Putting on a Brave Face

“My” Atlanta Braves have had a bit of a roller coaster off season. After a disappointing sub .500 season the Braves attempt to better the team has had its share of good and bad.

It all started at the winter meetings, where there was not only the perception but a real belief that they would land a number 1 pitcher in the form of Jake Peavy from the Padres. Over close to 3+ weeks of speculation it kept looking more and more like it was going to happen. Then all the talks died. This drama all ended with no deal...this would become a bit of a trend.
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Rafael Furcal, a former Braves shortstop and free agent was apparently ready and willing to sign with the Braves to return to Atlanta and take back his position. Then at the 11th hour he “changed his mind” for a more polite way of putting it. After getting a signed term sheet Furcal and his representation went back to the Dodgers to allow them to counter, then, in the end opted to stay in with the Dodgers. Had there not been a term sheet there would probably not been the public scene and animosity. President John Shurholtz was upset that a verbal agreement was followed by an unprecedented and unacceptable sequence of events from where he sits.
“Having been in this business for 40-some years, I’ve never seen anybody treated like that,” Schuerholz told The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. “The Atlanta Braves will no longer do business with that company -- ever. I told [agent] Arn Tellem that we can’t trust them to be honest and forthright. I told him that in all my years, I’ve never seen any [agency] act in such a despicable manner.
“It was disgusting and unprofessional. We’re a proud organization, and we won’t allow ourselves to be treated that way. I advised Arn Tellem that whatever players he represents, just scratch us off the list. Take the name of the Atlanta Braves off their speed dial. They can deal with the other 29 clubs, and we’ll deal with the other hundred agents.”
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Again there was much speculation that the Braves were one of the favorites in the A.J. Burnett sweepstakes. Now I wasn’t as bitter that they eventually lost out because I have seen him under perform in Toronto up until last season, conveniently a opt-out season. Burnett was offered a huge deal in Atlanta but decided to trade it in for a little more with the Yankees. In any event just another in a long line of high profile players that didn’t have Georgia on their Mind.
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Future Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, even though he is still recovering from an arm injury opted not to wait until he was full healed and signed a deal with the Boston Red Sox. The Braves who have had issues with the health of their rotation over the last couple of years (see entire rotation, especially Mike Hampton who was by all accounts stealing money based on his contract) looked to be waiting for more info on the progress and have lost yet another big player and gained yet another hole in their lineup.
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The Braves managed to actually acquire some players this off season, perhaps some were a little under the radar and not the big name splashes that they would have hoped for. They managed to help out their troubled rotation but acquiring Javier Vazquez and new Japanese player Kenshin Kawakami. With Tim Hudson recovering from Tommy John surgery they will be good middle of the line pitchers that should eat up some innings.
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The Braves Then finally was able to both sign and close a deal for “Ace” Derek Lowe. Perhaps not as big a deal as C.C. Sabathia or K-Rod but at this point I guess beggars can’t be choosers. Low even though he is slightly older still should have a little life in his arm and being a ground ball pitcher may help him out...provided he gets a little help by his defense, and of course some support from his offence.
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Most recently was the report that another Future Hall of Fame member wanted to fulfill a wish and play for the Braves. Ken Griffey Jr. apparently made a call to Chipper Jones and asked for info on the team and to let GM Frank Wren that he was interested in playing in Atlanta. Then came the reports that the Braves were on the verge of signing the free agent...followed by the news that in fact Griffey had opted to sign in Seattle and become yet another player to shun the Braves this off season. When told of Griffey’s decision on Wednesday night, Jones was somewhat upset about the fact he felt he’d wasted his time while providing information that he felt Griffey was seeking in an attempt to land in Atlanta. “It’s just another person who shunned us,” said Jones.
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The Braves were able to sign Kelly Johnson, Jeff Franceour and Tom Glavine to 1 year deals. All come with at least some baggage whether it be for on field performance or can they get back to the level that they either once had or has had expected of them. Franceour need to have a bounce back to the player he was when he first came up. Glavine just needs to be steady and log some innings, he is not expected to be the Ace but just a piece of the puzzle, at his age being a leader will be a big asset. Not knowing how they will perform that only gives the Braves 1 Run.
Players 5 Braves 3.

After I had written the majority of this post there was finally another development on this issue. The Braves managed to get another quality left handed bat to sign on the dotted line, perhaps one even more significant then Junior. Garrett Anderson signed a 1 year $2.5M contract that should help fill the void in left and help out in the platoon situations that will arise in the outfield this season. Anderson still can be productive provided he stays healthy. This may be a wild card signing bit at a decent price could pay dividends and help protect Chipper Jones in the lineup.
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In the end they still have fallen a little short by at least they kept it close and were competitive. Lets hope that they over achieve this season and get back close to the top of the East again, a spot that they deserve to get back to.

This Blog Is Brought To You By The Letter C

Well the Ottawa Senators have delivered their stimulus package in regards to starting the trade movement in the NHL before the March 4th deadline. Yesterday the Senators pulled the trigger on a 2 for 2 deal with the New York Islanders. The Sens shipped out Dean Mcammond and San Jose’s first round draft pick this year for forward Mike Comrie and young defenceman Chris Campoli.

