HARTLEY’S HART ATTACK – (True or False) July 15th, 2022 EDITION 897

It is the return of the ‘True or False’ game.

Rules and/or directions are not necessary for these statements.

1) Players on the B.C. Lions received a pay boost last month.

TRUE

On June 1st, 2022, the minimum wage in B.C. increased 45 cents to $15.65 an hour.

Does this mean the Lions no longer have to play a ‘nickel’ defence?

2) The NBA off-season is more exciting than its regular season or playoffs.

TRUE

The league had a ho-hum regular season followed by the playoffs that featured mostly lopsided results.

The off-season drama includes a Kevin Durant trade request, the question marks surrounding Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook, and the New York Knicks putting up over 100 million dollars over four years to sign former Dallas point guard Jalen Brunson.

Adam Silver on Kevin Durant’s trade request: “We don’t like to see players requesting trades, and we don’t like to see it playing out the way it is.”

(h/t @ByTimReynolds) pic.twitter.com/dY5BfG7pDJ

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 13, 2022

The Utah Jazz are even in the news after seeing their head coach (Quin Snyder) leave after eight seasons, and the trading of Rudy Gobert (who had been with the team nine seasons) to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a ton of players and picks.

Now there is speculation the Jazz are listening to offers for their best player, 5-year vet Donovan Mitchell and the New York Knicks are apparently in negotiations for his services.

The Utah Jazz and New York Knicks have reportedly discussed a possible framework for a Donovan Mitchell tradehttps://t.co/AurMGwfFp7

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 14, 2022

Who do the Jazz think they are?

The Chicago Blackhawks?

3) The Toronto Maple Leafs are better in the net with Matt Murray as their starting goalie over Jack Campbell.

False

Yes, Murray won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016-17), but he has tailed off dramatically since then.

Murray, who has been battling concussions and other injuries, has played just 85 games over the last three seasons.

In his last year with Pittsburgh and two in Ottawa with the Senators, he posted a record of
35-36-8, with a .899, save percentage, 3.06 GAA, and four shutouts.

Campbell was a scapegoat in Toronto.

Was it his fault the Toronto Maple Leafs lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 7th and deciding game of their first-round series this year?

4) The Edmonton Oilers are better in the net with Jack Campbell as their starting goalie over Mike Smith.

True

The 40-year-old Smith has had a great career but he showed his age in the 2022 playoffs allowing several bad goals at key moments in certain games. (His GAA was 3.37)

Campbell is 30, which is prime for a goaltender and is ready for the next part of his career after signing that 5-year, $25 million deal with the Oilers.

He was named an Atlantic Division all-star after posting a 31-9-6 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .914 save percentage with Toronto.

In the playoffs against the high-scoring Lightning, he had a 3.15 GAA and a .897 save percentage in seven games.

OFFICIAL ✍️

The #Oilers have inked goaltender Jack Campbell to a five-year contract with a $5 million AAV! #LetsGoOilers

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 13, 2022

5) The Toronto Blue Jays will miss the playoffs this year.

FALSE

The Jays fired likeable manager Charlie Montoya this week after a slump that saw the team lose nine of 10.

Statement from the Toronto Blue Jays: pic.twitter.com/mSylN7TyDE

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 13, 2022

Toronto is holding the third and final wild-card spot along with Boston with a record of 47-43 and keep in mind that six of the 15 American League teams qualify for the post-season.

I think it is safe to assume as we near the All-Star break that four teams with losing records (Detroit, Kansas City, LA Angels, and Oakland) are already out of the running.

The Blue Jays are tied for 1st out of 30 Major League teams in batting stats with a .260 average, are tied for 19th in pitching (4.04 E.R.A.), and tied for 9th in fielding with a .986 percentage.

Interesting to note that roughly 2/3 of the teams in a playoff spot have at the All-Star break historically gone on to the post-season.

Keep in mind this is the first year MLB has expanded to three Division winners and three Wild-Card berths in both the American and National Leagues.

Percentage of teams in MLB playoffs

Pre 1968: 2 (10%)
1969-1993: 4 (14-16%)
1994-2011: 8 (26%)
2012-2021: 10 (33%)
*2020: 16 (53%) *shortened pandemic season
2022: 14 (46%) *owners proposal

14 feels unnecessary.

— Chad Amaral (@Chad_Amaral) March 1, 2022

6) The Denver Broncos will be the most improved team in the AFC.

TRUE

The Broncos went 7-10 last year without Russell Wilson.

Now Denver has an established quarterback, a significant upgrade over last year’s pair of Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater.

The Broncos are just 30-51 over the last five years but in 2022 they should at least be good enough for one of the three wild-card berths.

Denver #Broncos: 3 best offseason additions in 2022 via @NFLSpinZonehttps://t.co/6FOZxaTCnI@JulesForTheBlue @PfgVibe #NFL

— Russell S. Baxter (@BaxFootballGuru) July 13, 2022

7) This week’s Hart Attack column was the best ever!

FALSE

But, are you in agreement it was a close second?

Taking Note:

Habscheid leaves Raiders for team in Austria . . . Exits with 582 regular-season victories, two WHL titles . . . Will see some familiar faces in ICE Hockey League https://t.co/x8gDff7ZZf

— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) July 15, 2022

FROM THE QUOTE RACK:

The ex-girlfriend of New York Jets Quarterback Zack Wilson has accused him of sleeping with his mom’s best friend. If true, it is the first time the Jets have scored over 40 since 2018.

*Crazy Bills Fan on Twitter

Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic is planning to skip the US Open because he still refuses to get vaccinated. Talk about throwing away your shot.

*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

A roof has been proposed for Chicago’s legendary Soldier Field. That’s like finding a satellite dish on top of the Sistine Chapel.

*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

Jon Berti of the Miami Marlins leads all of baseball in steals, with 25, at the season’s halfway point. Unless you count the former treasurer of the Oakville, Ontario, Minor Baseball Association, who is accused of embezzling $468,000 from the league.

*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/

The ex-treasurer of the Oakville, Ontario, Minor Baseball Association was arrested for embezzling $468,000 from the league. He was charged with fraud and corrupting the minors.

*Western Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com

Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He also is the radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars’ home games. Hartley has been on the Prince George airwaves since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).