We're There And We're Not

Canucks staying afloat, March is truly mad at the NCAA Tournament. Let's roll...

We Win Some And We Lose Some

After the 3 game set with the Edmonton Oilers, the Vancouver Canucks managed to gain 4 of 6 points to stay at 7th in the Western Conference standings. All lines including the top line are playing with renewed vigor and confidence. Alex Auld is standing on his head for the most part, and the new additions are starting to fit in nicely. It's clearly not time to start the Stanley Cup parade but the team IS starting to play like one and the playoffs are starting to come into shape. A few huge games remain on the schedule including a huge matchup vs the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in a week or so. With the possible return of Sami Salo and Ed Jovanovski, the Canucks could be playing their best heading into the playoffs.

The Year of the CHOKE

I have never seen so many big time, traditional powerhouse teams, fold and choke all at the same time like they did this year. The Sweet 16 saw teams like Gonzaga, and Duke kak. Then yesterday we saw Texas blow it in OT, and Memphis come up empty vs UCLA. Today we saw UConn blow chunks in another OT vs #11 George Mason, and the much hyped Villanova guards get shown up by a Sophmore in Florida's Joakim Noah. Yes, the final four teams played well and deserve to be at the final four, but the big time schools really choked big time. They thought that they could simply show up, and that gave them the right to be in the Final Four, simply because they were suppose to be more talented. And what about the coaching factor?? Coach K, Calhoun, Calipari, they didn't prepare their teams to play hard. I watched their demeanor on the sidelines and they didn't look angry or pissed like they should've been. Their teams sucked and they looked completely dumbfounded and indifferent. Well, enough of the ranting, the Final Four will be great. All 4 teams are very evenly matched, each has a legitimate shot to win it all. I'll break down the matchups later in the week.

1 Down 2 To Go

Canucks battle Edmonton again, March Madness continues tomorrow. Let's roll...

Do or Die

Canucks coming off that huge win last night over the Edmonton Oilers face the same Oilers tomorrow at GM Place. For the first time since the OT win over Calgary in Feb, the Canucks out-hustled and out-played their opponent. When they're out there flying around chasing down pucks, banging bodies, getting in front of the net, the Canucks are at their best. The most frustrating thing is that the Canucks have so much upside when they play like they want it, but they've pissed away so many games just floating around the ice. We would be atop the Western Conference if they played half as hard as they played last night. As good as the win was last night, we still need at least 1 more in this 3 game set with the Oilers for it to mean anything. We should know the result in the first 5 minutes of the game.

Canucks Are Goners

Well, I'm back after a long hiatus. Canucks ship sinking, March Madness continues. Let's roll...

Let's Call it a Year

I've been away for a while but following the fall of the Canucks closely the last 2 weeks. From my last post, nothing has really changed. The Canucks have no life, no desire to play, and the golf clubs are already polished and ready to go. I like the trades made at the deadline, but unfortunately we'll be looking back in the summer thinking it was a mistake, we should've loaded up on prospects. Well, not much else to say, time to close the curtains and turn the lights out. This show is played out.

Sweet 16

Watched a lot of the games this past weekend. Most disappointing performances so far have been Michigan State, and Iowa. Most overrated teams going into the tournament, Ohio State and Tennessee. Most suprising have been George Mason and Bradley. Darkhorse so far is Georgetown, they looked awesome tonight vs Ohio State. Of course, my West Virginia Moutaineers are still in it, Texas will be a tough matchup though. My picks for the Elite Eight:

Duke/LSU - Take Duke, LSU doesn't have anyone that can contain JJ Redick and he's due for a big game.

W Virginia/Texas - Hate to go against my Mountaineers, but Texas looked dominant cleaning up NC State. Take Texas.

Memphis/Bradley - Bradley's run ends here, take Memphis. The guards of Memphis will be too quick and shoot the 3 too well.

Gonzaga/UCLA - Wow, this is gonna be one hell of a game. Gonzaga in a squeaker. Farmar could take this one over.

UConn/Washington - Could be close, but Roy will get shutdown, take UConn. Williams and Boone will be the difference.

G Mason/Wichita St - Cinderella matchup, go with Wichita St. I actually picked Seton Hall to go to the Final Four which lost to Wichita St. With a moniker of "Shockers" you almost have to go with them.

Villanova/BC - I picked BC to go to the Final Four, so BC wins here in a close one. Nova looked a little vulnerable in the close win over Arizona, plus Allen Ray still trying to see through the eye they re-attached.

Florida/Georgetown - I love Georgetown in a big upset here, their huge win over Ohio State was impressive.

Glad I Watched The Oscars

Busy, Busy, Busy. Canucks got handed last night vs the Blues. NCAAB heating up. Let's roll...

Is This a Playoff Team??

The Canucks got absolutely spanked last night 4-1 against the St. Louis Blues. Thank God, I watched mostly the Oscars, although that's 12 bucks down the drain. The team was brutal, they had no jump or energy whatsoever, they mind as well have suited up the Moose. The 64 thousand dollar question is what will Dave Nonis do. Every sports jockey has their opinion, "We need a backup goalie", "We need help on the backend", "We need a #1 goalie", "We need a topline center", "Trade Bertuzzi", "Trade Naslund", "Do nothing", everything and anything is up for grabs. Bottom line, I don't think the Canucks are going anywhere this year. They don't have the personnel, the coaching, the heart to win. With the exception of the Sedins and Carter, the whole team has pretty much underperformed the whole season, what the hell makes anyone think they will do anything when the playoffs come. Anyways, done with my rant. I say, start rebuilding for next year.

March Madness, It's Begun

Several mid-majors have their tickets to the big dance. With the Conference Tournaments coming up, the rest of the bracket will start filling in. The big ones to watch this week of course are the Big East, ACC, CUSA, PAC-10, among others. Hot topics of the day include whether or not 7 or 8 teams from the Big East should get in. My personal feeling is that Syracuse should not get in, they have a barely .500 record and from watching the game vs Villanova, they don't have enough big game talent. Other hot topic is Duke possibly getting bounced out of the top 4, especially following the loss to UNC. Villanova, Gonzaga, and UConn are for sure top 4 seeds. I still can't believe Selection Sunday is only 6 sleeps away. It only gets crazier from here on out.

Surprise Win

Canucks win!! Canucks win!!

Take The Win And Run


Finally, it was the Canucks turn this time "stealing" a win from the Division leading Calgary Flames 2-1 in Calgary. Alex Auld was simply fantastic. Markus Naslund netted another goal. The mostly rookie defense made up of mostly Moose players held up. And bottom line, the Canucks played smart and worked hard. Well, that's all I have to say for now. Let's hope we can continue the great play vs Nashville on Thu.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NBA, Milwaukee vs Phoenix, 6:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Ottawa vs Pittsburgh, 4:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Toronto Raptors -6 over Atlanta Hawks
Record YTD (44-47, -1193)

Heading For The Stretch Run

NHL is back finally, Colangelo coming to TO. Let's roll...

Canucks Back After Break

Well it's been 2 weeks and after a complete letdown last week for Team Canada, it's back to business tomorrow night for the Canucks in Calgary where they face the 1st place Flames. Of course the biggest story for Canucks fans this past 2 weeks were the injuries to top blueliners Mattias Ohlund and Sami Salo. Both are out for this one, although Ohlund is reportedly going to fly with the team to Calgary. The Canucks brought up Tomas Mojzis and Sven Butenschon from the Moose in relief of the injured pair to play on the 3rd line. I expect Marcus Naslund to come out hungry for this game. Alex Auld should be sharp as well. Overall, I think the game will be relatively fast-paced with good chances on both ends. Miikka Kiprusoff, an Hart Trophy candidate this year, will be a factor tomorrow. All that rest will pay big dividends come playoff time. I'm going with Calgary in a 3-1 win over the Canucks.

Colangelo to Manage Raptors

Reports indicate that Bryan Colangelo, current GM of the Phoenix Suns is leaving the sunny desert to become the GM of the Toronto Raptors. Bryan is the son of minority Suns owner Jerry Colangelo and has been the GM since taking over from his father a few years ago. The Suns of course have been one of the top teams in the NBA these past 2 years under Colangelo. You have to be extremely optimistic if you're a Raptor fan. Colangelo stole MVP Steve Nash away from Dallas, drafted Rookie of the Year Amare Stoudamire and helped hire Coach of the Yea Mike D'Antoni. So it's safe to say his track record is pretty damn good. All I can say is Phoenix's loss is Toronto's gain, we'll take it.

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Calgary, 6:00pm PST on the Sportsnet Pacific
NBA, Orlando vs LA Lakers, 7:30pm PST on the Score

Picks of the Day
Orlando/LA Lakers O195.5
Record YTD (44-46, -1083)

Olympics Close

Slow news day overall. Sweden wins the Gold, Isaih to IU?? Let's roll...

How Sweet it is


You have to wonder what Markus Naslund was thinking watching his country-mates bring home the Gold for Team Sweden. Naslund has been a part of Team Sweden for basically his whole career so to watch them win and to know that he will most likely never get his shot to win Gold for Sweden must be a little disheartening. Hopefully, he can use that as motivation down the stretch for the Canucks heading into the playoffs. Back to Team Sweden, it was a hard fought game vs the Finns. If you don't think the players wanted to win, you just have to see how elated the Swedes were to win and how disappointed the Finns were when they lost. Watching Sami Salo writhe in pain from his shoulder injury shows you how bad they wanted it.

Say it Ain't So

The source of the story is definitely questionable coming from Peter Vecsey of the NY Post, Vecsey is reporting that Indiana University is exploring the possibility of bringing Isaih Thomas in at the end of the season to replace Mike Davis as Head Coach. IU would be making a HUGE mistake by bringing in Thomas. Everything that Thomas has done in management and coaching has been a complete disaster. Count them, power struggles in Toronto, bankrupted the CBA, never won a playoff round as coach of Indiana and currently running the Knicks into the ground. Hopefully IU will come to their wits and bring him alumni and current Iowa coach, Steve Alford. All signs point to Alford as the front runner.

What's on TV
NBA, Toronto vs Miami, 4:30pm PST on the Score
NBA, Utah vs Golden State, 7:30pm PST on the Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Detroit Pistons -2.5 over Cleveland Cavaliers
Record YTD (43-46, -1183)

Back to Normal

Back after a couple of days without posting, I've been consumed with the local hoops playoffs going on. Team Canada bounced in Hockey at the Olympics, big day in NCAAB hoops, Canucks in dire straits with big injuries. Let's roll...

Big Letdown

The most talked about story for the past couple of days is the early loss by Team Canada's hockey team at the olympics on Thu against Russia. It was bitterly disappointing, yet I don't think we really need to panic. There were a lot of things that "could" have made a difference, like different players, or Gretzky not going to Italy, or more time to prepare, etc.. Bottom line is that the players didn't perform and they alone need to take responsibility for their failures. The team assembled had more than enough talent, skill, speed, goaltending to win it all, they just didn't perform. So, where do we go from here?? Well, in a way, the loss is good as it'll be a chance to completely re-evaluate the roster. Nobody is given a free-ride or assumed on the team. With the abundance of young talent that Canada has waiting in line, I think Vancouver 2010 will be Gold for Team Canada again.

College Gamenight

Watching BC and NC State go toe-to-toe for 2OTs. Great game from start to finish. Watching these games gives you an appreciation of how great a game that Basketball is. You see the heart and hustle. Team basketball, offensive execution, hustle defense. Everything that you DON'T see in the NBA. Other big stories to follow, George Washington has won a crazy 17 games in a row, a team record. They could be a deadly team in the NCAA Tournament. The Pitt Panthers have struggled lately going 5-4 in their last 9, their stock is dropping fast and will need a good showing at the Big East Tourney to get a #3 seed or higher at the NCAAs. Gonzaga like George Washington is simply rolling. Adam Morrison is all the talk along with JJ Redick for Player of the Year. Although I don't think you can go against Redick and his record breaking career.

Your Move Nonis

Dave Nonis has some big decisions to make in the next couple of weeks leading up to the NHL trade deadline. With both Mattias Ohlund and Sami Salo out indefinitely with mid-level injuries, he has make a decision on whether he will go all out for the Cup this year, or start dumping salaries to reload for next year. I say go for next year. If you look at what we have right now, clearly we're not anywhere ready to go to the Cup. Hell, the Canucks might not even make the playoffs as we're only 6 points ahead of Anaheim and the 9th spot. Collectively with Ed Jovanovski, Todd Bertuzzi, and Dan Cloutier, the Canucks should be able to get some decent talent and draft picks in return. With the young talent that we have on the farm, we will be a good team next year. As hard as it is for Canucks fans to hear about rebuilding, it is time to start thinking long term.
*Photo from NHL.com

What's on TV
NCAAB, Kansas vs Texas, 6:30pm PST on the Score
NBA, Charlotte vs Phoenix, 6:00pm PST on the Sportsnet Pacific
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on CBC

Picks of the Day
Golden State Warriors +12 over San Antonio Spurs
Record YTD (43-44, -1073)

I'm Back...

I'm back after a short hiatus. Slow news day overall. I'll throw in my 2 cents on Team Canada's troubles, what's wrong with the NBA, and Ricky is at it again. Let's roll...

Solving the Trap

Team Canada was a victim of the trap twice in the last 2 games costing them points in the tournament round-robin standings. Alot of people are panicking right now, but my feeling is that there isn't much to be too concerned about. Remember in 2002 when Team Canada lost to Sweden and everyone was saying it's the end of the world?? Well, we ended up coming back to win that one. We will do the same here. You look at the 8 teams that will be going to the next round, all 8 have a legitimate shot at the Gold. It's really a crapshoot where the team that gets hot and wins 3 games wins the Gold. I still think that Canada has assembled the best team in the tournament and trap or no trap, should still go all the way. Even if we lose to the Czechs tomorrow, we're still going to the next round. Relax everbody, no need to panic, we'll get there.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

NBA All-Star Weekend, yawn...


