The college football season has gotten off to a pretty exciting start this season and there looks to be a few interesting games coming up in week 3. Let’s take a look at the matchups in the Top 25 and see what we have:
#1 Florida (2-0) vs. Tennessee (1-1) – The Florida-Tennessee rivalry is one of the most heated in all of college football and this game should be at a fever pitch. But it will not be because Tennessee has a real shot to go down to Florida and win. All eyes will be on this game to see just how badly Florida wants to beat up on the Volunteers. That’s because new Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin shot his mouth off and made some crazy comments when he was hired. He said that he would end Tennessee’s 4-game losing streak against the Gators and sing “Rocky Top” all night long. More importantly though, he falsely accused Florida Coach Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation and was forced to apologize. The Gators may forgive, but they will not forget. History shows that when Florida and QB Tim Tebow get mad and motivated, they absolutely crush the competition. Things should be no different in this game. Tennessee has nowhere near the talent needed to beat the Gators, especially on the road. The point spread in this game is 30 and I would not be surprised to see Florida cover that easily. This one could be very ugly and embarrassing.
#2 Texas (2-0) vs. Texas Tech (2-0) – This is the rematch of one of the best college football games of last year and probably one of the best of all time. Texas went to Texas Tech ranked #1, but quickly fell down 19-0. Texas QB Colt McCoy was able to rally the Longhorns to a 33-32 lead with 1:29 left to play. Unfortunately for Texas, that was one second too much as Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell found WR Michael Crabtree with a pass and Crabtree broke a tackle to get in the end zone with 0:01 left in the game. This time around however, there is no Harrell and no Crabtree for Tech. Texas Tech lost a great deal of talent through graduation and the NFL Draft and they are not as good as last year. Texas on the other hand has returned most of their team and is the big favorite in this game. Texas always seems to beat up on their Big 12 rivals at home, so I would expect a pretty big win for Texas and a measure of revenge for them in this game.
#3 USC (2-0) vs. Washington (1-1) – USC opens up their Pac 10 schedule with a trip up to Washington as they look for their 8th straight conference title. This would appear to be a huge mismatch. USC has been dominant for years now, while Washington has been the doormat of the conference. They lost 15 games in a row until finally scoring a win over Idaho last week. Washington does have one potential advantage. Their new head coach, Steve Sarkisian, was an assistant coach at USC for each of their 7 consecutive conference titles and is largely credited with building USC into an offensive powerhouse. He also brought along Nick Holt, who was the architect of USC’s dominant defense the past 3 seasons. So Washington could have a chance to develop a game plan that will work against the Trojans. But Washington has not beaten USC since 2001 and there is a sizable talent gap. Unless USC has a total letdown from their huge win over Ohio State last week, they should be able to win this one comfortably. However, don’t be shocked if the game is closer than expected. USC QB Matt Barkley is expected to play despite a bruised shoulder.
#4 Alabama (2-0) vs. North Texas (1-1) – Alabama figures to take a cupcake break this week as North Texas pays them a visit. Alabama looked very good in their opening week win over Virginia Tech, but they lacked some spark last week in a 40-14 win over Florida International. The Crimson Tide let FIU hang around until the 4th quarter before putting the game away. Coach Nick Saban will hope for a better effort this week before Alabama starts SEC play next week. Alabama could be without star WR Julio Jones, but they should have more than enough to handle North Texas. North Texas has lost 13 straight to ranked teams since 1996 and have been outscored 297-23 in 5 games against top 5 teams since 2004. Expect carnage on the field with those types of trends…
#5 Penn State (2-0) vs. Temple (0-1) – Penn State looks to get fatter on some more cupcakes as they look to have another easy game against a weak opponent. Coach Joe Paterno still thinks his team needs to improve and he has a point on the offensive side of the ball. The Nittany Lions have not rolled up the score on Akron and Syracuse, but their defense has been dominant. Penn State has not lost to Temple since 1941 and has outscored them 123-3 in the past three games since the teams signed a 7-year commitment to play each other. Penn State won 45-3 last year and they can expect the same again this year.
#5 Mississippi (1-0) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (2-0) – Mississippi caught a break having a bye week and then an easy game against Southeastern Louisiana. No less than a dozen players came down with flu-like symptoms after the team returned home from a 45-14 win over Memphis in the opening game of the season and the outbreak spread, eventually effecting 30 players on the team. QB Jevan Snead was one of those players, so the Rebels are just trying to get healthy and work on their game before SEC play starts. It appears that the team is back to being healthy at this point, so it should not be a problem. Southeastern Louisiana is a FCS level school and they should pose no threat to Mississippi on the road. They have lost all 10 games that they have played against FBS schools.
#7 BYU (2-0) vs. Florida State (1-1) – At the start of the season, this had the look of potentially being one of the best early season games. But after the performances of the Cougars and the Seminoles, it might not be as good as early hype would indicate. BYU has looked extremely good, knocking off Oklahoma and then avoiding a letdown last week as they crushed Tulane. Florida State, on the other hand, has looked mediocre. They turned in a good effort against Miami on opening weekend but still lost the game. Then last week they mightily struggled to beat FCS school Jacksonville State. The Seminoles needed 2 late scores to win the game 19-9. Their pass defense has been very suspect and now Florida State has to deal with BYU QB Max Hall, who has looked great to open the year and has sneaked into the Heisman conversation. BYU has had a huge home field advantage in recent years and have won 18 straight games at home dating back to 2005 and they pounded the competition by an average of 30 points in home games last year. It seems like BYU will be able to handle Florida State in this one and come out with a victory. The Seminoles just are not clicking and BYU will be up for this game big time.
#8 California (2-0) vs. Minnesota (2-0) – Cal looks to take their dominant home performances on the road, where things have not been too kind to them recently. The Golden Bears have lost 4 straight road games and 8 of their last 9. If they are going to contend for a Pac 10 championship and try to challenge USC, they need to start playing better on the road. RB Jahvid Best has gotten off to a strong start and things are looking good for Cal. They probably will have enough to be able to beat Minnesota. The Golden Gophers needed a 13 point 4th quarter last week to beat Air Force 20-13 and they allowed Syracuse to take them into overtime before winning 23-20. Those are not exactly what you would call impressive wins. Minnesota has lost 10 straight games to ranked teams and Cal has not lost 5 straight road games since 2000-2001. The odds are favoring Cal to break the road losing streak in this one.
#9 LSU (2-0) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (2-0) – LSU is looking to play a complete 60 minutes of solid football as they host Louisiana-Lafayette. The Tigers have not looked like a really dominant team as they have scratched out a 31-23 win over Washington on opening weekend and a 23-9 win over Vanderbilt last week. LSU needs more consistent quarterback play from Jordan Jefferson and would like to see another solid effort on defense like they had last week. Louisiana-Lafayette will not provide that great of a challenge though. LSU is 21-0 all-time against them and have outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 957-22 in those games. Louisiana-Lafayette has lost 10 straight to ranked opponents and that will go to 11 after this one.
#10 Boise State (2-0) vs. Fresno State (1-1) – The Friday night primetime game this week features Boise State trying to continue their climb up the rankings. After their huge win over Oregon to start the year and a shutout over Miami (OH), Boise State looks as dominant as they did last year. The Broncos are looking for their 7th WAC title in the past 8 years and a possible bid to a BCS Bowl game. To do it, they will need to go undefeated in the conference. This has not been a problem for Boise State in recent years and they are 54-2 in conference play since 2002. One of those losses came in 2005 to Fresno State and the Bulldogs can sometimes give Boise State trouble. However, Fresno State does not look even close to as good as Boise does. The Broncos won 61-10 last season and Fresno has lost 9 straight to ranked opponents. This should be a good test on the road for Boise State, but I expect them to win fairly easily.
#11 Ohio State (1-1) vs. Toledo (1-1) – Ohio State now has to try and rebound after another disappointing loss in a spotlight game on national TV. The Buckeyes should be able to get the job done against Toledo, but they will have to make sure the defense comes to play. Toledo will bring in a hurry-up, no-huddle offense to try and wear out Ohio State and keep them guessing. The Buckeyes will have superior talent, so I’m not sure how far that will get them. Toledo’s defense has been shaky, so it will be up to QB Terrell Pryor to attack them and put points on the board. He is more effective when he makes plays with his feet, so let’s see if he does that this week. Ohio State should be able to easily take care of business in this one. Oh, and Ohio State has not lost to an intrastate rival in 88 years. Good luck Toledo…
#12 Oklahoma (1-1) vs. Tulsa (2-0) – Oklahoma will look to continue to rebound from the loss of QB Sam Bradford and the stinging opening week loss to BYU. Even though this might look to be an easy game for Oklahoma, especially being at home, it could be closer than some people expect. Question marks still surround QB Landry Jones and Tulsa is a major step up from Idaho State. Tulsa has won 10 and 11 games the past two years and they have led the nation in total offense the past two seasons. They will really be able to give Oklahoma’s defense a good test. Tulsa lost 62-21 at Oklahoma 2 years ago, but by all accounts, this Tulsa team could be better, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With Bradford out and a better Tulsa team coming to give the Sooners their best shot, will the gap close enough from 2 years ago to produce an upset? I would have to say that Oklahoma should be able to win this game. However, another Conference USA team went on the road and beat a Big 12 school when Houston beat Oklahoma State last week. This game could be closer than some people think.
#13 Virginia Tech (1-1) vs. #19 Nebraska (2-0) – This game is looking to be the marquee matchup of the week. Nebraska has beaten up on two lesser opponents in their first two games and now they will get their first real test as they travel to Virginia Tech. The Cornhuskers will be looking to avenge a 35-30 loss at home last year. Tech has won 31 straight games against non-conference opponents at home, so this seems like it will be a tough task for Nebraska. Virginia Tech stayed focused last week as they did not look past Marshall and crushed them 52-10. Tech rebounded nicely after a pretty poor performance against Alabama in the opening game of the season. Virginia Tech is always a tough place for visitors to play and Nebraska will need to play better on defense if they hope to win. They have looked a little shaky even against weaker competition. This should be a hard fought game and I probably have to give the edge to Virginia Tech on the basis of being at home. But the Big 12 is a better conference overall than the ACC, so this one should be extremely close either way.
#15 TCU (1-0) vs. Texas State (1-0) – This game will turn out to be no contest and should be a huge blowout win for TCU. The Horned Frogs opened their season last week with a dominating defensive performance at Virginia. TCU held the Cavaliers only 7 first downs and 177 yards of total offense in a 30-14 win. Virginia was lucky to get two late “garbage time” touchdowns and they did not even snap the ball inside the TCU 20-yard line. The TCU defense only gave up 10.9 points per game last year and they look just as dominant this year. They are 50-6 at home since 1999 and will have no trouble with FCS level school Texas State. They have lost 16 of their last 17 non-conference road games and they will tack on another loss Saturday.
#16 Oklahoma State (1-1) vs. Rice (0-2) – Oklahoma State will have to now try and rebound from a pretty disappointing performance and loss to Houston last week. It seems like the Sports Illustrated cover jinx bit the Cowboys last week and the loss sent them plummeting down from #5 to #16. The defense that looked dominant against Georgia on opening week totally went away against Houston. Houston’s athletic and high powered aerial game tore the Oklahoma State defense to shreds. They will get a chance to rebound against a Rice team that is not really close to the level of Houston. Rice got spanked 55-10 last week by Texas Tech and they have lost 21 straight games to Big 12 opponents. Oklahoma State is likely to be in a foul mood and they should easily beat Rice in this one.
#17 Cincinnati (2-0) vs. Oregon State (2-0) – Cincinnati has been extremely impressive to start the season and they have quickly rocketed up to #17 in the polls. However, they will get a tough test as they travel out west to face Oregon State, who is on the cusp of entering the Top 25 (are #24 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll). The Bearcats’ offense has been explosive this season and QB Tony Pike will look to continue his great play. Oregon State has a good recent track record against ranked opponents. They have won 5 of their past 9 games against ranked teams and 15 of 17 at home, including the huge win over #1 ranked USC last year. They have also won 26 straight non-conference games at home, so it will be a tough test for Cincinnati. Going with the trends, I smell an upset in this one. I think Oregon State could pull this one out and it could be one hell of a football game. This is definitely one to watch on Saturday.
#18 Utah (2-0) vs. Oregon (1-1) – The other major college team from Oregon will also look to pull an upset at home as Utah comes to town to visit the Ducks. Utah will be looking to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 17 games. They barely escaped last week with a 24-14 win over San Jose State and had to play deep into the 4th quarter to get the job done. The outcome of the game will depend on what Oregon team decides to show up. The Ducks have the ability to be one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but they will not have much luck if they play like they did against Boise State to open the season. The trends favor an upset in this one because Oregon is playing at home. They have won 28 of 30 non-conference games at home dating back to 1995 and are 5-0 against ranked teams in that span. Utah has also not defeated the Ducks in Oregon since 1994. However, Utah has won 6 of its last 8 games against Pac 10 teams. Again, this one bears watching on Saturday and it could be a great game and another upset in the making.
#22 Kansas (2-0) vs. Duke (1-1) – Kansas has gotten off to a very solid start this year and they should be able to keep rolling against Duke. The Kansas offense has been very impressive to start the year, averaging about 42 points per game. They should be able to get another win at home over Duke, who has lost 36 straight games to ranked opponents since 1994. The Duke Football program has been abysmal over the years, but they are starting to show signs of life under Coach David Cutcliffe. However, they are still a pretty bad team and likely will not have much of a chance traveling to Kansas.
#23 Georgia (1-1) vs. Arkansas (1-0) – Georgia had to win a shootout at the end of the game with South Carolina last week to avoid starting 0-2 for the first time in 13 years. The Bulldogs continue to struggle on defense and they will get a challenge from SEC rival Arkansas. Even though Arkansas beat up on a weaker opponent in Missouri State, they still threw for 447 yards passing and looked impressive on offense. The Razorbacks are slowly making strides in Coach Bobby Petrino’s second season, so Georgia will need to be ready to play, especially going on the road. Georgia has won the last 5 meetings between the two teams, but they have not played since 2005. Georgia is also 3-0 at Arkansas and the Razorbacks have lost 8 of their last 10 against ranked SEC opponents. Georgia will most likely have enough to comfortably win this game, but their defense will need to show up.
#24 North Carolina (2-0) vs. East Carolina (1-1) – North Carolina barely escaped with a 12-10 win over Connecticut last week and will look to try and have a better performance against East Carolina. The Tar Heels’ problem has been putting points on the board. They did not score until the 4th quarter last week and needed a safety on defense to win. The Carolina defense returned nine starters and the continuity has shown as North Carolina is ranked in the top 15 nationally in pass defense efficiency, rushing defense, and total defense. They are likely to score points this week because East Carolina is not that good on the defensive side of the ball. East Carolina gave up 4 TDs through the air last week and has allowed 59 points and 478 yards passing in their first two games. The Tar Heels have won 9 of 11 games in this series, but they did lose the last meeting in 2007 on a last second field goal. Being at home should help North Carolina in this game and I would expect them to pull out a victory.
#25 Michigan (2-0) vs. Eastern Michigan (0-2) – The Wolverines are flying high after beating Notre Dame last week and sliding back into the Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2007 season. Michigan went toe to toe with Notre Dame and made the big plays necessary to win the game. Freshman QB Tate Forcier looked like a star out on the field and the Wolverines look like they will overachieve this year and be better than people expected. Eastern Michigan rolls into town to pay them a visit and Michigan should have no problem taking care of business. The only pitfall could be an emotional letdown after last week, but even if that occurs, it would most likely only make the final score less lopsided.
The Game’s Quick Hits
#20 Miami (FL) 33, #14 Georgia Tech 17 – Georgia Tech looked pretty good moving the ball on their first offensive drive and then it was just downhill from there. Miami put in a pretty dominating performance as they pulled the mild upset over the Yellow Jackets last night 33-17. Miami QB Jacory Harris had another outstanding game. He was very efficient throwing the ball and Miami’s wide receivers just looked to be too athletic for Georgia Tech to handle. As I talked about in my preview, the key for Georgia Tech is moving the ball on the ground. After a pretty good first drive, Tech was totally shut down on the ground by a fast and athletic Miami defense. The Yellow Jackets were not able to get any rhythm and because of that, they once against could not get anything going in the passing game and the whole offense broke down. Miami actually outgained Tech on the ground, a far cry from last year when the Yellow Jackets piled up over 300 yards rushing on the Hurricanes. Miami was able to run the ball effectively and that set up easier throws for Harris to complete. He looks like he could be the next great quarterback at Miami if he continues playing like this. After two really good games, the Hurricanes look like they are starting to get that swagger back and could start to develop back into an elite program. They still have some tough games ahead, but they are looking good. Georgia Tech is not buried at this point by any means, but they need to cut down on the mistakes that killed them last night. They will also have to take a look at how they can better establish the running game and I really think they need to try and get QB Josh Nesbitt more involved with the passing game. He needs to work on some short, quick passes and not just try to throw bombs when the running game bogs down. It is a really simple formula for teams to follow to try and beat Tech…shut down the running game.
Preseason: Capitals 4, Sabres 3 OT – The Caps started their campaign with a 4-3 win in overtime against the Sabres. Brian Pothier scored on a two-man advantage 49 seconds into the extra session to seal the win. Washington also got goals from Alexandre Giroux, Mike Knuble and Jay Beagle. The story of the night though seems to be some stellar play from Semyon Varlamov in net. Coach Bruce Boudreau said that Varly was outstanding in the first two periods and prevented the Sabres from grabbing the advantage. Even Sabres coach Lindy Ruff agreed with that assessment and said Varlamov was the story. I know this is only the first preseason game, but that is really good to hear. If Varlamov can carry his momentum from the playoffs into this season and keep playing solid, the Caps can go a long way. It is nice to see Knuble getting a goal right off the bat too.
- With WR Anthony Gonzalez expected to miss up to 8 weeks with sprained ligaments in his knee, the Indianapolis Colts were quick to jump on the Eagles’ release of WR Hank Baskett. The Colts signed Baskett on Thursday to help fill the void while Gonzalez recovers. Sources are saying that Gonzalez will try to come back after Indianapolis’ October 18th bye week. This is probably a very smart move by the Colts. Baskett is not spectacular, but he is a capable wide receiver who now gets to play with the best quarterback in the league. QB Peyton Manning will likely make Baskett into a better receiver and the Colts won’t miss a beat. This goes to show you how far the Colts think free agent WR Marvin Harrison has fallen. Even with the injury to Gonzalez and a need for a receiver, Harrison being re-signed was not even considered. There has been little to no interest around the league in signing him as well. I think that is pretty amazing and it just proves that when teams feel like you have lost your speed and explosiveness, they won’t touch you.
- Houston Texans CB Dunta Robinson was fined $25,000 by the team for wearing shoes that had the words “Pay me Rick” on them during Houston’s 24-7 loss to the Jets on Sunday. The message was directed toward Texans’ GM Rick Smith because Robinson is miffed about not getting a long-term contract from the team even though he signed his franchise tender from the team over a week ago. I really have no tolerance for stunts like this. The “me first” and “pay me” attitude of some of these players is just disgusting. I have no problem with someone getting paid for their talents, but go about it the right way. There is no need to try and throw a spotlight on yourself and take away from the team. In Robinson’s case, he should be happy that he is getting “franchise player” money this season and he should be focused on helping Houston’s defense. The last time I checked, the Texans didn’t have problems on the offensive side of the ball. It has been the defensive side holding them back. And how did Robinson rise to the challenge on Sunday and prove that he is worth a long-term, big money deal? He had 1 tackle…impressive huh? This guy should just stop whining and play ball and then things will be taken care of. Dunta Robinson is not exactly a household name, so stuff the ego away and try to help your team before you help yourself.
- Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas says that he is healthy and ready to have a great season. He has been working with trainer Tim Grover over the summer and is giving Grover credit for saving his career and helping Arenas get his explosiveness back. He also took a shot at the Wizards and put some blame on them for his failed comebacks from injury the past two years. Arenas claims that if you live, eat, sleep, drink, and think basketball like he does, sometimes you need to be saved from yourself. He says that if someone has an injury that is supposed to take 6 months to heal and they are feeling good 4 months in, it should be the team’s responsibility to step in and not let the player push too hard or try to rush back out on the court just to sell tickets. I can agree with Arenas on that point. The Wizards are pretty much built around Arenas and he brings fans to the seats, but you can’t rush an injury. Now I don’t think the Wizards maliciously tried to put Gilbert into harm’s way, but they could have used better judgment and held him back like Arenas is saying. I think a good bit of responsibility should fall onto Arenas as well, but different people do heal at different paces. And if Arenas was telling the team he was feeling good, then why wouldn’t they want to get him back on the court? Apparently though, Arenas made demands that he wanted to rehab his own way and that he would tell the team when he was healthy. So maybe this whole “controversy” he is causing stems from Gilbert being mad at himself because his rehab plan did not work that well. Injuries can be very tricky, but Gilbert seems to think this trainer has the right methods to get him healthy. I hope that is the case because Arenas is one of the most exciting players in the NBA when he is healthy and the Wizards need all the help they can get to try and get back to being a respectable team.
- In other NBA injury news, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said that Kevin Garnett is making steady progress in his recovery from knee surgery. Ainge said that Garnett is working and training every day, but he is not yet playing full-court basketball. The team is taking it slow and cautious with Garnett, who is anxious to get going but realizes it is a process. This is a nice example of what Gilbert Arenas is talking about. Obviously, the Celtics are a well-run organization and they realize the value of Garnett and are not trying to put him in jeopardy. Garnett sat out the playoffs last year, so you knew his knee had to really be bothering him and it needed to be fixed. KG is starting to get a little older now and it is important that he rehabs correctly and takes it slow or he could be nagged by these injuries like Arenas. A healthy Kevin Garnett will once again put the Celtics in the mix to win the competitive Eastern Conference.
Showing posts with label washington capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label washington capitals. Show all posts
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Ovie and the Olympics
Training camps for the NHL are now open and like usual, it seems that the Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin is making waves for something. This time, he has stirred a bit of controversy over NHL participation in the Olympic Games. During the summer, players from around the league attended Olympic camps and the process is underway to finalize national squads for the 2010 Winter Olympics taking place in Vancouver in February. However, there has been no commitment from the NHL about players taking part in the 2014 Winter Games. Why is this such a big problem for Ovechkin? The 2014 Olympics are taking place in his home country of Russia. Ovechkin has told ESPN that he will play in those games regardless of if the NHL sanctions his participation or not. So the big question becomes, what should happen in this situation?
"Nobody can say to me, 'You can't play for your country in the Olympic Games,'" Ovechkin said. Obviously, he should have every right to make this decision and I fully support his stance on the matter. When you consider that people can go off to war and die when they are 18-years old, surely an athlete should be able to go represent his county in the Olympics. Ovechkin told ESPN that he will risk suspension from the league and the Capitals to go to Russia and play if needs be. He also indicated that other Russian superstars like the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and the Atlanta Thrashers’ Ilya Kovalchuk have pledged to play in the Games whether the NHL is formally attending or not. If this were to happen, it would put pressure on other Russian players to do the same and it could be a domino effect where other nations would want their top players participating as well. And if you talk to the NHL Players’ Association, it is clear that the players want to support International hockey and want to play in the Olympics. So what is the problem then? As always, the root seems to be money.
Olympic Games participation has apparently gotten mixed reviews from the owners around the NHL. It seems many do not want to shut down the league for two to three weeks, especially for games that will likely not be televised in prime time. Well, there you go. It’s all about the money. The greedy owners do not want to risk losing any revenue and they can’t stand to not make any money from home games for 2-3 weeks. This really makes no sense to me. First of all, during Olympic years, the NHL still plays a full 82-game schedule, so there would be no revenue loss from decreased ticket sales due to fewer games. And I thought that the Olympics are designed to showcase the sport. You know…having people watch the best athletes in a sport compete at the highest level. I don’t see how that could possibly decrease interest in the sport. Frankly, I don’t see how the NHL or the owners would be losing any money at all. The only risk, of course, is the potential that a star player gets injured. I can understand this concern. The Washington Capitals would surely be pissed off if Alex Ovechkin suffered an injury at the Olympics. If he would be out for an extended period, the Caps would risk losing many more games and potentially missing the playoffs, and that would then start to hit the owners’ pockets. However, any All-star competition is like that and you just can’t predict when and where an injury will occur.
