To put the NFL jerseys 1994 NHL lockout in context, you have to remember that Major League Baseball was on a simultaneous strike that would end up cancelling the World Series. That infamous announcement from Bud Selig came on September 14, cementing those next two weeks as the darkest in professional sports history.
And when both sports emerged from the ashes a few months later, they did so with greatly different images.
The New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup in the shortened 1994-95 season, ushering in a dead puck area, where unfortunately, terms like "the trap" and "left-wing lock" became as common as 'hockey in Florida' and 'Fox's glowing puck'.
The post-strike look of baseball also changed dramatically, when shady players like Brady Anderson and Greg Vaughn started belting 50 homers a season like modern-day incarnations of Jimmie Foxx and Willie Mays. Prior to 1994, we only linked steriods to Ben Johnson and East German females at the Olympics. In the years ahead, the steroid era would tarnish the game's reputation, rendering statistical accomplishments meaningless.
But I truly believe these two events in the fall of 1994 had a more destructive impact on Canadian fans than our American counterparts.
We all know what happened to the Montreal Expos in the aftermath of the cancelled World Series. They traded their big stars and tried to stay competitive with David Segui in a nearly condemned stadium. It was a recipe for disaster.
Today, we are celebrating a very dubious anniversary in Canadian Sports. On October 1, 1994, NHL owners decided to lock out the players in a work stoppage that would kill half the regular season.
But more than that, I believe that the fall of 1994 killed the passion for sports in this country. And 15 years later, we're still trying to get it back.
And our hockey teams were hit equally hard, especially Canada's three biggest cities. When the NHL returned for that sham of a regular season in 1994-95, the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed like a shell of the team that went to back-to-back Conference Finals and had restored the passion of a rabid fan base. Somehow, when the lockout ended, the Gilmour-to-Andreychuk magic had disappeared. It's like they had aged three years during that four-month work stoppage.
In Montreal, the Canadiens would miss the playoffs in that shortened season, laying the groundwork for Patrick Roy's stormy departure a few months later and essentially a decade of futility. Meantime, the Vancouver Canucks lost all of their momentum from a magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals in the spring of 1994. They got swept the next year by Chicago in the second round. Vancouver fans never quite embraced Roman Oksiuta and Josef Berenek like they did Greg Adams and Gerald Diduck from the year before. The magic was stolen away from Vancouver too.
In the fall of 1994, I was a 17-year-old student embarking on my first year of journalism school at Carleton University.
Before that time, guys my age regularly bought hockey cards and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em videos like there was no tomorrow. But after that fall, I never bought either of them again. I might have single-handedly plunged Upper Deck into financial peril.
Nothing quite seemed the same after the fall of 1994.
Maybe heading off to university makes you more cynical and I would have lost some of that passion anyway in the fall of 1994 - even if the Expos played in the World Series or the NHL season went off as planned.
But I can't help but think that those two work stoppages dramatically accelerated my cynicism towards professional sports. And if you're a die-hard sports fan like me, you probably feel the same way.
And while most people will tell you that the Expos died that year, the Blue Jays have never had the same prestige in the post-strike era either. They haven't played a playoff game since Joe Carter touched 'em all in October 1993. In fact, I'll go one step further: When was the last time the Blue Jays played a meaningful, can't miss-game in the last 15 years? You remember the ones we used to watch in the pre-1994 era. Septembers for the Blue Jays used to be about pennant races and setting the rotation for the playoffs. (Note to Cito: You still shouldn't have used Tom Candiotti). Now, the final month of the baseball season in Toronto is spent belly-aching about management and avoiding the Rogers Centre as if it's ground zero for the H1N1 virus.
2010年5月15日星期六
2010年5月14日星期五
The waiting game
But for 109 players time is standing still. Among them are former All-Stars, Cy Young Award winners and MVP's. They remain without teams, in free agent limbo as it were. If one were to put together a team from this long list, you could field a squad that might be very competitive.
Here's an interesting line-up for you.
What makes this whole exercise very intriguing is that for the first time in recent memory teams are not tripping over one another to overpay for aging former stars. This makes good financial sense, especially with the economy still staggering out of the recession. Low-base, high-incentive contracts seem to be the order of the day, after the top-level free agents found new teams. For teams trying to keep their financial houses in order, this seems to be the best way of going about their business.
Hard to believe that it's less than a week until pitchers and catchers start arriving at spring training sites in Arizona and Florida to begin ramping up for the 2010 season. Has it really been 100 days since the New York Yankees claimed their 27th World Series championship? Time truly does fly the older one gets.
It's not like players aren't still pulling in big contracts. Recently traded Roy Halladay will be making $20 million a season from 2011-13 from the Phillies after his old deal with the Blue Jays expires after this season. It's just that the era of players past their prime still making top dollar may have finally be behind us.
For rebuilding teams like the Blue Jays, excluding the for Vernon Wells' bloated deal, the change in the free agent landscape may work to their advantage. Although they are still on the hook for roughly $116.7 million over the next five seasons on the Wells deal, rebuilding the team from within while trading for prospects is the shrewdest and most fiscally responsible course of action. And if they can add the odd undervalued, (and desperate), free agent that may speed up the rebuild.
Carlos Delgado is also among that list of free agents getting little or no interest. Injuries held the former Blue Jays slugger to just 26 games with the Mets last season. There was a laughable rumour earlier this off-season that the Blue Jays were going to bring back the 37-year-old first baseman but that went against what rookie general manager Alex Anthopoulos is trying to accomplish. It sure feels like the next time we see Delgado at the Rogers Centre will be when they add his name to the Level of Excellence.
The one player who remains in the headlines despite not having found a new team is Johnny Damon. After earning $13 million last year helping the Yankees to their title, the 36-year-old outfielder hasn't exactly been overwhelmed with offers. He will not receive a deal anything close to the $52-million, four-year deal that he signed prior to the 2006 season. There's no denying that Damon still possesses vast skills, just not eight-figures worth. To date, no team has offered him a multi-year deal and it is rumoured that the Braves, Tigers and the White Sox are offering one-year deals in the $6-7 million range. Represented by super agent Scott Boras, the poster boy for getting his clients overvalued contracts, Damon is going to have to swallow hard and play for money in the range that he was receiving from the small-market Royals and Athletics back at the turn of the millennium. That might seem insulting to a 15-year veteran, but what he shouldn't forget is that NHL jerseys he's already banked over $97 million during his career.
Here's an interesting line-up for you.
What makes this whole exercise very intriguing is that for the first time in recent memory teams are not tripping over one another to overpay for aging former stars. This makes good financial sense, especially with the economy still staggering out of the recession. Low-base, high-incentive contracts seem to be the order of the day, after the top-level free agents found new teams. For teams trying to keep their financial houses in order, this seems to be the best way of going about their business.
Hard to believe that it's less than a week until pitchers and catchers start arriving at spring training sites in Arizona and Florida to begin ramping up for the 2010 season. Has it really been 100 days since the New York Yankees claimed their 27th World Series championship? Time truly does fly the older one gets.
It's not like players aren't still pulling in big contracts. Recently traded Roy Halladay will be making $20 million a season from 2011-13 from the Phillies after his old deal with the Blue Jays expires after this season. It's just that the era of players past their prime still making top dollar may have finally be behind us.
For rebuilding teams like the Blue Jays, excluding the for Vernon Wells' bloated deal, the change in the free agent landscape may work to their advantage. Although they are still on the hook for roughly $116.7 million over the next five seasons on the Wells deal, rebuilding the team from within while trading for prospects is the shrewdest and most fiscally responsible course of action. And if they can add the odd undervalued, (and desperate), free agent that may speed up the rebuild.
Carlos Delgado is also among that list of free agents getting little or no interest. Injuries held the former Blue Jays slugger to just 26 games with the Mets last season. There was a laughable rumour earlier this off-season that the Blue Jays were going to bring back the 37-year-old first baseman but that went against what rookie general manager Alex Anthopoulos is trying to accomplish. It sure feels like the next time we see Delgado at the Rogers Centre will be when they add his name to the Level of Excellence.
The one player who remains in the headlines despite not having found a new team is Johnny Damon. After earning $13 million last year helping the Yankees to their title, the 36-year-old outfielder hasn't exactly been overwhelmed with offers. He will not receive a deal anything close to the $52-million, four-year deal that he signed prior to the 2006 season. There's no denying that Damon still possesses vast skills, just not eight-figures worth. To date, no team has offered him a multi-year deal and it is rumoured that the Braves, Tigers and the White Sox are offering one-year deals in the $6-7 million range. Represented by super agent Scott Boras, the poster boy for getting his clients overvalued contracts, Damon is going to have to swallow hard and play for money in the range that he was receiving from the small-market Royals and Athletics back at the turn of the millennium. That might seem insulting to a 15-year veteran, but what he shouldn't forget is that NHL jerseys he's already banked over $97 million during his career.
2010年5月11日星期二
Summer of Ian
Well, I'd like to NHL jerseys officially welcome you to the Summer of Ian.
With the Ottawa Senators out of the playoff picture, I have more downtime than I've ever experienced in this job. And while I don't plan on taking up Frisbee Golf like Costanza, I do have four things planned for the coming weeks:
A few months ago, I wrote an entry about how I've never watched the movie Slapshot. Over the Christmas holidays, my brother-in-law thoughtfully purchased the Slapshot trilogy for me. The movies have remained wrapped in the original plastic, as I briefly contemplated trading them straight-up for the Look Who's Talking Trilogy. But in the coming weeks, I plan to watch all three Slapshot movies. And here's the kicker: I'm going to watch them in reverse order. I'll be the first person in history to watch Slapshot 3, then Slapshot 2 and finish with the original Slapshot. (Come to think of it, I might become the first person to ever watch Slapshot 3).
During the daily grind of reporting on the Ottawa Senators, I'm unable to tackle serious questions that have been burning on my mind. Questions such as: What is the real story behind Stu Jackson's funny-looking eyebrow? What ever happened to Floyd Youmans? Can I make the old Hartford Whalers theme song my ring tone? Is Stan Humphries the worst quarterback to ever play in the Super Bowl? I will have the answers to these questions by the end of the summer. (Provided I can shut down Bo Jackson by the middle of July).
I could never figure out how to consistently stop Bo Jackson in the original Tecmo Bowl game. Was anyone else's childhood haunted by this? I'm going to devote countless hours to my original Nintendo system and devise elaborate defensive schemes to shut down the Raiders running attack. And when I have successfully come up with a gameplan, I will post it for everyone to see. My wife would probably prefer that I spend my time doing something productive for my household. But let's be honest, shutting down the 1988 version of Bo Jackson is the most important thing on the Mendes family agenda.
I will send out an e-mail to all of my friends this week, to officially launch the first-ever IIHF World Hockey Championship pool to be started by someone living outside of Europe. Would you take Freddie Brathwaite over Martin Gerber? You could cut the tension with a knife. I'm even thinking of serving scones and tea at the draft party to give the whole thing a real European flair.
FBFF
The NHL jerseys time has come for me to announce the winner of my Facebook Friends contest. I'd like to start by saying that this ranks as one of the five toughest decisions I've ever had to make in my life:
1988 - Do I hang up the poster of Mats Naslund or Alyssa Milano in my Gr. 7 locker?
1992 - Should I get a Delino DeShields jersey?
1996 - Do I start watching Party of Five like everybody else?
2000 - Should I tell my wife that Cooperstown is a potential honeymoon destination?
2009 - Who do I pick as the winner of my Facebook Friends contest?
Having to choose just one person was difficult, so I would like to take the time to acknowledge the runner-ups in this contest. The following users had terrific entries, but just came up short:
Grapeape: I was ready to pick you when you said that you were a stripper. But when you revealed that you were actually a male who stripped floors for a living, that was too much for me to forgive. You put me on an emotional roller coaster. (BTW: The lack of females who entered this contest was extremely humbling and my reputation as one of the biggest players in the Canadian media scene is now ruined).
Warren: I would have selected you as the winner, until you mentioned that one of the highlights of your life was being interviewed by TSN's Brent Wallace. Not cool.
btwilly: Your submission for the contest was fascinating: "Don't pick me or I swear to God I'll jump." I seriously considered picking you as the winner, but the Sportsnet legal department didn't think it was such a wise idea.
Koosh: You wrote an entire poem dedicated to me. At first it seemed like a cool entry...and then I started to get creeped out. What if we became Facebook Friends and you started mailing me things where all the letters were cut out from a magazine? And then if things went sour, I could see you putting my face on a Spartacat plush toy and using it as a voodoo doll.
Mooner: You almost had me with your offer to hook me up with Kit Kat Blizzards. However, since DQ has now discontinued the Kit Kat Blizzards, I'm not sure how you were going to follow through on your plan. Were you just going to smash a Kit Kat Bar into little pieces and then sprinkle them into a soft serve vanilla sundae every time I had a craving for a Kit Kat Blizzard? That seems a little unrealistic to me.
IanSendes: I didn't really like your submission, but part of me wanted to pick you as the winner just so I could find out who you really are. IanSendes is such a great user name....and sometimes I lie awake at night wondering who you are.
But, the winner of the Facebook Friends contest is Axiom. Your submission was:
"Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to grow up to be you. You are the wind beneath my wings Ian, and I cannot think of anything better than to know what kind of cereal you are eating at 3 am. I must admit though that I am disappointed in your choice of cinnamon toast crunch over count chocula. As an avid sens fan I also wish to enjoy such drunken pics as youwith a leafs jersey.
Besides, I'm an amazing g-list celebrity, having acted in a school play. That alone means you need me."
I've decided to select Axiom for the following reasons:
1. He loves cereal and claims that I'm the wind beneath his wings.
2. He is a Sens fan and that makes him less likely to physically assault me if we ever meet in person.
So Axiom - even though you made a Bette Middler reference and said you acted in a school play - I will get your information from our website guys and I'll send you a note so we can become Facebook Friends.
As for everyone else, be sure to watch for future contests in this space. We're planning the following blog contests: "Landscape the Mendes Family Lawn For a Summer" and "Do Ian's Job Whenever a Southeast Division Team Visits Ottawa."
With the Ottawa Senators out of the playoff picture, I have more downtime than I've ever experienced in this job. And while I don't plan on taking up Frisbee Golf like Costanza, I do have four things planned for the coming weeks:
A few months ago, I wrote an entry about how I've never watched the movie Slapshot. Over the Christmas holidays, my brother-in-law thoughtfully purchased the Slapshot trilogy for me. The movies have remained wrapped in the original plastic, as I briefly contemplated trading them straight-up for the Look Who's Talking Trilogy. But in the coming weeks, I plan to watch all three Slapshot movies. And here's the kicker: I'm going to watch them in reverse order. I'll be the first person in history to watch Slapshot 3, then Slapshot 2 and finish with the original Slapshot. (Come to think of it, I might become the first person to ever watch Slapshot 3).
During the daily grind of reporting on the Ottawa Senators, I'm unable to tackle serious questions that have been burning on my mind. Questions such as: What is the real story behind Stu Jackson's funny-looking eyebrow? What ever happened to Floyd Youmans? Can I make the old Hartford Whalers theme song my ring tone? Is Stan Humphries the worst quarterback to ever play in the Super Bowl? I will have the answers to these questions by the end of the summer. (Provided I can shut down Bo Jackson by the middle of July).
I could never figure out how to consistently stop Bo Jackson in the original Tecmo Bowl game. Was anyone else's childhood haunted by this? I'm going to devote countless hours to my original Nintendo system and devise elaborate defensive schemes to shut down the Raiders running attack. And when I have successfully come up with a gameplan, I will post it for everyone to see. My wife would probably prefer that I spend my time doing something productive for my household. But let's be honest, shutting down the 1988 version of Bo Jackson is the most important thing on the Mendes family agenda.
I will send out an e-mail to all of my friends this week, to officially launch the first-ever IIHF World Hockey Championship pool to be started by someone living outside of Europe. Would you take Freddie Brathwaite over Martin Gerber? You could cut the tension with a knife. I'm even thinking of serving scones and tea at the draft party to give the whole thing a real European flair.
FBFF
The NHL jerseys time has come for me to announce the winner of my Facebook Friends contest. I'd like to start by saying that this ranks as one of the five toughest decisions I've ever had to make in my life:
1988 - Do I hang up the poster of Mats Naslund or Alyssa Milano in my Gr. 7 locker?
1992 - Should I get a Delino DeShields jersey?
1996 - Do I start watching Party of Five like everybody else?
2000 - Should I tell my wife that Cooperstown is a potential honeymoon destination?
2009 - Who do I pick as the winner of my Facebook Friends contest?
Having to choose just one person was difficult, so I would like to take the time to acknowledge the runner-ups in this contest. The following users had terrific entries, but just came up short:
Grapeape: I was ready to pick you when you said that you were a stripper. But when you revealed that you were actually a male who stripped floors for a living, that was too much for me to forgive. You put me on an emotional roller coaster. (BTW: The lack of females who entered this contest was extremely humbling and my reputation as one of the biggest players in the Canadian media scene is now ruined).
Warren: I would have selected you as the winner, until you mentioned that one of the highlights of your life was being interviewed by TSN's Brent Wallace. Not cool.
btwilly: Your submission for the contest was fascinating: "Don't pick me or I swear to God I'll jump." I seriously considered picking you as the winner, but the Sportsnet legal department didn't think it was such a wise idea.
Koosh: You wrote an entire poem dedicated to me. At first it seemed like a cool entry...and then I started to get creeped out. What if we became Facebook Friends and you started mailing me things where all the letters were cut out from a magazine? And then if things went sour, I could see you putting my face on a Spartacat plush toy and using it as a voodoo doll.
Mooner: You almost had me with your offer to hook me up with Kit Kat Blizzards. However, since DQ has now discontinued the Kit Kat Blizzards, I'm not sure how you were going to follow through on your plan. Were you just going to smash a Kit Kat Bar into little pieces and then sprinkle them into a soft serve vanilla sundae every time I had a craving for a Kit Kat Blizzard? That seems a little unrealistic to me.
IanSendes: I didn't really like your submission, but part of me wanted to pick you as the winner just so I could find out who you really are. IanSendes is such a great user name....and sometimes I lie awake at night wondering who you are.
But, the winner of the Facebook Friends contest is Axiom. Your submission was:
"Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to grow up to be you. You are the wind beneath my wings Ian, and I cannot think of anything better than to know what kind of cereal you are eating at 3 am. I must admit though that I am disappointed in your choice of cinnamon toast crunch over count chocula. As an avid sens fan I also wish to enjoy such drunken pics as youwith a leafs jersey.
Besides, I'm an amazing g-list celebrity, having acted in a school play. That alone means you need me."
I've decided to select Axiom for the following reasons:
1. He loves cereal and claims that I'm the wind beneath his wings.
2. He is a Sens fan and that makes him less likely to physically assault me if we ever meet in person.
So Axiom - even though you made a Bette Middler reference and said you acted in a school play - I will get your information from our website guys and I'll send you a note so we can become Facebook Friends.
As for everyone else, be sure to watch for future contests in this space. We're planning the following blog contests: "Landscape the Mendes Family Lawn For a Summer" and "Do Ian's Job Whenever a Southeast Division Team Visits Ottawa."
2010年5月10日星期一
• Fresh take on gold-medal game
• Fresh take on gold-medal game
11:07am - Hanging out by the security entrance to the MLB jerseys rink and Jason Bateman and Will Arnett walk in with Brendan Shanahan. This is a huge thrill for me, since Arrested Development is one of my favourite shows of all-time. I've always been a fan of Bateman, going back to his roles in the 80s. Is this the perfect opportunity for me to pitch my idea for Teen Wolf 3? I have a rough script on my blackberry.
11:33am - Stephen Harper is one row behind me in the press box to do a pre-game interview with RDS. My French is a little rusty, but I'm pretty sure he just said the Canadian government will ask the IOC to prorogue the game if Team USA is leading after two periods.
By now, you are probably sick of reading columns about Sunday's gold medal thriller from people who were at the game.
Crosby is great. Hockey is our identity. The goal was the defining moment of the Games.
Blah, blah, blah.
So I decided to give you a fresh take from the game that has already been over
12:31pm - Jonathan Toews opens the scoring for Canada. I remember Doug MacLean telling me before this tournament started that Toews would become a very key player for Team Canada. I countered by telling him that Brodeur would carry Canada to the gold.
1:07pm - I don't mind the "Luuuuuu" chants when Luongo makes a save, but do they need to do it when he does simple things like stop the puck behind the net or take a sip from his water bottle? Then again, this is the same fan base that chanted "Luuuuuu" every time Lui Passaglia kicked an extra point, punted from inside his own 20 or trimmed his mustache.
1:28pm - The in-house camera shows a number of celebrities at the game, like William Shatner, Michael J. Fox and Dennis Leary. I heard director Kevin Smith was going to come, but he didn't want to pay for two seats at this price.
1:56pm - Former NHL goalie Marc Denis is serving as the in-game host on the jumbotron at these games. Bet that's not how he envisioned being a part of the 2010 Olympics when he was a first round draft pick a few years ago. But I have to admit, Denis is doing a terrific job on the big screen. If he falters, Jocelyn Thibault is standing by to replace him.
analyzed. (And yes, I'm blatantly trying to get an endorsement deal with Subway, or at least a free six-inch BMT).
2:05pm - Gold medalist John Montgomery shown on jumbotron wearing a Montreal Expos hat. I love any excuse to make a Delino DeShields reference in my blogs.
2:30pm - I start typing my script for my post-game story. Two minutes to go and Canada protecting the lead. What could go wrong? Surely, they learned their lesson from the Slovakia game.
2:33pm - Zach Parise ties the game with 24 seconds left. And every annoying American friend, family member and co-worker of yours sends you a taunting text message, even though they just found out who Parise was.
2:34pm - The second guessing amongst the Canadian fans has started. Why was Niedermayer on the ice? Why was Niedermayer on this team? Didn't they learn their lesson from Slovakia game? Why were they sitting back? We should have taken Steven Stamkos on this team. Where has Thornton been tonight? Why didn't Crosby score on that breakaway three minutes ago? Why did Babcock call that timeout? Why is Bergeron on the team? How come Fleury was never considered? Yzerman has some explaining to do.
3:03pm - How funny would it be if the Canadian men went onto the ice with Ginger Ale and Popeye cigarettes to celebrate?
3:36pm - Sitting in the press conference room and listening to Ron Wilson. He looks so disappointed. Has nothing to do with the game. He just realized he has Leafs practice tomorrow.
3:57pm - Walking out onto the streets of Vancouver and this is pure chaos. Complete strangers are hugging and giving each other high-fives. This is exactly what we are supposed to avoid, according to the H1N1 pamphlet I was given back in the fall.
11:07am - Hanging out by the security entrance to the MLB jerseys rink and Jason Bateman and Will Arnett walk in with Brendan Shanahan. This is a huge thrill for me, since Arrested Development is one of my favourite shows of all-time. I've always been a fan of Bateman, going back to his roles in the 80s. Is this the perfect opportunity for me to pitch my idea for Teen Wolf 3? I have a rough script on my blackberry.
11:33am - Stephen Harper is one row behind me in the press box to do a pre-game interview with RDS. My French is a little rusty, but I'm pretty sure he just said the Canadian government will ask the IOC to prorogue the game if Team USA is leading after two periods.
By now, you are probably sick of reading columns about Sunday's gold medal thriller from people who were at the game.
Crosby is great. Hockey is our identity. The goal was the defining moment of the Games.
Blah, blah, blah.
So I decided to give you a fresh take from the game that has already been over
12:31pm - Jonathan Toews opens the scoring for Canada. I remember Doug MacLean telling me before this tournament started that Toews would become a very key player for Team Canada. I countered by telling him that Brodeur would carry Canada to the gold.
1:07pm - I don't mind the "Luuuuuu" chants when Luongo makes a save, but do they need to do it when he does simple things like stop the puck behind the net or take a sip from his water bottle? Then again, this is the same fan base that chanted "Luuuuuu" every time Lui Passaglia kicked an extra point, punted from inside his own 20 or trimmed his mustache.
