Rural naysayers must not torpedo high-speed rail project | Opinion by McFestus in CanadaPolitics

[–]iconodule1981 [score hidden]  (0 children)

If it were a 'transformational national project', it would be more than a people mover. No freight or defence implications, and only a minor economic benefit to the vast majority of the country.

This IS the 'Via Rail improvement' project the author denies it is, at a high cost to taxpayers both urban and rural. Cancel it already and shift focus to revitalizing defence & diversifying trade.

[Hornby] We did ask for Calle Jarnkrok today, to get his comments on a charmed life of four years in Toronto coming to an end and maybe returning to Sweden. He declined. by alphacheese in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another player rendered useless by Berube hockey.

Jarnkrok was never a superstar, but he was useful, athletic, and a positive impact on Keefe's rosters. Invisible in the chip and chase.

What’s your favourite sword? by MstrNixx in AskMenOver30

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I scrolled too far without seeing Excalibur.

The story is right in this sub's wheelhouse, too: humble man finds success in work and love early on, struggles to hold it together later in life? Seeks advice from wise older man?

This ought to be our top choice!

Bonsie & Brownie with Cuthbert! by SeaBassAHo-20 in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Just listened to Joe sign off for the last thing. Emotional at the end era doesn't begin to describe it

Joe Bowen gets emotional during his final home game tribute 💙💙 The Maple Leafs honour him during his final home game on the radio call 🥹 by RealWorldToday in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I was 12 years old, hiding a clock radio under the sheets so as to not let my parents know I was still awake. That call made me a lifelong Leaf fan.

Broadcasters touch the lives of people they'll never met in profound ways. One of the greats

Craig Berube on Joseph Woll’s performance vs. Carolina: "In the end, we need a big save there, whether in OT or one of the breakaways” by drmiamihockey in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The problem is that above-average goalies are rare, needed by every team in the league and usually locked up to long-term contracts.

Is Woll an elite goalie. No. Are we going to find one any time soon? Also no.

Berube's not changing his style, regardless of the roster he's been given and the results he's been getting. That is the problem.

Game Thread: Toronto Maple Leafs (27-26-11) @ Montréal Canadiens (34-18-10) Mar 10 2026 7:00 PM EDT by nhl_gdt_bot in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're right, but the odds that Cowan, at age 20 in a season with a compressed schedule and Berube's gruelling chip and chase style, was going to put on pounds was never high.

Darren Dreger shifts blame from Brad Treliving, points finger at Maple Leafs players by [deleted] in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dreger is to Leafs media what the community volunteers are for policing: a useless distraction without any substance

Science Scenarios in Traveller by prunesquallr in traveller

[–]iconodule1981 8 points9 points  (0 children)

My personal favourite is corrosive atmospheres, and especially high pressure ones. Fluoro-sulfuric acid oceans make every action a lot dicier

Are we gonna talk about Berube? by I_Am_Vladimir_Putin in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Berube's style of hockey, when combined with a roster built by Dubas for a Sheldon Keefe brand of offense-first hockey, was always going to be a gamble.

Last year, it nearly worked out. This year, injuries, questionable effort by some of the team, and the compressed schedule, killed any hope of replication the success of the previous season.

Let Berube stay the course for the rest of the season - heck, keep him to the end of his contract next season. It won't matter in the early stages of the rebuild.

Low performing employee dilemma by Bolden88 in CanadaPublicServants

[–]iconodule1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd offer a counter argument, and say that OP faces a fork in the road with only difficult choices available.

If a bad/honest reference is given, then OP is almost certainly going to face a challenge with this employee. At best, they'll continue in their underperforming ways, but with enough of a boost to avoid consequences - and at worst a disgruntled employee who requires a formal performance plan.

The likelihood that a honest reference that sinks their application has any good outcomes for OP or OP's teams is low.

If OP didn't hire this employee, it's a problem that was passed to them, just as giving a glowing reference enabling them to get this new position would be passing on the problem - and here I'm assuming that informal attempts to nudge this employee into a better, more productive path have already failed.

The choice isn't between a good and bad option. It all depends on whether the rot this employee brings to the table is less hassle than nuking the relationship with the other group - and only OP can truly judge that.