But with every risk, there is a reward. The Olympics are a great showcase for the game of hockey and it will give the NHL tons of added exposure. I personally love watching Olympic hockey. The rink is bigger, so that gives an advantage to the more highly skilled players. The action is faster and the stars are allowed to shine. The talent level is amazing when you put the best players together on one team and the games are very exciting. Throw in all the drama of tournament play, the craziness of the fans, and the sheer desire of each and every player wanting to do well for their country, and you have the makings of an event you want to watch. In my opinion, the benefits of allowing NHL participation every 4 years in the Olympics outweigh the negatives. The owners need to recognize that the Olympics are for the good of the game and their greedy pockets will not be lightened by them.
Ovechkin is calling for a meeting of the NHL players to discuss participation in the 2014 Games. He also claims that the players, not the owners, are the ones losing money. He apparently is talking about “escrow”, the money taken out of the players' paychecks to ensure that the NHLPA-NHL split of league revenues is as mandated in the collective bargaining agreement. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true and that is just one more reason why I hope the NHLPA and all the players stick to their guns and demand Olympic participation.
When it comes to a player of Ovechkin’s caliber, I think the league would be in a tough spot anyway. If Ovechkin did bolt for Russia to play in 2014, what would the league do? The NHL and the Capitals would be within their rights to suspend him, but would you really do that to one of the NHL’s brightest lights and the face of the Washington franchise? It might be possible to give special exemptions out to allow players to go and participate, but then that would toy with the competitive balance of NHL games that would still be happening those 2-3 weeks. I believe the NHL would be in a tough spot and they have no choice but to continue participating in the Olympics.
The bottom line here is that hockey is a great game and the Olympic Games are a great platform for it. People want to see the best athletes in the world competing at the highest level. When you bring it all together, there exists the chance that some magic will occur. All that will do is help the game of hockey, not hurt it. Unfortunately, the NHL still lags behind the other 3 major sports for exposure and fans. I really do not see how pulling out of the Olympics would ever help. I hope Ovechkin is able to lead the charge so that the NHL will fully participate in 2014. I know I will be watching if it happens.
The Game’s Quick Hits
ECW Recap: I was interested to see what would go down on last night’s ECW since William Regal lost to Christian in the ECW Championship match at Breaking Point. Right away it looked like we would get some answers as ECW GM Tiffany came out to the ring, but she was quickly interrupted by Regal, Ezekiel Jackson, and Vladimir Kozlov. Regal was in classic heel form as he complemented Tiffany on her looks and on the “great job” she is doing as GM. Of course this led right into Regal asking why his boys were banned from ringside at Breaking Point and he followed that up by asking for another shot at Christian’s title. Tiffany responded that she was only ensuring a 1 on 1 match at the PPV and that it is important to have different challengers for the championship, so Regal would not be getting another opportunity. Well I will certainly give credit for that. Unfortunately, Regal did look like a chump in losing 2 title matches to Christian, so I don’t really see why he should get another shot. Instead, Tiffany announced a #1 contender’s battle royal as the main event to see who would be next in line for a title match. Before she left though, Tiffany booked Regal, who was in a dapper suit mind you, in a match against the Hurricane. Regal and Hurricane had a short match which ended with Regal cracking his knee against Hurricane’s skull and picking up the win. Hurricane was then attacked after the match by Paul Burchill, who vowed to not stop until he showed everyone how much of a fraud Gregory Helms is. So it looks like that feud will continue.
Before the main event battle royal, Yoshi Tatsu was getting English lessons from Goldust. Yeah, I know. Anyway, Zack Ryder woo woo wooed his way into the locker room and Yoshi let him know that Goldust taught him how to say loser in English…which oddly translates to Zack Ryder according to Yoshi. So, the two proceeded to have a pretty good match. I am not sure how far up the ladder either one of these two can elevate, but they are solid hands in the ring and can put on a good performance. Yoshi was able to hit a kick to the back of Ryder’s head to pick up the win.
It was then time for the #1 contender’s battle royal, featuring 10 ECW superstars. I won’t give a long winded recap of it, but going into the match, I pretty much thought it was going to come down to Jackson, Kozlov, and Tommy Dreamer as the final 3. For some odd reason, the crowd was behind Goldust and wanted him to win. Sheamus was eliminated during the course of the match and then was able to hit a shot on Shelton Benjamin which caused his elimination. The two brawled on the outside of the ring, so it does indeed look like those two will have some matches in the near future. Surprisingly, Jackson did not even make the final 4 of the match. Goldust had a nice exchange with Ryder and Zack was able to outsmart Goldust and eliminate him. The final 3 were Ryder, Kozlov, and Dreamer. I thought for sure Kozlov was going to take it, but I was surprised again as Dreamer low-bridged Kozlov to eliminate him and then was promptly dumped over the top by Ryder. So folks, your new #1 contender for the ECW Championship is Zack Ryder. I give the WWE credit for giving someone new a shot and Ryder certainly has the ability to produce some good matches. It will be interesting to see how he does against Christian in the coming weeks. Woo woo woo indeed…
- The Philadelphia Eagles activated QB Michael Vick from the exempt list and he is now officially on their 53-man roster and is eligible to practice with the team, even though he is suspended for this week’s game against the Saints. The injury to QB Donovan McNabb seemingly forced the Eagles into doing this. To make room for Vick, the Eagles released WR Hank Baskett. The team had been trying to trade Baskett to get some value for him, but there were no takers. Philadelphia carried 7 wide receivers into the season on their roster, so it is not really a surprise that Baskett was let go. Vick will now practice Wednesday and be in the rotation with QB Kevin Kolb and newly signed QB Jeff Garcia. So it looks like the Eagles are hedging their bets that McNabb might not be able to play this week or even next week and want to get Vick some extra time. I still don’t think Vick is anywhere near ready to play at quarterback full time, but the practice reps will help him regardless of how he is used. It should be a great game this Sunday against the Saints and if it turns into a shootout and McNabb is not playing, things could be mighty interesting.
