Pound of Flesh...

There seemed to be some debate after today’s show on why none of the Sens went after Steve Downie for his pre-season hit on Dean McAmmond. Buzz was the lone supporter of the “getting your pound of flesh” theory while Steve and I shared the opposite opinion. If you’ve ever played sports, regardless of the level there’s an animal instinct in all of us that wants payback for a dirty hit. I’ve been guilty of it in pick up hockey where a guy cross checked me and I wanted to hit him back just as hard on the next play. You know the deal, as you make your way back to the bench all you're thinking is “number 22 is mine next shift”. There’s 2 ways you deal with the Downie incident as an Ottawa Senator; Go out and play the game and try to win or spend 60 minutes on one kid who’s trying to make his mark in the NHL. I was just as mad as many Sens fans when I saw the Downie hit and that instinct in me wanted him to pay the price, but the guy got smacked with a 20 game suspension and life moves on. Some emailers this morning have questioned the Sens toughness and a few even said they would be first round exits from the playoffs. Really? I should get you to pick my Super 7 numbers from now on. There’s lots of passion in Sens country on this issue, but we're not that far removed from a similar “pound of flesh” story a few years ago and it reads “Bertuzzi on Moore”. I don’t really want to see Chris Neil on his way to court for a revenge attack anymore then you do. The Sens are without 2 main keys to their offense right now and trying to salvage what they can. Imagine going to your favorite restaurant for dinner where the head chef is sick and your regular server is off for the night. Chances are pretty good the experience won’t be as good as it was a few weeks ago. It’s a long season and what really matters is what happens in April, not mid January.

That said, keep listening to TGOR to win your way to the next home game, Jan 31^st against Boston.

Leafs...

This has found it's way into our email inbox a few hundred times, so it's my pleasure to pass it on....

Yzerman...

10:19.

That's the time on the scoreboard when the NHL off ice officials call up to the pressbox with the Senators starting lineup. I'm writing all the names down, rehearsing how I'm going to announce Schubert which is a great name to say because you can go long on the Schuuuuuuubert....

Then Nicklebacks Saturday Night's Alright for fighting is blasted through the rink and the anticipation of the night's matchup has the whole building pumped, including this PA announcer.

We just got word that Steve Yzerman is in fact waiting in the Wings (sorry, bad pun) and I'm about to introduce him to drop the puck for the ceremonial faceoff. Yzerman was inducted the night before along with Mike Nevesvary and Bob Rathwell at the Ottawa Sports Hall of fame dinner, which by the way started at 7 and was done at 9:15! A feat in itself, considering most events in the city that involve any type of speeches and a full meal end closer to 10. Yzerman stayed right till the end making sure every jersey was signed and every photo was taken.

Back to the game, and with three minutes to go, the familiar chunka, chunka, chunka is played which means the Sens starting lineup is coming up. I get through the names and my heart is practically pounding through my chest when I realize CBC is carrying the Yzerman tribute across the network, which means some hockey fan is Fort McMurray is going to hear my big yap. Why am I nervous? After all, I worked the Stanley Cup finals last year and this is a game in January.

Its Steve Yzerman that's why.

The crowd is going crazy during the video montage right before he's introduced and for a second it didn't feel like Ottawa. Watching his number 19 raised to the rafters in Detroit on TV last season I would have killed for the opportunity to announce something special like that. Tonight, I simply had a few lines about Steve and like the other 20,000 fans in the rink was thrilled to be apart of the ceremony.

Here's the clip, (fast forward to the 3:25 mark to watch)



The game lived up to the hype, and reminded Sens fans who have had their doubts (including me) that this hockey club can get it done against a Western equivalent. Now if they could only beat the Capitals!

More Sens tix this week on TGOR and a few chances to win your way into our Superbowl party - the big prize is a trip to Superbowl 42 in Arizona.

Thank you Ray...

Most of today's show was devoted to the Ray Emery fight at practice and the only thing that bothers me the most is the timing of the scrap. Ray, could you do this stuff during the last week of July when the topics on TGOR are a little lean? It's another chapter in the Emery soap opera and I don't have a problem with it as long as they win. The Sens play nine games before the All Star game, so if you need to punch me in the head to get motivated, well that's fine too. Sadly, Ray beating up the PA announcer won't get front page. Not that I'm looking past the Sabres game on Thursday, but Saturday's home game against Detroit should be a good one. If you are looking for something to do on Friday night and want to see Nepean's Steve Yzerman inducted in the Ottawa sports hall of fame, there's a handful of tickets left for the dinner Friday night at Scotiabank Place. (www.ottawasportshalloffame.com)

On another note, keep listening to win your way into our Superbowl party and Gold medal winner Claude Giroux joins us Wednesday morning at 8:30 (Jan 9th).

Farewell 2007...

When I look back at 2007 in about 30 years my biggest memory will most likely be the Senators Stanley Cup run. Not for the play of Daniel Alfredsson and company who stepped up their game, but for the way it captured the hearts of Sens fans from one end of the region to another. Now it wasn't the fairy tale ending we had hoped for, but for a few weeks this city finally broke the stereotype that the "boring government town" couldn't rise up to the challenge. If you experienced Sens mile, sat around a tv in your garage with neighbors or were one of the lucky ones who had tickets for games 3 and 4, you'll be able to share those memories for years to come. In a true and perfect world the Sens will make their way back to the finals this season (regardless which goaltender gets it done) and win it all. I can picture the interview with Ron Mclean and Alfie minutes after the win, something along the lines of "Daniel, you came so close last year and have spent your entire career as a Senator, can you describe what this must mean to you"....

Ahhh, dare to dream.

All the best in 2008. Well have even more Sens tickets to win every morning on TGOR. Hopefully that will be until June.