Weekly Thoughts of the Sports World

Why the NBA should return to Vancouver

2012-05-31T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Vancouver Grizzlies have been gone from Vancouver since 2001, but now people are beginning to want them back. They left for several reasons, but many factors have people optimistic that a basketball team could flourish and succeed this time around.
When the Grizzlies left Vancouver and moved to Memphis in 2001, the Canadian Dollar was very low compared to the US Dollar, and since the NBA is American based, the team had trouble making money. Attendance was quite high in the first 3 years, hovering around the league average, but it began to drop after the 1998 lockout and was league-worst in the franchise's final season. The team never made the playoffs or had a winning percentage of over .300, which began to push away fans.

Why then, do people feel that the NBA would work in Vancouver the second time? The Canadian Dollar is doing great, and is actually worth more than the American. Rogers Arena is a premier sports stadium. and wouldn't be hard to configure for basketball games. Although the Canucks play there also, the schedules would need to work around each other. Vancouver has a large foreign population, and basketball is very popular among them, especially Asians. Imagine Jeremy Lin playing basketball in Vancouver! The Canucks sell out every game, and the number of basketball fans in the city has grown in the past 10 years (my own speculation), which would result in high attendance rates. The Winnipeg Jets returned this year, and they moved for some similar reasons as the Grizzlies. The NHL felt they could make the commitment due to the rabid fan base there and that the team would succeed this time around. Although the NBA is a lot richer and has more income than the NHL, they want to continue the international spread of their product. Over half of the population of Vancouver are of visible minorities, often coming from countries where basketball is more dominant then hockey.

It will be interesting to see how the next few years progress and if the city starts to rally to get a team back. There is a twitter account, website, and petition going around, which I will provide the links for below.

Twitter @NBAVancouver
Website
Petition

Memorial Cup

2012-05-28T22:44:00.001-07:00

The Memorial Cup just finished up on Sunday, and the Shawinigan Cataractes beat the London Knights in the final 2-1 in overtime to win the team's first championship. Anton Zlobin scored two goals, and teammate Michael Chaput was named the tournament MVP.
Four teams are in the Memorial Cup each year, with the victor from the three leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL), and the host team that changes each year. This year, the Edmonton Oil King represented the WHL, the London Knights came from the OHL, the defending champs Saint Josh Sea Dogs won the QMJHL, and Shawinigan was the host. When the host team is named, the management from the team makes many trades to boost the teams chances and improve them. In some cases, the host wins their respective league, making them deserving of being in the big dance, but a lot of teams lose out in the early rounds of the playoffs. The Cataractes lost in the second round of the playoffs, but came back much more rested than the other teams still playing. They barely made it out of the round robin, having to play a tie breaker. I don't want to take anything away from the champs, but I don't like it when the hosts win. I feel they are less deserving and build there team through trades rather than the draft. Unless they win their own league, I enjoy seeing the other league champs winning. However, the Memorial Cup is a tremendous showcase of junior hockey talent, and a great money raiser for the host city.

The Phoenix Coyotes

2012-05-10T00:56:00.001-07:00

The Phoenix Coyotes have advanced to the Western Conference Finals in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, to the surprise of many. After narrowly winning the Pacific Division, lots of "experts" picked the Blackhawks to beat the Coyotes in the first round. Carried by goalie Mike Smith, the Coyotes have often been outplayed and out shot, but keep squeaking out wins. Phoenix had the worst attendance in the league throughout out the season averaging 12 420 at about a 72.5% rate. Now that the playoffs are underway, every game has been sold out. The team has had a bad ownership situation for a few years now, and were almost moved to Winnipeg last season. Now, a prospective owner is considering purchasing the club, and the future looks a bit brighter.

This really angers me that a team with a horrible fan base in the regular season makes it this far in the playoffs. There are so many more deserving franchises. I do, however, like the team that is not made up of any superstars. Shane Doan has been with the Coyotes since they moved from Winnipeg, and now the captain is probably the most well-known player on the team. Keith Yandle is an all-star defence-man, but still does not get the recognition he deserves. Smith is a journeyman goalie who has travelled through many teams. Most of the players are after thoughts and undervalued in most places. The chemistry of this team is amazing.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the playoffs end. I wish there were some Canadian teams left, or large hockey markets. If Phoenix haven't been sold and win the Stanley Cup, does NHL Commissioner Gary Bettmann get to hold the cup because the NHL owns the team?

Drafts in Sports

2012-04-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

As the NFL draft finished tonight, it got me thinking about which is my favourite draft and good and bad elements that each draft brings. There are many comparisons, as well as many differences, and I will outline which one's are my favourite or least favourite. I will focus on the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, CHL, and MLS.
The NFL draft lasts seven rounds with 32 picks each round, but as the draft continues, teams are awarded compensatory draft choices for losing free agents each off-season. As I was watching the draft and following along with twitter, Adam Scheffter of ESPN tweeted every selection before they were made public. Also, right before a player is drafted, they receive a phone call from a team. The TV shows this and it kills the excitement for me. Only certain players are invited to the draft in New York, and they sit in a lounge area, not an arena like some places. When a player is drafted, they are expected to make the team out of training camp, and possibly even start a few games. The top pick is awarded to which ever team has the worst record.

The MLB draft has 50 rounds, and is only on the MLB network. Also, it is held in the middle of the baseball season. Since so many players are drafted, the vast majority of them never make it. Players almost never make their pro debut in the same year they are drafted. Most of this draft is covered online, and then interviews are held. There is no event or night that rookies are invited to join and sit through. Many prospects in the draft are hit or miss and are stuck in the minors for their careers.

The NBA draft is only a two round event which is decided by a draft lottery. The lottery only affects the first three picks, then the order is reverse of wins and losses. All players expected to be drafted are invited, and they receive a team hat when they go up for there slection. This draft also takes place in a lounge-type area.

The NHL draft is possibly my most favourite. It features seven rounds and switches venues each year to a different city's arena. All the players and their families sit in the stands waiting for their name to be called, and the GM's sit down at ice level at tables making their choices. Fans also attend these and are loud and boisterous. When a player is selected, they get to go up to the stage, get a team hat and jersey, and pose with all the team representatives. A draft lottery also benefits one team that can move up four spots.

All drafts are different, but they all give young men a chance to have one of the most memorable nights of their life. I would love to experience an NHL or NFL draft especially.

NHL Playoffs and Violence

2012-04-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

As the first round of the NHL playoffs is coming to a close, many people, including experts, are calling this the most violent playoffs they have ever witnessed. There has already been 8 suspensions and even more fines handed out to players by Brendan Shannahan, the so-called hockey sheriff. I have no word on this, but I assume many parents are appalled by these acts of violence and do not want their children watching.
Some acts have been so malicious it look like they is major intent to injure. Every player in the playoffs becomes a hitter, and the already experienced grinders are deadly on the ice. Many people have been complaining on Twitter that star players can escape suspension easily. Shea Weber, who shoved Henrik Zetterberg's head into the glass twice, escaped with a $2500 fine! Weber's yearly salary this past year was $7.5 million, so this fine would have no affect on him. I think this was a brutal attack out of anger and should have resulted in at least a 2 game suspension. Raffi Torres, who committed the hit in the top video, was suspended 25 games because he is a repeat offender. I think the NHL got this one right, and hopefully this dirty player will learn. As the first round is coming to an end and the next one starting, hopefully the playoffs can clean up a bit and everyone can just enjoy some intense hockey!

Ozzie Guillen's Suspension

2012-04-24T23:15:00.001-07:00

I know this is very old news, but I am just getting around to it now. The Miami Marlins suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for five games after some controversial remarks made in an interview with Time magazine. Guillen somehow got on the topic of Fidel Castro, and said that he loved him and was impressed that he stayed in power for so long. People were incredibly outraged and some called for him to be fired. The team decided it was best to suspend him for a few games.

Guillen apologized to everyone, including the fans, players, management and owners, and the rest of the public. I do not fully understand why he was punished. Yes, USA is very anti-communist and have always hated Castro since he took over Cuba in the late 50's, but is it really relevant now? There is something called freedom of speech, and what Guillen said does not seem like it crossed the line. Miami has a large Latino population, so many probably agreed with him. Tis should not have been a big deal and was blown way out of proportion.

Masters 2012

2012-04-12T12:13:00.001-07:00

I am posting quite late in regards to the Masters which concluded on Sunday, but I're many of you heard Bubba Watson won his first PGA Tour Title. The Masters are my favourite golf tournament to watch every year, especially the back 9 holes on the final day, and this year's tournament provided lots of excitement!
Watson beat South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden-death two hole playoff, which features a shot by Watson shown in the picture above. Teeing off on the 10th hole for the playoff, both players had their shots go into the woods. Ooshuizen respectively hit his ball close to the green and got out of trouble, but Watson was stuck so deep in the woods that he had to make a hook shot, and when he did, it landed with a few feet of the hole! Many are calling it one of the greatest golf shots in history. Ooshuizen made his own unbelievable shot earlier in the day on number two, when he made an albatross (or double eagle), which is three under par, from 253 yards out. The day also featured two hole-in-ones on the same hole, which is quite rare. As for Tiger Woods, he finished at +5, which is one of his worst showings at the Masters ever.

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs

2012-04-08T11:22:00.002-07:00

The 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs for the NHL was set last night, and the schedule was released today. In the first round, and in the Western Conference it will be (1) Vancouver vs. (8) Los Angeles, (2) St. Louis vs. (7) San Jose, (3) Phoenix vs. (6) Chicago, and (4) Nashville vs. (5) Detroit. The Eastern Conference will see (1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa, (2) Boston vs. (7) Washington, (3) Florida vs. (6) New Jersey, and (4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Philadelphia.
These match ups should be quite exciting and close. The one that I think will be the most intense is the battle of Pennsylvania series. Both teams have had a bitter rivalry for the past few years, and in a game one week ago, there was a huge line brawl and many cheap shots. The coaches on both teams almost fought, and then afterwords both team engaged in a war of through the media. There is also potential for a lot of upsets, or lower seeds eliminating the higher seeds. The Florida Panthers won the the Southeast Division title and made the playoffs for the first time since 2000, but will probably lose in the first round. The Devils play them, and had more points in the season, so it might not be considered an upset. I also think the Senators can push the Rangers and the Capitals can test the Bruins. Washington has been playing well lately, and it looks like Alex Ovechkin is back to his old self. Can the Vancouver Canucks, who won the President's trophy as the top team in the league for the second year in a row, return to the Stanley Cup Final? There are a lot of good story lines, and I cannot wait for them to unfold. Enjoy the playoffs!

MLB's Season Opener Fail

2012-04-04T23:01:00.003-07:00

Last week, Major League Baseball had two opening games in Japan where the Oakland Athletics faced the Seattle Mariners. That was Wednesday, and now, a week later, the MLB had a second opening night in which the St. Louis Cardinals, defending World Series champs, met the Miami Marlins for a one game series.
The weird thing here is that every other team in the league was still playing spring training games as that went on. Tomorrow, Thursday April 5th, only only 14 of 32 teams play. On Friday, he final 13 teams open their season. Only once Saturday comes does every team play on the same day. I really feel this takes away from the specialness of Opening Night, and lowers the excitement of many fans. The Marlins vs. Cardinals game tonight was dubbed as Opening Night by the MLB, but it actually opened a week earlier. ESPN had reported on their website that April 5th is opening night, confusing people even more. The beginning of a season should have huge importance and get lots of coverage, and I think the MLB screwed up bad. Also, it was barely publicized and marketed, leaving many people surprised there was a game today. The game was aired on Sportsnet in Canada, but apparently not even FOX, ESPN, or the MLB Network did not show it. This is a failure, and hopefully the MLB can learn from it, as well as others sports leagues.

Kentucky University: NCAA National Champions

2012-04-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

(Chris Graythen/ Getty Images)

Earlier tonight, the number one-ranked of University Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Kansas University Jayhawks by a score of 67-59 to win the school's eighth championship. John Calipari, coach of the Wildcats, finally won his first NCAA championship, and is rumoured to be heading the the NBA next season to coach.
Led by national player of the year Anthony Davis, the Wildcats dominated for most of the game until Kansas cut the lead to 6 with about a minute left. Davis, widely expected to be the first overall pick in the NBA draft this summer, did not score well, but had terrific blocking and rebounding numbers in the game putting up 6 blocks, 16 rebounds, and 6 points. All-American Thomas Robinson of the Jayhawks had 18 points and 17 rebounds in the loss. The win capped Kentucky's season at 38-2, and people began to say they could beat the Charlotte Bobcats in a game. I don't think any college team could beat an NBA team, no matter how good the college team and how bad the NBA team.
After the game back in Lexington, Kentucky at the school's campus, many students were arrested for tipping cars and lighting fires, almost like a small riot. It is not shocking to hear, because almost all of the students living on campus were probably watching the game and drinking while doing so. A couple of drunk idiots wanting to impress others is all it takes. Obviously it is not comparable to the Vancouver riots last June. If Kentucky had lost, maybe it would have been worse, or better, who knows? No word on any problems in Kansas.
Now that Anthony Davis will most likely declare for the NBA draft, will he get rid of his unibrow he is so well known for? I think that he will, but then if he does, people will tell him he sold out.
My March Madness bracket did not look good by the end, but i'm assuming lots of people's also failed. Congrats to the Kentucky Wildcats!

Toronto Maple Leafs Miss Playoffs....Again

2012-03-28T23:25:00.002-07:00

Mike Cassese/Reuters

The Toronto Maple Leafs have missed the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for a franchise record seventh straight year, and have not made it since the year before the lockout in 2003/2004. The leafs were in sixth place in the Eastern Conference on February 16th, but went a league worst 5-16-3 since then. The players, coaches, fans, and management are all angered and embarrassed.

The Leafs sit in the bottom five in the league and have a shot at the number one overall pick in the draft lottery. Many cannot believe the leafs missed the playoffs this year, because they were playing quite well and had high expectations. Before the season started, many though the Leafs would place around tenth, but as they succeeded during the season, people spoke of playoffs. What is needed to end the Leafs' playoff drought? Their General Manager, Brian Burke, has been in control of the team since 2008, and fans have begun to get restless. He has made some good trades (Tomas Kaberle to Boston), and some questionable ones (Kessel from Boston). Should he still be allowed to lead the team for a few more years. Ron Wilson was fired last month from the head coaching position, and Randy Carlyle took over, but has not fared well. The leading scorer, Phil Kessel, is a phenomenal player, but rather one dimensional, and lacks a playmaking centre to line up with. Dion Phaneuf, team captain, is being questioned and called overpaid. The Leafs will again have high expectations for next season, and since they are located in the most pressure filled NHL city, it will be interesting to see how the team reacts. I am looking forward to seeing how the team approaches the draft and free agency.

Duncan Keith and Daniel Sedin

2012-03-25T16:54:00.001-07:00

There was an ugly incident Wednesday night in Chicago where Blackhawk's defence man Duncan Keith blatantly elbowed Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks. Keith was only given a two minute minor penalty on the play, and then subsequently banned five games by Brendan Shannahan of the NHL.
Judge for yourself with the video above, but Keith made no attempt to play the puck, and was seeking revenge. Sedin had hit Keith earlier in the game with a shoulder to the head and Keith was reportedly heard saying he would get him back. As much as I hate the Canucks, this is a horrible hit, and Daniel has a concussion. I think he deserved more then a five game suspension, and I hope Chicago and Vancouver meet in the playoffs this year. I hope Keith learned his lesson because there is not place in the game for hits like this.

Graham James

2012-03-21T15:06:00.002-07:00

(John Woods/ The CP)
Graham James, a former junior hockey coach who sexually abused teenagers including former NHL star Theo Fleury, was sentenced to two years in prison on March 20th. He was only charged with assaulting two players, but it is reported that there was much more then that. Also, he has the opportunity to get be on parole and be out of jail by the fall!
The hockey world is outraged and wanted a much longer sentence. It does not show a good message that child offenders can get off so lightly. He was sentenced with abusing Fleury and his cousin Todd Holt when coaching them in the 80's. This is way too light of a punishment, and James should be put away for longer. I hope Jerry Sandusky, the Penn State child molester gets more jail time the James.

Manning, Tebow, and their Future

2012-03-21T00:30:00.002-07:00

Peyton Manning has officially ended his free agent search, signing with the Denver Broncos for about $90 Million over 5 seasons on March 20th. This means that Tim Tebow, the often criticized, yet fan favourite, will most likely be traded. The Broncos are taking a huge risk on signing Manning, who has not played in 14 months due a severe neck injury.
I never believed that Tebow could be a franchise quarterback, but many games last year he proved me wrong. I hope he can find a new team and get a shot to be a starter, because he is loved by his teammates and fans worldwide. As for Peyton, although he seems to be throwing the ball great, it does not mean that it will be an easy transition back to the NFL. Can he handle a hit from a linebacker or defensive end, or will it damage his neck and leave Denver with a huge salary. The Broncos made an agreement to Peyton that he will still make the money even if he gets injured. However, at the beginning of each year, Manning must take a physical, and if failed, can be released without financial penalty. He has had several neck surgeries over the past year, including a spine fusion where a piece of metal holds two neck bones together. Some doctors have said his neck injury is nothing to worry about, but I am very skeptical. The 2012 NFL season will have lots of great story lines and I already look forward to it.

Here is a seemingly harmless hit, but could it hurt him now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvYhtFjtruc

Fabrice Muamba

2012-03-18T11:12:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, March 17th, Fabrice Muamba, a midfielder for the Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League, collapsed on the pitch mid-game. Apparently his heart stopped for 2 hours, but it was restarted at a London hospital shortly after. Everyone in attendance was visibly shocked as they witnessed the heart attack. Many were seen crying, including some players.
Muamba is critically ill, and doctors continue to work around the clock to help him. There is quite the history of soccer players collapsing mid-game on the field, often leading to death. According to wikipedia, 42 soccer players have died worldwide during a game or from an injury in a game. Since it is the most popular game in the world, the numbers would most likely be the highest. The majority of these deaths are due to heart conditions or heart attacks. Teams need to monitor and test players for possible ailments. The NHL combine tests for these and informs the players, (not sure about Alexei Cherapanov). Lots of these deaths occur in poor countries on poorer teams, so maybe medical treatment and tests aren't common. Lets hope for a recovery for Fabrice!

March Madness

2012-03-13T00:34:00.002-07:00

March Madness begins this weekend, and thus begins the millions of brackets being busted by surprise wins. March Madness is bet on insanely, apparently around $3.5 total and $2.5 illegally. The odds of correctly predicting all the outcomes correctly are 1 in over 18 quintillion and over 40 million brackets will be filled out. These stats are from http://www.businessdegree.net/march-madness/, which has some incredibly interesting facts.
The 4 number one seeds going into each conference are Kentucky, Syracuse, University of North Carolina, and Michigan State. The number two seeds are Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, and Mizzou. Any one of these teams should be considered a favourite, but the top 5 favourites in my eyes are Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke, Ohio State, and Mizzou. Of course, I have no idea how the tournament will end up, and my bracket will be destroyed after the first week, but it makes for a lot of fun to watch. Watch for Kentucky, who is the number one overall seed, yet according to their coach John Calipari, in a stacked group, to make it to the final four. They have freshman standout and potential number one overall pick in the NBA Anthony Davis (also famous for his unibrow.) Many Americans will reportedly be watching games while at work, and many probably get caught and potentially fired. I expect this to be a very exciting tournament, like they all are, and that they're tonnes of upsets. Enjoy!

Here's a link to the bracket and a breakdown of each matchup http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/11/ncaa-tournament-bracket-2012-printable_n_1337645.html

Nick Zoricic

2012-03-10T12:14:00.002-08:00

Nick Zoricic, a Canadian ski cross racer, died today as a result of massive head injuries received from a crash in Grindewald, Switzerland. Zoricic, 29, sailed off a jump to the right and landed on some course netting, which jetted him foward. He then was on the ground not moving when people rushed to help. The crash did not look as bad as it happened to be, and there are certainly some scary crashes with less consequences, but obviously he hit his head pretty hard. There is a youtube video, which I prefer not to share on here, but you can look it up. This is another tragedy for skiing worldwide, after Sarah Burke's death in December. There are many risks involved when playing sports, especially ones which you travel at high speeds and launch into the air. I hope the ski world is not hurt by this, and hopefully the helmet technology is better in the coming years. Condolences to his family, friends, and the skiing community.

PGA Tour: McIlroy and Woods

2012-03-07T19:39:00.001-08:00

getty images

It has come to my attention that this past weekend there was a terrific finish to the Honda Classic PGA event held in Palm Baech Gardens, Florida. Rory McIlroy won and took over the world number one ranking, and Tiger Woods finished with a 62 on the day, his lowest final round of his career!

McIlroy won by two strokes over Woods and Tom Gillis, who both finished at 10 under par. Tiger eagled the last whole, putting the pressure on McIlroy who was only up by one on the 13th hole. He had save pars from bunkers and managed to not blow up like he did at the Masters. He is the second youngest player to have the world number one ranking, ironically behind Woods, and this was his thrd PGA Tour win. McIlroy will not be playing again until the nationals on April 4th, and he should be a favourite heading in. With Tiger posting such a low round and playing pretty well this year, it looks like he could be returning to 33 and winning soon. Although he has not won since 2009, Tiger should be seen as a threat to win the green jacket again.

Peyton Manning and the End of an Era

2012-03-07T12:44:00.001-08:00

Today, the Indianapolis Colts officially released Peyton Manning, rather then paying him a whopping bonus of $28 million to keep him. Manning didn't play at all during the 2011 NFL season due to a neck injury, and the Colts were still worried about his health and playing condition. Manning led the Colts to the Superbowl twice, winning it once.
Without Manning, Indianapolis had a record of 2-14, which was the worst in the league, guaranteeing them the first overall pick in the April NFL Draft. The main expectation is for the Colts to draft perennial college superstar Andrew Luck from Stanford. Luck is considered to be the most NFL ready quarterback, and also most likely to succeed. However, Baylor's Robert Griffin III, the Heisman winner from 2011, is making a good case to be the first pick. This is making people remember the 1999 draft when the Colts took Peyton Manning first overall, and he led them to greatness for ever a decade, while the Chargers took Ryan Leaf at number two overall. Leaf flamed out after never succeeding and often fighting with coaches and players. Many hope this won't happen with Luck and Griffin.

Now that the Manning era is over in Indianapolis, where will he go? The Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets, Cardinals, Texans, Seahawks, Redskins, and 49ers are apparently among the teams that want to sign the now free agent. Manning is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and no doubt belongs in the Hall of Fame. Hopefully Peyton will be healthy enough to return, and the team he plays for will have a game in Indianapolis.

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New Orleans Saints: Bounty Hunters

2012-03-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

The NFL has announced that they are looking into reports that the New Orleans Saints were running a bounty program which they would receive gifts or bonuses for injuring other players. This has been going one for the past few seasons, and all the coaches on the team knew about this. Players should not be rewarded for injuring people, but many NFL analysts say that it is a very common thing.

Here is a qoute from SI.com's Michael McCann "The New Orleans Saints and their players, coaches and front office personnel are likely to receive harsh sanctions from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the dangerous bounty system they employed over the last few seasons. Lengthy suspensions, hefty fines and forfeiture of draft picks are all on the table. Their real worries, however, may come in court rooms, as the bounty system arguably broke the law." According to Lousiana state law, the bounty program violates two laws, conspiracy and battery. Coaches could face court time very soon, as well as certain players if enough evidence is provided. NFL Insider Adam Schefter tweeted that the punishment handed down by the league will be much more severe then when the Patriots were caught spying on other teams. The Patriots had to forfeit a first round pick, but the Saints will probably face suspensions, fines, draft picks being revoked, and other consequences. It it not surprising to me that players get rewarded for hurting other players, but the fact that there was a huge system in the Saints organization is bad. This is not only a negative message for the fans, but all football players around the world. Many players go on the field solely to injure and hurt players, but this is their choice and they are not rewarded for it. I expect the Saints to pay heavily, and the main assistant coach behind this, Greg Williams, will most likely be fired. Also, head coach Sean Payton and general manager Micky Loomis reportedly knew about this, so they too could face some discipline. Since Concussions are becoming more and more focused on in sports, this is bad news, but hopefully it can be stopped. I hope that this does not lead to a domino effect of bounty programs being uncovered, including in the college ranks.

MLB Playoff Expansion

2012-02-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

Reports have surfaced today that the MLB will be making an announcement that the Playoff format will be changed and it will now feature 10 teams instead of 8. There will be two wild card teams from each League, and they will play a one game winner takes all match to see who plays the top ranked team in the league. I think this is extremely exciting news.
It will give smaller market teams a better chance to make the playoffs, and the ratings should go up as well. This could also lead to more Cinderella stories, as well as collapses, and could be a huge success for the MLB. Having 30 teams in the league, it is almost appalling that only 8 could make it before, because the teams with a large budget would always make it Except for certain expectations like the Tampa Bay Rays or the Oakland Athletics (Moneyball)). The Toronto Blue Jays, who look to have a promising team this year, might be able to claim a wild card spot and make the playoffs for the first time since 1993. I am looking forward to the season start and the races for the spots near the end of the year! Keep your eyes open for the official announcement soon.

North American Sports and All Star Games

2012-02-26T21:17:00.001-08:00

This weekend, it was All-Star weekend for the NBA. That pretty much means a high scoring game on Sunday with very little intensity and a fun atmosphere. I have no problem with the athletes not playing hard, because they do not want to get injured and are still in the middle of the season. My problem is with the all-star events that take place on Saturday, and also the athletes that choose to not attend all-star weekends.
In the NBA, the main draw is the dunk competition, but this year, the 4 participants were all virtually unknown. Big names keep rejecting to compete in it, and it's near the end. Many star players were in the 3 point shootout and the skills competition, but most just sat court side. Compare it to the NHL All-Star Saturday skills day this year, where every player looked like they were enjoying themselves and having fun, except for Alex Ovechkin, who chose to skip it. Although their game is even more boring then the NBA's, it's for player safety. The NFL chooses to have the Pro Bowl the weekend before the Superbowl, and while the Superbowl players sit out, there can be some intensity, even though it too is not ultra competitive. Baseball's All-Star game for the MLB is the only game with ramifications, because which ever conference (league) win, they get home field advantage in the world series. Some historic moments have happened here because the players actually care. Anyone seen this clip of Pete Rose running in Ray Fosse at home plate? Fosse would be out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

The MLB All-Star game and weekend are great and fun for most viewers. The Home Run Derby always draws some good hitters, but some are deferred by the so-called curse where the player hits less homers in the second half of the season. All players selected to these games should be required to go unless a personal problem arises, or a very bad injury. The only reason that professional athletes make so much money is because the fans are willing to pay for the merchandise and tickets and all other related things. It should be their thanks to us! I like the MLS All-Star game too, because they pick one team with the best players who plays a team from another country, like Manchester United or AC Milan. This is enjoyable for fans who often do no get to see the outside leagues. Take the survey below and tell me your favourite all-star game!

