WhatHappnd's Musings on Sports

WhatHappnd's Musings on Sports
by: whathappnd

archived posts »

Saying Goodbye....For Now
Jun 02, 2006 | 1:15PM | report this

Hey there all, I will make this a as short a post as I possibly can.

While I enjoy reading, writing, and commenting on other's blogs (especially those who are finalists in the NGSII competition), I unfortunately will not have the time to be doing these things as I had been a few weeks ago. Reason? A new job, and my hours do not really allow me to be on here as much as I would like to be.

This is not a final goodbye..I will be around periodically to check and see what is happening with the contest, and will make whatever comments I can when I can. But I more than likely will not be posting anything for a while.

To the friends I've made here, keep bloggin away...you are all very talented at what you do, and should never let anything as petty as a semi poorly run competition stand in the way of whatever dreams you may have.

Thanks again for allowing me to have a place to voice the opinions, and I hope to chat w/you all soon enough.

*Au revoir,

Whathappnd (aka Denise)

11 Comments | Add a comment

category: DAILY NOTES, NHL, MLB

DetroitSports- Task Numero Uno
May 25, 2006 | 9:56AM | report this

I sat at the computer screen and stared at the question over and over again, trying to figure out how in the world I was going to answer this question without bashing my head up against the computer monitor or throwing my keyboard out of my third floor apartment window.

"Which athlete has the hottest spouse?"

What? I thought we were supposed to write about sports. I'm a chick, and I know about sports. But who am I to determine who has the hottest spouse? After all, I'm a girl. A lady. A female. Generally, women don't discuss hot women or pretty women, reason being it just continually lowers our own self esteem and self-image. In response, we eat and make ourselves bigger and, well, less hot.

However, since I mostly have guy friends, and a husband who is more than willing to discuss who he thinks is "hot" (after me, of course), I came up with my answer.

Now, granted, I do realize this is somewhat of an obvious choice. Oh well. There is something to be said for me being female and the lack of creativity in this department. But, hey, it's a contest and I have to give it all I have, right?

Now, for those of you who don't know who this is (wait, let me check that, I realize who my audience is), this is the wife of Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren. Yes, I know, the typical chesty blue-eyed blonde. How original of me. But the one thing this woman has going for her is that she has legs up to her throat. That alone is enough reason for me to say she's "hot", for lack of better terminology. I'm sure if I had legs up to my throat and dyed my hair that color blonde, I could land me an athlete too. Alas, I'm only 5'1 and a brunette, so that doesn't look like it's happening any time soon. Another reason why she's hot? Because she's not on the television all the time like some other spouses (Eva Longoria, I'm looking at you) all the time. It's a bit easier to stomach a stunning beauty when she's not being shoved into your face every 5 minutes of the day.

The second question posed "Why I should win this contest?" is easier for me to answer. I have three very qualified reasons:

1. I'm a male trapped in a female's body. I have the body o####ymnast and the attitude of a hockey player. I will hit anything that moves. Hard.

2. I have challenged my brother-in-law twice to a head-to-head battle of Madden 2006. He owns the game, I don't. I've beaten him both times. He hasn't talked to me in two months because of it.

3. I've just written about who I think has the hottest spouse. That should say enough about me right there.

15 Comments | Add a comment

category: Detroitsports

How 'Bout Them Mets?
May 24, 2006 | 1:03PM | report this

Ok, before I get slammed for praising the Mets here while I'm wearing Angels gear in my avatar, I should put out a disclaimer.

I have, since the time I was in the womb, been a Mets fan. I was born in Brooklyn and lived in NY until I was 24 years old. I can remember watching Mets' games with my dad, lying on the floor with our heads together and forming a V in front of the television. I also remember my mother yelling at my dad because she thought we were too close to the television, and that I was going to wind up like him, wearing glasses and not being able to see anything two feet in front of me.

I remember when Mike Torres was a Met and he hit Dickie Thon of the Houston Astros in the head. I remember my father lamenting about George Foster, calling him a waste, and why is it that when all the good players don a Mets uniform, they just take up space in the dugout? I remember when Dwight Gooden was a phenom before the drugs. I even met George Bamberger and had my picture taken with him during spring training in St. Petersburg, before the move to Pt. St. Lucie.

I remember reading box scores at the age of 2 and a half and then explaining to my dad, in complete detail, what happened at the end of the game, even though I had been in bed for an hour and a half before the game ended. I remember that 24 inning game against the Atlanta Braves in July of 1984. I remember going to a game when I was 7, and during the 8th inning, we moved down a few rows to get closer to the field. Of course, I also remember the foul ball that landed clear on the stair next to my old seat 2 batters after we moved, and the big fat man that claimed the ball. (To this day, I have not forgiven my dad for that.) I remember when Ralph Kiner used to tell the same stories over and over and over again BEFORE he had his terrible stroke. I even remember when the majority of the games were on WWOR/Channel 9 more often than they were on SportsChannel. I even remember when it was stil WOR, before the second W. Ha!

The only rub to my being a Mets' fan is that I curse the stinking team any time I wear Mets paraphernalia. My mother bought me a Mets t-shirt at the age of 6. Every time I wore it, and the Mets played, they lost. No matter how I many times I made my mother wash that shirt so I could wear it again, if they were playing, they lost. After about 2 months, I was banned from wearing the shirt on game days. I could only wear it when the Mets were off (say a traveling day), or in the winter. And who in their right mind wears t-shirts in the winters in NY?

So I am a Mets fan forced to wear other colors when they play. It's ok, though. 22 years later I have accepted my fate as a badge of honor. What else can I do?

So, I am a Met fan. As to the Angel gear, I am also an Angel fan. I started following them after the strike, during the hey-day of Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds, etc. I followed them even after that horrible unifrom change to that blue and white winged ####. I followed them even though they were dismal before Sciosia. But the one thing that is different is that I can actually wear red, my angels visor, and other such, and the team can still win. (OK, not lately, but that has nothing to do with me.)

Phew! My apologies for the long winded proof I had to give. But I've earned the right.

So onto last night.

I tell you, if Cox Cable didn't offer me the option to purchase MLB Extra Innings, I don't know what I would do. Not being able to watch the Mets living in Southern California? What a sin! So when I moved here, I immediately ordered it.

Last night was a prime example of why I'm glad I did.

The game didn't start well for Steve Trachsel (who, up until he signed with the Mets, I would watch on WGN when he played for the Cubs, just to see if the Cubs would lose like they always did when Trachsel pitched. Don't believe me? Go back and look at the stats.) Giving up 2 runs in the first, I began complaining and throwing things at my television. (I'm 99.7% positive most Mets fans were doing the same thing in the first inning. I did leave myself a margin of error, though.) The game went back and forth, not much excitement; sure, there were some heart attack moments, and David Bell's three run homer in the 5th inning agitated me like no other. The only thing I said about it was that "Well, at least it wasn't Pat Burrell."

The Mets responded though in a way I haven't seen this team do in YEARS, back to the days of the 1980's. (Yes, I am aware of the fact that they went to the World Series in 2000, but even that team didn't play like this one.) They stuck it out, stuck it out, tied up the game, and then the bullpen, the long-suffering bullpen, held it down.

And then it happened. Finally.

Bottom of the 16th inning, and Carlos Beltran, who has been criticized repeatedly by local and national media for not producing the way he did during his superb playoff run 2 years ago (and for making the amount of money that he does), launched a bomb over the right field wall. And I mean a bomb. As soon as the ball hit the bat, I knew. And I jumped up and down, screaming. My husband thought I was nuts, acting like it was a playoff game or something. But to me, the home run just screamed vindication. Vindication for all the times the Mets made a big free-agent sigining and those players not playing with that conviction that landed them that money. Not playing with that same type of heart.

Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca have turned my fathers years of lamenting into something other than false hope. He called me at the end of the game (mind you, it was about 10:30 pm PT when this game ended) and said "Did you see that? Did you watch it? DID YOU SEE THAT??". I haven't heard that kind of excitement in his voice about this team since I was a kid.

Take note, MLB: These Mets are for real. Take note baseball fans: Don't look now, but the Mets, well, they'll be coming for you, too.

So the next time someone says to you "How about them Mets?" as a means of trying to strike up a conversation, just politely say "Don't you worry about those Mets. They're coming for your team, too, whether you like it or not."

5 Comments | Add a comment

categories: MLB, New York Mets

Around the NHL Part 3: Hurricanes Play Strong, Neil Smith to be GM Again?
May 23, 2006 | 9:41AM | report this

Desparation + Timely Goals = Hurricanes Tie Series at 1-1

The Carolina Hurricanes did something last night that the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim should have done in their Game 2 a night earlier: play with desparation.

The 'Canes came out like a house on fire last night, and did something to Buffalo that has only happened one other time during the Sabres post season run.

Carolina got the first goal. Simple as that.

After withstanding the first 10 minutes of consistant Sabres pressure, Carolina started taking the body, which ultimately in hockey, leads to the other team taking stupid penalties. Hence, Ales Kotalik goes to the box and feels shame for his interference penalty, and Carolina capatilizes.

If I've said it once, I've said it at least three times in my posts- if you don't score on the power play, the likelihood of winning the series is none to negative 1,000,000. Carolina did just that.

Not without a scare though. The 'Canes started taking their fair share of stupid penalties in the third period, and allowed Buffalo back in the game. Granted, it wasn't enough for the Sabres to overcome, but the fact is Carolina needs to be more responsible in thier own end towards the end of the game. It's called shutdown mode. Defense won't kill you.

But good for the 'Canes. And this series is no doubt going to seven games. It's extremely fun to watch these teams go speeding up and down the ice. It's a shame no one is watching.

What was Stillman Thinking?

Probably the funniest moment during the game last night was Cory Stillman's breakaway. Most hockey fans love the breakaway- it is one of the most exciting moments during a hockey game, although I'm sure some will argue with me that the penalty shot is THE most exciting moment during a game.

The long outlet pass to Stillman, who was behind the Sabres' defense, was a beautiful pass. Once in all alone on Ryan Miller, Stillman decided to stickhandle just one too many times, never got the shot off, jammed his stick into Miller's pads, and Miller made the stop.

Thank god for the DVR. After that happened, I had to go back and look at it again. Stillman never lost the handle, nor did he really run out of room. He deked, like many do on the breakaway. Except he actually managed to out-deke himself. If you can, go back and look at the replay. He deked about 6 times while about 10 feet from the goal crease. To make matters worse, he fell on his face. Ouch.

Note to all forwards: Unless you are Jussi Jokinen of the Dallas Stars, just shoot the puck. If you score, great. But dekeing all the way to the goal crease just makes you look fancy. Stillman is a good player to be sure, but lets face facts here- he isn't exactly known for his stick handling abilities or is known as a pure goal-scorer a la Teemu Selanne and those types. If you get the breakaway, just put the puck on the net. If the goalie stops it, well, that's his job. But don't get all fancy like. It's not your thing.

And finally...

I ran across this little tidbit of information on Sportsnet.ca, citing that Neil Smith has been receiving much interest from the Pittsburgh Penguins organization about their vacant GM position.

I am imploring upon the Penguins upper management to please, please, PLEASE hire Smith. Not because I think he is a spectacular GM (I do not entirely blame him for all of his indiscretions in NY; James Dolan and MSG are much more to blame than Smith), but because Smith needs to get off my television. Most recently playing the role of color commentator during the playoffs, I find myself wanting to hit the mute button every time he makes a comment. Color commentators are supposed to provide analysis of the play. Smith, however, points out the obvious. He even *
GASP* points out things that aren't true. He has obvious biases in his commentating, and overall, makes really lame jokes.

So, from one hockey fan who actually gets OLN to Penguins management: I am begging you to hire this man for your organization. Please to the hockey fans a favor and get him off the television. Put him to good use.

Of course, there may not be a Penguins team long if they can't find a buyer. Or get a new arena. But that is a different matter for a different day.