All season all you have heard about was we need a puck moving defenceman and someone to play the power play. Also the second favorite buzz words was secondary scoring. So in that regard I suppose the deal does make some sense. Comrie’s contract is up at the end of the year and Campoli is good next year at only $633,000. This is a deal that would have made more sense earlier on before they played themselves virtually out of the playoffs. I understand why it was difficult for Murray to make a deal in this environment as it isn’t the easiest thing to pull a deal that has a backbone involving his favorite letter....C

Seriously what is up with that? Is this how the team is going to be built? Mike Comrie, Chris Campoli...he first hired Craig Hartsburg then removed him from his duties in favor of Cory Clouston while keeping Craig Carvel as an assistant with the team and moved assistant coach Curtis Hunt to Binghamton. This is either a very interesting coincidence or the equivalent of a mission statement.

I think that the deal is not a bad one at this point and will probably lead to more movement going forward and will pave the road for some more deals, so it is too early to judge and as with most deals time will tell how this will pan out. Lets see what Murray has up his sleeve.

(We need depth and defense so may I suggest; D Christian Chartier from Chicago, D Chris Chelios from Detroit for some leadership, RW Chris Clark from Washington, D Carlo Colaiacovo from St. Louis...ahhh never mind, I have no use for Colaiacovo, never have after he was a top prospect for what seemed like 8 years. Oh and to solve any goaltender issues G Corey Crawford from Chicago and G Christopher Carrozzi from Atlanta.)

Out With The New And In With The Old

Both hockey and baseball have players who think that they are boxers...or Brett Favre.

The NHL recently welcomed back super pest Claude Lemieux at age 43 after a lengthy retirement. He has seemed to pay his dues and worked very hard to get into the kind of game shape needed to play in the "new game". In a league that has made men close to 10 years younger look too slow for the more high paced, no obstruction game, Lemieux seems to be up for the challenge. Nobody expects him to be the player he was back in his prime, but perhaps as a 4th line role player he may be a serviceable asset for the San Jose Sharks.

Meanwhile in baseball there were just recently reports that Denis "Oil Can" Boyd is looking to make a comeback of his own...at age 49. Now this may be more of a stretch as he is even further removed from the game as well the fact that he wasn’t the most dominating player in the game by any stretch of the imagination when he was playing. In baseball it is usually the left handers who can hang on for way longer then they should because they are only needed for 8 pitch, or one batter whichever comes first. In 2005 Boyd came out of retirement to play in the Can-Am league.

We will see how both of these fountain of youth reclamation projects pan out, but I think that Lemieux may have an inside edge on this one. Time will tell

It's Go Time- Let the Games Begin!

It is finally starting to get to that time of year where everything is starting to amp up in the sports world again, and it couldn’t have happened soon enough. With cold weather and the sun and warmth apparently on vacation until April at least, staying inside and enjoying some quality televised events seems like a logical thing to do. Sure the NFL is done, both the Super Bowl and Pro Bowls are over but winter sports are in mid flight and just past the half way mark and the spring and summer sports are thinking about getting going.

The first sign that spring will soon be in the air - pitchers and catchers are to begin reporting to Spring Training today. Baseball will hope to put some of the off field issues to the back burner and we can start talking about player movement, off season signings and then eventually the games themselves. A welcome change from the annoying chatter that is steroids and investigations.

The Australian Open just concluded. With one of the greatest one-on-one rivalries of all time between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the Men’s side looks to have an interesting year upcoming with the clay in Paris the next stop.

The PGA has started to get going and tournaments have began. You may have missed it with Tiger Woods still rehabbing his knee but soon he will be back and the world can begin to start spinning again.

Over the last 2 weeks NASCAR has been in Speed Weeks in Daytona Florida. Last weekend they held the Bud Shootout and pole qualifying. Yesterday they ran the Dual’s at Daytona, the 2 race-in qualifying for the Grand Daddy of them all the Daytona 500 that is to be run this Sunday. But more importantly it marks my boy Jimmie Johnson going for an unheard of 4th consecutive Cup Championship. Even if I am perhaps a bit bias when it relates to the 48 Lowes Chevy Impala SS. I am not so blind to throw too many eggs into that basket as the competition is very tough and there are a number of great young drivers that are ready to break through and some veterans who want to re-invent themselves as potential contenders.

Then the further you go down the list one must start to begin to look at NCAA basketball. March Madness isn’t as far away as you may think. This is the top sports tournament around ( I feel that it can be called the top tournament even if some may think the World Cup of Soccer is, but it is disqualified from the running as it is not a real sport and it is clear that it is one thing to play but is virtually un-watchable). It is never too early to do some pre-scouting and thinking about getting that bracket ready!

Of course there are the staples of this time of year as well, the NHL and the NBA. The NBA All Star weekend begins today with all the events and "Hoop-La" that conclude with the game on Sunday. As for the NHL, they are in full force on the road towards the playoffs and possibly more importantly the trade deadline. That is really the only off ice business that is fun during the season.

This is a great time to be a fan...as long as we focus on the on field product and not all the other crap that we are bombarded with.

Gone Are The Days That The Sports Are The News

So yesterday was an interesting day in sports, but for the most part it wasn’t for on-field or on-ice issues. It is getting to the point when you are watching shows like SportsCenter or Sportsnet Connected where it takes 10 minutes of news before you get any highlights. It isn’t just the fact that it is news but it has little or no impact on the games but is more like an episode of E! Now or Extra or one of those gossip shows.

First there was the news that Jets QB Brett Favre has decided to call it a career...again. For this player who has had more speculation of "will he or won’t he" then Friends Ross and Rachel and an episode of The Young and the Restless combined. I think that maybe this one may stick just because this time he has a legitimate injury and even with the use of his trusty Bow Flex it will be difficult for him to make a recovery to get to the point where he is healthy enough to get back into game shape. It doesn’t hurt that there is little options for a banged up 40+ year old starting QB. In any event I will go ahead and set the over/under date before speculation starts up about a possible return at July 8.

Next there is the startling lawsuit brought against former Blue Jay great Roberto Alomar by an ex-girlfriend. A $15 million dollar civil suit. She claims that Alomar has AIDS, and insisted on having unprotected sex with her. This seems similar to the Trevis Smith situation in Regina for the former CFL player. Whether it was as predatory will be interesting to find out. But I guess we wait to see how it plays out. It is sad to hear on both a sports level / social level/ and a personal level, both for Alomar himself as well as the ex-girlfriend. Until more info comes to light we won’t know all the facts but whatever direction it takes it is an unpleasant situation. (Alomar was on time engaged to former French tennis star Mary Pierce who was born in Montreal)
What says Spring is coming like pitchers and catchers reporting, like they are to do this Friday to get the baseball season off and running? Well that isn’t this issue, again a couple off field issues that have taken that out of the headlines.

First it was Joe Torre’s book about his time managing the Yankees. Early quotes from the book made it sound like it was a tell all expose with things like -the players called ARod (Alex Rodriguez) A-Fraud and things of that nature. In actuality it wasn’t as bad as it first sounded but I don’t think that Torre is far enough removed, time wise to come out with a book. Thankfully for Joe his book has gone to the back burner after the SI revelation followed by the admission from ARod that he took performance enhancing drugs (possibly steroids and/or HGH) between 2001-2003. Some people have commended him for admitting use others criticize him for only kind of apologizing but still more ducking many questions. It is hard to give credit for telling the truth, something that you are supposed to do but it is more then many players before him. It was a no win situation for him in whatever he had said but at least he went a little further then Jason Giambi did when he apologized but never said what he was apologizing for. ARod had a blueprint on what to do after seeing how Clemens, McGuire, Palmero, Pettite, Tejada, et al.

Changing Channels Not An Option In Canada

After my last post it has lead me to make a comment on the state of TV in Canada and the US as it relates to sports. Now I have little problems with Canada’s existing sports specific channels, those being TSN (The Sports Network), Rogers Sportsnet and to a lesser extent The Score but I want more. Being a Bell Express Vu subscriber I have a respectable selection of live sporting events to choose from. Now that TSN has come out with TSN 2 allowing for both the ability to show 2 live sporting events at the same time (in the winter usually either 2 hockey games or a hockey game and an NBA game or perhaps tennis, maybe even curling) nationally as well the ability for time shifting showing programming on a 3 hour delay to allow you to watch the complete games of both matches if you so choose or if you missed the original broadcast...a nice option o have. Sportsnet does well with regional hockey but shows far less live games as it used to when it held the rights to broadcast NBA games but makes up for that with most Jays games during baseball season.

Now where I have an issue again is with the CRTC and the fact that there is no way that I can get everything that I want. Sure I could pay in excess of $100 for different packages covering sports like NHL Center Ice, NFL Sunday Ticket, NASCAR Hotpass, MLB Extra Innings or the NCAA package but that adds up pretty quick and there is a lot of overlap of crappy games that I wouldn’t want anyway. No, what I want is more choice, more options and most of all more variety. I guess in an effort to preserve Canadian content there is no way to legally get the programming that I want and what I want shouldn’t be that tough to get. Give me the option of having ESPN(s), some of the Fox SportsNet channels, NESN, Versus, YES Network TNT among others. As a fan of watching volleyball I would like to have the option of watching some matches. NBC will show 1 match a week of the AVP tour but the rest of the tournament is not shown, nor are any NCAA indoor games. I understand why Canadian programming doesn’t pick up these games as it is a very niche market but if the games are being televised I would like to have the option to watch them. I don’t need it on a Pay Per View basis just let me purchase the entire channel as I would if it were a specialty channel in Canada. If it comes to a case of matching the numbers in a total package of Canadian to US programming so be it, I may be willing to taking on some crappy Canadian channels in order to keep the ratio where it needs to be. All I am asking for is the ability to choose, ability to watch what I want , and ability to get some different perspectives. The only channels made available in Canada show nothing but crap. They try to fool people with ESPN Classic Canada, but not ESPN Classics so we get Classic CFL games (if there is more of an oxymoron title i’d like to hear it) Matches on Fox Sports World shows Footy (soccer), rugby, Aussie rules football and things of that nature....not entertaining and a weak effort to show “World Sports”.

I want Wednesday Night Baseball in the summer, weekly NBA games, Volleyball games. It is being broadcast, I don’t think it too much to ask that I have a chance to enjoy it, whether I live in Canada or the USA.

My TV Was Hijacked By Canadian Government Pirates

So the Super Bowl is over for another year, the TV event of the year is over, but there is still an issue that needs to be touched upon and that is the TV coverage itself. Being in Canada there is an issue that arises and it is usually forgotten not long after the big game and that is the CRTC regulations that switch the feed that we get here. The game was shown in the US by NBC, the pregame started early on the network and continued through until the end, however what we got was NBC via CTV. CTV is a fine network but if I want to watch NBC I should be able to watch NBC. I have a satellite dish and even pay extra to have a second NBC western NBC and to not be able to watch it is annoying at best.

