At the start of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, if someone would have predicted a 7^th seeded team would be matched-up against the 8^th seeded team in the Conference Final, we would’ve thought that person was smoking some serious B.C. bud.  Well ladies and gentlemen it’s time to pass the dutchie, because in stark contrast to the Western Finals, the Eastern Conference Finals will showcase the battle of the basement.

For the first time since 1994 when the National Hockey League introduced the conference final playoff format, the 7th and 8th seeded teams, will faceoff in the Eastern Conference Finals.  These two miracle teams are none other than the #7 Philadelphia Flyers and the #8 Montreal Canadiens.   

Halak-bitants

In the quarter-finals, the Canadiens faced the NHL’s best team, the Washington Capitals led by Alex Ovechkin.  The point differential between Montreal and Washington was 33, yet somehow the Habs managed to comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to win the series in 7 on the road and become the first #8 seed to take out a #1 seed. 

There next stop was Pittsburgh, where the confronted Sidney Crosby and his Penguins…AKA the defending Stanley Cup Champions.  In what was thought to be a gimmie for the wobbly birds, soon turned out to be a gimmie,gimmie never gets.  The Habs battled their way to through the series, while managing to shutout the Penguins top line in the process.  In the déjà vu ending, the Habs sent the Penguins marching out of the playoffs in 7 games.  It was the last game the famous Mellon Area dubbed the Igloo, would ever host.  Ironically, the first NHL game at the Igloo was October 11, 1967, where the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Montreal Canadiens.  The final score, 2-1 Montreal…bookends!!

With two game 7 wins behind them, one would think the Habs are hoping for yet another lucky game 7 series win.  This time they’ll faceoff against the 7^th seeded team in their conference…The Philadelphia Flyers.

There are many reasons why the Montreal Canadiens have progressed so well this post-season.  However, the true X factor is the solid performance by goaltender Jaroslav Halak.   The 25 year old Slovakian has been a dominate force between the pipes.  He has robbed the best players in the league and has stopped more shots than a bullet-proof vest.  He has been compared to Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden and Jacques Plante.  Halak has simply been outstanding thus far in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs and will no doubt sport a Vezina Trophy in near the future.  The talented net-minder is feeding off a mountain of momentum as he enters the Eastern Conference Finals.  Redemption could also be a key factor.  Halak made his Playoff debut in 2008, after stepping in for Carey Price.  He lost 4-2 against….you guessed it, the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Flying Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers finished the regular season with 88 points.  They started their post-season run versus the New Jersey Devils.   The Devils were the 2^nd seeded team in the Eastern Conference, powered by multiple Cup winner, Martin Brodeur.  Many predicted a series sweep in favour of New Jersey.  Well folks, Hell musta froze over as the Flyers handed the Devils and early departure voucher winning the series in 5 games.  They did it dramatic fashion as Brian Boucher and the Flyers shutout the Devils 3-0 in Newark. 

The Flyers were now off to Beantown to face Tuukka Rask and his Boston Bruins in the semi-finals.  After 3 games, it appeared a Bruins series victory was imminent, let alone a sweep.  The Flyers had dug themselves into a 3-0 game deficit and would need to win 4 consecutive to stave off elimination.  Not a problem.  Game 4 was the start of a brand new series for the Flyers.  They beat the Bruins 5-4 in a thrilling overtime battle.  With a notch finally in the win column, the Flyers confidence took flight.  However in game 5, starting goaltender Brian Boucher suffered a season ending injury and a Flyers comeback seemed impossible.  But as we all know, nothing is impossible in the post-season.  With Boucher out, the Flyers had to put their trust and confidence into back-up goalie Michael Leighton.  This would be Leighton’s first ever NHL playoff action, but one would never have guessed.  He stood solid between the pipes and held the Bruins to just 4 goals in 3 games.  Going into game 7 in Beantown, there had only been 2 other teams in NHL history to comeback from being down 3 games to nil to win a series.  Through sheer determination and conviction, the Flyers became the 3^rd team and now join the ranks of the 42’ Toronto Maple Leafs and the 75’ New York Islanders.

Cinderella Showdown

The commonalities between these the #8 Montreal Canadiens and the #7 Philadelphia Flyers are uncanny.  Besides being the 7 and 8 who took out the 1 and 2 seeds, both…

• Were predicted to be out in the 1^st round
• Won the quarterfinals on the road
• Won the semi-finals in 7 games on the road
• Have goaltending in their storybooks
• Have defied the odds and shocked the hockey world
• Have put their mark on NHL history

The 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been mythical journey for these two teams.  But the fairy-tale will come to an end for one of these teams in 7 games or less.  It’s ok to have two Cinderellas, as long as you remember only one can take home the Prince…of Wales Trophy and only one will be invited to Lord Stanley’s Ball.

Buckle-up boys and girls, the only aspect predictable in this series is, it’s gonna be one hell of an intense and exciting Eastern Conference Final.  Game one goes tonight at the Wachovia Center.

Really?

So far in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the series is composed of 4 game 7s and 10 road victories.  Here they are…

Road Warriors

After a lengthy hiatus, I’ve finally returned to entertain, delight and inform my readers on the sports world according to me…SportsChick! 