7 Comments | Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Neil Smith, OLN, Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL News: Floundering Ducks,Richards Signs Extension, Hasek Upset and More
May 22, 2006 | 11:10AM | report this

Fancy (Almost) Passes + No Power Play Goals = Why the Ducks are in an 0-2 Hole

Last night's Game Two of the Western Conference Finals could have, and should have, been an easy win for the Ducks. The Oilers came in to Game Two not only tired, but fighting a flu bug as well. Raffi Torres and Marc-Andre Bergeron didn't even arrive at the rink because their symptoms were so bad, defenseman Jason Smith was playing against the Ducks 4th line, and Shawn Horcoff, in the words of Head Coach Craig McTavish during the post-game press conference, "was (as white) as this sheet of paper during the third period." On the ice, the Ducks dominated the game territorially, getting the majority of quality scoring chances. They were able to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, got traffic in front of Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson, and for the most part, kept the puck in the zone during their power play.

So what went wrong?

Simply put, the Ducks got too cute moving the puck around. Head Coach Randy Carlyle said as much during his post-game press conference. Instead of putting the puck on net, the Ducks tried to pass the puck one too many times. Credit the Oilers defense for blocking shots and getting sticks into the shooting lanes to be sure; however, trying to get too creative against a team that plays solid defense (not to mention having Chris Pronger) only works against you in the end. Don't believe me? Watch the highlight that led to Edmonton's second (and eventual) winnng goal. RW Teemu Selanne tried to stick handle and deke around one too many an Oiler, had the puck stripped from him, and the Oilers were able to move the puck in thier zone to set up Fernando Pisani's rocket of a shot from about 30 feet out.

The Oilers have many a skilled player, but simultaneously, their defense, much like the Calgary Flames, are their backbone. They find ways to keep teams to the outside, limiting the amount of quality scoring chances.

This "too cute" mentality also prevented the Ducks from getting the power play working as well. The Oilers are no slouch on the penalty kill either, and will sacrifice the body each and every time a shot is made. It's time to go back to basics on the power play, guys. Shoot the puck from the point, get traffic to the net and hope for a rebound. If it can work against a Hart and Vezina Trophy candidate like Miikka Kiprusoff, surely it can work against Roloson too.

The Ducks need to dig deep and get it together quick, or else they will be the next victim of what happens when your special teams fail. Maybe Carlyle should call upon Colorado and Ottawa to see what he can do...oh, wait, their teams suffered the same kind of fate. I'd forgotten about that.

Tampa Bay Signs Brad Richards to a 5 year, $39 million extension.

It was announced earlier today that C Brad Richards of the Tampa Bay Lightning signed a 5 year, $39 million extension with the team. The completion of this deal ensures that the Lightning's top 3 forwards (Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Richards) will be together for the next 4 years minimum. Lecavalier signed a four year extension last August, while St. Louis signed a 6 year deal days later.

Richards' deal means he will be paid $7.8 million US per year. What it also means is that a guranteed $20 million is tied up among those 3 players alone. While the salary cap ceiling is expected to go up next season upwards of $43-45 million dollars from the current $39 million, that still means that just about half of the Lightning's money is tied up on just the top line.

I can understand the Lightning wanting to keep Richards, one of the best two-way players in the game, away from the free-agent market (he was set to become a restricted free agent, meaning Tampa Bay would have to match any other offer sheet provided by another team if they wanted to keep him). However, goaltending is the situation that seriously needs to be addressed in Tampa Bay. The two headed monster of John Grahme and Sean Burke failed miserably this post-season, and GM Jay Feaster's inability to get a goaltender at the trade deadline a la Kevin Lowe of the Oilers sealed their fate this season.

Signing Richards effectively means Feaster will be looking to trade for a goaltender, perhaps Evegeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks or JS Giguere of the Mighty Ducks. With $31 million total against the cap for next year already in place, I find it hard to believe that one of these players, if not more, get traded. If they don't, the Lightning will find themselves in the same position this time next year

Hasek Upset with Murray, Wants to Remain in Senators Uniform

According to a report on Sportsnet.ca, Senators' G Dominik Hasek doesn't want to play for another team next year; in fact, he is ony interested in playing for the Ottawa Senators to "finish what he started this year."

Hold on a second. He wants to finish what he started? You mean he wants to create even more turmoil and controversy around a team that yet again failed to accomplish the goal of even making it to the Stanley Cup Finals? He wants to give Sens' fans a reason to be disgusted with this team even more by hanging around and stirring up trouble? He wants to finish giving Sens' fans a false sense of hope?

Hasek is reportedly also upset with Head Coach Bryan Murray's comments after the Sens' were eliminated in 5 games by the Buffalo Sabres, saying he didn't understand why only 40 hours after their series defeat Murray would make those comments. (To see Murray's take on Hasek, click here).

While Hasek took Murray's comment as a slight on him, it didn't come without merit. Hasek's past history with Buffalo and Detroit speaks volumes about Hasek's motives, which is strictly his ego. The power of persuasion can lead to ill-advised decisions. Ask Lindy Ruff. Ask Ken Holland. Ask Curtis Joseph. Ask John Muckler.

Sens' fans can only hope that Bryan Murray will put his foot down with GM John Muckler and tell him he doesn't want Hasek back next year. As a former GM himself, Murray is no stranger to what one person can do for the morale of a team. As the Head Coach, he should have a say in who he wants back next season. It would be wise for Muckler to listen. And for Hasek to just go away, again.

Memo to the NHL: Force OLN to Release the Exclusivity Rights

A report in the Los Angeles Times last week indicates that 49% of homes in the Los Angeles area do not receive OLN because it is only offered on premium tiers.

49% in the L.A. area. Considering the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, which is only 45 minutes south of L.A. proper, are in the L.A. market, one would think that the number would be a lot less than 49%.

And then fans outside of the hockey world wonder why no one is paying attention to these playoffs. Or why fans inside the hockey world feel Anaheim has no fan base.

Look, I understand that the league and OLN want to make money, and that exclusivity rights have always been a part of the playoffs even when ESPN owned the rights. However, ESPN can be found on basic cable, while OLN for most viewers is somewhere in the 600 range. But the NHL, who so desperately needs to promote this game in order to attract people to the game, should not allow a number like 49% in the L.A. market to even be a thought.

By selling the rights to local broadcasters, such as FSN or even over-the-air networks that usually carry NHL games, the NHL can then draw upon a wider fan-base. People in the LA area should get to know a team like Anaheim, who are built not only to be good this year, but for the next few years at the very least. If this season was supposed to be about the fans, the NHL has done a poor job with that in these playoffs. It only shows me that the bottom line is still, in reality, the bottom line.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Game Two

If you are a hockey fan, you are itching for this game to get underway tonight. Look for Carolina to tighten up it's defense just a bit to try and prevent Buffalo from scoring first. (Or at least, within the first 5 minutes of the game). And look for Buffalo to change...well, nothing. What do they need to change? Even if they do insert different players into their lineup, who would know? They win with whomever, whenever, wherever. It's great for hockey. Maybe other teams in the Northeast Division (Ottawa, Boston, Toronto, I'm looking at you) should take note: big names don't always equate to big plays.

And finally...

Congratulations to the sixteen finalists in the NGSII. All very deserving candidates to be sure, and I look forward to the rest of the competition. As for me, even though I didn't make it, I have found a home and a voice here at FOXSports blogs and will continue on. Maybe one day, I can actually get paid for my thoughts. Good Luck to all!

12 Comments | Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Brad Richards, Dominik Hasek, Ottawa Senators, OLN, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, NGS 2, DAILY NOTES

Anaheim Fans, Mark Crawford Coaching the LA Kings, and Other Mentionables from Around the NHL
May 20, 2006 | 5:05PM | report this

Mighty Duck (or lack thereof) Fans

Last night's Game One of the Western Conference Finals at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim showed me the exact reason why hockey fans both in the US and in Canada feel that Anaheim doesn't deserve a team.

While watching the game from the comfort of my bed, I could easily point out about 30-50 empty seats behind the glass, not to mention the empty seats in the upper levels. The crowd seemed less than midly interested with the play on the ice, and completely quieted after Ales Hemsky's check swing goal in the second period.

People, need I remind you that this is a playoff game?? Back in 2003, when the Ducks made the Western Conference Finals, the Pond was one of the loudest buildings left in the playoffs. Last night seemed more like a regular season game versus an Eastern Conference opponent in December. It was embarrasing as a staunch fan and defender of this team. Us real fans don't say "Rock the Pond" for no reason. If you want proof, listen to the season ticket holders in the 400 sections. They know how to get it done.

A message to those "fans": if you don't like hockey, don't understand hockey, or don't even know who is playing for either team, sell your tickets to the real fans. I, as well as some other Duck fans who were not fortunate enough to procure tickets to the home games, would be more than happy to take those corporate gifts off your hands. And your nachos can wait until the intermission.

Mark Crawford to be Named Next Head Coach of the Los Angeles Kings

The latest word out of Los Angeles is that Mark Crawford, most recently fired by the Vancouver Canucks, will be named the Kings head coach at a press conference to be held on Monday. Crawford has previoulsy won one Stanley Cup during his coaching tenure, albeit with an extremely loaded and talented Colorado Avalanche team in 1996.

While Dean Lombardi, the Kings newly hired GM, is a very well respected hockey man around the league (a man who helped build the San Jose Sharks to respectability), I'm not sure that Crawford is a good fit here. Crawford, like Andy Murray before him, isn't known as a "player's coach". He is very demanding, a yeller, and expects all his players to play in his system. Murray was fired because all he was preaching began to fall on deaf ears, as was Crawford in Vancouver.

What the Kings really need at this stage, after having missed the playoffs for the past 3 straight seasons, is a more player-friendly coach. A team that has been plauged by injuries needs a bit of nuturing right now. I'm not sure that Crawford is the nuturing type.

Should I also mention here that Crawford only managed to get a superbly talented team in Vancouver out of the first round of the playoffs only once during his tenure? How well with that sit with Mark Leiweke?

What will be interesting, though, is when the Kings play the Ducks 8 times next season. Crawford against what may have well been his replacement in Vancouver (Randy Carlyle) had Brain Burke not successfully lured him to the Ducks organization. Should make for an interesting matchup.

Stop Asking when Erik Cole will Suit Up for the Hurricanes

Yes, 'Canes fans, I'm talking to you here. I understand as a fan that you are worried about Cole's health, as are many other fans around the NHL. The hit by Brooks Orpik, in my opinion, was a dirty hit. The man suffered what could have been a life-threatening injury. It is great to see him skating again, let alone skating with his team and trying to make a comeback to help his team win, but give the man time, please.

And to the hockey media that is covering this story like Cole is Barry Bonds: stop it! Give the man time to heal. If he doesn't come back this year, and the 'Canes don't win the cup, will you be blaming his not returning for the loss? The fact that the 'Canes are where they are now is a testament to how a team game is supposed to be played. While Cole was enjoying a break-out season, GM Jim Rutherford and Head Coach Peter Laviolette have done a fine job in retooling this team to get to where they are now.

And finally....

Just one question: Should it be considered an automatic win if the Buffalo Sabres score first in a playoff game? Except for Games 3 and 4 of their opening round series against Philadelphia, every time the Sabres score first they win. Their only other loss? When the Ottawa Senators scored first in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals. Carolina might be wise to try and get on the scoreboard first. It might be their only way to make this series actually go to seven games.

10 Comments | Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings

Rust Not a (Complete) Factor
May 20, 2006 | 3:27PM | report this

Heading into the opening game of the NHL Western Conference Final, the one question all the hockey “experts” were asking was a simple one: Would the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, after melting down the Colorado Avalanche in 4 straight, show any signs of rust after being off for 8 days against the Edmonton Oilers?

The end result of the game, a 3-1 win by the Oilers, would lead one to believe the answer to be yes.

Er, not so fast.

While the Oilers most certainly had momentum heading into Game 1 after crushing the hopes of an upstart San Jose Sharks team, the Ducks didn’t look like a team that had been off for a week. In reality, they looked like a team that, as Scott Niedermayer said during his press conference “[was] a half step off or away from finishing some chances tonight."

