The 15 Million Dollar Shut-down Line

The Oilers should trade for Ryan Smyth. He's had his wish, he's seen the world, he's had his paycheque with no hometown discount, and now he wants to come home. Or his wife does. Either way, he's still a quality player who would be a fantastic influence on the young 'uns (you would hope). A mid-round pick is all that is being asked? Hopefully, and then he could go into one of the most expensive shut-down lines in hockey history.

We know that when Renney was in NY he line matched. A lot. For whatever reason, this hasn't happened in Edmonton. Now, with Smyth paired with Horcoff, he's going to have 2/3 thirds of a bastard line to play against. So who plays starboard of these two old men? Radim Vrbata.

The guy has been playing against the toughs in Phoenix for the past 3 years, while earning around 3m per annum. He has signed yet, and so could very well be available come July 1st. Will $10m over 3 years get it done? Probably. Does he want to come to Edmonton? Who knows. Will the figure affect signing the 3 amigos in a couple of years? I doubt it, as the cap limit is going to be pushing 70 million by then. Loads of room.

Vrbata plays agianst the toughs and comes out on top. His QoC values for the past 3 seasons have been 1.108, 0.329 & 0.420, whiles he's scored at 1.61, 1.62 & 1.86 pts/60 at evens - last year's number being higher than any Oiler not named Hemsky or Gagner.

Watching hockey next season will be a damn side easier if the 15.3 million dollar shut down line jumps over the boards every time the Datsyk/ Iginla/ Sedin/ Thorton line emerges. And still manages to pump in 50-60 goals between them.

King_chav@St_james'_park

Mike Ashley has made his billion selling nasty clothes like these to young chaps like these to our left. Fair enough.
He then used 134 million english pounds to buy Newcastle United - in case you hadn't noticed.
Now whether Ashley bought the club as a tax dodge, somewhere to sink a pile or freshly earned wad, or as simply a one-up on 'old comrade' Dave Whelan, we just don't know. In fact we'll probably never know.
We've had the silent treatment from Ashley, which is fine - no one wants to see the chairman in the Sun or SSN every other day telling le monde about how NUFC are potentially bigger than Barca, or how they've found Henry Morgan's treasure chest and want to spend it all in the January window.
We've had wisegate, probably the most injudicious appointment since Clough swanned into Leeds. Now I can see how a grammer school kid from Buckinghamshire might be smoothed talked by a dodgy cockney with the gift of the gab, I mean even hard as nails Rusky super-tychoon Abramovich was cooked by Avram Grant, so we'll continue to give Ashley the benefit.
Problem is this: Ashley is beginning to revel to in being hated by the Newcastle fans. I seriously believe that he is loving the negative attention that he is recieving at the moment, because it is making him a chav icon. Let me explain: The whole chav 'ethos' is to do what the fuck you like and get up as many noses as possible. If those noses are those of a thick northern outpost - even fucking better. What better scumbag than Ashley be be your hero? what better way to get chavs into your stores?
The tiny Ashley micro-brain must be bubling over - 'First of all, I'll get the clubs MD to run naked across the halo'ed turf. Then I'll take the world famous name of the ground and i'll change it into something ridiculous, and not make a penny from it!!!' It's genius.
If sportsworld.com@st.james.park doesn't appeal to the massed southern chavs as the ultimate piss take, then maybe next year it'll be the Burberry_scootter@shiny_adidas_top_stadium or some such.
Either way, I doubtful how much more this proud club and region can take of the Chav-king.

60 years old and he's won diddly goose-egg

I'm not one for ranting. Really I'm not. I don't believe that Blogs should be for letting off steam. I happily read and listen to others opinions, add an occasional comment, but mostly just absorb. I'm a good listener.
My teams give me a lot of pleasure. I've watched Newcastle, through thick and a lot of thin, since first been taken to St James's at the age of five. I've been amazed by some of the manger appointments - I mean did anyone really want 'Big Sam' (tm)? Did anyone sane really want Ruud Guillet? And show me a Geordie who thought that Souness would do a better job than Sir Bob and I'll take off his mask to reveal Mickey Makem. However, now its getting slightly scarey.

Obviously Mike Ashley is a very intellegent bloke, with a lot of business sense and an awful lot of money. He saw that 'Big Bad Sam' (tm) wasn't the man for the job, didn't want to give him any more money to spend, and was prepared to write off the rest of the season to bed in a new man for next year. Either that, or he didn't want to spend any more money in the January window and we won't see a new manager until the first of Februry!! However, the question remains, if the owner doesn't want mid-table nothingness, HOW THE HELL DOES HE THINK THAT APPOINTING HARRY REDKNAPP IS A GOOD IDEA????

This a man who has managed since 1983, 25 years for those who can't be bothered to count them, and has won exactly naught, zip, his trophey cabinet doesn't exsist, unless of course Jamie keeps his medals around at daddy's house. No FA Cup, No league titles, and a single, count them, season in Europe accessed through the Inter-toto (wait, isn't that a trophey?!?). Why would we spend 4 million a year (double that for North American currency - its more than Sid the Kid is getting in his shiny new contract, although slightly less than Ovechkin, but thats a discussion for another time, children) on a bloke who clearly doesn't have the ability to win anything. And, at the end of the day, thats what we want; A little something shiny in the cabinet.

Why don't we start from the top, of available managers (HR isn't even available), and work down. Lets throw 6 million in front of Lippi, Jose or even Van Gaal and make them turn us down. Then, if we can't get one of the big boys, and let's face it, it's a long shot, why don't we go for one the managers who could be great. Let's look at Simon Grayson. Let's even look at Tony Mowbray. But, please, do we have to pamper an over-hyped cockney who will cost more per season than Michael Owen, and on past record, will win us exactly nowt?

38 days to go till it all kicks off, in London's O2 centre of all places. Time for plenty of predictions between now and then.
#1 Mr Raffi Torrres has a HUGE year. I say 35 plus goals for the stripe-goaty man.

Whitley Bay won't be bullied

The best transfer rumour of the summer comes from the boys at football-latest.com, and concerns one Phil Bell. Apparently Whitley Bay have turned down a 3-FIGURE BID for the 6-5 forward who only signed in the summer. Top quality rumouring, I would say. Although a second bid involving a new away strip for the reserves and a boiler for the tea lady night do the trick.

Wrong, wrong, wrong

Alan Green.
This Irishman is spoiling my enjoyment of Football on the radio. His bile and sarcasm towards officials makes every other part of the commentary shrink in significance. He doesn't just criticise the refs, we all do that, but he's similar to one of those drunks you get stuck next to on the train home, rambling incoherently over and over ABOUT THE SAME thing. He doesn't know when to stop. Oh, for the beautiful football pictures painted by the voice of Peter Jones. He makes the deadly duo of Gray and Tyler sound like the children of Wordsworth. Please BBC - do something!! Danny Baker back on 606 would be a good start.

Interesting stat - the Oilers have been the target of more offer sheets than any other team. Now the boots on the other foot - the reaction has been, well, 'mixed'. 4.2 mil a year over 5 years is an over-payment for a 45 point player, but then so is 7.5mil a year for a 13 goal player. The Oilers aren't recking the pay-structure of the league - just going with the flow. Anyway - I still hope Burke matches.

"...confusion in defence saw new signing Titus Bramble hand Blackpool an equaliser."

This beauty of a quote comes from The Manchester Evening News via NUFC.com. As much as we are short at the back at the moment, I have faith in the Ex-Mackem-Stopper will have organised/added to the defence by the 11th of August. It says a lot about his philosophy that leeting TB go was one of his first acts as manager.