Tag: NHL

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NHL General

Odds and Ends: Time to ask whether fighting belongs in hockey?


Is Colin Campbell insane? He told the Canadian press that “it’s time to ask the question” about whether fighting should be banned in the NHL. The only reason why hockey even registers as a major league sport is because of the fighting. Now for those who love hockey and not just hockey fights, fighting is still an integral part of the game. The enforcers, defending your superstars, having the back of your teammates, hell, even goalie fights are a big part of hockey tradition.

Sure it’s fun to see Sidney Crosby or Ovechkin do their thing but it’s also fun to see two goons square off. The problem with hockey is the cheap shots and the swinging of lumber. The old fashioned dropping of the gloves should never go away. That’s one on one man stuff that we love… in a purely heterosexual way of course.

In other news…

[MSNBC]: Kobe angrily denies contacting Durant for Nike… takes it out on the Grizz.

[Myspace]: Pro Wrestler (Edge) admits steroids use on myspace blog

[AJC]: Police deny Vick had any jewelry in water bottle. What they don’t know is that “jewelry” is the new street slang for weed

[Slam Sports]: Former Sixer Todd MacCulloch is the 208th best pinball player in the world. Falls 207 places behind deaf dumb and blind kid.

[The Big Lead]: Don’t worry USC, Tim Floyd isn’t going to Michigan

[Boton Herald]: ebay tells Manny to take his grill and shove it… but Jenn-Air wants Manny to do a commercial

And finally, don’t forget to watch everyone’s favorite awkward quarterback, Peyton Manning on Saturday Night Live.

Categories
New York Rangers

Another day, another NHL fight video

You don’t even have to go to the archives to find hockey fights anymore. It seems like there’s a new fight everyone is talking about. Next up: Todd Fedoruk of the Flyers vs Colton Orr of the Rangers. Knockout. This one is extra special because it happened 21 secs into the game. Those hockey players sure do hold a grudge.

Categories
NHL General

Jordin Tootoo gets five games for punching out Robidas

We filed this one under fights but it’s not much of one. Jordin Tootoo was suspended five games for a one punch knockout of Stephane Robidas. We think the NHL overreacted a little in the wake of the thuggery that’s been happening over the past couple of months. Let’s go to the video…


In reviewing this incident, Stephane Robidas appeared to be initiating a confrontation by approaching Jordin Tootoo,” NHL senior executive vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said in a statement. “While a player is entitled to defend himself, Mr. Tootoo’s forceful blow to Robidas’ head was an overly aggressive and inappropriate response.

The fact that Mr. Tootoo’s actions resulted in an injury to his opponent also was a factor in this decision.

Exactly, Robidas was coming to plant Tootoo into the boards just because Tootoo drilled Modano with a clean hit. It wasn’t a sucker punch. It wasn’t a cheap shot. Tootoo’s instincts took over and he just swung and connected. It’s unfortunately for Robidas that he has a glass jaw but he was the aggressor in that situation. Five games seems to be a little excessive. The Predators stand by Tootoo but they will not appeal the suspension.

Oh by the way, Robidas, Chris Tucker has a message for you.

Links:
[TSN]:
NHL suspends Tootoo for five games

[Short and Fat]: Great analysis of the Tootoo punch

Categories
NHL General

NHL players are lazy bastards


Wouldn’t you like to be able to just drop what you’re doing everyday at noon and just curl up for a catnap? We would too, but unfortunately we’re not professional hockey players. But for those lucky few who are skating in the NHL it’s basically written into their contracts. According to Maple Leafs center Travis Green,


It’s not a matter of `Will I?’ It’s a matter of ‘How long?’

Sounds pretty good, but it can have its downside as well. What about when you desperately need your daily midday nap and you have a roommate on the road that isn’t on the same schedule? Or if you’re trying to get 40 winks and some jerk is snoring like a pig? But the absolute worst is when you must deal with the dreaded somnambulist, or sleepwalker to us common folks. Here’s one terrifying experience that occurred between Steve ‘Stumpy’ Thomas and the snoozing Todd Gill.


We were sleeping one time, he woke up all startled and came over to me and he was shaking me. He says: `Stump, are you okay? Are you okay?’ I wake up and I’m like, `I’m fine.’ He goes: `Holy cow… I thought I ran you over in my golf cart.’

The other troubling aspect of partaking in excessive sleeping rituals is that it sometimes can become difficult to fully revive yourself before playing in the team’s next game. Just ask the Philadelphia Flyers who have been sleepwalking through the entire season.