Anyone who has watched this team at all this year (which, judging by the ratings, was next to no one except the few but proud fans in Orange County), can point to having more than just one day off as the reason why the Ducks looked just a touch slower than they had in their previous series. All year long, having more than one day between games has given fans a reason to hold their breath and worry how they would come out skating. Would they hit? Would they be able to make clean passes? Would they turn it over in the neutral zone one to many times?

The answer is this: the Ducks looked much better than the New Jersey Devils did after their sweep of the NY Rangers in the first round. The Ducks came out in the first period not worried about playing the puck, but about taking the body, shaking off the slumber of the layoff, and getting the first few quality scoring chances of the game. The Devils, on the contrary, lost that first game to the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-0.

After Ales Hemsky’s power play goal in the second period that he batted out of the air, the Ducks looked a bit in a daze. They did become a half step slower; they lost their transition game, and weren’t really battling along the boards as they had done in the first period. Was it rust, or was it just a momentum change that the Ducks never recovered from?

Anaheim outshot the Oilers 14-5 in the third period, yet they did not figure out a way to penetrate the trap the Oilers have employed when playing with the lead. It may be wise for Randy Carlyle and his coaching staff to look at video during their series against Calgary to remind his team how that type of style should be played, and how successful the Ducks became.

So while the long layoff may seem like a plausible excuse for the Ducks’ loss, it’s more likely that the second goal deflated both the team and its fans (who, I might add, were a sorry excuse for a playoff crowd last night. And then I wonder why this team gets bashed at every turn.) Rust is not to be used as an excuse for the Ducks.

Momentum, which has been carrying the Oilers since Game 2 vs. San Jose, is the reason.

Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Western Conference Finals

What's Wrong With the Angels?
May 19, 2006 | 4:26PM | report this

With the NHL playoffs not resuming until Friday evening, I had my choice last night of sporting events: Watch the L.A. Clippers try to keep their series alive versus the Phoenix Suns in a pivotal Game 6 matchup, or watch the L.A. Angels of Anaheim of Southern California of the United States of America continue to stumble against the Toronto Blue Jays and the rest of the American League.

My husband made that decision easy. “I can only watch basketball the last 5 minutes of the game, even during the playoffs, so we are watching the Angels.”

Guess I had no choice really, although I can’t say I blame him. I haven’t been able to watch a full game of basketball in recent years, although I must say these second round matchups have been nothing short of compelling.

So we settled in to watch the game, although in my heart of hearts, I knew the Angels weren’t going to win. They remind me very much of the NY Mets of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s- they get your hopes up, until someone makes a bad pitch or there is a brain cramp in the field that leads to a minimum of 4 runs in the inning.

Not to be proven wrong, the Angels did just that- after tying the game late on a solo home run by Mike Napoli (a recent call up from the minors in place of a dismal Jeff Mathis), the Angels had the bases loaded in the 9th inning, only to have Tim “Mr. Angel” Salmon strike out to end the inning. The top of the 10th inning led to 4 runs by Toronto and another home loss for the Angels, who sport a home record of just 8-12, and 17-24 overall. That would almost be good enough for last place, but the Seattle Mariners, having played (and lost) one more game than the Angels, currently hold that distinction.

My husband, after the game was over, looked at me and said “What happened to this team? I know they didn’t go out and get any hitting, which was stupid, but what is with all the errors? Where is the defense? Where is the pitching? What happened to being in contention?”

My poor husband. At that point, I didn’t have an answer for him. All I could say to him was “Welcome to the West Coast version of the old Mets.” Not that he would ever understand, as he was never a Mets fan, but after all the stories I’ve told him over the years, I think he might have taken a hint.

Later in the evening, while watching ESPN news, a highlight of the Devil Rays and Chicago White Sox was shown. Right before they started the actual game highlight, they showed D-Rays manager Joe Maddon, standing at the top of the dugout with his game face on.

There it was, the answer to my husband’s question, like a sledgehammer to the face.

What ails the Angels isn’t completely a lack of power, mental errors which lead to physical errors in the field, or even the injuries suffered by many of their starting players this season.

No, what ails the Angels this season is the loss of Joe Maddon, bench coach extraordinaire to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Maddon, long regarded as one of the most knowledgeable men in baseball today, took over for Lou Pinella as the manager of the perennially basement dwelling Devil Rays this season. Though his choice to move to such a club may have been questioned, the similarity between these two teams currently bears more than just a striking resemblance to one another.

Both teams sport a 17-24 record, and both have had recent struggles as of late. While this is a common practice in Tampa, the Angels haven’t been this bad since their hangover World Series season of 2003. These two teams rank 13th and 14th in the American League in team batting, with the Angels sporting a .246 and the Devil Rays a lowly .233. Their home and away records are practically identical, with the Angels having an 8-12 record at home and a 9-13 record on the road. The Devil Rays? 9-11 at home, 8-13 on the road.

Where these two teams differ is pitching. The Angels are ranked 4th in the AL in team ERA with a 4.43 while the D-Rays 5.19 ERA signifies why they are losing games at their current pace. With no real number one starters on the Devil Rays staff, and a bullpen by committee, it is understandable.

But one thing I’ve noticed is the lack of big names the D-Rays have, and given a new ownership change and lack of a significant fan base, one can easily argue that playing games at home is just as bad, if not worse, than playing games on the road.

But the D-Rays have shown, both last year and this year, that they will try and compete with anyone. While they may not have the best talent, these guys compete. Carl Crawford is probably one of the most underrated players in baseball right now, given his speed, athletic ability, and his power. The Angels heart is, well, I’m still unsure.

Maddon was the cheerleader in the clubhouse in Anaheim, a guy with a love and passion for the game, and a passion to watch his players succeed. It was Maddon’s responsibility as the bench coach to put up a quote every day over the lineup card in the dugout, chosen from many classic authors and writers, to provide inspiration. He was the reason that even though the Angels never have anybody to protect Vladimir Guerrero in the lineup, would find a way to help Mike Sciosia motivate those boys to play hard and win. He has since taken his act to Tampa, where the players, at least not at this stage of the game, have found that same place. But they will. As young as they are, there really is no other place to go but up.

