By Rob Ficiur

1.  Why will the Calgary Flames, of the Western Conference,  with 90 points will miss the NHL playoffs when they would be sixth in the Eastern Conference?   With two games to go they are six points  ahead of the ninth place New York Rangers (which means they’d be easily in the playoffs)   
At the outset it looks unfair that the Flames, Blues and Ducks will miss the playoffs with better record than the eighth place Eastern team.  Before we start a fan revolt, every year there is at least one ninth place team that would have made the playoffs if they were in the other conference.  In 2009 the ninth place Florida Panthers with 93 points would have been fifth in the West.   In 2008 the ninth place Carolina Hurricanes had 92 points in the East while the eighth place Nashville made the playoffs with  91 points.  In 2007 Colorado’s 95 points was three ahead of eighth place New York Islanders who made the playoffs.  Finally in 2006, the Canucks 92 points would have tied them for eighth in the  East with Tampa.
No matter what playoff system a league has, there will always be a team out of the playoffs that is better than a playoff team in the other conference.  The Canadian Football League finally dealt with this issue by allowing for a cross over if the fourth place team in the West has a better record than the third place team in the East.
There are two reasons that the NHL should not change its current format.  Except for the 2006 Edmonton Oilers, no eighth place team has made it to the Stanley Cup finals since the lockout.  Generally an eighth place team is lucky to win one round.  (However, the Oilers of 2006 do give hope to all lower placed teams).  Second, teams play to the level of their competition.  The Flames knew they had to pass Colorado to make the playoffs and over the last 10 games the Avalanche held off the surging Flames by putting together a 3-5-2 record the last 10 games.  While that is a dismal stat, the Flames 4-5-1 record over the last 10 games shows that they aren’t a contending team either.
The worst part of the current NHL schedule is that the Washington Capitals will finish first overall in the weak South East Division.  The highly talented Capitals get to play the other  24 of their 82 games against their weak division partners, all of whom will miss the playoffs this year.  The  Capitals have an easier schedule than any team in the league.  (The same used to be said of the Detroit Red Wings when their central division foes were non playoff teams)
2.  Why does the CFL allow one man, David Braley, to own two of its eight CFL franchises?  The simple answer is that no one else wants to buy the Toronto Argonauts.  However, the possibility of one team helping the other with a generous trade over shadows the scenario.  At one time NFL owners could not own a franchise in any other sport. 
If nothing else this situation looks like a conflict of interest.  However, it has happened before.
In 1944 the owner of the Chicago Black Hawks died.  In time the estate was bought by the owner of the Detroit Red Wings.  For the next dozen years the Red Wings benefitted from some good trades with the Hawks; and the Chicago team made the playoffs only twice in that six team league.
The longer the CFL lets one man own two teams, the more unprofessional the league appears.  However, I don’t want to buy the Argonauts - do you?
3. Should I boycott the 2010 Toronto Blue Jays?  My answer all winter and spring training was Yes!!  They are rebuilding again… ho hum.  I accidentally caught the end of the Jays’ third game of the season.  The Jays were down going into the ninth inning… ho hum again.  In 2009 the Jays only won three games when they were losing going into the ninth.  In Game #3, Vernon Wells became the first Blue Jay ever to hit a home run in each of the first three games.  His bomb tied the game.  A couple of hits later the Jays were up 3-1 and defeated the home town Texas Rangers.  In Game #4, the Jays spoiled the Baltimore Orioles home opener by staging their second ninth inning comeback of the season, winning 7-6.   How can I boycott this team when they are currently first in the AL East with a 3-1 record?  Could this be the year the no-name Jays make the playoffs?  Why do I let a one week winning streak give me hope for what will probably be another .500 season?  I guess I am loyal (or dumb) fan.
Next week:  With the NHL regular season over – the statistics of the last 20 Stanley Cup winners will be added, subtracted, multiplied, square rooted and whatever else – to give you the inside track of which team will win the 2010 Stanley Cup.  (If you doubt the stats – remember that some obscure formula I came up with predicted Canada would win the Gold Medal in Olympic Hockey…the numbers don’t lie.)