Sports According to OA83

It's been a while!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 05:17:00 +0000

i have been neglecting my blog as of late. For the few people who read it I apologize! I have been focusing on my weekly column for 411mania.com. However, I have decided to change the direction of this blog. In the past I have written full length articles (which helped land me a regular column), however I've decided to post shorter blurbs about the stories going on in all the sports that I am interested in. These will be staring next week. Hopefully Everyone will enjoy them!

Improve By Any Means Necessary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 04:25:00 +0000

Twice this summer Oilers GM Kevin Lowe has done what was once thought unthinkable. He has put out large offer sheets on two highly skilled restricted free agents; Thomas Vanek (Buffalo Sabres) and Dustin Penner (Anaheim Ducks). In the case of Vanek, Buffalo quickly matched the offer (although very grudgingly) of 7 years and roughly 50 million dollars. As of this time there is no announcement from the Ducks as to whether or not they will match the offer (5 years and roughly 21 million dollars).

Prior to the lockout it seemed as though there was an understanding between GM's that no team went after another teams RFA's. With the two offer sheets that Kevin Lowe has put out this year, it is very likely that it will become much more common in the future. With the NHL's new salary cap, GM's are going to have to be very strategic in who they give long term deals to. Teams have to have the ability to look ahead and plan as much as 3-5 years down the road (where as in the past large market teams could make up for mistakes made by simply throwing more money at their teams).

With this latest offer Kevin Lowe, definitely ruffled the feathers of Ducks GM Brian Burke. Brian Burke lashed out at Kevin Lowe on Friday night, calling the offer sheet to Dustin Penner "an act of desperation" by a GM "fighting to keep his job." and he didn't hold back when he said "I thought Kevin would have called me and told me it was coming. I thought that was gutless."(quotes courtesy of (CP)). The reason that Burke is likely so angry is because the Ducks are fairly close to the cap and signing Penner to the large contract that Edmonton offered would very likely handcuff their ability to sign a couple of important RFA's next summer (Getzlaf and Perry in particular).

Chances are that Burke is not going to match Edmonton's offer. There is buzz that the owner(s) of the Ducks are looking at imposing their own budget (within the salary cap) to try and avoid losing more money. Brian Burke has until next Thursday to match the offer from the Oilers, but don't be surprised if a statement is made on Monday or Tuesday. The Sabres matched Lowes offer (in the case of Vanek) virtually in minutes after the offer was made, but their cap situation is much different, and Vanek has had a much more prolific career to this point. Whereas Penner, has shown glimpses of being a dominant power forward, is not quite at the level that a 4 million dollar a year deal would dictate. So by overpaying for Penner, not only did the Oilers muddy the water by driving up the price for young players, but they made an offer that would be very difficult for the Ducks to match.

Kevin Lowe may not be making any friends this off season, but he is definitely doing everything that he can to improve his team. He made one big free agent signing with defenceman Sheldon Souray, but has struck out when it comes to acquiring top notch forwards. Oiler fans in general had been growing a bit of complex and taking it personally that "nobody wants to play in Edmonton". So Lowe has done the next best thing and the good news for the fans is that both Vanek and Penner were willing to come here. Perhaps the open checkbook that Lowe has had this offseason will change the perception of Edmonton being a small market-small budget team. Good on Kevin Lowe for using the rules to his advantage and perhaps there will be a huge improvement over last season's debacle.

Make the deal.........and hope you win!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:42:00 +0000

Trade deadline day has passed in the NHL and there were definitely some significant moves made around the league. There were also a number of trades that were shall we say, meaningless. On deadline day itself there were maybe 6 or 7 really significant deals. In the days leading up to the deadline there were perhaps another 7 or 8. The teams that really made the largest impacts on their clubs since January were likely the Flames, Sharks, Islanders, Predators, Penguins, Thrashers and oddly enough the last place contending Philadelphia Flyers. So in no particular order here is what these teams have done:

Calgary Flames
On January 29th the Flames addressed a need at center by adding a great compliment to Jarome Iginla with the addition of Craig Conroy. To get Conroy the flames had to part with an underachieving forward in Jamie Lundmark and a couple of picks. Definitely this was a good deal for the Flames since Conroy has had so much success in the past with Iginla. Then on February 10th the Flames did a great job in bringing depth to their club with the additions of Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau. Both of whom are upgrades on Chuck Kobasew and Andrew Ference who went the other way in the deal. On trade deadline day the Flames were fairly quiet (having made their big moves already), but were able to add a good young defenceman in David Hale for a pick. Definitely the Flames made a fairly deep team even deeper and have positioned themselves for a potentially long playoff drive.

