Mod Squad

A bit of an Homage to the Mod Squad as it’s all Link day here at BLFP.

Unfortunately I was out at the rink for my first game of the summer last night and missed out on Sundin’s four goal, two assist night. TML Fan Blog has a summary and I’m sure one will be up at Raking Leafs soon.

I’ve never understood those who knock Mats Sundin. Anyone who can read the stats page knows what he's accomplished. A further review of those stats at the Hockey Project reveal he’s the most consistent player of the last 10 years and, in terms of all time high-quality consistency, he's in good very good company.


The Leafs tragic number remains at three. There’s actually a dedicated page that calculates these things. I should have known better than to try to do it myself.


MC79Hockey has some serious stats analysis going on at his site on goal differentials and playoff performance. His blog also features an interesting exchange with James Mirtle on the relative importance of hot and cold play heading into the playoffs. I would love to see more of this stuff in my local sports page instead of the usual quotes.


Speaking of local sports pages, the Toronto Star’s Chris Young was kind enough to reference my post on the Star’s interview with Richard Peddie at his blog JABS (and handed me the new nickname "BLF" in the process).

I should clarify that I actually enjoyed the Peddie puff piece. It’s refreshing to see another side to people who are often rendered in two-dimensions (if they’re lucky) by the media and fans. I just wish the reporter had either gone all fluff all-the-time or at least come back at Peddie with a solid follow-up question in those instances where Peddie was hitting his key messages like a political pro.


And to drift away from sports for a moment – the April 10th edition of the New Yorker contains two fantastic must-read pieces.

Malcolm Gladwell (talk about a guy on a hot streak) has a mind-bendingly good book review of Charles Tilly's new book "Why?" on the taxonomy of explanations and communications.

And David Owen chips in with a great piece on, get ready for it, Muazk. If you're a music fan, have any interest in branding or just enjoy good writing this is worth the read.

I have to say the $5.50 I spent on that magazine is the best return on investment since my last meal at Johnny Burger.

Link