Inside The Penalty Box (since April '05), MLB Fastball (since August '05), Participant in WWE/TNA Roundtable Previews, Participant in various sports Roundtables, DVD Reviewer
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Graduate School Student at Rowan University, G.A. w/ Sports Information Office/Office of Disability Resources, Former Sports Editor for The Whit (Rowan University's campus newspaper), Member of Rowan Radio, 89.7-WGLS.FM (http://wgls.rowan.edu)
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"There are two types of tragedies in life. One is not getting what you want, the other is getting it."
- Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), Lord of War
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And we're rolling... - 06.14.2008
I think it's time to change or eliminate this absolutely unnecessary "sport"
By JEFFREY McMURRAY, Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 14, 2008) - Thoroughbred racetracks in the U.S. reported more than three horse deaths a day last year and 5,000 since 2003, and the vast majority were put down after suffering devastating injuries on the track, according to an Associated Press survey.
Countless other deaths went unreported because of lax record keeping, the AP found in the broadest such review to date.
The catastrophic breakdown of filly Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby last month made the fragility of a half-ton horse vivid for the millions watching, but the AP found that such injuries occur regularly in every racing state. Tracks in California and New York, which rank first and sixth in thoroughbred races, combine to average more than one thoroughbred death for every day of the year.
Questions about breeding, medication, synthetic surfaces versus dirt and other safety issues have dogged the industry for some time, and a congressional panel has asked key players in the sport to testify this week about its direction, particularly the influence of steroids.
The AP compiled its figures from responses to open records inquiries sent to the organizations that govern the sport in the 29 states identified by Equibase Co., a clearinghouse for race results, as having had at least 1,000 thoroughbreds start a race last year.
Arkansas, Michigan, Nebraska said their organizations don't track fatalities at all, and only one of Florida's three main thoroughbred tracks provided numbers. There were wide differences among the other states in what types of deaths are monitored and how far back the records go.
"Nobody really knows how big of a problem it is," said Rick Arthur, California's equine medical director. "They just know it's a big problem."
When a horse breaks a leg — let alone two, as Eight Belles did — often the only choice is to euthanize the animal. A thoroughbred's bones are thinner than most breeds. Usually it's not possible for the horse to lie down for long periods because that could disrupt the blood flow to the arteries in the lower limb, causing an extremely painful hoof infection called laminitis.
Barbaro, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2006, broke down in the Preakness and was euthanized with laminitis several months later after a gallant effort to save him.
Despite the regularity of such breakdowns and the money involved in the sport, no one is certain how many horses are lethally injected on the nation's tracks each year. The Jockey Club, which registers all North American thoroughbreds, did not know of another comprehensive, state-by-state tally of fatalities at tracks before the AP's, said Bob Curran, a Jockey Club vice president.
Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., who made the grim announcement that Eight Belles had been euthanized after the Derby, said fatality numbers don't seem to be dropping, despite major medical advancements. To Bramlage, that suggests racing injuries are becoming more frequent because vets are already pulling the most injury-prone horses before post time.
"We're able to pick them up better, with digital X-rays, bone scans and MRIs, which give us the information we need to take those horses out of training," Bramlage said. "In spite of that fact, we're not denting the total number of deaths."
California officials became alarmed in 2005 when the number of thoroughbred racing deaths there spiked by nearly 50 percent from just two years earlier. Last year, 314 horses — 261 of them thoroughbreds — died at California's tracks, including those hurt in training or barn accidents, and a few that suffered other injuries or medical complications.
"Just seeing the totals and the recurrent theme, it's eye-opening," said Bon Smith, assistant director of the California Horse Racing Board.
Beginning this year, California has mandated that all its major tracks replace their dirt surface with a synthetic mixture found in some studies to be safer for horses and jockeys.
While California's thoroughbred fatalities are nearly triple those reported by any other state, its warm weather and bounty of tracks make it the nation's busiest racing state. And it has received high praise across the industry for the way in which it tracks deaths — every death that occurs on the public grounds of a California racetrack is recorded in detail, largely through veterinary reports.
Some other major racing states have no records of fatalities that occur during morning training exercises, even those that happen on the tracks where races are run in the afternoon. Kentucky listed 228 deaths since 2003, but none of them from training accidents, which in some states that track them account for nearly a third of the total.
Other states, such as Colorado and Iowa, run mixed breed meets, in which quarterhorses might appear in one race a day while thoroughbreds make up most of the rest. Often, these states list the deaths only by meet, not breed, although veterinarians say the more muscular torsos and spindly ankles of thoroughbreds make them more susceptible to injury.
Many states that do closely track horse deaths haven't been doing it for long. New Mexico counted 52 deaths in 2007, but its racing commission said it had no records before that.
Some states that do monitor deaths don't differentiate between horses that die in freak accidents in their barns, for instance — the consensus is that such deaths are rare — and those that break down training or racing and are destroyed.
Such discrepancies have made the task difficult for Mary Scollay, a veterinarian at two Florida racetracks who has created a uniform national injury reporting system that aims to record every thoroughbred fatality. Scollay, who next month will become Kentucky's equine medical director, said 65 tracks are participating in the program now, but only 30 have compiled a full year's worth of data.
She declined to release the preliminary numbers, explaining the sample size is still too small to draw conclusions. It could take years, Scollay said, before major trends can be identified.
"Certainly we know more than we did last year at this time, and one fatal injury is one too many," Scollay said. "We know we need to do better. I think within the last few weeks, there's been a mobilization of the industry to do some pretty serious things."
Those who own and handle the animals stand to lose plenty when a horse is put down.
Timothy Capps, a professor at the University of Louisville's equine industry program, said most racehorses don't carry mortality insurance. The ones that do typically carry only a fraction of their projected value as a stallion or mare, Capps said.
After the gruesome breakdown of Eight Belles, the Jockey Club created a national panel to examine safety, and the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority did the same on the state level.
Among the topics being reviewed are track surfaces, medication (particularly steroids), the use of the whip by riders, and whether — as Bramlage suggests — thoroughbreds are becoming less durable because they're being bred to emphasize speed rather than stamina early in their careers.
"Those that do get hurt maybe get hurt worse because of their speed and size," said Larry Jones, who trained Eight Belles. "A good big horse will outrun a good little horse, and they can be more fragile because their legs and joints have to hold a lot more."
A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee has asked states for the figures they have on fatalities ahead of a hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Of particular interest to Congress is the influence of steroids, which were legal this spring in most racing states including Kentucky, Maryland and New York — which host the Triple Crown races.
Those advocating a steroid crackdown got ammunition when Big Brown, who easily won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with the steroid Winstrol still in his bloodstream, ran the Belmont without it and finished last.
Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., said steroids should be banned — not regulated — in horse racing but questions whether the sport has the ability to police itself.
"There are enough people I have great respect for who say this industry is really beginning to be in trouble," Whitfield said.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said the sport gets a bad rap for what he believes it does best — take care of the animals.
"There isn't a trainer worth his salt that doesn't look into this 24 hours a day," Lukas said. "I'll guarantee you that if any one of those purists who feel like it's an abusive sport would spend two weeks in my barn, they'd walk away a different person and have a greater appreciation for the care. Animals don't have a say in it, but when they get to this level, they have a pretty good deal going."
I love that this is the NHL's biggest concern right now
Bob McKenzie TSN
Canada Day will remain NHL Free Agent Day.
That's because the NHL Players' Association has turned thumbs down on an NHL request to move the beginning of free agency from July 1 to July 7. The league had wanted a switch to avoid conflicts with both the Canada Day holiday in Canada as well as Independence Day (July 4) in the United States.
But the NHLPA feels moving the free-agency period will create a negative ripple effect on other key dates.
"When you move the free agency date, even by six days, it impacts other marketplace dates and has the potential to prejudice certain players who are actively in the contract signing/arbitration window," NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly told TSN. "After consulting with various players and agents, it was not even a close call."
The New York Rangers have been locking up a bunch of their players recently to extensions. The most notable deal went to goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who received a six-year deal worth $41.25 million. Defensemen Dan Girardi and Fedor Tyutin have also been inked to extensions that will keep them in a Rangers sweater for the next few years.
Sean Avery has not landed on his payday just yet, though. And if recent reports are accurate, an extension may not be agreed upon by Avery and the Rangers, essentially sending him into the offseason with unrestricted free agent eligibility.
The New York Post reported that Avery confirmed contract talks were over until the end of the season. The paper reported that Avery is seeking a three- or four-year deal worth $3.75 million or more per season, while the Rangers are looking spend about $1 million less than that.
According to Avery, both parties are pretty much stuck on a number. An unwillingness to budge on either end could seemingly call and end to Avery’s career on Broadway.
This situation is extremely unfortunate. Ever since Avery came to New York late last season, there has always been one constant. When he’s in the lineup, the Rangers stand a much better shot at winning hockey games. Avery is a tone setter, and nobody else bring the physical play, attitude and offensive ability he does to the ice in a consistent basis every single night. The Rangers’ winning percentage without Avery in the lineup is abysmal compared to when he’s on the ice.
That’s why it’s so important the Rangers hold onto Avery. He’s not the most gifted offensive talent in the world. But he brings those intangibles to every contest, and is able to rack up a score or helper when needed.