The NBA is slowly becoming irrelevant in the world of sports in North America. There are several factors leading to the downward spiral of interest, here are five reasons to tune out the NBA:

1. No marquee rivalries. No Bulls vs Knicks, no Celtics vs Lakers.
2. The best players play for crappy teams (Kobe in LA, Lebron in Cleveland, Iverson in Philly). 3. The best teams have the players with no personality (Duncan in SA, Rip and Billups in Detroit, Dirk in Dallas)
4. There are only 2 good teams, everyone else nobody could care a lick about.
5. All the teams play the same game.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Hits From The Bong

Ricky tokes it up again, this time the NFL has suspended him for a full season. We've likely seen the last of Ricky in the NFL. The guy just wants to smoke his weed, and be left alone. Just leave Ricky be. Just look at how Ryan Leaf has been able to move on with his life. Ricky needs to move on, find a nice stoner town to live in and just get baked all day. In fact, Vancouver would be the perfect place for Ricky to settle down. Everyone knows that BC bud is the best in the world.
*Photo from BrettandShannon's Blog

What's on TV
NBA, Golden State vs Sacramento, 7:00pm PST on the Score
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Charlotte Bobcats +11 over Denver Nuggets
Record YTD (43-43, -963)

Bertuzzi Cleans Up in Italy

Canada opens big at Turin, new start for Darko, and finally College Basketball proves too much pressure. Let's roll...

Well It Was Italy After All

Team Canada routs Italy earlier today 7-2 at the Olympics. Nothing to be really excited about I guess. Talk of the day locally was how well Todd Bertuzzi played. Let's hope that Pierre Maguire is right and that Bertuzzi will continue to rip it up once he gets back to Vancouver. We need him to be big or we have no shot at the Cup. Back to Team Canada, not much to add here. Was a little surprised that the score was tied in the 2nd period before Canada blew the game open. Up next is Germany, and we get a break as Olaf Kolzig will sit this one out. Shocker of the day is Latvia playing to a 3-3 tie vs Team USA. Although shocking, I'm not entirely surprised. I think Team USA is overrated this time. They're too old, they should've picked up players like Ryan Kessler and AJ Umberger instead of some the old vets that are way beyond their prime.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Darko Shipped to Orlando

The Darko saga starts a new chapter today as he was traded to the Orlando Magic for Kelvin Cato. I think this is a good think for Darko. I really think that the kid can play, he just needs to build some confidence and for someone to give him a chance. Remember when Jermaine O'Neal was in Portland and everyone said he sucked. Well, once he got traded to Indiana, he got the playing time and confidence required and really blossomed. I freely admit that what we've seen from Darko has been anything but, I just have a hunch there's more than meets they eye with Darko. One thing is for sure, if Darko can't prove himself in Orlando, he'll be back in Europe before you know it.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Wanted: Basketball Coaches

They're dropping like flies, and stress and pressure to win are the overwhelming reasons. The pressure cooker that is NCAA Div1 basketball seems to have taken out some of the best basketball coaches around in Mike Davis at Indiana and Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State. Some suggest that it's the media that's created this negative atmosphere. But I say it's all the booster clubs, and alumni organizations that are putting an incredible amount of pressure on the adminstration to bring in winning coaches and to fire coaches who they feel are not the right fit. These booster clubs and alumni committees are simply out of control. Schools need to limit the amount of power and influence they have over personel decisions.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Houston/Phoenix O201.5
Record YTD (43-42, -863)

No Love For The Great One

What else but talk about Gretzky's landing in Italy, and the Arizona Cardinals ensure their inferiority. Lets roll...

Downfall

It's all downhill for Gretz from here. As he touched down in Turin Italy to join Team Canada at the Olympics, he was bombarded as expected by hundreds of journalists. Why he chose to go in the first place is a complete mystery to me. The scandal aside (latest rumors say Gretzky is a high roller betting as high as 2 million at Casinos), you would think for Gretzky the most important thing at this moment is to get his family back in order. Can you even imagine what his family is going through at this moment. If it happened to you, wouldn't you think the most important thing would be to gather your family together and go somewhere where you wouldn't be bothered and you could fix your family issues first?? And what better time to do that then the Olympic break. It's not like Team Canada needs him in Italy to win, Gretzky's work is done, the team has been selected. In fact, Gretzky has put further attention on himself by self-proclaiming that if Team Canada doesn't win Gold, we should blame him. I don't want to blame Gretzky if they lose, but since he's there, I will.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Why Warner? Oh, It's the Cardinals

Are the Cardinals trying to play their way out of Arizona?? Must be. That is the only explanation why the Cardinals would go out and sign Kurt Warner. And the kicker is they signed him for 3 years and $18 million. Wow, now that is pure incompetance. Yes Warner has put up some huge numbers in his career, but as witness in the past few years he is extremely soft. He is afraid of contact and is injury prone. He relies heavily on a big O-line for pass pro and his favorite move these days with the Cardinals is to crawl up into the fetal position. I have nothing else to say other than the Cardinals suck, have sucked, and will continue to suck. See you in LA in a few years.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NBA, Toronto vs NY Knicks, 4:30pm PST on the Score
NBA, Atlanta vs LA Lakers, 7:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Atlanta Hawks +10 over LA Lakers
Record YTD (42-42, -963)

Big Monday for Villanova

Olympic break so no NHL action. Next best thing I love to talk about is College Hoops and there's certainly plenty to talk about. Let's roll..

No 1 My Ass

With the 69-64 upset loss by #4 Villanova over #1 UConn, the Huskies will see their ranking drop from #1 down to #3 or lower where they belong. I'm not a Husky hater, I just think they're widely overrated and certainly not in the same company as Duke or even West Virginia for that matter. I mean, when was the last time UConn even beat somebody of importance? Anyhow, we should see the true #1 Duke cruise from here on out through the rest of the season, ACC Championships, and finally to the Big Show. In other action today, #5 Gonzaga took care of Portland with relative ease. Looking forward to tomorrow, some huge matchups as #11 West Virginia faces Seton Hall and #16 Michigan State goes up against #20 Iowa. Go with both favorites, West Virginia and Michigan State.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Bye Bye Sutton

Unfortunately for Eddie Sutton, a 35 year coaching career with the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team has come to a sudden end as Sutton was cited for DUI in yesterday's car accident that involved Sutton. And the timing really couldn't be worse, Sutton was just 6 wins shy of 800 and had planned to retire after this season and his 800 wins handing over the coaching reins to his son. But now, he will most likely be fired from his job and certainly his coaching legacy tarnished forever. Goes to show you kids, don't drink and drive.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NBA, New Jersey vs Detroit, 4:30pm PST on the Score
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Sacramento Kings +2 over Chicago Bulls
Record YTD (41-42, -1063)

Must Win

It's good to be back. Recap of Canucks big win tonight, College Gameday review, and Kwan drops out. Lets roll...

Canucks Gut it Out

Fitting that it was the Sedin line that came up with the big goal in OT to lift the Canucks past the Wild in OT 3-2 tonight at GM Place. The Canucks came flying out the gate in the first period looking like a team playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup. That paid off as they got the games' first goal. But then the Wild slowed the pace down to their familiar Lemaire fashion. Canucks took a lot of dumb penalties, but they were lucky that the Wild are not a good PP team. One can only hope that after the Olympic break, the Canucks can turn it up a notch and stay that way through the playoffs. They can't afford to take nights off like they've been doing in the past against teams like St. Louis and Anaheim. If the Canucks play to their potential, this is a team that can go all the way.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

College Gameday

Can you sense that March Madness is approaching? This is Rivalry Week in NCAAB and there was plenty to watch and analyze throughout the week. Pittsburgh continued to roll this week with big wins over West Virginia and Cincinnati. West Virginia beat a surging Georgetown team tonight. All top 4 teams won yesterday, Connecticut, Duke, Memphis and Villanova. A huge matchup on Monday as #1 Connecticut faces #4 Villanova. Finally, 2 other big stories emerged this week, Quin Snyder was fired, and Mike Davis is about to quit.

