Canada Needs Forward Scoring

Defense Wins Championships, but a lack of of Offense can be easily and lose them.

Most people are familiar with clichés in sports.  Giving 100%, one day a time, it is a process and all the rest.Then there is this one that we hear in just about every major team sport, defense wins championships and/or pitching wins championships.  For the most part I will agree with that, however, there is one important piece that it is usually neglected with this statement.  What about offense???

We heard it going into the Super Bowl about the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.  In this particular case defense did win Seattle a championship.  But one could also argue that it was good offense as the score ended up 43 to eight.  It is nice to say the defense wins championships, but there is also a strong case to be made that a lack of offense can lose a championship.

As a Braves fan over the years I have particularly learned this lesson.  Back in the nineties the Braves had consistently one of the best rotations in all baseball. Hall of Famers like Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz (soon to be).  Of the 14 straight division titles the Braves managed to win but one World Series.  I have no problem with that, they won one ....still more than the Cubs have won.  With that said they had a chance and deserve to win more.  They had the pitching, they did not get the offense when they needed it. It is nice to be able to shut teams down but a 1-0 loss is still a loss.

Even in the women's Canadian Olympic Hockey team, when they wind up playing the U.S. for the gold medal the key will be who can score and maybe more importantly who can score early.  The longer the game against the U.S. goes without a goal the more it favors the U.S. club.  They're young, fast, skilled and have a lot of offensive game breakers who have quick strike ability.  Canada too has the ability to put the puck in the net but the longer they take to do so the more difficult it will be to beat goaltender Jesse Vetter, who seems to always get better and more comfortable as the game goes on. Again shutting down offence is great but the taunt 'SCOREBOARD' still rings loud and clear

Big ice does not necessarily make for big offence

This is what worries me about the Men`s Team Canada at the Sochi Olympics. They have arguably the best defense in the tournament.  Their blue-line can shut down a lot of good teams speedy high end talent.  They're also the ones generating the majority of the offense right now. All except for one game vs. Latvia the forwards have not look good and have failed to produce offensively. Jeff Carter scored a hat trick, that was nice but it was only one game. The biggest worry is, right now is if Doughty, Weber, Keith,and Pietrangelo are not scoring, will any of the forwards step up and pick up the slack.  We have seen it before in international play where Canada will face a team with a hot goalie or suffocating defense that shuts them down and gives them trouble.  If Canada hopes to even get a chance to play for gold let alone win a gold they're gonna have to get production from their forwards. They will still need to play a strong team defense, get quality goal tending but most importantly they need their top and forwards to play like top end players and produce. 

And hey, let's bring all this back to around to yet another cliche. Your best players have to show up and it be your best players. Five of the top 10 scoring leaders in the NHL this year reside on team Canada.  You would like to think that if least one of them will be able to put the puck in the net when it matters.

All we can do now is watch and wait and cheer Go Canada Go!

Woman's Hockey - The Fight For Survival

Late last week the 4 day summit on the state of hockey on various levels and both the men's and woman's games drew to a close. The day 4 focus was where the game is more so internationally in the woman's game. We all know that there are really just 2 teams at the top of the mountain, Canada and the USA then there are the rest. Sure there are some countries that are making some great strides over the last few years to make their woman's programs a little more competitive but there is still a big gap. The big question continues to be how big is this gap and is there enough ground being made up on a year by year basis by the lesser countries to make woman's hockey a viable option in the Olympics.

It is great when you are Canadian and you know that the worst you are going to finish is 2nd but if it all goes by the waste side what is the point. When you get 2 good teams like Canada and the USA play you get a good game and they put on a good product. If the other countries can make a solid effort and keep growing then the game will make it on its own merit and this won't be an issue after the next Olympics.

The woman are looking to create a strong "pro league" and that can only help grow not only the sport but the overall awareness and maybe get more players involved at younger ages if they know that there is actually something to aspire to and shoot for. I look at a woman's North American Pro League like that of junior hockey. When we see players on the national team, either on the USA or Canada we can choose our favorites but after that tournament they are gone from our sports viewing. if they went back to club teams then you can follow them better and become fans. It is similar to professional wrestling, in the past there were all these regional promotions and splinter cells all around. Then they were all eventually absorbed into bigger more national entities. then you get a WCW/WWE type production which is big. Bigger names, more recognisable players and teams and a stronger more structured set up (provided that it is done correctly). I think that there would be a market for that and with the right amount of team in the right markets it could not grow the game and thrive but help good players from other countries have a chance to not only play with better players but also and maybe more importantly practice with better players and coaches.

