The Sporting A-Jen-da

Rooting for the Los Angeles Kings in the Playoffs

2015-04-21T15:49:00.001-07:00

Yes, you read that right. Yes, I know that the Los Angeles Kings are not in the playoffs, but if I have learned anything from #WeAreAllKings, it is that once a King, always a King. I have to say thank you to Lori Hultin (@lhultin) for inspiring the idea for this post. I will give you a comprehensive list of former Kings or those with Kings connections, and we can all continue to root on our beloved Los Angeles Kings!!

Montreal Canadiens
Although he has yet to make an appearance in this year's playoffs, defenseman Mike Weaver is on the roster for Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. He signed with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent in 2004 and played for the Manchester Monarchs during the lockout year of 2004-2005 and for a few games in the 2006-2007 season. He played for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2005-2006 season and for the majority of the following year. Weaver left as a free agent and bounced around a bit until settling with the Florida Panthers in 2010 where he remained for a little over three seasons when he was traded to the Canadiens in 2014.

New York Islanders
I'm sure many Kings fans recall defenseman Thomas Hickey who was drafted fourth overall in the 2007 draft. Although he never played for the Kings, he did spend almost five season with the Manchester Monarchs starting in 2008. Hampered by injuries early on, he did not have a full season until 2010. In January 2013, Hickey was picked up on waivers by the New York Islanders.

Kings fans will also remember fan favorite Lubomir Visnovsky who was drafted 118th overall in the fourth round of the 2000 draft. The defenseman played in the purple and black from 2000 until 2008. I still remember a story about when then head coach Andy Murray was welcoming Visnovsky to the team and gave a big speech. After talking for some time, he asked Lubo a question who just smiled and said, "Hi!" Murray realized that he probably did not understand the majority of what he said because his English was still rather limited. But who can resist Lubo's smile? During the 2008 offseason, the Kings traded Visnovsky to the Edmonton Oilers for Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll. Edmonton later traded him to the Anaheim Ducks who then traded him to the New York Islanders during the 2012 offseason.

Washington Capitals
Defenseman (noticing a trend here?) Tim Gleason who now plays for the Washington Capitals was briefly with both the Manchester Monarchs and Los Angeles Kings. Originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2001, he was later traded to the Kings for Bryan Smolinski (blast from the past, eh?) in 2003. Gleason split time between the Monarchs and Kings for the 2003-2004 season. The lockout in 2004-2005, he played for the Manchester Monarchs, but he spent the 2005-2006 with the Kings. Just before the season officially started in 2006, Gleason was packaged with Eric Belanger to the Carolina Hurricanes for Jack Johnson and Oleg Tverdovsky. Gleason has spent the majority of his career in Carolina and even served as assistant captain. He was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs then returned to the Hurricanes until being traded during this season's free agency to the Capitals.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Although not directly associated with the Los Angeles Kings, rookie right-winger Beau Bennett of Gardena, California did play for the Los Angeles Junior Kings during the 2008-2009 season. So there is a small connection as that is the Midget AAA affiliate of the team.

Another indirectly Los Angeles Kings connection is Brandon Sutter, son of Brent and nephew of our beloved head coach Darryl Sutter. Brandon, who plays center, was originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2007. During the 2012 draft, Sutter was packaged with Brian Dumoulin and a first round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Jordan Staal. I still remember that draft and finding out that Jordan would be delivered this news on the day of his wedding that he would be joining his two brothers, Eric and Jared, in Carolina. That was a huge trade that day.

And of course, Kings fans can cheer on defenseman Rob Scuderi. After winning his first Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, Scuderi signed with the Kings as a free agent. During his four seasons with the team, he won his second Stanley Cup in 2012 (woohoo!). I'm sure we all remember his decision to return to Pittsburgh as a free agent in 2013. Although it was sad to see him go, I think fans respect his decision to leave and are thankful for all the wonderful memories he has brought to all. He is contending for his third Cup to put him in the company of Justin Williams.

Detroit Red Wings
Defenseman Kyle Quincey, who had originally been drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, played for the LA Kings during the 2008-2009 season after being claimed off waivers. He was a key contributor when Jack Johnson was injured and lead the defense in scoring. During the 2009 offseason, Quincey along with Tom Preissing were traded to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Ryan Smyth (yay!). During the 2011-2012 season, Quincey was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning for about five minutes when the Avs traded him but then immediately dealt him back to Detroit where he has remained.

Tampa Bay Lightning
Despite the fact that this list has so far included defensemen, the Los Angeles Kings do occasionally draft forwards. Such as, Brian Boyle who was a first round twenty-sixth overall draft pick in 2003. I will never forget when the 6' 7" 244-pound center was drafted with his entire family in attendance, which included his twelve siblings. The Hingham, Massachusetts native went on to play for Boston College before joining the Manchester Monarchs and Los Angeles Kings for the 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 seasons.

During the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Boyle was traded to the New York Rangers for a third-round pick in the 2010 draft (Jordan Weal). It was during his time with the Rangers under John Tortorella that Boyle began to shine as a depth forward who knew how to make the most of his large frame. Dave Taylor was not wrong in envisioning Brian Boyle as being the type of player who could take the team to a Stanley Cup Final when he drafted him all those years ago, only it was for a different team. Kings fans will remember him with the Rangers who faced the Kings last year... when the boys won their SECOND STANLEY CUP!!! After the post-season, Boyle signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning. If you haven't noticed, I am a huge Brian Boyle fan. This is for several reasons: 1. He was a King. 2. I had the pleasure of meeting him once, and he was very nice to me in all my fangirl awkwardness. I think at one point I actually confessed that while I missed him with the Kings, I felt his time with the Rangers had really allowed him to develop as a player. Somebody should really be with me at all time to make sure I don't embarrass myself like that again, or at least Periscope it, so everyone can witness my cringe-worthy moments in real time. 3. He was a great depth fantasy hockey acquisition mid-season a few years ago who helped me win my league. It's the important things in life, people!

Minnesota Wild
Although he does not have a more direct connection with the Los Angeles Kings and has not made a playoff appearance yet, goaltender Darcy Kuemper played for the Ontario Reign for the 2011-2012 season. He split that season with the Houston Aeros and only made eight appearances between the pipes for the Reign. If Devan Dubnyk shows signs of slowing down, Kuemper may be getting the nod.

St. Louis Blues
Veteran Olli Jokinen was originally drafted by the LA Kings third overall in the 1997 draft and played portions of the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 seasons with the team. During the 1999 postseason, Jokinen was packaged with Josh Green, Mathieu Biron, and a first-round pick to the New York Islanders for Ziggy Palffy (yay!), Bryan Smoliniski, Marcel Cousineau, and a fourth-round pick.

Jokinen has had a long and successful career. He has played in over twelve hundred games and has tallied 321 goals and 429 assists for 750 points. This year he has split among the Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Louis Blues. At thirty-six and looking at the tail-end of his career, he is chasing his first Stanley Cup.

Winnipeg Jets
Keaton Ellerby played on the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Kings. About a month into the season, the Florida Panthers traded Ellerby for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft. His presence on the team that went to the Western Conference Finals is still fresh in the minds of fans. He was signed to a contract for the 2013-2014 season but was put on waivers nearly a month into the season and was claimed by the Jets. He has spent the majority of this season with the Jets' minor-league affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps, but he could be recalled if the team is hampered by injuries as he has a two-way contract.

Anaheim Ducks
Tim Jackman only appeared in five games for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2006-2007 season, but he played for the Manchester Monarchs for two seasons in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. In 2006, the Kings traded Yanick Lehoux for Jackman who was under contract with the Phoenix Coyotes but was playing for the AHL-affiliate San Antonio Rampage. In 2007, Jackman left as a free agent to sign with the New York Islanders.

Before the playoffs began, Anaheim activated goaltender Jason LaBarbera as a backup for the team. LaBarbera had previously spent the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons with the Manchester Monarchs and 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 with the LA Kings. He had been a goaltender with the team in the dark days before the rise of Jonathan Quick. I will never forget his Mr. Potato Head promo which has forever etched him fondly in my heart. "And the crowd goes wild!" On a side note, his wife Kodette is currently appearing in the Canadian reality series Hockey Wives, which you can find on Wednesday nights and on YouTube.

Vancouver Canucks

There are a couple of very familiar faces with the Canucks this year. Linden Vey who was drafted 96th overall in the fourth round of the 2009 draft by LA Kings is one of them. He spent 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 with the Manchester Monarchs but did crack the Kings roster to provide depth for the Cup-winning 2013-2014 season. In the offseason, Vey was traded to the Canucks for a second-round pick (Roland McKeown). He has not made a playoff appearance for Vancouver, but he may if there are injuries, which is likely if the series with the Calgary Flames continues to be physical and chippy.

Brad Richardson began his career with the Colorado Avalanche but was traded in the summer of 2008 to the LA Kings for a second-round pick. He played three games for the Manchester Monarchs and spent the rest of the season with the Kings in 2008-2009 and remained with the team until 2013. As so many fans remember, he played on the 2012 Stanley Cup winning team. During the 2013 postseason, Richardson signed with Vancouver as a free agent and is currently pursuing his second Cup as so many of his former teammates have last season.

Chicago Blackhawks
Perhaps a surprising name on this list is Kimmo Timonen. I say surprising because the defenseman has never played for the Kings or Monarchs but was drafted 250th overall of the tenth round in the 1993 draft by Los Angeles. After he was drafted, Timonen returned to Finland to continue development and played for the Finnish 1998 Olympic team who won the bronze in Nagano, Japan. It was shortly after this, the Kings traded Timonen with Jan Vopat to the Nashville Predators in the 1998 expansion draft for the assurance that they would not take Gary Galley.

In the summer of 2014 while with the Philadelphia Flyers, Timonen was diagnosed with serious blood-clot issues and has been sidelined for much of the season. Before the trade deadline, the Flyers dealt him to the Blackhawks where Timonen made a triumphant return to finish the season. Interesting note, Timonen was on the Flyers team who lost to Chicago in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.

Kimmo's teammate on that 2010 Flyers team, Daniel Carcillo, is also on the current Blackhawks roster. Car Bomb spent the first half of the second Stanley Cup-winning team of 2013-2014 with the LA Kings after being traded from the Blackhawks for a conditional sixth-round pick in the draft. At the 2014 trade deadline, the Kings traded Carcillo to the New York Rangers for a conditional seventh-round pick in the draft. Car Bomb has not made an appearance in this year's playoffs so far.

While looking at Carcillo, it is very interesting to note that he has appeared on a team competing in the Stanley Cup Finals three times since 2010. As previously mentioned, he appeared in the Finals with the Flyers in 2010. In 2013, he was on the 2013 Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks. Then in 2013-2014, he split the season with the LA Kings and New York Rangers who played each other for the Cup. Now, he is with the Blackhawks but has yet to play.

So even if the Los Angeles Kings may not be in the playoffs, fans can still root on former members of the team. Go Kings Go! We are ALL Kings!!

Why Can't Doug Wilson Make a Decision and Stick with It?

2015-04-14T11:07:00.003-07:00

San Jose Sharks fans have been taken through the wringer this last season or so. Ever since they were knocked out of the playoffs by their bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, in the first round, Joe Thornton being stripped of the captaincy, and very little done in terms of roster change, Sharks fans have been promised a "tomorrow team" that no one quite understands, including general manager Doug Wilson who coined the term. When Wilson first explained what he meant, he seemed to imply that he expected the team to make the playoffs but not win the Stanley Cup, he would focus on youth rather than the older original core, and that this was not really a rebuild. Ummm... what?

First, let's back up a bit. I want to say that I'm not even sure that any major changes were necessary in the first place. I know that San Jose Sharks fans were very disappointed with the first round exit. However, I still argue that it was not as bad as it seemed. The team that eliminated them went on to win the Stanley Cup, so it is not as though the Sharks faced an opponent who then got creamed in the second round. Yes, the series opened with the Sharks winning the first three games in a best of seven series. Should the Sharks have put it all out there and won the fourth game? Probably, yes, but the truth is, the Kings basically did not show up to play the first two games. By the third game, they had started to get their rhythm back, and that game was decided in sudden-death overtime. In the following games, they looked like that 2012 Stanley Cup winning team, and that sealed the Sharks fate. The LA Kings played like a championship team, and the Sharks did not. Yes, the Sharks went on to become the fourth team in NHL history to lose a three-game lead in the playoffs, but on the other side, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter had been on the Philadelphia Flyers when they became the third-team to overcome a three-game deficit. Through their leadership and experience, I have no doubt that they knew how to get the team motivated and that's why they are on two of the four NHL teams to have ever rebounded after being down three games in a row.

But did the Sharks need a bit of a facelift? You bet. What that series really taught the Sharks was that to be the best, they needed something more. I do not believe they needed a crazy rebuild because had they drawn the the Dallas Stars, they most likely would have gone on to the second round. Had they drawn the Anaheim Ducks that year, they also may have made it another round. The 2013-14 Sharks were a competitive team. With a bit more depth and replacing Martin Havlat with a solid offensive player might have been enough. However, the knee-jerk reaction from Doug Wilson seems to really be what has lead into this season's disaster.

One of the biggest moves during the 2014 offseason was that there was a change in captaincy. It was announced that Joe Thornton would no longer be the captain, and three assistant captains were named. One of them is... Joe Thornton? Yes, the man who was not deemed good enough to be the captain is still fit to be an assistant captain. (Major facepalm action here.) The other two assistant captains are Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau. Technically, there is nothing wrong with having three assistants and no captain in hockey. This season the Montreal Canadiens do not have a captain. When Brian Gionta was not given an extension, the team opted to name four assistants: Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Markov, and P.K. Subban. And not naming a captain has never been an issue off or on the ice. They currently sit atop the Atlantic Division and rank second in the Eastern Conference.

So why is it so different in Montreal than in San Jose? Well, it's all in how it happened. As opposed to Gionta who knew his contract was expiring and that this could be a possibility, Thornton first found out about no longer being the captain from the media after Wilson had informed them of the change. Clearly, nothing had been said to Thornton, and Thornton had not requested to not be the captain anymore. Wilson made that decision. I think this would be the end of the story, and everyone would have moved on had later in the summer Thornton, Marleau, and Pavelski been named assistant captains. If it had been decided that they would have focused on the younger players, because the Sharks were now a "tomorrow team," I think it would have resolved the situation. Instead, the issue festered and continued to grow as the season wore on because there was more than likely some resentment as to what happened. Thornton who had once worn the "C," now no longer had the same responsibilities, but I think it was still odd for everyone in the locker room as to who to turn to for leadership. Here is Wilson being indecisive. He chose to take away the captaincy but instead of deciding to follow through with his "tomorrow team" and instituting a captain like Joe Pavelski, he did not make a decision as to a captain and further confused Thornton's role on the team.

A couple nights ago, I read a blog by Kostadis Roussos who had dinner with Wilson who opened up about the Sharks. First, I thought it was interesting that Wilson actually referred to his actions as a rebuild because up until now he had been pretty careful about not using that word. Going back to the captaincy and Joe Thornton, Roussos writes, "Not making Thornton or Marleau captain really is about acknowledging that the future is not about them." Okay, I can understand that, which only further infuriates me to wonder why give them a letter at all? This just makes Wilson's indecision all the more frustrating. If stripping the captaincy was supposed to be about the future, then why make them assistant captains and a part of the leadership group in the first place? Veterans like Thornton and Marleau do not need a letter on their sweaters to be leaders. Guys who have played at the level that they do and for as long as they have already garner respect from younger players. There is no need to give them a letter. If this is about the future, then Wilson should have made it about the future. Give the "C" to Pavelski or a guy who is going to be a big part of the future. The "A" can go to Logan Couture or Marc-Eduard Vlasic or Brent Burns. Be consistent and make a decision.

Roussos also reveals that Wilson has essentially given up on the idea Thornton and Marleau will be a main part of Sharks team that will win a Cup. I agree with Roussos that it will be difficult for fans to accept, but I think to some degree Sharks fans already feel that way. While fans will be disappointed if this happens, I believe that they would understand, especially depending on the talent that is brought in to replace them. And here again is where Wilson is indecisive. So if he does not believe that Thornton and Marleau will be main fixtures on a Stanley Cup San Jose Sharks team, then why does he continue to insist that he will not ask either of them to waive their no-move clauses? Wilson is doing a disservice not only to the San Jose Sharks but also to Thornton and Marleau by keeping them in San Jose. If they're not going to be leaders on the team, let them go pursue a Stanley Cup with another team.

Clearly, stripping the captaincy was Wilson's passive-aggressive way of getting the two to sign a waiver. I believe Wilson does not want to ask outright because he anticipates a fan backlash. He would rather force Thornton and Marleau to come to him, so he can say that they asked to leave. At this point, I don't think fans would blame them considering what has happened as of late.

Furthermore, I think it says a lot that Roussos reports that Wilson revealed that he started this rebuild when he traded away Ryane Clowe and Douglas Murray back in 2013. It was then that Wilson claims he continued to accumulate picks to build for a future. Again, a future that would not include Thornton and Marleau who he signed to extensions just last year. Wait, what? Yep. I can buy that Wilson wants to keep the two around to aid in the transition to the more youthful players as Roussos notes, but at some point I think he has to take a leap of faith. Wilson is going to have a make a radical move by trading one, if not both of them, at some point if he wants the Sharks to improve. He has come to a point at which that move needs to be made, and he is going to sink or swim with it. Trying something at this juncture is far better than doing nothing at all, which is pretty much what has happened. If Wilson wants to continue his post-playing career, he needs to make a bold move because people can respect that. Even if the move doesn't pan out the way he wants, at least he has tried something.

This summer is going to be an important one for the San Jose Sharks. Big changes should be expected, and hopefully, they will be changes for the better. Right now, there are a lot of questions starting with the general manager and head coaching positions. Once that is settled, there should be roster changes coming as well, and it will be interesting to see what types of moves will be made there.

Should the National Anthem Still Be Played at Sporting Events?

2015-04-13T21:50:00.004-07:00

This afternoon I was listening to 95.7 The Game's Afternoon Delight hosted by John Lund with Matt Steinmetz and Dan Dibley. During the broadcast, Matt Steinmetz put forth the controversial view that the national anthem should not be played at sporting events because "no one respects it anymore" and it does not have a place in sports. To be clear, it is NOT a matter of his not liking it nor that it should not be played at all. The conversation started as a joke that the way to shave off time from sports games, but he questioned why the national anthem was always played at sporting events in particular and at no other events. He also argues that there are so many people who no longer listen to or give the reverence the song should have. Instead, people are on their phones texting, tweeting, or taking selfies. A lot of listeners weighed in on the issue, and I guess something struck a chord with me. I thought it was an interesting topic, so here is what I have to say about it.

In the matter of why sporting events begin with the national anthem or anthems, I disagree with Matt Steinmetz because sporting events are the only place in which playing the anthem makes any sense. Think about sports teams and what they represent. Every sports team is tied to a city, state, or province, and in a lot of ways are an extension of that place. It is often because of where a fan lives or was born that will dictate a lifetime of fandom. (Of course, this is not a rule, but it is a highly common scenario.) 95.7 The Game is broadcast throughout the Bay Area but is also the flagship of the Oakland Raiders and Oakland Athletics. A lot of callers who are from the East Bay identify with the Raiders and Athletics because that is where they have connections to or live. Callers from San Francisco tend to support the 49ers and Giants because that is where they have connections to or live. People identify with their city/state/province through sports and vice versa. There is an idea of tribalism in fandom. It is a way for fans to connect with a place and for that place to connect with its fans. Obviously, a lot of fans will cheer on the home team and because they do, sports teams will often try to give back or contribute to the community. Teams may hold blood drives, book drives, toy drives, and the like or hold lavish charity events to benefit a community hospital or charity.

Because these teams are connected to a place and its people, it becomes a part of the history. For example, think about the recent events concerning the Boston Marathon bombings. When that tragedy occurred, the Boston Bruins cancelled their home game and supported the Boston Stronger movement that followed. In fact, it was the home game following the bombing in which the most emotional anthem was played. The Boston Bruins paid tribute to the first responders and those who died or were injured in the bombings, and it was at that game that it wasn't just Rene Rancourt, the regular singer, who performed that night. The Boston Bruins represented, and continues to represent, the city of Boston. Singing the national anthem was a moment in which all those in attendance rose because it offered a way to unite and be proud of the country that they love. It was a time when the colors you wore to the game did not matter and be patriotic about your country. Teams do represent the cities, states, and provinces in their names and become part of their histories, so it is completely appropriate to play the national anthem. For fans, it is a way of being patriotic.

