I have purposely not commented on the Allen Iverson trade because I didn’t want to pass judgment until I saw how the Pistons played with AI. I thought it would be fun the do a running diary of my first AI experience. Ernie Johnson is signing off from Atlanta, and here we go…
9:44PM: Kevin Harlan tells me that this game is brought to me by the United States Marines. Where is the US Military getting all of this money to sponsor sporting events? Is this where my tax dollars are going?
9:46PM: Kwame Brown is starting? This is going to be a long night…
9:49PM: Corey Maggette is guarding Rasheed Wallace? Maybe this night won’t be so long…
9:50PM: Hamilton hits a signature jumper from the baseline. Good to see Rip hit his first shot. Nice dish from Tayshaun Prince. I like Tay Tay at the point forward position. He played it a lot in college and was very effective. Just in general, Prince is a much better offensive player than he gets credit for.
9:52PM: First bucket from Iverson, he owns that mid-range pull-up. He’s had that shot for his whole career, but he has never been considered as one of the better mid-range players. Why is that?
9:57PM: The Google phone is awesome.
9:58PM: How ironic is it that the NBA Store commercial features Chauncey Billups in Piston shorts and Allen Iverson in a Nuggets headband. You can’t script this stuff.
10:01PM: Marcus Williams enters the game for Golden State. This guy couldn’t start over DeMarcus Nelson and CJ Watson? Did he swipe Don Nelson’s laptop or something?
10:05PM: Monta Ellis has to be really embarrassed about that injury. I mean, at least Ben Roethlisberger was riding a Harley. Come on Monta, you’re not 14 anymore, lose the moped.
10:08PM: Jason Maxiell misses an alley-oop, but gets it right back with a thunderous dunk on the next possession. Maxiell has incredibly long arms, but they look too big for his body. It’s like someone put him in one of those medieval torture chambers or something.
10:10PM: 23-21 Warriors at the end of the 1st. AI has 7 points in the quarter. No question, this Pistons team is different, I haven’t quite decided yet if I think they are any better. There are definite gains on the offensive side, but Iverson and Kwame are weaknesses on the defensive end. AI struggles on the ball, and Kwame just looks generally confused.
10:14PM: Craig Sager is off his game tonight; his suit is not distorting the color on my TV, I am unimpressed.
10:17PM: I love me some Will Bynum. I don’t know if they will ever be able to find any minutes for him in the long term, but he reminds me of a young Lindsey Hunter. He’s quick, a decent shooter, and tough as nails. Not a coincidence that he played in a Final Four in college.
10:19PM: Iverson steals and streaks the other way to draw a foul. He is terrible on the ball, but his anticipation for steals is like Ben Wallace’s anticipation for blocks. He does a great job of clogging up the passing lanes and turning steals into easy buckets. Along with Rip Hamilton, the Piston guards are very opportunistic defenders. AI splits two at the line, DET 26 – GS 28.
10:22PM: Bynum attacks the rack for an easy hoop. This guy can learn a lot from Iverson. I don’t know if it will be on the Pistons, but he definitely has a place in the league.
10:23PM: Any commercial that features LeBron dancing to Kid N Play is all right by me. Excuse me for a minute while I call my State Farm agent.
10:25PM: The Pistons are missing way too many free throws. You can’t give back free points against a team like the Warriors. I have a bad feeling that this might come back to bite them.
10:28PM: Will Bynum just did his best Spud Webb impression. He missed the dunk, but holy shit that kid has some hops. Once again, I love me some Will Bynum.
10:30PM: It is fascinating to watch Amir Johnson going up against Brandan Wright. Somewhere, Jay Bilas is drooling over the “long length” and “upside potential” of this matchup.
10:33PM: Iverson and Bynum seem to have this weird want to drive inside, elevate, and just when you think they are going up for a shot, kick it outside to a not-quite-open-enough shooter. I really don’t see how this helps the offense. Why not just keep attacking the basket early in the game, and then kick the ball out later once the defense starts to collapse on you? It’s really not that difficult.
10:37PM: Doug Collins makes a good point about the Pistons lack of bulk. They have length and quickness, but a strong team (like the Celtics) can push them around. Hopefully, they can figure out how to use their athleticism to compensate, but lack of girth could definitely hurt down the road.
10:42PM: The Piston big guys are not adjusted to Iverson yet. There have been at least three times already that Iverson as dished off to a big inside who either fumbled the pass or missed the layup because he wasn’t ready for it.
10:45PM: CJ Watson just withstood three AI crossovers and took a charge. Maybe I should be worried about Iverson losing a step, but mostly, I am impressed with Watson’s defense.
10:46PM: Crazy Stephen Jackson hits a nice jumper to end the half. The Pistons shot the ball terribly and played absolutely awful on defense, but it’s only 53-46. I am cautiously optimistic.
HALF TIME
11:09PM: The Pistons are off to a terrible start. Everyone is standing around watching Iverson on offense and Golden State is hitting all of their open jumpers. Detroit needs to get some energy into the game before it slips away.
