RE: Diamond's whereabouts... Don't be surprised if you find KFC has been added as a SkyDome vendor next season.

Don't be surprised if you find KFC has been added as a SkyDome vendor next season.

Serving the much less popular blue meat?

When walking around the SkyDome concourse earlier in the season I could've sworn I heard a heartbeat coming from the concrete near section 120.

Not sure if it's official or anything, but Diamond is out. Strictly an Ace operation now.

I saw her at the grocery store with Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa. She was buying Spaghetti-Os.

That wasn't Elvis. That was Andy Kaufmann dressed up as Elvis. Still weird, tho.

There is no Diamond at SkyDome. However, there is strong circumstantial evidence of Diamond-related progams activities.

What diamond? There was never any diamond!

/Man I miss that guy.

Priceless Mike... Priceless...

Well, wherever diamond is, I think Ace should go follow her, and bring back BJ Birdie.

Does anyone think he was taken out because his name can be construed in a distasteful manner, or just to have a hipper mascot? I miss that guy.

Gentlemen, if you TRULY want Diamond back, I think we can agree there's only ONE MAN who can get the job done.....



"TELL ME WHERE THE MASCOT IS!!!!!"

There's only one free agent I really want the Blue Jays to make a run at this offseason:

My theory was that much like that famous Raptors' cheerleader who was fired, it was discovered that Diamond had starred in an upscale bird porn movie, and thus she was released.

There's such a thing as a "famous" raptors cheerleader?

This hasn't been either confirmed or substantiated, but I hear Diamond was found cheating on Ace with BJ Birdy on her knee giving BJ the BJ. Numerous home video of Diamond and BJ was found on the scene and Diamond was asked to quietly resign the post.

Keep it clean boys.

"TELL ME WHERE THE MASCOT IS!!!!!"

I can't wait for 24 to start up again.

I hate to go off topic here, but you can get season 1 of 24 for $15 on Amazon. Or at least I was able to last week.

I was asking a serious question... could that have anything to do with the removal of BJ birdy? I really wouldn't be surprised...

Forget season 1, I'm waiting on pins and needles for season 3 to come out in December. I never have time to watch the show when its on TV and as such, always buy the dvd.

Maybe Ace had a change of heart. Look for a new partner in 2005. Call him Gary.

I believe that I read that BJ was fired because the owner/actor that played BJ owned the name and trademark. So to use BJ Birdy in any posters or anything meant paying that actor. Plus, he was able to go out and do whatever he wanted in the offseaon as BJ Birdy.

In contrast, Ace and Garry...er, Diamond, are owned by the Blue Jays.

I read that BJ was fired because the owner/actor that played BJ owned the name and trademark.

Essentially, yes.

Jays Mascot Scouting found Diamond to be superfluous. She was constantly being credited with her heart & desire, but ultimately the team decided they'd rather invest their money in the more tangible skills Ace offered to the club. You guys must have missed the Richard Griffin article bashing them for it.

Glad there are some 24 fans in the house. I've watched Season One and Two on DVD, watched Season Three religously on TV. I can say that it's a better experience watching 24 on DVD, way more intense at your own pace. There were times during season three when FOX took a 3-week hiatus. Still, I'll watch Season Four on TV again, simply because I can't wait a whole year for the DVD.

If you guys like 24, you might also like "The Shield". I had never heard of it, but got the Season One DVD set for my birthday a few weeks ago. It's good.

Wasn't it BJ Birdie and Diamond and now it's just Ace, a different bird altogether?

http://robwlp@gmail.com
You know, I didn't really like season three of 24. I'm not sure why. I guess I'll watch #4 this year, and see if it's anywhere near as good as the first two seasons were.

Just one thing: what happened in the whole season that I missed? I think there was something with a virus and a kid selling drugs that had the virus in it...can anybody fill me in? I, uh, need to catch up on Jack's business, or else Season Four will make little sense to me.

