Blue Jackets Blues

The Rick Nash saga continues to unfold in Columbus and I can't for the life of me figure out how it will end well. Let's face it, this is a struggling, almost desperate franchise that needs a glimmer of hope and for their star player to ask for a trade is not helpful. But, here's where it gets interesting. Rick Nash had shown his commitment to the organization by signing a long term contract and earning a no trade clause. He, as far as I know, has never gripped or openly ripped the franchise which would be like shooting fish in a barrel the way they've run it of late, and has been a loyal solider (fitting for a blue jacket). From what has been reported the GM Scott Howson went to him and informed him they were going to be undergoing a rebuild and it was at this point that he asked to get out. He never openly approached them for a trade, or so his agent as lead us to believe. And honestly, I can't blame they guy. He's an elite player and has played a total of four playoff games in his career and would have been waiting a while in the very difficult western conference to get back there. Then Howson goes out as says Rick asked them to be traded, which in fairness it true. But did they not force his hand? Did they honestly expect any guy, a competitor would want to sit and wait around for the inept management to try again to piece together a competitive team? The funny thing is with the acquisitions they made of draft picks and a young player in Jack Johnson and the high price they will get for Nash this will likely set them up for future success, assuming they don't bungle this as well...

Done Deal

With the NHL (@NHL) trade deadline now come and gone, with little fanfare on the actual day, we can now focus on the winners and who looks good moving forward. I like the moves both Nashville and Vancouver made getting size and depth for what will likely be a solid cup run. Minor deals for defencemen in Canadian markets like Edmonton and Ottawa also impact the future of these clubs as does the Leafs acquisition of Carter Ashton from Tampa Bay for Keith Aulie, a trade of prospects, we'll see who pans out. This was a relatively quiet day with only 16 trades and no real big names being shipped. Carolina was quiet when many thought they would unload several players and not many others loaded up. Montreal made one trade sending Andrei Kostitsyn to Nashville to join his brother, former Hab Hall Gill and the newly acquired Paul Gaustad whom they got from the Sabres. Calgary stayed put and Winnipeg sent pending UFA Johnny Oduya to Chicago for a pair of draft picks. Detroit traded veteran Mike Commodore to Tampa perhaps to clear out a crowded blue line after acquiring Kyle Quincey last week. The Vancouver deal sending Cody Hodgson to Buffalo was perhaps the most surprising as Zack Kassian is a bigger body so perhaps they simply wanted an upgrade in that department and with the acquisition of Sammy Pahlsson from Columbus have too many up the middle. Columbus didn't pull the trigger on the Rick Nash trade but Scott Howson threw a little chin music his way revealing that he asked to be traded. Not sure to what end this serves, but we'll see how it plays out. The stretch drive is now in full effect and you have to live with what you've got. Not sure the Leafs are happy with their goaltending situation but they'd better hope it's enough for a playoff run. The defending champion Bruins added some depth much as they did last year acquiring Brian Rolston Mike Motteau and Greg Zanon. These are the knid of moves that seemed to have pay off the last number of years, bit we'll only know who really wins in June.

And so it Begins...

Deadline day is here. And while the TV networks have blow this made for TV drama out of proportion in Canada at least, the day becoming almost a national holiday, it is an important day for the league and can impact the fortunes of many teams, sometimes for years to come. A list of key players in the last many years to help their team win the cup include Brad Stuart in Detroit, Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz in Pittsburgh and Mark Recchi and Doug Weight in Carolina. Not huge names, but solid players who contributed to team success. Do you rick trying for the home run and screwing up the chemistry of your group? Conventional wisdom suggests this may not be the way to go as those adding big name players at the deadline haven't fared well historically. While fans may be pushing for a big move, the parody in the league and the fact that so many teams are still in contention for the playoffs may quell and rampant or rushed trades. There are young teams like Columbus and Ottawa planning for the long term and those like San Jose and LA for whom the future is now. Others like Tampa and Washington have underperformed and are looking to shake things up. So now, we wait...

Moneyball?

With the Academy Awards tomorrow night, I figured this was as good a time as any to take a look back at Moneyball which has been nominated for 6 Oscars including best picture. First off highly recommend the film. Secondly, in case you're unaware, it's the story of how Oakland A'S GM Billy Beane had to make the most of his meager budget after losing star players Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen to free agency after the 2001 season. His philosophy was to use complex, highly detailed, statistical analysis to find players over looked by other teams for various reason. The results were an incredible MLB record 20 game win streak and a 2002 AL West Championship. However, the Cinderella run came to a halt at the hands of the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS. They lost to Boston in the ALDS the next year and have only made the playoffs once since losing in the ALCS to the Tigers in 2006 after beating the Twins in the ALDS. Beane was widely praised for this strategy, and even offered the GM position in Boston as this method of running a franchise has been incorporated by many teams since, and written about extensively by people with much greater understanding of mathematics and logic than myself. It was said to be a game changer, a breath of fresh air, but the simple fact is you can't change the fundamental nature of the a game that's been around for over 100 years. The recent success of upper middling market teams like Texas, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and San Francisco goes to show that you don't need to spend like the Yankees, Phillies and Red Sox to win a championship, who spent over half a billion dollars between them last year, though these teams have all won a World Series in the last 5 years. The fact is when San Francisco won their championship in 2010 they didn't have a ton of big name stars by they had a lot of talented players and an incredible pitching staff led by Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. The same can be said for St Louis who had the like of Albert Pujols, arguably the best player in the game, Yadiar Molina (arguably the best catcher) and Chris Carpenter, a former Cy Young winner. The talent was there and they weren't near the bottom of the league in payroll with the exception of the Rays who failed to win the World Series. Baseball is the ultimate numbers game producing stats like the Dominican Republic turns out ball players, but the fact is talent wins and money talks. True you don't need to have the highest payroll in the league to win, but it is tough to compete with the big boys without solid financial backing, just ask the Blue Jays who have been mired in the AL East behind baseballs juggernauts. Money is power in the sense that it will get you the best available players, and while that doesn't guarantee success or team chemistry, it gives you the opportunity to have success and eventually find the right ingredients to win. This is a sad reality of sport in a world where it is now more big business than a game. Teams like the A's and the old Montreal Expos turned out a lot of talent only to see it walk when contracts were up. Early on the A's are described as a farm system for the Yankees who pilfer players like picking out groceries. They can afford to overpay players and do so without a second though to what this might do for franchises struggling financially. It's not a level playing field and for all the great things they accomplished in Oakland, at it's core this movie shows the sad reality of sports in today's world.

Crazy 8

The eighth and final playoff spot in both NHL conferences is up for grabs, and at this point it seems like nobody wants it. The Leafs continue to struggle after dropping a 2-1 decision to San Jose and barring an epic comeback from Tampa Bay will be passed by Winnipeg who are also chasing Florida for the Southeast division lead. Winnipeg could go from 9th to 3rd if the can catch the Panthers. It is also possibly that none of the southwest teams would be any better than 8th but because they won the division would be rewarded with home ice advantage. Any one of these teams could back into the playoffs with those around them playing so lousy. Also in the mix are the Capitals who have far and away the most talent and shouldn't be in this mess. but Dale Hunter finds his team struggling to find consistency and this weekend with games against Montreal Friday and Toronto Saturday will go a long way in determining the fortunes of these teams and what they do come the trade deadline on Monday.

Out West LA made a bold move acquiring Jeff Carter in an effort to propel them into the playoffs. The Coyotes, Stars, Flames and Avalanche are all in the hunt for the last two spots, and don't look know but the Anaheim Ducks are starting to gain momentum reminiscent of last years run into the post season and are right there with them. The amount of parody in the league is great and these races make for an incredibly exciting finish to the season. The fact is one team will have to step up and earn it in the west while in the east it looks like simply the best of a bad lot will be rewarded with a spot in the second season.

Ballin'

So as the NBA approaches the All Star break in Orlando, I figured I'd take a look at the first half of this condensed season, which I know is tiring for players but I do love seeing the highlights night after night. Let's face it, like the MLB (@MLB) the NBA (@NBA) isn't exactly over run with parody and you pretty well know who the contenders and pretenders are before the season tips off. To nobody's great surprise the Bulls and Heat are battling it out for eastern supremacy (even if Lebron eats his spaghetti with a knife and fork...) and likely will be there in the Eastern Finals. Jeremy Lin has provided the story of the year so far, being an Asian, Ivy Leaguer and playing in New York, pick your angel, but it has been a great story and he has helped the Knicks win, but I don't personally believe they are a threat to go too deep in the post season. Out west San Antonio spurred the fans in Portland the other night by resting their aging stars, but let's face it Greg Popovich only has to answer to his organization and resting older guys for games that really matter down the road is what's important, though I don't think it would have killed them to play a little if only for the kids who'd love to seem them in Portland. Also as pointed out on Around The Horn and PTI The last time there was a condensed schedule like this the Spurs won, one of their four championships, so I'll trust Pop know what he's doing. The Lakers find themselves unsure what to do with Pao Gasol to which Kobe Bryant stepped up and defended his teammate saying they needed to end this nonsense. Dwight Howard is still in Orlando, for now but how much longer will that last? And where does he go? The Boston Celtics run seems to have come to a screeching halt as father time has lapped them and then some. And the Oklahoma City Thunder lead by Kevin Durant and Brian Westbrook look like they have a real shot at the west. Steve Nash continues to play well and trade rumors have surrounded him, but hair Canada says he's loyal to the Suns and wants to stay there, though I'd like to see him get a shot at a title as I'm not sure he'll have many left. The Raptors have disappointed but key injuries have definitely had an effect and they are still a young team. On the plus side will likely get another high pick to help Brian Colangleo continue to build for the future.

Spring is in the Air

With spring training just around the corner the baseball world is once again revving up for another run at October (or on occasion November) glory. The Boston Red Sox epic collapse at the end of last season still fresh in everyone's minds, new manager Bobby Valentine will undoubtedly have his hands full with this team, and it will be interesting, and with Valentine always entertaining, to see what happens if this teams struggles. Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and others said that going through that only made them stronger and better prepared to face adversity. We'll soon find out. Elsewhere in the AL east the Blue Jays are hoping to make a serious run for the post season and with a collection of young talent look like a threat to do so. However that will all depend on the play of young prospects like Travis Schneider who is fighting it out with Eric Thames for the last outfield position, and Brett Lawrie who impressed in his short time up last season. The Jays also need solid produciton from Colby Rasmus acquired from St. Louis last season, and Adam Lind in order to be contenders. Alex Anthoplois added to the bullpen which was key but didn't land any big fish so it will be interesting to see what happens in TO this year.

Elsewhere the every entertaining/controversial Manny Ramirez signed a deal with the Oakland A's but will have to sit out the first 50 games to serve his suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The A's are taking a gamble bu at only 500k not a huge financial investment.

AJ. Burnett reported to Pirates camp and we will see what he has left in the tank after his less than stellar time in the Big Apple. New York is still going to be shelling out part of his salary so I'm not sure who has the last laugh on this one...

Time is Ticking

With less than a week to go until the NHL trade deadline there hasn't been much action but speculation nonetheless runs rampant in today's media driven world. The talking heads need something to discuss so they while away the hours trying to poke and prod at every corner, leaving no stone unturned trying to break the news that, so far, isn't coming. With the amount of teams still left in contention for the playoffs it's no wonder so many are reluctant to pull the trigger and officially declare their season over. The new NHL has brought about parody and a hard salary cap. As a result trades are perhaps more difficult to pull off than at any other time in the history of the league. And as for the big names, the old adage is whoever gets the best player wins the trade, so how do you win a trade for the likes of Rick Nash? There are other teams like the Ottawa Senators who have done unexpectedly well this season and according to GM Brian Murray are unwilling to sell the future for short term gain, and with many promising young players, it's no surprise this is the path he's chosen. Other teams like Vancouver, and Philadelphia who are contenders are afraid to change up the teams chemistry because of the detrimental impact it may have at this late a juncture. There are those looking to the future like Edmonton and Columbus who need to either add or completely start over and build up a core of young talent. Fortunately for Oilers fans GM Steve Tambellini has an impressive core of young talent and some chips to trade away to help add perhaps a much needed defenceman. The same cannot be said for GM Scott Howison in Columbus, who has a lot of work ahead of him, assuming he keeps his job. There will no doubt be more pressure at the deadline as the next few games will go a long way to determining who's in it and those who have to face the hard reality of a long summer ahead. Whatever the case let's hope it's worthwhile.

Trade Dealine Heats Up

The NHL (@NHL) trade deadline is approaching quickly and as teams begin to fall out of contention we are seeing the start of the action. So far Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman has been a busy guy trying to add depth to his floundering team. He traded Dominic Moore (a regular occurrence this time of year) to the San Jose Sharks, and mercifully, Pavel Kubina to the Philadelphia Flyers ending the  awkward sort of limbo they had put him in. The Montreal Canadiens unloaded big defenceman Hal Gill to the Nashville Predators for a name familiar to Habs fans in Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a 2nd round pick. Geoffrion is of course the grandson of legendary Hab Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion and Great Grand son of another Hab legend Howie Morenz. Adding Gill gives Nashville even more size on the back end, lots of experience, and a solid penalty killer which they need. If I were in the west I wouldn't over look what this team could do, not simply because of this addition, but because of their overall balance and solid back end, lead by Shea Weber, Ryan Suter (for now) and Pekka Rinne a potential Vezina candidate for goaltender of the year. There will undoubtedly be many more moves as the week moves along but adding depth like this seems to be the way most teams tend to deal with their run to the playoffs as chemistry is so important and moving to many key pieces, even if they are not star players, may cause irreparable damage.

RIP Gary Carter

The passing of Gary Carter today after a battle with cancer is indeed a sad loss for the world of baseball. Carter a Hall of Famer, a World Series champion with the 1986 Mets and the first player to go into the Hall of Fame with a Montreal Expos cap was one of the great catchers of his era and commanded a tremendous amount of respect around the baseball world. 'The Kid" Won three Gold Gloves and best defensive catcher and five Silver Slugger awards for his batting ability. Clearly he had what it took to be a leader both on and off the field and will be missed.

