Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Concussions

WHEN IS THE NHL GOING TO WAKE UP???
TODAY IAN LAPERRIERE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS BECAME THE LATEST PLAYER TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME…
THIS SHOULD NOT COME TO A SURPRISE TO ANYONE…
ON APRIL THE 22ND OF THIS YEAR…LAPERRIERE WAS HIT IN THE FACE IN THE PLAYOFF GAME AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION…
IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED HIS SEASON…
NEVERTHELESS…A FEW DAYS LATER HE WAS CLEARED TO PLAY AND WAS IN THE LINE UP FOR GAME 4 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL…
NOW HIS SEASON AND HIS CAREER ARE IN DOUBT…
IT’S SAME STORY WITH MARC SAVARD OF THE BOSTON BRUINS…
ON MARCH 7TH…SAVARD WAS BLINDSIDED BY A VICIOUS HIT TO THE HEAD BY MATT COOKE…
HE SUFFERED A GRADE 2 CONCUSSION…
AGAIN…HIS SEASON SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVER…
NEVERTHELESS…BY MAY 1ST…SAVARD WAS BACK IN THE LINE UP FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS…
AND NOW HIS FUTURE IS IN DOUBT…
SAVARD ADMITTS WHEN HE RETURNED FOR THE PLAYOFFS “HE WAS NOT READY”…
THAT DECISION MAY COST HIM HIS CAREER…AND A LOT MORE…
IT IS EASY FOR THE TEAMS AND THE LEAGUE TO AVOID ANY RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS ISSUE…
AFTER ALL…ONCE A PLAYER GETS MEDICAL CLEARANCE…AND DOES NOT COMPLAIN…
THEN THE NEED TO WIN IS ALL THAT MATTERS…
THAT HAS TO CHANGE…
LAST YEAR A SURVEY OF THE “NFL” SHOWED THAT 20 PERCENT OF PLAYERS HAVE HIDDEN OR PLAYED DOWN THE EFFECTS OF A CONCUSSION…
IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THE NHL IS ANY DIFFERENT…
THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF CONCUSSIONS INCLUDE…DEMENTIA…DEPRESSION…AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE…
LAST SEASON WILLIE MITCHELL MISSED 48 GAMES AND THE PLAYOFFS WITH A CONCUSSION…
BUT UNLIKE LAPERRIERE AND SAVARD…MITCHELL REFUSED TO RETURN TO THE LINE UP UNTIL HE FULLY RECOVERED…
SO FAR THIS SEASON…HE HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS…
BUT THESE DECISIONS SHOULD NOT COME DOWN TO THE PLAYERS…OR THE TEAMS…
THE NHL NEEDS NEW…STRICKER GUIDELINES…THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS…EVEN IF IT MEANS…
PROTECTING THEM…FROM THEMSELVES…

Friday, September 17, 2010

Vancouver Canucks

THE NEW OREANS SAINTS ARE THE DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS…
SINCE 2004…THE BOSTON RED SOX WON…NOT ONLY 1…BUT 2 WORLD SERIES…
AND 6 MONTHS AGO…VANCOUVER HOSTED THE GREATEST WINTER OLYMPICS…EVER…
THOSE WERE 3 THINGS THAT YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED…YOU WOULD NEVER…EVER…SEE IN YOUR LIFE TIME…
YET…ALL 3 HAPPENED…AND ALL HAPPENED IN JUST THE LAST 6 YEARS…
IF SPORTS HAS TAUGHT US ANYTHING….IT IS THIS…
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…
ON FEBRUARY 10TH 1990…A LITTLE KNOW FIGHTER BY THE NAME OF BUSTER DOUGLAS…GOT INTO THE RING WITH MIKE TYSON…
“THE BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET”…
NOBODY BELIEVED DOUGLAS HAD A PRAYER…INCLUDING THE BOOKIES WHO LISTED HIM AS A…”42 TO 1” LONG SHOT…
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED…DOUGLAS WAS THE NEW HEAVY WEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD…
THE BOOKIES ALSO DID NOT LIKE THE NEW YORK JETS IN SUPER BOWL 3…
THE BALTIMORE COLTS WERE 18 POINT FAVORITES…
BUT JOE NAMATH GUARENTEED A WIN…AND THEN DELIVERED…
ON AUGUST 13TH 1969…THE NEW YORK METS…WERE 9 AND A-HALF GAMES BACK OF THE CHICAGO CUBS…
THE METS CAUGHT FIRE…WON THE PENANT…AND THEN SHOCKED THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES BY WINNING THE WORLD SERIES…
SPEAKING OF MIRACLES…
HEADING INTO THE WINTER GAMES IN 1980…THE SOVIETS HAD WON 8 OF THE PREVIOUS 9 GOLD MEDALS IN MENS HOCKEY…
BUT AFTER THE AMERICANS BEAT SHOCKED THE RUSSIANS 4-3…AL MICHAELS CALLED OUT…
“DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES???”
SO IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THIS…
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY TO BELIEVE…THAT THIS NHL SEASON…
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS CAN WIN A STANLEY CUP???
YEAH…YEAH!!!...CERTAINLY 40 YEARS OF HEARTBREAK AND DISSAPPOINT CAN LEAVE A FAN…SOMEWHAT…JADED…
BUT…MOST OF THE HOCKEY EXPERTS NOW PICK THIS TEAM TO GO TO THE DANCE…
NEVERTHELESS…IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING SOME TROUBLE GETTING YOUR HEAD AROUND ALL OF THIS…THINK OF IT THIS WAY…
IF BETTY WHITE CAN HOST SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE…
THEN IT “IS” TRUE…”ANYTHING” IS POSSIBLE!!!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Eric Tillman

LET ME BEGIN THIS BY MAKING A FEW THINGS PERFECTLY CLEAR…
THE FIRST IS…
2 YEARS AGO ERIC TILLMAN MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE…
WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF BOTH A “SLEEP AID” AND “PAIN KILLERS” HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HIS 16 YEAR OLD BABY SISTER…AND PULLED HER…TOWARD HIM…
THAT IS SEXUAL ASSAULT…PLAIN AND SIMPLE…
LAST JANUARY TILLMAN PLEADED GUILTY AND WAS GIVEN AN ABSOLUTE DISCHARGE…
NEVERTHELESS…ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS…TILLMAN MADE NO EXCUSES…
IN HIS WORDS…”I ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY…I AM PROFOUNDLY SORRY…IT’S A REGRET I’LL TAKE TO MY GRAVE”…
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO MAKE PERFECTLY CLEAR IS THIS…
I HAVE KNOWN ERIC TILLMAN FOR 20 YEARS AND CONSIDER HIM A FRIEND…
SO TODAY…I AM HAPPY TO SEE…THAT THE EDMONTON ESKIMOES NAMED HIM…THEIR NEW GENERAL MANAGER…
AND IN DOING SO…HAVE GIVEN HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD HIS CAREER…AND REGAIN HIS LIFE…
SADLY NOT EVERYBODY IN EDMONTON FEELS THAT WAY…
THE NATIONAL POST NOW REPORTS…THAT AN ON LINE SURVEY IN EDMONTON SAYS THAT MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF FANS IN THAT CITY ARE OPPOSED TO THE HIRING…
AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOW THREATENING TO NEVER ATTEND ANOTHER ESKIMO GAME…
THE DOUBLE STANDARD AMOUNGST SOME FANS…IS TO SAY THE LEAST “DISTRUBING”…
THESE ARE THE SAME TYPE OF FANS WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING A PASS TO “ATHLETES” FOR THEIR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT…
THAT LIST INCLUDES THE LIKES OF…
BEN ROETHLISBERGER…
TIGER WOODS…
KOBE BRYANT…AND MIKE TYSON…TO NAME A FEW…
IN A FEW WEEKS FROM NOW…DINO CICCARELLI WILL BE INDUCTED IN THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME…
BASED ON HIS PEFORMANCE ON THE ICE…CICCARELLI HAS EARNED THE HONOR…
BUT KEEP IN MIND…THIS IS THE SAME DINO CICCARELLI WHO AS A PLAYER…WAS BUSTED FOR BOTH INDECENT EXPOSURE…AND ACCUSED OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A 17 YEAR OLD…
IN EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES…THEY WERE ALL GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE…
THAT IS WHAT ERIC TILLMAN GOT TODAY…AND THAT’S ALL THAT HE GOT!!!
SO BEFORE ANY OF US PASS JUDGEMENT…LET’S BACK OFF…AND WAIT TO SEE…WHAT HE DOES WITH IT…

