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Brian Burke is proving a smashing success with the media in the Big Smoke. Alternatively charming and abrasive, the pugnacious GM reminds me of the big meaty uncles I adored as a child. Believe me, that Irish blood revels in an argument, in pulling your leg, in occasionally playing the eedjit and, from time to time, actually delivering the unvarnished truth…the Boston Globe is reporting that Burke will make the big splash he loves by acquiring Jay Bouwmeester from the Florida Panthers. They’re skimpy on the details, but the paper suggests a deal is being “cobbled” together which could leave the Leafs with two studs on defense (Luke Schenn, simply “can’t miss”, being the other)…Burke openly acknowledges his poor track record with goalies. He placed the Vancouver Canuck future in the hands of Dan Cloutier and, to this day, bristles when the stupidity of that move is mentioned…Pavel Kubina has announced he will consider waiving has no trade contract. The Bud defenseman has one year, at a hefty five million, left on his contract…very juicy tale making the rounds has the Arizona Cardinals considering Mike Martz for their offensive co-coordinator position. A reunion of Martz and QB Kurt Warner, ex of the Greatest Show on Turf in St Louis, would be an extraordinary development. Time for Kurt to put the retirement plans on ice…it appears the St Louis Rams are offering both Terry Holt and Orlando Pace at bargain prices. The St Louis Dispatch claims a third round pick can fetch you one of the talented Rams, and I’ll be shocked if a team does not take a chance on the sublimely talented but brittle Pace. The Rams are eager to clear up cap space and initiate a rebuilding phase…the mainstream media is slowly catching up to the Meridian. They’re reporting now what I told you days back; Michael Vick is returning to the NFL in 2009…the New York Daily News is speculating that a major Toronto Raptor move is imminent. Despite the denials, every clear thinking person is aware that Chris Bosh will be leaving Toronto in 2010. Bryan Colangelo is apparently making a serious move to obtain Amare Stoudemaire, whom he drafted in 2002, from Phoenix…I’ll say it real quick, ihopetheraptorsbringvincecarterbacktotoronto, deep breath, ithinkhegotscrewedbythemeiaandincompetentmangerialdecisons…I’ll tell you something; if super flyweight Vic Darchinyan can score some prime time TV dates, or maybe undercard appearances on big fights, he will become a superstar. A ferocious puncher with the guile and savvy of the really good ones…upcoming fights “to die for”; Feb 28^th Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz, March 7^th Joel Julio vs. James Kirkland, March 14^th Amir Khan vs. Marco Antonio Barrera and, of course, May 2^nd Manny Pacquaio vs. Ricky Hatton…Roy Jones Jr continues his fight career with a match against the remnants of Omar Sheika March 21^st in Pensacola, Florida. Jones has to be one of the most pathetic figures in the annals of the sport I cherish. A churlish, ignorant brat, at his peak he ducked quality opponents, fought C raters and generally did nothing to grow the game. Now, he just won’t go away! Jones must be regarded as a very good fighter, but do you know anyone, outside of his fellatial media buddies, who seriously place him on a par with a Sugar Ray Robinson or Carlos Monzon, or even Marvin Hagler?  He clearly did not have the inclination to test a Chris Eubanks, a Nigel Benn, or others, to demonstrate his worth. Look, I believe the underrated Eubanks would have beaten him, nay, sir, I know Eubanks would have whupped him, and who can say differently? I put my money where my mouth was and loaded up on Antonio Tarver in their rematch after Jones had clearly, in my eyes, been outpointed in the first match. I wonder if a rematch with Bernard Hopkins, or the long rumoured fight with Evander Holyfield, can be far off…Madonna’s mother was French Canadian so I’ve never understood why we haven’t embraced Madge as one of our own. Clearly, a young Ms Ciccone was enamored with her Italian heritage and embraced her European roots. Was publicizing her Canadian roots too boring? Seriously, I’ve seen her tell 20,000 people in Toronto, “I’m Canadian, too”, and nary a soul had a clue what she was talking about…I’m a sucker for the Grammies, or any show where U2 is going to play live. The downside tonight is the apparent promotion by U2 of their lousy new single, “Booty the Quacking Duck”. Lads, just stop the nonsense and play Vertigo, the song that reveals Booty as a derivative time waster…Neil Diamond will also perform tonight, that’s if he is still alive by show time…