Hockey Police? Really? posted by Goon Squad

Dangerous head hits in hockey are spinning out of control. The NHL pretends they don't really exist and junior players get the kind of suspensions that don't seem to act as a deterrent, because no sooner does the hype from one near-decapitation die down that anothert one takes place.

Hockey leagues of all levels in Canada are pledging to do more to improve players' safety in the wake of recent violent headshots. But one observer believes the sport could use a little help from the legal system.

Peter Donnelly, director of the Centre of Sport Policy Studies at the University of Toronto, counters that severe punishments like the one Cormier received don't do enough to deter players. "If there are any blatant attacks where clearly one person has gone after a person that was not expecting it, as in the incident with Cormier, I think that's a criminal act," Donnelly said. "Unprovoked attacks really have to be dealt with by criminal justice."

Donnelly said prosecutors have been wary of laying criminal charges following vicious attacks because sports organizations have never encouraged them to do so.

"The law needs to take more responsibility here and so do hockey leagues themselves," he said.

The severe sanction handed out this week by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Patrice Cormier for elbowing Quebec Remparts defenseman Mikael Tam was hailed as an exemplary punishment by the hockey community, one that would send a clear message to the players that such acts of violence have no place in the sport.

USA! USA! USA! posted by Goon Squad

Has it been 30 years now since the US beat the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid?(It seems like only yesterday...)

The Americans went on to win the gold medal in hockey that year - something that hasn't happened since, but don't expect any miracles next month at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. No, the United States still isn't favored to win a gold medal in hockey. In that respect the Americans remain underdogs. But with a roster stacked with young talent, they certainly are a medal candidate - one that the powerhouses from Canada, Russia and Sweden can't afford to overlook. "A little bit different situation [than 1980] in my opinion," said United States team captain Jamie Langenbrunner, a forward with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. "As much as Canada deserves all the credit that they're getting for the players they have, the 23 players named to the [United States] team play in the same league as those guys and we feel quite comfortable playing against them on a nightly basis. We feel we belong on the same ice."

That's a far cry from goalie Jim Craig and the 1980 team! US coach Herb Brooks had to convince that group of college All-Stars that it could compete with the grown men the Soviet Union sent over. But since 1998 the NHL has allowed its professional players to compete at the Winter Olympics. So this group of Americans is baffled by the notion that they would be intimidated by any of the major hockey powers.

Told of stories in the Canadian press that listed him as the only American capable of making the loaded Team Canada roster, forward Zach Parise chuckled. "I think that's kind of a bold statement," said Parise, also a New Jersey Devils forward. "I don't think there's going to be too many people that would agree with that."

From Russia, with love. posted by Goon Squad

Did I say love? My bad!

A huge fight that stopped a KHL Championship game just after four minutes of play has led to a criminal investigation being launched into the reasons behind the major brawl at the game between Vityaz Chekhov and Avangard Omsk on January 9th.

Match officials struggled desperately to separate the teams and eject the offending players before the game resumed, but another fight broke out after just seven more seconds of play.

The officials finally scrapped the match, with only seven and eight players, respectively, left on each team.

According to the Moscow Region’s Prosecutor's Office, the teams will be probed for disorderly conduct. "The players of both teams - using hockey sticks as tools to sort out their relationships – disturbed public order and the rules of the game, hurt each other and broke sporting rules. The match was stopped due to the fight and a lack of players in the teams due to penalties. As a result of the fight, ten Avangard players and three Vityaz men were injured, as well as the referee," the statement by the Prosecutor’s Office said.

After interviews with on-ice officials and witnesses to the game, and what the league's press release termed "the review of videotapes," the following sanctions were issued by the KHL: Both teams have forfeited the game and were fined one million rubles. (That's an American equivalent of $33,500.)

Is This the Right Team USA? posted by Jeff Ponder

Brian Burke had to find a way to have his team compete in a tough Olympic tournament in February.

Not long after Canada, Russia, Finland and Sweden announced their Olympic rosters, Brian Burke took center stage to announce his team.  At the Winter Classic on January 1, Team USA was unveiled after a thrilling game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park.  Burke decided to go with youth to try and capture the Gold.

"We've been watching these kids," Burke said after the team announcement. "I think we have a good base. We tried to pick the team based on a body of work, rather than how a player has played at this particular time. A player who had a slow start should not be penalized if he's done good things in the past.”

Along with youth, the USA squad seems to possess great speed and quickness.  Headlining the team is 21-year old Patrick Kane (Buffalo, NY), who has 65 goals in 2 ½ NHL seasons.  Kane is expected to carry most of the goal load for the American team.  Kane spent a lot of time with American hockey as a younger man, being a former member of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Team USA has also added the New Jersey Devils' young superstar, Zach Parise (Minneapolis, MN).  The 5'11” 190 lb. center is expected to play with Kane on the top line.  Parise's 45 goals last season proved that he is an elite American player.  His quick hands and smart decision-making will be a vital part to American success.

