I’m Back
Been awhile since my last post but I will be back tomorrow with post on Yanks-Red Sox game.
Torres Needs To Be Suspended For 30 Games
After watching the hit by repeat offender Raffi Torres on Chicago's Marion Hossa, it is clear to me that the NHL needs to grow a set and suspend this thug for the rest of the Coyotes playoff games and for the first 30 games of the 2012-2013 season. I viewed the hit on a nearly 4 minute clip that was on CBS Sportsline. They showed what happened from many different angles but the one that was really telling was from behind the play.
Hossa is skating with the puck just outside the Hawk blue line. Torres is in the Hawk zone and makes a bee line toward Hossa, leaves his feet and leads with his elbow at Hossa's head. For Torres to say that this was just a hockey play makes him the biggest cement head ever. Torres pulled the same crap last season in the playoffs. He is a cheap shot artist who needs to be sent a strong message.
I am not one of these guys who wants fights taken out of the game. I love the hard-hitting and emotion that comes with playoff hockey. But the hit on Hossa has no business in the game. He's a thug and not a very good hockey player at that. What's as disturbing as the hit was the fact that not one official on that ice saw what happened because if they did a penalty should have been called on Torres. 2 referees and 2 linesmen and no one saw the hit??? Really?? The NHL should be ashamed and the 4 officials should be reprimanded.
John Tortorella was right when he said that players don't have any respect for the game. If they did, this stuff wouldn't be happening and guys like Torres would have to change their ways.
NHL First Round Predictions
The first round of the National Hockey League playoffs begins Wednesday night and here are my fearless first round predictions:
Ottawa Senators (8) vs NY Rangers (1): The Rangers have had an outstanding season this year but have had trouble with the Senators. Ottawa has been one of the biggest turnaround stories of the year however at one point they were in 6th place in the Conference and hung on to finish 8th. Henrik Lundqvist is the difference. New York in 6.
Washington Capitals (7) vs Boston Bruins (2): The defending Stanley Cup Champions have hit some bumps in the road but still managed to be the number two seed in the Eastern Conference by winning the Northeast Division. (Philly and Pittsburgh actually had more points) Tim Thomas has not played the way he did last year and that could be a problem for the Bruins. The Capitals may be turning it around at the right time however their goaltending is suspect. This series is going to go as the goaltending goes. I'll take the Bruins in 5.
New Jersey Devils (6) vs Florida Panthers (3): The Panthers return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Southeast Division Champs. The Devils have had a great season and should win this series. New Jersey in 6.
Philadelphia Flyers (5) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (4): This may end up being the best series of the entire playoffs. Both of these teams have over 100 points and make a good argument to seed for the playoffs based on points without giving the division champs the automatic top three seeds. These teams hate each other. This is going to be a war and is a tough one to call. I'm leaning to Pittsburgh in 7.
Los Angeles Kings (8) vs Vancouver Canucks (1): The Kings only chance is if Jonathan Quick can steal a couple of games. It's possible but the Canucks would seem to be poised to advance into the second round. Canucks in 5.
San Jose Sharks (7) vs St. Louis Blues (2): Well, things certainly do change. Who would have thought several years ago that the Blues would have home-ice advantage in a playoff series against the Sharks. Coach Ken Hitchcock has done a tremendous job with St. Louis and his team swept the Sharks in the regular season. St. Louis in 6.
Chicago Black Hawks (6) vs Phoenix Coyotes (3): The key to this series will be Mike Smith. He has had a great season and gives the Coyotes the edge in goal. They will need that edge because the Hawks have plenty of offensive firepower. This is a tough one to call. Chicago in 7.
Detroit Red Wings (5) vs Nashville Predators (4): This will be the most interesting series in the Western Conference. I like the way the Predators play and give their organization full marks for building a team that is very competitive in the tough Central Division. They are going up against the Red Wings who are playoff tested. It's hard to pick against the Wings. Detroit in 6.
*********************************************************************************************************
Tomorrow is Tuesday's Thoughts and Wednesday what the Leafs need to do for the 2012-2013 season.
Baseball 2012 Predictions
It's that time of year when hope springs eternal for all major league baseball teams. It's also time for my fearless 2012 Baseball predictions.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST - While Arizona won the division last year, I don't see it happening again as I'm picking the San Francisco Giants to win the NL West. The Giants starting rotation, particularly its top 3 of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner, is the best in the division. The key will be their ability to score runs which should be improved with Buster Posey being back. A surprise team could be the Los Angeles Dodgers if the rest of the rotation behind Clayton Kershaw could get their act together.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL - This may be the weakest division in all of baseball. All of these teams have flaws with Cincinnati, Milwaukee and St.Louis vying for the division title. I'm going to go with the defending World Champion Cardinals. If Adam Wainwright bounces back, the Redbirds will have more than enough pitching to win the division. Offensively, the key will be Carlos Beltran being healthy, Lance Berkman not falling backwards and David Freese playing a full season. The Reds and Brewers will be in the hunt all the way down to the wire.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST - It's hard to pick against the Philadelphia Phillies so I won't. Despite Ryan Howard being out for awhile and Chase Utley having physical issues, the Phillies top 3 in their starting rotation may be the best in baseball. However, this division will be the best in the National League as the Marlins, Nationals and Braves will all be in the hunt. It's quite possible that both wild card teams could come from this division. By the way, the New York Mets are a disgrace.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST - Two of the American League's heavyweights reside in this division. Between Texas and Los Angeles, I'm going with the Angels to win the division. L.A's starting rotation may be the best in the American League headed up by Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and newly-acquired CJ Wilson. With the addition of Albert Pujols and Kendry Morales coming back, the Angels will be able to score runs. The Rangers are not going to go away as their offense is very potent. Pitching will be the key for the two-time defending AL Champs.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL - This division will be the least competitive in all of baseball as the Detroit Tigers are head and shoulders above the rest. With the acquisition of Prince Fielder, the Tiger offense has a tough one-two punch with Fielder and Miguel Cabrera. Throw in Justin Verlander and the Tigers should cruise to the division title.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST - What has been acknowledged as the toughest division in baseball, 2012 will be no different. The Yankees, Rays and Red Sox will be competing for the title and the Toronto Blue Jays may surprise. I can see this one coming down to the end of September and I'm going to go with New York. The key for the Yankees will be keeping their older players healthy. It's quite possible that this division could have two wild cards.
Playoffs - NL WILD CARDS: Miami vs Arizona Arizona wins
AL WILD CARDS: Tampa vs Texas Texas wins
ALDS
Yankees vs Rangers Yankees win
Detroit vs Angels Angels win
ALCS : Angels win in 6
NLDS
Diamondbacks vs Phillies Phillies win
Cardinals vs Giants Giants win
NLCS : Giants win in 7
World Series: Angels in 7
NCAA Basketball Final at 9:23pm. Really??
Yesterday in looking at the "Sports on TV" column in the local Sunday Sports section, I saw that this evening's Kentucky-Kansas national championship game is scheduled to start at 9:23pm. Really??? How many youngsters who may be basketball fans are going to be able to stay up and watch this game?? Probably not many.
In what has been a disturbing trend that has been happening since the mid 70's, championship games are scheduled later and later in order to accommodate prime time television. Let's take baseball for example. When I was a kid, World Series games were played in the afternoon. I can remember racing home to watch the remaining innings left in the game. As we got older, depending upon the teacher, we were allowed to listen to the game on the radio. Great memories. But all of that is ancient history as World Series games begin around 8:37pm and usually end well after 11pm. Hmmmmm....how many 10 year olds are watching???
The NFL kind of has it right as the Super Bowl begins sometime around 6:30pm. However, with the mega-halftime show, the game usually ends sometime after 10. Kind of makes it tough on a little boy or girl to watch the big game. But the league moguls and television big-wigs could care less if little Johnny and Suzie can watch the big game. It's all about the big advertising dollars.
The NCAA which is suppose to be about student-athletes could also careless about whether or not their future athletes can stay up and watch their championship games. But then again, you have to be dreaming if you think the NCAA gives a damn about anything but the long green. And you want to know why kids turn to X-Box.
Bounty-Gate & Tebow
The NFL is the most popular sport in the United States. That popularity extends throughout the year and during a time when usually attention is focused on college basketball, NBA & NHL playoff races and spring baseball, the NFL has dominated the sports headline the past 3 days. First, the stunning ruling by Commissioner Roger Goodell that levied huge penalties against New Orleans Saints. Secondly, the signing of Peyton Manning by the Denver Broncos and then the subsequent trade of Tim Tebow to the New York Jets. Both stories are big ones.
When word came out that the Saints were involved with a bounty system and that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was the ringleader, I indicated at the time that I felt this was similar to the steroid mess in baseball. What I meant is that both leagues knew what was going on but looked the other way. It seems that I was right. In a story I read on CBS Sportsline, the NFL warned the Saints back in 2010. Saints Owner Tom Benson notified General Manager Mickey Loomis that the league was aware of this and nothing was done to stop it.
As a result, Goodell has suspended Loomis and Head Coach Sean Payton for one year without pay, levied a $500,000 fined against the Saints and took away the team's second round draft pick for 2012 and 2013. While I don't have a problem with the penalties, I do have a problem with the hypocrisy. What I mean is that if the league knew in 2010 what was going on why didn't they step in right there and then? Moreover, based upon the outcry by a number of current and active players, how many other teams are involved in such practice??
We know that there have been bounties placed on star players for years. It has been well-documented that a number of teams had bounties placed on Joe Namath back in the day. There is no question in my mind that the practice has continued since then. The bounty system that the Saints have been penalized for typifies the general macho, tough guy image that the NFL has promoted for years. It's the same image that allows a head hunter like James Harrison to continue his concussion-inducing style of play. It's the same image that has the Cleveland Browns send back out on the field a clearly dazed and confused Colt McCoy after being hit by Harrison with a helmet to helmet hit.
This isn't about eliminating hits on quarterbacks. This isn't about pussifying the game of professional football. This is about eliminating the illegal, sordid and violent part of the game that is really rooted in a lack of respect for other players and for the game. I get as mad as the next guy when a flag is thrown after there is a clean hit on the quarterback. But leading with one's head to make a tackle or going for another player's head is what needs to be removed from the game. With this happening and teams not doing anything to stop it, should it shock anyone that there are bounties being placed on star players?? You want to eliminate this stuff, start suspending repeat offenders like Harrison for a season and fine the teams substantially. I'm curious to know if and when we are going to hear about other teams having a bounty system. I think we are kidding ourselves if we think that this is just a Saints problem
********************************************************************************************************
Peyton Manning's signing with the Denver Broncos was shocking to me. The move could make the Broncos a force in the AFC. However, what's even more shocking is the New York Jets acquiring Tim Tebow. What kind of message does that send to Mark Sanchez?? Sanchez was just given a contract extension. He has been the Jets starting quarterback since his rookie season. Last year, he regressed after taking the team to the playoffs. I have never been a big Sanchez fan for the simple reason that the kid only had one year at USC where he was the starter. That's why it is not surprising that the kid took a step back last season when the Jets expected more out of him. It's simple, the kid is still learning.
Bringing Tebow into the mix makes absolutely no sense. It creates a controversy. However, one has to wonder if that is not what the Jets high command wanted. With the Giants winning another Super Bowl, the Jets remain the second class football citizen in New York. Rex Ryan's act has grown old with his team not making the playoffs last year and the disharmony that was in the locker room. That's why former Jets great Joe Namath is absolutely right: the acquisition of Tebow is nothing more than a publicity stunt. That's why the Jets will always be second class citizens in NYC.
Has It Really Been March Madness??
Before the beginning of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, many pundits were saying that this was the most wide open tournament in years. But as we head into the Sweet 16, all four number 1 seeds remain and the only truly Cinderella that remains is number 13 seed Ohio. Friday night was thrilling as two number 15 seeds, Norfolk State and Lehigh, posted major upsets knocking off Missouri and Duke. But both teams were sent packing yesterday as Norfolk State was crushed by Florida 84-50 and Lehigh lost to Xavier 70-58.
In looking at the remaining match-ups, 3 of the 4 number one seeds are playing number 4 seeds with Syracuse taking on Wisconsin, Kentucky facing Indiana and Michigan State meeting Louisville. North Carolina and Kentucky have rolled through their first two games while Syracuse survived a scare in their opener against UNC-Asheville and Michigan State survived against St. Louis. A surprise team remaining in the tournament could be North Carolina State. The Wolfpack have knocked off number 6 seed San Diego State and yesterday defeated number 3 seed Georgetown. They will now face number 2 seed Kansas who squeaked by Purdue. The winner of the NC State-Kansas game could face North Carolina which will be an intriguing match-up either way.
The beauty of the tournament is seeing a lower seed advance to the final weekend. Last year it was VCU. Will we see that happen again?? Here's hoping Xavier, North Carolina State and Ohio reach the Elite Eight. Without them it wouldn't be called March Madness.
My 2012 Fantasy Baseball Black-Balled List
There are certain baseball players who I will not pick for my fantasy baseball team no matter what happens. For the most part, players that make my black-balled list are typically guys who have been on my team and had not lived up to expectations. There are a few who I won't draft because I just don't like them. So here we go with my 2012 Fantasy Baseball Black-Balled List:
* Lance Berkman - Two seasons ago, Berkman was a top ten pick of mine who I was looking to for power. Instead, he was so bad that the Astros moved him to the Yankees who were hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and it didn't happen. Of course last season he had a bounce back year which further irritated me. As a result, Berkman makes the list.
* Carlos Lee - The same year I drafted Berkman, I picked Carlos Lee. El Caballo turned into El Trampo. His batting average plummeted as did his RBI's. Between Berkman and Lee my fantasy season was over. Hence, Lee makes the list.
* Adam Dunn - Before the start of the season last year, it was suggested that Dunn was going to have a monster year playing for the White Sox. Dunn never hit for average so I was drafting him for home runs and RBIs. Needless to say, Dunn was a total bust and I'm done with him.
* Ian Desmond - Here's another guy who last spring was being touted to have a breakout season that would provide average, runs and stolen bases. Supposedly he was going to also supply a little power. Wrong!!! Desmond had a terrible year and I'm not going through another season with him.
* Kevin Youkilis - I drafted Youk 2 years ago, the same draft that I picked Berkman and Lee. That year, Youkilis had a subpar season which included a stint on the injury list. This guy is turning fragile as he gets older and I'm done with him. Besides, he's a Red Sox.
* BJ Upton - This guy has all kinds of talent and could be a five tool player. But he is one of the biggest underachievers going. I also think he is a head case. Upton has a lifetime membership on the black-balled list.
* Ichiro Suzuki - There is no particular reason why Ichiro makes this list other than he's not one of my favorite players. I have not and will never draft him.
* Jeff Francoeur - This guy seems to have all the ability in the world and I have had him on my team many times. He'll tease you by having a nice productive stretch but then the bottom falls out. He's Mr. Inconsistency and I'm done with him.
* Edinson Volquez - Two years ago, Volquez was another one of those guys who was going to have a breakout season. All he broke was my back as he contributed to a disasterous finish for my fantasy team.
* Brian Wilson - He makes this list because his beard is stupid.
* Matt Kemp - Two seasons ago I drafted Kemp in the first round and he had the worst season of his career. Last year he bounced back big time and I was steaming. All it takes is to screw me once and I'm done with you. So, Matt Kemp makes the list.
My draft is tomorrow and you can bet that none of the above will be on my roster for the 2012 season.
Next Week On Blog
Next week I will be out of the area and not able to post on the blog. Tomorrow I will do a Tuesday's Thoughts and will be back on the blog Sunday March 4th. Look for Tuesday's Thoughts tomorrow
Time Warner Cable Black Outs NY
Since January 1, 2012, Time Warner Cable (TWC) subscribers have been denied access to Madison Square Garden (MSG) programming which includes: NY Knicks, NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres games. Fans of these respective teams are unable to follow their favorites in the comfort of their own homes and must either find an establishment that has DirecTV or subscribe to DirecTV. For full disclosure let me say that I am a DirecTV subscriber and have been one since 1998 so this dispute between TWC and MSG does not impact me in the least. But it does impact hundreds of thousands of fans all across New York State.
Wednesday Mike Francesa had representatives from the two companies on his show and it was evident that if blame needs to be placed it lies with TWC. It would be in MSG's best interest to have these games broadcasted because as you know the Knicks and the Rangers are owned by MSG. It was reported the ratings for Knicks games are up 70% over last year and that is not counting the recent Jeremy Lin success story. The ratings for the Eastern Conference leading Rangers are up 10% over last year and the Buffalo Sabres have the best television ratings of any American based NHL team. So why is TWC balking at paying what other providers are paying for MSG??
In the end, once again the sports fans get screwed. What I would like to know is if TWC does not come to an agreement with MSG, will TWC subscribers receive a rebate??? The answer is no and we all know that. This whole situation is why I dumped cable many years ago. What I like about DirecTV is that I pay for what I want where as cable you pretty much have little choice. I have heard that in Western New York, DirecTV has brought in technicians from Pennsylvania because they cannot keep up with the demand for new installations as a result of people switching over from TWC. Unfortunately, there are many people who live in apartment or condominium complexes that prohibit satellite dishes from being installed so those people are held hostage by TWC.
A follower of this blog @TRestaino has started a campaign to apply pressure on TWC by asking people to send 10 tweets at 10am for the next 8 days using #timewarner to bring attention to this situation. If you are effected what do you have to lose by participating. Even if you are not effected, let's try to bring this thing to a head for those sports fans effected.
Eklund’s Hockey Buzz
Pro Football Talk
Post Archive
- December 2013 (2)
- September 2013 (1)
- August 2013 (3)
- July 2013 (1)
- May 2013 (4)
- April 2013 (6)
- March 2013 (8)
- February 2013 (14)
- January 2013 (20)
- December 2012 (17)
- November 2012 (14)
- July 2012 (6)
- May 2012 (2)
- April 2012 (19)
- March 2012 (20)
- February 2012 (22)
- January 2012 (25)
- December 2011 (22)
- November 2011 (26)
- October 2011 (29)
- September 2011 (25)
- August 2011 (28)
- July 2011 (31)
- June 2011 (29)
- May 2011 (30)
- April 2011 (24)
- March 2011 (36)
- February 2011 (13)