San Jose Sharks
On the 25th of February the Sharks added some experience to their defence when they acquired Craig Rivet. The price was fairly steep however since they traded away a young d-man in Josh Gorges and a 1st round pick. They then made their biggest acquisition when they acquired Bill Guerin at the deadline. In Guerin they get a very good, offensive, veteran forward. San Jose already had a very good offensive team, but with the moves they made they are even better and should be able to make some noise in the playoffs.

New York Islanders
February 18th the Islanders began making a push towards a playoff spot when they acquired the fairly young (and much maligned) defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron from Edmonton. Bergeron, although at times a liability defensively, is an offensive minded defenseman and was definitely a good depth move by the Islanders since they parted with a prospect defenseman who is currently playing in Russia. On the day leading into the deadline the Islanders deepened their forward lines when they added Richard Zednik from the Capitals. Again they did not have to part with anyone from their roster, giving up a second round draft pick. Then in the final minutes leading into the deadline, Garth Snow (former backup goaltender and current G.M.), made the biggest trades this year when he acquired, long time Edmonton Oiler, Ryan Smyth. Adding the all-star forward made a good team even better and potentially made the Islanders a sleeper pick to make some noise in the playoffs.

Nashville Predators
The Preds made their team even better in recent weeks and it started on the 10th when they became deeper on defense by adding Vitali Vishnevski. Not exactly a blockbuster, but being in first place it was definitely a good "tweaking move". Less than a week later Nashville made one of the biggest moves (if not the biggest) of the season when they acquired perennial all-star Peter Forsberg. When healthy Peter is one of the best two way talents to ever play the game. Health is the key though because he has suffered many injuries over the years and has had a nagging foot injury this year. If he is able to stay healthy, the Predators will definitely make a lot of noise in the playoffs and could very likely be hoisting a Stanley Cup this year.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Already one of the most exciting and surprising teams in the NHL, the Penguins were fairly active and greatly improved their chances of Playoff success. Being a young team with exciting young stars like Crosby, Staal and Malkin, the Penguins were really in need of grit and leadership if they wanted to make a long playoff run. Ray Shero didn't disappoint on deadline day when he was able to acquire veteran, gritty, forward Gary Roberts and the king of heavyweight enforcers in Georges Laraque. Gary Roberts should be a great influence on the young talented scorers in Pittsburgh and Laraque will be able to make sure no one takes liberties with them. The Penguins also made a couple small depth moves at the deadline by adding defenceman Joel Kwiatkowski and goaltender Nolan Schaefer.

Atlanta Thrashers

Leading into the deadline the Thrashers were able to sure up their defence by acquiring offensive, veteran defenseman Alexei Zhitnik. In doing so they did part with young prospect Braydon Coburn. The very next day the Thrashers were able to trade for Keith Tkachuck. Getting Tkachuck not only bolstered their lineup from an offensive point of view, but also gave them some valuable veteran leadership. The Thrashers definitely gave up quite a bit of potential to be able to compete now. Rolling the dice as they did could either get them deep into the playoffs or turn them into a disappointment.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have been battling for last place overall for most of the season. What could they have done that was at all significant. Well, they became the biggest sellers in the league. Although they did nothing to save their season, they were able to make their future a lot brighter. Their first big move was to trade away Peter Forsberg. For him they were able to acquire two top prospects in Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent and also 2 picks which included a 1st rounder. In their next big move they were able to unload Alexei Zhitnik for a great young defenceman in Braydon Coburn to further bolster their wealth of young talent. In a three way deal they also got another great young defenceman in Lasse Kukkonen and a 3rd round pick for underachieving forward Kyle Calder. Then on deadline day the Flyers were able to get their hands on a great, proven goaltender (which has been lacking in recent years) Martin Biron for only a 2nd round pick. Long term the Flyers may prove to be the biggest winners among all of the teams who made trades in 2007.