Avery, however, is not worth $3.75 million per season. While I understand the notion that the Rangers win with him in the lineup and he does all that’s expected plus more, why shouldn’t he get that kind of cash? I also understand that can’t pay a 30- to 40-point producer damn near $4 million a season. He certainly should be making more than the $1.9 million he’s making this year as a result of arbitration over the summer. But his true monetary lies somewhere in between what he’s making now and what he wants. To throw out a number arbitrarily, Avery should be perfectly happy with $3.25- to 3.33 million a season, and Glen Sather shouldn’t have a problem giving that to him. There needs to be a compromise here.
The last thing Rangers fans want is to lose Avery. He’s a fan favorite because we love his playing style. He’s one of those players you hate to play against, but love to have on your squad. Seeing him enter free agency is something fans don’t want to happen and, quite frankly, the team can’t afford. It’s just going to take Sather realizing Avery is worth more than $3 million, and Avery understanding he’s not quite a $4 million contributor.
And we're rolling... - 09.03.2007
Feedback about the Flyers!
Neil,
I read your story on the Flyers today and wanted to comment on your Bob Clarke points...
While Tim Panachio at the Inquirer likes to battle with him – it’s NOT his fault that players like Forsberg, Gagne, Rathje got significantly hurt. Niittymaki also PLAYED hurt all last year. In a salary cap world - NO team can endure this level of injury.
Could you have predicted Pitkanen would have scored 1 goal last year when being given the number one d-man job? I would have predicted 50 points and more goals.
Isn't it also hard to blame Clarke for the lack of leadership that comes from the late retirement of Primeau and the loss of Desjardin? The Primeau departure came LATE in the off season. Clarke would have had to cut him to have made a better move and that is far too disloyal for a GM like Clarke to do to his team's leader.
Also note: in the 40-year history of the team, the Flyers are the 2nd winningest team in the league (behind the Habs). The ONLY time the Flyers didn't win was when he wasn't with the team and during that period - he took the Stars to the Cup and left a Panther's team that went to the Cup upon return to Philly.
I am not making excuses for Clarke. The team didn't perform and he would be first to tell you that. But to blame him for it completely is to not fully understand the situation and or what the guy means to the franchise. Thankfully, he is still in the rear with the gear helping Holmgren make what looks to be (on paper) some smooth moves to return the team to prominence.
- Jerry
Um, Jerry, did you happen to read the part of the column where I said:
“… Added with the fact that the Flyers had numerous injuries and uncertainty with Peter Forsberg's future (which, to be fair, neither of which were Clarke's fault), and the Flyers were just destined to rot last year.”
I love you guys, but you need to learn to read EVERYTHING and not just the parts you want to pick fights with me over.
I’m not blaming Clarke for the injuries. I wouldn’t dream of blaming a GM for the unpredictability of injuries in sports. But that doesn’t erase the fact that he put together a team on the ice that, at least defensively, couldn’t move. And in the fast paced style of play in the NEW NHL, that doesn’t float. I don’t care about the 40-year history of the franchise. The last two seasons sets a completely different table than everything before it because the game is different than it was prior to this new era of the league.
And trust me, I know what the guy means to the franchise. I’ve been around plenty of Flyers fans to know that no matter what he does, he will always be viewed as a GOD in Philadelphia – not so much because of what he’s done in the front office, but because of what he did on the ice. Many Flyers fans don't understand the fact that there needs to be a separation between what he did for the team as a player and what he did as an exec. And as an exec. in the new NHL, Clarke just didn’t work. Paul Holmgren does, at least based on the moves HE – not Clarke – has made.
Great read as usual. I think you really hit the head on the point of Briere coming cheaper than Gomez and Drury. In my opinion the Flyers got the best player at the best price. Nobody seems to get that!! lol
- Mike
Well, Mike, I’m not going to jump on board with Briere being the best of the three centers out there. He definitely came cheaper, and that’s a big plus for the Flyers. But I will contend that Gomez was the best center available out of the three during this offseason. But financially, it was a win for the Flyers to be able to pick up Briere on a deal that will cost them significantly less annually than what the Rangers will be paying out to Gomez and Drury.
Thanks for the e-mails, Jerry and Mike, and everybody keep ‘em coming!
And we're rolling... - 08.04.2007
Scroll down to see where this response originates from.
As far as profits or victories you might find “The Lords of the Realm” by John Helyar. He worked for the Wall Street Journal as their sports business reporter. He talked to hundreds of players, owners, managers, commissioners and those who were close to them.
From the book: Peter Uberroth (former Commissioner) struggled with the owners’ mindset of wins before profits. He used this antedote (paraphrased): if the owners had a choice; push the red button and win the World Series but lose money or press the green button and make money but break even the problem is most of them would press the red button. He also labeled a baseball team a “vanity investment”. Even though baseball appears to be doing better financially I still don’t think it’s the best way to invest your money.
The book outlines several reasons why this is the case.
First: When you own a team and its unsuccessful, the local media makes a fool out of you. Your ego becomes engaged and you start making decisions based on looking good and winning.
Second: The owners are by nature a competitive and contentious lot. They want to one up each other.
Third: (this is more my reasoning based on what I learned): Many owners grew up as fanatical baseball fans. They make their fortunes and go back to buy a baseball team. They now get to do for real what they always have done in a “fantasy” sense: run a baseball team.
This book was written in the early 90s and surely things have changed. More teams are run by big corporations. But they are using the team to pump up other interests rather than having it make money on its own. So they might make decisions that don’t make baseball business sense might make overall business sense.
I do acknowledge that many owners are in it for the profits. But the ones paying the big bucks want to win. They obviously are not willing to go broke doing so but they don’t see their teams as money trees.
Granted it is only one book and its several years old. But many of the prime “offenders” are still around. And the WSJ doesn’t hire idiots or liars to write for them so I can’t see how any book could be much more valid and reliable.
I do agree that owners could restrain themselves a bit more. But the Player’s Union is very contentious, the original collusion case wasn’t so much salaries declining (although guarantees were drastically reduced) but rather that they didn’t rise or rise enough. And they’ll always be an owner willing to overpay and undercut his rivals.
- Christopher
Christopher, you bring up a lot of good points, cite a solid source and make a good argument. It is hard to necessary relate a book written in the early ‘90s to the financial landscape we see in baseball today, but I’m sure the general points are still good for assessment. And while I don’t necessarily agree with the reasonings you have outlined that Heylar wrote, they have a logical stance.
I still, for the most part, believe that owners care more for profit than wins, while general managers are the ones that care more about victories (which is hard to do if owners tie the purse strings.) And, while you make a good point that sometimes the overall business of an owner means more than the baseball business, it still doesn’t justify what an $18-million a year contract to a singles hitter now does to the overall market – a market that isn’t going to care that a lot of that $18-million has to do with Ichiro’s ability to draw international fans, but more so focus on how their numbers are better than his.
But well done on your end, Christopher, for bringing all this up. And I’ll be on the lookout for a copy of the book since it seems like an interesting read.
Thanks for the feedback and everybody keep it coming!
And we're rolling... - 07.29.2007
You said “Simply put, Dunn is not very disciplined at the plate.” That’s absolutely not true. He’s one of the most disciplined hitters in baseball. He’s among the lead leaders in walks every year, and puts up a good OBP despite only hitting .230. He definitely knows a strike from a ball. The problem is, when he swings at those strikes, he doesn’t make a lot of contact.
And to only mention Dunn’s power when talking about him is to only mention 1/2 of his offensive value. The other half is all the walks. Players that walk a lot never get the credit for it that they should. Along with the strikeouts, Dunn’s other major negative is his defense. He’d make a good DH for somebody. Hey, homers and walks, he’s a Moneyball type player. Too bad the A’s aren’t in the market.
- Anonymous
Well, you do bring up some fair points, there. I surely won’t deny that. The man does walk and does have a good OBP.
However, to me – and perhaps I’m overanalyzing the meaning of plate discipline – but when you swing at a ball regardless of knowing whether it’s a ball or strike, you should be able to make contact. Naturally, swinging and missing is part of the game. But if you’re swinging and not making contact at the rate that Dunn is, according to your argument, then that has to do with discipline – or lack thereof. Wait for a pitch that you will make contact with.
And while he does walk a lot, that tends to be something that comes with the territory for power hitters. He doesn’t draw the intentional walks Barry Bonds does or that Ryan Howard was starting to get last year. But regardless, guys who hit for power have the tendency of getting walked more. It’s nothing to do with Dunn specifically, and I don’t think that squashes the fact that he strikes out a ton and could afford to learn how to improve his contact hitting skills just a bit.
Thanks for the e-mail, and everybody keep it coming!
And we're rolling... - 07.23.2007
”The Innovator of Violence” At The Helm of ECW
Dreamer’s only previous ECW World Title reign barely lasted one night.
Though World Wrestling Entertainment reinvented the Extreme Championship Wrestling in its image back in June 2006, the hardcore ECW fans know that there’s much more to this legendary brand of wrestling than what the WWE portrays every Tuesday night.