It hard to believe we’re in May and the both the NHL and NBA Playoffs are off to an exciting and somewhat unforeseeable start.  Playoffs of any sort are the most thrilling time of the year.  Everyone is filled with energy from the players, to fans and bookies.  Everybody benefits during the Playoffs!!  This week ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to focus on the NHL Playoffs.  It’s turning into quite an unpredictable series of events, which has the hockey world in complete shock and awe! 

Before I begin, I would like to dedicate this episode to my outstanding team over at VMC.  The clever and inspirational gang who continuously ask me when this site will be updated! No names necessary with this group…they know who they are! 

Hooked on Hockey 

Round one of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs is complete and had some surprising outcomes for top seeded teams, more so in the Eastern Conference.  For example, who would’ve thought the number 8 seeded Montreal Canadiens would conquer Alexander the Great?  It was a capital disappointment for Ovechkin and a loss that was as shameful as his Olympic performance.  Going into the Playoffs, the Washington Capitals were the best team in the NHL finishing with 121 points for the season.  The point differential between Montreal and the Capitals was 33, yet somehow the Halak-bitants managed to comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to become the first #8 seed to take out a #1 seed.   But not all was lost for the Capitals.  They now hold the title of being the only NHL team to lose a playoff game 7 on home-ice.  

The Montreal Canadiens are now facing the Pittsburgh Penguins in round 2.  Sidney Crosby and his Penguin colony dismantled the Ottawa Senators, winning their round 1 series 4 games to 2.  Montreal and Pittsburgh, who are both missing key players, will head to the Bell Centre for game 3 with the series split after a 3-1 Montreal win at the Igloo.  Now although Halak appears to be back…along with a solid PK (that includes Subban as well), we must remember the Penguins are notorious road warriors, winning only one game at home in round 1.  Oh yeah and a Stanley Cup in Motor City! 

WTF Moments 

Martin Brodeur

Let’s talk about surprisingly short-lived post seasons.  They involve two outstanding Olympic calibre net-minders who find themselves on the green instead of the ice.  On paper, Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller should be backing their respective teams in Round 2 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, however both the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres find themselves on the outside looking in.  The Devils who finished 2^nd in their conference with 103 points, barely avoided the sweep by the number 7^th seeded Philadelphia Flyers.  The Flyers dominated the series winning 4-1 and posing the question, is it time for Marty Brodeur to retire?   

Ryan Miller

Meanwhile the number 3 seeded Buffalo Sabres had their post-season run ended by the number 6 seeded Boston Bruins in 6 games.  The Savard-less Beantown Bullies battled their way to 4-6 series win.  It was definitely the most physical series, with a combined 70 penalties awarded and 73 minutes of penalties in game 5 alone!  The end of this bout poses the question…when the heck is Lindy Ruff gonna get the boot outta Buffalo??!   The Bruins are now facing the Flyers in round 2 with Beantown leading the series 1-0.  This is also shaping up to be a physical series and a more interesting one with Savard back in action! 

 Wild Wild West 

Joe Pavelski

There were no real surprise endings in the Western Conference, however that doesn’t mean there was no lack of drama.  Out of the 4 series match-ups, 3  were decided in game 6 and 1 went to the pinnacle game 7. That game 7 saw the Detroit Red Wings fighting off the Phoenix Coyotes.  Overcoming a plethora of adversity, the Coyotes shocked the hockey world by finishing the regular season with 107 points, the 4^th most in the NHL.  They took the Red Wings for everything they had but in the end, the team who has made it the Playoffs 19 consecutive times prevailed.  Detroit now faces the hungry San Jose Sharks and a hot Heatley and Pavelski. The Sharks are up 2 game to nil but these two forces are heading to the Joe on Tuesday for game 3 

Roberto Luongo

The rest of the west looks like this…Roberto Luongo (AKA Captain Canuck) will face the young, speedy and talented Chicago Blackhawks.  Vancouver is hoping history does not repeat itself and so far they’re doing a good job to prevent that.  The Canucks dominated game 1 with a 5-1 win and a 1-0 series lead, but this series is far from over! 

 Predictions 

I was once told predictions are made by those who lack foresight, so considering I live for the present…here’s mine. 

Pittsburgh Penguins over Montreal Canadiens in 6 

Boston Bruins over Philadelphia Flyers in 7 

Vancouver Canucks over Chicago Blackhawks in 6 

San Jose Sharks over Detroit Red Wings in 5

Yet another week has gone by and the sports operas keep on coming.  This week offers us a few heart warming stories to help kick off the Holiday season.  Ok not really unless your name is Grinch or Ebenezer. So with little introduction, here is episode 3 of As the Sports World Turns!

Crouching Tiger Hidden Tigress

Since PGA mega-star Tiger Woods was involved in early morning single-car accident, speculations of adultery, alcohol and domestic tribulations have all been flying more than his golf balls.  Why and how his Escalade ended up against a tree with the back the window smashed to pieces, is still a mystery.  Whether or not Tiger was prowling around with a cocktail waitress from Vegas is still unclear.  What is clear, is Tiger Woods is one of the most recognized sports celebrities in the world.  His achievements are unattainable to the masses and his list of sponsors makes the sports world drool.  But finally, finally Tiger has done something to prove he’s human. He made a mistake!  Yes he allegedly committed adultery, yes his wife may have found text messages and put a hole-in-one through his window. But in the wide scope of things…who really cares? Definitely not his sponsors as Nike, Gatorade, EA Sports and Gillette have expressed only support or commitment. If his cheating habits have any merit, it should be dealt with behind closed doors.  Elin will get over it like every other wife of a famous sporting figure who got caught cheating and Tiger will continue to sink his putts…hopefully only on the golf course.  Unfortunately we’ll have to wait till 2010 to see him action again…his bruised ego will prevent him for participating in tournaments until then, including one for his foundation.  The one good thing to come out this is the fact he actually posted something on his website…a public apology to his tigress!