I like the men's game for the tough and skilled play, but I also like the woman's game with little or no hitting because it make the game faster and more free flowing. the less contact the less obstruction and the faster the pace. The skill can still be there and tempers can still get high but it doesn't happen as often or needlessly. If there are 2 things that I just can't stand is every time there is a whistle that all the players have to skate into a pile and start face-washing each other and the other is every time a player gets hit there has to be a fight. Even if the hit is clean players seem to think that everything needs to looked at as being predatory and "If you are a good teammate you'll stick up for your guy". What a load of crap...clean is clean, just play the game. It is a collision game, collisions will happen.

Both men's and woman's games have pros and cons but one thing they have in common is they both deserve to stay as Olympic Sports.

How Physical Is Too Physical?

They always say that sex sells. I guess they can add violence to that as well. After seeing the amount of head shots and hits from behind that are taking place in the NHL and the league not doing anything about it helps prove that point. The GM’s are meeting in Florida and are to discuss the issue of head shots and unsuspecting hits. There is no doubt that nothing will come from it except for maybe a slight change in language and a lot of lip service that will do nothing to change anything. So these hits will continue until something tragic happens or players wise up and show a little respect for each other on the ice. It doesn’t help that archaic media types are so thick headed that they are scared that the "game they grew up with" will be anything different. Maybe that isn’t a bad thing maybe a quicker game that has either lesser fights and clean hits is better. Maybe stopping play every time there is a good clean hit because some guy thinks that he needs to punish the opposition from playing the game hard and by the rules by starting a fight isn’t a bad idea. A 1 minute scrum in front of the net every time after a goalie freezes the puck probably isn’t needed either.

Football is a collision sport and as or more physical then hockey and you step one toe over the line.. Sweet Jesus, you are down 15 yards and probably kicked out of the game. Basketball is a contact sport...no fighting either. You do, and your gone for the game and probably suspended. Maybe 5 and a game in hockey is the way to go...Goons would be out of the league because it isn’t worth wasting a roster spot on a nonproductive player who is good for 1 fight and 16 seconds of playing time and it will make sure that if an average or good player or even great player gets into a fight it better be well worth it because they will be out for the match.

It is hard to dispute after watching the World Juniors and the Olympics that a fast flowing, hard, clean hitting game is not entertaining. Sure over the course of 82 games there is going to be a difference then that of a 2 week tournament but it is a good model to at least strive for. It is fun to watch good players be allowed to be good and let skill take over. Players will adapt quickly to rule changes, look at the changes that were made after the lockout, it took a bit of time, but it happened. The NFL tweaks rules almost every year and it is proactive, players pick those up pretty quick too.

Team Canada Final Roster Prediction

Noon on Wednesday will be the much anticipated time for Steve Yzerman and Team Canada. It will be at that time when they will unveil their final choice on who has made the Olympic squad. Well, in actuality, since it is a list and we are in Canada it will quickly turn to who didn't make the team. When you have enough quality to send 2 very capable medal contending teams there will be some deserving people left off.

Sure this "Final Team" will not be the team that suits up for Canada when the games begin but it will be close. You have to figure that there will at least be a few injuries that will effect the roster.

My final roster is who I think should be on the team but not necessarily whom I believe that Team Canada will select for their final roster.

As you can compare from my from my Last Update there has been some movement in just over a month and that one changed fro the orientation camp from August.

Forwards:
Jarome Iginla - Sidney Crosby- Jonathan Toews
Rick Nash - Ryan Getzlaf - Dany Heatley
Martin St. Louis - Joe Thornton - Steve Stamkos
E. Staal - Mike Fisher - Corey Perry
Brad Richards

Defence:
Scott Niedermayer - Shea Weber
Chris Pronger - Dan Boyle
Brent Seabrook - Drew Doughty
Duncan Keith

Goal:
Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Marc-André Fleury

Taxi Squad:
Mike Green, Jeff Carter, Patrick Marleau

How close I am will be interesting to see, I am just putting Fisher in as a long shot sentimental pic. If I was going to be completely objective he would not be on my list but I want to give him a little extra credit so I will include him. I think that it is more likely that Milan Lucic has a better chance of making the team, even with his recent string on injuries he serves a similar role but may be a little grittier. Maybe even a Mike Richards but without knowing how he gets along with Chris Pronger I amy not want the two of them in the same room.