Passion and ingenuity were two of the biggest reasons why the original ECW was such a success under the mastermind that is Paul Heyman. Heyman put on a show that you could not find anywhere else, especially in the WWE and in World Championship Wrestling. He gave fans the most hardcore, in-your-face action in professional wrestling. And he made it as real as professional wrestling could possibly get. Many organizations have tried to mimic ECW to some degree, including Ring of Honor (ROH) Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). But nothing has ever come close.
ECW could also be credited for creating many of the stars that would go on to be top draws in WCW and the WWE. Performers like Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz and Taz got their starts in ECW. Other stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley and Raven can also credit ECW for enhancing their careers.
One man that reached his full potential in ECW, however, and will go down as an icon from the organization is Tommy Dreamer. Nicknamed “The Innovator of Violence,” Dreamer truly personified what it meant to be a member of ECW. He would take part in many memorable matches and angles, including the three-way angle with Kimona Wanalaya and Beulah McGillicutty, his feud with “childhood friend” Raven, his Scaffold Match against Brian Lee from 1996, his Singapore Cane Match against The Sandman and his feud with then-World Wrestling Federation representative Jerry “The King” Lawler as a representative of the new school ECW brand.
Later on in his career, Dreamer took on backstage duties to help an ECW promotion that was on the heels of reaching financial disaster. He took part in the booking process as well as many of the other business aspects of the ECW. He helped run the wheels of the company he was a major player for inside of the ring. He wasn’t the only one, but he was one of the more notable.
And throughout all of this, Dreamer could only claim three ECW World Tag Team Title reigns and about a 30-minute ECW World Heavyweight Championship reign. By his own admission in The Rise And Fall of ECW WWE DVD release, Dreamer did not want to hold title belts during his tenure with ECW. And he only did so considering the fact that guys were leaving the company. But it’s fascinating the think that one of, if not the most, popular wrestlers from ECW was barely recognized in singles competition with a title around his waist.
When ECW went bankrupt and Dreamer came in to the WWE, his career only went downhill. He was a 14-time Hardcore Champion, but that belt holds very little credibility in the profession. Dreamer, instead, became known more for being a lower card performer and a “regular guy” who participated in gross activities, such as swallowing The Undertaker’s chewing tobacco and eating a hot dog off the floor.
Dreamer did a lot backstage with the WWE considering his veteran status in the business. And he did help out a lot of the younger guys on television. But Dreamer’s ability to compete and do things for his benefit was not yet diminished.
When the WWE chose to bring back ECW for one night only at their June 2005 Pay-Per-View, ECW One Night Stand, Dreamer was part of the main event that partnered him with The Sandman – another ECW legend – against The Dudley Boyz. One year later, at the second annual ECW One Night Stand, Dreamer teamed up with hardcore legend Terry Funk and his wife, Beulah, to take on Mick Foley, Edge and Lita. Dreamer has two moments in the spotlight that proved his iconic status in ECW. Unfortunately, those didn’t transition into bigger roles on WWE TV.
After the second ECW One Night Stand, the WWE’s recreation of the ECW brand was born. And since then, Dreamer has been known as little more than a veteran jobber to the likes of Test and The Great Khali. He played a co-captain type role with RVD during the ECW Originals vs. New Breed angle that actually was a genius part of ECW programming. But once that angle died, he went back to being a jobber for the likes of Snitsky, Randy Orton and Johnny Nitro in the brand he helped make so famous.
Now, I think it’s time that Dreamer got some true recognition as a legend in the business. And for as modest as he might be, come WrestleMania 24, I want to see Dreamer challenging whoever the ECW World Heavyweight Champion is at the time, and walking out victorious.
This kind of storyline could go against everything the WWE is trying to do with the ECW brand. With John Morrison as the current champion and CM Punk as the No. 1 Contender, the WWE is clearly well on its way to promoting the younger guys and establishing them on this bottom of the totem pole brand in the WWE. In fact, Dreamer and Balls Mahoney are the only two ECW originals left on the roster with the leave of RVD, the release of Sabu and the drafting of The Sandman to Monday Night RAW. They have been and are continuing to be replaced with the likes of Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn, Matt Stryker and Marcus Cor Von.
To build Dreamer into the main event picture and have him win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 24 would be a counteraction to what the WWE has basically planned all along the ECW brand since it brought it back last summer.
For someone like Dreamer, however, it would be a well-deserved change of pace. Even though the WWE is not trying to recreate what the original ECW exemplified, it needs to understand that it would never have an ECW to build off of for its current brand if it weren’t for superstars like Dreamer – who would eat, sleep, breathe and bleed the business because they believed it in more than they cared about things like money and marketability. It would be far from a crime for the WWE to show some recognition to these great men that built a far different perspective of the professional wrestling business that quite frankly had a lot to do with the WWE’s ability to transition into more edgy storylines back in the Attitude Era.
Since Dreamer’s only ECW World Heavyweight Title reign barely lasted an evening, a title win at WrestleMania 24 for Dreamer could almost be considered a first. He defeated Taz at Cyberslam 2000. Later that night, he lost the title to Justin Credible. That’s hardly a noteworthy title reign.
Now, I’m not saying Dreamer needs to win the Royal Rumble in order to get this ECW World Heavyweight Title shot at WrestleMania. It’s pretty unanimous by now that ECW’s title is always going to be No. 3 when it comes to importance behind the WWE Championship (which I will contend is the No. 1 belt in the WWE today) and World Heavyweight Championship.
But the WWE could start building Dreamer as a title competitor at the Royal Rumble – having him talk about how much ECW means to him and how badly he wants a run with the ECW World Heavyweight Title before he retires from the business. That could be his motivation in the Rumble match. And even though he won’t win, it can carry over into a storyline on ECW, where he fights his way into becoming the No. 1 contender for the title. And then, at WrestleMania 24, Dreamer can square off against whoever is the champion at that time, which mostly likely will be CM Punk. And in a Chris Benoit moment in WrestleMania lore, Dreamer can achieve a dream, if you will, and walk out on the grand stage holding the title no man in the business deserves to hold more than him.
The one fear the WWE might have is that his win would overshadow the main events of the night since I highly doubt an ECW World Heavyweight Championship Match would be more than a midcard match on a WrestleMania card. But if the WWE properly books the RAW and Smackdown main events, Dreamer’s feel-good story title victory would be one aspect of a great overall PPV instead of the main attraction.
It’s time for the WWE to give one of the most underrated legends in this business his due. It’s time for the WWE to allow their third-ranking brand to do something meaningful for one of the men who actually help build the original concept of what the WWE is trying to build upon in its own image. It’s time for the WWE to give “The Innovator of Violence,” the man who personifies what ECW is all about, the title belt that was born out of Heyman’s extreme image. And it’s time for the WWE to do it at the grandest stage of them all when everybody is watching and can give their admiration and adulation to one of the best this business has never seen – yet has never been given the credit he truly deserves.
It’s time for the WWE to book Tommy Dreamer as the ECW World Heavyweight Champion!
Thoughts? Comments? Disputes? Send all your feedback to Neil Borenstein!
And we're rolling... - 07.20.2007
All the e-mail from MLB Fastball 07.13.07!
I agree that salaries are a bit out of whack. But the problem is that many owners would rather increase victories than profits.
If Steinbrenner decided to be fiscally responsible tomorrow some other owner would whip out his checkbook and go on a spending spree. And if they all did it the player's union would scream collusion and get a whole bunch of cash in damages. The labor contract between players and owners strictly forbids "collusion" or acting in concert.
The owners tried to tighten the purse strings in the late 80s and they were charged with collusion, forced to pay damages and the players affected (that didn't get offers they would have normally got judging from market conditions) were allowed to have a second go at the free agent market.
The problem is very simple but the solution is anything but.
- Christopher
Well, the problem really is that the market has been allowed to get here by owners and general managers. And, to be honest, I think most owners actually do care more about profits than victories. That’s just sports-wide, though.
Now, it’s not so much that the league should come together and pay a player significantly less than what he’s worth on the market. But since the market is what dictates what players make, the GMs and owners need to dictate the market. But by signing a player like Ichiro to a $90-million deal over five years, Seattle’s front office has opened up a huge can of worms. If the New York Yankees choose to not sign Álex Rodríguez to $30-million a year when he opts out after this season, there’s little doubt some other team will – probably the Boston Red Sox. And, at that point, Theo Epstein has once again added to an already whacked out market. It’s a market that Brian Cashman and George Steinbrenner have contributed to many times.
Simply put, while the CBA might not allow teams to act in collusion by paying players less than their market value, those teams need to set a market value that’s actually reasonable. It’s not the players’ responsibility to get a fair market – owners and GM’s need to set that precedent. It will take a concerted effort to reverse the market that really went noticeably out of whack league-wide during this recent offseason, when we saw many record contracts.
Though the solution is hard to achieve, it’s actually rather simple. Stop giving in to players’ demands and gradually bring the market down to some sort of respectability. Now a singles hitter is making $18-million a season. And I don’t give a damn where he comes from and how many international fans he attracts; there’s no room in baseball for an $18-million contact hitter.