11:11PM: Sheed scores over Maggette and screams “AND 1” all the way back down the court. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I would pay to listen Sheed mic’ed up for a whole game. If everything else he says is half as good as what the floor mics pick up, it would be comedy gold.
11:15PM: AI has already hit 2 threes in the second half. This is a great sign. One of my biggest worries about losing Billups is that the Pistons really don’t have any true three-point shooters. If Iverson can just shoot in the high 30% range from downtown, it will really help to open up cutting lanes for his teammates, specifically Rip.
11:17PM: Walter Herrmann is doing his best Mark Madsen impression, 3 fouls in under one minute. If the Pistons can’t get a hold of Corey Maggette, this game is going to be over fast.
11:21PM: Andris Biedrins blows an easy dunk. There was nobody within 6 feet of him and he bricks it off the heel. Layup for AI, three-ball for Afflalo, and the Pistons are back in the game. DET 63 – GS 69.
11:25PM: The Piston bigs are getting killed in the pick-and-roll. There is no weak side help, but Sheed and Kwame Brown just look lost trying to play guards coming off ball screens.
11:28PM: The Pistons look very reactionary on defense. They are not anticipating cuts and stepping in front, they are chasing and giving up too many open looks.
11:30PM: One of the first times that Iverson controls the offense in the half court leads to a bad shot from Prince. Afflalo makes a great play to finish off of a steal, but it is painfully obvious that the Pistons are not ready to run their team offense through Iverson yet.
11:33PM: Apparently the Pistons heard my critiques of their defense. The guards are flying to the ball and creating turnovers. This is how they can make up for their lack of size. A nice run puts Detroit ahead 75-71.
11:35PM: Iverson with a fantastic finish, but he stands under the rim celebrating by himself after the bucket. I think that the team and the city of Detroit are going to love Iverson, but it seems like it hasn’t really happened yet.
11:37PM: It seems that the Piston bigs are adjusting to AI on the fly. Wallace makes a great catch and finish after a sweet dime from Iverson. That was a turnover in the first half. Great adjustment from Sheed.
11:41PM: I know that this is not my original idea, but can we please make some kind of a law against aerial shots of basketball areas. How does seeing a bird shit on the top of Oracle Arena enhance my viewing experience?
11:44PM: Sheed gets a technical out of nowhere! Another reason why he needs a microphone at all times.
11:45PM: Ball don’t lie.
11:46PM: Doug Collins makes a great point about the Pistons being impatient against Golden State’s zone. At this point, their half-court offense is predicated on dribble penetration, let’s see what happens when the zone takes that away.
11:49PM: I really don’t get the whole phenomenon of the free credit report. If you know that you have crappy credit, how does that help? It doesn’t make your crappy credit any better. It’s just another reminder of how screwed you are. I don’t get it, but maybe that’s because I have impeccable credit.
11:51PM: I think that the best-case scenario for the Iverson Pistons might be something like Villanova’s team a few years ago. A bunch of quick perimeter guys that can shoot and/or get to the rack and a few athletic big guys who can provide a presence on defense and finish around the rim. If this is going to happen, they really need Maxiell and Amir Johnson to step up.
11:53PM: Curry takes a good timeout as Detroit is getting slaughtered on the glass. Golden State is not shooting the ball particularly well, but they are scoring on offensive rebounds. The Pistons need to block out the Warriors’ wings.
11:57PM: Wallace chokes after a Piston offensive rebound, then taps one into his own hoop to give Golden State the lead. Yikes.
11:58PM: Sheed follows it up by missing two free throws. Oh boy.
12:00AM: It’s midnight in Chicago and I am officially worried.
12:01AM: Rip splits a pair at the line. I said it at the beginning of the game, you can’t miss free throws against a team like Golden State, they are coming back to bite the Pistons now. 2-point game.
12:03AM: Wow, I had never seen Andris Biedrins shoot free throws before and I am amazed. He has one of the most awkward strokes I have ever seen. I would love to see Biedrins face off against Shaq in an “Awkward Motion Championship of Darts”, just make sure to pass out safety goggles to everyone in the bar.
12:05AM: Sheed drains 2 HUGE threes. Congratulations Mr. Wallace, welcome back to my good graces.
12:07AM: Amy Adams is hot.
12:09AM: Nice hard foul by Wallace on Biedrins. Send that guy back to the line…
12:10AM: Prince makes a nice defensive play to finally stop Maggette. Rip hits a jumper and I am starting to get comfortable.
12:11AM: Fantastic dish from Afflalo to Sheed for a dunk. Afflalo has been really impressive offensively in this game. He runs the floor well and is not settling for jumpers.
12:14AM: The Pistons are beginning to put this one away with old-school Piston rebounding and defense. The offense is coming along, but if they can keep playing defense like this in crunch time, they will be in every game.
12:17AM: It’s coming down to free throws, but it looks like the Pistons are going to escape with a nice win in Oakland. They played a pretty good game overall, but showed flashes of greatness with the attacking defense in the third quarter and the end of the fourth.
12:22AM: My overall view of the Iversonian Pistons is this: They will be fine offensively after the adjustment period passes, but their season is going to be defined by whether or not the young guys in the front court can step up. I think they can, but we’ll see what happens.