No LOVE loss!

Serena Williams has $82,500 less in her pocket book all courtesy of her potty mouth.  The grand-slam record fine was served up to the tennis star as a result of her tantrum against a line judge at the U.S. Open in September.  In the words of tournament director Jim Curley, Williams acted in a ‘threatening manner’ towards the official.  Williams verbally confronted the lineswoman after a foot-fault call which ended up costing her the semifinals at the prestigious tournament.   To make matters worse, Williams is on probation for the next two years and could be suspended from the U.S. Open if she has another ‘major offense’ within that time period.  Major Offense?  Who are they kidding?  It’s a complete joke!  Lesser fines have been handed down to players who storm off the court, which should be a more intolerable offense.  John McEnroe became infamous for his on-court antics but was not fined anything close to this ridiculous amount. Obliviously the Grand Slam administrators are trying to set a precedent to deter other players from having a meltdown, but come on they make this sound like she held a .45 to the lineswoman’s head.  With all said and done, Serena Williams will graciously pay her fine and continue playing the best tennis she possibly can.  Note to lineswoman and tournament director…a threatening manner would’ve been Serena inviting the judge to Saginaw Michigan to hang with her and Venus!!

Swing and an OOPs!

What the hell was Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard thinking…or was he? The incident or accident has the hockey world talking but more so laughing.  After giving up a goal by Atlanta’s IIya Kovalchuk, Ballard in utter frustration swung his stick towards his net.  But instead of hitting the crossbar as he intended, he hit his own goalie in the head. Tomas Vokoun went down immediately as the oblivious Ballard made a second swing.  Vokoun had to be carted off the ice and taken to hospital for stitches while Ballard stood watching DUMB-founded.  The league feels no disciplinary action is warranted given the aggression was towards a member of his own team.  In reality, they probably feel having the undignified move played over and over on the lowlight reels is punishment enough. Vokoun’s ear will heal but the same can’t be said about Ballard’s pride.

Alexander the not-so Great

As we continue along with bonehead moves, Washington Capitals’ forward Alexander Ovechkin was suspended for two games after a knee-on-knee hit with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason.  The hit left both players lying on the ice, Gleason in pain and Ovechkin hoping the ref didn’t notice his preceding move.  But they did and so did the National Hockey League.  Some question whether the act by the Russian sniper was malicious or simply an accident. But regardless if the hit was calculated or incidental, a two game suspension is a joke.  If roles were reversed, that player would be out a minimum four games.  Once again the head suits over at the NHL have proved they have no consistency in assessing disciplinary actions.

To play or not to play!

Looks like Allen Iverson is pulling a Brett Favre.  After announcing his retirement just last week, the NBA All-Star has rebounded his way onto the court.  This time it’s with his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers.  For the sake of the Sixers, let’s hope he actually finds his way on to the hardwood this time unlike his sad stint with the Memphis Grizzlies.  Expect to see Iverson make his grand entrance on December 7^th against the Denver Nuggets.  How long he will last and will actually attend a practice is anyone’s guess.

Who’s your Danica?

Danica Patrick has still not publicly confirmed whether or not she will be racing on the NASCAR circuit, but the geniuses maintaining her website posted a picture of her wearing a racing suit with JR Motorsports and other NASCAR logos plastered all over it. The photo was quickly removed but it doesn’t take a crew chief to figure out it’s a matter of days before an announcement is made.  In the meantime, Danica is making it easy for her to stray over to the left-hand circuit.  She recently signed a three-year contract extension with Andretti Autosport, with a two year mutual option clause.  With Andretti appearing that he’s on board, his meal ticket will most likely ink her deal with JR Motorsports, which is owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Stay tuned!!

Net Zero!

It’s official, the New Jersey Nets are the not-so proud holders of the title ‘worst team start in NBA history’.  The disgraceful honour was bestowed onto the Nets after losing their 18^th straight game to the Dallas Mavericks.  The Nets are the worse team in the NBA when it comes to scoring and shooting, but after the brutal game against the Mavs, they can add defense to the list.  Improvements may not be in the immediate future as now they’ll have to adjust to their brave new coach Kiki Vandeweghe.  Let’s just hope they don’t drive Kiki cuckoo as he makes his sideline debut at home December 4^th against the Charlotte Bobcats.

The 97^th Grey Cup game between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders became an instant classic in the dying seconds.  It was the first time the two would face-off in the Championship game but one neither will soon forget.

The Grey Cup is the Canadian Football League’s version of the Super Bowl, minus the multi-million dollar marketing and advertising campaigns.  But despite the low budget affair, the under-rated event did not disappoint in any factor, especially excitement. 

Calgary’s McMahon Stadium looked like the slime bowl as many of the 46,020 fans wore green in support of the Roughriders.  The Alouettes came into the game with an outstanding 15-3 season and were favoured by 9-points.  But being the underdog certainly fuels the adrenaline and the Roughriders were definitely energized…the stage was ready for a huge upset win.  Throughout the first half, this premonition was looking like an attainable reality.  Quarterback Darian Durant and his Roughriders controlled the game and the crowd in every aspect.  The first half ended with Saskatchewan leading Anthony Calvillo and his Frère Jacques 17-3. 