So what do all of these deals mean? Who are the biggest winners and who are the biggest losers? Only time is going to tell. The measuring stick for these teams, and the others who made deals, is a Stanley Cup or at the very least a long promising playoff run. For the teams that were sellers? The results of these trades may not be seen for another 3, 4 or even 5 years, but it will definitely be interesting to follow. Of all of the teams that made deals, I think that the Predators should definitely be dynamite and a real contender to come out of the west, and the Penguins may end up being the biggest surprise in the East and may even make it as far as the conference finals. It is definitely shaping up to be an exciting stretch drive and very likely an awesome post season. LETS PLAY HOCKEY!!

OA83

Will Smytty stay an Oiler???

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:37:00 +0000

Right now the Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of a road trip that may very well decide their playoff fate. One of the biggest questions is will the longest serving Oiler be traded before the deadline? Will he walk when he becomes a free agent? Or will the Oilers and Smyth come to terms on a deal that will make him a lifetime Oiler?

First off Ryan Smyth has been an Oiler for his entire career. He was drafted 6th overall in 1994 and was a regular on the club since the 95-96 season. Since then he has played over 760 games as an Oiler (another 68 in the playoffs) and scored 262 goals, 281 assists and 543 points during that time. He has also answered the call of his country every time he has been asked. Leading to his very popular nickname "Captain Canada". In 78 senior men's international games, Smyth has scored 18 goals, 19 assists and 37 points. So he has had a very impressive career and is known as one of the grittiest, hard nosed players in the game. Not to mention that he terrorizes goaltenders night in and night out with his play in front of the net. So not only has he been a great player during his time in Edmonton, but many would argue that he has been the heart and soul of the franchise.

There are a lot of positives that could come from trading Ryan Smyth if there is a likelihood that he isn't going to re-sign. The market for a player of Smyth's calibre is pretty good. It would not be surprising to receive a top end young prospect, a first round pick (maybe even 2) and another pick or two in a later round. Having said, that is there any way to put the value on a player who has given his heart and soul to an organization for over 12 years. Perhaps Kevin Lowe's sense of loyalty, combined with his determination to make the playoffs at all costs makes it somewhat unlikely that he would trade Smyth, unless he were to receive an unbelievable offer.

If the Oilers are to somehow get a deal done with Ryan Smyth before the trade deadline, then a lot of fans will be able to breath a sigh of relief knowing that the team's most popular player will finish out his career in Edmonton. The likelihood of a deal being reached before Feb. 27th does not seem like it will happen, since reports are that the two sides are still apart when it comes to the amount and length of term for the contract. The risk of not getting a new deal signed (from the Oilers perspective) is that on the open market there will likely be a team that is willing to overpay for a player like Smyth. There is virtually no way that the Oilers could afford to match an offer that was in the ballpark of 6 million dollars per year (which some team is very likely to offer). So unless Smyth is willing to sign a contract that is considerably closer to the 5 million dollar mark, then in all likelihood he would be gone at seasons end. So this is the quandary that the team finds themselves in:
1)They know that Smyth's heart is in Edmonton, but also that this is his one big chance (being in the prime of his career) to cash in financially.
2)They know that if they trade him they will get a good return in the deal, but the optics of trading (arguably) your franchise player won't sit well with the fans
3)If Smyth doesn't get signed by the trade deadline the Oilers run the risk of losing him altogether, meaning that he leaves and they'd have nothing to show for it.

So although it is somewhat a troubling issue for the Oilers and their fans, one would have to believe that when all is said and done Ryan Smyth will be an Oiler for the the long haul. Logic would dictate that when a player give his heart and soul to a city, the team and the fans, that somehow a deal can get done. Ryan Smyth has given everything that he can to the Oilers and it is very likely that the management of the team will reciprocate the same. The fact is Smyth wants to be an Oiler, the team wants him to be an Oiler and most definitely the fans want him to be an Oiler. So when you add it all up there isn't much doubt that some way, somehow Ryan Smyth will be an Oiler for life.....................................hopefully.