Links:

[Toronto Star]: NAP TIME ISN’T JUST FOR THE CHILDREN

Categories
Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins get a new $290M igloo



Our favorite penguins

Wow, our first NHL story in months that doesn’t involve any goons! (Well, except for Georges Laraque.) The Penguins have reached an agreement with the great state of Pennsylvania to to remain in Pittsburgh for the next 30 years.

The Penguins are responsible for $3.8M a year toward construction and another $400k towards capital improvements. The rest of the money will be provided by the state and the owner of the casino group that has been awarded the slot license for the Pittsburgh area. All in all it adds up to a $290M deal, which is better than the $276M arena in Kansas City. On top of that, Lemieux and company get to keep the team in Pittsburgh and not have to rename it the KC Barbeque Ribs or something.

Here’s some reaction from the blogosphere:

Hard Drive Life: “Growing up north of the Pittsburgh area, I’ve been hoping and praying that the Pens would be able to stay. Now, I can confidently go out and buy my Evgeni Malkin jersey and wear it with pride, and not worry that the team is taking flight.

In the words of ex-Pitt mayor Sophie Masloff: “`GUINS WIN!” Actually, all hockey fans do!”

James Mirtle: “I can’t say that I’m particularly surprised, as all along I found it incredibly hard to fathom a team with this much hockey talent, in a market with a recent history of championships and some star power in its ownership group would ever really leave.”

MY KC Penguins: Hmmm…. they might want to change their name to MY KC Predators

The Burgh Report: “This arena, while worth it, will cost us a fortune and we have our government officials to thank. Furthermore, though we have been spared the abject civic humiliation that would have followed losing the team to Kansas City, the mishandling of the arena matter has, nonetheless, seriously damaged the reputation of local government.” Yikes.

Links:

[Post-Gazette]: Arena deal keeps Penguins in Pittsburgh

Categories
New York Islanders

Chris Simon gets an early tee time


The NHL slapped lowlife Chris Simon with a record 25 game suspension for his vicious stick shot to the face of Ryan Hollweg on Thursday. The Islanders will lose Simon for the final 15 regular season games and the postseason but the punishment will extend into next season should New York fail to compete in ten playoff games.

Simon moves past Boston’s Mary McSorley for the new low mark in hockey history, which isn’t an easy task considering that McSorley delivered a blindsided cheap shot with his stick to the head of Donald Brashear in 2000 that earned him a 23 game hiatus from the league. Commissioner Gary Bettman eventually extended the punishment to one year and McSorley hasn’t been seen in an NHL uniform since. Simon is lucky that he’s not facing criminal charges for his actions because off the ice that would be considered assault.

Maybe with the suspension finally being handed out ESPN will stop trying to make Barry Melrose look like a studious professor by constantly taping him in front of a library backdrop.

By the way, did Chris Simon really go to the “I don’t remember what happened” card that was most recently played by Albert Haynesworth? This is the new “if I might have offended anyone” cliche for athletes. Just pull a Edward Norton from Primal Fear and hope anyone believes you.
Links:
[Slam Sports]: NHL sticks Simon hard
[SC]: Chris Simon cheap shot video
[NY Islanders]: Statement from Chris Simon

Categories
NHL General

Chris Simon cheap shot video

Unbelievable cheap hit by the Islander Chris Simon on the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg last night has everyone talking NHL again. The NHL has a huge problem — no, not the reading of player emails — the sports world only talks NHL when something bad happens, yet the NHL needs to legislate out the cheap stuff. We believe that’s called a Catch-22.

Chris Simon is lucky Hollweg isn’t more seriously hurt (he was back at practice today). Simon has been suspended indefinitely by the league pending a hearing. He will likely be suspended at least for the rest of this year.

Categories
NHL General

NHLPA chief accused of monitoring player emails


As if the NHL didn’t have enough problems already, the head of the NHL players association, Ted Saskin, has been accused of monitoring player emails, which he in turn blames on his predecessor Bob Goodenow.


In an interview with Canadian Press yesterday, Saskin said he plans to participate in the call.

“The board will learn that Bob Goodenow had instructed NHLPA employees to review player email accounts and this occurred during the lockout and I was not aware of this until much later,” Saskin said. “I also plan to tell the board … I have never accessed a player email account and I have never ordered NHLPA technical staff to access player email accounts.”

Goodenow issued his own statement denying any part in the alleged email monitoring. “I am unaware of an instance where the security of a single player’s email or other personal information was compromised.

Yikes. Most corporations have the right to monitor the emails of their employees but everybody kind of expects that. To monitor the emails of hockey players is really odd. What exactly would you find except for them badmouthing the players union, the owners and sending around chain emails? (“Hello, I am Dr.Borris Olga. and I represent Mr. Mikhail Khordokovsky former C.E.O of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. If you do not wish to be traded to the Flyers or Kings, please continue reading….”)

An NHL agent named Ritch Winter said that Saskin is technically telling the truth because he didn’t do any of it himself, he just ordered someone else to do it. A union staff member confirmed that a printout of Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson’s email was on Saskin’s desk.

Here’s the email going around from hockey player to hockey player:

“Dear Ted Saskin. You sir, are an asshole. Best, ______”

Links:
[The Star]: Saskin, Goodenow face off

Categories
Boxing

March 8 in sports history: Ali goes down!


In 1971: Joe Frazier handed Muhammed Ali his first professional defeat in a 15 round decision at Madison Square Garden. It was the first of three classic matches between the rivals, and it was the first time in history that a fight featured two undefeated champs (Ali was stripped of his title for refusing to go to Vietnam). It was simply dubbed “The Fight of the Century.” It lived up to its billing, as the two battled into the fifteenth round. Referee Al Mercante later claimed that Ali (who predicted he would knock Frazier out in the sixth) gave away many rounds. Most who watched, however, found that it was hard for Ali to “give away” rounds when he was being mercilessly pounded in the corner by Frazier, who sent Ali to the canvas in the fifteenth. Ali survived the knockout, but Frazier won comfortably on all three cards. The fight was one of the most hyped events in sports history, with over 700 press credentials awarded (and another 500 turned down). There were even some celebrities who couldn’t get good seats, but Frank Sinatra smartly got the best seat in the house, snapping pictures on the ringside apron as a photographer for Life Magazine.

In 2004: The National Hockey League officially erased any doubts about its “The U.S. media only talks about hockey when something bad happens” status with one of its ugliest incidents in years. Wanting revenge for a hit by the Colorado Avalanche’s Steve Moore which knocked out star player Markus Naslund three weeks before, Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi came up to Moore from behind and punched him on the side of the head. Moore was knocked out immediately, and he fell face first to the ice. It didn’t help that all 245 lbs. of Bertuzzi fell right on top of him. It didn’t help any more when three other players piled on top of them. Moore suffered a broken neck, a concussion and severe lacerations on his face. Three days later, Bertuzzi was suspended for the rest of the season (including the playoffs) and would not be reinstated until after the lockout in 2005. The atmosphere in Vancouver’s GM Place was ugly that night, as the Canucks vowed to get even with Moore (who did fight earlier in the game). But, as Rogers Sportsnet announcer Jim Hughson said, “the score settling has gone too far.” Bertuzzi later plead guilty to assault and received probation. Moore has also attempted to sue Bertuzzi for over $15 million in lost wages and damages and has still not played a game since.

Categories
NBA General

Kevin McHale is the best GM in Sports?

 

The authors of this Forbes study are just messing with us right? Kevin McHale?  Arguably one of the 5 worst GMs in the NBA?  

We’ve always thought that the best measure of a GM is the number of wins he can muster with the payroll that he has. (It’s actually something we track for baseball called the MLB Cost Index.) However, the authors of this Forbes article are using criteria where they compare wins and payroll but relative to the current GM’s predecessor.  And that’s where the flaw is.  It’s all about how good you are relative to the person who had the job before you.  That’s like saying Steve McNair was the best QB in the NFL last year because of his drastic improvement over Kyle Boller.

Listen, when you have Kevin McHale and Billy King as your #1 and #3 GMs in sports, you have to go back and really look at your methodology.  Kevin McHale has done nothing with that franchise except retard Kevin Garnett and make dumb trades with his buddy Danny Ainge.  Billy King on the other hand has managed to throw money away at guys like Chris Webber, Samuel Dalembert, and numerous head coaches.   Meanwhile his “high winning percentage” is relative to a guy named Brad Greenberg who lasted one year and was what Pat Croce called his biggest mistake as a rookie owner.  And on top of that, Larry Brown was calling the shots when Billy King “won” those games.

Oh and it’s probably a good idea to remove Bobby Clarke from your list. Sorry Forbes, back to the drawing board.

Links:
[Forbes]: Best General Managers In Sports