the mad sports man

 It's the one day that shows up on the calendar every four years. Today is that day. It would be fun, if you were born on this day, where you would put your birthday when it's not a leap year.  Just got me thinking, how many times I've posted on this day.  Hmmm.

 What a crazy 10 days.  Began with Brianne Harris becoming ineligible to play. The Kate Cameron knocking out Kerri Einarson in the playoffs. Ended a few minutes ago with Rachel Homan beating Jennifer Jones 5-4 to win this year's Scotties. Also went undefeated. Wow. This season she is 48-5. Yikes. She will represent Canada at the upcoming world's.

 It's the February long weekend. From family day in Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, B.C. and Saskatchewan, Louis Riel day in Manitoba and Islanders day in Prince Edward Island, and heritage day in Nova Scotia and Yukon, the third Monday (except Yukon where it's third Friday) is designated as a holiday. Enjoy the day. 

 Thus season had 78 games and 16 teams. Highlights include: 1. Gordie Howe comes out of retirement to play in the WHA with sons Marty and Mark. 2. May 12 1973 Toronto signs Borje Salming. 3. May 15 1973 Bernie Parent traded by Toronto fir draft picks and considerations. 4. March 30 1974, Parent wins game 45 to set goalie record for wins. 5. Denis Potvin sets rookie defenseman record for points, scoring 13g, 64a, 71 pts. 6. February 20 1974, Phil Esposito records 4th 50 goal season. 7. Bobby Orr records 5th straight 100 point season. Playoffs: qf; Boston 4 Toronto 0, New York Rangers 4 Montreal 2, Philadelphia 4 Atlanta 0, Chicago 4 Los Angeles 1. Sf; Boston 4 Chicago 2, Philadelphia 4 New York Rangers 3. Stanley Cup: Philadelphia 4 Boston 2. Philadelphia wins first Cup and is first expansion team to win Cup. Also first expansion team to beat two original 6 teams.  Bernie Parent wins Conn Smythe trophy. #1 draft pick for 1974 is Greg Joly (Washington). He plays 365 games, scores 21 goal

 Wow what a finish. After a sloppy first half, the game picked up with a crazy finish. Game goes into overtime tied at 19. San Francisco gets a field goal to start. Kansas City gets the ball and scores the game winning touchdown to win super bowl 58 25-22. Some finish. First team to repeat in almost 20 years (New England I believe). Next football will be in May for the CFL season. That's it.

 Wow quite the day from Canada's group. First game had Japan beat Canada 86-82 to put themselves into the Olympics. Canada needed Spain to beat Hungary to qualify (Spain qualified with Canada loss to Japan). For about two and a half to three quarters it wasn't looking good. Hungary was up by 22 at one point. Spain mounted a furious comeback and beat Hungary 73-72.  Wow. Devin Heroux was all over this.  Canada joins Japan and Spain at the Paris Olympics. The ladies join the mens team. First time both basketball teams will be at the Olympics since 2000. So quite the day.

 Today marks the lunar new year. It's the year of the dragon this year. Right on super bowl weekend. So enjoy the festivities or however you celebrate. 

 Came out this morning. They have pieces of the Eiffel Tower on them. The pieces came from extensive renovations of the tower. And here they are.  What do you think?  I like them personally. 

 Their names are Tina (for Cortina D'Ampezzo) and Milo (for Milan). Tina represents the Olympics and Milo represents the paralympics. There are also 6 snow droplets named "the Flo." And here they are. What do you think?

 Opening game is in Mexico City on June 11 in Azteca Stadium. Canada Playa its first game June 12 and plays its last two games in Vancouver (June 18 and 24). Toronto and Vancouver get 5 games each. Guadalajara has 4, Mexico City has 3 and Monterrey has 3. Let the qualifying begin (although I think it's started already). United States starts in Los Angeles on the 12th, in Seattle on the 19th and in Los Angeles again on the 25th. Mexico plays on the 18th and 24th.  Knockout round begins  June 28th and ends on July 19 in Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey. 3rd place game in Miami and the semis in Dallas and Atlanta Toronto will have a round of 32 game and Vancouver will have a round of 32 game and a round of 16. 104 games to be played from start to finish. 

 Comes in the team figure skating. Kaita Ruiter, David Li, Kole Sauve, Annika Behnke, Audra Gans and Michael Boutsa claimed bronze and 6th medal for Canada at the youth Olympics. Canada finished with 3g, 2s, 1b for 6 total.