Sorry for the spotty track record posting over the last two weeks. I'm hip deep in the moral equivalent of tax season at the office, and really haven't had much time to breathe at all, never mind getting a chance to shoehorn some sports blogging into the equation.
So please be patient, as my production is probably going to be a little sporadic until some time in Mid-May.
As always, thanks for your support, and please keep reading Off Wing.
Via James Mirtle, I found this piece from the Ottawa Sun on what the NHL free agent picture might look like soon:
"We could very well see the largest pool of young unrestricted free agent talent on the market in sports history," said Calgary-based agent J.P. Barry, co-managing director of IMG Hockey. "In addition to draft-age players such as (Sidney) Crosby, (Gilbert) Brule, (Mike) Richards and (Jeff) Carter being available, you can add a few hundred other free agents in the prime of their careers to the list of players available to any team. There are less than 300 players under contract for the 2005-06 season."Looking to rebuild? How about Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Jarome Iginla or Dany Heatley? The list of star players in the prime of their careers that may be available is remarkable."
And with the market flooded, a lot of that talent will come very cheap. Tom Benjamin thinks that Steve Moore's suit against Todd Bertuzzi needs to be heard in Canada. I think he's wrong, but I've sent a note to Professor McCann just to check.
As for whether or not Bert deserves to be reinstated into a non-existent league, check out the debate at Sportsfilter.
Jes Golbez lays some wood on Theo.
Click here to relive the 4th quarter of that historic night when Wilt Chamberlain dropped 100 points on the New York Knicks. And should the NBA increase the minimum age to play in the league. Mark Alesia of the Indianpolis Star examines the issue, with some help from my friend Michael McCann. Click here for my take from a few weeks back. And Sports Law Blog has more.
The Jets tell Doug Brien to find work elsewhere. And while I can't fault them for letting Brien go, the real problem on that sad day in Pittsburgh is that the Jets offense kept sputtering just like it had all season long.
Gee, that Mr. Rodriguez sure can play ball. And it figures I took a day off right after Aaron Heilman looped back into geosynchronous orbit.
Did Lenny Dykstra take steroids and bet on baseball? Yes to one, probably not to the other says the Baseball Crank. Be sure to check out this Michael Lewis piece on power hitting. Thanks to David Pinto for the assist.
So that's what happened to Tuffy Rhodes.
Women in the British Open? You can play anywhere you please if you qualify as far as I'm concerned, though I might give Ernie Els thinks so too.
Man U fans are mobilizing again to keep the team from the clutches of Tampa Bay Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer.
Expect the NFL to fight this decision tooth and nail.
Tennis . . . anyone (cricket)?
I'm staying away from the Internet this afternoon, as I don't want to trip over the score of this game. I'm in TiVo land, so please, be respectful.
Dear God, we will watch anything.
Michael Schumacher, foiled again.
Lance Armstrong takes it easy. I don't know why, but something about that doesn't seem right.
Here's another reason to get the MLB Extra Innings package. And to think I was watching the Mets get crushed instead.
Next in the crosshairs:
Hey, didn't you used to date Mandy Moore?
Adrian McPhereson gets another chance. Here's hoping he does something with it.
It's games like this one that helped convince the NBA go to seven game series for all four rounds of the playoffs.
World Cup Aims to Thwart Resale of Tickets. Cue laugh track.
It was another thriller at RFK between United and the Revs on Saturday night. And, once it was all over, I think New England has to be the favorite in the East, despite some weakness on the backline. As for United, their backline is a complete mess, with one defender, David Stokes, seemingly committed to killing goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
I was annoyed when ESPN2 delayed the broadcast of the first MLS match between the Galaxy and CD Chivas USA, in order to make sure the last few picks of the third round of the NFL Draft got on the air. Then I was a little less than annoyed when the Denver Broncos made Maurice Clarett the last pick of that third round.
Here's Phil Mushnick:
A dozen years before Wayne Chrebet, there was Sam Mills. Before Chrebet showed us how far a local kid, a 5-9 free agent from Hofstra, could go by doing the most with the least, Mills, a 5-9 free agent from Montclair St., had already shown us.
I know plenty of folks think Mushnick is a crank, but he's right on this score.
The funniest moment of the draft: Redskins offensive lineman Jon Jansen attempting to convicne the ESPN viewing audience that Washington's selection of Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell didn't undercut the position of incumbent Patrick Ramsey. I say Ramsey better pull off a great Drew Brees imitation, or else he'll be holding a clipboard before the end of next season.