Peyton's Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 04:54:00 +0000

After his teams recent Superbowl win, where does this put Peyton Manning all time? The proverbial monkey is now off of his back, but is he any more deserving of being called one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time than he was prior to the Colts win on Sunday?

When looking at his career as a whole, I would maintain that Peyton Manning would be a Hall of Famer and one of the all time greats regardless. In his 9 seasons as an NFL quarterback, Peyton Manning has started every single game and has never thrown under 3700 yards in a season. In fact he has only thrown under 4200 yards twice in his career. Combine that with his 275 touchdowns (never under 26 in a season) and his career quarterback rating of 94.4 and it's easy to see why he can be considered one of the best. Not to mention his 7 Pro Bowl appearences and 2 MVP awards. He has begun a pace that could see him potentially break every passing record, which would definately be more than enough to solidify a trip to Canton at the end of his career.

Now Peyton has shown that he can win the big game and has both a Superbowl MVP award and ring to go along with all of his other exploits. Somehow there are still haters out there who think that he isn't a great quarterback. With the career he has had to this point there is no reason to think that his assault on Dan Marino's records won't continue. No one denies Marino his place amoung the greatest quarterbacks of all time and he never won a superbowl. So while winning a Superbowl can strengthen a quarterbacks legacy, it is in no way a reason to enshrine or denie a player enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. Many terrible quarterbacks have also won Superbowls which is proof that in a team game like football, it takes a lot more than a great quarterback to win. This is why when looking at a players career and determining if he is worthy of being one of the greats the whole picture of his career should be looked at. So as great as it was that Peyton Manning was able to lead his team to a Superbowl win, his greatness was never truly in doubt.

Greatness is now spelled S-I-D

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:49:00 +0000

It may be a little to early to refer to Sidney Crosby as the greatest, but he certainly may be the greatest since "The Great One" and "The Magnificent One" were dominating the league. However, Sidney Crosby is proving to be one of the most amazing talents that the hockey world has seen in a very long time.

When Crosby was a junior the media was already piling on the pressure that he was "The Next One". Since day one in the NHL, after being selected first overall by the Penguins, "Sid the Kid" has not disappointed at all. Last season, as a rookie, he had an impressive campaign with 39 goals, 63 assists for 102 points. That is one heck of a rookie campaign. If he could consistently record a hundred points per season for even ten to fifteen years he'd be a first ballot hall of famer.

What separates a player like Sidney though is that he isn't satisfied with being a really good player. He wants to be the best. So this season he has improved on almost every facet of his game. Already he is on pace to far surpass his incredible rookie season with 25 goals, 57 assists and 82 points in ONLY 47 games so far. This puts him on pace for 138 points this year. Not only that but the play of him and his young supporting cast actually has the Penguins on pace for a possible playoff birth. In fact right now the Pens are sitting in 6th place in the east with a couple of games in hand. Definitely a turnaround from the past number of seasons when they were one of the doormats of the NHL.

Is it possible that hockey fans are now watching one of if not the best player in twenty years develop before our very eyes? And can this young 19 year old kid possibly put the NHL back on the map in the United States? The opportunity is there. There has not been a player of his magnitude in a very long time and it would be a shame for people south of the 49th to miss it. Many players have been highly touted coming out of junior and into the NHL but Crosby is shaping up to be even better than advertised. The first step will be if Sidney Crosby can somehow be viewed as the player most responsible for saving hockey in Pittsburgh. The next step will be to continue dominating this game and lead his team to a Stanley Cup.

Just to illustrate how amazing Crosby has been, when Wayne Gretzky played his first season in the NHL, "The Great One" scored 51 goals and added 86 assists for 137 points. Crosby’s 82 points in 47 games has him on pace for 138 points this season. That means comparisons between the two players aren’t far-fetched at all.

The NHL now can showcase (with no more Gretzky or Lemieux), possibly the next legend of the game Sidney Crosby. If all the stars remain aligned, his will be a career for the ages. Greatness may indeed be spelled S-I-D!

Less than a month till deadline day!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:43:00 +0000

The day that most die hard hockey fans salivate over is rapidly approaching. February 27th is the day that is circled on many a calender. By this date teams will have decided weather or not they are going to be buyers or sellers. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how one wants to look at it) there isn't likely to be the flurry of deals being made this year.

