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THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Tonight in Tampa, the Lightning will play host to the Philadelphia Flyers in a game that is expected to draw about 14,000 to the St. Pete Times Forum.

That’s a far cry from Tuesday night of this week, when maybe 8,000 showed up to watch the Lightning come from behind and beat Montreal 5-3. Of the 8,000 in the building, about 5,000 were wearing Canadiens jerseys. No wonder you can get an NHL ticket in this town for 10 bucks. There is nobody going to hockey down here. At least not at NHL rates they aren’t.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Super Bowl 43 Report Live from Tampa. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

You know you’ve reached the point of “Dull Super Bowl Week” when the biggest story making the rounds is the one where Arizona wideout Larry Fitzgerald will happily restructure his contract to make it possible to keep teammate Anquan Boldin in Arizona for the long term.

The NFL controls the words and actions of these players so carefully, that if one of them said anything that could remotely inspire the opposition, it would be news for a week. In fact, the biggest story here in Tampa this week has been how few people care about the Lightning.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

It’s Super Bowl weekend, time to put together a hockey/football ticket. Tonight in the NHL, we like New Jersey at home to beat Pittsburgh and pay 1.80, we like Tampa at home to beat Philly and pay 2.10. We like Calgary at home to beat Nashville and pay 1.50 and in the Super Bowl, we’ll go with Pittsburgh’s defence to win and pay $1.80. A $10 wager will pay $89.90.

5:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores Super Bowl 43 Report Live from Tampa. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

The number of media credentials issued for the Super Bowl is down for the first time, according to the National Football League, which revealed yesterday that there were simply fewer requests.



Although there are more media outlets receiving credentials than ever before — 633 this year compared to 576 last year — the number of specific credentials requested dropped from 4,786 for last year’s game in Phoenix, Ariz., to 4,589 for Sunday’s game in Tampa.



It’s a brave new media world out there. In fact, there are more internet sites at the game than ever before.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Tuesday night in Tampa, I had a nice chat with Pat Burns. He’s battling lung cancer and he’s thinner than he was when I visited with him in October, but he’s still scouting for the Devils and says he feels fine.

He said he’s also excited for his old friend Mike Keane. As Burns said, “Not everybody gets a bobblehead night,” and Mike Keane’s bobblehead night goes tomorrow night at the MTS Centre.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Super Bowl 43 Report live from Tampa. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

A little more than a month ago, Canadian punter Mitch Berger was in B.C. kicking a football around all by himself waiting for the phone to ring. Well, the phone eventually did ring and this week, Berger is preparing for Super Bowl XLIII. He still can’t believe it.

In fact, Berger figured that this year, he would finally get a call from the CFL team that originally drafted him, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He said this week that with all the problems Winnipeg had with its kicking game this year, he was certain he’d get a look. Now, he’s rather happy that no CFL team bothered to call.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

Today is a perfect day to do a little pre-Super Bowl analysis. Here’s why I think the Pittsburgh Steelers, 6 ½-point favourites, will win Sunday’s Super Bowl: Defence. Here’s why I believe the underdog Arizona Cardinals have a chance: If they do what they did against Philadephia two weeks ago, they’ll have scored enough points in the first half to beat the low-scoring Steelers. Tomorrow, we pick our winning ticket.

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores Super Bowl 43 Report live from Tampa. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

The annual Tuesday of Super Bowl week is know as Media Day. It’s a day where allegedly serious journalists get all tangled up with the circus freaks from MTV and Nickleodeon.

At least, in most other years, it’s been a circus. This week, however, it was eerily subdued. There was one freak from Telemundo who had a five-o’clock shadow and yet dressed like a blonde hooker — wig, cocktail dress, too much makeup, the whole Hallowe’en costume — but he was so quiet and he was around so little that he was hardly noticeable.

All this week, at what’s been dubbed the Recession Bowl, most of the talk among the media members has had more to do with when their respective newspapers would fold, not whether Larry Fitzgerald would catch nine more passes for 150 more yards and three more touchdowns on Sunday. It’s getting ugly out there.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2009

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Oh, it’s getting ugly down here. During the all-star break, Bruce Garrioch of Sun Media, the man with an international reputation for making up trade rumours wrote that Vinny Lecavalier was going to Edmonton for three players and some draft picks. Deal was done, Garrioch said.

