I gots two things for ya today. First my picks for the second round of the NHL playoffs. As you probably already know, or have already called me an idiot for, my picks for the first round were a bit off. I picked the Avs to beat the Sharks. Which I was looking pretty good for a while but that young team just could not handle the pressure. I also picked the Kings, which also looked good for a while, no go for the same reason. A person can only pick so many upsets in one round and I just went too overboard on the upsets. Montreal also rose up and beat back Ovectchkin and the Caps. Who saw that coming? NOvetchkin was non existent. Jerk. Oh and then there was the Sabres. Dammit.Oh well, a person has to move on and not dwell on their mistakes. I won't so here are my picks for the second round....
WESTERN CONFERENCE
San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Detroit Red Wings (6)
Again, I am put in this dilemma. Stupid southern team versus the Godless Red Wings. I made a deal with the devil in the first round, but I cannot do it again. Screw Trev, Preacherman and the Red Wings. I hope for a lot of injuries and embarrassment in this series. I know that if the Sharks get past the Wings in this round they have NO chance in the final. None. Sharks in 7.
Chicago Blackhawks (2) vs. Vancouver Canucks (3)
Vancouver fans are some of the most arrogant fans around. Arrogant for fans who have never won ANYTHING. They live out on the stupid west coast with their inflated rents and stupid sushi on every corner. Tofu lovin, birkenstock wearing, flannel flying, my apartment is no bigger than your bathroom but costs me 3000 bucks a month, be in debt for the olympics for ever, green suit wearing jagoffs. Hate those guys. The Vancouver Canucks remind me of a soccer team. Lots of europeans, lots of whining and diving, and rarely, if EVER, scoring. A good reason for a nap. BORING.
The only problem is that Donny Granato thinks that the Hawks do not have the depth in goaltending to go the distance. They definitely have the scoring power they just need their goalie to steal a few games for them. Whoever that is on this night. I mean really, Luongo is not the answer either. Gotta go with the Hawks on this one. Blackhawks in 6.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Pittsburgh Penguins(4) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)
Sid the kid versus the Montreal Soccer team. Montreal fans are a lot like Canuck fans, except their team has actually won something. Just not in this century. I will give Halak his due. He played great. It is just that they started comparing the kid to Patty Roy. That will be his downfall. Being compared to the greatest goaler of all time is just too much to handle, especially in Montreal. Those fans are CRAZY. The Penguins have been there before and know how to win. Pittsburgh in 5.
Boston Bruins (6) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (7)
I picked the Bullies in the first round because I just had a feeling. That, like the gas I got from eating bratwurst last night, has passed. I love Ian Laperriere and how he plays the game but I hate Chris Pronger more. Screw Chris Pronger. Boston in 7.
There you have it. I promise to be better in the second round. But, again, if you wager on what I have picked here. It is on you to listen to a blowhard like me.
NEXT:
As you all know there is no love lost with some of the News Directors that I have served under in my career. I have found that to be a ND most of the time they are souless, heartless, SOB's that care about nothing but being a bully and stroking their own ego. They are kind of like mall cops, except with less power.
Case and point, Chris Duncan. News Director during my stint at the A Channel in Edmonton. Man that guy, in my humble opinion, sucked. His trademark was to call you into his office by saying to you - "Hey Trev, got a sec?" As if you are going to say no. You knew that if you heard that in your day time routine your day would suck.
Another great thing about this genius was that when he got mad he turned beet red. Loved making this guy turn red. Saw it several times. Actually saw it a lot during the strike. Whenever we got over on him and his band of scabs and goons he turned red. The best time I saw the red was my last day.
Long story even longer, I gave my two weeks. He was on vacation for the first week of that two weeks. On the Monday that he came back I suspected that he would have me work the day out and then, in his typical dick move, he would send me home for the rest of the week. He was so predictable. I was ready for it so I had already taken all my stuff home earlier in the day so as to avoid the whole 'shit in a box walk of shame' routine that he liked to do. I was off around 5ish and as it was in Edmonton if you did not leave the downtown before 4pm, you did not get home until 6. We got to drive our company rigs home so I headed for the barn. Around 4:50 or so as I was rounding the back stretch to my house the radio goes off.
Greg Donnelly, the AE, was calling me back to the station. I explained that it would take me around 45 minutes to get back into the downtown core and it would cost overtime and could it wait until tomorrow. All the while knowing what was happening. Greg explained that CD wanted to talk to me. I again explained how far away I was and how long it would take. CD got on the radio and explained to me that "I am still your boss so come back to the station." I knew that the red headed volcano was about to erupt.
I drove back and was met in the news room by CD's flunkie John Cuccaro (pictured on the left being annoyed by me and my bullhorn). I asked for a Union rep and they complained but complied because that is part of why we went on strike. Plus I just wanted someone else to be there when the red headed moron blew. I went in to his office and he began to reprimand me for arguing with John last week. I told him I did not argue with John, he argued with me. It was over a photo radar ticket that I had gotten a while back that I was going to fight and get reduced. Their thinking was that I was just going to quit and not pay the ticket so they wanted to take it out of my check. I told them no that I was going to fight it. They said why? I said because I do not trust them. BLAMMO, mount dickhead just turned red. It was awesome. He then informed me that I would be relieved of duty. I said "Great! I can start my new job a week early and get paid by two companies." He did not like that either.CD then informed me that I would not be riding in any news vehicles home tonight. Uh, no duh,
dipshit. I informed him that I would not be riding in any company vehicles. He then put his hands on his desk and got real red, like Ferrari red, and yelled that I would not be getting a ride from any news guys home and in fact that they had booked me a cab. I again, calmly with a big smile informed him that I would not be getting a ride home from any company employees that my wife was on her way to pick me up. That pissed him off even more. He told his puppy dog Cuccaro to escort me out of the building and that was it.By the way, I went in to fight the ticket a few months later, because I am a man of my word and when I say I am going to do something, I do it, and the ticket was paid. The day after I was asked to leave the station. Losers.
Good story but not the best "I quit" story from the A. Drew B is legend for how he quit the station. He put a yellow post it note on CD's door. That is epic.
Anyway, the reason I brought all this up, is Mr. Duncan left what was the A Channel and is now CityTV. Below is the email that was sent out announcing the fact. I will of course provide commentary on the email. Enjoy...
TO ALL STAFF
I am writing today to announce the departure of Chris Duncan from his position as Manager, Local Content Group for Citytv Calgary. By departure what I hear is he is being forced out.
After nearly 13 years with our Alberta stations, Chris has decided to move on and pursue some new opportunities. Uh, yeah, get out.
Chris joined our Edmonton station during our "start-up" phase in 1997 , an experience that could only be described as trying to take a sip of water from a fire hose! Sip of water from a firehose?
Under Chris' leadership the Edmonton newsroom and local programming department was born and proceeded to crank out 31.5 hours per week of local shows over the next 12 years highlighted by three consecutive AMPIA's for Best Newscast from 2000-2003. Leadership? Yeah 31.5 hours that was knocked down to about half that after the CRTC licence probation time was over.
Oh and the AMPIA's stopped the minute we went on strike. Speaking of that strike...that was the strike that basically was the death blow to this station. Oh, and did I mention that YOU AND YOUR ARROGANCE, Chris Duncan, were the basic reason the Union was brought to A Channel. Remember the shooter fridge that you banished from the building. The next day someone contacted the Union.Within 6 months we had a date set to sign cards. The week before we signed cards you fired one of the most popular employees to 'send a message' (allegedly) and that really drove people to the union. Had you not fired Randy we probably would not have gotten enough people to sign. Randy then sued your ass and won
forcing you to offer him his job back. To which he told you guys to F -off. We then went on strike for 166 days, crippled your advertising, cut your ratings down to 
nothing, put a black eye on A Channel in the community, and then ultimately to it's sale. Nice job Chris. You and your management drove a stake through what was a pretty good newsroom and split it down the middle. I thought most of us in the newsroom wanted to work together and put on a good product. Helluva a job Brownie errrrrr, I mean Duncan.In 2006 Chris made the move to Calgary to lead our re-vamped local Content group with his usual skill and dogged determination. We moved him to Calgary because the newsroom in Edmonton was poisoned and he was the main reason for that poison. Half the people did not trust you and the other half put up with you, but still did not trust you.
On behalf of all of us at Rogers Broadcasting Limited, I would like to thank Chris for his commitment and hard work for our organization. Good bye and good luck ruining another newsroom.
Please join me in wishing Chris well in his future. No thanks. I prefer to tell him to GET BENT.
Chris' last day with the Company is this Friday, April 30th. May first is the first day the company and all it's employees can actually take a deep breath and move on.
I have a million CD is an ass stories but I need to get to sleep. Maybe some other time. Good riddance CD. Wish I had never met you.
That is all I have for your Friday....
GET BACK TO WORK.