Back in the beginning of 2004, I pointed to an online archive of Bud Light's Real Men of Genius/Real American Heroes radio ads.
And there was much rejoicing in the land. Unfortunately, those old links have since expired, but thanks to Off Wing reader Terry Kean, I can point to this complete, and recently updated, archive. Enjoy.
As a Long Island native, I laughed pretty hard when I heard SUNY-Stony Brook was being put on NCAA probation. I didn't know they even let SUNYs have athletic programs.
Questions are being raised about New York City's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. And as much as I might enjoy the idea of seeing the Olympics in my hometown, I have real fears as to what the final tab will be.
The worst NFL draft in history?
F1 heads to San Marino this weekend, and defending champ Michael Schumacher is in an unfamiliar position.
Fabian Barthez joins the Robbie Alomar fan club.
We must destroy this village in order to save it.
A couple of weeks back, I finished reading The Punch
During Tomjanovich's long rehabilitation, his physician would often tell him, "Don't take poison and expect somebody else to die." It was an admonition to not get caught up in so much hatred of Washington, that he would sabotage his own recovery.
I think Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow ought to keep it in mind, as they play out this bizzare murder/suicide pact that will destroy the NHL.
While I might be giving up the ghost when it comes to the NHL, PJ Swensen is bursting with links -- including this one to Jamie Fitzpatrick. And for more information on how you can actually, you know, watch hockey without the NHL, click here.
Jes Golbez has uncovered a nefarious Yankee plot -- our long-term plan to dominate global hockey by cross-breeding international hockey stars with beautiful American women.
Congratulations to my friend James Mirtle, now a professional journalist.
Good to know I'm not the only one who hates Paul Maguire. Here's Eric Myerson:
But let's hope that the biggest winners will be some nice golf communities in Arizona, where John Madden and Paul Maguire will find some comfy reinforced couches for autumn evenings of televised football.
Whenever I hear Maguire on ESPN's Sunday night telecasts, the words that consistently come to mind are "no value-add."
Mrs. Garciaparra cannot be happy. David Pinto has uncovered some interesting numbers, as is his wont. And, as I anticipated, Aaron Heilman has returned to low-earth orbit.
At Georgetown, everything old is new again -- except a chance to get to the Final Four. And while I wasn't looking, the Wizards made the playoffs.
The New York Jets have acquired the 15th successor to Mickey Shuler. And yes, Johnny Mitchell was just a bad dream.
With the Jets dumping their first round pick, I won't be watching the draft too closely, but Eric C. out in Colorado Springs will be.
Houston, we have a new Nats blog. I was at RFK on Tuesday night, and boy, the stadium is showing every one of its 44 years. What a dump. Thank God I won't be on the hook to pay for a new one.
Am I the only one to find it ironic that the International Olympic Committee is conducting an "ethics" investigation?
As I first discussed back in January, the man behind the Daily Kos has launched his sports blogging company. You can find them all at SportsBlogs Nation. For now, it's all baseball, but Kos promises more sports soon, and I have no reason to doubt him.
ABC's Monday Night Football is history come 2006, when we'll get to say hello to ESPN's Monday Night Football. My buddy Ben Domenech is not happy:
The four letter network wants to be able to put their own poser spin on the MNF franchise. So ABC ditches the yellow jackets and football on broadcast TV on Monday Night so they can show reruns of Desperate Housewives and Lost and stick Stuart Scott and his B.S. in the booth - and that's how a tradition ends.
Phil Miller thinks NBC gets the best part of the deal. Update your bookmarks, Sabernomics has moved.
Shaq is done for the rest of the regular season. Baby Bulls!
Come the Fall, Marcus Vick is going to get his starting job back in Blacksburg.
Next to the milk carton: No Three Putts.
Good luck, Lance. And enjoy that retirement. Here's Ray Ratto:
The Tour de France will be returned to Europe.Oh, we love international events, but our relationship with the Olympics tells us that we like international events with a strongly American flavor to them.
The Tour has been Armstrong's chew toy, but in his absence, it is likely to lose most of its fascination to us. Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx were magnificent champions, as well, but Americans found the event, and the sport, eminently resistible nonetheless.
And we shall again. The Outdoor Life Network is going to do its best with what it has, of course -- the Boston Marathon, for example, or rodeos, or "Avalanche Dogs."
But it won't be the same, not by a long shot. Armstrong takes with him all the casual fans of the most famous bicycle race, and if this hurts the feelings of those who love the sport, well, we are who we are, and that's all who we are, we're Popeye the Sailor Man.