Mizzou Head Coach Quin Snyder was finally given the boot the other day. If you don't remember, Missouri was cited for several recruiting violations by the NCAA under Snyder, that was almost 2 years ago. Snyder was never able to turn the program around and may never get another chance in Div 1. Snyder has also been rumored to have had several encounters with female students, I guess now that he's fired he can pursue those coeds to his hearts content. Bottom line is that the numbers didn't add up for Snyder and so a change was needed.
*Photo from CJOnline

Mike Davis era Ending?? Rumors are running rampant that Davis who did not coach the team today in Indiana's loss to Iowa, is leaning towards resigning as Head Coach of IU. It was always a tough gig to follow in the heels of the highly successful yet controversial Bobby Knight. Yes, IU has not put up the numbers the past few seasons since Davis took them to the National Championship game 3 years ago, but Davis is not being given a fair shake here. In much the same way that Tyrone Willingham was run out of Notre Dame, Mike Davis is being run out of IU. If he resigns as many are speculating, Davis will find another program to run, one that doesn't come with the unreal expectations that IU has.
*Photo from ESPN

Doing The Right Thing

Michelle Kwan did the right thing today dropping out of the Ladies Figure Skating competition in Turin for the Olympics today. This was suppose to be the feel good story for the Olympics and Team USA for Michelle to get that Gold Medal that had eluded her in 3 prior Olympics. But lets face it, she was too old and too injured to really be a factor and instead of finishing last in the competition, she took the high road and dropped out instead giving alternate Emily Hughes her shot at the podium.

Canada picks up 2 medals so far, 1 Gold, 1 Bronze. I'm not much for watching or keeping up with the Olympics besides Hockey, but I was impressed with Jennifer Heil's Gold medal performance at the Ladies Moguls. Even I had butterflies watching her live as she was set to go on the final run. She was clutch, coming through when it counted...

What's on TV
NBA, Utah vs LA Lakers, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
Olympics, Canadian Highlights (Taped), 6:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
San Antonio Spurs -2.5 over Cleveland Cavaliers
Record YTD (41-41, -953)

Yes, We Sucked...

Losing again to the damn Blues, review of NCAAB. Let's roll...

Tkachuked!!!

The Canucks were blasted tonight losing 4-2 against the lowly St. Louis Blues. Keith Tkachuck had a goal and 2 assists in the win. Just our luck, Patrick Lalime has had a season to forget for the Blues including a demotion to the farm team, but he picked tonight to turn it on and was hot all game. It's not like the Canucks didn't have chances, they just couldn't put the puck behind Lalime. Anson Carter was a late scratch for this one, and the Sedins obviously missed his stick. We mentioned Tkachuck and he was the best player on the ice tonight. He's been injured for a significant period of time this season but still appears to have some pop. Could he be playing himself to be traded?? Possibly. It's unfortunate that the Canucks have now lost 3 games (6 points) to the worst team in the league, but it's not catastrophic. We will recover. Next up, Brian Burke's Ducks.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

College Gamenight

Yesterday, the Duke Blue Devils held off a young hungry energized North Carolina team in Chapel Hill for the win to stay perfect in the ACC. JJ Redick was clutch once again. My money is still on Redick to win the College Player of the Year, Adam Morrison is a great player but he's got nothing on Redick. Watch out for North Carolina though, they should get into the NCAA tournament as a 8 or 9 seed and it wouldn't surprise me if they made the Sweet 16. Pat Forde has a great article on ESPN about the West Virginia Mountaineers. If you read some of my previous posts, you know that I love the way the Mountaineers play. Coach John Beilein is a basketball genius, his modified Princeton Offense and 1-3-1 trap are starting to become legendary. He's winning with players you've never heard of and on any other top 25 team would sit at the end of the bench. Beilein has made stars out of guys like Kevin Pittsnogle, Mike Gansey, and Johannes Herber. In action tonight, #1 Conneticut thumped Syracuse, and South Carolina upset #6 Florida.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Detroit vs Nashville, 5:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Miami/Dallas U198.5
Dallas Stars -1.5 (+170) over Phoenix Coyotes
Record YTD (39-41, -1153)

Operation Slap Shot Busted

Preview of Blues vs Canucks, Gretzky faces some tough times ahead. Let's roll...

Weight-less Blues in Town

The St. Louis Blues are in town to face the Canucks tomorrow night at GM Place. But the Blues are a different team than the one that beat Vancouver just a few short weeks ago. Since that game, the Blues have been on a fire sale dumping the salaries of Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger in return for more youth and draft picks. Clearly the Blues have dropped out of the playoff race and are in the rebuilding phase, something that is completely foreign for the Blues who have never missed a post-season in decades. Still, with youth comes energy and the Blues are a team now that plays with plenty of it. The Canucks are looking to put together a string of wins before the Olympic break before making that big push for the playoffs. Should be a no-brainer here, Canucks at home have been lights out, I like the Canucks in a 5-2 win.

Rough Seas Ahead

Mr. Gretzky has a lot on his mind lately. As Team Canada heads into the 2006 Olympics, suddenly their chances are starting to look shaky to repeat for the Gold. A couple of big injuries on defense has Gretzky scrambling to find replacements. But the biggest bombshell was dropped today as Phoenix Coyotes Assistant Coach Rick Tocchet has been officially charged by Authorities in Pennsylvannia for his involvment an illegal sports gambling operation. To make matter worse, Gretzky's wife Janet Jones has been named as one of the alleged sports bettors. With the "Gretzky" name linked with all this mess it takes this story from the footnote to the headliner of every major network and news media outlet. The investigators are still gathering more evidence, but if they find that NHL players bet on NHL games, there will be some serious consequences. The one cardinal sin in all of sports is gambling on your own sport, on your own games. The integrity of the game could be on the line here, should it come out that games were fixed and thrown, it could send the NHL into a tailspin. Makes you wonder about all those nights Todd Bertuzzi and the rest of his teammates took off.

What's on TV
NCAAB, Syracuse vs Conneticut, 6:30pm PST on the Score
NBA, San Antonio vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NBA, Chicago vs Denver, 6:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Ottawa vs NY Rangers, 4:00pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
San Antonio Spurs -6.5 over Toronto Raptors
Chicago/San Jose U6.5 (-115)
Record YTD (37-41, -1353)

Good To Be Home

Still steaming in the aftermath of what will be known as Zebragate. Canucks pick up the win tonight. Rockets turning the corning. Lets roll...

