Darren Dreger sits back, trying not to look too jowly, in his faux European cafe. 
Darren Dreger wants to be someone important by casting aspersions, or stirring the shit, as he might say. He wonders aloud if there is a rift between Coach Mike Babcock and Auston Matthews. Babcock replies with civility because that is the business. 
But the truth is that Dreger’s methods – TSN’s desire for ratings – are nothing more than muck-racking. This tendency in sports journalism is nothing new – noted for its low bar – but why can’t it be hosted in a place where we will all get the point, loud and clear?
Tag Archives: Sports
Blackhawks Fans: This Is What Racism Looks Like
Chicago Blackhawks fans chanted “Basketball, basketball!” at Washington Capitals player, Smith-Pelly. He rose to challenge them, and they didn’t let up.
This type of ugliness remains rampant across the country, especially at sports events and bars and especially by white men. The question remains: what are we actually going to do about it?
100 Dead Shows in 35 Years (& 2 Months)
Hampton Coliseum, Virginia, March 9, 1983. 
- 04/09/83 (Sat) Hampton Coliseum – Hampton, VA
- 10/17/83 Mon) Olympic Center – Lake Placid, NY
- 04/16/84 (Mon) Community War Memorial – Rochester, NY
- 04/17/84 (Tue) Niagara Falls Convention Center – Niagara Falls, NY
- 06/21/84 (Thu) Kingswood Music Theatre – Maple, Ontario
- 06/30/84 (Sat) Indianapolis Sports and Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
- 07/01/84 (Sun) Pine Knob Music Theater – Clarkston, MI
- 08/10/84 (Fri) Rocky Glen Amusement Park – Moosic, PA (JGB)
- 08/11/84 (Sat) Caldwell College – Caldwell, NJ (JGB)
- 10/20/84 (Sat) Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
- 03/31/85 (Sun) Cumberland County Civic Center – Portland, ME
- 04/01/85 (Mon) Cumberland County Civic Center – Portland, ME
- 06/21/85 (Fri) Alpine Valley Music Theatre – East Troy, WI
- 06/22/85 (Sat) Alpine Valley Music Theatre – East Troy, WI
- 06/28/85 (Fri) Hershey Park Stadium – Hershey, PA
- 09/02/85 (Mon) Zoo Amphitheater – Oklahoma City, OK
- 09/03/85 (Tue) Starlight Theater – Kansas City, MO
- 09/05/85 (Thu) Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
- 09/06/85 (Fri) Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
- 10/31/85 (Thu) University of SC – Carolina Coliseum – Columbia, SC
- 11/01/85 (Fri) Richmond Coliseum – Richmond, VA
- 11/02/85 (Sat) Richmond Coliseum – Richmond, VA
- 11/07/85 (Thu) Community War Memorial – Rochester, NY
- 02/08/86 (Sat) Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, CA
- 02/09/86 (Sun) Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, CA
- 02/11/86 (Tue) Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, CA
- 03/30/86 (Sun) Providence Civic Center – Providence, RI
- 03/31/86 (Mon) Providence Civic Center – Providence, RI
- 04/01/86 (Tue) Providence Civic Center – Providence, RI
- 09/21/86 The Stone – San Francisco, CA 1986 (Kingfish w/Bob Weir)
- 10/31/86 (Fri) Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center – Oakland, CA (Bob Weir)
- 11/22/86 Warfield Theatre – San Francisco, CA (Garcia, Weir& Kreutzman)
- 12/15/86 (Mon) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland, CA
- 12/16/86 (Tue) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland, CA
- 12/17/86 (Wed) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland, CA
- 07/19/87 (Sun) Autzen Stadium – Eugene, OR (with Bob Dylan)
- 10/03/87 (Sat) Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
- 06/25/88 (Sat) Buckeye Lake Music Center – Hebron, OH
- 09/22/88 (Thu) Madison Square Gardens – Manhattan, NY
- 09/23/88 (Thu) Madison Square Gardens – Manhattan, NY
- 10/25/89 (Wed) Miami Arena – Miami , FL
- 10/26/89 (Thu) Miami Arena – Miami , FL
- 03/21/90 (Wed) Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, Ontario
- 03/22/90 (Thu) Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, Ontario
- 07/21/90 (Sat) World Music Theatre – Tinley Park, IL
- 07/22/90 (Sun) World Music Theatre – Tinley Park, IL