We’ll, because all the hockey operators in the United States dance to the tune of the Canadian media, and that’s true,Tampa GM Brian Lawton had to call a press conference to say the report was false. Even though everyone knew it was false as soon as they saw Bruce Garrioch’s name on it.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Super Bowl 43 Report Live from Tampa. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

Here in Tampa, there appears to be one major problem with this year’s Super Bowl. There is no compelling story.

Both teams are filled with nice guys. The quarterbacks each have good stories as professionals, but no one is overcoming a debilitating disease or a horrible childhood. There is also a feeling that this game will be over before it starts. Pittsburgh is a seven-point favourite today and could be an 8 or 10 point favourite by Sunday. Obviously, somebody needs to get caught soliciting a hooker. Somebody? Anybody?

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

Just to change things up a bit, we’re going to look at an English Premiership ticket today. But you’d better hurry to buy it. The first games start in a about an hour and 15 minutes. We like Liverpool to win at Wigan and pay 1.60; We like West Ham at home to beat Hull and pay 1.70 and we like Blackburn at home to beat Bolton and pay 1.80. A $10 wager will pay you $50.50.

5:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores Super Bowl 43 Report Live from Tampa. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

Despite the downturn in the economy, media from 28 countries will cover all the preparations and game – the most countries ever to be represented at a Super Bowl site.

Japan and Mexico have sent the most media organizations to Tampa Bay — 22 outlets apiece. Next comes Canada and the United Kingdom, which are sending 18 media outlets each to Super Bowl XLIII. Including Winnipeg’s own 92-CITI-FM.

There will be a total of 141 international media organizations in Tampa this year, compared to 116 for Super Bowl XLII in Arizona last year.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Now that the all-star game is over it’s time to think about the next big date on the NHL schedule: the trade deadline.

Although, with the salary cap, it’s tougher to move players these days, still don’t be surprised if Peter Forsberg returns to the Philadelphia Flyers, Chris Pronger is traded to a contender, Vinny Lecavalier winds up in Montreal and the Leafs more youngsters to get proven and un-proven veterans. As we all know, in Toronto, the future was yesterday.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM Super Bowl 43 Report live from Tampa. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

Down here on the West Coast and in Central Florida you would not know the Arizona Cardinals were in this coming Sunday’s Super Bowl. This place is dominated by Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

Steelers shirts and hoodies are everywhere and it makes you wonder if either Cards fans have yet to arrive from the West or if they’re ever going to arrive at all. It would appear the Cardinals will be the home team in name only.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

The all-star break is over, hockey is back and there are 11 games on the schedule tonight. We’ll look at three of them: We like Boston at home to beat Washington and pay 1.60; we like Minnesota at home to beat Toronto and pay 1.60 and we like Edmonton at home to beat Buffalo and pay 1.80. A $10 wager will pay you $49.00

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores Super Bowl 43 Report live from Tampa. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

You might not think these two Super Bowl Teams have much in common. The Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC champs, will be playing in their seventh Super Bowl, while the Arizona Cardinals, the NFC Champs, will be playing in their first.

However, there is one thing that keeps these two franchises forever linked. Way back in 1944, there was a shortage of players – and men for that matter – because of the Second World War, so the Steelers and Cardinals merged for a season and formed a team called Card-Pitt. The Cardinals were based in Chicago at the time and the teams split home games between’s Chicago’s Comiskey Park and Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. How good were they? Sportswriters at the time nicknamed them “the Carpets.”

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Wayne Gretzky has finally entered the discussion. This weekend at the All-Star break in Montreal, Gretzky said don’t worry about the financially-struggling Coyotes, not only is everything fine, but there are investors ready to throw money around at the drop of a hat.

Wow! Is Gretzky a Pollyanna or just plain delusional. On Sunday, the Coyotes CEO, Jeff Shumway, resigned, There couldn’t be that much money floating around. And if there is, then it’s true. There is a sucker born every minute.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

I’m told here in Tampa that Jon Gruden’s firing as the head coach of the Buccaneers’ last week came as a surprise to a number of people around the NFL. Not sure I know why that is, but I certainly know now that it wasn’t a surprise for Bucs players. In fact, former CFL star, now Bus quarterback Jeff Garcia was one player who said a change absolutely, positively had to be made.

Garcia told reporters in Tampa on the day we arrived that he felt Gruden’s lousy relationship with the folks in the locker room played a key role in his dismissal. According to my friends at the Tampa Tribune, the veteran quarterback had a long-running feud with Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen. As a result of the Bucs’ preseason love affair with Brett Favre and its reluctance to renegotiate Garcia’s contract last summer, the quarterback didn’t have much a relationship with either of the since-departed Bucs bosses.

In fact, you might that if there was one player responsible for Gruden’s firing, it was Jeff Garcia.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

It’s the final day of the NHL all-star break, so let’s look at the three basketball games tonight. We like Phoenix and Washington to tie in Washington and pay 2.70; we like Miami, at home to beat Atlanta, and pay 2.15; and we like we like Houston on the road to beat the Knicks and pay 2.00. A $10 wager will pay $124.80.

5:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

As we get set for Super Bowl XLIII, ever wondered how popular the NFL is? Well, how ‘bout this?

225 million Americans watched NFL games during the 2008 regular season – nearly 100 million more than the record number of Americans who voted in the 2008 presidential election (131.2 million).

NFL games on broadcast TV (CBS, FOX and NBC) averaged 16.6 million viewers. On cable, NFL games on ESPN averaged 12.0 million viewers and 4.9 million viewers on NFL Network.

Super Bowl XLII was the most-watched TV program ever (148.3 million total viewers). The 17 most-watched programs in TV history are all Super Bowls. And Super Bowl XLII was watched in 223 countries and territories in 30 different languages.

Friday, Jan. 23, 2008

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Report

Reports out of Toronto this morning suggest that Kevin Glenn will be Argo bound. The Argos claim they have an interest in the Blue Bombers quarterback who is now, officially on the trade block. Argos GM Adam Rita has always admired Glenn and would like to have him in Toronto to challenge Kerry Joseph for the starting job. Yesterday, Bombers head coach Mike Kelly told Tom and Joe that he expects lefty Stefan LeFors and veteran Ryan Dinwiddie to battle for the Bombers’ No. 1 job.

Meanwhile, Super Bowl Week officially begins on Monday when the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers arrive in Tampa. Next week, the 92-CITI Sports Machine will report live every day from the events at Super Bowl XLIII.

In the NHL, All-Star Weekend has begun in Montreal. Alexei Kovalev and Joe Thornton are the team captains while Sidney Crosby will miss the game with a knee injury. Vinny Lecavalier will address the media today about the trade rumours following him around. The Super Skills competition goes Saturday at 6 p.m. The All-Star game goes Sunday night beginning at 5 p.m. live from the Bell Centre. It’s all on CBC.

The 30-13-0-2 Manitoba Moose have won three straight games on their current five-game road trip. The Moose will wrap up the trip tonight in Rochester and tomorrow in Syracuse.

After last night’s fifth draw at the BDO Classic, Canadian Open of Curling at the MTS Centre Winnipeg’s Kerry Burtnyk and Jeff Stoughton, along with Edmonton’s Kevin Martin, are the lone teams at 3-0. The action continues this afternoon and all evening at the downtown rink.

Finally, the billionaire Ricketts family, the people who founded TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation, have won the bid to purchase the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and 25 per cent interest in a regional sports TV network from the financially struggling Tribune Co. The price? $900 million. The Tribune Co. bought the Cubs in 1981 for $20.5 million. The company filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

There are plenty of great all-star stories heading into All-Star weekend in Montreal but the best probably involves Keith Tkachuk of the St. Louis Blues.

Blues has 15 goals this season and is probably playing the best hockey he’s played in four or five years. It helps that he’s healthy, but from my last interview with Tkachuk, he’s also matured dramatically since the days when he played in the ‘Peg. Tkachuk has grown up and it shows. He’s having a great season.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

It has become pretty obvious over the last few weeks. If the Arizona Cardinals intend to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, it will have to be done by Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.

In last week’s NFC championship game Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns, giving him
an NFL postseason record 419 yards in his first three playoff
games. Warner was equally as impressive in that game,
completing 21-of-28 passes for 279 yards, four TDs and a QB
rating of 145.7. If those two pull it off again, the Cards might indeed be the team of destiny.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

The NHL all-star game is on the slate and we’re going to wager on it. We’ll take the West to beat the East and pay 2.10; we also like three NBA games tonight: Detroit to beat Dallas and pay 2.15; Chicago to beat Toronto and pay 2.00 and Atlanta to beat Milwaukee and pay 1.80. A $10 wager will pay you $162.50.

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

Jon Gruden’s firing as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ last week came as a surprise to many people around the NFL, but it wasn’t a surprise for Bucs players. In fact, QB Jeff Garcia was one player who said a change needed to be made.
Garcia, told reporters in Tampa that he felt Gruden’s poor relationship with the players played a key role in his dismissal. Fact is, the quarterback had a long-running feud with Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen as a result of the Bucs’ preseason courtship of Brett Favre and its reluctance to renegotiate Garcia’s contract last summer.

In fact, if there was one player responsible for Gruden’s firing, it was Jeff Garcia.

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2008

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

It appears the Kevin Glenn Era is over in Winnipeg. Yesterday, the Bombers acquired southpaw quarterback Stefan LeFors from Edmonton for a couple of draft picks and this morning, head coach Mike Kelly told Tom and Joe this morning that Glenn is on the trading block. Kelly also said that Casey Printers will NOT be coming to Winnipeg so there will be no Glenn-for-Printers deal. At camp, LeFors and Ryan Dinwiddie will battle for the No. 1 job. Yesterday, the Bombers also announced the re-signing of middle linebacker Barrin Simpson.

There were nine games in the NHL last night… the last games before the all-star break and Sunday’s NHL All-Star Game in Montreal…

Boston 4 Toronto 3 (SO)
Toronto blew a 3-1 third-period lead as Michael Ryder scored the winner in the fourth round of the shootout. The Bruins are tied with San Jose for the overall lead in the NHL heading into the all-star break. The Leafs are 2-6-2 in their last 10.

Calgary 5 Columbus 4 (SO)
Todd Bertuzzi scored the winner in the shootout.

New Jersey 5 Montreal 2
Winnipeg’s Travis Zajac had a goal and was plus-two. The Devils have won five straight and are now first in the Atlantic Division at the all-star break.

St. Louis 2 Chicago 0
All-Star game bound former Jet Keith Tkachuk scored his 15th for the Blues last night.

NY Islanders 2 Anaheim 1
The Islanders won for the first time in 2009 after starting the year 0-7-1. Yann Danis made 39 saves to get the win.

Tampa 5 Buffalo 3
Tampa defenceman Cory Murphy, acquired on waivers from Florida this week, scored his first goal of the year and added an assist.

Los Angeles 6 Colorado 5
Alexander Frolov scored a pair for the Kings.

Philadelphia 5 Atlanta 3
Mike Knuble scored twice to lead the Flyers.

Dallas 4 Florida 1
Mike Ribeiro notched his first NHL hat-trick to lead the Stars.

The Manitoba Moose improved to 30-13-0-2 last night with a 4-3 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Moose have won three straight on this five-game road trip. The Moose will wrap up the trip tomorrow in Rochester and Saturday in Syracuse.

After the first draw at the BDO Classic, Canadian Open of Curling at the MTS Centre last night, the winners included Kevin Martin, Kerry Burtnyk and Brad Gushue. Round robin action continues all day today at the downtown rink.

And finally, in baseball news – yes, spring is coming – the Winnipeg Goldeyes announced yesterday that they would retire the number of Winnipeg’s own Donnie Smith who spent eight years with the Fish and pitched in more games than anyone else in Northern League history.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

With just four wins in their last 11 games, the Anaheim Ducks now find themselves barely in the playoff picture and according to more than one report, the Ducks are considering a move to trade superstar defenseman Chris Pronger.

Pronger, who is 34, will make $6.25 million this year and can become an unrestricted free agent after the 09-10 season. Rumblings suggest Pronger will be out of Anaheim by the March 4 trade deadline.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

Do uniform colours matter? Guess we’ll find out in Super Bowl XLIII. Yesterday, the Arizona Cardinals, the official home team in Tampa on Feb. 1, chose to wear their home red uniforms in the big game.

That means the Steelers will wear their white road uniforms, just as they did when they defeated Seattle for the NFL title three years ago in Detroit. In the 2006 Super Bowl, Pittsburgh had the option of wearing their black home jerseys, but decided to wear white after playing and winning three road playoff games in as many weeks. This will be only the third time in their seven Super Bowls the Steelers have worn white. They’ve never lost in their white jerseys.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

I feel like the New York Islanders. We had only our second winner of 2009 yesterday and it paid $155. With the NHL on an all-star hiatus, let’s look at some basketball. In the NBA, I like Boston and Orlando to tie in Orlando, and in the NCAA, I like Georgetown to beat West Virginia and pay 1.60 and Providence at Seton Hall to tie and pay 2.40. A $10 wager will pay you $94.10.

