Under Further Review – Douglas Smith with Editor Bill Morphy. Regular contributors include Jordan Moss, Rob Wagner, Howard Steiss, Ian MacPhee, Dave Kittle, Peter Hucul, Ted Tait, Bill and Glen Myles, Frank Sullivan, Mark Hughes, Iqbal Grewall and Charlie Frenette.   

Spanning the digital ether to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition… This is Under Further Review.

The Big Exodus – Will the last sports franchise leaving Vancouver please turn out the lights? With the Whitecaps threatening a move to Vegas, it the latest chapter in an exodus legacy that has scarred the city forever.

A little history lesson is in order. Everyone remembers the messy departure of the NBA Grizzlies. The league screwed the team from the get-go by stripping them of the opportunity to pick first overall in the NBA draft. It cost the team a chance to select Tim Duncan. The Canadian dollar was plummeting and off went the Grizz.

Vancouver enjoyed Triple-A baseball until they didn’t. Future MLB stars like Garrett Anderson, Jim Edmonds, J.T. Snow, Chris Turner and Troy Percival made stops at Nat Bailey Stadium. We ended up with Low-A ball at the bottom of the minor league rung. Top draft picks never made it to Vancouver. At least now with High-A baseball, top Blue Jay prospects like Trey Yesavage, Arjun Nimmala and Johnny King are stopping here.

Who can forget the Greater Vancouver Open at Northview on the PGA Tour? That’s long forgotten. The GVO was an after-thought on the Tour right from the start and never gained respect among players. Sponsorship dollars never materialized. The GVO was gonzo before we knew it.

The Molson Indy auto race drew tremendous crowd support. It too faded into the blue.

The Vancouver Giants are now playing out of the Langley Events Centre. Going to a Giants game for fans living in the centre of Vancouver is no longer an option. The Vancouver Bandits have also moved to Langley if anyone wants to watch watered-down pro basketball.

So, there you have it. The Whitecaps have one foot out the door. PavCo, the government arm running BC Place Stadium, have done the Whitecaps no favours when it comes to revenue sharing. It’s a combination of bad political leadership and the business community failing to step up.

Will the Whitecaps be the latest sports franchise to leave town? Maybe. If they stick around, you can be sure the politicians will take the credit.

And Nobody Watched – Gary Bettman’s grand expansion scheme is coming home to roost. Who’s watching a Carolina-Vegas Stanley Cup Final? Sportsnet can’t be happy. The ratings for the final could be an all-time low. You would have to think it won’t be any better for ESPN in the states.

Don’t know about you but we’re getting really tired of seeing non-hockey markets have playoff success. Carolina is NASCAR country. Henceforth, we are going to call the Hurricanes the Carolina Carburetors. Seen enough of Tampa and Florida. Thank you very much. Seen enough of Dallas. Enough of Nashville. And then there’s Vegas? The worst of all considering the special treatment they received when the Golden Knights entered the league. It is supposed to be a level playing field but you can’t dismiss the fact the warm weather teams have benefitted from the lure of sunshine and little or no state taxes.

Vegas was built on prostitution and gambling. Orchestrated by the Mob. The Golden Knights seem to operate with the same ethos. After all, it’s Sin City. Do as you please. Screw Bruce Cassidy from getting another job. No problem. If there’s a rule to break that benefits the team, go for it.

Vegas has now reached three Cup finals in nine seasons. Vegas was aggressive in signing Mitch Marner. They somehow managed to wangle Rasmus Andersson out of Calgary. They had the guts to fire Cassidy with eight games to go in the season and take a huge risk on John Tortorella. Carter Hart was an outcast after the junior hockey sexual assault scandal. What scandal? That would never stop us. Hart has been a huge factor in the playoffs and looks like a cost-effective long-term answer in goal.

Fan bases in other markets would love to see their team act so shamelessly.

Let’s Make a Deal – Did you catch the proposed three-way trade being floated by hockey commentator Jeff Marek? It involves the Canucks, Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks. If it’s for real, the Canucks should be jumping all over it.

Here’s how it goes. Marek reports the Canucks would send defenceman Filip Hronek to the Stars. Dallas would also receive the negotiating rights to UFA forward Ilya Mikheyev from Chicago. The Black Hawks would land pending RFA Jason Robertson from the Stars. Vancouver would get the fourth overall pick from Chicago along with two salary dumps, the final year of Ryan Ellis’ contract ($6.25 million) plus Stars blueliner Ilya Lyubushkin (one more year at $3.25 million).

Obviously, the big prize is the fourth pick in the NHL draft later this month. It would give the Canucks two transformative pieces. You can see the deal from the Stars perspective. They are in heavy need of a reliable right-shot defenceman. For the Blackhawks, you have to assume they are desperate for a scoring winger to ride alongside Connor Bedard.