Part of the fun of the Super Bowl is getting to watch the new commercials that command in excess of $2.5-$2.9 million dollars for a 30 second spot. When, because of the switch of the feed we in Canada miss out on a good portion of them. One redeeming factor is that with the internet now we can see these online after but that is a minor victory. When I am watching the game on a clear TV maybe I don’t want to watch these commercials on a smaller computer screen at a lower quality later on. Maybe I don’t want to search to find this content and there is a pretty good chance that without a list I don’t know what to look for, which companies are advertising and where I can find the best quality ones.
Possibly the most aggravating issue is that the Canadian commercials that we get are Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons on a continuous loop. When they aren’t good in the beginning, repetition doesn’t make them better.

We were able to avoid this issue with the Olympics because CBC and NBC had in dependant coverage and their own crews (I understand the economics of the simulcast but it is all about choice) so it was separate and we were better for it as we had more choice

This isn’t just a Super Bowl issue as it happens not only for simulcast sporting events but for drama’s and sitcoms that are shown at the same time on both the US and Canadian channels. It is good that there are standards to keep Canadian culture and content on the airways but when you are paying for one thing having at least a choice would be nice.

Super Bowl XLIII

In a welcome surprise the Super Bowl actually lived up to the hype this year! Now I don’t want to overstate the games greatness as the entire game was perhaps not the best ever but there was a flow and had some of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history sprinkled in every now and again. Some will say that the Cardinals got a raw deal in terms of some of the calls that went against them. Perhaps one can make a case for that. The Roethlisberger run on the first drive that was challenged and then overturned was a tough play to call and on the field but they did in the end get it right...but it did cost the Cards a challenge. The fumble call at the end that wasn’t reviewed was clearly a blown call, even though I thought it was correct and it was an open hand going forward they could have taken a few minutes to actually see for sure. What I found perhaps the most questionable call/no-call was on a play I never saw until after the game on a highlight package and that was Santonio Holmes using the ball as a prop in a LeBron James style gesture where he used the ball and pretended it was Talc and then proceeded to throw it into the air. That should have resulted in a 15yrd penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, thus giving the Cardinals even better field position and more time to work on less field on the final drive. It was interesting how that was overlooked.

The beauty of this game was the amount of "best of all time" plays. Granted it is always the easiest thing to call the most recent event as the best but in this case I think there may be room for discussion. Joey Hairston’s 100yrd interception return for a TD...with no time left on the clock...at halftime...if he goes down it’s over no points no other chance to score...and he goes down on Larry Fitzgerald and rolled into the end zone.

~ The 2 faces of Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was shut out for the first 3 quarters, then came the fourth where he went off for 7catches 127yrds 2TDs.
~ How clutch Santonio Holmes was with his 9 catches 131yrds 1TD and what may be considered as one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history, up there with last years David Tyree or Dwight Clark in the end zone.
~ One of the best passing games in Super Bowl history by Kurt Warner 31/43 377yrds 3TDs
~Ben Roethlisberger and his ability to scramble, stay on his feet, not take a sack and buy time to make play after play and extend drives. Ben should have been the MVP, maybe it sounds cliche that the QB for MVP but if he doesn’t stay on his feet Holmes doesn’t have a chance to make those throws.

Possibly as the most interesting and compelling part of the game itself was that not only did the Cardinals cover the spread but they actually had the best comback in Super Bowl history AND won the game on Larry Fitgerald’s TD run ...The only problem was that there was too much time left on the clock and Pittsburgh came back and won the game back from them and nothing proved that more then the picture of Fitzgerald on the sidelines mouthing ‘No, No, No, No, No’

Round 2 to Nadal In Another Epic Match

It is rare in sports that you can legitimately root for two competitors in the same game at the same time. Usually there is a favorite team or competitor involved, a hated team or competitor or little interest in either. I have gotten to do this twice so far and both were in epic and classic tennis matches (yes tennis) between Rafael Nedal and Roger Federer.Early Sunday morning thousands of miles away on another continent was yet another epic match between these two rivals. It seems this is going to be only the second chapter to probably the greatest rivalry in sports today. Red Sox vs Yankees at its peak may not have even hit these heights. Sure there is less hatred between these two participants and seems to be nothing but respect between one another as shown when Nedal, while addressing the crowd said "Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now," Nadal said. "Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history. You're going to improve on the 14 of Sampras." Nedal is clearly a gracious winner but don’t think for one second that there is not a real fire when these two meet up.

A Grand Slam final without these two is like a golf tournament without Tiger Woods in contention on a final Sunday.

It was last year at Wimbledon that I watched at the time the most compelling match I have ever seen, and figured that I would ever see.

If you need a reminder click here

Maybe it was maybe it wasn’t, but this years Australian Open certainly was at the very least a close runner up. The circumstances were similar both Major Tournaments, both ones that Federer has excelled at in the past and now both won by Nadal.

