Joey Votto should be named on Tuesday as winner of the Lou Marsh Award as Canadian athlete of the year, not just because he was named the National League's most valuable player but also because his public battle with depression - and reluctance to milk it - has resonated beyond the game. Sidney Crosby? Jonathan Toews? Bah, give it a rest: We produce hockey players like maple syrup. Give it to one of 'em next year.
It is understandable that in a year in which Canadian Olympic athletes lived up to the expectations placed on them by an expectant and frightful host nation, there would be a rush to honour Joannie Rochette, Charles Hamelin and Alexandre Bilodeau, Christine Nesbitt or Jon Montgomery.
Their performances in Vancouver last February are symbolic on many levels - Rochette because of her poise and perseverance following her mother's death; Montgomery because he staked a Canadian claim to the Whistler Sliding Centre after the life of a luger had been taken. Nobody does self-guilt like Canadians. The tattoos and T-shirts crowd will scream for Georges St-Pierre, but not until mixed martial arts is proven to be something more than a bunch of exhibitions designed to keep Dana White employed.
BREAK UP THE RAPTORS
Has Toronto Raptors head coach Jay Triano hit on something? After watching a backcourt of Leandro Barbosa and Jerryd Bayless smoke the Detroit Pistons en route to the biggest comeback in Raptors history on Saturday, it'll be interesting to see the Raptors play the Bobcats in Charlotte on Tuesday. Making his second start for the injured Jose Calderon, Bayless scored a career-high 31 points Saturday as he and Barbosa keyed a 25-point comeback. Bayless doesn't shoot well enough yet to be the type of elite guard that can break down a team and create his own shot (he was 1-for-9 from the field in 23 minutes the game before), but he and Barbosa are a handful for opponents and provide a welcome reprieve from the deliberate stylings of Calderon. Bayless is a more important piece of the future than Calderon; it's time to see what the Raptors have on their hands.
THE WEEK AHEAD FOR OUR SIDNEY ™
18
Games, and counting, for Sidney Crosby to have scored at least one point. The scoring streak is just one shy of his career record, set in October-November of 2007). Crosby had 30 points then; this time, he already has 36 points including 20 goals going into the Pittsburgh Penguins' game at Philadelphia against the Flyers Tuesday.
MONDAY NUMBERS
1
Number of times Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-André Fleury has allowed more than two goals in his past 11 starts, during the team's 12-game winning streak.
8
Times in their past nine outings the Los Angeles Lakers have failed to hit the 100-point mark, going into their game at Washington against the Wizards on Tuesday, midway through a seven-game road swing that ends Sunday in Toronto.
QUOTABLE
Ron Washington
"I think that everything that needs to be done has been done. We just have to wait. I think he'll be here," With free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee expected to make a decision on where he'll sign as early as Monday, the Texas Rangers manager told reporters this weekend that his "gut" instinct is that Lee will return to the Rangers instead of joining the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Hank Steinbrenner
"For somebody of his stature, it would certainly behoove him to become a Yankee, which would probably be for the rest of his career. Looking at how well Andy [Pettitte]pitched up until this year and so forth, and he's a lefty, the same kind of pitcher as Andy, I don't really see a problem," The New York Yankees co-chairman isn't worried about his team's seven-year offer to Lee, worth as much as $160-million (U.S.) that would carry Lee through the age of 39.