Canuck fans should be praying for the deal to happen.

Canucks Notebook – Glad to see the Canucks hired Manny Malhotra as head coach. He did a splendid job in Abbotsford. It would have been a shame to see him leave the organization. With Malhotra behind the bench, there seems to finally be alignment within the organization. It will be interesting to see how Manny fills out his coaching staff.

If you are a UFR regular, you are no doubt aware of our criticism of the lack of Canadian-born players on the Canucks roster. We can only hope Ryan Johnson is paying close attention to the Stanley Cup lineups. The Vegas Golden Knights roster includes 16 Canadians. The Carolina lineup has 10 Canadians. It’s no coincidence the two teams are in the final.

Former Canucks chief scout Judd Brackett has left Minnesota to take an assistant GM job with the Maple Leafs. The Canucks were reportedly interesting in bringing Brackett back to Vancouver. He’s an outstanding judge of talent. Too bad they were unable to lure him back.

Looks like Brendan Gallagher’s career is over in Montreal. He’s already let it be known he would be happy to come home to Vancouver and provide the rebuilding Canucks with some veteran leadership. Gallagher has another year on his contract at $6.5 million. You would assume the Canadiens will have to add some kind of sweetener for the Canucks to pick up the contract.

The Wizard of Westmount – Sports talk radio in Montreal is exploding with speculation Connor McDavid may be interested in joining the Canadiens. McDavid was in Montreal recently to attend the Montreal Grand Prix and it was reported he visited neighbourhoods in Westmount and Brossard to look at houses.

We were the first to report the potential for a McDavid move to the Canadiens. Makes complete sense. Montreal checks all the boxes. They are a contender. They have all kinds of young talent and excess draft capital. Plus, and this is the big factor, the Canadiens have cap space. If Gallagher comes off the books, that’s $6.5 million. Patrik Laine won’t be back. He carried an $8.7 million dollar cap hit.

McDavid is not happy in Edmonton. Any fool would know the roster has become a dog’s breakfast. The season ended abruptly. The Oilers have numerous holes and little cap room. Can you imagine McDavid in a Montreal uniform? They would become instant Cup contenders.

NHL Playoff Takeaways – One of the reasons for the Canadiens playoff success was the shutdown play of Nick Suzuki, Jake Evans and Philip Danault. All three Montreal centres are top-shelf defenders. It allows Marty St. Louis the luxury of matching lines without too much concern. All three can be trusted in their own zone. The playoffs have a way of exposing teams weaknesses. The reunion with Danault has turned into a huge win for GM Kent Hughes. McDavid would complete the puzzle.

No GM is going to be more challenged this summer than Minnesota’s Bill Guerin. He needs to take his best shot at signing Quinn Hughes and not risk having Hughes head into his ‘walk’ season. Guerin is in a tough spot with Kirill Kaprizov already earning $17 million per season. Hughes is in a very favourable negotiating position. Can the Wild afford to sign him to a deal that eclipses Kaprizov?

Buffalo may be a hexed city but we were happy to see the Sabres in the playoffs. Can’t argue Buffalo is a hockey town. The fans know the game. Cripes, they know the words to the Canadian national anthem. It was great to see the Sabres in the post-season for the first time in 15 years. It would be wonderful to see Detroit in there as well, just not at the expense of Ottawa or Montreal.

Same Old Same Old – Every year around this time, it’s Groundhog Day in Toronto. Out come the excuses. Find a fall guy. Convince the media lemmings to serve the guy up on a platter. It’s been someone different every off-season going all the way back to Freddie Andersen. Nazem Kadri knows how it feels. It’s been coaches and GM’s one after another. They ran Mitch Marner out of town last summer. Now, Morgan Reilly is the scapegoat du jour. Fact is, the Leafs eat their young. Good luck to Gavin McKenna. No chance he will survive.

Has it ever occurred to the Leafs that the problem is the market itself? Warped expectations from the fans and media. Everyone at the water cooler has an opinion on what ails the Maple Leaf. Worse yet, Leafs management listens to them. What’s the old saw? If you listen to the fans, soon, you will be sitting up in the stands with them.

On and on it goes.

The plan now is to retool on the fly. In two or three years, the Leafs will realize that was a stupid idea and will start all over again. It’s exactly what’s happening with the Canucks. We screamed for a rebuild after Jim Bob Benning was axed. Didn’t happen and it only served to drag out the inevitable.

