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By Zach Schiff  October 8, 2009, at 10:31 pm  - There is this really cool place called Black-Eyed Sally’s in Hartford that has decent food and always have awesome rock/soul/blues musicians. You can get a table, drink, and eat cajun food all night long while listening to sick guitarists and singers. I should email Aaron Voros and tell him. What’s his email address? Oh, there it is. AVoros34@hartfordwolfpack.com.
- No, seriously. Who will come out of the lineup when Sean Avery returns? Enver Lisin, who plays hard, is fast as hell, and hits people twice his size on every shift? Brian Boyle, who had a rocky first game but then picked it up tenfold and now even kills penalties? Donald Brashear? What happens when you take the enforcer out of the lineup? Well, just ask Donald Brashear, who took liberties with the Rangers in the playoffs when Colton Orr sat out. It’s got to be Voros, who took an awful penalty with a 2-2 game (of course, Brashear took a horrible penalty of his own late in the game, but Brashear serves a purpose while all Voros brings is a pretty cool beard).
- Artem Anisimov seemed to have a breakout game. The assist aside, he played well offensively. He finally seemed comfortable out there, especially on the shift where he had the assist. He was controlling the play and if Ales Kotalik didn’t score, Anisimov was waiting for the puck with an open net.
- I was ready to berate Chris Higgins for a very selfish play when he stole the puck in the Capitals’ zone then shot instead of passing to Drury. But on replays (both MSG’s and my TiVo’s), you can see that Jose Theodore was showing a lot of 5-hole, then snatched it away as soon as Higgins shot. So, no, not a bad play by Higgins at all, but I think Theodore trapped him into shooting when he knew he would close the hole immediately.
- It’s not that the Rangers of 2008-09 would’ve quit when the Capitals went up 3-2 with about 12 minutes left because they wouldn’t have. However, they probably wouldn’t have tied it up because they were missing a player like Marian Gaborik. There were a few games where Markus Naslund or Nikolai Zherdev tied it with under a minute left, but they were missing that certain something – call it a sniper, a game-breaker, a superstar, whatever you want to. They had the drive last year, most of the time, but not always the skills.
- Re: Marian Gaborik’s 2nd goal of the game that gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead. That, Bruce Boudreau, is why you don’t play Tom Poti on the penalty kill.
- The refereeing definitely wasn’t as bad as a Penguins game, but it’s obvious the refs let some calls against the Capitals slide. For instance, there was on play where the Rangers were pressing in the zone, close to scoring. Two different Capital players committed two different penalties right in front of the refs. No call on either, both Rangers go down to the ice, puck is cleared, play continues. There was one play where a Ranger beat out an icing, and I actually thought the ref was going to blow the whistle and send the faceoff down the other end, regardless.
- I used to formerly say that I would like to have Wade Redden on my team at $1.5M-$2M/year. I thought he was a decent 3rd-4th defender who was making top-5-in-the-NHL-money. So I thought he was okay on the team just eating valuable cap space.
Not true this season. He has simply become a bad player, and the emergence of Mike Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy only highlights his flaws. He coughs up the puck, he bobbles it when trying to clear the zone, he gets beat in footraces, he lets skaters blow by him, he doesn’t finish checks, and for that matter, he doesn’t start checks either. If, for some ungodly reason, a team would like to have him and would like to give the Rangers a 5th or 6th round draft choice, Glen Sather should accept that trade.
- You’ll read about Henrik Lundqvist giving up that goal everywhere (who cares, they won, he’s never done it before and he won’t do it again). You’ll also read about Ryan Callahan’s play (spirited and gritty, but I’ve been saying that since we first started this website in February of 2008).
- Kotalik for Zherdev. Vinny Prospal for Naslund. A better Brandon Dubinsky. Chris Drury in a less-prominent role where he isn’t relied on for goals. A young D who actually try. Two players from Long Island. And a Petr Prucha-lookalike in Lisin. I’ll take it. It’s not scary this year if the Rangers go down a goal or two like it was last year. Plus, if Lundqvist gives up a bad goal, it’s not the end of the world because the forwards – and D – can put one home.
- Seriously, it’s October. Why isn’t Voros scoring? This is his month!
By Bryan Berg October 8, 2009, at 8:18 pm
The Phoenix Coyotes could play their last home opener ever this weekend, what with the team in bankruptcy, the ownership situation unsettled and the possibility of relocation never all that far from the conversation about their future.
Relocation that, if you recall, requires a $750 million payment to the city of Glendale. Nice try, though.
If that wasn’t bad enough, chances are the Coyotes — a mix of minimally experienced young players, castoffs and a sprinkling of talented veterans — will miss the playoffs for a seventh straight season while bringing up the rear in the Pacific Division, if not the entire league when all is said and done.
That’s right, folks. The entire 2009-10 NHL season has already been played, and the Coyotes finished 30th out of 30 teams. But, like participants in a reality show, everyone has to act like it’s all happening at the same time we see it on TV.
To call this a mess would be to understate the situation and how much it has consumed the organization at every level for the last five months. But for the time being at least, the off-ice problems seem to be on the back burner with Phoenix becoming one of the NHL’s early pleasant surprises thanks to an impressive start that includes a well-earned road win against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Phoenix is 2-0. They’ve played exactly 2.439% of their schedule. Settle down.
Dave Tippett took over the job when Wayne Gretzky resigned a few days before the season opened. He replaced the game’s greatest icon and stepped into circumstances where failure seemed more likely than not. Yet in the space of a couple of weeks, Tippett has managed to instill a level of structure and discipline that has made Phoenix’s game virtually unrecognizable from last season, and certainly a lot more effective than anyone realistically could have imagined.
Let’s try this again. THE COYOTES WEREN’T THAT BAD LAST YEAR. They were fifth in the West at the All-Star break. They probably would have made the playoffs if not for their horrible late January and February where they netted a total of six points from fifteen games. They were 23-15-3 at home – you know, the place everyone is trying to move the Coyotes from.
Oh, and at least someone realistically imagined the Coyotes playing well this year.
More so when you consider Tippett really didn’t have to be there. A veteran coach widely respected for his teaching ability and no-nonsense approach to things, Tippett was fired unceremoniously by Dallas’ new management in June after averaging more than 45 wins in six seasons and with two more seasons remaining on his contract. Someone with Tippett’s pedigree could have waited for another opening, but instead he took what might be described as a leap of faith and has become a steadying force for a team that was in disarray.
A leap of faith is taking, say, the Devils job, knowing that Lou Lamoriello fires coaches like every week. But taking a job in a place with really nice weather, with absolutely no expectations, and when everyone has already written your team off as a horrible failure? That’s a win-win situation. It’s even better than taking a cushy TV analyst job.
[Tippett:] “I think the players have done a phenomenal job blocking out all the distractions and stuff that was in the media. Now it’s up to us, and the big thing now is that we’re playing and we can control things on the ice.”
No, you can’t. According to Wes Goldstein, you already missed the playoffs. If you already forgot, scroll up a few paragraphs.
“I had a feeling we were going to need a coach, and it was clear there was one guy for us,” Maloney said. “Back then, Wayne also thought Dave would be right for this. He’s got a quiet strength to him, and knowing what our team looked like, we thought he was a perfect fit.”
This is bullcrap. If Gretzky or Ulf Samuelsson was coaching this team and they won their first two games, Don “We Got The Better Lindros” Maloney would be singing their praises ad nauseum. In addition, I have no idea what “quiet strength” has to do with anything.
So far, he has been.
Perhaps we should wait until Dave Tippett hits the 2.440% mark on this season before calling him a “perfect fit” for anything.
By Matt Soldano October 8, 2009, at 6:49 pm Let’s face it, it’s tough to be a Bills fan right now. The team sucks, they are moving to Canada, Terrell Owens is on the team, they were the most overhyped team coming into the season, and Dick Jauron is their coach.
So what do Bills fan do with their time? Well for this proud Bills fan, he’s made a personal cover to the tune of “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s. The title? Hey There Trent Edwards…
De Franco cannot be happy. According to him Trent is the ninth best quarterback in the game! How? I will never know. But seriously this is my feelings towards this song:
By Zach Schiff October 8, 2009, at 7:57 am “It’s a power play goal! Petr Prucha!”
Last night, the Phoenix Coyotes went into Pittsburgh and took on the Penguins, and they won 3-0. What’s more impressive is that it was a power play goal. What’s more impressive is that he scored it while on his back, laying on a Penguin.
Check out the video of Prucha scoring while lying on Mark Eaton.
Happy Thursday to everyone.
By Jason Comack October 8, 2009, at 12:17 am I’m steamed.
I cannot begin to explain the importance of coaching in MMA. It’s probably the most underrated aspect of the sport, in fact the “Team” concept is often overlooked entirely in MMA. I’m not talking team as in the “IFL” team, I’m talking team as in the guys you sweat, bleed and train with. It’s both mental and physical, you need someone to knock you down but also someone to pick you up when you get knocked down.
Let me tell you a quick story:
One night at the gym I saw this kid, who didn’t know an Arm-Bar from a Salad Bar, spar. He got slammed on his head about three times, ate roughly 15 jabs and just didn’t know how to go on the attack, let alone defend himself. When the round ended the kid walked out of the ring totally dejected and looked like if he could disappear and never be seen, or heard, from again he would. Then something happened, a coach went over to that kid and put his arm around him. He told him what he did wrong, showed him some moves and helped rebuild his broken confidence. The bond between master and pupil was born.
Three years later that kid would still be training MMA. He had no ambitions of being a pro-fighter but competed in grappling tournaments and accomplished more athletically then he could have ever imagined. He could look back to that night in the gym, at his lowest point, and say “that’s the night the light-bulb went off and everything turned around”
And as you probably already guessed that kids name is Jason Comack.
That’s why I’m so disgusted with Rampage Jackson. Tonight he made a mockery of MMA, The UFC, The Ultimate Fighter but most importantly himself.
Every week I seem to criticize Rampage’s coaching but it came to the forefront this week. “I’m liking it” “I’m loving what I’m seeing” that’s Rampage’s definition of coaching. To make it better those wonderful words of encouragement came from a bench while an assistant coach worked hands on with the fighters.
Things would only get worse as the episode went along.
When Demico Rogers prepared to fight Brendan Schuab he walked into a locker room devoid of coaches. He had no one to warm him up, no pads to hit, no one to warp his hands, no one to give him a pep talk or go over strategy with…nothing. Why? His coaches, all of them, needed to get a sandwich.
When Brendan Schaub prepared to fight Demico Rogers he walked into a full locker room to applause and hugs. He got to work up a good sweat by hitting pads, got to over strategy and get himself mentally prepared.
Guess what team Rogers was on and guess what team Schaub was on…
While it lasted Schaub vs. Rogers was by far the best fight we’ve had. Rogers, a Rashard Evans clone in appearance and fight style, lead the fight off with a sloppy take-down that was quickly defended. In the ensuing scramble Schaub was able to get back to his feet and land some solid combos. However, Rogers, a freak athlete with an incredibly quick first step, was quickly able to land a solid take-down. Rogers worked from guard, landing some solid shots, and was able to pass to side-mount (again showcasing that crazy athleticism.) From side-mount Rogers landed solid elbows but eventually got overzealous and caught in another scramble. Showcasing great ju-jitsu and timing, Schaub locked in an anaconda choke and forced Rogers to tap out.
After the fight Rampage was his typical self-centered, egotistical self. He refused to offer his stool to his own fighter and instead sat and bashed Rogers. “He don’t need that stool…man, he got caught in an anaconda choke.” Rogers sat alone on the mat dejected, no one from his own team came over to him. Who picked him up off the mat, offered words of wisdom and helped rebuild his shattered confidence?
Rashad Evans.
Rampage decided it was time for an impromptu coaches meeting “we got too many damn guys screaming out instructions, these guys are too green, he was winning the fight, I don’t want anyone passing guard” was the best coaching Jackson had done all season…too bad it came after the fight was already lost.
It’s time to point the finger at yourself for once Rampage. This was your fault. You weren’t there for your fighter, you didn’t help him prepare, you didn’t give him a game-plan.
I hope that Rogers can rebound. Unlike so many of the fighters this season he has serious skills but is very raw. He reminds me a lot of TUF 1 Josh Koscheck. He just needs to get with a camp, cough Greg Jackson cough, who can actually maximize his immense potential.
As for Schaub I walk away impressed, his ju-jitsu is excellent and he has a very wiry frame that will be tough to defend. He’s easily the number two fighter in the house, not so far behind Roy Nelson.
As for Rampage…I hope he enjoys his movie career. I never want to see him in the Octagon again. He is a total joke, a total fraud and a total embarrassment to the sport.
By Anthony De Franco October 8, 2009, at 12:14 am I have a teacher who is one of those “things were better when I was young” guy. He loves to tell stories about how sports have all gone to hell and how all the NFL and other leagues do is steal money out of everyone’s pocket. The scary part is that there are a lot of people that really feel this.
The first thing that all of these people mention is how much players get paid. I hate this argument. It’s capitalism at it’s best. These players have skills that are in demand and the supply of them isn’t very high. That combination of things drives up the price of these players. I think that anyone that questions athletes salaries should have to sign a form saying that if they are ever offered too much money to do a job, they will turn it down.
Well, all of those people should be happy today as Michael Crabtree finally ended his absurd holdout and signed with the 49ers. For those who don’t know the situation, Crabtree was trying to buck the trend of “slotting” of NFL rookies. Basically, he was picked 10th, so he is normally paid something inbetween what the 9th and 11th pick made.
Crabtree wasn’t interested in that. He felt he was the best receiver in the draft, and thus wanted to be paid more than the first receiver taken in the draft, Darius Heyward-Bey of the Raiders, who was selected 7th. While’s its only three spots, it represents millions of dollars.
The 49ers weren’t playing that. They insisted that their slotted offer was fair. Crabtree and his people (which included a bail bondsman, Deion Sanders, One of the NFL’s most notorious agents, and MC Hammer) pushed him to hold out for more cash.
They didn’t beleive the Niners would start the season without their number one draft pick. They did. They went 3-1, and are a Brett Favre miracle away from being undefeated. They showed that they didn’t really need Crabtree to win. Rather than being a key piece to the 49er puzzle, he was the icing on the cake.
Without any leverage, Crabtree came to San Francisco with his tail between his legs. He signed a deal that looks huge, but in reality is pretty much a slot deal with a lot of monopoly money at the end of it that Crabtree will never see.
I applaud the 49ers for the way they handled this. This was more than just one player holding out. This was a player attempting to change the system. He thought that he was so good that the whole league would change the format of the whole draft just for him. What happens if the Niners cave and give in to his demands? Does the next player who wants to be paid more holdout until midseason? Does the slotting system go out the window?
So, well done Niners. Way to get your man and stand up for a system that works.
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