It’s another Monday morning in the beautiful Okanagan and a lengthy weekend of sports viewing, snow falling and the winds of FourChange howling through have left me a tad exhausted. So much so that for the first – and hopefully only – time I went to bed last night and forgot to activate the baby monitor leading to the inevitable look from my 4-month-old this a.m. which I read to be: “Um, Daddy… I was attempting to get hold of you in the wee hours and it appears you have already taken to ignoring me… I am not impressed!” For those who have been down this particular road, I need not remind you of the intense feelings of Panic and Guilt – two friends I never enjoy starting the week with! However, it appears by the happy play of the rattle that, at least for now, all has been forgiven and it is okay to proceed with our weekend review. Mental note – extra Christmas presents – and hugs!

So, with my inability to focus more or less intact we have much to discuss about this past weekend, Sports Fans. It would be easy to concentrate on the fact that the Grey Cup line-ups are set and the exhausting playoff run from 6 teams to 2 has left the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers as last men standing. While these 2 teams are no stranger to each other – no CFL teams are – they haven’t thrown down, 3-down style since the Peg won 30-17 back on August 13th. This however will be the first meeting at the new Wally World and the Lions can surely take advantage of home field although the Bombers are looking for their first Cup since 1990 and one can never discount desire. Look for a tough game led by 2 tough QBs in Travis Lulay and Buck Pierce who are human highlight reels for some of the hits they have taken this year.

Photo: Contributed

Meanwhile in the lower 48, NFL writers continue to try and find reasons for teams to call on the services of one Brett Favre. Last week it was the Houston Texans and this week, the Chicago Bears who appear to have lost the services of QB Jay Cutler for a significant period of time. Deep breath… because I now intend to rant. Let’s for the briefest of moment pretend that one can forget the sexual misconduct allegations surrounding the ‘old gunslinger’ from his days with Jets and also pretend that the dog and pony show he brings to the locker room isn’t a distraction to the rest of the roster. Now, that having been done, let’s pretend we can forget about his ego, his age and his always questionable decision-making. Note to all GMs – take #4’s number off your speed dial and start focusing on drafting back-ups that you can trust to lead your team when your franchise guy bites the dust. If you only trust Matt Leinart and Caleb Hanie to patrol the sidelines with a clipboard and a headset, find a back-up you want to squat behind centre and preferably one with a moral compass slightly better than Herman Cain’s. Deep breath again and we’re moving on…

In other news, the Fox Network has to be wondering what it has done to deserve its lot in life. Where to begin, where to begin? A week after FOX’s first venture into the world of MMA ended with Junior Dos Santos’ 64-second KO of Cain Velasquez, UFC 139 gave Sports Fans a night of fights which Murdoch’s executives would have given either right arm for – nothing is left at FOX folks, nothing is left! “The California Kid” Urijah Faber proved he still has what it takes by submitting Brian Bowles and Wanderlei Silva welcomed Cung Le to the UFC with a 2nd Round KO to delay his retirement yet again. But, it was the Dan Henderson/Shogun Rua Main Event that may very well have taken Fight of the Year honours. As much as I hate the use of the word, this was ‘epic’ and a testament to Dana White’s recent decision to make non-title Main Events 5-rounders. Hendo dominated Rua through the first 3 but gassed and the final 2 rounds saw Shogun mount the 41-year old over and over but was unable to finish him. Neither man deserved to lose. I’m not saying you have to like MMA and indeed there are many who find it barbaric etc etc .. and prefer the so-called ‘sweet science’ of boxing and that is their prerogative but if someone can illustrate how that fight was any more/less brutal than Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward I, II or III then I’m all ears. No? Then we’re moving on…

Photo: Contributed

In other weekend news, Penguin Fans are relieved to see the return of Sid the Kid against the Islanders. Good choice, absolutely no fear of getting hit in that game! With all Crosby comebacks, one just hopes he isn’t modeling some hopeless Movember attempt. Welcome back, the game, the NHL and Gary Bettman all need you. Without you he has no chance to remain up in his ivory tower, lauding over his minions with the occasional grandiose: “Look what I have created… Is it not magnificent?” Yup, hockey south of the Mason/Dixon line never looked healthier. Hey, at least the Dallas Stars have a new owner. And still there’s Phoenix, we’re moving on…

Congratulations also have to go out this weekend to the U.S. President’s Cup team and the 19-15 win over the Internationals and Tiger Woods looked like…well…he’s still working on it but getting closer? At least that’s the company line out of the Woods’ camp as always. Great event but I still can’t work out what ‘pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey’ system Greg Norman was using for his pairings! Neither could Fred Couples and if you watched the broadcasts he kept looking confused and wanting to say: “Seriously Greg – those 2 guys together… again?” Oh well, for now we’re moving on… happy trails.