Bong !!!!!

Ice is blowing sideways - no point in trying to move.
Winter lingers..or more precisely, we're in the midst of
a seasonal muscle flex which reminds just how odd it is
that anyone in their right mind would choose to live in
this climate...Winter is - and February is a little early
to expect anything but wind, snow, ice and cold...On a
more positive note - I always start looking ahead to spring
and golf December 21st when the days start to get longer.
It makes it even more bearable with the speed with which
each season passes - the days whiz by dragging the weeks
in their wake and I know it won't be too much longer before
I'll be waking up early weekend mornings and heading for the
golf course.
I've only begun to allow myself to think about the golf
course, though...that despite the fact that I played
golf five consecutive days in Arizona...and that was
nothing short of a miracle.
The week before Christmas I was stricken with back problems.
After seven or so visits to two different chiropractors, and
weeks of religiously doing my stretching exercises and icing,
I actually thought I was over it. Then five hours in a plane
from Halifax to Calgary - and another hour from Calgary to
Fort MacMurray - and the pain returned. We had travelled to
northern Alberta to visit Matt, Eli, Kathy and our new grand-
daughter ( she's only the most beautiful baby ever )and I
arrived barely able to move. I tolerated the aggravation as
long as I could and finally sought relief. I went and got an
acupuncture massage the day before we left Fort Mac and headed
south to Arizona. Still uncomfortable, I improved the first day
after the massage...I played golf in a cart 48 hours after treatment,
and got better - and continued to play each subsequent day.
I wish I'd known how much better I was to feel. I would have gone
day one up North and could have been in a little better frame of mind -
and body to party a little. Oh well it was a nice visit none the less.
We've been back a week now and I feel as close to fully recovered
as I ever dreamed I could.
Is there an NHL franchose is worse condition than Ottawa ?
I predicted not long ago that Pat Quinn would be the next Sens
coach. I failed to factor into my prediction that the same
lack of insight would go into making another coaching change
as has gone into previous miscues...goaltending is shaky -
defense lacks mobility and is porous and the talent up front
is thin and more problematic - uninspired. Even Eugene Melnyk
must recognize that Brian Murray is not the guy and that his
next manager mut be someone with a better understanding of the
need for chemistry between players and coach...Melnyk was right -
there is no need to blow-up what they currently have...the Sens
have already blown themselves up over the past two seasons.
What a Super Bowl ! I would have been stunned if Arizona had
beaten the Steelers but the Cards did make it very interesting -
and entertaining. Pittsburgh - now there's a coach. Replaced a
giant - effectively managed his players and their need to adjust -
and two years into his tenure - a Super Bowl Champion.
As much as it would have been appropriate for a long hair to win
the Phoenix Open - I was really pulling for Kenny Perry. At 48
years old he's the oldest winner of the event - and from all
reports Perry is one of the PGA's real good guys.
So they got a picture of America's Olympic hero with his face in a
bong...So what...think for a second what this guy surrendered in
his efforts to reach peak performance...It's not like he's in
training right now - and for the first time in his life he has
time and the resources to relax and enjoy some of the things
that "normal" people his age enjoy...I think we should respect
him and admire him for his dedication and success - and cut him
some slack...the picture gave no indication he was hurting anyone -
and I really think its wrong that we hold young people in sports or
entertainment to a higher standard than our own kids...
Gotta Go...
Til next time - hittem long and straight..