A Sports Blog by Ron Rop of the Muskegon Chronicle.noemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:29:23 GMTMovable Type Enterprise 4.29-advance http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/en-usnoA Sports Blog by Ron Rop of the Muskegon Chronicle.noemail@noemail.orghttp://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/10/jacks_slow_starts_troublesome.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:27:09 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1675031You can find statistics on just about anything you want nowadays. Through three games, the Muskegon Lumberjacks have won two, both at home, and lost one on the road....http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/10/time_to_celebrate_lion_fans.htmlcat:Lions footballnoemail@noemail.org (Tom Kendra | The Muskegon Chronicle)Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:48:33 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1628471Hey Detroit Lions fans, here is your chance to celebrate the team's recent preseason championship. It's a Honolulu blue t-shirt and while it doesn't specifically say "Detroit Lions" on it anywhere, it's obviously referring to the worst franchise in the...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/10/gutless_officials_cost_lions.htmlcat:Lions footballnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:52:13 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1596946I need to get a couple of things out in the open right off the bat. * I have been a Detroit Lions fan all my life and they haven't won much of anything during my recollection of Lions' football....http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/09/abdelkader_gaining_foothold_wi.htmlcat:Hockeynoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:05:01 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1465275I headed to Traverse City last weekend intent on watching my son play soccer with the Muskegon Lakers. But a day before I left, I found out Muskegon's Justin Abdelkader would be skating with the Detroit Red Wings prospects in...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/09/its_early_but_lets_break_down_fury_roster.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:00:00 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1436489With the start of the Muskegon Fury's training camp less than a month away, it's a good time to break down the roster. For now, we'll break down the Fury's offense, defense, goaltending, toughness and coaching. Of course, it's early...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/08/us_swimmers_show_their_heart_i.htmlnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:34:44 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1277096I've watched a good share of the Olympics over the weekend. I've seen some great performances already, but I don't know how anything can top the men's 4x100 swimming relay that aired live Sunday night (Monday morning in Beijing). I...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/08/ramsay_right_for_fury.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Fri, 8 Aug 2008 16:26:23 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1269232Some Muskegon Fury fans were calling for the firing of Coach Bruce Ramsay late last season. It didn't happen and it's not going to happen, at least for the time being. Ramsay signed a new contract to remain the Fury's...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/07/baird_family_needs_prayers_dur.htmlnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:52:10 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1240664I have never had the opportunity to meet Jason Baird. He's the tough winger the Fury signed several weeks ago. Thoughts of having a guy come to town who could not only score goals, but wreak havoc on the ice...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/07/its_early_but_fury_on_right_tr.htmlnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 7 Jul 2008 14:58:49 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1154516From what I've seen and what I've heard, the Muskegon Fury are back on track. Last year was a disappointment for the Fury, who lost to the eventual Turner Cup champions in the opening round of the playoffs. But already,...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/06/without.htmlcat:Golfnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:09:41 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1098772I recently got into a discussion with a co-worker regarding the stature of Tiger Woods in professional golf. I contend he's portrayed as being bigger than the game of golf, and with this latest news that he's out for the...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/06/fury_close_to_signing_first_pl.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:12:28 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1062815Muskegon Fury general manager Tim Taylor has been a busy man in the last week or so. He's close to selling his home in the Quad City area, close to buying a new home in the Muskegon area and he's...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/06/thoughts_from_a_great_stanley.htmlcat:Hockeynoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:46:43 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1050271I'm not sure this Stanley Cup series between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins can be labeled an instant classic, but if not, it wasn't far off. With a series pitting the talented, experienced Wings against the talented, youthful...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/06/sleep_not_when_wings_are_battl.htmlcat:Hockeynoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Wed, 4 Jun 2008 02:03:46 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1044627I was a bit groggy when I crawled out of bed Tuesday morning. Triple overtime hockey games that approach 1 a.m. have a way of doing that even to the most diehard Detroit Red Wings fans. Looking back, I really...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/05/wings_in_five_or_six.htmlcat:Hockeynoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 29 May 2008 18:12:41 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.1028908You didn't think for a second the Pittsburgh Penguins were just going to hand over the Stanley Cup did you? The Detroit Red Wings were very impressive in winning the first two games with shutouts over the young and highly...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/05/komets_crowned_champions.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Tue, 13 May 2008 15:13:36 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.974956The Fort Wayne Komets were capable of one more three-game winning streak in the International Hockey League's Turner Cup finals. However, the Komets faced the intense pressure of being down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series to the Port Huron IceHawks,...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/05/port_huron_within_one_win_of_t.htmlnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 8 May 2008 14:18:29 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.961267How about them Port Huron IceHawks? I would never have imagined Port Huron would put itself within one victory of claiming the Turner Cup championship. I thought the series would be over by now, but it would be the Fort...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/05/ramsay_fury_is_my_first_choice.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Thu, 1 May 2008 14:09:39 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.938319Now that Muskegon Fury coach Bruce Ramsay has had a couple of days to collect his thoughts, conduct his exit interviews with his players and finish up a few final details to the season, he's finally had a chance to...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/04/no_rumor_muskegon_remains_pro.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:10:52 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.935170I've heard all the rumors swirling around the Muskegon Fury ... at least I think I have because I've heard a bunch of them. I have no doubt some of the things I heard are true, while others, I'm quite...http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/04/fury_corner_robin_bouchard.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:45:20 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.908520If you weren't playing hockey what would you be doing? I'm not sure. Selling cars, maybe, Or coaching, I don't know. Robin Bouchard Tell us about the first goal you ever scored? It's been so long ago, I don't remember....http://blog.mlive.com/ropsrants/2008/04/let_the_playoffs_begin.htmlcat:Muskegon Lumberjacksnoemail@noemail.org (Ron Rop | The Muskegon Chronicle)Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:44:22 GMTtag:blog.mlive.com,2008:/ropsrants//3297.880550 The Muskegon Fury are heading into the playoffs if rather unfamiliar territory -- as a huge underdog. The schedule looks good, the roster is getting healthier and who knows what could happen? I won't go out on a limb...