If the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, and there’s a very good chance they will, Marner will have the last laugh. When he gets his one day with the Stanley Cup, he should rent a convertible, sit in the back seat with the Cup, and parade it around Scotiabank Centre. He could stop off at Nathan Phillips Square and have his picture taken with somber Leaf fans. Marner may also be carrying the Conn Smythe Trophy with him.

Talk about pay back.

Claude Lemieux RIP – When news broke of the death of NHL playoff warrior Claude Lemieux, my first reaction was to link it to CTE. He played 21 seasons and no doubt suffered countless head blows and concussions, diagnosed or otherwise. His family has already made the decision to donate his brain to CTE research.

It burns my ass to think that Gary Bettman, to this day, has never recognized the link between head shots, concussions and CTE. The evidence is all there. Lawsuits have proven it. Payments to former players prove it. What’s he trying to hide? Only a weasel would continue to deny the obvious.

Lemieux spent many years as a player agent. His first and longest-running client is Carolina goaltender Freddie Andersen. The two were very close. Claude would have been very proud to see Andersen shining in these playoffs. Entering the final, he was 12-1 with a 1.41 GAA and a .931 save percentage. Yes, that would be the same Freddie the Leafs sent packing.

World Cup Notebook – The World Cup of Soccer is set to begin on June 11. The greedy FIFA organizers have expanded the field to 48 teams. The tournament will last for more than five weeks. Shake Your Moneymaker!

It seems absolutely ludicrous to have the competition end on penalty kicks but that’s probably what will happen. Paris Saint-Germain just captured the Champions League title for the second year in a row by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties. For non-football crazies, this is exactly why it is difficult to fully embrace the sport. Can you imagine following your favourite team and keep having them lose big games on kicks? It’s stupidity. Reduce the number of players on the pitch and make them keep playing.

The big concern around Team Canada is injuries. Canadian captain Alphonso Davies has been ruled out for the opening game as he works his way back from a hamstring injury. Davies is becoming the Joel Embiid of soccer. The Bayern Munich standout has had a long string of ailments over the past year.  The latest while playing in the Champions League semifinal last month.

Davies is among 26 players named to represent Canada following a training camp in Charlotte, N.C. The roster features 13 players who played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar along with 13 newcomers. Canada is scheduled to kick off the tournament against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on June 12 before travelling to Vancouver for group-stage games against Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24.

CBC reports the cost to British Columbia of hosting seven World Cup matches has risen to nearly $700 million dollars with projected revenues of $600 million. You guessed it. The BC taxpayer is on the hook before the World Cup even begins.

NFL Notebook – The Seahawks chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions just took a hit. The Los Angeles Rams made a huge splash with the acquisition of Cleveland pass rusher supreme Myles Garrett. He set an NFL record last season with 23 sacks on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honours.  The Rams also added All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie from Kansas City. It’s no surprise the Rams have been installed as prohibitive Super Bowl favourites.

The Seahawks, meantime, signed outside linebacker Derick Hall to a new 3-year, $42 million dollar extension. The deal looks amazing when you consider Boye Mafe left the Hawks in free agency and signed a 3-year, $60 million dollar deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. Hall is the better player. Excellent value for Seattle.

Under NFL rules, teams receive draft pick compensation when they lose coaches and top executives to other teams. Hawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley has taken the GM job in Minnesota. As a result, Seattle will receive compensatory third-round picks in each of the next two drafts. The Seahawks now have a projected 12 total picks in the 2027 draft. This is how good teams stay on top.

The First Salvo – You had to know it was coming. Major League Baseball owners have made a long-expected salary cap proposal to the players’ association which was immediately met with derision. It sets the battle lines for a work stoppage next season.

Under the proposal, spending in 2027 would be capped at $245.3 million with a  payroll floor of $171.2 million. Hard to argue with the idea of forcing some teams to spend more. An agreement would hit the Dodgers hard. They are, by far, the biggest spenders with an opening day payroll this season of $415.2 million. Do the math. That’s $170 million over the proposed new salary cap.

Blue Jays Notebook – If you are wondering why the Blue Jays pitching staff is being taxed, we have the answer. The Jays are last in the American League in walks. All that does is make for quick innings, allowing the other team’s starter to go deeper. Meanwhile, the Jays bullpen is overused. Braydon Fisher, Louis Varland, Mason Fluharty, Jeff Hoffman and Tyler Rogers are all top 10 in AL appearances. Jays hitters need to get back to being more selective. Work pitchers deeper into counts. Memo to Ernie Clement – stop swinging at the first pitch!

The Blue Jays may want to consider revamping their medical staff. Jose Berrios was in some state of rehab for eight months before the team announced he needed Tommy John surgery. He will miss all of this year and probably most of next. For his efforts, Berrios will earn $43 million. Meantime, the Jays couldn’t make a decision on Anthony Santander for almost a year before he underwent shoulder surgery. Santander has basically been a write-off for two seasons. Somebody seems to have an issue making a decision. Rehab should not last forever before you undergo the knife.

