This weekend the NHL will send its best and brightest stars to Montreal for the 2009 All-Star Game. Sadly the All-Star Game, as it is in most sports, is nothing more than a watered-down version of the regular game. It's just a glorified exhibition that lacks the beautiful little nuances that make hockey so great. But if you're a hockey fan, like myself, then I highly suggest that you sit down (or set the DVR), find Versus on your local cable lineup, and enjoy the Honda/NHL Super Skills Competition. Forget the game on Sunday. Just focus on the Skills contest.
The Skills contest is a comprehensive showcase of all the talents and skill sets necessary to play hockey at the highest level. Events include the Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, Elimination Shootout, Accuracy Contest, and the YoungStars showcase. For those who either lack an introduction to hockey or struggle to appreciate the sheer beauty of the game, this is the perfect avenue to change one's narrow mindset on the sport.
The Hardest Shot competition is a demonstration of brut force. It is simply one man putting everything he's got behind his shot and firing one into the net. I know it sounds so simple but it's riveting. It's amazing to watch an individual just rip a puck at over 100 mph into the net. Washington Captials defenseman Al Iafrate set the record back in 1993 with a shot of 105.2 mph. Ironically, that record was set in Montreal at the old Forum.
The Fastest Skater is another simple yet beautiful competiton. It's set up similarly to an Olympic speed skating competition as players race against both each other and the clock. Skaters simply have to complete one lap around the rink. Several players in the past have done this in under 14 seconds. Think about that for a minute: the size of the hockey rink, the tight turns, and the body control required to skate in hockey makes for a thrilling 15 second ride.
The Breakaway Challenge is like hockey meets an And-1 mix tape. Shooters start at the blueline and work in on the goalie utilizing as many tricks as they can before trying to put the puck in the back of the net. To ensure the maximum amount of creativity, the fans actually determine the winner of this contest. They text their votes to the NHL and the league tallies them up to determine the winner. There are some truly gifted puck handlers in this contest: Alexander Ovechkin, Ryan Getzlaf, Alex Kovalev, Patrick Kane, & Sidney Crosby. If you want to see some incredible stick work that reminds you of the Harlem Globetrotters on ice then this is the event for you.
The Accuracy Contest is an exercise in precision. There are four targets, one on each corner of the net. Players get a maximum of eight shots to hit the four targets. The dead-on aim is a sight to behold. Only four players have ever taken out four targets on just four shots, the most notable being Ray Bourque. The combination of finesse, strength, and accuracy is impressive and I feel that this event, along with the Hardest Shot contest, are the best parts of the SuperSkills competition.
The YoungStars showcase has been amended to a 3-on-3 showdown featuring 10 of the best sophomores in the league against 10 of the best rookies in the NHL. The 3-on-3 format takes me back to the days of pond hockey, the days when things were simple and all that mattered was playing the game. And that's how these young athletes treat this event. It's quite obvious the joy these youngsters have, being in the NHL and on this stage. This game is also a great peek into the future of the league as 17 YoungStars alumni have now played in the All-Star Game.
The only complaint I have about the SuperSkills is the lack of events for the goaltenders. Yes, they are involved in the Breakaway Challenge but that event is clearly designed for the tricks and moves of the shooters. There is also the Elimination Shootout where all 36 skaters shoot rapid fire, penalty shot-style, one after another until there is only one skater and one goalie left standing. Luckily, the goalies have their own showcase during the regular season in the form of the shootout.
Beauty, grace, power, speed, agility, and accessibility are all key components to the SuperSkills contest. Any hockey fan, new or old, knowledgable or curious, can enjoy this night. It's also a chance for players to take their helmets off, show their faces, and market their incredible sport. And the best part of the Superskills? Simply the fact that every single event involves the actual All-Stars. Imagine how much more exciting the NBA Slam Dunk Contest would be if the field included Kobe & LeBron.
So, like I said before, find Versus in your local cable channel lineup, grab a beer, sit back, and allow the stars of the NHL to show you just why their misunderstood and underappreciated sport is actually beyond incredible.
As for Sunday...Pass on the All-Star Game and wait for regular season play to resume on Tuesday.
