NHL Needs To Look At Goalie Interference
Within the last week there have been several goalie interference calls which have taken goals off the scoreboard and in some instances have played a significant role in determining the outcome of the game. Last night's phantom goaltender interference call against the Boston Bruins' Rick Peverley wiped out a Milan Lucic goal that would have tied the game at 1-1. I'm not going to say that this would have changed the outcome because the Bruins were outplayed by the Sabres but the call illustrated how bad these calls have been. Peverley was nowhere near Ryan Miller which was very similar to the call against Joffrey Lupul last week against Pittsburgh which wiped out a Maple Leaf goal.
The simple solution to this should be that these types of plays ought to be reviewed by the NHL Control Room in Toronto. It should be automatic. In fact, I will go one step further: every goal should be reviewed. It would not slow the game up because most goals would be clearly identified. If you watch as many NHL games as I do, it's clear that the NHL has a problem that they need to deal with. The interesting thing is that I never remember so many situations like what we have seen within the past week. Just from the games I have watched since January 31st, there were 4 goals that were waved off as a result of questionable goaltender interference calls.
Commissioner Gary Bettman and his cadre of league officials need to take a hard look at this issue. The system is already in place to correct this problem and protect the integrity of the game. By reviewing all goals, these types of calls would be made correctly. It would not slow down the game because on clear cut goals there would be no reason for play to be stopped. The league could review during the goal celebration and the center ice faceoff would take place with no interruption. If Bettman buries his head in the sand on this, he hurts the game's credibility. Take a look at it Gary!!
Super Bowl Pick!!!
Well it's time for my Super Bowl pick. Before I get to the game, let's recap how my season has been. My overall record ATS was 34-21 (61.8%). The last 14 weeks including playoffs I'm 30-13 ATS (69.7%) For the playoffs, my record is 4-1 ATS (80%). This game is a tough one to call but here goes:
New York (+3) over New England: Right now I believe that the Giants are the better overall team. New England's pass defense is terrible and will have a tough time against the Giant passing attack. The key to the game will be whether the Giants will be able to pressure Tom Brady using only their front four. I will be shocked if this game is a blow out either way. Even if the Patriots win this game they won't cover the spread. This one should be a dandy. New York 24 New England 23.
LSU Head Coach Miles: Class Act?? Not!!!
It was reported last night that LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles made a point of mocking Gunner Kiel for his decision not to play for Miles and instead go to Notre Dame. Kiel is arguably the best high school quarterback prospect graduating this year. He had initially committed to LSU but in the eleventh hour decided that he wanted to play closer to home and chose Notre Dame.
Here is what the adult football coach of a major college football power had to say about an 18 year old high school senior:
"We needed a quarterback," Miles told the crowd. "We lost two. We needed a quarterback in this class. There was a gentleman from Indiana that thought about coming to the Bayou State. He did not necessarily have the chest and the ability to lead a program, so you know."
Really??? I'd like to ask Coach Miles how many blue chip recruits have decided to leave a school they initially committed to and ended up at LSU??? I wonder if the coaches at those jilted schools cried and whined like a baby.
Kiel is an Indiana kid whose father, Blair Kiel, was a Notre Dame quarterback in the early 80's. Is it out of the realm of possibility for an 18 year old to change his mind on what school he or she is going to go to in the fall?? Les Miles should be ashamed of himself for calling out an 18 year old kid. In all the years that I have followed sports, I have never heard a college coach call out a recruit who changed his mind. It happens in every college sport on every level. But Miles' behavior is indicative of college football coaches forgetting that they are not coaching professionals but are coaching kids. In essence, they should be teachers. Teachers of not only the game of football but how to conduct yourself once you leave college. The lesson of Miles' boorish behavior is that if I don't get what I want from someone then I need to lash out as opposed to respecting another person's decision and figuring out how I move on.
There are certain college football teams you kind of always pull for. My list includes Alabama, Oklahoma, UCLA, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Notre Dame. LSU has never made that list and as long as Les Miles is head coach they never will.
It’s time to end all All-Star Games
Yesterday the sports world was treated to the NHL All-Star Game and the NFL's Pro Bowl. What a yawn!!! The NHL game ended up 12-9 with Team Chara defeating Team Alfredsson. The score was indicative of many hockey all-star games in the past. It kind of reminded me of games we used to play on the street many years ago. And by the way, whatever happened to the Eastern Conference vs the Western Conference. Team Chara vs Team Alfredsson?? Please!!!
While the Pro Bowl identifies each team by its conference name, the game itself is a joke. How many NFL games this year came close to scoring 100 points?? Again this is typical of the Pro Bowl, where there are restrictions on what the defense can do and the players enjoy soaking up the bright Hawaiian sun. Usually a lot of points is entertaining but not when it is apparent that some players are going through the motions. And please, don't talk up playing for conference pride because that ended years ago.