We will just have to see what Stevie Y and his team has in mind on Wednesday...then we can begin the criticism.

Team Canada Roster Update

We are only 3 months out from the Olympics and closing in on that 20 game evaluation mark in mid November where NHL Teams will begin to evaluate just how good, or bad their teams are. I think I will take the time to update my proposed roster for the Canadian Olympic team. Back on August 28th I submitted a list during the Hockey Canada Evaluation Camp outlining who I though may be early favorites to make the squad. In that time things have changed slightly based on both play at the beginning of the season and some injuries and injury concerns.

Steve Yzerman has come out recently and announced that the team will be unveiled on December 31st, likely during the Word Juniors as part of those festivities. That will either make this list something of a mid season report. I may have 1 more after this before the 31st deadline but this should be a good measuring stick on what direction I think the team is going to look like and be shaped. Just as they did during the 2006 Olympics I will also include a 3 man Taxi Squad or Black Aces as it were. Lets see how much different this team looks before the next revision.

Forwards:
Jarome Iginla - Sidney Crosby- Steve Stamkos
Rick Nash - Ryan Getzlaf - Dany Heatley
Martin St. Louis - Mike Richards - Jonathan Toews
Shane Doan - Brenden Morrow - Corey Perry
Patrick Marleau

Defence:
Scott Niedermayer - Shea Weber
Chris Pronger - Dan Boyle
Jay Bouwmeester - Drew Doughty

Goal:
Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur, Marc-André Fleury

Taxi Squad:
Mike Green, Joe Thornton, Jeff Carter

Still on the radar I have James Neal and Dion Phaneuf

For the record the players that have changed/ been dropped from either the team or the Taxi Squad from my early evaluation in August include: Simon Gagné, Eric Staal, Dion Phaneuf, Milan Lucic and Jordan Staal I have taken off the team with Vincent Lecavalier off the taxi squad. In nets, up until this past week I would have had Marc-André Fleury being the starter but have gone back to Brodeur as the # 1. There has been a lot of turnover already in my list. It will be interesting to see what changes I will have next time.

Injury Concerns

There seems to be a rash of injuries of late in the NHL. Some have been pre-existing issues that have carried over from before the season began. It does seem like there are a lot of big name players that are on the IR, some for longer then the others but the numbers continue to rise. What is the most alarming is the number that are big name or franchise players.

Now every year there will be players hurt but not as many superstars in these numbers and this early. Being an Olympic year the schedule will be a little off balance and crammed up to accommodate but thus far it has been pretty laxed for most teams and most have had a decent amount of rest so that shouldn't be to blame for this problem. When you are seeing players like: Phil Kessel , Milan Lucic Simon Gagne, Johan Franzen, Patrik Elias, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Ilya Kovalchuk, John-Michael Liles, T.J. Oshie, Daniel Sedin, Sheldon Souray, Evgeni Malkin, Sergei Gonchar, David Booth, Marian Gaborik, Roberto Luongo, Andrei Markov, Jonathan Toews, Kari Lehtonen, Marian Hossa (and that is just the big name guys) hurt makes you wonder why that is and can’t help but worry teams about what they are going to look like after a tight schedule and then the strain of the Olympics. These are actually injury situations and unrelated to the flu situation, either swine or other.

All these injuries I guess may be better that they happen now, early, and not later during a stretch run towards the playoffs but you don’t want to get to a point where you take yourself out of contention early. In addition to what the teams are losing with these players out the same can be said of some of the players who need this time to play their way onto an Olympic team. There are a handful of players who have pretty much sealed their fate by being injured. Gagne, Savard and Lucic are three right off the bat that needed to have a strong start to be in the mix.

In a less important angle, well less important unless you are the owner of some of these players is that of the fantasy owner or hockey pool participant who needed these guys healthy all year. You know, so the secretary at work that joined the league for fun doesn’t win because they thought that certain guys had a cute names and that is why they picked them.