As it stands right now the only team without a prayer is the Philadelphia Flyers. They aren't completely alone however, because the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings will require an act of God to reach the playoffs this year. This leaves a glut of 26 teams fighting it out for 16 playoff spots. Ten points is all that separates 6th place from 14th place in the East and twelve points is all that separates 6th from 12th in the west. So depending on what happens in the next three weeks many of these teams are going to have to decide whether or not this is their year.

There are certain teams in particular that could make the playoff races and trade deadline day very interesting. Depending on what happens in the upcoming weeks the New york Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers will be the most likely teams (who are on the cusp of a playoff berth) to be either actively seeking to bolster their lineups for a Cup run or will begin making moves to build for next year.

So in the East the Rangers are pretty solid in net and have a pretty descent mix of youth and experience. If they continue to play well they'll like just be looking to add some more experience on defence (only 2 players over 30) and perhaps another solid forward to play up front. If they are able to get a playoff spot they could be a fairly dangerous team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs need to start getting more consistent goal tending from Andrew Raycroft if they are going to make the playoffs and make any kind of run at all. They may be looking to add some grittier defenceman with playoff experience if they believe that they can make the playoffs. However if they fall too far out of the race they may be willing to move Darcy Tucker who is a UFA at the end of the season and he is a player that many teams may be interested in.

In the West the Colorado Avalanche will also need to solidify their defence if they are going to make any run to the playoffs. They aren't the powerhouse that they once were and may be the most likely of the four teams mentioned to slip out of contention. If they were to become sellers by the trade deadline they do have some more experienced players who could be moved like defenceman Ken Klee or forwards like Pierre Turgeon or Andrew Burnette.

Finally there are the Edmonton Oilers who were the Western Conference Champions of last year. Again they find themselves battling for their playoff lives and need to play a lot better if they are to have any chance of making the playoffs. Like many other teams they need to get deeper on defence and in particular need a more offencive defenceman. Should they not do well in the coming weeks then the Oilers will have to make a tough decisions and move a key player like Ryan Smyth (who is a UFA at seasons end and is having a career year).

So regardless of how the playoff races end up, there should definitely be some interesting developments over the next few weeks. This year prooves that there is becoming more parody in the league which can only make for more excitement.

All Star Games????????

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:08:00 +0000

Is it worthwhile to have All-Star games in professional sports? Also, is it beneficial to allow fans to vote for the starters in these All-Star games?

The NHL just had it's annual goal filled, uninspired, pond hockey game. A game that's intent is to showcase both the game and it's best players. Neither has been accomplished in many years. A 12-9 game like we saw this year is in no way reflective of what a good hockey game is supposed to be. Hockey is a sport in which emotion, hard work and toughness make for great teams and great games. The problem with the All-Star game is that there is no effort or desire to win and because of this there are no hits or even penalties (meaning no power play chances either)and absolutely no form of defence is played. Combine that with the fact that the players ( because they don't care) don't execute very well on the fundamentals. So really the NHL All-Star game is completely unnecessary. There are much better ways that the league can promote the sport and it's players. The NHL could have the defending Stanley Cup champion take on a European All-Star team or something to that effect after the season is over or just find a way to have a novelty game that also has some meaning.

Secondly it is completely unnecessary to allow fans to vote on the All-Star team. Too often players get voted in based on past credentials and not on their current seasons performance (ie Jonathan Cheechoo) which just speaks to the lack of knowledge that many of the fans voting have. If the teams were chosen by the coaches and players we would be more likely to see the best of the best every year. At the very least the fans should have to vote from a list compiled by coaches or scouts.

Now the NBA All Star game is approaching and there isn't a lot of reason to get excited about it either. How can any fan of basketball be excited to see a 201-200 game? There is such a lack of effort put forth by the players that they make their NHL counterparts seem as though they are trying. The NBA however does have an exciting atmosphere surrounding the game, but the game itself lacks any defence at all, so all fans see is the two teams trading shots back and forth which results in nothing more than a poorly played pickup game. As far as voting goes, the fans (as stated above) tend to vote for the big names rather than the best players for any given year. A perfect example of why fans should not be voting is that defending 2-time MVP (and going for a third this year) Steve Nash wasn't voted in as a starter. This just shows a complete lack of knowledge by the fans who cast their ballots.

Truly the same sentiments can be echoed for the Pro Bowl and the MLB All-Star game. However, at least in baseball the team that wins has home field advantage awarded to the team representing either the American or National League in the World Series. At least there is something at stake, but players still tend to not take the game all that seriously. In recent memory the fans have also done a fairly descent job in voting for the teams.

Still, there is no real need for these exhibitions in any of the professional sports leagues. Perhaps one day the people who run the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB baseball will come up with more entertaining and meaningful ways to showcase the best that their leagues have to offer. Maybe they will also ensure that if they are going to hold these lackluster "competitions", that the best players from that year will be represented.....................not just the most popular.

Everyone is a winner with this years Superbowl!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:36:00 +0000

Everyone wins with this year's Superbowl
by:OA83January 21, 2007

Regardless of which two teams end up making the Superbowl in Miami this year, the NFL will have great stories to hype for the two weeks leading up to the big game.

If the Colts beat the Patriots you have Peyton Manning finnally getting the monkey off his back and beating New England in the AFC Championship. Also (even though on a personal note I wish that at this point in history we should be color blind as a society) you would have Tony Dungee within a win of being the first African American head coach to win a Superbowl. Not only that but in the past couple of seasons the Colts have had amazing regular seasons and were expected to contend, but this year the Colts only had a good regular season (comparitivly speaking) and weren't thought to make it this season. So wouldn't it be ironic if in the season they weren't favored to win, they did?

If you have the Patriots downing Indianapolis once again, the legend of Belichick and Brady will continue to grow. The Pats will become one of the most dominant teams in the history of the NFL and Brady will put an exclamation point on what is surely going to be a Hall of Fame Career. Belichick will also have another big coaching win on his resume that will further solidify his own resume as one of the greatest coaches in recent memory.

The NFC Championship game isn't without it's great stories too. If the Bears go on to win against the Saints they will silence many critics. The knock on the Bears has been their play on the offence side of the ball, in particular the inconsistant play of their quarterback Rex Grossman. Lovie Smith has stuck with his quarterback through thick and thin and it would truly be redemtion for those two men if they move on to the Superbowl. Of coarse the other story will be the fact that Lovie Smith (as with Tony Dungy) would be another African American coach with a chance at hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy.

Probably the most heartwarming potential storyline will be if the New Orlean Saints are able to complete one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the history of sports. Last season the Saints played all of their games on the road due to the damage that was left by Hurricane Katrina. If that wasn't bad enough the Saints also had a pitiful record of 3-13. Things turned around this season, starting with getting the second overall pick in the NFL entry draft (which turned into Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush). With new coach Sean Payton and their new quarterback Drew Brees, there was reason to be optimistic about their season. Then the Saints got to play from their home turf once again and helped to lift the spirits of the citizens of New Orleans. If that wasn't enough the Saints went on to a 10-6 record and are now on the verge of their very first Superbowl appearance.

So more so than in previous years, the fans and the NFL itself have a lot to cheer about come Superbowl Sunday. No matter which two teams move on to the dance, there will be many great storys for us to follow. Will it be Belichick and Brady going for yet another Superbowl victory? Could it be Payton Manning finally overcoming the lable of never being able to win the "Big Game"? Will the Bears show the world that Rex Grossman is able to come up big when it matters the most? Or will America's new favorite team overcome all the odds and win their very first Championship? Regardless of how it all plays out I think that all true fans of football will enjoy great stories that will be a part of of Superbowl XLI.

A Re-Rise to Greatness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 01:59:00 +0000

The career of the "Finnish Flash" Teemu Selanne is one that has been filled with many highs and lows. Between his breakout rookie season in 1992-93 (when he set an all time record for goals by a rookie) and 2000-01, Selanne was one of the games elite point producing wingers. In his first 637 games Selanne scored 372 goals, 422 assists for 794 points!

However in the following three seasons Selanne only managed to score 54 total points in 82 games, 64 total points in 82 games and his least productive season ever with 32 points in 78 games. It was then that many hockey pundits believed that the Finnish sensation that had wowed the league for 11 seasons was D-O-N-E at the age of 34. With the lockout of 2004-05 it seamed as though Selanne could either retire with his best years behind him or do as many other greats have done and hang on far too long.

Thankfully for the league and the Anaheim Ducks, NHL analysts and "experts" cannot measure a man's heart, determination and will to succeed. The "Finnish Flash" soared once more by doing something no one besides himself could have ever dreamed possible. In 80 games in the 2005-06 season, Teemu Selanne scored an amazing 40 goals to go along with 50 helpers! This 90 point performance led to him winning the Bill Masterson trophy for perservierence. It is virtually impossible to think that a player could nearly triple his production out of the blue like that.

So far this season Teemu Selanne has 29 goals (tied for the league lead) and 29 assists for 58 points in 48 games (tied for ninth in scoring) regaining is place as one of the best scorers in the league. This re-rise to greatness is likely to continue, and barring injury the league should be able to enjoy the smooth skating, sure handed winger from Helsinki for at least a few more seasons. Everyone enjoy.........."The Flash" is back atop the NHL once again.

Fred Shero deserves to be in the HOF

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 06:18:00 +0000

There are many reasons why I feel that Freddy "The Fog" Shero deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.Simply based on statistics and not even taking into account his innovations in practice, training and using assistant coaches, I fail to see why the late great Freddy "The Fog" Shero is not in the NHL HOF.

First of his coaching record is astounding! His coaching record with the Flyers and Rangers 714 games 386 wins 212 losses 116 ties for a .622 winning %. In his NHL coaching career he only missed the playoffs in his first season and he made it to the finals 4 times winning it twice. He also won the Jack Adams trophy once! In 1969-70 he coached the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL to a Championship and the very next year coached the Omaha Knights of the CHL to a Championship.

So everywhere he ever coached he had success. He also had a very interesting life aside from hockey. Here is a brief history of his life prior to coachin the Flyers.

The son of immigrants who fled Russia to escape religious persecution, Shero was born on October 23, 1925, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He attended the University of Manitoba for two years and served in the Canadian navy where he made a name for himself in the field of athletics not as a hockey player but as a boxer. Shero was the lightweight and middleweight champion but rejected a $10,000 offer to turn professional, opting to play hockey instead.

A marginal player at best, the defenseman played three seasons for the New York Rangers from 1947-1950. Those three years were sandwiched between a playing career that began in 1942 for the St. James Monarchs and ended in 1958 for the Shawinigan Cataracts. In 1957, Shero began his professional coaching career with Shawinigan. By 1971, he had held additional minor league coaching tenures for St. Paul, Omaha, and Buffalo, winning six first place titles during those years.

His innovations and coaching tactics are what make him a clear cut Hall of Famer in my estimation.Practices under Shero could make an outsider shake his head in disbelief. To improve stick handling, tennis balls would replace hockey pucks. To increase leg strength, skaters would push a goalie seated in a folded chair around the ice. Forwards would practice breakaways while being slashed from behind. "Nobody ever lets you score an easy goal in a game," Shero said. "Why practice that way."

He was also the source of some interesting quotes. His most famous being "Win together today and we walk together forever." Three hours later, the Flyers won the first of two consecutive Stanley Cups. One of the reason the "Broadstreet Bullies" were souch a tough checking team stems from this philosophy "Take the shortest route to the puck carrier, and arrive in ill humor." He stressed the importance of commitment by saying, "When you have bacon and eggs for breakfast, the chicken makes a contribution, but the pig makes a commitment." Even with all his success, this brilliant hockey mind never took himself too seriously. "Coaches are a dime a dozen," Shero said. "I found out a long time ago that only one thing wins for you--the players."

I see absolutely no reason whatsoever that Fred Shero isn't in the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately if he ever gets enshrined in The Hall he won't be able to see it as he passed away in 1990 of cancer. Having said that I know that his induction would meen a lot to the city of Philadelphia, the Flyers faithful and his familly. Hopefully the HOF commitee wises up and votes him in ASAP. This is a huge injustice in my mind and hopefully it is rectified sooner rather than later.

I owe much of this article to the Philidelphia Flyers website as well as my own heart because Fred Shero happens to be my Great Uncle.

Sawchuk, Roy or Brodeur??

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 02:39:00 +0000

Greatest Goaltenders of All Time By: OilersAddict83 January 10th 2007 Hope you all enjoy and I look forward to all comments and any potential disagreements!

I have long said that I feel Martin Brodeur is proving out to be the greatest goaltender of all time. Of coarse anytime that you begin to talk about the greatest players (at any position) there will always be a bit of a debate because of the different eras, number of teams in the league and other such differences. So there is definitely a lot of subjectivity when making such a bold statement. The majority of the time when the NHL's alltime greatest goaltender debate is brought up there are three names that come to mind right away; Sawchuk, Roy and Brodeur.

Exhibit number one: Terry Sawchuk Terry Sawchuck began his career in the NHL in 1949-50 with the Detroit Red Wings and 21 years later finished up his career with the New York Rangers. Throughout his amazing career Terry Sawchuk had many great achievements. In his first full season (1950-51) Terry won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the league. From that moment on his greatness and legendary status grew with four Stanley Cups and three Vezina trophies. When Sawchuk finally hung up his skates for good in 1970 he had amassed an incredible 447 wins, 330 losses, 172 ties, 103 shutouts and a 2.52 goals against average. His career playoff statistics were also impressive as he had 106 games played, 54 wins, 48 losses, 12 more shutouts and a 2.53 goals against average. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame one year after his death at the end of the 1970 season and has long been considered one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL.

Exhibit number two: Patrick Roy Patrick Roys career began in exciting fasion as the young brash and cocky Roy led the Montreal Canadiens to the 1986 Stanley Cup and in the process became the youngest player (he was 20 at the time) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. Roy would go on to not only win three more Stanley Cups, but he would also win two more Conn Smythe awards. Throughout his eighteen years in the NHL, Roy would go on to play in 11 All Star games, win 3 Vezina trophies and 5 William M. Jennings trophies. When Roy retired after the 2002-2003 season he had a record setting 1029 games played, 551 wins, 315 losses, 131 ties, 66 shutouts and a lifetime 2.54 goals against average. His playoff totals have resulted in him being referred to as the best "money" goaltender of all time with 247 games played, 151 wins, 94 losses, 23 shutouts and a goals against average of 2.30. He was a first ballot Hall of famer in 2006 and has had his number 33 retired by the Colorado Avalanche.

Exhibit number three: Martin Brodeur Martin Brodeur is still active in the NHL, but his amazing accomplishments over the span of his 13 seasons in the NHL makes it very difficult to not include him in the discussion. Brodeur, just like Sawchuk 43 years previous, won the Calder trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. Over the past 13 years Martin Brodeur has played in 8 All Star games (he will make it nine this season), has won 3 Stanley Cups, 2 Vezina trophies and 4 Williams M Jennings trophies. Along with these accomplishments Brodeur has already moved into second place all time in wins and third all time in shutouts ( all by the age of 34). As of January 10th 2007, Martin has amassed an impressive record with 853 games played, 471 wins, 252 losses, 115 ties/OT losses/shootout losses, 87 shutouts and a lifetime 2.20 goals against average. In the playoffs Brodeuer has been equally amazing with 153 games played, 89 wins, 64 losses, 21 shutouts and an invisible 1.88 goals against average. I don't think that there is much doubt that Martin Brodeur could retire today and make the Hall of Fame.

So what does all of this information point to? First off it shows that when talking about the greats there are many similarities. All three goaltenders came through in big games and won Stanley Cup rings which is of coarse what every hockey spend their lives playing for. As much respect as I have for Terry Sawchuck and Patrick Roy, it is clear to me that Martin Brodeur is even better than those two greats. After only 13 seasons in the NHL and being relatively young at the age of 34, barring any tradgic injury or sudden retirement, Martin needs only 80 more wins (approximately 2-3 seasons) to break Roy's all time wins record and he could very likely break Sawchuk's shutout record in 2-3 years provided he continues his average of approximately 7 shutouts per year. Regardless of what happens in Brodeur's career from this day forward I believe that his achievement measure up very favorably and are in many ways better than any goaltender who has ever played in the NHL.