What Should Have Been Front Page News

While no doubt lacking in the scandal of Canadian farm boy hockey players being arrested and despite occurring in Francophone Canada, this would have made a better front page story of the week. Or at least it would have made a better hockey story, Toronto Sun. (And here, thankfully, Grapes and I will probably disagree. That's a relief.)

The event is for charity, and the best hockey player in the world was playing. How much more feel-good can you get than the best player in the world starring in games of shinny, all for charity? And wouldn't reporters have found something to report on when watching some incredibly talented hockey players do their thing in free-flowing games?

For your entertainment, here are the statistics through three games played. My five years of French (yes, seriously, and the sad thing is I can read and write far better than I can understand anything spoken) and familiarity with statistics will help to translate: partie stands for games, buts for goals, and passes for assists. Notice who's at the top of the statistics? Notice the GAA's (apparently "moyenne" in French) of the goalies? (Seriously. Those goalies don't get a break.)

Now, for Penguins fans, and really for hockey fans everywhere, wouldn't it be more fun to spend your summer analyzing the performance of Marc-Andre Fleury and the Pens' latest first round draft pick, in high scoring games of shinny?
Wouldn't it be nice to discuss actual hockey, even if shinny, and wonder if any of these skills will or won't translate to the NHL level for the youngsters participating? Wouldn't it be far more appropriate to place on the sports pages than discussions of a bachelor party that got too loud?

Couldn't even Don Cherry and I agree that Canadian hockey players, even French-Canadian hockey players, playing for charity would be a far better thing for hockey fans to read about in the "dog days" of summer than the arrests of two hockey players?

Eh. Maybe that's too much to ask for. But for those of you who've been hysterically entertained a bit too much by off-ice non-hockey related incidents involving a bachelor party this week, perhaps try applying the knowledge of French gained in school to read about the actual hockey that was being played in Magog this week. And if, due to the dog days of summer, you're too lazy to use your education, or you just never wasted five years of your life learning a language you never use save for reading about French-Canadian hockey players, try the magic of translation. I'll even do the work for you (albeit a little, excuse google translation for the phrases that don't quite translate):

The players of the Rogers class were not unemployed this Saturday with the arena of Magog since all the formations took part in two matches to gain their place in semi-final. Once again, Sidney Crosby stole the high-speed motorboat while being appointed player of the match twice with an impressive harvest of 10 goals and 7 master keys in two parts. After two victory from 12 to 7 against Popeye' S and from 12 to 4 against the Living room, the team Perreault Maximum-Club is one of the four finalists teams for the round of the finales. The team Popeye' S of Quebec it also obtained her pass for Sunday whereas the troop of Angelo Esposito eliminated Guillaume Latendresse and his fellow-members by the mark from 10 to 2. The new player of the Penguins of Pittsburg was named besides player of the match with 4 goals 2 master keys. The amateurs of hockey also were likely to attend the Challenge Tim Hortons, a contest of skill gathering 16 players and 4 guards. Sidney Crosby could go in final round, but it is Jean-Pierre Dumont of Predators of Nashville which gained the honors this year. As regards goalkeeper, Marc-Andre Fleury finished at the head for a second consecutive year. Later in evening, the team Thibault Pontiac Buick eliminated the formation Come Gauthier Sport 10 to 4 and equips it with Saint-François lost his last match 11 to 5 vis-a-vis M-150. For the last day, the team Perreault Maximum-Club will face Thibault Pontiac Buick in semi-final with 15 H whereas the other match opposes M-150 to Popeye' S of Quebec has 16 h.

And now, discuss hockey. What do games like this reveal and not reveal? Why? Should the performance of certain players in games such as these be expected or unexpected? Why?

Just, please, spare me the mug shots.