Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sunday Best


Another week has passed in the sporting world and it is about time that we review some of the best and worst from the week that was...

1. NBA Trade Deadline
-Best: Portland acquiring Gerald Wallace. He will help that team immensely. He adds a scoring threat, able to play defense and he will excel on a team/franchise that cares about basketball.
-Worst: (tie) Boston trading away Kendrick Perkins and Houston trading away Shane Battier. Kendrick Perkins was an key member of a very tight Celtics team. With the Eastern Conference stacking up on talent, having a big man who can defend the likes of Dwight Howard and Amar'e Stoudamire, along with the Lakers big men can not be looked upon lightly. Why was that Battier trade made again? A team that has struggled with injuries and trying to stay competitive trades away a player that has come to epitomize hard work and basketball smarts to a team who are the exact opposite of hard work and basketball. The Grizzlies are one of the teams that are rumoured to be on the move, so for Battier to go to the basketball abyss of Memphis is a shame.

2. Spring Training has started
Baseball is back! Lots of stories to start the year; do the Yankees have any pitching? Can the Cardinals sign Albert Pujols during the season? Will the hometown Blue Jays be able to improve on their 2010 campaign?

3. New golf #1 player
Most casual golf fans know the top 5 golfers in the world, or at least they think they do. A new number one player in the world was crowned during the World Match Play Championships over the weekend Martin Kaymer. The next world ranking will be Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald (who won the tournament) and Graeme McDowell. It's the first time since March 15, 1992, that the top four spots have been occupied by Europeans.

4. Tournament Time

Just around the corner is the busiest time of year for gamblers, NCAA men's basketball tournament. This year the field is wide open due to many reasons. The biggest is the fact freshman leave for the NBA, bring favourites back to the pack every year and creating huge parity. This season, all the top teams have lost games to inferior opponents which makes gambling on the tournament all that more fun. If you are unsure who to cheer for this year, the best choices might be Texas (two Canadians on the team) or Syracuse (one Canadian) or Gonzaga (three Canadians). So pick a squad and go nuts

5. UFC Slowly Becoming Boxing
In the main event of UFC 127, the fight between BJ Penn and John Fitch fought to a majority draw. I've seen alot of fights in my day and I can't really recall one where I left saying "you know, they beat each other up equally". Boxing started to fall off when it was the judging that became the story as opposed to the fighters, if the UFC isn't careful it risks falling into the same trap.

6. Oscars vs. Razzies
With the whole twitter phenom, people loving to react quickly and judge others, it really is a shame that the Razzies hasn't taken off. Halle Barry started what should have been a trend of actors and actresses going to accept their award. I wish it would take off.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

It's Gotta Be The Shoes

With this being the NBA All-Star weekend, it is not only a weekend of great basketball displays (celebrity game, skills challenge, 3pt contest and the dunk contest) but a weekend to display new kicks. If you haven't seen all the new shoes, you can head over to Nice Kicks for a round up.

In honour of all the new shoes hitting the market here are my 5 all time favourites in no particular order;


Air Yeezy: The Kanye West show, not only is it really sharp looking, it glows in the dark!


Air Jordan IV: My personal fav Jordan sneaker. This one is a classic and came in the best colourways as well.


Adidas Shell Toe: I'm a classic guy, that loves classic lines, plus how can you turn down sneakers that RUN DMC co-signed.


Reebok Pumps: Now these aren't the original pumps that needed the side pump, but they are damn cool, especially since the pump was the same material as a tennis ball.



NIKE iD Air Jordan Alpha 1 with MMMMBLT on the side, SICK!


What is your favourite footwear of all-time?

Friday, February 18, 2011

Things I Think and Things I Know


Lots going on these days and since most of my thoughts on sports have been in the spoken word for the past 3 weeks (have you heard about the podcast?), figured it was time to check in online and write something nice.

Here are some things I think and things I know (h/t to Peter King)
1. Really looking forward to baseball season. The Jays are going to be decent and the A's are favorites in the AL West.

2. Not looking forward to hearing about labour situations for the next 8-10 months. With both the NFL and NBA about to renew the CBA's there is going to be lots more going on in board rooms instead of on playing fields.

