Breaking news: INSIDER EXPLAINS WHY THE RED WINGS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND THE LEAFS WILL WIN TWO ROUNDS AND…..

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I am not a gambler. I don’t make bets. Not that I judge those who do; I just don’t. But if I was a betting man I would say that if the Detroit Red Wings do manage to sneak into the National Hockey League playoffs this spring they will also steal a round … And I will also say that I would bet that the Toronto Maple Leafs will win two rounds of the playoffs this spring but also extend their Stanley Cup championship drought to 58 years …
Yes, I was rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl. Not only that, my pre game prediction was that Philadelphia would beat the Kansas City Chiefs by a 38-24 score. I guess I wasn’t far off with Philadelphia winning 40-22 … Next season: Detroit Lions all the way! (Where have you heard that before?) …
I can hardly wait for the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Early predictions: Detroit Tigers make the playoffs as a wild card team led by pitchers Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty and a monster hit season from infielder Colt Keith and outfielder Riley Greene. Toronto Blue Jays change managers mid-season but still do not make the playoffs … Back to the Maple Leafs: Not sure if I mentioned this before but my three favourite players on Toronto all played in the Ontario Hockey League for the London Knights: Goalie Anthony Stolarz and forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner. I would absolutely love to see Stolarz backstop the Maple Leafs on a lengthy playoff run …
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HOUNDS IN A DOG FIGHT
Head coach John Dean and the Soo Greyhounds will have absolutely no excuse if they miss the playoffs this season. Let us not forget that after starting the season with three straight losses, the Greyhounds won nine of their next 12 games. But since early November the Greyhounds are in double digits below the .500 mark and a lot of that has to fall on Coach Dean … Missing the Ontario Hockey League playoffs for the second time in three seasons should just about guarantee a head coaching change for the Greyhounds …
I actually like this edition of the Greyhounds, who I — and many — feel should be at least a .500 team. They have a good goalie in Nolan Lalonde and have five scorers averaging a point per game including forwards Marco Mignosa, Brady Martin, Justin Cloutier and Noel Nordh and rookie sensation defenceman Chase Reid … Other Greyhounds to like — and like a lot — are forwards Travis Hayes, Brady R. Smith, Brady T. Smith and Jordan Charron …
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RIP, LEN FRESQUE
A former player and long-time lover of basketball passed away recently. Good guy Len Fresque, who starred for the old Collegiate Wildcats high school hoops team during the early to mid-1960s, never gave up his love for the game.
Following his own playing career, Len was never far from a basketball court, watching his own kids play at the YMCA and then the high school game at Bawating and helping out, on occasion, when asked. Quiet by nature, Len was one of those folks who remained in the background as a basketball parent and occasional coach.
I feel fortunate to have known Len and been around him — and against him — during my own high school basketball coaching career that included stops at Mount St. Joseph, White Pines and Bawating.
Meanwhile, on a funny note, Peter Chow, Len’s old basketball teammate at Collegiate and a life-long close friend, relayed to me how Len got the nickname “Mojo” back in their high school hoops days. According to Peter, Len loved Mojo candy bars and on a given practice day, the gym floor would be littered with wrappers from the candy bar. Thus, the nickname Mojo.
RIP, Lenny.