There was just one small difference this time, Federer, at Wimbledon seemed to be congratulatory to Nadal and genuinely happy for him...as much as losing in a major can be tollerated by a highly competitive champion and world class competitor. No, this time was different. Federer seemed to, I don’t want to say fold but seemed to secumb to the pressure in the 5th and final set. Perhaps it was physical, as the match was a gruelling 4hour 23 minute affair but after what happened at the trophy ceremony it looked like it was more mental as the usually very strong and unemotional (some would say boring) Federer broke down during his address to the fans after receiving the second place platter. Is Nadal inside Federer’s head? I guess we will find out in Paris at the French Open or Wimbledon where Federer will yet again try to tie Pete Samperas with 14 career Grand Slams.

On the other side of the net is Rafael Nedal, the World #1 and currently the best player in the world and only time will tell if he will become one of the best ever. Health and determination will decide how far he will go, but at his young age it is well within reach.Nedal's win at this tournament are what legends are made of. Even if he hadn’t done what he did last year, this years tourney solidifies him as a true champion. Nadal managed to come back after a semi-final match only a day before that lasted over 5 hours, then he turned around and played a 4 hour 23 minute championship match agents a 13 time Grand Slam champion. If that wasn’t enough in the 5th and final set he came out and seemed to be the fresher player and more focused. A true credit to both his physical stamina and his incredibly focused mental makeup.

I look forward to the next installment of this battle and Federer’s quest to tie and surpass Pete Sampras for career Grand Slams.

Prediction time...for whatever that's worth

It is 1 day away and both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals are ready to hit the field to compete for the Lombardi Trophy.This is a very difficult game to break down because it is difficult to know what teams are coming to play. The Cardinals have been underdogs all post season and twice at home and that is almost unheard of but with the terrible history of this franchise it is difficult to become a believer. Larry Fitzgerald has emerged as the best receiver in the NFL and will command a lot of attention. Will he be able to overcome the inevitable double teams or will that extra attention open things up for the running game or Anquan Boldin?

Regardless of the Cardinals offense one can’t overlook the defense from the Steelers. They have made there mark by playing a solid defensive game, and as they say defense wins championships but now they are up agents a veteran QB with a lot of weapons. The benefit that Pittsburgh has is that Kurt Warner has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and can be prone to sacks and fumbles and with Troy Polamalu lurking around interceptions may not be out of the realm of possibilities.

Ben Rothlesburger has banged up ribs and Hines Ward is also banged up and thais is where the game selection becomes merkey. The defense of the Steelers should be able to contain the Cards, but can big Ben and Ward be healthy enough and be able to do enough to be successful? That is why this game is either going to be a barn burner or a 30-13 blowout for the Steelers.

My logical sense is that the Steelers will be the team to raise the trophy, I think that Ben will be able to just enough to win.That being said would I rather the Cards win? Yes I hope that they do. Will I be surprised if the Cards pulled off another unlikely upset? No...could I be more on the fence? Probably not.

I think that this will wind up being close and am guessing on a 30-24 Final in favour of Pittsburgh.
Get you chips, dip, fingerfoods, Beer and Soda ready sit back and enjoy the game

Supr Bowl or Super Bore?

It is that time of the year again. The New Years Eve of Football

Usually over-hyped and built up bigger then it needs to be and also never live up to the billing...but it is an event that everyone observes and makes special plans for that one day.

The greatest spectacle in sports, the single greatest sporting event in the world, yet usually the most uninteresting game as far as play on the field. If you are a corporate sponsor or a high roller you get your VIP parties and various events to attend. For the average fan or casual observer you have the creative new commercials that they play during halftime, which is interesting because for 364 days a year people try to avoid commercials. Oh yeah, and of course the gambling. Whether you follow football or not there is something for everyone from game bets to well over 500 prop bets that can be made from the coin toss to the team that will kick the first field goal over 46 yards. This is always the busiest weekend for local bookies, Vegas and of course all the offshore online betting sites.

For the week leading up to the game it is just about media and parties and very little about football, well come to think of it even Sunday is like that to a degree.

There is no fear for a lack of coverage on TV. In Canada, CTV who hold the rights to show the game will begin coverage at noon and in the states the coverage will begin before that and going straight through to kickoff after 6pm.

Once the game actually kicks off it is your job to sit back watch the game until halftime...sprint to the kitchen reload the food and drink, hit the head, sprint back to the TV in time to see The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) and the halftime show and settle in for either the conclusion of an epic game, or enjoy the snacks and take in the end of a blowout.

I will give my views and picks in my next posting and as usual I will give the disclaimer that the chances of my pick being right is probably 50% at best. But I will say this now It will be either a blowout or a field goal game...find out which way I am leaning, Pittsburgh of Arizona and how next time!

Is Fighting in Hockey Necessary?

For just over the last 2 months there has been an increase on the debate on whether fighting should be allowed in hockey, and if or if not it even has a place in the game any more. There have been strong arguments for both sides.

There is the old school mentality that fighting is necessary in order to self police the game and keeps cheap shots such as hits from behind and shots to the head out of the game...clearly that is not the case. I would be very surprised with no fighting if there was any more then there already is because it certainly doesn’t seem like having the nuclear option on your bench is doing anything to deter players from these questionable infractions. There have never been a time where this type of tactic has been used. Back in the day (more the 70’s era and the Broad Street Bullies of Philadelphia) there was way more stick work and hacks and slashes that escalated into bench clearing brawls. Now with a simple rule enforcement that is drastically cut back. That just proves that provided that the league makes a mandate to officials to call the game properly there is little need for the goon role anymore, A penalty for an infraction is more effective to punish a TEAM rather then put away 2 tough guys for 5 minutes each that otherwise would get 3 minutes of total ice time and be on the bench for the rest of the game.