On the second part of Matt Steinmetz's argument that the national anthem is not necessary since people are not taking it seriously, I sort of agree. I have not seen anyone disrespect an anthem, American or Canadian, at a sporting event. However, if people are tending to be distracted by their phones or something, maybe it is a sign to switch it up a little bit. While I would not just cut the anthem out, I would think playing "America the Beautiful" or another patriotic tune in its place from time to time might be appropriate. Sometimes when we hear or see something often, it becomes too commonplace. Baseball, hockey, and basketball seasons have a lot of games. If you're going to games a lot, you might forget that the national anthem deserves respect because it becomes too much a part of the routine. You may even allot extra time to get a snack and walk to your seat during the anthem because you know it's part of the schedule. If teams notice that, it's time to make a switch and surprise the fans in attendance. And fans should hold other fans accountable. If you're at a game and someone is talking over the anthem or something, it is well within your duty to shush them!

I do believe that the national anthem should continue to be played at sporting events because it is appropriate to the event. It is a way to honor your city/state/province, and just remember to give it the respect it deserves!

Six Degrees of Jaromir Jagr

2015-04-04T02:49:00.002-07:00

In honor of the Florida Panthers' #MulletNightinSunrise, I thought it would be fun to play Six Degrees of Jaromir Jagr. Considering his Hall of Fame career that shows little sign of slowing, I am confident that the entire hockey world, not just the NHL, has to be within six degrees of this legend. I'll get this started, and you can tweet me @SportingAJenDa, comment on the new FaceBook page (and please "like" it while you're there), or email me (thesportingajenda@gmail.com) submissions. I will update this page throughout the weekend with your submissions, so check back to see your name here!

Everyone has a Jagr number. Jagr's is 0 because he is the center of the game. Anyone who has played with, coached, or had any type of relationship with Jagr has a Jagr number of 1 because they have a direct connection. For example, Alexander Semin has a Jagr number of 1 because they were teammates on the Washington Capitals in the 2003-2004 season. Anyone who has played with, coached, or had some type of link to someone who has a Jagr number of 1 has a Jagr number of 2. This indicates they are two degrees away from Jagr. For example, Jeff Skinner has a Jagr number of 2 because while he has never played with Jagr, he currently plays on the Carolina Hurricanes with Alexander Semin. In this game, try to make the connections as direct as possible.

Tonight, the Florida Panthers are facing the Tampa Bay Lightning. Of course, the Florida Panthers team has Jagr numbers of 1, except for Jagr, because they play with the man, the myth, the legend himself. The Tampa Bay Lightning also have Jagr numbers of at least 2.

2014-2015 Tampa Bay Lightning team (2 or less) include
Matthew Carle (1) who played with
Jaromir Jagr on the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-2012

Here is a historical link:

Lester Patrick (6) created the Pacific Coast Hockey Association in 1911 with his brother
Frank Patrick (5) who was the coach of the 1935-36 Boston Bruins that included
Woody Dumart (4) who played on the 1950-51 Boston Bruins with
Bob Armstrong (3) who played on the 1961-62 Boston Bruins with
Ed Westfall (2) who played on the 1975-76 New York Islanders with
Bryan Trottier (1) who played with
Jaromir Jagr on the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990-91

Links to the future:

Connor McDavid (4), the potential number one pick in this year's draft, plays on the Eerie Otters with
Dylan Strome (3) whose brother
Ryan Strome (2) plays for the New York Islanders whose general manager is
Garth Snow (1) who played with
Jaromir Jagr on the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2000-01

Jack Eichel (2) plays for Boston University whose Director of Hockey Operations is
Scott Young (1) who won a Stanley Cup with
Jaromir Jagr with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991

Famous links abroad:

Lucie Vondrackova (2) is one of the Czech Republic's most successful and popular entertainers who is married to Tomas Plekanec (1) who played with
Jaromir Jagr in their hometown of Kladno during the 2012 lockout

Obviously, this is a spin of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, so let's see how many degrees of separation exist between him and Jagr. Kevin Bacon has a Jagr number of 3. In turn, Jagr has a Bacon number of 3.

Kevin Bacon (3) was in Stir of Echoes with
Kathryn Erbe (2) who was in D2: The Mighty Ducks with
Luc Robitaille (1) who played with
Jaromir Jagr on the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1994-95

Another hockey and pop culture twist:

Leonardo DiCaprio was in Celebrity with
Karen Duffy who was in Dumb & Dumber which had a cameo of
Cam Neely who played on the 1986-87 Boston Bruins with
Bill Ranford who played on the 1997-98 Washington Capitals with
Peter Bondra who played with
Jaromir Jagr on the Washington Capitals from 2001-2004

These are just a few to get you started. Look forward to see what you come up with and have fun! And don't forget to catch the Florida Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at 7pm ET.

Why You Should Stop Worrying and Be Okay with the San Jose Sharks Missing the Playoffs

2015-03-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

The Audio: http://chirb.it/zIF04n

First, I am sorry that this clip is so long, but it is a complex issue. I also made it an audio clip because I want San Jose Sharks fans to know that my being a fan of the Los Angeles Kings has absolutely nothing to do with the idea that missing the playoffs can be beneficial to the Sharks. I love hockey, and the NHL is far better and more compelling with the Sharks making the playoffs than it is without them. I have a lot of friends who are Sharks fans, and I understand the frustration they feel towards their team. I am not saying that the Sharks should miss the playoffs, but I do not think that fans should despair should that happen. I hope that came across in the clip. By the way, I firmly believe that if Wilson had made the move for Keith Yandle, he would have gotten the GM of the Year award.

One thing that I did not cover in the clip is that Doug Wilson is currently in Boca Raton, Florida for the general managers meetings while the team is on a tour of Canada road trip. It may be good to have some distance between Doug Wilson and Joe Thornton at this time. They can both take the time to cool down and refocus to what is important. However, I can't help but point out that Wilson is with all twenty-nine other general managers who have heard the news about the rift and could be sending out feelers as to the interest in Thornton or maybe Patrick Marleau. Having players waive these no-move or no-trade clauses can be done, and we do see it all the time. Despite what has happened and Wilson's firm stance on not initiating trading these players, I have to wonder if he isn't striking up conversations with Dave Nonis of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jarmo Kekalainen of the Columbus Blue Jackets who shocked the entire league when David Clarkson was traded for Nathan Horton.

During the NHL's free agency frenzy that ended March 2nd, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded David Clarkson for Nathan Horton of the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was a bizarre deal in the hockey world because David Clarkson has a massive contract and has not met expectations during his time in Toronto. He was signed for seven years at about $5.25 million per year, and at the time of this trade, he was only in the second year of the contract. Because of its enormity and Clarkson's disappointing performance on the ice, most Leafs fans had resigned themselves to the fact that he would remain in Toronto since no team would want to take on that contract. Meanwhile in Columbus, Jarmo Kekalainen, general manager of the Blue Jackets, had Nathan Horton who had been signed for seven years at about $5.3 million a year who had not played a game in his second season of his contract because of a serious back injury. He had been relegated to long-term injured reserve, so his salary would not affect the cap. However, Horton still has to be paid.

And this is where one of the strangest deals was made. Kekalainen approached Dave Nonis, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a deal. The Maple Leafs are one of the highest-grossing sports teams, so they have a lot of money. However, in a league with a cap, there is not a whole lot to do with it in terms of a roster. The Blue Jackets still had to pay Horton, but they did not have the funds to continue paying him without his being on the roster. Basically, Kekalainen proposed that he would take Clarkson off of Nonis's hands if Nonis would take Horton off of his hands. This was a business transaction. Suddenly, the money that would have been spent on Horton to not play was now going to a player who could play, though Clarkson had a season-ending injury but will be back for the upcoming season. And suddenly the Leafs have some cap space to sign another player because Horton being on the long-term injured reserve means that his salary no longer counts towards the cap. Plus, the Leafs actually have the finances to pay it.

What the hockey world learned from this trade was that absolutely anything can happen and that no player is ever impossible to move. This was an incredibly creative deal, and it definitely is something that all general managers noticed. I have to wonder if Wilson isn't interested in seeing how those two brought forth the most shocking deal of late for his own purposes.

Also, if I still have your attention, I would like to point San Jose Sharks fans to a post-game show called "Pucknology after Dark" hosted by Erik Kuhre (@Puckguy14), AJ Strong (@aj_strong), Chris (@chrisjws), and Jentry Alexander (@jalexander46). You can also find them on Twitter @Pucknology, as well as online here. This is the only interactive post-game show available, and they offer great analysis along with some humor.

Initial article on Doug Wilson's open forum for San Jose Sharks season ticket holders: http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_27702878/sharks-notebook-general-manager-doug-wilson-answers-tough

Joe Thornton lashes back on Doug Wilson's comments:
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/13/tensions-rise-in-san-jose-as-thornton-says-wilson-needs-to-shut-his-mouth/

Hasso Plattner intervenes:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sharks-owner-steps-wilson-thornton-spat/

Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings

2015-03-06T18:05:00.001-08:00

Instead of typing it out, I just spouted off here: http://chirb.it/5nmcsN

Hope you enjoy! And this was an experiment, so this may never happen again.

Is the NHL heading to Vegas?

2015-02-16T20:30:00.002-08:00

A friend of mine recently asked me if I had heard about the Las Vegas ticket drive that opened on February 10, and what I knew about the NHL planning to place a team in there. To be honest, at the time, I didn't know that much. I knew about the rumors and about the ticket drive, but I was not sure how this would really all come together. However, I have since dug deep to give you everything I could find.

The Owners

Those of you who keep tabs on NHL rumblings via hockey news or the Twitterverse know that Las Vegas has been mentioned as a possible site since the whole ~~Phoenix~~ Arizona Coyotes debacle was being settled. Although Las Vegas was not the frontrunner in that race, things have definitely taken a turn since then. William Foley, a Florida millionaire businessman who owns an insurance and mortgage company, has stepped forward with the Maloof family, brothers Joe and Gavin are former owners of the NBA team the Sacramento Kings and currently are minority owners who run the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas, as the owners for the proposed Las Vegas NHL team.

Foley fondly recalled how he had played pond hockey in Ottawa as a youth when his father, who was in the US Air Force, was stationed there to Kevin Allen of USA Today. This is where Foley developed his love for the game and his desire to own an NHL team. And Foley is extremely serious in this endeavor as he has already acquired Wayne Gretzky as an unofficial advisor. The two have been friends and business partners, but there have been no firm details as to exactly what role The Great One has played in all of this and will play if things do progress the way Foley and the Maloofs want. Moreover, Foley has already been talking like an owner. According to Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Foley promised, "We are going to bring a winner here. I'm going to make it easy on people to support this team, because we're going to win." He does not even has a team yet, and he is already promising wins! Maybe that's easier to do when you don't have a roster?

The Arena
MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have teamed to build an arena that began construction in May 2014 and is projected to be completed in April 2016. It will seat 20,000 and sits behind the New York-New York and Monte Carlo hotels.

What Is Happening Now

Foley and his group opened a ticket drive on February 10th with the goal to sell 10,000 season tickets ranging from $150-$900. This was an effort to demonstrate that Las Vegas could indeed support a fanbase, which will be discussed in a later section. Foley's group has reported that they reached half their goal in the first two days of the drive. If you are interested in purchasing season tickets, you can click the link here. You will receive a refund if a team never comes to fruition.

The official NHL stance is that they are NOT looking at expansion or making any promises about bringing a team to Las Vegas. However, they are keeping a very close eye on what is happening with the ticket drive. In fact, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman not only attended the ticket drive, but he also spoke. He did reiterate the company line about no guarantees, but it is hard not to draw any conclusions from his presence at the event. Although, he might have been there to get some new shoes after being spotted at the White House sporting some truly awful ones earlier this month.

ESPN's Scott Burnside did report Bettman's observation, "There was a big turnout and a high level of enthusiasm." This would indeed add more fuel to that fire that although the NHL continues to tow the company line of no action being taken, there is obviously a great interest from the head office to really take a team coming to Las Vegas seriously. Considering that Bettman views the ticket drive as having "a big turnout" and that there is "a high level of enthusiasm," I believe that he is very keen on the idea and definitely sees that the worries about the fan base may not be as great as once believed. There will not be any more ticket drives because the NHL feels that they already have a pretty good idea of what the market is like in other potential cities.

So What Does All This Mean?
In Kevin Allen's article on the ticket drive, Bettman is quoted as saying, "You need a good market, stadium or arena and ownership. All three better be good." So far Las Vegas has the ownership with an arena underway, and they are trying to prove a good market. Again, the NHL is not actively seeking to expand or relocate, but Foley and his group are definitely making it difficult to ignore what is happening in Las Vegas. The issues at hand are: who the fan base really is; expansion vs. relocation; a decision whether to enter a smaller media market; and other cities that might make more sense.

The Fan Base
Because of the nature of Las Vegas, there are questions as to whether the city can support a professional sport, especially a hockey team. This was the whole point of the ticket drive, after all. If you look around the NHL and see what teams are doing well financially over which teams are struggling to turn a profit, you will find that those teams that can sellout games on a nightly basis are the ones that are making money. Teams that cannot sellout the majority of their games continue to bleed out money every year. The league is a gate-dependent economy, meaning that teams need fans to pack a house on a regular basis in order to survive financially. The city of Las Vegas has a population of just over 600,000 but draws from a population of approximately 2.2 million. Las Vegas also receives over forty million visitors every year. Is it realistic to expect to sell 10,000 or more season tickets? And who are you selling them to?

Upon hearing of the idea of expansion in Las Vegas, ESPN's Scott Burnside wrote an article in which he pondered, "With so many people working so many different shifts, would the ability of fans to attend games be affected?" Although he doesn't specify, I'm guessing Burnside is talking about casino workers and taxi drivers. This is true. The city is bustling mostly at nights and on weekends, which would be key work hours for these types of workers, and would most definitely interfere with their ability to attend games.

And more than just availability, there is a question of whether or not Las Vegas natives have disposable income for season tickets. In Kevin Allen's article from USA Today, he interviewed John Vrooman, a sports economy professor at Vanderbilt University, who stated, "The underlying financial structure of Vegas is fragile. Almost one-half of the home mortgages are still under water." Vrooman points out that there are a lot of people who may not have the means to purchase tickets. This definitely goes against any optimism for a fan base.

In that same article mentioned above, Burnside also dismisses the possibility that Las Vegas could support a team because of "the notion that Vegas casinos would buy large blocks of tickets to give away to fans runs against casino practice, which is to keep patrons in your own building rather than send them elsewhere." Casinos may wish to keep you on their premises, and they may be hesitant to send you away from their premises instead of mindlessly giving away all your hard-earned money in the slot machines and table games. However, I don't completely buy into this casino angle because casinos focus heavily on customer service. There are so many options when it comes to dining, shows, and clubs, and everyone wants to go to the newest and/or most popular places. Casinos know that they may not have exactly what their clientele want at that moment, and they do try to keep patrons within the properties associated within the ownership. However, it is not unheard of for the Bellagio to accommodate a guest who wants to get tickets to the Blue Man Group, which is at the Venetian, a hotel not within the Bellagio's network. They do it because that is the only place to see that show and know that giving patrons what they want is how to keep them coming back. Burnside does hit on an important note though. Any team that comes to Las Vegas, not just a hockey team, is going to need full casino support in order to make the endeavor work.

In Kevin Allen's article, he also talked to Bob Strumm, a former NHL team executive and former manager of the minor league hockey team the Las Vegas Thunder. Strumm indicated that the casinos are going to be key because sellouts are going to be crucial to success. "People here in Vegas only want to go if you can't get a ticket," he said. "You want to go where you have to know someone to get a ticket. That's the identity of Vegas when it comes to tickets." Perhaps casinos buying blocks of tickets for packages and the like will be exactly what needs to be done.

It also may become exclusive with the launch of the Maloofs' Las Vegas Founding 50. Allen reports that this those who join the group and are able to sell sixty season tickets will be on the team's advisory board. In fact, this proved so popular that it has expanded to become the Founding 75 and includes celebrities such as Daniel Negreanu, a poker legend, and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. With this type of star power, the hockey game may be a hot ticket in town.

The casinos are also a resource that Foley and his group should fully utilize to their advantage as well. TSN's Rick Westhead interviewed Don Logan, president and chief operating officer of the Las Vegas 51s, a minor league baseball team, who reiterated the idea that success for any sports team will depend heavily on casino involvement. "These are properties with deep-rooted, sophisticated networks," Logan said. "They know who the fans are, who has the disposable income and the ability to come to Las Vegas. It's the most well-equipped marketing industry in the world." This is incredibly true. Do you often wonder why those deals the casinos mail you just seem so perfectly tailored for you? That's because the casinos know exactly how much you spend and what types of things you like to do. The casinos would be able to tap into their resources to distinguish the hockey fans and direct them towards Foley and his group.

But enough about the casinos. What Foley and his group are banking on are businesses in the area and the new residents that Las Vegas is drawing. Foley told Kevin Allen that "his group's marketing research shows there are 130,000 hockey fans, making $55,000 or more, living within 35 miles of downtown Las Vegas." He also revealed that he plans to use Las Vegas's image as a a gambler's mecca to his advantage. "It could bring an identity to Las Vegas, " he said. "Vegas is identified as a gambling city, and if it has an NHL team, the local residents will identify with that team. That's why I think we will have so much support." Foley is hoping with the fact that there is no major professional sports team in town, the locals will begin to identify with this team, especially in a place like Vegas. Here you would be able to put your money on your own team then go watch the game and, hopefully, collect your winnings later.

However, Foley is aware that there is more to Vegas than just the gambling. In an article that ran in the Las Vegas Sun, Foley stated that "A number of software companies, development companies have located in Las Vegas...Those companies and those people who work for those companies, that's our target. Those are the people that we want come to these games." Las Vegas is constantly changing its identity, and it is evolving as more than just a gaming city. There are some new business in town that are starting to plant its roots in Vegas. Foley is also banking on the fact that some of these new transplants are hockey fans and would have an interest in buying tickets. And here is where those concerns about odd works shifts begin to vanish because these people would have more normal business hours. They are employed and have the availability to go to the games.

What's more is that Vegas is evolving to becoming a world city. Dr. Robert E. Lang is a professor of sociology at UNLV and also a leading urban analyst wrote an article about how Las Vegas is beginning to make its mark on the furniture and home design world. Vegas is famous for hosting numerous conventions throughout the year, but one of its biggest showcases is the World Market Center. This is the largest furniture convention in the world. Along with this, there are year round trade shows, and if Vegas continues to grow this type of convention, it would not be long before design centers start to flourish in the city, which could lead to architectural and design firms establishing bases there as well. In theory, Vegas could become the next Milan.

And Lang notes that it is not just in the furniture market that Vegas can make its mark. The fact that there are so many conventions can be a part of Vegas's identity. It can become a convening city. When you get down to it, conventions are all about making deals. In fact, there are more face-to-face interactions at a Las Vegas convention than on the floors of the New York or London stock exchanges. In fact, Lang suggests that "Las Vegas is a place where you can, and maybe even should, mix business with pleasure." This is a city in which you can not just work hard but play hard too. You always hear how so many business transactions are not always made in the office but on a golf course. Well, Las Vegas hotels are now equipped with those as well. Perhaps you meet a potential business partner or client on the convention floor, you could take him or her over to the hotel for drinks and talk business or play a round of golf. If Lang is right about the potential of Las Vegas becoming a world city, Foley has a new fan base ripe for the taking.

While it may be difficult to establish a loyal fan base in Las Vegas, it is by no means impossible. Foley will need full cooperation from the casinos, at least to begin this venture. If Foley's market research is correct, he could have his fan base of 130,000 which could grow if Las Vegas continues to grow as a city and evolve into a world city.

Expansion vs. Relocation
Even if Foley and his group can prove a viable fan base that can support a team in Las Vegas, there is still a huge question as to how this will be incorporated into the current structure of the NHL. Commissioner Bettman and the owners will need to decide whether to expand the league or to relocate a struggling team. There will need to be a two-thirds majority vote in order to decide upon the fate of incorporating a new team.

Expansion
After the 2013 lockout, the NHL restructured with fourteen teams in the Western Conference and sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference. The commissioner and the owners clearly allowed room for expansion in the Western Conference. Despite what can be said about Gary Bettman and his stewardship, he has expanded the league and placed teams in very non-traditional hockey cities. Yes, not all of those ventures have been a smashing success, but he made it happen. Clearly, Bettman is gunning for expansion because it will add to his legacy of his being an expansionist. His era will be remembered for being able to grow the game in unlikely cities, and yes, lockouts as well. This is why he was so adamant about keeping the Coyotes in Arizona. I believe this is also why Bettman has a personal reason to have a team in Vegas and/or another West Coast city.

Another reason the NHL would push for expansion is that it will collect the expansion fee. Since Charles Wang sold the New York Islanders for $485 million, the expansion fee for a new team to enter the league will run in the ballpark of $450 to $500 million. Rick Westhead reports that many owners expect the expansion fee for Las Vegas to land at roughly $475 million. When the league last expanded in 2000, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild each paid an expansion fee of just $80 million. This is a considerable increase in the last fifteen years. Because this fee is not counted toward hockey-related revenue (HRR), the NHL will get the entire fee and not have to share any of it with the players. And if the league does lean towards expansion, they will be collecting this fee not just once, but twice. That's a lot of money on the table that has to be really tempting.

However, that expansion fee could possibly work against the league. That is a lot of money for any potential ownership to acquire and that is only to enter the NHL. This does not account for paying a lease agreement, payroll, etc. If Las Vegas does get into the league and that expansion fee does land at $475 million, this now sets the bar for the second team. The price could even increase if that second team is Quebec City or one in the greater Toronto area (GTA) because it would infringe upon the territorial rights of the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs. The high expansion fee may set the bar too high for a second team to be able to enter the league, and there will need to be a second team to enter if Las Vegas is to do so.

Relocation
Gary Bettman has already stated many times that relocation is a last resort, but it may be the more logical option. There are already teams in the NHL that are struggling financially, so if there is going to be a Las Vegas team, it may make more sense to relocate one of those teams rather than expand the league. According to Rick Westhead, an owner divulged, "I think the Panthers and Coyotes are going to have to move. I just don't see it working out long-term in either market." Although the Panthers have a long-term lease agreement, the owner pointed out that it would make sound business sense to break the lease and move the team to a more profitable market than to keep a team that is will be going deeper into debt just because there is a lease agreement. Speaking of the Florida Panthers, Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo!'s Puck Daddy reported, "A theory I've heard from more than one connected individual: The Panthers are eventually bought out of their lease by the Quebec ownership and relocated, with the Quebec group getting a smaller relocation fee from the League in exchange for making the Panthers' problem go away for Bettman."Based on this information, if the Panthers are on the move, it would seem that they would continue to stay in the Eastern Conference, and Las Vegas would not figure into the equation at all. This would make more sense because if the Panthers moved to Vegas, that would then squarely put them in the Western Conference which would then create an imbalance between the conferences. A Western Conference team would then have to go to the Eastern Conference, and this would probably be a lot of work rather than simply relocate the Panthers to Quebec, if there is an ownership group in place.

Another team that is struggling financially that is flying a bit under the radar is the Ottawa Senators. Eugene Melnyk is the owner of the Senators and is a pharmaceutical businessman. When Melynk purchased the team in 2003, the team carried significant debt, and currently his business is having some financial struggles. The NHL does have a line of credit based in the US that is extended to all owners at a low interest rate. However, Canadian teams do not currently have access to that line of credit. David Shoalts reported that the NHL's legal team failed to comply with Canadian government regulations when it opened its line of credit last October. It seems that "the Canadian Revenue Agency ruled that the line of credit is offside, perhaps because of how interest payments to a U.S. entity are handled." In the meantime, Melnyk is believed to have a credit interest of more than ten percent, while the line of credit open to the Arizona Coyotes is at least less than eight percent of that. Television deals may keep the Senators afloat, but if the debt continues to mount, especially at the high interest rates, they may be going the way of the Coyotes and Panthers. As of now, the financial struggles are reflected in the player payroll as the Senators rank the third lowest in the NHL. It is possible that this is another team that may be on the move, but again this is an Eastern Conference team, so Quebec City may be the most logical option, barring lots of restructuring within the league. However, it is is within reason to believe that Ottawa could be relocated to Las Vegas because it would then have access to a low interest credit line.

Small Media Market
Another issue that the NHL will have to consider is that Las Vegas is a small media market. It is most comparable to that in Buffalo, New York. When the Atlanta Thrashers had to relocate to Winnipeg, the team moved to another small media market. The league will have to decide whether they want to do this again. If another city with a larger market emerges, it may be more enticing than Las Vegas.

Other Cities That Make More Sense
As discussed above, it is not as simple as there will be a team in Las Vegas. There are a lot of factors to consider between expansion and relocation. And at that, there may be other cities that would be a more logical place to be added or relocated to than Las Vegas. For example, Quebec City as mentioned above. There is a new arena being built, the Quebecor Arena, but there is no ownership currently in place. Quebec City once was home to the Quebec Nordiques, who were forced to move because the Canadian dollar in the mid-1990s had weakened substantially in comparison to the American dollar and not because of lack of interest. (The problem here is that while customers would pay the Nordiques in Canadian money, all payroll and expenses were paid out in American dollars.) Quebec City does infringe on Montreal Canadiens territory, but there are enough fans within the area to support two teams. If Quebec City can put forth an ownership group, they would most likely be a top contender in expansion or relocation.

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is another place that would be a viable place for hockey to thrive even with the presence of the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to a study by Neil Paine, Toronto has the largest avid hockey fan base of just over five million. In fact, "[e]ven if the new Toronto franchise lures just 20 percent of the area's hockey enthusiasts away from the franchise, the expansion club would instantly have about as many devotees as the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings or Calgary Flames." This would make Canadian cities like Kingston, Halifax, Moncton, Sherbrooke, or Sudbury more viable than Las Vegas in terms of fan bases. However, from what I've heard on Toronto sports radio, the problem is that they are at a cross roads in terms of building an arena and obtaining an ownership group. There have been many city meetings to discuss raising taxes to pay for a new arena in an effort to lure a new NHL team, but this will require hundreds of millions of dollars with no guarantee of obtaining a team. While there is definite interest, citizens are hesitant to make such a huge commitment without some sort of promise from the NHL of a team. Of course, the league would never make any such overtures. Those who want to build an arena argue that they have to take the risk because there is no way the NHL would seriously consider the GTA if you promise that a new arena can be built in five years time. Proponents believe that it would be far easier to persuade Bettman and the owners if there is already an empty arena ready to welcome a new team. In any case, they remain at a stand still, but the potential of a successful franchise in the GTA is undeniable.

What Would It Be Like if There Were a Las Vegas Team?
Given the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, I am pretty sure that this would be one of the best places to watch a game. In Kevin Allen's article, Brett Hauer, a former Las Vegas Thunder player, recalls, "You skated out through a big slot machine. And the AC/DC (Thunderstruck) was playing." How cool is that? And this was for a minor league team, so you can only imagine what it would be like for a professional hockey team. With all the advances in technology and showmanship, I'm sure that Las Vegas would definitely make every game a big event. Not to mention, they might even be able to swing some high-profile celebrities to sing the anthems every now and again.

Players might enjoy a very nice home-ice advantage as well. Bob Strumm who had managed the Thunder in the 1990s recalled to Allen, "We only lost two home games one year. The good thing about the NHL is that you have to fly in the night before. I like the chances of an NHL team having a good home record if it comes to Las Vegas." William Foley has already promised to bring a winner, and he may be right. If Foley's team can achieve what the Thunder did and lose one of the possible forty-one home games, he could very well be bringing in a winning team. Not to mention, there is nothing better to bring in new fans than to have a team that has a strong home record.

Another factor for having a Las Vegas team would be that Foley could possibly lure higher-profile players because Nevada has no state income tax. A lot of players are willing to go to even a losing Florida Panthers precisely because of the fact that there is no state income tax. If Las Vegas were to enter the league, there may be high-profile players who may be interested in the financial aspect of the contract.

Bonus Section
Since this is a much longer blog than usual, I am rewarding you with a little extra information that I was able to find. According to Elliotte Friedman who interviewed William Foley on Hockey Night in Canada, Foley has a proposed name for the team. Although the team will be in Las Vegas, he is more partial to naming the team Nevada. He also would like to name the team The Black Knights. He told Friedman, "I love the name Black Knights because I was a West Point guy, went to Army, it's close to my heart... And the black knight, many people don't know this, is actually the good knight. And I think that Black Knights would be a good name." However, Foley does plan to hold a Name the Team contest if he is awarded a team. Although he is partial to the Black Knights, he is planning on allowing the fans to weigh in on a name. This is probably a smart idea in order to drum up interest in the team.

Now, you probably know much more than you want to about whether or not Las Vegas will or will not be hosting an NHL team. Although there is a very serious push to bring a team there, it is going to take some time to really hammer out what is going to happen in terms of how to make it happen. I have a feeling that if the league can gain another city to also put forth a team, this will happen because there is far too much money on the table for Bettman to walk away from. We'll just have to continue to wait and see what happens.

Putting Some Perspective on the Los Angeles Kings

2015-02-08T22:44:00.001-08:00

For all those Los Angeles Kings fans out there, do NOT hit the panic button. Well, only maybe a little. As those who read my blogs know, I am a Kings fan, so let me speak to you directly. I think we all have to accept the fact that there is a good chance that our beloved team will not be back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. I know it's hard to accept, but it is going to be okay. Let's think about the big picture.

This season has not gone the way we, the fans, nor the Kings organization had hoped. Obviously, there have been major problems on defense. First, Willie Mitchell, a vital piece to the defense, had to be moved. This was definitely a rational decision at the time. With his contract ending and his salary demand rising along with the fact that he is thirty-seven, it made sense to depend on Drew Doughty, Slava Voynov, Robyn Regehr, Alec Martinez, and Matt Greene along with developing some rookies. After all, the Los Angeles Kings have always had a solid defense. This was probably the biggest roster change heading into this season. However, Willie Mitchell had missed parts of the previous season due to injury, so this was something that the coaches most likely felt they knew how to work around.

The second blow to the current Kings defense was definitely losing Slava Voynov at the end of October because of the domestic violence charges. Do not misunderstand me when I write this because domestic violence is a very serious issue, but Voynov's indefinite suspension by the league is a direct result of the blowout from the NFL's Ray Rice incident. I believe this is true because Semyon Varlamov, goaltender of the Colorado Avalanche, faced domestic violence charges at the end of October of 2013. He was allowed to immediately rejoin the team after being released from jail and even went on to compete in the Olympics. Varlamov's charges were dropped after prosecutors did not feel they possessed enough evidence to pursue the case. At the time, the NHL took a passive stance, and at the time of the arrest, the league decided to wait to see if the case would be taken to court. With Voynov, Bettman took immediate action to suspend the defenseman until the matter had been settled. Although the Ray Rice, Semyon Varlamov, and Slava Voynov are all different, it is clear that the highly publicized three-ring circus of the Ray Rice incident has made its impact on all sports leagues in its handling of domestic violence. I think Bettman did the right thing in this instance to suspend Voynov, but I also believe that the NHL had better really start to analyze what is the right thing to do in handling these types of situations. This is a topic that can be discussed another time.

So the Kings have already lost Willie Mitchell and Slava Voynov on defense, and it seems that defenseman Alec Martinez will be missing some games at this critical juncture in the season. In a clean hit by the Tampa Bay Lightning's Cedric Paquette, Martinez's head hit the glass pretty hard. This was in the first period, and he never returned to the game. He is currently listed as day-to-day with a concussion. Not that I want any one to be injured but why ANOTHER defenseman? WHY? WHY? Being down three of your top defenseman is a pretty big deal. I do wish Marty a speedy recovery and not to rush coming back because concussions are a very serious matter (again, another topic that can be discussed at a later time), but it is frustrating that this beautiful Kings defense is just being knocked down one by one. The Kings are already fighting a steep, uphill battle just to get into the playoffs, and this really is not helping.

However, there is a bright side to this. Let's look at the big picture. Even if things do not work out this season, Martinez will return. He has not had a career-ending injury. He will recover. Depending on what happens with Voynov's case, he may or may not come back. And even if he does not come back, there is an off-season to work out a trade or something. However, the brightest point is that we have DREW DOUGHTY!!! What Dewy has done is almost unimaginable. He has been such a blessing, and he really needs to be in serious contention for a Norris and maybe even the Hart (although, we all know that defensemen aren't really considered for that). He has been eating up big minutes on a consistent basis, and he has been absolutely tireless. He has really stepped up when the Kings have needed him. This may be his best season yet, and he is only twenty-five years old! Like we didn't already know this, but he is a big star and probably hasn't even hit his peak. We are so very lucky!

Mike Richards. Oh, this makes me so sad because I absolutely adore Richie. I have been a fan of his since his days with the Philadelphia Flyers, so I was ecstatic when they decided to part ways with him. It is heart breaking that he has not been very good this year and has been sent down to the minors. However, I think he just needs to get his confidence back and work out whatever he needs to, and he will return. Maybe his being sent down is just the swift kick in the behind the Kings need just like in 2012 when Lombardi fired Terry Murray. This big change may just be the key to unlocking that inner champion. This may be the wake-up call they need. And to big picture it. In my opinion, Richards was instrumental in the 2012 Stanley Cup win. He brought experience, and he was the reason Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne came to the Kings. Sure Gagne was not a top six forward, but he was still a great player for the team. If it were not for his friendship with Richards who called him and talked him into joining him, Gagne would have signed elsewhere. And when Carter was unhappy in Columbus, it was definitely the friendship with Richards that brought him to Los Angeles. Carter was definitely the last key offensive piece the Kings needed to make their last push into the playoffs and eventually to winning the Cup. I'd also like to believe that Richards had a big part in the defeat of the San Jose Sharks in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. He had been the captain of that Flyers team that became the third team in NHL history to win a series after losing the first three games when they beat the Boston Bruins. Although Richards was never an official captain of the Kings, I would think he was a leader in the locker room, much like St. Louis with the New York Rangers. There are always those players who don't wear a letter but can provide leadership in the room, and I believe Richards is one of those. I am not trying to undermine the great coaching of Darryl Sutter, but I would think that Richards would know what to say and how to convey confidence in his teammates having been in that exact situation once before. So in the big picture, Richards has been a wonderful King, and I have faith in seeing him return!

Lastly, I have seen some people doubting Jonathan Quick. True, he has not been the same 2012 Conn Smythe winner this season, but he has still been a major star. With all the problems on defense, it should not be too much of a surprise to see his numbers dip. Not to mention, since 2012, he has undergone back and wrist surgery after injury. It's hard to tell if that might contribute to his slight slip in play. Once again, let's think big picture. When Quick was coming up through the system, he was not even projected to be a face of the franchise. We were all waiting to bring up Jonathan Bernier. Do you remember that? But then Quick just absolutely stood on his head and shot straight for the stars. He has surpassed all expectations. That 2012 season was dire, and the only reason that the Kings even had a chance to make it into the playoffs was Jonathan Quick. I forget the stat, but there were so many games in which the Kings lost one-goal games because they weren't generating any offense. In fact, the only reason they were even close was because Quick was a brick wall. Unstoppable... or stoppable, depending how you want to look at it. And for those who have lost their faith completely in Quick, do the names Cloutier, Huet, Cechmanek, Ersberg, LaBarbera, and Fukufuji mean anything to you? Do you want to go back to those days? Yeah. I thought so. While Quick has not been at that top 2012 form, he has still been amazing.

The Kings may be facing an uphill battle, but remember this is the team that can defy the odds. The 2012 team became the first team in NHL history to beat the number 1, 2, and 3 seeds in order to make it until the finals. That same team also was the first eighth seed to win the Stanley Cup. The 2014 team was the fourth team to win a series after losing the first three games. That same team went on to become the first team in NHL history to win three consecutive game sevens to enter the finals. With few roster changes over the years, there is every reason to continue to believe that this team can continue to overcome what often seems like the impossible.

So Kings fans, let's be grateful. We have enjoyed seeing the Kings win two Stanley Cups in three years. And so what if the team does not make the playoffs this year. In the long run, I think this is still a great team with a brilliant future. They WILL be back in the playoffs. So in the meantime, we can all do what Bailey says and believe! Plus, we should be really glad that we're not Toronto, Edmonton, or Buffalo. You know, just keep it all in perspective!

Why Is Hockey the Only Major Sport That Allows Fighting?

2015-02-06T01:53:00.000-08:00

A classmate from high school first posed this question to me when I was looking for new blog ideas a few months ago. This really stumped me because I didn't really have an adequate answer for it, so I've been letting it stew in the back of my mind since September. A few weeks ago, Daryle "The Guru" Johnson posed the same question on the radio show Zakariah and The Guru on 95.7 The Game. (By the way, they won Weekend Show of 2014, so give them a listen!) That tiny seed of thought continued to fester in my brain. It seems like a common enough question. When I took my best friend to her first hockey game (which was a pre-season game), she was shocked that fighting was allowed but totally enjoyed it. Of all the four major pro sports, why is it that hockey has fighting?

A caller on Zakariah and The Guru suggested that it is because the other sports are not really contact sports. He argued that in baseball and basketball there is no fighting since there is little physical contact among the players to incite a fight. This makes sense to a certain degree. If there is limited physical contact, there is not going to be a lot of tit for tat retaliation in terms of you hit/pushed/shoved me, so I'll do it back and as tempers flare a full-blown fight breaks loose. However, that argument only goes so far. Daryle challenged the caller by pointing out that football is a very physical sport, so why is fighting not allowed then? A very good point, and the caller, nor I, had any real idea how to counter that logic.

Daryle and my classmate, Jonathan, both suggested that it may have something to do with race. Daryle seemed to imply that he believed that the difference lay between the dominant races of each sport, but he decided to leave his argument for another day. Jonathan also posed a similar thought, "Is it simply because viewers get don't get scared when they see white people exhibiting violent behavior against one another?" I think that this is a fair question to ask, and I think that there may be some racial issues behind it considering the historical context of this nation. However, I posit a much simpler reason why football does not allow fighting.

When I was watching this year's Super Bowl, a fight almost did break out between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. A lot of the players were pushing and shoving, and a few players got in man-to-man tussles. However, nothing too serious came of it because the referees broke up the fights, as it is, of course, against the rules. This is when it hit me. They do not allow fighting in the NFL not because of race but because of safety. Think about it. There are twenty-two men on the field, plus the other eighty-four men on the sidelines who have no physical barrier to prevent them from rushing the field. And these are football players, so these guys are huge and exceptionally strong specimens of mankind. What I noticed was that if the referees had not stepped in, it looked like it could have turned into a huge, uncontrollable street brawl. In a sport like football when guys are basically trying to maul each other anyway, tempers can flare, and if the teams get involved, things can escalate and become very dangerous very quickly. This is why I believe that football does not allow fighting.

Similarly, basketball has made dramatic changes throughout its league after the Malice in the Palace incident. Again, safety is the key issue for these changes but targeted more at fans than at the players. Basketball is the one sport that offers an extremely intimate setting in that fans can actually sit right on the court with their favorite players. There is heavy security that serves as a barrier between fan and player but nothing like sitting in raised stands removed from the court. It also should be noted that the ticket prices for the on-court seats are extremely high and usually cater to celebrities. There are also rules that disallow players from coming off the bench in order to incite or join a fight on the court to limit the magnitude of a fight. For the most part, there is only some pushing and shoving and no full-on fisticuffs as in the NHL. Like football, these are rules aimed at safety rather than race.

There is not a lot of fighting in baseball, but there is charging the mound. When a batter feels that a pitcher intentionally hit or almost hit to him, the batter and/or his teammates will rush the field. Either the batter and pitcher will duke it out, or it could be a huge team brawl. This does not happen very often, and it is against the rules. There are often fines, suspensions, and ejections for unsportsmanlike conduct that are handed out. However, this does not happen very often and is not quite the throw down the gloves and fight as in hockey.

So what is it that makes hockey so different? Well, the NHL does not actually "allow" hockey in the sense that there are no repercussions. There are five minute penalties given to the players involved and more penalty minutes for other infractions related to the fight. Players may be ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct, but this does not usually happen. However, hockey is different from the other sports in one very important way. Once two players decide to fight, the referees let the players to do so and wait until it is over to hand out the penalties. It is in this context that hockey "allows" for fighting. So why is that?

There are several reasons why hockey exists in hockey, and I'm not going to get into all that because it doesn't quite tie directly into why hockey is the only major sport that accommodates for fighting. I think Jonathan touches on this when he asks, "Why is fighting, like punching each other in the face repeatedly not only ok, but celebrated, in hockey, and so so so far away from OK in other sports, esp bball and fball?" The key word is "celebrate." That is exactly what hockey does. It celebrates the fighter.

There is a lot of controversy about whether or not fighting should or should not be in the NHL, but the truth is hockey celebrates the fighter. Hockey has two kinds of players: the skilled players who can dominate at a position and the player with heart who has to literally fight in order to be able to play in the league. For every Sidney Crosby, there is a John Scott. As hockey fans, we love to root for those guys who put it all on the line night after night and try to give their team the edge. There is a great respect for those players who may not be making the highlight reel every night but find other ways to contribute. They reach deep within themselves and play with such heart that it is hard not to love them. Hockey allows for this type of player to exist.

I read an article about Bobby Farnham that discusses this idea. Nate Scott interviewed NHL hopeful Bobby Farnham who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins and explores the role of the fighter in hockey. Scott puts forward the idea that "[i]t isn't just about protecting the stars really, but more so about allowing non-stars to stay in the game." Back in the day, for every Wayne Gretzky there was a Marty McSorley who would act as his bodyguard to allow the Great One to do what he did best. The game has changed since then, and the role of enforcer is not quite as brutal. There is still an enforcer, but he is more of a pesky player rather than bodyguard. Case in point is Bobby Farnham. Right now he is struggling to make it into the NHL and is being shuttled back and forth between the Penguins and its minor league affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He does not possess enough talent to be a goal scorer, but he is quick and knows how to get under the skin of his opponents in an effort to draw a penalty, which can give his the team the opportunity to win. He will not run from a fight despite the fact he is only 5'10" and roughly 188 pounds. Right now, he has not earned a roster spot to stay in the NHL, but he is trying to make an impression to stay. What is even more impressive is that his family owns a grocery-store chain, and he received a degree from Brown University. He does not have to try to fight every night to justify a roster spot. In the AHL (the minor league), there is no team plane, luxury hotels, and fancy meals. There are buses, motels, and pizza. Not exactly the high life. Farnham chooses this life because he has a passion for the sport and knows that this is his only way in. Hockey celebrates the Bobby Farnhams.

Another example of hockey celebrating the fighters, the non-stars, is the documentary The Chiefs. The Laval Chiefs take their name from the infamous hockey movie Slapshot. The documentary illustrates the life of the semi-pro. These are the real fighters. These leagues are made up of players who do not possess the talent to play in the NHL, AHL, nor ECHL (the league below the minor league), but they still have the desire to make it into the NHL. They do not make much money from the team and find revenue from other places. Those who cannot afford their own place live in a converted apartment inside the arena where they play. It is most definitely not the glitz of even the AHL, but these players are trying to live their dreams. In games, fights seem to break out quite often, and these teams have loyal, diehard fans just like any other sports team. The fans support their teams and are proud of them. I don't think that these types of leagues would exist if it weren't for the fact that hockey celebrates the fighter.

This post would not be complete without explaining that there is a talent to fighting. Brandon Prust of the Montreal Canadiens recently contributed to Derek Jeter's The Players' Tribune on his experiences in his article "Why We Fight." He describes his realization that he needed to make a choice in order to fulfill his dream of being in the NHL. He remembers, "I had a big problem. I was a walk-on for the London Knights and I wasn't as good as the skill players, but I also wasn't much of a fighter. I realized that I had to add something to my game in order to stand out." Like Farnham, Prust decided to learn how to fight. This may sound weird, but there is an art to the hockey fight. He explains, "[T]his isn't a normal street fight. We're on skates and we have big baggy jerseys that can be pulled over our heads. A ton of physics that goes into it...the balance and leverage and grips." Hockey celebrates the fighter because he is not just a goon throwing out punches. These guys have to really learn how to fight, much like a boxer, but they also have to factor in the ice. Most of the time there is a veteran on the team or an alumnus associated with the team who is willing to teach a younger player how to fight. When George Parros was coming up through the Los Angeles Kings organization, Marty McSorley who was an analyst for the team at the time showed him the ropes. So just as Sidney Crosby took that summer to perfect his face-off, fighters like Parros and Prust take the time to learn how to fight in order to best serve their team.

While all the major sports do not allow fighting, it is only hockey that celebrates the fighter. Hockey allows the non-star to fulfill a dream. Fans love the scrappy player because what he may lack in skill he makes up for with heart and passion. I celebrate the fighter because what they do demands respect. They are willing to put it all on the line for the team. As long as there are players who are willing to throw down the gloves to give their team an opportunity to win night after night, hockey will always celebrate the fighter.

The San Jose Sharks: One Hot Mess?

2015-01-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon an interesting article that had been retweeted by San Jose Sharks blogger and insider Kevin Kurz (@KKurzCSN). James Mirtle (@mirtle), a Toronto journalist, described what he believed was a dysfunction relationship within the Sharks organization. He cited to rumors that have been swirling that general manager Doug Wilson and head coach Todd McLellan have been butting heads, which may lead to the coach's dismissal by the end of this season. Mirtle offered the waiving of Adam Burish as an example of how the two have not been getting along. According to Mirtle, McLellan had wanted to utilize Burish more in games, but Wilson wanted to give the younger players more time on the ice and effectively waived Burish to ensure his wish was granted. To make matters worse, Mirtle claimed that Wilson did not even inform Burish personally and had even pretended to help the player by offering to make a favorable trade or move for him. Reading this was very surprising, as it directly pointed to mismanagement of the team.

Later in the day, Kurz issued an article about the relationship between Wilson and McLellan and what exactly happened in terms of the fate of Adam Burish. Kurz reached out to Wilson directly who categorically denied that there were any problems in his relationship with McLellan and that all coaching decisions were entirely up to the head coach. He admitted that while he did not speak to Burish directly about his being waived, he had informed Burish's agent who then informed the player. Wilson also stated that he never tells McLellan how to run the team and that they are on good terms.

As I read these articles, it made me also think about the general manager and head coach dynamic that turned into a complete catastrophe with the San Francisco 49ers organization. I am in no way suggesting that Doug Wilson and Todd McLellan are at odds or that either of them will be fired at the end of the season, but I did began to wonder what may be in store for the Sharks at the end of the season. The team certainly had an interesting summer as they rallied from what could be perceived as an embarrassing exit in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I use the words "could be perceived" because I believe that their defeat looked worse on paper than it actually was.

Let's backtrack a bit. In the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the San Jose Sharks were matched against the Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks had an explosive start winning both home games against a lackluster Kings team. By the third game, the Kings had started to regroup and lost to the Sharks in overtime. It was in the fourth game that the Kings returned to their former glorious 2012 Stanley Cup Championship form and went on win the next four games, defeating the Sharks, and eventually winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years. It was a historic comeback, and Los Angeles became the fourth team in NHL history to win a playoff series after losing the first three games. The Sharks organization was shocked, and they began what the media dubbed "The Summer of Shame." While this came as a bitter loss to Sharks fans, I believe that is a half glass empty point of view. In the playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings morph into a monster team that steamrolls the competition. They seem to find ways to win the games that truly matter, and when they play in rhythm, they play some beautiful hockey. While it is disappointing to be beaten in the first round to a division rival, it's hard to be too down considering the team went on to become the champions.

From what I've read and heard from Sharks fans during "The Summer of Shame" is that there had been an expectation of change, or at least one really big change to refuel the championship expectations. Immediately following the Sharks exit from the playoffs, speculation started swirling over whether or not Doug Wilson and/or Todd McLellan would return the following season. At the time, I felt certain that at least Wilson would return, only because majority owner Hasso Plattner had stated that he knew relatively little about hockey operations and would rely mostly on his front office. I was unsure whether or not McLellan would return because he made an easy scapegoat for Wilson as to why the team had not met championship or bust expectations. However, I have the uneasy and cynical feeling that Wilson kept McLellan because he could later be blamed if the team did not meet expectations, yet again. Think of it this way, when there needs to be a shake up in management, who is the first to go? In most cases, the head coach is replaced because the general manager is essentially his boss. The only time a general manager would be fired first is if the owner or front office types demand a change. However, the new general manager often will select his own head coach and dismiss the former one. Thus, by staying the status quo, Wilson has the opportunity to dodge a bullet by offering McLellan as a scapegoat.

In any case, Wilson and McLellan returned to command the San Jose Sharks. In terms of the roster, there were few changes of note. They promoted an idea of a "tomorrow team" meaning that while Wilson and McLellan fully expected to continue to make the playoffs, they no longer felt that a Stanley Cup was as imminent. It was a tad confusing, but I think the idea was that rather than focusing on winning the Cup in 2014, the team would make tweaks in order to win the Cup within the next few years. There would be no rebuild like in Edmonton or Calgary, but there would be more focus on acquiring and developing younger talent to replace veterans. The biggest changes to the team were the buyout of Martin Havlat and the release of veteran defenseman Dan Boyle. I felt that Havlat's buyout would be more of an impact in the locker room where the team had difficulty finding the right chemistry than on the ice. I had heard from a few sources in the media that Havlat was notorious for being disliked by other players and the media and was one of the most difficult people to work with. One of the problems with the Sharks is they did not seem to have chemistry in the way great teams do. For instance, the New York Rangers rallied around new teammate Martin St. Louis (who is one of my absolute favorite hockey players) because he knows how to be a leader, and he is such a likeable person. When his mother passed away during their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he gave a very moving speech, and on the ice, you could watch his teammates play their hardest for him because he inspired such passion. It may be trite to say, but when players begin to play for each other, that is one of the intangible things that can elevate a team from good to great. The Sharks did not have that type of emotion, and it lead me to wonder from what I had heard about Havlat, if this might be a factor.

The release of Dan Boyle was also a big move for the Sharks in a way because he had been the heart and soul of the defense. However, he was getting older, and if Wilson wanted to promote his "tomorrow team" cutting Boyle fit into that plan. To fill the void, Brent Burns was moved back to defense. I thought this was a particularly wise move because Burns seemed to be a favorite among his teammates with his relaxed attitude and sense of humor. He would also be a young veteran who could mentor the younger defensemen like Matt Irwin and Matt Tennyson. Although Burns had some difficulty adjusting to the Sharks defensive scheme when he first arrived from the Minnesota Wild, I think he has a strong work ethic and wanted to be a central fixture on defense. As an outsider looking in, I felt this was perhaps the best move that Wilson made.

I think what most highlights what could be construed as friction between Wilson and McLellan is the acquisition of John Scott and Tye McGinn. While I would not say that they have a dysfunctional relationship, I believe that they are not necessarily on the same page in terms of how they envision the team. Todd McLellan is an excellent coach, and if he is fired at the end of the season, I believe it will be because he was not a good fit for Wilson's vision of the Sharks and not because he is an inadequate coach. Having come from the Detroit Red Wings, McLellan is familiar with a system that relies on fast skating and very solid defense. It is not to say that the Wings are a soft team because I do not think that at all, but they do not necessarily win their games with pure physical play. However, Doug Wilson seems to be looking at the competition within the Pacific Division and responding to the more physical nature and big bodies that the divisional opponents employ. Here is where the two differ, and it stems from Wilson's acquiring Scott and McGinn on a roster that already has Mike Brown and Raffi Torres.

When I first heard that Tye McGinn was traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the San Jose Sharks, I was thrilled. I still remember watching McGinn in his first fight with the Flyers. He was a big body who learned how to use his size to his advantage under the tutelage of the Broadstreet Bullies, unafraid of physical play, and had the potential to be at least an average scorer. He's young, which fit the "tomorrow team" theme, and he could continue to learn to be physical with Torres as a mentor. Not to mention, he was the brother of former Shark Jamie McGinn, which could possibly facilitate friendships with his teammates. I recall Jamie being good friends with Logan Couture, so I figured it might help Tye adjust to his new team. Then Wilson brought in John Scott as a free agent. I didn't quite understand this move because he is basically an enforcer (but in the modern way), and the team already had Brown and Torres. However, it was revealed that Torres was injured and would be missing a large chunk of the season, so the move made more sense. I assumed Wilson would adjust the team once Torres returned.

The only thing is that I feel that with a roster that has Brown, Torres, McGinn, and Scott, despite them not all being active, is not quite the team that McLellan is familiar with handling. When you think back on the days when Ben Eager was on the roster, he was a big body who could get physical, but I do not feel that McLellan utilized him in the best capacity nor was exactly sure how. And again, there is nothing wrong with that. He came through a system that relied mostly on speed, the dangerous hands of Pavel Datsyuk, and a shut-down defense. Todd McLellan is a great coach, but with the roster that Wilson has given him, I am wondering is this is the right fit. Either Wilson needs to give McLellan more of the players that fit his scheme or find a coach who utilizes more physical bodies (possibly like now former Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle). So are the San Jose Sharks one hot mess? Absolutely not. I am inclined to believe that Doug Wilson and Todd McLellan do have a good relationship, but I do question whether they see the road to winning as the same road.

What I've Realized about the NFL in the Ray Rice Abuse Scandal

2014-09-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of the hottest topics right now is the Ray Rice suspension. For those who haven't heard or taken the time to follow what has happened, let me recap. Ray Rice was a star running back for the Baltimore Ravens and three-time Pro Bowler as well as Super Bowl champion. Up until recently, Rice has been considered a stand-up guy who never had any run-ins with the law or made any crazy, controversial statements. This all changed earlier this year when a security video at a casino showed Rice and his then fiancee, Janay Palmer, enter an elevator, apparently arguing, only to exit with him dragging her unconscious body. Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, suspended Rice for two games because it violated the player code of conduct clause (yeah, that actually exists). The incident occurred in February, and by March, Ray and Janay married by pushing up their initial wedding date. After some pressure from society about the leniency in Goodell's action or inaction, Rice was then suspended for the maximum six games but remained on the Baltimore Ravens roster. In the early morning hours of Monday, September 8, TMZ obtained the video footage from inside the elevator which depicts the physical altercation that took place between Ray and Janay. As soon as the video surfaced, the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely and the Ravens terminated his contract.

The Beginning and the First Video
When the story first broke and the only evidence was the footage outside of the elevator, the Ravens defended Ray Rice, and head coach John Harbaugh referred to him as a stand-up guy. Many Ravens fans who didn't want to believe that their favorite player could have been caught in a domestic dispute. They wanted to believe that it must have been an accident or misunderstanding. After all, there hadn't been any indication throughout Rice's career or even in his college days that indicated that he had violent tendencies. I was listening to Damon Amendolara (@DAonCBS) on the DA Show on CBS Radio, and I agreed with him that there is nothing wrong with giving your favorite player the benefit of the doubt. For a lot of fans, this was somebody you rooted every Sunday for and watched with wonder as he blew the competition away and almost defied the odds considering his size. I don't think they were necessarily turning a blind eye, but I think those fans just wanted to hear the whole story.

For me, I felt that the facts were: 1. They entered the elevator in a heated debate. 2. Rice exited the elevator while dragging Palmer's body. Because there was a noticeable absence of panic and a need for an ambulance because his fiancee fell unconscious, given those facts, I believed the allegations of abuse. I mean, let's say I was arguing with a friend in an elevator, and if I really didn't touch her, but she lost consciousness and fell on the floor, I would be trying to do CPR, calling for an ambulance, and be in an absolute panic as to what medical condition would have put her in this state. If he had at least been concerned that the supposed love of his life was face-planted on the ground, I might have thought, maybe she tripped or something. Maybe. But he was cool as a cucumber and even kind of nudged the body with his foot. For me, I felt that it was apparent a physical altercation must have occurred inside the elevator which ended with her on the floor. This sure sounds like a domestic violence case, and this is exactly what the police concluded.

Okay, so a player that was once thought of as a good man is now charged with hitting his fiancee, which is definitely not acceptable. And when the NFL was supposed to punish Rice for violating the good conduct clause, Goodell only suspended him two games. This outraged not just sports fans but also society because domestic violence is a cultural problem. Major new sources began to cover the story and weigh in with opinions. It was ridiculous to think that Rice was only being suspended for two games. It was a joke. The NFL appeared to not care about women and did not take domestic abuse seriously. Phil Taylor's column "Message Unsent" in Sports Illustrated's August 4, 2014 issue had an excellent point that "[n]othing in Goodell's words or actions conveyed a sense that he was disgusted. Hows is anyone supposed to believe that the league truly cares about the welfare of its female fans after this? Putting players in pink cleats during Breast Cancer Awareness month suddenly seems like cynical pandering." He is exactly right. Goodell's lenient sentencing for Rice demonstrates that there is a disregard for women. And having players don the pink gear is going to look like nothing more than a farce. This is also conveyed in the NFL's treatment of its cheerleaders who are grossly underpaid and mistreated. I was surprised that in the materials I have come across regarding this topic, only Taylor's column even commented on this fact because the Raiderettes's suit was still pending at the time of this incident. The New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills, and the Cincinnati Bengals cheerleaders are also filing suits, so this is by no means a problem within one organization.

These suits also highlight how the NFL devalues women. In a recent ESPN article about the lawsuit, I learned that the cheerleaders are often not paid on a regular basis and only receive a paycheck at the end of the season. Not to mention, they make far far far less than minimum wage. The Raiderettes are paid $125 per game, which roughly equates to about $5 per hour. However, in July, their pay was increased to $9 per hour. In California, the minimum wage is $12 per hour, and there is a strong push to increase it to $15 per hour. This also does not include payment for the practices three times a week. Nor does it include the other appearances they are obliged to make throughout the season. The women are also expected to pay for any damages in their uniforms. From what I've read about the equipment managers who work directly with the players, they are not responsible for the tears or stains that they may incur while on the field. The teams pay the launderers to fix those items. Further, the women are expected to keep up a team-approved appearance from their own pocket, which includes manicures, pedicures, makeup, and more. The article cites that the cheerleaders are expected to pay for their own cut and color at team-approved salons. For those men who may be reading this, an average cut and color costs anywhere between $100-$200 or even more depending on the salon. I met a man who had been a lawyer then saved enough money to pursue his dream of being a broadcast journalist. Even at the studio, the broadcasters were given the option of having their hair cut at a studio-approved salon for free or at a reduced rate (from what I understood about half of what the salon usually charged). Despite the fact that the NFL is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, cheerleaders are the lowly dregs. What surprised me most in that article though was that the women were subjected to weigh-ins. They are docked pay if they do not keep within a certain acceptable weight limit. I thought that was banished in the days of Gloria Steinem when she went undercover in the Playboy Club. To subject the so-called Football's Fabulous Females to this, just made me sick to my stomach. It's barbaric.

However, what truly hits home to the NFL's disregard for women is the culture of abuse that keeps the cheerleaders in check. According to the ESPN article, the cheerleaders are threatened that they are disposable. If they decide to gain too much wait, miss practice, or do not follow any of the strict rules in place, they are told that it would not be difficult to find a replacement. This culture of intimidation is what is used to ensure that the women stay within the "sisterhood" of cheerleaders. They are lead to believe that they have been chosen to be part of a special sorority but that privilege can be revoked at any time. While the NFL players are given incentives to perform well through bonuses and perks on top of generous salaries, the cheerleaders are bullied into accepting whatever morsels they are given because they are replaceable. And this is where I find any words that Goodell or the NFL offer to be hollow because this culture of misogyny lies within their own organization.

Marriage and the Second Video
While I have no knowledge of the relationship between Janay Palmer and Ray Rice, I don't think that marrying him necessarily proves his innocence. There are those who point to the fact that she married Rice despite the incident as evidence that he must not be abusive because she never would have agreed to wed him in the first place. Well, I don't believe that. First, in some cases of domestic violence, the abuser may express some remorse. He may apologize and promise not to do it again and begin to treat the victim in a better manner. This is often why the victim forgives the abuser and agrees to remain with him. I do not know if that is the case with Palmer and Rice, but it is a known cycle to happen. Second, the marriage was pushed up to an earlier date. Why the rush? Well, I am not a lawyer, but I do know that husbands and wives cannot testify against each other, except under certain circumstances. I am not saying that this is what happened between Palmer and Rice, but it does make me question why the sudden urgency to marry. Weddings usually involve a lot of planning and revolve around a particular date. If there had been a set date, why move it up a few months ahead with little notice, and why at such a particular time shortly after the scandal broke?

With the release of the second video that clearly shows Rice punching Palmer twice, the second hit leaving her unconscious, it was evident that there no longer was any doubt about what happened inside that elevator. The NFL claims to have never seen the video and immediately suspended Rice from indefinitely while the Baltimore Ravens moved forward in terminating their contract with the running back. There are several things that happened at this point that I want to make a comment.

It is important to note that TMZ paid to obtain the video from inside the elevator, not the NFL. This is important because I believe that the NFL either wanted to be able to claim plausible deniability or just did not care enough to find out what really happened. Either way, it continues the idea that women and domestic abuse is not an agenda that the NFL deems notable to pursue. First of all, there had to be a video from inside the elevator. Anyone who has ever been to a casino or seen Ocean's Eleven (the George Clooney one, not the Sinatra one) or CSI: Las Vegas knows that casinos have cameras everywhere, except inside the hotel rooms. Goodell and everyone involved knew there had to be a video. There has been some back and forth as to whether or not the NFL had actually seen the videotape in question, but I don't think that is the point. The fact of the matter is that whether or not it had been seen or not, the NFL is a large enough conglomerate to have had the means to obtain the video and keep it if it had wanted to. Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue had the power to cancel the very popular television show Playmakers because he deemed it to be detrimental to the image of the NFL. In my opinion, if a commissioner of the NFL can do that, he can certainly obtain a security videotape from a New Jersey casino, just as TMZ did. I am also inclined to believe that even if the NFL had obtained the videotape from inside the elevator, they may not have actually watched it, so they could claim plausible deniability later. By this I mean, the NFL did not deny that a videotape ever existed, but when they claim that it had never been viewed, they can then go forward in "honestly" saying that they were unaware of the exact nature of what happened in the elevator. In this way, it makes it possible that evidence may have been sent over in a box, which then may have went purposely unopened and unexamined, so they could claim that none of this had ever surfaced in their investigation.

