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HomeSportsHart AttackHARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (OPTIMISM OR PESSIMISM?) DECEMBER 7TH, 2018 EDITION...

HARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (OPTIMISM OR PESSIMISM?) DECEMBER 7TH, 2018 EDITION 709

Is the glass half-full, or half empty?

Leave it to one’s interpretation …

HALF FULL = The Prince George Cougars are just three points behind the second place (13-15-2) Kelowna Rockets in the B.C. Division with two games in hand.

They are also just a point back of both the (13-11) Victoria Royals and (12-11-1-1) Kamloops Blazers.

HALF EMPTY = The 11-14-1-2 Cougars are last in the B.C. Division and second last in the Western Conference.

Prince George has also played three more games than Kamloops and four more than Victoria.

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In addition, the Cougars are 18th out of 22 WHL teams.

 

HALF FULL = The Vancouver Canucks have arguably the best rookie in the NHL. 

Elias Pettersson is looking to become the first Canuck since Pavel Bure in 1991-92 to capture the Calder Trophy. 

The 20-year-old Swede, picked fifth overall in the 2017 draft, leads all first-year players with 14 goals and 25 points in 25 games.

Pettersson scored on his first penalty shot in the 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators.

HALF EMPTY = Despite Thursday’s win over Nashville, the Canucks have lost 12 of their last 14 games.

They are seventh out of eight in the Pacific Division.

The 12-16-3 Canucks are six points out of a wild-card spot after 31 of 82 games.

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Vancouver also has struggled with discipline. The Canucks have 325 penalty minutes, the most in the NHL.

 

HALF FULL = With a 6-4 record (in both the women’s and men’s divisions) at the midway point, the UNBC Timberwolves are on pace for their best-ever Canada West basketball season.

The UNBC women are tied for seventh out of 17 teams having scored 53 more points than they have given up (770-717).

The Lady Timberwolves also had one week where they were 10th in the national U-Sports national rankings.

The UNBC men are in eighth spot with the top 12 teams to advance to the playoffs. They also have scored 840 points while surrendering 806 (plus 34).

HALF EMPTY = Reality has hit both UNBC basketball teams after starting the season with an easier schedule.

The UNBC women have lost four straight after raising eyebrows with six consecutive wins out of the gate.

The UNBC men also impressed in their first half-a-dozen games going 5-1, but have since lost three of four.

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HALF FULL = Three-quarters of the way into the NFL season, four teams are separated by just half-game for the last playoff spot in the NFC. 

The 6-5-1 Minnesota Vikings hold down that sixth and final berth, but the Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins are right behind at 6-6.

In the AFC, it’s not much different; the 7-5 Baltimore Ravens are clinging to the last berth, but four teams are a game or less behind with the Tennessee Titans at 7-6 followed by the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos all at 6-6.

HALF EMPTY = There are still four games left for 30 of the 32 teams (Tennessee and Jacksonville have three remaining) yet half of the Division titles have practically been decided.

The 11-1 LA Rams (NFC West), 10-2 New Orleans Saints (NFC South), 9-3 New England Patriots (AFC East) and 9-3 Houston Texans (AFC South) are a whopping three or more games ahead in the loss column.

Moreover, while the (10-2) Kansas City Chiefs and (9-3) LA Chargers are still determining the AFC West, both teams are a shoe-in to make the playoffs. 

While anything is possible come the post-season, the Super Bowl will likely feature the Rams or the Saints against the Chiefs, Patriots, Texans or Chargers.

Sure a number of other teams, headed by the (7-4-1) Pittsburgh Steelers are still in contention, but the race to play in the February 3rd mega-game in Atlanta doesn’t appear to be as wide open as other years.

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So, is your glass filled with half-champagne, or half Diet Mountain Dew?

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This is Week 11 of ‘Hartley’s Cat Scan.’

The podcast, introduced in September, predominately features the Prince George Cougars.

My guests this week are Cougars forward Reid Perepeluk and defenceman Austin Crossley.

The two players discuss the enjoyment of physical play, their role on the team, what opposition ticks them off, community involvement & moving up the ranks to the WHL.

You can also find this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

 

FROM THE QUOTE RACK:

LA Chargers QB Philip Rivers and his wife Tiffany are expecting their ninth child. Is that some sort of marriage record for completed passes?

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

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Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is mulling an offer to endorse Heinz ketchup. As of now, though, he isn’t endorsing Hunt’s.

*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

 

Miami Heat swingman Josh Richardson was shocked to learn the NBA fined him $25,000 for throwing his shoe into the crowd during a loss to the LA Lakers. Apparently, he thought he had a free throw coming.

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

 

Tiger Woods on the late President George H.W. Bush says his name was “synonymous with golf.” Actually, both of their names are for those of us who always end up in the bush or woods.

*Comedy writer Jim Barach http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Long-time Chicago Bears fan Danica Patrick says she is a Green Bay Packers fan now that she’s dating QB Aaron Rodgers. Oh well, after all her years with NASCAR, she’s used to trailing the competition.

*Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com

 

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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT.
He also is the 94.3 radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on 
myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @Hartley_Miller
Listen to him on his weekly podcast:Hartley’s Cat Scan.

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