Guess what boat the Washington Capitals are in again? They don't have a head coach, again, for the second time, this season. Dale Hunter decided to focus on his family and he wanted to go back to coaching his minor league team back in Ontario. OK, I can understand why he wants to go back, but really? At least he waited to make the announcement until after the Caps were out of the running for the Stanley Cup. I still understand that family is more important than any job out there. Over all Hunter did do a good job with the Caps but his work style really showed through in the playoffs. Even if at times I had a half a mind to give him a talking to about several things (keeping strong players off the ice is the main thing that frustrated me) he was good for the team.
However, one player apparently didn't like how they were playing. According to what I can find, Alexander Semin didn't like how Hunter focused on the defense and basically ignored the offense. I can see were Semin is coming from, he's one of the players who spent a lot of time on the bench during games. He'll be an unrestricted free agent and from the sounds of it won't be returning to the team. Ugh, why must some many of the good players have big egos? Suck it up and play, even if it's not how you would like it. It's not about you, it's about the team as a whole group. I'm sure that there were a few players who had problems about how things were run, I don't think that there's a team out there where every one's happy. There are just to many egos and people to make everyone happy all the time. To be honest, I think that the team needs Semin and if he leaves the team just won't be the same.What do you think?
On to baseball. Has anyone besides me noticed that the Nationals aren't just having a little fluke, that they (hold on to you hats and socks if you're wearing them) are actually good this season. A shock, I know but you should have seen it coming. They have a strong roster of young players including one Bryce Harper, who has shown that he quite likes to make history in the baseball world. For example: He's the first teenager to hit home runs in back-to-back games since the 1990s, and he stole home plate. Not impressed? You should be. Another star player, Stephen Strasburg, has a bad game the other day. Here's the link to an article that sums it up pretty well.
Please tell me what you think of Hunter leaving and the possibility of Semin leaving.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
A Win within a Defeat
It was a painful game to watch Saturday, with New York scoring first in the opening seconds of the game. But I do need to back up a few games.
In Game 3, it could have been called a endurance match. The Capitals and the Rangers played almost two whole games by the time the Rangers broke the dead lock. The players had to be giving their all in every period but thought three extra periods they must have been ready to drop. How they managed to play as hard as they did, even in the end, I don't know but it must have been a relief for everyone (players, coaches, management, staff, etc.) on both teams to just go home and sleep. Unfortunately, when the game closed the wrong team won. Final score 2-1 Rangers.
Games 4 and 5 could have been the same game played twice but with a different victor. Both ended 3-2, the Caps won game 4, the Rangers won the game 5.
Game 6, the pivotal match to decide if the Rangers would take the series in Washington or would the Caps force a final game in New York. The Caps came through and gave the Rangers some tough love. Final Score 2-1.
Back to Saturday's game. It was hard yes, painful yes, and caused many a Caps fan to try and find a silver lining in the hard loss that put the Capitals out of the running for the Stanly Cup this year. If anything these playoffs have shown us about the Caps is that for once they seem to work almost better in the postseason than in the regular season. Yes, it might have been hard at first for some of the players to change halfway thought the season to the new style of coaching brought by Dale Hunter. But it all seemed to come together just in time. The team worked in sync with each other to unseat the reigning champs and worked hard to put the Rangers out of the playoffs. Even if they didn't succeed with the Rangers they did prove to everyone (even if some won't admit it) that they still have a chance and still have what it takes. They may view it as a loss or failure but I don't think it was a complete loss. Being transformed into the gritty, grind-it-out-no-matter-how-long-it-takes type of team they were in the playoffs was no easy task. If they had beaten the Rangers and moved on to the 3rd round I'm confident that they could have beaten the Devils.
On a final note, for any skeptics out there still, why don't you try and do what those guys just did with a rookie (in the playoffs) goalie and a 'rookie' coach who they had to adjust to midway into the season and totally change how they play. Pretty good and I don't doubt it.
In Game 3, it could have been called a endurance match. The Capitals and the Rangers played almost two whole games by the time the Rangers broke the dead lock. The players had to be giving their all in every period but thought three extra periods they must have been ready to drop. How they managed to play as hard as they did, even in the end, I don't know but it must have been a relief for everyone (players, coaches, management, staff, etc.) on both teams to just go home and sleep. Unfortunately, when the game closed the wrong team won. Final score 2-1 Rangers.