1:28pm - The in-house camera shows a number of celebrities at the game, like William Shatner, Michael J. Fox and Dennis Leary. I heard director Kevin Smith was going to come, but he didn't want to pay for two seats at this price.
1:56pm - Former NHL goalie Marc Denis is serving as the in-game host on the jumbotron at these games. Bet that's not how he envisioned being a part of the 2010 Olympics when he was a first round draft pick a few years ago. But I have to admit, Denis is doing a terrific job on the big screen. If he falters, Jocelyn Thibault is standing by to replace him.
analyzed. (And yes, I'm blatantly trying to get an endorsement deal with Subway, or at least a free six-inch BMT).
2:05pm - Gold medalist John Montgomery shown on jumbotron wearing a Montreal Expos hat. I love any excuse to make a Delino DeShields reference in my blogs.
2:30pm - I start typing my script for my post-game story. Two minutes to go and Canada protecting the lead. What could go wrong? Surely, they learned their lesson from the Slovakia game.
2:33pm - Zach Parise ties the game with 24 seconds left. And every annoying American friend, family member and co-worker of yours sends you a taunting text message, even though they just found out who Parise was.
2:34pm - The second guessing amongst the Canadian fans has started. Why was Niedermayer on the ice? Why was Niedermayer on this team? Didn't they learn their lesson from Slovakia game? Why were they sitting back? We should have taken Steven Stamkos on this team. Where has Thornton been tonight? Why didn't Crosby score on that breakaway three minutes ago? Why did Babcock call that timeout? Why is Bergeron on the team? How come Fleury was never considered? Yzerman has some explaining to do.
3:03pm - How funny would it be if the Canadian men went onto the ice with Ginger Ale and Popeye cigarettes to celebrate?
3:36pm - Sitting in the press conference room and listening to Ron Wilson. He looks so disappointed. Has nothing to do with the game. He just realized he has Leafs practice tomorrow.
3:57pm - Walking out onto the streets of Vancouver and this is pure chaos. Complete strangers are hugging and giving each other high-fives. This is exactly what we are supposed to avoid, according to the H1N1 pamphlet I was given back in the fall.
2010年5月9日星期日
Wild beat Flames in shootout
Wade Dubielewicz made five saves in relief of Backstrom, then turned aside Jarome Iginla and Dawes in the shootout.
Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves for Calgary.
NOTES: The Wild have three straight games in Calgary to improve to 6-18-4 at the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... Calgary defenseman Jay Bouwmeester extended the NHL's longest current consecutive games streak to 423.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen scored in a shootout to give the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 victory over Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
Chuck Kobasew opened the scoring for Minnesota on a power play in the first period, and Nigel Dawes tied it in the second.
Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped 27 of 28 shots he faced before leaving in the third period after being hit in the NBA Jerseys neck by David Moss' slap shot.
Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves for Calgary.
NOTES: The Wild have three straight games in Calgary to improve to 6-18-4 at the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... Calgary defenseman Jay Bouwmeester extended the NHL's longest current consecutive games streak to 423.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Brent Burns and Antti Miettinen scored in a shootout to give the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 victory over Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
Chuck Kobasew opened the scoring for Minnesota on a power play in the first period, and Nigel Dawes tied it in the second.
Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped 27 of 28 shots he faced before leaving in the third period after being hit in the NBA Jerseys neck by David Moss' slap shot.
2010年5月8日星期六
Is Washington a Hockey Town?
Their quest for Lord Stanley's Cup begins Thursday night at the NBA Jerseys Verizon Center against the Montreal Canadiens. And after winning the President's Trophy and another 50-goal season for, the Caps look like they have a serious shot at bringing home a championship.
In their glory days, there's no question the Redskins brought this fractious region together. But it's been nearly 20 years since the Burgundy and Gold took home the Super Bowl trophy. And though the Skins give fans plenty to talk about in the their post-1991 playoff runs have all ended in disappointment.
So what if the Caps' playoff run ended with a championship? Would it be safe to call Washington a hockey town then? Click the Comment button below or call the WTOP Talkback line at 1-877-222-1035. And check back later to hear your fellow listeners' thoughts on the prospect of Washington the Hockey Town.
But can they ever have a chance at a top spot in fans' hearts? The conventional sports wisdom in this town is that DC has been and always will be a football town.
In their glory days, there's no question the Redskins brought this fractious region together. But it's been nearly 20 years since the Burgundy and Gold took home the Super Bowl trophy. And though the Skins give fans plenty to talk about in the their post-1991 playoff runs have all ended in disappointment.
So what if the Caps' playoff run ended with a championship? Would it be safe to call Washington a hockey town then? Click the Comment button below or call the WTOP Talkback line at 1-877-222-1035. And check back later to hear your fellow listeners' thoughts on the prospect of Washington the Hockey Town.
But can they ever have a chance at a top spot in fans' hearts? The conventional sports wisdom in this town is that DC has been and always will be a football town.
2010年5月7日星期五
Nash scores twice in return as Jackets beat Wild
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Rick Nash scored two third-period goals in his return from an injury that sidelined him four games, and the Columbus Blue Jackets overcame a two-goal deficit Friday night to hand the Minnesota Wild a costly 4-2 loss. soccer jerseys
The Wild came into the game in 11th place and six points behind eighth-place Detroit in the Western Conference playoff race. Instead of getting two points, they came away with none after blowing leads of 2-0 in the second period and 2-1 with less than 9 minutes left.
Nash's shootout-like goal came just 27 seconds after Kris Russell tied it. Nash, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury, then added an empty-netter in the final minute. Kristian Huselius also scored for Columbus, which has won four of five.
Mikko Koivu and Chuck Kobasew had goals for the Wild, who have dropped two in a row after a three-game winning streak.
Until midway through the third period, Columbus was not mustering much offense despite ending up outshooting the Wild 32-20.
Then with 8:58 left, Huselius left a drop pass for Russell, who was trailing the play, and his hard slap shot slipped past R.J. Umberger, who was providing traffic in front of goalie Josh Harding.
Before that tying goal could be announced, Nash took a pass from Jake Voracek in the neutral zone _ while defenseman Cam Barker was heading to the bench to get a replacement stick. With no one close, Nash skated in on Harding, faked and then scored on a soft shot that went between Harding's leg pads.