3. The two 10 year old girls that have been "discovered" on youtube by Simon Cowell and Lady Gaga will not be the next Justin Beiber. Beiber is a hit because of his image and the fact that 10-15 year old girls need someone to crush on. Boys of the same age don't crush on 10 year old girls and won't buy the posters, teen beat magazine, go see the movie, etc...that made Beiber the phenom.

4. Bautista signing with the Jays for 5 years and $64 million is fine by me. Winning with young players doesn't happen, you need to sprinkle in veterans and a couple of stars. Bautista can be that for the Jays.

5. I've really started to enjoy coffee the last 6 months. I'm not a cup a day guy yet, but want to stretch my boundaries a little, besides second cup/starbucks/timothys - what do I need to try?

6. NBA All-Star weekend is probably the best of the pro sports All-Star weekends. Many activities beside the game that you tune in for (3pt contest and dunk contest), even if you end up disappointed in the end.

7. Brian Burke re-vamping the Leafs line-up is smart. It will take the rest of the season for the Toronto sports media to realize the new guys he has brought in our crap and then he is off the hook until the start of next season.

8. Do baseball players really need a month of spring training anymore? They used to because they wouldn't train in the offseason. Now that they arrive to camp in shape (except for Joba Chamberlain), why have a month to get ready. Two weeks tops...

9. CC Sabathia showed up to Yankees spring training about 20 lbs lighter. He lost all the weight by giving up his habit of eating a BOX of Cap'n Crunch cereal each day. That guy must have some serious cuts on the roof of his mouth.

10. How long can you wear the jersey of a player who has been traded from your favorite team? Carmelo Anthony is either going to be dealt in the next couple of weeks or will sign elsewhere in the offseason. Do I get a one season grace period before having to purchase a new Nuggets jersey? I don't want to spend all the money for a new jersey of a player who will be gone quickly.

11. Can you believe Joe Smith (former number 1 overall pick) has now played for 12 different NBA franchises? It ties the record of Chucky Brown, Tony Massenburg, and Jim Jackson (h/t Uniwatch Blog).

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

500 Level Podcast - Episode 2


Well look at that...this wasn't a one and done project.  Very happy to post the second episode of the 500 Level Podcast where my co-host Aman and I talk about Toronto sports.

In episode 2 we cover the Super Bowl (can't ignore that), the Phil Kessel mess with the Leafs, the end of the Raptors losing streak, the return of Touchdown Atlantic and some TFC training camp news.

Go ahead and download the podcast here - 500 Level - Feb 9

or listen to the live stream;


Any comments, feedback or questions - hit us up by email - 500LevelPodcast@gmail.com or on twitter @500_Level_Pod

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Foodie Times - Restaurant Review - AME


Saturday evening I had the pleasure to join some friends at AME. AME is a Japanese restaurant in downtown Toronto. In his previous incarnation it was called Rain. For those of you who care, AME is the Japanese word for rain.

AME is participating in the Winterlicious promotion that is currently happening. Winterlicious can be a great program. It allows wannabe-foodies the chance to eat at high-end restaurants that they probably wouldn't otherwise try. Customers get to pick from a special "winterlicious" menu that is a set price. The issue many customers have with this special is that they feel they are not getting the best from the restaurant. They feel they are often neglected for the regular patrons. Luckily, this was not the case last night at AME.

We were seated in a corner booth that was well appointed with traditional Japanese fabrics on the comfortable chairs and bankettes. The finishings on the table were high quality chopsticks (and a rock to rest them on) and a cloth napkin.

Sitting and enjoying the conversation, it was easy to also enjoy the atmosphere; funky music played in the background throughout the evening, but not lound enough to be a distraction, and the decor throughout the restaurant (and including the bathroom) was well done.

Now that the mood was set it was time to eat and drink. The waiter took the time to not only explain the winterlicious menu, but also the regular menu incase we were interested. He was also knowledgeable with regards to the short sake list. This is one area the restaurant could definitely expand on. The idea of the menu is to share food with your partner, I'm not that good at sharing what's on my plate, but didn't have much choice last night.

