Toronto - The Toronto Maple Leafs’ head coach has been handed a pink slip.
Paul Maurice has been axed with one year remaining on his three-year contract.
Maurice said that he was happy that he was fired now rather than the middle of a seaon.
The Leafs finished dead last in the Northeast Division.
Mourice is expected to have a news conference on Thursday.
Toronto - The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to stop a young people from getting drunk and fighting during games at the Rogers Centre.
It happened at last Friday’s home opener and again Tuesday night. Security guards ejected about a hundred rowdies each time.
Jays’ CEO Paul Godfrey says some fans have videotaped their experiences and put the tapes inviting friends to join the party on the YouTube website.
Godfrey says alcohol will no longer be sold at the 500 level and in the 200 level outfield sections.
He also says “we’re going to attempt to put enough controls in place to allow the fans who under normal circumstances might not go to a game, to come and enjoy baseball.”
He adds: “the entertainment is supposed to be on the field, not the stands.”
Toronto - The Toronto Maple Leafs have missed the post-season for the third consecutive year following a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. This also brings to 41, the years since Toronto last won the Stanley Cup.
The Leafs haven’t missed three consecutive playoffs since the St. Pats became the Maple Leafs under new owner Conn Smythe. The years were 1926-28.
On the streets of Toronto, a number of fans tell CFRB News that something has to be done, perhaps even firing head coach Paul Maurice.
The familiar message from most fans that spoke with CFRB News is “maybe next year.”
Toronto - The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded enforcer Wade Belak to the Florida Panthers for a fifth round draft pick in 2008.
The NHL trade deadline is today at 3:00pm (EST) .
Yesterday, Leaf’s forward Mats Sundin said he would not wave his no-trade clause.
The Leafs play the Panthers tomorrow night in Florida.
Marisa Miller graces the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
David Letterman had the honor of revealing the news on the Late Show last night, E! reported.
Miller found her stride in 2007 with a Victoria’s Secret commercial, where she unexpectedly eclipsed Heidi Klum in popularity
Miller, 29, is but one of the half dozen Victoria’s Secret models. Her modeling partners are Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Selita Ebanks, Miranda Kerr and Heidi Klum. (more…)
Buffalo - Richard Zednik of the Florida Pathers was rushed to the hospital after taking a skate blade to the neck during Florida’s game against Buffalo Sunday night.
The injury occurred as Zednik’s teammate Olli Jokinen was checked hard; as he fell, his skate flew up and caught Zednik on the side of the neck.
Zednik was able to make his way, shakily, to the bench, when he stumbled into the arms of his Panthers teammates and medical staff.
Panthers defenseman Steve Montador recalled seeing Zednik in a state of shock as he got to the bench. (more…)
Toronto - Rob Ramage has been sentenced to four years in prison for a December 2003 crash that killed a former Chicago Blackhawks player.
Keith Magnuson died on December 15th, 2003, when a rental car driven by Ramage slammed head-on into another vehicle just north of Toronto.
Before sentencing, Ramage told the court Magnuson “was a dear friend and mentor.”
The judge noted that while Ramage was an “exemplary citizen”, he could not ignore the fact the sentence had to send a message of general deterrence to the public. (more…)
Toronto - “Toronto harboured a superstar. All of us were lucky to have him as long as we did.” That from the late Jim Proudfoot, 13 years ago about his Toronto Star colleague Milt Dunnell.
The former newspaper sports columnist has died at the age of 102. Dunnell died at North York General Hospital during the evening.
In 2005 when he turned 100, Dunnell said he didn’t think it was any great achievement. He was a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, and similar halls of fame for Hockey, Horse Racing and Football reporters.
He went around the world to cover sports, including Olympic Games in Mexico City and Melbourne. He followed Muhammad Ali to Zaire and the Philippines.
Dunnell wrote at the star from 1942 until 1994.
Toronto - Rookie Toronto Maple Leaf forward Jiri Tlusty has just been pushed in to the spotlight.
Tlusty is likely feeling an incredible amount of regret after a nude picture of the 19-year-old rookie turned up on the internet.
The nude photo, which shows the young hockey player standing in front of a mirror holding nothing but a camera phone, was taken last year after a women on Myspace dared him to take off his boxers.
Tlusty says he made a bad decision.
“I used poor judgment in this instance last season and I have learned a valuable lesson,” Tlusty said in a statement released by the Leafs following Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal. “It will not happen again and I have no further comment.”
The front office for the Toronto Maple Leafs agree, it was a mistake.
“Photographs were posted recently on the Internet without Jiri’s knowledge or consent,” said Leafs general manager John Ferguson in a statement. “He made a naive mistake as a teenager. It’s a lesson in how something private can easily become very public in the Internet age. Hopefully it’s a lesson that other people will learn from as well.”
Boston (EON) - The Boston Red Sox came back after being doen three games to one against the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS to win game 7 at home in Fenway Park and earn a spot in the World Series to play the Colorado Rockies.
The Boston Red Sox are headed to their 2nd World Series in just 3 years. It took the Red Sox 86 years to win their first World Series title and now they are knocking on the door to win the second. The Boston Red Sox started game 7 on Sunday night at Fenway Park with picture Daisuke Matsuzaka. He pitched 5-strong innings only allowing 2 runs.
Following Matsuzaka was Hideo Okajima who pitched up until the 8th inning when Jonathan Papelbon, the Red Sox closer, took over.
The Red Sox ended up winning the game 11-2 thanks to late home runs from Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and others.
Dustin Pedroia, the Red Sox 2nd baseman, stated “We worked so hard all year long, nobody wanted to have our season cut short. Nobody wanted to go home. Nobody wanted to say goodbye to everybody.”
The Red Sox are the only team to come back from two 3-1 deficits in the LCS as they did in 1986 and 2004, and now they have done it three times. They start the 2007 MLB World Series Wednesday night at home in Boston in the infamous Fenway Park against the Colorado Rockies.