Canucks in a Rout

They scored 2 early goals in the first period and never looked back winning 7-4 over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The speed and hustle of the Canucks showed tonight. The Blue Jackets were simply caught flat-footed. This is the style of play that the pundits had picking to be Stanley Cup contenders. Everyone was flying for the Canucks tonight, including the vaunted top line which had been struggling recently. Alex Auld was solid most of the way but did let in a soft one in the 3rd. The Sedin line with Anson Carter continues to dominate, this after Henrik Sedin was named NHL Player of the week today. Next up, the lowly St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Rockets on a Roll

After a dismal start to the NBA season, the Houston Rockets are starting to look like the Western Conference contenders that many had pegged them in the summer as they dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers tonight for their 4th in a row. If you look at their roster, it's unbelievable that their record stands at 19-29. But when a big toe injury took out big man Yao Ming, and superstar Tracy McGrady got back spasms, their fortunes turned for the worse in a bad way. But both Yao and McGrady are healthy and the Rockets have their swagger back. You look at the players they brought in during the summer, Stromile Swift, Luther Head and Rafer Alston. This is a Championship contending team, and they're finally starting to play like one. Too bad, it may be too late to make the playoffs.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NCAAB, Tennessee vs Kentucky, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NCAAB, Duke vs North Carolina, 6:00pm PST on the Score
NHL, Atlanta vs Toronto, 4:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
LA Clippers -6.5 over NY Knicks
Buffalo/Montreal U6 (-115)
Record YTD (36-40, -1343)

The Fix Is In

Seahawks get shafted by the refs, Canucks back home. Let's roll...

We Wuz Robbed!!!

The only logical explanation for what happened tonight was that the Officials had fixed this game helping the Steelers to a 21-10 win. When there is 1 bad call, you can say that it was probably just a bad call. But when they pile on the bad calls and no calls against the Seahawks play after play, you have to wonder. When Matt Hasselbeck was flagged for a low block on his "tackle" after the interception, I stopped watching, I KNEW that the fix was in. As for the football, there wasn't any flow. The Seahawks had dominated play for most of the game but the Officials stopped any momentum the Seahawks had whenever they got in the redzone. Still you can't take anything away from the Steelers who made 3 big plays that was good enough for the win. It's a good thing that this is the last game of the season, I need a break to shake this feeling of total disgust.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Home Sweet Home

Canucks end their marathon 7 game road trip by hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow. After a disastrous 0-3 start to the road trip, the Canucks finished strong beating Colorado, Phoenix and Calgary before dropping a 3-1 decision to the Oilers last night. Home has been sweet for the Canucks indeed going 18-3-3. The Blue Jackets are on a 5 game winning streak started by their win over the Canucks a couple of weeks ago. I like the Canucks to take this one, they are solid at home and have had Marc Denis number. Alex Auld has been the best Canuck in the past 5 games, he has proven to be the #1 goalie in this town and has allowed Dave Nonis to be patient in finding a suitable backup for Auld. Canucks win 4-1.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Columbus vs Vancouver, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Houston Rockets +3 over Philadelphia 76ers
TB/NY U6 (+110)
Record YTD (34-40, -1553)

Boozing with Ben

Pictures of Big Ben getting wasted with some groupies have been making the rounds on the Net. Preview of Canucks in Alberta. Let's roll...

Big Ben Gettin' Down


You won't here it in the mainstream media as there has been an apparent Media blackout concerning photos posted on Deadspin.com which show an inebriated Ben Roethlisberger partying it up with what appear to be some loose female groupies in a dungeonesque lounge. In what has been an otherwise dead media week with little to no interesting storylines, this could be potentially a huge story, too bad the NFL and the Steelers have put the clamp down on getting it getting out. Hopefully we can spread the word.
*Photo from Deadspin

Canucks Battle in Alberta

Huge 2 game back-to-back road games first in Calgary tomorrow, then in Edmonton for HNIC. Both teams are relatively hot at the moment and the Canucks are battling to stay near the top of the division. With 4 points up for grabs, this is a critical point in the Canucks season. Marcus Naslund appears ready to contribute despite nagging injuries that have caused him to cancel his Olympic journey. No question this will be a tough 2 game stretch. If the Canucks are able to pull off the 2 wins here, I can see no reason why they won't go deep into the playoffs. With the Flames making a deal today to obtain Leclerc and Boucher from Phoenix, you have to wonder whether a deal is imminent for the Canucks as they prepare for the playoffs. Something has to give.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Calgary, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Minnesota Timberwolves -2 over Portland Trailblazers
NJ/Carolina U6.5 (-130)
Record YTD (34-40, -1623)

Super-matchup in DeeTroit

Previewing the big game on Sunday. So far for NFL playoffs, I've gone 7-3 ATS, and 8-2 straight up overall, looking to finish strong. Let's roll...

Defense

D-Line: Pittsburgh. The Seahawks are almost as good but the Steelers front four are better. The Steelers are quicker and are the heart of the awesome blitz that took out Indy and Denver.

Linebackers: Pittsburgh. The Seahawks are arguably more athletic and hit harder but much more inexperienced. Troy Porter and James Harrison over Lofa Tatupu and Jamie Sharper.

Secondary: Pittsburgh. The Seahawks are once again talented yet inexperienced. All it takes is one mistake to get burned. Steelers use a lot of Safety blitz with Troy Polamalu.

Offense

O-Line: Seattle. The Seahawks have the best 5 in all of the NFL. Walter Jones is a hall-of-famer, enough said.

Quarterback: Seattle. Ben Roethlisberger plays to not lose the game. Matt Hasselbeck plays to win.

Running Backs: Seattle. Can't go against the MVP of the league in Shaun Alexander. A lot is made of Jerome Bettis, but Willie Parker is the dangerous one.

Receivers: Seattle. Too much skill, speed, and experience with Darrell Jackson, and Joe Jurevicius. Jeremy Stevens is the X-factor at TE for the Seahawks.

Special Teams

Kick/Punt: Seattle. We all know how important it is to have the big game kicker and the Seahawks have it in Josh Brown who has hit some big ones so far this season. Tom Rouen is one of the most experienced punters in the league.

Returners: Pittsburgh. Antwaan Randle El is a gamebreaker, watch out if he breaks free. Seahawks have issues here as witnessed in the Redskins game.

Coaching: Seattle. Mike Holmgrem has won the big one with Green Bay and as an assistant with San Francisco. Bill Cowher may have a trick play or two up his sleeve but he better not try it here.

As you can see, it's almost a dead heat between both teams when you break it down. The bottom line will come down to whether the Seahawks can handle the Pittsburgh blitz. If they can, the Seahawks will be able to score enough points early and hold on for the win. If they can't, the Steelers will force the turnovers required to come away with it. Given that the Seahawks have had 2 weeks to prepare for this one, I think the Seahawks have a good chance at defeating the blitz. Take the Seahawks and the points.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Boston, 4:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Columbus vs Edmonton, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
Boston Bruins -160 over Montreal Canadiens
Record YTD (33-40, -1723)

Road Kill

Superbowl Preview coming out tomorrow. Canucks get the win tonight. Let's roll...