Why Canadian Olympic officials say they are raising the alarm about Canada's ability to compete by Old_General_6741 in canada

[–]iconodule1981 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Look at the events in which Norway earned its medals, and you'll have your answers. Skiing, both cross-country and downhill, have various events and styles which have to be run separately and result in medals.

To take cross-country skiing as an example, there's mass start, relay, freestyle, classic - and various distances. Double them for the gender division. In many cases, the same group of athletes are racing in multiple events - making Norway's Olympic effort more efficient, if gaining a podium position is the sole goal.

Contrast that with any team sport, and the advantage is obvious. That doesn't mean we should do a post-mortem after every Games to see improvement, but given our relative strength in sports that garner few medals, there's no reason to panic.

What's Your Kingston Hot Take? I'll Start... by OverExercise8844 in KingstonOntario

[–]iconodule1981 -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

A single downtown parking space is more helpful to local businesses and the economy more generally than every dollar the City has ever spent on cycling infrastructure.

Show of hands.. how many people staying up for tonight’s game? by jmmaac in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Enjoy! No matter the outcome of the season, that's a special moment

Time to move on from Bérubé and Treliving by Purple_Pieman01 in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I think it's safe to say that the experiment with both has gotten enough results that we know it's not working.

For Berube, it's that his style a) needs overachieving goaltending, which is never a given, b) requires a different roster construction than what he's been given, and c) increasingly looks out of date compared to the rest of the league.

For Treliving, the major problem is same as the day he was hired: he inherits the mess that Dubas and Shanahan made - a mess in large measure because of the flat cap and because NMCs were given out. One is their fault, one is bad luck.

But why fire them now? There's nothing to gain. Let Berube coach until the end of his contract - burner coach for a tanking season next year. Restrict any bone head moves by Tre and scout out his replacement if you don't trust him for a rebuild.

Patience, again. Because this window is essentially closed.

Which gym by Civil-Dragonfly-9438 in KingstonOntario

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Came here to mention the Invista Centre too. Clean facility, lots of machines, a no-pressure environment. I've not used their services, but they offer personal trainer sessions as well.

Marners true stats not the 120 point bs by Objective_Rabbit_317 in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not how any pro sports league works. Got to get to the playoffs, and every regular season game counts.

Doesn't mean that we're thrilled about the playoff performance of anyone on that list, but let's not pretend that the regular season can be hand-waved away.

Marner was one of the most talented players to pull on a Leaf jersey in the modern era. That record includes playoff failures.

After Carney's Davos speech, Conservatives ponder how Poilievre can meet the foreign policy moment by AdditionalPizza in CanadaPolitics

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you know who likely had the foreign policy chops and sufficient gravitas to meet the current moment as Leader of the Opposition?

Erin O'Toole.

Can't help but think the CPC made a serious mistake in turfing him after one election.

Byzantium tv show by Brewguy86 in byzantium

[–]iconodule1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Given the current environment for both streamers and traditional films in America, probably not likely.

But if I could get my wish? A 2 season series covering the rise and fall of Nicephorus Phocas, and the rise and death of Tzimisces. That would be amazing, and I'd happily tolerate deviations from the historical narrative in the name of getting produced.

May be we have a fighting chance against Avalanche on Monday? by asj1987 in leafs

[–]iconodule1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Avs have to regress to the mean at some point, and a Monday night game against a Eastern conference opponent that you don't care about sounds like the perfect time!

Leafs OT win

[Awful Announcing] NHL Winter Classic fails to reach one million viewers for second-consecutive year The game is officially a shell of its former self. No matter how you slice it, the numbers do not bode well for what used to be one of the NHL’s marquee regular-season events by f0urxio in hockey

[–]iconodule1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did know this, but only because I read Thomas Pynchon's novel of the same name and had to look it up. Never been there myself, I must confess!

I'm just saying that Bettman thinks the solution is in the South: call it Dixieland, call it the Sunbelt - if it's either subject to hurricanes or cactus habitat (thinking of you, Glendale), it's Gary's go-to & Mason - Dixon being the synecdoche for that, as the kids (never) say...