Some news and notes:
-Brendan Shanahan is back in Jersey and already making an impact. The NHL's active leading all-time goal scorer netted the 651st tally of his career in the Devils' 3-1 win over Nashville on Monday night. Shanny, the 20-year veteran, was brought back for a second stint in the Garden State to provide help on the power play. His goal, you guessed it, was on the power play.
-Kudos to Tony Dungy on both a great coaching career and being able to leave the game on his terms to spend more time with his family. Dungy was the first head coach in NFL history to make the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons and the first to have six straight 12+ win seasons. Dungy took the Buccaneers from laughing stock to legitimate playoff contender. He then racked up a .759 winning percentage in 7 seasons with the Colts, including the landmark Super Bowl XLI victory, becoming the first African-American head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl. He was an excellent football coach and a man of principle. If you haven't read his book, Quiet Strength, I strongly suggest you go out and buy it right now. The NFL needs more good men like Dungy roaming its sidelines and he will be missed.
-The Boston Red Sox are quite the study this off-season. They have raided the bargain bin for players such as John Smoltz, Mark Kotsay, Josh Bard, & Brad Penny. The pitching surplus that GM Theo Epstein has accumulated is both a great insurance policy against injury and a strong asset in possible trades. Even if only one or two of his acquisitions pan out, it would still be considered a successful off-season, considering he spent well below the market rate for these players. Another amazing fact, Epstein has never had a player take him to arbitration during his tenure as Red Sox GM. Impressive.
-It's always sad for me as a college football fan to watch so many underclassmen declare for the NFL Draft. But I just want to say thanks to all the dynamite players that decided another year as the big man on campus wasn't such a bad idea.
-I'll save you all the Super Bowl talk and simply say that if anyone thought the Arizona Cardinals would be playing for the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks, that person should open up his own Psychic Friends Hotline. Crazy.
-I'm curious to see how the new NFL head coaching hires pan out next season. Rex Ryan will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to win with the Jets. I think Steve Spagnuolo will regret his decision to leave the Giants to take over the Rams. Jim Schwartz will provide the Lions with passion, if nothing else. Josh McDaniels, the 32-year old whiz kid taking over the Broncos, will be lambasted at the first sign of distress. And whoever takes over the Raiders will probably want to lay the smack down on Al Davis within his first 24 hours on the job.
-Congrats to Rickey Henderson & Jim Rice for being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Their paths to Cooperstown couldn't be any more different. Henderson was a near-unanimous choice in his first year on the ballot. Rice barely got over the 75% requirement in this, his final year of eligibility. Remember, it doesn't matter how you got there as you long as you made it there in the end. If Herm Edwards were here he would say, "It doesn't matter...We're on the bus!"
-Finally, the Road to WrestleMania kicks into high gear this Sunday at the Royal Rumble. Predictions: Edge takes the WWE Title from Jeff Hardy. Cena defends his World Title against JBL. Melina becomes the new Women's Champion as Rosa Mendes interference backfires on Beth Phoenix. Matt Hardy regains the ECW Title from Jack Swagger. Triple H is forced to enter the Rumble at #1. The Undertaker is the last person eliminated. Orton wins the Rumble.
Until next week.
-Meech
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The new Hot Stove... - 1/7/09
A Happy New Year to all! Let's hope 2009 treats us a little better than 2008. Now on with the show...
Earlier today, Boston College fired head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski after just two seasons in Chestnut Hill. Jagodzinski compiled a 20-8 record in his two seasons, with two ACC Atlantic Division titles, two bowl appearances, and one bowl victory; BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo announced the firing today. At this afternoon's press conference, DeFilippo said, "Today's action relates to a difference of vision for the future." This vague statement was followed by confirmation that Jagodzinski was indeed terminated without cause. Normally, this would be grounds for an immediate lawsuit but the specifics of his contract with the school have not been released. This leaves an odd specter over this entire episode as this all occurs just one day after Jagodzinski interviewed with the New York Jets about their head coaching vacancy. All of this also got me thinking about loyalty and the movement of college football coaches.
For quite some time now the college football coaching carousel has been great off-season theatre for millions of fans around the country. I would dare to say the carousel has even eclipsed baseball's annual Hot Stove as the premier off-season free agency shift. Every year coaches get canned and recycled (i.e. Rick Neuheisel) or seemingly appear out of thin air (i.e. Gene Chizik), much to the approval (or chagrin) of large alumni bases across the nation. All this occurs while sportswriters, university employees, coaching peers, and television "talking heads" pick apart every hiring, firing, interview, and rumor.