Games 4 and 5 could have been the same game played twice but with a different victor. Both ended 3-2, the Caps won game 4, the Rangers won the game 5.
Game 6, the pivotal match to decide if the Rangers would take the series in Washington or would the Caps force a final game in New York. The Caps came through and gave the Rangers some tough love. Final Score 2-1.
Back to Saturday's game. It was hard yes, painful yes, and caused many a Caps fan to try and find a silver lining in the hard loss that put the Capitals out of the running for the Stanly Cup this year. If anything these playoffs have shown us about the Caps is that for once they seem to work almost better in the postseason than in the regular season. Yes, it might have been hard at first for some of the players to change halfway thought the season to the new style of coaching brought by Dale Hunter. But it all seemed to come together just in time. The team worked in sync with each other to unseat the reigning champs and worked hard to put the Rangers out of the playoffs. Even if they didn't succeed with the Rangers they did prove to everyone (even if some won't admit it) that they still have a chance and still have what it takes. They may view it as a loss or failure but I don't think it was a complete loss. Being transformed into the gritty, grind-it-out-no-matter-how-long-it-takes type of team they were in the playoffs was no easy task. If they had beaten the Rangers and moved on to the 3rd round I'm confident that they could have beaten the Devils.
On a final note, for any skeptics out there still, why don't you try and do what those guys just did with a rookie (in the playoffs) goalie and a 'rookie' coach who they had to adjust to midway into the season and totally change how they play. Pretty good and I don't doubt it.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Dear Dale Hunter
First off, all Capitals fans reading this please take a moment to do a little party dance. Did it? Good. Moving on to the game. If you didn't know, the Capitals won game 2, 3-2, in New York, with foul curses raining down on. Speaking of foul language the Rangers fans need to have their mouths washed out with soap or something. All throughout the game they chanted Ovie *****(rhymes with pucks). Even under the wrath of the fans he manged to score the game winning goal. One thing that's still bugging me is the fact that Dale Hunter has kept one of his most power players off the ice for most of the post-season. Maybe if he lets Ovie on the ice more we could win these series more easily. For once it seems that the team as a whole is working together as one unit - supporting Holtby and getting on the board first. Not bad for a game 2, but we still have a long fight ahead if we want to go further.
P.S
Hunter, if you're reading this then I highly suggest that you put Ovie on the ice more.
P.S
Hunter, if you're reading this then I highly suggest that you put Ovie on the ice more.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Dethroning the Champs
First off I do apologize to any and all Bruins fans out there but I was pulling for the Capitals. I was desperately hoping that it wouldn't go to a game 7 but of course it did. Playing in Boston is hard enough but with it being game 7 and the Bruins being the reigning champs, it just added that much more pressure. The game got out to a slow start with both teams acting tentative, holding back, not wanting to make a mistake. Everyone knew that just one slip up could mean the difference between winning the game and losing. The Caps were first to score, in the first period, with a goal from Matt Hendricks. But not to be out done the Bruins scored a goal of their own from Tyler Seguin late in the second and into overtime we go. At this point a fan of either team would have to be hiding somewhere away from the TV or radio because it just wouldn't have been possible to watch without having a major mental break down due to the stress. Well, that was my case at least. Less than three minutes into overtime the Cap's Joel Ward put the puck past Tim Thomas on a deflected shot from Mike Knuble. To all the fans in TD Garden it was hard to take. The number two seed and reigning champs lost to the number seven seed. It was cool to see that even though he was on the losing team, Thomas still had a good attitude. Just before leaving the ice he skated over to where a few kids sat in the front row and gave them a smile. It's cool to see that even in one of the tougher sports the players are still down to earth.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Post Season Hockey and just about everything else
I wish I could see into the future or something like that so I wouldn't always forget about writing on this blog but I do and it means that there is a lot to cover.