The last thing I want to say is that it should not have taken the second video to surface in order for any action to be taken. If the NFL really wanted to take a stance on domestic abuse, they did too little too late. Of course, the prosecutors also made a slight fumble in letting Ray Rice off so easily, but the NFL is a enormous conglomerate with far-reaching power. It is impossible to ignore it, and they know it. This is why when they could have made a statement they didn't. I don't think they had to suspend him indefinitely right off the bat, but a two-game suspension was a joke. And I say that he should not have necessarily been banned because everyone deserves a second chance. If Rice would go through counseling (and not with Ray Lewis, as he had offered), go through proper legal channels, and truly learn from his mistakes, I think it would be acceptable for him to return, granted there is no history of abuse that is uncovered. But when I look at the enormous fail combined with the culture of intimidation that they subject on their cheerleaders, I begin to realize that the NFL obviously cares little for women. If there is ever a call for feminism, this is it. We should not be living in a world where this type of behavior is acceptable. If those women against feminism really believe that inequality is a myth or that domestic violence doesn't target women, they are so obviously wrong.

Why I Love Hockey

2014-09-09T10:11:00.002-07:00

First, thank you to everyone who has followed me from the beginning. I apologize that I went AWOL for a while, but I am back. I first started this blog at the suggestion of my best friend in the world because she thought it would be a good idea to share my opinions on the internet. I'm pretty sure she just wanted me to stop boring her to death, so you have her to thank for unleashing me onto you. But I really have to thank her for encouraging me to do this because I have found such wonderful people through the blog and on Twitter. I'd like to thank John Harris, Will Moriarty, and the OT Mafia for being like one big extended family. Although I haven't been in touch for a while, none of you have been far from my thoughts. You guys are and have been the best, and I hope that you will forgive me for my absence. Also a special thank you to Chris Townsend who has been so encouraging in the few times that we have met, and I hope that I can give this blog enough momentum to hopefully be a guest on his show. What can I say, a girl can dream, can't she? That being said, let me get started.

A former schoolmate of mine posed this question to me: "Why should I care about hockey?" I responded that it wasn't any business of mine what he should or should not care about, but it got me thinking about why I love hockey. I enjoy sports, and I constantly listen to sports radio. However, of all the sports, it is hockey that has won my heart. For me it all started when I dated a guy in college (of course all roads lead back to a guy) who is an avid LA Kings fan. While we were dating, we went to many Kings games. I found Staples Center to be mesmerizing, and I was instantly sucked into the excitement. My first Kings game was probably in 2003 or so, and it was not a great time in the organization's history. However, I completely fell in love. The game is fast-paced, and it is isn't overly technical. When you compare it to football, it's amazing how little time is actually allocated to making plays, and there are so many stoppages for various reasons. I am in no way saying that football is boring, but it takes a great deal of time and energy to understand the line of scrimmage, all the fouls, etc. Hockey, you basically watch them drive at the opponents' nets, and you don't have to understand all the technicalities at your first game. So I was riveted as I watched Mike Cammalleri, Ziggy Palffy, and Alex Frolov skate across the ice. I was even fortunate enough to watch a win that first time! Palffy easily became my favorite player. While I enjoy football, hockey is just on another level for me. There is a sort of elegance to it that I cannot quite find the words to explain.

But I'm not going to lie. I love the fights! It's not as though I watch just for the fights because that is ridiculous. There is no way to predict a fight, especially in this era, but I enjoy watching two guys duke it out on the ice. I remember when George Parros was coming up with the Kings. I remember my then boyfriend telling me that he was learning to fight from the great Marty McSorley, who was an analyst for the Kings at the time. It was then that I learned about enforcers and the pests. Sean Avery is probably one of my favorites because he was a King. I know that a lot of people think he is a jerk, and he might be. I don't know. I've never met him. However, I find him hilarious. He runs his mouth like an idiot at times. In a pre-season game against the Phoenix Coyotes, Denis Gauthier hit Jeremy Roenick which led to a concussion. I believe Avery went out to retaliate, but Gauthier refused to throw down. In a post-game interview, Avery basically said that it was typical of a French-Canadian to hide behind his visor and pretend to play tough. Teammate Luc Robitaille, a Hall of Famer and most winningest left-winger, was asked to comment since he is from Montreal. Luc replied with something to the effect that this wasn't the first time Avery had said something stupid, and it wasn't going to be the last. While I'm sure there are people who find this offensive, I just had to laugh because it is exactly something that Avery would say in the first place. And the Sean Avery Rule is probably the most inventive way to be such a jerk that the league actually made a rule to prevent it from happening again. For those of you who don't know, before 2008, there was no actual parameters given when screening the goalie. Okay, I'll back up here. Obviously, the main idea of hockey is to get the puck past the goaltender and into the net. In order to make it harder for the goalie to see, the opposing team may place a player in front of him to prevent his line of vision and maybe have another player sneak the puck past and into the net. This is called screening the goalie. Despite the NHL having been formed in 1917, no one had actually decided to stand before a goaltender and wave his arms around like a maniac until Sean Avery of the New York Rangers did just that in front of future Hall-of-Famer and already legendary Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils. It was such an outrageous, yet devilishly ingenious, move that the NHL amended the rule to disallow such action. Here is a video, so you can witness Avery in all his glory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_2oKWe2Gw.

However, not all enforcers are like Avery. In fact it wasn't until much later that I learned that enforcers, or goons (like that movie with Stiffler), aren't really goons at all. For example, George Parros has a degree in economics from Princeton University. He may be a tough guy on the ice, but he is very sharp! Another Princeton alum is another former Kings player Kevin Westgarth who received a degree in psychology. He also met his wife, Meagan Cowher, daughter of famed NFL coach Bill Cowher, at the university. Westgarth also played an instrumental role for the NHLPA during the most recent lockout. Despite the fact that he is mostly known for his size and inclination to throw down on the ice, he also understands the complicated mess of a collective bargaining agreement. John Scott who most recently joined the San Jose Sharks is another example. Scott holds an electrical engineering degree from Michigan Tech. Although not exactly an enforcer but does use his size to his advantage, Douglas Murray, formerly of the San Jose Sharks and now with the Montréal Canadiens, has a degree in hotel management from Cornell. When the Sharks played an exhibition game in Germany in 2010, Murray was instrumental in setting up travel itinerary and finding hotels. Despite the fact that many people think these goons are just big morons on the ice, it isn't actually true.

Which leads me to another reason why I love hockey: the players and coaches. The majority of players seem like good people. I'm not saying that they are all angels, but there are many who have good hearts. They know they are fortunate to be making the kind of money they do and also to be living out their childhood dream. For example, when most people think of former Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella, the words "rude," "obnoxious," and "hot-tempered" most likely come to mind. What people don't know that when he isn't in coach-mode (yeah, that's a thing), is that he is a very nice person. I had the opportunity to meet him a couple years ago when he was coach of the New York Rangers, and they came to play the San Jose Sharks. He was at the Tank about 9:30 am or so, which was approximately a couple hours before his team would practice before the game. He was in shorts and an Under Armour type shirt because he was going for a run around the parking lot at the arena. There were a few fans hanging around, and he was very polite. He would autograph anything presented to him, but he asked not to take pictures. Although he didn't give a reason, one could assume, he didn't want a picture of him all sweaty in his jogging outfit to start filling the internet. He was happy to talk to anyone who approached, and he definitely was not the guy you would see in interviews. I also read an article in ESPN (see article here: http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10922185/former-new-york-ranger-michael-del-zotto-stays-touch-superfan-trades-espn-magazine) about his special connection with a young boy with cerebral palsy. The New York Rangers participate in a charity organization called Garden of Dreams which helps to fulfill the wishes of children who are in need or sick. One lucky Rangers fan was able to attend a practice and game with his family. This child had struck a chord with Tortorella that they continued to keep in touch even after he was fired from the Rangers, and he even paid for an exercise machine that the child needed. Despite his salty disposition in the media, he has a very kind heart.

Another example is Scott Hartnell. He's a bit of a pest on the ice. He can deliver hard hits, but he also scores. He has a very fun-loving personality, and it makes it easy to want to root for a guy like that. While he was playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, a fan noticed that he falls on his own accord a lot. As a joke, the fan started a fall-count on Twitter. Hartnell took notice, and he turned the counter into a charity. He would donate a certain amount for every fall he made that would be spread among three charities that were important to him. He encouraged fans to also donate.

Similarly, Dustin Brown of the LA Kings is known as a hard hitter. Although it is debatable how accurate hit counts are, Brown is often in the top five in the league when it comes to hits. Because of this, he decided to donate $50 for every hit he made for a season. He also challenged fans to donate a per hit amount. This campaign won him an NHL award to honor his charity work. When I hear stories like these, it makes me proud to be a hockey fan. I feel like I'm supporting the good guys. I am in no way saying that there aren't players in other sports who are like this, but I enjoy learning more about the hockey players I love to watch on the ice.

But what I love about hockey most of all is how it makes me feel. Every time I watch a game, I can almost feel the chill of the ice and the excitement in the arena when I attended my first game. Even when I receive the latest issue of The Hockey News or The Fourth Period, I feel more alive. Hockey gives me something to look forward to, and I have something of an obsession for it. I am constantly on the hunt for things I can learn about the sport, its players, its coaches, and its history. With every game, I love rooting for the teams and players. Even as I watched my Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years, I could not help but feel a bit of my heart crush as I looked at the faces of Dominic Moore, Henrik Lundqvist, and Martin St. Louis of the New York Rangers. As happy as I was for my team and my favorite players, a part of me ached for those who had just been defeated because I feel like I know them. Dominic Moore had a great comeback season after losing his wife just the year before to cancer. Henrik Lundqvist has been such an elite goaltender but has yet to win a Stanley Cup for such a storied franchise, and his career is edging closer to an end. Martin St. Louis is a player who went undrafted but through determination and hard work, he has become one of the greatest scorers and is still seeking another chance at glory. At the same time, I was thrilled to see how elated Marian Gaborik and Robyn Regehr were to finally win that elusive Cup. I could almost feel how ecstatic they must have felt to be able to put their lips to the Cup at long last. Several organizations gave up on Gaborik being the star they needed to win it all, but he proved them wrong. Regehr was so close when he was with the Flames in 2004 but lost and hadn't been as close to winning since. These emotions are what make me love hockey.

What sports do you love? Why do you love them? You can share them in the comments section or tweet them to me @SportingAJenda.

Fighting in the NHL

2013-10-08T00:05:00.001-07:00

This is my most favorite time of the year as the NHL has started up again. I am still wrapping my head around seeing Vinny Lecavalier as second-line center on the Philadelphia Flyers, but it is exciting to see all the new line-ups and just finally watching games that mean something. But part of my excitement is hampered by all this talk of the hot-button issue of fighting in hockey. For those who are unaware, this is a divisive topic in which there really is no middle-ground. Although I have heard persuasive arguments for both sides, I not only prefer fighting in hockey but I also believe there is a place for it.

One of the best arguments that I have heard denouncing fighting hockey is that it is unnecessary in order to win championships is from Drew Remenda, the color analyst for the San Jose Sharks. He used the Detroit Red Wings as the best example for this because they have the longest consecutive playoff appearances to date of twenty-two years. They have eleven Stanley Cup wins, and they have the lowest number of fights when compared to all other teams in the league. Remenda makes an excellent point, and he is absolutely correct when he emphasizes that the Red Wings win because of their fast-skating and incredible stick-handling. But I'd also like to point out that they also have Todd "I Almost Killed a Man" Bertuzzi on the roster. Jordin Tootoo is perhaps the hired gun of the current group, but he doesn't quite fit the image of an enforcer/pest type. And let's not forget that Darren McCarty, Brendan Shanahan, and Martin Lapointe have been big parts of the Red Wings past. However, the Red Wings are the lone team who are able to have success with this system. They are the outlier. It has become far more the norm to utilize one or two players to be the tough guy on the team. These tough guys are more like pests rather than the enforcers in the old days. These pests are intended to rile the other players, throw down the gloves when necessary, but they have to have a more dimensional game. There has been value attached to players like Brandon Prust, Steve Downie, Scott Hartnell, and Steve Ott. They aren't merely hired guns but have to be able to score or offer something other than pure fighting. Thus, fighting has decreased over the years and hasn't always had the same "I'm going to kill you" feel to every scuffle that breaks out on the ice.

One of the arguments for fighting is that fans will not watch hockey without it. Drew Remenda pointed out that hockey fans will continue to watch the games without fighting, but they would not watch it without scoring. That makes sense, but I think this slightly misses the point. Hockey fans will watch hockey because they love the game. Fighting is like the decorations on a cake. They aren't necessary in order to enjoy the cake, but they do make it just a little bit better. Not every game has a fight and that does not make the game any less enjoyable (well, unless your team suffers a heart-breaking loss or gets completely embarrassed). However, fighting can draw in new fans which is what the NHL desperately needs. I am not saying that people will not become fans of hockey because there wasn't a fight, but when there is a fight, people become far more curious about the professional sport that stops in order to allow two players to duke it out where they stand. Suddenly, hockey becomes all that more fascinating. I remember taking a friend to her first hockey game, and she was amazed, "They can just fight like that?" Yes, yes, they can, and I love it. I have also heard people who have brought a friend who has never been to a hockey game before being fascinated and thrilled by seeing a fight. And I have never heard anyone ever say, "Our team won which was great, but there was a fight. That was awful." I guess there must be some people who feel that way, but I have never met them.

An argument against fighting is that it is too dangerous. In my opinion, this is not entirely true. In the majority of fights, the players might have a few cuts and/or bruises on their face or torso but not much more. They usually do not require any extra attention from the trainers because of injuries. What has brought the issue of fighting back in the limelight is that there was a lot of heated reaction after the George Parros-Colton Orr fight in the Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens game which opened the NHL season on October 1. During the fight, Parros tripped and fell head first onto the ice and was trotted off the ice in a stretcher. It was later determined that Parros had suffered a concussion and was required to spend the night in the hospital. All of a sudden, this fight (which had been their second of the night) reignited the debate. However, I think this is a very poor example that simply focused on the outcome. Yes, the fight technically ended because Parros suffered a concussion. However, he fell. He tripped, not punched in the head until knocked unconscious nor intentionally pushed to the ice. This scenario could have also happened if he had tripped from a chip in the ice.

There is far more danger in the (legal) hard hits delivered throughout the game. Studies have proven that the punishment the bodies of hockey players take from hits is what causes concussions far more than fights. The NHL has taken leaps and bounds as compared to other leagues since Sidney Crosby suffered his concussion in 201. I would even argue that had the player not been the Christ-child of hockey, the league would most likely not have been as tenacious in its efforts to protect its players, if they pursued the matter at all. Not only have the rules changed to eliminate the more dangerous plays (i.e. hits from behind), but how players recover from concussions has also changed. Sidney Crosby was the first professional athlete to dictate his return rather than the organization or trainers to simply medically clear him and put him back on the ice. It was a few months after Crosby was cleared to play that he actually returned because he could tell from how he felt that he was not ready. Trainers and doctors have become more willing to allow players to use their own intuition in an effort to help them recover from concussions.

Furthermore, the Blake Geoffrion story also exemplifies why the game of hockey is more dangerous than fighting itself. For those who are unaware, Geoffrion was a player for the Montreal Canadiens who had been playing for its AHL affiliate the Hamilton Bulldogs during the lockout when he suffered a career-ending injury. During a game against the Syracuse Crunch, Geoffrion was skating at full speed along the boards with the puck when Jean-Philippe Cote delivered a legal hip-check which flipped Geoffrion upside-down and in the process Cote accidentally fractured Geoffrion's skull with his skate. Geoffrion had to undergo brain surgery to remove fragments of his skull from his brain and have a plate inserted where the bone was broken. And this was from a legal hit, an inherent danger in hockey. Another example of how hits are more perilous than fights is the infamous Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty. During a game in the 2010-2011 season, Chara delivered a hard hit to Pacioretty which unfortunately collided him with the stanchion. He suffered from a fractured cervical vertebra and a severe concussion. The hit was deemed to warrant an interference call as well as a game misconduct, and the NHL pursued an investigation to determine if further punishment was necessary. The league ruled that there would be no further reprimand would be warranted because they did not feel Chara intended to hurt Pacioretty and that it seemed that the unfortunate injuries Pacioretty suffered was due more to where on the ice he had been. The league then moved to remove the stanchions from all arenas in an effort to avoid another incident. Although the hit was not within the rules, this injury was incurred from a hit not a fight.

Another danger of the game of hockey is blocking shots. Players sacrifice their bodies in order to stop an opponent's puck from finding the net. In a recent incident, Gregory Campbell of the Boston Bruins broke his leg blocking a slapshot during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not an injury due to fighting. Matt Greene of the Los Angeles Kings has been known for using his head in order to block shots. In the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Kings were facing the Vancouver Canucks, and in one of the games, the Kings were trying to hold their one-goal lead. Greene dove down on the ice as Alexandre Burrows took a slapshot at the net, but he dove a couple seconds too early. He was completely flat on the ice, and as he turned his head to the right to see where the puck would be coming, he realized it was coming just over his head. As any gritty hockey player would do, he raised his head to stop the puck with his face. He made a conscious decision to stop the puck at all costs because it is the playoffs. Of course, he repeated this same act in a regular season game during the 2011-2012 season, and I'm sure this will not be the last time we will see him do this. Taking slapshots to the head is far worse for your health than any fist coming at you.

To address the issue of whether or not there is a place for fighting in hockey. I believe that there is. Sometimes the fights that occur at the end of blowouts are superfluous, but the majority of fights are intended to rile up the players or to respond to a hit from the other team. Every so often, a team might start a game without energy, and the pest of the team will try to engage in a fight in order to inspire his team to have passion to play. Some critics don't feel that these fights are necessary, but I think if it gets the team going, why not? In an 82-game season, it is difficult to always be running on all-cylinders. If this is going to give you that competitive edge, do it. But where fighting really has a place is responding to the other team. Some teams are more physical than others, but an effective way to limit a team that may be bullying another is to hit back. This sends the message that if you're going to hit us, we're going to hit you back. In a game against the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller felt that Milan Lucic had been too physical in his front-of-net play which ended in Lucic crashing into Miller so intensely that he suffered a concussion. Part of the problem is that the incident reached that height because the none of the Sabres players tried to pick a fight with Lucic to send the message that his antics would not be tolerated. This incident also lead to the Sabres acquiring John Scott and Steve Ott to add toughness to the team. The Miller-Lucic incident is exactly why fighting has a place in hockey. Hits are what causes more physical harm to players than fights, and fighting can limit those more dangerous hits that can lead to injury. Lucic kept rushing the net because no one stopped him.

One last point I would like to make is that this is the beginning of the season. There will be more fights during this time of year as younger players desperate to have a spot on the roster may engage in a fight in order to attract the attention of the coach. Sometimes those players who do not necessarily have the talent to be a top goal-scorer will make up for that with the heart they show by demonstrating that they are willing to drop the gloves for the team. They will literally fight for a spot on the team. For example, Hugh Jessiman formerly of the Florida Panthers engaged in a fight in his NHL debut. He had failed to make the team at the beginning of the season but injuries warranted a call up to the majors. In an effort to make an impression on the coach as a bid to keep him on the team, he fought one of the toughest players on the opposing team, Troy Bodie. Although the ploy did not ultimately work, it demonstrates why some players will be anxious for a fight. Last season, Frazer McLaren of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tye McGinn of the Philadelphia Flyers engaged in fights to begin their debuts with their respective teams in a similar effort to show how they could be useful to their teams.

Although the topic of fighting in hockey will go one to be debated, I strongly feel that it is still necessary to the sport, and I highly enjoy it.

Tweets of the Week

2013-06-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

Here is this week's edition of Tweets of the Week. Don't forget to tweet (@SportingAJenDa) or email (thesportingajenda@gmail.com) your favorites! Thank you all for another great week of laughter!

@Mike_Danton: What’s with these pro athletes that throw their careers away with murder charges? Geesh ... #Idiots #Oops #FootInMouth #NFL #NHL

@Steve_Dangle: I tried to type in all of Patrice Bergeron’s injuries into WebMD and my computer burst into flames.

@RattoCSN: Now that I know about Patrice Bergeron, I’m thinking Gregory Campbell should have been listed as day-to-day.

@richcluneshow: I’m not gay, but im kind of a lesbian. Enjoy #PrideTO week love #dicky.

@lyndsay6_16: Damn weddings! Damn them straight to hell. I mean, I guess I wouldn’t have to miss hockey for it.

@Hartsy19 (Scott Hartnell): “@cvaloppixox: @Hartsy19 you’re awesome” so is that make out sesh in ur profile pic!!! #xxx

@Patrick_ONeal: I will always remember/miss doing bench interviews w/ Bernier employing very distracting tactics, ie butt massages with goalie glove.

@mstyczen (Mike Styczen): Best twitter response ever via the @CalgaryPolice (https://twitter.com/mstyczen/status/348911260760416257/photo/1)

@BurkieYCP: Remember that time there was a major NHL trade and one of the immediate concerns was his availability for a gay pride parade?

@PinkValkyrie: Damn it! I forgot to practice my “upward facing t****” this weekend!

@JoeYerdonPHT: Why didn’t dude get hooked up with the Wile E. Coyote bat-man suit from Acme? #Skywire

@TonyMarinaro: Chris Nilan: “Patick Kane, I’ll tell ya, I banged him earlier this week”

Me: “Good for u. (Laughs) I am so immature...”

@Mendy87: We Kane. We Shaw. We Crawford. #Blackhawks @darrenrovell

@Willinthe713: In my day, you young whippernsnappers, any pitcher who intentionally walked a guy to get to Albert Pujols had to commit seppuku. Times change.

@CopaCavanna (Alan Cavanna): Yes. This went across the local #clt news :). Can’t make this up. (https://twitter.com/CopaCavanna/status/349365407808897024/photo/1)

@BaileyLAKings: Come on Patrick Kane get your boy a better camera. Disposable cameras cannot take a photo of the cup! It’s 2013 (https://twitter.com/BaileyLAKings/status/349369374093762560/photo/1)

@SoVeryAwkward: That awkward moment in Titanic when Rose says she’ll never let go, and lies. #WorstLies

7. @stephaniejoplin: why am i the only person in a group of girls who remembers to bring money? magically your wallet gets lodged in your tight a$$? funny!

6. @HarrisonMooney: Man, that Letang offer. I can’t even imagine being offered $54 million over eight years and being like, “No. F*** you. More.”

5. @shortsweetkate: White people love instagramming their food.. #fact

4. @TheAlSpencer: I’m getting sleepy damn that last tweet woke up.I guess I’ll brush my teeth Because my dream girl won’t like a funky breath.

3. @Willinthe713: Brian in Boca just called me “Judge Will” in a text asking my thought on A. Hernandez case. I’m...honored??

2. @Kato_Kaelin: I swear I did NOT live in Aaron Hernandez’s Guest House. #havemyowncouch

1. @The_HockeyMind: Tuukka (https://twitter.com/The_HockeyMind/status/349380501297041409/photo/1)

Tweets of the Week

2013-06-24T00:33:00.000-07:00

I have decided to add a new weekly blog that I hope you all will enjoy. I'm going to be doing a Tweets of the Week feature in which I will put together the top seven tweets of the week. Why seven? Because there are seven days in a week... I encourage you to tweet me @SportingAJenDa or email me at thesportingajenda@gmail.com if you have something that would make the list or have found something for consideration. I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to follow these accounts because they are awesome, and let's face it, we all need to ~~waste~~ spend more time on Twitter. You are welcome.

Tweets that didn't quite make the list but were nonetheless enjoyable:

@TheFunkeMonkey: Fine, I just wanna see Chris Bosh devour Newman from Seinfeld. Black market dino DNA doesn’t play, brah. #Velociraptor

@wilw: The Blackhawks power play makes me feel like I’m watching my Kings. Thanks, guys. You don’t need to do that, and I appreciate it.

@DownGoesBrown: This is playoff hockey why do the teams keep scoring goals I’m so confused.

@HockeyBroph: Can you imagine Crawford and Reimer tryimg to High 5 each other?

@HalfordPHT: No, Torts doesn’t fit Canucks “image”. But their old intro vid had Raymond ordering sushi to the tune of a pan flute, so maybe change is OK.

@mayorNHL: Rumored Sutter quotes following the surgery... Coach-What was the doctor’s name?... “None of your business, this isn’t Grey’s Anatomy.”

@BaileyLAKings: Why does lebron call everyone dog. That is an insult... Cats are cool

This tweet really should have have been Tweet 7.5: @DonCherryParody: YKNOW I BET KANE LIKES BEATIN UP THE BROOINS BECAUSE THEIR SWEATERS ARE THE SAME COLOURS AS TAXI CABS

7. @twolinepass: the pats signed tebow so hernandez would have access to a white bronco. anyway have fun on twitter today folks #staysafe #stayhydrated

6. @strombone1: I'M WILLING TO STAY, BE THE BACKUP AND PLAY FOR FREE IF THEY LET ME SIT IN AT EVERY TORTS PRESSER! #MAN #MYTH #LEGEND
In case you need some context, this tweet is from Roberto Luongo's account.

5.@SportsHutch: In honor of Carlos Lee's retirement, I am currently eating nachos and chili cheese dogs for lunch, @SeanCablinasian

4.@TheFunkeMonkey: @TravisRodgers Will you please ask Alex Morgan how its possible that wombat guy is allowed to play on a women's team? Thanks.

3. @bigmeanjohn: @BryanBenway i wish aaron hernandez would give my ex wife a ride sometime...

2. @PinkValkyrie: I'm gonna be such a girl this morning so remind me later to crack open a beer, watch some sports, and scratch my ass. #XX
I love this girl. She and I are so similar. We like and do the girly things but cannot get enough of sports! Don't forget to give her a follow!

1. @TulsaNightCalls: @SportingAJenDa started a FFl u in?
Thank you, Robyn, for remembering me and inviting me to play in your fantasy league. That totally made my week!

A Hockey Geek's Guide to the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals

2013-06-11T02:43:00.003-07:00

For hockey fans, this is one of the most exciting times of the season. The Stanley Cup Finals are finally here! This is a bittersweet moment as some of the best hockey is played at this time, but it also marks the long wait for September when the season starts up again. For NHL fans this year's Stanley Cup matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins is special because it marks the first Original Six* matchup since 1979, or at least that is how Gary Bettman would like fans to feel. What also makes this year's Stanley Cup winner, regardless of who it is, different from the last nine years is that it will NOT be a new team. That is correct. There has been a new winning team drinking from Lord Stanley's Cup for the last nine years, but that is about to end. The Chicago Blackhawks won back in 2010 when they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Boston Bruins won it the following year as they took down the 2011 President's Trophy** team, Vancouver Canucks. Coincidentally, the Bruins will again be facing another President's Trophy team as the Chicago Blackhawks went on their historic point streak by not losing a game in regulation for 24 games during the regular season. Both teams have changed dramatically since they last won, so let's take a look at how they have changed and whatever really interesting but totally useless factoids we can find.

Boston Bruins
New Additions:
Jaromir Jagr: The future hall-of-famer was acquired by the Bruins from the Dallas Stars for prospects Lane McDermid and Cody Payne along with a conditional pick in the 2013 draft at this year's trade deadline.
Wade Redden: Another 2013 trade deadline acquisition, the St. Louis Blues traded for a pick at this year's draft.
Kaspars Daugavins: He was claimed off waivers from the Ottawa Senators at the end of March of this season. He is now taking the place of Gregory Campbell since his injury.

Who Has Left:
Mark Recchi: The Recchin' Ball retired after winning his third Stanley Cup in 2011.
Michael Ryder: The right-winger signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars after winning the Cup but has since been traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
Tomas Kaberle: Here is an intriguing signing. The Bruins traded for Kaberle from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who received prospect Joe Colborne, a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, and a second-round pick in the 2012 draft. After winning the Cup, Kaberle signed with the Carolina Hurricanes who traded him to the Montreal Canadiens and is rumored to be a compliancy buyout.
Shane Hnidy: The defenseman quietly retired after fifteen years in the league.
Tim Thomas: This is perhaps the most surprising change to the Bruins roster. The goaltender announced that he would take the 2012-2013 season off but would return the following season. Perhaps he was avoiding the lockout or disliked how the Bruins intervened with his political FaceBook statuses.*** In any case, his rights were traded to the New York Islanders during the shortened 2013 season.

The Youngsters:
Torey Krug: The undrafted defenseman has been clutch for the Bruins and has already notched six points in nine games during his first postseason.
Dougie Hamilton: The ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft.
Matt Bartkowski: The 190th pick overall in the 2008 draft taken by the Florida Panthers but traded along with Dennis Seidenberg in 2010 to the Bruins for Byron Bitz, Craig Weller, and a second-round pick in the 2010 draft. He was also a piece in proposal the Bruins had made to the Calgary Flames for Jarome Iginla at the 2013 trade deadline, which was kiboshed when Iggy decided to go to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Scoring Scenario:
-David Krejci had 23 points in the 2011 postseason. He already has 21 points.
-Nathan Horton notched 17 points during the last Stanley Cup bid and has tied that before entering this year's Finals series.
-Zdeno Chara posted nine points in 2011 and has exceeded that to net eleven points.
-Milan Lucic had twelve points in the last Cup run and already has thirteen points.
-The rookie Torey Krug has an impressive six points in nine games.
-Daniel Paille notched six points in the 2011 postseason and will enter this series with five.
-Shawn Thornton has upped his game since the last run in which he only had a point. He now has four.

Impressive (but Useless) Factoids:
-Nathan Horton leads the B's with two goals, one each in the 2010-201 and the 2011-2012 seasons, against goaltender Corey Crawford. Johnny Boychuk, Zdeno Chara, and Chris Kelly each have a goal.
-Chris Bourque is the son of hall-of-famer Ray Bourque.
-This will be Chris Kelly's third Finals appearance in his career. He played in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals with the Ottawa Senators in which they lost to Anaheim Ducks before winning with the Bruins in 2011. Therefore, if the Bruins win it again, he will be two for three.
-Jaromir Jagr has won the Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. The second Cup was coincidentally against the Chicago Blackhawks. If the Bruins win it again, Jagr will be three for three.
-Jay Pandolfo also has won the Stanley Cup twice but with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and 2003. He was also a member of the 2001 team that made it to the finals but lost. This could also be Pandolfo's third win, but he would be three for four.
-Shawn Thornton was a member of the 2007 Anaheim Ducks team that defeated Chris Kelly and the Ottawa Senators to win the Stanley Cup before winning for a second time with the Bruins in 2011. Amazingly, this tough guy would also be three for three like Jagr should the Bruins win.
-Andrew Ference has a single appearance in the Finals in 2004 with the Calgary Flames before winning for the first time with the Bruins in 2011.
-Wade Redden has never won the Cup but was on the Ottawa Senators team with Chris Kelly that lost to Shawn Thornton and the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Chicago Blackhawks
New Additions:
Michal Frolik: The Blackhawks traded Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman, and David Pacan to the Florida Panthers for goaltender Alexander Salak and Michal Frolik during the 2010-2011 season.
Johnny Oduya: The Winnipeg Jets traded Oduya for second and third round picks in the 2013 draft at the 2011-2012 trade deadline.
Michal Rozsival: The defenseman signed with the team before the lockout at a free agent.
Daniel Carcillo: The left-winger signed as a free agent in 2011 and in 2012 was awarded a contract extension to play through next season.
Sheldon Brookbank: Brookbank signed as free agent in 2012.
Ray Emery: The backup goaltender signed in 2011.
Viktor Stalberg: The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Stalberg along with Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis for Kris Versteeg and prospect Bill Sweatt.
Michal Handzus: The San Jose Sharks traded the veteran for a fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft at this year's trade deadline. I would also like to make a special note that he was very impressive against the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals. The Lokomotiv tragedy**** in which he lost many friends really affected him and his game, and it was not until that series that the old Hands of Zus came out. If any player would stand out against my favorite him, I am happy for Zus and wish him the best of luck.
Jamie Kompon: After winning the Cup with the Los Angeles Kings, the assistant head coach did not have his contract renewed and joined the Blackhawks. He spent six seasons with the Kings and was a large part of the success of its defense and penalty kill. Chicago's penalty kill has vastly improved, and I give the majority of the credit to Kompon.

Who Has Left:
Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, and Akim Aliu were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers (now Winnipeg Jets) for first- and second-round picks in the 2010 draft, Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb, and Jeremy Morin after winning the Stanley Cup. This huge multi-player transaction occurred because the Blackhawks had a major salary cap crisis following their win.
Kris Versteeg and prospect Bill Sweatt were traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Viktor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico, and Philippe Paradis at the end of the 2010 postseason.
Antti Niemi: The young goaltender who outplayed Michael Leighton of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup win signed with the San Jose Sharks and was a Vezina Trophy***** candidate for the 2013 season.
Troy Brouwer: The defenseman was traded to the Washington Capitals in 2011 for a first-round pick in the 2011 draft.
Tomas Kopecky: His rights were traded to the Florida Panthers in 2011 for a seventh-round pick in the 2012 or 2013 draft.
Andrew Ladd: Immediately after winning the Cup, Ladd was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers (now Winnipeg Jets) for Ivan Vishnevksiy, not to be confused with Visnovski, and a second-round pick in the 2011 draft.
Brian Campbell: On the draft floor of the first day of the 2010 draft, those watching the draft watched the agent for the defenseman on the cell phone working a deal that sent Campbell to the Florida Panthers for Rostislav Olesz.
John Madden: The non-football-related veteran signed with the Minnesota Wild but retired in 2012.
Jordan Hendry: After suffering a significant injury in the 2010-2011 season, Hendry signed with the Anaheim Ducks but has since remained in the AHL.******
Adam Burish: After winning the Cup, Burish signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent. He now plays for the San Jose Sharks.
Colin Fraser: The center was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft a the conclusion of the Stanley Cup win. The Oilers then traded Fraser along with a seventh-round draft pick in the 2012 draft to the Los Angeles Kings in 2011 for veteran Ryan Smyth. Despite my initial outrage at this deal, the Kings won the Cup (so Fraser's second) in 2012, so all is forgiven, because I know Dean Lombardi really cares.
Nick Boyton: The veteran was claimed off waivers by the Flyers in 2011 but has since retired.
Cristobal Huet: Unable to find a position in the NHL, he went to play overseas following the Stanley Cup win.

The Youngsters:
Andrew Shaw: The 139th overall pick of the 2011 draft.
Brandon Saad: The 43rd overall pick of the 2011 draft.
Marcus Kruger: The 149th overall pick of the 2009 draft.
Nick Leddy: The 16th pick overall in the 2009 draft by the Minnesota Wild. In 2010, the Wild traded Kim Johnsson and the rights to Leddy for Cam Barker.
Brandon Bollig: An undrafted player who provides a physical aspect to the Blackhawk's game.

Scoring:
-Bryan Bickell had one point in 2010 but has sky-rocketed in production this postseason with thirteen points already
-Marian Hossa notched fifteen points in the last Cup run and already has fourteen before this series begins.
-The top three in points in 2010 were Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Patrick Sharp. This year the top three in points are Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, and Patrick Kane. Despite the changes that this club has undergone, the core has remained intact and on top.

Impressive (but Useless) Factoids:
-Patrick Kane is the only Chicago Blackhawk to have scored a goal on Tukka Rask. It was during the 2009-2010 season.
-Daniel Carcillo last played in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010 with the Philadelphia Flyers against the Blackhawks. This will be his second appearance in four years, and if Chicago wins, he will have one win in two tries.
-Ray Emery was the goaltender in the Stanley Cup Finals for the Ottawa Senators in 2007. With a Stanley Cup win, he will be one for two.
-Marian Hossa has made four Stanley Cup appearances in the last six years. He first made it to the Finals in 2008 with the Pittsburgh Penguins who lost to the Detroit Red Wings. In 2009, he played for the Detroit Red Wings who lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Finally, in 2010, after three consecutive years, Hossa finally hoisted the Cup with the Blackhawks. If Chicago win again, he will be two for four.
-Although the Los Angeles Kings will not be vying for a back-to-back win, assistant coach Jamie Kompon is. After winning it all with the Kings last season, he will be back at it this year.

Preview of the Matchup
The Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks present a matchup of a team of bigger, tougher, and slightly older players against a group of faster, puck-dazzling, slightly younger players. If Chicago can set the fast-skating pace that they love, I think the Bruins might be a glide too slow to keep up. However, the Bruins can deliver some hard hits that can definitely slow the game down. The Blackhawks also have to watch out if Zdeno Chara decides to snipe because we have all seen his All-Star slap shot clocking in at 108.8 mph. Ouch! I think Tukka Rask might be the better goaltender of the two, but I don't see Corey Crawford having a meltdown to become a Tomas Vokoun or a Marc-Andre Fleury, no offense. Rask will have the tougher task of stopping the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and, surprisingly, Bryan Bickell. I am interested to see if Patrice Bergeron will entice one of the Blackhawks to a taste of his hand.******* Both the United Center, where the Blackhawks play, and the TD Bank Garden, where the Bruins play, can be very intimidating places to play. Stealing a road game is going to be difficult. I think the Blackhawks will win Game One because it will be the opening to the series in their house. Game 2 will be all that more important because if the Bruins can steal the second game, I'm not sure if the Blackhawks can steal one at the Garden. I give a slight edge to the Bruins but slightly. Can't wait for Wednesday night for game one!!!

*Orginal Six: Considered the first six teams that made up the NHL. These teams include the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens (yes, I spelled that correctly), New York Rangers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

**The President's Trophy is awarded to the team with the best regular season record in the NHL.

***The first incident involved Tim Thomas posting on his FaceBook page that he had declined to make the traditional White House trip the Stanley Cup winning team makes because he did not believe that the government was leading the country in the right direction. This spurred a lot of discussion as to whether this was professional or not and why he even posted that particular statement in the first place. The second incident involved his posting that he was in agreement with the values of the owners of Chick-fil-A who did not support gay marriage. This was interesting because of the close affiliation between the NHL and the YouCanPlay Project, an advocacy group for gay and LGBT athletes. And of course, this spurred numerous conversations on whether people were pro- or anti-chicken sandwiches. In both cases, the Boston Bruins issued statements that they did not support his statements and that it should not reflect the team's beliefs. I believe there were also some reprimands for Thomas's little rants.

****On September 7, 2011, the airplane transporting the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) crashed. There were no survivors. The team included several former NHL players. It is one of the great tragedies in sports history.

*****The Vezina Trophy is given to the goaltender who plays the position best in the league. It is named after Georges Vezina.

******The American Hockey League, the minor league affiliate of the NHL.

*******In Game One of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks, Patrice Bergeron of the Bruins engaged in an altercation with Alexandre Burrows. The two exchanged words, and at one point, Bergeron put his hand up to the face of Burrows. Bergeron claims that Burrows intentionally bit him, while Burrows defends that the bite was more incidental contact because of the situation. The NHL did not suspend Burrows for the incident because they could not cite intention, and he was allowed to continue the series.

A Few Notes on Round Two of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs

2013-05-14T01:20:00.004-07:00

I am so excited as the NHL heads into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. This year's match-ups are quite intriguing. There are two sets of Original Six match-ups, two California power houses, and rhyming teams.

Western Conference

1. Chicago Blackhawks v. 7. Detroit Red Wings
Here is the Original Six match-up for the Western Conference who are also division rivals. The Chicago Blackhawks dominated the league as not only won the President's Trophy but they also did not allow a single regulation loss in twenty-four games, a first in NHL history. They appear to be the team to beat in the West, and until the Pittsburgh Penguins had their trade deadline frenzy, most experts were already giving the Cup to Chicago. With the offensive power this team has coupled with Crawford's solid performances in net, they will be a very difficult team to beat. All I know is that Marian Hossa was probably praying for Detroit to win because he did not want to be seeing Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks, after what happened last year which also coincidentally was in round two...

Detroit has had its struggles throughout the season, and this team is not the usual stronghold that we are used to since the losses of Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom. However, what the Wings have going for them is that they still have the veterans like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Todd Bertuzzi to name a few who have the experience and talent to help this team win. And if goaltender Jimmy Howard can keep top form, the Wings will make the Blackhawks work to get those wins. Almost all the experts had the Anaheim Ducks wiping the floor with Detroit but when that didn't happen and Detroit won game seven at the Pond, Detroit has its mojo going while the Hawks have been sitting around for a week. Yes, mojo is the technical term.

I would also like to point out that these two teams will be seeing a lot less of each other with realignment in effect for next season. Chicago and Detroit will no longer be in the same division and will only meet twice in the regular season but do have potential for post-season match-ups. These two teams have a long history together, and as an NHL fan, it is bittersweet to see these two battle out far less during the season. I realize that the playoffs are what truly make a rivalry, but the regular season drama is also a lot of fun.

5. Los Angeles Kings v. 6. San Jose Sharks
Here is another pair of division rivals, but they will continue to remain in the same division even when realignment takes effect. What is interesting here is that California hockey is becoming an NHL power house. This year all three California teams (Anaheim Ducks also made the post-season) made the cut-off, which incidentally is the same number of Canadian teams that made it as well. However, as we enter round two, only one Canadian team, the Ottawa Senators remains.

