JUNE 25TH

From GM/Head Coach of the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs Chad Mercier:

The RJ Lalonde Arena, a building we all have spent countless hours enjoying, is in need of new boards and upgrades. The Centennial Centre has a grant available however more funds are needed to complete this project. As a former Bonnyville Minor Hockey Player I am calling out to all former Bonnyville Minor Hockey, Jr. B, Jr. A and Senior players to come together with individual donations for this cause. The Bonnyville Jr. A's have agreed to provide all administration costs and game night recognition costs for this fund raising effort. The real winners will be all the Future Minor Hockey players and youth that will use this facility for years to come. This will improve the condition and safety of all players involved. All funds raised will e going towards these upgrades. All contributing Alumni will receive their name on a plaque that will be located in the RJ Lalonde Arena and will also be honored at a Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiac game as guests of the Pontiacs this winter. Here is our chance as former players that have been through the Bonnyville Hockey system, a system that has given us so much, to give back a little.

-Chad Mercier "Bonnyville Minor Hokcey 1981-1991"

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Chad came on the morning show this week to talk about the fund raising and I also asked him how the team was looking heading into next year.

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Kudos to old friend Dave Tymo for keeping tabs on Dylan Olsen while hosting the morning show in Camrose on Cam FM. Tymo spoke with Kodiaks coach Boris Rybalka this week and Rybalka passed along the news that Olsen had spoken with 29 of the 30 NHL teams with San Jose being the only team he hasn't spoken with.

Good luck tomorrow night Dylan. Have fun with it.

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Had a chance to listen to a pair of American sports talk show hosts discuss the Hall of Fame Class of '09. Good on them for talking hockey but they described Brian Leetch as a great defenceman (true), pretty much the reason the Rangers were able to break their Cup drought (he had some help but sure, true), possibly the best American born defenceman of all time (possibly), and maybe the best defenceman ever to play the game (not even close).

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Also had a chance to catch an interview with one of my favorites, Cassie Campbell. Campbell was actually my first "big" interview when she joined me between periods on a St. F.X. broadcast during the CIS finals in Regina. I was so nervous I forgot her name when throwing to commercial break before the interview. Thankfully she didn't have the headset on yet and I was able to remember it during the break and wrote it down so I wouldn't mess it up during the interview. I now write down everyones name when they come up to the booth for an intermission interview regardless of who they are.

In her interview this week Campbell was asked about her current job with Hockey Night in Canada. She says she's getting more comfortable with it and is even doing some of her interviews live now. She says her first "big" interview was with Craig MacTavish and while recording it she went blank and couldn't remember his name. I know how she feels.

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Cold Lake Minor Hockey is looking for coaches for next year. Check out clmh.com for more info as their deadlines are coming up fast.

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With the creation of the 2009/10 season stats on whatever stats software package it is that the league uses the Bonnyville Pontiacs are back atop the North Division standings!!!

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Randy Johnson has the greatest nickname in all of sports "The Big Unit" but young Oakland Athletics pitcher Josh Outman has the best actual name. He's a pitcher named Outman... how great is that?

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Howard Cosell had some great thoughts on 'Jockocracy'.