It is never good for any league, especially the NHL to lose too many stars at one time. In a gate driven league the more stars you can have active and playing at a high level the better for everybody. For some of the teams in the southern US only associate a team with 1 maybe 2 guys, if they are hurt and not in the lineup that is just one more reason not to go or to watch.

Shaq VS

For those who haven’t see the show yet the premise of it is for The Big Aristotle, Shaquille O’Neal challenging star athletes to a competition in their respective sports. There are rumors that he may have stole the idea from former teammate Steve Nash - This may or may not be true but Steve Nash does have an Executive Producer credit, so draw your own conclusions.

He did manage to get some good names to sign on to the project:
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, tennis pro Serena Williams, and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Cyclist Lance Armstrong may also get involved .

The show was actually not as bad as I initially thought it would be. That being said, I think for the most part after last nights episode that pitted Big Shaqtus against AVP players and Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh I may be done with it... the novelty has now worn off. I watched part of the first one with Ben Roethlisberger and it was ok at best.

I made it a point to watch all of the Beach Volleyball for a variety of reasons. I am a big volleyball fan and actually watch the AVP during the year even if it is not just an Olympic year when it is en vogue. I am big fans of Misty May (whom was cool enough to send me an autograph) and Kerri Walsh (who is not as cool just yet). Plus as an added bonus they are clearly not hard on the eyes, especially in HD. I think that these ladies doing this show in combination with everything else they do have made a big impression towards the mainstream sports scene and help keep it in the minds of the casual observer. Lets face it as much as the AVP may try and do the national coverage of the sport is weak at best. You just don't see highlights on Sportscenter in either Canada or the USA nor do you get much actual match coverage on TV, except a crappy half hour show on Sportsnet when they need to fill some time and they are out of episodes of Poker After Dark and you don't even get the entire match.

The show itself was pretty decent as the sport lends itself well to adapt to that style.
Shaq and his partner, which alternated between "The Professor" Todd Rogers and Casey Jennings (who is married to Kerri Walsh), engaged in a 2-on-2 match on Hermosa Beach. The competition consisted of a best of three, match with rally scoring, 1st to 11 points. The net was set at a height for women’s beach volleyball. The favorites - May/Walsh ended up taking the event 11-6, 11-8. For loosing Shaq had to walk down the beach in a giant pink Speedo...that was, well unpleasant for all.

And The Winner Is...

Ok, here is the rational on why I am allowed to talk about Dancing Wth The Stars and it is for one simple reason and that is the fact that the winner was Shawn Johnson. Shawn is a actually a star despite the majority of the contestants they trot out on the show that are has beens, but more importantly she is a legitimate athlete with a Gold Medal to back it up. Sure, it is true that much like swimming and the 100m that people may only care about it once every 4 years it is tremendous what they can do and the athleticism that she (they) possess.

Granted the Dancing show has far less pressure and a lot less people watching it then say the Olympics but it is still a pretty stressful endeavor, especially for a 17 year old. It is amazing that someone that young has the poise and maturity to engage in such a demanding program. Now granted there were a few routines that I had to cringe at just for the fact that the dude she was dancing with was clearly older and that made it a little sketchy, some of the stuff just looked wrong and inappropriate, you know kinda nonce like....but on the whole it was entertaining it wasn’t bad

I was a fan of Shawn during the Olympics and was rooting for her to do well, she just had the look of enthusiasms and always a big smile no matter the situation. Her “stage presence” in the gym equaled that of her presence on the ballroom floor. Unlike Jason Taylor who had no place to be on the show in the first place and should have been in minicamp so not to have stolen $8mil from the Redskins, and running himself off the Dolphins. With this performance Shawn can show up in the gym with pride where as Taylor should be ashamed to show up in Miami again.

I am sure that it won’t be log until we see Shawn pop up on TV in some capacity or another. She just seems to command the camera and plays well to it in whatever role that she is in.

Congratulations on your well deserved victory Shawn and we look forward to seeing you more in the future. And this completes the Dancing with the Stars update and rest assured that it will be back to the real original reality TV and that is sports here at abitofeverythingsports.blogspot.com!

Quick Hits

A Florida high school pitcher came up short in his bid to throw a fifth straight no-hit game. Patrick Schuster had thrown 4 straight no hitters in high school play. Any time you can throw1 let alone 4 no hitters in a row at any level above t-ball you must be at least pretty good. He is currently ranked the 79th best prospect -- the 42nd best high school prospect in the nation.

