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…excellent article by Stephen Brunt in today’s Globe & Mail today lends valuable insight into the thinking and motivation of new Leaf coach Ron Wilson. I highly recommend the piece if you, like me, were growing increasingly uncomfortable with the words and actions of Wilson…still think pulling Toskala before a shootout was inexcusable…Brunt should have incorporated mention of the superb play of the Sharks post-Wilson into the item. Strangely the previous Leaf coach, Paul Maurice, also had the team he left (the Carolina Hurricanes) thrive following his departure…Wilson describes the Leafs as close to an expansion team. The minor ranks are devoid of prospects and a plethora of draft picks have been doled out with little garnered in return…William Houston has a piece on a dreadful bit of radio yesterday by the usually “top drawer” Bob McCowan. When the sports guys wade into the political field it is almost always cringe inducing. While leaving the particulars to Houston’s article, I will note he missed the most embarrassing moment yesterday; McCowan was stunned that the African American populace of the USA was only 13%, instead believing it was much higher… I went to bed a “moron”, my lock pick of the Broncos looking shaky as they trailed 20-13 at the half. I woke up a “genius” thanks to Jay Cutler’s three fourth quarter touchdown passes…like me you’re probably dying to take the Chicago Bears to upend the Tennessee Titans. The problem? Starting quarterback for the Monsters of the Midway, our old friend Rex Grossman. No need to say more…it’s going to take a while to explain why I’m taking the Raiders and the points this weekend. Look, odds are one in a hundred against a high school player starting for a good college. Then odds are a hundred to one again for a college player to land a starting gig in the NFL. The absolute elite roam the gridiron on Sundays. No matter how putrid the Raiders were last week there has to be elements of pride and fortitude forged through the most difficult path in professional sports, the one leading to life as a professional football player. The Raiders must respond after one of the worst NFL performances ever recorded. They must. Take the nine and a hay…also think the Steelers are set to do a number on Manning and his Colts…Coach Jon Gruden took the rare step of giving his Tampa Bay Bucs, on the bye, an entire week off…meet Marty Turco, perennial all star and starting goalie for the Dallas Stars, 4.34 goals against and a .837 save percentage this year…when I snagged Alex Ovechkin and Rick Nash in my pool this year I was the cock of the walk. You do remember Ovechkin and Nash, don’t you? They used to be professional athletes…the Colorado Avalanche look dreadful this year. Not an avalanche, more like a glacier. Strange how Andrew Raycroft isn’t working out but at least he’s playing better than there other off season signing, the inept Darcy Tucker…in Doha, Qatar yesterday Venus Williams dominated sister Serena 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 to advance to the semi finals of the Sony Ericsson Championship…off topic, Janet Jackson has walked away from the rest of her tour obligations. Her management is blaming an attack of Vertigo, a condition that felled Montreal Canadien Alex Kovalev teo years ago. The best and the brightest seem particularly susceptible to outbreaks of Vertigo, scientists conclude (yes, I get attacks)…at Woodbine…in the first BEARCATT receives a terrific jock change, from a bag of cement to Emma, goes on the juice and sheds the blinkers. The pricey son of Tapit should get the measure of this group…in the second JETEYE plunges and shouldn’t squander the opportunity to thump slow pokes…the third sees the lightning fast filly FIGHT THE STORM return for John Charalambous at a reduced evaluation. She should have a solid foundation, one of the trainer’s trademarks…in the fourth BRIGADIER RODNEY returns to his purchase price, a move which often is an indicator of serious stable intent…SUMMER SPARK is improving and he shoots up the claiming ladder. This fifth does not gather an overly intimidating set and the four year old gelding does look like one on the verge of a career peak…the sixth could fall to long shot THAT’S JUST WRONG, shortening in distance and adding Lasix…in the seventh TIGERHEAT has the start over the plastic out of the way and can move forward for a high percentage handler…TENJECTORY looks to bounce back in the eighth after having a difficult time in a restricted Stakes race Oct 15^th…GHETTO SUPERSTAR is thriving for the brilliant Sid Attard and can be played with confidence, coming from the rail, in the ninth…the last of the day features a bulky field of relatively well matched cheapies. Long shot BEAROAK has a well established pattern of bouncing, and then bouncing back. Today is a bounce back day and the odds look inviting…