- 06/09/91 (Sun) Buckeye Lake Music Center – Hebron, OH
- 11/16/91 (Sat) Knickerbocker Arena – Albany, NY (JGB)
- 03/20/92 (Fri) Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, Ontario
- 03/21/92 (Sat) Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, Ontario
- 06/09/92 (Tue) Richfield Coliseum – Richfield, OH
- 52. 07/20/92 Molson Amphitheater, Toronto, Ontario (Weir & Wasserman)
- 06/08/93 (Tue) Palace of Auburn Hills – Auburn Hills, MI
- 06/11/93 (Fri) Buckeye Lake Music Center – Hebron, OH
- 06/13/93 (Sun) Rich Stadium – Buffalo, NY
- 04/17/99 (Sat) Warfield Theatre – San Francisco, CA (Phil Lesh)
- 09/02/01 (Sun) Bumbershoot Festival – Seattle, WA (Ratdog)
- 07/06/03 (Sun) Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO ((The Dead)
- 09/21/03 (Sun) Gorge Amphitheatre – George, WA (The Dead)
- 08/06/04 (Fri) Darien Lakes Performing Arts – Darien, NY (The Dead)
- 08/17/04 (Tue) Alltel Pavilion @ Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC (The Dead)
- 08/18/04 (Wed) Verizon Amphitheatre – Charlotte, NC (The Dead)
- 08/19/04 (Thu) Hi Fi Buys Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA (The Dead)
- 09/01/05 (Thu) Central Park – Summer Stage – NY, NY (Ratdog)
- 02/15/06 (Wed) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Phil Lesh & Friends)
- 04/06/06 (Thu) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Ratdog)
- 04/08/06 (Sat) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Ratdog)
- 07/15/06 (Sat) Tweeter Center – Mansfield, MA (Ratdog)
- 03/08/07 (Sat) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Ratdog)
- 07/09/07 Central Park Summerstage – New York, NY (Ratdog)
- 08/12/07 (Sun) Boarding House Park – Lowell, MA (Ratdog)
- 11/06/07 (Tue) Nokia Theatre – New York City, NY (Phil Lesh & Friends)
- 04/05/08 (Sat) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Ratdog)
- 11/01/08 (Sat) Nokia Theatre – New York City, NY (Phil Lesh & Friends)
- 04/25/09 (Sat) Madison Square Garden – Manhattan, NY (The Dead)
- 05/02/09 (Sat) Wachovia Spectrum – Philadelphia, PA (The Dead)
- 10/19/09 (Mon) The Grand – New York City, NY (Ratdog)
- 07/10/10 (Sat) Mann Music Center – Philadelphia, PA (Furthur)
- 07/29/10 (Thu) Nokia Theatre – Manhattan, NY (Furthur)
- 03/29/11 (Tue) Broome County Arena – Binghamton, New York (The Dead)
- 07/22/11 (Fri) Gathering of Vibes @ Seaside Park – Bridgeport (The Dead)
- 011/10/11 (Thu) Madison Square Garden – Manhattan, NY (Grateful Dead)
- 04/09/12 (Mon) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Furthur)
- 04/18/12 (Wed) Beacon Theatre – New York City, NY (Furthur)
- 07/07/12 (Sat) Mann Music Center – Philadelphia, PA (Furthur)
- 07/13/12 (Fri) MCU Park – Coney Island, NY (Furthur)
- 10/04/12 (Thur) Hard Rock Cafe – Las Vegas, NV (Furthur)
- 10/02/13 (Wed) The Palms – Las Vegas, NV (Furthur)
- 02/21/14 (Fri) Theatre at Westbury – Westbury, NY (Ratdog)
- 09/21/14 Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, NY (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 10/18/14 Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 03/18/15 Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 07/04/15 Soldier Field – Chicago, Illinois (The Dead with Trey Anastasio)
- 09/16/15 – Central Park Summer Stage (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 5/29/16 – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 06/25/16 – Citi Field, Queens, NY (Dead and Company)
- 09/14/16 – Coney Island Boardwalk (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 10/14/16 – Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, NY (Bob Weir Camp Fire)
- 03/15/17 Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY (Phil Lesh and Friends)
- 05/21/17 Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY (Phil Lesh and Friends)
Capitol Theater, Port Chester, May 26, 2017
Mindful Gong for Leaf Goals
Instead of the damned blaring horn, spotlights and screaming, the Toronto Maple Leafs should focus on the import of the moment. 
A single note on a gong followed by the crowd rising in silence, a bow between teams and audience, after which they would resume play. 
That’s what makes a champion.
Leafs Fandom: Losing the Moment
It was to be magic, the stuff of dreams: a pair of seats ten rows behind the Capitals’ net for Game Seven, perfect for that overtime goal by Matthews, Marner or Nylander. 
And then not…and I was sent this damnable message: 
“Thanks for being a fan”? Fuck you. They’re my seats! Mine. I owned them on this night, just like the Leafs owned…ugh.
Waking Thoughts: I & Leafs
Bachelor Anti-logue: Corinne vs. Taylor
The Bachelor puts itself out there for all the right reasons, especially in constructing anti-logue and character undevelopment. It’s all in the stops and starts, the self-cutting off, the saying of nothing, the wild hand gestures when there are no words.
Corinne: Sorry, no hard feelings. It’s just…(dramatic sweeping hand gestures)…the situation that we’re in. (Pause) Do you have a problem with any of…(angular hand gestures)…of that? 
Taylor: Are you…? I don’t know what you’re talking– Are you talking about…? (pointing over Corinne’s shoulder) When you came in on my time?
Corinne: Yeah. Yeah.
Taylor: I’m– I’m happy with my time.
Corinne: Good, good. (Pause) And then you re-came in, got your time back.
Taylor: I wanted more, because I was really happy with him.
Corinne: No, Good, okay. As long as there’s…(large circular hand gesture)…no situation about the situation, we’re okay. 
Taylor: I think– I’m okay.
Corinne: Are you okay? You seem a little hesitant about you being okay.
Taylor: No, I think I’m really okay.
Corrine: Okay. Good. I really want you to be okay. Great. 
The Real Problem with Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel started the summer by bringing the Stanley Cup to Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. 
He ended it with a biting tweet on being left off the USA team, which lost all of their games at the World Cup of Hockey. 
Coach Tortorella – and some players – took offense. They said that Kessel shouldn’t express an opinion, no matter how relevant, because it had an edge. 
They have a problem with Kessel simply because he’s his own person, because he says what he thinks. Which says a lot more about them.
The Best Thing About Encarnancion’s Home Run
The best thing about Toronto Blue Jay Edwin Encarnancion’s home run against the Miami Marlins on June 9th wasn’t the swing. 
It wasn’t the look. 
It wasn’t the trot. 
It wasn’t the celebration at home plate of the walk-off win
It wasn’t even the high five with BJ Birdie. 
It was the moment when this Sportsnet reporter got shrugged off.
Oh, the desperation! The indignation!
“Edwin?! Edwin, please!!”
A Big Fix for Canada’s Team
I blogged in February on The Five Big Problems of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Happily Team President Brendan Shanahan agreed on the most important point. 
By hiring Mike Babcock as the new head coach – $50 million for eight years – Leafs management sends a clear message to media, fans and players alike: this team must win now.
There are many next steps, the most important of which is to address player leadership, but the first step is the most important.
Said Babcock this morning: “I believe this is Canada’s team and it’s time to put it back on the map. I came here to be involved in a Cup process. I have a burning desire to win. I want to build a team that the fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs can be proud of.”