There was a time when the baseball Hot Stove was chock full of movement and rumors. However, with the current state of the economy, combined with the inherent competitive imbalance across MLB, there just isn't as much noise across the Hot Stove anymore. Only a select handful of teams can afford the big-name stars on the market and more and more teams are declaring themselves out of the running for a player before they even try to meet with his agent. MLB's off-season is now a long, drawn-out waiting game. Imagine if the Yankees waited another few weeks or so before signing C.C. Sabathia. We would probably still have no player movement. Unfortunately, the big contract has to be set in order for the rest of the market to fall into place.
The college coaching Hot Stove is fast and furious. Teams have to hire coaches quickly and effectively to please their ever-growing alumni bases and to avoid falling too far behind in recruiting. Most schools usually know they are going to let go of their head coach sometime in late October (or sooner, in some cases, like Auburn & Tommy Tuberville). Some schools will make an announcement. Others will let him coach out the string. And others yet will force the head coach to resign, saving the institution from a hefty contract buyout. It's a cold and calculated process that ends with many unhappy parties.
But this process makes for extremely entertaining tidbits for football fans. Seemingly every hour there's a new rumor surrounding a currently-employed coach or a new name that surfaces at a job that was thought to be filled. With the constantly-changing nature of this profession and the inherent lack of job security, the college coaching Hot Stove is a perfect fit for today's 24/7 sporting news climate.
To illustrate the topsy-turvy nature of college football, think about this. In just over a month we saw the number of black head coaches in Division 1-A go from six, down to three, then up to seven, courtesy of three firings and four hirings. I could start a whole other discussion here but I'll save that for another time.
There has been so much that has happened since the end of October when Phil Fulmer was asked to step down at Tennessee. The dismissal of Tommy Tuberville, the rise of high-profile assistants such as former USC offensive coordinator & new Washington head coach Steve Sarkasian, the return of familiar faces such as Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, the coaches who decided against leaving their current employers like Skip Holtz down at East Carolina, the Turner Gill saga, and the flat-out insane hiring of Gene Chizik at Auburn. It's like a high-profile gossip column right out of InTouch or US Weekly.
Thinking about this raises the question of loyalty and job security versus opportunity. There are coaches out there, like Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who will remain forever loyal to both their bosses and schools. His 20+ year tenure at Florida State, coupled with his incredible amount of success, will keep him in Tallahassee for the duration of his career. But then there are cases like Steve Sarkasian. He could've stayed at USC and, at the very least, been in the Rose Bowl practically every year with Pete Carroll & the rest of the Trojans. But Sarkasian, who had been in the running for several openings over the last few off-seasons, decided that now was the time (and the money was right) to jump ship and rebuild a winless Washington team. This basic human drama is far more enthralling than sitting around wondering, "Hmmm...is Teixeira gonna take the $160 million offer or the $180 million offer," or "Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox...Can anyone else afford this guy?"
Maybe in the near future, more and more schools will understand the reasons behind the parity in college football (scholarship limits, national television exposure due to weekday games, better recruiting tools, better coaches, the facilities race) and see that there really is no such thing as a quick fix at this level, giving better coaches more opportunities and more time to implement their ways. It's not the National Football League.
But for now cheers to the new Hot Stove! And Major League Baseball, let me know when it's time for pitchers and catchers to report.
Some other news and notes:
- The Tampa Bay Rays are out to prove that they are not a one-year wonder. The Rays recently signed former Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell to a 2-year deal. They also upgraded their bullpen with the signing of Marlins right-hander Joe Nelson. Plus, most of the team remains intact (Longoria, Crawford, Upton, Kazmir, Shields, Price). The Yankees may have spent half-a-billion dollars but the Rays are still the AL Champs until someone beats them.
- Syracuse head football coach Doug Marrone hired former Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to be the new DC at the 'Cuse. This leaves just three openings: running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers as the new staff is nearly complete. I hope Marrone, the SU alum, is able to bring back some honor to my alma mater. But I just can't shake the feeling that reaching into the NFL for a head coach again may not have been the best thing for the Orange.