Now that the MLB season is into June, it’s a good time to take a close look at the Jays free agent signing of third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. He signed a four-year, $60 million contract in the off-season which was a big commitment for a player who had never seen major league pitching. The power numbers are there. Okamoto leads the Jays in homers, RBI’s and extra-base hits but its come with a high whiff rate. Okamoto is striking out over 30 percent of the time. He’s been slightly above average defensively. His salary jumps to $17.25 million next season. If Okamoto can learn the pitchers and lower the strikeout rate, he should still provide decent value.

The Arms Race – In the U.S., there’s been a shocking increase in the number of young ballplayers undergoing Tommy John surgery. Blame the parents.

The procedure is normally done as a result of wear and tear on the elbow. The surgery reconstructs the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The rate of surgeries has dramatically risen after word surfaced that many pitchers enjoyed an uptick in velocity of about 2mph after the surgery was performed. Parents living vicariously through their kids, and dreaming of big paydays, have been pushing their children to have it done. The increase in surgeries among 15–19-year-olds is at epidemic levels.

You can always count on Mom and Dad to make the right decisions for you.

Wonder Where Wander Went – Remember Wander Franco? The insanely talented young Tampa Bay shortstop? He burst onto the scene in 2021 and was so impressive the Rays signed him to a massive 11-year, $182 million contract.

Everything went sideways when Franco was charged with having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl. According to court documents, he transferred thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.

The case has dragged on for years. Franco has been declared criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor but will not serve any further jail time. The judge ruled Franco was the victim of extortion and blackmail by the girl’s mother who’s been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually trafficking her daughter.

According to industry sources, it’s doubtful Franco will ever play another major league game. If you are wondering, the Rays have been off the hook for the contract since Franco was charged.

Random Leftovers – Guess we shouldn’t be surprised Team Canada failed to medal at the World Hockey Championships in Switzerland. Norway took the bronze with a stunning overtime win over Canada in the semifinal. What can you expect when Brad Treliving puts the team together?

Formula 1 racing is dangerous at the best of times. During a practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Williams driver Alex Albon crashed after running over a groundhog. Albon’s car suffered extensive damage and was ruled out of sprint qualifying. Welcome to Canada where wildlife still exists.

Disappointing exit for fourth-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime at the French Open in Paris. He had a clear path to a major after the other top seeds were eliminated including top seed Jannik Sinner. Felix bowed out in the quarterfinals.

Nothing is more pathetic than seeing athletes stick around too long. Serena Williams have announced she is returning to tennis at the age of 44. Looks like she could even be playing singles at Wimbledon. She may be the GOAT of women’s tennis with 23 singles titles but can you not just let go? Does she seek the attention that much? Lebron James should get the same memo.

No athlete has been screwed over more by his parents than veteran NHL defenceman Jack Johnson. Mom and Dad siphoned $15 million from him when in control of his finances. Both parents are now in jail after scamming the U.S. government. Mom just got 15 months. Dad had already been sentenced to 18 months. Seems they ran a bed and breakfast into the ground and hid a bank account from tax authorities.

Michael Phelps won 23 Olympic gold medals during his legendary swimming career. That’s a higher lifetime total than nearly 100 countries. Close to 50 countries have never captured a single medal.

The Last Laugh – Back in the 1970’s, Arsenal had a player on the roster named David Dicks. As the story goes, when Dicks suffered an injury, a local newspaper ran a headline saying “Arsenal to Play without Dicks.” When the coach complained, it was later changed to “Arsenal to Play with Dicks Out.”

YouTube Music Video of the Week – You can always count on great performances every year at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies in Los Angeles. In 2013, Chuck D. of Public Enemy, Darryl DMC McDaniels of Run DMC, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, Rush, John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Gary Clark Jr. and Chris Cornell came together to perform the blues classic “Crossroads.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygSWlsOYUig&list=RDygSWlsOYUig&start_radio=1

How about a little jazz for you? The band Blues Force includes jazz greats Bob James (keyboards), Nathan East (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), and Larry Carlton (guitar). They blend together like fine wine. Effortless musicianship. Smooth harmonies. Here’s Blues Force performing live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnZjhc3005k&list=RDAnZjhc3005k&start_radio=1

The late Wes Montgomery is a legendary jazz guitar player. His performance in 1965 in Belgium is considered a pivotal moment in jazz history. Here’s Montgomery and a group of stellar sidemen performing “Impressions.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbGGP_YGAi4&list=RDPbGGP_YGAi4&start_radio=1

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