racingmeridian.com

On this momentous day, the Toronto Maple Leaf 2009-10 season opener, it is fitting and important to pay tribute to the retirement of a Leaf great.

He served his assigned role with class and modesty.

He was never a problem in the room.

He was not a complainer.

He was cooperative with the media.

He never agitated or bemoaned the “sad” state of his team.

Yes, he never won a Stanley Cup with the Leafs, was never noted for a great performance or even a committed performance, or, well, even a performance at all, but he does measure up with other recent Leaf retirees.

So celebrate, kind folks and retired sailors, the legacy of immortal Leaf legend Olaf Kolzig, our beloved “Olie the Goalie”.

In other Leaf news, please join the “Welcome Back, Hal Gill” parade the Meridian has organized for tonight. It starts at 6pm and runs from my beer fridge to my rather comfy couch…

ICE..was down at the ACC Saturday night to watch the Leafs - Red Wings tilt. It could turn out to be a rather historical moment for the faithful, based on the outstanding play of goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, aka “The Monster”, in his ACC debut. The kid is poised, graceful, combative and, well, exceptionally large. His stop of the Wings on a “two on nothing” raised the roof at the usually funereal waterfront barn. I attended five or six games last season and was never as impressed with the Buds, and the crowd, as I was that night. The teams echo’s with grit and toughness, a culture change from the timid crew of last year. People don’t just invest their money in Toronto, they have an emotional and spiritual investment in the Leaf brand. Last year their play bordered on the disgraceful, particularly during the muggings I was forced to endure (down 7-0 before the midway of the second period against Dallas, down 6-0 to Montreal, shutout by Carolina, that’s enough…) No one will push the team around this year. That, at least, is a good start…GRID IRON..the Denver Broncos currently have the number one ranked defence in football. This ranking, ya think, may have been bolstered by playing the two worst offences in football, Oakland and Cleveland, in the opening weeks of this young season. Before hearing another cry of “Orange Crush”, let’s watch them this week against a hungry Dallas squad…this weekends Baltimore - New England game looks very much like an AFC Championship preview. The Ravens offense has been a revelation thus far and I expect Tom Brady to improve substantially as the season progresses…the New York Jets held three defensive backs out of practice yesterday, raising the possibility they will need to sign a player off the street. Not ideal preparations for the swaggering New Orleans Saints…the Cincinnati Bengals have won five of their past six games, with the only loss being the crazy “fluke” game against Denver. The Bengals see blood on the sod as they head into Cleveland for the battle of Ohio…the San Diego Chargers are 0-13 since 1971 when playing at Pittsburgh, the locale of their Sunday date…SI writer Peter King is usually a softie, but he really unloaded on Julius Peppers of the Carolina Panthers, denigrating him as the most overrated player in football…it’s a lovely feeling, with no skin in the game, watching the storm clouds build over Terrell Owens, Dick Jauron and the Buffalo Bills. Gale force wins could be sighted if the creaky Bills secondary can’t hold the Miami Dolphins this weekend…Tampa Bay Bucs coach Raheem Morris unleashed a stream of vitriol against his players after their nonchalant effort against the Giants last weekend. The 33 year old Morris lost his cool and was unprofessional embarrassing players like Kellen Winslow. Could this be the reason teams have traditionally avoided hiring such young men for the high pressure role? Morris could well have alienated his players and undermined his own credibility. The decision to bail on Byron Leftwich and start Josh Johnson proves he should spend quality time reflecting on his own abilities…the word on Josh Johnson is he has the “potential to be accurate”…TURN LEFT..if the Chase is not going to devolve into a Hendricks runaway (Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson) the other drivers need to start crashing the front this weekend in Kansas. I like Greg Biffle, a highly proficient driver at the track, to pull a mild surprise…FOOTIE..Real Madrid has roared through seven straight contests since kicking off the current season. Cristian Ronaldo and his mates are 5-0 in the Spanish League and 2-0 in Champions League contests…PONIES..the races from Longchamp, including Sea The Stars epic attempt to annex the Arc, will be available at Woodbine from 9.30am on…I like a laugh. When BRISNET, in their handicapping previews, noted that three year old filly Careless Jewel had peaked too late to give Rachel Alexandra a tussle for Divisional Championship honours, I laughed out loud. Careless Jewel races Saturday in the Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park and, regardless of her performance, can be safely assumed to be considered inferior to a miss who has captured the Preakness and the Woodward…