Canucks Outshoot Coyotes

The Canucks win their 2nd road game in a row beating the Phoenix Coyotes 7-4 today. They jumped out to the early lead on goals by Daniel Sedin and Josh Green in the first and never looked back. The Canucks got sloppy later in the game but managed to outlast the Coyotes. Curtis Joseph was pulled in the 2nd after letting in 5. Alex Auld was once again the difference tonight making 42 saves overall including 21 in the 2nd period. It is troublesome that the Canucks are putting their faith in a young Alex Auld to win them games, but that's exactly what good teams and good goalies do, they take chances and hope their goalie bails them out. Naslund was back after missing one game. Reports indicated that Richard Park may be back in a week or so. Big talk on the local radio shows is making a deal to bring in some relief on the backend with the possible season ending injury to Ed Jovanovski. Couple of huge divisional games coming up vs Calgary and Edmonton coming up. Once again, it will be a good test to see where this team stacks up with when going head-to-head against the best.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Ottawa vs New Jersey, 4:30pm PST on TSN
NHL, Columbus vs Calgary, 7:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, Washington vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NCAAB, Duke vs Boston College, 6:30pm PST on the Score

Picks of The Day
Dallas Mavericks -1.5 over Memphis Grizzlies
Anaheim Ducks -140 over SJ Sharks
Record YTD (33-38, -1473)

Desert Bound

Preview of the Canucks in the Desert and Hurricanes pull off a big deal. Let's roll...

Walking Wounded

The Canucks continue on their longest road trip of the season heading to Phoenix to face the Coyotoes tomorrow. Fresh off a hard-fought win in Colorado, the Canucks are looking to catch up to the streaking Flames who sit atop the Northwest Division. The Coyotes have been overacheiving all year and their 26-24-3 record does not reflect the talent on the team. Head Coach Wayne Gretzky has his team working hard and squeezing ever last drop of potential from his team. Another reason for the success of the Coyotes has been the play of Curtis Joseph. The aging backstop is having a solid season in net and is 5-1-1 heading into tomorrow's game. Keys for the Canucks will be to jump on the scoresheet early. The Coyotes are a team that struggle to score goals and win when they get ahead early and sit on the lead. The injury bug has hit the Canucks real hard heading into the Olympic break. Dan Cloutier is a write-off for the season with a torn ACL, Marcus Naslund is out indefinitely with the hip-flexor, Ed Jovanovski is out for at least 2 weeks getting abdominal surgery, Matt Cooke is still nursing that sprained ankle, and Richard Park mind as well be gone for the season. Good news is that the replacements are playing well. There is still enough skill in the lineup to win games, especially against teams like the Coyotes. Canucks should win this one 3-1.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Canes Mean Business

The Carolina Hurricanes made a big push today to bolster their lineup as they head into the stretch run of the NHL season by picking up Doug Weight today. The Hurricanes essentially went the "Rent-a-player" route picking up Weight for a number of first round draft picks. Weight is earning roughly $5+ Million and his contract is up at the end of the season. Still, with Weight, the Hurricanes are looking to contend with the likes of Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay for Eastern Conference Supremacy. One has to wonder if the Canucks could have had a chance to pick up Doug Weight. This deal could be a catalyst for more for player movement before the Olympic roster freeze, we'll see if Dave Nonis makes a move given the grave injury situation the Canucks are in.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports


What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Phoenix, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Toronto vs Tampa Bay, 4:30pm PST on TSN
NBA, Phoenix vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NBA, Denver vs Sacramento, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of The Day
Detroit Pistons -5 over NJ Nets
Carolina Hurricanes -130 over Montreal Canadiens
Record YTD (32-37, -1373)

Sundays Belong to Tiger

No Sunday football to talk about this Sunday in more than 6 months, I'm pooped. 2 big stories of the day were in Individual sports. Also, a mini-review of Glory Road. Let's roll...

Tiger Back on The Prowl

In the first big event of the 2006 PGA Season, Tiger Woods proved to be automatic once again coming from behind to win the Buick Invitational, his 4th. Of course nobody is suprised he won it, when you see the name "Woods" anywhere within 10 shots of the leader you know he's going to make a charge in the final round. And when the pressure was on, all the also-rans (ie. Jose Maria Olazabal, Nathan Green, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson) all crumbled and faded. You can excuse Olazabal and Green, both just happy to finish somewhere in the top 25. But Garcia and Mickelson have mastered the art of chocking when Tiger is in the hunt. It's like they all of a sudden forget how to play the game when Tiger makes his move. The problem is that they're so obsessed with what Tiger is doing that they forget that they're still playing. Watching the final round, Tiger wasn't spectacular, he made some good shots but some terrible ones too. Should be another good Tiger watching Golf season ahead.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Are The Tears For Real??

Roger Federer won the Australian Open today, the first major Grand Slam of the 2006 Tennis season. Federer has been dominating Men's Tennis for the last 4 years picking up his 4th career major. He's making a routine of dispatching opponent after opponent with ease. But for the first time that we've seen, the usually stoic Federer let his emotions out with tears of joy after receiving the trophy. Hopefully this will be a sign of a more open and out-spoken Champion. There's a reason why Tennis, especially Men's Tennis has dropped in popularity especially in the US. Professional Sports is about entertainment. In the words of Ridley Scott's Gladiator "Are you not entertained?? Are you not entertained????". We want to watch athletes who are animated, who have something interesting to say. What gets people watching Tennis is the fist pumps, the flashy outfits, the arguing with the refs, and racket throwing. That is why sponsors have latched onto Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal. They may not have skills like Federer, but they've got personality. I for one find it much easier to cheer for a Roddick and Nadal than Federer.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Glory Road, What's It Really About??

Went and caught the movie yesterday. First of all, I couldn't catch it at my local theatre as it was already pulled. In fact, Glory Road did not even open in the Top 10 on it's opening Weekend here in Canada. In the US, it opened #1 on it's opening weekend, and was #3 last weekend. Goes to show you how popular College Basketball is here in Canada.


Back to the movie, I thought it was well done overall. It was widely inaccurate and the term "based on a true story" should be used loosely here. So what is Glory Road really about?? Many reviewers and historians say that the significance of the 1966 Texas Western Miners National Championship was that it was the first time 5 black players started, but that's completely false. There were plenty of teams that had black players that same year and prior to. In fact, in the movie we see that in the Semifinal match, Kansas' top player was black.

The significance of the 1966 TWU team was that it was the first time a team won the National Championship by "playing black". When I mean "playing black", I mean they played with style, creativity, and attitude. It was the first time a coach let his players win with playground moves and above the rim tactics. That's what changed the game of Basketball forever. Again, it wasn't about skin color, it was about style. Similar to how Canadians changed the game of Hockey in 1972 when they beat the Russians, by playing "Canadian". Glory Road focused way too much on the race factor and less on the style of play which was obviously done to make it more dramatic. But overall, I think it is an entertaining movie and a story that needs to be told.
*Photo from IMDB

What's on TV
NBA, Portland vs Seattle, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Calgary vs St. Louis, 5:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NHL, Toronto vs Florida, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Ontario
NHL, Boston vs Ottawa, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet East

Picks of the Day
San Antonio Spurs -5.5 over Utah Jazz
Ottawa Senators -1.5 (-130) over Boston Bruins
Record YTD (31-36, -1073)

HNIC, Good to Canucks

Canucks win!!! Didn't want to do a NCAAB recap, Oklahoma upsets Texas as the major news story. Lets roll...