Dear Neil,
Well Ichiro is five years, $90-million. But $18-million a year is still high for Ichiro. And Posada, it appears, looks like the Yankees were willing to discuss a contract extension with him but it appears he will wait to see what the free agent market has to offer, which leads me to believe that the Yankees will now focus on maybe getting The Hammer of God wrapped up before he hits the market. And it appears that one team that might be in the A-Rod sweepstakes is of course the Red Sox, who if they do talk and sign him, might finally fill that offensive void that they've had at shortstop
- Coby
Yeah, Ichiro did go for a tiny drop less in $18-million a year compared to the rumored $20-million he could see per season. But it’s still too much money for a singles hitter.
Jorge Posada will explore the market, that I don’t doubt. But at the end of the day, the Yankees want him and I see no reason to believe he’d want to play anywhere but New York. I’m sure he’ll test free agency but realize it’s just better for him to stay in pinstripes.
And the Red Sox will likely pursue A-Rod if he hits the market after opting out of his contract. For the sake of their team and their fans, they better not be doing it just to get back at the Yankees for Johnny Damon, because Rodríguez doesn’t hold that kind of significance in Yankee lore. But if Boston does bring A-Rod and play him at shortstop, it would give the team a rather nice infield – pending they keep Lowell, too, of course. With bringing A-Rod comes the rumors of trading Manny Ramirez and not bringing Curt Schilling back, so that’s something Boston needs to consider as well. It might not just be a matter of bringing on Rodríguez. But he would give the team a lot more flare in their lineup and play a strong defense in the infield.
Thanks Christopher and Coby for your e-mails, and everybody keep the feedback coming! Click Here to check out the latest edition of MLB Fastball!
And we're rolling... - 07.19.2007
If you don't think this is one of the most glorious moments in television history, you need to make sure you still have a pulse.
And we're rolling... - 06.25.2007
On Monday, the world of professional wrestling lost one of its best. “The Crippler” Chris Benoit was found dead with his wife, Nancy, and seven-year old son, Daniel, in their suburban home in Atlanta, Ga.
Police have released very little detail about the incident, with more information expected to come when autopsy results are in on Tuesday. But it is being investigated as a homicide.
This is another crushing blow to everybody involved in wrestling. Perhaps, it’s one of the biggest blows. During his lengthy career, which spanned over 20 years and the most notorious organizations in the business, this consummate professional was not only known as one of the best technical wrestlers in the industry’s history, but one of the best wrestlers ever … period.
What’s even worse is that this isn’t just Benoit who died, but his wife – who also worked in professional wrestling as a valet named “Woman” in ECW and WCW – and one of his children. This is not to diminish the losses of those who have died beforehand, alone and because of things they had done in their past. But foul play is definitely suspected here and that truly signifies that Benoit was taken way too soon from us at 40 years old, as well as his family.
I’ve always been a big fan of Canadian wrestlers coming out of Stu Hart’s dungeon. I’ve always respected the work ethic and the wrestling prowess most of these men had – Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Lance Storm and Chris Jericho just to name a few others. Benoit was among the elite that made it through Hart’s tutelage and really personified what it meant to be a wrestler. He earned everybody’s respect because he brought such an intensity to his matches. He was truly one of a kind.
I had the pleasure of being able to see Benoit’s road to his first World Heavyweight Title reign, from start to finish. I attended Royal Rumble 2004 in Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center, and saw his miracle victory as the No. 1 entrant, outlasting 29 other superstars while spending over an hour in the ring to punch his ticket to Wrestlemania XX. At Wrestlemania XX in New York City at Madison Square Garden, I witnessed Benoit win the World Heavyweight Championship live, defeating both Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a triple threat match.
The most vivid memory from that night is when Benoit celebrated his title victory with Eddie Guerrero – the then-WWE Champion – in the middle of the confetti-littered ring. Two men that grew together in the business and became the best of friends were able to share a special moment as veterans – they were both on top of the world as champions. Now, they are together in that big squared circle in the sky, still champions to everyone that knew and watched them.
Thanks for the memories, Chris. There will never be anybody like you in this business again.
(wwe.com)
And we're rolling... - 06.24.2007
1 Patrick Kane (RW) United States, Chicago Blackhawks
2 James vanRiemsdyk (LW) United States, Philadelphia Flyers
3 Kyle Turris (C) Canada, Phoenix Coyotes
4 Thomas Hickey (D) Canada, Los Angeles Kings
5 Karl Alzner (D) Canada, Washington Capitals
6 Sam Gagner (C/W) Canada, Edmonton Oilers
7 Jakub Voráček (RW) Czech Republic, Columbus Blue Jackets
8 Zach Hamill (C) Canada, Boston Bruins
9 Logan Couture (C) Canada, San Jose Sharks
10 Keaton Ellerby (D) Canada, Florida Panthers
11 Brandon Sutter (C/RW) Canada, Carolina Hurricanes
12 Ryan McDonagh (D) United States, Montreal Canadiens
13 Lars Eller (C/W) Denmark, St. Louis Blues
14 Kevin Shattenkirk (D) United States, Colorado Avalanche
15 Alex Plante (D) Canada, Edmonton Oilers
16 Colton Gillies (C) Canada, Minnesota Wild
17 Alexei Cherepanov (RW) Russia, New York Rangers
18 Ian Cole (D) United States, St. Louis Blues
19 Logan MacMillan (C) Canada, Anaheim Ducks
20 Angelo Esposito (C) Canada, Pittsburgh Penguins
21 Riley Nash (C) Canada, Edmonton Oilers
22 Max Pacioretty (LW) United States, Montreal Canadiens
23 Jonathon Blum (D) United States, Nashville Predators
24 Mikael Backlund (C) Sweden, Calgary Flames
25 Patrick White (C) United States, Vancouver Canucks
26 David Perron (LW) Canada, St. Louis Blues
27 Brendan Smith (D) Canada, Detroit Red Wings
28 Nick Petrecki (D) United States, San Jose Sharks
29 Jim O'Brien (C) United States, Ottawa Senators
30 Nick Ross (D) Canada, Phoenix Coyotes
And we're rolling... - 06.15.2007
In the NHL …
2006-2007 NHL Award Winners
Hart Trophy: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins Vezina Trophy: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils Calder Memorial Trophy: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins Frank J. Selke Trophy: Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Phil Kessel, Boston Bruins Jack Adams Award: Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks James Norris Memorial Trophy: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings Lester B. Pearson Award: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings Art Ross Trophy: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy: Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lighting William M. Jennings Trophy: Niklas Backstrom/Manny Fernandez, Minnesota Wild
Mats Sundin, 36, and Chris Chelios, 45, will return to the NHL on one-year deals with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, respectively.
Mike Keenan has been hired as the new head coach of the Calgary Flames. His last NHL job was as general manager of the Florida Panthers. He was replaced in that position by Jacques Martin, who also serves as the Panthers’ head coach.
In the NBA …
2007 NBA Champions
San Antonio Spurs
2007 NBA Finals MVP – Tony Parker, PG
And we're rolling... - 06.13.2007
Tigers’ youngster gives MLB fans second no-hitter of the season!
Justin Verlander struck out 12 en route to a no-hitter
It’s almost become commonplace for Major League Baseball starting pitchers to go deep into ball games with no-hitters this season. It seems like every other day I’m hearing about somebody else in the sixth, seventh, eighth or even ninth inning with no-hit bids on the table. Well, for the second time this season, somebody came through and went all the way. And it was the 24-year old reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Justin Verlander, throwing 112 pitches and striking out 12 on en route to becoming the first Detroit Tigers’ starter to get a no-no since Jack Morris threw one in 1984.
The first no-hitter of the 2007 MLB season came on April 18, when Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox threw 106 pitches and struck out eight against the Texas Rangers en route to a 6-0 Chicago victory.
This is a tremendous sign for the young Verlander, who was obviously already known as a huge talent after being named as the top rookie last season in the American League. It also solidifies the fact that the Tigers have one of the finest young pitching staffs in the league – one that also has a veteran named Kenny Rogers on it, who managed to pitch a perfect games once in his career.
What’s even more impressive is that Verlander was able to no-hit a team that’s currently in first place of the NL Central and has at least some mildly decent bats in current 23-home run hitter Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy.
Verlander has been having a stellar season so far. He’s really only had one bad start, and that came in a May 31 loss to the Cleveland Indians. He went five innings and gave up eight hits and seven runs, four of which came off two-run homers. Otherwise, Verlander has mostly gone at least six innings and always given his team a shot by allowing no more than three earned runs.
With a 7-2 record, 2.79 ERA and 68 strikeouts on the season, Verlander is going to be a big piece of the puzzle for the Tigers as they try to repeat as AL Central champs.
And we're rolling... - 06.06.2007
Congratulations Anaheim Ducks
2007 Stanley Cup Champions
2007 Conn Smythe Winner (Playoff MVP): Scott Niedermayer
And we're rolling... - 06.06.2007
Those long contracts aren’t such good ideas, now are they?