12:23AM: Thanks for sticking with me…Now it’s bedtime.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Coaching with Balls
Herm Edwards is not a good football coach. He was a good football player and he seems to be a pretty nice guy, but the man was not put on this earth to be a head football coach in the NFL. That said, Mr. Edwards does have something that most other coaches in the league seem to lack. Balls. Down by 7 on the road against the Chargers, Edwards had the stones to go for a two-point conversion (and a win) instead to putting his talk between his legs and heading to overtime. Herm knew that his team was gassed and overmatched and that his only chance to win the game was to roll the dice on the goal line, rather than waiting for the coin toss in overtime. He had confidence in his team, but it was a realistic confidence. He was confident that they can win the game, but also knew that he could maximize their chance to win by managing the situations that he put his team in. Unfortunately for coach Edwards and the Chiefs, it didn’t pan out, but although I can criticize the play call, I can’t criticize the decision to go for it. He made the right call for his team in that situation. Don’t get it twisted, having balls isn’t just about taking risks, it’s about taking the right risks, and that is exactly what Herm Edwards did. There are times when coaches know that their team can make the play, but fear of the negative overcomes faith in the positive. I can guarantee that every coach in the NFL has faced 4th down situations in which they knew that their guys could succeed, but they kicked anyway, because they thought more about failure than success. Now, my point here is not that more coaches need to go for it on 4th down, it’s that coaches need to rethink the rules for when it’s okay to take a risk. I could certainly present my own list of rules here, but that’s exactly what I’m arguing against. No two situations in a football game are alike and no two teams are alike, so there are no hard and fast rules for when coaches should take a risk. Head coaches know their teams better than anybody else, and as such, they shouldn’t let rules enforced by commentators govern their decisions. All I ask is that they have the balls to make the decisions that they know are right. My feeble plea for aggression can be summed up in just three words: Sack up, coach. At least one coach seems to have listened.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Cool and Unique Mascots
By Pete McGrath
As you may have read in my previous post, I am against mascots that are weather related, sound focused grouped, or generic. I am greatly for mascots that embrace the local city's culture and history. Examples of this are the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Blues, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't mind if a team takes on an animal mascot. Nicknames like Lions and Tigers and Bears (oh my!) are always solid, but are at the end of the day are a little uncreative. However, I hate team names like the Minnesota Wild, Washington Nationals, and Oklahoma City Thunder. They sound like arena football/MLS teams. They just sound boring and don't really stand for anything. But there are also some oddball mascots out there that belong to high schools and minor league baseball teams that I love, and that deserve a look next time a league is naming one of their clubs. Here are a few of my favorites-
Edwin Denby High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Sonny Bono, Bill Bonds (the real Ron Burgundy)
Mascot: Tars
Denby High School is named after Edwin Denby, a prominent Detroit area politician and Secretary of the U.S. Navy during the Harding Administration. There are many nautical motifs on the school building itself, and the nickname of Tars is nautical as well. Back in the day, rigging on sailboats was made of rope that could rot, so they would be covered in tar to avoid this problem. The tar would get all over the sailor's hands, and sailors themselves became known as "tars" or "Jack tars" as a nickname. This nautical theme is reflected in UNC's Tarheels nickname as well. To this day, tar has an impact on U.S. Navy protocol. While the army salutes with the palm facing the floor, the Navy and Marine Corps salute with the hand at a 90 degree angle (all you see is the back of the hand) in an effort to conceal the once tar covered palms.
Cass Technical High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Diana Ross, Lilly Tomlin, Jack White, David Allen Grier
Mascot: Technicians
Cass Tech's nickname really doesn't have much of a story. I just like how direct it is. It was started as a technical school, so the teams are called the Technicians. Simple and cool.
Midland High School: Midland, MI
Famous Alumni: No one you've ever heard of.
Mascot: Chemics
Midland is a company town, and Dow Chemical is that company. The company even helped build the school with a donation back in 1911. Once again this is a cool and unique nod to a town's bread and butter industry.
John J. Pershing High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Tim Meadows
Mascot: Doughboys
Named after one of America's all time bad assess, General John "Black Jack" Pershing, the leader of American forces in World War I. The American troops sent over to fight in WWI were nicknamed "doughboys." The Mexican-American War is believed to be the origin of the term doughboy, where commonplace slang for a U.S. Army infantryman. It became really popular during WWI, but by WWII had fallen out of favor, with the term G.I. taking over. Pillsbury cookies aside, I think this team name is very unique, and has a really cool link to the School's namesake. This is defiantly one of my favorite oddball mascots. I'm sure Leon Phelps agrees.
Fordson High School, Dearborn, MI
Famous Alumni: Walter Reuther
Mascot: Tractors
Fordson was named after Henry Ford and his son Edsel, and it was also the nameplate that Henry Ford used to market his Fordson Tractor, which was a very popular model at the time. Since the school shared the same name, they picked the mascot Tractors. Ironically enough, the school building itself is lavishly decorated, and was one of the most expensive schools in the country when it was built. Even today, the building looks like a college or a boarding school on the outside, contrasting with its unglamourous mascot.
Southeastern High School: Detroit, MI
Mascot: Jungaleers
Famous Alum: Rosalind Ashford of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas, Bart Scott of the Baltimore Ravens
I've heard conflicting stories on this one, but the one that makes the most sense is that a Jungleer is a military unit/soldier that fights in the jungle. Certainly don't see this one anywhere else.
Moving on from nearby high schools, Minor League Baseball routinely shows that a generic team name is not necessary. Here are some of my personal favorites.
Lansing Lugnuts: Lansing, MI
Lansing is the capitol of Michigan, and nearby in East Lansing is Michigan State University. But the town itself has a long auto manufacturing history, with GM's once proud Oldsmobile division calling this area home base. General Motors still operates a couple plants here, so a nice nod to the automotive history. Lansing Lugnuts also features consonance, so it rolls of the tongue nicely.
Chattanooga Lookouts: Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga is located right by Lookout Mountain, so that's how the team gets his name. I love when teams find something unique to their hometown, and it's safe to say there isn't another club out there called the Lookouts. Also, gotta love the logo on the hat.
Albequerque Isotopes: Albequerque, NM
Any team name that stems from The Simpsons is alright by me. Also, the name somewhat fits because Los Alamos where the first nuclear bomb was built is nearby. It's a shame that Springfield had to lose its team though.
Toledo Mudheds: Toledo, OH
Despite all these years of being the Tigers AAA affiliate, I never knew the story of this goofy name. Turns out, back in 1896 the team practiced next to a marsh inhabited by American Coots, which are also called Mud Hens. This one holds significance in the family as well, because my Dad came home and cried when he was little leaguer after he found out he was on a team called the Mud Hens.
Alright, that's all I got for now. I'll be here all night if I kept going, especially if I moved into the college ranks.
If you notice in regards to the high school teams I mentioned, I didn't even leave the state of Michigan. Despite my mitten-centric selection of high schools, I got a bunch of really unique and interesting mascots. Oklahoma City, with all its oil and cowboy heritage should've done so much better than the Thunder. Washington D.C. should've paid tribute to the Negro League team that played there(The Grays), or picked something far less focus group sounding than Nationals. The fans in both cities deserved better.
As you may have read in my previous post, I am against mascots that are weather related, sound focused grouped, or generic. I am greatly for mascots that embrace the local city's culture and history. Examples of this are the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Blues, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't mind if a team takes on an animal mascot. Nicknames like Lions and Tigers and Bears (oh my!) are always solid, but are at the end of the day are a little uncreative. However, I hate team names like the Minnesota Wild, Washington Nationals, and Oklahoma City Thunder. They sound like arena football/MLS teams. They just sound boring and don't really stand for anything. But there are also some oddball mascots out there that belong to high schools and minor league baseball teams that I love, and that deserve a look next time a league is naming one of their clubs. Here are a few of my favorites-
Edwin Denby High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Sonny Bono, Bill Bonds (the real Ron Burgundy)
Mascot: Tars
Denby High School is named after Edwin Denby, a prominent Detroit area politician and Secretary of the U.S. Navy during the Harding Administration. There are many nautical motifs on the school building itself, and the nickname of Tars is nautical as well. Back in the day, rigging on sailboats was made of rope that could rot, so they would be covered in tar to avoid this problem. The tar would get all over the sailor's hands, and sailors themselves became known as "tars" or "Jack tars" as a nickname. This nautical theme is reflected in UNC's Tarheels nickname as well. To this day, tar has an impact on U.S. Navy protocol. While the army salutes with the palm facing the floor, the Navy and Marine Corps salute with the hand at a 90 degree angle (all you see is the back of the hand) in an effort to conceal the once tar covered palms.
Cass Technical High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Diana Ross, Lilly Tomlin, Jack White, David Allen Grier
Mascot: Technicians
Cass Tech's nickname really doesn't have much of a story. I just like how direct it is. It was started as a technical school, so the teams are called the Technicians. Simple and cool.
Midland High School: Midland, MI
Famous Alumni: No one you've ever heard of.
Mascot: Chemics
Midland is a company town, and Dow Chemical is that company. The company even helped build the school with a donation back in 1911. Once again this is a cool and unique nod to a town's bread and butter industry.
John J. Pershing High School, Detroit MI
Famous Alumni: Tim Meadows
Mascot: Doughboys
Named after one of America's all time bad assess, General John "Black Jack" Pershing, the leader of American forces in World War I. The American troops sent over to fight in WWI were nicknamed "doughboys." The Mexican-American War is believed to be the origin of the term doughboy, where commonplace slang for a U.S. Army infantryman. It became really popular during WWI, but by WWII had fallen out of favor, with the term G.I. taking over. Pillsbury cookies aside, I think this team name is very unique, and has a really cool link to the School's namesake. This is defiantly one of my favorite oddball mascots. I'm sure Leon Phelps agrees.