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

If you believe veteran San Diego runningback LaDainian Tomlinson, he’s going nowhere.

Amid a number of published reports and plenty of speculation last week that the Chargers were weighing their options on Tomlinson’s future with the team — which include keeping him at his current salary level, attempting to renegotiate his contract, trading him or releasing him — the five-time Pro Bowler wrote on his personal web site last night that he does not want to leave San Diego and won’t if he has any choice.

However, it’s very likely he won’t have any say it the matter

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2008

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were eight games in the NHL last night… four Canadian teams in action, two won.

Edmonton 4 Columbus 3
Ales Hemsky scored his second goal of the game with 34.9 seconds remaining to win it.

Ottawa 3 Washington 2
Dany Heatley scored twice and Antoine Vermette had three assists as Ottawa scored all three on the power-play to win their third straight.

Atlanta 4 Montreal 2
Atlanta won its third straight to snap Montreal’s two-game win streak.

San Jose 2 Vancouver 1 (OT)
Patrick Marleau scored the overtime winner as Claude Lemieux made his first appearance in the NHL in almost six years. The slumping Canucks had only 13 shots on goal.

NY Rangers 4 Anaheim 2
Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers who are 4-1-1 in their last six.

Phoenix 6 Detroit 3
The Coyotes scored three unanswered in the third period to win it. Former Jets Shane Doan had a pair of assists.

Carolina 2 Pittsburgh 1
Cam Ward, who once played bantam baseball during a summer he spent in Winnipeg, got his 100th career win for the Hurricanes.

Los Angeles 5 Minnesota 2
The Kings Kyle Calder had a goal and an assist while rookie defenceman Drew Doughty had a pair of assists.

In other NHL news, Peter Forsberg is back skating to test his ailing right foot in what could be his last attempt at a comeback. The 35-year-old centre finished last season with the Colorado Avalanche but missed more time than he played because of that injured foot. And the New York Islanders announced yesterday that knee issues will sideline goalie Rick DiPietro for the rest of the season. DiPietro is in the third year of a 15-year contract worth $67.5 million.
The 29-13-0-2 Manitoba Moose, the first place team in the West, will play Game 3 of a five-game road trip tonight in Hamilton against the Bulldogs, the Moose will then wrap up the trip on Friday and Saturday in Rochester and Syracuse.

Finally, the BDO Classic, Canadian Open of Curling with an elite field of 18 of the best teams from around the curling universe gets underway tonight at the MTS Centre.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

With less than six weeks to go to the March 4 trade deadline and according to the Ottawa Sun, the Ottawa Senators will likely be a seller come trade deadline time.

According to the Sun, the Senators are getting inquiries about forwards Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette and Chris Neil, and defenseman Christoph Schubert. With a record of 15-21-7, a major clearance sale in Ottawa would not be a surprise.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

As has been expected, Stephen Ross finally acquired majority ownership of the Miami Dolphins from Wayne Huizenga yesterday. For $1 billion.

The deal, aided by Huizenga’s willingness to accept deferred payments, due to speculation that Ross was having trouble lining up financing, closed yesterday. Huizenga called it “a bittersweet moment,” but not really THAT bitter.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

There are nine games in the NHL tonight and we’ll look at three potential upsets. We really like Tampa at home to beat Buffalo and pay 2.10; we like the Islanders at home to snap out of their slump and beat Anaheim and pay 2.60 and we like Dallas on the road to beat Florida and pay 2.30. A $10 wager will pay you $155.50.

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

Depending on where you go in Vegas, the Pittsburgh Steelers are either 6 ½ or seven-point favourites in next Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII. Ask the Arizona Cardinals and that’s exactly what they want to hear.

According to Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt, “I think that it’s not a surprise that we would be an underdog. This is a very good football team that we are going against; one that a number of the members of this organization are familiar with. Obviously, there will not be a lot of people singing our praises. Hopefully, that will keep us focused.”

The Cards might get as much energy from the oddsmakers as they get from parctice over the bnext two weeks.

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2008

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

There were seven games in the NHL last night… only one Canadian team in action… the Leafs, they lost…

Carolina 2 Toronto 0
Cam Ward made 35 saves to get the shutout. The Leafs have only three wins in their last 13. The Leafs have been shut out their past two games.