Ron Roenicke took over as the bench coach in Anaheim, moving from his long time position as the third base coach. But I don’t see that same type of fire that Maddon showed for many years. He is more of what you call a quiet leader, and I don’t think that is helping a broken Angels team right now. His replacement at third, Dino Ebel, is trying hard, but has made some questionable calls with the base running early in his stint with the Angels. Only time will tell how he really handles his new position.

So to answer my husband’s question, I told him this morning that he needs to look no further than the loss of Joe Maddon to help explain away what ails the Angels. And unfortunately, at the present, it doesn’t look like there will be any suitable replacement for Maddon, and most likely, there won’t ever be.

9 Comments | Add a comment

categories: MLB, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Joe Maddon, DAILY NOTES

Let the Finger Pointing Begin!
May 18, 2006 | 5:16PM | report this

After any series-ending game during the NHL playoffs, it is easy for many observers, “experts”, and just plain old fans to start pointing fingers at what went wrong for said team.

Example: “The star of this team, Big Joe Thornton, didn’t perform to the level he had performed all during the regular season, especially since his arrival from Boston. He became a shadow of himself during the playoffs, as in years past, hence why this team is headed to the golf course.”

Example: “The goaltending of Marty Turco for much of the series by not stopping shots he could have easily stopped. Too many soft goals are why this team is headed to the golf course.”

Example: “John Muckler, the GM of the Ottawa Senators, didn’t do enough at the trade deadline to really meet this club’s needs, especially without the services of Dominic Hasek, hence why this team is headed to the golf course.”

Is it just me, or is anyone else spotting a trend here?

Pointing the finger at just one or two people when the TEAM lost TOGETHER seems rather inconsistent with what the sport of hockey is all about. And the loss by the San Jose Sharks to the Edmonton Oilers is no exception.

Yes, it is true that Joe Thornton, winner of the Art Ross Trophy, didn’t really perform to the level he had since being acquired in that trade with Boston. It’s true; maybe he didn’t shoot the puck enough and looked for too many cute passes to his line mates.

But what about Jonathan “With my third hat-trick against the Ducks this season I stole the Rocket Richard Trophy right out from underneath Jaromir Jagr” Cheechoo? With 9 points during the post-season, he seemed virtually invisible against Edmonton.

And what happened to San Jose’s defense in this series? Scott Hannan and Kyle McLaren, the only veterans on the defensive squad, were a combined +2 during the entire playoffs. Compare that to Chris Pronger and Jaroslav Spacek, who are a combined +5 during the playoffs while playing against San Jose’s and Detroit’s top lines night in and night out. The young corps withered after taking some punishing hits by Edmonton. Had they faced the same type of team in Nashville, it is possible San Jose wouldn’t have won that series, but speculation at this point means nothing.

Vesa Toskala? Save for his Game 4 brain cramp on that third goal by Sergei Samsonov and his less than stellar play in game 5, he gave San Jose a chance to win. That the team didn’t capitalize can’t be solely blamed on him.

No, what did this team in during the second round is very simple: save for just twice, they failed to convert on the power play 33 times. 2 for 35 will almost surely lose you the series every time.

Want proof? Ask the Colorado Avalanche how important a team’s power play is to them. After going 5 for 28 against the Dallas Stars, they were 0 for 24 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. And they hadn’t scored a power play goal since game 3 of that opening round series. Failure to convert on your power play is a surefire way to lose confidence.

As such, those same Mighty Ducks were only 2 for 19 against the Avalanche, and just 6 for 44 against the Calgary Flames. Noticeable differences between the Ducks and the Sharks on the power play are this: while the Ducks haven’t scored much, they are able to keep themselves in the offensive zone during most of the 2 minutes. The Sharks had a hard time both gaining entry into the zone (3 offside calls on the power play last night alone), and keeping the puck moving. Wearing out penalty killers will eventually help your teams cause. What helped the Ducks, however, was the penalty killing unit has killed off 36 straight penalties, and haven‘t allowed a power play goal since game 4 of the opening round vs. Calgary.

The Sharks mere 80.7 penalty killing percentage didn‘t help their cause to advance either. Not blocking many shots and ready to sacrifice everything to win is just another of the many reasons why San Jose headed home today.

Coach Ron Wilson, at some point during this series, stopped making adjustments on the fly, and the opportunistic Oilers took advantage of that, using their speed and confidence to take over after that triple overtime game 3 of this series.

In all, there is to be a lot of blame floating around the Sharks dressing room today. Pointing fingers at the big man or the goaltender is too easy. Blame the power play units. Blame the defensive corps. Blame the penalty killing units. Blame the coaching staff.

But it is no matter. In today’s world of sports, pointing fingers and finding scapegoats are the easiest way out for all involved, as it then absolves them of all criticism when they pick the wrong team to win a series.

3 Comments | Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers

Sports and Family
May 17, 2006 | 4:48PM | report this

A few years back, ESPN began running little promotional ads that would always end with "Without Sports....". There was one in particular, in which a little boy was attached to his St. Louis Cardinals blanket, not unlike Linus of the Peanuts comic strip. As they show him growing up, in various different situations (playing poker in college, moving out of his parents house, etc.), the blanket is prominant in every scene. At the end of the commercial, it shows the man, all grown up and presumably married, with his daughter, now carrying around the very same blanket her dad was given as a child.

Though it has been quite sometime since I've seen that commercial (I give it a few months until it re-airs, when baseball becomes the dominant sport until football season), I was reminded of it yesterday while I was talking to my dad.

Every day, my dad, who also happens to be one of my best friends, not to mention my next-door neighbor, picks up my daughter from school and drops her off at my house. Every day, he will call me when he enters my apartment complex to let me know he is there and to get my lazy butt downstairs so I can talk to him and retrieve my filthy child.

