The legend of the Magic Hockey Helmet

If anyone is thinking we're due for some uplifting news in this space, point taken. Today's posting is such a story.

Miller Donnelly is 12. When he was nine, he penned a speech to deliver to his school class. A few months later, his father taped the speech - dubbed, "The Magic Hockey Helmet" - and posted it on YouTube so his uncle could watch. (Thus, the reference to "Uncle Mike").

Through a series of events, mostly serendipitous, "The Magic Hockey Helmet" has gotten considerable attention throughout Canada, played at arenas before games, been linked to by several hundred Web sites. On YouTube, it's at 284,000 views.

This is Miller's clever way of telling us we're squeezing the fun out of sports.

Footnote: You can tell the Donnellys didn't expect this to attract a global audience - the video was shot in the basement of their home in Ontario, with Miller in his pajamas.