All Star Game Survey

Ryan Braun

2012-02-23T23:14:00.001-08:00

Ryan Braun, the National League MVP winner of the 2011 season and outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, won his appeal against a suspension which was the outcome of testing positive for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). This does not mean that Braun did not use PEDS, however, just that he will be available to play this season. The league is apparently very angry and wants to take this case to the federal court in order to have the decision overturned.
Braun tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in the fall, but denies using steriods. The problem is that the testosterone is exogenous, meaning it came from outside the body. He had just been named MVP, which was surprising to many because Matt Kemp was more deserving as some argued. This puts a big back eye on the MLB and baseball, especially since the MVP winner took PEDs. Braun was happy of the outcome and hopes to clean his record and image. "It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side."Had he been suspended, last year's NL Central division champs would've been in tough to win games with super slugger Prince Fielder playing in Detroit now.The reason this was overturned was because the man who picked up the urine sample from Braun was supposed to Fedex it as soon as possible. Instead of sending it out on saturday for fear that the depot was closed, he kept it in a cool place, and sent it out Monday. This was enough to change the ruling. Sources have said the MLB is mad about this and will fight it. Sports continue to constantly have drug problems, and every year in every major sport (except hockey), someone is being caught for abusing steroids. They need to crack down harder and test more. Or have separate leagues for steroid users. Imagine various sports with giant players all over the field. It's not safe or healthy, but would have fans. This marks the first time a drug-related suspension has been overturned.

NHL Trade Deadline 2012

2012-02-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

The NHL Trade Deadline is this coming Monday, and there is lots of speculation as to whom will be traded. This is a huge day in Canada that many follow and there is coverage on the two major sports networks, TSN and Rogers Sportsnet. Last year, the number of trades was relatively low at 16, compared to 31 the year before in 2010.
Most people are hoping for an eventful day, and with 5 of the Canadian teams (Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver) looking to add to their team and two (Edmonton and Montreal) looking to sell, most fans will be keeping their eyes and ears open.
Rick Nash Has been drawing a lot of interest and trade rumours, and the 5 teams he would accept a trade to are Toronto, Boston, San Jose, Los Angles, and the New York Rangers. All teams, except for the Bruins, have shown great interest, even despite the high asking price. Other high profile players that could be moved include Ales Hemsky of the Oilers, Jeff Carter of the Blue Jackets, Evgeni Nabakov of Islanders, and Derek Roy of the Sabres. Lets hope this day is full of lots of trades, because I will be sitting on the couch all day watching TSN TradeCentre. There will be some surprise deals, but I don't feel that any Canadian teams will make any huge deals except for maybe Hemsky being traded.

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RIP Gary Carter

2012-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

Gary Carter, MLB Hall of Fame member and former Expo, Met, Giant and Dodger, has passed away at the young age of 57. Carter succumbed to a brain tumour on February 16th. He was the first player to wear a Montreal Expos hat for his plaque at Cooperstown, the site of the Hall of Fame. Nicknamed "the Kid", Carter played with a youthful exuberance and loved the game as much as any.
Carter played 12 seasons with the Expos, and 19 in total. He won a World Series with the New York Mets, (with the help of Bill Buckner), in 1986, was an 11 time all-star, and a 3 time gold glove winner at catcher. With 3254 homers and 1225 RBI's, those are the 5th and 7th best stats by a catcher all time. Teammates and coaches always referred to him as one of the happiest players on the field. Gary Carter will be greatly missed, and will surely have memorials around the MLB when the season starts back up.