We started our dining experience with a plate of Salmon Maki. It was well prepared, very tasty actually. Our dinner mates had the Unagi maki, which they seemed to enjoy very much as well. The next course was the snapper sashimi. Usually, the wife isn't a huge fan of sashimi, but she couldn't resist trying these. Presentation of both these dishes was excellent and made you feel like you are eating at a high end restaurant.

We then received our two hot dishes and our side. Everyone at the table chose the same items - Miso marinated striped bass and the Teriyaki Cornish Hen. The item that was left in the kitchen - the vegetarian mushroom salad. Again, the whole table decided on the same side dish, the Waygu beef rice. The other choices were very plain, and when you have a chance to eat Waygu beef, you go for it.

The piece of bass and the cornish hen were each single serving pieces. For an XL individual like myself, sharing wasn't necessary, but I couldn't leave the wife starving. The bass was very soft and fell apart while trying to get it to my mouth with the chop sticks. The miso crust was a nice touch. The Teriyaki cornish hen was garnished with...wait for it...7 spice popcorn. If you don't think that was the first part of the plate that I went for you are seriously mistaken. The cornish hen was very tender and juicy. The Teriyaki flavour wasn't overpowering, so you were able to enjoy the meat.

Unfortunately, the sides was brought after we had finished the main course. I'm not certain if this how the chef plans to serve every meal or he just couldn't get the rice ready at the same time as the proteins. Either way, the Waygu beef rice was very tasty and a nice way to finish off the meal. Dessert was carrot cake that was served with an tiramisu. Very tasty and a great way to cleanse the pallette.

After we had finished the meal, and the group enjoyed some coffee and tea, there was no pressure for the cheque to be settled and we were permitted (as you should be) to enjoy the restaurant until we felt it was time to leave.

Overall, this was a great experience and would recommend AME if you needed a higher end restaurant to entertain a client, take the wife or girlfriend for a special evening out or as we saw last night a night out with friends before hitting the town.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Super Bowl Preview - Packers vs. Steelers


With the Super Bowl only one day away (or today, depending on when you read this) we can now break down the game confidently knowing nothing will change between now and gametime.

Whether you are a fan that has been watching since training camp in August or you are going to a Super Bowl party and you really want to sound knowledgeable in front of your boyfriends friends, these are the hot topics for you to consider;

1. Defense vs. Defense
This Super Bowl matches the number 1 and number 2 defenses of the league. Steelers took the top spot, while the Packers were #2. The Steelers are great against the run, and average against the pass, while the Packers are top 5 against both the run and the pass. Both defenses have to worry about containing the opposing QB breaking out of the pocket and gaining yards on the ground. The key to the Steelers defensive success will be containing the fast Packers wide receivers and can Harrison and Woodley put enough pressure on Aaron Rodgers to force mistakes. The key to the Packers defensive success will be to take advantage of the injuries on the Steelers offensive line. If they can put pressure on with their defensive line and contain the run, it will force Big Ben to throw into coverage with the ball hawking Packers secondary.
ADVANTAGE: PACKERS

2. QB Battle
Both these quarterbacks have had great seasons. Big Ben obviously had 4 less games at the start of the year, but he has proven once again that he is a top tier NFL QB. If he wins this Super Bowl, he will have 3 rings before the age of 30 putting him in the same company as Tom Brady and Joe Montana. Aaron Rodgers has been red hot with his play in the last 4 weeks of the season. He has made the leap into the discussion of a top QB. These guys have similar skills, but what we have seen from Big Ben in the past is that he can still get the win even if his team plays poorly. Rodgers hasn't really proven this yet, and has shown a lack of killer instinct going down the stretch of games. It will be a battle of who makes the fewest mistakes.
ADVANTAGE: Ben Roethlisberger

