September 16th, 2011
He says this his middle name is “One More,” and Teemu Selanne is proving that by making his return to the Anaheim Ducks, for just one more year.
Teemu Selanne is best known for being one of the highest goal scorers in NHL history. When he needed arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this past June, it was unknown whether or not he’d return for an 18th season in the NHL. And if he didn’t, the season for the Ducks would most likely be in jeopardy, putting them from a team with great depth to one with just one really good line. Selanne didn’t want to keep fans waiting on the announcement of his return, but he also needed to make sure his knee could handle the intensity and fast pace of being on the ice again.
Now, he’s sure and as he says in a video announcement, his middle name is “One More,” and he’s going to live up to it by coming back to play for just one more season. Fans can see Selanne, and his fully recovered knee, in action Saturday, September 17, when the Ducks’ training camp starts at the Honda Center. Training camp, with the exception of games, is open to the public with a $5 donation to the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Foundation being asked at the door.
September 13th, 2011
After Johnson held out on the Tennessee Titans before they made him not only one of the highest-paid running backs but one of the highest-paid players in the game, people expected big things. But are the Titans now wondering if they really needed Chris Johnson as their best player? After his lackluster performance in last night’s game against the Jaguars, you might think so.
Johnson had one of the worst performances of his career, with only nine carries in 24 yards, a factor that definitely played into the eventual 16-14 loss for the Titans. But was it Johnson’s fault, or were the Jaguars just really that good in their own season opener? With Paul Posluszny and Dwight Lowery showing up in a big way for the defense and quarterback Luke McCown also ripping up the field, it might just be that the Jaguars were a better team as a whole than the Titans.
But still, one can’t help but wonder if Johnson could have helped his team more if he had showed up to football training camp and practice, rather than sitting at home waiting for more money to be offered. But Coach Mike Munchak doesn’t think so. In an interview after the game the Coach said, “You want to get a back going, but what did he have — four carries in the first half?” he said. “You need some touches and he didn’t get them.”
Johnson also doesn’t think last night’s performance should be an indicator of the season, saying, “I really didn’t have a long drive to stay on the field and see how my body reacted. But toward the end when we had a better drive, it still felt good out there. I think I’ll be all right.”
September 8th, 2011
The NBA owners and the union have seemed to put aside the lawsuits and the cold shoulders they’ve been giving each other, at least temporarily. This week both sides sat down and seem to be really trying to get a collective bargaining agreement hammered out. And, after a hopeful tweet on Twitter yesterday and some talk in the league, it looks like there just might be a season this year after all.
Yesterday the two sides sat down for nearly six hours trying to work something out. They then extended the meeting to today, where they’ll meet again. And, if that doesn’t work, they’ve also said that they’re prepared to meet again on Friday. Bigwig execs sitting down for three days in a row might not seem like a big deal; but when you consider that the two sides only met twice in the first two months of the lockout, it’s a very big deal indeed.
Things look good, and there may even be some games to go to this year, if negotiations continue to look so promising. But even though they’re meeting extensively, everyone in the negotiation room is keeping mum so far. Commissioner of the league, David Stern, said that “We know we have a real problem to solve and there’s nothing personal about these negotiations, it’s going to be about problem solving,” Stern said. “If we can, we can. If we can’t, we can’t, but we’ve agreed not to talk about it.”
But not everyone seemed to be in on even that agreement. Just minutes after the meeting, Roger Mason Jr., who’s a member of the player’s executive committee, tweeted “Looking like a season.” The tweet was only up for a little while before it was deleted and Mason released another tweet saying that his account had been hijacked.
And although there’s no real word yet, the fact that the two sides are so adamant about getting a deal worked out, and are both being so cooperative to make that happen, does bring real hope to the 2011-2012 basketball season.
September 7th, 2011
What better way to unveil your new uniform than to walk off a military jet, proudly displaying your team’s name across your arm, and a picture of that very jet across your chest? That’s just what team Captain, Andrew Ladd, and three other NHL Winnipeg Jets players did yesterday when it was time to unveil the jerseys that fans have been talking about for months. And if the jerseys aren’t enough to get you excited, the very entrance they made is sure to!
When the time came to show the world their new shirts, the four Winnipeg Jets stepped out of the hatch of well, a Winnipeg Jet — a Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules, to be exact, at the CFB Winnipeg. But stepping off the jet to make the debut wasn’t just for shock value; there was real meaning behind it, as the colors used for the jerseys are colors used, or once used, by the RCAF.
The home jerseys are navy blue or more correctly, “polar night blue,” and this is the color used to paint today’s RCAF aircraft. The away jerseys, which feature a lighter blue or “aviator blue,” are the historical color that RCAF aircrafts once were. But that jet sitting pretty inside the circular design that’s displayed proudly on the front? Well, that’s all new — just to give the team their own fresh and modern look, while still paying tribute to its roots and leaving the jerseys very similar in design to the look of the original Winnipeg Jets.
Col. Blaise Frawley, Commander of 17 Wing, was present for the reveal, and he made a statement saying how honored he was that the hockey team chose this particular way to unveil the jerseys, and pay tribute to the military and its ties to the city.
September 4th, 2011
Rafael Nadal is one of the most talked about tennis players of 2011, as he is currently the #2 ranked player by the Association of Tennis Professionals. This Spanish titan, already having won ten Grand Slam singles, an Olympic gold medal, and six French Open titles, is behind only the great Andre Agassi at the moment. This Grand Slam winner, the youngest on record, recently had a peculiar and troubling incident at a press conference.
In New York, Nadal was talking to the Spanish press about his win over Argentine David Nalbandian, when he suddenly went into a defensive, injured poise. He slid off his seat, tightly shutting his eyes–a visible occurrence that he would later describe as a cramp. Nadal claimed that the cramp, in front and back of his left leg, was not of any special concern. However, he did stop the interview, ask for a glass of water, and then abruptly changed the subject. What does all of this mean?
It’s understandable why Nadal wouldn’t humor the media and actually expound upon a confidence-breaking injury. However, more than a few reporters are speculating that Nadal’s injury may be a factor in his upcoming games. “I just had cramping in my leg — that’s all,” the young man (not a day over 26) assured reporters in his own language. He later went on to say this isn’t the first time he experienced a cramp, though the timing was indeed a first. He also stated that the heat on Sunday contributed to the pain. Nadal even criticized his earlier game performance stating that he did make some errors at the serving 5-3 mark.
Indeed, the temperature was a big factor, and made more than a few players uneasy. Flavia Pennetta actually took the heat much worse and almost reached the point of vomiting in her match. Other players have come to Nadal’s defense, including Andy Roddick, who says plenty of pros and amateurs will experience cramps if they play intensely and then enter a cold environment (like the pressroom). Perhaps Nadal’s infamous cramp face was just a case of bad timing.
Nonetheless, the reason the media is making a big deal out of the cramp is because it isn’t Nadal’s first injury this season. Nadal also experienced a foot injury earlier this summer and actually took some time off to heal. He has also had to take a few extra timeouts to treat his injury. This is what is concerning the press. Whether Nadal’s cramp is a media/viral oddity or a legitimate sign of bad games to come remains to be seen. Buy your tennis tickets right away and experience the US Open and the excitement of other events live!
September 2nd, 2011
Winning a Stanley Cup is one of those things that every kid who has ever taken to the ice with stick in hand has dreamed about. The thrill of victory, the rush of raising that great Cup over your head, the cheering of the fans and of course, having your name etched onto that piece of history for all to see for all time. But what is your team makes it to that final game, and actually wins the cup — and you neither get to raise it over your head or have your name put on it? It may seem an impossible situation but for Marc Savard, it’s all too much of a reality.
Savard has had just about some of the worst luck any hockey player in the NHL has ever faced. Being one of the league’s greats in 2010 when he was playing for the Boston Bruins, he was taken out by a dirty shot from Flyers‘ player, Matt Cooke. That led to a dismal downfall, with that injury leaving him out until December, when he returned on somewhat shaky ground. All it took was another hit from Matt Hunwick, then playing for the Colorado Avalanche. That hit was just too much for a recovering Savard to take and it forced the team to put him on Injury Reverse in February.
Although necessary, it was ultimately that decision which has now sparked a debate in the NHL. That IR left Savard sitting at home that spring during the playoffs when his team won the Stanley Cup. Not only was he unable to be on the ice, he couldn’t even be on the sidelines cheering his team on because his ill health had forced him to stay at home. And then came the worst of it — because Savard did not dress for the game or any of the games during those playoffs, his name according to NHL rules, will not be etched onto the cup.
So what now? Well, Savard doesn’t have another chance at the Cup. The Bruins came out yesterday and said that they have deemed Savard to still be too unhealthy to play and that they’re not willing to put his health at risk. He’ll be out for the entire season and the conclusion has basically been drawn that Savard’s career in the NHL is over.
And because he doesn’t have a chance, many think that his name should appear on the Cup, and it just might. Currently, GM for the Bruins, Peter Chiarelli, as well as the other Bruins’ execs and all of the players are fighting hard to get the league to make exception to the rule and have one of hockey’s greats remembered as just that.
August 31st, 2011
Another ripple of tragic shock ran through the NHL when Wade Belak was found dead in his hotel/condo complex yesterday afternoon. Officials have said that “foul play is not suspected” but it leaves many scratching their heads and wondering what exactly is going wrong in the NHL.
Belak’s death is the third to hit the league since spring; the most recent before him being Rick Rypien just weeks ago and Derek Boogaard before him, who died after accidentally mixing alcohol and prescription drugs in May. All three men played or had played the role of enforcer, their team’s tough guys, before passing away. And it’s this fact that has Gary Bettman and Craig Button, former GM of the Calgary Flames, asking questions about league policies and what they can do to better protect their players.
After Rypien’s death, Bettman had issued a statement saying that the NHL would be reviewing their programs regarding substance abuse and behavioral health. Button says that the league also needs to look into the role of the enforcer, and what it does to the guys playing it. Blows to the head that cause concussions are an obvious area of concern; but it’s also the emotional aspect of playing that role that needs to be further investigated. Both need to be taken into consideration when looking at enforcer’s, and the damage it’s doing to them.
Wade Belak retired from the league in March after playing for the Nashville Predators, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Calgary Flames, to name just a few teams that had Belak as part of its lineup. He leaves behind his wife, Jennifer, and his children, Andie and Alex.
August 28th, 2011
The NBA players are locked out, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a long one. But even though they’re not playing ball, those players still have to make a living; and while some have taken to things like television studio sets, others have kept true to their passion and have simply looked elsewhere to take up the game. So, which players will be heading overseas to play basketball during the lockout?
The biggest on the list of names confirmed to go overseas to play is Reggie Williams, former forward for the Golden State Warriors. Williams is set to play in the Spanish league this year and with a million dollar buyout clause, he’s most likely going to remain in that league even should the NBA start up again sometime this year.
Joining Williams in the Spanish league will be Kyle Singler, second round pick of the Detroit Pistons although he’s not the highest draft choice that will be going over to start their careers in another country; Nikola Vucevic, who was chosen as 16th overall, will be going back to his home country, Montenegro, to play.
Omri Casspi, forward for the Cavaliers, is rumored to maybe going over to France to play, although nothing has been confirmed. And, murmurings are also going around that if the lockout should go on for a significant portion of the year, Tony Parker will also join Casspi in the French league.
So far, there is no trend for any of the bigger names in ball to go overseas to play. If you want to catch Chris Bosch or Carmelo Anthony, the closest you’ll get this year is Law & Order. And if you want to catch Kevin Love, you’ll have to head the professional volleyball court, as that’s how he’s spending his time. And what about the biggest names like Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade? Well, it seems they’re using the time off as just that.
August 25th, 2011
College football players might be just as talented as the men playing in the NFL, but they need to wait until they are signed by one of those NFL teams before they receive any compensation for their time on the field. But sometimes, that’s just not the way it works, with teams offering college players special perks such as lots of cash, trips on boats and yachts, prostitutes and — even abortion? All of these things are offered, all to keep good players at good schools, even though they’re not officially being paid. The problem? It’s against the rules; and in the case of the Miami Hurricanes, should you get caught, a major scandal will ensue.
The football team at the University of Miami is now dealing with this very type of scandal, in which Hurricanes program support, Nevin Shapiro, spent millions of dollars keeping the football players happy. And it’s Shapiro himself who has fully admitted to the illegal incentives, citing fancy restaurants, jewelry, and even cash for injuring players on the opposing teams. After offering all the goods over the course of his 8-year tenure with the team, Shapiro finally blew the whistle on himself and the team, reporting it all to Yahoo! Sports earlier this week.
So what’s the response from the school? They’re disappointed, and very sad to see it happen. The school’s president, Donna Shalala, said yesterday, “I am upset, disheartened and saddened by the recent allegations.” This statement came a full day after news of the allegations broke, and many think that the apology was too little, too late. Many are disgusted not only at the incredibly short statement, but also that Shalala couldn’t be bothered to offer apologies to the new basketball and football coach, coaches that had never met Shapiro but still must deal with his actions.
Along with the former football and basketball coaches being fired before new coaches were hired, Shapiro is currently serving time for also participating in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, from which several players benefited. In addition to Shapiro’s own punishment, there is currently talk of the Hurricanes being given the “death penalty,” which means the program could be suspended for a year or more.
August 23rd, 2011
It may be the Texas summer heat, or maybe the whirling winds of the Lone Star State, but things are looking wildly uneven for NFL fans in Texas. The Dallas Cowboys lost to the San Diego Chargers with a face-palming 20-7 score on August 21, 2011. Though the Dallas Cowboys did score some offense early on, thanks to starter Tony Romo, the second and third team offensive lines looked, well, overheated to say the least. There were noticeable problems with pass protection, as well as backup line problems. Problem players pointed out by the media include David Arkin, Sam Young and Jermey Parnell. The Dallas Cowboys have some significant problems with defense, at least this early on in the preseason.
Elsewhere in Texas, the Houston Texans have been riding the unsettled winds to victory. The usually underperforming team defeated former Super Bowl Champions the New Orleans Saints 27-14. In contrast to the Cowboys, the Texans’ defense is actually looking very good, and for the second preseason game in a row. Thus far, we have seen eleven sacks and six turnovers in just two games. The defense is so good we are actually seeing the offense (from the Saints, no less) of other teams make some crucial mistakes.
The question is, are this preseason exhibitions just illusions, not really indicative of the full NFL season? Have the Texans been fluking their way through the summer, and are the Cowboys destined to rise to greatness once more?
We’ve been watching the Texans closely, as last year, they delivered some hard hitting performances in the AFC South, and actually defeated Indianapolis and Washington. Whereas two seasons ago, head coach Gary Kubiak was in hot water, nowadays it appears as if Houston is putting some trust in this solid team builder. Though the team finished with a 6-10 record in the previous season, they are looking very polished in early 2011.
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have the momentum going into the new season, as they have been on a losing streak for a while. However, they do have a strong roster of players to fall back on. The year 2011 is definitely NOT the year to count out Texas sports teams. Just ask Dallas Mavericks fans! This could very well be the season that the Cowboys return to greatness, or the first time the Texans reach the playoffs. What do you think? Is Dallas or Houston going to progress father this season?
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