Alexei Yashin was acquired by the Islanders in June 2001
About six years ago, the New York Islanders pulled off a trade that was supposed to turn their miserable fortunes around and make them a contender for the first time since they were ousted in the first round of the 1994 playoffs. On the day of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, the Islanders sent a package out to the Ottawa Senators that included defenseman Zdeno Chara, forward Bill Muckalt and a first round draft pick in that year’s draft (which was the second overall pick and was turned into Jason Spezza, a.k.a. the Senators’ top line center.) In return, the Senators sent the Islanders Alexei Yashin. Yashin was subsequently signed by the Islanders to a 10-year, $87.5-million deal, which averaged out to $8.75-million per season prior to the new collective bargaining agreement signing that reduced all players’ salaries by 24 percent.
With four years remaining on that very lengthy deal by any sports’ standards (and also one that set the stage for goaltender Rick DiPietro’s 15-year, $67.5-million deal signed during the 2006 offseason), the Islanders have decided that they want to cut ties with Yashin and buy him out. That strategy will come at a cost of $17.63-million (two-thirds of the money remaining on the contract) and $2.2-million per season counting against the team’s salary cap for each of the next eight years.
This will also make Yashin an unrestricted free agent.
When I first read about the Islanders considering buying out Yashin’s contract, I couldn’t believe it. It’s not that I was surprised that a 10-year deal didn’t seem to work out six years after its original signing. I just didn’t think it paid for the Islanders to take that $2.2-million salary cap hit every season for the next eight. Instead of dragging out the impact Yashin’s contract would have on the team’s payroll, I figured it more beneficial to just deal with his $6.6125-million in salary for each of the next four years and hope he is just able to be more productive than he was last season – one where he saw reduced ice and overall game time in Ted Nolan’s first season as head coach and only produced 18 goals and 32 assists in 58 games played.
But the more I examined the situation, the more it made sense for the Islanders to let go of the 12-year NHL veteran via this route.
While it doesn’t excuse the Islanders for foolishly giving him such a long and rich contract and it doesn’t ease the pain of losing the players they dealt away in the trade for him (most notably Chara and the draft pick that turned into Spezza), the Islanders have bigger fish to fry than a floundering center that has seemingly lost his game. While Yashin was at one point a very important member of the Islanders’ roster and, along with Michael Peca, really made the team respectable by leading it to the playoffs, his skill and ability to produce has slowly diminished.
New York will actually make more sense by taking a $2.2-million cap hit until the 2014-2015 than the $6.6125-million cap hit the team would take until the 2010-2011 season if they just kept him around. A price tag of $2.2-million a year is not really that big of a hit to take, especially with the cap expected to rise to somewhere around $47-48-million next season. Yes, every dollar does count. But in this situation, it’s not as big of a deal when looking at the big picture. It hurts the team more to pay out almost $4.5-million more per season over the next four than extend their dealings with Yashin’s contract four more years at a reduced rate.
This is especially true considering the offseason the Islanders are prepared to face this year. They have two big unrestricted free agents that they want to get inked to new deals in order to keep them in Long Island. In order to keep left wingers Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth, the Islanders are going to need cap space because those two players alone will probably cost the team around $9-10-million a year combined. By getting $4.4125-million of Yashin’s payroll off the team’s cap now, that opens up a little bit of money to make the Islanders’ potential offseason transactions a lot more feasible.
That also allows the Islanders to prepare themselves for a new look. Even though he wasn’t the team’s best player last year, Yashin was still very much the face of the organization. An argument could be made that Miroslav Satan, Blake, DiPietro and maybe even Smyth later on took over that role. But I still believe Yashin was the face of the Islanders, if for no other reason that he was the captain despite his lackluster offensive output.
Now, the Islanders have the opportunity to go in a new direction and have a new face. If they are able to re-sign Smyth, I would have to think he would automatically get the “C”, something he was accustomed to wearing on his previous team, the Edmonton Oilers. And the Islanders can try and build a young team around his tenacious play. Nolan already admits the Islanders will have a different look. I think that different look would be tremendous if it was based around Smyth’s great all-around game.
The Islanders’ also get rid of a potentially hostile situation that could reach a breaking point between player and head coach. Nolan really didn’t want Yashin around and was very disappointed in his play, for the most part, last season. He downgraded Yashin to fourth line duties if he gave him playing time at all. And despite the fact that Yashin is initially disappointed with the buyout, it would have been a horrible situation for him next season to have to deal with playing under Nolan again.
With this, the Islanders avoid the tension and take a huge load off the shoulders of both Nolan and Yashin. Nolan doesn’t have to worry about Yashin being an underachiever and Yashin gets the opportunity to look for a fresh start somewhere else. It works out for both parties, and Yashin will probably realize that soon enough.
The Islanders will definitely need to look for some talent at center since Viktor Kozlov is only going to do so much and New York will need a little more punch at the position after him. But this is a good offseason to be looking for centers, so I think the Islanders will be able to come up with something, even if they need to take a cheap route after signing their essentials.
At the end of the day, it’s really hard to evaluate Yashin’s impact with the Islanders. When he first came over in that trade from the Senators, the trade paid dividends. He had a very successful season in his first year with the Islanders (2001-2002) and played a major role in getting the team into the playoffs for the first time since 1994. But, Yashin’s production in New York since then has never really lived up to the standard he set for himself in Ottawa and he has also never been able to get the team past the Conference Quarterfinals stage of the playoffs, which is normally a sign that it’s time for a change. If the Islanders had to do it all over again, I think they would rather keep the pieces they dealt away for him.
Yashin’s career as an Islander ends with regular season totals of 119 goals and 171 assists for 290 points in 346 games over five seasons. He also had five goals and seven assists in 22 playoff games with the Islanders, including zero points over five games in this year’s postseason.
Well, the New York Rangers lost another one. No, nobody died. But we had another big part of the family leave as assistant general manager Don Maloney was hired by the Phoenix Coyotes for their vacant general manager spot. This comes one year after the St. Louis Blues hired former-MSG color analyst for Ranger games, in addition to color broadcaster for national games, John Davidson to fill their president position under new owner Dave Checketts.
By losing Maloney, the Rangers lost a very big piece to their puzzle. Maloney was really a behind the scenes kind of guy, but he was so important to the organization’s running. He was big in scouting and drafting, player development, minor league progression and regular Rangers activities. In fact, I think he was more important than Glen Sather himself, who now doesn’t have an obvious successor once he leaves the game unless Mark Messier is ready to be taken under his wing. Maloney was really our obvious choice for next in line, so the Rangers will not only hurt now because of Maloney’s leaving, but in the future as well.
But, this is a big move for Maloney, so I can’t say I’m not happy for him. He deserves this kind of recognition, and I hope he’s able to find success by dragging Phoenix out of the doldrums it’s in now and makes them a respectable franchise. The Coyotes just better recognize the value they got in him and what he has to offer. Because if they screw with him and don’t perform for him, I will personally go to ‘Zona and drag him back to Broadway.
Good luck, Don, and thanks! We probably wouldn’t be nearly as good as we are now if it weren’t for you.
And we're rolling... - 05.18.2007
Wasn't Christy Hemme as feminist supposed to start something like that?
Christy Hemme is the backstage interviewer-turned-women’s right activist in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling who has finally found her boys, Basham and Damaja, that will take down and shut up the now male chauvinist Voodoo Kin Mafia. Gail Kim is the face manager of Chris Harris, now used seemingly only to defend his honor. On the other hand, Jackie Moore is the heel manager of the drunken “Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm, used seemingly only to defend his honor. Tracy Brooks is merely a piece of eye candy, latched almost to the side of Robert Roode when she’s not busy seducing Eric Young. So Cal Val is just that redheaded chick that opens her legs on the rampway for a camera to go between when wrestlers make their way down through the tunnel for their matches. Leticia is the new female backstage interview that might be hot as hell, but otherwise has very little business being in the professional wrestling game. And Jeremy Borash … well, nevermind.
So with at least four women in the company currently capable of wrestling and Jackie Gayda probably only a few months away from being ready for a return after giving birth, why is it that TNA cannot put together a women’s division for more consistent women’s wrestling in the company?
Random matches are all nice and good. The first ever women’s steel cage match in TNA between Kim and Moore inside the Six Sides of Steel at Lockdown 2007 was a great display of female wrestling within the company. And it was done outside of the normal match types female wrestlers are used to being in, like straight one-on-one matches or World Wrestling Entertainment’s forte, the bra and panties match. TNA proved at Lockdown that women could put on matches almost as entertaining as the men’s matches. These matches need to happen more often. And they need to happen based on their own storylines and not just the breakup of America’s Most Wanted, for example. Women’s wrestling should be solely based around the angles incorporated in the feuds of male wrestlers. Melina doesn’t defend the WWE Women’s Championship in TNA based on Johnny Nitro’s feuds, or lack thereof. She wrestles Mickie James because of her own individual feud with Mickie James.
What TNA needs to do is form a women’s division where they have one match at least every other week on iMPACT!. It would help if the program got a two-hour time slot since it is already pretty tight and confusing in its current one-hour state. Maybe TNA just feels there isn’t enough time right now to have women’s wrestling. TNA doesn’t necessarily need to create a women’s championship right away, but that would certainly be on the horizon. TNA would eventually need to grab some new talent to make the division bigger and more competitive, since the matchups they could make now would become pretty stale after a while. But a division of maybe seven or eight women wrestlers would certainly be enough to give it some credibility.