Prayers Answered


The Canucks stop the bleeding for now and pulled out a tough 4-3 OT Shootout win over the Avalanche tonight in Colorado. In a late scratch, Marcus Naslund decided to sit this one out. Finally, Naslund has come out publicly and acknowledged that he has a hip-flexer problem that has been bothering him for quite some time. He hinted it may even keep him from playing at the Olympics next month. As for the game itself, Alex Auld put the team on his shoulders tonight and pulled out the victory. He made 40 saves including several spectactular ones that kept the Canucks in it in the 2nd period and later in the 3rd when the Canucks were leading. Jarkko Ruutu scored one in the 2nd and the only goal in the shootout to end the Canucks recent 3 game slide. Next game is on Tue vs the Coyotes in Phoenix. Dallas Stars take out the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in a OT Shootout thriller today on National TV on NBC. Too bad, WWE wrestling, and Bowling probably rated better.
*Photo from ESPN

What's on TV
NBA, Phoenix vs Cleveland, 10:00am PST on ABC
NBA, Miami vs Houston, 12:30pm PST on ABC
NBA, Sacramento vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on the Score
NCAAB, Indiana vs Minnesota, 10:00am PST on CBS
PGA, Buick Invitational Final Round (Live), 12:00pm PST on CBS
NHL, Edmonton vs Phoenix, 5:00pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
LA Lakers +8 over Detroit Pistons
TB Lightning -1.5 (+200) over Washington Capitals
Record YTD (31-34, -863)

Must Win??

Preview of Canucks vs Avs, Brodeur signs mega-deal in New Jersey. Let's roll...

Avs, Canucks Renew Rivalry

The Canucks roll into the Mile High City tomorrow to face divisional rivals Colorado Avalanche tomorrow. The Canucks are fresh off another loss, their 3rd in a row heading into this matchup. The Avs are 8-3 in the month of January, 2 of those losses coming against Detroit and Dallas. The Avs are 16-7-4 at home while the Canucks are 10-15-2 away from GM Place. The head-to-head matchup is completely 1-sided as well with the Avs winning all 3 matchups so far this season. Both teams have deficiencies at the Goaltending position, David Aebischer has been wildly inconsistent for the Avs, Alex Auld has been a little more steady but has started way too many games in a row. The X-factor in this game will be Joe Sakic and Alex Tanguay, both are known to be Canuck killers in the past. Bottom line, Canucks are slumping, Avs are surging, Avs take it 5-3.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Brodeur to Stay a Devil


With some speculation that Martin Brodeur could be traded by the New Jersey Devils, Brodeur did the exact opposite today signing a mega 6-year contract extension with the Devilswhich would more than likely ensure that Brodeur retires a Devil. Brodeur has been absolutely on fire the last several weeks leading the Devils on a resurgence up the Eastern Conference Standings heading straight for the top. His numbers this season, slightly down from the previous NHL season, are more impressive given the increased scoring in the new NHL. He's facing more shots, in more PP situations yet Brodeur has been able to consistently rank among the top 5 in almost every statistical category. The length of deal was quite surprising given that Brodeur is 33 years of age and probably has about 3 good years left. Then again, Dominik Hasek is playing well into his 40s.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Vancouver vs Colorado, 7:00pm PST on CBC
NHL, Pittsburgh vs NY Rangers, 11:00am PST on NBC
PGA, Buick Invitational 3rd Round (Live), 12:00pm PST on CBS
NBA, New Jersey vs Seattle, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NCAAB, Texas vs Oklahoma, 6:00pm PST on the Score

Picks of the Day
Dallas Mavericks -10 over Utah Jazz
NY Rangers -1.5 (+125) over Pittsburgh Penguins
Record YTD (29-34, -1088)

Bad Things Come in 3s

Canucks lose again, Babcock is fired, and Minny and Boston play "lets make a deal". Let's roll...

Canucks Slide Continues

The Canucks lose their 3rd game in a row by a score of 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings tonight in Detroit. The effort level was solid but the Red Wings got the breaks, especially by the refs. The problem with the loss here is that had the Canucks beaten the Blues and Blue Jackets earlier in the week, this loss wouldn't be so tough to swallow. Now, Canucks' fans are in full panic mode. As many have pointed out, the top line has been completely unproductive in the last dozen games. You have to wonder when Nonis will decide to make a move here. He's been quite patient thus far, but with the Olympic roster freeze coming up and a rush afterwards to make up for lost time, there is much urgency to make a move before it's too late. It's like the stock market, and waiting for the market to bottom out before dipping in. Experts know that you can't predict the bottom, if you try you'll almost always end up missing the boat altogether.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Anyone Looking to Buy a House??

That quote from Ron Babcock, formerly the GM of the Toronto Raptors who was turfed today. Anyone surprised?? Hell no. This is the guy that traded Vince Carter to New Jersey for Alonzo Mourning. Wait, Mourning never played for Toronto. Ya, that's right, Babcock shipped Mourning to Miami for NOTHING and the news gets better, he agreed the Raptors would pay his salary not Miami. Lets see, recent draft history, Babcock decides that his #7 pick is worthy of selecting Charlie Villanueva. The year before, Babcock thinks Rafael Araujo is going to set the world on fire and selects him with the #8 pick overall. And so when Babcock said in his press conference today that he was "totally shocked" that he was being let go, it all starts to make sense. This guy was NEVER meant to be a GM, he just doesn't get it, never has, never will. As optimistic as I am about the move and how it will only get better going forward, I think about the irreparable damage that Babcock has created for the franchise. It will literally take years, several at the least, before the Raptors can rise again to highs they once acheived. I will always have hope as a Raptor fan, hope for a better day. Tomorrow will be a good day, a new day.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Beantown welcomes Wallyworld

Another day featuring another blockbuster trade in the NBA. This time, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics hook up in a mega-deal that essentially sees Wally Szczerbiak of the T-Wolves go to the Celtics for Ricky Davis. I like the deal for the Timberwolves, they get a more versatile, explosive, and durable player in Davis. Wally was often injured and rarely played a full season in Minnesota. The Celtics are clearly rebuilding right now, trading for Wally is a curious move as you would've thought that the Celtics would go for more draft picks or a young promising talent rather than the oft-injured Szcerbiak and the hugely disappointing Michael Olowakandi. But then again, the Celtics are one of the worst teams for a reason (Doc Rivers hasn't helped the cause either). As for Minnesota, the player they really coveted was Ron Artest but a deal wasn't in the cards and so the T-Wolves will have to settle for Davis.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

What's on TV
NBA, Toronto vs Milwaukee, 5:30pm PST on the Score
Tennis, Australian Open Women's Final (Live), 6:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Orlando/New York O206.5
NJ Devils -125 over Florida
Record YTD (29-32, -853)

Motown Mojo

Preview of the big game tomorrow with the Canucks at Detroit to face the Red Wings, Artest is a King, Thomas in a little hot water. Let's roll...