In hockey there are clean games and well... some not so clean games. Take for example the Caps-Bruins match up. For the most part it's been pretty clean, even if in Monday's game it didn't look like it. Just compare it to the Flyers-Penguins series that's going on. It's a blood bath of a match up. I don't know how anyone can appreciate those two teams when they're acting like kids out on the ice fighting over everything. The Caps have been pushed around by the Bruins and they've pushed back but it's been more of a civil discussion than a drunken bar brawl which is all I can think of the describe the battle in Pennsylvania. One more quick thing before I move on to last night's game. I have quite enjoyed reading the paper recently because of all the fun adjectives that the writers have been using to describe Zdeno Chara, the Bruins 6-foot-9 defenseman. Words like banshee and behemoth have been tossed around. He can be both of those and more than an opposing force at times. The Caps may have entered in this series as the underdog, but being the underdog against the Stanly Cup Champs has to put some fire under the Capitals. It could be just what they needed to actually get farther than the first or second round. But first they have to win game 7 in Boston. Let's do a quick recap of a games so far
GAME 1, Holtby holds his own in his first game in the postseason of his NHL career against the reigning champs only allowing one goal the whole game. Final Score: 1-0 Bruins
GAME 2, the Caps put up a fight not wanting to be put a into a rut by the Bruins. With a goals by both Brouwer and Backstrom the Caps tie the series. Final Score: 2-1 Caps
GAME 3, back on home ice most would think that the Caps would have the upper hand. But they didn't. Final Score 4-3 Bruins
GAME 4, still on home ice the Caps needed the win or they would have a hard doing so back in Boston, but they did get the win. Final Score: 2-1 Caps
GAME 5, this game was very different from the rest, mostly because the Caps got out to a two goal lead and held on to it for a few minutes but the Bruins came and tied it up right before the end of the second. Final Score: 4-3 Capitals. Finally the Caps had a 3-2 lead on the series.
GAME 6, well the the lead in the series was short lived. The Bruins won in D.C. to even things up. Final Score: 4-3 Bruins.
GAME 7 is going to be a get down and get 'er down type of game for both teams.
Also going on in the NHL. The Flyers win their series with the Penguins, the Blues win in their series with the Sharks, and the Predators win over the Red Wings.
In Football news, I am still brooding with frustration at both the Jets and the Broncos for the trade of Tim Tebow. It seems like the Jets just did that for publicity but that's my view with the info that I have access to. For the Broncos, well... (devious grin crosses my face) they're basically screwed. Why? Payton Manning is why. The Broncos made a huge mistake on a guy who maybe has a year left in him. On top of that he (again this is just from what I was able to learn) isn't really that good at training a guy to replace him.
Again this year the NFL is having three games played on Thanksgiving. Detroit vs. Huston, Dallas vs. Washington, and New York Jets vs. New England. I'm going to have to eat early. The New Orleans Saints haven't been very saintly recently. With the bounty hunting scandal and now finding out that the GM may have been able to listen in on the other team. Really? Doesn't anyone play clean anymore? This is just getting out of hand.
In the golf world Bubba Watson won the Masters, and is in a very funny video called Golf Boys.
OK that's just about all that's happened that I care about.
In hockey there are clean games and well... some not so clean games. Take for example the Caps-Bruins match up. For the most part it's been pretty clean, even if in Monday's game it didn't look like it. Just compare it to the Flyers-Penguins series that's going on. It's a blood bath of a match up. I don't know how anyone can appreciate those two teams when they're acting like kids out on the ice fighting over everything. The Caps have been pushed around by the Bruins and they've pushed back but it's been more of a civil discussion than a drunken bar brawl which is all I can think of the describe the battle in Pennsylvania. One more quick thing before I move on to last night's game. I have quite enjoyed reading the paper recently because of all the fun adjectives that the writers have been using to describe Zdeno Chara, the Bruins 6-foot-9 defenseman. Words like banshee and behemoth have been tossed around. He can be both of those and more than an opposing force at times. The Caps may have entered in this series as the underdog, but being the underdog against the Stanly Cup Champs has to put some fire under the Capitals. It could be just what they needed to actually get farther than the first or second round. But first they have to win game 7 in Boston. Let's do a quick recap of a games so far
GAME 1, Holtby holds his own in his first game in the postseason of his NHL career against the reigning champs only allowing one goal the whole game. Final Score: 1-0 Bruins
GAME 2, the Caps put up a fight not wanting to be put a into a rut by the Bruins. With a goals by both Brouwer and Backstrom the Caps tie the series. Final Score: 2-1 Caps
GAME 3, back on home ice most would think that the Caps would have the upper hand. But they didn't. Final Score 4-3 Bruins
GAME 4, still on home ice the Caps needed the win or they would have a hard doing so back in Boston, but they did get the win. Final Score: 2-1 Caps
GAME 5, this game was very different from the rest, mostly because the Caps got out to a two goal lead and held on to it for a few minutes but the Bruins came and tied it up right before the end of the second. Final Score: 4-3 Capitals. Finally the Caps had a 3-2 lead on the series.
