It's been a while since I've hit the internet. What can I say? Sometimes life intercedes with life. But have no fear, I'm back with plenty to say. I've gone through so many different formats that I have reached a point where I have decided to just rant from the heart and see what the format looks like.
So, on with the show:
- Let's start with the absolute "Twilight Zone" of a season my beloved New Jersey Devils are having. At the NHL All-Star Break, the Devils are a league-worst 16-30-3 for a paltry 35 points. The first half of the season in Newark was highlighted by 11 consective road losses, the firing of John MacLean, another return for Jacques Lemaire, a ghastly -29 rating for star forward Ilya Kovalchuk, and a stretch where it seemed as though Martin Brodeur was being pulled from every start he made.
The Devils have rebounded slightly, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games before the break. However, the club remains 22 points out a playoff spot and the postseason appears to be a pipe dream at best. If the club fails to make the postseason it will end a streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances, the second-longest active streak to that of the Detroit Red Wings.
There are so many different theories that have been floated about to explain this debacle: MacLean was a poor hire who didn't have enough of a resume to be an NHL head coach. Kovalchuk's contract was a huge distraction and the club was unable to bring in players that would complement his style of play. Parise's knee injury derailed any hope of the club having more than one solid scoring line. Brodeur was finally running out of gas at 38 years old. There is a clear power struggle between GM Lou Lamoriello and principal owner Jeff Vanderbeek that has divided the organization.
Bottom line, it's beyond agonizing to see the Devils play this way. For most of my hockey-watching life the Devils have been a beacon for gritty, defensive, winning hockey. I have been privileged enough to witness the Devils capture nine Atlantic Division titles, four Eastern Conference titles, and three Stanley Cups. The way things went the first half of this season made me imagine how the fans for the Devils' first few seasons in Jersey must have felt, when the club was labeled a "Mickey Mouse" organization by the great Wayne Gretzky. Hopefully, the Devils will continue to be competitive in the second half, the youngsters will continue to grow, and the stage will be set for a huge 2011-2012 season at "The Rock."
- Sports Illustrated recently published an article that puts the PED spotlight once again on cyclist Lance Armstrong. I won't get into much detail on this but I have to wonder. Many of the individuals (Floyd Landis among them) who have accused Armstrong of doping are cheaters themselves and have been caught lying in public on numerous occasions. How credible are these sources? I almost feel like everyone is on a PED witch hunt at this point, looking to take down anyone who has accomplished something athletically mind-boggling. It is an absolute shame that we can no longer appreciate any great athletic feat without immediately accusing the athlete of doping. I wonder how the millions of cancer survivors that look to Armstrong for inspiration feel about all of this.
- The New York Mets' rebuilding took another turn for the strange and unusual when the Wilpon family recently came forward looking for a minority investor in the ballclub. This is the final piece of the puzzle and shows now (without much reasonable doubt) that the Wilpons were hurt by the Madoff scheme much more than they ever let on publicly. Now, let's get real here. There is no way someone is going to invest some $200 million in the Mets and not ask for more control than a lousy 25%. Don't be surprised if the Wilpons drag this show on, sinking the Mets even further into oblivion, until they are finally forced to sell the club. In the meantime, let's enjoy that Opening Day rotation of Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, R.A. Dickey, Chris Young, and Chris Capuano.
- And how about Brian Cashman speaking out against the Yankees' braintrust? Cashman is in the last year of his contract and both sides have repeatedly stated they want Cashman to remain the Yankee GM. So why is Cashman suddenly speaking out of turn so much? He was vocally against the Rafael Soriano signing and then did the unthinkable by suggesting that Derek Jeter would eventually be relieved of his everyday shortstop duties. Just when you thought Cashman had dug himself enough of a hole, he then went out and said the Red Sox (based on their Hot Stove work) currently have the better team. The Yankee Universe must have gone crazy upon hearing that one. Admittedly, it is refreshing to hear someone speak out against the Yankee machine, especially someone from that deep inside. However, it's clear that Cashman was hurt by some of the tidbits in the Joe Torre book and is starting to see that there aren't many people he can trust inside the organization. I still believe Cashman will get his extension but it will be a very entertaining ride along the way.