Six Olympic athletes have tested positive for doping in a re-testing of Beijing samples. It was told to The Associated Press Tuesday that tests caught three track and field athletes, two cyclists and one weightlifter. 2 of the athletes are medalists one on the track and the other a cyclist. Just when you thought that things from the summer Olympics could be considered over and done with these new allegations have cropped up. It is almost at the point that there is no reason to believe that anything you see is actually happening. Sports may be becoming the equivalent to going to Vegas and watching a magic show...all smoke and mirrors. Well at least it is entertaining if nothing else.

Reasons to root for the Blackhawks during the NHL Playoffs. 1. The youth that is leading the team like Toews, Kane and Havlat can be electrifying and bring you out of your seat. 2. The Ice Crew in Chicago will do exactly the same but in a different way and for different reasons. To see the auditions click here.

Tennis player Andy Roddick has won a Grand Slam and it has nothing to do with tennis. Roddick has married fashion model and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit sensation Brooklyn Decker. I think it is safe to say congratulations Andy....and we all hate you (but in a nice way).

A message to Carrie Underwood, when you are on TV or on a video screen at a sporting event, don’t duck down and hide, just take a page from Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. When appeared on the jumbotron at the Staples Center last week during an LA Lakers game, they didn't duck their heads but started making out instead. Lets just hope that Jack Nicholson doesn’t try to follow Justin’s lead. We don’t need Jack to try to bring Sexy Back.

In a smart move the New York Yankees have decided to cut the cost on more than 40 percent of their front-row seats by up to 50 percent and announced many of those who bought tickets closest to the field for $325-$2,500 will be eligible for additional free seats. There were hundreds of empty seats in “Premium” areas that have gone unfilled at New Yankee Stadium. Maybe if people in Toronto would do the same thing for Leafs games they may not raise ticket prices every year despite not making the playoffs since the lockout. At least with the Yankees they will win every now and again.

This Years Sportsman of the Year - Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps continues his great year with yet one more major accolade. There is little doubt that this was going to be awarded to Phelps and he is certainly a deserving recipient. For 2 weeks in China this past August the Olympics were all about Phelps and his quest to become the most decorated Olympian in history. He walked out of those games with 8 golds the most in one Olympics. Even the casual observer couldn’t help but become captivated by the story in the pool. What he managed to do, and in some cases his team was not only compelling but it brought a spotlight to swimming that will now become obsolete for the next 4 years until the next Olympics. It is too bad that this sport only gets recognition every 4 years along with the likes of gymnastics.
Technically he was sportsman of the 2 weeks even though the 4 years of training leading up to the games will no doubt be overlooked.

As for Phelps himself, he is a commodity and you can see him everywhere either in ads or just randomly in public. Does he run the risk of being over exposed? Perhaps, but in his role as a swimmer he almost needs to exploit himself and stay in the news for as longs as possible because once the light goes down on his star it will be 4 years before he can hope to get it back. It may not be right but that is just the way things go for amateur athletics (just ask Daniel Igali).

In any event Phelps is the big winner this year and we should all applaud what he was able to accomplish.

Around the Horn

Firstly, Congratulations to Phil Dalhauser and Todd Rogers on their 3 Set Gold Medal win last night 23-21, 17-21, 15-4. in the men’s beach final. It was a great match and I was glad I was able to stay up for the duration. The 3rd set was taken over by the best player in the world, Dalhauser who made the Great Wall of China pale in comparison to his giant wing span . He was blocking everything in sight as the US team dominated the Brazilians to claim gold. It was hot, humid and sunny for the match, a far cry from what Kerri Walsh and Misty May had to play through the day before.
Now the Beach is closed in Beijing.

Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian threw his bronze medal to the mat, and walked off the podium.
What a child, everyone knows that a bronze is the second best medal. If it was a silver I would understand.
Gold= Win
Bronze= At least you get something
Silver= FIRST LOSER.
Maybe he just had to put his medal down because his soup was ready (Huh Mr. Sundin??)

So they are canceling Woman's Softball from the Olympics because the US is too good?
Interesting, if that were true would Japan not just upset them, Explain to me that logic.