The Wild pulled the goalie for an extra attacker in the final minute and Nash scored from the blue line for his 30th goal of the year.
Mathieu Garon had 18 saves for the Blue Jackets.
The Wild, who dropped to 22-7-2 when scoring first, opened the scoring midway through the first period. On a rush, Antti Miettinen's blast from the high slot caught the post _ but the puck rebounded to the left wing where Koivu slammed it home for his 20th of the year.
They made it 2-0 near the outset of the second period. Barker kept the puck alive by chipping it back into the offensive zone, where Columbus' Chris Clark could not control it. Casey Wellman ended up with it, backhanding a pass for Kobasew's jam shot.
The Blue Jackets countered later in the period when Huselius cleaned up a rebound off a shot during a scrum by R.J. Umberger. Huselius' first attempt hit the corner of the crossbar, but the puck came right back to him and he made the second try count.
Umberger then made a huge play late in the period. Garon was down and out of position with Wellwood bearing down on him but Umberger was able to block the puck with his skates to Garon, who covered it.
It was just the third time the Blue Jackets have won (3-22-4) this season when trailing through two periods.
NOTES: The Blue Jackets wrapped up a four-game homestand. ... Minnesota is 7-6-0 in the second half of back-to-back games. ... Since both clubs joined the NHL in the 2000-2001 season, Columbus is 276-356-33-62 with one playoff appearance and Minnesota is 327-285-55-59 with three trips to the playoffs. ... Wild D Justin Falk, making his NHL debut, suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and didn't return. ... Columbus C Andrew Murray appeared to hurt a knee late in the game and went to the dressing room.
The Wild came into the game in 11th place and six points behind eighth-place Detroit in the Western Conference playoff race. Instead of getting two points, they came away with none after blowing leads of 2-0 in the second period and 2-1 with less than 9 minutes left.
Nash's shootout-like goal came just 27 seconds after Kris Russell tied it. Nash, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury, then added an empty-netter in the final minute. Kristian Huselius also scored for Columbus, which has won four of five.
Mikko Koivu and Chuck Kobasew had goals for the Wild, who have dropped two in a row after a three-game winning streak.
Until midway through the third period, Columbus was not mustering much offense despite ending up outshooting the Wild 32-20.
Then with 8:58 left, Huselius left a drop pass for Russell, who was trailing the play, and his hard slap shot slipped past R.J. Umberger, who was providing traffic in front of goalie Josh Harding.
Before that tying goal could be announced, Nash took a pass from Jake Voracek in the neutral zone _ while defenseman Cam Barker was heading to the bench to get a replacement stick. With no one close, Nash skated in on Harding, faked and then scored on a soft shot that went between Harding's leg pads.
The Wild pulled the goalie for an extra attacker in the final minute and Nash scored from the blue line for his 30th goal of the year.
Mathieu Garon had 18 saves for the Blue Jackets.
The Wild, who dropped to 22-7-2 when scoring first, opened the scoring midway through the first period. On a rush, Antti Miettinen's blast from the high slot caught the post _ but the puck rebounded to the left wing where Koivu slammed it home for his 20th of the year.
They made it 2-0 near the outset of the second period. Barker kept the puck alive by chipping it back into the offensive zone, where Columbus' Chris Clark could not control it. Casey Wellman ended up with it, backhanding a pass for Kobasew's jam shot.
The Blue Jackets countered later in the period when Huselius cleaned up a rebound off a shot during a scrum by R.J. Umberger. Huselius' first attempt hit the corner of the crossbar, but the puck came right back to him and he made the second try count.
Umberger then made a huge play late in the period. Garon was down and out of position with Wellwood bearing down on him but Umberger was able to block the puck with his skates to Garon, who covered it.
It was just the third time the Blue Jackets have won (3-22-4) this season when trailing through two periods.
NOTES: The Blue Jackets wrapped up a four-game homestand. ... Minnesota is 7-6-0 in the second half of back-to-back games. ... Since both clubs joined the NHL in the 2000-2001 season, Columbus is 276-356-33-62 with one playoff appearance and Minnesota is 327-285-55-59 with three trips to the playoffs. ... Wild D Justin Falk, making his NHL debut, suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and didn't return. ... Columbus C Andrew Murray appeared to hurt a knee late in the game and went to the dressing room.
2010年5月6日星期四
Thomas stops 31 shots as Bruins blank Flames 5-0
BOSTON (AP) - Dennis Seidenberg, soccer jerseys David Krejci and Zdeno Chara scored goals to wake up a previously dormant Boston power play, and Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots for his first shutout since Dec. 21, leading the Bruins to a 5-0 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
The victory, which moved the Bruins into a tie with Philadelphia for seventh in the Eastern Conference, was just the third in the last 15 home games for Boston. Calgary, in ninth place in the West, moved a step closer to playoff elimination, coming into the game six points behind both Colorado and Detroit.
The Bruins, playing without injured center Marc Savard, were saddled with an 0-for-22 power play slump coming in. But, after Savard met pre-game with his teammates for the first time since sustaining a concussion Dec. 7, the power play bounced back.
Seidenberg, scoring his first goal as a Bruin, and Krejci both beat Miikka Kiprusoff with slap shots, and Chara took a pass from Krejci and walked down the slot and beat Kiprusoff with a wrist shot.
Thomas, the defending Vezina Trophy winner who has lost his No. 1 job to rookie Tuukka Rask, won for the first time in his last four starts. He has started only once in the last six games.
The Flyers, who lost 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Saturday, are ahead of Boston in the win column, but the Bruins, four points ahead of ninth-place Atlanta, have a game in hand. Sixth-place Montreal was two points ahead of both entering Saturday night's game against New Jersey.
Five different Bruins had two points apiece, including Krejci, who has had at least two points in six of the last nine games.
The Bruins scored their most goals in a home game since a 6-4 win over Atlanta Dec. 23.
Thomas notched his fifth shutout of the season. A potential threat to the shutout came in the third period when Boston's Johnny Boychuk received a five-minute major and game misconduct for elbowing, but the Flames managed just three shots on goal during the long power play.