- After a scorching 18-0 start, the Syracuse men's basketball team has now dropped four in a row. The Orangemen (As an alum, I refuse to call them the Orange.) have bookended home losses against Villanova and Seton Hall with road losses to Pitt and Marquette. The Orangemen are young (only one senior: Rick Jackson) and just don't seem to be playing on the same page these days. The schedule in the brutal Big East doesn't let up. The next five games: at UConn, vs. Georgetown, at Louisville, and vs. West Virginia with a trip to South Florida after the UConn game the only respite.
- I went to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium just before New Year's to watch the 'Cuse defeat Kansas State, 36-34, in one of the more entertaining bowl games of the year. It truly was the perfect storm for Syracuse football with the game in head coach Doug Marrone's backyard. Hopefully this game (and this season) is a sign of good things to come for the program. 2011 will be even more wide-open than 2010 in the Big East's final year as constituted. The Horned Frogs of TCU will be joining the conference in 2012.
- The New York Cosmos are trying to bring themselves back to life and gain entry into MLS as an expansion team. I'm sure MLS commissioner Don Garber would love to have two New York/New Jersey franchises and the Cosmos have a great pitch and sound management. But until they find a viable stadium, let's just keep those Cosmo dreams on hold.
- Was anybody besides me excited to see Zach Greinke go to the Milwaukee Brewers instead of one of the big power clubs? Maybe I should start calling those teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Phillies) the BCS teams of Major League Baseball. I think it fits quite well.
- The Tampa Bay Rays may have lost some key pieces from last year's club (Carlos Pena, Matt Garza, Rafael Soriano) but they will be competitive once again this year in the beast known as the AL East.
- This March marks the beginning of the newly-expanded NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. March Madness now has a field of 68 teams and will begin with "The First Four" on March 15th. Curious to see how this one works. I don't believe the NCAA field needed to expand but just like the bloated number of college bowl games (I am still a fan of the bowl system but even I will admit that there are a few too many bowl games.), it was only a matter of time.
- Steelers/Packers in Super Bowl XLV. The Terrible Towels vs. The Frozen Tundra. Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain vs. Lombardi & the Packer Sweep. A great game for those who value history as two of the NFL's most-storied franchises lock horns. The current versions of these two squads are pretty good too, in case you haven't been watching. The Steelers boast one of the best run defenses in NFL history while the Packers boast a very strong, attacking 3-4 defense of their own. The quarterback battle of Roethlisberger vs. Rodgers should also prove highly entertaining. My pick: Steelers.
- Great article by ESPN's Jayson Stark about the Albert Pujols contract situation. Check it out here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove10/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=6056760
- The WWE Royal Rumble is tonight and for the first time ever the Rumble match will feature 40 superstars, instead of the usual 30. When the company had WCW and ECW wrestlers in addition to its stocked rosters of superstars, a 40-man Rumble made complete sense. Now, I'm not so sure. Anyway, look for some surprises tonight as there are always some at the Rumble.
- Random Sporting Moment: On February 1, 2003, the Syracuse Orangemen defeated the #2 Pitt Panthers, 67-65, in a wild finish (including disputed 3-pointers and clock resets) at the Carrier Dome. #1-ranked Duke lost earlier that day and had Pitt won, they would've been ranked #1 for the first time in school history. Hakim Warrick led the 'Cuse with 20 points.
- Random Wrestling Match: The WWF Championship was on the line on January 21, 2001, at the Royal Rumble. With a huge assist from Stone Cold Steve Austin, WWF Champion Kurt Angle defeated #1 Contender Triple H to retain the WWF Title. With referee Earl Hebner knocked out, Triple H hit Angle with the Pedigree. As Helmsley went to get Hebner, Stone Cold raced down to the ring. Austin (seeking retribution for Trips costing him the title a few weeks before) planted Triple H with the Stone Cold Stunner. Angle then covered a prone Triple H for the victory.
Until next time.
-Meech
Sunday, January 30, 2011
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