Or something like that.
And Tyler Hamilton's cycling career may be over as well.
Both sides are talking again today in the NHL labor dispute. Steve Ovadia is looking at the problem of replacement players. Jes Golbez repeats: time to free Todd Bertuzzi.
David Pinto is crunching numbers, as is his wont. Chris Needham is questioning Frank Robinson's judgement, something native Montrealer and Off Wing reader Jay Sokoloff did when I visited the city last Fall.
If the race is going to last more than 20 minutes, don't bet against Kenya. And in London, some spectators got an extra surprise at Sunday's marathon.
Zero tolerance comes to Fenway Park. It's a welcome addition, one that they could use over in Italy.
Hold on a second on that Summer Olympics idea for London 2012.
After thinking it over for a few years, my friend Robert George has finally jumped into blogging with Ragged Thots. Be sure to check him out.
Just when you think you know everything about Pat Tillman, you find out something else to make you mourn his passing even more intensely. Share your thoughts with the folks at Sportsfilter.
General von Steingrabber is unhappy again, and just how predictable was that? The Sports Prof has some thoughts. Meanwhile, with a far more meager payroll, the Washington Nationals are in first place.
That's the last time I bash Aaron Heilman. Until the next time. The guy is the second coming of John Pacella, I'm telling you.
Destroy a global investment bank, get a job in Irish Football.
Ethnic Soccer violence in Australia? And this isn't anything new down in Oz.
Does anybody still care about Tennis?
Without the NHL Playoffs, you'll have to settle for Steve Ovadia, who's actually found some encouraging news -- though New Jersey Devil Parick Elias has run into a bit of hard luck.
James Mirtle 1 Larry Brooks 0.
Will Lance Armstrong retire after competing in this year's Tour de France? My guess is yes, and boy does he ever deserve it.
When it comes to getting the 2012 Summer Olympics, London is willing to show a little more leg.
It's been 20 years since an American won the Boston Marathon, but I can't seem to gin up any outrage over it. Time was, it seemed as if Bill Rogers and Alberto Salazar were winning the race every year in the wake of the American boom in distance running. Besides, in sports, I like excellence, and seeing Kenyans win by ever increasing margins is all right by me.
To all my friends in New England, Happy Patriots Day. My friend David Pinto is at Fenway. And so is Chris Lynch (whew, perhaps NSFW).
And finally, here's a tribute to golf writer Dan Jenkins from Houston's Clear Thinkers. Oh, and he's worried about the Astros too.
Tattered Coat has a great two part interview with Salon sportswriter King Kaufman (Part I, Part II).
Technorati tag: sports
Sorry for today's fadeout, as I've been all too busy to have any time for regular posting. However, I do want to pass along some text from a bill that was passed unanimously by the Idaho House of Representatives honoring the creators of the movie,Napoleon Dynamite.
This is an absolute hoot:
WHEREAS, the State of Idaho recognizes the vision, talent and creativity of Jared and Jerusha Hess in the writing and production of "Napoleon Dynamite"; andWHEREAS, the scenic and beautiful City of Preston, County of Franklin and the State of Idaho are experiencing increased tourism and economic growth; and
WHEREAS, filmmaker Jared Hess is a native Idahoan who was educated in the Idaho public school system; and
WHEREAS, the Preston High School administration and staff, particularly the cafeteria staff, have enjoyed notoriety and worldwide attention; and
WHEREAS, tater tots figure prominently in this film thus promoting Idaho's most famous export; and
WHEREAS, the friendship between Napoleon and Pedro has furthered multiethnic relationships; and
WHEREAS, Uncle Rico's football skills are a testament to Idaho athletics; and
WHEREAS, Napoleon's bicycle and Kip's skateboard promote better air quality and carpooling as alternatives to fuel-dependent methods of transportation; and
WHEREAS, Grandma's trip to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes highlights a long-honored Idaho vacation destination;
Read the rest right now. You won't be sorry.
From the Toronto Globe and Mail:
A group demanding that the Stanley Cup be awarded this year filed a claim against the NHL and the trophy's trustees in Ontario Superior Court on Wednesday.Led by Torontonians David Burt and Gard Shelley, the group of recreational hockey players called the Wednesday Nighters wants the court to clarify the terms under which Lord Stanley donated the Cup and how it is to be awarded today.
Thanks to reader Keith Burkhardt for the heads up.
