Categories
NHL General

Odds and Ends: The state of the NHL


We’ve been neglecting hockey lately but since so much has been made of the ratings of the NHL All-Star game, we thought we’d point you over to two blog entries. First, let’s blame Gary Bettman. Second, perhaps all this angst over the state of the NHL and specifically over the Versus ratings are overblown. However, the big difference between college basketball and the NHL is that the college basketball postseason is a must watch event and the NHL postseason is a “is it on?” event. Finally, we have a sign from a female fan that needs to go into the Fan Sign Hall of Fame.

In other news…

[The Offside]: Fireball soccer? Maybe hockey would be more popular if we dipped the puck in gasoline first.

[Awful Announcing]: Wait, why do black people get two Thanksgivings?

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: High School wrestling will never be the same in Minnesota

[Yahoo]: Next time you think NFL players are paid too much

[The Hater Nation]: The best Barbaro story picture

[The 700 Level]: How is it that Freddie Mitchell still in the blogosphere?

And finally…. why white people shouldn’t rap: “take a big dump on the bears”? This type of thing happens every year. Remember when some urologist decided to battle TO? People… please… just stop.

Categories
All Other Sports

The Youth in Asia finally get Barbaro


In a simple one paragraph AP story, the end of Barbaro was written.

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday morning after complications from his breakdown at the Preakness last May.

“We just reached a point where it was going to be difficult for him to go on without pain,” co-owner Roy Jackson said. “It was the right decision, it was the right thing to do. We said all along if there was a situation where it would become more difficult for him then it would be time.

The Barbaro message board will be out of control with unintentional comedy of people who are a little over the top so check it out now. It’s sad that Barbaro has been put down but, in the end, he was… a horse.

Categories
All Other Sports

Jockey apologizes for head-butting horse


The AP headline for this story is so hilarious that there really isn’t a reason to change it. In London, jockey Paul O’Neill is being investigated for headbutting his horse. It’s gotta be the funniest thing we’ve ever seen. A 120 pound jockey going up against a 1200 pound horse. The horse just takes it and goes about his business. You can see the jockey getting upset with the horse like a parent does with a child. O’Neill was angry with the horse because it was being unruly before the race and threw him.


I would just like to say to the public that I’m very sorry they had to see such a thing. I’ve never done it before and it will never happen again. When I got to the start he headed straight for a car with me, stopped five feet from the car, whipped round and dropped me. I landed on my feet, but a bit awkwardly for my knee and I was a little bit angry then, but I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m glad to say the horse is OK after it.

You knew that there would be a followup headbutt to the Zidane incident. Perhaps like celebrity deaths, it would happen in threes, but no one expected it to be a jockey and a horse.

Here’s the video for you (Windows Media Player).

Links:

[Fox Sports]: Jockey apologizes for head-butting horse

Categories
All Other Sports

Barbaro is more screwed than Britney’s baby

Oh.. don’t get in an uproar over the headline. We’re actually pulling hard for Barbaro here at Sportscolumn. It’s not often anything with Philly ties is a champion. We’re simply referring to the pre and post-surgery x-rays below from the the vet who performed the surgery. Dr. Dean Richardson said that while it would be months before Barbaro can be declared saved but the colt is doing very well.


Every day the risk diminishes, every day that goes by makes me happy if he has no complications. It is better. If we have this press conference in two weeks, and I’m saying the same mundane things, I would be happy, I’d be happier. Every day that goes by that things remain the same is very good.

If you’re trying to count, the official number is 27 screws.

Links:
[Louisville Courier Journal]: Barbaro “doing very well” during recovery
[UPenn]: Hi-res photos of Barbaro x-rays