Unfortunately, all-star games have become a joke. What is suppose to be an exhibition of the best talent turns into a contrived facsimile of how the respective games are actually played. Case in point: Steven Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot during yesterday's game. He made a goofy spin move that was easily stopped. Maybe Steven thought he was still in the Skills Competition's breakaway contest because I find it hard to believe that he would have pulled that in a regular season game. But hey, this is the all-star game and its about having fun.
In my opinion, all-star games should be eliminated. Just think, with respect to Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NBA, the regular season could end a week sooner and answer the critics who say that they are too long. That's not to say that there can't be all-star teams but they should be announced at the end of the regular season with no game to be played.
Baseball always had the best all-star game. It has been called, "The Midsummer Classic." But it too has lost its pizazz. What made it a classic was that you were going to see players from the two leagues face each other that you might not see happen unless their respective teams made the World Series. Hank Aaron facing Jim Palmer. Now, with interleague play, that matchup could take place in a mid-week game in May.
I'm probably in the minority but I could do without all-star games. They have become a joke and the respective leagues go through all kinds of trouble to try to make them relevant and interesting. For a die-hard fan like me, their efforts are pointless. There will be some who will say to me that if I dislike them so much I just shouldn't watch them. Well, I haven't watched an all-star game in its entirety in over 10 years and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Heading Into Championship Week
Except for the Patriots destruction of the Denver Broncos, divisional playoff weekend provided great entertainment for football fans. The best game without a doubt was the New Orleans-San Francisco contest which saw a coming out party for the much-mailgned Alex Smith. Smith has often been considered a first round bust. The thinking was that Smith was nothing more than a game manager, just like Trent Dilfer, and that the 49ers relied on a running game and defense. But Saturday afternoon, Smith went toe-to-toe with NFL MVP candidate Drew Brees and drove his team down the field not once but twice, the last time with 9 seconds remaining to punch the Niners ticket to the NFC Championship game. A championship game that will be played at Candlestick Park as a result of the New York Giants victory over the Green Bay Packers.
The Giants were led by their franchise quarterback, Eli Manning, who outplayed the other NFL MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers. The Giant defense pressured Rodgers and made plays when they had to and the Packer defense which has been suspect all year long could not get it done when they needed to. New York's victory was not surprising to me as they had the better defense, were on a roll and their QB and WRs were every bit as good as the Packers. On top of that, the Giant running game was firing on all cylinders as evidenced by Brandon Jacobs' touchdown at the end of the game which sealed the deal for New York.
In Baltimore, the Ravens recipe for victory remained the same as they capitalized on turnovers and their defense was able to make big plays. Give the Houston Texans credit for not backing down as they trailed 17-3 in the first quarter and it looked like it was going to be a blowout. But they made it close behind the running of Arian Foster but in the end it wasn't enough. One has to think that if Matt Schaub had not been injured that this game would have ended differently.
Saturday night, Tom Brady showed that he wasn't screwing around as he lit up the Bronco defense for 6 touchdown passes, 5 in the first half, as the Patriots rolled Denver 45-10. Tim Tebow was not a factor at all as the Patriot defense played one of its better games of the year. A defense that was just as bad as that of the Packers. In the end, the Patriots were just too much for the Broncos.
The championship games should be very interesting. Two years ago the Ravens knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs, as Ray Rice ran all over them in Foxboro. Don't think that Bill Belichik won't remind his team of that. On the NFC side, the Giants will try to avenge a loss that they suffered at the hands of the Niners during the regular season. In what has become a quarterbacks league, next Sunday it will come down to four QB's. Right now, I'd have to go with Tom Brady and Eli Manning and what a Super Bowl that would be: a rematch from 2007 that saw the Giants win the Super Bowl and end the Patriots undefeated season. Stay tuned.
Lindy Ruff’s Culture Of Whining
After Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff was lamenting the charging call against Patrick Kaleta which resulted in Nikolai Kulemin's power play goal that gave the Leafs a 1-0 lead. Ruff complained that Kaleta was a marked man by NHL referees and that he doesn't think Kaleta can hit anybody now because the refs are looking to penalize him which could result in Kaleta being suspended. Really???? The NHL is targeting a slug like Patrick Kaleta. Please???
But this is the type of stuff that you would expect from Lindy Ruff and explains why he has been perfect for the Buffalo Sabres. You see Ruff plays right into the inferiority complex that Buffalo sports fans have had for years. Remember when the Miami Dolphins dominated the Bills in the 70's and early 80's??? It was because Dolphin Head Coach Don Shula was on the NFL's Rules Committee and that's why the Dolphins received all the favorable calls.
Sometimes a coach says things in order to get a favorable call the next time around but Ruff's assertion that Kaleta is being targeted is a big joke. Kaleta is not even considered a top ten agitator, let alone a top ten fighter. On Wednesday, Schopp & The Bulldog made the point that Kaleta has been totally ineffective and brought up the game on November 12th against the Bruins when Milan Lucic ran Ryan Miller. Bulldog made the point that Kaleta had an opportunity to run Tim Thomas and didn't. If he had there is no doubt a brawl would have ensued but at least the Sabres would have showed a willingness to stand up to the Bruins and showed the rest of the league that they were not going to back down to anyone.
Ruff's whining about referees and other teams' players is nothing new. But the damage is that it creates a culture of whining and no accountability and that is what's wrong with the Sabres. I have to laugh when I hear Sabre fans complain that the players are complacent because Terry Pegula upgraded the team's locker room. Really??? The reason why this team is complacent is because the players have tuned out Ruff. It's either that or they are simply not good enough. To use injuries as an excuse is nonsense. Every team goes through that but the key is whether or not the veterans can respond and whether the coach can hold things together. In the Sabres case, it appears that Ruff wants to make excuses. The refs are targeting Kaleta. Injuries are killing us.
Terry Pegula spent a considerable amount of money in the off season bringing in high priced free agents. Optimism abounded throughout Western New York. But since the Lucic hit on Miller, the Sabres have been in a tailspin and neither the players nor their head coach have been able to turn things around. Where is the accountability??? Instead Ruff whines that the NHL is targeting Patrick Kaleta. The question becomes: how long will Terry Pegula put up with this???
Week 17 NFL Picks
Last week was not good as I went 1-2. My overall record is 26-20 and I'm 22-10 in the last 10 weeks. It's been fun and I hopefully will finish off strong. Will have playoff picks starting next Friday.
* Atlanta (-12) over Tampa Bay: The Falcons could be the 5th seed with a win and a Detroit loss to Green Bay. It would mean playing the winner of the weak NFC East as opposed to the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons are 4-0 as a home favorite while the Buccaneers are 2-4 as road underdogs. The Bucs are the type of team that the Falcons beat up on and Sunday should be no different. Atlanta 30 Tampa Bay 14.
* Baltimore (-2) over Cincinnati: If the Ravens win they will draw a 1st round bye and guarantee at least one home playoff game. Cincinnati needs to win and they are in the playoffs. The Ravens are the better team and have made it their goal to win the division. This game will be close. Baltimore 24 Cincinnati 21.
* NY Giants (-3) over Dallas: This game is going to come down to the quarterbacks and I have to give Eli Manning the edge over Tony Romo. It should be a dandy and high scoring. New York Giants 35 Dallas 30.
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Tomorrow my Yankee post.
Week 14 NFL Picks
Last week was a mediocre week as I went 2-2 bringing my overall record to 24-19. Over the last 9 weeks my record is 20-9. Here's hoping for a better week.
*Cincinnati (-3) over Houston: The Bengals are in a must win situation here. A loss would put them at 7-6 and a Jets and/or Titans victory would put the Bengals one game out of a playoff spot. They are at home playing a Houston team without their starting quarterback, their second string quarterback and their star wide receiver. The Texans have a two game lead over the Titans. This game is more important for the Bengals and they are at home. Cincinnati 20 Houston 14.
*Atlanta (-3) over Carolina: I swore I would never pick the Falcons again but this game is huge for them and their playoff chances. They are fighting with the Bears and the Lions for wild card spots. A Falcon loss and the other two teams winning would put the Falcons a game behind. Keep in mind, the Bears hold the tie breaker over the Falcons having defeated them on opening day. The Panthers will not go down easy but this is a huge game for Atlanta. Atlanta 27 Carolina 21.
*New York Giants (+3 1/2) over Dallas: For the G-men this is do or die. A loss and they can kiss their playoff chances good-bye and it probably means that Tom Coughlin will be out as Head Coach at the end of the season. They have lost 4 in a row, including a gut-wrencing loss last week at home against Green Bay. The Cowboys had a chance to take a two game lead over the Giants but dropped a game they should have won in Arizona. Both of these teams are inconsistent. But I'm going with the team that needs it more. New York Giants 30 Dallas 28.
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Tomorrow my thoughts on the Browns and their handling of Colt McCoy after being hit by James Harrison
Week 13 NFL Picks
Last week I finished 3-2 going 3-1 on Sunday rebounding from the Lion debacle on Thanksgiving Day. My season record is 22-15 but over the last 8 weeks my record is 18-7. This week four picks and hopefully I can continue my winning ways.
* Buffalo (-1 1/2) over Tennessee: The Bills have lost 4 in a row and are coming home after a three game road trip. But for a Stevie Johnson dropped pass the Bills would have defeated the Jets on the road. The Bills are 4-1 at home and the Titans are 2-3 on the road. This is a big game for the Titans as they still have a shot at the playoffs. However, Ralph Wilson Stadium is a tough place to play and if the Bills have any pride they will win this game. Buffalo 20 Tennessee 17.
* Denver (+1 1/2) over Minnesota: The Broncos are on an amazing run with Tim Tebow. They are one game behind the Raiders and are very much in the hunt to win the AFC West. Denver is riding a four game win streak and are 5-1 as a road underdog. Minnesota is playing out the string and will be without Adrian Peterson. They have lost 3 in a row. Tebow continues to find a way. Denver 21 Minnesota 13.
* Oakland (+3) over Miami: While I understand that the Raiders have some injuries I still can't imagine the Dolphins being favored in this game. The Raiders hold a one game lead over the surging Denver Broncos. They can't afford a slip up against Miami. Oakland is 7-3-1 ATS and are 3-0-1 as a road underdog. Miami has played better as of late. They are 6-5 ATS and 2-1 as a home favorite. Straight up the Raiders are 4-1 on the road and Miami is 2-3 at home. This game will be close. Oakland 17 Miami 15.
* San Francisco (-13 1/2) over St.Louis: The 49ers are coming off a tough loss at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night. They have had ten days to stew over the loss. The Rams have the worst rush defense in the league and San Francisco has Frank Gore. San Francisco is 5-0-1 as a home favorite and St.Louis is 1-3 as a road underdog. This one will get ugly. San Francisco 31 St.Louis 10.
An LSU – Alabama Proves The BCS Is A Joke!!!!
For those of you who live in Western New York, a discussion on who should be in the College Football National Championship Game will never happen on the area's only all-sports station, WGR 550. They are too busy doing food drafts, lamenting the NFL's black out policy and convincing the Buffalo faithful how they always get screwed. However, for the rest of us sports fans the issue of how a college football national champion is chosen is always a topic of conversation this time of the year.
LSU is the only undefeated team in the country. This weekend they will play 10-2 Georgia to determine if they will be the SEC champion. Most experts expect LSU to win and end the season at 13-0 moving them toward the BCS Championship Game. These same experts and the BCS rankings has them facing Alabama. You got it, the same Alabama team that LSU beat in Tuscaloosa 9-6 in overtime. My question is why???? It's not like Alabama is the only once beaten team in the country.
The number 3 team in the BCS rankings is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will face their arch-rivals the Oklahoma Sooners this Saturday. A Cowboy victory will put them at 11-1 for the season and moreover will give them a victory over six teams with a winning record. By the way, in Alabama's 11 wins this year only 3 were against teams with a winning record. Oklahoma State had the 10th toughest schedule in the country compared to Alabama which had the 38th toughest schedule.
A rematch between Alabama and LSU for the national championship would be a joke. If Alabama wins that game, both teams will have one loss splitting the two games that they played against each other. Does that make the Crimson Tide the national champions??? I say not necessarily and why should they be. How is it fair for the Tigers??? LSU beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Losing a close one in the national championship game should not eliminate the Tigers from being the national champion.
This situation tells us two things. First, there appears to be an SEC bias. The overriding belief by many of the talking heads is that the best football in the country is played in the SEC. If you examine the Big 12 and the SEC both conferences have 6 teams over .500. It should be noted that the Big 12 has 10 teams in its conference while the SEC has 12. Secondly, a rematch will confirm what many already know: there is a need for a playoff format to determine college football's national championship. You often hear how a late season loss hurts more than a loss early in the season if you want to qualify for the big game. The 1st Alabama-LSU game was November 5th. Virginia Tech's lone loss was in October against Clemson. Using this logic, why aren't they a possible entry into the big game??
One more thing to consider: what if Georgia wins on Saturday and Oklahoma State defeats the Sooners??? Does LSU go to the championship game??? Would Alabama have a chance even though they did not even play in the SEC Championship game and they already lost to LSU?? And what about Stanford, a team thats only loss was to Oregon??
An LSU-Alabama rematch for the national championship would be a bust. LSU will be forced to beat Alabama twice in order to be crowned the undisputed national champion. An Alabama win would give us a number of one loss teams who would have a legitimate claim to the national title. The other thing to consider is that the first game between these two teams was a defensive struggle. Wouldn't it be more intriguing to see if LSU would be able to stop a prolific Oklahoma State offense in the national title game???
Here's hoping that Georgia wins and Oklahoma State wins. This will turn everything on its head. In the meantime at WGR550, the topic will be whether or not the Bills should tarp off seats so they are not penalized for having the largest stadium in the NFL.
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