Enter momentum shift…

Whatever Alouettes head Coach Marc Trestman said to his team at halftime certainly worked.  The Alouettes returned to the field for the second half looking like a new and rejuvenated roster.  They outscored the Roughriders 25-10, with 18 points coming in the forth quarter.  But it would be the last 3 points that will make this game one to remember.  The Roughriders held the lead throughout the entire game despite two second half interceptions by Durant. However in the dying minutes of regulation, the Alouettes edged their way down the field.   With 10 seconds left on the clock, the Alouettes put the game in the hands of their dependable kicker Damon Duval.  The 43-yard field goal attempt would give the Frenchmen their first lead and the win.  Duval set up, the ball was snapped, the kick was up….and NO good!  McMahon Stadium erupted while the Roughriders sideline began to invade the field in celebration mode…both oblivious to the evil flagged laying on the ground.  The call…too many men on the field against Saskatchewan.  The penalty drained the life of the Roughriders, while giving new life to Duval and the Alouettes.   Duval would not miss twice.  His second attempt from 33-yards went straight throw the uprights and punctured the hearts of the Roughriders and their faithful fans.  The kick was good, the score was 28-27 and the cancan line formation was set for their victory dance.

The Montreal Alouettes are the 2009 CFL Champions and will be French kissing the Grey Cup down Ste-Catherine St. in the heart Montreal.  It is their sixth Grey Cup victory and their first in such a dramatic fashion.  The Alouettes never lost focus but more importantly, they never stopped believing they could come back and win.

There you have it folks, the Roughriders did pull off the biggest upset in recent CFL Grey Cup history…too bad it was at their own demise! 

Interesting…

Many football fans may not be aware but did you know teams from the CFL and NFL have played against each other in exhibition games on seven different occasions from 1950 to 1961?  Plus they had to play with a special set of rules which combined those of the CFL and NFL.  Here’s a list of the match-ups and results:

Speaking of rules, there are several differences between the CFL and the NFL.  For your entertainment here are a few notables:

• There are 8 teams in the CFL versus 32 in the NFL
• CFL has twelve players on the field per side, while the NFL has eleven players
• CFL field is 110 yards and the NFL is 100 yards
• CFL has 3 downs, the NFL has 4 downs
• There is no fair catch in the CFL
• CFL has the 3-minute warning, while the NFL has the 2-minute
• In the CFL, the offensive team must run a play within 20 seconds of the referee whistling the play in, the NFL has 25 seconds
• Average fan capacity at an CFL stadium is 50,000 whereas 73,500 at an NFL stadium
• CFL uses bigger footballs

Recently my neighbours to the south celebrated their Thanksgiving. Hope you all enjoyed your holiday with friends and family. We all have a lot to be thankful…for instance an extra full day of NFL football!  Speaking of which, we start this week’s episode with some football sports operas and finish up with some turkeys!

 Browns going down!

Head coach Eric Mangini is acting more like a Mangina.  Apparently he believes the Detroit Lions may have faked some player injuries during their dramatic comeback against his Cleveland Browns last week.  It appears that he noticed a number of Lions requiring assistance off the field but subsequently returned.  I may be going out on a limb here but aren’t players supposed to return to the field if they are capable of doing so?  Guess Matt Stafford faked his dislocated shoulder as well right? Understandably it’s hard to lose when you’re playing for the pinnacle 2-9 record but suck it up Mangini, the Browns lost fair and square!!

 Gobble Gobble!

After their dramatic comeback and win over the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions once again attempted to entertain us on turkey day USA.  Despite injuries Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson started for the Lions in hopes they could lead their team to a Thanksgiving Day victory.  Playing on turkey day has been a long standing tradition for the Lions but not a very good one. They say history is doomed to repeat itself, and ‘they’ are right as once again the Lions found themselves in turkey hell.  For the sixth consecutive year, the Lions were unable to feast on Thanksgiving.  This time around the Green Bay Packers were the tamers.  The Packers left Ford Field with full bellies after they ate up the Lions 34-12 in a turkey day massacre.  Matt Stafford threw 4 interceptions, while Daunte Culpepper stood on the sidelines repeating ‘I told you to put me in’.  Well after Stafford’s performance, maybe Culpepper will get his wishbone and start next week against the Bengals.

 Coach crunch!

There’s no question the Buffalo Bills have been a struggling football team season after season.  This year is no exception with a pathetic 3-7 record.  After the recent firing of head coach Dick Jauron, the Bills have started their candidate search. Considering the list of potential replacements, it appears the Bills top brass are looking for someone with brass cogliones.  This week Super Bowl winning and former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan was chilling in Orchard Park.  Rumor has it Bill Cowher is also on the short list.  Now a Super Bowl winning head coach could definitely be an asset to any team but least we forget both these coaches had a stellar quarterback at the helm during their Super Bowl wins.  In other words, perhaps the Bills should invest in a leader on the field rather than off.  Suggestion…since the Bills will always be the underdog, perhaps they should sign Michael Vick.

 Girlie Man

Alright ladies, here’s an inspirational story.  By day Sarah Thomas is a married mother of two and a pharmacy representative.  But at night, instead of letting her hair down she puts it up.  Why?  Well this 36-year-old mama from Brandon Mississippi is a referee for Division I college football.  She’s actually one of five women officiating in the Mid-Eastern and Southwestern Athletic Conferences.  Thomas is also on the list of prospects to officiate in the NFL.  Will it ever happen?  Put it this way…if Pacman Jones could still be an inactive member of the NFL, anything is possible!

 FIXED!!!

Here’s a shocker out of Frankfurt Germany…ok not really.  German police questioned two players from the Fortuna Duesseldorf soccer club as part of their on going investigation into the match-fixing scandal that’s rocking Europe.  Apparently these two footballers play on different teams of the soccer club but are allegedly on the same team fixing games.  There are currently 200 games potentially connected with match-fixing in Europe, with one being a Championship qualifying!  It’s a good thing they waited for the 200 game benchmark to begin investigating.  Awww nothing gets by those European soccer officials!!

 No way out!

In a brave and inspiring interview on TSN coupled with an article on ESPN, Brendan Bourke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs president and GM Brian Burke, announced he was gay.  Good for you Brendan! It’s wonderful he can come out, be honest and attain the support from family, friends and colleagues. But if he thinks his story is going to inspire gay professional athletes to suddenly come out of their lockers, he must also believe the Maple Leafs are going to win the Stanley Cup sometime soon.  The ramification of an active pro athlete exposing their true sexual orientation far outweighs the relief.  Well at least in this decade.  But with all said and done, who cares whose bedpost they’re putting notches in, as long as they assist your team in putting notches under the win column.

The man behind the meth!

It seems these days everyone is coming out.  This time it’s former World #1 tennis star Andre Agassi, who made a grand slam announcement in the sporting world.  In his recently released book Open, Agassi reveals his regular use of crystal meth in the late 90s.  It’s a good thing meth wasn’t a banned substance and he wasn’t testing, considering Agassi won most of his titles in the 90’s! But hey not everyone could go from mullet to meth and hold as many titles.  At least his drug use finally explains his choice of tennis uniforms and Brooke Shields!

 Owww Alberto!

With a name like Pujols, you know you have to earn respect.  Well that’s exactly what St. Louis Cards first baseman Albert Pujols did this week. Albert unanimously won his third National League MVP award.  He is currently one behind Barry Bonds, who won four in a row from 2001-2004.  Let’s just hope that’s the only thing he has in common with Bonds. 

Say it ain’t Sosa

Retired Major League heavy hitter and PED user, Sammy Sosa is being sued for $203,000 by a businessman in the Dominican Republic for loss of commissions.  Sosa allegedly acquired the businessman for the sale of his house and a high-end watch.  The businessman also suggests Sosa owes him $10,000 for getting lounge singer Don Omar to perform at his birthday bash.  Sosa is to appear in a DR courtroom on December 2.  Retirement must not be treating the former hit machine well if he’s selling off his valuable possessions.  Or maybe he’s trying to buy his way into the Hall of Fame!!

Intrigue, deceit, adultery, crime, murder, drama….no this is not the preview for the latest episode of the Young and the Useless, it’s much more intense…it’s Sports Opera’s! Who needs the scripted plots of daily predictable soaps when you have the excitement and drama that occurs in the real world of sports.  There is just no comparison.  Where else can you find team owners flipping the bird to fans, coaches spying on their opponents, players engaging in confrontations with fans and athletes starring in their own reality television series?

We begin this mid-week episode by congratulating Zach Greinke of the Kansas City Royals for winning the AL Cy Young Award.  The righty was hands down the winner by taking 25 of the 28 votes.  Zacky boy has certainly come a long way considering he lead the American League in losses back in 2005.  He also quit baseball for six weeks in 2006 to deal with a social anxiety disorder.  Yikes hope all the pomp and circumstance that accompanies a Cy Young winner doesn’t cause him to relapse!

Tequila Shots

Unreality TV star Tila Tequila is suing Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Charges citing domestic violence.  Apparently the linebacker was arrested on September 6 after Tequila signed a citizen’s arrest warrant accusing Merriman of battery and false imprisonment in his home.  Guess she thought she was invited for reasons other than just dinner.  Of course Ms. Tequila sunrise will magically disappear if she receives the $1.5 million in ‘damages’ .  At least one positive aspect has come out of this…her acting abilities have improved!

Dick Head-ed out!

Old Ralphy Wilson is at it again.  This time he’s lowered his iron fist on the head of Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron.  After a brutal 41-17 loss to the Titans coupled with a poor 3-6 start, Jauron was fired by the Bills on Tuesday.  I was expecting to see Terrell Owens crying to the cameras saying “that’s my head coach…that’s my head coach”!!  Then again T.O. is too busy whining about the play calls. Well Bills fans, get your popcorn ready cause the interim new guy at the helm is Perry Fewell.  Hope he does a much better job as head coach than defensive coordinator!

This Birds for You

NFL Commish Roger Goodell has imposed a hefty $250,000 fine on Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams for flipping the bird to Bills fans during the Titans 41-17 victory celebration.  A league spokesperson said the fine was “for conduct detrimental to the NFL”.  How an 86 year-old man giving the one finger salute constitutes a detrimental act to the NFL is beyond my comprehension.  Albeit it is not the behavior an owner of a professional team should demonstrate but it is certainly not detrimental to the NFL.  At 86 Bud Adams would have gotten away with saying he was attempting to signal the Titans were number one and merely forget which finger represented the gesture.

Iverson growls at Grizzlies

What’s the deal with Allen Iverson?  He plays only three games with the Memphis Grizzlies then goes on indefinite leave of absence, while his team is left looking confused and foolish by his lack of dialogue.  Kudos to the Grizzlies for ended Iverson’s one-year contract as quickly as they could. Regardless what ‘family matters’ or ‘personal issues’ the 10-time All-Star needed to address, you simply do not abandon your team and sever all communication.  There may be an ‘I’ in Iverson but there is none in TEAM.  Maybe it is time for big Al to retire so other prospective teams can be saved from his indecisiveness.

Golf is so Dope!

One would imagine professional golfers to be more sophisticated, educated and cultured than other professional athletes right?  Wrong!  The elite Professional Golfers Association finally has a blemish.  Doug Barron of Memphis was the first PGA player to be handed down a one-year doping ban by the association since the policy came into effect July 3, 2008. Barron tested positive for a banned substance in June.  Last week he made a feeble attempt to have the ban suspended long enough for him to participate in a qualifying tournament in Houston.  Apparently his case was based on the grounds he had a chance of winning the tourney. Well considering Barron hasn’t played enough rounds to even be officially ranked in the PGA, to no surprise his request for mulligan was denied!  However under that pretense it makes you wonder if a player such as Tiger Woods would be exempt from the ban all together…Hmmm!

Survey Says!

A survey released Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association suggests more Americans are getting in to the smashing sport.  Leading the pack were Hispanics and Blacks who had the highest percentage increase.  Finally ethnic groups are positively portrayed in the media…this time for picking up rackets rather than causing them!

Gender Geniuses

It hard to imagine but gender testing for South African runner Caster Semenya is still being conducted.  Remember HER? SHE won the WOMEN’S 800 meters in Berlin August 19. One would think a testing such as this would take about two seconds for SHE/he to drop their pants.  It’s simple biology, if you can’t see or feel a penis, we have ourselves a female.  However the International Association of Athletics Federations felt more scientific tests were necessary.  Perhaps Semenya was born a hermaphrodite? If this is truly the case, HER male anatomy is due to a biological anomaly and not deceit therefore HER gender should be determined by the dominate organ.  Will be interesting to hear the ruling…a decision from the geniuses is expected November 20.

Useless X-Factors

• Out of the four major sporting leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB), the NFL has the most teams named after birds, with four of them being in the NFC
• All NFL teams end with ‘S’
• The NBA has the most teams that do NOT end with ‘S’: Thunder, Jazz, Heat and Magic

Picture this scenario: it’s the forth quarter, there’s 2:08 left on the clock, your team holds a 34-28 lead, you have no timeouts left and you’re faced with a forth-and-two on your own 28 yard line.  What do you do?  Well any sane coach would instinctively send out their punting unit to pin the opponents deep and have confidence in their defensive to kill the clock and win the game…agree??  Of course you do! Even a football novice would know you kick the ball away.

Unfortunately for the New England Patriots, this was simply not the case during a dramatic end to an eventful Sunday Night Football game versus the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.  Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has made several brazen yet successful calls in the past. In fact the 3-time Super Bowl winning head coach is one of the most highly respected and admired in the National Football League.  However last night he must have been inhaling some Lucas Oil  as his decision to go-for-it on forth down is certainly one he would not like added to his unblemished portfolio.

With 2:08 left in the game, Belichick burned the team’s final timeout only to order the punting unit back to the sidelines, while instructing Brady and the Patriots offensive back on the field.  The decision had everyone baffled but also believing the next foreseeable and logical move at this point would be attempting to draw the Colts defensive offside, pick up the first down and end the game…right?? Wrong!!  Last night it was apparent the word logical was omitted from Belichick’s vocabulary.  Contrary to common sense and to everyone’s astonishment, Belichick went for the ‘shock and awe’ play call with Brady throwing the ball to Kevin Faulk. Without question the feeble and completely pointless attempt fired up the Indianapolis Colts defensive, who felt the move was an insult and total lack of respect.  After the snap, they vividly illustrated their discontent by immediately tackling Faulk one yard shy of the first down marker. With the Colts being handed an early Christmas gift, Manning and his offensive stepped on the field, trekked down the whole 29 yards and finished in the end zone. The comeback Colts rallied from a 17-point forth quarter deficit to win the game 35-34 over the Patriots and preserve their perfect season!

You can call Belichick’s move insane, brainless or arrogant, all of which captures the play call quite accurately. His now infamous forth-and-two decision will be scrutinized by NFL experts, critics, players and fans for weeks, even years to come.  It ended up costing the Patriots a huge game versus an even bigger rival.  More importantly, it really makes you wonder who he lacks more confidence in…his opponents defensive or his own!

Mark Buehrle celebrates

It’s hard to believe that in the 134 years of Major League Baseball history, there have been only 18 perfect games to date.  On July 23, 2009, Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle became the 18^th pitcher to throw a perfect game on.  As this outstanding feat was attained, I started thinking about who were the other 17 and what constitutes a perfect game versus a no-hitter?  Well after a bit of research, here’s a history lesson for you…

What’s a perfect game?

A perfect game must be both a no-hitter and a shutout, meaning no batter gets on base including by a walk. Since the pitcher cannot control whether or not his teammates commit any errors, the pitcher must be backed up by solid fielding to pitch a perfect game (sorta like what Lil DeWayne Wise did for Buehrle)

Is a no-hitter a perfect game?

Nope! In a no-hitter the pitcher does not give up a base on a hit but the batter can still reach a base through a walk or on an error. For example Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays pitched a no-hitter on September 2, 1990, beating the Cleveland Indians 3-0. 

Who was the first pitcher to play a perfect game?

Richmond perfect scorecard

The first perfect game occurred in the 19^th century on June 12, 1880 and the pitcher was Lee Richmond of the Worcester Ruby Legs.  They beat the Cleveland Blues 1-0, in front of 700 fans at the Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds.  As observation only, I think Lee Richmond got shafted when the best pitcher award was not named in his honour!  But the Cy Young does slider off the tongue with ease.  Speaking of Cy Young…

Cy Young

The first perfect game of modern era was thrown by the one and only Cy Young on May 5, 1904.  Young was pitching for the Boston Americans and went on to win 3-0 over the Philadelphia A’s in front of 10,267 fans at Huntington Avenue Grounds. 

In 1956, Baseball Commish Ford Frick introduced the Cy Young Award in honour of the Hall of Famer, who passed away in 1955.  From 1956 to 1967, the award was presented to the single best pitcher in the majors.  However after Commish Frick retired in 1967, the award was presented to the best pitcher in each league (American & National). 

Cy Young Award

Roger ‘Rocket’ Clemens holds the title as the most Cy Young Award recipient with seven, however the Rocket never had a perfect game!

Now that you know who the first were, here’s a list of all perfect pitchers….

After what felt like a forever hiatus, open-wheel racing returned to the streets of Toronto. This time the sponsor was no longer a beer company but rather a car company…how novel.  But the main reason open-wheel came back to the big smoke was by the support and belief of the Andretti Green Team.  Toronto was left out of the motorsports circuit last year after the merger of Indy Car Racing and Champ Car World series.  Michael Andretti last raced in Toronto was in 2002, where he finished 11^th in CART series.  This time around, he spearheaded the return of the ‘Roar by the Shore’, along with Kim Green and Kevin Savoree.

Michael Andretti

Hometown favourite Paul Tracy or ‘the thrill from West Hill’, was welcomed back with tremendous applause, with fellow Canuck Alex Tagliani being their second hopeful.  Race day was brilliant.  The sun was beaming like the freshly polished race cars and the temperature was a perfect 75 degrees.  During the pre-race ceremonies, admiring women and drooling men were all eager to catch a glimpse of Danica Patrick.  The grandstands were filled with fans from cities near and far.  They all anticipated an exhilarating 85 lap race around the 1.77 mile, 11-turn and near impossible-to-pass track.  Well, the fans were not disappointed.  The inaugural Honda Indy Toronto was filled with just about everything to tantalize an IndyCar series fan!!  It had passes, crashes, trash-talking, controversy, cheers & jeers….and that was just with the introduction of the Grand Marshall, Gene Simmons!

Start/Finish Line

Mr. Ashley Judd or Dario Franchitti had pole position but in the early laps, Tagliani and Tracy were in solid 1-2 positions…a Canucks dream scenario.  Tagliani held the lead for 21 laps, while Tracy bolted into 2^nd position after starting in 15^th…but then all Honda engines broke loose.  It started with a questionable pit-stop allowance for Franchitti during a caution, which some say was the catalyst of his win.  The hearts of Torontonians sank with 20 laps to go as hometown hero Tracy attempted to pass Helio Castroneves to gain 2^nd position.  Castroneves refused to give him the room and ended up slamming Tracy into the wall, taking them both out of the race.  The grandstand viewed the hit as intentional! Helio soon became Boolio and a marked man in Toronto.  Meanwhile fellow Canuck, Alex Tagliani got tangled up with Tomas Scheckter with 15 laps left in the race.  Scheckter was furious and stood waiting on the track for Tagliani to pass to express his frustration by throwing his driving gloves.  Scheckter went on to call it a ‘stupid non-brain’ move.  At that point of the race, Franchitti had a locked-in victory. He crossed the checkered-flag 1.67 seconds over Ryan Briscoe.  Will Power, whom at one point was almost down one lap, finished in 3^rd.  Danica Patrick who started in 18^th, went on to finish strong in 6^th and top Canuck was Tagliani who finished 9^th.  With that, the ‘roar by the shore’ was complete.  Toronto certainly had a reputation for being a challenging street course, and that appears to be unchanged as 8 drivers were unable to complete the race.  There were a number of questionable antics in the race, however the biggest bone-head move of the afternoon occurred post checkered-flag.  Mario Moraes went on to slam E.J. Viso for no apparent reason.  Perhaps Moraes was unhappy with his car but Viso was not impressed and stated Moraes ‘needs to see a doctor’!  Viso was not the only racer Mario aggravated throughout the race, he allegedly made contact with Tony Chaka Kanaan, doing the ‘I feel for you’ dance!

Franchitti’s victory gives him a 2-point lead over Scott Dixon in the IndyCar point standings with 347.  Danica Patrick still holds 5^th place and continues to be the pride and joy of the Andretti Green Team.  All this can change just as fast as the cars going into the Rexall Edmonton Indy July 26^th.  Race fans, be prepared for a solid run by the top 5!!

Podium

1st – Dario Franchitti – start position 1

2nd – Ryan Briscoe – start position 11

3rd – Will Power – start position 2

My Gallery

Another NHL Hockey season has come on gone and as the players put away their hockey sticks and pick up their golf clubs, NHL fans everywhere will have to watch re-runs to fill the void. Off-season is also a good time to learn more about the sport of hockey.  Today’s lesson will be the NHL Awards.  Most sports fans know the Vince Lombardi Trophy is named after the Green Bay Packers coach, who took his team to victory in Super Bowl I and II.  But as a hockey fan, did you ever wonder why the award for the best sportsmanship is called the Lady Byng or why the rookie of the year wins a Calder?  Well wonder no more, here are those answers and more…

Calder Trophy ~ this award was named after former NHL President, Frank Calder, and presented to the most outstanding first year player.  From 1937 until his death in 1943, Calder would present a trophy to the most outstanding rookie of that year.  After his death, the NHL presented the Calder Memorial Trophy in his honour.  The 2009 recipient was Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Lester B Pearson ~ the award was first given out in 1971 in honour of Lester B Pearson, former Prime Minister of Canada. It is presented to the leagues most outstanding player as voted by members of the National Hockey League Player Association (NHLPA). The 2009 recipient was none other than the great Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, who incidentally received the award in 2008.

The Selke Trophy ~ awarded to the top defensive forward and named after Frank J Selke, who was one of the elite designers of championship teams. The Selke Trophy was given to NHL in 1977 by the Board of Governors of the NHL. The 2009 recipient was Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings.

Bill Masterton Trophy ~ the trophy is awarded to the player who best demonstrates the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. It is presented by the Professional Hockey Writers Association since 1968 to commemorate the late William Masterton, who played for the Minnesota North Stars and displayed a high-degree of the qualities outlined. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after sustaining an injury during a game.  The 2009 recipient was deservingly presented to Steve Sullivan of the Nashville Predators. Perhaps they should rename this award the Bill Masterton-of-the-Universe Trophy!

William M Jennings Trophy ~ awarded to the goalie or goalies that have played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against.  The trophy was presented in 1982 by the NHLs Board of Governors to honour the late William M. Jennings, who was a long serving Governor and President of the New York Rangers.  The 2009 recipients were Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez of the Boston Bruins.  Question….who gets to keep the top half?

The Lady Byng ~ contrary to beliefs, this award is not the *ussy award, it is presented to the player who exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.  The award was named after the wife of Canada’s Governor-General in 1925.  After her death in 1949, the NHL gave away a new trophy and renamed it the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.  The 2009 recipient was Paval Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings.  Ok so maybe the label of *ussy award is not too farfetched, it is hockey after all!

King Clancy ~ first presented in 1988, the award is presented to the player who is a true leader on and off the ice and a high degree of humanitarian efforts to his community.   The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is named after Francis M. “King” Clancy, a former Ottawa Senator and Toronto Maple Leaf, who later became a coach, referee, and team executive.  The 2009 recipient was Ethan Moreau of the Edmonton Oilers.

Vezina (Ves-na) ~ this trophy is awarded to the leagues best goalkeeper, voted by the GMs of all NHL teams.  The award was presented to the NHL in 1927 in honour of Georges Vezina, a former outstanding goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens who collapsed during a game on Nov. 28, 1925, and died a few months later of tuberculosis.  The 2009 recipient of the award was Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins.  Some would like to rename this award the Martin Brodeur Trophy, others are thinking Jacques Plante!

Art Ross ~ the award is presented to the player who leads the league in scoring at the end of the regular season.  The award is named after Arthur Howie Ross.  He was a former coach and manager of the Boston Bruins, who presented the trophy to the NHL in 1947.  The 2009 recipient was Evgeni Malkin of the Stanley Cup Champs, Pittsburgh Penguins.  Malkin also took home the Conn Smythe. Now here’s a trophy they should definitely rename…to what you ask? …how about the Wayne Gretzky Trophy!

Maurice Richard ~ The Maurice Richard Trophy is presented to the NHL’s top goal scorer in regular season by the Board of Governors.  The awarded was given to the NHL by the Montreal Canadians in 1999.  The award honors the great Rocket Richard, the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games, 50 goals in a season and 500 in a career. The 2009 and 2008 recipient was Alexander the great Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.

The Hart Trophy ~ this award is presented to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. The Hart Memorial Trophy was given by the NHL in 1960 after the initial Hart Trophy was resting in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The first Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by Dr. David A. Hart.  He was the father of former manager and coach of the Canadiens, Cecil Hart. The 2009 and 2008 recipient was Alex Ovechkin…yes still from the Washington Capitals.

Jack Adams ~ this award is presented to the leagues best coach and who has contributed the most to his team’s success.  The winner is chosen at the end of the regular season by the NHL Broadcasters Association.  The first award was presented in 1974 in honour of the late Jack Adams, who has the former coach and GM of the Detroit Red Wings. The 2009 recipient was Claude Julien of the Boston Bruins.

James Norris ~ The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded to the leagues top defensive player. This trophy was first presented in 1953 in honour of the late James Norris who was a former owner and president of the Detroit Red Wings.  The 2009 recipient was the giant himself…Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins.  Perhaps they should rename this award the Chuck Norris Trophy!

So there you have it…the most notable NHL Awards and who they were in honour of.  Have more questions on other awards or trophies? Contact SportsChick for the answers!!