GAME 6, well the the lead in the series was short lived. The Bruins won in D.C. to even things up. Final Score: 4-3 Bruins.
GAME 7 is going to be a get down and get 'er down type of game for both teams.
Also going on in the NHL. The Flyers win their series with the Penguins, the Blues win in their series with the Sharks, and the Predators win over the Red Wings.
In Football news, I am still brooding with frustration at both the Jets and the Broncos for the trade of Tim Tebow. It seems like the Jets just did that for publicity but that's my view with the info that I have access to. For the Broncos, well... (devious grin crosses my face) they're basically screwed. Why? Payton Manning is why. The Broncos made a huge mistake on a guy who maybe has a year left in him. On top of that he (again this is just from what I was able to learn) isn't really that good at training a guy to replace him.
Again this year the NFL is having three games played on Thanksgiving. Detroit vs. Huston, Dallas vs. Washington, and New York Jets vs. New England. I'm going to have to eat early. The New Orleans Saints haven't been very saintly recently. With the bounty hunting scandal and now finding out that the GM may have been able to listen in on the other team. Really? Doesn't anyone play clean anymore? This is just getting out of hand.
In the golf world Bubba Watson won the Masters, and is in a very funny video called Golf Boys.
OK that's just about all that's happened that I care about.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Ketchup
I am really sorry that I left you all hang for like a month but snowboard season kinda took over. Oops. So lets us catch-up. Or if you like it Ketchup (it's good on fries.)
You would think that I would have learned by now that hardly anything I hope to happen in the world of sports happens. To start off, things became less clouded around Payton Manning and where he was thinking of heading to for next season. It came down to the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, and the Tennessee Titans. You want to take a guess at who he choose? The Broncos, for a five year deal that's worth $92 million. Mind boggling for a guy who still has a gigantic question mark floating above his head with neon lights, and for a guy who maybe has three years left. Oh but this story gets better, I thought (and a lot of people I talked to agreed) that it would be smart of the Broncos to keep Tim Tebow but apparently they didn't like that idea so much. Now what on earth are they going to do when the neon sign flips over and say: Sorry! I Can't Play Anymore! Where's My Money? When that day comes I will not be surprised. Tebow on the other had I think got a really bad deal. He was traded to..... none other than the New York Jets (of all the teams in the NFL!). The foul mouthed, dirty, vile Jets. Franky the attention that Tebow got in Denver was doodly-squat to what he is now going to suffer in New York, yes I said suffer. It's a NEW YORK TEAM; of course he's going to suffer. Unless you're a fan of New York sports teams; otherwise they are generally despised by most other teams and their fans. I found this article about Tebow and it has to be one of the longest articles I've read. Ever.
New York sure to test Tebow, on and off the field - MyVerizon.com
In other football news that has been floating around for a while, there has been a bounty hunting scandal in the NFL involving the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Redskins. The common factor: Gregg Williams. Essentially how it worked was that players got money bonuses for hard hits that put opponents out of the game. Commissioner Roger Goodell gave out one year suspensions to two New Orleans coaches, the general manager, and a former coach for running the program. But the Redskins got off with no penalties for now, even though Williams worked for the Skins under Joe Gibbs from 2004-07 running the program. Several players have come forward saying that they were paid extra money for hard hits that put the opponent out of the game. I think even though the NFL and Goodell have 'closed' the 'case' because there isn't enough evidence, they should still look into it. I love the Skins but really, this isn't right. Players did get really hurt and it's just against ethics, paying someone to hurt someone else is what it boils down to. The suspensions should deter any other plans like this from popping up again but it might not. Some coaches will do what ever it takes to win. I'm not saying that Sean Payton (head coach of the Saints, one of the suspended) was doing that but other coaches might have done that for the wrong reasons. I still have a lot of respect for the guy but this was wrong and I agree with the penalty they gave him. Back to the Redskins, they should get a penalty of some sort, a fine or something, anything. But they shouldn't have gotten away with it then and they shouldn't be like "Oh, that happened in the past." It was the past of YOUR TEAM. Fine Synder, he has enough money to cover it.