Just look at the independent scene to find women that can wrestle and hang on their own laurels inside of the wrestling ring. Daizee Haze might just be my favorite female wrestler now that Trish Stratus has retired. Haze is not only good looking, which seems to be the standard for those that get camera time in professional wrestling today, but she can also go inside of the ring with the best female talent on the planet. She is a highly marketable for the women’s wrestling promotion, SHIMMER, and she is one of the big female talents currently on the Ring of Honor roster.
Another big name in SHIMMER and on the ROH card is Sara Del Ray. She is great in the ring. She can go also go against some of the best female talent on the planet, and even some of the scrawny men in wrestling as well (yes, I saw her in a match against a guy who gives me new hope that I could actually drag my 5’4”, 135 lb. butt into a wrestling ring.)
Lacey (who did some work with MTV’s Wrestling Society X when it actually existed), Cheerleader Melissa, Mercedes Martinez and Allison Danger (who would work great with “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels in TNA since she was with him in ROH) are all great current independent talents that could easy succeed in a women’s division in TNA. Of course, the WWE should look into going after some of these wrestlers as well since Melina, Mickie James and Victoria can only do so much to carry its women’s division. But TNA should be able to grab at least a few of these ladies of wrestling.
I do understand the need to have women as valets. I’m not completely saying that women should only be brought in to wrestle and never accompany a male wrestler to the ring ever again. Some of the most notorious women wrestlers in the business have been managers. Miss Elizabeth is still the greatest testament to females in professional wrestling, as she was definitely one of a kind and will never be duplicated for what she offered. Miss Elizabeth didn’t wrestle. Sunny, the original WWE DIVA, may have been involved in wrestling on occasion, but she never really did it consistently enough for me to really consider her a wrestler. Marlena, a.k.a. Terri Runnels, was the same way.
Even with that considered, though, there is no reason why TNA can’t have some women that wrestle and manager, and some that exclusively wrestle. Having one or two women on the roster that just manage or just do backstage interviews is fine. But everybody else should be able to contribute to a women’s division that is constantly promoted through good wrestling.
I’m not saying that women’s wrestling would ever be the most prominent thing in TNA, but it definitely would draw interest with the talent it already has and the talent it has the option of picking up. I no longer want to see random matches between Gail Kim and Jackie Moore based on AMW storylines. I no longer want to see Tracy Brooks trying to sleep with a TNA guy just to get him to sign a contract with Robert Roode. And I no longer want to see Jeremy Borash … well, nevermind.
Just get these women wrestling more often and in good storylines so TNA can build a women’s division that it’s missing and would certainly benefit from having.
And we're rolling... - 05.01.2007
This is absolutely hilarious. The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of ending up on the very wrong side of the biggest playoff upset in NBA history (though I am far from an NBA historian, so I could be wrong.) For a team that I really did not give a chance in 411’s 2007 NBA Opening Round Playoffs Roundtable, the Golden State Warriors have really shown up to give the Mavs a run for their money.
It’s truly amazing that a team that was so dominant during the regular season with a 67-15 record is now behind 3-1 in a series against the No. 8 seed. Sure, the Warriors have Don Nelson, the Mavs’ former head coach before Avery Johnson. And sure, the Warriors defeated the Mavs in all regular season games they played against them. But the Warriors made the playoffs for the first time in 13 years and are going up against the Western Conference representative from last seasons NBA playoffs. How in the blue hell Golden State is pulling this off, I have no idea. But if they can grab one more win, the Mavericks will join the Miami Heat in the pool of playoff disappointments.
Granted, I really do want to see a Phoenix Suns vs. Mavericks series in this postseason, so I’m not entirely on the Golden State bandwagon. But you have to love the underdog story and I won’t be all that upset if the Warriors finish the Mavericks off in any of the three opportunities they will have with the remaining game(s) of this series.
I can’t say I’m really shocked at the Chicago Bulls’ sweeping of the Heat. I didn’t call it or anything, and in fact called a seven-game series here. But this was not your Heat team from last year. Shaq is old, plays decreased minutes and just isn’t the dominant center he used to be. Dwyane Wade was definitely hurting despite his attempts to keep Miami in the series. And the supporting case just wasn’t doing enough. The Bulls dominated, and now look forward to a tough series against the Detroit Pistons. This is where losing that last game of the season against the New Jersey Nets is going to hurt them. I’m not sure the Bulls can pull off the same feat against the Pistons, who are definitely the favorites in the next round.
Speaking of the Pistons – are you even remotely surprised that they disposed of the Orlando Magic as easily as they did. The Magic are an improving team with solid young talent. They just draw the wrong first round matchup and should do better next season.
Cleveland, as expected, is moving on as the Cavaliers were just too much for the depleted Washington Wizards. If Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler were in the games for the Wizards, we might be talking a different series and even a different outcome. But this Wizards squad just wasn’t enough to stand up to LeBron James and the boys, and it’s not shocking at all that this series ended in a sweep.
New Jersey is turning into too much for the Toronto Raptors and are setting up to move on to the second round to square off with the Cavs with a win on Tuesday. It’s possible the Raptors can stretch this to a Game 6 if they can get the home crowd behind them enough in Toronto on Tuesday. But they would only be delaying the inevitable, as the Nets are proving to be the better team. Toronto is just one of those young teams that needs more time to develop into a squad capable of going deep in the playoffs. Not a lot of teams in the Eastern Conference in the NBA are suited for that. The Pistons, Nets and Heat are really the only teams every season viewed as being able to make it deep and challenge for the NBA Title. Every other team in the East is a work in progress.
Back to the West, we have three series’ on the brink of coming to a close. The Suns are entirely too much for the Los Angeles Lakers to handle. And with the series 3-1 in favor of the Suns, and Game 5 in Phoenix on Wednesday, I think Steve Nash and Co. are going to put the dagger in the Lakers. Kobe just can’t do it alone, and unless he’s getting help from his teammates like he did in Game 3, the Suns have too much in their arsenal to combat Bryant.
The San Antonio Spurs have a 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets, winning three straight against the Nuggets after losing Game 1 to Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony’s squad. This has been a good series, but the Spurs are just letting our their playoff experience over the Nuggets. The Spurs are always a contender in the West, led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Never count out the Spurs and never figure them to be first round busts. Because despite their place in the Western Conference standings, they are likely always the unofficial favorites to make it to the NBA Finals.
The Houston Rockets took a 3-2 lead over the Utah Jazz on Monday with a 96-92 win at home in Houston. This series I think will go seven games and end with a Houston win at Houston. Why? Well, this has been a home team series so far. Each win has gone to the home team, and I see no reason why that would change.
So, here’s what we’re looking forward to in the next round if all goes as planned:
East:
1. Detroit Pistons vs. 4. Chicago Bulls
2. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 6. New Jersey Nets
West:
5. Houston Rockets vs. 8. Golden State Warriors
2. Phoenix Suns vs. 3. San Antonio Spurs
Of course, I wouldn’t be so quick to completely count the Mavs out of a miraculous comeback quite yet. If any team can win three straight games, it would be the Mavericks. But they’ve only been able to win one game this year against Golden State, who has really had Dallas’ number this season.
And we're rolling... - 03.09.2007
So hey, apparently Chris Simon likes to damn near kill people on the ice. Now that’s cool … false!
The National Hockey League has indefinitely suspended Chris Simon for his home run attempt at Ryan Hollweg’s head in Thursday night’s game between the New York Islanders and New York Rangers.
Late in the third period, Hollweg hit Simon into the boards – which was to Simon’s side or from behind, it was kind of a mix of the two. Simon got up from the ice and retaliated by taking a two-handed swing with his stick at Hollweg, which connected to his chin. Hollweg went down to the ice, rolled onto his stomach and stayed down there for a few minutes while he bled from the chin. Simon was given a match penalty for intent to injure and was kicked out of the game. Meanwhile, Hollweg ended up being okay and the Rangers scored once on a five-minute power play (that was cut short due to the Rangers taking a penalty of their own) on a goal from Petr Prucha, which is all the team needed for a 2-1 win over the Islanders.
Today, the NHL announced it has suspended Simon indefinitely without pay. There will be a hearing on the matter.
This act by Simon was basically deplorable. I’m actually kind of ashamed he played for the Rangers at one point. I’m not sure what’s wrong with these buffoons on the ice, but they need to start understanding that the point of playing hockey is not to damn near kill the opposing players. For all intents and purposes, that stick is a weapon and Simon damn sure used it as one. He could have seriously injured Hollweg with his gutless and thoughtless slash, especially if he would have hit Hollweg a little lower in the throat.
Simon also didn’t seem to care all that match in the brief comments he made after the game. He was merely upset for letting his teammates down by causing the penalty that cost the team the game. In no way, shape or form did he show any remorse toward Hollweg, or even care how he was. Meanwhile, Hollweg was just happy that the Rangers managed to win the game as a result of the penalty. That’s the sweetest kind of justice.
