Hit The Post with The Voice of the Als & Canadiens on CJAD

Aren't you glad Ryan O'Byrne's most embarrassing hockey moment now involves a puck...not a purse?

Is this the wonderful thing about football or the most cruel thing about football...that it makes us believe in fairytales and storybook endings and that anything and everything is possible? The fairytale ending eluded the Alouettes on the football field but there's another shot an off-field fairytale ending in January when Alexia Calvillo has her next round of tests. Good luck, Alexia...the city is so proud of you.

Don't be surprised to see the Steelers, Browns, Colts or Saints show interest in Jamal Richardson. "J-Rich" was trying hard not to smile in the Als locker-room on Garbage Bag Day when I asked him if he was working out for a few teams as soon as next week (NFL workout window of opportunity for CFL "option year" guys is Dec. 1).

You don't ever want to experience Garbage Bag Day. It is the most humiliating ritual in pro sports. CFL teams give their players green garbage bags to clear out their stalls. Anything but "Glad", at least it seems to be a 'football thing', not a 'CFL thing'. Dave Mudge tells me when the Buffalo Bills cut him he was handed nothing more glamourous than the trash-bag.

The Hamilton Bulldogs are playing at the Bell Centre Sunday. Wonder how many will try to hide in the corner and stick around for Tuesday's game at the Bell Centre? Wonder how many Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau are considering promoting? Truth is unless the Habs pull the trigger on a deal or are struck by more injuries the Dawgs will be headed back to Hamilton.

Despite the Grey Cup hangover, Luke Fritz was delighted to see his brother Mitch play his first regular season game in Montreal with the New York Islanders on the hockey player's 28th birthday no less. Luke's plan was to bring the Grey Cup. At least the Fritz family had one victory to laugh and cheer about. Hey, at least O'Byrne did what many Habs are failing to do these days...hit an open net!

When your brothers are 6'6 and 6'8 with a combined weight near 600 pounds you better pick your spots pulling pranks on them. Luke and Mitch's sister was at the Canadiens-Islanders game too and tells me one time on Mitch's birthday he was toiling away in Springfield of the AHL. So she hires a guy to sit in the stands with balloons and birthday cake for the true-life Slapshot toughguy. Oh yeah, and the birthday serenader is wearing a pink gorilla suit.

Welcome to the NHL Mitch Fritz. The pink gorilla is finally off your back. Now please make sure Montreal doesn't lose your brother to CFL free agency!