Deadline Deals

Quick note on the upcoming NHL trade deadline. With Rick Nash now the biggest fish out there many of the rumors surround where he will go. Names like Jonathan Bernier in LA have surfaced as possible trade bait and with Luke Schenn being a healthy scratch last night for the Leafs his name continues to be tossed around possibly like to Philadelphia and James Van Rimesdyke. Other notables include Tuommo Ruutu in Carolina and Jeff Carter in Columbus. Brian Burke in Toronto is no stranger to making moves and looks to be active at the deadline with names like Clarke MacArthur and Mikael Grabovski also surfacing. There has been little astion with the dealing 10 days away as many teams as still in contention for playoff spots but look for that to change over the next few days as teams comes to the realization that future plan need be considered.

Colt's Conundrum

The Indianapolis Colts will have to face a rather large conundrum in the coming weeks. That's when Peyton Manning, their franchise quarterback, may be let go before the Colts have to pay him a whopping $28 million dollar bonus which in theory they would use to pay new franchise quarterback Andrew Luck. (Assuming they take him with the first overall pick.) Now, on a personal note I am a big Peyton Manning fan, I think the guy has earned the right to do what he wants and I think that he is still capable of playing in the NFL. That said, this situation is almost tailor made as a succession plan. You have a young promising quarterback that you can use as you move forward as, lets face it, Manning won't be playing much longer even if healthy, and this would set the franchise up for the long term. The  Colts spiral into mediocrity was unexpected to say the least and cost several people including coach Jim Caldwell their jobs. Several veterans like Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne may also be on their way out as Jim Irsay cleans the house the Peyton built. Manning has been a good solider and meant a great deal to this franchise leading them to a Super Bowl Title, but with his uncertain future and potential successor awaiting, is this not the ideal time to part ways? It has been less then amicable in the newspapers and twitter between Manning and Irsay, neither seeming willing to admit that this may in fact be for the best. Irsay owes it to the franchise and its fans to think long term and if Andrew Luck can come in and successfully lead the Colts for the next number of years, isn't that what's for the best? Now, if there was some way to keep Peyton to mentor Andrew this would be ideal, but it seems like that is financial suicide as I'm fairly certain the other players on the team won't work for free. Manning for his part has the opportunity to move on and go to a team that could be a contender instantly if he is playing well. Why is this a bad thing? I know it's difficult to move on, and I can't personally imagine the attachment he has to the city and its fans, but this is what happens in the world of professional sport. The Colts are moving forward and like they say father time is undefeated and so may be the case for Peyton Manning's career waring the horseshoe.

Raps Ripped by Linsanity

Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks continued their run winning their sixth in a row last night in Toronto over the Raptors. Although if you saw the fans erupt with every Lin basket you'd thought you were at MSG. Lin of course saved the best for last and sunk the game winning three pointer with 0.5 seconds left. How else would this one have ended? Mike Dantoni said tongue in cheek afterwards that he's glad it ended that way so it would calm down the Linsanity. Lin struggled early with 5 first half turn overs but had 11 points in the deceive fourth quarter, including the game winner. This story continues to grow and continues to amaze all those who come out to watch. Floyd Mayweather suggested that because Lin is Asian he is getting more attention that perhaps he otherwise might. While I agree this is helping his cause, as he is a curiosity in the NBA as a result, I think it's still not entirely true in the least. Lin is playing point guard in New York where every athlete is scrutinized more heavily than most, and has been leading the team to victories after coming out of seemingly nowhere, with impressive numbers no one else had put up in NBA history in their first five starts. The fact that he is from the Ivy league and one of the few players to get to the NBA from there also adds to his story. Black, White, Red or Green would have nothing to do with it, people love a winner. Michael Smith and Tim Cowlishaw pointed out on Around the Horn that this, in the end is what matters, playing and playing well. This is exactly what he has been doing, and exactly why people have embraced him. No one knows for sure where the story goes from here or what Lin will do for an encore but I know that we'll be watching.

MotorCity Keeps on Motoring

The Red Wings beat the Dallas Stars last night to win their NHL (@NHL) record 21st game in a row at home. This is an impressive feat and shows the kind of talent they have, but I can't help but think that the Flyers of 1976 who won 20 in a row without the aid of the shootout should be considered the true title holder. I know that the Red Wings did nothing wrong under the rules and beat everyone put in front of them, but the Flyers did it the old fashioned way without this shootout gimmick. As pointed out by That's Hockey's Gino Reda, (@GinoReadTSN) the Red Wings streak would have stopped at 12 games without the shootout, it would have been a tie, something the Flyers never did in their streak. Does this diminish Detroit's record? Perhaps. Should there be as asterisks? Maybe. The different rules in different era's often make it hard to compare such feats but the fact is they won these games fair and square and no one can take that away from them. 

Blue Jacket's Dilemma

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a dilemma that extends well past this inept franchise's ability to win hockey games. It in fact may sink the franchise itself if they don't play their cards right. On the plus side, they have a big card to play. That would be Rick Nash. On the downside it looks like he, and his forty plus goal talent, will be playing for someone else in the near future as word came out that he is now available on the open market, for the right price of course. And that price is key to the future of the Columbus franchise. Nash has a no movement clause and has limited the number of teams he's willing to go to to 5 according to insider Bob Mackenzie (@TSNBobmackenzie). This limits the ability of Scott Howison to shop for options an given the ability of Rick Nash substantial payment should be expected. He can't afford to let him go for nothing or very little like in the case of Zedeno Chara or Ilya Kovalchuck. The franchise needs assets for the now and the long term in the exchange for this very talented player in order to be successful going forward. It's unfortunate things have fallen apart so quickly in the buckeye state and Jeff Carter's name, their big summer acquisition has also been rumored to be on the move. He hasn't produced, in fairness he has missed time due to injury, but who could blame him for be unhappy in such a disorganized situation after coming over from cup contending Philadelphia? And what to do with the substantial contract given to James Wisniewski? These players have to either perform better or be moved for ones who can as they are weighing down the ship. Nash has been a good solider and never complained about his situation as the only legitimate star on the team, but one can't help but think a change of scenery may be just the thing to boost him in the midst of a sub par season.

1000 Truly Grand

The night probably couldn't gone better if he scripted it. Two goals and an end to a 7 game losing streak, Chris Phillips had plenty of reasons to celebrate Thursday nights 4-3 victory over the visiting Nashville Predators. Phillips hadn't scored in over severnty games and as pointed out by Dean Brown, his last two goal game was 200 games ago. With his family and friends in attendance Phillips made sure it was a special evening. The Ottawa crowd gave him a standing O as well as Mike Fisher making his return to Scotiabank place, all be it in a losing effort. The big rig drove hard to the net and was rewarded for his efforts, but I'm sure if you asked him, getting the win was what really mattered.

Fisher King returns on Big Rig's Night

Chris Phillips plays his 1000 career game tonight against the Nashville Predators and his old buddy Mike Fisher will be making his Return to the capital. Both are amongst the most popular players to ever don the Sens uniform and both have carried themselves with class while doing so. Fisher was shipped out during the rebuild last season and conspiracy theories aside his wife, country star Carrie Underwood had nothing to do with it, aside from the destination. Phillips was a ufa but resigned with the only team he's ever known. His solid play on the back end has been a constant like few others for the organization and 1000 against the other teams top threats speaks to his dependability. Both of these men are also involved in their communities through various charities and are an example of giving back to those who support you. Phillips drafter 1st overall in 1996 is one if a few remaining players from the Sens run to the cup final in 2007. Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Chris Neil the others. Fisher too was part of that run and when traded Brian Murray said it was one of the most difficult things he's ever had to do. Both men play a gritty style and are team first guys. It seems only fitting that the crowd gets the opportunity to cheer two men who play the game the right way but more importantly live their lives in the same manner.

Reviewing Review

As a former referee I know how difficult it is to make a split second decision on the ice, let alone doing it at a professional level, so I appreciate how difficult the job of an official is. Last night we saw another example of a difficult call that could have gone either way go against Marian Gaborik and the New York Rangers. Gaborik was driving the net late in the game and was 'pushed' in or drove right into Martin Brodeur like a bowling ball, depending on your point of view. This caused a tying goal to be waived off due to a goaltender interference call. Based on his reaction, I think Rangers head coach John Torotrella was of the former opinion. This is one of those calls that as Nick Kypreos (@realKyper) and Daren Millard (@darenmillard) pointed out on hockey central at noon that is subject to human error and part of what makes the game entertaining. It is also a slippery slope if you were to start allowing coaches the ability to challenge these types of calls. It's not like seeing if the puck crossed the line completely or say in the NFL if both feet are in bounds, this is a discretionary call and one to which you'd never get a proper consensus. Personally I've always believed that you should look at the call going against your team from the opposite point of view and base your opinion on how you'd react if it happened the other way around. Say if David Clarkson had plowed into Henrik Lundquvist. The crowd at Madison Square Garden would be calling for his head. This is a fascinating part of the nature of sport and often allows for as many problems as it does excitement. However, by taking the game out of the hands of the officials it may lead to further problems. Officials have the ability to control a game that is getting out of control by sending players off thus nipping the situation in the bud before it gets out of control. They are there to interact with captains and coaches to explain why they made their call, though I'm sure Sens coach Paul Maclean can attest to the fact that this is often not to their liking. Or you hear stories like that of Stephan Auger and Alex Burrows where a ref is out to get a player. They are human and I would never say they aren't subject to this line of thinking, however most of the time at the professional level they do get it right and should be commended for the job they do. That said review is a usefully tool in certain situations and should be utilized for such because giving everything over to a machine just doesn't compute.

Ricky Rides into the Sunset

Long time NFL (@NFL) running back Rick Williams retired yesterday as a member of the Baltimore Ravens where he backed up Ray Rice. Williams, a Heisman trophy winner with Texas, had one of the more interesting career paths of any recent NFL player. He started with the New Orleans Saints out of college, then after a few seasons of mixed success was traded to the Miami Dolphins. He made the pro bowl as a member of the Dolphins and had most of his career success with them. He also was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy after testing positive several times for marijuana, (his career up in smoke) and announced his early retirement from football. He used this time to study holistic medicine and according to him, find himself. After this he spent the 2006 season playing for the Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) of the CFL (@CFL). This was seen as a somewhat controversial move up here as it made the CFL look almost like a vacation spot for those in trouble with the NFL, though I'm sure the league didn't mind the attention. However the CFL now has a rule in place prohibiting such transfers, dubbed the "Ricky Williams Rule'. Ricky returned to the NFL and the Dolphins for several more seasons after this and eventually wound up with Baltimore where he finished his career. Many, like PTI'S (@pti) Mike Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) suggest that Williams never seemed to love the game as much as his coaches perhaps would have like. If you've ever seen an interview with Williams he seems like a very laid back guy, (or perhaps it was just the reefer?) but nonetheless he never came across as a typical football guy. He was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression which perhaps accounted for much of this. He pursued his own interests outside the game and was content to do so. He walked away from the game under his own terms and came back the same way. He rushed for over 10000 career yards and it's been suggested that had he truly focused his talents he may have had a Hall of Fame career, but again this never seemed to interest him. He may go down as an enigma, no one really knowing what makes him tick but he was certainly one of the more intriguing people in the game, if only because he, unlike many others, saw it as simply that.

Second Chances

Brian Elliott will return to Ottawa again tonight and face his old team for the first time. Elliott was of course an All Star this year and was cheered by the local fans when he was drafted by his former captain Daniel Alfredsson. Elliott's play this year certainly garnered him this honor and is something Sens fans had wished they'd seen a lot more of while he was here. Elliott certainly showed flashes of promise in Ottawa but lacked consistency and so was sent to Colorado in the trade for Craig Anderson (@CraigAnderson41) last season. After finishing out the season with the Avs Elliott was let go and found himself searching for work. St. Louis took a chance on him, one that's worked out pretty well so far. This is nothing new for Elliott. He was not highly touted as a young netminder, never being drafted by a junior team, but instead worked his way up through the minor midget ranks playing for the York-Simcoe express. He was then drafted 291st overall by the Sens in 2003, one of the last picks overall, and toiled briefly in the minors before getting brought up in 2007. In between he played hockey not in the CHL but at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lead the Badgers to the NCAA national championship in 2006. He backed up Ray Emery, Pascal Leclair and Martin Gerber at different points in Ottawa, but never solidified himself as a starter. Elliott is clearly not one to quit as his perseverance has lead to a career renaissance this year, as well as a healthy new contract from the Blues. He has microscopic 1.67 GAA and brilliant .938 save percentage, both near or at the top of the league. This is certainly a reflection of playing for a solid team in St. Louis but his individual efforts have not gone unnoticed by those around the league. His own coach Ken Hitchcock has praised his efforts and he has been an NHL three star numerous times this year. As for coming back to Ottawa he was cheered by the fans at the draft, though I wouldn't count on a such a warm reception this evening, and has said he has no hard feeling towards those here. He has moved on and made the most of the opportunity presented to him. He is not a flashy or boastful guy, instead he has just quietly gone about his business on the ice and let his play speak for itself. He is an example of working hard, sticking with what you love to do and why we can all uses second chances.

You Watched What Last Night?

The Super Bowl has come and gone and again fans were treated to another entertaining game. A hard fought win by the NY Giants and Eli Manning now gives the younger Manning brother 2 rings (both against New England) and Tom Brady another long off season to wonder how the hell to beat this guy. There will undoubtedly be millions of blogs and message boards jammed with detailed analysis of the game, (or people threatening to kick someones ass for belittling their precious team) or at least the commercials, but what struck me is despite the fact that the game itself has now obtained legendary status, how many people just genuinely don't care. I was working all day yesterday, (sadly this is not my real job) and in doing so struck up polite conversation as customers would come in. Now I realize Ottawa isn't exactly a football hot bed, we've now lost our CFL (@CFL) team twice, but there seemed to be little or no interest in the game from much of the general population. Even a quick poll of many of my friends would find most couldn't care less. And you know what, maybe they're right. I mean lest face it, the outcome of the game has little bearing on our lives, nothing changes as far as having to get up and go into work today. There is no reward for having known the outcome except perhaps pride in certain social situations, and unless you made a bet on the game you are no worse off monetarily. Those who were invested in it well, I saw their pain first hand and have to say, glad it wasn't me! (Though had the Colts been playing it may have been a different story). After all to reiterate an earlier post, it's only a game. The spectacle that is the Super Bowl has become increasingly more about pop culture with the like of Madonna and CeLo Green gracing the stage at half time (for our viewing pleasure?) Anyway, the commercials have also become an enterprise unto themselves, often more buzzed about then game. This is obviously economics 101 as if you have tens of millions of people watching something, advertising would generally seem like a good idea, however it is another way that the Super Bowl is trying to reach out to the casual or even non sports fan. There is little doubt the ratings for this game would be great as it had two evenly matched teams who lived up to the billing but this doesn't mean it's for everyone. Football is a fairly complicated sport at times and often hard to follow if you don't already do so. Also, and I shudder at the notion, but, not everyone is interested in sports. Yes people have other interests and perhaps spent last night pursuing them. Maybe they listened to music, watched a movie or even went so far as to have a real conversation. Sports is not the do all and end all of things and so, you do have other (not necessarily better) options. Still, if you didn't watch the game, then what did you watch?

Super Sunday!

Let the beer flow and the couch be readied. Super Bowl Sunday is upon us once again. The biggest one day sporting event in North America (perhaps the world) will again have tens of millions tuning in all over the globe to see the penultimate battle for gridiron glory, or, at least the commercials. This highly anticipated rematch between the New England Patriots and New York Giants (who actually play in New Jersey??) is a media dream as it has all the necessary ingredients: big market cities, franchise quarterbacks, a shot at redemption and the added bonus of being in Indianapolis so Peyton Manning can be show on camera, I'll say at least 30 times. This is a battle of a high end offense and a defense performing at it's peak. The memory or Plaxico Burress's game winning TD catch to spoil New England's perfect season in 2008, still fresh in the minds of many of these players and fans, this game sets the hype machine to all new levels of ridiculous. New England is favored by three going into the game and many are saying this makes about as much sense as replacing Tom Brady with John Madden. The Giants defense is playing lights out, they have three quality wide receivers, a decent running game and a quarterback in Eli Manning perhaps playing the best football of his career. and bear in mind he has already beat Tom Brady in a Super Bowl, the only quarterback to do so. They have all the intangibles and yet I can't can shake the sinking feeling that the Golden Boy will somehow find a way to walk out of Luke Oil stadium with another Lombardi Trophy to add to his mantel, (fits right beside his trophy wife). For whatever reason some people's lives just seem too good and, well, Tom Brady's is one of them. There is no reason to believe that he is anything less than a good guy and while as a Colts/Peyton Manning fan his ever success grates on my nerves like fingers on a chalk board, he seems to constantly be able to rise to the occasion. what about 2008 you say? True, he came up short but what has always seem to drive Tom, ever since his days as a backup in Michigan is the doubters, the naysayers, the voices saying you're not good enough. In 2008 he was supposed to win, there was no contest right? The Juggernaut that was the Patriots were a team of destiny. How'd that work out for him? This however is entirely different. Now he has something more to prove, now he is the one people are questioning. And I just have a feeling that like he's done his whole Hall of Fame career, Tom Brady will somehow find a way to once again come out a winner ... Jackass ...

Gagner Greatness

All right, there is no way I could let this one slip through the cracks. Sam Gagner, one of my favorites on an Oilers team full of young talent, had a night to remember, to say the least, against the Chicago Blackhawks last night. He was in on all 8 Oiler goals, (an impressive total on it's own against a solid Hawks team) scoring 4 and assisting on all the others. What makes this feat so remarkable is what he had done previously this season which was, well, nothing really. He had 5 goals and 22 points in the 43 previous games. So, for those who hate doing math, he nearly doubled his goal total for the year and passed a whopping 90 players (more then four full teams worth) in the scoring race. Now the question is, does this speak more to his early season struggles or his abilities? Gagner has always had talent, since his days lighting it up as a junior with Patrick Kane (@88PKane) as a member of the London Knights. He is not a big guy at 5' 11", especially for a center in the western conference, and lets face it, has shown flashes but never truly excelled in the NHL. This outburst was clear evidence of what he was capable of when playing with top end talent like Taylor Hall (@Hallsy04) and  Jordan Eberle (@ebs_14). His 8 points tied an Oilers record held by Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey, (company I guess he doesn't mind) and nobody since Mario Lemieux in 1988 had put up 8 points in a single game. Gagner wasn't even born then!! This is a feat that should be commended and he was rewarded with 1st, 2nd and 3rd star honors in last nights win. So what do you do for an encore? Well, I think he'll be getting every opportunity to do something special tomorrow night against Detroit, though if you betting on whether or not he'd match this performance, I'd take the under.

It's Only a Game

By now many of you have probably heard of the tragedy that occurred the other day in Port Said, Egypt when 74 fans were killed in a riot following a soccer game. Over a thousand others were injured as the stadium devolved into a deplorable scene of complete and utter chaos. The angry spectators rushed the field after the home team Al-Masry upset Egypt's top team, Al-Ahly, based in Cairo. According to CBC many of the dead had injuries caused by knives or blunt instruments, which is tell of the nature of this country. Clearly security is lacking in a nation that has been rattled be civil unrest and many protesters took to the streets ater the game to make their political agenda clear.

Sports has been part of society for hundreds of years, the Olympics with their motto Faster, Stronger, Higher (by which standards I strike out) is meant to be the epitome of the human body. We revere athletes like few others and sports are more than a way of life for many. They have become billion dollar industries, run for profit instead of the love of the game. Fans become obsessed often seemingly dependent on their team. I myself have been guilty of over sensationalizing a sporting event and what it means, living and dying with every pitch, shot or save, mesmerized by the ability of these tremendous athletes. This doesn't mean that we should downgrade the importance of sport, its effect on a nation's pride or it's ability to bring people together, but with that power comes great responsibility. The responsibility of each and ever individual attending a game or cheering at home to remember that when the dust settles and the last whistle blows, it's only a game.

The kind of irrational violence seen in Egypt only serves to show what terrible things we are capable of and in no way should be seen as acceptable. Much like the riots in Vancouver last June, these were people who took things too far and deserve to be punished severely for their actions. It not only taints their nation, but the overall image of the game. Soccer hooligans have become notorious over many decades of rampaging across Europe and Africa and there is no more clear example of what kind of calamity this can cause if left unchecked. The 'beautiful game' is often anything but and has received yet another black eye. Perhaps we are to far removed to truly understand what lead up to these events or the hatred that spawned them, and perhaps sports simply served as the backdrop for much deeper seeded political turmoil, but whatever the case, this is not what sport is meant to be. Sport is meant to be an escape, to be enjoyed in ones leisure time, to be something we play with friends, as after all in the end, it's only a game.

Realigning Realignment?

The NHLPA recently decided to vote against the divisional realignment the NHL had proposed. This was done to accommodate teams in terms of travel and better scheduling start times. Now I didn't think the realignment was perfect, I mean you had Tampa Bay and Florida in the same division as Toronto and Ottawa, close as they are geographically, and Winnipeg would certainly have welcomed some western Canadian rivals but overall I believe the league did as best it could. The real winners were the teams in the central, ie. Detroit, Dallas and Columbus, who will now see more of their games at a more reasonable time. Why teams in the Eastern time zone are in the West is beyond me anyway. This model is much better for markets where the need every opportunity to cater to a dwindling fan base. The players themselves ought to look at the big picture and see that there is not going to be a scenario where everyone is happy. Such is life. And yes the playoff scheme could potentially have teams with more points not making the playoffs because they are in a stronger division but those are the breaks unfortunately. Look at the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks 2011 NFC West 'champions'. The league needs to work with the players carefully on this as the looming threat of another strike hangs like a guillotine over the negotiations. Both sides need to look at the health of the league as a whole. It is only now starting to get back some of the moment before the strike and the game is in good shape with a ton of competition for the playoffs down the stretch drive. Most teams are making money and salaries have stayed at a reasonably high level. Why risk throwing all that away?

Tennis, Anyone (Else?)

The marathon final at the recent Australian Open, won by Novak Djokovic (@DJokerNole) over Rafael Nadal, was certainly one for the ages, some have gone so far as to say the best ever. After almost SIX hours of unbelievable tennis Djokovic came back from being down earlier in the fifth and deciding set and went on to victory. The men's semi finals had all four of the top seeds, (Roger Federrer and Andy Murray the others) and the top two ranked players in the world met in the final. Many would say that, obviously given the quality of the final match, that this is for the best as it provides for stunning entertainment, and that they earned it by battling their way through the tournament. However, it doesn't leave much in the way of competitive balance. Since 2004 only 6 men have won a grand slam title. Three of those men, Roger Federrer, Nadal and Djokovic have combined to win a stunning 30 of the 33 Grand slams in that time. This is mind boggling stuff. An American man hasn't won a major since Andy Roddick won the US Open back in 2003. This is a far cry from the woman's game, who through some strange system had a #1 ranked player in Caroline Wozniacki (@carowozniacki) who, while a very talented player with many career wins, had never won a major tournament. The days of the Williams sister dominating seem to be long past and now the game is wide open. This is great for fans and players as well as the competition is more unpredictable. Since 2004 14 different women have won a major, more than double the men's total. Does this speak to lack of competition on the men's side or simply a few dominant athletes? Or does it speak to the lack of dominant players on the women's side? And if we look at the last few years especially does it point to a growing disinterest in North American players? The Australian Open had no North Americans left in the singles competition after the first few rounds. The game is being played at a higher level than ever and with that those trying to catch up need to put in every conceivable effort to reach the pinnacle of their sport. Whatever the case, as long as the sport is as much fun as many of the recent finals have been, people will watch and we will be entertained.