Strike Two ...

First, he tried to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins and move them to Ontario... Until the league stepped in and blocked it.

Then, Jim Balsillie made a very generous offer ($238-million US) to purchase the Nashville Predators and move them to Hamilton... and it was looking great..... until this morning.

Craig Leipold, the current owner of the Predators, has agreed to sell the team - not to Mr. Balsillie, but to a South Californian by the rather unfortunate name of William "Boots" DelBiaggio. The amount of the sale is rumoured to be $190-million US, that's nearly 40 million dollars less than the offer from Jim Balsillie.

Now will "Boots" keep the team in Nashville? Nope - he will move them to Kansas City, a city where pro hockey has never succeeded in the past.

My questions:

Who the hell agrees to sell a team for 40 million less?

If the team was to stay in Nashville - then this would certainly make sense... But they're not!

Hmph.

Does anyone else see the heavy hand of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman all over this?

I sure do.

Is there any doubt now that Bettman doesn't like Canada?

Not to me.

Happy Canada Day indeed.

Read National Post Article: Balsillie bid in jeopardy

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Man... with Dubya in office over the last 7 years, and now this - our national passion being denied. I'm having a real tough time warming to our neighbours to the south...

:

The Americanization of Canada's national passion just makes me sick... And I'm tired of this crap...

:

I think I'll put on one of my favourite CDs on my way to work this morning as a way of dealimg with all this bullsh*t this morning...

American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman, she gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
Say A,
Say M,
Say E,
Say R,
Say I,
Say C,
Say A,
Say N,
American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
American woman gonna mess your mind
--------------------------------------------------------------
American woman, stay away from me
American woman, mama let me be
Don't come hangin' around my door
I don't wanna see your face no more
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time growin' old with you
Now woman, I said stay away
American woman, listen what i say.

American woman, stay away from me
American women, mama let me be
Don't come hangin' around my door
I don't wanna see your face no more
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else's eyes
Now woman, I said stay away
American woman, listen what i say.

American woman, stay away from me
American women, mama let me be
Don't come hangin' around my door
I don't wanna see your face no more
I don't need your war machine
I don't need your ghetto scenes
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else's eyes
Now woman, I said stay away
American woman, listen what i say.

Go, gotta get away
Now go go go
Gonna leave you, woman
Gonna leave you, woman
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
You're no good for me
I'm no good for you
Gonna look you right in the eye.

Tell you what I'm gonna do
You know I'm gonna leave
You know I'm gonna go
You know I'm gonna leave
You know I'm gonna go,woman
I'm gonna leave,woman
Goodbye, American woman
Goodbye, American chick
Goodbye, American broad