The NHL Playoffs would have started tonight. Grrr. Share a group hug over at Sportsfilter.
I already said I was going to stay away from the MCI Center on June 11th to avoid Mike Tyson's latest comeback. And now that they've scheduled him to fight against a "Great White Hope", I'm just shaking my head. Train wreck indeed.
Then again, maybe there are comedic possibilities.
Coming off the milk carton: PJ Swensen.
Schilling returns triumphant. Are closers becoming less effective? David Pinto ponders the possibilities. And the Baseball Crank is taking a closer look at Baltimore's Brian Roberts and his surprising power surge.
In their last game before Washington's first home opener in 34 years, the Nationals rallied in the top of the ninth to beat the Braves, 4-3. Ball Wonk is soaking it all in.
In the jockey labor war, it's time for some hardball. From the Associated Press:
Jockeys who refuse mounts would face penalties under a contract that a national group may send to thoroughbred owners planning to race at Churchill Downs on Derby weekend.Riders who sign the contract would have to pay their mount's owner 25 percent of the total race purse if they fail to ride for reasons other than injury or illness. The amount would be $500,000 in the case of the $2 million Kentucky Derby.
Adam Vinatieri is staying in New England.
Madness in Milan. Bracing for violence in Turin. I can't thank my greatgrandfather enough for leaving Europe.
The 2005 NFL regular season schedule comes out at 2:00 p.m. U.S. EDT. Get your calendars ready.
UPDATE: Here's that NFL schedule.
NBA Commissioner David Stern wants to raise the minimum draft eligible age for NBA players to be raised to 20, or two years after high school graduation. Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers, who went straight to the Association from high school in the 1996 NBA Draft, thinks the idea is racist:
"As a black guy, you kind of think [race is] the reason why it's coming up."You don't hear about it in baseball or hockey. To say you have to be 20, 21 to get in the league, it's unconstitutional. If I can go to the U.S. Army and fight the war at 18 why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes?" O'Neal said.
The Sports Prof is inclined to agree that there at least seems to be a little paternalism in the proposal -- something I intimated back in 2002:
18. If it was ok for female athletes like Jennifer Capriati, Mary Lou Retton and Sara Hughes to become multi-millionaires before their 18th birthday, there isn't any reason why male athletes under 18 shouldn't be able to do the same.
And when it comes to academic study, my friend Michael McCann blew the top off Stern's scheme with Illegal Defense: The Irrational Economics of Banning High School Players From the NBA Draft, an article that appeared in 2004 in Sports Law Review (NB: Michael, now at the Mississippi College of Law, was part of Maurice Clarett's legal team in his failed effort to crash the NFL Draft.):
[F]rom 1995 to 2003, over 80 percent of drafted high school players became, or will become multi-millionaires by the age of 21, or how they have maximized their earning potential by gaining the ability to become unrestricted free agents -- when as many as 30 teams bid for their services -- by the tender age of 22, when, coincidentally, some of their counterparts will graduate from college and become bound by the nearly non-negotiable rookie salary scale for three to five years.[M]ost players who skip college may earn as much as $100 million more over the course of their careers than if they had done the "smart thing" and earned a college diploma . . . [H]igh school players who enter the NBA Draft are a small, self-selected group, comprised almost entirely of exceptionally talented players. Simply put, for every Korleone Young, there are two or three Kobe Bryants.
In other words, folks, Stern isn't out to help anyone but NBA owners as he creates an artifical ceiling on lifetime earnings for players who are ready to go pro after graduating from high school.
Who else benefits? Why NCAA member institutions, that's who. If Stern gets his way, former high school age draftees will have no choice but to go to American colleges -- as sports agent Dan Tobin said in an interview with me last year, going to Europe to turn pro isn't a serious option for virtually all American high school kids.
And when they go to college, they'll play for free, where the NCAA will leverage this talent in order to make even more money on the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
It's a nice racket, and one that ought to be broken up.
Mental note to self: Stay away from MCI Center on June 11th.
Check out 3Martini's take on my drug of choice.
Chris Lynch had some recent takes on the NHL worth checking out: One on whether or not the Bain Capital bid might still be in play; and another on why he's backing the players in the dispuite with ownership.
Chris Chelios muses about one of his old coaches. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my lumber upon thee. Thanks to Steve Ovadia.
And speaking of Steve, here's what he had to say about seeing Larry Brooks of the New York Post covering a baseball game:
The fact that he's moved off of hockey, if only for a day, seems to indicate that the lockout isn't ending any time soon and no new developments can be expected. When Brooks fell, that was the fat lady singing. If he's not working on hockey down here in the States, then no one is. Love him or hate him, Brooks is the face of the American hockey media. Or he was. When there was hockey.
And if the next season gets wiped out, the NHL's answer to Randy Moss will stay in Russia. Sounds like a fair trade to me.
At the Frozen Four last weekend, ESPN tried out its new rail cam. The Rodent didn't like the way it was used:
I watched a good portion of the Pioneers-Sioux showdown and certain moments gave me motion sickness.Specifically, I'm referring to those neutral zone rushes we observed via the fast-moving (and vibrating) rail-cam, which (at times) became the show rather than a tool to enhance the broadcast.
This is simply another gadget which I can not only do without, but plead for ESPN to stillbear.
And later . . .
When the puck is being advanced through the neutral zone, rail-cam delivers a decidely narrow view of developments. You get no perspective of how many players from each side are on the attack.Is it an odd-man rush?
You cannot tell.
Should the skater have head-manned the puck instead of carrying it towards the blue line himself?
You cannot tell.
He hates it so much, in fact, that he thinks it's a worse idea than Fox's glowing puck. I'm not so sure. While I can understand why he felt ESPN overdid it with its new toy, I generally liked how rail cam's low angle view put you in the center of the action. Perhaps if it was used more selectively, it might actually become more effective.
Let's face facts: televised hockey (especially here in the states) is pretty stale. While the "eye in the sky" view has its advantages, directors need to take more chances closer to the puck to better communicate the speed and violence of the game.
And while there have been notable failures like that glowing puck, I'd rather see the folks in the booth make aggressive mistakes like that instead of the same old stuff.
Labor strife is threatening the Kentucky Derby. As if horse racing didn't have enough problems.
The 1985 version of the LA Lakers just got together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that NBA title. Is it time to move back the 3-point line in college basketball? Join in the debate at Sportsfilter.
Reemer has returned! Rob Visconti to the milk carton!
Tonight here in D.C., my friend Bijan Bayne is taking part in a lecture series celebrating the life and times of Off Wing's number one hero, Jackie Robinson. I'm afraid I can't make it, but if you're in D.C. you ought to check it out.
And finally, Ryan at Distinguished Senators shows how a story about how Nationals Manager Frank Robinson's rejection of Sabermetrics is really about insecure sportswriters.
Sorry, but this performance deserved a post all its own.
I'm still laughing. Trust me on this. And a hearty thank you to all my friends at Sportsfilter.
UPDATE: Sportscasting is hard. Be sure to stick around for "BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!"
Thanks to Capitol Punishment, who's also giving thumbs down to Nationals broadcaster Ron Darling.
While it might be a little off topic, I still feel moved to note that John Tierney's first column as Bill Safire's replacement appeared in the New York Times this morning. The topic: A Dublin-based futures market that's selling contracts on the identity of the next Pope (registration required).
I've been a fan of his for a while now, and the paper's Op Ed page is much improved by his presence.
Here's a video clip (Windows Media Required) some of my Canadian readers might enjoy.
Thanks to Radley Balko for the link.
Here's one ballplayer whose heart and head are in the right place.
Primary assist to Blackfive.
Through TKS at National Review, I found this odd item:
A former pro football player accused of shooting at the compound of Siegfried & Roy wanted to "warn the world" of the threat posed by the illusionists, according to a psychiatric report.The evaluation was performed by psychiatrist Norton Roitman after Cole Ford was charged with firing several shotgun blasts at the Las Vegas home of entertainers Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn.
Ford, 32, a former kicker for the Oakland Raiders, has been ruled incompetent to stand trial and sent to a mental health facility for treatment.
Ford maintained he never intended to harm anyone and his actions were intended to "warn the world of the illusionists' unhealthy danger to them and to animals," according to the report published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Huh? And just when I was wondering what had happened to Ford.
Thanks to reader Nick Sylvain for the reminder.
By now, you've seen the video of what had to be one of the most amazing golf shots in the history of the game -- a chip shot by Tiger Woods on the 16th at Augusta yesterday that essentially saved the tournament for him.
I was live blogging the last few holes yesterday, and my friend Dr. Tom Boyle of CodeBlue Blog left a comment that I think merits some attention:
Tiger's amazing shot has Sir Isaac Newton rolling over in his grave.A body at rest cannot, itself, begin to move. That is impossible.
Tiger's shot came to rest for a full two seconds on the edge of that cup. I watched it ten times on a 50 inch HD plasma screen. That ball was at a dead stop.
There is no way a golf ball can just pick up and start moving again. So what happened?
Watch the tape again. As the ball comes to rest, Tiger and his caddy come clopping across the green to see if the ball is going in...and suddenly the ball starts moving again and drops in the hole.
Earlier I saw a ball that was resting on the green of another hole, pop up a centimeter or two into the air when another ball --driven by an iron -- landed a few feet away from it.
The greens are tight as drum skins, right?
If the vibration from Tiger and his caddy's footfalls did not cause that golf ball to fall into the hole, what did? An insect? A small cavitation of earth at the edge of the hole?
If the vibration of their feet DID cause the ball to fall, is that legal? Can you jump up and down on the green until your ball falls in? I don't know the rules, but I gotta believe that was illegal. And I gotta believe Tiger lost that tournament.
That's a very interesting question, but I think I have the answer in the USGA rulebook that seems to covers this area.
In Rule 16 regarding the putting green, specifically, section 16-2, "Ball Overhanging Hole:"
When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen into the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with his last stroke, and he must add a penalty stroke to his score for the hole; otherwise, there is no penalty under this Rule. (Undue delay
Simply the most amazing clutch golf shot I have ever seen. And it probably wins the tournament for him
Amazing.
UPDATE AT 18: Tiger in the sand and to the right. But DiMarco has a tough chip of his own . . . Stay tuned.
TIGER OUT OF THE SAND . . . And within 10 feet of the cup. And DiMarco hits the flag stick on a shot that could have won the tournament or forced a playoff! Unreal! Tiger putting for the tournament.
AND . . . It's a miss! DiMarco will have a shot at a tie. Unnghh!
IT'S In THE HOLE!!! We've got playoff golf at the Masters!!!!! They'll turn in their scorecards and start again from 18. Whew!!!
ON DiMARCO's SECOND SHOT . . . He puts the ball in the same spot as he did the first time around, while Tiger puts his approach within 10 feet of the hole. Looks like it might be over quick, and that incredible shot on 16 is the difference in the tournament.
DiMARCO's THIRD SHOT . . . Was within a foot, and he finishes the first sudden death hole with a 4. Tiger putting for the win again.
AND IT's OVER!!!! Green jacket number four for Tiger Woods in one of the most memorable Masters ever. Oh my!
It's raining at the Masters. The current tee time is set for 1:30 p.m. U.S. EDT.
As reader Marc Hoff reminded me this morning, we may not have playoff hockey this Spring, but we do have the NCAA Frozen Four. Denver and Colorado College take to the ice in Columbus, Ohio at 2:00 p.m. U.S. EDT, while Minnesota and North Dakota get the prime time exposure tonight at 7:00 p.m. Both games are on ESPN2. The Final will be on ESPN on Saturday night. Click here for ESPN.com's Frozen Four coverage.
One piece of good NHL news: The league met with a group of goaltenders to discuss some potential rule changes concerning equipment and goal size. As far as I'm concerned, anything that forces goalies like Garth Snow and J.S. Giguere to slim down without compromising safety is fine by me. Today, the GMs will stay in Detroit to talk amongst themselves. Thanks to Jim grabbing some shifts at Hockeybird for the pointer.
Tom Benjamin says it's time for the NHL to clarify Todd Bertuzzi's status. A few weeks back, I said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had no reason to move on Bertuzzi until the CBA situation was settled, and I still believe that.
By the time Bertuzzi does return, there won't be any doubt that his punishment was lengthy enough. Now, is Bettman in part playing to the American media by following this strategy? No doubt that he is. Is that completely fair to Bertuzzi? Maybe not, but Bettman is concerned about the league as a whole first and foremost, and its interests are best served by delaying a decision as long as is reasonably possible.
D.C. United isn't crazy about the condition of the field at RFK, and neither are their fans:
At halftime, someone found a way to express apparent dissatisfaction with baseball's intrusion into the stadium where United has been the main tenant. The words "D.C. Unite" were written during halftime on the padded home run fence in the 380-foot power alley in what would be right-center field. Workers spent much of the second half scrubbing away the words.
Mike Tice will only be fined for scalping some Super Bowl tickets -- which is bad news for Vikings fans looking for any way to get him shipped out of town.
Bo goes to court, but libel law is stacked against him. Phil Miller is wondering whether Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is one of the last of a dying breed. David Pinto checks in on some youngsters in Oakland, and likes what he sees so far. For another Oakland fix, check out the latest edition to All Baseball, Straight A's.
Kaley Davis is wondering about the Mets pitching staff:
The box score offers a charitable record of most of the relievers' work. But only Roberto Hernandez looked decent live. Mike Matthews did retire slugger Adam Dunn with a single pitch while the bases were loaded. That was nice. But Manny Aybar looked positively AAAA out there in the 5th even though no one scored. Mister Koo looked a little better with his adorable Rockette-ish high stepping delivery in random use, bit he was not terribly consistent.And then there was Mike DeJean. Bottom of the eighth: walk, fielder's choice, walk, hit batsman, grand slam. Cincinnati 9, New York 3. He's not supposed to be Eric Gagne out there. But he isn't supposed to be Gopher McHitmehard either.
In the course of this particular debacle, Randolph warmed up and spent five of the team's seven relievers just fourteen hours before the start of the next game. A game which, by the by, will be started by wild thing Kaz Ishii. Hopefully Ishii has been sufficiently Petersonized to pitch into the seventh or eighth. I'm not expecting it, though. I'm expecting to spend all kinds of quality time with Felix Heredia on the mound. Joy of joys.
In response to another reader inquiry, yes, Larry "Chipper" Jones is certainly a Met-killer. My previous list was by no means definitive. I should have also added Mike Schmidt, Willie Stargell and Carl Pavano. Feel free to send me some more.
And finally, Distinguished Senators is hosting an open thread on today's Nationals game with the Phillies. Stop by and say hello.
UPDATE: While Martha Burk might not be in Augusta, she's still trying to make hay from her 15 minutes of fame. Tom Kirkendall has the details.
Start the week with the NCAA Men's Basketball Final . . . Cruise into MLB's Opening Day . . . And close out Sunday with the back nine at Augusta. It's one of the best sports weeks of the year.
My pick for Augusta: Tiger.
The Nats get win number one -- and Brad Wilkerson was the hero. Too bad the game wasn't on television.
Somebody cut Mariano Rivera a break. The Yankees have been riding the guy for the better part of a decade, and now Yankee fans are booing after a pair of blown saves?
Now joining Mike Krukow, John Rocker and Pat Burrell in the Met-Killer Hall of Fame: Joe Randa.
Get your MLB payrolls here!
Without the Nationals on local TV, I watched D.C. United tie UNAM Pumas 1-1 on Fox Soccer Channel. It was fun, but it wasn't playoff hockey.
20 years after Heysel, but some aren't willing to forget:
A collection of extended middle fingers showed what some in the Juve section thought of the hand of friendship proffered by Liverpool FC, and their supporters. A wall of turned backs said everything about their contempt for this great effort at reconciliation. Hate has an eloquence of its own, and it proved powerful enough to persuade the Italian newspapers that something had to be said about the conduct of a minority who, worryingly, will only swell in numbers at the Stadio Delle Alpi next week.
Nelson Mandela is backing London's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Great, but we could have used you last week in Zimbabwe.
I'll second this emotion. It's a long time coming.
Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona was taken to Cornell Medical Center this morning after reporting some "stiffness" in his chest. As always, Boston Dirt Dogs is on the case.
Dodger Thoughts has snagged an interview with LA GM Paul DePodesta. Thanks to Futility Infielder for the link.
Television rating for Opening Day were anemic here in Washington, which can't come as much of a surprise after Peter Angelos did his level best to keep the Nationals off of television altogether. For those of you outside the area, the current Nationals television contract only covers 76 games on a UHF station here in Washington. The remainder are the joint property of the Mid Atlantic Sports Network controlled by Angelos -- a package that as of yet has no cable outlet.
Such a deal.
On the golf course early this Spring (along with the members of the NHLPA): Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers. I guess Rudy T. knew what he was doing when he walked away (ditto Shaq and Phil Jackson).
There are unconfirmed reports that we should be optimistic about the status of the NHL labor negotiations. Considering if that were true, we still have to wait another six motnhs before the league returns to the ice, I'm having trouble caring.
Coming to a milk carton near you: PJ Swensen.
Team USA has named its roster for the 2005 World Hockey Championships, and some familiar names are missing:
Surprisingly, many regulars such as Keith Tkachuk, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Brian Leetch, Jeremy Roenick, Bill Guerin and Tony Amonte are not on the U.S. roster."We're excited about the team we have assembled and look forward to an exciting and successful World Championship," said Don Waddell, general manager of Team USA.
As for Tkachuk and the rest of the veteran gaggle, they've done their bid for their nation more times than I can count. They've earned the right to take a pass on international competition, and give some others an opportunity to play.
Though I must admit, I'm a tad puzzled as to why Scott Gomez isn't on the roster.
Here's one American hockey player who won't be going back to Canada anytime soon.
Golf Digest has just published its annual list of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses. Thanks to Tom Kirkendall for the link.
Michelle Wie is taking a shot at qualifying for the U.S. Open.
And finally, stop by the Masters.
Just one more day till the first round at Augusta, and Tiger Woods is sounding awfully confident. I wonder what he thought of Phil Mickelson's choice of lobster ravioli.
Apparently, Martha Burk won't be back this year.
Reggie says goodbye to New York. Will Spike be able to move on?
Somebody told me the Wiz would fade down the stretch. And Avery Johnson got the contract he deserved.
Congratulations, Baylor. And last one out of Chapel Hill turn out the lights.
Barry Bonds, is still feeling the love, while Mariano Rivera is looking very human.
Some poll results show fans think baseball players are overpaid, and anyone who uses steroids should be barred from the Hall of Fame. Then again, Skip Sauer has found some indications that fans aren't really bothered at all.
And if you go to a ballgame today, remember, stay alert, as there is no legal recourse.
Two words that strike terror in the hearts of New York Mets fans: Aaron Heilman. And just when I thought he'd been banished to the Island of Misfit Toys along with Juan Samuel and Paul Gibson.
Meanwhile, Congress wants to call some other sports on the carpet.
Chris Corrigan thinks the NHL is about to sell out its fan base with some of the proposed changes to the game. Unfortunately, the league is like a patient that waited too long to go to the doctor, and has no other recourse but to turn to a more drastic treatment regimen that could cure him -- or perhaps kill him instead.
Robert Redford has won the right to bring Jackie Robinson's story to the big screen. And to Mr. Redford, I deliver the same advice I would have to the men who were behind Miracle -- don't screw up, or lots of people will be very disappointed.
The NHL labor talks continue without resolution.
Yawn. Call me when you start playing real hockey again. And when that happens, I'll take a look at the product, and decide what I want to do. But not before then.
After a Mickelson win in a four-hole playoff, and a half-dozen others playing at the top of their games, this has to be the most highly anticipated Masters in years. Here's a pre-vacation prediction from No Three Putts.
Armando Benitez, Braden Looper. Same difference -- at least when they're wearing a Mets uniform. Maybe Kerry Lightenberg might help? For more, stop by Can't Stop The Bleeding.
And why do I hear Steve Perry in my head every time I read that blog?
Can't stop the bleeding
I'm losing all my feeling . . .
Check out Sports Chick.
It was a disappointing beginning for Washington's new baseball team, but Ryan at Distinguished Senators has found a silver lining.
Nick Johnson's lovable mug graces my upper-right corner, as the big lummox went 2 for 3 with a walk, also scoring the Nats' first run. Most impressively, he remains uninjured.
Here's another Nats fan with a wonderful, and entertaining, dream.
The smell of Ferrari is the smell of fear.
Robert Musil and Dr. Manhattan have resurfaced. Jeff Cooper, however, is headed for the milk carton.
20 years after the tragedy at Heysel, Liverpool and Juventus meet again.
Shawn Kemp is in trouble. Like you didn't see that coming.
John Perricone has his own thoughts on Alex Sanchez. John Palmer thinks it's time for baseball to use technology to call balls and strikes -- and he's right.
Bryan Curtis is thinking about cheerleaders. And so am I.
That's one link I never get tired of. Heh.
Today's free advice: stay off Chinese airliners.
And screwing around while taxiing probably isn't a good idea either.
Thanks to Vern.
File under tragedy:
Race officials cannot explain why Michelle "Shelly" Howard's dragster flipped over and shot backward, killing her and her son."In my 40-some-odd years in racing I have never heard of an accident happening like this," said Aaron Polburn, president of the International Hot Rod Association. "It's something we are trying to understand because we have never gone through something like this before."
Howard, 59, and her son, Brian, 36, were killed Saturday night at Tulsa Raceway Park when her Alcohol dragster went out of control. Tulsa police estimate Shelly Howard's car was traveling 250 mph when it struck a chase car parked behind the starting line with her son in the back seat.
The force of the impact hurled the vehicles 150 feet through a fence and into a drainage area. Both Howards were thrown from their vehicles and pronounced dead at the scene.
My condolences to the Howard family.
