So we are over one third the way through with the season and teams are settling into place. We've seen several coaches fired (Chicago, Tampa Bay, Carolina) and a few surprises. The Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks seem to be running away with their respective conferences, already each have accumulated over 50 points with at least 50 more to play. The Tampa Bay Lightning are terrible as usual, and no amount of coaching changes are gonna help them, guess its another growing year.
The Hurricanes rehired Maurice after his banishment to Toronto, and they hope this will be the key to making the playoffs three years after they last did (and won the cup). The only problem is that they can't find consistent goal tending and they have a major problem on the bench in the form of no Special Teams management. Once again they're in the bottom third on the PK and PP, and when your also 23rd in the league in Goals per Game, that just won't do.
A pleasant surprise has been the eruption of offense from the New Jersey Devils. After HOF Goalie Martin Brodeur went out on Nov. 1, everyone was counting them out. Almost two months later, they're 9th in Goals per Game and 7th and G/A per Game, sitin pretty at 5th in the Eastern Confrence with at least two games in hand on the rest of the confrence. Could this finally be the deathnells of the trap in Jersey, only Brent Sutter knows...
Thats all fro now, have a Happy Holidays and great New Year everyone!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Winter Meetings
So I know I havn't posted in a while, but oh well, life got in the way you know.
Going on right now is the winter meetings in baseball, where in dark smoke filled rooms, GM's wheel and deal for trades and free agents. So far lets look at some of the teams that need work and what they've done.
New York Yankees: In need of an ace pitcher to reestablish their rotation, so far they've signed C.C. Sabathia to a 161 million dollar deal and further pursuing another $80 million on A.J. Burnett. Reports also say that they may be trading Mmelky Cabrera for Mike Cameron of the Brewers. I think the Stienbrenner brothers are just a little pissed about missing the playoff's last year.
New York Mets: Have traded for Putz and have signed Frankie Rodriguez, effectivly anchoring the eighth and ninth innings, in which they had tons of trouble the last two years. Further reports have stated that the Mets may be pursuing Derek Lowe or Street as well to fill out the rotation.
Dodgers: willing to wait out Manny Ramerize
Braves: pursuing A.J. Burnett as well, though they need more help than just a solid pitcher.
More to come later, those are just the big stories for now, more later.
Before I sign off, I just want to give a big shout out to my favorite pitcher of all time, Greg Maddux. 355 wins. Thats all I have to say, and hope he enjoys retirment as much as I enjoyed watching him, thank you fore everything Mr. Maddux, the game will miss you sorly.
Going on right now is the winter meetings in baseball, where in dark smoke filled rooms, GM's wheel and deal for trades and free agents. So far lets look at some of the teams that need work and what they've done.
New York Yankees: In need of an ace pitcher to reestablish their rotation, so far they've signed C.C. Sabathia to a 161 million dollar deal and further pursuing another $80 million on A.J. Burnett. Reports also say that they may be trading Mmelky Cabrera for Mike Cameron of the Brewers. I think the Stienbrenner brothers are just a little pissed about missing the playoff's last year.
New York Mets: Have traded for Putz and have signed Frankie Rodriguez, effectivly anchoring the eighth and ninth innings, in which they had tons of trouble the last two years. Further reports have stated that the Mets may be pursuing Derek Lowe or Street as well to fill out the rotation.
Dodgers: willing to wait out Manny Ramerize
Braves: pursuing A.J. Burnett as well, though they need more help than just a solid pitcher.
More to come later, those are just the big stories for now, more later.
Before I sign off, I just want to give a big shout out to my favorite pitcher of all time, Greg Maddux. 355 wins. Thats all I have to say, and hope he enjoys retirment as much as I enjoyed watching him, thank you fore everything Mr. Maddux, the game will miss you sorly.
Friday, November 14, 2008
A Game For the Ages
(A great article written by my good friend William Carrigan that I thought deserved some face time and hockey has been a little lacking lately. Enjoy)
It is a clear Tuesday night in mid-November. Two titans come together for a much-anticipated rematch of an epic playoff meeting not too many moons ago. The one team: a well-oiled machine of veteran players and measured rising stars – the undisputed heavy weight champion of the world and large favorite in this prize-fight having stolen one of their challenger’s best players only months before. The other: the youthful challenger still hearing the ring from the final bell of the two’s last meeting fresh in their heads, the sting of that night all too real in their minds. They seek revenge, and they seek it on enemy ground. The stage is set. It is time for war.
The young challengers jump first with a beautiful pass finished with a dazzling display of athleticism to take the lead. The crowd is silent. This is not how they thought it would turn out. It is not long before they are given something to cheer about. Their home warriors show their grit and produce not one, not two, but three unanswered scores. The youthful opponents are visibly shaken. Halfway through the night, the veteran home team has a comfortable two score lead on the seemingly inept squad that had the nerve to challenge their supremacy and they aren’t losing any steam. It looks to be a long trip home for the visitors tonight. They aren’t done. The machine churns out one more. Three scores and time is running short. A minute goes by. The challengers cut into the lead by one. Two minutes. Another cut. Only one score separates the two teams with time to spare. A glimmer of hope! It fades. The machine will not be undone. They score again. Nice try. See you next time. The challengers for some reason keep trying. They make a solid attempt, but the machine’s defenses show no cracks. Well, one. The challengers score with five minutes remaining. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. The defense will not give an inch. Forty-five seconds. Thirty-seconds. It’s not over. With only twenty-three seconds to spare, the challengers make a hail mary attempt that somehow works. The game is tied. The faces on the crowd say simply: You have got to be kidding me.
Overtime. Five minutes on the clock. No one is sitting down. For a few minutes neither team gives way. Just over two minutes remaining. One of the young warrior intercepts one of the machine’s powerful members. Everyone holds their breath. A pass. Only one defender to beat. A prayer. It’s over. The challengers have brought the champions to their knees in spectacular fashion. They have proven that they will not be tossed aside. This year will be different. They are coming for the title they came so close to last year. God save anyone who stands in their way.
When the dust has settled the final score stands:
Pittsburgh Penguins – 7
Detroit Red Wings – 6
The drama and excitement of this game will be hard to top in ANY sport this season, let alone in hockey. And yes, mark my words the Penguins are out for blood. This hockey fan would love nothing more than a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final to grace television this spring. The board is set. The pieces are moving. Who will come out on top? We’ll see.
For now, I could not be more proud of my Penguins.
In case you missed it:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/box
It is a clear Tuesday night in mid-November. Two titans come together for a much-anticipated rematch of an epic playoff meeting not too many moons ago. The one team: a well-oiled machine of veteran players and measured rising stars – the undisputed heavy weight champion of the world and large favorite in this prize-fight having stolen one of their challenger’s best players only months before. The other: the youthful challenger still hearing the ring from the final bell of the two’s last meeting fresh in their heads, the sting of that night all too real in their minds. They seek revenge, and they seek it on enemy ground. The stage is set. It is time for war.
The young challengers jump first with a beautiful pass finished with a dazzling display of athleticism to take the lead. The crowd is silent. This is not how they thought it would turn out. It is not long before they are given something to cheer about. Their home warriors show their grit and produce not one, not two, but three unanswered scores. The youthful opponents are visibly shaken. Halfway through the night, the veteran home team has a comfortable two score lead on the seemingly inept squad that had the nerve to challenge their supremacy and they aren’t losing any steam. It looks to be a long trip home for the visitors tonight. They aren’t done. The machine churns out one more. Three scores and time is running short. A minute goes by. The challengers cut into the lead by one. Two minutes. Another cut. Only one score separates the two teams with time to spare. A glimmer of hope! It fades. The machine will not be undone. They score again. Nice try. See you next time. The challengers for some reason keep trying. They make a solid attempt, but the machine’s defenses show no cracks. Well, one. The challengers score with five minutes remaining. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. The defense will not give an inch. Forty-five seconds. Thirty-seconds. It’s not over. With only twenty-three seconds to spare, the challengers make a hail mary attempt that somehow works. The game is tied. The faces on the crowd say simply: You have got to be kidding me.
Overtime. Five minutes on the clock. No one is sitting down. For a few minutes neither team gives way. Just over two minutes remaining. One of the young warrior intercepts one of the machine’s powerful members. Everyone holds their breath. A pass. Only one defender to beat. A prayer. It’s over. The challengers have brought the champions to their knees in spectacular fashion. They have proven that they will not be tossed aside. This year will be different. They are coming for the title they came so close to last year. God save anyone who stands in their way.When the dust has settled the final score stands:
Pittsburgh Penguins – 7
Detroit Red Wings – 6
The drama and excitement of this game will be hard to top in ANY sport this season, let alone in hockey. And yes, mark my words the Penguins are out for blood. This hockey fan would love nothing more than a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final to grace television this spring. The board is set. The pieces are moving. Who will come out on top? We’ll see.
For now, I could not be more proud of my Penguins.
In case you missed it:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/box
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