By the time I arrive downstairs, my father has already opened the door for my daughter to get out of the car and is standing there waiting to ask my how my day has been, what have I been doing all day, and am I planning to watch or tivo the NY Mets game. No matter what, the conversation always turns to baseball, mainly the Mets, between my father and I. Always. It has been that way from the time I was a little kid.

Yesterday was no exception. By the time I walked down the three flights of stairs, my father was already standing near the bottom of the staircase with my daughter. After the pre-requisite "Hi, how are you?", and my daughter clamoring all over me with the dirt that she has procured from the school yard, my father blurts out "So, Florida isn't ready to part with Dontrelle Willis yet, damn it."

Having not even given me a chance to pull a cigarette out of the pack, I gave him a quizzical look, proceded by "What the hell are you talking about??"

"Florida's GM isn't ready to put Dontrelle on the trading block yet, so now we are stuck with good old (Aaron) Heilman probably going back to the starting rotation. How much trouble are the Mets going to be in now? Although I'll be happy to see him get out of the bullpen. He sucks. He just sucks. Now the damn team is going to go down the tubes," my dad lamented.

"Oh, they'll be fine. If (Cliff) Floyd ever learns how to hit the ball again, this team will be fine. So the Mets will win every three games out of five, because you know they will never win when Trachsel or Heilman pitch. They hardly ever win when Trachsel pitches...he's not pitching tonight, is he?" I asked.

"No, no, no, Glavine's pitching tonight, so we actually stand a chance of winning," my dad concluded.

"Okay, good," I said. After taking a pull of my cigarette, I asked, simply "5 o'clock, right?"

"Right. Okay, well, I have to go home now and go walk the dog. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, enjoy the game, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye Laurie (my daughter), I love you."

"Grandpa, I love you too, but you need to get home or you're going to miss the game and then get mad that you missed it. I don't want you to be mad. And I don't want Mommy to be mad either. So go, go home and watch the game so we can go upstairs and Mommy can watch the game," said my daughter, all of 6 and a half.

It was in that moment that I realized just how much baseball connects the three generations of my family. It was at that moment how much sports really does bring families together.

So while all us bloggers sit here and rant and rave and analyze every little bit about the sports that we love, remember that it was most likely someone very close to you who developed you into the sports fanatic that you are. Because while those sports will most likely be around forever, the people who you love won't be.

3 Comments | Add a comment

categories: MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, Sports, Daily Notes, New York Mets

Sharks to Start Toskala Wednesday
May 16, 2006 | 3:07PM | report this

While sitting at this silver box trying to feed my appetite for hockey until a game is actually played on Wednesday, I stumbled across this article on the CBC website:

Toskala has been a rock? By definition, that would mean he doesn't move, as most rocks need something (wind, a person, any animal) to move them. And seeing as how Toskala came all the way out of his net to play the puck right into Sergei Samsonov's jersey, I would hardly call him a rock.

That said, I think Wilson is making the right decision. Yes, the Oilers are in San Jose's head. I don't think there really is much doubt to that. But starting a goal tender who has seen only 11 minutes or so of action in the last month an a half may not be the wisest of moves.

While it did work for Anaheim and Carolina this postseason, it should be noted that Bryzgalov of the Ducks started Game one of the Flames/Ducks series because of Giguere's mystery (read: groin/hip) injury. And he also started a game the week before in Calgary during the Ducks last road trip after playing Vancouver the night before. It should also be noted that Cam Ward was a replacement mid game, after the game was, essentially, out of reach. No pressure.

Nabokov has suffered though injury and lack of confidence throughout the entire season, and didn't look all that great in game 4 of this series. Granted, after sitting on the bench for 50 minutes, not to mention the downtime during warmups, he was a bit cold, sure. However, he's played just a handful of times since the Olympics. How good can he possibly be at this point?

The argument here, to be certain, is that Nabokov has playoff experience and helped San Jose to the WCF just 2 years ago, only to be stymied by the Flames defense and physicality. But Darryl Sutter's comment of "You go with who brung you" (i might be paraphrasing here, forgive me) rings much truer here.

Wilson is right in sticking with Toskala. I wouldn't, however, be so bold as to call him a rock.

2 Comments | Add a comment

categories: NHL, NHL Playoffs, San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers

Hold on Cinderella, This Isn't Your Story
May 16, 2006 | 12:21PM | report this

With the NHL playoffs nearing the halfway point, it's time to examine the teams that have currently made the Conference Finals and the two teams still battling it out for that last and final spot in the final (er. frozen) four.

Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.

(I am envisioning many right now staring at the screen with eyebrows raised, head cocked to one side not unlike dogs when you make funny noises at them, mouth open and muttering to themselves "who?")

Allow me to repeat that: Anaheim, Buffalo, Carolina, Edmonton and San Jose.

Yes, folks, this is the NEW NHL.

Perennial contenders such as Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa have all been tossed aside during the first half of the playoffs like the parsley you always have to remove off your meat or vegetables at a restuarant.

Detroit: 1st round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. Dallas: Practically swept aside at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in round 1. Colorado, New Jersey, Ottawa: victims of TEAM play in round 2.

And yet many beat writers and columnists that have been assigned to cover various different playoff series (those columnists and other writers who are not necessarily in the NHL know) seem to think that the remaining teams are all Cinderella stories in the making, that these teams have suddenly come from nowhere and are taking down the giants as if they were merely orange and white roadblocks on the freeway that you can get out of the car and move yourself.

While I realize that many in the United States don't even realize that hockey even exists in some of those cities, I find it very ignorant of many of these columnists in the media to all of a sudden grace the public's presence and alert them that there are many Cinderella stories in the making, giving the reader a false sense of reality that is the new NHL, and making those of us who follow hockey on a regular basis here in the US, as well as our neighbors to the north, irritated and bitter.

