HIT THE POST WITH CJAD'S RICK MOFFAT, VOICE OF THE CANADIENS&ALS

If you can't get a big centreman is getting a little centre with a big salary really the next best thing?

Was Higg living or partying on borrowed time in Montreal ever since the day Carbo stripped him of the A for assistant captain and gave it to Komisarek? To his credit Carbo never made a big deal about it. But now you've got to wonder.

I'm not crazy about the Gomez for Higgins deal, largely because I think Higgins is capable of a big bounce-back season but mostly because of the defense prospects tossed in. I'm fine spending the Mo-Bros money though, and I'm thrilled for Higg's Dad and his brother who works the beat just blocks north of Madison Square Garden patrolling Times Square for NYPD.

Upon arrival in Calgary with the Als for the Canada Day roadtrip, the rumour in Alberta was Jokinen to the Habs for a Flames Salary Dump. Jokinen is either a cancer or a stud depending on who you listen to.

CJAD SPORTS QUOTE OF THE DAY: "With drugs there are only 2 ways out---dead or jail---and both compromise football." Ramon Guzman, Alouettes rookie and former Indianapolis Colt.

Guzman is a special teams hitter/linebacker/rush end who spent 2007 with the Colts before being unceremoniously cut before the '08 season. Guzman tells me his step-father is a convicted drug-dealer who served his time in prison. His mother had her own legal struggles and at times held down 2 jobs to raise her 5 kids. "Football IS everything," Guzman says. "It got me through school and got me to college." (University of Buffalo, where he played his senior year for former Alouette-Concorde QB Turner Gill.) In his 'hood they tell him "Come back to visit but don't come back TOO OFTEN." He's defied the odds just making it to the NFL after a college career that converted him from tailback to fullback to safety to linebacker. Gill's message that rings true for Guzman: "Believe."

Are Als veterans picking on a rookie? Davis Sanchez and Anwar Stewart report the Worst Dressed Man Dishonour of the Als' first roadtrip of regular season goes to Ivan Brown, a rookie from the University of Saskatchewan (no Prairie fashion jokes please--my Mom's from Saskabush). Anthony Calvillo tried to argue against the selection on the grounds Brown hasn't even seen a regular season paycheck yet...basically working for room&board through pre-season. Kerry Watkins was given the runner-up dishonour..."he's out there sometimes," even AC had to admit.