Monday, May 28, 2007

Let's Get It On

The worm has turned.
Thanks to the Ottawa Senators & the Anaheim Ducks,
not to mention the bunglers at the NBA offices, my attention has been grabbed away.
I'm ready !
Ready for one of the best Stanley Cup finals in years.
No Oilers and Hurricanes to force early risers to sleep this time around.

Alfredsson, Spezza & Heatley bring it now.
Pronger, Niedermayer & Beauchemin try and stop them.
Giguere, win a Conn Smythe and a cup this time around.
Emery, grab the respect they've been giving everyone else.
He'll be the most maligned Stanley Cup winning netminder since Chris Osgood.

Give me a few moments boys, let's have some lasting memories.
Quickly, which was the last in the final that stayed with you ?


Raise your hand if you selected John Lackey to be the first in the majors to 8 wins.
Hands down, Jake Peavy of San Diego is the best pitcher in baseball.
Johan Santana is about to close the gap however
His career record in the first two months of the season is 19-16 and true to form this year he is hovering around that winning percentage again.
From June first on he is 133-67….Look Out !

Go Lebron
this is the only chance that the NBA final will be somewhat entertaining.
The Pistons and Spurs just don't move me.
I want to see some spectacular offense.
I want the Phoenix Suns.
The NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB have a habit of building teams that mimic previous champions.
More Phoenix Suns is what I want, less Pistons and Spurs.

Vote for Russell Martin !

I've got questions !

When can I watch Jamarcus Russell ?
When can I watch Kevin Garnett in an NBA final ?
When will the Black Hawks make the playoffs again ?
When will the Canadiens win a playoff series again ?
When will a Hab once again reach 100 points in a season ?
When can I watch Carey Price as a Hab ?
When will I break 80 ?
Why do I still love baseball ?
Did I miss the Indianapolis 500 ?
When can I watch Jonathon Toews ?
Why did Roger Clemens decide on the Yankees ?
What did the Rocket eat to look like that ?
Did I miss the Memorial Cup ?

And by the way, since I picked Ottawa before the season and before the playoffs
I think it might be a good idea to stay with them.
Go Sens !

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

More BS

I can't tell you just how dissapointed I am with the NBA in the aftermath of Robert Horry's bodycheck in game 4 of what should be the NBA final.
Getting it right should always be the battle cry when it comes to these kinds of things.
A little justice wouldn't hurt either.
The NBA had already missed the boat with the lack of punitive action against San Antonio's Bruce Bowen following his knee to Steve Nash's groin.
It was especially surprising considering the league's regular season policy of meting out punishment at every possible transgression.
While he may be "Big Shot" Bob, Robert Horry can be done without.
Taking both Amare Stoudamire & Boris Diaw away from Phoenix for game 5 is simply not fair.
League rules stipulate if you move off the bench to follow an on court altercation, you get suspended.
FINE !
Knowing this series will at least go 6, the league could have at least staggered the 2 suspensions.
Instead, it's possible that Phoenix will now head to San Antonio needing a road win to stay alive,
all because Stoudamire was right:
San Antonio is a dirty team...There's no justice there.

The Milwaukee Brewers have come a long way and built their division leader the right way.
They drafted better than almost anyone else and now they get to enjoy a run that Expo fans were denied.
Great, young players still cheap enough to afford to hang around awhile.
These guys are for real.
Now they need their manager to catch up.
Ned Yost watched how it was done in Atlanta and judging from the last week, didn't learn much.
First he runs out closer Francisco Cordero six days in a row, then forgets he exists.
Managers have been drawn into this pathetic pattern with their bullpens.
Every domino set up to fall exactly at the right time or not at all.
After the 6 straight days of work, Cordero has not pitched in a week.
Yost first, wouldn't bring him in during the Phillies 8th inning rally on Monday, watching a 6 run outburst turn around a 6-2 Brewers lead into defeat, staying with Derrick Turnbow while it was clear he didn't have it.
Next up, well, you can't bring your closer into a tie game, better wait for a lead you'll never have.
Turnbow again, homer, loss again.
Now Yost will probably need to use Cordero in a 10-0 game just to get him some work.
Hope the Brewers don't lose the division by a game or two.

I'm a huge believer in pain.
The pain of past dissapointment keeping the future focused.
Many teams have fed off it and I believe that's a big reason as to why the Ottawa Senators haven't taken their eyes off the prize.
Why they currently look like the best team in the NHL.
It's not a guarantee of course as Expo and Cub fans can tell you.
Mind you, Sabre fans know that only too well.
Especially if they also follow the Bills.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

I Only Have Random Thoughts

It was in another lifetime when the NHL drew higher TV ratings than the NBA.
Things obviously are very different now and not about to change any time soon.
A perfect illustration of why that is can be viewed in the league's respective post season games to date.

The NHL looks nothing like the regular season.
Rules to add offense are no longer a major factor as teams play not to make mistakes.
Playoff hockey means being more responsible as it's always easier to coach stopping the other guy rather than going all out to score another goal.
The longer a tie game rolls on, the less likely you are of seeing anything truly spectacular lest you let the opposition score the go ahead goal.

Pro sports have always been built on however the last champion did it.
I'm supremely dissapointed at the way the Buffalo Sabres have gone about their playoff business, looking nothing like the team that wowed all during the regular season.

On the one hand, I hope they lose because of that.
On the other, I hope they return to form so that playoff hockey will change in the future.

It's why I'm cheering for the Phoenix Suns.
All out offense that will force the future of NBA teams to go in that direction as well.
It's not like they guys don't play defense, an unfair knock to be sure.
But they didn't change their game to try and win in the playoffs.
Good on them, good on the NBA.
Someone wake me up when the next playoff game shows us more than 5 goals.


Clearly the Yankees have fingered the proper culprit.
The reason for the terrible start, last in the AL East is....The strength and conditioning coach.
He should have brought in better and healthier pitchers in the off season.

Who is that guy in the Brodeur uni for the Devils.
Are the good times really over for good ?
Hey good on you Lou.
Fire yourself !

Jamarcus Russell !!!
Shock, isn't it that the Raiders were pathetic trying to score points.
Only NFL team not to draft a quarterback, running back, wide receiver or tight end in the first round over the last 10 years.
First 4 rounds this year...Three of the four.
Maybe Martin Brodeur has changed places with Al Davis