What's Good For The Bruins...

I will probably have Zeb really angry at me for this, but the video above is from the Eastern Conference Finals, Game 5.  Bruins fans want to be up in arms about Aaron Rome's hit on Nathan Horton and claim that it another sign that the Canucks are cheap shot artists.  Great.  Then tell me what this shot is.  And of course Lucic slashing and then punching Burrows in the head when Burrows is on his knees is a sign of playing tough old time hockey.  You want to get worked up on the diving that the Canucks are doing, I agree with you.  But you cannot sit there with a straight face and say that the Bruins don't take cheap shots against their opponents.  And if you are screaming that the NHL office is against your team in the Finals, be it Boston or Vancouver, because of the penalties being called or not being called, the video evidence tells a different story.

Game 3 rant (part 2)

I preface this by saying that going into this series, were it not the Bruins who were playing Vancouver, I would've loved to see them win for their fans and the city.  Not anymore, I'm learning to hate this team that really mirrors the Canadiens.  I do respect Kessler though.
It's bad enough that Burroughs bites Bergeron, is not suspended and scores 2 goals in game 2 but then Lapierre is running around trying to get Bergeron to bite his fingers and taunting, which is typical Lapierre...bush league at its best.

• "Marchand, you pesky little bastard, where have you been?! Gooooaaaal!
• now they need to keep the emotion up and pressure on, and not start playing tight again.
• He's Pedroia on skates. (referring to Marchand)  He's a rookie who no one expected much from.
•  I can't believe they called that penalty a double minor. I didn't see any blood and the stick was under the chin.
•  What I was saying earlier: Listen to the announcers comment on the missed penalties by the Canucks but they don't miss Boston's
• See what I mean: Sedin after getting put on his ass on a clean hit that he initiated, grabs his face trying to get a penalty, then grabs Ferenze from behind like he's tough
•  I understand what you're saying but in hockey a high stick is a high stick. The double minor is only supposed to be called when it draws blood, which it couldn't have being under his chin instead of in his chops, unless the ref didn't see where the stick hit and the Canuck bit his lip
• The Bruins have been great on defense but I can't count how many bad giveaways they've had also.
• I understand what the refs are doing throwing Thornton out but that goes back to what I've been saying...why not throw out Lapierre and Boroughs for taunting, etc. What's the real difference. Doesn't matter, the Bruins have 5 more guys who can kick their ass.
•  Run your mouth, Burroughs, you know you wouldn't throw down with Lucic. Man, I wish this were a regular season game, we'd be seeing a real melee when this is over, kinda like the Dallas game earlier in the year when they came in and tried to be tough with the Bruins and ended up getting beat by a bunch of goals and lost several really bad fights
• You know, at this point with the Bruins down 2 games to 1, Tim Thomas is the series MVP
•  Awesome guys, but can we save a couple of goals for the next game?! LOL
• Final score:  Bruins-8 Canucks-1"

Stanley Cup Finals game 3 rant

Below are quotes from my Facebook wall during the first period of game 3, resultant from more LaPierre punkery and the Rome hit on Horton.  What you don't see are comments and questions by others that prompted some of my comments.  Enjoy.

• "I love Chara but he shouldn't be allowed to skate with the puck.
• Now we'll see whether the NHL grows some balls and suspends this Canuck.
• and we need to score a couple goals on this PP.
• put the fucking puck in the net, you guys, for Christ's sake.
• I'm just disgusted. The Bruins have allowed this punk of a team to get in their heads. The goalie is very good but he hasn't met a real good shot this whole series. And if this were a regular season game, there'd be Canucks laying all over the ice because no team deserves an ass kicking more than this bunch and that includes the Canadiens.
• You have one team that's always in the right place, always knows what to do and it's not the Bruins
• That's why it looks like there's always more Canucks than Bruins on the ice and that they have magnets on their sticks
• This reminds me of the Montreal series except against a better team. The Bruins can't play the game they're best at because they've been screwed by refs who fall for all the diving and other fakery. So I think they're just out of sync, especially on offense. And then punks like LaPierre have gotten under their skin because that pussy never drops the gloves but he gets to taunt and poke and slash with impugnity.
• The other thing is this: If just one of Boston's snipers were on a roll right now, this whole series would look very different. They've had chances to bury pucks and haven't done it.
• If you've been watching these games, which I think you have, you should be getting a clear picture of why the Canucks are the most hated team in the league, right along with the Canadiens. The fans and other players hate the way they play.
• Mike Milbury did a good job of being fair and biting his tongue during the intermission. As arguably the meanest and nastiest Bruin ever, I have a good idea what he wanted to say."