Canucks at Hockeytown USA

The Canucks head to the Motor City (home of the Superbowl XL next weekend) to face the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night. Both teams have been struggling lately, the Canucks lost the first 2 of their current 7 game road swing, the Red Wings have lost a couple of games to the Nashville Predators and now share the lead for tops in the Western Conference. At the beginning of the season, many thought the Red Wings would struggle to compete in the new NHL, but the Wings have had a fantastic first half of the season and surprised everyone with their fast start. Couple of reasons for their great start, an awesome PP, and outstanding goaltending from both Manny Legace and Chris Osgood. The Red Wings are 3rd in the league in goals scored and 5th in goals allowed. But the biggest reason has been the hiring of Mike Babcock. Finally, Babcock is able to shine in a town that is worthy of his Hockey knowledge. As for the Canucks, they will be in tough here. But if the Canucks can outhustle the Red Wings, they should be able to squeeze one out. Ed Jovanovski re-injured his groin and is out indefinitely, no status update on Matt Cooke. Alex Auld will get the start here. Canucks win in a shootout, 5-4.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

Artest Heads West

Nothing surrounding the story in the life of Ron Artest is ordinary so why would his trade to a new team be any different. The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings finalized the deal today that sends the much maligned Ron Artest to Sacramento in exchange for Peja Stojakovic. Initially, the deal was shot down by Artest's agent, Mark Stevens who vetoed the trade because his client did not want to play in Sacramento. That veto was later recinded allowing the deal to go through. So who wins in this deal?? Nobody really. The Kings start their Artest experimentation which should produce dividends in the short-term but could end up costing them in the long-run should Artest break out of control again, something we have expected from him. As for the Pacers, Stojakovic is a great offensive shooter, but doesn't nearly have the defensive capability to shut down opposing guards that they'll need in the playoffs. In the end, the deal was a necessary evil for both teams to rid themselves of the distractions and move on.
*Photo from Yahoo!Sports

He Said, She Said

NY Knicks President Isiah Thomas is being sued by former team executive, Anucha Browne Sanders for sexual harrassment. Sanders claims Thomas made several sexual advances and made it impossible for her to continue employment with the organization. When Sanders reported her claims to team officials, they told her to take a leave of absence then proceeded to terminate her employment for not fulfilling her Professional duties of her employment contract. Sanders is demanding $6 Million in lost future wages. Now, Sanders doesn't exactly fit the profile of a gold-digging groupie looking to cash in here. Sanders had worked for the Knicks organization since 2000, 3 years before Thomas arrived in NY. This is going to be very bad for Thomas, he's got a lot of supporters right now, but a lot of questions about his behavior will be raised.
*Photo from MSNBC

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Detroit, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Edmonton vs LA Kings, 7:30pm PST on Sportsnet West

Picks of the Day
Dallas Mavericks -6 over Seattle Supersonics
Carolina Hurricanes +105 over Atlanta Thrashers
Record YTD (27-32, -1058)

Thanks For The Memories Mario

Another day, another loss. Mario retires again, slow news day again. Let's roll...

Canucks seeing Blue

First the Blues stuck it to the Canucks last night, and tonight the Blue Jackets socked the Canucks 6-5 in Columbus. Alex Auld came up limp on the first 2 goals, then a valiant effort to comeback from the Canucks was thwarted when Todd Bertuzzi watched Trevor Letowski of the Blue Jackets skate by him and put the game winner past Auld. Keyword here being "watched" and "Letowski". You don't watch a guy skate right by you, you knock him on his a**, especially when you have 50+ pounds on the guy and skate a hundred times better. More bad news for the Canucks, Ed Jovanovski re-injured his groin. With the Olympics so close, I expect that Jovo will not be back until March and could even have a limited role in the Olympics. Huge game coming up on Thursday as the Canucks face the Detroit Red Wings. Let's hope that they decide to show up this time.

He's Done

Mario Lemieux re-retired from the NHL today in Pittsburgh. This just a few days after he announced that he's stepping down as the CEO/President of the Penguins and put up the For Sale sign for the franchise. This time Lemieux will stay retired. Too many injuries, too many politics, a bad, really bad season. All were contributing factors. Lemieux has been the thread holding the fragile Penguins together for the better part of 15 years ever since he led them to back-to-back Stanley Cups in the early 90's. The stress of carrying the entire franchise on his shoulders physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially was too much for him and his family. Watching the press conference today, Lemieux was more relieved than sad or disappointed. He simply wanted OUT, and now he's officially out. Lemieux leaves the NHL as arguably the greatest talent in the history of the league. Gretzky may have the stats, Howe may have the durability, Orr may have the heart, but Lemieux was the most complete NHL player of all time. God given athleticism, an NHL body decades ahead of his time, undeniable skating and puck handling ability, and a hockey IQ that was simply unmatched. Lemieux was the greatest. Not only will Super Mario be sorely missed, we will NEVER see a talent like him ever again. Au revoir Mario!!

What's on TV
NHL, Montreal vs Philadelphia, 4:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Edmonton vs Anaheim, 7:00pm PST on TSN
NBA, Chicago vs Toronto, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Ontario
NBA, Milwaukee vs Detroit, 4:30pm PST on Sportsnet East
NBA, Minnesota vs Memphis, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NBA, Denver vs Portland, 7:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific

Picks of the Day
Denver Nuggets -4 over Portland Trailblazers
Dallas Stars -1.5 (-130) over St. Louis Blues
Record YTD (27-30, -818)

Election Day Spanking

The Liberals were dethroned, and the Canucks collapse in St. Louis. Slow sports news day overall. Let's roll...

You Snooze, You LOSE!!!

It's as simple as that folks. If you don't show up to play, you will get your a** spanked, and that is exactly what happened to the Canucks in St. Louis tonight losing 4-0. Let's give the Blues some credit here, they've played 2 solid games coming into this one and they sure as hell didn't want their losing streak to hit double-digits. But the Canucks hit the snooze button and never woke up in time for this one. Maxime Ouellet started in net, and played decently, but the team in front of him was downright awful. Ed Jovanovski did play today and the rust was evident. Not much time to dwell on the loss, the Canucks headed straight to Columbus tonight to face the Blue Jackets tomorrow night.

If there was ever a time for Marc Crawford to rip into his team for their non-existent effort, tonight would be that night. As bad as the game tonight vs the Blues was, I don't think there's reason to panic yet. Certainly there's little time time to do so as the Canucks flew directly to Columbus right after the Blues game. Tomorrow, the Canucks go against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since Rick Nash's return to the team from injury almost 1 month ago, the Blue Jackets have been pretty decent. Assuming the Canucks can pick up their energy level in time for tomorrow's game, they should be able to blow away the Blue Jackets. Marc Denis has been suspect most of the season, and Rick Nash has been silent in the last 3 games, 2 of which were losses. If the Canucks can keep Nash in check and pick up their intensity, should be an easy 4-1 victory. I expect Marc Crawford to go back to the reliable Alex Auld in net for this one.

What's on TV
NHL, Vancouver vs Columbus, 4:00pm PST on Sportsnet Pacific
NHL, Phoenix vs Minnesota, 5:00pm PST on TSN
NHL, Calgary vs Colorado, 6:00pm PST on Sportsnet West
NBA, Indiana vs Cleveland, 4:00pm PST on the Score
Tennis, Australian Open Quarterfinals (Live), 7:30pm PST on TSN

Picks of the Day
Phoenix Suns -5 over Orlando Magic
NJ Devils -150 over NY Islanders
Record YTD (26-29, -808)