Friday, September 10, 2010

Cody Hodgson

TODAY CODY HODGSON AND THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS GOT THE BAD NEWS…
HODGSON HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED TO PLAY…
IT MEANS HE WILL NOT ATTEND THE PROSPECTS CAMP…
HODGSON AND HIS BAD BACK WILL RE-EVALUATED…AND WE SHOULD KNOW MORE BY NEXT FRIDAY…
NOW BEFORE YOU THROW THIS KID UNDER THE BUS…AND WRITE HIM OFF…
LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
CODY HODGSON REMAINS THE CANUCKS NUMBER ONE PROSPECT…
AND KEEPING HIM OFF THE ICE UNTIL HE IS 100 PER CENT IS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT THING TO DO…
SHOULD FANS BE CONCERNED…ABSOLUTELY!!!
BUT NOW THAT THE DOCTORS KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS…
THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE WILL NOT MAKE A FULL RECOVERY…
KEEP IN MIND…THE TORN MUSCLE IN HIS BACK WAS MISDIAGNOSED FOR 13 MONTHS…
AND BECAUSE OF THAT…HODGSON HAS LOST A FULL YEAR OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT…
NONE OF WHICH WAS HIS FAULT…
MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…EXACTLY WHAT THE CANUCKS HAVE IN CODY HODGSON…
IN JANUARY OF 2009 HE WON A GOLD MEDAL AT THE WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS…AND WAS THE LEADING SCORER AT THE TOURNAMENT…WITH 16 POINTS IN 6 GAMES…
THAT SEASON HE ALSO COLLECTED 92 POINTS IN 53 GAMES AND WAS NAMED CHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR…
BUT…HODGSON HAS YET TO PLAY A SINGLE GAME IN THE NHL…
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM…
ALL 9 PLAYERS WHO WERE TAKEN IN FRONT OF HIM NOW DRESSED FOR THE TEAMS THAT DRAFTED THEM…
INCLUDING STEVEN STAMKOS AND DREW DOUGHTY…
BUT THE ONE THAT REALLY HURTS…IS TYLER MYERS OF THE BUFFALO SABRES…
WHO WAS TAKEN 2 SELECTIONS AFTER HODGSON…
LAST SEASON MYERS WON THE CALDER…AS THE NHL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR…
LIKE IT OR NOT…BOTH THE CANUCKS AND THEIR FANS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PATIENT…
HODGSON HAS THE “POTENTIAL” TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS THIS ORGANIZATION HAS EVER DRAFTED…
BUT UNTIL HE’S HEATHLY…THAT’S ALL IT IS…”POTENTIAL”…
SO…THE WAITING GAME CONTINUES…
AND IF YOU THINK IT’S TOUGH ON YOU…
TRY AND IMAGINE WHAT CODY HODGSON IS GOING THROUGH

