CANADIENS 100 YEARS

My favourite sports team -- the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League -- is 100 years old this year. The CBC screened an hour-long documentary, these past two nights, on the history of the club, its cultural impact, including interviews with some surviving players, celebrities who speak of their affection and appreciation of the "Habs", and archival footage of years past. The film spent a few minutes talking of my all-time favourite Stanley Cup playoffs: The 1970-71 finals between the team in question and the Chicago Blackhawks. The couple of clips I saw sent chills through me. I cannot believe that event was 38 years ago.

The host of this fine, fine documentary (The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years, 100 Stars) was none other than George Sroumboulopoulos. This was a big mistake. The Corp uses this guy for far too many programs or events. Living here in Canada -- or watching from the U.S. border -- makes you think that we have a population of 1,000 people. Its kind of like growing up in a small town and the same guy hosts all local events: The beauty pageant, the Fair, and everything in between.

The CBC has to do some serious casting for more hosts. George is not a smart or quick enough guy to be interviewing name-the-person on the weekday program The Hour, and he is not charming.

The biggest reason George should not have been chosen to host The Montreal Canadiens, is because he can't skate. It was bloody embarrassing!