To get your week off to a glorious start, here are a few musings and meditations on the world of sports.

SIMON'S GREENER PASTURES

After 12 seasons with the B.C. Lions, Geroy Simon certainly earned the right to leave on his own terms, but there's still something about his decision which doesn't sit right.

Money, we're told, wasn't the problem, largely because his off-field endorsements in the Lower Mainland would have compensated for any haircut he'd receive in re-signing with the Lions.

That leaves his much-debated role with the team to examine and that's where things get murky. At 37, there were questions about whether he could contribute at his customary level, but if Simon still believes he's a "1,500-yard receiver," why didn't he demonstrate that to the Lions' coaching staff?

Admittedly, we weren't privy to the conversations between Wally Buono and Simon, but it just doesn't figure the great receiver was told explicitly he couldn't compete for the feature receiver role. During the Buono era the Lions have been about winning. That has meant putting the best players in the best position to succeed. If Simon was still the team's best option as the feature receiver, you have to believe he would have been given that opportunity.

Simon became the CFL's all-time leader in receiving yards because, first and foremost, he's a ferocious competitor. Clearly, things had changed for him, but if he could still deliver the goods, he'd get his opportunities with the Lions. Now, he's going to Saskatchewan and a system and players with which he isn't familiar.

Sorry, it still doesn't seem like the best decision for the final act of his brilliant career.

LUONGO LOTTERY

Starting this week, we will begin handicapping the field in the Roberto Luongo sweepstakes.

1. Florida - The favourite and Canucks GM Mike Gillis couldn't have hoped for a better scenario. Before Sunday afternoon's game, the Panthers had started 1-4 while allowing 19 goals. After making the playoffs last season, there's finally some pressure on the organization to sustain their success. This is still Luongo's preferred team.

2. Toronto- After a promising start, the Leafs have allowed 12 goals in their last two games. One more outing like that and the pressure intensifies on Dave Nonis to do something.

Dark horse: Washington - Don't understand why the Caps haven't been mentioned more often. They're 0-3-1, they're built to win today and the goaltending tandem of Michael Neuvirth and Braden Holtby has to make GM George McPhee nervous.

Forget about it: Chicago - There was some thought the Blackhawks would be interested in Luongo but that was before their 5-0 start. Corey Crawford has four of the wins.

YAKUPOV'S 'CELLY' NO YAK HERE

Here's my opinion on Nail Yak-upov's goal celebration. I refuse to have an opinion on Nail Yakupov's goal celebration. This is what passes for a story among the NHL's talking heads. Really, it's not that interesting.

NO MESSING WITH KASSIAN

Zack Kassian's early offensive contribution to the Canucks speaks for itself, but his value to the team transcends goals and assists.

Kassian's physicality completely changes the makeup of the first line and goes a long way toward changing the Canucks' look.

With Kassian, teams are less likely to take liberties with the Sedins.

With Kassian, the Canucks finally have a presence in the top end of the lineup.

One of the most coveted commodities in the NHL is toughness with the ability to play and the kid from Windsor looks like he can be that Brendan Shanahan-Keith Tkachuk type for the Canucks.

The best part? He just turned 22. There was a fear here that Kassian, who's still growing into his NHL body, couldn't handle the demands of his role, but he's doing all right. Now picture him when he's 27.

Gillis got this one right. Boy, did he get this one right.

TOMMY MCVIE IS ALL-STAR CAPTAIN

And, finally, mad props to Tommy McVie, the irrepressible 77-year-old hockey lifer who will be an honorary team captain in Monday's AHL All-Star game. McVie, who was born in Trail, has spent almost 60 years in the game as a player, scout and coach of some of the worst teams in NHL history. Through it all, he's maintained perspective and a killer sense of humour and if there's anyone in hockey who doesn't think the world of McVie, we've yet to encounter them.

This might explain why. A couple of years ago, McVie was honoured in Trail, where his father, Tom Sr., worked as a smelter for four decades.

"I told them, 'I went to the rink every day and played a game and you're honouring me?' " McVie told Rich Chere of the Newark Star-Ledger. "My father went to the smelter every day for 40 years and I'd like to have the plaque redone to read: 'Tom McVie (Sr.). Smelter Man.' "

ewilles@theprovince.com twitter.com/willesonsports