For example, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators on Sunday in overtime with a short-handed goal to take the series 4 and 1. Many of the so-called experts picked Ottawa to win their series, claiming their talent would wear out the non-playoff battled young Sabres. Granted, many of these "experts" believed it would be a 6 or 7 game series, not the 5 that it actually was. (Editor's note: This series could easily have been a sweep for the Sabres, if not for the little amount of heart and desparation the Sens showed in game 4.) Little known to most of the general public, those which follow hockey only during playoff season, was not aware of the fact that these same Sabres only finished 4th in the Eastern Conference because of the way the NHL seeds the division, with the top 3 spots going to the respective division leaders. Truth of the matter is, Buffalo finished a mere 3 points behind Ottawa, those 3 points because of OT losses. That was it. 3 points. Not exactly a Cinderella story there, I would think. Many in hockey circles, and the die-hard fans in Buffalo, were aware of just how many weapons the Sabres have: speed, skill, size, toughness, and a team mentality which states we win and die as a team. So in reality, this should really not come as a shock.

Similar story down south in Carolina. After finishing the season 2nd in the conference, and 1 point behind Ottawa for the division lead, Carolina was favored to win their first round series vs. the Montreal Canadiens. After losing the first 2 games, the first by a 5 goal differential, many "experts" were pinning Carolina as an overachieving team in the regular season without the depth or necessary experience for a long playoff run. HUH? Picking up Doug Weight and Mark Recchi has proved invaluable in the leadership department, Rod Brind'amour is the heart and soul of the team, and Eric Staal is emerging as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Carolina did come back to take that series with a "4 game sweep" of the Canadiens, only to learn they would be playing the New Jersey Devils in round 2. And once again, as is the norm during playoff time, the big name (not to mention 3 Stanley Cups in the past 11 years) began leading the way as the eventual winners of the series. True, the Devils had won 11 regular season games in a row and dispatched the NY Rangers in a sweep. Yes, 15 games is momentum. But the Devils sweeping the Rangers didn't really come as a shock to many with Jaromir Jagr hurt in that first game on a freak play coupled with a defensive corps that struggled with injuries and inexperience. So what real test were they given in the first round? The answer is slim to none. So Carolina putting the Devils on the ropes after 3 games really came as no shock.

Also with regard to Carolina is the fact that just 4 years ago, Carolina made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Red Winged Machine overpowered them in 5 games. But that was when Carolina finished 7th in the conference that year. That is a classic case of Cinderella.

Speaking of the true definition of Cinderella, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim followed suit during the 2002-2003 season. After starting the first part of the season wallowing in mediocrity, the team put together quite a few winning streaks, and rode a hot goaltender in JS Giguere all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in Game 7 to the, ahem, Devils. This version of the Ducks have been compared to that team time and time again during these playoffs, what with beating the reigning Western Conference Champion Calgary Flames in 7 games (a series they were not favored in) to melting down the Colorado Avalanche in 4 games. Ilja Bryzgalov replaced Giguere in net, only to have 3 back to back to back shutouts and set a new rookie record for time between allowing goals (not unlike Giguere during the '03 playoffs). Although favored to beat the Avs, nobody could have predicted a 4 game sweep.

However, the similarity between those two teams end there. While both versions of this team have defensive prowess, the newer, younger version of the Ducks play with grit, heart, speed and skill. Any one of the 4 lines can score at any given time on any given night. While Giguere had to stand on his head during the '03 run (which rightfully awarded him the Conn Smythe Trophy), Bryzgalov has enjoyed a collapsing defensive around his net, teammates willing to block shots, and the benefit of a team that scores goals. What many in the media don't realize is that while starting off poorly this year, and GM Brian Burke dumping salary, is that since January, the team went 25-11-5. That would be second best in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings. And where are THEY now? Oh, right, on a golf course someplace. Those in the hockey world are not terribly shocked at the Ducks run, so why is the media?

San Jose's story is similar to that of the Ducks, with one major acception: Joe Thornton. Like Anaheim, this team was mired in mediocrity at the beginning of the season, losing 8 straight in November (not dissimilar to the Ducks), until the Trade of the Year (I still question what was going on inside the heads of Boston management on that one). Since that time, the Sharks have been on a tear, but that may have caught up to them in their series against the Edmonton Oilers. San Jose's propensity for sitting on a lead has cost them dearly in this series, not to mention the high level of physical play exhibited by both teams in this series, and the failure of the 3rd and 4th lines to score consistantly. Though favored to win against a depleted and less physical Nashville Predators, it appears as though the Sharks have met their match with the gritty Oilers. Should they survive this series, they still might be favored over the non-recognized Ducks, but may still be considered that Cinderella story by national media because of they way they (might) overtake Edmonton.

Which finally brings me to the Oilers. Yes, the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Yes, a team that was fighting for the last 2 months of the season just to make the playoffs. (Editors note: Other than Detroit and Dallas, and the lowly sisters of the Central Division, who wasn't fighting for a playoff spot the last 2 months of the season?). Yes, a team with a 3 headed goalie situation until the acquisition of Dwayne Roloson. HOWEVER, this team during the entire year showed what it was made of: heart, determination, and grit (is anyone else seeing a trend among the remaining playoff teams?). Kevin Lowe moved and shuffled puzzle pieces all year long to get to where the Oilers are at now, and that is, as of today, one win away from making the Western Conference Finals, something they haven't done in what, 14, 15 years? So they beat the heavily favored Red Wings in 6 games. To me, and many a hockey observer, it seemed obvious the Oilers would win that series, and not because of Manny Legace that so many tend to point to. Uh-uh. The reason I picked the Oilers is because of Detroits inflated record after beating up on the Central Division, the toughness that is the Northwest Division, and tenacity. So while the 8th seed gives the illusion of a Cinderella story, in reality, its just a matter of those overtime and shootout games (re: Dallas' inflated record- 12 shootout wins=12 extra points, giving them a huge lead in the Pacific Division. Without that, they would have been fighting for a playoff spot too).

So the bottom line is this. Of the 5 teams remaining in the NHL playoff picture, not one of them should be viewed as a Cinderella story. Should one want a Cinderella story, go check out the Detroit Pistons vs. the Cavs in the NBA. Or better yet, just go watch the Disney movie. Just try not to think of the Ducks in the process.

Add a comment

categories: NHL, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, NHL Playoffs

See all posts from this month »