U.S. 400m relay teams drop their batons and will miss the finals
Someone must have said " is that a syringe coming behind you?" and they panicked and it dropped (allegedly)

Water Polo is impressive in the fact that they never touch the bottom of the pool during a match.
What is even more impressive is that it is the closest thing to a death sport in the Olympics... it would probably be the closest thing to MMA at the games. Water Cube or cage...Think I’ll take the cage...what happens under the water stays under the water

I just saw BMX as a sport being demonstrated in the Olympics
The is the Olympics not the X games, get out of Beijing and go back to Cleveland.

Jose Calderon has a ‘strained adductor’ not good news for the Raptors and their point guard
We here in Ottawa know all too well that a strained adductor can prove to be more troublesome then the actual injury itself...Dominic Hasek, I am looking in your direction.

IOC president Jacques Rogge made some comments regarding Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt for showing a lack of respect to other competitors
This guy is head of the IOC - not the most credible organization in the world, clean up your judging (actual event judging and not your judgemental high and mighty judging first) Just remember about people living in glass houses.

Positively Beaming

The US Golden girl is finally golden. Shawn Johnson has won gold on the beam. Not the gold that she may have wanted but a gold none the less. For a while it looked like the projected superstar for the US Gymnastics Team may have had to settle for only silver as she continued to fall just short of gold in every event. I started to really feel for this young girl who was so highly touted to be draped in gold by this point of the games. She fell short in the Team All Around. She was beaten out by teammate Nastia Lukin in the All Around and grabbed yet another silver in the Floor Exercise. I was rooting hard for this athlete who came in with so much pressure on her (legitimately)16 year old shoulders. After each blow that she took she always had those big eyes and that huge smile and a hug for a teammate or fellow competitor. Sure 2nd is a huge accomplishment but gold is gold. She is now one of the most decorated Olympians in US Gymnastics and the gold just helps solidify that. To be able to stay as focused, through all the disappointment and to come through in her last event was what the Olympic games are supposed to be about. Determination, perseverance and excellence. Way to Go Shawn!

Ontario Summer Games

As the 2008 Ontario Summer Games have descended upon the city taking control of the various fields, arenas, pool, rink or gymnasium. I canʼt help but remember when I was a participant in the games. I attended the games in 1996 and represented Fastball when the games were held in London. That was the closest that this former athlete has come to the actual Olympics. Just like this year it was also an Olympic year with the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. As I recall we were set up at the University of Western in the dorms. The ball teams took over the wing for the duration of the tournament and it was just like a set up at the Olympic Village (I would imagine). Just like the Olympics we were marched into the stadium in our warm up gear and team swag, did a lap around the track and the football field waiving to all the fans and families in the stands. ID badges to wear around our necks with our names and sport. Kind of makes you feel like a a big shot.We had our vouchers for food and coupons for various tourist type things, we were taken care of pretty well.
We went out early mornings, and started our games, the cool dewy mornings gradually dissipated and the hot summer sun came out as we played... just the way the Olympics were meant to be, for the joy of the game and the thrill of great competition and competitiveness. Although we did not return with a medal that year it was still a great experience both for great ball, team building but also personal accomplishment. I am sure Ottawa will do it up great and I hope the kids have as much fun as I did.

'Heese' So Close

Mark Heese is one half of the 1996 Bronze Medal winning Beach Volleyball team for Canada in Atlanta. He teamed with John Childs and the two were long time partners. Heese now plays with Ahren Cadieux and the two had hopes of playing in Beijing in this years Olympics, that will not be happening. How about this for a kicker to a former Olympian and medalist the top 24 teams in the world go...they are ranked 25th. They had the potential to get the invite if another team were forced to withdraw but at this late date it looks unlikely and they will be forced to set their sights a little lower to the Canadian National Championships in Toronto. For Heese he will be going for his 11 such title but that surely pales in comparison to going to Beijing and at 39 this will be his last shot. As a huge volleyball fan and a proud Canadian I do feel for them and it would have been great to see them compete on the largest stage (as volleyball seldom gets any press let alone face time on TV outside of Olympic years).

Around The Horn

Brett Favre has finally moved and maybe now we can all move on to talking about football...the actual game!
You can call him Broadway Brett! I guess green really is his favorite colour for more reasons then one.