3. Injuries
The Packers led the league in games missed due to injury, but luckily for them they were all in the first few of games of the season which let them recover and fill the holes. Injuries to Ryan Grant, Jeremichael Finley and Nick Barnett were tough to swallow at first, but they have managed to fill the voids. The Steelers have caught the injury bug in the last couple of weeks. The offensive line has been decimated by injuries. Both starting tackles and starting centre Maurkice Pouncey are all likely to miss the big game. The other injury concern for the Steelers is all-pro and defensive player of the year Troy Polamalu. He has battled an Achilles injury all season long. Polamalu will definitely play on Sunday, but he will have to be on top of his game to keep the Packers wide receivers from breaking big yards.
ADVANTAGE: Packers

4. Intangibles
This is the area that will probably decide the game. The first is penalties. The Packers had a couple of really bad games with lots of penalties (vs. the Bears they had 18 penalties), but overall they weren't as bad as the Steelers in terms of penalty yards. The Steelers with the depleted offensive line have to be careful that they don't get holding and illegal motion penalties. The other side of the ball, everyone knows James Harrison is good for one unnecessary roughness penalty.
The Steelers also have the experience of being in the big game. 26 players on the Steelers roster have Super Bowl experience, while only 1 Packer has been to a championship game. The Steelers should be more relaxed and ready for all the delays and distractions that come with playing in the Super Bowl.
Although the QB's are the stars of the show, the running game might decide the outcome. The Steelers feature a back (Rashard Mendenhall) that could easily gain 100 yards. The Packers on the other hand have a practice squad runner in James Starks who has made a splash, but no one is really sure what he will deliver from game to game. If either player can keep the chains moving and put their team in second and medium, and convert third and short yardage situations it will dramatically help the teams success.
ADVANTAGE: Packers

5. MVP Candidates
The obvious MVP candidates are the two QB's. If there teams win Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers will obviously have played well and will be prime candidates to win the MVP. Other players to watch as MVP candidates will be Steelers tight end Heath Miller. The Packers give up big yards to TE's all season and if Miller has a big game, he could get himself some hardware. As mentioned earlier, the Steelers defense is ranked number one for a reason. Troy Polamalu, James Harrison or LaMarr Woodley could all make cases for themselves as MVP with an interception or a couple of sacks or a fumble recovery. On the Packers side of the ball wide receiver Greg Jennings could be on the receiving end of lots of Rodgers passes which could give him an MVP trophy. The other players to look out for might be Sam Shields. The Packers corner plays opposite Charles Woodson so might get picked on a little more, opening up for him to make some big plays. Packers defensive tackle BJ Raji also gets to work against the back-up centre which might allow him to make some impact plays and get his hands on some hardware.
ADVANTAGE: Steelers

It will come as no shock what my pick for the game is;
Packers 28 vs. Steelers 13

GO PACK GO!!!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Debut of the 500 Level Podcast

We told you about it on twitter, facebook and now it is here! The debut of the 500 Level Podcast.

Aman and myself have taken to the airwaves to give you opinions, news and views on the Toronto sporting landscape. We'll talk about Raptors, Leafs, Blue Jays, TFC, Argos and then give you a quick "around the world" segment to cover big events like the Super Bowl, March Madness or the Masters.

Listen to the podcast by streaming the audio


Or follow this link to download the podcast.
500 Level Podcast Link

Once it is downloaded you can import it into iTunes. If you have any difficulty downloading please leave a comment or email us at 500LevelPodcast@gmail.com

You can also follow us on twitter @500_Level_Pod

Tell your friends!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Super Bowl Week

It's Super Bowl week and it didn't take long for the headlines to develop. The Packers caused a media frenzy over a botched team photo, the Steelers touched down waving terrible towels and an ice storm hit Dallas giving everyone a taste of what the Super Bowl in Indianapolis and NY are going to be like.

Adding to the hype machine is Pepsi. For each round of the playoffs they have a quick music video to promote the game. Usually it involved rappers from the hometown team (Big Boi of Outkast did the Atlanta vs. Green Bay game), but this one features Snoop Dogg, representing LA, ughh?



You should know by now that I will be cheering for the Packers on Sunday, but we still need to break this game down. In the coming days, we'll examine the story lines;
1. Defense vs. Defense
2. QB Battle
3. Injuries
4. Intangibles
5. MVP Candidates