This is, without a doubt, on the same plateau as the hit by Marty McSorley to Donald Brashear’s head with the stick and Todd Bertuzzi’s sucker punch on Steve Moore. If you ask me, Simon should be gone for the rest of the season and all playoff games the Islanders might play this year. I also wouldn’t be opposed to Simon being suspended for some games next season as well.
The NHL is doing the right thing though. It isn’t jumping to a specific punishment yet and will review the case at hand. It’s a good step. The league just needs to make sure it doesn’t drop the ball and a mediocre suspension like what it gave to Bertuzzi, who really only missed a little bit of the 2003-2004 season, not the 17 months that gets reported as the NHL wasn’t even in session the following season thanks to the lockout.
Eventually, these players are going to need to learn that you can’t just do whatever you want on the ice without serious repercussions for your actions. Hopefully, Simon will learn that lesson now.
And we're rolling... - 02.27.2007
Though this year did not see the most exciting trade deadline in National Hockey League history, it was not short of some very eventful and highly impactful moves. Several big names switched teams as clubs gear up for a playoff push. And hey, even the last place team in the league made a big deal to bring in perhaps its next No. 1 netminder.
While I won’t discuss every single move here, I’m going to comment on some of the big ones:
Gary Roberts waives his no-trade clause for Pittsburgh
Apparently Toronto and Ottawa were not the only teams Gary Roberts was willing to waive his no-trade clause for. He did it for the Penguins officially on Tuesday, bringing his tough style and minor offensive impact to the current fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins sent defenseman Noah Welch back to the Florida Panthers.
Okay, to be honest, this was not as big of a deal as we were being led to believe last night. In Roberts, the Penguins get leadership and experience, especially when it comes to the playoffs. While I definitely don’t think Roberts improves the Penguins a whole hell of a lot, it’s not a bad move by any means to bring somebody in that’s been in the pressure of the playoffs before considering the lack of experience most of the Pittsburgh players have.
Florida gets a young defender in Welch, who is a former second round draft pick. And though he has played 22 games this season, Welch is still very much a “prospect.” He will not make an immediate impact with the Panthers, but could be good for the future.
Really, though, this deal doesn’t impress me all that much.
The Penguins were active outside of this deal as well. In order to bring some more protection for Sidney Crosby and the rest of the young star forwards on the club, the team brought in enforcer Georges Laraque from the Phoenix Coyotes for Dan Carcillo and a third round draft pick in 2007. Teams have taken advantage of the young players on the Penguins and have not had to pay for it with the lack of physical players in Pittsburgh. With Roberts and Laraque coming over, the young players in Pittsburgh will be much better taken care of now.
Also, the Penguins sent Dominic Moore over to the Minnesota Wild in return for a 2007 third round draft pick, making up for the third round pick the team lost in the Laraque deal.
San Jose Sharks snatch Bill Guerin from the St. Louis Blues
Well, once Keith Tkachuk was taken off the market by the Atlanta Thrashers, the next big card in St. Louis’ deck was Bill Guerin. He too was traded, this time remaining in the Western Conference as he heads to San Jose to play with the sixth place Sharks.
Guerin, who is having a comeback season of sorts this year and is set to become an unrestricted free agent come July 1, will aid an already pretty healthy offense in San Jose with a bit more firepower and toughness in the lineup. After scoring only 13 goals and 27 assists last year with the Dallas Stars in 70 games, Guerin has 28 goals and 19 assists for 47 points in 61 games thus far this season for the Blues. With the Blues’ chances of making the playoffs pretty slim and Tkachuk already dealt out to the Thrashers, Guerin was the hot name heading into the trade deadline day and it was believed that the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings were the other top contenders for the services of the 36-year old right wing.
In order to get Guerin, the Sharks needed to deal Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball and a first round draft pick in this year’s draft – giving the Blues their second first round pick acquisition in the past few days!
I definitely believe Guerin is going to help immensely in the goal-scoring department for the Sharks, especially if he gets playing time on the top line with Jonathan Cheechoo and Joe Thornton. Just imagine him feeding off passes from Thornton.
This was a deal the Sharks really needed to make to keep up with the other Western Conference teams, and it was a deal the Blues should be happy with since they receive a decent role player, a 19-year old prospect and another first round draft pick.
Trade Grade: A-
Detroit Red Wings grab Todd Bertuzzi from Florida
After dealing away Gary Roberts, the Panthers chose to deal out another tough forward in Todd Bertuzzi. The Red Wings simply wanted to make a deal to bring in some more offense and keep up with the other top contenders in the Western Conference.
This deal is a bit complicated, as several Red Wings deals tend to be. The Panthers receive forward Shawn Matthias, a conditional 2007 draft pick and a conditional 2008 draft pick. The complicated part surrounds the draft picks, which are basically performance based considering how far the Red Wings go in the playoffs and what impact Bertuzzi has on the team – as well as if Bertuzzi signs with the Red Wings over the offseason. The exact details on those conditional draft picks I do not know. But the Panthers will get some picks in return in this deal along with Matthias.
This is a pretty risky move for Detroit. Bertuzzi says he’s healthy, but also says he’s not quite ready to jump into the Red Wings’ lineup. It will be at least a few games before he actually joins the Red Wings’ lineup, and who knows if he will get enough games in before the playoffs actually start to be adequately prepared for them?
I have no doubt that a player like Bertuzzi makes an impact in so many different areas – goal scoring, power play, physical play, leadership, experience, etc. And the Red Wings need somebody like him so that Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk can get a bit of a break from carrying basically the entire offensive load for Detroit. But when the injury is still an unknown for Bertuzzi after keeping him out for basically the whole season so far, I can’t say the Red Wings made a caution-free move here.
You have to respect the guts and the chance taken, but the team may have served itself better going after somebody like Jason Blake, Ryan Smyth or Glen Murray.
Trade Grade: B
Philadelphia Flyers grab a goalie for the future in Martin Biron
Last season, the Buffalo Sabres did not want to touch Martin Biron. This season, they’re not so reluctant to let him go. They did just that on Tuesday by sending Biron to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second round draft pick in the 2007 NHL Draft.
For the Sabres, this was just a way to not lose Biron for nothing over the summer and gain a chance at a valuable prospect in June. For the Flyers, they just got their No. 1 goalie, who they hope to ink past this season, as it makes this deal kind of pointless for Philadelphia if it is unable to sign Biron to a new deal.
While the whole team has been a disappointment this season out in Philadelphia, neither Antero Niittymaki nor Robert Esche were getting the job done between the pipes. Biron is a much better option than either of those two, and this also allows the Flyers to bid adieu to Esche as soon as it becomes convenient for them. Biron, in my opinion, is still a bona fide starter.
This season, Biron has played in 19 games, 18 of which he started, and possesses a 12-4-1 record with a .899 save percentage and 3.04 goals against average. The year before, Biron managed 21 wins in 31 starts and 35 total games played, getting some more action that season thanks to a Ryan Miller injury.
At 29 years old, Biron still has plenty of time left in the league, and the Flyers should work hard to ink him to a four or five-year deal as soon as possible. He will not help them this year obviously since the playoffs are far from the Flyers’ potential, but he is a solid addition for next season and beyond. And with all of the picks and prospects the Flyers have brought in so far over the last few weeks, they could afford to lose a second round pick for him.
To replace Biron as the backup out in Buffalo, the Sabres acquired Ty Conklin from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fifth round draft pick in this year’s draft. Conklin is nowhere near as good as Biron, but he’s good enough for a fifth rounder to backup Miller.
Trade Grade: B+
New York Rangers swap defensemen, bring in prospect and pick for third-liner
The New York Rangers’ chances of making the playoffs grow slimmer and slimmer with each passing day, currently sitting in 12th place with 64 points, seven behind the eighth place Carolina Hurricanes. The Boston Bruins might be one spot ahead of the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings, but they are essentially in the same situation with the same amount of points. The two teams decided to make a defensive swap on Tuesday.
The Rangers dealt away a player deemed to be a locker room distraction in Aaron Ward and brought in Paul Mara to replace him from the Bruins. Money-wise, the two are very close, only about $250,000 apart in salary. Both players also have one more year left on their contracts.
Ward simply did not fit in with the Rangers and even sat as a scratch in a recent game. The Rangers deemed a move the best possible scenario, and in Mara they get a 27-year old, seven-year veteran who was a former first round, seventh overall draft pick in 1997 by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Mara, who was acquired by the Bruins in June along with a third round pick in the 2007 or 2008 draft from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Nick Boynton and a fourth round pick in 2007, has three goals and 15 assists in 59 games this season, along with 95 penalty minutes and a minus-22 rating. Though he is not as good defensively as Ward, Mara brings another offensive weapon from the blue line that can log power play minutes and should be a part of at least the Rangers’ second even strength defensive unit. Plus, he’s got a big body and is not afraid to get physical when necessary.
The Bruins bring in a three-time Stanley Cup Champion in Ward that definitely has playoff experience under his belt. The 34-year old, who last won last season with the Hurricanes, is a superior shot blocker and a great penalty killer. What the Bruins lose in blue line offense they gain more in defense. He has three goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 60 games with a minus-3 rating and 57 penalty minutes.