These two teams last faced each other in the 2011 post-season in which the Sharks beat the Kings in four games to two in the first round. Both teams have changed remarkably since then, and notably Los Angeles has won the Stanley Cup. These two teams always battle it out, and I would not be surprised if this goes the full seven games. They are often split the season and go 3-3 in their series, but the playoffs are always different. San Jose is coming off a huge series in which they swept the Vancouver Canucks, but the Kings also won their last four games in their series against the St. Louis Blues. Both teams have excellent goaltenders. Antti Niemi of the Sharks has been superb and is a Vezina finalist this year, and Jonathan Quick was the Conn Smythe winner last year with the Kings. The Kings have had some offensive woes in their series against the Blues, but St. Louis is also a complete shut-down defense which may account for that. However, if the Kings cannot find their offensive swagger, the Sharks will easily defeat them. I fully expect Kyle Clifford of the Kings throw-down with Raffi Torres of the Sharks during this series and will be completely disappointed if this does not happen.

Eastern Conference

1. Pittsburgh Penguins v. 7. Ottawa Senators
Just like the Western Conference, we see another one seed playing the seventh seed. This is the rhyming match-up. The Pens versus the Sens. I'm going to be brutally honest here. I am not a huge fan of the Senators, so I am not that familiar with the team. I think Pittsburgh will win this series, but I also believe that they have to win this series. After making the moves to acquire Jussi Jokinen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Douglas Murray of the San Jose Sharks, Brenden Morrow of the Dallas Stars, and Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames, the Pens absolutely have to make it to the finals in order to even begin to think that all that work at the trade deadline was worth it. I am pretty sure heads will roll in the Penguins organization if the Sens take them down. So, I'm sorry Canada, but this is probably not going to be your year... again...

However, the Penguins are going to have to work to beat the Senators. There has been some issue with goaltending as Marc-Andre Fleury has not been what he was when the Penguins last won the Cup in 2009. In fact, head coach Dan Bylsma pulled him in favor of Tomas Vokoun during the last series and is expected to start against Ottawa. However, Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson described how his complex approach to outwitting Vokoun, "You've almost got to make him think that you think that I think what he thinks." If he can do that, Alfie is the smartest hockey player out there, hands down. Despite my doubts in the talent of Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, he has been stellar. I always thought of him as an average goaltender, but something clicked for him when he was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Ottawa Senators (oddly enough Brian Elliott who was the other player in that trade also went on to outplay his contract). When Anderson faced the New York Rangers in the playoffs last year, I thought he elevated his game because he was up against Henrik Lundqvist, last year's Vezina winner. It is almost like in tennis when you play someone who is better than you. You feed off of his or her level of play and begin to elevate your own game. So I thought Anderson was a bit of a flash in the pan, but he has been able to surprise. If he can continue to keep in his top form, despite Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla, James Neal, and company, the Senators have more than a fighting chance.

4. Boston Bruins v. 6. New York Rangers
Here is the other Original Six match-up. I am not entirely sure what to expect. If the Rangers can carry the momentum from their series agains the Washington Capitals, this will probably be over pretty quickly. However, the Rangers sometimes seem to lose motivation when it counts the most and the Boston Bruins will capitalize, and this series could be going to a game seven. Both of these teams have had game sevens in their last series that took place Monday night (5/13), so neither team has the benefit of extra rest. However, the Boston Bruins will not be able to leave Toronto until Tuesday morning, so they have the slightest disadvantage of not being able to get back to work as quickly as the New York Rangers. I do not think that this is a huge problem in terms of preparation or any real disadvantage, but it could possibly be a mental block for the players. I believe this series will be physical and nasty. The Mighty Bs play a tough game, but head coach John Tortorella prides himself on making the Rangers a team of grinders, and no, he isn't making a lunch order. The Rangers have slightly more pressure to win because of the acquisitions of Rick Nash, Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard, and Derek Dorsett. I cannot wait for this series to start! By the way, welcome back to the playoffs Rick Nash!

2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Vancouver Canucks v. San Jose Sharks

2013-04-29T22:03:00.001-07:00

This is probably one of the more exciting match-ups in the Western Conference. These two teams do not like each other, and fans on both sides bring the heat. I expect this series to go maybe six or seven games to determine the winner. I believe that this will be a high-scoring, physical, fast-paced series. Canucks may be the higher seeded team ranked at number three, but the Sharks are no slouch in the six spot. Both teams have a physical game and powerful offense. They also have the top goaltenders in the league.

One thing to watch for is if goaltender Roberto Luongo starts the series, the Sharks will need to capitalize on his usual cold start. The past two playoff seasons, Luongo has started in the first round against the Blackhawks and Kings. For whatever reason, he doesn't perform at his top level, but he can recover to elite shape that could power the Canucks through the rest of the series if not the playoffs. The Sharks will need to pounce and score early and often, which sounds obvious, but starting hot will probably be key especially because the Canucks also have a very solid second option in Cory Schneider. Not to mention, I believe that Alain Vigneault, Vancouver's head coach, is not afraid to make the switch at net when he needs to.

For Sharks fans, this match-up is probably more favorable because they avoid playing the St. Louis Blues who seem to know exactly how to dismantle the team. Sharks fans should also be delighted in the trade-deadline acquisition of Raffi Torres. Losing Ryan Clowe may not have been ideal because he usually brings that physical presence, but Torres will fill that void. I maintain that while he has made his mark for the team, he probably will not be a long-term solution to replacing Clowe. I expect Wilson to find a player who may have a bit more offensive prowess than Torres does but still have the aggressiveness that Clowe had. Of course, Wilson made the right decision to trade away Clowe because for whatever reason, things were no longer working in San Jose. I would like to see the Sharks get a player on par with a Brandon Prust, Ryan O'Reilly, Steve Downey, or Ryan Malone level. I'm not sure what the contract situations are for those players, but I think those players or those types of players will be targeted during summer's free agency. But back to Raffi, he may have a little more fight in him (if that is possible) to be going against his former team. I think he will be out there doing what he does best, and I think this gives the edge that Sharks need.

I would also like to add that if the Sharks do beat the Canucks in the first round, I fully expect to see Vancouver fire Vigneault. I think he is an excellent coach, but this would be the team's second consecutive first round loss. The Canucks have an intense urgency to bring the Stanley Cup home because Canadians are insane about hockey, and there is going to be pressure to make changes in order to make this happen. After the Canucks won the President's Trophy last season and lost to the lowly eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings (not to mention only winning one game in that series), there were rumors that Vigneault would have been fired then. I speculate that he kept his job for two reasons. The first being that the Kings won the Cup in an incredible fashion. I am not sure that the Canucks lost that series because of his coaching rather than the Kings seemed to find a way to steam-roll every team and go one to only lose four games in the entire post-season to go 16-4. Second, Vancouver was far too concerned with what to do with Luongo. They spent whatever time that was not dedicated to ending the lockout to trying to find a team who would be willing to take on the goaltender's massive contract. The team was geared to promote Schneider to the number one spot, and I would guess that to make the transition smoother for him, they would keep the only head coach he had ever known in his pro career. Of course, Vancouver still has both Luongo and Schneider, and I'm not sure anybody really knows who clearly has the edge in that competition. What is apparent is that if the Canucks lose to the Sharks, Vigneault is not going to keep his job. However, he will probably find a job very quickly and will not be unemployed for long.

Super Bowl XLVII Cheat Sheet

2013-01-30T01:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time again! Yep, break out the chicken wings, pizza, and beer. For those of you who like Beyonce (who may or may not lip synch) and those multi-million dollar commercials, there is a football game going on in between all that. Maybe you've missed most of the season or haven't had the time or interest to follow the NFL, but you've been invited to a big Super Bowl party. Here is a guide that will help you participate in conversations instead of pretending that you can't share your opinion because the buffalo wings are just too delicious. This is for guys who have been too busy with work to know what the sports experts (I mean actual experts and am most certainly not including myself in this category) are discussing. Girls who want to impress that really cute guy they like or surprise their boyfriend with some sports knowledge can read this and add a couple of zingers. Maybe you're stuck going to an office Super Bowl party and have no idea what to say. Read this and you might be able to join a conversation or at least nod or shake your head and not just because it seems to be the appropriate social gesture.

The Basics

Let's start with the basics. The Super Bowl is always on Sunday, hence the name Super Bowl Sunday. It might surprise some people, but I have met people who didn't know that football, in general, took place on Sunday. (Of course, there are games on Mondays, as in Monday Night Football, and sometimes on Thursdays and Saturdays, but you don't have to know this for the Super Bowl cheat sheet.) This year the game is taking place in New Orleans at the Merecedes-Benz SuperDome (a dome so indoor football), home of the New Orleans Saints. Although the location of the Super Bowl is selected about four year in advance, no team has ever played in its home stadium. In other words, no team has had home field advantage, though it is a possibility. So in case you were wondering, no the Saints are not playing in the Super Bowl. Rather, the San Francisco 49ers will be playing the Baltimore Ravens.

The HarBowl, Super Baugh, and Bro Bowl
The biggest story circling this particular Super Bowl is that this is the first time in NFL history that two brothers have coached the two competing teams. John Harbaugh is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and younger brother Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. This has ensued such nicknames as the HarBowl, Super Baugh, and Bro Bowl, so if you have heard these terms before but weren't sure what they meant, now you know. There will probably be a lot of talk about the brothers throughout the broadcast of the game, and you should also know that their father, Jack, was also a NFL head coach. Their mother's name is Jackie, so I guess they really love "J" names.

3 Things to Know about the 49ers
1. Colin Kaepernick (#7): Although Alex Smith began the 2012-2013 season as the number one quarterback, he was sidelined after a concussion sustained in Week 10 against the St. Louis Rams. It was then that Jim Harbaugh decided to put in Colin Kaepernick and never looked back. Since then, the offense has been making plays that it probably would not have been attempting with Smith at the helm. If you want to read a bit more about the controversial switch at quarterback, you can read my previous blog: http://thesportingajenda.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-tale-of-two-quarterbacks-smith-or.html. (Like how I self-promote? :) Without getting into too much detail, you can agree that it sucks for Smith to have brought the team to this point only to be injured and no longer a vital part of the team (let's face at this point he's a high-priced bench warmer). You should also know that no is outraged at the switch because the Kaepernick era has been amazing (they are in the Super Bowl), and he is so popular that his jerseys have outsold any other jersey in the entire NFL.

2. The Defense
The 49ers have one of the best defenses in the league. Until Harbaugh, the organization had a defensive-minded coach to help groom this into the beast it has become. Watch for these players to sack Joe Flacco (the quarterback of the Ravens), force fumbles and interceptions, and stop the Ravens offense in their tracks. This is something good to chime in on because a lot of people will be talking about the 49ers offense. You can say something like, "Don't forget that the offense can't do anything without that shutdown defense." It's okay that you don't totally know what it means, but others will be impressed or at least seriously consider your input.

3. David Akers (#2): David Akers had been one of the top kickers in the NFL in the 2011-2012 season, but he had a bit of a drop-off this past season. Before the post-season, the 49ers brought in another kicker, Billy Cundiff, to possibly replace Akers. From time to time, at least on local Bay Area radio, there has been controversy at kicker. If you hear this, just angrily state, "You know they're KICKERS, right?" Then walk off in dramatic fashion. This is such a non-story. Yes, the Super Bowl could come down to a field goal, but the truth is the game should never have to come down to that. If you're going to win a game, you should do it outright. The Stanley Cup is not won in a shootout, so the Super Bowl should not be won by a field goal.

3 People to Know on the Baltimore Ravens
1. Ray Lewis (#52): Ray Lewis is perhaps one of the best linebackers of all time and almost assuredly a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. Before the post-season, Lewis announced to his team and to the world that he would be retiring at the end of this season. The timing of his declaration could not have come at a better time. Lewis had been sidelined for the majority of the season due to injury, and the team squeaked into the playoffs. When he made his retirement known, the team rallied around behind him to make sure he would be playing in what will be his last Super Bowl. This has been a great motivator for the team to give it their all for their teammate who has meant so much to not only the organization but also to the sport of football.

However, the latest story to break during Super Bowl media week, is a controversial one. Sports Illustrated reported that Ray Lewis had been linked to using deer-antler spray, a performance-enhancing drug (PED), that is banned by the NFL among other pro sports organizations. Apparently there is a particular type of deer that has antlers that grows faster than anything else on earth (okay, slight exaggeration), and it carries a hormone that allows for this growth. Scientists have extracted the hormone to put it in a spray for athletes to use to advance healing and increase strength. It's okay if you don't understand the whole story because it is completely bizarre. All you really need to know is that Lewis has been accused of using a strange PED which he denies having used.

2. Ray Rice (#27): It will not be hard to spot Ray Rice on the field because he is a small running back. In fact, during the season Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt was heard taunting, "I've had burritos bigger than you." I'm not really sure where Watt gets his burritos, but I would think Chipotle or some chain is getting that in ad campaign. Rice may be the smallest guy on the field, but he is FAST!!! He is one of the best running backs in the league and knows how to use his stature to his advantage. The 49ers defense are going to have to concentrate on shutting this guy down to win.

3. Joe Flacco (#5): Joe Flacco is the quarterback of the Ravens. He's not the impressive quarterback in the league, and many thought he was ludicrous to make salary demands a year or two ago. His agent was stating that Flacco was a top five quarterback, but almost any NFL expert would disagree. However, if Flacco wins this Super Bowl, he may be getting that huge pay day he has been wanting. Further, he may change how he is viewed in the league. I would argue that rings do not automatically make a quarterback better, especially because the Ravens also have one of the best defenses in the league and could very well win the game not by what Flacco does as much as what the defense does. I'm not saying that I would dismiss Flacco, but I'm skeptical that he would all of a sudden be so much better after a Super Bowl win. If you see someone who gets high on Flacco, you can always remind them that David Carr has a ring and Dan Marino doesn't.

So here is your cheat sheet to the Super Bowl! San Francisco 49ers are taking on the Baltimore Ravens down in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz SuperDome. The Harbaughs are the first brothers to be coaching opposing teams in the championship game. You got to know a bit of each team. Just remember what's really important, hockey is back! Sorry, I couldn't resist. So print this out and pass them around to your friends. Have fun everyone! If you have more questions or want to share your stories of success, you can always tweet me @SportingAJenda or email me at thesportingajenda@gmail.com.

San Jose Sharks: the Quest for the Cup

2013-01-25T00:32:00.002-08:00

For the home opener for the San Jose Sharks (January 24, 2013 because I'm going to forget the date months from now), my favorite local sports radio station, 95.7 the Game, sent the fantastic duo of Chris Townsend and Ric Bucher to do their afternoon show from the Tank. During their interviews with some of the Sharks media, they posed a very interesting question: "Is the window for the Sharks to win the Stanley Cup closing?" At first, I felt like yelling, "Absolutely, yes!" However, I was wearing my headphones and within listening distance of other people, so I refrained. As I listened to play-by-play man Randy Hahn and radio broadcaster Dan Rusanowski, I realized that it was a little more complex.

I believe the answer to the query is both yes and no. Hahn and Rusanowski both felt that the window of opportunity to win the Cup was not closing because the Sharks have a new core of young players emerging. This is precisely true. Youngsters like Logan Couture, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, and Antti Niemi are the players who will keep that window open. All of these players have proven talent and will most likely be the veteran core of the future. As Hahn and Rusanowski pointed out, it would be counter-productive to rebuild the team. The Sharks have not exhausted their options through free agency and do not have collect first-round draft picks the way Belichick hoards cut-off hoodies the way the Oilers did. They have a future already put in place. The best part is that the goaltender is young and has won a Stanley Cup. He knows how to step up his game and live up to the moment. Not to mention both offense and defense has rising stars. Unlike the Detroit Red Wings who lost Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Stuart within the last few years (not to mention Holmstrom on offense), the Sharks have Pickles and Chewbacca on Ice (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/brent-burns-hilariously-terrifying-nhl-headshot-now-more-071245013--nhl.html) who will be able to step up when it comes time for Boyle to retire. The Sharks have positioned themselves well in order to extend the window of opportunity to bring Sir Stanley's Cup to San Jose for the first time.

However, I do believe that the Sharks organization is hoping to close in on that elusive prize in the near future. When San Jose refrained from any big, splashy free agents during the 2012 offseason (besides their pursuit of Rick Nash, which was a no-go since the asking price was Logan Couture), they acquired Adam Burish from the Dallas Stars. While he is more of a third or fourth line skater, he brings a more aggressive game, which seems to be the trend in the NHL and especially in the Pacific Division. When Vancouver was pompous enough to trade Cody Hodgson for Zack Kassian of the Buffalo Sabres, this sent a clear message. The Canucks, sitting on top of the league, was trading a young, talented goalscorer for a gritty player with heart. The team with the best record felt that the way to keep winning is to get more pesty. Buffalo later added Steve Ott to the team, another pesty player who can find the back of the net. Looking at the Western Conference Finals between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings, both in the Pacific Division, proved that scoring and a shut-down defense were not enough to win it all. Teams needed to have that nasty edge, that aggressive play to win. There doesn't need to be more fights, but a team has to show a physical dominance, not allowing the opposition to push it around. Dustin Brown, the captain of the Los Angeles Kings, contributes on offense but does not rank in the elite goal scorers, but he often leads the leagues in hits. Ryane Clowe is that type of a player for the Sharks. He can score and is not afraid to get in the other team's face. Adam Burish is a great acquisition for San Jose because outside of Clowe and Douglas Murray, they didn't have a lot of players with an edge. More recently, the signing of Scott Gomez is further proof that the Sharks are serious about making those changes in the third and fourth line to make a run at the Cup. Adding these physical players may give them more of an edge when they meet rivals like the LA Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, or Vancouver Canucks.

While these acquisitions are more like the icing on the cake to make a serious run at the Cup, what really helps the Sharks is that they are able to keep that core. Consistency within the top lines and key players has been part of the formula of their success. They have been able to keep Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Ryane Clowe, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and Dan Boyle. These are stellar players who have tremendous talent and know how to play together. Unlike the Flyers or Rangers who seem to continue to make rather large changes to their roster in an effort to improve the team (which does and does not pay off at times or at least to the extent they project it will), the Sharks use that familiarity among the top scorers to their advantage. By keeping these key players together, San Jose creates this great synergy that translates into usually long runs in the playoffs.

Because the Sharks are addressing short-term and long-term needs in their quest for the Cup, fans should be proud their organization is one of the few in the NHL making solid decisions on both fronts. San Jose has been furthering their efforts to attain the Cup within the next few years, but they are not sacrificing their ability to contend for years to come.

The Tale of Two Quarterbacks: Smith or Kaepernick?

2012-11-28T01:28:00.002-08:00

If you have not heard, the 49ers are in a quarterback conundrum. When starting quarterback Alex Smith suffered a concussion in week ten in the game against the Rams, he was sidelined for the following two weeks. In his place, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers' 2011 draft pick, stepped up and won tough games against the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. As we enter into week thirteen of the NFL season and Alex Smith is now cleared to play, everyone wants to know: Who will be the starting quarterback for the 49ers?

In my opinion, I do not think there is any other answer than Colin Kaepernick. I am not saying this because he is definitively the better quarterback or that he was earned the right to start. What I see is that the 49ers are presented with and taking advantage of a unique opportunity. When Smith went down with the concussion, it allowed an opening for the team to explore what they have with Kaepernick. Concussions are tricky injuries, and depending on the player and the severity of the injury, there is more or less pressure to see him return to the field. Earlier in the season, 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley suffered a concussion in a rather brutal hit during the Sunday game against the New York Giants but was cleared to play for the Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks. Although Staley had the go-ahead from the doctors to play, some were left wondering how it was possible, or even advisable, on a short week? Staley is a big part of the offensive line and is not easily replaceable (if at all), and there would likely be more pressure for him to perform in the next game. In no way am I making a statement that something insidious was going on, but I am pointing out that it has not been common for players to return after so short a time. When it became clear that Smith was continuing to suffer concussion-like symptoms in the days following the hit, Colin Kaepernick got the nod and seized his opportunity. He had a solid performance that indicated he had the potential to make plays that Alex Smith cannot. I think John Harris of the Overnight Takeover on Yahoo Sports Radio says it best, "Kaepernick can give the 49ers different... and is the type of quarterback who can give defenses nightmares." He was able to utilize Vernon Davis and make some deep throws that Alex Smith just cannot do. When you watched him play, you could see that he has the promise of being a dynamic quarterback. He had been sitting on the sidelines because Harbaugh was still developing his talents and Smith had earned the right to be the number one guy. However, Alex's injury is allowing the 49ers to continue seeing what Kaepernick can do, and what's more is that if things start to sour, Harbaugh can always go back to Smith. The way he can present it to the media is that they decided to "ride the hot hand" who had been Kaepernick but is not any more. What the 49ers have going for them is that they have a great record and playoff birth. If Kaepernick bombs out a game or two, things will probably not change a whole lot for them. They may not clinch the seed that they had wanted, but they are still going to make the playoffs. I think it would be much harder to go the other way. If you go back to Smith but he is not able to perform, there will be far more backlash to then switch to Kaepernick.