There is nothing more annoying then the 2 tough guys who fight for the sake of fighting in a staged event at centre ice that offers nothing to the game, where there is no reason for it and is payback for nothing except to justify them being in the lineup and not a healthy scratch of out of the league all together.

The only thing worse then the staged fight is the fight that ensues from a clean, I repeat, clean hit that either looks big or sounds big and all of a suddenly there needs to be some sort of payback. That is where the rules need to be enforced. A clean hockey hit should deserve no retaliation except for a hit in the same manor later on if and when the opportunity arises...don’t want to get blown up, don’t skate through the middle with your head down or don’t admire your pass for too long. A body check into the boards should not be an automatic invitation to drop the gloves and throw hands.

Football (probably the most violent of the "Big Sports") - anything close to a fight is 15 yards and a possible ejection, suspensions and fines.
Baseball - The odd hit batter but any fight will result in an ejection, suspensions and fines
Basketball - Hand slapping and that will also result in ejection, suspensions and fines
NASCAR- Even bump another car let alone the driver results in loss of points, suspensions, probation and fines and a trip to meet with the officials and Mr. France.

If fighting is so much a part of the game, why was it that the Pay-Per View was cancelled where it was just people fighting with skates on who would fight for no reason? Why is it not at the All Star game with a 16 or 8 man tournament to see who the top heavyweight in the league is as part of the skills competition? If that sounds silly so does the argument of fighting in the games.

If you want to see a fight there are many options at your fingertips; WWE, MMA, UFC, Boxing and Martial Arts Competitions.

When is hockey the most watched and the most interest being paid to it? World Juniors, World Championships, Olympics, and Playoffs. There is little or no fighting in any of these events and it is some of the best hockey you will get to watch. There is a flow to the game, it is fast, it is exciting, there is even hitting...yet little or no fighting. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? IS THIS HOCKEY??

The answer is YES and it is very entertaining. I think that perhaps hockey should fight Cancer and that's about it.

NFL Confrence Finals

Philadelphia at Arizona

Philadelphia -4.5

It is tough to pick the Eagles in a game like this but they have made it to the conference finals numerous times and the Cardinal's have basically never been this far. Arizona has that powerful offense and looks to get Anquan Boldin back this week too. Edgerin James is running for a contract which is always dangerous but I look for Donovan McNabb to steer this team to a victory just because he wants to prove that he is the leader and the reason for their recent success. Westbrook will be the reason the cover the spread

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh -5.5

This is a battle of defense. Take the under in this game. I take Baltimore in this game...but not to win. This will be a close fought close to the vest hammer it out game and will likely come down to a field goal. Big Ben will do just enough not to lose the game and create an all Pennsylvania Super Bowl. Pittsburgh will manage to edge out the Ravens and go for their second championship. Joe Flacco being a rookie may be in over his head in this one.

Superbowl Matchup February 1

Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh

2009 World Juniors Wrap

It has been almost a week since the World Juniors have ended in Ottawa and I think that it is time to reflect on just what a great 2 week tournament not only this was but what a great tournament this is. Ottawa seemed to do a great job from top to bottom hosting the event. I heard nothing but good things, no horror stories no glaring problems or logistical difficulties. To manage to pull off a tournament of this magnitude and to shatter the attendance records (granted the event is rarely held in the same city and allowed for more of a cross section of available games and locations) was no small feat, from the execs to the volunteers to the great people handing out mini Febreeze’s...grabbed me a few bottles of those for myself. Eugene Melnyk was the face of this bid and did a great job. With that said, a huge hand goes to 67’s owner Jeff Hunt who had made many attempts in the past to year in and year out bid to get this tournament held in Ottawa. He knew what the tournament meant not only to Ottawa but to Canada.

The Canadian team’s “ Drive For Five” was an added storyline that just added to the excitement, not that as Canadians we needed any more reason to watch. TSN had the highest ratings ever on the network for the Gold medal game topping at 4.7 million viewers at its peak. Scotiabank Place was sold out Canada’s games and topped over 20,000 in a few games. Not bad for a city that is supposed to not be a “sports town”.

The one major downside and this will continue to be difficult to overcome in the near future is that after watching the tournament and going through the ups and downs, the roller coaster of emotions that the games put us through, we have been spoiled. The New Years Eve Classic that was dubbed as one of the best hockey games ever played, the 5.4 last seconds goal from John Tavares to Zach Boychuk and then to the gold medal game between Canada and Sweden. I watched 2 Sens games since the end of the tourney and compared to what i saw the 2 weeks prior the 2 NHL games could hardly be called hockey. No excitement no urgency and the game seemed to be slow and un-passionate. Hopefully that will change and the games will pick up but as for the Juniors they put on a great show and for those of us in Ottawa who were lucky enough to take in the tourney, we were treated to a great show and a great product.
Now it is time to attempt to collect some autographs from some of these young Canadian Hero’s.I have already gotten to meet 7 of them and get a mini Team Canada jersey signed when they did a signing at the SportCheck in Kanata right after the team was selected and on their way to Petawawa.

In closing, thanks boys you did the country proud and GO CANADA!