The Rangers also dealt out Pascal Dupuis to the Atlanta Thrashers for their 2005 first round pick, Alex Bourret, and a third round draft selection. The Bruins acquired defenseman Dennis Wideman from the St. Louis Blues, who is 23 years old and will help in the offensive department, which aids in Mara’s loss. Boston gave over center/winger Brad Boyes, who is a former first round pick of Toronto from 2000, and currently has 13 goals and 21 assists in 62 games with Boston.
The shock of the trade deadline sends Ryan Smyth to the Islanders
Wow. That’s all I can say and all Edmonton Oilers nation can say. Wow.
In the biggest move of the entire trade deadline extravaganza this year, the Edmonton Oilers dealt the player considered to be the heart and soul of the organization in Ryan Smyth to the New York Islanders for Ryan O’Marra, Robert Nilsson and a first round pick in this year’s draft. This deal was completed at 3:36 p.m. and really caught everybody off guard.
This deal really came as a result of the Oilers being unable to sign Smyth to a new deal, as he is set to go unrestricted on July 1 and is reluctant to give the Oilers a hometown discount. General manager Kevin Lowe did not like the financial terms wanted by Smyth, so he felt it better to deal Smyth for something rather than lose him for nothing.
Smyth can come back to Edmonton during the summer, as every team has an equal opportunity to obtain his services in free agency. But, considering Smyth’s financial demands are likely not going to go down by July, and if anything would only go up, I can’t see how the Oilers’ chances would be more optimistic during the summer.
What the Oilers received is basically nothing compared to what the team lost, and not even the first round pick helps ease the pain of this move for the fans and the organization as a whole. And, as the TSN boys so aptly pointed out during their audio Tradecentre Tracker broadcast, this had to happen on the night the Oilers retire Mark Messier’s #11!
The Islanders get a huge addition in Smyth. They are a bit loaded at the left wing spot after not dealing away Jason Blake and previously acquiring Richard Zednik from Washington, but who cares? Players can be moved around on those top two lines if necessary and Smyth can play the center position as he is a solid playmaker among being a strong team leader. He should gel quickly with his teammates out in Long Island and will provide them with valuable playmaking abilities, a nice goal scoring touch that’s been known to put in 30 goals in a season and a great deal of experience and leadership that should be very welcome in the Islanders locker room.
The general consensus is that the Oilers should have been able to get more for Smyth than what they did receive, and I agree with the analysts on that. Though it was announced late, the team did note that it didn’t rush a deal but instead planned ahead and spoke to several teams prior to the rush period (about the last half hour) of the trade deadline. But, I find it hard to believe that Lowe couldn’t work out something better than this. Edmonton really hurt itself on this one.
Trade Grade (For the Islanders): A; Trade Grade (For the Oilers): F
Let me know what you think! Send me an e-mail at br7qbsteelers@yahoo.com.
Inside The Penalty Box 10.28.08: New Faces, Similar Results In Tampa Bay
(10.28.2008)
Despite a heavy offseason overhaul to the front office and roster, the Tampa Bay Lightning are still searching for a winning formula seven games into this 2008-09 season. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein examines the offensively-inept Lightning that seem on track for another disappointing year.
Inside The Penalty Box 10.09.08: 2008-09 NHL Season Predictions – Western Conference
(10.09.2008)
Tonight, the 2008-09 NHL regular season opens in North America and it’s time for another long campaign in search of the next Stanley Cup Champion. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein closes out his season predictions by looking at the Western Conference and names the 2009 Stanley Cup Champion!
Inside The Penalty Box 10.04.08: 2008-09 NHL Season Predictions – Eastern Conference
(10.04.2008)
With the drop of the puck in Europe this afternoon, four teams in the NHL open up their 2008-09 regular season. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein gives his predictions on the Eastern Conference side of the league, from the regular season through the Conference Finals!
Inside The Penalty Box 09.15.08: Montreal Moves On To Plan B With Lang
(09.15.2008)
The Montreal Canadiens weren’t willing to wait any longer for the Mats Sundin saga to reach its conclusion. So, general manager Bob Gainey went with a backup plan to add some offense and acquired Robert Lang from the Chicago Blackhawks. Neil Borenstein discusses this deal, in addition to Eric Staal’s seven-year contract extension with the Hurricanes, in the latest edition of Inside The Penalty Box!
Inside The Penalty Box 09.02.08: Meszaros Becomes Another Addition In Tampa Bay
(09.02.2008)
The Tampa Bay Lightning organization has gone through major reconstruction this summer, and they made yet another addition last Friday. After the Ottawa Senators couldn’t work out a deal with their 22-year old unrestricted defenseman, Andrej Meszaros, the Lightning swung a deal for him and agreed to a contract for the next six seasons. In this week’s Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein takes a look at the trade and its affect on both teams involved.
Inside The Penalty Box 08.26.08: Retire Or Return?
(08.26.2008)
At a time in professional athletics when players retire without even thinking and return in much the same fashion, it is a reprieve to know that some athletes won’t rush into a decision. In the NHL, four of the league’s best players are still contemplating their future, though each in a different capacity. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein takes a look at the decisions ahead for Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Brendan Shanahan. Additionally, Rod Oracheski contributes interviews from the weekend with Montreal Canadiens free agent signee Georges Laraque and Washington Capitals No. 1 defenseman, Mike Green!
MLB Fastball 08.22.08: The Battle For The NL West Crown
(08.22.2008)
It may be considered the worst division in baseball, but the National League West is still receiving a ton of attention for its battle on top. In the latest edition of MLB Fastball, Neil Borenstein takes a look at the NL West battle for supremacy between the current leaders, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the team two games behind them, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Inside The Penalty Box 08.19.08: Minnesota Begins Process Toward Extension For Gaborik
(08.19.2008)
In an effort to avoid the free agent frenzy next summer, the Minnesota Wild are eager to get their franchise winger, Marian Gaborik, locked up long-term with an extension. Minnesota brass even went as far as to visit Gaborik in his home nation of Slovakia last week to begin the process. Neil Borenstein discusses the situation in Minnesota in this week’s Inside The Penalty Box.
Inside The Penalty Box 08.12.08: McCabe Reconsidering Stance On No-Movement Clause
(08.12.2008)
Ever since the NHL Entry Draft, Toronto GM Cliff Fletcher has wanted to add Bryan McCabe’s name to those he had tossed off the Maple Leafs’ roster. Unfortunately, McCabe’s reluctance to waive his no-movement clause has thwarted such attempts. Recently, McCabe has reconsidered his stance on that clause, however, and may very well give Fletcher what he wants. In this edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein explores the situation that could send another veteran Leaf out of Toronto.
MLB Fastball 08.08.08: Extensions For Arizona’s One-Two Punch
(08.08.2008)
The Arizona Diamondbacks have one of the strongest combinations at the frontend of their starting rotation in the entire MLB. Keeping Brandon Webb and Dan Haren together long-term has to be a top priority. While a big step was taken Tuesday by agreeing to a four-year extension with their No. 2 man, negotiating a deal with their ace hasn’t been as easy. Neil Borenstein discusses in the latest edition of MLB Fastball.
Inside The Penalty Box 08.05.08: Front Office Additions
(08.05.2008)
The Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers have added highly regarded names to their front office staffs. In this week’s Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein looks at Scotty Bowman’s move to senior adviser of hockey operations with the Blackhawks and Steve Tambellini finally achieving general manager status alongside Kevin Lowe in Edmonton.
MLB Fastball 08.01.08: Assessing The Big Deals
(08.01.2008)
The non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone, and some pretty big deals went down over the past week. In this week’s MLB Fastball, Neil Borenstein takes a look at some of the biggest trades, including Manny Ramirez’ move to Los Angeles and Ken Griffey, Jr. bringing his World Series ambitions to Chicago.
Inside The Penalty Box 07.28.08: Shanahan Interested In One More Season
(07.28.2008)
After contemplating retirement, Brendan Shanahan has decided he wants one more season in the NHL – preferably in New York. In the latest edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein examines Shanahan’s decision, as well as Glen Murray being bought out into free agency and the Islanders’ search for a new head coach.
MLB Fastball 07.26.08: The Trade Market Heading Into Deadline
(07.26.2008)
Plenty of big moves have already been made, specifically in the department of starting pitching. But with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline fast approaching, there are still some rumblings about what could go down between now and that day just under a week away. In this week’s MLB Fastball, Neil Borenstein takes a look at some of the top players reported to be on the block and the teams believed to be interested in acquiring their services.
Inside The Penalty Box 07.21.08: Sabres, Miller Agree To Extension
(07.21.2008)
Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier strayed from his losing players for nothing approach of the past few years and inked goaltender Ryan Miller to a five-year extension a year before he would be eligible for free agency. In this week’s Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein discusses the move, in addition to the league opening in Europe next season and the next Winter Classic in Chicago.
Inside The Penalty Box 07.15.08: NHL Facing Much Tougher Foe In Russia
(07.15.2008)
Russia just used to be a pain in the butt to the NHL. But with more money in the new Continental Hockey League, the country can now afford to financially compete for players with the NHL and is starting to lure talent over. In the latest edition of Inside The Penalty Box, Neil Borenstein discusses the current situation between the NHL and the CHL.
SPOTLIGHTS
