At the quarter-mark of their 2015-16 regular season, the Vancouver Canucks appear to be a mentally weak team that is awfully fragile.
There is no other way to explain their dismal record in one goal games and their shaky performance when holding the lead down the stretch.
The Canucks have only played 20 games, yet have lost a league-leading six of them in overtime, five of which occurred when Vancouver held the lead in the final period.
Vancouver has yet to post a victory in the new 3 on 3 overtime format.
Most teams win well in excess of 80 per cent of the time when leading after 40 minutes but the Canucks do not fall in that category this season.
When ahead after two periods, Vancouver is just 5-1-4 which is just five victories in 10 tries.
In addition, the Canucks have won just two of 13 games decided by a goal compiling a 2-5-6 record.
Last season, Vancouver was 22-4-5 in one-goal games.
The Canucks started with promise going 6-2-4 in their first dozen games but since have stumbled going 1-5-2 in their last eight.
On their seven game (1-4-2) road trip, the Canucks averaged 2.57 goals for and a whopping 4.00 goals against.
In addition, the penalty kill was just 69.2 % over the seven games.
The Canucks, like many had predicted, are not as strong as the 101 point team (48-29-5) that finished 2nd in the Pacific Division and 5th in the Western Conference in 2014-15.
Currently, Vancouver is a point out of a playoff spot, sitting 4th in the Pacific and 10th in the Conference.
With 3/4 of the schedule to go, the early indication is that the Canucks chances for securing a post-season berth are not much better than 50-50, especially if they do not become significantly stronger mentally when leading by a goal with the pressure on in the final period.
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The exit interviews are done, the B.C. Lions have said their goodbyes and plenty of changes are coming.
When a team finishes 7-11 and follows that with a 35-9 wipeout loss in Calgary to complete a miserable season, no one in the organization should feel they have job security.
Last year the Lions fired head coach Mike Benevides after a 9-9 finish.
His replacement, Jeff Tedford, did not change the culture; in fact the team tumbled further.
Tedford’s future with the team is in limbo.
Meanwhile, high profile players like Andrew Harris are itching to escape the Lions Den.
The 28-year-old Harris, who rushed for 1,039 yards this year, was asked about his free agency and responded ‘writing’s kind of on the wall’.
A banged up 32-year-old Travis Lulay is a fraction of the quarterback that was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2011.
As Lulay’s contract expires, the Lions may not want to retain his services unless it is to help develop the team’s new number one Quarterback, 23-year-old Jonathon Jennings, one of the few bright spots on the team.
The Lions are in a re-build mode and have a massive marketing job ahead to re-kindle interest in their team as attendance dropped this year by over 60,000 fans, or nearly 7,000 a game (28,011 in 2014 to 21,290 in 2015).
No matter how many significant changes are made, the paying public will likely at best take a wait and see approach.
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Instead of a national brand, it seems that the CFL has taken a step back and has appeal only on a regional basis.
TV ratings for CFL games on TSN have taken a nose dive; down approximately 19 per cent this year.
The playoffs are normally a big draw but the numbers this year don’t bear that out.
Each of the division semi-finals (Toronto at Hamilton followed by BC at Calgary) drew less than a million viewers.
Like it or not, Canadians are more attracted to watching the NFL.
Just ask yourself realistically how many fans outside of Alberta really care who wins the Western Final on Sunday when Calgary plays at Edmonton?
The same goes in the East.
Fans in Ottawa and Hamilton will be excited, but the enthusiasm to the rest of the country is minimal; especially since only hardcore fans can name more than a couple of RedBlacks or Tiger-Cats.
The CFL remains a great game, and part of the country’s culture with its long standing tradition, but the intrigue of the brand is fading and there is no ready-made solution to get the league back on an upswing.
From the Quote Rack:
Tiger Woods named Vice Captain for the Ryder Cup–well, lots of women can attest that he knows about vice.
The town boss that controls the Double Deuce bar, the one that Ronda Rousey is slated to clean up in the upcoming ‘Road House’ remake, has just hired Holly Holm.
Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett says Dez Bryant should have handled last week’s tirade directed at the media differently. “I believe that 100 percent of our guys do things the right way about 98 percent of the time.” Did they legalize marijuana in Dallas and not tell us?
It’s a new trend for pro teams to sell game used jerseys. Alas Saints can’t do that for defensive players after their 47-14 loss to the Redskins. No proof their jerseys were ever used.
Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Grey Cup in Winnipeg this year, promo is first 25,000 fans get free snow cones.
Justin Bieber is trying to put his past behind him by apologizing and acting more polished. To start, he will only bomb his neighbours houses using “cage free” eggs.
Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver http://alwaysfunny.com/
Danica Patrick told USA Today she’d rather be called pretty than sexy. Fair enough; at least she doesn’t have to worry about being called champion.
A giant sinkhole opened up in an IHOP parking lot in Mississippi and swallowed up more than a dozen cars. Afterwards, Tiger Woods took a practice putt at it and lipped out.
Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
And in case you missed it:
A breathalyzer company says the Bills, Lions and Eagles have the drunkest fans in the NFL. Mostly because the teams’ fans have to live in Buffalo, Detroit and Philadelphia.
Comedy writer Jim Barach
Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]
Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller