Betrayal has been on my mind a lot lately.
The over-saturation of the Miami Heat's big three through the duration of the summer has been pretty unparalleled. Since Lebron's one hour (total bull shit) "decision special" I don't feel like we've really heard about much else. Every day that the Heat have played, they have been the ESPN.com cover story. That is, of course, until Carmelo Anthony stated after the first game of the Nugget's season that he felt like it was "time for a change," implying that he wouldn't be re-signing with his current team come free agency and his mind was already wandering as far as the options went.
Are you kidding me? You're paying these guys money to fly your colors?
I've tried to wrap my head around the situation and the psychology of it. I understand that there is a huge difference between my life and theirs. A huge difference between me switching majors in college (ten times, all the while nobody else is really effected by it) and Lebron catching a flight down to Miami and never coming back (everyone cares, and an entire state feels like they have been stabbed in the back on national television while the entire world was watching). Our lives don't level out or match up at all - the one exception maybe is that we are both capable of arming a supermodel girlfriend every time we take to the streets. But I digress.
My point is, at the end of the day, these are people too. Albeit very talented and rich ones. But shouldn't they hold themselves to the same regulations that most decent people do? I know words like honor and respect are loaded, but if you strip away all the implications I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to understand what I mean.
Go ask Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman if they would have left their respective teams to join forces elsewhere for "a better chance at a ring." But that would be a total waste of time. We all already know the answer.
I've tried to pinpoint a single hockey player that would do this to his city. Would scheme for an entire season to leave the squad he was playing for for seven years, take his foot viably off the gas during a playoff run, and then announce to the world that he was joining a few of his friends somewhere else without even alerting his team first.
Of the upcoming NHL free agents, I think Alex Semin of the Washington Capitals is a good example. Especially when compared to Carmelo. They both are supreme talents. They can control a game from start to finish with their speed, finish, and vision.
As long as they are in the mood to do so. As long as they happen to feel like it that night.
Rumors have been swirling for the last few months that 'melo has already contacted a few other players with the intention of going to the New Jersey Nets once the current NBA season is over - the one that just started on Tuesday. Could you imagine that being the lead of a hockey story?
Rumors are abound recently that upcoming Washington free agent Alexander Semin has contacted Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay) and Brad Richards (Dallas) and discussed with them the possibility of bolting to Edmonton at the end of the season to form a super-team.
That would blow my mind. And I know I am not alone in that. In fact, I will bet that you can't find me a single hockey fan that would nod his head and say "yeah, good move there. I like that."
Every time I read a story about the Heat, or Carmelo it just makes me thankful that most hockey players have at least a little bit of honor and respect for the cities that they play for. Ask anyone who plays in Montreal or Detroit and they will tell you that they are keenly aware of what they and their team means to their city.
These guys - the Carmelos and Lebrons of the world - they don't seem to have a clue or a care in the world about that. Hell, Lebron just made a commercial with Nike capitalizing on his recent fall to villianhood.
And every day that passes it becomes more evident. Lebron doesn't give a shit about you and how hard it was for you to save up for season tickets in the nose-bleeds while Ohio was sank deep into a recession.
And every day I am more and more thankful that I am a hockey fan. I am thankful for guys like Duncan Keith and Drew Doughty and Steven Stamkos who play the game it was meant to be played, and aren't obsessed with bringing attention to themselves via a twitter page or a clothing line.
They are soldiers. That they get it. And these other prima donna athletes just don't.
-FS
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sparadic thoughts of Jesse's mind
Ummmmmmm. Where is Marian Hossa and why didn't he return for the third period? (Frank note: Hossa only took a few shifts in the second period and left the game with what was called an "upper body injury." When he was hurt, and where he was hurt, and how serious the injury is is not yet clear. I hope it isn't bad - I have the guy locked up on two of my fantasy hockey squads.)
Get well soon Marian. Dear god please get well soon.
The Blackhawks first game back from a three day vacation was tonight against the Kings. Patrick Sharp is on fire, and a handsome young man. Nine goals so far this season. Hawks win even being outshot. Ending a two game losing streak. Always good to win at home to such a tough team.
Brian Campbell is ahead of scheldule and already on skates. Once he returns maybe Keith and Seabrook can sit down for more than 10 seconds a game. (Frank note: Keith will always play 45 minutes a game. I think they added horse DNA into his genetics when he was a baby because that dude is a work horse that just does not make mistakes. Anyone in Chicago right now that would take Kane over Keith?)
Should sticks really break this much?
The NBA Season began to take away what little ESPN time hockey gets.
Dear Patrick Kane,
Welcome to the third line, now put your mouthpiece in your mouth and do something please.
Antti Niemi is making the Hawks look good. And the Hawks don't look good.
The Minnesota Wild's alternate jersey is much better looking than that weird logo with trees and whatever. http://www.hockey-jerseys.ca/
If your 100 million man is watching from the pressbox, shit is seriously caked on the fan. I don't know what is up is New Jersey other than the fact that the Devils suck right now.
Speaking of sucking in New Jersey. You can pick up Nets tickets for as low as .39 cents on Stubhub. People pay more the cheapest thing at taco bell. I spent more on a can of soda. That price blows my mind.
The World Series is underway and no one cares.
So Mel Gibson was supposed to have cameo in The Hangover 2, until the staff voted no. There are so many jokes here. So much racism.
Sony announced they are no longer making Walkmans. 1992 is bummed.
-J
-J
Monday, October 25, 2010
Imagine a hockey bar.
I do this from time to time. Often, honestly. I work in a sports bar - a Buffalo Wild Wings to be specific - and live in Indiana. So needless to say every Sunday the establishment is full to the brim with football fans. Colts fans, Steelers fans, Bears fans. All hooting and hollering and berating one another.
My facebook page is filled with sports comments of all kinds every day. A friend of mine who is a Yankees fan comes to mind. She is a legit fan - not the band wagon sort. She's got the NY tattooed on her hip and splurged her college refund money on a seat from Yankee stadium a few years back when it was torn down, much to her fathers chagrin. Needless to say when the Yanks failed to make the World Series last week her wall was packed to the brim with friends (?) rubbing her nose in the loss.
I can't even imagine what her cellphone text inbox looked like. Sheesh.
Another friend of mine - a Steelers fan - went back and forth with a Dolphins fan in the same fashion for the entirety of what turned out to be a hell of a game yesterday. I was exhausted just reading the exchange.
Now lets switch gears a bit. When my favorite hockey team was knocked out of the playoffs last year I heard nothing about. No one stopped me on the side walk to marvel in my displeasure and suffering. No one mocked me on a social network site, or even so much as dropped me a quick text after seeing the score of the game on Sportscenter.
Two different worlds to say the least.
Since I was a teenager I'd always wondered - borderline fantasized - about what it would be like to live in a hockey crazed community. Like Minnesota or anywhere in Canada. Where you could walk into a sports bar and find a building full of people (gasp) watching, enjoying, and talking about hockey. It sounds like heaven to a guy who grew up - for lack of better term - in Indiana. Not exactly a hockey hot bed.
But then I started thinking about this last night while closing down at work. How awful could it be as well?
Lets be honest, some sports fans are just ignorant. I have the luxury of not having to hear any of that ignorance for the most part. If someone at the bar thinks he wants to get lippy with me about my squad, I can pretty much guarantee I know more about the sport than he does and can drop knowledge on him to get him to shut up and leave me alone and return to his 3 dollar draft light beer.
I promise you that isn't the case for my football, baseball, and basketball counterparts.
So what's better? Being a one-out-of-a-million hockey fan, surrounded by those who argue about the sport like it were politics (just check out the comments on just about any story posted on thehockeynews.com). Or being the guy in a community that is associated with the game?
Not to toot my own horn here, but anywhere I go I leave hockey fans in my wake. Kind of like a hockey Moses or something. Usually life-long fans too. And I'm very proud of this. They see the passion in the game and listen to me yell at the TV and talk about the sport in a way that is foreign to most fans of any other game. And they want to know why. They catch the bug, pick a team, and keep up with the sport long after I have moved on.
It's an awesome effect to have on a group of people.
The grass is always greener, I 'spose the saying goes. But maybe in this case I should be thankful for what I have around me, eh?
A quick sidenote: ESPN released this weeks power rankings today (http://espn.go.com/nhl/powerrankings) and I found it interesting that the top two teams are in the Central, and every team from the division except for the Blue Jackets were in the top ten.
I remember when the Central was widely considered the worst division in hockey. That clearly isn't the case now, and hasn't been for a long while. Hell, the Jackets are finally finding their game after a slow start and could muscle their way up there as well.
I'd like to know how the Capitals would do if they had to play Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville three hundred times a year instead of Atlanta, Carolina, and Florida. Of course the Bolts seem to be poised to give the Caps a run for the Southeast crown, but it's a bit early for that kind of talk.
I'm off for some lunch. Have a good afternoon all ye' faithful.
