Junior Jottings

O.K., I'm done complaining about suspensions in the OHL. Another week, another 4 players banished for various infractions, the most talked about being the 5 game sentence given to the London Knights Ryan Rupert for a vicious two-hander and pummeling of Nick Cousins of the Soo Greyhounds. At the risk of being called a neanderthal, Cousins did provoke the incident by taunting Rupert after the final buzzer and blowing him a kiss. If not for the two-hander, I would have said give Rupert OHL Player of the Week for jumping Cousins instead of a suspension.

This nonsense all seems to go back to last season when Niagara Icedogs defenseman Tim Billingsley was booted for 10 games for a clean hit on Shane Prince of the Ottawa 67's. Since then, it's been open season on any kind of hit in the league. The suspensions handed out this season have, unfortunately, overshadowed some outstanding individual and team accomplishments around the league. So from this point on, as unjust and unwarranted as some suspensions may be, you won't be reading about them here. As of next week, nothing but a focus on teams and players, as it should be. Hey after all, it is the season for peace and goodwill, although I wonder how many Niagara Icedog fans will send a Christmas card to the grinches at the OHL office who suspended Alex O'neill of Bramton for 10 games after he nailed Niagara's Frank Schumacher with a hit that resulted in a concussion to the Icedogs defenseman, while Tom Kuhnhackl sits for 20 games for his hit on Ryan Murphy of Kitchener.

Finally, I normally wouldn't respond to anything written on fan forums. My Dad fought in World War Two to help ensure things like freedom of speech. Criticize what I write or how I write on here all you want, it goes with this territory. But please, be factual.

I refer to comments posted on fan sites by someone calling themselves "Dog Fan". Look, I get it, you don't like Ted and I on the broadcasts. Simple solution? Don't listen. You say we're homers? Yup, no argument there, we're both big Icedog fans. You don't like our humour? Fine, in a boring game, which does happen, we aim to at least entertain ourselves, and hopefully our listeners. And you complain constantly that we have in the past, interviewed fans. Well, "Dog Fan", if that is your real name, to me, fans are the lifeblood of the Ontario Hockey League, without them there would be no OHL, so please, a little respect for the opinions of the fans. Some of the most knowledgable hockey people I know are fans.

What I do take great issue with , however, is your totally, 100% innacurate reasoning of why there are no Icedogs broadcasts on terrestrial radio. It has absolutely nothing to do with ratings, as you claim, but everything to do with financial arrangements between local radio stations and the Icedogs hockey club.

Also, between the 2 of us, Ted Lehamn and I have over 60 years of experience in the radio business (59 of those Ted!). We would be happy to explain to you exactly how radio ratings work, because quite simply, what you posted was completely misinformed and incorrect.

So here's an open invitation for you to e-mail me c/o localsportsreport.com, or better yet, drop by the booth at an Icedogs game to say hi. Heck, we can even put you on the air on the Lakefm.ca, that is, if we can get your permission first to interview you......after all, you are a fan.

Peace and Season's Greetings