“Would Canucks’ fans be as understanding if their No. 1 netminder was going to miss a playoff game?”
The decision of Justice Catherine Wedge to keep the Vancouver Canucks in the hands of the Acquilinis is not the least bit surprising. This case was one of “he said, she said” from the get-go, and with no smoking gun (i.e. a recorded conversation or videotape).
Tom Gaglardi and Ryan Beedie were destined to lose this case. It would be unfair for me to comment on specifics as I didn’t attend the hearings since I don’t suffer from insomnia. But it seems to me that these types of things happen in the business world all the time. At the end of the day, the owner of an asset is free to cut a deal with whomever he wants.
For whatever reason, John McCaw and his posse didn’t want to deal with Gaglardi and Beedie. You can argue it was the wrong decision, but McCaw was holding all the cards and it was his play to make. Now that Gaglardi has purchased the Kamloops Blazers, I don’t expect him to waste any more money on an appeal; it’s time to cut losses and move forward.
•Roberto Luongo’s decision to forego the all-star game in favour of being with his pregnant wife is being well received by Canucks’ fans, and rightly so. Luongo’s better half has been living in Florida with her family for the past few months after some delicate complications arose at the beginning of the pregnancy.
Gina and her soon-to-be are in very good health, but she is unable to travel and Luongo hasn’t been able to be with her during an important time in their marriage.
However, it does lead to an interesting question: Would Canucks’ fans be as understanding if their No. 1 netminder was going to miss a playoff game? The answer is no, but it’s a selfish one.
As important as the Canucks are to this community, ask yourself if you’d be willing to miss a mandatory meeting at the office for the birth of your child. Most of you would say yes. Although he’s a public figure and a man that a lot of Vancouverites count on to backstop their favourite franchise, it’s really no different.
•Sounds like Buck Pierce is healing quite nicely from his shoulder injury and should be ready to compete for the staring quarterback job in training camp. Pierce’s duel with Jarious Jackson (who should be back with the Lions from what I’m hearing) will be the biggest story in camp.
Pierce has been the more consistent of the two when he’s played, but Jackson brings big-play ability and a 9-3 record as a starter last season. The good news is this is much more friendly competition than the one that ensued between Dave Dickenson and Casey Printers, so don’t expect it to divide the locker room in the same way.
•Want to weigh in? E-mail at scott.rintoul@metronews.ca.
Mix equal parts college athlete, sports fan and broadcaster. Shake vigorously. Serve chilled Monday-Friday on the TEAM 1040 from 6-9 a.m. or online at thetoulbox.blogspot.com