Fordson High School, Dearborn, MI
Famous Alumni: Walter Reuther
Mascot: Tractors
Fordson was named after Henry Ford and his son Edsel, and it was also the nameplate that Henry Ford used to market his Fordson Tractor, which was a very popular model at the time. Since the school shared the same name, they picked the mascot Tractors. Ironically enough, the school building itself is lavishly decorated, and was one of the most expensive schools in the country when it was built. Even today, the building looks like a college or a boarding school on the outside, contrasting with its unglamourous mascot.
Southeastern High School: Detroit, MI
Mascot: Jungaleers
Famous Alum: Rosalind Ashford of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas, Bart Scott of the Baltimore Ravens
I've heard conflicting stories on this one, but the one that makes the most sense is that a Jungleer is a military unit/soldier that fights in the jungle. Certainly don't see this one anywhere else.
Moving on from nearby high schools, Minor League Baseball routinely shows that a generic team name is not necessary. Here are some of my personal favorites.
Lansing Lugnuts: Lansing, MI
Lansing is the capitol of Michigan, and nearby in East Lansing is Michigan State University. But the town itself has a long auto manufacturing history, with GM's once proud Oldsmobile division calling this area home base. General Motors still operates a couple plants here, so a nice nod to the automotive history. Lansing Lugnuts also features consonance, so it rolls of the tongue nicely.
Chattanooga Lookouts: Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga is located right by Lookout Mountain, so that's how the team gets his name. I love when teams find something unique to their hometown, and it's safe to say there isn't another club out there called the Lookouts. Also, gotta love the logo on the hat.
Albequerque Isotopes: Albequerque, NM
Any team name that stems from The Simpsons is alright by me. Also, the name somewhat fits because Los Alamos where the first nuclear bomb was built is nearby. It's a shame that Springfield had to lose its team though.
Toledo Mudheds: Toledo, OH
Despite all these years of being the Tigers AAA affiliate, I never knew the story of this goofy name. Turns out, back in 1896 the team practiced next to a marsh inhabited by American Coots, which are also called Mud Hens. This one holds significance in the family as well, because my Dad came home and cried when he was little leaguer after he found out he was on a team called the Mud Hens.
Alright, that's all I got for now. I'll be here all night if I kept going, especially if I moved into the college ranks.
If you notice in regards to the high school teams I mentioned, I didn't even leave the state of Michigan. Despite my mitten-centric selection of high schools, I got a bunch of really unique and interesting mascots. Oklahoma City, with all its oil and cowboy heritage should've done so much better than the Thunder. Washington D.C. should've paid tribute to the Negro League team that played there(The Grays), or picked something far less focus group sounding than Nationals. The fans in both cities deserved better.
Monday, November 3, 2008
If I ran the NHL Part Tetris
By Pete McGrath
Moving from French to Russian this week on the name, I figured I should give some other countries besides French Canada some love. While I've covered cities, sweaters, and TV deals, I have not covered the actual on ice product. That's what I'll cover this time.
I have to tie up some loose ends though from my last post however. As I said last time, it is pivotal that the NHL expands the TV footprint of the game. One of the best ways to do this is to PUT THE GAMES ON TV!!!!! Currently, due to the leagues broadcast agreement with VS., local broadcasts cannot be shown, even if your club isn't on the Versus schedule. That twelve year old in D.C. with the Ovechkin poster on the wall needs to be able to see his favorite player on TV. Also, the league needs to be more proactive in cases like Chicago, when Bill Wirtz refused to broadcast home games when the United Center wasn't sold out. Which leads to my next point.
Last time I suggested a pay to play system for the Stanley Cup to ramp up the intensity on the ice. Also I suggested a promotional stunt of having the money on the ice for the presentation. That idea was pretty unpopular, but I think people missed the point. I also wanted owners to pay up at the beginning, with the thought process that the financial incentive to win will eliminate the league's shitty absentee owners. While maybe the ante up/pay to play idea isn't a winner, I think all leagues should adopt what I'll call the Wirtz-Sterling rule (named for Donald Sterling of LA Clippers fame.) The rule should be that if an owner has shown a pattern of poorly operating a franchise, then they should have to sell the team. I think ten-fifteen years is a fair judgement call in this case. The Blackhawks play in the second biggest market after Toronto, but they are an afterthought in that city because of the Wirtz family's poor ownership. A strong Chicago franchise is important for any league, and the NHL needs to be more proactive in the future.
Shitty owners aside, the league needs to fix the shcedule. Every club should play each other at least twice. After the Stanley Cup last year, the Wings-Penguins match up should be a hot ticket in Pittsburgh. However, there is not Wings-Pens game in Pittsburgh, which is stupid. The league shouldn't try to create division rivalries where there are none- (I have a tough time getting amped up for Wings-Blue Jackets six times a year) A schedule set up like the NBA's would be fine. As it stands now, the Wings only play the Leafs, Habs, Bruins and Rangers once a year. Those original six match ups deserve at least two games. Also, to pick up the intensity of some games, add more home and home series. Home and homes allows the hatred from the night before to still be fresh in a player's mind, boiling over to the next game creating a more intense match up. How cool would it be to see Wings-Habs home and home, for the fans and the players?