Although...Jobu hasn't seen Season 3 (I think, from the wording in his post, at least) so if anyone wants to bother filling in a stranger on the plot of a TV show, you can COMN for my e-mail as not to spoil it for him. ;)

Oh, and I have no clue where Diamond is, and the Jays need Godfrey to start negotiations with Youppi!.

Wasn't it BJ Birdie and Diamond and now it's just Ace, a different bird altogether?

B.J. Birdie worked alone during his time with the Blue Jays. After he was dumped, the Blue Jays brought in Ace and Diamond together.

Sign Youppi!

I just found a Jason Stark column from earlier this month which had some nice words about Youppi! at the end. An excerpt:

We don't know what it is to cover baseball in a world without Youppi! So we hope he can latch on with some independent team somewhere. Because without him, the baseball universe will never be quite the same.

Sign Youppi!

Should the new Washington franchise decide not to retain Youppi's services, I think it would be a great gesture to retire his number - err, exclamation mark.

Now that I think of it; can anyone explain Youppi's absence on the CBC's list of the 100 Greatest Canadians?

Surely he has more cultural value than Avril Lavigne...

Whoa, I just looked at the top 10 Greatest Canadians..

Who voted Don Cherry, Wayne Gretzky, Pierre Trudeau and David Suzuki into the top 10?

I know it's just an internet poll, but I really hope that none of those 4 wins.

And Alexander Graham Bell and John A MacDonald are only half canadians... I was in Scotland last summer, and they had a list of the greatest Scots, and Alexander Graham Bell was on it. (This was at the William Wallace museum actually). So I kind of hope that neither one of them wins either.

Holy s***, I'm checking out the top 100... number 34 is a radio DJ from Winnipeg, and Shania Twain made the top 20.

Bret Hart and Avril Lavigne both beat out Sir Sandford Fleming, the man that invented time.

John. A only half-Canadian? Now I've heard everything.

The man was one of the founding fathers of our nation. Sure, he was a racist and had crap hair - but a founding father nonetheless!

Canada's a nation of immigrants - a good number of which are first-generation. In my estimation, it's not whether you were born here or not (although it helps) that counts; it's whether you embrace it as your home and as a place you'd like to contribute to and, even if in some small way, mould for the future.

I think Johnny Mac meets those requirements, don't you?

By the way, for the record - I voted for Romeo Dallaire.

http://www.gnb.ca/hrc-cdp/e/humphre1.htm
I think John A. Macdonald is a good choice. He may not have been born in Canada, but then again, he helped invent Canada as it is now, so saying he's not Canadian is like saying God is an illegal alien.

But my choice didn't make the top... I don't even know. Top thousand? I voted for John Humphrey (COMN). But I guess it was a mismatch putting him up against Avril Lavigne.

Who voted Don Cherry, Wayne Gretzky, Pierre Trudeau and David Suzuki into the top 10?

I know it's just an internet poll, but I really hope that none of those 4 wins.

I hope Don Cherry wins. As Colby Cosh said (over at colbycosh.com) that will be the final finger pointed at whoever decided to inflict this ridiculous and degrading idea on us all. I'll be voting for Cherry at every single opportunity from here on in.

Originally, I voted for Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine.

In my estimation, it's not whether you were born here or not (although it helps) that counts; it's whether you embrace it as your home and as a place you'd like to contribute to and, even if in some small way, mould for the future.

I agree, I have no idea with people who weren't born here, I think there's something special about being a Canadian because you chose to be Canadian, not because of where you were born.

However, my understanding was that Sir John A never felt Canadian, and considered himself a Scotsman until his death.

I think the idea's kind of neat Craig.

"The Greatest Canadian" - this surely is the most insulting campaign. I just get sick seeing it. Why can't we just relax and let our national character show? Why do we have to officially trademark what we are? It's complete fraudulent garbage. VOTE DON CHERRY - reveal what a crock this contest is. It's silly, well-intentioned campaigns like this that give Canadians an identity crisis, not the other way around.

If you look at impact on the lives of Canadians, I don't see how anyone other than Banting or Sir Arthur Currie could finish at #1. Currie finished at #24, which surprised me a little, given how little Canadians know about their history.