Seidenberg, who had seven assists in 12 games since the Bruins acquired him from Florida, broke a scoreless tie at 14:08 of the first period. Krejci and Chara then struck 4:46 apart early in the second.
Patrice Bergeron set up Mark Recchi's goal and scored one of his own as the Bruins chased Kiprusoff in the third period.
NOTES: Boston's Marco Sturm had an assist for his first point in eight games. ... The Bruins host Buffalo on Monday night and then visit New Jersey on Tuesday, with both teams potential first-round playoff opponents. ... D Andrew Ference, who has been in and out of the lineup with groin problems, was out with an undisclosed injury, while Matt Hunwick, a healthy scratch the past three games, returned. ... The Flames have lost the first two games of a crucial three-game road trip that ends in Washington on Sunday. ... Calgary D Jay Bouwmeester played in his 417th straight game, the longest-active streak in the NHL.
The victory, which moved the Bruins into a tie with Philadelphia for seventh in the Eastern Conference, was just the third in the last 15 home games for Boston. Calgary, in ninth place in the West, moved a step closer to playoff elimination, coming into the game six points behind both Colorado and Detroit.
The Bruins, playing without injured center Marc Savard, were saddled with an 0-for-22 power play slump coming in. But, after Savard met pre-game with his teammates for the first time since sustaining a concussion Dec. 7, the power play bounced back.
Seidenberg, scoring his first goal as a Bruin, and Krejci both beat Miikka Kiprusoff with slap shots, and Chara took a pass from Krejci and walked down the slot and beat Kiprusoff with a wrist shot.
Thomas, the defending Vezina Trophy winner who has lost his No. 1 job to rookie Tuukka Rask, won for the first time in his last four starts. He has started only once in the last six games.
The Flyers, who lost 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Saturday, are ahead of Boston in the win column, but the Bruins, four points ahead of ninth-place Atlanta, have a game in hand. Sixth-place Montreal was two points ahead of both entering Saturday night's game against New Jersey.
Five different Bruins had two points apiece, including Krejci, who has had at least two points in six of the last nine games.
The Bruins scored their most goals in a home game since a 6-4 win over Atlanta Dec. 23.
Thomas notched his fifth shutout of the season. A potential threat to the shutout came in the third period when Boston's Johnny Boychuk received a five-minute major and game misconduct for elbowing, but the Flames managed just three shots on goal during the long power play.
Seidenberg, who had seven assists in 12 games since the Bruins acquired him from Florida, broke a scoreless tie at 14:08 of the first period. Krejci and Chara then struck 4:46 apart early in the second.
Patrice Bergeron set up Mark Recchi's goal and scored one of his own as the Bruins chased Kiprusoff in the third period.
NOTES: Boston's Marco Sturm had an assist for his first point in eight games. ... The Bruins host Buffalo on Monday night and then visit New Jersey on Tuesday, with both teams potential first-round playoff opponents. ... D Andrew Ference, who has been in and out of the lineup with groin problems, was out with an undisclosed injury, while Matt Hunwick, a healthy scratch the past three games, returned. ... The Flames have lost the first two games of a crucial three-game road trip that ends in Washington on Sunday. ... Calgary D Jay Bouwmeester played in his 417th straight game, the longest-active streak in the NHL.
2010年5月5日星期三
Cristiano Ronaldo's Career Is At Risk
Monday, November 9, 2009 -- Spanish giants Real Madrid have claimed that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could be seriously damaging his career if he plays for Portugal against Bosnia & Herzegovina at the weekend.
The Portuguese star had been injured since playing for Portugal against Malta but has been called to the national squad for the World Cup playoffs this weekend.
Madrid have now released a statement saying that they won't let the player leave for this weekend's international round of games. A club spokesman has been quoted by Marca as saying:
"Cristiano Ronaldo will not travel to Portugal. He will not be leaving here. On Monday we sent all the medical test results to the Portuguese Federation, with our results and those of Doctor Niek van Diyk in Holland, which clearly state Cristiano Ronaldo is injured and MLB jerseys cannot play."
The Portuguese star had been injured since playing for Portugal against Malta but has been called to the national squad for the World Cup playoffs this weekend.
Madrid have now released a statement saying that they won't let the player leave for this weekend's international round of games. A club spokesman has been quoted by Marca as saying:
"Cristiano Ronaldo will not travel to Portugal. He will not be leaving here. On Monday we sent all the medical test results to the Portuguese Federation, with our results and those of Doctor Niek van Diyk in Holland, which clearly state Cristiano Ronaldo is injured and MLB jerseys cannot play."
2010年5月4日星期二
Will Liverpool lose its big four tag
Liverpool and Man City hopes of NBA Jerseys rejuvenating their title campaigns ended on a sad note when they shared the spoils at Anfield. A two all draw is not what Rafael Benitez or Mark Hughes certainly hoped to achieve after ninety of play. The match that could have easily been won by any side, were it not for the defensive lapses that were contributed by both defenses.
When the freshness of a season ends and a team is not able to replicate the remarkable performance it had the previous season then it calls for an urgent measure. It’s now a well-known fact that Liverpool has lost the touch and they are on a downward spiral.
The good thing is that they can create a surprise come back because the season is not even halfway. However, they need to shift their focus on the title and concentrate more on how to fix themselves in the fourth position, otherwise, the tag of being referred to as a Big four club will start fading.
Chelsea tightened the grip at the top of the English Premier League by comfortably winning against the Wolves by four goals. Although the blues were short of their first choice players they didn’t look as if they were missing them. After establishing a good command at their UEFA champion’s league group, Carlo Ancelloti number one priority, before the winter break, is to widen the premiership gap between them and the chasing teams.
So far, the blues is doing a very good job. Their challengers, who have title aspiration in their list of agendas, will need to strategize on how to counter them before they quickly run out of sight, with the title.
At the stadium of light, Sunderland needed a solitary goal to end Arsenal’s lengthy winning streak. Although the gunners controlled the game a lot, they lacked firepower that the injured Van Persie normally provides. They need to find a solution very fast because they host the high flying Chelsea in their next league game.
The defending champions, Man Utd, didn’t have any trouble getting their maximum points while playing at home against Everton. Darren Fletcher opened the scoring with a spectacular volley. The goal will definitely be in contention for the goal of the month.