The league has made some positive rule changes to combat the boring New Jersey style trap of the 90s. To me, hockey is the ultimate players game. Not to say good coaching isn't necessary, but hockey coaches cannot call in the pitches, nor can they signal in or draw up set plays. The league was heading in a dangerous direction for a while, but I think they righted the ship with some key rule changes. Most importantly, they brought back the tag-up rule for offsides. I like the no line change rule after icing, and I never liked the two line pass rule. Clutching and grabbing had to go as well. I'm glad the league let the players who can skate play. But they also need to make sure the league doesn't lose it's toughness. Also, I must say the shootout is pretty cool. I thought it was stupid before they had it, but now I am converted. I would rather five shooters go than three, but it's a cool way to end a regular season game.
That being said, the league better not think about touching the sudden death/golden goal OT in the playoffs. There is nothing more intense that playoff hockey, and nothing puts me on the edge more than overtime in the playoffs. The best way to improve the regular season is to try get the intensity to that playoff level. Obviously unlimited sudden death OT is a stupid idea during the regular season, but why not get rid of the OT loss and make every shootout either 2 points or zero. That way clubs wouldn't sit back and play for the 1 point at the end of regulation, but would play hard for the win.
The league has to ease up on their fighting rules. I remember when it would be Wings-Leafs in the early 90s, and as much as I wanted to see Yzerman and Gilmour match up, I really wanted to see Domi and Probert drop the gloves. First of all, nobody gets up for popcorn during a fight. Fights are cool to watch (as the popularity of MMA and Ultimate Fighting shows). Hockey fights have always been much more honorable than other sport's fights- no one spiking anybody (Marcus Vick) and no sucker punches then running away (Carmelo Anthony). Hockey players fight face to face. Hockey fights also ratchet up the intensity of a game, and can give a club something to rally around. The Wings kicked off that Stanley cup run in 97 by beating the crap out of the Avs at Joe Louis in a late regular season game. I think fights are a necessary evil in a way as well. I do not want there to be bench clearing brawls every night, but a good fight to get the bad blood out is ok. I also believe that there would be less cheap shots if fights were legal, because players would eventually have to answer to an enforcer. Let the players police their own game- because while a millionaire isn't going to care about a fine, a punch in the face still hurts no matter how much money you're making. Long story short, Gordie Howe hat tricks are good for hockey.
The league should also go back to the three official system. With players being as big and fast as they are now, it gets crowded out there with four other skaters. Also, you have one official with a close view of the play not making the call, and the guy far away from the play calling a penalty. That really burns a hole in my panty hose. Perhaps give linesman a little more power, but please go back to three officials. Also, at certain times the league takes safety too far. It is a crime against all of my fashion principles that something as glorious as Kerry Fraser's hair is now underneath a helmet. In the NHL's Mount Rushmore of beautiful flowing manes of hair, Kerry Fraser's immovable bouffant helmet doo is a definite shoo in. For the record, I nominate Barry Melrose, Marc Crawford, and Mike Babcock to also be blow-dried, combed, and sprayed into stone. If they let him go helmetless however, the league should probably buy carbon credits to offset all the CO2 and make Kerry Fraser officiated games more environmentally friendly.
The league should also empower officials to call the diving penalty more often. While hockey will never be like soccer, where players fake injuries for calls all the time, I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional player get thrown into the box for a dive.
When it comes to goalies, I have some gripes with the rules. Let the goalies play the puck- that stupid trapezoid thing doesn't really do anything. Also, if goalies play the puck more, they often time create chances/goals by sending an awkward pass up the boards (think Osgood against the Sharks). Passing with goalie equipment is hard, so let goalies screw up and create scoring chances that way. I also hate the delay of game penalty for sending a puck over the glass. I find that rule arbitrary and stupid, and it's not like that was a problem in the league prior to the rule change.
As much as Sean Avery drives me up the wall, I thought his screen against Brodeur was hilarious and should remain legal. What was illegal about it? While annoying, he also can't see the puck behind him so he can't make a deflection, nor can he get out of the way of a shot, meaning it's not a perfect play. Also, that's when a defenceman on the Devils needs to get the sand out of his vagina and knock him on his ass. Once again, let the players police their own game. Brodeur should have cussed out his defencemen after that play because they should've taken care of the matter in front themselves.
One last thing, I firmly believe in the touch up icing rule. I realize it takes longer, and I realize that every other league the play is blown dead after the puck crosses the goal line. But that rule separates the men from the boys to me. Much like getting both feet down in the NHL, the longer three point line in the NBA, and wood bats in MLB, I think this is a rule that separates the amateurs from the pros. Plus when a game is close, seeing two players hustle down the ice going after the puck is fun to watch, and shows who wants it more.
That's it for now. Next time I'll cover some other stuff that I forgot.
Moving from French to Russian this week on the name, I figured I should give some other countries besides French Canada some love. While I've covered cities, sweaters, and TV deals, I have not covered the actual on ice product. That's what I'll cover this time.
I have to tie up some loose ends though from my last post however. As I said last time, it is pivotal that the NHL expands the TV footprint of the game. One of the best ways to do this is to PUT THE GAMES ON TV!!!!! Currently, due to the leagues broadcast agreement with VS., local broadcasts cannot be shown, even if your club isn't on the Versus schedule. That twelve year old in D.C. with the Ovechkin poster on the wall needs to be able to see his favorite player on TV. Also, the league needs to be more proactive in cases like Chicago, when Bill Wirtz refused to broadcast home games when the United Center wasn't sold out. Which leads to my next point.
Last time I suggested a pay to play system for the Stanley Cup to ramp up the intensity on the ice. Also I suggested a promotional stunt of having the money on the ice for the presentation. That idea was pretty unpopular, but I think people missed the point. I also wanted owners to pay up at the beginning, with the thought process that the financial incentive to win will eliminate the league's shitty absentee owners. While maybe the ante up/pay to play idea isn't a winner, I think all leagues should adopt what I'll call the Wirtz-Sterling rule (named for Donald Sterling of LA Clippers fame.) The rule should be that if an owner has shown a pattern of poorly operating a franchise, then they should have to sell the team. I think ten-fifteen years is a fair judgement call in this case. The Blackhawks play in the second biggest market after Toronto, but they are an afterthought in that city because of the Wirtz family's poor ownership. A strong Chicago franchise is important for any league, and the NHL needs to be more proactive in the future.
Shitty owners aside, the league needs to fix the shcedule. Every club should play each other at least twice. After the Stanley Cup last year, the Wings-Penguins match up should be a hot ticket in Pittsburgh. However, there is not Wings-Pens game in Pittsburgh, which is stupid. The league shouldn't try to create division rivalries where there are none- (I have a tough time getting amped up for Wings-Blue Jackets six times a year) A schedule set up like the NBA's would be fine. As it stands now, the Wings only play the Leafs, Habs, Bruins and Rangers once a year. Those original six match ups deserve at least two games. Also, to pick up the intensity of some games, add more home and home series. Home and homes allows the hatred from the night before to still be fresh in a player's mind, boiling over to the next game creating a more intense match up. How cool would it be to see Wings-Habs home and home, for the fans and the players?
The league has made some positive rule changes to combat the boring New Jersey style trap of the 90s. To me, hockey is the ultimate players game. Not to say good coaching isn't necessary, but hockey coaches cannot call in the pitches, nor can they signal in or draw up set plays. The league was heading in a dangerous direction for a while, but I think they righted the ship with some key rule changes. Most importantly, they brought back the tag-up rule for offsides. I like the no line change rule after icing, and I never liked the two line pass rule. Clutching and grabbing had to go as well. I'm glad the league let the players who can skate play. But they also need to make sure the league doesn't lose it's toughness. Also, I must say the shootout is pretty cool. I thought it was stupid before they had it, but now I am converted. I would rather five shooters go than three, but it's a cool way to end a regular season game.
That being said, the league better not think about touching the sudden death/golden goal OT in the playoffs. There is nothing more intense that playoff hockey, and nothing puts me on the edge more than overtime in the playoffs. The best way to improve the regular season is to try get the intensity to that playoff level. Obviously unlimited sudden death OT is a stupid idea during the regular season, but why not get rid of the OT loss and make every shootout either 2 points or zero. That way clubs wouldn't sit back and play for the 1 point at the end of regulation, but would play hard for the win.
The league has to ease up on their fighting rules. I remember when it would be Wings-Leafs in the early 90s, and as much as I wanted to see Yzerman and Gilmour match up, I really wanted to see Domi and Probert drop the gloves. First of all, nobody gets up for popcorn during a fight. Fights are cool to watch (as the popularity of MMA and Ultimate Fighting shows). Hockey fights have always been much more honorable than other sport's fights- no one spiking anybody (Marcus Vick) and no sucker punches then running away (Carmelo Anthony). Hockey players fight face to face. Hockey fights also ratchet up the intensity of a game, and can give a club something to rally around. The Wings kicked off that Stanley cup run in 97 by beating the crap out of the Avs at Joe Louis in a late regular season game. I think fights are a necessary evil in a way as well. I do not want there to be bench clearing brawls every night, but a good fight to get the bad blood out is ok. I also believe that there would be less cheap shots if fights were legal, because players would eventually have to answer to an enforcer. Let the players police their own game- because while a millionaire isn't going to care about a fine, a punch in the face still hurts no matter how much money you're making. Long story short, Gordie Howe hat tricks are good for hockey.
The league should also go back to the three official system. With players being as big and fast as they are now, it gets crowded out there with four other skaters. Also, you have one official with a close view of the play not making the call, and the guy far away from the play calling a penalty. That really burns a hole in my panty hose. Perhaps give linesman a little more power, but please go back to three officials. Also, at certain times the league takes safety too far. It is a crime against all of my fashion principles that something as glorious as Kerry Fraser's hair is now underneath a helmet. In the NHL's Mount Rushmore of beautiful flowing manes of hair, Kerry Fraser's immovable bouffant helmet doo is a definite shoo in. For the record, I nominate Barry Melrose, Marc Crawford, and Mike Babcock to also be blow-dried, combed, and sprayed into stone. If they let him go helmetless however, the league should probably buy carbon credits to offset all the CO2 and make Kerry Fraser officiated games more environmentally friendly.
The league should also empower officials to call the diving penalty more often. While hockey will never be like soccer, where players fake injuries for calls all the time, I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional player get thrown into the box for a dive.
When it comes to goalies, I have some gripes with the rules. Let the goalies play the puck- that stupid trapezoid thing doesn't really do anything. Also, if goalies play the puck more, they often time create chances/goals by sending an awkward pass up the boards (think Osgood against the Sharks). Passing with goalie equipment is hard, so let goalies screw up and create scoring chances that way. I also hate the delay of game penalty for sending a puck over the glass. I find that rule arbitrary and stupid, and it's not like that was a problem in the league prior to the rule change.
As much as Sean Avery drives me up the wall, I thought his screen against Brodeur was hilarious and should remain legal. What was illegal about it? While annoying, he also can't see the puck behind him so he can't make a deflection, nor can he get out of the way of a shot, meaning it's not a perfect play. Also, that's when a defenceman on the Devils needs to get the sand out of his vagina and knock him on his ass. Once again, let the players police their own game. Brodeur should have cussed out his defencemen after that play because they should've taken care of the matter in front themselves.
One last thing, I firmly believe in the touch up icing rule. I realize it takes longer, and I realize that every other league the play is blown dead after the puck crosses the goal line. But that rule separates the men from the boys to me. Much like getting both feet down in the NHL, the longer three point line in the NBA, and wood bats in MLB, I think this is a rule that separates the amateurs from the pros. Plus when a game is close, seeing two players hustle down the ice going after the puck is fun to watch, and shows who wants it more.
That's it for now. Next time I'll cover some other stuff that I forgot.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Solving the Problems with Overtime Football
My beloved Fighting Irish lost today in overtime to Pittsburgh. I’m not making excuses, but the way Pitt won reminded me of one of the biggest problems with the college overtime format. Notre Dame missed a field goal on its possession in the fourth overtime, leaving Pitt needing only a field goal to win the game. Good thing for the Panthers; they get to start with the football inside realistic field goal range. Now, this turned out to not be a factor, as Shady McCoy reduced the field goal to a mere chip shot, but this does not excuse the problems with the college overtime system. How to handle overtime has always been one of the most debated issues in football. The college and professional ranks have taken diverging paths, with professional choosing a more traditional format and college going with a more out-of-the-box alignment. From my point-of-view, the college overtime is much closer to the way things should be, but at this point, nobody has gotten it right. The tough thing is that with so many facets factoring into the outcome of a football game; it is damn near impossible to integrate all of them into a condensed overtime period that is fair for both teams. The ideal overtime format is pretty obvious. Do it like every other sport, just play another 15-minute period. Whichever team leads at the end of those 15 minutes wins the game. Why does this seem too easy? Because it is. The issue with this format is that it puts too much strain on the players. Unlike other sports, every single play in a football game takes a tremendous toll on the players, and it’s really not fair to put both teams through an additional quarter of punishment, if it can be avoided. Players would never agree to this format, nor should they, so for all intents and purposes, it is not a viable option. Of the current techniques, the NFL format is the truest to the game, but it doesn’t give both teams an equal shot. Unless Marty Mornhinweg is involved, the outcome of the game generally rides on a coin flip. An argument can be made that the loser of the coin flip should be able to get a stop on defense, which is true, but in a regulation game, there would never be a scenario where one team would be on defense the entire time, with no opportunity to answer on offense. If the team on defense makes a stop, then the NFL’s overtime becomes perfect. Each team is forced to play offense, defense, and special teams; first team to score wins. Obviously, there is no way to guarantee a stop, and alas, the NFL overtime format is fatally flawed. The college overtime format is certainly more innovative, but it is far from perfect. As I alluded to earlier, the big problem with college overtime is that the offense gets the ball too close to the end zone. A team should not be rewarded with a field goal opportunity if they can’t move the ball. The idea of giving both teams an equal shot is well founded, but poorly executed. Starting at the 25-yard line cripples the defense and gives the offense a better parachute than an AIG executive. Without a huge negative play, it is nearly impossible for the defense to force a 3-and-out and the offense almost always has an opportunity for a makeable field goal. In the current system, offenses are encouraged to play conservatively and mediocrity is rewarded. The solution is simple, back the offense up 15 yards. It puts the offense out of field goal range and forces aggression on both sides of the ball. If the offense can’t make a first down, they are forced to either go for it on fourth down, or try an extremely difficult field goal. If the defense can stop the offense from converting a first down, they can get off the field and give possession back to their offense without allowing any points. Starting from the forty keeps the offense close enough to ensure sufficient scoring to end the game quickly, but gives the defense an opportunity to get off the field without forcing a turnover. This is the only format that ensures that offense, defense, and special teams all remain as integral cogs in deciding the football game. It does omit the punting/field position aspect of the game, but hey, nobody’s perfect. Honestly, I don’t think that the NFL will ever waver from its current format, but I do think that there is a chance for college to change. So write a letter to your local conference commissioner: Starting Overtime from the 40…Change We Can Believe In!
Wait, where have I heard that before….
Wait, where have I heard that before….
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