-FS
My facebook page is filled with sports comments of all kinds every day. A friend of mine who is a Yankees fan comes to mind. She is a legit fan - not the band wagon sort. She's got the NY tattooed on her hip and splurged her college refund money on a seat from Yankee stadium a few years back when it was torn down, much to her fathers chagrin. Needless to say when the Yanks failed to make the World Series last week her wall was packed to the brim with friends (?) rubbing her nose in the loss.
I can't even imagine what her cellphone text inbox looked like. Sheesh.
Another friend of mine - a Steelers fan - went back and forth with a Dolphins fan in the same fashion for the entirety of what turned out to be a hell of a game yesterday. I was exhausted just reading the exchange.
Now lets switch gears a bit. When my favorite hockey team was knocked out of the playoffs last year I heard nothing about. No one stopped me on the side walk to marvel in my displeasure and suffering. No one mocked me on a social network site, or even so much as dropped me a quick text after seeing the score of the game on Sportscenter.
Two different worlds to say the least.
Since I was a teenager I'd always wondered - borderline fantasized - about what it would be like to live in a hockey crazed community. Like Minnesota or anywhere in Canada. Where you could walk into a sports bar and find a building full of people (gasp) watching, enjoying, and talking about hockey. It sounds like heaven to a guy who grew up - for lack of better term - in Indiana. Not exactly a hockey hot bed.
But then I started thinking about this last night while closing down at work. How awful could it be as well?
Lets be honest, some sports fans are just ignorant. I have the luxury of not having to hear any of that ignorance for the most part. If someone at the bar thinks he wants to get lippy with me about my squad, I can pretty much guarantee I know more about the sport than he does and can drop knowledge on him to get him to shut up and leave me alone and return to his 3 dollar draft light beer.
I promise you that isn't the case for my football, baseball, and basketball counterparts.
So what's better? Being a one-out-of-a-million hockey fan, surrounded by those who argue about the sport like it were politics (just check out the comments on just about any story posted on thehockeynews.com). Or being the guy in a community that is associated with the game?
Not to toot my own horn here, but anywhere I go I leave hockey fans in my wake. Kind of like a hockey Moses or something. Usually life-long fans too. And I'm very proud of this. They see the passion in the game and listen to me yell at the TV and talk about the sport in a way that is foreign to most fans of any other game. And they want to know why. They catch the bug, pick a team, and keep up with the sport long after I have moved on.
It's an awesome effect to have on a group of people.
The grass is always greener, I 'spose the saying goes. But maybe in this case I should be thankful for what I have around me, eh?
A quick sidenote: ESPN released this weeks power rankings today (http://espn.go.com/nhl/powerrankings) and I found it interesting that the top two teams are in the Central, and every team from the division except for the Blue Jackets were in the top ten.
I remember when the Central was widely considered the worst division in hockey. That clearly isn't the case now, and hasn't been for a long while. Hell, the Jackets are finally finding their game after a slow start and could muscle their way up there as well.
I'd like to know how the Capitals would do if they had to play Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville three hundred times a year instead of Atlanta, Carolina, and Florida. Of course the Bolts seem to be poised to give the Caps a run for the Southeast crown, but it's a bit early for that kind of talk.
I'm off for some lunch. Have a good afternoon all ye' faithful.
-FS
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Canada is awesome because...
http://www.patspapers.com/blog/item/what_if_everybody_flushed_at_once_Edmonton_water_gold_medal_hockey_game/
of reasons that can be found beyond that link. It is what it sounds like. A chart showing when people in Canada used water during the gold medal game during last years Olympics. Pretty epic.
of reasons that can be found beyond that link. It is what it sounds like. A chart showing when people in Canada used water during the gold medal game during last years Olympics. Pretty epic.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Jesse reviews a few games and entertains some entertaining thoughts.
Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook play about a half hour every night. This isn't good for anyone. The four game winning streak was ended in a loss to the St. Louis sads Friday night. Sharp and Seabrook the only hawks to light the lamp. It was a close game just as every other game so far this year. John Scott finally did something useful and got into a fight. He didn't win, but neither did the other person. I was under the assumption that he would fight like Mike Tyson seeing that he can barely skate.
The Chicago Blackhawks are out of shape.
Brian Campbell should be on skates next week.
The rent is too damn high. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Hawks beat the Canucks in a shootout Wednesday night. Toews and Kane were automatic and Sharp is a good looking man. All three putting the puck in the net during the shootout respectively. Viktor Stalberg and his fourth line scored the Hawks lone goal in regulation in the first. Four game winning streak. Free scarves and a shootout. Can't beat it.
Luongo shit his pants Wednesday. I'm not impressed with the Canucks. The NHL Network have been stoked on them since preseason though.
Hawks beat the Canucks in a shootout Wednesday night. Toews and Kane were automatic and Sharp is a good looking man. All three putting the puck in the net during the shootout respectively. Viktor Stalberg and his fourth line scored the Hawks lone goal in regulation in the first. Four game winning streak. Free scarves and a shootout. Can't beat it.
Luongo shit his pants Wednesday. I'm not impressed with the Canucks. The NHL Network have been stoked on them since preseason though.
Kaner had his mom fly into Chicago last week when he was sick. You scored the winning goal in the Stanley Cup. Now is the best time for you to look for a girlfriend.
The day after the letter was posted to Turco he waved Seabrook in for a pass. My living room erupted.
Marty Turco is a loyal reader if you weren't already aware.
We are all aware of what Ryan Rypien did so I won't waste your time. The fan spoke to the local newspaper saying that all he said was "way to be professional." That's awesome. He also made it clear that he would be pressing charges. I'm sure at least 3 lawyers talked to him before he left the building. If a player grabbed me like that at the United Center I would be absolutely stoked. Jumping for sheer joy. Rink side seats forever baby. The building may also receive a little bit of the blame seeing they didn't bring out the tunnel for him to walk in. Rypien was suspended six games. Six games is a slap on the wrist.
Speaking of people acting professionally. The punter for the Indianapolis Colts Pat McAfee was found by police soaking wet at 5:30 A.M. Wednesday morning. Homeboy went swimming in the canal in 40 degree weather. He told the police he was soaking wet because it had been raining. It hasn't rained in months in Indiana. I was unaware people went off like this on Tuesday nights. Dude rules.
Pat McAfee parties. Fact.
Ocho Cinco and Terrell Owens have their show on Versus. No Care Ever. They stated on their show that the NHL hits are harder than the NFL hits. They know this because they are smartest men alive.
I thought it was interesting.
Marty Turco is a loyal reader if you weren't already aware.
We are all aware of what Ryan Rypien did so I won't waste your time. The fan spoke to the local newspaper saying that all he said was "way to be professional." That's awesome. He also made it clear that he would be pressing charges. I'm sure at least 3 lawyers talked to him before he left the building. If a player grabbed me like that at the United Center I would be absolutely stoked. Jumping for sheer joy. Rink side seats forever baby. The building may also receive a little bit of the blame seeing they didn't bring out the tunnel for him to walk in. Rypien was suspended six games. Six games is a slap on the wrist.
Speaking of people acting professionally. The punter for the Indianapolis Colts Pat McAfee was found by police soaking wet at 5:30 A.M. Wednesday morning. Homeboy went swimming in the canal in 40 degree weather. He told the police he was soaking wet because it had been raining. It hasn't rained in months in Indiana. I was unaware people went off like this on Tuesday nights. Dude rules.
Pat McAfee parties. Fact.
Ocho Cinco and Terrell Owens have their show on Versus. No Care Ever. They stated on their show that the NHL hits are harder than the NFL hits. They know this because they are smartest men alive.
I thought it was interesting.
In music news the new Killing the Dream album is now up for preorder at http://www.deathwishinc.com/
-J
-J
Friday, October 22, 2010
Rarely am I glad we have Gary...
David Stern recently came out with a list of things he wanted to accomplish with the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. It included the following.
-A hard cap
-A 40% rollback in all player salaries
-Unlimited expense deductions
-The elimination of guaranteed contracts
"There's a swing of somewhere in the neighborhood of $750 to $800 million that we would like to change" Stern said in regards to how much he'd like to roll back in player salaries.
David Stern is clearly insane.
What would your response be if your boss called you into his office and asked you to do the same amount of work for 40% less money just so he could make more?
At least Bettman had the tact to not come right out and say "I don't think our players are worth as much as we're paying them. I'm going to sit on the laps of the owners and cause a work stoppage. Whatever it takes to make these 30-some people happy."
So what's my point? We may be stuck with a lame commish who is not a hockey-man, but at least he isn't an idiot.
And now we have yet another reason to be glad that we aren't the NBA. Let me know how the lock out feels next year boys.
Sports > economics
-FS
-A hard cap
-A 40% rollback in all player salaries
-Unlimited expense deductions
-The elimination of guaranteed contracts
"There's a swing of somewhere in the neighborhood of $750 to $800 million that we would like to change" Stern said in regards to how much he'd like to roll back in player salaries.
David Stern is clearly insane.
What would your response be if your boss called you into his office and asked you to do the same amount of work for 40% less money just so he could make more?
At least Bettman had the tact to not come right out and say "I don't think our players are worth as much as we're paying them. I'm going to sit on the laps of the owners and cause a work stoppage. Whatever it takes to make these 30-some people happy."
So what's my point? We may be stuck with a lame commish who is not a hockey-man, but at least he isn't an idiot.
And now we have yet another reason to be glad that we aren't the NBA. Let me know how the lock out feels next year boys.
Sports > economics
-FS
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Sunday night Football.
It's amazing what a few well oiled, machine like athletes can do to each other in an instant. They can make spectacular twinkle-toe catches or phenomenal no look drop passes leading to a laser beam slap shots. They can also end each others careers in an instant.
I wanted to write about this as soon as it happened last Sunday, but I decided to really think about the subject before I just blabbered on for paragraphs and managed to say nothing important or original. Not that the four days of thought actually did those things. But I digress.
On Sunday, the NFL saw a rash of head-on collisions that sent shock waves through the league and the sport. Sportscenter gave their writers three days off, in fact, since they weren't going to be covering anything besides the hits and the NFL's subsequent reaction.
A can of worms was opened when several players ended up face down on the field motionless due to devastating hits. And the NFL didn't waste any time acting. They touched up their rulebook. They handed out fines. Big ones. One of the players involved is even considering retirement. From guilt! Could you imagine Matt Cooke saying in an interview that he was considering retirement after one of his disgusting plays? No.
Could you imagine the NHL responding with the same haste and heavy-as-a-hammer response?
How many players ended up cheek down on the ice before the NHL bothered to hold a meeting? Ask David Booth. I'm sure he was counting the days - granted he could count past three after this hit at the beginning the season last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7M-5ixMdIQ
Crushed. The only thing left after that hit was a buy-low option for fantasy hockey players who were in a dynasty league. A good, young player hit high and dirty by another good, young player. And what did the NHL do? Diddly squat. Nadda'. Nothing. I don't remember there even being a damn statement.
The NFL, on the other hand, didn't miss a beat. They dropped punches onto the heads of the players who were breaking their rules and, more importantly, hurting people. No nonsense.
The league full of clowns like Terrel Owens - the kind of athlete hockey fans are proud not to have grabbing headlines - reacted better, and with more accuracy than the bureaucratic mess that is the NHL and the NHLPA.
I guess to some degree I just wanted to give credit where credit was due. Kudos to the NFL front office for not hesitating. Some people are saying that maybe the reaction was a bit knee-jerk. But I'd rather have people accusing my league's commish and co. of being too quick on the trigger than wondering if they are even paying attention at all.
-FS
I wanted to write about this as soon as it happened last Sunday, but I decided to really think about the subject before I just blabbered on for paragraphs and managed to say nothing important or original. Not that the four days of thought actually did those things. But I digress.
On Sunday, the NFL saw a rash of head-on collisions that sent shock waves through the league and the sport. Sportscenter gave their writers three days off, in fact, since they weren't going to be covering anything besides the hits and the NFL's subsequent reaction.
A can of worms was opened when several players ended up face down on the field motionless due to devastating hits. And the NFL didn't waste any time acting. They touched up their rulebook. They handed out fines. Big ones. One of the players involved is even considering retirement. From guilt! Could you imagine Matt Cooke saying in an interview that he was considering retirement after one of his disgusting plays? No.
Could you imagine the NHL responding with the same haste and heavy-as-a-hammer response?
How many players ended up cheek down on the ice before the NHL bothered to hold a meeting? Ask David Booth. I'm sure he was counting the days - granted he could count past three after this hit at the beginning the season last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7M-5ixMdIQ
Crushed. The only thing left after that hit was a buy-low option for fantasy hockey players who were in a dynasty league. A good, young player hit high and dirty by another good, young player. And what did the NHL do? Diddly squat. Nadda'. Nothing. I don't remember there even being a damn statement.
The NFL, on the other hand, didn't miss a beat. They dropped punches onto the heads of the players who were breaking their rules and, more importantly, hurting people. No nonsense.
The league full of clowns like Terrel Owens - the kind of athlete hockey fans are proud not to have grabbing headlines - reacted better, and with more accuracy than the bureaucratic mess that is the NHL and the NHLPA.
I guess to some degree I just wanted to give credit where credit was due. Kudos to the NFL front office for not hesitating. Some people are saying that maybe the reaction was a bit knee-jerk. But I'd rather have people accusing my league's commish and co. of being too quick on the trigger than wondering if they are even paying attention at all.
-FS
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