Canada-USA New Years Eve 2008

As for the second part of the New Years Eve story. Following the early game I roamed around the arena for a bit, grabbed some free giveaway cheese, which was good as i was in need of a snack, in fact i went back for a second one. Treated myself to a Jumbo Hotdog and a tallboy Coors grabbed me a set of thundersticks...not once not twice but thrice. At this point it was off to my standing room location. The giant flag worked it’s way around the arena and it was time for the USA vs Canada a rivalry renewed. The main reason that I got a ticket to the game was mostly because of the epic game Montreal Canadiens Versus The Red Army in 1975. It came with the billing of a huge game from the start of the tourney.I figured this had all the makings of a classic and I wanted to be a part of that. After the game began the building was electric. But then all that changed. Like Harry Carey would say “It 1, 2, 3” ...not strikes your out but goals had fans wondering if maybe the 2 things that should be out was Dustin Tokarski and the chances for a Canada win. That was when John Tavares took over and scored 2 goals in less then a minute and Canada managed to tie the game at 3 all. Canada then went up 4-3 USA tied it up, Then Cody Hodgson scored to put Canada up 5-4. Canada eventually potted 2 more to salt the game away in the last minutes of the game. The building was even more crazy then when the game began. You couldn’t hear yourself think, it was craziness. I am not one that usually gets loud and crazy at sporting events...this was more then a sporting event...this was National Pride. The great thing about being in the standing room was when my Thunder Stick EXPLODED in my hand I still had 1 that I was able to bang on the ledge at the top of the arena! The guy next to me stated that it was the wildest game he had ever seen, I tended to agree. The next day all over the TV and radio was that it was one of the best Junior games ever, and I believe that it was. Little did we know at the time that there was going to be a semi final game vs the Russians that would either equal and probably overtake it only a few days later with some last minute heroics that not even a Hollywood writer could come up with. I was so glad that I decided to get tickets for that game but kicked myself that I didn’t go with my gut and get a ticket for the Semi versus Russia in what will be known as the 5.4 second Jordan Eberle game.As regulars who read my blog and recall earlier events that I have attended by myself as I have had trouble recruiting people to attend events with me if the are additional “storylines” I will mention it. There was indeed and the girl to my left in the standing room was about 5’7” blond and smokin’ hot!
Now as i finish this post Canada has just won the Gold medal and I am sure I will have to have a take In the next few days after I have time to take in the true magnitude of the event.

GO CANADA GO!!

Wild Card Weekend

Atlanta (11-5)

at
Arizona (9-7)

Spread Atlanta -2.5

In the first game I will be jumping on the Falcons bandwagon, or more accurately the Michael Turner/Roddy White/Matt Ryan bandwagon.
The offensive rookie of the year looks cool under the pressure and Turner/Norwood are a 1-2 punch that will not only run the ball strong but keep the ball for a long time and the longer that Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are on the bench the better. Cards have a weak running game and time of possession could prove to be key.

In this game look for Atlanta to prevail over Arizona in the desert.

Indianapolis (12-4)
at
San Diego (8-8)
Spread Indianapolis -2.5

In the Late game Saturday I will stick with the road team. With or without LaDanian Thomlinson the Colts have the edge. With the newly crowned MVP Peyton Manning and his leadership and a Colts defence that is not great but usually shows up in the playoffs look for them to exploit the banged up Chargers. LT is hurt apparently, Antonio Gates is banged up and have been without Shawne Merriman all year. Philip Rivers doesn't get the credit he deserves but he may just bot have the weapons to compete with the Colts at home this week

In this game look for Indi to roll and take this game with relative ease.

Baltimore (11-5)
at
Miami (11-5)
Spread Baltimore -3.5

In the early game, again, it will be a road team special. There may be a wildcat on the loose but it looks like the Ravens will thwart it with great run and pass defence... quote Ray Lewis and Ed Reed NEVER MORE. Joe Flacco will do what needs to be done and get just enough points to snatch the victory on the road. The Dolphins have had a great comeback season after nearly going win less last year but look for the dream season to come to an end this week.

Baltimore will take this in a close game an move into the next round

Philadelphia (11-5)
at
Minnesota (11-5)
Spread Philadelphia -3.5

In the final game, again, it will be a road team and a clean sweep in the wild card week. The Eagles will swarm with a great defence and the veteran presence of Donovan Mcnabb and Brian Westbrook. If the Eagles can contain Adrian Peterson then they will get to whoever the Vikings have at QB whether it be Jackson or Ferrot.

Eagles will leave the Metrodome with a victory and move on.

Happy New Year

Due to Christmas and the New Year, I have taken a bit of a hiatus in the blogging department but it is 2009 and it is time to get back to it!

Post 1 for 2009 is the only thing that it could be and that is the IIHF World Juniors that are being held here in Ottawa.

For those who are familiar with some past entries, I had purchased a 5 game ticket package at Scotiabank Place that included 3 Senators games and 2 World Juniors. The first 2 Sens games were decent (despite the teams record) but the main focus was on the Jr. Games. The first game that I attended was the Canada vs Germany game. Not a battle of the titans but a surprisingly closer game on the scoreboard then it should have been. Canada dominated in shots and dictated the play but Germany kept it close and fought a good fight agents the more skilled Canadian team. It was a fun game to watch as there was little doubt about the outcome and there were many goals eventually scored. The game was a little frustrating at times as the shots for increased and the shots allowed were minimal at best. The goaltending by the Germans was very respectable but a failure to capitalize on the many opportunities that were presented to the Canadians was trying at times.

