THE TEAM 990 SHOW HOST BLOGS

Friday June 6, 9:11  PM

So what happened to the greatest Stanley Cup final of all time? The Penguins didn't-or couldn't co-operate, try as they might. Evegni Malkin looked sick, in a bad way. Turns out he was. Sicker still is the growing chatter that he'll be traded. What's certain in Pittsburgh is that the Penguins will dominate the sports scene until the Steelers kick off or Ben Roethlisberger falls off his wagon, er, bike.

Malkin, Hossa, Malone, Fleury, Staal, Orpik, Therrien. So much is going to happen in the next three months that Ray Shero is going to feel like he'll need half as many limbs as a Detroit octopus. While Philadelphia, Montreal, Boston, NY Rangers and Washington figure to at least match Shero's attempts to strengthen his team.  And when was the last time a Canadiens' fan felt this good heading into the draft?

Oh, back to the Red Wings. A model organization for not just fellow NHL teams but every pro sports franchise. I felt especially good for Chris Osgood who proved that not only can you go home again but become even better as you get older. And Nik Lidstrom. First European captain to be awarded the Cup and burying that awful term "chicken Swede" for good. (Unless we discover that Max Mosley likes meatballs to go with his swastikas.) And Chelios, the freak. And Aaron Downey and Darren McCarty. And Mike Babcock. But they're no dynasty. If you believe they are (four cups in 11 years) then how about inventing a new word to describe the Canadiens of the 1950's (five straight cups), the mid to late 60's (four cups in 5 years), the NY Islanders of the 80's (four straight ) or for goodness sake the Boston Celtics of the 60's (eight NBA championships in a row and 10 of 11).

Michel Therrien did a fine job this season but his refusal to use his best player (and perhaps the world's best player) on the penalty kill, no matter what, was just plain asinine. How does Sydney Crosby not get more ice time than anybody else in uniform? Considering he missed nearly 30 regular season games, The Kid probably had more left in the tank than anybody on either team. But will Therrien get a chance to use Crosby more often next season?

Those persistent reports about Staal and Orpik and even, perhaps Mario Lemieux, being less than thrilled with Therrien's methods is not a good sign. Remember, as good a job as Shero has done since taking over as GM in Pittsburgh, he has yet to hire a coach.

Michel Villeneueve is an idiot. I don't know him personally and I don't want to know him. But I know his act. And he was at it again this past week suggesting that Pierre McGuire was trying to undermine Michel Therrien because he's still upset that Therrien got the Penguins coaching job. The bullshit that flies in this business is sometimes beyond belief.

Pierre McGuire and Ray Shero are best friends. Shero did try to hire Pierre when he was named GM, but not as a coach. Villenueve, and a few others like him, cannot grasp that editorialists can be critical of people without getting personal. Like, how dare anybody dump on fellow Quebecer Michel "Call me Mike" Therrien. Unfortunately if just three people hear this clown speak and they tell three people...

I suppose it's no better in the rest of the country. Steve Simmons in the Toronto Sun continues to insist that the Leafs could have had Chris Higgins at the trade deadline for Mats Sundin. Higgins, plus a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd round draft choice. And a prospect. And maybe Higgin's first born.

And in Vancouver the real David Pratt finally emerged. (I once guested on his radio show several years ago. I have never appeared on a show with a host who was so ill-prepared to have a conversation. He was a bufoon. When the producer thanked me  I told him to lose my phone number.) Check the second item www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080605.wspt-truth05/GSStory/GlobeSports/home

And in case you missed a non-hockey development in Pittsburgh last week: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08149/885330-139.stm

Ted Kennedy's illness was diagnosed just ahead of the 40th anniversary of the assasination of his brother Robert. Here's just one example of RFK at his best, breaking the news of the killing of Martin Luther King Jr. to a nearly all-black crowd at a campaign stop in Indianapolis: www.youtube.com/watch

Barack Obama's campaign is being compared to RFK's in '68. I think in terms of creating excitement and hope, and bringing young people and those who had been politically inactive into the campaign the comparisons are valid. And then there's the Viet Nam-Iraq analogy. But unlike Robert Kennedy, Obama is still a stranger to millions of Americans and many more world-wide. They might like what they see. But there's still a lot to get to know.

But one well known American artist believes he has seen enough: entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article4074327.ece

He's got everything he needs he's an artist,  he don't look back

Bo Diddley was a giant. He influenced  a range of rockers from Buddy Holly to the Rolling Stones. And without Bo's "I'm a man", Muddy Waters does not record "Mannish Boy". Like so many music pioneers, Diddley never got his due, let alone payment due. If there's one good deed that Phil Knight and Nike ever did it was to expose Bo to a new generation of  fans. My favorite commercials off all-time-and I never purchased a Nike item: www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch