oh sure... Very good... Never look a gift horse in the mouth and in this case it aint the front end of the horse I am looking at. Did you know that the MPPs of Ontario voted themselves a fifty percent raise this year because according to them $100,000 per year isn't sufficient income to survive.
I could have dealt with the nice weather we are having down in Toronto at the moment. But then some readers of this blog would find it totally insensitive and callous to mention that its really really very good weather in Toronto most of the time. So I won't mention it in this blog. Gotta be a sensitive guy...
I might not have time to deal with the TTC. Which is good. Nobody wants to deal with them
I probably don't have time to mention that while the world hums outside I am sitting here trying to angle a one sided blog entry simply because the stupid internet works. What a senseless exercise. Din's on.
Without this time... Maybe I should take a Time Management Course?
Now I got to think of something to write..... hmmmm.
I did Paris already today... I don't know if she knows she's been done.
I did Conrad today. I don't think he cares whether or not he's been done already.
I didn't do Barbara Amiel. Nobody else wants to either.
I could have dealt with Stephen Harper. But I didn't have my hijacked airline puke pouch within reach today.
I could have dealt with Ontario Works. They announced a two percent increase across the board. Two percent... Oh sure... Very good... Never look a gift horse in the mouth and in this case it aint the front end of the horse I am looking at. Did you know that the MPPs of Ontario voted themselves a fifty percent raise this year because according to them $100,000 per year isn't sufficient income to survive.
I could have dealt with the nice weather we are having down in Toronto at the moment. But then some readers of this blog would find it totally insensitive and callous to mention that its really really very good weather in Toronto most of the time. So I won't mention it in this blog. Gotta be a sensitive guy...
I might not have time to deal with the TTC. Which is good. Nobody wants to deal with them
I probably don't have time to mention that while the world hums outside I am sitting here trying to angle a one sided blog entry simply because the stupid internet works. What a senseless exercise. Din's on.
Without this time... Maybe I should take a Time Management Course?
June updates one
Gotta be quick this morning. Haven't posted in a while. And the battery power is running down.
We'll always have Paris
To true. Paris Hilton got released and put back into the slammer. She had a mysterious medical condition. I used to have the same problem according to my mother. Back then she called it a temper tantrum.
Black and Blacker
Conrad Black's mounting a good defense. Apparently Donald Trump was a no show. Probably had a problem with something about taking an oath to tell the truth.
Black may not even take the stand. In this case that would be a severe mistake. I think after the OJ Simpson fiasco the idea of having a client not take the stand would be a mistake. For the longest time the defense team called Radler a liar. Black on the stand would extinguish that minor advantage.
Still its pretty even money that he will be getting acquitted on all charges. Of course this could be the spin of the right wing media haunting the walls of this trial.
If print media reports are to be believed and taking into consideration the tremendous bias of the Conservative press corps, Black should walk in about two weeks. Canadian authorities are ratcheting up their legal prosecution in the event this happens.
He also claimed that he was asked to become a Governor General of Canada. Lucky he wasn't on the stand under oath for that comment. Chretien claims that Black offered to become a Senator. Either way the result was very good. Black became neither. Canada can't afford the Afghan war let alone the aircraft bills tolled by these types of political leaders.
.
We'll always have Paris
To true. Paris Hilton got released and put back into the slammer. She had a mysterious medical condition. I used to have the same problem according to my mother. Back then she called it a temper tantrum.
Black and Blacker
Conrad Black's mounting a good defense. Apparently Donald Trump was a no show. Probably had a problem with something about taking an oath to tell the truth.
Black may not even take the stand. In this case that would be a severe mistake. I think after the OJ Simpson fiasco the idea of having a client not take the stand would be a mistake. For the longest time the defense team called Radler a liar. Black on the stand would extinguish that minor advantage.
Still its pretty even money that he will be getting acquitted on all charges. Of course this could be the spin of the right wing media haunting the walls of this trial.
If print media reports are to be believed and taking into consideration the tremendous bias of the Conservative press corps, Black should walk in about two weeks. Canadian authorities are ratcheting up their legal prosecution in the event this happens.
He also claimed that he was asked to become a Governor General of Canada. Lucky he wasn't on the stand under oath for that comment. Chretien claims that Black offered to become a Senator. Either way the result was very good. Black became neither. Canada can't afford the Afghan war let alone the aircraft bills tolled by these types of political leaders.
.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Monday morning skews
It must be some sort of Illuminati conspiracy. Gotta be.
Again this Monday it turns out that I have to return to Scarberia to help out that good friend of mine. He’s a tradesman who never got his driver’s license. His boss who normally drives him to the worksite went on vacation for some three weeks. And my Daytimer isn’t exactly overbooked at the moment.
There was a backlog of work that had to be completed. All I have to do is drive him to the worksites and sit around. No money… But I gets fed. Got a small room to myself(with Cable and internet). Free laundry with the good machines. Get to drive drive around. Get to scout out the neighborhoods while he does his trade work. Sort of like a vacation thing. And its a change of pace.
Its just so far out on the edge of the city. Its a three hour round trip transit ride at least. And I can’t afford a Go Train, and even then its a two hour round trip. It is why I stay out there when I am out there.
The first week went okay but like all the great plans not everything went according to plan and now there is one or two more days that I am still needed out there.
It sounds weird from a distant view, but then he and his wife let me stay there for about eight months about four years ago, no first or last and really cheap. So I still owe.
Again this Monday it turns out that I have to return to Scarberia to help out that good friend of mine. He’s a tradesman who never got his driver’s license. His boss who normally drives him to the worksite went on vacation for some three weeks. And my Daytimer isn’t exactly overbooked at the moment.
There was a backlog of work that had to be completed. All I have to do is drive him to the worksites and sit around. No money… But I gets fed. Got a small room to myself(with Cable and internet). Free laundry with the good machines. Get to drive drive around. Get to scout out the neighborhoods while he does his trade work. Sort of like a vacation thing. And its a change of pace.
Its just so far out on the edge of the city. Its a three hour round trip transit ride at least. And I can’t afford a Go Train, and even then its a two hour round trip. It is why I stay out there when I am out there.
The first week went okay but like all the great plans not everything went according to plan and now there is one or two more days that I am still needed out there.
It sounds weird from a distant view, but then he and his wife let me stay there for about eight months about four years ago, no first or last and really cheap. So I still owe.
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