- In other Eagles’ news, sources are reporting that RB Brian Westbrook will now become a free agent after next season. So how is this possible when Westbrook signed a 5-year, $32 million extension last August? Apparently, there was a revision to the contract and buried in the 60 pages of legal junk and contract terms, the team had a clause to trigger the extension of the deal from 2011 to 2013. This clause is a $7 million option bonus due in 2010 and the Eagles did not exercise this clause. Therefore, there is no extension and Westbrook’s contract ends next year. To borrow a phrase from Dave Chappelle as Rick James, that is cooooold blooooded! Really, that is a savvy and calculating move to get out of the deal. With Westbrook’s history of injuries and the fact that he turned 30 on September 2, I can see why the Eagles are going to let him go. As everyone knows, running backs usually hit a wall at age 30 and almost become untouchable as far as some teams are concerned. It is extremely tough for an “older” running back to get a premier starting role and it looks like Westbrook will be hung out to dry. The Eagles did the same thing to Brian Dawkins this year and they might cut bait with Donovan McNabb as well. Philly fans will have to hope that the team can reload it seems.
- Kansas City Chiefs Coach Todd Haley said on Tuesday that QB Matt Cassel is still questionable and he is not sure whether he will be able to play this Sunday. If he still can’t go, QB Brodie Croyle will get the start once again. The Chiefs also have signed WR Bobby Wade after he was recently cut by the Minnesota Vikings. The Chiefs actually impressed me a little bit in their loss to the Ravens and I think they could steal a few wins this season if Cassel comes back healthy and gives them steady play. Wade will help their offense, but the defense is going to have to step it up because the Ravens and QB Joe Flacco ripped them to shreds.
- Oklahoma Sooners Coach Bob Stoops is not talking about QB Sam Bradford’s injury or giving any sort of indication as to how he is progressing. When asked about whether Bradford would be able to return this week or had resumed throwing, Stoops said he's "not even going to go there." Well it seems as though Stoops is borrowing a page out of Eric Mangini’s “secret” playbook. I can understand his decision though. In Oklahoma, any speculation about Bradford would likely dominate the news and Stoops wants to keep the focus on the field and on this weekend’s game against Tulsa. I highly doubt that Bradford would be ready to play this week, but when the October 3rd game against Miami rolls around, it might be a different story.
- USC QB Matt Barkley was unable to throw for the second straight day in practice, raising the possibility that he will not be able to play this Saturday against Washington. Backup QB Aaron Corp has been taking the reps with the 1st team offense and looks healthy and ready to play if needed. The injury to Barkley is only a bone bruise and not that serious, so it might be best to rest him if he is not 100% to avoid further injury. Washington is certainly a long ways away from being a powerhouse like in the past, so USC should be able to win with either Barkley or Corp behind center.
- The October 1st NHL opener between the Capitals and Boston Bruins is fast approaching and both teams are already dealing with the loss of a forward for the game. Capitals forward Tomas Fleischmann will miss the start of the regular season with a blood clot in his leg. The team thinks the clot might have formed during Fleischmann's long flight home to the Czech Republic at the end of last season and he will not return to practice until early October. That certainly is a little bit of a freak injury and not a good way to start for Fleischmann. He is an important role player for the Caps and he continues to slowly improve. He is still only 25-years old and he had a career high 19 goals last year. Every team needs secondary scoring, so Fleischmann’s absence doesn’t help at the start the season. For the Bruins, it looks like center David Krejci will not be ready to start the season after undergoing offseason hip surgery. There was hope he could beat the projections of returning in early November, but that now seems unlikely. Krejci was Boston’s second-leading scorer last year with 73 points even though he played in pain all year. He now wants to be 100%, so there is only a slight chance he makes the opener. Krejci is more important to the Bruins than Fleischmann is to the Caps, so I hope Krejci takes it easy and skips the opener.
- Boston Red Sox P Daisuke Matsuzaka returned from a 3 month stint on the disabled list and pitched 6 shutout innings to help Boston beat the Angels last night 4-1. DH David Ortiz also hit his record-breaking 270th HR as a designated hitter in the game. Matsuzaka is hoping to prove that he will be able to help the Red Sox in the playoffs and he is looking to get the #4 spot in the rotation locked down. It appears likely that Boston and Los Angeles are heading toward a 1st round matchup in the playoffs, so tonight might have been a preview of what the Angels can expect. Clearly, the Yankees are the favorite in the AL, but I would not count out Boston. The Red Sox have beaten the Angels the past 2 years in the 1st round of the playoffs, so if history holds, they could get a shot at the Yankees and a healthy and productive “Dice-K” will only help their chances if that happens.
- A group of seven Native Americans are trying to go to the Supreme Court because they find the Washington Redskins name offensive. The group claims that the name defames Native Americans and has been working since 1992 to have the Redskins’ trademarks declared invalid. Apparently, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel ruled in their favor in 1999, but since then, other judges have ruled against them and have stated the group waited too long to bring their suit in the first place. Are you kidding me here? I really can’t stand stuff like this. The Redskins name does not defame anyone. The Washington organization is not trying to take advantage of Native Americans nor are they trying to make fun of them or insinuate that there is anything wrong with the group. It a freakin’ team mascot basically…proud Indian warriors going into battle and trying to strive for excellence and victory. Come on man, give me a break! These guys have spent 17 years doing this and I am sure they have dropped a great deal of money too. Don’t they have something better to do? I have always hated the Redskins football team, but I say that this is downright stupid and the organization is not trying to take advantage of Native Americans or put them down in any shape or fashion. I’m sorry, but this is not something THAT offensive. Get over yourselves.
"Nobody can say to me, 'You can't play for your country in the Olympic Games,'" Ovechkin said. Obviously, he should have every right to make this decision and I fully support his stance on the matter. When you consider that people can go off to war and die when they are 18-years old, surely an athlete should be able to go represent his county in the Olympics. Ovechkin told ESPN that he will risk suspension from the league and the Capitals to go to Russia and play if needs be. He also indicated that other Russian superstars like the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and the Atlanta Thrashers’ Ilya Kovalchuk have pledged to play in the Games whether the NHL is formally attending or not. If this were to happen, it would put pressure on other Russian players to do the same and it could be a domino effect where other nations would want their top players participating as well. And if you talk to the NHL Players’ Association, it is clear that the players want to support International hockey and want to play in the Olympics. So what is the problem then? As always, the root seems to be money.