I know it has to be Ed Broadbent, Tommy Douglas or Alexa McDonough, but I just cannot choose.

Had an extra large glass of partisan juice for breakfast, did we? :)

Partisan coffee, actually.

Douglas is a legit one, though.

I couldn't argue with someone picking Douglas. Makes a lot more sense than picking an actor or a hockey player, which seems to be about half the list.

Personally I think inventors and scientists contribute more to Canada than politicians, but given my political leanings, that's not surprising. :)

Or maybe it's because I don't want to see the fallout if I suggested Brian Mulroney, Bill Davis, or Mike Harris. ;)

I hope Don Cherry wins. As Colby Cosh said (over at colbycosh.com) that will be the final finger pointed at whoever decided to inflict this ridiculous and degrading idea on us all. I'll be voting for Cherry at every single opportunity from here on in.

It's interesting to contrast this statement with your arguments about MVP voting on the other thread.

Lafontaine is another reasonable choice.

It's interesting to contrast this statement with your arguments about MVP voting on the other thread.

Well maybe they shouldn't let me vote. :)

Remember, I didn't say that the "joke" voters were bad for what they did. They're not. But they're still joke voters, failing to take it seriously, as I fail (utterly) to take THE GREATEST DAMN CANADIAN EVER CONTEST seriously. Like voting for Don Cherry - easily recognizable as a joke.

Arthur Currie was another name that Mike and I batted around when the contest was anounced as a good one. I also recall, at one point, voting for Frank Scott - though Trudeau may be a better choice than Scott, when all is said and done, if that's the sort of thing that floats your boat.

I couldn't possibly be accused of partisanship, since I despire their parties, but the three modern guys I think are probably at the top are Trudeau, Chretien, and Rene Levesque. Levesque for obvious reasons, really. Trudeau and Chretien, as PM and Justice Minister, brought forth the most important event in Canadian history since 1945, which was the signing of the new Constitution Act in 1982 (certainly the biggest single watershed moment since the declaration of war on Germany in September of '39).

There are, of course, many legitimate choices.

I think that we shouldn't sort of try and narrow down who it could be. Fox isn't really in any sort of "catergory" that deserves in, but he clearly deserves a good showing (but probly not the win).

Moffatt: How you could think there'd be a fallout for suggesting Bill Davis is beyond me. Obviously there are greater Canadians, but who could hate Bill?

As for Cherry, yeah ... well, maybe Bethune called and said he wasn't interested.

Out of the options, I'll probly vote for Douglas, if, in fact, I get around to voting for anyone. Though watching Pierre Burton roll a joint on Monday report makes me think he's not nearly high enough on the list. For example, as a Canadian Identity chronicler, he deserves credit.

That Pierre Burton segment on Monday Report was a blast. I loved "Choose a hard, flat rolling surface. I suggest using a copy of my book The National Dream."

http://www.cbc.ca/mondayreport/videos/rmmr_celebritytip_pierreburton.mov
Thanks to the magic of the CBC's website, COMN for the Burton segment.

The Greatest Canadian is obviously Geddy Lee.

Man I hate this "contest". It's just.....embarrassing. I like the Don Cherry idea just to throw it back at them. Imagine the CBC's chagrin when they are forced to announce that the greatest Canadian in the history of our country is in fact "The Don".

If you are still interested about the abscence of Diamond, I read somewhere ( I think it was a edition of "PlayBall") that diamond was discontinued, although she can be booked for events. Go Jays!

Does anybody know when the Blue Jays ticketing plans are coming out? Thanks.

Diamond was actually around at the beginning of the season but she was only there on weekend games. And then she was just gone altogether. Didn't bother me except that ever since she left we had to watch people run out and put a cape on Ace for no reason and then he takes it off 2 minutes later.

Also, what annoys me is Ace catches the ceremonial first pitches now instead of players. And then Ace signs the ball for some reason.

Fridge, that cape thing is a satire of James Brown's routine.