Other top young forwards include 22-year old Phil Kessel (Madison WI; former 36-goal scorer), 25-year old David Backes (Minneapolis, MN; former 31-goal scorer) and 24-year old Paul Stastny (raised in St. Louis, MO; former 71-point scorer).  Burke also selected Jamie Langenbrunner (Cloquet, MN) as the team's captain; one of five players who are over the age of 30. 
Continue reading "Is This the Right Team USA?"

Miller and Anderson Making Pitch for Team USA Starting Job posted by Jeff Ponder

Tim Thomas has been the heavy favorite for the starting goaltender position for Team USA in 2010 for quite some time.  But Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is turning some heads with his strong play to start the 2009-10 campaign.

Heading into the United States Olympic Hockey Camp in July, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas was the clear cut number one guy to lead the USA Men's Ice Hockey Team to a Gold Medal.  But his play suffered early, as his Bruins currently sit at 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 6-7-2 record.  The troublesome stat that may worry Team USA officials is that in his first three games Thomas suffered twelve goals against, also posting a dismal .870 save percentage in that span.  It is just the first three games, but the Olympics are a short two weeks where teams can play up to 8 games in about 11 days.  The Olympic committee will have worries if Thomas cannot handle the pressure of jumping right into a situation on the ice.

While Thomas has still played well enough, Ryan Miller has outplayed his counterpart to the fullest extent of the word.

Miller is currently leading the league in save percentage (.941%), second in GAA (1.69), and tied for second in shutouts.  It is no mistake that Miller and the Sabres are 3rd in the Eastern Conference with a remarkable 9-2-1 record.  The East Lansing, Michigan native has enjoyed one of the best starts of his career, after witnessing his team miss the playoffs in 2009.

"That's who he is. He's a battler and the backbone of our team," Buffalo captain Craig Rivet said about Miller after a hard-fought win against the Maple Leafs on October 30th. "We played against a feisty team that wanted a win, and he stood on his head a couple times to help us out. He was the main reason we got the win."
Continue reading "Miller and Anderson Making Pitch ..."

The Super Six World Boxing Classic Could Be A Classic posted by Colin Linneweber

The Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament began Saturday night in two separate European states.

In the opening bout of the tournament, “King” Arthur Abraham brutally knocked out Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor with six seconds remaining in the 12th round at O2 World Arena in Berlin, Germany.

Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) dominated Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KOs) from the outset and he would have easily won the match via decision had he not flattened the native of Arkansas during the fight’s waning moments with a straight right-hand to the chin.

Taylor, 31, has now lost four out of his last five fights and it is apparent that he is more spent at this juncture of his career than a 65-year-old prostitute.

It is readily evident that the beatings Taylor suffered at the hands of Kelly Pavlik (35-1, 31KOs) have badly diminished his physical capabilities and it is time for the 2000 bronze medalist to seriously consider hanging up his gloves.

On the flipside, Abraham, 29, an Armenian-German who wowed his hometown supporters with his brilliant performance this past weekend, is a genuine force in the ring and his future in prizefighting is exceedingly bright.

In the second bout of the tournament, Carl Froch retained his WBC super middleweight title with a split-decision victory over Andre Dirrell at Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England.

Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) used his brute strength to successfully counterbalance the superior speed that Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs) is renowned for and he was able to narrowly prevail in front of his fellow Englishmen.

What is Shaq thinking doing this Shaq vs. tv show??????????????????? posted by Devin

I understand that Shaquille O'neal is a man that transcends just the NBA, but watching him attempt to play against other athletes in their own sport is extremely difficult to swallow.  Watching Shaq attempt to swing a bat was like watching a baby giraffe trying to walk.  It was hard to watch yet I could not take my eyes off of it, like a car accident.  The 7'1" O'neill attempted to out-slug Albert Pujols, out-spike beach volleyball stars Misty May and Kerri Walsh, and out-throw Ben Roethlisberger, needless to say he could not out-do anybody at anything.  The show is a half hour too long and the hosts are extremely annoying.  The most important part of the show, the actual competition, takes place in the last fifteen minutles of the show making the first 45 minutes irrelevant.  Here are some short examples of the show from Youtube:

As you can see Shaq should stick to basketball and leave his reality tv career wherever he left his acting career and rapping career.