Ok I'm done ranting for now. Next week (and it will be next week not next month) I'll have a post on what the Capitals have been up to.
You would think that I would have learned by now that hardly anything I hope to happen in the world of sports happens. To start off, things became less clouded around Payton Manning and where he was thinking of heading to for next season. It came down to the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, and the Tennessee Titans. You want to take a guess at who he choose? The Broncos, for a five year deal that's worth $92 million. Mind boggling for a guy who still has a gigantic question mark floating above his head with neon lights, and for a guy who maybe has three years left. Oh but this story gets better, I thought (and a lot of people I talked to agreed) that it would be smart of the Broncos to keep Tim Tebow but apparently they didn't like that idea so much. Now what on earth are they going to do when the neon sign flips over and say: Sorry! I Can't Play Anymore! Where's My Money? When that day comes I will not be surprised. Tebow on the other had I think got a really bad deal. He was traded to..... none other than the New York Jets (of all the teams in the NFL!). The foul mouthed, dirty, vile Jets. Franky the attention that Tebow got in Denver was doodly-squat to what he is now going to suffer in New York, yes I said suffer. It's a NEW YORK TEAM; of course he's going to suffer. Unless you're a fan of New York sports teams; otherwise they are generally despised by most other teams and their fans. I found this article about Tebow and it has to be one of the longest articles I've read. Ever.
New York sure to test Tebow, on and off the field - MyVerizon.com
In other football news that has been floating around for a while, there has been a bounty hunting scandal in the NFL involving the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Redskins. The common factor: Gregg Williams. Essentially how it worked was that players got money bonuses for hard hits that put opponents out of the game. Commissioner Roger Goodell gave out one year suspensions to two New Orleans coaches, the general manager, and a former coach for running the program. But the Redskins got off with no penalties for now, even though Williams worked for the Skins under Joe Gibbs from 2004-07 running the program. Several players have come forward saying that they were paid extra money for hard hits that put the opponent out of the game. I think even though the NFL and Goodell have 'closed' the 'case' because there isn't enough evidence, they should still look into it. I love the Skins but really, this isn't right. Players did get really hurt and it's just against ethics, paying someone to hurt someone else is what it boils down to. The suspensions should deter any other plans like this from popping up again but it might not. Some coaches will do what ever it takes to win. I'm not saying that Sean Payton (head coach of the Saints, one of the suspended) was doing that but other coaches might have done that for the wrong reasons. I still have a lot of respect for the guy but this was wrong and I agree with the penalty they gave him. Back to the Redskins, they should get a penalty of some sort, a fine or something, anything. But they shouldn't have gotten away with it then and they shouldn't be like "Oh, that happened in the past." It was the past of YOUR TEAM. Fine Synder, he has enough money to cover it.
Ok I'm done ranting for now. Next week (and it will be next week not next month) I'll have a post on what the Capitals have been up to.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Super Bowl 2012
Guess what, New York's heads just got bigger. The New York Giants won Super Bowl XLVI Sunday night. As much as it pains me to say this the game wasn't half bad. Yes, the Pats lost again and yes, there were mistakes but even so the game was good. To start it was very hard not to think about the fact that the Pats released Tiquan Underwood (a wide receiver) on the eve before the biggest game in football. Who knows, maybe he would have helped get the win. At least Underwood doesn't seem to be holding it against the team, wishing the coaching staff and teammates good luck. They sure needed it after the Giants scored a late touchdown, but I'm ahead of myself. Oh, well I could tell you now. Late (and I mean really late) in the fourth quarter Eli Manning passed the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw who tried hard to stomp on the brakes and sit down on the one yard line but fell into the end-zone. I do have to say that it was very funny watching him try to stop but failing; even if that did mean that it was the game winning touchdown. All night the Pats players (except for a few times) seemed to have replaced their gloves to help grip the ball with butter sheets to help drop the ball. I understand that Welker has made that catch a million times and that it should have been easy but he didn't and I'm sure he heard it from his teammates and his coaches so he doesn't need to hear it from the media. Or Tom Brady's wife for that matter, who had some choice words for a Giants fan. Most of which shouldn't be repeated. Maybe if the Brady had thrown to someone else instead of Hernandez we might have tied it or even won it. But history does repeat itself and unfortunately it happened again. To the same team, in the same way. There's always next year, I hope.
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