NOTE:  I was having so much fun, I decided to keep going.  I need to get you guys on FB for stuff like this.  Keep in mind that all of the above occurs in the first period before any goals were scored.  Part 2 is during the second and third periods.

My Take On The NFL Lockout

As this hasn't been put on this blog yet as a posting by itself and since we all know the media slant on the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals, I decided to put my thinking on the blog towards the NFL Lockout.  And as hard as it is for me to say it, I support the owners in this thing.  I'll explain below.  I'll also give my thoughts on what I would say is a fair deal.

1.  The revenue sharing.  In the last CBA, revenue sharing was set forth as such:  $1 Billion in revenue was taken away immediately and given to the owners.  Then the rest of the Revenues are split 59.6% to the players and 40.4% was given to the Owners.  Given that revenues are estimated at $9 Billion, this gives the players $4.8 Billion of the revenue while Owners get $4.2 Billion.  The Owners proposal of taking $2 Billion off the top and then splitting the revenues the same would reverse this.  The Owners would receive the $4.8 Billion while the Players would get the $4.2 Billion.  So if the players are wanting this to be 50/50, why haven't they come to the owners and said we will give $1.5 Billion off the top and then split the revenue with the split the way it is.  That way each side would get roughly the same amount.

2.  Risk taking.  The NFL players are at risk only when they cannot or don't perform on the field.  The contract that they sign isn't guaranteed, but if they do under perform the contract, they still get paid the amount that they signed for.  And when they feel like they have outperformed their contract, they want to get paid.  For the owners, there are tons of risks.  Everything from performance on the field to PR in the community, to safety at the stadiums, to vendors, to parking and many more things that come as a risk to them.  Any of these things could cause a financial hit to the team and the owners.  But is that taken into account when splitting revenue?  No.

3.  Expenses.  Let's see here.  the players have the expense of taxes taken out of their fair share of the pie.  That is it.  Let's see what the owners have taken out of their revenue.  Taxes, Personnel, Buildings, Payments on the stadiums, Jets, Upkeep of the practice facilities and stadiums, insurance for the players and others, coaching staffs, trainers, franchise fees, hotel rentals, per diems, bus fees, and a whole host of other things.  So if the players want to be "partners" with each NFL team, then why aren't they offering to pick up half of these expenses?  Oh right, they are "employees" when it comes to that, but not when it comes to anything else. 

4.  Stadiums.  I live in the Minnesota Vikings neck of the woods.  And they have been trying for a new stadium now for about a decade now.  The plan for a new stadium in Arden Hills has the vikings paying about 40% of a new stadium.  That would be about $450 Million.  So if the Vikings are making what the Bills reportedly have over the past 10 years in profit, they would come out with $25 Million in profit in a decade.  That is $2.5 Million per year in profit because of the new stadium.  And the players are making over $100 Million per year playing for the Vikings.  Tell me how that is splitting thing evenly.  And before you get on the bandwagon of how owners have cities and states helping them, let me ask you this:  Where are the "partners" of the owners, the players in all of this?  No where to be seen.  Then there is this problem from fans.  They want all the modern amenities that the newer stadiums have.  But yet they complain about prices and financing stadiums.  Ask yourself if you went to a football game next year and you had to attend it in the Old Veteran's Stadium, the Metropolitan Stadium in the Twin Cities, Gillette Stadium in Boston, or even The Orange Bowl in Miami, would look around at your surroundings and say that this is not acceptable?  Yes you would.  So get your business again, the teams must refurnish and rebuild stadiums to cater to your need for something better.  It is human nature.  And if owners need to continuously improve their facilities on their dime, why shouldn't they look at the players and all the money that they are making and say why aren't you  helping us out here, "partner"?

