Heat-ing up in Ottawa

Finally made it home from Orlando ... postscript is that after I sent an email to AirTran to let them know how I felt, they sent me a $25 coupon for my next flight. Just to show how dumb they are and how they don't look at a computer, I have upgraded every segment I have flown on them and it cost $40 to upgrade.

So, they aren't even smart enough to send me a free upgrade for $15 more. They figure $25 will shut me up and make me happy. And people want to know why the airline industry is suffering? NO ONE listens in the airline industry. The AirTran folks on the ground in Orlando were rude, obnoxious and down right mean at some points yesterday. I wanted to smack one man for the way he spoke to this woman ... sat there and watched it and he was just down right belligerent.

Just when I thought I found a decent airline, they showed their true colors yesterday. Takes work on someones part to make me want to call Delta. Good job guys!

OK - back to the ice, my ol' pal Dany Heatley had a goal and assist last night to lead Ottawa to a 3-2 win over the Devils. He should still be in Atlanta - if it weren't for the damn strike, I think he would still be here and the Thrashers would be a much, much better team.

I don't care who you are or what you think you know - when Don Waddell gets fired (and at some point all GM's do - not saying he should or shouldn't be) the reason he failed was because of something he had NO control over: Heatley's Ferrari the night of the accident.

There's no question Dany is a great hockey player - but he was the heart and soul of this organization in Atlanta. The Thrashers will never, ever win the cup with Ilya Kovalchuk - he's a ME player, not a team player. Heatley is a team player and this is one of the main reasons why Ottawa is on the verge of the Eastern Conference finals.

And for those who think the Heatley - Marian Hossa trade is a wash, tell me how Ottawa did in the playoffs with Hossa and how they are doing with Heatley. Plus, how well did Hossa do in the playoffs for the Thrashers?

I know Waddell had no choice in the trade and he did the best he could, but it wasn't good enough and never will be. I hope that Waddell writes a book someday to talk about this chapter in his life, I know a bit of it, but not all of it and would love to know his views on the whole incident before and after.

Heatley is a great person who learned a hard lesson at a young age. He lives every day with Dan Snyder in his mind and in his heart. I hope for both of their sakes, he gets to lift Lord Stanley's cup for both of them.