The 49ers have to take this opportunity because when Kaepernick was their second-round pick in 2011, it became clear that Alex was probably not going to be the quarterback in the long run. The feeling was that since it would be first-year head coach's first pick of the draft and his being a quarterback guru, this was a significant sign that Jim Harbaugh knew there was something special about that young man. This is the time to see where he is in his development because no matter how he looks in practice, there is absolutely no way to see how he performs in game situations except in, well, game situations. It seems like he is ready, but we've only seen two games. Starting this season allows the 49ers the ability to evaluate Kaepernick and how they intend to make roster decisions going forward.

And yes, this really sucks for Alex Smith. San Francisco has not been a friendly place for him. Although he never lived up to the expectations, fans have never embraced him. The team struggled for many years with him at the helm, but it was not entirely his fault as shown when Harbaugh was hired as head coach. Smith had been with several head coaches and offensive coordinators. It is not so simple to learn new play books all the time, and it was never clear that they all played to Smith's strengths. However, under Harbaugh, something clicked and Smith was able to perform well. He was not the type of quarterback that was going to impress you with incredible arm strength or anything like that, but he knew how to not make those fatal mistakes to get those wins. It was only last season that Alex Smith took the 49ers to the NFC Championship game. Henry Wofford on 95.7 The Game argued that Harbaugh should show some loyalty to Smith because of what he was able to do last year and his 6-2-1 record this season. Wofford has a point, but the NFL is not about being loyal to a guy. If it were, Peyton Manning would probably still be with the Colts. The NFL is about winning games, and Kaepernick is doing just that right now. Wofford also pointed out that it is not fair that an injury can just stunt your career so bluntly. He's right. It is unfair. That's why you get your guaranteed money and hope for the best. It's sad but true.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to make an announcement very soon about the status of the head quarterback. I think he'll be naming Colin Kaepernick as the starting quarterback.

The Halloween Hockey League: Zombies vs. Vampires

2012-10-31T02:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Since this is a holiday that celebrates the ghoulish and there is a lockout, I created my own NHL Halloween league. I read somewhere that the ancient Greeks believed that redheads would become vampires, and that reminded me that during the 2012 All-Star Game, the Red Team (Team Alfie) created the Ginger Line. As I thought about it, there are a surprising number of redheads, gingers, or Day Walkers as Cartman calls them, in the NHL. In fact, you can fill an entire roster if you really try (some players may not be true gingers but have at least a reddish tinge to their hair). Here is what Team Vampire would look like:

Left Wing Center Right Wing
Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Daniel Alfredsson
Scott Hartnell Eric Staal Claude Giroux
Tomas Fleischmann Nicklas Backstrom Johan Franzen
Raffi Torres Jeff Halpern Danny Cleary

Defense Goalies
Brian Campbell Duncan Keith Jimmy Howard
Christian Ehrhoff Marc Staal Cory Schneider
Kimmo Timonen Matt Greene James Reimer
Bryan Allen Mike Commodore

This is a very talented team with several Stanley Cup winners and All-Stars. There are many goal-scorers, some play-makers, and scrappers. The defense has both defenseman who can score and those who are non-stat guys that can block shots and turn the puck over. The goalies are even talented. Jimmy Howard is an All-Star, and Cory Schneider is a promising franchise goaltender. Even Reimer has shown some potential. This is a complete team that would be hard to beat.

But what rival could take on this undead team? Well, Team Zombie will, of course! A zombie is described as an animated corpse. While this isn't a zombie team in the traditional sense, this is a group that has missed considerable time due to concussion issues or plain-old horrific injuries. In the NHL, what else can be closer to being dead and coming back to life than a brain injury? Here is what Team Zombie would look like:

Left Wing Center Right Wing

Simon Gagne Sidney Crosby Nathan Horton

David Perron Jonathan Toews Colby Armstrong

Guillaume Latendresse Pierre-Marc Bouchard Matt D'Agostini

Max Pacioretty Jochen Hecht Jay Beagle

Defense Goalies

Kris Letang John-Michael Liles Ryan Miller

Michael Sauer Joni Pitkanen Rick DiPietro

Keith Ballard Steve Montador

Mike Mattau Radek Martinek

Team Zombie features the NHL's Christ-child Sidney Crosby, which will probably lead to my being struck down by lightning, but it is undeniable that he is one of the players who has lost significant playing time due to concussion issues. The team does have some stars in Horton, Toews, Gagne, Letang, Liles, and Miller. However, unlike Team Vampire, they lack the star power throughout the roster. Although when the injury reports were released which inspired jokes that it basically named an All-Star team, Team Zombie clearly does not.

If Team Vampire and Team Zombie were to face off, I would expect a 6-4 win for Team Zombie. I think Crosby would have a great game and get a couple goals and a few assists. However, the Sedin twins would probably give Miller and the defense a hard time. Hartnell and Letang might drop the gloves at some points. After all, the Vampire-Zombie rivalry would be the new Philly-Pitt rivalry. While the goaltenders will make some unbelievable saves, I think Miller would have his hands full with the Vampire roster. The lack in depth would be the fatal flaw of Team Zombie, but it will stay close and the last goals might even be an empty-netter in an attempt to force overtime. And with that, have a happy and safe Halloween!

Trick or Treat: Sports Pranks

2012-10-30T01:07:00.005-07:00

Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat! If you don't, I don't care. I'll pull down your underwear! In the spirit of Halloween, I have compiled a list of sports pranks. A very special thank you to @KevinJ42, Peter in California, and Mark in California for their submissions! Oh, and as far as I know, everyone still has their underwear and there were no stinky feet.

Baseball:

@KevinJ42 submits the hidden ball trick. This is a prank in which the third baseman pretends to hand ball to pitcher, but instead, he conceals it in his glove and tries to tag out the third base runner as he walks back to the base.

Basketball:

Peter in California submits that Chris Cohen pranked the Warriors for about fifteen years.

Mark in California submits a prank that Charles Barkley pulled on Manute Bol. Charles shows him several food items that are under silver covers. As Bol removes each one to see the food, he finds one with a teammate who frightens him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwc6Sdlhp9A&feature=player_embedded

College Football:

I remember hearing this story on a tour of Harvard. This is probably one of the more famous college football pranks of all time. During the big game against Yale, some Yale students mixed up the Harvard tiles to spell, “We Suck.”

Football:

During the Chicago Bears training camp, Charles “Peanut” Tillman put Rex Grossman on a dolly and wrapped toilet paper around him. He ran around the field screaming that Hannibal Lector was out. This is the story that first endeared Tillman in my heart.

Hockey:

While with the Vancouver Canucks, Brad “May Day” May with his teammates tormented Matt Cooke. One day Cooke showed up what has been described as what might be the ugliest sweater ever known to man, and the guys took to teasing him a good bit. While Cooke was busy putting on his equipment, May took the sweater out of the locker, and with the help of some of the guys, they taped his number on the back of the sweater and put it up in the rafters. When Cooke came out to the ice, the guys started looking up to try to get him to see what they had done. As he realized what he was looking at, May Day turned to him and said, “Well, your number may never be retired, but that sweater is!”

Brad May went through his teammates’ pants pockets to retrieve their keys while the guys finished practice. He took all the keys off the rings and dumped them in a shoe box. As the guys began to leave the rink to get into their cars, they would stop to reach for their keys. Once they realized that they were gone, the players headed back to the locker room. No one was too happy that they had to find their keys amongst everyone else’s keys. Despite the fact that May put his own keys in the box, he was ratted out and the guys plotted their revenge. At the time, MayDay was driving a BMW convertible. It was a nice day in Vancouver, so he had driven with the top open. The guys had purchased those large tins of popcorn you can usually find during the holidays and filled the car with it. When May went to his car after practice, he had to play it cool as a few teammates were hiding in the bushes trying to get his reaction on camera.

Perhaps one of the most storied pranks is that of Taro Tsujimoto. In the 1974 NHL draft, GM Punch Imlach of the Buffalo Sabres became tired of the long and laborious process of telephoning draft picks and decided to have a little fun. With his 11th round draft pick, Imlach chose Taro Tsujimoto of the Tokyo Katanas. Once the draft had finished, the NHL recorded the pick and printed media guides as usual. However, Imlach did not admit to his prank until training camp was about to begin. There was no Tokyo Katanas and no Taro Tsujimoto. The NHL was not so happy about this, but Buffalo Sabres fans have kept the legend of Tsujimoto alive throughout the years.

I can’t find who the pranksters were now that I’m trying to find them, but there is one LA Kings prank I remember well. Two Kings players decided to prank Brad Richardson after a game. For all games, players are required to wear suits and nice dress shoes. The pranksters took his shoes out of his locker and cut off the bottoms, not completely so that he could put on the shoes and take a few steps before the bottoms would fall out. They waited just outside the locker room, and they were puzzled as Richardson strolled out... with his shoes. From inside, they heard a loud, “What the---?!” from inside. When they realized it was a fuming Wayne Simmonds, the pranksters laid low and ran. I think they mistook Simmonds’s #17 for Richardson’s #15 which were probably right next to each other.

If you would like to contribute, please use the comment box below, tweet me at @SportingAJenda, or email me at thesportingajenda@gmail.com. Thank you for reading and have a happy Halloween!

A New Home for BobbyLu?

2012-10-22T01:16:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, I saw a blurb that Roberto Luongo might be headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This isn't the first time that this rumor has floated around, but the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers also seem to be in the mix this time. There are some things I like, but there are a lot of things I just don't understand about this move. Maybe I should start with what I do know.

There is absolutely no way that Roberto Luongo can return to the Vancouver Canucks for whenever this lockout ends. Well, they may take him for half a season, but unless he wins the Cup, he will not be returning for the next full season (and even at that it's probably iffy). Why do I say that? No matter the team, the goalie is almost always the player carrying the brunt of criticism when teams lose. There is no difference here. When the Canucks are losing, fans are quick to criticize Luongo's play. And part of that stems from the fact that he carries a huge contract. He still has ten years left on his twelve-year contract with a $5.33 million cap hit. The expectations that come with a contract like that are huge, and in Canada, forget it. The Canucks are expecting to win the Cup, and when they appeared but lost in the Finals in 2011, a lot of fans blamed Luongo. And this past season, when they lost in the first round to the eight-seed Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver fans were calling for his head. To be honest, losing to the Bruins in the Finals was not all Luongo's fault. That team played like they were running out of steam, and it very well could have been because the Western Conference is far more competitive than the Eastern Conference. But there are no excuses, you have to be playing your best hockey when it comes to the playoffs. The Canucks that year just weren't playing as well, and the Bruins were on top of their game. This past year, they entered into the playoffs without one of their best forwards, Daniel Sedin. Luongo was pulled from this series, but I'm not sure that if he was playing at the top of his game that the Canucks still would have won the Cup or even that series. I say this mostly because of the absence of Daniel Sedin, but Kevin Bieksa also wasn't contributing in the way that he usually does. But also, the Kings kicked into high gear and went on a historic run to win the Cup. However, what happened, happened, and the team began reconsidering the value of the Alain Vigneault and Roberto Luongo. When the team extended A.V.'s contract, attention turned to the goaltender yet again, despite the fact that he has a no-trade clause. But the way that the city reacted to the disappointing playoff run, it became more and more clear that BobbyLu was no longer welcome in Vancouver.

Enter Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a struggling team. It should be noted that the struggles aren't just on the ice; they also have some monetary constraints and have had to be creative when it came to making trades and free agents. With Luongo's contract, I'm not entirely sure how this will work, but I'm guessing if the rumors are true that the organization has approached Mike Gillis, then they must have some sort of plan. They have made great improvements over the last few years, but they still haven't been able to make the playoffs despite the promises of Brian Burke. One of their weaknesses is at the goaltender position. They had been rotating between James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson, but neither of them are truly a star goaltender. I think that Reimer shows promise, but I don't know if he will ever be elite. When the team traded Gustavsson to the Jets (Winnipeg not the Tebow ones), it became clear that the Leafs would be in the hunt for a goaltender. It would make a lot of sense that the Canucks are looking to unload one while the Leafs are trying to acquire one. But does Toronto make a lot of sense for Luongo? This is where I struggle. The Leafs are not a Cup-contending team, even if he does go there. Right now, I think they are concentrating on getting into the playoffs more than anything else. But again, he would be playing for a Canadian team who have now made this big trade to acquire him in an effort to inevitable make a run at the Cup. The pressure is huge again. However, I read an article on the Yahoo! Puck Daddy blog by Greg Wyshyski (article here: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/roberto-luongo-maple-leafs-denials-details-probable-destination-161401448--nhl.html) that points out Luongo could legitimately put the Leafs into the Cup race and that he would be a "savior" of the team rather than a scapegoat. I can see this as a possible scenario, but I'm struggling to accept this as a likely one. I think it will boil down to what the Leafs are going to have to give up in order to acquire the goalie. I believe that Luongo will put the Leafs in the hunt for a seed in the playoffs, but for a trade of this magnitude, I would think you would want a little more. In the Eastern Conference right now, the eighth seed is not going to be enough to make a deep run into the playoffs. If this trade does happen, it will be extremely interesting to see how this team does.

The Florida Panthers are also in the mix. BobbyLu did spend some time with the franchise before Vancouver, so there is some familiarity there. The Panthers made a lot of roster changes and produced a great team that secured a playoff spot for the first time in twelve years. Like the Maple Leafs, this team is not without its financial problems, as they have had to fire their mascot, but this team has already made significant strides to make playoff runs. One of their weaknesses is at goaltender, which makes this trade intriguing, but it is unclear whether they would like to take a veteran or look to their developing prospects. I would think that Luongo might be more interested in the Panthers because they have a stronger team that has already produced results, and he won't have to deal with the intense Candian media and fan scrutiny. But I think it's really a question of how interested the organization is in the goaltender.

Now, here is where things stop making sense. The Edmonton Oilers have expressed interest in BobbyLu. This is the youngest team in the league and has made every effort in developing a team that is not only young but also talented. The aim is to create a team that can make the playoffs for many many years and contend for the Cup. When the lockout ends, the Oilers may be presenting the first line of consecutive number one picks in Taylor Hall (2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), and Nail Yakupov (2012). The only reason they wouldn't be debuting Yakupov is if they apply the same philosophy that they did with Nugent-Hopkins and wait to see him in training camp to decide if he is ready to play at the NHL level. It was revealed in an episode of Oil Change that Steve Tambellini was willing to put Nugent-Hopkins in the AHL or juniors until he was ready. He did not want to interfere with the player's development. This is an organization that clearly has every intention in getting the most from their draft picks (which have been high because they're horrible) and have faith in the farm system. While they have been awaiting Devan Dubnyk to be that franchise goalie they would like him to be, they have put Nikolai Khabibulin in net. If the Oilers acquired Luongo, they would be severing ties with either Dubnyk or Khabibulin. Let's say they drop Dubnyk, then the team has two veteran goalies, which isn't the end of the world, but unless they are getting something more valuable by moving Dubnyk, it's probably not the direction that the Oilers are trying to go. Like I said, they've been trying to go younger. So if they drop Khabibulin, we're looking at a Luongo-Dubnyk tandem. The problem is this is that they will be in the same conundrum as Vancouver. Luongo is a big contract, so you're going to have to start him. But Dubnyk is a young potential star, if he begins to shine like the Oilers think he will, then you're going to want to eventually start him since he is younger. As a long-term plan, you'll want to go with Dubnyk. However, with the money you had spent on Luongo, you're not going to want him on the bench counting towards the cap, but it'll be even harder to move him since he's older now. I find this rumor to be the least believable, but from what I understand, the Oilers were just interested in hearing some numbers to assess value. It was a sniff, so to speak. However, I still don't understand it for the above explanation.

And the last thing I don't really understand is the timing. Well, that's not entirely true, I get it but I don't get it. Right now, we're looking at a lockout in which owners want to shorten contracts and bring down the ceiling on how much players earn. BobbyLu has a TEN-year contract, which was drafted up by the owners in the first place. I understand that this deal was made a couple years ago and that what's done is done, but if we are to go forward, why is this contract being circulated now? Obviously, there wasn't enough interest before the lockout started, and I am guessing that that is because owners didn't want to take a large contract before the new CBA was in place (though that didn't stop some). But right as owners are trying not to honor the large contracts signed just before the lockout, this Luongo rumor is going around. I don't understand that. I know he can't stay in Vancouver, but why isn't this deal hammered out once the CBA is agreed upon and the money issues are settled? It's not as though the season is about to start in a few days.

How To Spot a Fake Giants Fan or How To Avoid Looking like One

2012-10-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

For this blog, I decided to do something a little different. I am not a big baseball fan, but I have listened to enough sports radio to follow what is going on in the league, especially with the home teams (San Francisco and Oakland). What I've noticed is that all of a sudden people you know who were never interested in sports, suddenly become big fans of teams. Well, I've decided to create a truth detector to allow you to figure out if the person you're talking to is a real or fake fan. Of course, I could not do this alone. I enlisted the help of Matthew (@figslee on Twitter) who has been a San Francisco Giants fan since in the womb. A special thank you to him for collaborating with me on this guide.

It's October. The most exciting time of the year, if you're a baseball fan. It's time to put all regular season stats and match ups aside and begin the tournament that crowns the World Series Champions. It's the playoffs and when the playoffs arrive, it is inevitable that people all of a sudden become "die-hard" fans of the hometown team. True fans of the team bemoan this as the bandwagoners seem to grow in numbers. After the Giants won the World Series in 2010, fans, new and old, flocked to the stadium. After a disappointing season in 2011 in which they failed to make the playoffs, some returned to only paying attention to when the playoffs came around this year. First it should be pointed out that aside from the core pitching staff, a lot of key changes have occurred for the Giants. Namely the fact that only two starting position players, Buster Posey and Pablo "Panda" Sandoval (just to remind you why you bought that panda hat), remain from that 2010 World Series winning team. So here are a few tips to help you spot the bandwagon fans and how to avoid looking like one.

1. Brian Wilson is not an active player. The 2010 World Series introduced the world to Brian Wilson, arguably one of the best closers in baseball. But what really held people's attention is a playoff beard that inspired the slogan, "Fear the Beard." This 2012 playoff, there will be no beard. In April, Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery and has not played since. Thus, not mentioning this player or wondering why the Giants aren't putting him in is probably a good idea. Please leave your Beard shirts at home, thank you.

2. The other memorable character of the 2010 World Series is Tim Lincecum, the Freak. After signing a two-year, $40 million contract and turning down a five-year, $100 million contract before the beginning of the 2012 season, Timmy just hasn't lived up to the extremely high standards that he set for himself, for the majority of this season. There were a lot of theories circulating about why he was struggling so much. Maybe it was the money, a curse of the Giants, his losing a ton of weight, or his laying off the weed. However, he bounced back and is looking to return to Freak form after winning a sudden death playoff elimination game four against the Cincinnati Reds. I only mention this, so you avoid saying something like, "Well, he's been doing this all season."

3. Barry Zito doesn't suck anymore. For years after the Giants signed Zito to a mega-contract, the pitcher was never quite able to live up to the expectations that came with it. However, when Lincecum struggled, Zito stepped up his game and helped the team win. Thus, no lamenting about why he's in the lineup. You can trust him.

4. MELKY Caberera played for the Giants, not MIGGY Cabrera. This is an easy mistake to make if you're the casual fan. The two have the same last name and very similar first names. Miggy Cabrera plays for the Detroit Tigers and won the Triple Crown. MELKY is NOT on the Giants roster, as he had been suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs. Just to avoid confusion, you should know this.

5. Andres Torres plays for the Mets now. Yes, a lot of you reading this blog or someone you know bought his jersey and loved him dearly, but the Giants have Angel Pagan patrolling center field now. Matthew would like to for those trying to fill the Torres void to give him a chance because he promises you will love him just as much, if not more. Maybe you can eBay your Torres jersey and buy the Pagan.

6. Jonathan Sanchez, who pitched a no hitter for the Giants against the Padres in 2009, is also no longer with the team. He was a fan favorite, especially for his bold words and great performance on the last day of the season in 2010 to get the team into the playoffs. Don't be surprised if you hear a surly response to your "where is Jonathan Sanchez?" question; he was traded to the Royals for Melky Cabrera (see number 4).

7. Hunter Pence is a new face to the lineup, picked up just before the trade deadline this year from the Phillies. What Pence brings to the team is a big bat to address the problems on offense the team has had. He might look awkward in just about every aspect of his game, but he's a really good baseball player. Maybe you can be the first to suggest the appropriate animal hat for the newest member of the team.

Though some of the faces of the team have changed since the magical 2010 World Series run, this 2012 team has a lot of characters to really cheer for. It is embarrassing to be caught jumping the bandwagon, but this is a guide to help you not break your ankle on the way up. By the same token, this can also help you spot who is trying to pass himself or herself off as a true fan. If you were enthusiastic enough to buy tickets, hopefully this list prepares you in some way to fight off the parking lot jeers and scolding you will receive on your way to true fandom. Welcome to AT&T Park (forgot to mention that's where they play), enjoy the ride.