5.  Competitive balance.  The players in this litigation strategy that they have decided on could permanently damage the NFL.  Right now, you have 28 out of 32 teams that have a chance at getting to the playoffs.  But if the players and their litigation win, you are going to see the disparity of baseball only on steroids.  There will be no revenue sharing.  That is because the antitrust laws on the books at a Federal Level will say that the owners cannot collude to keep salaries in line with one another.  So while you might have 32 teams in the NFL, there are going to be the haves and have nots.  Both in terms of teams and players.  Because while you have no salary cap, you have no minimum either.  So the minimum veteran salary will not be there.  Watch as a long snapper gets paid $50,000 for the season.  Another thing that will be negotiated is insurance.  Teams won't have to keep policies on the players.  Everything that the players take for granted will have to be negotiated.  Per diem, travel, clothing, etc. will be different for everybody.  And practice habits will change as well.  Since the teams will have to be their own separate business, they can tell their players how long and when they are going to practice.  There won't be any rules on when you can and cannot practice.  Trades will become a thing of the past.  You cannot trade an employee to another business for another.  I know this all sounds stupid, but this is the ultimate endgame on the path that the sham decertified NFLPA is taking.

There is an old expression that the players have. 
Players play, Coaches coach, and Owners own.  During this lockout, we have the Players trying to play and own.  Own something they have no business in trying to own.  And that is all the power in the NFL.  While I don't like the lockout and absolutely would hate the missing of any games, the owners should have the right to say how they want to run the business of football.  And if it takes the not playing of the entire 2011 season for that to happen, I understand it and support it.  Most of us fans don't follow the individual players, otherwise we would have new favorite teams every couple of years.  We support the team and the players that are on that team.  The players seem to have forgotten that fact.  The league is bigger than the players. 

Atlanta to Winnipeg

Just some points to make based on listening to the hockey experts and fans calling in for the last couple of hours on NHL Home Ice on my XM radio.

• The Thrashers fans are saying they supported the team as well as could be expected given the fact they never had a winner to support.
• I'm sure ownership was disappointed with declining season ticket sales.  The Thrasher season ticket holders are saying, "Why buy season tickets when you could get the seat next to yours for half price whenever you wanted to go to a game."
• The Thrashers fans point out that ownership didn't keep their best players -- Kovalchuk, Heatley, Marc Savard, et al -- nor obviously spent the money for good supporting players.
• The Thrashers never won a playoff game in their existence.
• The Thrashers were owned by the same owners of the Atlanta Hawks, who Thrasher fans contend was the team the owners really cared about.

Given the above points and others I may be missing or forgetting, it is easy to be sympathetic toward Thrashers fans.  I'd also make this point in their support:  Consistently competitive teams bring fans to games, no matter where.  Could we be talking about the Sharks moving from San Jose if they haven't had good ownership and player personnel people keeping that team competitive?  Probably.  Look at the city of Toronto as another comparison.  Toronto is an enormous city with great sports fans.  The Blue Jays were the first franchise to hit four million fans in a season, this in a stadium that holds just over 50,000.  Now after 15 years of mediocrity, the Blue Jays draw about 20,000 a game.

So their points are well taken and we'll never know how good a hockey town Atlanta could have been but this very large point also needs to be considered:  They have had 20 years of excellent, competitive and championship baseball in Atlanta but I don't think it's unfair to say the region is still fairly apathetic toward the Braves.

On a side note:  It was mentioned that Winnipeg getting an NHL team is great for the fans of that area as well as fans of other small Canadian NHL markets.  Why?  The point was made that if a team had gone to Hamilton, apparently a high revenue market, it could serve to drive up player salaries and put the Winnipegs of the NHL in profit peril all over again.  I just found that interesting.

PS:  This move makes my ticket stub from seeing the Thrashers play the Bruins in 2007 a lot cooler.

One Prima Donna Team To Go!

The Dallas Mavericks have become the Western Conference Champions of the NBA for the 2nd time in franchise history.  And in doing so, they have confounded the experts that predicted the First round exit of said Mavericks.  They went through Portland, exiled the Lakers and wore out the Thunder.  Now they await the winner of the Bulls-Heat series out East to win their 1st NBA Championship.

Take a look at the 1st 3 games of the Western Conference Finals.  That is how the Mavericks are going to have to play.  Most people, myself included, will be expecting the Cuban Whistle Crisis Part II.  Especially if the whiners from South Beach are playing.  So expect the opponent to get 10 to 15 more free throws each and every game than the Mavericks do.  Hell, the officials were inventing calls on the Mavs in the Western Finals.  They invented calls in the '06 Finals.  Why?  One person.  The best owner in the NBA bar none, Mark Cuban.  That isn't a conspiracy theory.  That is fact.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a great year, and they will be tough for the next couple of years.  However, I don't see them getting over the hump in winning a Championship.  Why?  Egos and Maturity.  And when those problems are gone, then Free Agency will have split this team up.  There are some fine young players on the team.  Westbrook, Durant, and Harden especially.  They need to work on execution and leadership during the game for next year.  Also, Scott Brooks will improve on the bench.  They have a future of perennial playoff contenders.

One Prima Donna Team Down...

It became abundantly clear on Sunday that the Dallas Mavericks were the better team this year than the Los Angeles Lakers. All I heard from Lakers fans during the first 3 games of this series was how the Lakers were tired and just gave the games away. To that, I say that conclusion in incorrect. When a team can hang around until 6 minutes left in the game and then outwork, outplay, and outshoot you to win the game, they are the better team. The Lakers couldn't execute in the final minutes not because they didn't want to, but the Mavericks had a better scheme and better execution of their gameplan.

A couple of observations from Game 4. To stop Dallas, you need to bother their shooters from the 3-point line. If you play the matador defense on the Mavericks, the penetration will have the effect of opening up the 3 point barrage that the Mavericks like to employ. Pressure the Point and having defensive rotation is necessary unless you hope the Mavs are cold in their shooting. The last 6 games that they have played, they haven't gone ice cold. They have won all 6. Might not be the best plan.

The Mavericks played around with zone defenses during much of the 1st half of the season and that has given them an advantage now. Why? Because of the less beating and banging of their bodies. If you are playing a 2-3 zone, your players aren't sitting there banging for position all the time with the opponent. It also made their team one of the most cardio fit teams in the league. You have the guards running from side to side, the Forwards moving in and out covering the corners and the post. How can you not improve your cardio in doing that defense.

The final thing for the Mavs is that the talent level on that team is outrageous. The rotation is one of the best 3 in the league. And that is without Caron Butler out for the season. You have 8 players on this team that could be stars for other teams. Not all would be the 1st scoring option, but they could be nice starters for playoff teams. And Rick Carlisle has them playing as a team, not like a bunch of individuals like the Lakers.

Speaking of the Lakers, way to lose like Chumps. Lamar Odom decided that he would revert to his early NBA days and forearm Dirk's chest. That got him tossed. Then the serial flagrant foul person, Andrew Bynum tried to break JJ Barea's ribs with a nice elbow right under the right arm. The NBA should announce on Tuesday that Odom has been fined $40,000 and suspended for the next 2 games of next year's regular season. For Bynum, he has a long history of doing this. give him $90,000 and 8 games. And I can't forget Kobe. Um, Mr. I am the greatest in the world, don't continue to say that the Lakers just handed games to the Mavericks. They came out and did what a champion does. They looked you straight in the eye and beat your ass out on that court. If you want to see how to react civilly to losses, use the Mavericks exits over the past 5 years as your guide.

Goodbye and Good Luck to Phil Jackson. I didn't like the teams that he coached and their dynasties, but you have to give credit to the man. He can coach and he walks into situations where the talent is there and just needs motivation. 11 titles is outstanding and he deserves to be on the Mt. Rushmore of professional basketball coaches. Maybe we won't hear about how the referees are calling it against his team if he is etched in stone.

Finally, I am sure that in the next couple of days we are going to hear the soap opera that is the Lakers ad nauseum throughout the news and all the problems that this team had. Great. Kobe and Pau don't like each other. Bynum feels like nobody likes him. Odom sulks in the locker room. Shannon Brown is convinced that he is a star. Same with Mat Barnes. Bring out all the stories and it doesn't change a thing. The Lakers had the talent to win the NBA Championship, they just didn't have the team.

Jack Edwards: Patriot or Unhinged?

I will say this, I didn't know where Jack went after ESPN. Now I know, up into New England where he is doing commentary that is a little strange. This is Jack's commentary with some illustrations from tauntr.com.

3rd Class Of NASCAR Hall Of Fame Finalists

5 more people get into the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in 2011, and this is the list of the 25 finalists.

Following are the 25 nominees, listed alphabetically:
* Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive Cup Series championships (1956-57)
* Red Byron, first Cup Series champion, in 1949
* Richard Childress, 11-time car owner and champion in NASCAR's three national series
* Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
* H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway
* Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
* Tim Flock, two-time Cup Series champion
* Rick Hendrick, 13-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
* Jack Ingram, two-time Busch Series champion
* Dale Inman, eight-time Cup Series championship crew chief
* Bobby Isaac, 1970 Cup Series champion
* Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
* Cotton Owens, driver-owner, won 1966 owner championship with David Pearson
* Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
* Benny Parsons, 1973 Cup Series champion
* Les Richter, former NASCAR executive; former president of Riverside International Raceway
* Fireball Roberts, won 33 Cup Series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
* T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
* Herb Thomas, first two-time Cup Series champion (1951, '53)
* Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
* Darrell Waltrip, 84 wins and three Cup Series championships
* Joe Weatherly, two-time Cup Series champion
* Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success
* Leonard Wood, part-owner and former crew chief for Wood Brothers, revolutionized pit stops
* Cale Yarborough, three consecutive Cup Series titles (1976-78)

If I had a vote, I would go with Cale Yarborough, Benny Parsons, Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, and Fireball Roberts. My next five are The Wood Brothers, Dale Inman, Curtis Turner, and Darrell Waltrip. I know that some of my picks aren't as popular as I thought they would be. Who knows how the NASCAR HOF voters will do.

Excellent hockey value

I was not expecting a tight defensive, scoreless first period nor a 1-1 tie with 5.2 seconds remaining when I walked into the Androscoggin Bank Colisee last night.  This is not the first Lewiston Maineiacs game I've attended but I think like most people I still have a perception about the style and quality of play in the QMJHL.  That perception was permanently dispelled last night.  The quality of play, especially defensively and between the pipes, was at a level nearly rivaling the AHL.
Now these are still just kids and sometimes the play does get sloppy and the stick handling is probably the most noticeable aspect of play that's not polished but at least in this game last night you could easily forget what level of professional hockey you were actually watching.
My intent with this piece is not to write a review of the game (for that you can go here) but to attempt to help promote a league and a team that deserves more attention.  Where else can you pay $15.50 to sit in the seventh row of a professional hockey playoff game, pay three bucks for parking and get out of the parking lot in under 10 minutes?  If you combine those things with the quality of play and fervor of the 1,500 plus fans in attendance, I call that value.  Now 1,500 is a disappointing number for a second round playoff game, especially being the first home game of the series and where going in the series was tied 1-1; but this is a very small market and the only U.S. team in a Canadian league full of Canadian players.  Once you're in your seat and play has started, you don't remember any of those things, just that the quality of play and atmosphere in the building are high.  So if you're looking for something to do tonight or Sunday, get over to the arena and enjoy yourself.
Back to the game briefly:  The Maineiacs mascot, Lewey, put the puck in the net during intermission as he was demonstrating to a fan selected from the crowd how you go about winning a car shooting at a tiny hole from the opposite blue line.  The gentleman seated next to me said that wasn't the first time Lewey had done that.  I would like more beer choices than Bud, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra.  Four bucks isn't a bad price but for someone like me who wants something better tasting than beer-flavored soda, it was a little disappointing.  From my seat in the seventh row half way between the blue line and the opposing net, you couldn't have had a better view of the game-winning goal by Lewiston's Etienne Brodeur with 5.2 seconds remaining.  I could clearly see the puck, Brodeur, the opposing netminder and the opening top shelf, glove side; and that's exactly where I saw Brodeur put it.  Finally, while the shots on goal favored Montreal, in this viewer's opinion Lewiston played the better game and deserved the win.