- Congratulations to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison for becoming the first undrafted player ever to win the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.
- Last Friday all 30 NBA teams were in action on the same night for the first time in league history. If this isn't the definition of cruel and unusual punishment I don't know what is. Thankfully, I spent my Friday night at The Rock watching the Devils defeat Montreal, 4-1.
- Does anyone else see a resemblance between this year's Philadelphia Eagles and last year's New York Giants? Should be an exciting NFC Divisional Playoff on Sunday at the Meadowlands.
- The NHL All-Star fan voting has yielded the twelve starters; however, they represent just four teams: Montreal, Pittsburgh, Chicago, & Anaheim. I don't think anything else needs to be said there about the merits (or lack thereof) of fan voting.
- Despite all the uproar about bowl games versus playoffs, it's been a pretty exciting bowl season. TCU/Boise State, Texas/Ohio State, and Clemson/Nebraska have been incredibly exciting, down-to-the-wire affairs. I have never been in favor of a playoff as I think it severely diminishes the beauty and importance of the regular season. But after happily watching Utah dismantle Alabama and watching Texas get a gift of a spot on 4th down against Ohio State, I think a plus-one addition to the BCS would be more than enough to settle everything. Keep the bowls, add the plus-one, everyone wins.
- The Road to WrestleMania XXV is in full swing. I was at the first two Smackdown! tapings of 2009 last week at the Meadowlands. It was glorious watching Triple H fight not one, not two, but three times. The Royal Rumble, one of the most exciting events of the WWE year, is just over two weeks away as the silver anniversary 'Mania inches closer.
Until next week.
-Meech
Earlier today, Boston College fired head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski after just two seasons in Chestnut Hill. Jagodzinski compiled a 20-8 record in his two seasons, with two ACC Atlantic Division titles, two bowl appearances, and one bowl victory; BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo announced the firing today. At this afternoon's press conference, DeFilippo said, "Today's action relates to a difference of vision for the future." This vague statement was followed by confirmation that Jagodzinski was indeed terminated without cause. Normally, this would be grounds for an immediate lawsuit but the specifics of his contract with the school have not been released. This leaves an odd specter over this entire episode as this all occurs just one day after Jagodzinski interviewed with the New York Jets about their head coaching vacancy. All of this also got me thinking about loyalty and the movement of college football coaches.
For quite some time now the college football coaching carousel has been great off-season theatre for millions of fans around the country. I would dare to say the carousel has even eclipsed baseball's annual Hot Stove as the premier off-season free agency shift. Every year coaches get canned and recycled (i.e. Rick Neuheisel) or seemingly appear out of thin air (i.e. Gene Chizik), much to the approval (or chagrin) of large alumni bases across the nation. All this occurs while sportswriters, university employees, coaching peers, and television "talking heads" pick apart every hiring, firing, interview, and rumor.
There was a time when the baseball Hot Stove was chock full of movement and rumors. However, with the current state of the economy, combined with the inherent competitive imbalance across MLB, there just isn't as much noise across the Hot Stove anymore. Only a select handful of teams can afford the big-name stars on the market and more and more teams are declaring themselves out of the running for a player before they even try to meet with his agent. MLB's off-season is now a long, drawn-out waiting game. Imagine if the Yankees waited another few weeks or so before signing C.C. Sabathia. We would probably still have no player movement. Unfortunately, the big contract has to be set in order for the rest of the market to fall into place.
The college coaching Hot Stove is fast and furious. Teams have to hire coaches quickly and effectively to please their ever-growing alumni bases and to avoid falling too far behind in recruiting. Most schools usually know they are going to let go of their head coach sometime in late October (or sooner, in some cases, like Auburn & Tommy Tuberville). Some schools will make an announcement. Others will let him coach out the string. And others yet will force the head coach to resign, saving the institution from a hefty contract buyout. It's a cold and calculated process that ends with many unhappy parties.
But this process makes for extremely entertaining tidbits for football fans. Seemingly every hour there's a new rumor surrounding a currently-employed coach or a new name that surfaces at a job that was thought to be filled. With the constantly-changing nature of this profession and the inherent lack of job security, the college coaching Hot Stove is a perfect fit for today's 24/7 sporting news climate.
To illustrate the topsy-turvy nature of college football, think about this. In just over a month we saw the number of black head coaches in Division 1-A go from six, down to three, then up to seven, courtesy of three firings and four hirings. I could start a whole other discussion here but I'll save that for another time.
There has been so much that has happened since the end of October when Phil Fulmer was asked to step down at Tennessee. The dismissal of Tommy Tuberville, the rise of high-profile assistants such as former USC offensive coordinator & new Washington head coach Steve Sarkasian, the return of familiar faces such as Lane Kiffin at Tennessee, the coaches who decided against leaving their current employers like Skip Holtz down at East Carolina, the Turner Gill saga, and the flat-out insane hiring of Gene Chizik at Auburn. It's like a high-profile gossip column right out of InTouch or US Weekly.
Thinking about this raises the question of loyalty and job security versus opportunity. There are coaches out there, like Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, who will remain forever loyal to both their bosses and schools. His 20+ year tenure at Florida State, coupled with his incredible amount of success, will keep him in Tallahassee for the duration of his career. But then there are cases like Steve Sarkasian. He could've stayed at USC and, at the very least, been in the Rose Bowl practically every year with Pete Carroll & the rest of the Trojans. But Sarkasian, who had been in the running for several openings over the last few off-seasons, decided that now was the time (and the money was right) to jump ship and rebuild a winless Washington team. This basic human drama is far more enthralling than sitting around wondering, "Hmmm...is Teixeira gonna take the $160 million offer or the $180 million offer," or "Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox...Can anyone else afford this guy?"
Maybe in the near future, more and more schools will understand the reasons behind the parity in college football (scholarship limits, national television exposure due to weekday games, better recruiting tools, better coaches, the facilities race) and see that there really is no such thing as a quick fix at this level, giving better coaches more opportunities and more time to implement their ways. It's not the National Football League.
But for now cheers to the new Hot Stove! And Major League Baseball, let me know when it's time for pitchers and catchers to report.
Some other news and notes:
- The Tampa Bay Rays are out to prove that they are not a one-year wonder. The Rays recently signed former Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell to a 2-year deal. They also upgraded their bullpen with the signing of Marlins right-hander Joe Nelson. Plus, most of the team remains intact (Longoria, Crawford, Upton, Kazmir, Shields, Price). The Yankees may have spent half-a-billion dollars but the Rays are still the AL Champs until someone beats them.
- Syracuse head football coach Doug Marrone hired former Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to be the new DC at the 'Cuse. This leaves just three openings: running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers as the new staff is nearly complete. I hope Marrone, the SU alum, is able to bring back some honor to my alma mater. But I just can't shake the feeling that reaching into the NFL for a head coach again may not have been the best thing for the Orange.
- Congratulations to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison for becoming the first undrafted player ever to win the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.
- Last Friday all 30 NBA teams were in action on the same night for the first time in league history. If this isn't the definition of cruel and unusual punishment I don't know what is. Thankfully, I spent my Friday night at The Rock watching the Devils defeat Montreal, 4-1.
- Does anyone else see a resemblance between this year's Philadelphia Eagles and last year's New York Giants? Should be an exciting NFC Divisional Playoff on Sunday at the Meadowlands.
- The NHL All-Star fan voting has yielded the twelve starters; however, they represent just four teams: Montreal, Pittsburgh, Chicago, & Anaheim. I don't think anything else needs to be said there about the merits (or lack thereof) of fan voting.
- Despite all the uproar about bowl games versus playoffs, it's been a pretty exciting bowl season. TCU/Boise State, Texas/Ohio State, and Clemson/Nebraska have been incredibly exciting, down-to-the-wire affairs. I have never been in favor of a playoff as I think it severely diminishes the beauty and importance of the regular season. But after happily watching Utah dismantle Alabama and watching Texas get a gift of a spot on 4th down against Ohio State, I think a plus-one addition to the BCS would be more than enough to settle everything. Keep the bowls, add the plus-one, everyone wins.
- The Road to WrestleMania XXV is in full swing. I was at the first two Smackdown! tapings of 2009 last week at the Meadowlands. It was glorious watching Triple H fight not one, not two, but three times. The Royal Rumble, one of the most exciting events of the WWE year, is just over two weeks away as the silver anniversary 'Mania inches closer.
Until next week.
-Meech
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