The second game was Kazakhstan vs Czech Republic on New Years Eve Day. Not the most entertaining game as it was very 1 sided and with 2 lesser teams involved the atmosphere and attendance was decent but not great. It was nice to see that the crowd got behind the kazaks and were cheering saves and good chances and celebrating when they managed to get 2 goals. It was nice to see that there was legitimate fondness for a team that maybe shouldn’t be involved in the tournament (like Canada at any international soccer event).
At the conclusion of that game begins a whole new storey and that will be touched upon in my next post!

Bringing the Heat- Dany Heatley Book Signing

It is fairly well known that my favorite hockey player is Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators. Ever since he was acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers for Marian Hossa and Greg de Vries. I admired his play before that as a 2nd overall pick in the June 2000 Entry Draft and his winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the year in 2001-2002 with Atlanta but it wasn’t until he came to Ottawa that I truly became a big fan.I have tried in the past at other events to meet Dany in person but come up short. I managed to get a co-worker to get a jersey signed by him at a closed door event in Kanata the first year he was with the team and that still is the highlight of my collection. I would have loved to have met him but acquiring the jersey was the next best thing.

Last weekend I got the opportunity to finally meet Dany in person at his book signing. I knew that he was involved in producing a book authorized by him and written in the first person. I found out when he was having his official book signing at 2 local Chapter’s in the Ottawa area. So Sunday I got up and made my way to the east end and went to the Chapter’s in Gloucester. I got there about 1:30 for the 2pm event. I was given a copy of the book at the door and was told to get in the line and pay for the book, next I was moved to another line where I filled out a ballot for a jersey and a post-it note for how I wanted the book to be inscribed and got a wristband to ensure that I was “entitled” to get the book signed. I was then directed to a third line where i would wait and eventually move through the store serpentining through what felt like 70% of the store, isles and velvet ropes. Then I reached the pinnacle and the promised land. Since i was again by myself I was forced to convince an employee to take my picture with Dany and he did a half ass job and managed to get a great shot with Heater’s head down, but I digress. I got the picture, I got the book signed and personalized and even managed to shake his hand which made the entire endevour worth while. So after all that it was 3pm and 1 1/2hours later i came away a very happy hockey fan.

As for the book itself it is an 80 page autobiography that is aimed at young readers and is more light then perhaps it could have been. The book only briefly touches on the accident that he was involved in that took the life of friend and teammate Dan Snyder but that is to be expected in a book style like this. Hopefully sometime down the road or after his playing days he will write a more comprehensive autobiography that will encompass his entire life and career that may include how one can cope with such tragedy and be able to move on.

Week 15 NFL Picks

GB with the help of Aaron Rogers and Ryan Grant and hopes that MOJO doesn't single handidly run over the GB defence

Indi at home vs winless Lions with no Caulpepper or Johnson

Washington because Cincy is just a train wreck still

Atlanta at home with Roddy White and Matt Ryan

Miami- SF is without Gore

Seattle because they are playing STL.

Buffalo to keep the points close

Tennessee- they are still a very good tram that runs well

SD- LT is due for a big day sooner or later

Arizona air attack to limit Peterson being used effectively

Pittsburgh defence is just a powerhouse

Denver offence should keep game at least close

New England *** only if Cassle plays otherwise that is a lot of points

Giants are still a good team and if Jacobs can't play Ward should replace him well

Philly- not sure what is going on in Cleveland and Dorsey will be in tough

Maddux Was A Master

He ended his career similar to the way that he played throughout it, quiet, professional and classy. Most players that are not only the best at their position during their time in the game but one of the best of all time would announce their intentions up to a year before so they can get all the fanfare they can and be in the news as a final Harrah! Greg Maddux is not that type of person or player an announcement at 6pm on a Friday night is about as obscure a time as one could ever choose. But that is the most fitting way for this 4 time Cy Young, 18 time Gold Glove winner, 3,000+ strikeout, 355 game winner.

Maddux was one of the least imposing superstars ever to play. A man who looked more like an accountant then a pro ball player was for the majority of his career like a surgeon on the mound. Now a days a pitcher like this probably would never get a chance to get to the majors let alone become one of the best ever. Scouts won’t even give you a look if you can’t hit 90mph on the gun. Maddux learned early that it was more about movement, location and changing speeds then velocity and that was how he became the master.
There is little doubt now that he will be the face of pitching during this era. Maybe it would have been Roger Clemens before his recent troubles but not it almost has to be Maddux. In the steroid era he was never linked or suspected of any improprieties and will possibly be the last pitcher to achieve that many wins in the new age of pitching with 5 man rotations and the way bullpens are used.

In his prime he anchored one of the greatest pitching staffs ever assembled with himself Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz with the 14 time Division Champion Atlanta Braves and was the ace of the staff in 1995 when the Braves were World Champions.

I got the pleasure of watching him pitch in Montreal during an Expos game and saw in person just what a special player he was. Hopefully in 5 years I will get to see him where he belongs…in the Hall of Fame and going in with an Atlanta Braves hat (and not a Cubs one).

Congrats on a great career and for the great memories during your time in Atlanta.