When the freshness of a season ends and a team is not able to replicate the remarkable performance it had the previous season then it calls for an urgent measure. It’s now a well-known fact that Liverpool has lost the touch and they are on a downward spiral.
The good thing is that they can create a surprise come back because the season is not even halfway. However, they need to shift their focus on the title and concentrate more on how to fix themselves in the fourth position, otherwise, the tag of being referred to as a Big four club will start fading.
Chelsea tightened the grip at the top of the English Premier League by comfortably winning against the Wolves by four goals. Although the blues were short of their first choice players they didn’t look as if they were missing them. After establishing a good command at their UEFA champion’s league group, Carlo Ancelloti number one priority, before the winter break, is to widen the premiership gap between them and the chasing teams.
So far, the blues is doing a very good job. Their challengers, who have title aspiration in their list of agendas, will need to strategize on how to counter them before they quickly run out of sight, with the title.
At the stadium of light, Sunderland needed a solitary goal to end Arsenal’s lengthy winning streak. Although the gunners controlled the game a lot, they lacked firepower that the injured Van Persie normally provides. They need to find a solution very fast because they host the high flying Chelsea in their next league game.
The defending champions, Man Utd, didn’t have any trouble getting their maximum points while playing at home against Everton. Darren Fletcher opened the scoring with a spectacular volley. The goal will definitely be in contention for the goal of the month.
2010年5月2日星期日
Inter want Bayern's Luca Toni
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 -- Italian champions and current Serie A leaders Inter Milan are eager to land Italian international striker Luca Toni from German giants Bayern Munich, according to latest reports.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter are looking to reinforce their squad in the winter transfer market and are eager to sign a striker. It's been reported that coach Jose Mourinho is eager to land the Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni.
The former Fiorentina striker has fallen foul of the Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal and is rumoured to leave the NFL jerseys club before long.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Inter are looking to reinforce their squad in the winter transfer market and are eager to sign a striker. It's been reported that coach Jose Mourinho is eager to land the Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni.
The former Fiorentina striker has fallen foul of the Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal and is rumoured to leave the NFL jerseys club before long.
Pompey crafts its way to UEFA cup via FA cup glory
The FA Cup played in the 2007-2008 season had a very interesting last four lineup. Three of the four teams that reached the FA Cup semifinal in that season came outside the top-flight league. The teams on the limelight were Barnsley, Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion. Portsmouth who had eliminated Man Utd at the quarterfinal was the only team representing the top-flight league. Pompey eventually won the FA cup by defeating Cardiff City with a solitary goal in the final. The win secured Pompey a UEFA Cup spot the following season for the Soccer jerseys first time, in the club’s history.
2010年5月1日星期六
Portsmouth vs. Stoke: Premier League Betting preview
I’m not sure how many more times you’ll be able to lay Portsmouth at short prices this season but I’m certainly not going to stop doing so and they are worth opposing again this weekend.
Pompey face Stoke at Fratton Park on Saturday on the back of the club requesting to sell their stars to raise cash to survive and, while I’m not sure that affects those taking to the field too much, it is hardly ideal preparation.
NFL jerseys
Avram Grant’s men recorded a morale boosting 4-1 win over south coast rivals Southampton in the FA Cup last time out but we must not forget that the Saints are a League One side these days and Stoke will be a different test altogether.
The Potters very rarely fail to show their true colours, despite a far from convincing away record, and I think they’ll be good enough for at least a point.
As was the case when Sunderland left with a draw from Fratton Park, I’m more than willing to overlook that Stoke have scored just five goals on their travels all season. The fact those strikes have helped yield nine points indicates their resilience and another low scoring clash is on the cards.
Stoke’s last three fixtures in all competitions have all ended 1-1 and there was plenty to like about their efforts on their final start when holding Manchester City. Stoke played for half the match with ten men, following Abdoulaye Faye’s dismissal, but they were only denied the maximum haul by a late Gareth Barry leveller and they’ll have taken plenty of confidence from that result.
Tony Pullis’ side are one of just a handful in the Premier League that appear well clear of safety yet too far back to challenge for a European place but with the Welshman in charge they are unlikely to take their foot off the gas and will have been boosted by three consecutive matches unbeaten away from home in the top flight.
I don’t imagine Stoke will have anything to fear this weekend on their travels, despite the absence of the influential Matthew Etherington, and were they to leave with a victory then it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.
Portsmouth sit 15 points adrift of their opponents and quite how a team in such dire straits and with just three home wins to their name all season can be made clear favourites is beyond me. Again.
Pompey face Stoke at Fratton Park on Saturday on the back of the club requesting to sell their stars to raise cash to survive and, while I’m not sure that affects those taking to the field too much, it is hardly ideal preparation.
NFL jerseys
Avram Grant’s men recorded a morale boosting 4-1 win over south coast rivals Southampton in the FA Cup last time out but we must not forget that the Saints are a League One side these days and Stoke will be a different test altogether.
The Potters very rarely fail to show their true colours, despite a far from convincing away record, and I think they’ll be good enough for at least a point.
As was the case when Sunderland left with a draw from Fratton Park, I’m more than willing to overlook that Stoke have scored just five goals on their travels all season. The fact those strikes have helped yield nine points indicates their resilience and another low scoring clash is on the cards.
Stoke’s last three fixtures in all competitions have all ended 1-1 and there was plenty to like about their efforts on their final start when holding Manchester City. Stoke played for half the match with ten men, following Abdoulaye Faye’s dismissal, but they were only denied the maximum haul by a late Gareth Barry leveller and they’ll have taken plenty of confidence from that result.
Tony Pullis’ side are one of just a handful in the Premier League that appear well clear of safety yet too far back to challenge for a European place but with the Welshman in charge they are unlikely to take their foot off the gas and will have been boosted by three consecutive matches unbeaten away from home in the top flight.
I don’t imagine Stoke will have anything to fear this weekend on their travels, despite the absence of the influential Matthew Etherington, and were they to leave with a victory then it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.
Portsmouth sit 15 points adrift of their opponents and quite how a team in such dire straits and with just three home wins to their name all season can be made clear favourites is beyond me. Again.
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