Top european NBA players risk injury, money, to play summer basketball posted by Al Liggens

I hope that it's not part two for the San Antonio Spurs. Manu Ginobili got hurt last summer playing for Argentina in the olympics and at the time, contract negotiations between Ginobili and the spurs were underway. Now, those talks have stalled, as the spurs have taken a cautious approach regarding his contract, meaning no extention up to this point!. If Ginobili doesn't come out this year and have one his best, he stands to lose millions.

 Tony Parker was injured playing basketball for France this week and I'm quite sure that the spurs are not happy with this latest episode. The question is will he be healthy and 100% for the spurs training camp and the regular season? Sometimes players that play basketball year round begin the season tired and not playing at their usual high level, and it does affect the entire team. So at some point, personal judgement and career decisions must be made by the players themselves and  realize the risks involved with playing basketball during the summer.

The spurs were fortunate to find Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. They are the core of the team along with Tim Duncan, but there is a responsibility to the team that you are under contract to play for and perform well. There is the business side of professional sports that needs to be taken into account...

Gay and Felix do it REAL BIG in Stockholm. posted by That guy021

So as I said, the 100m was a big deal. But, not as big as expected, since Bolt did not run with Powell and Gay. Despite his absence, Gay still gave people something to talk about. He ran a 9.79 that was just barely over the legal limit. What looked close, wasn't even close at all. The last twenty meters or so Gay was the clear victor, and was obviously onto something special. Another American, Darvis Patton came in second with a 9.95. Followed by Asafa powell, who faded at the end.

Also, a performance by Allyson Felix was spectacular. She was the only athlete to get a diamond, by running the meet record and running the fastest 200m time of the year. Felix absolutely murdered the competition and was quickly embraced by a number of runners. This performance looks good in predetermining the out come we may see in Berlin. Winning there will make her a three time world champion, along with Gay, who is going for his fourth.

 It was an overal exciting day, the first time I was able to watch an international competition other than the Olympics or a World Championship. Can't wait for the World Championships in Berlin August 15th.

Will the Triple Olympic Gold Medallists finally be upstaged? posted by That guy021

Tomorrow is going to preview some of the best competition in the 100 meter dash before the World Championships in Berlin. Triple Olympic gold medallists Usain Bolt, former world record holder Asafa Powell, and the triple world champion Tyson Gay are the elites of a field that all run under ten seconds. It looks as though that this race is as important, if not more than the World Championships themselves. With such a field of runners, there will be no surprise to see a new world record.

The man in line to do it is Tyson Gay. Of the main three that include Bolt and Powell, Gay has run the best times of the year, a 9.75 wind assisted and a 9.77 in Rome. As long as gay’s persistent groin pains stay in check, he is expected to win. But it begs the question, “should Gay go all out and risk injury before the world championships?”

Bolt is currently the worlds sweetheart after annihilating competition at the Olympics in Beijing. Asafa Powell has delivered Bolt’s only loss in the 100 meter dash. It was last year in Stockholm, where he was just able to edge him off by 0.01 seconds. Being the former world record holder himself, Powell is looking to regain his supreme status at the top and is coming off four straight wins to do it.

One thing is certain, this will be a very intense race and can ultimately make or break any one of these runners in the world championship race August 15, in Berlin.

Who do you think will win?

Ducks C Getzlaf sprains left ankle (AP)

Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf sprained his left ankle during the second period of Anaheim's game against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.The Anaheim playmaker is scheduled to suit up for Canada at his first Olympics next week, but coach Randy Carlyle said Getzlaf would leave the Honda Center on crutches with his foot in a protective boot. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Injury risk factors into Olympics (AP)

There's a loose puck in the corner during an extremely physical grudge match between Canada and Russia in the Olympics, and $170 million worth of NHL talent is chasing it. Canada's Sidney Crosby and Russia's Alex Ovechkin arrive at the same instant, ice shavings flying in their paths. A violent collision occurs, a star goes down. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Injury risk big factor for 2014 Olympics (AP)

There's a loose puck in the corner during an extremely physical grudge match Olympic game between Canada and Russia, and $170 million worth of NHL talent is chasing it. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin arrive at the same instant, ice shavings flying in their paths. A violent collision occurs, a star goes down. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Murray out to end Britain's long drought (AP)

The last time a British man won a singles title at a Grand Slam, Jesse Owens embarrassed Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympics, Max Schmeling knocked out Joe Louis to win the world heavyweight title and FIFA president Sepp Blatter was born. Andy Murray tries to end that embarrassing 74-year-old drought on Sunday by beating the best player in the world, Roger Federer, at the Australian Open. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Rogge: Olympics beneficial to NHL (AP)

IOC boss Jacques Rogge says the NHL should realize that sending its players to the Olympics raises the league's exposure and increases its fan base. "I think it's important for the Olympic Games to have the NHL," the president of the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday said during a telephone conference call. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports