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The goalie with the most losses in NHL history? Come on down Gump Worsley, loaded with a robust 353 failures. Third on that list, at 347, is Toronto Maple Leaf Curtis Joseph. Hardly a trophy that Cujo would want adorning his mantel piece. But would the goalie, especially after racking up win 450 last night against the Atlanta Thrashers, actually retire to avoid the ignominy of passing Worsley?  Just something to ponder…the greatest goalie of all time, Terry Sawchuk, is sixth on the loser list while Grant Fuhr, the best goalie since the 1972 expansion, ranks twelfth…the Detroit Red Wings and Ty Conklin have been emphatic when facing possible usurpers this season. An earlier shutout of the San Jose Sharks was followed by a thorough 4-0 blasting of the red hot Chicago Blackhawk’s last night…Mats Seldom is in mid season form for the Vancouver Canucks. His first pronouncement is not only will he not debut, as expected, on the road this week, no; he won’t even travel with the team. Seldom will stay in Vancouver with the injured Canucks. Oh, how I have missed the travails of the beloved floater. Like Tinkerbelle, the Swede is both ethereal and fictional…I was surprised that Mike Shanahan was terminated by the Denver Broncos. Upon reflection, though, it may not have been an entirely unwarranted move. The Broncos boasted a three game lead in the AFC West with a troika of performances outstanding. Blowing that, especially with a mortifying Week 17 meltdown, may have signalled the need for a change for the benefit of all stakeholders. Shanahan, at his best, was a sublime play caller, a man of imagination and intellect. He should be much sought after but it would appear he may need the assistance of a talented defensive coordinator…crazy story from today’s New York Post reports Bill Cowher refused the New York Jets job in order to avoid any dealings with Brett Favre. The crazed QB, demented and punch drunk since “years back”, is ruining an image carefully cultivated amongst small children and simpletons…from the to-be-expected file; cheapskate Ralph Wilson has opted to retain the deplorable Dick Jauron as head coach of the Buffalo Bills. What a slap to the team, city and fans. The moronic Jauron is living off one good season, a 13-3 record in 2001 as coach of the Chicago Bears. Jauron has had one winning season as a head coach. One. In seven other years and a brief stint in Detroit, he has a consistent record of incompetence, ploughed and seeded with enervating panic and blatant stupidity…Arizona Cardinal QB Kurt Warner has lost the starting job four times, on three different teams, since his memorable efforts guiding the 2001 St Louis Rams resulted in that season’s NFL MVP award…the Pittsburgh Steelers have the best back up QB in the NFL with the audacious Byron Leftwich prowling the sidelines. I just took the Steelers at 6-1 odds to take the big prize on Feb 1^st and remain blissfully confident, even if Big Ben continues to hear ringing between his ears…careful, now. If you’re like me you’re dying to take an upset in the opening round, if only to maintain a certain sense of decorum. Who wants all the favourites? I’m looking closely at the Minnesota Vikings, but will wait a couple of days before taking the elastic band off the wad…you must read Bill Simmons’s riff on Steve Nash and his two MVP awards, currently available for some scorching reading on the ESPN site. A brilliant and thought provoking analysis of the Mike D’Antoni era in Phoenix outlines the manner in which the “SSOL” (seven seconds or less) system benefited the South African cum Canadian. Simmons’s, when evaluating Nash and other two time NBA MVP winners, concludes that, like on Sesame Street, “one of these things just ain’t like the others”… Canadian bred Square Eddie is one of the early favourites for the May 2^nd running of the 2009 Kentucky Derby. The colt is a son of the ultra classy Smart Strike, also the sire of renowned champ Curlin. Square Eddie will make his first start as a three year old in the San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan 17^th. The colt has never raced in Canada but, based on a strong second place showing in the Breeders Cup Juvenile and a romping win in the Lane’s End Breeders Futurity at Keenland, would have to be considered a prohibitive favourite for the Queen’s Plate. His precociousness is a wonderful development for local punters eager to follow an animal on the Kentucky Derby trail. The only fly in the ointment is the horse’s propensity for running his best races on either the grass or the polytrack. The Derby, of course, is contested on dirt…Miguel Cotto opened camp yesterday as he prepares to battle England’s Michael Jennings on Feb 21^st. Mark my words, Cotto will be the 2009 fighter of the year, highlighting his season with an emphatic beat down of Antonio Margarito this July…caught Mickey Rourke in the Wrestler last night and must say I was profoundly moved by his performance. Marissa Tomei should also be credited for a fantastic piece of work…