While I haven’t lived in Brandon since 2001, I still follow the Wheat Kings to some degree and am always happy to see them have success.  To people that know me fairly well, it’s no secret that while I lived in Brandon I didn’t always cozy up to Kelly McCrimmon and Bob Lowes.  In fact, I’m sure both of them would tell anyone who asks that I’m not their favorite person.   Far from it.  Truthfully, I felt I got along with Bob excellent up until they had a situation with assistant coach Mark Johnston that resulted in him leaving the team and then the on-ice product went into a ten game tailspin and I ended up asking some fairly pointed questions during a live interview with goalie Jamie Hodson prior to a game in which Lowes installed a call-up goalie to try and get a badly needed win.  The strategy worked perfectly.  Geoff McIntosh stood on his head and I attempted to do a glowing story about another Lowes hunch that pays off for the Wheat Kings.  Instead, Bob was hot about the interview I did with Hodson and didn’t give me any quotes to use for my story.  Being young and vindictive, I took Bob’s sarcastic quotes and used them to create my own equally sarcastic story.  It wasn’t flattering.  And, it ruined my relationship with him.  He was never nice to me again after that and I decided I didn’t like him either.  Our paths crossed many years later at an SJHL event in Saskatoon and we had another heated argument about my big mouth and about his hot temper and unwillingness to cooperate.  By the time we were done, I think we found some common ground.  I haven’t seen him since and am more than willing to admit I was young, stupid, mouthy, and to this day I don’t intimidate well.  When you push, I push back.  Much like Bob does, I think.  Still, I’ve never shied away from the fact I was always impressed at how he was able to get results from his players.  I believe, I was also the only media person he ever trusted to wear a wireless microphone during a game.  He let me follow him around on a game day one time.  It was, maybe, my favorite piece I ever produced at CKX.  I learned an incredible amount from him and about him that day. As far as Kelly goes, I have always found him guarded at the best of times.   Secretive and uncooperative at the worst of times.  However, over the years I admit that if I was in his shoes I wouldn’t have looked at me favorably either.  He’s a highly successful hockey executive with a business to run and why should he answer dumb questions from some 20-year-old who thinks he knows it all.  Today, I should be embarrassed, quite frankly.  Now that I’m out of the media, I see questions from people proclaiming to be journalists all the time and I often think, ‘Man, I wish they were interviewing Kelly McCrimmon so he could teach them a thing or two aboutasking questions.’  The one thing Kelly taught me, unknowingly, was how to do a good interview.  If someone is going to make themselves available for a few minutes and if you are going to put this conversation out in the public for the world to see, the least you can do is ask intelligent questions that require thoughtful answers and will generate interest from those watching.  I don’t know how many times I’ve seen an interview of a sports figure and felt it was nothing more than complete filler.  I never ever viewed interviewing Kelly as ‘filler’.  When I talked to him, I made sure I was prepared because if I wasn’t, I would sure know that by the time I was done.  I don’t think I’ve spoken to Kelly in the fifteen years since I left.  I have no reason to and he, certainly, has more important people to talk to than me.  I suspect his opinion of me falls somewhere along the same lines as the one Bob had/has  when we came together at the SJHL event about seven or eight years ago.  Having said that, in light of Kelly landing a job as assistant General Manager with the new NHL team in Las Vegas, I can tell you there are very few people who would be more qualified for this job.  We used to sit in the sports office at CKX and laugh at how Kelly would fleece opposing WHL teams with trades.  It seemed he not only won the deals, he committed grand larceny.  Kirby Law for Jason Boyd still has me howling.  Here’s what I do know from my time in Brandon:  Kelly wore the Wheat King logo on his sleeve.   Yeah, it’s his business and who doesn’t want to run a goodbusiness, but the passion was always evident and it filtered down to a lot of the players, many of whom told me straight up they had the utmost respect for Kelly and would run through a wall for him.  Read Jordin Tootoo’s book. I really found an appreciation for Kelly, the man, upon learning some of what’s in there. So as Kelly McCrimmon leaves the Wheat Kings in body, I suspect his finger prints will remain on this team going forward and I think fans can rest easy knowing he will find a way to ensure the excellence you have all come to expect will continue for many, many years ahead.

If this isn't part of your daily routine, you are already behind the 8 ball when it comes to weight loss and toning up. Having a 4 litre jug makes it easy to keep track of your daily intake. Everyone needs to get to the bottom of one of these everyday. I'm not going to lie, it's a challenge to finish the first few days but after a week it will be easy. Here's what you need to know about hydrating. 1. Your brain, blood, muscle tissue and organs are made up of 70% plus water. It is understandable why you don't feel good or function properly when dehydrated. 2. Water is 0 calories and gives you a full feeling which curbs appetite and replaces sugary drinks. Drinking lots of water before a meal will decrease your food consumption. 3. Water helps your organs function properly. Your organs remove toxins from your body which make you healthier. 4. Water aids with food digestion allowing your body to absorb the vitamins minerals proteins and carbs it needs while getting rid of the unhealthy fats you don't. 5. Drinking water revs up your metabolism. Dehydration is your body's enemy. It slows down metabolism and body functioning. As a matter of fact, your body will slow down metabolism to conserve energy when you haven't drank enough water. Your body needs adequate amount of water to function properly, especially during exercise and Dehydration inhibits the fat burning process. If you have any questions, let me know. Stay tuned for my next fitness tip on "How resistance training is your key to weight loss and why you should stop killing yourself running on the treadmill"

There was no mistaking the feeling of triumph that filled Isabela Onyshko after sticking the landing and closing out a flawless performance on the uneven bars in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night. The 18 year old Manitoba gymnast was all smiles before the television cameras and the live audience on hand, a stark contrast to the steely-eyed determination and focus that is featured in most photos. The Minnedosa-born Onyshko is competing in her first Olympic Games and on Saturday was declared by the National Post to be the Manitoba ‘underdog’ that could surprise the gymnastics field. Little more than 24 hours later, she was being heralded by the CBC broadcast team as “the rock and the star” of the Canadian Olympic team. Isabela scored a 14.733 on the uneven bars, an event at which she has excelled in international competition. She won gold in the 2014 International Gymnix and repeated that achievement at the 2015 Ljubljana World Cup in this event. Her score put her team on track to secure a position in the top eight for a shot in the finals. However, misfortune struck when team mate Brittany Rogers, 23 year old New Westminster gymnast, fell during her routine. Rogers’ 14.2 score dropped the Canadian team to ninth place, excluded them from further competition. Still, Onyshko’s performances on the Olympic stage have placed her in the top ten individually and she will compete in the all-around finals this week. For her family in attendance and her peers who were watching at home – including her fellow members at the Brandon Eagles Gymnastics club, it was an exciting debut on the world stage. Onyshko, the first Manitoba gymnast to qualify for the Olympic team in 30 years, will take her shot at Olympic gold on Thursday afternoon and Manitoba is sure to be watching.

The rumors have been confirmed and the Wheat Kings will lose another valuable member of their team.  It had been reported late Friday night, in some media circles, that Director of Scouting Wade Klippenstein had accepted a job with a western conference team of the NHL. The post first appeared on Dean Millard's Twitter account where he posted “Brandon Wheat Kings will also lose Head Scout Wade Klippenstein as he's taken an NHL job with a western conference team. #Vegas??? “.  Millard works for TSN 1260 in Edmonton where is the a co-host of the Pipeline Show which weekly does an in-depth examination of the top hockey prospects coming down the pipe. Following Millard's post Greg Drinnan, who runs the popular WHL blog site, Taking Note, reported Klippenstein had accepted a job with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL. According to Drinnan's report Klippenstein is slated to serve as a western scout for the Avalanche. Klippenstein has extensive experience in Western Canada having been with the Wheat Kings for the past 3 years as well as previous stops in Prince George, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw.  Even though he is changing jobs, and leagues, Klippenstein will not have to relocate something he was very grateful for.  "I'm very fortunate to not have to relocate with this job change"  said Klippenstein.  'The ability to allow my family to remain in our community (Coaldale) was a big factor in our decision" he continued. As the Wheat King's Director of Scoutng he would have played a key role in drafting current Wheat Kings Caiden Daley, Steilio Mattheos, Ty Lewis and Nolan Patrcik as well as prospects Rylan Bettans and Braden Schneider. “ I wasn't searching for other opportunities, but was very grateful for what had transpired” Klippenstein told bdnmb.ca.  He went on to say "I don't think anyone is surprised when there is movement in  Jr. hockey.  The WHL is proven development for not only players but also staff."    

Gord Paziuk summed up golf to me today “when Nike is getting out of golf there is a reason”. Right now Nike said they are down 8% in sales therefore no longer going to be in the golf industry. We reached out to some of the local golf pro’s and course owners to see where the current state and future of golf is going. Dave Scinocca, who would be one of the most recognizable names in golf in Brandon and Westman, had a simple message about the state of golf and that is to get more kids involved. But Dave did have good points in saying that current golfers are not playing as much as they used to….. New golfers have dropped off to some degree…… plus we have several good courses all within 45 minutes of Brandon that compete hard for the golfing dollar. The lifeline of the local golf course are the corporate events or big tournaments like Dreams for Kids or Birt Cup. He said without them we would have to raise course prices so high. Chris “CK” Kading, pictured below, from Deer Ridge Golf Course has another theory that other local operators agree with. The City of Brandon has made the price for the City run Rec Centre at such a low price that it has a huge effect on local golf course operators. Kading feels very strongly that the City of Brandon should not be in the golf business. In addition he feels that the course is in terrible condition. When BDNMB asked the Mayor Rick Chrest for his thoughts on the low prices he stated that Council felt that $16.00 was all it was worth at the time. Additionally Kading feels the City prices are “predatory pricing which would be illegal for private business and at worst unethical for the City of Brandon.” Jason Earl owner of Glen Lea Golf Course has some great feedback. There is a huge problem in the industry right now and that's no secret. Our rounds and memberships at Glen Lea are down a fair bit compared to an average year over the last 15 years. We are turning to other ways to try and generate revenue for the golf course. This includes things like: selling clay. We are also looking at, and in the process, of doing market research for other demands (outside of golf) in the Westman area that might help us bring revenue in for Glen Lea. We are very fortunate to own the majority of the surrounding land around the golf course. This will allow us to grow (if the golf industry ever becomes healthy again in Westman) or try different business avenues to help bring in more revenue to help the golf course survive. Other areas that we need to expand to help grow golf, include: more school programs for the kids, junior leagues / programs, lessons, approaching businesses to both sponsor golf programs and have them promote more golf outings for their employees, corporate memberships, promote family nights, etc. It's unfortunate that the Westman golf rates do not reflect the costs of doing business, resulting in the golf course industry in our area not being healthy. Every year our cost of doing business increases a large amount and our golf season is always the same length. On average (average of last 10 years), we are open 188 days a year. 52% of the year we are open. Factor in days that we're closed for bad weather (Rain days, too hot, too cold, etc.), plus the month and half at the start of the season and month and a half at the end of the season were we charge discounted rates for Spring/Fall,,,, and that's a small window to bring in revenue. Scott Kozoroski from Brandon Source for Sports said they are basically seeing a decline in golf sales over the past 5 years. Golf is a low margin product (which I didn’t know ) so therefore to tie up money in inventory and floor space perhaps both are better spent on more profitable sports. On a good note Scott said they have seen a big increase at the Tamarack Golf Tournament in the age groups. 4 – 10 year olds (Cubs). Lets face it golf is and will always be an expensive and time consuming sport. But if you travel and play golf in Calgary, or Vancouver, you will see Brandon and Westman prices are at times one quarter less expensive than other cities in Western Canada. Golf is maybe for the first time in decades facing some huge challenges and with some help and luck and cooperation perhaps it can turn a corner.