In a related note, Chad Pennington the Jets starting QB the last few seasons has gone Dan Crowley (Ottawa Renegades former starting QB) and was released by the team. Not even demoted...released

First it was Paul now it is Morgan. The two USA Gymnast brothers have been forced to sit out the Olympics with injury
I will take the Won Ton Soup and the #29 Special....Hold the Hamm

The European’s record at the PGA Championship is not great, none of the US players are playing particularly well.
Should make for an interesting final Major, Tiger must just be itching to be in this field for an almost guaranteed victory, probably still would be the favorite right now even on one pin.

Are any of the athletes this year actually going to be clean?
Vegas will have its work cut out for themselves setting the over/under for athletes getting pinched by drug tests

The Manny Ramirez trade is being investigated by MLB
After the way the ARod (or the Lightning Rod, as i know him) contract was handled by Scott Boras last year during the World Series there would be an outside chance that ther may have been something greasy going on there

J.P. Riccardi the Jays GM stated that Cito Gaston will be back in 2009
Does that open the door for Beaston and Gillick to come in too?Apparently what was old is new again in TO....Was that just an Allan Bester sighting??

After this regime some more "new/old" faces may be a good thing

As stated on The Colbert Report last night Michael Phelps will be one to watch this year in the pool as he goes for a record amount of Gold. It is a wonder that he has the kind of time required to train while playing Jim on the Office and QB’ing the NY Giants to the Super Bowl

Say It Ain't So, Joe

Disgraced ex-NBA official Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 Months in jail hopefully bringing an end to this storey.
Is it just me or did the NBA make it through pretty clean in this whole mess? This had the potential to bring down the league and even when it was in the news everyday it didn’t seem to carry a lot of weight. Same thing with the baseball steroid mess. It seems to now be a back burner issue after it looked to rock the sport. Sure some individuals like Clemens and Bonds have taken much of the hits but on the whole the sport has fared pretty well. It is interesting in a sport that still brings up the 1919 "Black Sox" that these new issues don’t carry the same power.
It is just like WWE Wrestling, very few bodies can look like that naturally and it is easier to assume that everybody is juicing and the sooner we realize that the quicker we can move on and just appreciate it for what it is, entertainment and a distraction.
It will be interesting to see with the upcoming Olympics if that is the case there as well. Will the stories of success and unanticipated victories carry more weight then the inevitable positive drug tests that are sure to come in the coming weeks.
Are we as a society at the point that the sports we follow are a mere escape for us from our daily routine and troubles? Maybe we have much less interest in some of the more shady dealings and just take it at face value and just enjoy.
For the record i did not include the Tour De France in this list as i do not deem it of any relevance as it neither compelling nor interesting even if it does have the most enhancing by its performers.

Around The Horn

Having the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) being televised over the past few weeks with teh AVP on NBC in anticipation of the Olympics has been a real treat for me. I may be one of the few that truely enjoy beach volleyball for the volleyball. I will watch both the men’s and woman’s matches both with near equal interest.
That being said here is some truths: 1) HD was made for woman’s beach volleyball 2) I think I am in love with Misty May and Kerri Walsh 3) With the fans in the stands being as hot or hotter then those on the court, how does it not get more time on tv and pull in huge ratings?

Roger Federer was ousted in the first round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto in his first match after his epic match with Rafael Nadal.
Well that eliminates the potential for me going to Torono to watch Tennis and makes for a disappointing end to those who have tickets. Just like the Leafs, Toronto has disappointed their fans...again.

Iraq has been barred from the Beijing games.
Apparently politics does play a role in the Olympics, I am shocked. It begs the question how did Beijing get the games in the first place.

Michelle Wie is to play yet another men’s event at the PGA Tour’s Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.
Not only has she never made a men's cut but she doesn’t even know the rules on the LPGA. "Wie" are tired of this song.

Mats Sundin is to make his decision on August 1 on if and where he will play next season.
I guess Campbell Chunky Soup is perishable and it expires within the next week ( Mats, your soup is ready!!)

Steve Bartman, That Cubs "fan" who rightly or wrongly has been blamed for ruining the Cubs chances win the World Series has turned down $25,000 to come out of hiding and sign 1 autograph.
Wisely he has declined and has averted what was sure to have been either a set up or a trap, either way there would be no good to come from that. 25 Ger is a lot of coin but you gotta stay down in teh basement if you are that dude.