New Jersey 3 Nashville 1
When Brendan Shanahan last played for the New Jersey Devils, teammate Travis Zajac was in kindergarten. Shanahan, now 40, scored his first of the year in his first game of the year at 1:38 of the second period

St. Louis 5 Boston 4 (SO)
The Blues David Backes scored the tying goal with 8/10ths of a second left in regulation and T.J. Oshie scored the shootout winner. Former Jet Keith Tkachuk and former Winnipegger Alexander Steen each had an assist for St. Louis.

Washington 2 NY Islanders 1 (OT)
Alexander Ovechkin scored two power-play goals to lead the Caps, the second came 1:46 into overtime. The woeful Islanders have lost eight straight.

Minnesota 4 Chicago 1
Nicklas Backstrom made 40 saves to get the win. Marek Zidlicky had a pair of goals.

Tampa Bay 4 Dallas 2
Vincent Lecavalier was brilliant, with two goals and an assist, as Tampa Bay scored three unanswered in the third to win it.

Buffalo 3 Florida 2 (SO)
Ales Kotalik scored the shootout winner.

In other NHL news, the San Jose Sharks called up 43-year-old Claude Lemieux from Worcester of the American Hockey League yesterday. He’ll play tonight when the Sharks meet Vancouver in San Jose.

The 29-13-0-2 Manitoba Moose, the first place team in the West, will play Game 3 of a five-game road trip tomorrow night in Hamilton against the Bulldogs, the Moose will then wrap up the trip on Friday and Saturday in Rochester and Syracuse.

Finally, word out of Toronto is that Pinball Clemons might be out as CEO of the Argos. His agent Gil Scott told Toronto Metro that he wasn’t certain Clemons would be back at the helm of the Argos next season and had heard the owners were already looking around for a new CEO.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson rid himself of Winnipeg’s Alexander Steen earlier in the season when he dealt Steen to the St. Louis Blues. Now it appears he’s trying to dump another Manitoban.

Steinbach’s Ian White is on the trading block and he could wind up in Tampa. The Lightning are looking hard for a puck-moving defenceman, and White might be made available. Good for Tampa. They get a good player and they probably won’t have to give up anyone of significance. And the Leafs lose again.

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

So what’s the real reason for the incredible improvement of the Arizona Cardinals? Was it the re-invigorated play of the young-again Kurt Warner? Was it the brilliance of Larry Fitzgerald? Was it a defence that has come around during the past five weeks?

No, it’s probably the coaching of Ken Whisenhunt. A former Steelers assistant who took the job in Arizona just as Pittsburgh was hiring Mike Tomlin, Whisenhunt brought along Pittsburgh assistant Russ Grimm to be his assistant head coach and another Steelers assistant, Kevin Spencer to run his special teams.

The Cards are headed to their first Super Bowl. The Steelers are going for the seventh time in 43 years. Although he denies it, Whisenhunt has brought a little Steeler tradition to the desert.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

There are eight games in the NHL tonight. Too bad two out of three didn’t count last night. We’ll look at three hockey games this evening: We like Ottawa at home to upset Washington and pay 2.40; we like the Penguins at home to beat Carolina and pay 1.60 and we like Minnesota at home to beat Los Angeles and pay 1.60. A $10 wager will pay you $61.40

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee is expected to make a “complete recovery” from that monstrous helmet-to-helmet hit with Ryan Clark late in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
McGahee, who was taken from the field on a cart, returned to his Baltimore home yesterday after spending the night in a Pittsburgh hospital.

Although McGahee had significant neck pain, he had movement in his arms and legs after the hit. He was released early yesterday morning, was back home by early afternoon and will be at training camp in July.

Monday, Jan. 19, 2008

Scott Taylor’s CITI Sports Reports

It’s off to Super Bowl XLIII (43) for the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers… yesterday:

Arizona 32 Philadelphia 25: The Cards Kurt Warner, 21-for-28 for 279 yards and four touchdowns while wideout Larry Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns as the 9-7 Western Division champs win the NFC title. It will be the Cardinals first trip to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh 23 Baltimore 14: What a game for Troy Polamalu. The Steelers monster back had four tackles and an interception return for the game’s final touchdown. Pittsburgh last played in Super Bowl XL (40) and beat Seattle 21-10.

In other NFL news this weekend, two more coaching moves. New York Giants defensive co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo replaces Jim Haslett in St. Louis while Bucs defensive co-ordinator Raheem Morris has replaced Jon Gruden in Tampa. And now that Baltimore has been eliminated, it looks as if Ravens defensive co-ordinator Rex Ryan will be the new head coach of the New York Jets.