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Pressure

PRESSURE”…
FOR THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…IT IS “THE” WORD WILL DEFINE THIS SEASON…
TO START WITH…THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS THE CANUCKS PICKED TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
A BIG REASON FOR THAT IS…HENRIK SEDIN IS LAST SEASON’S WINNER OF BOTH THE HART AND ART ROSS TROPHIES…
LASTNIGHT THE TWINS WERE AT METRO TOWN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS FOR E.A. SPORTS…
AS YOU MAY KNOW…DANIEL AND HENRIK ARE ON THE SWEDISH VERSION OF NHL 11…
AND SHOULD ROBERTO LUONGO CHOOSE TO GIVE UP THE “C”???
THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY HENRIK COULD BE NAMED CAPTAIN…
WHEN ASKED ABOUT ALL THE EXPECTATIONS BOTH PLAYERS ARE NOW FACING???
DANIEL EXPLAINED IT THIS WAY:
“THE PRESSURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE…BUT WE’D MUCH RATHER HAVE THIS KIND OF PRESSURE…THAN THE KIND WE HAD THE FIRST FEW YEARS”…
NO KIDDING!!!
IN THE FIRST 5 YEARS IN VANCOUVER THE SEDINS HAD BEEN LABLED “THE SISTERS”…
IN THOSE DAYS…IT WOULD HAVE EASY TO HAVE DEMANDED A TRADE…
OR SIMPLY BECOME UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…AND SIGN WITH ANOTHER TEAM…
INSTEAD THEY CHOOSE TO STAY…
AFTER THE LOCKOUT…BOTH DANIEL AND HENRIK HAD BREAK OUT SEASONS…AND OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS AVERAGED ALMOST 80 POINTS A SEASON…
THEN LAST SEASON…THEY TOOK THEIR GAME TO ANOTHER LEVEL…
HENRIK LED THE LEAGUE IN SCORING WITH 112 POINTS…
AND DESPITE THE FACT DANIEL MISSED 19 GAMES BECAUSE OF INJURIES…HE STILL MANAGED 85 POINTS…
IN FACT…ONLY ALEXANDER OVECHKIN AVERAGED MORE “POINTS PER GAME” THAN THE SEDINS…
SO NOW WHAT…CAN THEY DUPLICATE THAT PERFORMANCE???
THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THEY CAN…
ON THE 26TH OF THIS MONTH THE TWINS WILL TURN 30…STILL VERY MUCH IN THEIR PRIME…
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…THEY SEEM TO BE “IMMUNE” TO OUTSIDE PRESSURE…
AND THAT…SHOULD GIVE HOPE TO CANUCK FANS…THAT MAYBE…JUST MAYBE…THIS SEASON…
THERE “IS” REASON TO BELIEVE!!!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

NHL predictions

IF IT’S TRUE THAT PREDICTIONS ARE FOR GYPIES…
THEN EVERYBODY IN THE SPORTS MEDIA BUSINESS IS BORN WITH A “CRYSTAL BALL”…OR IN SOME CASES…TWO…
THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS RELEASED ITS ANNUAL PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2010-2011 SEASON…
AND VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS ARE GOING TO LIKE WHAT THEY READ…
THE MAGAZINE HAS THE CANUCKS AS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…
THE REASONS LISTED INCLUDE HENRIK SEDIN WINNING BOTH THE ART ROSS AND THE HART TROPHIES LAST SEASON…
AND THE FACT HENRIK DID ALL THAT…DESPITE THE FACT DANIEL MISSED 19 GAMES BECAUSE OF INJURIES…
THERE’S RYAN KESLER…WHO WAS NOMINATED FOR THE SELKE…
THE ADDITIONS OF DAN HAMHUIS…KEITH BALLARD AND MANNY MALHOTRA…
THE HOCKEY NEWS IS ALSO NOT READY TO WRITE OFF ROBERTO LUONGO…IN THEIR WORDS…
“HE HAS GAINED A LOT OF DETRACTORS FOR HIS POST SEASON PLAY…BUT HE STILL PUTS UP GOOD NUMBERS IN THE REGULAR SEASON”…
IN THE EAST…NO SURPISE HERE…
THE HOCKEY NEWS LIKES THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS…
BUT THE MAGAZINE DID STICK ITS NECK OUT…EVEN IF ONLY A LITTLE BIT…
IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE…IT HAS BOTH ST. LOUIS AND CALGARY MAKING THE PLAYOFFS THIS SEASON…WITH NASHVILLE AND COLORADO MISSING THE DANCE…
NO QUESTION THE BLUES ARE A MUCH IMPROVED TEAM NOW THAT THEY HAVE JAROSLAV IN GOAL…
BUT OLI JOKINEN HAS ALREADY SHOWN THE FANS IN CALGARY…HE IS NO SAVIOR…
IN THE EAST…THE HOCKEY NEWS HAS TAMPA BAY FINISHING 7TH…WITH BOTH THE RANGERS AND THE SENATORS ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN…
AS FOR THE LIGHTNING…NO QUESTION…GENERAL MANAGER STEVE YZERMAN HAS GREATLY IMPROVED THAT TEAM WITH THE ADDITIONS OF SIMON GAGNE AND PAVEL KUBINA…
BUT THE BIG SURPISE IN THE EAST…COULD VERY WELL BE ATLANTA…THE THRASHERS WERE THE BIG WINNERS IN THE FIRE SALE OF THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS…LANDING A TOTAL OF 3 PLAYERS…
IN THE END…THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WE ALL DO AGREE ON…AND THAT IS…
THE LEAFS WILL MISS THE PLAYOFFS…AGAIN