Olympic Games participation has apparently gotten mixed reviews from the owners around the NHL. It seems many do not want to shut down the league for two to three weeks, especially for games that will likely not be televised in prime time. Well, there you go. It’s all about the money. The greedy owners do not want to risk losing any revenue and they can’t stand to not make any money from home games for 2-3 weeks. This really makes no sense to me. First of all, during Olympic years, the NHL still plays a full 82-game schedule, so there would be no revenue loss from decreased ticket sales due to fewer games. And I thought that the Olympics are designed to showcase the sport. You know…having people watch the best athletes in a sport compete at the highest level. I don’t see how that could possibly decrease interest in the sport. Frankly, I don’t see how the NHL or the owners would be losing any money at all. The only risk, of course, is the potential that a star player gets injured. I can understand this concern. The Washington Capitals would surely be pissed off if Alex Ovechkin suffered an injury at the Olympics. If he would be out for an extended period, the Caps would risk losing many more games and potentially missing the playoffs, and that would then start to hit the owners’ pockets. However, any All-star competition is like that and you just can’t predict when and where an injury will occur.
But with every risk, there is a reward. The Olympics are a great showcase for the game of hockey and it will give the NHL tons of added exposure. I personally love watching Olympic hockey. The rink is bigger, so that gives an advantage to the more highly skilled players. The action is faster and the stars are allowed to shine. The talent level is amazing when you put the best players together on one team and the games are very exciting. Throw in all the drama of tournament play, the craziness of the fans, and the sheer desire of each and every player wanting to do well for their country, and you have the makings of an event you want to watch. In my opinion, the benefits of allowing NHL participation every 4 years in the Olympics outweigh the negatives. The owners need to recognize that the Olympics are for the good of the game and their greedy pockets will not be lightened by them.
Ovechkin is calling for a meeting of the NHL players to discuss participation in the 2014 Games. He also claims that the players, not the owners, are the ones losing money. He apparently is talking about “escrow”, the money taken out of the players' paychecks to ensure that the NHLPA-NHL split of league revenues is as mandated in the collective bargaining agreement. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true and that is just one more reason why I hope the NHLPA and all the players stick to their guns and demand Olympic participation.
When it comes to a player of Ovechkin’s caliber, I think the league would be in a tough spot anyway. If Ovechkin did bolt for Russia to play in 2014, what would the league do? The NHL and the Capitals would be within their rights to suspend him, but would you really do that to one of the NHL’s brightest lights and the face of the Washington franchise? It might be possible to give special exemptions out to allow players to go and participate, but then that would toy with the competitive balance of NHL games that would still be happening those 2-3 weeks. I believe the NHL would be in a tough spot and they have no choice but to continue participating in the Olympics.
The bottom line here is that hockey is a great game and the Olympic Games are a great platform for it. People want to see the best athletes in the world competing at the highest level. When you bring it all together, there exists the chance that some magic will occur. All that will do is help the game of hockey, not hurt it. Unfortunately, the NHL still lags behind the other 3 major sports for exposure and fans. I really do not see how pulling out of the Olympics would ever help. I hope Ovechkin is able to lead the charge so that the NHL will fully participate in 2014. I know I will be watching if it happens.
The Game’s Quick Hits
ECW Recap: I was interested to see what would go down on last night’s ECW since William Regal lost to Christian in the ECW Championship match at Breaking Point. Right away it looked like we would get some answers as ECW GM Tiffany came out to the ring, but she was quickly interrupted by Regal, Ezekiel Jackson, and Vladimir Kozlov. Regal was in classic heel form as he complemented Tiffany on her looks and on the “great job” she is doing as GM. Of course this led right into Regal asking why his boys were banned from ringside at Breaking Point and he followed that up by asking for another shot at Christian’s title. Tiffany responded that she was only ensuring a 1 on 1 match at the PPV and that it is important to have different challengers for the championship, so Regal would not be getting another opportunity. Well I will certainly give credit for that. Unfortunately, Regal did look like a chump in losing 2 title matches to Christian, so I don’t really see why he should get another shot. Instead, Tiffany announced a #1 contender’s battle royal as the main event to see who would be next in line for a title match. Before she left though, Tiffany booked Regal, who was in a dapper suit mind you, in a match against the Hurricane. Regal and Hurricane had a short match which ended with Regal cracking his knee against Hurricane’s skull and picking up the win. Hurricane was then attacked after the match by Paul Burchill, who vowed to not stop until he showed everyone how much of a fraud Gregory Helms is. So it looks like that feud will continue.
Before the main event battle royal, Yoshi Tatsu was getting English lessons from Goldust. Yeah, I know. Anyway, Zack Ryder woo woo wooed his way into the locker room and Yoshi let him know that Goldust taught him how to say loser in English…which oddly translates to Zack Ryder according to Yoshi. So, the two proceeded to have a pretty good match. I am not sure how far up the ladder either one of these two can elevate, but they are solid hands in the ring and can put on a good performance. Yoshi was able to hit a kick to the back of Ryder’s head to pick up the win.
It was then time for the #1 contender’s battle royal, featuring 10 ECW superstars. I won’t give a long winded recap of it, but going into the match, I pretty much thought it was going to come down to Jackson, Kozlov, and Tommy Dreamer as the final 3. For some odd reason, the crowd was behind Goldust and wanted him to win. Sheamus was eliminated during the course of the match and then was able to hit a shot on Shelton Benjamin which caused his elimination. The two brawled on the outside of the ring, so it does indeed look like those two will have some matches in the near future. Surprisingly, Jackson did not even make the final 4 of the match. Goldust had a nice exchange with Ryder and Zack was able to outsmart Goldust and eliminate him. The final 3 were Ryder, Kozlov, and Dreamer. I thought for sure Kozlov was going to take it, but I was surprised again as Dreamer low-bridged Kozlov to eliminate him and then was promptly dumped over the top by Ryder. So folks, your new #1 contender for the ECW Championship is Zack Ryder. I give the WWE credit for giving someone new a shot and Ryder certainly has the ability to produce some good matches. It will be interesting to see how he does against Christian in the coming weeks. Woo woo woo indeed…
- The Philadelphia Eagles activated QB Michael Vick from the exempt list and he is now officially on their 53-man roster and is eligible to practice with the team, even though he is suspended for this week’s game against the Saints. The injury to QB Donovan McNabb seemingly forced the Eagles into doing this. To make room for Vick, the Eagles released WR Hank Baskett. The team had been trying to trade Baskett to get some value for him, but there were no takers. Philadelphia carried 7 wide receivers into the season on their roster, so it is not really a surprise that Baskett was let go. Vick will now practice Wednesday and be in the rotation with QB Kevin Kolb and newly signed QB Jeff Garcia. So it looks like the Eagles are hedging their bets that McNabb might not be able to play this week or even next week and want to get Vick some extra time. I still don’t think Vick is anywhere near ready to play at quarterback full time, but the practice reps will help him regardless of how he is used. It should be a great game this Sunday against the Saints and if it turns into a shootout and McNabb is not playing, things could be mighty interesting.
- In other Eagles’ news, sources are reporting that RB Brian Westbrook will now become a free agent after next season. So how is this possible when Westbrook signed a 5-year, $32 million extension last August? Apparently, there was a revision to the contract and buried in the 60 pages of legal junk and contract terms, the team had a clause to trigger the extension of the deal from 2011 to 2013. This clause is a $7 million option bonus due in 2010 and the Eagles did not exercise this clause. Therefore, there is no extension and Westbrook’s contract ends next year. To borrow a phrase from Dave Chappelle as Rick James, that is cooooold blooooded! Really, that is a savvy and calculating move to get out of the deal. With Westbrook’s history of injuries and the fact that he turned 30 on September 2, I can see why the Eagles are going to let him go. As everyone knows, running backs usually hit a wall at age 30 and almost become untouchable as far as some teams are concerned. It is extremely tough for an “older” running back to get a premier starting role and it looks like Westbrook will be hung out to dry. The Eagles did the same thing to Brian Dawkins this year and they might cut bait with Donovan McNabb as well. Philly fans will have to hope that the team can reload it seems.
- Kansas City Chiefs Coach Todd Haley said on Tuesday that QB Matt Cassel is still questionable and he is not sure whether he will be able to play this Sunday. If he still can’t go, QB Brodie Croyle will get the start once again. The Chiefs also have signed WR Bobby Wade after he was recently cut by the Minnesota Vikings. The Chiefs actually impressed me a little bit in their loss to the Ravens and I think they could steal a few wins this season if Cassel comes back healthy and gives them steady play. Wade will help their offense, but the defense is going to have to step it up because the Ravens and QB Joe Flacco ripped them to shreds.
- Oklahoma Sooners Coach Bob Stoops is not talking about QB Sam Bradford’s injury or giving any sort of indication as to how he is progressing. When asked about whether Bradford would be able to return this week or had resumed throwing, Stoops said he's "not even going to go there." Well it seems as though Stoops is borrowing a page out of Eric Mangini’s “secret” playbook. I can understand his decision though. In Oklahoma, any speculation about Bradford would likely dominate the news and Stoops wants to keep the focus on the field and on this weekend’s game against Tulsa. I highly doubt that Bradford would be ready to play this week, but when the October 3rd game against Miami rolls around, it might be a different story.
- USC QB Matt Barkley was unable to throw for the second straight day in practice, raising the possibility that he will not be able to play this Saturday against Washington. Backup QB Aaron Corp has been taking the reps with the 1st team offense and looks healthy and ready to play if needed. The injury to Barkley is only a bone bruise and not that serious, so it might be best to rest him if he is not 100% to avoid further injury. Washington is certainly a long ways away from being a powerhouse like in the past, so USC should be able to win with either Barkley or Corp behind center.
- The October 1st NHL opener between the Capitals and Boston Bruins is fast approaching and both teams are already dealing with the loss of a forward for the game. Capitals forward Tomas Fleischmann will miss the start of the regular season with a blood clot in his leg. The team thinks the clot might have formed during Fleischmann's long flight home to the Czech Republic at the end of last season and he will not return to practice until early October. That certainly is a little bit of a freak injury and not a good way to start for Fleischmann. He is an important role player for the Caps and he continues to slowly improve. He is still only 25-years old and he had a career high 19 goals last year. Every team needs secondary scoring, so Fleischmann’s absence doesn’t help at the start the season. For the Bruins, it looks like center David Krejci will not be ready to start the season after undergoing offseason hip surgery. There was hope he could beat the projections of returning in early November, but that now seems unlikely. Krejci was Boston’s second-leading scorer last year with 73 points even though he played in pain all year. He now wants to be 100%, so there is only a slight chance he makes the opener. Krejci is more important to the Bruins than Fleischmann is to the Caps, so I hope Krejci takes it easy and skips the opener.
- Boston Red Sox P Daisuke Matsuzaka returned from a 3 month stint on the disabled list and pitched 6 shutout innings to help Boston beat the Angels last night 4-1. DH David Ortiz also hit his record-breaking 270th HR as a designated hitter in the game. Matsuzaka is hoping to prove that he will be able to help the Red Sox in the playoffs and he is looking to get the #4 spot in the rotation locked down. It appears likely that Boston and Los Angeles are heading toward a 1st round matchup in the playoffs, so tonight might have been a preview of what the Angels can expect. Clearly, the Yankees are the favorite in the AL, but I would not count out Boston. The Red Sox have beaten the Angels the past 2 years in the 1st round of the playoffs, so if history holds, they could get a shot at the Yankees and a healthy and productive “Dice-K” will only help their chances if that happens.
- A group of seven Native Americans are trying to go to the Supreme Court because they find the Washington Redskins name offensive. The group claims that the name defames Native Americans and has been working since 1992 to have the Redskins’ trademarks declared invalid. Apparently, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel ruled in their favor in 1999, but since then, other judges have ruled against them and have stated the group waited too long to bring their suit in the first place. Are you kidding me here? I really can’t stand stuff like this. The Redskins name does not defame anyone. The Washington organization is not trying to take advantage of Native Americans nor are they trying to make fun of them or insinuate that there is anything wrong with the group. It a freakin’ team mascot basically…proud Indian warriors going into battle and trying to strive for excellence and victory. Come on man, give me a break! These guys have spent 17 years doing this and I am sure they have dropped a great deal of money too. Don’t they have something better to do? I have always hated the Redskins football team, but I say that this is downright stupid and the organization is not trying to take advantage of Native Americans or put them down in any shape or fashion. I’m sorry, but this is not something THAT offensive. Get over yourselves.
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