There were four games in the NHL … all three Western Canadian teams were in action last night… the only winner? Edmonton…

Edmonton 6 Phoenix 3
Ethan Moreau had the hat-trick while Winkler’s Dustin Penner had a goal and an assist on the night the Oilers retired the No. 9 of Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson.

Columbus 6 Vancouver 5 (SO)
The Jackets’ Rick Nash had a goal and two assists along with the winner in the shootout. The Canucks haven’t won since Roberto Luongo returned.

Colorado 6 Calgary 2
Ryan Smyth led the Avs with a goal and two assists. Smyth and Milan Hejduk each scored their 300th career goals last night.

And yesterday afternoon: Pittsburgh 3 NY Rangers 0
Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves while Petr Sykora had a goal and an assist and Sidney Crosby failed on a penalty shot.

In other NHL news, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson rid himself of Winnipeg’s Alexander Steen earlier in the season – Steen was dealt to St. Louis — and now he’s trying to dump another Manitoban. Steinbach’s Ian White is on the trading block and he could wind up in Tampa. And former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Teppo Numminen, now with the Buffalo Sabres, is out indefinitely after having surgery yesterday to repair a fractured bone in his face. Numminen was struck in the face Saturday by a second-period shot from Carolina defenceman Tom Gleason.
The 29-13-0-2 Manitoba Moose opened a five-game road trip with a pair of wins on the weekend including a 1-0 victory in Cleveland over the Lake Erie Monsters. Curtis Sanford got the shutout. The Moose play again Wednesday night against the Hamilton Bulldogs, then wrap up the road trip on Friday and Saturday in Rochester and Syracuse.

THE REPORTS

7:15 NHL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street.

The teams are set for next fall’s NHL exhibition game at the Sprint Center in Kansas City and New York Islanders fans are rightfully nervous.
The Islanders have agreed to play the Los Angeles Kings – the Kings owner also owns the rink in Kansas City — most likely on Saturday, Sept. 26. Naturally, there’s speculation that the Islanders ownership will be testing the waters in K.C.

Since purchasing the team in 2000, Charles Wang, a Long Island businessman, has not threatened to move the franchise, but he is said to be frustrated by the lack of progress by local politicians for a project to update or replace the Nassau Coliseum and where have we all heard that before?

8:15 NFL REPORT

Hi everybody, it’s the coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Football League Report. Brought to by 3M Automotive and Rondex. At 177 Isabel, Rondex is celebrating 37 years of auto body supply service.

If offence fills buildings and defence wins championships, then it’s clear the Pittsburgh Steelers should win Super Bowl XLIII (43).

Yesterday, while Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and the rest of the Arizona Cardinals put up 32 points to win the NFC championship, the Steelers got seven of their 23 points from the defence as they won the AFC title.

The Steelers defence was outstanding as LaMarr Woodley had seven tackles and two sacks, Ryan Clark had eight tackles and Troy Polamalu had four tackles and returned an interception for the game’s final touchdown. It was a defensive masterpiece and last night, the Steelers were made 6 ½-point favourites.

12:20 SPORT SELECT

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITi-FM/Sport Select Picks of the Day. Brought to you by Sport Select… Play with your brain! Sport Select!

Seven hockey games on the list tonight. Let’s look at three of them. We like Toronto at home to beat Carolina again and pay 1.90; we like Florida at home to beat Buffalo and pay 1.90; and we like Tampa at home to beat Dallas and pay 2.05. A $10 wager will pay you $74.00

5:15 NFL REPORT FOR MAC’S

Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI FM, Mac’s Convenience Stores NFL Report. Brought to you by Mac’s. Play Sport Select everyday at one of Mac’s 19 locations in Winnipeg.

As great a game as Kurt Warner had at the helm of the Arizona Cardinals yesterday – and yes, Warner becomes the first quarterback ever to return to the Super Bowl after an eight-year drought – it could be that his favourite target Larry Fitzgerald, is the best football player in the game.

Fitzgerald, who grew up in Minneapolis and went to Pitt, caught nine passes yesterday for 152 yards and three touchdowns. During the Cards game-winning fourth-quarter drive, the Pro Bowl-bound Fitzgerald caught three passes for 39 yards.

Fitzgerald has caught 100 yards worth of passes in each of his team’s last five games, if he does it again on Feb. 1, the Cardinals will be Super Bowl champions.